Time Makes Foals of Us All

"Time is the longest distance between two places." – Tennessee Williams

~~~

A whisper.

A murmuring to disrupt the dreams of a dreamer.

A fantastic world that only the beholder can know, shattered by the unrelenting wash of reality as it invades the senses. The calm serenity of ones own inner workings, making patterns out of oil spills, making sense of darkness. An unimaginably complex yet purely artificial construct of the mind. A mind that yearns for understanding and purpose, so lost in the abyss, disconnected from its sensory input. It makes its own world to feel real, its fantasies comfort it when it feels most alone, and afraid. The dream ends the same way it always does, as its own existence is replaced by a stronger one.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

"Mmmmmrrrnnghh." The stallion groaned and rolled over into his mare, seeking to wrap her in his legs and absorb her warmth. To feel her soft coat against his and drift off into eternity together. But his legs met with air as the comforter and sheets were levitated from him bodily and his internal heat began bleeding into the winter morning atmosphere.

"Come on, wake up. The train leaves in an hour and I know you like taking forever in the shower when its cold out." Twilight was standing by the side of the bed and magically folding the sheets and comforter, placing them in the basket to be washed. She started to nudge Horizon with her muzzle and prod him off the bed they shared. Horizon was doing his best to increase his mass by remaining as immobile as possible, physics be damned. A body at rest should remain at rest.

"Wake uuuuuuup! Wake uuuuuuup! Don't make me get a glass of cold waaaaaater." Twilight began to take on a sing-song tone as she happily trotted down the steps to the bathroom. Knowing full well that the best way to get her coltfriend up, in the morning at least, was with threats of liquid ice.

Horizon immediately felt the chill in the air increase tenfold and resonate through his bones. His fur stood on end and he gave a quick shiver as his eyes shot open and his pupils dilated. After a quick exhale and a flex of his forelegs his horn lit up and he teleported into the shower and flipped on the hot water tap. Slamming the door before his fillyfriend could get near enough to carry out with her threat, as she had done many times before.

"Like clockwork." Twilight giggled to herself and levitated a long scroll before her and checked off a box.

~~~

Horizon loved hot showers.

Before he met Twilight, taking a hot shower was his favorite activity. He would stand under the water as it ran over him, soaking every inch of his deep navy blue coat, plastering his dark brown mane over his closed eyes and ears. His amber eyes would look down and watch the water as it ran down the drain, leaving this world for another, beginning its cycle anew in the endless pipes that it traveled. Its course was predetermined; It would be reclaimed, purified and used again in a fountain, or garden, or beverage. No matter what it was before or what it would be, in those moments that water was used to warm a cold heart.

Horizon hurt when he remembered those years. Those lonely years busing tables at Pony Joe's to pay his way through school. Cleaning the espresso machine and spreading the sprinkles paid what tuition the grants didn't cover, barely. But at least he got free coffee out of it. Staying up studying alone for hours on end with nothing but the Mare in the Moon to keep him company was a nightly tryst. When he didn't have his muzzle in a book, his hoof in a dirty mug or his head on a pillow he had his body under a shower head. The pain of solitude was washed away. The smell of coffee, the crumbs of crullers, the smear of ink, the chill of depression, all of it was washed away by the scalding hot embrace of water. It found every crack in his armor and filled it with comfort, if only temporarily. He would spend hours thinking in the shower, developing theories, organizing the clutter of a mind that moved too fast, and consumed too much for its own good. A time to recharge and let his mind roam when he was too exhausted or strung out on caffeine to dream when he managed to sleep.

The last time he ever felt alone when he took a shower was the day after he met Twilight. Cleaning off dried cider, and other fluids, from his matted fur in the Canterlot Castle barracks open showers – under watch of the royal guard – was not one of his life highlights. While he was not one hundred percent certain that castration was actually in the cards after deflowering the noble pupil of Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia, Horizon was certain about one thing. He would be making a serious attempt to win this mare's heart, not just because of a certain Princess of the Night's threats to break his body if he broke her heart. The turning point in his life would be that following night. The night he asked her on a date and learned about the mare of his dreams.

No shower ever felt lonely after that night, the night he truly fell for her. He knew from the moment he had a real sober and non-argumentative conversation with her that she was something special. He may have explored her body already but nothing excited him more than exploring her mind. The conversations they had may have seemed dry to an outside observer but their minds connected like puzzle pieces. It was only a matter of time, and they both felt it more and more every day.

But this morning, this Hearth's Warming Day, Horizon felt lonely again. He was a liar, he turned on the machine, and broke the first rule of science. Never experiment without a control. He betrayed Twilight's trust and played with fire. The implications were still only now bubbling to the surface. He didn't know what she would say when she found it. He didn't even know how to turn it off without actually using it and expending the charge. He didn't know how he was going to publish his research. He didn't know how he was going to make more to sell to private companies and secure his fortune. He had played this closer to his heart than anything and Twilight didn't even know the magic behind it. It excited him and scared him at the same time.

