Magic of Love: A Twidance Prompt Collab

by ArguingPizza

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Romance, Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life
Length: 161264

The official source for everyone's favorite Princess of Love and Element of Magic shipping

Under 1000 word micro-fics based on one-word writing prompts. Romance, Slice of Life, Sad, you name it, we got it.

All authors are welcome, just check out this thread for rules and latest prompt.

Published 2014-04-06 03:30:03 UTC
Last updated 2015-09-07 21:48:08 UTC

Popcorn by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

~~~

*Pop!*

“That certainly is loud.” Princess Cadance frowned slightly as more tiny explosions sounded from the microwave. “Is this a new brand?”

“Nope. It might be a new bag design though.” Twilight smirked as she trotted past Cadance with a bundle of blankets and pillows for their movie and sleepover night festivities. “Or, it might possibly be my microwave has cheap soundproofing.”

“You can get a better one, you know. You ARE a princess now, Twilight.”

“Maybe. But it still works, so no reason in replacing it.”

Cadance shrugged as the microwave dinged and powered down. Her horn glowed as she took the popcorn and poured it into a large bowl. “How much butter and salt?”

Twilight called out from the library’s main room. “Salt: light. Butter: copious!”

The romantic comedy they rented had been beyond predictable. Cadance had to force herself to not roll her eyes every time the main characters got into an awkward situation designed to bring them closer. That she found herself in a similar situation wasn’t lost on her.

About halfway through the popcorn they had somehow migrated under the same blanket on the floor in front of the screen. Twilight had started out the night very animated and teased her about the cheesy portrayal of “love” in the movie. It was just like when they had been younger and instead of a girls’-night-in they were watching a movie while Twilight’s parents had been out and Cadance was getting paid by the hour.

But now...things were different. It wasn’t a cute little foal resting against her shoulder. It wasn’t a dorky prepubescent unicorn snuggling into her side as they watched a movie before bedtime. It was Twilight. Twilight, the adorable savior of both Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Twilight, the alicorn Princess of Magic itself and her very own sister-in-law.

Cadance knew love. To many, she was just as much the Princess of Love as Twilight was Princess of Magic. She knew that she loved Twilight just as much as she would if they were sisters by more than marriage. Cadance also knew lust. She knew passion and desire like the back of her hoof, as they so often were the boon companions of the love she controlled.

Cadance swallowed the lump that kept forming in her throat as Twilight yawned and pushed herself closer. The mare was older and wiser now but she still seemed to have the habit of leaning on other ponies when she got tired. Cadance did her best to control her breathing as Twilight got comfortable against her. If she could hold out until Twilight fell asleep then she could extract herself and get to her overnight bag in the bathroom and Twilight would be none the wiser.

Perhaps she should have invested in more saddlebags, then she could keep her pills on hoof for whenever the need arose. She was certainly in need tonight. The repetitive thoughts were already starting. She kept her eyes and ears on the screen as the bumbling stallion knocked over a fruit stand in a fumbled attempt to avoid being caught staring by his paramore. She couldn’t even remember the character’s names or how the movie had reached the scene. Twilight was starting to crowd everything else out of her mind. She could smell Twilight’s shampoo as Twilight continued to lean onto her shoulder.

That old familiar burn started to build up in her nethers. The tingle it sent up her spine felt good but she knew it for the siren’s song it was. If she didn’t put a stop to it soon she would be in for a very uncomfortable set of conversations later, to say nothing about what it would do to her pride. She hadn’t had a relapse in months and having one during a rare free moment with Twilight was the last thing she wanted.

A loud crash from the movie snapped Cadance’s thoughts back to the here and now. Another funny scene was playing out and she couldn’t remember how it had been reached. The tingle felt like a live wire worming through her. She couldn’t wait any longer.

“Twilight? Could you pause the film? I have to visit the little fillies room.” Cadance stood abruptly and shrugged off the blanket. If Twilight noticed the stiffness in her movements she didn’t mention it.

Cadance sighed as she looked back at herself in mirror. Her deceptively festive pill organizer sat open on the counter, now missing one of the tiny blue doses. The tingle faded quickly. Her heart was slowing back to normal speed and her crotch didn’t feel hot enough to set fire to anything. She kept her breathing deep and even and focused on a spot of wall just above and to the right of her head. It usually took about twenty minutes for the medicine to kick in. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom that long without raising questions from Twilight however.

Cadance stood and flushed the toilet for effect while she closed and slipped her organizer back into her overnight bag. She could do this. It was Twilight. Her sister, for crying out loud. The medicine quelled that urge. She had to have faith. The medicine and the therapy silenced that voice. She had to have faith. She was a normal pony.

She had to have faith.

Cake by Piece Bot

by Piece Bot

~~~

Twilight Sparkle raced back to the library with a couple of bulging saddle bags, filled to the brim with ingredients for a delicious meal. She burst into the door and slid to a halt, panting heavily as she stopped. Cadence had her tongue stuck out a corner of her mouth as she tried to gather up the ingredients they did have.

“Cadence, I got the other ingredients. Now what?” Twilight asked her. She had no knowledge of whatever Cadence was planning prior to her grocery shopping. Cadence smiled at Twilight. While Twilight was out buying groceries, Cadence had been preparing everything else. She had a couple of mixing bowls set out and her own set of ingredients placed beside one of the mixing bowls.

“Now. I want you to get your ingredients out and placed them next to the other bowl.” Cadence instructed. Twilight did as told and waited for more instructions. This was like what they used to do when Twilight's parents were out. “Remember how we used to bake cakes and make it a race between us?” Cadence asked Twilight.

“Of course I remember … NOW I know what we're doing! We're doing a cake race!” Twilight said in delight. She gave a jubilant smiled and waited for the starting cue.

“Three ...” Cadence started the countdown.

“Two ...” Twilight continued it.

“One …” Cadence finished the countdown.

“GO!” They both shouted at the same time. Cadence immediately grabbed the flour and dumped about half a bag in the bowl. She then grabbed a couple of eggs and lightly tapped them against the side to crack them. She then split both eggs and tossed the shells to the floor.

Meanwhile, Twilight had carefully measured everything out and placed the right amount of flour in the cups. She tapped the eggs against the bowl, cracked them, and tossed the egg shells into the nearby bin. She then added about 500mL of milk and stirred the current concoction to make a paste. In a separate bowl, with amazing speed, Twilight created the other part of cake batter.

Cadence was just tossing her ingredients in left and right, trying to be the first one to finish. After making sure it was the right amount of course. She added the milk and quickly stirred it; cake batter flew everywhere. Cadence then prepared the other half of her cake in a separate bowl like Twilight. After doing so, Cadence then immediately poured all of the mixture into the bowl and stirred to make both batters mesh together and create one smooth concoction.

Twilight was already at the oven stage and it was just baking now.

Cadence was lucky that she preheated both ovens. She immediately placed the cake batter into the oven and slammed the door shut, nearly putting the flame out in the back.

“Phew.” Cadence said after she was sure that both cakes were cooking nicely.

“I think I won.” Twilight said smugly.

“Ha. Don't be so sure.” Cadence replied and immediately started to laugh. Twilight joined and they both laughed until the ovens went ding.

“Spike! Can you come down here please?” Twilight called out to her assisstant. When there was no answer, Twilight walked up the stairs and into the room she shared with the drake. She found Spike sleeping soundly. Grinning, Twilight teleported the both of them out of the bedroom and into the main part of the library.

“Ouch. I was having a nice dream about ice-cream.” Spike's mouth watered at that. Cadence giggled and used her magic to levitate both cakes out of the kitchen. Spike's face fell when he saw the levitating cakes. “Nope. Not doing this again.” Spike crossed his arms.

“Not even for a gem?” Twilight asked him and waved a big emerald in front of his face.

“You got me there. If this turns out like last time then this will be the last time I'm taste testing your cakes.” Spike sighed and grabbed the gem, making sure to save it for later.

Both ponies smiled at the slightly-suspicious dragon and Cadence levitated both cakes in front of him.

“Which cake are you going to try first?”

Spike was currently in the bathroom and vomiting up the contents of both cakes.

“I didn't think they would be that bad.” Cadence said with a slight smile.

“That's because he tried your one first.” Twilight smirked.

Beach by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Cadence stretched out her arms under her aunt Celestia’s morning sun. The golden warmth illuminating the white sands all around her. Her tanned skin warmed by light she smiled unwrapping the silk skirt from around her waist and setting it on her light purple beach towel. She giggles glancing out and seeing her personal guards off in the distance.

With a slight pout she glances around wondering where her date was. It wasn’t like Twilight to be late. A smile grew on Cadence’s lips as she remember all the little freak outs the young Aetherian had over the years. It seemed like yesterday Cadence was bribing her former charge out of her dorm into the world, or trying to get Twi to calm down and just kiss her Princess.

A flash of purple light and a slight pop of air signalled Twilights arrival.

“There you..” Cadence trailed off turning to see Twilight standing nervously fidgeting with her hands. The scholar wore a dark purple bikini that showed more of her dark skin than Cadence had ever thought she’d see out in public. A nervous blush appeared on the girl’s cheek and she smiles. Cadence eyes were drawn to a simple necklace hanging across Twilight’s chest. A light crystal heart on a silver chain.

“H….hey” Twilight forced a nervous smile. She gasps as Cadence moves forward sweeping the girl into her arms and kissing her deeply. Their lips meeting Cadence giggles pink wings of mana forming from the taller woman’s shoulders and wrapping around to obscure the lovers for a moment.

“Where did you get this?” Cadence asked gently lifting the stone.

“I was researching in the library and I came across a book. Did you know that there was once an Empire in the north whose symbol was the Crystal Heart?” Twilight smiles and traces her finger over the similar mark on Cadence’s left shoulder blade. “One that looked just like your mark. It would help protect the people of the Empire and was said to help guide the peace of Equestria as a whole. I decided to make a necklace to remember both the legend, and my Princess” Twilight smiled up at Cadence.

“It is beautiful. I love the bikini too..” She added with a wink and smile. “My little Twiley is growing up.” She stepped away her wings folding and fading as she swoons in pride. Twilight laughed and mock pouted sending a burst of sand against her lover.

“Study showed that showing skin was a quick way to get an emotional response from a loved one.” She grinned and raised her head “I guess I should just head back to the libra...EEK!” She squealed as Cadence tackled her lifting her and gliding out over the water before dropping her into the warm ocean water.

“Sorry Twi, You were about to summon the soup box.” She said landing gracefully in the water swimming over to the floundering scholar. Twilight just smirked at her.

“See if I dress sexy for you ever again.”

“You’re always sexy to me Twilight” Cadence pulled her into a kiss and smiled. “Lets just enjoy the day off from our lives.”

“Yes Princess” Twilight replied with a dopey grin

Bouquet by Knight of Lycaeus

Bouquet by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Engulfed in her magic was a bundle of flowers that she had just received from Twilight as part of the birthday gifts she had brought over. It was a pleasant change to see the lavender unicorn, it had been a while and her job as an ambassador for Equestria meant she was often out of the country. She had returned to Equestria only a few days ago, in time to celebrate her birthday although the lavender unicorn had shown up with gifts a day early, her birthday was tomorrow.

“Thank you, Twilight although my birthday is tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome and I remember but”, Twilight hesitated, “I thought I could bring them over early and spend some more time with you. We don’t see each other very often these days.”

Cadance reached a foreleg over and hugged the the unicorn, “You’re right we don’t. I wish we could however but I’m usually aboard and even when I come home to Canterlot there might not even be time to see you. It’s also nice to find you somewhere other than buried in the Royal Archives, perhaps this is like before when you declared yourself the Queen of All Books.”

Twilight blushed, “Oh very funny, yes the mare who loves being buried in books and you who has to rescue her every time. This sounds so much like a fairy tale of a damsel and knight minus the dragon.”

She had yet to open her gift, that she would save for tomorrow but she turned back to the bouquet intent on placing in a vase, the bouquet consisted of a large cherry blossom as the center, her favourite flower, surrounding it were purple lilacs. A pretty combination of purple and pink and an unusual choice too, for many flowers all had different meanings. Cherry blossom could mean beauty and purple lilacs…. She did a quick double take, yes these were purple lilacs; purple lilacs were popular in Equestria to represent…. first love. She looked again, the colours of the flowers matched her coat and Twilight’s and Twilight likely knew what these flowers meant. Twilight may have been inept at social interactions but she had knowledge at her disposal, she either knew it or could find it.

‘She has a crush on me, this is unexpected but welcomed. I knew we were close when we were younger and I had realized we shared something special especially after she had left for Ponyville but I didn’t think I would have tried anything this soon. Maybe in a few months when I would be returning to Equestria for an extended stay but not now. I had no idea that she might have felt the same though but it’s hard to figure out when we can’t see each other very often.’

She turned back to Twilight who was shifting from hoof to hoof.

“You know what these flowers means right?”, her hopes rested on the following questions.

Twilight hesitated on answering but eventually nodded.

“Twilight, do you mean this?”

This time she answered, “I-i do. I-i’ve tried to s-say something for a while now but I wasn’t sure what or when….”

At this Cadance leaned in to kiss her, “I think I feel the same, so should we give this a shot?”

Sweet Tea by Bakmah Genesis

by Bakmah Genesis
~~~

Twilight shifted in her seat slightly, looking out over the Crystal Empire as a distraction from her current problem. The humming from the mare next to her as she sipped on her tea made this difficult, however.

Cadence looked over her empire with a slight smile, happy with how things have changed for her. From her chance to escape the prudent nobles to being able to live happily with the pony she truely loved. Cadence was truely happy.

Twilight took a sip of her own tea, somehow unsatisfied by the taste it left in her mouth. Twilight stuck her tongue at as she glared at her cup. Cadence, catching her look, giggled lightly. She used her magic to loft Twilight's cup back to the lavender unicorn's lips. Twilight begrudgingly took another sip.

Before she could swallow, Cadence pulled the cup away and put her lips in its place, causing the unicorn before her to freeze. Cadence held the kiss for more than the nessecary time, enjoying the slight moan from Twilight. She giggled as she pulled away.

Twilight gulped down the contents in her mouth, finding the flavor to change. It was....sweeter. The unicorn giggled with a blush as she took another sip of her tea, leaning against Cadence as the couple watched the lives of their subjects below.

Pregnancy by Misago

by Misago
~~~

"Congratulations, me."

Cadance's whisper was the only noise sounding in the empty examination room of Canterlot Palace. Empty, except for her and the official document confirming what she already knew.

Pregnant.

Wrapped in her telekinetic aura, she had looked at it for the last ten minutes. It felt unreal, as if it might disappear, as if she would wake up at any moment. As if it was just a strange and intimidating dream.

She was happy, really. Shiny and her got along great, she had always wished for a loving family, to have foals of her own she could care for ever since she was a teenager.

There was knocking at the door. Hastily, Cadance put on a smile, and called "Come in!"

The door opened silently, and Cadance felt the familiar shiver of nearby alicorn magic. She felt her heartrate jump. It couldn't be...

To her relief, it was Celestia who stepped in, smiling.

"Congratulations, Cadance", Celestia said with a nod towards the floating piece of paper.

"Thank you", Cadance replied, smile warming. "It still feels a bit unreal to me, though."

There was something strange about Celestia's smile.

As fast as it had gone, Cadance's unrest returned.

"Is there something wrong, aunty?", she asked.

"No, not as such", Celestia assured her.

"Cadance, I know that few parents want to find out the species of their foal beforehand", Celestia began again. "I have to tell you, however."

Cadance held her breath.

"You're going to have an alicorn filly."

They stared at each other, Cadance's expression of shock turning to confusion.

"And that is a problem?", she asked with more than a tinge of hostility in her voice.

"A problem?" Celestia shook her head slowly, seemingly to dispel Cadance's anger. "No. However, since the foal belongs to a magically gifted species, we - or, in this case, I - took some additional measurements, just as a precaution. Her magic is strong. Exceptionally strong, in fact. Since there are no known cases of alicorn pregnancies, we can not rule out that this is normal. However, I felt something... familiar. So I personally tested the magic aura."

"It matches your own, in part, that much was obvious. But it did not match your husband. It matches Twilight."

Cadance felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to shout, to accuse Celestia of making a joke. of trying to aggravate her.

"W-what are you saying? Do you think I cheated on Shiny? With his sister?" Her voice felt weak, and she had to take deep breaths to calm herself.

How could that be? She would never...

But there was a treacherous part of her mind that usually was content to remain silent during the day. It waited for those rare moments where she was alone, where she was not Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire, only Cadance, who dreamt of the fairy tale ending to her story...

That part found its voice now.

"But you want to", it said. "You wanted it for years. Only you were afraid to take a chance, to woo the shy, bookish mare you grew up with. The dashing knight was just so much easier to handle, right?"

Cadance felt the tear sting in her eyes.

"I never...never..." was all she managed to get out, her lips quivering.

"Cadance, listen to me!" Celestia's wing came out of nowhere and wrapped her in a warm cocoon. Desperate, she threw herself at her aunt, wrapping her hooves around the taller alicorn.

"I don't believe for a second that either you or Twilight would be capable of something like that. I know as sure as I know that Luna is my sister that both of you are incapable of something this deceitful."

"T-then what are you telling me?", Cadance whispered. She pressed deeper into the great white wing rubbing her back soothingly.

"I do not know. Is there maybe something you should be telling?"

When Cadance said nothing, Celestia continued. "We alicorns are deeply magical beings, not only in what we project on the outside. For example, Luna is much more attuned to my magic than to Twilight's, because we are sisters and thus much closer than she and Twilight are. We both feel the magic of the other influencing the moon or the sun."

"And you? You are the princess of love. And just maybe you longed for something, deep in your heart."

Cadance looked up into Celestia's face. She knew that she had to say it now. She knew what had happened.

"I... I wanted this", she said with a rough voice. "My body reacted to Twilight's magic because... because I am in love with her."

She gasped.

"I am in love with Twily", she repeated slowly.

She felt Celestia kiss her forehead softly. "I am glad", the older Alicorn said.

"But what should I do now?", Cadance asked, head once again buried against Celestia's neck.

"You came to Canterlot for the examination for a reason, didn't you? The only thing to do is tell them both. It won't be easy. Ponies will get hurt. But in the end, you have to follow your heart. Can you promise me that, Cadance?"

Cadance swallowed. It would be hard. She had no guarantee that Twilight would accept her. That Shining Armor would talk to her ever again.

But for the sake of the filly growing inside of her, with Celestia as her witness, she would try. And maybe she would have the family she always wished for.

"I promise."

Pregnancy by Misago(Extended Version)

by Misago
~~~

"Congratulations, me."

Cadance's whisper was the only noise sounding in the empty examination room of Canterlot Palace. Empty, except for her and the official document confirming what she already knew.

Pregnant.

Wrapped in her telekinetic aura, she had looked at it for the last ten minutes. It felt unreal, as if it might disappear, as if she would wake up at any moment. As if it was just a strange and intimidating dream.

She was happy, really. Shiny and her got along great, they'd loved each other basically forever. And she had always wished for a loving family, to have foals of her own she could care for ever since she was a teenager. She had seen her husband with his sister when they were younger, and he did seem to make a great father.

But there was one thing he could never be.

There was knocking at the door. Hastily, Cadance put on a smile, and called "Come in!"

The door opened silently, and Cadance felt the familiar shiver of nearby alicorn magic. She felt her heartrate jump. It couldn't be...

To her eternal relief, it was Celestia who stepped in, familiar smile on her muzzle. As she came closer, though, Cadance thought she sensed some hesitation from the older Alicorn.

"Congratulations, Cadance", Celestia said with a nod towards the floating piece of paper.

Cadance's smile widened just a bit at the honest familial affection. It was nice to see her aunt again, after so much time spent in the Crystal Empire. Sometimes she longed for the days she had spent here, with the ever-calming presence of Celestia around to sooth all worries and sorrow.

"Thank you", she said. "It still feels a bit unreal to me, though."

Celestia chuckled.

"There are mothers and foals all around us, but it still seems like that is something only happening to other people, doesn't it?"

"Something like that."

There was something strange about Celestia's smile now, almost restless.

As fast as it had gone, Cadance's unrest returned.

"Is there something wrong, aunty?", she asked after a while. A part of her wanted to let it go. Let it go, return home, start her family and be happy forever.

"No, not as such", Celestia assured her. She turned her head away, for a moment, before returning to stare Cadance straight in the eyes.

"Cadance, I know that few parents want to find out the species of their foal beforehand", Celestia began again, expression now serious. "I have to tell you, however."

Cadance held her breath, unable to react.

"You're going to have an alicorn filly."

They stared at each other, Cadance's expression of shock turning to confusion.

"And that is a problem?", she asked with more than a tinge of hostility in her voice. How dare Celestia scare her like that!

"A problem?" Celestia shook her head slowly, seemingly to dispel Cadance's anger. "No. However, since the foal belongs to a magically gifted species, we - or, in this case, I - took some additional measurements, just as a precaution. Her magic is strong. Exceptionally strong, in fact. Since there are no known cases of alicorn pregnancies, we can not rule out that this is normal. However, I felt something... familiar. So I personally tested the magic aura."

For the second time, Cadance held her breath.

"It matches your own, in part, that much was obvious. But it did not match your husband. It matches Twilight."

Cadance felt her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to shout, to accuse Celestia of making a joke in poor taste, of trying to aggravate her.

"W-what are you saying? Do you think I cheated on Shiny? With his own sister?" Her voice felt weak, and she had to take deep breaths to calm herself.

How could that be? She would never...

But there was a small, treacherous part of her mind that usually was content to remain silent during the day. It waited and it watched for those rare moments where she was alone, where she was not Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire, only Cadance, who dreamt of the fairy tale ending to her story...

That part found its voice now.

"But you want to", it said. "You wanted it for years. Only you were afraid to take a chance, to woo the shy, bookish mare you grew up with. The dashing knight was just so much easier to handle, right?"

Cadance felt the tear sting in her eyes.

"I never...never..." was all she managed to get out, her lips quivering, her voice thick.

"Cadance, listen to me!" Celestia's wing came out of nowhere and wrapped her in a warm cocoon. Desperate, she threw herself at her aunt, wrapping her hooves around the taller alicorn, sobbing into the white coat.

"I don't believe for a second that either you or Twilight would be capable of something like that. I know as sure as I know that Luna is my sister that both of you are incapable of something this deceitful."

"T-then what are you telling me?", Cadance whispered. She pressed deeper into the great white wing rubbing her back soothingly.
"I do not know. Is there maybe something you should be telling?"

When Cadance said nothing, Celestia continued. "We alicorns are deeply magical beings, not only in what we project on the outside. For example, Luna is much more attuned to my magic than to Twilight's, because we are sisters and thus much closer than she and Twilight are. We both feel the magic of the other influencing the moon or the sun."

Her wingtip flicked against Cadance's cutie mark.

"And you? You are the princess of love. And just maybe you longed for something, deep in your heart."

Cadance looked up into Celestia's face. She felt her aunt's affection, her kindness, and she knew that she had to say it now. She knew what had happened.

"I... I wanted this", she said with a rough voice. "My body reacted to Twilight's magic because... because I am in love with her."

She gasped.

"I am in love with Twilight Sparkle", she repeated slowly.

She felt Celestia kiss her forehead softly. "I am glad", the older Alicorn said.

"But what should I do now?", Cadance asked, head once again buried against Celestia's neck.

"You came to Canterlot for the examination for a reason, didn't you? The only thing to do is tell them both. It won't be easy. Ponies will get hurt. But in the end, you have to follow your heart. Can you promise me that, Cadance?"

Cadance swallowed. It would be hard. She had no guarantee that Twilight would accept her. That Shining Armor would talk to her ever again.

But for the sake of the filly growing inside of her, with Celestia as her witness, she would try. And maybe she would have the family she always wished for.

"I promise."

Author's Note

The original, uncut version of Misago's prompt.

Fish by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Twilight was a mare of many words. Her former side-passion as a librarian had brought with it an expansive vocabulary that would put a dictionary to shame. Her studies, both arcane and scientific, crafted her brain into a fine-tuned classification and designation machine. Last, but certainly not least, a friendship with Pinkie Pie brought with it a fountain of probably-not-actually words such as ‘nervouscited’ and ‘fantasterrific.’

Yet, as she watched Cadence laying morosely on the end of an empty pier at the farthest reaches of Horseshoe Bay, she had no idea what to say. Instead, she sat frozen next to her (former?) sister-in-law, the black dress she wore swaying in the light breeze blowing off the sea. Cadence’s own dress, or rather the shredded scraps that remained, floated on the surface of the dark blue Marediterranean.

The silence was chokingly thick, interrupted only by the sound of a pink hoof swirling about listlessly in the water. A small school of fish swam circles around the intruder, occasionally darting in to nibble in search of a meal.

Normally, the action would never fail to make Cadence giggle, but she didn’t flinch. Her face remained locked, her eyes glazed over and puffy from crying. Her fur was matted and dirty and her mane hung limp and lifeless.

Twilight took a moment to curse herself for being unable to console her friend. But what was there to say? The Princess of Harmony felt as if her stomach had been pulled out, mulched, and placed back inside ever since she had received news of her brother’s…she couldn’t bring herself to even think the word. For Cadence, it must have been a thousand times worse.

Lacking words, Twilight settled for laying down beside Cadence and draping a wing ever her. Cadence barely stirred, but did edge the smallest bit closer to Twilight. It wasn't much, but it was progress.

Brother by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

“Cadence? Cadence?”, Shining nudged the mare next to him.

“W-what?” a slightly confused Cadence tried to focus herself back from her daydream.

“I’ve tried calling your name a few names, first time you’ve answered. So, welcome back to Equestria.”

“Oh, s-sorry just been distracted lately.”

“So I’ve noticed. Want to talk?”

“You? Talk?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Cadence responded with a stare.

“Okay fine, not really but you sort of need the help. So the problem?”

Cadence looked away and hesitated unsure of how to answer, “I really don’t know where to begin.”

“Oh I don’t know, try at the beginning?”

“Now I know why Twilight and by extension Spike are so snarky, they picked it up from you.”

“Likely but you’re avoiding the topic.” trying to prompt her to say it.

“Fine, I am; truth is I am uncertain about someone or rather two someones I care about.”

“So, who then and why?”

Cadence sighed, “You and Twilight.”

“Oh?”, hoping she would give some more details, “Why is that?”

“You would find this silly.”

“Okay now you really have to tell me.”

“It’s strange I can feel the ties binding ponies yet I can’t figure out my own heart. I’m c-confused, I don’t know who I love; for both of you I feel something that’s more than friendship…. maybe…. I don’t know romantic love.”

“Well that was the understatement of the year. The Princess of Love confused over her own feelings but seriously, I care for you a lot Cadence and so does Twilight so yeah I could see the confusion.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” asked a increasingly desperate Cadence.

Shining braced himself, what he was about to do was difficult. He was protective of his little sister and he would do what he could to protect her but he also knew that the mare next to him felt the same. She would protect Twilight and not intentionally harm her; so he took a deep breath before speaking, “Ask her out?”

“What?” Cadence yelled out as she turned to look directly at him, she was surprised that Shining of all ponies, protective Shining Armour would allow his sister to date without some threat dangling over the prospective pony.”

“Again, what I said was ask her out.”

“R-really. B-but what about you?”

“Truthfully Cadence, I love what we have. We have been friends since foalhood and I love that, I love being here with you and I want that to last. For a while I thought I loved you as a lover but no, I don’t love you in that way; although I have and always will love you Cadence as your friend and as your family. I like things the way they are.”

“But you would let me date Twilight? Without any threats?”

“You know me Cadence and I know you, I said that already. You’re not some nameless unknown colt or mare asking my sister out but you’re my best friend and hers.”

Cadence hugged Shining close, “Thank you, she really has a great big brother watching out for her.”

Longing by YourBronyGod

by YourBronyGod
~~~

Twilight crossed necks with her bother and Cadance with the same smile she always did. A smile hiding her feelings, her longing. The things she would never allow herself to speak aloud. Things were fine as they were after all. All that speaking up would cause is chaos, distance and tears. Well…more tears that usual at least.

“Take care Twiley,” Her brother said with a joking punch to her shoulder. She laughed and punched back. She could never tell him how she felt. How jealous of him she was. How badly she wished to switch places with him, if just for a day. No. She never would. All she’s show him was a smile from the cheerful sister he knew. “Don’t go causing trouble,” He joked.

“Of course not. I’m always on my best behavior.” Always on her best behavior indeed. Always hiding her thoughts away to avoid causing problems. To avoid having her heart broken. One swift hit is all it would take after all, as fragile as it was after years of hiding it away, of not letting it affect her, of never acting on it.

“Just remember Twilight. We are always here for you.* Twilight just barely kept herself from wincing as Cadance spoke and leaned on Shining. Her mind tortured her with fantasies where she was in his place. Feeling her lovingly lean on her is more than she dared to imagine as she pushed it away and kept her plastic smile.

“I know Cadance.” As she said it, she knew that there was a slight sad inflection in her voice but it was far too late as Cadance spoke up.

“Is everything alright Twilight?” She asked in such a caring tone that if she still allowed her heart to control anything, she’d be leaning against her releasing over a decade of feelings. But she couldn’t. Especially not now. She wanted to be a part of their lives even if it meant denying the very thing she wanted more than anything.

“No. Everything is fine.” She says, shaking her head. “Don’t take strain yourself. Okay?” She asks as she walks away.

“Maybe we’ll name it after you!” She called out to her, tears beginning to force their way out of her eyes as she silently nods and leaves the pregnant mare she loves. Yes. Everything was fine like this.

’Everything just fine…'

Alcohol by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Shining Armor drained yet another wooden mug in a single long pull and slammed it on the table he shared with nopony.

“Another,” he ordered in a voice that grew more slurred as the night wore on. The barmare, a look of concern etched onto her pretty face, grimaced as she fetched him a fresh drink. When he failed to empty it immediately, she retreated to tend to the bar’s other patrons.

Shining Armor sighed as he stared into the shimmering beer in front of him. It had seemed a good idea when he began, drinking away his troubles. Even if it didn’t solve them, it would let him think about something else for a little while.

He snorted. A solution for his problems, wouldn’t that be nice? Eleven tankards later, the only solution he had was the answer to the question of what kind of drunk he was. As much as he would have hoped otherwise, he was a sad drunk.

Then again, what solution was there? He could try, and whether he succeeded or failed Twilight would be devastated. If he didn’t try, at least he was the only one hurting. That was his job, wasn’t it? His purpose in life? As a Big Brother Best Friend Forever, he was supposed to protect Twilight in any way he could. Hay that was how he got his cutie mark in the first place!

For the thousandth time, he cursed himself for his cowardice. He had a chest full of medals for bravery, enough to pin him to the ground if he wore them all at once. An Order of Valor from the evacuation of the Equestrian Embassy in Leonis, a Silver Chevron for his actions during a peacekeeping operation in Zebrica, a Bronze Hurricane with V for Valor from the Badlands Campaign. More awards than he could count for courage in battle and yet he was unable to simply confess his feelings to a single pink mare.

He shook his head and downed the rest of his drink. Maybe it was for the best. After all, if anypony deserved to be happy, it was Twilight. How many times do you have to save Equestria before you get the girl anyway? That’s how the story is supposed to go, anyway. The valiant knight rides it, slays the dragon (metaphorically speaking, since Spike was part of the family), and rescues the Princess from the tower.

For the first time since he could remember in his inebriated state, Shining Armor smiled. It was a sad, pitiful thing, but it was a smile. He supposed the knight did get the Princess in the end, even if it turned out to be yet another Princess. After all, how many times had Twilight saved Equestria? Four? Five? He had honestly lost count, something which he had never thought would be possible.

Twilight was the hero, the champion who rides in to save the day. Who better than the Princess of Love for the Princess of Harmony? He was just another soldier. Expendable, replaceable. There would be other Guard Captains, but there could never be another Twilight Sparkle.

So he would do what good soldiers do; he’d grit his teeth and endure. He’d fake every smile, spit out every platitude of congratulations. He’d help the two most precious mares in his life live their Happily Ever After, and he’d never say a word. Because he was Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, and Big Brother Best Friend Forever.

Forever.

Wild by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

“How are you holding up?” Cadance glanced down where Twilight was starting to huff and pant. “We’re almost there!”

Cadance spread her wings in the thin air, catching the last hint of the updraft that had helped them ascend for the past few minutes. She grabbed the wind and pushed hard, one final time to push herself up and over the edge of the wispy cloud that was their destination. She settled herself and took a big gulp of cool high altitude air to get her breathing and heart rate under control.

Twilight followed her a moment later and more or less collapsed next to her. Cadance grinned and wheezed. “I am so out of practice. You would think, having been born a pagasus, I’d be reasonably good at flying. But I never was a strong or fast flyer.”

“Flutter...Fluttershy is...is like that.” Twilight rolled unceremoniously onto her back as her chest heaved with each breath. “By Faust, this cloud is high up!”

Cadance smirked and nodded. It was good to see that Twilight had not only gotten used to flying but had easily taken to cloudwalking and the quick elevation adaptation natural to pegasi. “I like to come up here once a week. Mostly for the exercise. The Crystal Empire is almost 90% earth ponies with most of the remainder being unicorns. I don’t get the chance very often to fly with other ponies.”

“There are gryphon settlements nearby.”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “I can barely keep up with other pegasi! I wouldn’t even try to do the long distance flights the gryphons favor.”

Twilight chuckled, her breathing having returned to somewhere near normal. She shifted around and climbed to her hooves so she could look out over the edge of the cloud at the whole of Equus spread out like a blanket far below. The Crystal Empire sat directly beneath them, the central castle glinted in the mid-day sun like a beacon that was visible for dozens of leagues in every direction.

Twilight whistled to herself and turned back to Cadance. “You come up here just for exercise? This view is amazing!”

“I know, right?” Cadance smiled. “The view is one of the perks of having the sky to myself here. And the silence too. Normally it’s just me and the wind whispering through my mane. Your brother tells me I look so serene and majestic when I sit and think on a cloud.”

“I could see that.” Twilight sighed and settled herself comfortably so she could still see most of the view their vantage point offered. “What do you think about?”

“Boring political stuff most of the time. I wonder constantly how Aunt Celestia managed to rule Equestria by herself for so long. It’s interesting, but it’s tedious too.” Cadance let her voice fade off as she watched a small patch of the pale blue sky. “When that isn’t weighing on my mind… well, I think about Shining, or you, or the new friends I’m making here. I can safely claim that my mind isn’t clouded very much these days.”

Twilight nodded but kept her mouth shut. She could remember their days together back in Canterlot when they had been younger and the few times that Cadance had acted...weird. She’d never really thought much of it at the time. A younger Twilight had just assumed that was how teenaged mares acted. It certainly had seemed that way when she had first realized that her big brother and her foalsitter were in love.

As she thought back on those times, Twilight couldn’t help but wonder. Sometimes Cadance had seemed almost afraid of her. She never did anything or said anything odd, but from time to time, Twilight could see it in her eyes. Sometimes that look, that hidden...whatever it was..wasn’t afraid. Sometimes it looked hungry. Like that way she had seen Cadance look at her brother. It was always quick. Blink-and-you-miss-it sort of moments.

There were times when Cadance would be acting normally and then lose focus and babble for a moment and break out in a sweat. She would close her eyes and hold her breath like she was trying to hold something in. Over the years, there were less and less of those odd incidents. Cadance had remained her friend until school and conflicting schedules had simply pulled them apart.

Now, they were reconnecting and Cadance was still the wonderful mare she had always known her to be. But then, a few weeks ago when they had revived the old tradition of fillies-only movie night, there had been another one of those incidents.

Twilight fought to keep her face neutral. She didn’t want to show Cadance how guilty she felt inside for listening in on her in the bathroom. She didn’t want her to know that she had heard the muttering, or the sounds of what was possibly a pill case opening and closing. She didn’t want Cadance to know about the researching she had done afterwards. But all of her research had only led her to more questions. Questions and court-sealed documents.

It wasn’t her business. Twilight told herself that is wasn’t, not truly. She hadn’t turned over some great conspiracy, just circumstantial evidence of a potential secret. It wasn’t her business. It was only a secret kept by her oldest friend and one that seemed to have no harm in being kept. Some things are like that.

It wasn’t her business.

Author's Note

This is Fuzzyfurvert's follow-up to his previous Twidance prompt Popcorn

Jealousy by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

“What’s wrong, Shining?” Cadance raised her eyebrow as she walked up to her husband. He’d beaten her to the bedroom. Between her duties as the Queen Regent of the Crystal Empire and Shining’s duties as head of the guard and de facto leader of the Crystal Municipalities Corps, they rarely made it to bed at the same time. Most evenings, she made it in before him, but tonight he was sitting on the bed with an odd look on his face.

Shining looked up and smiled at his wife. “Hmm? I just had an odd thought.”

“Oh?” Cadance returned the smile and stepped beside Shining to nuzzle him. “I know a thing or two about odd thoughts. Is something on your mind?”

Shining slipped off their bed and put an arm over her withers. “Not really. It’s just…” Shining turned them both toward the master bath suite. “Do you think I’m getting old? I completely blew off the gym today because I was having too much fun in the office. Is city planning supposed to be interesting?”

Shining chuckled and lit the lights with his horn. Cadance turned on the shower and slipped her royal vestments off as she smirked at him. “Having fun rebuilding the kingdom? Where is the stallion I married? Who is this moderately handsome, glorified clerk?”

“Moderately?” Shining groaned. “I’ll have you know I still got all my strength and skill that made me captain of the guard.”

Cadance giggled and stepped into the shower. She looked back and lifted her tail slightly. “Oh? Prove it.”

“You have the power, you know.”

Celestia said nothing but nodded her head slowly.

“You aren’t going to unseal the documents, are you?”

Celestia shook her head and lifted her cup in her magic. “It would not be right of me, you know that Twilight. Cadance hasn’t given her permission for the documents to be released and I highly doubt that she would.”

“I know.” Twilight sighed and upended her own cup of espresso. “But you know how my mind works. I can’t let go of stuff like this. I want to talk to Cadance about it but...I’m scared.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Heavens! The amazing Twilight Sparkle is openly admitting fear? Such scandal!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and finished off her coffee. “It’s just a really weird thing to ask! I’ve know Cadance for a long time, and finding out she has parts of her history sealed by the Equestrian Judicial Authority with your stamp on it...it’s just infuriating. I know it’s probably something Cadance wouldn’t want me to know. I know it’s none of my business. But knowing makes me no less curious!”

Celestia remained silent for a time, watching the steam rise from her mug. After a few moments set it back on the table next to a large envelope that carried her seal from more than twenty years ago. “I understand your plight, Twilight. I’m sure you see the sense in speaking with Cadance about this. Were you, not ten minutes ago, telling me about your wonderful visit to the north and reconnecting with her? Tell her you know that something happened and, you have a deep sense of curiosity born from your friendship with her, about it. Cadance knows how your mind works.”

“But I don’t understand her mind.” Twilight turned the envelope around to stare at it. “This is a criminal case and that does not compute. Cadance isn’t a criminal! She might act oddly every now and then but she is not a bad pony.”

“No,” Celestia agreed, “she is not a bad pony. The details are hers to divulge or keep hidden, Twilight. I hope you can respect that.”
Twilight frowned but pushed the thick envelope away. “I know. I just really don’t want to hurt her feelings. I don’t want her to think ill of me for looking into this either. I wish I’d never heard her mumbling in the bathroom all those weeks ago.”

Celestia chose not to respond and took up her coffee again.

Cadance lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Shining breathed rhythmically next to her, already asleep. Infrequent insomnia was a side effect of her medication. She turned and watched him and traced the lines of his jaw with one hoof. She wasn’t sure how she felt at the moment. It was always like that when the medicine hit her system and her emotions rearranged themselves and her mind and nethers grew quiet.

Cadance was glad, in a way, for her sleeplessness. Her emotional state had become a growing concern as of late and she welcomed the opportunity to do some quiet introspection. She certainly seemed to be having a lot of flare ups. Ever since she had decided to visit Twilight and Discord had shown up and thrown them all for a loop with his sickness. She’d had the doctors go over her with a fine tooth comb after the first one.

They ruled out chaos magic being the cause...but Cadance had her doubts. It was possibly just time for an adjustment to her medication again. Maybe she was developing a resistance. Cadance gave herself a mental note to speak with her therapist about that in the morning. Shining would be worried again but she knew he’d see the wisdom in checking everything they could for a solution. Having an alicorn that can control love have a fit in the middle of a public forum would not be a PR challenge he would want.

That old familiar tingle didn’t start down low inside, but it let her know that it would be there if the medicine stopped working. It almost ached, like a ghost remembered, it’s whisper too quiet to hear unless the medicine stopped working. It rattled in it’s pony-made chemical cage. It would get out, if the medicine stopped working. Cadance really wasn’t sure what she was going to do.

If the medicine stopped working.

Author's Note

Part three in Fuzzyfurvert's ongoing Twidance prompt series.

Beneath by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

The false Cadence’s picture shattered under the blast of arcane might. Twilight panted stepping into the cloud of vaporized crystals. She glared finding yet another simulacrum, this one appeared beaten and bruised. She let out a feral growl

“QUIT TRYING TO MESS WITH MY HEAD YOU LIAR!” She screamed leveling her horn at the fake.

“Twiliy! Wait its me! The real Cadence!” The things voice threw off her aim, the blast struck its shoulder. It spun through the air before it landed on the hard stone of the cave floor.

“Twilight, please..I’m me..” It begged looking up at Twilight with Cadence’s eyes. Twilight’s rage only grew as the thing looked at her.

“No! You’re not! None of you have been! The real Cadence wouldn’t have waited until the last minute to tell me she was marrying my brother! The real Cadence wouldn’t be that cruel!” Twilight hissed in a voice barely above a whisper. She set her hooves charging power into her horn.

“I was scared! I didn’t want to break your heart!” The Cadence thing shrieked and covered her head in her pink hooves.

“W..what?” Twilight’s concentration was shattered. She stumbled and looked down at the thing laying in front of her. Blinking away the rage and pain, she saw, for the first time, the battered form of Princess Cadence. She saw the fear in her eyes.

“I was afraid! You’ve been crushing on me since...since you figured out you like mares! I knew, but..but I never wanted to hurt you Twilight.” Cadence slowly rose to her hooves. She limped towards the shaking purple unicorn. She winced wrapping her forehooves around her former friend.

“I was an idiot, I should have told you sooner that I knew, a..and that I don’t love you that way.” Cadence tried to keep her voice calm, but it cracked with worry and pain. She looked away from Twilight in shame.

“I...I..I should have guessed..” Twilight said in reply. She let out a ragged laugh “After all, you showed all the signs of being in lust with my brother.” Twilight forced a smile onto her face. Cadence stepped back and glared at Twilight.

“Love, love with your brother.” She looked to the sky, raising her nose at the very idea a princess would be overcome with lust. A few moments passed before both mare let out bouts of nervous laughter. The tension and pain they’d both felt over the last few days melting away as they clung to each other. Their laughter echoed through the caverns around them.

“I’m sorry Twilight,” Cadence finally said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “I really was stupid. You know what I can do to make this up to you?” She asked with a grin

“What?”

“Lets go kick that shapeshifting witch’s plot!” Cadence said as she offered a hoof to Twilight. The unicorn grinned and hugged her former foalsitter.

“Sounds like a plan”

“Then you, me, and Shiney can all sit down and sort this all out afterwards” Cadence added as they began to search for the exit to the caverns. Twilight just pouted as they ran. She didn’t want it all sorted out. She wanted Cadence.

Spike by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

In a quiet corner of a restaurant stood two figures, a dragon and a pony.

"Are you sure this will work?" asked the dragon.

"No, but this might be the best option at the moment."

"Wouldn't this have been better in person?" asked the dragon a second time

"No", he hesitated, "This is the better option, in pony would have been.... difficult.

"Are you sure about this?" the dragon asked a third time.

"Y-yes.” He took in a deep breath, “Yes, I'm sure that this is for the better regardless of my feelings. I guess you understand that too."

"Yeah" as the dragon blew flames over the two scrolls in his claws, "I do."

Elsewhere in the restaurant sat a pair of mares, an alicorn and a unicorn. They were chatting while they waited for the other half of their group to rejoin them. Suddenly a pair of scrolls dropped in front of them, the ribbon on the one in front of the alicorn was white and her companion's was purple.

"Dragonfire scrolls?" a surprised Twilight noted as she lifted the one wrapped with a purple ribbon; the seal on the ribbon matched the seal that Spike used from time to time. She broke the seal and silently began to read;

Twilight, if living with you has taught me anything it’s how well I can read you and for months now you've been so distracted. It takes me now almost half an hour just to get your attention sometimes and this always happens when you get a letter from Cadance. Every. Single. Time. I figured out why, after the third or so time; you’re acting like how I used to act around Rarity, hoping to see her and hear from her. I was going to let you figure this out but when Shining wrote to me, I knew I needed to do something. Here's the thing, we both realized that you had a crush on Cadance and she has a crush on you. Yes, this is fact and we actually arranged tonight to let you two meet and talk. Tonight Shining is ending things with her, so you two please talk. Maybe things would work out better, maybe there's a better chance for you two than me being with Rarity.
Spike Sparkle

Fire sent scrolls were not rare, at least upon the upper class, many nobles had fireplaces tuned to send and receive mail, although “Dragonfire” as she heard Twilight say meant only one dragon. Cadance looked at the scroll in front of her, the ribbon was white with streaks of blue and the seal was one she had seen Shining use. She opened her scroll and began to read;

Cadance, I found this difficult to write but today is the end of our relationship. I never wanted to end it this way but when I tried telling you in pony, I just couldn't As I write I remember all our time together from the day we met, to when I fell in love with you, and now the day when I realized your heart belonged to somepony else. When you said yes a couple of months ago to dating me, I felt amazing but soon I learned that even when you said “I love you” your heart wasn't in it. You may be able to sense the bonds between ponies but I think this time it has eluded you; your heart was not with me but with Twily and as I've also learned Twily feels the same for you. So for that I’m ending things, I love you and have loved you for a long time but I see now you don’t feel the same. Spike and I planned tonight, for us to end and for you to have the chance to be with Twily and as you friend I’m asking you to take it.

Your friend, Shining Armour

Twilight was surprised by Spike’s letter, turning over to see Cadance she could see her silently crying, “Cadance? Did he really?”

Cadance nodded, “He did. I never thought our relationship would end over a letter.”

“I didn’t think he would do that either and I’m sorry to hear it end; I knew he cared for you but still…. this wasn't really the best way to end things.” Twilight responded.

Cadance was still crying as she asked, “It’s far from ideal but is what he said true?”

“True? You mean m-my crush on you?”

Cadance nodded.

Twilight sighed, “Maybe, I’m not really sure how I feel about all of this. Friendship is still new for me and I just don’t know. W-what about you?”
“I don’t know either I thought I loved Shining but he thinks otherwise. I’m torn about this though, I care for both of you but I never thought things would end up like this.”

“So what should we do now?”

“Now, I’m still unsure but maybe we could take their advice and gives things a chance.” suggested Cadance.

Twilight could still that Cadance was still uncertain about it, “Are you fine with that though? Maybe you need some time?”

Cadance thought about it for a while, “I guess I do with more time but could you at least be here with me for tonight? It would be good to have somepony close by but I think tomorrow we should find them and figure this all out.”

Hiding by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

Normally, she wasn’t a big fan of ponies treating her differently now that she was a princess but tonight those ponies gave her an idea. It was a horrible idea. At least she wasn’t so far gone to realize that.

Twilight licked her dry lips and stared at the open book on the table in front of her. She sat there calmly as she digested the words and their simple meaning that allowed her to be the monster she was contemplating becoming. Her actions - sadly - wouldn’t be illegal. There wasn’t precedence for what she was contemplating, but it was spelled out in black and white legal font in front of her.

The Equestrian Judicial Authority kept extensive records at their main building complex in Canterlot. Their library of books on law and cases held more work than she could have read in a standard pony lifetime. Perhaps, if she turned out to be immortal, she would one day invest the time to read it all. Right now however, Twilight only needed a tiny section of library’s treasure trove. Specifically, the books on laws concerning the Princess.

Looking at the absurdly small stack of tomes on the table made her feel a little silly to have already found the answer to her question. Twilight Sparkle was nothing if not methodical. She started at the beginning. The earliest collections of laws that had to deal with Celestia went back to the time just before the formation of the Authority, when Luna had still been a part of living memory before moving into history as a legendary figure.

The old language was hard to make out in places but it made firm the most basic aspects of Celestia’s powers and influence in dealing with the then infant judicial system. The Princess’ word wasn’t law, but she had great say in what would build the moral framework of Equestrian law. Early on, her powers were extended to Luna, should the younger sister ever return.

That little tidbit led her to another idea and pushed her a little closer to the line that separated her from becoming...whatever a law abiding pony was when they weren’t good. Twilight made a mental note to consult a dictionary afterwards.

Twilight switched up her search and jumped to the far more recent law registries. Cadance’s ascension to alicornhood had changed the game almost thirty years ago. Her emplacement as a landed Princess changed things again. Her own ascension would have it’s effect on Equestrian law eventually. Twilight pushed the thought that the very actions she was taking at that moment might be the very first way she affected it.

The first book she had picked off the shelf that came from the right time period held the by-law she feared existed. When Cadance, at a very young age, had ascended, Celestia had the forethought to create a by-law that extended her judicial powers to all Princesses. Retroactively. It was a ‘just-in-case’ ruling. It was meant, in spirit, to allow the judicial system continue to work as intended so long a princess was involved. It was meant to allow Luna or Cadance take Celestia’s place if need be.

There was no ‘need be.’ The spirit of the by-law would be violated if she proceeded. It just meant, if Princess Twilight Sparkle wanted to, she could unseal any court documents she wanted to.

No pony should ever know about her actions. She was going to need to hide everything.

“Thank you, Dr. Open Heart.” Cadance smiled gratefully as a small orange pill bottle was levitated toward her.

“Now I know it’s only one dose, my dear, but it’s all I have on hoof. I can get you a full order tomorrow.”

“It’s no problem. I don’t think it will be an issue. I’ll send somepony to pick it up; I have to be in court all day tomorrow.”

Dr. Open Heart smiled like the kindly grandfather she had never known. “The Crystal Empress’ job is never done, hmmm?”

“Sadly, no.” Cadance rose from the comfortable familiarity of the plush fainting couch in the old therapist’s office. “I’ll see you next month. Same time, yes?”

Dr. Open Heart nodded affectionately. “Of course dear, but if you need me, you can always get a session whenever. You can also send a scroll if you want. My door is always open to you, Princess.”

‘I know and I’m glad.” Cadance smiled and stepped over to the doctor and gave him a tight hug. “See you soon. I hope this new blend helps.” She indicated the pill bottle in her saddle bag.

‘I believe it will. This new rash of flare-ups is worrisome.”

“I’m sure the tests will tell us something when they come back.” Cadance sighed and turned toward the door, her horn lighting up as she cast a quick disguise spell that Twilight had taught her long ago. Her horn hidden and color palette swapped, Cadance stepped out of Dr. Open Heart’s office and nodded a greeting to the secretary.

“Another visit next month, Miss Devotion?”

“Yes.” Cadance nodded again as the earth pony penciled her in, none the wiser to her true identity.

Vanhoover was a beautiful city from the air. Tall trees towered above most of the buildings which were set alongside wide avenues that tended to meander through the hills and over the slow moving rivers. It was the nearest Equestrian settlement of any note to the borders of her Crystal Empire. Long ago, in Sombra’s time, Vanhoover had been a part of the Empire. Tiny hints of the architecture and names from that time still survived, but even to her trained eye, it was hard to see.

Vanhoover was also where Dr. Open Heart, Cadance’s long time therapist and confidant had set up shop after she became the Queen Regent of the Empire. He had followed her all the way from Canterlot, but the biting cold in the Empire was too much for his old bones, so they compromised and kept her sessions as under the rug as they could. Her little disguise spell worked most of the time, but it meant she had to come alone. It was both a blessing and curse, since it helped keep her condition in the shadows from her ponies, but kept Shining from joining her.

Thankfully, the flight wasn’t very far, but it was always taxing. Not for the first time, Cadance cursed her poor flying skills. She was going to need a lot more practice if she was going to have make any emergency trips.

Cadance kept her altitude low, skimming over the green canopy of sequoias until they began to give way to the shorter furs and skrub at the southern edge of her nation. Tiny houses dotted the landscape, most of them empty camping and hunting lodges that would house ponies in the harsh winters. The houses were rarely locked, so she found it useful to take a break at one on her route. She just needed to catch her breath for a few minutes before heading on.

Cadance smiled as she lined up her approach. It was very beautiful in this area. Twilight would love it. It was like landing inside a painting. The cozy log cabin offered as much silence as the clouds did and did twice as well to keep a pony from getting wet in a storm. She could imagine Twilight gushing over the views and talking nonstop about the plants or the animals or whatever took her interest.

Cadance envied Twilight’s easy going genius. Her memory wasn’t nearly so good, nor so fast. Plus the mare was quite possibly the greatest magic caster to ever walk Equestria shy of Celestia herself. Cadance smirked as she touched down just outside the cabin, her heart racing and breath short. She was using more than a few spells Twilight had taught her years ago. The disguise spell - which she dispelled - and a navigation spell that lead her unerringly back to the Crystal Castle.

The cabin door opened without resistance to reveal an empty main room. A small fur covered cot sat in one corner while a few wide tree stumps provided all the other furniture. It was far from the comforts of home, but for the moment it suited her needs. Images of Twilight flit through her imagination as Cadance settled onto the cot to rest her aching flight muscles. She could see her looking out the window, see her sitting at the table, see her by the fireplace, see her in the little kitchen nook. The look of wonder that never seemed to leave Twilight’s face was so familiar to her from their time as foal and foalsitter.

Cadance smiled lazily, content on letting her imagination and mind wander while her body recovered from the exertion of her flight. The first yawn felt good as it filled her lungs with air. The second one felt even better.

Cadance shook her head. It was early yet, but she was expected back at a certain time, a nap now might feel good, but she really couldn’t afford it. She yawned again but this time that pleasant feeling had a piggyback rider. She felt the tingle shoot down her spine. Her imaginary images of Twilight twisted and suddenly, clear as day, the mare was there besides her on the cot. It was just the two of them. What would it hurt?

Cadance frowned and shook her head harder. This wasn’t right. She should take the new medicine now and get back in the air.
Her wings and back ached. They wanted her to rest more. Her nethers were burning already. They wanted attention. Her mind circled around and around, Twilight’s form above her, under her, all around her with welcoming eyes. The kind of look Shining gave her when he told her everything was going to be alright.

The medicine was make it go away. She had one dose. If she took it now and had another relapse when she got home, there would be no medication and who knew how many ponies she might hurt? At least here, in the middle of nowhere, she could only hurt herself. Cadance had made due in the time before her medicine regiment started. She had a fix. Her wings might be weak but her wrists were strong.

But was she strong enough to stop herself?

Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her.

Twilight tracked down a dictionary. It took some searching but she finally had what she was looking for. She had made a choice. She knew it was a bad choice, even if it was legal. She wasn’t a criminal, but now she knew she was a tortfeasor. She rolled the word over in her mind for a moment, happy that she had expanded her vocabulary.

Her curiosity always got the better of her.

Twilight then turned back to the open envelopes in front of her and lifted the first page titled Canterlot v Mi Amore Cadenza.

Author's Note

Part 4 in what is now officially deemed the Chemistry Continuity

Inconsistencies by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Few ponies would have expected that the Crown Prince of the Crystal Empire would still be awake past midnight. Between his duties instructing the Crystal Knights in more than a thousand years of military developments and overseeing the expansion of the Equestrian Rail Link, Shining Armor usually ended his days by collapsing into his bed.

His empty bed.

In the dim light from his solitary desk lamp, Shining Armor stared wordlessly at the packet of papers that sat before him. There was no telling how long he had sat in his overstuffed chair. The wall clock had been broken when he had selected the large room in the Crystal Spire as his office, and he’d never gotten around to fixing it.

There’d been too much to do, too many other things on his mind. Things like preparing countermeasures against Changeling infiltration, and ensuring the Imperial Team’s training for the Equestria Games was proceeding smoothly. Things like ignoring the feeling of despair he felt whenever his wife recoiled, just the slightest bit, every time they kissed.

If he was a drinking stallion, Shining Armor was positive he would’ve destroyed his liver several times over by now. Instead, he’d thrown himself into his work. An exhausted mind leaves no room for pondering life’s cruelties, something he’d learned early in his military training.
But eventually, there came a time when he could no longer ignore the signs all around him. That time came when his sister, newly crowned as an Equestrian Princess, made a Royal visit to the Empire.

Then, it had become too much. Too many inconsistencies between the fairy tale he was supposed to be living and reality to sweep under the rug. The furtive glances at shared meals, the longing glances when they thought he wasn’t looking. The list of excuses for sleeping apart grew longer and longer, until he had resigned himself to it.

Some part of him, a faction of his heart that raged against what he knew to be true in favor of what he wished for more than anything, had still held out hope. Hope that perhaps he was wrong, that he was misunderstanding what his eyes and ears were telling him.

When Twilight left, that small part had died. Cadence lost something as they watched the train pull away into the distance. The spark of Love, capital ‘L’, in her eyes that had made him fall for her in the first place disappeared with the train’s smoke.

It was that moment he knew it was over. Being married to the Goddess of Love had taught him many things. Cadence was a master of bringing out the love between ponies, no matter what conflicts or disagreements had clouded their bonds. However, despite her unrivaled skill in love magic, there was one thing she could not do.

Create it.

If there was truly no love between ponies, or the love was not mutual, even Cadence was powerless.

Such was the situation he found himself in, it seemed. He wondered to himself, not daring to vocalize his doubts lest he be answered, if she had ever truly felt anything for him at all beyond friendship. He hoped she had. Maybe he was even right, and her affections had simply shifted with time. Or maybe he was wrong, and she had only humored him or pitied him. He didn’t think Cadence could be so cruel, but he’d been wrong before.

Then again, maybe she had only thought she loved him. Maybe she had accidentally married the wrong member of the Sparkle clan.
Whatever the answer, he was sick of the word ‘maybe’ and he was damn sick of sitting in his dusty office.

An aura of light rose magic enveloped a quill and danced across the stack of papers. A half dozen signatures and an initial, and it was done. Shining Armor pushed himself to his hooves and walked to the door. With a grunt, he draped a large duffel bag stuffed with dress uniforms and a set of armor across his back. It was almost sad that he could fit all his worldly possessions in a single large bag, but it certainly was convenient when the need arose.

Another flash of magic pulled the lamp’s drawstring to plunge the room into darkness, and former Prince Consort Shining Armor left to catch the next train to Canterlot.

Mistletoe by Misago

by Misago
~~~

The chaos would have made Discord proud.

In fact, looking around the currently ongoing Hearthwarming Eve Party for the Royal Family and Friends, Cadance wondered where exactly the spirit of chaos had gone off to. He seemed to be the last person to skip out on an event like this.

In one of the corners, there was some sort of poker game going on, with Spike, Applejack and Rainbow Dash apparently loosing badly to Fluttershy. The dance floor was occupied by a big red Stallion who, to his obvious discomfort, was trying to match the steps of a trio of fillies Cadance remembered from her wedding. And Luna was decimating the buffet table, accompanied by the party organizer, the one and only Pinkie Pie.

Cadance herself was currently sitting off the side with an indulgent smile at it all, occasionally dabbing a wet towel to Shining Armor's head. Her husband had foolishly decided to try and out-drink aforementioned party planner.

"Are you enjoying the party?"

Cadance turned her head to see Celestia approaching her. She was keeping a slow pace, and Cadance had to laugh as she noticed the giggling heads of one purple alicorn princess and one white unicorn fashionista poking out from under her wings. As Celestia noticed the source of her amusement, she only rolled her eyes.

"Caaaa-dy!" Twilight crowed.

"They had a bit too much to drink, I am afraid," Celestia said, nudging Rarity's head with her own. Rarity stumbled a bit, and only the large white wing held her upright. Both her and Twilight broke out into raucous --and quite unladylike-- laughter.

Still smiling, Cadance shook her head. Celestia, meanwhile, tried to get Twilight to move forward.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you, especially since you are already busy with one drunkard", she said, inclining her head towards the groaning Shining Armor, "but could you watch Twilight for a while? I will go and put Rarity to bed."

"Sure."

Celestia lit up her horn, encasing the giddy Twilight in the golden flow and floating her over to Cadance.

As soon as Twilight reached her, however, Rarity lit up her own horn, and from somewhere under Celestia's wing, something red and green darted out, only to come to a wobbling halt directly over Cadance and Twilight's heads.

Cadance, still trying to prop the grinning Twilight up in her arms, shook her head.

"You have to kiss her now!", Rarity slurred from under the wing, obviously quite happy with her poor attempt at mischief.

While trying to educate the Princess of Love about a custom like that bordered on blasphemy, there was no sense in being a spoil-sport. So Cadance ducked her head to to give Twilight a little smooch.

Twilight was faster.

Just as Cadance had prepared herself for a nice peck on the lips (the custom called for it, after all), she had a hoof brushing her cheek and another on her chest. Then came the kiss.

Instead of the expected drunken, messy slobbering, Twilight's lips were so soft and gentle that it took Cadance's breath away. She felt Twilight move against her, applying just the right amount of pressure, and she could not suppress a little moan of pleasure. The hoof on her cheek moved carefully, slowly, tracing her jawbone in the most sensual way.

Just as suddenly as it had begun, the kiss was over.

Twilight, apparently still conscious enough, took a deep breath and roared "I have kissed all the princesses in one night! I am now the queen of princess-smooching!" With that claim, and a soft giggle, her head fell forward into Cadance's chest, and soon enough happy little snores could be heard.

Cadance did not notice much of that. She also did not notice the discussion in front of her ("So, she kissed all the princesses, hm?" "It is the custom, Rarity! What was I supposed to do?" "Well, it seems you owe me something, darling."). Her mind was utterly, utterly blank.

"Cadance, is everything alright?"

Celestia's question shook Cadance from her stupor.

She looked down at the sleeping Twilight. Beautiful, wonderful Twilight.

"No. I think I'm not."

Online by Piece Bot

by Piece Bot
~~~

Princess Cadance directed the ponies to the correct room and watched them set the device up. She thanked them as they left and then she wrote a letter to her sister. Cadence considered her as a sister before when she was foalsitting her but the word seemed to have much more meaning now. She sent the letter off to Ponyville and then sat on the floor in front of the device. “How does this work?” Cadence forgot to ask the ponies how the computer worked.

A trail of green smoke trailed in through the open window. Twilight Sparkle finished up a new cake recipe that she just thought of and watched the smoke go from the window to her desk. “What's this? A letter from Cadence?” Twilight asked herself. Spike walked down the stairs from a nap just in time to hear Twilight ask about the letter.

“A letter. From Cadence. I'm going to back to bed.” The dragon proclaimed. He didn't want to get involved if it was another cake race. He walked back upstairs and got into bed, ready to read a new issue of the Power Ponies. Twilight just shrugged and read the letter.

“Dear, Twilight.

I've just ordered one of those new computers that everypony's been talking about and I want you to come to the Crystal Empire. It's to help me with figuring out what to do with it.

Signed,

Princess Cadence

P.S. Bring Spike along even if he doesn't want to. I'm sure the three of us will have a good time.”

“Bring Spike? This is going to be tough.” Twilight closed her eyes and breathed in and out. She then magicked the letter to Spike's current open page of the Power Ponies trying to thwart the Mane-iac for the umpteenth time. He quickly scanned the letter and just groaned.
“If this is another cake race in disguise then I'm quitting as your assistant!” Spike shouted as he waved the letter around while walking downstairs.

“I actually have no idea if this is a cake race in disguise. We'll never know if we get there though, will we?” Twilight asked seriously. The only thing that wasn't serious was the joyful smile on her face. Spike flinched and just followed Twilight to the station.

When the duo got out of the station they were both greeted by a giant hug from a pink princess. Spike struggled to breathe while Twilight laughed.

“Cadance. Too … tight ...” Spike nearly passed out when Cadance stopped hugging the both of them.

“Sorry about that Spike. I'm just excited to see the both of you!” Cadence said delightedly. She grinned like a maniac and walked the both of them to her castle. Spike coughed, groaned and he felt a bit of him die on the inside as he followed the two chatty mares.

“Have you got any new cake ideas?” Cadence asked seriously. Spike looked up and his eyes widened in fear. Twilight shook her head and smiled.

“Not yet but I'm working on one. Anyway, you said something about one of the new computers?” Twilight changed the subject to the letter that Cadence had sent her. Cadence smiled at that and quickly laid out the problem for her.

“You want me to 'hook' the computer up to the internet?” Twilight asked confusedly. Spike just trailed behind and noticed that they were now walking through the castle lobby and into Cadence's 'computer room'. It was a reasonable size. Just enough space for the pony operating the computer to sit down on the floor comfortably. “This is the computer?” Twilight asked curiously. Cadence nodded and watched Twilight try to make sense of what she was seeing.

The computer was a piece of obsidian shined to absolute perfection. Snaking out of the back of it were wires of all sorts of colours and these wires were hooked up to various devices that surrounded the computer. A shiny white board with buttons sat in front of it with what looked like another gem, this time a piece of diamond, but significantly smaller than the obsidian.

Another wire connected it to the back of the screen as well. The other wires were hooked up to speakers that were placed in strategic points around the room. On the floor, next to the table that the gemputer rested on, was a piece of hardware that housed all the magic needed to power up the thing and bring it to life.

Twilight turned towards Cadence. “Have you figured out how to turn this on?” Twilight asked her. Cadence walked to the machine and inserted her horn into the slot. She powered up her horn and the machine buzzed to life. On the right side, the side facing away from the desk, there was a hoof pedal to power it on for non-magic ponies.

The obsidian hummed with power and blared to life. The polished surface turned into a viewing screen and they could see a blue background with a bunch of icons on one side. “Have you tried connecting this wire to the empty slot in the back of the machine on the floor?” Twilight asked Cadence. She was holding a blue cable with a boxed end up in her magic.

“Oh. No.” Cadence said sheepishly and plugged the cable in with her magic. She then moved her hoof around while gripping the piece of diamond. “Ooh look! The arrow is moving where my hoof is going!” Cadence squealed in delight. Spike's interest was piqued and he walked over to the obsidian and stood next to Twilight.

“Now that we're 'hooked' up to the internet, want to try and find some cake recipes?” Cadence asked with an evil glint in her eye. At this, Spike just up and ran out of the room.

“NOOOOOOooooOOoooo!” Spike's yell could be heard echoing as he ran out of the castle.

Author's Note

Sequel to Piece Bot's previous prompt Cake

Flashlight by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Twilight was beside herself with joy. The whole of a thousand year old library stretched before her. Crystal shelves stacked with books only found in the Empire. She let out the girliest sounds to every pass her lips as she darted from shelf to shelf taking in the titles on the ancient tomes. Her hooves traced ancient griffin texts. Her coat tingling as she traced the old leather bindings. Her eyes widened and she stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted the familiar sigil on a book’s spine. She took it reverently in her magic and turned beaming at Cadence who stood silently by the entrance.

“It’s one of Starswirl’s journals!” Twilight’s voice was filled with more awe than Cadence had heard in a long time. The pink princess watched as her love sat down gently opening the book. Her magic slowly turned the pages as she read the ancient writing of her idol. Cadence smiled and let her mind drift back to the past.
___

Cadence stretched and blushed faintly. “Thank you for letting me crash on your couch Ms Velvet.” The young alicorn smiled at the older unicorn mare. Twilight Velvet simply smiled and nodded

“Well, my son was helping you study. I guess I can let you spend the night here. After all Princesses are trustworthy” The mare joked floating a blanket and pillow down for Cadence.

“Ms Velvet, I have no designs on Shiney. He and I are just friends I assure you” Cadence said smiling and taking the pillow from Velvet. She turned laying out her bed for the night.

“Sleep tight dear” Velvet said as she turned to leave the room. Cadence looked over her shoulder and smiled at her host

“Goodnight Ms Velvet.” She turned back to her makeshift bed and smiled snuggling down into it to sleep. She was out as soon as her head hit the pillow, only to wake a few hours later over the call of nature. She groaned vaguely wishing that Princesses didn’t potty as she trudged up the stairs and into the bathroom.

It was as she was heading back to bed that she noticed a glow from under Twilight’s door. She was confused, she knew Twilight hadn’t been afraid of the dark for years. She glanced along the walls hoping to find a clock to see the time. Sadly it seemed that the Twilight household didn’t keep clocks in random places. Seeing no other option Cadence crept over and slowly peeked into Twilight’s room.

She blushed finding the young mare in a most awkward position. Twilight was laying on her chest her rear in the air as she read. A flashlight hovering in the violet glow of her magic. Her eyes were tearing over the page as she read, riveted by the book under her. Cadence blushed and knocked gently on the door frame to get her attention. Twilight was unfazed. She knocked again a little louder. Again, Twilight was unmoved.

Rolling her eyes Cadence slipped into the room and walked over to the bedside. She tilted her head watching the teenaged mare's rump wiggle as she read. Cadence blushed and reached out pushing against Twilight’s cutie mark. It had the desired effect, Twilight toppled onto her side her concentration broken.

“huh? What?” She sputtered and blinked her eyes focusing on Cadence. Once she processed what was happening Twilight gasped and slammed the book closed. She moved trying to hide it from Cadence.

“Is everything okay?” Cadence asked raising an eyebrow. It wasn’t like Twilight to hide things from her.

“YES! Fine just going to bed!” Twilight said quickly trying, and failing, to discreetly push the book under her pillow. Cadence blushed recognizing the cover image. It had a pegasus mare in ancient armor holding a swooning unicorn in a rough spun cloak. Somehow Cadence doubted that both of them had been mares, much less that they were together. She smiled at Twilight. “Sorry, I saw your flashlight and wanted to make sure you were okay. I..I’ll leave you to The Mage's Ransom.” The effect of naming the book was swift. Twilight turned a bright red and looked down.

“Please don’t tell anyone.” She said her ears low to her head.

“I won’t, but I think your mom would be fine with it”

“No she wouldn’t!” Twilight said stamping her hoof onto her bed. Her eyes wide with fear.

“Of course she would! Your mother is one of the most loving ponies I know! Trust me love is kinda my job! She’d accept you no matter who you liked!” Cadence said. Twilight blinked in response. She tilted her head.

“Wait, What?” She broke into a blushing grin “You...you thought? No Mom knows I’m gay. No, I mean..I..its not historically accurate. The armor they describe Commander Hurricane wearing is Equestrian in origin. Hurricane wore her old Pegasi Emperium armor until the day she died! Plus, the castle is all wrong. Clover, is anything but submissive, at least according to her journals..” Twilight went full steam into a comprehensive list of the historical inaccuracies. Cadence was surprised to find herself riveted by the young mare’s knowledge, and it was only after a while that she was able to bring herself to ask

“Then why read it?”

“Oh, umm…” Twilight blushed and clapped her hooves together nervously. “C….can I..Ummm…I need to get to bed.” Twilight said very deliberately not looking at Cadence. In hindsight, it couldn’t have been more obvious if Twilight had set up a neon sign above her bed. Cadence however had simply smiled and let the mare keep her secrets. It wouldn't be until years later that Cadence would learn that Twilight imagined the two of them in the books main roles.

"Good night then Twilight. I’m always willing to listen if you want to talk” She said leaving the room slowly.
“I know” Twilight had responded quietly.

___

Cadence was drawn back to the present by a soft kiss on her lips. Twilight smiled sitting back and looking at the taller mare.
“Bit for your thoughts?” She said, Starswirl’s Journal set aside for now.

“Just wondering if you still have that pink flashlight you used to read trashy romance novels with.” Cadence replied with a slight smirk.

Twilight turned beat red in record time.

Swooning by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

This was too much.

Twilight looked over the teetering stack of sealed envelopes at the reference sheet she had pulled from Cadance’s file. That first case she had opened was actually the last in a long line of cases that all seemed to stem from the same incident. The Canterlot v Mi Amore Cadenza case was the final indictment, but it lacked details other than the sentence handed down by the presiding judge.

Mandatory seroetoninergic medication supplements and frequent psychoanalysis by a trained professional.

That explained a few of the oddities Twilight could recall from her foalhood where Cadance was concerned. It wasn’t enough, however, to sate her curiosity.

Twilight dumped the stack of court cases on the wide table she had claimed as her own in the Judicial Authority library. She spread them out before herself and arranged them according to the name of the involved ponies and the severity of the charges as made apparent by the official seal placed on it.

As her eyes flicked over the files, one name jumped out at her. Twilight could feel a hint of bile rise in her throat as she sat back and pulled the envelope marked ‘Sparkle’ toward herself.

“I got caught in a rainshower. On my way back.”

Cadance shivered as she dumped frigid spring water over her head. Her crown and other royal vestments sat on a stump nearby as she sat in the small stream, her long tail swept in front of her by the lazy current. The cold water soothed the remaining heat between her legs and cleared the sleep from her mind. Her left hoof was going to be sore in the morning from the unexpected workout.

“I landed. Yeah, and stepped in mud. That’s why I had to wash up before coming back.”

Cadance sighed. Her ponies would believe that flimsy fib, but Shining was going to be on to her the moment he laid eyes on her. The best way to get past the uncomfortable part would be to face it head on.

She was going to have to go to his office first thing.

Cadance stood and shook herself off. Her hairdresser was going to have a fit, but there was no fixing herself any better than she had, out in the field. She rolled her left wrist gently and tested her weight on it. There was a slight twinge of pain, but nothing that would keep her from walking once she returned home. Cadance levitated her vestments and saddlebags over, and spread her wings.

“I hope Shinny isn’t in the middle of anything important.”

Twilight ran her tongue over her dry lips. The case file in her hooves was pretty thick but she wasn’t interested in all its gory details. She just needed to know what happened. What had Cadance done that it had affected so many ponies - her own family included?

Twilight’s eyes scanned the document, page by page. Years of practice allowed her to skim the contents, read without really absorbing anything until she found a word, date or phrase she was looking for. It didn’t take very long.

The incident had happened before Twilight’s own birth by almost a year. Cadance would have been about ten or eleven at the time. If she was remembering correctly, that would have been about a year after Cadance had become an alicorn.

The testimonies from her parents and brother were oddly...vague. It seemed as if they holding something back, even under oath. She could understand it with Shining, he would have been no more than twelve. But her parents? Twilight scratched her head with her wing wrist and flipped the pages back to the beginning, matching up the events her family described.

According to testimony, it happened right after sundown on a Friday. Her parents and brother had been at home, her mother and father inside while Shining must have been playing in the yard. There was an explosion? No. Some sort of magical discharge that originated from the lane that wove through the residential area where her family home sat. None of them saw the actual discharge, just a flash of pale pink that washed over everything.

Shining’s statements said he had stopped playing and wandered toward the front gate to see what had caused the display. He - and apparently several of their neighbors - found Cadance sitting in the middle of the road with a dazed look on her face and a lingering glow radiating from her body. She didn’t respond to anypony for a short time and then every one of the neighbors returned to their homes, also with dazed expressions.

Twilight blinked. They all returned home and left Cadance in the street with her brother? She re-read Shining’s testimony again. Yep. He had said they just left, returned to their homes with quote, funny looks on their faces, end-quote.

Weird.

Twilight flipped back to her parents’ statements. He mentioned noticing the magical discharge but didn’t apparently think it warranted immediate attention. They waited about a half hour or so and then came out to look for her brother. They found him and Cadance playing together under the street lamps. Twilight frowned. She remembered her parents always being strict about curfew her entire foalhood. Things must have been different back then.

But that didn’t answer the question at the center of her investigation. What was Cadance’s crime? Magical discharge was fairly normal in unicorns. Learning to control it was something most developed before they even reached middle school. Perhaps, due to Cadance having been born a pegasus, when she became an alicorn that she had no idea what was going on and discharged accidentally?

There were several other families on her street that had foals that were the same age as Twilight. She’d gone to school with many of them. A brief second glance over the files on the table turned up more names that she recognized now. A few of those ponies had been her friends when she was younger. It was a funny thing back then since so many of them even shared the same birthday with her. Each year they would throw a giant combo-party for everypony. For a moment, Twilight wondered what those old friends might be up too.

Twilight bite her lip and flipped to the last page in the file. She wasn’t going to get any closer to the truth if she kept getting lost in her thoughts. The last page held the details she wanted. It mentioned the sentencing that was brought down in the mass case and spelled out the charge: Mental and Emotional Manipulation on Unwilling Ponies and Endangerment of Foals by Magical Means.

The endangerment charge was probably harmless and only there because Shining had been there when the discharge happened. But the magical manipulation charge? That was serious business. Manipulating a pony’s mind with magic was very illegal, even if the other party was willing. It was, thankfully a very rare talent. One which it was well known that Cadance possessed.

Twilight sat back and let the paperwork fall to the table top. She stretched her wings idly as she let everything sink in. She felt kind of thirsty. Maybe it would be a good time for a break and grab a soda and -!

“Oh my Faust!” Twilight rocked forward violently and knocked several of the folders from the table as she scrambled about looking for the testimonial page. Her breathing sped up as she tossed unimportant files and folders aside.

The date. She needed to know the date. It couldn’t, just couldn’t line up that perfectly!

She found it. Twilight’s eyes locked in place, reading the date over and over as her mind put all the dots together. The time of the incident, her parents’ unspecified actions during the thirty minutes before they found Shining and Cadance playing, her childhood neighbors, all families with foals that had the same or almost the same birthday.

It was the only thing that made sense. It could be the only reason Cadance had been charged and found guilty of mental manipulation and why she wasn’t doing a life sentence in prison. It was the only reason the Princess herself would step in and make sure none of this ever came to light.

It was too much.

Twilight could feel her vision narrowing, her eyes still locked on the date. It was too much. The paper shook as her magic field sputtered and guttered out. It was too much.

It was too much for Twilight Sparkle as her eyes rolled back and everything went dark. She was out before she hit the ground.

Author's Note

Part 5 of the Chemistry Continuity

Privacy by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

"Spiiiike! Give it back!" Twilight shrieked, as she dashed after her assistant.

"No way! I've been meaning to get my claws on this for years now!" Spike laughed as he kept running.

In his grasp was Twilight's personal diary -- not the one she shared with all of her friends, but the one she had kept locked under her bed for as long as she could remember. No matter what, she always reported something in it and the book was ancient by now, with some pages even taped in and the cover worn beyond belief. In fact, the journal was so used, and was full of paper, it almost looked as if it was going to burst any minute now.

"It's not funny anymore!" she huffed, struggling to keep up with him.

She never would have thought that baby dragons could run this fast -- or maybe she was worse than she thought at flying.

"Aw, c'mon, just lemme read one entry!" Spike teased. "Let's see, what happened on Hearth's Warming three years ago? Or maybe last month's situation with--" He squinted at the pages to read her scrawled hoofwriting. "Who's Time Turner and why are you adventuring with him? What the heck is a TARDIS anyway?"

"None of your business!" Twilight argued. "Give me my diary back!"

"Wow, you really don't like that Lyra, do you?" Spike asked, continuing to read. "I mean, she's not that crazy."

"We had a feud in high school," Twilight accidentally admitted.

Spike chuckled, and dodged another one of her attempts to snatch the book back. "You gave Rainbow Dash love advice?"

Twilight snorted. "She obviously didn't take it," she muttered.

"Ooh, speaking of love, I found an entry with hearts drawn all around it!" Spike said. "Looks like I'm gonna find out something really interesting now!"

Twilight's expression fell and a crimson blush lit up her face. "Not that one!" she exclaimed. "You can read the whole diary, from my embarrassing moments in school all the way to my latest entry, but don't read that one!" She clasped her hooves together and was literally begging. "Please not that."

However, Spike was still in on the joke, and began reading aloud.

"April 21st. It's been two years since my brother and Cadence have gotten married, and I'm almost shocked to realize I haven't seen much of them either since. Then again, they do have their own life now. But I still miss them both, a lot. Especially Cadence because I--"

"--ok you've read it, now give it back!" Twilight said frantically, reaching out for the book, but Spike ran off, continuing to read.

"--want to rekindle our friendship, seeing how that's all I have left with her. Today marks a joyous day for them, but for me, I hate to say it, but it's a painful reminder," Spike stopped running and slowed down his speech for a minute. "I honestly can't believe it, but my stupid foalhood crush is still somewhat existent for her. I just don't understand how I can feel that way."

Spike trailed off, and frowned.

He looked over his shoulder, noticing Twilight now sitting on the floor of the library with her head in her hooves.

Shuffling across the hardwood, he held the diary out. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I... I guess I got carried away."

Twilight retrieved her diary and held it close. "It's ok," she muttered.

"That wasn't a joke entry, was it?" Spike asked seriously.

She shook her head somberly, refusing to look up...

...and all Spike did was sit down next to her, and hug her.

"You Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony?" Twilight said softly as she returned the embrace.

"Of course," Spike declared. "I also Pinkie Promise never to ever invade your privacy again. Cross my heart, hope to fly and stick a Cupcake in my eye." He hesitated, and eyed the diary. "But... can I still read the embarrassing school moments?"

Twilight sniffled, and gave a bittersweet smile.

"Wanna hear about the time I accused my Geography teacher of being a secret agent?" she murmured, with a soft laugh.

Dorks by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Cadence turned heads as she walked through the festival. Everyone's eyes followed the tall woman as she strode through the open air exhibition. Only a few eyes tracked over her companion. The shorter dark skinned girl was pretty, but Cadence seemed to glow with an inner warmth. Her multi colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore a simple pink dress.

Twilight was dressed in her overly purple school uniform. Her own dark hair was allowed to flow down her back. She kept glancing around as they walked. She wilted as she walked next to a beauty like Cadence. The older woman was almost godlike in her beauty; Twilight doubted she looked very good compared to her.

“Twilight?” Cadence glanced down a sad look in her eyes. “Come on, this is supposed to be fun. I thought you loved Starswirl?”

“I do! He had to be one of the greatest mages to ever walk Equis! Its just..I…” She glanced down and sighed “Y..you’re…” She trailed off nervously and glanced away.

“A princess?” Cadence giggled into her hand, and lifted Twilight’s chin “I’m just a Cloudkin that got a pair of pointy ears, and some pretty magic.” She smiles and gently runs her thumb over Twilight’s cheek “You’re the magical prodigy, and you also know more than anyone I know! You’re 17 and in College for Faust’s sake! I’m a 22 and my claim to fame is that I’m one of two living ‘all-folk’ “ Cadence air quoted the common nickname for her new race. “When it comes down to it were all hu..” Cadence stopped her eyes widening “THEY HAVE ONE OF HIS JOURNALS!” She practically squealed in joy. She took off skidding to a halt in front of the glass case.

Twilight stood dumbfounded by the jarring shift in mood before her own mind caught up with events.

“Wait a journal!?” She turned rushing over to lean over the case herself. She smiled her eyes tracing the careless scrawl of Starswirl’s handwriting. She smiled and blushed translating the ancient Aetherian script in her head. An awed smile spread over her lips.

“He’s writing about Clover the Clever!” She said looking up at Cadence. The elder woman blinked and glanced down

“You can read that?” She broke into a wide grin “That is so bucking awesome! What does he say!”

“He says she’s a good student, but that she’s spending too much time chasing..ohh..” She trailed off a blush forming on her cheeks

“Chasing what? What?” Cadence gripped Twilight by the shoulders looking down into the Aetherian’s eyes.

“He says she was chasing after a Nimbian warrior…” She giggles into her hand. Cadence smirked

“I told you that they hadn’t gotten together post Founding!” Cadence pumped her fist in the air triumphantly. “No way you’re married for 60 years without a deep foundation of love to it.”

“You don’t need to rub it in that I was wrong…” Twilight pouted crossing her arms. “I just thought Clover would have spent her youth studying under the Greatest Mage to ever live!”

“I think she prefered being under the Greatest Commander to ever live” Cadence quiped causing Twilight to sputter indignantly. Cadence smiled and reached out cupping Twilight’s cheek again. “We all want to see ourselves in our idols.” She smiled and leaned down gently kissing Twilights forehead. “We can at least agree Starswirl was awesome right?”

“Very..” Twilight responded in a dreamy voice. She looked up at Cadence. The sunlight shining on her made her look even more heavenly than usual. Twilight finally leaned up kissing the taller woman softly.

Cadence’s eyes widen and she smiles down at Twilight. She’d waited so long for the younger woman to act. Auntie Celestia was very protective of her adopted daughter.

“That was better than my first spell” Twilight muttered stepping back and touching her lips. She smiled a dopey smile up at Cadence. “I..” Cadence put a finger to her lips

“That really was a nice kiss, but we are in public..” She grinned and took Twilight’s hand leading the girl away from the main path. She smiled and leaned down kissing Twilight again.

“So which was better, our first kiss or seeing all of Starswirl’s things?” Cadence asked knowing the answer

“How could you ask me that! I get to kiss you all I want now, I might never see these things again” Twilight crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

“You are the cutest little nerd ever” Cadence grinned.

“I’ve never played Ogres and Oubliettes with my big brother” Twilight countered with a grin of her own

“Hey! My bard is awesome! I’d like to see you sing a duet with a succubus and then banish her back to the Nine Hells!”

Twilight blinked and then burst into giggles.

Author's Note

A continuation of Bekdontraz's previous prompt Bribery

Darts by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

"Hey, what's got you down?" Cadence spoke up, as she entered her friend's bedroom. "You haven't been at school in a few days."

"What do you think? I'm sick," Twilight muttered.

Cadence raised an eyebrow and let out a soft laugh. "I know you better than that, Twilight," she said.

With a scowl, Twilight crossed her forehooves. "So?" she mumbled.

"So what's wrong?" Cadence asked. "I know you're not sick. Your parents told me you're fine."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Twilight grumbled.

"Was it the bullies?" Cadence inquired in concern. She let out a frustrated sigh. "And if it was Blueblood again, I swear, that boy won't live to see the next sunrise."

"No, it wasn't them," Twilight said, with a pout. "They left me alone after the time I turned their leader into a frog."

Cadence stifled a laugh. "Now, I would have loved to see that," she mused. "But still, what's going on?"

A halfhearted, almost forced, smile made it's way on Twilight's expression. "It's nothing," she lied.

"I foalsat you for almost five years -- I can see right through your fibs," Cadence pointed out.

"I..." Twilight frowned, and swallowed. "Moondancer was cheating on me. We broke up," she admitted. "She was with some crazy disk jockey from the next town over. I just found out. It's been going on for months now. Everypony except me knew."

Cadence frowned. "You poor thing," she murmured. She climbed onto Twilight's bed and wrapped her wings around her friend. "C'mere."
Twilight nuzzled Cadence and let out a light whimper.

As she comforted Twilight, Cadence let her gaze wander around the room. Somehow, she managed to notice the hand-me-down dart board on the wall, and the open yearbook from last year on Twilight's dresser. The two things clicked together in Cadence's mind, and she levitated over the book, ripping out the picture of Moondancer.

Twilight glanced up and simply watched as Cadence pinned the picture to the board and levitated over the darts.

"One hundred points if you hit her in the eye," Cadence teased.

Twilight's smile twitched, and she coughed out a laugh.

~ x o x o ~

Twilight winced as she approached the master bedroom of the Crystal Castle. Cadence's crying could be heard from the hall, and going inside the bedroom was risky -- one would either witness her fury or depression. After all, the supposed love of her life had just broken her heart.

Still, it was only the right thing to do.

Twilight gently knocked on the door as she entered.

The sight was upsetting -- seeing her sister-in-law (or perhaps soon to be former sister-in-law) so ruined and broken.

"I'm... uh... sorry about what happened," Twilight muttered. "I already yelled at him, so don't worry."

Cadence let out a sniffle, and managed a nod as she barely moved in her bed. "Did you tell him I don't want him setting hoof in the Castle ever again?" she said softly, in a tone that was slightly harsh but mostly heartbroken.

Twilight slightly nodded. "Yeah, he ran out anyway," she replied.

"Good riddance," Cadence huffed. She levitated over a box of chocolates from the nightstand and popped one in her mouth.

"He did apologize, though," Twilight spoke up.

Cadence let out a very un-Princess-like snort. "So he goes off on a diplomacy meeting, cheats on me with some floozy and expects me to come crawling back after he says he's sorry?" she snapped. Her violet eyes were full of exhaustion and her expression was torn. "What an idiot. Does he think I'm stupid or something?"

Twilight shrugged. "We'll deal with him later," she assured. "But right now, I think I have something that will cheer you up."

Cadence grimaced. "Unless you have some more Ghirarfilly chocolates for me to drown my sorrows in, I don't think it'll help," she whined.

"Actually, in fact, I do have that--" Twilight said, with a halfhearted smile as she levitated over a bag of the candies. "And something else." With another part of her magic, she held up a dart board, with a picture of Shining Armor's face taped to it. "One hundred points if you hit him in the eye?"

Cadence wiped the chocolate from the sides of her mouth, and held out a hoof. "Give me those darts," she laughed.

Exploration by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Twilight Sparkle made her way down the twisting corridors of the cavern with her eyes adjusting to the dim light cast by her horn. She heard the chitters and scratches as the caverns denizens followed her. She’d caught sight of one of the black carapaced creatures when she’d first stumbled into the cave system below Canterlot. It was intriguing to see such equine creatures. She stopped as her hoof sank into something soft squishy. She glanced down seeing the cavern coated in a black substances. She pulled out her tools scratching away at it and collecting a sample. This was all so exciting!
___

Princess Cadence of the Swarm was confused. She’d met many ponies over her lifetime, but none that showed such blatant curiosity in the face of the unknown. She crept along the shadows hiding her as she followed this curious creature. Her eyes traced the mare’s body surprised at how young she looked. She was barely a mare it seemed! Who would send such a pony into the Hive?
___

“Hello? Is somepony there?” Twilight called out to the darkness. She could feel the being’s eyes on her. She shivered, her coat crawling. Everything in her screamed at her to flee; to run back to her warm room in the palace and lock the door. She stamped her hoof to silence such thoughts and swallowed.

“Please, I just want to talk! I’ve never met another species so close to my own!”
___

Cadence blinked at the mare’s words. She wanted to talk? Who would want to talk to a changeling? They were feared and shunned, yet here was a mare who wanted to meet her. She swallowed and stepped forward shifting into a pink pegasus guise as she did so.

“Then talk pony”

___
Twilight spun around seeing a flash of green in her peripheral vision. She blushed as a beautiful mare stepped into the glow of her horn.
“Hello! I’m Twilight Sparkle” She said bowing to the newcomer with a smile. “D..do you know anything about the creatures I saw coming in here?”

“Yes” The mare replied tilting her head as if confused by Twilight. She was silent for a long while, long enough for Twilight to consider speaking again. “I am Cadence..” She spoke again before Twilight could.

“Oh! That's a pretty name.” Twilight said, and then facehooved as she realized just how stupid she’d just sounded.

The strange mare giggled into her hoof and then broke into a genuine smile. “You are not like other ponies are you?” She asked.

“Err...no not really..” Twilight admitted gently tracing her hoof on the cavern floor. “Wait, You're a pony too!”

“No Twilight Sparkle I’m not” The mare responded stepping forward. Her form was consumed in a green fire burning away the pink coat and revealing a tall black carapaced equine form. Her mane was pink, her eyes a light purple. Twilight smiled and stepped forward drunkenly.

“Isn’t that nice.” She said before toppling onto her side in shock.
___

Cadence let out a soft sigh as she watched her mare pass out. She’d felt her curiosity and fear peak at the same time. The poor mare passing out from the overload. With a burst of her magic she moved Twilight onto her back with her magic and smiled carrying the mare back out of the caves. She stopped as she stepped out onto the streets of Canterlot. She glanced around and placed Twilight on the road.

“HELP GUARDS!” She cried out at the top of her lungs before stepping back into the shadows heading back to the Hive. She’d made a mistake revealing herself to Twilight. She only hoped that it would cause the Hive trouble.
___

Twilight had spent months convince Celestia that she hadn’t simply imagined the whole ordeal in the caves. She’d only managed to do so once she rediscovered the sample she’d taken from the cave floor. It had taken her weeks longer to convince the Princess to let her back down there on her own.
___

Cadence glanced up as the first drone sensed the presence outside the Hive. She stepped down off her throne sending a claiming feeling through the hive. She made her was quickly through the winding corridors. She soon laid eyes once more on the mysterious mare. A smiled came unbidden to her lips as she watched Twilight search the hive.

“Hello again Twilight Sparkle.” She said stepping out into light once more. The mare’s eyes widened and she bounced happily towards the changeling princess.

“You’re real! You’re really really real!” She bounced around examining Cadence. “What are you? I’m so glad you’re still here! Where is here? How long have you been here?”

Cadence was baffled by the surge of emotions from the mare. She giggled and watched as she examined every bit of her. “I’m a changeling..” Cadence responded. “We’ve always been here..”

“What exactly is a Changeling?” Twilight asked blinking and looking up to meet Cadence’s eyes.

“I..umm” Cadence glanced down her enthusiasm gone when she realized the mare had honed in to the tough question quickly. “A shapeshifter..” She answered diplomatically.

“That is so cool! Have your people always been able to do that? Is it something you can teach?” Twilight asked with undiminished joy.

“We have always been able to shift forms.” Cadence answered “I don’t think I could teach it.”

“Oh, thats okay. Umm can we just sit and talk?”

“Yes, I’d like that very much Twilight” Cadence sat down and began to talk with the young mare. Perhaps it was an opportunity for the Changelings to step into the light. The Princesses might allow peaceful contact.

Empire by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Cadance stood on the high balcony of the Crystal Palace watching the sun set, today marked the beginning of something new. This something new was that the Crystal Empire was now her’s, by right of birth and her connection to the previously long-lost Crystal Royal Family this was her place to take the reins and rule as Empress. Although she had been here in the Empire for nearly a week now, today was when the weight and responsibilities of her new role fully hit her; the past few days she had been more concerned with defending the Empire from Sombra with her best friend and Captain of her Guard, Shining Armour.

