Paul's Friendship Collectionby PaulAsaranChaptersTeatime (Fluttershy X Chrysalis)What Scootaloo Found in the Closet (Scootaloo X Sonata Dusk)At the Range (Applejack X Aria Blaze)Diamond Dreams (Luna X Diamond Tiara)The Opportunity (Octavia X Pear Butter)Growing Up (Adagio Dazzle X Sonata Dusk)Nameplate (Applejack X Trixie)Letter to a Villain (Apple Bloom X Chrysalis)The Big Apple Conspiracy (Applejack X Celestia)Moonstone (Luna X Limestone Pie)On The Mark (Twilight Sparkle X Rarity)Bonfire of Friendship (Derpy X Fleur de Lis)Let's Have a Battle (Aria Blaze X Lightning Dust)Teatime (Fluttershy X Chrysalis)Getting defeated by Celestia’s infinitely more capable sibling was frustrating. That Celestia herself couldn’t be bothered to gloat like any respectable leader should was galling. The joke of a trial that Princess Goody-Four-Hooves Twilight Sparkle presided over was humiliating. At least Cadance had given her the respect of insulting her to her face. Changelings were the ones who showed their pettiness behind others’ backs, and Chrysalis could be grateful the pink horror had chosen to not insult that by instead being direct. But of all the insults, all the things that left her grinding her fangs and wishing Luna had simply skewered her and been done with it, the worst was having to sit at this tiny table in this sickeningly homely cottage surrounded by filthy animals and having tea with the chewiest of morsels in the form of Fluttershy. Chrysalis did her absolute best to be an unpleasant guest, having tried everything from insulting the decor to threatening to encase that stupid rabbit in changeling goo. The insufferable pony hadn’t stopped smiling. Not once. The thing that rankled her most was that the fluffy yellow pastry’s smile was entirely sincere. Chrysalis could literally taste the pleasantness. “I hope the tea is to your liking, Your Majesty,” Fluttershy said, taking a sip from her own cup. “Some ever-so nice scorpions out in the Badlands told me it’s a local delicacy.” Chrysalis was tempted to ask to meet them for the express purpose of boiling them, but she had already tried the whole ‘eating the animals’ route and it hadn’t phased the mare in the slightest. In truth, the tea was delightful, but to admit that would be admitting defeat. She snorted and set the cup down on the table with not quite enough force to break the porcelain. “Is there a point to this mundane ritual?” “Only that you be comfortable and relaxed,” Fluttershy replied with that sickeningly sweet voice of hers. She set her own teacup down as a chorus of birdsong rose through a nearby door. “It sounds like the biscuits are ready. Excuse me for just a moment, please.” Off she trotted, humming a little tune and not seeming at all bothered by the idea of turning her back on a demigoddess. What Chrysalis wouldn’t give to put a magical bolt of energy right up her tail. The reason she didn’t floated upside down among the rafters of the cottage, reading a magazine right-side up and appearing perfectly nonchalant about the current goings on. Discord licked his finger and used his tongue to turn the page, then glanced down at Chrysalis. His eyebrows waggled. “Having fun, Chryssy?” She turned her face forward, scowl firmly in place. “You told them you wouldn’t interfere unless I made you.” “And I’m not.” “Then shut up, you misshapen lapdog.” He chuckled. “Is that really the best you can do?” Chrysalis kept her mouth shut. Fluttershy came back with biscuits and jam. She loathed how the love in them tasted so good. What Scootaloo Found in the Closet (Scootaloo X Sonata Dusk)Scootaloo looked to her to her left, then to her right. Yes, she was still in Twilight’s castle. It was still daytime. She bit her fetlock enough to hurt. Nope, definitely not dreaming. Her eyes went back to the door she’d opened. It was supposed to be a broom closet. It still was, really. A broom closet stuffed full of scales and limbs and fins and teeth. Plus two very big, red eyes. In the face of what one might normally deem deadly, logic dictated fleeing, or calling for help, or maybe even slamming the door. Scootaloo’s logic was curtailed, however, by how those two eyes, stuck low to the ground, gazed up at her with the kind of pleading stare usually reserved for kicked puppies. The creature was also undeniably stuck in the small room, its massive form squished and angled in ways that would make a contortionist blush. Then the creature had the audacity to beg, in a decidedly female and fearful voice, “Please don’t tell Twilight.” Once more, Scootaloo felt the urge to check her surroundings. Seeing she was alone and not sure anypony would believe her if she talked anyway, she turned back to the… thing. “What are you, and why not?” “Umm… I’m a siren?” After some huffing and squirming, the creature managed to pop free a lone hoof that was as big as Scootaloo's whole body and offer it. “I’m Sonata. I know I look big and scary right now, but I promise I’m not here to eat you.” That last part was said with such eager earnesty, like Sonata was dreadfully afraid of the accusation. Which was fair, considering the size of her and those fangs. Thinking about what Rainbow Dash would do, Scootaloo reached out to shake the proffered hoof as best she could. “Scootaloo.” “Hey, Scootaloo. You look just like this one kid at CHS, you know?” When Scootaloo only stared blankly at her, the siren let out a faint whine. “Could you help me out of here?” “Uh…” Taking a wary step back, tiny wings spread wide, Scootaloo eyed the creature top to bottom. Or, well, what was on top to what was on bottom. “That depends. What’s a siren, and why am I not telling Twilight?” As an afterthought, “How’d you even get in there?” Sonata squirmed, to no avail. With a pout, she rested her scaly chin on the floor. “I guess I’m, like, a cross between a sea serpent and a pony? Maybe? I dunno how to describe it, I haven’t seen what I look like in a long time. And if Twilight finds me she’ll make me go back. I just wanted to find a new home…” Ears folding back, Scootaloo hesitated. “And… the broom closet?” The plethora of scales and body parts moved in what might have been a shrug. “Fear’s a pretty good motivator.” “Right.” Scootaloo considered the situation, but the poor thing did look pretty pathetic. “Maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere?” At the Range (Applejack X Aria Blaze)How had it come to this? One minute Applejack had been practicing her shots, the next she was in a contest. The rifle kicked against her shoulder. She barely missed the bullseye, a fresh hole appearing in the circle just outside it. She grit her teeth as her unexpected opponent landed a similar hit on her own target. Ratcheting another round, she took careful aim. They weren’t the only ones at the range. None of the other people there were competing like this. But Applejack had gotten one look at those purple pigtails with their aquamarine streaks and suddenly it was on. She had five shots left. The next one went wider than usual, and she swore under her breath when the siren made a better shot. Neither of them had hit a bullseye yet. Neither of them had said a word either. A single exchanged glare, sizing one another and their respective rifles up, had been enough to get this mess started. Another shot. Third ring from center. Better. Not good enough. At least Aria’s next shot had been similar. What was she doing here? Had she always used this range near the Acres and Applejack never noticed? The odds that they had been going here for years and just happened to keep missing one another simply didn’t work in her head. Fourth shot. No better than last time. At least Aria’s went wide, outer ring. She was oddly inconsistent. Distracted, maybe? Applejack could relate. She glanced out the corner of her eye at the next booth over, just in time to see Aria do the same thing towards her. The woman was scowling. Yep, definitely distracted. Not one to miss an opportunity presented, Applejack took her time with the next shot. Focusing, steadying her breaths, adjusting her arms slightly, feeling the polished metal in her palm. Aria fired. Applejack didn’t look. Slow breath in. Hold it… Bullseye. Smug satisfaction shot through her as she began collecting her spent shells. A check of Aria’s target; no bullseye. Good enough. “Where do you think you’re going?” Startled that Aria had bothered to actually speak, Applejack tried to take on a nonchalant manner. “Home. I’m outta bullets.” She thought that would be the end of things, but Aria turned to her, scowl intact, and announced, “I’m not finished.” “Well, I am.” “You can buy more bullets.” “I ain’t made of money.” Aria tensed, glaring a hole through Applejack’s face. It abruptly dawned upon the farm girl that she was facing an armed enemy without any bullets. Her stomach flipped. Sure, Aria might be upset after the whole Battle of the Bands thing, but surely she wouldn’t… Setting the rifle aside, Aria pulled out her phone. “Give me your number.” “What? Why?” “I want a rematch,” the siren growled. “Next time you’re coming out here, I wanna know.” Applejack considered taking her rifle and walking away, but if all Aria wanted was some competition… She smirked and pulled out her own phone. Diamond Dreams (Luna X Diamond Tiara)Diamond Tiara didn’t remember what the nightmare was about. It was inconsequential, not when faced with the alicorn now standing before her. Oh, she’d seen Princess Luna multiple times, but never had she actually been in a one-on-one situation with the mare. The suddenness of this development made everything feel numb. The princess tilted her head, studying Diamond as if she were an out of place sum in a financial portfolio. “Lady Tiara, are you quite alright?” She barely heard it. All she could think of was four struggling years of youth and a devoted annual practice. It all came back to her, and it felt like such an important thing. Something that needed to be known, understood, and… and what? Princess Luna cast her eyes about the meeting hall they were inexplicably standing in, as if seeking out some unseen threat. Finding nothing, she pursed her lips and went back to studying Diamond. The question came without offense or accusation: “Would you prefer I leave?” “No!” Diamond flinched at her outburst almost as much as Luna did. At least she had her voice back. “No, please. Stay.” Carefully, Luna closed her wings once more. “If you wish it, but we cannot