> For Whom She Sparkles
>  by JaydexTheShadowKnight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 - "All Along"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“For Whom She Sparkles”



Chapter 1 – 
“All Along”



Written by 
JaydexTheShadowKnight




You stand there becoming lost in thought.  Nearly three years have gone by since your arrival in Equestria, and your life has drastically improved.  No longer do you feel like you are just drifting through each day, barely existing.  Now, you have a fulfilling job, and are living in Ponyville.

After Princess Celestia graciously brought you here, it did seem a bit odd, being one of the limited number of humans living in this world of colorful talking ponies.  However, it didn’t take you too long to start adapting and begin making friends.

Presently, you enjoy your job working in the Ponyville Stationery Shop.  There you help your boss, the shopkeeper, provide scrolls of parchment, assorted paper, quills, ink and various other office supplies for the customers’ home or business needs.  While it may seem like a simple job, the pay is good and the work is quite fulfilling.  

Life in your new home has even allowed you the opportunity to make friends with a number of the ponies, which was more enjoyable than you ever expected.  In fact, over time you even managed to revive your shattered love life.  Following your arrival, you never would have guessed you would one day open yourself to the idea of a relationship with a pony, let alone a romantic one.  

Still, as time went on you found yourself with needs and noticed that some of the local mares seemed curious and even attracted to you.  The opposite was true as well, you found plenty of these ponies to be delightfully attractive.  Though sadly you are still looking for that right very special somepony.  

Daisy, your third pony relationship, really seemed like she would be the one.  The two of you hit things off beautifully, and after dating for a few weeks you shared your first intimate night with her, and noticed your feelings for her grow stronger from then on.  You always suspected she loved you, even if she never said it.  And even though you felt a love growing for her, you were glad you never told her, because she ended up breaking your heart, just like the other two had.  Daisy left you for a stallion she had her eye on before she met you.  Though he never seemed to give her the time of day, well, until you came into the picture.  

You didn’t feel any ill will toward Daisy, just very, very hurt.  That’s why you were and still are grateful for your good friend, Twilight Sparkle.  Yes, for over two years now, the two of you have been very good friends.  You both met at the stationery shop when she came in for quills and parchment.  Shortly after you two started becoming friends, you had to reign yourself in.  Twilight was simply adorable and beautiful, but you began valuing her friendship, too much to risk jeopardizing it by acting on your romantic feelings for her.  Besides, you didn’t think she’d give you a chance, given her busy schedule.  And even if she had, what odds did you, a human, have when she had her pick of the stallions?  In addition, you were also grateful to have been accepted into her group of friends.  So, you just repressed your feelings for her, and cherished the bond of friendship you shared instead.

Overall it seemed like the better choice.  The two of you are always there for each other, whenever things seem their worst, which is something you always treasure.


*	*	*	* 


A calming voice speaks your name, finally breaking you out of your train of thought.  Your eyes refocus and you see your rippled reflection looking back at you, as you stare over the arched bridge, just outside of Ponyville.  Twilight is standing with you.  The two of you are out on a walk, enjoying the brisk air of February.  For the moment, you both have decided to take a short breather on the bridge.

“You okay?” she asks in a mildly worried tone.

You lift your head up and turn it to glance her way.  “Yeah, I’m fine, Twilight.  Just lost in thought,” you reply, offering her a cheery smile.

The concern remains on her face as she adds, “Were you thinking about Daisy?”

You shake your head, “No, not really.  Humph.  Hard to believe it’s been over six months since we broke up.”

Twilight stands there silently for a moment, basking her violet eyes on you.  “Do you still miss her?” she dares to inquire.

You scoff at the very notion and respond, “No, not for several months now.  Though it’s funny you should mention Daisy.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.  I saw her the other day.  It turns out the stallion she left me for, got bored with her and ended up dumping her less than a month after they hooked up,” you explain.  Returning your eyes to the water, you take a moment to recall one more detail from your meeting with your ex.  “Apparently it’s taken her most of the past six months to work up the courage just to talk to me again.  She said she really misses me and wanted to get back together.”

Twilight looks at you questioningly, “What did you tell her?  You didn’t tell her “yes”, did you?”  The unicorn bites her lower lip nervously, while she waits for your reply.

You return your gaze to Twilight and smile.  “No,” you respond, shaking your head.  “I told her that I forgave her for what happened, but I still felt too hurt to risk trusting her again.  It broke my heart when she started to cry, but I couldn’t risk going down that path again,” you sigh, still feeling a little heaviness in your heart.

Twilight moves closer to you and gently places a sympathetic hoof on your shoulder.  She gives you a thoughtful smile, and remarks, “I’m glad you stood up for yourself.  The right choice isn’t always easy.”

“Tell me about it,” you mutter, wondering why Twilight seems so happy about your choice.

A cool wind begins to blow, making Twilight start to shiver, “Brrr, I should have worn a heavier coat.”

You stand closer to her and remove your heavier coat from over your regular coat, and place it around her.  “Here you are, Twilight,” you speak kindly.

Her mouth lightly drops open and a strong blush blooms across her lavender face.  She gives you a somewhat bashful smile.  “Thank you,” she chimes, staring at you in a way that leaves you feeling a little funny.

Shaking your head, you check your watch and realize the time.  “Hey, isn’t it about time for us to meet the others at Sugar Cube Corner?”

Twilight places a hoof over her mouth.  “Oh my gosh!  I almost forgot,” she gasps.  “You’re right, we’d better get going.”

“Then, come on,” you urge as you both depart the bridge, slowly starting toward town.  “You feeling warmer now?”

While walking closer to you, Twilight nods, “Yes, thanks again.”

“You’re very welcome,” you chirp back happily.  “Oh, and sorry about spacing out earlier.”

Twilight giggles lightly, “That’s okay.  I have a bad habit of doing that myself.”

Together, you both make your way to the sweet shop, eager to meet up with the rest of your friends.


*	*	*	*


It’s been a few days since you and Twilight talked by the bridge.  Since then, she has started acting more and more frustrated and seems to be under a great deal of stress.  What’s more is that she won’t talk about it.  

