Sweet Apples Under A Night Sky

Chapter Five

As Twilight walked back from the farm, she couldn't help but feel on edge. Anxious about something. Frankly... she was scared.  Scared of what she didn't know, but she felt a strange sense of worry whenever she was around Selene.

"I'll have to send another letter to the princess. I'm sure this 'Selene' has got something to do with Luna's disappearance." she murmured to herself as she reached the library.

She was greeted by Owlowicious as he flapped about her head and hooted joyfully. She stoked his feathers and nuzzled his wing, pleased to see a friendly face. She tilted her head slightly as he motioned over to the desk where a latter was waiting for her.

She hurried over to it and began reading:

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Thank you for the news regarding the newcomer Selene. I have ordered my guards and half the royal army to apprehend the fugitive. I have a strong suspicion she is most certainly connected to my sister's disappearance. If you have any news of where she is, I advise you to report it to the guards immediately. Contact me soon for any new developments.

Princess Celestia

Twilight stood with her mouth agape as she read and re-read the letter over and over again. "Apprehend? Fugitive? Oh Celestia what have I done? I only wanted to tell her about any new arrivals like she said, not attempt to arrest an innocent pony!" she wailed and broke down into sobs.

The owl on his perch turned and watched the purple mare cry her eyes out. What now? he wondered and flapped over to her, landing beside her sobbing head and stroked her mane with a wing.

She looked up and sniffed, eyes red and puffy from crying. "Oh Owlowicious, I think I've done something terrible." she waield and flung her hooves around the stunned owl.

Even if it was for Luna's benefit, who was she to- she began to think as tears threatened to over take her again when all of a sudden...

"Twilight Sparkle." a regal voice commanded from the window.

Twilight shirked in terror and jumped back from her desk and spun around to face the speaker. "P-p-princess Celestia!" she stammered and dropped to her knees and grovelled.

Celestia rolled her eyes at her student's behaviour. She forced a smile out and touched the young mare's shoulder. "Shhh. You know you don't have to grovel around me, come. Tell me what's been troubling you." she brought Twilight's chin up and wiped her tears away like a mother would.

Twilight sniffed and stood up shakily. "I um... about Selene..."

"She's Luna in disguise." Celestia said bluntly.

Twilight's jaw dropped. "Huh?"

"She used an ancient disguise spell after we had an... argument." the princess winced. "She has been missing since Tuesday, I found the scroll in her bedroom the night she disappeared. I assume you read my letter?"

Twilight shrunk back and felt two inches tall. "B-b-but you c-called her a fugitive! A wanted pony! Why?" she asked, feeling braver at defending the now unmasked princess of the night.

Celestia stomped a hoof. "It is because she acted against my orders. That spell was in the restricted section of the library for a reason. If she's not turned back to normal by the next full moon, she will stay a permanent pegasus, no longer my little sister, whom I love with all my heart, but instead the imposter 'Selene', whom I have no connection to whatsoever." she aid bitterly and lowered her voice. "I am truly sorry for using you Twilight, but it is of utmost importance. Do you know where she is?"

"The next full moon is the third of July, that's a three weeks away." Twilight murmured and drew out a star chart, ignoring the princesses question and mumbled something inaudible to herself as she poured her eyes over the moon cycles and other various night-based activities.

Celestia took her student by the shoulder and made her face the large alicorn. "Have. You. Seen. Her?" she asked slowly, her patience growing thin.

Twilight suddenly felt extremely cold at her mentor's stern voice and gaze that could turn Discord to stone all over again. She shook her head. Yes you have, why are you lying? a small voice questioned her.

She shook her head again. "No, I don't know where she's staying. I'll have a look around tomorrow, but if she sees the royal guards patrolling the streets, she may move further away from Canterlot."

Celestia released her and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Twilight, but I care so much about her that I'll do anything it takes to get her back. I'm sorry if I hurt you or scared you." she nuzzled her student in a motherly way.

"It's alright princess." Twilight mumbled and patted the alicorn on the back awkwardly. "If I do see anything, I'll send you a letter. Spike should be coming back soon." she smiled weakly.

