Bookends 2 or Making Dreams Come True

CHAPTER THREE

Learning To Live

Cheerilee was waking up, she felt that she was in Twilight’s comfy bed and not the ‘pull out’ in her attic apartment at the boardinghouse.

She had read that dreams were mostly based on experiences from the previous day.  Apparently, she had clued in on her own comment about living together.

In her dream, she and Twilight were just a little older and still very much in love.  And there were two foals!  They were hers and Twilight’s, not adopted.  She didn’t care to try to understand it.  But it made her very happy.  They were two beautiful fillies.  One with Twilight’s purple eyes and her mane and tail with an almost black coat, and another one with Cheerilee’s pink mane and tail with her pale green eyes and a white coat.  The joy they both felt over these foals was beyond words!

Cheerilee stretched as she was unfortunately leaving her magnificent  dream.

She placed her foreleg out for Twilight.  But Twilight was not there.

Cheerilee sat up quickly.  Was Twilight ‘getting her back’ for running out on her yesterday morning?  She didn’t want to think that Twilight was that petty.  She looked around and confirmed that she was alone.

“Twi?” she half called, half cried.

“So you’re awake, sleepy-head,” said Twilight’s voice coming up the stairs.

Twilight was levitating a tray of food.  She also had a cup of tea which she directed to Cheerilee.

Twilight then stopped and looked at Cheerilee.

“Oh my gosh, your face!”  said Twilight.

“What’s wrong with my face?” asked Cheerilee, slightly worried and putting a free hoof to her cheek.

“Don’t you know?” asked the purple unicorn.

“No,” said the teacher.

Twilight walked over;

“It’s the most beautiful face in all the world.” Said Twilight giving her a kiss.

Then she lowered the tray into Cheerilee’s lap.

“You don’t have to wait on me fore and hind hoof!” said Cheerilee.

“Eat before it gets cold,” Twilight said, just ignoring the comment, “I think we should close the library this weekend and perhaps take some time to be together.”

Then with a sly look in her eye she said;

“At least time together NOT in the bed.  We can have that kind of a relationship too, can’t we?”

Cheerilee only nodded her head, her mouth was full of Twilight’s wonderful cooking.

“What do you think of a little trip to Canterlot?”  asked Twilight.

Cheerilee swallowed;

“I don’t think I have the bits for the train.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Said Twilight with a smile.  “You’ve a marefriend who works for the Crown.  I’ve got it handled!

We can stop by your place and pick up anything you might need for an overnight trip.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I even know where you live.”

Twilight sat on the bed by her.  Cheerilee looked a little embarrassed.

“Don’t be like that!” said Twilight, “if you live there, then it’s a palace.”

Cheerilee just looked at Twilight.  She was thinking that things had moved so fast.  Just two days ago, the two were almost just passing acquaintances.  Now, after deep love making and even deeper talks, it was as if they had been in love for some time.  Cheerilee attributed this to they both had in mind what the perfect pony for them would be.  And it turned out that it was like they were thinking of the other all along.  Almost as if they were in love with each other all their lives, they just didn’t know it.

“Darling,” said Cheerilee with a smile, “I would love to go to Canterlot with you.”

Twilight and Cheerilee walked the distance to the other end of Ponyville to the boardinghouse where Cheerilee lived.  They went into a part of town where Twilight had never been.  There was a large three story house that Cheerilee was leading them to.  Over the door was a plaque;

Sunflower’s Boardinghouse For Mares

Cheerilee opened the door and motioned Twilight to follow.

They entered a well furnished common living room.  It appeared homey enough.

“Cheerilee!” said a plump older mare with a sunflower cutie mark, Twilight was reminded of an older Cup Cake.  She was standing in a doorway that appeared to open into the kitchen.

“Good morning Ms Sunflower,” said Cheerilee, sheepishly.

“Good morning Cheerilee,” she answered, “who’s your friend?”

“This is Twilight Sparkle,” said Cheerilee.

“Oh yes,” said the older mare, “I should have recognized her.  Eyes getting old, don’t you know.  I should’ve figured that you would hang out with such an important pony.”

Twilight blushed at the recognition.

“We’ve missed you at dinner the last couple of nights,” said Sunflower.

“Oh, I’ve been staying at the library, research, you know how it is.”

Cheerilee gave a sideward glance at Twilight and barely shook her head.

“I understand,” said Sunflower, “life of a teacher.”

“Indeed,” said Cheerilee.  “By the way, I probably won’t be here for dinner the next two evenings either.  Going to be in Canterlot with Twilight.”

