Red Hearts and Crossed Strings

Beads of sweat trickled across Celestia’s white coat as she levitated another stack of documents to her eyes. She carefully, but quickly, scanned each one individually before casting them into the glowing pile of bent and creased papers behind her.

A deep cough echoed from the other side of the closed door. The guards were still there They were getting antsy by the sound of it. Biting her lip, the princess turned her attention back to the towering piles of papers around her.

The Royal Archives were filled with information about magic, history, and culture. But that wasn’t the end of it. They provided Celestia and Luna with information on every citizen in every town. No matter how small said town may be. Yet, with all this information, the Princess couldn’t find a trace of the ponies Twilight Sparkle had described in the recent letter.

Running an armored hoof through her matted mane, the alicorn shook her head wearily. I shouldn’t be getting involved! I already decided to leave this up to Twilight. I need to back off and give her this opportunity. But at the same time . . .

Celestia let her hoof slip down from her mane. “At the same time, I must be able to protect my subjects from danger.” Teeth grinding, she stamped the tiled floor. A loud smack   rang out through the chamber. “Why can’t the answer be simple for once!?”

“Because my sister, if answers were simple, we would not need questions in the first place.”

Celestia turned at the sound of Luna’s voice and narrowed her eyes. “I told the guards not to let anyone in.”

Luna chuckled behind her hoof and smiled as her bright eyes scanned the disastrous room.  It looked like it had been hit with a hurricane. “And I told them to let me in. I’m a princess as well Celestia, or have you forgotten that?” A blue aura enveloped a pile of documents across from Celestia, and the princess of the sun watched as her sister took a seat beside her and began to read through the papers piled inside. “We are looking for the ponies Twilight Sparkle wrote about, correct?”

“How did you know about her letter?”

Discarding a sheet of paper, Luna smiled mischievously, her expression was identical to a hawk that had cornered it’s prey. “You tried hard to hide that letter from me didn’t you Tia? But as you know, I don’t give up so easily. While you were asleep I sent one of my night guards into your corridor. You can guess probably the rest.”

Sighing, Celestia shook her head. The letters and pictures on each sheet of paper were all the same. A name, an address, and a town. Everything had started to blur together, and as a result, she threw the papers away hotly, causing Luna to flinch.

“I didn’t want you involved Luna! You’ve already had to deal with enough!” tears brimmed Celestia’s eyes, her shoulders were lifeless and heavy. If only I had payed attention. If only I had acted faster!

“You can’t take care of us forever sister!” Luna’s starry mane rippled. The dark mare stood stiff and defiant, not ripping her strangling gaze away from Celestia for the slightest moment. “You can’t possibly believe that everything is your responsibility. You already said that Twilight needs this opportunity! And now what, you’re taking it away? Don’t you trust her?”

“Of course!” Celestia shouted, voice cracking painfully.

“Then why do you wish to steal this chance for her to grow!?”

“Because . . .” Celestia straightened the crown on her head, unable to look Luna in the eye. “I don’t trust myself.”

The room went silent. The quiet was chokingly tense.

“Celestia, Twilight in a wonderful mare. Don’t forget, she saved me from my own darkness once before. And, even after that, she saved Equestria from Discord. She and her friends even defeated a changeling army. You gave this mission to her, now you have to let her handle it.”

“I guess I have to agree with you there.”

“I understand the feeling of wanting to keep things to yourself, Tia.” Luna said quietly. She folded up the document she had been studying, and set it aside; Only to pick up another. “But we- I’m, always willing to listen to you when you are troubled. One pony should not have to rule Equestria alone, as you did for one thousand years.”

Celestia cracked a smile. Setting down her current folder, she leaned against her sister, blushing softly. “Thanks Lulu . . .”

Luna grinned widely and rubbed her hoof softly against her sister’s curved back. A familiar warmth floated through her stomach, reminding her of the days when her relationship with Celestia hadn’t been so tense and fractured because of their duties. It was a time before she had become Nightmare Moon, even before she had been overcome by jealousy and hatred.

“Let’s say we finish a few more folders and take a break. Maybe we can play a game of hide and seek like we used to?”

“We will see Lulu.”

“Hey, Lisbon?”

Holding back a frustrated groan, Lisbon curled herself deeper into her pillow and shut her eyes. Harsh sunlight seeped through the thin glass window and slept on her already hot cheek.

“Liiiiiissssbooooon?”

If I ignore him, he’ll shut up.

“Lisbon, Lisbon, Lisbon!”

Her ear twitched.

“Teesa?”

