"I`d tell you to brace yourself, but you probably don`t feel much anyways." - Lyra quipped sarcastically, grasping the amber wing in both hooves. With a sharp yank and crack, the bone slid into place. Pegasus under her shuddered, letting out a long soft hiss. "...fffar out." - she muttered, nibbling her lip. Lyra snorted, as she pulled back, letting the wing fall down limply.

	"Merry Weed, you seriously need to lay off the smokes for a while. This is the second time you wrenched your wing this month." - she proffered seriously, running her hoof over pegasus` back, touching the base of injured wing - "One more accident like this, and you`ll end up with torn ligaments. And if that happens? Buh-bye blue sky, unless you`ve got twenty grand in your mattress to cover the surgery."

	"Chill out, cosmic cat." - offered pegasus lazily, - "I`ll take it easy, null sweat. Ei, ain`t that what I usually do anyways?" Unicorn wrinkled her nose - "That does not prevent you from getting your wings backwards each other week." Merry rolled over, letting out a soft chuckle - "Well, nothing your magic touch won`t fix, ne?" Teal mare rolled her eyes - "And what about the smell? You reek of smoke. Any guard meets you and it`s back to rehab for you."

	"Tarra-warra, sister. Don`t harsh my mellow, y`dig?" - responded pegasus carelessly, as she finally rolled over on her hooves. Lyra snorted and threw the door open, - "Out. Lotus said she`d report you if you`ll ever again stumble in baked... And you`re high as a kite, right now." Heaving a little sigh, Merry Weed trotted out, wobbling slightly. "Donkya." - she responded cheekily, as she rounded the corner and disappeared. Lyra heaved a little sigh. Little pothead could get so careless. Granted, growing cannabis was not exactly criminal... but appearing in the public place after smoking it most assuredly was. Still, she was one of the few genuinely good ponies. Lyra often wondered if it`s not connected to the fact little thing was high practically twentyfour-seven.

	"...Got rid of her?" - the voice behind her made Lyra turn around. Aloe. "Yeah. Why does she keep doing this to herself?" - Lyra offered irritably, turning to face her current boss. Aloe snorted - "Who knows. I`m just glad she didn`t try to get into the basin like last time. Still, I wish she`d take a clue and stop showing up here." Lyra chuckled - "Perish the thought. I actually tried to explain things to her once. Her reason? It`s warm and wet inside. That`s pretty much it. And I`m guessing it wouldn`t be much of a spa here if it wasn`t warm and wet inside, ne?"

	Aloe nodded seriously. "Well, there`s that. But enough chit-chat. We have a client that`s definitely in need of your magic touch, Lyra." - she offered, smirking at unicorn`s groan. "Oh come on, Aloe, not you too! Just because I`m a unicorn does not mean anything I put my hooves to is magic." Aloe stepped out, chuckling - "Are you sure? Because some of your clients would swear it`s maaaa-gic."

	___

	Well. That was unexpected. Lyra leaned against the wall, considering the card she was levitating in front of her. Booze Heart. How interesting. Stallion was reasonably good-looking, she had to admit. A bit on the light side, but that much could be expected from pegasus. Also, capable of putting on a charm when he saw something he liked. Still, some tell-tale signs about him... A guard on retirement? At his age? He didn`t have the scars to explain it. And the cutie mark? Interesting. Maybe... just maybe she found her next target.

	Lyra put the business card into her mane and began her trot home. She had a date to attend. "I hope I`m wrong." - she muttered softly, letting her mind run over the plans she made in preparation for exactly such an event.

A week later.

	"That was a nice date. I didn`t think you have it in you." - proffered Lyra. She was propping the tipsy stallion up at the moment. He had lived up to his name, regrettably, and got himself drunk as early and expeditiously as he could. Still, so far, he behaved like a gentlecolt. She needed to observe for a while longer.

A month later.

	"What is wrong with you?" - she offered incredulously, looking at the stallion passed out in her front lawn. He was lying in the pool of his own vomit, having had passed out shortly after decorating her lawn. Un-bucking-believable. She levitated the prone form up in the air and yanked the garden hose off the hook, spraying him clean. "Whaaa, hey, put me down, Discord touch you! What in Tartarus are you doing?" - he hollered, obviously woken up by a stream of cold water.

	"Cleaning you up, duh." - she offered curtly, - "You threw up all over yourself... and passed out in the pool of vomit after." Stallion had the decency to look embarrassed. "Lyra, sweetie. I`m sorry. I was waiting for you, and I needed some pick-me-up and... you know how things happen." - he offered sheepishly. She snorted - "Yes. Yes, I do know."

Three months later.

	"Booze Heart? Would you care to explain this?" - she offered strenuously, tapping her hoof against the newspaper clipping. It was an article about four stallions being drummed out of service for inappropriate conduct. His name was the first among the listed. He snarled, - "Ain`t none of your business, whorse." Perhaps, it was not the best idea to ask him when he was in the process of getting drunk. But it was a good test.

	"None of my business? And the house will pay for itself?" - she quipped incredulously - "You`ve all but moved in, and now you mean to tell me it isn`t any of my business to know you`ve got not a single bit to your name?" In all fairness, even though she expected anger, she never thought it would come as a backhoof across the face.

