Written by Alchemicgree and used with his permission

set a thousand years ago just before Luna's fall to Nightmare Moon, on the eve of a Summer Sun Celebration, where she meets an adventurous pegasus by the name of Sky Dive.

This chapter features consensual F/F sex, NMM tentacles, NMM futa, NMM rape

The night was like blanket of darkness over the sleepy Canterlot sky, with only the full moon and the trillions of stars to light the horizon. If one were awake to see such a subtle beauty, they would also spy a lone figure soaring above. It was Princess Luna, hard at work with her craft; aligning the Moon just right, organizing the comets and meteors, and making the constellations dance. Not that anypony seemed to care. It was so much better for Luna in the past. Why only a few short decades ago, ponies of all ages loved to see Luna's spectacles. Many even went sleepless nights to see them. But now, Luna hasn't seen a pony willing to see her work in so long, why she was near ready to throw a festival if anypony cared.

"Another isolated night." Luna spoke to herself, lamented her loneliness. "Once mine stars and sky wast the pinnacle of the night, but now, not a single pony cometh to gaze me."

Luna continued her flight, alone and sad by the lack of ponies to watch. She shouldn't be so surprised; ponies go bed earlier than they used to, but still...it hurt her. With the castle of Canterlot in sight, Luna was ready to make her land and call it a night. But just then, at the corner of her eye, she saw something. It looked like a pony, along and under the shadow of a tree.

"What's that?" Luna asked herself allowed, her curiosity driving her to fly towards the figure. The pony was still sitting by the tree, seemingly unaware of Luna's landing. Upon landing a few yards away, Luna slowly approached the pony; unable to make out what type of pony or what their colors were due to the darkness. "Greetings, what art thee doing out so late this night?"

"Hmm?" The pony looked, but upon seeing Luna, the pony went into a bit of a small shock. "OH!? thy highness!? What bringeth thee out to this region? Canterlot is only a few leagues hence. wherefore cometh hither?"

"Actually, I wast curious wherefore on a night whither we art all alone, that a pony would beest out to behold upon the night sky." Luna answered, then looking around the area, saw there was a small town. So tiny and humble, that from Canterlot, Luna would have great difficulty seeing it. Turning back towards the mystery pony, Luna continued. "Also, I wasn't aware any pony hath lived within this region, so close to Canterlot's mountain. speaketh freely, who art thee and wherefore art thou from?"

"I am from Ponyville thy grace." The pony answered, coming out of the shadows. The pony was a white Pegasus mare, with a short, yet flowing blue mane and sparkling green eyes; while on her flank was a yellow shooting star cutie mark. "My name is Sky Dive, I holp with the town's weather."

"Ponyville?" Luna asked, curious as to how she has never heard of such a town. Possibly some land given by her sister while she slept during the day. "I nev'r kneweth such a town existed. t must beest from the decendants of Puddinghead, or possibly those Earth pony farmers mine sister negotiated land with many years ago."

"My apologies thy highness, but you've nev'r hath heard of our town?" Sky Dive asked. "We art a small town, that is to beest sure. but to nev'r coequal knoweth of us?"

"My apologies young Sky Dive." Luna bowed her head gracefully. "I am only quiver at which hour all others catch but a wink, and the night covereth all. So i can nev'r see this town full of life."

"Well tomorrow is our Summer Sun Celebration." Sky Dive suggested, gently smiling at Luna. "Why not cometh again and I can showeth thee about the town with everypony around?"

"... I..." Luna was more nervous than she thought. The idea of a commoner being so casual, yet respectful. And to be invited to a social gathering. Luna has always held the Summer Sun Celebration in contempt. It was more like Celestia Appreciation day than anything else. but this chance to meet her subjects more directly was a chance she couldn't pass up. "... I... would greatly enjoy that. shalt we meeteth hither again at which hour the sun rises?"

"I'd like that." Was the last thing Sky Dive said before she spread her beautiful white wings and flew off towards the small Ponyville. Luna, in turn spread her wings and flew off to Canterlot, hoping to find a means to stay up during the day. But her heart felt all aflutter over this development. but despite her fluttering heart, a kind smile spread on her face.

Luna was so excited for the meeting with Sky Dive, that she couldn't sleep; spending all her time planning on what to say. These were her subjects after all, she had to make a proper appearance. After a couple hours of planning, there was a knock on her chamber door.

"Is it almost time sister?" Luna asked, already certain who it was.

"Yes my dear sister." Celestia answered from the other side, not even bothering to open the door. "It is almost time to lower the Moon. Would thee like to cometh to the festival this year with me? Or wilt thee catch but a wink late the present day?"

"Actually, I am meeting a subject the present day." Luna answered, doing her best to hide the excitement in her tone. "We art in fact going to the festival, and I am interested to meeteth the subjects from that town at the base of the mountain."

"That's valorous, sister." Celestia all but cheered, a tone of joy echoed in her voice. "You has't slept in thy room ever Celebration, I wast worried for a moment. And the town is hath called Ponyville. tis humble, I've only been thither myself a couple of times. I'll beest sure to maketh the Sun rise extra beautifully ov'r that town for thee sister."

"It is kind, but unnecessary." Luna rolled her eyes, of course Celestia would use Luna's fun as a way to showboat her mastery of the Sun. "But if 't be true thee feeleth thee must, then I knoweth the subjects wilt enjoy it."

"I doth desire thou has't a most pleasurable and beauteous day, sister." Celestia said before leaving her sister's chamber door to prepare for the Celebration. Luna paid her sister no real mind; her own mind was too focused on what she would do. But seeing as how the Moon need to be lowered in less than an hour, she had to hurry. Swallowing the last bits of her courage, Luna spread her wings and flew from her chamber, flying as fast as she could to meet with Sky Dive on time.

~ ~ ~

Withing less that a half hour, Luna arrived at the tree she agreed to meet with Sky Dive; but found it vacant. Looking around quickly, Luna looked and looked for Sky but found nopony. Her ears drooped in sorrow and a small anxiety started to eat her up inside. Maybe she wasn't coming? Maybe Luna was lied to? Maybe this was all for nothing? And many other thoughts and feared raced through her mind. But the sudden sound of wings on the wind took her attention away from such thoughts. Soaring only but a few moments away, was Sky Dive.

"I'm my most humble apology lest I so late thy highness." Sky Dive bowed her head several times in apology. "I wanted to cometh sooner, but I wasn't sure what to wear."

"it is no problem, young Sky Dive." Luna smiled gently, happy that Sky arrived as promised. A faint blush went across Luna's face from this small feeling; but she quickly shook it off as she continued. "I has't only arrived myself." It brought more ounces of joy to see the smile that went across Sky's face; followed by a small blush on Sky's face, but the mare quickly shook it off. Wanting to distract herself for the moment, Luna noticed it was almost time. "But it appeareth the Celebration is about to beginneth. One moment, as I must lower the Moon for mine sister."

Raising her head, and aiming her horn with countless decades of practice and skill, Luna's horn ignited a gentle shade of night blue, along with small sparkles of star light. Sky's eyes widened at the beautiful spectacle; seeing that even the Moon appeared to be becoming brighter and fuller from Luna's display. Sky has stargazed and Moon watched for years now, and this remarkable scene was causing her mind to explode in excitement, and her heart to race. Which only made it sadder when the light of the Moon was quickly becoming dimmed by the overwhelming roar of the rising Sun's light. Along with the howling cheers of the large crowds of ponies in the nearby town.

'Must mine sister rid mine every attempt at joy and merriment?!' Luna's mind all but screamed in anger and humiliation. But she quickly composed herself as she was finishing her royal duty. 'No no, I must stayeth halcyon. I am the invited guest, I must behave appropriately.' With the Moon fully lowered, and the wonder of her stary sky giving way to the brightening blues, reds, yellows, and oranges of the morning horizon. Luna looked over at Sky, who still had her mouth hung open in amazement, and her eyes were sparkling from joy. "Now Sky Dive, whither shalt we-"

Luna's words were interrupted by the sudden forceful pressure of Sky Dive's lips being pressed against hers. Luna's eyes shot open in surprise and shock. But she found she was unable to resist. Sky's lips were soft and gentle; embracing Luna's lips so sincerely. It was as if Luna was feeling a warmth she had never known before. But the moment, no matter how good it felt Luna physically, there was something wrong about this. Reluctantly, Luna took her hooves and gently nudged Sky's lips away.
"S-sky Dive. What art you-" Luna tried to ask before being embraced and hugged by Sky again.

"I'm... my most humble apology princess, But I can't hold back how I feeleth any longer!" Sky Dive moaned in pleasure, yet in some sorrow for being so forceful. Much to the latter's confusion and surprise. "I can't hold myself, love looks with the heart, not with the mind, and therefore, Cupid is blind Luna, I've at each moment loved thee!"

"B-b-but Sky Dive. We only hath met but a few hours ago." Luna said, still shocked and confused about what was happening. She always believed in love, but this was too quick.

"I knoweth, but I've at each moment loved thee and thy night." Sky declared, her white face red in a large, deep blush. "Even back at which hour I wast a filly, I've at each moment loved thee and the quite quaint night thee giveth."

"Y-y-you very much mean it?" Luna asked, her face in an equally deep and lush blush, she found her own hooves were holding Sky close to her; unwilling to let the mare go.

"I swear to thee princess. love looks with the heart, not with the mind, and therefore, Cupid is blind more than anything. I wanteth to beest with thee." Sky declared with even more heartfelt passion.

"Then nev'r..." Luna said before moving in to give her own kiss to Sky, submitting to the growing feelings she was also feeling. A feeling she had not know for years; the feeling of another who cherishes her. "Never alloweth me wend."

The two mares went back to kissing, their lips pressed and caressed the other. Sky could even hear a faint moan coming from Luna's mouth as they continued. Luna's hooves held Sky in as close as an embrace as she could; their bodies were melting into each other. The passion between them was almost creating a little steam in the cool morning air. Seeing as how the brighter it was becoming, Luna feared she and Sky Dive would be caught. Igniting her horn, Luna wrapped both herself and Sky in a midnight shade of magic; teleporting them to Luna's chambers back in Canterlot. The magic was instant, but the sudden motion brought a different feeling in Sky Dive. As soon as they settled, Sky galloped to the closest ledge, which was the balcony.

"Sorry. I oft forget, not many art hath used to teleportation." Luna apologized with a rare, but cute giggle. "I'm my most humble apology, I should has't warned thee first."

"No problem Princess. twas just a small shock is all." Sky Dive giggled back, wiping her mouth of what she threw up. Looking around the chamber, It was dark, but not too dark. Full of deep shades of blues and silver. Imagery of stars and moons adorn the wals and an entire series of constellations covered the ceiling. Seeing the large bed in the center of this chamber, Sky Dive made herself comfortable on the plush and soft bed. "But now..."

"Yes... whither wast we?" Luna asked, trying to express a guise of confidence.

"Well..." Sky teased a little, rolling on the soft bed, letting Luna get a good look at her glistening naught bits. "You and I wast about to very much enjoy ourselves."

"I... um..." All of Luna's confidence faded as Luna's face blushed from the sight. As royalty, she was expected to eventually marry a stallion and bear heirs. But the sight of a lovely mare's wet and sparkling marehood made Luna shake the notion of ever being with a stallion. "My most humble apology, but lest I not accustom to this?"

"You're a virgin, Princess?" Sky giggled, inviting Luna to join her on the bed. "Then I showeth thee all the steps."

Luna blushed again and walked up onto the bed. There were no more words at this point, only the motion of their bodies. Luna's mouth kissed at Sky's again, never wanting to let go. Sky's hoof caressed at Luna's face, feeling the warm of her body press against her's. Sky giggled at the sound of Luna's moans of pleasure; it did bring her some greater joy learning that she was the first Luna was going to have. Sky wanted to make this as special as possible. But she was feeling too aroused to be content with just Luna's mouth; she wanted to taste the sacred fruit.
"Let me be first to treat you." Sky offered, reluctantly breaking the kiss. "I needeth thee to lay and unfold yourself."

Agreeing to her proposition, Luna lay on her back, letting Sky Dive get a good view of her virgin pussy. Sky grinned at the wet, blue sparking pussy lips. Gently at first, Sky licked at the lips, kissing them softly and savoring the contact; but to get a small shiver out of Luna, Sky darted her tongue forward, teasing Luna’s lips.

While Sky licked at Luna’s wet pussy, Luna felt a sudden pressure swelling within her stomach. It was a tightness that swelled and tingled. Luna had never felt such a feeling before; and only wanted to feel it more. But because of her inexperience, Luna could only endure a minute or so of this treatment before she felt a small orgasm burst; letting out a small bit of mare cum over Sky’s face.

"That wast amazing." Luna shuddered and gasped in the aftermath. "Is that what t means to feeleth pleasure?"

"It is." Sky giggled, content with what happened, but still craving more. "But if 't be true thee wanteth, we can do't together."

Luna nodded, as she pulled Sky into her arms. Sky blushed at this approach Luna was doing and gave a small, curt nod. Luna smiled as she kissed at Sky’s neck softly. In a flash, Luna felt Sky motion herself to turn around; so that Luna and Sky were facing the others marehoods. Luna blushed at the glistening sight and felt a warm arousal from the exotic smell emanating from it.

Luna didn’t have time to think as she felt Sky Dive diving into her crotch. A soft, flexible tongue disappeared between Luna’s legs and speared into Luna’s wet canal, penetrating as thoroughly as a stallion’s member, but far gentler, much wetter. Luna squirmed beneath the Pegasus and rocked her voluptuous hips into Sky’s face; who was luxuriating in the touches, tastes, and audible wet squelches of Luna’s copulation.
Sky muttered something but could not be heard aside from moans and went back to attacking Luna’s saliva-soaked canal. Wanting to please her love, Luna bent upwards to Sky’s drooling cunny and sucked at it. The soft pussy lips pulsated insistently on Luna’s lips as she lashed at it with her tongue, slathering it in affection even as Sky plunged her tongue as deep as it could reach inside Luna. After several more minutes of this double pussy feasting, both mares felt a growing orgasm coming. Both mares held out as long as possible before both came in and on the others mouth and tongue. The sudden, and sweet taste of the love juices tingled their taste buds, causing a second squirt of cum to gush out. Both mares lost their strength from the messy orgasm and fell back. Luna was already soft on the bed but Sky plopped over Luna, adding a small bit of dead weight; not that Luna minded.

"I love thee Luna." Sky said, turning around to her new love, cuddling against her.

"I love thee as well Sky." Luna responded, both mares sharing a kiss, swapping their messy cum that lingered on their tongues; before both finally succumb and fell into a soft sleep. It wasn't until the beginnings of night did Luna stir from her sleep. Looking at her side, she saw a resting Sky cuddling against her. Luna could only sigh with a smile, cuddling back at Sky.

~ ~ ~

Luna and Sky Dive continued their relationship for a few short years; both meeting at the same tree and spending many daylight hours together. But after that time of their secret relationship, some small rumors were being whispered among the nobility. So much so, that Celestia eventually had to confront Luna about it. Luna held nothing back, she told Celestia everything; even the moments of Sky and Luna's passions and love. The news shocked and disgusted Celestia, who went so far as to forbid Luna's relationship.

"What wast that sister?! Dare speaketh that again?" Luna stomped her hoof down, the very room trembled in her anger.

"I shalt sayeth t until t gets through to thee." Celestia replied, trying her best to remain calm and collected, as she stared down her sister from atop the throne. "You CANNOT has't a relations with that commoner!"

"Says the mare who all but bedded that stallion from the Crystal Empire!" Luna snapped, bringing up a part of Celestia's past.

"Sombra wast the King. This Sky Dive is but a commoner." Celestia snapped in a rare anger, but then calmed herself again. "Sister, thee knoweth lest I trying to behold out for thee. bethink of what the other subject wilt sayeth."

"They wilt sayeth nothing." Luna let out a small, but sad laugh as she continued. "Because all those gents care about is thee and thy precious light!"

"Not this again, I has't toldeth thee time and time again. We rule equally! The citizens love and respect thee as those gents at each moment has't." Celestia tried to explain to Luna, getting from her throne to try and talk on equal footing.

"From whither doth thee see this?!" Luna snapped, more than just the room, the entire castle was shaking violently from Luna's rage. "For near the last century, I has't been ignored and all but forgotten. While thee sitteth thither on thy throne, malt-worm off thy own power. We art no longer egal. Because tis thee who has't done so!"

"Watch thy tongue!" Celestia lost herself to her own rage, raising her hoof and smacking Luna's face. It was less than a moment long, but o the Alicorn sisters, it might as well been an eternity before Celestia realized what she did; small tears forming in her eyes. "S-sister... I-I'm my most humble apology."

"There is nothing more to sayeth." Luna stopped Celestia, swiping her hoof away, a small trickle of blood ran down the side of her mouth. "You has't madeth thy standeth clear. I wanteth no part in it." A small veil of shadow and darkness engulfed Luna. "Good bye... Celestia."

"Sister?! WAIT!" Celestia ran at Luna, only to see Luna vanish. Alone in the throne room, Celestia's face was soaked with tears and contorted in sorrow. She had realized she had gone too far. "What has't I done?"

~ ~ ~

After leaving her sister, Luna went back to the tree where Sky awaited her. But seeing the dried blood on her mouth, Sky grabbed at Luna, embracing her in a caring hug. Before Celestia could attempt to search for Luna, Sky and Luna fled to the long abandoned Alicorn Castle in the Everfree forest. Despite being abandoned by the Alicorn sisters more than three hundred years ago, the castle was in spectacular shape. Not a spot of dirt or dust could be seen in the castle, every cloth and tapestry was pristine, and there were two equally sized thrones in the main chamber; as opposed to Canterlots massive throne and lesser side throne.

"She didst what?!" Sky finally stated after hearing Luna tell what happened.

"It is not important anymore." Luna said, hugging Sky. "I has't thee, and that's all that matters."

"But what can we doth." Sky asked, hugging her lover. "If we wast to flee, Celestia would giveth chase."

"I has't grown sick and not restful of mine sister's vanity. the lady wilt cometh hither, of that I am sure. Then, I shalt vanquish that lady and we shalt both rule." Luna declared, a fire a hatred burned in her eyes.

"L-luna?! What thee asketh, it's.... no, no." Sky replied, trying to calm Luna down. She loved her, and didn't want Luna to become a monster.
"There is no longer a time to beest silent. I must act now." Luna said, unwilling to back down. "You wilt remain by mine side, right Sky?" Sky wanted to say something but hesitated. "Sky?" But a sudden feeling came over her. "It seemeth Celestia is hither."

The doors of the castle burst open, nearly cracking the stone walls. Celestia alone was the only one to enter, her mane was a small mess, and her eyes were red from all her tears. "Luna!"

"Not another step." Luna stepped forward, her eyes were cold with hate. "Did you think I'd stay silent as they all basked in your precious light?" Celestia tried to step forward to stop Luna but her legs wouldn't move. "There can be only one Princess in Equestria. And that Princess...will be ME!"

Smashing her hooves on the ground, destroying halves of the two thrones, the glass window shattered, revealing the Moon rising; quickly eclipsing the Sun. Sky wanted to grab Luna and run but she was too terrified; all she could do was watch as a dark shadow engulfed Luna, warping her body into a taller, darker, and more evil looking mare. Celestia ignited her horn to try and cast a spell, but a sudden blast of magic from the dark Luna stopped her, knocking her to the ground unconscious.

"One shall be enough." The evil Luna said, igniting her horn.

"Please Luna!" Sky said, grabbing at Luna's body, tears pouring down her eyes. "Return to how thee wast, beest yourself again!"

"Luna? No, I am Nightmare Moon." Nightmare Moon declared, wrapping Sky in a dark shadow. "And as I recall, you were about to answer me. Now! Will you join me?"

"No!" Sky shouted, crying her heart out. "You art not the Luna I love!"

"So be it." Nightmare replied as her magic started to cover more and more of Sky's body. "I loved you, and you betray me?! So you shall suffer a traitor's fate."

Sky wanted to scream, but found her mouth was quickly covered and prevented her from speaking. Sky was helpless in Nightmare's grasp, the shadowy magic gripped and rubbed at her body, feeling every external inch of her. Sky's eye shot open when she felt something rub against her delicate regions. Struggling to turn her head, Sky saw that Nightmare's shadow tendrils were rubbing against her marehood.
"I enjoyed this you know." Nightmare said, igniting her horn. "Maybe I should give you one last memory of Luna."

Nightmare’s magic rubbed over her own private parts, soon taking a new shape. Within in moments, Nightmare’s magic formed a penis; easily a tad than an average stallion’s. Sky soon felt it prodding up against her pussy, and she knew what it was. She wanted to scream, but the
shadow was still firmly set on her mouth; all she could do was cry. As Nightmare's penis entered her marehood, tears started to brim her eyes.

“What’s this?” Nightmare rubbed the tear from her eyes. “It seems Luna has some regrets. Oh well. If she won’t enjoy this, I will!”

Nightmare hilted her full length in the first thrust, her dick drove through Sky’s hymen without regard for the intense pain it caused. A muffled scream broke through even Nightmare's shadow as a small trickle of blood started to drip from her pussy lips. Nightmare smirked, drawing back her shaft, just to thrust forward again. She repeated this process, enjoying as Sky continued to struggle under her.

The thrusting grew faster and harder as Nightmare got more used to her new cock, and Sky stopped struggling against the bonds as she realized that she was completely helpless. Tears started to stain the stone floor as she lay back, wishing for it to just end. Since Sky’s pussy was tight from never having been used, with the tightness only adding into the pleasure; only brought Nightmare to her climax, and she suddenly started crying out in pleasure as she came all over the inside of Sky's vagina. Without even bothering to finish her mate off, Nightmare pulled out, leaving a panting and disheveled Sky to lie back in bed, exhausted and incomplete.

"That was quite something." Nightmare said, as she vanished her cock away. "I wonder if you'll get pregnant from this. Oh that would be quite the laugh." Nightmare's laughing halted as she saw Celestia trying to rise to her hooves. "It seems Celestia is not as weak as I thought. I'll kill her and then...I'll come back to you, my little Sky Dive."

~ ~ ~

"NO!" Luna shouted, bursting from her bed sheets and nearly shaking the castle with her booming voice. Looking around, Luna saw she was still in her bed, in the dark, and sweating profusely. "A dream...it was all a- no! It was a memory." It was the later that morning, closer to noon than anything, when Luna approached Celestia about her memory, or dream, or whatever it was. "What do you believe it is sister?"

"I remember that mare." Celestia explained. "After...after Nightmare Moon was banished, Sky Dive and your relationship was made public. The nobility...they wanted an example made out of Sky Dive."

"What happened to her?!" Luna said in a small burst of anger.

"She was to be executed." Celestia answered. "But...I was able to talk them down to life imprisonment. She lived another seventy years in a specially made dungeon for her."

"And where is this cell?" Luna asked, her ears drooped in sorrow.

"Destroyed." Celestia answered. "After her death, upon the request of her son, I had the dungeon destroyed."

"Her...son?!" Luna's ear perked up in shock.

"Yes. It appears that during that night, Nightmare Moon impregnated her and she bore a colt." Celestia answered. He lived in her cell for a little of his life. But was taken when he was barely one. When he was five, he was allowed to visit."

"Where is she now?" Luna asked.

"I had her buried with proper rites and respects. She rests at the tree in Ponyville where you met her." Celestia answered, igniting her horn to summon an ancient looking tome. "When she was imprisoned, she kept a journal. I have been holding it for you. I've never read it, so I don't know what it says. Take it, and visit her."

Luna took the book and flew as fast as her wings could carry her to the site. Where once a tree stood, was now but a petrified stump. But upon that stump was a large marble statue...of Sky Dive. Luna's eyes looked over the statue, its every detail was how she remembered her. A silver plaque that read: "To those who have been treated within injustice, we commend this figure to be our guide through darker times". The words confused Luna, but she hoped that the book would hold the answers. Sitting besides the statue, almost cuddling against it, Luna began to read the journal:

It has been a week since your departure. Luna, I miss you dearly. But your descent into madness, what happened to you? Was it something I did? Or was Celestia truly to blame? That form, that Nightmare Moon, how could you become that? Why?

Maybe a month hath now hath passed.... lest I... with issue... How?! Maybe at which hour Nightmare Moon raped me, but lest I childing and fear me, wherefore didst thee wend at which hour I needed thee?

My colt wast born the present day, he hath a midnight shade of blue like thee, mine wings, and thy eyes. I've hath decided to name that gent Night Dream, as I bethought of thee. twas a full Moon that night too, wast thee smiling down on us? Can thee coequal see us?

Those gents tooketh that gent!!! those gents tooketh NIGHT! those gents tooketh mine SON! "No issue should beest hath raised in such a place" those gents hath said. WHO IS THE ONE WHO putteth ME hither?! We could've been joyous thee knoweth! But now thee art gone, mine NIGHT IS GONE!

I misprise thee! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you! a pox on you!

HE'S hath returned! mine NIGHT cameth TO ME! that gent currently is being hath raised... by CELESTIA?! mine little Night is already seven years of age. that gent telleth me how well Celestia is treating that gent well. Celestia hath allowed that gent to cometh and visit me anytime and for as long as that gent wanteth. I got to cuddle with mine son for the first time since that gent wast a foal.

I wast wrong about Celestia! she hath been so kind to mine son. thee wast wrong! I still misprise thee, but I feeleth more at peace with t. Celestia coequal wenteth so far as to has't mine

Has t been thirty years now? By Celestia, what is thither to writeth about? I wast allowed to leaveth mine cell for the first time to teachest Night how to fly. I eve got to wend to the market and buyeth food for Night. I love that gent so much. if 't be true only thee could see that gent.
The rest of the journal was blank and seemed to contain nothing until the end of the book. Turning to it, Luna's eyes became wet with tears. It looked like Sky was writing in a much more sloppy style:

I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SOR----

The writing stopped there. Luna's eyes wet with tears, some drops striking the page. but as her tears hit the page, Luna noticed something strange. The letters of the countless "sorry"s was vanishing, and underneath it was another message. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Luna started to read the message:

If 't be true thee art reading this, t means thy tears has't undone mine seal.

Thou mayest refer to me as Night Dream, son of Sky Dive. I has't nev'r hath met thee, but has't hath heard of thee from both mine mother and Celestia. I knoweth that mine mother meanteth so much to thee. And I's my most humble apology everything wenteth as thee both wanted.

I has't readeth this journal and provided this final message on t. it hath been near a decade after mine mother's passing; myself being close to eighty years. I has't hath asked Celestia to hold onto this tomb for me, to beest hath returned to thee at which hour the time is right.

I has't hadst Celestia enchant this final page to reveal this message only if 't be true thee wast to cry upon the pages. So that coequal in death, I knoweth thee truly loved mine mother. But as I feeleth the chill of mine own demise approaching, I must end with this: mine mother loved thee. the lady at each moment loved thee, coequal to that lady dying days.

The tears continued to flow as Luna closed the book, holding it close to her heart. She had no words to say, she only wanted Sky to be with her. For the rest of the day, Luna continued to cuddle against the stump and statue, with the book at her side, the only lasting piece of Sky Dive that remained with her.

This was written by my good friend Zervon Tora, and is used here with his kind permission

It is set in Manehatten roughly a month after Luna's return from the moon and her cleansing by the Elements of Harmony.

The couple trotted into La Colt Park in the center of Stallion Island to prepare for the night’s festivities. Sure there would be a big celebration just to the north in Manehattan, but the tall buildings sort of defeated the purpose of the holiday. To view the night sky on the winter solstice.
The zebra stallion turned to the mare, “I’m on the set up crew so I’ll catch up with you at dusk over at the band stand.”

“Sounds good,” the pony replied. “I’ll double check my part in the entertainment, and maybe catch up with you to help out in setting things up?” The mare lifted her head to give her taller husband a kiss.

The orange and black zebra smiled after the kiss, “Just having you near is help enough, love. You’ve really out done yourself with the stars in your mane and tail.”

A light blush crossed her cheeks, “Of all the nights in the year this seemed to be the one to pull out all the stops.” She turned with a shake of her mane and flick of her tail and headed toward the administration tent. The earth pony looked back over her shoulder to add some parting words, “So off you go to help set up the show. Do take care and have fun at the fair!”

The stallion rolled his eyes and then cantered off to where the work crew was located. They were easy to find with all the materials in front of the bandstand. “Hello Tinkerer,” he called out to the lead set up pony. “Where can you use my help?”

The dark forest green pegasus looked up from some plans, “I’m happy to see you Caffeinated!” He pointed with a wing, “Jackstand over there could use your muscle setting up the viewing stands. A bunch of city ponies are leaving their monuments of stone to see if there really is a sky.”

Caffeinated looked over at the piles of wide benches and pipes, and the few earth ponies that were hard at work. “I guess this festival has become popular again.” He looked back at his friend, “I hope you got enough hooves for the work. This project will keep me busy till the show starts.”

Tinkerer shrugged, “We’ll be fine as long as everypony shows up. By the way aren’t zebras supposed to speak in rhyme?”

The tiger colored zebra arched an eyebrow, “Your words do show that you don’t know all that hype is a stereotype.”

The pegasus nodded, “That’s better, now get to work!”

The blue-gray mare entered the tent, “Greetings Requiem, how is your day going?”

The painted mare of blue and red looked up, “Thespian! Hello, aren’t you a here a bit early dear?”

“Caffeinated is part of the set up crew,” she replied, “And I’d rather be here than sitting at home alone. So what can I do to help you?”

The earth mare ran a hoof through her red and blue mane, “Well, not much to do Thespian, just some menial paperw…”

“Hold it right there Requiem,” interrupted the blond maned mare, “We’re not sitting at Times Square sipping tea, and this,” she gestured with a hoof, “Is as off-Broadway as it gets.” She could see that the administrator was about to speak so Thespian pointed a hoof at her, “And don’t say I’m sorry either. Just let me be your administrative assistant for the day.” With a smile she added, “Or until the other performers show up.”

“Fine,” Requiem responded. “Plop yourself down here next to me and I’ll get you started.” Once the mare was seated she placed a stack of folders in front of her. “I’ll handle personal and you can handle requisitions. Just need to know if every pony has what they are supposed to have and if not why and when.” The administrator pointed to the radio at the end of the table, “The channel list is taped to the table so use that to call whoever you need to for verification. “ She placed a hoof on the phone between them, “We have to share the phone, but don’t hesitate to use it if you need to.”

“Okay, and thanks,” Thespian stated as she picked up the top folder. She used the radio to verify one vender had received the Milk Mare products and checked it off. The next vender hadn’t received the fresh breads though. A phone call to the bakery let her know the truck was stuck in holiday traffic but expected on site in the next thirty minutes. She then radioed back to the vendor to let them know. The blue-gray mare turned to her partner, “It seems you are expecting a lot more ponies this year. A whole lot more.”

Requiem smiled and answered, “Now the Princess of the Night is free it seems a lot more ponies have taken an interest in our celebration to honor Princess Luna.”

“Pfft,” responded Thespian. “I’ve been coming to this celebration since I was a little filly and I’ll bet once they see how cold it is half those coming won’t be back next year!”

“That as it may be dear,” said the blue and red dappled mare in a calm voice, “Those ponies are bringing a lot of bits to our community, and I’ve prayed to the Princess for a mild night so they’ll do it again next year.”

Thespian couldn’t find an argument against that so she nodded. Then the mare returned her attention to the clerical work on the table.

“Hello Thespian,” interrupted her thoughts. The mare looked up from the paperwork and saw a unicorn she knew smiling back. She was aware of other ponies moving around while she worked, but for the first time actually looked around the tent. There were ponies stuffing bags with literature, and others working the snack and drink table. In front of her a registration table had been set up with two stallions behind it and the unicorn in front.

“Hello Recital. What time is it?” Thespian questioned.

“It’s four O’clock my dear,” answered Requiem. “And yes, you’ve been here since noon so off you go.” A hoof took the folder her partner was holding. “Thank you for all you’ve done as I think this year I might actually be able to enjoy the festivities!”

The mares touched cheeks, “You’re welcome Requiem, and thank you for letting me help.” She moved out from behind the table and around to where the unicorn stood. “Welcome Princess Platinum. It is quite lovely that you have graced our fine celebration this year.”

The unicorn bowed, “It is my honor as I’m your most loyal subject Princess Luna. Will you allow me the privilege of escorting you to the theater?”

Both mares giggled loudly and then hugged. “It is good to see you again Recital, you really should stop by more often.” Both mares left the tent and chatted away as old friends do.

Caffeinated wiped a foreleg across his brow. The sun had set and somewhere behind the trees the moon had risen, but the job was done. The festival was already getting crowded, and the zebra could tell there was a lot of city ponies here by how they dressed. Or by the fact the dressed at all. The stallion wasn’t going to judge others by their fashion. He dressed at his job in the city and Thespian loved to dress whenever she had a chance. His smile widened as not everything she wore was for public consumption.

He noted the time and trotted off to a concession stand for a bottle of berry flavored water and a beer for himself. He also picked up some fruit filled pastries and put it all in a bag. Next stop was the carnival ticket booth where he bought a roll of coupons for the rides and events. Caffeinated tucked the tickets into a small shoulder pouch and trotted back to the bandstand.

The zebra placed the bag down at the edge of the stage. He opened the beer and sat down to watch the ponies as they wondered the fair. Then he noticed a blue-gray hoof out of the corner of his eye. The stallion kept his gaze on the hoof and moved to where his lips almost touched it. “I’ve been visited by a goddess! Will you marry me?”

“I don’t know,” the mare answered. She watched the stallion stand and they were eye level for a change. “I’d have to divorce my current husband first and that would really be a hassle. How about we just have an affair instead?”

“Oh, an illicit affair,” he said wide eyed and she nodded. “Sound intriguing, but if my wife was to catch me it would be,” his hoof shot up pointing to the sky, “To the Moon!” The mare broke down in laughter. “I’ll bet some pony hasn't bothered to eat or drink since she’s been here.” Her ears wilted. “So I have,” he said while he opened the bag, “A bottle of water and a lovely pastry that will be easy on your throat.”

The mare took the bottle first and opened it. She quickly downed half the container. Next was the pastry he offered, and after as sniff she asked, “Orange marmalade?” With her husband’s nod she pounced, “Tasty!” and nibbled it away followed by the remaining water. “I have a couple hours before I need to be backstage and my plushie collection is woefully low.”

“Let us venture forth then my lady into the den of thieves and see what treasure we may fine!” Caffeinated moved so she could jump down and they cantered off to the amusement section of the fair. First stop was the ring toss where they both had fun and politely turned down the goldfish that they would have won.

They ventured deeper into the carnival when Thespian pulled her husband up short at the baseball toss game. A bored unicorn mare looked up and sighed, “Okay Caffeinated, what plush do you want this time?”

The earth pony beside him spoke up, “He wants the Luna plush.”

The unicorn looked up, “The large one?”

“No,” Thespian replied, “He wants the medium one.”

The carnie smiled, “Not that I’m complaining but why?”

“I have a Celestia plush the same size at home and I don’t want a larger Luna plush in case she drops in.” the mare answered with a straight face.

The unicorn stood back in surprise, “Celstia forbid the Goddess of the sun would raid your house with an unannounced plushie inspection!”
The mare nodded vigorously, “You know, right!”

Behind the counter the mare turned on her carnie voice, “Step right up good sir and just nine in a row will win the pretty filly a Luna plush of her desires!”

Caffeinated remained stoic throughout the conversation. He tore off six tickets and laid them on the counter. They quickly vanished into the casher box and nine balls levitated to the counter in their place. He took one in the mouth and with practiced ease tossed it with plenty of back spin. It landed just inside the leading edge and bounced off the top of the basket to settle nicely at the bottom.

He took the second ball in his mouth and looked at the unicorn. She just waved a hoof. He tilted his head and she repeated the gesture. The stallion shrugged and tossed again. The ball ended its journey resting next to the other. He picked up the next one and the unicorn just watch so Caffeinated landed that one in the basket.

Finally he asked, “Are you going to empty the basket?”

She sat there and looked at her hoof, “I’m pretty busy right now so you can just keep going.”

The stallion snorted and quickly followed up with the fourth and fifth ball landing in the basket. The sixth one went a little deeper than he intended and hit one of the balls already inside. The noise cause the unicorn to turn her attention to the basket as one ball rolled to the lip. Forces of nature halted the progress though and returned the ball to join its brethren. The carnie sighed and the zebra smiled.

The stall owner looked up, “Throw three more and the plush is yours.”

The seventh and eighth balls landed perfectly just inside the lip to nestle with the rest. Caffeinated picked up the final ball but saw that those in the basket had filled in the landing zone. He tossed the ball a bit deeper into the basket, and it didn’t matter if it was the one he tossed or one that was already there for a ball rolled out to the ground. He could feel the soft sigh beside him and tore six more tickets from the roll. “I want to try again,” stated the stallion as he laid the tickets on the counter.

The unicorn leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Keep your tickets the plush is yours. Your performance has attracted a lot of marks to my booth.” The Luna plush levitated over to Thespian to rest on her back.

Caffeinated whispered back, “Keep the tickets Mapper we all need to eat.” The tickets vanished without another word.

The couple moved away from the booth but could hear the unicorn shout out, “See how easy it is! Come test your skill! Not eight or even seven, but just six balls in a basket will win you a medium plush! Test your skills against the baskets of Doom!”

Thespian leaned against her husband, “We thank thee brave Knight for you have endured many trials to set us free from our imprisonment.”

The stallion looked down at his wife and saw the Luna plush on her back. “It was my duty and honor fair Princess. There is no service I would not do on your behalf!”

“We are pleased,” the mare stated. “Now lead us to further adventure!” They walked past a few attractions when Thespian cried out, “Huzzah! Look at yonder establishment! They play with water. We must go there so that the fun can begin!” A few steps brought them to the front of the booth, “Proprietor of this fine palace we seek to have fun! Sir Caffeinated lay down our stake so the fun can begin!” The stallion laid six tickets on the counter so both could play.

The earth stallion behind the counter looked at the mare and replied, “We need to wait for some more players.”

“Wait!” exclaimed the mare, “How dare you make us wait! We should banish you for your indiscretion! Yes, banish you to the Moon!”

Caffeinated watch his wife with a smile and when the hapless stallion behind the counter turned to him the zebra leaned forward and whispered, “She is getting into character.” He saw the realization cross the fellow’s face.

“I pray to thee Princess Luna give me a chance to make amends.” The stallion groveled before her. He watched the mare stop her tirade and look down at him. She gave a brief nod and the stallion jumped back up to his hooves. “Citizens, come one and all to meet the challenge of Princess Luna! Step up, lay down your tickets, and take up your water pistol least the Princess of the Night show her displeasure!”

Most of the ponies had no idea what was going on, but a few recognized Thespian. Soon the sounds of, “I accept the challenge Princess,” or “Yes Princess, I’m at your service.” In little time all the positions at the booth were filled.

“Huzzah!” shouted the blue-gray mare, “Let the fun begin!” The game was fairly simple. There was always a winner. Just shoot water into the target until your balloon exploded. The varying water pressure did make it difficult to aim. Thespian concentrated on keep the stream on target when the balloon broke and the bell sounded. She started jumping up and down. “Victory! We have defeated the evil balloon and our fun has been doubled! We demand a reward! We demand… ah…” She looked at the stallion behind the counter, “What may we demand?”

The stallion nodded his head towards the rafters, “Princess you may demand a parasprite or a dragon for your victory tonight.”

“We demand a dragon for our victory!” She took the cute little purple dragon plush and nestled it in front of the Luna plush. “Now brave Knight, with our dragon companion, let us venture forth to more adventure and have our fun tripled!” The couple trotted off to the sounds of cheers from those around them.

The couple left the fun house laughing. She now had a parasprite sitting in front of the dragon. “It is time I got backstage, but my hooves are tired,” she looked up at the stallion with a little pout.

“Fear not Princess for I shall be your chariot.” The zebra folded his legs under him as he lay on the ground.

Thespian grabbed the Luna plush in her mouth and straddled the stallion’s back. She set the plush on his head and used her hooves to move the plushie’s forelegs. “Make way citizens! Make way to allow my faithful chariot to process to the theater!” Beneath her Caffeinated rose to his hooves and started forward. While many of the ponies didn’t understand why they still parted to let the zebra through. “To the theater everyone! Music, dance, entertainment, and song! To the theater!”

After the crowd parted to let the couple pass they fell in behind the mare riding horseback and followed along. Many picked up the chant, “To the theater!”

They left the other ponies at the front of the bandstand while zebra continued to the backstage door. He lowered himself to the ground so his wife could disembark. The mare recovered her Luna plush and returned it to her own back. “I’ll meet you here after the show,” the stallion followed up with a kiss. The mare nodded and walked through the door. The stallion turned to take care of a few more errands before he looked for a seat.

Caffeinated found a nice spot off to the right near stage to sit and watched the festivities. A live DJ was on stage to warm up the crowd and several ponies danced in the open space in front of the bandstand.

The DJ finished his last set and stood up to hoof stomps and cheers. A painted mare walked on to the stage. Such colorations weren’t common, but who was as zebra to talk about any pony’s markings. The blue and red mare wore a very nice dress in festive greens and reds.
“Greetings everypony and thank you for attending this year’s Winter Solstice Festival. I’m Requiem your host for this evening. I would like to thank Fasttrack,” she nodded to the DJ who helped the stagehands get his gear off the stage, “For bringing you all to a festive mood! Now it is time for our second production of the night. A classic for many years. The History of Equestria.”

The mare moved into her role as narrator with ease. This was one of the productions that Caffeinated looked forward to. His friend, Tinkerer, landed the part of Captain Hurricane. He had seen the stallion do a good bit of improve in some of the coffee houses. Also a dear friend of Thespian and himself was playing the part of Princess Platinum. The show went without a hitch. He did notice the unicorns horns were a lit as they powered the illusions that made the play so much more real. Again thunderous hoof stomps and cheers accompanied the cast as they took their bows.

Next up was a youth choir group. They were loud and proud as they sung festive songs. There was a good mix of fillies and colts in the group, and even a zebra filly he didn’t recognize. Then there were a lot of ponies in the Manehattan area. Caffeinated thought they received an even louder ovation than the History play did. Everyone has a soft spot for youth when they perform. Once they cleared the stage the lights dimmed for the next show. The zebra waited with anticipation.

Three ponies walked onto the stage. A pegasus mare flanked by an earth pony stallion on her left and a unicorn stallion on her right. They first moved to center stage and then side stepped to the left.

Six earth pony musicians moved out to center stage. Thee mares and three stallions. They moved off to their right where stage hands had placed the instruments. Two violins, a cello, clarinet, prench horn, and drum set. The lead violinist announced to the audience, “Luna’s Lament.” They took their places and began to play.

From above a mare was lowered to that stage. This is the part that Caffeinated had waited for. His wife looked beautiful in the back dress covered with sequins that sparked in the lights. A crown with unicorn horn attached and wings strapped to her back. Then she sang.

"Luna
My stars shine down upon the world
Our Moonlight fills it with shadows
But none come out to see the sky
They hide away till the cockcrows
Three ponies
Let us remember this very night
To the one who painted its glory
Let none forget each has a part
In making this nighttime story
Luna
Working hard each and every night
Placing the moon high in the sky
Knowing the name of every star
Friends and lovers from days gone bye
Earth pony
To you my friends we sing this song
To remember all that is done
To always recognize each time
To say thank you to everyone
Luna
The light does bring out pony joy
The sweet night is filled with sorrow
Every pony to hearth and home
Under cover till tomorrow
Pegasus
How quickly we can forget
Each small service we receive
Generous acknowledgement
Can bring some pony reprieve
Luna
I see now where the glory goes
Only to the sun it does shine
Darkness forever takes its place
For all the world will soon be mine"

The musicians played for all they were worth. The drummer pounded away as the stage lights flashed. The three ponies cowered in fear as the moon was lowered. Over the noise Luna’s laughter could be heard. Suddenly she was lifted from the ground and the Princess screamed, “No!” as she is rose to the moon than hanged behind her.

"Unicorn
All for the lack of a kind word
Forced the dire deed to be done
Could have happened to any of us
The dark hides within everyone
Luna
Buried in my lunar prison
Trapped here for all eternity
Through teary eyes the world below
Lost to me the serenity
Three ponies
So go forth you this very night
And always keep to heart our tale
Acknowledge all that others do
And thank all of them without fail"

Normally that would have been the end of the play, and all but Luna would have took their bows. Caffeinated smiled for he knew of the part they added this year. Luna was lowered back to the stage

"Luna
Harmony did break down the locks
Freed by the friendship of a few
Pain and anguish now extinguished
I’m able to love all of you
Four ponies
So go forth you this very night
And always keep to heart our tale
Acknowledge all that others do
And thank all of them without fail"

The audience erupted in hoof stomping and tapping along with cheers and whistles. The four were joined by the musicians to take there bows. As they left the stage the Manehattan Orchestra moved on stage to prepare for the next segment of entertainment for the night.
Caffeinated quickly moved out from the crowd into the no ponies land behind the concession stands. He stopped at the back of one and caught the cook’s eye. The stallion quickly filled two mugs and placed them on a tray with a couple slices of carrot cake. He hoofed them over to the back door.

The zebra placed the tray on his back and thanked the proprietor with a nod. He stayed behind the scenes as he moved to the backstage entrance. Caffeinated moved the two mugs to his front but left the tray and cake behind him.

He didn’t have to wait long. Thespian walked through the doorway no longer in costume. Also missing were the three plushies. He bowed low, “I thank you your Majesty for gracing us with your presence. May I ask where your companions are?”

Thespian smiled, “Rise our most loyal subject.” She followed with a soft laugh, “The three await my pleasure as I don’t wish for them to stay up beyond their bedtime.” She looked at the mugs, “Is that by chance mulled wine you have brought to quench our royal thirst?”

“I have Princess, for this is the finest in all the lands under your blessed moon.” The stallion lifted a mug to his wife and she took it. They clicked the mugs together and each took a drink. “I’m sure you wish Princess Luna had come to watch the play.”

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that was true. It would have been nice to watch her watching me play her.” She took another sip of the wine, “But Canterlot is far from here and they have their own production to honor the Princess.”

Caffeinated smiled, “Do you think their production would have the lines you added to this one?”

The mare shrugged, “Who knows, it could have leaked out during our rehearsals. Still, I do hope, that ever production will have those lines next year.”

With a sly smile her husband inquired, “And what do you think the Princess would have said if she saw your performance in the carnival?”