“That sounds nice,” said the older pony.  “I hate to bring this up, in front of your friend, but the rent is a week over due.  I really need to get the one hundred bits soon.”

Cheerilee was afraid of this.  She didn’t want Twilight to know just how bad off, money wise, she was.

Cheerilee was about to say something but Twilight spoke first.

“Cheeri,” said Twilight, “remember, you gave me the rent money to hold for you.”

Cheerilee looked stunned, as Twilight levitated a small bag of bits from her saddle bag to the landpony.

“Thank you Cheerilee!” said Sunflower, walking back into the kitchen.

Cheerilee lead Twilight up two flights of stairs to the very top.  All along the stairs were posted the rules of the house.  There was one rule that appeared that on the top of every posting, no matter the content:

No Coltfriends In The Rooms!

Cheerilee’s room was in the attic and was accessed through a trap door.  She started up the little stair, Twilight hesitated.

“Am I allowed to go up?  The sign said....”

“Twi, I had a really close look last night and I’m pretty sure that there wasn’t any evidence of you being a colt!” then whispering, “It said nothing about marefriends!”

Twilight blushed as she followed Cheerilee up the narrow stair.  To tell the truth, the view was magnificent.  Twilight just wanted to bury her muzzle between Cheerilee’s flanks and...”

“Watch out for the door,” said Cheerilee.

Twilight entered the room.  As Twilight closed the door behind them she turned in time to get a very large kiss.

“Twi, what you did down there.....”

“Don’t mention it.” Said Twilight, “and I do understand the reason you sidestepped our relationship.”

Cheerilee looked away a bit embarrassed.

“I’ll pay you back every bit, Darling.”

Twilight then kissed Cheerilee intensely.

“There, debt paid!” said Twilight with a smirk.

Cheerilee just blushed;

“May I ask a personal question?”

“We aren’t in bed, but I guess we can make that up later,” said Twilight.

Cheerilee looked a little timid or intimidated;

“Tell me the truth sweetheart, are you rich?”

“As long as I’m with you I am.” Said Twilight with a smile.

“Thank you, but that isn’t an answer,” replied Cheerilee.

“No honey,” said Twilight, “I’m not what you would call rich.  My parents live in Canterlot.  My father has had a government job for years.  He has worked his way up and my parents live comfortably, and are ‘well off’.  But I don’t let them support me  I get a generous stipend from the Crown for my position and for my job in Ponyville.  In the past I’ve had almost nothing other than food and a few odds and ends to pay for.  Most of the money has built up in the bank.  My father has helped me invest some of it so I could be provided for in the future.

Until now, I didn’t have anything or anypony to spend it on.   When I travel it’s either at government expense, that’s when Princess Celestia sends my friends and I on a ‘mission’.  Otherwise, I only have to pay half-fare because of government employee discount.

So it’s nice that I now have a reason to use some of the bits that have built up!”

Cheerilee just smiled.

As Cheerilee busied herself with collecting some items, Twilight started to look around at the apartment.

She wasn't liking what she saw.

There was a small window with no drapes at one end of the room with a couch underneath it.  There was a bookshelf by a small desk covered with papers.  A single floor lamp was on the other side of the desk to illuminate the room.  The other end of the room stood a wardrobe.  Except for a small rug which was to cover the trap door, there was no room for anything else in the room.

‘One hundred bits a month for this?’ thought Twilight. ‘My kitchen is bigger!’

“Where do you sleep, honey?” asked Twilight.

“Didn’t you get enough last night?  I thought you wanted to catch the early train!” giggled Cheerilee, not really serious.  “The couch pulls out to be a bed.  It’s comfortable....

kind of.”

“Honey,” said Twilight, “That talk about us living together?  Consider it had.  Even if we weren’t sleeping together, I couldn’t let you live in this over priced cramped space.

Please Darling, I love you and I’ll not be able to sleep at night now knowing you had to live here.”

Cheerilee looked down at the floor, she really didn’t like living here.  She was just afraid that Twilight might think her too needy.

She wanted love from Twilight, not pity.

“I don’t want to be anypony’s  charity case.” Said Cheerilee not looking up.

“How is wanting the pony that I love to be with me, treating you like a charity case?” said Twilight, “we’ll go have fun in Canterlot and then when we get back, we’ll get our friends to help you move into the library!”

“I love you so much, Twilight Sparkle!  You said that you don’t deserve me?  It’s I who doesn’t deserve you.”

“I think that love has nothing to do with deserving each other,” said Twilight with a smile, “I just want to live to please you.”

