The Alter Accords

Chapter Eleven: Closeness.

Novo told them all, he told them he had no memories beyond a little over five years ago, that he and his brothers had been searching for answers, magic, anything to get those memories back. He told them Celestia said there was nothing she could do and how that was their last chance, how Velox had ‘told’ Novo and Lego and how he went to see Cascades grave. And that was all he told them. He didn’t tell him his other secret, for now that was between him and Pinkie.

Another thing that did come up was his name change, he told them his name and his brothers would be changing to Bright Star instead of Starshifter as soon as he could tell the others what his thoughts and concerns were. Twilight had said she would still look to see if there was anything she could find but he told her it was ok.

“I think me and my brothers should start living life in the now and for tomorrow instead of searching for the past.” A smile came from him as he said that a weight no longer hanging on him as he released himself from the search. “I think its better this way, though I don’t think we will stop searching the Everfree, its kinda fun exploring it.”

It was technically only a half lie, from the exploring he had done before that first manticore attack it was fun, though again it was only a half truth too. Something he knew as he seen a weird look come from AJ’s face.

Most of all came his announcement he was finally going to buy a plot of land and had decided on where it would be. “I was thinking of buying the piece of land between Ponyville and the Everfree. It’s out of the way but not close enough to the forest to be a problem, plus I can get Zecora to come and set some things up to doubly make sure that nothing from there becomes a problem. Now the thing is…do any of you know a good construction pony to help me out?”

Twilight nodded as well as had AJ both of them having need for building at one point or another, Twilight hiring ponies to come rebuild what she explodes by accident at times, AJ mostly being a DIY pony and volunteering herself to help out.

“I-I will help out.” Everypony there was surprised to hear Dash say that. “I mean it should be some good strength training and plus I designed my own house, even if it’s just made up of clouds.”

A few of her friends were about to question her when Novo called out. “Great idea, I actually have some idea for some enchantments, I am not the best with them, a bit of dabbling so I will require both Rarity’s help and Twilights for this but, I had an idea for sheets and pillow cases with enchantments on them to hold clouds and would let any pony that touches it manipulate them as if they had the cloud walking spell. It would let anypony be able to sleep on them and I am tired of Velox saying how ‘wonderful a cloud bed is’ and I want to know as well. I actually think I have some designs here for it in my bag one moment.”

Dash was watching him grab some papers from his bag and couldn’t help but blush as a thought came to her mind. A thought of them placed side by side sleeping on a cloud bed and occasionally a nice soft k-

“Wha’cha thinkin’ about so hard there Sugarcube, especially iffin its causin’ ya to smile like that and that color to your cheeks?” Her farm friend asked her quietly startling her out of her thoughts.

Looking around quickly she noticed it was only just AJ that had noticed as everypony else was looking to Novo as he explained his idea with Rarity and Twilight occasionally correcting him. “N-no reason.” She stammered blushing brighter now that she was caught.

The freckled mare just smiled brighter and nearly made her turn her coat red with what she said next. “I think ya and Novo there have gotten awfully close since ya both done vanished like y’all did. Somethin’ happened didn’t it?”

Her eyes went wide as her blush went full take over bringing her cyan to purple for a moment then to red as she stuttered. “N-n-n-n-no.” that didn’t stop her mind from remembering the sweet moment they shared sharing mana that felt so…right to her. “A-anyway shouldn’t we be paying attention to this?”

That just got a chuckle from the Stetson wearing mare. “Sure thing Sugarcube. Sure thing.”

The next couple of days were hectic and annoying as it turned out that the crown owned the property outside of Ponyville which surprised everypony. Not that it was owned by the crown but because the pony that brought it up was one Filthy Rich.

“So Ponyville can’t sell you the land even if we wanted to.” He told them with a smirk to his face that spoke volumes of his dislike not only for the pony in question but the elements as well. “It is considered a natural treasure the Everfree and the property around it is part of it, which is why Ponyville doesn’t own it, and why I took a kindness to Velox before since I COULD have had him arrested before he was a knight for loitering on royal property, but I was too kind back then I see now.”