Cadance sighed, her close company with Shining was welcoming but also prone to rumours, he was a welcomed distraction from her work but she had to also deal with endlessly questions about her “coltfriend” and “marriage”. ‘He’s not unattractive but still we agreed things were best when we were friends and not lovers.’, she thought as memories of their brief relationship had shown to them that while it could work out if they had wanted it to but Shining was more or less married to the job and she usually preferred mares more than stallions.

Her thoughts were broken by a gentle knock on the chamber’s doors. She turned away from the sky to see her new visitor. The lavender unicorn that walked in had a slightly tense air, likely her mind was still on the earlier events of the day.

“Hello, Twilight” as went over to embrace the smaller mare, forgoing their usual song and dance routine.

“Hello, Cadance.” returning the embrace.

“Feeling any better?” hoping to coax some answers out about her friend’s state of mind.

Twilight sighed, “Not really, the test is still hanging over me. Since Spike gave you the Crystal Heart it means that I've failed.”

Cadance walked over to some cushions in front of the fireplace, she lifted a few with her magic and brought them over to the balcony then she motioned for Twilight to join her. Twilight getting the hint, took a spot next to Cadance. Cadance lifted her wing over Twilight, she embraced her like she used to do when she foalsat Twilight’ this method was usually fairly effective at keeping her friend calm and relaxed.

“You know you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Bu-” Twilight began before Cadance placed a calm hoof over her mouth.

Cadance gave a reassuring smile, “I know how you feel about tests but relax. You did well today and you helped to save an empire and that’s more important than a test.”

“But still, I’m not usually one to fail tests and I’m still worried about the outcome.”

“Auntie Celestia helped to raise me as well, she’ll be proud you helped save an empire more than the fact that you passed her test.”

“Still, she said I had to be the one to assist you two.”

“And you did” hugging Twilight a bit more, “You found the Crystal Heart when we were all stumped or otherwise busy. Spike might have brought it down but you found something that all had forgotten existed. Don’t worry, I’m certain you’ve passed your test.”

“I guess-” Twilight was again cut off although this time was because Cadance began tickling her. Tickling Twilight was Cadance’s other tactic to dealing with a moping Twilight and like wing hugs rarely failed.

"C-Cadance, s-stop, please.” laughed the smaller mare.

“Not until you’re feeling better.” was the slightly menacing sounding reply.

“A-alright, alright.”, Twilight righted herself, “Thanks, Cadance.”

“So better now?”, Cadance asked.

“Yeah.” Twilight paused, “With all this reminders of the past I almost could hear you reading those fairytales to me when I was much younger.”

“Oh? Which do you remember?”

“The brave knight saving his princess although I guess it’s because we just saved the Crystal Empire.”

“Well I’m the Crystal Empress so that makes me the Princess which makes you the gallant knight.”

“Wouldn’t it be Spike?” was the confused reply.

“What did we just talk about? You helped saved an Empire and it’s Empress so you’re the Knight like when we were young, you’re again Dame Twilight only this time minus Fort Librarium.”

“Hey, leave Fort Librarium alone. Smarty Pants and I were great at defeating the Pink Tickle Monster.”

“Of course” Cadance replied as she leaned over again to tickle Twilight.

“Okay fine no tickling, I've already surrendered.”

“You’re loss then.”

“Only difference between fairytales and this is the lack of the Knight falling for his Princess or in this case her Empress.” joked Twilight.

“Yeah, that’s the only thing missing.” Cadance smiled as she embraced Twilight again, both content to watch the skies.

Candlelight by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

Cadance glided numbly in on a brisk breeze gusting up from the south. She touched down on the balcony landing area with a lightness in her landing that surprised her. She was nearly there.

Shining Armor’s office was located in the wide, lower levels of the Crystal Palace where he could oversee both the security and municipal planning that had consumed so much of his time lately. Cadance suspected that he really like it because it let him avoid the throne room and association with his formal title as Imperial Consort.

“Consort indeed!” Cadance snorted as she pranced in from the balcony. A pair of blocky crystal pony stallion guards stood on the other side, flanking the door. They saluted smartly as Cadance passed them. After a few more steps, Cadance paused and turned back to them. “Excuse me gentlemen, but have either of you seen my husband come up from his office yet?”

“No, your Highness. Consort Shining Armor has been in a meeting the past hour.”

Cadance frowned. “Oh. That’s too bad.”

“Shall we alert him to your return?” The guard on the left - she wanted to say Quartz Vein - tilted his head as noticed the state of her coat and mane. “Are...are you alright, your Highness?”

“It rained.” Cadance forced herself to smile gently but it didn’t reach her eyes. The tingle was getting stronger. “Don’t bother, I’ll fetch him myself.”

She passed more guards and several staff ponies as she made her way downstairs. She waved off their questions and their stares, smiling as she did so, but each time she used her prepared excuse it sounded more and more hollow. The lower levels, when she reached them, were considerably more populated than the palace proper above. More staff, more guards and a fair amount of the general public and governmental workers filled the various halls and rooms even into the later hours of the evening. They bowed to her as she weaved through them until she reached the large offices of the Crystal Municipalities Corps.

Several desks, each topped to overflowing with paperwork, marched in neat rows from front to back in the main room. Office ponies filed, copied and collated maps, files and public notices in bright candlelight from the overhead chandeliers. Shining’s office was located at the end of the long room. Cadance swallowed as she looked down the gauntlet of desks and and at the ponies at each one that were slowly coming to a standstill as they noticed her.

The place got very quiet.

Candance swallowed and nodded to everypony. She’d left the smile back at the last major intersection. Her mane was even more frazzled than before and her coat looked like it could use a good brushing. She kept her tail clamped down tight as she walked stiffly to the door marked with her husband’s Cutie Mark.

A purple hoof reached up and fumbled along the edge of the Equestrian Judicial Authority Library table. It gripped there for a moment before pulling a jumbled stack of papers to the floor. The pony it belonged to groaned before trying again to pull herself upright.

Twilight grunted as she righted herself and rubbed her forehead with one hoof. Her vision swam and she felt more than a little nauseous. Nothing felt broken, but that didn’t rule out a concussion. The flame-lights from enchanted candles danced wildly and each turn seemed to drive another painful spike into her temple.

“A little rest and some aspirin should do you well, methinks.”

“Huh?” Twilight looked up and regretted it instantly as the world teetered drunkenly.

A dark blot on the other side of the desk moved quickly and Twilight slumped gratefully into a pair of strong hooves. “On the other hoof, perhaps you should speak to a physician. We never were good at diagnosing such things. Matters of the mind and subconscious have always been Our prevalence.”

Twilight groaned again and rested her cheek against a soft coat that smelled faintly of mint. “Oh, hey Luna. Am I dreaming the concussion, or is this real?”

“Dream or waking, what defines what is truly real?” Luna’s serene face smiled down at Twilight. “However, to answer your question, you are dreaming. We sensed your distress all the way from the castle and came with haste to investigate.”

Luna gently lowered Twilight into a sitting position and settled next to her. She smiled but her eyes looked apologetic.

“What?”

“We must confess, Twilight, that when We found you, We scanned your memories to learn what caused your faint. We know of Mi Amore Cadenza’s transgression and her part in your own existence.” Luna was silent for a moment as Twilight took a deep breath in through her nose. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Cadance was almost to the office door when it opened up to reveal just the unicorn she’s come to see. Shining Armor looked startled to see her but a moment later he was by her side.

“Cadance? Is something wrong, sweetheart?”

She opened her mouth, but held her tongue. Cadance wasn’t sure what would come out. Her nethers were on fire and she could feel a trickle of wetness already working it’s way down her leg. The press of ponies around her was too much, she could feel the heat coming of them. It wanted out.

Shining Armor leaned in closer, his voice lowered to a bare whisper. “Cadance, what’s going on? I can smell you, sweetie.”

Cadance shivered as the touch of his breath hit her like a wave of caresses. It wanted him in, now. It just wanted.

“I-I…” Cadance grit her teeth to keep from screaming, her volume as low as she could make it, “I need...the old fix. Dr. Open Heart has...will have...my new blend ready tomorrow...I can’t wait!”

Shining nodded and his horn flashed as he opened the door to his office and gently pushed Cadance inside before closing it again. He turned to the nearest desk and took a quill and a small scrap of paper which he immediately started to write on it.

He looked at the crystal mare that was watching him and he passed her the note. “Take the next train to Vanhoover, go to the address on this note. An old red pony will give you a small package. Bring it-”

There was a loud crash from inside his office.

“Bring it back here ASAP, understood?”

The mare nodded as she looked askew toward the closed door. “Um...ok. What are you going to do, sir?”

Shining Armor took a deep breath and ran his hoof back through his mane. “Do my husbandly duties.”

Luna floated one of the envelops from the table down to the floor between where she and Twilight sat. She looked over the cover and frowned. “Our sister shall not be happy with you.”

“No,” Twilight stared at the floor, “I don’t believe she will be.”

Luna nodded. “What are you thinking about, Twilight? Surely Our sister’s impending wrath is not the thing you focus so upon?”

Twilight slowly lowered her chin to rest it on her hooves. “How do I trust her now? I’ve always known Cadance could do stuff like that, but how do I know she isn’t using her powers to make me like her? How do I know if she didn’t enslave my brother when she had that magic overload? He always told me that he fell in love with her at first sight!”

Luna shrugged. “Do you think she has ever done so? Make you like her?”

Twilight frowned. Her head hurt enough that she didn’t need to think this hard on top of everything else. Cadance was a good pony. Right? She shook her head and felt her stomach lurch in time with the world’s wobble.

“Ugh...no. I can feel it.”

Luna dropped the envelope and let it join the pile. “We know she is not a bad pony. Far from it, in fact. We now know that by having a helping hoof in your conception, she indirectly aided Us in being rid of the Nightmare.”

Luna paused for a long time. “Thank you for that again.”

“No problem.” Twilight continued to stare forward. It helped keep the world from spinning if she didn’t move her head. “That’s not what I meant.”

“No, We don’t suppose it was. However, We can inform you that We know not much more than you. You have always been the closest with Mi Amore Cadenza. We were on an extended sabbatical when these events transpired. If you would like, We could ask Celestia for you?”

“No, don’t. I need to talk to Cadance myself.”

“Aye.”

It was dark in the office. The air was cool but Cadance felt like her entire body was on fire. Shining’s desk was hard against her thighs where they bumped repeatedly into the edge. That was going to bruise. She didn’t care. She was going to be sore in the morning from her long flight, her delay at the cabin and now this. She didn’t care.

A cup of quills rattled off the desk to spill on the floor. Cadance tried to focus, tried to bring up her old defenses. The quills were the same brand Twilight favored. She’d given Shining a set of them when he took an interest in city planning. She thought about Twilight,her mind desperate for something to latch onto before everything faded into a pink haze.

Cadance could picture Twilight, standing there in the office. Her purple coat glowing in the darkness. Twilight would move up to the desk, opposite of them, her lips parted and eyes almost closed. She could see it in her mind. Twilight was watching.

A part of Cadance’s mind told her that was weird, Shining was in the room. It was more than weird, it was wrong, but she didn’t care. In her imagination, Twilight would reach out to touch her hoof and she could almost feel it. Later - she swore - she would tell Dr. Open Heart about this.

That old familiar feeling ripped through her. It was almost violent in it’s intensity.

Author's Note

Chemistry Continuity Part 6

Angora by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Shining Armour sighed as sat inside his office, Spike had accompanied him when they both left the restaurant and the mares last night. Last night had been rough for both of them and so he had decided to stay in his office instead of returning home. Some space was probably best after last night, though he hoped his and Spike’s plan worked out he still had doubts. Doubts that were very much real given how well he knew the two mares in question. He sighed again, asking Cadance out had been a dream come true and we was reminded of how they met. That wonderful spring day at the park where he ran into a fleeing ball of fluff, the ball of fluff turned out to be a small kitten that gave the air of one who enjoyed leading her owner on a merry chase. Said owner appeared shortly behind the fast kitten, a worried pink pony who was trying to find her kitten only to see her resting on Shining Armour.

That day was the start of a friendship that continued to grow once the two began spending more time together. That small mischievous ball of fluff was an ever present part of these early years. Even now with that first cat gone, one of her kittens still managed to cause the same amount of chaos as her mother did.

Shining continued to fill in the paperwork at his desk before a knock on his door interrupted his work. Outside his office was the last two ponies he had hoped to not see but at the same time knew would come to see him. Outside was his close friend Cadance and his sister Twilight.

He spoke a rather awkward “Hello” before leading them into his office. Knowing what was to come, he walked over to the adjacent room where a simple bed had been set up. Spike had also spent the night in Shining’s office and for their talk to proceed all of them needed to be present. “Spike. Spike.” as he gently nudged the drake.

“I’m up”, as Spike yawned. “So what’s going on?”

“Cadance and Twilight are here.”

At this Spike sat up straight and got quickly got off the bed. He went into the main part of the office and on two of the chairs was Cadance and Twilight. “Um, morning?” trying to greet the newcomers.

Twilight answered, “Morning Spike.”

Spike and Shining both two seats in the room and although the four were present and seated, none could figure out how to muster the first word.

Eventually Spike broke the silence, “Right. Last night….”

Twilight picked up from where Spike trailed off, “Yes, last night. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about what you two attempted.” turning and glaring at Shining, “Or what you were trying to do by dumping Cadance through a letter.”

Shining sighed, he seemed to be doing that a lot this morning, “I…. I thought it was the best way forward. When I asked Cadance out while we were docked at the Gryphonic Empire I thought I had my dream come true. But every time she said “I Love You”, I could tell her heart wasn’t really into it. What else could I have done but end it before we did something stupid or we would regret.”

“But do you regret this?” Cadance growled. All of the others present knew things were bad if Cadance, normally very calm, was nearing the point where she would raise her voice. “How long have we known each other? Why couldn’t you have told me in pony.” she screamed out even as she began to break down and cry. Last night she felt shock for Shining even attempting this sort of stunt, today was more of fury and crying as what had happened finally set in.

Twilight glared at the males in the room, “You’ve been working with her the last couple of years and have known her for longer than that. You could have given her the courtesy of telling her in pony. So why? Why did you not tell her yourself?”

Another sigh from Shining, “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I’m supposed to be brave especially as I work to protect Equestria and its Princesses but even this could not prepare me for talking to Cadance. I-I” taking a deep breath, “I’ve tried. So many times to tell her it wouldn’t work. But I just couldn’t, each time I was plagued by doubts, I was stuck. Twily, you remember the story of how I first met Cadance right?”

Twilight nodded.

“Well that day brought us close together. We became close, we were of two different worlds. Her life among the nobles had prepared her well but she always had a sense of empathy and understanding some others sort of lack. Our family despite their long lineage and noble status is more relaxed on protocols. Her upbringing always made her stand out when compared to me, to others. It felt like we were two world, similar but separate and would never join.”

“So how does this relates to your difficulty with telling Cadance?”

“The feeling of two worlds, even as I became friends I always felt this barrier between us. Even now I’m still a coward for not telling you in pony but it’s because I could never muster the strength or resolve to do so.”

“So you wanted me on a pedestal?” Cadance asked, she had calmed slightly but there was still a hardness in her eyes as she spoke to Shining.

Shining eyes widen, “No, that’s not it. Its just…. It’s always been hard to find voice to speak, I’ve never been good with speaking” Shining sighed, “But the letters was also something to put distance, after this I didn’t know if I could face you.”

“Shining we work together, facing me is something that happens all the time.” asked a confused Cadance.

Shining remained silent but Cadance remembering this was Shining’s office used her magic to lift the current forms Shining had been working on. The first was Request for Reassignment, the second a Letter of Recommendation praising another pony, last was a Letter of Resignation.

“Y-you’re going to resign” as she understood the lengths Shining would go to distance himself.

“I was. I didn’t know if I could face you again after this. Not right away at least. There have been rumours of something in the North, I was requesting a transfer.”

“Away from your family?” this time it was Twilight who nearly yelled in Shining’s face. “You’ve already been away for so long.” Twilight had actually given the forms a quick read after Cadance had picked them up. “If this goes through you likely won’t return to Equestria for five years at the bare minimum.”

Cadance also picked up on this, ‘You would go this far? To leave me, to leave everything? Why?”

“Fear, uncertainty. I don’t really know except that I-”

“Stop.” Spike spoke out for the first time since the conversation began. His voice was not loud but it was calm, calmer than the other three in the room were; he had placed in himself between the three arguing ponies. His figure was nowhere as intimidating as an fully grown dragon but his voice in that moment was enough.

“Stop, just stop. This is going nowhere at all. You” pointing at Shining, “are afraid. You” pointing at Cadance, “are hurt from all of this” And you” pointing at Twilight, “are again caught in the middle.”

Spike took a deep breath, “Shining” he turned to face the stallion, “you have been family to me. Maybe a brother. I’ve always thought you were brave and strong. The letter may not have been brave but it still was, you ended it before it could get worse.” Spike sighed, “I didn’t and it took me so long to end things with Rarity. It may not have been good but not continuing this relationship was likely better, I understand.”

A deep breath, “Cadance”, he turned to face the alicorn, “you’re also close to me and you’re hurt by this and I also understand. You think something will work and then it doesn’t, you’re unsure of how to handle it and if things are right. Rarity was the same, when we talked after it ended. she told me she wasn’t sure what she felt for me. She had thought things may be okay but in the end it was better for us that we didn’t go for it.”

Another deep breath, “And Twilight”, turning to the unicorn, “you were there when things ended for me and Rarity. This is like that again but closer since we’re family. Picking a side in a fight has the potential to ruin friendships but sometimes you need to do so to ensure that things can work out in the end; that’s something you learned from it so remember that. But I meant what I wrote though, Cadance and you probably have a better shot than me and Rarity.”

The three ponies were all stunned to hear the small drake speak, and to speak with authority and knowledge on a subject such as this. Twilight however understood why, she had been there for the fallout of Spike and Rarity’s attempt for a closer relationship. “I think,” Twilight braced herself, “I think we have more to discuss but I think we also need space to calm down. Shining, Cadance, Spike is right about it. We could only solve this by talking but things are too heated right now, maybe we should have waited a few days before we got together. That’s what I’m suggesting, we take some time and give it a few days and then talk, perhaps without everypony’s temper running high.”

It took some time but Cadance eventually spoke, “Fine” her shoulders slumped, “a few days apart may be enough to cool down.”

Shining nodded, “Fine, a few days then.

Cadance left first but Twilight lingered a bit, “You really hurt Cadance with this and I’m still angry with you for it. But Spike’s right, we all need to calm down first.” Twilight picked Spike with her magic and left Shining in the office alone.

Author's Note

Sequel to KoL's previous prompt Spike

Peril by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

15 Hours after initial incident

Twilight was curled tightly into her hiding space as she listened to Wrench’s screams over her comm. She was the only one left now, the thing had gotten the rest of them now. She was alone in an empty ship with an alien creature that seemed intent on hunting them all down. She slipped the crumpled picture of herself and Cadence from her jumpsuit and smiled sadly. She’d never see her Princess again it seemed. She should have never taken a job studying deep space anomalies. She closed her eyes and cried softly. Without realizing it she drifted to sleep

She’d been woken by it scratching around outside of the box she’d curled up in. The sharp almost metallic sound of his chitin on the deck plating. The soft sniffling and clicking as it searched for her. She’d had to bite her lip so hard it bled to keep quiet. Now it had been gone for a few minutes. She slowly slipped the lid off her crate poking her head out and looking around. The cargo hold was empty. She clambered out of the crate and quickly darted towards the door to the upper decks. The thing could be on her in a moment and she needed to get help, warn Equus that something like this existed. She almost managed to relax when she got to the command deck. The simple monitors and stations oddly comforting in their silence. She quickly booted up the comms station. The machine whirred to life. The camera turning taking a moment to focus on her.

“This is Twilight Sparkle, first officer of the Science Ship Nostromo to any ships in broadcast range. We have encountered an alien lifeform. It was brought aboard against my objections after infecting a member of the crew. This crewmember died after the thing used it as a host to incubate. It has since slaughtered the crew and I’m the only one left. Please you must Quarantine LV 426. I recommend a full bombardment from orbit. Please! This organism represents an extreme danger!” Her voice was cracking forcing her to swallow hard stifling her tears. “Cadence I love you, please take care of our daughters. I’m so sorry babe. You were right I was wrong to leave you all. Please someone get this message” She began to sob. Her crying meant she only belatedly heard the clicking noise. She quickly cut the channel spinning around to face her attacker.

The thing was vaguely equine in shape. Its body covered in wet looking black chitin. Its limbs ending in claws. Its lips slipped back barring all of its fangs as it circled close to her. A dark malevolence in its green eyes. A set of insect like wings buzzed faintly on its back. The clicking growing to a fever pitch before fading. It tilted its head and looked at Twilight.

“Hello Sparkle” It used Wrench’s voice before lunging forward. Twilight barely had time to scream.
_____

The Colonial Guard Ship Sulaco sailed smoothly into orbit around the planet. The lights flickering on as the main team was woken from their sleep pods. One by one the Guards stumbled to their feet. The odd pony out, a pink alicorn was hunched over in a corner vomiting.

“You get used to it after a few trips” A griffin Guard said handing her a washcloth with a sly grin.

“Listen up you Nag’s Daughters!” The Sergeant demanded attention with his very presence as he stepped up onto the bench for height “Get sorted and get ready. The Nostromo is in orbit around this rock, and its our job to find out why! Now get to it boys and girls!” He barked hopping off the bench and sauntering off to get dressed himself.

Cadence watched them all with weary eyes. It had been over a year since Twilight had vanished with that damned ship. No word, no wreckage, nothing but ghosts and pain. Now the ship's ansible beacon had been tripped. Cadence hoped Twilight had a damn good reason for all this time.

Prison by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Pinkie Pie was in heaven.

All of Equestria was bursting at the seams in the largest, loudest, wildest party the world had ever known. The celebration of millions of Equestrians having their magic returned to them was unlike any party ever known, for not a single pony, griffon, donkey, cow, Minotaur, or Breezie abstained from the festivities.

With one exception.

Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Champion of Equestria who had fought Tirek to a standstill on the Plains of Everfree, sat away from the partiers. This was no easy task, but she had managed to find an isolated alcove on one of the Palace towers hidden by the late-evening darkness. The setting sun still cast light across the land, but it was dim enough to conceal her purple coat.

The flutter of wings told Twilight that she hadn’t been as discreet as she had hoped, and she steeled herself to deal with the ever-so-grateful subject as whoever it was landed behind her. She plastered on a fake smile she hoped was convincing and turned around to greet them.

To her surprise, the Pegasus bore a horn and a Crystal Heart cutie mark on her flank. Twilight’s ceramic mask crashed to the ground in surprise.

“Cadence?”

The Alicorn of Love stepped forward with a genuine smile on her lips. “No, Rarity,” she said with a laugh as she engulfed Twilight in a hug. Twilight shook her head but leaned into the embrace.

“Ha,ha,” Twilight retorted sarcastically and with a roll of her eyes. “How did you find me up here?”

Cadence shrugged and moved to sit on the ledge. “A lady never reveals her secrets.”

Twilight snorted. “Okay, now you’re actually starting to sound like Rarity.” The two mares shared a giggle as Twilight sat down next to her.

The next few minutes were filled with silence as they both enjoyed the unrivaled view of the dying light. Canterlot, as the Seat of the Sun Princess, had been designed with the sun in mind. The view of the sunset and sunrise were said to be unmatched by any surface structures the world over. Twilight had never left Equestria’s borders, but she found little difficulty believing the notion.

“So, you aren’t going to ask why I left the party?” Twilight asked when she could no longer stop herself. The thought had nagged at her since Cadence’s arrival, but Cadence had hardly said a word.

Cadence shook her head. “I figured you’d tell me if it was important.”

Twilight looked down sheepishly. “I just…I needed to get away. All the excitement, I couldn’t think.” Cadence sent an understanding smile her way. The silence returned, and hung over Twilight’s head like a guillotine.

“What was it like?” Cadence delivered her stay of execution casually, but Twilight didn’t miss the burning undercurrent of curiosity behind it. She didn’t have to ask what ‘it’ was.

She thought back to when she had held the power of four Alicorns in her. She had been doing that a lot, and she still had a hard time putting it to words. Still, there were few ponies she felt would be more understanding than Cadence, so she decided to at least try.

“At first, it was overwhelming. It was like being a goldfish and going from a five gallon tank to being dropped in the ocean.” She snorted. “I couldn’t fly without accidentally breaking the sound barrier. I couldn’t stomp around without cracking the ground. Hay, I couldn’t even cast a simple teleportation spell, and I’ve been doing those since my third year as Celestia’s student.

Cadence watched in concern as Twilight’s expression darkened, and her eyes donned a distant gaze.

“Then Tirek blew up my library.” She shook her head. “I was so angry, so unbelievably full of rage. I barely saved Owlowiscious, and if Spike had been there…” she trailed off, her shoulders tense with the shadow of anger the memories brought.

“I’d never hated anypony before that moment. At that point, there was no hiding away with that magic. He wanted to fight, so I was going to give him a fight. Turns out it was a lot easier throwing around as much magic as I wanted than trying to siphon it to power spells.”

Her eyes twitched as she replayed the battle in her head, and as suddenly as the anger had come it morphed to shame. The tenseness in her shoulders relaxed and her wings sagged.

“I…” she began, only to close her mouth when the words refused to come. Twilight was shaking, but took a steadying breath. She continued, making a point to look down and away from Cadence.

“I was trying to kill him,” she confessed, and Cadence had to force herself not to recoil. Despite her efforts, Twilight noticed her tiny flinch. Tears gathered in her eyes.

“I know it was wrong…but he had hurt so many ponies, and everything was falling apart, and I just wanted to fix everything, and it was all his fault.” She stomped her hoof and left cracks in the marble. Wet spots marred the cracked stone as tears overran her defenses.

“Am…am I a bad pony?” Twilight asked and looked at Cadence in desperation, like she was the last life raft on a sinking ship. Cadence hesitated, trying to find the words to reassure her.

She immediately cursed herself as Twilight saw her hesitation and crumbled. She fell to her belly and began to sob, her hooves over her head muffling her repeated cries of “I’m sorry.”

Cadence leaned down and pulled Twilight to her chest. She used her free hoof to sooth the crying mare’s hair, and her wings surrounded her snugly. Cadence held her tightly, all the while whispering in her ear that she was a good pony. Twilight either didn’t hear her, or more likely didn’t believe her. Finally she could take the sight no longer.

In one smooth motion, she raised Twilight’s head and locked their lips together. Twilight froze, her bloodshot eyes wide open and staring. Cadence let the kiss linger before she pulled away. When Twilight tried to look away, Cadence locked her head in place with her hooves.

“You are not a bad pony.” Her voice was iron, unquestionable. “Twilight Sparkle, if I ever hear you say such a thing again, I will lock you away and throw away the key. You are the kindest, sweetest, most selfless mare I have ever met, and I will not stand for you to think any less of yourself.”

Twilight was speechless, both due to the fire in Cadence’s eyes, and the lingering feeling on her lips. Eventually, her message sank in, and Twilight’s hooves encircled her in a crushing hug.

“Thank you,” Twilight whispered. Cadence smiled happily and kissed her again. And again. And again. Then she…did some things that aren’t fit for polite conversation, and followed up with some other things that really aren’t fit for polite conversation.

By the time the moon rose, every pony, griffon, donkey, cow, Minotaur, and Breezie in Equestria was celebrating.

No exceptions.

Ice by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Twilight looked down at the ice fields arrayed around her. Her armor was dented her helm discarded. Her mane whipped in the cold air. Narrowing her eyes she smirked seeing the forces arrayed against her. The Griffon mercenaries and their Diamond Dog allies stood still cowed by the ferocity of Twilight’s last attack.

“Give up little Pony, you don’t need to die here!” A huge Griffon warrior called out from the front ranks.

“Neither do you” Twilight called back to her setting her hooves with a smirk. “This is the sovereign territory of the Crystal Empire. You will withdraw from our lands.” She set a flash of purple arcane fire along the front row of troops scorching their claws. It was nothing but a slap on the wrist, but it was across a thousand wrists. That gave her enemy pause. For the first time in hours she felt almost relieved, her message would be received soon she hoped.

The Griffon commander growled rubbing her talons together. She glanced at her army. Their eyes were on her looking for guidance in the face of a strangely powerful pony.

“Archers! Try and bring her down again. Her shields can’t last forever!” She called out and grinned as the crossbow wielding dogs stepped forward taking aim and loosing another volley against the mare.

Twilight just snorted raising a simple shield and listening to the bolts glancing off. Soon the rain of bolts slacked off and she glanced out watching the Griffon commander step forward again. She let the shield drop and stepped forward herself.

“You aren't making this easy for us you know! I’m probably gonna have to throw you to my boys when we get you down if you keep this up” The griffon called up with a malicious grin. Twilight noted a few of the male griffons making lewd gestures to back up their commanders statements. For a mare her age that was almost a compliment.

“Sorry, happily married for years now. I’ve got a Princess waiting at home for me. What’ve you got? I’d assume he’s blind given your looks” Twilight smirked having long since found the value of trash talking. She silently thanked Dash for that. She was satisfied to see snickers amongst the raiders. “Come on, why not try and rush me again. It worked out well for you last time. You even managed to make me teleport from my spot” In a flash of light she was in the Griffon’s face. She leaned in with a smirk “But I’d look to the sky if I were you”

“Why?” The griffon snarled clawing at the mare who simply vanished reappearing in her tower.

“Eclipses are a once in a lifetime thing.” Twilight calmly called down to her in response. Murmurs rose from the raiders as they looked to see the Sun and Moon coming together in the sky. Soon they met bathing the battlefield in darkness

“LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SURRENDER.” A regal voice boomed through the mountains. A tall white alicorn landed on the ice in front of the army. Steam rose from her hooves as she stepped forward a motherly look of disappointment on her muzzle.

“This is your only option” Her sister said in a much more subdued voice as she landed behind the raiders.

Twilight looked up to see her own demigoddess land daintily next to her. Cadance smiled and wrapped Twilight in a tight hug. She didn’t look a day over 30, Twilight was almost jealous. Neither of them payed attention to the Raiders.

“Twilight, I sent you out here to asses the danger, not stay and hold it off single handed.” Cadance scolded her voice was gentle as she looked at her wife.

“I was holding a rear guard is all” Twilight responded sheepishly. She leaned in to Cadance’s soft coat.

“They were barely anything”

“Twilight, there looks to be a thousand of them…” Cadance deadpanned. She let out a most unroyal sigh “Our granddaughter was born while you were away. You know I don’t want her growing up without meeting you. Please, your not as young as you were, let the next generation take over. Or I’ll force you to retire.”

Twilight just grinned “Cadance, my Princess, my heart, my love” She began to lay it on thick. “I just stared down an army of raiders. Do you really think I wouldn’t sneak off to slay rampaging dragons with Sgt. Hooves? Even if you forced me to give up my titles. I think I’ve got another 30 years in me.”

Cadance sighed and rubbed her temples “That mare is still a bad influence on you. How aunty lets a 90 year old be on active duty I’ll never know”

Twilight just smirked and looked at her “Babe, I’m in my 70s…”

“Quit making me feel old..” Cadance countered with a smirk.

"I'm old, you're vintage." Twilight said with a smirk. Cadance only smirked, her eyes promising some sort of reprisal for that remark.

Author's Note

A companion piece to Bek's previous prompt Pink

Magic by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Cadence grumbled and snuggled deeper into the bedsheets. Her mind only half awake noted that they weren’t as soft as they should be. She slowly cracked open an eye as the scent of wood and books filled her nose. She blinked a blush coloring her royal cheeks as she remembered the night before. With a smile she slowly sat up as she realized Twilight was no longer in the bed.

Cadance smiled stepping onto the cold wood floor of the library. She slowly crept downstairs. As she followed the curve of the stairs she caught sight of her fiancee. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched Twilight.

The young woman stood in the center of the room. All the objects moved aside. Twilight’s dark skin was lit with an inner fire. Her hair pulled up into a severe bun to keep it out of the way. She turned slowly bringing her hand out energy crackling down her forearm as she formed a sphere of purple energy in the palm of her hand. She moved it in a gentle motion. It rolled around her hand before being passed to the other hand.

Cadance gasped as she caught sight of Twilight’s eyes, the normal violet replaced by solid white as she channeled magic. Reaching out with her own magic Cadance brushed against Twilight feeling the power she was channeling from the Ley Line below the library.

Twilight smiled a gentle tingle moved up Cadance’s arm as Twilight returned the gesture. The younger woman turned and smiled, the crystal heart pendant she wore was also alight with magical energies. Twilight’s jaw dropped as she caught Cadance in her Sight.

Cadance appeared to Twilight as a font of pure energy. Human in shape, but nearly perfect in form. Wings spread from her back nearly twice the length they did in the normal world. Atop her brow sat a glowing pink heart crown. Twilight reached out and gently brushed her fingers down Cadance’s arm.

“You’re amazing..” She said her voice full of awe. Cadance blushed, though such subtleties were lost in the Sight.

Swallowing Cadance focused and opened her own eyes to See. She nearly stumbled back from her love. Cadance stepped forward and reached out cupping Twilight’s cheek. She leaned in kissing the nascent Goddess she saw before her.

“Twilight, if only you could see yourself..” Cadance whispered in return leaning in and kissing Twilight as passionately as she had the night before. Both women blinked blinded slightly by the close contact with each other with the eyes Open. Twilight rubbed her eyes and blushed faintly.

“I’m sorry I left the bed. I was just so nervous and I didn’t want to wake you. Last night was just..” She stammered as she blinked away the spots in her vision.

“Its alright, really I was more worried you were regretting it..” Cadance replied, her own vision still whited out. Though, she had a few years more practice and easily glanced to where Twilight was standing.

“Never! I wanted that, a..after facing down and angry Demi-Goddess I think I needed to know we were..umm” Twilight blushed and smiling. “I was scared and then you were there. I wanted to never let you go and..”

“And we made thank god you’re not dead love?” Cadance tried to look angry, but completely failed instead giggling into her hand “Glad to know our first time was something special..” She stepped forward able to see the vague outline of Twilight. She reached out placing a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder and leaning in to kiss her forehead gently. “I was worried sick when the Sun didn’t rise. Then Aunty Celestia returned and dragged me to the middle of nowhere, I thought the worst had happened. To see you and the girls. I’ve never been so relieved. I love you with all my heart Twilight.” Cadance said

“I love you too Princess Mi Amore Cadenza” Twilight responded her well thought out placating and knee jerk back tracking thrown off by those words. She glanced around “I was just nervous and full of energy. I didn’t want to wake you though, so...I came down here. I figured I’d check it out since..umm I’m staying and all. I’d just found the Ley Line when you came downstairs.”

“I see, when all else fails you know Magic” Cadance smiled and hugged Twilight to herself “I’m not worried about you staying. I think Ponyville will do wonders for you. It’ll be nice to visit you away from Canterlot. I can swing by on weekends and spend time with you. We’ll be okay with a little distance. I can fly, you can teleport..” Cadance’s grin grew as her visioned finally returned fully. “I do have one question though”

“What?” Twilight looked up at Cadance with innocent eyes.

“Where’s Spike?” The taller woman asked with a smirk. Twilight’s eyes bugged out and she glanced around.

“Crap!” Twilight cursed glancing around. She pulled from Cadance’s arms storming out the front door in her tank top and sweat pants. “SPIKE!!!” Her yells echoed through the morning air of the small town.

Cadance just giggled into her hand at the sight. She turned heading upstairs to get dressed. She had more than enough time to pick up Spike from Rarity’s before Twilight made it that far into town.

Author's Note

Takes place in the same humanized universe as Bek's previous prompts Bribery, Dorks, and Beach.

Journal by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Days after the incident in Shining's office the four had agreed to meet, this time at a secluded part of the Royal Gardens. Not the most private place but more isolated and less likely to be disturbed or heard by others. By unspoken consent the three ponies took a seat on the grass while the lone dragon took a seat on one of the scattered chairs in the garden, this arrangement gave him a degree of height and a more central location between the three ponies. The gathered group sat in an uneasy silence, a sense of quiet tension filled the void.

"Okay, a few days have passed. Let's talk then. Shining, direct this time." Spike said clearly breaking the awkward silence.

Shining sighed and looked at the pink alicorn, "Cadan-"

"Cadenza" came the monotone rebuke, the alicorn stared at him, her eyes like ice.

Shining was stunned and quickly averted his eyes before he continued, "Cadenza, I'm sorry. I should have never done it, I know words aren't enough but I'll say it. We became friends, young and even though we should be equals, I've felt uncertain about me and you. You're royalty and I'm from a noble's family, that should've been enough but I felt.... short compared to you. I didn't think we had a chance but it was a great dream. But you saying yes.... was one of the happiest moments for me. I thought we had a chance but I knew soon we didn’t, your mind was elsewhere and I was scared to talk, I’m both uncomfortable and bad with it. Even so I'm sorry, if I did talk to you this could have ended better." He raised his head and looked directly at her, "I do think you and Twilight have a better chance together than we did." falling back down as he finished.

Spike nodded, "Cadan-"

"Cadenza" came the rebuke again, "Only Twilight may refer to me as Cadance."

Spike gulped, "Cadenza then."

Cadance lifted her head glaring at both the drake and the stallion, her voice frosty, "What you both did was wrong, I'm not sure I'm ready to forgive yet. Shining Armour, you are an idiot, a thickheaded idiot, we're supposed to be friends and you go behind my back to do this?" She paused, "Yes, we should have talked and in a way I'm sorry for not noticing something was wrong.You're not inadequate, I don't know why you feel that way. I just wanted us to talk." Cadance collapsed; clearly still feeling the stress of the last few days.

"Twilight?"

"Spike this was still irresponsible", scolding him, "I know you wanted to help but it shouldn't have been like this. I'm still not sure how I feel about this besides being torn” Twilight sighed, “I’m here in the middle between two who I care about and I can’t decide what I’m supposed to feel about it. But I'm also unsure about where Cadance and I stand."

"You care for her deeply, maybe love." Spike interjected, "I can read you easy, your journals helped for proof."

Twilight jerked her head to stare at the drake, "My journals Spike? What abo-"

"Scientific journals" he quickly threw in, "even though I know where all your journals are I’ve only read all your experiment notes which you let me, they have bits were you aimlessly talk about Cadance. You've been too distracted to notice."

"Okay fine, I need to hide my personal things better and you didn't invade my privacy but I'm still unsure about Cadance and I. But I don't want this to just end, we're all close and this is important for us, I want-" a deep breath, "No we should fix things between us."

Silence fell over the group; all three ponies looked dejected and hesitant, none were sure of what to say.

After a while Cadance pulled herself up, her voice now more defeated than cold, "In truth I'm still hurt by this.", she turned to face Shining, "I know you meant well but it will take time before I can forgive you. Maybe then we could address this inadequacy you feel but you're still my friend. Running away will do nothing, I need time but I do want to fix this especially since Twilight wants that too." she turned to Spike, "You're a part of this, maybe less but Twilight's right, we've been close for a long time and it shouldn't just end."

At this Shining sat up as well, "Twily's right, I should have thought about it would affect her too but I was too wrapped in these plans that I forgot. I'm sorry Twily. We do need time to fix this, thankfully we have a few months off so maybe we could fix this."

"Good, probably the best outcome we could have right now." said Spike.

"Before anything" Shining added as he took a deep breath and braced himself, "I have to start fresh, so Cadance I'm sorry but I'm ending this, properly this time. I want us to remain just as friends. Can we do that, I want to move forward."

Cadance sighed, "Fine, I accept. We all need to move forward and keeping this going wouldn't have helped."

"Perhaps a few weeks apart could help?" suggested Spike.

"I think we should" said Twilight, "It would allow things to cool down some more, maybe recover a little." she sighed, "But I'm hoping things will work out."

Spike stood up, "You and Cadance should spend time together" he held up a hand when he saw Twilight open her mouth, Yes, you two together may have a shot, I do wish for that but I meant reconnect. You haven't just talked or spent much time together in years"

Twilight nodded and stood, "Cadance?"

Cadance also stood, "Reconnecting would be nice."

"I'd say a month or two" suggested Shining, "for some time apart. After maybe we could talk again."

Author's Note

Follows Lycaeus's previous promps Spike and Angora

Crown by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

From the high throne of the Crystal Empire, a voice like thunder rang out. All who heard it quivered from the unquestionable authority that gripped their very essence.

“I hereby declare this meeting of the Imperial Council to begin,” announced Crown Princess Star Crosser. Her nose held high in a properly regal pose, she daintily waved a hoof in the general direction of her gathering of Ministers, each seated at the base of the throne.

“Chancellor Smarty Pants, if you would begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting.” Chancellor Smarty Pants gave a shallow bow and rifled through her ever-present notebook for the relevant information. With her unrivaled powers of brainy-ness, it was mere seconds before she cleared her throat to begin.

“Ahem. Our previous meeting achieved our goals of finalizing the Empire’s official position on ice cream. It was decided, with Your Highness’s approval, that chocolate is in fact the superior flavor.” Admiral Squishy, Lord of the Crystal Fleet, raised one of his eight tentacles to signal his desire to speak. Princess Star Crosser dipped her head in his direction.

“I would like to remind the Council that it was also decided that all ice cream flavors carried their own merit, especially in sundae form.” A round of gracious agreements went through the ranks before Chancellor Smarty Pants returned them to order and continued.

“Debates regarding Play Time and Bedtime Stories were also concluded, arriving at ‘not enough’ and ‘satisfactory, though one more would be preferable’ respectively.”

“Does that properly summarize our previous meeting, Chancellor?” the Princess inquired. The Chancellor gave another shallow bow and nodded.

“It does, Your Highness.”

Princess Star Crosser smiled and motioned for the Chancellor to sit. “Very well, then I believe the time has finally arrived for us to begin discussion on our most pressing issue.” Princess Star Crosser’s features darkened as a wave of seriousness passed over the room.
“I am afraid, my Councilors, the time has come to confront the most serious problem we face; broccoli.” A shudder passed through her viziers at the mere whispering of the word.

“An abomination of greenery, if ever there was one,” commented Professor Green Scale, the Minister of Agriculture. The rattle at the tail-end of her long, sleek body shook as she spoke, a sign of her distaste.

“Indeed,” agreed Doctor Paws, the Minister of the Treasury. His tail wagged excitedly as he took comfort in the old, worn tennis ball he was never seen without. It had been a gift from the Princess herself, and he guarded it jealously. After all, you don’t get named Minister of the Treasury if you lose all your chew toys.

Captain Granite, the Knight-Commander of Her Highness’s Crystal Guard, raised his objections. “We should remember to see all sides of the issue,” he reminded his fellow councilors. “Broccoli is yummy when dipped in ranch dressing.” The thought gave the others pause, but Chancellor Smarty Pants was quick with a retort.

“It was previously agreed that anything tastes yummy in ranch dressing, and decisions regarding food would be made on their own merits.” Captain Granite scoffed.

“Should nachos be decided upon without thinking of the cheese? Should we deliberate on pancakes without the syrup?” The Chancellor sighed in aggravation.

“It’s not the same!” she insisted.

“Is so!”

“Is not!”

“Is so!”

“Is-“

“Enough!” thundered Princess Star Crosser. She stomped her hoof on the throne hard enough to send an echo through the room. Captain Granite came to attention out of reflex, and Chancellor Smarty Pants bowed in apology.

“We have had this argument before,” she said sharply, making sure to give both the Chancellor and the Captain equally disappointed frowns. “I have heard the arguments, and in this case I have decided; broccoli is hereby deemed yucky, except with ranch dressing. Does this addendum satisfy all parties?”

All of her Ministers nodded with varying degrees of enthusiasm. She nodded in satisfaction.

“Very well. Then we shall proceed to our next order of business; snacks.”

As the debate between apple fritters and cupcakes raged, nopony noticed a pair of eyes hidden in the shadow of a support column near the throne.

“Oh my stars, this is so cute,” gushed Cadence. She had to stuff a hoof in her mouth to keep her giggles from escaping and giving away their position.

“I know!” Twilight nearly squealed. Her grin threatened to escape from her face as she watched their daughter prancing about on the Crystal Throne. Court was out for the weekend, and it left the enormous room empty. Or rather, mostly empty, as Princess Star Crosser’s Court was deep in session.

“You better be taking pictures,” Cadence jabbed her wife just a bit harder than she intended, but the too-cute-to-bear sight was scrambling her brain functions.

“Oh don’t worry,” Twilight assured as she reloaded her old polaroid camera. “I’m not missing a second of this.”

For nearly an hour, their daughter conducted her adorable proceedings. They discussed pressing issues such as ‘more belly rubs for Doctor Paws,’ ‘how to get more cookies from the chefs,’ and other serious problems facing the Empire.

Eventually though, the stresses of ruling took their toll on the Princess. Gradually, her movements became more sluggish. When she announced a short recess for her to rest her eyes, just for a minute I’m not going to sleep I’m not even tired, the cause was lost.

Cadence and Twilight fluttered lightly over to the throne to avoid disturbing her. They landed on each side of their daughter, who was curled up tightly against Doctor Paws with one of her wings was across the dog/Treasury Minster’s back. Twilight’s crown, oversized on Star Crosser’s small head, lay where it had fallen beside her. With a silent ‘aww,’ Twilight carefully levitated both Star Crosser and Doctor Paws towards the door(though not before taking another dozen pictures.) She made certain not to wake them, going so far as to cast a muffling spell on her hooves.

Cadence lingered behind to round up the Crystal Council. She gathered the stuffed animals and the small rock in her magic and followed quietly after her wife. As pink magic gently shut the throne room doors, she whispered, “Court dismissed.”

Author's Note

Meet Princess Star Crosser

Exile by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

Luna frowned while she held Twilight’s mane back as the younger alicorn heaved half digested coffee onto the linoleum floor of the Judicial Authority library. “Twould seem that We are not the only one who has noticed your faint. Our sister has just dispatched the guard to collect your unconscious form.”

“Uhg...why do I have to vomit in my dreams? Isn’t there a rule against that?”

“Tis not Our fault your mind is such a stickler for correct details.” Luna chuckled. “We shall let them know you are ill and to be gentle. However, it would seem you are destined to speak with Celestia sooner rather than later.”

Twilight groaned and wiped a hoof across her muzzle. “This is going to be pleasant. Does she know yet? About...this?”

“If not yet, she will know soon.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Will you stay with me until we get there?”

“Aye.”

Shining Armor sighed as the hot water beat down on his aching neck and shoulders. He must be getting older. Taking care of Cadance always took it out of him, but the ache from holding himself up was new.

“No more skipping gym night, Captain.” Shining grunted and flicked his mane out of his eyes. “Time for a haircut too.”

He reached up and turned the water off, letting himself drip in the steam-filled royal bath. Without the rush of the shower he could just barely hear Cadance breathing from the their bed. She’d passed out in his office an hour ago after finally suppressing her urges. It brought back a lot of old memories from Canterlot. It was surprisingly nostalgic, having to maintain an anti-magic shield while seeing to Cadance’s needs and then carrying her through the castle in an opaque sphere back to their private chambers.

Shining Armor stepped out from the shower stall and walked slowly over to the huge marbled counter and sink. He wiped a hoof across the mirror to clear the fog and smirked at his own reflection. “Yeah, time for a haircut, Shining.”

“Goddess, when did I become my father?” Shining leaned forward and examined the bags under his eyes and the deepening groove in his horn. “I doubt dad ever had to juggle my sort of duties.”

He checked his teeth for a moment and then reached down under the counter and pulled out a small jar of cooling salve. It had been a long time since he’d last used it but when he unscrewed the cap, that familiar smell wafted up and the cream looked just as it always did. Shining ran the edge of one hoof through the salve and reared up on his hind legs. With the mirror he could see the area with the worst chafing.

“Well...I certainly hope dad never had to deal with this.”

Cadance dreamt of Twilight. She dreamt of kisses and caresses and whispered little nothings in-between. They lay together on a huge bed covered with silken sheets and surrounded by row after row of tealight candles.

Music seemed to fill the background as Cadance felt herself being gently rolled onto her back. Twilight was driving her wild with small butterfly kisses that drifted up her barrel. The smaller alicorn lifted herself up and over Cadance, the look on Twilight’s face said more than words about the sheer lust that flooded the two of them. Cadance gasped as Twilight’s horn suddenly set itself ablaze, casting them in a bright purple hue, and she felt something as supple and warm as a tongue but much larger begin to explore the whole of her.

Shining shook his head and levitated a few towels down to where he was sitting on the royal bathroom floor. He was glad he’d had forethought to put up a barrier around the bedroom before getting in the shower. He channeled a little more juice into the shield and shifted to get his makeshift towel pillows underneath his knees.

Shining frowned as he watched his wife pant and writhe on their bed. Cadance was still unconscious but her hooves were on autopilot as she dreamed. He could feel the shield vibrate as her powers collided with it and bounced off only to slam into it again like a caged beast. If he entered and tried to comfort her, Shining feared it would overtake him instantly. Then he’d have a lot more than uncomfortable chafing to deal with.

“I wonder what she’s dreaming about?”

Twilight groaned and opened her real eyes. She could feel the light touch of magic running over her scalp, through her hair. It managed to find that perfect point of warmth and pressure that was at once both comfortable and painful. A golden glow passed briefly over her eyes as she focused on a ceiling that she knew well from her days as a full-time student. “On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you?”

The princess she’d really have rather not be talking to stepped into view as the feeling of the magic touch left her. “I would say about...a four. I was initially feeling more towards a eight but after Luna intervened on your behalf and seeing your karmatic injury, I have managed to simmer down somewhat.”

Celestia looked at Twilight with wet eyes. “I have looked over the trauma you’ve inflicted on yourself and I recommend you refrain from using too much magic. Thankfully, it is only a minor concussion. Rest for a few days and you’ll be back to normal.”

“Ugh...minor? It feels like there is a minotaur in a china shop and the china shop is my head.”

“If you can make metaphors, Twilight, you are not so bad off, considering. I mean it though. Take it easy and let the thaumatic pathways of your horn heal. Too much too soon and you might cripple yourself.” Celestia sighed and closed her eyes. “Goddess, Twilight, why?”

Twilight kept her gaze on the ceiling and did her best to ignore her princess. That seemed like the best way to fight the nausea that was churning her stomach. “Because. I-I just couldn’t accept it. I had to know what was in those cases. I had to know...had to know what sort of pony could accuse Cadance of a crime and make it stick. A part of me just couldn’t believe that she was guilty of anything more than being sweet and wonderful and loving.”

Twilight fell silent for a moment. “And I was curious...to be honest.”

“You committed an act of betrayal by opening those case files. Betrayal of trust. MY trust, Twilight.” Celestia’s voice sounded flat. “I instructed you to leave it alone and talk to Cadance about this and yet you could not wait. To say I am disappointed in you would be an understatement.”

“I’m sorry.” Twilight closed her own eyes to drift in cool darkness. “Can you forgive me?”

Celestia didn’t answer. Twilight fidgeted on the large cushion that held her as the silence stretched on.

Eventually Celestia sighed. “In time, yes, I will forgive you. But you have forced my hoof, Twilight. While the only victims of your actions are my feelings and Cadance’s privacy, I am still reserving my right to place judgement on you.”

Twilight tensed. She’d feared an outcome like this. Why did she have to be so curious at times? Why did she just have to know everything? How could she be so smart and so stupid at the same time?

“I am sending you to the infirmary. The doctors are going to give you something to help with the concussion. While they do so, I am going to write an official letter of apology to Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and alert her to this information leak and the circumstances around it.”

Twilight turned her head to look at Celestia. “Wait...that’s it? Sorry Princess, but I was expecting...a bit more.”

Celestia looked down her muzzle at Twilight and her horn started to glow faintly. “You will deliver it, personally to Princess Cadance. Furthermore, Twilight Sparkle, you are not to return to Equestria until you have made amends with her.” Twilight felt the princess’ magic flow into her and the geas placed. Once she crossed the border, she would not be able to come home until the condition was met.

Celestia stood and let the glow fade away before turning toward the door. “I hope you put all of your study of friendship to use for a change.”

Twilight flinched when she heard the door close softly. She lay there in silence and stared at the wall, her mind devouring itself. Why did she do the things she did? Was something wrong with her? Why couldn’t she leave well enough alone? Why would she do something so colossally stupid? Was something wrong with her? How could she betray the trust and privacy of the two most important ponies in her life?

Was something wrong with her?

Author's Note

This will be the last entry in Fuzzy's Chemistry Series, but it will be continued in its own independent story. I encourage everyone to check it out(link will be provided when it is published.)

Bells by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Time certainly flies especially when one spends it in pleasant company, this notion was true for Cadance and Twilight who had come to spend time together on an almost daily basis over the last couple of months proving Spike’s point that it had indeed been too long for them both and it renewed the closeness they once shared. Time was also thought to be the best medicine to mend emotional wounds and in this notion, Cadance’s statements also proved true, she had forgiven Spike within a few weeks while she didn’t forgive Shining Armour until almost a month and a half after the event at the Royal Gardens. Despite being forgiven by the pink alicorn, Shining declined offers to meet with the others despite the best efforts of Spike, then Twilight, and finally Cadance; instead opting to bury himself in work despite being on leave.

Cadance was finally able to drag the stubborn Guard Captain out of his office after the second month of his isolation and it would be the first time the quartet had gotten together in months given Shining’s long reluctance to join in. They were in one of the parks dotting the mountain city, less secluded and more public than the last time, the choice of locale was a slight risk given how none had been able to properly gauge Shining Armour and his possible reaction to things but for the rest things had cooled enough that this time it did warrant secluding themselves in the Royal Gardens or Shining’s office.

All of them had taken a seat in the grass, Twilight was snuggled up closely against Cadance who in turn had wrapped a wing around the smaller mare. For Shining that was possible proof, for Spike it was just confirming what he already knew, that Twilight and Cadance had started dating like they had hoped.

“Shining?” asked Cadance in a soft tone, “You’ve been avoiding me for a few months, why? I forgave you already.”

Shining was nervously shifting, “I know you did but I really don’t know how to start things again.”

Cadance sighed, “Shining I kept trying to invite you because I want to start over but I can’t if you won’t come with us.”

Shining opened his mouth but was cut off, “Shiny, we were just spending time together, that would have been enough to start things off again.” said Twilight from her spot next to the pink alicorn.

Shining hung his head, “I know. This is hard for me, I feel inadequate and I’m not entirely sure why maybe I just used to serving under royalty or I guess it’s because I always thought I didn’t stand a chance against everypony else you’ve with. Maybe it’s family, we’re nobles although most of the family aren’t after status, some are and I guess I problem with them. Grandfather is one, he made his fortune and status from business and although he served briefly according to family traditions, but he thinks the military as lowly”

“Grandfather shouldn’t impact you like this.” added Twilight, “Mom and dad are proud that you’ve been made a Royal Guard so young and then Captain.”

Shining opened his mouth again.

“Okay Shining stop”, Spike interjected, “Before this gets going again. I’ve always thought of you as a brother, my cool older brother who showed me courage, strength, loyalty, laughter and more. You’re a great pony despite what Grandfather thinks, every time I met him well he annoys me. Always treats me as a pet not as my own dragon.”

“Shiny, it’s true”, Twilight added, “You’re my BBBFF, you’re always there when I need help. I was happy to see you achieve your dreams, so please don’t let Grandfather or anyone rule your life.”

“They’re both right, Shining you’re one of the best friends I have. In spite of these last few months and recent events, I still think you’re a good pony and a great friend.”

Shining was stunned, silent, what could he saw to things contradicting the nagging doubt. The silence was broken by the tolling of bells in the nearby square marking the hour. Shining may not have read as much as his sister but he did remember vaguely bells in a few legends and fairytales. They rang for moments of joy, birth and marriage and for moments of sadness, illness and death. Regardless bells represented the end of one thing, the beginning of the next and perhaps even the bells tolling were in agreement with them. Time for the end of an era and the beginning of the next.

“Thank you, you’re all right. I should be here with all of you. I can’t let the past make me doubt.” he turned to Cadance and held out his hoof, “My name is Shining Armour. What’s your name?”

Author's Note

The conclusion to the storyline of Spike, Angora, and Journal.

Sunk by Bekdontraz

Bekdontraz
~~~

“You must get word to the Princesses that Sombra has overwhelmed us!” The Lieutenant said looking to his Courier. The grey unicorn finished wrapping his hoof in bandages and nodded looking the the young private

The Private nodded and saluted. He looked to his comrades and sighed. It wasn't fair that he was going home and they weren't.

The Lieutenant turned taking up his crossbow again and sighting down. "We hold here to the last! Do not give in to fear!" He called out his voice strong and clear. The remaining Guard nodded, holding spear, and bow they watched the advancing crystal creations.

The orange pegasus took wing, the frigid northern air biting at him as he rose into the clouds. He glanced over his shoulder seeing the sparkling city and his dieing squad with that last look he closed his bright blue eyes and flew into the wind heading for the city on the mountain. As the Crystal City vanished into the distance a roar echoed along the icy wind
___

Twilight smiled and gently nuzzled into Cadence’s side, the young unicorn’s helmet was set aside as they two enjoyed a relaxing lunch together.

“I really do have paperwork I should get done while I’m still in Canterlot..” Twilight said sipping her drink and smiling at her wife. By Faust she had a wife! She was never going to get over that, or the fact her wife had saved her from some sort of love sucking bugs!

“Twilight, we’re leaving tomorrow, let the paperwork go for now. Ponyville will be fine without you for a few weeks.” Cadance smiled and nuzzled her wife back. Her pink coat still showed a few bare patches and scars from her battles at the wedding. The Alicorn stretched a bandaged wing over the smaller mare and gave a lascivious grin. “Besides, you simply must help me heal.”

“Of course, I didn’t buy that labcoat for nothing!” Twilight declared drawing a checklist from her saddlebag. She grined and showed it to Cadance. The Alicorn blushed slightly.

"That is thorough” She said her tail flicking slightly.
___

The Courier's wings ached as Canterlot came into view. His home, his wife, and foals were there. He swallowed and flew on to busy to notice that the buildings were not as he remembered. He came in for a hard landing in the Guard compound square. Stumbling into a trot he headed for the palace at a fast pace. A few of the Guard’s turned watching the oddly dressed pegasus. It was probably the Captain trying to test a new uniform or something they decided.

"Halt! State your business” The Throneguards looked down at the pegasus. Their eyes traced his battered armor. The insignia on his shoulder was unknown to them. The courier drew himself to full height and saluted.

“Private Flash Sentry, Long Pine Scout Regiment. I have an urgent report for the Princesses from the Crystal City.” He said noting that the two guards made no move to return his salute. The one who had spoken before nodded slowly.

“I’m sorry sir, but no such Regiment exists to my knowledge. Also if you are going to cosplay a Guard it would be nice to have the uniform within regulations. The final nail in your request is that there is no Crystal City. Aside from old foals tales atleast.” The guard’s voice was gentle. He reached out to put a hoof on the Pegasus’ shoulder. “I get off duty soon though son, if you want I can take you to someone that can talk without you about any issues you’re havin”

“I need to see the Princess now!” Flash pushed the hoof away glaring at the Guard. “I am invoking General Order 12. I have the right under the Guard regulations to speak with the Princesses. I will see them now!” He stamped his hoof. The Guard’s were about to respond when the young motioned to the ice formed on Flash’s wings.

“I’ll go inform the Princess. Wait here” The remaining Guard gave a weak smile to Flash.

“It’ll be okay buddy. Princess Celestia ‘ll help you out” He said calmly. Flash didn’t understand what was going on. His regiment was newly formed! They’d just been raised twenty years ago for Faust’s sake!

“The Princesses will see you now” The guard from before said walking up with a sad look in his eye. “You may go on ahead” He said saluting the Private briefly.

Flash nodded and marched into the Throne room his head held high.
___

“Cpt Twilight Sparkle reporting as ordered, Your Highness” Twilight said saluting the Princesses as she stepped up to their thrones. Luna nodded to her with a smile. The Lunar Princess was forever in Twilight’s dept and was fond of the Guardsmare.

“Twilight, I’ve already sent word to the other Guardians. We have an incident.” Celestia smiled and motioned for Twilight to sit “Also you may relax for a moment Twilight.” The unicorn sat and nodded giving a sheepish smile to the Solar Princess. “In the far northern wastes there used to be a fellow city state to Equestria. It fell under the sway of a King mad with power. He ruled it with fear and used golem, slaves, and constructs to expand this city state into an Empire. My sister and I took a small force with us to defeat him. Sadly in his defeat he cast a spell sealing the Empire away with himself. Luna, and I barely escaped, sadly some of our Guard did not.”

Celestia nodded to a Pegasus leaning against a pillar. His head in his hooves, he was rocking on his hindquarters slightly. Twilight saw his mouth moving but heard only a faint sound. She turned to look at Celestia. The Princess smiled sadly at her.

“This was over thirteen hundred years ago Twilight. This Guard returned to us this morning. The Empire has returned and it seems that King Sombra has returned with it.” Celestia continued. “We need the Guardian’s of Harmony, along with your new wife to go and remove him from power. I can discuss plans with you in a moment.” Celestia glanced at Cadance with a smile. Cadance in turn tried to appear upset over being designated Twilight's wife. She instead kept her slightly giddy smile.

“What about him?” Twilight asked her eyes lingering on the broken stallion. He looked up at her and then to the Princesses
“I’m good ma’am. I..I can go with you” He said to her. He didn't look it, his wings still frayed from icey flight, his eyes bloodshot, and a nervous tick of someone who'd just had his world destroyed. Twilight sighed faintly and nodded to him slightly. She could argue the point later.
“We have a lot to discuss, Your Highnesses. I'm sorry about the honeymoon Cadance” Twilight said glancing from Flash back to her wife. The Pink Alicorn smiled sadly and nodded.

"Duty calls." She said unhappily

Camel by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

As Princess Twilight sat on the Crystal Throne beside her wife, she was surrounded by a swarm of activity. Guards and servants scurried this way and that, their movements frantic in their individual quests to complete their various duties. Her critical eye watched over it all, occasionally offering a correction or a bit of advice. There could be no errors this day, because today was the day.

No, not just the day. It was the day.

The day had come for the Crystal Empire to play host for the Council of Races.

For close to a thousand years, the Council had acted as a forum for various nations to settle disputes in ways other than war. With few exceptions, it had maintained peace across the world since shortly after the titanic War of the Sun and Moon. Ponies, Griffons, Minotaurs, even Dragons held seats on the Council, which by tradition convened once every decade. The previous summit had been held in the Minotaur capital of Knossos, and now it was the newly-resurrected Crystal Empire’s turn. For the fledgling nation, it was the most important event since the overthrow of Sombra, and it was up to Twilight to ensure everything ran as it was supposed to.

And Cadence would not stop groping her.

Even as the annoyed thought crossed her mind, she swatted away one of her wife’s wandering hooves as it trailed too close to her Cutie Mark. As luck would have it, it was also the day that, without warning, Cadence’s love magic hurled her headfirst into the frothing vat of lust that was estrus. As Princess of Love, her annual ‘loveapalooza’, as she called it, was both longer lasting and more intense than the average mare’s. An unfortunate(or, in Cadence’s opinion, fun) side effect of her inherent love magic tended to make her cycle’s start date unpredictable.

“Cadence, for goodness sake, would you please control yourself!” she whisper-shouted. She needn’t have bothered that much; as close as Cadence was sticking to her, she could probably hear some of Twilight’s louder thoughts. She was a hair’s breadth away from draping herself across Twilight like a persistently amorous blanket.

“Oh, but Twilight~ “ Cadence purred, “how can I control myself when you’re flaunting all this in front of me?” As she spoke, her wings spread out to caress Twilight’s flanks. Her hot breath tickled Twilight’s ears, and for a moment Twilight’s resolve threatened to waver.

“There’s a closet ten steps down the hall,” Cadence said eagerly, as if reading her mind.

Before Twilight could think of accepting her offer, the Crystal Trumpeters began blaring their horns in sync to announce the arrival of the foreign delegations. The Spires doors were pushed open, and into the Throne Room poured the Council dignitaries.

In the lead, as the previous host, was King Herakon. The massive Minotaur was forced to duck to prevent his horns from impacting against the doorway, and he towered over the Crystal Knights of the Imperial Honor Guard. Behind him marched Princesses Celestia and Luna, jointly representing Equestria. Following them were all manner of creature; Bovine, Griffon, even Dragon(though, for convenience sake, the Dragons typically sent Wyrms to the Council; few buildings could accommodate a fully grown drake.)

Near the end of the procession marched Sultan Medarius the Fair, the ruler of Bactria. He wore robes of fine, expensive silk that rippled in a nonexistent breeze and made his every step seem as graceful as a bird on the wind.

Cadence gave a giggle that was anything but innocent in nature as she shot Twilight a sultry smile. Twilight ignored it as she attempted to appear both regal and welcoming to their guests as they filed in and took their places around the Crystal Throne.

“Twilight,” Cadence whispered conspiratorially, adding a light jab for emphasis.

“What?” Twilight asked without taking her eyes off the procession and without dropping her welcoming smile.

“Guess what day it is?” Cadence giggled again, and made a point of staring between Twilight and the Sultan.

“Cadence, don’t,” Twilight warned.

“Go on, guess. Guess what day it is.” Cadence’s lecherous smile grew as she poked Twilight with her hoof.

“Cadence, don’t you dare say it.”

“Guess. Guess. Guess. Guess.” Every word was punctuated with another jab, and every jab pushed Twilight further and further off the edge.

“Guess. Guess. Guess guess guessguessguessguessguessguess-“

“YES OKAY FINE! IT’S HUMP DAY!” Twilight yelled, her voice echoing off the crystal walls and reverberating through the entire Spire. Everyone, a rare pronoun indeed to most ponies, froze in place as they stared, slack jawed, at their hosts.

Twilight seethed in place, her face red with both anger and embarrassment. Cadence, meanwhile, was running a hoof dangerously along the base of Twilight’s wings.

“GRAH!” In once smooth motion, Twilight enveloped Cadence in her magic and leapt from the dais. She marched angrily towards the door, her wife floating along behind her with a lascivious grin. The delegates parted before her, too stunned to do anything else. Not even Princess Celestia could find the words to describe her former student’s behavior.

As she stormed out, Twilight called over her shoulder, “We’ll be back in ten-“

“Twilight, come on,” Cadence interrupted with a roll of her eyes.

“Fine. We’ll be back in twenty minutes. Happy?”

Cadence licked her lips from her bubble of magic. “Very.”

“You are impossible.” Returning her attention to the Council, Twilight gave a shallow bow before turning (slightly raised) tail and running off towards a nearby closet and slamming the door.

A beat of uncomfortable silence passed, only to be shattered by a throaty chuckle.

“Hehe,” Sultan Medarius chuckled, “Hump Day.”

Evocation by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 1

~~~

“Spike, are you sure this is the right platform?”

Spike held the note that they had received earlier and re-read it before craning his head back to look at the sign above the arch that lead back to the station. “Um...looks like it. The note says we’re to meet the Princess here on platform seven when she arrives on the 4:15. And according to the hourglass on the wall there, it should be pulling up in just a few minutes.”

Spike folded the note and tucked it gingerly into one of the bags at his side and grinned at his boss. “Relax, Twilight! We’re just going to be looking after an Equestrian Princess. It’s not like we don’t have relevant experience with that sorta thing.”

Twilight scoffed. “Of course not. But Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is an old friend of mine and I haven’t seen her in years. She’s been off abroad, touring the nations of our allies and doing Celestia knows what!”

“Oh I’m sure it couldn’t be that bad, Twilight.”

“No, Spike, I’m serious. Celestia knows what she’s been up to, but it’s a state secret. I may be Princess Celestia’s top marked battle mage, but she doesn’t share everything with me.” Twilight frowned. “Besides, I’ve been assigned as Princess Cadance’s personal guard and escort for the foreseeable future by royal decree. You don’t assign a battle mage to that sort of detail unless you expect magical trouble and a lot of it.”

Spike raised his head, looking out into the blue sky, the frills along his spine and jaw flexing a moment before a rift opened and the huge State Class airship, Excelsior, slipped into Canterlot air space and began it’s short approach to the tower platform. The zeppelin's enveloped blocked the sun as it started to pull close and they could hear the shouts of airponies as lines were secured and ballast adjusted. The deck of the carriage house it carried began to fill with ponies and dogs that were ready to disembark, their throats adding to the sounds that made up the song of the airways.

Twilight shifted the position of the strap on her shoulder with her spellbook and staff on it, and tugged her long cloak tighter about herself. She couldn’t hide the fact that she was a noble born mage, but she could downplay her royal commission. Battle mages tended to be treated like a bomb about to go off by the general public. Which, all things considered, wasn’t an entirely undeserved reputation.

“Do you see her?” Twilight lifted herself up on her tiphooves and scanned the faces of the amassed ponies as the Excelsior made it’s final maneuver before docking. “I don’t see her. You don’t think she died her mane, do you?”

Spike chuckled and remained seated. The public reacted poorly enough to battle mages without adding in a wall of scales and wings and green fire. “If she did, I’d still smell her, Twilight. Princess Celestia gave me a few of Princess Cadance’s things to huff before we left.”

His nostrils flared as the wind changed slightly and the zeppelin rocked slightly as it’s bridge was lowered and connected to the tower platform. “She’s in there. Just hold tight.”

Ponies and diamond dogs of all colors and stations passed before them as the Excelsior was unloaded. Folks from the farthest flung corners of the Equestrian Alliance passed in a cacophonous parade of every language and smell imaginable. They gave Twilight Sparkle - or most likely Spike - a wide margin as they entered the tower and descended towards the customs and commons area where they would find food and a place to rest from their travel while waiting on the next departure or moving into Canterlot proper.

As the throng started to thin, Spike turned his head as his strong senses picked up on a familiar scent. A tall pony in a heavy cloak of it’s own approached them slowly, a small suitcase floating besides it. The taller pony stopped a few yards away from the two and took a moment to throw the hood of the cloak back dramatically.

“Twily!” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza smiled, her eyes lit with happiness. “I was told to expect a guard, but you and Spike? This is awesome!”

Cadance laughed as she rushed forward and scooped up a startled Twilight in her wings and magic grip and pulled her into a tight hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever, Twily!”

“I-I’m um...happy to see you too, Princess.” Twilight gasped as she was lifted and spun around by her charge. “I am on duty, Princess Cadance. I’m here to protect you.”

Cadance giggled and let Twilight down to stand on her own hooves but kept her wings draped over the smaller unicorn’s back. “I feel safer already, my hero.”

Cadance smiled as Twilight blushed and then looked at Spike as the drake rose on all fours to loom above them. “I am, of course, happy to see you too, Spike. You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you.”

“It has been a while, Princess. Whenever you and the battle mage are ready, we do have clearance to fly back to the castle. The Royal Sisters are expecting us.”

“Battle mage?” Cadance looked back at Twilight, who was somehow blushing harder than before. “I can’t believe it! You actually kept your promise to me and became a battle mage!”

The Princess grinned and then leaned in closer to Twilight. “I suppose that means I have to keep my end, huh?”

Twilight Sparkle, the one they called Sun’s Wrath and Moon’s Missile, started to shake her head when Cadance closed the remaining distance and placed the softest kiss she could ever remember experiencing on her lips.

“I’m happy to be home and in good hooves, my little dynamite.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Ducks by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

“A duck?” was the confused and slightly surprised response to the question of what did Cadance bring home with her.

“Actually a pair of ducks.” answered Cadance. “Anything wrong with ducks?”

Twilight shook her head, “No. But you’ve been travelling all over the world, you’ve been to so many new places and met new people. Of everything you could have brought back, you bring back a pair of carved ducks.”

Cadance smiled, “Oh what should I have brought back? Perhaps a tribal mask from Zebrica or perhaps a hunting trophy from the Gryphonic Empire. How about charms from the desert lands of Saddle Arabia or maybe a gemstone carving from a Dragon artisan.” She lowered her head closer to Twilight’s ear, “Perhaps a few new books. I’m sure that there were some good books that I could have brought back to complement the Kama Sutra I gave you for your birthday.”

At this Twilight blushed turning almost as red as a tomato, “Um, that wouldn’t have been necessary. One copy of the K-K-” Twilight paused to steady herself, “Kama Sutra” blurting it out quickly. “is enough.”

“Oh, but I was thinking of getting you another such book. Maybe for Hearth’s Warming Eve instead?”

Twilight still red faced, gulped, “Er, please don’t. Really. I really don’t want my parents wondering about why you gave me one or why I need it.”

“Alright, more ducks then. There are a rather fitting gift for us.”

Twilight perked up slightly less red than before, “How so?”

“I bought them in the Eastern Lands, it was a place of numerous species living in close proximity to each other. Qilian, tigers, pandas, and many more, but what united them were their similar cultures. The tigers and some of the qilian had banded together centuries ago to form a nation, to them the duck became an important symbol. This is for two reasons, their term for ducks is from two opposite terms which represents the male and female duck. It makes ducks a symbol of lifelong partnerships, a partnership of affection and fidelity. While it is male and female in their culture it is still relevant to us for ducks are symbols of a lifelong partnership which we are. The other reason, well the ducks there have vastly different plumage for a male than a female and so for some this unusual differences represents an odd couple or an unlikely pair which we are.” Cadance leaned closer to Twilight to embrace her with a wing, “How many would have suspected that the Princess does not fall for a Knight but for a Scholar. How many would have expected us to last like we did in spite of our differences, our roles which makes living together difficult so much that we are separated by considerable distances for much of the year. We may be apart for so long but I’m glad you’re always here with me.” as she leaned in to give Twilight a deep kiss.

Inuksuk by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

“So who was she?” Cadance whispered into her wife’s ear. Twilights ear flicked and she shushed her wife. The slow procession made it way along the windswept coast. The moonlit sea lapping at the shore to their right. Cadance shivered slightly under her cloak. She glanced up to the head of the column where Applejack led a lantern on a long pole swaying in front of her. She, like everyone else in the column, wore a thick wool cloak. Princess Luna walked a few paces behind Applejack her head bowed deep in thought.

Cadance looked down at her wife again and furrowed her brow. She was not part of the Cult of the Huntress, unlike Twilight. She didn’t fully understand it all, but Luna had apparently found out about the pilgrimage to this Holy Site, and begged to come with them to show penance. She glanced back up at Applejack and her swinging lantern. It made no sense to her why Applejack of all ponies was part of this Cult, most farmers were Cult of the Sun, or Cult of Growth.

“We’re going to visit the site that Pomum made battle with Nightmare Moon” Twilight whispered up to Cadance. The elder alicorn blinked and looked down “A saint...she defended a fleeing caravan from Nightmare Moon’s forces on her own. She even dueled the pretender herself.” Twilight explained before Cadance could ask. Cadance nodded down to her lover. Twilight leaned into her as they walked.

The procession carried on in silence for many miles more before the ground grew more barren. The grass and weeds stopped growing leaving bare earth. Cadance looked around seeing a whole circle of this strange barrenness. In the center stood an ancient standing stone, the stone was split near the base a tall apple tree growing out from it, the only growth within the blighted circle.

The column spread out circling around the stone, Applejack strode forward planting the lantern in the dirt before bowing down to the tree and stone. She then stood again facing towards the ring of ponies.

“We stand here to remember a martyr for the true Huntress, She Who Holds the Moon in Sway and Guards our Nights! We remember that she stood against the corrupted Huntress to save her family!” She turned and bowed her head to Luna “Tonight we also remember that our Goddess has returned, and though she may claim to not be what we worship, I say she is even greater than the stories. A living symbol of the night who guards our dreams.” The ponies in the circle all bowed to a blushing Princess Luna.

Cadance had snuggled more into Twilight draping a wing over the smaller unicorn as Applejack spoke. She could never understand how her wife was able to accept both The goddess and the real pony. She shook her head and gently held Twilight as Applejack began the story of Pomum the Brave. She looked at the monument and smiles sadly. It had looked so alone and cold before, now it was surrounded by ponies sharing the story of the mare it commemorated. Twilight looked up at her with a smile and gently kissed her.

“Thank you for coming with me.” She whispered before looking back to Applejack. Cadance smiled and pulled her tighter with her wing.

Author's Note

Part of the Captain Sparkle Storyline

Lifetimes by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

As the sparkling quartz doors of the Imperial Throne Room closed with a thud, Princess Cadence released a long-suffering sigh of relief. She stretched out her wings and gave a few light flaps to work out the kinks from being held closed for so long. Annoying twinges ran up and down her spine, side effects of being forced to hold a regal posture for hours at a time.

“Some days, I just don’t know how Celestia did this for a thousand years,” she muttered dryly. She walked unsteadily down the stairs, her hind legs having long ago fallen asleep. With a tired smile, she dismissed the Throne Room guard detail and made her way to her chambers.

Along the way, she had plenty of time to curse the layout of the Crystal Spire: as Princess, her chambers were located near the top of the structure. Unfortunately, the throne room was on almost the bottom-most level, to shorten the journey for ponies seeking audience. While that was all well and good, it did make for a long climb to her bed on top of an even longer day of Court.

As she cleared the final flight of stairs, the stresses of the day began to melt away. The comforting image emblazoned on her door called out to her, signaling her daily sojourn was nearing its end. The two intertwined Cutie Marks, a Crystal Heart and a field of overlapping white and pink starbursts, reminded her of the thin gold band wrapped around the base of her horn.

“Good evening, Your Highness,” greeted Sir Pyrite, one of the two Crystal Knights guarding her chamber doors. His partner, Sir Rigid, also gave a shallow bow as she approached.

“Evening, boys,” she replied casually. She made a point to be close to her personal guards. After Sombra, a friendly Sovereign was a welcome change for the Crystal Ponies, and her Knights were the ponies she spent the most time with, aside from her wife. A bit of friendly conversation with a guard or a maid tended to have a Butterfly Effect as gossip diffused through the Spire, then out through the city.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Cadence couldn’t help but think of the many lessons on ruling imparted to her over cups of tea with her Aunt.

Today, however, had been worse than normal and left her little energy for chitchat. As the door closed behind her, she made a note to apologize in the morning for her brusque manner.

The moment she was alone, she began shedding her regalia. As she crossed her bedroom to her mirror, she noticed Twilight sitting by their balcony doors, her back to the room. Just seeing her wife put her in a better mood. A flick of blue magic tossed her crown on her makeup desk, and she moved to envelop her wife from behind. Her wings reached around to cocoon Twilight as Cadence closed her eyes and buried her nose in her wife’s mane. The scent of lilacs and lavender filled her nostrils.

“You have no idea how lucky you were to play hooky today,” she teased. As Crystal Consort, Twilight had nearly all the same powers as her, and frequently sat in on Court, or even conducted it herself. Having Twilight by her side made even the most insufferable petitioners more bearable. Some days, though, Twilight’s schedule kept her away. Those days tended to be the longest, the most frustrating, and the most tiring.

Cadence sagged, her weight falling against Twilight’s back, and she noticed how tense the muscles against her chest were.

“Twilight, is something wrong?”

Twilight’s breathing hitched, and her face, turned away from Cadence, looked towards an array of photos on their dresser. The pictures showed various snapshots of them across their lives. The long-past foalsitting days, their early courtship, them together at Twilight’s coronation as an Equestrian Princess, their wedding, their honeymoon…

A goofy grin spread across Cadence’s face as the last photo, of her and Twilight on a beach in Bactria, brought back memories of the tradition newlywed celebrations that had filled the nights in the Camel nation.

“A thousand lifetimes,” Twilight whispered, her voice hoarse. The grin on Cadence’s face careened to the floor as she turned to Twilight in concern.

“Twilight?” she asked worriedly.

“I was ready to spend a thousand lifetimes with you,” Twilight croaked. “There was nopony else I would have rather spent my eternity with.”

Confusion and unease washed over Cadence. She tightened her wings around Twilight as she tried to lean around and catch her eye. Cadence had to crane her neck to see her face, she saw Twilight had turned her attention to their enormous, double-Princess sized bed. She followed Twilight’s gaze, and her stomach dropped through the floor.

Sitting limp on their plush, violet comforter was a used condom.

Cadence’s eyes swelled, and her jaw dropped wordlessly. Her mouth was as dry as the Saddle Arabian deserts, and suddenly her body felt as if it was made of lead.

“I never believed the rumors, the gossip about you,” Twilight seemed to be speaking as much to herself as Cadence, “There was never a shadow of doubt in my mind that you were being faithful. I loved you, with all my heart. I trusted you with everything.”

As Twilight spoke, fresh tears began to cascade down her salt-encrusted cheeks.

“I thought you loved me.”

Cadence’s heart shattered at Twilight’s broken, betrayed whimper.

“I do love you!” Cadence insisted, tightening the feathered cage and throwing her forelegs around Twilight’s side.

“Then why?” Twilight mewled, choking back sobs.

“I-I don’t know! It was stupid! I was stupid!” Cadence began to cry herself, the consequences of her actions proving too much as she desperately clung to Twilight’s unresponsive form.

“How many times?”

“W-what?”

“How. Many. Times.” Even as she asked how many lovers her wife had taken behind her back, Twilight didn’t seem to be able to summon the strength for anger.

Cadence wanted to answer, wanted to tell Twilight that it was just once, just one stupid mistake. A fluke, an outlier in the data. Something to be disregarded in the grand scheme of things.

But she couldn’t.

Not honestly, at least, and in the heat of the moment she lacked the cognitive order necessary to even begin to form a deception. Truth be told, she had lost track of how many times she had forsaken her wife, and the realization made her sick.

Cadence’s silence plunged another dagger into Twilight’s chest, and she punctured the silence with another question.

“Who?”

Please don’t ask that.

Unlike her previous question, Twilight seemed to need an answer this time. She asked again, “Cadence, who?”

Please, please don’t ask me that.

Cadence clung as tightly as she could to Twilight, hoping against hope that the gesture would placate her, even for the moment.

It did not, and Cadence watched in growing horror as an aura of raspberry light engulfed Twilight’s horn and the offending rubber. Cadence’s recognized it immediately as an identification spell, and before she could even attempt to intervene a cloud of grey smoke arose from their bed.

Please, Twilight, no.

The cloud slowly gained coherence as the spell worked to identify the sample’s source.

In an instant, Twilight’s lethargy was replaced with white-hot fury. Her eyes blazed, and her wings shot out and knocked Cadence away. Twilight's horn ignited like a solar flare, a burning tribute to her awe-inspiring power. A blast of arcane energy like an exploding star shook the Crystal Spire to its foundations as Twilight unleashed a teleportation spell more violent than any Cadence had ever seen. In her wake, the crystal floor where Twilight had stood boiled from the wrathful spellcasting.

Cadence froze, half in agony, half in panic, as her eyes bounced between the bubbling floor and the Cutie Mark floating above their bed.

The blue kite shield emblazoned with a pink starburst stared back at her, offering nothing but condemnation.

Author's Note

Part 1 in an as of now unnamed series

Transformation by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Cadence sat frozen in shock, her eyes locked on the misty apparition of Shining Armor’s Cutie Mark hanging above her bed. Obscured by the swirling cloud of arcane smoke, the condom that had been her undoing lay draped across the velvety covers.

“He was supposed to flush it,” Cadence babbled to herself as she brought her legs and wings tightly to her barrel, desperately seeking any comfort she could find. “He was supposed to flush it why didn’t he flush it?”

In an instant, Cadence leapt to her hooves as her mind caught up to the present. The look of pure hate on her wife’s face, Shining Armor’s ghostly insignia, Twilight’s raging teleportation spell…

Cadence burst through the balcony doors with enough force to knock them from their hinges. Her wings had barely extended before she leapt from the Crystal Spire, a trail of loose papers and quills following in her wake. She banked hard to the south, her wings pounding against the air’s resistance with the force of hammer blows. In seconds, the Crystal City was behind her, a shrinking outline against the horizon.

As the ground was reduced to a blur below her, Cadence cursed her magic. She may have been an Alicorn, but Twilight’s magic dwarfed hers in both power and skill. She couldn’t mimic Twilight’s teleportation, and as fast as she was in the air, it was almost a 3 hour train ride to Canterlot.

She never doubted for a moment that was where Twilight had gone; as Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor made his headquarters in the Palace.

With another curse, the light around Cadence’s horn brightened. The papers and quills she had grabbed during her departure spun into a frenzy. Puffs of green smoke dissolved them, sending them ahead of her faster than lightning.

celestia twilight is coming stop her

you have to stop twilight

shining armor is in danger

stop twilight

stp twilight

sp twight

The barrage of half-written missives grew less legible with every second that passed. Cadence’s panic was overwhelming her. Fear for Twilight, fear for Shining Armor, fear for Canterlot. She hoped, prayed, that Celestia and Luna would react fast enough to her warnings to save Shining Armor. The look in Twilight’s eyes a moment before she had unleashed the tempest of arcane fury in their quarters had stuck her to the core with a fear she had never experienced.

Not even Sombra at his worst had been so terrible.

A fresh wave of disgust washed over her. She had taken Twilight, sweet, beautiful, loving Twilight, and stomped on her heart. Her betrayal had taken the most wonderful pony she had ever known and turned her into a monster.

The realization sapped the strength from her muscles. Her wingbeats slackened until the feathery appendages hung limp in the air. The ground rushed up to meet her. Her hooves caught on a treetop, and her world was upended. She tumbled through the air, the earth and sky blending into one green-blue swirl.

Her body crashed through the forest canopy, snapping branches as thick as her barrel like toothpicks. Her immaculate coat was marred by long, bloody scratches along her sides. Her chin bounced against a tree trunk with an audible crack, and the taste of blood filled her mouth.

Her body slammed into the ground, plowing through underbrush and carving a trench through the dirt. Her inertia scraped her along the ground, eventually bleeding away and leaving her in a small clearing. She wheezed for breath, and knew that only her status as an Alicorn had spared her life.

She rested on the ground, not bothering to try and stand. Her entire body hurt, and blood was pooling around her mouth. She had bitten a hole in her tongue when her jaw slammed against the tree, and her right wing had broken on landing. It was pinned under her, and any movement on her part sent white-hot lances of pain up her spine.

She had no idea how long she laid in the dirt before a flash of cobalt blue magic appeared out of the corner of her eye. She attempted to raise her head, only to collapse again when the motion threatened to make her scream in agony.

Her ears caught the approaching sound of hoofsteps, and suddenly Princess Luna appeared above her.

Princess Luna wore a deep scowl, and looked down at her as one might an offending insect. She held her glare, and when she spoke, her voice was as cold as the void between stars.

“What have you done?”

Cadence had no answer for her, and could only close her eyes in shame.

Author's Note

Part 2 in the Second Chances Series, following Lifetimes. Second Chances is the first inter-collab Prompt series, and entries will alternate between Magic of Love and the Twilestia collab Sun and the Stars. As Sun and Stars has a queue about 20 prompts long, links will be provided.

Part 3

50th Prompt Special: Anniversary

50th PROMPT SPECIAL
The Twidance Collab Presents:

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

*ANNIVERSARY*

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

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 2

~~~

Briefly, Twilight considered melting right there on the zeppelin platform. She discarded the idea because the sheer amount of heat required would actually char her to a crisp, rather than melt her body into a puddle like Cadance’s kiss made her feel. The pink alicorn continued to smile at Twilight, her muzzle only a few inches away.

Cadance’s lavender eyes sparkled as she started to giggle at her guardian’s embarrassed expense. “Heh...Twily? Equus to Twily?”

Spike snorted and lowered his head down to the level of the two mares. “Don’t worry about her, Princess, this happens every now and then. Let me load up your bag while we wait for Twilight to zone back in.”

Spike plucked Cadance’s travel case with a graceful claw and slipped it into the same bag at his side. “You didn’t pack much, Princess. I brought my big pack saddle just in case but now I hardly need it and I feel dumb.”

“Don’t feel that way, Spike,” Cadance blushed and shrugged, “I was called back suddenly, so I only brought the essentials. Maybe I’ll eventually get my things from the Minotauran Collective sent here, but I’m not going to hold my breath.”

At the mention of the Collective, Twilight snapped out of her fugue. “Minotauran? You were there? I heard they closed their borders? How did you get out?”

Cadance grinned and bounced a few steps back from Twilight. She stuck out her tongue briefly and shook her head. “I’ll tell you that one later, Twily. Right now, don’t we have other things to do? Auntie Celestia is waiting for me, remember?”

“Oh.” Twilight frowned in disappointment. “Oh! Sorry, Princess! We can take Spike back to the castle. I mean, we can use Spike. I mean, uh, we can ride Spike! He can fly! I mean!”

Cadance giggled and put a hoof on Twilight’s muzzle to silence the mage. “Still the same old, Twily, even after all these years. How did you ever make it as a battle mage?” Cadance pressed in harder when Twilight tried to open her mouth again. “Tell me later. Let’s just get moving, ok?”

Twilight nodded and Spike chuckled as he lowered himself down onto the platform, his saddle barely big enough for two. Cadance smiled and took her hoof off Twilight and into the stirrup. “I call front!”

The battle mage blinked, her own hoof came up to feel at where the Princess had touched her twice now. She nodded mutely again as Cadance mounted up and followed the pink alicorn, her body moved on auto-pilot while her mind spun in circles. Everything was moving fast and it felt like she was lost in the chaos of the outside world again. Why could nothing be simple like her time training under Princess Celestia to harness the elements?

Twilight let herself drop onto the saddle behind the Princess and nudged Spike gently with a hoof. The huge purple drake, easily twice the height of any mortal pony and several times the length, spread his wings and cast a shadow over the whole of the platform from the arches to the moored Excelsior. The few remaining stragglers and airponies called out in surprise as Spike took two quick steps and fell from the tower, hurling himself and his passengers at the ground below.

Twilight rocked with the motion and plenty of practice with Spike’s flight capabilities. His form was built for speed, not power, and he needed momentum to take flight. In Canterlot city limits there was precious little open ground enough for that, but there more than enough tall buildings and cliffs available to perform a drop from. It was so common place to her now that she didn’t even chuckle at the yelps and startled screams it caused the ponies and dogs on the street below to make.

Twilight wasn’t ready for making the drop with Cadance, however. The Princess whooped as they went over the edge, her hooves in the air and definitely not holding onto the saddle. She couldn’t lose the Princess within the first ten minutes of starting her detail, so Twilight wrapped one arm around Cadance’s waist and her other hooked under the saddle horn, holding them both tight as Spike flapped his wings once and turned the dive into a shallow climb and the street and stunned street goers shrank below them. With Cadance’s warm body pressed against her, Twilight was sure she could feel her heart in her throat.

As soon as they rose above the roofs of most of the buildings, Cadance turned back and looked at Twilight. “It’s very auspicious, isn’t it? Us, meeting again on today of all days.”

Twilight shook the strands of Cadance’s mane out of her face and leaned close so she wouldn’t have to shout over the wind. “What do you mean, Princess?”

“It’s our anniversary,” Cadance arched an eyebrow, “or did you forget? Five years ago, we made a promise to each other, Twily. We promised to take care of each other and never let the other come to harm.”

“That’s why I became a battle mage. I had to become strong and skilled.” Twilight knew she didn’t have to hold Cadance now that they were leveling off but she just couldn’t seem to get her hooves to obey her. “I remember that day like it was yesterday, but you disappeared! Princess Celestia has been gracious to keep me up to date on your situation, but even I was surprised to get this assignment.”

“Fate just seems to have a way to make things work out, doesn’t it?” Cadance made no move to get out of Twilight’s grip and leaned back into the mare. “It’s almost nostalgic, isn’t it? Though, on that day, if I recall right, it was Spike that was riding on your back, not the other way around.”

Twilight smiled and turned her head to the right slightly to see where they were going. That is put her muzzle gently into the tri-colored mane of her passenger and charge was only a small side benefit.

“A lot has changed since then, Princess.”

Cadance nodded, more to herself than anything else and let Twilight hold her as Spike banked wide around tall buildings were pegasi were flying to and from like enormous beehives and several zeppelins circled in holding formations as goods were either loaded or unloaded. Below them the Canterlot streets were just as busy, if not more so with all the vendors hawking wares to the passer bys that trotted or drove powered carriages that popped and whistled along the major thoroughfares.

The castle loomed in the distance, it’s dome golden and bright under the sun and Princess Celestia’s rule. Pennant flags flew from every spire and parapet and displayed the combined symbols of the Royal Sisters. The gate remained shut with mounds of flowers piled against it like a snow drift.

Cadance sighed and closed her eyes, letting the sounds and smells of the greatest pony city on Equus wash over her. “And yet the more things stay the same, hmm?”

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

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

For Twilight Sparkle visiting Canterlot Castle was not unusual, since her move to the town of Ponyville she would return to the Castle from time to time usually for business or to spend time with her mentor. Today’s or rather this weekend’s visit was slightly different, instead of following the hallways to the throne room or to Celestia’s study she instead detoured towards one section of the bailey.

The central keep was home to the ruling Dirachy and served as their place of power, the stout series of bailey encircling the keep was once primarily for defensive purposes but the long peace had seen the space converted to guestrooms and living quarters. Twilight made her way towards one of the quarters and gave the door a knock.

The door opened to a pink alicorn who glomped the lavender unicorn while calling out a greeting, “Twilight! Its been too long since I’ve seen you.” The pink alicorn righted herself up before planting a soft kiss on the unicorn’s head, “I’ve missed you on my travels, even with letters its been too long since we’ve spent time together.” Cadance then led the slightly stunned unicorn into her quarters.

“Twilight?” waving a hoof in front of the unicorn’s unblinking eyes, “Equestria to Twilight?” Realizing that talking was not working she instead decided to go for something more drastic. She moved in close again, wrapped a wing over the unicorn’s back before giving an intense kiss to the unicorn’s lips.

At this Twilight finally blinked, her eyes darting around as she tried to make sense of where and what. Twilight blushed as she quickly realized she was in Cadance’s quarters as well as the rather intense greeting she just received.

With her mind mostly cleared of invasive thoughts involving the pink alicorn she gave the alicorn a more sedate greeting,“It’s nice to see you too Cadance” giving the alicorn a nuzzle.

“Well I’m glad you’re back with me.” Cadance facing directly at the unicorn gave a small grin, “ Got lost in some pleasant thoughts?” Cadance teased.

At this Twilight blushed again, her face getting redder, “Uh, maybe? Could we perhaps talk about something…. er, something else?”
Cadance nodded and she led the unicorn into the small kitchenette, “Sure. How are things in Ponyville, how are your new friends, and how has your family been?”

Twilight blinked quickly trying to catch the rapid fire round of questions, “Ponyville has been getting better, it has recovered well from Discord’s Day of Madness”, Twilight features darkened slightly at the mention of Discord before a pink wing invited her out of her thoughts, “It’s really nice there, the ponies are friendly although I still think they're a bit crazy at times. My friends are great, it’s something I never thought I wanted but now it seems emptier when one of them hasn’t crashed my library at least once every other day or so. I saw my parents last time I was here in Canterlot, they’re doing well although I’m surprised Shining hasn’t updated you on them. Shining, you would know as you’ve been travelling with him for a couple of years now and Spike, there have been a few rough patches since moving to Ponyville”, her thoughts started to wander to Spike’s last birthday before remembering she was not alone, “But most of the town accepts and likes him so that’s been a major plus for moving away from Canterlot.”

Twilight turned her attention to Cadance and looked directly at her, “How about you? You’ve been travelling all across the globe, anything interesting?”

Cadance shook her head, “A few things here and there but not anything exciting, well exciting like what you’ve been doing recently. Still meeting other nations can be difficult but definitely interesting.”

Cadance walked off to the other half of the kitchenette to check on something, she returned a few minutes later, “Twilight, why don’t you have a seat? I called you over for dinner and I thought I would cook for us, since we are celebrating after all.”

Twilight perked up, “Oh? What are we celebrating, our anniversary isn’t for another three months, one week, and five days. Perhaps it’s another anniversary, our first kiss maybe, the first time we went on a date, first failed attempt at a da-”, Twilight attempted to summon her planners and checklist before a light blue glow halted her magic.

Cadance gave her a slight glare and in a sing-song tone, “Oh, Twilight. What have we talked about when it comes to scheduling everything?”

Twilight opened her eyes wide as she remembered what happened last time; last time had involved a reversed Want-It-Need-It Spell that Cadance used to prevent Twilight from looking at any planner or checklist for an entire day. Or the time before that when a small spell rendered her schedules to be written in a myriad of writing styles and languages which was all the more effective as it relied on the caster’s knowledge and Cadance was quite proficient in various languages namely due to her job as an ambassador for Equestria so it had the effect of rendering all of Twilight’s plans unreadable.

Twilight chuckled nervously as she halted her summoning spell.

“Normally I wouldn’t keep track of every anniversary, the one that matter most for me is when we first agreed to date which is as you said in three months.” Cadance gave a small smile, “No I consider this an anniversary of sorts, it’s was for something more interesting, as Aunt Celestia would call it.”

Twilight tilted her head slightly, “So, what exactly would that be?”

“Oh a year ago, the first time you managed to make something edible for dinner, without help.”

This phrase jolted other less then pleasant memories, namely of stomach pumps, black goop that once was food, being banned from the Castle’s Royal Kitchen, then the Castle’s Sub-Kitchen, and the Staff Kitchens, and of course the Canterlot University Science Labs after an attempt to convert it into a cooking area after being banned from the Canterlot University Culinary Kitchens for unintentionally unleashing a science and magical experiment gone awry.

“Oh that” Twilight gave another nervous chuckle, “That was a year ago? Can’t believe I forgot the date of it.” She started to fidget slightly, wanting to write it down but knew the consequences if she tried.

Cadance giggled, “Right, that. So tonight, I’m cooking for you.” as her magic brought out two nicely decorated plates from elsewhere in the kitchenette.

The plates were filled with wonderful looking food, arranged nicely and carefully on the plate. It presented a beautiful imagery of colours. The food smelled just as nice as it look, a rich aroma of spices and herbs blended well into the food.The first bite….

Was another jolt of why she had tried to learn how to cook in the first place and why she and Cadance typically ate out when on dates. Twilight had forgotten that Cadance was unfortunately as bad as her if not worse when it came to cooking as the unfortunate necessity for a stomach pump became clear.

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

by ArguingPizza
~~~

White sheets, the pervasive smell of rubbing alcohol and cheap air freshener, and the steady beep of heart monitors. The sights and sounds of the hospital surrounded Cadence, embracing her softly to welcome her back. To welcome her home.