"Alright, but only if you really want to." You'd better.

Twilight nodded again and said nothing.

Celestia nodded curtly, "Now I must return to Canterlot. Tell Spike I said hello." and she trotted out the door and climbed into her luxurious carriage, taking off for the capital.

Twilight Sparkle sat in her room and thought about everything. "Why did I lie?" she murmured to Owlowicious.

The owl tilted his head and hooted in questioning tone.

"Why? Why lie to the princess - the one pony I feel i could tell everything to, barring Shining Armour of course." she facehoofed as she remembered her brother and their departure since he'd seen her last. "Ohh I'm such an idiot. I'll have to apologise to him too next time..." she trailed off as an overwhelming sadness took her. "Ohhh when's next time?" he muttered and her tail drooped to the floor.

She dragged herself up to her bedroom and threw herself on the bed. She closed her eyes and quickly dropped into the sweet embrace of a deep sleep.

***

As Celestia rode back to Canterlot, she couldn't help but feel as if Twilight was keeping something from her. "Twilight wouldn't do such a thing though." she reasoned to herself. "So why do I feel like this? Maybe it's because this whole Luna situation has got me on edge?" she muttered as her two pegasi chariot pullers sped towards the castle.

She nodded to them as they saluted as some servants unharnessed them.

The princess trotted up to her room and collapsed onto her bed. She groaned as she remembered about getting up in a few hours to raise the sun and lower the moon.

She sat up when she realized she wasn't going to sleep this night. Sick with sorry and patience wearing thin, she wandered outside her room and up to her sister's room, where she looked around sadly and grazed a hoof on her sisters manticore skin rug. As hideous as it was, Celestia couldn't help but feel safe when standing on it, as if her sister was right there with her.

She smiled a genuine smile since Luna had disappeared and turned and left the room, retreating to her office and started reading Twilight's friendship reports. As annoyed and irritated by the nobles she got, the old alicorn always felt good when reading the reports.

A golden glow consumed the nearest one and unfurled it as she began to read:

Dear Princess Celestia...

***

Blueblood sat in his room and brooded over the information Brandling had given him, working on his mad schemes for revenge against his aunts and that foalish, selfish, and rather brutish mare Rarity, who humiliated him at the last Gala.

He turned his head as he heard a knock at the door.

"Enter." he commanded coldly.

"Um... p-prince B-B-Blueblood?" one of the servants stammered, a young, beautiful mare with a name he had long forgotten. "Um... I was w-wondering... c-c-an I g-g-go home n-now?" she asked hopefully.

Blueblood stood up and walked over to her. He reached out and stroked her mane with a glint in his eye. "First, I think it's time for your... treatment." he grinned and sniffed her hair.

She cringed and stood up straight, awaiting what comes next.

"Good girl." he whispered in her ear.

She cringed again and winced as he rang his tongue along her neck. She hated this. She hated him, but she knew that if it wasn't for him, she would have been roped into her family's politics. She was technically a noble, yet she lived in servant's conditions and... his 'conditions' in exchange for him keeping her away from her family and the nasty business of inter-house politics.

After he finished toying with her he moved down her body, ignoring her whimpers and light flow of tears as he reached her cutie mark. He smiled as she quivered under his touch and he gently grazed his teeth along her flank. "What's your name?" he asked as he began fondling her flanks.

"Corellia." she murmured and sniffed.

"Well, Corellia. What's my name?" Blueblood asked and kissed her neck after he had finished with her behind.

"Blueblood." Corellia replied and reeled as he struck her across her face.

"What, Blueblood?" he growled.

"Pr-prince-" he struck her again. "Master!" she cried and began crying from fear and pain.

Blueblood's expression softened and he felt a tingling in his groin at her pain. "Good girl." he murmured again and grabbed her muzzle, forcing her face into his as he rang his tongue along her face.

Corellia gave another whimper as his tongue ran along her teeth.

"Let me in, little piggy." he hissed.

