With spring finally being a thing in Ponyville, Aspect had asked for Applejack’s help in planting his sapling near his house. He wanted to be sure he was doing it right, and there was no better pony to call on in his opinion than the one that ran an apple farm and was likely descended from one of his old friends.

The sun had barely risen, its gentle glow pushing back the dark. A series of knocks resounded on Aspect’s front door before his guest called out.

“Hey Aspect? Y’all up? We got some plantin’ ta do.”

The stallion groaned as he rolled out of bed, before slowly trudging to the front door and opening it, thus exposing Applejack to the horror that was a pre-caffeinated Aspect.

“...Y’all ain't a mornin’ pony are ya?” Applejack said with a flat stare.

In response, Aspect yawned widely enough that she could count his teeth, if she were so inclined. He smacked his mouth a few times and gave the mare a stare. “Five minutes,” he grumbled. “Not had coffee yet.”

“Ya shouldn’t be so reliant on that swill,” Applejack shook her head. “An’ get a better night's sleep.”

“I do get a good night’s sleep,” he muttered, before turning around to head to his kitchen. “You just woke me up about half an hour earlier than I usually do.”

“You'll live,” Applejack chuckled. “And ah thought this’d happen, so ah brought ya some breakfast. So unless ya wanna stand on the porch gabbin’ all morning...?”

“C’mon in, I’ll make my coffee, you can put that stuff down wherever. I need to get the sapling as well.” With a wave of his wing, Aspect invited the Apple mare inside his home.

Applejack was never not impressed by the size of the stallion’s home. She wondered how lonely it must have been though, living in this huge house by himself.

They made their way into the dining room and AJ took out the containers that contained apple pancakes and some muffins that were still nice and warm. He walked over into the kitchen and started the process of making some coffee. At Bon Bon’s insistence, he’d gotten a new sort of coffee-maker, and just sat back and watched after setting it up. Soon enough, that sweet nectar that helped mornings be a little more bearable trickled into the pot.

“So, what is this sapling ya wanted planting?” Applejack asked as she took a seat. “Ah kin only assume it's somethin’ real fancy.”

Aspect nodded as he waited for the coffee to finish brewing. Once it had, he poured himself a cup and took a sip, sighing at the taste. Coffee made everything better. “Yeah, I’ll go get it. It’s more of a reminder of the past than anything. But I figured, if I was gonna live here, I might as well plant it.”

With that, he was off again, headed back to his bedroom. Some time passed before the stallion returned, a plant pot with a sapling in it on his back. Applejack looked at it, but didn't recognise it at all. She put a hoof to her hat, the one the stallion had given her.

“So, is that somethin’ yer Applejack gave ya as well?”

“Nah, this is something I made with the Flashstone,” the stallion said as he gently put the pot on the floor. “The only sapling the Tree of Plenty ever had. Figured it was about time to plant it. I’ve had it in magical stasis for a few thousand years.”

“Is it still any good?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah, I checked on it every year, made sure the spell had enough juice to keep going,” Aspect said. “Once it grew to this size, I made sure it was basically frozen in time until I found a good spot and a good home to plant it in. I nearly planted it back when I was in the Everfree’s castle, but...Nightmare Moon happened.”

“Ah don't get that,” Applejack said. “Ah mean no disrespect o’course, but how did that happen? And… could it happen again? Ah’d hate to think if Princess Celestia went… well, you know…”

Aspect sighed as he sat at the table. “Okay, when the ponies had moved from Dream Valley to Equestria, and subsequently met my daughters, and were all settled in, Luna came to me one day saying she felt...neglected. That she didn’t have enough to do at night, because everypony was asleep. So, I gave her my dream-walking abilities, so that she could ward off the nightmares of everypony. The only problem was, the dream realm has...parasites in it. And the stronger you are, the more they’re attracted to you. I could fight them off, because I thought they were just normal nightmares and wasn’t about to submit to my fears. But Luna...was unprepared. One latched onto her.”

“An’ that's where the Nightmare came from,” Applejack said with a whisper. “Poor Luna…” She snorted and shook her head. “Sorry fer draggin’ up these memories. Let’s have some breakfast and then plant yer magic tree.”

“It’s fine,” the stallion said with a shake of his head. “I’ve had time to come to terms with my failings. Have I thanked you enough yet for bringing my daughter out of her madness? I don’t think I have…”

“T’aint nuthin,” Applejack blushed. “Ah’m jus’ glad ya could be reunited with yer kin again.”

“To be fair, that’s partially my fault for travelling for as long as I did,” Aspect said. “I could have just sat in Canterlot with ‘Tia for the full thousand years that Lulu was banished...but I wasn’t thinking clearly. And then Grogar showed up...and then I stopped looking for reasons to come back.”

“When ah was a filly, befer ah got mah Cutie Mark,” Applejack started a story of her own. “Ah abandoned the farm fer a more fancy life in the big city. But… ah learned you can take the filly out of the farm, but the farm’ll always call ya back.”

“Yeah…” Aspect said as he looked at his empty plate. “I just...I couldn’t bear being around ‘Tia just then. It just...constantly reminded me that I’d failed one of my daughters, so that they turned on each other. It wasn’t until I was certain that the whole situation had been...resolved, that I found I could go to them again.”

“Look Aspect,” Applejack crossed her hooves and stared at him. “Ah won't even try to understand whut it’s like to be as old as you. But leavin’ the princess alone like that?” She sighed and tilted her hat. “Ah know whut it’s like ta lose somepony close.”

