Traitors In the Apple Trees

Chapter 1

Off at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack walked into her home, carrying saddlebags full of various supplies. Big Macintosh and Granny Smith had been in the living room chatting away and Apple Bloom had been thinking of ideas to get her cutie mark when she entered, but they all turned and smiled warmly at the sound of the front door creaking open.

"I'm home, everypony! Got the tools to fix the shed..." She called out, pointing out a hammer and nails in the bags. "...along with some other stuff we can use to help around the farm if somethin' else gets broken."

She shot a particularly questioning look at Apple Bloom, who smiled sheepishly.

"How was I supposed to know the Cute Mark Crusader Catapult woulda' sent me into the shed? I was just seeing if mah cutie mark was something excitin'!" The filly's eyes sparkled for a second, until the look Applejack gave her turned into one of seriousness.

"It don't matter if yer cutie mark was jumpin' to the moon and back, Apple Bloom. You coulda' really hurt yerself."

Apple Bloom nodded solemnly. Granny Smith looked up at Applejack, raising an eyebrow. Applejack met her gaze, and rubbed her hoof across the back of her head.

"Just make sure you're more careful next time, okay?" she said quietly, cracking a small grin. Apple Bloom shot up instantly, pulling her sister into a big hug.

"I will! I promise!" she said excitedly. She turned around to Granny Smith, who was slowly heading to the kitchen to prepare everypony's supper.

"Can I help, Granny Smith? Maybe mah cutie mark is in cookin or somethin'!"

Granny Smith looked over her shoulder and winked at Apple Bloom, nodding her head for the filly to come in. As Apple Bloom excitedly ran past her, Granny turned to Applejack.

"Thank ya', Applejack. That was a might kind of ya, not scoldin' yer sister half to death." she grinned a bit more with every word.

Applejack blushed slightly, and turned to Big Mac who simply nodded at her. She smiled, and left her saddlebags by the door so she could pick them up in the morning. That might keep my mind offa' Dash, she thought.

Applejack actually managed to eat her dinner without even thinking of Rainbow Dash, preoccupied with Apple Bloom's vigorous tales of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' most recent adventures. After helping her brother with dishes, she began to ascend the stairs to her bedroom.

"I'm takin' a shower, Mac!" she called as she went up. "You alright with that?"

She heard a faint "Eeyup" come from the living area, probably Big Macintosh resting up or chatting with Granny Smith. He didn't do as much farm work as usual today, opting to finish Applejack's work in the morning while she started repairing the shed. She smiled to herself, and trotted down the hall to the bathroom.

"A shower sounds pretty good right now, actually," she said in anticipation. She set her hat gently on the counter of the sink and slowly undid her golden ponytail, so that her hair flowed past her shoulders. She turned the water on, and stepped into the tub. She winced at the sheer cold of the water coming out, but the old water heater turned on in a few moments, spreading warmth through the cowpony's whole body. She leaned forward, away from the shower head, and stretched her back, allowing the increasingly hot shower to undo the knots in her back.

"Aaaahhh..." she moaned softly. "I've been needing this all day..." She leaned farther and farther down, until her muzzle was practically touching the floor of the tub and her hair was draped around her face like curtains. The shower was still heating up, and Applejack could feel her face growing flush. The redness in her cheeks grew as she felt the steaming water run down the back of her flanks, just barely past her nethers. Inwardly scolding herself, she shifted her legs just enough for the trickling water to run right over her slit. She whimpered softly, and stepped farther forward to allow more water to run over her. She leaned forward and balanced herself on one foreleg, snaking the other between her hindlegs and stroking herself gently.

"It feels -hah- like it's been -hah- forever since..." Applejack gasped sharply as the edge of her hoof grazed her clit, letting out the breath in a throaty moan. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she heard her brother outside the bathroom door.
"Are ya' alright, sis'?" he called, knocking on the door. She immediately straightened her back and nervously yelled back.

