"Well, isn't that adorable. The human and the apple bucking mare, what a lovely couple you two make. Too bad that it won't last the night."

We were lying in the grass in the middle of the Manehattan Castle Garden, which is surrounded by the castle's deepening walls. A growing crowd of lavish ponies was surrounding us and watching us silently, and Trixie was looking at us with jealous rage. It was the most joyful reunion there ever was when Applejack fought the stallions off me and laid down on top of me, burying her head into me. Up to this point, it had been, well, kind of a rough night for the both of us. The night that was supposed to be perfect turned out to be the saddest, most dramatic, and most powerfully moving night I ever experienced, with the deepest and most intense feelings of truly desperate love for Applejack, the country mare. It was filled with so many emotions and feelings, many of which were some of the saddest and most depressing I'd ever experienced.

There was a time when I was in a state of chaos and dishonesty, believing that Applejack and I could never be together because she was a pony and I a human, her Uncle eternally unhappy with me as her husband. There was another time where I thought I had lost her, and that she had become a slave to someone who would not give her the love, care, and respect that she deserved more than anyone else in the entire world. But when she laid down on top of me, and gave me all of the love that came from her most beautiful, most pure, and most admirable heart, all of the warmth that had once existed in my soul returned. But when she turned her head towards me on my chest and looked at me with her emerald eyes full of joyful tears at our reunion, I felt as though all of the problems and pain that I had experienced before had been washed away. The love of Applejack. The greatest treasure there ever was. But more than that, I didn't care that she was a pony. I loved her for who she was, a beautiful creature on the inside and out. A humble, honest, sweet, and strong mare, who fought like a warrior poet for the young, awkward human who loved her. After all we'd been through, not knowing if we'd return to each other as ourselves, we had.

But, as joyful as our reunion was, and the feeling of complete success and content that comes from snuggling with the one whom you are nervous and desperate to impress, the fear and uncertainty returned when Trixie uttered her threatening words. Reunited or not, Trixie was a unicorn, and she her plan had just been foiled, with Uncle Orange turning on her and me being returned to Applejack before she drank the potion. Applejack and I are incapable of any controlled external magic of our own, being human and Earth pony. Applejack, who suddenly looked angrier than I've ever seen her, stood up and pulled me off the ground with her hoof. We turned and faced her, and I wrapped my arms around her neck as she buried her face into my chest again. Protective rage was building inside me very quickly. The final battle was underway. The last moment of truth, that would finally determine our fate once and for all. The thought of losing Applejack, which was beyond terrible, beyond heart-shattering, had returned inside me just like that, because by this time I knew what Trixie was capable of. She growled again at us and kicked her right front leg.

"Nopony gets the best of the most gifted equine in all of Equestria," she said.

"Ah' don't believe this," snarled my wife. Her voice was cracking, choking on her disbelief. "Yer the one behind this? You... you put him in danger?" Trixie's anger eased, and instead she smiled with her eyebrows lowered, making her beam a cruel one.  

"She sure is the one behind this. She locked me in a salt flock back in Manehattan, and she was going to have you take a love potion to fall for her brother, but your Uncle came back and freed me," I said. Applejack's anger briefly seized upon hearing what could have happened to her, and her eyes went open with horror and great sadness at the thought of such a thing. She pressed her head against me even harder and wrapped her front leg around me as I squeezed her even tighter in my arms, as tears began falling down her cheeks again. To see her upset anytime was terribly painful for me, and to see her this upset was like a dagger in my heart, but as sad as it made me to see her like that, for her to hug me even tighter for her own comfort was only igniting my heart that had such a deep compassion for her.

"Well, maybe you should've learned when I was in Ponyville to respect your superiors, and I would've never allowed such a thing."

"Why, ah' oughta-"

The growing crowd of ponies around us was now watching us with interest, completely unaware of everything, many of them whispering to themselves things such as "look at that handsome human and his stunning outfit" and "look at that gorgeous mare in with the green dress and blonde curls" and lastly "oh my gosh, is that the great and powerful Trixie?" Trixie picked up in on the whispers about her, and turned her head towards the crowd surprised, then smiled at us even more confidently.