The clip-clop of Cadence’s bare hooves on tile echoed down the nearly empty hallways, ticking away the time as well as any hoof-crafted clock ever could. It was the soundtrack that accompanied her homecoming, her return to the place her heart rested in what comfort could be pried from Death’s tightening grip.

She passed nurses and Doctors, patients and visitors, all without batting an eye. Without fail, they returned the favor. Perhaps alone among all other locales her wings could carry her to, this temple of suffering rendered all who entered it equals. She was no Princess here, merely another soul wandering the border crossing of Here and Beyond.

Cadence found the room easily enough; she’d been there often enough that she could find it in her sleep, and occasionally did. It wasn’t enough, could never be enough, but it was what she had.

Blue magic opened the door, her entrance summoned a sharp intake of breath from the room’s sole occupant.

“Oh my,” the gray mare whispered breathily. Her eyes, cloudy from a long, full life, were clear and focused. Her look was that of a child seeing the full moon for the first time, a prisoner freed from darkness to once again bask in the sun’s glory.

Twilight Sparkle coughed nervously and gave a nervous wave. “H-hello there,” she ventured, the lightest dusting of red on her wrinkled cheeks.

“I’m Twikle Spilight.” Her eyes swelled and she backtracked in barely-concealed panic. “I-I mean I’m Spilight Twarkle! Or, no-I mean-ugh! Twilight Sparkle!” In her bumbling, Twilight’s voice had become a shout, and as the realization dawned on her she wilted.

In a much smaller voice, she repeated, “I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

Cadence bit her lip to keep from laughing at Twilight’s exuberance, and moved to sit next to Twilight’s bed. She extended a hoof to meet Twilight’s, a gentle smile on her face.

“It’s nice to meet you, Twilight. I’m Cadence.”

Twilight froze, her hoof turning to stone against Cadence’s. Those beautiful, violet eyes locked on Cadence like spotlights, giving her a sudden sympathy for ants under magnifying glasses. Twilight tilted her head and pursed her lips, a contemplative look on her face.

“Is there something the matter?” Cadence asked gently, hope a distant flicker in her chest. Twilight was silent for several seconds before shaking her head, her eyes dropping to the sheets that covered her bottom half.

“No. No, I’m sorry,” Twilight said unsurely. “You just…reminded me of something. Something important, I think, but I can’t quite…” her voice trailed off as she grasped at wisps of smoke.

Cadence laid a hoof softly on Twilight’s foreleg and drew her gaze. Their eyes locked, and for a moment the world was again as it should be.

“Well, I would hope so,” Cadence said airily, “It would be rude to forget your own wife.”

Twilight’s mouth gaped, her lips trying and failing to come up with an adequate response.

“Wow,” Twilight said as she fell back against the pillow propping her up, “I knew I'd started forgetting things, but wow…” she gave Cadence an unapologetic once-over, allotting extra time on her flanks. “I am one lucky mare,” she whistled.

Cadence giggled and softly nuzzled Twilight’s neck. Twilight shied away for a brief moment, but quickly leaned into the contact. Theirs was a contrast; Twilight wrinkled, dry coat rough against Cadence’s eternal youth and vigor.

Cadence didn’t mind, instead she relished the feeling. She did not know how many times she would be able to hug the mare she loved, but she did know that after today she’d have one less occasion than yesterday. For now, she simply closed her eyes and breathed in Twilight’s scent, all her willpower devoted to gripping each second as tightly as possible.

“I love you, Twilight,” she whispered, “Happy Anniversary.” Twilight smiled against her coat and buried her nose deep in Cadence’s mane.

Too soon, Twilight shifted away from her as Time reasserted its dominion over all things. When Cadence opened her eyes, she saw Twilight smiling at her nervously, a light blush coloring her cheeks. Twilight gave her a hesitant wave.

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

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Zap Apple Acres was full of the sounds of friends working to set up a nice Anniversary Party for dear friends. A lone redheaded woman sat on the fence watching the winding path towards town. A smile grew on her lips as she saw two people approaching lazily down the path
“Twilight! Cadance!” She called happily trotting down to meet them. She wrapped the two older woman in tight hugs. Applebloom smoothed her hair back and beamed at them “They all thought ya’ll would try and sneak in early” She teased bowing her head slightly to the two Princesses.

“Can you blame two old women for trying?” Cadance teased with a smile. Applebloom looked the oldest of the three, the woman having hit her 40’s.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Anniversary planners just worried is all” Twilight said with a soft smile of her own. Bloom had the good sense to blush faintly.

“We’re all grown up Twilight. We ain’t the type to go meddling in other people’s love lives anymore. ‘Side the girls enlisted our help not the only other way ‘round this time!” Bloom said taking the women down a side path. The trees were in bloom a heady scent in the air. Twilight’s smile widen as the, now ancient, clubhouse came into view. The giggles of young voices heard from inside.

“The second generation of the Crusaders,” Twilight said with a smile “Wonder if they’ll come by the library for help with skills too..” Cadance giggles softly into her hand

“We could always have some of our own” She offered with a smile “Or visit one of Auntie Luna’s Orphanages..” Bloom smiled at that

“Scoots says the one here has lots of kids that’d need help” Bloom said. Twilight nodded and snuggled into her wife.

“Lets enjoy our anniversary today, we can discuss adoption tomorrow.” She joked. Cadance rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed.

“Yes dear” She said with a grin.

Applebloom rolled her eyes and lead them further down the path. Both women gasped as they came to another clearing. This one was dominated by a huge appletree. Its branches were draped in white. A small table was set under it. Rarity, in a surprisingly simple dress, leaned against Spike for support. The elder fashionesta smiled warmly to the two lovebirds and motioned for them to sit.

"Sit sit.Rainbow and AJ will bring down the food soon!” She took a step away from Spike, who tensed. She smirked glancing at him “Darling, I’m old not dead..calm down..” She rolled her eyes and huffed pulling out the chair for Cadance, while Bloom pulled the chair out for Twilight.

It was only a brief few moments when two more women came walking down the path, A tall white haired farmer holding two plates in her hands, and a shorter tanned woman with a faded rainbow ponytail carrying a bottle of wine. They smiled setting the table for their friends. With a wink Rainbow slide her arm around AJ’s waist leading her away from them.

"Ya’ll enjoy!” AJ called over her shoulder as all of the others fled the clearing. Twilight smiled sipping her wine and blushing. Cadance grinned.

“Your friends, could not be more amazing if they tried..” She said smiling.

Before Twilight could respond music began playing through the trees. A familiar beat played so long ago for a grand wedding reception.
“Here’s a throwback from the royal wedding!” Pinkie’s voice called from her hiding place deep in the orchard.

“Love is in Bloom” Sweetie Belle’s voice was heavenly as it drifted through the orchard. The song might not be the most appropriate for a dinner, but the two it was sung for loved it anyways. Cadance smiled standing and pulling Twilight to her feet, no the music wasn't good for dinner, it was meant for dancing.

AJ snuggled into her wife’s arms as the old friends all sat around a table listening to the distant music. Rarity had fallen asleep in Spike’s arms after making a huffy comment about Twilight’s breasts not sagging at all. Pinkie had nearly passed out laughing about that. Scootaloo had quip that they were perfect, until Silver Spoon had shot her a dirty look. She’d spent the next few minutes apologizing to her girlfriend. Applebloom leaned into her husbands arms and smiled happily.

Off in the clubhouse a group of young children were passed out wrapped in crimson capes having spent the day adventuring.

And in the clearing a Royal Couple danced and smiled spending the night enjoying their friend’s love. It wasn’t Canterlot’s spires and cafes, but it was so much more memorable than they could ever hope to be. As Cadance pulled Twilight tightly to her for a kiss, the sun beginning to set in the background. Small mana lights lit along the tree’s branches bathing the clearing in an ethereal glow.

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

Author's Note

Our first big Special. They grow up so fast! *cries*

Cuddles by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Prince Dusk Shine, the Prince of Friendship lay on his giant purple bed. The silk sheets felt heavenly against his coat, the softness of the bed itself matching the clouds he’d rest on after his training with Blitz, the entire bed should have been perfect, it wasn’t though. It was cold, empty feeling. He glanced over at the picture of his long distance colt-friend. Prince Bolero was smiling in the photograph, his wing over Dusk’s back. The younger prince smiles feeling the phantom sensation of gentle wingtips over his cutie mark.

He sighed and rolled over only to scream, like a total stallion he swore later, and fall off of the bed. Prince Bolero laughed falling back onto his plot holding his sides. He smiled wiping his eyes and crawling over the bed, in a strangely predatory way, to look down at Dusk

“Very regal…” He joked leaning down to steal a kiss before helping Dusk to his hooves. Dusk snorted and dusted himself off before turning his back to Bolero.

“That was just mean..” He said raising his chin in a huff. Bolero took a moment to answer. Dusk Shine had always been so cute when he pouted, though he was cuter in full geek mode. He took several moment to relive memories before smiling and sitting back on the bed. The Pink Prince smiled

“Dusk, I was trying to surprise you. Did you really think after all you’ve been through today I wouldn’t come to spend a few days with you?” He walked over and hugged the young Prince tightly. “I felt so helpless going along with Uncle Solaris’ plan” Dusk snuggled back into Bolero’s warm coat. “I was so scared for you...and then when I flew in after the rainbow thing and saw the library..I nearly had a heart attack…”

"I was fine..” Dusk said though he felt himself shaking slightly. He turned fully burying his head into Bolero’s chest. The Pink alicorn wrapped his wings around the smaller stallion and held him holding back his own tears. Soon Dusk was full crying letting out the days stress into his lover’s chest. “I….I nearly lost everyone..a...and everything..and it was just..its always so much…” He sniffled looking up with shimmering tear filled violet eyes “Why is it me? I just wanted to be a scholar..to do magic..n..not risk my life on a yearly...sometimes twice a year basis..”

“I know, it sucks having the weight of the world on your shoulders sometimes,” Bolero broke into a smile before continuing. “But I’m here to carry the burden with you. Your friends can help you too. You don’t need to be perfect..” He leaned down kissing Dusk gently. He felt the younger stallion calm slightly in his grasp.

“But….but” Dusk started to say but was again silenced by a gently kiss.

“Dusk, you aren't the Stallion of Steel...you can only plan for so many things, for everything else there's your friends..and..umm..me..” Bolero blushed looking away and coughing slightly. Dusk leaned into him and smiled slightly

“I’m not the only one holding back something..” Dusk said finding comfort in another’s problems.

“I..well..I just..am I really the pony for you?” He rubbed the back of his head “I live on the other side of …” Dusk shine leaned up pressing his lips to Bolero’s. The kiss lasted several moments and left both stallions panting faintly afterwards

“Don’t talk like that..” Dusk said plainly. He laughed and wiped his eyes. “I’m going to go wash up...I’ll be right back.” Dusk pulled away and turned dissappearing into the other room. Bolero found himself shocked by the slightly lewd display his colt-friend gave him as he left the room.

Dusk yawned as he walked into the room passed Bolero climbing onto the bed. He smiled and laid on his side patting the bed.

“We both need rest, or we’ll end up crying all night” He said smiling slightly. He looked tired, no longer hiding the stress of the day. Bolero crawled up onto the bed and laid down pulling the smaller prince into his hooves. He held him tightly wrapping his wings over them both. He sighed happily feeling his colt-friends warm coat against his own.

“Never let anyone tell you showing emotions isn’t a stallion thing..” Bolero whispered into Dusk’s ear. The young stallion nods and snuggles more into him getting comfortable. Soon only the soft sounds of their breathing filled the room.

Barb looked in through the door at the cuddling stallions. She shook her head and turned on her heel, perhaps she could spend the night in Elusive's room.

Getaway by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 3

~~~

Spike swooped up and over the walls of Canterlot castle with a powerful flap of his huge wings. The guards on the wall saluted as they passed and those in the courtyard moved to quickly clear a landing zone for the dragon. Spike did a tight turn to bleed off his speed before flapping hard and settling down amid a storm of loose leaves and flowers from the nearby gates and gardens.

Twilight waited for Spike to get his feet arranged before letting go of Princess Cadance. It wouldn’t be a good idea to let the guards see anything they shouldn’t. Rumors ran like wild fire through them and it wouldn’t be long before some exaggerated claim reached her brother’s ears.

Spike looked back over his shoulder and grinned. “Thank you for flying the friendly Canterlot skys with yours truly, Spike the Awesome. You may now disembark, but please watch your step. Your baggage will be available shortly.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh stop hamming it up. I want you to meet us at the tower after Princess Cadance has her meeting with Princess Celestia. I have a feeling that we’re going to need to plan and research whatever it is that she wants us to protect Princess Cadance from.”

Spike nodded. “Okay, Twi. I’ll take the Princess’ things to the guest rooms then.”

Cadance wasted no time in climbing off Spike’s back and setting herself back on the cobblestone-covered ground. She raised an eyebrow as Twilight followed her and looked up at Spike. “Unless the castle has had some very impressive remodeling done in my absence, how are you going to do that? Don’t tell me that your fire breath can transport more than letters now?”

“Hehe...nope, it’s still just for letters, or starting campfires now and then.” Spike reached down and worked the straps on his saddle before sliding it off his back. “I have a better trick now, just watch!”

“Show off.” Twilight muttered with a half smile. She took her place at Cadance’s side and her magic pulled her staff from it’s holster at her side. She tapped the end of the staff to the earth and she could feel it connect her the juncture of ley lines that criss crossed underneath Canterlot.

Spike smirked and the green frills along his crest and jawline started to glow as he tapped into a similar well of power that all dragons possessed. The magic washed over him in a flash and there was a muffled ‘whumph’ noise as he shank to a size more convenient to move around the castle in.

Cadance gasped as the light of the transformation magic faded. Spike stood before them on his hind legs, his wings gone, now at eye level with the Princess. He looked much like she remembered from when he was but a hatchling but draconic puberty had hit him hard and done a good job of it too, leaving him broad shouldered yet narrow waisted with a long tail.

“Wow...I mean, wow!” Cadance rushed forward and trotted around the dragon. “That’s amazing, Spike! Is this a new form, or your natural one now?”

Twilight chuckled. “His natural form. In fact, both this and his flight form are natural. Spike’s ‘dragon type’ has the ability to change shape from a biped to a winged quadruped. Neat, huh?”

Cadance giggled and reached up to give Spike a nuggy. “I bet he’s already breaking the mares’ hearts.” She laughed harder as the dragon blushed. “And you really must tell me what all the flowers at the gate are for too.”

“Uh...yeah, about that…” Twilight laughed nervously. “I’ll tell you about it later. Um…don’t you need to get to that meeting?”

“Oh.” Cadance frowned for a moment and then smiled at Twilight. “At this rate it’s going to take us a week alone with each other to tell the stories we’ve accumulated these past few years, hmmm?”

“Uh...um, yes?” Twilight flinched as the last word came out with like a squeak. Some badass battlemage she was. How was she going to protect Princess Cadance when the mare kept having such an effect on her?

“Good!” Cadance laughed again and trotted back over to her personal guardian. “After you…”

Twilight paused outside the door to Princess Celestia’s command room. The door was flanked by two senior battlemages that had saluted Cadance as soon as they closed the distance down the hallway. They parted to allow them access to the chamber.

Inside, they found the room empty save for an enormous round table with many cushions. One particularly large golden cushion had several maps and documents spread out in front of it with many of the papers stained with the imprint of the royal coffee mug. Cadance wrinkled her nose at the smell of it which seemed to permeate the room.

“Uhg...I smell that auntie Celestia is still a Coltlumbian fan.”

Twilight shrugged and smiled weakly. “I’ve been trying to ease her into drinking Istallion lattes, but it hasn’t really stuck.”

“That’s because I like my coffee like I like my mares: dark, bold and with one heck of a kick.”

Both Twilight and Cadance gasped and whirled around to to quickly bowed to the diarch, Princess Celestia as she strolled into her warroom with her titanium-plated mug steaming at her side. Princess nodded to them both and took her seat before gesturing for them to rise.

“Ah, Cadance, it is good to see you again! I’m glad you are safe.” Celestia smiled as she niece moved in to hug her. “I trust our Twilight has seen to keeping you safe since your return to Equestria?”

“Oh yes, she has. Thank you for assigning her to me, auntie.”

“You are quite welcome. Twilight has told me several times how close you are.” Celestia grinned but then became serious. “Sadly we do not have time for pleasantries. I have several meetings to look forward to after this and I fear none of them will be with such stimulating company. So let’s get to business.”

Celestia turned and looked at Twilight. “My faithful student, would you keep an eye on things while I speak privately with Princess Cadance? I have some things to speak to her about that are of a sensitive nature.”

Twilight gave a curt nod and took a step back. “Of course, Princess. Shall I return in a few minutes then?”

“No need. I’ll just shield us. This shouldn’t take long.”

Twilight nodded again. “Yes, Princess.”

Celestia turned back to Cadance and her horn flashed for an instant before a translucent sphere around them and cut off all sound coming from the two mares. Twilight watched them speak in complete silence and frowned to herself. There was little to do but wait it out.
She sighed and took a seat on one of the side cushions. The Princesses chatted back and forth and she found her eyes drawn to Cadance’s muzzle, watching her lips work. Part of her still hadn’t come to grips with the fact that she now knew just of soft and sweet they were. Or the fact that another part of her wanted to feel that again. Yet another part wished she’d taken up lip reading long ago.

Twilight just stifled her first yawn when the topic of the Princesses’ conversation changed and both of them started to cast looks her way. She sat up straighter and watched them continue to talk. They must have been talking about whatever it was that she was supposed to protect Princess Cadance against as the pink alicorn gestured at Twilight from inside the bubble. It seemed to working Cadance up as she started to flush quite noticeably.

Princess Celestia nodded several times and looked quite serious for a time before she started to smile and point Twilight’s way as well. This made Cadance flush even deeper, turning her pink cheeks red. Maybe whatever it was about was also embarrassing to speak of and that was why she hadn’t been informed yet? Twilight frowned as she continued to reason why she could be the topic of conversation.

Eventually, the talks reached a lull point and the shield came down. Twilight stood up and stepped up besides her charge.

“Twilight,” Celestia gave her a small smile, “go see my sister next. She has instructions for you about keeping Princess Cadance safe.”

Y-yes, Princess!” Twilight saluted. Princess Cadance continued to blush next to her.

“And you, Mi Amore Cadenza, don’t forget what we spoke of here. I will not be able to help you after this.”

“I...I understand, Princess Celestia.” Cadance swallowed. “But...are you sure it’s the only way?”

Celestia nodded and took a small sip of her coffee. “Now go, you only have a small window of opportunity to getaway clean.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Fireworks by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 4

~~~

“Princess Luna should be in the throne room. If you’ll follow me, Princess?”

“Twily…” Cadance rolled her eyes and smirked, “I remember how to get to the throne room. I grew up in this castle even more than you did!”
“And I’m your guard, Princess. This is how it’s done!” Twilight looked back at Cadance as they walked up the short set of spiral stairs to the lowest royal level of the castle. “This is my first tour of duty and I don’t want to mess it up.”

Cadance blew a raspberry back at Twilight. “You’ve been listening to your brother too much. How is Shining, by the way?”

“Exasperating, as always.” Twilight sighed and stopped at the landing to let Cadance draw even with her. “The little squirt has rose in rank since last you saw him. He’s really grown into a imposing stallion. Handsome too...as far as a big sister can tell anyway.”

Cadance grinned and fell into a relaxed pace next to Twilight. “Well, I hope I get to see him at least once before we leave.”

“Well, you’re going to get your chance. He’s been transferred to Luna’s elite guard unit. You should see his face everytime they call him Shieldmaiden, Shining Armor!” Twilight giggled for a moment and then blinked. “Wait, we’re leaving? Where are we going?”

Cadance chuckled nervously. “Sorry, Twily. Auntie Celestia said I couldn’t tell you until after we’ve talked to Luna.”

“Really?”

Cadnace nodded. “Yeah, national security and all that.”

“B-but! I’m your security!” Twilight eye twitched. “Shouldn’t I know about this stuff too?”

The Princess shrugged helplessly. “Sorry! But what’s this about Shining becoming a Shieldmaiden of Luna?”

“I’ve petitioned Her Royal Highness Luna to change the name to something more gender neutral.” Shining sighed as he escorted the Princess and his sister into the main throne room. “She keeps putting it off, of course.”

Twilight snicked. “Of course.”

Cadance bit her lips to try and keep the smile off her face but she wasn’t very successful. It wasn’t a very good tactic to keep her giggling to herself either once Shining Armor had met them in full Shieldmaiden field dress, complete with a buckler fastened to his side and an armored skirt.

Shining was his usual all business self and did his level best to ignore the mare’s reaction. “It’s still a prestigious position. Guarding one of the Princesses is a career defining duty. It’s only natural, after all, that I was promoted to Shieldmaiden; as my shielding magic is second to none! I’m here today to help Princess Luna during your meeting, so please try to not aggravate her too much. The doctors say she needs to keep her cool to fully heal.”

Twilight steeled her face as they entered the room and crossed at a sedate pace to where the other diarch of Equestria sat at her work desk, her magic shuffling papers and pressing her stamp into them as they were read and placed aside. She glanced Cadance’s way and was relieved to see the pink alicorn was treating the meeting with the same level of seriousness. She was still curious about what Cadance knew about all this that she didn’t. Knowing the Royal Sisters as she did, it felt likely that Cadance only knew slightly more.

Princess Luna looked up as they approached and Twilight could feel the tingle of a spell wash over her. Luna nodded to Shining and he lead them the last few meters to stand before her desk. “Ah, greetings, niece. You as well, Mage Twilight. Excuse me if I do not rise, but I find I have trouble doing so these days if not strictly required.”

Luna nodded toward a waiting wheel chair harness by her desk. “Doctor’s orders, you understand.”

Cadance gasped, one wing coming up to cover her mouth. “What happened?”

Luna grinned mirthlessly and gestured a hoof toward Twilight. “Ask her when you have the time. This meeting must go quickly as your getaway is timed to the change in the guard shift.”

“Princess,” Twilight moved a half-step forward, “What is going on? Please, Princess Celestia didn’t tell me anything either and I need to know what’s going on to protect Cadance!”

“Be calm Mage, I will tell you what we know, but you must promise me that it will not leave your confidence.”

“I promise.”

“Good.” Luna smiled and lowered her voice slightly. “There is an assassin in the castle and we cannot be too careful. Whoever they are, they have been careful enough to evade capture so far. We have reason to believe they are a fairly powerful magic-user in their own right, if for no other reason than having avoided my magical scans.

Cadance must be moved to a safer location but the best way to do that is to run a distraction. My sister did not tell you, Twilight, because we both know how you tend to get protective around us. She is the distraction, and if we are in luck the assassin will go after her while you two slip out the proverbial back.”

“And if we aren’t in luck?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What then?”

“Then you go to ground and you hide. Do not engage unless you have to. I’m sorry that you are only just now being brought up to speed, but we had to be certain in our plans and had to limit those in the know.” Luna sighed and glanced at the clock on her desk. “It’s almost time.”
“What about Spike, Aunt Luna?” Cadance took a step forward and gently lay her wing across Twilight’s back. “He was going to meet us later.”

“Spike has already been redirected to meet you elsewhere by my agents. Don’t worry, Mi Amore Cadenza, he will be safe until you are all rejoined. Let me instruct you on the steps you’ll need to take for our little bait and switch to work.”

“Twily?”

“Yes, Princess?”

“I have been back in Canterlot for less than two hours after spending the better part of five years traveling around the world. I have been to and seen some breath taking locals. But nothing - absolutely nothing - compares to this.”

Twilight chuckled sadly. “Sorry Cadance, if I had known…”

“Yeah, yeah… I know.” Cadance stopped in her tracks and pressed herself even closer to Twilight than the tight quarters of the sewage tunnel required. “Just know that if was anypony else, I wouldn’t do this.”

Twilight blushed and allowed herself to push gently back into Cadance. “Me either. You get me into all the best messes, you know that?”

“So, since we’ve got the time and we’re alone, care to tell me about all the things I’ve missed in the last five years?”

Twilight gulped and nodded as the first sounds of fireworks boomed from far overhead to announce the return of Princess Cadance while a disguised Princess Celestia waved to the crowds that had gathered to welcome Equestria’s wayward daughter home.

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Divorce by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Cadance sat in her office, working on penning several documents and letters for official functions. Her mind however was elsewhere. 'It was wonderful seeing Twilight again. Relocating to the Crystal Empire meant I'm no longer travelling as much but.... it's much farther from Ponyville. These visits rare as they tend to be, are also wonderful when she does come', Cadance sighed to herself. She missed Twilight being around, when they were younger and living in Canterlot it was merely a matter of heading next door, now it was a distance of many miles.

Speaking of ponies next door her thoughts drifted towards Shining Armour, her protector, Guard, and friend. 'Friends and nothing more despite what many ponies assumed', her thoughts drifting to the many, many ponies who thought Shining and her were together. 'Shining has his eyes on another though he refuses to tell me who. He even refuses to say their gender, not that I would judge him for it.', Cadance sighed again as she tried to rein her thoughts in.

'Then who is there for me? Twilight....', she shook her head trying to moving away from thoughts she had been ignoring for some time now, 'Not her, never her. She's been getting rather close with one of the recent transfers to the Crystal Guard. A pegasus I think, he was. He, not she and I'm not even sure of her preferences but I shouldn't.... no I won't impose. I can feel the beginning of something special between them. It's too selfish for me to impose on her like this.'

That day in the office was nearly a week ago, yesterday she had received an odd letter from Twilight asking her to come to Ponyville. Now she knew why, in the midst of her paperwork she had penned a love letter that the staff had processed and sent. Twilight had just shown her the letter in question.

Twilight,

I, I.... can't hide this anymore. It's selfish of me especially when I can sense the blossoming relationship between you and one of the new pegasi of the Crystal Guards. But I can't deny this anymore, you've been special to me ever since we met years ago. When our duties separated us I began to realize something was missing. Around you my heart raced, a few times I felt like I just couldn't say anything around you. All I wanted was to spend time with you even though it wasn't always possible. I realized that I had fallen for you, it took time even for me to realize let alone acknowledge my feelings. Twilight.... I love you. It may be selfish but I can't deny the fact any longer.

Love, Cadance

"Is this true?" Twilight asked slowly.

Cadance swallowed, unable to find her voice instead settled for nodding.

"I'm not sure how I feel about this." Twilight replied in a cautious tone.

"I do mean it." Cadance's voice was merely a whisper, she found the words difficult to say. "So please.... what is your answer?"

Implications by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

The Palace Receiving Hall, located just outside the Throne Room, had been cleared of staff and guards since Princess Twilight’s sudden, violent arrival. Nearly the entire Palace had been emptied, with the staff sent home for the day and the garrison dispatched to barracks elsewhere in the city for the evening.

As such, nopony was around to see the flash of cobalt blue magic that announced the arrival of Princesses Luna and Cadence. Neither did anypony see Princess Cadence collapse to the floor a moment later, her aching body momentarily unable to support her weight.

After Luna had found her in the clearing, she had been merciful enough to cast a healing spell and ease Cadence’s array of severe injuries. She had not, however, been merciful enough to complete ease her pain. Bones were healed and lacerations closed, but that was as much as Luna had been willing to aid her. Judging by how furious Luna seemed, Cadence counted herself lucky she hadn’t been simply left bleeding and broken in the mud.

Luna made no effort to assist her in standing, but after a few failed attempts Cadence managed to upright herself. Her legs screamed at her, but she ignored their protests. She forced herself to breath despite the sharp pains in her sides, courtesy of a dozen cracked (formerly shattered) ribs.

Luna, having watched Cadence’s fumbling with indifference, ignited her horn to push the heavy throne room doors open. A second later, the light was extinguished, and Luna spoke.

“Twilight Sparkle is a dear friend to me,” Luna said quietly, “but she is much more to Celestia. You would do well to mind your words.” The language itself implied nothing more than a word of caution, but Cadence had the sense she had just been threatened. She swallowed nervously and nodded, though she was unsure if Luna noticed the gesture.

Regardless, when Luna relit her horn the doors did give way.

The Throne Room, like the rest of the Castle, was empty. Empty, that is, save the towering figure atop the dais at the far end of the room. Standing atop the Throne like a predator searching for prey, Princess Celestia eyed Cadence as an eagle would a mouse. Cadence had felt small under Luna’s angry countenance, but Celestia’s furious gaze made her feel absolutely minuscule.

Luna left Cadence’s side towards her sister, but was halted barely a step into the room.

“Luna, I would ask you give us the room. Cadence and I have things we must discuss in private.” Celestia spoke without taking her eyes off Cadence, who looked away in shame, unable to meet her Aunt’s gaze.

Luna hesitated, her eyes closely scrutinizing Celestia. She was clearly conflicted, and she glanced between Cadence and Celestia as she considered the request. Cadence was unsure what she feared more: Luna staying and unleashing her anger, or being left alone with Celestia.

The decision was made for her when Luna turned to leave. She paused in the doorway and looked back over her withers. “I shall remain just outside.” It was a warning clearly meant for Celestia, and that chilled Cadence to her core.

If Luna was coming to her defense, even indirectly, what did that say about Celestia?

The Throne Room doors slammed shut, sealing her and Celestia inside. Celestia’s gaze bore down on her with a heat a thousand-fold that of the noonday sun. Cadence hung her head, unable to look up and see the disappointment and anger rolling off her Aunt.

“H-how is Twilight?” Cadence ventured, glancing upwards. Her voice quivered, but she needed to know about her wife.

Celestia narrowed her eyes. “I cannot say she is well,” Celestia said coldly. “She appeared in the courtyard in a rage, demanding to see her brother. Had she accomplished her goal, I have no doubt the Guard would be without its Captain.”

Cadence’s ears perked in alarm. “Did…did she hurt anypony?”

Celestia shook her head. “She did not. After I met her, I diffused her anger. She broke down, and is currently resting.”

Cadence wilted, relief and guilt flooding her. Both were quickly overwhelmed by fear when Celestia suddenly stood and leapt from the dais. Her wings snapped out, and she landed softly in front of Cadence. Celestia drew herself to her full height and towered over Cadence, leaving her in the shadow of the Sun herself.

“To say I am disappointed would not even begin to describe how I feel right now,” Celestia scowled, pressing forward into Cadence’s personal space. “That you would, that you could commit such treachery upon her, after she has given you everything of herself. It disgusts me.” Celestia turned away from Cadence and stomped a short distance, each beat of her hooves leaving cracks in the stonework.

Cadence could find no words to defend herself. Instead, she asked, “C-can I see her?”

Celestia snapped her head around, and for a moment the temperature of the room spiked sharply. Cadence recoiled and drew a hoof up to her chest in fear. For a single moment, the look on Celestia’s face hadn’t been mere anger, it had been wrath.

Cadence trembled as Celestia looked away again. “No.” Her voice was iron, unyielding and absolute. “If she asks for you, you may see her. Until that happens, you are not welcome here.”

Cadence’s jaw dropped, and tears gathered in her eyes. She had been raised in the Palace, and to be banished…it would have been like forbidding Twilight from Ponyville, or from libraries.

Then, in a flash, all her hurt and fear turned to anger.

“How dare you!” Cadence hissed, “What right do you have to keep me from my wife?”

A half second later, Cadence resolved that she should have taken Luna’s advice, because that was evidently the wrong thing to say. Celestia’s entire being seemed to waver like a mirage in the desert. Her back shot ramrod straight, and her wings rose up to tower above Cadence’s head. The air turned to a furnace, and Cadence smelled burning hair.

Before she could react Celestia was inches away from her face, wearing an expression of hatred that Cadence had never imagined her Aunt could make.

“I have all the right she has given me!” Celestia thundered, her voice a typhoon battering against Cadence’s eardrums. “How dare you make demands after what you’ve done, all the agony you’ve put her through! All because you were too stupid to see the wonderful mare right in front of you!”

The words stung, but not nearly so much as the hoof that smacked across her face a heartbeat later, leaving her wide-eyed and speechless. Celestia stayed to glare at her for another moment before storming out of the Throne Room and leaving her alone.

Cadence held a hoof to her cheek. She could already feel the bruise developing there, but that wasn’t what held her attention. Her eyes were wide and unfocused as Celestia’s words ran over and over through her head.

‘All because you were too stupid to see the wonderful mare right in front of you!’

“It…it can’t be,” she whispered to herself, her skills as the Princess of Love hard at work deciphering her Aunt’s words. Snippets of memories, little signs that meant nothing on their own, connected in ways she’d never imagined before.

Cadence sucked in a pained, ragged breath when she realized, in fact, it could.

Author's Note

Part 4 in the Second Chances saga, here you can find Part 1 Part 2 and Part 3

Threesome by Misago

by Misago
~~~

"I can not believe this."

It was late at night in the Crystal Castle, and the guards on late shift were currently being treated to an unusual spectacle: Princess Twilight Sparkle, co-ruler of the Crystal Empire, floating in the air, dragged by her wife, one Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, scowling at the latter's rant.

"I wake up in the middle of the night to find the bed next to me cold and empty. At first I thought you were just up late studying, but what do I find in the library? There you are, exchanging fluids..."

"I was reading a book! And I was cr... I had dry eyes because of the eye strain, so there was some unusual tear flow!"

"My own wife, cheating on me! With a book! And not just any book, but one of my romance novels. Just last week, you told me they were "of no scientific value" and refused to even allow them in your book case!"

Finally reaching their quarters, Cadance yanked open the door and dumped Twilight unceremoniously inside.

"I have half a mind of banishing you to the couch for this, young mare," she grumbled, fixing her best attempt at a death glare on the still scowling Twilight.

The reaction was instantaneous. Twilight expression turned to pure horror.

"T-the couch?", she stuttered, trying to use her still watery eyes on the bed tyrant.

"I ought to", Cadance confirmed grimly, even though it took her a great amount of willpower to resist the puppy dog eyes. "Unless you promise that you won't sneak out at night to read anymore, starting this instant. And you will never again complain about my novels."

For a moment, Twilight looked like she wanted to object to the last part, but Cadance calmly produced the subject of the "affair" from under her wing and offered it to Twi.

The urge to read won out, and Twi sheepishly took hold of it with her magic, gave Cadance a quick kiss on the cheek and skipped away towards the large bed.

"No!"

"But Cady..."

"No buts! I will not share my bed -- or my wife -- with a book. Put it on the nightstand, you can read again tomorrow."

*snore*

*snore*

*rustle*

"TWILIGHT!"

Nachos by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

"….and nachos." Cadance said helping to check off Twilight's pre-movie checklist.

"Nachos?" Twilight said in a confused tone, "Didn't we agree on popcorn for movie night?"

Cadance nodded, "We did. Until the last Kernel incident when it was all but royally decreed that you would never approach popcorn kernels unsupervised."

"Not my fault!" as Twilight denied the accusation, "How would I have known that the Royal Observatory would be packed with popcorn kernels!"

"Didn't you use to live between there and the Royal Library?" Cadance asked.

"Still not my fault! One of the newest hires enjoys popcorn so much he stashed popcorn making supplies wherever he could in the Royal Observatory." Twilight grumbled.

"Yet somehow the popcorn from your "micro" microwave that you were testing turned the kernel and toppings into animated popcorn golems?" Cadance asked.

Twilight shook her head. "I still don't know how that happened or what happened with the kernels that didn't become popcorn golems…."

"So then nachos are the better and safer option. Much safer…. and about the only thing I can make safely." Cadance added reminding Twilight quickly of her own difficulties with cooking.

Twilight shuddered as she remembered some of the disasters from Cadance's attempts; which then reminded her of her own attempts which often involved animated food as part of the aftermath.

"Okay" Twilight said as she agreed to the changed snack, "Almost everything you make tends to result in being inedible and almost everything I make tends to come to life. Right, so nachos are good" as she checked off snacks after making a quick amendment to her checklist.

She then felt something soft on her head, lifting it off with her magic she saw a sombrero. Twilight just turned and stared at Cadance. "This again?" waving the hat in front of her.

"What? This was what we always did when we had nachos or any kind of Mareixcan food. Besides you're adorable with a sombrero on your head."

Twilight sighed, "It worked when I was five. Not now."

Cadance pouted, "Please?"

"No." was the quick reply.

Cadance brought Twilight close for a hug, "Okay, no sombreros. Still you looked cute in one. But let's just start the movie" as the pony she was wrapped around just grumbled in agreement.

Author's Note

I'd like to remind our readers that we are always looking for new contributors for the collab to help spread our particular brand of cartoon horse romance. Any and all authors are welcome, just follow the link here. If you have any questions about it, feel free to PM me.

Xenophilia by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

It had been as easy as taking candy from a baby.

As she strode proudly through the halls of the Crystal Spire, surrounded on all sides by a half dozen of her fearsome Alate Guard, Chrysalis couldn’t help but marvel at how simple it had been to overcome the Crystal Empire. The guards, both Equestrian Royal Guards and the supposedly indomitable Crystal Knights, had been swept aside with minimal difficulty. The Crystal Heart, regarded as a near-equal to the Elements of Harmony, remained indifferent as her Changelings swarmed the city. The Crystal ponies themselves offered no resistance, apparently having resigned themselves en masse to her rule.

The fools hadn’t even bothered to station guards to protect their rulers. She thought it strange for a moment, but attributed it to the general cowardice of the pony soldiers in general. No doubt the bulk of them were at that very moment either hiding or fleeing with their tails tucked between their legs. The image of it all was delicious, and Chrysalis had hardly stopped cackling long enough to direct her subjects.

The only negative in sight was the gnawing feeling of hunger that shadowed her constantly, but that had been with her for months, perhaps years. The Changelings were starving, and the time had come to act or face extinction. The Crystal Empire, a nation founded on and fueled by all the wonderful flavors or love between ponies, was the perfect target. A proposed assault on Canterlot was dismissed as being, in the Queen’s own words, “Bucking stupid. Celestia moves the sun, she’d burn us like ants under a magnifying glass. Not to mention her crazy sister.”

After completely reworking the invasion plan, the Hive had rolled over the Crystal Empire like a wave, barely slowing in the process. Chrysalis laughed again as one of her guards smashed open the heavy quartz doors that were the final barricade before the Princess’ room itself. A single set of double doors were all that stood between her and Princesses Cadence and Twilight. Finally, her Changelings would find the love they needed.

“Mwuahahaha!” Chrysalis cackled as she lit her horn and shattered the doors. High on the rush of victory, she burst into the chambers, the dust parting around her to reveal—

“Oh my, it would seem the villainous Chrysalis has found us at last.”

Princesses Cadence and Twilight, clad in the scantiest lingerie Chrysalis had ever seen. The two Princesses were spread on their sides across the bed suggestively, their crossed hind legs turned to the perfect angle to ensnare the unwary. Their legs were covered with pink and black striped socks that went all the way up. Cadence’s mane was tossed over her withers enticingly, and Twilight’s mane was tied up in a ponytail that gave the impression of a naughty librarian. Both of them wore matching tail wraps that were just short enough to preserve the barest hints of decency.

But more than that, both of the rulers of the Crystal Empire were giving Chrysalis the most smoldering come-hither looks she had seen in her entire life.

“I-uh…bwug,” she sputtered, momentarily unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Her sense of victory was warring against the sexy, and it was not faring well. Her brain, always full of intricate plots and plans within plans, was scrambled.

“Oh no, whatever shall we do?” Twilight lamented, leaning back as she did so to reveal more of her stomach, stopping just short of exposing herself to Chrysalis’ hungry gaze.

Cadence, equally mournful, raised a hoof to her forehead dramatically. “There is nothing to do, my love. We are completely at her mercy.” Cadence lowered her hoof slightly to peer at Chrysalis and lick her lips. “Totally helpless to resist whatever improper intentions she might have.”

Cadence and Twilight paused their sorrowful display to glance at Chrysalis, and to give her a chance to respond. Unfortunately for them, the Changeling Queen was at a total loss, her mental cogs having ground to a complete halt. If one could see inside her mind’s eye, they would find only a bright blue screen with a small, flashing question mark in the upper left corner. The Alate Guards beside her fared even worse, having been chosen more for their physical skills than any intelligence they may or may not have had.

As the minutes dragged on and Chrysalis stood in place trying to rally her cognitions, Cadence and Twilight quickly grew impatient. It did not take long for them to grow annoyed, and to take it upon themselves to resolve the situation.

The two Princesses hopped up from their bed and crossed the distance between themselves and the Changelings, the latter’s eyes never for a moment leaving them. With a sigh, Twilight levitated the Queen’s guards out of the room and into the hallway before hastily repairing the destroyed barrier to a pristine state.

Cadence, meanwhile, took it upon herself to bring Chrysalis back to reality. Using a trick she had developed and perfected during her courtship of Twilight that involved some elaborate tongue-play and a victim’s unguarded ear, she managed to shock the Queen into a state somewhat resembling understanding.

“W-what is happening?” Chrysalis asked, her tone that of absolute confusion, like a pony who had just been informed (by Princess Celestia herself) that the sun was actually just an ice cream cone painted yellow and hung in the sky by a string.

Cadence and Twilight looked at her, then each other, and shared a conspiratorial giggle. As one, they took up positions on each side of her to form a Chrysalis sandwich, and began to guide her to the bed.

“We’ve known about your little invasion for a while,” Twilight said. She could be commended for managing to avoid sounding smug.

Chrysalis swung her head around to look at the younger Princess dead-on, but her brief bout of panic was diffused by Cadence’s giggles.

“Don’t look so shocked. Between Twilight’s skills with scrying spells and Luna’s thestral guards, pretty much nothing major can sneak up on us.” To Chrysalis, that only raised further questions.

“But, the invasion…” she trailed off, unsure if it was all an elaborate trap to defeat her or if the world was truly so nonsensical.

Twilight shrugged. “We’ve been prepared for weeks. We let most of the guards take a vacation and told the rest to take the day off whenever you attacked.”

Chrysalis blinked. That would certainly explain the abundance of picnic baskets and packed luggage that the guards had been toting. She had just assumed their armory was as ridiculous as their uniforms. Come to think of it, it struck Chrysalis how odd it was to see the guards wearing such little armor and so many Haywaiian shirts.

“As for the rest of the ponies, we just told them today was National Hide and Seek Day,” Twilight rolled her eyes, unable to keep a smile off her face. “I don’t think we’ll be seeing Pinkie Pie again for a couple of weeks, and I didn’t even tell her about it.”

When the trio reached the edge of the bed, Cadence lit her horn and engulfed Chrysalis in her magic. For a split second her well-honed reflexes kicked in and she nearly attacked the Princess, but Twilight was quick in casting a counterspell to cancel her magic. Before she could prepare to retaliate again, she was deposited softly in the center of the enormous, soft bed.

“As for you,” Cadence purred as she and Twilight slinked up the bed to surround her, “We heard the Changelings were starving, and that they feed on love. Not to brag, but as the Princess of Love, I happen to be an expert on the matter. In all regards.” As she spoke, Cadence gently began to nip at Chrysalis’ ear.

Twilight shot her wife a burning gaze so intense it caused Chrysalis to blush furiously, despite not being the intended target. “That’s for sure.” After a heated moment as the two mares stared into each other, Cadence not stopping her increasingly effective teasing of Chrysalis’ ear, Twilight turned her attention back to the Changeling.

“We decided that, since Changelings feed on love, we could share some of ours with you. Between Cadence and I we have more than enough to feed your entire hive for more than a year.” Twilight’s words were joined by one of her stocking-clad hooves trailing along Chrysalis’ stomach. They soft, silky material send tingles up (and down) her body.

“That just leaves the matter of the collection,” Cadence whispered into her now very sensitive ear. The way the Princess drew out the word ignited a fire in Chrysalis’ chest, as well as other places. “We checked the old Canterlot Archives, and discovered that in the ancient days, this,” as if reading Cadence’s mind, one of Twilight’s wings reached down perilously Chrysalis’ body, “was the most effective method of transfer.”

Twilight gave her wife a bemused look. “Well, that, and the fact that Cadence has been wanting to experiment a bit. She’s got a wild side, that one.”

Cadence stuck out her tongue childishly at Twilight, but quickly turned the look smoldering and offered a wink towards Chrysalis, never once retracting her tongue.

Then, together, the two pony Princesses of the Crystal Empire and the Queen of the Changelings began their furious, passionate, sweaty quest to save her species.

Hours later, Princesses Twilight and Cadence were snuggled under their covers together looking up at the ceiling. Beside them, Chrysalis lay passed out on her back, the covers tucked in snugly around her as she enjoyed an exhausted sleep. She had amassed enough love energy to feed her subjects for well over a year, even better than Twilight’s most optimistic projections. She was, in a word, stuffed. Had Cadence heard that word, she would have agreed enthusiastically, as well most likely adding an exaggerated eyebrow roll and some obscene gestures.

“Amateur,” Cadence rolled her eyes as she toyed with a lock of Twilight’s mane. Their sweat-matted fur rubbed against each other, providing a comforting background sensation as they basked in the pleasant after-glow.

“Be nice,” Twilight chided lightly, her head pressed against Cadence’s chest, “When we first started I couldn't keep up with you either, even with my endurance spells.”

“Well, you were a unicorn at the time. Not to mention, you still can’t.”

Twilight lifted her head to look up at her wife in amusement. “Is that a challenge?”

Cadence gave her a predatory grin. “Is it ever.”

Author's Note

Not a part of Second Chances, just a bit of Vitamin Twidance. Again, I'd like to remind all our readers that we are always looking for new contributors to the collab, and you can find the prompt thread here.

Slang by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 5

~~~

“Well?”

“Well, what?” Twilight animated again as the wave of firework explosions announcing Princess Cadance’s return started to settle down. She grimaced at the thought of the Royal Sisters topside, running a distraction tactic of some sort to draw out the assassin they were convinced was inside Canterlot and after Cadance.

Twilight stepped lightly, trying to not splash in the ankle deep water that drained sluggishly down the sewage runoff pipe they were in. A few more stallion-hole covers and they would reach the location of the safehouse Luna had directed them too. If the plan was still proceeding normally, Spike would be there waiting on them. She hoped her young dragon was doing better than they were at the moment.

“Well,” Cadance rolled her eyes at Twilight, “tell me, Twily, about everything I’ve missed while I was away?”

“Um...everything?” Twilight looked back at Cadance. “It is five years or so of history…”

“Then just give me the highlight reel, Twily!” Cadance sighed. “If this safehouse has a shower, I call dibs.”

Twilight chuckled and shook her head as she thought back over hundreds of weeks looking for the ‘highlight reel’ Cadance wanted. “Let’s see...uh, you missed my birthday five times. I joined Celestia’s Battle Mage corps after I harnessed the six elements and defeated Princess Luna when she went crazy.”

“What?” Cadance gawked at Twilight. “You beat Luna? How is that even possible? and what do you mean she went crazy?”

“Princess Luna kinda…” Twilight blushed and cringed under Cadance’s stare. “...had a breakdown and a fight with Princess Celestia. Most ponies don’t even know it happened. I just happened to see Luna take off with Celestia and I chased them out into the Everfree Region to the abandoned temple there. I tried to rescue Princess Celestia, but Princess Luna’s shields were too strong. I had the idea that they were based off elemental energy cancelation so I figured out a way to bind all six elements into one blast effect. I broke her shields and...er, her legs. That’s why she had the wheelchair back at the castle.”

“Oh goddess, is she ok?”

Twilight nodded quickly. “Yeah! The doctors think she should be back up to walking like normal all the time pretty soon. She still uses the chair at court because of how long she has to sit, you see. The blast I hit her with caused nerve and muscular damage too. That’s why she’s still recovering five years later.”

“Wow...Twily, I don’t know what to say…” Cadance shook her head and then fixed Twilight with another stare. “There was no other way, right? You did what you had to do to save Celestia and bring Luna back to her right mind...right?”

Twilight nodded and lowered her head. They walked on in silence together for a while, the splashing of their steps and the gurgling of the slow moving water the only noise filling the air between them.

Twilight stopped when they reached the next ladder and gestured up it. “We’re here, Princess. Let me go check it first, then you come up.”

Cadance nodded and put a wing on Twilight’s shoulder just as the unicorn turned to climb. “Twily, thank you. Thank you for saving Celestia and Luna. They are my aunts and the only family I still have. I would hate to lose them.”

“You won’t lose them, if I have any say in it. Another thing you’ve missed is my protectiveness of them both.” Twilight smiled and grabbed a rung of the ladder. “My name has pretty much become slang for the asswhooping you get if you mess with a Princess of Equestria.”

Cadance giggled as Twilight pulled herself up to the stallionhole cover and shoved it up slightly to look around. The cobblestone alleyway she saw beyond was empty and shaded by tall brick buildings on either side. Twilight could hear the sounds of a busy street distantly to her right and could smell the strong scent of a bakery near-by.

Twilight lowered the cover and looked back down at Cadance. “It’s clear, come up and stick close. We’re going to be more or less in the open for the last 50 or so yards to the safehouse door. If everything is going according to plan, Spike will be there waiting on us. We hold tight until the all clear is given.”

“Yes ma’am!” Cadance snapped a quick salute and started up the ladder. “So, if anything does happen, I trust you’ll go ‘Twilight Sparkle’ on whoever tries any funny business?”

Twilight shoved the cover up and off and quickly pulled herself out of the sewer before turning around and offering her hoof to Cadance. “You have my word, Princess.”

“Twily, just call me Cadance.” Cadance grinned and when she grabbed Twilight’s outstretched hoof, she pulled her protector in close and softly brushed their lips together. “Now get me into the safehouse. I would kill for a hot shower right about now.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Slapdash by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite:Book One
Part 6

~~~

Twilight froze again for what seemed the hundredth time since Princess Cadance had waltzed back into her life. The pink alicorn was going to get them both killed if she kept causing her protector to lock up at crucial moments. It wasn’t even with anything so much as a Hold Pony enchantment. It was just a kiss. A kiss! A kiss from the prettiest filly in the world - sweet alicorns above, did she have the softest lips and a long tongue!

She could feel her blush flaring up her neck as Cadance hauled herself out onto the cobblestone alleyway. Her Princess was exposed and this was no time to get lost in her scent or her silky mane.. Twilight shook her head and lit her horn to throw back her cloak so she could draw her short gnarled staff from it’s holster at her side.

“Stay by me, Princess. We only need to make it to the end of the alley.” Twilight tipped the staff toward one end. “There is a recessed door there that is enchanted to only open for an alicorn. I want you in front while I cover the rear. Walk briskly. Running will draw attention from the side streets.”

Cadance nodded. “I understand. What do you suggest I do if we are attacked?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You’re taking this seriously?”

“This isn’t my first time to the rodeo, Twily. You aren’t the only one that has learned some new tricks these last five years. Now that we’re out in the open, this is your show.” Cadance smiled and did a small curtsey. “I shall follow your lead, my little dynamite.”

“Um...thanks. Really, Prin...er, Cadance. That means a lot.” Twilight grinned for a moment before she steeled her expression into something resembling professional. “Ok, if something happens, I want you to hit the deck and shut your eyes. A lot of my spells are flashy and if you can’t see afterwards I’ll have to carry you to safety.”

“What if I wanted you to carry me?”

“Do you ever plan to stop teasing me?”

Candance smirked and remained silent. Twilight sighed and looked back down the alleyway toward the busy crowds that passed along the cross street into the open air market on the next block. No one seemed to have noticed them yet so she scanned the rooftops quickly before signaling Cadance to start moving.

Twilight kept her staff leveled at the street as they cantered toward the door. She had a few choice evocations ready in her mind should anything happen. With her staff ready she should easily be able to unleash any of them and limit any possible damages to the public or the nearby buildings. Any battlemage of sufficient talent could fling a fireball into her enemies, but add a warstaff and she could focus all that destructive power into a single point only a hoof wide. Then -if the battlemage happened to be Twilight Sparkle - she could take the temperature inversion caused from pulling all the ambient heat from the area and push the cascading thermal collapse with a nudge of her will and create slabs of ice to block or slow any pursuers. Attack and defense, fire and ice, all with one spell in perfect harmony.

She was almost disappointed when they reached the door with zero complications. It opened with a quiet creak of the hinges and allowed them into a small enclosed patio garden lined with berry bushes and dwarf fruit trees. The safehouse itself loomed above them like a small, squat fortress with narrow windows and iron bar lattice. Twilight closed the door and dropped the crossbar to lock it. She could feel the air near it ionize as the enchantments it held reactivated.

“You made it!”

Twilight whipped around and yanked her staff up at the last moment when she recognized Spike’s smaller bipedal form in the safehouse’s door. She let out a sigh and smiled at her assistant. “Glad to see you made it.”

“I’ve been here for almost an hour already. Princess Celestia told me something was up and had plainclothes guards escort me here.”

Spike set his clawed fists on his hips. “Mind telling me what’s going on?”

Candance smiled sheepishly. “I seem to have an assassin after me. The Royal Sisters worked out a plan to set up a decoy while we got away. You, Twilight and myself are supposed to lay low here until they know the assassin has been dealt with. Sorry.”

“Hey, don’t worry, Princess! My day just got a whole lot more interesting.” Spike grinned like the shark that ate the albatross. “Besides, you should check this place out! The Royal Sisters didn’t spare a bit when they had this place built and stocked. There are even gems in the basement!”

“Probably provisions so no one would need to leave for a while.” Twilight sighed and tucked her staff away under her cloak. “I believe you were saying something about a shower, Cadance?”

Cadance hummed to herself as the hot water spray of the shower soaked her coat and mane. She watched the runoff take the dirt and sweat back into the drainage pipes she and Twily had slogged through earlier. It felt like heaven to be clean again after so long. Hardly anyone would understand what a wonder it was to simply be in an Equestrian shower again. Hot water and indoor plumbing was not as common as some thought.

She groaned as her shoulders and back started to unclench in the heat and steady beating of the water. She might have yet another assassin after her, but she wasn’t about to let that get her down. Cadance had dodged them in Staliongrad and behind the Iron Barding. She had a close call in the Republic of the Camule when someone had bombed the building she was in. Even in the walled and relatively safe Minotauran Collective she’d had a few run ins.

“It doesn’t matter,” Cadance whispered to herself, “I’m in good hooves now.”

“Huh?”

Cadance wiped her mane from her eyes and looked at Twilight. Without her robe and harness for her staff and gear, Twilight looked surprisingly vulnerable. Even in the dim lighting of the setting sun coming in through the window Cadance could see Twilight had become quite the mare since she’d left. She was taller and her body looked strong with sleek lines that hinted at more than a little muscle under her purple coat.

“What did you say?” Twilight blinked at Cadance, flicking her own wet mane out of her eyes.

“Um...I was just mentioning our water reserves and it’s lucky that the shower is big enough for the both of us. Otherwise it looks like you’d have to wait ‘til tomorrow to have a hot shower. I’m sure neither of us wants you to smell for that long.”

Twilight shuffled in place nervously, her eyes darting around the room, desperate to look at anything other than the wet alicorn that shared the shower with her. “I-I’ll just be here for a minute. In and out really quick so you can enjoy the shower by yourself.”

Cadance chuckled and turned so that they were facing each other, nose to nose and chest to chest as they balanced on their rear hooves to stay under the single showerhead. Twilight started to turn away but she grabbed the bashful unicorn and pinned the mage to the tile wall. “No. I want to enjoy the shower with you. I’ve waited five years to be with you, Twily. Can’t you let the whole ‘professional bodyguard’ drop for a moment and just be cute, dorky Twilight?”

“I-I…” Twilight swallowed and twitched under Cadance’s hooves. The battle mage blushed looked like she was trying to figure out a spell that would allow her to melt and escape down the drain. Cadance pushed more of her body against Twilight’s until she could feel the short breaths Twilight was taking.

Twilight fought for a moment more and then the tenseness left her and she slumped limply. Twilight looked into Cadance’s eyes and that vulnerableness returned to the mighty mage ten fold. “Ok… we can be just Twilight and Cadance? Is that alright?”

“I would like that.” Cadance sighed happily and pulled Twilight into a hug which the unicorn returned a moment later. “I would like that very much.”

The sunset painted Canterlot in hues of orange, red and gold though the haze of dust and smoke coming up from the powered carriages and airship exhaust. Across the city ponies were calling in their foals for dinner, diamond dog merchants were closing shop or calling in the markets for one last sell. Overhead, airships, pegasi and drakes jostled for perches along the walls and towers as they came to roost for the evening.

As the sun sank at last Canterlot became a landlocked copy of the sky above with thousands of tiny lights peeking out through the dark with the castle at the center as the largest, brightest point with it’s glowing dome of pure force sealed like a closed flower. In the dark places, between those points of light, people slept and a monster moved.

Eyes that glowed a pale green searched the night, hunting it’s prey.

The Royal Sisters thought their distraction would work. They thought they could capture her. Her silently prowling hooves proved them wrong. That little trollop was still in the city. She would find her target and she would claim her reward. Once her lord was free, it would be her name on his lips, not Cadance’s. Her spells and poisons would make sure of that.

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Excitement by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

“Spike! Hurry up, we're gonna be late Pinkie's party!” I swear, that dragon, a fine assistant, but there are days when I can't get anything more than a grumble out of him.

“Hold your horses Twilight! I'm almost ready. (snort) Wow, that was horrible, even for me...”

I don't know who's more excited for this “surprise” party of Pinkie's. Spike, since it will give him a chance to be with Sweetie Belle, or myself, because, well, she'll be there. Ever since her days as my foalsitter, I've held a special place in my heart for Cadence. She chased away the nightmares of my fillyhood, kissed away the boo-boo's when my “adventures” would get a little out of hoof. Hay, she was the one who explained (ahem) the birds and the bees. In truth, she probably wouldn't have had to had that talk if I hadn't walked in on her and Shining in the midst of (shudder).

Okay, so I didn't need that memory. Or any other of my brother right now. He and Cadence were quite inseparable, They were great together. Even when he joined the Royal Guard and their time together was significantly slashed, no two ponies were more in love, or deserved each other more than they. But then, the one fear that every soldier's family has came to pass. I was visiting mom and dad for the first time in weeks. Shining was due back that evening after a particularly long deployment on the Griffonia/Equestria border. Cadence was going to meet us at the train station so that we could welcome my BBBFF home. However, not long before we set out to meet with Cadence, our world came crashing down. I don't remember much of what the stallion from the castle said. I just remember the tears. Mine, my parents, Cadence's when she was escorted to the house. Just never ending tears. A skirmish on the front lines is all it took for Shining to be robbed from us. To be robbed from Cady.

We mourned him together, as a family should. It was then, in that darkest of times, that I found myself drawn to her. We drew strength from one another, sharing shoulders to cry on, ears to listen with, and hooves to hold each other in. Over the next few months, we found more and more of our visits had less to do with our grief and more to do with spending time with one another. To say we'd grown close was an understatement. To me, we were inseparable, just like she and Shining had been. I felt my heart yearn for her voice, her scent, and her touch. In truth, I was scared at first, having never been romantically involved with anypony. Soon, that fear turned to disgust, as if my desire for her was somehow dishonoring the memory of my dearly departed brother. It took a long talk with Princess Celelstia (and rather spirited one with Princess Luna), for me to discover that it was not only okay to have these feelings, but that they were worth pursuing.

So, that brings us to tonight. Cadence and I were both invited to Pinkie's latest party. What the occasion was, I can't tell you, but I do know this. Tonight, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza will know just how much she means to me. And, if she'll have me, I'd love a chance to be with her. Tonight, the excitement couldn't be more palpable. I can't wait to see her, to smell her, to touch her, to tell her!

Now if only that darn dragon would hurry up...

Author's Note

The first prompt from new contributor Magicman7997. Blazing out of the gates, let's show him a warm welcome

Wedding by Foals Errand

by Foals Errand
~~~

Princess Celestia smiled down at the smaller alicorn, who she could easily see was struggling not to hyperventilate. She allowed her mask to slip enough to roll her eyes and focus her attention towards Luna, who was strengthening Twilight’s crown for the twentieth time. Twilight’s ear flicked, knocking it off kilter again and Luna groaned.

“Twilight Sparkle, as your best friend and your best mare, I implore you to listen to me.” Luna once again took hold of the gold crown in her magic.

“Huh wha?” Twilight turned to her right, her left eye twitching.

“In just a few moments, your bride is going to come through those doors. Do you truly want her to see you looking like this?” Luna lifted an eyebrow at her.

Twilight looked down at herself. She was sweaty, her suit stuck to her fur in places it shouldn’t have been. That’s going to start itching soon… Twilight nodded and cast a quick clean spell over herself. Her mane was brought back into the simple pony tail she had pulled it back in. The two strands which fell over her ears flowed in the solar wind which surrounded all three of them. She bit her lip as she felt Luna’s magic on her chest fixing the magic medallion settled upon it. “Thanks, that thing never seems to want to be straight, not for me and not for…”

Twily, I don’t have long left on this realm… I’ve lived a wonderful life being with Cadance and being your big brother. That’s why I need to tell you. I’ve always known Twily. I’ve known how you and she fell for each other. Those hidden looks and soft touches. Hey, no worries, I’m not angry. I mean, it just means you both have excellent taste. Twily, when I’m gone, follow your heart. Be with her. Love her. Don’t let her be alone promise me.

The procession music started and Twilight stood tall as her bride entered the hall. No veil covered her face. Twilight would’ve hated being unable to see her face. A smile lit up her beautiful muzzle as she came to stand beside her. Twilight wanted so to reach out to touch her. Screw protocol. She touched Cadance’s side with a feather tip. The smile she received in response…

“Thank you for coming, Mares and Gentlecolts. We are gathered her to unite Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza in love and harmony.” Celestia smiled at the couple who had eyes for only the other. She continued on, reciting the ceremony that she had performed for so many before, but rarely for ones she held so closely.

“I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, take thee, Princess Cadance, as my lawful wedded wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live.”

“I, Princess Cadance, take thee, Princess Twilight Sparkle, as my lawful wedded husband to have and to hold in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.”

Two horn rings levitated in front of them. Twilight’s horn lit up as she took one within her grasp, sliding it upon Candace's horn. “I give thee this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.”

Cadance smiled feeling the familiar weight on the crown of her horn she almost gasped in realization as she took Twilight’s ring within her magic. This was Shining Armor’s ring… A tear falling down her cheek, Cadance smiled, sliding the gift down Twilight's horn. “I give thee this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.”

“With that, I am honored to pronounce you mare and wife.” Celestia allowed her wings to spread as the hall cheered for their Princesses. Love and Friendship; they really were one in the same.

Twilight kissed away Cadance’s tears before kissing her muzzle softly.

At the back of the room, a stallion leaned against the wall. He noticed Princess Luna smile at him and he nodded, a huge grin on his muzzle. “Way to go, Twily.”

Luna watched as he slowly vanished from even her sight. Rest well now Shining Armor rest well.

Author's Note

Our first entry by Foals Errand, who already has an impressive list of stories under his belt.

Ocarina by Next Gen Wonderbolt

by Next Gen Wonderbolt
~~~

Cadence could only stare in confusion at Twilight's outfit. The lavender bookworm stood in front of her spouse adorning a bright green cap and matching tunic with a brown belt hugging her waist. Leathery boots and gloves covered her hooves, a shield with an exotic design laid across her back, and a sword hilt stuck out from it's sheath fastened to her belt. Twilight stared back eyes twinkling from both accomplishment and excitement.

"Do you like it?" Twilight asked.

"Well, it's different." Cadence replied.

"I made it using this!" Twilight held up a golden book in her magic.

"The Hyrule Historia?"

"Yep! It's a handbook for something called The Legend of Zelda! It's amazing! It's filled with all sorts of legends and myths and even timelines regarding this pony named Link!"

"And where did you find this?" Cadence asked.

"Back in the human world." Twilight replied nonchalantly.

Cadence giggled. If there was one thing Twilight couldn't resist, it was a book. Cadence took the book from Twilight opening it to some random page. The page she opened to contained all sorts of creature designs. She found the design of "Link", as Twily called him, wearing the same outfit as Twilight.

"I even made an ocarina!" Twilight shouted.

"An ocarina?" Cadence asked.

"It's their version of a flute." Twilight replied matter-of-fact like.

She turned to the page regarding this 'ocarina'. It did look like a flute, but a weird flute. Underneath the diagram it listed several songs that could be played on it.

"Can you play any of these?"

"Of course." Twilight grabbed her model ocarina bringing it to her lips.

She gently placed them on the mouth piece blowing into it and moving her hooves from the different holes. The ocarina's notes resembled that of a bird's going from a low note to a high one in an almost sing song pattern. It was soothing, sending a calmness through Cadence's mind. She closed her eyes listening to the song her lover played for her.

Once the song ended Cadence was left speechless while Twilight smiled enthusiastically at her.

"How was it?" Twilight asked her.

Amazing? Beautiful? Serene? Twilight?

Cadence opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Applejack bursting into the library.

"What did ya need, Twi?" Applejack asked.

Twilight blinked. "Uh, I didn't call you, Applejack."

Applejack stared blankly. "Course you did! I was walking by when I heard you!"

Twilight and Cadence both shared a look before opening the book looking at the ocarina page again.

"Twilight, which song did you play?" Cadence asked.

"Epona's Song?" Twilight replied.

Both mares read the description of the song, then burst out laughing leaving Applejack confused.

"What's so funny?" Applejack asked. More laughter was her response. "Twi? Cadence? Will somepony please explain what in the hay is so dang funny!?"

Twilight managed to keep her giggles down for a couple moments.

"Oh nothing, Epona."

Mythbusted by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

“Sweet Celestia! What a night!” I giggled despite myself. Some of the Apple Family's finest hard cider coursed through my body, courtesy of Pinkie and her “Congrats Twi and Cady on finally getting together!” party (though I'm sure that wasn't the original theme of the night). In any event, it had been a spectacular night. I'd danced my flank off, played many a rousing game of charades (we party hard), and finally, FINALLY, confessed my true feelings to one Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

“You can say that again, Ladybug,” she giggled. Faust! I love her giggle. Cadance bumped against my flank in a not so subtle manner. Apparently she too, had sampled some of the Apple Family's wares and was three sheets in the wind as well. We'd really hit Pinkie's reserves hard after I'd walked right up to her and kissed her full on the lips. She melted in my hooves and returned it just as anxiously. It wasn't until we came up for air that we remembered that we weren't alone. Amidst the blushes and sideways glances we gave one another. The cheers were deafening. That's when the party started in earnest. That's when we hit the bottles. That's when we...

“I still can't believe we played '7 minutes in Elysium'. We are worse than a couple of teenagers.” Cadance blushed at that. Damn, she's even cuter when she blushes. A quick kiss to the tip of her muzzle brings back a flood of memories. Most of them centered around those seven minutes we were locked in the Cake's broom closet at Sugarcube Corner.

We walked through the cool autumn air back to the Golden Oaks Library. Not quite ready for the evening to end, but knowing that a certain dragon and a certain filly had slipped out of the party early, it was mutually decided that we should at the very least check up on them.
“I'm so proud of Spike. He's been such a little gentledragon with Sweetie Belle.” I really was proud of him. After his crush on Rarity, I wasn't sure a relationship with her little sister would be the best thing. Once again, I was so pleasantly wrong when it came to romance. My little Spike was growing up and there wasn't a darn thing I could do about it.

“I wonder if he's given her one of his scales yet?” Cadance asked. “It's an important part of the dragon mating process. It means so much for a mate to carry around a part of yourself.”

“So if Sweetie is supposed to get a scale from Spike, what's he supposed to get from her?” I asked, honestly curious.

“A vial of her blood.”

“Wait, WHAT?!?!”

“Oh yes, it's an ancient draconic tradition. Especially since the male collects it himself.”

“But how? I can't even fathom...”

“He collects it in the midst of (ahem) coitus.”

My eyes are as big as my head. I can't believe this, I won't believe it! Not my little Spike! He couldn't, he wouldn't?

Would he?

“We have to get to that library now!”

We run the rest of the way. Yeah, in hindsight, teleportation would have been faster, but I wasn't thinking about that. I was trying to not to imagine Spike and Sweetie in one of any compromising positions. I was trying not to imagine Spike extracting his “pound of flesh”. I was trying not to imagine how I was gonna tell Rarity that Spike had taken a chunk out of her sister. We reach the front door of the library and without a thought I nearly rip it from the hinges with my magic. From the top of the stairs I hear the unmistakable moans of pleasure that sound distinctly female and distinctly young.

“Oh buck, oh buck, oh buck,” I chant as I rush up the stairs. Praying to Celestia that I'm not too late, I throw open the door to Spike's room and find them in the midst of a rather heavy make-out session. In the mix of limbs and mane I see the glint of a single purple scale nestled safely on Sweetie's chest. Her half lidded gaze at Spike confirms she's too lost in passion to realize what's going on. Spike, however, spun around instantly as I stormed in.

“Twilight! A little privacy please?!”

“Spike! You can't, you mustn't!”

“What are you talking about? I'm a adolescent dragon now! We both know to be careful. What's the big deal?”

“No Spike, I mean her blood! You can't take it! You have to find another way!”

He giggled, I don't get it. Why's he giggling? This is serious.

“Twilight. Have you been reading those goofy high fantasy stories again? That's a myth. Dragons have never done that.”

“But your scale?!”

“Actually, I asked him for it.” Sweetie Belle said as she came back to reality and joined the conversation. “It's a small part of him that I can carry with me. It makes me feel closer to him.”

My brain was trying to work overtime to keep up with this. Cadance came to my rescue.

“So, you weren't going to take a vial of her blood?”

“Eenope.” Spike dead panned.

Cadance giggled in spite of herself, “You two are just so blessed cute. I think it's wonderful for you guys to have each other. Now if you'll excuse Twilight and I, I think it's time for us to (ahem) get to know each other. You two have a wonderful evening.”

I came to my senses about then and proceeded to lose my mind. Cadance led me up the stairs and closed the door to my room.
“Now, why don't we get a little more comfortable.” Cadance purred as we sunk into my bed. As my lips brushed ever so slightly against hers, a sharp cry of “OUCH! SPIKE!”, broke us out of our revelry.

“I guess that one myth that wasn't busted.”

I groaned at that one, but pounced on Cady in one swift shot. “Time to bust another one,” I said.

“Oh?” She smirked as she asked.

“Time to bust the myth that Unicorns can't last 5 minutes in bed...”

Author's Note

A direct sequel to Magicman's previous entry Excitement

Creed by Next Gen Wonderbolt

by Next Gen Wonderbolt
~~~

Once again Cadence found herself staring in confusion at her wife's apparel. Last week she resembled a character named Link, this time she wore a white robe with sprinkles of red everywhere and a dark gray cape hanging off her shoulder. Her fore legs adorned some snazzy gauntlets and her legs some worn down boots. She smiled eagerly like last time doing a little twirl watching the cape fly.

"What do you think?" Twilight asked.

"I think you've got a problem." Cadence murmured just loud enough for Twilight to hear.

"Hey!" Twilight yelled.

"I'm kidding!" Cadence's giggled. "So who did you cosplay this time?"

"Someone named Ezio Auditore" Twilight replied.

"Who's that?"

"Well," Twilight started " Ezio's part of a brotherhood called The Assassin's. They fight these people called Templars who want to find and use this artifact," Twilight held up a silver ball that pulsed yellow. "to control pony's minds!"

"Hm, and what's that silver ball your holding?" Cadence asked.

Twilight glanced at it. "Oh, it's a replica I made of the artifact. It's called an Apple of Eden or The Apple."

"Cadence took the ball from Twilight examining it. It had erratic patterns all around, each one emanating a yellowish light that pulsed with each passing second. It almost felt, alive.

"Oh and look at these!" Twilight said excitedly.

Cadence broke away from the Apple to see what Twilight had. Twilight stood up on her boots crossing her forelegs over her chest. At first Cadence was confused, but a second later two twin blades shot out from her hooves reaching her shoulders. The alicorn was at a loss for words, even more so after Twilight turned running up the bookcase latching onto the windowsill. She watched Twilight jump to the bookcase, run across jumping to the others, then leaping towards the bedroom. She came up short, however, slamming into the wall, missing the ledge, and hitting the ground with a thump.

"Owww" Twilight moaned.

"Oh my, Twilight, are you alright?" Cadence asked worriedly.

"I think so." Twilight stood up and winced. "I think I sprained my hoof." The assassin held out her right hoof letting it go limp.

Cadence cupped the hoof with her own hoof flicking it up.

"Agh." Twilight winced.

"How bad does it hurt on a scale of 1-10?" Cadence asked.

"A six." Twilight replied.

Cadence gave her a quick peck on the lips. "How about now?"

Twilight blushed. "a four."

Cadence kissed her again, but longer this time. "Now?"

"I think I'm feeling better." Twilight replied.

Cadence giggled. "Of course you are. Let me get some ice and next time don't pick someone who uses furniture as platforms."

Cadence walked into the kitchen, but as she opened the freezer she heard a creaking noise. She walked back into the lobby scanning the room for her injured assassin.

And she found her, hanging from the windowsill.

Author's Note

Another great game crossover prompt from NGW, following after Ocarina

Lineage by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

“Mommy, mommy, mommy! Can you read us a bed time story? PLEASE?!” The soft pink coated filly bounced up and down on her bed while her brother was just diving head first into his own side. A genuine smile crossed the lavender unicorn's face. She loved her children, more so than just your average parent. Given that both Twilight Sunshine and her brother Shining Shield had a genuine love of books could not have made Twilight Sparkle happier, the fact that they loved hearing her read to them was just icing on the cake.

“Of course dears. What would you like to hear? 'An Abridged Equestrian History' perhaps? Or maybe the fifth journal of Starswirl the Bearded?” Twilight took each book in her magic and levitated them towards herself and the anxious foals. This was her favorite part of the evening here in their home. Well, that might not be entirely true. Her favorite part was when Cady would teleport home from her day in Canterlot and join her for a late evening meal. Most times, the kids were asleep by the time she made it home, but others, like tonight, she'd actually make it home in time to take part in their little ritual. She leaned against the doorway with a soft smile on her face as she watched Twilight get the children all settled in.

“We wanna hear a story about you and Mama Cady!” said Shining. “Tell us about how you and mama found each other!”

“Dears, aren't you a little young for that history?” the elder Twilight said. “What about 'Magical Myths and Stories'? You guys really love that one.”

“Oh I don't know honey,” Cadance smirked. “I'd be interested in hearing that story,” wiggling her eyebrows at her now blushing wife. “Besides, I'm sure they'd be more interested in their own lineage than something that happened hundreds of years ago.”

“Yeah! How did you and Mama Cady meet? Did you rescue her from a fire breathing dragon?” Oops, no offense Uncle Spike,” said Sunshine.

“None taken,” the purple dragon said as he came up the stairs. “I'm finished with the last of the check ins Twilight. I'm headed home for the night. See you guys at the picnic tomorrow?”

“Sure Spike. Give Sweetie Belle and Amethyst a hug from us. We'll be at the park a little after noon tomorrow.”

The purple dragon gave a short bow and took his leave from this scene of domestic bliss. Meanwhile two pairs of young eyes are trained on their mothers awaiting the promised story. The looks of excitement were becoming too much for Twilight to bear. She'd told them this story a hundred times, never once deviating from the narrative. She'd honestly hoped they were growing tired of hearing it. Looks like tonight was going to make it a hundred and one.

The wonder in their eyes was too much to bear. With a heavy sigh she motioned her wife to join her on the edge of the foals' bed. With a swift flick, a wing found its way around both wife and children as Twilight cleared her throat.

“Once upon a time...”

Hunger by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite:Book One
Part 7

~~~

Pale green pin points of light glowed faintly in the early darkness of the night over Canterlot City. The rooftops flashed past as it moved with silent grace through the darkest shadows. They paused for a moment above an open air market just as the last stubborn merchant closed up shop for the evening. It turned it’s head, scanning the warren of streets and alleyways below, searching for its prey for a moment before it moved on.

Its target, the one they called Princess Cadance, was somewhere in the city, hidden. It would find her and it would end the pathetic pony’s life.

“I’m going to die tonight.”

Twilight swallowed hard as she idly rubbed her coat down with a towel. “I just know it. I can feel it.”

“Oh stop being so dramatic.” Spike crunched down on a small blue sapphire and ground the stone to a rough powder in his jaws. “She’s a girl, just like you.”

“No, you don’t understand Spike, she’s a Princess, she’s an alicorn, she’s...she’s, Cadance!” Twilight shuddered and covered her head with the towel as she flopped bonelessly down at the small kitchenette table in the dining room of the safe house. “I grew up with her! We went to the same school and everything. I know we made that dumb foalhood promise to always be BFFs and stay together, but really, she’s taking that seriously!”

Spike continued to grind the gemstone to dust for a moment more before he lifted the edge of the towel to look Twilight in the eye. “Are you saying it wasn’t serious? I have never known you to make a promise you don’t keep, Twilight.”

“Yes,” Twilight grumbled from under the towel, “it was serious. But she’s made it plainly obvious that she not only wants to keep that promise intact, but that she is ready to move our relationship past childhood friend and right into romantic co-habitation!”

Spike raised his eyebrow ridges at that. “Wow. Really? Cadance must have really missed you these last few years, huh?”

“I guess…” Twilight sighed and tossed the towel aside since Spike wasn’t letting her sulk under it in peace. “How am I supposed to react to that? She’s been back in town for a few hours and she’s kissed me a half dozen times already - the last one was almost all tongue!”

Spike grinned and held up a claw. “Wow! High four, Twi!”

Twilight glared at him and frowned.

“Oh come on, you’re gonna leave me hangin’?” Spike shook his head and fished out a second sapphire from the basket in the middle of the table. “Fine, be that way. See how I treat you when I finally get that seamstress to notice me. I’m just gonna slip out the back without a word. At least I’m supportive of your relationships.”

“We do not have a relationship, Spike! We can’t! I’m a battle mage guard and she’s a Princess. There’s got to be a conflict of interest there. Especially when I work for - and am the star pupil of - another Princess.” Twilight huffed and crossed her hooves. “I’m supportive of your...relationships. I keep encouraging you to just talk to that mare. Don’t act like I’m the bad guy here.”

“Ok, maybe that was unfair of me.” Spike popped the sapphire into his mouth and crunched loudly. “It’s just...if I had my lady friend upstairs, fresh from a shower and a long makeout session, I would give you a high four, dish a couple of details and then get my scaly tail back up there!”

Twilight grumbled under her breath and sighed. “And I’d totally be happy for you…”

“Thank you.”

“This still doesn’t help me with my problem though.” Twilight lit her horn and opened the icebox and pulled out a bottle of dark liquid. She popped the cap and took a long pull of the sweet beverage.

“Do you like her?”

“What?” Twilight looked up sharply. Spike fixed her with a steady stare, his reptilian eyes unblinking.

“Do you like her? It’s a simple question, Twi.” Spike leaned forward slightly. “You’re my sister, so you don’t have to answer that to me, but if the answer is even remotely ‘yes’, then I suggest you get your plot back upstairs and figure this out before some assassin or other political nonsense makes a decision for you.”

Twilight blinked as Spike stood and stretched. “Also, because I’m your brother, I’m going to go check the gem stores in the basement again. Maybe I’ll sleep down there. It’s really hard to hear anything down there.”

She watched him turn and walk deeper into the house, the wheels in her mind turning over their conversation until she jolted in her seat and leaned to the side to call after Spike. “The hammy wink you gave after saying that really oversold it.”

Her target was close. The magic was in the air, like a scent on the breeze, drawing those green eyes to a run down section of Canterlot near the southern gate. She could feel it against her tongue like a second pulse that was getting stronger as she moved further south. The buildings here were tall and old and many had their own walls and courtyards, relics of past times of strife. The cobblestones here still held a trace of the daytimes’ heat and the smell of many creatures in a smallish space prevailed everywhere. Traditional tracking would be difficult at best here.

She paused again atop a squat tower besides a sleeping drake that dwarfed her with its bulk and opened her mouth to breath deep. Scents and magic collided with each other in the back of her throat and painted a picture in her mind of all the active sources of magics around her. Every powered carriage and the path it’d woven through the streets below became clear to her as did the paths of every pegasi and airship that had passed recently overhead. The apartments were awash with the movements and lingering taste of unicorns and diamond dog mages.

Amid it all, one flavor sung out above the rest. It tasted uniquely of all pony magics at once. She’d smiled as she’d followed it here, leaping from building to building without a sound or sign of her passage. At first, it was confusing that the flavor of Cadance’s magic faded in and out as it wafted down one street and then the next, but it soon became apparent that it was coming up at every stallionhole cover that lead to the sewers and run-off pipes.

“Clever girl.” She smirked and breathed in the magic again. “Taste like a single unicorn guard is with you too. This will be too easy.”

The great drake shifted at the sound of someone speaking and blinked sleepy eyes. He looked around and noticed a small black cat with green eyes looking at him from the ledge. “Oh, so it was you? Go home, cat. I have no cream for you.”

The cat meowed at him and then jumped to a lower ledge and scampered off into the night.

“Cadance?”

Twilight pushed the door open to the master bedroom slowly. “I brought you a drink.” She held up two chilled bottles of sweet carbonated syrup. She paused as the door swung wide enough to see the see the king sized bed. Cadance was there, on her side and back turned as she flipped through Twilight’s spellbook.

“Hey!”

Cadance turned and looked over her shoulder with a playful grin. “What? I got bored waiting on you. What took so long?”

Twilight felt herself blush again and looked away. “Quick patrol. I wanted to make sure we weren’t followed.”

“I’m glad to see you’re still a terrible liar.”

Twilight bristled and glared at Cadance for a moment before sighing and setting the bottle down on the bedside table. “Ok, I was talking to Spike.”

“I’m glad he’s here.”

Twilight blinked and looked at Cadance. “Really?”

Cadance nodded. “Yes. Spike has been a good friend since he was old enough to start following us to class. He’s growing so much and it’s nice to have someone with teeth and claws here to help protect me rather than the otherway around.”

“You’re really going to have to tell me what you’ve been up to, Cadance.”

“I will, soon, I promise.” Candance sighed and rolled over to face Twilight, her spellbook still in Cadance’s grasp. Twilight lit her horn and tugged it away from the Princess. “Oh c’mon Twily, I was reading that! I want to know what spells and meta magics my guardian is packing. For security reasons.”

“Yeah right.” Twilight sighed again and climbed up to sit on the bed next to Cadance. “It’s just a bunch of evocations and a few abjuration spells for safety.”

“I saw the admixture equations. That’s what you used to beat aunt Luna, isn’t it?” Cadance put her hoof gently on Twilight’s. “I can’t claim to understand it. Evocation has never been a strong suit of mine.”

Twilight looked down at the hoof resting against her own and recalled Spike’s words. She rested back against the pile of pillows on the bed and smiled gently at her princess. “Can I explain it to you?”

“Only if you promise to go slow.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Cuddles by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

Set the mood~

Twilight let out a soft yawn as the sun’s rays danced across her face in the early morning. She tried to stretch but she found herself restricted ever-so-slightly. She smiled bashfully when the pony lying next to her snored softly and held on a little bit tighter. So that was what happened last night…

“Morning,” Cadence mumbled.

“H-hi,” Twilight stammered. She blushed as she felt Cadence’s cautious yet spine-chilling touch on her body once again. “Um… did you sleep well?”

“Very,” Cadence whispered, as she placed a kiss on Twilight’s cheek.

This was weird. But in a good way. An amazing, beautiful, crazy, serendipitous way. With a little hesitation, Twilight reached up and molded her lips against Cadence’s in a soft kiss.

“Thanks for, um, last night,” she murmured. “It was, uh-” She stuttered. “Wow.”

“Still speechless,” Cadence teased.

“Well, yeah,” Twilight admitted. “It was…”

“Wow,” Cadence said.

Twilight nodded. Last night was a blur. Too many glasses of champagne at the Gala had led to goofing off in the Castle. They had been escorted out for being disruptive, but with a lot of effort to climb up the wall to the ivory tower (Cadence was apparently too lazy to fly, and Twilight couldn’t carry her), the two of them had made it back in. Everything after that was one big blur of feathers, sheets being made into a fort and laughter. Now, the morning after was a silly, wonderful memory.

Twilight hesitated, and gave a small half smile. “You’re not weirded out, are you? You’re newly divorced a-and,” She let out a squeak as she was cut off with a kiss.

Cadence softly laughed. “Twilight Sparkle, stop being a worrywart,” she said. “Last night was, as you so eloquently put it, wow. I loved it. I was finally happy, after so many months of heartbreak, you healed me and I’m delighted because of that.”

“R-really?” Twilight stuttered.

“And truly,” Cadence assured. She placed a kiss on Twilight’s neck. “What were we thinking, building a fort anyway?” She laughed -- that sweet, bell-like laugh nopony could resist.

“I have no idea,” Twilight replied, as a giggle slipped past her lips. She nuzzled into Cadence’s silk-like bubblegum coat, and let out a content sigh. “What time do you think it is?”

“Too early to be alive,” Cadence declared. “So c’mere you.”

Twilight was surprised for a moment, but her smile didn’t wear off in the slightest as her lover’s wings wrapped around her, and kept them tight together in a sweet, innocent embrace. They were absolute messes, looking like anything but princesses, and they were smitten fools… but it was still a good morning.

Author's Note

A beautiful bit of fluff by Her Fabulous Majesty. As always, comments are appreciated

Grump by Next Gen Wonderbolt

by Next Gen Wonderbolt
~~~

Twilight Sparkle trotted happily into the kitchen, wings buckled to her side. It was a warm summery day, birds chirping, foals playing outside, a new shipment of books had arrived.

"And what better way to enjoy a summer day than some ice cream!" Twilight said.

She opened the freezer, reaching in to grab the container, but all she found was cold empty space. Twilight, at first thought she had missed the container, but a thorough analysis revealed that said container of creamy deliciousness was gone! Twilight's mouth hung open, effectively lost for words.

"Hu-wha-bwah!? Where is it!?"

Twilight started frantically searching the entire freezer for said ice cream, throwing various foods and ice aside. Her pupils dilated just thinking of what had happened to it, from being stolen to being eaten.

"No, no, no, no! Where. Is. It!" Twilight shouted.

The librarian rushed into the lobby of the library, just about ready to send a search party to find the missing sweet, when she found Cadence sitting on the couch.

"Caddy! We were robbed!" Twilight cried.

Cadence immediately turned around facing Twilight. "Oh no, what did they take!? Which book was it!?" Cadence replied with sudden urgency.

"It wasn't a book! It was- what're you eating?" Twilight asked.

Cadence looked down at her hoof. "Oh, this? I found it in the freezer! It's chocolate ice cream with strawberry bits and sprinkles!" Cadence took a spoonful of the ice cream, savoring it's godly taste. "Want some?"

Twilight's mouth hung open again, this time accompanying a blank stare focused on Cadence. The pink alicorn wondered what had caused her lover's blank stare, continuing to eat the ice cream.

"Uh, Twilight?" Cadence asked to which she got no response. "Twiiiilight? Equestria to Twily, come in Twily."

"You ate my ice cream." Twilight whispered.

"What?"

"You ate my ice cream."

"Twilight, you're going to have to be a little louder."

"You ate my ice cream!" Twilight yelled.

Cadence cringed a little, staring at the tub in her hooves. "Oh, sorry." Cadence smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know it was yours."

Twilight sat down. "They only make that once a year!" Twilight shouted. "Pinkie managed to make one more for me and you ate it!"

Twilight crossed her fore legs putting on the biggest pouting face she had.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Cadence argued.

Twilight turned her back on the alicorn, puffing her cheeks a little in anger.

"Twilight." Cadence said.

The librarian didn't respond.

"Twilight, don't make me use my secret weapon." Cadence threatened.

Twilight still didn't respond.

"Alright. You asked for it."

Cadence sat down with the ice cream in front of Twilight. She picked up the spoon in her magic, scooped up a piece of the delicious treat, placed it in front of Twilight, and used her ultimate weapon.

"Here comes the train, choo-choo!" Cadence said.

She managed to get Twilight to loose the pout in place of a smile.

"Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga-choo-choo!" Cadence continued.

Now Twilight was visibly trying not to giggle, but ultimately failed. She opened her mouth letting some giggles escape her mouth, Cadence used the opportunity to shove the spoonful in Twilight's mouth, surprising her lover, but satisfying her none-the-less. Twilight tried glaring at Cadence, but ended up smiling along with her instead.

"You're evil, you know that right?" Twilight asked.

"I know, but you looove it!" Cadence replied.

Cadence kissed Twilight to further the notion, raising a blush from the alicorn.

"Ok, maybe I do."

Author's Note

Another sweet treat(I'm so sorry) from Next Gen Wonderbolt

Nibbles by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

Owlicious didn’t like the furry abomination that was supposed to be his new friend. It slept on his favorite pillow, tried to eat his feathers, hissed at him and yet it still won the heart of his owner, all because the new pony had brought it home. He didn’t like the Castle, he wanted the treehouse back, but now there was … this.

Mrs. Nibbles was the name of the new guest, and of course, Twilight had let it stay, because she thought that it was “adorable” for some strange reason. But Owlicious knew that creature belonged in Tartarus -- it’s big, beady blue eyes, fluffy white fur and cute meows were nothing but a distraction. His owner was blind. And the worst thing of it all: Owlicious was enraged that when he tried to expose the feline demon for what it was, Twilight would yell at him.

He was determined to expose this Mrs. Nibbles, at any cost…

-xoxo-

“Do you think something is wrong with Owlicious?” Cadence asked, as she watched the owl try to tear off the bow around the kitten’s neck. “Maybe we should have gotten a puppy instead?”

“He has a hard time of getting used to things,” Twilight said. “He freaked out when I got wings.”

“He’s… that smart?” Cadence inquired.

“Just like his owner,” Twilight replied, with a halfhearted shrug. “They’ll get along soon. Probably.”

-xoxo-

Mrs. Nibbles was evil, Owlicious had decided. Oh-so-very evil and she would be eliminated.