“And I you,” said Cheerilee, “I’ll be glad to move in with you.  Just promise me that I can help with everything, except maybe the cooking.  I don’t want to poison the pony I’ve always dreamed of.

But most importantly, no waiting on me like I’m a princess, deal?”

Twilight kissed Cheerilee deeply.

“Deal!” said Twilight, “now get what you need and we’ll catch that early train!”

About a half hour later, Twilight and Cheerilee were checking their bags.  Cheerilee had told Twilight that she didn’t have to get first-class tickets for a ride that was only a couple hours long, but Twilight insisted.

The conductor called out the last warning for boarding, so instead of walking up the first class coaches, they boarded from the rear so the train could take off.  The train lurched forward.  Cheerilee was excited about the trip, she had related that the only time that she ever got to go to Canterlot was on school fieldtrips.

They made their way forward through the snack car to the coach class cars.  As they were about to enter the last car before their coach, Twilight stopped Cheerilee, she pointed through the window in the door to a couple ahead on one set of benches.

From the back they could tell that it was Applejack and Rarity.  They were sitting very, very close.  Applejack had a foreleg around Rarity’s shoulders.  Just then the two turned to each other and kissed a fairly respectable kiss. In profile, it confirmed their identity.  Then Rarity leaned her head over onto Applejack’s shoulder and Applejack lay her head lightly against Rarity’s head.

Cheerilee looked at Twilight, both were doing the best not to laugh.  Twilight then whispered;

“Follow my lead, and laugh when I finish.  What ever you do, just keep looking forward and keep walking!”

They opened the door and Twilight started talking as if they had been in an animated conversation;

“Then I said, oatmeal!  Are you crazy?”

The two ponies walked through the car laughing together.  It wasn’t the fake punch-line that brought a forced mirth, it was real laughter due to the Rarity and Applejack’s reaction, as soon as they heard Twilight’s voice.  They sat up straight and separated, so fast in fact that Rarity’s horn almost impaled Applejack’s cheek.

Applejack and Rarity just sat there as Twilight and Cheerilee walked past, apparently oblivious to them.  They continued through the door into the first-class coach.

“Darling, that was Pinkie’s random line, wasn’t it?” asked Rarity, continuing to look straight ahead.

“I reckon it was,” said Applejack, doing the same.

“The saw us, didn’t they?” asked Rarity.

“It’s a good bet, Sugar Cube.” Replied Applejack.

“You think they saw us kiss?” asked the white unicorn.

“I’d say that’s a fair estimation,” replied Applejack.

They turned to each other and gave a silent consent, got up and went forward to face the music.

The two ‘discovered’ ponies went forward.  They, as discreetly as possible, looked into each first-class cabin,  They finally found Twilight and Cheerilee, who were of course kissing, and a better job that what Applejack and Rarity had been doing.

Rarity slid open the door quickly, without knocking.  It startle the two lovers.

“Twilight Louise Sparkle!” said Rarity in her most authoritative voice.  “What do you think you were doing?  Spying on us?”

Twilight was stunned for a moment.  She was not aware that any of her friends knew her dreaded middle name, Cheerilee just chuckled at having another bit of info to tease her lover with in the future.

“What ever do you mean Darling?” said Twilight, trying her best Rarity proper voice.

All four ponies burst out laughing.

“Sorry to bother ya, Cheerilee,” said Applejack.

“Don’t be,” said the rose colored earth pony.  “I’ve hoped that Twilight’s friends will be my friends.”

“Count on it Darling,” said Rarity with a warm smile.

“I’m glad you feel that way,” said Twilight, “because Cheeri is going to move in with me when we return!”

“Cheeri is eh?” asked Applejack with a smirk.  “I think that’s great.  If’n ya need a hoof, let me know, I can have Big Mac bring a wagon.”

“That’ll be great!” said Twilight.  “We’re just going for an overnight excursion.  We’ll be back tomorrow afternoon.”

“We’re going for some supplies for Rarity’s shop.” Said Applejack, “we’ll be going back on the afternoon train tomorrow.”

“So will we.” Said Twilight, “Perhaps we can talk about it then.”

Rarity and Applejack turned to go back to their seats.

“Before you go,” said Twilight, “if I may ask, how long have you and Applejack been ‘dating’?”

Applejack and Rarity paused, looked at each other.  Applejack nodded, then they turned around and sat down across from Twilight and Cheerilee.

“I guess that would be one way to put it, but not quite accurate.  We’ve not really let anypony else know, dating usually has the connotation of going out together, in public.  You two are the first to know and that’s by accident.” said Rarity, then turning to Applejack, “we guessed that if it continued, we’d have to come clean sometime.  We just didn’t know how we were going to explain it to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.”

