Cadance gave a happy sigh as she sipped at her tea and lazily read through the pages of the book she held in front of her. It was thick, with a blue leather binding and a picture of a sword engraved on the cover.
Next to her sat Twilight, also with a cup of tea and book hovering a short ways away from her. Twilight's horn softly glowed as she stirred the steamy liquid within the cup. "So, what do you think?" Twilight asked, eyes still skimming across the book's contents.
"I like it so far," Cadance said, turning to the next page. "Especially the first house that was introduced. I love that the author made the main characters wolves."
Tsk tsk, Twilight clicked her tongue and shook her head, but otherwise didn't say a word.
Cadance pulled herself away from the book and glanced in Twilight's direction. "What? What does that mean?"
Twilight merely smiled and flipped the page. "I told you not to get too attached..."
"What!? No!" Cadance dropped the book and pushed Twilight's down so the two looked each other in the eyes. "Do they die!? Tell me they die. Don't do this to me, Twilight."
"That would be a spoiler," Twilight said, with an almost evil smirk.
"Ugh," Cadance groaned, flopping her head down on the table in a very un-princess-like fashion. "It could be worse, I suppose. I could still be in the Crystal Empire right now instead of with my favorite sister in-law, ruining books for me." She flashed a smile to Twilight, who returned the gesture.
"What's so bad about ruling the Crystal Empire?" Twilight asked, taking a sip of tea. "I don't think anything serious is going on there, so in theory..."
"That's just it. There's nothing serious going on," Cadance said, sitting up. "So all day long, the crystal ponies come to me with the simplest problems. I once had to settle an argument over who lived closer to the crystal heart!"
"Oh." Twilight set a bookmark on her page before closing the book and setting it down on the table. "I guess I can understand why you're so stressed out. Good thing you took a vacation, huh?"
Cadance nodded. "Very good," said, with the softest of frowns. So soft that Twilight hadn't even noticed it.
Cadance wasn't entirely telling the truth.
She didn't want to admit it – especially not to Twilight – but she and Shining Armor hadn't been having the best relationship recently. The pressure of ruling the empire together had been building up, and both of them were feeling the side effects. They hid their worries from each other in an effort to not have the other worry about them, but it had backfired.
Just one mistake, one slip of the tongue, and the cork popped. Cadance and Shining Armor had gotten into their first real fight. They both said things they regretted, but Cadance took it especially hard and needed to be somewhere; anywhere other than the Crystal Empire. She was still upset with him, and he was no doubt upset with her. Cadance needed space.
Maybe, by spending some time with Twilight and her friends, she’d be able to relax and forget about her responsibilities for just a little while. At the very least, both she and Shining Armor would have time to cool off and clear their heads.
Cadance snapped back to reality as the door to the library flew open to the sounds of party poppers and horns. The two alicorns turned their heads to find none other than Pinkie Pie at the entrance, smiling brightly.
"Hey Twilight!" Pinkie said, waving towards her. Her eyes widened and she gasped when she noticed Cadance sitting alongside Twilight, but the expression quickly became friendly again. "And hi Princess Cadance!"
"Please, just call me Cadance," she said, with a smile. She then gestured to her head, which was distinctly bare. "See? No crown, no title."
Pinkie nodded enthusiastically before hopping over to the two of them.
"What brings you here, Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked, turning to face her.
"A party, of course!" She brought a hoof-drawn invitation, depicting Applejack standing in front of a wall of barrels, and handed it to Twilight. "See, Applejack just got finished with a really big harvest. The biggest one they've ever had! She's got so much extra cider this year that she asked me to throw a party to help celebrate it, so here I am." She grinned as Twilight took the invitation and looked it over. "I only have one invitation because I didn't know Cadance would be here, but she can come too. The more the merrier!"
Cadance leaned over slightly to look over the invitation. "A cider party, huh? That sounds like fun. I haven't been to one of those since," she brought a hoof to her chin and looked upwards in thought, "back when I still foalsat Twilight." She then looked at Twilight and smiled. "Those were good times."
"We'd love to go, Pinkie," Twilight said, with a nod.
"Great! The party starts at eight, so I'll see you then," Pinkie said, turning around. "I've got a lot more planning to do!" With that, she bounded towards the door and was out in a moment's time.
Twilight shook her head and smiled, then glanced towards the clock. "We've still got a few hours until the party. More reading?"
"More reading," Cadance answered, picking up her book right where she left off.
~
The Apple Family farm bathed in the last of the sun's rays as Twilight and Cadance approached the property. Several ponies were already there, and the party seemed to be already winding up. Firefly lanterns hung from the trees and were set up all around the barn, casting a soft yellow glow over everything as the encroaching darkness set in. Soon, the farm would be lit up and filled with the sounds of laughter and celebration.
As Cadance and Twilight stepped under the small arch that led to the barn, they were greeted by Applejack, who waved them over to a nearby table. "Howdy, Twi! And hey there, Princess Cadance. What brings you to Ponyville?"
The princess smiled, taking a seat across from Applejack. "I'm just enjoying some time off with Twilight. It's good to see you again."
Applejack tipped her stetson slightly. "Always a pleasure to have royalty visit." She then quickly glanced to Twilight and gave a nervous grin. "I mean, not that ya'll ain't royalty or anythin', Twilight!"
Twilight laughed and shook her head, then waved a hoof. "Oh please," she started, sitting on the table bench, "I'm your friend before I'm royalty."
A mug sat on the table, which Applejack grabbed and took a swig from. When she put it back down, a small layer of foam remained on her upper lip, which she wiped away. "Yeah, yeah... I'm still adjustin' to this whole 'princess thing' of yours. But anyway, ya'll are here now, so I better get back to work."
"Work?" Twilight titled her head and gave Applejack a quizzical look. "I thought this was a celebration for the good harvest. Shouldn't you be enjoying it too?"
