Dash banged repeatedly on the doors of the Library, her frustration showing in the weakening of the hinges. Barb hurried over to the door to let the frantic Pegasus in. Without a word, Dash zoomed up to Dusk's room and slammed the door shut. Curious, the pair, Barb and Trixie ventured upstairs to investigate the matter As soon as they opened the door, Dash kicked it shut.

"Go away guys, private business!" Dash said through the door.

"But Dash, you can't just-"

"I said PISS OFF!!" she screamed back at them. The pair were unsure what to do. Trixie turned to her draconian partner.

"Must be that time of the month." she said, defending their integrity. Barb agreed wholeheartedly and went with Trixie downstairs to finish off breakfast.

Dash listened through the door to make sure they were out of earshot. When she was certain they weren't being listened in on, she turned to Dusk who sat up from his bed and looked at her.

"Okay, so Dusk, I gotta know, did you tell anypony about last night?" she demanded.

"Dash, I just woke up. Thank you very much by the way." he replied sarcastically. Dash's ears folded back slightly. She didn't think this far ahead.

"Look, Dusk, while I admit that last night was... the best night of my life, I'm not ready to tell the others about it." she said.

"Fair enough." he replied. Dash took a big sigh of relief and fell to her knees.

"Thank you." she said, looking him in the eyes afterward. "Also, I have to know," she began again. Dusk raised a brow in response, waiting for the question to come. "What was it to you?" she asked.

"I don't understand the question." he said.

"I mean, what was last night to you? Where does that put us in our relationship? Are we still friends, or are we something more? Are we lovers, are we an item not made public yet?" she asked. Dusk understood where she was going with this line of questioning. While he had the answer in his head, he found it difficult to say. He then began to wonder exactly what the answer was as he lost his grip on it.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. How about we meet half way?" he suggested. Dash seemed confused but went for a shot in the dark.

"You mean like friends with benefits?" she asked. Dusk nodded.

"Exactly. To tell you the truth, I needed last night more than anything. The stress has been building up ever since I moved here and last night made for an excellent... release. Until we sort it out, it would be best to call it a mutually beneficial arrangement between two friends." he said. Dash didn't get most of that, but she understood that the situation could work for the both of them for the time being.

"What if one of us wants to take it further?" she asked. Dusk pondered the thought.

"It can't go any further until we've both decided to do so. I need some time to think things through." he said. Dash realises she was pushing the issue and decided to back down for the time being.

"I understand. But please, don't let last night ruin our friendship. I'd rather have that with you than nothing at all." she said before leaving the room. Dusk considered her words carefully. He knew that he cared about Rainbow Dash, especially after last night, but something was stopping him.

He didn't want to bother thinking about it so early in the morning and decided to store it in his mind for later. As he went to get out of bed, he felt a slight rumbling under foot. Curious, he rushed to get his clothes on and hurried downstairs, Trixie and Barb met him before he got to the door.

"Either of you have an idea as to what that is?" he asked.

"No, you?"

"No."

The three of them hurried out of the Library and saw everypony scurrying for their homes. Dusk spotted Derpy flying overhead.

"Derpy, what's happening?" he called out. Derpy, being the pony she was, found herself focused on the pony that had addressed her and began to bank towards him. The inevitable happened and she crashed into Dusk, knocking him back into the Library where she landed on top of him, lips locked. Dusk took a second to process the situation and quickly shoved her off.

"I ask again," he said as he wiped his mouth clean of the saliva exchanged between them.

"It's a stampede. The cows are rampaging." she said, seeming to forget that she'd just kissed him. Dusk rushed to the doorway and pulled the dragon and her partner inside, slamming the door shut afterward with a kick of his foot.

Applejack ran alongside the cows, her dog Winona rallying them on the other side. Together, the pony and the dog worked towards changing the stampede's trajectory. It worked just in the nick of time.

After a small discussion with the cows, regarding their promise not to stampede towards Ponyville again, Applejack entered the small town receiving praise from everypony.

"Well Done, Applejack. It's acts like those that kick those Elitist Nobles in the ego regarding Unicorn Superiority." Dusk said as he stepped out of the Library.

"Thanks Dusk. Ah'll admit, it does me proud ta think Ah've proven nobility wrong, but Ah can't afford to spend too much time and energy controllin' stampedes." she replied.

"Oh? Why's that? I know your orchard comes first, but you and your brother usually get it done by Lunch." he enquired.