The mare laughed, “I would hope she saw the joy and fun we were having and joined in on the comradery.” Thespian looked up but the moon wasn’t visible from this angle, “Or I’d be up there watching you down here.”

“Know that were you are I’ll be there also, my Princess.” The stallion reached behind and pulled back to plates with cake. He sat them in the middle and dug a hoof into one and presented the cake to his wife. She took the offering and repeated the gesture. Between sips of wine they fed each other cake till it was gone.

He looked at the frosting on her lips and moved forward to kiss her deeply. A kiss the mare returned with passion. Finally Caffeinated broke the kiss, “Finish your wine it is time.”

Thespian nodded and finished the mug. She place it on the tray which was already on his back with the other mug. Together they stayed behind the scenes to stop once and drop of the tray. “Where did you get those lines you used?” His wife gave him a puzzled look. “Like, double the fun, and the other things you said in the carnival?”

“Oh, I read an article in a magazine. I think it was called ‘Nightmare Night in Ponyland’ or something like that,” she answered. “It was full of quotes from the Princess and I thought the way she talked and proclaimed things was kind of cute.” The couple left the fair and started up the hill where the carnival was not allowed.

She watched her step as they trudged up the hill though the snow. When he stopped she looked around and saw several ponies were already sitting on the crest looking up at the night sky. Thespian turned her gaze upwards and flinched, “She… She’s free,” her voice a whisper in the night.

The stallion placed a foreleg over his wife’s shoulder as he looked up at the Mare in the Moon, “She is the artist that paints the night sky and she can paint it however she sees fit to do so.” Caffeinated felt the mare lean against him, “And I do believe that she was watching you sing this night.”

“That is a lovely thought,” responded the blue-gray mare. “I think you’re right that she was watching us and watching over us tonight.” The earth pony sat up again, “This is a lovely night,” whispered and turned her head to face him and hoped to steal a kiss. Her husband had a faraway look in his eyes. “I know that look. It speaks of coffee and poetry.”

The stallion smiled but didn’t lower his gaze from the moon as he recited.

"Princess’s majestic night sky
Soft light so pleasing to the eye
Is painted with true artistry
Recorded throughout history
Shine your soft light upon my heart
Let this year be a brand new start
Purge me of jealousy and hate
Before it is too late for fate
Know that all ponies near and far
Look in the night upon that star
For which they gain hope by the light
The one of many in your night
Look upon our celebration
As we gather in your nation
We ask that you bless us this night
Shine down now with your lunar might
We venture under your night sky
Raising glasses to you up high
May our party and songs have shown
Through our love you are not alone"

After a pause Thespian commented, “Zebras and rhymes.”

“That’s an old mare’s tale,” her husband replied.

“Right,” added the mare. “Ready to head back down? I think there is mulled wine calling out to me.”

Caffeinated smiled, “Nothing is as fine as the taste of mulled wine. The party is still young for the night has just begun.” With that the stallion trotted back down the hill.

With a soft snort she trotted after, “The midnight viewing is now past and until dawn the party will last.” With laughter she added, “Now you got me doing it!”

Applejack was sat on her bed, gazing forlornly out of her bedroom window. She’d been sat on her bed for days it seemed, wallowing in her self pity. Her chores were unfinished, the apple trees unbucked. Indeed she hadn't even left her room since 'it' had happened several days ago.

Applejack didn't care.

Her usually tidy room was a mess, the detritus of the past week scattered about. Her straw blonde mane, usually tied up in a ponytail was a mess, her hair unkempt. She herself was a mess, her orange coat matted from all her tears. The farm pony had been crying so much the last few days she didn't have any tears left, she just sat there heaving her shoulders, crying tears that wouldn't come.

Applejack didn't care.

Since 'it' had happened she relished the solace her self imposed confinement brought her. Not that it helped much. She couldn't bear the outside world. Ponyville and the Sweet Apple Acres would endure without her. As much as she felt she deserved them, Applejack couldn't bear the accusatory stares, the whispers behind her back. Worse than that though were the sympathetic looks, the condolences she knew she definitely didn't deserve.

So here she was, the tough old dependable farmer, huddled in her room like a scolded filly that's just been grounded for misbehaving. Alone with her thoughts.

Applejack didn't stir as she heard the creak of her door open behind her. Didn't bother turning to face whomever had just entered her room. She heard the hoofsteps stop, felt her bed move as whomever it was sat on her bed behind her.

“Applejack……” Twilight Sparkle put her hoof on her friends shoulder, the princess tried to find the words to comfort the farmer. No words would come to her though. There were no words. Her lavender eyes alone spoke of the strain of the last week.

“Howdy princess.” The hollowness of the greeting shocked Twilight.

"I– I just wanted you to know, Fluttershy is being released from the hospital this morning. She- she's fully healed.”

Applejack merely nodded her head in reply.

Twilight cleared her throat audibly, steadying herself before continuing, “The, er, the service is being held later this aft-”

“Ah ain't goin’.” It was so quietly spoken Twilight almost missed it.

“Applejack please, Fluttershy's been asking after you all week, wanting to know when you're coming to see her. She, we, want you there.”

"Ah said ah ain't goin’. Ah got no business bein’ there after what ah done.” Regret and sadness coloured each word, a despair that Twilight couldn't hope to breach.

“It wasn't your fault Applejack, it– it was an-”

“An accident, yeah, so everypony keeps tellin’ me.”

“Applejack, nopony blames you for what happened.”

Twilight’s words poured over Applejack, igniting her anger. Before she knew what was happening the earth pony had spun around, facing Twilight for the first time. The movement was so fast the Alicorn still had her foreleg raised as if it was still on Applejack’s shoulder. Her emerald green eyes were alive with fury, her muzzle pulled back in a feral snarl. She stomped a foreleg on her bed, bringing a crack from the timber.

“AH BLAME ME! IT’S MAH FAULT FLUTTERSHY’S SPENT TH’ WEEK IN HOSPITAL, AN’ IT’S MAH FAULT THOSE, THOSE FOAlS ARE, are, are……” Applejack couldn't bring herself to say the word, as if not saying it would make it not be true. Her rage had left her. She buried her face into her hooves, unable to look at Twilight any longer. Fresh tears cascaded from her eyes, soaking her fur and the mattress under her.

“Ah- ah’m sorry Twi, so sorry.”

Twilight couldn't make out any more intelligible words from her stricken friend, she had dissolved into a quivering sobbing heap on her bed. She knew it was fruitless to carry on, that it was time to go. Hesitantly she flapped her wings, leaving the bed and landing near the door. The princess cast a look over her shoulder at the crying farmer.

“Fluttershy loves you Applejack, we all love you. The service is at four this afternoon. Please be there, for her if nopony else.”

With that Twilight Sparkle left the bedroom, closing the door behind her and descended the stairs. She paused in the living room to shake her head sadly at Granny Smith, Big Mac and Apple Bloom. All three had their ears pinned back, all three shared the despondent look of their princess. Twilight excused herself and saw herself out without a backwards glance. Once clear of the homestead she took to the sky, flying back to her castle. She had many duties as a princess, and most of them she looked forward to. This afternoon however was not one of them. She hated funerals at the best of times, and this one would be hard on everypony, especially Fluttershy. She hoped against hope Applejack would find it in herself to attend.

Back in her old room at the homestead Applejack had finally succeeded in crying herself to sleep, although the dreams she had would prove anything but restful as she once again relived the events of seven days previous. The day IT happened.

~ ~ ~
Seven Days Ago.

Dawn crept over the landscape, golden sunlight chasing away the shadows of night as the morning took over. Ponyville always looked magnificent in the early morning light, and the Apple farm nearby was no exception. As the sun was raised higher in the sky more and more of the apple trees were revealed until they all basked in the sun’s light. A few of these errant sunbeams found their way unbidden into the bedroom of a sleeping couple, waking them gently from their slumber.

Applejack opened her eyes slowly, adjusting to the light while letting out a wide yawn. She really didn't want to get out of bed, seeing as she was snuggled tight up to her wife beside her. Fluttershy was snoring gently, her head resting on Applejack’s shoulder, her pastel pink mane just under the farmer’s chin. All four legs of the yellow pegasus were wrapped around Applejack, a feat she found impressive given Fluttershy's growing belly.

Eight years ago when they got married Fluttershy had mentioned she wanted foals. Applejack had been resistant to the idea of foals at first, she was happy the way they were, although she found as she had gotten older the idea of having little ones running about the place more and more appealing. Until this day last year had rolled around, and Applejack had surprised Fluttershy at breakfast. She could still see the excitement on Fluttershy's face when she'd told her she had wanted to try for foals. It was the best anniversary gift Applejack could have given her wife.

After much discussion with Applejack’s family Big Mac had hesitantly and with no small measure of embarrassment volunteered his sperm to impregnate Fluttershy, given her reluctance to use a random stallion for the job. Twilight had agreed to carry out the insemination, she had assured them that magically it would be easy, although the princess had insisted upon having a trained midwife present at all times, not that she doubted her ability, she just wanted everything to run smoothly. And it had. Everything had gone perfectly. Besides her wedding day that day four months ago when Fluttershy had announced she was pregnant had been the happiest of Applejack’s life. They were going to be mothers! True, she had practically raised Apple Bloom as if she were her own but she was still her little sister. Now she would be a proper mother.

Their joy at the impending motherhood had only increased after the first monthly scan at Twilight’s castle when the Alicorn had revealed to them they were having twins. An earth pony colt and pegasus filly. The midwife unicorn, Cerulean Swirl, had used her own magic to project an image of the growing foals on a screen for them to see, although there wasn't much at this point.

With the third month of pregnancy they were able to make out more details of the miniature ponies. The pegasus filly had a deep red almost crimson coat and the beginnings of a light pink mane. The earth pony colt had a yellow/orange coat similar to Scootaloo but more yellow, and his mane was going to be as dark a red as his sister’s coat. Names for them both had already been decided. Apple Kicker for the filly because by Celestia's horn could she kick! Applejack had had many a daydream about teaching that one the finer points of apple bucking when she was old enough. They had settled on Hush for the colt, as quite unlike his sister he seemed content to barely move, just giving the occasional stretch in the womb to let them know he was still there. It was almost like he knew he wasn't going to out kick his sister.

Life on the farm had gone pretty much as normal. Applejack and Big Mac had taken to harvesting the apples with a vengeance, determined to get ahead before the foals arrived. Even Rainbow Dash had helped considerably more than she usually did, this time by actually doing some work rather than napping on the nearest cloud. Mainly thanks to Dash blurring about the orchards placing the apples in storage and making the deliveries to customers they were almost a month in advance of where they would be normally. Rarity was in her element, constantly designing maternity dresses as Fluttershy got bigger and bigger. Pinkie was in a constant state of “nervousitement”, planning baby showers, birthing parties and at the last count the foals tenth birthday parties all in advance. Applejack couldn't fault her friends enthusiasm.

The fourth month had rolled around as uneventful as the others, they'd had the regular scan yesterday. Everything was progressing as it should, the foals were growing and developing normally, they were even slightly bigger than they should be. Applejack and Fluttershy had put this down to Apple Bloom and Granny Smith’s excellent care. They made sure Fluttershy wanted for nothing while Applejack was out working.
That bought Applejack to this morning. Laid in her bed with her pregnant wife snoring gently beside her, five months away from having her own foals running about the place.

"Life surely don't get much better than this,” she thought to herself with a huge smile as she gently kissed Fluttershy's forehead. A problem did present itself though, how best to disentangle herself from Fluttershy's legs without waking her up. The trees in the south field needed bucking if they were to stay ahead of schedule. A minute or two later the problem wasn't an issue anymore as Apple Kicker took it upon herself to unleash a particularly powerful kick at that moment, lurching Applejack to the right and separating the two ponies, shocking Fluttershy awake in the process.

“Ouch! Kicker! Buck that hurt!” Fluttershy gasped out, before quickly adding, “um, I mean, good morning to you, Apple Kicker.”

Fluttershy let out a giggle as Applejack leant in and kissed her belly, then gave her a nuzzle too. "Mornin' sugarcube, an’ happy ninth anniversary.”

Fluttershy let out a shocked “eeep” and pulled back from the nuzzling slightly, a rosy blush on her cheeks “AJ I'm sorry I totally forgot all about it! I - I'll, um go and get something for you later…” Her quiet voice trailed off midsentence as she noticed Apllejack laughing gently.

“Ain't a thing sugar, I got all the gifts I need right here.” She cooed softly as she ran a hoof tenderly over Fluttershy's swollen belly. Lowering her muzzle to Shy's belly she said with a grin, “y’all don't be so rough with your momma, ah’m talkin’ to you there, Kicker.” Planting a soft kiss there Applejack was rewarded with a little kick from her daughter.

Getting off the bed, Applejack retrieved her stetson from the dresser and hoofed it onto her head with practiced ease before turning her gaze back to Fluttershy who was still laid on her side. She'd experimented with different sleeping positions as she had gotten bigger, and this seemed the most comfortable, at least it was when Kicker was asleep.

Fluttershy caught her looking, and gave her wife a warm smile before wincing a little at the visible bump of another kick interrupted her. “I think she's going to be a morning pony like her momma.”

“She sure is, them trees ain’t gonna know what's bucked ‘em when she gets goin’, at least Hush gives you some peace.”

Fluttershy nodded as she ran a hoof over her belly then grunted as she attempted without success to roll onto her hooves to stand up. Applejack suppressed a giggle as she extended a foreleg, helping Shy get to upright. With surprising grace for a mare in her condition Fluttershy flapped her wings twice, leaving the bed and landing beside Applejack with a nuzzle and a kiss.

“You working the south field today Jackie?”

“Yup, all day sugarcube. Ah’m all yours as soon as ah’m done though. You sure you don’ mind me not havin’ the day off?”

“Well, I might mind if I don't get a kiss first.”

Applejack wrapped a foreleg around Fluttershy's neck, bringing her into a tight embrace as she tilted her head to one side, kissing her wife full on the lips. Fluttershy returned the gesture, placing her own leg on Applejack, running it through her mane as she ran her tongue across AJ’s lips, asking permission to enter. The farm pony granted it, parting her lips for Shy's tongue as she ran her own over and around it, eliciting a few pleasurable moans from her. A second or two later Applejack thrust forward with her tongue into Fluttershy's mouth, running it around the inside before briefly wrestling Shy’s tongue into submission. Finally the need to breathe forced them to break the kiss, their lips coming apart with a wet smacking noise.

“Oh my…”

Applejack smirked as she saw Fluttershy's deep blush and fully erect wings, standing at a 90 degree angle to her body. She was proud of the fact that after nine years married a simple kiss could get that reaction from Fluttershy.

“Y’all alright there darlin’?”

“I– er, I mean yes, yes I'm ok love,” Fluttershy managed to stammer out, getting her errant wings and breathing under control. “Don't work too hard, I'll need you awake later.” She added with a little wink that didn't go unnoticed.

“Yes ma’am.” And with that Applejack casually strolled down the stairs and out the door, ready to get the day's work underway.

Fluttershy waited a few moments to make sure Applejack was really gone before she carefully flew down the stairs to the kitchen. She had a picnic to prepare for Applejack’s midday break, Fluttershy wouldn't usually go to this much trouble, but it was their anniversary after all. She did feel a little guilty about lying to her wife back in the bedroom but she hoped the surprise picnic would make up for it. If not then she'd apologise in the bedroom later. She could be very apologetic when she needed to be.

The morning had whizzed past in a blur, Fluttershy didn't know where the time had gone. At last she had the picnic surprise ready. Daisy and dandelion sandwiches, salads made with apples, carrots and pumpkins, an apple pie that Apple Bloom had shown her how to make and there was two bottles of the weakest Sweet Apple cider to wash it down with. Fluttershy knew she shouldn't drink while pregnant but she had been advised by midwife Swirl that the odd bottle every now and again wouldn't hurt, as long as it wasn't the really hard stuff Granny Smith had locked up in the cellar.

A quick check of the clock in the kitchen garnered an “eeep” from Fluttershy, it was fast approaching five minutes to noon. She'd have to be quick if she wanted to catch Applejack’s midday break. Hurriedly she piled the food in her basket, took the handle in her mouth and proceeded to fly out the front door towards the southern field and her love.

“Consarn it!” Sweat poured off Applejack's coat, her fur was matted with the stuff and she was pretty sure she stank horrid. Apple bucking in summer was horrible. The sun was high up and the trees gave almost no shade. She particularly hated the trees in the south field. They were tough gnarly old brutes that didn't surrender their apples easily. Each one had to be bucked at least three times. This particular brute she was bucking now had so far resisted five of her kicks and Applejack was fast approaching the end of her rope with it, not least because she was a few minutes late taking her break. She stamped her hooves into the dirt in sheer frustration. Part of her told her to sit, have her break now. The stubborn part of her told her to carry on, one more buck would do it. The stubborn part won. Foregoing her usual caution of checking behind her, after all she knew she was aimed at the tree, and she was the only pony out here, Applejack wound up her powerful hind legs for one last almighty kick.

Fluttershy flew between the trees, wondering how best to find Applejack amongst the orchard when she heard a rather loud “Consarn it!” off to her left. Changing direction she flew towards the shout, it didn't sound very far away. She carefully rounded a tree and sure enough she saw Applejack about thirty feet away, her back towards her. If Fluttershy was any judge, she'd have to say Applejack's mood was sour. She looked hot, sweaty and very fed up. She was tempted for a second to change her mind and leave her wife to it. No, she was here now, might as well try and cheer her up. With that in mind Fluttershy flapped her wings once more, silently closing the gap between herself and Applejack. She briefly thought about calling out to the farmer to announce her presence, then remembered she had the basket in her mouth.
Instead Fluttershy flew quietly behind her wife, her intention to land on her back and drop the basket in front of her with her wings over Applejack's eyes.

That was a good plan.

What could go wrong?

Nothing at all.

Nothing.

Except that.

Fluttershy was two feet from Applejack's rear as the farm pony suddenly leaned forward on her front legs, pulled her hind legs to her belly and thrust them straight back with enough force to permanently scar the tree.

Applejack never hit the tree.

Her aim was off just slightly.

Fluttershy caught the full force of the kick square in her belly, the impact sent her backwards into the tree, snapping her head back into the rough bark, knocking her unconscious. Applejack heard the “oomph” behind her, and turned in time to see a lifeless Fluttershy slide down the trunk of the tree to the dirt, blood seeping into her pink mane and flowing down between her hind legs.

“Sweet Celestia, what have ah done?”

Applejack didn't know what to do, she struck her hooves on the ground in a panic. Finally, spurred to action by the amount of blood Fluttershy was losing, and where she was losing it from, Applejack lowered her head and flipped Fluttershy onto her muscular back and galloped as fast she should without dropping her precious cargo. She had one thought in mind, Twilight. Get to Twilight, she'll be able to fix this. Alicorn magic, never failed us before. Twilight will know what to do. Applejack ran for what felt like hours, until she neared the base of Twilight’s castle. She pounded on the door with her foreleg, so hard it dented it, all the while screaming Twilight’s name.

A purple sphere of magic popped beside her, as Twilight Sparkle teleported beside Applejack, about to ask what the ruckus was about. The exhausted farmer cut her off before she had chance to ask.

“Fluttershy…accident…bucked her…needs hospital…Twi, help…please..” Applejack managed to stammer it all out before collapsing to the ground, her fatigue catching up with her.

"Meet me at the hospital.” Was all Twilight said as she ignited her horn, concentrated and then she and Fluttershy were both gone.

Applejack rested on the ground outside the castle, allowing herself to catch her breath and get her strength back. Despite a desire to gallop straight to the hospital, thunder in and demand answers she knew this would be pointless. She'd just be in the way right now, and she knew Fluttershy was in safe hooves with Twi and the doctors. Best to calm herself down, give them a little time to work and then make her way over there.

A glance up at the clock tower in the town square told Applejack thirty minutes had passed. She couldn't wait any longer. She forced herself to her hooves and made her way slowly to the hospital. She didn't care that she was filthy and dirty, didn't care her flanks were covered in blood that wasn't hers, all she cared about was Fluttershy and her foals. Applejack silently prayed to Celestia, Luna and anyone else who might be listening for them all to be alright. Deep in her heart she knew her prayers were in vain, she had seen where her wife had been bleeding from, and knew what that meant.

Still, Applejack held onto her slim hope as she pushed open the hospital doors and made her way through to the reception area. She held onto that hope right up to the moment she saw Twilight. The Alicorn princess was sat in the hospital reception thoroughly disheveled, openly weeping into her hooves, ignoring everypony around her. Applejack made her way unsteadily over to her friend, not wanting to ask the question on her lips.

“Fluttershy, is she, is mah wife alright?”

Twilight raised her head from her hooves, tear streaked eyes meeting Applejack's.

"She's in intensive care, they're operating on her now. From what they've told me, and it's not much, she's got five broken ribs, a punctured lung and a bad gash on the back of her head. They're stabilising the internal bleeding and they're confident she'll make a full recovery in about a week or so…”

Applejack let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. Fluttershy was going to be alright, Twi had said she'll make a full recovery. Applejack began to smile, a smile that faltered when Twilight spoke next.

"Applejack, I – I’m sorry, the – the, your foals, they didn't survive. She miscarried in the operating theatre few minutes after I bought her here. There was nothing they could do.”

Applejack stumbled backwards, falling to the floor in a heap. Her brain refused to believe what her ears had heard.

“No, it – it ain't true, it can't be.”

“I'm sorry Applejack.”

“No…” But she knew it was true. She knew it before she had picked Fluttershy up, when she saw her bleeding. She couldn't understand why her heart was beating, why the world was turning, why everypony around her was carrying on as though nothing had happened when her whole world had been ripped from under her hooves. It was a cruel joke, surely? That she was crumpled here on the floor of a hospital still sucking air into her lungs when her babies lay dead?

It hit her then. Her babies, her foals. They were dead. They were dead and it was her fault. Had she only looked behind her before she bucked that damned tree, she would have seen Fluttershy, they would've enjoyed the afternoon and her foals would still be alive. How could she have been so careless?

“It's mah fault Twi.”

“W – what?” Twilight looked up from her hooves, not believing what she had heard.

“It's all mah fault.”

“How's that?”

Hesitantly Applejack told Twilight what had happened, about working the south field, getting frustrated with the tree, about Fluttershy flying behind her, how Applejack hadn't noticed her coming, and how in a fit of temper she had let loose the awesome buck that had caught Fluttershy and sent her into the tree. Twilight listened to it all, not saying a word until Applejack had finished. Getting from the chair the princess sat on the floor in front of the distraught farmer, and placed a hoof on her friends shaking shoulder.

“Applejack,” she said softly through her own tears, “it was an accident, nothing more.”

Applejack's reply was cut short as the doors to the operating theatre burst open, the doctors made their way over to where she and Twilight were sitting.

“Your highness, the surgery was a success, we've stabilised the patient. She'll make a full recovery in a few days. She's still out from the anaesthetic but if you wish you can see her for a few moments before we move her to a ward.”

“Thank you. Come on Applejack, let's go and see them.”

She extended a hoof to the unmoving earth pony, shaking her gently.

“Come on, she's going to need you.”

Twilight extended a wing over Applejack and the walked side by side into the operating room, fresh tears stung Applejack's eyes as she saw Fluttershy sleeping on the bed, covered to her neck with a white sheet. She ran a hoof through her pink mane before softly kissing her wife's forehead.

“Ah'm sorry Shy, ah never meant to hurt you…”

Her voice trailed off to silence as Applejack's tears eyes rested on two small white rectangular boxes on the table next to the bed. Twilight saw where Applejack was looking and nudged the farmer with her hoof.

“Go on, go and see them.”

“Ah can't Twi…”

"Applejack, go and meet them, while you have the chance.”

Slowly she made her way around the bed to the white boxes, her hooves made barely a sound against the floor, as if she was scared of waking them up. Applejack saw her two foals, her little babies, laid in the padded boxes. They had been wrapped in tiny white sheets, just their heads were showing. Carefully, not wanting to disturb them, Applejack placed a tender kiss on both of their foreheads before nuzzling their cheeks. They were so soft, so small…so, beautiful. They looked for all the world to be sleeping.

Applejack opened her mouth but no words came, her grief threatened to overwhelm her, she owed them this much though, as small as the gesture might be. Choking back her tears she swallowed her grief enough to say a few words.

“M– momma’s s – sorry, a - ah'm so sorry…Twi, ah can't do this, ah can't be here. Ah need to go…to be anywhere else…ah'm sorry…”

Applejack turned and ran, leaving Twilight with Fluttershy and her foals. She ran, not caring who she ran into, not caring where she was going. She ran and ran until she thought her heart would burst, trying to out run grief itself. She didn't realise she had ran back to the farm, back up the stairs to her room. Slamming her door she threw herself on the bed and vented her grief and sorrow into her pillow. The fact that it smelt of Fluttershy only made it worse.

~ ~ ~

Applejack opened her eyes with a groan, wondering for a very brief moment where she was. She hadn't meant to fall asleep. She hated the dreams more than she hated being awake. The dream was always the same, reliving that day over and over again. The day she had killed her babies. It felt like Luna was punishing her.

With a grunt and a yawn the farmer rolled up and off her bed, trying to find her clock.

6.25 pm

Applejack had slept all day. She remembered Twilight had been to see her earlier, and had asked her to attend the service for their foals.
“What time had Twi said it was at?” Applejack tried to remember through the sleepy fog of her brain, it was however uncooperative in assisting her as she retrieved her hat. Hoofing her stetson to her head it suddenly came to her. Four! Twi had said the funeral was at four! Another glance at her clock confirmed it was 6.27 pm. Despite her earlier refusal to Twilight, Applejack had intended to go.

Now she had missed her chance. If it was possible to feel worse than she did already, Applejack managed it. She felt hollow, a void in her heart where Fluttershy and her foals should be. Remorse and regret fought for dominance within her, mixed with a deep shame she felt for abandoning her wife at a time like this.

Her wife. Applejack let out a snort of mirthless laughter at the thought. “What must she think of me?” She asked out loud to her empty room.

“Go and say goodbye young’un.”

Applejack hadn't noticed Granny Smith stood at her door until she spoke, snapping the farmer out of her reverie. Applejack cast her green eyes to the floor, scraping it nervously with a hoof.

“Granny, ah don’ know, ah…”

“Young,un, y’all been holed up her fer days. Wallowin’ won't bring ‘em back Applejack. Now, you go and you talk to them foals. Get it all out.”

Applejack slumped her shoulders in defeat, she knew better than to argue with her grandmother. She gave a small tearful nod as she walked past the aged mare. Granny Smith stopped her with a gentle nuzzle on her way out.

“Take as long as you need young’un, we’ll all be here when you get back.”

Applejack returned the nuzzle with a small forced smile that didn't reach her eyes. “Thanks Granny, ah’ll – ah’ll be back soon.”

The sky was starting to darken as Applejack left the homestead, the dull slate grey clouds reflecting her somber mood. The earth pony wasn't aware the Pegasi weather team had scheduled rain fall later that evening. She kept her head down, snout almost to the floor as she began her slow walk to the cemetery. Her heart felt like a leaden weight in her chest, every step felt like a marathon. Eventually after what felt like hours Applejack found herself at the gates to the cemetery.

Applejack raised a hoof to the ornate iron gate and pushed against it gently, feeling it give under her as it swung open. Luna's moon had risen by now, casting a pale white glow over the graves and their tombstones. Applejack walked carefully amongst them, not really knowing where to start looking for those she was here to see.

“Really is beautiful here at night,” she thought to herself as she walked, reflecting on how the moonlight shone from the marble and granite tombstones, silent sentinels guarding their graves like a watchful army. Applejack nodded to each grave she passed, paying her respects even if she hadn't heard of the pony in question, these were after all someponies loved ones.

After twenty minutes of searching though Applejack stomped a hoof in mild frustration. She couldn't help but feel foolish. What had she expected? Still she was determined to find her foals. They were laid here somewhere, it was just a matter of time before she found them.
She felt the first raindrops on her orange coat, heard them thud gently on her hat and roll down her straw blonde mane. The rain didn't deter her from her search though, diligently she kept looking. Applejack crested a little hill, and paused to look around her before deciding upon a direction to take. She was about to head left when Applejack thought she saw a splodge of colour move to her right, down at the bottom of the hill. The rainfall obscured her vision somewhat, but peering through it Applejack was sure there was somepony down there.

A yellow somepony.

Fluttershy! The realisation hit Applejack like a lightning bolt.

Almost at a gallop she quickly made her way down the hill towards her wife, not caring about the mud or the rain, her sole focus was the sun yellow pegasus in front of her, getting bigger the nearer she got. A few feet away Applejack slowed to a walk, panting heavily, as much to announce her presence as from the exertion of the brief run.

Fluttershy heard the heavy breathing behind her, and turned to face whoever it was. A very small smile played across her face at the sight of Applejack stood behind her.

“You came.”

It wasn't a greeting, Applejack noticed, merely a statement. She inclined her head slightly, tentatively returning Fluttershy’s smile. It faltered as Fluttershy turned her back on Applejack without another word and settled back down at the grave in front of her.

Applejack hesitantly took a step forward, expecting Fluttershy to tell her to stay away. When it didn't come she took another step then another, until she was at her wife's side. Bending her legs she sat herself on the ground next to Fluttershy, her head bowed towards the grave in front of her, not wanting to look at it just yet. They sat in silence for a few moments, the rain gently pattering off their coats, neither pony knowing what to say to the other.

Eventually Fluttershy looked across at Applejack, her blue eyes finding the green of the farmer.
“Why?”

“Why what, sugarcube?”

“Why didn't you come to see me? Why weren't you at the service today, why wait till now?

There was no anger in her voice, which was as softly spoken as ever. Applejack couldn't help but hang her head further in shame.

“Ah dunno, ah was scared ah guess, ashamed o’ what ah’d done, ah just couldn't face you in that hospital knowin’ ah was the one who put you there.”

“I see. Do you think it was easy for me then?”

“Fluttershy ah didn’ mean it like tha…”

Fluttershy didn't wait for Applejack to finish, she cut her off with a look before continuing. “I woke up in the intensive care ward and you weren't there. The doctors told me about the miscarriage, and you weren't there. I cried to see you every day, but you didn't come. Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow and Twilight came every day. You were the only one I wanted, but you didn't come.”

Fluttershy never raised her voice, not once. Applejack would have preferred it if she had. Anything would have been better than the sheer disappointment that laced her voice as she spoke.

“Ah’m sorry ah let you down. I should’a been there by your side all along, ‘stead o’ wallowin’ at home like a scolded filly. You deserve better than that, better than me…”

Applejack stopped speaking as Fluttershy extended a yellow wing over her back and pulled her into a close hug while resting a foreleg over Applejacks own.

“Wha..?”

“Jackie, don't ever tell me I don't deserve you. You're a wonderful pony, you're my wife and I love you, always. Don't ever forget that.” Fluttershy laid her head against Applejacks, nestling in her warm fur.

“You– you love me, still? After what ah did?”

Fluttershy still had her head pressed against Applejack, still embraced in the cuddle. Sometime before the rain had stopped. Neither of them had noticed. Ever so softly, Fluttershy whispered, “what did you do?”

“Ah– ah killed our babies! Ah put you in the hospital and ran away! Ah didn't want to admit it, like if I didn't talk about it then it wouldn't be true.” Applejack heaved her shoulders, a cascade of tears flowing down her cheeks into Fluttershy's pink mane.

“Jackie, listen to me please, it was an accident. There was nothing anypony could've done. It was just that, an accident. And yes, I love you. I've always loved you, and I always will love you, understand?”

Applejack sniffled, bringing her tears under control. “Ah love you too sugar.”

Fluttershy ran her hoof down her wife's leg a couple of times while nuzzling her cheek softly. “Tell me about our foals.”

Applejack took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke. “Ah saw em, in the operatin’ room after the doctors were done. They let me an Twi in to see you, you were out from the gas though. Ah saw our babies in them boxes, an’ they were perfect, just perfect. They could’a been sleepin’, ah was hopin’ they were just sleepin’ but they were too still. Ah nuzzled ‘em, that one time. Ah said ah was sorry. They would’a been such fine ponies, kinder than you, more honest than me. Everypony would’a loved ‘em.”

Applejack couldn’t say anymore, she could feel the hot sting of fresh tears and wanted desperately to blink them away. She didn't want to cry again. Fluttershy lifted her head to her wife's face and brushed her lips over Applejacks closed eyes, kissing away her tears.

“Come on, love. Let's go home.” Slowly the yellow pegasus got to her hooves, and nudged Applejack to do the same, before noticing the farmer wasn't moving. “What's wrong Jackie?”

“Will they, y’know, be alright?”

“Sure they will,” Fluttershy smiled, “they have whole of heaven to play in, they'll be together forever, just like you and me.”

~ ~ ~

“AAaaaaaAAAGGGHhhhhh!”

“You're doing great Fluttershy, now, steady breathing. In, out, just like we practised.” The midwife, Cerulean Swirl, was infuriatingly calm.

"H - how is it going now?" Fluttershy managed to gasp out as the pain of the contraction faded away.

“You are seven centimetres dilated, doing brilliantly.”

“Seven? Still? I was seven four hours ago!” Sweat poured down her forehead, soaking her pink mane.

Applejack was sat beside her wife, holding her hoof in her own, as she had been since the labour had begun eleven hours before. “Y’all doin’ great sugarcube, just brea…”

Fluttershy shot her a vicious glare, “you tell me to ‘breathe’ one more time and I'll eat your face!”

Any further comment was silenced as her eyes went wide, another contraction was coming. They were only a few minutes apart now, the pain from one rolling into another, each one more intense than the one before it. Fluttershy panted as she was shown, performing the exercise that supposedly lessened the pain by breathing through it.

“Huh, huh, huh,” she clamped her hoof down on Applejack, causing the farmer to wince as the contraction peaked. “Hu, ho, HO HOLY CELESTIAAAAAAAAAGGGH!”

Fluttershy slumped back into the bed, she was exhausted, she wanted to sleep. Most of all she wanted this torture to be over. She had been warned about the pain of childbirth but had never in her wildest dreams thought it'd be as bad as this. Eleven bucking hours and she wasn't even fully dilated yet.

"You're doin’ great hon, ah’m mighty proud o’ you.” Applejack felt brave enough to attempt a warm smile in an effort to calm the distressed pegasus.

“I. Hate. You.” Fluttershy punctuated each word with a deep breath, bracing herself for the next contraction.

Applejack had been warned to expect this by the midwife, had been told this was entirely normal behaviour. It still felt very strange to hear Fluttershy of all ponies cursing her like this. Hitching up her widest of smiles she did her best to ignore it and concentrated on helping her wife as much as she could. A tensing of Fluttershy’s hoof was her only warning, and she braced her own just in time.

“AAAAAaaaaaaggGGGgghhHHH!” Fluttershy threw her head back and screamed, feeling the muscles around her cervix straining to push. She lashed out with her free hoof, seizing the midwife by her collar and dragging her face an inch from her own. “Get these things out of me NOW!”

Entirely unruffled Cerulean Swirl simply smiled and straightened her uniform before levitating over a glass of water for Fluttershy to drink, replacing the fluids lost through sweat. “Now, now,” she cooed as if chiding a naughty filly, “you get yourself to ten centimetres, and it'll be over before you know it.”

Applejack secretly hoped it'd be over soon too, her hooves were getting sore and she was sure there'd be bruises tomorrow. She was determined to be by Fluttershy's side though, she owed her that much if nothing else. She was going through this torment for them, after all. A small but welcome pressure on her bladder gave the farmer an excuse to get some air, for which she was grateful.

“Uh, nurse Swirl, am ah ok to nip t’ the bathroom?”

“Oh of course,” Cerulean nodded with an ever present smile, “we’ll be here for hours yet!” She added with too much glee.

Applejack removed her hooves from Fluttershy as gently and as quickly as she could, she could feel another contraction coming. “Ah’ll not be long sugar.”

Fluttershy barely nodded, her eyes widening as another wave of pain washed over her. “Hurry…back…” She clenched her eyes shut and screamed once more, “ApplejaAAAAGGHH!”

Applejack scurried out of the delivery room, happy on behalf of her sore hooves that she'd missed that one.

The bathroom on the maternity ward wasn't very far away, barely a minutes walk. If Applejack was honest with herself, and she tried to be, she really didn't need to go relieve herself she just needed some space. Fresh air. That's what she needed right now. Walking past the bathroom and down a little corridor she found the little blue fire door that lead to the rear of the hospital. Rearing to her hind legs she pushed the lever with her fore hooves to open the door, then sat on her haunches in the doorway so it wouldn't close behind her.

Breathing deeply through her nose Applejack steadied herself, it was getting intense back in the delivery room, so she took a few moments to collect her thoughts. She allowed her mind to wander over the past three years as she did so, recollecting how she and Fluttershy had made it this far.

In spite of herself she smiled at the memory.

It was last year, the night of their eleventh wedding anniversary, two years after the accident which had claimed Hush and Apple Kicker, when Fluttershy had sprung it on her. Totally out of the blue and with no warning whatsoever.

They had just had sex, and in her post orgasmic high Fluttershy was letting Applejack indulge her little fetish, namely tonguing her hooves. While Fluttershy couldn't claim to like it as much as her wife did, she had to admit it did feel nice when Applejack held her hind legs in her hooves and nibbled away gently on her hooves.

It was at this precise moment, just as Applejack had the whole of her left hind hoof in her mouth, sucking and running her tongue over the soft frog that Fluttershy dropped her bomb.

“Jackie?”

“Uh huh?” Applejack had just removed the left hoof and was starting on the right one, her deft tongue sliding over Fluttershy's ankle, nibbling at the hard outer part as she went along.

“I – I want to try again, to have foals.”

"Hmmmm." Applejack wasn't really listening, she was lost in her own little Equestria, one that included Fluttershy's butter yellow hooves, her tongue and little else. Her treacherous brain caught up with the farmer just as she took her wife's right hoof into her muzzle and was about to suckle it as the realisation of what Fluttershy had said hit her.

Applejack looked up from what she was doing, her green eyes met Fluttershy's blue ones and she froze for a moment, warm saliva slowly dribbling down the fur of the leg still held in her mouth.

“Y’all want what now, sugar?” Part of Applejack was hoping she had misheard, another part was hoping the opposite. She really wasn't sure which she wanted to win.

Fluttershy removed her leg from Applejack’s mouth, and tucked it under herself as she rolled forward to sit on her haunches. Doing so closed the gap between the mares to less than two feet, and looking square into those emerald green eyes Fluttershy repeated what she'd said.
“I want us to have foals. If you want to, we should try again.”

Applejack nervously ran a hoof through her straw blonde mane. She didn't know what to say, she cast her eyes about their bedroom, wanting to look at something, anything other than the expectant face in front of her. Eventually her gaze found the large framed photographs on the bedroom wall. One was of her and Fluttershy on their wedding day, the one next to it was of Hush and Apple Kicker. Twilight had levitated them both together and taken the photograph to give them something physical to remind them of their babies. Twilight had presented it to them the day after the foals funeral service. Neither of them had known Twi had taken it, she had conjured a camera while Fluttershy had been out from the surgery. Whenever she was at a loss over a course of action to take Applejack found herself staring at the photo, they always seemed to give her good advice.

So it was now, with Fluttershy sat beside her awaiting her answer did she find herself yet again in silent communion with her foals, almost asking their permission to try again.

Fluttershy noticed where Applejack was looking, and gave a tender smile as she extended a wing over her wife's shoulder, pulling her into a feathery cuddle.

“Get any good advice?”

Applejack blushed at the absurdity of it, her orange cheeks glowing a faint crimson. She knew Fluttershy wasn't mocking her, she had caught the pegasus consulting the photo on more than one occasion herself. Applejack nodded, not taking her eyes away from the treasured photograph.

“Yeah, ah reckon ah did.” Applejack leant into the cuddle, kissing Fluttershy's cheek so gently she barely disturbed the yellow fur. “You really want this, huh?”

"I do, more than anything.”

“Well then let's do it.”

Fluttershy pulled her wing back from Applejack, and turned to look her full in the face, “you – you mean it?”

“Sure ah mean it, ah reckon them young’uns gave us their blessin’. Ah don’ see why they can’ have a little brother or sister.”

They had gone to see Twilight about it the next day, after talking it over with Applejacks family first. They were overjoyed at the news they were going to try again for foals. Twilight again carried out the insemination, although she blushed a deeper shade of red than Mac’s coat when she revealed she still had the rest of his sperm in storage, ‘for research purposes’ was the only explanation they could get out of the flustered Alicorn.

Applejack smiled a huge smile as her memories caught up with her. That had been just under ten months ago, and despite her reservations and misgivings everything had gone beautifully during the pregnancy, and here they were, about to have two Pegasi fillies. Applejack had been a little disappointed at first one of them wasn't an earth pony but that had been quickly pushed aside by her joy that they were blessed once more with foals.

Names had been decided upon within the first month, Cloud Blossom and Apple Honey. From the scans they had seen, Cloud Blossom had a pale green coat and a mane so blonde it was almost white, whereas Apple Honey’s coat was a deep burnt yellow, with a pink mane just like Fluttershy's.

The only complication they had had was with Cloud Blossom. In the second month the scan had revealed the umbilical cord had wrapped itself tight around her left hind leg, stunting its growth to the point of atrophy. Both Dr. Stable and their midwife Cerulean Swirl had been reluctant to move it, for fear of their magic harming the growing foals. Applejack and Fluttershy had certainly been unwilling to risk it. Other than her leg, both fillies were healthy and they had been assured it wouldn't affect Blossom’s future growth any, except that flying would be harder for her due to the difficulty of landing on three legs as opposed to four. Like Fluttershy had said at the time, they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

Applejack shook herself out of her reverie, she really should get back to the delivery room. She'd only been gone ten minutes, the fur on the back of her neck was tingling as if something was wrong. Getting to her hooves she let the fire door close behind her as she made her way back to Fluttershy and her babies. Tapping a hoof on the door she cautiously pushed it open, wondering why Dr. Stable was there.

“Ah miss anythin’?”

"Where…the…hay…have…you…been?” Fluttershy gasped out, fighting back tears between her shallow breaths.

“What's wrong Doc?”

“Nothing too serious, I assure you. One of the foals, Apple Honey I believe, has her head pressed against the opening of the cervix and birth canal. Seeing as mom here is only eight centimetres dilated there isn't room to push her through. Midwife Swirl and myself were just about to perform the emergency section to get the foals out before any damage is caused to them or your partner.”

He made it sound easy, like it was a routine thing they did all the time. How could he be so calm?

“They'll be ok though, righ’?” A little pregnant ball of unease had settled in the pit of Applejack’s stomach, where it was busy giving birth itself to anxiety, panic and doubt. Applejack was about to voice her concerns when she felt a soft yellow hoof connect with her own, and looked up to see a sweat soaked Fluttershy look back at her with a pained smile.

“Hey, it – it’ll…be…fine, everything will…be…alright.”

“Ah thought ah was the one who was supposed to be comfortin’ you sugarcube?”

Cerulean Swirl had levitated an opaque screen onto Fluttershy's chest, blocking her view of her swollen belly.

“You don't need to see this honey, it can get a bit messy down there.” The cheery midwife offered in explanation.

Applejack felt the grip on her hoof increase as Dr. Stable ignited his horn.

“No need to panic, I'm just going to fire some pain killing magic to your spine. This will numb your lower body, then we can begin.”

Fluttershy felt like she was melting through the hospital bed as the doctors magic took effect, the relaxing effects numbing all the pain she had lived through in the past eleven hours. This was better than any spa break with Rarity.

Dr. Stable ran his hoof over Fluttershy's distended abdomen, prodding gently but firmly at her belly, his action hidden by the screen over Fluttershy's chest.

“Can you feel that, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy shook her head, realising she was entirely numb from the chest down.

"Very well. Then we'll get started.”

The doctor lit his horn once more, levitating a shiny razor sharp scalpel in his magical aura. With an incredible amount of skill that Applejack didn't believe existed he carefully pressed the blade against the yellow fur and in one fluid motion drew it across her wife's belly, cleanly slicing through the layer of fur and skin underneath. With the practised ease of a well oiled machine Cerulean Swirl then levitated two hinged instruments into either end of the cut, and spread them apart so they held open the freshly made inscision. While the midwife was doing this the doctor had gotten a clean blade, and was proceeding to cut through the uncovered muscle into Fluttershy's womb.

As she watched this delicate operation take place in front of her Applejack was sincerely pleased Fluttershy couldn't see what they were doing. It really was like a scene from a cheesy horror movie.

Placing the used scalpel on the tray beside the bed, Dr. Stable lit his horn for a third time, this time his magical field appeared inside Fluttershy, it seemed to be feeling around before settling on something Applejack couldn't see. With a barely discernible shift in his concentration the doctor brought his field towards him, bringing with it a very red very sticky bundle of fur and feathers. Cerulean took the messy bundle in her own field and moved it with her towards the nearby sink where she gave it a gentle wash and swaddled the feathery ball in a small white blanket. The midwife picked up the swaddled foal in her field once more and was about to hand the tiny filly to Applejack, who immediately dropped her forelegs and nodded non too surreptitiously towards a grinning Fluttershy. Catching on Cerulean switched her destination and deposited the filly in Fluttershy's waiting hooves as Dr. Stable repeated his procedure, bringing forth the second foal for the midwife to clean while he magically closed up the wound from the operation.

Within a very short space of time Cerulean Swirl nudged Applejack’s shoulder gently before offering her the second swaddled filly to hold. This time she accepted without hesitation. Fluttershy held Apple Honey, she held Cloud Blossom. The two new mothers both held their sleeping fillies, watching their tiny chests rise and fall against the blankets. Neither knew for sure what future awaited their little girls, but they were both sure they were going to make it a good one.

Applejack carefully lifted Cloud Blossom in her hooves and handed her to Fluttershy, who cradled her in her other foreleg.

“What d’you think ‘mommy’?”

Fluttershy gently rubbed her lips over each tiny forehead before looking over at Applejack through exhausted tired eyes.

"They’re perfect, absolutely perfect.” Was all she was able to breathe out before her fatigue overtook her and the yellow pegasus promptly fell asleep, her babies in her arms.

Applejack simply scooted her chair closer to the bed, and laid her head on Fluttershy's now empty belly, watching her new family asleep before her.

"Ah reckon they are that, sugarcube, they are that."

This was written by Alchemicgree and is used with his express permission.