Lisbon’s eyes stayed closed, even as she heard Jane get up to leave, most likely to the bathroom. Over the last few days, they had fallen into a, more or less, precise routine. Jane would always get up first, and always stay in the bathroom for an incredible amount of time, leaving the edgy mare to rest her eyes just a few moments longer.

Once she was convinced Jane had left, Lisbon let her tense muscles ease into the large cushion she had wrapped lightly in her hooves. But she should have known better than to think she would get off that easy with her consultant always skulking around. A quick breath blew straight into her ear, hot and fast! Bolting straight upright, she threw off her covers and pelted the pillow across the room. Beside her bed, Jane was carrying a devious grin.

“Morning, Lisbon.”

“Dammit Jane! Why can’t you leave me alone?” Her tone was drenched with exhaustion, but it didn’t deter the golden unicorn one bit. His smile stretched farther up his cheeks, and with a bit of magic, he passed Lisbon a brush for her wild mane.

“Out of all the things you could have said as your first word of the day, you had to go and choose one of your colourful ones, didn’t you?”

Wrenching the brush through a defiant knot, Lisbon shot him a dagger like glare. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her for being so irrational and, pardon the language, bitchy. Yet the thunderous debate within her head only powered the irritation itching at her skull. Stroke after furious stroke, Lisbon yanked the brush across her head, until it flew from her hoof. The brush soared across the room, heading towards the window.

It was funny. The first thing that fired through her was, “I can’t pay for the window repair!” Then, “Ponies will come in and watch us sleep!” Luckily, Jane saved the day. He always did.

A bright light flared across the room, blinding the frazzled mare. When it subsided, Jane was sweating. Blue aura seeped from his horn, and the brush was levitating a centimeter from the glass window. He turned to her, his cheek clenched in his teeth. “Please let me help you. So we don’t end up paying more than we already are.”

Moments passed. Reluctantly, Lisbon swallowed her ever-so stubborn pride, and scooted towards the front edge of the bed to allow her consultant to sit.

The mattress wobbled as Jane climbed in and settled behind her with the brush. She tried not to stiffen as he delicately enveloped her mane in a soft glow. The brush ran over it thoughtfully. Once, twice, three times. Jane fell into a rhythm, and Lisbon eventually eased the strain on her shoulders.

“Are you going to tell me why you don’t sleep?” Jane’s voice was quiet, wary.

“I hear your voice in the silence.” Twirling a hoof lazily in the air, she exaggerated. “‘Lisbon, buy me more three piece suits. I feel simply *lost** without them!’”* She added extra emphasis on the word ‘lost’, drawing it out with a dramatic heave.

“It’s true!” Jane huffed, trying to defend himself. “Everyone else thinks it’s classy!”

Another bout of silence creeped out from under the bed, and Lisbon lost herself in the moment. Jane’s strokes were much more soothing than her insistent rips. Calming and gentle. She thought about what he had said. The team certainly did pay attention to his suits, and had an opinion on them no doubt. But classy? That wasn’t the right word.

“I miss them . . .”

Jane nodded, her words not affecting his rhythm in the slightest. “I do too.” He said, a smily creeping up his cheek. “They were always there when I needed them.”

“It’s hard to think that they are really gone . . .” Shifting closer to Jane, she felt his stomach on her back. His hooves draped over her shoulders and locked around her neck gently.

“They were always so comfortable. Especially after a good wash.”

Turning around quickly, Jane pulled the brush away with a confused grimace. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What the hell do you ‘mean they were comfortable’!? Were you sleeping with them!?”

Throwing his hooves in the air, Jane swallowed and admitted defeat. “No! I left them on my bedside table at night!”

“Wait . . . What are you talking about?”

“My suits.”

Lisbon’s green eyes narrowed. “Your suits?”

Jane nodded quickly.

Turning around with a chuckle, she sank back into him. Her soft laughter filled the room, returning the smile to his face. “I was talking about the team!” Lisbon said between laughs. “Not your suits!”

“How was I supposed to know?” His grip tightened on her as his body shook along with his chuckles. Not letting go of Lisbon, he levitated the brush back onto the table. He had snuck a small curl into her mane, something he had done with his daughter’s hair sometimes. Now her wavy hair ended with a delicate twist.

Lisbon may not have answered his question, but that didn’t matter at the moment. He would have another chance. And if he didn’t ask her again now, it only left more time to analyze her actions and try to figure it out on his own. She was happy, and that was enough for him. It was hard for her to be away from the team. Leaving them without so much as a word of warning must have been stressful for her . . .

