Author's Note

Chapter complete.

A bit of mature stuff here but I tried to skim over it to keep the rating.

Chapter 13

“Just one more week and it will be Hearth's Warming Eve and then Hearth's Warming Day!!” Pinkie Pie yelled out in excitement as she bounced along.

“You wouldn't know it around these parts, it still feels like summer here,” Applejack said, removing her hat and used it to fan herself.

Twilight horn glowed as a large machete whipped back and forth chopping long green vines and thorn bushes blocking the road.

“I asked the weather control and they said that winter was canceled by the princess,” Rainbow Dash said flying slowly above them.

“That’s terrible, why would somepony do that?” Fluttershy said, ducking under a large branch.

Rarity followed them from the rear, but didn’t comment, her mind was elsewhere.

“Her name is Peaches Melody,” Twilight said, still busy cutting foliage. “Princess Celestia wants us to check up on her since she has not been answering her letters,” She said looking back at her friends.

“Does she live in the middle of a forest?” Applejack asked climbing over branches.

“I heard that the village is very similar to Ponyville,” Twilight answered and wiped some sweat off of her forehead.

Pinkie noticed that vines Twilight cut were starting to grow back rapidly. Suddenly Fluttershy felt a vine wrapping around her left rear leg.

“Help, something’s got me!” Fluttershy yelled, trying to walk forward, but her rear leg was tied up.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled, looking back.

The purple glowing machete flew to Fluttershy and landed with a chop cutting the vine wrapped around the leg freeing her.

“Thank you,” She said and started flapping her wings deciding that staying off the ground might be safer.

“Twilight you might want to check up on Rarity,” Rainbow said with a smirk pointing.

They gasped noticing that Rarity was completely covered in vines. She looked like a garden sculpture in the shape of a pony.

“Hang on I’ll get you out of there,” Twilight said quickly running to her.

“Muff…” Rarity tried to speak, but she was muzzled by the vines.

“Richard, I know you're in there, please answer the door!” Matthew said pounding on the front door.

The door opened and Richard squinted in the daylight. He was unshaven, his hair was a mess and he was still dressed in his PJ’s.

“Matthew,” Richard said, sounding tired.

“I heard what happened from Michael,” He said and walked inside.

“For a secret service agent, he is sure lousy at keeping secrets,” Richard grumbled and sat back down in a recliner.

Matthew noticed a bottle of booze that was open and empty glass on the coffee table.

“This is just like the time when Ann left you,” Matthew said and removed his boots.

“Ann was a bitch who was having an affair behind my back,” Richard said pointing at him.

“Alright then this is not the same,” He said and sat down on the couch.

“Matthew, she was not human, but still I feel in love, what the hell is wrong with me!” Richard yelled out.

“She’s not an animal Richard, but this is still a big stretch for me, trying to look past the hooves and tail,” He said rolling his eyes.

“So it’s fine that I hugged and kissed her?” Richard asked.

"A magic talking unicorn from another world, who am I to judge what is right in this situation," Matthew said looking at him.

“Well she’s gone now and I’m back to being a bachelor,” Richard grabbed the bottle raising it in the air.

“What would have you done if she stayed?” Matthew asked him.

“Well I think, I would have have dated her some more and then asked her to marry me,” Richard answer and then drank directly from the bottle.

“Are you serious or is that the booze talking? Matthew said standing up.

“Both,” He said with a burp.

There was not much left of the original stone and wood walls. The castle was covered full of thorny vines and large bushes inside and out.

“Peaches you have to stop this!” Rarity yelled out at the peach colored alicorn.

“Leave me alone!” She yelled back as the vines starting wrapping around her like a cocoon.

Timberwolves and pony eating flowers snapped at them keeping the elements of harmony away.

“Her magic is reacting to her feelings, we have to save her,” Twilight yelled out.

“I thought you understood how I felt,” Peaches said looking down at Rarity as the vines lifted her off the ground.

“I do understand what it is to love and then to lose it,” Rarity voice spoke.

“You had a choice, I didn’t,” Peaches said as more of her body seemed to be enveloped in the vines. “Once I was the happiest pony in Equisetum, then on my wedding day my beloved left me at the altar from another mare. She was my best friend! How could she do that to me?” She screamed out.

Suddenly there was a rainbow streak that zipped past cutting the vine away from Rarity. She fell to the floor but was caught by Fluttershy just in time. Vines closed up completely and Peach disappeared inside the plant. The timberwolves were grabbed by the vines and their bodies joined the mass of roots that was spouting out from the green cocoon.

“I tried talking to her but she doesn’t want to listen,” Rarity said stepping back.

“Time to knock some sense into this pony,” Applejack said pounding her front hooves together.

“Leave it to me! I am mean green weeding machine!” Rainbow called out and grabbed the machete off the ground and flew into the air at high speeds.

“Go Rainbow, show that plant, whose boss!” They cheered out.