tarry for long. Yours is not the only nightmare we must attend to.” She was going to go anyway? She couldn’t, Diamond hadn’t said it yet, she wasn’t ready to say it, it needed to be said! Like a bad press release sent to the papers before it could get a proper edit, the words shot out of her mouth. “I dressed as you on Nightmare Night!” The princess blinked, clearly unsure why this was being brought up. “I am honored?” “I was a bad filly.” The words came out on their own. They felt so monumental, and yet Diamond felt so stupid. “A terrible, evil, wicked bully of a filly. Th-then my friends helped me get better, but I never felt better. So every N-Nightmare Night I’d dress up as Princess Luna, because she made a terrible mistake just like me and… and…” Diamond’s eyes burned. She sniffled and trembled. “You got better, right? You forgave yourself? I thought, i-if I could channel you every once in a while, maybe that would stick to me. M-maybe I’d never go back to being that bad filly again.” She couldn’t meet the princess’s gaze, so she stared at the marble floor, tapping the tip of her hoof on it. “I just… thought you should know.” She felt so pitiful. And small. A dumb intern telling her dreams to the bored CEO. An uncomfortable silence lingered. Just when she thought nothing would be said, she felt a feather touch her chin. She met Luna’s warm gaze. “Thank you, Lady Tiara. It is good to know that my tragedy can serve as a source of inspiration for others. Keep hold of that desire to be good, and so you shall be.” Diamond awoke, head on her tear-soaked ledgers, and felt alive. The Opportunity (Octavia X Pear Butter)"Oh, dear. Are you alright?" She shrank back from the voice. It was an adult voice. Adults were bad. They'd make her go back, make her legs hurt some more. She curled up against the Trottingham street corner, trembling as a sharp wind knifed through her damp coat. "Hey, hey. It's okay." A gentle hoof brushed her mane. Tender. Patient. Not like anything she could remember. "Celestia, you're cold as ice! What are you doing out here all by yourself, sweetheart?" No eye contact. Don't speak. Strangers were bad. Still, she glanced. Cream coat, orange mane. Don't look at the eyes, don't look at the eyes! "Watcha lookin' at, ma?" She flinched at the new voice. Not an adult. A red colt, a little older than her. Same mane as the adult. He stared down at her, curious and unconcerned despite the rain. "What's wrong with yer legs?" She pulled her fetlocks under her. Strangers weren't supposed to see. "Those are... practice marks, Mac," the adult explained. She had a nice voice. Adults shouldn't have nice voices like that. "It means she practices a lot with something, like me and my guitar. But for them to look like that..." She trembled some more. Not because of any wind. "Sweetie? Do you live around here?" Despite the mean voices screaming in her head not to, she couldn't resist meeting the adult's eyes. She shook her head, hating herself for the lie. But she didn't want to keep practicing. Her legs hurt so much... The adult pursed her lips. It was an angry look. Why was she angry? She didn't do anything wrong. But if she did she was very sorry! The look fled as soon as it came. The sweet voice returned. "Why don't you come with us? We can get you some nice, warm cocoa. That sounds nice, doesn't it?" She was pretty cold. Cocoa did sound nice. She looked to Mac. He stared right back. He looked... fine. Nothing wrong with his legs. The rain made his mane stick to his face, yet he appeared unconcerned. What was that like? Maybe... She started to stand. "Ah. Miss Octavia. There you are." She bolted. "Miss Octavia! The Master won't put up with this childishness! Get back here at once!" Her hooves pounded the cobblestone pavement. Water splashed in her wake. Her eyes burned as much as her legs. She didn't want to go home, they couldn't make her go home. No more. No more! She kept going. Going until there were no more shouts, until there was nothing but the rain and the sound of her hooves and the ache. Then she collapsed and let the rain drown her thoughts. She awoke in a ratty bed with a scratchy comforter. A pair of green eyes were nearby. "Ma! Aunt Dabinett! She's awake!" She trembled in the corner until the adult came. Cream coat, orange mane. Orange filly on her back. "Hello, Octavia. Would you like to have that cocoa now?" Growing Up (Adagio Dazzle X Sonata Dusk)There was something pleasant about painting nails. It was a therapeutic act, where one could focus on the necessary strokes and with the right colors. Adagio was doing that more and more these days. It beat moping, which seemed all any of them were good for anymore. If she was busy taking care of her hands, they couldn't reach for a pendant that wasn't there. And if they couldn't reach for a pendant that wasn't there, she wouldn't risk falling into yet another spiraling depression. So today, right now, Adagio did her nails. Even if they were fine. Removing the color already on them made the therapy take longer. Today, in the sprawling living room of her sprawling six-bedroom home, her work was interrupted by an unusual sight: Sonata, walking down the stairs wearing her hoodie and sneakers. This alone wasn't so odd. The part that made Adagio stare was the way Sonata moved. Not sagging and mopey and on the edge of breakdown. Sonata walked tall and appeared fiercely determined. And she was headed for the front door, which they hadn't opened in the past three months save to accept the delivered groceries they'd been surviving on since... the Mistake. Adagio didn't want another fight. But then, Aria was the one she fought with. Sonata just watched and cried or left the room. "Where are you going?" The youngest siren didn't even glance at her. "To talk to Sunset Shimmer." Of all the answers that could have been given, Adagio had never imagined that one. "What?" "I think you heard me." Had Sonata just... given her lip? How was...? It wasn't even... Since when? She could merely sit and be flabbergasted. Only when the door opened did she find her voice, and she couldn't even put any effort into it. "Why?" Sonata paused at the threshold for some time. Adagio wished she could see her face. "Because I'm tired of moping. And you two screaming at one another. We need to do something about this." Adagio looked at her nails. At her nail polish. Then at Sonata. A part of her was raging, demanding Sonata be stopped, talked down, held back. Another voice, much louder these last few months, noted how none of that kept them from being where they now were. "But why Sunset Shimmer?" "Who else?" Sonata finally looked back. There were tears in her eyes. "All you two do is fight and blame each other and me. I know we didn't see much of her, but Sunset at least seemed to have put herself together. We need that right now, Dagi." Adagio opened her mouth. No arguments came out. "You don't even have the pride left to try and stop me." Sonata shook her head and turned back to the bright, open doorway. "We've spent the last thousand years acting like spoiled brats. I'm ready to grow up." The door closed. Adagio eventually went back to her nails. She wished she could feel upset about this. Nameplate (Applejack X Trixie)Trixie was up at the crack of dawn and appeared to be testing a prop for a show. Applejack couldn't make heads or tails of it. The magician was focused intently on her work, so she knocked on the wagon. Ears flicked. "One moment." Trixie grumbled, moving a long part against another, thicker piece, until the two finally came together with a faint click. The mysterious pieces were then placed on the ground by Trixie's magic. "Hmm, tight fit. Maybe I can remake it?" At last she turned to Applejack. "Good morning! What can the Great and— Oh." Frowning and taking a wary step back, she asked, "You're... Hold on. The apple farmer?" "Applejack," the mare clarified. "Surprised to see you up." The hairs on Trixie's back bristled. "Is that a crime?" "Whoa, now." Applejack tried for a disarming smile. "I ain't here to start nothin'." "Considering how she treated you the last two times we met, Trixie finds that hard to believe." It wasn't an apology, but it was at least an acknowledgement. Not that Applejack had come for either of those things. It all happened so long ago that Applejack didn't much care anymore. Besides, Twilight was willing to tolerate Trixie now that she was Starlight's friend. There was no reason not to follow suit. This in mind, she decided to avoid the topic entirely and get to the reason she was here. "I only came by to give you this." Reaching under her hat, she pulled out a curved, heavy piece of wood. Trixie eyed it warily. "Something to beat me over the head with?" "Would you just take it?" Legs spread as if ready for anything, Trixie took the piece of wood in her magic. The moment she examined it, all tension fled. "This... is..." Removing her hat, Applejack sighed. "Found it in the wreckage. Only thing in one piece." Trixie's expression almost broke, her lips tightening to hold back her emotions. "W-why did you keep it?" "Thought you might want it back," Applejack admitted, looking away. "Seemed like fine craftsmareship. Besides," she finished quietly, "wasn't your fault that ursa came to town. Seems to me you lost more than anypony in the attack." Trixie's smile was a frail thing. "I miss that wagon. This is..." Abruptly, Trixie straightened up. Turning to her wagon, she raised the piece of wood until it was just above the door. It was polished, and darker than the wood of the wagon. Capital letters proudly proclaimed a single name: Lulamoon. "I'm trying to be better, you know." Applejack smiled at the mare's back. "I know." Trixie took a slow breath. Then another. As if the words sank hooks in her throat, "Thank you, Applejack. Was that all?" Applejack placed her hat back on her head. "Yeah. That was all." "Then Trixie would like to get back to work, if you please." "Get to it then." Applejack walked away, feeling a little lighter. "Reckon I got my own work to do." Author's Note It's hard to say why, but I love the idea of TrixieJack (AppleTrix?) friendshipping. When I first saw this pairing in my daily roulette, I seriously considered writing a small extension of Ordinary World, which ended with Trixie living at Sweet Apple Acres. I've wanted to write a sequel to it for years. But I've got a much bigger plan for that in mind already, so I