“I…” the stallion actually choked up. Clearly he wasn’t as over it as he protested. “I had just lost one of my daughters, because the other had banished her. To the moon. We...we didn’t even know if she could come back, then. And the next time I talked to Yggdrasil, it was after the dust had settled from her return...Every time I looked at the moon, it...it was a reminder of my failure to help her.”

“So,” Applejack said. “Now you've realized yer feelin’s. Think about how those Princesses are feelin’. They may be the Princesses of all Equestria… but they’re your Princesses befer all that.”

“...I’m starting to realize why Celly saddled me with such a large house,” Aspect grumbled. “It’ll be impossible to sell. Meaning that if she ever wants to find me again, she’ll know right where to look. Heck, I would not be surprised if she was looking for a way to pass off most of her duties to a body of government so that she could spend more time with me, like when we were in the Everfree.”

“Well, then.” Applejack smiled at him. “Ah reckon ah should charge bits fer that advice. But let's settle fer a nice breakfast and then we'll see about that tree.”

“You mean the one you already brought over?” Aspect asked with a smirk.

“Yes ya smartflank,” Applejack sighed. “Eat yer pancakes.”

“Fine, mom,” Aspect snarked at her, loading up his plate again.

“Ah’m yer Momma huh?” Applejack smiled at him. “Mebbe ah should have a word with mah granddaughters then? Tell ‘em ta stop sulkin’ around in that there castle.”

“I wouldn’t say no to them showing up more often,” Aspect said. “I think I have penned down somewhere an idea for Celly to use to pass most of her duties off, anyways. Then the job won’t come before family anymore, or at least not as often. She’d like that.”

“Glad ta hear it,” Applejack nodded. She waited for him to try his pancakes, she had spent all morning making them…

Aspect hummed happily as he ate some pancakes. They were good, but he’d already been spoiled on Bon Bon’s food.

“Still can't compare ta that fillyfriend o’yers huh?” Applejack smiled and pat her bag. “Guess ah should take this pie home then…”

“Let’s not be hasty,” Aspect said. “I got a new refrigerator just for things like that. Bon Bon refused to use the old one when she was my guest. Said something about the food turning on her. Had to drag it out and burn it.”

“Ah don't think ah wanna know,” Applejack shuddered. “Well ah guess ah could leave this pie… on one condition.”

“Name it,” the stallion said with a firm nod. He would have this pie!

“Y’all give your daughters, an’ mah granddaughters ah suppose~ Call ‘em up and share it with ‘em.”

“...Fiiiine,” Aspect said with a roll of his eyes. “Let me just dig up that sheaf of papers that I was writing and pass the idea on to Celly, along with a request for her and Lulu to come and share in the pie.”

“Good,” Applejack nodded and started on her muffin. “Be a dear and fix yer Momma some o’that coffee.”

Aspect snorted a laugh as he went back into the kitchen for a moment, returning shortly with a second mug of coffee for Applejack. “You’re really running with this,” he commented.

“Until ah get bored… an’ ah’ve been told ah’m mighty stubborn,” Applejack smiled. She sipped at the cup and grimaced. “Ergh, ah reckon this’ll put me in an early grave though.”

“Hasn’t killed me yet,” Aspect quipped.

“Not all of us are alicorns,” Applejack said and tapped her chin. “You know, Rarity and Twilight love the stuff-” she sipped it and made a face. “-Maybe it's a magic thing.”

“Could be,” Aspect said with a shrug before clearing his plate again. “Okay, I’m fed and caffeinated. I think I’m ready to go now.”

“Righto,” Applejack inhaled her food and down the coffee. “Let’s get ‘er done then.”

Aspect nodded and went over to the sapling sitting in the corner. He touched the pot and closed his eyes. There was the flash of magic, and the preservation charm on the pot disappeared.

“Ready,” he said, putting the pot on his back. Applejack nodded and followed him outside. Once out there, she started digging at the soil, trying various places for a few minutes until she smiled.

“Right here. Dig a hole about two hooves deep and a hoof and a half wide.”

“Good thing I brought my trowel,” Aspect said as he put the pot and his bags down, before rooting around in them and withdrawing a small digging implement. He set about the work, humming a little tune to himself.

What? The song from Winter Wrap-up was catchy.

Applejack raised an eyebrow over his musical choice, but added some lyrics with that southern twang. Once the hole was dug, Applejack loosened the soil around the roots of the plant and delicately placed the plant inside the hole.

“Righto, now fill up that hole nice and tight,” the mare said. The stallion nodded and began packing the loose earth back into the hole around the sapling, making sure not to leave any gaps.

“Good, now all she needs is a good drink o’water and plenty of sunlight,” Applejack hummed and patted the plant. “Some fertilizer might help too. Ah got some back home ah could bring round.”

“Yeah, couldn’t hurt,” Aspect nodded. “It’s been in a magical stasis for a few thousand years. I’ll take all the help I can get to keep it alive.”

“Well, maybe get Twi around here. Ah don't know squat about magic.” Applejack adjusted her hat and nodded. “Ah’ll go get that plant food. Be back a bit later okay?”

“Meanwhile,” Aspect said as he shrugged his saddlebags back on. “I’ll go looking for a watering can and those papers I wanted to send to Celly, then see Twilight about sending my daughter a letter. Be back later myself.”