You are making your way to Carousel Boutique.  Rarity has a new project she is eager to show all of you.  Despite being a rather typical guy, she’s found you can offer a unique perspective on her outfits and that you have a certain knack for fashion – namely what looks good versus what looks like a total train wreck.    

A smile curls up on your face as you spy Twilight standing with Applejack and Fluttershy.  You are eager to greet her and the others, but just as you come into earshot, Twilight lets out an exasperated sigh.

“Ughhh!  What’s keeping her?  I’m sorry girls, but I just don’t have time for this, not today!” groans Twilight, as she turns around and quickly storms off.

“Hey, Twilight!” you speak warmly.  Sadly, she doesn’t seem to hear you, and blows past you, on what you can only gather is a b-line for her library.  You join up with the others, feeling extremely puzzled.  “Do you two know what’s bothering Twilight?  She’s so moody as of late,” you note, shaking your head.

“I don’t know,” whimpers Fluttershy, “I’m too afraid to ask her anymore.  The other day when I asked her, she practically bit my head off.”

“Ah, know what ya mean.  All Ah done was ask her how she was doing, and Twilight just gives me the cold shoulder.  Something must be bugging her good,” remarks Applejack, a strong note of worry in her usually chipper voice.

You grow silent, turning to catch a final glimpse of Twilight as she turns the corner.  All you can do is shake your head and sigh.


*	*	*	*


It’s been nearly a week since you and Twilight talked by the bridge.  Her moodiness hasn’t improved any, and from what you last heard from her friends, they are still having no luck finding out what’s bothering her.

Work has ended for the day, and you let out an annoyed sigh as you flop into your easy chair.  For some reason your thoughts are dwelling on Twilight as of late.  Even after all this time, you still have strong feelings for her.  It’s still a shame that you are unable to work things out between you two.  She might just be the perfect mare, but alas, she keeps a very busy schedule and you can only wonder if she’d ever be interested in romance, other than perhaps in the books she reads.  Still, that fact hardly changes the way you feel about her as you place your hand over your heart.

Before you can drift any further into thought, there is a knock at your front door.  Furrowing your brow, you hoist yourself from your chair and meander over to see who’s there.  Twisting the knob, you open it to discover – Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are all waiting on your front porch.  You look at them feeling a tad puzzled.  “Hi girls.  Something’s wrong…isn’t it?” you ponder, placing an inquiring hand to your chin.

Pinkie Pie silently nods her head without speaking.  This leaves you feeling rather alarmed.  Just what would leave the bubbly party queen at a loss for words?  

Rarity sighs woefully and explains, “It’s Twilight.  We’ve tried just about everything we can think of to calm her down and help her relax.”

Applejack removes her hat and scratches her head briefly.  “Yeah, and all we’ve managed to do is make her even madder.  All we want is fur her to be happy.”

Rainbow Dash blinks her eyes at you sincerely and succumbs with a sigh, “I’ve never seen Twilight so stressed before.  We could really use your help.  I don’t know what else we can try.  I feel like we’ve tried everything!”

A deeply concerned look consumes Fluttershy’s normally jubilant face, leaving you feel even more worried about Twilight.  She speaks your name and says, “If you don’t mind, do you…um would you…see if you can help Twilight calm down…if it’s not too much to ask.”

You smile at all of them.  One thing you’ve really treasured about being friends with Twilight is that you also get along so well with her five closest friends.  “Of course I’ll help.  Like you five, Twilight is a very dear friend.  I’ll do whatever I can,” you promise.

Rarity gives you a gracious smile.  “Thank you, darling!  I knew we could count on you!” she winks.

“Go give it yur best shot there partner,” replies Applejack, giving you a nod.

The others give you their words of encouragement, before departing.  Then after securing your home, you head out to the library.  Though as you leave your front porch, you can only wonder – if her five closest friends can’t help Twilight, what chance do you have?  


*	*	*	*


It’s around 3:30 PM when you slowly approach Twilight’s home.   It’s been several days since she brushed you off at Carousel Boutique.  The others said that as of late she has only been leaving her house to run brief errands or complete study-related tasks, but mostly she busies herself in the library.

Arriving at her front door, you knock three times.  A few moments pass and the door opens, revealing a rather frazzled looking Twilight Sparkle on the other side.  She gasps lightly, not expecting to see you.  She mouths your name and says, “Oh, hi.  What brings you here, today?”

“You, Twilight.  Your friends and I are very concerned about you.  They’ve been telling me that you seem to be under a lot of stress,” you reply in a caring voice.

Her face softens a bit as she offers you a smile.  “I know, I’ve just had a lot to do as of late.  Do you want to come in?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Then follow me,” she utters, stepping inside.  You follow after her and close the door behind you.  As you follow her into the library of her home, Twilight glances back at you, “So why exactly are you here again?”

You do an internal facepalm, taking notice to the stacks and stacks of books neatly placed across the floor.  The room is a little cluttered, and yet it’s still neatly kept.  Typical Twilight, she always seems to be working in organized chaos.

Shaking your head you quickly recall her question.  “The others asked that I make sure you take some time off and relax.  Even I have noticed that you seem overly irritable anymore.  Just what are you doing right now, anyway?” you ask throwing your arms up, stymied by the sea of books.

“Take time off?  I can’t!  I’m trying to organize the books for the town as well as those of my own collection.  I want to pull and donate the ones that aren’t getting read, that way I can make room for new releases and the books the town and I love to read over and over again.  So how can I take time off, when I have so much to do?!” she rants, going on a bit of tangent.

You give her a funny look, “And this is something you have to get done right this second?  Even you must admit, it’s hard to focus on a task when you’re stressed, right?”

Twilight sets the book she had just picked up back on one of the piles.  She sighs heavily and nods her head solemnly, “You’re right.  I’d probably be done with this mess, if I wasn’t feeling so on edge.”

Taking a good look at her, you finally notice just how disheveled and mussed her mane and tail have become.  The others are right, something must be weighing heavily on her mind.

Focusing your thoughts, you walk over to her and take another book from her, and place it on one of the piles.  “Come on now,” you speak softly, “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off.  This mess isn’t going anywhere.”

