#Heather Tart Reed

[mlpdestinyverse]

“The Bigger One”

Heather Tart is used to many things, be it receiving praise, using her charm to sway a situation to her favor, or asserting her dominance as a respected student at Twilight's School of Friendship.

A punch to the face...is not one of those things.

Feat. Star Chime, Heather (Tart) Reed

Related Chapters: Tongue Twister, Honesty, Confrontation ~Destinyverse Archive~

Story and Description Under The Cut

Heather Tart had a plan. Of course she did. Her meticulous mind could think its brilliant way through anything. Especially when she had a goal so close to her she might just be able to touch it. As such, she used her natural charisma to discreetly excuse herself out of her afterschool clubroom that day. It was a little earlier than the typical time her Science Club ended. Not that it mattered. Not only did their activities finish early, but in their final moments of leisure time, only one topic buzzed relentlessly around the classroom. Princess Luna was here, visiting the School of Friendship. Under what pretense - and for how long - no one knew. Near the end of the day, the regal Alicorn had been spotted by a stray hall monitor. Striding beside Princess Twilight Sparkle, Luna had been touring the school grounds between class periods, quietly observing the students through door windows while they busied themselves with classwork. Yet she was nowhere to be seen once said periods had ended and the hallways bustled with hooves and claws alike. Elusive as ever, their mysterious Moon Princess. One could assume the Princess of the Night had discreetly taken her leave long ago; glorious gossip, however, said otherwise.

Heather's heart had nearly burst when she'd heard the news. Years of dreaming and the heavenly Alicorns were finally rewarding her. The teenaged Earth Pony resisted prancing through the empty halls in her excitement. Upon trotting out the front doors, Heather scanned the beautiful frontal schoolyard and its glistening pond that surrounded the entrance. The sky was still gray from its brief shower hours before, and with careful hooves, the filly made her way across the damp stones cutting through the pond and around the side of the school. With even more precaution, Heather made sure to avoid the mud in favor of patches of rain-touched grass. She hated nothing more than muddying her hooves. And if she was going to meet Princess Luna? She was going to do everything to ensure she'd look as elegant and pristine as ever. Step one: Make her way towards the back, where she knew the school's picnic tables were scattered about just for students during their lunch periods and downtime. Step two: Grab the nearest table towards the backdoors. Probability told her, almost without a shadow of a doubt, that this would be the very exit Princess Luna would use if her tendency to avoid crowds and not cause a fuss was anything to go by. It wasn't one hundred percent guaranteed, but the chances were high enough that Heather was willing to take it. It wouldn't be out of character for her, either. Heather loved sitting at a table on a sunny day to quietly work on homework. Sometimes, as president of her club, she'd even sit there to plan out new fun lab experiments for the Science Club's next meeting. Studious. Conscientious. Hard-working. She could never get enough of teachers and students alike noticing her and praising her efforts. As they should. The scenario in her mind played out the same way. She'll be sitting there, hunched over a notebook and mulling over new club activities, when Princess Luna and Twilight waltz their way out of those doors. They'll see her, Twilight will ask her what she's doing, and Heather would yet again demonstrate her leadership and intellect. Twilight will praise her, introduce her to Luna as one of her best students- And the youngest of the royal sisters will look upon her and remember her name. Heather could feel her heart racing and subconsciously her hooves picked up their pace. Meeting the other princesses, catching their attention, and standing out amongst the drabble...if she were to be honest, she didn't realize just how much she ached for it. Not until now. Not until it was so close- Heather turned the corner, honing in on the table she knew would be hers- Only to find another sitting there. And oh, at the sight of her, Heather felt her very blood boil. Of course she just had to be here. The dullest, most boring-looking Unicorn that had ever insulted Heather's eyes; dull white and cream coat, drab grayish-blue mane, pale and ugly blue irises as narrow as a snake's. And who could ever miss that long, rat-like tail with a tuff of mane at the end, just lying on the bench beside her. She wanted to laugh at this filly's attire too, trying to pass off as prim and proper with an outfit that only made her look like a senile office worker.  Heather knew very well who this was. And she despised her very existence. But as a filly of her own standing at this school, she had appearances to keep up. So with the most saccharine smile she could muster, Heather took long, deliberate steps towards the other filly. It didn't take long for the Unicorn to notice her, those snake eyes flicking up from what had to be the most ostentatious book Heather had ever seen; silver and grey with metallic decor on its cover, embedded with one large tacky-looking gem just as blue-gray and washed out as the filly it belonged to. Heather stopped beside the table, avoiding a muddy patch beneath it, and held the Unicorn's gaze as much as those eyes repulsed her up close. "Hi there! You must be new around here!" Heather chirped. She gave the filly a chance to at least muster a reply. She should have expected the Unicorn to

cautiously eye her like a socially inept buffoon. After an awkward few seconds, she nodded. "I am," the filly managed. Good for her. "Well isn't that nice!" Heather lies through her teeth and a beaming smile. "Then I can't blame you for not knowing! Where you're sitting right now is my usual seat. But hey, now you know, so I'm sure you won't mind moving for me, hm~?" The Unicorn stared at her. Two seconds. Five seconds. Heather watched impatiently as the other filly swept her gaze across the other empty tables around them, almost pointedly. 'Yeah. You heard what I said. I'm not being subtle. Get lost.' Victory was in her grasp, of course. She wasn't the only one here that had pretenses to maintain and denying her civility would only make this filly look like the asshole of the two. And that wouldn't make the Unicorn much of a role model, now would it? Heather's innocent smile stretched expectantly, taking in the Unicorn's deadpan expression boring into her. Another annoying second later and the other filly finally shut her book tight, sliding it to one side without breaking eye contact. "No. I don't think I will." Heather's smile twitched. How she didn't take into account a lack of even the most basic social courtesies from this filly, she'll never know. "Well that's a little harsh," Heather feigned hurt, disguising the simmering fury just beneath her skin. "I just wanted my favorite seat for my studying. Is that really too much to ask for?" An unwavering, distrustful narrow of those eyes was the Unicorn's only response. So. That's how it was going to be. ...yet face-to-face with such blatant defiance, Heather - for the first time - was at a dead end. There was no sweet talking that face. And with no one around, there was no leverage here for her to turn the tables. Behind pursed lips her jaw clenched and her teeth grated. Pathetic. Pathetic. It infuriated her how rapidly the power had shifted - power taken from her in the one place Heather had worked for it.  Power THIS outsider didn't deserve. It was then that Heather's eye honed in on a certain pretty little book, teetering near the edge of the table. Ah. Okay then. Heather could take a loss. She could take a small, minuscule hit to her pride. No one was there to see it. Her goal was still in reach, so long as she kept up pleasantries and proceeded with her plan at the next table over. Heather, however, wasn't above taking small, subtle, petty victories. Anything for the satisfaction of reminding others where she stood around here. "That's too bad...but I understand." Heather sighed and hung her head. "I won't bother you." She turned her body, then. Too quickly. Or just fast enough to make the harsh bump of her flank against the table's edge at least semi-believable. She listened for it... SQUISH A gross squelch cut the silence, a sound that was beautiful to her ears. As she had hoped, turning back around revealed the plummeted book, lying delightfully amongst the brown patch of muck below the table. Despite her gasp, Heather could barely stop herself from grinning at her success. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, and it was just as difficult to stifle a much-needed laugh, especially with how much this Unicorn's face had slackened at the sight beneath them; silvers and greys, now smeared with dark mud. The other filly took in the filthy book with dim eyes. Poor spoiled girl. "I'm so sorry! Let me-" Heather's hoof was inches away from picking up the book to present to the Unicorn - a grand power move in her head - when a sourceless light blinded her. The Earth Pony barely had time to react before something solid rammed straight into her face. All she could do was squeal and tumble back into the ground at the excruciating pain and the sheer force of the impact. There was a wet slippery slide of the earth below her, displaced by the collision of her body. She didn't even know she was holding her stinging face until she pulled back trembling hooves from it, furiously blinking her blurry vision back into focus. Her head throbbed, the blood rushing into it