“I’m going to get us home, Lisbon. I promise you.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Liar.”

Lisbon continued to laugh as Jane pulled her closer than scientifically possible, giving her the sweetest hug she had received in a long time. Warmth washed over her, cleansing her entire body of the stress she had been lugging around since long before two nights ago. Have we really fallen asleep twice since coming here?

THUD THUD THUD

A sudden knocking on their door caught the partners off guard. In sync they slipped off the bed and cocked their heads at the door.

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD

It wasn’t their imagination. But why would anyone knock on their door? They lived in the basement of a candy store!

“Hey! It’s Pinkie! I’m coming in, okay Teesa?”

The pink pony threw open the door before Lisbon could tell her to stop. In a flash, Pinkie Pie flew into the room and jumped around merrily, followed by the entire gang. Twilight was the second to enter, followed by Applejack and Rainbowdash. Rarity, and Fluttershy, brought up the rear, looking slightly uncomfortable.

“Hey there Sugarcube!” Applejack waved to Lisbon warmheartedly. “Nice to see yah again! How have you been?”

“Better than before. I’m feeling a lot more comfortable in Ponyville now. Jane and I went out for a walk last night. The nature around here is amazing!”

Applejack nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Ponyville is a small town, but it is much better than Manehattan or Canterlot!” Shifting her gaze, the farmer clicked her tongue. “Those places are nice and all, just not my kind of environment. You know what I mean?”

“We’re excited to explore more of Ponyville.” Jane joined in. A grin was plastered on his face. He was a con man. One of the best. If Lisbon hadn’t known better, she would have bet all her money on that smile, and lost.

“That’s why we want to invite you to come to the beach with us today!” Twilight chirped from the door. “What better way to show you how wonderful this place is? Everything is already packed and ready outside!”

The beach?

“Now, hold on!” Lisbon barked, biting her lip. “Who said we wanted to go to the beach? You can’t just barge in here and expect us to follow you!” Lashing her tail, she turned her back on the large group.

Rarity narrowed her eyes and let out an impatient humph! Applejack shot a snarl in Rarity’s direction, banishing her friend’s sassy attitude. With the tension boiling, she wrapped a gentle hoof around Lisbon’s neck. “Sorry if we startled yah Teresa. We didn’t mean to drop in on you and force you to come with us. We only want to make you feel at home. Not knowing anypony is hard. Twilight here knows that. So she decided that we should take you two to the beach. I promise, you’ll have fun! And I don’t lie.” Applejack winked playfully and stuck out her tongue. “Don’t think I’m going to let you rot in this basement forever.”

“Well . . .” Lisbon gulped. “Fine.”

Applejack let loose a happy cheer and threw a hoof in the air. “That’s great! It'll be so much fun! I promise! And if you feel uncomfortable, I’m right here.”

Lisbon nodded nervously as Jane followed them out the door with a smile. She had finally had some stress relief . . . And now she was going to the beach.

Applejack stretched her back hooves out on the towel in front of her, letting loose a long and well earned yawn. Burning sunlight speckled the sand, and above their heads the clouds lazily trudged along the open skies. Lisbon pulled herself up off her back. Her own towel was borrowed from Pinkie Pie, who had claimed she would be too busy bouncing and swimming to use it.

“Well, is it as bad as you thought?”

Turning to the farm mare, Lisbon blushed. She had made such a scene about coming to the beach, yet it wasn’t actually terrible. Sure, there were lots of foals running around screaming, but that only brought a wide smile to her heart. It was nice to see kids safe and happy. That’s what I work for. “You know what Applejack, I’m having a nice time. Thanks for dragging me out of that room. Sorry I was such a pain.”

Applejack waved a hoof and laughed off herapology. “Don’t mention it Sugarcube.” Squeezing a bottle of sunscreen, she slapped it on her tanned cheeks and rubbed it in. Tossing it to Lisbon, she pointed to the mare’s gray coat. “You don’t want to get a sunburn. I’ve seen gray mare’s turn brown.”

Franticly, Lisbon’s hooves struggled to grasp the slippery bottle. It was labeled, “Celestia Block. For when our sun princess is too generous.” With Applejack’s warning in mind, she squirted the sunscreen all over her fur, only noticing how much she had taken when the bottle began farting instead of offering. “Oh, sorry Applejack!”

“Don’t sweat it.”

The two mares sat in peaceful tranquility as the sun warmed their stomachs. Lisbon listened to Jane and Twilight splashing in the not far water.

“Using magic to catch the ball is cheating!” Twilight shouted above Jane’s teasing.

