I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE

Chapter 4: Herd Mentality

Cheerilee plopped down onto her rump and stared at her belly as if she could see the foal growing right then.

“But Twilight said that it was just a test run of the spell!” Spitfire viciously whispered at the Diarch. “She said that she had cast it in a way so that this couldn't happen!”

Celestia beamed at the distraught mare. “I'm sure she did, but did she properly compensate for her, ah, level of power?” She took another sip, then said, “Twilight is a very thoughtful pony, and is very meticulous, especially when it comes to magic; but I have had to remind her several times to ah, carry the one, as it were, especially since she became the bearer of the Element of Magic.”

Twilight, having just finished hanging out the bedding to dry, walked in at that moment rather nervously. “Is... is everything okay in here?” she asked, ducking as she did.

Five sets of eyes turned to her as she crouched low, trying to look as inoffensive as possible, but only one of them did so with evident amusement.

“Twilight!” Trixie shrieked as she and Spitfire ran up to her, making her crouch down low enough to crawl under the sofa. "The Princess says that Cheerilee is... is...”

The magical sensor swiveled to take in the teacher, who sat dumbly in her spot, unmoving except for a hoof that would repeatedly touch her belly only to draw back as if burned. Worry tinged her voice as she asked, “Is she alright? What's wrong with her?”

Spitfire leaned in close, whispering, “The Princess says she's... pregnant.” Her gravelly voice said the last word so quietly, it was hard to make out.

Once she was able to distinguish her words, put them together, and think about them, Twilight sat, stunned at the news. A slightly nervous chuckle came from her mouth, surprising her fillyfriends, but causing Celestia and Spike to exchange worried glances, and her off-putting grin wasn't helping matters either. “Aha hah hah, Oh, Princess, you kidder, you!” She pumped her hoof as if laughing along with a joke. “It's not like we were doing anything that might result in... that, right girls?” She turned to face each of them, gesturing for them to go along with her story.

Unfortunately for her, Cheerilee was still attempting to touch her belly, and Spitfire and Trixie were looking anywhere but at her or the Princess and coughing nervously. “Girls, TELL her,” she said, her voice having lost all it's false mirth and cheerfulness. When they continued to studiously ignore her, she looked to her mentor and gave a nervous chuckle.

Celestia took mercy on her and walked over, putting a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “Twilight.” The smaller mare looked up to her, fear evident in her posture. “Captain Spitfire already told me.”

“She did?” The tiny squeak coming from the powerful mare made her sound absolutely pitiful.

Nodding, Celestia rubbed her hoof on Twilight's back, trying to comfort her and let her know that everything was still okay. “We couldn't speak, let alone hear each other over the wind you were creating, so I had cast a telepathy spell so she could tell me what was going on.” A slight pink tinge colored the alicorn's cheeks. “She accidentally showed me too much in her haste.”

“So... you don't think I'm a terrible mare for not waiting?” Twilight asked quietly.

The alabaster mare shook her head and smiled down at her protege. “Of course not, my Faithful Student. What consenting adults do in the privacy of their own home is nopony's business but their own.” She nuzzled the unicorn, who eagerly returned the affection. “And I don't think any less of you for your actions. Love freely given is the most precious gift a pony can offer.”

“I love you, Princess.”

“I love you too, my Faithful Student.”

Twilight was more than a little surprised to find their old bond still alive, allowing them to speak to each other's hearts when they were close. What had started as a way to comfort a filly spending so much time away from her loved ones, became one of the strongest bonds of her young life. She let herself wallow in the Princess's love for a moment longer before tearing herself away, when a thought crossed her mind. “But Princess, I made sure that the spell couldn't do that. Are you sure that she's...” She trailed off as she looked to her lover, who was now rubbing circles on her flat tummy with a hoof, a worried smile on her face.

“Well, I haven't checked myself. I was just telling your marefriends here about all the times I've had to tell you to figure in your rapidly growing power into your calculations,” the Diarch replied.

“But I did do that! I swear, it's almost become a morning ritual for me. While I brush my teeth, I cast a standardized spell to see how much growth I've had, and use that as a baseline in all my calculations.” The librarian stood and began pacing back and forth in front of her. “There's no way I could have powered past the limitations I placed on the spell.”