figured I'd do something else. Have some canon expansion instead. Letter to a Villain (Apple Bloom X Chrysalis) Dear Royal Queeniness, Chrysalis, Hi there! My name is Apple Bloom. You don't know me, but you might remember my big sister Applejack. She's the Honest one, if you catch my drift. I hope there ain't no hard feelings about her part in stopping your big takeover plans. She doesn't know I'm writing this, by the way. I'm the chairpony of the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We're a group dedicated to helping ponies discover their special talents and purpose in life. This often revolves around cutie marks. Do changelings have cutie marks? I was at the wedding and I don't remember seeing any, but you never know so I thought I'd ask. Even if you don't have cutie marks, that doesn't mean we can't help. I don't mean to insult you. I'm not saying you need help. But my fellow Crusaders and I just thought, "Why is Chrysalis so determined to conquer Equestria?" And then we thought, "Maybe we could find out!" That's why I'm writing you today, Your Majesty. Maybe it's not about conquering Equestria. Maybe you're searching for something, and you feel like conquest is the only way to get it. In our work to help others, we've met a lot of ponies who are adults with important jobs and cutie marks but don't really know what they're doing or why. They do things because they think they have to. Often times we find that they were looking at life and themselves the wrong way and just needed a change in perspective. Have you ever felt that way? Would you like to talk to somepony about it? Maybe you can find what you need without this whole 'conquering Equestria' thing. Hoping you're having a good day, Apple Bloom Apple Bloom. I have no idea why I'm responding to this letter. I have no idea why you thought to send me one. I have no idea how that wall-eyed pegasus knew where to bring it, or why I did not choose to have her podded! I am so very confused. And offended. You think I don't know my place? I am a queen, I know exactly what I am doing! How dare you imply otherwise. I suspected this to be some devious trick by Sun Butt to get me down to your pitiful hovel, but my scouts in Ponyville (whom Princess Luna will no doubt be scurrying to find after this) believe you are genuine in your intentions. Which is all the more confusing. But also intriguing. Perhaps we can come to an arrangement. I would, of course, never risk myself for a meeting with mere teenagers, but I might be willing to send one of my minions. He's useless to me as a soldier and an infiltrator anyways, so if this is a trap it will be no scratch on my chitin. His name is Thorax. Expect him to arrive whenever he arrives. I admit, I'm curious as to how this will play out. Your future queen, Chrysalis Author's Note When I got the Apple Bloom X Chrysalis pairing in my daily roulette, I was intrigued and immediately started thinking of ways for them to interact. Two ideas came to mind: a continuation of the story started by the Fluttershy X Chrysalis pairing, or a new piece in which Apple Bloom begins exchanging letters with an exasperated and bemused Chryssy for reasons the latter struggles to comprehend. The letter idea intrigued me the most, so it's what I went with here, but the 500-word limitation makes it tricky to do anything meaningful in a single entry. Still, it might make for a good prompt for a bigger story later (feel free to run with it, my fellow writers out there), and maybe if I get this pairing again I'll continue the concept. PS: Chrysalis being self-contradicting in her letter is entirely intentional. The Big Apple Conspiracy (Applejack X Celestia)"Be right with ya, your highness." That was how Celestia knew this pony was different from the others. No bow, and no apologies. Not that Applejack was disrespectful. Far from it. She was simply busy, as the rows upon rows of filled apple baskets proclaimed. Applejack was also perceptive enough to know when to stand on ceremony and when to just be herself. It was refreshing, and made the coming conversation that much easier. Celestia settled under a nearby tree and watched the farmer work in this little corner of the Acres, far from prying eyes both familial and otherwise. One last buck sent a final batch of apples down, the majority landing neatly in the only remaining empty basket. Task completed, Ponyville's most dependable pony wiped the sweat from her brow, gulped down some water, and finally turned to her. "Welcome to the farm, Princess. What can I do for ya?" So direct. No pomp, no formalities. It was as if she were any other visitor. Just another reason to enjoy a visit to Ponyville, despite the circumstances. "I've come to inquire about something only a sibling could offer." The farm mare stopped midstep, her expression exasperated. She studied Celestia's patient smile, an equal judging her peer, then sighed. "This is about Twilight Sparkle, ain't it?" Good, then she was aware. That made things easier. "I understand she'd been coming around the farm a lot lately." "You could say that." Applejack tipped her hat forward, hiding her eyes. "Her letters of late have been interesting. Nothing so direct as a confession, but—" "But her interest is more obvious than a sonic rainboom over market street?" Applejack nodded stiffly. "I'm surprised you're talking to me and not Big Mac." Celestia's smile tightened. "Is he aware?" "He don't say much, but I reckon so." Celestia scanned the area with her superior height. No potentially eavesdropping students. Or brothers. She turned her full attention back to the grim mare. "What do you think of their potential?" Applejack's words were hesitant and full of suspicion. "I don't know yet. I love Twi like a sister, but is she right for Mac? I got my doubts." She eyed the princess. "As do you, I'm guessin'." "Your guess is most astute," Celestia replied, her smile at last gone. "Twilight is like a daughter to me. I want to keep her from getting hurt." "And me my brother," Applejack agreed with a firm nod. "I won't say they shouldn't be allowed to try, but something about it don't sit well with me." This was going far better than Celestia anticipated. She pulled out a bottle of dragon fire. "Then I can trust you to keep me appraised of the situation?" The bottle promptly disappeared beneath the ever-present Stetson. "That you can." "Wonderful!" All smiles, Celestia spread her wings wide. "I must head back before my sister suspects anything. Your cooperation is appreciated." Somewhere in the wider landscape, a librarian and a big brother sneezed in tandem. Author's Note Overprotective Applejack amuses me. Although Celestia is clearly not overprotective ("Hey Twi, go deal with that dragon for me would ya?"), I like the idea of her being so. I thought it would be amusing to put the two ideas together as one. Moonstone (Luna X Limestone Pie)Princess Luna cocked her head at the pony standing before her throne. "You want... what?" Miss Pie's stare was borderline defiant, as if she fully expected to be given what she wanted regardless of how she asked for it, or from whom. "A moonstone." A beat. "Your Highness." Her muzzle wrinkled. "P-please." Was that stutter a mere crack in the pony's brave facade, or rather a matter of using the dreaded 'p'-word? Luna gathered it could go either way. Her night guards at the doors shifted aggressively. "And why would you want a moonstone, may We inquire?" The little pony spoke as if her time were being wasted by the question. "They're magical, right?" When this goaded no reaction, she growled. Twitch went the guards. "Do I really need to tell you about this? Isn't it ancient history?" Luna dryly commented, "Permit Us to remind Our loyal subject that We have been absent from the world for the last thousand years. It is entirely possible We missed this 'ancient history' you speak of." The pony had the audacity to roll her eyes. "Fine. Look, I'm a rock farmer. For generations in my family, it's been said that moonstones grant good luck and great bounty to the land. On the Pie farm, there's even a legend that our farm is as fertile for rock production as it is because a moonstone landed there in ancient times." Ah, Luna was beginning to see. "And you want this kind of bounty? To ease your workload?" "Hey, my family works their collective tails off, and don't you dare say otherwise!" Twitch-twitch went the guards. Luna raised her hoof, and they calmed. "If what you say it true, then why do you need a moonstone?" "We don't, I just—" Miss Pie caught herself. She closed her eyes, heaved a sigh, and finally turned her face away. "Ma and Pa just announced I'm inheriting the farm. Soon. They're letting me take over. And I..." She tapped the tip of her hoof to the floor a few times, cheeks turning pink. Luna thought she had seen before, but now she truly understood. She glanced out the great window of the throne room, where her moon gazed back. She wondered when the last time was that a piece of it had found its way to Equestria. "Very well, Miss Pie. Return to your farm, and you shall find a moonstone nearby. I cannot say precisely where; this kind of thing is hardly a precise science." The earth pony's ears perked. "Really?" At Luna's look, her face scrunched up like she'd eaten a sour grape. "I mean, th-thank you, Your Highness. I, uh, know I'm not going about this like most ponies." The Princess of the Night grinned. "Miss Pie, you are the most entertaining petitioner I've had since my return from exile. Do you know how hard it is to find a pony who will be so forward with me? A moonstone is the least I can offer." Author's Note As soon as this pairing came up in my daily roulette, I knew I had to do something with them. I'm pretty sure I've never seen them put together before for anything. Since this was a new pairing in my collection, I had to create a new file to contain their images together, and after a bit of pondering I came up with the name MoonStone. That was all it took for me to start wondering what a family devoted to rock farming would think of a genuine moon rock. A lot of fanfiction out there have implied (or made it factual) that the moon is itself magical in nature, so what if moon rocks – or moonstones, as I'm referring to them here – really did offer magical benefits to the land? I wanted to do more with this, most notably to explain Limestone's motivations here beyond mere hints and body