• Published 5th Apr 2013
  • 10,738 Views, 647 Comments

Halcyon Hearts - TheMyth



After going through so much, it's nice to have some quiet times. But quiet does not mean uneventful. Even in times of peace, ponies change, ponies grow, and ponies learn...

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Chapter 13

“Spike was really happy getting his cutie mark,” Twilight said as she lay on her stomach with Aloe massaging her back, to which she groaned in relief as all the stress was ebbing away from her body.

Applejack smiled as she was being treated on her back too, with Lotus continuously hitting her back softly. “Ye said it, ooh...” she said as her voice vibrated thanks to the massage. “Any foal is happy as a pig in the mud when they get them cutie marks.”

Rarity removed a cucumber from her eye as she looked to Applejack. “Darling, for Spikey-Wikey, it meant more than just finding his special talent,” she said as she placed the cucumber slice back into her socket and reclined backwards as she sighed. “For him, it’s proof that he is a pony through and through.”

“Kinda cute how Sweetie Belle got hers on the same night as Spike did, wouldn’t ya’ll say?”

Rarity beamed as cucumber slices were removed from her eyes. “It is so romantic! My baby sister finding true love and her hidden talent on the same night!” she said as she literally jumped in the air. She stopped smiling when she saw all the ponies staring at her, to which she cleared throat and regained some of her composure. “That is also why I have decided to teach her proper ladylike etiquette.”

Twilight rolled off her table as her massage was over. “Well, I do have a book on that somewhere in the Hobbies and Interests section,” she said as she walked to a chair where Aloe began to work on her hair.

Rarity rolled her eyes and planted a hoof to her face. “Twilight, darling, not everything can be solved with books...” Rarity told her.

“I suppose...”

Rainbow, who had been given a preening on the other side of the room, listened to her friends as she furrowed her brows in irritation. “Well, whatever... what we need to do is celebrate Spike and Sweetie’s cutie marks.”

“And you know what that means!?” Pinkie chimed in as she popped out of nowhere behind Rainbow’s back. “P-A-R-T-”

“Not yet Pinkie!” Rarity and Twilight told her simultaneously, silencing the pink mare in an instant. “Sweetie told us specifically that there will be no cute-ceañera or cute-mitzvah until all their friends get their cutie marks, too.”

Rainbow blinked and smiled as she was impressed by Sweetie’s decision. “Well, ain’t that loyal of her...” she said softly. “Still, we should do something today... Who’s up for Sugarcube Corner?”

“That sounds good...” Applejack noted. “We should grab the foals out of the clubhouse...”

“I can’t make it today,” Twilight said, a light blush appearing on her cheeks. “Blaze and I... we decided to have our first date today.”

“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful!” Rarity exclaimed, rubbing her hooves together. “Oh, you’ve chosen something nice, right? I think that fancy restaurant on the outside of town...”

“Actually, we decided on something low-key. We’re just going to have a picnic in the fields...”

“A picnic? But Twilight, that simply won’t do. This is your first date... your true first date! You simply can’t squander it!”

“I’m not really happy in fancy settings, and neither is Blaze. We’re just going to spend some time together, talking. The books in the library...”

“Darling, you can’t go by books!”

“This comin’ from th’ filly who reads them romance novels twenty-four seven?” Applejack muttered. She ignored Rarity’s glare. “Y’all can have it out in the orchards, if ya want. Ya can even help yerself t’ some apples, but not too much.”

“Thank you, that sounds lovely.”

“But Twi-light!” Rarity whined, only to be silenced by Pinkie’s excited bouncing.

“Ooh! You gotta tell us how it turns out! Are you gonna steal a kiss? Are you gonna do more than kiss? Are you gonna let him get luck...”

“Pinkie!” came a collected cry.

“What?”

“Uh... I need to get going,” Twilight said, starting for the door. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” she said as she rushed out of the spa, the door slamming hard.

“Pinkie... I can’t believe you would ask that,” Rarity groaned.

“It’s Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Disturbing mental pictures aside, does anypony else think this is a bad idea?”

“Ah don’t think so,” Applejack said as she looked on to the door where Twilight just exited out of. “That there Blaze is as honest as mahself and my family are,” she said smiling softly.

Rainbow rolled her eyes as she sighed and grumbled in frustration. “That stallion was a convict and nearly got my daughter killed, along with Spike-”

“Now hold on Rainbow,” Rarity interrupted her as she waved her hoof dramatically. “Blaze only acted so because of Light being held against his will, surely you would have done the same if you were in the same position?”

