Le Grande Mascarade: Prend Deux (Jack)

"I can't promise anything." And with that, he was gone with a puff of sliver smoke. Miles and miles away, he appeared outside Bella's house. Now one hundred percent less sure about his plan.

Bella was relaxing on the back porch, enjoying a bit of sunshine before she had to go back inside and finish what paperwork was needed to renew the business license for the ballet studio. Even if she was unable to teach at the moment, a former student was doing well enough as a teacher that Bella wanted to keep the studio open.

He took a deep and nervous breath, and started walking up the path towards the house. Smiling as he saw his mother. "Enjoying the weather..?"

Bella jumped and looked to the voice, eyes going wide. "N-Nyx?" She asked, slowly standing. "Oh my... Am I dreaming right now?" While Bella still looked like Bella, she didn't look the same as when Nyx last saw her, she almost looked frail and delicate.

He smiled walking closer to his mother. "Not this time, mother. I promise." as he moved onto the porch, pulling her into a gentle hug

Bella returned the hug, holding him tightly as if he'd disappear and starting to cry. "Oh Nyxie! My baby, you're finally home!" She sobbed. "W-We need to tall your father, he's missed you too. Just! Just, come out here!"

"Mother please...I, I just wanna see you right now. I'm trying to take this slow." He nuzzles her neck, holding her even tighter than before.

Bella nodded and pulled back to get a good look at her son. "You certainly took after your father, both you and Andy," she said, reaching up to smooth down his mane away from his face. "You're a very handsome stallion too, I'll bet you had mares after you left and right."

He kinda blushes, smiling "Yeah, stallions too. I actually just...spent...the night with...quick...stitch..." His eyes went wide as he continued to speak. It was one of those moments where you try to stop yourself from saying something, but can only slow it.

Bella blinked and looked up to her son. "Quick... Stitch? He's your... but you're not related by blood... But... Darling, it's much easier to process that you like stallions than you sleeping with your cousin," she said then hugged her son again. "Not that it really matters right not, I'm just so glad you're home.

"...I enjoy mares too. And yeah, I'm glad to be home, but it's so sunny here. How do you stand it?"

"Baby, this is Ponyville, it's always sunny," she giggled. "So tell me, what was Prance like? Your school, did they treat you well?"

"It was very...high class. I had to change who I was quite a bit to blend in and be accepted. And of course they did, I was a very high profile student."

"Good, good. Well... if you've been with Quick recently, then I'm guessing you've seen your sister?"

"Yeah, I saw her just before coming here. My morning was rudely interrupted by she..."

"She's grown into quite the mare, she's lucky that Quick snapped her up as a model after she grew popular. Just after she started getting a following she had to deal with... some unfavorable types in the business," she said.

"I know, I read all about it. Do you remember, it would have been a month or so after the incident, the prench Count Endymion started sponsoring her? Got her career off the ground? Well, I happen to know him..."

"Andy doesn't usually talk about work but yes I remember, she was a little scared as she wasn't sure how the Count knew her but grateful for the help once she received it. I'll have to give you a thank you note to give him," she said, moving to sit back down as she grew tired of standing.

"Well, you know him too. And so does Andy..." He glanced over at his mother, smiling slightly and closing his eyes.

"You?" she asked in surprise before smiling. "Thank you, you have no idea how much it meant to her."

"I couldn't do much, but I needed to help. And I've been looking for that sleezy stallion that tried to...well, when I get my hooves on him..." A dark look came across Nyx's face. One that might be found on his real father's face

"Darling, Andy already dealt with him, she made your father swear to drop it," Bella said.

"...yeah, okay." He gets up walking to the edge of the porch. "I gotta get back to Quick and Andy."

"Won't you at least say hello to your father before you go?" she asked.

"Why? So he can be disappointed in me for not wanting to follow in his foot steps and fight monsters? No thanks. I love you mom, promise to visit again soon." He cast a teleportation spell, reappearing in Quick's hotel room