Chapter 15: Of Shadows and Sunshine

written by TheCrimsonDM

It was late into the night, both of her lovers had fallen asleep and Twilight had left with a quiet teleportation spell. She arrived at the rendezvous point in an alley behind a building near town square. There she saw the pink pony of peril in all her bouncy jiggly glory. Pinkie quickly gave Twilight a stealth suit and giggled. "You ready to do crimes."

"Awww yeah, crimes."

"Hard crimes."

"Hardcore criminals breaking the rules like bad mares."

"Naughty little bad fillies that need punished."

Twilight blinked and stared at Pinkie. "Um... m-maybe... wh-what kind of punishment?"

"Oh you know, strapped to a chair."

Pinkie leaned in, her face growing close to Twilight's.

"Bonds holding fast."

Her breath landed upon Twilight's nostrils. Hot, humid, smelling of candy and sugar.

"A ball gag in their mouth so they can only muffle their emotions and drool."

Twilight felt her heart racing. Her mind fogging over with a familiar heat.

"And forced."

Twilight gulped.

"To watch."

Their lips were only a hairs breadth away now.

"Me."

Twilight swallowed hard, her mouth salivating as her heart raced a million miles per second. "W-watch you do what?"

Pinkie Pie pulled away and jumped in the air. "Eat their most favorite and delicious cake, without sharing even a spec of frosting. Hehe."

Twilight let out a sigh of disappointment. Of course that was Pinkie's idea of a punishment. It wasn't very sexy at all but it was so close to being such. Twilight would just have to take a shower when home and... imagine what else Pinkie could do to her while she was tied up in a chair. For now though, they had a mission to attend to.

"Let's go, Splinter Cell Pinkie."

"Got it, Metal Gear Twilight."

The two went out of their little hiding spot in the shadows, seeing the town center ahead of them, and ready to make their way there, sneak in, grab the documents and then return home. With nopony none the wiser. Just as Twilight set a hoof out she heard a new voice, somepony clearing their throat behind her. Twilight and Pinkie turned to face the wraith of... Luna.

Luna eyed them both. "And prey tell, what were you about to do? Hard Crimes we do believe we heard."

Twilight let out a sigh. "We were going to sneak into the town center and steal the documents that you said we couldn't look at."

Pinkie Pie face hooved. "Twilight, your supposed to lie to the coppers. Not tell 'em the truth right away. Mission failed, mission failed."

Twilight "She already knows what I'm doing, I told her I wouldn't do this... if I lie again she'll be angrier at me."

Luna lowered her head and nuzzled Twilight's cheek. "I'm not mad. I'm not even disappointed. I understand, somepony says there is a secret you cannot have, wags it in front of your face and takes it away. Tis cruel. I know you would never use any info you find out about Rarity, Sweetie Belle, or Scootaloo against them, but please, trust me. You will learn of this when the time is right. Trust in Celestia's judgment, can you do that?"

"I... I can. I'm sorry."

"Tis okay love."

Pinkie Pie sat down. "Hold up, what records are you trying to get again? Don't you want their criminal records so that you can point at them and laugh."

Twilight gulped. "Uh... something like that. Not for laughing but uh... research."

Pinkie grinned. "Well I already know all of that stuff, I'll tell you later. I just wanted to have some pal time with you, we never do crimes anymore."

Twilight smiled. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Luna cleared her throat. "Is there something else I should know?"

Twilight snapped her head back to the princess. "Um... nope."

Pinkie grinned. "Nopy nopy nope."

Luna chuckled. "Well come on I'll take you both to your respective homes. And Twilight, next time you teleport, try not to do so in our room. The light is quite flashy."

Twilight groaned. Of course, the light woke up Luna. She was not good at this whole 'criminal thing' after all.