Twilight lets out a frustrated growl, but quickly lets her head sag as she quietly sighs, “Okay.  Maybe I have been overdoing things as of late.”

You place a supportive hand on her back and walk her out of the cluttered room.  “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?  Is it some sort of test or project for the princess?” you inquire thoughtfully.  

She shakes her head, “No, it’s nothing like that.”  Twilight becomes silent for a moment, then she continues, “It’s nothing, really.  I think I’m just overworking myself.”

“Well then, you’re in luck.  I’ve got a few relaxation therapies that should help you manage this stress,” you chime with an encouraging smile.

“Really?  You don’t have to do anything.  I don’t want to be a bother,” Twilight responds.

“You’re never a bother, Twilight,” you declare giving her another smile.

She sighs and returns your smile.  “Okay then, what should we do first?”

“Well, that sigh is a good start.  Try taking some calming breaths, and we should go someplace you feel comfortable,” you suggest.

“I know just the place,” she replies, offering you her right hoof, “Follow me.”

You nod silently and follow Twilight into the far room at the end of the house.  She leads you upstairs to the living room and then up the stairs to her loft.  “Here we are,” she announces, standing beside her bed.

You smile, “Of course, your bedroom.  A very fitting place.”

“Yep.  So what are these therapies you had in mind?” she asks.  “Oh yeah, you mentioned calming breaths.  Let me see,” she rambles.  Twilight faces you and takes a deep soothing breath in through her nose and exhales out her mouth.

“Good, good,” you utter.

She takes few more deep breaths, and ends with a smile.  “Wow, I do feel a little better,” she remarks, looking at you happily.  “What else should we try?”  Twilight takes a seat on her bed, resting on her star and moon covered aqua blanket.

You try not to grin, but her hair just looks so unkempt, even for her.  “I hope this doesn’t sound rude of me, but your mane seems to be in need of a good brushing,” you note, hoping not to upset her.

Twilight runs a hoof through her mused tresses and glances across to the mirror on her vanity.  Her eyes widen. “Ewww, when did this happen?” she wonders.  “You’re right, my mane could use brushed.”

You scratch the back of your head as you look over at her, and ask, “I could do it for you.  That is…if you wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable.”

A jubilant smile curls up on Twilight’s lips.  She gently shakes her head, “No, I don’t mind if you brush my hair.  It won’t make me feel uncomfortable.”

“All right.”

“Here, let me grab my brush for...”

“Just sit there and relax, Twilight.  I’ll get your brush,” you call over to her.  Walking by her vanity, you reach out and claim the brush, you know to be her favorite.  After slipping off your shoes, you greet her with a calming smile as you take a seat on the bed beside her.  

She turns, so her gaze can meet your eyes.  An expression of silent awe clings to her face, while you take a portion of her dark sapphire hair, near the streaks of purple and rose.  Then very gently, you start brushing along the ends of her mane.

“It’s very sweet of you to do this,” Twilight speaks, breaking the silence.  “You know, we can move a little, so we’re sitting more comfortably.”

“Okay,” you reply quietly.  Letting go of her mane, you slide yourself back more toward the center of the bed’s lower end.  Twilight moves back in kind and lays on her belly, draping her forelegs over your left leg.  The feeling of her weight resting on you feels better than you could have dreamed.  You marvel at the idea of being alone with Twilight, but sadly where can this go?  All you’re here to do is help her relax, and nothing more.  

Banishing your foolish thoughts, you refocus on the task at hand, picking up where you started with her mane.  Gradually, you work the brush along her once frayed locks, smoothing them back to their prim and lovely style.  You’re not sure if this is relaxing Twilight, but you certainly feel calm as you continue tending to her.   

“How’s that feeling so far?  I’m not being too rough, am I?” you ask.

“Mm-mm,” she mutters shaking her head, “It’s fine.”  You could swear you hear her softly moan your name, but it’s most likely your imagination.  Then she lightly utters, “This is still so nice of you.”

You smile as the brush continues its way up her mane.  “I’m glad I can help.  I’ve been worried about you, Twilight,” you muse in a sincere tone.

A soft giggle slips past her lips as she adjusts her forelegs, and wiggles her rump briefly, so she can un-tuck her tail and swish it contently, while you continue brushing her.  Her eyes close and she exhales a calming sigh.

Twilight’s mane slowly begins to regain its elegance and beauty.  As your fingers slide across its captivatingly smooth texture, you realize it’s even softer than you ever imagined.  Following a few more strokes, you finish and are unable to resist caressing it tenderly with you hand.

“What are you doing?” she asks, a mild puzzlement in her voice.

“I’m sorry, Twilight, I hope you don’t mind, but I just wanted to see how your hair feels, now that I’m done.  By the way it’s so soft,” you remark with delight.

She giggles again, “That’s okay.  I’m glad you like it.  Oh, are you ready to do my tail?”

“Sure, if you’re okay with it,” you answer.

“Of course, I am.”  Twilight sits up on her flank and removes her forelimbs from your leg.  She turns around and lets her tail fall across both your slightly straddled legs.  You feel a mild start as she rests her rump against your left thigh.  After savoring the sensation of having Twilight so close, you reach over and gingerly take her tail in your hand and start working the brush through the moderate tangles.

She sighs softly, letting her head fall against her pillow.  Twilight looks back at you with rosy cheeks and almost seems to have a dreamy look in her lovely eyes.  Shaking your head, you begin to think your mind is really starting to play tricks on you.  It’s not like Twilight has a thing for you.  Even if she did, surly she would have said so long ago, right?

Taking a deep calming breath of your own, you continue working the brush up the length of her beautiful tail, comprised of the same three lovely colors that flawlessly match her mane.  As the brush begins to near the top of her tail, you make sure to mind your hands, leery should your fingers accidentally brush against her rump.  The last thing you want to do is make a fool of yourself or cause Twilight any discomfort, let alone embarrassment.  

A few more seconds pass and you realize you have completed brushing her tail.  The hair’s texture is just as soft and silky as her mane.  An accomplished smile forms on your face as you look over at her.  “There you go, Twilight, all finished,” you announce.