“And how would their... ah, condition have affected the outcome?” Celestia asked. Twilight stopped pacing and stared at nothing. “Judging from Captain Spitfire's memories, they appeared to have been locked into some form of extreme estrus by Trixie's spell. If your calculations were off by even a single erg, when combined with Miss Cheerilee's condition-”

She got no further because Twilight had teleported away with a great flash. “Wh- where did she go?” Trixie asked in a plaintive voice.

“Have faith in her, my little pony. Twilight would not abandon-” The Princess got no further this time as Twilight had reappeared in a flash, a store shelf stocked full of small boxes held in her telekinetic grip, spilling them everywhere. She ran to the bathroom, and everypony heard the door slam shut. Seconds later, the door was slammed open again, and she ran back out, grabbed Cheerilee in her telekinetic grasp, and ran back into the bathroom again with a third slamming of the door.

Everypony in the room stared at the door in wide-eyed shock. Spike picked up one of the boxes that had fallen off of the shelf when Twilight had teleported back. He scratched his head as he read the label. “Home Pregnancy Test?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, well. If it's a test, I'm sure Twilight will pass it with flying colors.”

( \ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Cheerilee watched Twilight pace in the small bathroom from her perch on the toilet. Used test strips overflowed the trashcan to her left, and empty boxes lay scattered throughout the floor. “Twilight, sweetie, this is nothing to be this upset over. Things like this happen.”

“But I checked, Cheerilee, I checked! My figures were correct down to the microjewel!” Twilight groaned. She stopped her pacing long enough to bang her head against the wall again a few times.

The earth pony looked on in worry. “Keep that up Twilight, and our foal will grow up without a father.”

Twilight threw herself at the maroon mare, going down on her knees before her, making for a very awkward position and dampening her coat with tears. “I'm so sorry, Cheerilee. I promise I'll do whatever you want, just please don't hate me for this.”

Hugging the mare closer to her, Cheerilee ran a hoof through the navy mane, trying to soothe her nerves. “Shhh...” she cooed, “it'll be fine, Twilight. I'm not mad at you at all.”

The librarian looked up at her, wet tracks coming down her cheeks from under her blindfold. “Y-you're not?” she sobbed.

Shaking her head, Cheerilee said, “Not in the slightest. Granted, I would have liked for our relationship to have... matured a little before reaching this stage, but I'm glad you're the my first foal's sire.” Taking the mare's face in her hooves, she lifted her until she stood nose-to-nose with her. “You're the first pony with whom I ever even considered having foals, so how could I ever be mad at you for giving me what I've been dreaming of for the past few years?”

“Oh, Cheery!” Twilight gasped out, and kissed her full on the mouth with almost desperate passion.

A gentle knock on the door brought them back to reality. “Are you two okay in there? It's been a while now,” came Spitfire's surprisingly soft voice.

Twilight wiped her nose on her foreleg, and looked to Cheerilee, who nodded. She walked over to the door and opened it quietly. “We're fine,” she said with a sniffle. She walked into the lobby followed by Cheerilee and Spitfire, and noticed that there was a new pony there, drinking tea with the Princess. “Oh, Hello Berry Punch. I didn't know you were here.”

“Evening, Twilight. I just came to see my sister about something,” the barkeep replied.

That's right, they're sisters... Twilight considered this a moment, before deciding it was only fair. “Actually, I'm glad you're here, Berry Punch. We... um, have an announcement to make.”

Berry smiled and winked at her. “If it's about the four of you being in a relationship together, I already knew.”

“Actually,” interrupted Cheerilee, “she was about to say that I'm pregnant.”

You could hear a pin drop had Celestia not set her cup down with a CLINK. “Congratulations, all four of you.” She beamed a smile at Twilight, who turned red and suddenly found drawing invisible circles on the floor with a hoof to be the most interesting thing in the world. “I'm sure she will be healthy, and beautiful; not to mention brilliant with you two as her parents.”

Trixie looked at the Princess in confusion. “She? How can you be so sure that the foal will be female?”

Celestia smiled down at her slyly. “Well, there are limitations to magic. Only stallions could create a male offspring. Even I am bound by that limitation, and as there are no males in your relationship...”

