Time to be Awesome.by Thylacine NightmaresChaptersBeing the first part.Being part two.Being part the third.Being the first part.Author's Note Please note this story is written using Australian English, and as such, some of the words may appear to be misspelled to others. Also this is only the first chapter of this new story, so please enjoy it for what it is, a little bit of 'fluff'. Being the first part. Tempest Berrytwist, or had she’d been known once as Tempest Shadow and even further back as Fizzlepop Berrytwist, walked slowly from the Ponyville train station towards the town with a small smile on her face. She had decided to change her last name back to her original one at the suggestion of the Princesses, but decided to keep Tempest as her first name as she was used to it after all these years. She always enjoyed visiting her new friends in the town and especially Twilight who had been the first Pony in years to show her the true meaning of friendship. She gave a slight giggle as she walked towards the town square and one of the objects of her visit, the ‘Brown Bean Cafe’. Just as she reached the front of the cafe a loud explosion was heard from the edge of town. Tempest paid it no never mind as she sat and waited for Freshly Brewed, the mare who owned the cafe, to take her order. She didn’t mind the fifteen minute wait she was expecting, good coffee was worth the wait, unlike the burnt swill they served at ‘Astra Buckers’ and Princess Luna herself had recommended this place to her. She was just flicking through the ‘Canterlot News’ when she saw the Cakes chasing a rapidly vibrating Pinkie Pie down the road and yelling something about ‘sugar’. Tempest looked out on the square just in time to see the CMC run past, Scootaloo stuck on her back on top of the backs of the other two by what looked like tree sap. Tempest just shook her head. “Thursday,” she mumbled, “it has to be a Thursday, I could never get the hang of Thursdays.” She then was glad to see the owner return with her cappuccino, and she gave a contented sigh as she saw it had the perfect amount of foam on the top. She gazed at it lovingly, drinking in the aroma of the coffee with a smile. Tempest just shrugged at the goings on and went back to reading a forecast concerning love matches from ‘The Love Doctor’ and giggled at the stupidity of some ponies for believing in this. This idiot, ‘The Love Doctor’, had even predicted she’d find love within two months. Tempest gave a snickering snort of disbelief. “Like that’s going to happen.” She thought. Just then, as she flipped a page she heard Rainbow Dash’s voice yelling at some ‘pervert’ to stop and give back what he stole from her. She went back to her paper to be further surprised to hear Twilight yell out. “What the buck? Who just feathered my plot?!” It sounded like it came from her megaphone. This guess was confirmed by the high pitched squeal of it being shut down. Her eyes went wide as she saw Applejack racing along, towing her brother behind her like a water skier, while the large stallion had hold of her tail mumbling out the word ‘nope’ as he did so. One thing she noticed was Applejack was missing her hat. Tempest gave a sigh and lifted up her coffee to take that first blessed sip, when the cup was shattered in her hoof and the object that shattered it turned out to be a pair of dress making sheers which had buried themselves into the post of the cafe door. She carefully placed the handle of the cup, the only part of the blessed brew container left, onto the saucer with a slight whimper and stood up. She walked out into the centre of the town square and yelled out. “Alright you bunch of misfits and disreputable equines, front and centre, NOW!” She used her ‘drill sergeant’ voice. She got a slightly evil look on her face as a lot of the ponies in town lined up in front of her, including one small dragon. “Two lines, three lengths from and facing each other, now...!” She smiled as she saw them face each other leaving her an aisle to march up and down in, which she did while turning the air blue with words that would have even made Spitfire blush. She came to a halt and stared at Rarity. “Now, I was just about to enjoy a cup of coffee, it had the perfect amount of foam too, when my cup was shattered, destroying it along with my good mood, by a pair of dress making shears. Care to tell me who they belonged to and how they destroyed my coffee?” Tempest said with a growl. “I, erm, was surprised by ball of purple magic that exploded in my shop, and that made me throw my sheers, which I had in my own magic...” Rarity said with a gulp. “Purple huh?” Tempest said with a raised eyebrow as she noticed that every eye seemed to be turned towards Princess Twilight. “My magic isn’t purple, it’s magenta.” She said with a blush. “Close enough.” Tempest said as she walked down the other end of the group to Twilight who was standing next to Shining Armour, who was standing rigidly at attention, and a giggling Cadence. “Now, Twilight, why did you shoot a ball of magic into Rarity’s store?” “Well I was shocked and I had an accidental discharge when somepony feathered my plot...” Twilight started to say. “Not the best choice of words...” She mumbled. “Hey Twilight, I didn’t know you liked it like that!” Rainbow Dash said with a laugh which made the Princess squeak, blush and hide behind her wing. “Now, who here knows why that happened?” Tempest asked in a calm tone. “Erm, I was chasing him when he did it...” Rainbow Dash said from half way down the group making Tempest walk slowly down to her. “Why were you chasing him in the first place?” Tempest asked. “He stole something, erm, personal from my house as he flew through my bedroom at high speed...” Rainbow dash said as her blush dyed her fur purple. “And who here knows why he was flying so quickly through a mare’s bedroom?” Tempest asked with an eye twitch. “Maybe trying ta get away from the explosion?” A stallion down the opposite end said. Tempest gave a long suffering sigh as she walked down to the end again. “And how did that happen?” “I was surprised by a Timber Wolf as I raced next to the gas works, so I tossed my lamp and it must have caused it.” The stallion, Lamp Lighter, said with a whimper under the stare of Tempest. Tempest muttered some choice words before asking. “And can somepony also please tell me why Pinkie seems to be vibrating so hard she looks like she’s trying to go trans-dimensional?” “She’s got a sugar rush from when she got blown into our sugar concentrate storage because of the explosion.” Mr Cake said. Tempest sadly nodded. “The explosion caused by a Timber Wolf... How the buck did a Timber Wolf end up in town?” “That was us, Ms Tempest.” Scootaloo said. Tempest turned to face the CMC, who were still stuck together, and sighed. “Tell me...” “Well we was chasing a Pegasus who went into the Everfree, and we musta disturbed the Timber Wolf, and it chased us ta town.” Apple Bloom said. “And why, were you chasing the Pegasus?” Tempest said in a forlorn tone. “Because he stole ma hat.” Applejack said firmly. Tempest just nodded. “Definitely Thursday.” She thought. “And you,” she pointed a hoof at Big Mac, “were trying to stop her chasing him?” Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup.” Tempest face hoofed and whimpered. “And where is this Pegasus?” “Right there!” Applejack said firmly and raced off. She returned with a trussed up Pegasus stallion being dragged along the ground. The stallion was totally hogtied and Applejack had her prized hat back on her head as she stopped the bundle in front of Tempest. The other ponies gathered around to look at the stranger. He had a pure white coat, mane and tail, the only colour that could be seen on him was a pink nose. He wore saddlebags and a set of darkened lens glasses on his face. “And who are you?” Tempest asked, her horn crackling. “Moonbeam Starlight.” The stallion replied in a soft but surprisingly high pitch to his voice. “Well Moonbeam, could you please explain as to why you have been doing what you’ve been doing?” Tempest asked in a tone so cold it could have grown icicles on a mid-summers day in Saddle Arabia. Before he could reply Twilight gave out a scream as she noticed something sticking out of his saddlebags. She quickly pulled it out with her magic, and almost all the ponies gasped as she held Celestia’s crown in her hoof. She started to make weird whimpering and squeaking noises as she pointed at it. “Please allow me to translate ‘freak out’ to normal Equish; according to Twilight, she’s shocked that you’d do this, and you are guilty of High Treason...” Spike said. Twilight gave another set of squeaking noises as her lips shook. “And... You are to be taken to the jail.” Spike added. “I didn’t steal that.” Moonbeam said firmly. “We can’t trust ya,” Applejack said firmly, “ya stole ma hat, and something from Dash, I say ya are a no account thief, and we can’t know tha truth if’n we can’t see ya eyes...” With one swift movement she tore the glasses off his face. She was surprised when he gave out a pained scream as his eyes closed and he tried to cover his eyes with his bound wings, all the time whimpering like a kicked puppy. Applejack stood there stunned with the glasses in her hoof. She was even more surprised when the glasses were levitated out of her hoof by a blue magical field as she was pushed out of the way by Vinyl Scratch, the Ponyville resident DJ, as the Unicorn mare gently placed the glasses back onto Moonbeam’s face. Vinyl turned and glared at Applejack. “Do you know how much of a bucking bitch you are right now?!” “Whatcha mean?” Applejack said firmly. “He’s an Albino, his eyes are even more sensitive to the light than mine are, and you may have well just shone a laser into his eyes!” Vinyl pointed up at the sun. “I’ve got EPSS.” Moonbeam said in his soft tone. As the others looked confused, Twilight spoke up. “Extreme Photo Sensitivity Syndrome.” Moonbeam nodded, keeping his eyes closed. “That doesn’t excuse stealing, and what