"I've gotta maintain all the cider stock and refreshments." She took a long drink from the cup, gulping the remaining liquid down, then set the cup aside. "With all the ponies here, I'm gonna be head over hooves rolling barrels around and bakin' pies." Lifting her legs, she spun out from under the table and stood up, looking towards the orchard. After a moment, she turned her attention back to Twilight. "It's no big deal, really. 'Sides, I'll still be at the party, in a way." She flashed a smile as she finished.
"If you say so, Applejack," Twilight said, returning a smile of her own. "Just don't work too hard, okay?"
Applejack nodded and adjusted her hat. "Will do, yer Highness."
Twilight rolled her eyes and attempted to hide her grin. "Go on, get out of here."
With a chuckle, Applejack trotted off and disappeared behind the ever-growing crowd of ponies around the barn, leaving Cadance and Twilight sitting alone at the table. It wasn't for long, though, as without any warning, Rainbow Dash dropped out of the sky and perfectly landed in the seat Applejack was just in. Cadance nearly leapt off the bench while Twilight didn't budge an inch. At this point, she was far too used to Dash popping up at any given moment.
"'Sup," Dash said, almost absentmindedly. She glanced around as if looking for something.
Cadance sighed. "I should have expected an entrance like that from you."
"Hello, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, with a smile. "What did you lose this time?"
"Nothing!" Giving up her search, she turned to face Twilight. "I've been looking for Applejack since I got here. I could have sworn she was right here just a second ago."
"She was, but she said she was going to busy with refreshments and cider the whole time." Cadance glanced in the direction that Applejack had walked off in, but she saw neither head nor tail of the farmpony.
Dash groaned and face-planted on the table. "Ugh, is that pony ever not working? How am I supposed to have a cider chugging contest with her when she's busy all the time?"
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Cider chugging?"
"Yeah, you know. When you and another pony drink as much cider as you can and whoever stops first loses." Dash let out a sigh of defeat. "I've been looking forward to this ever since I heard AJ had a good harvest."
"I could take part in that contest if you wanted..."
Both Twilight and Dash jerked their heads in Cadance's direction, and they both had the same look of disbelief.
"You?" Dash started.
"In a cider drinking contest?" Twilight finished.
Cadance merely smiled and blushed slightly. "Well, I mean, I think it would be fun... I've drank cider before, but never as a contest."
Dash narrowed her eyes and pointed a skeptical hoof towards Cadance. "Again, you, crown princess of the Crystal Empire, wants to compete with me in a cider chugging contest?"
"I don't say this often, but Dash has a point," Twilight added.
"I guess that's what I'm saying," Cadance said, flashing a grin in Dash's direction.
"Well, I mean... Uh..." Dash leaned back and looked upwards in thought. "Hmm... I guess it'd be kinda cool." The more she thought about it, the more she seemed to enjoy the idea. "You know what, yeah! Princess Cadance, you're on!" This time, she pointed a challenging hoof in Cadance's direction. "Alicorn versus pegasus in the cider chugging contest of the century!"
Cadance laughed before giving Dash a sly grin. "If you insist, Miss Dash, but I won't go easy on you."
"Never expected you to!"
The tension in the air was almost palpable as the two stared each other down, but Twilight felt the need to intervene. "Are you two sure this is a good idea? I mean, I can't even begin counting the ways this can go wrong..."
Cadance wrapped a hoof around Twilight. "Don't worry about us, Twilight. We're both responsible mares. I'm sure we'll be fine."
"Yeah, but... Oh no!" Twilight gasped, putting a hoof to her mouth. "I just remembered I have to send some important notes to Celestia before the end of the night. What if you need help getting back to the library? I won't be here!"
"Pffft, don't sweat it, Twi," Dash said, waving a dismissive hoof and having as cool an expression as ever. "I can help her home if it gets bad. I ain't no lightweight!"
"Well, I mean... I guess that can work, but—"
Cadance put a hoof up for silence. "Twilight. I'll be fine, I promise. You can get your notes to Celestia and I can enjoy the rest of the night. With Dash here, I'm sure I'll get back to the library just fine, no matter how much I've drank." She gave Twilight a reassuring smile and lowered her hoof. "Okay?"
Twilight gave a defeated sigh. "Fine, fine. I guess I should know better than to worry about you. But you'll still be careful, right?"
"Of course," Cadance said, with a nod.
By that time, darkness had completely settled over the farm and it was shrouded in lamplight. All around them, ponies were singing and drinking and dancing to music. The party was in full swing, and cider was passed out liberally to anypony who asked.
"So, you ready to take me on?" Dash said, getting up from her seat.
"More ready than you think I am," Cadance replied, with a wink.
Dash laughed, then walked to the side of the table Twilight and Cadance were at. "You never told me Cadance had a side like this, Twilight."
Twilight gave a sheepish grin and stood up. "I guess I never really knew."
Cadance followed suit, and the three of them began walking towards the barn, where much of the cider was being passed out. "I'll watch your contest for a little bit, but then I have to head back home," Twilight said, looking up at the slowly rising moon.
"I don't know, Twi, you might not want to witness the stomping I'm gonna give Cadance here," Dash said, giving Cadance a light nudge in the side. "Nopony can beat me in a cider chugging contest!"
"We'll see what happens," Cadance replied, with a smirk.
The three of them approached the cider stand, which Applejack was diligently attending to. As she saw them approach, Applejack gave them a bright smile and waved. "Howdy! Ya'll here for some cider, I take it?"
"A whole lot of cider, AJ! We're having a drinking contest!" Dash said, slamming her hoof on the stand. "Get us some mugs, pronto!"
Applejack frowned and shook her head. "I already told ya I'm too busy, Dash. I'm real sorry, honest."
"Oh no, this isn't a contest between you and me. It's between me and Cadance!" Dash said, pointing at the pink princess.
"Between you and... Huh? What?" Applejack's eyes darted between Cadance and Rainbow Dash in disbelief. "Hold on, you're havin' a drinking contest with Princess Cadance?"
"Just Cadance," the princess interjected, with a soft smile. "You don't need to be so formal with me."