Corellia closed her eyes and opened her mouth, allowing Blueblood's slimy tongue to invade her mouth. This is better than what's coming next. she reminded herself as tears streamed down her face.

Blueblood withdrew his tongue and licked his lips, then he moved around behind her and planted his hooves on her back.

Corellia started shaking with fear and waited for what comes next.

Blueblood took a deep breath and smelt her fear, licking his lips as he thrust forwards.

She gave a loud scream and felt her legs buckle from his weight, and passed out as he got to work.

***

Corellia held her tail between her legs and shuffled to her small home after Blueblood had finally let her go. She despised him even more than her abusive father, who had killed her mother and made her terrified of him.

She remembered the day she ran away as if it was etched onto the back of her hoof...

"You're a waste of space, Corellia!" her father, Duke Admantium, roared in her face. "What sort of unicorn are you if you can't do the simplest of spells?! Let alone want nothing to do with our family's affairs!"

Corellia whimpered at her father's wrath as a mare rushed over to her and protected her. "Leave her alone, Addy!" her mother, the Duchess Spring Mist shouted back.

Admantium's rage boiled over as he struck his wife across the face, sending her sprawling across the floor. "Do not talk to me, wench! Nor do you call me 'Addy'!" he roared at the crying duchess as she staggered to her feet and held a hoof to her nose, drawing away a strain of blood.

All the while, little Corellia cried at her father's anger and tried to run over to her mother, "Mama!" she shouted.

"Run, Corry!" her mother screamed and her father glared at her.

Corellia stopped mid-run and stared as her father moved towards her, jaw clenching and unclenching.

"Corellia. You disobey your father... you know what'll happen." he warned.

He was almost upon her, the young filly frozen with terror, when her mother charged him and knocked him over. "Corry. Listen to me, run. Just run and leave all this behind." she told her sternly.

"But mama!" Corellia cried as tears filed her eyes, understanding what her mother had said.

"Just go. I love you. Now run." Spring Mist whispered and kissed her daughter and turned back to face the raging duke.

Corellia took off and hard a scream from behind her. She didn't stop until she reached the edge of the estate, and even then, she still heard her mother's scream in her skull. She wandered for a while through Canterlot, living off the streets and finding whatever she could to survive.

Eventually, she had been scavenging out of a dust bin when she heard a noise and spun around. There stood a rather old, wheezing pegasus as he smiled sadly at her.

She gave a small 'Eep' and tried to run away. The pegasus was faster than he looked though, and soon caught up to her and held her back, just as a carriage that would have crushed the little filly rumbled out from the darkness.

The old pegasus's face took on a surprised one as she hugged him and wept into his long, silver mane. "Shhh." he cooed and patted her on the back. "Why don't we go inside my dear?"

She nodded as he guided her back to the small house. He smiled as he introduced himself, "My name is Gepetto. What's your name?"

"Corellia." she mumbled and looked around the room, she started back when she noticed the many toys and dolls lined on the walls.

Gepetto chuckled as he saw her gazing around the room. "They're wonderful aren't they? My own little family." he smiled sadly.

Corellia jumped up and began inspecting all of them. "They all look so lifelike." she murmured and turned back to the old pegasus, smiling while she did it. "Did you make all these?"

"Yes." Gepetto nodded, "I'm a toymaker. This is what I do for a living." she smiled as she looked around in awe.

"They all look amazing." she murmured.

"Now, why was a lovely young filly such as yourself scavenging in the bins outside?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I um..." she gulped and told him her story. Of her horrible father and how she ran away a few days ago.

"A few days?" Gepetto asked incredulously. "And you've been scavenging out of other ponies garbage since?"

Corellia nodded guiltily.

"Well we can't have that. Wait here and I'll get some real food for you." the kind old pegasus said as he stood up and trotted over to the kitchen, ignoring her protests of 'he didn't have to' and 'I'm not really hungry'.

Soon he came back in with a tray of delicious looking food. "Tuck in, my dear." he said.

Corellia looked into his warm eyes and did as he said.

Since then, she had lived with him, helping make the toys and cook some food now and then.