Novo was the one with the party this time and he was grinding his teeth in frustration. “Then I suppose I can’t buy property there huh, maybe I will grab something inside Ponyville then.”

Dash hated seeing him like this and worst of all she hated Filthy Rich for antagonizing him like this as well. “Ya it can’t be too hard right?”

The grin of the rich pony was one that she didn’t like and by the movements of her friend they didn’t either. “Unfortunately I am not looking to sell at the moment.”

The girls and Novo all blinked at the same time before Twilight spoke up. “What do you mean you are not looking to sell? The bank owns the property in Ponyville.”

He raised his hoof and gave a tisk, tisk, before smiling an oily sort of grin. “You see you would have been right before, however I recently acquired all the rest of the land in Ponyville and I am the one who reserves the right to sell to whom I please. I am sad to say I do not think Mr. Starshifter-”

“Its Bright Star now.” He growled to the beige pony.

“Right.” Rich just shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “Mr. Bright Star doesn’t look like the type that can be trusted with property so I am afraid I am not inclined to sell to him.”

Dash had to be held back by AJ when hearing that as she wanted to pummel the pony in front of them. “AJ let go I am going to beat his face in for saying that.”

The farm mare, stronger easily then the Pegasus was having a hard time holding her. “Calm down RD, look how well Novo is taking it.”

Looking over she smiled for a moment seeing him doing so well till a dark feeling ran through her that wasn’t her own. “No…no he isn’t.”

She isn’t sure why she said it but she knew it was true, more true as she heard him mumbling something. “-transmutation states that the law of Conservation of mass and that the law of natural providence must be followed or risk rebound. Alchemist must not use pony for transmutation as it is affront to the natural order as such pony transmutation is the worst one can do.”

The rest of his friends must have heard him as well as the rainbow maned mare heard Twilight speak. “Those are the Laws of Alchemy that bind what transmutation can do, why is he speaking it though.”

They all watched him turn away shaking as his horn started to glow a fierce forest green. They watched as he looked towards a few trees that were in the area before they were all forced to take to the ground as the trees exploded. When they looked to where the trees were they found giant gemstones that were steaming.

“Trees are mostly made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Sulfur, I had to release a lot of the last five and the residuals in it but using what I could I could make those.” The gems then broke down into much more manageable parts and stacked themselves, well more like piled, in front of Rarity and Spike. “Take what you want from that you two. I am sorry about the trees, but I rather them take the hit then me focusing my magic on…him.”

“Wow.” Came most of the voices as they realized he had just turned three nice sized trees into a pile of gems though Spike and Rarity seemed to be more excited about the pile while Twilight stood there with wide eyes.

“Woo wee that is some fancy magicking ya did there.” AJ said with an impressed tone.

Dash found herself both agreeing and for some reason proud of the stallion. “No kidding, I mean I heard Twilight said she turned a pony to a plant before but-”

Novo turned quickly looked scared. “Wait what?!”

The lavender pony, for her part, looked embarrassed and shuffled her hoof against the ground. “I was just a filly and I had an uncontrolled burst of magic at which later gave me my cutie mark, every pony came out fine though and no pony was hurt. In the end it was how I hatched Spike here. The Princess even made sure that everypony was fine and there was no lasting effects, saying it happened sometimes.”

Wide eyed looking back from Spike to the mare who said it in the first place, he stalked off muttering. “Bucking rule breaking ponies and their stupid rule altering magicks that shouldn’t be possible.”

They all walked off wondering what he was talking about forgetting about the pony they were just arguing with as he was shaking with fear. “I think I may need to reconsider who I should sell with if for my own health.”

Lego was the one who finally found a work around. Giving a substantial amount of money to the Cakes he asked them to help him out. So a few days later they had purchased a double sized plot of land from Rich who didn’t have a problem with them at all. They then gave him half which he smiled at and gave them a hug.