"Sorry, Pr— Cadance," Applejack said, quickly correcting herself. She then turned her attention back to Rainbow Dash. "But again, yer havin' a drinking contest with Cadance!? Ain't that... I don't know... ain't there somethin' wrong with that?"
"I don't see a problem," Dash said, leaning against the stand. "Just two friends having some fun. Right Cadance?"
Cadance nodded. "Exactly."
Applejack furrowed her brows and looked between the two of them. "Well... if ya'll say so..." She tentatively grabbed two mugs and began filling them with fresh cider. The strong scent of apples and a little something extra filled the air, filling Dash's nostrils and planting a wide smile on her face.
Once the mugs were filled to the brim and frothy, Applejack pushed them towards Cadance and Dash. The two picked them up and shared a grin. "Ready?" Dash said, glancing in Cadance's direction.
"On you," Cadance replied, holding the mug just inches from her mouth.
Behind them, Twilight gulped.
"Chug!"
~
"One more... I just... one..." Dash was slumped against the side of the cider stand, half empty cider mug still clutched in her hoof. She kicked out her hind legs in an attempt to push herself up the side of the stand, but only managed to knock herself down. "AJ... help..." she moaned, rolling over on her back.
The world was nothing more than a dark blur, with a few other colors mixed in now and then. Suddenly, orange filled her vision. "AJ?" she asked, more to herself than to the pony above her.
"Ya'll really outdone yourself this time," Applejack said, looking over Dash's splayed out body. She reached a hoof out for Dash to grab, and after several attempts, the pegasus finally took hold of it and was pulled onto her hooves. With a sigh, Applejack put her foreleg around Dash's torso and pulled her close so she wouldn't fall over again.
"How's she... doing?" Cadance asked, leaning most of her body against the cider stall. She placed her empty mug on the counter and pushed it away, then hiccuped.
"She's been worse," Applejack admitted, keeping Dash standing straight. "But I think she'll be more upset about losing than she is gettin' so drunk she can't stand."
"Lose!?" Dash suddenly shouted, making Applejack jump. "I... I... hic... I can't lose! I need another!" She made an attempt to lean over the stand, but Applejack held her firmly in place.
"I think yer done for the night, Dash," Applejack said. "'Sides, I think it's getting mighty late. Ponies are already headin' home."
"Home..." Cadance muttered under breath. Her eyes suddenly went wide with alarm. "I gotta get... hic... home!"
"What, the Crystal Empire?" Applejack asked, giving Cadance a concerned look. "I don't think you'll be getting back there anytime soon, Cadance."
"Wha? N-No, I mean Twily's place." She swayed gently from side to side, mane and tail disheveled. While she had won the drinking contest, only barely, it was taking its toll on her. "Dash!" she said, pointing at the pegasus, "take me back to Twilight's!"
"Huh? Oh yeah," Dash said, shaking her head. "I promised Twi I'd do that for her..."
"You sure you can get there alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, slowly taking her leg away from Dash. While she was standing without help now, Applejack wasn't sure if she'd be able to navigate in her current.
Dash waved a dismissive hoof, which to Applejack's surprise, didn't knock her off balance. "I'll be fine, AJ! If I can get through a hurricane with... hic... no goggles then I... I can I get Cadance to Twilight's!
Applejack frowned, but ultimately had no choice but to trust Rainbow Dash. "If ya'll say so. Just get home safe, alright?"
"You bet!" Dash said, throwing a hoof into the air. The force of it knocked her off balance and set her tumbling into the cider stand with a loud thud, causing Applejack to cringe. Despite her drunkenness, Dash was quick to get up as if nothing happened. She then looked to Cadance. "Ready to go, Caddy?!"
"Ready when you are, hic... Dashie." The two burst out laughing and began walking as best they could towards the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres. "Seeya AJ!" Dash called out, waving a wing in Applejack's direction.
Applejack shook her head and sighed. "I worry 'bout you sometimes, Dash." She then watched the two of them head through the gate and slowly fade into the night, but their laughing still pierced the air, Cadance's especially. "But I worry more 'bout that princess you got with you..."
~
Rainbow Dash and Cadance staggered through Ponyville, dragging their hooves behind them. The houses around them were beginning to go dark, leaving only the lampposts and occasional still open business to light their way. While she didn't know what time it was exactly, Rainbow Dash guessed it was around 10 o'clock, judging by which places were still open. Or, at least, which colored blurs that resembled places that were still open.
There were a small amount of ponies still walking about in the night, but for the most part it was just Dash and Cadance stumbling through the streets. Nopony around seemed to even care about the drunken princess, but perhaps that was because they were just as intoxicated. Most of Ponyville had been to the party, after all.
As Dash and Cadance continued walking, they started to hear a conversation. Soft at first, but quickly growing in volume as they got closer. Their ears perked up as they approached, and they found that they were eavesdropping on an argument. Reaching the end of the street, the two mares peered around the corner of the building to find a couple in the middle of a drunken shouting match.
"W-What do you think they're fighting about?" Dash whispered, watching the two go at it with half-lidded eyes.
Cadance couldn't be bothered to answer. All she could see in that couple were herself and Shining Armor during that awful fight. No two ponies who loved each other deserved to have that happen to them, and as the princess of love, she had the power to prevent it. With a gulp, she took it upon herself to fix their problem.
Rainbow Dash looked over, waiting for an answer, but instead watched curiously as a glowing, ethereal heart faded into existence in front of Cadance. She noticed, however, that it was in half, as if it were broken.
The heart then floated towards the arguing couple, unnoticed by them, and silently slipped into their bodies. The couple suddenly stopped arguing and looked around as if they were lost. They then locked eyes with each other, and an entirely new emotion took over. The two leaned forward and locked lips in a kiss, then pulled away with a giggle. The mare whispered something into the stallion's ear, then took him by his hoof and entered the nearby house.
Dash slowly turned her head towards Cadance, mouth agape. “Wh… What was what?”
A sly smile appeared on Cadance’s face. “Just one of my talents. I made them recognize the love they felt for each other.” She then glanced up at one of the windows on the house, where a light had switched on. “And I bet they’re giving each other that love right now.”