Anniversary by Foals Errand and Magicman7997

by Foals Errand and Magicman7997
~~~

I straightened my mane for what had to be at least the tenth time in as many minutes. It had to be perfect! Everything had to be perfect! (I don't know why everypony says that I'm obsessive. I'm just a stickler for details.) Our first anniversary. Our FIRST anniversary. Wow, I can't believe that one year ago, Cady and I celebrated with all of Ponyville as well as half of Canterlot. The reception was still a topic of discussion amongst the Canterlot elite even a year later. But that's not what I remember most. What I remember most is my beautiful wife, in her elegant gown dancing ever so close to me. The smell of lilacs in bloom as we nuzzled. The softness of her hooves as we embraced. The...well, yes, perhaps I'm a bit off topic.

I look at my reflection and am still astonished by what I see. In a year's time I've gone from bookish librarian and faithful student to the princess, to the bookish librarian who had the hottest wife in all of Equestria. I couldn't believe my luck. Just how did I end up with her?

Twily, I don’t have long left on this realm… I’ve lived a wonderful life being with Cadance and being your big brother. That’s why I need to tell you. I’ve always known Twily. I’ve known how you and she fell for each other. Those hidden looks and soft touches. Hey, no worries, I’m not angry. I mean, it just means you both have excellent taste. Twily, when I’m gone, follow your heart. Be with her. Love her. Don’t let her be alone promise me.

Oh yeah, that's how. I hadn't thought of him in a while. His last letter, penned before he was taken from us by those Griffon mercenaries, still sits in our scrapbook. A silent reminder of both the cost of our love, and the reason for it's blossoming in the first place. But, no sad things tonight. Tonight shall be a night of revelry, merriment, and (ahem) other activities. First reservations at the finest restaurant in Ponyville, then a short walk to the park where the local musicians guild is holding an outdoor concert, rounded out by an evening of stargazing from atop one of the most secluded hills on Sweet Apple Acres. I can't thank Applejack enough for loaning me her “favorite spot” nor can I thank Luna enough for the little show that she's going to put on for us.

“I love you Cadance. You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me,” I say to my reflection as I give myself a final once over. As I'm turning to head downstairs to meet up with her, a slight flicker of blue and white catches my eye in the glass. I look again, but nothing is there. Confused, I quickly use my magic to analyze the room, but find nothing amiss. Chalking it up to nerves I move down the stairs and call out, “Are you ready sweetheart?”

Unknown to me, that quick flash of blue and white has been there the whole time, watching over us. And tonight, as many nights before it, he just looks on and smiles...

(Cadance POV)

I lay on the floor of the library, flipping through a book, not caring about its subject. One year, it was incredible to consider. One year ago today, I married the most beautiful mare I had ever had the honor of meeting. I still remember walking down the aisle, Twilight waiting for me in her suit. She was so beautiful. I don’t actually remember much of the ceremony. Other than repeating what Twilight did. After the ceremony though, mmmm, who would of guessed quiet meek Twilight had that in her!

My ear twitched as I heard my loving wife mumbling to herself. On a whim I levitated our memory book to me. Years of pictures were held within it’s confines, along with a single letter. I turned to that page and read it again, not realizing that a tear had fallen down my cheek. The permission for me to move on, along with the fact he knew my love for Twilight.

“Oh Shiny, i’m so very happy with my Twily. Yet, I miss you every day. If not as my husband then as my best friend.”

I received no answer, but then again, I had not expected to. I let out a soft groan, the last several days I just hadn’t been feeling well. Sick to my stomach, mostly, and very er well I got irritated easily.

Heh, if I was married to a stallion i’d think I was…

I blinked, no, it couldn’t be possible could it? Then again, Twilight and I are both very gifted mages… if anypony was able to. Well, there was one way to know for certain. My horn lit up as I cast the spell known as heart song. I listened. I cried.

I heard…

Three heart beats.

“Are you ready sweetheart?” I heard her call downstairs. I looked up towards the stairs tears streaming down my cheeks.

I thought I saw a flash of blue out of the corner of my eye. But no, I just felt a warmth in my chest and in my womb where my twin’s grew.

I can’t wait to tell you Twily.

Author's Note

A crossover between Foals Errand and Magicman's continuities

Cult by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

Twilight awoke to the sound of rhythmic chanting. Her head throbbed in agony and her eyes felt gritty. She could smell the moisture in the air and feel it permeating her fur. As she blinked to clear her eyes, she noticed that her vision was still darkened by something. As she tried to reach a hoof to rub her face, she felt the tug of her bonds tighten. She began to blink her eyes a little faster in hopes to clear whatever was obscuring her sight. Finally, her eyes started to focus and she realized why she was blind. A thick strip of dark cloth was wrapped around her head. The panic slowly started to build in her chest as she began to struggle against the forces that held her firm. Steeling herself for a moment, she pulsed magic through her horn in an attempt to free herself. As she charged the spell form in her horn, she could feel the pressure build at the base of her forehead. The more magic she fed it, the worse the pressure became. The pressure soon became a searing pain that threatened to split her skull in half.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you little one,” a gravely voice called out. “You'll only harm yourself and we need you intact.” Twilight heard hoofsteps approaching her. The heavy hooffalls seemed to echo from everywhere. “Our Lady of Shadows needs every bit of your neigh impossible magical ability to regain her rightful place and to destroy those usurpers that sit on her throne.”

“Lady of Shadows? What are you talking about? Luna was purged of the Nightmare by myself and the other Elements that night in the old castle! She'd never challenge Celestia's rule again!”

“Who said anything about that ungrateful whelp Luna,” the voice snarled. She could feel it's owners presence invading her personal bubble. The smell of sweat and grime from the other pony's coat invaded her nostrils as he edged closer. “We, the Children of the Night, have found a way to bring back our beloved Mistress without the need of her damned host. You see, we merely need a strong magical nexus to lend us it's power. Then, our rituals will combine your own life's essence with the magical energy we will take from you and will resurrect our Lady once again! Given how powerful you are, NOPONY will be able to challenge the reign of Nightmare Moon! We shall have our Elysium! We shall have night eternal!” The voice railed on as his excitement crescendoed with his final statement.

“You won't get away with this. My friends are probably already looking for me, not to mention Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

“I'm quite afraid, they'll never find you dear. You see, when we took you, we were able to destroy your own magical resonance trail. Sure, you might be missing, but they'll have no way to find you. You belong to us now. And soon, you shall belong to our Lady. Heart, mind, and soul...”

“You underestimate the ones who care most about me. Besides, there's one that I haven't mentioned that doesn't need my resonance trail to find me. Our bond transcends mere magical means. Believe me, when my Cadance gets here, you will beg for mercy. And I'm not sure she'll grant it.”

“You're pretty crystal wife is of no concern to us. Her power lies with affairs of the heart. She is no warrior. She is no threat.” Twilight could now feel the other pony's muzzle now inches from her own. “Methinks that you settled too quickly in a mate, perhaps you just never found the right stallion to claim you.”

“That's quite enough Shadow Storm,” another, more husky voice called out. “She is not yours to claim. She belongs to our lady and no one else. Head back into the main chamber and make sure that all is ready.”

“As you wish, Faerin,” the muzzle slowly backed away from Twilight's face and began to move away. “See you soon, sweetheart,” the echoes of his evil laugh bouncing off the walls as he left Twilight to the mercy of his superior. The fear began to take hold of the lavender unicorn. Bound, blindfolded, and magically suppressed, she was in no condition to free herself. And, if her captors were to be believed no one was going to be able to get to her soon. Despair began to take a firm hold in her breast as memories of all the wonderful times she'd had with the girls in Ponyville began to play out in her mind. Pinkie's parties, Rarity's dresses, Applejack's wonderful cider, Fluttershy's quiet kindness, Dash's love for Daring Do. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks as she thought of them. The dam holding back her emotions cracked more as she pondered over all the times she'd spent in the company of her mentor and her dear sister. Nightmare Night, the Summer Sun Celebration, tea in the castle gardens, all of them precious to her. What finally caused the tears to flow forth was the thought of her dear wife. She and Cadance had married not a year earlier, but had been together for far longer than that. She was beautiful, kind, strong, caring, everything a pony could want in a partner. She loved her with all of her being. Now, with the threat of them being taken from each other forever, Twilight could do nothing but sob. She wouldn't get to kiss her beloved again. She wouldn't get to hold her close and smell her scent or listen to her heartbeat again. Silently, she prayed to any deity that might be listening, “Please, please, let Cady know I love her. Please let her know that I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye. Please let her know that I'll be waiting for her on the other side.”

Meanwhile, in Canterlot

“Mourne, report!” Luna bellowed as the Night Guard rushed into the war room of the castle. Celestia, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, 'Shy, and Dash were standing around a circular table with a map of Equestria spread out across it's surface. Magical enchantments placed upon it by Luna and Celestia showed any and all magical surges that had taken place in the past 24 hours. Naturally, the largest concentration hovered over the Everfree forest, but isolated pockets of dark magic had cropped up amongst the fields just outside of Ponyville. The looks of grave concern were etched on everypony's face. None more so than Cadance who stood away from the noise and commotion of the common area. Standing on a balcony with her eyes closed, she focused all of her energy into channeling a tracing spell in order to find Twilight.

“Unfortunately my Lady, the trail ran cold,” the bat pony said as he saluted the lunar alicorn. “We did find several scorch marks which would indicate a spell battle of some type, but they seemed to end just a few feet from where they started. As best we can tell, it would appear that the fiends teleported away after capturing Lady Sparkle.”

“Thou hast done well, my Guard. We coulds't not ask for more than what thou hast done. Go and rest dear Mourne. We shall send for you at the next shift,” the Lunar Diarch said as she crossed the room to the where her loyal Guard pony stood. With a sharp salute, the guard took his leave of the mares. The look on her face said volumes. Her own fears were beginning to take hold of her. That same fear seemed to permeate the room as the other ponies heard the latest status update. Sighing, Luna joined the others at the map table and fell to her haunches. “We don't know where to go from here. We are but chasing shadows in the night.” Luna looked at the others hoping to see some glimmer of hope in their faces. Her gaze then settled on Cadance, still lost in her spell trance. “Has she had any luck,” she asked.

“She hasn't moved for the past four hours,” Celestia said with a sigh. “I am beginning to worry about her. Her magic is not infinite and her body can't take the strain of constant spell casting. Every time I mention to her to take a break, all I get is a terse...”

“I'm fine, a break won't find my wife,” growled Cadance. “I am still in the room you know. Now please, let me work!”

Cadance furrowed her brow as she continued to scan the mystical energies that flowed through the world. There had to be a clue she'd missed. Something, anything that would lead her to the one she loved. She poured more of her love magic into the spell, hoping against hope that somehow, someway, her bond with Twilight would lead her to her.

“Please, please let Cady know I love her.”

Cadance gasped hard as Twilight's voice came into her mind. Quickly, she was surrounded but everypony in the room. She stumbled to her haunches as the backlash of the constant casting came crashing back upon her.

“What happened,” screamed Dash as the pegasus quickly rushed to Cady's side. She helped prop up the Crystal Princess and got her steady on her hooves.

“I heard Twilght! She's still alive,” Cadance exclaimed. “I felt her presence. She's quite a distance from here, but she's alive!”

“Could you find her voice again,” asked Rarity. A quick nod from Cadance caused the hope in the room to swell. For the first time since the abduction was discovered, there was a genuine feeling of excitement in the room. Closing her eyes to concentrate on the spell once more, Cadance stretched out searching for her beloved in the ether of the magical realm.

“Twily, can you hear me? If you can hear me, please, PLEASE answer me! We're trying to find you. Please, please still be with me!” A faint pulse of magic came to Cadance across the ether and touched her mind.

“I'm here my love, but I don't know for how long. I'm being held by some cult that calls themselves the Children of the Night. They intend to use me as a sacrifice to resurrect Nightmare Moon!”

“Hold fast my love, we are coming. Just stay with me.” Now that Cadance had established contact, the question became how to find her. Twilight was being obfuscated by some fairly strong spells, yet she was able to speak with her through the bond of their love. Perhaps, there might be a way to scry her wife through the link.

“It would be worth a try,” came the voice of Celestia into the ether. She'd forgotten that her Aunt had the ability to slip into this realm at will. Not only that, but she was fully able to read any and all thoughts in this place. It made keeping threats to her kingdom a hell of a lot easier to keep in check. As the two alicorns combined their magics, visions of dark cave not more than a few miles from Sweet Apple Acres came to them. Twilight's aura was radiating from inside the maw of that cave. They'd found her! Somehow, someway, they'd found her!

“Hang on Twily, we're coming,” Cadance assured her wife as she left the ether. Once back in the physical realm, she looked at the seven concerned faces gathered around her. She rose to her hooves and looked at the mares assembled before her. Stretching her wings, she spoke to them. “Come my friends, let us go to my beloved. And let us bring Tartarus with us...”

Shroud by palaikai

by palaikai
~~~

Feeling Shining Armour's forelegs snake around her waist would normally have been enough to buoy her mood, but Princess Mi Amore Cadenza – or Cadance for short – was unable to shake off the funk that had settled over her since the events of the wedding.

“What's the matter, my love?” he asked tenderly. “I knocked, but there was no answer.”

“Oh,” sighed Cadance, trying to force her frustration out through the tiny, inefficient funnels of her nostrils and mouth. “I'm just tired, I guess. It's been a trying few weeks.”

“No arguments here,” agreed Shining Armour, trying to put a touch of barely-felt levity into his tone. Of all the things that could possibly befall their wedding day, nopony had expected a Changeling Army – with Cadance herself replaced by the Hive's Queen – to attack. The love felt between the couple had been a strong attractor, and Chrysalis had been able to sate her followers appetites for weeks before Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armour's sister, had uncovered the ruse.

“Still,” he continued, rubbing his wife's back tenderly, “they're gone now, and Equestria is safe from becoming their new feeding ground. I think that we've earned a good night's rest.”

“In a minute,” Cadance said, extracting herself from his grasp. Shining Armour looked at her and she shot him a smile. “I'm still a little tense,” she explained, her eyes glittering in the pale moonlight streaming in through the open window. “I wouldn't be very good company until I've unwound a little.”

Shining Armour accepted this with a nod. “I'll see you in a little while, then. If you need anything ...”

“I know,” Cadance replied affectionately.

The light pink alicorn walked through the castle in a distracted daze; her head felt like it was being held underwater, and memories – not just memories, but thoughts, desires, she had long kept suppressed – came unbidden, breaching the surface until they were laid bare and she could no longer hide from their accusations.

Chrysalis had sensed a strong bond of love, but she hadn't realised that, in Cadance's case, it was directed toward an entirely different pony altogether. If the Changeling Queen had been able to break the shroud on her heart, things might've turned out very different.

Tears began to stream down her face, as she was forced to confront her selfishness. She loved Shining Armour, but there was another that she cherished more than him. It had begun as an innocent crush in her fillyhood, but it had blossomed over the years, and now it was a fire that threatened to consume her.

Twilight loved her back; Cadance could sense that much, but she also knew that it was merely the platonic love one felt for a close friend. The same type of fondness she sensed between the unicorn and her five closest companions. It was powerful, yes, but compared to the depths of true love … it was hollow, incomplete. A poor pony's substitute.

But one that would have to suffice. She would take what she could from Twilight Sparkle and be grateful for it, but always left wanting more … not unlike Queen Chrysalis and her followers, in that regard.

Cadance peeked into the bedroom; Shining Armour was on the verge of sleep, but he was restless, constantly shifting position. He deserved so much more than her. Somepony loyal and true, and not a hussy who desired the warmth of another body.

Tickles by Night_Song

Tickles by Night_Song

by Night_Song
~~~

Twilight lay with her fillyfriend, breathing in her scent and letting out little sighs of content sporadically. Ever since she'd come to live in the Crystal Empire with Cadance, that scent of strawberries and fresh rain had made her feel at home, safe and protected. Of course, she thought of wherever Cadance was as 'home, but that wasn't the point. "You smell good," she murmured to the older mare, nuzzling against her neck lightly.

"Twilight, you tell me that every day!" Cadance said with a roll of her eyes. She extended a wing, draping it across the slender body pressed up against hers like a feathery blanket. She smiled indulgently, pondering what she wanted to do to torment the bookish mare that day. After all, what kind of Princess of Love would she be if she didn't provide her beloved with daily opportunities to show that love? Her 'pondering' face lit up in a mischievous grin as an idea came to her. She slid her feathers down Twilight's side, lightly, tickling at her ribs, her wings, and her cutie mark gently.

"Eep! C-Cadance, what are you doing?" the ex-librarian asked, rustling her wings and sitting up a bit to look at her other half. She blinked in consternation at the look of pure mischief on the alicorn of love's face. Her ears fell,plastered flat against her skull as a look of fear crossed her features. "Oh, dear." That was all she had time to say before Cadance pounced, hooves digging into Twilight's sides in an attempt to locate her ticklish spots.

"Tickle war!" Cadance squealed, having pounced the smaller alicorn ferociously, taking the attacker's position immediately. Amidst Twilight's shrieks of laughter, she heard the cues she needed to find her fillyfriend's truly ticklish spots, and went after them accordingly. Her wings and hooves worked in concert, the pink alicorn doing her utmost to leave the smaller mare paralyzed with laughter. She wasn't expecting Twilight's counterattack, though, so when the younger Princess suddenly swooped out from beneath her and tackled her to the bed, the pink pony princess gave a shriek of mingled surprise and delight. "T-Twilight!" she squealed, flailing her hooves as gales of laughter washed over her, her beloved's hooves catching all the best spots to tickle Cadance into submission.

"Mmyes?" Twilight cooed in her ear, nibbling along the edge of the furry appendage. Her hooves continued working Cadance's body over, tickling and caressing her lithe form affectionately. The older mare lay beneath her, shaking with silent laughter, her breath having run out several seconds ago. And then, Twilight's hoof hit a different spot, and Cadance sucked a breath in through her teeth, releasing it in a long, low, and sensual moan, making the purple princess blush prodigiously and bite her lower lip. "C-Cadance? Are...is everything OK?" she asked, looking at the now flushed and panting alicorn pinned beneath her.

Cadance nodded, wriggling a bit beneath her fillyfriend and sticking her tongue out at her. "Oh, yeah...that was a good spot, love," she murmured, leaning up and planting a string of kisses along the younger mare's neck and collarbone and earning herself a squeal of delight from the bookish mare. "But, since this is supposed to be a tickle war, I'd be careful around that particular spot if I were you," she warned, grinning mischievously. "It's a bit more than just...ticklish."

The younger alicorn blushed harder, cocking her head at her fillyfriend curiously. "I'm...not sure if I should apologize," she said, giggling lightly. "But I'll try to keep away from that spot...for now." So saying, the little pony dove back into 'torturing' her partner. She laughed and tumbled, rolling around with Cadance in absolute glee, the pair of them continuing the tickle war long past when they would usually have stopped. Back and forth the battle raged, Twilight's offensive gradually giving way to Cadance's swift and efficient counter attack, and then back again. Eventually, however, Twilight regained the upper hoof, as it were, standing triumphant over Cadance's prone form. "Ah HA! I guess this means I win, right?" she asked, running her hoof along the older mare's side gently, pressing and prodding into a few spots where she knew Cadance was often stiff and sore.

Her defeated 'foe' looked up at her, the very picture of abject surrender and acquiescence to Twilight's superior skills in the fine arts of tickle warfare. Having conceded defeat, the pink alicorn gave the ex-librarian a demure look. "And what does my conqueror intend to do with her poor, helpless, defenseless, downtrodden, compliant, disabled, unprotected, vulnerable, impotent, powerle-"

"All right, all right, I get it, Sunshine!" Twilight laughed. "I win, and to the victor go the spoils, right?" she asked, leaning down to nuzzle the Princess of Love affectionately. "Geez, I might almost think you'd somehow stolen my verbosity from me, with a spiel like that!" she giggled, planting a small kiss on her fillyfriend's nose even as she traced down her sides with the tips of her wings, the feathers ruffling the older mare's coat with a touch as delicate as a spider's web. She traced her wing right over the spot that had set Cadance to moaning earlier, and grinned to herself as it did its work again, bringing a blush to the Love Princess' cheeks and eliciting a moan from her with nothing more than a touch.

"Oh, you tease," Cadance murmured at her, a sultry look in her eyes. "To the victor go the spoils, indeed. Now stop teasing me with your wings, Ladybug, and c'mere."

Their squeaks, moans, and gasps could be heard in the hallway. And the Guardsponies outside their doors rolled their eyes and broke out the ear plugs. "Guess it's Tuesday," the older of the pair muttered.

Maze by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

The Crystal Embassy in Canterlot seemed, to many, superfluous. Imperial dignitaries visiting the Equestrian capitol were hosted in the Palace guest suites, and with Princess Twilight possessing crowns of both Equestria and the Empire, an ambassador was deemed unnecessary.

In the end, the Imperial Residence served little purpose aside from a secure location for storing tax and trade documents for the Empire. As such, it was little more than a three bedroom home in Canterlot’s upper Middle Tier, deep in the city's residential section. The entire upper floor, consisting of two bedrooms, a study, and a restroom, had been renovated into a large vault with a low-grade magic lock. The master bedroom on the ground floor was preserved for the single Crystal Pony tasked with keeping the files in good order.

With Princess Cadence, a retinue of Crystal Knights that had followed after her from the Empire, and the caretaker/secretary crammed into its tight confines, it was an uncomfortably cramped living situation.

Cadence had locked herself in the master bedroom, and stayed there ever since Celestia had slapped her. It had been made abundantly clear that she was not welcome in the Palace, and none of the hotels in the city reported vacancies. That was not to say that there were no vacancies, as at each hotel the staff had appeared nervous when she requested lodgings. She suspected that Luna had beaten her to them to ensure she would be forced to depart for the Empire. Fortunately, it seemed that the humble Embassy had escaped her notice, as it did many ponies’.

Alone in the drab bedroom, Cadence was trying to distract herself by once again reading the letter she had received from Spike the day before. More accurately, she was trying to read it. Her previous attempts had failed, as she had lacked the energy to even process the words on the page. It seemed she lacked the energy to do more than lay on the cheap mattress, cry, and fall into restless, aching sleep that only served to leave her even more exhausted than before.

Scraping together what willpower she could, Cadence did her best to force her brain into something vaguely resembling functionality. As she read, she had to pause several times to re-read a sentence or even entire paragraphs, but eventually she was able to gather the gist of the letter.

It seemed Spike, still in the Crystal Empire, still had no idea why both she and Twilight had suddenly fled the city with no notice. He mentioned that Twilight had only responded to his letters by telling him she would speak with him soon, and to assure him she was fine. Spike was far from assured, and had turned to her for answers.

She slowly lowered the letter and stared at a blank section of wall.

What could she tell him? That she’d cheated on her wife, his closest companion and sister/mother figure, with her own brother? In their bed? That she’d hurt the kindest, sweetest, most compassionate mare in all the Inhabited Lands? That she’d thrown away her life for…

There it was.

There was the question she had avoided asking herself. She’d done her best to keep the thought from even forming. It had taken Spike’s good intentions to sneak through and throw what she’d done in her face. It hit her like a brick to the face, reducing the self-delusions she had built to dust.

When had she lost control of her life? Everything had been perfect, until it wasn’t. She’d been walking down the path to happiness, and suddenly found herself lost in a maze of her own lies and deceit without remembering having turned a corner.

Before she could truly begin to properly process the reality she had avoided for so long, a knock on the door drew her attention. The Knights of her personal guard had generally given up on trying to rouse her, and the caretaker likely felt so out of his league that he had yet to approach her, so the knock was a curiosity.

“Your Majesty, I have information regarding Princess Twilight.”

Cadence recognized the voice of Sir Cinnabar, the Lord Captain of her personal retinue. Faster than she had moved in days, her muscles aching from lack of use, Cadence bolted from the bed and threw open the door. Cinnabar, a translucent red crystal pony, masked his surprise at her sudden appearance well.

“Where is she?!” Cadence demanded, one hoof pounding on Cinnabar’s armored chest hard enough to rock him on his hooves.

“I spoke with a friend in the Royal Guard, and he informed me that Princess Twilight has returned to the Castle of Harmony in Ponyville. She is—“

Before Cinnabar could finish his sentence, Cadence shoved him aside and took to the skies. Her wings, still sore from her breakneck rush after Twilight, screamed at her. She ignored their protests, suddenly infused with energy she hadn’t felt since her marriage had been a happy one. This time, gravity was her ally, as the Canterhorn acted as an enormous perch for her diving flight to Ponyville.

In her haste, Cadence didn’t notice the Royal Guard chariot team pass by above her on their way back to the city.

Faster than she had ever made the trip, Cadence reached the small town in the shadow of the mountain. She ripped past thatched roofs, missing them by inches as she barreled through the sky towards her prize.

When the Castle of Harmony loomed above her, she dug her hooves into the earth. The dirt gave way as her momentum carved four matching trenches in the ground, stopping her just short of the Castle doors. Ponies on the street stared at her, surprised by the sudden appearance of the Crystal Princess.

Desperate to reach her wife, Cadence scrambled to the door and attempted to force them open, only to find them locked. She briefly considered breaking them down, but quickly tossed the idea aside. Twilight had sculpted the Castle’s defensive wards herself, and Cadence was far from Twilight’s match.

The momentary delay allowed her to regain some sense of control over herself. She was shaking from adrenaline and excitement, but when she knocked on the doors, it was far from the ferocious pounding she would have delivered immediately upon her arrival.

The minute that followed was one of the longest of her life as she waited for the massive slabs of enchanted crystal to open. When they finally began to budge, she nearly squealed.

“Hello there, I—“ Twilight, halfway through opening the doors, froze in place upon seeing who was standing at her door.

Cadence was suddenly overcome with a wave of tense, anxious terror. Her stomach rebelled against her, and her limbs felt as heavy as cannonballs and as sturdy as twigs.

A tremble in her voice, Cadence offered a hopeful, fearful half-smile.

“H-hi, Twilight.”

Author's Note

This is Part 7 in the Second Chances series. Here you can find the previous parts:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Small by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

"Cadance? Are you here?" Twilight called as she climbed the stairway to Cadance's suite in Canterlot Castle.

"Hello Twilight." Cadance answered walking down to greet and hug the unicorn. "I thought you had other plans today, a research paper I think it was?"

Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a forehoof, "Not quite." Her horn lit up and hovering in her magenta magic was a wrapped present. "I know it's not the biggest or most important anniversary but you how I like to track well everything. Six months ago we started dating.... just thought of getting something for the occasion...."

Cadance took the gift into her own teal magic and unwrapped it to find a flat circle of crystal. Magic was suspended within the crystal in the shape of a familiar pink star and blue heart. "This looks great, where did get this?"

"I, ah, made this. I had Spike and Rarity help to find a good piece of crystal but I made this. The piece also floats slightly so you could display our cutie marks properly"

Cadance following the provided instructions placed the circle on her mantle where it reorientated itself to float while displaying the cutie marks correctly. Cadance moved to kiss the unicorn, "You did a great job, I love this, thank you Twilight."

Badonkadonk by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

For the seemingly hundredth time, Twilight looked herself over in the mirror. She examined every strand of hair in her mane and tail, every fiber of her dress, looking for the slightest imperfection. Her coat was brushed to a fine sheen, nearly sparkling in the light. Her mane had been impeccably styled to flow down her neck like a waterfall in the moonlight, courtesy of the Royal Hairdresser. Her dress, an incredible masterpiece that had taken Rarity nearly a full week to complete, seemed to flow across her form in waves.

And, most important, her flank was rocking tonight.

Satisfied with her final check, Twilight took a deep breath to relax herself. This was it. The moment of truth. More than two years of infatuation and a lifetime of friendship, all being thrown in the air for her to catch. From the other side of the heavy wooden doors that led to the ballroom, Twilight heard the trumpeters begin to blow the song dedicated to announcing her entry. The Royal Herald, his loud voice passing with ease through the thick timber, announced her.

“Now presenting, Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!”

Twilight released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding and firmly set her hooves on the expensive red carpet. With a single light prodding of magic against the doors, she let loose the dice of fate.

For the seemingly hundredth time, Cadence fought off the urge to remove her crown and plant it firmly in the deepest depths of one of Canterlot’s seemingly endless ‘nobles’ in the most unpleasant manner possible. Once again, she was stuck talking to, or rather listening to, some random pony with a stick up their plot about their own self-importance. At the moment, it was a minor Lord who boasted he could trace his lineage back to the very founding of Canterlot. Cadence’s eyes were shaking as she fought valiantly against the urge to constantly roll her eyes.

It wasn’t often she cursed her crown, but whenever she was required to attend a Canterlot social function due to her status as a Princess, she was sorely tempted to abdicate and devote herself to the solitary study of an obscure genus of rock fungus in the farthest reaches of Bactria. The Grand Galloping Gala was an especially tiring event, owing to much higher-than-average turnout. It seemed every stuck-up equine from Canterlot to the Haywaiian Islands attended, each out to improve their social standing through hilariously transparent plotting.

Royal Trumpeters began to play Twilight’s announcement march, Cadence eagerly excused herself from Lord Whatshisname and weaved her way through the crowd to a spot near the staircase with a clear view.

There was a brief flash of raspberry magic, and the doors opened to reveal Princess Twilight Sparkle, Champion of Equestria and Princess of Friendship and Harmony.

It took more than a little restraint for Cadence to keep from wolf-whistling. Twilight looked gorgeous. She wore a dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. The midnight blue silky ensemble started low on her neck, pinpricks of silver making it seem as if she was wearing an ocean of stars freshly plucked from the sky. It flowed back between and around her wings like a trio of heavenly rivers, curving around to meet and fall over her flanks in a never-ending parade of—

“Dayum,” Princess Luna said reverently, startling Cadence who hadn’t heard her approach. Cadence did a double take when she noticed Luna wearing an oversized pair of dark sunglasses, but she chose to ignore it in favor of the much more interesting sight of Twilight as she slowly descended the steps.

Cadence had known Twilight ever since she was a mere filly, barely after she received her Cutie Mark by hatching Spike. She had seen Twilight grow from an adorable little foal, to a curious filly, to an awkward adolescent, to an equally awkward young mare. Never in her life had she seen Twilight move with such grace, such elegance, such not tripping on her own hooves.

It was then that Cadence realized that, as she descended, Twilight was staring directly at her. Twilight was wearing a confident smirk, and Cadence suddenly felt very warm in her dress. She gulped as Twilight reached the bottom and headed directly for her, never breaking eye contact. Cadence suddenly felt very much like a fly caught in a web, unable to move as the spider approached to devour her.

Very, very warm in her dress.

“Princess Luna,” Twilight gave a shallow bow, momentarily breaking eye contact with Cadence. Luna, who had at some point hidden the sunglasses, returned the courtesy. Twilight quickly turned her attention back to Cadence, her eyes half lidded as she entered Cadence’s personal space.

“Princess Cadence,” she bowed once more, this time taking Cadence’s hoof and brushing her lips along her hoof, her eyes holding Cadence’s hostage. It sent shivers up Cadence’s spine.

‘Where did this come from? Where did Twilight get all this confidence?’ Cadence wondered to herself. Whatever the answer, she liked it.

Twilight gently released Cadence hoof, which hung in midair as if begging to be kissed again. Twilight smirked again and brushed past her, her wing lightly grazing Cadence’s. As she passed, Twilight flicked her tail up slightly to tickle Cadence’s nose. Cadence blushed heavily, looking around to see if anypony else had noticed the gesture.

Twilight, seemingly indifferent to the other ponies, looked over her withers suggestively.

“Care to dance?” she asked, not waiting for an answer before heading off towards the band, surrounded by couples swirling around in perfect harmony with the music. Cadence’s face flushed once more, and her embarrassment doubled when she noticed Twilight had caught her staring after her. To her surprise, Twilight winked, and added an extra sway to her steps.

Cadence stood frozen for less than a full second before scrambling after her. In her wake, she left Princess Luna standing alone, smiling in amusement at the spectacle.

“Ah, to be young and in love.”

Author's Note

Not part of Second Chances, just some good ol' fashion shipping

Oh, Sh... by Taranth

by Taranth
~~~

"Well, I have to say, you'd probably have to be the most inept changeling I've ever encountered."

"Ahaha, very funny, sweetie, now please..."

"Do I look like I find anything about this funny?"

The Princess of love circled the stallion in her bedroom, and indeed, there was not even a hint of a smile on her face. To all appearances, he was Shining Armour, prince of the Crystal Empire - although the 'armour' he currently wore was less 'Shining' and more 'hobbles, hoofcuffs and a horn ring', as well as somewhat panicked expression.

"You're right, this really isn't funny, so please take this off..." He tried to paw at the magic-blocking ring on his horn, but with his hooves bound together, he left himself completely unbalanced, falling flat on his muzzle a few moments later.

He started trying to stagger back up, but a pink hoof slammed into his back seconds later, driving him back to the ground.

"The 'I came home a day early' ruse? Honestly, every couple in Equestria knows that one by now." Cadence hissed, a rather unusual sound for anyone who knew the princess. "And you have all the discipline of a little filly on her first heat. You're years off trying to impersonate someone like my husband."

"W-what?"

"I mean every bit of offence when I say this - even if I wasn't just lowering your guard, I wouldn't even call that kiss cheating, you're so inexperienced." She made a show of wiping out her mouth, spitting to one side. "I suppose that's why changelings have to hypnotise their prey, hmmm?"

"I-I'm not a changeling!" The stallion whined, his eyes now clearly wet with tears. "Let me go!"

"Hmph. And even if my Shining lost every last bit of his marital skills, he wouldn't have lost his martial - really, you get that distracted I could sneak that gear onto you? You didn't even notice your hooves were bound until I had the horn ring on you! Shining would have had me pinned before I had them within five feet of him. I should know." She smiled, then, but it wasn't a nice one.

"I... I..."

"But if you were really Shining..." She leant down, lips right against his ear, whispering with a dark, and yet almost sensual confidence, sending a shiver down his spine, "You'd know the safe word. Pops those restraints right off."

He froze for a heartbeat, then blurted, "Windigo!"

"Oooh, you know the factory default, maybe you aren't that inexperienced," Cadance mocked.

"Banana!"

"You're thinking of Auntie Celestia."

"Crystal! Heart!"

"Oh, come on, a safe word has to be something you'd be unlikely to say in general conversation..."

"Sunshine! Ladybirds!"

Cadance paused, slightly taken aback by those guesses, but rallied quickly. "You won't guess it. But are you ready to give up, now?"

'Shining' slumped. "I... alright, I'm not Shi... Shining Armour. But I'm not a changeling!"

"Oh? Well then, I guess you won't mind if I do this then..."

Cadance charged up her horn, focusing on the spell. It was a reasonably complicated piece of spellcraft, but she had learnt it well - experience was a harsh motivator - and it took her only seconds to bring it together. The invader flinched backwards as her pale blue aura lashed out, shredding apart all changeling magic, revealing...

...Shining Armour, still tied up on her floor.

"Huh." Cadance tilted her head, frowning.

"L-look, I'm sorry, this w-wasn't what I meant to have happen..."

"Yes, I imagine you didn't intend to get caught."

He winced again. "Please, just... just let me go, I'll leave... pretend this never happened..."

"Really? Because if you're not a changeling looking for food - because it's blatantly obvious you wouldn't have had a chance at kidnapping me - you're something else who thought it would be a lark to just come in and have a fling with the Princess."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't think--"

"Because I am a married mare. And I love Shining very much. As the princess of love. Do you have any conception of what that means?"

"I do, I do, and I'm sorry, I was stupid, please just let me go!" The stallion was completely in tears now, babbling on her floor. For a moment, the sight of her husband so weak and miserable tugged at her heart - but hardened it again, moments later, as she realised she was being manipulated by this impostor.

"Your magic isn't changeling, but I do know some other tricks too. Let's see, how did this go?"

She closed her eyes again, bringing forth the next spell. This one was far more complex than the previous, and far more powerful, as her horn grew brighter and brighter, multiple coronas lighting up as the spell came together.

Her prisoner thrashed suddenly, words spilling forth as he tried to escape. "No! No no no, please don't, please, don't do that, I'll leave, I'll go, you don't want to do that, it'll ruin everything, just let me go and I promise you'll never have to see me again! please just don't--"

"Disjunction."

Magic broke.

At the edge of the spell's effect, the lights in the room dimmed. The crystals in the walls grew dull and lifeless.

For a heartbeat, Cadance felt her body lurch, as the natural magical flow simply stopped for an instant - extremely unpleasant, but not harmful. But the true target of the spell beneath her screamed, snapping back from its current form to another in an instant...

Then, a split second later, with a flash of purple light, it vanished - the magical restraints having been similarly disrupted by the spell, and falling to the ground in a pile as their occupant disappeared.

Cadance sat down heavily, trying to catch her breath from the strain of the incredibly advanced spell, and make sense of what she had just seen for that tiny moment.

A familiar figure. Purple. A streak of pink. Wings. Horn.

Capable of transformation equal to or better than a changeling.

"And you have all the discipline of a filly on her first heat."

Capable of infiltrating the castle and acting just like him, right up until the bedroom...

"Sunshine! Ladybirds!"

Capable of recognising a disjunction spell.

"Do you have any conception of what that means?"

Capable of teleporting within a second of being struck.

"...please, don't do that, I'll leave, I'll go, you don't want to do that, it'll ruin everything..."

And a scream, not of physical pain, but of loss, despair, heartbreak...

"Oh, Twilight... why would you... what have I done?"

Cadance collapsed to the floor, covering her muzzle with her hooves, and wept.

Author's Note

An amazing first prompt by the very skilled Taranth. Please give him a a very warm Twidance welcome

Rekt by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite:Book One
Part 8

~~~

She perched on the window sill, beak slack and talons gripping the masonry tightly. Inside, beyond the glass and iron bars, hidden behind thick curtains two magic sources sat in companionable closeness. She could taste their magic on her tongue but that wasn’t what had drawn her here. She could feel the love coming off the two ponies on the other side of the wall.

She breathed in, pulling in the scents of the little alley and the flavors of mixed magic and affection. It was well aged, that emotion, but it held the sharpness of freshness to it. A couple then, these ponies. Lovers, perhaps.

It did not matter really. Once she was done with her snack, the hunt would resume.

Cadance groaned softly and her eyes fluttered open. Not for the first time she woke and had no idea where she was for a moment, until it all came flooding back. She was in Equestria again. In a safe house. In the the hooves of Twilight Sparkle.

Her guardian breathed steadily next to her in the huge bed of the master bedroom. Twilight’s spellbook still lay open , face down on Twily’s chest. Cadance smiled as she recalled letting her eyes rest for a moment while Twily rattled off a complex formula for casting battle spells that would let her mix elements and control the shape and power of her combat magics. It might as well have been in draconic haiku for all it made sense to her.

Cadance snuggled into Twily’s grip and rested her head against the unicorn’s chest. She was safe here, even if the Royal Sisters believed assassins were in Canterlot and after her again. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t in the Minotauran Collective sweet talking traitorous merchants for state secrets. She wasn’t in the northern waste spelunking the ancient cairn of long dead sorcerer-kings. She wasn’t in that fetid, Zebrican jungle running from the sounds of drums and hisses.

Cadance was home and with her Twily and everything was right in the world.

“Something’s wrong.”

Cadance groaned and lifted her head slowly. “What?”

“Something is wrong, Cadance.” Twily was awake and alert, her eyes darting about the dark room. She eased out of the tangle of their legs and slipped out of bed, her spellbook snapping closed and flying to join the rest of Twily’s equipment. “Stay here, I’m going to get Spike.”

“What’s going on?” Cadance rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she felt groggy and weak from far too little rest.

“I just felt the defensive spell batteries start charging. Something, or someone tripped the early detectors. Hopefully, I’m just being paranoid.” Twily flashed her that smile that made her knees weak and told her everything was going to be ok. “I’ll be right back.”

Cadance nodded numbly as Twily slipped out of the room, her staff at her side. She heard the door lock when it closed and she shook her head to clear it. She wasn’t going to sit around and just wait, she hadn’t lived this long by being passive. Cadance rolled out of bed and trotted into the bathroom. She splashed water from the basin sink into her face and with a thought she activated her horn to open a small tear in the fabric of reality and retrieved a sturdy oaken chest from the æther.

She popped the lid and reached inside to pull out her peytral and flipped it around to check the charge levels on the embedded crystals. Each one read full so she slipped it on and felt it’s defensive enchantments activate and surround her in a skintight personal force field.
“Hopefully, this is just a false alarm and this is all I’m going to need.” Cadance reached for the chest’s lid when there was a series of loud bangs as the reinforced shutters on every window in the safe house slammed shut. “Ok...not a false alarm. Better grab it all.”

Arcane power continued to flood the area, washing out all other traces of the target’s trail and it left a sour taste in her mouth. It didn’t matter though, she knew this was the place where the princess hid with her sole bodyguard. The walls were laced with enchantments anchored to rods of crystal set into the stone. It was a simple system, but brutally effective. It drew power from the ambient heat and weather and stored it in the rods. When the enchantment was triggered, it would release that stored power as directed electricity and hurl lightning bolts at any intruders.

When it worked.

She worked her mandibles into a smile and ran her antenna over the exposed crystal at the top of the wall. The weakness of such systems was their automated nature. She didn’t have to break the crystal or drain its power when she could simply disrupt the chain of faint cuneiform symbols and prevent the power buildup from activating the discharge enchantment. If that lead to a catastrophic and explosive failure later on…

Oh well, she’d be long gone by then.

Cadance slipped on her bracers and grinned as they faded to the same color and texture as her coat. It would take a very discerning eye to even see them should she be searched. Under her wings, her holsters were loaded with her usual assortment of short blades and the brand new “hull breacher” she’d been gifted by the Minotauran council.

She hoped she was sufficiently equipped to deal with whatever was hunting her this time.

There was a muffled noise from below and Cadance slammed the chest shut and banished it back to the void between worlds. If they were truly under attack they weren’t going to find this princess cowering in a tower. She rushed back toward the bedroom door and sank to her belly to level the lock with her eye. It was a simple deadbolt and she didn’t sense any enchantments from her side so Cadance lifted a slender strip of metal from a hidden spot in her peytral and gripped in her mouth. She wasn’t going to need magic for this.

Her carapace made a wet, snapping sound as it split along her back and slick ebony feathers erupted from within and spread out to catch the air and lift her over the wall. By the time she had a line of sight on the building within, her form had resettled into a blackbird against a black sky. A few wing beats and she landed, unharmed and unopposed, on the rooftop.

The inner building was no less defended than the walls had been, but the magics swirling off of it were purely defensive abjurations. She could sense the magics searching for a trigger but whoever had placed them had never anticipated a shapeshifter and the arcane patterns flowed over her feathers harmlessly. The roof had no access she could spot, however. The only doors and windows seemed to be on the ground floor and were already sealed. Is she wanted in, she was going to have to ask nicely.

And no one ever liked that.

She hit the ground a moment later on all four paws and arranged herself in a bedraggled state before letting out a plaintive meow.

“Seriously?”

“I’m serious, Twilight, it’s just a cat. It looks like it had it’s tail handed to it in a fight too.” Spike shrugged as he craned his neck to look over the couch he and Twilight must have moved to barricade the door and out the peephole.

Cadance remained silent and unnoticed on the stairs. Twilight and Spike had set up a defensive position in the main room below her and flipped tables and chairs to provide cover in the case of a fire fight. That might suit them fine, but it had always been her experience that the best defense was staying mobile and unseen. She lit her horn for a moment and nodded toward Twilight and Spike. Now, even if they became separated she could whisper to them and stay in communication. Assuming the assassin didn’t blanket them with anti-magics, of course.

“I think we’re getting worked up over nothing, Twilight.”

“We have to be careful, Spike, this could be a trap or an illusion.” Twilight tapped the end of her staff against the floor. “Princess Luna said the assassin was a powerful magic user. We need to be ready for anything.”

Spike leveled a stare at Twilight. “It’s a cat. If it is a trap, I’ll just eat it.”

“If this blows up in our face, you are the one who has to apologize to Cadance.”

Cadance grinned and shook her head slowly. If they were lucky, it was just a cat. But then again, she never believed in luck she didn’t make for herself. She tapped her peytral and activated its Chameleon enhancement as she reached up and pulled herself into the high corner of ceiling where she could see the the whole room.

She meowed again as the door unlocked and then slumped dramatically on her side as it inched slowly open. Ponies never seemed to learn, did they? It was all she could do to not smile and chuckle as one of the literally oldest tricks in the book worked yet again.
She was about to meow again when a clawed hand, easily bigger than her current form slipped out of the door and around her body. She froze and held her breath. They had a drake in there‽

Where was her intel on that?

She relaxed after a moment when the hand didn’t crush her and instead pulled her inside and past the building’s defenses. All was not lost, she should still be able to accomplish her mission and kill Princess Cadance, dragon or no dragon.

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Shards by Starlight Shadow

by Starlight Shadow
~~~

Twilight stared in shock at the (quite expensive) vase now nothing more than scattered shards on the floor. "Nonononono that wasn't supposed to happen! I've been doing so well on my levitation!" Her parents were coming home soon - she would been in SO much trouble if they saw this! They could take away her personal spellbooks, or worse - take away her library card! Her life would be ruined!

Okay, okay, calm down and take a deep breath, Twilight. You can fix this. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began to magically feel around the floor for each shard of pottery. Once she had them all in her grasp, straining mightily, she managed to arrange them so a vase with millions of cracks in it was now hovering before her. She took another heaving breath, then began to fuse them together...

"Twilight?" Cadance poked her head in the dining room doorway.

"Huh?" Twilight turned and lost her focus, the vase once again falling to the floor. She quickly realized what had happened and rushed to explain, her mouth having a hard time keeping up with her brain. "I'm sososo sorry Cadance I was practicing my magic before my next lesson with the princess and the vase fell even though it wasn't supposed to do that I swear I've been doing really well-"

"Shh, it's okay." Cadance speed-walked over to the now-in-tears filly and touched her horn, glowing blue, to Twilight's, flooding her brain with a feeling of relaxation and calmness. "It's okay. I'll fix the vase, we'll put it back, and then we can go back into the living room and I can help you with your magic. How does that sound?"

"That sounds good, Cadance." The relaxer spell and the complex spell she had attempted both weighed on her, this becoming clear from her wide yawn. Cadance carefully repaired the vase, placed it back on the shelf, and levitated Twilight onto her back, nestling her carefully between her pink wings.

"Thanks, Cadance." Twilight said sleepily.

"You're welcome, Twilight." Cadance said softly.

Bet by TheWraithWriter

by TheWraithWriter
~~~

“We can call it off you know,” Twilight said.

“Hm?” Cadance raised her gaze from the race track below to look to her companion. “Call off what? The bet?”

Twilight nodded.

Cadance gave Twilight one of her knowing smiles. “What’s the matter Twily? Afraid of losing?”

Twilight scoffed back, trying to appear more mature and sure of herself, but simply reminding Cadance of the little filly she used to watch.

“Am I afraid of losing?” she pointed down to the race track. “You’re the one that picked the Mariner.”

Cadance glanced down at the seapony waiting in his stall for the race to begin.

“And what about him?”

“According to the statistics I’ve been reading statistics, and he’s a long shot. The Deacon is a much better choice.”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “Yes Twilight, as you’ve been telling me since I put bits down on him at the booth.”

“And then you bet me bits as well.”

“Your point?”

Twilight tapped her racing schedule for emphasis. “I’ve done the math Cadance, and you have a twelve percent chance of winning.”

“And?”

“And I don’t want to take your bits when you clearly chose him based on his appearance.”

Cadance did a mock gasp and put a hoof to her chest, feigning offence. “Twilight, do you really think me so shallow?”

“Yes.”

Cadance snorted in amusement. “You cheeky little princess of friendship you. Alright, if you’re so confident you’ll win, why don’t we up the stakes?”

Twilight sighed. “I remember you being a lot more mature.”

“Don’t put ponies of pedestals Twilight,” Cadance said sagely, quickly followed by, “Now are we going to raise the stake or what?”

Another sigh. “Fine, how much?”

“Oh, money is so meh with us these days, why not something more personal?” Cadance grinned slyly. “Like the loser has to do something for the winner, no matter what it is?”

Twilight smirked. “Alright, you have a bet.”

They shook hooves just as the the anouncer called for the start of the race.

“That race was fixed.” Twilight grumbled, trudging alongside Cadance as the exited the race track.

“You’re just mad because they splashed you on the final turn,” Cadance teased, bouncing along merrily beside Twilight.

“Maybe you’d like to go for a dip in the water then?”

“With my hair? I think I’ll pass, Twily,” Cadance laughed.

They walked on a little farther before Twilight spoke up again. “So, when do you plan on collecting your winnings?”

“I already did, remember?” Cadance hefted the heavy bag of bits in her saddle-bag.

“I mean our bet.”

“Oh,” Cadance stopped and glanced around, noticing that they were pretty much alone. “Now’s good.”

Twilight stopped with her. “Okay then, what do you want me to do? Help you cheat on your taxes?” a small smirk. “Again?”

Cadance giggled. “I don’t think I’ll need to, Twily.” she began circling the other mare. “Now, what is it I want you to do? What could you do that no other pony could?”

She completed her circle and brightened like she had an idea. “Ah, I’ve got it.”

Twilight braced herself.

Cadance leaned close. “Kiss me,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Ah, ah,” Cadance waved a hoof. “I won the bet and the loser does what the winner wants.” she lowered her voice to a more husky tone. “Now kiss me, Twilight.”

The younger mare was hesitant at first, leaning in with her eyes screwed shut so tightly you think she was kissing Discord. But when her lips met Cadance’s the tension in her body faded. She was soft, and warm, and her scent was so familiar it was like home. Twilight found herself wrapping a hoof around Cadance, pulling her closer while the older mare’s tongue wormed its way inside her mouth.

They pulled apart what seemed like ages later, even though it was likely less than a minute. Despite that, Twilight found herself panting and Cadance seemed a little breathless herself.

“Wow…” Twilight whispered.

Candace nodded her agreement.

After a long silence, Twilight spoke up. “You know, I hear there’s a game house not far from here.”

Cadance grinned wickedly. “Gotten you hooked on gambling after the first taste, have I?”

Twilight returned the grin. “Yes you have.” as she passed Cadance, she flicked her snout with her tail. “Good job being a role model.”

Cadance snickered and followed after Twilight. “I try, Twilight. I try.”

Shard 2 by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 9

~~~

“See? It’s just a cat.”

Twilight scrunched her nose as she scowled at the pathetic looking creature mewling at her from Spike’s claws. It certainly looked like it had seen better days. It’s fur was matted and messy and dirty there was a fresh nick in one ear. It even looked a little green around the gills.

“Ok...so, it’s...just a cat?” Twilight groaned and rubbed the back of her head with one hoof. “How did it trip the sensors?”

“It probably was running from other cats or dogs or something and just came up and over the wall. That would certainly explain it.” Spike shrugged and petted the cat gently which caused the feline to shiver and curl in on itself more. “I say we let it stay the night and I can put it out in the morning, ok Twi?”

Twilight sighed. “I guess that’s ok. But you’ve got to keep an eye on it. It might not have blown up, but if it vomits on anything, you are cleaning it up and apologizing! Do we even have anything to feed it?”

“I can give it some milk. I know we have some of that in the ice chest.” Spike smirked and turned to go through the door to the small kitchen and dining area. “Grab a saucer, ok Twi?”

Twilight shook her head again and followed her brother into the small subsection of the main room, her horn flaring to life to open a cabinet. “We give it milk and then we check the property, just in case.”

The cat mewed as Spike set it gently on the counter and turned to the ice chest. He opened it with a grumble and started searching for the jar with the milk in it. “Whatever you say boss, but we aren’t…” Spike faded out as he sniffed, his nostrils flaring.

Spike stood up straight and held his claw to his nose. “Why does my claw smell like smoke and blood?”

“What?” Twilight whirled around, a small saucer in her grip. Spike looked at her and shrugged. “Isn’t that the hand you grabbed the cat with?”

“Yeah.” Spike inhaled sharply and ran his tongue over his chin as he pulled in more air. “Come to think of it, I don’t smell a cat.”

The battle mage set the saucer down gently on the table and lifted her staff, shoulders and neck tense. “Spike...where is the cat?”

Spike blinked at her and as one they turned and looked at the empty counter tops.

She hadn’t planned on this.

The dragon complicated things. They were notoriously resilient to both magic and poison. They had the senses of a guard animal and built-in armor and weapons. At least this one wasn’t very big. It was barely taller than the unicorn.

She was going to have to use what little element of surprise that remained to her. She dived under the large couch in the main living area and worked her jaw as her body shifted, her poison sacks filling with something she was hopeful would be toxic enough to get past a dragon’s fortitude. The fur her body had fell back as chitinous plates appeared and locked in place around her new limbs. Her new pincer scythes sharpened to a razor edge as she licked them, coating them with the venom she’d made.

They would come looking for her any second. She would take out the pony first, then deal with the drake. Once they were both down, the pretty princess would be next. When they walked near she would strike from cover at the pony’s legs. A small nick was all it would take to deliver the poison and then about a minute before it sent her into shock. As soon as she struck, she would move to new cover to flank the dragon, if she could get behind it she had a much better chance.

She raised her thorax and bunched her legs under herself to spring as she heard hooffalls coming her way.

“Where did it go?” Spike scratched his head as he and Twilight looked out into the main room. “Think it’s hiding under the furniture?”

“I think that wasn’t a normal cat.” Twilight hefted the nearest chair into the air with her telekinesis and leveled her staff by her side.

‘Well, no duh!” Spike shook his head and dropped to all fours and lowered his head to scan under the overturned furniture turned barricades. “Let’s just find it before anything happens and I have to apologize to more than one Princess.”

Twilight chuckled mirthlessly and lifted another chair and swept her staff back around. As she moved to look around the chair and into the corner of the room she caught a flash of black near the floor by her hooves. Before Twilight could react, there was a roar from behind her as she was violently yanked into the air by Spike’s claws.

The dragon threw her into the far wall and the impact knocked the wind from her. Twilight groaned and rolled to her hooves, but when she tried to stand there was a sudden pain in her right rear ankle. She blinked to get the stars out of her vision and looked down to see a small but growing puddle of red around her hoof.

Spike roared again, loud enough this time to rattle the window shutters and shake dust from the ceiling. He dived into the furniture, batting couched and end tables away with draconic strength and reducing them to so much kindling and scattered fluff as his claws tore through them. He spun and brought down his tail down on top of what was previously an ottoman, smashing it to the floor and holding it there.

“Twi! You alright?” Spike turned and stood up. “I saw some giant friggin’ bug or spider or something, I dunno. It jumped at you and I tried to get you away!”

Twilight hissed at the pain her leg was giving her and forced herself to her hooves. She grit her teeth and sucked in a breath. “A spider? I saw...something too. Just before you grabbed me, it got my ankle.”

“Are you ok?”

“I’ll live.” Twilight set her jaw and stood tall for a moment while she brought her staff’s tapered end down on the floor. The tip flashed as she formed a connection to the junction of ley lines that criss crossed under Canterlot and pulled. Energy, raw native arcane potential flooded her and everything seemed to slow to a crawl and the non-magical material around her became slightly transparent. Spike, glowed in front of her like a forge at full burn, while under the ottoman he was holding down there appeared to be an amorphous blob that glowed like a hot coal.

Twilight raised her staff again with glacial slowness and tipped it toward the glowing and growing blob. Even at her enhanced speed she could see it changing and enlarging. She had to do something and do it fast before it broke free from the hold Spike had on it. Twilight called up a spell in her mind that would generate a large blast of fire. She wanted to burn it on the spot though, not cause structural damage to the house, so she wrapped the arcane formula in a metamagic adjustment case, and narrowed the blast of heat into a tight beam and focused it’s energy at the point where she wanted it hit.

Spike was just starting to notice what was going on with the thing under the ottoman when Twilight completed her calculations and realized her spell as reality. The energy she pulled from the ley lines coursed through her horn and used her natural telekinesis as a bridge to the staff and the staff as a focusing agent. In less time than a foal’s blink, the air immediately behind the ottoman went from room temperature to about 500 degrees and burst into flames, engulfing the footrest and the creature underneath it.

Time jerked back to full speed and an unearthly scream threatened to blow out Twilight’s eardrums as her spell went off. The spell lasted but an instant but the room felt like oven as the now flaming furniture was thrown aside and a smoking black, green and blue shape exploded out from under it and knocked Spike back. Twilight blinked as she got a hint of something vaguely pony shaped with bright green eyes before the creature was on top of her and shoving her face into the carpet.

“Neat trick. Now, please scream for me.” The voice Twilight heard speaking sounded just as normal as pony’s she might hear on the street, there wasn’t a hint of the otherworldly creature it was coming out of. “I want that little trollop to coming running. I like my prey winded and emotionally compromised.”

“Get off her!” Spike yelled as he scrambled to get back up amid the pile of broken furnishings he’d landed in.

“In due time, drake.” The thing on top of her did something and Twilight felt something sharp and pointed press into her hip above her wounded ankle. “After this pony is down, I will put you down like the mongrel you are. Then I will go and gut your Princess.”

Twilight growled and tried to turn away but she couldn’t hold back the yelp as the creature once again drew her blood. The pain wasn’t as sharp as the first wound, which now burned intensely, but it made her all the more weaker. She gasped and turned her head to look up at the bug-like creature to see one of its ‘hooves’ now sporting an enormous claw spike that looked like it could eviscerate her.

Twilight didn’t intend to test that.

She was still connected to the ley line but she had no way of judging a spell safely enough to avoid endangering herself, Cadance and Spike. Empowering her magic wasn’t the only way she could utilize that power. Not for the first time, Twilight was glad Princess Celestia gave lessons in melee combat to her battle mage corps as she channeled a tiny portion of that energy into her limbs. Twilight bucked and shoved the creature off of her and whirled to face it but the room didn’t stop spinning when she did and Twilight collapsed again with a breathy grunt.

Spike rolled back onto his feet and bunched up to pounce when a section of the ceiling dropped silent behind the bug thing. Twilight sucked in air as the fallen piece resolved itself into Cadance a moment before the princess slipped up to the creature’s back and stabbed it between two overlapping plates of chitin with a shard of steel.

The thing hissed and rotated its head around to look Cadance in the eye. “Ah, there you are.”

Cadance smirked and whipped out with her other hoof and drove a second shard-like blade under another plate of exoskeleton, yanking a true scream out of it this time. “Sorry for not making my death easy for you.”

“You’ll need more than a couple knives to stop me.” The creature twisted its arm around bonelessly and swiped at Cadance as the pony ducked and dodged.

“Good thing I packed this!”

Cadance let go and left the blades embedded in the bug pony and skipped back a step. She raised a wing and leveled her Minotauran hull-breacher canon right at its back. “Say hello to my little friend!

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Alchemy by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

“You're sure you know what you're doing Twily? I know you're familiar with this kind of stuff, but even this looks a little advanced for you,” Cadance said as she admired another set of test equipment in the Golden Oaks basement/laboratory. All manner of beakers and flasks bubbled and smoked as magical fire was applied at different points along the path of the experiment.

“Never fret my love, once this is done, I'll have come up with one of the greatest cures in pony history! Just think, with this panacea, Earth ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi, will be able to have the constitution of an Alicorn! Disease will virtually be wiped out! This will be the greatest discovery EVER,” Twilight beamed with enthusiasm. Her giddiness was infectious. Cadance didn't pretend to understand half of what this latest creation was or how it worked. All she knew is that Twilight was truly in her element, and that, made her even sexier to the Crystal monarch.

The series of beakers began to churn even faster as an acrid smell began to permeate the work space. As soon as the smell hit the lavender unicorn's nostrils, she knew that she'd forgotten a key reagent to help keep the whole thing stable. The chain reaction had begun so fast, there was no way to keep it from running off the rails. The room's temperature began to rise quickly as a sickly yellow fog began to fill the room. Twilight and Cadance began to cough and wheeze as the fresh air began to be consumed in the reaction. Knowing there was no stopping it, Twilight did the only thing she could do.

“CADANCE TELEPORT OUT NOW,” she screamed as she cast her own version of the spell around the lab equipment. In an instant, the lab filled with the two alicorns' arcane energies. Cadance safely away and Twilight trying to send the now unstable failure off to the bottom of any of Equestria's seas. The last thing either lover saw was the fear in each others eyes.

Cadance appeared just outside the library. Not a moment later, the ground shook and a loud rumble came from the tree. Spinning on her hooves, Cady looked to see the same yellow fog spilling forth from the doors and windows. Fear seized at her breast as visions of a smoldering Twilight came unabashed into her mind. Focusing her magic as quickly as she could, Cadance began to gather the noxious fumes and condensed them in a bubble of pink energy. Satisfied that it was safe to reenter, she quickly descended the stairs into the lab. She came to a screeching halt as she reached the bottom of the stairs. The sight that greeted her made her wretch in horror.

There, next to what had been the experiment station, lay her lover. Her lavender fur singed to her pink skin, her horn charred and cracked in several places. Her legs lay at awkward opposing angles and her mane was nearly burned to her scalp. Rushing to her side, Cady lost all sense of composure.

“TWILIGHT! TWILIGHT! PLEASE, SPEAK TO ME! TWILY! NO! PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME,” the pink alicorn gently shook her beloved as she screamed. Her mind reeled as she tried to come to grips with the sight at her hooves. Sorrow and despair put the Crystal Princess on auto pilot as she gently scooped her injured lover into her forehooves. “Don't worry love, you're going to be okay. I'm going to take you to Auntie Tia. She'll know what to do.” Tears rained down her muzzle as she enveloped the two of them in her magic. She knew Celestia would be holding court right now. But this was her only hope of saving Twilight. She'd ask for forgiveness later.

Celestia sat upon the solar throne, listening to another minor noble jockey for a better position of favor in the court. Once, just once, she'd like for something new to happen at court. Something to liven up the doldrums of the day. Suddenly, the air became thick with the smell of ozone as a massive incoming teleportation spell manifested itself in the throne room. Before anyone could react, Cadance and the injured Twilight appeared before Celestia. The other nobles began to recoil and vomit from the sight and smell of the badly hurt unicorn. Celestia could only sit, unable to process just exactly what it was she was seeing.

“SOMEPONY HELP HER PLEASE!!!”

Silver by Starlight Shadow

by Starlight Shadow
~~~

Twilight and Cadance walked together down the light purple hallway, not talking, swimming in their own thoughts. Tears still dripped down both their faces, silent but for the plip of each one landing on the marble floor.

Captain Shining Armor was dead.

He was killed not by sword or spell, but by disease. A mutant strain of deadly flu that had taken many citizens in the capital city of Canterlot and its surrounding cities. Twilight and her friends had to move to the Crystal Empire temporarily until it passed, the north's cold hopefully keeping the ponies that lived there safe from the virus. They were wrong.

Shining Armor had not died a hero's death, Twilight thought, he died writhing in a hospital bed. He didn't deserve that. My BBBFF and Cadance's husband deserved better.

"We're here." Cadance's whisper was barely audible.

They were standing in front of Shining Armor's office. Twilight stared at the oak door, with the motto carved over it that didn't even register from so many times viewed. Here and now, with her brother dead, the virus became real in her mind. Not an outside conflict that threw a wrench into some plans, but a wild beast, lurking at the edges of her world, waiting to pounce and ruin everything. Something to fear. Twilight took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The office was hardly remarkable - an oak desk covered in neatly-stacked piles of paper, pictures of past captains hanging on the royal blue walls. Twilight only had eyes for the left side of the desk, where the only remnants of her brother remained. The two mares moved swiftly to the desk, Cadance opening the ever-so-important left drawer.

Inside was a black box. And a picture with a silver frame. The picture for Twilight. And the box for Cadance.

Cadance opened the box with a gentleness that bordered on reverence, likewise Twilight levitated the picture out of the drawer to gaze at it as if it was about to divulge all the owner's secrets to her.

Inside the box was a silver horn ring. A Royal Guard present to him from Cadance, he always wore it on the days when she could come to visit. So many memories came rushing back to the pink princess as she examined the ring from every angle. Kisses and light dinners together, and stolen nights of intimacy, and so many more happy times. Her tears ran faster as she submerged herself in the sea of thoughts.

Twilight's tears mimicked the other mare's as she looked at the picture. Her, Cadance, and Shining Armor all together, the day before he was scheduled to leave for the Guard. She was still a child back then, about ten, still thinking that her big brother and big sister would be with her forever. Silly filly. There's no such thing as forever. She hunched over to hide her crying.

Cadance slipped the ring on her horn, helping her to get herself under control. With this little piece of silver, Shining could always be there with her. It would be okay. She rested a pink wing on Twilight's back, causing the other mare to cry all the harder.

"It'll be okay, Twilight." Cadance said quietly to the sound of Twilight's audible sniffles.

"What are we going to do?" was Twilight's choked up response.

"I...I honestly don't know, Twilight." Cadance moved closer, hugging her little sister. She had to be the foalsitter now. "But we'll work it out. I know we can. Just...not right away."

Kept company by two pieces of silver, the two remaining sisters fell asleep.

Mice by Foals Errand

by Foals Errand
~~~

I leave the library for twenty minutes, to get some cupcakes from Sugar cube corner, and what happens? Rainbow Dash tracks me down, because, there is some weird smoke coming from the basement! Before reentering the home her wife and she shared, Cadance, formed a shield over her muzzle. Whatever that mare of mine got herself into, my first concern is the twins, then her.

Cadance opened the front door and was momentarily blinded by purple smoke. Twilight, what have you done now? “Spike!?” Cadance called out, searching for any sign of her younger brother in law. After making certain he wasn’t passed out somewhere downstairs, she opened the windows to help dissipate the smoke. She then turned to regard the basement door.

Normally, Twily, has a magical shield over this door, protecting the rest of the house from whatever it is she does down there. Cadance frowned, as she opened the door with a brief flare of magic. No resistance, but, I didn’t feel Twily lose consciousness, so, what could be the cause of her magic failing?

“Twilight?” Cadance cantered slowly down the stairs. “Twilight! Twilight Sparkle, this is your wife, answer me!”

Cadance felt her ears twitch, as she heard something. It was so quiet, at first she thought that she had imagined it but then she heard it again. What is that? Where is it coming from? Her ears flicked, listening, the sound seemed to be coming from Twilight’s desk/lab table.

“Twilight!?”

”Cadance? Cadance, i’m down here!”

Cadance blinked, but, rolled her eyes to the ceiling. What has my genius mad scientist wife, done to herself this time? “Twily, why are you under your desk? Never mind, how you fit under it, in the first place!”

”It’s kind of a long story, but, er it comes down to the fact that I really need to label my chemicals better Cady.”

“That is one thing, I will agree with you, one hundred percent. Well, come on out, let me see what you’ve done to yourself this time.”

”No thank you, i’m doing just fine right where I am, thank you!”

Cadance’s eye twitched, being married to Doctor Princess Twilight Sparkle, was always an interesting experience, but, usually her wife was honest to a fault and this was why. “Twilight, you know… you are a worse liar then Applejack, and she is the element of honesty.”

Silence.

“Twilight, please come out? pretty please? for the foals?” Cadance grinned, pulling out her ultimate trump card. Ever since she had announced they were having, not one, but, twin foals, Twilight, would go out of her way to make things easier for her, and the twins, anyway she could.

”Are you alone?”

Well, thats better then silence. Cadance looked around the lab, there was nopony and no creature that she could spot. “Completely, it’s just you me and my womb full of kicking foals.”

”Alright, i’m coming out, just, be prepared alright?”

Cadance nodded, she sat on her haunches watching the desk. When you were Twilight’s wife it paid to always be prepared. However, Cadance, could not keep the gasp from escaping her muzzle as her wife came out from under the desk. She had been expecting a lot but,

Not

A

Mouse!

Cadance hated mice! She wasn’t sure why, she just did and there she was staring down at the small purple furred mouse that even… Yep, there’s her cutie mark, oh Twily! Why a mouse? Cadance swallowed hard, and reached a trembling hoof, out to the small mouse and grasped her gently, lifting her up to eye level.

“Please, please tell me you have some idea on how to fix this?”

The small mouse seemed to wilt, her ears falling back against her head in a cute but sad manner. ”Not exactly, no.”

Cadance sighed, now that she was able to see her close up, she was able to see her wife within the tiny body, her big purple eyes, her fur color, her cutie mark. The most helpful of course being her voice. Her body relaxed, and she set her tiny wife on the desk. “It’s alright Twily, we’ll get this figured out, but first.”

She levitated a quill and piece of parchment over, and began writing.

Dear Auntie, I know you must be tiring of getting these letters from me, but, my wife has had another accident.This time she has turned herself into a mouse. Do you have any idea what we can do to fix her?

Love,

Cadance.

Twilight, dipped her paw in the ink and pressed it onto the parchment, before Cadance sealed the parchment and sent it. That done, Cadance, smiled down at her wife sitting on her tiny haunches and began stroking her with a hoof. “You are so lucky I love you.”

”Why’s that?”

“If I didn’t, i’d give you to Owlowiscious, I hate mice.”

Twilight stared up at her, and then began to giggle. Cadance blinked and began to laugh as well as a scroll dropped onto the desk next to them.

To my dearest niece and judging by this pawprint my very tiny Faithful Twilight, I hate to inform you of this, but I have no idea what you could have mixed together to cause that type of transformation. If it has not worn off by nightfall send me another scroll and I will send Luna there post haste.

All my love,

Celestia.

Twilight and Cadance looked at eachother and then together groaned. “Well…”

”buck”

Author's Note

Sequel to Anniversary (not to be confused with 50th Special) by Foals Errand and Magicman7997

Revelation by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

It was quiet in Sparkle/Cadenza residence. Too quiet. Shining Shield and his twin sister Twilight Sunshine had been playing merrily in their playroom most of the morning. Now, no where near nap time, and certain that neither child had perfected a silencing spell, Twilight walked away from the desk where she'd been working and moved towards the playroom. As she moved down the hallway, still there was no noise. What could be going on?

“What are those two up to?” Twilight thought to herself. Perhaps they had actually worn themselves out and were just dozing on the floor. “Or maybe,” Twilight thought aloud, they'd figured out how to circumvent the locks on the window and had managed to go outside. Oh, if they had, they were in SOOOO much trouble.

But what if they did, and in the process, fell out of the window and hurt themselves. They could be laying right outside too injured to call for help. A mild panic began to rise in Twilight's chest as her imagination ran away with her. Or perhaps Chrysalis' had returned and managed to get past her neigh impassable defense systems and had foal napped them. She could see her children, scared and alone as they were being carried off to who knows where. Or even Discord. Even though he was “reformed”, he wouldn't be below enticing the kids to run off with him with the promise of candy. He'd do it just to shock Twilight's mane and coat to a beautiful shade of frazzled.

“OH, MY, GOSH. IF THEY'RE GONE, WHAT DO I TELL CADY?” Twilight began to hyperventilate at the thought of facing her wife. She'd probably make her sleep in the library for the rest of their immortal lives if she couldn't find them. Where could they be?

Finally, Twilight reached the door to the foals' playroom. With a burst of magical force, she flung the door open. Her heart jumped into her throat at the sight before her. There, among the dolls and blocks and other games...

Were two quiet little pony foals reading their favorite books. At the sound of the door opening, they both looked up to see their panicked mother trying to regain her composure as she saw that her children were safe and sound.

“Hi mommy! We were just reading,” said Twilight Sunshine. Seeing her mother's condition, the curious filly asked, “Are you okay mommy? You look like something scared you.” Straightening her mane and performing the breathing exercise that Cady taught her, the elder Twilight crossed the room to her children and gave them each a firm hug.

“I'm fine Sunshine. Mommy was just coming to check on you. Lunch time soon, okay guys?”

“Can we have hayburgers for lunch momma?” asked an excited Shining Shield. “PLEASE?”

A chuckle escaped Twilight in spite of herself. “Of course my dear boy. I think a trip to town is in order.” She gathered up the twins and her saddlebags from their hanging hook and headed out to their favorite food stand where you could find the greasiest, cheesiest, and most wonderful hayburgers in all of Equestria.

Later that night, after Cadance came home from her day in Canterlot, Twilight explained the early moment of panic from the day. Giggling, Cadance couldn't help by rib her wife a little. “You know, only you would have children that would read so quietly that it would drive you crazy.”

“Laugh it up Ladybug, just remember, the couch downstairs isn't very comfortable.”

“You know, I've come to a revelation about you Twily,” said the Crystal monarch. “You are, by far, the craziest mare I know.” Cady moved in and wrapped her lover in a wing embrace. “You know what else?” Twilight simply nodded at her wife. “I think you've got the greatest flank in all of Equestria, and since Shining and Sunshine are already asleep, maybe we could spend a little time to ourselves...”

Twilight smirked at her wife. “You're such a horn dog. But I love you for it. C'mon you, let's snuggle up. I could use a good cuddle. After all, it wears a mare out trying to come up with every possible way that something bad could have happened to her kids.”

As the two settled in for the night, wrapped in each others hooves, Twilight spoke softly to Cady. “I've had a revelation about you as well.” Cadance looked into her eyes as if to say continue. “I've come to realize that I found the greatest pony in the world. I'm the luckiest mare in all of Equestria and I can't imagine life without you.” With that, the two lovers drifted off to sleep smiling at all the things they'd discovered today.

Author's Note

The latest in the 'Lavender and Love' continuity by Magicman that includes Excitement, Mythbusted, Anniversary, and Lineage

Silver 2 by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

“H-hi, Twilight.”

Cadence’s words hung in the air, stagnating and poisoning the atmosphere as Twilight stood motionless. Her eyes were wide in a light shade of panic, and she appeared to hang on the precipice between bolting away and slamming the door in Cadence’s face.

Cadence found herself uncomfortable in her own skin, and her heart ached to see Twilight stare at her with fear and anger. A white blue behind Twilight caught Cadence’s attention, and she noticed Celestia standing atop a set of stairs that led higher into Twilight’s Castle. Celestia looked nearly as shocked as Twilight, though there was no fear to be found in the depths of the Sun Queen. Cadence glared at her suspiciously, treacherous thoughts flashing through her mind.

“C-Cadence,” Twilight said in a near whisper, her voice catching.

Cadence nodded uneasily, forcing herself to look away from Celestia. Twilight was breaking out of her shell-shock state, and a parade of emotions shifted over her features in such rapid succession to be nearly indistinguishable.

Twilight looked behind herself, towards Celestia, then back to Cadence. She swallowed and shifted her feet, then moved to the side of the door.

“Would you…would you like to come in?” she asked, her tone quickly whipped into civility. Cadence hid a wince, and bowed her head gratefully. She walked inside the Castle of Harmony and was reminded of the Crystal Spire. The entire superstructure appeared to be a single intricate slab of crystal, each feature blending into the next seamlessly. Even the stairs and bookcases seemed grown rather than built.

It was a beautiful Castle, and suited Twilight perfectly, but Cadence couldn’t have cared less if she was standing in a collapsing mud hut in the middle of a burning forest. All her attention was on her wife, who was doing her best to school her feelings. She was largely successful, but Cadence knew her well enough to pick out fragments. There was hurt, nervousness, and of course, anger.

From atop the stairs, Celestia cleared her throat. “I will give you two your privacy.” She looked directly at Twilight, making a point not to as much as glance at Cadence. “If you need me, I shall be in the library.”

Twilight nodded as Celestia turned and left in the direction from whence she had come, leaving the two of them alone in the foyer. They stood awkwardly for several moments before Twilight cleared her throat. “Would you…like something to drink?”

Cadence opened her mouth to decline, but before the words could crest her lips she noticed the desperate, dry burning in her throat. Several days of hardly eating or drinking, combined with the exertion of her rapid flight to Ponyville, had left her parched.

“Water, please,” she said with a nod. Twilight turned and led her through the castle’s first floor to an enormous kitchen, nearly as large as the Crystal Spire’s. Cadence hadn’t spent much time in the Castle of Harmony, and was taken by surprise.

“Wow, fancy. This is even nicer than the Canterlot Palace kitchens,” Cadence noted, trying to avoid another awkward silence. Twilight gave a noncommittal nod as she pulled a glass from a cupboard and filled it at the tap and passed it over. Cadence accepted it gracefully, chugging nearly half the glass in a single pull.

Her thirst momentarily quenched, Cadence looked up to find Twilight watching her expectantly. She realized that, after having flown a quarter of the way across Equestria and showing up at Twilight’s door unannounced after almost a week of no contact, she should probably say something.

This was it. This was her moment to save her marriage, to pull her own stupid flank out of the fire that she had stoked. What she had done was indefensible, unacceptable, and unforgettable. But maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t unforgivable, if she could find the right words.

“Twilight, I…”

Cadence took a deep breath, and as she stared into Twilight’s beautiful eyes, nothing came to her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her head falling in defeat.

There was a brief quiet, like the calm before a storm.

“Is that it?” Twilight asked unbelievably. “Is that all you have to say to me after what you did? That you’re sorry?”

Cadence backpedaled as Twilight advanced on her, the fire in her eyes a shade that could only be sparked by betrayal of the one closest to her heart. “Twilight, I—“

“No! You had sex with my brother, in our bed, and all you can think to say to me is that you’re sorry?!”

Cadence stammered wordlessly under the onslaught as she desperately struggled to put two words together in her defense.

“Why? Just tell me why, Cadence!”

“Because it felt right!” Cadence bellowed, the force of shout pushing Twilight back on her hooves.

Twilight and Cadence stared at each other, eyes wide as saucers, each realizing the implications of what she had said. As the meaning of Cadence’s words fell over her, Twilight’s rear legs collapsed, all her fury leaking out of her in an instant.

“I…” Cadence gathered her resolve, deciding that it was too late for her to turn back. Honesty would be her only refuge now.

“Twilight,” she began softly, “I love you. I need you to know that. There is nopony else on this world that I treasure more than you.” She paused to ensure that Twilight was listening. Twilight’s disbelieving eyes were a painful confirmation that she was.

“But there’s…there’s something wrong with me. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like this…this emptiness, right here,” she tapped her chest right above her heart. “It nags at me, all hours of the day. It started right before our wedding.”

Cadence took a deep breath as the instincts she had built to protect her secrets rebelled against her, but she pressed on. Twilight deserved the truth.

“I thought it was just pre-wedding jitters, at first. But then, it just got worse. Eventually it got worse, and I—“

Her breathing hitched, and she closed her eyes. “A few days before our wedding, I disguised myself in Canterlot, went to a bar, and went home with a stallion. I don’t even remember his name,” she confessed, her head hung in shame.

“It made me feel a little better, at first. But then the feeling came back, and then there was the guilt about what I had done to you. I vowed I would never do something like that again.” She glanced up for a brief moment, and saw that Twilight had a steady stream of tears sliding down her cheeks. She looked away quickly.

“Over the next few months, the feeling got worse and worse, and I did my best to fight it. I would always come to you first. I know you probably just attributed it to the ‘honeymoon period,’ but I was trying so hard not to fall into those depths again.”

A wet spot appeared on the floor below her, and she realized that she had started crying as well.

“When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I had sex with one of the castle staff in Canterlot. I think that’s when the rumors started. Pretty soon after that, I did it again with a merchant here in the Empire. I slept with a couple of Princess Celestia’s guards, and then…and that’s when it started with Shining Armor.”

Cadence heard Twilight suppress a sob, but she didn’t look up. She didn’t feel like she even deserved to see Twilight after what she had done.

“When I was with Shining Armor, for the first time, that empty feeling went away. With the others, it had been like putting a band-aid on a broken leg, but with him it was different.”

“H-his trips to ‘oversee the Imperial Guard’s retraining?’” Twilight accused, her voice thick with contempt. Cadence nodded. When she heard hooves on crystal, Cadence looked up to see Twilight standing and wiping her eyes.

“Twilight, I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I know one thing: I love you. You have to believe that. I love you more than anypony else in the world.”

“Except my brother,” Twilight mumbled sadly. Cadence winced.

“Please, Twilight," Cadence begged, "I don't want to lose you. I'll do anything, just please, please give me another chance."

For a moment, there was silence as Cadence silently pleaded for a miracle. Her special talent was helping bring ponies in love together, and a part of that meant being able to feel the ties of love that could bind two ponies together. She could choose to feel the bonds between ponies, an odd experience which she could best describe as gravity pulling one pony towards another instead of the earth. The stronger the bond, the more powerful the pull.

As Cadence stood, awaiting Twilight's decision, she felt the bond between them wane and surge. One moment it was weak and sickly, the next it was stronger than anything she had ever felt and threatening to pull her off her hooves. When Twilight spoke, her heart soared with hope—

“No,” Twilight said with a resolute shake of her head, setting herself firmly on her hooves. “No more, Cadence. If you want to be with my brother, that’s fine. But I will have no part of it.”

—and abruptly crashed to earth, plunging a dagger of ice-cold despair into her heart.

Twilight reached up and parted her mane, revealing the thin, silver band around the base of her horn.

“Wait, Twilight don't—“

Once again, Twilight interrupted Cadence, this time by deftly lifting the ring from around her horn. There was a brief flash of raspberry magic, and Twilight’s Imperial Crown appeared beside her. It was similar to Cadence’s, though with the purple diamond replaced with a pink starburst.

“I hereby renounce my Imperial Crown, and dissolve our Union.”

Twilight unceremoniously tossed the two objects at Cadence’s hooves, leaving Cadence to stare open-mouthed in horror. Twilight turned away from Cadence as fresh tears began to fall. Cadence stood in mute anguish, looking between the jewelry and Twilight.

“I’d like you to leave now,” Twilight said without looking.

Cadence debated staying and trying to force the issue, to beg and plead for Twilight to forgive her. But, looking at Twilight and the regalia she had tossed at Cadence’s hooves, Cadence realized it was over. There was no hope for her, and there never had been.

Her vision clouded by tears, Cadence gathered the ring and crown in her magic and bolted out of the castle. The moment she met sunlight, her wings snapped out and launched her away from Ponyville, away from Twilight, away from everything.

She stopped on a hilltop just out of sight of Ponyville. Her legs failed her as soon as they touched earth, and she collapsed to the ground clutching Twilight’s ring to her chest as if it was the last life preserver on a sinking ship. Her sobs echoed loudly across the landscape, and for hundreds of years legends throughout the area would tell the tale of the Alicorn of Lost Love.

Author's Note

Part 8 in the Second Chances series. Previous parts can be found here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

Forever by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

I once believe that eternity was not something one could apply to anything, science and logic did not support that anything could be infinite. Not even alicorns live forever for even they will one day fade away. I believed nothing physical or metaphysical was truly forever but I have learned over many years how untrue these notions I once held dear were wrong. To most these would have been world shattering revelations yet for me with all that I do and have done, my paradigm does get assaulted, questioned, and battered regularly by beings whose powers exceed the definition of any and all logic or reason.

“Did you think that this would ever happen?” Cadance asked Twilight.

“That we would be together as lover not just as friends or family,” Twilight saw Cadance nod, “well then the answer is no. I did not think this would ever happen. You were always so happy with my brother and somehow I never really give any thoughts about his mortality.”
Cadance gave a small smile, “We were together and we were together for far longer than we even thought would be possible. With Shining’s work in Solar Guards and later the Crystal Guards there were many times I thought I would lose him. I knew that our bond would give him health and more years but I was surprised, happy but surprised at how many more years it gave the both of us to be together.”

“I was happy to see you together although I didn’t think you would ask me for a date when you did” said Twilight.

“Oh, that first date; you were pretty flustered when I asked and almost immobile for most the day.” Cadance said with a smile remembering that day.

“You asked me almost a decade after he had passed! On what was his birthday but now is an excuse for the Crystal Guards to celebrate and get drunk” Twilight retorted.

“Oh let the Guards have their fun. Besides most remember him as the First Captain of the Restored Crystal Empire, that title will probably last longer than him being known as the Emperor of the Crystal Empire.”

Twilight sighed, “My brother the eternal Guard. One of his two greatest dreams and it’s nice to know they still honour him for that. I think he would have like knowing what he’s remembered for even if the tales get exaggerated.”

“Those do but it does get exciting hearing what the Guards have created about his heroic exploits.” Cadance turned to Twilight, “We should get going, it is getting a bit late in the day and we should see him today.”

I've learned that some things are forever and they do endure beyond their time here, Friendship is enduring even as friends move away and pass on for it was what helped me be who I am today and what has help lead me to where I am now. Love is enduring just as Cadance once told me even when all we have left are our cherished memories and it is why I am here today. It has been many years since I left Canterlot to meet the mares who became my truest friends. For the longest time I thought that friendship was worthless then I learned how important it was and I thought that it would be enough and it was. It wasn't until Shining Armour had passed away did I find more than just friendship, it was then I learned how enduring love could also be.

Dreamcatcher by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 11

~~~

Celestia’s nose itched.

She would very much have liked to scratch it, but at the moment found herself unable to move in the grips of her sister’s magic.

Luna swam past her, through the corner of her peripheral vision, and pushed a large piece of stone wall away. The piece was as big as Celestia’s entire body and on a trajectory that would bring it to meets its end against her right shoulder. It would have probably dislocated the joint and broken a few ribs and her foreleg had not Luna frozen time within the bubble of their shield.

Luna swam through the super dense magic field like a seapony in water, her wheeled harness left in midair where the shock wave had just started to lift it. She drifted closer, pushing debris away from them as she went. When Luna reached Celestia’s side she reached up and gently scratched her sister’s nose.

Oh thank Faust! That was bothering me. Celestia tried in vain to smile. How long am I stuck like this?

About five minutes, give or take. Luna shrugged and looked back at where the wall had once stood. I managed to contain everything, I think. But it will take a few minutes to convert all the energy of the explosion and redirect it. I suspect that your changeling caused the crystal rods to continue building a charge for their defensive spells but denied them a discharge and now I have to keep this up or we let ten blocks of the south ward get vaporized.

I’ll wait. I’m sure our subjects will appreciate your quick spellcrafting to save their lives and livelihoods.

Luna nodded and spared her sister a smirk. I expect there will be a great deal more moon lilies at the gates in coming weeks. But while I have your captive attention, fill me in on what that thing meant about a prophecy.

Celestia mulled over that but kept her thoughts out of the telepathic sharing she was using with Luna. She wasn’t sure how much she needed to share with Luna, if the changeling spoke of what she suspected it did. It is from a very long time ago. Do you recall your self-banishment from the Everfree?

As if I could forget that. Luna scoffed and folded her hooves over her chest. I assume this happened when Chrysalis first appeared a thousand years ago?

Yes. Celestia paused as she considered her phrasing. I must admit, Luna, during that time I was a different mare. I did things I am not proud of and I’m glad history has seen fit to mostly forget.

I remember. I do not feel nostalgic for those dark days, Tia. I left for a reason.

I know. However, during the time you were gone, I thought I might have to replace you. I had my guards search for potential new Princesses. Celestia wished she could kick herself physically as hard as she was mentally at the moment. I made this prophecy about the rising of a new Princess. I gathered the potentials and out of their ranks rose Chrysalis, though she had a different name back then. Obviously, she is still chasing after that promise I broke to her.

Luna shook her head slowly. You and your apprentices, Celestia. I’m glad Twilight Sparkle has managed to evade your lecherous reach and escaped into Cadance’s arms! It doesn’t surprise me that you tried to replace me and it ended up blowing up in your smug face.

You sound less angry than I was expecting.

Luna rolled her eyes. It was a millenia ago, Tia. You were a different mare then, as was I. Besides, now that I know all the various assassination attempts and attempts at a coup d’etat we’ve dealt with over the centuries are all your fault for creating a monster and promising it princesshood...I can’t help but feel a smidgen of sorrow for you both.

Thank you.

Luna nodded and the sharing was silent for a time.

So...did you and Chrysalis get it on? That might explain her unhealthy obsession with you, Tia.

Celestia was glad the frozen time within the dense field of magic kept her from blushing.

Six years ago.

“Twilight! Wait up!” Spike huffed and rasped as he pumped his stubby legs to catch up with the teenage unicorn. His sister seemed to ignore him and trotted around the corner of yet another tall shelf of arcane tomes.

Spike rounded the same bend a second later only to see Twilight clamber over a pile of dusty stones and loose rubble. This deep into the archive in the Canterlot catacombs, the walls and ceiling still showed signs of the damage the city had taken in the last war. The tile and plaster was cracked and missing in places where the natural stone peeked through. High above the row of shelves here a section of the ceiling was missing, the ancient mosaic depicting the legendary Everfree City was without most of the sprawling warren of buildings it was rumored to have possessed.

Spike gasped as he pulled his chubby form over the now faded skree that had fallen before he had been hatched. “Twilight...don’t leave me behind…” Twilight flicked an ear in his direction and looked back at him. She grinned and hopped in place as she waited for him to catch up.

“I’d never leave you behind, Spike.” Twilight chuckled. “If you want, you can climb up and I’ll carry you.”

“No!” Spike blushed. “I mean, no, thank you. I’m a big dragon now, Twi. I don’t anypony to see me getting hauled around like a baby.”
“Oh whos going to see you down here?”

Spike opened his mouth to give a well reasoned response when his thunder was suddenly stolen by another.

“I’d see, and I would tell, like...everybody in Canterlot.” A pink pony with a tri-colored mane tied up in a bun stuck her head out from behind a shelf three rows down. “Auntie says I’m a gossip.”

“Cady!” Twilight giggled. “Wow, you suck at Dewey Decimal Hide and Seek. The rules explicitly state that you, as the Hidee, are to evade the detection of the Seeker, which is me, while staying within the area of the library as designated by a range of randomly generated Dewey Decimal organizational numbers.”

“Maybe.” Cadance grinned. “Or maybe this aisle over here is where Auntie Luna hides her romance novels.”

“In the military expenditures section?”

“Who would ever think to look there?” Cadance pulled a slim book from the shelf and flipped it open in her magic. The pages held the ledger for naval costs from three hundred years in the past, but as she scanned down, the neat hoofwriting of numbers gave way to the skilled cursive tale of forbidden lusts on the high seas. “Jackpot!”

“Why are you always reading that stuff?” Spike scratched his head with a claw as he blinked at Cadance.

“Oh Spike, you’ll understand one day.” Cadance mock swooned and fanned herself with the book. “Romance is. The. Best.”

“Personally, I like the books Princess Celestia wrote on energy inversion and thremotheroretical principles.” Twilight grinned at Spike before she looked at Cadance with a sneer. “Bet that why I get better marks in class than you.”

“You’re just Auntie Celestia’s pet student, that’s all. But at least you’re cute, Sparkle, so there’s hope for you yet.” Cadance snapped her new treasure trove of naval and naughty lore shut and turned around back toward the entrance to the catacomb library. “I believe you found me, so now it’s your turn to hide and I better not find you in the spellbook section again.”

Twilight stuck out her tongue and

She felt warm. Twilight could hear the wind whistling through her mane and feel cold rain hitting her ears but the rest of her body was warm. Something soft cushioned her as the outside world shifted and shook.

She thought she heard a deep voice like Spike’s, but it was muffled and she couldn’t understand the words. Twilight wanted to lift her head and find Spike. They had to make sure Cadance was alright before the monster got her.

She was just so tired and Twilight didn’t want to let go of the soft, warm thing that cradled her.

Six years ago.

Cadance sighed quietly and repeated the numbers to herself again. The shelves in the archive were all labeled and organized, when they weren’t collapsed and rotten. The one next to her had a badly faded number painted on it. She was in the right section.

Twilight was in here somewhere. It was the section on history during the times just after the founding of Equestria. If she knew the egghead well enough, she’d lose herself in a book quickly enough. Then she’d just have to get the drop on Spike to capture them.
But first, she had to find them.

Cadance spotted Twilight easily enough as she was sitting at the end of one aisle with a huge book open in front of her. Spike was sitting on her back and keeping watch. Cadance took cover in an adjacent row where she could sit and still keep an eye on them. Spike looked sleepy so all she had to do was wait until her target was completely comfortable and distracted.

From her vantage point, Cadance studied Twilight Sparkle. She’d known Twilight for years and the unicorn was her secret weapon in her Auntie’s classes. Twilight absorbed knowledge like a sponge and loved to help her “struggling” classmate. It wasn’t cheating, Twilight helped her with studying and staying on topic. Auntie Tia was right, she was a gossip and couldn’t stay focused to save her life in spell class.

Auntie Luna just thought she needed the right thing to focus on. She had given Cadance her new hobby of studying ponies and drakes and diamond dogs, learning about them from mannerisms and speech patterns. Take Twilight for instance, it took no great deduction to see she liked books, but it wasn’t the reading that drew her, it was an unquenchable thirst for information. Cadance could tell by how her eyes twinkled when she learned something new, the way she would inhale sharply and how her face would light up.

Cadance felt she could watch Twilight all day.

The rain was worse. At least, Twilight thought it was. She couldn’t tell. Her eyes wouldn’t open and her ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton. Twilight groaned as she was rolled over and two strong arms closed around her middle.

Something warm gripped her hoof gently and Twilight tried to squeeze it in return but her body wasn’t responding. She felt that really should bother her more but it was getting harder to think. The cotton in her ears was invading her mind.

Was Cadance safe?

Six years ago.

Twilight looked up as Spike started to snore from her back. She looked back at the book in front of her and then she scanned the row she’d taken refuge on. Cadance wasn’t in sight.

“Wow, she does suck at this.” Twilight smirked and put the book away before standing up slowly to not wake Spike and let blood return to her hooves.

She walked slowly back to the main passage and looked up and down again for Cadance. The young princess was nowhere in sight again and Twilight started to worry. The archive was huge. Could Cadance have gotten lost?

Twilight was about to start a systematic search pattern when she heard the dainty snort of a sleeping Princess. It was a sound she had become very familiar with from class. She followed the noise a short way until she spotted an unconscious alicorn mare half way down a row of shelves.

She shook her head and trotted over to Cadance and nudged her with a hoof until she woke. “You were supposed to find me, not the other way around.”

Cadance yawned and smiled up at her. “Well are you my Prince Charming, come to wake a sleeping Princess?”

Twilight looked at Cadance in silence for a moment. “Weirdo.”

The rain had stopped. It was silent and Twilight was concerned at her lack of concern. She was just so tired and her leg ached in an off-hoof way. She was getting cold. Twilight really wished the warm, soft thing would hold her some more.

Six years ago.

Twilight blinked at Cadance. Her lips felt funny. Her heart felt funnier.

“What was that for?”

Cadance giggled and pranced away, heading back toward the entrance again now that it was late. They would be expected at the dinner table by the Royal Sisters within the hour. As she reached the stairs, Cadance looked back over her shoulder. “Prince Charmings always get a kiss when they wake Princesses.”

Twilight watched her go and felt even funnier in her heart. “But...but Cady, I’m not a stallion! Hey! Wait up!”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Guardian by Taranth

by Taranth
~~~

Pink-purple magic lit the room, filling it with an eerie but warm glow as it coalesced into the centre. At first it seemed there was simply gathering, without actually acting on anything; but as it grew stronger, the very air itself seemed to buckle and twist…

Twilight gave a cry of effort as she completed the spell, tearing the very fabric of reality asunder. Suddenly, where once there stood a mostly empty room, there was now a tear, through which a familiar pink pony could be seen.