"You see?" she said, laughing. "I'm a celebrity around here! Applejack already knew my talents, didn't you? Maybe now you will show the great and powerful Trixie a little bit more respect, like the great city of Manehattan." Applejack squeezed me tightly again and shook her head with disgust.

"It ain't mah' fault ya'll embarrassed yerself by talkin' game, then not bein' able to do a darn-tootin' thing against that ursa minor like ya said," she said. The smile faded on Trixie's face, slowly turning into absolute hatred and extreme anger.

"You miserable little brood mare. You don't deserve a husband! How could anybody, human or pony, fall in love with someone like you, when there's mares like me!" The disgusted look on Applejack's face was now disappearing, slowly turning into a heart-breakingly sad expression that seemed to reflect that she felt just like Trixie said. No, don't listen to her Applejack! She is such a strong pony, but she still has feelings! This kind of thing is devastating for her to hear, and anger I've never felt was building up inside me again. How dare you say that... "I conjure amazing magic and wow audiences with my gorgeous looks and moxy, you just... work on a farm! You work with apples! What a worthless pony."

"NO!" I screamed, and the ponies watching us went completely startled. I couldn't take it anymore. I released Applejack from my grip and took a step forward at Trixie. I took a deep breath after deep breath, wanting to calm myself to the point where I wasn't shouting. I stared right into Trixie's purple eyes, and she seemed appalled by response, looking at me disgustedly. I took a few more deep breaths, and spoke softly, but the crowd watching us was now silent enough that they could hear me as well. "Applejack is more admirable then you could ever be." Panting, I wiped my eyes once, and continued staring at Trixie, who was taking my words harshly. "She works harder for ten hours a day then you've ever worked in your entire life, and she works not for herself, but for her family. You don't know the meaning of love until you've worked as hard as she does!"

I took a few more deep breaths, as Trixie's anger seethed ever so slowly. I suddenly felt so much love for Applejack erupting inside me that I was starting to relax, and the rage in my voice began to disappear, replaced with what was more like desperation and admiration. "She's the kindest, sweetest, strongest pony that ever lived, and unlike you, she's loves everyone but herself..." I was starting to cry, and I switched my focus from a boiling Trixie to the stars. "You don't know what true happiness is until you've spent a day with her in the orchard, and she's shared all of her wonderful thoughts and dreams with you ... until you've made her laugh, which is the most beautiful... music... you've ever-"

I turned and faced Applejack, and the most gentle, loving smile started to come over me. She looked at me, and my heart began to melt as all of her sadness disappeared, and she slowly began to smile like the angel she was. And once again, there was so much love in her emerald eyes that all of my hopes and dreams were complete, as the greatest treasure of all was entering inside me from the way she looked at me. Of all the times for a romantic moment, this perhaps the most bizarre, but this was a wonderful romantic moment nonetheless, as all of my feelings were once again coming right out of my heart and through my mouth as I stared into her eyes with desperation. "She's honest. She's adorable. She's beautiful. When she smiles at you, it's as though... everything bad that ever happened to you... doesn't matter anymore."

I walked toward her, my feet moving very slowly, and my eyes still in a soul-lock with hers, comforting me and relaxing me with every second that passed. I was now staring at her so deeply that I wasn't even smiling anymore, and the smile on her face had disappeared as well, despite the overwhelming affection that was pouring from her eyes. Mare or human, I didn't care in the slightest.

"She is so... so... beautiful, but not in a disrespectful way. How could anyone be disrespectful to such a pure... spotless heart, that does nothing for pleasure, only love... "

I walked up to Applejack, was not making any noise despite the tears that flowed from her eyes like a river, and gently wrapped my arms around her, resting my head on the top of her head. I had forgotten how soft and pleasant her mane was to the cheek. I felt all of the muscles in my body collapse in the most relaxed way possible, and for a brief snuggle, all was right in the world, and I think I even heard a d'aw of approval from the crowd.

But suddenly, I felt the same bizzare sensation that I felt just a few hours earlier, and before I knew it, I was hovering in midair. Trixie's horn was lit with pink magic, and she was smiling in the same cruel way she was before.