"Huh... it's too bad," Dash said, with a slight frown.
Cadance blinked and glanced at Dash. "W-What?"
"It's too bad they're siblings, otherwise they'd probably make a great couple."
The princesses eyes widened slightly as the realization swept over her, leaving a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She bit her lip and was silent for a long while, with nothing but crickets chirping in the night air. Just then, she let out a light chuckle. "I'd love to see the looks on their faces tomorrow morning."
Dash suddenly burst out laughing, going so far as to lean against Cadance so she wouldn't fall over. "That's p-priceless!" she gasped out, wiping the tears from her eyes. After a minute or so, she finally regained her composure and cleared her throat. "I haven't had a laugh like that in a while," she said, swaying in place. "And if it was that good one time, just imagine what else we can do." She then wrapped a foreleg around Cadance's neck. "This might be the start of a beautiful friendship, Cadance."
Cadance laughed nervously. "I'm... not sure I follow."
"Okay, okay," Dash started, stepping away. "We take that power of yours, right, and we use it... hic... on other ponies to make them do embarrassing stuff! It'll be great!"
"Oh... Oh!" A smile suddenly crawled across Cadance's face. "Okay! Where do we start?"
Dash suddenly held up a hoof. "Now h-hold on there, my new pranking apprentice, not so fast. I still don't know what I've got to work with. How does your power work exactly?"
"Well... if ponies feel love towards one another, I can bring out those feelings and make them stronger." She looked in the direction of the previously arguing couple. "Even just a little bit will work."
"Okay, good start." Dash took a wobbly pace in front of Cadance, as if contemplating what to do with this new information. "So you can't force any feelings?"
Cadance shook her head. "N-Not if they aren't there to be forced."
"Hmm... hmm..." Dash rubbed her chin. "I think I've got it! We start with—" She was interrupted by a particularly loud burp coming from Cadance.
"Sorry," Cadance said, glancing away and putting on a nervous smile.
Rainbow Dash merely grinned. "Nice. But like I was saying, let's start the pranking!" She pumped her hoof into the air, effectively knocking her off balance. Dash stumbled over her hooves for a moment before locking herself in place. "Right. Still drunk." After adjusting herself, she began trotting down the street with Cadance at her side.
"So, what are we doing?" Cadance asked, looking at Dash.
"Oh, I've got some ideas... I know... hic... two stallions who're going to have the night of their life, and after that... Well, let's just say I think Mr. Breezy likes his fans just a little bit too much."
The two of them burst into laughter before trotting through Ponyville's streets like two fillies in a candy shop.
~
"Thanks a bunch for helping me out with this last minute shopping trip, Jake," Lyra said, adjusting the straps of her saddlebags. Once they were tightly secured, she looked up towards the human and beamed. "I'm just glad the store was still open this late!"
"Yeah, I'm glad too," Jake said, putting one hand in his pocket and scratching the stubble on his cheek with the other. His clothes had gotten more sophisticated in the last few months – Rarity made sure of that – and he now wore pants that actually resembled jeans from Earth. His t-shirt was of the same nature, and even boasted Rarity's mark on the breast. It wasn't something he asked for, but he appreciated it all the same.
Lyra thanked the shopkeeper for accommodating them, then trotted towards the door, ushering Jake along with her. The door opened with a soft jingle from the bell above and the two of them stepped outside into the night air.
"So what exactly did you need cake ingredients for at ten o'clock?" Jake asked, walking alongside Lyra.
"Oh, I never told you?" Lyra said, cocking her head to the side and looking up at Jake. "It's Bon Bon's birthday coming up, and I wanted to surprise her with something."
Jake chuckled. "Right. I almost forgot. I guess by morning it would be too late?"
"When do you think I'm baking the cake, silly?" Lyra asked, nudging Jake's leg.
"Never took you for a baker," Jake said, with a smirk. "I mean, with the way some of your meals turn out..."
Lyra gasped and smacked Jake in the side, then smiled. "Hey! I can bake things just fine, thank you very much!"
The two of them laughed, then continued walking down the road. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched.
Cadance and Rainbow Dash peered out from an alleyway, watching the two of them talk and joke with one another. Dash just saw two more victims, but Cadance's jaw hung open and her eyes were transfixed on the human.
"What... is that?" she whispered, squinting to try and see him more clearly.
"Oh, him?" Dash asked, glancing towards Cadance. "That's Jake. He's one of the humans that lives here in Ponyville. Haven't you heard of him?"
"No... No I haven't," Cadance replied, her eyes never leaving his figure. "He's so... strange."
"Huh. I figured Celestia might have told you, but whatever. Looks like we found our targets!" Dash rubbed her hooves together in villainous glee, but Cadance didn't seem to share her enthusiasm.
"He doesn't have hooves... and what even are those instead? Those aren't claws, that's for sure," Cadance whispered to herself. She then turned to Dash. "What do you know about it— Er, him?"
Rainbow Dash sat down and tapped her hoof against her chin. "Hmm... Well, let's see. He's one of two humans that were just appeared in Equestria one day. No idea why. Twilight's been looking into it but she has no clue either. He's Jake, like I said, and the other is a girl named Sarah. They showed up here a little about a year ago." She then gave Cadance a quizzical look. "Seriously, how do you not know about this?"
Cadance shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Just keep going."
Dash sighed. "Fine. Since then, they've been living in Ponyville and making a life for themselves. Jake helps out with manual labor, like construction and Sweet Apple Acres, while Sarah works with Pinkie Pie in the bakery. They're kinda cool, but I haven't really hung out with them. That's about it, I think."
"What about relationships?" Cadance suddenly snapped, taking Dash aback.
"I, uh..." Dash scratched the back of her head. "They aren't in any, I don't think. But..."
Cadance raised an eyebrow. "But?"
"But, I think Lyra might have the hots for him, y'know? She always getting real friendly around him. In fact, she took the offer to house them faster than I can do the 100 meter flight." Dash then looked over and peered at the two as they walked. "She's definitely into him, but I don't think he sees it."