“I know the shop is abit small for both of you, the twins and Pinkie so I figured for the help you gave me brother, which he agrees with, when he first came to Ponyville that you should have a home of your own and maybe give Pinkie the rooms upstairs while you build a home that you can raise your foals in.”

I practically bankrupted him for now but it was worth it for their tears of happiness and the hugs they had given him thanking him and promising him and his brothers free treats whenever they came by the shop, which for Lego made all the money he had spent completely worth it.

Novo had been sticking around Ponyville more often lately and when his friends asked he said it was cause so he could help design the home that was going to be built. Dash wasn’t upset in the least for this and had often found reasons to go find him, such a reason now was that they were attending a happy new home party thrown by Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner.

There was punch everywhere and a lot more cider then normal thanks to AJ whom agreed that the Cakes had really needed this and it was worth celebrating. There were games all over both for adults and foals alike that were being enjoyed and normally Dash would be more than happy to play them.

Instead she was sitting next to the blonde maned unicorn sipping cider. “That was a good thing your brother did.” She said moving slightly over to where her flank was just barely touching his own flank cutie mark to cutie mark causing a bit of a blush to her face.

Taking a sip of his own cider he smiled and nodded. “Ya, I mean we all agreed, had to consider we share a bank account, but even if we all had our own accounts it still wouldn’t have mattered, we would have all donated some.”

Another sip of her cider for courage for what she was about to before Dash started speaking. “Hey Novo.” She said causing him to look at her while taking a swig of his own drink. “I was wondering if you weren’t doing anything if you would like to go-”

“Howdy partners.” Came the suddenly very annoying, to Dash at the moment, voice of the farm mare as she tossed another bottle of cider away. “Ah take it ya two are enjoying yourselves.” Motioning with a hoof to the number of empty bottles in front of each of them.

Rarity had also walked up with her mostly though to keep an eye out for the mare whom was drinking a bit harder then she should only to stop and look at both of them with a curious glint in her eye. “Dear Applejack we really shouldn’t be bothering them if they are wanting some of alone time, I mean look at them, they are touching marks after all.”

The cyan mare was blushing up a storm as she jerked her body away from him now having been caught while Novo seemed confused. “What does touching marks have to do with anything?”

Silently Dash was half glad and half upset he said that. “Why dear don’t you know the significance of such a thing?”

“Lack of memories Rarity.” He said tapping his head with his hoof. “Plus honestly I didn’t even realize I was that close, sorry for that Dash.”

She was still blushing when she seen him get up and wobble slightly making her realize that perhaps they had sat there longer then she thought. “Haha its alright partner, normally when a stallion or mare does that it means some rather-” she took a moment to look around searching for any young ears. “That the two are rather close and maybe looking to buck each other.”

AJ hiccupped while Rarity gave a gasp at her friend being so blunt, Rainbow gave no answer but her wings did by popping up with a loud POMF sound. “Oh sorry Dash didn’t mean to do something so embarrassing like that hic.” Came the voice of Novo as she started to the door. “Anyways I think I had one too many so I am heading back to home to sleep this off, bye everypony.”

As he waved to everypony Dash just covered her head from the embarrassment as Rarity dragged AJ off to do something similar. “Come on darling I think you need to do the same before you embarrass anypony else with that type of talk.”

The farm pony was just about through the door when Dash heard her say. “Wha-it is not like ah didn’t tell the truth, ah mean look at her wings!”

Opening her eyes rapidly and turning her head she realized her wings were at full extension and rapidly tried to bring them down with gentle but rapid rubbing. After she had managed to get her wings down she did try to hang with Pinkie and have some fun but more and more as the minutes went by she found her mind wondering back gently to the train ride home that happened nearly a week ago now.

“What’s wrong Rainbow Dash?” the voice of her friend pulled her out of the happier thought. “You seem to be a million bajillion miles away.”

‘Pinkie is like my best friend, I mean if I told her what would she think, would she keep it a secret, would she make fun of me, no she wouldn’t do that right?’ Gathering up her courage she realized she had to tell somepony if nothing else then to relieve some of the pressure from her mind. “Pinkie…I like somepony.”