Rainbow streaks zipped by at high speed cutting away at the vines. Vines, branches, and flowers starting falling down into the floor as they were chopped away by her. Within a minute the castle walls starting to look more normal. A bundle of vines wrapped up in the shape of a pony fell to the ground landing softly into the pile of plants with a thump.

Rarity sighed, walked up, her horn glowed and a pair of scissors was removed from her pouch. The scissors started cutting away at the bundle of vines until Peach was freed. The Alicorn laid unconscious breathing, her muzzle was wet from her tears.

“I’ll send a letter to Princess Celestia,” Twilight said and looked at her friends. “Hopefully she can get the help she needs, good job everyone.” She said and touched Rarity on the shoulder.

“What about the residents?” Fluttershy asked.

The mane 6 walked outside to look at the town that was covered in vines and plants.

“Ah don’t think anyone lives here anymore,” Applejack said looking around.

“OH NO, not the bakery!” Pinkie said and ran to a damaged building that had muffins and cakes sign on it.

Not long after a small team of flying royal guards showed up. Twilight finished briefing them and then joined the others.

“Well that’s it, let's head back home,” She said with a smile.

After a few minutes into the walk, Twilight slowed down so she could walk with Rarity who again was trailing behind. She looked at her friend who looked back with a sad smile.

“How are things with you?” Twilight ask her.

“I wish I could say good, but when Peach’s vines grabbed me, I could feel her pain and she could feel mine, for a moment we understood each other,” Rarity said walking with her.

“Once we get back to Ponyville let’s go someplace special,” She smiled.

“Alright,” Rarity said trying to smile back.

That evening in the entertainment district...

“Ho ho ho, merry Christmas big boy!” A woman said dressed in a sexy Santa suit, she was passing out discount coupons.

Richard stopped when he realized where his brother was taking him. It was a local gentleman's club, there was pictures of women on the walls with big red lips and very little clothing.

“Matthew, I’m not going in there!” He protested.

“Oh yes you are, you need to loosen up and get your mind out of the gutter,” Matthew said and hooked his arm with his.

Matthew pulled Richard into the club, the smell of beer, liquor, and fried food was strong. Lighting in the large hall was dim with light strings and Christmas lights. There was a bar on the side and round tables laid out on the floor. Three raised runways leading to dancing poles. The music was thumping and loud, TVs on the walls showed, sports, playboy tv and other erotic programs. Richard tried to keep his eyes off the TV’s and sat down at a table his brother.

“Can we go someplace else?” Richard said but his brother seemed to ignore him or didn’t hear over the loud music.

“Oh my stars would you look at that handsome stallion go,” Applejack squealed out at sitting at a large table with the others.

A large white stallion with brown spots in his fur danced around the pole. He was wearing a large cowboy hat and what looked like spurs on his hooves.

“Twilight, I thought we were going shopping,” Rarity said covering her eyes.

“Sorry Rarity, we can go tomorrow,” Twilight said looking at her and then back to the stage.

“Do you think he’s is available?” Rainbow asked checking her mane.

“I don’t think so, see that ring in his left ear,” Fluttershy said sounding more relaxed the usual.

“Aww,” Rainbow said laying her head down between her front hooves.

“Why settle just for one flavor when they are so many choices,” Pinkie was looking at a mare dancing on the other stage.

They looked at Pinkie for a moment surprised and then turned back.

“She does have a point,” Twilight said drinking from a large glass of apple flavored beverage.

“I want to go home,” Rarity moped looking at her drink.

“Loosen up Richard,” Matthew said drinking beer from a large mug.

“Just wake me when it is over,” Richard said and leaned back closing his eyes.

A lady dressed in a Santa suit that was made with silky material walked up to the table.

“Hi there, My name is Misty,” She said leaning forward showing her skin.

“Matthew and this is my brother Richard,” He said looking at Richard who was trying to ignore him.

“Is there something, I can do to help you relax?” Misty offered a card listing her services and the amounts.

“Well Richard has been going thru a rough patch, can you help me cheer him up,” Matthew pointed to a listing on the card and pulled out his wallet.

Richard felt the lady climb over him and tried to sit in his lap. He opened his eyes and stood up, gently pushing the lady back.

“I’m going home,” Richard said and turned towards the exit.

“What’s his problem?” Misty asked with her arms crossed.

“Something that I can’t help him with,” Matthew sighed.

Their hooves gently stepped in the snow as Twilight walked Rarity back to her house.

“I’m sorry Rarity,” Twilight said standing by Rarity house.

“It's quite all right, I know you were trying to cheer me,” Rarity said opening the front door.

“If you want to talk about this I’ll be home,” Twilight said and hugged Rarity.

Rarity waved and closed the door, she leaned against it and looking around her house. Sweetie Belle was already sleeping in her bed, though she was only staying over for the weekend. Rarity quietly went to her room and closed the door. She climbed into her bed and pulled up the sheets with her magic. Minutes went by and Rarity tossed and turned in her bed. Closing her eyes she tried to remember what Richard smelled like and hugged a pillow.

Richard sat down in the spare bedroom staring at the mirror.