As the hot water ran out, his doubts ran wild.

~~~

The train pulled out of Ponyville station at 8 AM sharp. The short 100km train ride from Ponyville north up to Canterlot was only made tedious because of its switchbacks around the mountain to make the steep incline. But the view was always astonishing. Taking the counter-clockwise route up the east side of the peak and rounding into the south side of Canterlot station gave the most fantastic view of Cloudsdale to the northwest that a non-pegasi could afford. This west-facing rays of dawn lit up the floating fortress like a wildfire. The sleepy fog rolling off the strong and ancient cloud foundations burning away in the light and revealing the omnipresent rainbow waterfalls that cascaded from every edge of the city.

"I wonder what Rainbow is doing for Hearth's Warming." Twilight mused aloud as she looked out the north facing window of their private cabin as the train began its loop around the west face of Canterlot peak. "I mean she must be doing something, even the Wonderbolts get the day off for Hearth's Warming after all." She turned to look at Horizon who was gazing out the windows with a thousand meter stare.

"Hellooo, Equestria to Horizon, anypony there?" Twilight rolled her shoulders to nudge him from his trance. "What?" Horizon responded thoughtlessly, "Sorry I was just thinking." Twilight frowned.

"Look, I know things got a little dramatic last night but can we please put that in the past. I want today to be perfect, it's not every day I get to see Mom and Dad. And Shining and Cadence will be their with their foal too. Plus I haven't seen Spike since he moved out of the library last month, Princess Celestia tells me he has grown so much already." Twilight put a hopeful grin on and leaned into Horizons neck for a nuzzle. She kept expecting the playful smile and the comforting glances he always sent down to her before kissing her softly and teasing her. She looked into his amber eyes as he continued to stare out the window, his playful nature dampened by what she could only assume was their argument last night.

Twilight brought a hoof to his cheek and stroked it while turning his gaze to meet hers. She wanted her coltfriend back.

Horizon looked down at her with partially raised eyebrows and sighed. "I'm sorry. I know I've been out of it this morning I've just been thinking about... Your mother." Horizon was really thinking about the machine ticking away in the basement but instead turned to a conversation that was inevitable. Twilight nodded her understanding at his words and returned her forehead to his jawline. "I don't think you need to worry about my mom, Dad and Shining have experience controlling her and Cadance is learning to hold the reins as well, so to speak, hehe." Twilight smiled and looked into Horizon’s eyes and saw him smiling back for the first time this morning.

"Well I know that names and neurosis aren't the only two things you two share. You both seem to have great taste in stallions if I do say so myself. Night Light and I have the lady killing combination of amber eyes and blue coat. And if your mother is any evidence I know that your flanks are still going to look good, even after foals." Horizon gave her a lopsided smirk and pinched her cutie mark.

Twilight gasped in mock surprise but was celebrating internally. This was the Horizon she fell in love with.

"Oh and as far as Rainbow Dash, I don't think the question is what she is doing for Hearth's Warming but who" Now Twilight gasped in real surprise at that comment. "WHAT!? Rainbow is the Element of Loyalty I will have you remember. And she does not 'fool around'." Twilight motioned with her forehooves to create the air quotes, as if that expression was anything uncommon.

"Starbutt, I know you are the smartest unicorn in Equestria, but you really don't have a good eye for relationships. I mean, firstly, Applejack and Rarity are clearly head over hooves in love with each other and having more sex than all of Ponyville put together."

Twilight was growing visibly upset at that mental image. "Oh please that's not—"

"Secondly," Horizon continued, "Rainbow Dash doesn't just 'fool around' she 'filly-fools around' with nearly every winged mare from Los Pegasus to Manehatten. I mean, let's be honest here, the only piece of filly flank with feathers that she wouldn't fool around with is Spitfire and that's because she's her boss and off-limits." Twilight did see a bit of merit to those words.

Rainbow Dash had always said that the only thing she loved more than the sky were the mares that filled it. Rarity had always been the most sexually open-minded, the cosmopolitan mare was used to appreciating beauty, in all of its forms. Applejack was an enigma, always working too hard to even look at anypony, which was the only reason Twilight still was skeptical about the rendezvous with Rarity. Fluttershy was, even as a timid mare, definitely the straightest of all her friends. And Pinkie was, well, Pinkie Pie, she wanted to be friends with everypony and that was enough for her. Twilight didn't think she would ever see Pinkie in a romantic relationship, she had too much love for everypony to limit it to just one special somepony.

Twilight decided that if Rainbow wanted to conquer every mare in Equestria then she should, because if it made her anywhere near as happy as she was with Horizon it couldn't be wrong. But Twilight sometimes felt sorrow when hearing Rainbow go on about all the mares she had been with. The bravado was probably covering up the loneliness that the loyal pegasus felt from living such a transient lifestyle.

"You know what, I hope you're right." Twilight concluded. "If Rarity and Applejack find love with each other, then that makes me happy, and I will do my best to support them. Lyra and Bon Bon are happily married and have already adopted two handsome colts who they love like their own." Horizon smiled at Twilight. She was so traditional, just like her mother. Always putting the needs of the family first, caring for her mate, guarding her nest. "But I hope that Rainbow can find somepony to love. It must be so lonely flying from city to city, leaving cheering fans and broken hearts wherever you go." Horizon nodded thoughtfully at Twilight's words.

"She'll find somepony Twilight don't worry. And she has only been in the Wonderbolts for a couple years now, let her enjoy her dream. It's not like she's going anywhere, she's got a long career ahead of her and all the time in the world to find happiness." Horizon began to realize how that thought applied to him. His career never really took off. His dream of making something to change the world was sitting in the basement of a tree library and being shrouded by a canvas drop cloth and a relationship jeopardizing lie. Oh sure he had been learning more and more after meeting Twilight and moving in with her; Being able to teleport out of line of sight was just one of the many new talents he picked up from her. But it hadn't even been a year yet and he was already carrying around an engagement ring.

It wasn't the first time he thought they were moving too fast.

The brief moment of silence and contemplation was interrupted as Twilight softly asked, "Do you remember our first date?"

Horizon knew that he could be cheeky and say something like 'How could I forget?' and waggle his eyebrows in allusion to their first night together but in his seriousness he knew what she was really talking about. Their conversation about the potential futures of their friends had inevitably led them both back to the memory of the beginning of their time together, the real beginning.

"Yeah... How could I forget the best night of my life..."

