I yawned. The waking world thrust back into my face as the bright light of day almost blinds me. I move my body to turn and find that once again during the night Applejack had rolled onto one of my wings. I sigh and try to pry Applejack off my wing so I could get up, but not every plan of mine succeeds. I decide to lie back down and accept my fate.

Applejack rolls over and grabs my left arm, a long satisfied smile coming to her face. I look around and notice we were still in the barn, that's when I hear hoofsteps below.

“Apple Bloom, are you sure their in here?” I hear the unmistakable voice of Twilight.

“Ah'm sure Twilight, they came in here yesterday and never left. They have ta be!”

I continue to listen as the hoofsteps get closer and louder. I look down to Applejack and bop her on the nose. Applejack scrunches her nose as her eyes flick open.

“Wha? Ah'm awake.”

“Shush, Twilight and Apple Bloom are down stairs.” I whisper.

“What? Really?”

I nod and gesture for Applejack to move as she was still pinning my wing. Applejack moves off my wing as quietly as possible.

“Applejack! John! Are you in here!?” Twilight shouts.

“They ain't going ta respond Twilight, they might be cuddling!” Apple Bloom giggles. “Oh they might be upstairs.”

Me and Applejack freeze. I quickly hunt for my clothes and put them on just seconds before Twilight's head pops above the top step.

“Oh hey guys.” Twilight blushes as she realises she almost walked in on something. “Um...sorry to bother you but I need John Applejack. It's important.”

“Who's it this time?” I ask, snorting a laugh.

“What? No pony. It's a request actually.” Twilight looks away. “From Princess Celestia.”

I narrow my eyes and fold my arms. “And what does her royal highness need?” I couldn't hide my disdain.

Princess Celestia may have ruled Equestria for a thousand years but now Luna is back she still acts like she's the only princess, and it pisses me off to no end.

“She has asked me to...test your magical abilities.” Twilight replies, I could tell she was uncomfortable.

“And what, she couldn't ask me herself.” I walk to the ledge of the higher level and jump off, I glide down to the floor with a quick opening of my wings. I then proceed to storm out the barn with Twilight, Apple Bloom and Applejack following behind.

I stop near the road leading away from Sweet Apple Acres and wait for the others to catch up.

“John what's wrong?” Twilight asks trotting up beside me.

I sigh. “I'm sorry Twilight, I know Celestia is your mentor and close friend but I don't think she has it in her head yet that I'm Luna's champion not hers. She doesn't have the right to ask or even request things from me and it's worse that she uses you because your my sister.” I calm myself as I realise my hands were clenched. “Look, I will do as she asks but you write back that any future requests go through Luna.”

“She won't like that.” Twilight states.

“I don't care, I'm not one of her little ponies, I'm Luna’s.”

Luna smiles as she swipes a hoof over a mirror and the image of John and Twilight vanishes from the surface. Luna turns as a knock is heard at her door.

“Enter.”

Luna watches as the door opens and Celestia walks in.

“Sister, what can I do for you?”

Celestia looks to the mirror and then back to Luna.

“Have you been spying on him again?”

“What ever do you mean?” Luna says as she crosses the room and opens her balcony doors.

“Don't play coy sister, I know about your nightly visits.” Celestia states, joining Luna on the balcony. “And I'm getting worried.”

“Worried my sister and why would you be worried?”

“Your getting too obsessed with him. You watch him through the mirror and visit him in his dreams, even when his dreams are...erotic.”

Luna snaps around. “I am not obsessed! I just still find him fascinating that's all. His power fluctuates every day, I can feel it.” Luna turns back and stares out over Canterlot.

“I feel it too sister which is why I have come here today. I am going to Ponyville on a surprise visit and see Johns power for myself, I came to ask if you would like to go?”

Luna turns her head and smiles. “Do you really have to ask?”

I had walked from Sweet Apple Acres when Twilight had left to finally go and inspect my land near the farm, and what I saw made my brain ache. Applejack had left with Twilight as she had something to ask her, I just shrugged and gave her a kiss as she left.

The land was bigger than I thought. You could build a military base on it and still have room for expansion.

“Well it didn't look this large on the map.” I said to myself as I scratched my head. “But it leaves room for possibilities.”

“Sure is huge.”

I jump as Apple Bloom suddenly appears by my side.

“Geez Apple Bloom you nearly gave me a heart attack.” I say, holding my chest.