She stretches a little bit and stifles a yawn.  Sitting up, Twilight examines her freshly primmed hair and glances across to her mirror.  The look and feel of both her mane and tail seems to meet with her approval.  “You did a great job, thank you!” Twilight declares excitedly.  She blushes slightly, and adds, “I didn’t know you had any hair styling skills.”

You chuckle at her, and shake your head, “I don’t really have any styling skills, but I did pick up a thing or two while I was with my first mare.”

Twilight’s expression diminishes a bit as she replies, “Oh, I see.”

It quickly becomes clear that you shouldn’t make any references to your past mares.  Thankfully, you are able to come up with a way to lighten the mood.  “So what would you like to try next?  Could I interest you in a shoulder or back massage?” you offer, giving Twilight a renewed smile.

Her face perks back up.  “Okay, a massage sounds nice,” she chirps.  “I guess you can start with my shoulders and go from there.  But, I didn’t know you knew anything about massages,” Twilight notes.  You move aside and let her lay face down on her belly, resting her head on her pillow.

You kneel beside her upper back, and carefully move her mane off her shoulders.  “I’m mostly a dabbler,” you remark modestly.  Oddly enough, Twilight doesn’t respond, instead she sighs softly.

Placing your hands along her slender shoulders, you feel the velvety texture of her lavender fur grace your fingers.  It feels heavenly to touch, while you begin working your hands along her tense muscles.  “My goodness, Twilight.  You sure seem to be carrying more than your share of tension up here,” you remark.

“Mmm,” Twilight moans faintly, feeling the knots in her muscles start to ease.  “That feels really nice,” she mutters.  “Where did you learn to do this?”

“Like I said, I’m really a novice.  But I did learn a good deal from my trips to the spa.  Rarity convinced me to join her on several visits.  Lotus and Aloe are two very skilled ponies,” you muse.

“I know,” Twilight sighs, “I’ve been there for the occasional massage and a few dips in the mineral bath.”

You chuckle softly at her.  “Well, I learned some pointers from Lotus and Aloe.  It turns out they enjoy chatting with their customers, and since they started dating this one human, they really enjoy conversing with their human guests.  So I asked them how they knew where to find the trouble spots, and well you get the idea,” you explain, cutting yourself off, before you end up rambling.

Twilight giggles contently, “I do.”  She closes her eyes and lets out a pleasant moan, while your fingers continue their task.  “Oh, that feels so good,” she sighs.

“Then I guess I don’t have to ask you if that’s okay,” you snicker.

“Nope.  Just keep doing what you’re doing,” she mutters, sounding very relaxed.

You smile again, adding just a little more pressure to her shoulders, trying to loosen those deep knots from her muscles.  Another soothing moan suggests you’re still on target.  “I think we’re getting there.  Just how long has it been since your last massage?” you inquire.

She places a hoof to her chin and ponders, “Well, uh…I guess it’s been about five or six months.”  Twilight giggles again, and adds, “Time sure has a way of flying, even when you don’t realize it.”

“That’s a fact,” you mutter.

“Mmm, you can move to my back, if you want,” Twilight speaks softly.

“Okay,” you reply, slowly moving your hands from her shoulders and start on her upper back.  The tension there is almost as bad – making you even happier to be of service.

“Yeah,” you hear her all but whisper, “That’s nice.”  Twilight turns her head on her pillow and sighs.  “Do you mind going a little lower?  I’m feeling some pain further down.”

“Of course,” you utter back.  Your hands slowly trail down her shapely back, while you keep savoring the sensation of her fur against your hands.  Gently, you begin massaging the new trouble area, hoping to ease her pain.  “Is this the spot that’s bugging you?”

“No, it’s down a little further,” she speaks lazily.

“All right.”  You slip your hands down, closer to the small of her back, coming very close to her flanks and her cutie marks.  As you begin massaging her lower back, you notice Twilight whimper softly, letting out a few more sighs.  “Ah-ha, sounds like I got it that time,” you grin victoriously.

“Not quite,” you hear her call back.  “You’re almost there.”

You look over at Twilight questioningly, even though her eyes are still closed.  “Twilight, if I go any lower, I’ll be massaging your butt,” you reply sheepishly.

“So, massage my butt, then…I don’t mind,” she replies, in a silky voice.

While you’d certainly love to indulge her, it sounds too good to be true.  You momentarily take your hands off of her.  Twilight opens her eyes and looks back at you fondly, as you continue giving her a puzzled look, “Is there something you should tell me?”

She sighs heavily, and replies, “Yes… and there is no easy way to say this.”  Twilight pauses for a moment, before giving you a very sincere look.  “I want you,” she answers, a strong yearning in her voice.

Your eyes widen in disbelief.  Could she really have just said that?  “Twilight…do you really mean that?” you ask, thinking you must be dreaming at this point.

She sits up and turns around to face you.  Inching her way over to you, she places her hooves on your shoulders.  Without a word, she comes face to face with you.  Her warm breath pools along your face and the captivating scent of her perfume meets your nose, causing your heart to beat faster.  Twilight leans in and kisses you tenderly.  You quickly join her in closing your eyes, astonished that this is actually happening.  

Her lips feel beyond amazing.  There is a strong fiery passion behind them, and at the same time a sincerity and gentleness, one that you’ve always noticed in Twilight.  Cautiously, you place your arms around her, checking to see if she’ll reject your embrace.  To your delight, she accepts your arms and gives you a pleasant moan as a reward, pressing her lips harder to yours.

A few moments pass and the kiss ends.  Twilight gazes at you half-lidded, “Does that…answer your question?”

“Twilight,” you softly gasp.  “I didn’t know you felt this way.  How…when?”

She gives you a brief frown, and groans, “Do we have to talk, now?”

You shake your head, “No, but I didn’t know you…”

“What?  Thought of you as more than a friend?” she asks.  You silently nod.  “Of course I do,” Twilight hangs her head and sighs, “I just never had the chance to tell you before.  That’s why I don’t want to talk about this right now.  I’ve wasted too much time in the past talking, and later regretted the things I missed out on.  And…” she grows silent for a moment, before continuing, “You’re finally single again.”  Tears begin to form in her eyes.  “I don’t want to miss another chance to be with you.  I couldn’t bear it, not again.”