you did to me, plus treason.” Twilight said firmly. “I didn’t steal the crown.” Moonbeam said firmly. “Oh yeah, what about my... erm... what you stole from my house?” Rainbow Dash said firmly. “That was an accident, I flew through your window as you had it in your hoof, I accidently got it caught in my saddlebag, nothing more,” Moonbeam said, “it’s still in my pack.” Tempest reached into the pack and pulled out a large red vibrator. “Is this...” Suddenly there was a rainbow coloured flash and it was whisked away from her hoof before she could show anypony. “Well I think I know what you stole from Dash?” She said with a slight giggle. Moonbeam nodded. “I repeat, I didn’t steal anything.” “What about ma hat?” Applejack asked with an angry snort. “Okay, I did take your hat, I apologise for that, but I only meant it as a joke...” Moonbeam said. “A joke!” Applejack said firmly and advanced on him making the stallion take a step back. “AJ,” Her brother rumbled at the farm mare in a warning tone, “let him talk.” Applejack nodded slowly. “Alright, but that don’t explain tha crown.” “I think I can explain that,” Cadence said having noticed something else in the bags, “turn it over Twilight, and look inside.” Twilight nodded and did as her sister-in-law suggested. “Made for the Canterlot Souvenir Store, limited edition, one of five hundred...” She looked around at the Ponies there and then back to Moonbeam. “This is a copy?” Moonbeam nodded. “Yes, I had to save up for three weeks to get the full set of four first editions.” “But why are you carrying them around?” Twilight asked as she handed back the copy. Moonbeam gave a soft sigh. “I was moving into Ponyville for work, I’m the new Night Patrol Deputy Marshal for Ponyville.” “Yer another Marshal? We’ve already got one, why do we need two?” Big Mac said. “Yes, but I am nocturnal, so I’ll work of a night to keep the town safe, while Marshal Apple looks after the daytime.” Moonbeam said as he started to put his limited belongings back into his bags. Applejack nodded. “I understand, but ya shouldn’t have never taken ma hat...” Moonbeam held up a hoof. “I know, and if you have a branch of the Canterlot and Central Bank here I’ll gladly pay for any damage I can afford...” “Well, you will still have to be punished.” Shining Armour said firmly. “I suggest a spanking.” A mare’s voice said from the crowd. “Oh a spanking, a spanking!” The call was taken up by around one dozen mares at the edge of the crowd. “And then, the oral sex!” The first mare said again. “KINKY TWIST!” Cadence shot out as Tempest blushed up a storm while Moonbeam gave a startled and un-stallion like squeak. “Well you did say to punish him, but you didn’t say we couldn’t have fun doing it.” Kinky Twist, the owner of ‘Fun for Mares’ Adult shop spoke up. Cadence coughed as Shining blushed bright red. Twilight sighed softly once she had calmed and nodded. “Alright, situation back to normal everypony.” She smiled as she watch the ponies peel off and go about their normal business. She turned to look at Tempest. “So what you going to do now Tempest?” “Oh, that’s easy,” Tempest gave an almost-manic laugh, “grab another coffee.” She then mumbled. “Also maybe a cold shower.” Being part two.Applejack was concerned. She’d gotten word from her sister’s friend, Sweetie Belle, that something strange was happening in the south field. Apparently Sweetie had heard what sounded like something growling from what looked like a cave made from old dead apple trees that Big Mac had knocked down last year. She trotted towards the ‘cave’ after dark, because if this ‘animal’ was something dangerous, it was probably nocturnal. She hadn’t wanted to disturb the new Deputy, not until she knew what was happening after all. “This is our land, so I’ll check on it myself.” Applejack thought. She walked slowly up to it, hearing only silence within, and she poked her head inside. She lit the lantern she had in her jaw and shone it around. What she saw inside made her almost drop the lantern in shock. Inside the ‘cave’ was what looked like a set of saddlebags, along with a dirty blanket, a ragged pillow, and odd cans of food and water. She turned her head and then saw something that truly surprised her. Sitting on a small makeshift shelf was a set of four perfect reproductions of the Crowns of Equestria and the Crystal Empire. She mumbled a few choice words before packing everything up and carefully packing them away into the saddlebags. Noticing a small pad of note paper, she wrote a note and left it in place of everything else as she trotted back to the house with the bags, pillow and blanket. ================== Around four thirty am the next morning, before Celestia even raised the sun, Applejack was waiting on the front porch of the Apple family farm house. She sipped from a cup of strong tea as she patiently waited for her ‘visitor’ that she expected any time soon. She smiled into her cup as a pure white stallion with a pink nose landed and walked up to her looking like he was ashamed of something. “Good morning, Miss Applejack.” Moonbeam Starlight said softly, not looking her in the eyes. “Good morning Deputy. Care ta explain why I found ya belongings in a ‘cave’ on my land?” Applejack asked sternly. “It’s a long story, Miss Applejack.” Moonbeam said with a sigh. “Then it’s a good thing I’m awake then.” Applejack said with a glare. Moonbeam gulped and nodded. “Yes ma’am.” Applejack sighed. “Okay, how many times have I gots ta tell ya, no ‘Miss’ or ‘ma’am’; I’m either Applejack if’n ya want ta be formal, or A.J. if’n ya want to be friendly.” “Alright A.J.,” Moonbeam sighed, “provided you call me Moony, that’s what my friends used to call me.” Applejack nodded with a small smile. “Alright, Moony, come up here on the porch and tell me why ya’s livin’ like that.” Moonbeam nodded and walked up to sit near her. “It was just after the ‘incident’.” Applejack nodded. “Yeah, I remember, and so does my friend Rainbow Dash. She still can’t look ya in tha eyes if’n I remember.” Moonbeam nodded with a blush. “Yeah, the less said about that the better.” “So what did you ‘accidently’ take from her house?” Applejack asked in a curious tone. “A ‘surrogate for a stallion’...” Moonbeam said with a blush that turned him as pink as his nose. “Oh...” Was all Applejack said as her own blush took hold. “Anyway,” Moony said as he ploughed on, “I was flying to work and as I passed the Mayor’s office, I heard them talking about how much damage the town took, and...” “You was a eaves dropping?” Applejack asked in surprise. “Nope,” Moony said in a firm tone, “Pegasi have great hearing, A.J.” Applejack nodded as she remembered how good Dash’s hearing was. “Sorry, please continue.” Moony nodded. “Well she was talking about fining your family for the damage, and also making you pay to repair everything because it was your sister and her friends who bought the Timber Wolf to town.” Applejack looked confused. “But we never got a fine and such...” Moony blushed deeply as he looked at his hooves. “Yeah, well...” “Moony, what did ya do?” Applejack asked sternly. Moonbeam gave a sigh. “I paid for it. I couldn’t let you and your family suffer for something dumb I did, and that was stealing your hat as a prank.” Applejack sat silently for a long time as she mulled this over. Sitting next to her was the stallion she’d called so many horrible things over the past week, and yet he’d paid good bits to make sure her family didn’t suffer because of his mistake. She eventually looked at him and spoke gently. “I thank ya fer that Moony, but where’d ya get tha bits?” Moonbeam didn’t say anything. He just turned away from her gaze. “Moony, if’n ya don’t tell me where ya got those bits from, I’m gonna do somethin’ I hate doing...” She then turned a huge blubbery sad face on him with watery eyes. Moonbeam tried to look away but everywhere he looked, those watery eyes seemed to be there. Eventually he gave up with a sigh. “A.J., those eyes...” “Yup, they work every time according ta my sister.” Applejack said with a slight giggle. “Now, tell me.” Moonbeam sighed softly. “I got them from my mom; well, her estate when she died. I was going buy a house here, but some things are more important.” Applejack was stunned and she had to pick her jaw up off the porch. “How much?” “Ninety-eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty-seven bits...” Moonbeam said in an almost whisper. Applejack was silent but stood, kissing him gently on the cheek before looking at his eyes. “Y’all wait here for a second.” She said in a neutral tone before walking into the house. She returned shortly with her hat and proceeded to thwap him with it several times. “Tha kiss was fer being such a gentlecolt and doing that fer my family, and these,” she thwapped him twice more for good measure, “are fer being so darn dumb and using ya money to do it without talking to us afore ya did it.” She put her hat back on her head. “Sheesh A.J...” Moonbeam said with a slight laugh as he rubbed a hoof across the back of his head where she had hit him. “So how much have ya got left?” Applejack asked him with a small smile. “About twelve hundred bits...” Moonbeam said with another blush. “Consarnit!” Applejack growled out. Once she’d calmed down she looked at him, a hoof on her hat, and smiled a little as she saw him cower under his wings. “Okay, so that’s tha reason ya were living where ya was. So did any in my family know ya were there?” Moonbeam gave a slight gulp before nodding. “I don’t want to get a fellow stallion in trouble...” He then gave a squeak as he realised what he said and put a hoof up to his mouth to silence anything more. That was all Applejack needed to hear. She drew in a breath and then yelled in a fair approximation of the ‘Royal Canterlot Voice’: “MACINTOSH JONATHAN APPLE; GET YER FUZZY RUMP OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!” She didn’t care if the bellow woke everypony else, she wanted to sort this out. With the sound of scrambling heavy hooves, Big Mac was