Revenge is Family Business

Applejack stood next to Fluttershy and Twilight, examining a squirrel laying on the ground. The yellow pegasus was gently patting the head of the suffering critter. As a series of new cramps shook the small body, she slightly whimpered and looked up to her friends. “Are you sure you can’t do anything?”

Applejack took off her Stetson and sighed. “I’m sorry Fluttershy, but I have no idea what he might have eaten to get himself belly aches like that.”

Twilight sat down next to Fluttershy and slightly nuzzled her friend. “It hate to say it, but even magic has it’s limits. I can’t do anything but lessen his pain.”

A few strands of her pink mane fell over Fluttershy’s face and muffled her sobs. “But … But, why can’t we just … just heal him with one of your spells? Or maybe one of Zecora's potions?”

Twilight looked down at her hooves. “As I said, even magic has it’s limits. If I don’t know what caused the condition, I can’t come up with a spell to cure him, nopony could do that. It’s like trying to walk through the Everfree Forest with your eyes shut.I It would come down to pure luck. And every failed attempt will probably do even more harm.”

Suddenly the squirrel in Fluttershy’s hooves started to tremble and small but heart-wrenching coughs rang out from the small creature. All three ponies looked down at the suffering critter, with tears welling up in their eyes.

A few moments later the coughing stopped and everything was over. Fluttershy broke down and hugged her little friend tightly, while Twilight wrapped her forelegs around her. Applejack just closed her eyes and mumbled an unintelligible curse.

It took almost half an hour for Fluttershy to calm down and let go of her little friend. Twilight suggested to walk her home, while Applejack would bury the deceased woodland creature under one of her trees.

Big Macintosh and Princess Luna always had to keep a low profile when they went on a date. For the princess it was not too big of a deal, she was able to alter her form according to her will and could therefore disguise herself pretty well. Most of the days, she just choose to appear as a dark blue unicorn with a shooting star for a cutie mark. She preferred her disguises to be rather small, like that she could actually enjoy to look up towards her companion. Normally she was taller than even Big Mac, but in her shapeshifted form she could cuddle into his chest and feel protected, like any normal mare.

Macintosh however was not that easy to disguise, which led to the two of them meeting at locations far away from Ponyville, where nopony would recognize the bulky red stallion. It would have caused quite the uprising if the somepony would have gotten wind of the fact that one of the princesses was dating an ordinary farm stallion.

The day everything was set in motion, they just went to a cafe, chatting about whatever came to mind and just enjoyed each others company. Big Mac told Luna about the orchard, which fields were ready to get harvested and which chores he had done. The princess of the night however, talked about what beautiful dreams she had visited. Although she always made sure to make them sound like her own dreams or stories she read. The fact, that she always had to be on guard not to blow her cover was kind of taxing, but she thought it was worth it.

When the sun started to set, Luna sighed and looked at Big Mac. “It appears that I have to return soon. My duties are calling, obviously.”

Mac chuckled slightly and looked at the setting sun. “We all have things we need to do.”

He turned his massive head slowly and smiled at Luna. “But I know you enjoy it, Lulu.”

She stood up and nodded with a cute smile. “But I would like to share more time with you, too.”

A vigorous blush turned her cheeks even darker than her coat was on its own and she coughed suspiciously. “We could go to my place and share some more time. Maybe have a cup of coffee? Or watch the night sky together?”

It took a few Moments until Mac realized what Luna was implying. When it finally sunk in, his cheeks tried their best to turn even redder than they already were.

His eyes darted around and he started to hyperventilate “I … ahm … I would … but ... chores … Applejack.”

Luna cocked her head and stared at him with an expression that showed equal shares of sadness and confusion. Mac took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before he looked at the disguised princess. “Sorry, you just caught me off-guard. I would love to share some more time with you, but tonight is too short notice. Applejack would rip my head off if I would be missing at dawn. I will tell her that I will be out for tomorrow night and then we have the whole night for us, just you and me.”

Luna smiled and nodded slightly. “I think that would be wonderful. Let us meet at the Canterlot station tomorrow, after sunset.”

Big mac nodded and gave his, secretly royal, marefriend a kiss that carried the promise of tomorrow night being the best night ever.