~~~

Canterlot Castle, the morning after the annual Canterlot Science Convention.

"Princess I am so, so, so, sorry I know you always told me I would know when the right stallion showed up and my mother has always said the same thing. I didn't want this to happen really, and especially not this way, I just had this urge and it felt so right at the time and... I am so sorry please don't make me stop being your student. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME BACK TO MAGIC KINDERGARTEN!"

Twilight was sobbing. The lavender mare was wrapped up like a filly again under Celestia's outstretched wing. Holding her hooves close to herself and gasping for air between body shaking cries of sorrow. Princess Celestia's private study was a mess of tissues and towels, a more sturdy replacement once the tissues ran out. Celestia held twilight close and looked into the flames burning in her hearth for strength. She knew this day would come, she knew that Twilight would find a stallion and share her heart with him but she did not expect it to be this way. And she did not expect to be the first one she spoke to about this.

"Twilight. Twilight I know you are distraught right now but I want you to remember the first lesson we ever had." Celestia returned to her pedagogical tone. The confidence and vocal poise tempered through a millennia of leadership and teaching calming the fillies nerves and quieting her sobs until the involuntary diaphragm spasms and tears were the only thing that remained. Twilight's ears swiveled unconsciously to absorb every bit of knowledge from her mentor’s lips.

"Control, Twilight. The most important lesson is always control, in all things." Twilight nodded and held the towel firmly to her eyes to dry her tears and then look up into her mentors large magenta irises with her violet and bloodshot eyes. "I-I'm... sorry Princess I just forgot... Please..." Twilight started to stammer out words but the Princess stopped her again.

"My most faithful student, I know you would not make a decision without being aware of what you were getting yourself into. You occasionally may not anticipate the consequences of that decision but you are brave and those risks have not only given you the courage to save this land multiple times but also to become a strong and independent mare. A mare capable of making decisions for herself and knowing when the time is right to act on her feelings."

Celestia had thought back over all the years she spent with Twilight. It seemed like only yesterday she was putting a young mare on a chariot to a small village. Setting in motion a chain of events, long foretold to be the destiny of the element of magic. The right unicorn at the right time in the right place. The spark. Her most faithful student.

But what came after that was always a surprise. Sometimes happy and pleasant, other times somewhat unsettling. Her power was unprecedented, beyond what was required to utilize the elements and beyond anything Celestia had ever seen before. It was terrifying to see in action and when Twilight lost control and, well, even an immortal can be afraid at times.

Twilight began her breathing exercises and began to calm down. Celestia smiled at her students diligence.

"You have told me all that happened last night. I know you have a fantastic memory and I am glad to hear that your free will was not completely impaired by drink. But know that you made up your mind to do those things with that stallion. You decided to share that moment with him and you chose to start a relationship with him." Celestia levitated over a new towel and discarded the now damp one from Twilight's forehooves.

"But Princess, how can you say that? This isn't how it was supposed to happen. It wasn't a relationship. I was supposed to meet the stallion of my dreams and he would be smart, and funny, and handsome and we would go on picnics, and go star gazing, and read books together and not... not... mate only hours after meeting each other! And especially not like that!" Twilight used the new towel liberally.

"I'm nothing but a... a floosie! I find one nice stallion and can't think of any better way to show my feelings than to throw myself at him like some kind of desperate harlot. He probably thinks I'm some common whore who has been with thousands of other—" Twilight's self-deprecating rant was interrupted by a quiet chuckle from Celestia who was containing laughter behind a hoof. Thinking of Twilight Sparkle as a sexually voracious mare was simply comedy, some things were just too silly to not be laughed at.

"P-Princess this is no laughing matter! He probably doesn't want anything to do with me now, I'm just another notch on his saddlebags I bet! My first romance, my v-virginity, lost to a complete stranger." The smaller mare was rapidly losing her anguish to frustration as the larger mare continued to smile inwardly and gaze into the distance.

"Oh, Twilight. We are so much alike, much more than you could possibly know. And I am certain that this stallion, Horizon I believe his name was, would be a complete fool to reject you. And he most certainly will not think of you as anything less than what you are. You have always been impulsive Twilight, and while this may be a plague for slow-witted ponies it is a great boon to you. You arrive at accurate conclusions and make snap decisions with ease as well. You are so gifted. Just trust that last night happened for a reason and that it is part of a bigger plan. Remember when I sent you to Ponyville? You made five amazing friends in one day and together saved the world. All because you stepped out of your comfort zone and took on a new problem. I know that once you set your mind on something and choose to beat it you are unstoppable. Your determination is what makes you so unstoppable. So simply treat this stallion, and your new relationship – because that's what this is twilight – as a test to be completed on a subject that can't be studied. You can't know whether you will pass or fail but you at least have to try. That's life."