pulsing loudly in her ears.  While her world was reassembling itself, Heather felt the fabric of her torso become seized and in moments her entire body was being pulled up by a shocking amount of strength. The open-air was suddenly freezing against her pelt, forcing her delayed senses to fully experience the scorching hot pain spreading through her muzzle and cheeks. Her left eye especially struggled to stay open, even as another face shoved itself into hers. The filly before her breathed shallowly against her nose, wild and unhinged eyes resembling a beast now more than ever. "That," the Unicorn heaved out in a heavy, shaking breath. She renewed her grip on Heather's dress, expression distorted into a monstrous snarl. "Was father's you heartless wench!" Heather felt like a ragdoll, swaying on weak, dirtied hindlegs, one hoof pathetically draped over the vice-grip holding her in place. Her brain felt shaken, thoughts racing. And her blood ran cold when the other filly let out a quiet, humorless laugh at her. "Oh, I know your type..." the Unicorn whispered breathlessly, those venomous irises burning holes into her. "Thinking you're the biggest fish in the pond. Like you can lord over everyone else without consequence. You think no one can stand up against you." Heather choked on a sound as her face was pulled in further, a breath ghosting her muzzle even hotter than before. Her panicked magenta eyes darted up to the Unicorn's horn; what was already glowing a haunting silvery-blue now crackled violently with energy, stray white sparks searing into her exposed skin. A primitive growl ripped out of the other filly, and in those ferocious eyes, Heather swore she saw bloodlust. "How's it feel to meet a bigger fucking fish?" Heather screamed. It was something raw and primitive of her own, and she thrashed in the other filly's hold to no avail. She didn't know how long that went on for, wasn't sure how much time was passing as she waited for another strike- "STAR CHIME!" A booming, commanding voice filled the space, powerful enough to tremor the ground beneath them. Her ears only then registered a number of other voices rising in volume and proximity. The rigid muscles in her neck ached when she finally turned her head just enough to see out of the corner of her eye.  So many heads were sticking out of classroom windows, no doubt stragglers from clubs that surely have ended by now. Amongst those faces, she could recognize a few teachers, and to the right... Princess Twilight and Princess Luna, with the backdoors thrown open around them. Her attacker jerked away, releasing Heather to let her fall onto her forelegs. As soon as she was released, a blur of movement rushed out from the creatures gathered behind the two Alicorns. "Heather!" The Earth Pony almost instinctively flinched away, but was immediately soothed by the familiar arms of her best friend, Amber Shine, cradling her form. It amazed her how the Pegasus filly was willingly angling her body to both support her weight and shield her if need be. Despite the protective walls surrounding her, Heather still had a clear view of the princesses. Twilight looked absolutely horrified. But clearly someone else here held the most oppressive presence and authority. Princess Luna looked upon the scene with a frigid death stare that would cut through anyone. And it was trained on one single filly. "What is this?!" Luna demanded, her deep voice rumbling the air like thunder. When she strode forward, not even Twilight dared to stay in step. She trailed behind the other princess with shock etched into her youthful features.  The Unicorn shuffled, and Heather watched Star Chime's newly distressed visage come to life. Her long tail lashed behind her like an agitated cat. "She knocked father's tome into the muck, mother!" Star shouted, eyes darting wildly from Heather to Princess Luna. The Alicorn's expression actually faltered for a second before her sharp blue eyes landed on Heather. And Heather's heart jolted in terror. 'No...no! Don't you dare ruin this for

me!' "It was an accident!" Heather wailed back, letting every ounce of emotion pour into her voice. Near-instantly, Star Chime whipped towards her with a scowl. "You LIAR!" "ENOUGH!" Star Chime's head snapped up to look at her mother, as Princess Luna now stood a mere tail length before them, dark blue wings flaring out behind her. "That does not constitute violence against a defenseless subject, Star Chime!" And as the lunar princess seared those harsh eyes into her daughter, it dawned on Heather the advantage she had. The position she was in, with her face undoubtedly swollen and appearance soiled by the assault of that horrid young princess. She was more grudgeful now than fearful, though she couldn't deny the tears of pain and prior-fear-for-her-life that had left streaks in their wake. However, there was room to play it up further. So focusing on the pain and just how overwhelmed she felt? A hiccuping, sniveling mess she became. "Y-you didn't even let me pick it up for you!" Heather sobbed out, pressing her wet cheek into her friend's warm chest. The sweet Pegasus comfortingly stroked her hair. She could just imagine the pity on Amber's brow. "You just attacked me out of nowhere! E-even after I apologized!" Murmurs. Sweet murmurs of concern and disbelief sounded from the far-off onlookers. They knew her; thoughtful, honest Heather, who got along with everyone and had a spotless record. In the face of unnecessary violence, they literally had no reason to doubt her. Besides, how was she supposed to know that garish book was from the late King? Not even the Alicorns above could claim she was lying here. "Oh Heather..." Twilight murmured compassionately, and that alone filled her to the brim with glee. Checkmate. "M-mother, please, I just..." Star Chime begged uselessly. Oh, begging suited her. Too bad she had nothing to excuse her brutishness. She lost this battle ages ago. Heather knew, because Princess Luna could only exhale deeply, her countenance a storm of emotions that the filly was honestly clueless to identify. What Heather hadn't seen coming was the sudden shift in the Moon Princess' expression from there; from rigid and grave to sheer exhaustion and sadness. "I thought we were past this..." Luna whispered, so quietly that Heather had nearly missed it. The true proof that those words were even spoken was the way Star Chime recoiled as if she had been slapped. Heather jumped as feathers slid over her back, only to realize Princess Twilight had moved forward to reassert authority. After shooting her a gentle glance, she returned her attention to the other princesses. She hesitated before opening her mouth to speak- Luna beat her to it. "I have changed my mind, Twilight." Luna began, collecting herself just as quickly as the shift had happened. "Star Chime will not be attending your school after all." Heather would have whistled were this not an inopportune time. She simply sat back and enjoyed the unfolding drama as Star Chime looked at her mother with wide, shell-shocked eyes, frantically searching Luna's face for an answer already before her.  "Mother," Star Chime's voice cracked, desperation seeping through. "No, please, let me prove myself-!" "There is nothing to prove." Luna quietly interjected. Her general demeanor was no longer of disappointment or even judgment, but somber patience of all things. "I realize now that you require more of my attention than what little I have given you...perhaps in the future you may return to Ponyville. But now is not your time." As if to make her point, Luna subtly swept her gaze across the onlookers, and Star Chime followed her line of sight. Heather had to agree, Princess Luna was practically showing her mercy. Imagine attending classes here after making a first impression like this. She'd be the talk of the halls. Every soul in Twilight's School would know of the violent princess who punched one of their top students square in the face (and Heather would absolutely make sure every ear knew of it). Little miss Star Chime was better off being pulled