“Not if you use it too!”

“So, are you and that stallion a couple?”

Shooting up, Lisbon glared at Applejack, her cheeks roasting. “No! Not even close! I hate him! He’s the most annoying, self absorbed lunatic I have ever met!”

“I guess it would be awkward going out with your boss.”

Seething underneath her frazzled fur, Lisbon tried to ignore that Applejack had called Jane her boss. “It would be very awkward.” Laying back with a front hoof pillowing her head, she slurped her lemonade. The drink was still coated with small ice crystals from the chill of the cooler. Applejack knows how to think ahead.

“If you don’t mind me asking, I’m never sure what to call y’all. You call that prancing unicorn over there Jane, but he called himself Patrick Jane. Do you just prefer his last name? Does he prefer calling you Lisbon instead of Teresa? The whole thing boggles my brain a little more than I would like to admit.”

“Don’t think too much about it AJ.” Lisbon said through the straw. “It’s just natural for us because of our work. You can call me whatever you like, I don’t mind either way.” Shooting her a smile, Lisbon went back to her drink.

The lemonade slipped down her throat, fighting away the sweat that dripped from her head and mane.

“So, where did you get your hat Applejack?”

“From my parents.” The orange mare replied, a hint of reminiscence entering her voice.  Bringing the tattered leather down from her head, she pet it carefully and hugged it to her chest. “I’ve had it ever since I was a filly.”

“I bet your parents are very nice. It seems like you care about them a lot.” They must be nice if she loves her hat that much.

“They were nice. But they’ve been gone a long time . . .” Applejack sighed before slipping the hat back atop her blond head. Her bright eyes had softened and lost there usual gleam. Instead of smiling, she simply brushed off imaginary sand from her hoof. “It’s hard to believe they died . . .”

Died?

The prospect of death was not foreign. If anything, it was Lisbon’s first language. Dead bodies and sad stories was nothing new to her. But to think that death could happen in Equestria? It just seemed unnatural and twisted. It sat like a blade in her stomach, cutting deep into her gut until it made her curl in agony.

“I . . . I lost my parents too. My mother died from a drunk driver, and my father . . .” Lisbon gulped. The memory wasn’t pleasant. But sometimes, you have to rip off the bandaid and expose your scars. “My father committed suicide after he abused me and my brothers.”

“You’re kiddin!” Applejack turned towards Lisbon with so much shock that her mouth hung agape. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Big, green, angry saucers. “There is no way that a pony could be that cruel! To hurt a family member? No, just . . . No!” Applejack  threw an accusing hoof at Lisbon, the intensity of the movement stunning the mare in question. “You’re ly’in! You’ve gotta be ly’in!”

“I wish I was Applejack. I really do . . . But I’m not.” Lisbon’s voice felt strained. Each syllable coming out of her mouth felt as painful as forcing an orange out of a grape. It burned, teared, and was agonizingly humiliating.

“Ah don’t understand . . .”

“I’m sorry for throwing it on you like that . . . I just . . .” Taking in a breath, she composed herself. Why had she told Applejack? Was it because she felt sorry for her? No, that wasn’t it. The reason was something worse, something selfish. “I felt like I should tell you because I believe everyone needs another they can relate to.” Reaching out, Lisbon rested her hoof on Applejack’s. The other mare drew back slightly, but Lisbon ignored it. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Staring blankly for a moment, Applejack composed herself. Her body was torn between breaking down into tears, and smiling as bright as the sun in Appleloosa. “I think I would, but . . . Maybe another time?” Tears sparkled deep within Applejack’s eyes, and the freckled mare wiped them away before they could run down her warm cheeks. “Still, thank you very much for trusting me enough to tell me what you did. It means a lot Miss Teresa.” Her southern accent shone through brighter than the rampaging sunlight that was scorching the beach.

Lisbon nodded and released Applejack’s hoof from her gentle grip. She settled down on her blanket, and smiled. It was like a giant weight had been lifted from her chest. She could breathe again.

Pinkie Pie dived as the beach-ball headed for the sand. With a mighty huff she threw her locked forelegs upwards and slammed them into it’s base. The plastic ball shot across the tall net and hit the sand on the other side.

“That’s game!”

Applebloom’s voice rang across the net to Sweetiebelle and Scootaloo. Scootaloo rolled her eyes and propped the beach-ball between her wings. Sweetie shrugged, still smiling.

“I demand a rematch! You have a grown up on your team Applebloom!”

Applebloom puffed out her chest. “That was the third game already Scoots! And Pinkie Pie technically shouldn’t count as a grown up.”