Twilight was composed. She took her mentors words to heart and she levitated the towel into the hamper. She methodically began moving all the stray tissues into a waste basket as well. She rose to her hooves and Celestia lifted her wing to alleviate her student of the comforting warmth and pressure.

"Thank you Princess. For everything. For always being there for me. I feel much better now."

Celestia shared a nuzzle with her most faithful student and enjoyed the moment, committing it to memory.

The large doors to Celestia's chambers opened to reveal two dark blue ponies. One was the Princess of the Night and Twilight Sparkles best friend, Princess Luna. The other was a blushing unicorn stallion with amber eyes that were wide with fear. But his steps were sure and confident as he entered the private study of the ruler of the nation with her student and sister. The three most powerful mares in Equestria, without a doubt.

"Sister, we have returned with the scoundrel. He has been cleansed in the barracks wash facilities and has not left the watchful eye of either myself or the guard since this morning. We believe he has an apology to make."

"Actually Princess, I don't want to apologize." There was a collective gasp from the two alicorns as the distraught mare stood with her mouth agape too surprised to connect thoughts. Horizon continued, he mentally congratulated himself for not collapsing to the floor with the weight of his balls right now.

"I don't want to apologize because I feel there is nothing to apologize for. I do not regret any decisions I made last night because I chose to make them and I know in my heart that Twilight chose to make them as well. So rather than be an immature foal about this and sputter and grovel, I want to be a stallion and take responsibility the correct way. I want to make things right, and that means I will do right by Twilight." Horizon was a pony on fire right now. He had nothing to lose and was throwing himself on the line here to accept whatever decision was made. They could either let him burn or douse the flames and accept his actions.

Horizon walked past Luna and straight up to Twilight who was still close to Celestia, almost sheltered by her presence as the wings rose once again in a defensive gesture.

"Twilight Sparkle." Horizon began, " You are incredibly beautiful. But your physical beauty is far surpassed by that of your mind. To be both stunningly complex and shockingly powerful at the same time is the most alluring combination. Before I met you I had been attracted to your work academically, but since glimpsing your brilliant mind through discourse I know with certainty that I am completely infatuated with you. I want to give whatever it is we began last night a real shot. And if that means pretending it never happened and starting from scratch than I will. My name is Horizon, would you like to go out and get dinner sometime."

Few moments in the long history of the Equestrian nation have left both of its immortal rules speechless. But this was certainly one of them. The first to speak after the astounding silence was the smallest pony in the room. The lavender mare with the star shaped cutie mark. A unicorn mare from Ponyville. The happiest mare in the world.

"Horizon, I don't want to pretend last night didn't happen. Because it was special to me. But I will accept your offer for dinner tonight, if you promise me you will not let what has already transpired influence your expectations on the outcome."

Horizon smiled. Twilight smiled. Celestia smiled.

~~~

Luna frowned.

Of course the one mare in all of Equestria that she had shown interest in after her return from her banishment is straight. Luna had known Twilight was burdened with the curse of being exceptionally brilliant but completely oblivious when it came to romance. It never ceased to amaze Luna that her sister’s pupil did not think even once that having the Princess of the Night land on her balcony and interrupt a late night study session almost weekly to go star gazing or to offer a surprise night flight was anything more than what best friends would do. Luna just wished Twilight would have taken the initiative. She had given all the right signs. Visited her tiny village every Nightmare Night and given thoughtful gifts of romantic literature at every minor occasion. They had corresponded on magic and the magic of friendship and Luna always playfully suggested that they become something more than friends. Twilight always said she was happy to call Luna her best friend. She was so adorkable, and it made her irresistible.

Luna had so desperately wanted Twilight to confess her feelings and ravish her and love her under the stars. She needed someone strong and confident like Twilight in her life. A leader, a real self-sufficient and strong mare. Not some namby pamby filly who would wait forever for the stallion to make the move. A filly like how Luna felt.

She detested this part of herself. Her heart swinging too and fro like a pendulum every century or so. Desiring big hulking stallions with soft hearts to dominate in the bedroom one generation and then lusting after strong and confident mares to share tender moments and romance with the next. Luna was forever doomed to seek something nigh impossible to obtain with the gender roles set forth by nature. A stallion who derives pleasure from submission and a mare who derives pleasure from dominance. Luna was held between these equal and opposite sides of a coin, changing like the phases of the moon that was her charge.

And it wasn't made any easier by having this blackguard of a stallion come along and ruin everything.

Not only was Twilight straight, but she was her best friend. Which meant she would have to hear every detail and every woe of their courtship. Like a blow by blow of their most intimate moments that could have been. And now it looked like she was going to stay as 'just best friends' forever.

Luna would ensure that this miscreant of a stallion her Twilight had managed to hook up with either fought tooth and hoof for her heart or she would destroy him. Luna may have been in the more submissive and less physically aggressive phase but that didn't mean she would make an exception, for Twilight. After all, this scalawag of a stallion thinks it's fair to get her mare drunk and steal her away in one night of passion. And that means war.

If this cheating stallion wants Twilight all to himself, he's going to have to win her.

It's time to bring out the big guns.

~~~

Horizon produced the large bag of bits to the pegasus mare donned in black clothing. Their meeting in the random Canterlot alleyway was shrouded by the dusk of a late afternoon sunset.

"So we have a deal?" Horizon asked the mare.

"Hmmm, is this it? I seem to remember making another specific request as part of the payment." The flyer tapped a forehoof in annoyance as she locked eyes with the stallion.