out of this school before she even started. It'd give Heather less of a migraine and save her the humiliation.  Just like... "Allow me to extend my deepest apologies in place of my daughter," Luna said towards Heather, whisking away every other thought in her mind. While she began to buzz in delight, that buzz slowly died down at the unreadable expression the Moon Princess wore. She was as formal and distant as ever. Almost...scrutinizing her? Where was her sympathy? "I will be holding a very thorough discussion with her over these events, and I intend to offer reparation to you and your kin." "Heather's parents aren't here in Ponyville," Twilight finally found an opening to speak, taking on the tone of a responsible princess. "But Applejack is her guardian, so I'll be contacting her soon to pick Heather up." "Very well. I will return shortly to speak to her, then, and recompense will be sent to the family." Heather perked up when the royal addressed her once more. "I understand that you are distressed. I will be escorting Star Chime away from here, and you will have time to recover with your friends. I hope you do not mind." Heather sniffled and swiped a hoof over her face. "I don't mind...thank you, princess." Luna's attention left her too quickly for Heather's liking, focusing on the Unicorn princess instead. "Come, Star." Luna called in a hushed voice, taking her exit with grace and purpose. Heather's focus shifted to Star Chime just as the Unicorn's horn lit aglow with that very same eerie silvery blue, levitating the grimy book out of the sludge. As parts of the wet mud slipped off in thick glops, the Unicorn gave the book's cover a weak swipe of her hoof, only managing to smudge muck further into its intricate crevices. While Luna departed with the elegance and power of true royalty, Star all but dragged her hooves after her, gaze downcast and mouth pressed into a firm line. Unsurprisingly, she shot one final scorching side glance at Heather Tart through her draping bangs. It lingered until Heather left her periphery and the Unicorn could only trail after her mother like a helpless foal.

Pressing her head further into her friend's chest, Heather sneered at the filly's retreating back until she rounded the corner and out of sight. 'That's what you get, rat princess.' "Heather, are you okay? What did she even do?!" Now that the immediate threat was gone, her colt friend Arctic Bolt was charging in from the small crowd, nearly slipping a few times in his scramble over. Oh great. Heather wasn't sure if she was in the mood for the buckball star's overdone jests and witty quips at this moment. Yet she couldn't reject the amount of attention and concern she was receiving. "Gods, I think she gave you a black eye." Amber Shine fretted. The filly helped Heather sit up, but the moment she even tried to brush a hoof near the Earth Pony's left socket, Heather flinched away and grunted. "Punched me." Heather forced out through gritted teeth once Arctic had slowed to a stop before them. "Fell to the ground..." "Geez, it's like your dress took as much of a beating as you did..." Arctic muttered. And as much as she wanted to roll her eyes at his dumb remark, looking down proved that the joke was more accurate than she'd realized. Red fabric was now stained with mud and grass and stretched out past its limits by the iron grip of that wretched beast. Or maybe it didn't look so bad! MAYBE that was just her, peering at it with one eye while she held shut the one that was throbbing and bruising over. Yeah. That remuneration better come fast- "Heather, I am so sorry." Twilight's voice promptly grabbed her attention. The Alicorn mare bent her legs to meet her height, looking to her with so much guilt that one would think the perpetrator had been one of her own family. "This shouldn't have happened. Star Chime has been working hard through some of her...habits, and while she's made progress she's also very emotional at heart and then after losing her father-" This was very new and very disconcerting, watching Princess Twilight Sparkle actually fumble through her words and appear rather flustered over the situation. Heather felt her jaw clench. The two had to be pretty close for Twilight to feel this compelled to defend the girl. "That said, harm should have never come to you, especially on my premises. I just...I hope you won't hold this against her. If circumstances were different, I really think you two would have gotten along." Oh. Heather could not stop her face from screwing up at that. Twilight noticed (Heather for once hoped she did, God forbid the Friendship Princess actually tried to forcibly mend this atrocity) and her shoulders noticeably drooped. "But I completely understand if this has damaged those chances."

Twilight took in a healthy breath of air and straightened back up. While she once again spoke with calm and control, the way her ears remained pinned back was hard to miss. "Please head in and wait outside my office whenever you're ready, Heather. I'll let the nurse know to prepare an ice pack for you before I get in contact with Applejack. This'll definitely take some time, so please bear with me." Ugh. Applejack. As if her voice wasn't already annoying to listen to on a daily basis. Now the older mare was going to fuss knowing her overprotective nature and Heather wasn't looking forward to having her ear talked off on how slices of raw potato and toothpaste were the grand answer to healing her face or whatever ridiculous ideas those country bumpkins had in their screwy heads. Moving out and away from the farm life couldn't come sooner. But there were bigger things to focus on in the present. It wasn't until Twilight had walked off, exchanging words with the last few students who were being herded away by the remaining school staff, that Amber Shine voiced a question that had been on Heather's own mind. "What did she mean by...'working through habits'?" The orange Pegasus uttered slowly, eyeing the backdoors as the final student filed in after the princess. "That was way more unsettling than it had to be." "Oh...oh Gods it's all connecting..." Both Heather and Amber turned to Arctic, who was now holding his head between his hooves in what appeared to be either alarm or a headache. Ever the dramatic one. Heather would have been tempted to snap at him for obnoxiously drawing the suspense out, but thankfully Amber was faster and more patient. "Uh, mind sharing?" The Pegasus cautiously prodded, now giving her friend a hesitant glance-over. Arctic's wide blue eyes flashed back into focus and he began wildly gesturing with his hooves- "Okay listen- I have this friend in Canterlot whose cousin went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns with this other guy, right-" "The friend of a friend's cousin." Amber repeated, and oh, Heather recognized that tone as the filly already being half-done with the conversation. Bless her. "Easy to follow. Carry on." "No, seriously listen!" Arctic hissed quietly, and for the first time since Heather had met the silver Earth Pony, he actually looked like he was being serious. "My friend told me this story about how apparently, Princess Star Chime got pulled out of school for completely thrashing that cousin's friend! Said there was blood and teeth everywhere and she beat the poor guy until he was begging on the floor!"  Heather could feel her visible eye nearly bug out of its socket. "And they tried to let someone like THAT come HERE?!" she near shrieked. Her friends were lucky that she had already spent her vocal cords not too long ago. "It IS the School of Friendship. Guess they were hoping to make her less punchy." He muttered out one of his wisecracks. Heather's head was whirling too much for her to admonish it. How close had she just come to being battered into a stain on the grass?  Wait...actually- "Okay, but why are we only just now hearing about this?" Amber, ever a kindred spirit, inquired the very same disbelief in her own mind. "The newspapers would have blown up over a royal scandal like that!" Heather agreed. And if she had possessed this knowledge just a little earlier, maybe she would have treaded just a bit more carefully. At the very least, she would have been able to figure out a way to use it to her advantage... "Well for one, it was like, two years ago... and apparently not a lot of ponies got to witness the attack. But-" Arctic leaned his head in, head whisking about in search of eavesdroppers before dropping his voice even lower. "It sounded like Celestia and Luna covered the whole thing up and made everyone involved agree to keep the information private. So most of the public has no idea what happened, but obviously whispers managed to slip through a few mouths in upper Canterlot..." "Wow..." Heather whispered. Yeah. That was probable. The princesses