“Of course you do silly filly.” Rainbow Dash almost spit out her cider and was going to ask how she knew. “I mean you are like totally cool so of course you like a lot of ponies.”

Dash couldn’t help but smile both at her friend and the complement. “I kinda meant in the other way Pinkie, in the only one pony type of way.”

She watched as Pinkie was looking at her and opened her mouth to say something but stopped, she then closed her mouth and took a good hard look at her before gasping out loud. “Oh. MY. GLOB! Dashie who is it, come on tell me, tell me. I bet it is that Thunderlane isn’t it. I heard you two got real close one day but no pony seems to know why. Oh maybe it’s Soarin, I seen you two dancing at the wedding but I didn’t want to assume and-.”

Sticking her hoof in Pinkie’s mouth as she was getting louder and louder. “Pinkie, its not them and can you lower your voice some please?” The party pony pulled her hoof across her mouth in a zipping motion. “Look I like…I-I like-” it was harder to say then she thought, if she couldn’t even tell her best friend how would she tell the one that mattered. “I like Novo.”

Dash had seen many things in her lifetime, Nightmare Moon, Discord, Bug Ponies, and a myriad of various other things, but seeing Pinkie’s eyes grow wide with stars in them, literal stars, and a grin she was sure couldn’t be natural, is scared her. “No, WAY!”

A hoof flew to the ponies mouth quickly, or at least Dash thought she had put one there. Instead she felt herself being pulled upstairs at a pace she thought should have dislocated her should at the least.

When they had finally got up stairs Pinkie then let loose the most girly squeal she had heard from her every. “Oh Dashie tell me how it happened, tell me tell me, tell me please.”

That was a question she honestly wasn’t sure of herself, she wanted to say the first moment she seen him but she didn’t think that was true. “I think…I think it was when he levitated himself up to my cloud house somehow. He just kinda was there in my room and woke me up with water. At first I thought he was using the cloud walking spell but then he just mysteriously sank into the floor I thought it was really cool. I think then it started.”

For a moment Pinkie looked serious. “You sure it wasn’t during that melding thing you do for training is it?”

Dash gave a mighty blush she was sure could roast a marshmallow but shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong that is nice, and feels great, but that isn’t why. Pleasure is fine and all but I really do like him. I mean he is abit of an egghead like Twilight but he can do cool things with his eggheadyness unlike Twilight. I mean there was this smoke bomb thing he did, the trans-transmootation or whatever its called, I mean he did some neat things with that. The levitating thing, and he is really nice.”

“Whats his favorite flavor of food?” Pinkie suddenly asked her.

Not seeing what the problem was she answered. “I noticed he likes sour things or tangy things. Why?” ‘Wait how do I know that?’

She heard her friend gasp loudly and hug her. “Then it is true you do like him.” All the cyan could say was ‘huh what?’ to that. “It means you watch him and notice what he likes and doesn’t like, it is even better cause you didn’t realize you were doing it.”

Feeling her eyes grow wide she realize she had been watching him for a while now as she could recall a lot of times he went into Bon-Bon’s shop and came out with sour candies. Remembering he shared some of them with foals he met, she remembered how he drank lemonade like it was the best thing in the world, she could also remember a dozen more small memories of no importance at all where she would watch him from her cloud she ‘happened’ to be on in view of him when he was in town, and most of all, she realized she treasured each of those memories. It really hit home how far she liked the stallion; no it was more than that.

“O-oh.” She could feel her heart flutter as her friend gazed up at her in the bone crushing hug.

“Dashie you ok, Da-” As Pinkie looked at her, Rainbow got the feeling she saw a lot more then she needed to making her look at her wide eyed. “Its…more than that isn’t it.”

Dash felt more than knew that the question was more of a statement before blushing lightly and nodding. “Yeah, I think so.”

Being set down Pinkie had one more question for her it seemed. “Where do you feel it more?”

If that was asked of anypony else at the moment or even before then Dash would have joked about it or even gotten the answer wrong, but, she knew the answer. “Here, right here.” Holding up a hoof to where her heart is. “That feeling, it comes from here I am sure.”