“You okay, sis?” Cheerilee asked as she approached the frozen mare. She poked her sibling with a hoof, who just fell over onto the floor with a dull thud.

Berry blinked, and her eyes focused on the earth pony standing above her. “Cheers?” She shook her head to clear it. “I had the weirdest dream that you were having your fillyfriend's foal,” she said as she rose to a sitting position.

Chuckling, Cheerilee said, “I am.”

“Oh.” Berry Punch pulled out a half empty bottle of wine from seemingly nowhere and looked at it. Sighing, she threw it into the fireplace, and pulled out a bottle of Apple family brand applejack and took a deep swig.

Spitfire and Trixie slowly approached Twilight with worried looks upon their faces. Forestalling anything they might have to say, Twilight pulled them into a hug. “Don't worry. This doesn't change how I feel about you two a single iota.”

“This... is a big change for us Hon; all of us. Regardless of your feelings for us, the situation is... different,” Spitfire managed to get out.

Feeling a poke on her back, Twilight turned her head to see Spike standing behind her, looking nervous. “Does this mean you're going to marry Cheerilee?” he asked.

Twilight swept him up in the hug as well. “To be honest Spike, we hadn't even talked about that yet.” She released them all and took a small step back. “We hadn't reached that stage yet, but I suppose this changes things, though.”

“Twilight,” Celestia said, gaining her attention. “Perhaps you should discuss this with your fillyfriends... in private?” She stood and trotted towards the door. “Spike, would you be a dear and escort me to Miss Berry Punch's bar? They're going to need some time alone.” She looked to the barkeep and arched an eyebrow at her. “Besides, she and I have a... financial matter to discuss, and this would perhaps go down better over some drinks.”

After Celestia herded Spike and Berry out and closed the door, the four mares looked at each other in awkward silence. “I... I'm sorry, girls,” Twilight said after what felt like an eternity. “This is my fault. We hadn't even found our places within our relationship yet, and I do... this. I was so blinded by desire, I used a spell with which I had only minimal practice, and only a rudimentary understanding.” She stood and began pacing in a circle around the large table dominating the center of the room.

“Normally, I spend a minimum of a month, just studying the spell, and another month experimenting before I even attempt something like this; but I just couldn't wait any longer.” She hung her head in shame.

Cheerilee rested a hoof on her shoulder and rubbed small circles, trying to soothe her. “Sweetie, you don't have to marry anypony you don't want to.”

Twilight looked at her, saying, “That's just it, Cheery! I want to marry you! I want to marry you all!” she cried, turning to Trixie and Spitfire, a hysterical note in her voice. “Even setting aside that I can't be married to more than one pony at a time, we have this hanging over our heads like a- a- a Sword of Dam Oakleaves!” Flecks of foam were forming at the corners of her mouth as she ranted. “This-”

A maroon hoof slapped her across the face, cutting off her tirade, and leaving a large, red welt on her cheek. “Don't you dare refer to our baby like that!” Cheerilee yelled. “Our daughter is not a this, and she is certainly not a thing putting an early end to our youthfulness.” Her expression softened as she rested a hoof on her belly. “She will be healthy, happy, and the light of our lives.” Cheerilee looked to Trixie and Spitfire, adding, “All of our lives.”

They enveloped Twilight in a hug while she broke down in sobs. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,” she choked out as she wept.

They held onto her, caressing whatever they could reach, and uttered soothing noise at her.

“It'll be alright, Hon,” Spitfire said.

“We'll work it out together, Sweetie,” Cheerilee added.

“Y- yes. Do not worry, Twilight. Together, we can do anything,” Trixie nervously chimed in.

Literally surrounded in love, Twilight felt her self-control return, though she was still left shaken. “But what do we do? I can't marry all...” Her voice drifted off as an old memory came to her. Not wanting to leave their embrace, she used her magic to levitate a history book over to them, and began reading from it. She closed the book with a smile. “Of course! Why didn't I think of this before!”

“What is it, Twilight?” Trixie asked, as they released the mare from their embrace.

“Just a possible solution to the, ah, marriage dilemma of ours,” The librarian answered. “But I'll have to check the law books back in Canterlot, and of course, I have to find out your feelings on this, and then we would have to determine-”

Spitfire cut her off by turning Twilight's face to hers, so they were nose-to-nose. “Just spit it out, Twilight. What kind of solution are we talking about here?”