soon on the porch. “What ya want?” When he saw his sister pointing a hoof at the cowering Moonbeam he took in the situation instantly. He was not a dumb pony, despite what a lot thought, and what helped his assessment was the glare his sister was giving him. “Oh...” “Yeah, ‘oh’...” Applejack said with a glare that could melt stone. “Care ta explain why ya didn’t tell me we had a pony in need of help and ya didn’t say nothing?” Big Mac gave a gulp before speaking up. “Well A.J., he asked me not ta; said it was his own mistake so he’d stallion up and fix it himself.” Mac said in his slow rumble. “That’s all well an’ good but ya still should have told me...” Applejack said firmly before thwapping Big Mac several more times with her hat. “I ‘Pinkie Promised’ him.” Big Mac said plainly. Applejack glared at Big Mac as she placed her hat back on her head. “I know ya can’t break one o’ those, from personal experience...” She gave a sigh and turned back to Moonbeam. “Ya need a dark room?” Moonbeam nodded as he slid his dark glasses down over his eyes as the sun started to rise. “Yes A.J., that’s why the...” “That hovel,” Applejack said with a growl, “is outta bounds fer ya. We have a workers cottage and ya will be livin’ in there.” She pointed off to a small cottage next to the eastern side of the main compound. “It has dark blinds and such, and I’ll take ya over now.” As she went inside to grab his stuff she heard him talking to Big Mac. “Your sister is scary.” Moonbeam said. “Eeyup.” Was all Big Mac said in reply. ================== Tempest walked off the train a little later than she normally would have a few weeks before. It was around five thirty pm and she had to rush as the coffee shop she enjoyed would close in thirty minutes. She quickly trotted to the cafe and was surprised to see that they had a notice up that the cafe would remain open until eight pm from now on. She raised an eyebrow at that but took her usual seat. “Hi Tempest,” Freshly Brewed said with her usual cheerful smile, “your usual order?” Tempest looked up with a smile at the mare. “Yes please, F.B., and a couple of apple fritters please?” Freshly Brewed smiled and nodded as she moved away. “Hey F.B., why the extended hours?” Tempest asked. “Oh that’s easy.” Freshly Brewed said with a giggle, “Stick around for about an hour or so and you’ll see why.” She moved off into the main part of the cafe. Tempest was enjoying her second coffee when she noticed Moonbeam fly in and come to a running landing, walking into the cafe while pulling out a thermos flask. She saw him hand over the thermos to Freshly Brewed, who pointed at Tempest, and then she saw Moonbeam come trotting over to her. “Do you mind if I sit with you, Miss Tempest?” Moonbeam said with a gentle smile. It took a few moments for the fluttering butterflies in Tempest’s stomach to settle before she trusted herself to speak. “Sure, please?” Tempest said in a slightly scared tone but she coughed to cover it. Moonbeam nodded and sat opposite her just as Freshly Brewed came up to him and placed a cup of black coffee down in front of him and whispered something in his ear before walking away. “Seems that the coffee machine needs cleaning, so I’m going to be here for a little while.” Moonbeam said before taking a sip of his coffee and smiling at it. The two of them sat chatting together, and Tempest couldn’t remember what they chatted about but she had a warm happy feeling. Once his thermos was handed to him Moonbeam bid his fair wells and rose into the air giving Tempest a view of his perfect body as he moved off. Once he was out of sight she let out a whimper and placed a hoof on her forehead as she closed her eyes. “Now you know why I’m staying open late.” Freshly Brewed said with a knowing giggle. “Mm-hmm.” Was all Tempest trusted herself to say. Freshly Brewed sat in the chair recently vacated by Moonbeam. “Want to know a secret?” Tempest nodded and opened her eyes. “Sure...” “That stallion has never dated, let alone taken a mare, and that’s from A.J.” Freshly Brewed said with a smirk. “That is almost a crime...” Tempest burst out before placing a hoof over her own mouth to silence anything else. Freshly Brewed nodded. “If I wasn’t happily married, I’d be like sixty percent of the single mare population in Ponyville in trying to ‘cure’ that ‘affliction’.” Tempest gave a strange whimper and bapped her head on the table once, much to the amusement of Freshly Brewed. “I better get going; I want to speak to the Apples and also to Twilight...” Tempest lifted her head and slid the usual cost for her coffee to Freshly Brewed. “Have a good night, hun. See you next week?” Freshly Brewed said as she pocketed the bits. “Maybe sooner...” Tempest said half to herself as she trotted off towards the Apple farm. She failed to hear the giggle Freshly Brewed gave as she did. Around ten minutes later she heard her name called and looked above her to see Moonbeam hurrying towards her. When the stallion landed he walked up to her, and he seemed to be blushing. Tempest felt her heart skipping beats and pounding at the same time. “Miss Tempest, erm, are you, erm, doing anything next Friday night?” Moonbeam asked hesitantly. “No... Erm... Not that I know of, why?” Tempest said with a slight squeak in her voice. “Well, the Apples are having a hoedown that night, and I thought... Erm... It’s okay to say no... But if you’d like... Erm... Would you like to come with me to it?” Moonbeam asked with his own squeak. Tempest gulped deeply and blushed. “Are you... Are you asking me on a date?” She asked with surprise in her voice. Moonbeam nodded hesitantly. “It’s okay if you say no; a beautiful mare like you probably gets asked out all the time.” “No!” Tempest said firmly and then softened her voice. “No, it’s fine, and I’d love to go to it with you.” Moonbeam moved to her and hugged her warmly, giving her cheek a nuzzle, before speaking in a more relaxed tone. “Thanks for this chance, Miss Tempest. I’ll meet you at the station at six on Friday; no need to get dressed up, it’s supposed to be a relaxed thing.” He took off again to return to his patrol. Tempest stood frozen for a long while before giving a scared squeak and running back towards Ponyville. “To Tartarus with the Apples, I need to find out what’s wrong with my body.” She headed immediately to Ponyville Medical Centre. An hour later Tempest raced into Twilight’s reading room with a frazzled Spike in her wake. “Twilight, I need you, it’s an emergency!” She yelled as she came to a halt, falling dejectedly to the floor and hugging Twilight’s foreleg and looking up at her with pitiful eyes. “What’s wrong?” Twilight asked in confusion. “Something terrible has happened!” Tempest seemed to almost wail. “What is it? Timber Wolves? Diamond Dogs on the warpath?” Twilight asked with concern. “Worse!” Tempest sobbed out. “What’s worse than that? Don’t tell me The Storm King is still alive?” Twilight asked in a panic. “Worse... Oh Celestia... Much worse! I think I’m in love... I’ve been asked out on a date... And... And... I don’t know how to daaaaaaannnnnnnnnncccccccccceeeeeeeeee!!!” Tempest said with a wail and hid her face beneath her hooves. Twilight felt confusion strike her like a wet duck to the face. “Huh?” “I need your help, Twilight! I have less than a week to learn how to be a romantic mare, what to do on a date, and how to dance.” Tempest said between sobs. Twilight smiled softly and raised her friend back up. “Well, lucky for you I am the Sister-In-Law to the Alicorn of Love, and I’ll teach you what she taught me... Spike... Send a letter to Cadance; see if she can send a few pointers.” Twilight said with a smile to her dragon assistant before turning back to Tempest. “Now, let’s start with dancing.” =============== Shortly after, a panicked Cadence raced into Shining Armour’s office. “Shiny Love, we need an intervention, right now!” “Oh, come on honey, how bad can it be?” Shining Armour said with a slight laugh from behind his desk. He was used to his wife’s ‘out of left field’ moods by now. “A mare has gone to Twilight for dating advice...” She said in a concerned tone. “Oh honey, I’m sure it will be okay,” Shining said as he rose and walked around to his wife, cuddling her, “I mean, she had you as a foalsitter, and I’m sure you passed on a lot of your wisdom to her.” “No. you don’t get it!” Cadence said with a dirty look. “That’s not what we need the intervention for: she’s asked Twilight for DANCE lessons too.” Shining Armour blanched at this news, no mean feat for a white unicorn, and quickly called out for his assistant to ready the Royal train for immediate transportation to Ponyville with the new high speed locomotive to pull it. “We should be there in six hours; hopefully not too much damage has been done by then.” Cadence nodded and raced from the room to ready herself, their daughter Flurry and even to grab some of Shiny’s essentials. Author's Note For those of you wondering why Shining Armour was blanching, here's why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ptukt2jrjE Being part the third.Tempest was standing in Rarity’s ‘designing’ room, the white Unicorn’s sanctum sanctorum, as she had been for the past three hours. As far as she could tell the mare had done nothing after dragging her inside the room after Tempest mentioned having a ‘date’ with Moony. Tempest let out a long suffering sigh and was about to speak up when she heard the jangle of Rarity’s front door. “Trixie is back, Rarity.” Came a voice from the main room. “In here, love.” Rarity said with a soft sigh. Trixie Lulamoon, aka ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ walked into the room with a smile. She walked up to Rarity and kissed the white Unicorn on the cheek. “Troubles, Love?” Rarity turned to her marefriend of three weeks. If someone told her that she’d end up dating the braggart six months ago, she would have laughed her mane off at the idea. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without the showmare in it. “Yes, Love,” Rarity sighed, “I can’t seem to pick the right idea for poor Tempest here, she’s going to a hoedown at the Apples, but it’s a date too...” Trixie got a smile on her face and nodded. “Trixie must leave: she forgot something in the market. Make us all a cup of tea and I will return soon?” Rarity nodded and kissed her marefriend’s cheek. “Alright, Love,” she then motioned to Tempest to sit on the couch, “we’ll be still here.” Trixie nodded and raced from the room with a smile on her face. “We’ll take five, Tempest.” Rarity said with a small smile, “I’m sorry, but the inspiration doesn’t seem to be working...” “Don’t worry, Rarity, we all have our ‘off’ days,” Tempest said with an ironic laugh, “I’m just glad Shining Armour forgives me for his bruised shins.” Rarity laughed at that and nodded. “Don’t worry about that, I’m sure he’s used to it by now.” The white unicorn walked into her kitchen to make a pot of tea. Once the tea was made she returned to sit with Tempest. With a jangle of the bell, Trixie raced into the room with a hat box in her magic. Without a word she pulled out a hat and placed it on Tempest’s head and it had the desired effect. She smiled as she saw Rarity drop the teacup in her magic which Trixie deftly caught and placed back on the table. “You. Podium. NOW!” Rarity said in a tone that brooked no argument. ====== ====== ====== At five-forty-five on the Friday evening, Tempest was pacing nervously in Rarity’s parlour. “What if he doesn’t come, or what if he didn’t get the message?” She mumbled over and over as she paced. “Now, darling,” Rarity said with a chuckle, “you’re starting to sound like Twilight.” Tempest stopped pacing, gave Rarity a small laugh and nodded. “At least I’m not bursting into flame.” Rarity nodded and was about to speak up when Trixie trotted into the room. “Trixie just spoke with Marshall Moonbeam, he said he’d be here soon but he had to give instructions for the Guard for tonight.” Trixie said with a warm smile. Tempest felt the tension leave her at this news. “He takes his job seriously.” Trixie nodded. “He also is nervous about tonight.” She gave Tempest a smile. “He had his hat on backwards.” Tempest couldn’t help but giggle at this, then turned back to Rarity. “Thank you again Rarity; I don’t know what I’d done without...” “Hush,” Rarity smiled at her, “now it’s fine.” Tempest looked down at the outfit Rarity had designed for her, a denim skirt with a soft silken blouse in colours that complimented not only her own colours but the white of her hat. “I don’t know how you do it...” Rarity gave a soft laugh and was about to speak when the door opened and the clopping of hooves was heard on her floor. “Is that you, Moony?” Rarity called out. “Yes, Miss Rarity.” Moony’s voice came from the other room. “Is Tempest ready?” Rarity shooed Tempest into the other room and followed shortly after. She smiled as she saw Tempest blushing as Moony handed her a bouquet of red roses and saw the blush on Moony’s face as he stared open-mouthed at Tempest. Rarity gave a cough and smiled as the pair jumped slightly. “You had best get going dears, the girls and I will be there by seven.” Both ponies nodded and when Rarity noticed Tempest looking lost she spoke up again as she took the roses off the other mare. “I’ll put these in a vase for you, dear.” “Thank you Rarity.” Tempest said with obvious relief as she turned to Moony and gave a nod. Rarity placed the roses in a vase and was soon standing in her doorway, along with Trixie, and sighed a happy sigh as she watched the two walk towards Sweet Apple Acres. She noticed Moony had his wing over Tempest’s back, while Tempest had her tail draped over Moony’s flank. Trixie gave a happy laugh. “It seems that Tempest has leaped ahead of the competition.” Rarity laughed and nodded as she noticed the stink eyes that the couple were getting from a lot of the single mares as they walked along. “Yes, almost as many as you got, Love.” Trixie laughed and nodded. “Trixie thinks she came out very lucky.” Rarity smiled and kissed her marefriend softly on the lips. “Not as much as I did.” She thought as she led Trixie inside to ready themselves. ====== ====== ====== The evening was in full swing. The music, along with the cider, was flowing and everypony was enjoying them both. Moony couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy but surrounded by ponies that made his stay more than pleasant. He saw not only the Apples but most of Ponyville it seemed was there, including Princess ‘don’t use my title or I’ll stick my tiara up your nose’ Cadance and her husband Shining Armour amongst the ponies. He only really had eyes for one Pony, the mare beside him under his wing, and that was Tempest. A few times in the past hours he’d caught her casting shy looks at him only to see her blush and turn away when she saw him looking at her. He was about to speak up when he heard his name being called from the stage. He looked up to see Granny Smith standing there. “Moony, come up here, colt; ya need ta say some words fer the town.” The matriarch said with a smile. Moony gulped and reluctantly lifted his wing off Tempest as he trotted through the crowd. He noticed the spotlights being extinguished so he wouldn’t be under their extreme light. He slowly walked onto the stage, in front of the band, with his vest on his chest and the star on it. He took off his black hat and placed it on a stool before turning back to the crowd. “I want to thank everypony for coming, it means a lot to me to be here with you all today.” Moony said and was hushed by a cheer from the crowd. “Now,” he said with a grin, “I am not Princess Twilight, I won’t keep you all for an hour with a speech...” “Hey, it was only once.” Came the voice of Twilight in the back of the crowd, much to the laughter of all the ponies. “Now as I was saying,” Moony started up again, “today is sort of both happy and sad for me. I’m happy because I’m here amongst great friends...” The cheer went up again. “But also sad because today would have been my Mom’s fiftieth birthday, she died eight months ago.” There was silence for a long time before Moony spoke up again. “So if ya don’t mind I’d like to say something?” When silence was the only response Moony looked skyward. “Mama, I know you’re in a better place, but I want ya to know I’m doing okay, I’ve got friends, I’m a marshal like ya wanted me to be, and I’m walking out with a fantastic mare...” The cheers at this made Tempest blush when she realised he was talking about her. She hid her face behind her hat. “So, to honour my mom, Fuji Moonbeam, I’d like to sing you her favourite song.” Moony finished up and putting the hat back on his head he was handed a banjo by a pony in the band, and after placing the sling around his neck and strumming a few moments he started in on a fast paced song. “I'll eat when I get hungry, I'll drink when I get dry. If the life I live don't kill me, then I guess I'll never die.” The crowd of ponies started cheering and dancing as the song continued. “I'll tune up my banjo; I got my friends in tow. And find a mare to hold me tight, anywhere I go.” Tempest blushed at this but laughed at it as well. “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” “Yeehaw!” Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash both called out at the same time. “If the creek it was hard cider, and I sat upon the bank. I'd drink the whole thing dry, and the rest could kiss my flank.” “Got a banjo in my left hand, got a hoofshoe in my right, and I don't give a good goddamn if we play or if we fight.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I yell. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, then I'll see you in hell.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” “If I spend all my money, my money's mine alone, and I ain't never killed a monster, what that left me to my own.” “My kin they make hard cider, but I buy my own smoke too, and if I drink and smoke till I can't stand up, what the hell is it to you?” With these words the entire crowd erupted in a huge cheer. “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I yell. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, then I'll see you in hell.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” When the music wound down Tempest saw Moony bow deeply to the crowd of still cheering ponies and then she noticed Granny Smith on the stage too. The matriarch seemed to be hushing the crowd as she walked to Moony. “Now Moony, ya said ya ma was called Fuji?” Moonbeam nodded. “Yes ma’am, that’s right.” “Was she a bright yeller mare with blue eyes and pink an’ green mane?” Granny asked. “Yes Granny Smith, that was her colours...” Moony started to say. “Did she have a funny looking pair of apples on a full-moon cutie mark?” Granny forged on but only got a nod from Moony. “Ya ma was Fuji Apple afore she married ya pa; you’s kinfolk, Moony.” Moony stood there stunned while all they Apples cheered for him and flooded towards him, shaking his hoof or hugging him. It took him nearly an hour to make his way back to Tempest but she was happy when he extended his wing over her back. “So,” she whispered to him, “we’re ‘walking out’?” Moony blushed and turned to face her. “If you want to?” Tempest blushed deeply and nodded. She smiled coyly at him as they both leaned forward to kiss. Millimetre by millimetre they moved forward as the world seemed to halt around them. Tempest whimpered with the need to kiss this stallion in front of her and just as she felt his breath upon her a voice screamed out ‘Hiya’ in their ear. This intrusion was met by a squeak from Moony and a yelp from Tempest as the pair jumped back, the moment thoroughly ruined by a certain pink party pony. “Pinkie!!!” The entire crowd seemed to scream at her. “Sorry, my bad.” Pinkie said in a contrite tone. “Hey,” Ditzy yelled from the other side of the crowd, “that’s my line!” Author's Note Finally finished. For those wondering the song Moony was singing, it's based on "Corn Liquor". It can be found here.