You hear yourself gasp, thrilled by her words.  It’s more than you ever thought possible!  The warm feeling in your heart returns as it final begins beating, just for her.  “Twilight, I’m so glad to hear you say that.”

“You are?” she asks, blinking her watery eyes.

“Yes…you don’t know how long I’ve wished you’d say something like this or just how much I wanted to be with you…but I never dreamed you’d want me, too.”

“Well I do, and I have…for what feels like so long,” she yearns.  Words begin to fail her as Twilight holds you tightly in her hooves.  You place your arms around her, and finally can experience what it’s like to hold her close.  As you begin caressing her mane, she starts to sob quietly.  Her tears begin unhinging your very core.  Finally, you no longer have to repress the feelings you’ve held for her all this time.

“Twilight,” you whimper, squeezing her tenderly, noticing your eyes begin to water with freshly formed tears.  “I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel for so long, but I thought you wouldn’t be interested.”

“I am, so why didn’t you tell me or at least try?” she asks in between gentle sobs, pulling back to look deep into your eyes.

You sigh quietly and respond, “We started becoming really good friends, I didn’t want to risk spoiling that, plus you’re always so busy with your studies…”

She hugs you again, pulling you close as a few more sobs slip past her mouth.  “I guess I hid my feelings too well,” she sniffs.

Tenderly, you run your arm across her back.  Then it dawns on you, all the times when your relationships with those other mares ended.  “Oh, Twilight.  How didn’t I see it…all those times you were there for me, after those other ponies broke my heart.”

“Yeah…I wanted to tell you each time…but it just didn’t feel right, approaching you after you were heartbroken,” she whimpers.

You squeeze her in your arms, “Well, I have you now, and I won’t ever let you go, Twilight.”

Twilight manages to speak your name, before she starts crying harder, burying her head on your shoulder.  You tenderly caress her mane, knowing that she’s shedding tears of joy.

A couple minutes pass and she calms, pulling back to look at you with glassy eyes.  You give her a joyful smile, to which she gives you one of her own.  “So, does this mean I can finally be your mare?”

You chuckle, partially crying at the same time, “Yes, you…can.  I want you to be my mare.”

Placing your arms around her neck, you kiss Twilight very deeply.  She closes her eyes as you each notice some lingering warm tears roll down her cheeks.  You can still feel the intensity in her lips, while she happily returns your kiss.  The two of you lay down on her bed, resting your heads along her pillows, continuing to share your tender lip embrace, moaning softly for each other.

Your mouths separate, leaving you to gaze at each other, while remaining embraced.  Thoughtfully, you help her dry her eyes as she smiles back at you.  “You know, we’re already in my bed.  How about losing some of those clothes, then we can try some other relaxation therapies,” Twilight winks, looking at you playfully.

Wondering if she’s somehow reading your mind, you chuckle, “All right.  Oh, but what about Spike?”

She smiles at you and kisses your lips.  “Don’t worry about him.  I gave Spike the day off this morning, so I could work alone.  He said he was going to spend the day with Rarity,” Twilight replies, running her hoof along your covered chest, giving you a seductive look.  “Now, why don’t I help you with those pants.”

You grin at her, watching her horn light up with a shimmery raspberry glow.  Twilight uses her magic to carefully unbuckle your belt, and then she slowly lowers your zipper and finally undoes the button.  Promptly, you slide your pants off and give them a swift pitch to the corner, where you left your shoes. 

With your pants out of the way, you remove your long sleeve shirt and send it to join them.  After slipping off your socks, you prepare to take off your underwear, but Twilight stops you.  “What is it, Twilight?”

“Why don’t you leave those on,” she grins playfully.

Placing your arms back around her, you smile, “All right.  So you do have a naughty side, don’t you.”

“Maybe,” she giggles.  Then, securing her hooves around you, Twilight’s face softens and she sighs, “I finally get to hold you.”

You secure your arms around her, pulling her close against you.  “Yeah, and I get to hold you,” you whisper. 

“Mm-hmm,” she nods, nuzzling her cheek against yours.  

You sigh softly, half-mesmerized from the velvety texture of her cheek.  “Twilight,” you utter quietly.  Reaching up, you run your fingers through her silky mane.

She gazes at you with her violet eyes, as you continue stroking her mane.  Twilight coos softly, adjusting her head along the pillow.  “Make love to me…even if it’s too soon to say we’re in love yet,” she yearns, running her hoof along your chest.

Her words bring an excited smile to your face.  You give what she said some thought, and while you feel a love for Twilight, you suspect she’s right that it may be a little soon to say you’re both in love.  Either way, the idea of finally being deeply intimate with her, makes your heart begin racing with exhilaration.  You softly stroke her cheek with the back of your hand.  “I’d be delighted.  Hmm…you know, I really want you,” you utter back softly.

Her hoof slowly circles your bare chest, while she stares at you with her bedroom eyes.  “Well, you have me, so, what do you want to do with me…first?” she grins playfully.

You take a moment to let your eyes gaze upon her beauty.  Then gingerly, you place your right hand against her neck, and slowly slide your fingers along the length of her body, trailing all the way to her flank.  Twilight shivers from your touch, while you retract your hand, placing your palm affectionately along her cheek again.  “I want to touch you all over…and savor every moment, being with you for the first time,” you muse, bringing an even bigger smile to her face.

She softly brushes her hoof along your cheek, gazing at you lovingly.  “I’d love to feel your touch all over me…and I want to enjoy every moment of our first time together, as well,” Twilight utters quietly.  She moves her left hind leg against your right leg, and delicately sweeps it across you.  The feeling of her soft fur against your bare skin fills you with a feeling like no other.  You let your head sink deeper into one of her bed pillows.  Twilight giggles as she returns her hoof to your chest, “I’ve always wanted to try this with one of my hind legs, but I’ve only had a few lovers,” she admits, blushing from the slight embarrassment.

You give her an endearing glance, and reply, “There’s nothing wrong with having only a few lovers.  Ahh, and that thing you’re doing with your leg is wonderful.”