Twilight stood on her hind legs and threw her forelegs into the air dramatically. “Just one of the oldest solutions to this kind of problem in Equestrian history!” she shouted.

Gasping in understanding, Cheerilee put a hoof to her mouth as she asked, “Twilight, you don't mean...”

“Yes!” the lavender mare exclaimed. “We're forming a herd!”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

As she poured out another measured amount of liquor into the tiny glass, Berry Punch considered the alicorn in front of her. Spike looked on with worry as Celestia downed this, her tenth straight shot of apple whiskey. He had only seen her drink like this once before, right after Twilight had gone back home to celebrate Mother's day. “Don't you think you ought to slow down a bit, Princess?”

Celestia looked down at him from her towering height, and gave him a sad smile. “I'm fine, Spike,” she answered in a steady voice. She lifted the shot glass in her golden telekinetic field, which didn't wobble in the slightest. “See? Steady as the Rock of Hoofbralter.”

“Even allowing for your larger size, Your Highness,” Berry said, “drinking that much on an empty stomach is bad for anypony.”

Setting the glass down on the bar again, the Diarch slid it over to the wine-colored mare. “Indulge me.”

Berry Punch sighed as she poured her another measure of the expensive drink. “You mind telling me what brought this on? As a certified bartender,” she gestured to the framed certificate hanging on the wall behind her, “I have a practiced ear, and a closed mouth when necessary.”

Celestia sighed, and seemed to lose all the happiness she was wearing like armor. Her frown in particular worried Spike. “Tell me, Miss Punch. Do you have any children?”

Taken aback at this non sequitur, the earth pony blinked a few times. “Yes, a filly. Why?”

Turning the now empty glass end-over-end in her hooves, Celestia smiled and gave a grunt of amusement. “Motherhood. The most nonexclusive club in the world.” Berry nodded, finally understanding where this was going. The Princess, meanwhile leaned over in her stool until her head rested on the bar. “She's the apple of your eye, isn't she? You'd do anything for her, wouldn't you?”

“For my Li'l Berry, I'd move mountains.”

Celestia toyed with her glass, using her telekinesis to make it dance. “Like any good mother would.”

Pouring herself a small glass of wine, and giving Spike a glass of ginger ale, Berry Punch relaxed against the bar. “So you really can't...”

Celestia shut her eyes tight, wincing at the unfinished question. “My little ponies are my children.”

“But she's special.” It was a statement, rather than a question.

“A mother doesn't play favorites.”

“Yet, she is.”

“Yet, she is.” Celestia sighed, watching the glass dance. After a few minutes passed, she said, “She made a picture for me when she was just a filly.” Looking up the mare, she asked, “Would you like to see it?”

Knowing the joy of showing off something her child had made her, Berry couldn't help but nod and smile. With a flash of light, Celestia pulled forth one of her most prized treasures from safekeeping. A slightly yellowed piece of paper appeared on the bar. All three peered over to see it. It was a child's drawing, done in crayon. A large alicorn and a small purple unicorn filly dominated the paper. They sat in a green field of tall grass at a table, teacups floating beside them. Their smiles were wide as the sun shined down on them. They were even labeled so as to leave no confusion who they were. The artwork itself was crude, but small bits of minutia displayed the filly's attention to detail. Things like the sky and the grass meeting at the horizon, the inclusion of the entire tea service and not just the cups, even the careful lettering of their names spoke volumes about her meticulous nature.

With a wistful smile, Celestia ran her hoof around the purple filly in the picture. “I never meant for this to happen. She just sort of... melted the ice in my heart.”

“I know what you mean,” Berry said. “I never intended to have a foal as young as I did, but one look at her face...”

The moment was spoiled by the sound of the door opening and a pony walking in. Berry Punch turned to shoo them away. “Sorry, but we're close- MOM!”

A dark red mare with a meticulously styled pink mane and tail walked up to her. “Hello, dear. Just coming by to drop off my payment for the bet.”

Berry smirked mirthlessly at her as she took her bits. “I still can't believe you bet against Cheers. She's your own daughter, for crying out loud.”