He was the father she had always wanted, he never raised his voice, even when she had accidentally spilled a mug of coffee and ruined the sketch he had drawn for the latest toy.

"I'm so sorry Mr Gepetto." she cried before he had lifted up a hoof. She winced and awaited the blow but he merely took the broken shards of the mug from her and swiped them into the bin.

"Think nothing of it my dear, these things happen." he chuckled and ruffled her mane.

Corellia stood, stunned at his gesture. "B-b-but your design! It's ruined!"

"P'shaw. Drawings can be re-drawn, that's the beauty of the mind, child: anything is possible as long as you have imagination... and breadcrumbs in your hair." he laughed as he looked more closely at her mane.

Corellia blushed and tried to brush them out...

She smiled at the memories of her time with him. Sadly he had died a few years after she had gotten the job at Blueblood's. She mourned his passing for years, wishing she had been with him when he died a frail and old pony, near blind and slightly deaf.

Corellia reached the old home where she had lived most of her life and pushed the door open, smiling at all the toys still lined on the walls. "Hello everypony." she murmured to them as she sank into her chair and wept. Wept for her mother, her kindly Gepetto, and all the times Blueblood had taken advantage of her.

She got up when she felt dirty and went to take a bath, scrubbing the places he had touched her with increased vigour. She winced as she lifted up her tail and gently scrubbed that sensitive area, never feeling entirely clean since he had taken her... pride from her. One week after she had taken the job.

She sighed miserably as she trotted back into the chair in the living room and watched the fire place, it's flames mocking her and laughing at her. "Blueblood's whore!" they taunted and she curled up into a fetal position and dozed off, trying to forget about the prince and his ways.

***

Blueblood smiled as he finished with Corellia. "Normally I wouldn't please myself with such common rabble, but she claims she used to be a noble." he sneered with glee and trotted to his office room. "And after some digging up I found that her story matches that of the good Duke Admantium, who is still in mourning after all these years after his wife died and his daughter -the murderer- ran away... although myself and the duke have taken certain 'liberties' with changing the story slightly." he giggled and stroked a large bag of money the duke had sent him to keep his daughter away from him.

So good for business. he thought with a sly smile. Money and a beautiful little slave. he giggled again as he remembered her soft skin. "So easily broken." he whispered, eyes lighting up again and he felt himself getting hard just thinking about her.

He shook his head and turned to the real matter at hoof, before being interrupted, thought not disappointed, by Corellia: deposing the twin sisters. He didn't care much for the throne himself, he just wished to see his 'beloved-by-all aunts' cower in front of him, begging for their lives.

What happened next, he simple couldn't give a buck about. "Perhaps Discord will be set free." he murmured. "Now there's an idea: Prince Blueblood, Deposer Of Celestia And Freer Of Chaos." he grinned at his self-proclaimed title as he began writing the letters to the other nobles as ambitious as he: detailing his plan.

Shortly after he'd hired a courier to deliver the letters, he received one back:

We accept your plan. we await your word and further details.

- House Carim

"Excellent, the house with the strongest forces at my side already. Delightful." Blueblood chuckled with added glee as he began writing more letters to the different houses he knew resented the regal sisters.

***

Luna tossed and turned in her sleep. Her dreams tormented by visions of her friends and sister. "Go home. Nopony likes you here." Twilight sneered as she kissed Big Mac.

"No." Luna murmured, both in her dream and in reality.

"Luna. Come home this instant. I need you to clean the diapers of a thousand baby foals." Celestia commanded.

"No!" Luna cried, a bit more loudly.

"Luna. Why did you lie to me? Why did you lie to us?" Big Mac and Applejack asked.

"I didn't mean to!" Luna cried, tears filling her eyes.

"Liar, liar, mane's on fire." Twilight giggled and danced around Big Mac, kissing and licking him with glee.

"Please just leave me alone!" Luna begged the spectral ponies. Twilight stuck her long, dragon-like tongue out in response and wrapped it around Big Mac's head, drawing him in close.

"Luna, your horn is broken. I hear-by cast you out of Equestria. Live as the foolish pegasus you are." Celestia said coldly as Luna's horn shattered with mind numbing intensity.