This chapter is set roughly a year after Luna & Octavia got together and details how Prince Dusk was conceived with the aid of a bat pony guard by the name of Night Watch.

It had been another year since Octavia first played for Luna, and the two mares had been dating for a little over eight months. After so much time together, Luna and Octavia had gradually become more and more sexually active. Their most recent date, which had consisted of a cloud five thousand feet above the Royal Palace, an enchanted gramophone, a charmed wine bottle designed to refill itself and a personalised night sky just for her earth pony, had brought them back to Octavia's suite in the Palace’s east wing.

In a fit of deep passion, Luna and Octavia were moaning each other’s names as both of their wet pussy lips were giving each other wet, sloppy kisses. Their rear legs were grinding and pressing together, their forehooves pushed against the ends of the bed, and their tongues hung out of their mouths.

"Is your sister going to walk in on us again?” Octavia asked as Luna began to get more and more dominating in her grinds and presses.

"She might,” Luna commented slyly as Octavia submitted to the Princesses advances. "You know she needs all the pointers she can get…”

“Hey! Lulu that’s not funny!” Octavia pouted, with all her willpower momentarily stopping what they were doing with a strong hoof pressed to her marefriend’s chest.

Blinking her turquoise eyes, Luna realised she’d overstepped the mark just slightly. “Tavi…baby…I promise Celly won’t walk in. I’m sorry for my bit of fun.”

Try as she might, the dark grey earth pony mare couldn’t stay mad at her beautiful lover. With the alicorn’s apology accepted it only took a few more hard grinds to get her back on the edge of her climax. “Oh…Oh goddess, L-Luna! Keep going, I'm gonna, I'm gonna!" She screamed at the height of her pleasure.

"Keep going!" Luna all but commanded as she was reaching her orgasm. "I want you to cum with me!"

Octavia didn't complain, she loved it when Luna got all dominating; it was a sort of turn on. Tilting their heads back in pleasure, both mares let out an orgasmic scream as they both felt shocks of pleasure shoot through them. Their orgasms spent, Luna and Octavia fell back onto the soft bed. Within a couple minutes, the two lovers were embracing each other in a gentle cuddle, their bodies still soaked in sweat and passion.

"That was amazing." Octavia cooed against her lover's body. "I love you so much, Luna."

"I love you too Octavia." Luna cooed back, nuzzling against her love's body. But, her tone was a little more mono-toned than usual.

"Are you okay?" Octavia asked. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, we've been together for nearly a year now." Luna started. "But I...I...well..."

"You still want to find out who that missing pony is?" Octavia finished Luna's thought. "I know how much finding that descendent means to you. If you want, I could help."

"I...I can't..." Luna said, a small bit of sorrow in her voice. "I failed her, and it's up to me to find him. I'm close, I just...I just don't know what to say."

"I know you'll think of something." Octavia smiled, supporting her love. "Also, there is something I wanted to talk about." Luna didn't answer but the expression she showed told Octavia she wanted her to continue. "What do you think about having foals?"

The next couple weeks have been an extra bit of stress for Luna. The search for Sky Dive's descendant, in addition to Octavia's request for children has made Luna a little too distracted and worried to even focus on her own Night Court, let alone do anything else. Thankfully, Celestia was supportive, helping Luna organize the paperwork and even took care of the Moon. As for her search on the lost heir, Luna was close. She knew it was one of her guards now. It had to be! But which one? But tonight, that had to wait. Tonight, Luna and Octavia were going to discuss the idea of foals.

Sitting in the private chambers of her suite, Luna awaited Octavia's arrival. Octavia had previously made it clear that she wanted to discuss everything tonight. Luna couldn't refuse, even with all her stresses and worries, Luna didn't want to miss anytime with her marefriend. But presently her wait came to an end. A knock at the door woke her from her thoughts.

"You may enter." Luna called to the door.

The door opened revealing Octavia, looking oddly more ravaging and slightly flushed than usual. But she was not alone; besides her was one of Luna's guards. Night Watch was his name. He was a bat stallion with a crème shade of blue and a nearly shaved mane that looked as though it might be a dark shade of midnight blue. His cutie mark was a crescent Moon with a pair of white wings; but what really drew Luna's attention was his sparkling green eyes.

"Night Watch?" Luna commented. "Octavia's escort wasn't necessary, but I thank you."

"My pleasure Princess." Night bowed his head. "I was ordered by Princess Celestia to escort Lady Octavia to your chambers and to guard the door to ensure nopony is to bother or interrupt you two."

Before Luna could ask, Night simply nodded and left the room. Looking Octavia over, Luna saw more and more that Octavia was strangely more aroused and trembling than normal. "Uh Octavia?" Luna asked. "Are you in…"

Octavia suddenly leaped at Luna, pressing her to the bed; but not before her mouth pressed against Luna's. "Heat? Yes!" Octavia continued her oral assault on Luna's mouth, soon moving it to her neck. Luna wanted to struggle a little, but deep down, she was enjoying this; her body shivered in the excitement and pleasure Octavia's mouth was giving her.

"Y-You shouldn't be here." Luna reluctantly commented. "If you're in heat, then…"

"I don't care!" Octavia said, interrupting Luna's comment with more kisses, and her hoof moving down to Luna's nether regions. After a couple seconds of rubbing, Octavia giggled in Luna's mouth. "It seems somepony is getting wet."

"I-It's not like that." Luna blushed, finally getting Octavia off. "Octavia. I love you, but a foal. I mean how could we do that? We're both mares."

"We can find a donor." Octavia suggested, “I think I even found the perfect candidate.”

"Candidate?" Luna's turquoise eyes widened and her ears drooped at the thought of some other pony mating with her marefriend. "Who could possibly be a suitable donor?"

"You can come back in." Octavia called to the door. The door opened, revealing Night Watch.

"Night Watch?!" Luna asked. "But why?"

"Princess Luna..." Night Watch began his explanation. "I just wanted to tell you something. When I was a little colt, back when you were sealed in the Moon, I was told by my mother that if I were to ever meet you, I was to tell you this. The tree where you met her was a black walnut and the Moon was full and shinning when you two met."

"W-w-what did you say?" Luna asked, the world seems to halt around her. "H-How do you know this?"

"Because you were good friends with my ancestor...more than good friends…" Night answered, bowing his head in respect. "I was always told that you and Sky Dive were the closest of friends."

"You..." Luna dropped to her knees, the tears wouldn't stop flowing. "After all this time...you were right there...and I never knew...I'm a horrible Princess and a worst friend...I couldn't even..."

"It's okay Luna." Octavia hugged the still crying Luna close. "From what you told me, Sky forgave you, she always loved you, just as I love you."

"Princess." Night presented himself, showing off his more toned body. "I was ordered by Princess Celestia to help with Lady Octavia's consummation. But only if you wish it."

"You mean..." Luna looked at Octavia, then back at Night, then to Octavia again. "You want him to be the father?"

"I want you to be the parent." Octavia said, hugging Luna tighter. "Who better to impregnate me than your old loves descendent?"

"But, but…such an idea. I mean, how I could ever…" Luna's words were interrupted by Octavia's kissing mouth.

"I know this is a lot to take in all at once." Octavia said. "I'm sorry I'm rushing your choice. We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Luna sat there for a moment, her mind was going crazy from the thoughts and revelations. Here was her marefriend, offering to get pregnant with the child of the descendent of her first love's bloodline. The very idea was almost a mixture of too good to be true yet too bad at the same time. How could Luna allow this? But looking at Octavia, how she cared for Luna, how she was willing to put her own needs behind Luna's. Wiping the last of her tears away, Luna nodded her head, kissing Octavia back.

"You may proceed." Luna ordered Night Watch, quickly recovering her composure. "Night Watch, you are to consummate with Octavia and you are to not stop until she is impregnated. Understood?"

"Yes Princess." Night nodded. "I shall fulfil my role as donor and once my task is done, the child will be yours and Lady Octavia's."

Luna didn't say anything else, she merely nodded as she slid around the large sumptuous bed to nestle in alongside her marefriend’s head, getting ready to give her kisses and encouragement as was needed. Octavia remained on the bed, leaning back to give Night Watch room on the bed. As strange as it was knowing what was to come, Luna felt a strange sense of arousal from this situation. She has read that some couples would do something like this, sharing with another pony to spice things up. Her niece, Cadance had taken great lengths telling her all about it. She just didn't know how to approach Octavia about it. But here she was, about to watch Octavia be rutted by another pony; even more kinky, to get impregnated by another pony.

"How would you want me to proceed?" Night Watch asked, staring as Octavia raised herself to show off her wet marehood. It was obvious that despite the focused look on his face, Night was aroused; his stallionhood was already out and was quite large for a stallion of his age.

"Just put it in." Octavia stated, wiggling her rear towards the guard. As aroused as she was, Octavia was never too into stallions. "What are you waiting for…ahh"

Night saw that Octavia was wet, but not wet enough to take in his full girth. So instead of trying to hurt her, Night leaned in and starting licking at Octavia's slit; lubing her up for his eventual intercourse. Despite her affections towards Luna, Octavia was feeling very good from Night's tongue. The way he was stroking her inner lips and lapping up her juices, it only made her wetter. For a moment, Octavia looked at Luna. The moment Octavia and Luna's eyes met, the feeling that her love was watching her body being played with by someone else sent a new shiver through her body. This shiver made her pussy squirt out an early orgasm.

Seeing her beloved mare have her first climax of the evening, and the connection they held with each other's lingering gaze, Luna bent her neck and gave Octavia a deep passionate kiss, wasting no time at all in sliding her tongue into her mouth.

"Are you alright Lady Octavia?" Night asked, hopping he hadn't been too rough on her.

"I-I'm…I’m fine." Octavia gasped around Luna’s kiss, she tried to compose herself, but she was just too horny to really relax. "Just shove that…dirty…big…sexy… oh just rut me!"

"Yes my lady." Night said, placing his forehooves on Octavia's rear, before thrusting his large cock into Octavia's tight pussy. Though she was by no means a virgin, having been subjected to Luna’s fun collection of toys, an actual cock on a real enthusiastic stallion was an altogether different proposition to a dildo.

Seeing her marefriend struggle to take the bat pony’s length – and girth – Luna decided once again to delve her tongue straight into Octavia’s mouth, while, at a devious thought the lunar alicorn lit her horn and with a subtle little spell she sent rippling vibrations through the dark grey earth pony mare’s breasts and nipples. With the heat-addled mare now dripping wet and whimpering due to the Princesses timely intervention, Night Watch went back to his duty, pulling out half way; only to thrust back inside Octavia's slit to the hilt, burying himself inside her.

Night continued his fucking; slow at first and making sure to slowly widen Octavia's pussy so he wouldn't hurt her. While this was going on, Luna continued to kiss her marefriend’s lips as well as magically caressing her breasts. It was still too much to take in at once. To think that the descendant she was looking for was right there all this time. Night Watch was not only one of her guards, but was also the one who was almost always stationed to guard her chambers and even escort her around the castle. The pony she spent so long searching for was right there. After feeling that her pussy was wet enough to take more, Night started to roughly pound against the mare, maintaining a firm pressure on her hips while Octavia quietly moaned with delight. The sound of his groin slapping against her echoes throughout the room, followed by Night's growing grunting and the Octavia's moans of ecstasy.

Eventually, Night began to feel himself coming to a climax, his movements were getting faster and faster as he built up to his release. Below him, Octavia had already lost herself to the pleasure of Night's broad shaft, her eyes were rolled upwards and her tongue was soon drooling out of her mouth while her face rubs against the soft bed. With a final thrust, Night's hips lurched forward as he painted Octavia's insides with his thick spunk, relishing in the feeling of his ejaculate filling her up to the brim and plugging her entrance; as well as this act being finally over. Slowly, Night released himself from Octavia's tight body, finishing off by covering her curved back and rump with the rest of his seed.

"I hope I fulfilled my role." Night commented, a little short on breath from his orgasm, seeing how much he came inside Octavia; a small bit of pride filled him when he saw a little of his cum was trickling out of Octavia's pussy.

"You did excellently," Luna commented as she finally broke her long-held kiss she had shared with the dark grey mare before her voice filled with uncertainty. "Ah, you...I…"

"Of course Princess." Night bowed before heading to the door. "I shall ensure nopony disturbs you both."

"Night Watch!" Luna called out to watch the stallion stop and turn. "Thank you, and I...I'm sorry for what happened to her."

"Thank you Princess," Night commented, "I know she would have loved to see you again." He turned back to the door least he see his Princess cry.

"One more thing," Luna said addressing the stallion while looking deep in her lover's eyes. "When the foal grows old enough to ask questions about their origin. We'll tell them of you."

The stallion staggered a step as he continued towards the door unable to think of a reply.

"Thank you for making my wife happy," Luna added as she watched Octavia's eyes grow wide.

The stallion left the room with a smile on his face and quietly closed the door.

Luna looked Octavia over until her focus stopped on the puddle of fluids on the bed. "Do you think it worked?"

"Wife?" was all the earth pony could manage.

The Princess snapped her attention form the mess back to Octavia's face. "Yes, I think a foal should have two sets of parents." Luna leaned in for a kiss.

When they separated Octavia smiled and looked down. "Yes, they should." She ran a hoof over her belly. "I believe it did," She said to answer the earlier question then looked back up into her lover's eyes, "What should we name it?"

"If it's a colt...Dusk Melody." Luna considered, feeling Octavia's warm sweaty body close to her.

"And if it's a filly?" Octavia asked, cuddling back to her love. "How about Moon Dive?"

"I'd like that." Luna kissed Octavia's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." Octavia kissed her lover back.

Written by and used with the express permission of EquestrianKirin

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

My hoof drifted up and around for a bit, trying to get that wretched beeping sound to stop from my alarm clock. Darn it, i can't find it!...well, i did, but instead of stopping the clock, it just fell on the floor.

Great.

"Ugh, off. Off!"

One right hit with my hoof, and it's off. Finally, that noise had ceased. In the name of Celestia, I'd wish Canterlot didn't invent such things. Keep them in Manehattan, why dontcha?!

Unable to venture back into the dreamscape, I managed to haul myself out of bed. A bit unsettled, but, hey it works. I had a mirror right next to my bed, where i saw that dark blue, grey mane Pegasus stallion. With his Cutie mark of cello and moon on the flank, and hair in a mess!

Better fix that. However, the fact I didn't have a horn to manipulate the comb with, and hooves aren't the best uses for picking up and using a brush, no claws or talons to use like griffins do. Well, at least it wasn't that bad, and a few strokes was all it took to get my hair done right, nice strokes back and rounded out up front. Guess i got that from Mom...Oh well, my plans weren't up much today...I think...

After handling my hair and mane, I went off downstairs, trying to keep myself awake until I get my morning tea (yes, tea, not coffee). Guess when it came to Canterlot's standards, my home was rather average for the rich. Wide open, fancy, expensive, the usual necessities. I managed to find, and make my tea after some search in my high-class kitchen, making sure not to spill a drop on my clean floor. I could've swore I was forgetting something for that day, but, what exactly? I couldn't put my hoof on it, but, I thought there was something to do...Before i could really recall what exactly it was, my eyes drifted off to the calendar on my fridge...hm...Wednesday...wait...WAIT!
"Oh my goodness, the theatre!"

How could I be so stupid?! I had this important performance I had to handle, and that's tonight! Oh buck, I better get myself up and ready. I know, it's early in the morning, but, the theatre's quite a ways away, and I needed the spare time to practice before my performance anyway. Soon after the tea, my mad dash lead me back upstairs, to my bedroom closet. I didn't realize how much force my hoof done to the door, hearing it slam, as I quickly managed to discover my Violin case, violin inside.

Thank Celestia! My violin, my pride and joy, a gift from my mother, the famous cello player Octavia. She gave me the Violin for my 6th birthday, and it meant a TON to me. Besides, my Mom's going to be there to watch the performance as well, so, I best not ruin it.
"Good, nothing tainted. Time to go," I thought, as I wrapped the Violin's harness around my waist, and went off on my way outside. Guess the importants of planning come from my other Mom too.

Yes, I said OTHER Mom. I know what you're thinking; one woman helped take care of the other...nope, it's exactly what it sounds like: I have 2 mothers, and no father. A bit of an enigma that I'm here, that'd the case, my mothers being lesbians and all that. First mom's Octavia, told you about that, but then my other mother (ready for this) is actually princess Luna! Crazy, I know but, where else did I get my wings and dark blue fur from? As for how I ended up here...well, let's just say magic is pretty...Dynamic...yeah, we'll go with Dynamic for now. One could even say Magic made me exist to begin with.

~ ~ ~

Canterlot itself was already rather busy by the time I'm up, out, and on my way towards the Theatre. My trot went on rather well as I went down the road. I would normally fly, but, I get a bit tired out a little too easily went flying, and last thing I wanted was to be winded and sweaty once I arrive. There were other sophisticated ponies that went on pass me, handling their own business too. I don't mind too much, but, sometimes I'd prefer a straight path over a curved one, and that's rough with a number of ponies in your way.

"Okay, keep on your hooves, Dusk, you'll get there in no time," I told myself, trying not to get in anypony's way. At least, I'm hoping not. However, one bump into a stallion kinda made me a bit off track.

"Pardon me, sir," I immediately said, almost instinctively, as I checked my precious violin case for any scratches or bumps.

None.

Good.

The stallion in front of me walked pass with a nod, my eyes kind of watching him...he looked fine for a stallion...nice flank, too...ARGH, focus!, Dusk!

Yeah, I've kind of fell in the homosexual pit too, I prefer Stallions from mares, but, be honest. If you grew up with 2 lesbian mothers with no taught over heterosexuality whatsoever, and seeing how being in love with the same gender is normal, you'd probably end up feeling a bit homo too. But, I don't have time to think about that, I got places to go and performances to make! My trot began to turn into a gallop as the pressure began to settle in. Time's ticking, Dusk, get those hooves moving. The ponies by me were making it rough to run through, AND trying to avoid getting myself and my Violin unharmed. To me, this is VERY important, I shan't be late for such an event!...Oh, if I could just -

*WHAM*

So much for vision, didn't even notice the pony in front til I ran into her. I felt my violin case go flying in the air, as I picked myself up off the street concrete. I could hear my case bounce down the street about 4 times before it stopped, landing on the front. Oh sweet Luna! My mad dash was a bit unnecessary, but, my violin could be shattered after that! The case swung open, as i made the life-saving inspection...

Nothing.

...wait...

"No!"

Oh crud. The violin itself looked the same, but the strings had been snapped! What am I going to do?! I bit my lower lip as my mind raced around for 5 seconds. Without much other thought, I closed the case, got it back on, and made like a rocket and took off to the Theatre. I'm sure I could think of something when I get there...

~ ~ ~

...I didn't think of something when I got there.

I was in the backroom, in one of those rooms where the stars go to prep up. My room looked rather the same as a regular prep room should be, mirror, tuxs nearby, and a stool so I could practice. I made sure to keep the door shut behind me, as I tried to think over what to do about the strings. The strings snapped off in various places, depending on the string.

"Okay, okay, you can fix this," I told myself, trying to motivate myself. I looked to my clock: 5:30.

Good, I got plenty of enough time to practice my full a cord (and fix my Viola) before it'll be time, I can figure something out, this should be an easy fix, just a few strings...very, important strings...

"Okay, one idea."

My hooves and mouth went off to work on the violin, trying my best to work out each string in the proper place. Tie by tie, getting it just right so there wasn't any bulge to interrupt the strokes while I'm playing. It took a few agonizing minutes of try and re try, but, the work paid off...maybe. The strings were in one piece, anyway. I sat down on my stool, the violin in hoof, and I began to try out my cords.

So far so good...

*SNAP*

nevermind. The strings whacked my muzzle...Ouch...I rubbed my muzzle, which turned red from the whipping strings, as my mind started to comprehend what happened: the strings wrapping didn't work. All that work getting the strings to attach together in the first place took a good 20 minutes out of my practice time! 5:50 now, and the performance itself starts at 7:00! I got at least an hour, I need some help!

NOW!...Just hope no one else knows.

*knock**knock**knock*

Speak of the devil.

All i could do was hide the broken Violin behind me as another pony came into my room. So much for privacy until the time would come. And even worse, it just so happened to be Octavia, my mother. She would usually come to see me before a performance before when I'm with others, and I was hoping she wouldn't be here to see what happened...Looks like I'll need to work on some words.

"Hey, mom!"

"Hello, sweetie. I'm so proud that you're handling the solo performance."

"Yeah, thanks. Me too."

So far, so good. Keep it up, Dusk.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeahsureillbefine."

Crap, too fast. And my other's questionable look told me so.

"Is everything alright?"

Think Dusk, think!

"Okay, I maybe a little bit nervous about it..."

Good save. I felt my mother's hoof rest on mine.

"Don't be so worried, honey. I've gone through this same thing when I was young, just like you, and I've managed to make it," Octavia told me. I could feel sweat going down my forehead.

"I know, you told me that already many times. Thanks, now I'm a bit busy, I'll get myself -"

"What happened to your violin?"

Oh buck, she saw it. So much for that, she could see the strings broken up on it, clear as day. I could feel my heart race as worry shot through me on what she would say: it was her gift to me years ago!...But, why is she smiling about it?

"Here honey, I think I can help," she told me, walking pretty close to me...

"Really? But how can - ACK!"

What the heck? My mom just pulled out a couple of my hairs! What was that for, I kept my mane in check, I didn't need it yanked out. Oddly, she stood near my violin, hairs in her teeth, and started doing...something, I couldn't tell from behind her. I heard a few tweaks, or something like that, and then she back away. The Violin, it'd been fixed!

"Wha? Oh my goodness - thank you!"

My mother gave me a wink.

"No trouble at all. Sorry I had to pull off your hair, honey."

"Yeah, why'd you do that? That hurt!"

"Because this is your instrument, dusk. Now it's apart of you," Octavia said, just before leaving. A bit odd to hear, but, I understand what she was getting at. Wish she didn't use my hair though, regardless. But, at least the Violin's fixed.

~ ~ ~

Time ticked away, practice proved well, and soon before I even realized it, it came. Time to begin. I could feel myself getting sweaty again, trying to dry off as I walked onto the stage. The red curtains were still up, so I got time to settle down on the stool in the middle of the stage, and get myself set up. My hooves balanced the violin in front of me, as I could hear the lead announcer in front. I couldn't exactly hear what he said, yet, I knew what was coming. Soon after the announcer had finished, the curtains moved away, revealing myself to the crowd around me. So many ponies, all high class, were there to watch my performance, including Octavia in the front. I gulped upon the sight, and the spotlight shined right on me, so everypony could see me. My eyes met up with my mothers, whom looked to me with a gentle, reassuring smile. It helped, but not enough to completely remove my worry.

I need to get this.

With violin in hoof, eyes closed to focus, I begun to play my tune. The song I was supposed to play was similar to a sort of "Coltzart no.5" flow, one I myself had some slight trouble with, but so far, the music itself seemed to be rather well to my own ears. I was just hoping the others watching me agree with it. The song continued to play on through, which felt like forever to compose, my hoof moving side to side in almost a smooth wavy motion, as the musical notes continued to play through to the audience, and my mother as well. Course, she's gonna give her support, but I wasn't sure with the others. I continued to envision the way it goes inside my brain, making sure not to open them as I continued, not wanting to remind myself on where I was. I couldn't tell if anyone was smiling at me, or simply scolding me in their head...
Something didn't sound right as I was playing. The song was spot on, sure, but, the strings they...felt straining. I think...oh no, not here, not now! The same sounds my own strings made just before they snapped off! This isn't good, but, I couldn't stop now! I continued to play through my tune, starting to quicken the pace so I could get done before the strings break, and boy was it a bother! I must continue, I have to! In the name of Celestia, please don't break on me, I'm so close!...

..............................

...I'm done...

I've finished my solo composure. I opened back up my eyes, seeing the crowd applaud me. I done good...I did it.

Great job, Dusk Midnight Melody.

However, as i bowed, i could still hear the string strain from the play. As soon as those curtains closed...

*SNAP*

...Again...ouch...

This chapter is written by Storm Butt and is used with his express permission

“One hundred and fifty two, one hundred and fifty three, one hundred and fifty four...” Wildfire mumbled under her breath and, with every word she uttered she dropped another glimmering, golden bit into the leather sack around her neck. “Hundred fifty fi...”

The yellow mare was cut off when her hoof fell to her side and she didn’t feel anything but the marble, tiled floor. She looked to the corner which she had taken refuge in and realized that indeed, she had run out of bits. A heavy sigh exhaled from her lungs when she tightened the bag of bits and slung the small strap around her neck. She shoved it under her white shirt which bore gigantic yellow buttons and drew her bottom lip into her mouth to bite on it. She held out her hoof and continued counting before she began to look around the large, bustling kitchen.

Bustling was a good way to describe it; ponies were always talking and moving like a machine, running fast but never in the way of others. They all clicked like they were designed for their roles and had fit in for years. They barked orders on top of each other barking orders on top of each other, and yet somehow nothing ever had to be repeated. It was energetic and frazzling, but in a fascinating sort of way.

She had found brief refuge on her break in the corner of the kitchen where nopony seemed to venture, as it was crammed uncomfortably between a large fridge and sink. But if you were thin enough to squeeze into the area, it did provide a moment of relaxation where nopony would bother you. But with a sigh she looked to the clock on the opposite end of the kitchen and realized that her moment was indeed just that, a moment.

Wildfire slipped out back into public view and reassured that the bag of bits was still around her neck before venturing further. She was about to head forward and resume work when suddenly a mare burst out before her from the swinging door directly to her right.

“EEP!” Wildfire would deny she ever made that noise if asked, but regardless it still came out of her in sudden startlement. The unicorn before her rushing to the other end of the kitchen was dressed rather…appealingly from head to hoof in feathers that left far too little for her comfort to the imagination. There was an empty platter on her back that she quickly dumped into the sink at her side before grabbing a new one. Wildfire felt near mesmerized at the sight of her. This place certainly knew what they wanted in a waitress, she thought.

“Hey, Wildfire, could you not stare at the mares like you’re a dirty old stallion and come back to work?” A voice questioned from beside her. This again made her jump and make another unseemly girlish gasp. However this time in recognition of the voice she swung around and hit her hoof directly into the shoulder of the stallion next to her.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Wildfire hissed when her hoof connected to the shoulder of the stallion. His face remained blank, but he was busy running a hooftowel over a plate when he stared down at her and blinked his eyes.

“I didn’t sneak up on you,” Brightstar said in a matter-of-fact kind of a tone. He raised his eyebrow but still managed to keep his face blank. “You were just too busy looking at the backside of the staff, apparently. Y’know Dusk looked redder than a rose when he accidently saw that?”

“Please don’t talk to me about how you and Dusk stare at mares,” Wildfire looked away and into the kitchen. There was at least a dozen ponies, but she spotted two familiar faces that moved a bit slower and less like an oiled machine than the rest; they seemed uncomfortable, as if their gears worked for a different machine and they were simply uncomfortably forced into the one they had at hoof.

“Oh, sorry!” Dusk Melody, in his dark blue coat, called out when one of the chefs shoved past him and knocked him a bit to the left. “Geez,” he mouthed when he looked back to the stove and thought nopony was watching.

“Waaaaait, you’re telling me you DON’T bake those little strips of hay into the bread?” Cyclone asked in a loud tone that boomed above all the others. She was black as night but she had this look in her eyes that was brighter than the sun. She was talking to a much less enthusiastic stallion who bore a smile that looked far more polite than authentic. “Then how in Equestria do you shove em in there when they’re all hard and flaky?”

“Why are they paying us, again?” Brightstar leaned over to wildfire and mumbled. He seemed to have humor in his tone, but once more Wildfire leapt back when the same mare walked before the two with another platter on her back. Brightstar looked to her and blinked his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. “They don’t bite, y’know. Least not if you don’t ask them to without some bits.”

“Quiet,” Wildfire raised her hoof and shook her head. “I’m going back to work.”

“Hold up!” Brightstar reached out his hoof and snatched at her own to swing her back around to face him. “Got a job for you.”

“The dishwasher has a job for me?” Wildfire raised her brow with a bit of humor. “Oh, how ever can I assist you?”

“Ha ha,” He rolled his yellow eyes with sarcasm and then tapped his horn. It glowed bright yellow and suddenly a large platter filled with glasses of clear liquid that Wildfire smelled to assure was only water was brought before her. “Darkie and the others are on in ten minutes. Boss likes us to keep them hydrated, y’know. I’d do it myself but I’m already emotionally scarred by seeing my sister dressed like that. If this is my punishment for drinking like a fool with all of you and ending up here then I’d say it’s too much.”

“Your sarcasm is appreciated,” Wildfire giggled. Though she said this, there was a look in his eyes that legitimately begged her to do his deed. She accepted with a nod and let the platter slide onto her back. She flicked her tail and threw him a smile. “Back in a jiffy,” she winked at him.

“Yeah yeah,” He waved her out and absent mindedly returned to his sink and picked up another dish.

Wildfire pushed her way out of the door and was greeted with bright neon lights that read. “Las Pegasus Bitgivers.”

This was…possibly the biggest lie Wildfire had ever read, and all it took to tell her this was a simple look around the place. Slot machines upon slot machines were lined up almost directly before her. All of them were filled with stallions and mares of various ages with various looks of anguish on their faces every time they pulled their respective levers.She bit down on her tongue when she passed them and tried to look down at the red and black carpet under her hooves.

The place certainly was bustling, that was for sure. When she was forced to look up she saw several admittedly handsome stallions as dealers around various tables. One even threw her a wink that shined with confidence, and despite the fact he was clearly on in his years, Wildfire felt her cheeks grow warm.

Wildfire looked straight ahead and saw a stage at the very back of the place with a curtain drawn in maroon and gold shades. Very eyecatching, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that the curtain was not what anypony was going to be focusing on in a bit. She shook her head, pushing the thought aside and continued onward.

She found a staircase at the far left of the stage that led up to a steel door with two stallions in sunglasses and suits standing before it and eying anypony that passed. Wildfire approached them and nodded to the glasses on her back, the grey stallion on the left giving her a simple nod before stepping aside. The black stallion used his magic to open the door for her, which she gave him a polite smile and nod that…he did not return. Much like the royal guards in Canterlot, bodyguards must have been taught not to show emotion, she thought.

“Alright girls, ten minutes till showtime!” A discernible but butch sounding mare called out. She was standing near the doorway directly in front of Wildfire with a clipboard in her hoof. “Starshine you better bet those feathers are gonna be fluffed before you go out! And hey, Leaf Pool, you better stretch out those legs so you don’t get a cramp like last night!”

There were several cries of “Yes, Ma’am!” Before all the dancers went back to chattering quicker than Wildfire could keep up with. The mare turned around, and Wildfire was surprised to see she actually looked rather beautiful despite her deep sounding tone. She gave Wildfire a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It didn’t seem rude, just standard.

“Just in time,” the mare said with a nod to the table behind her. “Just put it over there. Be sure to get out before the show starts.” And, with that the mare walked past her before Wildfire could so much as say thank you. She was already looking back at her clipboard before she walked out the door.

“Wily!” A white mare seemed to burst from the crowd with an excited and downright bubbly look on her face. She was covered head to hoof in feathers and straps that made Wildfire’s face warm just looking at them. The mare bounced forward with a huge smile on her face. “Here, let me take that!”

“Thanks, Darkstar,” Wildfire felt the relief lift from her back when the unicorn used her magic to lift the tray of water from her back and slowly levitate it over to the table, which several mares gathered around quickly and snatched up their own glasses. She giggled again and turned to Wildfire. “You’re awfully… bubbly…”

“I was just showing some of the girls…” Darkstar paused, and then something seemed to click in her mind. Her eyes widened and she gasped before grabbing Wildfire’s hoof and giving her a tug. “Oh Celestia you don’t know yet! Come here, I need to show you this!”

“W - Wait, Darkstar I need to get back to wo...”

“They won’t notice if you’re gone for a second, just come here!” Darkstar pulled Wildfire through a mass of feathers and unmentionable places that she caught an unwilling sight of. She was dragged to the very back of the stage to a table with a large mirror before it. It had several different kinds of makeup and papers, but what caught Wildfire’s eye was the photos scattered about.

“Those aren’t…?”

“Uh huh!” Darkstar nodded before the other mare could finish and snatched up the photos. She handed them to Wildfire, who saw herself in one of the photos sitting next to Brightstar and giggling. The background was that of a castle, and a hoof was half covering the photo as if it had been taken carelessly. “The night of the big party! Boy I’m really glad that I had that camera after everything that happened. I didn’t have time to get all of them developed until last night! I wanted to show you all this morning but you guys start work so earrrrly!”

“Oh, Geez Darkie,” Wildfire couldn’t help but cover her mouth with her hoof and giggle when she flipped through the photos. Darkstar’s smile certainly was contagious, that was for sure. She came across a photo of Dusk Melody and Brightstar cuddling, or to be more accurate Dusk passed out clinging to an uncomfortable looking Brightstar’s mid section. “If you show this to Dusk he’ll be a blushing mess. He was out like a light so fast that night, huh?”

“Oh, look at this one of Cyclone!” Darkstar ripped out one from Wildfire’s hooves and showed it to her by holding it up. Cyclone was standing on her hind legs with her wings outstretched and a glass jar of some kind of liquid in her hoof. By the look on the mare’s face it was undoubtedly the hard moonshine they'd all been drinking that night. “Oh, darn, my hoof’s in THAT picture too! Geez I wasn’t paying attention at all.”

“I think if any of us were we’d ask how the heck we got to Las Pegasus in one night…” Wildfire mumbled more to herself than Darkstar, but of course the other mare heard her. Darkstar nudged her in the shoulder lightly and giggled, and when Wildfire looked to her she had a reassuring grin.

“Hey, I dunno about you but I’ve had fun here! All these mares are so nice. I don’t feel embarrassed at all when I dance with them,” Darkstar said while looking back to all the mares near the curtain still chattering. “I feel a lot more flexible, too! Haven’t had a workout like this in months.”

“Well, I don’t mind being around all that food,” Wildfire admitted with a small smile growing on her face. “I learned how to make a few things that I wanna try when we get back to Canterlot, too. It’s just…embarrassing, y’know, knowing we got so drunk we ended up halfway across Equestria? I mean how does that even happen?”

“Ummmm,” Darkstar drew out that line a bit suspiciously long and looked away briefly. She seemed desperate to change the subject all of the sudden. “Well it’s not so bad if it happens to all of us. We can be embarrassed together! I mean, we’ve almost got enough bits to get back, right?”

“Yeah, we almost got enough bits. One or two more nights and we’re good.” Wildfire shrugged and then giggled again. “We saw some neat things, though, like that big fountain with Celestia on it.”

“You also sort of walked into an adult store thinking it was groceries,” Darkstar giggled.

“It was called Eat 'Em Raw!” Wildfire defended herself futiley and pushed the photos back into Darkstar’s hooves. “I thought it was vegetables or something! Don’t bring that up, I’m getting bad flashbacks!”

Both the mares shared a brief laugh at the memory then Wildfire looked once more to the photos and then saw one of herself drinking the same liquid Cyclone had. She felt her face grow warm briefly with mild embarrassment, but luckily she didn’t have much time to dwell in it.

“Alright girls, it's show time!” The same mare with the clipboard from before had returned and pointed to the curtains. “Unless you’re planning to shake your plot out there everypony out!”

“S - Shake my what?” Wildfire mumbled, colouring up again. Cyclone was the exhibitionist, closely followed by Darkstar, not her. She felt a light but insistent push on her shoulders shove her forward and turned briefly to see Darkstar smiling and urging her to leave. They exchanged goodbyes briefly and Wildfire trotted quickly to the exit and buttoned up the top of her shirt, that line from before forcing her blush to linger.

When she exited the door she had came in before it took her eyes a moment to adjust. All of the lights were dimmed, illuminated only by the glowing screens of the slot machines and of course, the lights beaming onto the curtains of the stage. A faint music was playing in the background and growing with intensity. Wildfire trotted quickly to get a better view of the stage in the midst of a small crowd that had taken a break from their gambling to view the girls for...much different reasons than her, she assumed.

“Mares and Stallions, put your hooves together for…” An announcer voice echoed across the casino, catching everypony’s attention for a split second. “The Exotic, the wonderful, the talented, Feather Fluffers!”

The curtain ripped open and several of the ponies around Wildfire cheered. It made her want to shrink a little when she saw a total of twenty mares with Darkstar to the far right all crouched down with the lights slowly piling onto them. In an instant the music kicked off and they all sprung to their hooves and kicked before them in unison. They walked forward together, shaking their flanks and swinging their tails back and forth. Their hooves stamped virtually at the same instant with every step. The music was intense and loud, and definitely something she didn’t normally hear back in Canterlot. It was energetic and fast, lively and fierce. It even made her want to sway her hips a bit, though of course she controlled herself.

The mares all spinned together and then split off into groups of five and circled around each other. They clapped their hooves to the stage in beat of the song, and Wildfire spotted Darkstar throwing the crowd a wink every time she turned back to face it. The ponies around her were loving it, clapping every time they switched groups. One of the mares fluttered over another with her wings and did a little flip in the air. It was beginning to look much more like some elaborate circus act rather than an exotic dance. Of course it was all theatre to entertain the drooling crowd.

Wildfire backed from the crowd slowly. She had seen this dance a dozen times, but it always managed to captivate her. She figured she better get back to the kitchen soon before the ponies began to realize she was missing. She made her way through the crowd, but stopped briefly when she spotted something or, more accurately, somepony.

Dusk Melody and Cyclone were standing against the wall. Cyclone was talking and staring at the stage while Dusk took several nervous glances to the mares, as if simply seeing them embarrassed him. He scratched his ear uneasily and nodded every few seconds to Cyclone’s words. Wildfire walked up to them quickly and watched them both spot her, both giving a wave.

“What are you two doing out of the kitchen?” Wildfire questioned with a tilt of her head.

“We burned the food!” Cyclone said almost…proudly? Wildfire didn’t want to believe that was the right word to describe it, but she couldn’t really pinpoint it as anything else. Dusk seemed to blush and nod slightly. “It was still EDIBLE, I dunno why they got so mad when I tried to eat it even though they couldn’t serve it! Like I’m starvin’ here! So they forced us on break while they recook it.”

“One of the chef’s bumped into me and I dropped half a gallon of noodles into the burner,” Dusk said in a bit of a defeated, embarrassed tone; he tried to smile, but it looked forced. “Cyclone turned it up too high and burned the sauce.”

“I thought I told you to be careful about the fires,” Wildfire bit into the side of her cheek. Both ponies nodded, only Dusk sighing. He looked briefly back to the stage and blushed yet again. He had this strange look in his eyes like he wanted to watch but was far too embarrassed to let it be known.

“Yeah, they told us to just go on break. They aren’t mad or anything…must really be swamped if they want a couple of klutz’s like us running this mad house, huh?” He chuckled and looked between the two mares. Cyclone laughed as well, and Wildfire smiled. “It’s kinda neat though, just seeing this place run and all. It's a lot more hectic than I thought it would be. I don’t really notice I’m tired till we finish because we don’t get enough time to think.”

“Oh yeah, I drop dead the second we hit the sack!” Cyclone laughed and then glanced to Wildfire with a sudden change in attitude in her expression. “But man, Darkie must be even more worn out than us! She dances like that ten times a night! I don’t think I could do that once without wanting to pass out!”

“I dunno,” Wildfire shrugged and turned back to the stage. The ponies were jumping over each other now like some sort of complicated cheerleader routine that she had watched throughout her years of school. The only difference was the singer on the loudspeaker was rolling her R’s like there was no tomorrow. Two of the mares, Darkstar being one of them slid across stage, as in literally slid on their hooves without running, and twirled around each other by grabbing the other’s hoof and spinning as though they were on ice. “I think she enjoys it, I mean she wasn’t shy about it at all, was she? I didn’t know she could dance like that though. That ain’t just natural talent she has going on, she obviously learned it from somewhere.”

“You should ask Brightstar,” Dusk responded with another shrug. “Maybe their parents made them take those awful dancing classes. Y’know, the ones where you get so good that adults feel bad about themselves watching you.”

“Yeah, Brightstar isn’t one for dancing like that,” Wildfire giggled and tried to picture it in her mind. He was far too stoic to let himself go wild like his sister. It was a funny thought though, one that she made sure to store for when she got down on herself in the future. “That reminds me, I don’t wanna be fired on my last day. Gotta hit it back to the kitchen!”

The three ponies exchanged their goodbyes for the time being while Wildfire burst back into the kitchen. She barely had time to look at Brightstar, much less ask him about his sister’s exotic dancing before she was thrust back into work. Without realizing it, she too had become part of the machine she had marveled at earlier. Though she felt like a bit of a rusty gear, the chefs were patient with her and gave her a bit of oil, both figuratively and literally, when needed. She learned to prepare three new meals in the course of the next hour, and then spent her final hour chatting with Brightstar while washing dishes and occasionally going out to collect the dishes of the final customers leaving the place.

She was able to break his stoic expression and twist it into a gagging one whenever she brought up the sight of his sister in such an exotic piece of attire. She took great joy in this. He was not nearly as pleased with these jokes as she was. While there was scarcely five hours between opening and closing, the place did close down just long enough to make it spotless for the next day. Luckily for Wildfire, being a janitor wasn’t part of her job.

The best part of the night for her was always closing time. Though it was short lived and not nearly as energetic, the exhaustion clearly showing on the mares on stage, a final dance number was put on that usually was mainly for the workers. Most of the ponies besides the truly committed gamblers had learned to scramble long ago, and Wildfire found herself sitting at a table with weary eyes and a bag full of collected bits that the four ponies celebrated with glasses of free sparkling water provided by the casino as well as a round of leftover food that wouldn’t fit in the fridge and would spoil by morning’s time.

“Alright,” Wildfire said excitedly while placing the final bit on the top of a tower in the tiny city of gold she had created before her. “We finally got enough for all those tickets! Now let’s not try to gamble all out money for a lucky break like we did the first day! We worked hard for this money and we are heading HOME.”

She glared pointedly at Cyclone at that idea, who was whistling and shoving most of the food into her own mouth as if she couldn’t possibly hear Wildfire.

“And you said working here was a dumb idea, Brightstar,” Dusk Melody joked and jabbed his hoof into Brightstar’s ribcage. Brightstar was the only pony facing the back wall of the establishment and hunched over on his chair. He reminded Wildfire very much of the antisocial pony who sat in corners during parties too shy to talk to anypony.

“Something wrong, Brightstar?” She questioned with a tilt of her head.

“My sister is still dancing. I know I'm a voyeur and all, but I’d rather go blind than stare at that,” He grumbled grudgingly. Everypony shared a laugh and once again found it far funnier than he did.

“Mares and gentlecolts, thank you for your time! The dancers will be retiring for the evening and the Casino will be closing in fifteen minutes! Now skedaddle!” The announcer joked over the loudspeaker.

“Oh thank Celestia,” Brightstar spun around and saw the dancers just long enough for the curtain to close. Everybody smiled at him again while he returned to a cool, emotionless expression.

Wildfire was in the process of gathering up all the bits and shoving them into a single bag when she looked around to everypony surrounding her. “Well, we did it guys!” She said in a teamleader kind of muster that everybody nodded in affirmation to. “Now we gotta just get a good night’s sleep and hop on the first train to Canterlot at dawn.”

“Here’s to going home,” Cyclone shot up her glass and nearly hopped on the top of her chair. “UGGH, I miss my bed so much!”

Everypony laughed, and soon an undressed and sweaty looking Darkstar joined the four at the table and joined into the conversation as if she had been a part of it the entire time. They chatted the remaining fifteen minutes, Wildfire making sure to keep her bag of bits close to her. The night was far from young, and the ponies tired, but in that moment they all chatted like they weren’t stranded in a strange city for a week working their hooves off for a way home.

Come tomorrow, they would all be heading home.

Surprisingly, getting the train tickets was fairly easy. Wildfire had a feeling that just about everypony expected about a dozen more hoops to jump through in order to get them home that following morning, but shockingly she was handed five tickets issued for seventhirty that morning and told to wait for her train. The second she had returned with the tickets everypony slam dunked their work clothes into the trash as if glad to be rid of the place. All except for Darkstar, who had decided to keep her dancers uniform. This was to Brightstar’s disapproving glare, obviously.

“I think my favorite part was the lights,” Darkstar gushed and waved her hoof in the air. “Y’know, like when it gets dark in the sky but it’s still super bright because of how well lit Las Pegasus is? Everything in Canterlot is sooooo moody and soft lit! So prim and proper, nopony has harsh lights like this!”

“There was a ton of weird smells,” Dusk chuckled and fiddled with his hooves. “I rather liked it though, especially the kitchen. My hooves might have blisters, though. Hehe.”

“I think one of those waitresses gave me her address,” Brightstar mumbled and turned over a piece of paper in his hooves. “I…think she might have been hitting on me? It was weird…what should I do with it? She wrote a weird note and uh…it’s kinda…inapropriate.”

“OOH, gimme!” Cyclone shouted and fluttered over in an attempt to snatch it. It took the combined efforts of Brightstar and Wildfire to get her away from the paper before Brightstar could shove it in his bag away from her clutches. She never did explain why she was so adamant on reading it, just that she liked the idea of love letters.

“Well, I…” Wildfire started. She thought of saying something like how she liked the environment more than anything or something corny like that, but before she could do anything she heard an announcer voice call above their heads.

“Seven thirty Friendship Express to Canterlot. I repeat, Seven thirty to Canterlot now boarding coach.”

“That’s us!” Wildfire smiled happily and gathered up what little belongings she had and hopped to her hooves. The rest followed suit, all except Darkstar who was fiddling with her outfit. “C’mon Darkie, the train’s waiting!”

“Yeah, sorry, these feathers are just getting all caught in my hooves!” She laughed as though she found it funny. In a strange attempt to hurry herself up, she ended up dropping the entire outfit while standing up on her hooves. Dusk was the first to reach out and grab it, but strangely enough she yelled. “WAIT!” Then snatched it as fast as she could. It blew before them like a cape and suddenly five strips of white paper came flying out of one of the pockets.

It was all very over-dramatic. Everypony stood silent when each piece fell to the floor. Darkstar seemed too stunned to gather them up or anything like that, which allowed Wildfire time to pick up the one nearest to her. She scanned the ticket and felt her mouth drop open. Everypony but Darkstar gathered around her to read it over her shoulder, and then one by one all of their faces turned to the mare who was now singled out.