“Or Granny Smith for that matter.” Said Applejack, “it started with that slumber party of yours.”

“You’ve been hiding it for over a year now?” asked Twilight.

“Has it been that long?” asked Applejack to Rarity, then she continued, “You see, once we’d settled down and got to sleep, it felt real nice to be in the bed with each other.”

“You didn’t.....

with me sleeping in the bed across from you?” asked Twilight.

Cheerilee giggled at Twilight’s concern for propriety.

“Heavens no!” said Rarity, “unless you’re talking about kissing, how uncouth do you think that I am?

When we woke up, for what ever reason, I had snuggled up to Applejack and was holding her.  She realized what I was doing and turned to look at me.  I didn’t expect it, but she kissed me.  At first I was shocked, I tried to push her away, but the only thing my forelegs would do was pull her closer.  When we stopped, we didn’t know what to do.  After we left, we avoided each other for about a week.”

“A week that I didn’t hardly get any sleep in,” said Applejack.

“Nor I,” said Rarity.

“After the week, I decided that I’d go to see Rarity and figure what we were goin’ to do about this.  I couldn’t avoid her for life and the feeling wasn’t goin’ away!”  Said Applejack, “so I walked to Carousel Boutique.  By the time I got there, I realized that it was well after midnight!  I was about to turn around and go home when I noticed that the lights there were on, all the lights.  So I decided to go up and knock on the door.”

Rarity reached her hoof out and placed it on Applejack’s leg, as if to let her finish.

“I’d been wandering around the shop night after night, as if I was looking for something that was missing.

Something was missing, but I wasn’t quite ready to admit what it was.

Then came a knock at the door.  I almost didn’t answer, no telling what kind of pony would be out at that time of night.  Against my better judgement, I opened the door.  There stood Applejack, without her hat, looking lost and forlorn.  She asked if she was bothering me, I invited her in.  I closed the door behind her and locked it.  When I turned to face her, we both launched ourselves at each other.

After that, let’s just say that it was the second time in just over a week that we’d woke up in bed with each other.”

“And this time,” said Applejack with a smirk, “it was a good thing that ya weren’t in the bed across from us!”

Applejack and Rarity sat there for a moment, just looking into each other’s eyes.

“So let me ask you two a question that you asked me Rarity,” said Twilight, “do you love each other?”

Rarity and Applejack just continued to look at each other.  They were wide eyed and silent.  Rarity then turned to Twilight.

“You know, I don’t ever think that we’ve ever talked about it!  But I guess to have went through all the subterfuge and clandestine meetings and weekends away to Canterlot or where ever.  I guess that there really has to be something there,” said Rarity.

Then turning to Applejack with a small tear in her eye;

“I’m so sorry that I haven’t said it sooner Darling, but I do love you!”

“I’ve known all along, Sugar Cube.  You’ve not had to tell me.  But I didn’t want to force it from ya either.  But I do love ya too, my beautiful pony,” said Applejack.

None to the other three ponies had ever heard Applejack talk like that.

Applejack and Rarity kissed for the first time (knowingly) in front of their friends.

“It probably doesn’t really matter, but Twilight and I’ve talked and I think she is still on the fence.  You’d think that such an organized mare could make a commitment.” Cheerilee said and then asked delicately, “so please don’t take this wrong but do you consider yourselves to be mare-lovers?”

“I can now say that I love a mare,” said Rarity, “I’m not sure if that does make me a mare-lover.”

“Or me,” said Applejack. “Are you?”

“I’ve always known that I was,” said Cheerilee, “I only ask because I was forced to hide it all my life.  I was made to feel that a mare loving a mare was sick and demented.  You know how you tend to believe what your parents tell you.

But Twi has freed me to be the real me.  So I now have no problem with admitting it openly.”

The other three ponies looked at Twilight questioningly.

“I know that I love a mare-lover, and have been making love to a mare-lover,” said Twilight blushing, “so until I discover different, I’m okay to say that I’m a mare-lover.”

“See Sweetheart,” said Cheerilee, “that wasn’t that hard now was it?”

They all laughed, exchanged hugs then Rarity and Applejack departed back to their seats, not before agreeing to meet on the train platform after they had collected their bags.

“I love you my shy little mare-lover!” said Cheerilee as she continued kissing like before they were interrupted.

Twilight didn’t say anything, she was taught not to talk with her mouth full.  Right now it was full of Cheerilee’s tongue.