The smile on her face shows no signs of fading.  Her eyes partially close as she asks, “So, where do you want to touch me first?”

A sly smile forms on your face, before you lean over and plant a kiss along her neck.  Twilight gasps very softly from your initial act, as you bring your lips to her left ear and whisper, “Lay on your back.”

She shivers from your hushed words and happily does as you ask.  Now on her back, she turns her head and continues looking at you fondly, eagerly anticipating your next move.  “I’m waiting,” she giggles.

You chuckle warmly at her, sliding a little closer to her.  First, you place your hand on her cheek and kiss her lips tenderly.  Before you can pull away, you feel her hooves ensnare you, pulling you closer to her as she adds to your kiss, emboldened by your passion for her.  Your lips separate as your combined breathing is the only thing audible in her room.  The affectionate look remains on your face, while you place your hand on her chest, slowly petting its angelically soft fur.  Twilight sighs contently as your hand moves to her belly, where you begin rubbing her delicately, causing her to sigh again.  You focus your eyes on her violet jewels, enjoying the expression on her face as your hand moves on.

You eagerly want to touch her feminine folds, but you can’t resist the urge to tease both Twilight and yourself, stopping your hand shy of her groin and moving it to her tail.  Softly, you stroke the silky texture of its lengthy tresses, finding this to be more satisfying than you expected.  As your hand leaves her tail, you finally place it just above her marehood.  Slowly you trace your fingers against her crescent, captivated by its heavenly curves.

Twilight closes her eyes and moans quietly from your soothing touch.  “Oh, my,” she sighs, “That feels…mmm.”  Her words collapse as she feels your fingers stroke her mound tenderly.  She gasps and moans softly, as you slip two fingers into her and begin massaging her wet inner walls.  “That feels…so…so good,” Twilight sighs, feeling over elated from the motions of your loving digits.  Her tail flips against you, while she begins contently brushing it across your bare legs.

You quickly notice Twilight’s hoof flailing, until she finds your chest, where she begins brushing it against you.  A faint chuckle leaves your mouth, while you continue to delight in pleasuring her.  “I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” you utter quietly.

“Oh, yes,” Twilight moans in a calming tone, leaning her head further against her pillow.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No…well, just for a moment,” she replies.

“Hmm?” you mumble, pausing and withdrawing your fingers.

Twilight regains her composure and opens her eyes.  She carefully turns back onto her side, facing you.  An adoring smile curls up on her lips as her eyes rest on your face.  “There.  I didn’t want you to feel left out,” she explains.  A seductive look falls across her adorable face as she adds, “I want to touch you.”  Twilight rubs her left hoof along your crotch, and through the fabric of your underwear, she can feel the bulge beneath them.

“Then…by all means, Twilight,” you respond, placing your left hand on her right cheek.  Leaning over, you share another kiss with her, feeling her push back briefly, before you end it.

A rosy glow forms on her lavender cheeks as her horn lights up.  You feel her magic softly tug at your underwear, driving them downward, freeing your firm spire.  A giddy look forms on Twilight’s face as she glances down and enjoys looking at your manhood.  “Oh my, a human’s looks quite different…than a stallion’s,” she remarks.  At first you aren’t sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  Your thoughts quickly erode to nothing as you feel her hoof brush against the tip of your shaft.  

Twilight begins moving her hoof along the length of your member.  You enjoy every motion and are quickly able to put your mind at ease.  Realizing her new position has her at a different angle, you look down and partake in a long stare at her enticing curves.  Her crescent’s appearance is just as lovely as it felt to touch.  You moan softly from the delicate caress of Twilight’s hoof along the smooth underside of your masculinity.  Your eyes close for a moment, while you partially lose yourself in her tender touch.  It’s even more wondrous than you imagined, and you are able to feel ever ounce of her affection in each gentle stroke.

“Twilight, that feels amazing,” you sigh.

Feeling calm and enraptured with pleasure, you open your eyes and return your hand to her crease.  Your fingers gently rub her slit, bringing a smile to your face as you feel the dampness of her growing arousal coat your fingers.  Eagerly, you slide your two fingers back into her still hungry marehood, tenderly massaging her again.

Twilight gasps and moans contently enjoying your pleasuring motions.  “This is wonderful,” she utters in between gasps.  

You look over at her and together you share a series of short kisses.  “I know what you mean,” you breathe contently.

Twilight continues stroking you with her hoof, making you feel wave after wave of bliss shiver up your back.  At the same time, she enjoys an equally heavenly feeling as your fingers continue their affectionate motions, making her feel like she’s melting inside.

“Mmm, this is so good.  Do you mind…if…we continue this a bit longer?” she asks, continuing to softly moan and sigh.

“Uhh…of course not,” you grunt faintly, savoring the wonderful tingling sensation around your loins.

“Good…a lover who enjoys foreplay,” she whispers, unable to shake off a series of slightly louder moans.

“Yes, I love foreplay…especially with you,” you manage to speak feverishly, feeling your body quake under the swift but loving motions of her hoof.

Twilight locks you into a heated kiss of sheer passion.  You place your free hand around her neck, and push against her lips, eliciting a series of muffled moans from her.  She places her other hoof around you, pulling you closer.  You moan with her as the pleasure of both your kiss and her touch send you to the pinnacles of ecstasy.  Feeling a desire to bond even deeper with Twilight, you gently poke your tongue against her lips.  Following another soothing moan, she parts her mouth and swirls her tongue with yours, allowing your kiss to become even more passionate.

The heavenly whimpers and trembles of her body suggest she’s feeling just as amazing as you are.  An intense heat seems to be rising up from within your body, adding joyous savor to your time with Twilight.

Finally, your lips break, and your touching halts, as you both are gasping lightly for air.  The two of you stare happily into the other’s eyes, sharing another loving smile.

“Are you ready to move on?  I am,” she replies, her desire for you still present in both her words and her eyes.

“Yes, my beautiful Twilight,” you respond affectionately, adding to the blush on her cheeks.  “Is there any special position you prefer or want to try?”