“Darkie, what the buck is this?” Brightstar was the first to ask.

What is was, was a ticket. Not just any ticket, but a ticket to Canterlot. It was scheduled for four days prior. Wildfire did the quick math in her head and realized that indeed, it was the day that they had been hired by the casino. Wildfire looked to Darkstar’s outfit again and blinked her eyes.

“You had tickets?” She asked, not positive how to put emotions in her words, or even if she could.

“Well…y - yeah!” Darkstar tried to play it off like a joke. She took a step forward to the ponies and laughed. “Well, you see, it was kind of a prank! The you waking up in Las Pegasus and freaking out! You were like ‘raaaaaar, we’re a thousand miles away’, y - you remember that?” She looked between her friends. Only Cyclone moved, and it was to cover her mouth with her hoof in contemplation. “But, then we got those jobs and you all kinda liked the city and I REALLY liked dancing, it was fun, right?” She asked and swayed her hips a bit. “Fun to watch? Fun to work? Right guys…uh…right?”

“Darkie, I…”

“Darkstar,” Brightstar interrupted Wildfire and took a step forward. He looked his sister in the eye with an expression that read like a sharp knife. Darkstar was still trying to chuckle. There was a moment of silent where he looked back to the three behind him and then forward to his sister. “You do realize we’re going to have to get you back for this, right?”

"Huh?” Darkstar asked disbelievingly.

“Oh, you totally are,” Cyclone stepped forward and nudged Brightstar’s shoulder. “You know you’re gonna get it good when Brightstar’s in the mood to prank you.”

Wildfire couldn’t decide in the moment if she truly wanted to be mad or not, in fact all she could think of was how strange it would be to see what Brightstar came up with. He raised his brow at his sister and she looked at him like he was crazy. She opened her mouth a few times, but couldn’t say anything.

“Hey, guys, let’s get on the train!” Wildfire interrupted the mini staring contest the siblings were holding and tried her best to laugh it off. By some miracle, Brightstar smirked and even Dusk chuckled a bit. “We had fun, right? I mean, c’mon, it was funny! We were never in any real danger, and we got to see a big city!”

“Right!” Darkstar shouted. “Big city! Big fun!” She sounded like a salespony trying to sell something. This made Cyclone crack up. Brightstar however simply rolled his eyes and wrapped his leg around Darkstar’s shoulder and led her forward in front of the group.

“Now boarding the seven thirty to Canterlot!” The announcer said again, just a bit more urgently this time.

“Let’s go home, Darkie,” Brightstar said in a calm, collected tone. He stared straight ahead with Darkstar under his leg. “They’re right, I did have fun. The place was nice.”

“Oh, yeah?” Darkstar asked hopefully. “That means I’m off the hook, right?”

“No.” Brightstar responded simply. “No way in Equestria.”

“Oh.”

Nervoucited.

If Dusk Midnight Melody had to choose an emotion to sum up the way he felt right now then that would be it. Yes, nervoucited just about covered it. Flying low at two thousand feet he admired the scenery passing below him as he flew from Canterlot to Ponyville.

Ponyville. Quiet, sleepy little Ponyville. Home to just twenty thousand ponies, a wholly unremarkable little town were it not for Princess Twilight, the Crystal Castle and the main residence of the former Elements of Harmony.

Right now to Dusk Ponyville was the scariest place in Equestria. His powerful dark blue wings carried the pegasus on towards his destination.

The closer he got to the town the bigger the butterflies got in his stomach. Every beat of his wings brought him closer to Ponyville… ‘And closer to him…’ Dusk thought happily to himself as his mind started to wander in mid-flight.

Dusk found his mind wandering all the time recently. Mostly since the trip to the fun fair last week. Ever since he’d met Vocal Chord that evening the young Prince found he was thinking about nothing else other than the tightness of his flanks, the line of his jaw, his velvet soft light grey fur, dark blue spiked mane and tail, his sheath…

Dusk blushed a fierce crimson as he flew, which momentarily distracted him from thoughts of his destination. Thoughts which came crashing back to him as he saw the town approaching in the distance. Ponyville was getting closer. Which meant he was getting closer to Ponyville. Closer to him. Closer to his stallion. Closer to the date he had with his stallion.

Dusk was so nervoucited!

He was also prepared. The moment Vocal Chord had hung up after having called him after the fun fair to arrange the date Dusk’s brain had overloaded. Thirty minutes later when he’d stopped hyperventilating, and his mum, Octavia, had almost stopped laughing at him hyperventilating he started to think.

Then he went to his suite to think in private, if only to get away from his mum’s incessant laughing.

Of course the answer had been his friends. Specifically those with partners. Or experience of having had partners. Upon reflection Cyclone had probably been a mistake as a first option to call. The moment he said he wanted dating advice for his first ever date the black mare had laughed as hard as his mum, at least until he hung up his phone.

Air Raid and Wildfire hadn’t been much more help, though he was sure his B.B.F.E, or best bestest friend ever, would have some helpful tips for him. And she did, after Air Raid had stopped laughing long enough to pass Wily her phone. “Be yourself” Wily had said. “Have fun,” she said.

While these ideas had seemed fine on the phone in Canterlot five days ago where there was wine, now he was very sober landing in Ponyville ten minutes before his date these ideas were just the craziest thing Dusk had ever heard. ‘Still, too late to worry now…’ the stallion thought to himself as he made his way to the hot air balloon stand.

Besides, he was prepared. After trying his friends and best friend, the light bulb had gone off and the solution had presented itself. Twilight. Dusk didn’t know why he hadn’t gone to the Princess first off. Twilight had never failed him with a problem yet, and she was the Princess of Friendship, and she had her marriage to Rainbow Dash too…

True, his cousin Cady was the Princess of Love, and she had the very hot and very cute Shining Armour, the very strong Captain who always seemed to make Dusk’s knees weak with just a look, but, well, Ponyville and Twilight were nearer. And Twi had a library. A huge lovely library. Full of books. And books were a source of reassurance to Dusk. Dusk trusted books.

As Dusk waited by the hot air balloon for his date to appear – he wasn’t worried, they had agreed four o’clock in the afternoon, and it was only three fifty two – he recalled with a smile bursting into the Crystal Castle five days ago.

~ ~ ~

“Twilight! Twilight!” Dusk burst through the doors of his science teacher’s library, a look of utter panic on his face warring with feelings of complete joy in his heart. Although Twilight, no, Princess Twilight, wasn't ‘technically’ his teacher during the University holidays, the dark blue pegasus still went to her with any problem he had, true most of those problems were homework related and nothing like this, but at this point Dusk was out of options.

And this was a problem and a half…

Frantically he called her name once more before the sound of clopping hooves from the stairs outside the library reached his ears. A small semblance of calm entered his being at the sound of her measured hoofsteps.

“Dusk Melody, what in the wide world of Equestria is wrong?”

Panic threatened to resurface, and Dusk flapped his wings in agitation, hovering a few feet from the floor of the library. “Twilight! Thank the sun and moon! Help…I need, please…help!”

Twilight took a deep breath, “Right. From the top, tell me what's happened.”

“Well, I…you see, I…” Dusk trailed off, still maintaining his panicked hover.

“Has something happened to Luna, or Octavia?” Twilight asked, fishing for clues as to what had wound up her top student.

“I…wait, what?” Dusk landed with a bit of a thud, confused slightly. “No, it's nothing like that, my parents are fine…no, this is worse, much worse…”

“Okay, is anything wrong with Celestia then?”

“No! Aunt Tia is perfectly fine! Everypony is fine!” Dusk raised his voice in annoyance, wishing Twilight would shut up about his family and let him start so he could finish.

“Well.” Twilight’s tone had turned noticeably chilly in the past few seconds. “What is it then that has you in this state?”

Dusk, in a barely audible voice that Fluttershy would have been proud of, opened his mouth, eyes firmly focused on the floor; “I asked him out…”

“Excuse me?” It wasn't that Twilight didn't believe what she’d heard, more that she didn't hear anything. “Say again?”

“I asked him out…Vocal Chord. I asked him out. On a date. With me. In five days. With me. On a date.”

“But…that's brilliant! Dusk I'm so happy for you!” Twilight halted her congratulations, upon noticing the glazed look in the young stallion’s eyes. “So…forgive me, but what's the problem?”

"The problem? I don't know what I'm doing! I've never asked anypony out before! I've never been on a date before! What do I do? What do I say? Where should we go?” Dusk’s wings flapped involuntarily, joining his right eye as it twitched.

Twilight chuckled, recognising much of herself in the pegasus’ freak out. Gently she placed a lavender hoof on his shoulder, “Dusk, calm down. Everything will be fine.” Seizing a book on a nearby shelf in her magical grasp the Princess levitated it over to where they were sitting and deposited it in Dusk’s hooves. “Here, take this. Read it, it'll help, I promise.”

Dusk glanced at the title of the book he had been given, and with a faint blush on his cheeks stored it in his saddlebags with a grateful smile at the Princess. “Thanks Twilight, I'm sure that'll help!” Wrapping his forelegs around her neck he brought his favourite teacher into a tight hug before flying out the open library doors.

“Good luck!” Twilight called after him, her only reply the slamming of the main castle door a moment to two later.

~ ~ ~

Dusk checked his watch, three fifty eight. Two minutes to go. Nervoucited didn’t even cover the way he felt anymore. But, he reflected with a smile, he had read the book that Twi had given him, ‘Romance 101, The Novice’s Guide to Dating’, he had read it cover to cover several times over the past few days. He had taken its advice to heart. ‘Get to know your potential somepony as soon as possible’ the book had said. So, in his saddlebag was the means by which he’d do just that.

Dusk smiled confidently. Vocal Chord would be so surprised!

~ ~ ~

"Vocal..."

The noon day sun shone through the windows of the little one storey house, ricocheting its way around the bedroom until it eventually hit the closed eyes of the sleeping unicorn. With a sigh he rolled over in the doggie bed and tried to ignore the sunlight and the accented voice that called his name.

“Vocal Chord…” Falsetto leaned against the door frame of her bedroom, her forelegs crossed and a little wry smile on her yellow muzzle. Uncrossing her legs the earth pony mare wiped her powder blue mane from her eyes and trotted over to her snoozing friend. She smiled at the sight of the light grey unicorn, all curled up in the doggie bed, looking for all Equestria like the best little pet in the world.

The bass player crouched and leaned herself close to her lead singer’s upturned ear, smiling as she took a deep breath; “VOCAL CHORD!” She shouted into the ear, and immediately giggled as the slumbering stallion jerked awake, spilling out of the pet bed onto the bedroom floor.

“Morning ‘Setto,” Vocal yawned himself fully awake as he groggily shook his head, “Was that really necessary?” He asked grumpily as he scratched his unruly mane and stretched, his muscles popping from being curled up in the pet bed.

“Good afternoon Vocal,” Falsetto sniggered as she started to busy herself with tidying the bedroom to some form of decency. “And yes it was necessary,” She continued as she carefully put her prized bass guitar back in its stand, “Somepony has a date with a Prince today, remember?”

Vocal dragged himself to his hooves, trying to process his backing singer’s sentence through the fog of sleep that still clouded his brain. He wondered why he was so light headed. He didn’t remember getting drunk last night, not to say that was hard proof he didn’t, but something felt off. Concentrating he tried to magically unlock the dog collar around his neck, and panicked when nothing happened. “’Setto, my magic’s not working!” The singer whined as he tried to work out what had happened.

Falsetto looked up from her cleaning, and idly wondered if it would constitute a breach of their roommate agreement to let him panic a bit more. ‘Maybe…but it would be funny…’ She thought to herself with a giggle. A moment later she took pity on her friend and trotted over to him and put a yellow hoof on his shoulder. “Chill out dumbass,” she grinned, the Vanhoovan showing in her accent.

“But…what…I don’t get it, why…” Vocal’s voice trailed off as Falsetto took his horn in her mouth. He was just about to ask her what he’d done to deserve this little treat when he felt her teeth grip something and twist, before she removed herself and spat what she had removed at his hooves.

“You forgot about the inhibitor again, stupid.” Falsetto giggled as she reached around him and unbuckled the collar. “Besides, good doggies don’t touch their collars, do they?” She bopped his nose with her hoof before carrying the collar to his saddlebag and resuming her battle with the forces of untidiness.

“Thanks ‘Setto,” Vocal started before a thought came thundering to the fore of his brain, “Wait…you said it was the afternoon! What time?” He asked as a new wave of panic threatened to overtake him.

“Relax pooch,” Falsetto sniggered at Vocal’s pout, “You have about two hours. There’s a hot bath in the bathroom ready for you, and cold scrambled eggs on toast in the kitchen.”

“Thanks ‘Setto.” Vocal grinned as he set off to the kitchen to find his food bowls.

Having decided the tidy war was won for today the yellow earth pony leant against her bedroom door and mentally counted down; ‘Three…two…one…’

Right on cue she heard Vocal Chord let out a whine of disappointment from the kitchen. “The eggs are on a plate. The plate is on the table. You will sit like a pony and eat like one, thank you very much.” Falsetto chided him, an undertone of frustration in her voice.

“But…”

“No ‘buts’ V!” She exclaimed, breathing through her nose for calm as she made herself a coffee. “You know the agreement. I indulge your little pet fantasy thing whatever it is, and when you wake up the next day and the collar comes off I get my friend back to talk to. I walked you and played fetch with you yesterday, so now you can be a pony for me.”

“Fine…” Vocal sulked as he started to eat his eggs and Falsetto joined him at the table with her steaming coffee. Vocal cast a look at his food bowls as he ate, and while he had to admit the cold eggs weren’t all that bad, ‘They’d taste better in my bowl…’ he thought to himself.

“So…” Falsetto started as she took a sip of what Vocal guessed was her seventh caffeine injection that day, “What’re you gonna be doing?”

“What? With Dusk you mean?” Vocal asked as he swallowed a mouthful of eggs without thinking, a good proportion of his concentration still lingering on the bowls on the floor.

“No, with his mom,” Falsetto answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “I’m sure Princess Luna would just love to walk you on a leash around the Royal Gardens.” She gave an annoyed sigh, “Yes I mean with Prince Dusk.”

Vocal stuck his tongue out and gave Falsetto a loud raspberry. “Well, Dusk said something about a hot air balloon ride, and a picnic on a cloud, so it should be fun.”

Falsetto drained her cup in a single swallow and gave her friend a solemn look. “Don’t buck this up V.”

Vocal answered her look with one of his own as he slid off the seating pad to go to the bathroom. “What d’you mean, don’t buck it up?”

“I mean, this isn’t your usual skanky groupie looking for a quick fumble with somepony famous, this is a date with royalty! So, like I said. Don’t buck this up.”

The unicorn paused at the bathroom door and looked over his shoulder with a grin; “No mom, I’ll behave mom!” Vocal Chord giggled as Falsetto stuck her tongue out at him and decided it was time to beat a hasty retreat to the sanctuary of the bathroom.

An hour later Vocal emerged from the bathroom, washed and scrubbed to within an inch of his life he had even spent a good twenty minutes brushing his fur. His unruly dark blue mane and tail were straightened for possibly the first time in his life, Tartarus he’d even polished his horn.

Falsetto put her book down, a rather racy ‘romance’ novel called Twilight’s Lover, and looked Vocal over as he exited the bathroom. To her great surprise she found her mouth hanging open. ‘Jeez…he’s really trying…buckin’ hell even I’d give him one…’

“Hey V, looking good mate, almost didn’t recognise you.” She trotted over for a closer inspection as he stuck his tongue out at her. “How’d you get your mane to behave?”

“Used your mane straightener.”

“Gee thanks. That’s that ruined then.” The earth pony mare aimed a swat at Vocal’s flank, which he easily dodged with a giggle. “Go on, get out and have fun with your Prince.”

“Yes ma’am…” Vocal paused at the door and levitated his saddlebag to him from the bedroom, but caught Falsetto’s questioning look as he laid it over his back. “What?” He asked, left eyebrow raised.

“You aren’t serious?”

“What?” Vocal asked again.

“You’re taking your collar and leash. Seriously, on a first date. With a Prince?”

Vocal Chord simply shrugged his shoulders as he opened the door with his magic. “You never know ‘Setto,” he grinned back at her, “I might get lucky.”

“Yeah well don’t think me or the band’s gonna visit you in the dungeons when you get arrested for being weird!” The yellow bassist yelled after him as he sauntered off down Mane Street towards the hot air balloon stand. “Ugh…he’s so gonna get arrested.” She thought as she shut her door.

~ ~ ~

“Dusk, babe, what the hay is this?” The light grey unicorn held the sheaf of paper in his magical field, scanning it incredulously.

“Well Vocal, It's, well…it’s a…questionnaire…” The dark blue pegasus’ voice trailed off through sheer embarrassment. ‘What was I thinking?’ He thought to himself.

“I can see it’s a questionnaire Dusk,” Vocal Chord said with a roll of his dark blue eyes, “what I want to know is why my sexy coltfriend has given it to me.”

Dusk shuffled his hooves inside the wicker basket, closely inspecting the weave as he spoke. “It's a ‘getting to know you’ questionnaire.” The young pegasi explained like it was the most reasonable thing in Equestria.

“A getting to know…Dusk…”

“Um, yes Vocal?”

“This questionnaire has seventy five questions and more than twenty pages! You seriously expect me to answer all these? Really?”

“Well, if you wouldn't mind…”

“But babe we’re on a date! You're cute and I love you! Why do you need this?” The exasperated unicorn waved the papers at his coltfriend.

“Well, this book I borrowed from Twilight’s library said it was a good idea to get as much information about your new partner as possible…” Dusk trailed off again as the basket lurched into motion.

“Twilight huh? Hey, speaking of the Princess, thanks for getting her to cast the cloud walking spell. That'll be a help later. So, which book was this exactly?”

A fierce blush flared across the pegasus’ muzzle, turning his dark blue coat a bright purple. “Romance 101, The Novice’s Guide to Dating.”

“Oh Dusk Melody, what am I to do with you?” Vocal laughed out loud, throwing the questionnaire over the side of the hot air balloon basket with a wave of his magic.

“Hey!...mmph!” Dusk’s protest was cut short as Vocal leant in for a kiss, their lips pressing tenderly against each other as Vocal gently pushed his tongue into his coltfriends mouth, causing the pegasus’s wings shot out either side of his body with an audible ‘poomf!’.

As the balloon gained height and Dusk relaxed into the deep passionate kiss the Prince found that he really didn’t care about the questionnaire after all. ‘Besides…’ He thought with a ghost of a smile as he kissed his coltfriend, ‘There’s two more copies at home…’

This chapter, detailing a first date between Air Raid and Appleglow, was written by Alchemicgree and is used with his permission.

This features a gloriously overweight mare, messy sticky wonderful food sex, candy dildos and lots of love and d'aaw!

It was late afternoon, with Celestia's Sun slowly setting and Luna's Moon was slowly rising. The lingering twilight only sparkled against the shimmering crystal that was the Tower of Friendship that stood in Ponyville. Despite its size, the crystal-like tree and castle was inviting and open to all who wanted to enter. As it often doubled as a library, Princess Twilight had recently hired a receptionist. One of Applejack's more distant cousins, Appleglow was a mustard yellow shade of colour, along with a two tone of light and dark green mane that was split into twin ponytails that were held in place by pink bows.

Her cutie mark was a red apple with a pink ribbon around it, showing her strong apple family bloodline. Though she was a cheerful mare, her rather heavy set body was brought by an awkward stare here, and a small whisper there. But there were many things to keep Appleglow happy. Looking at the clock reading a quarter to four, Appleglow smiled at what was going to happen later tonight. Filing the last of her paperwork, and packing up her saddle bag, Appleglow closed her reception desk for the night.

"Packing up for the day?" Asked the voice of Princess Twilight Sparkle, as she entered the room. Her lavender body, two tone purple mane and tail was held in an elegant and regal style. Though it was the same style she always wore, as a Princess, Twilight made it look more regal.

"Yes Princess." Appleglow smiled, finishing her packing. "I was able to make some great headway on all the collection records. Just a few more weeks, and I can have the entire library's collection organized and recorded."

"Well thank you for all the hard work Appleglow." Twilight complimented to her receptionist with a smile. "With all the extra duties I had to do, I was worried I couldn't organize the library like I used to."

"It's no problem Princess." Appleglow smiled with a nodding bow. "I was just happy to find a good job and I'm thankful you gave me the chance."

"No problem." Twilight replied. "Enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

"I believe I will." Appleglow smirked as she saw the clock reaching four.

Walking out of the Castle of Friendship, Appleglow let out a small yawn after another day of hard work. Looking around, Appleglow saw other ponies walking along the dirt streets of Ponyville. Giggling couples, along with other various ponies were enjoying themselves. Looking around the small bits of crowds, Appleglow waited for her special somepony.

She didn’t have to wait very long. Moments later the chubby earth pony mare saw a familiar white Fiesta thundering up the wide dirt road that was Mane Street. Amid a small cloud of dirt that the semi-slick tyres kicked up, the experienced driver of the car pulled a picture perfect skid as she bought the car to a halt mere inches from where the large mare was standing. "Appleglow!" Said an excited Air Raid from the driver’s side. Looking in, Appleglow saw the face of the lime green pegasus mare and her short, spiked blue mane and sparking green eyes smiling back at her. "How was work today?"

"Hey, Air Raid." Appleglow blushed a little at the sight of her long awaited date. After being at work all day, she was having some difficulty looking away from Raid's winged tire cutie mark and toned looking hind legs. "It was fine. You were almost late you know."

"I know, I know." Air Raid giggled, rubbing the back of her head. "I was practicing for the race next week. I'll get first place this time! And there was mad traffic too." She explained as she popped open the passenger door for the mustard yellow mare.

"I'm sure you will." Appleglow said, with some difficulty she eventually got in the passenger seat and managed to shut the door. While she was squeezed next to her date, she took the opportunity to hug her. "So what do you have in mind for tonight?"

"I'm thinking a little dinner, a little karaoke." Raid then held Appleglow close, her eyes were half-lidded like some sultry predator. "Maybe even some flirting and a little ‘snack’.”

"Oh, I do like the sound of that." Appleglow giggled, kissing Air Raid's cheek. "Where are we gonna to eat?"

"Your favourite place for some relaxation food." Air Raid giggled.

~ ~ ~

The food establishment Air Raid chose for Appleglow was her favourite haunt; the Hay Burger joint that rested only a block away from the Castle of Friendship. It hadn’t taken much investigation around the small rural town to find out that Appleglow ate here nearly every day. While not the most romantic place in Ponyville to be sure, to Appleglow, it was one of her favourite places, where she felt most relaxed. She was such a frequent customer, that the moment they walked in, the head cook behind the counter saw her and began to get her usual order ready, gave them a smiling nod, and let them seat themselves.

"So how was your day?" Air Raid asked, sitting Appleglow down and gesturing the cook for the 'number two' meal for herself.

"Oh you know. This and that." Appleglow commented, a little blush on the face to show she was enjoying herself. Getting some food was always one of her favourite things to do after work; and now she could add cuddling with Raid to that. "I'm almost done with taking down full records of all the books that are in the library."

"That's pretty good." Air Raid commented, remembering back when the castle was just the Golden Oak Library. "If I remember right, there were hundreds of books there."

"Now there’s roughly a little over two thousand by the Princess's last count." Appleglow replied, proud of her hard work. "I believe I'm only three hundred plus in but I am making excellent progress."

"So you'll be done in a couple weeks you think?" Air asked, moving the condiments more towards Appleglow as her usual order of four hay burgers, extra everything, and their pile of hay fries, covered in cheese sauce and hay bacon bits; and to wash it all down were two extra-large cups of cider arrived, along with Air Raid’s more modest order of a large hay burger with cheese, hay fries and a coke arrived as well. Unwrapping their plastic forks, Air and Appleglow began to enjoy their meals. "I mean, there's no reason for it to take longer." Air Raid gulped down some cheese covered hay fries she’d ‘borrowed’ from her mare. "Right?"

"True." Appleglow replied, opening her first burger to put some of the coated hay fries inside the burger to add to its bulk. Lifting the large burger to her mouth, Appleglow took her usual big bite. Small splatters of ketchup and mayonnaise spread along the sides of her lips. After a couple moments of chewing and gulping down her food; and even taking some sips of her cider to wash it all down, Appleglow continued her train of thought. "But I was told yesterday that we would be getting more books from the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest."

"That sounds pretty annoying." Air Raid commented, taking down more fries and taking one or two bites from her burger. "I hope she doesn't make you go to the Castle to get those books."

"Oh Sweet Celestia no!" Appleglow almost chocked on her burger from the very thought of it. She then poked at her rather ample belly. "Look at me, I'd be more than a meal for the Timberwolves and Equestria knows what else that lives in those woods."

"You know I think you look sexy.” Air Raid whispered huskily, “Too sexy for the Ragnacrocks, Plundervines and Manticores in there…but…now that I think about it..." Air leaned in whisper sweetly in Appleglow's ear. "I might just make a cute meal out of you."

Appleglow almost dropped her burger into the mass of fries at the thought of what Air Raid had planned in her devious little mind. Not that she was against it by any means, and she was far from being a virgin, but it had been a while since she’d gotten this kind of attention, especially being the size she was.

After what felt like another hour or so, filled with pleasant chit-chat and gentle flirting, Appleglow and Air Raid were able to finish their hearty meal. The two mares paid for their meal and walked out with full stomachs and happy smiles. Well, Appleglow’s was fuller than her date’s was, her large belly wobbling a little as she moved and her booty-like flank jiggled with each trot.

"I can't believe we ate all that food." Appleglow giggled, still tasting the sauces on her tongue.

"You ate most of it." Air Raid laughed a little, poking at Appleglow's stomach on the way back to her car. "Is there any room left in there?"

"Don't be mean." Appleglow blushed with a little pout, but nonetheless enjoyed the touch of Air's hoof on her. "Where to now? I think you said karaoke?"

"Oh yeah!" Air said, grabbing at Appleglow, her eagerness causing her wings to flare out, and the two trotted off with some greater speed. "You're gonna love it!"

~ ~ ~

The karaoke parlour the two mares drove to was a rather large club called the Pon3, named after its primary DJ Vinyl Scratch. The club was a combination of a dance club, a cider pub, a social gathering for various ponies from Ponyville, and most importantly for Appleglow and Air Raid that night, the karaoke parlour. Once they walked in, the booming sound of music from the main dance floor echoed throughout the room. Air and Appleglow could feel the music shake and rhythm through their bodies. Appleglow even let out a small giggle as she felt the vibrations of the music ripple and giggle inside her large belly.

"Let's see." Air said, looking for the karaoke door. "There it is!" She said with a smile on her face, dragging her lover to the door, gently and assertively moving past the dancing and grinding ponies who were enjoying themselves and the music. Once they made it through the door, all sound fell silent. It was almost magical how effective the sound proof karaoke section. The room was more like a large hallway, wall to wall rugs and a single booth where the karaoke coordinator sat. He was a solid white unicorn stallion with more than a few gold piercings in his ears, nose, lip, and eyebrow. The only thing that could draw attention away from his vast amount of piercings, was his neon purple Mohawk, along with his visor sunglasses. The sound of the door opening and closing took the stallion's attention to the two mares.

"Third door to the left is available." The stallion said in his normal mono-toned voice, not even looking at Appleglow or Air Raid. When Air Raid had first come here for the karaoke with Wildfire, she had thought the coordinator was just some rude stallion, even to the point that she was ready to give him a small smack. But after coming here more than once, the lime green mare had learned he was just naturally like that.

"Thank you Woofer." Both mares giggled, trotting towards their room.

The interior of the karaoke room was all white, with a small brown wood table for drinks and snack, which had a small button and speaker to call Woofer if they needed help. On each side of the room were two large wall couches, enough to sit about eight ponies in the room. Finally, resting at the end of the room, on a small wooden stage, was the karaoke machine. Quickly sitting on the large couch, her heavy set frame taking up more than half the space of the couch as she reclined, Appleglow relaxed herself as she pressed the button. "Hey Woofer, we'd like two hot chocolates, no holding back on cream and marshmallows, as well as some chocolate and caramel covered pretzel sticks." Appleglow ordered softly into the mic.

"It'll be five minutes." Woofer responded through the speaker, as if he heard this request almost every other week.

"Thanks Woofer." Both mares replied with soft giggles. They couldn't see it, but Woofer was gently rolling his eyes at the mare's teasing tones.

"So let's get this thing going!" Air Raid said jumping on the stage, turning on the karaoke machine.

"Getting right to it?" Appleglow giggled, laying back and relaxing on the comfortable couch. "Got a song in mind already?"

"Oh yeah!" Air Raid smirked, shuffling through the various songs. Her eyes remained focused on the vast amount of songs she could sing. "Where is it? Where is it?" After a couple more minutes of searching, a wide grin spread across her face. "Found my song!" Turning on the machine, Air Raid started up the music and began to sing.

While Air Raid sung her song, Appleglow looked at her date dance and watched how her body moved and strutted with each motion. She was so distracted by Air Raid's movements, that Appleglow didn't even notice Woofer walking into the room with the drinks. He even was nice enough to add an extra pile of napkins. But he had a hunch Appleglow wouldn't notice once Air started her dancing. It was a mixture or innocent motions, and yet sultry teases and struts.

Seeing that her snack had arrived, Appleglow dug into her treat. Taking a bite of Woofer's special chocolate and caramel covered pretzels. It was a near sinful amount of sugar and delights all with a crunchy and crisp pretzel centre. As she watched Air Raid's motions and movements, Appleglow subconsciously started changing from simple nibbles on the pretzel to slowly licking at the broken tip, letting her tongue and taste buds dance at the sheer sugary wonders. Appleglow's licking, though she didn't realize it, but Air Raid could see, was highly sexual. The way her tongue skilfully played with the tip, how her hoof slid that wet and melting chocolate covered shaft in her mouth.

As Appleglow was giving an involuntary sexual release to her food, Air Raid was almost done with her song. But the sight of Appleglow enjoying that pole-like treat was quite the sight. How she pressed her tongue against it, her mane getting a little messy over her face. After a few seconds of watching, Air Raid soon found that one of her hooves was moving towards her nether regions.

Appleglow quickly realized what was going on. Though with how much Air Raid was starting to moan with her song, almost keeping up with the beat and rhythm, it was hard to not notice. Still unaware that it was her own erotic eating that was getting Air Raid off, Appleglow shoved the half eaten snack into her mouth, chocolate smeared her muzzle with her gulp and the drink of the hot chocolate only made a bigger mess of chocolate and cream.

"Oh you tease." Air Raid said, her song now finished and one of her hooves was soaked in her mare-cum. "Look what you made me do."

"Oh?" Appleglow said, looking at Air's wet and sticky hoof. "Look at that. Did I do that? I guess I better clean it up." Before Air could react, Appleglow started to gently lick at her juice coated hoof. The taste was tangy, and a little half dry, but still a taste Appleglow loved to have on her tongue. With a subconscious, yet gluttonous hunger, Appleglow brought Air Raid's entire hoof in her mouth; suckling and licking it as if she were a young filly again. Her tongue licked every inch of Air's wet and sticky hoof, not missing a single spec of cum. Air Raid could feel her nethers becoming ever wetter from Appleglow's action.

"Uh…Appleglow," Air said, noticing that Appleglow was bringing more and more of her hoof and soon part of her foreleg into her mouth. "I'm not food, hun." Air pulled her leg out of Appleglow's mouth with a slurp and pop noise. "Geez Appleglow." Air Raid still let out a giggle, wiping her leg on the couch to dry it.

"Sorry." Appleglow giggled, licking her lips. "I guess I got carried away."

"Yeah, maybe a little." Air Raid giggled back, looking at her drying hoof. "Well, it's your turn. Got a song in mind."

"Hmm, I think so." Appleglow said, getting up and looking through the list of songs. "There is this one song I hear almost every morning when I wake up." After a couple minutes, Appleglow found the song. "Here it is! I always hear it in the morning by the bakery."

"Sugarcube Corner you mean?" Air Raid asked, "Yeah I think I know what you're talking about. Let's hear it."

After setting up the song and her mic, Appleglow started up the song. While the song was playing, Appleglow added in her own dance to it; her body jiggled with each beat of the rhythm. With every upbeat sound the song gave, Appleglow bounced her body with it. Her jiggles and the rolling of her body, especially her stomach and flank had Air Raid more than just staring.

Appleglow's large body had Air Raid mesmerized and enticed, she only wanted to see more. It was more than enough to have Air Raid's hoof move back towards her lower half again; even if she didn't realize it. Starting slowly and effectively at first, her lime green hoof rubbed at her sensitive clit, teasing it and stimulating it. After a couple seconds, it was already as wet as it had been before, if not maybe wetter.

"Uh, Air Raid?" Appleglow asked, her song being over for at least a minute now. Within that minute, Air Raid was already on the verge of a good orgasm. But it all crashed when she noticed the music stopped and the only sound there was, was the sound of her own heavy breaths and moans. "Are you okay?"

"Come with me, you sexy mare…" Air Raid breathed seductively, grabbing hold of Appleglow's foreleg and dragging her out of the room, bolting through the hallway, and out the karaoke area of the club; but not before leaving behind the bits they owed for the room.

The rest of Ponyville passed like a blur to Appleglow as Air Raid drove her through the winding dirt streets. Within moments, the two mares reached Appleglow’s home, a small cottage-like house that rested near the centre of the town and conveniently near Appleglow's favourite bakery, Sugarcube Corner. Nearly breaking the door down with the force of her speed, Air Raid threw Appleglow playfully onto the couch that rested in their living room.

"You're all mine now, beautiful." Air Raid said, her eyes hungrily looking over Appleglow's slightly trembling body.

"Air Raid?" Appleglow asked, her lip trembling a little, a mix of anticipation and excitement coursing through her body. She hadn't been this aroused herself in quite some time, and she wanted this as much as the pegasus did. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm just fine." Air panted, her hooves holding down Appleglow's shoulder. "I'm just feeling a little in the mood."

Before Appleglow could respond, Air's face smacked into hers. Her tongue forced its way into Appleglow's mouth. Appleglow's eye shot wide open from the sudden impact, but all she did was not only take in Air's tongue, but her own wet tongue danced and twirled with Air's tongue. The two mouths pressed and slobbered against the other in an intense display of affection; drool ran down the side of their lips as they continued their assault on the others mouth.

"You taste so good." Air said, pulling her mouth away from Appleglow's, a string of droll still connected the two. "But I think I know how to get you even more excited." Jumping off her date's chest, Air Raid galloped straight to the kitchen and returned after a short search with a bottle of chocolate, caramel, and toffee sauce. Laying a sheet down on the living room floor, Air Raid got on her back and took the bottle of syrup and slowly poured it over her body. The cold sticky syrup tingled over her as it dripped sticky sweetness over her and down to her glistening marehood. "How does this look?"

Appleglow found she couldn't respond with words. With a near blind lust and hunger, Appleglow pounced on Air Raid, her mouth wide open and drooling; ready to feast on the sticky delights of the lime green mare's body. Almost on instinct, Appleglow's tongue covered her exposed and wet labia. The mixture of the tangy, sweet, and sticky taste and texture was ecstatic! Appleglow had never tasted any combination of flavours like this before. Her tongue licked and wiped itself inside and around the entrance to Air Raid's sopping marehood.

"K-Keep going, Appleglow!" Air Raid moaned only louder and louder. Her hooves were now placed on Appleglow's head, holding her in place, and shoving her tongue deeper inside her sticky tunnel. "I'm gonna...gonna...AHHHH!!" Air's body convulsed in pleasure, letting her own mare juices squirt and strike at Appleglow's tongue and taste buds. The mixture made her tongue tingle, and her eyes sparkled at such an amazing flavour. Air Raid laid back for a moment, her chest moving heavily up and down. "That...was...amazing..."

"You tasted good too." Appleglow giggled, licking her lips. "I didn't even know I could lick that much sauce."

"Well maybe we can do that again sometime?" Air Raid teased, getting up to her hooves, her flank wiggled and shook in a tease and flirt. "But I think right now maybe a shower would do."

Turning on the hot water, Air Raid stepped in under the pouring water. The sticky and drying sauce quickly washed off her lime green coat as she relaxed and slowly regained some of her strength. She was thankful Appleglow has such a large tub, she was even a little hopeful she’d have some company. Given that the shower / tub was easily big enough to rest, cuddle, and no doubt do other fun things in.

"Ahh, that feels good." Air Raid commented, rubbing her body clean of the sticky sauce. From the corner of her eye though, she saw the form of Appleglow entering the bathroom. "You're free to join if you wa-ahh!" Air Raid's voice was cut off by the sudden feeling of a long, phallic-like object touching between her legs. Looking behind her over her shoulder, the lime green pegasus found that Appleglow was not only behind her, but in her hoof, poking at Air's flank, was a double ended dildo. But it looked different, a little too colourful. "Appleglow? What is that?"

"Hard candy." Appleglow said in a tone a lot calmer and casual than the situation demanded. "I always wanted to try it out."

"Who told you that hard candy makes a good dildo?" Air asked, taking a step to the side to allow Appleglow and her "toy" to join her.

"Pinkie Pie." Appleglow answered. "Last week, when I was buying my usual amount of sweets, she and I had a small conversation. So she told me that I could make a dildo out of hard candy." Air Raid looked dubiously over the dildo, it was as thick as any stallion's and twice as long. "So I spent the last week in my spare time making this. Wanna try it?"

"I don't think I have a choice." Air giggled, looking at the adorable begging eyes that Appleglow was giving her. "How do you want to go about it?"

"Lay down." Appleglow suggested, holding the dildo now in her mouth. She had to resist a strong urge to eat the whole thing. Air did as she was told, laying on her back, her legs spread open, and stared back at Appleglow. Appleglow grew wetter from the sight of the usually excited and hyper Air Raid getting all shy and submissive under the warm water of the shower. "Let's see how this fits."

With a giggle, Appleglow lined the tip of the candy phallus up to Air's tight looking slit. Slowly, Appleglow wedged the candy cock into her new lover. The warmth of both the water and Air's hot pussy made a small layer of sticky candy water to coat the toy; making it sticky, yet slick. This small sticky resistance was a bit of a turn on, making Air Raid tighter, as if she wanted to take in that cock, but also wanted to make it work for it. After getting another inch or so in, Appleglow stopped her probing. Without a word, Appleglow angled herself to align the other end of the candy dildo with her puffy pussy. "On three." Appleglow moaned, her pussy being more sensitive than Air's. "One..."

"Three!" Air Raid moaned, thrusting her pelvis towards Appleglow, forcing the dildo to bottom out inside both their pussies. Both Air and Appleglow let out loud and sultry moans at the feeling of having their pussies both filled with nearly a foot of thick hard and sticky candy.

Appleglow wanted to say something, but all that came out were moans and pants and she started gyrating her body against Raid's; her hungry pussy lips and inner walls devouring the candy as if it were her upper mouth. Despite her heavy set body, Appleglow's pussy was actually smaller than assumed. Having such a large "cock" inside her was more than her marehood could handle; the tip of the toy was already brushing against her cervical wall, the sensations driving her crazy with desire as it tapped her again and again.

Air Raid, on the other hand, had a marehood capable of taking long and thick shafts. The near melting tip of the candy was not fucking her womb, but moreover, was giving it wet and sloppy kisses. But given her frame, Air's body bulged a little bit, looking like she had eaten more than she could take. But the pleasure was not enough. The lime green mare wanted more and the soft and slutty moans and subtle begs Appleglow was panting only made her want more.

After a couple minutes of thrusting into each other, an idea sparked into Air Raid's head, inspiring her to use her wing muscles to force herself upwards, sitting on top Appleglow's body. Once on top, Air pressed her hooves against Appleglow's shoulders, angling herself to be more dominant and in control. Not that Appleglow minded, from her perspective, and how the pegasus looked thrusting against her, it felt as if the cock was hers and she was fucking Appleglow's marehood into a sloppy and wet mess.

"Keep going Raid!" Appleglow moaned and beg, letting her body jiggle and roll a little with each motion. "Rut my wet marehood with your hot cock!"

"Don't say...ahh...things like that." Air Raid moaned, thrusting with more reckless abandon and passion. "You know how...ohh...cute that looks...ahh...coming from you."

"I...ahh...know...." Appleglow replied, her orgasm rapidly approaching. "But...but...but...you...AHHHH!!...like it..."

"Don't go and have your...AHHH!!...fun without me…" Air replied, her voice lost and loud into her own orgasm.

Collapsing forwards onto her mate, Air Raid and Appleglow left the partially melting dildo inside both their pussies, enjoying the afterglow and the feeling of something half hard and flexible inside them. Together they cuddled happily for what could've been an hour, maybe two or even three. Thankfully their drain wasn't blocked, so there wasn't a flood of water in the bathroom. But the eventual loss of the hot water soon roused them from their cuddling.

"That was amazing!" Appleglow said with a coo, and then a giggling grin.

"Yeah." Air replied with a kiss against Appleglow's soft lips. But then a sudden warm and sticky feeling brought her attention to her lower regions. Throughout their cuddling, the candy dildo and not only melted and formed shattered clumps around the shower drain, but most had stuck to both her and Appleglow's lower coat. Air Raid could only giggle at the sight. "Babe, I think we need to take another shower."

this chapter was written by scribe-feather, and used with his express permission

This chapter features M/M sex, Domination, Pet Play, Exhibitionism, Sweet Cuddles

The sun was just starting to set over the capital city of Canterlot, bringing with it an orange and red glow over the land. The dry summer heat was slowly replaced with a cooler air, signalling the coming of the night.

There were crowds in the populated city, but all were slow moving and contained sophisticated dressed ponies. It was rare to see anypony run in the luxurious town. The rich and elite were never in a rush, favoring fashion over punctuality. With their chins held high, Canterlot ponies walked with care, treading gracefully with their social status in check. Many ponies were heading home to celebrate the end of the work week. They would typically celebrate it in their own way whether it be charity ball or a quiet wine tasting party at home.

Along the main streets of Canterlot, a light gray unicorn could be seen weaving through the slow moving crowds. Unlike the well dressed ponies around him, this unicorn dashed as fast as he could through the traffic. His eyes locked on the castle at the top of the hill. Today was Friday, and that was enough to excited the stallion.

Vocal Chord was looking forward to the weekend and had just finished setting up the various shows he'd be performing in with his band. The work heavy week left the unicorn tired and weighed down with the stresses that came with the job. Thinking about the upcoming weekend made these last few days unbearable and he could just barely keep focus on the job at hand.

Now free of the bonds of his band and job, Vocal dashed through Canterlot, making a beeline for the castle. He quickly weaved through the crowds, short of pushing ponies aside as he ran. At such a quick pace, he arrived at his destination in record time.

The large white castle sat on it's own hill, overlooking the rest of the city. It's many white and gold towers stretched into the sky as the structure shined in the sunset light. Armored pegasi and unicorns could be seen hovering around the grounds of the castle, keeping the peace and managing the few castle doors that lead to the outside.

Vocal arrived at the main gate, crossing the deep moat that flowed underneath and stopping in front of the large wooden door.

Three white earth ponies waited for him in front, all wearing similar golden armor. Two of them carried long, white spears as the third stood with authority. Before Vocal could get anywhere close to the castle gates, the leading pony stopped him.

Vocal cleared his throat, fixing a few stray hairs of his dark blue mane. "I'm here to see Dusk Midnight Melody," the unicorn stated, doing his best to appear confident to the armor clad pony.

The guard stared at the gray pony, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as he glared downwards. After a long pause, he finally turned to the other two guards. "Let him pass," he stated with authority. The two spear wielding guards immediately responded, pulling their long metal spears out of the doorway and allowing access.

"Thank you, sir," Vocal said with a bow of his head before scurrying past the three authoritative guards.

Vocal Chord finally entered Canterlot Castle proper. Long marble hallways stretched far in front of him, leading to the many rooms and stairwells of the large building. Many ponies have lost themselves among the many hallways and connecting buildings of the large castle, usually requiring a guide to navigate the labyrinthian design.

However, this wasn't Vocal's first visit to the castle and his path was well practiced. He knew the turns he had to take and the hallways he had to follow to reach his destination. After a quick beeline through the castle, the unicorn found himself standing in front of a plain looking, wooden door.

Politely he gave the door a couple knocks, but proceeded to let himself in shortly after. "Knock knock," he said as his head peaked through the doorway. A pair of dark blue ears could be seen behind a couch, perking up at his voice.

The pair of ears belonged to Vocal Chord's mate, Dusk Midnight Melody, a pegasus of royal blood. The blue pegasus was known around the castle as the quiet bookworm son of Luna. His actual heritage was kind of a mess and rumors state Octavia and an unnamed night guard had some kind of play in it. The only clue most ponies had about the prince's past was his cutie mark which took the form of a cello silhouetted against a full moon.

Dusk's week was much quieter than Vocal's, mostly involving him attending boring royal meetings to keep up appearances as a member of the royal family. A week of holding his tongue and being a quiet listener to other royals left the pony in need of this weekend as much as the unicorn.

"You're a bit late," the pegasus said, peeking up over the back of the couch.

Vocal walked in the rest of the way and closed the door behind him. "Yeah, sorry. The guys wouldn't let me go until we settled on a venue for Wednesday." Vocal took a heavy breath of air, "I didn't want to keep you waiting."

"I'll let you off this time," the pegasus said, closing his book and hopping up off the couch.

The two lived together in a spacious royal suite, which was more of an apartment than a typical bedroom. The suite contained a kitchen, living room, dining room, two bathrooms, and a master bedroom. Despite the surplus space the two were given, the suite was furnished to support two or three occupants with it's small dining table and short couch. All the rooms were decorated with high end furnishings and expensive fabrics, giving the whole suite a sort of high class feel to it.

"You ready for this weekend?" Dusk asked, closing the distance between the two.

A large smile shined on Vocal's face, "Yes!"

"Yes...What?"

"O-oh...yes...master," Vocal quickly corrected himself.

Dusk smirked, giving Vocal a couple condescending ruffles of his mane. "That's what I like to hear."

The pegasus then proceeded to grab a boring looking, blue collar off of a near by end table. A gold dog tag with the words "Vocal Puppy" etched into it in elegant text. Knowing what to expect, Vocal lowered his head.

Yet another weekend would be spent with Vocal as Dusk's loyal and obedient puppy. Vocal could barely count the amount of times they had done this. They discovered early on that they both enjoyed the puppy/master dynamic and found they played their roles wonderfully. Every weekend, Vocal would willingly strip himself of his duties as a busy musician and allow Dusk to command him like a master. With this new role, Dusk would have control over the unicorn, forcing him to eat and sleep where he says so.