“Alright, then we’ll meet back here after lunch then,” Applejack nodded and took her leave.

Aspect nodded as well before heading back into his house. He had a draft to touch up and a letter to write to his daughter. Especially if he wanted any pie today.

And he always wanted pie.

Twilight hummed a small tune as she poured over some new books she’d received. She’d just gotten a new delivery, sent Spike to help Rarity and her coffee had finished brewing.

This was going to be the perfect day~

Then there was a knock at the library’s door.

“Of course,” Twilight sighed as she got up. “Naturally, when I want to start reading, somepony wants something.” She flung open the door and stared at the pony on the other side. “What?”

“And good morning to you too, Twilight,” Aspect said. “Is Spike around? I have something I need sent up to Canterlot.”

“Ponyville has a mail service for a reason you know,” Twilight said.

Ah, so this was ‘Uncaffeinated Sparkle’.

“Besides, Spike isn’t here, he’s over at Rarity’s place helping her.”

“And if I wanted to send something directly to my daughters?” Aspect questioned with a raised eyebrow. “Nonetheless, thank you for telling me where the young drake is.”

“The Princesses?” Twilight shook her head and took a long sip from her coffee, sighing contently. “I have something here… just a moment.” She trotted upstairs as Aspect got a look around… and noticed the small bookfort she’d constructed.

“Something tells me somepony was settling in for a long day,” Aspect said wryly.

“And that somepony would be right,” Twilight said as she returned with a ribbon bound with a small golden bit. “Here, this is enchanted with the same spell as Spike’s fire. I have a few in case I need to send Princess Celestia something and Spike is unavailable.”

Aspect nodded and shugged his saddlebags off, rooting around in one before pulling out a small pile of papers. After arranging them and rolling them up, he bound them with the ribbon and looked at his weighty offering. “So…” he started. “Do you just-”

The ribbon shone and the papers vapourised, the magical smoke wafting out of the room.

“Done and done,” Twilight said.

“Thank you,” Aspect nodded. “Also, I have a sapling from a few thousand years ago that I’ve been keeping magically preserved, would you care to take a look at it now that it’s been planted?”

Twilight looked at her books and sighed longingly. “I’ll be back for you soon my sweets~” she whispered and blew them a kiss before heading outside.

“Something tells me you’re just a wee bit into reading,” Aspect joked. “You know, there’s this thing called the outside world.”

“I’ll read about it later,” Twilight replied as she walked towards his house. “So, what’s the tree and what spell did you use?”

“The tree, I’ll be surprised if you heard of, because there was only one before it gave me a sapling to take with,” Aspect said. “The spell was a simple Stasis charm cast on the pot and its contents, refreshed every year.”

“Stasis spells can fail though,” Twilight said. “There was a stallion about… oh, 300 years ago. He tried to put a Stasis spell on himself and wake up in the future. All the archaeologists found was a worn out chamber and a skeleton…”

“That’s why I kept refreshing it every year,” Aspect nodded. “Putting as much power as I could into the charm and checking on it every year to make sure it still held.”

“Hmm, well as you said, I should double check it for you…”

Once they reached the manor, they found the house wasn’t as empty as they thought as two small fillies waited for them. One was a unicorn with a blue body and a white mane, the other was a white pegasus with a pink mane.

“DADDY!” they cheered when Aspect drew close as they shot forward, attaching to his forelegs.

“Celly? Lulu?” he asked, just holding them close. “It’s been ages since you’ve been this small…”

Twilight resisted the urge to ‘squee’.

It failed spectacularly.

“We thought we’d surprise you,” Lulu giggled.

“Are we still cute?” Tia asked.

“You’ll always be my adorable fillies,” he said, kissing them both on the forehead. “Applejack and Twilight are helping me plant the sapling from the Tree of Plenty. Wanna come see?”

“The Tree of Plenty?” Tia blinked.

“You… still have one?” Lulu added.

“So… cute…” Twilight turned away, hoping for a distraction.

“The Tree gave me a seed before we had to leave,” Aspect said. “I’ve been keeping it in magical stasis ever since it grew to sapling size.”

The two fillies clambered up onto his back as Tia took his mane in her hooves. “Well, let’s go see it then. Giddy up Daddy!”

The stallion chuckled as he walked around the house, to where Applejack had told him to plant the sapling. Twilight cooed and smiled, following the family.

“So, Luna and I have a question,” Tia whispered into his ear as they walked. “Like, when are you and Ms. Bon Bon going to give us a sister or brother to dote on?”

“And you should know better than to ask that question, little filly,” Aspect said as he lightly tossed his head. “My dating life is none of your business. Don’t need the pair of you trying to scare the poor mare.”

“Oh, but I do,” Celestia smiled. “But that aside, we’re happy for you father.”

“Sister?” Luna patted the stallions rump. “Does Daddy’s butt look bigger to you? I think he’s eating too much.”

“I will have you know I am at a fine weight,” Aspect huffed. “Besides, I just got some exercise equipment in. Soon I’ll be able to work it off, now that I know how to do so without breaking the equipment.”

“Mhmm, Twilight told us allll about Winter-Wrap Up,” Tia said and then groaned.

Because at the mention of those words, Luna had started singing that infernal song at the top of her lungs.

“She won’t. Shut. Up…” Tia sighed.

“Lulu,” Aspect chided his daughter in his best ‘dad-voice.’

“Winter Wrap Up, Winter Wrap… Yes daddy~?” Luna paused mid song.