Cadance narrowed her eyes, then looked at Jake. "I know what's going on here. The truth is brighter than Celestia's sun!"
"It... is?" Dash asked, tilting her head.
"Yes!" Cadance said, whirling around and losing her balance momentarily. Once she steadied herself, she looked at Dash and frowned. "He's denying their love!"
Dash only blinked.
"He thinks it's some sort of cultural taboo for a human and a pony to love one another, so he's pushing her away." Cadance stomped her hoof on the ground and stood up as straight as she could with Sweet Apple Acres cider coursing through her veins. "As the Princess of Love, I, Mi Amore Cadenza, will not let this injustice stand!" She threw a bold hoof into the air and promptly fell forward, tumbling into Rainbow Dash.
Jake came to a halt, then turned and looked behind him. There was nothing but empty street.
Realizing he wasn't beside her anymore, Lyra stopped as well and turned to look at him. "Something wrong?" she asked, with a soft frown.
"Did you hear something just now?" he asked, scanning the surrounding area.
Lyra stepped beside him and looked around herself. "No, why?"
"Hmm..." Jake took one last glance, then shrugged. "I guess I'm just imagining things." He began walking again, Lyra moving along with him. "Could have sworn I heard someone say 'ouch'."
"Don't worry about it too much," Lyra said, shaking her head.
From behind them, two translucent halves of a heart floated, growing ever closer. Without a sound, they slipped inside the human and pony like ghosts. Jake suddenly felt warmer, but he wasn't certain why. He turned his head to ask Lyra if she felt anything strange, but immediately forgot what he was going to say.
He didn't know what changed, but he was looking at her as if she were an entirely different pony. His eyes were drawn to the subtle curves of her body, and how her rump moved as she walked. He watched her tail sway from side to side, and even found himself slowing his pace so that he might catch a glimpse of what lay underneath. With a gulp, Jake shook his head and tried to keep himself looking forward, but found that with every passing second it was becoming more difficult.
Why was he having these feelings, now of all times? It had never been a problem in the past, and all he had done today was accompany her to the store. She had been his best friend for nearly a year, but now tonight he was suddenly growing fond of her. Excessively fond.
Halfway through questioning his sudden urges, he glanced down to find his hand steadily reaching towards her flank. Eyes widening in horror, he pulled his arm back and stared at his hand, fingers twitching in anticipation. "What is wrong with me?" he whispered.
"What was that?" Lyra asked, looking up at him.
"I... Uh..." He tried to say something, but all he could focus on was her lovely face. Even in the dark of the night, her big, golden eyes were bright and vibrant. She had a soft smile tucked beneath her small snout, and several strands of mint-colored mane fell across her face, but Jake didn't mind. She was perfect.
Jake suddenly shook his head, then cleared his throat and looked away. "It was nothing."
Lyra shrugged, then looked forward again. "Alright."
The only thing he could think was that everything was definitely not okay. Even as he was contemplating what was going on, his eyes trailed towards her body again. She looked very soft and warm, and oh, what he would do to just grab her rear and...
Jake exhaled deeply and shut his eyes. Something was very wrong with him. Until he could figure it out, he couldn't trust himself around Lyra. Opening his eyes, he mustered up the strength to look at the gorgeous mare next to him. "Hey, Lyra?" he asked, trying not to pay attention to her supple curves.
"Yeah?"
"You uh... wanna go on without me? There's a construction site near here I wanted to uh... check on, and make sure it was holding up." His face was hot, and his loins hotter, but he couldn't let Lyra in on his condition.
Lyra raised an eyebrow. "I can't just go with you? I mean, it can't be that far..."
"Heh, well, I mean, it's late and all, and I wouldn't want you to accidentally uh... get hurt or anything, y'know?" He forced a smile, but not even he was convinced by it.
Lyra didn't seem convinced either, but went with it nonetheless. "It is pretty late," she said, looking up at the night sky. "You know how to get back from here, right?"
Jake nodded quickly. "Yeah, of course. No sweat."
Lyra gave Jake a concerned look, but it quickly faded. "Alright. I'll leave the door open for you."
"Thanks. I won't be long."
With a nod, Lyra trotted off in the direction they had been walking, humming a soft tune as she went. The entire way, Jake couldn't keep his eyes off her luscious backside. Once she had walked out of sight, Jake took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead.
What did it all mean, though? The question ran through his head multiple times, but he came no closer to an answer. His strange feelings towards Lyra came out of seemingly nowhere, and for no good reason. After a bit more thinking, a thought occurred to him. "Could it be?" he asked no one in particular, but took a glance at the moon above. Luna.
It had been a month or so since his encounter with the Princess of the Night, but the memories were still fresh in his mind. Deep down, he missed her, if only a little bit. Did that have anything to do with his feelings towards Lyra? And more importantly, where would that put him with Sarah? There was a lot for Jake to be pondering, but he didn't know if he could do it in one night.
"What are you doing?"
Jake spun around at the sudden voice behind him and found himself several steps away from a pony. After one look at her, he knew he was in trouble. Standing before him was none other than Princess Cadance, ruler of the Crystal Empire in the north.
"I'm uh... standing here, mostly," Jake said, looking over the alicorn. She looked a little worse for the wear, and even standing straight seemed to be a problem for her. "...Are you drunk?"
"That's hardly the most important matter here, human," Cadance said, staring daggers into him. "Why are you alone? Where is that mare you were with?"
Jake gave her a puzzled look. "She went home... But how do you know I was with someone else?"
"Went home!?" Cadance blurted out, with a look of disbelief. "But you two should be in the throes of passion right now! You should be expressing your love!"
"What? Love? But I don't—"
"Silence!" Cadance raised a hoof, stopping him. "I know your true feelings, Jake. You love her, but you're too afraid to admit it, to both her and yourself. You think there's a problem with it, don't you?!"
"What? No! It's not like that!" Jake said, attempting to defend himself against another drunk princess. "I mean, I like her as a friend, but I don't have any real feelings towards her."