"Applejack!" I cried in need. I looked down at her, who was looking at me as though she desperately needed me and was terribly sad, and started waving my arms around at her trying to grab for her, but it was no use. I had forgotten how powerless I was against unicorn magic, and how helpless I was to Trixie's horn. Just like that, our romantic moment had come crashing down again. I rose to about twenty feet in the air, watching Applejack all the way and pitifully scared, like a child in the dark. Applejack looked at Trixie in terrible rage and charged.

"Ah, ah, ah! Wouldn't want him to come crashing to the ground, would we?" she said, and Applejack reluctantly stopped just a few inches in front of her. Just like that, she looked back up at me in fear, as I looked down across the great sea of ponies.

"Please, just don't hurt him!" cried Applejack, and Trixie began giggling loudly.

"Maybe now you finally know who's in charge," she said, and her horn's light went out completely, and the strange sensation left me all at once, and I came crashing to the ground, landing on my legs, which gave out as soon as I hit the ground and sending a surge of pain up me, and I cried out helplessly and curled up on the ground. It wasn't a serious injury, only temporary, but it was terribly painful, and even more painful hearing the hurt sound in my wife's voice. The ponies watching, despite being uptight ( and seemingly oblivious to Trixie, who was enjoying herself terribly), let out noises of worry and alarm at my crash to the ground.

"No!" screamed Applejack, who laid beside me and threw her front legs over me again, as I struggled to catch my breath. Trixie cackled with delight. Applejack got up off of me and charged at Trixie, but once again, Trixie only laughed as her horn lit up and Applejack, a helpless Earth pony, lifted up off the ground and flung through the air and sailed right over me, hitting the ground with a thud just as I had. Unlike me, she did not cry out in pain, but the expression on her face told everyone that she was hurting. I mustered the strength to get up and fight through my own pain, which was much better now, and ran over to her and kneeled down beside her just as she had me a few moments ago. I rested my palm on her cheek, and she turned her face towards me with a weak smile that only made my heart burst even more. This was going no where in our favor, and once again, I strongly feared for our being together. We were no match for a merciless Trixie, who was mad enough to do terrible things to us.

"We have to get out of here! She's too powerful!" I said. Applejack's smile faded into fear at something behind me, and I turned around, and Trixie was walking towards us slowly, with hell in her eyes and a small smile.

"He is cute, isn't he?" she said, and Applejack cried out in horror, as I threw myself over her while still watching Trixie, with my back on Applejack and my arms spread around her to protect her. I was no longer angry. Just terribly and hopelessly frightened. My eyes and my mouth were wide open.

"I'm not going to do anything to her, don't worry," said Trixie, and her horn lit up and a small, fancy-looking bottle appeared out of one of her dress pockets. "But your sweetheart, on the other hand," she said, and her eyebrows lowered until her smile was almost demonic, "is about to have a new sweetheart."

"No," I whispered, shaking my head in horror. I was too scared to move. This was the most terrible fate imaginable. Applejack threw her arms around me, causing me to fall back on her, as I continued to look at Trixie in utter horror, who seemingly towered over us. Applejack stood up and threw herself in front of me, only to be thrown aside once again by Trixie's magic. She hit the ground with another thud, as I started backing up slowly in utter fear. Applejack cried out in desperation and ran after us again, and Trixie, annoyed, sent her flying back again. More tears, this time from fear and the feeling of failing Applejack, were falling from my eyes. I finally froze where I was, unable to move. I looked at Applejack more desperately than I ever have in my entire life, who was sobbing heartbrokenly from her spot on the ground.

Trixie walked forward and removed the cap to her little bottle, and smiled with delight, ready to strike. I closed my eyes and shut my mouth as tightly as I possibly could, and waited for a terrible sensation again, more sad, scared, and hopeless as I have ever been, even on this night. I love you, Applejack.

"TRIXIE! STOP!"

The crowd of ponies, which had been watching in horror, let out of gasp. It was not the voice of Applejack, nor the voice of anyone else I had ever heard. It was the angry voice of seemingly a middle-aged mare. I opened one eye, and Trixie threw her bottle back into her dress, and was now backing up gently with a nervous smile on her face. Without turning around to see her source of fear and my rescuer, I ran over to Applejack, who ran at me, and we embraced each other in the middle of the crowd of ponies. I rested my head on her mane again, which was just as soft as it was before. Applejack lifted her head, her eyes closed with a smile, and began gently rubbing her cheek against mine, causing me to blush like an embarrassed little boy.