"That's just it. Big Macintosh hurt his back yesterday and Ah'm takin' over buckin' the whole orchard until he gets better. It's gonna take up most of mah time." she replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. If you want, I could pay for Mac to have a spa day. Rarity tells me that Aloe and Lotus have a therapeutic section for strained muscles and workplace injuries." he said. Applejack smiled at Dusk but shook her head.

"Thanks anyway sugarcube, but the Apple family ain't ever taken charity from anypony. Ah suppose you could always ask Big Mac, but Ah'm pretty sure he'll give ya the same answer." she replied. Dusk shrugged.

"I'll take your word for it. But are you sure you can take on the entire field?" he asked. Applejack became defensive at the drop of a dime.

"Are ya sayin' Ah can't do mah job?" she asked very quietly.

"Everypony has limits Applejack, and that's a massive orchard. To my recollection, you've never tended the whole thing before, Big Mac's always been there to help." he replied.

"Ah can handle it!" she challenged.

"There's a fine line between Pride and Stubbornness, Applejack. Tending an orchard that size without rest is foolish even by your standards. It'll tire you out quickly and will begin to affect your social life. It's a potential hazard to your friends." he warned.

"And what would y'all know about friends? You've done nothin' but complain about our efforts to try and help you learn. Don't go talkin' ta me about friendship. If Celestia hadn't ordered it, none of us would have cared enough ta even get ta know ya." she snapped. There was a pregnant pause in the air between them as they looked at each other. One expressionless save the red glint in his eyes and the other horrified at what she'd just said.

"D-Dusk... Ah'm sorry, Ah didn't mean-."

"I'd offer to help you out with the Orchard myself, but I have to go to Canterlot for the week in order to get some... information regarding a personal issue. And something tells me your pride would prevent me from helping you anyway." he said. As he turned to leave, the two of them heard a hissing sound from underfoot. Applejack looked down to see a snake about to bite her leg, but a violet aura caught the python and lifted it up into the air. With great force, the snake was unable to bend at as far as Dusk had forced it to and its neck snapped. The reptile fell to the ground at her feet, void of any life it had before.

"I don't waste my time when learning. I don't fail my assignments to the Princess and above all else, I don't disappoint those I care about. Consider that last one while I'm gone." he said, leaving her standing where she was. The ponies that had gone to congratulate her on shifting the stampede decided that after that argument, they'd missed their chance. Winona walked up to Applejack and whined sympathetically at her. Applejack looked at her dog and smiled at her.

"Mah mouth's runnin' without me, Winny. Ah may have just lost a friend, and failed the Princess all in one day." she said.

Luna greeted her sister's Student at the front gates to the castle. She'd not seen him since her reintroduction back into society. As such, she could not contain herself.

"Princess Luna, I-Oof!" Dusk was knocked to the ground in an unceremonious fashion. Luna dove for the poor unicorn and managed to harpoon him to the ground.
"Dusk!" she exclaimed, failing to hide her excitement. Dusk was winded and thus appeared unconscious. "OH NO, WE KILLED HIM! DO NOT GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT DUSK SHINE, STAY WITH US!" she began to yell at the peak of her voice, shaking him madly. Dusk could say nothing as his lungs struggled to work under the force of the tackle as well as the constant movement they were suffering. His face turned blue as his head was shaken free of blood. With what little sense of reasoning he had left, he reached a hand to Luna and rested it on her outstretched arm, making her stop her assault.

"Oh, you're alive! Thank goodness. I don't know what I would have done if you'd died." she began to cry into his shirt. Dusk could only manage a groan, which was what he'd been aiming at. He was annoyed.

--Half an hour later--

"Princess, while I appreciate your enthusiasm towards my visit, I'm actually here to see Princess Celestia. I have a rather personal matter I need to discuss with her." Dusk said as he brushed himself off.

"A pity, we would have very much liked to have spent some time with thee. Unfortunately, your visit has been in vain, Dusk Shine. Our sister is not presently in Equestria, she is away negotiating a potential break in the treaty between two rival nations. We do not know when she will be back." said the princess.

"Shit!" Dusk blurted out, throwing his head forward to look ahead. Luna ignored his verbal indecency and continued on as if he'd said nothing.

"Perhaps we could be of some assistance, things could not have changed so much in a thousand years." she offered.

"You'd think so. But I'm afraid that only your sister can help, and no offense, Princess, but she's been at this a lot longer and she'd undoubtedly have the advice I need." he argued.