language. This will have to do for now, and hopefully people will 'get it'. On The Mark (Twilight Sparkle X Rarity)"I am so sorry!" The tears ran in rivulets down the purple unicorn's face as she trotted a circle, unable to look at her bed-bound companion. If Rarity could garner the ability to sit up, she imagined she'd see a trench in the tile. If Twilight kept going for another hour or two, might she go all the way through and get to the hospital's first floor? "I studied the spell just like you told me. I thought I had it all figured out! And, to be fair, I did, but I vastly overestimated the amount of charge it needed. I had no idea it would be so efficient. I know you told me it was easy and that I shouldn't worry about power but I got your hints all wrong and I'm so stupid, oh, how could I let this happen?" Really, it was astounding how long Twilight could go without taking a breath. Rarity imagined only Pinkie could beat it. "Twilight." "I promise, I won't use the spell again. I still can't believe it decided you were a legitimate target! I mean, how? Why? It doesn't make any sense!" "Twilight." "I tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't stop, just like you described. Is it something I did wrong? It doesn't do that to you every time, does it? This thing might qualify as a tool of war in the wrong hooves, and I just cast it willy-nilly like a colt who found his father's spear!" "Twilight." "And then Spike had to see it, and there was so much blood, and you were screaming. Oh, Celestia, what if I've traumatized him for life? He's a dragon, he's got a lot of life to be traumatized in. He'll be in therapy for decades!" "Twilight Sparkle!" The librarian, royal protégé, and magical genius whirled around to face her, stumbling back as if hearing her name were a hammer blow. She blinked wide eyes at the bed-bound Rarity, who was halfway sitting despite her weariness and the pain such a position brought her. "W-what? No, Rarity, you shouldn't try to get up!" The dressmaker fell back on the bed with a relieved sigh, taking a moment to gently rub at the thick layer of bandages on her sore flank. "Yes, darling, I know, but I had to get your attention. Now, if you'd please stop beating yourself up over this, we can get to the part where I forgive you for an honest mistake." "B-but, but, I hurt you. I might have even scarred your cutie mark." Twilight wiped her eyes and took a step closer. Her hoof went up to touch her own bandaged horn. "I shouldn't have tried to use your spell." "Oh, pish-posh. I'm flattered you thought it worth the effort, and I am the one who taught it to you. Besides, now I can say with absolute confidence..." Rarity flicked her mane and shot Twilight the smuggest of grins. "I really am a gem among ponies." Author's Note Oh, look, our first M6 pairing for this anthology! Sweet. I don't know why this is what came to mind when the pairing came up, but as soon as it did I had my drabble for the day. The most important thing in this one was not spelling out the cause of Twilight's panic and seeing if readers could put two and two together. I think I put enough hints in there to make it easy, but you never know with this kind of thing. Bonfire of Friendship (Derpy X Fleur de Lis)Derpy Hooves arrived on time every year like clockwork. It had been a shock at the start, then a nuisance. Now? It was the highlight of Fleur de Lis's year. She had started making the arrangements by the fifth year. The full shipment, brought directly to Fleur's winter house in the forested hills outside Trottingham all at once. She'd had a small clearing made in the spacious back yard, complete with a concrete landing zone. And then, every year on the 14th of February, Derpy arrived, carting along a wagon five times larger than the norm and filled to bursting with letters, gifts and candies. Fleur liked to get into the spirit of things, donning the customized, fitted uniform of a runway marshaller and waving glowing red and green wands in her magical aura. The two of them worked together to get the cargo positioned just right. Then, at Fleur's signal, Derpy delivered a solid buck to the wagon, which dropped all of it in a massive pile on the concrete. The next step was actually much easier, despite appearances: they gathered pre-prepared logs and piled them atop and around the big dump of confectionery garbage. With Derpy hauling one side and Fleur's magic the other, each log was moved with care and precision based on rigorous study for the latter and Filly Scout experience for the former. Within a couple hours of Derpy's arrival, the candy was hardy even visible anymore. And then the two would retire to the manor, where Fleur would don her companion in the latest high fashion – this year from mutual ally Rarity, who was very much onboard with the whole scheme despite having never been present. They did one another's manes, gave each other pedicures, and Derpy got to indulge in some of the finest wing-care products on the market. While this was going on the two unabashedly shared stories of the past year, things they missed or chose not to bring up until now, when the timing and audience was absolutely perfect. It had all started with a mutual breakdown. On one side, too much objectification, too much unearned praise, too much attention of the wrong sort. On the other side, too much condescension, no praise at all, and too much attention of an entirely different but still wholly wrong sort. Two mares bonding over a holiday that was little more than a reminder of what they didn't want. Bonding became a friendship; friendship had built a tradition. And so the tradition continued that twilight, with two mares sitting on the manor's back veranda in gala dresses while the unicorn between them set the spark. Within seconds, all the undesired displays of false, petty affection became fuel for the fire. They ate the heart-shaped chocolates that they'd bought with their own hard-earned bits and clinked wine glasses together in a toast of friendship, camaraderie, and another year survived. To the awakening stars and moon they lifted their playful curse: "Stallions: who needs them!" Author's Note As soon as I saw these two selected as today's pairing, I knew I had to do something. But what? I pondered on it for a while before realizing: Fleur, as a famous modelling icon, would undoubtedly have tons of admirers who would almost certainly send her tons of letters, chocolates, and other goodies, especially on Hearts n' Hooves Day. Somepony has to deliver those, right? And then I thought it would be fun if Fleur and Derpy bonded specifically over their issues with the opposite sex. And then I thought: How can I give this the silly S1-S3 show treatment? Let's Have a Battle (Aria Blaze X Lightning Dust)The punch had Aria reeling, despite her rolling from it. Her opponent was tough and skilled, to be sure. That didn't hold a candle to a thousand years of raw experience; her retaliatory strike sent the blonde to the dirt. Spitting blood, Aria straddled her, forearm against throat and fist pulled back. She didn't throw the punch. She might had her foe resisted, but the teen merely lay on the ground, eye starting to swell and blood dribbling from her mouth. Aria wasn't much better. Her ribs ached from the few kicks that had landed and she was pretty sure blood was seeping from the back of her skull. Both of them were covered in dust from the abandoned construction site, breathing hard in the autumn twilight. Aria's fist clenched, the leather of her glove creaking from the pressure. The scratches on her arm burned. Her opponent blinked at her in a daze, then grinned. "Damn, girl. You really know how to throw a punch." She shifted her head and neck, but didn't try to get away. "Alright, you got my attention. Wanna tell me why you came at me like a banshee out of nowhere?" The fist didn't relax. It wasn't thrown either. "Listen up, jerkwad," Aria growled. "You want to be a bully, you be a bully. But you stay away from my sister, or we'll be doing this again." The girl blinked some more, smile replaced by bewilderment. "Who's your sister?" Aria grit her sore teeth. She tasted copper. "Sonata. You mess with her, you mess with me. Got it?" The prone teen's good eye rolled up as she thought. "Sonata? Sonata. Oh! The blue girl with the ponytail, who started bawling just because I—" Aria tensed. "Okay, okay! Yeesh, sorry. Anyone else off limits?" Aria briefly considered naming Adagio, but quickly concluded she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She stood and backed away, finally allowing her fingers to relax. "No, that's it." She turned and limped for the road. "Hey. Hey, wait, I'm talking here!" Aria turned. Leather creaked again. The teenager sat up and rubbed blood from her chin. "I've seen you around. You're every bit the bully I am. Gotta admire someone who takes as much as she gives." She grinned, teeth stained pink. "I'm Lightning Dust. We don't gotta be enemies." Lightning climbed to her feet with a pained grunt, made a failed attempt to brush the dust off, and offered a hand. "Respect. Wanna retry that introduction? Without the fists?" "You made my sister cry." "And now I know she's off limits." Lightning waggled her hand in offering. Arms crossed, Aria stared at the hand. Then at Lightning's bloody grin. With a scowl, she turned away. "I'll think about it." "Cool, I get it. You do that. Catch you later... uh, what was your name again?" Aria saw no reason to answer. Rubbing the back of her sticky head, she found herself smiling. She had no idea why. Author's Note I saw this pairing and immediately had an image in my head of them throwing down. Alas, 500 words is not near enough for a proper play-by-play, so I had to write the end of said fight. I imagine these two are the sorts who see a fistfight as the potential start of a beautiful friendship. I never saw the Sirens as being biological sisters, but I always figured they were close enough to look at one another that way. And I like the idea of Aria being secretly protective of Sonata and Adagio, but let's face it: Adagio probably doesn't need the protection. I really like writing Lightning Dust. Pity I didn't get to do too much with her here. Addendum June 2024: This inspired and led to the creation of a new story featuring these two! Check out The Conflict to see this re-imagined into a proper tale of defending your family and breaking your chains.