Being the first part.Author's Note Please note this story is written using Australian English, and as such, some of the words may appear to be misspelled to others. Also this is only the first chapter of this new story, so please enjoy it for what it is, a little bit of 'fluff'. Being the first part. Tempest Berrytwist, or had she’d been known once as Tempest Shadow and even further back as Fizzlepop Berrytwist, walked slowly from the Ponyville train station towards the town with a small smile on her face. She had decided to change her last name back to her original one at the suggestion of the Princesses, but decided to keep Tempest as her first name as she was used to it after all these years. She always enjoyed visiting her new friends in the town and especially Twilight who had been the first Pony in years to show her the true meaning of friendship. She gave a slight giggle as she walked towards the town square and one of the objects of her visit, the ‘Brown Bean Cafe’. Just as she reached the front of the cafe a loud explosion was heard from the edge of town. Tempest paid it no never mind as she sat and waited for Freshly Brewed, the mare who owned the cafe, to take her order. She didn’t mind the fifteen minute wait she was expecting, good coffee was worth the wait, unlike the burnt swill they served at ‘Astra Buckers’ and Princess Luna herself had recommended this place to her. She was just flicking through the ‘Canterlot News’ when she saw the Cakes chasing a rapidly vibrating Pinkie Pie down the road and yelling something about ‘sugar’. Tempest looked out on the square just in time to see the CMC run past, Scootaloo stuck on her back on top of the backs of the other two by what looked like tree sap. Tempest just shook her head. “Thursday,” she mumbled, “it has to be a Thursday, I could never get the hang of Thursdays.” She then was glad to see the owner return with her cappuccino, and she gave a contented sigh as she saw it had the perfect amount of foam on the top. She gazed at it lovingly, drinking in the aroma of the coffee with a smile. Tempest just shrugged at the goings on and went back to reading a forecast concerning love matches from ‘The Love Doctor’ and giggled at the stupidity of some ponies for believing in this. This idiot, ‘The Love Doctor’, had even predicted she’d find love within two months. Tempest gave a snickering snort of disbelief. “Like that’s going to happen.” She thought. Just then, as she flipped a page she heard Rainbow Dash’s voice yelling at some ‘pervert’ to stop and give back what he stole from her. She went back to her paper to be further surprised to hear Twilight yell out. “What the buck? Who just feathered my plot?!” It sounded like it came from her megaphone. This guess was confirmed by the high pitched squeal of it being shut down. Her eyes went wide as she saw Applejack racing along, towing her brother behind her like a water skier, while the large stallion had hold of her tail mumbling out the word ‘nope’ as he did so. One thing she noticed was Applejack was missing her hat. Tempest gave a sigh and lifted up her coffee to take that first blessed sip, when the cup was shattered in her hoof and the object that shattered it turned out to be a pair of dress making sheers which had buried themselves into the post of the cafe door. She carefully placed the handle of the cup, the only part of the blessed brew container left, onto the saucer with a slight whimper and stood up. She walked out into the centre of the town square and yelled out. “Alright you bunch of misfits and disreputable equines, front and centre, NOW!” She used her ‘drill sergeant’ voice. She got a slightly evil look on her face as a lot of the ponies in town lined up in front of her, including one small dragon. “Two lines, three lengths from and facing each other, now...!” She smiled as she saw them face each other leaving her an aisle to march up and down in, which she did while turning the air blue with words that would have even made Spitfire blush. She came to a halt and stared at Rarity. “Now, I was just about to enjoy a cup of coffee, it had the perfect amount of foam too, when my cup was shattered, destroying it along with my good mood, by a pair of dress making shears. Care to tell me who they belonged to and how they destroyed my coffee?” Tempest said with a growl. “I, erm, was surprised by ball of purple magic that exploded in my shop, and that made me throw my sheers, which I had in my own magic...” Rarity said with a gulp. “Purple huh?” Tempest said with a raised eyebrow as she noticed that every eye seemed to be turned towards Princess Twilight. “My magic isn’t purple, it’s magenta.” She said with a blush. “Close enough.” Tempest said as she walked down the other end of the group to Twilight who was standing next to Shining Armour, who was standing rigidly at attention, and a giggling Cadence. “Now, Twilight, why did you shoot a ball of magic into Rarity’s store?” “Well I was shocked and I had an accidental discharge when somepony feathered my plot...” Twilight started to say. “Not the best choice of words...” She mumbled. “Hey Twilight, I didn’t know you liked it like that!” Rainbow Dash said with a laugh which made the Princess squeak, blush and hide behind her wing. “Now, who here knows why that happened?” Tempest asked in a calm tone. “Erm, I was chasing him when he did it...” Rainbow Dash said from half way down the group making Tempest walk slowly down to her. “Why were you chasing him in the first place?” Tempest asked. “He stole something, erm, personal from my house as he flew through my bedroom at high speed...” Rainbow dash said as her blush dyed her fur purple. “And who here knows why he was flying so quickly through a mare’s bedroom?” Tempest asked with an eye twitch. “Maybe trying ta get away from the explosion?” A stallion down the opposite end said. Tempest gave a long suffering sigh as she walked down to the end again. “And how did that happen?” “I was surprised by a Timber Wolf as I raced next to the gas works, so I tossed my lamp and it must have caused it.” The stallion, Lamp Lighter, said with a whimper under the stare of Tempest. Tempest muttered some choice words before asking. “And can somepony also please tell me why Pinkie seems to be vibrating so hard she looks like she’s trying to go trans-dimensional?” “She’s got a sugar rush from when she got blown into our sugar concentrate storage because of the explosion.” Mr Cake said. Tempest sadly nodded. “The explosion caused by a Timber Wolf... How the buck did a Timber Wolf end up in town?” “That was us, Ms Tempest.” Scootaloo said. Tempest turned to face the CMC, who were still stuck together, and sighed. “Tell me...” “Well we was chasing a Pegasus who went into the Everfree, and we musta disturbed the Timber Wolf, and it chased us ta town.” Apple Bloom said. “And why, were you chasing the Pegasus?” Tempest said in a forlorn tone. “Because he stole ma hat.” Applejack said firmly. Tempest just nodded. “Definitely Thursday.” She thought. “And you,” she pointed a hoof at Big Mac, “were trying to stop her chasing him?” Big Mac nodded. “Eeyup.” Tempest face hoofed and whimpered. “And where is this Pegasus?” “Right there!” Applejack said firmly and raced off. She returned with a trussed up Pegasus stallion being dragged along the ground. The stallion was totally hogtied and Applejack had her prized hat back on her head as she stopped the bundle in front of Tempest. The other ponies gathered around to look at the stranger. He had a pure white coat, mane and tail, the only colour that could be seen on him was a pink nose. He wore saddlebags and a set of darkened lens glasses on his face. “And who are you?” Tempest asked, her horn crackling. “Moonbeam Starlight.” The stallion replied in a soft but surprisingly high pitch to his voice. “Well Moonbeam, could you please explain as to why you have been doing what you’ve been doing?” Tempest asked in a tone so cold it could have grown icicles on a mid-summers day in Saddle Arabia. Before he could reply Twilight gave out a scream as she noticed something sticking out of his saddlebags. She quickly pulled it out with her magic, and almost all the ponies gasped as she held Celestia’s crown in her hoof. She started to make weird whimpering and squeaking noises as she pointed at it. “Please allow me to translate ‘freak out’ to normal Equish; according to Twilight, she’s shocked that you’d do this, and you are guilty of High Treason...” Spike said. Twilight gave another set of squeaking noises as her lips shook. “And... You are to be taken to the jail.” Spike added. “I didn’t steal that.” Moonbeam said firmly. “We can’t trust ya,” Applejack said firmly, “ya stole ma hat, and something from Dash, I say ya are a no account thief, and we can’t know tha truth if’n we can’t see ya eyes...” With one swift movement she tore the glasses off his face. She was surprised when he gave out a pained scream as his eyes closed and he tried to cover his eyes with his bound wings, all the time whimpering like a kicked puppy. Applejack stood there stunned with the glasses in her hoof. She was even more surprised when the glasses were levitated out of her hoof by a blue magical field as she was pushed out of the way by Vinyl Scratch, the Ponyville resident DJ, as the Unicorn mare gently placed the glasses back onto Moonbeam’s face. Vinyl turned and glared at Applejack. “Do you know how much of a bucking bitch you are right now?!” “Whatcha mean?” Applejack said firmly. “He’s an Albino, his eyes are even more sensitive to the light than mine are, and you may have well just shone a laser into his eyes!” Vinyl pointed up at the sun. “I’ve got EPSS.” Moonbeam said in his soft tone. As the others looked confused, Twilight spoke up. “Extreme Photo Sensitivity Syndrome.” Moonbeam nodded, keeping his eyes closed. “That doesn’t excuse stealing, and what you did to me, plus treason.” Twilight said firmly. “I didn’t steal the crown.” Moonbeam said firmly. “Oh yeah, what about