"Sometimes a fresh but outdated perspective is what's needed, Dusk Shine. The Old ways are always the best ways, tradition breeds happiness." she countered. Her words drove Dusk to surrender to her.

"It's a rather private matter, can we talk about it somewhere secluded?" he asked. Luna nodded and led him to the Throne room. Guards were stationed at strategic points around the room, but were dismissed by the lunar princess.

"Now, what is your trouble, Dusk Shine?" the alicorn asked, taking a seat at her throne. Dusk stood before her, looking for the right words.

"It's a matter of... romantic interest." he began, earning the perked ear of his admirer.

"Oh? And who is this pony you've taken a fancy to? she asked, beginning to look for the slightest hint that she was the subject of his romantic feelings.

"That's the problem, Princess. I don't know." he replied. Luna was slightly confused by his choice of words.

"Some elaboration is required, my friend." she said.

"Well... Over the past few months, I've been developing my friendships with those in Ponyville, and I consider the other Hosts of the Elements of Harmony to be the best friends I ever had, sans Barb of course, she's like a sister to me." he began.

"Yes, and where are you going with this friendship talk, Dusk Shine?" she asked.

"Last night, after Rainbow Dash won the young flyers competition that you and Princess Celestia attended, I visited her home to congratulate her personally."

"Yes, you were her coach prior to the event, if I'm not mistaken. Go on." she said.

"Well, I didn't factor in her past history with others and as I mentioned how proud I was of her, we... entered into a physical relationship." he concluded.

Luna's ears dropped like anchors. "Oh... I see." she said, looking and sounding greatly disappointed. "So you're i-in love with R-r-rainbow Dash then?" she asked. At this point it was just going to be torture for the heart-broken princess.

"That's just it; I don't know. For whatever reason, I don't feel more strongly about her than I do the others. And I was wondering if it was possible for one to be in love with multiple ponies." he said Luna's eyes began to water and she didn't bother hiding them.
"Princess, is something wrong?" Dusk enquired, finally noticing his friend's pain. Luna clutched at her heart with one hand, and cupped her mouth with the other. As Dusk went to kneel down before the Princess to see if she was alright, she threw herself at him, trapping him in her arms and quieting him with her lips. Dusk was stunned as Princess Luna poured her passion towards him into the kiss. He had to admit, it felt nice. An Alicorn's lips were so different to a Pegasus'. Dash's had been rough and unwavering, just like her personality. Luna's however brought on the sense of true love and devotion. Her lips were soft, but powerful, just like her.

As Dusk closed his eyes to allow the sudden invasion of privacy, an image flashed in his mind that brought him back to reality. He quickly pushed the Princess back, startling her into letting him go. While Luna was hurt and dumbstruck, her eyes widened at the taller figure standing right behind her love.

"S-sister..." Luna let out, her veins going cold at the extremely angry look displayed on the Solar Princess' usually expressionless face.

"Dusk, your auditorium, immediately." Celestia said with absolutely bone-chilling and ball-shrivelling calmness. Dusk complied, though not for the reasons Luna would have had she been asked to go somewhere.

--A minute later--

Celestia closed the door behind her and locked it, sealing Dusk and herself in the student's old room/study.

"What happened, how long did you kiss her for?" Celestia began her interrogation, bearing down on the unfaltering Unicorn.

"Nothing happened, she kissed me, and it only lasted a few seconds before I realised what was going on and shoved her away. Don't worry, Luna's not in any danger. The same cannot be said for my friends." Celestia's eyes went wide as her mind ventured to the worst possible scenario.

The following day, Ponyville was growing sicker and sicker thanks to the cupcakes Pinkie had made with the questionable aid of Applejack who was looking worse for wear due to her unending assault on her orchard. Half of Ponyville had been bed-ridden, including some foals and fillies. Even Pinkie herself had gone to the hospital to get checked on She was greener than Barb's frills.

With the absence of Dusk Shine, it fell to Trixie to come up with a magical based cure.

"Haven't you found anything yet?" Barb asked, wiping the forehead of a sick pony.

"Don't rush me, you cheating slut." Trixie called back.

"I was not cheating! Saying that I was 'more than happy to help' to another mare does not constitute cheating. In case you haven't noticed, I've an occupation as an Assistant, and in the Absence of Dusk, I'm left with idle hands Goodness knows I can't help you because you don't do anything." Barb argued.

"I do plenty." Trixie retorted.

"Name one thing you've done aside from this. You can't because you've done nothing!" Barb snapped. Trixie just looked at her partner, snapped the book shut and made her way for the exit.