“Stop torturing your sister with repetitive singing,” he said. “There are plenty of other songs.”

Luna paused and tilted her head slowly. “Hmm…” She gasped as she recalled a song that he used to annoy their mother with. “This is the song that never ends~”

Fortunately, by that point in time, they had reached the sapling that Aspect had been carrying around for some thousands of years. “And here we are,” he said, nodding at the little tree. “Well Twilight, what do you say?”

Luna ceased her singing of The Dreaded Song as Twilight walked up to the tree and hummed. Her horn shone as she scanned it and after a few minutes of that...

“The Stasis spell held up perfectly. This tree is in perfect health,” she announced.

“Ooh, she’s good,” Lulu whispered.

“Yay,” Aspect cheered. “Now all we have to do is wait some years for it to grow up, and then Ponyville will be host to the latest generation of the Tree of Plenty.” He looked over his shoulder at the foals on his back. “Won’t that be nice?” They nodded in agreement as Twilight tilted her head.

“So what is the Tree of Plenty anyway?” she asked.

“It was a tree that sprouted every fruit from it,” Aspect said. “I took an ordinary apple tree and altered it with the Flashstone. It also was a wonderful place to have our vegetable garden. As long as we didn’t plant more than one of anything around it, that is. I kinda got fed up with not having some things…”

“Ah reckon ah should call it the ‘Lazy Stallion’s Tree’,” Applejack said as she walked around from the side of the house. She had a cart laden with some foul-smelling substance. She saw the fillies and smiled. “Well now, who are these lil cuties?”

“Ah, Applejack, meet Tia and Lulu,” Aspect said with a nod. “And yeah, it was an excuse to be lazy, but I took the things we didn’t use and gave them to the ponies of Dream Valley...in exchange for things like furnishings for our home. Because someponies made me stop using the Flashstone after that.”

“It was for your own good,” Tia nodded.

“Yeah, what she said,” Lulu added.

“Wait… those’re the Princesses?” Applejack stammered.

Twilight had actually been privy to this form of Celestia’s once before. She used to use it to play with Twilight when she was a foal herself.

“Do they look like Princesses right now?” Aspect asked as he looked back at the foals on his back. “I’m only seeing a horn on one and a pair of wings on the other. No regalia, nothing to state they’re anything more that daddy’s little foals.” Then he noticed Applejack’s smile…

“Oh, good one,” he said with a snicker. “I take it that’s the fertilizer for the tree, then?”

“That it is,” Applejack nodded as she unhitched herself from the wagon and then scooped up Tia and Lulu. “An’ ah missed mah lil’ girls. Come give yer Grandmomma a hug.”

“Wut?” Tia and Lulu echoed.

“She’s just joking,” Aspect sighed. “At least I hope she is.”

“Why is she wearing Applejack’s hat?” Tia asked from their new seat on Aj’s back as Twilight’s eye twitched. Applejack couldn’t be their grandmother. That was impossible!

“I gave it to her for Hearth’s Warming,” Aspect said. “I figured it was only right.”

“I suppose so,” Tia replied.

“Princess?” Twilight asked her. “Applejack… isn’t really your grandmother is she?”

“No,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “I made one little quip about how Applejack was acting like a mother to me, and she’s been running with it all morning.”

“It’s fun,” Applejack smiled.

“We have a grandma!!” Lulu cheered.

“Whoo!” Tia added.

“...I’m going home,” Twilight groaned, blushing from embarrassment. “Good bye everypony.”

“Have fun with your books, and don’t forget to get a little sun and water,” Aspect said with a wave.

“Should ah plant her here too?” Applejack snickered.

“Nah, but one of you should check on her and make sure she gets more fresh air before you lose her to the books completely,” Aspect said. “She’d set up a little fort and everything when I arrived.”

“Oh? She still makes those little bookforts?” Tia chuckled. “You should have seen her as a filly. It was just the most precious thing.”

“Ah’ll make sure,” Applejack nodded as she set the fillies down. “Now, y’all be good fer yer Pap alright?”

“Yes Gramma Applejack,” they beamed and the earth mare chuckled and shook her head as she walked off.

“Oh, an’ you can keep the cart Aspect. It’s an old one, but Mac made sure it still worked fer ya.”

“Thank you,” Aspect said before looking at the fillies. “So I take it you both got my letter.”

“We did,” Tia smiled and looked at the sapling. “It didn’t take long to put together. And as far as the media is concerned, Luna has been stressed from re acclimatising to Equestria, so we’ve taken a vacation to an undisclosed location. My assistants Raven and Kibitz will make sure the kingdom still runs, and Luna and I shall still handle the sun and moon.”

“So we’re here for about… two weeks~” Lulu giggled and bounced around.

“And I’m sure once the new system is fully in place, you’ll find more time on your plates than now and come and pester your old man even more,” Aspect said as he gathered the fillies close in a hug.

“That’s the plan,” they echoed.

Then Tia smiled. “Pie?”

Lulu joined in. “Pie!?”

“It’s in the kitchen,” Aspect said with a wave of his wing. “Just leave some for me and Bon Bon. I’ll be inviting her over once I’m done with the sapling.”

The fillies raced off, wearing grins that Aspect couldn’t see. This meeting with Bon Bon was going to be fun. The stallion sighed as he watched them run off, before turning to the cart of fertilizer and the sapling.