Rainbow was silenced as she looked down to the ground and sighed. “I suppose...”

Fluttershy, who had stayed silent for the duration of the conversation, came over to Rainbow Dash’s side and placed a hoof to her shoulder. “Um, Rainbow...” she said softly as she looked nervously to her friend. “I think we should should trust Twilight’s instincts here, since she is correct most of the times...”

Rainbow looked up to the ceiling as memories came flashing back to her when Twilight was correct on a number of occasions. “I guess...”

“Besides! It’s not like Twilight and Scootaloo are in danger like last time!” Pinkie yelled out as she jumped over the place.

“Scootaloo?” Rainbow asked curiously as her brow arched. “What she has to do with it?”

Pinkie giggled as she rushed over to a confused Rainbow. “Scootaloo's gonna have a special somepony~”

Rainbow’s eyes widened as her jaw became agape. “Wha-”

“It’s cute how she and Light, two best friends, are starting to get snuggly-wuggly!”

“How do you know, Pinkie?” Applejack asked her as she made her way to the two ponies.

“Pinkie Sense!” she replied with a wink.

A silence followed as she smiled, and Rainbow’s wings furled as she shook her head vigorously. “Oh no! There’s no way that my girl is dating right now!”

Rarity jumped towards them, with her eyes wide and she looked to everypony there. “Is Scootaloo also seeing somepony?! Is it that adorable Light?!”

“No!”

The other ponies were a bit taken aback by Rainbow Dash’s vehemence. “Rainbow Dash... you can’t honestly hate Light, too.”

“...No, I don’t,” she admitted. “I was fine with Blaze getting out of going to jail, but I assumed... you know, I wasn’t going to see him after he got out of parole. Now he’s dating my best friend, his foal is dating my foal, and he’s my wingpony in the Wonderbolts. I never thought it would get to this point.”

“Well, relax, Dashie. I’m sure that after awhile you’ll see that all this isn’t as bad as you think.”

She sighed. “I hope you’re right.”


“Dum, dum, da-dum, dum, dum, da-dum,” Pip sang for the fifth time that day, trying to recreate the old wedding match.

“That wasn’t funny the first time you did it,” Spike said, trying to keep his voice even.

“Maybe to you it wasn’t,” the Trottingham native said with a smirk. “I happen to think it’s brilliant.”

“Yeah, you would,” Spike growled.

“Knock it off,” Apple Bloom said, “we got serious work to do. There’s still four crusaders without a cutie mark! We need to go find somethin’ else t’ work on!”

“Like what? The talent show’s over,” Light grumbled, “and no cutie mark!”

“Well, what haven’t we tried yet?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well, let’s see,” Apple Bloom noted, pulling out a large scroll. “Pig farmin’, underwater weldin’, cow ropin’, sewin’...”

“Ew, why are we going for something so girly?” Scootaloo demanded.

“Um, Scoots? You are a girl,” Light said.

“You know what I mean!”

“Well, we’re runnin’ low on things,” Apple Bloom said. “We better find our talents soon.”

Just as she spoke her words, the door of the clubhouse fell to the ground. All six foals looked to the shattered door and then looked at each other before looking to Apple Bloom.

“Well, I think we should do some repairs to the clubhouse first, before venturing off to find a cutie mark,” Spike said as he backed away from the others.

“Agreed, might find our blasted cutie marks even,” Pip said

“Yeah!” Spike replied.

“We could even add in a slide!” Pip said as he looked out of the window.

“That sounds awesome!” Scootaloo said.

Pip looked to Spike and Sweetie smirking. “Even a chapel we could add in... be the Cutie Mark Wedding Planners, first clients are Spike and Swee-” he was cut off by a smack over his head, which came from Apple Bloom. “What was that for?!”

“Ya know why!” Apple Bloom told him as she shook her head, heading back to the podium.

Scootaloo chuckled, but stopped when she looked towards Light. When Light looked at her, she quickly turned away towards Apple Bloom. “So we are going to fix our clubhouse?”

“Improve it is the correct term,” Apple Bloom said as she took her mallet and knocked the podium. “So who all agrees on fixing our clubhouse?”

“Aye!” everypony shouted out as the reached their hooves to the sky.

“Very well,” Apple Bloom said as she knocked her mallet again. “Now then, we all need to get ourselves some materials for the improvement.”