She shakes her head, and answers, “Not really…I just want to be with you.”

You sigh feeling another pulse of joy ripple out from your heart.  “Twilight,” you whisper softly.  “Well, did you want to be on the bottom or perhaps…the top?”

A seductive smile creeps up onto her sweet face.  “You know, I’ve always wanted to try being on top,” she admits.

You run the back of your hand across her silky mane, “Okay, I’d like that…very much.”

Twilight giggles at you, then she asks, “If I recall correctly, aren’t there a few ways to do being on top?  There’s laying down, sitting up, facing toward or away form each other, and…” You promptly cut her off, surprising her with another loving kiss.  She sighs softly, and seems like she’s almost melting from the passion pouring out from you.  Her hooves surround you as the kiss continues for a few more moments.  You both pull back a bit as she stares half-lidded at you.  “But, whatever you’d like is fine with me,” she whispers.

You smile at her.  “We can start sitting up, and I want to face you, so I can look into your beautiful eyes,” you muse.

Twilight sighs in your caring embrace as the two of you slowly sit up, around the center of her bed.  You carefully part your legs into a ‘v’, allowing her to straddle her gorgeous hind legs around you.  The initial feeling of her weight and proximity to you is even more wondrous than your grandest fantasy.  The smile remains on your face as she rests her hooves on your shoulders.  Twilight leers at you lustfully and adoringly, bringing her loins closer to your own.  You momentarily place your hands on her shoulders, tenderly squeezing them, before sliding them down to her flanks.

A shiver rolls up your spine as you feel Twilight’s marehood tickle the top of your spire.  Then tenderly, you push up against her delicate folds, parting the way as she lowers herself onto you.  You join Twilight in gasping softly from the enticing sensation of your merger.  She moans blissfully from the feeling of having you inside her.

The two of you enjoy one more look into each other’s eyes.  Twilight lovingly says your name, while you stroke her mane.

“Twilight,” you whisper affectionately, just as she begins moving on you.

Your secure your hands on her cutie marks, and are delighted by the velvety texture of her fur under your fingers.  Twilight gasps and moans a little louder as she starts to add some more speed to your heavenly union.  

The feeling of being bonded to her is like a long awaited dream come true.  The initial pleasure alone is wondrous beyond words.  You softly grip her flanks and guide her movements, thrilled to add the strength of your arms to this rapturous moment.  

Twilight adds even more speed as she begins to moan tenderly, showing you how happy she is to be with you.  Your mind begins to grow hazy from the intense level of pleasure storming across your body.  You keep your eyes focused on Twilight, while she looks back at you, just as devotedly.  A strong ripple of bliss causes her to close her eyes and drift her head back, while she moans for you even more, becoming a victim to the throes of passion.

Your can feel a powerful tingling building up in your loins, augmenting your bliss even more.  Twilight moans again and starts gasping, only you can tell she sounds a little fatigued at the same time.  Wanting this to be as pleasurable for her as possible, you decide to help burden some of the effort.  Moving your hands from her flanks, you place them around her back and pull her down with you.  She adjusts her hind legs, as your hands resume their previous position on her thighs.  Adding even more of your arm strength, you help guide her actions as her hips resume their heavenly bucking.  

A few moments pass and you notice Twilight seems a bit rejuvenated form the minor change in your position.  Her motions have begun speeding up again and her adorable squeaks and whimpers are becoming more frequent, along with her breathing.  In fact, you notice your own breath has greatly increased, along with the building tension in your manhood.

Twilight manages to open her eyes to look into yours - causing you both to share a brief but loving kiss.  She gasps again, letting out a bunch of louder moans.  Her breath is really beginning to grow short as her hips continue moving vigorously against you, guided copiously by your hands.

Her body trembles as she lets out a few more whimpers, until finally, she slightly arches her back and lets out a long heavenly moan.  You feel a delightful dampness wash against your masculinity as she continues to gasp and moan with less restraint.  Her endearing noises push you over the edge as a strong wave of pleasure claims you.  Twilight lets out another loving moan, just as you join her moaning and at last peak, bursting several times inside her.  You hold her tightly in your arms as both of you tremble from the overwhelming pleasure and gasp heavily for air.

Several minutes pass, and the two of you begin to breathe more calmly.  Twilight slides off of you, as you turn to face each other.  You place your arm across her pillow, resting it near her head.  She smiles affectionately at you, placing her hoof on your arm.  In turn, you place your other hand on her shoulder, caressing her very tenderly.

She softly whispers your name and sighs, “That was wonderful.”

You return her smile and gently caress the hoof touching your arm, holding it tightly.  “That was heavenly, Twilight,” you remark, bringing her hoof to your lips, softly kissing it.

Twilight blushes, giggling softly from your caring gesture.  “I feel very relaxed,” she utters with a dreamy sigh.

You stroke her silky mane, and speak tenderly, “I’m glad.”  Then something dawns on you.  “Twilight, was your stress somehow related to your feelings for me?” you wonder.

Her blush deepens a little, then she finally answers, “Yes.”

“It makes sense now.  Though you did take me by surprise when you said you wanted me and first kissed me,” you admit, while smiling back at her.

Again Twilight blushes.  “Yeah, I know that was a rather bold move for me…but things were starting to feel like they always do.  Several months had passed since your last break-up, and usually just as I go to tell you how I feel, you tell me you’ve started seeing somepony else,” she explains.

“Oh, Twilight…”

“I just didn’t want to let you get away, again.  So I figured I had nothing to lose by taking a chance.  Even if I did come on a little strong,” Twilight notes, letting out another sigh.

Your hand continues caressing her smooth locks.  “It’s all right, Twilight.  I’m glad you took that chance.  Now, we can finally be together.  And I’m sorry, I never told you how I felt,” you apologize.

Twilight smiles and kisses you gently on the lips.  Then basking her violet eyes at you, she replies, “There’s no need to apologize.  We both made some mistakes, but at least things are finally looking up.  Hmm, just when I thought our chance was about to pass…”

“Yeah,” you utter.  Then you think of a great idea for the evening.  “Say, Twilight.”

“Yes,” she mumbles, nuzzling against your chest.