had the power. And while Heather knew anyone else would have been a little frightened over the influence their rulers had, whether for the sake of a nation or for their own means...Heather herself was sort of amazed. As if she could actually blame them for going to such lengths to conceal the shame that girl would have brought to their exalted family otherwise. "But even before that!" Arctic swiftly continued. "Apparently the kids at the school were already dubbing her the 'Delinquent Princess' behind her back! My friend's cousin never knew why until...y'know." "Delinquent Princess." Amber repeated back. "What a...stupid name." 'And I think it's fitting...' Heather was tempted to add but miraculously toned her spite down. "...I mean Ithoughtitsoundedbadass- but only because I thought the whole story was just some elaborate rumor!!" Arctic threw up his hooves. "I didn't think someone from the royal family could be that crazy, yet here we are! So don't talk like it's nothing but made-up gossip after what just happened!"

"...you're not wrong." Amber muttered, and her wing pulled Heather closer into her side. The earth filly welcomed the warmth, though she didn't like the look of discomfort on her friend's face. "In other words, we're talking about violent habits. And from a princess of Equestria...that's awful." "Yep. She is. But let's stop talking about her for now" Heather muttered, feeling both sets of eyes fall on her. The more she heard, the more that resentment deep within her grew. And the more that grew, the more her temples ached beyond the limits of what she was willing to deal with. "I think I'd like that ice pack right about now." "Oh crap, right!" Arctic jumped, urgently motioning for the fillies to walk ahead while he kept the rear. "Got a little carried away. We'll stick around until Twilight gets back!" "Yeah. Twilight did say it'd take a while." With a comforting smile, Amber Shine squeezed Heather's shoulder with her wing feathers. "I say it a million times, but just as a reminder; we've got you, girl." And she appreciated the encouragement. She really did. But Heather found it incredibly hard to muster more than a ghost of a smile when she found her legs on autopilot while her mind was elsewhere. 'Stop talking about her" she'd said. Yet she couldn't even bring her own brain to shut up. When it came to the very thought of that Unicorn princess, ugly green thorns never stopped digging their way into her ribcage. But after today... Heather's inner snarl rang with unconcealed bitterness, louder than ever before. 'How? How does someone like her get to be a princess?'

_________________________________________

Officially introducing Star Chime! Daughter of Luna, sister of Prince Amadeus, and youngest royal of the five royal Equestrian children (Princess Flurry Heart, Princess Lumina, Prince Amadeus, Prince Nova Spark, and Princess Star Chime, in that order)! Though by youngest, she's probably a year or two younger than Nova Spark.

I'm excited that she's ready to officially be a part of the cast!! I've considered her and Dream Flow the future main protagonists of present-day story. One day she'll meet her partner in crime. One day...

Also, very fun to write a chapter exploring Heather's psyche! In no way am I advocating for violence against misbehaving kids, by the way. I know people will see this as Heather "getting what she deserves" - and wanting to see karma get her is valid - but just know the purpose of this chapter wasn't me trying to take pleasure in physically "punishing" this kid, back when she was a youth with very misguided values. Just wanted that to be clear!

[ears-awake-eyes-opened]

Release — part 4

(Newtina ❤️. The final part. Closing the arc. This story feels good in me.)

Tina was captivated in the unwinding. Urgency dissipated as her pulse eased in the hollow of her throat and between her thighs. Newt pressed his lips to the former, and she felt him sigh. She shivered in the contrast between his warmth and the fog creeping into the valley, enveloping their bodies on the sand.

“You’re cold,” he murmured, wrapping her more securely in his arms as the intensity continued to unravel within him. He reached for his coat and pulled it over them.

“If I died in this moment, then Death would know the feeling of bliss.” Tina’s prose seeped from her heart through her veins to every cell.

Newt nuzzled her neck. “Please don’t die in this moment. I’ve just found you.”

“Death must wait at least as long as I have. I’ve waited my life for you. I get you first, before he takes either one of us. I swear it, Newt.”

She snuggled into his embrace. Her way with words, poised on verge of war, shook him deeply. He was grateful for her closeness.

“You’re cold too,” she said, reaching for her coat and pulling it over the parts of them that his alone couldn’t reach.

They wrapped in a cocoon, dissolving in the euphoric luminosity of shared release. They’d come undone, and their souls were stitching together now. They couldn’t stop it, even if they’d wanted to, and they didn’t want to stop it.

Everything was changing.

“Grindelwald speaks of ‘the greater good.’” Newt brought reality into this moment without fear. “But, there is no good greater than this...”

“Love.” She named the goodness that encompassed all others.

“Yes.” He felt the stitching now between them, thick and soft like spun wool. It was moderately disorienting pulling behind his navel like a Portkey.

Tina felt it too. “THIS is what we’re fighting for.”

“He doesn’t have it in his heart, Tina. Not like this.” Newt pressed his palm to her chest. Her skin warmed him more than their cocoon of coats. “If he did, he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing.”

“Queenie, Credence, his followers... he’s using them all in the absence of love.” Tears welled up in Tina’s eyes from the source they spoke of.

“This is our advantage. This is how we’ll recover them — Queenie and Credence.”

She touched his chest too, feeling his heartbeat. “THIS is why we’ll win.”

They spoke with assurance that they didn’t feel yet in their bones. They clung to each other for now, drawing strength within this union that they hadn’t expected to manifest with such suddenness or ferocity. Now they had insight into what was happening between them and what was possible. The awareness was incredibly seductive. Their mouths came together again like magnets as the spiral swept upward within them again. So soon.

Tina pulled away gently. “I want more of this. I want much more of this. ...Someplace warm.”

