What Have We Become

When It Was Ours

Applejack was sweating. For once it wasn’t from bucking apples in the orchards. Today she was sweating for an entirely different reason. She was being bullied, for want of a better word, and surprisingly it was Twilight who was busy doing the bullying, although in all fairness her longtime marefriend Rainbow Dash had been doing her fair share too. Merciless bullies, the both of them. This particular torment had been going on for the better part of two hours, and the poor farmer was, at the moment at least, powerless to do anything about it. Taking off her stetson Applejack fanned herself before wiping a sinewy forearm across her forehead, lest anymore sweat reach her denim shirt. Placing her hat back on her straw blonde head she nervously cast her eyes down at the table in front of her, and where were sat her tormentors Rainbow and Twilight, looking at her like hungry predators. Picking up her cards from the table she saw once again they had betrayed her. Casting a quick glance at the table told her the damage, Twilight was jealously nursing a growing pile of bits, Rainbow had a moderate little pile of her own left and Applejack's own stash of bits was dwindling very quickly. Time to cut her losses, again. Her shoulders sagged as she threw her cards onto the table.

“Ah’m out, ah fold…” she muttered with venom, as though it was the cards fault she was losing. Reaching for her coffee she took a mouthful as she watched the fight now playing out in front of her.

Rainbow smirked at her hand before tossing a handful of bits into the pot, confident of the full house of two aces and three kings she held. Brushing a lock of her untidy prismatic hair out of her cerise eyes she stared daggers at her remaining would-be victim. “Ready to lose Twi? The Rainbow train’s rollin’ now!”

Twilight Sparkle simply flashed her a smug smile in response as she casually placed her bits in the pit to match Rainbow’s, and in a calm tone befitting royalty just said, “you know, I think I'll call Dashie, let's see ‘em.”

Rainbow happily spread her five cards on the table, showing her aces and kings, and was starting her victory jig as Twilight cut her off with her royal flush. “Sorry to derail your train Rainbow.” Rainbow came to a halt mid jig, her eyes wide and mouth agape, her anticipated comeback scuppered before it had started. Sitting back in her chair she pulled a passable impression of a deflated Pinkie as she leant over to Applejack, and in a very audible whisper asked;

“Babe, how is she doing this, to us of all Ponies?”

Applejack flashed Rainbow an easy smile, “don't ask me sugarcube, ah reckon ‘Miss Ah Ain’t Never Played Before Newbie Princess’,” the farmer made quotation marks as she said the title, “over there is hustlin’ us good an’ proper.” She said with a smirk and a wink to Twilight, whose faint blush spoke volumes. “Ah told you so…” She added in a sing song voice.

Twilight made a show of inspecting her large pile of bits, trying to ignore her blush. “I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about Applejack, no idea at all…besides, I believe that is five rounds to me!” Picking up the pile of bits in the pit and by her side in her lavender bubble of magic Twilight separated them into three equal smaller piles and sent one each to Applejack and Rainbow and kept one for herself. “Had enough for today ladies?”

Applejack and Rainbow both nodded as they put away their bits in their respective purses, Rainbow was still muttering under her breath about being hustled and how unfair it was. After packing away the bits and cards, Applejack put them back under her hat for safe keeping, the three friends took their coffees to the six armchairs surrounding a little table by the large window that overlooked Ponyville. They had all agreed before the view from there was quite stunning, given the castles dominant height over the rural town. Today the view was especially pleasant, given the cloudless sky and beautiful summer sun following the storm from the night before.

Each of the comfy armchairs were decorated with the friend’s respective cutie marks, and as Applejack sat in hers the farmer quickly pulled Rainbow onto her lap, wrapping her arms around her waist, pulling her pegasus marefriend onto a crushing hug as she placed a kiss on the back of her neck, making her wings twitch involuntarily. Rainbow squirmed a little trying to escape to no avail.

“AJ, I thought we agreed no sappy stuff in front of other Ponies?” Rainbow attempted her weak protest, but melted into the embrace anyway.

