Melpomene’s Tragedy, Thalia’s Comedy / [KILL THE PAST/ END]

Gray had his own mouth wrapped around his straw, but his golden eyes hadn’t stopped moving the entire time. He looked at each of them as they each took turns to speak. At first, he hadn’t quite noticed it. Lorne’s behavior? Either him and Trip were actually really close friends or—… The actor flashe... View MoreGray had his own mouth wrapped around his straw, but his golden eyes hadn’t stopped moving the entire time. He looked at each of them as they each took turns to speak. At first, he hadn’t quite noticed it. Lorne’s behavior? Either him and Trip were actually really close friends or—… The actor flashed a gaze towards his own partner, he found him staring at the other pair in concern and he *knew* they had to be thinking of the same thing. Sure, they weren’t there to meddle with the private lives of each other, but since Gray wasn’t a huge mystery connoisseur, what else could he focus on? Lorne was this small, freckled Pegasus who made a living out of crafting puppets and acting out stories with them. And even if Gray was no detective himself, he too could tell that there wasn’t a single ounce of resentment for Berry within that man. I mean, there were obviously a lot of feelings in there, but none were directed towards Berry. Or so it seemed… Gray also flashed a quick glance towards Trip. It was evident that the engineer was completely oblivious to the obvious. The guy was simply sitting and listening to the answers his friend gave, nodding along. For Trip, this only was a confirmation that he’d been right about Lorne, which was the only thing that interested him at that specific moment. Trip practically smirked as Carmine looked at him to shake his head, it was like he was wordlessly saying ‘told you so!’, similarly he eyed Gray to brag wordlessly… and Gray simply rolled his eyes. It’s true, the actor suspected Lorne the most, but only because he didn’t personally know him, and it felt wrong to suspect either Sawbones or Valor’s little brother. Although Gray’s hesitation with that last one was mostly rooted on what he wanted for Carmine’s sake, it was admittedly difficult that their suspects’ list was reduced to only 2 people and one of them was a friend of his. “…The industry can be cruel like that.” Gray frowned greatly upon learning that Lorne was also going through a rough patch to top things off. Maybe… and since Lorne appeared to be innocent in all this, the two of them could benefit from one another? Gray considered the idea quietly, nonetheless it wasn’t really the right moment to be thinking about business. Now, as for Trip… He also had his own ideas about how Lorne could get out of that drouth. Not that Lorne would like any of them! The tinkerer saw incredible potential in that technologic magic device the puppeteer employed for his shows, but maybe not in a way that was creatively compatible with Lorne’s vision. He could use something like that to try and get Hermes’s late friends to move on their own, God… that would be such a great addition to his stage! For now, all he offered were a couple pats on the back and a ‘there, there’. “You should talk to her…” Trip hummed. “…Now, I know that you do look kinda similar to her ex, but… hasn’t your dress style changed since then? Both you and Berry could use more friends. Plus, she does kinda miss you. Maybe.” He shrugged. “So… uhmmm… Lorne? Do you even know what happened?” Gray nervously interjected. “When did you find out..? What have you heard?”

Like October 16, 2022

Princess Agnes

As to not interrupt the group discussion, Crystal slipped the two smoothies up onto the counter that had just been ordered. Adding a straw and a bit of extra on top of her own touch. Something she would only do for a friend or family of Strawberry. A tad bit of blue-colored syrup for just the extra ... View More

Like October 16, 2022

“I guess I could try,” hummed the Pegasus. He wiped his muzzle, and briefly interrupted himself to say “Thanks,” to Crystalline when she swapped the drink to a cleaner version. “I could start wearing, like… short sleeves? It’s the wings and clothes that trip her up. Maybe if she notices that I’m a d... View More

Like October 16, 2022 Edited

“So… you don’t know anything but what Mrs. Sakura told your mom, right?” Gray confirmed. That was going to be a fun conversation for sure! The actor frowned greatly as he briefly recalled the horrors of that night. “Hah, maybe it’s better that way…” Believe it or not, even after all this time he cou... View More