Feeling the hoof of her friend over her own she looked up to see her smile and joined it with her own. “Then it’s the right feeling, you need to tell him ok? Pinkie Promise me.”

This was a promise she knew she would keep and had no intention of ever breaking it. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Getting another bone crushing hug was one of the last things she did before heading home, well besides grabbing a few ciders for the road.

That night was a hot, it was summer after all, and Dash was sweating even in her cloud house. It didn’t help she couldn’t get to sleep either often remembering the feelings Pinkie had helped her realize was keeping her up as they kept playing out in her mind.

“I get it I like him, you don’t have to keep torturing me about it brain!” Huffing and getting up from her bed she decided to take a shower since she was sweaty anyways and hoping that cooling down will help her get to sleep as well. Turning on the water with a kick to a cloud she smiled as the cool water flowed over her body matting her coat down. ‘Hmm this might be a good time to try out what Velox told me a while ago, it hasn’t worked before but he did recommend places with a lot of moisture.’

Closing her eyes she focused on the feeling she had come to easily recognize as her mana and the flow through her channels. She wouldn’t admit it to anypony, but her mind did wonder for a good while remembering how her channels became as wide and extensive as they were now and because of that had to quickly move her hoof from more private areas to start concentrating again.

‘Alright he said focus on the feeling of my mana, bring it out and let it flow to the very ends of the channels as if it were going to pour out into my coat and up until it reached my wings and down every feather.’ Feeling a slight tingling in her wings she couldn’t help but instinctively flap them as if she were getting rid of the numb feeling when a wing fell asleep from a long nap. Hearing his voice in her head she continued. ‘Now imagine the moisture as nothing but a cloud around you, weather to manipulate and command, to move around like you would during your job normally.’ She did and she felt a weight on her wings but ignored it for now as she continued. ‘Finally you need to use your mana to attach to the moisture you gather to make it a part of you, that part is always the hardest.’

He wasn’t lying as well as she could feel sweat starting to bead up on her even through the running water before she let out a breath and had to stop and opened her eyes.

In that moment though she was surprised beyond belief, the water that was running on her wasn’t going into the drain, instead she knew it was attached to her…for a second before it released with a great splash that soaked her bathroom. “I did it? I DID IT!” She tried to give a little hop of joy but felt suddenly wobbly. “Oh wow, hehe guess I will have to work on that.” She felt drained but the same way she did after practicing for the Wonderbolts or when practicing her martial arts.

Getting out and drying off she gave a look to the mirror and smiled before heading to her room. Then back to the bathroom again to pose a few times wondering if there was a good pose to use to attract the colt of her eyes. Shaking her head she went back to bed with a smile and finally got to sleep.

Yawning and looking down at the bed roll blanket he had laid on was displeasing. “Too drunk to change last night I guess.” Shaking himself off he chuckled as he actually had three beds in his cave. “Cloud, blanket roll, and straw beds for each of me. Straw for Lego cause his body is big and tough enough to ignore the scratchy straw, blanket for Novo here cause he rather sleep on the bed roll then on itchy straw, and cloud for Velox cause…buck ya, best bed of all and only he can sleep on it.”

Deciding to go out for a stretch before changing to Velox he smiled at seeing it was a clear day, just as he was about to change a voice called out to him stopping him before the switch. “Novo!”

Looking around he didn’t see anything but heard the whistling towards him before hitting him and rolling up in him. “Hi Dash.”

He groaned out as she ignored him. “I did it Novo!” The unicorn for his part mumbled a ‘what’ before he felt her untangle herself from him and stand before him. “Watch!”

The question of what he was watching for quickly died out as he watched her concentrate hard on something. She would start flapping her wings slowly and for some reason he was getting a sense of déjà vu. Ever so slowly he saw it though, the beading of water forming on her wings slowly creating a bubble, but not quite making the suit that comes with perfecting the Current.

She gasped and opened her eyes causing the water to fall off her. “Dang it, I can’t shape it right and attach it.”