This...was not going to be fun…

Bon Bon hummed to herself as she wiped down the display cabinets of her new shop. Ever since the Parasprites destroyed her last one, she took the opportunity to reinvent the store, now named ‘Heartfelt Delights’

It was a touch bigger than the last one, and even had a small, raised stage for Lyra to perform on whenever she was free. Her new display cases were crystal clean and even had stasis charms on them to keep the candy longer.

All in all, it was a very difficult decision to go home each day.

Apparently the ‘candy weapons’ she made had been really popular with the colts and one little orange pegasus filly, so she had a dedicated case that looked like something from a weapon smithy, several chocolate swords and daggers filled it.

And yet the one customer she longed to see hadn’t shown up in a while. Bon Bon had been rather busy since Hearth’s Warming, so she hadn’t seen the stallion in a while.

Lyra plucked lazily at her lyre, looking at the expression on her friend’s face. Maybe she should go and find Aspect and-
There was a knock at the door.

“They do realise this is a store, and it’s open right?” Lyra asked as she opened the door with her magic.

“Probably Ditzy,” Bon Bon turned her head and her eyes lit up.

Balanced Aspect stood there...and he stank of fertilizer.

Bon Bon’s expression turned from delighted surprise to one of…

“Oh sweet Celestia, you need a shower,” Lyra waved her hooves in front of her face. “I think the paint is peeling.”

“No offense,” Bon Bon said, gagging lightly. “Lyra has a point. You uh… that’s pretty ripe there Aspect.”

“I knew I was forgetting something,” he moaned. “Can I use yours while I’m here?”

“Upstairs,” Bon Bon said. “Lyra? Can you watch the store? And… open a few windows?”

“Only a ritual fire could get rid of this,” Lyra groaned as Bon rolled her eyes and led the stallion upstairs into her apartment.

“The shower is through that door. “I’ll go and fetch you a towel.”

“Thank you,” Aspect nodded as he slipped inside and started the water, doing his best to remove the stink from his body.

Bon Bon sighed as she fetched a fluffy towel. He must have been gardening or something.

Well, that or he went for a dip in Applejack’s pig pen.

She opened a few windows and then opened the door, “I have your… towel…” She just stopped as she realised something.

This was a stallion.

In the shower.

And she could not remove her eyes from the display. Aspect for his part didn’t seem to have heard her as he kept cleaning himself, combating the dirt on his form with as many suds as he could lather onto his body.

Bon Bon swallowed the lump in her throat as she just stared, her ears twitching slightly as a blush crept across her face. She realised where she was and started backing up to make a quiet exit.

And tripped over the plastic stepstool. The clatter seemed to have gotten Aspect’s attention, as he turned around and looked around the shower to look at her. “Oh, you have the towel?” he asked. “I’m not quite done yet. Think you could just leave it there?”

“S-Sure, okay,” she squeaked as she placed the towel down and then bolted from the room at speeds that would have made Rainbow Dash jealous.

Downstairs, Lyra raised an eyebrow as Bon Bon came running out and dove under one of the display tables.

“Do I even want to know?” the unicorn deadpanned.

“Shower. Naked. A gift from the Gods!” Bon Bon squeaked.

“Ahh,” Lyra folded her forelegs and nodded. “Well, did you do it?”

“...W-What?”

“Did you. Do it? In the shower. It’s pretty hot you know.”

“LYRA!!!”

“What, he’s totally gorgeous right? Go up and claim your stallion.”

Bon Bon just groaned as her blush more or less covered her whole body as her brain decided to put pictures to that for her. Which did not help. Especially considering the influx of new material she’d just gotten.

Eventually Aspect walked downstairs, still drying his wings with the towel. “My thanks, mares, for the use of your shower,” Aspect said. “I completely forgot I should clean up after planting that sapling. I was just so eager to get over here and invite Bon Bon over for some of Applejack’s pie that I forgot all about the fertilizer I’d been using.”

“I swear,” Lyra giggled. “Why are the handsome ones always so… dense?”

Bon Bon looked up to see his still damp mane, the way his muscles glistened and rippled in the sunlight. His eyes sparkling and his voice sounded like liquid chocolate.

Then she squeaked and blushed again, hiding under the cabinet. Her coat was redder than Big Mac’s by this point.

“Did I miss something?” Aspect asked, looking at Lyra instead, seeing as she hadn’t decided to hide from him.

“Just Bonnie discovering her sexdrive,” Lyra giggled.

“LYRAAAAA!!!” Bon Bon half yelled, half whined. The minty unicorn just giggled in response.

“I see,” Aspect mused. “So I take it she doesn’t want to come back for some Apple family pie and to meet my latest houseguests?”

“I bet she’d prefer if you ate her pie,” Lyra wiggled her eyebrows. Bon Bon was now trying to see if she could kill the mare with a glare. If she could, Mort would be getting a call about now.

“Ah well,” the stallion sighed. “As long as she stays under there, there is naught I can do. I’d really prefer it if she came back with me.”

“Hear that one Bonnie? He wants you to come with him-GUH!” Lyra groaned as she received an entire cake to the face, at such a velocity that she was knocked off of her hooves and onto her back.

“My only regret,” Lyra rasped. “Is that Bonnie never got some.”

“Shut up and go to Tartarus,” Bon Bon said.

“So, you still haven’t said yes or no,” Aspect pointed out. “Or are you too busy with your new store to come back with me?”