"I-I'm fine, Mac! I'm just really sore, is all! Don't worry about it none!" As the Element of Honesty, she was happy that Big Macintosh couldn't see through solid objects. Otherwise, he might have seen her darting eyes and scrunched lips as she called out to him from the shower. There was a pause, but she could hear him sigh indifferently and trot past the bathroom. She stood quietly in the tub, panting lightly as the water continued to drench her. I should probably take this somewhere else, she thought. Slowly, she ran her forehoof across her hardened clit, and her whole body spasmed for a second. Holding in a gasp, she leaned to the side and slowly turned off the water.

Yeah, I should probably do this somewhere else. Don't need Apple Bloom or Big Mac hearing, or worse, SEEING me like that. Deviously chuckling to herself, she jumped quickly out of the tub, grinning as she began to dry herself off.

***************

The crimson stallion walked slowly through Ponyville, thankful that its denizens were primarily non-nocturnal. Of course, it had always been like that. He'd seen how ponies from all walks of Equestria acted at night, and the vast majority of them preferred the light of day to the dim light of the moon. As he explored the small town, he took care to note some of the buildings and shops, particularly one that seemed to resemble a large dessert.

"Huh. That wasn't there the last time I was here." he said to himself. He stopped, realizing just how long it HAD been since he was here. In Equestria, even. He had been one of the most important stallions in Canterlot, and here he was, an exile, in a place as simple as Ponyville. He frowned, bittersweet memories flooding his mind.

"Mortal Coil... step forth."

Celestia's voice rang out in her moonlit royal throne room, and the mentioned red stallion surrounded by royal guards rose, his heavy shackles clanging against one another. He wore a thick white blindfold, but still seemed to look up at the princess. He remained silent, but took a few meager steps forward, an upset frown plastered on his face.

"You have been accused of bearing witness to the recent murders associated with the Canterlot Maniac. You have been tried in the royal courts, and each has found you... guilty." Celestia declared, slightly choking on the last word. A solemn look came over her as she awaited his response.

"I acknowledge the judgments of the courts, and am aware that I will be punished for my crimes." The words barely made it past his lips, as the pony speaking them had to keep himself from choking up mid-sentence. Am I really going through this?

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, tears forming at the edges of her eyelashes. She motioned for the guards to leave them, who promptly abandoned the hall. A yellow glow enveloped her horn, and she slowly undid the blindfold on his head, allowing him to see her in her distraught state. She stepped towards him, looking him straight in the eyes as she moved.

"Why?" she asked bitterly. He looked straight at her, and his own tears began to form. "Why would you do something like this?"

"You mean to say that you... you actually-"

"That I believe what the courts and evidence say? That you deceived me, that you BETRAYED me?" Celestia muttered, interrupting him. Her face began to twist as her anger flared, her effervescent mane turning the colors of fire.

"Yes, I DO believe them! I DO believe that you are responsible for the murders of 12 different ponies and foals!" She fumed, her Canterlot voice almost coming to the surface.

She glared at him furiously, before her eyes welled up with more tears.

"And I DO believe that you knew it all would happen, and 'solved' the crimes, just to get to me..." Celestia whispered icily. "I put my trust in you and your abilities, and you used them against me."

She angrily turned her head away from him, too angry to say anything else. He stepped forward once, eyes widening. His head drooped, and he began shaking his head harder and harder as he stifled a few sobs.

"Princess... Celestia, how can you...?" he muttered quietly. Quickly, his head shot up, his gray eyes widened and his teeth bared in anger.

"HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! I HELPED YOU FIND OUT WHO COMMITTED THEM, AND YOU THINK THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE?!" He roared at Celestia. She didn't respond to him. She only shook lightly, holding back more tears as she fought to hold her composure. Seeing his rage get no answer from her, he closed his eyes and exhaled softly.

"I know how you feel about Aether, and that you can't do anything about it now but..." he whispered quietly, stepping closer to her so he was a few paces behind her. She opened her eyes slowly, and turned her head so she could face him again.