"Liar!" She pointed an accusatory hoof at him. "If that were the case, you wouldn't have reacted to my spell."
Suddenly, things started to click. "Wait, spell... You mean those feelings I had earlier were because of you?!" Jake was now furious. Having someone accuse him of love was one thing, but to use his emotions as a plaything was entirely another. "I thought I was going crazy!"
"Why do you deny your feelings, Jake?" She then narrowed her eyes and looked at him rather suspiciously. "Is it, perhaps, that your true love lies with Sarah?"
Jake shook his head, trying to remain calm with Cadance. "No, it's not that either. Me and Sarah are just friends as well."
Cadance grit her teeth and practically growled at Jake. "Who is it, then?" She demanded. "Who is your special somepony?"
"I... I don't have one," Jake said, glancing downwards and suddenly becoming all too aware that he didn't actually have anyone.
"That's it!" Cadance said, eyes wide as if a revelation had dawned on her. Jake gave her a puzzled look, but otherwise remained quiet. "I was right from the beginning. You do love Lyra, but you push her away because you think there's something wrong with a human loving a pony!"
"I— No!"
"And to make matters worse, you don't want Sarah to judge you for getting involve with a non-human!" Cadance gave him a smug grin. "I've figured it all out, Jake. You can't hide anything from the Princess of Love!"
Jake groaned. "No, that's not it at all."
Cadance gasped. "Even after being backed into a corner, you still won't admit it? Fine. I see how it is." She spread her wings and gave them a test flap, then shot a glare at Jake. "If you won't admit your feelings to her, I will!"
With a strong flap, Cadance took to the air, but even Jake could see that her coordination still wasn't the best. She wobbled about in place for a moment before catching her bearings and flying off.
"Cadance, wait!" Jake shouted, running after her. The last thing he needed was a drunk princess proudly telling Lyra how he gets hard when he looks at her butt, or something equally incriminating. No, he had to put a stop to this at once.
Even though she could barely fly straight, she still managed to stay ahead of him, but he was slowly gaining on her. Luckily for Jake, she wasn't head towards Lyra's house at all. She was merely embedding herself deeper and deeper into Ponyville's suburbs, which Jake had become accustomed to over the past year.
"Cadance, stop!" he shouted, hoping to get her attention or distract her at all.
"This is for your own good!" she yelled back, before making an abrupt turn down an alleyway.
Jake couldn't be more than a pony's length away from her. It was now or never. With a grunt, he jumped forward and reached his arm out, hoping to grab her by the leg and pull her down. Instead, he grabbed her tail.
The two of them plummeted to the ground. Jake rolled forward and spun around, landing flat on his back with a thud. Moments later, he was met with a softer thud and a heavy weight on his chest, causing him to cough and sputter. After a few seconds of silence, Jake cracked his eyes open.
What he found was Cadance resting on top of him, sprawled out along his body. Her wings twitched weakly and her mane was messy and disheveled. From this close, he could smell the alcohol on her breath, and he recognized it instantly as Sweet Apple Acres' signature cider.
The two of them breathed softly for a moment, neither speaking nor moving a muscle.
Jake decided to break the silence. "Princess Cadance? Are you okay?"
She lifted a hoof and brushed her mane out of her face, looking at Jake with half-lidded eyes and a strange smile. Jake stared at her for a moment before his eyes went wide. He knew that look.
"I've never had my tail pulled like that..." she whispered, flicking her tail as she spoke. "It felt... good."
Jake gave a nervous smile. "Happy to hear it," he said, thinking of all the different ways he could get out of this situation intact. Other parts of his body seemed to disagree.
Cadance hiccuped, then looked down at him. "You're very warm," she said, rubbing her body against his.
"Y-You too..." Could he push her off and just make a run for it?
She let out a soft moan as she snuggled against him. "Warm... just like Shining Armor..."
Jake assumed that was her boyfriend or husband. He only knew about the princesses of Equestria, but not their immediate families. If that was the case, then the situation just became a whole lot worse for him.
"It's been so long, Jake," she said, looking down at him. "So long since I've had... personal time with Shiny. I almost forget what it was like..."
While he tried to ignore her hot breath and sultry gaze, his cock certainly did not. He felt it hardening within his pants and desperately hoped she wouldn't notice, but things never worked out the way he wanted them to.
"Can you remind me?" she asked, leaning down. Before he could respond, she planted her lips onto his, taking him in a deep kiss.
Jake lightly grabbed her head with his hands, and pulled her away. "What are you doing?" he asked, still holding her. What could he possibly say to try and get out of this? After a split second of thought, he found something. "As the princess of love, wouldn't it be wrong of you to cheat on your lover?"
"I don't care," Cadance said, with a slight frown. She then glanced to the side and her expression lightened. "Just what are these?" she asked, touching the strange appendage with her hoof.
"It's called a hand," Jake said, showing it to her. "And these are fingers," he added, wiggling them for emphasis. "But I don't think that's important—"
"Touch me with them," she ordered, leaning down again and kissing him.
Between the spell from earlier arousing him with Lyra, the memories of his time with Luna, and how strongly she was coming on, Jake felt all of the resistance draining from his body. All of the worries he felt before melted from his body, with lust filling their place.
After she pulled her lips away, she added, "touch me everywhere."
"Yes, princess," Jake said, doing as he was told. He ran his hair through her mane, gently stroking her head with his fingers. One of her ears gave an involuntary flick as he brushed over it, and for good measure, he gave a quick scratch behind it.
Cadance let out a deep sigh as his fingers ran across her body, touching her in ways hooves never could. They moved across her coat like a hairbrush, but with thicker and softer bristles. They weren't at all like dragon or griffon claws, which she suspected were akin to small knives.
His hands stroked her back and moved down to her flanks, then down farther to her rump and tail. He spread out his fingers and grabbed at her rear, kneading the soft flesh like dough.
As he massaged one side of her buttocks, he used his other hand to grab the base of her tail. After running his fingers through the soft hair, he gripped it firmly and gave a tug.