“Lyra, watch the store, I’m going out for a while.”

“The Lyra you are trying to reach is busy. Please leave a message after the beep…. Beep.”

“If the Lyra wants to be fed tonight, she’ll watch the store while I’m out,” Bon Bon said. “And I was planning on making a lily salad too…”

“Okay guys, have fun!” Cake Lyra said as she pushed them out the door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Which isn’t much. And take pictures.” She closed the door before Bon Bon could offer a rebuttal.

“And this is what I deal with,” she sighed.

“Well, I’m sure my guests will be quite the surprise,” Aspect chuckled as he began to lead the mare to his home. “They certainly were to me.”

“Oh? Do I get a hint?” Bon Bon asked.

“Let’s just say I’m fairly certain you’ll place who they are once you meet them,” the stallion cryptically replied.

“Stallions…” Bon sighed and shook her head. The rest of the walk was filled with small talk until they reached the manor.

And once inside, they discovered a small filly with a bloated belly.

“So. Much. Caaaaaake,” Tia groaned, rubbing her tummy.

“Tia, what did I tell you about overeating?” Aspect chided her even as he gathered her closer to rub her stomach.

“The Pink mare said I could have as much as I wanted,” Tia groaned.

“So naturally, she eats a cake bigger than herself,” Lulu said from the table.

“Aspect, who are these two?” Bon Bon said, garnering the fillies’ attention. They looked like tiny sharks sizing up their prey.

“Tia, Lulu, I know those smirks of yours,” he warned. “You forget, I’ve lived with you when you were planning your pranking sprees.”

“We weren’t gonna prank her,” Lulu said. ‘Not yet anyway.’

“So Daddy,” Tia smiled as Bon Bon’s eyes widened. “Introduce us.”

“Sure thing,” Aspect said, before motioning for Lulu to join them with a wing. The little filly trotted over as they nestled under one wing each.

“Bon Bon,” he said, nuzzling both of his daughters in turn. “Meet Tia and Lulu, my daughters. Little scamps, this is Bon Bon, she and I are dating.”

“Is that so?” Tia smirked.

“Is that so?” Lulu echoed.

“But… I thought that…” Bon Bon blinked in confusion. “They’re your daughters too?”

“Look a little closer,” Aspect urged the mare. “Listen to the sound of their names. I’m sure you’ll put it together.”

“Maybe you should go and get the pie Daddy,” Tia said innocently. “Ms. Bon Bon and us should talk.”

“Only if you promise not to break her,” he said, looking at both of them sternly. “I can’t just go out and get a new one.”

“We promise,” Lulu and Tia said as he got up and left the room. “To try,” they finished as they looked at Bon Bon, who took an uneasy step back.

A flash of light later, and Princess Celestia loomed over the mare. “Well now, I didn’t think we’d be meeting under these circumstances.”

“P-Princess,” Bon Bon bowed to her. “I just-” she was silenced as Celestia raised a hoof.

“I need no excuses,” she said, her unwavering gaze not leaving the mare. “What are your intentions for him? How far have you taken this relationship? And most importantly, what do you hope to gain from it?” Her eyes narrowed as it started to get uncomfortably warm in the room. “If you are seeking nothing other than titles or money… well, I hear Tartarus is lovely this time of year.”

Bon Bon whimpered slightly.

“Tia, you better not have eaten the pie already!” Aspect called out from the kitchen. “I can’t find it!”

Of course not, she’d put it on the top shelf. “Top shelf daddy,” she called back with her filly voice. Turning back to Bon Bon her fierce expression came back. “Well, I’m waiting for your answer ‘Bon Bon’.”

She gasped, she… she hadn’t told Aspect about that. Heck, even Lyra didn’t know about it. “P-Please your Highness. I-I just…”

“Confound it, where in the world is that fancy pie slicer? I know I have one…”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Third drawer on the right Daddy,” she almost shouted.

“She’s stalling,” Luna said as she resumed her true form, though her fur was black and her eyes gained a cat-like slit to them. “And it’s been so long since I had a good meal~”

Bon Bon whimpered again.

“And there we are,” Aspect said, his voice sounding closer. “Pie plated and ready for sharing.”

With a flash, two fillies stood there smiling sweetly as poor Bon Bon shook like a leaf in a windstorm, her creamy coat almost a pale white. Aspect took one look at her and sighed before looking at his daughters.

“You scared her, didn’t you.” He stated that more than asked it.

“We asked some questions,” Tia shrugged.

“There’s asking questions, and asking questions nicely. She’s hardly one of the things I’ve had to face off against, there was no reason to bring ‘the full might of Princess Sol Celestia’ down on her,” her father chided the little filly.

“Are you so sure?” she said and looked at Bon Bon, who gasped. “We’re just worried about you with a mare you barely know.”

“That’s why there’s this thing called dating,” Aspect sighed. “It’s so we can get to know one another.” After another moment, he sighed again. “Look, I know that I still blame myself for not having been there for your mother, but what we had then...it was a partnership. We weren’t really in love. We cooperated to raise you. I’ve never had a pony I loved before, and the first time I show interest in another mare, you two conspire to scare her.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t try to replace Mother,” Luna muttered under her breath. But it was enough for everypony to hear. Bon Bon gasped and put a hoof to her mouth.

“I… should go,” she said quietly.