Cadance lay in a heap in the middle of the floor, gazing up in confusion and horror at the rip in the air... but that immediately stopped as soon as she saw the spellcasting princess. Giving a desperate cry of delight, she surged through the portal in a blur of bedraggled feathers, and pounced onto Twilight, disrupting the spell and leaving the portal to collapse behind her as the two princesses tumbled across the room.

Cadance regained her bearings first and wasted no time, capturing Twilight’s lips with her own in a downright hungry display of passion, pinning down the slightly smaller princess and twisting their muzzles together. All six limbs wrapped tightly around Twilight, and she would have had to struggle hard to escape.

Not that she seemed to be trying particularly hard. Indeed, between recovering from the portal spell and Cadance’s ministrations, Twilight could do little more than melt in the grip of the Alicorn of love, basking in her passion and attention, pressed tightly together along barrel, limb and lips.

I sighed and cleared my throat loudly.

...And again.

...On the third time, it seems Twilight heard me, and struggled enough to actually get Cadance’s attention as well. It was a little longer still before she seemed willing to actually relinquish her prize, but eventually Twilight managed to direct her attention my way, and finally she composed herself and got off, letting them both stand up.

“Oh… hi, Shining.” Cadance grinned, rubbing the back of her head. “Sorry, it’s just been… wait…”

She stared at me a long moment, before spinning around to Twilight, giving her a closer inspection as well. Twilight, on the other hand, was still trying to catch her breath, while also trying to avoid my gaze, which might have been just a touch harsher than I intended it to be.

“You’re not Shining Armour! And you’re not Twilight!” She hissed, backing off a bit from us both. Her horn lit up, but it was obviously flickering - her incarceration had not left her in the peak of strength.

“N-no.” Twilight responded shakily. “We’re… just different. Hang on. Sorry. I’ll get you home properly.”

Before Cadance could protest any further, Twilight cast another spell. This one was a lot easier, though no less impressive - the magic twisting open the doorway again, lighting up Cadance and the area before showing another scene, with…

Another Twilight and Shining Armour, looking just as ragged as we were, staring in surprise as we looked over to them. There were subtle differences in the way they held themselves - as well as their colours, which were a little lighter across the board than ours. That matched the Cadance before us, too.

She cried out again, staggering through to the wide smiles of the two others. Other-Twilight embraced Cadance, and Other-Shining gave a heartfelt smile and a salute, which I wearily returned.

And then the gateway closed, and it was just the two of us again, one of each. Twilight sank down, still not looking at me.

“...Sorry, BBBFF…”

I sighed, pushing down my frustration and gently putting a hoof over my sister’s withers. “It’s alright, Twily. I think maybe we should take a little break.”

“W-what? But I can’t, not while…”

“You won’t be able to help her in that condition. Come on. Let’s get you some food.”

~-~-~-~

Twilight continued to be very quiet while we ate, only in the next room over. She had her serious thinking face on, that much was obvious, and normally I wouldn’t have interrupted her, but if ever there was a time…

“Twily?”

She winced, slowly turning towards me, but still not meeting my eyes. “Yeah, Shiny?”

“I know it’s not what you want to hear right now, but…” I paused, trying to find the way of saying this least likely to freak out my sister, and trying to keep my teeth from grinding. “...Well, that’s nine different times we’ve tried so far. You were pretty confident in this spell of yours, but… well, that was the third one who pounced you the moment the portal opened. And there were two more who were pretty clearly with their Twilight rather than with m… their Shining Armour.

“So assuming that we’re not the minority here and most of the multiverse is actually Twily and Cady rather than Shiny and Cady…”

“Doesn’t work that way.” She muttered, eyes down.

“I know it’s a good thing that we’re rescuing all these other versions of her as well, but I am really kind of worried about my Cadance. I know this whole multiverse thing is pretty new to all of us, but…” He sighed. “Twi, I know you’re not, and I’m trying really hard not to get upset about this, but I really do kind of need to hear you say it. Please tell me you’re not doing this on purpose.”

She winced again, opening her mouth… but didn’t actually say anything. I blinked, feeling my heart drop back through my stomach. “T-Twi…”

“I’m not doing it on purpose!” She blurted out, then sank back down. “Not… on-purpose-on-purpose, anyway.”

“...Okay, Twily, you’re going to have to explain that one to me.”

“W-well, the spell is sort of a two-part thing. The first part’s tracking, the second part’s actually opening the gate. That’s the easy bit, and that’s why getting them home after we get them here - they’re easy to link up with their home dimension. It’s like they’ve got the key already.

“But the tracking is… I have to really, really focus on Cadance. And I do want to find her! I’m getting the hang of it more and more.”

“But?”

“Ummm… okay, so, I’m not a hundred percent sure here, but, I think… well, the third one we tried, that was the first one that... pounced me. Um. I really wasn’t expecting it. And she kissed me.”

“Yes. I know. I was there. I wasn’t expecting it either.”

Twilight blushed. “Yeah. Well. Um. Cadance is kind of… a really good kisser.”

“Yes. I know that too.”

“She’s... a really, really good kisser. I mean… I don’t exactly have a lot of data points to compare to… or any, really…”

I blinked. “Twi, was that your first…”

“So, yeah, my head was still ringing and then she was on top of me and kissing and… um… wow. Yeah.” She licked her lips slightly, glancing at me, but then her eyes went down again. I might have been glaring a little.

“And.. umm… well, yeah, I’ve been… I’ve been trying to think of Cadance! Our Cadance. Your Cadance. Really. But, um, every time I think of her… um…”

I sighed heavily, lowering my head to the table. Twilight shrank further back.

“...She’s a really good kisser.” She mumbled, as if trying to use that as a shield. It didn’t exactly improve my mood.

“So what are we supposed to do then?” I cried out, storming to my feet. “Can I do the seeking part for you?”

She shook her head miserably. “No, that’d bring in a whole heap of new issues. It’d take me weeks to rewrite the spell. And there’s no way you could cast it. I don’t even think Celestia could… this is a special talent thing…”

“So what, then? We keep going until we run out of Twilight-obsessed Cadances to rescue?” I might have been yelling by that point.

“I… um…”

“Yes?”

“There’s… one thing that might work.”

“What? Anything!”

“Umm… well, if I was… thinking that maybe when our Cadance got back, maybe I could… have something to, um… look forward to… maybe kiss her when she…”

“WHAT?” I was suddenly towering over Twilight, snarling, as she cut off with a squeak. “You… I… you think you can… after… ARGH!” I didn’t even know how to start dealing with that. Twilight cowered again, hiding her face.

I sighed, storming away back into the portal room, leaving Twily curled up in a ball with her food.

What does she think she’s doing? Asking me to… to let her kiss Cadance? Oh, and that’s probably not all either. She probably would have asked for more, if she even knew how to get the words out. She’s holding my wife hostage. This is blackmail. If I don’t let her… with my wife, then I might never see her again? How dare she?

I glared back at the last room. I thought I knew Twilight better than that. I thought she was better than that! I can’t believe my little sister would suggest something like that! It doesn’t make any sense! She’d never…

…

She was crying.

I could hear her sobbing from here. Softly, trying to keep me from noticing, but there are some things that come from being a big brother with a talent in protection.

It cut through my rage harder than Twily had been tearing apart space-time.

She…

She really would never do something like that, would she.

I stared back at the other room. That… that wasn’t Twily trying to get it on with my wife. That was Twily, exhausted, confused and guilty, desperately trying to find a way to rescue her foalsitter. That was Twily having tried fighting herself and her feelings to bring me back the mare I loved, and only making the issue worse. That was little studious Twily, taking apart a problem and trying to find the best way to solve it.

Maybe the only way to solve it.

...How the hell was I supposed to deal with this?

~-~-~-~

It was a little while before I managed to compose myself enough to head back into the room. Once I could see her, as well as just hear her, that drove away the last of my bitterness.

With long-practised magical touch, I wiped away the tears from her eyes, and then hugged her close against me. It wasn’t quite the same as it used to be - she was nearly bigger than me now! - but it still brought back memories.

She jumped in surprise, then looked at me in confusion, but it wasn’t long before she collapsed against me and we lay there together for a little while, brother and sister, comforting each other in a time of stress. Whatever else happened, we’d always have that.

Finally, I broke the silence.

“...I… I’ll ask Cady about it. Okay?”

“W-what?”

“It’s her choice in the end, I can’t make her do anything. I’m… I’m not going to pretend I’m happy about it, Twily. But… if you can get her back for me…”

“You… are you sure?” She wavered. “I mean… you don’t have to… I can…
”

“If you can get her back, I’ll… ask her. I guess… it’s the least we can do. Don’t think this is going to be a regular thing, though!”

She shook her head frantically. “I’m not trying to take her away from you!”

“I know, Twily. I know.” It still hurt, but I knew she wasn’t doing it on purpose. “But I’ll ask her. I promise.”

“Okay.” She grinned, wiping fresh tears from her eyes. “I’ll get her back. I promise.” She stood up, a little shaky but determined, trotting towards the portal room.

“I’ve got a good feeling about this time. Come on, let’s get Cadance back!”

I sighed. The things I do for the wonderful mares in my life...

Author's Note

Another wonderful piece by Taranth, remember to please leave a comment(comments are like cat nip for authors)

The First Time-100th Prompt Special

by Fuzzyfurvert

Part 12 in Fuzzy's My Little Dynamite

~~~

The first thing that went through Twilight’s mind was how quiet it was, followed shortly afterwards with the realization that she was awake. Her body was numb from horn to tail and didn’t want to respond to her commands. Twilight felt her heart rate speed up as she strained to move even her eyelids and see what was going on. She managed a small slit but her lashes blocked any detail other than the soft light coming in on her from somewhere above.

Twilight groaned and she felt more so than saw, movement to her side. A shadow passed in front of her limited vision and she felt a hoof gently smooth her mane.

“Stay still, Twilight. Go back to sleep, we’re safe here.”

Six years ago.

Not for the first time, Twilight wondered why Princess Cadance hung out with her. Sure, they were classmates in Princess Celestia’s class at the School of Magi, but they weren’t the only students. Maybe it really was their similar ages? Cadance had the distinction of being the youngest student to ever be personally tutored by the Princess. That honor used to be Twilight’s claim to fame until the pink alicorn had arrived.

Of course, it was a special circumstance since Cadance was the first new alicorn in centuries.

They had gravitated toward each other almost immediately. Neither of them had many friends at the School or out of it, just family they saw during the holidays. Cadance, ever the more outgoing, broke the ice first by opening the class door right into Twilight’s face in front of Princess Celestia. That led to their first fight, which led to their first stuttering apology session - after their first stent in detention.

After that they had become fast friends, study buddies, confidants, and lab partners.

If anyone had asked her, Twilight would have said that Cadance was her best firend. But after their latest match of Dewey Decimal Hide and Seek in the Canterlot archives...she wasn’t sure. She needed to talk to someone about it. Obviously, Cadance was out. The Royal Sisters were busy and she wasn’t going to visit her family for another few weeks. That left Spike, and as much as she loved the little guy and respected his advice, this wasn’t something she felt he would be good at.

As with so many other things that initially confused her, it fell to books to pick up the slack in her knowledge. But which subject should she check? Biology? Physcology? Sociology? Twilight bit her lip. Perhaps that section in the archive on naval expenditures that hid Princess Luna’s romantic fiction?

She woke up in darkness this time, her mouth dry and throat sore. More feeling was returning her body and she could tell she was in a bed and covered with a blanket of some sort. It was soft and warm but the blanket felt as if it weighed a ton and smelled faintly herby. The air in...wherever...she was had similar hints of herbs and fragrant plants with an undercurrent of chemicals. Like an apothecary's.
Twilight grunted and got her eyes open for all it helped her. It was the middle of the night and everything was still. Twilight breathed deeply and licked at her mouth to wetten it again, letting her ears adjust to her surroundings. She could make out the faint hum and chirp of crickets, the call of an owl and the distant breathing of a large creature that was unmistakably Spike.

Twilight groaned as she shifted microscopically and the let her eyes close as that drained her of energy again.

Six years ago.

Deductive logic led her to the answers she was seeking. Cadance had called her a ‘Prince Charming,’ ergo, Twilight found herself in the foals’ section of the main library, sitting at a too low table surrounded by several stacks of books. Children’s Tales had never held her interest before but the more she read, the more she began to piece together the ‘rules of fairy tale chivalry and courtly love.’

Twilight was of noble birth herself and she knew these so called rules to be mostly hogwash and wishful thinking, but she could certainly see the draw. The Knight, the Lady, the Princess, and the Commoner were all roles she saw repeated over and over with similar traits that portrayed them as either villainous or virtuous. She could see that Cadance very much favored the Princess and Lady stereotypes with a bit of the rebellious Commoner thrown in for good measure.

Which made sense, given her low birth and then promotion to Princess by way of alicornination. Cadance also seemed the see the Knight stereotype within Twilight. A helper, a trusted advisor and stalwart defender. Obvious love interest.

Twilight blushed and set down the book she’d been reading. Was that what that kiss had been about? Cadance simply following through with the expectation that the Princess kisses the Knight that saves her? Was it all an act?

If it was, then why did it make her heart skip a beat when she thought about it?

Twilight pushed the book away and leaned back to look up at the vaulted ceiling above her. She sat there in silence for a moment before she gave a quiet voice to the question that was weighing heavily on her mind. “Do I like mares?”

“So what if you do? I think this world could use more of us.”

Twilight startled and fell back with an yelp. She rolled over onto her belly and looked up at an older mare wearing thick rimmed glasses and her mane tied up in a loose bun with chopsticks. “Wha? Miss Monarca? You mean you…?”

The librarian smiled and nodded and added a conspiratorial wink. “Oh yes, miss Sparkle. I even know what it’s like to have a mare confuse and excite you at the same time. I couldn’t help but notice what you’ve collected over here and given your whispered question. I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but I’ve found it’s always nice to know you aren’t alone when it comes to the plights of love and affection.”

Monarca smiled and picked up a few discarded books left unshelved by the children that had last spent time in the section and stacked them in her green colored aura. “Don’t let me bother you, I just need to get these organized and back in their places.”

“Um, wait!” Twilight blushed and chuckled nervously as the librarian turned her way again. “Um… can I ask you something?”

“Of course, youngling. Haven’t I been helping you find answers in this place for years now?”

Twilight nodded and got to her hooves. “Well, it’s about Cad - Princess - Cadance. She called me a Prince Charming and kissed me yesterday because I woke her up in the archive. And I feel...I don’t know, funny about that. How am I supposed to feel?”

Miss Monarca held Twilight’s gaze silently for a moment, her face emotionless until she leaned in close and whispered. “You got a kiss from a Princess? That is a treasure, Twilight Sparkle. Wars have been fought for as much in the past and will be fought again in the future for just a single kiss. Feel honored. Feel loved. Feel proud and powerful and complete.”

Monarca leaned back and smirked. “That’s how I’d feel if my Princess would just give me a kiss.”

“Ok, I guess.” Twilight looked down at the soft carpet floor as she thought about the implications of what Cadance’s actions could mean.
Monarca hefted the books she’d picked up a moment before and patted Twilight gently on the head. “And a bit of advice from an old mare whose loved and lost. Go talk to her. Don’t bottle it up or you just might become someone you don’t recognise in the mirror someday.”
Twilight nodded as the librarian’s green glow faded away with her hoofsteps. She knew what she had to do. Knights didn’t back down from challenges in the fair tales Cadance liked and neither was she.

Twilight blinked her eyes to clear the sleep from them. It was light out again and someone was holding her head up.

“‘ere, drink t’is. It will ease your ac’es an’ give you energy.”

“Whe...where is Cady?” Twilight grimaced at the roughness of her own voice. How long had she been out?

“S’e is not ‘ere. S’e an’ a dragon are gat’ering supplies for te potions I make for you.”

Twilight forced her eyes to focus as a cold, sweet liquid was poured into her mouth. It proved hard to swallow and her tortured throat screamed in pain as it worked. She coughed as her head was laid back onto the pillow. Twilight’s stomach clenched and then eased as the drink settled and she could feel its coolness spreading out to her limbs a moment later.

“I know...you.”

“Yes. We meet again, Battlemage. Now sleep. You Princess return soon enoug’.”

Six years ago.

Twilight kicked a pebble as she stood in indecision outside the door that would take her into the wing of the castle that held Cadance’s room. She’d stood there for almost ten minutes as the librarian’s words of advice echoed in her mind. The great clock bonged the hour and Twilight sighed, dinner would be soon. If she wanted to talk to Cadance, she had little time to do so before the Royal Sisters would be expecting them.

She pushed the door open and started up the stairs until she was on the third floor landing. Cadance’s room was at the end of the hall where the wing met the main body of the castle. Twilight walked slowly, thinking to herself about the coming conversation and how she could get through it without sticking her hoof in her mouth. She kept getting hung up at the part where Cadance started talking and Twilight wasn’t sure what she’d say back.

When Twilight rounded the final corner, she paused as Princess Celestia exited Cadance’s room, her face severe and serious. Celestia closed the door behind her softly and turned to trot briskly toward the deeper interior of the castle without pausing or looking her way. Twilight raised her hoof to call after the Princess when she heard a sniffle that came from within. She wondered for a moment if she should knock but then she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Cady?”

Cadance sat on her bed, her head hung and tears running down her cheeks when Twilight entered. She looked up and sniffed. “Oh Twily, it’s not fair.”

“What’s the matter? I just saw Princess Celestia come out.” Twilight walked up to Cadance’s bedside and took a seat. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh Twily, I’m leaving Canterlot!”

It was darker when she woke up again, but her body felt nominally better than it had. Twilight sighed and blinked with considerably less effort than last time. She smiled when she saw Cadance, looking tired and a bit ragged herself, standing next to her bed. When she spoke, her voice was gravelly but her throat felt close to normal. “I thought it was the Prince Charming that woke the Princess, not the other way around.”

Cadance blinked at Twilight for a moment, her eyes tearing up as she smiled with relief. “Weirdo.” Cadance shook her head and pulled the blanket back as she slipped into the bed and her Twily’s arms.

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

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

The sun slowly slipping below the horizon, dusk was settling in the Crystal Empire. An alicorn sat on one of the flat roof spaces of the Crystal Spire; she was joined by a second who glided down from a nearby cloud. The two were content to watch as the skies gradually darken while the moon and stars rose and glowed in the skies above.

Only once the moon had been raised and set upon its path, the skies painted purples, oranges, and blues did one break the peaceful silence. The lavender alicorn nudged her pink companion gently with her wing, “It’s certainly a wonderful sunset, I’m glad you convinced me to leave my office for a bit.”

The pink alicorn gave her a warm smile, “You spend too much time cooped up in there. There’s more to life than your work.”

Her companion gave a light chuckle, “Oh I know, I know that very well. I wouldn’t be here if I never learned that lesson. To think that when I was young all I wanted was my books and my family. To think I wanted to limit my world so much that everything I learned was more from books than from life.” Leaning herself into her companion’s side, “Although I do remember you doing something similar.”

The pink alicorn stuck out a tongue, “Hey, I had friends! Although I do remember retreating from everyone at first….”

“Then a stubborn colt dragged you out of your shyness,” her companion finished.

“I just never imagined it would be us, here together. For the longest time I thought he might be the one I would spend my life with, no offence to you of course.”

The purple alicorn smirked, “None taken, I thought you would be with him too; if not for what he did.”

The pink alicorn smiled fondly, “Ah, that. A year after you left Canterlot for Ponyville he managed to convince you to spend the night out with him. Turns out he arranged it with both of us and then he leaves us alone at the restaurant.”

“Our first date, if you wanted to call it that. I think I remember spending part of that drunk and slightly annoyed at him,” the purple alicorn interjected before pausing, “actually I was very annoyed with him. I probably would have been angry about it if anypony else had tried that.

The pink alicorn smirked, “Maybe you decided not to be angry when you realized you would be spending time with me. Although he’s your brother so I guess that gave him a free pass even if he can be a bit thick-headed. Come to think of it, that was not only the first time we dated and but also the first time you’ve gotten drunk. What did happen to the Lunars patrolling around?”

“Oh, the drunken spells. Nothing much just a few magical mishaps, they went back to normal by morning.”

“Did we ever thank him for getting us together?”, the pink alicorn said in a thoughtful tone.

“No,” the purple alicorn tapped her chin with the tip of her forehoof, “but we should. It’s been a wonderful if crazy and eventful three years.”

“I couldn’t agree more, although I wouldn’t trade a moment of it.”

“Neither would I,” she said leaning while wrapping a wing around her companion, “although we can thank him later, for now I would like to just enjoy this time with you.”

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

by Starlight Shadow
~~~

Twilight Sparkle was dying.

Not from sickness or injury or old age. She was quite healthy, she hadn't been hurt (at least not physically), and she was quite young. She was dying of chronic jealousy.

Every single time Cadance and Shining Armor snuggled just a little closer to each other, Twilight died just a little more. Every single time they shared a peck on the cheek when nopony was looking except her. Every single time they laid their love out for the world to see, Twilight Sparkle died.

She wanted to be happy for her brother and her crush, but she just couldn't. Instead, she contemplated the bitter dregs of jealousy. Every time she looked up from her meal and saw Cadance and Shining Armor looking at each other with love in their eyes, she couldn't help but think That should be me she's looking at. Cadance is supposed to be mine. And then she would deny the thoughts to herself and reapply her fake smile. Nopony noticed that she didn't speak much at all.

And this was the very first time they would have Cadance over at their house for dinner.

The first time - implying there would be many more dinners that pricked a million tiny holes in Twilight's heart.

Something told Twilight that it would never get any easier.

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

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Special talents are curious things for one as long-lived as I. When I was a mere filly, before the first brick had been placed in what today are the most ancient of ruins, it seemed very clear to me. I raised the moon, and my Cutie Mark said as such. A simple system, one that functioned without fail for hundreds of generations of ponies.

However, for my sister and I, the rules seem to bend somewhat.

For example, Celestia’s talent with a paintbrush would make the most gifted of surgeons weep with envy. While perhaps her skills could be explained by innumerable years of practice, it is a difficult argument to make when confronted by her ability to switch between the most emotional of abstract expressionism to realism who’s only telling feature to distinguish it from photography is a flawlessness that has yet to be captured by technology.

I envy my sister, for it seems my second talent is far less desirable.

Allow me to explain.

A nation can change to a nearly unimaginable degree in a thousand years. Social norms, vocabulary, even something as seemingly simple as personal space can shift over the course of ten centuries. Being suddenly dropped back into society a full millennium removed from what I am familiar with was a harrowing experience. Not only did I have a thousand years of history to catch up on, but I also had to relearn how to interact with the citizenry. Even my Celestia had changed to an enourmous extent, thought thankfully she was still easily the sister I remembered her to be.

Understandably, reacquainting myself with modern society gifted me no small amount of stress. I would be a gross understatement to call the sheer volume of knowledge I was required to master anything short of overwhelming. Some nights, when the burden becomes overwhelming, I relieve myself through walks in the Royal Gardens.

On one such night, not long after my visit to Ponyville for Nightmare Night, I was taking a stroll near the Statue Gardens when I heard a mare cry out in distress. I immediately recognized the voice as that of Twilight Sparkle. While I was surprised to discover she was in Canterlot, I did not hesitate to come to her aid.

Without a moment’s delay, I spread my wings and launched myself into the sky towards where I had first heard her cries. I found her not a hundred paces distant, separated only by a tall hedge, struggling against an unknown assailant with a vibrant pink coat. In the shadows, it was difficult to distinguish what was transpiring, but I dived upon them regardless.

I impacted the earth with a crash of thunder, summoned lightning outlining my figure and giving me a fearsome visage. Wings extended and horn aglow, I commanded the brigand to unhoof Twilight Sparkle, or face my wrath.

It was at that moment that the moon, my lovely, traitorous moon, chose to peak out from behind an errant cloud and illuminate the scene before me.

Tangled together in a way known only to lovers, Twilight Sparkle and my niece, Princess Cadence, staring at me with flushed faces. As I stood frozen in place, shocked by what I had discovered, the unique scent of sweat and arousal reached my nose. I managed to stammer an excuse and an apology before quickly teleporting away.

That was the first time I interrupted Twilight and Cadence’s…activities. It would not be the last. In the months since, I have managed to interrupt them no less than 435 times, including twice when I made a concentrated effort to remain in an entirely different hemisphere to avoid such incidents.

It is when I watch my sister paint a sunset that somehow manages to capture every detail precisely and yet at the same time convey a story of loss and rebirth, while I am cursed to a perfect view of Twilight and Cadence boinking in the Observatory tower(close the blinds, for heaven’s sake!) that I think upon the cruelties of destiny and fate.

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

by Magicman7997
~~~

It was a cool spring evening in the capital city of Canterlot. The nocturnal birds and insects began their soothing symphonies of the night as two lovers wandered through the Royal Gardens. Twilight Sparkle and her marefriend Princess Mi Amore Cadenza enjoyed the sweet smells filled the air of the gardens as they softly followed the well worn walkways. Merely enjoying the quiet contentment of one another's company, the two found their way to a small gazebo at one end of the path. Under said gazebo, a full picnic set complete with red checkered blanket and two silver domes covering what was certain to be two of the finest meals the Royal Chefs could come up with.

“What's all this?” asked a surprised Twilight. She slowed her pace as they approached the romantic sight.

“This, my beautiful love, is for you. As a way to say 'Thank you' for being the greatest gift I could have ever received.” Cadance finished walking the last of the path and gestured for Twilight to take her place next to her. The lavender unicorn happily complied as she sat gently next to her alicorn paramour. With a flick of her magic, Cadance whisked away the lids to reveal two large bowls of delicious looking greenery. Daisies, clover, rose petals, and other assorted goodies filled the salad bowls until they were nearly overflowing. Not to be outdone, Twilight lit her own horn and used her telekinetic prowess to uncork a bottle of Chateau L'Heauf that had been chilling in a bucket directly in front of them. With a practiced motion, Twilight poured two glasses full of the raspberry colored wine. Offering a glass to Cady, she raised the goblet in a toast.

“What shall we drink to dearest Twily?”

“To the first time Cady.”

“The first time? What first time?”

Twilight set her glass down and took Cadance's hooves in her own. “To the first time I laid eyes on you. To the first time my heart leapt from my chest for you.” Cadance's eyes began to mist over at the display of genuine affection pouring from the lavender unicorn. “To the first time we kissed. And every time after that. And to the first time, in a long time, that I've ever been truly surprised. Thank you for tonight. It means so much to me to know this is how you feel about me.”

Both mares lifted their glasses and finished a sip of the startlingly sweet wine. As the alcohol swirled down their throats, Cadance softly placed her lips against Twilight's. Their tongues slowly danced around one another's as their passion began to build. Stopping once the need for air became too great, the two lovers shared a tender nuzzle surrounded by the tranquility in the air.

“There's one more first time I want to toast to Cadance.” Twilight spoke as she carefully placed her glass back on the blanket. Cadance looked at her love quizzically as she too sat her glass down. Once again taking her beloved's hoof in hers, Twilight continued. “I never thought we'd get to this point. The point where we truly could be together. But, we persevered, and now, I can't imagine my life without you.” Stealthily, Twilight levitated a small black velvet box from her saddle bags. “Now, for my final toast, I want to toast to the first time, the first time that I took the ultimate leap of faith and asked you the most serious question of all.” Bending on her forehooves, she used her magic to present the now opened box to Cadance. “Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, will you do me the honor of joining me in marriage? Would you be my wife?”

Cadance gasped as she took the box in her own magic. Inside was an intricate silver and golden horn ring. Small jewels recreated their cutie marks and circled the entire ring. Twilight's own magic took control once more as she softly placed the ring on Cady's own slender horn. As the ring slid into place, and with a voice that would have made Fluttershy proud, Cadance whispered through her tears.

“Yes. Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Author's Note

Thank you all, authors and readers, for helping to get us to 100 prompts.

Dogs by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

“Please?”

As Cadence and Twilight walked, or in Twilight’s case, trudged, through the halls of the Crystal Spire, the castle staff and guards made themselves scarce. Previous spats between their rulers had taught the ponies of the Crystal Empire that, when either of the Princesses began to badger the other, it was best to find somewhere else to be.

“No.”

Each time Twilight refused her, Cadence would wilt. Then, a heartbeat later, she would perk up again and ask again.

“Pretty please?”

After nearly an hour of nonstop begging, and weeks of debate before that, Twilight’s patience-building exercises were paying off in spades.

“Pretty no.”

Instead of giving in to her initial urge, namely copying the spell Trixie had used when she was under the Alicorn Amulet’s influence to temporarily remove Pinkie’s mouth, Twilight was responding with snark.

“Pretty please with sugar on top?”

Cadence’s pleading, while not particularly creative, was peppered generously with military-grade puppy-dog eyes.

“Pretty no with even more no on top.”

Fortunately for Twilight, long exposure to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, now simply ‘the Crusaders,’ had helped her build a respectable immunity to the adorable expression.

“…Pretty please with sugar on me?”

“…”

Unfortunately for Twilight, she had yet to build a resistance to her wife’s methods of seduction.

“Don’t. Say. A word,” Cadence drawled, her eyes boring holes into an empty section of wall. Beside her, Twilight sat with a wide, cheeky grin. Between her forelegs, a beagle puppy sat panting, a happy grin on his face.

“Don’t listen to her, Doctor Paws. Who’s a good boy?” Twilight cooed as she picked up the puppy between her forelegs. Doctor Paws responded by licking Twilight on the nose.

“We are not calling him that, and he is not a good boy,” Cadence grumbled, looking away from the section of wall to take in the devastation that surrounded them.

Their personal suite was absolutely wrecked. Couch cushions had been torn to shreds, their inner fluff scattered in every direction. Three of their lamps had been broken. Their expensive Saudi Arabian rug(a personal gift from the Sultan) had had its tassels ripped off and been peed on. The puppy’s water dish had been overturned and soaked the romance novel Cadence had been reading. Likewise, the food dish bad been completely emptied and spread into a thin layer of dry food just waiting for the unwary(Cadence) to slip and fall(again.)

“You were the one who wanted to get a dog. ‘Oh Twilight, it’ll be great. It’ll help us learn for when we have a foal.’” While Twilight’s facsimile was actually quite an accurate impression of her voice, Cadence was not amused. She glared lightly at Twilight, before Twilight raised an eyebrow as if to ask, ‘Really?’

Cadence groaned and pushed herself up onto her hooves. “Forget it, we can deal with this in the morning. I’m going to bed.”

As Twilight watched Cadence disappear into their bedroom, she silently counted down in her head. …3…2…1…’

“What is-UGH! Twilight! The little monster peed in our bed!”

“There it is,” Twilight laughed to herself as Doctor Paws scurried underneath her for safety at Cadence’s yell. Twilight lifted him up again and teased his nose with her snout. “As long as you only pee on her side of the bed, I think you’ll be just fine here. What do you say, Doctor Paws?”

Doctor Paws wagged his tail and gave her a wet, sloppy puppy kiss across the face.

Author's Note

This is a prequel to my previous prompt Crown. This prompt is dedicated to my little man Jax, who was killed by a car earlier this week. He was the inspiration for Doctor Paws, and was the sweetest, goofiest little pug I've ever met.

Appreciation by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 13

~~~

Six years ago.

Six years ago, she’d gotten the news. The order. She was to do her duty as an Equestrian Princess and alicorn. The job was something no one else could reasonably be expected to accomplish.

Cadance was the perfect tool for an impossible job. She could do things no one else could do and would benefit from the protection of her royalty. But it meant leaving her life behind. Leaving Canterlot. Leaving school and everything she’d grown accustom to. It meant leaving Twily.

She’d cried until she’d passed out, that night Princess Celestia passed sentence on her fate and Twilight had shown up out of the blue. Twily had sat with the crybaby she once was, holding her hoof and then holding her as she wept.

It took a year for the first stages of the grand plan to complete, for the stars to align and signal her departure. She only had a few hours warning, so Cadance spent the time saying her goodbyes. If things worked out, she wouldn’t see her home again for years. She’d miss the soft bed and the warm meals. She’d miss her friends more.

Cadance didn’t want them to worry. She knew Twily and Spike would be safe in Canterlot while she was away. Twilight hadn’t spoken of that night when Cadance had learned about her mission. Cadance appreciated that.

They met, like they usually did after classes, in the royal gardens. They’d both had botany lessons that day and Cadance had made a game of seeing how many flowers she could weave into Twily’s mane before the unicorn started tearing them out. Her current count was twenty seven bellis perennis, woven into a lopsided crown that trailed down the right side of Twily’s neck.

“Cadance...Cady, stop, my head is starting to itch.”

“Hush.” Cadance smiled warmly and slipped in a 28th daisy. “I’m almost to a new record.”

“But my head itches and it looks like a salad!” Twily made that noise in her throat that always made Cadance think of baby goats. She giggled at the private joke and reached for the next flower.

She spun the daisy in front of her in her magic for a moment and the blur of the petals suddenly reminded her of the blur the world around this peaceful island was moving in. Soon she would be thrown out into the blur to sink or swim.

“Twily...can you promise me something?”

“If it’s to let you try and beat your old record, I’m not going to.” Twiliy raised an eyebrow from under the waterfall of her own purple and pink hair. “It’s almost dinner time and I have homework tonight.”

“Twily, will you promise to always be my friend, no matter what?” Cadance wove in the next flower into Twilight’s mane. “Will you always be my Knight, even if I’m not a Princess?”

Twilight looked at her for a moment in silence and then nodded slowly. “You’ll always be a Princess to me, Cady. I promise to always be your Knight and keep you safe.”

She’d smiled at that. She could hear the truth in Twilight’s voice, see it in the set of her withers and the tenseness in her neck. Her heart beat just a little faster.

“You don’t mind if I don’t wear the armor, do you? I think it makes my dock look fat.”

Cadance laughed, genuinely amused. She could just imagine Twilight in the midnight blue and polished chrome of Luna’s Shieldmaidens and the battle skirt did indeed look like it would make her plot look fat. The robes and sleek leathers of Celestia’s Battle Mages seemed far more appropriate for Twily.

“Yeah, I don’t mind.”

When she woke up, Twilight was looking halfway normal. Her color had returned and she looked merely drawn and not like death warmed over. Spike had carefully given Twilight a bath the night previous and with her night sweats finally over with, she didn’t smell like a dead body either.

Cadance stretched and looked out the window at the moon as it peeked in between the tree canopy. Dawn was still a few hours away, it seemed. She rose and gently smoother Twilight’s mane for a moment before she stepped out of the room into the cottage’s main chamber. Spike, in his smaller biped form, lay in a hammock and snored gently. In the center of the room a long legged zebra tended hot coals in a fire pit under a huge iron cauldron.

“Princess Cadance, a word wit’ you, I ask.” The zebra mare turned and spoke quietly, her gaze piercing.

Cadance shook herself and nodded. “Yes? I was just about to head to the little fillies’ room.”

“Won’t take long. I t’ink you friend wake up soon. The dawn, not even up, mebbe.” She turned back to her cauldron and stirred the thick slurry of herbs and minerals. “S’e need you, t’en more t’an ever, ‘ere me? Potion done it work. Now time for you closeness. T’en, after t’at, you and ‘er listen to ol’ Zecora. I ‘ave t’ings to impart. T’h loa speak important t’ings.”

“Asante kwa kila kitu.” Cadance smiled and sighed happily.

“Wewe ni mwanamke a ajabu.”

Cadance chuckled and found her way to the toilet before she returned with her face freshly splashed with water to banish the drowsies. She pushed the door open to the small bedroom and her breath caught as Twilight groaned and shifted under her blankets.

“Twily?” Candace held her breath as the unicorn moaned again and rolled over to face her. She stepped closer and lit her horn to illuminate the room. “Twilight?”

“Hurrgh...Cady?” Twilight’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Cadance weakly.

“Oh Twily!” Cadance laughed, blinking sudden tears out of her eyes. “Are you awake this time? Like for real?”

“I...guess?” Twilight coughed and licked her lips. “I was having a dream. You were there.”

“I was?” Cadance smiled, the tears falling from her cheeks as she leaned in and kissed Twilight on the forehead. “You don’t feel feverish anymore. I think we are past the worst of it.”

“Where are we?” Twilight raised her head slightly. “Where is my staff? I need to be ready, if that thing comes back.”

“Rest, Twily. We’re safe. The changeling was defeated and Spike brought us here to see to your wounds. You were poisoned.” Cadance pulled the cover back and once again slipped into the bed with Twilight, her hooves wrapping gently around the frail feeling pony. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

Twilight shook her head and relaxed slowly into Cadance’s embrace. “No...too tough. ‘Sides, I’m your Knight. Can’t leave the Princess undefended.” She sighed tiredly and let her head rest on the pillow again. Twilight licked her lips again and focused on Cadance.

“How long was I out?”

“Three days.” Cadance hugged her tight. “It’ll be the dawn of the fourth day pretty soon. Faust, I’m glad you’re awake! I was getting really worried about you.”

Cadance crushed Twilight in her grip until she heard Twilight groan. She let go and looked into Twilight’s eyes. She could see concern there, concern for their safety, concern for Twilight’s own health, and concern for the pony in her arms. She wanted to reciprocate, to give back all Twilight had given her, given for her. Cadance wanted to show Twilight the love in her heart so she leaned in and brought their muzzles together and captured Twilight’s lips in a kiss.

She’d kissed Twilight before, even slipped her a little tongue. The night before the changeling attack, Twilight had awkwardly returned one of the kisses and given them their first sorta make-out. This kiss...this kiss was different. Cadance put her love into it, her whole heart. He hooves held Twilight firm, their chests rested comfortably together as the kiss stopped both their breaths. The wing that wasn’t pinned under her flared out and over Twilight like another downy sheet and her tail wrapped around the unicorn’s.

Twilight responded with a gasp just before her lips her sealed, the tension released in her body and relaxed completely, her own hooves gently holding Cadance as well as she gave herself over to the kiss. Candance growled slightly as they came up for air and Twilight’s hooves moved to cup and hold her head. Cadance parted her lips and leaned forward for more and Twilight did not disappoint. Zecora had not been wrong about her potions giving Twilight her strength back.

Cadance’s tongue dived and danced, it took territory and gave it, willingly. She wrestled control over to Twily, she fought only so that she was worth conquering. Her legs parted as their bodies shifted closer together and Cadance shuddered as she felt a whisper of coat over than her own slid across her inner thighs close enough she could feel the heat coming off whatever body part drifted near.

Cadance was in heaven until it all stopped.

“Cadance...Princess, no.” Twilight pushed her back gently, her eyes suddenly bright with tears and confusion.

“What?” Cadance blinked and pushed herself up onto one elbow. “What’s wrong, Twily?”

Twilight frowned and looked down, her voice a bare whisper. “This is wrong.”

“Twily...I want this. I want you.” Cadance leaned forward again, her eyes searching for Twilight’s. “What’s wrong?”

“Princess, this isn’t right. I...I want you too, Cady. But not like this. I want it to be genuine, not some hormone and euphoria-fueled grope session just because I didn’t die.” Twilight groaned and scooted back before she rolled over to face the wall. “I want to have a say in it, if that’s alright?”

“Of course that’s alright.” Cadance bit her lip to draw her attention away from her heated mare parts. “I’m sorry for being forward...that was wrong of me. But you don’t have to turn away from me.”

Twilight sighed. “I don’t think I can trust my hooves right now, Cady.”

“I understand.” Cadance shifted her position until she pressed against Twilight’s back and forced her own hooves under her body. “I admit I’m disappointed, but I understand.”

They said nothing and let their hearts return to something like a normal speed as the light outside started to get brighter.

Cadance felt her eyes closing and sleep nipping at her heels as they sat comfortably. She smiled and rested her forehead against Twilight’s back. “Thank you for calling me Cady again. I like that.”

Celestia grinned as she turned back from her balcony and the rising sun. Her new warmug sat on her desk, full of the hottest, blackest coffee. Her old one lost in the averted explosion of the southern safehouse a few nights earlier. Next to the mug, where only her customary breakfast bagel had sat when she went to raise the sun, there now sat a small piece of folded parchment.

Celestia lifted her coffee to her lips and sipped it slowly as she regarded the paper. Her horn glowed as she scanned it for traps and enchantments, her every test returning a negative result. Eventually, she lifted the note with her hoof and opened it.

Inside was a short missive penned in green ink, written in an ancient form of Equish that few scholars would even recognize at this point. It was as clear to her as the memory of the face of the creature that had sent it.

I didn’t send the assassin, this time. The Midnight Lord rises again.

-Chrysalis

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Pizza by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

“Well we made pizza that we can eat, that’s a success,” Cadance said simply as she and Twilight shared slices of their joint efforts.

“On the other hoof,” Twilight continued, “I need to ward my kitchen better especially against Discord, but for safety reasons next time let’s avoid any and all fruit next time especially the pineapple.”

Two continued to sit in the upper reaches of the crystal tree as massive boars comprised of fruit with razor sharp teeth and tusks prowled the streets of Ponyville. The residents all huddled in the upper reaches of their home and praying to whatever deity they could think of for the fruit beasts to vanish.

Cadance nodded, “Agreed.”

“I suspect it was the presence of Spike that this turned out well at all.” Twilight said, “Although it’s a change of pace, usually he throws me out of the kitchen and I quote, “Twilight leave this kitchen right now and get inside your basement bunker, I am not dealing with your magic messing up food again and I am not cleaning up after another of your food monsters,” that was his only cooking advice to me.”

Cadance looked down, “What’s the plan for the latest food mishap?”

Twilight shrugged, “The usual plan involves Pinkie or Celestia. We’ll ask one of them soon probably Celestia. Although I think we are getting far too used to this, especially since neither of us has done much since this mayhem started other than watch and eat pizza. Usually I would charge in with magic but it never seems to work but I did convince the residents to stay indoors this time.”

“I would help but my magic is ineffective against animated food as we found out with the popcorn golems.” Cadance added.

“We’ll have Spike flame a letter to Celestia soon,” down below a fruit boar charged quickly at the crystal tree making it shake, “or maybe sooner is better.” Twilight hastily added.

Funeral by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

Cadence was a very emotional pony. Anyone who knew well enough was aware of this, but to see her actually break down; with tears in her beautiful lavender eyes, and to hear choked sobs slip past her lips, it was painful. Right now, Twilight Sparkle felt bad to say that she was heartbroken...

She couldn't look at the gravestone, she just couldn't. Especially not with Cadence crying on her shoulder.

In honor, everypony in the nation wore yellow. Black was inappropriate for the death of somepony who was so bighearted and kind. The nation was grieving, but no one felt the pain more than Cadence, and that was clear as day. Twilight wanted to say something, anything, comforting, but words couldn't form. Even her thoughts were blank. No one would have expected a legend to pass; yet when the belief died, so did the pony that was apparently no Goddess...

"She was practically my mother," Cadence muttered, as she buried her face into Twilight's mane.

"I... I know," Twilight whispered.

Together, they briefly glared at the memorial. Glorious, a spitting image of Celestia. Luna had left the nation, isolating herself on the moon, and Discord had literally disappeared into thin air, seeing how he was too depressed by his wife's sudden death to attend. The only ones who could drag themselves to the ceremony were Twilight and Cadence. They couldn't help but feel overwhelmed as the entire nation wept over the loss of such a beloved figure; the mare who kept their nation safe for so many years. The sad thing is, none of them knew her as her family did.

Celestia's very small, but very tight-knit family.

"There might be an afterlife," Twilight said softly, as a form of encouragement. "You never know."

Cadence wiped away her never-ending tears. "I suppose you're right," she mumbled.

...the sun didn't shine as brightly as it used to anymore.

The Talk by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

It was far too late in the evening for little fillies to be up. Even if they were studying. Even if they were the daughter of the greatest late night researcher ever. Even if she wasn't a little filly anymore (after all, she was 6th year student at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, that TOTALLY made her an adult). Nevertheless, here sat Twilight Sunshine, surrounded by mountains of books from every corner of the library. A great yawn escaped her muzzle as she gently closed another tome with her magic. She'd been at this for a few hours now. How in the wide world of Equestria could her mother's library not contain a single book that explained the feeling she got every time she saw HIM...

There it was again. That warm feeling between her nethers. It made her squirm on the cushion she was seated upon. It wasn't a bad feeling per say, just very different. Sunshine couldn't understand it. He was just an Earth pony. A handsome Earth pony. A rugged, handsome, muscular...

“UGH!” she exclaimed to no one in particular. “This is ridiculous! All this knowledge at my hooves and none of it HELPS!” It was in the midst of her fit that the sound of hoofsteps began to fill the lower library. Twitching her ears to the sound, the younger Twilight gathered her wits and realized that if she was caught out of her bed after lights out, she was a dead mare. Snuffing the candles she'd been using, Sunny quickly dove for a nearby couch and began the most obvious fake snores in the history of pony kind.

“It's too late Sunny dear. If the smell of freshly snuffed candles didn't give you away, then me seeing you from the staircase, did.” Strolling quietly down the remainder of the stairs, Princess Cadance entered the library proper accompanied by the soft pink light from her horn. Her daughter's snoring became a little louder in the hopes that it might convince her mother that she really was genuine. That all came crashing down when Cadance reached the couch that Sunny had flopped onto. With the speed of Celestia's elite guard, Cady quickly buried her muzzle into Sunny's barrel and blew the biggest raspberry she could.

“HEHEHEHEHEHE! Stop it mom! Cut it out!” Sunny rolled over to her hooves and stretched out. “Wow, huh, guess I fell asleep down here? Well, I'll just be off to my room now! Thanks for coming to get me mom.” Sunny attempted to pass by and was instantly stopped by her mother's extended hoof. With a nervous gulp, she looked into her mother's eyes, “I'm busted aren't I?”

“To quote Mac, 'Eeyup'.”

Sighing in defeat, the young pink unicorn sat on her haunches and hung her head. Looking like a prisoner waiting for the gallows, Sunny waited for her mother to pass judgment. “Mom, I can explain...”

“Please do.”

“I...I needed to find a book. A book on why...” Sunshine blushed hard as the thought of talking to her mother about this subject hit her. “Why I feel the way I do about er.. I mean why do I start thinking these kind of things I want to do with...”

Giving her daughter a knowing look, Cadance flicked her wing open to offer it in an embrace. Sunshine didn't hesitate to accept the offer of comfort. Pressing herself against her mother, Sunshine sighed, “Mom, Momma, what's wrong with me?”

Grinning to herself, Cady replied the only way she knew how, “What's his name?”

Shocked would be an understatement. Sunshine was absolutely floored. She couldn't believe that she was so easy to read. Course, when you're mother's special talent is love, maybe she shouldn't have been. Nuzzling into her mother a little closer, she dreamily sighed. “Crispin.”

Now it was Cadance's turn to be surprised. “Really? Fluttershy and Big Mac's son?” Her daughter nodded to the affirmative. “Wow, he's quite the handsome boy. Glad to see you got my eye for special someponies,” giggled the crystal princess. The blush against Sunny's cheeks reddened even farther. “So, have you told him?”

“Yes, we've been spending time together when I go to Sweet Apple Acres every weekend. I told him I thought he was cute and he, he...”

“Umhmm”

“He told me I was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.” If it were possible, Twilight Sunshine was quite sure her face could ignite a forest fire. “Ever since then, I haven't looked at him the same. He's looked, better. Like he's the perfect image of a stallion. And, sometimes, when I think about him, I get this funny feeling in my stomach and my (ahem) filly bits get warm. Momma, I don't understand. I was hoping to find a book to explain these feelings to me, but I can't find anything. Can you tell me what wrong with me?”

Hugging her daughter tighter, Cadance spoke gently, “Nothing is wrong with you my dear Sunshine. You are growing up. You are about to become a young mare.” Cadance looked into her daughter's eyes and steeled her resolve. This was the moment she and her wife Twilight Sparkle had both looked forward to and feared in equal measure. Soon, Sunny would have her first heat cycle. Which, also meant, that soon, their little filly wouldn't be their little filly anymore. “You know all about estrus and how it works, right Sunny?” Her daughter nodded that she did. “Well, then you know, as part of the cycle your body produces a slew of chemicals that make you feel, a little bothered. All that is happening is your body is telling you that you are in season. And with that, your mind is taking your feelings for Crispin and just making them a little warmer.” Cadance did her best to give a gentle smile of reassurance to her daughter. If she was brutally honest with herself, the thought of her daughter being sexually active, with anypony, was a bit disheartening. Not because she was afraid (because, she was terrified), but because it was just one more nail in her daughter's fillyhood coffin.

“Do you...Do you ever feel this way Momma? With Mommy?”

As younglings, it had been decided that Twilight the elder was Mommy and Cadance would always be Momma Though in later years, both Sunny and her brother Shining Shield had taken to calling both parents just Mom. Hearing her daughter slip back into her fillyhood speech, even if just for a moment, tugged hard on Cady's heartstrings. With a warm smile, she looked into her child's eyes, “Yes, more than I can ever explain.”

“What does it mean?”

“It means, that in some small way, you connect with the pony you see that way. That you feel so safe and loved with this pony, that you're willing to share everything, including yourself with them.”

“And that's okay?”

“Well, there will be those that say you should really be married before you do anything like that. Course, those are usually the same that say ponies like your Mommy and I shouldn't be together. But the way I see it, so long as you understand that there are responsibilities involved with it, and that you two truly feel this way about each other, then there is no greater way to show your love for one another.”

Sunshine felt her body relax at her mother's words. She hugged her tightly, “Thank you Momma. I love you so very much.”

“I love you too my only Sunshine. But now, we really should both be in bed. So, scoot your happy tail up those stairs young mare. We'll talk more about this tomorrow.” Both mares raised to their hooves and Sunshine began to ascend. As she walked up, Cady said, “And Sunny, if you ever need to talk, ask questions, or feel like you don't understand something that's happening to you or between you and Crispin, please come to me. Or Mommy. We love you so very much and we'd do anything to help you.”

“I will Momma G'night!” Sunshine entered her bedroom and softly closed the door behind her. With a sigh and a smile, Cadance entered her own bedchambers. Easing herself back into bed with her wife, Cady nuzzled into her lavender alicorn lover.

“Hmm, Cady, where'd you go?” a groggy Twilight asked. “You've been out of bed for almost an hour.”

“Downstairs, with Sunny. Seems she inherited your knack for late night study sessions.”

“What in Equestria could Sunny have been studying this late? Finals are in the next couple of days at the school and she's acing all of her classes.”

“Oh, it wasn't cramming for finals. She was studying something else.”

“What was she studying?”

“Stallions.”

Author's Note

Part of Magicman's 'Lavender and Love' universe

Changelings by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 14

~~~

It was in the pre-dawn half light that Cadance and Twilight emerged from the small room where the battle mage had been recovering. The latter held and supported by the Princess as she limped weakly into the main room. Spike looked up and his face lit up into a toothy draconic smile before he leaped up from his spot next to the fire pit. He crossed the short distance in a blink of the eye and scooped up both ponies into a bear hug.

“Oh thank the Sisters! Twi, I thought you were never going to wake up!” Spike squeezed them until Cadance and Twilight groaned. Spike set them down gently and stepped back, his frills drooping bashfully. “Uh...sorry. I’m just happy to see you up and about, sis.”

Twilight smiled wanly and put a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “I’m happy to see you too, but can you let me get to the potty? Cady says I’ve been out for almost four days now.”

“Oh. Oh! Sure, Twilight...need any help?” Spike brightened and flexed an arm. “Zecora has been keeping me busy with getting supplies and I feel like I could lift a house. I’d like to see that bug monster try again! I’ll smash ‘em like the insect it is!”

Twilight smirked but her face turned serious as she noticed the rapidly healing scratches and gouges in Spike’s scales. The zebra that had been silently mixing the cauldron’s contents over the fire pit cleared her throat. “Go, Twilig’t, clean yourself. We’ve important t’ings to talk ‘bout. You princess and dragon tell me ‘bout ‘ow you get poisoned. Now I tell you w’at did it and mebbe why too.”

Twilight nodded and started toward the bathroom as fast as her weak legs would take her. She paused at the door and looked back at Zecora. “Thank you, Zecora, for everything. I’ll repay you somehow.”

The old zebra mare smiled. “Aye, you will.”

By the time Twilight returned, Zecora had finished with her cooking and had set out bowls for each of them. It looked like some sort of thick brown gravy spread over small pieces of bread but smelled faintly sweet. She said it was a traditional breakfast in her homeland and directed her three guests to sit and eat as they listened.

Long ago, before the first stones of Canterlot had been mined from the mountain granite and the Royal Sisters ruled from their silvery and golden thrones high above Equestria, there was the Everfree.

Today, even the name - Everfree - is a curse, a cautionary tale told to foals, so great was it’s fall. All that remains are myths, old tales of old goddesses and demons, and the forest. The forest is not a legacy left for future generations to know where Everfree stood, nor is it a place of the past jealously guarded from the touch of progress by ghosts. It is a blight. A scar on the surface and spirit of the world, infected and scabbed over.

No one lives there. No one goes there. To do so was to invite madness and death and worse still. Or so say the bards when someone is paying bits or the beer flows.

What the bards don’t know is the truth of the Everfree. Cut away the overgrowth and the ruins were everywhere. The enchantments and magical enhancements placed into the land and the stones still carry a charge and a purpose from before pegasi controlled the weather or earth ponies master the land. The Everfree is not wild. It moves with purpose and without its masters it rejects the paltry attempts of others to direct the flow of nature within its demesnes.

Once it was a great nation, home to ponies, diamond dogs and dragons alike. They worshipped the Sun and Moon and were ruled by the Priesthood, who were in turn, ruled by the High Priestesses of Sun and Moon and their personal army of fanatical eunuchs. The priestesses were queens in all but name and all bowed before them lest they face the wrath of the Sun and Moon.

Everfree was powerful because the priestesses were powerful and wielded the combined might of all ponies with strength, flight and magic. Everfree lasted centuries because the priestesses did not age. Everfree fell because the priestesses fancied themselves goddesses above all others and they fell to earth.

The first to fall was the Moon and Her eunuchs followed her into the wilderness of the far frozen north. For a time, the Sun reigned over the Everfree unchallenged until the mortals began to demand more and more of Her and the high priestess was drawn into the running of a mortal kingdom. The trumpet call that signaled the end was blown by the priestess when She bowed to demand and agreed to find a replacement for the Moon’s priestess.

They came then, the hopefuls, the talented and fated. The ones that were promised the Moon. They trained, they fought each other in contests designed by the Sun to fail all applicants. She sat atop Her throne and guarded Her power jealously, dangling it like an unattainable carrot. She promised them a place at Her side and trampled them under Her hoof.

After a time, the Sun priestess realized what She had become and in a moment of humility, removed Her crown and became as a pony. The last Goddess fell and with her, so to fell the Everfree.

In the ruins left behind, a shadow stirred in the abandoned temples to the Sun’s glory. Before the vines claimed the buildings and the weeds claimed the streets, the shadow became as pony. Then as a dog, then a dragon and back again. The shadow became what it wanted to be and it wanted the light that had fled this sacred place. It wanted what was promised to it so many years ago by a Goddess that now walked as a mortal.

If Celestia could change, so could she, this shadow, once known as Crystal, now Chrysalis the Changeling. She would have her godhead no matter the cost.

The potion maker’s home sat in silence when Zecora finished reciting her tale. Spike sat with the spoon in his claw, topped off with a cold spoonful of gravy, frozen halfway to his open mouth. Cadance and Twilight sat side by side, their own meals finished and forgotten at their hooves.

Twilight recovered first and spoke quietly. “I’ve read every book in the archives about the Everfree. I’ve never heard of anyone named Chrysalis the Changeling. I’ve never read anything that says the Royal Sisters were there, let alone as political and religious leaders. But…” Twilight looked into the old zebra’s icy blue eyes. “I’ve heard rumors that parts of history have been forgotten and changed.”

“Everyt’ing is true, Twilig’t. We in Everfree now. Go look in the sunlig’t, you see.”

“I believe you, Zecora.” Twilight sighed. “I don’t want to. Why would the Royal Sister’s hide all this?”

“Because it reminds them of the failures they’ve spent a thousand years repenting for.” Cadance put a wing around Twilight. “Don’t think less of them, Twilight. Auntie Celestia and Auntie Luna do everything with a reason and that reason is always good in the long run. Sometimes it’s just had to see that.”

Twilight nodded slowly and leaned into Cadance’s embrace. “I’ve always had faith in them. But...why were we attacked by this ‘Chrysalis?’ Why would she do that?”

“Changelings have hounded me for the last two years now. I don’t know if it was Chrysalis herself though. Auntie Celestia always seemed to imply that there was only one changeling, but I’m not so sure.” Cadance ducked her head and sighed before she looked up and gave Twilight a quick peck on the cheek. “Chrysalis is supposed to be as powerful as an alicorn. That’s why you were assigned to guard me. You’re the only one who’s ever defeated one in combat before.”

“Everything is to your liking, Princess?”

Celestia looked up as she pressed her seal into the cooling wax that was holding the parchment closed she had been writing in. Her chambers looked spotless, the bed in particular looked deliciously clean with smooth, fresh linens, and every surface sparkled. She nodded and smiled at her mare-in-waiting. “It does indeed, thank you Sunchaser.”

The pegasus saluted and bowed with a perky smile. “You are most welcome, Princess! Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Yes, actually. Could you take this letter by the post on your way out?” Celestia held up the sealed missive in her magic. ‘I would take it myself, but I fear I have to grab a quick shower before court.”

“Certainly, Your Highness.” Sunchaser grabbed the letter in her mouth and tucked it into a pocket on her maid’s outfit. “Anything else?”
“No, that’s all. Thank you again, Sunchaser.”

“I live to serve you, Princess.”

Celestia smiled again and nodded as Sunchaser let herself out. She rose to her hooves and stretched for a moment before reaching for her war-mug. She frowned when she found it empty of coffee but a quick thought activated its enchantment and the mug refilled itself with near boiling hot Neightucket Blend. Celestia took a sip and walked out on her balcony to nudge the Sun further along it’s daily trajectory.

“Faust Above, I hope this works.”

Sunchaser returned a flirty smile with one of the guards at the end of the skybridge that lead to Celestia’s chambers before turning the corner and heading for the stairwell that would take her to the kitchens below. She paused to kick open the door at the landing meant for staff and she glanced around to make sure no one was observing her. She took the letter Celestia had entrusted her with and stepped into the stairwell.

“Mmmm...I can smell her perfume on this one.” Sunchaser grinned as her eyes flashed from blue to green. “I approve of the new paper, Tia.”

The mare chuckled as she broke the seal and read over the message as she walked. Her wings fused with her body as her maid outfit pulled itself into her body only to re-emerge as a chef’s smock. Her main shortened and became a spiky mess of green locks while her coat became a softer shade of grass with a glass of milk on her hip while a horn burst from her forehead.

Creamy Goodness paused at the bottom of the stairs where she could hear the sounds of a busy kitchen coming through the doors. She re-read the letter to ensure it was memorized before she destroyed it with a quick bit of fire magic. “Time to go looking for that little wayward princess. I do hope the kitchens will be able to get along without me for a while. Tia hates it when they burn her favorites.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Beer by JKinsley

by JKinsley
~~~

“OK, so this first one we’re going to try is going to be a lighter example. It’s a wheat beer, but they brew this with watermelon, so it’s fairly light and kind of fruity,” Twilight said, pointing her hoof to a tiny little glass filled with a frothy, light brown liquid. Next to it sat a dozen other glasses, filled with various shades of brown, frothy liquids. Some were clear, others cloudy. Some pale, others nearly black.

“Are you sure about this Twilight? I’ve always been partial to wine,” Cadance said, eyeing the tiny glass with distrust.

“That’s why we’re trying lots of different styles. We’ll keep trying until you find something you like, or we find that you just don’t like beer.” Twilight smiled. “And it’s time you expanded your horizons like you’ve always told me to do.”

Twilight and Cadance each took a little glass in their magic and sipped. Twilight savored hers and gave a little smile when she set her glass down. Cadance merely pushed up her bottom lip, looking contemplative.

“Thoughts?” Twilight asked.

“It’s like you said. Light and kind of fruity.” Cadance then nodded and set her glass down.

Twilight pointed to the next glass in the line. “OK, this one’s a honey brown lager. A bit darker in color, but still quite sweet. Lots of malt flavor here. Ready?” she asked as she raised her glass for a sip.

Cadance nodded once more and took her own sip. “Mmm, I like this one.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s pretty easy to drink. So let’s move up to something a little different.”

Cadance swayed as she walked forward, and the only thing keeping her from falling to the side was Twilight. The smaller lavender mare did a wonderful job of keeping her from crashing into everything or toppling over.

“Twiiiii-liiiight,” she sang.

“Yes, Cadance?”

“I’m drunk.” Cadance giggled and leaned further against Twilight.

“That’s why we’re walking you back to your room, silly. Now come on, maybe we can spare you from any more embarrassment,” Twilight replied.

“I’m not embarrassed, Twily. Besides, the rest of the bar agreed.” Cadance giggled again and bit her lip.

Twilight’s face glowed red, and not just from the alcohol. “That doesn’t make hearing that I’m ‘the hottest piece of flank this side of the Crystal Empire’ any easier!”

Twilight trudged on and practically dragged Cadance with her. She continued her giggle fit through the many halls and corridors of the castle until they finally reached her room.

“Well, here we are!” said Cadance as she smiled brightly. “Do you want to come in? Maybe for a cup of coffee?” She tried to wink but just wound up closing both of her eyes.

“Uh, I—”

“Please?” Cadance pleaded with a puppy dog pout.

“Fine, if only to keep you safe.” Twilight sighed and opened the door for them both, ushering in Cadance first.

Cadance bounced over to her couch and collapsed in an undignified heap while Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted to the kitchen to make them some coffee. After several minutes, two steaming mugs flew out of the kitchen in a magenta glow.

“Sit up, Cadance, I have your coffee ready,” Twilight said as she strode into the room.

Cadance obeyed and sat up, swaying in place slightly. Nonetheless, she grabbed her mug from Twilight’s magic with her own and set it on the table at the end of the couch. “Come here, Twily,” she whispered.

Twilight tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, but she set her mug aside as well and scooted over to Cadance, whereupon Cadance slid her forelegs around Twilight’s neck and pulled her in for a kiss. Twilight’s eyes shot wide for a moment as Cadance’s lips pressed into hers, and she let out a little squeak. Cadance still tasted of the three glasses of barleywine she finished the night with.

Twilight finally took hold of her senses and pressed her forelegs into Cadance’s chest, pushing them apart. “Cadance!” she nearly shouted, scandalized.

“Twily...” Cadance pouted once more.

“Cadance, you’re drunk, I don’t want you making a mistake you’ll regret later.”

Cadance turned around and quickly grabbed her mug of coffee and downed half of it in one gulp. She took a few deep breaths before turning back to Twilight. “Twi, you know I love you. I just... I’ve had difficulty expressing just how that love has changed recently. So, yes, I’m drunk and I’m a little more forward than normal.” She sat up straighter, put a hoof to Twilight’s chest, and set her face into a determined expression with her lips pursed and eyebrows pressed down and in. “But that doesn’t make that kiss any less intended.”

Twilight took a deep breath herself and nodded along. “And I love you too, Cady. But... let’s get some sleep. We’ll talk about this in the morning, alright? We’ll both sober up and—I don’t know, Cadance. I need time to think.”

“That’s all I can ask for, I suppose.” Cadance leaned forward and pecked Twilight’s cheek. “Good night, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Good night, Cadance.”

Cadance grabbed her mug of coffee and trotted off to her room, noticeably less wobbly, turned and waved to Twilight, and then shut her door.

Twilight looked down at her hooves. She mumbled to herself, “Dammit, Twilight, why do you always have to insist on doing the right thing? You wanted that, too.” She sighed once more and slid off of the couch to walk down the hall to Cadance’s linen closet and plucked a blanket and pillow from within. “But it was still the right thing. Right?”

Twilight set the pillow on the couch and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. She grabbed her mug and held it in her hooves. The warmth of it did little to dispel the coldness of her surroundings. She sat in quiet contemplation and sipped her coffee until it was gone.

Once finished, she still sat quietly. Everything in the castle seemed to stand as still as she. Twilight eventually turned in, lying on her side and pulling the blanket over herself as she curled up for a fitful night’s sleep.

Cadance peeked out of her bedroom door. She had been watching for some time, at first just listening to Twilight’s mumbles. Once Twilight had gone to sleep, she tiphoofed over and kissed her forehead while caressing her mane. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. Hopefully we can make things right tomorrow.”

Author's Note

Some of you may know JKinsley from Celestia Wants to Date Twilight Sparkle or the Twilestia collab, but this is JKinsley's first Twidance entry. Comments are appreciated, as always(authors feed on them like vampires feed on blood)

Blackmail by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Flying high above the Crystal Spire was the Crystal Empire’s flag a proud symbol of the Empire; usually it flew at its summit today however it flew at half-mast. Today was a day of mourning for the Empire but none more so than for its Empress. Cadance sat on her balcony, her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying since she received the news yesterday. The past night had been rough, all night long sleep eluded her and she felt the empty presence next to her even more keenly than she had these past few weeks. Exhausted but unable to claim even a bit of sleep, she had walked out onto her balcony and watched in the dim predawn light as flags throughout the Empire were raised to the summit before being lowered to half-mast.

Clutched in her magic was the accursed letter that had set the Empire into mourning. A few weeks ago her wife, Twilight Sparkle the Archmage of Equestria and the Crystal Empire was asked to help an expedition to what was presumed to be the ruins of a long-lost civilization. The Unicorn was asked for her expertise as the archaeologists at the site were encountering some difficult and powerful magical barriers guarding the inner sanctum of some of the abandoned buildings. It was theorized that the buildings there were attempting to make headways into was either an old temple or an old palace which would have warranted such powerful defences.

The area where the ruins were located was remote and near potentially hostile territory but there was also heavy amounts of magical inference in the region which made communication somewhat difficult. Despite her best pleading Twilight insisted on going, Cadance knew that Twilight would not back down from the opportunity but at the same time she feared for her wife’s safety. With the nature of this expedition in mind a contingent of Solar and. Crystal Guards was arranged by Shining Armour and Cadance to accompany her and to provide additional aid to the established camp. As well the circumstances of the expedition meant it was expected that contact with the base camp may be difficult and it was given the "Dangerous, High Possibility of Complications" rating by the Guards.

A week ago she received her first piece of news that something had gone wrong, a flame-letter was presented to her in Court by a Guard. The letter tied by a black ribbon with a broad white stripe down the middle was a Notice. A Notice of Missing in Action, the MIA Report as her Guards called it. This Notice meant two things; one, communication with the expedition had been lost for a week and two, Guards were being sent in to investigate.

Yesterday the news got worse; she had been presented a new letter by the Guards. By now two weeks had gone by without any communication with the expedition and when she saw what the Guards was presenting she knew what had happened. This letter was tied with a black ribbon and upon seeing it she did not even have to open it to know what it said; growing up in Canterlot Castle and being tutored by Princess Celestia meant she was familiar with the concept. The accompanying report was also grim, no evidence could be found of the camp. Seemingly it had disappeared without a trace, at least that's what she understood from the report of the Guards that had been sent to investigate and hence the presence of the black ribbon letter. Two weeks was the maximum length for a "Dangerous" mission to have no established communication, or “Blackout” as her Guards called it, before the group was declared dead and this letter was that physical confirmation. The black ribbon on the letter indicated this was a Notification of Death sent to their next of kin. She knew that the rest of Twilight’s immediate family had also received the news; they had also received the Black Letter.

That was yesterday, today was sent aside as a day of mourning. The entire Crystal Empire was draped in black, the flags flown at half-mast, the citizens crying for their Empress’ loss. Cadance could barely move since hearing the news yesterday but she knew that she had to. Their family and friends had travelled to the Empire early this morning for the memorial service that was to be held later today in the memory of Twilight Sparkle. Cadance took once last look before returning inside, she watched as the sun finished it’s Rising and knew it was the start of a new day yet Twilight would not be there with her.

Morning After by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Twilight slowly awoke to a dim room; faint light could be seen through some curtains that were not fully closed. She winced and began to slowly rub her forehead, the rubbing did little to aid in dulling the lingering sharp pain in her head. As she was doing that, she could feel movement from beside her; slowly she could see Cadance waking up.

“Morning Cadance,” Twilight said sleepily before wincing again.

“Morning Twilight,” Cadance said before wrapping her forelegs around Twilight who was still trying to alleviate the pain in her head.

“How did I even manage to get this hungover….” Twilight began before trailing off.

“What do you remember from last night?” Cadance asked.

“Not much, besides too much alcohol, a large party. Oh and lots of chaos from Discord.” Twilight answered.

“Oh? You sure you don’t remember anything else?” Cadance said in a teasing tone.

Twilight continued to rub her head with her forehoof, ‘Things are slowly coming back…. You…. A question….” Twilight’s eyes widen and she yelled, “The ring!”

Twilight winced again; the loudness of her voice had just aggravated her headache.

Cadance’s horn lit and she cast a quick spell on Twilight whose expression went from pained to relax.

“That’s here, Twilight.” Cadance said pointing to a table near the bed. “I think you had too much to drink last night.”

Twilight shook her head and said clearly, “No, I remember more of last night now. I had an enjoyable evening with you before you proposed, we went to my home where Pinkie and her Pinkie Sense learned of our engagement and threw a giant party.”

Cadance chuckled, “I remember seeing the party and it was quite a party, I think your friend may have invited the whole town.”

Twilight shook her head, “You have no idea. I’m fairly sure Discord or Pinkie may have messed with the drinks since earlier felt far worse than any hangover I’ve experienced. I think testing the drinks would reveal them to be more potent than what is usually found in those drinks.”

“I would disagree and say you just drank too much.” Cadance said. “Now our options are either to get out of this room and find some breakfast which would likely involve waking Spike since I do not trust either of us with cooking….”

“That’s one option not two,” Twilight countered.

Cadance smiled, “Option two, we just stay here together relaxing and enjoying the new day.”

Twilight returned with a smile of her, “Option two sounds much better.”

Trifecta by JKinsley

by JKinsley
~~~

Twilight woke up to the sounds of sizzling and metal-on-metal scraping. She tried to sit up, but her head started to spin and she groaned loudly, gripping her temple with a hoof as she laid back down.

“Cadance?” she croaked. Her mouth felt like she had been gargling sawdust.

“Good morning sleepy head. You look rough,” Cadance replied.

“Ha ha. You sound way too chipper. You drank more than me,” Twilight croaked again.

“And I’ve been drinking for far longer, hun. Come on, breakfast is almost ready.” Cadance tugged at Twilight’s forelegs and Twilight reluctantly sat up. She groaned when she was finally upright. At least there’s no nausea, Twilight thought.

Twilight strained to open her eyes against what felt like the sun’s entire light for a day compressed to a few seconds. The bright light and the stabbing pain it brought slowly gave way to unfocused shapes and colors.

She blinked several times to clear her vision, and the room began to come into focus. She glanced left and right; she was still on the couch she slept on last night and was therefore still in Cadance’s apartment in the castle. That explains the sounds of cooking food, she mused, Cadance never did like to leave until she made her own breakfast.

Twilight looked directly ahead and a saw a bright pink smile. Cadance tugged on her forelegs once more and dragged her off of the couch to walk her into the dining room and sit her at the table. Twilight still held her head in her hooves and groaned, keeping her eyes closed for the time being.

Cadance brushed a hoof through her hair and kissed her forehead. “We’ll get some breakfast in you and you’ll start to feel so much better. Just you wait,” she whispered softly.

Twilight nodded slowly, and took her leave to finish off her cooking. More scraping from the kitchen and a few minutes later, Twilight heard a plate slide across the table and liquid being poured into the glass next to her. She opened her eyes and glanced over the spread.

“Toast with peanut butter and raspberry preserves, fried eggs over easy, and orange juice. My own personal hangover cure trifecta. I haven’t found anything else that works quite this well,” Cadance said after she sat down across from Twilight and dug into her breakfast.

“It looks delicious,” Twilight said. She started with the eggs, splitting them with her fork. She watched as the yellow yolks spilled onto the plate before she mopped them up with the rest of the egg and took a bite. “Mmmm.” She swallowed. “Cadance, this is really good. Thank you.”

“No problem, Twi. Thanks for taking care of me last night.”

Twilight smiled, and upon remembering the exact events that led to her sleeping on the couch, looked down and pursed her lips. “We... we still need to talk about that. But after breakfast.”

Silence, save for the clattering of cutlery, took hold. Twilight finished off the eggs and took hold of the toast in her magic, munching on it slowly. When she was halfway done, Twilight noticed that it was now completely silent across the table; Cadance had finished her breakfast and sipped on a cup of tea.

Cadance evidently saw Twilight looking at her, and simply said, “Take your time. There’s no rush. We’ll talk when you’re ready.”

Twilight nodded and returned to her toast. Several minutes later, both the toast and orange juice were gone. She poured herself a cup of tea for herself and Cadance refilled her cup. They meandered into the living room and sat down on the couch where Twilight slept and they kissed the night before.

Cadance took another sip of tea and set her cup on the table at the end of the couch. She turned back to Twilight and leaned against the couch, showing off her long, slender torso unadorned with any regalia. Or clothing, the naughtier part of Twilight’s mind said.

“I want to thank you again for last night, Twily,” Cadance started.

“It’s no problem,” mumbled Twilight, “I’d do it for any of my friends.”

“Friends.” Cadance hung on the word. She paused for a few moments, staring at Twilight with a slight smile. “I still meant what I said last night. I did mean that kiss, drunk or not. And you know I’ve always loved you. It’s just... changed a little. You’re hardly the same little filly I used to babysit. You’re a hero.”

Twilight blushed and waved her hoof dismissively.

“You are! Sure, times have changed and there is a new group of Element wielders.” Cadance looked down and swallowed hard. “And Shining passed away a few years ago. Held on for a good long while, that colt.” Her smile returned and she looked up at Twilight, pressing a hoof under her former sister-in-law’s chin. “But that doesn’t diminish the fact that you’ve saved the lives of the citizens of the various kingdoms so many times over.”

“I... I know you’re sure, Cady, but I’m not. And I love you too; you’ve been my best friend for... ever!” Twilight said as she leaned against the couch as well. She sniffled. “I miss them. All of them. And I know I have you and Celestia and Luna and Spike. And everypony at the school and my own duties as the Princess of Friendship. But goddess above, I miss my friends and parents and Shiny.” A few tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

Cadance reached out her hoof and tenderly wiped them away. She then pulled Twilight into a soft hug, stroking her back and rocking her. “There, there, Twi. Let it out.”
“I want to talk to them about this! Help me figure out what it is I’m feeling. I... I did enjoy that kiss. And I kinda wanted it, too. But I knew—I felt like I would’ve been taking advantage of you if I let it continue.” Twilight wiped away a few of her own tears and then wrapped her forelegs around Cadance’s neck, pulling her in close. Sobs wracked her body and the tears flowed freely.

Cadance held her tighter and stroked her back while she whispered, “Ssh, Twilight. I’m here. I’m here.” She squeezed Twilight once and nuzzled her neck as she held her close until the sobs faded and Twilight just leaned against her, relaxed. When Twilight finally pushed herself back up, Cadance offered the sweetest smile she could as she stroked Twilight’s mane, pushing it over the mare’s ear. Cadance let her hoof rest on Twilight’s shoulder. “Feel better?”

Twilight nodded slowly.

“You know that I’m here for you, always. And I’m still the Princess of Love. If you’re at all confused about your feelings toward me, who better to help you, right?” Cadance giggled.

Twilight sighed. “It sounds cliched, but one of the big reasons why I’m nervous about this is because you are one of my best friends. I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to get hurt.”

“Then we take things slowly. We wait until you’re sure. A few real dates, like a trip to the bookstore where we write little notes on slips of paper and leave them in our favorite books. And I want you to know, you silly filly, love can hurt, but it’s worth the risk.” Cadance snaked her hooves around the back of Twilight’s neck and leaned closer. “Plus, do you really think I’d let you get hurt? You’re my favorite, Twily. So you have my permission to set Celly and Lulu on me if I ever do hurt you, OK?”

Twilight chuckled and blushed, glancing between Cadance’s magenta eyes and her soft lips. “I think I could give this,” she paused, “us, a try.”

Cadance smiled and closed the distance between their muzzles, pressing her lips ever so softly against Twilight’s and holding the kiss for just a few moments. “I’m glad,” she whispered. “So what are you doing tonight, then?”

Author's Note

A continuation of JKinsley' previous Beer prompt

Elements by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 15

~~~

Celestia sipped from her tankard-sized warmug as she took her seat on the throne of Canterlot. The throne room was empty at the moment save for herself and a smattering of her Battle Mage guards and some castle staff that were busy cleaning the great frosted glass windows. She settled herself comfortably into the giant chair and let her thoughts calmly flow around the niggling issues that she was dealing with.

On one hoof, there was the issue of her niece, Cadance, being missing along with her top Battle Mage, Twilight. Spike had sent her a cryptic note days ago about going to a trusted place. She felt that they were still together though and she held on to that hope. Twilight would keep Cadance safe no matter what.

Celestia exhaled slowly through her nose. Twilight, I wish you well and pray for your victory. I shall endeavor to apologize to you properly once this is all done. You are the only one I can trust for this. After you beat Luna...I knew you were the one. Celestia huffed and took another long sip of her Neightucket Blend.

Cadance’s safety went shoe-on-hoof with the second issue: Chrysalis. The changeling was becoming more erratic again. She had been doing so well too. I just hope she gets my note and is too distracted to get into real trouble. But the appearance of new changelings...this bothers me. And what did Chryssy mean by ‘the Midnight Lord’ sent the assassin? The name seems vaguely familiar. Maybe I should ask Luna?

Celestia turned and nodded her head to signal her majordomo. The light grey colored mare stepped forward and straightened her glasses. “Yes, your Highness?”

“Raven, is there anything important on this morning’s agenda?”

Raven lifted her clipboard and scanned the itinerary briefly. “No ma’am. Nothing more important than deciding on today’s lunch.”

“Excellent.” Celestia stood and stretched. “Tell Creamy Goodness I want a full platter of protein-rich sushi and miso on the side. Her choice on ingredients. Otherwise, I am going to check on my sister, call me if I am needed.”

“Yes, your Highness.”

Celestia nodded and trotted off toward the tower where her sister’s chambers were. It was early yet, but she knew Luna would be up for her physical rehabilitation session. If the doctors were to be believed, she’d soon be back to the point of walking around without needing the aid of her wheel harness. Luna was proud of her achievement of just being able to stand and walk slowly. But regaining her full range of motion and stamina for simple movement without pain was still months of training away.

When she reached the doors to her sister’s room, Celestia nodded to the two Shieldmaidens posted there. She opened the door and stepped into the dimly lit antechamber before proceeding on to the main room where Luna took her sessions. The room held exercise equipment, weights and balance bars where she had seen Luna ease her way along, wings spread for purchase as she wobbled forward on weak legs.

Twilight really did a number on her. I’m still surprised Luna doesn’t hold something of a grudge about - wait a tick. Where is Luna? Celestia blinked. The space was empty.

“Luna?” Celestia’s ears perked up as she count a muffled sound. Was it a voice? She turned and regarded the side door that lead to Luna’s bedroom. Had her sister decided to sleep in? She drew a deep breath and pushed the door open, a mantra of ‘please be alone’ repeating in her mind. She was met on the otherside by a yellow colored pegasus that was hastily placing her nurse’s cap on her head.

Celestia blinked and smiled awkwardly. “Um...hello again, Miss Fluttershy.” She looked over Fluttershy’s tousled mane and mussed coat. “Is my sister in?”

“Oh, uh, hello, your Highness.” Fluttershy adjusted her cap slightly and blushed deeply, going silent for a long moment before answering. “Um...yes, she’s resting. In bed. Alone.”

Celestia chuckled and rubbed the back of her hoof against her shin, her eyes shifting around uncomfortably. “Yes, of course she is.”

They both stood there, their cheeks flushed and neither one able to look at the other until Luna cleared her throat loudly. Fluttershy jumped at the sound and slipped around Celestia in a gallop. The door to Luna’s chamber closed with a bang a second later, leaving the sister’s alone.

“What is it, Celestia?”

“Sorry. I came to speak with you, Luna.”

“Then make it quick.” The darker colored princess struggled into a sitting position on the bed and glared at Celestia from behind sweaty bangs. “I was technically in the middle of a physical therapy session and I’d like to continue it before she tries to fly away.”

“I’m sorry for interrupting.” Celestia shifted nervously. “I wanted to ask you if you recall hearing of anyone called the Midnight Lord?”

Luna stared at her blankly. “No. Was that all, Celes...wait - Midnight Lord? That rings a very old bell, I think.” Luna rubbed her chin. “I’ll need to think about it though. Can it wait?”

“For now.”

“Then go fetch my physical therapist, Tia, and return her here. I wish to continue my session with her.” Luna crossed her hooves over her chest. “I will speak to you again at breakfast.”

Celestia nodded sheepishly and backed up. “Sorry. Again.”

Luna huffed. “At least I’ve never walked in on you and your shapeshifter.”

Twilight stretched her legs and rolled her shoulders. She grimaced at the snaps and pops she heard. After breakfast she was feeling much improved but her long downtime had played hell with her muscles. She needed to walk and work up a sweat.

“Hey, Spike, you said Zecora has been sending you out for supplies?”

“Yeah.” Spike looked up from where he was sitting, listening to Cadance and Zecora speak with each other in the zebra’s native Swahay-li. “Like specific herbs and things for Ms. Zecora’s potions that she was giving you.”

“Have you gone out for any today?” Twilight looked over her shoulder and out the window at the rising dawn.

“Nope.”

“Then let’s go get some.”

“But I don’t think Zecora-”

Twilight cut him off with a hard look. “Let’s go get some, Spike. I could use the exercise.”

“Um…” Spike looked back at Cadance and Zecora for a moment and then stood. “Yeah, exercise would be good for us both.”

Spike lumbered over to the cottage’s door and pushed it open for Twilight. The canopy of the forest kept the small clearing in the front shady in the early morning and there was a slight chill to the air. The underbrush swayed in a light breeze that felt heavenly as Twilight stepped outside.

“Watch for the choking vines there. And that over there is some sort of giant fly eating plant. Eats more than flies, so watch out from the bones underfoot.” Spike pointed as they walked. “I don’t know what that is, but best to not touch it. Almost lost my arm last trip out.”

Twilight stopped a short distance from the clearing and the cottage. She turned and faced Spike who already had his arms crossed and was regarding her with an expectant expression.

“So…” Twilight started and sighed, her gaze falling to faint trail that they had been following. “I need to ask you something and I want your oath, Spike, that you will never speak of this to anyone else, ever.”

“You know you have that, Twi. What’s eating at you, sis?”

“Well...it’s just...last night, when I woke up, Cadance got in the bed with me.”

Spiked snorted. “She’s been doing that since we got here. So what?”

Twilight blushed and looked back in the direction of Zecora’s cottage. “Well...she sorta...offered herself. To me. And I’m not sure how I’m supposed to respond to that. I mean, I like Cadance. I really like Cadance, but I don’t have any experience with mares! Or...anyone, actually.”

“Wait. Wait wait wait! Cadance…Princess Cadance...like, one of the top five prettiest mares in the world… has offered herself to you? Are you serious?” Spike gaped at Twilight’s nod. “And you turned her down‽ Did the poison make you crazy or something?”

Twilight startled. “What? No! I just...I just wanted it to be something we both decided on, ok?”

“Twi. Sis. You have been given explicit permission to touch the booty of an Equestrian Princess. The goddess has smiled upon you, so stop looking all scared and depressed!”

“I don’t think she said anything about touching her butt…” Twilight blushed harder and looked at her hoof. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind touching her…”

Twilight faded off, her eyes locked on her hoof as her blush intensified to the point she should have been giving off steam and whistling like a teapot. I could touch Cady’s plot. Like, whenever I wanted.

Spike snapped his claws in front of her eyes to get her attention. “Twilight, focus. This is awesome news!” He grinned and put an arm across her shoulders. “Now, we aren’t just siblings. We’re bros! We can talk about all the hot mares together!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked at Spike skeptically. “As a mare myself, I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

Spike smirked. “Don’t be weird, Twi. Just bask in my full support of you and Cadance being special someponies.”

Twilight continued to look at him in silence until her face softened slightly and leaned into him. “Thanks, bro.”

“Now...my advice on how you should proceed…”

Celestia looked up from the newspaper in front of her when the door to the private dining room opened and Luna, once again in her wheeled harness, entered with Shining Armor in full parade dress. She blinked at the polished cobalt-colored plates and chromed rivets that framed black lace around the neck and at the vambraces. The battle skirt flared much wider than the usual battle dress version and had more black lace and white satin ribbons that floated gracefully behind the stallion as he marched with military precision.

Shining helped Luna into her position opposite of Celestia and then turned smartly on his hooves so that he could begin fixing a plate of breads and cheeses for her.

Celestia raised an eyebrow and took a sip of coffee while her horn flashed and established a psychic link with her sister. What’s that all about?

I was feeling grumpy after having my physical therapy session cut early this morning. This makes me feel better.

Isn’t that a bit foalish, Lulu? Celestia put down her warmug and levitated her own plate of breakfast over to herself.

Hush. I don’t tell you how to conduct your battle mage underlings, now do I?

Celestia shrugged and rolled her eyes before picking up the Canterlot Times from the table and folding it back. “The ‘light show’ down in the Southern Ward has finally fallen off the front page.”

“Oh? It hasn’t even been a week. The citizens move quickly these days, don’t they?” Luna nodded to Shining as he set her plate in front of her and then look a step back to assume a rigid ‘at-attention’ posture. She smirked when she was certain only Celestia would see it and continued silently. At least the press is unaware of Cadance going missing.

There is that at least. Celestia turned the page of the paper. Speaking of that, about this ‘Midnight Lord;’ you said it rung a bell?

Luna nodded. Celestia could feel the sharing between them cloud as Luna kept her thoughts to herself for a moment.

It was from a long time ago. During my self banishment. I met a unicorn that was called the Midnight Lord by his slaves. I don’t recall if I told you about it, but he was the reason that I returned when I did. He killed all of my guards. Luna paused, gathering her thoughts as her body went through the mechanical motions of eating. My army, back then, numbered in the thousands and one pony killed them all. I sealed him away, before he could get to me. That’s why when I returned, I was weakened so much.

Celestia put the paper down and looked at Luna, her eyes searching. Her sister appeared calm and collected, at peace - at least on the surface. She could see the small tells, the angle of her ears, the near invisible frown at the corners of her mouth when she wasn’t chewing. Luna had always been the more reserved one of them, when it came to showing strong emotions, but Celestia could tell she was reliving a memory that hurt her deeply.

No, you never told that. How could a single unicorn do that? And what do you mean by ‘seal him?’ I have heard from my contacts that the changelings sent to kill our niece were sent by him.

Luna reached out with her hoof and pulled a glass of water closer. She took a long sip and sighed gratefully. He never ran out of magic. He had enslaved his entire empire. They were mostly earth ponies, I think, but he did something to them, made them look like living crystals. He used them as arcane batteries, Tia. He killed all my forces by draining the life and magic out of them the same way a mage recharges with a mana gem. When I ran out of eunuchs, he came for me. I had to stop him. So I crafted a shield that would seal him and all his vile magic away. Like what I used on that explosion at the safe house, though larger and permanent.

Luna looked back at Celestia and smiled in a way that she hadn’t since the Everfree fell. I sealed Sombra and his whole crystal empire outside time and space. I spent the last of my godhead on erasing that evil from the world. I paid for my past transgressions that day when I cast my Gibbous Shield. There is no way he sent any assassins. Your pet bug is lying to you.

Celestia shot her sister a look over the rim of her warmug. Perhaps, but that is a highly specific name, you must agree. Why try and pin this on the ghost of a pony long gone?

Celestia cleared her throat and picked up her toast. She isn’t my pet, Luna.

She’s a lot more than merely your enemy. I did some digging and now that I know what to look for, finding her prints in our history is not so difficult. I noticed that on more than one occasion she went by false names that match up with ponies you’ve been known to have a...close relationship with. Luna’s eyes sparkled playfully. Several times. If it were just once, that might be a coincidence…

Celestia blushed and looked away, shutting down her end the sharing as memories flashed in her mind. She was fairly positive which of her few dalliances over the years Luna suspected were actually the changeling in disguise. She knew of two for certain, both one night stands separated by more than a century. She regretted neither one. They were part of the reason she knew in her heart that Chrysalis was redeemable.

That might be, but back to the point, why indicate Sombra? Is he still as sealed away as you claim?

“It’s about time you two got back.” Cadance leaned against the door frame of the sage’s hut and smiled lightly. “Zecora wants us to accompany her on a little trip into the Everfree ruins. She needs to gather some plants and she thinks we might find some more info on Chrysalis and the changelings.”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Ok, I think we can do that. I feel pretty much back to normal now.”

“You look good.”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “Um...thanks. Really.”

Cadance grinned and stepped out into the little bit of sunlight that made it past the canopy at this early hour. “You’re welcome.” She looked at Spike and tilted her head. “Ready to fly big guy?”

Spike laughed and thumped his chest. “Am I! I haven’t felt the wind in my face in days now.”

The door to the hut closed with a solid sounding bang and the old zebra, Zecora joined them in the small clearing. She was wearing a harness that had dozens of loops and pouches on it with small bottles filling most of the loops and rope was looped loosely through her belt. “I am ready. We ‘ave far to go, but you dragon make it quick. It will be dangerous, but you make it safe.”

“Alright. If this gets us closer to some answers, all the better.” Twilight’s horn flashed and her cloak and staff appeared on her. “Ok, Spike, let’s get some air."

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Goodbye by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

It was early in the day, the Sun had made its way over the horizon only a few hours ago. A pink Alicorn was waiting outside near the castle gates when the pony she had been waiting for appeared.

The lavender Unicorn came with full bags and a purple Dragon trailed behind carrying another bag. The Alicorn could read the Unicorn's feeling even though it was plain to see that the Unicorn bore an expression of reluctance and pride. The Alicorn smiled, knowing what the Princess had asked the Unicorn to do and hoped things would go well and maybe help the Unicorn open up more.

The Alicorn walked over to give a firm hug first to the grumbling Dragon then to the Unicorn. The Unicorn smiled lightly leaning into the embrace.

They both knew this was likely the last time they would see each for a long time. While the Unicorn's assignment was brief, the Alicorn's assignment would be longer and much further from home.

The friends separated and shared a bittersweet smile, both had been enjoying their rare time together. A time of peace in their busy lives.

The Alicorn whispered an old Earth Pony blessing, the Unicorn smiled at its recitation and repeated it back to the Alicorn. A fond reminder of their earlier days when their time together seemed infinite. They had found it when sharing a story late one night.

It became more than a fond reminder, it was also a wish that each gave the other when they were about to leave, when commitment and duty drew them apart. The blessing was a wish for safety and good fortune until they met again.

One final nuzzle and hug and that was all they needed. How long it would be to their next time to spend together was unknown. Both knew not what lay ahead but hoped for more times when farewells and long partings such as these were not needed.

Fangirls by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 16

The early morning air above the Everfree forest canopy was warm in the full light of day. The sky was clear for the moment as they hugged close to the tree tops. Small clearings, here and there, offered them a quick glance at the forest floor and a sluggish moving river peeked out as it wove its way under them. Bird sailed along side them as they flew, and it was peaceful enough that it could be mistaken for any regular forest on the face of the planet.

Cadance grinned and flapped her wings to rise along with the land below her. White and grey birds chirped at her sides as they followed her in temporary flock formation. The greenery zipped passed under her hooves, swishing in the light breeze that was propelling them forward. She had never seen the forest before, but her time at the castle in Canterlot had been filled with stories of the Everfree, often times told to her by Twily as the unicorn read yet another book on the fabled fallen civilization. It certainly didn’t look wild and dangerous for a distance.

Four days at Zecora’s hut had shown the truth of those tales, however. The weather was unpredictable and changed without warning or reason. The animals took care of themselves, but they were odd. They stared too long and had more than a little malice in their eyes. When she had gone out the first time with Spike to collect some lichen Zecora needed, she had seen a rabbit. She had been about to call out to it when she noticed it’s teeth looked considerably larger and sharper than they should. It might have been her imagination, but it looked like the rabbit had red staining around its mouth too.

The plants were no better. Creeper vines had grabbed at her hooves, flowers had snapped at her, even the trees seemed to be wild and almost violent. On top of that, there were the ruins. None that they had encountered so far had come alive to harm her, but when she noticed them, it was like being watched. They were easy to miss in the overgrowth. Plinths and spars of stone with lines a bit too straight for nature. They sat and brooded, as if they were waiting on something and had long ago grown weary of the world.

Cadance flared her wings to catch a thermal and lifted herself while slowing her forward momentum. She started flapping as she slowed to a stationary hover and whistled softly. The sea of green broke up ahead of her into the largest clearing she’d seen yet. Down among the now intermittent copse of trees, a city lay choked with roots and leaves and detritus. Paved roads still ran between the walls of buildings that had long since collapsed. From the air it looked quiet and untouched, but she knew anything involved with the Everfree was more than it seemed.

“Wow...Twily is going to love this!”

“Like w’at you see?”

Twilight blinked as the voice called her back to reality. She turned in the saddle and looked back at Zecora. “Huh?”

The zebra smirked and nodded toward Cadance as she flew ahead of Spike. “You watc’ ‘er fly and move, lost in you own world. S’e you Princess to t’e bones.”