Cadance shuddered and closed her eyes. "Pull harder," she whispered, rocking rubbing her body against his. She moaned softly as he gave a more forceful tug. Leaning down, she brought him into another kiss.
He stopped massaging her and slid his hand behind her rump, searching for Cadance's true prize. His fingers brushed alongside the outer folds of her vagina, immediately causing her to pull back and gasp. Jake paused for a moment, looking up at her.
"Go... go ahead," she said shakily. Jake could feel her heart pounding. "It's fine."
He gave a soft nod before continuing. He trailed his index and middle fingers around the outer edges of her wet entrance, taking a brief moments to stroke the underside of her clitoris.
"Ahn!" she squeaked, burrowing her head between his shoulder and head.
Her multicolored mane brushed over his face, but he didn't mind. Jake was preoccupied elsewhere. After fully circling her vagina, he rubbed down the middle, then gently inserted a finger into her awaiting cavity. Just as expected, she was hot and very, very wet. Not wanting to leave her aching, he pushed another finger inside.
"Ooh... that's it," she cooed, resting her body against him. "It's so... different," she said, feeling his strange appendages explore her insides. "What were they called?"
"Fingers," Jake said, slowly moving them in and out of her.
"They're really nice," she said, kissing at his neck.
The tightness and heat within his pants was beginning to overwhelm him. He grunted softly as he tried to shift himself to get more comfortable, but to no avail. Apparently Cadance realized what was bothering him, as she suddenly lifted her head and gave him a smile. "Something wrong?"
Jake gulped. "It's a bit tight."
Cadance then nodded. "Take your pants off." She moved herself forward and shuddered as Jake's fingers slid out of her, coated in juices. She stood up over him, then leaned her head down and gave him a quick kiss. "Your hands are incredible," she said, licking her lips, "but now I want you to take me."
That was all the invitation Jake needed. As she stepped away, he sat up and undid his belt, then unzipped his pants and quickly pulled them off, stripping down to his underwear. He sighed with relief as he took his briefs off as well, finally setting his cock free.
Cadance stood near the wall, observing Jake. Once his penis had been taken out, it was all she could focus on. It was nothing like a stallions, with its rounded head and the way it hung out in the open for all to see. She glanced down at it as he approached her, noticing a thin trail of liquid flowing out of the tip. They would complement her own fluids nicely.
"Well, go on," she said, glancing from his penis to his face. "The princess of love awaits."
She began turning herself, in order to present her rear end, but was taken off guard as Jake pulled her towards him and lifted her up, then pushed her against the wall. Her heart pounded in her chest at the sudden adrenaline, but she quickly found her face to face with him. There was something different about him. He seemed more primal; filled with lust.
Before she could think anything else, she felt him grasp her rump firmly with both hands for support, then he penetrated her.
Cadance cried out as pushed his cock inside her, spreading apart her wet walls. She draped her forelegs over his shoulders, unable to do anything else as he began pounding at her. Over and over, he thrust inside of her, and the scent of sweat and sex filled the air around them.
"Sun and moon," she gasped out, her breath hot and heavy. She moaned and rubbed her head against his neck as he ravished her, and she suddenly became acutely aware of the situation.
Here she was, a married alicorn princess, being fucked against the wall of a dirty alleyway by a total stranger. He wasn't even a pony, he was a strange alien race that she had no business meddling with, yet here she was, his cock buried deep inside her. It was wrong. It was so very, very wrong. A whirlpool of emotions surged through her mind, and it nearly brought her to tears, but one thing was certain:
She wanted this. She needed this. She loved this.
"Jake," Cadance gasped out, holding him tightly.
"Yes, princess?" he managed to say, in between hot breaths.
"Thank you." It was all she could say as her body was assaulted by waves of pleasure. Her lower hooves twitched slightly and she breathed heavily, taking in the scents and feelings. She was so empty, but he made her feel so full.
Jake shifted one of his hands over, then reached out a finger that traced around her anus as he thrusted. After a few rotations of teasing, he eased it into the tight hole, drawing a mixture of a gasp and a moan from Cadance. Slowly, he fingered her asshole while forcing as much of himself inside of her as possible.
After several minutes, Cadance suddenly let out a low moan and her body shuddered. Her eyes rolled back as pleasure radiated from her core, and a puddle of fluids began forming beneath the two of them. By the time she was finished orgasm, she found herself lying limp against him, but he pressed on. Her legs were closer to wet noodles, but it wasn't like she had to do anything. Just lying there against him, matted fur, disheveled hair and all, was all she needed to feel good.
The orgasms came and went, rolling over her like the ocean's waves lapping at the shore. She lost count around five, but she was never really interested in counting to begin with. She could barely focus on what was going on around her, let alone how many times she had came since they started.
At long last, Jake began to show signs of orgasm. Cadance didn't know how long they had been there. It could have been five minutes or five hours, for all she knew. But now, she heard his breaths growing shallow, and his thrusting was more irregular.
"Finish," she mumbled, forelegs still draped around him like a scarf.
On command, Jake grunted and forced his cock in to the hilt. It throbbed and pulsed as waves of semen plastered her insides and leaked out of her wet pussy, joining the rest of the fluids on the floor. For several moments, the only sounds filling the alley were a light dripping and their ragged breaths.
Slowly, Jake pulled his flaccid cock out of her, and whatever was left drained out of her. Then, his legs gave out and he fell backward, bringing Cadance with him.
They hit the ground with a thud, and Cadance quickly sat up. "Jake, are you okay?" she asked.
Jake groaned, then nodded. "Y-Yeah. Sorry... I've never done it like that before..."
"Heh... me neither," Cadance said, leaning against him again.
"I'm just gonna lie here for a bit," Jake said, with a yawn. Before she knew it, Jake had fallen asleep. Thinking on it, she was feeling rather tired as well. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes and quickly joined him in rest.
It wasn't for long, though, as her ears immediately perked up when she heard somepony calling her name. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around and suddenly realized she had forgotten all about Rainbow Dash.