With little help from the unicorn, Dusk proceeded to wrap the collar around Vocal's neck, buckling it tightly, but loose enough to not hurt the other pony. Once the collar was on, Vocal felt himself start to slip into the puppy role.

"There we go," Dusk said, taking a step back from the collared pony. "Now my puppy's ready for the weekend." The pegasus nodded affirmatively, wiping a few strains of black hair back into place. "What do you wanna do first?"

Vocal blushed as he hesitated for a moment. He knew long before the collar was put around his neck what he wanted to do. "Can we please play first...Master?"

Dusk smirked at the response. "Well I don't know," he said crossing his forehooves in contemplation. "Promise to be a good boy."

The gray unicorn responded with a happy, puppy-like yip. "Yes, sir! I promise!" Vocal's tail began to wag for the added effect.

Dusk smirked at his obedient little pup. "Well alright. Just a little fun before we begin playing." He said before giving the collar a light tug, "but you're keeping the collar on!"

"Y-yes sir."

"Good boy, now scurry on to bed."

Vocal darted for the bedroom as fast as his legs could carry him, hopping up onto the springy mattress and eagerly waited for his master to catch up. Dusk's pace was not so speedy as he took his time walking through the living room and into the master bedroom where his pet waited.

The generously sized bedroom was big enough to hold the pegasus' books and reading chair with plenty of room for a queen sized bed. A door to a large walk in closet could be found on the far wall, close to a large bay window that allowed sunlight to filter into the room. The long golden beige drapes that hung on the window were closed for the evening, bouncing the flickering candle light of the room back in on itself.
Vocal sat on top of the springy mattress, his blue tail wagging happily behind him. As his master got closer, the unicorn found himself getting more excited and energetic.

"Well aren't we a hyper little puppy," Dusk smirked, slowly looking over Vocal's tantalizing body.

He noted how Vocal's body wiggled with energetic excitement as his puppy side showed through ever so slightly. The metal dog tags that hung on the collar jingled quietly. Already Vocal could be seen growing a sizable erection between his legs.

The unicorn gave Dusk's face a playful lick which quickly turned into a kiss squarely on the mouth. That kiss led to another one and then another one, followed by a couple sensual moans from both ponies. They closed in on each other's warmth.

Vocal's member stiffened to it's full length twitching between the two as they touched. The body heat of his master was enough for his arousal to be triggered, sending his heart into overdrive. His cheeks flared up as his cock flared up stiffly.

Dusk's member rubbed against Vocal's, becoming hard in seconds. He ran his hooves over the unicorn's body as they kissed each other deeply. His hooves brushed over the angles of the other pony's body, sending shivers down his spine.

Without any more encouragement, Vocal quickly broke their embrace, twisting his body around on the bed. He moved about the sheets so that his back faced Dusk, his tail hole inviting Dusk to advance.

Dusk gripped Vocal's flank, pressing down on his cutie mark of crossed microphones, causing Vocal to shiver with anticipation. He slowly thrusted his hips forward, bringing his twitching member close to Vocal's tail hole. The head of his cock teased Vocal, making the unicorn shiver.

Vocal let out a couple cute whimpers as Dusk leaned in further. The submissive pony's cock strained underneath him as Dusk's cock slipped into his tail hole inch by inch. He was allowed to pleasure himself as Dusk continued to thrust into his rump. A naughty hoof dipped underneath their bodies and began rubbing the twitching cock underneath. Pre-cum was already seen dribbling off the head of his cock, speckling down on the clean bed sheets.

Dusk's thrusts started slow, taking on a steady motion of going in and out of Vocal's rump. The pace steadily quickened, sending bolts of arousal through both their bodies.

With such a cute submissive puppy under his charge, Dusk didn't seem to last long. He growled with arousal as his body flared up with heat, his cock suddenly twitching inside the unicorn's tail hole as he filled Vocal's rump up with his sticky cum.

Vocal let out something that sounded like a failed attempt at a howl as his body shuttered past the point of no return. His cock twitched and began spurting out strings of cum onto his chest, leaving the pony panting.

Dusk slowly pulled out of the relaxed pony, easing his length out of the tail hole. His own member was slick with his own cum, quickly deflating after the intense session.

The wonderful sex left the two exhausted with big smiles on their faces. Their humid bodies laid on top of the cool bed sheets as they recovered.

"That was good...for a start," Dusk teased as he pulled his body up into a sitting position. He then dug through the drawers of a small end table that sat by his side of the bed. He pulled out a metal ring and held it up for the unicorn to see.

Vocal instantly knew what it was, his ears drooping down. "Do I have ta?" Vocal gave his master a pouty lip, eyeing the metal ring. He never enjoyed the initial headache that happened when the suppression ring blocked his magic, but he knew deep down that it was necessary to be a good boy. The ring shaped device was simple, but effective when a unicorn needed their magic to be blocked for a short period of time.
"Yes, puppy. You wanna be a good boy, don't you?"

"Yes sir!"

Ever so carefully, Dusk slipped the cool ring around the unicorn's horn, giving it a little twist to snap it into place. He gave the device a couple tugs to make sure it was on snugly. Right away, the rings of the device began to glow a soft gold.

Vocal felt the predictable dizziness rush over him, making his sight blurry for a few seconds as blood rushed to the front of his head. Dusk kept him steady as the device worked it's magic, bearing down a suppression field on him.

Dusk checked on his pup. "Good?"

"Yes master," Vocal stated, shaking his head as the aches faded away.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now it's time for bed time."

Vocal smiled and let out a big yawn. He leaned back onto the soft bed pillows and started to close his eyes. His satisfied mind already showed signs of falling asleep, the week sapping his energy.

"Op op op!" Dusk's voice rudely interrupted the gray unicorn's slumber, accompanied by harsh jabs to his side. "You're not sleeping here. You know the rules."

"B-but I'm so tired," Vocal whined, squirming his body to avoid the jabbing hoof. "Can't I sleep with you? Just for one night?"

Dusk shook his head, "you know the rules. Collared puppies sleep in THEIR bed." He pointed towards a large, square cushion that sat against a corner of the room. The cushion had a visible soft crater in the middle of it from being slept in.

Vocal tried to interject. "But-"

"Unless you want to argue with your master and sleep in your cage," Dusk sternly responded.

That shut Vocal up real quick. On nights that he was extra naughty, arguing with his master or sneaking food out of the fridge, his cage served as his punishment. The large metal pet cage was only pulled out of it's spot in the bedroom closet to be used as his place to sleep in at night when he was to be punished. The thin, dirty mat that lined the floor was almost as uncomfortable as the cold metal bars that lined the ceiling and walls of the cage.

"That's what I thought," Dusk firmly nodded. "Now out!" He gave the unicorn a few more crude nudges before Vocal climbed out of the bed.
Like a good boy, Vocal slunked to his pet bed, curling up in a loose ball on it's fluffy cushioning.

"G-goodnight, master," Vocal quietly said, before lowering his head down onto the cushion.

"Goodnight pup," Dusk said, pulling the fluffy covers over him and snuggling under the warmth. And with that, the bedroom lights were turned out, shrouding the room in darkness.

Vocal let out a big yawn as he curled up tighter on his pet bed. The wonderful sex and the constant surge of emotions from the puppy treatment had left him tired and ready for a good night's sleep.

✶✶✶✶✶

Morning came almost immediately for the sleeping Vocal. It seemed like the moment he closed his eyes, daylight was already shining brightly through the open window, stirring him awake. He squinted and raised his head, gathering his bearings and remembering where he was. The empty headed feeling from the suppression ring reminded him that the device was still attached. His collar tag jingled quietly, reminding him of it's presence as well.

Memories of the night before quickly rushed back. The domination of his master, the submission of slipping into the role of a puppy for the weekend, and even the wonderful sex the two had before slipping into their roles completely. The weekend had just started and already he felt a quiver in his heart from the wonderful fun.

His joints popped as Vocal pulled himself off his pet bed. He let out a heavy yawn and stretched his forelimbs in front of him. His collar jingled with each head movement he made. He raised his head to find his master's bed empty, the sheets still jumbled up from last night. His master must have beaten him as the first one up.

Vocal walked out of the bedroom into the suite proper. His nose twitched at the delicious scents as his ears could hear the sound of cooking from the nearby kitchen. Submissively, he peeked his head in to find Dusk hard at work at the stove.

"Uhm, good morning, master," he quietly said.

The pegasus busied himself with breakfast, switching between multiple stations in the kitchen as he worked. The pony quickly glanced up from the pots and pans, briefly acknowledging Vocal's presences. "Good morning, pup. Sleep well?"

"Mhmm," the unicorn said, stretching his back legs, "slept great!"

"Why don't you sit down, puppy. Breakfast's almost ready," Dusk said, keeping his eyes on the cooking food.

"Oh good, I'm starving!" Vocal chirped, trotting over to the kitchen table. His hoof was just about to pull out a chair when Dusk interjected.
"Puppies don't sit at the table," the pegasus called out from the kitchen, not even looking up from the cooking food.

Vocal immediately coiled his hoof back. How could he have forgotten that? After a closer inspection of the dining room, he soon found a pair of metal doggy bowls sitting in the corner. These were his usual 'dining utensils' whenever the pair ate at home without any company. These two metallic bowls sat in round wire holders with the word 'PUPPY' etched into them with thick black lettering. One bowl was already filled with fresh water in preparation of the meal.

Despite the tantalizing smells of food and the growling of his stomach, Vocal behaved himself and sat in front of the bowls. He patiently waited at his post, not wanting to bother his master any more than he did.

The remaining fifteen minutes or so of cooking time felt like hours to the hungry collared pony. Occasionally he felt a quiet whimper of distress slip out of his muzzle as he waited. After waiting that long amount of time, he was all too excited to see Dusk walking into the room with two plates of food.

The blue pegasus smiled at the sitting unicorn, placing one plate of hot food on the table before walking over to Vocal and his bowls. "Aw, good boy. Waiting for your master to finish cooking. I hope you're hungry."

With no interference from the collared Vocal, Dusk used a fork to scrape all the fresh food into Vocal's bowl, mixing them all into a pile of assorted breakfast dishes.

Dusk sat down with his own meal, complete with a fork and knife, leaving Vocal with his own food. Vocal obediently ate out of his bowl, tail wagging ever so gently as he ate away. He was a much slower eater because by the time he cleaned out the bowl and washed it down with some cool water, Dusk was no where to be found. Before he knew it, his master was walking up to him with a leash in hoof.

Without any exclamation, Dusk clicked the leash onto Vocal's collar, locking the two pieces together. Dusk gave Vocal's leash a gentle tug. "Come along, boy. We're going for a walk."

Vocal let out a quiet whimper as he followed his master's lead. He tried not to drag his feet out of fear of upsetting his master. He kept up a steady stride, walking close enough to the pegasus for him to keep an eye on him.

Much to Vocal's dismay, he was lead out of the safety of their suite. With gentle tugs of his leash coaxing him along, the unicorn was lead out into the marble floored halls that he walked through the evening before.

The halls were much more active this time of day, most ponies coming out for their morning walk or heading to another part of the castle to start the day. Many of them were guards, patrolling the long halls with their shiny gold armor and powerful presence. Occasionally it was a royal official, record keepers, accountants, even the occasional ambassador home from their travels. They would all try to avoid eye contact with the passing royal family member and his pet. Usually they were smart enough to not interfere with royal affairs.

Every pony that passed Dusk and Vocal may have averted their eyes at the sight, but Vocal knew they would get to staring once the two passed. He worried about the gossip that he fueled with his puppy play and the reputation he might have built inside the walls of the castle.
Dusk wasn't as worried, confident in his position as being a son of Luna. He carried himself confidently through the hallways as they traveled along. Any pony he matched eyes with he held eye contact with, being polite rather than embarrassed.

The royal gardens was typically the crown jewel for any spring banquet or seasonal ball that was held at Canterlot Castle. It contained a wide variety of fauna and flora that were carefully transplanted from their native lands all across Equestria. Exotic birds called this large expanse of greenery their home, chirping in the bushes and tall trees. The air contained fragrances from rare, colorful flowers. The tranquil atmosphere was free of any offending torrents of wind thanks to the high walls of ivy and hedge bordering the outer edge of the grounds.

During a special event, the place would be overflowing with ponies, every one of them taking in the sights, the wonderful scents, or using the colorful gardens as inspiration for their newest painting. However, on quiet weekend where nothing was planned, the gardens were a much quieter place. Only a few ponies could be seen at this time of day.

Dusk and Vocal entered the scene through one of the many open archways that acted as the garden's entrances.

Vocal nervously kept his head down, making himself as small as possible as he followed Dusk around the large lake. He whimpered ever so quietly as he dared not look up from the ground. His eyes glued to the green grass under his hooves, too embarrassed to look up to see if anypony was watching.

Dusk, on the other hand, kept his head held high as he carted his pet around the crystal clear lake. His high social status gave him the confidence in being seen out in public in such a compromising way. He showed much less fear in making eye contact with any pony who might pass by. He gave a friendly nod, a courteous "hello", and walked past without another thought.

The two found a nice patch of green grass to sit down on with a strong tree to tie Vocal up if the situation ever showed itself. The shade of the large oak tree kept the two cool on this weekend afternoon.

"Look what I have for you, puppy," Dusk said as he fished something out of his saddle bags. He pulled out a simple yellow tennis ball and hovered it in front of Vocal's face for a few moments. He tossed the ball up in the air a couple times, smiling at his collared pet.

Vocal blushed as he stared at the fuzzy, yellow orb. He blushed even more when Dusk proceeded to chuck the ball across the field, requiring Vocal to chase after it. And like a good boy, the unicorn did just that.

On the first couple throws, Vocal's nervous self shyly chased after the ball, looking around before carrying it back in his mouth. As the game went on, however, the gray pegasus found himself slipping into the role. He started to relax as he chased after the ball, looking around less and focusing more on the fun object that slowly got wet and slick with his slobber.

As their playtime continued Vocal panted happily in anticipation as Dusk teased him with the ball. His dark blue tail wagged as his eyes focused solely on the ball and not much else. Quite skillfully he even managed to catch the ball in his mouth without it touching the ground.
By the end of it all, Vocal was out of breath, his hooves aching as he carried the slobber covered ball back to his master. After depositing the ball close to Dusk, he plopped down next to his master, still catching his breath.

"You're always so shy letting out your puppy side at first," Dusk commented, placing the tennis ball beside him. "Nothing a good game of fetch can't cure."

Vocal smirked at this, rolling over onto his back to rest his tired back on the soft, green grass. Despite his usual nerves that swell up when he takes on the puppy role every weekend, he also noticed how therapeutic a game of fetch can be to him. Switching between his normal life and this puppy life was less of a switch and more so a steady transition that required time and of course some coaxing from his master. The weekend would always start with him nervous and mindful of every little thing that happened around him, but eventually he'd worry less and enjoy his puppy life with his master.

Dusk rubbed Vocal's soft tummy fur. "Such a good boy! Yes you are! Yes you are!" He cooed at the unicorn as the gray pony squirmed on the ground like an eager puppy. Vocal giggled underneath his master's hoof, wiggling about as his tummy fur was ruffled. After a few more rubs, Dusk gave Vocal's warm belly a couple pats and pulled his hoof away.

The next few hours were spent lazily laying under the shady tree. Vocal rested his head on Dusk's lap as Dusk read a few pages of the book he brought with him. It was nice to take things slow after a hectic work week. The weekends were not only for playing puppy and master for fun, but also to relax and enjoy life at a slower pace.

Dusk had also brought some snacks to eat, a couple apples for him and a dog treat or two for Vocal.

The quiet relaxation was suddenly ended with the sound of a closing book. "Thinking it's time to head in," Dusk could be heard saying as he looked up at the cloudy sky. He gently nudged his puppy off his lap and stood up off the soft grass.

As he stood up, Vocal noticed how messy he had gotten from their afternoon of play. Grass clippings clung to his gray coat as the fur around his hooves were tinted brown from the muddy ground. Small twigs and leaves had found themselves twisted in his dark blue tail.

Dusk stood up and dusted off a few grass clippings that clung to his coat. He noted the amount of dirt that covered his pet's fur. "Somepony's gonna need a bath," Dusk plainly state, tugging Vocal back to the castle.

By his master's lead, Vocal was guided back down the familiar halls and into their room where they made a beeline to the bathroom. Water was run and the tub's drain was plugged.

As the bath was prepared, Vocal sat on the cool tiled floor obediently, not moving an inch unless his master said so. Meanwhile, Dusk pulled some dry towels, pet shampoo, and a couple washcloths for scrubbing from the nearby closet. He stacked each item on the counter for easy access.

Once the water was turned off and the warm bath drawn, Vocal sat in the tub patiently, allowing his master to scrub him clean. He would occasionally move a hoof up to be cleaned, but for most of the bath he behaved himself and remained still.

"Did you have a lot of fun playing fetch today?" Dusk asked, washing some shampoo off with a splash of water.

Vocal nodded, "Yes, sir." He was definitely relaxed after all that running. It was only the first day of the weekend and he could already feel the stresses of life lift away. "Tired though," he said with a yawn.

"We can take a short nap before we head out again," Dusk answered back, scrubbing some mud clumps out of Vocal's fetlocks.

"Okay," Vocal answered back with another yawn. He didn't want to ask where they were going to go or argue that he was too tired for any more activities today. His master knew best after all.

Bath time was quick and efficient. Just as fast as he was plopped into the water, Vocal was quickly pulled out and wrapped up in fluffy towels. His master took special care to get his puppy nice and dry, resulting in fluffing up Vocal's gray mane.

Once he was nice and dry, Vocal was guided back into the living room. Dusk took his usual spot by the reading lamp, a stack of his books already placed on a nearby table. Vocal took his place at his master's side, laying beside him like a real puppy.

Vocal plopped his head onto his master's lap, quickly getting a gentle pet from him. He felt his body relax and loosen up under his master's care. He happily looked forward to the coming weekend and any surprises that his master might have in store for his puppy.

*************

The two ponies laid on the couch calmly as the afternoon slowly rolled by. There was a relaxing stillness in the room, quiet enough for the birds outside to be heard chirping away. The wall clock quietly ticked as Vocal contently laid his head on his master's lap, letting out a content sigh.

These relaxing afternoons were a welcomed change of pace for the busy ponies. Vocal especially enjoyed the loss of control and responsibility that came with putting on his collar. With the collar on, the unicorn only needed to worry about being a good puppy and following his master's lead. And so far, he felt he was doing a pretty good job at that.

Dusk enjoyed their time together as well even during the less exciting parts of their weekend. Dusk was perfectly okay with reading his book for the day, occasionally giving his loyal puppy a loving scritch behind the ear. Even seemingly mundane things like reading a book was wonderfully enjoyed when he had his good puppy by his side. He reveled in the sight of watching Vocal lean into his rubbing hoof every time he gave his head a good scritch on the ears.

With his idle mind, Dusk noticed a few patches of his fur were still matted down from the quiet day at the park. "Hm," he simply said inquisitively, closing his book and slowly shifting off of the couch. Vocal looked at him with curious eyes, wondering why he was getting up. "I suppose I should take a bath as well," Dusk explained, stretching his legs. "Can I trust that you'll behave yourself while I'm gone, pup?"
"Yes, master," Vocal said, giving his most sincerest of nods.

"Alright then," Dusk nodded back in confirmation before he turned towards the bathroom. "I won't be long." The pegasus walked into the small bathroom and shut the door behind him. After a few minutes the low hum of running water could be heard.

Like a patient puppy, Vocal stayed in his spot on the couch. He watched the bathroom door while occasionally glancing over at the clock on the wall that ticked the minutes away. At first, he figured his master wouldn't take long. His own bath didn't seem to eat that much time so he remained on the couch, patiently waiting for Dusk to reemerge.

However, that patience quickly dwindled as time went on. It quickly dawned on him that Dusk was taking his time with the bath and would not be out any time soon. Patience eventually lead to boredom as Vocal continue to lounge on the couch. He then spent his time shifting about on the couch, trying to find a better position on it's cushions that would somehow magically rid him of his growing boredom.

Eventually his dull mind tried to conjure up solutions to the growing boredom. It quickly sorted through dozens of alternatives, many of them requiring his use of magic which at this point was impossible. With the obvious things set aside, one thought dwelled on his mind. Cake.

He was reminded of the leftover pieces of cake that sat inside the fridge. Just picturing it made his mouth water. The multilayered treat was nothing special, just some left overs from a dinner party Dusk attended recently. Vocal only caught a glimpse the cake, but he remembered being offered a slice, but being much too full to eat any. Now that he was just sitting there doing nothing, a slice of cake did sound pretty tantalizing.

His bored mind continue to build on the suggestion. Eating was a great way to kill time and Dusk surely wouldn't notice if a slice or two of cake went missing, especially if it was Vocal's to begin with. The more he thought about it, the more promising the idea felt. He licked his chops thinking about it. The unicorn quickly hopped up from the couch, quietly tip toeing into the kitchen.

The cool, gray tiles cooled his feet as he walked into the room, flipping on the main overhead light. The kitchen area was a rather modest arrangement, containing no overly elaborate luxuries in it's design. A small island sat in the middle of the room, containing an amplitude of cabinets and drawers. A fridge and a number of counters sat against the far wall as well as an oven.

A chilly breeze slipped past the collared pony as he opened the fridge. The cake was easily found, sitting on the middle shelf in all it's frosted goodness.

Although the original plan was for him to only eat a slice of cake, Vocal found himself eating the cake in its entirety. He started to panic as he realized just how much trouble he would be in when his master found out about his misbehavior.

His naughty snack time was suddenly interrupted. "And what do you think you're doing?" The voice behind him said.

Color drained from his face as he slowly turned to face his maker. Standing over him stood his master, freshly dried off from the long bath, and wearing a disappointed scowl on his face. The pegasus crossed his forehooves in front of him to emphasize his disapproval.

The panicked Vocal hastily scrambled for words. "I-I was just-"

"Misbehaving," Dusk completed the thought, "after you just told me you'd behave yourself." His scowl deepened as Vocal's ears drooped down on his head. "Well, I hope you've had your fill because you won't be having dinner tonight. It's straight to your cage for the night."

"What!? But I-"

"Off you go," Dusk firmly stated, shutting the fridge door and pointing an authoritative hoof towards the bedroom.

Vocal reluctantly obeyed, his tail tucked between his legs and his head lowered. He quietly walked into the bedroom, not needing to wait too long for his master to come in shortly after.

He watched as Dusk opened the bedroom closet, revealing the large metal cage that waited inside. Vocal let a quiet whimper slip through as he looked up at Dusk with his best puppy eyes.

"In you go," Dusk firmly stated, unlatching the front door of the cage.

Vocal hesitated, doing his best to amplify his puppy eyes in hopes to win his master over. But the pegasus was having none of it, holding tightly to his stern expression. At the end of the very brief battle of wits Vocal reluctantly climbed into the cage.

The cage door was then closed, locking Vocal in for the night. As an added measure, Dusk decided to close the closet door as well, shutting Vocal into a dim darkness. The only light he had to go on was the thin sliver of lamp light that slipped through crack between the sliding doors.

He sat there in his cage and thought about what he had done. The temptation, looking back at it now with less of a bored mind, was a simple thing to avoid, but something in him expected to be caught. He wouldn't have admitted it, but there was part of him, a naughtier side of him, that wanted to be punished by his master. It made things interesting for the two ponies' master and pet adventures. The thought was tantalizing, but to actually experience the punishment was a bit too much for the unicorn. Regardless of how he felt about the treatment, he was now forced to ride it out.

Vocal did his best to fall asleep, but struggled with the seemingly simple task. It was cold and uncomfortable inside the metal cage. The thin mat that made up the floor had it's slender layer of padding flattened and matted practically ruining any chance of it being cozy. The discomfort left the unicorn alone with his thoughts, holding back instinctive, puppy like whimpers.

He always hated the cage, but even he couldn't deny it's benefits as an effective punishment. His ears tucked back as he pathetically whimpered at the closet door in front of him, but deep down he knew he deserved it.

The only change in the mundane was when he could hear Dusk turning in for the night hours later. He didn't acknowledge Vocal's presence as he got ready for bed. He could hear the pegasus going through his nightly routine and eventually climbing into bed. The lamp was then turned off, shrouding the closet in pitch black darkness.

The night slowly passed after that, minutes ticking away like hours as Vocal struggled to fall asleep. He would constantly shift positions, desperate in finding that one golden position that he'd be able to sleep for more than five minutes in. After so much rolling and toiling, Vocal couldn't see how he'd ever get to sleep.

However before he knew it, Vocal was being woken up by sunlight. He wasn't sure when, but he must have been able to fall asleep at one point after all. He sat up, yawning a bit as his ears twitched about to hear for movement in the bedroom.

He could hear Dusk waking up shortly after. He eagerly waited for the closet door to open, minutes feeling like agonizing hours as he squirmed in his place.

As if answering his prayers, the doors finally opened, shining bright morning light into his cage. Dusk stood over the caged unicorn, standing with a strong, authoritative presence. "Have we learned to be a good boy?" The pegasus asked. Vocal pathetically nodded, desperate to get out of the claustrophobic cage and finally stretch his legs. "Good," Dusk simply said, unlocking the cage door.

Vocal quickly scurried out, half worried that his master would change his mind if he waited too long. Right away his limbs tensed up, crackling and burning a tiny bit as he stretched them about. The cramps were finally able to release tension, bringing much needed relief to the pony.
The collared pony was led out of the room and into the dining area like the morning before. Breakfast was served in a similar way when Dusk took the liberty in cooking their food. Dusk focused on the cooking food as Vocal patiently waited by his doggy dish.

Dusk however, was in no rush feeding his naughty puppy his breakfast. With expertise he crafted the perfect breakfast for himself and rather than being generous and share his well-made breakfast with his naughty puppy, he simply put all the leftovers in Vocal’s doggy bowl.

Not wanting to further disappoint is master, Vocal hungrily ate his breakfast, satisfying his grumbling stomach that was forced to missed dinner. He was a bit sloppy with his eating, but this was tolerated by his master. Puppies can be messy eaters after all.

Once his meal was quickly dealt with, Vocal leaned back, licking his lips with a smile and fully belly. His quick eating led to a post-meal daze. He never thought a day in his cage would make him miss food so much.

He was suddenly snapped out of his daze with the sound of metal clicking together. He then felt his neck being tugged in a direction.
"Come along, puppy," his master stated, attaching his collar to a leash. "Time for walkies!"

Vocal's tail began to wag as he happily hopped up from his seat. He excitably darted for the front door, eagerly sitting next to it in a puppy like manner. He practically wedged himself through the door as his master slowly opened it.

The collared unicorn happily led the way, walking about with his head held high and his tail wagging wildly behind him. However, his mood drastically changed when his master gave his leash a couple tugs, leading them in the opposite direction of the castle gardens.

"N-no private gardens today?" Vocal asked with a puzzled expression.

"Have you forgotten you're being punished today, pup?" Dusk raised an eyebrow making Vocal's ears droop down. For a moment, he actually had forgotten. "No, I'm taking you out on the town. Do some shopping, maybe even grab some dinner while we're out."

Vocal quietly gulped, whimpering as they started to walk out of the familiar halls of Canterlot castle. They soon left the well decorated and regal halls of the castle, leaving behind any kind of privacy Vocal thought he had while the two were play master and pet. They quickly entered Canterlot proper, large bustling streets filled with ponies and tall buildings.

It seemed like every pony in Canterlot were out and about on this lovely Sunday afternoon. The streets were packed with visiting tourists and snooty unicorns, all of them weaving in and out of the many stores and café that dotted the cobblestoned streets.

The sight of a unicorn being trotted around in a collar and dog leash was sure to attract a few gawkers in the busy town. Vocal could just barely hear mumbles of distaste towards him as his master tugged him along. Children would frequently appear to pet him oddly enough, finding the allure of pet play cute. They even offered to walk him or play fetch with him some time which Dusk politely turned down. The entire day was filled with humiliating exposure as Dusk carted Vocal around as his pet. Vocal shyly kept his eyes to the ground as they walked, nearly running into a wall or two because of how glued his eyes were to the floor.

As the evening drew closer, the two ponies grew hungry. After an embarrassing day of puppy play, Vocal was relieved they would be taking a break, even if it was at a public place.

Dusk led his puppy to a richy looking restaurant in the shopping district of Canterlot. The fancy building stood apart from the rest of the tall buildings and crowded streets, giving it's atmosphere plenty of room to breath.

A waiter pony stood at a podium near the entrance of the restaurant. The black stallion was dressed as classy as the restaurant, wearing a clean cut suit that was free of any stains or wrinkles. His attire was as spotless as his dark green mane that was slicked back without a hair out of place. When Dusk and Vocal arrived, he was busy sorting through a couple receipts and seating charts that laid scattered on the podium's surface. He slowly looked up at the arriving patrons, momentarily raising an eyebrow at the dog collar that hugged Vocal's neck.
"Table for two, sirs?" He spoke with an elegant and sophisticated vocabulary, mostly speaking through his nose.

"Yes. That'd be lovely," Dusk answered, "one outside if you got it."

The waiter simply grabbed two menus from the nearby stack and started to walk to the left. "Right this way."

Dusk and Vocal were lead down a main aisle through the restaurant, likely grabbing a couple ponies' attention as they passed. Faint, muddled words could be just barely heard from tables as ponies muttered to each other about the strange sight.

The waiter pony lead the two through a glass door, leading out to a patio area. The patio sat on top of a shallow hill, overlooking a small yard as the rest of Canterlot could be seen beyond. A simple, metal railing lined the edge of the patio to set it off from the cobblestoned path that encircled most of the restaurant. Eight or so tables dotted the area, some already filled with ponies and their meals.

The two were led to an metal legged table with a clean glass top. A well watered, pink flower bloomed in a small pot in the center.

"Shall I start you out with drinks?" the pony spoke with rehearsed words as he placed two menus across from each other, "Water? Wine?"

"Just cider for me, thank you," Dusk said, taking his spot at the table. Vocal was moments away from asking for cider as well, but Dusk was much quicker, "and he'll just have water."

"Very good, sir," the waiter stated, walking away without another word.

With the composed pony gone, Vocal turned to look at his master. The pegasus leafed through his saddle bags and pulled out Vocal's doggy dishes, placing them underneath the table. Vocal was then ushered underneath the table as well, his leash tied tightly around one of the table legs.

Drinks came around shortly after as the waiter continued to hold his tongue about the peculiar sight.

"Shall I take your order?" The waiter pony asked, floating a notepad and pen with his magic.

"I shall have the wildflower sandwich. And he will just have a small salad," Vocal efficiently ordered, closing the menu and passing it over to the other stallion.

"Very good sir," the waiter mumbled, leaving with the menus in tow.

Food came shortly after, served on fancy silver platters. The waiter held his tongue when he saw the unicorn submissively sitting underneath the table.

With the help of a fork, Dusk scraped Vocal's plate of food into his doggy dish. Vocal patiently waited for him to finish, blushing ever so faintly whenever he looked around to see if anypony was watching.

As Dusk delicately dined at the table, Vocal quietly ate from his bowl. The royal pegasus used a set of silverware to elegantly cut apart his food, never taking in more than a mouthful of food at one time.

Vocal on the other hand ate his food as quickly as he could. He reasoned that the only thing standing between him and being back home out of the public eye was the simple collection of greenery that waited in his bowl. The unicorn was a tad bit sloppy, but he efficiently dealt with the meal, polishing his bowl off and drinking down the cool water as well.

Eventually, Dusk was done as well. He took much longer than the embarrassed unicorn, but finished all the same. The bill was then paid without an issue, attracting more stares from nearby patrons as Vocal was pulled through the restaurant once again.

As if answering his prayers, his master finally led him out of the building. With light tugs of his leash, Vocal was led back through the busy streets of Canterlot. Stores were slowly closing up for the night, the evening sky slowly darkening the orange sky above.

Vocal kept his head low to the ground, relieved that he made it through the day in one piece. Dusk took the more scenic route back to the castle, weaving through the many streets of Canterlot. His path gathered a couple more stares and muttered comments about Vocal, but he could barely hear any of them. He was much too excited to get out of the public eye and back into their apartment suite.

Finally, after what seemed like agonizing hours, the two returned to their suite, safe at last. Much to the submissive unicorn’s relief, there weren’t anymore ponies to gawk at him here.

"I hope you've learned your lesson, pup," Dusk said, unlatching the leash. "I don't want to find you misbehaving anymore. Understand?"
"Yes master," Vocal submissively answered back.

"Good," the pegasus simply said back. "Now I think that's enough puppy time for one weekend. What do ya say we get that collar and ring off?"

Vocal's face lit up as his tail began to wag. "Yes master!"

Without another word, the unicorn happily dashed into the the bedroom, hopping onto the bed with a happy butt wiggle.

Dusk made quick work of the collar, slipping it off and tossing it back into it's usual spot in the bedside table drawer. He then moved on to twisting off the magic suppression ring that slipped effortlessly off Vocal's horn.

Vocal was quickly hit by a rush of relief once the device was removed. His magical powers came surging back with a tingling sensation like waking up a foot after it fell asleep. "I can never get use to that," Vocal simply stated, rubbing his forehead. After a couple of rubs, the burning pain seemed to fade. He moved in close to the other pony and gave him a big hug.

"There's my Vocal," Dusk said as he ran a hoof through Vocal's mane. "Did you have fun this weekend?"

"Mhmm," Vocal nodded softly, leaning into Dusk.

"Aww, I'm happy to hear that," Dusk said as he hugged the other pony, "just for that, you get to snuggle with me tonight."

The unicorn smiled, leaning into Dusk and nuzzling underneath his chin. Dusk responded by pulling the unicorn close, enveloping him with a hoof as their warm bodies touched. A blanket was gently pulled over the two, keeping them warm as the outside air started to become crisp and cool.

Vocal was out like a light almost instantly. Before long, he was slumbering quietly, still snuggling close to Dusk. "Good puppy," Dusk said with a light peck on the other pony's forehead.

Cloud Blossom put down her hammer and chisel, turned her back on the half finished sculpture she had been working on for the better part of two weeks and examined the note again, for what had to have been the sixth time that day. It was a very short note, succinct and to the point, although her mom usually was. Then again, her momma Shy didn't usually send her mail via dragon, so Cloud assumed something was up back at home. She picked it up in her front hooves, flapping her wings gently to maintain her balance. Cloud had long ago learnt to work around her disability and for the most part it never bothered her, although there were times when she entirely forgot she didn't have a left hind leg, usually first thing in the morning. Thankfully, as she lived alone, nopony was around to see her sprawl unceremoniously onto the floor.

So, here she was in her work room, putting aside her latest masterpiece in favour of that note. Quickly she scanned it.

“Cloud Blossom,

Please come home to Ponyville at your earliest convenience, we need to see you and your sister urgently. I wouldn't write to you unless it was very important for you to come home. I won't go into details in a letter, you need to hear this in person.

Yes, your sister will be here too (hopefully), I know you two don't exactly get on together, and I understand why, but this has to stop sometime Blossom.

Please hurry, yours,

Momma Fluttershy”

For the seventh time Cloud screwed up the note and threw it away to the corner of her work room, where it came to rest and found itself a home amidst marble and stone blocks, upcoming commissions for customers that she hadn't started work on yet . If there was a hint of a possibility her sister would be there too, then she didn’t want to be. If she never saw Apple Honey again it would be too soon. “Don't exactly get on”, her mom had wrote. Cloud sniggered to herself. “Now there was an understatement mom, I bucking hate her!” She thought with venom.

Cloud Blossom had hated her sister for as long as she could remember and the pegasus was very sure the feeling was mutual. It was the one and only thing they had ever agreed on. Since her cutie mark had appeared fifteen years ago and she had discovered her talent for sculpture she had left Ponyville and her family, especially her dratted sister behind. She had kept in contact with her mothers, Applejack and Fluttershy, by mail, in fact Cloud had kept every one of their hundreds of letters over the years. She had them all in her upstairs study.

Sighing inwardly Cloud picked up her hammer and chisel, they were her cutie mark, and her favourite tools to work with, and turned her attention back to the half finished work in front of her. She rested the chisel against the hard stone and tapped it twice with the hammer before putting them back down on the small table. Cloud sighed again. The note from her mom had distracted her, and she knew she’d get no more work done today. There was no point fighting it, and she refused to force her art. Her creativity had to flow naturally from her, otherwise it wouldn't be her best, and Cloud Blossom refused to ever sculpt less than her best. Her clients and critics in Canterlot, Manehatten and the rest of Equestria had come to expect the highest quality, and she had to deliver it every time.

Cloud Blossom caught sight of herself in the mirror then, and had to stifle a chuckle. She looked a mess, covered in stone dust and sweat from mane to tail, she could barely make out her pale green coat and fair blonde mane. Reaching behind her head she removed her dust mask and shook her mane out, showering the hardwood floor in pebbles, chippings and dust that had accumulated over the day's work. Her Aunt Rarity would have had a heart attack at the state of her. With a laugh at the thought of Rarity's reaction, “Darling, your mane!” she decided a very long, very hot bubble bath was in order. Flipping off the lights at the switch on the wall she plunged her work room into darkness and flew up the stairs to the first floor where she lived.

Reaching the bathroom Cloud went straight for the tub which was big enough to accommodate four full grown ponies, not that she ever entertained four fully grown ponies, or even one fully grown pony, but money had its privelidges. And this bath tub was her favourite, big enough for her to spread her aching wings and hooves without touching the sides, the bubble jets in the sides always managed to sooth away the days stress. Cloud fluttered her wings and landed front legs first into the bath before lowering herself to a seated position, tucking her wings away and used a hoof to turn on the water, setting it to a temperature just lower than the inside of an active volcano. Lathering herself up in shampoo and scented oils Cloud flipped off the water and activated the button for the bubble jets before dipping her head under the almost scalding hot water. She didn't think herself a particularly girly mare, but this luxury of hers was utter bliss. Bringing her head up Cloud took in a welcome lungful of air and spread her powerful wings under the water, allowing the jets to massage her feathers.

“Aaaaaahhh that's the spot, just there…hmmmm…” The stream of gentle bubbles caught her under her wings, just where they joined her barrel, then flowed over the feathers, easing the tired and sore flight muscles. True she never flew very great distances, but with only having one hind leg Cloud had grown accustomed to using her wings almost constantly to keep her balance, or to hover around her sculptures when working. She was steadier under wing power than she was on her hooves, and nine hours per day hovering about took their toll. By this time her back and wings were usually screaming for release. Cloud Blossom then folded her wings and rolled onto her back before spreading them again and pointed herself directly against the bubble flow.

“Oooooh yeeeeaaahhhhh…” Cloud felt her tight back muscles melt under the ministrations of the bubble jets. Right about now in her daily bathing routine images of a dusky massage mare would be taking the place of the jets in her mind, and she’d be giving herself over to her imaginary expertise. Today though, try as she might to summon the mare of her dreams to her dreams, Cloud Blossom found her thoughts directed once more to her mother's letter.

“Cloud Blossom,

Please come home to Ponyville at your earliest convenience, we need to see you and your sister urgently. I wouldn't write to you unless it was very important you come home. I won't go into details in a letter, you need to hear this in person.

Yes, your sister will be here too (hopefully), I know you two don't exactly get on together, and I understand why, but this has to stop sometime Blossom.

Please hurry, yours,

Momma Fluttershy”

If her mom thought it was important enough to summon her back to her old home then of course she would go, but the thought of setting eyes on her sister again after all this time made her blood run cold despite the bath water. They hadn't seen each other for fifteen years, and they hadn't parted In the best of ways. “But, Momma Fluttershy did say it was urgent, and we are older now, we’re both thirty for Celestia's sake, maybe we can put this behind us after all...it would be nice to see Ponyville and my aunts again.”

With that Cloud Blossom pulled the plug in the bath tub, and with practised ease placed her two front hooves on the special non slip mat around the edge and hopped her hind leg out onto the mat, like many pegasi Cloud hated flapping her wings when they were soaking wet. Carefully, trying not to slip on three wet hooves, Cloud made her way over to the blow dryer mounted in the opposite wall. Second to the huge bath tub the blow dryer was her favourite indulgence. Balancing on two hooves she quickly pressed the button to activate the dryer and spread her wings wide, allowing the warm air to dry her feathers, before lowering her head to dry her white blonde mane. Turning her back to the dryer she held her wings open once more, drying the top side. “Aaaaah, dry wings are the best! I dunno how Aunt Dashie can stand to fly in thunderstorms.” Cloud wondered out loud to the empty bathroom before lifting her tail so the dryer could get everywhere. This was her favourite part of the dryer, feeling the pleasant warm air blow over her hind leg and marehood. It always made her giggle like a naughty dirty filly, and on especially lonely evenings the imaginary massage mare would be summoned to her fantasies again, her or the really attractive mailmare that Cloud had a very long standing crush on. Still, she wasn't in the mood just now, that letter was playing on her mind, and now she was properly dried off it needed a reply.

Flapping her wings gently she fluttered her way to her study, however instead of going to the writing desk Cloud made a beeline straight to her record player. Carefully with her teeth so as not to mark the disc she inserted her favourite, a collection of cello classics by Octavia. Her favourite song was the first to be played, ‘Le Carnaval des Animaux : XIII, The Swan’. Once the beautiful sound of the cello filled up her study Cloud made her way to the desk, and wrote her reply to her mothers.

“My Dearest Mothers,

I have some business to attend to here in Canterlot, then I shall be in Ponyville on the afternoon train this Friday.

Hoping this reply finds you both in good health,

Yours,

Cloud Blossom”

“There, that should do it.” Cloud thought to herself as she sealed the short reply in an envelope and addressed it to Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville. She was confident it would reach its destination even if she just wrote her mothers names on the envelope, they were so well known. Being a daughter of two of the Elements of Harmony had been both blessing and curse, on the one hoof Cloud had discovered certain doors had opened easier if you happened to casually drop a name here or there, but on the other you were always in their shadow, and it had taken a good long time for Cloud Blossom to be recognised for her art in her own right.

With that done Cloud fluttered her way over to the wine cabinet and sofa beside it. Extracting a bottle of red she poured herself a modest amount and settled onto the faux leather sofa while the third tune, ‘Cello Sonata in G minor : III Largo’, began to play to its solo audience. Cloud sipped her wine as the haunting sounds of the beautiful instrument bathed her ears, reflecting that Octavia played her cello like she used her hammer and chisel, with a natural style and skill that only the most dedicated professionals could match.

After she had drained the wine from the glass, Cloud Blossom found herself rather sleepy, probably she reasoned, due to the relaxing bath, the music and the wine. She was tempted to make her way to her bed, but decided against it. She was plenty warm and comfy enough where she was, so tucking her legs under her and tucking away her wings she lowered her head to the arm of the sofa, closed her deep blue eyes and fell peacefully asleep.

Little Cloud Blossom was so proud! She had done it, at long last she had done it! The little filly buzzed with excitement, almost bouncing on her three legs as she squealed at the top of her little lungs.

“I did it! Momma I did it! Did ya see? I did it!” While it was true her achievement wasn't that grand, to her it was the best thing ever! Finally at the age of five she had managed to cross the large living room at Sweet Apple Acres unaided and without face planting herself into the carpet. It had taken her two years longer than her twin sister but learning to cope with just three legs AND wings had been hard.

“Ah surely did sugarcube, you done made me mighty proud young’un.” Applejack beamed a huge smile down at her daughter before picking her up in her hooves and throwing her a foot into the air, making her squeal even louder with joy.

“So what?” A cross little voice squeaked up from the corner of the room where she had been playing with her toys, “ah been doin’ that fer years an’ ya don’ praise me like that.” As if to prove her point beyond all measure of doubt Apple Honey promptly jumped to all four hooves, sauntered over the room then buzzed her little wings and flew back over to her toys. “See? Easy!”

Cloud’s squeals immediately ceased, and her lip trembled on the verge of tears. “Momma, Honey making fun of me?” She couldn't understand, what had she done wrong that her sister wasn't happy for her?

Applejack shhh’d her daughter, intercepting her tears with practised ease, before turning a stern gaze on the burnt yellow pegasus on the floor. “Apple Honey, the first time y’all walked over the room ah was proud’a ya too. Ah still am proud’a ya both an’ ah always will be, but don't go bein’ mean to ya sis just ‘cause it takes her longer to do sumthin’.”

Apple Honey flicked her pink mane from her face, before muttering in a sulky tone loud enough to be heard, “yeah, all ‘cause of her dumb leg.”

This time no amount of comforting would hold back Cloud’s tears, the cruel jibe finding its mark on the little filly. Applejack’s eyes narrowed dangerously towards her other daughter, who didn't back down, simply stared back at her mother with a defiant smirk on her face. “Apple Honey ya apologise to ya sis right now!”

“Ah will NOT!” Honey punctuated the last word with a stomp of her hoof, “y’all always give her the attention over me!” And with that she stomped out the room and up the stairs to her bedroom.

“An’ stay up there till ya feel ready to say sorry!” Applejack hollered after the angry young pegasus.

Apple honey made it to the top of the stairs, but didn't go in her room, instead staying hidden around the corner of the upstairs landing. The little filly could hear her mother calming her sister downstairs, and the irritating whine of Cloud Blossom.

“Momma, why does Honey hate me?”

“She don't hate ya none sugarcube, she’s just riled up is all. Now ah’m proud’a ya, so cheer up y’hear little missy?” At this Cloud giggled, sounding happier.

Up the stairs Apple Honey cried her own tears, of course she was proud of her sister, but why couldn't her momma’s be proud of HER too? Why was it always ‘Cloud this’ and ‘Cloud that’? Why was she always in the shadow of her dumb sister and her dumber leg? It wasn't even there and it got more attention than she did! Her Momma Jack was wrong, she did hate her sister, but she didn't know why, and that made the hurt, confused filly hate her sister even more.

~ ~ ~

The timer was running down, there were four minutes left of the second half and victory was as good as theirs. Seventy six minutes had been played. Seventy six brutal minutes. The final had lived up to its promised expectations, not one of the thirteen players on either side would emerge unscathed. They all had cuts and bruises to show for their efforts.

