A Revolution [ In Love ]

--- Act four ---

--- Chapter Seventeen - Sleep in, Wake up ---

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Luna and Celestia's affair was kept under lock and key, whilst Applejack and Dash tried to do the same, but their discreetness was not quite so commendable in public. The entire settlement of Canterlot was gossiping abot it everywhere. There wasn't anything to show for it, but no matter how different or bad a thing is, ponies will try it.

A revolution was in motion.

Not a rebellion, not an out-lash, a revolution in how love happens.

Break-ups popped up all over Canterlot, and some of the gossip reached Colt Springs, and word was that they were experimenting as well.

So far morale was higher than it had ever been in the past ten years in general, but some secret meetings were already being held for those with, or against same-gender relationships.

All this, a spy planted in the newspaper offices told them. Against Celestia's decision, her royal counsel decided to screen all outgoing information before it was mass produced, rejecting anything having to do with the same-gender relationships.

While many were annoyed by the lack of public recognition, most disregarded it, and continued with curiosity.

Soon it was hard to go anywhere and not see a daring couple of mares following Applejack and Dash's example. It was most popular at some of the night clubs, which were illegal, but Celestia always had voted in their favor, and threw out any requests to shut them down. Ponies had to have fun.

The DJ, Vinyl Scratch, and a renowned cello player, Octavia, were the second most famous pair, and Mare Monthly had been able to sneak an article of them past the screening, with some bribing. They remixer classical beats to impossible measures, everypony loved the couple, and thus the idea spread.

Applejack and Dash had not left the castle in a long time, once they stayed in their room for two consecutive days. Nopony intruded on them, for that would defeat the purpose of studying them, which Luna and Celestia took to doing any nights they were free of royal duty, which they normally were.

One thing they determined, was that their imagination was endless. Every night was something new to do, sexual or not. Pretend play, incorporating rules and challenges, even lighter forms of torture. Luna had to explain that last one wasn't actually torture, for Celestia was ready to break through the reinforced glass every time one of them yelped.

Today, Luna was on watch of the two, while Celestia finished working on her draftings.

Though it was the dead of night, she had finished early, and was walking to the secret door to the passage room.

" I wonder if she is still here... "

Turning into the library, she headed for the history section, and precisely three shelves down on the first case beside the wall, fourth book from the left, there was a book labeled ' Family History'

It's contents were that of Royalty's relatives and descendants, cousins, brothers, parents and all. Twilight was even there, on page nine. It pained Celestia all this time, to know of her true ancestry, and say nothing.

But that was another matter entirely. For now, her full attention was either to be devoted to royal affairs, or the study of behavior demonstrated by the two... Subjects currently in the room.

She enveloped the book in an aura, pulling it outwards. This allowed the lock keeping the section of the wall in place to retract. Celestia pushed the wall, spinning it on it's axel, following it on the full 180 degree turn. The wall was similar on both sides, with only the family tree book being replaced, so no pony could spot the difference unless they had located that particular book.

Luna was indeed in the room, and she lay sleeping in the corner of the room, her body slowly rising and falling in rhythm with her breath.

It was nice, to be able to watch over her again. It was something she had stripped himself of, being protective of some pony close. She had sent Twilight away for her own well-being, and she was forced to banish her own sister shortly after their parents death.

She had been forgiven, but tension had still lain between them, an air of uncertainty. The night before had resolved this boundary, and crossed so many others...

Looking into the room, she saw why Luna was sleeping, a movie was playing against the wall opposite of the bed, and under the observation room. Celestia could not see it directly, but the reflection from the mirror overhead the bed suggested a ranch and cattle, possibly a western.

Celestia sat herself to watch, and soon saw from a shift in their position that they were not asleep, just laying still. No, the cyan one was asleep, the orange one was still awake, and seemed enveloped in the picture film.

The film itself was two hours, and had elapsed an hour already, leaving Celestia to drift off next to Luna, and the guards scrambling to find them.

--

Dash cracked open an eye, that familiar ray of light glinting in her eye. To her back, Applejack snored loudly; In front, an open window let a gentle breeze flow.

A projector in the corner of the room was left spinning, the movie long since over. Wether or not Applejack had watched the entire thing, she would have to ask when she woke up.

Quite literally rolling out of bed, Dash fell to the floor, at the last minute deciding she wanted to sleep more, bringing one of the many blankets with her.

Sprawled out beside the bed, she decided it was time to wake up reguardless. ' On 3... ' She thought.

' One... '

' Two... '

' Three... Buck. Ah, whatever. '

She rolled over again, getting to her feet, or more respectably, hooves. A bit more wobbly than most mornings, but there had been sarsaparilla. Damn that nectar. So sweet a taste, so alluring, and yet, it bucks you over the next day.

She gazed across the room. To her right was a window, her left a bed. Beyond that a nightstand, and further down the wall, the door.

Opposite of her was a large screen made of sheets they had developed in haste the night previously, and called for the projector, and the film reel. It had indeed been a long night.

Pillows and their cases lay in disarray around the room's floor. one directly in the center of the table, pushing all the gems to the side. She knew that the Guards also doubled as maids, something she laughed at quite often, but it didn't sit over well with her to make them clean it.

She dragged the Pillowcase from the table, locating a pillow, and shoved it in, tossing it back on the bed. It hit a sleeping mare square in the left side of her head, but only uttered a low groan of protest, turning to her other side, grasping the blanket covering her, to sleep more.

The process repeated several times over the few minutes it took Dash to at least tidy the room to a decent level. She pulled up the blanket she had pulled down on her impromptu wake-up call, and tossed over Applejack.

She shifted around for a moment, as if debating to react. It was nearly funny when she popped up from beneath the sheets yelling "Galdern'it, Rainbow, ah'm tryin' ta sleep 'ere!"

"Sorry..." She said quietly, it was hard to hide the grin.

Applejack, a bit more dignantly, rolled over the side of the bed, landing on all fours. Her hat was on the nightstand beside her, and she placed it between her ears, without bothering to put her mane up.

This is when Dash recognized her own state of disarray. She looked in a mirror at herself, and found the colors of her mane and tail intertwined, making the illusion of dull, nearly grey, blotches in some areas.

Applejack didn't look very radiant in comparison, the same features apparent across her features, albeit the grey blotches.

They re-acquainted quickly to being awake, the wooing effects of the sarsaparilla making themselves known as they stumbled to pick up small parcels of anything they may have left lying around.

It was nearly mid-day, and neither had eaten in nearly a day. Resolving to remedy this, they drew up plans to attend lunch relatively late, seeing as it had probably already started.

"Reckon' it's been bad manners? Y'know, never goin' ta' the dinin' hall when they're servin' up everythin'? " Applejack suddenly questioned.

Dash pondered the thought a moment, and replied, " Meh, whatever. I doubt anyone really pays attention to schedules or anything anyway. "

Applejack shook her head, that was Dash all right.

Shaking her head fondly, she made her way out of the room without another word, giving a wink as the door shut behind her.

And so Dash was alone, thinking of food. ' Food sounds pretty good right about now. ' She thought. ' Wonder what they're serving... Why didn't I just go with AJ? ' She wondered.

Letting her stomach lead the way, she left the room, in seek of the Dining Hall.

--

End Chapter 17

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Side-Notes

Okay then, it's relatively obvious that this series has evolved quite a lot farther than the first few chapters, and it is expanding.

It was suggested, wisely, that I split the series, branching off into other subjects. I will not be doing so.

• Foxvolt