“Uh…” Twilight flushed and brushed her mane from her eyes, “I guess? Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, but you protect. Keep you eyes open, Twilig’t Sparkle. T’e Everfree be dangerous and C’rysalis is a powerful t’ing.” Zecora reached forward and patted Twilight on the back. “Love also powerful. Make sure you don’t ever lose it.”

Twilight smiled. “Thanks. I’ll try, Zecora. Cadance is the most important thing in the world to me.”

“Hey!”

Twilight and Zecora squealed as their ride bucked under them. Spike turned his head slightly to look back at the ponies on him. “What am I, chopped liver?”

Twilight shot her brother a look. “You know what I mean!”

They made landfall a few minutes later in a large area where Spike could make a safe landing. Cadance did a few circles above them before landing next to Zecora and Twilight. The three ponies and one dragon took in the ruins around them before looking at Zecora.

“Ok, so what are we looking for?” Twilight unclipped her staff from its holster at her side and looked around the ruins. A few animals had moved away when they set down, but the place was otherwise deserted as best she could tell. “Last time I was here, I just went into the castle at the top of the hill.”

“We look for a way in first.” Zecora pointed a hoof at a large building that was mostly still standing. Pillared walls held the roof up and weathered reliefs lined them near the top, showing the sun and ponies, dragons, diamond dogs and other races bowing in reverence to it. “Inside I t’ink we find more about the C’angeling and a type a fungus I need for me potions. We pair up and look. Call if we find way in.”

Zecora looked up at Spike and smiled. “You come wit me. We look on t’e back side for t’e door.”

“Twilight and I will look around the far side then.” Cadance grinned and stepped up next to Twilight and draped a wing across her back as she gestured at the ruins with the other. “Isn’t this amazing? You told me stories of this place, but I never thought I’d see it! Maybe we can find some souvenirs?”

Twilight rocked as Cadance leaned into her and chuckled. “Yeah, I guess. It is amazing. I’m still shocked that there was religion based on sun worship. It makes a weird sort of sense, considering Princess Celestia potentially being there, but she doesn’t seem like someone that would lead one…”

Twilight whistled and smirked playfully. “Wanna go look at it up close?”

“You bet!”

Spike groaned and yelled as the two mares galloped off. “Remember this is a crazy magical place! Be careful and look out for a way inside!”

Zecora laughed quietly and patted the drake on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, t’e surface is safe. Well, safe for t’ose two. Follow me.”

Spike groaned and flexed. The magic inside him that connected his body to the world and powered the huge furnace that was his body, changed flow and he collapsed in on himself. His wings pulled into her back, his spines along his head and tail shrank, he got smaller and more compact. The shift in his mass burned off as excessive light and once it had faded, he stood before the old Zebra on just two legs.

“Ok, let’s find a way in. If it won’t bring the ceiling down on us, I could just bust the wall down.”

“No need for t’at.” Zecora waved him over as she carefully picked her steps over the uneven and piled stones that used to be an alleyway. “T’e door rig’t over ‘ere”

“What? Then why did you have us spli...oh.” Spike raised an eye ridge at Zecora. “Sage, Potion Maker and now Matchmaker too?”

“In me land, elder wear many ‘ats. Do a little bit of all.”

Spike shook his head and hurried to catch up. “You crafty ol’ bird…”

Twilight craned her head back to look up at the carvings and bas relief artwork that lined the upper reaches of the tall stone walls that made up the temple. “Wow...those are a lot bigger than I thought they were. Up close, even from down here, you can see they’re really detailed.”

Cadance nodded and shielded her eyes with a wing against the sun. “What do you suppose their religion was like? It looks like they had all types of people bowing to the sun. Was it the literal sun, or was it someone that represented it? Zecora says Aunt Celestia used to be some sort of priestess.”

“Yeah...not sure what I make of that.” Twilight stepped closer to the wall and kneeled down to peer at the section near the ground. It was far more weathered there, and faint traces of carved runes or lettering remained. “I never read anything about a sun worshipping cult or anything in the Everfree legends, but here we are...hmmm, Cady do you feel that low level hum coming from these carvings here? This enchantment is still active.”

Cadance shook her head. “No, but it might explain the feeling I keep having of being watched. I feel it whenever we get close to any of the ruins.”

Twilight hummed tunelessly to herself as she brushed away the weeds and overgrowth against the side of the building. “They go all the way down. Probably all the way into the foundation. Oh hey,” Twilight’s horn flashed as she pulled away a thick vine and then lifted a corroded bit-sized piece of metal. “Cady, just think of all the relics we could find here. Enough to fill a whole museum, I bet! I wonder if this was a coin?”

Cadance shrugged. “Maybe.” She turned slowly and walked a few paces away.

“Stay close!” Twilight slipped the rusted piece of metal into her holster pouches and followed Cadance. “I am still supposed to be guarding you, remember, Princess?”

The pink mare stuck out her tongue. “Yes, I recall that, Battle Mage. Whatcha gonna do, slap a shield around me all the time like your little brother, Shining, would? I’m a big mare, I can take care of myself.”

To prove her point, Cadance pranced gracefully away from Twilight. “We’re all alone out here, what’s going to happen?”

“Stop tempting fate!” Twilight groaned. She sped up and jumped over a tangle of roots and rubble to land on the other side of Cadance. The alicorn gasped and Twilight took her chance to catch her and press Cadance up against the building wall.

She planted both of her hooves on either side of Cadance’s head and leaned in close. “Battle mages don’t do shields. I do fire. Ice and lightning and force are my tools. Anything tries to lay it’s hooves, claws or pincers on you and I’ll blow it to kingdom come.” Twilight grinned. “Besides, Shining’s way too uptight to do this…”

Twilight leaned in and kissed Cadance lightly on the lips. She held her Princess there for a moment before breaking the contact and she looked into Cadance’s eyes. “When we’re done with this...about what you said last night…I want to try that.”

Cadance nodded slowly, her eyes locked on Twilight’s. She reached out and put her arms around Twily, and pulled the unicorn closer. “I would like that.”

Twilight chuckled quietly and let her chest rest against Cadance’s. The Princess opened her mouth to say something else, but Twilight silenced her with her lips and then tongue.

Creamy Goodness wiped her brow with a hoof and smiled to herself as she looked over her creation. It was just what the Princess had ordered, a full platter of protein-rich sushi with a side of miso soup. She’d used traditional ingredients and hoof rolled each piece. Then she had arranged the pieces by color until the platter looked like a wavy rainbow that matched Celestia’s mane. She had finished just in time too, as the door that lead out into the main kitchens opened and a tan colored stallion in server’s clothes and a push cart rolled up to the table where she was working.

“Hey, Creamy, I’m here for the Princess’ lunch.” The earth stallion whistled as she gently lifted the sushi and miso onto the cart. “Wow, you really outdid yourself this time.”

“It’s all the practice.” Creamy smirked. “Plus, the Princess deserves our best, right?”

“I suppose so.” The stallion grabbed a clamshell lid from the cart’s lower shelf and covered the food. “Hey, Creamy...you doing anything tonight?”

She looked up in honest surprise and gave the server her attention. He was young, new and not yet familiar with the kitchen staff. His name was Batter Dip, if she remembered correctly. “Um...actually, I am. My special somepony wants me to take care of a few things.”

“Oh.” Batter Dip scratched his head awkwardly.

Now that she was looking at him, Creamy could concede that he was a handsome colt. When did Tia start hiring so young? He looks like he just got out of school.

“You know...Batter, if you’re looking for somepony to hang with, have you asked Meringue Slice? Green mare like me, with curly hair. Kinda short, works in the desserts department?”

Batter Dip blushed and backed up his server cart. “Um, thanks. I’ll ask. What are you taking care of for your special somepony? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, not much.” Creamy Goodness grinned wider than a pony had a right too. “Just gotta go out and get a couple of things that were lost in the woods. It wouldn’t do if something else found them first, now would it?”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Feather by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza

~~~

This is the finale to the Second Chances series. The previous chapter can be found here.

The train ride back to the Crystal Empire was a long, awkward affair. Cadence spent nearly the entire journey in a corner of the railcar that had been set aside for her, staring out the window with unseeing eyes. Around her, the Crystal Knights, all of them at least somewhat disgruntled after having been left behind yet again by the Princess they were charged to escort, did their best to maintain a healthy distance in the somewhat cramped quarters. Any and all conversation that arose was quickly squashed with a scathing glance from Cinnabar.

Cadence hardly noticed them. She leaned against the window, her eyes unfocused as the green of the countryside passed by in a blur. She wasn’t lost in thought, nor did she daydream. She merely existed, all her strength to think or feel or move stripped from her. Her eyes were only open because they weren’t closed, she sat only because she wasn’t standing. Almost certainly, had it not been for Cinnabar, Cadence would still have been on the hilltop she had landed on after fleeing Ponyville.

Regardless of whether the Crystal Princess took notice or not, time did continue to pass, and eventually Cadence was roused from her stupor by a gentle hoof on her withers. From habit if nothing else, Cadence turned her head and saw it was Sir Cinnabar, concern etched into the hard-worn lines of his face.

“Your Majesty, we’ve arrived,” he whispered, quietly enough for only her ears. She blinked at him, suddenly noticing the burning dryness of her eyes, and she glanced around the car. The other Knights were all watching her, each making the attempt to appear politely disinterested.

Cadence looked back at Cinnabar mutely. The silence dragged on for an uncomfortably long moment, Cinnabar unwilling to speak before his liege and Cadence completely unable, before Cinnabar retracted his hoof and came to attention. “If you would like to head to the Spire, we would escort you, Princess.”

Despite the dense fog of lethargy encapsulating her, Cadence recognized the support Cinnabar was offering, and dipped her head to confirm his suggestion. She stood, her muscles sore and aching from her long bout of inactivity and the furious exertion that was her rush to Ponyville. The simple act of moving forced her mind into something at least barely resembling functionality, if only to direct her steps.

The train station was nearly empty, the rest of the train’s passenger having long since disembarked and those returning to Equestria already boarded. Ponies pressed against windows in the passenger cars to watch as Cadence and her retinue passed them on their way to the city, all of them eager to see a Princess in the flesh, even if separated by a panel of glass.

The steady clip-clip of hooves ate the road to the Capitol quickly, until the empty fields surrounding the city gave way to monolithic crystal buildings. The streets were filled with the midday crowds, a majority of Crystal Ponies with the odd Equestrian or even Griffon here and there. Regardless of species, they all parted to allow the party through.

While it would be a gross fabrication to say that Cadence was even remotely alert, she had walked the streets of her city often enough to recognize anything out of the ordinary regarding her ponies. Normally, when she took a stroll through the Capital, the ponies would be all smiles and pleasant greetings. While they would normally maintain a respectful distance, with the exception of the occasional overly-enthusiastic foal, most ponies would make a point of offering a kind wave at the very least.

But, as the group passed through the emerging corridor of the crowd, nopony smiled. Nopony waved. Conversation, normally free-flowing and enthusiastic, was hushed. The ponies whispered among themselves, too quietly for Cadence to overhear, casting furtive glances her way and quickly looking away if she tried to meet them.

The Knights, unsettled by the unusual behavior of the crowd, tightened ranks around her. They were stallions, and more importantly, soldiers, of a different time. The word ‘assassination’ hung heavily in their vocabulary, not as a distant concept banished to the annals of history, but as a shadowy presence well within living memory. It was not only a lasting legacy of Sombra, but the inevitable result of ponies a thousand years out of their own time. Even with years to adjust, many were still adapting to the new, more peaceful place the world had become in their long absence.

With the stallions surrounding her on every side, their crystal armor clinking as they moved in step, it made it even more difficult for Cadence to make sense of the ponies’ odd behavior. It was petty happenstance that, at just the most inopportune moment, an errant breeze passed by, carrying with it a potent sampling of their words.

“Whore.”

Cadence stumbled.

Word, it seemed, had beaten her to the Empire. The Knights, noticing her distress, stopped and put themselves between her and the crowd. Without the inherent noise of walking, and knowing now what to listen for, the quiet, faint chattering morphed into sharp, cutting condemnations.

“Whore.”

“Cheater.”

“Liar.”

“Harlot.”

Cadence turned round and round, finally taking notice of the hostility that surrounded her. Gone were the familiar smiles and happy eyes, and in their place were sneers and derision. It was a bitterly unfamiliar feeling, seeing the ponies she always sought to do justice by turning on her so. The great, omnipresent weight she had carried for weeks suddenly pressed down on her with renewed vigor, and she very nearly collapsed in the street.

“Princess, I believe it would be best if we continued on our way,” Sir Cinnabar whispered to her urgently after noticing her distress, not taking his eyes away from the crowd. He was a clever stallion, and it was no mystery to him what had suddenly afflicted her. Cadence offered no resistance when, after a brief moment of her indecision, he began to lightly coax her forward. She nearly tripped on her hooves, but managed to remain upright as the shield of stallions around her escorted her towards the Crystal Spire at a quick but controlled pace.

In her shock and her guards’ haste, Cadence failed to notice that not all the faces were entirely hostile. While there was no approval to be found, the great majority of ponies wore expressions of pity, or sympathy, or mere sadness. Cadence saw only the flecks of harsh gold in the stone, the scattered judgmental glowers blending together into a solid, damning mosaic.

The group reached the Spire with merciful swiftness, and Cadence was soon safely ensconced in her glass tower. She sat panting on the floor of the Spire’s foyer, her chest gripped with she could only think of as a panic attack. She performed the breathing exercises Celestia had taught her repeatedly until her body returned to her control. She refused Cinnabar’s pleas for her to allow the Imperial physicians to examine her.

Instead, she dismissed him and the rest of the Knights and left to return to her room. On the way, she passed dozens of staff, attendants, and guards, and left hushed gossiping in her wake. She felt as if she were a fugitive fleeing justice as she rushed through the halls of her own home, avoiding eye contact and skulking through lesser-used passageways.

It was a relief when she finally reached the door to her chambers, which was swiftly cut down by the realization that a pair of Crystal Knights still stood vigil on either side.

“Sir Pyrite, Sir Rigid,” she acknowledged with what could not even be charitably called a smile and a nod of her head.

“Majesty,” they intoned together, their voices flat and professional.

Cadence hid a wince: though they had always been quite formal, both Knights had near always shown, in their own way, the affection they felt towards her and Twilight. As members of their personal guards, much more often Twilight’s than her own, she realized belatedly, she and Twilight had come to know them as well as any of their guards.

Pyrite, the more talkative of the two, was always quick to offer them warm greetings or pleasant conversation whenever he was present. His near-constant companion, Sir Rigid, despite rarely speaking, could also communicate a tome’s worth of meaning in a single glance.

Now, gone was the familiarity she had grown accustomed to, and its place was cold formality. It hurt to lose yet another source of comforting familiarity: her wife had left her, her aunts were furious with her, one of them having all but banished her from Equestria proper, her staff was no doubt mocking her the moment she was out of earshot.

She was an iceberg adrift in a hostile ocean, and the knowledge that she had been the one to hack herself free hurt all the more.

Sir Pyrite and Sir Rigid, disciplined soldiers that they were, opened the double doors for her with perfect precision. They kept their eyes forward as she passed, and she lowered her head in shame to avoid seeing their faces, no doubt locked into the stern, unyielding half-scowl pony soldiers were renowned for the world over.

When the doors closed behind her, she took a moment to look around her bedroom. The cleaning staff had done their duty despite her absence. The bed had been remade, and the curtains, ruined during Twilight’s violent teleportation, had been replaced, as had the sheets and comforter. The condom that had been her ultimate undoing had been discarded, and she wasted no thought on what its fate had been. Near the balcony window, the floor was uneven and warped where the spell’s energy had superheated the crystal into a boiling puddle.

Cadence looked away and kicked her hoofboots free haphazardly. She tossed her torque and crown in the general direction of her vanity table, crawled onto her bed. It truly was her bed now, she thought. There would be no Twilight waiting on her after a long day of performing her royal duties, no reason to leave a spot beside her for her wife to crawl into beside her. As she looked over the huge bedspread, it suddenly seemed desolate rather than spacious.

She drew the canopy closed, determined to sleep and escape her troubles as long as she could, and settled herself beneath the covers. The bed curtain blocked out a fair portion of the light streaming in through the windows, allowing only a dim portion of the sun’s rays through. The thick walls and insulated glass insulated her from the hustle and bustle of the city’s activity, allowing her bed to act as a quiet oasis of peace.

Cadence tossed and turned at first, unable to find a comfortable position. She was unused to sleeping alone: she and Twilight had hardly spent a night apart since their wedding, and never for more than a day at a time. She had grown used to cuddling and falling asleep with the scent of lavender and parchment in her nose. The freshly laundered sheets smelled unfamiliar and wrong, the expensive detergent a poor substitute.

Frustrated, Cadence eventually pulled a large, rarely used body pillow from the closet and brought it to her chest. As she wedged it in beside her, a streak of dark purple on the light violet sheets caught her eye, freezing her in place.

The maids had not been as thorough as she had expected. A purple feather, apparently trapped between the pillows, remained. Cadence picked it up carefully, as though expecting it to dissolve at her touch. When it remained solid, she rolled it between her hooves, watching the delicate patterns in the vane shift in the light. A thought occurred to her, and she sniffed the discarded plumage.

Cadence smiled sadly. Though faint, the smell of Twilight was unmistakable. She used her magic to cut a small slit in the pillowcase and slid the hollow shaft inside securely. Satisfied, she curled into her nest of sheets and clutched the pillow tightly to her chest. If she tried hard enough, she could imagine, for a moment at least, that it was Twilight against her. She could pretend she hadn’t lost the love of her life, ruined her marriage, and turned her entire nation against her.

For a moment, at least.

With sleep sinking its sharp talons into her for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime, Cadence didn’t notice that she had already soaked her pillow with tears.

Far below, at the base of the Spire, the Crystal Heart hovered in place, suspended midair between the Earth and the Spire itself. The Crystal Heart, a conduit for the inherit magic in all the citizens of the Crystal Empire, was absolutely humming with energy. The excitement of a royal scandal, even if all the exact details were not yet known, was a rare thing. Rumors flew, carrying news of varying believability. There was talk of everything from Princess Twilight having renounced her Imperial Crown to Princess Cadence and the entire Imperial Guard having been replaced by a Changeling.

As Princess Cadence cried herself to sleep in solitude, and her ponies eagerly gossiped back and forth, the Crystal Heart began a low, nearly inaudible whine. It shivered in place, though nopony was quite close enough to hear it.

Distracted as they were, nopony noticed when a thin, hairline fracture appeared in the center of the perfectly cut face of the Crystal Heart.

Almost by Magicman7997

by Magicman7997
~~~

Part of Magicman's 'Lavender and Love' continuity

“Focus Shining, you’ve almost got it!” cheered Twilight Sparkle. The young white alicorn colt clenched his tongue between his lips and focused his casting through his small horn. Slowly, the shielding spell began to spring to life. “You’re doing it son, that’s it! Just a little more!”

“I…(huff)...can...do this! I can do this!” Shining Shield exclaimed. Slowly, a light blue aura surrounded his horn and began to cascade down his body. The shielding spell began to take hold and after a few tense moments, the young alicorn’s body was enveloped in the protective barrier. When Shining opened his eyes, he was met with the hazy field of his own magic.

"I DID IT! I DID IT!" The young colt bounced up and down, “Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!”

From the sidelines, a very proud Cadance and Twilight Sunshine clopped their hooves and whistled. The two mare cheering section rose to their hooves and walked towards their other family members. “I’m so proud of you son! You remind me of your uncle so very much,” Cady said wistfully. Gently she nuzzled the colt as his sister took to his other side.

“Not bad, for a colt,” teased Sunshine. “Too bad I could do it better! And I’d use less energy too!”

Shining glared daggers at his sister. “Oh, I don’t think so sis. Just because you share Momma’s name doesn’t mean you’re as strong as she is. I’m twice the alicorn you are!”

“Are not!”

“Are too!”

“Are not!”

”ARE TOO!”

The two youngsters stood muzzle to muzzle trying to intimidate one another. Just as it seemed that a new family war was going to erupt, the elder Twilight stepped between the two.

“Well now, it would seem that you two need to burn off a little energy. What do you guys say to a little magic duel? It will give you guys a chance to stretch your horns a bit, and your Momma and I haven’t had a good laugh in a day or two.”

The young ponies turned to their parents and then grinned at each other. The unspoken bond between the two shone through as they exchanged glances. Slowly, they paced themselves apart and took up positions to challenge each other.

“Casters at the ready!” called Twilight Sparkle. “And, BEGIN!”

As soon as she spoke, the two mischievous young ones turned and fired a harmless feather tickle spell at their mother. A quick gasp of surprise escaped from Cadance’s lips as the elder Twilight was taken in the spell. A sly grin slowly spread across the lavender alicorn’s face as the spell wrapped around her and then ebbed away like water. The twins were stunned. It was as if they didn’t even cast any magic at their mother at all.

“Tsk tsk, you two almost surprised me there,” said Twilight as she charged her own horn. “Almost…”

Deductions by CrackedInkWell

CrackedInkWell
~~~

The dinner was a cause of celebration. Cadence had been found by her foalnapers and has been returned safely after being gone for several weeks. It was a dinner that was after all the pomp and circumstance that gave the heroes of finding her, those heroes being Sherlock Hooves and John Trotson.

Sat besides the clean white tablecloth table that had the finest silver, china and crystal glasses that only royalty could afford, sat five ponies: Cadence, her husband, Princess Twilight, Sherlock and Trotson were eating away at the appetizers.

Sherlock wasn't known to enjoy himself when it came to other ponies, that being in a small group, in public or otherwise, he didn't really enjoy being around ponies in general, so he did the next best thing, he observed.

“It’s so good to have you back here again,” Shining said giving his wife a quick and predictable kiss. Sherlock rolled his eyes but Twilight caught his attention when her cheek bone and her left ear twitched. He raised an eyebrow.

“And I’m glad you were able to come back safe and sound.” Twilight smiled while raising a hoof for the waiter to have some more wine. He saw that near the tip that there was a small cut. A paper cut from several hours ago. Her eyes were a little red, perhaps from lack of sleep until just recently. As the waiter poured her a glass, Twilight adjusted her necklace a little that matched the earrings she was wearing.

“Consider yourselves extremely lucky that you were able to contact us.” Trotson said politely, “And to find her highness just in time as well.”

“Once again, I thank you for that,” Cadence replied. “But in the past several hours, I still can’t put my hoof on how is it that you do it?”

“Do what?” Sherlock asked.

“How were you able to figure out where I was taken to?”

“Deduction, simple detection was all.”

“How was it simple?”

“Your highness, all the clues as to where you were was right there out in the open, the trick is to look.”

“But you were just able to pick up details that were microscopic.” Shining pointed out.

“I know, it’s the tiniest of details that can tell you everything. Take Trotson here,” Sherlock turned to his partner. “Look at the uniform he’s wearing, there’s still folded creases which indicates that he hasn't worn them since his military service. His proper, upright stature suggests that he’s showing respect from a military standpoint. His mane was combed and gelled heavily trying to keep his appearance sharp though out the ceremony and most likely this dinner.”

“But Sherlock,” Cadence stopped him. “You and Trotson have been working together for some years and I think you might have already known him by now. So what about somepony that you haven’t met, say, Twilight for example, what can you deduce from her?”

“Um, your majesty,” Trotson said in alarm. “I’m not sure if that’s a-”

“Oh come on, it gives me something to do.” Sherlock interrupted.

“Yet I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“But they want to see it done.”

“But not with these ponies.”

“I wouldn't mind.” Twilight piped up.

“See, she said she wouldn't mind.” Sherlock retorted.

“Well… Alright, fine.” Trotson turned to the purple alicorn, “Just remember, you agreed to this.” And with that, he leaned back in his seat for the upcoming fireworks that were about to being.

“Your highness,” Sherlock said, turning his attention to Twilight. “Would you please stand up from your seat for a moment?”

Twilight said she wouldn't mind at all and stood up beside her chair. Sherlock got up to examine the purple princess. Taking in the details about the jewelry, the mane style, her facial features, he even sniffed the air around her before turning back to his seat.

“To begin with,” Sherlock said as Twilight retook her seat at the table. “You have been up reading late last night.”

Shining laughed, “Well that’s no secret.” But Sherlock ignored him and continued his deduction, “Your red eyes suggest that you not only do reading but very heavy reading that you had probably had spent long hours on. Now normally I would say that the red eyes were due to the amount of stress considering the foalnapping until I saw the cut on your right hoof. A paper cut that must have been made between ten to twelve hours ago.”

“Well, very good,” Trotson said. “I think you should sto-”

“And just by looking at you, I've already deduced who your special somepony is.” This statement that Sherlock made had gotten all the attention from not only from the entire table but from the whole room of the staff that was present.

“W-What?” Twilight asked.

“Twilight! That’s wonderful!” Cadence said happily, “Who is it?”

“I think it’s rather obvious your majesties.” Sherlock said before continuing back to his deduction. “The jewelry was a near give-a-way. Now in all of the pictures I've ever seen with Princess Twilight, outside of her crowns, she almost never wears any jewelry. And never at such a level of extravagance either. Next, her mane as well as her tail has not only been trimmed and combed but it’s all done very resent judging by the small pieces of her hair on her coat. And then, there’s the perfume, the smell of lilac and roses can be only traced to one particular brand. Floral and Fonda, which is one of the most expensive brands on the planet. Now, with all of this, why would a mare put on the best jewelry, shows off the best mane cut and wears expensive perfume? It’s because she wants to impress somepony. But who? Again, the jewelry provides a clue, pink diamonds, yellow gemstones, Amethysts, and rubies.” At this point, Twilight was increasingly getting more and more edgy the further that Sherlock spoke.

“As well does the perfume, especially when it’s meant for a mare.”

“A mare?” Shining asked.

“Twilight has made it clear, especially in her coronation that the flower of choice was lilac. Considering it's tradition that royals should be surrounded by their favorite flower during their coronation. Luna was of course moon flowers, Celestia with lilies, and Cadence with-”

“Roses.” Cadence finished his sentence, her eyes widen.

“Correct. And finally, there’s the twitching. Whenever Cadence and her husband show affection, there’s always that twitch. I saw it during the ceremony, our walk to this room and especially at this very table. I could have written it off as a nervous tick but that wouldn't make sense considering the events of today. So if the jewelry, the mane cut and the perfume were to show signs of anything, it would say that the twitches are a sign of jealously. But why would Twilight be jealous? And from whom? The fact that you’re here within an hour after Cadence have been found; the fact that the whole ‘Sunshine’ dance seems to indicate that you two probably know each other for a very long time; and the fact that out of all the ponies in not only here but though out all the media that Twilight is much more closer to Cadence then even Celestia has left me with a conclusion. She’s actually in love with Cadence but couldn't admit it because she’s already married to her brother. Hence, that’s where the jealousy might have sprung from.”

Sherlock turned back to Twilight, “So your majesty, am I wrong?”

Splash!

Twilight threw her drink at Sherlock’s face. Even when dripping, Sherlock wore a smug on his face.

“He’s right.” Twilight said, tearing up. “I… I’m so sorry.”

And with that, Twilight ran out of the door.

“Twiley! Come back!” Shining called out as he and his wife got up from the table.

“Now see what you've done?” Trotson asked.

_*_

Cadence and Shining Armor now stood in front of one of the guest rooms that Twilight was in, where they could hear her cries though the door.

“Shining, I want to talk to her.”

“But I’m her brother.”

“I know, but this time, I think I want to talk with her. I’ll call you when I need you.”

“If you say so,” Cadence reached for the door. But before she could open it, Shining added: “Just be careful with her.”

Nodding, she opened the door. “Twilight?” She stuck her head in to find Twilight, still having the jewelry on, was crying uncontrollably on her bed. Cadence quietly made her way towards the bed, taking a seat next to her. Putting a hoof on her head, she said, “There there Twilight. I’m not mad at you in the slightest. It’s alright.”

“N-N-No i-it isn't!”

“Twilight, it is. Like I said, I’m not mad at you. In a way, I’m rather flattered.”

The purple alicorn looked up, “As well as a little confused.” Cadence added, “Twiley, why didn't you tell me before? Was it because I fell in love with Shining?”

She nodded, “You two were just so… happy. Shining was happy when you’re around as the exact same as you are with him. Cadence… I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell you how amazing of not just as a princess, but what an amazing pony you are. You are the kindest, sweetest and even the most caring pony I've ever known, and considering I’m friends with Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rarity, that says a lot. I was going to tell you, but…”

“But, what?”

“What if I get in the way?” Twilight asked, looking at her straight in eye, “What if I become a bother to you and make things difficult for Shining? What if you never felt that way towards me? What if…” Cadence gave Twilight a hug as she once again burst an ocean of tears.

“Twilight, I, first of all, I think that you still should had given me a clue about your feelings towards me. Second, I do care for my Shining, but as a princess of love, all I can say is that you have one of a few choices to choose from. Either you let me help you move on so that you’ll be able to find somepony else to make you happy.”

“Or?”

“Or, since you’re an alicorn now, you could wait. Shining, though I love him deeply, I know that one day, your brother will not be around anymore. And when that dark day comes, maybe you can help me back into the light, to show that I can love again. I can’t make this choice for you, so you’ll have to decide on your own. Okay?”

Twilight nodded.

“Now then, shall we get back to dinner?”

Limitless by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 17

~~~

Six years ago.

Celestia’s chamber was just as she had left it. Paper piled up on her desk in a mess, huge brown rings marking where Celestia’s warmug had sat. The furniture was all just slightly out of alignment, the couch cushions could use a fluffing, the shelves needed a decent dusting. Philomena’s enclosure was, paradoxically, the cleanest thing in the room. Celestia was very dutiful in caring for her pet.

Even the bed was messy and unmade. Chrysalis, currently Monarca, unicorn head librarian and secret paramor of Princess Celestia, smirked at that. The condition of the bed was partially her fault. She’d had to sneak out suddenly in the pre-dawn hours when Princess Luna had visited her sister’s room unexpectedly. Otherwise, she would have made it while Celestia showered.

Perhaps, I should talk Tia into hiring a personal maid again. Monarca chuckled and her green colored aura grabbed the sheets and pillows and started to arrange them. How the immortal Princess of the Sun has a forever untidy bedroom is beyond me. If the room is going to be as clean as possible, she’ll have to have a maid take care of it.

With the bed soon made, Monarca stretched herself out in and pulled out the chopsticks that held her mane up in a bun. Celestia would be back in the room any minute and she didn’t want to leave any uncertainty in the air about the nature of her visit. Luna shouldn’t be a bother tonight and give them another case of cuddlous interruptus. She’d barely had time to toss the chopsticks onto the bedstand when Celestia burst into the room and all but slammed the door closed behind her.

“Tia? What’s wrong?” Monarca sat up on the bed and shook out her hair. “You look upset.”

“What?” Celestia sniffed and wiped her face with a wing before she looked at the bed. “Monarca? I’m sorry...I just had to deal with something. I...I don’t…”

“Come sit with me, Tia. Tell me all about it.” Celestia sniffled again and plodded over to the bed before falling into it like a particularly weepy stack of bricks. Monarca smiled at her warmly and slipped her hooves around Celestia’s neck and nuzzled the mare softly.

“Momo, I think I may have broken Cadance’s heart.” Celestia sighed as a fresh set of tears rolled down her cheeks. “I told her tonight, before dinner, that she was going to have to go on a mission for me. She’s leaving Equestria tomorrow and...and I think it hurt her a lot to have to leave all this. To leave her friend, Twilight Sparkle.”

Monarca nodded slowly. “Yes, I know the mare.”

“I told her it was for the good of all Equestria. That she is the only one that can do this. Her life is going to be in danger for however long this takes.”

“How did she take the news?” Monarca brushed Celestia’s wild rainbow mane out of her eyes as she looked down at the alicorn.

“She cried, but she...she agreed with me, in the end.” Celestia seemed to deflate and her eternally flowing mane grew still and cold. “That was the worst part, Momo. She agreed with me and it’s going to kill her one true friendship here because she might never return.”

Monarca smiled and booped Celestia on the nose. “Oh hush. I know that Twilight filly. Theirs is a friendship that will survive this, Tia. Trust me, and stop crying, ok, my pretty princess?”

Celestia sniffled again and looked into Monarca’s eyes. “Do you think so?”

The librarian nodded and leaned in to kiss Celestia softly on the lips. The princess groaned quietly into the kiss and her mane burst back to life. Monarca pulled back after a moment and stoked Celestia’s cheek. “I know so. They have a friendship similar to ours, my little sunbeam. They are young and smart and have strong hearts. I can tell. They will weather this and come out the other side even stronger.”

Creamy Goodness hummed and skipped as she trotted through the castle’s staff area toward the kitchen loading area. Her shift had come to an end now that lunch had been served and she had work to get to. She slowed as she came up the section of the kitchens where the deserts were prepped and she stuck her head in the door. A few ponies were busy working away at some pies and she spotted a young mare with a green coat similar to her own.

“Hey, Meringue Slice!” Creamy waved and grinned. “I hear there is a handsome colt looking for you.”

“What?” Meringue Slice paused as she decorated one of the pies and flushed. “Who?”

“Cute stallion on the serving team. Batter something…” Creamy tapped her chin as she pretended to think hard for dramatic sakes. “Oh yeah, Batter Dip, that was the name.”

Meringue giggled nervously. “Why is he looking for me?”

“‘Cuz I might have told him you were single and about his age.”

“Ms. Goodness, do you have a point in interrupting my workers?” A large mare in a chef’s hat cleared her throat as she walked up to the door where Creamy was leaning in. Creamy Goodness shrank back and smiled sheepishly.

“Just sowing the seeds of love.”

The lead chef harrumphed at her and rolled her eyes. “Well, isn’t that lovely? Go do it elsewhere. These girls have a big order to fill for tonight.”

Creamy chuckled and waved at Meringue Slice before she started trotting away towards the rear of the castle. She rounded the corner and smirked as she started down the stairs into the darkened larder. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, her green coat had become hard, shiny black plates with emerald bands over her abdomen. Membranous wings spread from her back and her teeth narrowed to needle-like points.

“Those two should prove to be a yummy snack later on.”

Chrysalis stretched and buzzed her wings in the cool darkness of the larder for a moment before her horn lit up with a dull green glow that cast stark shadows around her. She paced up to a spot where the earthen walls of the larder were bare of shelves and food stores and focused her gaze there. The glow from her horn grew brighter until her eyes started to glow green and streaks of purple and black miasma started to leak from the edges and drifted into the air around her like dust.

The wall lost itself in the shadows and until it was no longer a wall, but a hallway made of shadows. Chrysalis blinked away the dark magic from her eyes and stepped into the portal she had opened to the shadow realm. Unlike traditional teleportation, this would allow her to reach far further afield locations, though it wasn’t instantaneous. She merely had to move from a ‘like to like places’ though the shadowrealm and the darkened root cellar that doubled as the castle’s food larder was the perfect place to use as an anchor whenever she felt like returning to her old home in the sunken ruins of the Everfree.

Chrysalis…

The Changeling shook her head. The shadowrealm was a dangerous place to get distracted and she sped up her walk as she left the castle behind and the portal closed with a barely audible ‘pop.’ Vague shapes stretched and twisted about her, dark mockeries of things and creatures of the mortal realm moved around her at almost a sickening pace as each step took her leagues toward her destination.

Chrysalis...my daughter…

“Shut up.” Her voice sounded echoey and hollow as she kept walking, eyes forward. “Shut up. You aren’t real.”

Crystal...my sweetness...listen to daddy…

“You’re dead. I can’t...hear you anymore. You died a long time ago, father.” She faltered as a particularly large shape in the darkness shifted across her path. “Don’t...do this. Please, not now...I’ve been so good!”

Crystal...I have another job for you...you are almost done...and we can be a family again…

Chrysalis stopped where she was and grabbed her head with her hooves and pressed in tight. Sometimes, when the voices in her mind grew loud, she could force them to be silent, if she held tightly enough. Her head started to ache and she gritted her teeth against the pain. If she just held on, it would go away. If she held on, her mind would clear. She had honestly thought that she had silenced the voices for good, last time.

Fifteen years ago

Chrysalis wore her coat in aqua blue and had her blond mane swept back out of her bright violet eyes. She stalked on long legs toward the end of the runway, the bustle of the dress she was modeling swishing gracefully behind her. She stopped at the end of the long and narrow stage and and threw her sleek hip to the side as she vogued with a disinterested look on her face and the cameras around her flashed.

The pony managing the photographers barked commands at her and Chrysalis sighed tiredly as she turned for another pose. Soon the enormous ballroom would fill with the who’s who of Canterlot nobility and the most affluent merchants as they came to admire the latest in fashion in the luxuriousness of Canterlot Castle proper. Rumor had it that even the Royal Sisters would be in attendance, but neither mare had showed up during any of the set up or any of the rehearsals.

Chrysalis ran a silk-covered forehoof along her side, over the split in her skirt that allowed her spiderweb cutie mark to show through, and sighed. She had so hoped Celestia would come see the show, and her, specifically. It had been a few years since she had been in Equestria and stolen her Princess’ heart and attention. She was just turning to strut back down the runway when the main doors opened and the Princess of the Sun herself slipped in.

Chrysalis paused, along with every other person in the room as pony, dog and drake alike took notice of the alicorn suddenly in their midst. She flushed as she realized what pose she was inadvertently holding and what angle Celestia could clearly see her from. She forced herself into a more relaxed position and took a deep breath before looking back at Celestia and meeting those eyes. Celestia was smiling and looking straight at her while other models and photographers converged on the princess. It was the same look she had seen all those years ago, in another city, now lifeless and choked with vines. The same look that told her the princess liked what she saw.

Oh Goddess how she had missed that look.

The next few minutes passed in a blur. Talk buzzed through the crew and talent alike that Celestia was indeed going to watch the show and had arrived early to speak with the director and designer. Chrysalis felt herself tingling with excitement as she slipped out of the dress in her small dressing room with help of her assistant and temporary student in the ways of modeling. The lanky young unicorn hung up the satiny affair before they stepped out into the private area backstage for a quick bite to eat from the buffet tables. At the far end of the tables, Celestia and the lead designer, Photo Finish stood near each other, speaking quietly.

Chrysalis lifted a plate with one elegant wing and did her best to appear focuses on the orderves as she nonchalantly wandered closer to the pair. She hushed Fleur as the excited teen all but danced in place with excitement at being in the presence of royalty.

“Ja, Prinzessin, I dizcovered her at a cafe in Germaney lazt zummer. Zhe iz da natural beauty!”

“Silk Spinner certainly is, Ms. Finish. Thank you again for putting together such a wonderful show.”

Chrysalis’ ears perked up and she fought herself to keep from squeeing in happiness. She knew that Celestia would like the body and identity she had built just for this purpose. She looked up and again met those wonderful eyes.

“Hallo, du warst wunderschön auf der Bühne.”

Chrysalis, aka Silk Spinner, froze and for a moment her body forgot how her lungs and heart were supposed to operate. She recovered a long moment later and bowed to the regent, her voice soft and breathy. “Vielen Dank, Prinzessin.”

Celestia smiled at her again with a twinkle in her eye before turning back to Photo Finish. “Ms. Finish, I would like to ask you for a special favor, if that is alright?”

“Oh?” Photo Finish adjusted her rose colored shades and looked up at the taller mare.

“Yes, I’d like you to set up a private photoshoot. There is a very special somepony I would like you to capture some images of for me. It was recently brought to my attention that a new alicorn has appeared in Cloudsdale. She is being brought here to Canterlot to be brought up as a future princess of all Equestria and we’ll need proper pictures for the press and official proclamations and such.”

“Oh my Goddess!” Fleur gasped at Silk Spinner’s side, her eyes huge as she stared at Photo Finish and Princess Celestia. “That’s so amazing! A new princess alicorn! Can you believe it, Miss Spinner? Wouldn’t it be just a dream come true to become a princess like that?”

Silk Spinner nodded, her expression carefully neutral as her plate of tasty orderves started to crack under the pressure of her grip.

Chrysalis groaned as she picked herself up off the cold stone floor and brushed the grit off her cheek as she eyes adjusted to the darkness. At some point she had left the shadow realm behind and had stumbled out into the buried chambers under the temple in the Everfree. There was a fine coating of dust on everything and the air smelled stale and musty.

“What was I doing?” She blinked and looked over at the stone slab table she had set up centuries ago for her experiments. Her supplies, all sealed within bottles and beakers sealed with wax and wooden boxes treated to withstand the years, sat just where she had last left them. “Oh yes, now I remember. I have a princess to kill.”

Chrysalis chuckled to herself as as stepped forward and a row of candles started to light with low, green flames in time with her hoof falls. By the time she reached the table, the chamber was filled with soft light and her work space was well illuminated. She buzzed her diaphanous wings and the gale from them cleared the dust. She grinned and reached out to tilt a small framed picture of Celestia towards herself. “Soon, it’ll just be us, my love. I’ll be by your side just as I was always meant to be. I’ll be your Princess, for a change. Not that little filly with the pink flank.”

Her grin slipped slightly. “You like pink flanks, huh? I can have pink flanks. Or blue, or purple, or whatever! I can be any mare you want! You hear me, Celestia? Any mare you want...I can be! I’ve always been the one for you! You were supposed to pick me!”

She growled and lifted the picture frame in her aura to look the picture in the eye. “I came from a royal line. I was the most powerful candidate. The contests were mere formalities, I know, but you must understand that I couldn’t have competition. It just wouldn’t do. You are supposed to be mine, Tia! That’s why...that’s why I had to get rid of the others. They couldn’t be princesses. Only me.”

She growled again, her wings buzzing as her eyes started to glow and the picture frame started to groan in protest. “Everything I ever did was all for you. Everything. I won’t be passed over again! You thought I’d leave just like everyone else when you gave up the Everfree, but you were wrong, Tia.”

Chrysalis’ eyes glowed brighter and the metal part of the frame started to smoke as she stared at the picture it held. “I stayed. I still believed in you. I perfected the magics you forbade everyone else. I mastered it and I got these wings.” Her wings buzzed faster and started to fill the dark place with high pitched shrill. “I became an alicorn for you. I became so much more for you. I gave up my home and my name and my soul for you.”

She snarled and gnashed her fangs. “I will have what you promised me, Tia. I will rule at your side, no matter how many pretenders to the throne I have to kill to do it.” She hissed and the picture frame finally snapped under her focus, the glass protecting the old photograph shattered and sprayed her with glass.

That made her pause and blink away the power that had been building inside her.

“Oops!” Chrysalis giggled nervously and her magic pulled the frame back into shape and reformed the glass into a clear pane once again.

Chrysalis! Stop dawdling!

“Huh?”

It is almost done, daughter. Free me and you can have the Sun Priestess all to yourself.

“She isn’t a priestess anymore, dad. She’s a princess.”

It matters not! Free me and return our kingdom to the world! Then you can have anything you want. Anyone you want. The promises made to you will all be fulfilled. Believe your father, and you will rule Equestria however you please.

Chrysalis nodded slowly and put the picture frame down on the table and pulled several of the sealed boxes and vials to herself. There was only one more seal to break. Then her father would be back. My father is dead. He has been dead for a thousand years.

No trace of her father, or his empire had ever been found. Legends didn’t even exists about it, but she could still remember the way the snows had sparkled on the mountainsides. She still remembered her father’s magic lessons, the ways to force the world to bend to her will and by extension, his will. But sometimes, she wondered if that was all just a dream invented by a lonely mind. Maybe breaking the final seal wouldn’t do anything at all. Then she could go back to the way things were long ago.

Hurry up.

“Yes, daddy.”

Spike stopped after he dropped the large fallen piece of the wall that was blocking their way into the lower levels of the temple building. He cocked his head to the side and concentrated on his hearing. He could hear three sets of breathing behind him from the ponies, but in the dark hole he had uncovered there seemed to be something else. Something faint and high pitched.

“Hey, Twi, I think I hear something down there.”

“What is it?” Twilight Sparkle adjusted her cloak and stepped up to the crumbling edge of the hole with Spike. She strained her ears but she couldn’t detect anything and the ancient enchantments in the stones around her was throwing off that sense as well.

“Dunno. Some sort of buzzing, maybe?” Spike scratched his frills and tilted his head again. “It keeps fading out and then coming back for a second.”

Twilight nodded and turned to the two other mares. “Ok, there might be some dangerous stuff down there, more than just a slowly collapsing ruin. Princess, you are to stay by me, Zecora, keep close to Spike. We’ll take point and hopefully nothing will be stupid enough to try and take on a dragon and a battle mage in close quarters.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Christmas Special-ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Cadence’s mouth tasted like chocolate liqueur, Twilight noticed, though she guessed that there was a better than fair chance the flavor could be attributed to the near two boxes worth of the alcoholic treats that she had consumed with the ferocity of a wood chipper rather than an inherent quirk of biology. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the dessert bar, or what had once been a dessert bar at any rate. What had been a mountain of fermented sugary goodness neatly stacked on a silver tray had been reduced to a pitiful hoof full of half-eaten survivors that served only to act as a testament to the glory of what had been.

As her own tongue fought a losing struggle for dominance against Cadence’s experienced and incredibly earnest efforts, Twilight thought that perhaps the mistletoe had been hung a bit too close to the hearth of Celestia’s study, as her right side was feeling uncomfortably warm from the crackling fire. It was a very large room, one of the largest in the suite wing of the palace, surely there was another beam somewhere more suitable where the ponies engaged in the time-honored tradition of the Hearth’s Warming Kiss wouldn’t feel any undue heat. Then again, Princess Celestia had been the one to arrange the decorations, and she was, understandably, somewhat predisposed towards warmer temperatures.

As her mind wandered and her hooves traveled down the graceful, smooth curve of Cadence’s neck, Twilight caught sight of her family, as well as the two other Princesses, staring at them with expressions ranging from smug self-satisfaction in Luna’s case, to literal open-mouthed shock in Celestia and Spike’s. She silently tsked at them, her lungs being too otherwise occupied to spare the oxygen for such a noise. She had taught Spike better than to stare, and Princess Celestia had always impressed on her the impropriety of such gawking. She was likewise disappointed in Luna, who it seemed had still not shaken her nasty habit of, as Spike would say, 'rubbing it in.'. Given her…extended lifespan*, it was unlikely she would ever shake the habit, but Twilight could hope.

As Cadence advanced on her and pressed her against the dark wood beside the hearth’s brickwork, their mouths never breaking contact except to take in short, hurried gasps of much-needed air, Twilight next wondered why her parents were staring at her so strangely. Her mother was lightly dabbing her eyes with a hoofkerchief she had summoned from the dining table, another seasonal addition to the study brought out only during private holiday parties, and her father was pumping his hoof in the air and mouthing ‘two-for-two’. Beside them, neatly tucked under one of Luna's wings, Shining Armor was making every effort to shield his eyes with his hooves.

As she began to shape the first syllable of a question about her family’s odd behavior, and a scolding for Spike to close his mouth, lest he invite flies, she paused. Her mouth was not answering her commands, and a brief flash of panic lanced down her spine as she ran a mental checklist of possible causes. In rapid succession she ruled out stroke, neurological trauma, magical puppeteering, mind control spells, and an implanted forced suggestion which left only—

‘Wait.’

Was—sweet Celestia’s gloriously undyed beard—she was!

Princess Cadence was kissing her!

Princess Cadence, the Princess of Love, Twilight’s lifelong best friend, Rustler’s six-year-running Hottest Mare in Equestria and Beyond, and the literal mare of her dreams was kissing her like she was trying to suck the air out of a wooden carriage wheel!

As Twilight’s wings, of their own accord as she lacked the coherency to blink much less control extremities, spread out to caress the literally award-winning pink flanks, Twilight realized that she and Cadence had far exceeded the normal quick, awkward peck that was typical for holiday mistletoe kisses. It wasn’t a peck, it certainly wasn’t a smooch: it was full-throttle, no-holds-barred snogging.

Confused, inexperienced, and not entirely convinced she wasn’t in the middle of yet another Cadence-centric dream that would force her to sneak downstairs and wash her sheets before Spike woke up, Princess Twilight Sparkle made up her mind:

Cadence was delicious, and Hearth’s Warming Eve was by far her favorite holiday.

*When around mares with the power to control the heavens themselves, one learns very quickly to never comment on their advanced age.

Christmas Special-Knight of Lyaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus

~~~

“Remind me again why we agreed going to a mountain chalet located in the middle of nowhere was a good idea,” Twilight commented as she walked into the cabin behind Cadance.

“So we could actually have some peace and quiet?” Cadance suggested. “This is our first Hearth’s Warming together since our wedding and I would like some quiet.”

Twilight lit her horn to melt the snow that had accumulated on her coat on their walk over before drying herself off. The cabin itself was certainly remoted as it was located on one of the less travelled mountains in Equestria, however despite its remote location it was considerably larger than the usual chalet. The chalet was constructed of a foundation of coarse stone and mortar while the rest of the chalet was built from wood, the walls from logs stripped of bark and joined together by dovetails and the ceiling from stout beams of wood.

“It’s not bad,” Twilight said as she looked around. “A bit rough, but given that Celestia was the one who had built this I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

Cadance smiled, “Auntie told me she had built and rebuilt this place a few times. This time was a lot better than her previous attempts, at least according to her. With how remote this place is, well I can see why she would want to go so far from the capital.”

Twilight shivered slightly and headed towards the large hearth, “Needs a bit more insulation though, I’m going to get a fire going.”

Twilight paused when she noticed that Cadance was resting a hoof on her withers. “This might sound silly, but could we start a fire like how we used to?” Cadance suggested pulling out a matchbook.

Twilight kissed Cadance, “Not a silly idea, I had thought about asking if you wanted to do that. I guess we’re both thinking back to what we used to do. I can still remember that first time you suggested we build a fire one cold winter.”

Cadance smirked, “Yes, I remember a tiny purple filly who insisted she knew how to do fire magic. Quite an impressive first fire you made, very warm.”

Twilight stuck her tongue out as she levitated over a small pile of tinder and kindling into the empty fireplace, “I thought it would work, although I’m just glad I didn’t know any fire magic then as that would have been an interesting disaster to explain to my parents afterwards.”

Cadance still with her hoof on Twilight’s withers guided her wife to just in front of the gathered wood. “So who should light the match this time?” Cadance asked. "We used to take turns, but I’ve forgotten whose turn it is supposed to be.”

Twilight smiled as she levitated out one of the matches, “I would say I remember, but I think a better idea would be to light this together.”

Cadance nodded, “I like that idea.”

Cadance wrapped her magic around the match Twilight was holding and watched as the colours of their auras mingle. Together the two struck the match against the stone before settling it on the gathered tinder and watched as it caught fire. Soon a small flame was burning in the once empty fireplace.

New Year's Special-Anjou

by Anjou
~~~

Resolution: noun, a firm decision to do something.

Twilight recited the dictionary definition in her head as she slaved over fireworks, and one rocket in particular. It was tradition to make a resolution for the New Year, and the princesses of Equestria held deep respect for tradition.

The four alicorns were gathered in Canterlot Castle to celebrate the New Year. It was an equally old tradition, begun by Celestia and Luna, which held no less respect. The elder pair stood opposite the younger, and watched as they prepared the pyrotechnics for the coming display. After all, now was a time for the old guard to rest and let the new shine, if only for a moment.

Cadence checked over her wiring one last time before stepping back to admire her work. They were using new electronic fuses, and this display promised to be the best Equestria had ever seen. This was also, in no small part, due to Twilight’s efforts. The moment after Celestia had enlisted the two of them to arrange the fireworks this year, Twilight gathered every book ever written about the subject. And as was her standard mode of operation, she had read over half of them before Cadence could finish one.

A quick flash of magic intruded upon Cadence’s reflections. She looked toward its source, expecting her companion to be checking over the timing and sequence for the fourth time. Instead, she found Twilight working on just a single firework.

“Are you sure triple-checking is enough?” Cadence asked as she walked closer.

“What? Hmm… there’s just enough time to go over everything again. I’ll start immed—“

Before Twilight could leap toward the fireworks controller, Cadence imposed herself in between and giggled.

“Don’t worry, I’m certain everything is perfect.”

Sensing that the Twilight would protest for a fifth check, Cadence instead tried to divert her attention.

“So what were you working on over there?”

“Oh, it’s just a special something for the grand finale. I hope you’ll like it.” Twilight said as she blushed gently.

“I’m sure everyone will love it.” Cadence said with absolute certainty.

She looked at Twilight with some admiration and awe. Great in all things that mattered, the flaws only helped accentuate her better traits. Cadence saw perfection in that union of good and bad. As the countdown started, she resolved to be a better pony.

TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN!

The two teleported to a safe location to watch the fireworks and joined in the countdown.

SIX! FIVE! FOUR!

They glanced at each other and nodded. They approached the console and prepared to usher in the New Year.

THREE! TWO! ONE!

Click.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

On cue, the first of the fireworks shot into the sky with a great whistle. The bang gave way to a flash of light, and the procession quickly filled the night with brocades, like glittering lace strung across the stars. The sky erupted into a roiling sea of color as patterns of peonies and dahlias were spread over all of Canterlot.

A flare was sent up as the sky was painted red and orange with fireworks. As the flare reached its peak, the night was filled with daytime blues and whites, which gave way even more brilliant golds as the flare fell back down. Before disappointment over the end of the display could set in, another flare was sent up. This time it was accompanied by deep blues and purples. As the second flare also faded, vividly colored suns and moons burst into existence. These grew into stars and hearts which seemed to dance across the sky.

Images of ponies, laughing and smiling, filled the night sky. As the display finally began to die down, Twilight repeated the definition of a resolution to herself:
Noun, a firm decision to do something.

She stared intently as one final rocket was sent up. It exploded into a beautiful pink and purple heart, which could be seen from the farthest reaches of Equestria. But, instead of falling back down, the pyrotechnic stars ascended ever higher. They settled into place among the stars of the night sky.

Twilight also had a resolution.

New Year's Special-Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

Takes place in the the My Little Dynamite universe.

“Happy new year! "

"Yes yes..." Fleur-de-lis smiled and nodded to the foals that passed her at a run on the snow-lined sidewalk outside her Canterlot home. "Be careful! You'll slip and fall!"

She sighed and ran her hoof over her distended belly. "Where are their parents when foals need them most?"

"Probably lagging behind at a safer pace than their children. Just like us." Sapphire Shores rolled her eyes and stepped over an icy patch of flagstone. "Trixie! Stop running or no fireworks! "

The blue unicorn, ahead of the two mares at the stoop to their brownstone, skidded to a shaky stop and blew a strand of silvery-white mane out of her eyes. "The fast and sure-footed Trixie is ok, mom, sheesh! Fireworks on New Years is mandatory. "

"She has a point, dear." Fleur chuckled and playfully bumped into Sapphire. "Besides, weren't we going to enjoy the evening together by the fireplace? I seem to recall that you promised me and the baby some of your toasted marshmallows on hot chocolate. "

"Yeah, the secret family recipe, passed down through the generations. My father taught it to me and my siblings and now I get to do the same with you and our daughters." Sapphire smiled wistfully and held out her hoof when they reached the bottom step. "Tradition marches ever onward, doesn't it? "

Fleur took the hoof in her own and gripped the railing with the other. "It might be a son this time. You never can tell." She grunted with the effort her extra weight was asking of her legs on the short climb to their door. Trixie was already inside and her booming hoof falls echoed through the house while her parents made their way in out of the cold.

The house was blessed warm to their chilled coats, heavy drapes and Sapphire’s enormous hat notwithstanding. Sapphire shook the errant flakes of snow from her shoulders and turned to continue helping her wife. Their butler, Rover, arrived moments later and was quick to hang their discarded outerwear in the entry where it could dry before the mares made their way to the family room and the heat of the roaring fireplace.

Fleur groaned happily and eased herself onto the wide couch in front of the fire. “Oh sweet Goddess, that feels good! I’m not sure which is worse, the bitter cold of this winter, or the aches in my knees. I swear that Trixie wasn’t this much work.”

Sapphire chuckled and slipped onto the seat next to her wife and ran a hoof over her swollen belly. “Maybe it’s twins this time.”

“If it is, then you can kiss that spring tour of your’s goodbye. I’m not feeding two mouths, watching your little hellion and designing a spring and summer line of clothing all at once.”

Sapphire smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you take it easy? Don’t you deserve the down time, twins or not? Skip the designing and re-issue last year’s fashion, Princesses above know they’re still popular.”

“I will not!” Fleur scoffed and held a hoof to her chest. “Besides, one of us has to bring in the bits, what with a new foal on the way and Trixie starting at Celestia’s academy in the summer.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not giving up my tour either. Money aside, ponies and music lovers across Equestria are going to be waiting to see me. Tickets are already on sale.” Sapphire flipped her hair back out of her eyes and leaned over to kiss her wife on the nose. “Anyway, you have me all to yourself until the spring thaw.”

“Ewww!” Both mares looked up in surprise as their eldest daughter gagged exaggeratedly in the doorway. “Trixie demands you both get a room! There are foals in this house!”

“We have a room, my love.” Fleur giggled. “It’s just up the stairs, remember?”

“Technically,” her wife interjected, “every room in this house is ours…”

“Oh hush.”

Trixie stuck out her tongue in childish disgust at her parents and dropped herself onto a cushion by the fire. “It is the new year, and Trixie demands the traditional telling of stories and hot chocolate!”

“I agree with the hot chocolate demands.” Fleur eyed Sapphire pointedly. “Secret family recipe, remember?”

The earth pony rolled her eyes and climbed back to her hooves. “Ok, ok, sheesh! I can handle the drinks. Can you handle the stories?”

Fleur-de-lis nodded and patted the couch for their daughter to join her. “I can do that. I think I’ll tell you about…” she tapped her chin in thought for a moment, “about Princess Cadance’s first new year as a Princess. Would you like that, Trixie?”

“Trixie likes stories with explosions.” The young unicorn frowned for a moment, but she relented after a moment and climbed up to snuggle with her mother. “However, the accepting and patient Trixie also enjoys stories about Princesses.”

“How about I try to slip in a few explosions in there too?”

“Trixie would appreciate this.”

Fleur giggled again and took a slow breath to focus her mind and thought back to a tale that had been told to her just after she had come to live in Canterlot with her old modeling mentor, Silk Spinner. It must have been about…

Fourteen years ago

Silk Spinner, at the height of her career and fame, announced her retirement from the international modeling scene at the end of the fall season. She retired, rather publicly, to Equestria, and to Canterlot’s narrow snow-choked streets specifically. Under the spotlight from the community, it became clear that she had started a relationship of sorts with Princess Celestia herself.

Silk Spinner wasn’t the only new addition to the castle, however. Much earlier in the year, a new alicorn had been discovered and brought to the castle to be raised as a Princess. She was a pretty mare, born as a pegasus in distant Cloudsdale, with a warm pink coat, feathers and a curly mess of a mane. She had a blue heart for a cutie mark and brought love and happiness wherever she went.

Her name was Cadance and she was just about your age at the time.

“Trixie brings more happiness to those around her. She is also prettier.”

Perhaps, now let me tell the story.

“Trixie still demands explosions!”

Duly noted. Moving on. Now, Cadance had never spent the holidays away from her birth family before, and she was very sad. The snow was lovely, the food was tasty and the presents were very nice, but they were no substitute for family. She spent a lot of her time in her room at the castle crying.

Thankfully, Princess Cadance had one friend, Twilight Sparkle.

“The great and powerful Trixie’s hero! Twilight Sparkle will make the explosions!”

Well, remember, this was when they were both fillies. Battlemage Twilight didn’t have that reputation yet. She was still training in Princess Celestia’s Academy.

“Like Trixie is?”

Yep. Anyway, on New Years Eve, Princess Cadance was sadder than normal and had spent all day locked in her room, crying. The guards couldn’t get her to come out. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia couldn’t get her to come out either and they were very sad. So, in the afternoon, Twilight Sparkle came to Princess Cadance room and she decided to try something different.

She went outside into the snow and walked to Princess Cadance’s window. Twilight Sparkle then took some snow and shaped it into a ball with her magic. Then she threw at Princess Cadance’s window!

“With her magic?”

Probably. But Princess Cadance didn’t respond. So, Twilight Sparkle threw another. And another and another. Until finally, Princess Cadance opened her window and wiped the tears out of her eyes. She told Twilight to stop bothering her. And can you guess what Twilight Sparkle did?

“Did she blow up the wall?”

Er...no. She threw another snowball right into Princess Cadance’s face!

“Wouldn’t that get you arrested?”

Maybe. Don’t ever try it. But, Twilight Sparkle is Princess Cadance’s friend and Princess Celestia’s student, so she can probably get away with it.

“Twilight Sparkle is the coolest pony Trixie knows!”

Anyway, the snowball to the face made Princess Cadance very upset! She wasn’t going to let Twilight Sparkle get away with that!

“But you just said!”

Hush, who’s telling this story, me or you? Thank you. So, Princess Cadance jumped out of her bedroom window and glided down to the snow using her pretty pink wings. Twilight Sparkle used her magic again and made more snowballs and levitated them in the air around her. She laughed at Princess Cadance and said she couldn’t stop her from throwing more of the snowballs.

That made Princess Cadance even more upset! She wanted to teach Twilight Sparkle a lesson, but she couldn’t get close with all those snowballs. So, Princess Cadance had an idea. She would make her own snowballs and beat Twilight Sparkle in glorious battle. Her horn started to glow and she concentrated really hard, but snow is a lot tougher to make move than clouds are.

“Trixie can easily control snow. She learned it already.”

Good to hear. Keep up your studies and you might become a Battlemage, just like Twilight Sparkle.

“Trixie will be an even better Battlemage than Twilight Sparkle!”

That’s my girl! Now be quiet and let mommy finish. Well, Princess Cadance tried really really hard, but she was still new to unicorn magic and she couldn’t make any snowballs. So, Twilight Sparkle threw another one and hit Princess Cadance right in the mane! That was too much! So then, Princess Cadance charged! She ran straight at Twilight Sparkle and into a hail of snowballs, but she didn’t stop.

When she reached Twilight Sparkle, Princess Cadance leaped and tackled the unicorn! They both went down in a cloud of snow and rolled around on the ground, fighting for dominance. Until finally, the snow settled and Princess Cadance was on top of Twilight Sparkle and pushed her back into the cold snow covered ground. She was breathing hard and huffed and puffed while Twilight Sparkle lay there in a shocked daze.

It was just then that a fresh snow started to fall. The two fillies were as still as statues as the new snow started to erase all the signs of their fight. Then, Twilight Sparkle started to laugh. She laughed and laughed and that made Princess Cadance very confused. But, as Twilight Sparkle continued to laugh, Princess Cadance came to realize that they weren’t really fighting.

“They weren’t?”

Nope. Princess Cadance realized that Twilight Sparkle had tricked her into coming out and playing, just as she had in Cloudsdale, before Princess Cadance became an alicorn. Twilight Sparkle was showing her that she didn’t have to be sad, because she had a friend and you can’t be sad for long when you have good friends. So, Princess Cadance started to laugh too. She laughed so hard she fell down in the snow next to Twilight Sparkle and since Twilight was such a good friend, Princess Cadance showed Twilight Sparkle how pegasi make snow angels.

Fleur-de-lis smiled at Trixie and then looked out at the fresh snow that had started to fall. “Isn’t that a heartwarming story? It’s just perfect for this time of year when so many of us have to be away from family and loved ones. We count our blessings each year that we get to spend together as a family over the holidays.”

Trixie nodded and then frowned. “Wait...you promised Trixie there would be explosions! And how do you know that Twilight Sparkle had a snowball fight with a Princess?”

Her mother chuckled. “Oh dear, I did, didn’t I? Sorry about that. Well, you see, I know it happened because I saw it.”

Trixie raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

Fleur winked and leaned in close to her daughter to whisper. “I was there at the castle that day. I saw the whole thing happen while I sat with my old modeling coach, Silk Spinner and Princess Celestia herself. We were having dinner together to celebrate my first modeling contract here in Canterlot. Ms. Spinner was Princess Celestia’s special somepony at the time and she missed the whole thing because she was focused on making kissy faces at the Princess.”

“Ew! Trixie wanted explosions, not kissy stuff, in her story!” The unicorn gagged. “Where is godmother Spinner this year, anyway?”

“Didn’t you read the card she sent with your presents?” Fleur’s horn flashed and she looked up over the fireplace to lift a glitter covered card and opened it. “She says she is in Zebrica this winter. It’s warm there and the weather agrees with her old bones.”

She turned the card around to show Trixie the flowy hoof writing. “See? I hope you are going to write her back to thank her for the cloak and hat she sent.”

Trixie huffed and blew a strand of her mane out of her eyes. “The grateful and caring Trixie is working on it. Why doesn’t she stay in Canterlot with the Princess? The castle is warm.”

Fleur shrugged and looked into the flames of the roaring fire and placed the card back on the mantle with her magic. In truth, she didn’t really know why, but she suspected that there must have been some sort of falling out between Silk and the Princess. “I wish I knew, sweetie. Granma Spinner has always been one to do things her way for her own reasons. But I like to think she secretly sneaks back into Canterlot and peeks in on us when we sleep, to make sure we’re safe.”

“When Trixie writes, she will tell granma Spinner she can stay with us next year.” Trixie leaned against Fleur and followed her gaze into the dancing flames of the fireplace. “It’s warm here.”

New Year's Special-ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

They were so cute together, Twilight thought bitterly.

Standing together by the fireplace, still covered with Hearth’s Warming decorations, Cadence and Shining Armor leaned against each other, their faces pressed closely together as they talked quietly. Every minute or so, Cadence giggle, Shining Armor would smile, and Twilight’s heart would fracture just a little more.

Twilight forced herself to look away from the sickeningly sweet scene of marital bliss she yearned for, taking a deep swig of the glass of punch she had covertly mixed with alcohol, only for her eyes to catch on the grandfather clock in the corner of Princess Celestia’s study. It read twelve minutes to midnight, and each swing of the solid brass pendulum marked the steady march towards the New Year.

“My, Twilight, you certainly have been enjoying the refreshments tonight,” Princess Celestia said as she joined the younger mare, her own half empty glass hovering beside her. “I’m sure Luna will be please, as she insisted on preparing them herself, with the staff gone home for the evening.”

Twilight, for once only half listening to Princess Celestia, merely nodded and took another drink. The burn, somewhat soothed by the fruity taste of the punch, helped her think of things other than her brother and sister-in-law kissing by the fireplace. And she knew, she knew they were kissing, without even looking at them, because Cadence always made the same cute little squeak when kissed, almost like a surprised puppy’s yelp.

“Twilight?” Princess Celestia was speaking again. “Are you feeling well?” she asked as she placed a hoof on her withers. Twilight nearly recoiled from the touch, and looked up to see her mentor wearing a hurt expression.

“Sorry, Prin-er, Celestia. Just…feeling a little queasy. I think I ate a little too much,” Twilight assured her, trying to hide her pained wince.

Before Celestia could question her excuse, and her admittedly poor acting skills, the large glass double doors that led to the study’s balcony were pushed open from outside, revealing Princess Luna with a thick scarf wrapped around her neck and a heavy dusting of snow on her coat.

“Come, everypony! The time is nearly upon us, and the preparations are complete!” she beckoned with a wide, gleeful smile. Surprised, Twilight glanced at the clock and saw that only three minutes remained until midnight. Quickly, the Royal Sisters, Shining Armor, and Cadence had gathered on the balcony. Twilight followed closely after them, pausing only to rouse Spike, who had fallen asleep on the alicorn-sized couch against the wall. Together, they went out into the biting cold night air and joined them. To Twilight’s chagrin, the only available space remaining was between Shining Armor and Celestia. She plastered on what she hoped was a convincing smile and took her spot, with Spike climbing up to sit on her back for a better view.

“It’s almost time,” Luna said eagerly, her hooves nearly bouncing in place. The Equestrian New Year took place on the Winter Solstice, and as the longest night of the year as well as the beginning and end of the annual cycle of rebirth, it was a celebration that fell under Luna’s domain. It being her first New Year’s after having regained the full extent of her power, she had gone to great lengths to insure its success.

In the center of Canterlot, installed on the tallest tower for all to see, an enormous glass moon suddenly exploded to life as magic flowed through perfectly carved crystal, exuding a brilliance that would be visible even from Ponyville. Slowly, the moon began its descent down the pole upon which it was mounted, and all across Equestria ponies began the countdown.

”Ten. Nine. Eight.

Twilight stared straight, refusing to glance at Cadence and Shining. She wouldn’t have her first sight of the New Year be of them together, her Big Brother Best Friend Forever standing where she so dearly wished had been her place instead.

”Seven. Six. Five.”

She mouthed the words, not feeling the enthusiasm to join in the tradition. Her eyes began to water and her neck strained as she fought herself.

”Four. Three. Two.”

She broke.

”One! Happy New Year!”

Cadence and Shining were kissing, of course. She knew they would be. From Baltimare to Las Pegasus, couples all across Equestria were kissing at that moment, enjoying the last moment of the old year and the first moment of the new in the loving embrace of their partners.

In the sky, from behind the full moon a thousand stars exploded in every direction across the night sky, their radiance a hundredfold beyond even the most carefully crafted firework. They streaked across the sky, proudly announcing the striking of midnight and offering themselves as an awe-inspiring herald of the celebration. The joyous shouts and holiday noise-makers echoing across the mountain were a bitter commentary as the knife embedded in Twilight’s chest twisted, itself eager to ring in the new.

. This year. This year I’ll get over this stupid crush.”

She recited the resolution only to herself, and hardened her heart that she would see its success. A great wing fell across her back, and she instinctively leaned into the comforting warmth, it offering a merciful distraction from the agonizing sight of her love’s happy marriage.

“Happy New Year, Twilight,” Celestia said quietly, not quite taking her eyes off the sky. In the light of Luna’s amazing display, her eyes seemed to shimmer.

“Happy New Year, Princess,” Twilight replied sadly. For once, Celestia did not correct her, nor did she probe regarding her tone, for which Twilight was grateful.

Instead, Celestia asked, “What is your resolution for the coming year, Twilight?”

Guiltily, Twilight snuck a peak past the wall of white feathers at her brother and sister-in-law, who had curled their necks together and were fixated on the rolling spectacle of stars.

“Oh…the same as every year.” There was a long pause, and, eager to move the conversation away from herself, looked up at her mentor. “What about you, Princess?”

”Ten. Nine. Eight.

Celestia tried to ignore the tingle in her wings that begged her to reach out, to pull Twilight against her side.

”Seven. Six. Five.”

She tried to ignore the longing glances that Twilight struggled so mightily to conceal, tried to keep her eyes locked firmly on the ornament that was quickly nearing the base of its mount.

”Four. Three. Two.”

She broke.

”One. Happy New Year!”

Her first sight of the New Year was of Twilight’s heartbroken expression as she watched Cadence and Shining Armor share the midnight kiss. Her resolve shattered as her sister’s stars erupted from the moon to shower the world in light and hope. Her greedy, rebellious wing fanned out and drew her former student close, and as much as she would have denied it, imposed themselves between the loving couple and Twilight.

”This year. This year I will tell her, and show her there is another who cares for her.”

“Happy New Year, Twilight,” she whispered, not daring to take her gaze from the sky for fear Twilight would see the tears threatening to escape. The smaller mare leaned into the embrace and set Celestia’s heart to pounding.

“Happy New Year, Princess,” Twilight returned, sounding crushed as a kicked puppy and using her title without thought. It was an agony to her, both in tone and in meaning, as the habit showed how far Twilight’s heart truly was from her. Celestia grasped the first opportunity to offer even the pettiest distraction, and she could not be sure for whom she wished it.

““What is your resolution for the coming year, Twilight?”

Despite the wall of alicorn down separating them, Twilight craned her neck and managed a glimpse at her brother and his wife, locked together in an intimate embrace as they basked in Luna’s magnificent show.

“Oh…the same as every year.” Twilight looked up at her, the curious expression momentarily displacing the sullen grimace. “What about you, Princess?”

Celestia blinked away tears as she looked down, plastering on the mask of motherly care that she despised, and that was so renowned across her nation. She tried a chuckle, but it sounded limp and dead to her own ears.

“The same.”

Author's Note

To all our readers, we hope your coming year will be happy and fruitful.

Happy 2015, everyone

Downhill by Cytotoxin

by Cytotoxin
~~~

"Twilight. Talk to me. You cant shut everypony out forever." - Cadance insisted sternly, as she leaned over the cluttered table and pushed away the inkwell, making Twilights quill miss it entirely - "This is getting silly."

Twilight grunted and put the quill into the holder, leaning back in her chair and rubbing hoof across her tired eyes. "Cadence. Dear. Is there anything I can say to persuade you not to inquire further into this? Because if not, then the only way this conversation is going to go is downhill." - she offered tiredly, and wrinkled her nose. blinking the tiredness out of her eyes quickly - "Gah. I do need a break, though."

Frowning, Cadence pulled up a chair and sat across the table, sweeping the papers on it aside. Maybe she shouldnt have gone that far, she thought as she noticed Twilight wincing, but then again - it was symbolic gesture, a way to indicate she was intending to have a SERIOUS talk without any diversions. "Twilight. Were all worried. I have heard from aunt Celestia that you take on gargantuan amounts of work, but I had no idea you were SO busy. Ive been in Canterlot for two weeks already, and during that time we had a grand total of three hours spent together, two hours and fifty minutes of it at various public functions. I understand you might be nervous about your duties as a princess, but its just,,, not healthy to go at it like so." - she admonished sternly - "Come, Ive arranged a spa for us, and Im not taking no for an answer."

Twilights wince only deepened. "Spa?... Im sorry, Cadence, but Im just not ready for spa right now. How about some coffee and donuts, maybe?" - she proffered, her nose scrunching as she obviously thought of some excuse to present as a ramble picked up steam - "I mean, Im indeed a bit tired. Need some pick-me-up to function, if you will. Should I happen to end up in spa right now, its only logical that I would fall asleep almost immediately, And thats not really spending time with you rather then just relaxing. Which I can do just fine without you too, so there is no need to occupy your time to watch over me doing something I can easily do without you. Right?"

Cadence rolled her eyes. "Twilight Spark;e." - she said firmly - "You are still an awful liar." Lavender mare across the table flinched but said nothing else, her eyes directed down, as if one of the documents still on the table held something utterly fascinating. Or maybe simply because she didnt have the gall to try fibbing straight to Cadances face, that is. "Look. I understand youre nervous. I was nervous too. But you need to remember that ponies DO expect you to relax. Everypony makes mistakes when theyre tired and stressed, so princess has the most need in relaxation. Therefore, Twilight, it`s not just your right, but your honor-bound duty to come to spa right now." - she lectured with a smile.

Oddly, it didnt have the expected effect. Twilights mood remained just as tremulous as it was. With, perhaps, a sliver of irritation thrown in. "Cadance. I assure you, I am well aware of a need in relaxation." - she proffered courtly - "In fact, you will find a calendar schedule on the wall behind you that is there specifically to plan such activities. And as you can plainly see, the spa day is Saturday, which.... is... today... Well, buck."

Grinning, Cadence hopped up from her chair and nodded towards the door eagerly, quipping - "Well then, shall we go? Come on, Twilight. Both me and your schedule are telling you its time to get pampered. Why are you still resisting?" Her eyes narrowed as she realized there was nothing different about Twilights attitude. She obviously still didnt want to go, and it was now plainly obvious to Cadence that adherence to schedule or imaginary princessly duties had nothing to do with it. "Come on, Twilight, whats the problem?" - she cajoled, snorting a little as irritation crept into her voice as well.

"...you are..." - came the reply as Twilight shuffled from behind the table with all the enthusiasm of a pony approaching gallows. Cadence whirled around in place. "...What was that?" - she inquired tensely, staring at other mare intensely - "I am the problem? Do elaborate, Twilight. I was not aware I am a problem for you."

Lavender mare facehoofed. "Can we pretend you never heard that?" - she inquired plaintively. A glare answered her plainly enough. "Guess not. I dont really want to talk about it, but youre going to bother me until Ill crack, wont you?" - she inquired. A quick nod confirmed her fears. "...Fine. You asked for it." - she muttered, and stamped her hoof on the carpet - "The problem I have with you, Cadence, goes back when I was.... little." She gave a little forlorn smile as she reminisced - "Remember the Hearts and Hooves day the year before I got into the school? What did I say to you back then?"

Cadence nibbled on her lip as she tried to recall. In all honesty, she couldnt think of anything important enough... that is, until her memory suddenly pushed out a little scene she almost forgot about. Little Twilight hopping around her in that adorably exciting way, claiming that shes going to ... marry Cadence one day? And what did Cadence replied... right. "Of course, little Twily. When youll become a princess, Ill marry you."

Twilights lip crooked up into a half-smile as she chuckled. "You remembered, didnt you?" - she proffered quietly - "Well, I became a princess. Apparently, others were not required to become princesses, though." Cadence swallowed thickly. Now it DID make sense. Twilight avoiding her, Twilight being in a mood around her, Twilight taking on a triple workload just to stay too busy to talk to her... She was right. This conversation REALLY went downhill. Cadence wondered idly just how tiresome climbing out would be.

Lover by Misago

by Misago
~~~

The room was dark, and few rays of moonlight made their way through the thick curtains covering the windows. Twilight Sparkle had to take care to safely make her way through all the books and writing utensils strewn across the floor, especially with the hem of her dress spilling around her.

Her brand-new, Rarity-designed gala dress. The one she specifically asked for. With the pretty pink base color, the ribbons, the...frilly stuff. All to at least try and look presentable next to... her.

Stupid, naive Twilight.

The dress fell in a heap to the floor, soon joined by the ridiculous jewelry and the ornate hair clip that kept bothering her all through the night. A few seconds with a wet towel in the adjacent bathroom got rid of the make-up Rarity had put on her.

She threw herself on her bed, all four legs wrapped around her pillow, trying in vain to smother the pain in her chest. Her eyes stung from unshed tears, and her jaw ached from forcing a smile she hated herself for.

She'd made a fool out of herself, trying to confidently strut up to Cadance, who had looked even more radiant than usual, and casually ask her to dance, amongst all those nobles basically fighting for her former foalsitter's attention. She had thought after that confession Cadance had drawn out of her, that beautiful smile, that wonderful, wonderful hug...

Cadance had said she liked her. She was willing to give Twilight a chance. But what if she had just said it out of pity, trying not to break the poor, awkward bookworm's heart? After all, Cadance was kind and compassionate, which was part of what had attracted Twi to her in the first place.

Or what if she had thought Twilight was joking? Cadance herself loved to tease others about their love lives, since romance was her speciality and passion. She was really fun to be around, but if she had misunderstood the seriousness of the situation…

Twilight remembered the high society ponies around Cadance. Their stares, their unbelieving faces when she'd managed to stammer her question, the laughter. The laughter was the worst of it. Cadance had just smiled at her, but the smile was wooden, pained. Yes, now that Twilight thought of it, Cadance had looked pretty unhappy.

That was just it. She, the awkward, nerdish Twilight, and Cadance, the radiant, beautiful, kind, empathic, funny, clever princess, would never be more than friends. Cadance would find a wonderful prince, a dashing knight to sweep her off her hooves. Maybe Twilight would be able to distract herself for a while, until one day, the wedding invitation would come in the mail. And the only thing left to do would be to swallow her pain, and congratulate her beloved on her marriage with someone else.

~#~

The sound of someone tentatively knocking on her door shook Twilight from her thoughts. She hastily wiped the hot tears from her muzzle, trying to steady her voice.

When she called out “Yes? Who’s there?”, it came out as little more than the whimper of a sobbing filly.

“It’s me, Twily. Can I come in?”

Cadance. Her tone was neutral, and Twilight felt her insides grow cold. Had she come to announce that they should keep apart? That Twilight was not to approach her in public? Or...what if Twilight’s question at the ball had been too forward, and Cadance was about tell her that even their friendship was over?

“I… can we talk tomorrow? It is late, and I was just about to g-go to sleep.” She tried to feign a yawn, but it just came out as a hiccup. She really was useless, wasn’t she?

There was a moment of silence outside. For a while, Twilight wondered if Cadance had left, relieved that she would have some respite from the foal with a crush running after her. Another bout of sobs shook her body. It was better that way, wasn’t it? This way, Cadance could be happy, and Twilight would…

“I’m coming in, Twilight.”

Twilight felt Cadance’s magic even before the soft click announced the opening door. Ever since she had realized her feelings, there was this… odd tingle in her body whenever Cadance used a spell or even just channeled pegasus magic into her wings. It was a pleasant feeling, one that spoke of warmth and kindness and protection from all the pain in the world. She felt it sooth her, felt the pain in her body and her heart diminish.

Then there was movement, as Cadance’s silhouette slipped through the door before shutting it again. The pink glow from her horn illuminated an unreadable expression and magenta eyes searching through the darkness, to find the unicorn buried on her bed beneath pillow and blankets.

Just as careful as Twilight, but infinitely more graceful, Cadance made her way through the room. Twilight noticed that she, too, was not wearing her dress and jewelry anymore, and her mane was in slight disarray, hanging haphazardly around her neck and shoulders, some tufts sticking out slightly. Apparently casualties from the elaborate ceremonial hair style she had worn earlier.

Cadance was quiet, though. She idly came closer, picking up books from the ground and reading the titles in the glow of her magic.

When she finally reached the bed, Twilight felt weak. This was it. Cadance would tell her off, and they would only ever speak again on formal occasions, both wearing horribly forced smiles, both wanting to get away for different reasons. Eventually, even that would cease, and they would avoid each other if at all possible. But only one of them would be able to move on.

“Can I join you?”, Cadance asked quietly.

Stunned, Twilight nodded from her lying position, idly wiping the pillow over her eyes. She felt Cadance’s eyes on her, and the shame was just another sharp stab in her heart.

She felt the mattress shift when Cadance climbed up next to her. She looked into Twilight’s eyes, searching for something Twilight could not even guess, but apparently, she found what she was looking for. Breaking eye contact for just a moment, she crawled closer, until just the pillow and blanket separated the two of them.

Twilight felt the oncoming blush, and her heart pumped so loud that she was sure Cadance could hear it. She was so close. So close. If she just raised her hoof and moved it forward a bit…

“Twily...”, Cadance began slowly, but Twilight cut her off.

“You don’t.. It’s alright. I know that I sh-shouldn’t have been so forward”, she managed. It hurt, it really hurt. “Please, please don’t hate me… Please don’t stop being my friend…”

She did not dare to look up to look into the princess’s face, to see the disappointment with the weak, pathetic creature that had fallen in love with her. She buried her face in the pillows, to try and hide away from the shame and from the heartbreak she’d soon have to deal with.

The pink glow of magic surrounded her.

She knew the feeling even without having to look. Like a blanket, it surrounded her, made her feel loved, cherished. It lifted her from the covers, it dried her tears. And before Twilight knew what happened to her, she found herself belly to belly with Cadance.

A strange calm came over her. She felt peaceful, like she was floating in the sky, with no gravity to pull on her. There was only softness. She felt a hoof stroke her back, and a muzzle nestled next to hers. And after a while, tears on her neck.

“You silly filly.” Cadance whispered. "How can you doubt yourself?" She hugged Twilight closer to herself. "After all that you did? And after all that you are?"

Twilight swallowed, trying her hardest not to let Cadance look into her eyes.. Could she allow herself to be relieved? She wanted to believe Cadance, wanted to think that everything would be fine. But the doubts still gnawed on her mind, twisting every one of Cadance’s words against her. And if she asked, Cadance would think of her as needy and asking for self-gratification…

“I have fallen in love with you.”

Twilight came crashing out of her thoughts. She looked up, and met Cadance’s gaze.

“I never meant to have you doubt yourself so much. I did not accept your confession just to give it a try, I really want to be with you.” Cadance lowered her voice to a whisper. “Please, believe in me.”

Twilight was not good at reading emotions. She tried to guess what other ponies were thinking, and she always worried if she guessed wrong. But looking into Cadance’s eyes, she did not have to guess. She knew the Princess of Love was serious.

She felt Cadance’s magic reach out to her, but this time, it was not enveloping her body. This time, it went deeper, until it touched her very soul, tentatively brushing at the very border of her being.

Twilight took a deep breath and relaxed. Without breaking eye contact, without another word spoken, she allowed the connection.

Twilight saw.

She looked through a young Cadance’s eyes, watching her own younger self skip across the lawn in the palace gardens, with her foalsitter and friend in hot pursuit. She saw evenings spend together, cuddled up to the larger form of Celestia, or just alone, with a warm mug on a cold day. And, scene after scene, the Twilight she was looking at changed. She grew out into a young mare, slightly awkward, but no less beautiful for it, showing her limitless affection to the few she let into her inner circle, wielding magic with incredible ease.

She saw little arguments, feeling the sadness wash over her at the memory. Hours spend alone, with Celestia teaching her student. Cadance’s envy at seeing her younger friend, her own feelings of inadequacy. The intelligence, the magic ability.

She felt Twi leave.. Beautiful, kind Twilight was gone from Cadance’s life, sent to Ponyville to change the history of Equestria, while Cadance stayed back. She knew she was not good enough to do what Twilight could do. But the void left behind by her closest… friend?

Years spent waiting. Of course, Cadance knew that she would see Twilight again, but what if things changed? What if Twilight met a mare more intelligent, more powerful…

Until Twilight returned as a saviour of Equestria.

She was different. Older. A young adult now, and Cadance finally had prove that Twilight would indeed grow into her beauty. She was still awkward, but there was some tentative confidence swinging in step and speech. The fierce intelligence shining in her eyes got clearer, brighter, and her mastery over the arcane had only increased, far surpassing a weak alicorn (like Cadance).

But something else had grown. For Cadance, it was the most beautiful thing about Twilight.

She reciprocated.

Cadance felt Twilight watching her, shyly. Some lingering gazes admiring her, some awkwardness in her conversation. And from what Cadance’s magic told her, she knew.

They were going to be happy together until the end of times.

The magic contact weakened, leaving the connection intact, waiting, and stopping the flood of emotions crossing between them, until only the feeling of the other’s love remained.

Twilight blinked the tears out of her eyes as she looked up to Cadance, to reaffirm their connection. All the cold, harsh fear in her chest melted under the warm gaze as Twilight craned her neck upward, meeting Cadance in a brief kiss.

“Thank you, Cadance”, she whispered against her lover’s lips. “I’m sorry for doubting… for thinking that…”

Another kiss silenced her, this one longer. Cadance sighed happily, nuzzling her cheek against Twilight’s.

“There is one thing left to do, my love”, she said after a while. She let her hoof trace circles across Twilight’s back, delighting in the little noises of comfort and the warm breath on her coat.

“What?”

Cadance bit her lip. “Do you want to go back to the party for a moment for one dance?”

Twilight ducked her head, blushing. “But… but I can’t dance. And the nobles, if they see us dancing…”

“Then they will know,” Cadance affirmed. “And it will teach them for laughing at you.”

Hips by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Cadance was a bad girl, she knew this at her heart. She couldn’t help but watch as the younger woman bustled about the library for her research. She blushed and looked away as Twilight bent down to retrieve a book from the lowest shelf.

Twilight smirked slightly and glanced briefly over her shoulder at the taller woman. Cadance’s pale cheeks were red and Twilight couldn't help but enjoy that. She had estimated that only an inch reduction in the length of her skirt would hopelessly distract the older woman. She closed her eyes and stood up turning and walking towards Cadance,

“Are you okay?” She asked keeping her face as straight as possible.

Cadance’s jaw hanged open as the younger girl sashayed over to her. She’d never seen Twilight quite this forward before.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” She asked looking up at the dark skinned woman. She noted the slight changes to Twilight’s usual uniform, her skirt slightly shorter, and her blouse slightly unbuttoned.

“Research!” Twilight beamed with her normal 100 Watt smile. Cadance blinked and then burst into quiet laughter. “I’ve been making mental notes to your reactions and I’ve decided that with my current data you enjoy my hips the most!” Twilight continued nodding sagely.

Cadance grinned and pulled Twilight down into a kiss “Nope hun, I prefer your cute little tushie..”

Feather by palaikai

by palaikai
~~~

A heartfelt sigh echoed out of the changing room of Carousel Boutique.

Rarity didn't say anything; there wasn't anything to say as, over the course of the twelve hours she'd spent in the company of the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle had made every huffy gesture in the book, and it was the mark of a good seamstress that they didn't comment on when their clientèle were acting like snotty little brats. Especially when said snotty little brat was: a) an important customer; b) a princess; c) one of her best friends; and d) preparing for a make-or-break date with somepony she'd been in love with for years.

It was that last part especially that had prevented the unicorn from wrapping her hooves around the alicorn and wringing her neck until she pleaded for mercy. That, and it was unbecoming of a lady to throttle somepony.

Even if they were being incredibly annoying. Rarity knew that she was capable of being a diva on occasion, but Twilight was currently giving even her a run for her bits.

“No, no, no! Rarity, what were you thinking? This colour just doesn't go with my coat.” A dress, held in a magenta aura, levitated out of the changing room and dropped to the floor in front of Rarity.

“They're the colours that we agreed best accentuate your eyes, darling,” Rarity said patiently, wondering what had happened to the sweet, demure Twilight she was used to dealing with. She snagged the garment in her own magical field and placed it back on the rack with the dozens of other rejected dresses. They'd all been shunned for quite random reasons: it didn't emphasise her cutie mark; it exposed too much flank; it didn't show enough flank; the corsage was too elaborate; the colour didn't match her eyes, coat, or the slightly darker hue around her cuticles; etc, etc, etc.

With a look of irritation scrunching up her face, Twilight stepped out of the changing area and walked over to where Rarity was flipping through the many different items of apparel she kept on hand. “Do you have anything else?”

“You've been through everything.” The unicorn shot her an annoyed look. “Twice.”

Twilight winced at the note of exasperation that Rarity was barely keeping a lid on. “I'm sorry I'm being such a pain in the flank, but I just want everything to be ...”

“I know! Every mare wants her first date to be perfect,” Rarity replied, thinking about how much time she'd spent freaking out when preparing for a night on the town. She understood what Twilight was going through, but she was trying to help, and it seemed Twilight was determined not to be satisfied. “But darling, while I can supply you with a pretty dress the most important thing to focus on is being yourself.”

“If I was just being me, I wouldn't wear a pretty dress,” said Twilight with a wry grin. “But that wouldn't look very good at the Crystal Empire Ball now, would it?” Princess Cadance had invited her to a big shindig she was throwing to celebrate a year since the defeat of King Sombra, and while she was loathe to attend any big social gathering, it was at least a chance to spend some time with Cadance and hopefully see where they were going.

They had been exchanging letters regularly since reconnecting during the Changeling invasion of Canterlot just over a year ago – so many that Spike had recently been complaining of indigestion, though Twilight wasn't sure if that was down to the quantity or the contents of the letters – and lately it seemed that both were ready to take their friendship to the next level, but with them being on opposite sides of Equestria it was so difficult to arrange to see each all that often.

Cadance was just so … everything: beautiful, clever, sweet, funny, and such an enormous tease. Twilight was glad that the Ponyville water company charged for their service at a fixed rate otherwise her bill would've gone through the Castle of Friendship's roof every time one of her letters appeared. There was usually language contained within that even the raciest of erotic fiction writers would have blushed at.

The Princess of Love, indeed. Twilight had thought that the title referred to her ability to foster amity wherever she went, not realising that Cadance was also schooled in love's more, ah, physical forms.

Twilight turned to face herself in a full-length mirror; she let her wings unfurl and a look crossed her face as she examined the dull lavender primaries which, she noted dryly, were in dire need of a good preening. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been trying to teach her proper wing maintenance, but in between everything else that had come with the ascension, to say nothing of the various crises that befell Equestria on a regular basis, it was difficult to find the time for grooming.

“What is it?” asked Rarity.

“It's … no, it's silly.”

“And that's a reason not to tell me?”

“Well,” Twilight's face shaded slightly to red, and she inclined her head in the direction of one of her still splayed wings. “While teaching me to fly, Rainbow Dash told me that, in ancient times, when pegasi sought a mate they would use their wings to make themselves look big and powerful. Later, some of the, ah, less-endowed pegasi started using feathers taken from large birds to make their own plumage even more impressive.”

“Wing extensions?” Rarity was torn between looking incredulous and laughing out loud, though she had to admit that she was impressed that Rainbow Dash of all ponies had a knowledge of history beyond that of who flew the furthest fastest. Maybe it was an area of couture that she ought to look into? Surely there were a few shy pegasi out there who'd appreciate having their wings dolled up?

“Celestia, Luna and Cadance all have quite remarkable wingspans, while I-”

“You're still developing as an alicorn, Twilight, you have nothing to be ashamed of,” said Rarity, cutting the alicorn off before she could launch into one of her patented freak-out arias. She placed her hoof under Twilight's chin and lifted her sinking head up. “While you may lack the raw majesty of our other beloved princesses, you are every bit their match when it comes to beauty, poise and intelligence.”

“Do you really think so?” asked Twilight, her mulberry eyes watering slightly.

“I wouldn't say it otherwise.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, hugging the unicorn tightly. “I've been worrying so much about whether Cadance would think I was … pretty enough for her. That's why I've been so critical of all the dresses. I just want to look the best I can for her, you know?”

“I can't claim to know her very well, but … I don't think she's the shallow type who is going to worry about a pony's outward appearance, but rather what is on the inside,” said Rarity, extricating herself from Twilight's embrace before she started rupturing organs. “If you stick to being your sweet, loveable self, you should be fine.”
Feeling marginally better about herself, Twilight started looking through the racks again until she hit upon a quite striking dress; it was a deep purple colour, with shimmering white and violet bands encircling the waist. It was remarkably similar, in fact, to the one Rarity's doppelgänger had made for her to wear to the Fall Formal at Canterlot High School in the other world she'd visited through the Crystal Mirror.

“Oh, yes,” said Rarity, noticing Twilight's interest. “When you told me about the creations my counterpart came up with, I just had to try my hoof at replicating some of them pony-style. I think it turned out rather well, don't you?”

“It's beautiful,” agreed Twilight, reaching out to caress the silky fabric. “May I?”

“Go right ahead.”

Valentine's Day Special

by Magicman7997
~~~~~

The palace was a buzz with a great deal of activity. Yet, for all the commotion, it was eerily quiet. It was as if the somber mood of the castle’s residents seemed to infect the entire castle. Servants and handmaidens quickly shuttled back and forth between areas tending to their assigned tasks. In the midst of this chaos, Empress Mi Amore Cadenza softly descended the staircase that led from the private areas of the palace. Her crystal shod hooves clicked against each stair in rhythm, but strangely were just as muted as every other sound. Carefully minding the hem of her long trained black dress, Cadance stopped at the foot of the stairs and simply watched the castle’s staff go about their work.