Teatime (Fluttershy X Chrysalis)Getting defeated by Celestia’s infinitely more capable sibling was frustrating. That Celestia herself couldn’t be bothered to gloat like any respectable leader should was galling. The joke of a trial that Princess Goody-Four-Hooves Twilight Sparkle presided over was humiliating. At least Cadance had given her the respect of insulting her to her face. Changelings were the ones who showed their pettiness behind others’ backs, and Chrysalis could be grateful the pink horror had chosen to not insult that by instead being direct. But of all the insults, all the things that left her grinding her fangs and wishing Luna had simply skewered her and been done with it, the worst was having to sit at this tiny table in this sickeningly homely cottage surrounded by filthy animals and having tea with the chewiest of morsels in the form of Fluttershy. Chrysalis did her absolute best to be an unpleasant guest, having tried everything from insulting the decor to threatening to encase that stupid rabbit in changeling goo. The insufferable pony hadn’t stopped smiling. Not once. The thing that rankled her most was that the fluffy yellow pastry’s smile was entirely sincere. Chrysalis could literally taste the pleasantness. “I hope the tea is to your liking, Your Majesty,” Fluttershy said, taking a sip from her own cup. “Some ever-so nice scorpions out in the Badlands told me it’s a local delicacy.” Chrysalis was tempted to ask to meet them for the express purpose of boiling them, but she had already tried the whole ‘eating the animals’ route and it hadn’t phased the mare in the slightest. In truth, the tea was delightful, but to admit that would be admitting defeat. She snorted and set the cup down on the table with not quite enough force to break the porcelain. “Is there a point to this mundane ritual?” “Only that you be comfortable and relaxed,” Fluttershy replied with that sickeningly sweet voice of hers. She set her own teacup down as a chorus of birdsong rose through a nearby door. “It sounds like the biscuits are ready. Excuse me for just a moment, please.” Off she trotted, humming a little tune and not seeming at all bothered by the idea of turning her back on a demigoddess. What Chrysalis wouldn’t give to put a magical bolt of energy right up her tail. The reason she didn’t floated upside down among the rafters of the cottage, reading a magazine right-side up and appearing perfectly nonchalant about the current goings on. Discord licked his finger and used his tongue to turn the page, then glanced down at Chrysalis. His eyebrows waggled. “Having fun, Chryssy?” She turned her face forward, scowl firmly in place. “You told them you wouldn’t interfere unless I made you.” “And I’m not.” “Then shut up, you misshapen lapdog.” He chuckled. “Is that really the best you can do?” Chrysalis kept her mouth shut. Fluttershy came back with biscuits and jam. She loathed how the love in them tasted so good.
What Scootaloo Found in the Closet (Scootaloo X Sonata Dusk)Scootaloo looked to her to her left, then to her right. Yes, she was still in Twilight’s castle. It was still daytime. She bit her fetlock enough to hurt. Nope, definitely not dreaming. Her eyes went back to the door she’d opened. It was supposed to be a broom closet. It still was, really. A broom closet stuffed full of scales and limbs and fins and teeth. Plus two very big, red eyes. In the face of what one might normally deem deadly, logic dictated fleeing, or calling for help, or maybe even slamming the door. Scootaloo’s logic was curtailed, however, by how those two eyes, stuck low to the ground, gazed up at her with the kind of pleading stare usually reserved for kicked puppies. The creature was also undeniably stuck in the small room, its massive form squished and angled in ways that would make a contortionist blush. Then the creature had the audacity to beg, in a decidedly female and fearful voice, “Please don’t tell Twilight.” Once more, Scootaloo felt the urge to check her surroundings. Seeing she was alone and not sure anypony would believe her if she talked anyway, she turned back to the… thing. “What are you, and why not?” “Umm… I’m a siren?” After some huffing and squirming, the creature managed to pop free a lone hoof that was as big as Scootaloo's whole body and offer it. “I’m Sonata. I know I look big and scary right now, but I promise I’m not here to eat you.” That last part was said with such eager earnesty, like Sonata was dreadfully afraid of the accusation. Which was fair, considering the size of her and those fangs. Thinking about what Rainbow Dash would do, Scootaloo reached out to shake the proffered hoof as best she could. “Scootaloo.” “Hey, Scootaloo. You look just like this one kid at CHS, you know?” When Scootaloo only stared blankly at her, the siren let out a faint whine. “Could you help me out of here?” “Uh…” Taking a wary step back, tiny wings spread wide, Scootaloo eyed the creature top to bottom. Or, well, what was on top to what was on bottom. “That depends. What’s a siren, and why am I not telling Twilight?” As an afterthought, “How’d you even get in there?” Sonata squirmed, to no avail. With a pout, she rested her scaly chin on the floor. “I guess I’m, like, a cross between a sea serpent and a pony? Maybe? I dunno how to describe it, I haven’t seen what I look like in a long time. And if Twilight finds me she’ll make me go back. I just wanted to find a new home…” Ears folding back, Scootaloo hesitated. “And… the broom closet?” The plethora of scales and body parts moved in what might have been a shrug. “Fear’s a pretty good motivator.” “Right.” Scootaloo considered the situation, but the poor thing did look pretty pathetic. “Maybe I can find a crowbar somewhere?”
At the Range (Applejack X Aria Blaze)How had it come to this? One minute Applejack had been practicing her shots, the next she was in a contest. The rifle kicked against her shoulder. She barely missed the bullseye, a fresh hole appearing in the circle just outside it. She grit her teeth as her unexpected opponent landed a similar hit on her own target. Ratcheting another round, she took careful aim. They weren’t the only ones at the range. None of the other people there were competing like this. But Applejack had gotten one look at those purple pigtails with their aquamarine streaks and suddenly it was on. She had five shots left. The next one went wider than usual, and she swore under her breath when the siren made a better shot. Neither of them had hit a bullseye yet. Neither of them had said a word either. A single exchanged glare, sizing one another and their respective rifles up, had been enough to get this mess started. Another shot. Third ring from center. Better. Not good enough. At least Aria’s next shot had been similar. What was she doing here? Had she always used this range near the Acres and Applejack never noticed? The odds that they had been going here for years and just happened to keep missing one another simply didn’t work in her head. Fourth shot. No better than last time. At least Aria’s went wide, outer ring. She was oddly inconsistent. Distracted, maybe? Applejack could relate. She glanced out the corner of her eye at the next booth over, just in time to see Aria do the same thing towards her. The woman was scowling. Yep, definitely distracted. Not one to miss an opportunity presented, Applejack took her time with the next shot. Focusing, steadying her breaths, adjusting her arms slightly, feeling the polished metal in her palm. Aria fired. Applejack didn’t look. Slow breath in. Hold it… Bullseye. Smug satisfaction shot through her as she began collecting her spent shells. A check of Aria’s target; no bullseye. Good enough. “Where do you think you’re going?” Startled that Aria had bothered to actually speak, Applejack tried to take on a nonchalant manner. “Home. I’m outta bullets.” She thought that would be the end of things, but Aria turned to her, scowl intact, and announced, “I’m not finished.” “Well, I am.” “You can buy more bullets.” “I ain’t made of money.” Aria tensed, glaring a hole through Applejack’s face. It abruptly dawned upon the farm girl that she was facing an armed enemy without any bullets. Her stomach flipped. Sure, Aria might be upset after the whole Battle of the Bands thing, but surely she wouldn’t… Setting the rifle aside, Aria pulled out her phone. “Give me your number.” “What? Why?” “I want a rematch,” the siren growled. “Next time you’re coming out here, I wanna know.” Applejack considered taking her rifle and walking away, but if all Aria wanted was some competition… She smirked and pulled out her own phone.