“Such as?”

“Wood, paint and other stuff...”

Pip raised his hoof. “Mind if I be in charge of the painting of our place?”

Light and Spike blinked. “You can paint?”

“Ye,” Pip replied as he lowered his hoof and saw the others looking at him. “What? I can...”

“Really?” Light asked indubiously as he arched his brow. “How come we’ve never seen you paint?”

“Because we’ve only been mates for a week? And all we’ve been doin’ is puttin’ on that talent show?”

“I guess that makes sense,” Light said.

“You think you can paint us a mural or somethin’?” Apple Bloom asked. “That’d make it look purty.”

“Oh, it could be a big picture of all six of us!” Sweetie added.

“Whoa, hold on,” Pip said, “I’ve nevvah painted somethin’ like that before!”

“I never sang in front of a crowd before, and look what happened,” Sweetie said, gesturing to her flank.

“...Right then, where do we start?”


Twilight hooked the earrings into her ears as she looked herself over in the mirror. She and Blaze had agreed on a casual first date, but she still thought that a bit of dressing up would be good. She debated styling her mane, but decided against it. It was a big step, and there was no need to change what he was already attracted to.

A knock at the door signaled her coltfriend’s arrival. Looking over herself once more, she went to the front door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

Blaze was a bit dressed up as well. A simple bow tie, nothing more, but it still made him look a bit more distinguished.

“I... I got you a corsage,” he said, presenting the gift on one wing.

She took it with her magic. “Thank you,” she said before popping it in her mouth. “Mmm... summer grown? Aw, you shouldn’t have.”

He shrugged. “I wanted something to be special on our first date. Ready to go?”

She nodded, exiting the library. “Come on, Applejack said we could have our picnic in her fields.”


Apple Bloom stood at the entrance of the clubhouse, inspecting the edges with a keen eye. She shook her head when she was finished and sighed.

“Guess we got lotta work to do...”

Just as she said that, she saw her friends in the distance with varied equipment and materials. Once all of them were inside of the clubhouse, Apple Bloom looked over every item that was collected and with a nod she smiled to her friends.

“Good work, y’all! Now we gotta be assigned to different roles to fix this here clubhouse!” she said loudly with her assertive voice. “Scootaloo and Light,” she pointed to the pair of pegasi. “Y’all in charge of replacing the wood on the roof and painting it over.”

“Ok,” Scootaloo replied as she shrugged.

“Got it,” Light said with a salute.

“Sweetie and Spike,” she pointed to the unicorns of the group. “Since y’all can do magic, we’ll need it to lift the wood up to the places we need to put it at and help with some alterations to the clubhouse too.”

“Alright,” Sweetie responded with a squeak.

“Yes ma’am,” Spike said as he grinned to the new challenge with his magic.

“Pip,” she looked to her spotted friend. “Ya help me with decidin’ the paint and where to paint the mural.”

“Righto.”

“Alright, hooves together, everypony!” she had her hoof in front of her, and the others joined in.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Carpenters, go!” they all shouted as they bumped their hooves together and went off to their assigned tasks. As Apple Bloom and Pip were busy planning at a table with the others lifting wood, Pip’s gaze drifted to the window where something caught his eye.

“Huh?”

“Pip?” Apple Bloom asked him as she lifted her head from the plans they were drawing up. “Whazit?”

Pip went to the window and peered out of it, with his eyes squinted as he looked to the distance. They widened a little when he saw what he was looking at. “Oi! Light! Spike!”

“What?”

“It’s yer mum Spike, and yer brother Light,” the colt said. “I think they’re out on a date.”

What?!” the two exclaimed, temporarily abandoning their duties and dashing to the window themselves. Indeed, Twilight and Blaze were walking side-by-side, a picnic basket balanced on the pegasus’s back, as they walked into the trees.

“Don’t tell me you two are going to follow them,” Apple Bloom moaned.

“What? No!” Spike said. “I don’t want to see my mom making out with his brother.”

“And vice-versa.”

“Good, then maybe you two could get back to work. And for once, no arguin’ with each other ‘bout this.”

“Fine.”

“Okay.”


“So,” Blaze began to speak once he and Twilight sat on the blanket, on a hill overlooking the orchard. “What do we have for the picnic today?”

Twilight smiled as she flicked the basket open and removed several items from it; two sandwiches, two glasses and a bottle of fine apple cider. “I hope you like it, it’s my own recipe...”