Like October 16, 2022

“I’m… I’m just here,” she answered with her hands sliding down to her hips. “Shouldn’t you be hiding after the barista got blended? Fuck, you know it’s dangerous for you to be out here.” Only now did the pegasus in the room realize Dot was speaking. And to whom? He lowered his stance and turned to ... View More“I’m… I’m just here,” she answered with her hands sliding down to her hips. “Shouldn’t you be hiding after the barista got blended? Fuck, you know it’s dangerous for you to be out here.” Only now did the pegasus in the room realize Dot was speaking. And to whom? He lowered his stance and turned to his side, where he’d see Trip in mid conversation. His jaw clenched… and his wings twitched just a hair. The boxer took a second and removed his gloves before he approached. “Is something wrong?” Dot looked beside her. “What? No, no… Trip’s just a friend of mine. Helped me out of a tight spot. Just surprised to see him walking in here, is all.” Mettle took a second to look him over. Studying him. He must have been looking for a reason to kick him out, but saw none. “Name’s Mettle. But, uh… you really shouldn’t be here. Don’t meant to be rude, but we’re kind of in the middle of training. Dot needed a water break.” Back outside, Carmine just slumped near lifelessly when Gray offered his shoulder. The contrast between warm comfort and the analysis did strike a nervous anxiety within him, but Gray was making some good points. Anyone else could’ve easily learned about Berry’s prosopagnosia and her former lover. It’s just take some digging… “I get where you’re coming from, Gray. And yeah, you’re right a trusted acquaintance; that *is* possible. But I can’t imagine why. Why would anyone else go so far to pit her and the Eights together? Lorne and Mettle couldve hated both sides and wanted to see them tear each other apart. Sawbones? I dunno. She could be number six or some bullshit like that for all we know. She could be Meeks’s mom and wanted vengeance, or she could’ve just seen Berry as a tool to clean house. I don’t have any evidence, that’s just… you know, theories.” Carmine then glided his hands along Gray’s arm to reach his hand, where he’d then pull it down as a loving link between them. “Even if you’re right, that means someone they know’s behind this. Mettle, or Lorne, or Sawbones— whether they know it or not— gave away information that would later be used against Berry to start a god damn gang war. Followin’ it like this is the best option we got right now.” He tilted his head. “I know you were just tryin’ to make me feel better… but you are speakin’ some sense.”

Like October 18, 2022

Trip cocked an eyebrow. “…You learned about that? Can I ask who told you?” now… he wasn’t there to interview Dot, but since she was around, he figured he could get something out of her. Unfortunately, Mettle had also decided to approach them at that point. Trip immediately noticed his reticence towa... View More

Like October 18, 2022

Once again, Gray was right. Hearing his kind words soothed his soul to a more tempered degree. It wasn’t all perpetual darkness and disarray; now there was some light in this storm. That kiss brought him down to manageable levels, but what kind of fresh lover would he be without completing the excha... View More

Like October 18, 2022

Carmine’s arrival couldn’t have come at a better moment. Trip crossed his arms and allowed his enthusiasm to show in the form of a sly grin. “…Sorry kid, this shit’s kinda urgent. We’ll leave you two to whatever you were doing as soon as this is taken care of.” He forwarded to Dot since Carmine had ... View More

Like October 18, 2022

First things first, Carmine had to tend to Gray. True… the wound was kind of his fault, but it worked out in the end. The slash against the detective’s arm slowed the blade down enough to save Mettle, which was his intention the entire time. “Gray… it’s okay,” he managed to roll on his back and tilt... View More

Like October 20, 2022

Gray had been able to keep it together by sheer survival instinct. The adrenaline coursing through his body and the resulting brain fog brought by the traumatic chaos they had just endured were working in his favor this time around. He could barely grasp how fucked up that entire thing was, and it w... View MoreGray had been able to keep it together by sheer survival instinct. The adrenaline coursing through his body and the resulting brain fog brought by the traumatic chaos they had just endured were working in his favor this time around. He could barely grasp how fucked up that entire thing was, and it was only during brief moments of clarity that he truly felt the guilt. One of such moments just so happened to be triggered by the sensation of Carmine’s hand stroking his cheek so lovingly, and the way he was looking at him from his lap. The actor inhaled sharply to avoid weeping, he heaved. “What!? No, no it’s not okay! Are you kidding!? He was going to get killed!” “But he’s alright…?” Trip peeked back again to check on them. “See? He’s fine! It was just a scare; Carmine did an absolutely idiotic thing by trying to jump in front of Bloody Saturday…Bath man…’s chain claw thing? Him…” Trip waved a hand off. “…That was an extremely stupid move. If you ask me, Carmine jeopardized our entire escape. I mean, we would’ve lost Mettle.—” “Sorry pal.” Trip briefly interjected for the teen with a shrug. “All the while Gumshoe’s little heroic moment nearly costed us all of you: Mettle… Him… You? Only Dot and I would’ve made it.” the tinkerer sighed, “Do you have any idea what Berry would do to me if she found out you guys died under my care? Hell nah…” “What’s wrong with you!? …I’m not like that!” Gray protested, to which Trip cackled loudly. “Hahaha! Well, hey… at least you know there has to be love there if he’s willing to sacrifice somebody else for you!” Trip eyed Carmine maintaining that mocking grin. Samantha listened to the banter for a bit. However, most of her attention remained undivided from the road. “…I don’t know everything. Look, it’s complicated, it really is… And I’m sorry I didn’t bring a van; it was kind of an emergency.” she grit her teeth as by now both Carmine and Dot had asked. “All I know is that you guys are in big trouble… I didn’t need to get involved into this, but God damn it.” She groaned. “Why out of all people in this god forsaken city did you have to mess with the Eights??” it could have appeared as though she was directing herself to Gray, she actually was speaking to Carmine. “Look, I don’t know what you did. But it has gotten out of hand.” Gray blinked, he put a pause to his crisis for the time being. “…What?” “It’s because of that girl, isn’t it? Cranberry or something…” Samantha side glanced quickly, then went back to eyes on the road. “How’s she related to you, Gumshoe…? They want her underground. They also promised that if I choked you guys’ finances then they’d leave my client out of this.” “…a 7-inch-deep stab in the stomach is very much not ‘out of this’… We had a deal.” She spat out bitterly. “…Since the deal was broken I am interfering now.”