Diamond Dreams (Luna X Diamond Tiara)Diamond Tiara didn’t remember what the nightmare was about. It was inconsequential, not when faced with the alicorn now standing before her. Oh, she’d seen Princess Luna multiple times, but never had she actually been in a one-on-one situation with the mare. The suddenness of this development made everything feel numb. The princess tilted her head, studying Diamond as if she were an out of place sum in a financial portfolio. “Lady Tiara, are you quite alright?” She barely heard it. All she could think of was four struggling years of youth and a devoted annual practice. It all came back to her, and it felt like such an important thing. Something that needed to be known, understood, and… and what? Princess Luna cast her eyes about the meeting hall they were inexplicably standing in, as if seeking out some unseen threat. Finding nothing, she pursed her lips and went back to studying Diamond. The question came without offense or accusation: “Would you prefer I leave?” “No!” Diamond flinched at her outburst almost as much as Luna did. At least she had her voice back. “No, please. Stay.” Carefully, Luna closed her wings once more. “If you wish it, but we cannot tarry for long. Yours is not the only nightmare we must attend to.” She was going to go anyway? She couldn’t, Diamond hadn’t said it yet, she wasn’t ready to say it, it needed to be said! Like a bad press release sent to the papers before it could get a proper edit, the words shot out of her mouth. “I dressed as you on Nightmare Night!” The princess blinked, clearly unsure why this was being brought up. “I am honored?” “I was a bad filly.” The words came out on their own. They felt so monumental, and yet Diamond felt so stupid. “A terrible, evil, wicked bully of a filly. Th-then my friends helped me get better, but I never felt better. So every N-Nightmare Night I’d dress up as Princess Luna, because she made a terrible mistake just like me and… and…” Diamond’s eyes burned. She sniffled and trembled. “You got better, right? You forgave yourself? I thought, i-if I could channel you every once in a while, maybe that would stick to me. M-maybe I’d never go back to being that bad filly again.” She couldn’t meet the princess’s gaze, so she stared at the marble floor, tapping the tip of her hoof on it. “I just… thought you should know.” She felt so pitiful. And small. A dumb intern telling her dreams to the bored CEO. An uncomfortable silence lingered. Just when she thought nothing would be said, she felt a feather touch her chin. She met Luna’s warm gaze. “Thank you, Lady Tiara. It is good to know that my tragedy can serve as a source of inspiration for others. Keep hold of that desire to be good, and so you shall be.” Diamond awoke, head on her tear-soaked ledgers, and felt alive.
The Opportunity (Octavia X Pear Butter)"Oh, dear. Are you alright?" She shrank back from the voice. It was an adult voice. Adults were bad. They'd make her go back, make her legs hurt some more. She curled up against the Trottingham street corner, trembling as a sharp wind knifed through her damp coat. "Hey, hey. It's okay." A gentle hoof brushed her mane. Tender. Patient. Not like anything she could remember. "Celestia, you're cold as ice! What are you doing out here all by yourself, sweetheart?" No eye contact. Don't speak. Strangers were bad. Still, she glanced. Cream coat, orange mane. Don't look at the eyes, don't look at the eyes! "Watcha lookin' at, ma?" She flinched at the new voice. Not an adult. A red colt, a little older than her. Same mane as the adult. He stared down at her, curious and unconcerned despite the rain. "What's wrong with yer legs?" She pulled her fetlocks under her. Strangers weren't supposed to see. "Those are... practice marks, Mac," the adult explained. She had a nice voice. Adults shouldn't have nice voices like that. "It means she practices a lot with something, like me and my guitar. But for them to look like that..." She trembled some more. Not because of any wind. "Sweetie? Do you live around here?" Despite the mean voices screaming in her head not to, she couldn't resist meeting the adult's eyes. She shook her head, hating herself for the lie. But she didn't want to keep practicing. Her legs hurt so much... The adult pursed her lips. It was an angry look. Why was she angry? She didn't do anything wrong. But if she did she was very sorry! The look fled as soon as it came. The sweet voice returned. "Why don't you come with us? We can get you some nice, warm cocoa. That sounds nice, doesn't it?" She was pretty cold. Cocoa did sound nice. She looked to Mac. He stared right back. He looked... fine. Nothing wrong with his legs. The rain made his mane stick to his face, yet he appeared unconcerned. What was that like? Maybe... She started to stand. "Ah. Miss Octavia. There you are." She bolted. "Miss Octavia! The Master won't put up with this childishness! Get back here at once!" Her hooves pounded the cobblestone pavement. Water splashed in her wake. Her eyes burned as much as her legs. She didn't want to go home, they couldn't make her go home. No more. No more! She kept going. Going until there were no more shouts, until there was nothing but the rain and the sound of her hooves and the ache. Then she collapsed and let the rain drown her thoughts. She awoke in a ratty bed with a scratchy comforter. A pair of green eyes were nearby. "Ma! Aunt Dabinett! She's awake!" She trembled in the corner until the adult came. Cream coat, orange mane. Orange filly on her back. "Hello, Octavia. Would you like to have that cocoa now?"
Growing Up (Adagio Dazzle X Sonata Dusk)There was something pleasant about painting nails. It was a therapeutic act, where one could focus on the necessary strokes and with the right colors. Adagio was doing that more and more these days. It beat moping, which seemed all any of them were good for anymore. If she was busy taking care of her hands, they couldn't reach for a pendant that wasn't there. And if they couldn't reach for a pendant that wasn't there, she wouldn't risk falling into yet another spiraling depression. So today, right now, Adagio did her nails. Even if they were fine. Removing the color already on them made the therapy take longer. Today, in the sprawling living room of her sprawling six-bedroom home, her work was interrupted by an unusual sight: Sonata, walking down the stairs wearing her hoodie and sneakers. This alone wasn't so odd. The part that made Adagio stare was the way Sonata moved. Not sagging and mopey and on the edge of breakdown. Sonata walked tall and appeared fiercely determined. And she was headed for the front door, which they hadn't opened in the past three months save to accept the delivered groceries they'd been surviving on since... the Mistake. Adagio didn't want another fight. But then, Aria was the one she fought with. Sonata just watched and cried or left the room. "Where are you going?" The youngest siren didn't even glance at her. "To talk to Sunset Shimmer." Of all the answers that could have been given, Adagio had never imagined that one. "What?" "I think you heard me." Had Sonata just... given her lip? How was...? It wasn't even... Since when? She could merely sit and be flabbergasted. Only when the door opened did she find her voice, and she couldn't even put any effort into it. "Why?" Sonata paused at the threshold for some time. Adagio wished she could see her face. "Because I'm tired of moping. And you two screaming at one another. We need to do something about this." Adagio looked at her nails. At her nail polish. Then at Sonata. A part of her was raging, demanding Sonata be stopped, talked down, held back. Another voice, much louder these last few months, noted how none of that kept them from being where they now were. "But why Sunset Shimmer?" "Who else?" Sonata finally looked back. There were tears in her eyes. "All you two do is fight and blame each other and me. I know we didn't see much of her, but Sunset at least seemed to have put herself together. We need that right now, Dagi." Adagio opened her mouth. No arguments came out. "You don't even have the pride left to try and stop me." Sonata shook her head and turned back to the bright, open doorway. "We've spent the last thousand years acting like spoiled brats. I'm ready to grow up." The door closed. Adagio eventually went back to her nails. She wished she could feel upset about this.
Nameplate (Applejack X Trixie)Trixie was up at the crack of dawn and appeared to be testing a prop for a show. Applejack couldn't make heads or tails of it. The magician was focused intently on her work, so she knocked on the wagon. Ears flicked. "One moment." Trixie grumbled, moving a long part against another, thicker piece, until the two finally came together with a faint click. The mysterious pieces were then placed on the ground by Trixie's magic. "Hmm, tight fit. Maybe I can remake it?" At last she turned to Applejack. "Good morning! What can the Great and— Oh." Frowning and taking a wary step back, she asked, "You're... Hold on. The apple farmer?" "Applejack," the mare clarified. "Surprised to see you up." The hairs on Trixie's back bristled. "Is that a crime?" "Whoa, now." Applejack tried for a disarming smile. "I ain't here to start nothin'." "Considering how she treated you the last two times we met, Trixie finds that hard to believe." It wasn't an apology, but it was at least an acknowledgement. Not that Applejack had come for either of those things. It all happened so long ago that Applejack didn't much care anymore. Besides, Twilight was willing to tolerate Trixie now that she was Starlight's friend. There was no reason not to follow suit. This in mind, she decided to avoid the topic entirely and get to the reason she was here. "I only came by to give you this." Reaching under her hat, she pulled out a curved, heavy piece of wood. Trixie eyed it warily. "Something to beat me over the head with?" "Would you just take it?" Legs spread as if ready for anything, Trixie took the piece of wood in her magic. The moment she examined it, all tension fled. "This... is..." Removing her hat, Applejack sighed. "Found it in the wreckage. Only thing in one piece." Trixie's expression almost broke, her lips tightening to hold back her emotions. "W-why did you keep it?" "Thought you might want it back," Applejack admitted, looking away. "Seemed like fine craftsmareship. Besides," she finished quietly, "wasn't your fault that ursa came to town. Seems to me you lost more than anypony in the attack." Trixie's smile was a frail thing. "I miss that wagon. This is..." Abruptly, Trixie straightened up. Turning to her wagon, she raised the piece of wood until it was just above the door. It was polished, and darker than the wood of the wagon. Capital letters proudly proclaimed a single name: Lulamoon. "I'm trying to be better, you know." Applejack smiled at the mare's back. "I know." Trixie took a slow breath. Then another. As if the words sank hooks in her throat, "Thank you, Applejack. Was that all?" Applejack placed her hat back on her head. "Yeah. That was all." "Then Trixie would like to get back to work, if you please." "Get to it then." Applejack walked away, feeling a little lighter. "Reckon I got my own work to do." Author's Note It's hard to say why, but I love the idea of TrixieJack (AppleTrix?) friendshipping. When I first saw this pairing in my daily roulette, I seriously considered writing a small extension of Ordinary World, which ended with Trixie living at Sweet Apple Acres. I've wanted to write a sequel to it for years. But I've got a much bigger plan for that in mind already, so I figured I'd do something else. Have some canon expansion instead.