Blaze chuckled as he took hold of his snack. “Well, if it’s you that made it... it is bound to be delicious,” he said with a smirk as he saw Twilight’s blush and he took a bite of it. “And I was correct,” he finished and he heard Twilight giggle as she was nibbling on hers.

Once they were done, Twilight decided to bring out a treat for them: strawberries.

“Where did you get those?”

Twilight shrugged as she smiled coyly. “I had them imported from Vanhoover, last minute delivery really...”

“Awww, you shouldn’t have,”

“Well, I just... I just wanted this date to be special, is all...”

Blaze reached over and kissed Twilight softly on her cheek. “With you here, this date is special beyond belief.”

Twilight’s cheeks became blood-red as she beamed, reaching over to return the kiss. “Thank you, Mr. Charmer,” she said with a wink. “It was corny, but I still liked it.”

“My pleasure, Princess.”

Twilight giggled and looked away, her mind thinking of something different aside from the date. “Blaze...”

“Yes?”

“I’ve tried to look up in books, but I just couldn’t find an answer... but maybe you might an answer.”

Blaze cocked his eyebrow as he looked to Twilight. “What is it?”

Twilight gulped as her eyes darted and she started to sweat nervously. “How long do you think we should be dating before we live together?”

The red stallion’s jaw hung as he heard this question, and he blinked numerously before closing his mouth. “Sorry?”

Twilight’s eyes darted again as she blinked furiously as she looked away. “N-nevermind what I asked!” she quickly added in and took the cider, pouring in a glass for herself and swinging it down her throat. “It’s just me being silly is-”

Her words stopped abruptly as she felt a wing blanket her, bringing her in closer to the stallion. She turned slowly and felt his him nuzzle her before she looked him in the eye.

“The thought is mutual, Twilight,” he said to her as her leaned in and rubbed his nose with hers. “Lets decide when we are ready for such a change later,” he said and kissed his on her lips. “Together...”

Twilight smiled and planted her lips to his again, holding them there for a few moments before releasing them. She looked into his blue eyes as she nodded. “You’re right...”

Blaze looked to the apple orchard, and he suppressed a laugh before chuckling with his eyes closed.

“What?”

Blaze shook his head as he looked back to Twilight. “Makes me wonder though, where would Light sleep? Doubt your son would be willing to share his room...”

Twilight stifled a laugh. “I’m sure they will be alright with living in the same room,” she said. “He used to sleep in a basket near my bed.”

Blaze actually arched an eyebrow at that. “He was okay with that?”

She giggled. “He used to be a dragon, remember? He wanted to sleep with his mother. I only got him into a basket when he turned two... uh, don’t tell him I told you that.”

“My lips are sealed,” he promised. Then he frowned. “But still, Spike and Light... they aren’t completely okay with this...”

“We just need to give them time. I know Spike, trust me. He can get used to it.”

“And what about Light?”

“That poor boy put up with Bloodwing for years. I think he’ll adapt.”

“True...” he admitted. “He doesn’t seem to like you too much, though...”

“Well, we’ll just let this simmer a bit, see if things improve. But if it gets to be a problem, I’m sure all we need is a good, long talk.”

“If you say so...” he said, leaning back. “What about your friends? And your parents?”

“Only Rainbow Dash is really upset by it, everypony else seems to like you. And my parents... good question.” She got scared. “My parents... they always told me they hoped I’d meet a nice, intellectual pony... I’m not sure how’d they react to me bringing you home.”

“Well, that’s just dandy,” he muttered.

“Hey, things will be fine. They know I’m a grown mare, they’ll understand.”

“And what about your brother?”

“Please, my BBBFF? After his wedding, I’m sure he’ll have absolute faith in my judgement.”


Celestia looked over the list of provisions brought before her. “Are you sure the Crystal Empire needs all this?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Shining Armor noted. “Sombra didn’t leave it in good condition.”

The sun princess sighed as she closed her eyes. “If only we had acted sooner back then...”

Shining waved his hooves to her as his eyes went wide and he shook his head. “Please Princess, Sombra’s gone now for good this time,” Shining said with relief in his voice as he smiled slightly, though he failed to see Celestia’s grim frown that flashed for a second. “Besides, Cadance’s handling things there perfectly... even bidding for the Equestrian Games to be held there.”

Celestia’s ears perked at this news. “That’s excellent,” she said with a soft smile. “If the games are indeed going to be held there, may I request a few VIP booth tickets?”