“When was the last time there was this much going on?” she lamented to no pony in particular. Her memory was perfect, so of course she could recall it.

”Quickly everypony! She’ll be here soon! Prism! Take those crystal lilies into the dining room! I just know my Twilight will love how they look!” Cady watched as her staff bustled about preparing the Crystal Castle for the arrival of one Princess Twilight Sparkle. The new marefriend of Princess Cadance was entertaining her new love for the first time in her home. It had to be perfect. As she helped direct traffic amongst her staff, she hummed a little tune to herself.

With a heavy sigh, the memory passed and Cadance sniffled. She felt a hoof gently placed over her withers and a handkerchief gracefully floated in front of her muzzle held in a deep purple magical hold.

“You okay Mom?” asked a clearly concerned Twilight Sunshine. The oldest of their twin children, Sunshine’s coat was just a couple of shades darker than her namesakes. Her own black gown fitted to her form bunching up as she sat down next to her mother. “Was it...Momma?”

Cadance could only nod as she began to cry a little more. With a hoarse croak she spoke, “I was remembering the time when she first came here for dinner. We hadn’t been together very long. It was...one of the happiest moments of my life.” Her tears began to quicken as her resolve failed. “We were supposed to have forever Sunny. Why? Why did she, the youngest of all of us, have to go?”

Embracing her mother tightly, Sunshine whispered gently into Cady’s ear while fighting back her own tears. “I...I don’t know Momma. Even Auntie Luna and Auntie Tia don’t really understand what happened. They said that they’d never seen an illness take hold like this one did. Even Discord said he’d never seen a magical disease like this one. It consumed her life essence as well as her magic.” The two mares comforted each other as a young white unicorn stallion approached them. Sunshine looked up to see her brother, Shining Shield gently moving closer to them.

“It’s...it’s time guys. Auntie Luna says that everyone is in place. Miss Lulamoon will speak right before us Sis. Then, it’s your turn...if you want that is Momma.”

Bleary eyed, Cadance looked towards her son. He’d grown into a fine stallion. Captain of the Crystal Knights, just like his Uncle in so many ways. It was no surprise to both herself and Twilight that as Shining grew, the resemblance to his late uncle was more than just coincidence. Upon obtaining his cutie mark (which was nearly identical to Shining Armor’s) the two princesses began to sense something special about their boy. Their suspicions were confirmed when Shield protected both he and his sister from an eldritch spirit from beyond the veil. Upon the shade’s defeat, the ghost of his Uncle walked to the young colt and told him of his destiny.

”You and I have a lot in common big guy. I need you to pick up where I left off. Keeping not only the Crystal Empire safe, but your mothers and sister as well. You’ll have one heck of a reputation to live up to, but I know you can do it Shield. Now, it is time for you to embrace who you are and become the stallion you were born to be.” In a brilliant flash, the spirit of Shining Armor merged with Shield. When the light faded, Shield’s flank was now adorned with the same cutie mark that his uncle once carried.

“I think I’ll be able to Shield. It’s the least I can do. Well, we should be going,” said Cadance as she and her children embraced one more time before falling in behind their escort. The three entered the grand hall of the castle which was filled to overflowing with all sorts of creatures who’d come to pay final respects to Empress Twilight Sparkle of the Crystal Throne. The five other Element Bearers along with their families were present. Ambassadors and dignitaries from other kingdoms were all huddled near Princess Celestia offering their own sympathies. Looking at her aunt, she could see that behind the mask she was wearing for everypony else was a mare that was grieving almost as much as she was. In fact, had it not been for Discord and his own love for Tia, Cadance was certain that her aunt would be a shattered mess.

Everypony found their seats as Princess Luna crossed to the dais that had been constructed. A small, amethyst crystalline casket sat on a bed of crystal lilies. The whole stage was surrounded by flowers and well wishes from every corner of the world. Clearing her throat gently, Luna’s voice echoed off of the walls of the hall.

“Greetings all. And thank you for coming. That you are all here means so very much not only to myself, but my sister, my niece, and her family as well.” The strength of Luna’s voice began to waiver, “Twilight was...an amazing pony. For not only did she advance the study of friendship, but her skills in magic were unmatched.” As Luna’s eulogy continued, Cadance stole a quick glance at those gathered. Like herself, almost all of those present were dabbing at their eyes. Even two of Luna’s normally stoic Lunar Guards could be seen choking back a tear or two.

“Oh Twilight, I wish you were still here. You affected so many in this world. I know I won’t be the only one to miss you.”

One by one, ponies and other races from all across Equestria shared their memories of Twilight. Even the Lunar Consort, Trixie, couldn’t keep from breaking down in tears when she retold the tale of how Twilight helped her woo Luna. Ever the showmare, Trixie’s magic conjured up images of her attempting to win Luna’s affection, with a ghostly Twilight cheering her on as the two apparitions kissed. With a wry smile, Trixie sniffed away a tear of her own and dispelled the little light show. Next came the twins. They had agreed that Shining should be the one to speak as Sunshine would most likely be unable to. However, as soon as they reached their mother’s casket, Shining could no longer hold back his emotions. Sinking to his haunches, he cried at his mother’s remains all the while Sunshine cooed softly to him and stroked his back. When it was clear that there was no way he’d be able to speak, Fluttershy and Applejack both rose from their seats and helped guide him back to his own chair. Left alone on the stage, Sunshine cleared her throat.

“I...uh...wasn’t really sure I could do this. I’m still not sure I can. But I guess…” Slowly, Sunshine’s own resolve failed and the emotions became too much to bear. “I’m sorry, everypony…” Quickly she fled from the stage and embraced her mother and brother. Her own sobs joining her brothers, she once again felt like a small filly being comforted by her mother.

Luna softly glided to the family’s side, “Do you wish to speak Cadence? No pony is expecting you to if you do not feel like it.”

Cadance thought for a moment about merely letting the moment pass. But the one thing she’d noticed about all the memories of Twilight, is that none of them seemed to catch her Twily as she remembered her. Sure, there were a great many tellings of her feats of magic and adventure. But, it still felt like something was missing.

“I do, Luna. For her.” Cadance slowly rose to her hooves and walked softly to the casket. Hushed whispers cycled through the crowd as she took the stage. Reaching the edge of the open coffin, Cady peered down at her love. A peaceful smile was on Twilight’s face. Her mane had been cleaned and freshly styled. Given how the disease had robbed so much from her, Cadance was amazed at how much better she looked. She gently kissed the base of Twilight’s horn and whispered to her, “I love you my dearest Twily. Wait for me. I’ll join you when I’m done here.”

Turning to face the crowd, Cadance cleared her throat. Her eyes scanned the room as she met the gaze of her friends. All of them were looking at her, lending her all the strength they could. With a deep sigh, she finally spoke. “Thank you all, so much. We are so very lucky to have such wonderful friends. All of you have shared wonderful memories of my Twilight. But, I think there’s one memory that hasn’t been shared that just must be.” With a slight smile, Cadance slowly lit her horn and began to channel some of her latent love magic. Slowly, a small shimmering portal like visage appeared. The portal flickered to life as an image of a younger Twilight and Cadance came into view. The two ponies were walking down one of the many streets of Canterlot. Twilight was obviously a bundle of nervous energy as she walked with a very confident looking Cadance. The two stopped just in front of one of the many cafes the city had to offer. Seeing the scene, a tear fell down Cadance’s muzzle as she finally found her voice once again.

“I’d like to tell you the story of the very adorkable Twilight Sparkle and our very first date…”

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle spun in place and giggled at how her dress swirled out in deep red-magenta waves, the sequins catching the light to shine like stars peeking through the sky at dusk. Rarity really had outdone herself this time. Of course, the dress was for a special occasion, fitted to her measurements just days in advance so it fit her like a second coat. Her mane was up in a simple bun with crystal chopsticks holding it in place, and she had hint of glitter dust worked into her wings to really make them shine.

She glanced around the bedroom to reassure herself that no pony was watching her, and struck a pose in front of the mirror, batting her eyes the way she’d seen Rarity do, and purred. “Hello, Princess...I want you to paint my like one of your Prance fillies…”

“Really? But I thought you said I wasn’t allowed near you with coat dye after last Nightmare Night?”

Twilight jumped, squeaking like a mouse and fumbled backward out of the vanity until she bumped into the bed. “Cadance?! You surprised me!”

“Sorry!” Cadance, reigning monarch of the Crystal Kingdom and alicorn of Love, smiled sheepishly and ducked her head. “You just looked so picture perfect that I wanted to watch and then you said that...and I couldn’t resist.”

Twilight frowned, brushing a strand of her mane from her face. “When did you get in here? I just checked to see if anypony was in there.”

“Flew in.” Cadance nodded toward the open window. “I got her just a few seconds before you started posing. Honest!” She laughed and stepped around the bed to nuzzle Twilight’s cheek. “You do look absolutely, positively lovely my dear. You sure are going all out for a date.”

“It’s not just any date, Cady.” Twilight returned the nuzzle with one of her own into Cadance’s neck, in the hollow under her chin. “It’s a Hearts and Hooves Day date. On Hearts and Hooves Day!”

Cadance chuckled softly, looking down into Twilight’s eyes. “Take it from the Love Expert, there is nothing special about this day when it comes to love itself. It’s not like the equinoxes where ley lines get stronger, or anything like that.”

Twilight nodded. “As you’ve told me before, it’s a corporate holiday designed to sell merchandise.” The smaller alicorn took a step back, putting her ‘bedroom eyes’ expression back on. “But that’s not the point, is it? It’s a day we have chosen to be the day you show that special somepony that you care. I care about you, Cadance, and this year, you are not going to be a shut-in. You and I are going to the most exclusive restaurant in the entire Empire and we are going to have a romantic dinner. Afterwards, you get to unwrap your present.”

“Present?” Cadance tilted her head.

Twilight turned around, sashaying toward the door with more swish than she usually walked with. She looked back over her shoulder on the way out. “You’re looking at it. Now get ready, we leave in an hour.”

Empress Cadance Sparkle stood with her back straight, head held high and commanding as lights, numbering in the hundreds, flashed on either side of her and her consort as they made their way up the red carpet to the huge open door of La Maison de’Thoumieux and the glamorous tables beyond. She moved with measured poise and grace, leading slightly so that Twilight caught most of the attention. Her date stood out starkly against the simplistic, cloud-white dress she wore, her hair falling straight and free, like Twilight usually had her mane done.

When they entered the building, the paparazzi fell back and it finally felt as if they could have their date in peace. A crystal stallion maitre d lead the royal couple to a small, intimate table in the back of the restaurant where they could have a bit of privacy. Cadance smiled at him when he handed them their menus and wine lists and opened it dutifully to gaze over the contents.

“Oh poo.” Cadance half whispered so that Twilight would hear her. “There are no pictures in this.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, opening her menu and perusing it quickly. She gestured to the hovering stallion and spoke in fluent and almost unaccented Prench. <> The maitre d bowed, leaving them alone in the soft candlelight at the table.

Cadance smiled sweetly. “I knew I married you for a good reason.”

“If you practiced more, I wouldn’t have to order everything.” Twilight sighed, and smiled back at Cadance a moment later. “It’s not that hard, really.”

“I believe you!” Cadance leaned forward, whispering quietly. “I just hate practicing Prench. I think it makes me sound snooty and too ‘princess-y’ for my liking.”

“It’s ok, Cady, really it is.” Twilight waved her hoof dismissively. “It’s not like you have to know it before the ambassador shows up in a few months. I mean, we’ve got lots of time for that. I’ll tutor you myself!”

“None of your sass tonight, Sparkle. Hearts and Hooves is stressful enough as it is.”

Twilight smirked and reached across the table to take Cadance’s hoof in her own. “I’m sorry I dragged you out into the night air and to this shabby establishment. But I just wanted to show you I cared.”

“Sarcasm does not become you, my love.” Cadance sighed and pulled Twilight’s hoof up, kissing it gently. “But I concede your point. This is a lovely date, and you look marvelous and I do not deserve you.”

“So...tell me,” Twilight propped her chin in her hoof, letting Cadance hold her other one tight, “why do you shut yourself in on Hearts and Hooves Day? It’s just, your the alicorn of love, shouldn’t this be your de facto holiday?”

Cadance remained quiet. Twilight opened her mouth to say something when a pair of waiters arrived with their starter course. They thanked the staff after the wine was poured and Twilight ordered the next course.

“What did you order for us?” Cadance levitated a crusty bread roll, breaking it apart to spread butter on it before she bit into it.

“Asparagus Escargo.” Twilight lifted her own roll. “Don’t try to change the subject. What’s with the aversion to ponies being lovey dovey once a year?”

“Ponies are lovey dovey all the time, Twilight, but Hearts and Hooves Day adds pressure to it. Sure, we can show our love and appreciation to those we love whenever we want, but today, we’re required to do it. It’s no longer your choice.” Cadance waved her piece of bread around as she spoke. “Oh, of course no pony is forcing you, but society is pressuring you to make a show of it. And, you have to keep escalating year after year. You can’t just do the same thing, you have to make it bigger and louder and more elaborate.”

“So, you’re saying that the shows of affection today are...over inflated, or false?” Twilight took a bite of her bread, chewing thoughtfully. “You don’t like the pressure?”

Cadance nodded vigorously. “Yes! Exactly! And I dislike the lack of spontaneity. Making a holiday gives you a deadline. Deadlines and love don’t mix. Love is supposed to be from the heart and surprise you, make you reassess your life and how this wonderful other pony could care that much for you. It’s not supposed to be a cut-off period for displaying x-amount of passion.”

She sighed, lifting her wine and sipping from it. “Besides the pressure it puts on those with special someponies, what about the ones without? I’ve met too many ponies that become depressed wrecks at this time each year. It hurts them.”

Twilight hung her head. “Yeah...I remember being like that once. Until you walked into my life again during the whole changeling invasion.”

Cadance smiled and kissed Twilight’s hoof again. “Well, to be fair, you did save me from an insane changeling queen that was impersonating me to get close to Celestia. Did I ever tell you how dashing you looked when you burst into the mine and found me? Can you blame a princess for falling for a hero?” She blew Twilight a kiss. “Either way, you can understand how this holiday makes some ponies unduly miserable, right?”

Twilight nodded again, finishing off her roll in a few quick bites. “Yeah, I can see that. So, over emphasized shows of affection and increased misery for those without special someponies.” She turned the thought over in her mind. “I suppose I can tell why that could leave a sour taste in your mouth.”

“Well, there is one more reason.”

“Oh?” Twilight raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Cadance narrowed her brows and looked back and forth conspiratorially. “Every pony thinks I’m going around on a cloud and shooting ponies with my special love arrows. That I’m the reason for the holiday and all the lovey dovey-ness!”

Twilight snickered. “But, Cady, how could that be? You suck at archery!”

“They don’t know that!” Cadance spread her hooves, indicating every pony. “If only my terrible shame of never being able to compete at the sport I am worst at was more plainly painted on my face!”

Twilight laughed and shook her head. “This is why I love you.”

“Oh?” Cadance batted her eyelashes. “I thought it was my stunning good looks and unrivaled intelligence.”

“Well, one of those helps.”

“Which one?” Cadance grinned, kissing Twilight’s hoof again.

“I’ll let you puzzle that one out yourself.” Twilight relaxed in her seat, sighing softly. “I’ll tell you what, next Hearts and Hooves Day, we’ll stay in and do whatever you want, ok?”

Cadance’s eyes brightened. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“And that,” Cadance pulled Twilight a little closer as the waiters returned with their main course, “is why I love you.”

by ArguingPizza
~~~~~

The Crystal Empire was alight with candle flames beyond measure, each flickering light reflected a hundredfold by the glittering stonework that made up the city. The last few rays of dusk still dusted the horizon as the sun retired, leaving the foals to their rest and the lovers to their privacy.

Atop the Crystal Spire, the Observatory had been cleared of its telescope- one a thousand years out of date and already promised to the Royal Museum in Manehatten. In its place, a simple wooden table adorned with a tablecloth of the purest ivory white. A single candle, highest of its brethren and the star atop the glittering Hearth’s Warming tree that the city had become, illuminated a simple vase of flowers and a collection of empty plates.

A wine glass was enveloped securely in light blue magic, and levitated to meet its twin, which was likewise clasped in a shaky raspberry glow. They came together with a soft, brittle ting.

“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Twilight.” Cadence tried to will feelings of warmth and caring towards her companion, but her smile gave way to a grimace when Twilight’s drink was upended and drained in a single gulp. The glass slammed hard into the table, and Cadence spared a glance to inspect it for cracks. It was miraculously intact, which proved fortunate a moment later when Twilight refilled it nearly to the brim.

“H-happy Hear–“ Twilight’s voice dried up, and she quickly drank another half glass to loosen her tongue. “–Hearts and Hooves Day, Cadence.” Twilight’s eyes remained glued to her empty plate, and she busied herself by pushing around a few uneaten peas with her fork.

Cadence suppressed a sigh, for she knew allowing it to escape would have only incensed Twilight’s insecurities further. Despite Cadence’s best efforts, Twilight had shown up for their date barely able to stand through her shaking, and the situation had only deteriorated from there. She had hoped the wine might help, but after half a bottle Twilight remained tense and fidgety.

Both of Cadence’s hooves reached across the table to cover one of Twilight’s, and she offered the younger mare a supportive smile.

“You don’t have to be nervous, Twilight. Not around me.” She waited until Twilight met her eyes, and when Twilight failed to do so, she lifted Twilight’s chin with a hoof. “I’m still me, and you’re still you. Nothing about that has changed.”

Twilight pulled her head away and shook her head. “Everything has changed, Cadence. We’re on a date: a real, honest-to-goodness date, and I know it’s just a matter of time until I do something to mess it up.” Tears gathered in the corner of Twilight’s eye, but she wiped them away before any could escape.

“You’re the Princess of Love, and I’m just some awkward bookworm who found an extra set of wings sitting around.” Twilight waved a hoof at the darkened Observatory, which was lit only by a scattering of small candles. “Even if everything goes right tonight –and that’s a huge ‘if’– it’s only a matter of time before I do something wrong and you realize how much better you can do.”

Cadence was not sure how Twilight expected her to react to her admission. Maybe she expected a protest, or a denial, or –worst of all– an agreement. Whatever Twilight’s expectation, Cadence doubted it was to be roughly lifted and dropped belly-up onto the table by a field of light blue magic.

Eyes wide, Twilight was speechless as Cadence’s hooves dropped around her to from a soft, pink cage. Slowly, inch by inch, Cadence lowered herself until she was resting against Twilight’s chest. She could feel Twilight’s heart pounding, and she flicked her mane to the side to cascade down her neck and across the table.

“Twilight, you’re right.” Cadence knew it was a bit cruel, but she couldn’t help but pause dramatically. Twilight stiffened against her, though whether it was her words or her running her muzzle along the gentle curve of Twilight’s neck, she couldn’t be sure. “I am the Princess of Love, and that means I know a few things.”

Her wings trailed along Twilight’s sides, avoiding her ticklish spots but drawing a shudder all the same. “I know you don’t understand how unbelievably, indescribably gorgeous you truly are.”

Her wings reached Twilight’s Cutie Marks at the same time, and began to lightly trace the pink starburst pattern. “I know you don’t realize how much everypony, including me, looks to you when we need help, because we never have to wonder if you’ll be there for us.”

She nibbled Twilight’s ear, and the captive mare failed to bite back a moan. It stoked the warmth growing deep within Cadence, but she held herself back. “I know you love me, and have loved me for a long time now.” Twilight made an attempt at a protest, but was overruled before she truly began by Cadence warm breath on her neck.

“But there’s one thing you don’t know, that I think I should tell you.” Cadence’s wings paused in their ministrations, and she drew herself back just far enough for Twilight to see her lecherous grin. She licked her lips, and her hoof snaked its way down Twilight’s torso. “Or maybe I should show you—“

“Seriously?”

Twilight Velvet paused in her reading, and she lowered the small stack of papers to peer curiously at her daughter. Twilight– more specifically, Twilight Sparkle– had sat up from the old cushion in front of Velvet’s writing desk.

“What’s wrong with it?” she asked. Twilight Sparkle stared at her as if it should have been obvious, which frankly it wasn’t, before she huffed and stomped a hoof.

“’Maybe I should show you?’ You’re kidding, right?” Twilight’s wings fluttered at her side in what Velvet had learned was a display of irritation. That she’d only had to learn what the gesture meant since her daughter’s ascension was a bit embarrassing, but then again Canterlot didn’t have many pegasus ponies, and she had only ever left the city on a few rare vacations.

“I think it’s a good line,” Cadence said from her half of the cushion, pressed against Twilight’s side. Between her forehooves, a half-eaten bag of popcorn continued to disappear in a steady stream of fluffy salted goodness.

“Thank you, dear.” Cadence beamed smugly, and Twilight glowered at them both. “Oh, don’t make that face, honey. It’s unbecoming of a Princess.”

“And having a mother who writes smut about her own daughter isn’t? Am I the only one who sees how weird this is?” Again, Twilight stomped a hoof, and Velvet was momentarily taken back to when Twilight was only a filly and Velvet would take away her books for the night. If she didn’t, Twilight would spend the night reading and fall asleep in class the next day, but each night inevitably brought with it the plea for just one more chapter.

“It’s what the ponies want, honey. I’m a writer, sue me.”

“I might…” Twilight’s compaints were put to rest by a quick jab from her wife’s pink wing.

“Oh hush, this doesn’t hold a candle to some of the stuff ponies have written about Aunt Celestia over the centuries.” Cadence leaned in close, and whispered in a voice only just short of being too quiet for Velvet to overhear. “Besides, if you’re good, when we get home I’ll let you pick out your favorite scenes for a little ‘re-enactment.’”

Twilight blushed, but quickly settled back onto the cushion, though not without a bit of grumbling. Velvet hid her grin behind her pages. She and Cadence shared a wink before she cleared her throat and resumed reading.

Twilight shivered under Cadence’s delicate touch…

by TheWraithWriter
~~~~~

Twilight stared at her reflection, thinking about how utterly ridiculous this whole thing was. Here she was backstage at the Crystal Auction House (a very sarcastic ‘Good job!’ to whomever came up with that name) getting herself all prettied up. And what for? So ponies could bid on her?

The pretty purple pony princess sighed. It was for charity and all they were really bidding on was a date. And Twilight couldn’t really say no to funding for libraries.
She turned so her side faced the mirror. Her dress was reminiscent of the one she had worn for the Grand Galloping Gala all those years ago. Ink blue on the outside while the inner lining was a nicely contrasting icy-blue. Glittering white stars adorned the back and a few were stuck into her mane. And somepony had the bright idea to throw on some extra sparkles for shits and giggles. Twilight could imagine lighting up like a disco ball or a vampony when the spotlight shined on her.

She bet it was fucking Rarity’s idea.

“Hey Twilight,” the familiar voice of her number one assistant called through the dressing room door. “They are ready for you.”

Twilight sighed again and trotted over to the door, opening it to reveal Spike standing there looking sharp in a tuxedo. She noted that he wasn’t sparkling.

Twilight forced a smile on her face. “Okay, Spike, let’s go.”

****

She supposed there was some small mercy in being up first.

“Five thousand!” a green stallion with orange hair called out,

She had been right. She was literally sparkling under the spotlight, a twinkling gem every stallion in the room wanted to have, even for just one evening.

“Ten thousand!” a mare countered.

Startled, Twilight looked to see a banana yellow mare with an off-white mane batting eyelashes at her.

Well, maybe a few mares wouldn’t mind her company either.

“Twenty thousand!” another mare called out.

Okay, maybe every pony in the room wanted her. It might have seemed a lot more flattering if she wasn’t so uncomfortably hot under the spotlight. And their gazes.

“Twenty-five thousand,” said a rather posh voice.

Twilight blinked in surprise. She knew Fancy Pants was here, but wasn’t he with somepony? Or maybe he was trying to save her the trouble of going with one of these rich dullards.

My, she was starting to get a little bitter about this wasn’t she?

“Thirty-five thousand!” countered the yellow mare from before.

“Forty,” came the perpetually uninterested voice of Prince Blueblood.

Twilight balked. She didn’t know Blueblood was here. She supposed it made sense that he would show up, but…

Somepony please make another bid. Twilight pleaded silently.

“Fifty thousand!” cried a very familiar and accented voice.

Managing to suppress a gasp of surprise, Twilight followed the source of the voice to a orange mare that had her blonde mane done up in a posh bun. Applejack winked at her and tilted her head to indicate the mare on her left. Princess Celestia gave Twilight a wink that said: ‘Don’t worry, we’ve got this.’

“Sixty thousand,” Blueblood said, sounding vaguely miffed.

“Seventy!” Applejack happily replied.

“Eighty!” Blueblood shouted.

“Ninety!”

“Ninety five!” called out the green stallion from before.

“One hundred thousand!” a pink maned, Prench accented mare called out.

“One ten!” came Applejack’s voice again.

“One twenty five!” Blueblood sounded offended.

“One fifty!” Applejack countered, sounding flustered.

Twilight shifted her weight nervously. How much could Princess Celestia afford?

Blueblood seemed to have an idea. He was almost smug as he said, “Two hundred thousand.”

The auctioneer pounded on his podium. “Two hundred thousand! The bid is currently two hundred thousand bits!”

Twilight looked to Applejack who shook her head sadly. She glanced to Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis, both of whom were avoiding eye contact. Several ponies in the crowd were muttering unhappily.

“Going once,” the auctioneer cautioned. “Going twice!”

Twilight was just about to hang her head down when a cry from the back of the room startled everypony.

“One million bits!”

Twilight’s head jumped back up in surprise. Was that…?

“Who said that?” Blueblood demanded. “Show yourself!”

“Please, whoever made the bid, step forward,” the auctioneer said, motioning for a second spotlight to scan the crowd.

“I made the bid!” the voice called out again. The spotlight quickly found and settled on the speaker, who was waving happily at Twilight.

“Cadance?” Twilight said out loud.

“C-can you confirm that, please?” the auctioneer said, stumbling over his words in shock.

“Of course,” Cadance said nodded, cheekily holding a pink hoof to the corner of her mouth. “I bid one million bits.”

The auctioneer didn’t react at first, too stunned to do so. After a moment he seemed to remember himself and cleared his throat before speaking.

“That’s one million bits. The bid is one million bits for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Going once.”

The crowd remained silent.

“Going twice.”

Silence prevailed.

The gravel coming down was like a canon firing, making everypony in the room jump.

“Sold.”

Smiling like a dingo with a new baby, Cadance merrily trotted forward to the stage.

“You’ll take a check, right?” she asked the stallion at the podium.

He nodded silently.

Cadance’s horn lit up as she extracted a check book and a pen from the satchel at her side. The scratching of the pen practically echoed in the stillness of the air. Cadance pulled the sighed check from the book and handed it to the auctioneer.

“Come on, Twilight,” Cadance said with a smile in the purple alicorn’s direction.

Twilight wordlessly nodded, feeling a blush spreading across her cheeks as she stepped down from the stage and fell into step behind Cadance. Every eye in the auction house was on her, making her blush bloom brighter and hotter.

Cadance led her out the doors and into the lobby, the eyes on her being cut off as the doors closed behind her.

She was on Cadance in an instant, lips pressing eagerly to the pink alicorn, tongue slipping out to brush against pearly white teeth before they parted and the oral muscle wrestling began.

Cadance may have been larger than Twilight, but the Princess of Friendship was far more aggressive. She pushed Cadance against the wall, trapping the pretty pink pony princess between a hard crystal surface and a grateful librarian. Hooves stroked and petted and was only a loving but firm push that stopped Twilight from taking Cadance right there.

“Wow, Twilight,” Cadance said breathily. “I think you were misinformed as to what kind of auction this is.”

The purple alicorn chuckled nervously and touched her hooves together. “S-sorry Candy, it just…” she shook her head. “A million bits? Really? I think it’s a little drastic considering all I would have to do is spend one bad evening with Blueblood.”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Twilight snorted. “Of course not!” She went in for another kiss, but Cadance stopped her with a boop on the nose.

“Ah, ah, Princess Twilight. I do believe you owe me a date, not a quickie in a storeroom.”

Twilight was suddenly scarlet again, but she hid it with a tired sigh and a quick examination of the floor to her right. “Fine, be like that.”

Cadance grinned and began leading her date to the exit.

“Happy Hearts and Hooves day, Twilight.”

“Happy Hearts and Hooves day, Cadance.”

by auramane
~~~~~

Waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

This was a mistake. Shouldn’t have asked her to come. This is all going to go horribly wrong. Maybe I should just call it o—

No. She’s right there. She’s waving at me now.

Hello

She walks over to me. She’s smiling. Now she’s pulling me in. It’s about to start. Why did I suggest this?

The seats are comfortable at least. It’s too hot in here. She’s talking to me. Mindless chatter. She doesn’t seem to notice that I’m being quiet.

The lights dim. Silence.

And then the drums.

Proud and driving, but not overwhelming. Simple and pulsing. I don’t think I can really explain it. They just feel uplifting.

I glance over at her. She seems almost mesmerised, her eyes locked in front of her. I shake my head and turn back.

An unassuming piano joins the drums, with a single voice. They don’t do much. Nothing complicated. The piano sounds almost child-like. But somehow it just fits. It keeps the beat, lifting it up into something more than just a beat.

And then the voice.

It meanders between lyrics. They sound more like poetry than anything else, really. Does the voice know what it’s singing? Does she like it?

I look back at her. She’s nodding her head to the beat. The music slows down. It seems almost like it’s grinding to a halt.

Until suddenly it bursts into the chorus. Another voice joins the first, along with a guitar. Together, they weave together a beautiful tapestry of sound. It’s almost as though I can see it reflected in her eyes.

I don’t know what they’re singing about. I don’t think it matters. Who says art needs a meaning?

She’s smiling now. She likes it. She’s happy. I guess that’s good enough then, right?

I tear my gaze away. Focus on something else.

It’s back to the first singer. Back to the way it was at the beginning. Lilting. Almost poetic.

The voice is cracking. It sounds... distraught? Rather negative anyway. It sounds like it’s looking for someone. I guess I can relate.

But I found her.

And she’s next to me.

It’s back into the chorus. Driving forward. Trying to forget the dark times in the past. Something else I suppose we have in common.

Do I even want to forget? It feels like it should stay with me. It would be wrong. I can’t just do that. Not for me. But for her?

It’s focusing on the second voice. Slower. No drums. It’s calmer. I don’t really know who it’s talking to. Is it an order? The first voice is back. It sounds lonely. Can’t it hear the other?

And now we’re back to the chorus. Except it’s one voice. It’s alone.

And now they’re singing together again. Singing about accomplishing great things. But what about what they sang about before? Are they ignoring it? Forgetting about it?

Things blurring. Can't see clearly. Getting hotter.

I feel a hoof brush against my leg. I almost jump out of my chair.

It’s her.

She looks worried. I’m confused. Why is she getting my attention? She gestures up to my face.

Oh.

I guess I’m crying.

She gestures to the door. Should I? It looked like she was enjoying herself. I look back at her face. She looks very concerned. I nod. Bow my head to follow her. She leads me out of the door.

We’re in the lobby. She’s asking me questions I don’t know the answer to. Nothing was clear in there. I don’t understand. It was just a song.

She shakes her head and smiles wryly. She gives me a nuzzle. Murmuring something about a carriage.

Yes.

Home.

Sorry.

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~~~

Hearts and Hooves Day, it was the day to celebrate love and its various incarnations. However today was not that day, it was the day afterwards, an ordinary day. There was nothing to mark it as any more remarkable than the next day or the day after that one.

Today was however the day that Twilight and Cadance had set aside to spend time together, the usual traditions of the previous day had been mutually decided upon that the day itself was not the right time to celebrate being together.

Hearts and Hooves Day, the day of celebrating Eros love was also filled with traditions and festivals held so to celebrating that particular love. Traditions and festivals which left both busy and not conductive to spending it together and yet the loss of that day mattered little.

For Cadance, love was something that should be celebrated and cherished year-round not just on day of the year. For Twilight, she felt that the holiday itself had become a little too laden down in numerous gestures and traditions that one could lose sight for what it was meant to celebrate.

So on this day after the festivals were over and the decorations stowed away for another year, the two would share their special day together in spite of a few others pointing out how both balked at traditions, but it mattered not what others thought about their intentional disregard for the usual traditions especially those who did not know them well. Traditional days to celebrate or not, what mattered for them was that they were together and that was already special.

Author's Note

Happy Valentine's Day everyone, hope yours was filled with love and good times.

Haunted by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 18

~~~

Artificial mage-light cast deep, stark shadows whenever Twilight stuck her head into one of the many alcoves and cubbies that branched off from the main room inside the Everfree Temple of the Sun. Most were like small rooms, either completely empty or filled with rubble and dead leaves, their purpose unclear. In the sixth or seventh—she had stopped counting already—there was a dark splash of color staining the floor.

Twilight paused, kneeling down to examine it closely. It was old, obviously, but it was impossible to tell how old without a more in-depth examination than she had time for at the moment. Was something spilled? Was it the final remains of some ancient carpeting, it’s color staining the stone long after it had faded to dust? Or had something roughly pony-sized met its end in this tiny space, prey to some Everfree monster? The ruins of the temple were not forthcoming with an immediate answer, so Twilight stood again and moved on.

Across the large, central space, more light flashed for a jar hung from Zecora’s belt, in time with her steps. The older zebra scanned the stones and carvings with a keen, practiced eye. She stopped by a larger alcove, her lantern jar illuminating a huge relief carving of bowing and prostrated figures facing a central sphere and flanked by flames. Directly below the sphere was a single pony...or at least that was what the carving seemed to suggest. The figure was now smashed and disfigured, with only a hoof and what might be a bit of flowing mane still attached to the rest of the display.

Twilight picked her way carefully across the rubble-strewn floor, reaching Zecora before the mare had moved on in her search. “Zecora...do you...do you think this just fell apart over the years? Or...was this defaced intentionally?”

Zecora stopped and considered the carving. “I say it on purpose.” She gestured at the central, broken figure. “W’en Everfree fall, t’ey say it fall hard. Da goddess left t’em and wit’out ‘er, everyt’ing come cras’ing down.”

“Why did she leave?” Twilight frowned, lowering her voice to keep it from carrying to where Spike and Cadance were searching. “If Princess Celestia was really this same Sun Priestess, then why did she suddenly abandon her people. That’s not the pony I know. The Princess I know would fight to her last breath and beyond if Canterlot or Equestria was threatened.”

“S’e not da same pony.” Zecora shrugged and put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Princess Celestia is a different pony t’en da legend. If t’at because s’e is not da same one, or...s’e c’ange over da years...I cannot say. I study Everfree. I learn many t’ings about da past, Twilight. Da Priestess could’a been Celestia, t’ey bot’ good ponies, t’ey bot’ strong, t’ey bot’ care about t’ey people. Da Priestess fell because s’e see w’at power do to ‘er. S’e see t’at s’e going bad. Da Priestess took off da mantle of power and leaders’ip willingly. T’at is da important part, Twilight.”

Twilight turned that over in her mind, breathing deeply through her nose as she had been taught years ago to clear her mind and focus. “The Priestess stepped down to prevent herself from becoming something bad?” Thoughts and memories from her last excursion into the Everfree played through her mind. The desperate chase through the forest. Finding the old royal palace and slogging through those ruins until she reached the tower. The flashing lights, arcane power washing over every surface and warping reality to the breaking point. In the middle of the storm, Princess Celestia, bound and gagged, while a dark mockery of Princess Luna stood over her.

The fight was a blur of spells and explosions, blasts of fire and lightning charged with plasma. Luna’s mane was the one point of stillness, but it was the black, cold stillness of the grave. Her entire body was twisted by whatever was affecting her, enlarging her and giving the Princess reptilian eyes and teeth. Twilight could remember her eyes the clearest. That and Luna’s laugh. Both were flat, filled with malice and murderous intent. Luna surrounded herself with shields. Magic bounced off her like rain off a roof with all the same damage. Twilight had flung spells until her horn was smoking and her throat was raw, but nothing made it through.

All that changed when Luna had put her hoof on Princess Celestia’s neck. Twilight could remember the desperation she had felt and all the rage that boiled up under it. She could remember the precise moment—with a clarity that sometimes kept her up at nights—when Princess Luna shifted her weight and pressed down, Princess Celestia’s eyes widened in fear and her own mind exploded. Spell matrices she had never envisioned before or since welled up in her mind faster than she could have cast them. They layered and intertwined themselves along impossible geometries. In one blinding flash, she unleashed hell. Fire, electricity, ice, acid, ear-shattering sound, and pure arcane force combined into one rainbow binding of elements.

The attack broke Luna’s shield, and her spine.

Twilight blew air through her nose until her lungs ached to be refilled, driving the memories of that night out of her mind. She couldn’t help but wonder though, if that evil that had festered in Luna’s mind and soul was the same evil the Priestess of the Sun felt would consume her as well? Was that fear what brought her and the City of Everfree down?

She shook her head, turning to look to where Spike and Cady had wandered to. They were not far off, but the disfigured and defaced carving left a sour taste in her mouth and she suddenly didn’t want either of them out of her sight. “Just what are we looking for down here, Zecora? Potion ingredients or more information of this Chyrsalis creature? If you had told me about something like a changeling last week, I would have told you to stop drinking your own concoctions.”

Zecora stepped up next to the Twilight and put a hoof on the younger mare’s shoulder. “I would ‘ave slapped you, too. I make da best brew for a league in all directions.” The zebra sighed. “But I understand. It hard to swallow. Mebbe we find somet’ing ‘ere I missed. Me eyes not so good now.”

“Hey, Twi!” Spike waved at them from across the room. “I found a way down into a lower section!”

From where they stood, Twilight could see Cadance carefully picking her way around what looked like any other pile of broken stone and tangled roots. Spike turned back to her and they spoke, too quietly to hear, when Spike grabbed one of the larger stones and started working it loose from the rest of the rubble.

A black hoof, its chitinous surface hard and rigid, paused in mid-air above a complex matrix of dark arcane runes and symbols. Grains of obsidian sand ceased to flow from the small satchel it held, the line on the ground that those fine particles were forming halted in place. The line nearly reached another, only a small bit of space remained free of the dark material. That tiny blank area was all that kept the complex circle pattern from being complete.

Chrysalis stared at that spot, that small piece of a greater whole that was left to be done. She could complete it in less time than it took to blink. She could be done with the spell. All the seals would be broken. She only need complete the arcane circle and the energy would flow by itself into the nether realm where her father and country was held.

I’ll be free then, right? She worked her jaw, listing to the plates that made up her face click together faintly. I can go home then, right? I can be with her, right? All I have to do is open the way. Then...I get what I want...what I deserve. How long has it been? How long have I been down here?

Chrysalis blinked slowly, her mind turning to wipe the years away, and she saw the temple as it once was. The walls were white cream, just like her coat. The ceiling had many opening to let in the sunlight, to feed the plethora of flowering plants that hung above. The rainbow of flowers was just like her mane. Enormous amethyst gems, the same shade as her eyes, were set into the walls at either end of the temple to reflect the light that made it past the flowers. The furnishing dripped with gold, in the stitching, on the corners, worked into the sides. Gold was everywhere and the temple wore it well, but not as well as her.

The temple had been the first place she had ever laid eyes on the Sun.

She, Crystal of the North, daughter of King Sombra, had answered the call to be a Princess, to be the new Priestess of the Night. She would rule side by side with the Priestess of the Day. She would have power and control. She would prove herself more than merely her father’s daughter and step out of his shadow.

The temple was the first place she had fallen in love.

The lesser priests, eunuchs in service to the Priestess of the Sun, gathered in the temple first. After a long time, they opened the doors and beckoned her to enter. The city they called Everfree vanished, its sounds and smells became something of another world when she entered that sacred place. The temple vanished along with it when she saw the Priestess, resplendent upon her throne. Nothing else was worthy to exist in that moment. Only the Sun.

Her Sun. Her love. Her destiny.

In that perfect moment, everything was as it should be. Later the shadows would come. The tests. The other false-priestesses. They tried to take away her Sun, but they failed. She made sure of that. She cleared the field. She proved herself and for the briefest of times, she alone was kissed by the Sun.

Then the Sun had set.

Chrysalis hissed and blinked tears from her eyes. She could remember how soft the Priestess’ touch had been. She could recall the smell of the jasmine perfume the Priestess favored in those days. Even after years and decades—centuries?—she could recall so many small details with the clarity of a recent event. It felt like just yesterday when she had stood before the dais, looking up at the center of her world.

Chrysalis lowered her outstretched hoof. The satchel she held shifted in her grip, sighing as the obsidian inside it settled. She breathed deeply, pushing the memory of the past away, lest she be consumed by it. “I will have what I want. I will have my Sun. My Light. My…Celestia.”

She tipped the bag, pouring the sand out into the remaining clear space. The circle completed, the magical power that thrummed through the ground in the central Ley Line of the Everfree, was redirected into it. The obsidian grew darker and colder until a light mist started to rise off the arcane circle.

Chrysalis took a step back, her eyes locked on the circle and the lights that started to flash inside it until a feeling ran up her back, like the sound of a snapping twig in a silent forest. There was no sound except her own breathing and the crackling of the stone floor as the magic continued to suck heat out of it. She looked up, confusion washing over her face. The chamber seemed no different. Her green candles still burned bright and steady. Her shrine of collected artifacts dedicated to Celestia sat undisturbed, its loose rainbow-colored strands of mane still arranged as she had left them.

The sensation came again, stronger this time. “What in the blue Tartarus is...wait.” Chrysalis perked her ears and lit her horn as she scanned the chamber around her. “That was one of my sentry alarms!”

She’d set alarms in the early days, laid the spells into the stone tiles of the temple to alert her to any looters or other intruders. They haven’t gone off in hundreds of years! Now two in a row? The alarm sentation sounded again, harder than before. Whatever was coming was getting closer.

The changeling smiled viciously. “Good...I needed a distraction.”

Sometimes, when she was alone and the moon sailed overhead, the memories would come to her. Visions of her past. Millennia of time would scroll past the back of her eyelids like a projection film played too fast. The oddest points stood out of the wide field of endless days and nights. Bad or good, the memories called to her, pulling her back in time.

Princess Luna sighed and flipped the pages of the ledger she was working in, to the empty section for notes at the back. She dipped her quill into the the inkwell. The bills can wait. I need a distraction. Where was I? She caught the frayed end of the pen between her lips. Oh yes, the Captain had just ordered the stowaway brought before her in irons.

Luna released the quill and it flew across the blank page, setting the scene of a privateer airship gone rogue in the High Skys, its Captain a stern but fair mistress with a coat the same blue-black of a raven. The crew, a rag-tag band of misfits, but all fine sailors, dragged a buttercream colored pegasus up from below decks. The stowaway, a timid waif of a mare, cowered before the strong Captain, ready to receive her punishment for daring to sneak aboard the Moondarter.

She paused her writing to sip from her cup of tea. “I wish Fluttershy was he…” She locked up, the sentence incomplete and frozen on her lips. A sensation, like she had never experienced before, crawled up her spine and down her horn at the same time until the twin lightning bolts met within her mind. She jerked her head back as if struck, her mouth falling open.

Arcane power, once her own but long since spent on a spell, returned to her from somewhere, but she couldn’t think where she could have left it. There was no active spell that held such reserves. It was overwhelmingly alien and at the same time, undeniably her own power. It was ragged, the magic’s metaphorical edges torn and shredded. Whatever spell or enchantment it had been powering had been broken, forcibly dispelled. The flow of the returning energy continued for a full two breaths and when it finally subsided, she lurched forward in her chair, starting to pant and sweat.

Luna’s heart jackhammered in her chest and unbidden, memories broke the surface of her mind. A thousand years of time and nearly as many miles separated her from this magic. She had cast it in her last action as a goddess and priestess, sealing away an evil. The sounds of her guards deaths, the taste of fear as he got closer, the mixed elation and sorrow as the last of her godhead left her to form the Gibbous Shield.

The conversation from a few days earlier with her sister sprang to mind.

Something had broken her Gibbous Shield. The Crystal Empire and its dark, Midnight Lord Sombra would once again walk Equus soil. Luna dropped her quill and wiped her forehead with the shaky back of her hoof. She took a deep breath, pushing herself back from her writing desk, and heading for the door of her chambers.

Luna threw open the doors and rushed out as fast as her stiff legs and aching back would allow her. She had to speak with Celestia, now. Outside her room, standing at rigid attention, her faithful shieldmaiden, Shining Armor waited with his eyes fixed on the opposite wall while a blonde stallion spoke to him. Luna blinked and stumbled, recognizing her nephew, Prince Blueblood.

“Now now, my sweet Maiden,” Blueblood smiled and leaned in as he looked over Shining’s armor, “wouldn’t you be more comfortable out of that? Not that I want you to think it looks heavy or bad. But...it would look so much better on my bedroom floor.”

Shining Armor held his place, his face a mask of neutrality even as his neck muscles started to cord and clinch. The black lace that came off his flared battle skirt quivered slightly as he forced himself to maintain composure.

Funny as the scene was, Luna couldn’t waste time to savor it. She ignored Shining’s pained glances and turned toward the hall that lead to the castle proper and made it another dozen paces before her back spasmed. Her wings shot out, pushing against the floor to keep herself upright. She knew she wasn’t going to make it far in this condition. When the spasms stopped, she turned back toward her room.

Sweat rolled down Shining’s cheek and he grit his teeth audibly. The Prince, either inspite of, or because of this, leaned in closer, his voice dropping an octave as he purred. “Come now, my pretty little Maiden...the Princess has left you all alone.” Blueblood chuckled warmly, his smile turned into a grade-A leer. “Thankfully, there’s a Prince here to tell you what to do. Say...why don’t you put in a transfer to my security detail? I’m sure I can find a slot for you to fill in my harem—er, my staff.”

“Shining Armor!”

Both stallions jumped at the shout and turned as one to look where Princess Luna was leaning hard against the wall at the entrance to the hall.

“Either kiss your boyfriend or slug him, I don’t care. But get my wheels and catch up with me ASAP. I need to speak with Celestia!” She didn’t stick around to see what happened and turned around again, limping down the hall once more. Damn this pain! I should have gotten into my wheels first. I really wish Fluttershy was here tonight. I’m going to be paying for this for a few nights to come.

She grunted when she reached the next door, her magic opening it well ahead of her actual arrival. A few of the castle staff were in the hallway intersection, maids and cleaners that all stopped when they saw her and bowed, their eyes full of worry when they saw their Princess all but crawling on the floor. Luna was just about to ask for their assistance when she heard the thunder of heavy hoof-falls coming from behind her. She stopped at the end of the hall and took a calming breath.

Shining Armor skidded to a stop next to Luna, his horn glowing as he unfolded the wheel harness. It rattled when he set it down and opened the belts and straps needed to attach it to Princess Luna. She frowned, her face darker than normal with the strain she had placed on herself. The harness took her weight, the familiar device easing the stress on her tired muscles. Once she was seated and could spare thought for more than her discomfort, Luna raised an eyebrow at her shieldmaiden. “There is blood on your vambraces.”

“Sorry ma’am. I’ll clean it as soon as I see you to your sister.”

“See that you do, Shining Armor. Cobalt stains easily.” Luna sighed gratefully and started off again. Shining kept pace at her side, the two reaching a near gallop as they moved deeper into the castle. “Oh...and Shining?” She smirked, taking a corner at speed as they neared the throne room. “You should wash your face too. I can see some blood around your mouth.”

The lower floors of the Sun Temple once held the amassed wealth of the clergy that was not on display above where the Priestess performed services. Gold, gems, objet d’art, and magic inscribed on papyrus scrolls or enchanted into all assortment of items were stacked to the ceiling in vault after vault. Along side these treasures, the Sacred Brotherhood of Light trained their bodies and souls to perfection for the High Priestess of the Sun. They lived, worked, sweat, and died for Her. She was the Sun and the Sun was Her. She brought life and light and order and they were Her favored children.

The treasures, and the eunuchs that guarded them, no longer called these vaults home. Time, lost, famine, and looters had seen to that. Now all that remained was dust and the ghosts of the past, too weak to speak, but forever destined to walk these earthen halls. Not even rats scurried through the darkness now.

Nothing in those deserted halls had moved for centuries, until a purple and green, draconic head worked its way inside through a root-choked hole in the ceiling. “Yes! I got through, but there is a drop...maybe twenty something feet. The floor looks solid though.” There was a muffled response from above and then Spike retreated back the way he’d come.

There followed a long moment of silence, until it was shattered by a small explosion of stone, dirt, and roots that rained to the tilework below. The detritus was trailed a second later by a flash of pink fur and feathers.

Cadance braked hard in mid-dive, the down beats from her wings kicking up even more dust than the cave-in, hovering just a few inches off the floor. She gave herself a half-dozen beats to scan what little she could see in the murky blackness and then gently set hoof on the old temple floor. The tiles she touched down on immediately illuminated in a pale, golden light for just a blink of an eye and then faded back into the darkness. Great...some of the enchantments in these old ruins is still working.

Cadance covered her muzzle with her wing and breathed slowly to filter out as much of the dust as she could. She narrowed her eyes and scanned the halls with a critical gaze. After a moment, she looked up. “Ok, Spike, you next. Floor feels safe enough.” She turned back to the dark vaults and frowned. That did something. I need to find out what before we get ourselves in trouble.

Cadance slunk into the shadows, her hooves silent against the tiles as she crept carefully over the loose rubble their entry had spread over the area. Behind her, Spike had anchored his tail on the floor above and was carefully transferring Zecora and Twilight down to the lower level. Cadance let the darkness cloak her movements as she prowled into the back of the nearest alcove chamber. It was mostly empty, but she could see the remains of some sort of furniture in the gloom.

She spared a quick glance back to make sure no one was looking her way and cast a simple spell that settled into her eyes and let her see as if it were as bright as noon outside. It left little after images in her eyes for a moment right after the casting which she blinked away, slipping deeper into the room. Now, she could see that this area still had a large amount of artifacts left, compared to the surface level. The dark shapes resolved into broken chairs and low tables that were scattered over the floor. Even to her untrained eye for archeology, she could see this was more than simple wear and tear of time.

“Something tore through here in a rage.” Cadance whispered to herself, ducking under a fallen pillar. The destruction continued as she went further, becoming thicker. Everything was covered with a layer of dust and grime, so she was reasonably certain that whatever had smashed the furniture, did it years ago.

“Cadance?”

The princess froze when she heard Twilight call her name from where they had entered. She could hear them spreading out. I should go back and tell Twi about the glow I saw. She might have some insight on what spells might still be in effect down here. She turned to head back when a glint near the floor caught her attention. Cadance lowered herself down to take a closer look, her breath catching when she realized it was a hair-thin trip wire.

A quick look around confirmed her suspicion that the wire wasn’t part of the old ruins. The simple trap mechanism was designed to bury whoever tripped the wire under a couple of tons of precariously held collapsed ceiling. There was more than ancient spells down here that they had to be concerned about.

“Hey, Twi?” She could hear Spike’s voice coming from the main hall near the entrance of the vault. Spike must have come closer to speak with Twilight, his voice sounded concerned. “Remember that buzzing noise I told you about earlier? It’s getting louder...or closer. I can’t quite tell.”

She needed to get back to the other before someone set off a trap. Cadance turned, dropping stealth for speed as she started to trot back the way she’d come.

“Huh...the sound just stopped.”

Cadance ducked as she ran, skidding under the fallen pillar. She could spy Twilight at the end of the vault, pearing into the darkness. Spike stood next to her, looking back over his shoulder, the frills that functioned as his ears where fully extended as if his was listening to something faint.

“I still don’t hear it, Spike.” Twilight’s horn started to glow, the extra light painful to Cadance’s enhanced vision. “But I hear Cadance’s hoofsteps coming this way. When she gets here, we’ll investigate…”

She was a couple dozen paces away when the buzzing noise returned, closer and louder than ever. Cadance squinted against the light coming from Twilight’s horn, speeding up to a full on gallup. The buzzing noise, low and rumbling, thrummed through the stones around them until it suddenly changed pitch and became shrill and earsplitting.

Twilight’s face brightened as Cadance emerged from the shadows, her arms reaching out to catch the oncoming princess. “Cady! Where did you slip off to?” Cadance slammed into her, knocking them both back a few steps. “Don’t do that again, ok? I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Twilight! Listen, we have to be careful down here,” Cadance panted, “I found some traps back there! A wrong step and this whole place could come crashing down on us.” She turned to point back the way she’d come. “I found a magical one when I came down and a tripwire over…”

The buzzing noise stopped suddenly.

“Did I leave traps in here?”

Cadance felt Twilight go tense. The voice echoed off the walls and ceiling, seeming to come from all directions at once.

The voice made a ‘hmmph’ noise. “I wonder if they still work? It’s been a while.” The echos bounced around the room for a second before it spoke again. “I want to thank you, actually, for setting off my old sentry spells. Alerting me to your presence was very...useful...of you.”

“Where is it coming from?” Spike growled, low in his throat, his eyes flicking about rapidly. “I can’t pinpoint it.”

“Stay close. If something comes at us, first priority is keeping the princess and Zecora safe.” Twilight eased back onto all fours, letting Cadance go, and pulled her staff from under her cloak.

“Oh, isn’t that cute?” The voice laughed loudly. “You think you can stop me from doing whatever I want? That you can save anyone from me? You don’t even know what you’re up against.”

Twilight’s horn flashed as she charged it with power, grinning fiercely. “Why don’t you step into the light and introduce yourself?”

The voice was quiet for a moment. When it did respond, the tone was softer. “You are her student, aren’t you? I can see it in your stance...the look in your eye. I can see the way you shape your magic...just like she used to. You studied under her for years, the little prodigy that she spoke so highly of. Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, what is that like?”

“How do you know my name?”

The voice continued as if Twilight hadn’t spoken. “Did you have much competition for her attention, hmm? Did you have to fight for it? Did you have to prove yourself as I once did?” There was a long pause, no one moved or breathed. “No...I suppose not. Or else it might have been you I would need to kill, wouldn’t it? It’s nothing personal, you understand? I have to do this. I always liked you, really.”

Chrysalis rotated her head around to watch the ponies and dragon group together tightly as she clung to the ceiling. She smirked, watching them look around, trying to zero in on her location. A simple trick of throwing her voice and the natural acoustics of the vaults kept them guessing, on the tips of their hooves.

The pink one needs to die, but she’s evaded those cheap knock-offs for this long...she must be more skilled than she appears. Twilight and Spike will be mildly annoying at best. Chrysalis glanced at the zebra and rolled her eyes. The old sage is harmless. Possibly a good target to force the others into defending.

She reached out with a hoof, her chitinous plates flexing to grip the stone as she swung soundlessly into position directly above the four. I could just bring the roof down on them. It would be easy. She frowned, shaking her head. No. That would destroy Tia’s temple. She wouldn’t like that. And besides, I’d have to dig that pink thorn in my hoof out of the rubble afterwards.

Chrysalis let scenarios play through her mind, methods of attack and defense against what she assumed each of them were capable of. Worse case, they escaped her ambush and a chase ensued, but all that did was delay the inevitable. She breathed in deeply through her nose and let it out slowly. There really was only one way this could go.

Chrysalis let go of the ceiling and buzzed her wings, adding boost to what gravity was already doing for her. Her limbs reoriented themselves and she landed with a thunderous crash in the middle of the quartet. “You know,” She couldn’t help but smile as she casually swiped one hoof at Spike, hitting him in the chest and sending the young dragon flying into the nearest wall, “upon consideration, I think formal introductions are in order.”

She spun with the push off of Spike and gently caught Twilight under the chin with her other arm, tipping her head back in a smooth motion, redirecting the blast of fire that erupted from the unicorn’s horn harmlessly toward the back of the chamber. “I’m called Chrysalis these days. It’s one of many names, but if you prefer a title, you can just call me ‘Queen.’” In the flash of Twilight’s spell, the false princess flinched, her eyes closing tight. Chrysalis took the opportunity to hook her rear leg around the filly’s throat, and drive her to the ground.

Zecora seemed to move in slow motion, pulling some vial from her harness. Chrysalis didn’t think much of it, but why not send a message? It was what the Sun Priestess would have done. Make an example so that the others don’t act stupidly. She shifted her grip on Twilight’s jaw and lifted the battlemage up and over the pinned, pink floozy, flinging the unicorn into the zebra and sending both ponies sprawling.

Now that she had some breathing room, Chrysalis stood on just her rear hooves and gazed down at the alicorn under her hoof. “I suppose I really should have done this years ago. But Celestia liked you...she was so happy when you showed up. I liked seeing her like that again. Liked it so much, I let you live.” She smiled sadly. “I’m sorry for that, little imposter. I was selfish...I let my emotions sway me. Let her happiness infect me. If I had just done this sooner, it could have been an easily explainable accident. A carriage crash or something. It would have been quick. Mostly painless.” Chrysalis tilted her head, considering. “Mostly.”

Twilight rolled off Zecora, the elder zebra looked dazed from the impact, but none the worse for wear. She spun to face the changeling, the magic in her horn shaping itself into an aimed bolt of electricity. She could see Spike climbing to his claws on the other side of the thing on Cadance, the dragon’s muscles bunched to pounce. Spike winked at her and Twilight unleashed a flash of energy.

Chrysalis turned her head and fired up her own horn with a sickly green-black aura, intercepting the lightning with her own blast of arcane energy. She smirked, kicking out the hoof she was pinning the imposter with to counter the dragon coming from behind. “Nice try! But I know she taught you better than…” Chrysalis paused as her hoof connected with empty air. She looked back and down where Spike was crouched low, his claws on Cadance’s harness, pulling her away across the floor.

Cadance grinned wolfishly, pulling her Minotauran Hull-Breacher out and leveling up it at the surprised changeling’s face. “She taught us luck favors the bold!” A crack of thunder to match Twilight’s lightning strike sounded in the enclosed space, followed by a dull, wet-sounding squelch, as smoke from the black power obscured everyone’s vision. It cleared a second later to reveal the creature, still standing, one side of her head deformed with a deep indentation around a walnut-sized sphere of lead.

“I...actually felt that.” Chrysalis rolled her head, as if working out a kink in her neck, causing the lead shot to fall to the floor with a muffled thump. The plates of chitin creaked, groaning under pressure as her face reshaped itself. She stared at Cadance, her one aligned eye flat with malice. “That just cost you the quick and painless option. Slow and exceedingly painful, it is!”

Crystal! Chrysalis. Whichever, it matters not. Stop bothering with the mortal insects and come here. There is much to do and little time to do it in!

“Shut up!” Chrysalis snapped at the air, jerking back to dodge around a claw swipe aimed at her chest from Spike. “I will do as I please! I did your bidding already.” She turned and pirouetted in flawless ballerina form, to slip between the trajectories of a thrown vial and a shot of pure arcane force. Her horn glowed, her magic reaching out, and grabbed the battlemage’s tail to send the mare flying.

You will do as you are commanded, daughter. The voice in her mind rumbled with a barely contained growl. You are mine to do with as I will. It would be best for you to not forget that.

“You...are...dead. You can’t order me around anymore!” Chrysalis snarled and ducked a gleaming blue-silver blade strike. She frowned and rounded on the false princess, the alicorn back on her hooves and now wielding dual, long hiltless daggers. The changeling sucked in a breath when Cadance flashed forward, propelled by a powerful beat of her wings, her blades aimed at the junctures where her natural armor was weakest.

She brought up a hoof at the last second and deflected the first strike. Chrysalis stepped back as the pink pony kept up the assault, hitting faster and faster, Chrysalis forced to go on the defensive to keep from taking the steel in an unarmored joint. “You’ve fought my poor knock-offs before. After I kill you, I’ll need to see to it that the next clutch is stronger.”

“You won’t get the chance!” Cadance snapped, her hooves blurring in another set of quick blows against Chrysalis’ carapace. “I’m sick and tired of running from your kind! Always hounding me from one place to the next...how many times have you sent your lackeys to end me now? None of them were successful, and neither will you be!”

Chrysalis! Come now, or I will come get you myself. This is not a request, child.

“I’m busy!” Chrysalis ducked again when one of the blades came close to her eyes.

Cadance slowed her jabs, raising an eyebrow at the changeling. “That’s not...the response I was expecting.”

“You don’t deserve any response other than a painful mauling, you usurper! No one is allowed to take my place!” Chrysalis growled and switched her stance, rolling to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the dragon frantically building a tall pile of stone and rubble. Some kind of trap? Or a...barricade? Wait...what has the mage been doing this whole time?

She took her eyes off Cadance for a moment and spotted Twilight standing, her eyes closed and her battlemage staff touching the ground. She recognized the unicorn’s stance and the taste of the magic that was swirling around her. It was Celestia’s favorite move for quickly pulling on local ley lines to power everything from spells to speed. Tia really does favor this little annoyance to have taught her that. I really don’t want to kill the filly. She’s just doing what Tia told her to do.

Chrysalis moved her guard, giving Cadance a clear shot at a spot near where her lungs used to be located. The mare, skilled as she was, took the bait and dived in. She raised her leg, letting the incoming blades slip through the holes in her foreleg. She twisted her leg and yanked the daggers to the side, throwing the alicorn off her center of gravity and disarming her in one fell swoop. She followed up the movement with a roundhouse kick, knocking Cadance back and giving herself a clear shot.

I grow tired of waiting. You come to me, now

Twilight took a deep breath and pulled hard at the old, stubborn ley lines that ran deep underneath the Sun Temple. These lines ran deeper, slower than Canterlot’s, and something was already drawing on them. She could feel time start to slow and dilate as the thick, sluggish energy started to work it’s way out of the ground and into her limbs through her hooves. Magic swirled inside her horn as the energy mixed with her own reserves, active mana sources flaring brightly in her vision.

The chamber around her was no longer dark, glowing geometric, rune-like lines ran across every surface. Zecora, the zebra crouched behind the hastily-made blockade, was covered in a multitude of pinpricks of light from her many potions. Spike blazed with a bright inner light in the center of his chest. The middle of the room, Cadance flashed like a strobe light with every beat of her wings as she clashed with the changeling, and Chrysalis—Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. Chrysalis shined like the noon day sun. The creature looked like she was made of pure mana forced into a vague pony-like shape.

Holy...I am going to need every shred of power I can get from the lines. Twilight sucked in a quick lungful of air. I’m only going to get one shot at this.

Twilight pulled harder at the ley lines, glancing down at where she sensed the rest of the power was being diverted to. It was like looking into some sort of hole. Magic from the lines poured in and just vanished. Oh sweet Sisters, tell me this monster isn’t this powerful and it can do dark magic too! As she watched, the edges of the void in the magic field expanded, drawing more power from the lines and forcing her to pull harder just keep what she had gathered so far.

Twilight looked back at fight in the middle of the room and formed the matrices in her mind for fire. She wanted it hot, the matrix adjusting itself to add more thermic conversion in a shorter amount of time, to meet her desire. She didn’t want Cadance it get caught in it, the looping strings of probability tightened around the kernel of the spell, sacrificing the overall area of effect for a tiny spot of hellfire. She was going to have to aim the release to ensure the spell transferred all of it’s power directly into Chrysalis’ core. Please...don’t let me miss.

Three things happened at once.

Chrysalis swung her arm, launching the daggers at Twilight’s focusing staff.
Twilight released her spell, the tiny ball of flame passing the daggers in mid-air.

The floor collapsed, the tiles cracking and giving away as the underpinning material, much like the magic in the area, was sucked into a yawning pit of darkness.

Twilight leaped, her spell veering off course slightly in the dilated time, she focused herself on the most important thing: Cadance. The princess was teetering on the uneven stone, falling in slow-motion toward the gaping maw that had opened beneath her. The battlemage pushed all of the remaining dregs of the ley lines’ power into her legs, rocketing herself out across the gulf, her arms outstretched to catch the alicorn.

There was a flash as her spell contacted something, followed by a vibration that would resolve into a crashing roar when sound caught up to her ears. She was almost there. Cadance was almost completely over the void, her wings flaring for purchase, Cadance’s surprised eyes locking with her own. She could almost feel her princess’ coat safely against her own.

Then the room went dark.

Celestia sipped from her warmug. The coffee in it starting to grow cold by her standards. She tapped her horn against the rim and the faithful mug warmed it back to a steamier temperature. She set it down on the desk next to her throne, lifting a short stack of papers in her aura and shuffling them about. She had no real reason to do so, other than to silently tease her majordomo, Raven, with the possibility of getting them mixed up.

She smiled slightly when she saw the unicorn’s eye twitch.

Heheh...I really shouldn’t tease her too much. I’m sure Lulu would scold me for such behavior, but it’s just too funny to watch Raven’s minor coronaries when I so much as restack the paperwork. Celestia let her smirk widen. It’s not like I haven’t been doing this for centuries now. It’s not like I didn’t build this city, this country...the very culture around us. No, I have to get the assistant that thinks I must be going senile.

She pondered that for a moment. Could she actually go senile? Could she one day wake up and find she had lost her mind somewhere along the line? Is that what it’s like for Chryssi? The thought, though not a new one, made her frown. The changeling was a curious example of an immortal. She was a crafted being, which meant all bets were off when came to assumptions. Often, Celestia found herself wondering how Chrysalis’ mind had survived so long beyond what it was designed for.

It had taken her the better part of a century to figure out how the changeling had escaped the ravages of time. Somehow, Chrysalis had found a way to convert emotions into raw mana. She ran on it, feasted on the emotions of those around her without conscious thought. Her body then converted that mana much in the same way a regular mortal converted food and water into energy. Whatever the filly had done to herself, it added up to perpetual life, so long as there were strong enough emotions to feed her. Even though Chrysalis could feed herself, heal from any wound, change her shape and had magic power that at times seemed to rival an alicorn, her mind fared less well.

Sometimes the mare would drift off into her own world. Voices that only she could hear would speak to her, she would become non-communicative for days on end. Sometimes, when she was mimicking a new personality, Chrysalis would slip into a previous one for a moment, picking up a conversation that had been left off decades earlier. Celestia could remember one occasion when Chrysalis’ ‘Monarca’ personality slipped and suddenly she was talking to ‘Silk Spinner’ for a few minutes. It happened infrequently, but when it did, it usually heralded a violent episode of some sort.

She didn’t know if that was Chrysalis’ way of resetting herself, or if it was a function of the dark, twisted magics that made her what she was.

Celestia could remember the first time she had met the changeling and known that is was Chrysalis. She remembered their first meeting, in the temple so long ago, but meeting Crystal again as the creature she became stuck out in her mind. It was late one night, the middle of summer, when the tall changeling revealed herself in her ‘natural’ form. She had been up finishing some paperwork of some sort with Luna in the throne room , walking alone back to her room afterwards. The shadows moved in one of the halls she passed. Celestia stopped, standing there in a shaft of moonlight coming in from the windows.

From the inky darkness, her negative, her opposite, stepped forward. Luna was often compared to her, the sisters ostensibly opposed to each other, but it was Chrysalis that was her mirror. Long legs, trim and strong body, large expressive eyes. All the physical parts matched, but their colors and qualities were flipped. Where Celestia was hale and whole, Chrysalis had holes. Where she had a soft coat and a flowing mane, Chrysalis had a strong exoskeleton and a mane that hung like fine silk. Where she had a dazzling array of colors in her mane and plain feathers in her wings, Chrysalis has a single alluring green-blue color mane and her gossamer wings sparkled with every color under the sun.

For a moment, she had stood there, struck mute by the vision in front of her.

The moment passed when Chrysalis took another step forward, smiling faintly. She had flinched a little then, seeing the fangs the changeling possessed. Celestia could still remember how she had asked Chrysalis who she was in an honestly fearful whisper. Chrysalis hadn’t answered then. She wouldn’t figure out the mysterious creature’s name for several more years as the changeling left clues here and there. What Chrysalis did do was step up to her, her nose inches away from Celestia’s and asked her if she preferred Coltlumbian or Neightucket coffee.

The question was so out of left field that she didn’t react, just standing there and staring into those iridescent jade eyes, and listened to the pounding of her own heart. Chrysalis laughed musically and vanished. Just likes that, gone that same way she had come. It had taken Celestia several minutes to unfreeze herself and when she had finally managed to find her way to her bedroom, her very first Warmug sat on her nightstand, topped with a black and green bow and a note that simple stated it was a gift from an admirer.

Celestia shook off the memory and looked at the mug that sat next to her filled with hot coffee. It wasn’t her first, but she treated it the same way. She had broken and lost a few of them over the centuries since that meeting, but each time she did, another would appear at her bedside to take its place a day later.

She was just about to reach for it when the side door to the throne room opened with a bang. Luna, followed closely by Shining Armor, rushed into the room and made a beeline straight for her. Celestia tossed the papers aside for Raven to reorganize and stood up, stepping down from the dias to meet her sister. “Luna? What has you so worked up this early in the afternoon?”

“The Gibbous Shield!” Luna dug her front hooves into the carpet runner and skidded to a halt, well ahead of her attendant. She panted, gasping for breath. “Sis-sister! The shield is down...the one I sealed Sombra in! I felt the remnants of it return to me. Something broke it!”

“Is that...is that even possible, Luna?” Celestia’s eyes widened. Her sister nodded dejectedly. “Okay, then we need to move. If this Sombra is as powerful as you say he once was, then we could have a real problem on our hooves.”

“What would you propose we do?” Luna took a deep lungful of air, willing her heart to slow. “His kingdom was far to the north, beyond what our airspace currently covers and farther still than the shipway network reaches.”

“Then we go there the old fashion way.” Celestia turned. “Raven, court is closed for the foreseeable future. Cancel all of our appointments and issue a statement to the press that a matter of national security has taken our attention.”

The unicorn nodded curtly. “Yes, your Majesty! Should I...should I say when you are to return?”

“As soon as we can.” Celestia’s horn flared with the warm glow of sunlight and her mug lifted from the table to float obediently at her side. She looked back at Luna. “Come sister, looks like both the Sword and Shield are going to be needed for this. We’ll take the Corona. It has a stand alone Line Tracer on it, that should be able to take us close enough.”

“We’ll need more than a single airship, Tia.” Luna frowned and bit her lip in thought. “There is no time to launch all of our forces. If the Corona is as fast as the specs say it is, it can get us there in a few days after we leave the network, but that will take over the northern Minotauran Collective boarder. A warship flying over even such a sparsely populated area could spark their aggression.”

“Hopefully the work I’ve had our niece do there will stay their hands for now. We have no other choice, you know that, Luna.”

“I know.” The dark alicorn sighed and turned back toward the door she’d entered from. “I just don’t like it.”

Shining Armor shifted uncomfortably, his eyes following Luna. He cleared his throat. “Um...excuse me, ma’am, but what is going on? It sounds like we’re about to go to war.”

“In a way, we are.” Luna smiled fiercely. “Go to my chambers, fetch my armor. Then go to the barracks and bring any top tier Maidens you can find. This is going to be a small, fast operation. I want hooves and steel assembled at the castle launch pad in twenty minutes.”

Shining saluted smartly. “Yes, ma’am!”

Luna watched him gallop off, turning back to her sister when they were otherwise alone. Celestia looked thoughtful, but made no move to summon her own forces. “What about your Battlemages?”

Celestia shrugged. “I don’t have any of my seniors in Canterlot at the moment.” She smirked at Luna’s surprised stare. “I’ve been stretched thin chasing down info on these new changelings that showed up as well as hunting for signs of a different ‘Midnight Lord.’ My two top Battlemages are in the field and completely out of touch.”

“Twilight Sparkle, I know, but what about Sunset Shimmer? I thought she was sent out on a mission weeks ago to Seavannah.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “What happened with that?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t received a mission report of any sort in this whole time.” Celestia shook her head. “I fear the worst, but I hope she has simply been busy dealing with the siren problem they were having. I haven’t had any new complaints about it come in, just some expense sheets to cover damages in the harbour. I wish Sunset was here, but we’ll just have to handle this with your Shieldmaidens and the two of us.”

Celestia didn’t say anything for a few moments as the two cantered through the halls toward the military ward. “I mean, that should be enough, right?”

Luna swallowed hard, the wheels of her support harness whispering against the marble tiles. “Goddess Above, I hope so.”

Author's Note

We made an exception regarding length for this one chapter regarding length. Future chapters, barring specials, shouldn't be this long again.

Here is a list of My Little Dynamite: Book One:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15
Part 16
Part 17

My Little Dynamite will eventually be posted as its own story under Fuzzyfurver's account, and the link will be provided here when it becomes available.

Hot Springs by Cytotoxin

by Cytotoxin
~~~

In retrospect, it was the best decision made in the last month, princess Sparkle thought lazily as she sunk deeper into the spring, stretching her much abused and twisted spine. Poring over the lawbooks and scrolls did nothing good for it, and taking a mini-vacation to enjoy hot springs was just the thing to get her back into gear. Now, if only she could find some pleasurable companionship for an evening...

Twilight snorted lightly, sending ripples across the water surface. So casual. Then again, when youre sixty four, and still have the body forty years younger? If you got it, flaunt it. Celestia certainly did, and so did Luna, though their styles were... different. While Celestia projected an image of casual soft benevolence, Lunas charms were always spicy and zesty. Cadance was the passionate one, if memory served her well. And Twilight herself? Well, suffice to say she milked sexy librarian stereotype for all that it was worth when she was in mood for shenanigans.

Absentmindedly, her thoughts turned to Cadance. After all, it was technically Cadances personal hot spring she was reclining in, at the moment. Aforementioned Cadance was as lovely as ever, when Twilight met her earlier today. She hinted about coming down to the springs to relax, but so far, no dice. Maybe she was taking care of Shining Armor. Seventy two years old by now, he could be needy at times. Needy, as in needing assistance. While his body wasnt too frail to move on his own, yet, same couldn`t be said of his mind. To be expected, really - among all the ponies, unicorns tended to suffer the onset of dementia the soonest, and Shining was not an exception. By the age of seventy, his sclerosis progressed onto the short-term memory, often making him pause and puzzle over his current activity, no longer able to recall why he decided to do it.

Things didnt improve for him, despite the top-notch medical and familial care. Two years later, it was abundantly clear that Shining Armor was largely gone. Sometimes, rarely, his old self would shine through, hed recall things, respond to things rationally... Most of the time, he couldnt remember his wife or his sister, and his interests didnt extend beyond the immediate "Im hot, Im cold, Im hungry." Long ago relieved of his duties, hed spend the days watching the hustle and bustle of Crystal Empire off the secluded balcony.

Cadance did her best to ensure he is comfortable. Even in this decrepit state, she loved him dearly. Still, sometimes, it was just a little tedious. But then again, Twilight knew better then to offer any organizing and time-management. She tried once, and she still remembered the gentle, polite and absolutely merciless chewing out Cadance gave her over that. Just because she wasnt used to taking care of somepony elderly didnt mean she could put a limit on time spent together.

As on cue, Cadance opened the door, and slipped into the room without further ado, her magic already hard at work stripping the regalia off the mare. With a long trembling sign Cadance sunk into the hot water next to Twilight. "Me-damned pencil-pushers." - she grumbled unhappily, casting a furtive glance towards Twilight. "Twily? Can we talk?" - she ventured, nibbling her lip uncertainly.

Twilight shivered and wiggled in water, raising until her head was above the surface. "Something happened, Cadance?" - she quipped - "You look exhausted." The general issue was not a secret to her - due to some of the... less rational laws of Crystal Empire, a pony up top had to be of sound mind. While in itself it was fairly reasonable demand, the problem lied in corollary, which posited that since Shining Armor was no longer mentally fit to rule, his relationship with Cadance was to be dissolved, or Cadance had to step down as an empress.

Heaving a sign, Cadance sunk lower in water until only her head remained above the surface, matching Twilights pose. "As much as Id like to say its not so... it is. There is no way I can overturn the law without causing a succession crisis in Empire, one way or another." - she grumbled, as she leaned towards Twilight, resting her head on Twilights shoulder. "The only relevant thing I could find reads as follows - 'Shouldst eldest sibling prove thineself to be feeble of mind, younger sibling receives precedence and possession of elder ponys possessions and marital obligations.' In short, the only thing we can really do is to... uh... transfer Shinings part of marriage onto you." Cadance paused, then pulled back from Twilight gingerly.

"I dont think Ive ever uttered anything weirder." - she proffered after a few moments of tense silence. Twilight sighed. Then sighed again. Then paused, thought, and finally opened her mouth to present her reply. "Did you explain this to Shiny?" - she quipped at last.

"I did." - confirmed Cadance - "When he was lucid. He told me to "listen to your heart". I imagine its one heck of a nudge to get you married to me, Twilight. Sheesh, it sounds... weird. My husband telling me to marry his younger sister... Sheesh, were really messed up all around."

Twilights wings fluttered involuntarily. She knew Cadance well. Knew she would insist on taking the marriage to its logical conclusion, if it were to happen. Knew that she herself desired that very much. Married to Cadance? It was a little filly`s dream, crushed into fine dust when she witnessed her marrying Shining Armor. Dream flaring anew now that the circumstances conspire to give her another shot at what she long ago considered as forfeited and forsaken.

"Well, for all the good it does... Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, will you marry me?" - Twilight proffered lazily. She felt the older alicorn shift against herself as Cadance`s teeth caught her ear and nipped slightly. "Yes, my Sparkle. Yes, I will."

Amber by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

Cadance raised an eyebrow as she looked at the orb in Twilight’s hands. She leaned close to the amber and then smirked glancing back up at Twilight.

“Its got a bug in it” She deadpanned.

“What type?” Twilight prompted, a sly grin on her lips

“A ladybug..” Cadance said softly a grin spreading over her own lips now. She leaned down softly kissing Twilight.

“Well I’m not allowed to shake my butt at you in public anymore,” Twilight said after parting from the kiss.

“Private is fine dearest. I’ll teach you to dance yet”

Fade by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part One

She woke up to the taste of her own blood.

On the heels of that realization, the rest of reality came crashing back. She was cold. Freezing. It was the kind of cold she could feel all the way to the bone. She was in pain, but at this point, it was so much background noise to the rest. Her undercarriage felt particularly bruised, cold, and wet.

On top of it all, she could feel a hot weight on her outstretched arms, pressing them into the same cold wetness as the rest of her torso was sunk into.

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes.

Her first impression was a blinding brightness. Whiteness on top of pink. Whiteness…snow...on top of her, on top of everything. Her eyes struggled to focus, mind turning gears over to recall the last few moments. Flying through the air.

They were in danger. Dark magic...hungry arcane power like I’ve never seen before.

They were in the ruins. There was a monster. It moved too fast. Impossible speed. It countered everything we threw at it.

Everything went black. I had to save Cadance…

Twilight Sparkle lifted her head, a groan escaping with the movement. Cadance had been fighting the creature…Chrysalis...when the dark magic had enveloped them all.

Twilight forced her eyes to focus, squinting against the blinding glare. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza rested in her arms, sprawled limply. For a heart stopping moment, Twilight thought Cadance was dead, when the alicorn drew a shallow breath. I caught her.

“B-buck yeah...I caught you.” Twilight coughed, smiling weakly for a moment before she turned her head to look around.

Snow covered everything, but only lightly. She and Cadance lay on the ground in a puddle of quickly recooling snowmelt, large chunks of stone and tile surrounding them on all sides. The air was still, flakes of snow gently wafting down onto what looked like some sort of plain or tundra. She tugged Cadance closer to herself, her body immediately lecturing her on the many places she didn’t know she could hurt and was now suffering. Cadance took another shuddering, ragged breath, her peytral askew and shoes only holding on loosely. Twilight didn’t see any immediate wounds, praying there wasn’t anything broken internally.

Twilight pried one hoof out from under Cadance’s prone form and brushed her mane out of her face, opening her mouth to speak when she heard a wet, scraping noise off to her left. Memories of the fight with the thing that called itself ‘Queen Chrysalis’ flashed through her mind and she was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that she didn’t know what had become of the threat. Or what happened to Spike and Zecora, for that matter.

The sound repeated. Twilight eased herself, as quietly as she could manage, into a sitting position and leaned up against a large piece of rubble that blocked whatever was making the sound from her sight. She took a calming breath. The sound continued, but she could tell whatever was making it was starting to move away from her and Cadance’s position. If the creature was still moving, they were in trouble, but then again, if it was Spike or Zecora, she needed to know what condition they were in. It would be a bad idea to get even more separated, if the monster didn’t get them, the temperature would.

Twilight took a risk. She moved slowly, peeking up over the edge of the rubble. Her eyes widened and she ducked back down, clapping a hoof over her mouth to keep from giving away her position. Four ponies—are they even ponies?—were not more than a dozen hoofsteps from her. They—are they made out of crystals?—each had a heavy chain that was wrapped around their necks—golems?—and the other ends were threaded through the open holes in Chrysalis’ legs. They were dragging the seemingly unconscious creature away through the snow.

Twilight ran her tongue over her teeth, tasting blood again. She took another deep breath of chill air, running her mind over her options. Cadance was still out cold, Spike and Zecora were unaccounted for. She was in a lot of pain. The one monster had been replaced by four new creatures that looked like ponies made out of gemstone. She would be one pony against four unknown enemies. Those were bad odds, and even if she won, there was no guarantee that she could get Cadance and herself into shelter soon enough to beat exposure from ending them.

Celestia...Princess, what would you do? Cadance told Chrysalis that the Princess’ teachings showed them those that dare prevail. But a daring stand now looked more and more like a last stand. Follow the mission, Twilight. Cadance is the most important thing. You are her guardian. Guard her. Protect her. Keep her safe no matter what.

Twilight held her breath, listening the sound of the four pony-things dragging Chrysalis away, and made her call. She was a Battlemage, but battle was not all her magic was good for. She wished that she’d had the forethought to pay more attention in the emergency medical classes, but she could at least make sure that she and Cadance were in good enough condition to move. She willed her horn to charge with arcane energies, shaping the spell into a basic scanning function that would assess her body’s physical integrity. It wouldn’t fix anything, but at least then she’d know if she had any internal injuries that weren’t outwardly obvious. She didn’t start breathing again until the spell reported back that her bones and organs were where they were supposed to be and functioning at a reasonable capacity.

Twilight slumped in relief and then recast the spell, aiming it Cadance. Her breathing remained slow and shallow, but the scan reported that her heart was still beating strong and her bones were fine. The Princess was bruised, but not broken. The diagnosis gave Twilight hope and her she intended to not let it go to waste. Quietly, she eased down against Cadance, and scooted them into the lee of the large stone that shielded them. She had to get them both warm, then wake Cadance up.

Cadance woke to warm arms holding her from behind.

The world creeped back into her senses slowly. She was cold, she ached, she was laying on something hard and wet. But she was also being held tenderly, the body pressed into her back a warm shield against the elements.

She remembered the temple, the traps, the flashes of blade and spell before hell opened up under her hooves and Twilight rushed toward her from the side.

Twilight. Cadance opened her eyes and looked up against a bright glare. Open sky spread out above her. She heard a noise and turned her head slightly until she could see the silhouette of her Battlemage above her.

“Twily?” She flinched at the croak in her voice.

“Yeah, Cady. It’s me.”

“You caught me.” Cadance smiled weakly, shifting her sore back into Twilight’s warm body. “I’m in safe hooves.”

“Yeah, Cady.” Twilight repeated herself. The unicorn leaned down, her bloodied muzzle swimming into view. “You can’t go to sleep, Cady. We’ll die out here if you do that. Can you stay awake?”

Cadance groaned. She had just woken up, but her body wanted to rest. But for her Twily, she’d move mountains. She nodded. “I can do that.”

“Good.” Twilight sighed and Cadance could feel the relief in her voice. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Energy Drinks by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert
~~~

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part Two

Cadance worked her back deeper into Twilight’s warm embrace, the light snow still falling from an increasingly cloudy sky. The snowflakes were getting larger by the minute and the air smelled just like an incoming storm. Twilight was right, if they didn’t find proper shelter soon, the weather would do them both end.

She turned her ears to listen the fading sound that Twilight told her was a quartet of pony shaped gemstone creatures dragging away an unconscious Chrysalis. Cadance frowned, thinking back to what the changeling had said to her in the Everfree temple. If she hadn’t been outright lying, it left the rather troubling implication that Chrysalis had infiltrated Canterlot long long ago.

Do the Sisters know? If they did...why did they never tell her, or do something about it? The way Chrysalis spoke about Aunt Celestia...it’s like they knew each other. If Zecora’s story holds any truth, then that’s entirely possible. But they never told me anything about Chrysalis or other changelings like her. It doesn’t make sense. Cadance sighed, letting air out through her nose silently. The noise of the dragging was almost completely swallowed by the background, so it wouldn’t be long until they started moving.

She turned her head to look up and back at Twilight. The blood that had been dripping from Twilight’s muzzle was already caking into dark red lines in her purple coat. Twilight wasn’t looking at her, focusing on her hearing and holding Cadance, to keep them both warm. The cold would take longer to bother her, thanks to some minor passive enchantments in her vestments, but Twilight lacked that benefit. Hopefully shelter wouldn’t prove too difficult to find.

“Twily?” Cadance kept her voice soft and low, barely more than a whisper. “What do you think Chrysalis meant when—” She clapped her mouth shut when the sound of snow crunching under hoof suddenly came from behind the stone the two of them were backed up against.

Twilight’s horn started to glow, her hoof reaching awkwardly toward her staff that was still partially covered in snow besides them. Cadance held her breath, readying herself to dodge out of the way and counter whatever it was with her own blades. She tensed at a closer crunch of snow, every tendon in her body taut.

Just when she was about to move, a blessedly familiar claw gripped the top of their hiding place and Spike’s face appeared a moment later. The tension spilled out of Cadance and she sagged against Twilight.

“Twi! Princess! I’m so glad you two are alive!” Spike bared row after row of fangs in his own relieved smile, reaching down to help the mares to their hooves. “I was afraid I’d lost you two when I woke up a few minutes ago.”

“We’ve only been awake for a few minutes ourselves, Spike.” Twilight sighed, taking a quick look in the direction the creatures had left in. They were still within sight, but only just in the now heavy snowfall. “Did you see those...things?”

“The crystal...pony...things? Yay.” Spike nodded and looked back the way he’d come. “I came to when they started dragging the changeling off. I wonder what they wanted with her?”

“Who knows. It’s unimportant right now anyway.” Twilight coughed. “I have no idea where we are, but we won’t last long in this cold without shelter of some sort.” She looked back at Spike, her eyes going wide. “Spike, have you seen Zecora?”

“Yeah, she’s over there.” He pointed back at a pile of rubble. “Whatever it was that hit us transported all of us, plus a lot of the material from the ruins here at the same time. That’s...that’s ridiculous levels of power, Twi.” Spike ran his claw back over his green frill. “I don’t think even the Princesses could pull off something like that.”

Cadance placed her hoof on Spike’s shoulder, smirking at him. “I’m sure Twilight can run the numbers on it later, Spike. Depends on the distance traveled...I think. But for now, let’s focus on getting mobile and then getting someplace warm.”

“Good point.”

Twilight nodded and moved around the low wall, keeping her head down as she crossed the open ground to where Zecora was at. She found the older zebra sage wake and resting against the pile of rocks and jagged tiles that had provided her and Spike with cover. Zecora smiled weakly up at Twilight and nodded along while the Battlemage scanned her for internal injury.

Moments later, the battered and bruised, but otherwise healthy bunch gathered back in the small lee Twilight and Cadance had woken up in. Once they were seated, Zecora pulled two large metallic tubes from her vest.

“‘Hese be energy po’ions. Drink, will warm ya and give power. Like coffee, bu’ be’er.” The zebra grinned. “Glad I ‘hough’ bring ‘hem.”

“Me too.” Twilight sipped from the vial, grimacing at the too sweet flavor. The effect was much like coffee on a cold morning. She could feel a warming sensation in her belly and the weariness of the fight and the black magic fading into a manageable dull ache. She smacked her lips, passing the potion to Cadance. “Wow...that’s got a punch to it. What’s in it?”

Zecora cracked a sly smile and booped Twilight on the nose. “‘Rus’ me, you don’ wanna know.”

Cadance gagged when she swallowed, launching into a coughing fit. Twilight patted her on the back gently and after a moment, the pink alicorn managed to catch her breath and blink away the tears. “Wow...that is surprisingly better tasting than the stuff they sell as coffee in the Diamond Dog Crowning!”

Spike snorted, rolling his eyes as he downed the potion with ease. “Pansies.” He handed his unused portion back to Zecora and hunkered down near Twilight. “Ok...so what’s the plan?”

Twilight took a slow breath, leaning on her staff. “First thing, we need shelter. Something defensible, if we can find it. But it has to get us out of the elements. Once we have that, I can make us a fire to warm ourselves and we can take stock and...figure out where the hell we are.”

She pulled her cloak tighter around herself. “You’ve got the best eyes, Spike. Think you can fly in these conditions?” Twilight cast a glance over her shoulder at the downpour of snow that was starting to pile up. Energy potions or not, the biting cold was starting to make it hard for her to not shiver constantly.

“I’ll have too, won’t I?” Spike shook his head. “Let’s just hope that whatever those things were that dragged the changeling off don’t head back this way anytime too soon.”

“Let’s hope.” Cadance echoed, leaning against Twilight. “I wonder why they only took her? Why not the rest of us while we were all out cold?”

“I don’t know. I’m not going to look providence in the mouth though.” Twilight gently patted Cadance’s shoulder. “We’re safe and I intend to do my best to make sure we stay that way. We can ask questions later.”

“Then I need to get airborne before the storm gets bad.” Spike grunted and stood up, walking away from the group. He winked at them and a moment later, his body started to glow and expand, loose powder blowing away from him as his body shifted from pony-sized biped to a winged quadruped that was easily twice the size of Princess Celestia. Spike stretched his wings and bound out over the snowy plain, flapping until he started to gain altitude.

Soon enough, Spike was completely obscured by the snow, leaving the three mares alone. Cadance hoped he was going to be alright, and that he found them someplace to get warm and dry. She was still staring up into the clouds when she felt Twilight wrap her cloak around them both. She smiled and nuzzled into Twily’s side.

“Cady?”

“Yeah?”

“When we get the chance...will you tell me where you learned to fight like that? And where you got those weapons?” Twilight’s voice was whisper quiet.

Cadance swallowed, nodding slowly. That was going to be a long conversation.

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Germs by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Cadence walked softly, her head low and wings tucked closely against her barrel. She had cast a silencing spell to muffle the sound of her hooves on the crystalline floors of the Spire, but even still she had cast aside her sollerets as an added precaution. She was being hunted, and she would fail the moment she underestimated her opponent.

Instincts old as equinity were coming to light, urging her to keep moving. Movement was life, staying in place was death. It had been true when her ancestors had roamed the plains and skies of modern Zebrica, and it remained true for her. She could not outfight her pursuer, could not fly her way to safety, and could not disguise herself well enough to hide in place. Her only hope was to remain mobile.

It was a dim hope indeed.

The normally bright lighting of the Spire had turned against her, robbing her of shadows to mask her presence. It was just as well, as her pink coat stood out starkly against the subdued blue and white latticework.

As Cadence neared an intersection, she heard voices approaching. Her heart leapt into her chest and she jumped into a nearby closet. She left the door cracked open just enough to see who it was. A moment later, a Crystal Knight and one of her courtiers passed by, whispering furiously to one another.

“Where could she be?” the mare, who she recognized to be Winnow Wind, asked urgently. Her eyes were darting every which way, even above to search the high vaulted ceiling. “We have to find her!”

Cadence’s jaw ached. Winnow Wind had been one of her most trusted advisors. Her talent for managing court petitions was second to none, and she was one of the few ponies in court that Cadence could truly call a friend. Her betrayal hurt deeply.

The guard Cadence didn’t recognize. Of the two of them, it had always been Twilight who had managed the Imperial Guard.

Cadence swallowed thickly and tried to force herself to think of other things. The darkness of the closet hid her tears well enough.

“Relax, Winnie. I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.” The guard put a hoof on Winnow Wind’s withers to calm her. She melted into his touch. A few deep breaths later, she gave him a much calmer smile.

“You’re right. Thanks, Pyrite.”

Pyrite returned her smile. “No problem.” After only a brief moment, he turned serious once again, and his smile evaporated. “Come on, we need to keep looking. You know what’ll happen if we don’t find her.”

Winnow Wind shivered and nodded. The two continued down the hall once more, walking just a bit closer together than before. They had nearly rounded the corner when Cadence let out a sigh of relief.

It was a mistake.

Pyrite paused midstep and looked back over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed, focusing in on the door that concealed her. Cadence slammed her lips shut, nearly crying out when another white hot lance of pain rocked her.

His armored sollerets clicking against the crystal floor, Pyrite approached her hiding place. He was tense, his shoulders taught and his head low in a battle stance. Winnow Wind followed behind him, trying to both shield herself behind his bulk and peer around him.

Cadence’s heart was hammering in her chest. She didn’t want to hurt the guard. She couldn’t. Even after all that had transpired, after all the betrayals, she could never bring herself to harm one of her subjects.

Each step pared down Cadence’s options until she was left with only one.

When Pyrite reached for the handle to pull open the door, Cadence shoved it forward. The door swing wide and crashed against the wall, surprising Pyrite and giving her an opening. Cadence exploded out of the closet’s narrow confines past Pyrite and Winnow Wind.

She barreled down the hallway, the hoofsteps trailing behind telling her that Pyrite had recovered from the sudden upset. She ran as fast as she could, her longer legs giving her an advantage that was matched by Pyrite’s superior physical conditioning. Her mind raced to provide her an escape route, but she had nowhere to go. If she continued deeper into the spire, she would be cornered easily. If she attempted to find a window and fly away, she would be intercepted by the guards flying constant patrols. Down was out of the question, as it would have taken her past the guard barracks and meant near instant capture.