Two minutes left, and Apple Honey began her third full length run of the pitch that game. Ball held firmly in her mouth she ducked and wove around the opposing team. She didn't care if her lungs were bursting from the effort, that her tired muscles were hurting, that her left wing was probably fractured, they didn't slow her in the slightest, the pain fuelled her adrenaline, making her that tiny bit faster, that little bit sharper. The opposing team captain, a unicorn, had been sent off for the illegal tackle, she hadn't even had the ball when his horn had slammed into her wing sending her sidelong into the pitch. Inhibitor rings or no, horns still hurt like Tartarus.

“Good job my wings are taped up” she thought to herself with a grin, all pegasi had their wings secured before the game started, makes it fairer for the earth pony players.

Ninety seconds left and Apple Honey was three quarters down the pitch nearing the opposing goal line, this would be her third and final try of the game. Her team didn't need it, they were ahead by twenty points, but Honey wanted to give the crowd a big finish, so she went for it.

“Yes!” Seventy seconds left and she dropped the ball in the middle of the scoring zone, earning her team, the Manehatten Sharks, another four points to add to the forty they already had, increasing their lead even more. All Honey had to do now was make the conversion. The referee placed the ball on the little mound, and Honey squared up to face the goalposts. She began her run up, galloping towards the ball and gave it a mighty swat with her foreleg, belting it through the air and straight between the two uprights of the goal for another two points.
The crowd, all seventy five thousand of them, erupted in noise, some cheered, most booed, Apple Honey didn't give a flying buck for any of them. Let the idiots make whatever noise they liked, all she cared about was the win. Her team, HER team, the Manehatten Sharks had won the Equestrian Rugby Super League final for the third time running, making nine years undefeated. The final score was forty six to the Baltimare Ravens’ measly twenty. Which probably explained the boos from the crowd seeing as this year the final was being played in Manehatten. The trophy was handed round, and reporters took photos for the papers while Apple Honey and her team, sweaty, bruised and bleeding, posed for them. Honey loved it, she lived for this part and revelled in the glory of another high profile win. Best team in Equestria three tournaments in a row? Buck yeah!

Hoisted on the shoulders of her team mates Apple Honey gave silent thanks to all those long training sessions with her Aunt Dash when she had been a filly. All those running of the leaves she had done with her Momma Jack and Aunt Dash had sculpted her body to its physical peak, and while her aunt was quicker in the sky, on the ground Honey left them both in her dust every time. Her smile faltered slightly. Thoughts of Ponyville, her old home, brought her mind back to the note she had received by dragon mail before the big game had started. Apple Honey had given it a quick look over but hadn't been too concerned with it, nothing, absolutely nothing broke her mind set before a game. Winning and being the best at whatever she put her mind to doing was everything to Apple Honey, if she couldn't be the best, the pegasus saw no point in doing it. Now the game was over, the victory secured and recognition assured, and the high adrenalin was wearing off, Honey allowed herself to drift back to the note she had received as her team carried her back to the spacious locker room and the much needed showers.

“Apple Honey,

Please come home to Ponyville at your earliest convenience, we need to see you and your sister urgently. I wouldn't write to you unless it was very important for you to come home. I won't go into details in a letter, you need to hear this in person.

Yes, your sister will be here too (hopefully), I know you two don't exactly get on together, and I understand why, but this has to stop sometime Honey.

Please hurry, yours,

Momma Fluttershy”

“don't exactly get on…” Apple Honey had to suppress a laugh at that, her Mom certainly did have a flair for understatement. Didn't get on..hate was more like it, and Honey knew both her Moms knew it full well too. She also knew her Momma Fluttershy would never write or say such a thing to anypony. Indeed Honey doubted whether her Mom had the capacity within her to hate anything, she was so damn kind and gentle.

The team physio gave her wing the once over as she got down from her team mates shoulders, unstrapping her wings and allowing them to move freely for the first time after the eighth minute game. Her left wing did indeed have a hairline fracture along its leading edge. Nothing serious, certainly not requiring hospital attention. After her much needed shower the physio would bandage her up, advise her to refrain from flying for a day or two and she’d be right as rain.

Shower. The word ran through her fatigued brain like a welcome drug. “Must get to shower”. While the rest of the team had a large communal one they all shared, the perks of captaincy granted her her own shower just for her. Almost as big as the team shower Honey had plenty of room to stretch out her tired wings and muscles. Setting the temperature for the coldest setting she pressed her hoof against the button, and prepared herself for the icy water. The first blast of water came, and Honey gasped as it nearly took her breath away. She loved the icy shock of the cold water, it invigorated her as it washed away the mud, blood and sweat covering her coat. She stood in the flow of the cold water, watching transfixed as the filth of the game drained away from her body, revealing beneath the layer of mud a burnt yellow coat and close cropped dark pink mane and tail. She was almost a spit image of her Momma Fluttershy, except for being a few shades darker. Honey had chosen to crop her mane and tail as short as public decency would allow, barely enough to cover her ass, because as she pointed out, a lengthy mane and tail just gave the other team something to pull or trip you up with, so it had to go.

Now the first layer of filth had been washed away Honey turned up the heat a little to open her pores properly before lathering on her shampoo, taking her time to get the foaming soap everywhere, especially her cutie marks, a rugby ball inside a red apple. She winced a little as the heated water washed into her various cuts and bruises from the game, cleansing the wounds. The athletic pegasus spread her powerful wings under the water and despite her best efforts found herself thinking about the letter and her family in Ponyville.

True she hated her sister with a passion, and had done from as early as she could remember, which if Honey tried really hard was about the age of five, just before they had started old Cheerilee’s school. She could conjure the image in her mind's eye, that damned little filly had been so thrilled just for walking over the bloody living room! Yeah Honey got it, her sis had done something brilliant, and Honey was pleased for her, but the way her Momma Jack had carried on it was as if her sister had single hoofedly won all the Super Leagues. Honey spat in the shower at the hated memory.

That's when the jealousy and the resentment had first settled in her heart for her sister. Ever since then Apple Honey felt she had to work twice as hard to get half the recognition and attention lauded on her precious sister. Yeah she hadn't asked to be born disabled but as Honey had pointed out, she was quick to play on it, her ‘fragile little filly’ act fooled everypony else except her.

“Still,” she thought as she began towelling herself off after the shower,“ it sure would be nice to see the old place again, and to catch up with Momma Jack and Shy. Maybe ah could go after all. Couldn't hurt to visit, even if mah sis is there.”

Apple Honey didn't care a flying buck about not seeing her sister for fifteen years since that last awful fight they had had in the living room of Sweet Apple Acres. Their fights had always been spectacular, but this last one had been the last straw between them. Words had been exchanged, dreadful terrible words neither could take back and which neither wanted to take back. Ten years of hate had boiled over in that last fight, it had come to blows, as their fights always did, which lead to their most heated spat ever, which in turn had lead to them both leaving home that night.

No, Honey felt regret for not seeing her parents in at least four years. They had written to her, keeping up with her sports career, asking her over for visits, but Honey had always fobbed them off, she was always too busy. Shame bucked her in her guts then as Apple Honey got into her limo and the unicorn driver took her home to her Manehatten apartment. Too busy to see her own parents. What kind of Apple was she if her career came before family? As the car pulled away from the now empty stadium towards her place, Honey even thought it might be nice to see Cloud Blossom again after fifteen years. Very deep down in the darkest recesses of her heart she did love her sister, of course she did, they were family, but she also knew the minute they set eyes on each other their old argument would resurface, and old wounds would be reopened. No, it was better for all concerned if she and her sister didn't meet again, but at the same time Honey couldn't ignore her Mom. Especially now the Super League final had been played and won, there wouldn't be any games for at least four months, and they were little home games against local teams, nothing major.

By now the limo had stopped at her apartment, getting out she thanked her driver and gave the unicorn the week off on full pay, she could afford it and he was a good guy, if a little shy.

Opening the door to her three story place she was greeted by the wall of sound that told Honey her husband was home after one of his gigs. She’d been married to Baritone for seven years now, had first fallen in love with his music at one of his band's metal concerts when they had been touring Manehatten. Her parents and aunts had all made the wedding, in fact the only absent family member had been her sister, who was definitely not invited. In fact for the first few years of their marriage Baritone didn't know she had a sister, until her Momma Jack had mentioned Cloud in a visit four years ago. Bless him he was smart enough to know not to mention her around Apple Honey.

She crept down the hallway, she didn't really need the carpet to absorb the clopping of her hooves, there was no way Baritone would hear her approach over that noise. Carefully Apple Honey stuck her head around the door frame that lead to their den, and sure enough the light grey stallion was gyrating away to one of Dying Roses’ earliest number one hits “unbreakable souls”, his unruly dark blue mane and tail thrashing about his flanks, his cutie mark of a skull with a crossed microphone and pen in front of it being hidden and revealed as he ‘danced’ about, oblivious to his solo audience. Apple Honey leant against the doorframe, a wistful look in her eyes as she watched him perform.

“I could rut you all day long…” the thought came unbidden to her dirty mind, bringing with it memories of when they had done just that, their famous ‘day of six times’ still fresh in her mind. Making her mind up, Honey went to the well stocked kitchen and retrieved two lagers from the fridge. Creeping behind her husband she slapped one to his firm flank, announcing her presence and making him squeal like a filly all in one motion. Giggling herself Honey lowered the volume on the stereo system while Baritone attempted and failed to recover a bit of dignity from his wife's surprise assault.

Taking their beers and stifling his own giggles Baritone opened them before hoofing one back over to Honey. “Good game then I take it?” He asked while she chugged most of her bottle.

“Yup! The Rockets totally kicked their flanks! Forty six to twenty in the end! Ah scored four tries and conversions mahself, if ah say so all humble like.” Apple Honey’s triumphant tone wavered somewhat when she saw the frown on Baritone’s face. “What, what's up?”

“You mean to say you let the Ravens put twenty past you? Were you asleep Honey?” Baritone tried his best to keep his straight face but gave up half way through, giving in to his sniggers at Honey’s look of shock. Realising she had been ‘gotten’ and seeing as she had nothing soft to hoof to throw at him she merely stuck out her tongue and sunk the rest of her beer.

“Not funny Bari.” Although she said it with a grin. A thought occurred to her then, and seeing as her hubby was in a good mood now was as good a time as any. “Sweetie what you got planned for the next few weeks?”

“Headline tour of Baltimare next two weeks, then the Roses are supporting Vinyl Scratch in Las Pegasus the week after…”

“Oh…” Honey couldn't keep the disappointment from her voice.

“What's up babe?”

“Oh..nothing..it's ok, forget it.” Yeah, like he’ll buy that, nice one Honey.

“No, come on tell me what's up?” Baritone was worried now, it wasn't like Honey to be like this, all hesitant and nervous. He also knew better than to push, he was well aware of his wife's stubborn streak, it was as wide and prominent as her Momma Applejacks.

Reluctantly Apple Honey showed her husband the letter from her Momma Fluttershy. She watched as his blue eyes scanned the letter, when they reached the end she added, “and ah was thinking, ya know, of goin’, with you for moral support.”

“Sorry I can't, babe we need these tour dates.”

She understood of course, Baritone and his band needed these dates like she needed her games, and the last thing Honey wanted was for him to risk his livelihood, especially as they were finally starting to make it big. With a shrug Apple Honey flashed him what she hoped was a winning smile, “ah’ll be fine ah guess, ain't like ah’m goin’ to war, just a family get together.”

“With your family, what's the difference?”

"Oh har har. Very funny Mr. Comedian.” She retorted, flashing him a mock scowl. Very suddenly a huge yawn broke over her, and bed seemed a very good idea just then. Putting her empty bottle down, Honey turned to walk to the door, before stopping to look over her shoulder, giving Vocal her best ‘come hither’ look and swishing her short tail aside to tease him with a view of herself.

“Ah’m goin’ to bed, ya comin’?”

Baritone smirked at the view of his wife's finely toned athletic rear he was presented with, before answering, “dunno, depends what you intend on doing in bed,” to his love as she sashayed that finely toned athletic rear of hers out the den to their bedroom. By the time he had followed her, Honey was draped over the bed waiting for him. Jumping up onto the bed beside her he gave her a quick nuzzle. “So, you going, to Ponyville or what?”

“Yeah, ah guess ah will. Ah’ll write Momma Shy a letter tomorrow, let her know ah’m comin’ home fer a spell.”

"Okay, that's cool, now what about tonight?”

“Y’all have to see wontcha?” Apple Honey gave a devious smirk as she turned out the lights.

~ ~ ~

"Ow!” Cloud Blossom squealed in pain as the punch from her sister found its mark on her right cheek, the force of which sent her skidding backwards into bookshelf behind her. Books of varying sizes and weights began to rain down on her as the pale green pegasus struggled to her hooves.

“Had enough yet you three legged bitch?” Apple Honey stomped her left hoof on the hardwood floor, the one she had just used to slug her sister across her jaw, a glint of victory in her eyes and mirth on her muzzle as the books continued to hit Cloud, hampering her attempts to get back up.

“Yeah…ngh! Ow!” Cloud grimaced as a particularly hefty cookbook slammed into the back of her head, causing her sister to snigger in amusement as she tried to stand up. White rage flashed through Cloud’s mind, the one and only thing she couldn't stand was being laughed at. Nopony laughed at her. Flaring her wings Cloud Blossom launched herself into a flying spear tackle; “Don't bucking laugh at me you whorse!” She screamed as she rocketed towards her sister.

The last thing Apple Honey imagined Cloud would do was tackle her. Taken by surprise the force of the impact took the breath from the burnt yellow pegasus and bowled her over till she landed painfully on her back, Cloud straddled above her pinning her to the floor with her left hoof while aiming a punch of her own with her right, which hit just below Honey’s left eye.

“You had enough?” Cloud paused before delivering her second blow, giving her sister the opening she needed.

“You bucking wish.” Quick as a flash Apple Honey brought her left hind leg up and kicked Cloud at the base if her right wing where it met her body. Using the shift in her weight Apple Honey then forced both forehooves into Cloud’s chest, the double punch forcing her off her mounted position.

“Gaaah! Sweet bucking Celestia!” Cloud Blossom grunted and cursed as fresh pain flourished across her right flank, she wobbled on her three hooves as she felt her right wing hang limp at her side as it went numb from the force of Apple honey’s well aimed kick. Taking a pained breath through her aching chest, Cloud spat on the floor, “that was low, even for you…”

“No, this is low.” Apple Honey smirked at her sister, sensing victory was at hoof as she was still struggling to even stand now she had taken her wing away. She should have ended it then, they both knew Cloud Blossom was beaten without her wings, but seeing her hated enemy just spurred her on to finish it.

Apple Honey lowered her muzzle and took the floor rug in her mouth and pulled as hard as she could, whipping it from beneath her sister’s flailing hooves and sending her hard into the wooden floor on her left side, her three legs sticking out at all angles. Mercilessly Honey closed in to give a signature apple buck to her defenceless sister’s face.

Cloud Blossom’s eyes went wide as she knew what was coming, “H – Honey…please, I – I can't stand up…”

“Not mah problem…tripod.” Apple Honey turned with a sneer and planted her forelegs into the floor, preparing to finish this fight. Slowly she brought her hind legs to her belly, muscles coiling like a spring, ready to unleash the powerful kick. Just as Apple Honey was about to release the buck a scent stung the back of her nostrils. Disbelieving she glanced over her shoulder at her sister, confirming the smell. “Y’all went an’ pissed yahself, really?” An evil grin broke her face as she prepared the buck once more.

“Honey…don't, please!” Flailing in her puddled humiliation Cloud was crying now, tears flowing freely down her face as she braced herself for the blow that awaited her.

“Ah’m gonna send you face first into that puddle o’ yours…”

The expected buck never came, for just at that moment the big double doors burst open, revealing Applejack and Fluttershy framed in the open doorway, a terrible look of rage on both mares faces.

“Landsakes! What in tarnation is goin’ on in here?!”

~ ~ ~

“This is real nice Fluttershy thanks.” Applejack took a bite of her daisy and dandelion sandwich, reclining on the grass in the shade of her favourite apple tree.

"Oh it's no trouble, I thought you could use a break. You've been bucking all day.” Fluttershy placed her own half eaten sandwhich on the blanket next to her as she laud her head on her wife’s shoulder, giving it a gentle nuzzle.

“Well you're welcome all day long if you bring san’whiches like these sugarcube.” Applejack took another bite, relishing the taste as she closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze.

“I see. You just want me for my food…” Fluttershy stick out her tongue playfully as she took another delicate bite.

“Ah didn’ say that exactly, but now you mention it…hey!...hmm…” Applejack’s snarky retort was cut short as the yellow pegasus nipped her ear in that special way she knew the farmer liked.

“You were saying my dear?”

“As long as you keep doing that ah guess ah can keep you around.” Applejack rested her hoof on Fluttershy’s own as she leant in for a kiss.
Just then the peace of the afternoon was shattered by sounds of a fight. Even all the way up in the north field the two ponies could clearly hear the battle. As far away from the homestead as they were there could be heard shouted curses and the unmistakeable sounds of furniture being destroyed.

Applejack let out a deep sigh of frustration, “Celestia’s sake, they're at it again! How many’s that this week?”

“Um, four I think.”

“Right. And it's only Wednesday.” Huffing to herself at another interrupted afternoon, the orange mare got to her hooves, “c’mon Fluttershy, let's get to it before they kill each other this time.”

Nodding her agreement Fluttershy hastily stood and ran with her partner towards the house, Applejack got there first, her powerful long strides pulling her away from the yellow pegasus, who was panting to keep up. Sweaty and out of breath from the run, both mares hesitated at the closed doors, flinching at the noises that assaulted them from within the house. The next thing they heard stunned them both cold
“H – Honey…please, I – I can't stand up…” Cloud’s muffled whimper galvanised Applejack action, but the door wouldn't budge when she shoved it with a hoof.

“Please hurry Applejack, we need to get in there!” Fluttershy panicked, imagining all kinds of things on the other side of the door. Her turquoise eyes went wide when she heard Cloud Blossom next.

“Honey…don't, please!”

“That's it, ah’ve had it wi’ this infernal door. Stand back Shy.” Applejack wound up and bucked the doors hard, fracturing the wood and forcing the stubborn doors open, the force of the buck slamming the doors against the internal walls.

Applejack’s mouth hung open at the sight that greeted her. In the middle of a half destroyed living room, one daughter was flailing in tears amidst a puddle of she didn't like to guess what, while the other daughter was wound up to deliver the bucking of a lifetime. Clearly they had arrived just in the nick of time.

“Landsakes! What in tarnation is goin’ on in here?!” Rage had overcome her shock, and the outraged farmer advanced on Apple Honey, the younger mare flashing her mother an indignant look before slowly backing away.

Fluttershy flew straight to Cloud Blossom, her nose wrinkling as she caught the smell from the floor. “Cloud…Cloud, are you okay sweetie?” Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around her daughter’s midsection, helping her to stand and move away from the mess at her hooves. “What happened?”

“Honey…she pranked me, and made fun of my leg…” Cloud Blossom pointed an accusatory hoof at her sister before dissolving into tears.
“This true Honey?” Applejack asked, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits.

“Yeah, so what? Apple Honey brazenly admitted it, staring her mother straight in the eyes. “Ain't mah fault if she ain't got no sense o’ humour.”
“Sense o’ humour? Sense o' humour?!” Applejack’s temper exploded as she extended a hoof towards Fluttershy and Cloud Blossom. “Y’all just about traumatised her you stupid filly!”

"Pfft she's fine!" Apple Honey shouted indignantly, before backing down once more as Applejack jabbed a hoof roughly to her chest. “Ow! Momma you're hurting!”

“That ain't nothin’ compared to what's coming to you.” Turning away from her daughter the farmer addressed her wife. “She gonna be alright Fluttershy or are we going to hospital…again?”

“Um…no, Cloud’ll be fine, I'm going to help her upstairs for a bath.” Fluttershy helped the still snivelling Cloud up the stairs, allowing her daughter to rest her weight upon her. “C’mon, up you get.”

“Th – thanks momma…” Cloud grunted with the slow effort of climbing the stairs. Normally she would have flown, but her wing was still hurting where her sister had kicked her.

Applejack turned her attention back to Apple Honey, who was just stood there, not a hint of remorse on her face at all. “Apologise.”
“What?” Apple Honey blinked twice, not believing what she'd just heard.

“Y’all heard me. Ah said ‘apologise’.”

“No. Ah ain't apologisin’, not to that.” The burnt yellow pegasus pointed her hoof in disgust at her sister struggling up the stairs.

“Apple Honey. Y’all treadin’ mighty thin ice here sugarcube. Now apologise to your sister or Celestia help me…”

“Ah said no!” Apple Honey interrupted her mother, her own temper getting the better of her as she stomped a hoof on the floor in anger. “Ah will not apologise an’ you can't make me!” She'd crossed the line, she knew she had but she was way past caring. She knew she was in for the spanking or grounding of a lifetime, perhaps both.

“Get out.” Fluttershy paused with Cloud at the top of the stairs, looking down at Apple Honey with pure disgust on her face.

"E - excuse me?" Apple Honey had expected her momma Applejack to scream and yell at her, but this? She had never expected to she that look on her other mother’s face, not ever.

“Get out of this house.” Fluttershy didn't raise her voice, not once. That above all else scared the young mare below her.

"But…you - you can't, it – it was a stupid prank, that's all!” Apple Honey desperately tried to plead with her momma Fluttershy, to no avail. The yellow pegasus simply turned her back on the scene below and ushered her distraught daughter into the nearby bathroom without a backwards glance.

"Momma please, it was just a stupid prank…you can't just throw me out…”

Applejack turned her back on her errant daughter, eyes cast to the floor and her ears slicked back. With a heavy sigh that matched her aching heart she simply said; “You heard your mother.”

“So, what, you're throwing me out over a dumb prank?” The pegasus couldn't believe where this was going…it was a harmless prank, right? Why hadn't she just apologised when asked?

“It ain't just the prank Apple Honey. It's everything. Ah didn't raise mah child to have a mean streak, but girl y’all got yahself one a mile wide.” Applejack kept her back to her daughter, she didn't trust herself not to start crying. “Four fights this week, six hospital visits for broken bones this year. Celestia knows ah’ve tried to reach you, but Honey ah’ve reached mah limit.”

“So that's it huh? We’re done?”

“You ain't welcome in this house no more. Right now you ain't even an Apple no more. Just, get out Apple Honey.”

"Fine! Buck y’all to Tartarus! Who needs ya?” With a final stomp of her hooves Apple Honey spread her wings and flew out of the homestead without looking back.

~ ~ ~

“Ponyville the next station to stop, mind your step when leaving the train.”

The Friendship Express pulled into Ponyville station, the conductors announcement of arrival shaking the pale green pegasus from her reverie. Drawing a hoof across her face she dried tears she didn't realise she had been crying. Her last memories of her sister hadn’t been the best, then again none of her memories of Apple Honey were very happy.

Swinging her saddle bags into position on her back she carefully made her way towards the exit of the train, noticing for the first time the steady rain beating down on the platform, hitting with such force it bounced up knee high. Almost immediately upon disembarking Cloud Blossom was soaked through to her skin, her straw blonde mane and tail plastered to her neck and flanks. Despite her caution Cloud felt her hind leg go from under her as her hoof slipped on the wet platform.

“Stupid bucking rain!” The pegasus stomped a forehoof in frustration as she was deposited unceremoniously on her ass. “Great. Just great. Soaking wet through, bruised flanks, now I'm gonna have to use these…” Cloud Blossom twitched her wings in irritation, “…just to get on my blasted hooves!” She really hated using wet wings, although she didn’t seem to gave much choice, given how nopony had offered to help her up.

“Cloud? Cloud Blossom?”

The unmistakeable voice she hadn't heard for fifteen years brought her grumble to an abrupt end. Turning her head in the direction of the voice she saw but her brain refused to believe what her eyes were telling her. She was here. Apple Honey was actually here, and of course she would be on her ass in the driving rain struggling just to get up. ‘Great. Just what I need. Well here we go already…’

“Hey, need a hoof?”

Cloud Blossom just sat there, rain bouncing off her stunned face, staring open mouthed at the burnt yellow hoof offered to her. Of all the things she had expected her sister to do, offer her help was way down on the list.

~ ~ ~

“So that's it huh? We’re done?”

“You ain't welcome in this house no more. Right now you ain't even an Apple no more. Just, get out Apple Honey.”

"Fine! Buck y’all to Tartarus! Who needs ya?” With a final stomp of her hooves Apple Honey spread her wings and flew out of the homestead without looking back.

Anger seethed through the young pegasus as she flew through the late afternoon sky. Wind whipped at her shirt cropped dark pink mane and tail, stinging her eyes. Apple Honey flew past a few clouds, muttering under her breath before she stopped, hovering in place as a stark realisation hit her hard. She hadn't the slightest idea where she was going, or for that matter what she would do once she got there, wherever there happened to be. Despondently she flopped onto the nearest cloud and attempted to weigh up her options.

It didn't take Apple Honey long to arrive at a pretty obvious conclusion. No matter which way she looked at it, she was bucked. Really, well and truly, spectacularly bucked.

“Stupid. Bucking. Family!” She punctuated each word with a stomp of her hoof to the cloud on which she was sat. Before she could stop them tears she didn't know she was holding in began to flow down Apple Honey’s face. Burying her face in the cloud she was laid on the pegasus allowed herself to properly cry for the first time in years. She was just thankful nopony could see her up here.

"Hey kid, you alright?”

Or so she thought.

"Kid, you in there?" Rainbow Dash hovered next to the lonely cloud, worry etched on her face.

"Leave me alone Aunt Dash…” Apple Honey didn't bother turning to face her Aunt, she knew who it was. There was no mistaking that raspy voice.

“Umm, nope! Now tell me what's up kid.”

“Ugh fine! They kicked me out okay? Now ya know can ya leave me alone?” Apple Honey tried to sink further into the cloud, to no avail.

“Shy and AJ kick you out, why?”

“Because, Ah played a dumb prank on my idiot sister, it got out o’ hand and we had a fight. A big one. Happy? Now can ah be alone?” Apple Honey sincerely wished the blue pegasus would just leave her the buck alone.

Rainbow fluttered closer to the cloud and placed a hoof on her niece’s shoulder. “Got anywhere to stay?”

‘Goddesses sake why can't she leave me be?’ Honey thought to herself before answering, “No, I don't…”

“C’mon then, you can crash in my spare room, ‘kay?” Rainbow tugged at her with her hooves, but when the younger pegasus showed no sign of moving the older mare flew under the cloud and aimed a double hoofed kick at the cloud, dissipating it instantly, forcing Apple Honey to her wings.

“Hey!...okay fine, ah’ll stay with you. Happy now?” Honey flashed her aunt a scowl.

“Ecstatic kid. House is this way. Try and keep up!” Rainbow Dash was gone in an instant, rainbow coloured contrail the only evidence of her passing.

~ ~ ~

“Ponyville the next station to stop, mind your step when leaving the train.”

‘Bucking rain!’ Apple Honey thought to herself with a stomp of a hoof as she disembarked the Friendship Express. The train ride from Manehatten had been a long one and the pegasus wasn’t in the best of moods.

‘Ah wanted to stretch mah wings too!’ Another frustrated stomp of a hoof on the platform.

No. She was starting to lose her temper and that wouldn't do her or anypony near her any good. Quickly she remembered her breathing exercises her anger therapist Doctor Sureheart had taught her. Ignoring the pounding rain and the puzzled looks from ponies passing by Apple Honey took a deep breath and released it slowly, counting backwards from ten. The mare repeated this process another four times until she felt her frustration wane, although by this time she was soaked to her skin, although her dark pink mane was too short to go in her eyes.

‘Guess ah better get outta this here rain,’ she thought to herself. Looking around for a shelter Apple Honey noticed a brief commotion a little ways off to her right. Turning to see what had happened she saw a very familiar pale green pegasus mare slip on her ass in the rain.

Indecision froze the athletic pegasus. On the one hoof she wanted to go over and offer help, but on the other she didn't know how she’d be received. Fifteen years is a long time to just go and ask ‘hey, need a hoof?’

Then again, she really wanted to see Cloud Blossom again. It had been too long.

‘Buck it,’ she thought to herself, ‘time to put those years o’ therapy to the test ah guess.’

“Cloud? Cloud Blossom?”

Apple Honey made her way through the few ponies on the platform to her fallen sister. Standing there before the pale green pegasus with her sister struggling to stand up Apple Honey was uncomfortably reminded of the last time they had been in each other's company, and just how badly that had gone. ‘Not this time sugar, time to put things right.’

“Hey, need a hoof?”

~ ~ ~

“So, need a hoof or what?” Apple Honey extended her hoof once more to her fallen sister.

Cloud Blossom looked at her sister’s hoof, fifteen years of pent up rage and hate boiling through her veins, not helped in the slightest by the driving rain stinging her blue eyes, bouncing off her coat. Humiliation at her current situation fuelled her anger, which seemed to ignite like a wildfire in her breast. Chief amongst the emotions warring within her for dominance was confusion. Offering her help in any happenstance was just, not like Apple Honey.

Anger beat confusion momentarily. Lifting her own left hoof Cloud Blossom reached out to her sibling, as if she were going to accept her offer of aid. As their hooves touched Cloud’s anger snapped, and instead of accepting the offered hoof Cloud viciously slapped it away.

“Get the buck away from me! I don't need nopony’s help, least of all yours!”

Apple Honey lowered her hoof, and biting back the retort she wanted to give, silently backed away a few steps, giving her sister a few feet of clear space on the platform.

“Nghh!” Cloud Blossom grunted as she spread her soaked wings and over the course of a few minutes struggled to her hooves. Pain flourished through her powerful wings as she wet feathers brushed against each other, but at least she was upright. Pushing her pain to the back of her mind she fluttered her wings to stabilise herself as she walked slowly and carefully towards her sister, not once taking her eyes off Apple Honey, glaring daggers as she moved.

“You, uh, you want to go to Sugarcube Corner? It's just over there…” Apple honey gestured with a hoof.

Cloud Blossom looked where her sister was pointing, the bakery was indeed not far away. Utter disgust at the thought of going anywhere with her sibling warred with her immediate need to get out of the appalling weather. ‘What's her game?’ The pegasus thought to herself.

“Sure. I could use a hot drink.”

Apple Honey fell into step beside her sister, slowing her pace to match her own. Carefully she tried to extend her right wing over Cloud in an effort to keep the worst of the rain away from her.

Cloud Blossom saw the movement on the edges of her peripheral vision, and visibly flinched at the touch of her sisters wing on her back. “What do you think you're doing?” She cried out as she stumbled from under the extended wing, using her own to brush it away.

“Just tryin’ to help…” Apple Honey flicked her ears back and lowered her head as she folded her wing back to her flank.

“Well don’t! Keep your wings to yourself.”

The rest of the walk to Sugarcube Corner was conducted in silence, Apple Honey kept her head down and her green eyes forward. Cloud Blossom on the other hoof kept shooting furtive glances at her sister while she walked, all the while using her wings to adjust her balance. The pain had become a dull ache. Right now she didn't really care she just wanted to be out of the rain. Apple Honey reached the door first, and pushing it with a hoof proceeded to hold it open for her sister to enter.

Cloud Blossom just stopped and looked at her disbelievingly. “Oh no. You first, sister.” She spat out the word ‘sister’ as if it was cursed, as if the very utterance would cause her unendurable pain. There was no way she was walking in ahead of Apple Honey, too many memories of doing so in the past and having her hindleg swiped from under her resurfaced, and she wasn't keen on repeating history.

Apple Honey merely shrugged her shoulders and walked on through the open door, and Cloud Blossom hastened to follow whilst it was slowly closing.

“Will you at least share a table with me?” Apple Honey asked over her shoulder as she made her way to an empty table near the counter. The familiar smells of freshly cooked pastries, cupcakes donuts and other baked products mixed with the aroma of just brewed coffee and hot chocolate to assault their senses with their tempting scents.

“Fine, whatever let's just sit down.” Cloud Blossom slid reluctantly into the seat opposite her sister, the heat in the bakery already starting to dry out her drenched coat and feathers.

“What can get you girls?...” Pinkie Pie’s question died on her lips as she noticed properly for the first time who was sitting in front of her. Her usual exuberant smile dimmed, her whole demeanour taking on a more serious aspect. “Now, I don't want any trouble in here ladies, understand?” She asked in a low tone only they could hear.

“Y’all no trouble from me Aunt Pinkie, ah promise.” Apple Honey assured the concerned pink mare before her.

"Likewise Auntie.” Cloud Blossom added quietly, looking at her sister, mistrust clearly written on her face.

“That's alright then! Now, what can Pinkie get you?” The bounce was immediately back in her mane and her voice.

“Two hot chocolates please.” Apple Honey ordered for the both of them.

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie Pie happily bounced off to the counter to fill their order, humming to herself as she went.

A heavy uncomfortable silence passed between the two siblings while they awaited their drinks. Neither knew what to say to the other. What should they say? What shouldn't they say? Finally, after many minutes looking anywhere other than at the pegasus mare in front of her Cloud Blossom broke the silence.

“W – would, would you have done it?” She asked quietly.

Apple Honey snapped her attention to her sister, and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Done what?”

“You know what I mean. Would you have done it?” Cloud's voice was still quiet, barely audible amidst the sounds in the bakery.

“Ah’m gonna have to ask you t’ be more specific sis.”

“I'll spell it out for you then. Fifteen years ago. Our last fight. If our Mother’s hadn't burst into the house when they did, would you have bucked me in the face?”

“Oh…” Apple Honey murmured quietly, more to herself then her sister, who was looking at her expectantly, obviously awaiting an answer. She dredged up those painful memories of that day, though the last thing she wanted to do was relive it once more. Her therapy sessions with Sureheart had been bad enough. However, she owed it to her sister to be fully honest, she deserved nothing less after all this time.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Apple Honey looked Cloud Blossom square in her blue eyes as she answered: “Yes. Yes, I would have bucked you. I’m…sorry…”

Before Cloud could answer her Pinkie walked over, carrying a tray with their drinks and two large chocolate donuts in her mouth and two thick towels on her back. Deftly the pink mare placed the tray on the table and offered them a towel each. “Here you are girls, donuts are on the house, as are the towels. Enjoy!”

Cloud Blossom stared at her steaming mug for a few long seconds, stunned by her sisters frank and honest answer. “You, you would have bucked me?” She asked in a voice barely more than a whisper.

“Yes.” Apple Honey blew on her hot chocolate and took a sip.

“You would have broken my jaw, or worse…”

“I know.” Another sip of her drink.

“Momma Shy should’ve had you arrested…” Cloud Blossom trailed off as her sister gave a bitter laugh, surprising her. ‘Have I said something funny?’ She thought, confused.

"Heh hehe, she did.”

Now it was Cloud's turn to be confused, “did what?” She asked as she took a sip of her own drink.

“Have me arrested.” Apple Honey laughed again at the look of disbelief on her sister’s face. “Two days after they kicked me out of Sweet Apple Acres, I was staying with Aunt Rainbow. She kept asking what had happened, I asked her to drop it, but she wouldn't leave it alone…”

“What happened?” Cloud interrupted, her curiosity overcoming her hate of the pony opposite her. Her Mothers had never told her this.

“I attacked her, Aunt Rainbow. In her kitchen. I went for her like I went for you.”

Cloud Blossom stared open mouthed at her sister. “You didn't…”

"I did. Happened like this..."

~ ~ ~

Rainbow Dash was one stressed pony. This evening she was stressed as she flew home to her cloud house. Work hadn't stressed her. Work was easy. Managing Ponyville’s weather was a piece of cake. Family. Now that was hard. The cyan pegasus took her time flying home. She desperately wanted to get home and relax, but she knew when she got home relaxing would be impossible, thanks to her niece.

These past two days had made Rainbow Dash really regret bearing the element of loyalty. Two days of a stroppy moody teenager moping about the house. Two days since Apple Honey's parents kicked her out of their house, and off Sweet Apple Acres. Two days of eternity.

Rainbow’s shoulders sagged as she landed at the door to her cloud house. Hoofing open the door she let herself in, dreaming of a nice warm shower. “Apple Honey! I'm back, you in?”

Rainbow Dash was greeted by no response, as was the way of her house intruder, ‘guest’ was too polite a word at this point. A cursory glance around her home betrayed signs of Apple Honey’s presence. The kitchen was filthy, the sink overflowing with dirty used dishes, work tops covered in the detritus of failed cooking experiments. The living room was in a similar state, cd’s and dvd’s scattered everywhere, her favourite Wonderbolts book used as a coaster, a coffee ring staining its formerly pristine cover.

‘I don't even want to think about the state of her room,’ Rainbow thought to herself dejectedly. Making her way to the bathroom, she still had her shower. She'd feel better after a hot shower. Thumping the on switch the pegasus almost jumped out of her fur and feathers. ‘Of course she's used all the hot water,’ she thought through clenched teeth. ‘Of course she has…’

One very cold shower later and a disgruntled weather manager was cleaning her kitchen for what felt like the umpteenth time just so she had somewhere to prepare her late tea that didn't pose a health hazard. A look through her fridge revealed a distinct lack of anything that she remotely felt like cooking. Sandwiches again then.

“Apple Honey!” Rainbow hollered from the kitchen.

“What now?” Came a muffled yell from her room.

“Tea’s done! Come and get it before it goes in the bin!” Rainbow stroked a hoof across her forehead, she didn't need to be yelling. She was fed up from working overtime, annoyed with her niece and in a generally frazzled mood altogether. This was not helping.

“Fine!” Apple Honey slammed her bedroom door unnecessarily, and proceeded to stomp down every step of the stairs. Without a word of thanks or even a glance at her aunt she began wolfing down the prepared daisy and daffodil sandwiches.

“So…” Rainbow began, putting her own barley, lettuce and tomato creation, “ya finally gonna tell me what happened the other day or what?”

“Or what.” Apple Honey replied curtly, still not deigning to grace her aunt with eye contact.

“Ya have to tell me at some point.” Rainbow sour mood was getting more so by the second. She really didn't have the patience for the teenager’s attitude anymore.

“No ah don't. Drop it.” Apple Honey felt her temper starting to rise, that familiar knotting sensation in her gut started to bloom. She really wished her aunt would leave her alone.

“Look,” Rainbow tried hard to keep the edge out of her voice, but ultimately failed. “I took you in, gave you a roof over ya head. Least ya can do is tell me what the hay happened!”

“Ah said. Drop it. Auntie…” Apple Honey muttered through clenched teeth, that old monster in her belly was wrestling with her, and she didn't want to give in to it, not here.

“Aw come on! I wanna help and I can't if ya don't talk to me!”

Finally Apple Honey turned to look at Rainbow, flashing her a look of pure malice that made the older pegasus flinch in her chair. “Why?” She spat at her aunt, “ah know you're only helpin’ so’s y’all can score points and maybe bang mah Mom!” ‘Yes!’ The monster within exulted at being let free at last.

Rainbow sat stunned at the table, mouth hanging wide. “What…wait, what…you…you take that back right now!”

“Ah won't! Ah see the way y’all stare at Momma Jack’s flanks when ya think nopony’s watchin’!” Apple Honey stood to leave the kitchen before being spun around by an angry Rainbow. “Get off ya sicko pervert!” ‘Yes!’ Her monster cried, ‘give her more!’

Rainbow backed off a few steps, breathing hard and heavy. “I'm letting that slide, on account you’re family…” she placed a cyan hoof on her niece’s shoulder to try and calm her down.

“Ah ain't ya family ya fillyfooler!” Apple Honey swatted Rainbow’s hoof away from her shoulder with her left hoof and wound up a punch that hit the older pegasus below her right eye, drawing a trickle of blood. Following through the blow Apple Honey brought her hoof back across Rainbow’s muzzle, this time catching her on her left side.

Stunned by the sudden impact Rainbow Dash staggered backwards, flapping her powerful wings to steady herself. “What…the buck…are you doing?!”

Apple Honey advanced on her aunt, "ya wouldn't leave it would ya? Now ah’ll make ya drop it afore ah drop y’all like ah dropped that useless sister o’ mine!” The younger pegasus aimed a buck at Rainbow's chest which she dodged, rolling to the side and taking to her wings.

“You're crazy Honey!” Rainbow hovered above her, out of hoof’s reach. Rainbow knew she was faster, but being raised on the Apple farm, Honey was stronger. She was also a pegasus, a fact Rainbow was painfully reminded of as Apple Honey landed a flying headbutt from below to her chest, knocking the air out of her. Wrapping her forelegs around Rainbow’s midsection Apple Honey dove downwards, driving her aunt back first through the kitchen table.

Rainbow staggered hesitantly to her hooves. ‘Let's see how she fights dirty’ she thought with a twisted grin, spitting a mouthful of blood onto her cloud floor.

Still grinning Rainbow launched herself straight at her target, pulling back her right hoof for a feigned punch. Inexperienced, Apple Honey took the bait and swung her right hoof to counter. As she did so Rainbow deflected her wings just slightly, rolling her toned athletic body to her left and under Honey’s outstretched right foreleg. As Rainbow passed under her opponents leg the cyan pegasus bought the knee of her right hind leg into Apple Honey’s chest, at the same time Rainbow adjusted her wings to rise above and behind her, bringing the elbow of her left foreleg down on the younger pegasus’s skull before she could react to Rainbow’s sudden change of direction. Pivoting as she landed Rainbow swivelled her hips and delivered a scintillating upper cut with her right foreleg to Apple Honey's jaw.

Apple Honey was unconscious on her hooves before she staggered and fell, slamming face first into her aunt’s kitchen floor.

~ ~ ~

“No way…” Cloud Blossom blinked twice, before taking a gulp of her now cold hot chocolate.

“Sure as ah’m sat her talking t’ ya sis, ah went for her good an’ proper.” Apple Honey finished her own drink, and glanced at her sister but didn't look her in the eyes.

"No, that I can believe, I just can't believe aunt Rainbow knocked you out.”

“Well she did at that. Ah may a’ been younger and stronger, but hay was she fast. Ah never saw that last combo comin’. Ah was out like a light afore ah hit the floor.”

Pinkie Pie appeared beside them just then, carrying another tray of hot drinks, and of course more free donuts in her mouth. Sliding the tray on the table the pink mare addressed the two siblings: “Everything alright girls?”

“Everythin’s jus’ fine aunt Pinkie, we jus’catchin’ up right sis?”

“Yeah…just catching up…” Truthfully Cloud Blossom didn't know what to think. Her parents had never told her about her sister assaulting aunt Rainbow, nor had they told her about Apple Honey’s subsequent arrest.

“Okie dokie lokie! I'll be serving if you need me.” With that Pinkie happily pranced off, still humming her little tune.

“So…w – what happened then?” Cloud Blossom stammered out despite herself, finally getting to know what had happened to her sister fifteen years ago.

Apple Honey’s face clouded, just for an instant, but it was long enough for her sister to notice and shrink back in sudden fear for what she might do next. To Cloud’s very great surprise her sister merely took a deep breath and held it before slowly releasing it.

"Well, the next thing ah remember after comin’ to was seein’ Momma Shy standin’ over me, that same disgusted look on her face as she had when she kicked me outta the house. She asked me but one question. ‘Why?’ Ah couldn't answer her.”

~ ~ ~

A hoof slapped Apple Honey into consciousness.

Looking for the source of the slap, and shaking her head to clear the fog Apple Honey saw her mother, Fluttershy standing before her. The young pegasus cowered before the stare of absolute and utter disgust and disappointment on her face. Gone was the kind and caring visage she had grown up with. This Fluttershy was the Fluttershy who had stared down dragons, tamed manticores and cockatrices. The look from her mother was almost palpable in it’s intensity.

“Why?”

Behind Fluttershy in the remnants of aunt Rainbow’s kitchen Apple Honey could see a couple of pegasi in armour she didn't know tending to her aunt’s wounds from their fight. Band aids covered her blue face where she had drawn blood with her punches, and bandages wound around her lower back abd the bases of her wings.

Apple Honey felt no remorse for what she had done. Her aunt had been asking for it, just like her sister had been asking for it. They had both got what they deserved, she had made sure of that.

“Apple Honey! I asked you why? Answer me!” Fluttershy roughly seized her chin and forced her daughter to look straight at her.

"Why? Because ah could, ‘Mother’,” Apple Honey spat the last word with as much venom as she could muster given her weakened jaw, “because ah could.”

Fluttershy dropped her hoof, letting go of her daughter. In utter contempt she turned her back on the young pegasus, flicking her muzzle with her pastel pink tail.

“She's all yours Twilight. Come see us after, won't you?” On her way out of the shattered kitchen Fluttershy paused and looked at the heavily bandaged Rainbow, “we’re sorry this happened to you Rainbow. Please stay with us while you recover.” With that the yellow mare spread her wings and left the cloud house without a backwards glance at her daughter.

Princess Twilight Sparkle entered the room then, clad in the full regalia of her station. Her calm demeanour betrayed not one ounce of emotion as her horn ignited, wrapping Apple Honey’s wings and hooves in lavender bands of pure power, immobilising her just as sure as if she'd been hoofcuffed. Her wings were secured to her flanks and her fore and hind hooves were hard tight against each other. She couldn’t move if she wanted to.

“A – aunt Twilight? W - what's goin’ on?” The full severity of what she had done hit her like a ton weight.

“ ‘Princess’ Twilight, my little pony.” There was no anger in her voice, just cold harsh authority. “Apple Honey, formerly of Sweet Apple Acres, it is my solemn duty as Princess of Equestria to place you under arrest…”

“N – no, you can't do this!” Apple Honey began to thrash wildly in her magical restraints, futilely attempting to free herself, panic showing for the first time.

Twilight simply flared her horn once more, creating a lavender bubble around the flailing teenage pegasus, holding her still. “…under arrest for the assault and causing grievous bodily harm to Miss Rainbow Dash, and causing criminal damage to the property of Miss Rainbow Dash. Do you have anything to say in your defence?”

A spark of her temper returned at that moment, and she spat at Twilight’s hooves. “Buck you, Princess.”

“Very well.” There was still no outward emotion from the Princess, she may as well have been discussing the weather. “You will be escorted from here to Clouldsdale, where you will spend one year in a Reform School for Delinquent Pegasus. Guards,” four fully armoured pegasus guards appeared at her command. “Take her in the chariot to Cloudsdale and hold her at the Reform School. If she resists you are authorised to use force Guard-Sergeant. I will follow shortly.”

Princess Twilight bent her knee to get muzzle to muzzle with her captive niece. “I’m sorry it came to this, I really am. Please, don't resist. The guards will use force.” With that Twilight levitated Apple Honey’s limp restrained form out of the main door of the cloud house to the waiting chariot, where she was immediately joined by the four guards who took up their positions, two to pull it and two to stand guard in the back with her.