Letter to a Villain (Apple Bloom X Chrysalis) Dear Royal Queeniness, Chrysalis, Hi there! My name is Apple Bloom. You don't know me, but you might remember my big sister Applejack. She's the Honest one, if you catch my drift. I hope there ain't no hard feelings about her part in stopping your big takeover plans. She doesn't know I'm writing this, by the way. I'm the chairpony of the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We're a group dedicated to helping ponies discover their special talents and purpose in life. This often revolves around cutie marks. Do changelings have cutie marks? I was at the wedding and I don't remember seeing any, but you never know so I thought I'd ask. Even if you don't have cutie marks, that doesn't mean we can't help. I don't mean to insult you. I'm not saying you need help. But my fellow Crusaders and I just thought, "Why is Chrysalis so determined to conquer Equestria?" And then we thought, "Maybe we could find out!" That's why I'm writing you today, Your Majesty. Maybe it's not about conquering Equestria. Maybe you're searching for something, and you feel like conquest is the only way to get it. In our work to help others, we've met a lot of ponies who are adults with important jobs and cutie marks but don't really know what they're doing or why. They do things because they think they have to. Often times we find that they were looking at life and themselves the wrong way and just needed a change in perspective. Have you ever felt that way? Would you like to talk to somepony about it? Maybe you can find what you need without this whole 'conquering Equestria' thing. Hoping you're having a good day, Apple Bloom Apple Bloom. I have no idea why I'm responding to this letter. I have no idea why you thought to send me one. I have no idea how that wall-eyed pegasus knew where to bring it, or why I did not choose to have her podded! I am so very confused. And offended. You think I don't know my place? I am a queen, I know exactly what I am doing! How dare you imply otherwise. I suspected this to be some devious trick by Sun Butt to get me down to your pitiful hovel, but my scouts in Ponyville (whom Princess Luna will no doubt be scurrying to find after this) believe you are genuine in your intentions. Which is all the more confusing. But also intriguing. Perhaps we can come to an arrangement. I would, of course, never risk myself for a meeting with mere teenagers, but I might be willing to send one of my minions. He's useless to me as a soldier and an infiltrator anyways, so if this is a trap it will be no scratch on my chitin. His name is Thorax. Expect him to arrive whenever he arrives. I admit, I'm curious as to how this will play out. Your future queen, Chrysalis Author's Note When I got the Apple Bloom X Chrysalis pairing in my daily roulette, I was intrigued and immediately started thinking of ways for them to interact. Two ideas came to mind: a continuation of the story started by the Fluttershy X Chrysalis pairing, or a new piece in which Apple Bloom begins exchanging letters with an exasperated and bemused Chryssy for reasons the latter struggles to comprehend. The letter idea intrigued me the most, so it's what I went with here, but the 500-word limitation makes it tricky to do anything meaningful in a single entry. Still, it might make for a good prompt for a bigger story later (feel free to run with it, my fellow writers out there), and maybe if I get this pairing again I'll continue the concept. PS: Chrysalis being self-contradicting in her letter is entirely intentional.
The Big Apple Conspiracy (Applejack X Celestia)"Be right with ya, your highness." That was how Celestia knew this pony was different from the others. No bow, and no apologies. Not that Applejack was disrespectful. Far from it. She was simply busy, as the rows upon rows of filled apple baskets proclaimed. Applejack was also perceptive enough to know when to stand on ceremony and when to just be herself. It was refreshing, and made the coming conversation that much easier. Celestia settled under a nearby tree and watched the farmer work in this little corner of the Acres, far from prying eyes both familial and otherwise. One last buck sent a final batch of apples down, the majority landing neatly in the only remaining empty basket. Task completed, Ponyville's most dependable pony wiped the sweat from her brow, gulped down some water, and finally turned to her. "Welcome to the farm, Princess. What can I do for ya?" So direct. No pomp, no formalities. It was as if she were any other visitor. Just another reason to enjoy a visit to Ponyville, despite the circumstances. "I've come to inquire about something only a sibling could offer." The farm mare stopped midstep, her expression exasperated. She studied Celestia's patient smile, an equal judging her peer, then sighed. "This is about Twilight Sparkle, ain't it?" Good, then she was aware. That made things easier. "I understand she'd been coming around the farm a lot lately." "You could say that." Applejack tipped her hat forward, hiding her eyes. "Her letters of late have been interesting. Nothing so direct as a confession, but—" "But her interest is more obvious than a sonic rainboom over market street?" Applejack nodded stiffly. "I'm surprised you're talking to me and not Big Mac." Celestia's smile tightened. "Is he aware?" "He don't say much, but I reckon so." Celestia scanned the area with her superior height. No potentially eavesdropping students. Or brothers. She turned her full attention back to the grim mare. "What do you think of their potential?" Applejack's words were hesitant and full of suspicion. "I don't know yet. I love Twi like a sister, but is she right for Mac? I got my doubts." She eyed the princess. "As do you, I'm guessin'." "Your guess is most astute," Celestia replied, her smile at last gone. "Twilight is like a daughter to me. I want to keep her from getting hurt." "And me my brother," Applejack agreed with a firm nod. "I won't say they shouldn't be allowed to try, but something about it don't sit well with me." This was going far better than Celestia anticipated. She pulled out a bottle of dragon fire. "Then I can trust you to keep me appraised of the situation?" The bottle promptly disappeared beneath the ever-present Stetson. "That you can." "Wonderful!" All smiles, Celestia spread her wings wide. "I must head back before my sister suspects anything. Your cooperation is appreciated." Somewhere in the wider landscape, a librarian and a big brother sneezed in tandem. Author's Note Overprotective Applejack amuses me. Although Celestia is clearly not overprotective ("Hey Twi, go deal with that dragon for me would ya?"), I like the idea of her being so. I thought it would be amusing to put the two ideas together as one.
Moonstone (Luna X Limestone Pie)Princess Luna cocked her head at the pony standing before her throne. "You want... what?" Miss Pie's stare was borderline defiant, as if she fully expected to be given what she wanted regardless of how she asked for it, or from whom. "A moonstone." A beat. "Your Highness." Her muzzle wrinkled. "P-please." Was that stutter a mere crack in the pony's brave facade, or rather a matter of using the dreaded 'p'-word? Luna gathered it could go either way. Her night guards at the doors shifted aggressively. "And why would you want a moonstone, may We inquire?" The little pony spoke as if her time were being wasted by the question. "They're magical, right?" When this goaded no reaction, she growled. Twitch went the guards. "Do I really need to tell you about this? Isn't it ancient history?" Luna dryly commented, "Permit Us to remind Our loyal subject that We have been absent from the world for the last thousand years. It is entirely possible We missed this 'ancient history' you speak of." The pony had the audacity to roll her eyes. "Fine. Look, I'm a rock farmer. For generations in my family, it's been said that moonstones grant good luck and great bounty to the land. On the Pie farm, there's even a legend that our farm is as fertile for rock production as it is because a moonstone landed there in ancient times." Ah, Luna was beginning to see. "And you want this kind of bounty? To ease your workload?" "Hey, my family works their collective tails off, and don't you dare say otherwise!" Twitch-twitch went the guards. Luna raised her hoof, and they calmed. "If what you say it true, then why do you need a moonstone?" "We don't, I just—" Miss Pie caught herself. She closed her eyes, heaved a sigh, and finally turned her face away. "Ma and Pa just announced I'm inheriting the farm. Soon. They're letting me take over. And I..." She tapped the tip of her hoof to the floor a few times, cheeks turning pink. Luna thought she had seen before, but now she truly understood. She glanced out the great window of the throne room, where her moon gazed back. She wondered when the last time was that a piece of it had found its way to Equestria. "Very well, Miss Pie. Return to your farm, and you shall find a moonstone nearby. I cannot say precisely where; this kind of thing is hardly a precise science." The earth pony's ears perked. "Really?" At Luna's look, her face scrunched up like she'd eaten a sour grape. "I mean, th-thank you, Your Highness. I, uh, know I'm not going about this like most ponies." The Princess of the Night grinned. "Miss Pie, you are the most entertaining petitioner I've had since my return from exile. Do you know how hard it is to find a pony who will be so forward with me? A moonstone is the least I can offer." Author's Note As soon as this pairing came up in my daily roulette, I knew I had to do something with them. I'm pretty sure I've never seen them put together before for anything. Since this was a new pairing in my collection, I had to create a new file to contain their images together, and after a bit of pondering I came up with the name MoonStone. That was all it took for me to start wondering what a family devoted to rock farming would think of a genuine moon rock. A lot of fanfiction out there have implied (or made it factual) that the moon is itself magical in nature, so what if moon rocks – or moonstones, as I'm referring to them here – really did offer magical benefits to the land? I wanted to do more with this, most notably to explain Limestone's motivations here beyond mere hints and body language. This will have to do for now, and hopefully people will 'get it'.