Horizon groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Hey! I can leave and go back to Cloudsdale where everything is awesome if you don't want to fulfill your half of the bargain." The mare threatened.

Horizon produced a rolled up magazine from his saddlebags and passed it to the mare, just levitating the article of 'literature' made his horn feel dirty. Sports Illustrated: Wonderbolts wet mane edition. Ugh, so juvenile.

"Awwwww yeah!" The pink eyes showing through the black hood narrowed in excitement just looking at the tight golden flanks of the team captain on the cover. Her short cropped aerodynamic mane flowing down her rock hard body, the zipper on her flight suit trailing down her barrel to her...

"I SAID, do we HAVE a DEAL?" Horizon shouted for the third time. Interrupting the thoughts of the pegasus mare as she almost began drooling on the vulgar magazine.

"Yeah! Do the thing at the place at whatever o'clock and stuff, got it! Gottagonowbusydayyouknowbyemrunicorn!"

And with that she was gone, faster than the eye could follow, taking off with force that should have left a crater in the cobblestone alleyway, leaving nothing in her wake but a rainbow contrail.

~~~

*Ding-Dong Ding-Dong... Ding-Dong Ding-Dong*

The door to the upper Canterlot residence opened almost immediately after the chimes sounded. A mature cloudy white unicorn mare with sky blue eyes framed in a purple and white striped mane answered the door.

"Your Highness! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Mrs. Velvet, we have grave news concerning your daughter."

"G-grave news? What do you mean?"

"We regret to inform you that Twilight has... started dating."

~~~

The Dragon's Hoard was the most chic and swanky restaurant in all of Canterlot. It was new, it was expensive, it was almost impossible to get a table. And it was exactly the kind of place the noble student of Princess Celestia would expect to be treated to on her first date. Or at least that's what one would normally think.

Celestia had wished Twilight good luck, and said that no matter what happened she would still be her teacher as surely as Twilight was still her student. But that was where her involvement in the nights affairs had ended.

Twilight Velvet had arranged for musical accompaniment and Luna had made the reservation. Luna had ensured that the night sky was pristine and radiant, the stars shone like diamonds on black silk. The four piece string ensemble was instructed to play quietly to drown out any noise from the late night city life but not so loud as to ruin a quiet and intimate conversation. But all of this was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that nearly two dozen Lunar Stallions were positioned all around the restaurant and balcony, hiding in dark storm clouds, only visible because of their glowing draconic eyes. They were there ostensibly to provide security and privacy. But Horizon felt certain that their chosen armaments, gardening shears, kitchen knives, and other cutting instruments were purely for his benefit.

And all of that was completely eclipsed by the other private table occupied by Princess Luna and Twilight Velvet on the other side of the balcony. Directly in Horizons line of sight over Twilight's shoulder.

Horizon was beginning to second guess his choice. Maybe he was getting in a bit over his head.

"S-so, uh nice weather tonight huh?" Twilight asked, looking out into the darkened fields below Canterlot from their almost private balcony. "I think I can see my tree house from here, heh heh." Twilight added half-heartedly.

"Heh, uh, yeah, great view, couldn't ask for a more perfect night..." Horizon trailed off as he levitated his glass of incredibly expensive vintage wine and sipped greedily. Twilight mirrored his actions and as their eyes met over the lips of the crystal they broke eye contact to stare in any direction that didn't involve each other or the gaze of a lunar stallion. Or in the case of Horizon, two mares rather enthusiastically and silently carving up cucumbers for a salad. All the while staring directly at him as they levitated the green phallic vegetables and methodically sliced off razor thin portions.

Horizon was definitely having second thoughts.

"Your appetizers, Madame et Monsieur." The steaming salted soy beans were placed in the center of the table next to the bread and cheese.

"Oh yum I love edamame! Neighponese food was always some of my favorite to have after studying long hours. The sodium picked me right up, and they are so healthy too." Twilight tried to engender enthusiasm and turn the conversation towards the meal at hoof. Hopefully their main courses would come out sooner rather than later. This night couldn't get any more awkward.

A pod was floating in front of Twilights muzzle. It was wrapped in a deep blue glow. Twilight was confused.

"Um."

"Oh sorry. I uh, I guess I thought it would be kind of you know, romantic if we maybe tried feeding each other? A bit?"

Horizon was thankful for the breeze on the balcony because he would have been sweating bullets with how unbearably awkward and forced this night felt. His tuxedo was ridiculous looking, Twilight was wearing her Grand Galloping Gala dress of all things and... Ok now Luna was definitely stabbing into that baguette of bread way more times than was necessary.

"Oh, uh, OK should I move forward? Or, are you going to pop out the beans one by one? Or maybe I should remove them? Or are you going to move it towards me while I move forward and—"

Horizon simply moved the pod into Twilights muzzle much more forcefully than intended to make her just go with it. Luna flinched and motioned for a Lunar Stallion to attend to her. Horizon's concentration was divided as he levitated pods of soybeans and watched as a strange looking tool that could only be a tree trimmer was given to Luna.

"Umm Ihs good. I hink I an sweeze em ou ith ma eeth" Twilight struggled to speak coherently as she tried to use her teeth and tongue to squeeze the immature soybeans from the steamed pod being levitated in her mouth. Her head motions and groaning sounds of frustration only seemed the make the situation even MORE uncomfortable if that was even remotely possible. When viewed from behind it probably looked a lot more vulgar than what was really going on.