“I’m making a note to never leave the flat again without my case, regardless of the nature of our errand.”

Tina laughed. Newt was blown away by what the sound of her laughter and the crinkles in her cheeks did to him.

“Take me home,” she said.

They broke free from their cocoon, and felt the bite of cold along with shyness in the lingering openness of their clothes.

“Hold still,” she said, pulling her wand from her coat pocket and waving it over them, “Tergeo!”

The incantation cleaned them up a bit, and with another flick of her wand, Tina fastened their buttons.

Newt felt the intimacy inherent in Tina caring for him in this simple way. It was novel to him. He didn’t know how to convey the magnitude of meaning that this day held for him.

Grabbing her coat, he slipped it onto her and buttoned her up.

“Wandless magic,” she said, offering him a playful smile.

“Not entirely.” He put on his coat too and pulled out his wand to accio her hat from the reeds where the breeze had blown it. “I took this off of you earlier, so putting it back on is the least I can do.” He shook off the sand and placed the hat gently on her head, kissing her once more in the process.

“You’re full of wandless magic,” she said, gripping his hand. “Where are we going?”

“I’ll show you.”

Newt apparated them to a hillside above the North Sea, which was barely visible through the fog. Nevertheless, Tina took in the grandeur of their surroundings. The hills were thick with green shrubs, covered here and there with a spattering of wilted pink flowers. She plucked one and it fell apart in her hand.

“Reparo!” Newt flicked his wand and mended it. “Calluna vulgaris,” he shared its name, “Common Heather. It’s food for the Aethonans, along with the local deer and sheep. It’s an especially important food source when winter snows cover the grasses.”

“Heather,” Tina recognized the name but wasn’t familiar with the species. She’d never seen it before in her travels. “It’s beautiful. ...I love it.” She grinned at him and tucked the flower in her pocket to press between the pages of a book later.

“It blooms in late summer, so the blossoms are mostly gone now.” Newt was self-conscious. Babbling on about the shrub seemed so insignificant compared to the intimacies they’d shared earlier. His cheeks were as pink as the flowers.

She wrapped her hand around his arm near the bend in his elbow, and whispered, “Mr. Scamander, you’re adorable. Have I told you what it does to me every time you blush.”

Newt flushed pinker than the heather. “You haven’t. Although I’m guessing it’s something similar to the way I’m feeling right now.” He caressesd her cheek, and plucked two kisses on her lips. With the second, the magnetism happened again. Her lips parted readily, and she took him in. “Apparently I can’t stop... kissing you.”

“The feeling is entirely mutual.” He reached for her hips and drew her closer, kissing once more. “Shall we look for the Portkey to take us home?”

“Yes.”

Linking hands again, they followed a trail along the hillside, walking in silence, listening to the chatter of shorebirds and the crashing of waves on the rocks below. Through the fog, Tina could see large stone structures in the distance.

“Scarborough Castle,” Newt said, “We should be close now.”

An expansive wall, pillars, and a keep were all visible as they drew nearer. Tina felt as if she’d stepped into another time.

“What exacty are we looking for?” she asked.

“The head of a four-pronged pitchfork. It’ll be rusty. Muggles would tend to avoid it in their ridiculous worry about tetanus. It should be this way, following the curve of the castle wall up onto the hillside.”

Despite the poor visibility, his directions lead them right to the Portkey.

“Can I take a moment before we go?”

“Definitely. There’s no set time for this one.”

Newt watched as Tina took in the moors with all of her senses. She removed her hat, and the wind whipped through her hair. She smelled to him of sea breeze and crushed heather.

“We’ll come here again,” she stated, not as a request or a demand, but as a knowing.

“We will.”

This place was theirs now. A tapestry was being stitched between them in that feeling of spun wool. This was a place for letting go and beginning.

They held each other as they grabbed the rusty prongs. The Portkey took them to the edges of London, and from there they apparated home.

Jacob was stretched out on the sofa reading The Daily Prophet, looking as always for any clue to Queenie’s whereabouts and committing details of the Wizarding World to his memory. A fire was burning in the hearth, and the apartment was filled with the fragrance of baked apples.

“Hey!” he greeted them, “How’d it go? Did you guys do it?”

Newt and Tina glanced at each other, blushing in the phrasing of the question. They dropped hands and stepped apart.

“Did we do it??” Newt repeated the question as a question.

“Yeah. The horse. The flying horse. Did you get him back with the others?”

“Oh! The Aethonan.” Newt sighed in relief, glancing at Tina who was struggling not to laugh.

“Yes, we did it,” she answered, unable to contain a huge smile.

“So how was it?” Jacob asked.

“It was ...spectacular,” Tina said immediately, watching Newt nearly drop from mortification.

“Are you doin’ okay there, pal? Dizzy?”

“Uh... yes. I was indeed a bit dizzy and... spectacular. I mean, IT was spectacular. THE RELEASE was spectacular. The release of the Aethonan, of course, is what I meant to say... back to the herd, that is.”

Jacob suspected something was off. “Are you jumbled from that Portkey?”

Newt glanced at Tina. “Something like that, yes.”

Her expression at that point was a cool smile. She clearly had talents for steeling herself against fits of laughter and not showing the cards in her hand.

“Are you guys hungry? I made tarts!”

Newt and Tina realized they hadn’t eaten since breakfast. The day had satisfied other hungers, but not that one. “Food would be good,” they said in unison — their synchronicity refusing to be denied.

“Well, then let’s sit down and eat. Tell me what you saw today.”

“I saw ...beautiful things,” Newt said, resting his hand on Tina’s thigh under the table as she’d done to him that morning.

“Such beautiful things,” she agreed, lacing her fingers with his.

[mlpdestinyverse]

Name: Heather (Tart) Reed

Species: Earth Pony

Gender: Female

Family: Florina Tart (mother), unnamed stallion (father), Applejack (cousin however-times-removed), Sawyer Reed (husband)

Occupation/Talent: Co-Owner of Reed Enterprise/Socialite

INFO

Heather Tart was born into the Apple family and originally lived on the outskirts of Manehattan where her mother Florina Tart stationed her berry farm. In her earliest days, Heather happily lived on her mother's farm, adoring the many farm animals and the berry fields. She would even help with harvesting berries since it meant her mother would get to bake her world-famous berry tarts.

As a young filly, Heather was a big admirer of the princesses. She was absolutely obsessed, collecting every toy, dress, poster, and fake crown that had any sort of theme related to the four alicorns. Even princess-themed birthday parties were quite a trend back then. When it was finally time for Heather to enroll at a school, she practically begged her parents day in and day out to let her attend Princess Twilight's friendship school in Ponyville. Her doting parents gave in and managed an arrangement with Applejack, who was more than happy to accommodate one of her youngest cousin.