“No, I invited you,” Aspect said. “This may be a family thing, but if you intend to see this through, whatever this turns out to be, then they’re going to have to get used to you. Besides which, despite however they may look,” and here the stallion fixed them with a fierce gaze. “I know my daughters are mature, reasonable mares.”

Luna just scoffed as Tia remained silent.

“The Princesses, they have a point,” Bon Bon said. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. But… I know one thing.” She walked over to the fillies and knelt down in front of them. “I really like your father. He’s… the first stallion I’ve ever liked actually. So… I might make mistakes from time to time. I might hurt him by accident. But, I know he has two caring daughters that’ll do anything to keep him safe. And won’t hesitate to tell me when I screw up.”

They remained silent, but Aspect could tell they were listening.

“So, I want to ask,” Bon Bon smiled. “Do I have permission to date your father?”

They seemed to ponder for a moment, before they looked at each other and smiled.

“This one’s a keeper,” Tia grinned.

“I’m glad she has your approval,” Aspect said. “And for what you said, Lulu. I could never replace your mother. She was a kind, thoughtful, wonderful mare. My first pony friend. She helped me get acclimated to this world, and was always there for me when I needed a friendly shoulder to cry on when I was remembering mine. I might have actually grown to love her, if she had survived. Am I sad she’s gone? Yes. There will never be a second Written Script. But perhaps, I can be allowed to love a pony now.”

“You’ve always been allowed,” Tia said and hugged his barrel. “We just have to make sure that the mare loves you back, not your titles or money.”

“I do not understand ‘dating’,” Lulu asked. “What happened to the good old days of, if you liked somepony, just lift your tail and let them have at it?”

“Remind me to ask Cadence back so that you can pick up a few pointers,” Aspect chuckled.

“Oh, the mare I mistook for Celestia’s daughter?” Lulu asked.

“That was… an interesting day,” Tia murmured.

“We’ll have to make a day trip out of going to see Yggdrasil,” Aspect laughed. “He’d probably be eager to catch you up on everything you missed.”

“He talks too much,” Lulu groaned. “Perhaps if I need a good nap?”

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Bon Bon sighed. “I am still alive right? I haven’t been banished to the sun, or the moon, or Tartarus?”

“No, but feel free to come join in on this hug,” Aspect said as he lifted a wing. “They’re remarkably open to being hugged.”

“B-But they’re the Princesses,” Bon Bon protested.

“I promise Sweetie, we don’t bite,” Tia smiled.

“Currently, they’re just my darling fillies, who have sorely missed their dad as he journeyed across Equus for the past millennia. And dating me comes with the fringe benefit of being able to hug them and get away with it.”

“But… still…” She gave Tia an odd look.

“It’s quite alright sweetie. Just drop the titles and join the hug,” Tia smiled again. Even Luna was confused now. What was Celestia playing at?

“Unless you’d rather miss out on the bonding moment,” Aspect said before kissing Tia on the forehead.

“...Fine,” Bon Bon said as she moved closer and awkwardly put her leg around Aspect’s withers. He used his foreleg to draw her a little closer into the hug as they both had a filly attached to their fronts now.

“Ahh, squishy!” Lulu pouted as she was sandwiched between the two ponies.

“I’m thankful Tia isn’t being squished,” Aspect said. “We’d likely have to clean up the floor.”

“You eat one cake. One!” Tia pouted. Bon Bon suddenly had an idea. She kissed Aspect’s cheek and trotted into the kitchen. Deciding to see if she could get a little revenge, she also shook her hips seductively like Lyra had showed her as she exited the room.

“I could almost swear that mare had taken Cadence’s lessons and listened all the way through,” Aspect muttered as he turned away from the spectacle to the two fillies in his grasp. “What?”

“Just what are you staring at?” Tia said flatly.

“Pervert,” Lulu added.

“Shush,” he said before kissing them both. “If you’re going to scare the poor mare halfway to death, then I don’t want to hear you criticizing her attempts. Unless you want me to punish you…”

“I bet you’d like to punish her instead,” Tia giggled and shared a high hoof with Lulu.

“One more crack out of either of you,” Aspect warned, “and no pie today.”

“You know she’s in there alone with that pie right?” Tia said.

“She’ll eat it all!” Lulu gasped.

“Oh for-” the stallion sighed. “Bon Bon, are you eating the pie?”

The door opened and the pie tin slid out, completely empty save for a few crumbs.

“...Not cool, Bon Bon. Applejack made that pie for us to share,” he said sternly.

Tia and Lulu looked like they were about to cry. Before Bon Bon came back out with four plates, each with a slice of pie on them.

“What kind of mare do you take me for?” she asked and smirked. “You act like I’d eat entire cakes if left alone.”

Tia just sat there slack-jawed.

“I probably fed her too much cake when she was younger,” Aspect agreed as he poked Tia’s still round belly. “It’s most likely entirely my fault.”

“Lies, there is no such thing as too much cake!” Tia protested, even as she shovelled pie into her mouth.

Bon Bon smiled and rubbed her head. “Then perhaps I’ll make you one later hmm?”

Tia blinked and looked at her. “Oh. My. Me. I think I love you.”

“Of course, if you want to get on Lulu’s good side, marshmallow anything is the way to go,” Aspect offered.

“So, a nice mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows to go with the double chocolate fudge cake I plan to make?” Bon Bon asked.

“Sister, can we reinstate the royal harem?” Lulu asked. “I’d very much like to show this mare all the pleasures of the night.”

“That sounds so weird coming from a filly,” Bon Bon said.

