Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Today's Horoscope (Virgo): Sometimes you have to put up with uncomfortable situations in order to be there for others.
After School
Tennis practice...
The court is shimmering with the heat. Derpy is sitting next to a cart with two huge ice chests full of sports drink under a massive golf umbrella.
"Okay everyone," Chrysalis says. "I know it's hot and I know none of us really want to be here today, but we've got Cloudsdale on Saturday, so we need to be ready." She gives us all an apologetic smile. "Just...do your best, okay?"
Practice is miserable. Most of the guys end up on the benches partway through. The girls take frequent breaks to towel off and take a drink. By the fifteen minute mark, the ice chests are full of ice water.
After only forty minutes, Chrysalis calls an end to practice.
I don't feel like hitting the showers here, because I'll just get all sweaty again on my way back to the dorm. I decide to sit and drink a sports drink before I leave.
While I'm sitting down, Chrysalis joins me. "Good grief, this heat," she says.
"Yeah, I know." I shake my head. "I've never seen heat like this in my entire life."
"I've only seen it get this hot a couple of times." Chrysalis grabs a sports drink for herself.
I look over at her. "So, did you talk to your kids? About what you should do?"
She nods. "I did. They have...different opinions." She grimaces. "Skeeter wants me to go back to work because I shouldn't have to 'settle' for a 'lesser station'. Papillon wants me to go back because she doesn't want to have her mother as a teacher."
"Ouch."
Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "Anyway, the twins...they're saying I should stay here, because I've been a lot less tired and a lot more happy lately. My youngest don't really understand what's going on, so..." She shakes her head. "I'm still not sure what to do." She frowns. "I do know that I never got this sweaty and nasty sitting behind a desk."
I laugh.
Chrysalis sighs. "I just...don't know what to do," she says. "I'm going to end up disappointing someone no matter which choice I make..."
"The only thing you need to think about is what's best for you," I say.
Chrysalis is about to say something, but stops short, looking up in surprise. I follow her gaze.
Three men in dark suits are walking toward us. The one in the lead has a powerful build, ash-grey skin, straight black hair, and a forebidding stare.
Chrysalis stands up. "Sombra," she says coldly. "What do you want?"
"It's come to my attention Saeki Group wants to hire you," Sombra says. One of his flunkies hands him a large yellow envelope. "We have to protect our interests. The damage you could cause to my company as a member of Saeki Group is immeasurable." He thrusts the envelope at Chrysalis. "I am prepared to use the full weight of our legal department against you if necessary. Your terms of severance will be voided. You will be sued. I will drag your name through the mud—"
"You've already done a pretty thorough job of that," Chrysalis says, snatching the envelope. "But I'm afraid you've come all this way and wasted all this fury and menace for nothing." She shakes her head. "I'm just a high school tennis coach and Economics teacher. I'm no threat to you."
They stare at one another for a long, tense moment.
"You're trespassing, by the way," Chrysalis says calmly.
Sombra scowls and shakes a finger in her face. "One step towards any of those Saeki bastards," he warns. He turns on his heel and storms away, his flunkies in tow.
One of them pauses briefly, turns to Chrysalis, and says, "I'm sorry."
She smiles. "How's your wife, Evans?"
"She's fine," Evans says. "You should call her up sometime."
"Hmm...maybe next week." Evans turns to follow the others.
Chrysalis sighs. "Well...that's that. Looks like my choice has been made for me." She stands and walks away, tossing the envelope in the trash along with her empty bottle.
The Disgraced Executive Social Link of the Tower Arcana has reached rank 8!
Your power to create Personas of the Tower Arcana has grown!
I finish my own drink, which has gone warm, toss the bottle, then head back to the dorm for a shower and change.
Evening
After dinner, Sonata asks me to help her with something. I follow her to her room. As soon as I close the door, Sonata starts taking off her clothes.
"Uhh..."
With her shirt on the floor and her bra unhooked, Sonata looks at me, giggles, and picks up her tablet.
I just want you to help me with this scarring lotion and this stupid shot I have to have.
"Oh. Okay. Umm...shouldn't Nurse Cadance be helping you with that?"
She's busy tonight, and...I wanted a minute alone with you.
She giggles.
Besides, it's more fun having a cute boy put his hands all over me.
She winks.
Sonata finishes stripping down and lies on her stomach on the bed. I feel my face heating up as she passes me a bottle of scarring lotion. I examine her back, which is covered in lots of little, faint white scars. I carefully apply the strange-smelling lotion to all the little scars.
When I'm done, Sonata looks up at me, then points at a wrapped syringe and a little glass vial on her desk. She slaps her butt.
"What's the shot for?" I ask.
She rolls her eyes and shrugs as best she can lying down. Shaking my head, I pick up the syringe and unwrap it, then stick the long needle into the glass vial and draw out the medication inside. "So...just...in your butt?"
Sonata nods and slaps her butt again.
"Okay..." I take the little alcohol swab that was lying next to the shot, wipe off a spot on her butt, and stick the needle in. She tenses up and whimpers. I quickly inject the medication in, then pull out the needle and wipe the little bleeding spot off before putting a tiny band-aid on it.
Sonata stands up and rummages through her pajama drawer, wincing and shaking one leg as she puts on her pajamas. When she's done, she grabs her tablet.
Thanks.
"No problem."
I hate that stupid shot. I've gotta have it for a couple more months and I don't even understand what it's for.
She sighs.
Aria used to tease me about being scared of needles. I'm not scared of needles, I just don't like getting shots.
"Well I don't think anybody likes them," I say. "Except like, maybe, tattoo freaks."
Sonata giggles. She then sighs and sits down gingerly on the bed.
Tomorrow's Aria's birthday. Me and Mommy are gonna do something, I dunno what.
She sniffles.
I really do miss her, but...
She looks up at me.
It's okay to move on, right? It's okay for me to be happy and have friends and have fun?
"Of course it is," I say. "It's healthy. You have to keep living."
Yeah...
Sonata smiles.
Thank you.
The Broken Bird Social Link of the Death Arcana has reached rank 8!
Your power to create Personas of the Death Arcana has grown!
I head to my room. After what just happened with Sonata, I contemplate asking Twilight or Pinkie if they're in the mood, but...it's just too hot for sex...
Sorry, boner.