On The Mark (Twilight Sparkle X Rarity)"I am so sorry!" The tears ran in rivulets down the purple unicorn's face as she trotted a circle, unable to look at her bed-bound companion. If Rarity could garner the ability to sit up, she imagined she'd see a trench in the tile. If Twilight kept going for another hour or two, might she go all the way through and get to the hospital's first floor? "I studied the spell just like you told me. I thought I had it all figured out! And, to be fair, I did, but I vastly overestimated the amount of charge it needed. I had no idea it would be so efficient. I know you told me it was easy and that I shouldn't worry about power but I got your hints all wrong and I'm so stupid, oh, how could I let this happen?" Really, it was astounding how long Twilight could go without taking a breath. Rarity imagined only Pinkie could beat it. "Twilight." "I promise, I won't use the spell again. I still can't believe it decided you were a legitimate target! I mean, how? Why? It doesn't make any sense!" "Twilight." "I tried to turn it off, but it wouldn't stop, just like you described. Is it something I did wrong? It doesn't do that to you every time, does it? This thing might qualify as a tool of war in the wrong hooves, and I just cast it willy-nilly like a colt who found his father's spear!" "Twilight." "And then Spike had to see it, and there was so much blood, and you were screaming. Oh, Celestia, what if I've traumatized him for life? He's a dragon, he's got a lot of life to be traumatized in. He'll be in therapy for decades!" "Twilight Sparkle!" The librarian, royal protégé, and magical genius whirled around to face her, stumbling back as if hearing her name were a hammer blow. She blinked wide eyes at the bed-bound Rarity, who was halfway sitting despite her weariness and the pain such a position brought her. "W-what? No, Rarity, you shouldn't try to get up!" The dressmaker fell back on the bed with a relieved sigh, taking a moment to gently rub at the thick layer of bandages on her sore flank. "Yes, darling, I know, but I had to get your attention. Now, if you'd please stop beating yourself up over this, we can get to the part where I forgive you for an honest mistake." "B-but, but, I hurt you. I might have even scarred your cutie mark." Twilight wiped her eyes and took a step closer. Her hoof went up to touch her own bandaged horn. "I shouldn't have tried to use your spell." "Oh, pish-posh. I'm flattered you thought it worth the effort, and I am the one who taught it to you. Besides, now I can say with absolute confidence..." Rarity flicked her mane and shot Twilight the smuggest of grins. "I really am a gem among ponies." Author's Note Oh, look, our first M6 pairing for this anthology! Sweet. I don't know why this is what came to mind when the pairing came up, but as soon as it did I had my drabble for the day. The most important thing in this one was not spelling out the cause of Twilight's panic and seeing if readers could put two and two together. I think I put enough hints in there to make it easy, but you never know with this kind of thing.
Bonfire of Friendship (Derpy X Fleur de Lis)Derpy Hooves arrived on time every year like clockwork. It had been a shock at the start, then a nuisance. Now? It was the highlight of Fleur de Lis's year. She had started making the arrangements by the fifth year. The full shipment, brought directly to Fleur's winter house in the forested hills outside Trottingham all at once. She'd had a small clearing made in the spacious back yard, complete with a concrete landing zone. And then, every year on the 14th of February, Derpy arrived, carting along a wagon five times larger than the norm and filled to bursting with letters, gifts and candies. Fleur liked to get into the spirit of things, donning the customized, fitted uniform of a runway marshaller and waving glowing red and green wands in her magical aura. The two of them worked together to get the cargo positioned just right. Then, at Fleur's signal, Derpy delivered a solid buck to the wagon, which dropped all of it in a massive pile on the concrete. The next step was actually much easier, despite appearances: they gathered pre-prepared logs and piled them atop and around the big dump of confectionery garbage. With Derpy hauling one side and Fleur's magic the other, each log was moved with care and precision based on rigorous study for the latter and Filly Scout experience for the former. Within a couple hours of Derpy's arrival, the candy was hardy even visible anymore. And then the two would retire to the manor, where Fleur would don her companion in the latest high fashion – this year from mutual ally Rarity, who was very much onboard with the whole scheme despite having never been present. They did one another's manes, gave each other pedicures, and Derpy got to indulge in some of the finest wing-care products on the market. While this was going on the two unabashedly shared stories of the past year, things they missed or chose not to bring up until now, when the timing and audience was absolutely perfect. It had all started with a mutual breakdown. On one side, too much objectification, too much unearned praise, too much attention of the wrong sort. On the other side, too much condescension, no praise at all, and too much attention of an entirely different but still wholly wrong sort. Two mares bonding over a holiday that was little more than a reminder of what they didn't want. Bonding became a friendship; friendship had built a tradition. And so the tradition continued that twilight, with two mares sitting on the manor's back veranda in gala dresses while the unicorn between them set the spark. Within seconds, all the undesired displays of false, petty affection became fuel for the fire. They ate the heart-shaped chocolates that they'd bought with their own hard-earned bits and clinked wine glasses together in a toast of friendship, camaraderie, and another year survived. To the awakening stars and moon they lifted their playful curse: "Stallions: who needs them!" Author's Note As soon as I saw these two selected as today's pairing, I knew I had to do something. But what? I pondered on it for a while before realizing: Fleur, as a famous modelling icon, would undoubtedly have tons of admirers who would almost certainly send her tons of letters, chocolates, and other goodies, especially on Hearts n' Hooves Day. Somepony has to deliver those, right? And then I thought it would be fun if Fleur and Derpy bonded specifically over their issues with the opposite sex. And then I thought: How can I give this the silly S1-S3 show treatment?
Let's Have a Battle (Aria Blaze X Lightning Dust)The punch had Aria reeling, despite her rolling from it. Her opponent was tough and skilled, to be sure. That didn't hold a candle to a thousand years of raw experience; her retaliatory strike sent the blonde to the dirt. Spitting blood, Aria straddled her, forearm against throat and fist pulled back. She didn't throw the punch. She might had her foe resisted, but the teen merely lay on the ground, eye starting to swell and blood dribbling from her mouth. Aria wasn't much better. Her ribs ached from the few kicks that had landed and she was pretty sure blood was seeping from the back of her skull. Both of them were covered in dust from the abandoned construction site, breathing hard in the autumn twilight. Aria's fist clenched, the leather of her glove creaking from the pressure. The scratches on her arm burned. Her opponent blinked at her in a daze, then grinned. "Damn, girl. You really know how to throw a punch." She shifted her head and neck, but didn't try to get away. "Alright, you got my attention. Wanna tell me why you came at me like a banshee out of nowhere?" The fist didn't relax. It wasn't thrown either. "Listen up, jerkwad," Aria growled. "You want to be a bully, you be a bully. But you stay away from my sister, or we'll be doing this again." The girl blinked some more, smile replaced by bewilderment. "Who's your sister?" Aria grit her sore teeth. She tasted copper. "Sonata. You mess with her, you mess with me. Got it?" The prone teen's good eye rolled up as she thought. "Sonata? Sonata. Oh! The blue girl with the ponytail, who started bawling just because I—" Aria tensed. "Okay, okay! Yeesh, sorry. Anyone else off limits?" Aria briefly considered naming Adagio, but quickly concluded she was more than capable of taking care of herself. She stood and backed away, finally allowing her fingers to relax. "No, that's it." She turned and limped for the road. "Hey. Hey, wait, I'm talking here!" Aria turned. Leather creaked again. The teenager sat up and rubbed blood from her chin. "I've seen you around. You're every bit the bully I am. Gotta admire someone who takes as much as she gives." She grinned, teeth stained pink. "I'm Lightning Dust. We don't gotta be enemies." Lightning climbed to her feet with a pained grunt, made a failed attempt to brush the dust off, and offered a hand. "Respect. Wanna retry that introduction? Without the fists?" "You made my sister cry." "And now I know she's off limits." Lightning waggled her hand in offering. Arms crossed, Aria stared at the hand. Then at Lightning's bloody grin. With a scowl, she turned away. "I'll think about it." "Cool, I get it. You do that. Catch you later... uh, what was your name again?" Aria saw no reason to answer. Rubbing the back of her sticky head, she found herself smiling. She had no idea why. Author's Note I saw this pairing and immediately had an image in my head of them throwing down. Alas, 500 words is not near enough for a proper play-by-play, so I had to write the end of said fight. I imagine these two are the sorts who see a fistfight as the potential start of a beautiful friendship. I never saw the Sirens as being biological sisters, but I always figured they were close enough to look at one another that way. And I like the idea of Aria being secretly protective of Sonata and Adagio, but let's face it: Adagio probably doesn't need the protection. I really like writing Lightning Dust. Pity I didn't get to do too much with her here. Addendum June 2024: This inspired and led to the creation of a new story featuring these two! Check out The Conflict to see this re-imagined into a proper tale of defending your family and breaking your chains.