***

It was early in the morning, the sun had just risen and Applejack was already out in the fields, hard at work getting the apples down from the trees. It was time for a good ol' bucking, and not in the way that Rarity kept saying. As the morning sun blessed the land with it's golden caress she could feel the air changing. From a cool and relaxing chill in the air to an energizing warmth. She'd felt this change every morning she'd worked in the fields, and it wasn't until Twilight pointed out that the rising of the sun and moon both sent waves of magic across the land that she understood what it was. In a way it was Celestia's morning greeting, a polite hello and good morning.

A few hours passed by with her working before she heard some hoof steps from behind a few trees. A soft and polite step, one that carried a certain grace to it, followed by a louder yet still graceful step. Applejack had to think about who this could be, she would have said Rarity and Big Mac, but Big Mac's steps were surprisingly quiet though weighty. She looked over to see her own morning surprise.

Rarity was there, and she'd brought Princess Celestia with her. Applejack felt herself beginning to kneel but stopped short remembering her promise to the princess the other day. Instead she tipped her hat and said simply, "Howdy."

Rarity grinned. "Howdy indeed. I brought a friend!"

Celestia smiled down at Rarity, even Applejack had to admit, she was darn pretty in the morning. She could see herself waking up to such a sight everyday before the sun rose. Granted she quickly dismissed the idea with a little bit of sorrow left in her heart. She wasn't likely to find anypony like that anytime soon, especially not the goddess of the sun. Still it was a nice thought while it lasted.

Celestia looked over to Applejack and their eyes met. A flicker of heat ran through Applejack's cheeks and her heart skipped a beat. Those eyes locked on target, and she could nearly feel the full warmth and heat from in them. Her smile widened. "Good morning, Applejack."

Was it her, or did Celestia just say her name with some amount of passion behind it. Surely not, Applejack was just imagining that right? Applejack gulped. "M-morning, Prin- er... uh..." By golly she forgot the princesses proper name. "T-Tia."

Rarity blinked, her smile faltering for a moment. Yet Celestia only smiled wider. "Tia, eh? Oh I do love a nickname, and it matches my little Twiggle WIggles, yes I can accept this. I shall call you, Jack."

"Please don't."

"Apples?"

"No."

"Jacky."

"Nuh-uh."

"Applebae."

"Not unless we're married heh."

"Oh what is it that you young ponies do all the time, take letters and such to make a nickname... AJ, yes that's it. AJ."

"Ah like that one."

"Good." Celestia giggled, her musical voice sent ripples of warmth through the air and Applejack could swear it was getting warmer by the second.

Rarity grinned. "See, I told you this was a good idea, Celestia. Our dear Applejack needs some special company after all."

"I can see that. Well you did well bring this to my attention, I can provide far more warmth than anypony in the land."

Rarity beamed. "And then you won't be single and lonely anymore."

Celestia blinked, then looked down at her companion. "Single and lonely?"

"Why but of course, with how much of an imposing presence you demand from any 'normal' pony, surely few have found themselves close enough to return your warmth and love, let alone call you a true friend."

"Are you implying that I can't get a date?"

"Oh of course not, that would be preposterous. You could ask any pony out, and they'd either flee in fright, or break down and give into whatever they think it is you want."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"But so few ponies can truly handle your love, your warmth, your sheer awe inspiring self and still retain their own mental faculties. Applejack is one such pony. She'd never bow down to you just to appease you out of fear, she'd only ever offer the truest and most honest of love."

Celestia was still not looking too pleased with that explanation. However, Rarity was trotting around with her eyes closed and not a single care in the world about that. Going on and on about the virtues of a pony as good, as handsome, as apple-tastic as Applejack. It... actually almost started to come off like Rarity was flirting wit her. Lost entirely to her own monologue as she jumped onto a tree stump and began proclaiming the beauty of Applejack to the trees around them.

Applejack walked up to the princess's side. "Uh sorry about that, she's a mite crazy when trying to make love happen. Ah swear she shoulda been born as an alicorn of love or something."

"Ho ho, like my Cadance. My sweet baby girl of love. Yes I can see that."