"No, please... Celestia... no... no! NO!" Luna screamed and woke herself up.

Evidently she woke some other ponies up as a loud rumble could be heard outside her door as it burst open. "Selly! What's up?" Applejack asked, wild eyed and night-cap askew. "What happened?"

Luna mumbled something inaudibly.

"Come again?" Applejack asked as Applebloom yawned next to her.

"What's all the ruckus?" she asked as she yawned.

"Nothing. Just a bad dream." Luna muttered and wiped a few tears away from her cheeks.

"Applebloom. Leave, go downstairs and wake Big Mac for the mornin'." Applejack commanded.

Applebloom nodded and trotted downstairs, still rubbing her eyes.

Applejack turned to Luna with a serious look in her eyes. "You alright sugarcube?" she asked cautiously.

Luna nodded her head stiffly. "Fine."

"You sure? Work starts in an hour or so." AJ nudged her friend. "An' ah'm here if you need a shoulder."

Luna sniffed and smiled "Thank you for the offer Applejack, but I'm fine, really."

Applejack patted her on the back, "Well if you're sure. C'mon then, let's get some breakfast before Mac eats it all." she chuckled.

Luna smiled and hopped out the bed, stretching her wings and wincing at the morning sun.

"By the way. What was your dream about? Ah thought ah heard Celestia's name is all." AJ asked.

Luna froze. "Um... I don't know - I mean... I'm not sure..." she mumbled.

Applejack nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, take yer time. When you decide to tell me ah'll be here for you." she smiled ad led Luna downstairs and to the living room, where Big Mac had rolled off the sofa and was face first in a bowl of leftover soup.

"Look at that." Applejack tutted and shook her head. "Get up ya big oaf!" she laughed and nudged him awake.

"Ugh." Mac grunted as he sat up and tipped an imaginary hat to Luna. "Sleep well?" he asked politely to the three females around him: Applebloom sitting on the sofa enjoying some oatmeal, Applejack grinning at him and Luna smiling with a smile of a goddess at him.

"Not really, bad dreams." Luna replied, "The bed was lovely though." she smiled and Mac nodded.

"Eeyup. It sure is isn't it?" he felt his ears turning warm again. "How ah suppose ah can get that thing ah was lookin' fer last night, now yer awake and all." he mumbled and shuffled upstairs, suddenly feeling his morning wood gently graze against his inner thigh. He hurried upstairs as quick as possible and entered his room. He reached under the pillow and smiled as he found the thing he was looking for. He frowned however, when he felt something else.

He drew his hoof out and his eyes widened as he saw the magazine. "Oh no." he mumbled as he stuffed Smart Pants in the closet and threw the magazine underneath the cupboard too. "Oh she must have seen it. Oh what am ah goin' ta do now?" he muttered and trotted on the spot nervously.

"Ahem. Big Mac?" a heavenly voice said behind him, making him jump a bit. he spun around and faced Luna.

"Eeyup?" he replied, his inner body freezing.

"I um... just wanted to thank you again for the room." she murmured and pawed at the ground shyly.

So adorable. Mac thought. "No problem, Selly. Tell me by any chance did you-"

She cut him off with a quick kiss on the lips.

She pulled away almost immediately and blushed furiously. "I'm s-sorry. I-I-I-I don't know w-why I d-d-did that." she mumbled and turned to leave, breaking into a canter as she hurried downstairs and outside.

Big Mac frowned and touched his lips. Dis she just... his eyes widened. She did! his voice screamed at him from the inside. What are you doing, you big fool? Go after her before you lose her! the voice commanded.

He couldn't move. His joints were frozen in place as he longed for that moment to replay itself, but he knew it wouldn't. He slowly moved and winced as his bones cracked a bit after standing so long so tensely, and picked up the pace as he trotted downstairs and out the door, the sun shining down on him.

"Hey, BM!" a familiar voice called out. he turned and saw Caramel walking towards him. "Geez, what happened to you buddy? You look like you've just been kissed by Princess Luna." he joked and prodded his friend.

