Ink Dreamer

"I swear to Luna, this is the fifth night in a row you've brought your case to me, Bright Spot. You need to learn to talk to your neighbor instead of insisting they're some kind of chimera in disguise. We've already confirmed their identity, you're just being paranoid. My decision is the same as yesterday, further provisional investigations are denied. Now go home." My exasperation was not a difficult emotion for the blue stallion standing in my office to comprehend, and with my closing remarks he left in a huff. His tinfoil hat jingled lightly with each plod of his hooves, only further enhancing the absurdity of his appearance and claims. 'As if we wouldn't be able to detect a shape-shifting these days,' I thought idly as I pulled up the next appeal that had been brought to my desk. The stack of them grew by the day and never seemed to shrink ever since I was promoted. I know it was Celestia who did it, a way to apologize for her sister, my teacher, abandoning me when I needed her most. The gesture and intentions were appreciated, but the responsibilities had begun to take their toll now that I had returned to work. I rubbed the base of my horn to soothe the growing headache as Golden Wheat came in, trying to focus on the task at hoof. She had been with me the entire time I had been comatose after I nearly burst from my own magic, despite sustaining fairly heavy injuries herself from the incident. When everybody else had strayed away and treated me as a monster she stood by me. From tan to this lavender and wisteria mix, she's hardly batted an eye. Even now she served as my daily attendant even on the job, coming in to no doubt serve the after dark tea. To my surprise she pushed in not a tea cart, but a dessert cart, with the tea tray floating behind her in that honey sweet magic of hers. It used to make me jealous how warm and inviting her aura was, but now it just helped to keep me grounded. This new body, the new position, it all rubbed every nerve of mine and put me on edge. At least Wheatie was here. "I see he's still at it then?" Wheat said as she shuffled closer to my desk. I set aside my papers with my magic for now, making room for the tower of sweets that quickly left the cart. "You know, Ink, I think he's just not quite all there. If he comes in again with the same appeal, maybe you should refer him to Happy Thoughts. Maybe it'll wake him up." She suggested, seeing the familiar name in the pile of processed appeals. I wasn't technically a judge, but I did have the same authority as one, so I would have to give her suggestion some consideration if it came to it. "Mm," I mumbled in agreement, already stuffing a scone into my mouth. The sweet blueberry jam filling spreading across my tongue. I could feel my concerns melting away along with the sugary confection. "You are a wealth of reason, Wheatie. I doubt he'll listen unless I make it an order, but if it's the same deal tomorrow night I shall keep the option open." "Always good to be proactive," she said bluntly, the tea tray coming to a halt as it hung in the air beside her. Wheat took off two cups and filled them with a greenish looking tea before putting the pot and tray on my coffee table across the room. I didn't say anything as she placed it directly on top of another stack of appeals as I supposed it didn't particularly matter. If one case here or there needed to be resubmitted, it wouldn't hurt anypony. "Once you've finished with the appeals for tonight, the night court would like to celebrate your new peerage. It's not every day we see a new marchioness, let alone one that is given the position of royal advisor." "Ah, right. I do remember hearing there would be a ceremony next month as well for the formal appointment." I had forgotten that the peerage had been added as it was given to me while I was on recuperation leave in Appleloosa. Unsurprisingly my former coworkers want to congratulate me. I haven't seen many of them since I became this dream creature, this nightmare look alike. My slit pupils and fangs might shock them as much as it keeps the new servants in check. Though I doubt they'd ostracized or fear me since they're familiar with Luna, it still made me uncomfortable to think about. "You'll have to send word that I may be late to that gathering. In catching up to a large number of appeals that hadn't been addressed." "I'll be sure to do so." Wheat replied, her tone as professional as ever. After adding a single sugar cube to my cup she passed it over in her magic. It soon bore my newly adjusted lavender and teal magic around it instead, moving just beside me as I bit into a tart. The sourness of the fresh raspberries was divine.  "Today's tea is a northern green, provided by my fiancée, Grass Whistler. It's less bitter than most greens, but still benefits from sugar and honey." Wheat proclaimed as she sat down at the chair across my desk. She quickly picked up a scone as she made herself comfortable. As my best friend and closest companion we had grown used to acting like sisters behind closed doors. After taking long drink of the described tea I could only agree with her on the taste, but I was highly grateful for the caffeine. "As always, you always have what I need. This seems like it will be a long night, and unfortunately I can't go whine to Lady Sparkle in Canterlot." I joked, mildly. I didn't get to spend much time with her but I held a great deal of respect for the mare who argued on my behalf to have me defined as non-threatening. I'm not sure I'd fully agree, but it did give me my freedom to live somewhat normally. "How is your fiancé by the way? I heard he's running a pharmacy in Manehattan now." "Yes, he proposed a business model to your father, and managed to secure enough funding from various backers to begin an on demand pharmacy." Wheat said in a slightly faster tone. I knew enough about her to understand that this was her being enthusiastic. "So he's been busy getting that going. But the plans are still on to have our wedding next time you wake up. We're hoping to plan it in the spring." "Sorry, what was that?" I asked, her voice ringing in my ears for a moment. "That we were planning for spring next year?" "My apologies, I must have misheard." I took another sip of my tea as I let her continue gushing about the stallion who had stolen her heart. I felt a sense of unease at her words. Had I imagined it? It was the only explanation I could think of that made sense. After some time and after I'd finished consuming every bit of the dessert tower, I found myself staring at a pile of papers once again. Wheat had left with the cart and trays, and here I was with nothing but a half drunk cup of tea. What I'd heard earlier was still on my mind as I raised the cup in my magic, staring at the murky black liquid that had long gone cold. I hoped that in its swirling hues I would find an answer, any sort of explanation. But like most drinks, it said nothing, and was added to the fuel in my mind as the next appeal came in.