"She ain't gonna notice us for awhile, Ah think she's on one again, at least she's not shouting at the trees about Rainbow Dash forgetting a date this time."

"Hehehe, really?"

"Oh yeah, here come with me, Ah'll fix ya up with some apple juice and tell you all about it, Tia."

Celestia reached down with a wing and placed it over Applejack's back. A soft, warm downy touch. "It would be my pleasure, AJ."

Applejack gulped, today was just starting and it was already looking to be one of those days. They left the crazy alabaster pony as she began singing about Applejack's love to an audience of no one."

***

Well today was going juuuuuussst great so far for Twilight of the Sparkles. The resident unicorn librarian of town was sitting in front of a pile of books, beside her was Fluttershy who was reading over a few on her side. Her eyes scanned left to right with little issue as she was quick to pick up the terms used in the texts, but she had a dictionary beside her just in case. Twilight was stumped, she didn't see this coming. Whoever was responsible needed slapped, and slapped hard. Sure she could just 'break the rules' she was good at that... wow okay so maybe she wasn't good at that traditionally speaking but she was good at doing it when she needed too.

Looking over at Fluttershy who was busy reading herself she hoped for a better answer than she was getting. "Have you found any information?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "N-not yet. I um... I don't like this."

"Me neither." Twilight gave a sigh of defeat. She was scolded for trying to surpass the rules twice already, and that was enough to scare her back into compliance. She'd ask Celestia for special permission later. "So, stupid law. Single or unmarried ponies can only adopt one foal, unless they are related by blood. And I can't get into the freaking records to see if Rainbow Dash is like... Scootaloo's cousin or not."

Fluttershy smiled. "C-can't we just... marry Rainbow Dash and Rarity then?"

"Not yet, I'm trying to build my herd slowly."

"Um... um... what?"

"Oh you meant marry them to each other! Yes, I can do that, I have the legal right, but they aren't ready for it, and what if they divorce because we pushed them. I'd feel... like the worst trash in all of Equestria."

"Oh my... yes, me too... hmm..."

"Luckily in Applejack's case, her little sister is related to her by blood so she can still adopt a filly."

"Could Rainbow Dash adopt a-"

"No."

"No?"

"She has a... ban on such things after the incident at Fun World."

"Oh... right... the ferris wheel..."

"And the house of terror, and the love boat, and the concession stand, and the gift shop. Seriously, Rainbow Dash nearly caused no less than thirteen international incidents in one day. If she wasn't protected by me, then she'd be banished."

"Oh my... am... am I in trouble like that too?"

"Stealing the princess's pet bird? Uhh... okay to be honest, you were set up from the start, Celestia wanted you to take the bird as a prank because sometimes she's kind of a... Trollestia."

"Hehe, Trollestia, just imagine her with a big knoby nose and warts haha."

"Heh."

The two of them burst into a fit of giggles at that. It was pretty funny after all. Once they calmed down Twilight looked over at her companion, her marefriend, her... lover. "Fluttershy, sorry if this was a terrible idea for a date."

"Oh it's okay, I like reading with you. I feel smarter just sitting next to you."

"I don't think any other pony would ever say such a thing... that's another reason I love you."

"I... I love you too."

"Okay, time for something else. We might have to just let Applejack adopt Scootaloo then, but she'll be in a good home regardless. For now though, let's go do something together, you want some hay fries?"

"OH, McPonies?"
"Yes."

"I wanna kids meal! Um... if that's okay."

"That's fine, you like the toys don't you?"

"Um..."

"Their pretty cool."

"They are."

"Let's go then, I think they got what was it, Pony Ball Z figures or something?"

"Mhmm, their silver and gold. They're so cool."

"Heh, sounds like a date."

Author's Note

Shadowy Plans, Sunshining lands, and ponies about to throw... hands?

Okay, silly rhymes aside, We're happy to say we are about half way through this story. It's been really nice to have a weekly story to publish again, it's been a long time since we've had that and it feels good. Hope your all still enjoying the story and excited for where its going. XD