Like October 20, 2022

“Shut up, Trip! God damn, just— just shut the fuck up and be quiet! I wasn’t about to let Mettle get sliced up. I took that fall with the sole intention of being the *only* one in Sabbath’s grasp. It worked out. We’re all okay. Samantha’s here for some reason,” yeah, he was still processing that par... View More

Like October 20, 2022

Samantha shrugged her body as Carmine snapped, the reaction was expected though. “Yes I am!!! I’m the reason you two are LIVING in a tiny apartment— and not floating in Gray’s old pool! it isn’t like I had a choice!” She snapped right back. “My mother’s gonna fucking kill me when she finds out…” the... View MoreSamantha shrugged her body as Carmine snapped, the reaction was expected though. “Yes I am!!! I’m the reason you two are LIVING in a tiny apartment— and not floating in Gray’s old pool! it isn’t like I had a choice!” She snapped right back. “My mother’s gonna fucking kill me when she finds out…” the agent snorted through her nostrils. She was driving them uptown, actually, she seemed to be taking them back to her place. Sammy didn’t want to further explain herself, but it wasn’t like she would get away with half-excuses either. Now that the detective was actively questioning her, it appeared fruitless to even try and get past him. “Tch… you know that money is power, Gumshoe. Specially underground…” she sighed. The car pulled into the driveway of one of those pretty houses. A smaller villa, california style. 2 Stories high, right at the edge of a hill and overlooking the city. “It all started back when your cousin dispatched Domino…” “…Or so I heard.” She was no longer driving, meaning she was finally able to turn her body around to check the backseats. “I have no idea what happened. Only that she messed up, bad. She was going to wind up dead. The problem was that *you* as her cousin would have tried to do something about it.” “…And that’s where Gray comes in…” she briefly looked at the actor, he wasn’t meeting her gaze back. He kept his eyes low and sulked on the side, trying to assimilate her whole story. “It wasn’t long till my mother reached out to me with clear instructions. I’m sorry.” Samantha sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose. “It would have been seen as a betrayal not to sabotage. I-I had to! My mom’s… She’s from a… a line— and they respond to the Eights!” “I figured that… as long as you two didn’t get involved, it’d just be a matter of time until things resolved themselves… I was promised no collaterals.” “A-and then one day I woke up to find that my client’s been internalized??? They stabbed you???” Gray shrugged. Trip had shut up as instructed, he was merely looking and listening to the tale with wide curious eyes. “… I need a drink.” Gray muttered. Samantha frowned greatly. “I’m sorry Gray…” she returned her gaze to the detective, “My mother’s from Abyssinia, ever heard of Il Sindicato? They don’t do much… they smuggle goods through different territories and launder money.” “…But here in Equestria, they do respond to the Eights. I normally don’t get involved with her side of the family, this wasn’t something I wanted but she’s my *mother*. Please try to understand…”

Like October 20, 2022

Gray was going 80 miles an hour all aboard the misery train; the actor was -for lack of a better word- an expert downer. Left unchecked he would continue to torture himself with the thought of every single event that could go wrong from there on. In spite of that, Carmine’s odd jaw kiss forced his t... View More