Horizon briefly turned his attention to the other table. He saw a bunch of bananas levitated in a smoky grey magical aura being plucked one by one and sent to their demise within the jaws of a telescoping tree trimmer; The murderous gardening tool was held in a deep blue magical aura. The bifurcated bananas were dropping over the balcony and splatting in the river hundreds of meters below. Their death was only accompanied with the silent cries of their relief. Only the dead could know peace from this awkwardness.

The attempts to feed each other edamame with magic were met with marginal success after the initial failures. Horizon only managed to get poked in the eyes once, once in each eye to be precise. The wine managed to drain a little bit more quickly and the Princess and her partner in crime had switched from mutilating fruit to reducing what was left of the restaurants stale baguettes to dust by grinding them under their hoofs every time Horizon tried to loosen his ridiculous bow tie and tuxedo collar.

A Grey earth pony mare with slate black hair and a pink bow tie of her own paused her playing to facehoof at the situation in its entirety.

A polite cough interrupted the couple. "Your entrees. Pour le Mademoiselle, a three cheese garden omelette and quiche lorraine with fresh fruit on the side. Et for Monsieur, a grilled cheese sandwich." The last was spoken with a bit of barely restrained disgust.

Twilight allowed the waiter to remove what was left of the edamame science experiment and thanked him for having the decency to not stare at the mutilated remains of the pods as he trotted back into the restaurant itself to deal with customers who were not completely hopeless.

"Did you really order a grilled cheese sandwich?" Twilight asked incredulously.

"It was called a crock mister or something, I don't know I don't speak Prench and it was thirty bits so I thought it had to be something good right?" Horizon was at his wit’s end here. He didn't know how much longer he could last. Luna and Twilight's mother were running out of penis shaped foods and several of the cutting tools the Lunar Stallions had brought with them were completely covered in the innards of the bananas and carrots that gave their lives that night.

"I'm sorry." Twilight said. She stared at her plate and shed a single tear. Her posture that she had held perfectly all night slumped forward as she stared at her meal. Her overpriced, Canterlot Noble, typical upper crust meal consisting of mostly eggs, vegetables and some slices of fruit. Enough money to buy a stack of books from a good used book store that would last a week would be used to barely sate her appetite for a night. What she wouldn't give to just be back in Ponyville, out of her stupid constricting gala outfit and just eating a big daffodil sandwich with some greasy hay fries, maybe looking at some stars, maybe holding a real conversation with a stallion. In private.

Then the tears really started. "This whole night is my fault." Twilight cried, she did her best not to sob or move her body but the quiche was being coated in the signs of salty sorrow. Her mother and Luna didn't know what was happening, yet, but Horizon knew it wouldn't be long. He remained silent and hoped his plan would come through.

"I just thought that this would be the perfect night. You asked me out and you didn't know where I would like to go so I asked Luna for advice and she asked my mother and then this... this all..." Twilight levitated her napkin to her face. There was no hiding it now. The music stopped there was a loud gasp heard from the grey mare and Luna rose to her hooves quickly enough to topple the stool she was seated on.

Then all tartarus broke loose.

*FLASH*

*CRASH*

*BOOM*

"BUCK THE POLICE!"

The heaviest, most torrential, most devastatingly awesome rainstorm of all time that ever hit that very specific block of Canterlot began in earnest. And at the center of it all was a pegasus mare wearing a black and purple flight suit with lightning bolt accents and yellow lensed flight goggles. The faux skull cutie mark might as well have butterfly cutie mark, so badass was this mare as she lit up the sky with lightning and turned Lunar Stallions into crying foals with her awesomeness.

Worth. Every. Bit.

"TWILIGHT!" Horizon grasped the completely shell-shocked mare with his forehooves and motioned for her to follow him. "DO YOU TRUST ME!?" Twilight was in a hurricane of emotions just as surely as she was in a literal hurricane. The food was blown off the balcony. Lunar stallions were swirling in the winds chaotically. Luna was nowhere to be seen and Twilight’s mother had retreated inside to hold onto the foundation in fear that the restaurant would fall off the edge of the mountain.

"yes"

"WHAT!?"

"YES!"