my... erm... what you stole from my house?” Rainbow Dash said firmly. “That was an accident, I flew through your window as you had it in your hoof, I accidently got it caught in my saddlebag, nothing more,” Moonbeam said, “it’s still in my pack.” Tempest reached into the pack and pulled out a large red vibrator. “Is this...” Suddenly there was a rainbow coloured flash and it was whisked away from her hoof before she could show anypony. “Well I think I know what you stole from Dash?” She said with a slight giggle. Moonbeam nodded. “I repeat, I didn’t steal anything.” “What about ma hat?” Applejack asked with an angry snort. “Okay, I did take your hat, I apologise for that, but I only meant it as a joke...” Moonbeam said. “A joke!” Applejack said firmly and advanced on him making the stallion take a step back. “AJ,” Her brother rumbled at the farm mare in a warning tone, “let him talk.” Applejack nodded slowly. “Alright, but that don’t explain tha crown.” “I think I can explain that,” Cadence said having noticed something else in the bags, “turn it over Twilight, and look inside.” Twilight nodded and did as her sister-in-law suggested. “Made for the Canterlot Souvenir Store, limited edition, one of five hundred...” She looked around at the Ponies there and then back to Moonbeam. “This is a copy?” Moonbeam nodded. “Yes, I had to save up for three weeks to get the full set of four first editions.” “But why are you carrying them around?” Twilight asked as she handed back the copy. Moonbeam gave a soft sigh. “I was moving into Ponyville for work, I’m the new Night Patrol Deputy Marshal for Ponyville.” “Yer another Marshal? We’ve already got one, why do we need two?” Big Mac said. “Yes, but I am nocturnal, so I’ll work of a night to keep the town safe, while Marshal Apple looks after the daytime.” Moonbeam said as he started to put his limited belongings back into his bags. Applejack nodded. “I understand, but ya shouldn’t have never taken ma hat...” Moonbeam held up a hoof. “I know, and if you have a branch of the Canterlot and Central Bank here I’ll gladly pay for any damage I can afford...” “Well, you will still have to be punished.” Shining Armour said firmly. “I suggest a spanking.” A mare’s voice said from the crowd. “Oh a spanking, a spanking!” The call was taken up by around one dozen mares at the edge of the crowd. “And then, the oral sex!” The first mare said again. “KINKY TWIST!” Cadence shot out as Tempest blushed up a storm while Moonbeam gave a startled and un-stallion like squeak. “Well you did say to punish him, but you didn’t say we couldn’t have fun doing it.” Kinky Twist, the owner of ‘Fun for Mares’ Adult shop spoke up. Cadence coughed as Shining blushed bright red. Twilight sighed softly once she had calmed and nodded. “Alright, situation back to normal everypony.” She smiled as she watch the ponies peel off and go about their normal business. She turned to look at Tempest. “So what you going to do now Tempest?” “Oh, that’s easy,” Tempest gave an almost-manic laugh, “grab another coffee.” She then mumbled. “Also maybe a cold shower.”
Being part two.Applejack was concerned. She’d gotten word from her sister’s friend, Sweetie Belle, that something strange was happening in the south field. Apparently Sweetie had heard what sounded like something growling from what looked like a cave made from old dead apple trees that Big Mac had knocked down last year. She trotted towards the ‘cave’ after dark, because if this ‘animal’ was something dangerous, it was probably nocturnal. She hadn’t wanted to disturb the new Deputy, not until she knew what was happening after all. “This is our land, so I’ll check on it myself.” Applejack thought. She walked slowly up to it, hearing only silence within, and she poked her head inside. She lit the lantern she had in her jaw and shone it around. What she saw inside made her almost drop the lantern in shock. Inside the ‘cave’ was what looked like a set of saddlebags, along with a dirty blanket, a ragged pillow, and odd cans of food and water. She turned her head and then saw something that truly surprised her. Sitting on a small makeshift shelf was a set of four perfect reproductions of the Crowns of Equestria and the Crystal Empire. She mumbled a few choice words before packing everything up and carefully packing them away into the saddlebags. Noticing a small pad of note paper, she wrote a note and left it in place of everything else as she trotted back to the house with the bags, pillow and blanket. ================== Around four thirty am the next morning, before Celestia even raised the sun, Applejack was waiting on the front porch of the Apple family farm house. She sipped from a cup of strong tea as she patiently waited for her ‘visitor’ that she expected any time soon. She smiled into her cup as a pure white stallion with a pink nose landed and walked up to her looking like he was ashamed of something. “Good morning, Miss Applejack.” Moonbeam Starlight said softly, not looking her in the eyes. “Good morning Deputy. Care ta explain why I found ya belongings in a ‘cave’ on my land?” Applejack asked sternly. “It’s a long story, Miss Applejack.” Moonbeam said with a sigh. “Then it’s a good thing I’m awake then.” Applejack said with a glare. Moonbeam gulped and nodded. “Yes ma’am.” Applejack sighed. “Okay, how many times have I gots ta tell ya, no ‘Miss’ or ‘ma’am’; I’m either Applejack if’n ya want ta be formal, or A.J. if’n ya want to be friendly.” “Alright A.J.,” Moonbeam sighed, “provided you call me Moony, that’s what my friends used to call me.” Applejack nodded with a small smile. “Alright, Moony, come up here on the porch and tell me why ya’s livin’ like that.” Moonbeam nodded and walked up to sit near her. “It was just after the ‘incident’.” Applejack nodded. “Yeah, I remember, and so does my friend Rainbow Dash. She still can’t look ya in tha eyes if’n I remember.” Moonbeam nodded with a blush. “Yeah, the less said about that the better.” “So what did you ‘accidently’ take from her house?” Applejack asked in a curious tone. “A ‘surrogate for a stallion’...” Moonbeam said with a blush that turned him as pink as his nose. “Oh...” Was all Applejack said as her own blush took hold. “Anyway,” Moony said as he ploughed on, “I was flying to work and as I passed the Mayor’s office, I heard them talking about how much damage the town took, and...” “You was a eaves dropping?” Applejack asked in surprise. “Nope,” Moony said in a firm tone, “Pegasi have great hearing, A.J.” Applejack nodded as she remembered how good Dash’s hearing was. “Sorry, please continue.” Moony nodded. “Well she was talking about fining your family for the damage, and also making you pay to repair everything because it was your sister and her friends who bought the Timber Wolf to town.” Applejack looked confused. “But we never got a fine and such...” Moony blushed deeply as he looked at his hooves. “Yeah, well...” “Moony, what did ya do?” Applejack asked sternly. Moonbeam gave a sigh. “I paid for it. I couldn’t let you and your family suffer for something dumb I did, and that was stealing your hat as a prank.” Applejack sat silently for a long time as she mulled this over. Sitting next to her was the stallion she’d called so many horrible things over the past week, and yet he’d paid good bits to make sure her family didn’t suffer because of his mistake. She eventually looked at him and spoke gently. “I thank ya fer that Moony, but where’d ya get tha bits?” Moonbeam didn’t say anything. He just turned away from her gaze. “Moony, if’n ya don’t tell me where ya got those bits from, I’m gonna do somethin’ I hate doing...” She then turned a huge blubbery sad face on him with watery eyes. Moonbeam tried to look away but everywhere he looked, those watery eyes seemed to be there. Eventually he gave up with a sigh. “A.J., those eyes...” “Yup, they work every time according ta my sister.” Applejack said with a slight giggle. “Now, tell me.” Moonbeam sighed softly. “I got them from my mom; well, her estate when she died. I was going buy a house here, but some things are more important.” Applejack was stunned and she had to pick her jaw up off the porch. “How much?” “Ninety-eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty-seven bits...” Moonbeam said in an almost whisper. Applejack was silent but stood, kissing him gently on the cheek before looking at his eyes. “Y’all wait here for a second.” She said in a neutral tone before walking into the house. She returned shortly with her hat and proceeded to thwap him with it several times. “Tha kiss was fer being such a gentlecolt and doing that fer my family, and these,” she thwapped him twice more for good measure, “are fer being so darn dumb and using ya money to do it without talking to us afore ya did it.” She put her hat back on her head. “Sheesh A.J...” Moonbeam said with a slight laugh as he rubbed a hoof across the back of his head where she had hit him. “So how much have ya got left?” Applejack asked him with a small smile. “About twelve hundred bits...” Moonbeam said with another blush. “Consarnit!” Applejack growled out. Once she’d calmed down she looked at him, a hoof on her hat, and smiled a little as she saw him cower under his wings. “Okay, so that’s tha reason ya were living where ya was. So did any in my family know ya were there?” Moonbeam gave a slight gulp before nodding. “I don’t want to get a fellow stallion in trouble...” He then gave a squeak as he realised what he said and put a hoof up to his mouth to silence anything more. That was all Applejack needed to hear. She drew in a breath and then yelled in a fair approximation of the ‘Royal Canterlot Voice’: “MACINTOSH JONATHAN APPLE; GET YER FUZZY RUMP OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!” She didn’t care if the bellow woke everypony else, she wanted to sort this out. With the sound of scrambling heavy hooves, Big Mac was soon on the porch. “What ya want?” When he saw his sister pointing a hoof at the cowering Moonbeam he took in the situation