Berry's mother waved a hoof dismissively. “Oh, I was just being realistic, Berry. I was so sure that flashy pegasus was going to sweep her off her hooves. Besides, you know your sister as well as I do. There was no way she'd have the courage to do it first. And in a way, I was right.”

“But you were also wrong,” Berry Punch retorted.

“In the best way possible,” her mother said with a smile. “I just wish she had been able to win that mare's heart all to herself.”

“To be fair,” a white pegasus beside her said, “Twilight Sparkle is a lot of mare. Besides, at least they're happy, right?”

The mare took in the pony beside her for the first time, trying to remember where she had seen her before. Even the pink mane and tail, along with the smiling sun cutie mark looked familiar. Holding out a hoof, she said with a wide smile, “I don't believe we've met before. Vintage Fields.”

The pegasus took her hoof with a smile. “Sunny Days. A pleasure to meet you.”

Spike leaned around the pegasus and waved to the older mare, who waved back. “Oh. Hello there, Spike. Didn't see you.” Turning back to the pegasus, she smiled coyly at her. “So what brings you here, Sunny Days?”

She smiled back. “Just shooting the breeze with Berry, but mostly to pick up my winnings.”

Berry Punch, who had been standing there with a look of shock on her face since Celestia quietly transformed herself; ducked beneath the counter and brought up a good-sized sack that clinked as it hit the table. “Here you go. I hope you have something good planned for this. Five thousand bits is a nice chunk of change.”

“Oh my, yes. A nice trust fund set aside for Twilight's foals will be a sweet gesture,” Celestia said, running her hooves through the loose coins. “Especially seeing as the seed money is coming from the pony who profited the most, financially from this.”

“Twilight's foals?” Vintage Fields asked, wide-eyed. Narrowing her eyes, she looked to a smug Berry Punch. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Berry Punch grinned at her, and did her best Big Macintosh impression. “Eenope.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

“Are you all sure about this?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I'm not exactly what most ponies think of when they hear the words 'leadership material'.”

Spitfire laid a hoof over the librarian's reassuringly. “Twilight Hon, we've been over this. You're the only one we would even consider for a position like this over us. We know you won't abuse our trust, or use it for some sort of gain.”

Trixie sidled up to her and nuzzled her cheek. “It's not that we don't trust each other, so much as it's... well, you're the central point in our lives. The tie that binds us as a herd.”

Cheerilee kissed her chastely on the nose. “And just because we don't feel for each other the way we feel for you; that doesn't mean we won't eventually. When that day comes, we can... reevaluate our arrangement. Besides,” she looked at Trixie and Spitfire with undisguised lust. “That experience we had with the... unexpected heat opened up my eyes to just how attractive these two are as well. Personally, I wouldn't mind another... taste?”

Shooting her a smoldering look, Trixie licked her lips unconsciously. “Mmm... nor would Trixie.”

The door opened, forestalling further discussion down that line. Celestia, still in her Sunny Days disguise lead Spike and an inebriated Vintage Fields.

“Cel- er, Sunny Days? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked, her voice rising in pitch. Oh my stars, what mischief is she up to now?

“Twilight! There you -hic- are!” Celestia all but shouted as she swayed on her hooves. She ran a serpentine path up to her student, stopping only when they were nose-to-nose. “Jusht heard the good newsh!” She pulled back and winked at all four of the mares.

Trixie and Cheerilee looked ready to commit murder, but Spitfire seemed to be having trouble holding in her laughter, while Twilight appeared to be about one or two blushes from dying of embarrassment. Turning to her marefriends, the librarian said, “Girls, this is my old, er, friend from Canterlot, Sunny Days. Sunny, this is Trixie, Cheerilee, and-”

“Shpitfire! How yah been, yah old rogue?” Celestia slurred out, beating Twilight to the punch.

Shaking her head in amusement, Spitfire walked up and slapped the pegasus hard on the back. “Much better than you, you old cad!” She recoiled from her breath, saying, “Phew! You smell like a brewery! Kinda early to be hitting the sauce there, isn't it?”

Celestia laughed raucously, and sat down on her rump before she fell down. “I'll have you know that these days, I'm all about the shpiritsh, sho I shmell like a dish... a dishush... a dishtillery! -hic- Beshidesh, it'sh five-uh-clock shomewhere.”