I turned and faced Trixie, who was smiling nervously and innocently at a light brown middle-aged Earth pony mare with a red mane, wearing a suit and tie like a business pony would wear. She was surrounded by five armored guard stallions, two of which I recognized from the entrance. She had a very hardened expression on her face, and was looking at Trixie for answers.

"Why, Miss Mayor!" said Trixie, laughing very nervously. "How are you?" Miss Mayor?? As in the mayor of this city?

"What is going on, Trixie?" she said, with no nonsense in her tone. "Have you been terrorizing this poor creature?" she said, pointing to me.  "I saw him floating above the crowd! Were you doing that to him?"

"Yes," I said, looking at Trixie with controlled anger and squeezing Applejack tightly. Trixie trotted up to me as though nothing had just happened between us, and began laughing as though we were friends, and Applejack and I just stared at her with disgust.

"AJ, is it? Look, your uncle - he's a real fun guy, and see, he had this idea, we wanted to tell you this sooner, but this whole thing was just a big prank that he wanted to play on you guys, and see he asked me to-"

Before she could finish, I threw my arm across my body and gave her a strong backhand to the face, in front of the mayor and her guards. She looked away in pain with wide eyes of not rage nor fear, just shock, and then laughed it off again.

"Ok, well I deserved that," she said, laughing as Applejack and I held each other and began walking back towards where Uncle Orange had his showdown with the white stallion who escorted me back in Manehattan. Trixie ran up behind us and began talking again very fast. "Hey, guys, can we talk? AJ, you seem like a reasonable guy, cute guy, maybe you could... put in a good word to the mayor, and we can blow this whole thing off, ok?" she said, running in front of us and looking at Applejack. "Hey, Applejack, the lucky bride of this handsome creature, talk to him, huh? Give him some smoochy-" before she could finish, Applejack cut her off with a hoof to the chin, causing her to fall back and yelp in pain.

"Trixie has been terrorizing us all night," I said to the mayor, who looked sternly at Trixie for answers. Trixie threw her hooves up and smiled nervously and innocently again.

"Oh, it was all in good fun, there was no harm intended or anything like that," she said. Applejack and I stopped, and looked at her with severe annoyance, but emerging from the sea of ponies surrounding us, who were also looking at her with disgust, was the stallion who ran away from Applejack, except he had his eyes only on Trixie, as though she was a dream come true to him. He walked right up to her and lowered his head, as if to kiss her on the lips. It was as though he was completely oblivious to what was going on around him, only focusing on her dysfunctionally.

"What are you doing? Get off me," said Trixie angrily, using her magic to send him flailing helplessly away from her. The stallion who was fighting Uncle Orange suddenly walked past us, apparently not happy with what he just saw. He looked at Trixie enchantedly and went to put his arm around her neck.

"Get your filthy hooves off me," she said ferociously, lifting him up in midair and hurling him a few feet away with her magic. The mayor was watching with disgruntled curiosity.

"She's been giving love potion to stallions all night," I said, with Applejack's face safely on my chest. Trixie growled in rage at me and screamed with disgust.

"That's ridiculous. I can't help it I'm so... attractive!" she said, as the frist stallion she threw off of herself approached her again . The mayor was putting it all together and did not look happy at all.

"Ya'll can't tell me that looks like functional relationships," said Applejack. Trixie snarled.

"Trixie..." said the mayor, seething with anger. "How dare you make this kind of a scene at my mingle!" she said, and Trixie's face turned into complete and helpless fear. "Giving anypony a love potion is a very serious crime. I'm not even gonna-  arrest her," she ordered.

"What?"  cried Trixie, as the guards approached her and surrounded her. "You can't be serious! I'm Trixie! The great and powerful!" she screamed. Three of the guards were unicorns, and their horns lit up and began carrying her off in midair while the other two trotted along with them. They disappeared into the crowd, headed towards the castle entrance. "No! Noooo! Ahhhhhh!"