instantly. He was not a dumb pony, despite what a lot thought, and what helped his assessment was the glare his sister was giving him. “Oh...” “Yeah, ‘oh’...” Applejack said with a glare that could melt stone. “Care ta explain why ya didn’t tell me we had a pony in need of help and ya didn’t say nothing?” Big Mac gave a gulp before speaking up. “Well A.J., he asked me not ta; said it was his own mistake so he’d stallion up and fix it himself.” Mac said in his slow rumble. “That’s all well an’ good but ya still should have told me...” Applejack said firmly before thwapping Big Mac several more times with her hat. “I ‘Pinkie Promised’ him.” Big Mac said plainly. Applejack glared at Big Mac as she placed her hat back on her head. “I know ya can’t break one o’ those, from personal experience...” She gave a sigh and turned back to Moonbeam. “Ya need a dark room?” Moonbeam nodded as he slid his dark glasses down over his eyes as the sun started to rise. “Yes A.J., that’s why the...” “That hovel,” Applejack said with a growl, “is outta bounds fer ya. We have a workers cottage and ya will be livin’ in there.” She pointed off to a small cottage next to the eastern side of the main compound. “It has dark blinds and such, and I’ll take ya over now.” As she went inside to grab his stuff she heard him talking to Big Mac. “Your sister is scary.” Moonbeam said. “Eeyup.” Was all Big Mac said in reply. ================== Tempest walked off the train a little later than she normally would have a few weeks before. It was around five thirty pm and she had to rush as the coffee shop she enjoyed would close in thirty minutes. She quickly trotted to the cafe and was surprised to see that they had a notice up that the cafe would remain open until eight pm from now on. She raised an eyebrow at that but took her usual seat. “Hi Tempest,” Freshly Brewed said with her usual cheerful smile, “your usual order?” Tempest looked up with a smile at the mare. “Yes please, F.B., and a couple of apple fritters please?” Freshly Brewed smiled and nodded as she moved away. “Hey F.B., why the extended hours?” Tempest asked. “Oh that’s easy.” Freshly Brewed said with a giggle, “Stick around for about an hour or so and you’ll see why.” She moved off into the main part of the cafe. Tempest was enjoying her second coffee when she noticed Moonbeam fly in and come to a running landing, walking into the cafe while pulling out a thermos flask. She saw him hand over the thermos to Freshly Brewed, who pointed at Tempest, and then she saw Moonbeam come trotting over to her. “Do you mind if I sit with you, Miss Tempest?” Moonbeam said with a gentle smile. It took a few moments for the fluttering butterflies in Tempest’s stomach to settle before she trusted herself to speak. “Sure, please?” Tempest said in a slightly scared tone but she coughed to cover it. Moonbeam nodded and sat opposite her just as Freshly Brewed came up to him and placed a cup of black coffee down in front of him and whispered something in his ear before walking away. “Seems that the coffee machine needs cleaning, so I’m going to be here for a little while.” Moonbeam said before taking a sip of his coffee and smiling at it. The two of them sat chatting together, and Tempest couldn’t remember what they chatted about but she had a warm happy feeling. Once his thermos was handed to him Moonbeam bid his fair wells and rose into the air giving Tempest a view of his perfect body as he moved off. Once he was out of sight she let out a whimper and placed a hoof on her forehead as she closed her eyes. “Now you know why I’m staying open late.” Freshly Brewed said with a knowing giggle. “Mm-hmm.” Was all Tempest trusted herself to say. Freshly Brewed sat in the chair recently vacated by Moonbeam. “Want to know a secret?” Tempest nodded and opened her eyes. “Sure...” “That stallion has never dated, let alone taken a mare, and that’s from A.J.” Freshly Brewed said with a smirk. “That is almost a crime...” Tempest burst out before placing a hoof over her own mouth to silence anything else. Freshly Brewed nodded. “If I wasn’t happily married, I’d be like sixty percent of the single mare population in Ponyville in trying to ‘cure’ that ‘affliction’.” Tempest gave a strange whimper and bapped her head on the table once, much to the amusement of Freshly Brewed. “I better get going; I want to speak to the Apples and also to Twilight...” Tempest lifted her head and slid the usual cost for her coffee to Freshly Brewed. “Have a good night, hun. See you next week?” Freshly Brewed said as she pocketed the bits. “Maybe sooner...” Tempest said half to herself as she trotted off towards the Apple farm. She failed to hear the giggle Freshly Brewed gave as she did. Around ten minutes later she heard her name called and looked above her to see Moonbeam hurrying towards her. When the stallion landed he walked up to her, and he seemed to be blushing. Tempest felt her heart skipping beats and pounding at the same time. “Miss Tempest, erm, are you, erm, doing anything next Friday night?” Moonbeam asked hesitantly. “No... Erm... Not that I know of, why?” Tempest said with a slight squeak in her voice. “Well, the Apples are having a hoedown that night, and I thought... Erm... It’s okay to say no... But if you’d like... Erm... Would you like to come with me to it?” Moonbeam asked with his own squeak. Tempest gulped deeply and blushed. “Are you... Are you asking me on a date?” She asked with surprise in her voice. Moonbeam nodded hesitantly. “It’s okay if you say no; a beautiful mare like you probably gets asked out all the time.” “No!” Tempest said firmly and then softened her voice. “No, it’s fine, and I’d love to go to it with you.” Moonbeam moved to her and hugged her warmly, giving her cheek a nuzzle, before speaking in a more relaxed tone. “Thanks for this chance, Miss Tempest. I’ll meet you at the station at six on Friday; no need to get dressed up, it’s supposed to be a relaxed thing.” He took off again to return to his patrol. Tempest stood frozen for a long while before giving a scared squeak and running back towards Ponyville. “To Tartarus with the Apples, I need to find out what’s wrong with my body.” She headed immediately to Ponyville Medical Centre. An hour later Tempest raced into Twilight’s reading room with a frazzled Spike in her wake. “Twilight, I need you, it’s an emergency!” She yelled as she came to a halt, falling dejectedly to the floor and hugging Twilight’s foreleg and looking up at her with pitiful eyes. “What’s wrong?” Twilight asked in confusion. “Something terrible has happened!” Tempest seemed to almost wail. “What is it? Timber Wolves? Diamond Dogs on the warpath?” Twilight asked with concern. “Worse!” Tempest sobbed out. “What’s worse than that? Don’t tell me The Storm King is still alive?” Twilight asked in a panic. “Worse... Oh Celestia... Much worse! I think I’m in love... I’ve been asked out on a date... And... And... I don’t know how to daaaaaaannnnnnnnnncccccccccceeeeeeeeee!!!” Tempest said with a wail and hid her face beneath her hooves. Twilight felt confusion strike her like a wet duck to the face. “Huh?” “I need your help, Twilight! I have less than a week to learn how to be a romantic mare, what to do on a date, and how to dance.” Tempest said between sobs. Twilight smiled softly and raised her friend back up. “Well, lucky for you I am the Sister-In-Law to the Alicorn of Love, and I’ll teach you what she taught me... Spike... Send a letter to Cadance; see if she can send a few pointers.” Twilight said with a smile to her dragon assistant before turning back to Tempest. “Now, let’s start with dancing.” =============== Shortly after, a panicked Cadence raced into Shining Armour’s office. “Shiny Love, we need an intervention, right now!” “Oh, come on honey, how bad can it be?” Shining Armour said with a slight laugh from behind his desk. He was used to his wife’s ‘out of left field’ moods by now. “A mare has gone to Twilight for dating advice...” She said in a concerned tone. “Oh honey, I’m sure it will be okay,” Shining said as he rose and walked around to his wife, cuddling her, “I mean, she had you as a foalsitter, and I’m sure you passed on a lot of your wisdom to her.” “No. you don’t get it!” Cadence said with a dirty look. “That’s not what we need the intervention for: she’s asked Twilight for DANCE lessons too.” Shining Armour blanched at this news, no mean feat for a white unicorn, and quickly called out for his assistant to ready the Royal train for immediate transportation to Ponyville with the new high speed locomotive to pull it. “We should be there in six hours; hopefully not too much damage has been done by then.” Cadence nodded and raced from the room to ready herself, their daughter Flurry and even to grab some of Shiny’s essentials. Author's Note For those of you wondering why Shining Armour was blanching, here's why. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ptukt2jrjE