~ ~ ~

“Aunt Twilight arrested you?” Cloud Blossom asked incredulously, hardly believing her sister’s tale.

"Well, Princess Twilight arrested me, but yeah, yeah she did. Ah was in Cloudsdale within th’ hour.” Apple Honey finished her second hot chocolate with a gulp and placed her empty mug back on the table, watching her sister’s reaction.

“And…this Reform School, you spent a year there?”

"More like three years actually. Th’ sentence kept bein’extended…”

“Extended? Why?”

"Why'd ya think sis? ‘Bad behaviour’ they called it, ah attacked a coupla’ guards, started fights wi’ other inmates, an’ had a general bad attitude.”

Cloud Blossom took a delicate bite out of her donut, savouring the taste of the chocolate and sprinkles, mulling over her next question. “What was it like?”

Apple Honey took her own donut, considering her answer carefully before deciding on the honest truth. After all she wasn't going to build bridges by lying. “It was…awful, honestly. Oh, not the conditions,” she said in response to Cloud’s questioning look, “th’ cells were decent enough ah guess, clean comfortable beds, writin’ desk an’ your own toilet, but a gilded cage is still a cage.”

The burnt yellow pegasus took another bite before continuing; “Th’ days were all th’ same. Sixteen hours in th’ cells, an hour in th’ dinin’ hall, two hours therapy sessions an’ five hours ‘free’ time.”

“Therapy? Therapy for what for exactly?”

"After the first six months inside, and after mah sentence was extended for th’ first time, ah was diagnosed with ‘Intermittent Explosive Disorder’, IED th’ doctors called it.”

Taking a bite out of her second donut Cloud Blossom considered what she'd been told. Certainly it sounded like manure to her. A convenient excuse her sister had concocted. “Well, I always thought you were mental.” The pale green pegasus said with a snicker.

Her snicker died on her lips as she noticed the glassy faraway look on her sister’s face. Apple Honey was also taking several large deep breaths, which Cloud had taken note of her sister doing more than once since they had met on the platform. Intrigued Cloud waved her hoof across her sister’s face, getting no response from the zoned pegasus.

Apple Honey allowed her eyes to slide out of focus, taking those long deep breaths just like Dr. Sureheart had taught her. ‘I'm in control. I'm in control. I'm in control.’ She told herself over and over as she held her breath. Breathing in she held it to the count of five and on the exhale visualised her stress leaving her body. She repeated this process until her little monster was silent, and she focused her eyes once more, as Cloud Blossom was waving her hoof across her face. Ignoring her irritating sibling Apple Honey closed her eyes and repeated her calming mantra once more. ‘I'm in control. I'm in control…’

“Apple Honey…sis? You in there?”

“Sorry, what?” She asked as she came back to herself to see her sister looking at her questioningly with a puzzled look on her face.

“You…kinda spaced out there…”

“Yeah. It's better ah take a moment to collect mahself and think about mah actions afore ah hurt somepony.”

"You...you were going to hurt me?" Unease settled in Cloud Blossom’s gut, maybe her sister was being genuine after all.

Apple Honey took another deep breath before answering, “After what y’all jus’ said th’ thought did cross mah mind, but no, ah ain't gonna hurt ya again. Ah hope ah don’ ever hurt ya again sis.”

"Can I ask, what was it you just did?”

“Sure sis. It was a relaxation trainin’ technique mah therapist Dr. Sureheart taught me, helps me ta stop lashin’ out for no real reason.”

“I – I’m sorry, I thought you were making it up. I shouldn't have said you were mental.” Cloud blushed a little, ashamed of her thoughtless outburst.

“It's okay, ah been called a lot worse. Th’ relaxation techniques help a lot.” Apple Honey placed a hoof on her sister's, and she was pleased to see Cloud didn't pull away from her, though she did flinch a little. “Ah’m on medication too, actually it's about time ah took ‘em, d’ya mind?”

"Of course not, go ahead.” Cloud Blossom gave her consent as her sister asked aunt Pinkie for a glass of water.

Apple Honey reached into her saddle bags and retrieved three medicine bottles. Laying them on the table in front of her she caught her sister’s eye and began to explain what they were for. Tapping them with a hoof she went along the line. “Fluvoxamine, that's an antidepressant. Sertraline, is a serotonin inhibitor and Lithium is a mood stabiliser.” Unscrewing each bottle she carefully tipped two pills from each bottle before rescrewing them. “Ah have ta take two of each twice daily.”

Cloud Blossom watched in silence as her swallowed her pills with the glass of water Pinkie had bought over.

Apple Honey placed her hoof back on the table; “Cloud, ah don' regret what ah did, ‘cause regrettin’ it won' change th’ past. Ah did hurt ya bad though, an’ ah’m sorry for that, ah truly am.”

Cloud Blossom took her sister’s hoof once again. “I accept your apology Honey. You did hurt me, a lot, and I am sorry but I can't forgive you for that.”

Apple Honey’s face fell at that, her tiny smile wiped away. “At least, not yet. Give me some time?”

"Deal." Apple Honey’s smile resurfaced like a reborn phoenix.

~ ~ ~

“Girls?” Pinkie Pie bounced up to the table, an expression on her face somewhere between happy and concerned, which given it was Pinkie she was able to pull off rather well.

“S’up Aunt Pinkie?” Apple Honey looked up from stowing her various meds back in her saddle bags, trying to read her Aunt’s expression.
"Nothing, I just wondered if you were done. I need the table, you know, for customers.”

“Aunt Pinkie? We’re the only two here, there’s nopony else.” Cloud Blossom began before her Aunt cut her off.

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but have you been back to Sweet Apple Acres yet, either of you?” Pinkie proceeded to wipe down the table top while she spoke.

“No, it was bucketing down with rain when we got off the Express, so we ducked in here out the way.” Cloud Blossom explained, lifting her empty mug out of her Aunt’s way.

“Oh, well, it’s stopped raining, and I really think you should head on over there.” Pinkie’s ears slicked back against her head and her mane lost a good deal of its pouffiness as she spoke, a clear sign something was wrong.

Pinkie’s distress wasn’t lost on Apple Honey, the pegasus picked up on it straight away. “Aunt Pinkie, what’s up?”

Pinkie laughed a little too loud, flashing the sisters a smile just a little too wide. “What? No…nothing’s wrong, nothing at all. I just thought, you know, seeing as you’re here and all, you should maybe head on over, to…catch up?” Pinkie finished lamely, her too-wide smile still firmly in place, which didn’t convince her two customers.

Apple Honey shot her sister a look, which Cloud returned, with a flick of her eyebrows in Pinkie Pie’s direction. Nodding in silent reply Apple Honey turned to answer the troubled party planner. “No offence Aunt Pinkie, but that’s a load o’ horseapples an’ you know it. Now what’s goin’ on?”

“I really shouldn’t say, and it’d be best if you heard it from your parent’s first hoof. I…just, I – I’m so sorry!” With that Pinkie Pie abandoned the table top in a half cleaned state and fled behind the counter to the back of the shop, tears streaming down her face.

“Tartarus was that about?” Cloud Blossom wondered out loud, a look of surprise currently being mirrored by her sister.

“Buck knows, but she’s right though, it has stopped raining and we should get going.” Nodding in agreement Cloud edged her way out of the bench she was sat on and got herself on her hooves as Honey left a hooffull of bits on the counter to cover their hot chocolates. Side by side they made their way to the door, and this time Cloud Blossom accepted when her sister held the door open for her, though she still cast her a look on the way out.

“Cloud, do y’all mind if we call on Aunt Rainbow afore we head to Sweet Apple Acres?”

“No, I don’t mind, why’d you want to go there?

“Unfinished business ah guess. Jus’ somepony ah need t’ apologise to is all.” Apple Honey answered her sister, remembering the fight she had with her Aunt Rainbow and the destroyed kitchen that lead to her arrest. “Ah’d like t’ visit Princess Twilight too, if’n ya don’t mind, ah need t’ set that straight too.”

Cloud stopped walking and looked at her sister, an eyebrow raised, “got some bridge-building to do huh sis?”

Apple Honey blushed a little, admitting her former behaviour never sat very well with her, but amends needed to be made, like Doctor Sureheart kept telling her. ‘Well,’ she thought with a grin, ‘ah’ll have somethin’ interestin’ to tell her this week’. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.”
Cloud Blossom used a wing to shield her eyes from the sun as she scanned the heavens for their Aunt’s house. “Um, Honey?” She asked uncertainly, “where’s Aunt Dash’s house gone?”

Apple Honey snickered loudly, pointing with a hoof in the direction of the rather large and impressive crystal castle in the distance that served its dual purpose of town library and Aunt Twilight’s house. At this moment the castle had an immediate neighbour, namely a cloud house floating next to it. “Sis, ah’m gonna take a guess an’ say it’s over there, near Aunt Twi’s place. Guess they finally got together, Momma Shy said they’d started dating in one of her letters.”

Cloud Blossom grinned and blew a raspberry in reply for her sister’s snark. “Want to fly over? That is if you remember how, if all those rugby games haven’t turned you into an earth pony.” Cloud spread her wings and gave a few brief flaps, getting herself airborne.

“Hey!” Apple shouted, flapping her own wings and quickly catching up to fly beside her sister, “they only strap these up during the game y’know.”

“Oh I know, I just thought you’d forget, taking that many balls to the head and all.” Cloud sniggered at her own joke, completely missing Apple Honey’s eye twitching.

“Ha ha. Very funny, not.”

“So, you and Baritone huh? You two doing okay?” Cloud asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah, we’re doing jus’ fine…wait, how’d ya know about me an’ Bari?”

Cloud Blossom laughed at that, almost falling out the sky. “Please sister, you’re the captain of the most successful rugby team in fifty years, you’ve just won your third cup. Baritone is the singer with Dying Roses. You’re all over the gossip rags in Canterlot. Every other month or so you or your stallion are on the front covers, the press love you two.”

Apple Honey pulled a backflip out of sheer joy. “Yeah, we’re an awesome couple alright.”

“Does he know, you know, about your…?” Cloud Blossom tapped the side of her head, finishing off her question.

Apple Honey flashed her sister a ‘not very amused’ look. “You mean my mental disorder, IED?”

“Yeah…that...”

“O’ course he knows dumbass, and afore ya ask, ah’ve only let mah temper get th’ better o’ me once wi’ Bari, an’ it was entirely his fault.”
Cloud Blossom flashed her sister a surprised look at that. “You did? What caused it?”

“If’n ya don’ mind, ah’d rather not say.” With that she fell silent, flying a few seconds before turning to Cloud with a question of her own. “What about you?”

Looking straight ahead Cloud Blossom asked; “What about me?”

“Y’all got anypony? Ya must have some mare tucked away there in Canterlot.”

“As a matter of fact I don’t have anypony. There hasn’t been anypony for a while, thank you very much.”

Apple Honey sniggered to herself, “Y’all not gettin’ any then?” She asked with a smirk.

Cloud Blossom stopped in mid-flap, hovering in place, an outraged look on her face. “Whether I am or am not ‘getting any’ is none of your business!”

Apple Honey hovered next to her sister, barely containing her glee. “So that’s a no then ah take it, been a while has it sis?”

“I…no, I’m not saying…shut up! Just…shut up!”

“Hit a sore spot have ah? Shame nopony else has.” Apple Honey’s giggles gave way to outright laughter, her hooves wrapped around her sides.

“Oh yeah? And I suppose Baritone is being a good little unicorn around all those groupies while you’re here is he?” Cloud’s own anger blinded her, and she continued to lay on her verbal assault, entirely oblivious to the fact her sister wasn’t laughing anymore. “Bet there are plenty of teenage fillies lining up backstage to hit his sore spots after a performance!”

"Ow! What the hay?” Cloud exclaimed in pain as Apple Honey slammed her back first into a nearby tree trunk, her left forehoof pulled back for a punch and her muzzle twisted into a vicious snarl. “I’m sorry! Sis please, don’t hurt me, I’m sorry!” The pale green pegasus knew she’d gone too far. Cloud braced herself as much as she could for the punch she knew was coming.

Apple Honey smashed her hoof into the bark of the tree, mere inches from her scared sister’s face. A second and third time she punched the bark of the tree, splintering the wood and causing her hoof to bleed a trickle of blood. Finally calming herself the burnt yellow pegasus backed away from Cloud, still breathing heavily. With a deep breath and a tremendous amount of willpower she addressed her quaking sister. “Ah’m sorry…ah promised ah’d never hurt ya again, ah didn’, but ah came mighty close. This ain’t no game for me Cloud, right now ah wanna buck you through that tree so damn bad, but ah won’, but please sis, ah’m beggin’ ya, please don’ push mah buttons again. Ah’m tryin here, ah really am.”

Cloud Blossom laid a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, “no, I’m sorry. I never should have said that about Baritone.” Noticing the saddened look on her sibling’s face she asked, “Want to talk about it?”

Apple Honey dropped to the grass beside the tree, her head resting on her crossed forelegs. “Yes…no…maybe, I don’t know! Leave me the buck alone Cloud…” Her shoulders heaved as she began to sob noisily into her hooves, not really caring if her sister was watching her crumble or not.

Cloud landed next to her sister, draping a wing over her back and nuzzling her gently. “What is it Honey?”

“It’s, it’s nothing…leave it sis.”

“It’s obviously not nothing, come on, you can tell me.” Cloud Blossom tightened the grip of her wing, pulling Apple Honey into a hug while she continued to nuzzle her.

The burnt yellow pegasus continued to cry into her sisters nuzzle for a few moments, before finally bringing her sobbing under control enough to speak. “It – it was…a year ago now…” Apple Honey whispered through her halting sobs, “ah – ah came home after a game an’ found Bari in our bed with three fillies…they were, were…well y’all can guess what they were doin’. Ah don’ need ta spell it out for ya do ah?”

Cloud Blossom kissed her sister’s cheek softly. “I’m sorry Honey, I had no idea…”

“’Course ya didn’, th’ press didn’ get hold of it. As y’all can probably guess, ah lost mah shit when ah caught ‘em. Wasn’ pretty. Ah sent th’ earth pony an’ unicorn to th’ hospital. Would ‘a got th’ pegasus too if she hadn’ flown off. As for Vocal, he was only in intensive care for a month.”
“What happened? I assume you worked it out?”

“Not straight away. Took us a month or three, physio therapy for him, psychiatric for me. But yeah, we worked it out. Almost cost me my place on the Manehatten team, would’ve done too if the shrink hadn’t stepped in for me, said ah was ‘reasonably provoked’.”

“Well, you were, weren’t you? Even without IED I’d be pissed if I came home and saw that going on.” Cloud Blossom gently kissed her sister’s cheek again.

Apple Honey smiled despite herself as she rubbed her cheek with a hoof, “y’all wanna cut that out? Ya know ah’m not into mares, an’ ah’m really not into mah sister.”

“I’m not into my sister either, somepony just looked like she needed cheering up.” Cloud sniggered to herself, “perhaps you’d prefer a wing massage or a back rub, hmm?”

"Shut up you." Apple Honey stuck her tongue out at her sister, but, Cloud noticed, she didn’t attempt to pull away from her nuzzling. “Though ah wouldn’ say no to a preenin’ later if’n y’all are up to it?”

Cloud Blossom pulled away from her sister with a serious look on her face. “Right,” she began solemnly, “ground rules sis.”
“Ground rules?”

“Yes, ground rules. You don’t want me pushing your buttons, I don’t want to push your buttons. So, what’s off limits? What sets you off, as it were?”

Apple Honey raised a hoof to her chin, deep in thought; “That’s just it sis, anythin’ can ‘set me off’ as y’all so eloquently put it, but callin’ me ‘mental’ don’ help, nor does talk of Baritone an’ his groupies. Ah guess them’s th’ only off limits things.”

“Shame, fine flank like his could even change my mind.” Cloud quipped with a smile as she went back to nuzzling her sister.

“Ha!” Honey laughed at her sister’s joke, “you wish, take more’n your smile to take him away from these toned flanks.” She returned Cloud’s nuzzle, and in a quiet voice she said, “thanks sis.”

“Thanks? For what?”

“For listenin’, for understandin’ an’ for givin’ me a chance. Ah don’ deserve it after what ah did to ya.” Honey sniffed, fresh tears forming in her eyes.

Cloud Blossom lifted a hoof to her sister’s eyes, gently wiping away her tears. “Hey, none of that. I might’ve hated you when we were fillies, but you’re my sister Apple Honey, I never stopped loving you.”

Apple Honey lowered her voice to barely above a whisper, but Cloud still heard her. “Ah love ya too sis.”

Cloud spread her wings, using them to get to her hooves then hovering above her sister. “Come on, we still need to get to Aunt Twi’s place, unless you’d like to wallow a bit more?”

Honey grinned and joined her sister in the air. “Ah think ah’m done. Race ya to th’ castle?”

~ ~ ~

“C’mon Twi!” Rainbow Dash reclined on her little cloud, floating in Twilight’s library, blowing a lock of her unruly mane out of her eyes in boredom. Watching her marefriend work only entertained her for so long, and Twilight had been at the books for hours. Worse thing was they weren’t even the radical cool books like Daring Do. No, these were the sort of books Twi really liked, huge, old and dusty. With lots of weird words and diagrams that made Rainbow’s head spin when she looked at them. Egghead books.

Twilight Sparkle held such a book before her in her magical aura, making notes with a quill held in another magic bubble as she casually turned the old dusty pages. “No Rainbow!” The Princess answered, not moving her concentrated gaze from her work.

“But I’m bored!” The cyan pegasus whined, her head a forehoof while the other picked at the cloud she was laid on. “I wanna play. With you. Now.”

“No Rainbow, I’m busy.” Twilight huffed to herself, crossing out the line of notes she had just made and scribbling down a few more.

Rainbow Dash hopped from her cloud perch and fluttered to the ground, tip-hoofing around her marefriend, caressing Twilight’s flank with her wingtips, which caused her to scrub the quill into the parchment. Rainbow snickered, “I’ll let you do that thing you like, with your horn…” she trailed off seductively.

“Ugh!” Twilight sighed an exaggerated sigh and levitated over a new quill from storage and resumed her note-taking. “You can’t be that desperate, we did that earlier when you woke me up.”

“Yeah, but that was hours ago. This is now.” Rainbow continued to rub her marefriend’s flank with her wing, getting a shiver but no other response.

“I said I’m bus-aaaaagh!” Twilight squeaked in surprise as Rainbow trailed several quick kisses up the back of her neck and nipped her ear with a smirk.

“You’re what Egghead? Didn’t catch that last bit” Rainbow continued her assault, blowing gently in Twilight’s ear before kissing down her jawline.

"Don’t you…have…weather duty…to do?” Twilight panted as she fumbled her book in her magical hold, her concentration momentarily broken.

“Nah,” Rainbow flicked her tail over Twilight’s as she used her wingtip to tickle the other side of her neck to where she was now kissing, “sorted the rain earlier. Cloudchaser’s got the afternoon shift. I’m all yours babe.”

“Fine! Fine, you win.” Twilight slammed shut her copy of ‘Advanced Elemental Transfiguration and its Practical Use’ and levitated it to her desk along with the parchment and quill. “But I’m tying you up this time, sweetheart…”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Rainbow danced a four hoofed victory jig before flying off up the stairs of the crystal tree castle. “I’ll get the hoofcuffs!”

Twilight grinned to herself as Rainbow Dash zoomed off to their bedroom. ‘Advanced Elemental Transfiguration’ could afford to wait, compared to her beautiful marefriend, studying didn’t seem all that important. ‘Besides,’ she thought to herself, ‘I can always do it tomorrow…’ Twilight stopped herself with a giggle, she’d told herself that yesterday, and the day before that and…oh well. The Princess trotted out of the library and spread her own wings, preparing to follow Rainbow up the stairs when a loud knock at the main doors caught her attention.

“Rainbow, get back down here, we have company!” Twilight hollered up the stairs as she turned to go answer the door, her marefriend’s muffled reply echoing down the crystal staircase making her giggle.

“Oh, come on!!”

~ ~ ~

“Aaaand…that’s a win!” Cloud Blossom whooped with joy as she touched down on the cloud house a clear fifty feet ahead of her sister who was puffing deep breaths behind her.

Apple Honey landed next to the pale green pegasus, panting heavily. “How…the buck…did you…beat me?” She asked between deep breaths, “Y’all…ain’t no…athlete.”

“No,” Cloud replied, not even short of breath, “but I do use these,” she spread her powerful wings wide, “eight hours every day when I’m sculpting. I just have stronger wings than you.” She finished with a smirk.

“Ah wanna rematch, on th’ ground this time.” The burnt yellow pegasus folded away her sore aching wings, almost sighing with the relief.

“Well, you’d win that for sure, seeing as I only have three legs.” Cloud stuck her tongue out at her sister’s smirk, “tell you what, next time we race, you run and I’ll fly. Fair?”

“Deal.” Apple Honey spat on her hoof and extended it to Cloud, who looked at it like it was a nest full of poisonous vipers, before returning the gesture, spitting on her own hoof and bumping it against her sister’s.

“Must you be so filthy?” Cloud asked with a wince, rubbing her hoof on the cloud beneath her.

“Must ya be so prissy? Canterlot’s ruined ya sis.”

“It has not, a certain level of refinement is expected is all.” Cloud inspected her hoof to see if it was clean, “and spitting on one’s hooves is definitely not how deals are sealed…ruffian.”

“Uh-huh.” Apple Honey walked past her sister and knocked on the door of her Aunt’s house, getting no reply. “So, how come y’all ain’t got a mare then?”

“Why so interested?”

“Aunt Rainbow!” Apple Honey called through the keyhole, knocking again. “Ah jus’ am, humour me.”

“If you must know, when I’m done with eight or nine hours sculpting almost every day, and shaken the stone dust out of my mane and tail all I want to do is get in my bath and relax with some music and a glass of something red. Chasing mares doesn’t enter my equations.” Cloud replied wistfully, thinking of her bubble jet bath and the mail mare.

Apple Honey knocked again before shaking the locked door and giving up. “Ah don’ think she’s home.” She walked back and stood next to her sister. “Take some time off, for yaself ah mean.”

Cloud snickered, “Honey I’d love to, believe me, but when you’ve got thousand bit commissions booked up three months in advance for customers who expect their orders on time or earlier I can’t afford to. I’m pushing it coming here as it is.”

“Why’d ya come back then, if’n ya so busy?”

“Same reason as you I expect. When your mother sends you a letter asking you to come home urgently, you make the time, right? Cloud asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Sure as sunrise ya do. Ah can’ argue wi’ ya there ah guess.”

Cloud Blossom walked to the very edge of the cloud they were stood on and looked down at the crystal tree castle below. “Think she’s in there with Aunt Twilight?” She asked over her shoulder, noticing her sister wasn’t following. “What’s wrong?”

Apple Honey was stood a few feet behind her sister, nervously scuffing a hoof at the surface of the cloud, sending little puffs of it floating away. “It’s just, now ah’m here, ah don’ think ah wanna see ‘em after all.

Cloud looked at her incredulously; “You, you’re nervous?”

Honey scuffed up more bits of cloud, digging herself a hole she wished she could crawl into. Slicking her ears back she admitted, “No, ah’m…ah’m scared sis…”

“Scared, of what?”

“Of them, Aunt Rainbow and Twilight. Last time ah saw ‘em ah’d destroyed her kitchen an’ put Aunt Rainbow through her table, an’ Aunt Twilight arrested me. Yeah…ah’m scared.”

A few days ago Cloud Blossom would’ve given her last bit to hear her sister sound so defeated. Now she walked over to her and gave her a gentle nuzzle, draping a wing over her back in a feathery hug. “You don’t have to be scared, I’m with you this time. Come on, let’s fly down together.”

They did just that, at Cloud’s urging they glided down from Rainbow’s house to the doors of the castle, and Apple Honey, summoning what nerve she had left knocked loudly on the imposing structure. She was about to knock again when they heard Princess Twilight Sparkle’s muffled shout from within, “Rainbow, get back down here, we have company!”

Honey groaned audibly when she heard another, louder but still muffled shout of “Oh come on!” which was the unmistakeable sound of her Aunt Rainbow.

Cloud put her wing over her sister once more, giving her a reassuring nuzzle. “We’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

The option to worry or not was taken out of Honey’s hooves when the door was seized in a bubble of lavender magic and swung open to reveal Ponyville’s Princess. Twilight Sparkle just stood immobile, blinking a couple of times as she looked at the twin pegasi in front of her. Blinking once more she simply said, “Oh…hello girls.”

Finding her voice Apple Honey just managed a weak “Hey Aunt Twilight…can we, d’you mind if we come in?”

~ ~ ~

“Alright,” Rainbow Dash eyed the two pegasi warily, in particular her cerise eyes focused on the burnt yellow pony seated in front of her on the other side of the coffee table. “What the hay are ya doing here, and how long’s it gonna be before ya try putting me through this table?”

Apple Honey shifted uncomfortably in her chair, she hadn’t looked her Aunt Rainbow in the eyes since being let into the castle minutes earlier, and with her eyes firmly glued to the steaming mug of black coffee in front of her she felt no immediate need to do so again. She knew she deserved all the ire the cyan pegasus could throw at her, knowing it didn’t help her cope with it though, and she was glad her sister was there with her.

“Rainbow Dash, drink your coffee and let her speak.” Although Twilight’s tone was light and conversational, there was no mistaking the presence in her voice.

“Come off it Twi,” Rainbow snorted in contempt, pointing a hoof at Apple Honey. “Y’know she’s trouble, or have ya forgot what she did last time?"

Twilight took a gentle sip of her earl grey tea as she looked over at her marefriend. “I haven’t forgotten…”

“Good, ‘cause neither has my back!” Rainbow made to slam her hoof onto the coffee table, but stopped herself at the last second from spilling her coffee onto the carpeted floor of the castle’s lounge. “Remember the back this psycho almost broke?!”

Rainbow was about to continue her verbal assault on her old attacker when she was cut off by Cloud Blossom, who had till now remained silent. She simply laid her left foreleg on her sister’s right and flashed her a smile. “Breathe sis,” She muttered quietly.

Twilight merely took another sip of her tea, watching Dash’s confusion with a tiny trace of amusement.

“Wait, what was that about?”

“Aunt Rainbow,” Cloud began, her reassuring hoof still in place over her sister’s, “You call my sister a psycho.” She paused to take a drink of her hot chocolate. “You’re right,” She stated bluntly, feeling her sister’s foreleg tense under her own. “She is a psycho.”

Rainbow Dash sat back in her chair, for once at a loss for words. “what d’ya mean?...”

“What I mean, Aunt Rainbow,” Cloud carried on, building up steam. “Is that Apple Honey has a psychotic mental illness called Intermittent Explosive Disorder, or IED. It doesn’t excuse what she’s done, but it does explain why she did the things she did.”

Rainbow snorted in her chair, “Yeah right Cloud, and I’m the king of the seaponies!”

Twilight levitated her teacup to the coffee table. “Why don’t you tell us about it Apple Honey?” she asked, staring a pointed look at Rainbow as she did so.

“Twi, you aren’t buyin’ this load of manure are ya?”

Twilight gave her marefriend a stare Fluttershy would’ve been proud of. “Dashie, I want you to listen to what she has to say, please.”

“Hmph!” Rainbow crossed her forelegs and slumped in her chair, looking for all the world like a chastised school filly. “Fine. Talk.”

~ ~ ~

“Enter.”

The door to the Doctor’s office opened to reveal two armoured unicorn guards flanking a securely bound pegasus. Both had their horns lit, one had the mare’s hindlegs bound together, her wings held tightly to her barrel and her forelegs held against her chest with glowing bands of yellow power. The other guard levitated her along in his blue aura.

“Couch please Shieldwall.”

The unicorn in question silently floated the struggling mare to the aforementioned couch, depositing her roughly on her back.
“Thank you. You may leave.”

The unicorn with the yellow aura around his horn shook his violet maned head. “Governor’s orders Doc, this one,” He indicated the still struggling pegasus with a disdainful look, “Is not to be seen without supervision and restraint.”

Without looking up from her notes, or even acknowledging the pegasus’s presence on her couch at all the Doctor addressed the guard; “Thank you, I am well aware of the prisoner’s history, and the Governor’s orders. You can maintain these spells,” She waved a hoof towards the bound mare, “From the other side of the door, yes?”

The unicorn guards nodded in unison.

“Then I am in no immediate danger am I Bastion?”

“No Doc but…”

“If you would be so kind then, please wait outside my office.” The two guards merely grunted and with a shrug of their powerful shoulders left the office, though their outlines could be seen through the frosted glass of the door.

After what seemed an eternity the Doctor finally looked up from her sheaf of notes to look over her angular glasses at the pegasus lying bound on her couch. Brushing a strand of her bubblegum pink mane out of her eyes with a white foreleg the earth pony spoke. “Good afternoon, Miss…Apple Honey, correct?”

“Buck you.”

“Hmm, a simple ‘yes’ would have sufficed.” She adjusted her glasses before continuing, “My name is Doctor Sureheart. Do you know why you’re here?”

"Buck off."

“Hmm. I see. Miss Honey, I have all afternoon, and neither of us are going anywhere anytime soon. Let’s make this pleasant shall we?”

“Buck…”

“Yes, yes…your favourite word I assume?” Doctor Sureheart interrupted her, a slight note of irritation edging her voice. “Now, I see from the notes I’ve been given you have already had some tests, medical and psychological, do you know why these tests were performed?”

Apple Honey stopped her fruitless struggle, instead turning her head away from the questioning mare beside her. “They sayin’ ah’m tapped in th’ head or somethin’.”

“Miss Honey, you are not ‘tapped in the head’, you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, namely Intermittent Explosive Disorder, which is why you have been referred to me, and why we have the pleasure of each other’s company.”

“So what, Same thing ain’t it?” Apple Honey asked sullenly, still looking away, currently the only defiant action available to her. “Y’all gonna ‘shrink’ me till ah’m cured an’ ah can go be a good little pony again?”

Doctor Sureheart shuffled her notes in her hooves, looking her patient over. “Your illness cannot be cured Miss Honey, however it can be managed. That is why we are here. To help you understand your aggressive violent behaviour, to recognise when you are about to have an episode and to teach you techniques through cognitive therapy to calm yourself down.” Once again Sureheart adjusted her glasses. “Could you at least do me the courtesy of looking at me?”

Apple Honey reluctantly turned her head to look at the serenely smiling earth pony Doctor, her shallow breathing barely keeping her temper in check. She couldn’t put a hoof on exactly when she’d started getting upset, but once her anger started it was like a wildfire, feeding itself until there was nothing left. Her body was giving her its signs, the tightening of her chest, the tingling in her hooves and worse the unending pressure at the front of her head, bearing like an unbearable weight on her skull.

“You would like to attack me right now, wouldn’t you Miss Honey?”

“Yeah, yeah ah would.”

“Why? Describe it for me if you please, every last detail.” Doctor Sureheart turned to a clean sheet of paper, pen in her mouth poised and ready.

“Ah, ah dunno why, jus’ y’all sat there judgin’ me, makin’ notes about me, that damn superior smile like y’all are better than me…” Apple Honey felt the pressure in her head become so intense it was painful. Breathing through it she continued; “Ah wanna take mah hoof and buck that smug grin ta th’ other side o’ ya face.”

“Hmm, I see.” Doctor Sureheart furiously scribbled her notes, already filling the clean page and starting another. “And the earth pony mare in the dining area, was she better than you too?” The psychiatrist asked, referencing the incident that had occurred at the end of Apple Honey’s first week in the Detention Centre.

“She…she cut in front o’ me in the dinner line,” The pain in her head and the tightness of her chest made it difficult to concentrate on the question in hoof. “Ngh!...the…the mare, she took the dessert ah wanted, took it knowin’ ah wanted it…”

“Miss Honey, are you in pain?”

“Uh huh…” Doctor Sureheart retrieved a bottle of painkillers from the drawer of her desk, emptying two onto her papers. Taking an empty glass she filled it with water from the nearby cooler and took it to her desk, dropping the two tablets in it.

Standing by the bound pegasus she held the glass in her right hoof. “Miss Honey. Bite at me in any way, I’ll have you sedated and this kindness will not be extended again, do you understand?”

Apple Honey nodded her head with a pitiful whimper, her eyes watering with the pain.

“Open up then.” The white mare poured the water and tablets down her throat, watching as her patient swallowed the painkillers. “Better?”
The burnt yellow pegasus nodded; “Y – yeah…t – thanks Doc…”

A look of concern passes across the Doctor’s face, “Miss Honey, does it always hurt that bad?”

“Only when ah can’ release it, it hurts more an’ more until ah let it go.”

"Hmm I see." Sureheart scrawled more notes across her paper, "Now, back to the earth pony mare. Your assault left her in the hospital for two weeks with a broken foreleg and several fractured ribs, it also got your sentence extended to two years. Do you feel any remorse for the attack?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“She took what she knew ah wanted, ah gave her a warnin’, she ignored it. Her problem.”

“Hmm. Let’s move ahead to a month ago, to the pegasus stallion in the exercise yard. Tell me about that please.”

“Ah was doin’ weights, mindin’ mah business.” Apple Honey’s voice had taken a deadened, emotionless cadence which didn’t go unnoticed by the earth pony Doctor. “Stallion came over, made a few ‘unsavoury’ comments, about me, mah flanks and mah ass. Ah ignored him, best ah could, carried on wi’ mah weights.”

“Then what happened?” She asked quietly.

“Y’all know what happened…”

“I’d like you to tell me all the same.”

“Ah switched t’ a different set o’ weights, stallion came behind me, he…he…” Fresh tears welled in the corners of her eyes at the memory. “He mounted me. Ah screamed at him to get off, but he wouldn’, he jus’ laughed at me. Ah bucked him, ah defended mahself.”

“Miss Honey, self-defence is to be expected in such a situation, however,” Doctor Sureheart consulted her notes once more. “Your attack went beyond mere self-defence, didn’t it?”

Apple Honey rolled her head away again, utter disdain in her dead voice. “If y’all say so.”

“I do say so Miss Honey. Your first kick, your ‘bucking’ as you call it shattered his pelvis, making him unable to stand. What went beyond defence was you taking a fifty kilogram weight and shattering his right wing.”

“He deserved more.”

“And I’m sure he would’ve received more, had the pegasus guard not intervened. Tell me why you attacked the guard Miss Honey.”

“Ah dunno, ah was gone by that point. All ah felt was a wingtip on mah flank, ah just bucked out, ah wasn’ thinkin’.”

“You are aware you broke his jaw?”

“Shouldn’a got in mah way. A pegasus jus’ tried ta rape me, ah felt a wingtip on mah flank. Ah reacted.”

“Hmm. Your ‘reaction’ extended your sentence to five years Miss Honey.”

Apple Honey turned her cold expression back to the Doctor that sat beside her. “An’ ah’d do it again, in a heartbeat ah’d do it again.”

"Hmm I believe you Miss Honey.” Doctor Sureheart put aside her notes and pen. “From what you have told me today I can surmise your IED is triggered when you feel provoked, would you agree this is the case?”

“Y’all could say that Doc.”

“Now, as regards the treatment of your condition, I’m going to prescribe medication for you, a course of antidepressants, anti-anxiety agents and finally a mood stabilizer. These are fluoxetine, phenytoin and lithium respectively. These you’ll need to take twice daily for the rest of your life. I’m also recommending a course of psychotherapy, which will include cognitive restructuring and learning coping skills.”

“Um…D – doc S - sureheart?...”

For the first time in their session together Doctor Sureheart heard something other than a brash, abrasive, hot tempered young pegasus. She heard a frightened young mare. Brushing aside her pink mane and adjusting her glasses she briefly wondered how many ponies had seen this side to her patient. ‘Not many’ she safely concluded.

“Yes Miss Honey?”

"Will, will you be doin' the psychotherapy?”

“Would you like me to?”

“Yeah…yes please…”

“Why Miss Honey?”

“You’re nice, y’all gave me the painkillers. Ah, ah like you.”

Doctor Sureheart gave her the best smile she could; “Yes Miss Honey, if you are comfortable with it, I will be your therapist for these sessions.”

“Thank you.”

~ ~ ~

“Yeah right…” Rainbow Dash eyed Apple Honey, her forelegs still crossed in her chair. “Cute story and all, could’ve used a dragon and some world-ending peril though, throw in a last minute Princess rescue at the end.” The cyan pegasus added sarcastically.

Twilight drained her teacup, levitating the china to the coffee table. “Rainbow…” She began before her marefriend cut her off.

“I’m not buyin’ it Twi, and neither is my back. I’ve read better Daring Do fanfics than what I just heard.”

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight had finally had enough. While she only raised her voice a little, the authority in her tone was sufficient to quiet her partner. Apple Honey quelled at once in her chair, she’d heard that voice once before, and didn’t want to hear it again. “I know for a fact our niece is being truthful. Ever since I was forced to issue the arrest I have been in contact with the Governor of the Detention Centre, and with Doctor Sureheart, whom I have gotten to know quite well.” Twilight turned a furious eye to Rainbow, who shrank in her chair. “As it happens the good Doctor still sends me updates as and when she deems it necessary.”

“But…why…how come you never said anything then?” Rainbow spluttered.

“Confidentiality.” Twilight explained. “Doctor Sureheart only agreed to share her reports with me because I’m a Princess, a close friend of the family and the one who arrested my niece.” Her gaze still on the doubting pegasus she continued; “You owe somepony an apology Rainbow,” in a quieter voice she said, “We will discuss this later, when we’re alone.”

At some point during Apple Honey’s tale Cloud Blossom had scooted her chair next to her sister, pulling her into a life threatening hug that showed no immediate signs of being released. “Still going to call my sister a liar Aunt Rainbow?” She asked indignantly.

“Well, I’m not sayin’ I understand all of it, but I guess I do owe ya an apology.”

“No need Aunt Rainbow,” Apple Honey finally managed to pull herself from her sister’s neck crushing hug, welcoming the chance to breathe. “Ah really am sorry…”

Rainbow rubbed the part of her back between her shoulders and wings that had taken the brunt of the table. “For callin’ me a fillyfooling pervert, accusin’ me of banging your parents and for drivin’ me back first through my own kitchen table?”

“Yeah, ah’m sorry for all o’ that.”

Rainbow Dash cracked the faintest of smiles as she brushed aside a lock of her unruly multi coloured mane. “I suppose we can let it slide this time kid,” She pointed a hoof at the burnt yellow pegasus. “But I’m watching you, got it?”

“Ah got it, thanks Aunt Rainbow.”

~ ~ ~

Hours later the afternoon was early evening before Cloud Blossom and Apple Honey finally left the castle to head to Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight Sparkle stretched out on her favourite reading couch, her copy of ‘Advanced Elemental Transfiguration’ held before her in her lavender aura while Rainbow busied herself tidying away the mugs and cups. The Princess pretended not to hear the jingle of the chains as she magically turned the page.

“I hope my little maid won’t forget to wipe the coffee table this time.” She said as casually as she could, stealing surreptitious glances at her marefriend’s flank as she swayed across the lounge.

“Twi, was the uniform really necessary?” Rainbow huffed as she carried over the cloth, hampered slightly by the hoofcuffs. The cuffs and the eighteen inch chain didn’t bother her too much, it was the spreader bar fastened to the leading edges of her wings keeping her from flying that worried her. The three clips on each wing didn’t hurt, they merely held her wings outstretched from her barrel, immobilising them.

Without looking Twilight reached over with her magic and swatted Rainbow’s cutie marks with whips of pure power, earning a surprised yelp from her ‘maid’. “I beg your pardon?”

“Mistress, was the uniform really necessary?” Rainbow took the cloth in her mouth and began to wipe down the coffee table.

Again, Twilight didn’t bother to look up from her book. “Of course, my staff should look the part, don’t you agree?”

“Mistress…did you have to bind my wings?”

“You were a very bad pony, doubting myself and Apple Honey like you did. I’d say the punishment fits the crime, wouldn’t you?”

“But…”

“I can always send you to the market, I’m sure there are supplies we need.”

“N – no Mistress…please don’t…I’ll behave.” The very thought of being sent out in her current bindings mortified the cyan pegasus beyond measure.

Twilight closed her book with a sultry smile, “Then get to cleaning. And the more thorough your cleaning is, the more thorough I’ll be when you’re finished.”

“Yes Mistress!” Rainbow was determined the coffee table would have a reflective surface by the time she was finished.

Twilight trotted over and playfully nipped the pegasus’s ear. “Thanks for listening earlier.”

Rainbow paused in her wiping; “Meh, she ain’t a bad kid, I’m just glad she’s getting the help she needs.”

Twilight gave Rainbow a little kiss. “Still big of you to let it go.” As she headed towards the stairs to the bedroom Twilight called over her shoulder, “Come up when you’re done, I’ll show my maid just how proud I am of her…”

~ ~ ~

“So, where to now?” Cloud Blossom asked her sister as they exited their Aunt Twilight’s crystal tree castle into the mid-afternoon sunshine.

“You want to head home to Sweet Apple Acres or is there somepony else you need to say sorry to?” She added with a sly smile.

Apple Honey stuck her tongue and nudged her sister’s flank with a chuckle. “Ah wasn’ that bad…”

Cloud snorted; “I think you’ll find you were, oh sister of mine.”

“Fine sis,” the burnt yellow pegasus acquiesced with a shrug of her shoulders, “Ah guess ah was pretty bad. Ah still am, ya know that right?”

“I know that, and I know it’s not all your fault.” The pale green mare leant over to nuzzle her sister. “And we’re alright, okay?”

Apple Honey flicked her short pink mane from her eyes as she returned her sister’s nuzzle. “Ya mean it?”

“Course I mean it.”

“Thanks sis, an’ ah am sorry, for all th’ times ah called ya names, an’ well, th’ other stuff ah did too.”

Cloud Blossom stopped next to her sibling and gave her a stern glare. “Stop that. Stop it right now. Apologise to me just once more and so help me Apple Honey I shall slap you.” Cloud softened her expression with a gentle smile, “I’ve told you already. We’re fine. We will be fine.”

Apple Honey flashed Cloud a nervous smile. “Well, we don’ know why momma Shy asked us to come back here do we?”

“No, and nopony will tell us, if Aunt Pinkie is anything to go by. So?”

“Why don’t we get them some flowers?” Apple Honey suggested.

“Flowers?” Cloud giggled. “I never thought you were a ‘flowers’ kind of mare Honey.”

“I’m not as a rule, but think about it, if momma Shy has bad news then flowers will help. If it’s good news then flowers will make her feel even better. It’s a win win.” Apple Honey explained her reasoning to her sister, who listened with a smile on her muzzle.

“Good idea,” Cloud admitted, then frowned. “Isn’t Roseluck’s shop all the way back in Ponyville proper? I don’t feel like walking all the way back there now we’re out here.” Cloud spread her wings for balance as she stretched her hind leg with a wince.

Apple Honey picked up on her sister’s discomfort. “You hurtin’ sis?” She asked with concern.

“A little,” She said with a nod, “I don’t usually walk this much in a day, plus I had that tumble earlier at the station.”

“Yeah, ah remember,” Apple Honey giggled, recalling her sister’s unceremonious fall in the rain. “Um, sorry…” She quickly added at the severe glare from Cloud. “Gotta admit, it was a little funny sis.” She added with an apologetic smile.

“Okay, I guess it was a tiny bit funny.” Cloud Blossom reluctantly agreed, a grudging smile playing over her lips.

“Alright, well what about that shop over there?” Apple Honey pointed with a hoof to a shop a few hundred yards away from where they were at Twilight’s castle.

Cloud Blossom looked where her sister was pointing, reading the large shop sign. “Wildfire Rose’s Rarities? Yeah alright sis, we can give it a look.”

With that the sisters set off towards the flower shop, Apple Honey setting a steady pace on her hooves, Cloud Blossom flying a few feet above her. “So, third Super League Cup in a row huh?”

Apple Honey chuckled, swelling her chest with pride. “Eeyup, y’all watched th’ game?” She asked, a huge smirk on her muzzle.

“I watched the final, it was a close thing until the sixty fifth minute. I can’t believe that unicorn rammed you like that.”

The burnt yellow pegasus actually laughed at that. “It’s called a ‘tackle’ Cloud. Th’ other team are allowed t’ try and tackle us for th’ ball you know.” She giggled again. “Ah never pegged ya for a sports fan sis, did ya even know what was goin’ on?”

“Well of course I did, and I don’t need to know the intricacies of Rugby League to know you need to score more than your opponents to win.” Cloud sniffed dismissively, “You scored more, so you won right?”

“Uh huh,” Apple Honey snickered loud enough for the flying pegasus to hear her. “An’ th’ fact that lots of toned athletic mares were gallopin’ aroun’ for eighty minutes gettin’ all dirty an’ sweaty has nothin’ t’ do with it right sis?”

“I have absolutely no idea what you mean…” Cloud’s attempted denial was undermined somewhat by her rather prominent blush, which spread across her cheeks like a crimson wave.

“Riiiight,” The walking mare openly sniggered, “That blush o’ yours says otherwise Cloudy. Why ah bet when Mimic and Windwhistler scored that third try y’all had your hoof strummin’ away quicker than manure slidin’ off a shovel.”

“Apple Honey! Please!” Cloud’s blush threatened to spontaneously combust her in mid-air, as she hurriedly looked away from her sister.

“Ah notice y’all ain’t denyin’ it Cloudy.” Apple Honey gave a last snort of laughter before changing the subject. “What about y’all? Ah see ponies’re buyin’ up your sculptures so fast y’all would think Parasprites’re eatin’ ‘em.”

Cloud Blossom was so shocked at this she landed next to her sister. “How d’you know…”

“Baritone gets these arty magazines. Ah read ‘em. Turns out y’all are more popular than a stallion in estrus season.”

Cloud blushed again, though her blush didn’t stop her swelling her chest. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far…” She started before her sister cut her off.

“Ah would. Ah seen some o’ the stuff y’all have done. Now ah can’t say I get most o’ ‘em, y’all know ah never been very arty minded. Ah’ll tell ya what though, ah know good when ah see it, and girl, your stuff is really good.” Apple Honey hung a foreleg over her sister’s shoulder. “Maybe y’all could see your way clear to doin’ somethin’ for me?”

Cloud stopped walking, utterly stunned at what she’d just heard. “I…what?” She stuttered, “I-I’d love to, really I would!”