Like October 22, 2022

It was a wry smile, but a smile nonetheless. That was something better than just letting him soak in his misery for up until he worked his way out. Gray did usually manage to bring himself back, at least. Some days took longer than others… Sakura and Currant’s house was only a temporary fix. A symb... View MoreIt was a wry smile, but a smile nonetheless. That was something better than just letting him soak in his misery for up until he worked his way out. Gray did usually manage to bring himself back, at least. Some days took longer than others… Sakura and Currant’s house was only a temporary fix. A symbiotic relationship, where the aunt and uncle had younger feet running about the house, and Carmine had a safe place for the two of them to lay without having to worry about money. “Our own place sounds nice. In a better part of town… with just you, n’ me, our cats. We can save on money by downgrading to one bedroom… if we get it closer to the office, then I wouldn’t even need one at home.” Carmine grinned now that Gray had seemingly focused on another topic. “That sounds nice.” His finger caught Gray’s necklace strand and twirled itself around the cord. A car sounded like Heaven. Even if it was old and beat up, they needed to stop relying on taxis and feet. “Well, first thing’s first: you’re taking some self defense classes. You’re in decent shape, and I’m sure your career’s helped you with the basics, but that’s only for following a script. I’m gonna teach you to fight without a script.” He propped himself up on his elbow to look down at him. “I want another vacation. But just us. Either a nice beach, or a cozy ski lodge… I just wanna be somewhere with you, where we don’t have to worry about home for three days. Or cases. Or serial killers in cahoots with mobs.” At that, he wrapped the rest of his fingers around Gray’s necklace and pulled him in until they were just inches apart. “And I want to go dancing. And see a movie… and lay in bed while watching a dumb TV show with neither one of us talking for a whole damn season.” He seemed like he might do it. That he might lure Gray in for another Hollywood kiss, but his hand relented just enough for Gray to pull back so he desired. “I do love you, but it feels like I haven’t gotten the chance to love you. You know what I mean?”

Like 1 October 22, 2022

Yeah, he did like the sound of that: A cozy little house for them and their cats. Nowhere as big as Gray’s old superstar mansion, high walls like that tend to get cold during winter… “Huh, a one-bedroom house. I mean… I’d still like to have a spare…? We have to have some wiggle room if anybody ever ... View MoreYeah, he did like the sound of that: A cozy little house for them and their cats. Nowhere as big as Gray’s old superstar mansion, high walls like that tend to get cold during winter… “Huh, a one-bedroom house. I mean… I’d still like to have a spare…? We have to have some wiggle room if anybody ever comes ov--” He was still thinking about it when the detective brought a finger close around his neck and began to twirl at the cord. “…er?” “…?” Gray arched his eyebrows and shot Carmine a bit of a suspicious stare. Self-defense…? Gray scoffed, now that would be fun to try! As the other propped himself up, his eyes followed passively from his position below, at least until Carmine began to pull him in. “!?!?” the actor’s grin grew wide yet hesitant, and the way his ears tilted back indicated an increase in nervosity. True, this pair were often in close proximity from each other, even before they were a ‘thing’ Gray had never really shied away from breaching into Carmine’s personal circle. Oh, but when the other reeled him in like that, how else was he supposed to react!? At that point there still was some space left between them, even if Gray’s cheeks were beginning to tint. “A-a vacation… We could do that, sure! Specially if I am able to pursue bigger roles again, then we’d have enough--- to go around… and…” he trailed off. Ah, all of that sounded wonderful… His eyes softened, as did the rest of his expression in general. They inevitably followed Carmine’s fingers around their jewelry, only returning to meet his soft gaze once the other dragged him even closer. …Dancing, they could go dancing. Gray’s lids fell heavily to the point it seemed like he’d fully close his eyes, but he did not want to stop looking into his partner’s. “Hmmm, I think I may know what you mean by that, yes…” the actor cooed playfully. “It’s because we’ve known each other for so long. But you have to remember that I only just asked you out yesterday, Haha!” Weeell… since Carmine had taken the liberty to get all touchy, Gray figured it wouldn’t be inappropriate to run his hands from his beloved’s waist to his chest and then around his back. Just one sneaky feel before he’d inevitably pull him into a proper embrace. “…We’ll have more than enough time, we have our entire lives ahead, Carmine.” It was torture to linger like that and then do nothing! Gray had already begun to tilt his head in advance, which should have been enough of a warning before he pressed Carmine down to close in the gap between their lips. There was no summer festival to save themselves for, and after all that fight Gray thought, it was more than deserved to end the night like that.