Being part the third.Tempest was standing in Rarity’s ‘designing’ room, the white Unicorn’s sanctum sanctorum, as she had been for the past three hours. As far as she could tell the mare had done nothing after dragging her inside the room after Tempest mentioned having a ‘date’ with Moony. Tempest let out a long suffering sigh and was about to speak up when she heard the jangle of Rarity’s front door. “Trixie is back, Rarity.” Came a voice from the main room. “In here, love.” Rarity said with a soft sigh. Trixie Lulamoon, aka ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ walked into the room with a smile. She walked up to Rarity and kissed the white Unicorn on the cheek. “Troubles, Love?” Rarity turned to her marefriend of three weeks. If someone told her that she’d end up dating the braggart six months ago, she would have laughed her mane off at the idea. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without the showmare in it. “Yes, Love,” Rarity sighed, “I can’t seem to pick the right idea for poor Tempest here, she’s going to a hoedown at the Apples, but it’s a date too...” Trixie got a smile on her face and nodded. “Trixie must leave: she forgot something in the market. Make us all a cup of tea and I will return soon?” Rarity nodded and kissed her marefriend’s cheek. “Alright, Love,” she then motioned to Tempest to sit on the couch, “we’ll be still here.” Trixie nodded and raced from the room with a smile on her face. “We’ll take five, Tempest.” Rarity said with a small smile, “I’m sorry, but the inspiration doesn’t seem to be working...” “Don’t worry, Rarity, we all have our ‘off’ days,” Tempest said with an ironic laugh, “I’m just glad Shining Armour forgives me for his bruised shins.” Rarity laughed at that and nodded. “Don’t worry about that, I’m sure he’s used to it by now.” The white unicorn walked into her kitchen to make a pot of tea. Once the tea was made she returned to sit with Tempest. With a jangle of the bell, Trixie raced into the room with a hat box in her magic. Without a word she pulled out a hat and placed it on Tempest’s head and it had the desired effect. She smiled as she saw Rarity drop the teacup in her magic which Trixie deftly caught and placed back on the table. “You. Podium. NOW!” Rarity said in a tone that brooked no argument. ====== ====== ====== At five-forty-five on the Friday evening, Tempest was pacing nervously in Rarity’s parlour. “What if he doesn’t come, or what if he didn’t get the message?” She mumbled over and over as she paced. “Now, darling,” Rarity said with a chuckle, “you’re starting to sound like Twilight.” Tempest stopped pacing, gave Rarity a small laugh and nodded. “At least I’m not bursting into flame.” Rarity nodded and was about to speak up when Trixie trotted into the room. “Trixie just spoke with Marshall Moonbeam, he said he’d be here soon but he had to give instructions for the Guard for tonight.” Trixie said with a warm smile. Tempest felt the tension leave her at this news. “He takes his job seriously.” Trixie nodded. “He also is nervous about tonight.” She gave Tempest a smile. “He had his hat on backwards.” Tempest couldn’t help but giggle at this, then turned back to Rarity. “Thank you again Rarity; I don’t know what I’d done without...” “Hush,” Rarity smiled at her, “now it’s fine.” Tempest looked down at the outfit Rarity had designed for her, a denim skirt with a soft silken blouse in colours that complimented not only her own colours but the white of her hat. “I don’t know how you do it...” Rarity gave a soft laugh and was about to speak when the door opened and the clopping of hooves was heard on her floor. “Is that you, Moony?” Rarity called out. “Yes, Miss Rarity.” Moony’s voice came from the other room. “Is Tempest ready?” Rarity shooed Tempest into the other room and followed shortly after. She smiled as she saw Tempest blushing as Moony handed her a bouquet of red roses and saw the blush on Moony’s face as he stared open-mouthed at Tempest. Rarity gave a cough and smiled as the pair jumped slightly. “You had best get going dears, the girls and I will be there by seven.” Both ponies nodded and when Rarity noticed Tempest looking lost she spoke up again as she took the roses off the other mare. “I’ll put these in a vase for you, dear.” “Thank you Rarity.” Tempest said with obvious relief as she turned to Moony and gave a nod. Rarity placed the roses in a vase and was soon standing in her doorway, along with Trixie, and sighed a happy sigh as she watched the two walk towards Sweet Apple Acres. She noticed Moony had his wing over Tempest’s back, while Tempest had her tail draped over Moony’s flank. Trixie gave a happy laugh. “It seems that Tempest has leaped ahead of the competition.” Rarity laughed and nodded as she noticed the stink eyes that the couple were getting from a lot of the single mares as they walked along. “Yes, almost as many as you got, Love.” Trixie laughed and nodded. “Trixie thinks she came out very lucky.” Rarity smiled and kissed her marefriend softly on the lips. “Not as much as I did.” She thought as she led Trixie inside to ready themselves. ====== ====== ====== The evening was in full swing. The music, along with the cider, was flowing and everypony was enjoying them both. Moony couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy but surrounded by ponies that made his stay more than pleasant. He saw not only the Apples but most of Ponyville it seemed was there, including Princess ‘don’t use my title or I’ll stick my tiara up your nose’ Cadance and her husband Shining Armour amongst the ponies. He only really had eyes for one Pony, the mare beside him under his wing, and that was Tempest. A few times in the past hours he’d caught her casting shy looks at him only to see her blush and turn away when she saw him looking at her. He was about to speak up when he heard his name being called from the stage. He looked up to see Granny Smith standing there. “Moony, come up here, colt; ya need ta say some words fer the town.” The matriarch said with a smile. Moony gulped and reluctantly lifted his wing off Tempest as he trotted through the crowd. He noticed the spotlights being extinguished so he wouldn’t be under their extreme light. He slowly walked onto the stage, in front of the band, with his vest on his chest and the star on it. He took off his black hat and placed it on a stool before turning back to the crowd. “I want to thank everypony for coming, it means a lot to me to be here with you all today.” Moony said and was hushed by a cheer from the crowd. “Now,” he said with a grin, “I am not Princess Twilight, I won’t keep you all for an hour with a speech...” “Hey, it was only once.” Came the voice of Twilight in the back of the crowd, much to the laughter of all the ponies. “Now as I was saying,” Moony started up again, “today is sort of both happy and sad for me. I’m happy because I’m here amongst great friends...” The cheer went up again. “But also sad because today would have been my Mom’s fiftieth birthday, she died eight months ago.” There was silence for a long time before Moony spoke up again. “So if ya don’t mind I’d like to say something?” When silence was the only response Moony looked skyward. “Mama, I know you’re in a better place, but I want ya to know I’m doing okay, I’ve got friends, I’m a marshal like ya wanted me to be, and I’m walking out with a fantastic mare...” The cheers at this made Tempest blush when she realised he was talking about her. She hid her face behind her hat. “So, to honour my mom, Fuji Moonbeam, I’d like to sing you her favourite song.” Moony finished up and putting the hat back on his head he was handed a banjo by a pony in the band, and after placing the sling around his neck and strumming a few moments he started in on a fast paced song. “I'll eat when I get hungry, I'll drink when I get dry. If the life I live don't kill me, then I guess I'll never die.” The crowd of ponies started cheering and dancing as the song continued. “I'll tune up my banjo; I got my friends in tow. And find a mare to hold me tight, anywhere I go.” Tempest blushed at this but laughed at it as well. “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” “Yeehaw!” Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash both called out at the same time. “If the creek it was hard cider, and I sat upon the bank. I'd drink the whole thing dry, and the rest could kiss my flank.” “Got a banjo in my left hand, got a hoofshoe in my right, and I don't give a good goddamn if we play or if we fight.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I yell. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, then I'll see you in hell.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” “If I spend all my money, my money's mine alone, and I ain't never killed a monster, what that left me to my own.” “My kin they make hard cider, but I buy my own smoke too, and if I drink and smoke till I can't stand up, what the hell is it to you?” With these words the entire crowd erupted in a huge cheer. “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I yell. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, then I'll see you in hell.” “Hard Cider, hard cider's what I cry. If you don't give me hard cider, colt, somepony's gonna die. Somepony's gonna die, oh 'Tia, somepony's gonna die.” When the music wound down Tempest saw Moony bow deeply to the crowd of still cheering ponies and then she noticed Granny Smith on the stage too. The matriarch seemed to be hushing the crowd as she walked to Moony. “Now Moony, ya said ya ma was called Fuji?” Moonbeam nodded. “Yes ma’am, that’s right.” “Was she a bright yeller mare with blue eyes and pink an’ green mane?” Granny asked. “Yes Granny Smith, that was her colours...” Moony started to say. “Did she have a funny looking pair of apples on a full-moon cutie mark?” Granny forged on but only got a nod from Moony. “Ya ma was Fuji Apple afore she married ya pa; you’s kinfolk, Moony.” Moony stood there stunned while all they Apples cheered for him and flooded towards him, shaking his hoof or hugging him. It took him nearly an hour to make his way back to Tempest but she was happy when he extended his wing over her back. “So,” she whispered to him, “we’re ‘walking out’?” Moony blushed and turned to face her. “If you want to?” Tempest blushed deeply and nodded. She smiled coyly at him as they both leaned forward to kiss. Millimetre by millimetre they moved forward as the world seemed to halt around them. Tempest whimpered with the need to kiss this stallion in front of her and just as she felt his breath upon her a voice screamed out ‘Hiya’ in their ear. This intrusion was met by a squeak from Moony and a yelp from Tempest as the pair jumped back, the moment thoroughly ruined by a certain pink party pony. “Pinkie!!!” The entire crowd seemed to scream at her. “Sorry, my bad.” Pinkie said in a contrite tone. “Hey,” Ditzy yelled from the other side of the crowd, “that’s my line!” Author's Note Finally finished. For those wondering the song Moony was singing, it's based on "Corn Liquor". It can be found here.