The very thought of attending a princess's school and getting to meet and talk to Princess Twilight left little Heather thrilled. During her first day of school she met another filly, Eventide Twister , who she discovered was the daughter of one of Princess Twilight's best friends. A simple-minded child like Heather couldn't help but be interested in the filly - a kid who had really cool connections - and eagerly worked to become friends with her. In time they grew to become best friends, enjoying playdates and fun games.

The summer following her first year in Ponyville, Heather was given the chance to spend a whole month visiting her father's side of the family in Canterlot. As it turned out, her father's family were rather well-off and wealthy, living what one would consider "the good life" in the grand city. It was a life her father had left behind to marry her mother and work on her farm, and luckily there were no hard feelings between her father and her aunts and uncles. Heather blissfully tagged along with her older cousins as they showed her around the upper class quarters. There, Heather was completely enraptured by the gorgeous sights, the regal ponies and their elegant outfits and poise. The earth filly was excited, especially once she got to meet the friends of her cousins. She was eager to befriend and impress everyone, and at first, she got along with them well, being rather social and articulate for her age.

The attitudes of her cousin's friends changed the moment she happily shared stories of her farm life outside of Canterlot. Their smiles became too amused, and the way they eyed her became patronizing. As they hung out the kids would find reasons to make small jokes and comments directed at Heather and her farm life; how farm tasks were filthy and the life uncultured. Her cousins would join in laughing with them, and every time, Heather wouldn't understand why she was left feeling ashamed and horrible. Desperate to be accepted, Heather began laughing and agreeing with them. Farm life really was dirty, and sweaty, and gross, and was nothing compared to the wonders of Canterlot. It didn't take long for her to actually believe this. The more time she spent trying to blend in with her friends, and the more she tasted their way of life, the more she began loathing her humiliating upbringing.

Heather secretly hated her cousins from then on for the way they belittled her, only pretending to get along when their friends were around. While in her relatives' home, she began spending more time with her aunts, who pampered her. They got her out of her "drab old-fashioned clothes" and cheerfully bought her new dresses. A filly like her needed to learn how to be a "proper lady", they would say. A proper lady should respect her appearance, be dignified, keep up with the latest trends and conversations in society. Heather drank up their every word. From then on, over the years, Heather developed a materialistic mindset and obsession with self-image, which was fed with every visit to her Canterlot family.

Spurning her roots, Heather began dreaming of making a name for herself and living it up in high society. That'd show her stupid, mocking cousins. Not only that, but she'd finally stand out. She wouldn't be just another apple in the herd, some simple, forgettable, dirty farmhand like 80% of their family. She refused to be a joke, or someone to make fun of. She was going to stand on top. But on her path, Heather subconsciously began showcasing the very behavior that had hurt her. With shy Eventide, it was so easy to shoot jabs and belittling jokes. It became a habit that just made Heather feel good.  Poking at Eve made her feel better about herself, maybe even superior in the face of somepony who already had the luck of being close to a royal family. Because hey, at least Heather knew what her purpose was in life, and she didn't have some weird problem talking to ponies, and she could...talk normally.

Over the years, as Heather stuck to her plan to develop her social skills and connections, Eventide's personal connections soon became irrelevant as Eve herself "failed to grow up" no matter how much time passed. While Heather felt some attachment to Eve for all the years they had spent as friends, she gradually found herself looking down on Eventide for being unable to keep up with her own growth. This would eventually escalate to a horrid fall out, one Heather to this day feels no regret over. Heather likes to believe that letting go of Eventide was like dropping dead weight.

Graduating at the top of her class, Heather wasted no time moving to Canterlot to find her true calling. While she struggled to figure out just where to begin, she eventually befriended one Sawyer Reed, a meek stallion from one of Canterlot's noble families. Discovering that he was struggling with building his company, Heather was quick to assist and help develop business plans and transform Sawyer's "Reed Enterprise". While Mr. Reed served as the foundation for the company, Heather became the steel backbone, crunching numbers and managing finances. She also became the social face of their business, charming others with her elegance and friendly chats. It's thanks to her that Reed Enterprise formed many company affiliations, joint business plans, and overall attention. As the two ponies worked together, they grew fonder and fonder of one another until it lead to their marriage. Reed Enterprise has been growing in success ever since.

A socialite and lover of the limelight by heart, Lady Heather Reed often holds parties to strengthen her and her family's connections and associations. It elates her every time she catches the attention of any celebrity or aristocrat. She's a friendly, welcomed face just about anywhere in the upper class district of Canterlot (though she makes an effort to avoid her irritating cousins). No matter where she goes, Heather makes sure to keep all of her personal business close to the chest while keeping an ear open for any juicy details.

Though her dream has been achieved, she still craves to earn recognition and attention from Equestria's royalty. Thus, Heather continues to build up her name however she can.

[mlpdestinyverse]

“Royal Run-In”

So an ex-prince, an artist, and a socialite meet in front of an ice cream shop...

Feat.  Monochrome,  Nova Spark,

Story and Description Under The Cut

-On a sunny and bustling street of the great city of Canterlot, a well-dressed young mare strolls along with her head held high, humming a cheerful tune. In one foreleg she holds a lace parasol, twirling it above her every so often. She moves as though she is a sight to be envied, the elegant curls of her hair bouncing along her back with each peppy step. As she passes by ponies she offers sweet smiles and friendly greetings, earning many back in return. As she rounds a corner, taking in the beautiful sights of the grand city, a display of stylish dresses in a shop window on the other side of the street catches her eye. The mare admires them, contemplating whether to cross the street to get a better look. But due to being distracted she squeaks as she bumps into something - the back of somepony sitting hunched over at a table, just outside of an ice cream shop- Heather: *feels a tinge of annoyance for the blunder and the eyes she had drawn, but puts on her best sheepish smile. She speaks with an accented voice, one meant for a proper lady of social standing* Oh I'm so very sorry, love! I wasn't quite paying attention- -Heather cuts herself off as the other pony sits up and turns around. She soon finds herself wide-eyed, tilting her head back further and further just to find the pegasus' face. And there, she sees a familiar set of green eyes staring back at her. Heather's own eyes almost bulge at the sight of Monochrome Dashielle, nearly a foot taller and...very much in-shape, if the toned muscles underneath their light coat say anything. She's ready to briskly leave, forcing the run-in to end there, until- Monochrome: *calmly appraises her, closing the sketchbook in their hooves* Hello Heather. Heather: *internally curses, knowing she can't ignore a greeting of familiarity now, not with so many ponies within ear-shot. She forces a smile* Monochrome! Hello! *looks them up and down again* I...didn't recognize you! -Heather nervously shifts her eyes. Some ponies glance their way, surely curious of someone of high stature like her speaking to a normal citizen, but thankfully they continue on their way. Her attention only returns when she hears the pegasus hum- Monochrome: *stoically glances down at themself, then back at her* Yes...I suppose puberty was kind. Heather: *tenses, absolutely loathing the jab. Yet manages a stiff laugh* I suppose it was! Monochrome: *stares at her smile before meeting her eyes* ...I see you haven't changed much. -Heather desperately wants to scoff, or roll her eyes, but knows such ill-temper would land her in deep water. Canterlot, after all, is vast and so unlike the schools she had attended and proudly stood at the top of. Ponies here, especially in the higher classes, are willing to believe and chatter about the tiniest of things, reputation of a pony be damned. She has no choice but to keep in check her desire to tell off those who manage to insult her or get in her way. So she opts for option two: sweetly put them in their place- Heather: *gives a cheerful, sugary grin* Oh Monochrome dear, don't be so silly! So much has changed, actually~ You wouldn't believe it! *takes a step back so Monochrome can get a good look at her and all of her glory, dressed with only the finest of fabrics* Moving to Canterlot after I graduated Friendship Academy was truly a dream, darling~ It didn't take long for me to meet the love of my life! *proudly touches the golden ring hanging from her neck* You are looking at one Lady Heather Tart Reed~ *waves a hoof* Or Heather Reed for short. Mister Reed is a darling noble stallion. You should've seen us! We started off as business partners and just fell absolutely in love! Our company has been growing rapidly and successfully ever since~ Monochrome: Wow. Heather: *barely holds back her smirk* I know~ So much has happened in only a few years! Monochrome: No I mean you....actually managed to get married. Heather: *feels a vein twitch in her head. She pushes out a giggle* Of course I did! My dear is just absolutely smitten with me. *twirls her hair around her hoof* I have him wrapped around my hoof, really~ Monochrome: Huh. Poor guy. Heather: *plastering back on her sugary smile she rests her hooves on her cheeks and makes a show of glancing over Monochrome's form* So what about you, sweetheart? I don't see a ring on you. *flutters her eyelashes* Don't tell me you don't have a partner yet! Oh how awful! -Monochrome calmly stares back at her, and for a moment, Heather thinks she's struck them- Monochrome: *hums and glances off to the side* He's a partner. Just not the kind you're thinking of. He's one of Canterlot's most brilliant minds, actually. -With great timing, both ponies hear the bell of the ice cream shop chime as someone exits. Looking up, they see a short purple stallion wander out. He holds two ice cream cups within his magenta magic, scrutinizing the larger of them with squinted blue eyes-