Big Mac froze up again. That's why her eyes looked familiar. He felt sick as his legs buckled again. "Did you see Selene pass by here?" he asked.

"Sure, she ran off that way." Caramel pointed to the orchard. "What did you do?" he grinned and nudged Mac.

"No time. Ah gotta go see her, go help AJ with those cider barrels." Big Mac told him and galloped off.

Caramel stood, terribly confused. "Alright, whatever." he muttered and trotted over to where Applejack was, giving her a small pat on the flank with his tail.

She spun around and socked him in the jaw. "Ah told you. Don't sneak up on ponies like that!" she said, rather ticked off and helped him to his feet.

"Sorry, AJ." Caramel mumbled and rubbed his jaw.

Applejack's eyes softened. "What happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it. Bedroom stuff." he muttered and got to work.

Applejack's eyes rolled back in surprise. "Caramel? Bedroom trouble? Oh Celestia, is this the end of Equestria as we know it?"  she giggled.

"Oh shut up." Caramel grumbled, trying to hide a grin of his own. "Help me move this thing."

"Sure." Applejack smirked and smacked her own tail on his flank, making him bolt upright. "Oh get that thought out yer head, ah'm just gettin' revenge." she said and rolled her eyes again.

Caramel just smirked as they lifted the barrels from their resting place and rolled them to the storage cellar.

***

Big Mac bounded through the apple trees, looking for that gorgeous, dark blue pegasus.

He stopped when he heard a sniffle, just barely audible. "Selly?" he called out.

The sniffle increased in volume as he rounded another tree and saw her huddled up against it.

"Selly." he said, and relaxed a bit, having feared she'd ran off for good.

"Why are you here?" she asked and sniffed again.

"Ah was worried about you. And ah wanted to talk to you." he said and hunkered down next to her.

"Why?" Selene sniffed again.

"Because your eyes. They looked so familiar and ah couldn't place them where from. But thanks to Caramel an' a certain magazine ah own... ah recognized you." he smiled and looked in her eyes, she looking into his.

She sniffed again and curled away from him, "H-h-how do you know who I am?"

Mach shushed her by placing a hoof on her lips. "Trust me. Ah know. Princess Luna." he murmured quietly.

Luna frzoe and she locked her eyes with his. He knows. How does he know? "...How?" she whispered.

Mac scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "Ah um... had a magazine..." he trailed off as Luna smirked and blushed again.

"I know. I saw it." she murmured and stretched her body out, the same way she had done those many years ago, although not as raunchy.

Big Mac ran his eyes along her body and grinned. "Eeyup. That's the one."

Luna blushed again and sat back down next to him.

They looked into each other's eyes.

"Big Mac..." Luna murmured.

"Eeyup." Big Mac murmured back and leaned in a bit more closely, so close their noses were almost touching.

"I..."

Big Mac didn't need another hint. He pressed forwards, letting his lips touch hers.

Her eyes widened in surprise and then closed slowly, kissing him back.

They shared that kiss for a good solid four minutes. The best four minutes of either of their lives. They finally broke away, leaving only a small strand of saliva connecting them.

"Ah want you, Luna." Big Mac said quietly. "Ever since ah saw you in that magazine when ah was younger, ah couldn't stop thinkin' of you." he mumbled.

Luna frowned and grinned. "Very romantic: you saw me in a dirty mag." she laughed and kissed him again.

He eagerly kissed back and chuckled nervously.

She pulled away. "What?" she asked.

"Ah've uh... never..." he mumbled shyly.

Luna's face spread into a great big grin as she nuzzled him. "I'll show you." she whispered into his ear and nibbled the end of it gently.

"First." he pulled away and laughed softly. "Explain why you're a pegasus an' not an alicorn."

Luna sighed and leaned back. "Fine. I'll tell you."

Big Mac nodded approvingly and leaned back with her.

"It's because Celestia..." Luna began to tell him why. He listened with a stern gaze on his face and nodded at times when it was necessary.

Little did they know they were being watched by jealous eyes.