Apple Bloom giggles. “Sorry, ah thought ya heard me.”

I bend down and pick Apple bloom up, I place her on my shoulders and gesture to the land.

“So? What do you think of all the land?”

“Ah'm not sure, though there is a lot. What'cha thinking of doing with it?”

“Maybe build a base here, you know for my guards.” I state.

“Like a training base or guarding one?”

“Oh guarding, the training one is being built in Canterlot as an extension to the castle.”

“That would be cool having a guard base in Ponyville, maybe then our town could be safer.”

“You don't think it is?” I ask, looking up at Apple Bloom.

“Well...not in the sense of completely safe but it's not like we have creatures attacking us every day.”

I turn away from the land and start heading back towards Ponyville.

“Hey Apple Bloom, could I tell you something just between me and you?”

“Ya gonna trust me ta keep a secret?” I nod. “Ah guess ah can listen then.”

“I'm scared.” I say bluntly.

“Scared? What of?”

“You know me and Applejack are trying for a foal right?” Apple Bloom nods. “That's what I'm afraid of, fatherhood. I think about it every day and I think will I be a good father? Will my foal accept me? What will it look like? I have doubts Apple Bloom and that's what scares me.”

“Oh. But your so good with foals, look at me. Ah like ya and so does Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. If your gonna be that bad of a dad, do ya think we would like ya so much?”

I think for a second and lift Apple Bloom off my shoulders and hold her out in front of me.

“Your precious to me Apple bloom, you and the others. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of you. I love you all with my heart and I would trust you with my life.”

“Ya mean it?”

“I mean it.”

I pull Apple Bloom in for a hug and she happily returns.

“Now let's get back to town so I can apologise to Twilight and pray she hasn't sent that letter away yet.”

Celestia sat in the carriage as it flew towards Ponyville, however it wasn't the view through the window that kept her attention more the fidgeting of Luna by her side.

“Luna? Are you ok? You seem to be agitated.”

“I'm fine.”

“Really? You seem-”

“I'm fine!”

“Ok, I have never seen you like this. It's not that time of year for you is it?” Celestia whispers the question.

“What? No! I just enjoy getting out of the castle once in a while.” Luna says, her face turning red as she looks out the carriage window.

“You want to see how powerful he really is that badly?” Celestia asks, her gaze never wavering from Luna.

“Is it that obvious?” Luna responds her ears dropping.

“Very.” Celestia smiles. “Though I can say that I'm intrigued too, his magic has risen I can feel it. I will expect this to be a interesting trip. Especially since my student doesn’t know we are coming.”

Luna and Celestia share a chuckle before the carriage goes silent. Luna was about to say something when the guard sitting on the roof calls down.

“Two minutes till Ponyville your highnesses.”

“Thank you White Light.” Celestia answers. “Well we better prepare for the worst.”

“Expecting trouble?” Luna asks, turning to look at Celestia.

“Only from one.”

I laughed as Apple Bloom finished her story.

“Your joking right? It can't have been that big?”

“Ah'm not lying! It was this big!” Apple Bloom opens her fore legs wide.

I laugh again. “And you ran from it?”

“Ya would!”

“I don't know, a cockatrice. I might not run from it but I would be curious.”

“Pfft, yeah right! Ya would be stone before ya realised what it was!” Apple Bloom crosses her fore legs and pouts.

“Aww, don't be like that. I still love ya.” I state, reaching up and ruffling Apple Bloom's mane. “Any way we're here now.” I gesture to Twilight's library in front of us. “You want to come in?”

“Nah! Ah got ta meet Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, but ah'm free later.”

I remove Apple Bloom from my shoulders and place her on the ground.

“Well, I'll see you back at home then.” I say, holding out my hand in a fist.

Apple Bloom hoof bumps my fist. “See ya big brother.”

I give Apple bloom a wave as she runs off, oh the joys of being young. I walk to the door of the library and give it a push, I was surprised when the door didn't budge. I try again and meet the same resistance.

“What the hell?” I whisper.

I knock on the door.

“Library’s closed...It's an emergency.” I hear Applejack call from within.

“Applejack! It's me!” I reply.

“John? Give me a sec.”

I stand waiting as Applejack fiddles with the door lock and opens the door.

“Is everything alright Applejack?” I ask as I step through the door.

“No it ain't, Derpy is here, she's extremely upset.”

“About what?” I ask as Applejack leads me upstairs to the living area.

“Her coltfriend has disappeared.”