Nova: Okay, so they didn't have my carrot spice gelato, so I caved and got their weekly special...

-Heather almost cringes at the treat. It's some sort of red velvet and milk chocolate ice cream sundae, littered with dark swirls of fudge and topped with large brownie chunks, strawberry syrup, and black and white sprinkles. She watches the stallion stare at it with a mix of awe and fear-

Nova: Chrome, if this kills me, tell my mom- *finally looks up and stops, noticing another pony with Monochrome* Oh...uh sorry, didn't know you had company.

Monochrome: I wouldn't call her that.

Heather: *smiling wide, she tilts her head and speaks through gritted teeth* Oh, Monochrome, you're just...an endless sea of wit, aren't you? Monochrome: *corner of their mouth twitches* It's all I have nowadays.

Nova: *snorts, light-heartedly rolling his eyes* Not true, but okay.

-Heather finds herself going quiet as she watches the unicorn stallion place the cups at Monochrome's table. A weird feeling of familiarity continuously gnaws at her as she stares at him. The brilliant colors of his mane strike her, yet no matter how much she tries, no sense of recognition hits her as she scans his face. It's almost as if she's failing to register it, compared to everything else about him. She's tempted to ask him if they've met before.

Heather then glances at his cutie mark and softly gasps. As an avid admirer of the princesses, she can recognize that brilliant spark from anywhere.-

Heather: (!!) *straightens excitedly* Nova Spark! Prince Nova Spark! Of course!

-Nova Spark tenses as Heather's exclamation garners attention and murmurs from surrounding ponies. The onlookers nosily try to take a peek, as they naturally would with a royal nearby. However, to Heather's surprise, Monochrome stands and moves to Nova's most exposed side, blocking the view of the staring ponies. Mo sends an uncomfortably intense stare back at them, forcing a number of them to flinch or look away, if not making them give glances sparingly.

Nova relaxes a bit, but not for long. Heather tucks her closed parasol under her arm and steps forward to happily take Nova's hooves into her own. She almost misses the deliciously irked look that crosses Monochrome's face as she does. This is her chance to impress the eavesdroppers and bystanders with oh-so-wonderful pleasantries and familiarity. She's sure that as she is now, she can finally charm him- Heather: *gives her award-winning sweet smile* Oh Prince Nova, I knew you looked familiar! It's so good to see you again! The glasses are quite a look! Nova: *stares at her, wide-eyed, before slowly turning his head to make eye contact with Monochrome, as if searching for some answer* Monochrome: *sighs heavily and shrugs, waving a hoof at him to go on* Nova: ....*turns back to Heather just as slowly* I uh...do I know you? Heather: *giggles. She can only guess how different she looks from her old drab self* 'Course you do, love~! We went to the same Friendship Academy! I was Heather Tart back then! Nova: .... Heather: We worked together during a few group projects~? Nova: ....*slowly raises an eyebrow* Heather: ...*sweats, smile slowly straining* Y-you and I earned some of the highest test scores in our grade, deary! Remember? -Mentally, Heather finds herself recalling that they went to Friendship Elementary too. But of course he wouldn't remember that. He was always so interested in...Eventide. So much so, Heather could never capture his attention for long. Oh how she had loathed that. All because Eventide had connections with his family. She patiently waits for him to ponder over it. Even if he can't remember right away, she knows a well-trained prince like himself would have the common decency to at least feign recognition.- Nova: *breathes in deeply, shoulders rising...only for his whole posture to fall at once, staring at her cluelessly* Yeah no, I got nothing. Sorry. -Heather can't stop her eye from twitching. Hearing a snerk, her gaze then shoots up to find Monochrome hiding half of their face behind their sketchbook. She doesn't need to see their mouth to notice the amused crinkle of their eyes. Who knew the prince was so...blunt. But even if ponies are listening in, she still has a chance to recover. If anything, his memory failure would just look bad on him.- Heather: *quickly pats his hoof* Oh don't worry! It has been a few years, my prince! Nova: *strains a smile, one that looks nothing but forced and awkward* Stick with 'Nova'. Heather: *laughs* How modest of you! But isn't that a little too familiar, Prince Nova- Monochrome: *sighs in annoyance, shooting her a look* Maybe just respect a pony when they tell you what they prefer to be called. Nova: Agreed... Heather: (!) O-oh, of course! My apologies! *feels a bit nervous, seeing the uncomfortable edge to Nova's posture. Quickly changes the subject, bringing back her peppy tone* So what's been happening on your end, Sir Nova~? I'd love to know! Nova: *perks up a bit* Oh. Well... *glances over at Monochrome. He lightens up, smiling brightly* Chrome and I are working on a big project together. So that's exciting. -A vein bulges in Heather's head. For Monochrome, of all ponies, to be working with a prince- Heather: *voice becomes a pitch higher* W-what kind of project? Monochrome: That's a secret. *seeing Heather shoot them a tense look, the corner of their mouth lifts* All a part of the partnership, dear. Nova: Yep! Heather: *laughs stiffly* W-well, that's great, Sir Nova! *tightens her hold on his hooves. At least now she had an opening to truly impress him* I actually have a partnership myself with my dear husband! *winks* Surely you've heard of Reed Enterprise, our rapidly growing corporation right here in Canterlot! We've been quite the talk on the streets and in the local newspapers~ Nova: ...no actually. Heather:  A-ah...well! That's quite alright! If you've only been visiting, of course it would be difficult hearing about us! Nova: *tilts head* Actually, I've been living here in Canterlot for...two? Three years now. Heather: *sucks in a sharp breath*......and you've...never once heard of us.