“We’ll be sure to do that,” Shining answered her. “Besides, we want to invite Spike back as a celebrity for the event,” he said with a grin. “Since my nephew did save the Empire...”

“You must be very proud of him? I know his mother is,” she asked as she chuckled.

Shining shrugged as he smiled smugly with his eyes closed. “Hey, in a few years when he is old enough... he should enlist in the guard,” he said as he looked out to the window. “He has what it takes to be Captain, I’d say...”

“Twilight may not approve, though...”

“Oh yeah,” Shining flinched, knowing how protective Twilight was over Spike. “But in the end, it’s his choice...”

“Indeed,” Celestia said as she walked towards the window, standing next to Shining. “By the way, have you heard from Twilight lately?”

Shining turned to Celestia, cocking his brow slightly confused at this question. “Not really, last letter I got from her was that she started sending Spike to school.”

Celestia nodded as she remembered the letter which Twilight sent a few weeks ago, detailing how she planned to send Spike out to school. Not only for academic purposes, but to make friends too, something that brought a smile to Celestia every time she remembered.

“Did you know she found love?”

“...What?”

She nodded. “That’s right. She finally found herself a special somepony.”

“Who?”

“Why, Blaze, actually,” Celestia answered with a wide smile, but it diminished slightly when she saw his twitching eye.

“...The convict?”

“Well, not technically a convict, but yes.”


Blaze finished his last strawberry and his last glass of cider, looking back at Twilight. “Well it looks like the sun is setting now...” he said as he looked towards the horizon.

Twilight nodded with half-hooded eyes as she was busy packing the glasses and blanket away in the basket. “Yes, maybe we should head on back...” Twilight said glumly looking rather down.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Twilight sighed as she looked back. “It’s just...”

“You don’t want this day to end, yet?” he asked her and saw her nod. He placed a hoof to his chin and looked up to the sky. He grinned as he looked back to Twilight. “Say, can you teleport that basket to the library?”

“Um,” Twilight started as she looked back to the basket and back to Blaze. “Yes, I can, why?”

“Do it quick...” he told her and saw her focus her magic on the basket, sending it away with a flash. “Good,” he said as he hovered and scooped Twilight up in a bridal style.

“Blaze! What are y-”

“Hold on tight!” he started flying upwards towards the clouds fast, feeling Twilight’s front hooves encircle his neck. Blaze looked around himself until he found a high enough cloud for both of them. He noticed Twilight shaking a bit, with her eyes closed as she hid her face in his chest.

“Say Twilight, do that cloud walking spell on yourself quick.”

“Ok!” she said hastily as her hooves started to shimmering thanks to the magic coming from her horn.

Blaze smiled as he rested Twilight on a cloud and sat down next to her. “What do you think?”

Twilight opened her eyes slowly and gasped at what she saw. She saw the sunset over the horizon, but as she stood there on the highest cloud she saw the surroundings bathed in the sunlight. The other clouds were mixed in colours of orange and gold, and the mountains looked at thought they were ablazed.

“It’s so beautiful up here,” Twilight said slowly as she rested against Blaze’s frame. “Almost makes me wish I was born with wings.”

“Almost?” Blaze asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Hey, wings are nice, but I’ll take my horn, and my magic, anyday.”

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged.

“Still, it’s nice to...” she trailed off. Twilight’s ears perked and she turned her head around. “Do you hear something?”

Blaze paused. “No, why?”

“I could have sworn I heard somepony calling my name just now... it sounded angry.”

“Oh, you’re just imagining things,” Blaze said, taking her hoof. “Come on, let’s just sit back and enjoy the view.”

Blaze laid back. Twilight snuggled next to him. “Yeah. For right now, I think that’ll be alright.”

“Say Twilight, you want to know something?”

Twilight looked to Blaze curiously as her brow rose. “What is it, Blaze?”

Blaze planted his lips to hers, causing Twilight’s lashes flustered to a close the kiss continued. When Blaze lips parted, he smiled and caressed her cheek with his hoof. “You’re so beautiful...”

With her eyes becoming moist from the words and from the sun’s rays, Twilight smiled softly as she leaned into Blaze’s muzzle. “Thank you,” she said and kissed Blaze, with both ponies melting into the kiss. She felt his soft wing encase her back as she was brought in closer and she decided to wrap her hooves around his neck as her lips never left his.