Three months and one day later.

	"Lyra, I`m sorry. I didn`t mean to do that, I swear. I just... I get so angry just thinking about it..." - he plead, knocking at the door. After a few long moments, the door opened slightly, revealing Lyra with a black eye. "...I will forgive you. Just once." - she offered tersely, - "But you are going to get a job. A real job, not the one-day jobs you`ve been doing until now. And remember. If you hit me ever again?... It will be over, right there, right then, and no third chances. Got it?"

Six months later.

	The door opened with a loud bang. He was drunk again. Lyra leaned against the wall.  No matter what she`d say or do, he wouldn`t lay off the sauce. "Lyyra, babe... I was thinking about yoouuu...." - he slurred, almost stumbling over his hooves. Pathetic and disgusting. "You`re drunk again." - she said. It was not a question, just a statement of fact. "Oh, come on!" - he defended - "Sttullions has needs..yeah!"

	Lyra shook her head, taking a step closer. "How many times did I tell you not to get drunk after work?" - she inquired. Stallion suddenly lurched forward, almost knocking her over. "Well, iss aal yer fault!" - he proclaimed suddenly, - "Ya nevr put out! Whorse." She took a step back, cringing from the stench of his breath. "You know what I think about it." - she offered tiredly. Booze Heart suddenly lurched forward again, this time actually knocking her over. With a squeak, the fell over, stallion falling on top of her.

	"Well... ah take it!" - she declared unsteadily, trying to grope her with hooves. Welp. "You really should not have done that." - she offered with a strange smile. The next thing he felt was the horn ramming under his chin. Stars exploded in his head and Booze Heart fell down in a heap. Lyra groaned - "How do I hate to be right."

Six months and one day later.

	He woke up from the feeling of cold water again. "Lyra, stop!" - he demanded without opening his eyes. Cold shower continued. Snarling, he tried to roll over... and realised his hooves are kept down by something. Alarmed, he looked around finally. Well... that was strange. Booze Heart was tied to the table in the basement. Lyra was pouring water on his face with the watering can.

	"Oh. You are awake." - she offered, again smiling her strange smile, - "Good. I don`t want you to miss out on any fun." Stallion sneezed violently. "Fun? Are you... what is... do you mean to tell me you`re into some kinky shit?!" - he finally proclaimed, flabbergasted - "Listen, uh, untie me! I`m not into any of those... bondage games or whatever." She chuckled.

	"Ah, I`m sorry. I think I need to explain. No, I do not plan to have sex with you. I`m planning to murder you." - she offered sweetly, - "Feel free to scream if you need to - it`s pretty soundproof." He just stared. "You what!?" - finally, the shock came through - "Aw, come on, Lyra, is that a joke? I get it, haha, got me good. I swear, I`ll be more careful."

	- No, no jokes, dear. I do intend to torture you to death. Hope you`ll enjoy it.
	- It`s not funny!
	- Not supposed to be.
	- Oh, come on, enough, stop!

	She picked up a knife in her hooves. "Ever seen this kind of knife before?" - she offered softly, - "It`s a skinning knife. I`ve had it imported from Griffon kingdom." Before he could say something, she drew the short blade over his hind leg, from hoof to knee. It HURT.

	- OhCELESTIAAAA!... You`re crazy!
	- Astute, my dear. Yes, I am quite crazy. Now, don`t you squirm so much. I`d hate to have uneven cuts on your hide.
	- AAgh!... Agh... Ah... WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
	- Skinning you alive, of course.
	- Why? In the name of sun, why? What did I ever do to you?!
	- Well, you hit me. And wanted to rape me. And generally abused my good will, my house, my patience and my body. What, you thought everything is for free? No, dear. If you are in relationship, you work for it. You, however... you behaved as if I am your property, to use as you see fit.
	- And that`s the reason to kill me?!,.. You`re crazy! Ok, buck, if I`m that insufferable, why didn`t you just kick me out!?
	- And offload you on a mare that would let you get away with all that? No, dear. I grew up among abusers, I know how do you think. I gave you six months. Six months to persuade me you are a decent person. You failed. Now, you need to die.
	- So I`m... aah, buck, how it hurts... So I`m a jerk, then. Fine, whatever, I`m an utter bastard, I`m sorry! Just kick me out, I promise you won`t see me again, ever!
	- It`s a bit too late. See.... Hold still while I get your flanks...
	- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH, NO, STOP!
	- As I were saying, it`s a bit too late. Even if I suddenly decided you deserve to live... which I don`t, mind... But still, even if I suddenly decided to spare you, I can`t do it. You`ll go to guard, and even though you are worthless drunkard, they will arrest me. And then you`ll be free to abuse somepony who can`t beat you back. I can`t allow that to happen.
	- Ohplease,ohplease,ohplease...
	- Now, let us continue. Don`t worry, I`ll make good use of you. It`s going to be winter soon, and I need a warm coat... And, to be honest, I had developed quite a taste for griffon kitchen. I know we ponies usually don`t eat meat, but it`s just so scrumptious.