"FOLLOW ME!"

~~~

They ran like foals. Soaking wet, sprinting through the streets of Canterlot, ducking into alleyways to evade the frantic searches of Lunar Stallions as they did rapid flybys of the surrounding quarter of upper Canterlot. Twilight and Horizon laughed, and ripped off what was left of their soaking wet formal wear, casting it into the winds. They teleported down streets, swung around street lamps and searched for the cheapest and dirtiest food they could find that late at night.

Their search lead them to a street cart in Lower Canterlot, just outside a trailer park for traveling merchants to hitch up their wagons and carts for their stay. There was a lovely little park here and next to it was a 'ride-in' movie theater. They wanted to get a pizza, a weird pizza, something completely unique and strange, like them. The vendor gave them a big five cheese pineapple pizza. It was the greasiest, cheesiest, and sweetest pizza they had ever eaten. It was perfect.

They teleported onto the roof of a nearby wagon and Twilight leaned back into Horizons barrel as they 'borrowed' the vantage point to watch whatever B-list science fiction movies from the fifties were being played now. They watched a strange film about a giant floating brain that wanted to eat ponies and another about bipedal ape men from another world who wanted to snatch up all the mares with their grubby little hands. They couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous the movies were and began riffing them in earnest and substituting their own dialogue by the second one. Much to the disappointment of the wagon owner.

"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE DEMANDS YOU GET OFF HER HOME. THIS. INSTANT!"

Twilight held a hoof to her mouth to stop giggling at the layers of humor in the current situation and Horizon teleported them both off the wagon roof and into the nearby park where they found a big oak tree to rest underneath and catch their breath as they stopped laughing. Twilight leaned back into Horizon’s legs as he rested his back onto the large tree. The edge of Canterlot was before them and this time they were looking out across one of the rare eastern facing ledges of Canterlot, just over where the train tracks entered the tunnels below.

"You're really good at magic you know." Twilight said thoughtfully as she rubbed back into her stallion’s coat and felt his muscles flexing underneath from their recent exertions. Magic took its toll on unicorns physically as well as mentally. One could maintain muscle physique with pure magical strength training alone. And teleporting was very advanced magic, not many unicorns could do it, it required intense focus and raw ability. She was glad her stallion was strong. It meant her foals would be strong too.

"I had a great time tonight, Horizon. Thanks for rescuing me from that awful dinner. I can't believe my mom and best friend would do that to me. To us." Twilight looked away from the starry night and leaned her head back up to look at her stallion. She tilted her horn so it would not bump his jaw and he looked down to meet her eyes.

Even in the darkness of night they glowed. The purple depths of her eyes like a window into her infinitely beautiful and complex mind. Horizon knew then as he knew now that he was in love. And as Twilight looked up into his amber eyes she was surprised at how much they reminded her of her father. Not in a sexual way but in the sense that they made her feel safe, loved and cared for. Horizon held her tighter as the night air blew across their coats.

"I love you"

Horizon felt his hooves quiver as those words met his ears. The lips they left from rose to meet his own as he looked down in surprise at the mare in his grasp. She continued after they parted, "I know you probably don't feel that way about me yet and I understand. But I just want you to know that no pony I have ever known would be willing to go through everything you did and still fight for me and make me feel like the most special mare in the whole world. And I know what we did last night might have seemed like a mistake at the time, but after what happened this night; After what is happening now, I know it wasn't a mistake."

Horizon felt a strange feeling in his heart. The walls around his soul were falling. The crushing solitude, the apathy, the cynical cold-hearted hatred of ponykind for dealing him a tough hand disappeared like magic. It could only be love.

"I love you"

Twilight gasped and pulled the legs embracing her tighter and looked into his eyes searchingly. She wished she was Applejack for just the briefest moment so she could tell if he was lying. But the moment passed as he smiled down at her and held her close. They both let their eyes drift closed and enjoyed the physical proximity as they gently fell asleep in the warm spring mountain air.

~~~

Moments later a white mare descended gently towards them and her long horn gave off a golden glow that surrounded both ponies in the embrace of sleep and love. The trio was teleported to the private guest study of Canterlot Castle. Twilight Sparkle's old study and home. The pair, still nestled in each others legs were deposited gently on the freshly made linens and tucked in by the gentle magic of the goddess of the dawn.