-Nova and Monochrome exchange a matching blank glance, simultaneously returning their attention to the earth pony after- Nova and Monochrome: No...

-Heather can physically feel her pride cracking. Her ears then catch a few whispers. Tensing, she's forced to remember the passing ponies and those still lingering nearby, no doubt listening in on this mess. She grits her teeth, determined for some way to save this conversation- Heather: (!!) A-anyway! That reminds me! I'm holding a party tonight at our penthouse, to celebrate our new office building! If you're free, you absolutely should drop by~ *lifts her head proudly* You'll see many familiar influential faces, knowing you~ Miss Rarity and Fancy Pants himself will be attending! Oh they'd be just elated to see you, I'm sure! Nova: *winces* Thanks. But I'd rather just...you know...stay home. -Nova bobs his head in a continuous nod, his mouth pressed into a tight line while Heather waits for more of an explanation. ...none comes. Only awkward, empty silence fills the air between them-

Heather: Please, at least consider it! *eyes flick nervously, landing on Monochrome* (!) I'll even invite Monochrome! You could both come together! -Though the thought of Monochrome attending exasperates her, Heather is convinced for a short moment that the offer has to be a selling point. However, something akin to a record scratch occurs. Nova shuts his eyes and shakes his head vigorously, as if uncertain if he had heard her right- Nova: Wait wait, stop, hold up- *eyebrows draw in as he pulls his body a significant distance away from her* You invited me to some party, right in front of Chrome, and you were about to leave them out? Heather: *caught off guard by how offended he looks, as if she had personally insulted him. She stumbles over herself for a proper response* W-well I just- I didn't think they'd enjoy such a scene- Nova: Because they're not royalty, like me. -With eyelids half-lidded, Nova raises a brow-

Heather: *feels a bit of panic, realizing attention is returning to them* Of course no- -Heather suddenly feels something dry and...leathery against her leg. Glancing down, she's greeted by the sight of a large tortoise, dressed with goggles and a strange mechanism on its back, as it ever-so-slowly pushes its head into her foreleg, actually managing to move it back. Startled, Heather releases her hold on Nova to jerk away from the wrinkly thing- Heather: What is that doing here?! Nova: *frowns* Well that's weird...never seen him do that before. Hang on, buddy- *attempts to pick the tortoise up, only to grunt as he struggles with its weight*....C-Chrome... Monochrome: *releases a breathy laugh, moving between the ponies to pick up their tortoise* Tank...were you trying to protect Nova from the strange lady?

Tank: *slowly nods his head* Monochrome: *smiles fondly and rests their head against his* Good boy. -Heather doesn't stop herself from finally shooting a glare at them, but swiftly drops it when Nova turns back around, eyeing her- Nova: ...I have to say. Inviting ponies based on social stature alone is pretty shallow. And, like...a pretty awful way of making friends, I'd think. *glances away* I mean, I'm really not the 'life of the party' like you're probably imagining. -Heather gapes, utterly dumbfounded. She then finally hears it; distant snorts of laughter, eagerly exchanged murmurs, a soft "damn" and "yikes". The earth pony's face burns horrendously, that word echoing in her head. 'Shallow'. At once she wishes she could snap at him, for the impudence and sheer indecency.- Monochrome: Nova...*eyes the table* I'm sorry to interrupt with tragic news, but... Nova: *follows Mo's gaze and yelps, seeing his ice cream cup almost completely melted* Oh come on... I was looking forward to that. Monochrome: *frowns at Nova's look of disappointment. They gently place Tank down and, reaching into their saddlebag, they hand the unicorn a few bits* Just go get another one. *pulls the melted cup towards their body* We can try it together and...have sugar comas later, I guess. Nova: *snorts* Gee, how comforting...*shakes his head smiling* Thanks Chrome. *awkwardly looks back at Heather one more time* I...guess that's it. Enjoy your party, uh... Heather: *voice takes on a flatter tone*  Lady Heather, sir. Nova: *eyes her warily* Yeah...bye then. -Nova proceeds towards the ice creams shop, entering it once more. Sitting there seething, Heather can't believe how much of a crude, ill-mannered stallion the Friendship Prince actually is. Nearby, Monochrome raises a brow at her.- Monochrome: Something wrong? He was just being honest. I thought a beacon of honesty like yourself would appreciate that. -Heather shoots a withering look at them, gritting her teeth to hold back words as she silently fumes. Monochrome cracks a smile, a glint in their eye- Monochrome: *leans their head down to meet Heather's gaze evenly, softly whispering* Nice try, but...turns out I'm not afraid of you either. Heather: *releases a soft growl, followed by a soft 'hmph' as she stands* If you would excuse me, I have actual business to tend to. Good day. -With that, Heather dramatically opens her parasol and elegantly trots away, ignoring ponies in the immediate area as she hides away her injured pride. Monochrome simply takes a spoonful of their melted ice cream, barely containing a growing satisfied smile that they give to Tank- Monochrome: Hopefully that'll humble her. For a while at least.

We momentarily skip ahead to present day, to see what Heather is up to. We have one pony who's making a name in high society, and another who couldn't care less about that world after abandoning it. Put them together and you get one very, very amused Monochrome. ...who, with all of the drama going on, I almost forgot was originally written to be petty as fuck. To those they think deserve it, at least. As seen in their introductory chapter, "Overpriced".

Anyway! Believe it or not, this is the last chapter we'll be seeing Heather in who knows how long. Next chapter we'll be returning to Eventide's arc. Heather originally was meant to simply fill the role of the ex-best friend who had emotionally traumatized Eve, and while I had some plans for her, she was meant to remain a minor character. But lo and behold, as I do with characters, she's become much more complex than planned aaaand well...there are ideas, but until the day comes for those to come to life, we won't have to deal with her for a while. I will, though, be doing a bio for her to delve more into her character. Meanwhile: Gosh I've wanted to write Monochrome and Nova interactions for so long...as you can see there's so much you guys haven't seen, events that are only explored in Nova's past arc, but because his arc is the longest of any character's in the cast, it'll be a bit of time before we delve into that story. Til then, here's a taste~ Lastly. As you can also see, I've changed up my method for script-style chapters! Hopefully this is much easier and cleaner to read than what it was before.