"I'm sorry, Mortal Coil. How you and I interacted in the past...it doesn't matter now. I thought I would find someone who could see me as something other than a ruler, or a teacher, or..." she stopped suddenly, like something had a vice grip on her throat. "...But I was wrong. You've shown me that your loyalty to him is greater than any other." No more tears fell from her eyes, only her wounded gaze remained, which pierced Mortal Coil like a javelin. He backed away slowly.

"Celestia, you're wrong." he pleaded. "If you'd just let me show you..."

Her horn began to glow a soft yellow, but then started fading to a dark gray, then finally black. Her saddened eyes also began to glow in an ethereal black, and the same light enveloped his body. She stood perfectly still, now frowning visibly.

"I don't need to see any more than what you've shown me already. Perhaps you'd be of more use to Aether, anyway." she muttered, malice lining her flowing voice. Mortal Coil began to respond, but the black glow around him began to grow, flowing into his mouth, his nose, his eyes, and soon every orifice that it could. He let out what sounded like a small yelp, which grew into a fierce, bloodcurdling scream as more and more of the black essence surrounded him, until he was no longer visible, covered in a ball of black.

"I'm sorry. I really did love you."

"Princess Celestia, I--"

Celestia's eyes shed one final tear as her horn flashed abruptly, shattering the ball of magic in thousands of fragments. They faded within seconds, and there was no sign of the crimson stallion to be found. Celestia silently returned to her throne. Only the echoes of sobbing remained with her for the night.

There was no time for regrets now. He had to show her that he was no traitor, and that all he wanted was for her to accept him. But he knew that couldn't happen. A curse from Aether, one only given by alicorns... He sighed aloud.

"Come on. The past is the past, and you've got to keep it from becoming the near future," he told himself. "You need to stop Aether's minions before it's too late."

He took a deep breath, and began galloping in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, determined to prove his worth to Celestia once more.

***************

Applejack eagerly squirmed in her bed, and let out a small giggle at her childish excitement for the night to come. She lay there quietly, listening to the sounds of the Apple Family as they were closing in on sleep.

"Apple Bloom is already asleep, and Granny Smith went to bed same time as I did..." she whispered to herself. "All that's left is- Yes!"

She quietly cheered to herself as Big Macintosh's snoring could be heard from down the hallway, a sign that he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. Slowly, she pulled her covers up off of her body a little, and reached a hoof down her body, making small circles in her fur as she did. She sighed lightly as her hoof reached her nethers, which were already wet with anticipation. Listening once more to make sure she wouldn't be heard, she pressed her hoof down into her slit.

She began to rub herself, up and down, and made little circles around the little nub at the top of her flower every time the edge of her hoof passed it. With each passing minute, her rubbing grew more forceful, and she began to let out small squeaks of pleasure, eventually growing to long, throaty moans. Her thoughts raced, picturing each of her friends pleasuring her in different ways.

She imagined Fluttershy in a dominatrix roleplay situation, where she had tied Applejack to the bedframe. Applejack broke into a sweat, and her foreleg began to go numb, but her mind was running at max and she couldn't care less. Her mind formed an image of Pinkie Pie licking whipped cream off of her well-toned body, all the way from her neck to her nethers. Still not satisfied, she imagined both Rarity and Twilight piercing her two holes with their horns, which still failed to send her over the edge. A pool of her juices began to form underneath her hindquarters as she rubbed herself, and she knew she needed something awesome to finish the job.

"Awesome..." she huffed, in a spark of brilliance.

She envisioned Rainbow Dash wearing Applejack's favorite strap-on, using her sleek, toned body to thrust into Applejack, looking her dead in the eyes...
Applejack furiously pleasured herself now, using long and erratic movements of her hoof combined with circling to reach her climax. Her body spasmed wildly, and she covered her face with her pillow to muffle her loud cry.

Several minutes and one sheet-changing later, Applejack pulled her covers over her spent body. She relished the bliss of her session, but the high immediately died when she remembered the previous mare she had just clopped to.

"Dashie..." she whispered softly.

She turned to face her window and stared off at the moon. "Rainbow Dash..." she repeated quietly, fighting the tears starting to re-form. She never moved as she fell asleep, her only thoughts before fading to dreams being that of her precious pegasus pony.