"Good night my little ponies. Sweet dreams."

~~~

Meanwhile in the chambers of Princess Luna

Rainbow Dash was hogtied and thrown onto Luna's bed by a pair of Lunar Stallions. Luna herself was panting from the exertion of chasing down the Wonderbolts newest Lead Solo flier in the dead of night while she was wearing a dark flight suit. While they had not broken any sound barriers tonight they had most certainly broken several laws limiting the use of atmospheric electricity near a populated metropolitan center, as well as against a pony with the intent to injure.

"Leave us, and do not enter until I explicitly command you to. We are to have no visitors at all. is that understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Your will is our command."

The Lunar Stallions left the chambers and closed the door. The angry gazes of over a dozen others could be seen through the narrow gap as the doors were held briefly ajar. All eyes were focused on the now disrobed and bound pegasus mare who had caused them all so much trouble tonight. Who had caused their princess so much trouble tonight. They would enjoy hearing the screams of pain that were sure to come through the doors this evening. That mare was going to pay.

"What are we gonna do on the bed Princess?" Rainbow Dash winked and waggled her eye brows. Her mane and coat still slightly singed from where Luna managed to land a good hit on her.

"You are an insufferable and incorrigible pony Rainbow Dash. Your little stunt tonight ruined the armor of nearly a dozen Lunar Stallions with burn marks and excrement, both the result of near miss lightning strikes. You sabotaged a romantic evening between Twilight Sparkle, MY BEST FRIEND, and her would-be coltfriend and MOST importantly you dared to challenge me to a RACE!?"

"Aww lighten up Luna, it was all in good fun. Besides I won the race which means you get to come first the next time we do it." Rainbow smirked and licked her lips lewdly. Luna did not seem to notice this.

"How could you even be so immature Rainbow Dash? The Element of Loyalty herself sabotaging the chance of romance for one of your dearest friends. I still can't believe you would do this to our Twilight. You ruined her perfect evening and quite possibly caused irreparable damage to not only your friendship with her but OURS as well!" Luna's labored breathing from her aerial chase became ragged as she felt the weight of the nights events truly weigh down on her. Twilight had been crying. Luna had tried to set up a perfect meal and evening to ensure that the stallion suitor behaved himself and all that resulted in was more tears for her favorite mare. Luna sat on the edge of the bed and took off her crown. She didn't feel like a princess tonight. She felt like a villain.

Rainbow slipped the ropes from her athletic legs and looked at the princess. "What do you mean by 'our Twilight'?"

Luna didn't turn to notice that Rainbow had loosed her restraints. The young Wonderbolt could have easily made to the window and started the chase anew but instead she sidled up to Luna and began to massage her sore wings. They hadn't been worked like that in centuries. The physical relief and chance to open up to a mutual friend was enough to distract Luna from what was really happening.

"We... We had hoped to court Twilight Sparkle. Every Nightmare Night we had returned to Ponyville, to partake of the fun with Twilight Sparkle. Our Twilight Sparkle. For years we visited her every night our royal duties allowed for. We flew from Canterlot to Ponyville or wherever she may be doing research and back. We carried her on our back across the night sky and watched stars with her until she fell asleep using our wings as a blanket. We gifted her literature, quills, parchment, anything we could think of that would thoughtful and appreciated by such a practical mare. And still she did not return our attentions. We so desired her. A strong and independent mare, a free spirit, a leader. We wanted to share our secrets with her and some day... our body." Luna felt a blush rising to her cheeks as the ministrations to her flight muscles became rough and therapeutic.

The tension slipped from her body as she felt pressure on her shoulders easing her onto her back. She was dragged by the athletic sky blue mare as she pulled the princess into a proper lying position on the bed. Luna now finally registered that Rainbow was fully mobile and free from her restraints. "Rainbow... What... How did you, this isn't—"

"SHhhh Princess. You don't get with as many mares as I do without getting tied up a few times." Rainbow winked at the Princess of the Night as she eased her muscular and lean frame down across the slightly larger and softer deep blue alicorns barrel. "And just so you know Princess. Twilight Sparkle is a real dummy to turn down that kind of attention. I fly, like, every day from city to city! And every night I'm greeted with just another fanfilly who wants to get a piece of the Dash. Another mare I will never see again except as a face in the crowd. I never have the chance for a real thing like you tried to have with Twilight. The only mares I see for longer than a weekend at a time are teammates. And all I can do with them is ogle their hard bodies in the locker room showers because inter-team relationships are a one-way ticket to getting sacked. And I'm not ready to give up my dreams for love just yet."

Luna was enthralled. The mare wasn't just on top of her. She was holding her down. Both of Luna's forehooves were lifted above her horn and held in place by a single leg as Rainbow used the other forehoof to trace Luna's face while she spoke. Mapping out the territory and planning an attack on Luna's face with her mouth.

At least, Luna hoped so.

"Princess! You have NO idea. I would give anything to have a mare fly hundreds of kilometers every night to see me and keep me warm. To fly with me under the starry skies, racing and having fun. Giving me presents that were thought out and special? That stuff never happens to me! I never have someone special to share my secrets with..." Rainbow licked her lips and leaned closer to Luna's face. "or my body." She leaned even closer, nuzzling the princess roughly as she bit into her neck just below the jawline and worked her way up to her ears. "I would give my wings for that."

Luna felt a warmth filling her belly she hadn't felt in years. She quivered under Rainbow Dash as the kisses and nibbles became more eager, the strength of her forelegs wrapping around her stronger. Her hindlegs adding rhythmic pressure against her own as their bodies moved closer and closer. She kept staring at the muscular blue wings as they flapped aimlessly, doing nothing to lift the unbelievable athletic specimen on top of her. The weight of Rainbow Dash on her was so good, welcome and necessary at this point. If Rainbow let go now Luna wouldn't be able to hold her forehooves responsible for where they would travel.

"Tonight, Princess. I'm going to show you how awesome it is to win in a race against The Rainbow Dash. I usually come first, but I always make sure every participant finishes, that's just good sportsmanship. But I guess you could say I owe ya one after our little sprint before this."

Luna's mouth was engulfed in a kiss that devoured every inch of her mouth and attacked her with such passion it could almost be called an insatiable hunger. Then the kiss moved lower and lower... and lower...

~~~

The Lunar Stallions were all piled up against the door with their ears swiveling and struggling to hear what brutal lashings the mare was receiving for her heinous crimes. The shame she caused them all. The punishment must be severe. They feared that their Princess of the Night may have gagged the criminal pegasus and thus muted her cries of pain.

The something happened.

(*moans*)

The Lunar Stallions all stiffened. To attention that is. Their ears all pressed against the door as hard as they could given the strange pony pile they were in to guarantee each one equal access to the door.

("nnnnngh")

Yes... The pain must be severe. That filly would pay for causing our Luna such distress.

("ooooohhhhhh... YES.")

That... didn't sound right.

("mmmmmuuhhhh... DON'T STOP.")

No... This... This can't be happening. The Lunar Stallions all made eye contact and dreaded the worst.

("YOUR PRINCESS ENJOYS THIS, RAINBOW DASH!")

The sound was unmistakable now. Luna was engaging in romantic relations with the Wonderbolt.

("OH MOST WONDERFUL OF NIGHTS!")

As the Lunar Stallions all slowly walked away from the door of their Princess with their heads and eyes downcast. The sounds of hot, hot love making were only drowned out in their ears by the sounds of over a dozen stallion hearts being broken simultaneously and falling to pieces all around them in the dark of night.

Of course she had to be gay.

~~~

Twilight and Horizon awoke from the short nap they both took in each others legs. The same position they had been in that same night all those months ago under that tree. The train had finally pulled into Canterlot station, right on time. It was Hearth's Warming Day and they were going to make the most of it.

First stop, Twilight's old study to visit Spike.