“Ah’d pay, ‘course…”

“You will not!” Cloud stomped a forehoof. “It’s a poor day if I can’t sculpt something for my own sister.” Cloud leant in close and kissed her sister’s cheek, “Think of it as fifteen years of Hearth’s Warming gifts.”

“Ah can live with that, thanks sis.” Apple Honey was about to say something further, about generosity being Aunt Rarity’s thing, when she realised throughout their conversation they had been stood outside the flower shop for a good ten minutes.

The flower shop was a two storey wooden building with a smaller storey attached to the right. Built in the tudor style it had pale green façade with bright white beams criss crossing it’s outside. The terracotta coloured sloping roof along with the grey stone chimneys completed the simple rustic feel of the place. Closer inspection of the outside showed the shop had been in a state of disrepair at some point in it’s past, but that clearly a loving hoof was now in residence.

Cloud Blossom glanced up at the shop sign. In the centre was a single red rose set against red and yellow burning flames. “Wildfire Rose indeed,” She mused out loud. “The owner’s cutie mark d’you think?” She asked her sister.

“Ah dunno,” Apple Honey answered with a shrug, “Maybe. C’mon, let’s see what they got.” The athletic mare hoofed open the door to the ringing of a little bell and the two sisters entered the shop, to be immediately assailed by the smell of the many varieties of flowers on the shelves.

“Be with you in a minute!” came a mare’s voice from somewhere they couldn’t see.

Looking around the shop’s interior the two pegasi could see a long counter opposite the door they had entered by, with a cash register and a ceiling high cooler behind it, full of pre-made arrangements of flowers. Rows of shelves lined the left and right walls. The right had familiar plants such as daffodils; daisies; buttercups; bluebells; roses and magnolias, whereas the left, marked ‘Rarities’, held a variety of flowers both sisters had never heard of before. All were brightly coloured and neatly arranged to show of each one to the customer.

A few moments later and a young looking earth pony mare trotted through the door marked ‘Nursery’, carrying a battered looking watering can in her mouth, which she placed on the counter with a smile. “Sorry about that, just feeding the babies.” She chirped happily, before addressing her customers. “Oh, right. Hello hello! Welcome to Rose’s Rarities, I’m Wildfire Rose, how can I help you today?”

“Mighty nice to meet ya Ms Wildfire,” Apple Honey held out her hoof, which the young mare happily bumped in greeting. “Me an’ mah sis are after some flowers for our momma, right sis?”

“Bwaaa…” Looking at the earth pony Cloud Blossom had suddenly found forming words very difficult. She had a chestnut brown coat, a long white mane and tail with a sky blue streak through both, and the biggest most beautiful blue eyes Cloud had ever seen.

“She’s gorgeous! I’ve never seen a mare so beautiful!” Cloud thought to herself, unfortunately her thoughts got detoured on the way to her mouth and no sound came out when she opened and closed it twice.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Are you looking for anything in particular?” Wildfire Rose looked at them both expectantly, a wide smile on her muzzle.

“Even her voice is beautiful!” Fireworks and rainbows exploded in Cloud Blossom’s mind as she stared at the young mare in front of her. “I should say something. Say something you idiot!” Her mind berated her for not being able to speak. “Well…we, we’re…flowers! Need flowers!” Cloud managed to squeak out. “Oh smooth. Well done you.” She chided herself.

Wildfire Rose looked at the flustered pegasus for a moment, blinking twice. “Weeell, I have plenty of those for you to choose from,” She nervously smoothed her mane with a hoof, “This is a flower shop.” The earth pony started tossing her mane, twirling it with the hoof that had been smoothing it out.

“Sweet Celestia, now she’s playing with her mane!” Cloud Blossom’s wings shot out to either side of her body with an audible *poomf!*

“Excuse me, are you alright Miss?”

Apple Honey took one look at her sister, who was bright red in the face and sporting the most impressive wingboner she’d ever seen and burst out into peals of laughter. Noticing the confusion on the flower salesponies face the pegasus struggled without success to contain her giggles. “She’s just fine sugarcube, mah sis has just seen somethin’ she likes is all.”

“Oh, alrighty then,” Wildfire Rose perked up at the possibility of a sale presented itself on the horizon. “Is there a specific flower or arrangement I can interest you in?”

Apple Honey snorted more giggles, “No hun, ah think mah sis is more interested in the mare sellin’ th’ flowers than th’ flowers th’ mare’s sellin’, if y’all catch mah drift.” The pegasus offered a not so subtle wink at the earth pony and nodded at her sister, who was busy trying to get her wings to behave. “On that note Cloudy,” She said loudly to get her attention, “Ah need t’ go outside a sec, call Sureheart.”

Apple Honey’s statement just made it through Cloud’s haze. “W-what? You, you’re going outside, now?”

“Eeyup, ah’ve had a couple’a near misses today, an’ the Doc said t’ call her if ah needed her.” Apple Honey made her way out the door, “Don’ worry sis, y’all be just fine.” She called over her shoulder with a wolf whistle.

The shop door closed behind the exiting pegasus, leaving the ringing bell to break the awkward silence between the two equally blushing mares.

Unfortunately the bell could only ring so much before falling silent. Which inevitably it did. Once more a silence descended as the two mares forced smiles at each other across the shop floor. A pervasive, intrusive silence that seemed to stretch for eternity.

Eventually Cloud Blossom couldn’t take it anymore. “So…” She began uncertainly.

“So…” Wildfire Rose answered, her blue eyes looking anywhere other than at the pegasus in front of her.

“Soooo…” Cloud scuffed her hooves on the hardwood floorboards.

“Yeah…”

“Um…flowers?” Cloud offered lamely, deciding a change of topic was in order.

“You’re…interested…in me?” The earth pony seemed hesitant, although her smile looked a lot more natural.

“Um…maybe…” Cloud admitted in a tiny voice, not wanting to get her hopes up.

“Maybe?” Wildfire Rose cocked an eyebrow as the tiniest hint of a smirk ghosted across her lips.

“A little…okay yes, I am, a lot…”

“Oh…I don't know if I’ve ever really had any mares interested in me before.” The younger mare nervously ran a hoof through her white mane, smoothing out curls that weren’t there. “Or many stallions either really...” She added as she continued to play with her mane.

Seeing her chance Cloud Blossom took a deep breath and prepared to plunge down what was (sadly) a lesser travelled path. “Well, this mare’s interested in you.”

Wildfire Rose blushed heavily, the crimson glow lighting up her chestnut cheeks. “Um…you wanted flowers?”

“Oh…” Cloud tried unsuccessfully to keep the disappointment from her voice at the abrupt change in topic. “Yeah…yes we do, want flowers.”

“Rare ones or regular?”

“Oh, um…rare ones.” Cloud mumbled, not really paying much attention, certain that she’d blown whatever chance she may have had with this gorgeous mare.

Wildfire’s face lit up like a Heath’s Warming tree as she lead Cloud over to the left side of the shop to the “Rarities” display. “These here,” She pointed a hoof to the shelves, “Are some of the rarest flowers in Equestria. This Mountain Avens only grows in Ghastly Gorge. This,” She pointed out a delicate looking purple flower, “Is PasqueFlower. You’ll only find this in the Everfree Forest. This chequered looking flower is called Fritillary. It’s growing sites in Appleloosa are protected by law you know.”

Cloud Blossom um’d and ah’d absent mindedly through the descriptions of the rare flowers, not wanting to appear rude to the eager young pony. As an artist she could appreciate the beauty of the flowers, but beyond that she was lost. Just as she was about to politely request that they wrap this up so she could get out of the shop with a modicum of her dignity intact a particular rose caught her eye.

“Excuse me, but what’s that?” She asked, pointing a wingtip to the rose in question.

“That,” the chestnut mare began proudly, visibly swelling, “Is the rarest rose in the world. It’s called the Wildfire rose…”

“Wildfire rose?” Cloud interrupted her.

“Yes, it’s named after me because I created it. Took me years of cross cutting and breeding, but there it is.” Wildfire Rose reached out a foreleg and took her namesake in a hoof, turning the flower in the light to show it off. The yellow orange edged buds had opened into orange double blooms, accented by a glowing yellow reverse. Cloud breathed in the slight musky fragrance given off by the rose, and admired the thick velvety petals. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

“It’s the second most beautiful thing I’ve seen today.” Cloud’s mouth blurted out the words before her brain could stop them. “So much for dignity…”

“You…you really like me?

Cloud Blossom nodded. “I really do.”

“Well, I suppose we could, y’know, go on a date? The chestnut mare nervously tousled her white mane, reaching as far as the blue streak.
“R – really?” Cloud’s wings shot out again, erect at her sides. “Stupid wings…” She muttered under her breath.

“Really.” Rose giggled to herself, making a mental note to ask why her wings kept doing that. “Let’s get your order sorted, then we can talk date, ‘kay?”

“Yes…that’s a good idea.”

“So, what was it you wanted Miss Cloud?”

“Oh, I’m not really sure…” Cloud berated herself for not paying attention when the earth pony was telling her about the different flowers. How was she to know that stuff would be important? “Could you put together a basket with all of those flowers you mentioned to me?”

The earth pony mare actually stopped and looked at the pegasus as if she had four heads. Blinking twice she asked; “You want a basket, a basket made up of four of the rarest flowers in the land?”

“Is that wrong?” Cloud asked uncertainly.

“Not at all, customer is always right, as my mom says. Most ponies get a few regular varieties and a rare to show them off, but certainly you can have whatever you like.” Rose started to collect the four flowers from the rare shelves and placed them next to each other on the shop counter. “After all, you’re paying, right?” She asked with a giggle.

Cloud Blossom nodded as she watched her work, skilfully arranging the flowers in the basket until a few moments later she was finished.
“Um…that’ll be five thousand five hundred bits, please.” She asked, almost apologetically.

“No problem,” Cloud reached into her saddle bags and retrieved her card, offering it to the stunned mare, who swiped it against the cash register and gave it back to the pegasus with her reciept.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do Miss Cloud?”

“I’m a sculptor, and it’s just Cloud, or Cloud Blossom if I’ve been naughty.” The pegasus answered as she securely stowed her card back in her bag.

“Oooh that’s a sweet name Cloud, are you local? I haven’t seen you or your sister around before.”

“You wouldn’t,” Cloud explained, “We haven’t been back in Ponyville for years. I live in Canterlot above my workshop, and my sister lives in Manehatten.”

“You’re a sculptor, if you don’t mind me asking, is that how you lost your leg?”

Cloud offered her a warm smile; “No I don’t mind you asking. I was born without my left hind leg, the umbilical cord wrapped around it while I was developing, and it atrophied.”

“Oh…I am sorry Cloud.”

“It’s alright, really.” The pegasus smiled as she leant her head and gave the younger mare a nuzzle, “Just no ‘tripod’ jokes, if you please.”

Wildfire Rose looked shocked. “I – I wouldn’t dream of it, I really wouldn’t.”

“Don’t worry about it, seriously. Now, where would you like to go on our date Wildfire?”

The earth pony tapped her chin with a hoof as she thought. “I know!” She chirped excitedly, “We can go to the Hay Burger!”

“The…Hay Burger?” A tiny wrinkle of disgust creased Cloud’s muzzle.

“You never been to a Hay Burger joint?” Wildfire asked incredulously, and when Cloud shook her head ‘no’ she fairly bounced with excitement.

“Oh you’ll love it! They do hay burgers, horseshoe fries, sodas, and oooh Celestia their milkshakes are just gorgeous! Can we go there Cloud? Can we pleeeease?”

“Of course we can,” Cloud giggled in spite of her misgivings. It was hard not to, Wildfire Rose’s enthusiasm was infectious. “Do you work tomorrow?”

“Um…tomorrow’s Saturday…I close midday Saturday and close all day Sunday.”

“So I shall meet you here at two pm tomorrow afternoon? Then you can lead me to this delightful eatery.”

“You’re on Cloud!” Wildfire Rose bounced around the counter and scribbled something on a piece of paper before passing it to Cloud Blossom with a hoof. “My number. Anything comes up gimme a bell. I’ll flip the ‘closed’ sign but leave the door unlocked. Let yourself in if I don’t answer it.”

“Very well Wildfire,” Cloud gave her a quick peck on the cheek, which resulted in an instant blush and a giggle from the older mare, “I’ll see you here tomorrow at two.” Cloud then gave her other cheek a quick kiss, took the basket in her mouth and with a wave of a wing left the flower shop.

“Well, looks like somepony sure scored.” Apple Honey laughed as she noted the faraway look on her sister’s face. “First base already. Y’all work quick sis!”

“Oh hush you…”

“Y’all got her number?” Cloud nodded. “Y’all set up a date?” She nodded again, this time with a huge smile. “Then ah will not ‘hush’. Good luck sis.”

“Thanks Honey. Here, you carry this.” Cloud passed the flower basket to Apple Honey, who took it under a wing. “By the way, you owe me three thousand bits for your half.”

“What the dickens?!” Apple Honey almost dropped the basket in shock. “Ah never knew they made gold plated flowers afore.”

“They’re rare.” Cloud offered by way of explanation as she started to walk towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“Rare?” Apple Honey sniggered. “For that price ah hope they pick ‘emselves an’ jump into this here basket.”

“Hush, you know momma Shy will love them.”

“Eeyup. That she will sis, that she will. C’mon,” Apple Honey draped her other wing over her sister’s back as they walked side by side.

“Let’s go home.”

~ ~ ~

“Excuse me, Aunt Rarity, could you say that again please?” Cloud Blossom asked, disbelief in her voice.

Rarity took a delicate sip of her cinnamon flavoured tea from the cup held in her magic and carefully set it back on it’s saucer, taking the time to dab at her lips before repeating what she had just told her two nieces. “I said,” Rarity began, looking the two pegasi in the eyes, “Applejack, your mother, my friend, has stage two skin cancer darling. To be specific, basal cell carcinoma.”

“Eeyup, that’s what ah thought y’all said Aunt Rarity.” Apple Honey sat next to her sister, opposite her Aunt Rarity and Momma Fluttershy in the shade of the Zap apple trees, the table between them holding their chosen teas and coffee, the latter of which belonged to the athletic pegasus and remained untouched. “So…what’s that mean?”

“Is…is Momma Jackie going to be alright?” Cloud asked, “She isn’t, you know…going to…is she?” She trailed off, staring at her cooling cup of earl grey tea, not wanting to finish her sentence.

“Is mah Momma gonna die?”

“Apple Honey!” Rarity and Cloud both exclaimed in unison.

“What? Ah’m only askin’ what’s gonna happen now.”

“Girls please.” Fluttershy quietly silenced the three mares around the table. “First of all yes, Applejack has skin cancer. Second it’s not fatal. Your mother is going to make a full recovery from this illness. The doctor’s caught it early in stage two, a simple surgery and a skin graft is all that’s required.” Fluttershy took a sip of her rose tea, giving her daughters a warm smile.

“So that’s why you wrote us to come home Momma?”

Rarity giggled. “You have to admit Cloud Blossom dear it’s not the sort of thing one can put in a letter now is it?”

Fluttershy put her emptied cup on its saucer, and motioned to Rarity for a re-fill, which the unicorn happily obliged with her magic. “Yes it was Cloudy, and while I’m very pleased to see you both here, I must ask; there isn’t going to be any ‘unpleasantness’ between you is there?”

“No Momma.” Apple Honey reached over and hugged her sister tight. “We’ve had a chance to talk, properly ah mean. Ah promise there ain’t gonna be no more hassle.”

“Honey’s right Momma,” Cloud returned the hug as best she could. “We’re alright, really.”

Fluttershy fixed them both with her stare, attempting to discern any lie in her daughter’s faces. Finding none she relaxed with a sigh. “I’m so pleased you both finally came to your senses girls. It’s a shame it took you so long.”

“Well!” Rarity exclaimed, throwing her hooves up. “I’m no Pinkie but I’d say this calls for a celebration. Fluttershy darling may I?”

“Of course you may Rarity. Please can we keep it down though? Applejack does need her rest.”

“Certainly dear.” Rarity lit her horn, and floated a barrel of Sweet Apple cider from the nearby barn over to their table, along with four mugs. Once the mugs were filled with cider Rarity offered a toast. “To family.”

"Y'all wouldn't be startin' without me now would ya?" Applejack's voice carried from the bottom of the Zap Apple orchard.

Fluttershy looked at Rarity; "I thought I said be quiet?"

Rarity looked at Fluttershy; "I was being quiet darling, at least I thought I was..." The white unicorn trailed off under Fluttershy's stern gaze.

"Momma!" Cloud Blossom sprang from her seating pad and flew straight into Applejack's waiting hooves, pulling her mother into a tight hug.

Apple Honey couldn't help but giggle. "Ah wouldn' worry about it Aunt Rarity, y'all know Momma Jackie can hear cider sloshin' a mile away. Remember the time Aunt Rainbow tried helpin' herself to the hard stuff in th' cellar that time?"

"Ah yes. How could anypony forget that?" Rarity and Fluttershy both laughed at the happy memory. In fact the only pony who hadn't been happy was Rainbow Dash, after Applejack had made her work off the amount of cider the weather pony had "borrowed".

"Cloud!" Apple Honey called to her sister, "Loosen up ya grip sis, ah want mah Momma conscious when ah get to hug her after you!"

Cloud Blossom gave up her seating pad to Applejack, who took it with a smile. "Why thank you kindly sugarcube. Rarity, since y'all woke me up, would ya mind bringin' out another seat and a mug, if'n ya please?"

"It would be my pleasure Applejack." Rarity smiled, levitating out another seating pad and a mug as Fluttershy moved her pad next to her wife and gave her a huge squeeze.

"Now, where were y'all before ah so rudely interrupted?"

"Aunt Rarity was making a toast to family Momma." Cloud chirped happily, taking her new seat next to her sister.

"Well," Applejack smiled at her favourite group of mares, "Ah reckon ah can go for that." The farmer lifted her freshly filled mug to the middle of the table. "T' family!"

The other four mares pressed their mugs together, spilling cider over the table. "Family!"

Cloud Blossom turned to her sister and extended her mug to her. "To Sisters."

Apple Honey returned the gesture with a smile. “Sisters.”

"Well now..." Applejack fanned herself with her hat, a broad grin on her muzzle. "There's a sight these old eye's thought they'd never see. Though ah ain't gonna gripe for seein' it, it sure would'a been nice t' see it sooner."

"Momma, are ya gonna die?"

Applejack took a long drink of her cider, and looked her daughter square in the eyes as she answered; "No Honey, ah ain't gonna die. Ah just gotta go t' hospital, have an operation. Ah'll be buckin' these here trees six ways t' Sunday quicker than a rat up a drainpipe before ya know it."

"But what if something goes wrong?"

"It won' Cloud, ah know it won'."

"How can you be so sure Momma?"

Applejack took another drink, considering her answer. "Ah'll tell ya for why. Ah got th' best wife ah could wish t' ask for," The farmer gave Fluttershy a squeeze and a kiss, "Ah got four o' th' best friends in Equestria behind me," Applejack raised her mug to Rarity with a smile. "Ah got you two girls t' hold mah hoof," She nodded to Cloud Blossom and Apple Honey each in turn, "An' ah got ya brother an' sister up there in heaven watchin' over me too. Wi' all these ponies watchin' mah back ah can't not be alright now can ah?"

~ ~ ~

The moon had just been risen to the night sky, casting its pale light over the apple farm. Two mares sat side by side on the grass under an ancient apple tree, each with a wing draped over the other to ward off the chill, but mainly to hold one sister close to her sibling.

“How long are you staying for?” Cloud asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

“Ah’ll stay for th’ operation, then ah gotta get back t’ Manehatten. Get the Sharks in trainin’ for th’ local games comin’ up soon. How ‘bout you?”

Cloud smiled, thinking of her date tomorrow. “If all goes well with Rosie, I’ll be around more.”

“Oh…‘Rosie’ is it now?” Apple Honey sniggered, “Do ah need t’ give her th’ ‘don’ hurt my sis’ speech?”

“No thank you.” Cloud nuzzled her sister, “Although I appreciate the sentiment.”

Apple Honey looked out over the sleeping farm, bathed in the eerie glow of moonlight. “Funny ain’t it?”

“Hmm? What is?”

Apple Honey rested her head on her sister’s shoulder, “All them years we spent fightin’, hatin’ each other.” Tears ran down the burnt yellow pegasus’ cheek. “Ah’d love to have a few of ‘em back.”

Cloud Blossom felt the tears on her fur, and turned her head to kiss away her sibling’s tears. “Me too sis. Me too.”

This takes place mid-way through chapter 17 of Wildfire 2 - Releasing the Flame

Wednesday morning, a sunny happy morning, the day before the big trip back to Canterlot with Wildfire, the Mare’s Club and the Stallion’s Club, and this morning found the sun streaming through the wide expansive windows of Brush Stroke’s top floor apartment located near Manehatten’s North Park.

Thus far the day had begun like most for the new couple. Prince Dusk had awoken first and had fixed his Master’s breakfast just the way he knew the talented artist liked it. Once it had been delivered and consumed, their second ritual had begun, that of Brush Stroke dressing Dusk. The mid blue earth pony would take his time, as always. Dusk would wait patiently, not saying a word as his outfit for the day was selected for him.

Today’s outfit was a creamy buttercup yellow dress – nothing fancy, a simple, flowing, everyday dress that clung to Dusk’s flanks and accentuated his curvy hindquarters – with matching socks and silver horseshoes. Artist palette earrings and pale blue eye shadow rounded off the look that was completed by the mid blue collar. Finally, Brush Stroke would spend a good half an hour brushing and styling Dusk’s mane and tail, usually into a pony tail. Then, when he was satisfied his stallion had become his mare, Brush would deem him ‘dressed’.

So had the morning passed, pleasant as those few that had passed before it. Neither pony was expecting any surprises. But, when the apartment buzzer went off at ten fifteen a.m., that’s precisely what they got. Putting down his milky ‘Celestia’ coffee, Brush Stroke trotted over to the intercom and flipped the switch. “Hello there?” His Trottingham accent, not quite overcome by years of living in Manehatten, spoke out.

The lilting voice of a mare came back through the speaker. “Is Dusk in?”

“She is,” once Dusk was dressed and brushed, he was definitely a ‘she’, and the effeminate stallion loved it. “Who's asking?”

“Shoe, on a personal matter.” The mare’s voice came back over the speaker, then she sounded confused. “I may have the wrong address, the Dusk I'm looking for is a stallion.”

“Just a moment, Miss.” Brush Stroke turned from the intercom and called, “Dusky!”

‘Dusky’ looked up from ‘her’ trashy gossip magazine that told the reader in cheery tones which celebrity mares had put on the most weight, or who was dieting this week, or which Canterlot noble had run off with his Prench au pair. Dusky had just finished reading the millionth article centred around ponies re-enacting the now famous ‘fountain spanking’ that his mom had given his mum. It didn’t help there was a plaque there now. A shiny brass plaque commissioned by his mom, of all ponies. “Yes, Sir?”

Brush Stroke liked ‘Sir’. He wasn’t much taken with ‘Master’. “Somepony here for you, love.”

Very curious as to whom it was, Dusky trotted over to the intercom, and in her normal voice asked, “hello?”

“Oh good, it is you.” The lilting female’s voice sounded relieved. “Why did your friend call you ‘she’?”

Dusky blushed a tiny blush. “It's ah, rather complicated, Miss. My coltfriend thinks of me as his mare.” Dusky didn’t know why she was telling a complete stranger this, but there was ‘something’ about this mare that sounded familiar, but the midnight blue pegasus couldn’t put her hoof on it.

“I see,” Now she sounded formal, to the point. “You've been away from Canterlot for some time now.”

“Yes, I am sorry about that,” Dusky replied, “we're coming over tomorrow actually.” Now why did she go and admit that? Again, she couldn’t quite nail it down, but there was just…something about this mare.

“Well I gave up!” Came the mare’s suddenly exasperated voice over the speaker. “I had to petition the Night Court, but Princess Luna was favourable to my cause and gave me this address. What about our foal?”

Dusky’s mouth almost hit the floor. Whomever this was had been to the Night Court, about a foal no less, his foal, a foal he had supposedly sired… “Miss,” Dusky led off, “you are either a loon or a crank, for I do not have a foal.”

“Not yet!” The mare cried dramatically, “Will you talk to my face or do I go back to the Night Court?”

“Fine.” Princess Luna on her case was one thing she didn’t need…even worse was her mum on her case, especially about a foal. Maybe she and Brush Stroke could diffuse this situation before it got out of hoof, or worse, the press got hold of it. “Come on up.” Dusky pressed the door release.

The indicator light flashed to show the main door was opened. “I'll be right up.”

“And, that was?” Brush Stroke asked his mare with an amused, if curious, tone to his voice.

Dusky shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, Sir. Some nut job I expect. I'll sort it…” a few moments later there was a knock on the door. The mare bowed, “I'll get it, Sir.” Dusky trotted quickly over to the door and opened it slightly until the chain pulled tight. “Yes?”

Through the small opening, Dusky saw the back side of a pink mare with grey tail and a sheer red tulle skirt that showed off her horseshoe cutie mark. The tail was over enough to confirm that it was a mare. She turned at the sound of the door opening and Dusky saw she was wearing a red brocade corset, red sheer socks and a ruby necklace. “Dusk?” She asked, brushing aside her highly stylised grey mane from her dark green eyes.

“Speaking,” Again, Dusky had the odd feeling she knew this mare, but from where? “To whom do I have the pleasure, Miss?”

“Shoe.” The mare fluttered her aforementioned dark green eyes. “May I come in?”

“That depends Miss,” Dusky said cautiously, “what business do you have with me?”

“I didn't think you'd be so cold.” Shoe said, an offended look on her face matched her tone.

“I beg your pardon, you act as though we've met?” Dusky flustered, the poor pony as confused as she’d ever been.

“We have at court!” Shoe stomped her hoof in the hallway outside the apartment. “I'm not surprised you don't remember me!” She exclaimed as her eyes started to glisten with tears.

“I'm sorry Miss, I’m afraid I don't recall you…”

“Dusky, won't you invite your friend in?” Brush Stroke said in a firm tone that said ‘invite her in’.

“Sir!” Dusky exclaimed to her coltfriend, “she's a nut!”

“No,” Brush Stroke said seriously, running a mid blue hoof through his red and yellow mane, “she's making a scene on my doorstep. Invite her in, now please.”

“Fine.” Dusky sighed in defeat and unchained the door to open it wider. “Please, Miss, come on in.”

Immediately as the door was opened Shoe sprang forward and hugged the midnight blue pegasus rather strongly. “I accept who you are Dusk!” She cried even as she delivered this bone crushing embrace. “I begged Princess Luna to carry on the Royal Line, I want your foal!”

Taken completely by surprise, Dusky struggled to fight the earth pony mare off of her. “I'm afraid you've had a wasted trip Miss,” she panted, trying in vain to straighten her dress. “I don't sleep with mares.”

Standing to one side, not helping in the slightest, Brush Stroke was rather enjoying his mare’s distress. He decided to let it play out just a little more. “Somepony I should know, Dusky?”

A loud laugh sounded from the hallway, a laugh that was very familiar, and Dusky’s confused brain began to connect the dots. “S-Sonic?” As the laugh continued, the pegasus broke out in a grin as she made a picture of the dots. “Well played guys, you might as well come in too, Sonic, or loiter outside.”

Still laughing, Sonic walked up behind Shoe. “Shoe did ask Princess Luna to bear your foal at Night Court.” The purple earth pony stallion grinned behind his blue mane. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Brush Stroke asked, fighting to contain his own grin while the lovely Shoe nuzzled his mare.

“Well,” Sonic began with a smile, “It was Lord Caffeinated's Night Court, and Princess Luna was presiding, and it was actually during the day and Shoe wasn't quite herself at the time.” The purple pony paused for breath and a chuckle, “You may have been asleep at the time, Dusk.”

“He or she or whatever doesn't love me!” Shoe cried and moved away facing a corner of the apartment’s living room as she held her tail in a very provocative manner.

“I-I see…” the final few dots slotted into place in Dusky’s brain and as the realisation dawned upon her she grinned a wide grin as very fond memories of that night came wafting back. “I do love you very much, Trails.”

“Good work Shoe!” Sonic smiled at his partner and Shoe performed a very happy dance. “You had him fooled completely. This is Shoe, Trails is a very different pony.”

Dusky nodded in appreciation of the illusion. It had been complete. “I was indeed fooled.”

Brush Stroke laughed long and hard. It was difficult not to. “Won't you both come in and make yourselves comfortable?”

Shoe pulled out a silk hooferchief from a hidden pocket to dab at her eyes. “Oh, my mascara! Where is the bathroom?”

“Bathroom is out into the little entrance hall, turn left and it’s the only door at the end.” He trotted over the hardwood flooring and showed her the way.

“I see you've keep your name Ms. Dusk.” Sonic said as he looked around Brush Stroke’s apartment. It was very spacious, with exposed bare brick walls and polished hardwood floors throughout and black oak beams on the white ceiling. The living room was the main room, with a kitchen area off to the left with three doors next to it. The farthest left was to a bedroom, he could tell as it was half open. “Shoe is Shoe and Trails is Trails, so to speak.”

Dusky motioned for his friend to have a seat on one of the two large black faux leather couches that made were angled at forty five degrees making a point facing a large flat screen TV. “I did indeed keep it, my Oils likes calling me Dusky.”

“Indeed I do,” the artist smiled as he sat next to his mare. “Would you care for a drink?”

Sonic nodded eagerly. “Juice and soda water if you have it.”

“Sonic, love,” Shoe led off as she came back out of the bathroom looking simply beautiful, “did you leave the box in the hall?”

“Errr, um…yeah.” The purple earth pony blushed and got up. “Let me go get that.”

“The Princess actually said she didn't have enough magic to let me have your foal,” Shoe giggled as Sonic quickly trotted out into the hall, “but that it was okay to ask.”

“We certainly do,” Brush Stroke tapped Dusky’s shoulder with his forehoof, “don’t we sweetheart?”

Immediately, Dusky caught the inference of her coltfriend’s tone, and got up from the couch with a smile. “I'll go get that for you, Mr. Sonic.” She trotted off to the kitchen, clinking around in her brief search for a glass and the juice.

Brush watched his mare work with a sense of pride. “A drink for you, Miss Shoe?” He asked.

“Water with lime please.” Shoe answered, somewhat distracted as she studied Dusk's swaying back side and glimpses of undercarriage as she worked in the kitchen. In short order Sonic returned to the living room with the box he had left outside. Thankfully it was still there.

“Get that, would you love,” Brush Stroke ordered, “and a lemonade for me and something for yourself as well, there’s a good little mare.”

“Of course Sir.” After beavering away in the kitchen for a few minutes, Dusky duly trotted back over with a tray in her mouth, carrying a black currant juice and soda, water with lime, lemonade and a sparkling water. She laid the tray carefully on the coffee table between the two couches along with coasters.

Throughout the time she had been getting the drinks, Shoe hadn’t taken her dark green eyes from the midnight blue pegasus’s body. “Dusky darling, would you be at all put out if we were to touch your ass?”

Dusky shook her head with a smile. “No Miss Shoe, not at all.”

“Please face the television, gentlefillies.” Sonic said, and Shoe got up from the couch and moved next to Dusk with a sizable gap between them so Sonic could move between them. “Lift your tails please.” As Shoe and Dusky both did as they were told, Sonic lifted up both dresses to give a clear view to Brush Stroke and the purple earth pony looked too to see if there was any difference.

Watching, somewhat fascinated at the display, the mid blue earth pony artist saw that Shoe had the expected folds under her anus that one would find on any mare, no visible testicles or sheath, but if you were hypercritical you might judge the hair around her undercarriage might be a bit longer than normal. Dusky meanwhile was just wearing yellow panties, the bulge of his sheath and balls easily visible inside them. “I see,” Brush Stroke nodded appreciatively, “quite the difference in our mares, Sonic.”

“I will have to say that Shoe is a terrible flirt and only wears sheer dresses.”

“You love it darling.” When Sonic lowered both dresses, the longer fur was much less noticeable but the folds of the fake labia were still there to be seen. “The voice isn't that hard either and does…” Shoe then altered her voice back to what Trails’ voice sounded like, “make all the difference.”

“My...indeed it does.” Brush agreed.

“It certainly had me believing it at any rate.” Dusky nodded.

Smiling, Shoe swallowed a few times to get back to her more feminine voice. “Swallow to tighten the muscles in your upper throat and keep them tight and talk normally. It is best to have something to talk into so you get feedback. Mr. Oils can help you there. It will change the pitch without you doing a falsetto voice that never has the right volume.” Shoe then pulled out a sheath covering from the box that perfectly matched Dusk’s fur. “It isn't all that comfortable to wear, but you do get used to it.”

Dusky swallowed a couple of times and felt the muscles of his throat tighten up. “It’s worth it for my sweetheart.”

Shoe smiled, “I can go all day like this, but at night I relax as my sweetheart loves both my voices.”

Sonic grinned, “and I don't want her to stop talking to me.”

Brush Stroke put a hoof on his partner’s shoulder. “There was a bit of a change then my love, try it again.”

Nodding, Dusky swallowed again, this time holding it. “I'm only quiet when my baby is working.”

While Dusky was practicing, Shoe showed the sheath cover to Brush Stroke. “You see from the back it has all those lovely mare bits, but woe to anypony that tries to rape you.” She giggled, “this strong elastic band goes over the sheath to hold it tight against the barrel and cup your balls close to your body. Not comfortable, but after time you will ignore it. This fish line strap then goes over the barrel to hold it against your belly. Fur brushing will then hide it, but I still wear a corset to hold it in place and hide it better.”

"I try not to work too much, I love her voice.” The artist giggled, “it is realistic though, isn't it? Not that I'm intimately acquainted with the female anatomy. You are of course welcome in the studio, I'm working partway on a commission at the moment.”

Smiling, Dusky then mixed in a bit of the newer feminine voice with the upper crust Canterlot voice. “My baby is quite excellent.”

Nodding her approval to the pegasus, pleased with the amount of progress that had been made. “Then there is liberal use of makeup to soften the stallion muzzle for a more mareish look. Hmm…Dusky does look rather mareish to begin with so that’s a bonus. The eyes will draw attention so the rest may go unnoticed. I so want to make Dusky ravishing and see if we can fool his mum or mom. Most likely not his mom.”

“I'll be amazed if we fool mom,” Dusky giggled. “Mum might be easier.”

“We are all meeting up at Stripe's Cup of Java at six p.m.,” Sonic lead off, “the overnight Friendship Express for Canterlot leaves at seven p.m. All the other pegasi are riding with us.”

Dusky giggled like a filly. “I haven’t taken the train for ages.”

“I'm glad we are,” Brush Stroke commented. “I'm not flying, my love.”

Sonic laughed, “I can well understand that Oils. So, do you each have an outfit picked out for Canterlot's ritzy restaurant?”

“Yes, Sonic,” Brush Stroke replied. “I've picked out an outfit apiece for us to wear.”

“I've worked many a high end event in Canterlot,” Sonic said, “so may I see them please? I've found that tasteful Manehatten fashion is considered 'provincial' in Canterlot.”

“Of course you may,” Brush Stroke trotted to the closet in the bedroom and came back with a beautiful layered dress, the bottom layer was a dark blue and went up in grade until the top most layer was an ice blue. “I thought this would be ideal for my Dusky, it has matching shoes and for myself I was going to wear a favourite suit of mine.” Brush Stroke then proudly showed off his red flared suit.

Shoe squee’d loudly at the lovely dress that the earth pony stallion had picked out for Dusky, while Sonic was less than enthusiastic about the red zoot suit. “Ahhhh, colour for stallions isn't exactly in fashion right now,” he said tactfully, “but that would look good at a Zebran club we visit. Maybe something in either white or black by chance?”

While Dusky joined Shoe in her squee at her dress, letting out a big girly giggle, Brush Stroke rolled his eyes at the snub to his chosen suit. “Oh...if you insist darling.” Quickly, he returned his zoot suit to the closet and came back with – in his opinion anyway – a boring pure white suit. “Here, how's this?”

“Yes,” Sonic smiled, “that is an excellent choice for the Canterlot snobs.”

“I say,” Dusky opened in his Canterlot voice, “you'll look simply marvellous my love!”

Shoe spoke up, “I was going to do the makeup on the train, but can I do it now if you wish?” When Dusky looked pleadingly at his lover and his Master, Brush Stroke crumbled immediately and nodded to Shoe. “Please make yourself comfortable Dusky.”

Doing a little happy dance, Dusky hopped up onto the couch nearest to him and wriggled in place to get comfy. “Ready Miss Shoe, make be beautiful.”

“Sonic darling,” Brush Stroke said, “I wonder if I could borrow you, I'd like your opinion on this piece I’m working on.”

Sonic nodded eagerly. “I’d love to look but I must admit my taste in art is rather urban.”

“Hmm, oh never mind about that dear,” Brush Stroke led the way to the room that was the studio, the room furthest to the right that overlooked North Park and like the rest of the apartment it was bare brick. “Now, this piece is outside my usual genre, but you don't refuse when the Princess of the Night requests a portrait. Honest opinion, if you please.” The artist showed the purple stallion a large canvas with Luna and Octavia arranged upon it so that the Lunar alicorn was laid behind her wife with her head on her forelegs on her wife’s back while Octavia was laid in front of Luna with her head on her forelegs facing the viewer. Both of the heads were done, while the bodies, the manes and the background were merely sketched outlines.

“By Luna's left ear, it is a pretty start.” Sonic gave his considered opinion after a few moments of studying the painting. “Seems odd to have the Princess in the background, but the wings up does make it hard to switch the positions.” He let out a little laugh. “I can imagine Luna's left hoof a bit to the left peeking out under Octavia's tail.”

Brush Stroke laughed, “yes I had fun with that in my initial sketches.” He indicated an area near Octavia's hind legs with lots of rubbings out. “To be honest, I think Dusky's mom just likes giving ponies a challenge.”

“Will her cello be in the background along with the moon?” Sonic asked curiously.

“Oh!” Brush Stroke exclaimed, “now there's an idea, I like it!” Quickly he grabbed a nearby pencil, taking it up in his mouth and he sketched in the cello and moon as Sonic watched. “I’m sorry darling, but when inspiration strikes you must act, no?”

“Please continue,” Sonic wasn’t about to tell the painter to stop. It was something of a privilege to watch a pony demonstrate their skill. “It will take Shoe at least thirty minutes or more to work on Dusky.”

“Oh thank you! Feel free to have a look around if you wish, the rest are landscapes.” Working quickly while Sonic perused the many canvasses that lined the walls and were stacked on the floor, Brush Stroke finished the sketch and, seizing his brush in his mouth, began painting in block colours.

“To be honest I love the chalk artists and the ones that paint sides of buildings.” Sonic commented as he looked at the landscapes for any urbanscapes. “Do you like a good prank?”

“Hmm, I enjoy a good laugh, why?”

“Take an ‘in progress’ photo,” Sonic chuckled, “then photshop in pink stockings on Octavia. Send it to Luna for approval via Octavia.”

“Why yes,” Brush Stroke giggled, “I do believe that would be an excellent prank! Mind you from what I hear,” he switched to a smaller brush, highlighting the grey fur of Octavia's body, along with the patches of lighter fur that were present now, “there will be a huge prank played tomorrow night, correct?”

“Yes,” Sonic nodded, “why the effort to turn Dusk properly into Dusky. We will go in, get served, have a great evening on crappy high end Canterlot food, do a big reveal and the service will match the food. Either they will forcibly eject us with the law, or we sit around waiting for better service or just get bored and leave. Omega is part of our group.” He laughed out loud, “I don't think you've seen our butch mares in their stallion gear either.”

Now Brush Stroke laughed, resting his brush on his palette. “Now that does sound like fun, I’ve never been ejected from a restaurant before, then again I've never been to Canterlot before either.” He switched to shading the colours, “at first I thought Dusky was having me on, when he told me about his experience with Vocal Chord. And no, I haven't encountered your butch mares dressed up.”

“It's Mapper and Tempest. I'd tag either ass.”

“Yes I'm sure,” the artist laughed, almost dropping his brush. “Am I correct in saying your mare isn't always a mare for you?” He asked while he worked.

“She is not.” Sonic confirmed. “While I enjoy including this role play there are times when I just need a stallion.”

“Hmm…” Brush Stroke said thoughtfully, switching to Luna’s mane and adding a bit of something to it, a special light reacting paint that made the mane appear to shimmer and move. “I got the idea to dress Dusky up at the open mic when you told me of her makeover. “He really seems to have taken to it, and Dusk does so adore being Dusky.”

“When Shoe is Shoe she is all mare.” Sonic explained, “When Trails is Trails he is all stallion. For me it is the venue and activity, and some begging from my mate.”

“Dusky does seem to have lost herself in the role…” Brush Stroke commented as he swished more of the special reacting paint onto the tail. “Between us my sweet little pony has a submissive streak a mile wide, and I think the dress scratches his itch for attention.”

“I would agree with you.” Sonic said as he watched the talented artist create his beautiful work. “My mate tends to be submissive to me but I should repeat tends. He will surprise me now and again.”

Meanwhile, back in the living room of the apartment, Shoe was finally finished with Dusky’s makeup – twenty minutes after she started – and moved back to admire her hoofiwork. “Do you want to try on the prosthetic sweetie?”

“Oooh yes please!” Dusky gushed like a filly and clapped her forehooves together. “Do you really like my dress, Shoe?”

“I love the sweep over the flank.” Shoe nodded, “I'm going up scale country, I'm hoping to start a trend.”

“Maybe you will, if Brush likes it maybe he'll get me one,” she giggled, “I just like the graduating blues of the dress against my midnight blue fur.”

“Well we need to get you out of this beautiful yellow dress so I can help you put it on.”

Dusky practiced the feminine voice as she replied, “Oh of course, thank you for the help, Shoe.”

“It's my pleasure darling.” Shoe smiled. “We mares know the finer things in life.” She giggled, “And it is a good thing we like anal.”

Dusky whispered, “between us mares, I do love it up there.” She giggled and helped the pink earth pony to remove her everyday dress.

“Okay,” Shoe led off, “this is a form of cock bondage so let’s take this and you can do it yourself, just lay on your back.” When Dusky rolled over on her back on the couch, Shoe slid the elastic over the pegasus’s sheath and pulled it back till the vulva slipped up the back side. “This is really going to push your balls into your abdomen.”

Dusky took the elastic as she was instructed and slid it over the sheath and she felt immediately what Shoe had said. “Oh, oh my it does, doesn't it?” She squirmed, “I'm sure I'll get used to it.”

“Okay then, this fish line strap goes over your barrel and clips to the prosthetic.”

“Okay.” Dusky smiled as the strap was applied over her barrel, “You wear this often, sweetie?”

“The truth is I come out to play about one third the time.” Shoe replied quickly as she fixed the strap firmly in place. “Or when I'm doing a show at a club.”

“Hmm…” Dusky cooed, “I could be like this all the time, I was a bit uncertain at first but Brush really loves my dresses.”

“I wish you all the happiness then.” Shoe smiled warmly and gently nuzzled the pegasus’s cheek. “It is good to make your stallion happy.”

She giggled, “Dusky knows what her stallion likes.” She flicked her charcoal grey mane, “He especially loved the pony tail.”

“Gives them something to hold on to.” Shoe commented.

Dusky giggled behind her hoof. “Do you know that's just what he said?”

“I like to wear a braid, but it is usually a mane extension so my lover must be careful where he grabs.” Shoe commented as she smoothed Dusky’s midnight blue fur over the strap so that it was invisible. “Now, I'm not sure how often we will have you wear this as my lover likes the look when he mounts me. Some don't like the look though, but it is wonderful for going out in drag.”

Dusky ran her hoof through her charcoal grey mane, mane longer by the extension that Shoe had woven into it. “I'm lucky mine is this long naturally, I'm going to grow it out longer though.” She smiled a wide smile. “It might have been Brush's idea for the dress at first, but I've grown to really love them, and who doesn't want to look fabulous?”

“You know it dear.” Shoe replied, “let me brush you so all the details of the prosthetic disappear and it is all you.”

The pegasus opened her hind legs slightly. “Okay sweetie,” once again she swallowed and used the voice. “How is this sounding now, dear?”

“Practice and it will come naturally to you, but you're doing very well.” Shoe replied and gently used the brush all around and under her barrel, her undercarriage and her back side. “Can you pole dance dear?” Shoe asked as an idea came to her.

“A little,” Dusky replied, “and I do mean a little, why sweetie?”

“We could have a filly's night out and dance at a club I know.” Shoe giggled with a wink. “Ready for me to call in the gentlecolts?”

“My friend showed me some showmare dance moves once. I can show them to you.” Dusky giggled, “go on, give the colts a shout.”

“Okay, back to door, tail up and then act all indignant that you were caught undressed.” Shoe directed her new friend where and how to stand. “We will put a bit of your dress back on.” Once Dusky was stood where she wanted her, her back to the studio door, she hiked her tail up high and about halfway into her dress Shoe said, “You look marvellous darling!” She said loudly.

In the studio room, Sonic heard Shoe’s voice and took the cue. “Shall we check up on the mares, Oils?”

Smiling, Brush Stroke put down his palette and brushes and turned from his painting. “Why not, darling, I'm eager to see what's been done!”

Waiting for Brush Stroke to exit the studio, Sonic followed behind the mid blue earth pony artist as he trotted over the hardwood flooring. Catching sight of his Dusky all made up in her dress, with the makeup on her already effeminite muzzle as well as the prosthetic between her hind legs the stallion stopped dead in his tracks. “Oh…oh…oh my…”

“I say!” Dusky exclaimed, going full on Canterlot accent coupled with the mareish voice she had been taught, “What ruffian interrupts a lady while she's dressing?! Out sir, out at once!”

Caught unawares by the vehemence in the mare’s outrage, Sonic backed into the studio while Brush Stroke backed into the door frame, hurriedly adjusted himself and backed into the studio with Sonic, his mouth hanging wide open. He gave an awed whisper. “Did…did you see that?”

Sonic merely chuckled. “Feels like I've entered the wrong dressing room back stage.”

Brush Stroke, quickly recovering from his shock as the mares in the living room erupted in fits of giggles began to also quickly get aroused. “My Dusky looked so hot!”

“She did,” Sonic agreed, “Her eyes are very attractive.”

“Mmmm…they are, aren't they?” Brush Stroke said in a very dreamy voice. “She looked just perfect, Sonic.”