Aspect reached over to Lulu’s nose and booped it. She scrunched up her face adorably and pouted.

“No trying to take the mare I’m dating,” he said. “I would think you two would know better than that.”

“She has offered us sweets!” Tia replied. “How are we supposed to respond?”

“I have no words for this weirdness,” Bon Bon sighed.

“Welcome to the family,” Aspect chuckled. “It’s stranger here.”

“That’s… mildly understating it,” Tia giggled. Then she and Lulu smirked again.

“Hopefully you’ll either get used to it or get driven off by this,” Aspect said as he ate the pie. Mmm...it was always delicious.

Tia and Lulu had scooted around to face Bon Bon as they stared up at her. They waited until they had her attention and smiled sweetly.

“Ms Bon Bon?” Tia started.

“Are you gonna be our new Mommy?” Lulu added with their cuteness set to max.

Bon Bon just stopped. Between the question, who was asking it, and their cuteness…

The mare just locked up and froze.

“Now look at what you’ve done,” Aspect chided them as he walked over to her. “You broke her.”

Tia and Lulu just giggled and shared another high hoof.

Bon Bon was still frozen in place, her mouth ajar and her eyes wide and unblinking.

Then the stallion kissed her. On the lips.

Hey, the theory was sound.

Too bad it had no effect.

“Give her some tongue~” Tia chuckled in her normal voice. Aspect sighed and shook his head, before hugging the mare close and wrapping her up in his wings as well.

“Mommy?” she whispered. “I’m… a Mommy now?”

“It’s a little soon to be calling yourself that,” he said as he continued to hold the mare. “Though yes, I do technically fall in the single dad territory.”

“Oh… okay then. Excuse me.” Then Bon Bon fainted.

“Ack!” Aspect said as he was the only one supporting her. “Now look at what you two did!” he chided his daughters.

“She did it!” they said, pointing at each other. Then they glared and on top of a fainted mare, he now had two fillies rolling around on the floor fighting with one another.

“Girls,” he said. Then he repeated himself in his best ‘dad-voice.’ “Tia and Lulu! Stop that at once!”

“I will destroy you!” Lulu declared.

“I’ll destroy you more!” Celestia yelled back.

Eeyup… they were ignoring him.

“Sol Celestia and Luna Selene!” he all but thundered at them.

“Eeeep!” They froze mid-fight. He also noticed his hooves were empty, as not only was that enough to wake Bon Bon, but the mare was now clinging to the rafters.

“You two,” he said to the fillies. “Behave. Or so help me, I will dig out the old paddle from the hidden valley and use it on your rears.”

Tia had that smirk again and she opened her mouth to fire a lewd retort. Most likely to do with paddles, spanking and a certain candy-maker.

“Behave,” he said with a hoof raised. “I am more capable than ever of putting the both of you over my knee, now that you’ve taken your younger forms.”

“We’ll be good,” they echoed.

“Bet you’d prefer Bon Bon to be very bad though~” Tia piped up with a giggle.

“I’d actually prefer to catch her,” Aspect said as he positioned himself under Bon Bon. “Promise to catch you,” he said as he raised his forehooves to the heavens. She let go, knowing she could land herself.

But why do that when a sexy stallion could catch you~

She landed in his arms and then pulled him into a deep kiss, causing Tia and Lulu to gag and look away.

Aspect merely hummed into it as he hugged the mare. This was good~ And...was that her tongue?

The answer was yes… yes it was. The stallion responded in kind, deepening the kiss and holding her closer, revelling in the sensations. Oh, and now her hooves were on his flank again as she moaned softly into the kiss. He gently maneuvered her down onto the ground so he could allow his hooves to wander over her form as well.

Until Celestia and Luna wolf-whistled, causing Bon Bon to recall they were there and pulled back with a surprised squeak as she straightened her mane and flushed red.

“As much as I would love to continue this,” Aspect said, giving her one more kiss on the lips. “I do believe you have a Lyra and a shop to look after as well. This was only meant to be a quick visit so you could be aware of my new guests. And the pie.”

“Oh, so you’re kicking me out?” Bon Bon asked. “Well fine, you’ve had your kisses I suppose. See that little fillies? Your Daddy only wants me for my body.”

“Uncouth,” Tia nodded.

“Pervert,” Lulu added.

“Not true,” Aspect said. “There’s your stellar cooking and charming personality as well to consider. I’d suggest we test to see how much you want me, but every time that topic comes up, you turn a delightful shade of red.”

As if on cue, she blushed and looked away.

“Oh, she is delightfully adorable,” Tia said. “Bye for now Miss Bon Bon. Come back again soon!”

“Yup! And bring cake!” Lulu added.

“Like father like daughters,” Bon Bon chuckled and sighed before heading off, leaving the stallion alone with his fillies.

“You two,” the stallion sighed as he walked over to them and drew them close with his wings. “What in the world am I going to do with you two?”

“Love us and feed us sweets?” Lulu asked with her pout on full blast.

“Did that one already,” the stallion said with a nod. “It turned the both of you into little terrors, it did.”

Then they tagged his legs. “Tag! You’re it!” they yelled and ran off into the house.

“As proven,” he said with a smile and a shake of his head, before starting to chase after them.

Author's Note

And now we have some issues again! I had to add the double spacing back in manually, cost me about ten minutes to add all those lines in. Ah well. When we tinker, we often break things, eh? Cest la vie.

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