Her sentence didn’t matter though, he was beyond happy for her as it took three times as long for Bound to even get that far with channels that would support it. “You did great Dash, I am so proud of you.”

The look she gave him when hearing that was one that melted his heart, her smiled stretched as wide as it could and her eyes were sparkling just wonderfully as she ran up to him and hugged him. “Thank you for teaching me.”

He felt her nuzzling his neck gently and couldn’t help but return the gesture as he whispered gently. “I just helped you prepare, Velox taught you.”

Pulling back from him he seen her giggle some as well as heard it before she did the gesture that he would privately admit he loved, she placed her forehead against the base of his horn and pressed a soothing amount of mana into him. He loved this, it wasn’t sexual, it wasn’t meant to be, it wasn’t meant to be two friends comforting and soothing one another.

However all good things change, sometimes for the better and sometimes not and for a moment Novo thought it was the latter. They had their eyes locked and all was still and silent in the world, it was just them there and he would never understand himself and why he did it, but he pressed more mana into her without even asking her.

Seeing her eyes widen and a small gasp escape her lips he thought he royally bucked up and was about to pull his mana back, except it was his turn to gasp as she pushed back. When they were comforting each other like they had before both of them would leave an opening for the other so that they could both press forward with their mana while receiving at the same time, which made the feelings they were both experiencing now even more wonderful.

Eyes locked they watched each other, breathing heavily, panting, and taking the air the other just gave out into their lungs. He wasn’t sure who started it but they both slowly started rocking very gently back and forth legs locked so they wouldn’t fall. The wonderful feeling was all over, he could literally feel Dash everywhere in him and he in turn could feel all of Dash with his mana, it was that feeling that made time irrelevant, it didn’t exist in this moment and it certainly wouldn’t have mattered if it had, they were both lost in each other at the moment, in this feeling.

Out of the corners of his eyes he became distinctly aware of cyan wings appearing in his vision extending out to full display further providing cover for both of them to make this moment just with them. Part of his mind, deep, deep back that he couldn’t hear registered that his own body was responding, sparks starting to come from his horn and his other extremity extending. It didn’t matter, all that did matter was the feeling, of both of them together.

Good things come to an end though as he could feel both his stream of mana and her own feel as if they merged into one stream where he couldn’t feel it going or coming, just existing. As the streams merged he watched as Rainbow’s eyes flutter and shut tightly before she gave the cutest and most sexy noise he had ever heard her give, and he knew he was the only one to ever hear it like this. The sound and look made his own eyes closed as euphoria spread through him even as the distant sound of a heavy liquid hit the grass below him.

No time, or all the time passed before he was able to use his brain to think of anything, he would never be sure how long it was. “D-Dash, did we, did we just-.”

He waved his hoof in a sort of rolling gesture that didn’t make any sense but she seemed to get what he was saying. “Kinda ya-” The feeling of ashamed washed through him and he was about to say he was sorry when he felt a pair of soft lips pressing against his own. “Don’t applogize, it was wonderful and honestly I have liked you for a while.” Her biting her bottom lip was adorable to him and he found himself tasting her lips again as she took a moment to respond.

“I think I have as well. Sorry we couldn’t have a date properly before something like this.” For some reason the kisses kept coming as he said that and he didn’t mind each interruption at all.

Dash, for her part, was making small pleased noises for each on. “True, but we can make up for that soon right?” Feeling him nod she gave him one last kiss before pulling back.

That is when they both seen it again, that ethereal strand connecting their foreheads. “There it is again.” Novo spoke as he brought a hoof up to touch it only for it to pass through it. “Wonder what it is.”

The colors that made it up were of the entire spectrum though it seemed to be heavily leaning towards the green in the spectrum, but all colors were represented. “Looks neat whatever it is.” Looking over to him now and ignoring…whatever it was for now she smiled and her eyes darted down with a grin. “So both horns spark huh, though one leaves evidence.”