“Shucks sugar, ain't mah fault ah find you irresistible.” Applejack teased with a grin over Rainbow’s shoulder at Twilight, who herself looked amused at Rainbows half hearted escape attempt. Giving up Dash shrugged turned and wrapped her cyan arms around Applejacks neck, resting her head on her shoulder.

Twilight smiled at the couple, before taking a sip of her coffee and deciding some teasing was in order. “D’aww you two make such a lovely couple, when's the wedding day?”

“Ah can't rightly say, we haven't discussed it much, although I was hoping for a Hearth’s Warming Day wedding, how about you hon?” Applejack said straight faced over Rainbows spluttered “whaaa?” before the pegasus realised a second too late she was being played. Sticking her tongue out at Twilight, who like Applejack erupted in a fit of giggles, she planted a kiss on the sniggering farmers freckled cheek before murmuring “I’d go along with that,” which instantly silenced the giggles.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at her, “really?”

“Yeah, it'd be awesome, just like us!” Rainbow nuzzled her partner, who was sat dumbstruck, her green eyes wide at what she had just heard.

“We’ll…get back to you on that Twi.” Applejack’s blush lit up her freckles as she returned Rainbows nuzzle.

“Okay, you can have it here in the castle if you like, the ballroom is big enough. I'll keep the Hearth’s Warming slot open for you.” Twilight sat back in her own armchair, crossed her legs and finished off her drink. “You know, I'm really glad you two decided to stop by earlier, we don't get enough times like this anymore, just hanging out having a laugh. Reminds me of the old days back in the library. We should do this every Sunday, just the six of us get together for a catch up.”

Applejack nodded as Rainbow cut in, “yeah, it's nice to get together when Equestria isn't being threatened for once,” smiling at her marefriend she added, “touch wood,” she added as she bopped Applejack on the nose.

Applejack stuck out her tongue in response, “you're lucky ah love you sugarcube.”

Twilight Sparkle sat there in silence, enjoying the banter between the couple, thinking how lucky she was to have her friends around her. Thinking of her friends reminded her that Fluttershy should have been round earlier that day to help her with the reshelving of the new Ponyville town library in the castle. She frowned slightly, wondering what could have held up the yellow pegasus, probably something with her animals. Still, while she didn't mind her friend not turning up, it was unlike her not to at least call and let Twilight know something had come up. Maybe she should ring her, just to make sure everything was okay.

"You guys mind if I go call Fluttershy? She was supposed to come over earlier, I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

"Sure thing Twi, we'll be just fine."

“Okay, you kids behave while I'm gone.”

Applejack and Rainbow both gave her an exaggerated eye-roll and a smirk, “yes ‘Mom’ we’ll be good…mostly.”

Twilight answered with a raised eyebrow that she hoped communicated ‘you will in my castle’, before getting up and making her way over to the telephone on the far wall of the castle’s games room, which was mounted next to the dart board that Rainbow insisted they had to have, although painful experience had taught them all to be extra careful when Pinkie Pie played. Applejack still had the holes in her hat from the last time they had played and Pinkie had needed double top for the win. Shuddering at the thought of Pinkie’s dart massacre Twilight picked up the receiver and dialed Fluttershy’s number and waited while the dial tone rang and rang with no answer. Eventually her answering machine kicked in, inviting her to leave a message, which she did.

“Hey Fluttershy it's Twilight. You didn't show up to help with the reshelving earlier, now you aren't answering your phone. I'll nip over later, make sure you're okay. See you in a bit, Twi..."

Hanging up the telephone Twilight frowned as she walked back over to Applejack and Rainbow, who were presently occupied in a tickling war in the armchair, with Applejack looking like she was winning, judging from the squeals of laughter coming from the pegasus. True, Applejack was attacking the base of Dash’s wings, which Twilight knew from her brief experience with her own wings were a particularly ticklish area. Noticing Twilights frown the farmer ceased her assault on her marefriend and nudged Rainbow to do the same, which she did while breathing heavily through halting giggles.

“What's up Twi?” Applejack enquired while bringing her own breathing under control.