"I'm just going to do nothing outside!" she said, trying to hold back the blubbering, but ultimately failed. Barb just sighed and looked to the patient she was helping.

"I never know when I'm going too far... But I'm oh so glad when I do." she said. The pony being treated just stared at the dragoness.

"You two need therapy." he commented.

While Ponyville tried its best to recover from the disaster, Applejack had just bucked her last tree. By now she looked crazier than Rarity would if she'd been told her designs sucked. Her mane and tail both were dishevelled to the point where their respective hair ties had gone missing somewhere in the Applefield. Even her usually solid Stetson had slumped as a physical symbolisation of how tired she was.

"A-Ah did it? Ah did it! WHOO~WEE! I bucked the entire Apple field!!!" she began to cheer as loud as she could.

"Nnnope." the voice of her brother startled her, and the word cut her off short of using a Pinkie Cannon. Big Mac pointed her sister to the other half of the field and her jaw hit the ground.

"B-but the... Ah just... y-you... Aw crap!" she stuttered, falling on her back in exhaustion.

--7 hours later--

Applejack woke up to find the stars glimmering through the loose boards in her family's barn. She'd slept the remainder of the day away. She felt the straw beneath her body and feared the worst. She'd been relieved of her responsibility.

"Oh no!" she said, beginning to sit up. She stopped as she saw the other half of the field's apples in dozens of apple buckets before her. What surprised her the most was how Dusk sat on the edge of one, his head resting on his hand which rested on his knee. He'd been watching her sleep. She hoped to Celestia that she hadn't said anything while she was out.

"You know, you and Rainbow Dash snore exactly the same way. It took me a while to figure out that the sound was her relaxing on a cloud, given the fact that it always came from somewhere different every day. But imagine my surprise when I see you passed out like you'd taken a coconut to the head, and that same sound, albeit with a different tone, comes out of your mouth." he said Applejack couldn't help but blush. She always hated the fact that she snored, but nopony knew that.

What's yer point?" she asked slightly defensively.

"No point, just making idle conversation; that's what friends do, right?" he asked. Applejack never thought a smile could be frightening, but a smile from Dusk was like seeing a Cheshire grin in the Everfree forest.

"Did you buck all these apples?" she asked. Dusk snapped his fingers and an apple floated into his hand. He took a bite from it and took a few moments to chew it and swallow.

"I picked them. There was a lot of science that went into the process. I made a mental map of where they all were and just pulled with my magic. I may have missed one or two, but they'll just be a little surprise for the CMC tomorrow. They wanted to go forest hunting, but I convinced them to try orchard hunting first, you know, the basics. To answer your question, yes, I did all this for you. I believe that's also what friends do." he said.

"So... we're cool?" she asked. Dusk tossed the apple to her which she caught without thinking. The apple zapped her, one of Dusk's magical charges surging through her body.

"We're cool." he said, smiling again. "But as for the rest of Ponyville... I suggest you board up your room for the next few weeks. Don't worry though, you've still got a couple of days until the mass sickness wears off."

"Oh no!" she said, hanging her head. Dusk just chuckled, unnerving Applejack for the second time in under a minute.

"Don't worry. I'll make them see reason. After all, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to you." he said. Applejack blushed red and she wished now more than ever that she had her Stetson with her.

"W-where's mah hat?" she asked, stuttering slightly.

"At home, being washed. You wore it and yourself out Looked more like a hood when I picked it up." he replied.

"Thank ya, Dusk... for everything. And Ah'm sorry for what Ah said to ya yesterday, Ah didn't mean it." she said.

"You meant every word, Applejack. You're the host of the Element of Honesty, you always speak your heart."

"And look where that got me." she argued.

"It got you some shut-eye, the orchard is next to empty, and you have somepony standing before you who wants to be your friend. So tell me honestly, how do you feel about me?" he said.

Applejack looked up at him and stared into his Amethyst eyes. She knew exactly how she felt, but she couldn't put it into words. She tried for the closest thing to it and found what she was looking for. With a deep breath, she looked him straight in the eye and...

Author's Note

And... cut! That's a wrap, everypony. This cliffhanger will make everyone want to kill me but they know they can't because then they'll never find out what happens.

For those of you who are pulling your manes out because I cut off the cool part regarding Dusk and Celestia's conversation, don't fret, that's up next, it was just a sneak peek. Also, thanks to Tatsurou and Dragonblaze for giving me an idea in regards to Dusk's personality.