He first looked up to where his horn was still giving off the occasional spark from the experience and it only took him a moment to realize what she meant by his ‘other horn’ when he seen her eyes dart down between his legs. “Oh umm…ya I mean-”

His blush and lack of words seem to be funny to her as she giggled and hid it behind a hoof before coming up to kiss him again. “I don’t mind at all, just shows I did a good job hehe.”

Kissing back he smiled and leaned his neck against hers. “You are adorable and cute you know that?”

The Pegasus of his affection gave of a cute eep and stepped back. “C-come on you don’t mean that, I mean I am overly muscled I don’t got any bounce in my flanks or plot, my hair is always a mess, I am abit of a tomcolt and-”

Not wanting to hear another word he silenced her with another kiss this one more then innocent as he sucked on one of her lips. “I think you are beautiful and lovely my spectrum.”

He wasn’t sure where the nickname came from but it felt right and apparently made her blush harshly but lean against him to nuzzle. “Thank you. Though we should get to the work zone if we are going to help.”

She was right, he had planned on getting a good fly in but this was just as good, though there was one more problem. “We may want to get a bath first, I mean if you take a good whiff I think even a foal could tell something happened.”

The sight of her nose twitching for a moment made her nod. “I guess so.” He heard her mumble something though. ‘even if I like the smell.’ “Don’t you have a spring in your cave?”

He was about to answer her with a simple nod but she had a look in her eyes, one that mares gave stallions since the beginning of time, that made him gulp and nod. “Y-ya I do, it is cold though.”

Her hoof pulling him quickly came with a warning or more like a promise. “Good it means we will have to keep each other warm.”

One and a half baths later, a half cause they got dirty before the first was finished and had to start over again, the two found themselves more than quite a bit happy with how the day was going, often walking closer to each other than normal and touching their marks together. Anypony that had eyes could tell something had changed between them with the looks and the touches that were seen except for the two that were doing it, they didn’t seem to notice at all.

One thing they did notice is if their foreheads got within a foot or so of each other that the weird ethereal string thing would reappear. They both said they would ask Twilight what it was another time for now it was time for work.

Ponies were too busy moving wood or other materials to really see them approach so when they were finally noticed they were already split up and helping out where they could. “Hey Novo, good to see you and Rainbow Dash too.”

It was head of the planning and organization department for the building a.k.a. Twilight Sparkle wearing a hard hat. “S’up Twilight.”

She smiled and bounced over to him with an excited Pinkie though for some reason Pinkie gave a weird look to him before gasping. “I have to find Rainbow Dash!” and in a puff of smoke she vanished.

Both Twilight and Novo gave look to each other and shrugged before they began discussing the plans for the two buildings.

Dash was whistling happily, mostly for remembering this morning, while she worked helping to fly up a piece of wood that would be a structural beam as a couple of earth pony workers that were hired secured it to the foundation. “RAINBOW DASH!”

It was the voice of Pinkie that shouted for her and brought her to the present as she couldn’t help but smile at her friend. “What’s up Pinkie, something wrong?”

Dash seen the pink party mare stare at her for a moment, the same stare that she was sure seen right up to her soul and her thoughts and immediately she blushed hard knowing somehow she could see it, see him, and see this morning. “You, me, talk, now!”

She couldn’t resist at all finding Pinkie somehow next to her up on the top of the beam then the town blurring as she was pulled along to Pinkie’s room in Sugarcube Corner. “P-Pinkie what’s going on, why did you bring me here.”

“Spill those beans now missy.” The way that those eyes were peering deeper and deeper into Dash made her back up till she felt Pinkie’s bed against her.

Gulping nervously she just laughed. “I-I think we should get back to helping everypony.”

Pinkie just stepped up to her and those eyes seemed to be gazing right into the events of this morning making Dash blush more and more. “What did you two do this morning? You are smiling like Gummy in the punch bowl and so is Novo, I also seen you two walk in about the same time, or maybe it was at the same time, I was paying attention to something else at the time.”

Her throat was dry and she was looking left and right for a way out only to see Pinkie stand up on her hind hoofs and hold out her front ones to bar her way. “I-I confessed ok!”