“I don't know girls, Fluttershy isn't answering her phone, and she didn’t show up earlier. I think I might nip over to her place and see if she’s alright.” Twilight bit her bottom lip in concern, her thoughts straying to Fluttershy’s well being, hoping she was okay.

“Sure thing Twi, need me and AJ to come with?” Rainbows tone suggested she wanted to do anything of the kind, especially as she was eyeing up the shiny new pool table with a lust that Twilight reserved for her oldest and most priceless books.

“No it's alright, I'll just teleport over, see if she's okay and teleport back, I shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes. You two have fun,’ Twilight corrected herself almost instantly, as she read Rainbows mind, “clean” fun, I meant, Dashie.”

“Spoilsport.” Rainbow sniggered to herself at the thought of the surprise she had left for her timid friend. “Hey Twi, ask Fluttershy if she turned on her TV yet can ya?”

Twilight looked at Rainbow’s laughing face and cogs began to turn in her head, big shiny oiled cogs and gears. She grinned in spite of herself, “you've pranked her, haven't you?”

Rainbow shrugged, putting on her best ‘innocent face’. “Um, maybe?” She offered with a giggle.

Shaking her head, Twilight backed up so there was nothing too near to her, then began to charge up her magic, igniting her horn in a lavender aura as she concentrated precisely on Fluttershy’s cottage, specifically the small stone path that lead to her front door, brought the image to her minds eye and imagined herself occupying that exact spot in space. Channeling her raw power she thought of the words of activation for the spell and the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a narrow pipe overcame the princess as she disappeared from the castle games room with a bright flash of purple light, leaving behind her a slight smell of ozone in the air.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like some rose tea Chrys?” Fluttershy poured herself a cup from her teapot as Chrysalis looked on and shook her head uncertainly. Taking a delicate sip she relished the sweet taste with a smile.

Seeing Fluttershy enjoy the drink Chrysalis picked up her cup and offered it to Fluttershy who gladly filled it for her.

“So, um, Chrys how are you feeling? Remember anything about yourself at all?” Fluttershy asked between sips of her tea.

Chrysalis shook her head sadly, placing her teacup on the table as she started to cry, warm salty tears glistening in her dark green eyes. “I – I’m s – sorry Fluttershy, I j – just can't r – remember anything…” A couple of tears splashed onto the little coffee table, staining the hardwood surface as she tried to hide behind her turquoise hair.

Twilight reappeared on the path outside Fluttershy's cottage in an identical flash of purple light, swaying slightly as she fought against the nausea caused by the teleportation. Gathering herself the princess knocked on the wooden door to announce her presence before opening it and letting herself inside.

She and her close friends had long ago come to an agreement between themselves that they could enter each other's houses. Sometimes Twilight was grateful they were all that close with each other.

“Hey, it's alright sweetie, c’mere.” Fluttershy pulled Chrysalis into a tight hug which almost instantly cheered the Changeling up. Fluttershy gave her a gentle nuzzle, drying her tears with the back of her hand. Fluttershy was so focused on comforting Chrysalis she didn't hear the knock on her front door, nor did she notice when the door was pushed open.

Opening the door of Fluttershy’s cottage Twilight Sparkle suddenly came to regret being that close with her friends, especially with one yellow pegasus.

Twilight’s eyes took in the scene before her, but her brain refused to process the information. She blinked three times, shook her head twice and looked again, but the scene remained unchanged. There was no way this was real.

No way.

No way at all.

No way under Celestia's sun was this real.

But it was. It just, was.

Fluttershy was having tea and hugging with HER. The one pony, no, the one ‘thing’ she hoped to never see again. Chrysalis. The very thought of her name bought a wave of bile to Twilight’s throat, and it was only through a supreme act of willpower the bile was swallowed back down.

The pegasus did notice however the sudden intake of breath and the outburst of incoherent muttering coming from the vicinity of the door. Casting a glance at the now open door Fluttershy froze, her pupils dilating in panic, one word running through her mind.

“Twilight!”