With her thus occupied, Twilight took the opportunity to whisper to Trixie and Cheerilee. “Don't worry, that's the Princess in disguise. She does this sometimes to 'get away from it all' as she says.” Her fillyfriends calmed down, but their worry returned when she said, “I just wish she wouldn't drink quite so much when she does.”

“So this is the mare that got my little baby all in a 'motherly way',” interrupted the dark red earth pony.

“Mother!” Cheerilee shrieked, turning a darker shade. “You ran into Berry, didn't you? I swear she never could keep her trap shut when it came to stirring up trouble.”

Vintage swept up her daughter in a hug and petted her mane. “Oh, my poor baby is going to be a poor momma!” she cooed.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes and sighed. “Mother, I'm hardly a poor anything, and neither is Twilight.” She pulled herself free of the embrace, saying, “Ugh! Must you drink like this so early? Or were you just trying to 'pick up mares' aga-” Sudden realization and horror dawned on the teacher as she saw a smirk crawl onto her mother's face, and a lusty look as she eyed 'Sunny'.”

Her mother turned to regard Twilight for the first time. “So you're the one who caught my baby's eye.”

“A Historical Reference of Famous Vineyards of Ancient Equestria,” Twilight replied.

Vintage looked at her in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”

“We met before,” Twilight said. “You checked out A Historical Reference of Famous Vineyards of Ancient Equestria from here.” She put a hoof to her chin in thought. “As a matter of fact, you're two days overdue on it.” She beamed at the older mare happily. “But since you're Cheery's mom, I'll waive the fee if you just bring it in.”

The room grew silent. “Bwa ha ha ha ha! That is sho classhic Twilight!” laughed Celestia.

Cheerilee pinched the bridge of her nose with a hoof. “Could we talk about this later, Mother? Like, when you're sober?”

Vintage tousled her daughter's mane. “Alright, baby, alright. I'll drop by later in the week.” She turned to Twilight and waved a hoof at her threateningly. “And you better take good care of my baby and my grand-baby, or you're going to be in big trouble, missy.”

Swallowing hard, Twilight nodded, actually going so far as to stand at attention and salute. “Yes, ma'am!”

Turning to “Sunny”, she asked, “How about you, hot stuff? Want to come see how I... plow the fields at my vineyard?”

Celestia laughed again throatily. “Maybe neksht time. I haven't vishited with Twilight at all -hic- yet.”

“Your loss.” She turned to Cheerilee as she left. “Baby, don't be such a stranger. Come over so we can catch up.”

Cheerilee covered her face with one hoof and waved her off with the other. When the door closed, she bowed low to Celestia. “I am so sorry, Princess. She doesn't mean any disrespect, she's just...” She gave up halfway and shrugged.

The Princess glowed as she resumed her true form and laughed, but more like what her subjects were used to. “No need to apologize for your mother, Miss Cheerilee. She's just being honest about what she wants.” She turned around and shook her rump at them. “And really, who can blame her?”

The only sound in the room was the dull thud as Twilight fainted to the floor.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Rover watched carefully from his hidden position. He had hardly believed his luck when the Timber Wolves told him about this pony. Not only did she live close to the Everfree forest, but she matched the description of one of the ponies that had cost him his last pack. Yes, that's her, alright. I recognize that smile with it's false kindness. Pretending to care about all those little creatures. She's got them all fooled, but I've seen her true nature. Her cruelty. His rage building, Rover clawed at the tree that hid him from view.

Unable to bear to look at the pony, giving all her mock tenderness to the poor, deluded creatures around her; Rover brought his attention to the tree in front of him. It was a shock to see just how deep his claws had dug into the trunk. He looked down at his claws as he flexed his paw. They had grown much sharper and stronger than he had ever remembered them being.

It said that the power It gave me would change me. I wonder why... Just like every time his thoughts had traveled down the road to wonder at It's motivations, his eyes glazed over, becoming dull and unseeing. A small trickle of drool dripped from one corner of his mouth until he shook his head and returned to watching the pegasus below him as she fed the small critters around her.