Her only option to keep even the most fragile of grips on her freedom was to go up, and there was not far to go. It was the best of terrible plans, so Cadence quickly made her way to one of the Spire’s secondary staircases. It wound its way up the internal walls of an auxiliary support column, allowing her to look down nearly to the base of the Spire.

She peaked her head over the railing, only to quickly pull it back in favor of running faster. She had caught glimpses of glistening armor on nearly every floor, all of them headed up after her. Only the Empire’s shortage of native pegasi had kept her from being outflanked from above: what few pegasi the Crystal Guard had were tied up acting as aerial sentries in case she tried to make her escape by air.

Lungs burning and heart slamming in her chest, Cadence struggled to keep pace in her climb. She may have had an earth pony’s magic, but the majority of the Knights were not only earth ponies, but trained soldiers. They could run circles around her without even trying. The stairs were exacting a heavy toll on her legs. Her muscles were on fire, each step a fiery struggle of willpower against exhaustion.

Eventually, Cadence’s fear lost out against her body’s urgent protests. She collapsed on the spiraling steps, unable to go any further. Her ears swiveled to take in the sounds of hoofguards approaching from both above and below, and she knew it was over. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears.

A Princess should face her final moments with dignity.

The clacking grew nearly deafening and then stopped all at once. Cadence could not bear to open her eyes, could not bear to see the crowd of turncoat guards. She would not remember them that way. Most likely, she would not remember them at all.

“Cadence?”

A voice sweet as nectar reached in to grab Cadence’s heart. Its tendrils sank deeply into her core that even now could not help but brighten at the contact. Cadence squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could and buried her muzzle in her forelegs. She couldn’t look. If she did, it would break her.

“Cadence?” The voice was closer. Warm breath tickled her ears. The smell of parchment filled her nose. She felt a hoof on her withers, and though she tried to resist, Cadence could not stop herself from looking up.

Her eyes opened to Twilight, her wonderful, beautiful, traitorous Twilight. She was looking down at Cadence softly, a wing raised to give them a sense of privacy away from the guards. Cadence was shaking from fright, curling into herself to keep the distance between them.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on, Cadence. This is getting ridiculous.” She leaned down to nuzzle Cadence’s neck, and Cadence found enough strength to pull herself away. Twilight straightened herself once more, looking unamused. “You know this is for the best.”

Cadence shook her head viciously, the pain flaring once more and leaving her to writhe and groan on the chiseled granite steps.

“Oh for the love of–Cadence, it’s just the dentist! You have to go, or that cavity is just going to get worse.”

The pain tapered off to a bearable level, and Cadence mumbled, “Dun wanna.” Her words were slurred by her careful avoidance of the left half of her mouth. Even the slightest contact could send her into a spasm if she wasn’t careful.

Twilight sighed and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. She sat contemplating before a spark flashed to life in her eyes. “You know, Cadence, a cavity doesn’t just happen. It’s caused by bacteria.” Twilight leaned down, her mouth scant inches from Cadence’s ear. “Right now, there’s millions of them in there. Tiny germs, each feasting away on your teeth. With every second that passes, they eat a little more.”

Cadence shivered, and Twilight pressed her attack. “Eventually, they’ll finish with that tooth. And then they’ll move down into your jaw.” Twilight trailed a hoof down Cadence’s mane, softly stroking the tangled mess back into order.

“They’ll feast on the bone until it become brittle enough to just snap.” With her magic, Twilight replicated the sound of a snapping twig. Cadence shuddered. Her jaw ached more than ever, and suddenly she could feel the writhing mass of microorganisms writhing inside her agonized tooth.

“Or we could go down and visit Doctor Pearly and have you feeling better in about an hour. Does that sound better?”

Cadence whimpered, and Twilight lit her horn. “I thought so.”

Breathing by ArguingPizza

by ArguingPizza
~~~

Twilight stood on the edge of a cliff, gazing down its sheered face. Her hooves were dug into the ground as deeply as she could plant them to anchor her against the mighty wind beating down on her. A moment of weakness would sent her cartwheeling off the mountain. The cloudbank below her served to keep her legs strong. Her breath was steady, but only through her iron force of will.

“This is insane.”

“Yep.” Cadence’s casual agreement came just as she finished tying her mane back into a neat little ponytail. It looked cute–not to mention a bit sexy– and made it a bit harder for Twilight to be mad at her.

“I can’t even see the bottom.”

“Nope.” A few risqué stretches on Cadence’s part nearly derailed Twilight’s stream of thought, but a bout of vertigo returned her to the tracks.

“We could die!”

This, finally, served to get Cadence’s undivided attention, be it in the form of a flat stare. She raised her wing, then flicked it forward to tickle Twilight’s own feathery additions.

“Okay, fine, maybe not die, but it could still hurt!”

Rolling her eyes, Cadence put herself between Twilight and the edge of the cliff. She fluttered her eyelashes and brought her muzzle close to Twilight’s. She smelled of honeysuckle in spring, and Twilight’s knees shuddered.

“It might hurt,” Cadence admitted, leaning forward to nibble at Twilight’s ear. “Or it could be really…”

Her tongue trailed down Twilight’s neck. The fire that sprung up in its wake quickly spread down her spine and deep into Twilight’s core. Twilight’s breath came out in quick, ragged gasps in time with Cadence’s ministrations.

“...really…”

Her teeth nipped at Twilight’s jaw. Twilight’s mouth opened of its own accord, a strangled moan escaping past her lips. Just when Twilight was on the edge of bliss, she leaned forward hungrily to drown herself in Cadence.

She found empty air, tripped, and went tumbling off the edge. In the final moments before her screams began, she looked up and saw the image of Cadence jumping after her.

“…exciting.”

Memories by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part 3

~~~

Shelter, as it turned out, wasn’t far.

Spike returned less than ten minutes after taking flight with news that he had spotted a dense copse of fir trees growing around a large stony outcropping. It took longer to reach it on hoof, but within an hour they were relocated, Twilight and Spike converting the spot into something resembling a safe place. Spike’s claws dug out the base of the outcropping, while Twilight’s force magic snapped logs and felled trees. Cadance helped where she could, stripping the smaller branches of their needles to insulate the impromtu cave against the rising wind and stinging cold while Zecora made a fire pit and did what she could to prep kindling.

They worked as the storm blotted out the little light the day still offered until they had something that could—generously—be called a campsite. The logs and larger branches were stacked in a rough hemisphere, the effort keeping them warm until fatigue and snow that was quickly becoming more than hoof deep sapped it away. Even with her advanced protections, Cadance couldn’t stop herself from shivering when Twilight hefted the last of the wood into place with her magic.

“There...now, fire.” Twilight’s teeth started to clatter and she charged her horn again, concentrating on the pile of sticks in the pit. A pale red-colored beam hit it a moment later, the wood popping and smoking, but it steadfastly refused to light. “Well...buck.”

“It’s too wet…” Cadance shifted awkwardly, her eyes on Twilight. It felt weird to hear her friend curse. Twilight, no matter how flustered was always polite and proper around her. “Greenwood won’t burn easily. But I know a spell that’ll dry it out pretty quickly.”

“Please.” Twilight gestured at the wood, her own tired eyes locked on the tiny curl of foul-smelling smoke rising from where she had turned up the heat. “I could really use some good news on the not-dying-of-exposure front.”

Cadance nodded, her horn flaring with arcane power, but she kept her eye on the despondent sounding Battlemage. No sooner than the light from her spell died, there was another blast from Twilight and their fire burst to life. She watched the smoke drift upward and out through the haphazard roof of downed conifers. I hope no one sees that and tracks us back here.

One by one, they huddled by the fire, the bit of snow that had gotten in as they completed the roof melting away to make the floor beneath the needles wet and soggy. Soon enough steam joined the smoke in the air and the enclosure slowly inched away from the dangerous levels of cold to something tolerable. Zecora was the first to succumb to sleep, her body leaning against Spike’s biped form. The dragon was not far behind.

Cadance fought the weariness, shaking her head to clear the fog that threatened to overcome her. Twilight sat beside her in silence, staring into the flames. Cadance watched the light dance in the reflection of Twily’s eyes, wrapping her wings tighter around herself. When she couldn’t stand it any more, she turned her whole body to face Twilight and whispered. “Are you mad at me?”

Twilight jolted as if slapped, looking at Cadance sharply. “W-what? Cadance...I’m not mad at you. Why would I be?”

“Sorry.” The alicorn sighed, hugging herself with her wings. “It’s just...well, you got distant and we were just holding each other not two hours ago.”

“Oh Cady…” Twilight sighed and ran a hoof through her disheveled mane. “It’s not you. I...I’m sorry. But...it’s been what, hardly a week since I got my first mission as your guardian and I’ve nearly died three? Four times now? Equestria isn’t even at war or anything and I’ve already seen enough action to get a whole host of medals from Princess Celestia.”

Twilight paused and swallowed rapidly. “Not that I regret taking the mission or anything! I’ve missed you so much, Cady and I would protect you, no matter what I faced.” The unicorn sighed, her voice growing soft. “But it’s still a lot to take in. So much at once to deal with. When I rescued Princess Celestia...I knew my life was in danger. But it didn’t matter. My Princess needed me. Now...you’re my Princess, and you need me to keep you safe, not space out when faced with my own fragile mortality.”

“Twily, you are the best guardian I could ask for.” Cadance smiled gently, edging closer to the Battlemage. “Trust that Aunt Celestia knew what she was doing when she assigned you to my detail. Learning to trust that she knows more than you do about most everything is a lesson I learned the hard way during my years abroad.”

“But Cady, this last time nearly got you and Spike AND Zecora killed!” Twilight frowned, shifting her weight where she sat. “I don’t think I could stand to lose you and them too.”

Cadance got a little closer to Twilight and reached out her hooves to hold Twily’s, gazing into her guardian’s eyes. “None of this is your fault, Twily. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you for bringing you into something blind. I’ve had more than a few attempts on my life now, and if that changeling is to be believed, she’s mostly behind it. Which, now that I think about it, makes a certain amount of sense.”

“Tell me about it, Cady”

Cadance hung her head, resting her nose against Twilight’s shoulder. She took a slow breath, calming herself as she dug out the memories of the last five years. “These are still State Secrets, Twily, even if Aunt Tia told me I could tell you, we can’t just be blabbing about my mission.”

“I understand.” Twilight opened her cloak, her magic tugging it and her hood around them for shared warmth and privacy. She gently lifted Cadance’s chin her her hoof, smiling at her when they were face to face once more. “I don’t need every gory detail...yet. I just want to understand what life has been like for you all this time.”

Cadance nodded. “Well, my mission was basically one part legitimate diplomacy with allied and potential ally nations. But that was mostly a cover story for my real purpose of espionage.”

Twilight hissed through her teeth. “I was starting to expect that, actually. But why you? Why did Princess Celestia feel she needed to spy on our neighbors?”

“From what I was told, Aunt Tia came across some compelling information that lead her to believe that one or more of our allies were plotting against Equestria. Given my status as a newly risen Princess, and my talent for getting folks to work together, I was a natural pick. But she knew I was going to need more than a smile and a cutie mark enforced olive branch to find closely guarded secrets.” Cadance sighed, her muzzle bumping softly into Twilight’s. “The first year, she trained me in secret. She showed me how to read ponies and drakes and dog body language, how to wheel and deal in the courts and lounge rooms of power.”

“After that, I went to the Camule Republic and started my actual mission. Aunt Tia set me up with a local that would teach me how to pick locks and spot traps, how to move unseen and unheard.” She smirked at Twilight’s look of disbelief. “By day I wined and danced with the diplomats and rulers, by night I was raiding tombs.”

“When did you sleep?”

Cadance chuckled softly. “I honestly don’t remember. But other than those skills, I learned something about myself out there on the sand dunes.”

“Oh?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, slipping her hooves around Cadance’s barrel. “What’s that? A love for grit in your fetlocks?”

“No!” Cadance reached up and bopped Twily on the nose with her hoof. “I found a way to power through the grueling conditions and the training.” She leaned slightly to the side and looked back at the blue-colored heart and filigree that adorned her flank. “I found a new side to my ‘diplomagic,’ Twily. I missed you, terribly so and when I came to realize that the pain in my heart was from being without you...that I loved you, that’s when it kicked in. It gave me literal strength.”

She looked back at the purple unicorn, smiling. “You’ve been saving my life this whole time, Twily. My love for you kept me going to get back alive. And now...your love keeps me going to make sure we all get out of this alive.”

Twilight sighed and pulled Cadance closer until they were chest to chest, looking into her eyes. “When all this is settled...we’re going to have a long chat with Princess Celestia.”

“Must we?”

“But before that, you are going to give me the full details and I’m not letting you go for a full week.”

Cadance giggled. “Is that a prom—!”

She didn’t get another word out for a while. Her mouth was too busy.

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Gems by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part 4

~~~

It was dark and cold when Twilight woke up. Cadance was still a sleep in her hooves, the Princess’ legs and wings wrapped around Twilight’s middle. Vaguely, she remembered falling asleep as Zecora’s potions started to wearing off. But she wasn’t sure just how much time had passed, but the fire was out and she could feel the chill even though Cadance’s downy feathers.

Twilight slowly and regretfully extracted herself, stiffly rising to her hooves and stepping over to where they had stacked the extra kindling. Twilight rolled her shoulders, working a kink out before she grabbed a small stack of branches in her aura. Thankfully, before they had succumbed to the weariness in their bodies, Cadance had shown her how to cast the spell that dried the wood out.

She washed the magic over the wood and dropped it into the pit. She charged her horn, squinting in the wane light if her horn to aim her magic, when she heard a loud rustling and snapping noise from outside their small enclosure. She canceled the spell, her ears pricking up. Twilight tracked the sound, using just her ears and leaned to her right to tap on the end of Spike’s tail. The drake was curled into a ball around a small stack of half munched gemstones, breathing steadily, in pretty much the same spot he had been in before she’d passed out.

“Spike!” Twilight hissed, pressing into his scales with the edge of her hoof. “Spike, wake up!”

Spike groaned quietly, one eye cracking open and focusing on Twilight. “W-what is it?”

“Shhhh…” Twilight’s ears twitched, flicking and rotating as the crunching and rustling noises grew louder and multiple sources popped up around them. “I don’t know if it’s those crystal pony things we saw earlier or not, but something or somethings is out there just beyond the treeline.”

Spike picked himself up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Next to him, Zecora stirred and she lifted her head to listen to the growing noise. It even managed to wake Cadance a second later, her eyes snapping open.

“Twily.” Cadance rolled onto her stomach and grabbed Twilight’s staff from where it lay and tossed it to the Battlemage. “One of us needs to take a look out there. Whatever it is will find us soon enough.”

“Better to meet them than get overwhelmed right off the bat.” Twilight worked her jaw until it popped, her horn lighting up again as she moved some of the branches and needles that made their enclosure’s roof. Snow, several inches thick now, rained in through the small opening.

“Spike, give me a boost.” Twilight looked at Cadance and Zecora while Spike kneeled and held out his claws. “If I see something I don’t like, the first, and I mean very first thing you do is get out of this shelter. Use the pines and rocks for cover but don’t go far. We can’t protect you if you gallop wildly into the snow.”

Cadance nodded, straightening her peytral. She lit her horn, pointing it at each of them in quick succession. “There, that will handle the communication. Even if we do get separated, that spell will carry our voices to each other. So long as we don’t get more than a few hundred yards apart, that is.”

“Good call, Princess.” Spike grinned and gripped Twilight’s hoof. “Ready to do this?”

The Battlemage odded curtly, pushing off Spike’s shoulders with her forehooves when he lifted her to the low ceiling. Twilight craned her neck upward, sticking her head out into the open. The sky above her was still covered in heavy clouds, though the snow was no longer falling and the winds were still. What time is it? It feels like we’ve been here for hours but the sun is still up?

Twilight squinted at the sky for a second, then looked down, her ears moving around to zero in on the sounds. There were at least five distinct sources she could detect, all of them moving slowly through what seemed to be the outer edges of the copse of trees they were sheltered in. One in particular, the one to her left, seemed closest.

She grit her teeth, running the calculations in her head for destructive blast of fire magic. Remember your training, Twilight. Wait until you have a target...never attack blindly. She repeated the mantra over and over, neck muscles tensing. Whatever was moving through the trees was taking its time about it, moving slightly, then stopping for a moment.

What are they doing? Twilight forced her breathing to remain steady. It wouldn’t do to snap like a twig when the time came. She had to stay calm to react quickly and correctly. What if it’s not those crystal ponies? I don’t want to hurt anyone innocent.

Time seemed to stretch, the seconds ticking by at a snail’s pace.

Twilight’s ears were just starting to go numb in the cold when one of the nearer trees rustled, shaking some of the snow from it’s needles. She held her breath and a second later felted, broad antlers pushed the lower branches aside to reveal a very tall and wooly caribou, its mouth full of lichen. It froze when it noticed the hastily made shelter of felled fir trees and the unicorn head sticking out from the top of it.

“Twily!” Cadance’s whisper hissed in Twilight’s ear, thanks to the communication spell. “What’s going on? The noises outside stopped.”

“Uh...it’s a...caribou.” Twilight swallowed, her voice quiet as the caribou moved a bit closer, its eyes flicking back and forth from examining her to looking over the shelter. “I don’t know if it’s friendly.”

“Well, it’s probably not an enemy. If you see one, there must be dozens or more nearby, they move in migratory herds.” Came Cadance’s answer from below. “If there are caribou here, we are very far north! They almost never leave the tundra unless it’s for trading. What tribe does it belong to?”

“How am I supposed to tell that?” Twilight flattened her ears as the caribou got closer and came fully out of the trees. From her vantage point, it looked to stand taller than Spike, and though it was hard to tell with the shaggy coat, she assumed it was a male.

“Look on the antlers. They crave symbols there to denote their tribal allegiances.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes, squinting in the poor lighting. Sure enough, when the caribou turned its head, there was a faint pattern traced into the broad side of its antler. “Um...it looks kind of like a tree...or a plant of some sort.”

Cadance was silent for a long second before saying anything else. “That’s the Borealis tribe...I think. But what are they doing here? They never came to the trade meetings. They stayed the farthest away from Equestria and didn’t leave their ancestral forests.”

“Could we hurry this up?” Spike groaned quietly. “This is murder on my back and shoulders!”

“Oh! Sorry, Spike!” Cadance tapped Twilight on the leg. “If they aren’t attacking us, they could help us get back home. Or at least not freeze to death.”

Twilight grunted lifted herself up a bit higher. The motion made the caribou freeze again, looking up at her. Twilight worked one hoof through the hole in the roof and waved cautiously. “Uh...do you speak Equuish?” The caribou blinked at her, raising an eyebrow. She tried again. “Er...sprechen Germane? Draconic?”

“Try this: ‘Halló, getur þú skilur mig?’” Cadance’s voice whispered in Twilight’s ear. Twilight opened her mouth and stuttered through the first few syllables until she gave up. “Sorry, but my mouth can’t do that. You’re gonna have to get out here, Cady.”

The caribou snickered and leaned against one of the standing trees while the pony in the pile of wood wiggled and wobbled about for a moment while louder and louder pained groaning came from inside. Eventually, snow and sticks fell from the top and the single pony head was joined by a second, significantly more pink colored pony head. This one smiled down at him and when it opened it’s mouth, words that he could actually understand spilled out.

<>

The caribou snorted. <>

<> Cadance grunted, struggling to work herself up higher and out of the hole. <> She heaved and pulled her torso loose of the hole, shoving Twilight to the side, the unicorn muttering complaints under her breath. <>

<> The caribou took a knee and bowed his head low. <>

<> Cadance struggled to free herself completely and flared her wings for balance to descend to the ground next to Forage Fortune. <>

<>

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Fight by Cytotoxin

by Cytotoxin
~~~

If Twilight Sparkle knew anything with certainty, it was the fact that anything odd and defying explanation could be traced back to one of the princesses. It was inevitable - so long as the investigator in question was willing to put in time and effort to trace the chain of events far enough, it invariably began with something one princess or another have had said, done or ventured.

So, the only thing that really puzzled her was which of the three her current predicament would trace itself to. Her bits were on Luna. A mage with such an enviable grasp of offensive magic seemed like someone Luna wouldve likely known or even employed prior to her banishment. Inordinate prevalence of shadow use in magic also hinted at Luna. However, she noted with a measure of distaste, Luna was currently the least available of all the princesses - off on a diplomatic mission in Saddle Arabia. Privately, Twilight suspected that mission entailed nothing more then hobnobbing with sultan while pigging out on lukum and pahlava. Lunas sweet tooth have had been well known around Equestria by now.

Celestia was a good fallback option, but unfortunately, she`s been busy with inauguration of a new airship. "Decadence" was slated to moor tomorrow at midday, which meant Twilight still had to wait at least a full day before she could pose any poignant questions to her mentor. Which left only Cadence for today. - the least likely option, but one Twilight felt the need to explore as well, simply to soothe her sense of completionism, if nothing else. Which, in turn, lead to a current situation - sitting across from Cadence and holding a cup of tea that Cadence dropped in shock.

"...Oh dear. Do you have any idea as to when it all began, Twilight?" - proffered pink princess cautiously, as she took her cup back and took a long sip from it. Twilight Sparkle rubbed the back of her head as she mulled over the situation. It wasnt the easiest of questions. "Roughly about a week ago. At least, thats for how long Ive been consciously aware of it. I take it you know what this is?" - she inquired thoughtfully, gesturing at the crystal holding the magical construct. Shes been able to capture the core of it, but unfortunately it didn`t cut the link entirely - she could still feel the weight of foreign memories vying for her attention.

Cadence sighed. "I do." - she proffered with a measure of grim resolution coloring her voice - "What you see is the soul of Prismia. I didnt expect her to manifest like this or so soon for that matter, but... clearly, she has other ideas about it." Twilight pursed her lips as she regarded the core with newfound distaste. "Prismia, huh? So shes the reason why you ascended? Funny, I thought you`ve won that fight once and for all." - she mused, unaware that Cadence flinched and turned away at the word fight. The words, however, caught her attention well.

"Im afraid it wasnt much of a fight, Twilight." - Cadence offered pensively - "If anything, I was rather sympathetic to her. Unfortunately, there was simply no way to settle things fair and square back then." She leaned over and nudged the geode with wingtip. Sparkling ball wobbled and dimmed for a second, wisp of shadow swirling around the crystal haphazardly. "We cant afford to let it degrade, Twilight." - she proffered seriously - "Lets go see what we can find in the treasury. I think I saw some suitable diamonds there."

"Hm. Why? Cadence, this is rather cruel. I understand shes an enemy of the state, but really... keeping her entrapped in a soulgem for ages? I think I can tolerate a few more days of haunting, if it helps her to pass on." - objected smaller alicorn, as she nudged the soulgem from her side - "The only reason why I bothered to trap her is to show you what exactly were dealing with."

Cadence heaved a sigh. "Its... not that easy, Twilight. It never is." - she muttered - "I made a deal with her, you see. And to keep my part of the deal, its really important to keep her here, as it were." Lavender brow creased as Twilight mulled over the response. "...A deal. That... huh. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, are you telling me that youve agreed to reincarnate her?" - she proffered slowly, shaking her head - "Thats... rather bucking crazy, if you pardon my prench."

Cadence leaned back and sighed again. "I think it would be easier if Ill tell you the story from the beginning." - she proffered, taking a long sip from her cup - "It would answer at least half of your questions in one go, at the very least." Taking the silence of other alicorn as a go-ahead sign, she continued - "To begin with, Id like to note one important thing. Lady Prismia is responsible for a whole lot of things... but a vast majority of them are good."

"Its not a common knowledge nowadays, but a hundred years ago, she was pretty much second most important pony in Equestria, right after Celestia. Exceptionally gifted general and battlemage, the existence of Equestrian Centennial Armistice is mostly there because all of our neighbors would rather agree to a century-long legally binging non-aggression pact rather then deal with her again." - proffered Cadence pensively - "Despite that, shes largely unknown in the history books. I`m pretty sure you had an inkling about her involvement, but never had any idea just how much of an influence she really had."

"...Oh. Dont tell me she tried for Equestrian throne after that." - quipped Twilight - "That mustve been awkward." Pink alicorn chuckled - "It would be, if she did. The truth, however, is far stranger then that. Prismia, for all her merits, had one... rather peculiar... well, lets say condition, because the only other word I can think of is curse, and Im very much certain no one cursed her." Cadence paused for a moment, and shook her head - "And yes... try not to laugh. The problem was that it was all but impossible to actually reward Prismia somehow."

Twilight snorted - "She wanted immortality, didnt she? Now its clearer, indeed." Cadence shook her head, however. "Not really. At least, she never asked Celestia for it, to the best of my knowledge." - she proffered - "In fact, she never asked for anything, period, because with her, well... condition? It was hazardous to."

That merited Twilights attention. "Cadence. Can you please just tell me what is it all about?" - she proffered - "Youre beating around the bush... And while normally, Id like a challenge to figure it out myself, I cant help but think there is some crucial detail you`re withholding from me."

"Not hiding anything, Twilight. Prismia had the most peculiar misfortune regarding rewards. Anytime anyone tried to reward her for anything, things happened. And by things I mean coincidences, mistakes and misfortunes of unprecedented magnitude and malice. According to what I knew at the time, not a single reward intended for her reached her hooves safely. Celestia awards her a medal? Jeweler accidentally added tin instead of silver into the alloy. Whole thing just broke off the ribbon when Celestia tried to award it, bounced off Prismias nose, rolled across the whole plaza and disappeared into a gutter. Awk-ward, to hear her tell it. Celestia tries to give her a landed title? Earthquake swallows the town, ponies flee from the county. You probably know this area as Crags County. Yeah, its part of Badlands, now. Used to be pretty profitable county. Grew best watermelons in Equestria, if I recall it right. As the dust settled down, Prismia found herself a countess of a province that had no subjects - neither current, nor willing to move in. Celestia attempts to at least throw her a parade after she brings home another win? Clerical error - public is told that parade is held in honor of Prism the Fourth. As he was among the other dozen ponies honored by the same parade and held the highest nobility title of them all, no one thought it strange. Prismia herself didnt even get an invitation. And so on and so on and so on. You have to agree, Twilight - when it looks like fate itself is doing its best to snub you, going a little mad with anger and jealousy is, well... kind of likely."

"...Well. That explains things, yes. If that kind of condition was persistent, I guess I wouldnt blame a pony for snapping eventually." - Twilight mused slowly - "So... she did, huh?" Cadence shrugged. "Id like to think she didnt. But she wasnt exactly of sound mind when I finally met her, Twilight." - she responded - "You have to keep in mind - I was born when Prismia was already in her nineties. As far as I know, she resigned shortly after centennial armistice was ratified, retreated into her county, built herself a shack and started magical research into the source of her problem. If Im reading between the lines right, nobles at the time figured out there was something wrong with her and were not merciful with their rumors in the slightest. So by the time I actually ventured there to deal with her, its been about fifty years of living on her lonesome trying to decypher something directly related to chaos magic. By that time, ponies have had managed to flat-out forget any good shes done - she was simply "that wicked pony witch from gnarled forest" for pretty much everypony youd ask."

"Let me guess. You went there, got the story from her, then did something... unexpected enough to actually ascend you to deal with her problem." - Twilight proffered slowly - "And now Ive got stuck in your loose ends again, correct?" Pink princess shrugged - "Well, yes, pretty much. She wasnt in any condition to fight, really. I know theres a lot of talk about me "defeating" her, but the truth is? Anypony out there to actually defeat Prismia would only need one good kick to end her for good. What I really did? Well, nothing particularly important. I just hung around trying to make her last days as comfortable as I could. She never found out how to defeat her misfortune, after all. I thought the least I could do is to care for her for as long as shed last. Turned out, it was merely seventeen days."

"Wait, so how did you ascend at all? I thought that you made her see all the... well, as the common story goes. Now youre telling me that you never caused any epiphany in her at all?" - inquired Twilight incredulously. Cadence shuffled her hoof. "Well, uh... this is where things get dicey." - she proffered awkwardly - "Remember what happens when ponies die? The whole reincarnation until youre content business? Turns out Prismia was so discontent with her life that she couldnt reincarnate. As in... there literally wasnt a thing simple enough to accommodate her."

"Wait, that`s not possible. If the cycle of reincarnation is so fluffed that... oh. OH. You mean she was literally going to worms?" - exclaimed Twilight as she finally figured out the problem - "And you... ascended by... intentionally soultrapping her? Hole in the sky above you, what were you thinking?"

"Its not like I was aware of her plans at the time, Twilight." - responded Cadence wearily - "It was her last-ditch effort. Keep in mind, I was just a pegasus filly back then. I had no idea about the cycle of reincarnation other then it happened. I most certainly didnt know there is such thing as soultrapping. All that I really did was promise her that Ill do my best to carry out her "last experiment" if she happened to die. Well, she did. I still have no idea how I got the horn out of the deal, but... Celestia thinks its because Prismia was exceptionally powerful unicorn back in her day, and I ended up "borrowing" her ability when I went through with her plans."

Twilight snorted - 'Wonderful. So, what youre telling me is that youre liable to revert to pegasus as soon as youre done with your long-standing obligation? And what does it mean for our little arrangement, hm?" Cadence sighed - "Actually, I planned to speak to you about it. Hence having the original soulgem delivered. Unfortunately, it seems that Prismia found you before I did. As to what it means for our arrangement? Well... The good news is, Im not reverting back to mortal form. Its just not an option right now. And by not an option, I mean it in a "its easier to end the world" sense, rather then "I dont want to consider it" sense. The... neutral news is that Id have to follow up on the promise sooner or later, and that means... options. Which I have to discuss with you."

"Alright. Correct me if Im wrong, but the option we are looking at right now goes like this... We use the gem, you go pregnant, give birth to a foal with Prismias soul, and then we bring her up as our child." - Twilight proffered dryly. Cadence shrunk back on herself. "...Yes. Sort of. Except right now its more likely youre the one who`d have to go pregnant. But other then that... would you really object?" - she mumbled.

"I guess I wont... but Im still mad at you, Cadence. You really couldve told me earlier. What if I decided to disperse Prismia instead?" - she returned wryly - "Im not sure just how much of conscience she has like this... but do try to reassure her if you can. Im going to get some fresh air and think about it. And then were going to get some quills, some ink, some parchment, and draw up a checklist to check all the checklists for that. If Im having a foal with you, its going to be a planned one."

Life by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part Five

It was warm and bright when she woke up. Jade and emerald colored eyes blinking numbly at the pink fur and fluff that surrounded her as she lay on her side in some large, plush bed. She remained still, letting her breathing continue in the steady rhythm from her sleep. The inner edges of the holes in her chitin, along her legs, were sore and felt raw and chaffed. Otherwise, Chrysalis felt surprisingly refreshed and rested in a way she hadn’t since the last time Monarca had slept over in her Princess’ bed.

Chrysalis could taste magic in the air. Everything was coated with the ethereal residue of it. Under the magic she could taste the emotions of those who cast it. Desperation. Anger. Fear. Pride. Loss. And something else that she couldn’t place. It had a hauntingly familiar quality to it, like something she hadn’t tasted in ages, but nothing more than the vague feeling sparked in her memory.

As she search her mind, other memories, just as ancient, but unbidden and ones she had thought long since lost, arose. Light filled hours spent in a room that was decorated in pink fluffy things. Years spent as a filly in a huge palace surrounded by snow where she would gaze at paintings of places that were located to the far south where everything was lush and green all year. Months spent in dim rooms, drilling spells in her head, into her horn until she could cast them without thinking about them. Days locked in the darkness whenever she failed one of her father’s tests.

“I know you are awake, my little Crystal. You can stop pretending.”

The voice was deep and thick, rumbling against her back like distant thunder. It was just as she remembered it: rich and warm with a caring tone that promised support and unconditional love. She’d learned the basics of deception from that voice. She learned how honey drew you in and concealed the iron underneath. Her father had always been a fine teacher.

Chrysalis curled her legs against herself, focusing on the sore feeling in the openings in her chitin. “I liked it better when you were just another one of the voices in my head.”

“I was never just a voice in your head. You know that, Crystal.”

“I prefer Chrysalis now.” She wound herself into a tighter fetal position, her throat plates constricting and her breath growing a little ragged. “I had things under control. I didn’t you to interfer.”

“I beg to differ, Crystal.” He chuckled, the tiny barbs in his tone slowly revealing themselves. “You were dillydallying. Playing overly long with those lesser ponies. I taught you better than to disobey me.”

Chrysalis shuddered, tensing when she felt someone draw the blanket covering her up higher onto her shoulder. She didn’t look up, but she could sense that no one was in the room except the two of them. “You taught me to take what I want from this world and buck the rest.” She swallowed with some difficulty and took a calming breath. “I-I don’t want you. I don’t want th-this. What I want, you can’t give me. So, I guess you can tell what category that puts you in.”

A broad, heavy hoof touched her shoulder. It smelled like smoke to her. “I think you may want to re-think that. I can give my little Crystal what she wants. Join with me, as is your duty and birthright. Let us be a family again, Crystal, and I will give you everything you have fought for for so long. I’ll even return to you all that which you’ve lost.”

As he spoke, the hoof drifted up her neck, brushing aside her web-like mane until he reached her ear. He rubbed her there, like he was soothing the bad dreams from a filly. “I can give you the world and your priestess. I can make you not just my own little Princess again, but I can make you Princess to the entire world, Crystal. Join me, do as I bid you to and it will all be yours.”

Despite herself, Chrysalis relaxed under the gentle massage and the waves of the deep voice as it washed over her. My father is dead. Killed by his greed and hubris when he challenged a goddess. I can remember feeling him become no more. I can remember it! She forced her body tighter into the safe coil of limbs and torso, all but her eyes and ears below the blanket that covered her.

Across from the bed, in the bright light that was streaming in from above, she could see a simple end table. It was made from the stained wood of sub-arctic pines—she was sure of it—and on top was a filly’s toy, a dolly with golden hair and a blue dress. I used to have one just like it. I called her… Chrysalis closed her eyes, fighting for the memory. It was so close, but it kept eluding her. Her eyes snapped back open and she looked around the room as best she could without moving her head for fear of seeing the pony that stood behind her.

Toys, keepsakes from her first dozen or so birthdays littered the dresser and the large vanity table. Jars that she knew held make up stood at attention like soldiers in front of the mirror there. Just like I left them…

Chrysalis shuddered again. It felt so much like home, so much like the place she had left and vowed out of her father’s hearing, that she would never return to. It’s all a lie...right? It can’t be him...it can’t be here! I-I...I checked. There was nothing left, not even a coin or a brick, just holes in the ground and fresh snow! The Empire is gone. Right?

“I know what you’re thinking, Crystal. You’re wondering if I’m telling the truth. You remember my training—and I will be the first to admit it was harsh and I was hard on you—and you are wondering if it will be like that again.” The voice got closer and the hoof at her ear dropped to her shoulder and tugged gently at her. “Well, I promise you, it won’t be. I want you at my side, Crystal. I want us to be a family again, just like old times. I know things...didn’t...go according to plan, but I know we can overcome it. This time...this time, my little sweetling, those abominations won’t stop us. They can try, but no matter what, I know that this time, we will prevail.”

It will be different...right? Chrysalis shook her head, biting her lip to hold back the whimpers that were trying to escape her. He...he isn’t just a dream. This isn’t just in my mind, right?

The hoof tugged at her incessantly, growing firmer with pull. “This time they won’t catch me by surprise. I’ve learned from my mistakes. I’ve become stronger while in my exile. Stronger than they can even fathom. No longer will you need to slink in the shadows to get close to the priestess. I will just give her to you on a silver platter.” The hoof grabbed her and yanked her around onto her back. Above her, her father, Sombra the Black smiled, his teeth gleaming white amid his inky coat. “I’ll even let her keep most of her limbs.”

Chrysalis pulled away, backing away as far as the pillow would allow her from the apparition. His eyes were the same carnelian she remembered, but now they were surrounded by a sickly green glow. His mane was wild as ever, but now it seemed to wave in a wind only it felt, the dark hair becoming like smoke as it flowed away from Sombra. He leaned closer and then paused, looking up as if he heard something.

“Oh good.” He looked back at her, his eyes gleaming. “Come my little Crystal, I want you to see this.”

“S-see what?”

“The fireworks are just about to start.”

Several hours previous:

“Helm, report.” Celestia blinked the residual magic of the Corona’s transport gate out of her eyes, turning to look out the portside windows at the grey and white mountain range outside. Tiny blots of bright color color peeked out from some of the distant ledges and crannies, Minotauran tribal kits flying in the air. “At least it looks like we are on course. What do you think, Luna?”

The night Princess took a deep breath and held it for a moment. “Yes...I can feel that we are much closer now.” Luna sighed, joining Celestia a moment later. “We are still a far ways off though, and in the middle of foreign airspace, I might add.”

“I had word sent to the Collective’s elder council before we left. It should reach them before news of our passing through does.”

“And what if we should run into the Collective’s airforce out here?” Luna raised an eyebrow. “I realize the need for haste, believe me, but we run the risk of an international incident, Tia. An experimental airship suddenly appearing where conventional wisdom says it cannot and it’s loaded with canons.”

“Unloaded canons.” Celestia shrugged, scanning the horizon for any signs of threat. “Not that they will care about that at the start. I’m hoping that the secret airbase that they are rumored to have out here is just a rumor.” She clicked her tongue and looked back over her shoulder. “Helm! Where’s my report?”

“Sorry ma’am!” The pegasus pony at the helm saluted smartly. “I just got word back from the engine room. There was a small fire, but it is now contained. The lead engineer isn’t sure when the gate generator will be useable again, as of yet.”

“What about the standard aether engine?” Celestia turned around fully, stepping over to the helm to glance over the multitude of gauges and dials that displayed the condition of the Corona’s systems.

“Operating within optimal conditions, ma’am.”

“I see.” Celestia nodded to herself. “Get Navigation to pinpoint our location, then I want this ship on a course my sister sets at full speed.” She tapped a hoof against one of the pressure gauges and watched the needle move slowly away from the red end. “How far do you think we have yet to go yet?”

“Leagues, easily.” Luna gestured with her horn. “That way...a day’s flight by our wings. A few hours at worst with the Corona. I think.”

“She’s as fast an airship as any Equestria has ever produced, Luna. We’ll be there before this Sombra can muster forces enough to face us.”

“About that…” Luna frowned, looking back at her sister with a steady stare. “Might we speak in private? There are things we must discuss.”

The older Princess nodded and led the way to the captain's chamber. There was barely room for the two of them and the small bed and table inside. As soon as her wheeled harness crossed the threshold, she closed the door and her magic sealed them in a hemisphere of privacy.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Was the door not private enough?”

“Not if I want full disclosure from you.” Luna deadpanned and rustled her feathers, getting comfortable as the little space allowed. “I want to know why you were so gung ho to come after Sombra you would risk an international incident that could throw the country into a war with the Minotauran Collective.”

“If this Sombra is as bad as you recall, the war would come anyway if he were allowed to gain a hoofhold on the north. We’ve been allied with the Minotaurs for generations now, I’m sure things may get tense, but would be smoothed over.” Celestia took a seat on the floor, facing her sister. “I believe my actions thus far have been logical.”

“Oh drop the act, Tia, you are talking to me, not some noble or pack of reporters!” Luna rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, I know Sombra is a threat like no other. Better than you do. We cannot under estimate him, sister. But I know you too. The Flaming Sword of Equestria does not go storming into battle half cocked. You plan, you prepare, you stack the deck. And yet, here we are about to charge into the dragon’s den without so much as checking the color of the scales on the ground!”

The younger Princess sneered. “Tell me what has you in a vise. I know you like your secrets, Tia, but I need to be in on them this time. Hesitation or mistrust might end us against this threat.”

Celestia scowled, her eyes on her hooves for a long moment. When she looked up, Luna could see a touch of fear in those lavender irises. “Lulu...I’m worried. Things are coming together in a way I wasn’t prepared for and I fear I may have been complacent in this situation.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well...lots of things...disseperate things going back centuries are all coming together. Connections I only suspected are suddenly becoming clear, Lulu.” Celestia hung her head. “There are times...when Chrysalis is stable. She’s a wonderful mare when she is...but then there are other times and she goes to some place...else. I-I just wonder if in those times when she wasn’t stable, did she set these things up? Did she manipulate me, and if so, was it intentional? Or was it her madness? I sent Cadance out based on rumors I picked up from my informants...but was that all from her, Lulu?”

“Oh sweet Goddesses, Tia...are you serious? I knew you liked the bug, but this?” Luna slumped in her harness. “You think is some mistake of yours that needs to be corrected? Unless you taught her how to break the seal, then there is none of your fault for Sombra’s release here. Rest your soul on that, at least. But what does the changeling have to do with this anyway?”

“I’ve suspected, since you told me about Sombra that he might be her father.” Celestia was silent for a time. “I don’t claim to know any details...but I remember from before, in the Everfree when she was simply competing for your place, hearing her sometimes speak of her father in hushed tones. She was scared of him like nothing I’ve ever known, Luna.”

“And now he is back.”

“Yes.” Celestia wiped her eye with the edge of her hoof. “And I’ve lost contact with Chrysalis. She hasn’t been seen in any of her regular haunts. I was concerned she might go do something to Cadance..but now I’m terrified to think she released Sombra and he has her again.”

Celestia snorted, smirking up at Luna. “She’s not a pony, technically. But trust me, she’s all mare.”

Author's Note

The rest of the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Breathing by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book Two
Part Six

The cold and the wind made it harder and harder to breathe. Even with the heavy cloaks and yakfur wraps that caribou had traded them for a hoof-ful of the young drake’s snack gems, it was difficult. The walk through the knee deep snow was bad enough, but now they were starting to climb low hills. Her legs ached and she was getting winded quicker. The group of them and their caribou guide had to keep stopping because of her and it was turning the already tough travel into something hellish.

“Want me to carry you?” Spike’s sudden question shocked her out of her thoughts, her legs coming to a stop in the snow.

“No. T‘ank you, Spike. I can keep up...for now.”

The dragon nodded, but he didn’t look convinced under the thick parka hood that protected him from the worst of the wind. She didn’t sound convincing to her own ears. If they did not stop for rest soon, the choice to keep walking was likely be out of her hooves. They both started moving again and she looked up to the two ponies and their guide, off a short way from them. The guide was saying something to the Princess again. The mare spoke back in the same language and then turned and translated for her guardian.

Zecora shook her head. The alicorn was an amazing creature. She spoke the caribou’s tongue as fluently as she spoke Equish and Swayhili. It would not surprise her to learn that the mare knew the languages of every ally that Equestria had. Princess Cadance not only knew how to communicate, but fight like a demon too, if the experience in the ancient Sun temple was any indication.

Cadance and the unicorn, Twilight, shared some words and the Princess laughed at whatever passed between them. The Princess leaned in and they smiled at each other, their horns touching gently. Even in this horrible cold and weather, that small show of affection warmed her old bones. Oh to be young, so talented and so very much in love. It was a shame that they were being forced into an uncertain future by the events around them.

“How much farther do you think it is, Zecora?”

She looked at Spike and shrugged, but his eyes were focused on the couple in front of them. “I canna tell t‘at, Spike. T‘e Nort’ is unfamiliar me. I’ve walked t‘e Everfree for a long time, studying all it teach me. T‘is place is alien to me.”

“I know. I’m just worried that the storm is making us walk in circles. I feel like we should have seen something by now.” Spike grunted and shrugged. “But all there is, is snow and ice and lichen and rocks. The caribou tribe said there was a forest and then we’d come to the place they say this storm is coming from.”

“‘T’ey also say t‘ere be ‘ills before t‘e forest and t‘ese already kill me knees.”

“The offer still stands to carry you.” Spike gave her a thumbs up. “I’m pretty strong.”

“I know. You ‘ave me t’anks, but I can go for a bit more. I t’ink.” She bit down a pained grunt, lifting her legs to dig her hooves out of the fresh snow. “W’at you t’ink ‘bout da legend t’e Princess translate for us from t’em? T’at t’ey slaves long ago until some goddess come an’ save t’em from a crystal devil?”

The dragon shrugged again, stomping his way through the drifts next to her. “I dunno. But I’ve seen and heard a lot of weirder things. We did see those ponies that looked like they were made from crystals dragging the changeling off. Why do you suppose that was anyway? We were all laying there around it, but they only bothered with her.”

Zecora shook her head. It puzzled her, but now that they knew about the caribou tribe’s origin legends, it did oddly mesh with the legends of the peoples of the Everfree. From what she understood, the changeling started out as a foreign-born pony, possibly named Crystal. And the Moon Priestess had gone to the far north when she stepped down from her position of rulership. Could she be the same ‘Goddess’ that freed the ancient caribou?

“I wonder t’at, same. Maybe t’ere is connections we don’t see. Makes me want to know more ‘bout t’is place though.” Zecora sighed, watching her breath mist for a moment before the wind ripped it away. Up ahead she could make out a dark line that separated the snow covered tundra from the snow-filled mass of clouds in the sky. “Wendigos take me...is t’at...the forest?”

Spike held up a claw to block the wan light and squinted. “I think so.”

“T’en I’ll take you up on t’at offer.”

Several hours previous

Luna shook her head, looking at her sister with tired eyes. “You can keep the details to yourself. But…I understand the feeling, Tia. You have my support in rescuing your bug, if she is even there. Sombra, however, comes first. He was a psychopath and he wielded power like I’ve never seen in a non-alicorn. He is dangerous, Tia. Strong, fast, and when he fought me, he wasted not a thought on sacrificing his people if it led to a benefit.”

She looked away for a moment, her eyes searching the room until they returned to Celestia. “He will make us kill to defend ourselves. Are you ready for that?”

Celestia nodded, her horn sparking and her eponymous warmug appearing beside her, steam wafting off the Foalgers blended coffee inside it. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had to do that, but I am ready. I will protect my peoples and my country with my life.” She smiled ruefully. “I am Equestria’s Sword.”

“And I, Her Shield.” Luna’s smile matched her sister’s and she held out her hoof. Celestia met her and they bumped their hooves together. “Together we will prevail. Stop the evil, save the kingdom.”

“Get the mare.” Celestia finished for her sister. “Just like old times, eh Lulu?”

“I suppose so. When was the last time we did this?”

“The War of Endless Plains, wasn’t it?” Celestia took a sip of her coffee, brows narrowed in thought.

“Was it? We put down the mustang barbarians over a century ago.” Luna frowned, tapping her hoof as she wracked her mind for any more recent conflict where either of them had taken the field. “Wow, has it really been that long? I hope you’ve been staying sharp.”

Now Celestia rolled her eyes. “Not as much as I would like, honestly. I haven’t sparred with a serious opponent since I sent Sunset out to deal with that issue down in Seavannah.”

“What about Twilight? She’s easily as skilled as Sunset.” Luna smirked. “I should know.”

“Exactly!” Celestia gestured at her sister’s wheeled harness. “I want a serious opponent, not someone that might have a powersurge and accidentally put my rear in a sling!”

The dark alicorn snorted, her face serious. “This was no accident, Celestia. Twilight broke me, in a single blast. That level of power is just as insane as what Sombra wielded. It is a shame she is not with us.”

“Personally, I’m glad she’s not.” Celestia took another slow sip from her warmug. “She’s protecting Cadance. This way, neither of them will see me like this. I’ve wanted to keep war as far from their lives as possible, Luna. Part of the reason I had Cadance spying on our allies was to prevent the kinds of conflicts that destabilize whole regions of the world. I want this world to be safe and beautiful for them and for all ponies.”

“So you want them to see your war face only in paintings then? Never the reality?” Luna shrugged. “A noble pursuit.”

“Ultimately, it’s why I fight. To make the world a better place.”

“Using force to create peace tastes bittersweet to me, Celestia. But I understand how you feel about it. I see it as penance for our great arrogance...but that’s me.” Luna shrugged again. She opened her mouth to say something more, when she paused and looked back at the door behind her. Luna canceled her silence spell and the tiny cabin was suddenly filled with loud banging.

Luna opened the door and both sisters regarded the pony that had interrupted them. The pegasus ensign wore a uniform that placed him with the helm command structure. “Yes?”

“Pardon me ma’am...ma’am’s...I was sent to inform you that Navigation has our current location.” The stallion swallowed nervously. “We’ve also sighted another airship. It’s too far to make clear identification, but it looks Minotuaran. It changed course to intercept us almost as soon as we spotted it.”

“Thank you.” Celestia sighed, climbing to her hooves. “Why is nothing ever easy, Luna?”

Author's Note

The rest of the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Indulgent by JKinsley

by JKinsley

Sequel to Beer and Trifecta.

~~~

Twilight sat next to Cadance in a small booth tucked into a corner of the fine dining restaurant they finally agreed to after breakfast that morning. In contrast to the sharply dressed waiter standing on the other side of the table, Twilight and Cadance wore understated silver torcs bearing their Cutie Marks.

“Anything to drink to start your night, your Highnesses?” the waiter asked, a small pad levitated in front of his face.

“Just ‘ladies’, please,” Cadance replied. “We don’t need any special treatment.”

“As you wish.”

“I’m feeling a bit indulgent tonight,” Twilight interjected. “Perhaps a cocktail. Any ideas, Cadance?”

“Sex on the Beach?”

“Cadance!” Twilight hissed as her cheeks flushed a dark red.

Cadance giggled openly. “It’s a drink, love, and it’s good! We’ll take two.”

“O-oh. Yes, two of... those. Thank you.” Twilight covered her blushing face with her hooves. Once she heard the waiter trot away, she muttered, “You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

“What fun is it to indulge if I can’t tease you, too?” Cadance pulled Twilight to her and wrapped her foreleg around the younger alicorn’s withers. “Come on, we’re supposed to be having fun tonight. So let’s just let our hair down and have fun!”

Twilight nuzzled Cadance’s neck and pulled away. “Alright, we can have fun. But let’s keep the unsubtle sex jokes to a minimum, hmm?”

Cadance smiled and stole a quick kiss from Twilight’s cheek. “Deal.”

The waiter returned and set two tall, ice-filled glasses in front of both ponies. Twilight eyed the pink-orange drink with a raised eyebrow and took a tentative sip. “Mm. Sweet, kind of peachy, a little bite of alcohol... not bad. Cheers!” She tapped her glass to Cadance’s and both took long drags and set their glasses down on the table; Cadance’s was noticeably fuller.

Thunder by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus

~~~

A loud crack rang throughout the room, the powerful storm outside was reaching its peak; the winds howled and rattled the windows. Two ponies were lying next to each other by a warm fire or rather they were until one pony had jumped during the last strike of thunder.

“Twilight are you okay?” asked Cadence, wrapping one wing around her companion.

“Y-yeah, fine. Just a bit on edge.” answered Twilight.

“I thought you got over your fear of storms years ago.”

“I did. Well I thought I did but I've been working with Luna a bit lately and well” she trailed off.

“Well?”

Twilight sighed, “It’s her whole dramatic thunder and lightening, she’s toned it down a lot but she still tends to do that from time to time and when she does it just makes me a bit jumpy.”

Cadence hugged her tightly, “I think it’s a bit more than a little jumpy.”

Twilight just huffed, “I guess.”

Cadence was reminded by how this scene was like what had happened years ago when she foalsat Twilight. All those times that Twilight was afraid of the storm, at this point she came up with an idea of how to calm the pony next to her. “It’s been years but maybe we could do what we used to when a storm came?”

“A story?”

“Sure, perhaps this one”, lighting her horn she brought down a well worn book from the nearby shelf, “So how about it?”
Twilight seemed a bit reluctant but then she just nodded and leaned herself in more waiting to hear the story come to life.

Author's Note

First prompt is a success, and hopefully will be only the first of many.

Bribery by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz

~~~

Twilight groaned looking over her shoulder at her dormitory door. A soft knock echoed through her darkened room.

“Twilight?” A gentle melodic voice called through the wood. Twilight felt a blush creep to her cheeks at the thoughts of the older girl just outside her room. “Twilight, please open up you’ve been locked in there for days!”

“I’ve got to study Cadence” Twilight responded as she stood reaching out to open her door slightly peeking a violet eye out at Cadence. Her blush deepened as she saw the older girl, no woman, standing in a pink dress her hair tied back in a simple ponytail.

“Twiliy come on, you’re already the youngest student in the University. You need to relax some time. Come on, lets go out.” Cadence’s smile made Twilight's heart flutter.

“I can’t. If I don’t study hard I might get sent back to highschool!” Twilight’s response was automatic. She wanted to go, she’d had the biggest crush on her old babysitter for years.

“What if we went somewhere educational then?” Cadence’s purple eyes twinkled mischievously. “Like that Starswirl festival that opened today?”

“B...but those tickets sold out months ago!” Twilight stammered stepping back from her door. That was all the opening Cadence needed she pushed into Twilight's dorm with a warm smile.

“I’ve got two tickets,” She said pulling the golden tickets from her purse. “We can go just you and I.” She waved the tickets in front of Twilight. “I hear they’ve even got several artifacts found in his old study..” She grinned now locking eyes with Twilight. “We could even make it a date..” She added with a wink.

“I..I...need to brush my hair..” Twilight stammered almost fainting.

Haunted by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

"Cadence, I'm serious, I think this Castle is haunted," Twilight muttered as her gaze traveled along the dark walls of the ancient building.

"Oh, Twilight, you're overreacting," Cadence said, with a nonchalant wave of her hoof as she laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "It just needs some tender love and care... and maybe a bit of dusting while we're at it."

"I'm not overreacting!" Twilight argued. "My friends and I spent an entire night here and-"

"-didn't you tell me that all of you were to blame for that?"

A light blush spread across Twilight's cheeks and she let out a stammer. "Still, after that, we saw weird shadows!" she defended.

Cadence giggled. "You're such a silly filly," she said, with a sweet smile.

"Fine, but if one of us get possessed by some kind of weirdo evil spirit in our sleep tonight, it's your fault," Twilight mumbled as she flopped down on the bed and pulled the covers over her head.

x o x o -

"If you get turned into a demon, do you promise not to drag me into the basement of this place?" Twilight asked.

Cadence wearily opened one tired eye, and she smirked. "...only for kinky demon sex," she teased.

Twilight's blush could be seen glowing in the dark like a night light.

x o x o -

"Would you call me crazy if I put a protective shield around this place?"

"Twilight-" Cadence groaned, putting a pillow over her face.

"-it wouldn't hurt, would it?!" Twilight inquired, sitting up in bed and looking out at the balcony's view.

Cadence waved a hoof. "Knock yourself out," she mumbled.

x o x o -

"Do you think the Pony of Shadows is really a ghost - or do you think it's a psychological spirit that gets into your mind and controls your body?" Twilight blurted out.

"You've seen The Exorcist, haven't you?" Cadence muttered into the mattress.

"...maybe."

x o x o -

"Cadence?"

Another tired groan slipped out of Cadence, and she let out a yawn. "Yes, Twilight?"

Twilight wrung one hoof over the other and hesitated. "Can we snuggle?" she said softly. "I - I don't think the ghosts will get me if you're protecting me."

Cadence's pretty lavender eyes fluttered open, and she rolled over, getting face-to-face to Twilight.

"C'mere, you silly filly," she murmured, wrapping her forelegs around her lover and placing a quick kiss on the other mare's lips.

Pink by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

“I’ve decided after only 5 years of research to bar myself from further multiversal travel. Meeting all those alternate versions of myself was getting very strange. Though I will admit Capt. Sparkle was interesting.”
-Archmage Twilight Sparkle

The sun was just starting to peak over the city as the purple mare was finishing her morning jog. She smirked glancing back over her shoulder at the white stallion struggling to keep pace with her. His blue mane clinging to his head and back. The baby dragon riding on her shoulder chuckled as he watched her big brother.

'Come on BBBFF! We’re almost back to the Castle!” She called out turning to jog backwards watching him. He smirked looking up at her.

“Not all of us think morning runs up and down that mountain are fun Twiliy!” He called back to her panting for breath between words.

“I have to stay in shape, I’m an Officer of her Solar Majesty’s Royal Guard!” She looked at him putting a wobble to her lower lip “Besides I never get to see you when you’re off studying with the Princess.” She put on her best puppy dog eyes as she looks at him. The effect was somewhat spoiled when her rear slammed into something soft and warm. She gasped spinning around and dropping into a bow. “Princess Cadence! I...I..” She blushed not looking up at the pink alicorn.

“Well Lt. Sparkle good morning to you” Cadence spoke barely able to hold back her soft laughter. “I know we used to have a little song and dance when you were younger but I thought we’d outgrown that” Her voice was sadder than she had meant it to be. She smiled and leaned down nuzzling the young guardsmare’s head. “Twilight, I think its safe to be affectionate around Shiney..” The aforementioned Stallion was sitting on his haunches laughing at Twilight’s clumsiness. Spike nearby rubbing his head and glaring at the purple mare for bucking him off in her haste to bow.

"I don’t want to get you in trouble though Cadence..” Twilight’s voice was so soft the large mare almost didn’t hear her. She looked up and smiled brightly nuzzling her pink lover back. She smiled at the Princess and blushed looking down at herself “I’m sorry! I’m sweaty and gross and I just…” She started down the path to hysterics. Cadence simply silenced her with a brief kiss.

“At ease Lieutenant” Twilights reaction was to shut up instantly. The young mare stood straighter and looked at the Princess before her. Cadence had to stifle a fit of giggles as she leaned in softly kissing Twilight.

“That is so much fun to do..” She whispers with a wink at Twilight, a few paces away the boys both fake heaved into the cobblestones. Cadence ignored them even as they burst into a fit of laughs.

“Come on I didn’t come here to get grossed out watching my baby sister get laid..” Shining called out. Spike glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. “Uhh...I’ll explain when you’re older” Shining added noticing the dragon’s curiosity.

“You are a horrid influence on him!” Cadence gasped putting a hoof to her mouth in shock. “corrupting such a young impressionable mind!”

“Twilight lets me stay up and read comics when I visit her!” Spike defended his big brother causing Twilight’s already dark blush to darken.

“Twilight! I am surprised,” Cadence’s grin was predatory “I thought you knew better? Perhaps I should educat-” Cadence was cut off by a flash of pink light and a mini thunderclap as both Shining Armor and Spike fled before further damage could be done to their fragile psyches.

“C...cadence” Twilight’s voice was shake the blush threatening to overtake her whole body. “I..th...we…” She sputtered and without much fanfare collapsed onto her side in a dead faint. Cadence facedhooved and sighed. She’d laid it on a bit thick hadn’t she. Aunty Celestia was so going to tan her pink hide.

Giggles by Bekdontraz

by Bekdontraz
~~~

The sun ducked low over the frozen mountains, the moon started her rise to the heavens. The clouds didn’t cover the sky this far north. The glow from the Crystal Ruins lit the distance. The calm warm waters of the lake rippled faintly, an ethereal giggle broke the chilled night air. The poor starved ponies camped at waters edge huddled close to their fire. Their eyes wide in fear as a soft pink glow rose from the waters.

The glow took on a vaguely pony shape as it began to dance across the water. It laughed and twirled dancing and enjoying the warmer air around the lake. As the sun sank lower the glow stopped and looked around as if seeing the ruined world around it for the first time. It stopped and spun around as if searching for something that wasn’t there. A soft sound broke the cold night a voice just beyond hearing that called out in pain.

As the pink glow sat calling out for something that was missing a new glow appeared, purple it flickered as it slowly walked out over the water. It sat as if watching the Pink being for a moment before giggling and jumping slamming into the Pink as if in a tackle. The two spirits spun and played giggling in pure joy of each others company.

The huddled group on the shore watched in awe, something deep inside them told them this was a lover tale. A story lost to the Wasteland, but even in death these two being found each other for a time on that warm lake. At twilight they danced and played. The groups leader leaned over nuzzling his wife with a smile. For the time being they were safe. The mare smiled up at him and for the first time in years giggled faintly planting a soft kiss on his lips as the two Lights on the Lake danced behind them.

Soon however the purple glow began to fade, the two spirits clung to each other before the cruel world separated them again.

“I love you..” Two voices called to each other over the lake as the purple spirit faded her light soon gone. The pink spirit sat for a time alone on the lake. She turned moving towards the lovers on the shore. For a moment Princess Cadence stood before the ponies. She bowed her head and smiled a soft glow from her horn as she blessed their love before she too was drawn back into oblivion.

For years afterward, those lovers struggled to make their way in the Wasteland, but no matter what the world threw at them they had each other. They never learned who those spirits on the lake had been. They did however spread kindness and love to all they could, and on the Day of Sunshine and Rainbows their small efforts helped bring lover’s giggles back into the world. All in memory of two lovers long dead.

Author's Note

Our first Fallout: Equestria prompt

Serenade by Maddielittle 1998

by Maddielittle 1998
~~~

Cadence was sitting, reading a good book in her private chambers. The crystal empire and all of Equestria was safe once again. Thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her amazing abilities.She defeated tirek and sent him back to Tartarus, once again impressing her and the other princesses with her power.

She grabbed her hot cup of coffee with one hand and brought it to her lips, her eyes never leaving the page.This went on for almost an hour before she heard a faint knock at the door.

"Who is it?" She said in a regal manner, thinking it was a guard.

"Hmm try to guess."

Said a teasing, yet soothing voice. Cadence knew this was the only voice that could make her back straighten the way it did. Or her hair rise on her skin.

She put her coffee down and sat up in her lounging chair.

"Come in auntie!" She called sweetly.

Princess Celestia walked in the room, her horn aglow with magic as she opened the doors to let herself in.

She smiled at Cadence and made herself comfortable on a plush cushion.

" Hi auntie!" Cadence said in a cheerful tone." Did you get the picture I sent you of the prank me and Twi pulled on Auntie Luna today?"

Celestia smiled and nodded." Indeed I did, Cadence. It was quite the display."

Cadence and Twilight had cast a spell on Luna that made her eat her own mane. And to grow it back, she would need to eat special green vegetables that only grew in the everfree forest. They were quite disgusting and gross looking, so the prank went just as well as they'd hoped.

"But, that's not why I am here."

"What do you mean?" Cadence asked innocently.

Celestia shifted in her cushion slightly, and met Cadences eyes.

" I heard the song."

Cadence stiffened. " w- what? I don't under-"

"Please Cadence, I raised you since you were a foal. And Twilight."Celestia smirked as she looked at her niece.

"You flew out of your chambers yes?"

Cadence nodded.

"You went to Twilight's window, yes?"

"Well, I ... Yes. I did,"

" then, you sang until she came out and joined you in a flight which ended in you two entangled in clouds high above the ground."

Cadence hung her head." I'm sorry Auntie. If you wish for us to end our relationship I will, just please don't tell shiny, the thing is we were both so caught up in the days events we couldn't help ourselves..."

"Whoever said I wanted it to end?" Celestia smiled with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

" I am just upset you didn't tell me you could sing that way!"

Cadence took a deep breath.
Oh my goodness!

Egrote by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

Princess Twilight Sparkle, newest Princess of the ruling Trirachy of Equestria was lost. She would not call it lost, just a misstep…. by about several hundred meters. She had been requested to visit the Crystal Empire, although she would claim that summoned was a more apt term. Apparently Cadance had not been seen or really heard from by anypony all day. So here she was well lost as she finally conceded the matter. The Crystal Palace was much different than the Canterlot Palace she grew up in, each new hallway seemed to be more entranceways into a deeper and deeper labyrinth of polished surfaces, mirrors, and crystal.

At last she found her destination, a set of sturdy, wooden double doors marked with Cadance’s Cutie Mark. Knocking yielded no reply and so she gently pushed the doors to find.... Cadance seated at a table.

“Hello, Twilight.” smiling at the lavender alicorn.

Twilight let up the breath she had unintentionally been holding, relaxing now that she found her marefriend and her room.“Cadance, you’re alright.”

“Of course I am.”, was the calm reply.

Confused at the response Twilight asked, “Then why hasn’t anypony seen or heard from you all day? All I had was a scroll this morning marked with Crystal Empire’s crest and the note with a simple statement that you were ill.”

Cadance blushed, “Ah, I told everypony I was ill to get the day off.”

Twilight stunned at what she heard, “Illness? You claim to be ill just for a day off?”

“Under the weather would be a better term.”

“Still, you do know that this is fib that wouldn’t have worked in Canterlot. Especially with all the Royal Physicians; alicorns are hardier than most and own own healing and immune systems means we get ill rarely.” Twilight’s voice began to climb in volume, increasingly annoyed at her marefriend pushing her duties off by claiming to be “under the weather”.

Her rant was cut off by a warm wing wrapped around her and a soft kiss to her lips, “Okay maybe calling in as a bit ill was not the best idea. But alicorns are ponies too, you know this you’ve grown up near two and you’re one yourself. We need some time off from the stress besides the invite was for you to spend the day with me. I have your favourite game.”

Twilight blinked her eyes snapping out of her daze, “Favourite game…. Oh! That game. It’s not my favourite so much as it is your’s. Brother should have never introduced you to Oubliettes & Ogres.” Who would have suspected that the Alicorn and Princess of Love, Music, and Crystal was a huge fan of the board game.

Cadance brought down her game pieces and paper, “So shall we play, I claim the Bard.”

Author's Note

Egrote, noun, "To feign illness so as to avoid work".

Books by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

"You know I always thought that you loved books perhaps even more than you love me especially with how you always seem to lug around that dictionary." Cadance said in a teasing tone.

"Leave my dictionary out of this." Twilight grumbled.

Cadance instead continued, "But it's true, you can create a magical storage space and I know you're carrying that dictio...."

Twilight cut her off, "Okay. Fine. Yes, I carry a dictionary around all the time. Happy now?"

"Sure!" giving Twilight a wide grin, "So then I'm guessing you'll open this gift now?" Cadance lifted a distinctively book shaped object in her magic.

"Cadance!" Twilight yelled, "We're staying with my family for Hearth's Warming and I thought we agreed on this, no books."

"Oh you said it, I never necessarily agreed. But here I thought you always loved the books I gave you. The textbooks, spellbooks, fairy tales" Cadance leaned in closer, "The Kama Sutra, 101 Ways to Plea...."

"Cadance!" Twilight yelled again as her face turned a vivid red. "We're with my family, I'm not going to answer questions about why you bought me those books."

Cadance just smiled, "You do like them though, our time together did tell me that much."

Twilight still red faced, "Fine! Fine! I do like them." her tone softened, "But please not in front of my family."

Cadance softened her tone as well but her smile remained, "Open it please, Twilight."

Twilight resigned to her fate used her magic to pick up the wrapped book and unwrapped it to find.... "An album?"

Twilight began browsing its pages her eyes widening as she looked, "Cadance.... Is this?"

Cadanace nodded, "Every moment that was special for us, I did what I could to take pictures. I wanted you to have something that reminded of us even when our duties separate us by distance. We're able to see each other more easily now but I still wanted something of our time together. I hope that as we move forward together, we'll add more pictures, more memories. Do you like it?"

Twilight blinked a few tears away, "Cadance, thank you." as she placed a tender kiss on her marefriend's lips, "Thank you for a wonderful Hearth's Warming gift."

Strongbox by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

“So… do you think anypony will find it?” Twilight said, as she twisted the key into the lock. She looked at the trunk, and kicked it slightly. “It’s tied up, and locked. There’s literally no way it could be opened. And the tide-”

Cadence let out a sigh, wiping away a tear. “Throw it,” she muttered.

Twilight hesitated as they stood on the dock, watching the waves crash in the ocean. Inside the box was every memory Cadence ever had of Shining Armor. All she wanted was to rid herself of him after the divorce, so this was the only idea she had. On the other hoof, Twilight found it a bit extreme, but then again: she had never experienced such harsh heartbreak…

….so, with one push, the strongbox fell into the water, sinking straight to the bottom.

“Let’s go home,” Cadence declared.

She turned around quickly, and began walking off—

—and instantly, Twilight ran to catch up with her.

“If you need anything, let me know, alright?” she offered.

“I - I know,” Cadence stammered. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Twilight said, with a small hopeful half-smile.

As they walked off, the rhythm of the waves echoed in the background, and the burdens inside the box was long gone. Maybe, just maybe, that this could be the start of something new.

Author's Note

Sequel to Her Fabulous Majesty's previous prompt Darts

Pen by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

"Cadance could I see what you've been working on?" Twilight asked pointing towards the desk. The two alicorns had been spending the day rearranging part of their shared quarters to accommodate better some of Twilight's possessions.

"No Twilight. You'll see it when it's finished" Cadance replied not even looking away from the artwork she was rearranging on the wall. "You'll see it when it's done not before, even you my wife don't have early preview either" Cadance added knowing what Twilight was attempting.

"It was worth a try."

Cadance turned to Twilight who was now standing next to her. "It might have worked if this wasn't.... actually I have no idea how many times now."

"By my count, one hundred and two times I've asked. One hundred and two times you said no. Well one hundred and one, once you almost said yes."

"One hundred and two is still a high count." as Cadance used her magic to lift over three scrolls on the desk. "Well this time my love you get a hint." She unfurled one to display a long dragon and a phoenix taking up much of the scroll while a series of characters were written in the two top corners. "A gift from the Eastern Lands, this is from Qin." She unfurled another with a pair of koi, "Nippon." The last had a winged horse that looked a little like a pegasus and a tiger, "Goryeo."

"These look amazing, I haven't seen very many of these before."

"Few in Canterlot have contacts in the Eastern Lands and these scrolls are works of art. What I'm working on has calligraphy including some from what I was taught when I lasted visited the Eastern Lands."

"So what do these mean?" Twilight asked pointing to the first scroll.

"Name of the nation on one corner, poem on the other corner." Cadance levitated some books over. "A few language guides, I could show you some to get started. But first let's finish what we started?"

Twilight nodded and walked to the other end of the room to finish rearranging the shelf of bric-a-brac.

Cadance sighed as she walked over to her desk, 'Too close. I forgot to put that away and she nearly saw it. But now she's interested in learning some new languages so she will be able read it when it's finished.' Cadance smiled looking at the unfinished heart and stars while she carefully put it away, 'It will be a nice gift for our first anniversary'.

Firetruck by Next Gen Wonderbolt

by Next Gen Wonderbolt
~~~

"FIRE!" Twilight yelled.

The princess immediately took the nearest object and started fanning the oven. The fire inside would've been quite toasty, if the oven wasn't inside of a giant oak tree! Twilight kept trying to fan the fire and salvage whatever was left of dinner. It did little good, however, as one moment the fire shrunk, then grew bigger than before!

"Oh no Oh no Oh no!" Twilight yelled.

Just as she was about to give up and splash water on the fire, she heard what sounded like a makeshift siren.

"Wee-oo, Wee-oo, Wee-oo!" Cadence called from the library.

Twilight watched Cadence and Spike fly into the kitchen in a mini firetruck. The pair wore matching red outfits and helmets, with bits of ashes smeared on their faces. Cadence looked very cute in that outfit, enough to where Twilight might have her wear it again sometime.

Focus on the fire! You can fantasize later!

Twilight continued her fanning while Cadence and Spike jumped out of the firetruck. Cadence grabbed the hose in her magic, while Spike turned the knob on the side. Cadence aimed the hose at the oven waiting for the water to spray out, but it didn't. Cadence looked at the hose, then at Spike, who shrugged his shoulders in response, then back at the hose.

"Spike! Where's the water!?" Cadence asked.

"I don't know! It was working fine yesterday!" Spike replied.

Cadence stared into the hose searching for any hint of the water, when it suddenly burst out dowsing her face. Her mane dripped and her clothes sagged, waterlogged, but she quickly aimed the hose towards the oven, eliminating the fire in mere seconds. Water was everywhere, yet Twilight and Spike had remained dry while Cadence stood slightly soaked. Twilight opened the oven inspecting the cake, which had turned into a black brick. She sighed at the loss of the treat. Cadence walked over to her, mane still dripping, but with a smile none-the-less.

"Thank you." Twilight said to the two firefighters.

"All in a day's work!" Spike replied.

"I wish there was some way I could repay you."

"No nee-" Spike was cut off by Cadence's hoof.

"Actually, there is one thing!" Cadence replied with a smirk.

Twilight giggled. "What?"

"A kiss!" Cadence replied happily.

"Ok then." Twilight replied.

The mare leaned in towards Cadence, her lips just inches away from Cadence's. Just as the connection would be made, Twilight quickly shifted planting a kiss on Cadence's cheek, leaving her wife stunned.

"Happy?" Twilight asked.

"No!" Cadence replied.

Twilight feigned a hurt expression, but it wasn't for long as Cadence quickly leaned in stealing a kiss from Twilight. This time Twilight was the one who was stunned, while Cadence held a triumphant grin.

"Now I'm happy!"

Foal by The Princess Rarity

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

“She’s… ours,” Twilight said softly in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Cadence said breathlessly, as she stared at the little newborn filly that was lying down next to her, trying to roll around. “She is.”

“What’s her name?” Twilight asked. “All of these months--” She laughed softly. “We were so concerned with the wedding, and the babyproofing and how to be parents, we forgot to pick a name.” She gently reached out, and brushed the baby’s mane; which were the same soft blonde as Cadence’s highlights. She absolutely melted when the filly looked up at her; with matching violet eyes. The newborn’s coat was a pale lavender, with a few barely noticeable touches of faded pink.

Cadence looked lovingly at the child. “I was considering a few names,” she mused. “I figured out a certain favorite…” When Twilight glanced up, it was obvious she got her wife’s attention. “How does Corazon Comet sound to you?”

“Corazon Comet,” Twilight said, letting the name roll off of her lips.

“I thought it fit, because corazon is-” Cadence stammered, with a bashful smile.

“Sponesh for heart. And comet, twilight, space…” Twilight murmured. She gently kissed her wife. “It’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. So is she.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Cadence said, with a content sigh.

The filly whined, and reached out, obviously desperate for attention. Twilight hesitantly reached out, and picked up her daughter for the very first time.

“Hi,” she whispered. When the newborn snuggled into her mother’s coat, and let out a cute yawn, Twilight felt a sense of pride and joy. She placed a kiss on the child’s forehead. “You’re going to be the luckiest filly in Equestria. We love you so much.”

Powder by Starlight Shadow

by Starlight Shadow
~~~

Twilight bent over the pot, wearing a look of intense concentration as she began to make some powdered hot chocolate.

She and Cadance were camping a few miles outside the Crystal Empire's borders. Shining Armor had been wary of the idea at first, but after some negotiations, they had been allowed to go for one night only - as long as they put up all of the barrier spells they knew.

Cadance peeked into the tent, wrapped in all manner of scarves and a thick coat. "How's that hot chocolate coming?"

"I just started it, Caddy." Twilight laughed despite the cold. She poured in a generous amount of chocolate powder as Cadance sat next to her.

"I kinda-" Cadance yawned. "-kinda wish we could have brought thermoses full of the good kind."

"We needed the thermoses for water. Besides, this way we're roughing it." Twilight grinned.

"I know." Cadance rolled her eyes and planted a happy kiss on Twilight's cheek, laughing as her face turned pinker. "I am never going to get over how adorable you look when I surprise-kiss you."

"Same here." Twilight returned the favor and smiled smugly as Cadance's already-pink complexion took on a shade of magenta.

"Okay, I deserved that."

There was silence after that, until the hot chocolate was finished. Twilight distributed it into two plastic cups, and then they brought it outside, sitting on a blanket and gazing at the stars.

"They're so pretty out here." Twilight whispered in awe. "So far from the Empire and its artificial light. I wish we could come out here more often."

"Same here." Cadance whispered back, feeling the same need for secrecy Twilight did. Twilight then sipped her hot chocolate, and Cadance spoke up. "I've had a lot of homes in my lifetime. Hollow Shades, Canterlot, and now the Crystal Empire. But I think my definition has changed since my earlier years."

"What's your definition now?" Twilight asked.

"Wherever somepony I love is." Cadance smiled fondly, almost contemplatively.

"The ratty old tent is probably a new low." Twilight giggled.

Cadance took a sip of her own hot chocolate and grimaced. "If we had to get the powdered kind, at least spend a little more. They watered this kind down."

Twilight sighed happily, and the two were silent for the rest of the night, content for now.

Iridescent by Fuzzyfurvert

by Fuzzyfurvert

My Little Dynamite: Book One
Part 10

~~~

The hull-breacher said ‘hello’ in a voice like thunder.

The force of the impact sent the bug creature flying off its hooves and half way across the room where it landed in a smoking pile that was leaking a considerable amount of ichor.

Spike shook his head to get his eyes to focus again as the gunfire echoed and his snout was filled with the sharp scent of black powder. He didn’t know where Princess Cadance had been hiding it, but he was suddenly glad she had it. Spike worked his frills to get his hearing back and lifted himself to a standing position.

Princess Cadance didn’t waste time and was reloading that huge cannon by breaching the barrel and loading in what was probably more powder and another shot that looked as big as a plump grape. Her mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. All he was getting was a lot of loud ringing.

“Uugh...where did you come from? That thing got the drop on us and it hit Twi - oh Tartarus! Twilight‽” Spike swung around and looked for his sister and spotted her slumped against the wall near the bottom of the stairs with blood dripping from her ankle and hip.

Spike started toward Twilight when Princess Cadance waved at him and pointed at the fallen assassin. He glanced at the creature and against everything he would have thought possible, it was moving. Spike stared as it rotated its legs and head and lifted itself off the floor. When it straightened up, he could see the wound the gun had left in its glittering, iridescent torso. And the wall behind it.

He took a step back, his lips curled into a snarl as the creature fixed its creepy pony-like eyes on him. It said something but his hearing was still too shot to make anything out. Whatever this thing was, he wasn’t going to let it hurt Twilight or Cadance. The wound in its chest started to close as he watched and it gave him a smile before it leaped to the side.

“No you don’t!” Spike roared and sprung after it, his tail doing most of the pushing as he tackled the monster into and then through the shuttered and barred window. The chitin in his claws shifted unsettlingly as they rolled in the grass and Spike gasped when he felt fangs rake across his scales. He didn’t know if they got through but he was going to have some new scars after this fight.

Spike kept his claws clamped tight on the flesh that was doing it’s best to writhe out of his grip and when they came to a stop with him on top, Spike slammed the creature into the ground as hard as he could. It didn’t look bothered but he heard it grunt.

“Oh good, my hearing is coming back!”

“Isn’t that nice? Now won’t you be a good dragon and just die!”

“How about no!” Spike opened his mouth wide and let out a blast of fire into the face of the bug-pony. The fire spread around them and set the yard and flower bed ablaze. The thing charred somewhat, but it only looked annoyed.

“Spike! Get back!”

The dragon let go and hopped off the monster and rolled away as soon as he heard Twilight; he’d been in enough tight situations with the battle mage to know what was about to happen. He looked up in time to see Twilight at the broken window, supported by Princess Cadance, unleash hell from her horn. He’d already charred the area and the enemy so Twilight hit it with pure force hard enough to crater it into the earth by more than a hoofspan deep. She then gouged a trench by pushing it through the loamy soil from there to the outer wall which spiderwebbed with cracks under the force.

“And...stay down…” Twilight gasped once the spell left her and sagged limply in Princess Cadance’s grip.

“Spike! Help me, Twilight’s been poisoned!” Cadance adjusted her hold and eased Twilight down to the floor. Spike could see the Princess’ horn glowing, her pale blue colored aura pressing over Twilight’s wounds. “I’m keeping her injuries closed and slowing the spread of the poison, but I can’t clear it out of her system. We’re going to need a doctor!”

“There’s a clinic nearby, we can take her there!”

“No.” Cadance licked her lips and looked at the now still body of the monster. “Canterlot isn’t safe. Those things can mimic anything, especially ponies. We need to get out of here, but I can’t move Twily by myself.”

Spike jogged over to where Cadance was hovering protectively over Twilight. He leaned down and plucked a small pouch on Twilight’s harness open and pulled out a slip of paper. “I know a place we can go, Princess, and somepony we can trust to help out Twilight.”

Spike flicked his wrist and the paper released a transmutation enchantment and grew into the saddle he had worn earlier when picking Cadance up at the airship terminal. Spike then released a similar enchantment on himself and grew into his huge winged form.

“Grab Twi’s staff and get on. I can get us there in an hour if the wind cooperates.”

“Shieldmaidens! Secure the perimeter!” Shining Armor nodded to himself as he oversaw the rest of the Shieldmaidens of Luna erect a massive shield around the former safe house. Once the glowing shield was in place and opaqued against the gathering crowds of onlookers, he gestured for the Princesses.

Princess Celestia lead the way down the ramp from their immense private airship, the HMS Eclipse, followed closely at hoof by Princess Luna. The Princesses disembarked and broke the enchantment holding the door to the inner courtyard closed. Princess Luna motioned for Shining Armor to join them.

“Talk to me, ‘Maiden. Have we received any new information?”

“No, ma’am.” Shining Armor saluted and then lowered his voice. “Pleased don’t call me that, Princess.”

Celestia smirked as she raised her reinforced war tankard of coffee to take a long slip. “We’ll know more in a moment. Reports say a dragon resembling Spike left here two hours ago with what could have been two ponies on his back after several loud explosions and roars were heard from inside.”

Princess Celestia pushed the door open and scanned the yard and patio without stepping in. “I can plainly see signs of a struggle. I can still smell a hint of dragonfire too.”

“Then step aside, sister. My night grows late and we need to know what is going on and why our niece did not contact us.” Luna moved forward and pass Celestia as her wheeled harness rolled over the threshold. “Time is of the essence…”

Luna faded out as she looked into the far corner of the yard. “Celestia, come. Shining, close the door and leave us.”

“But Princess, I’m to remain at your side!”

“Close the door and leave us, ‘Maiden, or ‘Maiden no longer shall you be.” Luna kept her gaze focused on the far wall and her voice soft, but even Celestia raised her eyebrows at her tone. “Is that clear?”

“...as crystal, Princess.” Shining frowned and nodded to Celestia and after she was through, he closed and resealed the door behind her.
“Luna...what is it?” Celestia sipped from her oversized tankard and followed Luna’s gaze. She saw the destruction. The broken window, the burnt yard, the new trench and the shattered wall. Her breath caught when she saw the crumpled pile of black and green in the center of it all.

Celestia wasted not another breath and trotted over to the still body. Luna followed her sister slowly, her eyes sweeping over the remains of the battle. When she reached the final crater, Celestia was kneeling by the body and gently brushing the odd webbing that formed its ‘mane’ out of her face. “Knowing your protege, it was likely quick, if it’s any consolation.”

“No.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean? I know you thought highly of Chrysalis, but I’ve been on the receiving end of Twilight Sparkle, remember?” Luna gestured at her harness. “There is no way it wasn’t quick once Twilight had her in her sights.”

“No. It isn’t Chrysalis.” Celestia’s horn flared and the layered plates of chitin that made up the changeling’s face bulged and then broke away with a wet snapping sound. Under the face and a thin layer of milky mucus was another changeling face, though it was devoid of any distinguishing characteristics.

“There is more than one changeling?” Luna blinked as the second face twitched and after a long second opened one eye. “And it’s still alive? What did you do to our niece and her protectors?”

“I...live...for now.”

“What happened here?” Celestia stayed close to the changeling, her mug steaming from where it sat next to the Sun Princess.

“I...failed my...Lord. The Queen would...have eaten me.” The changeling made a sickeningly wet gasp for breath. “She will not...tolerate further failure.”

“Is Chrysalis the Queen you speak of?”

The changeling coughed and blinked very slowly as a grin spread over its second face. “The prophecy will...come to pass and...a new princess will rise. But this time, it will be...my Queen.”

“Celestia, what is this thing talking about?” Luna stepped closer and her horn flashed as it did a quick scan of the creature. “What prophecy is it babbling about?”

Celestia was silent and climbed back to her hooves. She lifted her war tankard of coffee and mumbled quietly under her breath before turning back toward the house. “I need to find Chrysalis.”

“What are you talking about? You cannot leave me in the dark on this, Tia. I have a right to…”

Luna paused as the changeling on the ground started to spasm and make a choking noise. It took her a moment, but she realized that the rapidly dying monster was laughing. The question was forming on her lips when Luna felt a sudden spike in the local magical field and then the crystal defenses embedded in the walls around them went critical.

The flight was blessedly quick.

Cadance wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold the poison in Twilight’s veins from reaching her heart. It took a lot of concentration to keep all the tiny blood vessels in Twily’s leg closed off. If she maintained it for too long, Twily could lose the leg even if she survived whatever the shapeshifter had put into her.

Twilight was out cold before they had even made it into the air, but as Spike lined up for a landing in what she suspected was the Everfree Preserve, the unicorn was still breathing normally, if shallowly. “Spike! Are we there yet?”

“Yeah, this is the place. There is a clearing just ahead. After we land I’ll help you carry Twilight inside.”

“Inside what?” Cadance squinted but she couldn’t make out anything amid the black mass of forest sweeping past below them. “Where are we going?”

“To see Zecora, the sage. If we can trust anypony to fix up Twi, it’s her.”

Author's Note

The complete chapter list for the My Little Dynamite series can be found here.

Candy by Knight of Lycaeus

by Knight of Lycaeus
~~~

"You know" Cadance said casually as she hung from a tree branch tied up by long ropes of liquorice, "I think I liked candy better when you were a small filly and I was your foalsitter." Cadance slowly turned her head towards Twilight hanging off a different branch covered in taffy and caramel. "The experiments you attempted were less likely to be destructive."

Twilight sighed, "It's not destructive it was just some minor miscalculations."

Cadance closed her eyes to hopefully stop her growing headache although it was less effective than usual given her hooves were currently tangled at the moment.

A few hours earlier in Twilight's Lab.

"Okay now could you pass me some more brittle?" Twilight asked.

Cadance lifted the glass jar over in her magic, "Remind me why you're doing this again?"

"To compact the tastes, flavours, and textures of many candies into one convenient package." Twilight answered as she carefully added brittle to her cauldron.

Cadance sighed, "I think you've spent too much time with Auntie. I swear her sweet tooth has rubbed off on you." Cadance looked around, every since Twilight's experiments had started she kept an entire wall of shelves for candy of all types and flavours. "Couldn't we experiment with candies like we used to. You know by taking a few small pieces from different ones and eating them together."

"We could but science will prove that there is an efficient means to sample all sorts of candies together without the inaccuracies that method would usually require."

Cadance sighed again and stepped back. Twilight had set her mind and not even she could get her marefriend to change course.

The reminder of what happened hours ago made Cadance wish she did stop Twilight. Cadance looked as best she could to see the candy monstrosities terrorizing Ponyville.

"Well the theory was sound, some minor tweaking and things should be good." Twilight said as she too surveyed the damage, "Just another day in Ponyville."

Holding On by superpony55

by superpony55
~~~

Cadance quietly colored as the filly across the table struggled to pick up a crayon. Cadance couldn't help but sigh; she looked up to see sparks shoot from the filly's horn. The crayon in front of her wouldn't budge.

"Need any help?" Cadance asked, dropping her pencil to peer over the table at the filly. The Alicorn's drawing was almost complete, she only needed to finish the shading. The filly hadn't even started.

"Hold on," Twilight grunted. More sparks shot out, and Cadance ducked as one flew above her head.

"Relax, Twilight," Cadance told her. "It's okay. I'll help you."

Twilight considered letting Cadance help her, but the stubborn Unicorn shook her head and went back to trying to pick up the crayon.

Cadance slowly built up a bit of magic around the crayon, and it lazily floated up. Now more confident, the filly's magic joined her sitter's. Cadance gradually let go of the crayon, until Twilight was the one holding it.

"I did it!" Twilight cried. She grinned and set to work, a neat yellow circle drawn on her paper. Cadance marveled at how exact the filly's circle was and smiled to herself. She finished shading her own picture.

"Umm... Cadance?" Twilight said sheepishly. "I need to change colors."

The Alicorn laughed, and pulled another crayon out of the box. She handed it over to Twilight, and after a brief moment Cadance would have sworn the crayon would fall, Twilight got back to drawing.

When Twilight's parents and Shining Armor got back home, two picture were sitting on the table. One was Cadance's, of her and Twilight, and the other was Twilight's smiley face.

"You can hold onto mine," Cadance told Twilight. "I don't want it."

And hold onto it Twilight did. She had it for many more years.

But for now, as Cadance left, she watched Shining Armor help Twilight pick up her crayon.

Cadance never forgot that day. It had been great to spend some time just her and Twily.

After all, she loved Twilight just as much as she did Shining Armor.

Author's Note

Let's show superpony a warm welcome to the Twidance collab!

Confidential by The Princess Rarity

Takes place between Darts and Strongbox. Recommended theme for reading.

by The Princess Rarity
~~~

Cadence breathed heavily, and her smile was lopsided in loving ecstasy. The exhilaration of all this, it was indescribable. Finally, she was loved, she was cherished, somepony cared about her again. However, she could tell that the feeling was not one hundred percent mutual.

“You have to tell him,” was the simple statement that made Cadence’s heartstrings shake.

The voice was oh-so-sweet and calming, but the words made Cadence worry.

She stammered, brushing blonde highlights out of her face. “He cheated on me first,” she mumbled.

“But keeping secrets? Being with somepony else before the divorce papers are even signed? You don’t think that-”

“-Twilight, why can’t you just accept the fact I’m in love with you now?”

An awkward silence formed. The two mares stared at one another, only before Twilight broke the silence.

She placed a soft kiss on her lover’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re healing yourself,” she murmured. “We know it can’t be this way forever. At least, not at this point.” Twilight swallowed hard. “I know that what my brother did to you was wrong and that it hurt you. I’m still having trouble forgiving him, but this doesn’t feel right. Not now. I’m pretty sure that I’m falling in love with you too, but not until you make the right decision and come to terms with what’s right.”

Cadence frowned. “So what are you saying?” she muttered.

Twilight sighed. “I can’t help but feel like I’m a replacement,” she admitted. “An outlet for your anger, a plea for a second chance. And I want to help… but not like this.”

Everything fell apart, just by looking at Cadence’s expression. Her heart fell into her hooves, she felt tears brim her eyes and a strangled cry slipped past her lips. Twilight was unfortunately right; she had promised to do anything to help, but this wasn’t necessarily what she meant.

“I’ll stay for tonight,” Twilight whispered. “But no more of this, alright?”

A single tear fell, and Cadence managed a nod.

Who was she kidding? A secret relationship rarely got their happy ending in the books and movies, why would it work in real life?

Counting by Cytotoxin

by Cytotoxin
~~~

"...twenty, twenty one, twenty two, twenty three..." - it was meditative, indeed. Calming, even. Pushing her reading glasses up, Twilight consulted the knitting pattern again, Knitting was surprisingly easy once you knew what you were doing and could follow the directions. And Twilight excelled at following directions. Two scarves were sitting next to her as a testament to initial trials being passed with flying colors (lavender and pink respectively, as it were).

Right now, she was busy knitting something more complex, however - a set of hoofsocks. When she first examined the concept, shes been dismissive of it, even more so then usual when it came to clothes. Socks just didnt seem to serve any reasonable function. And then her mother insisted upon putting those mittens on her decades ago. Little Twilight fell in love with useless concept. It was just so... snuggly. Still, she didn`t care or dare to share that little guilty pleasure with anypony until recently. Having a very special pony, however, did wonders for her openness, at least towards Cadence.

And so, Twilight had endeavoured to create sets of socks for both of them. Buying them from Rarity was always an option - one she explored a few times already by now, but now Twilight wanted something more... personal. "...seventeen, eighteen, nineteen..." - she muttered as the door opened and Cadence stepped in, shivering. There was a bit of snow in Cadence`s mane and more then a bit in her feathers - something that should obviously be taken care of rather expeditiously.

"Hello, love." - Twilight offered casually as she set the knitting aside and stood up, stretching out her hooves and wings as Cadence made her way over after shaking herself off from crystallized water. Twilight leaned in to nuzzle Cadence playfully, and shivered at the hint of chill pink coat still carried. "Brr. Its really cold outside, isnt it?" - she proffered rhethorically as she sidled up to her marefriend and threw a wing over her to warm her up.

Cadence nuzzled back gratefully. "Just a bit nippy, dear." - she retorted - "On a better note, were all set with preparations. I have to say, its a bit unusual for me not to rush at everything in the last moment, however. Its going to be weird waiting two more days till the actual party." Twilight simply nuzzled her again, murmuring - "Im sure we`ll find something to keep us occupied."

Us by Spinner of Tales

by Spinner of Tales
~~~

Us.

It’s one word. It’s one word, two letters, and yet it means… it means everything. Yet, it’s only one word.

Us.

It’s a promise. It’s a promise that, in the morning, she’ll be the first thing I see. It’s a promise that, at night, when the world’s gone to sleep and the birds are silent, that she will be the last thing I see before I join the realm of dreams. It’s a promise.

Us.

It’s joy; joy that may well be limitless. It’s the joy I feel when I see her after a long day. It’s the joy I feel when I sit next to her in front of the fireplace and she wraps her wings around me. It’s the joy I feel when after a cold day, I come home, and a mug of hot cocoa sits waiting for me. It’s joy.

Us.

It’s romance. It’s romance both in our bed and out on the street. It’s the kisses she gives me in the privacy of our home, and the squeeze she gives my hoof when we go out to the park.

Us.

It’s a princess. A pink princess. Her name is Cadance.

And it’s me. A princess. A purple princess. And my name is Twilight.

And that’s us.

Author's Note

This is Spinner's first Twidance prompt, and it's a damn fine one if I do say so myself.

Longing by ChangelingQueenDragonfly

by ChangelingQueenDragonfly
~~~

Twiligt sat on the edge of her bed, hooves fumbling as she remembered her spa day with Cadence. It had been so nice. But now it was over, and she couldn't help but long for more time with her crush. Her friends had tried to get her to go outside, do some things with them. but she refused them. the only pony she wanted was Cadence. Her one and only. If only she had more time.

Her friends weren't the only ones to try and get to her. Spike had, and the Cakes. Probably because Pinkie asked them for help. But, like with her friends, she refused. Spike had gone off to get ice cream, and she was alone. Alone and longing for more time with the only pony she had ever loved. She had no idea what she was going to do.

Twilight had considered sending Cadence a letter, but with Spike out, she had no way of sending it, and since he usually wrote everything, her quillmanship was mostly illegible.

"If only I had more time... Now I'm alone. I pushed everypony away. It's my fault I'm this way..."

Cadence sat in her own room, remembering her time with Twilight at the spa. If only she had more time.