With a gasp, Cadance stumbled to her hooves and made a shaky walk towards the entrance of the alleyway, following Dash's voice. Seemingly, she had forgotten all about what happened moments before.
~
Jake opened his eyes. It was dark. He sat up to get his bearings and immediately shivered as a chill swept over him. Looking down, he found his pants were still down, and he hadn't moved from the alley. Groaning, he pulled up his underwear and pants, then stood up. After a moment, he noticed he was alone.
He glanced around the alley, thinking Cadance may have stumbled off somewhere, but he found no one. It was just him and the darkness. With a sigh, he put his hands in his pockets and stepped out of the alley, trying to look as casual as he could.
He wasn't exactly sure what had happened back there. One moment he was being accused of denying his love for Lyra, and the next he was banging another Equestrian princess against an alley wall. Some would consider him lucky, but he wasn't so sure. Royalty was complicated, especially when they were married.
Would his actions have repercussions in the near future? Jake couldn't know for sure. He got lucky with Luna, or so he believed. So far, nothing bad had come of it.
As Jake continued walking down the road, his mind lost in his thoughts, he heard an all too familiar voice come from a nearby shop. He looked upwards and towards the shop, which seemed to be the only business currently open in Ponyville. There stood Luna, casually buying a snack.
Jake froze in place. Luna gave the merchant some bits and thanked him, then turned around. As she was about to take a bite into her treat, her eyes met Jake's. The both of them stood silently, watching each other from across the road.
After a few moments, Luna sighed, then wrapped the snack back up and tucked it into the saddlebag she was wearing. Taking a breath, she walked towards Jake and looked up at him.
"Hello, Jake," she said calmly.
"Uh, hi Luna," he replied, looking over her. No, he wasn't dreaming. There she was, standing right in front of him. "What, uh, brings you to Ponyville at this hour?"
"I tend to visit this shop during my late night patrols of Ponyville and the Everfree Forest," she said, looking back at the small store. "Sister said it would be good for me to get out more."
"Uh huh..."
A silence filled the air around them, with both of them exchanging awkward glances. Neither knew exactly what to say.
"Look," both of them started, then paused, waiting for the other.
Jake sighed. "You go."
"Jake... I'm terribly sorry for what happened," Luna said, pawing her hoof at the ground. "I don't know what came over me. I just... drank, and drank, and my hooves took me from there." She glanced down and bit her lip. "I don't quite remember exactly what happened, but I know... enough. I'm ashamed of what I've put you through." Then she looked up at him. "Can you forgive me for my poor choices?"
Nodding his head slowly, Jake said, "I think I can." He then gave her a soft smile. "Just keep your alcohol in check next time, alright?"
Luna returned the smile. "It's already been handled. I have two guards posted outside the wine cellar each night."
Jake chuckled. "You wouldn't mind walking home with me, would you? It's awfully quiet around here at night." He began walking in the direction of Lyra's house.
"I suppose I could divert from my route a bit," Luna said, following alongside him.
As the two walked under the cover of the night sky, they spoke of their daily lives. Jake listened as she explained royal court to him, and Luna listened as he discussed how thumbs were extraordinarily helpful when it came to putting things together. By the time they reached Lyra's house, the two were chuckling like school fillies over one of the dreams Luna had recently peered into.
"Huh, we got here awfully fast," Jake said, looking at the front door, then at the moon. "Or maybe I'm just used to walking alone."
"I feel it may be the latter," Luna replied.
Just then, the two of them heard voices coming from within the house and looked towards the door. It sounded like Lyra and Sarah were having a conversation.
Jake seemed surprised. "Wow, they're up this late?"
"It would seem so. This would be a good time to take my leave." Luna spread her wings, then gave Jake a light bow. "Farewell, Jake. And thank you for accepting my apology."
"Of course, princess," he said, giving her a bow as well.
With a nod, Luna gave a powerful flap and shot off into the night sky. Jake watched as she soared off, then smiled. Turning, he opened the door and stepped inside.
~
Cadance opened her eyes. It was bright. She put a hoof over her eyes, then groaned as the pounding headache set in. Every pulse was like a sledgehammer on her temple, and every part of her body seemed to hurt. "Ugh... What happened?" she mumbled, then rolled over onto her stomach.
"Well, it looks like Miss Party Animal has finally joined us," Twilight said, looking over Cadance's sprawled out form with a smile.
"Twilight?" Cadance opened her eyes and looked up at Twilight. "Where am I?"
"You're in the library. You were sound asleep by the time Rainbow Dash dragged you back here." Twilight glanced to the left and pointed at Dash, who was still sound asleep and snoring loudly. "She passed out shortly after bringing you back here, but not before telling me the whole story."
"Oh," Cadance mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "What's the whole story?"
Twilight tilted her head. "You don't remember?"
"I remember the drinking contest and going into Ponyville... but that's it."
"Wow, really?" Twilight's eyes widened slightly. "You don't remember the ‘pranking’ and getting lost for two hours?"
Cadance shook her head. "I don't even remember getting back here..." She then groaned and massaged her forehead. "Can I have some water?"
"Way ahead of you," Twilight said, producing a pitcher of water and a cup from the nearby table. "And Spike is in the kitchen now getting breakfast ready." She then put her foreleg around Cadance and helped her up. "His breakfasts always make me feel better."
Cadance gave a weak smile and took a sip of water. "Thanks, Twily. I think I'm ready to go back to the Crystal Empire."
"Heh, so soon? I guess that’s good! Now, let's get some breakfast, alright?"
The two of them walked towards the kitchen, with Twilight helping Cadance every step of the way. On the surface, Cadance was happy. She had a good time in Ponyville and all the stress of her fight had evaporated overnight. She was ready to make up with Shining and take her place once more as Princess of the Crystal Empire. Deep down, though, she felt she was forgetting something. It made her uneasy, but she had no idea what it could be.
Certainly, it couldn't have been that important.
Author's Note
Special thanks to Standard Namespace for proofreading.