The blush felt like it had gotten twice as hot as she said that but she was glad she did since it would get Pinkie off her back. “And?”

“H-he felt the same.” The cyan mare felt like she was falling into a pit and trying to get a hoofhold on the walls only to find them slick and couldn’t happen.

“AND?” Those blue eyes seemed to bore right through her forcing her to confess.

There was no escaping Pinkie so Dash to her heated face confessed all that they had did this morning. “And if felt great, perfect and I don’t regret any of it Pinkie. I would do it again in a heartbeat and did in the spring. OK there I admitted all of it, are you happy now?”

Dash was halfway between crying and blushing enough to make her coat permanently turn red. “Yes.” The warm voice of her friend caused her to look up just as she hugged her gently. “Yes I am, so very, very happy you two found each other. Novo and his brothers have had a hard life alone, they need somepony like you and your life has been abit lonely as well so the fact you two are happy together is the bestest thing in the world.”

The hug went on for a while before Pinkie had to ruin it. “So how big is he?”

“Pinkie, we haven’t done THAT yet!” Rainbow’s face went beyond red to another color of the spectrum that couldn’t be named as Pinkie just giggled in her pinkie way. “Well I did kinda see how big cause how excited he got after the first time.”

Somewhere else Novo’s ears were ringing badly and for some reason he felt a blush come to his face.

AJ was unhappy about the letter Derpy had just delivered to her. “Just cause we are doing better here and he aint means we have to just drop everythin’ to come help. Well he is family so ah suppose ah have to. Granny, Bloom and Mac’ can all stay to make sure nothin’ happen.”

She approached everypony to tell them the news, for some reason Novo and RD were off to the side and she caught a few words like “-How about Saturday?” For him to nod in agreement.

“Everypony can ah have your attention?” With that all her friends came over and gave her their ears. “Ah have to leave for a few days to go help some kin in Appleloosa. Seems a couple of their farm hoofs came down sick and they are back stuffed on buckin’. Sorry ah can’t stick around to help finish the buildin’ everypony.”

She saw Novo talking to Twilight for a moment as she turned around before hearing the rest of her friends talk. “Well I mean we kinda are in the way of the professionals here, plus taking abit of a holiday away might not be so bad.” She heard Novo say and turn around quickly to see all her friends nodding. “I am sure I can convince Lego to join up while I go help Velox out in the Everfree.”

AJ could feel tears welling up in her eyes as the others started to give their own excuses, Spike wanting to see the Buffalos again, Twilight wanting to learn more about them, Rarity wanting to check up on western fashion, Pinkie thinking it will just be plain fun, Fluttershy giving a quiet nod saying ‘that she would have to find a sitter for a few days’ and Dash boosting that she couldn’t let her friend do it all alone.

Wiping the tears from her eyes she smiled to them. “Ya girls and guys are the best darn friends a pony could ask for.” For a moment she seen Dash and Novo whispering saying ‘another time this is important’ before she remembered to ask him something. “Um Novo?”

Turning and slightly blushing for some reason. “Y-ya?”

It was now or never. “I think we will need another flier instead, mind asking Velox to join us instead of Lego?”

Tilting his head before nodding he smiled. “Sure, you know best.” AJ smiled as the trip now wouldn’t be a total loss.

Its strength was growing more in and more in the darkness, its muscles slowly moving and working out the cramps of its long sleep. It was still bound in sleep under this dreadful prison of ice but it knew it wouldn’t last, a few days, weeks, maybe even a month but that was all that was left. “Now all I need to do is remember my name, when I remember that my power will reawaken and this seal shall break, then…then the Empire will be mine once more and nothing those twice damned Alicorn’s can do will be able to stop me.”

Author's Notes:

Since I dont really know the results of the last chapters question cause I post two chapters at a time, the question still remains top or bottom...with the Author's notes I mean.

Nice save.

Brain I am going to watch so much day time talk shows later if you dont shut it.

I will be good, promise, just not the talk again please not that.

That's a good brain.