He suddenly ducked behind the tree, leaving only a pointed ear and an eye visible, as a larger, dark blue pony exited the cottage. This larger pony- not a stallion, he noted- spread her wings in what he was sure was an aggressive stance and scanned the treeline.

“What's wrong, Luna?” Even from this distance, Rover was able to clearly hear what the yellow pegasus said.

Without taking her attention away from what she was doing, Luna replied, “We... felt something, Fluttershy. A... malevolence... directed unto thou.” Fluttershy squeaked in terror and hid behind Luna's legs.”Fear not, Dear Heart. We shan't let harm befall thee.” She began backing up, edging the pegasus towards the house. “Mayhap we shouldst abscond to the relative safety of thine home for now. We shalt erect more formidable defenses at a later time.”

As the door closed behind them, Rover smiled, baring razor sharp teeth. Reaching into a small bag hanging from his belt, he drew forth a swath of green, knitted cloth. He brought the soft cashmere up to his nose and breathed deeply, locking her scent into his mind. Rover had nearly jumped for joy when the pegasus had removed the scarf and left it hanging on the fencepost while she worked.

He turned the scarf around and admired the rose quartz gemstones arranged into a butterfly pattern. They glittered in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the canopy. He put the scarf away, deciding to find a way to remove the gems later. He still had much to do before returning to see what his pack had found on the search he had sent them.

Dropping down to all fours, Rover ran through the forest, quiet as a shadow. Not so much as a single leaf rustled in his passing. He didn't stop until the sound of applebucking caught his attention. Moving to a slow trot and crouching down low, the Diamond Dog approached the apple orchard.

It wasn't hard to spot his second target for the day; she was making no effort to hide, after all. There she is... the strong one. The cart of gems she had pulled away was filled with the largest and heaviest of the six piles, bespeaking of her tough nature. Rover watched the farmer as she made her rounds, bucking trees, and picking up stray apples that had missed the baskets set below them.

“Applejack!” A pile of baskets with legs ran up to the mare, who stopped herself, mid-buck. The baskets slid to the ground, revealing a small yellow filly. “Here's the baskets, can I go play now?”

Applejack pushed back her hat and considered her younger sister. “Did'ja finish all your chores?”

“Yup!”

“Your homework?”

“Yup!”

“Gonna be at the clubhouse?”

“Uh huh! We got a meeting today. Scootaloo said she had an idea on how to get our cutie mark during school, but couldn't do it there.” The yellow filly's enthusiasm was infectious.

The farmer grinned at her. “Alright, but be home in time for dinner!” she called out as the Crusader left on her newest crusade, almost before her assent was fully given. She sighed as she watched her disappear around a bend in the trail leading to her clubhouse. “Ah, to be young a'gin.”

Applejack walked over to the cart filled to the brim with baskets of apples, but stopped short. “What in tarnation? Where'd it go?” She looked all around, but couldn't find a sign of the red kerchief she had been using to wipe away the sweat.

Rover kept the filly in his sights as he trailed after her. He put the red kerchief away into a separate bag hanging from his belt. It didn't take them long to reach the clubhouse, and his feral grin widened into something truly sadistic as he caught a familiar scent on the wind.

A white filly waved from the balcony of the treehouse excitedly. “Apple Bloom!” she squeaked

“Hiya, Sweetie Belle! Is Scootaloo here, yet?” Apple Bloom answered.

The two met halfway up the ramp, where upon Sweetie Belle grabbed her friend's hoof and dragged her the rest of the way up. “Wait'll you hear this! It'll get us our cutie marks for sure, and with no tree sap!” They disappeared into the treehouse chattering away about Scootaloo's idea.

Rover's sadistic grin grew downright evil as a plan formed in his mind. Oh, yes. Ponies will PAY.

Author's Notes:

Trying out this new feature, we'll see how it goes. A bit longer than my normal chapter, so consider this an apology for my upcoming absence. For those who don't read my blog, I'll be on vacation for a bit, so updates will be spotty, if at all for the next few weeks. Sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, this will tide you over until I can get back to my own computer. In case I don't get a chance to say it later, have a Merry Christmas! ^_^

The usual disclaimers apply. Hasbro and Lauren Faust own everything here but the arrangement of the words and the character Vintage Fields. I'm just play in their sandbox they were so kind to leave laying about.