“Don’t worry Scootaloo, we can play again another time. Alright? Besides, you did super duper fantastic!” Rubbing Scootaloo’s head playfully, Pinkie Pie winked and bumped the beach-ball towards her bag. “And next time,” she added in a quieter tone, “I’ll be on your side.”

Instantly smiling, Scootaloo raced off with the rest of the crusaders, leaving Pinkie alone to collect her bags. It’s about time I got moving. Twilight will want to get going soon.

Twilight . . . She had been acting weird lately. And so had lots of other ponies. Including Pinkie herself.

I don’t want to . . . It’s not my fault . . . Is it? Am I doing something wrong?

The earth pony could feel her puffy pink mane deflating atop her head. But what could she do? The thoughts only kept coming, it felt like a train had crashed right through her body, knocking the breath from her lungs!

I don’t want to make them pay to stay! But nopony has been coming to Sugarcube Corner lately! We need the money, or the business will be ruined! We’ll have to sell the shop!

Pinkie Pie rubbed her head throughly. A plan, she needed a plan. Maybe she could throw a party and get ponies to come to the bakery again. Or maybe she could put up a bunch of signs inviting them in for a free cupcake, or something like that?

“Why did everypony stop coming . . . Did I do something bad?”

The words were met with silence.

Lisbon plodded through the shallows, relishing the waves as they kissed her baking hooves. Fond memories of the beach flooded her mind, but none of them included her father. The brute hadn't even taught his own children the joys of swimming. And now, she was missing out.

Jane had understood her resistance and continued his violent game of Catch with Twilight. She wouldn’t be surprised if he came home with a bloody nose.

Patrick, what would you do if you lost that friendship?

“I’ve come up with one final test for you Patrick. I’m going to break you. I’ll snap you like a twig, and I won’t even have to touch you.”

Shaking her head, she spread out a map in her mind. It was a map of questions she needed answered. Why had Red John sent them to Equestria? He wants to break us up . . . Tear us apart. But how? Can he see us? Can he interact with this world? So far it doesn’t seem likely. There hasn’t been any real evidence . . . Has there?

Still, something was prodding her mind. The answer, she was so close! “Why can’t I figure this out!?”

She felt like her head was going to explode when the sound of splashing water sounded from behind her. Droplets littered her mane as Jane jumped to a stop in front of her. A quirky smile stretched up his cheeks.

“Lisbon? We are packing up the supplies. It’s time to head home.”

Lisbon gave Jane a quick nod and watched as he plundered out of the water to where the others had begun to gather the beach gear. Joining them, she wiggled a bag around her neck, it was overflowing with sand coated towels.

“Is everypony ready to head home?” Applejack called. The group nodded enthusiastically, Rainbowdash’s sweat covered body already zipping overhead towards Ponyville. I wonder what she was up to. I didn’t see her once! At the back of the group, Fluttershy had a starfish in a small bucket. Every now and again, the yellow pegasus would shoot the creature a small smile, her face positively brimming with joy. Obviously, she had been somewhere not overrun by foals.

A small ways up the road, Rarity was sitting lazily on a sun chair, letting the rays sink into her white fur. Lifting her glasses and squinting her eyes against the sun, the mare spotted her friends walking towards her. Leaping off the chair and folding it up, she trotted to join them.

“Sorry I didn’t join you girls on the beach. It’s just . . . sand.”

It was late when Applejack walked into Twilight’s library. There wasn’t any need to knock, her friend knew she would be coming. It was her plan after all. The lights were still on, and Twilight was hunched over a letter. She wore a scrunch of displeasure, or was it just deep concentration? Either way, it was quickly erased by the sound of the farm pony walking in with loud, impatient stomps.

“I did what you asked Twilight.”

“Oh, Applejack.” Twilight came out from behind her desk and gave her friend an apologetic curtsy. “Look, I know how hard it was for you. But you two seemed to really hit it off when you first met, so I thought it would be easiest if . . .”

“If I was the one that preened information out of her like a lying crow?” Applejack was steaming, her hooves shaking, her hooves restless.

Twilight flinched, the harsh words cutting deep. “Applejack, I’m sorry. I know how hard it was for you. But Equestria could be at stake!”

“She told me her parents died Twi! Her dad committed suicide!”

The words pierced the late night. Glaring at the slumping unicorn, Applejack dared her to speak. But the words that came out didn’t make her feel any better about what she had done.

“Celestia is coming to Ponyville . . . She feels it is necessary to take extreme measures . . .”