“Would you like to go out to dinner this evening.  I’ve always wanted to share a romantic dinner with you,” you express sincerely.

“I’d love that,” she chirps happily.  Then she lets out the most adorable little yawn, “Oh my, I guess you can see that I don’t have sex all that often.”

You chuckle warmly at her, before yawning yourself, “You’re not alone.  Well, it has been a while, for me anyway.  Do you want to take a nap?  Then we can head out for dinner.”

Twilight nuzzles even closer to you, sweeping her tail across your legs.  “That sounds wonderful.”

“Good,” you whisper, cuddling close to her.  “I guess we should get up, so you can turn down the sheets.”

“Yeah, but we can snuggle again, once we’re under the covers,” she winks at you.

Smiling back at her, you pull away from her and briefly stand.  Twilight does the same as she uses her magic to turn down the sheets.  The two of you lay back down, and before she can use her powers, you pull the covers over both of you.  An even more cheerful smile spreads over her face as Twilight giggles at you, putting you totally at ease.

“Thank you,” she speaks softly, rubbing her cheek against yours.

“Anytime, my sweet Twilight,” you reply, sharing her loving gesture.

The two of you snuggle for a little while longer, then you both yawn, feeling sleepier.  You place your arms around her and hold her close.  Twilight brings her hooves to rest against your chest, and gently bumps her left hind leg against your right leg.

“I’ve always dreamed of sleeping in bed with you,” she sighs, sounding even more relaxed.

“Twilight…” you manage to whisper, giving her one last squeeze, before you both nod off, and begin napping peacefully.
	
	
	
> Chapter 2 - "You Saved the Best for Last"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“For Whom She Sparkles”



Chapter 2 – 
“You Saved the Best for Last”



Written by 
JaydexTheShadowKnight





Gradually, your eyes begin to open.  At first you can’t recall where you are.  That is…until you glance down and discover Twilight still cuddled against your chest.  Her head is still resting close to your face, on her pillows.  She looks so adorable as she continues to snooze, secured in your loving arms.

The very scene makes your heart beat warmly as the memories of the afternoon return to you.  Studying the nearby wall, you notice a clock, and see that it’s a little after 6:00.  The two of you have been napping for about an hour and a half.  

You yawn silently, savoring the sight of Twilight next to you.  At long last you are with her, sharing your warmth in bed.  Reaching out your right hand, you tenderly stroke her mane.  The smile on her face grows as you feel her hooves gingerly push against your chest.  

Her eyes start to twitch, opening to greet you with their violet radiance.  Twilight sighs softly, happy to see you.  “Hi…” she utters softly.

“Hey, Twilight,” you reply quietly.

She stretches slightly, sweeping her tail across your bare legs.  Twilight looks over at her clock and then back to you, “So we were only out for an hour and a half.”

“Yes.  But even in that short time…I feel quite refreshed,” you respond, tenderly caressing her hair.

Twilight’s cheeks blush, while she rubs a hoof across your chest.  “I feel very rested too,” she remarks.  “So, I guess we should think about heading to dinner, right?”

“Uh-huh,” you nod.  Not wanting to waste a moment with your new mare, you lean over and kiss Twilight.

A tender moan muffles past her lips as she wraps her hooves around your neck.  Twilight joins you in savoring the kiss for several moments, until your mouths part.  She smiles at you once again, “I’m glad you’re feeling so affectionate.  It helps makes this very magical.”

You share her smile, gently squeezing her in your arms.  “I know, and I want to enjoy every moment with you,” you muse.

“You’re sweet,” Twilight smiles, brushing her hoof across your hair.  She then suggests, “Shall we go to dinner.”

“Yeah.  Let me put my clothes back on, and we can head out,” you reply, kissing her lips briefly, before reluctantly leaving her bed.  As you locate your clothes, and begin re-dressing, you call over, “So where did you want to go?”

Twilight rises to her hooves and uses her magic to fix her sheets and blanket.  Then, she trots over to you, still beaming you a bright smile.  “Well, do you like pizza?” she asks.

“Like it?  I love it!” you answer enthusiastically.

“Great, then I know the perfect place,” she grins.

After tying your shoes, you return to your feet and walk over to her, placing a hand along her soft furry back.  “Okay, I’m all set.  Let’s be off, my dear,” you express, waiting for her reaction.

Twilight bumps against your playfully.  “All right then, sweetheart,” she giggles.

You chuckle as she giggles again, while you both make your way down the stairs.  After she leaves Spike a quick note, the two of you don your coats and depart out the front door, eager to share your first dinner together.


*	*	*	*


The sun has begun its descent and soon Princess Celestia will set it below the horizon and her sister, Princess Luna, will then bring forth the moon and the stars, beginning a new night.

Twilight is enjoying looking up at the colorful evening sky with you, resting her head along your side as you walk with your right arm around her.  

“The evening sky over Ponyville is so lovely,” you remark.

“It is,” Twilight responds,  “Especially when you have someone to share it with.”

“Yeah…someone like you,” you speak softly, pulling her closer to your side.

Twilight sighs contently and leans even harder against you, while your arm remains around her.  Looking up, she announces, “Here were are.”

Joining your glance to meet hers, you see a sign for the restaurant, which is called – Vinny’s.  Pointing at the building, you ask, “Is this the place?”

She nods gleefully, “Yep.  This is Vinny’s, one the best places to get pizza in this part of Equestria.”

“Then, shall we?” you speak moving your hand to her back.

Twilight giggles and then replies, “Of course.”

The two of you enter the restaurant, where the aroma of various cooking foods wafts by your nose, all but making your mouth water.  The hostess promptly seats you at a cozy booth.  Twilight sits across from you as both of you begin studying the menu.  Lowering yours for a moment, you glance around the establishment.  It has a very stylish bistro look to it, and seems ideal for the type of meal you wanted to share with Twilight.

Returning your eyes to the menu, your focus slips as you feel a caring hoof rub against your hand.  Lowering the cuisine list, you glance over to see Twilight staring at you dreamily, with a big smile on her face.  You share her smile, and place your other hand on top of her hoof.  “Twilight,” you sigh.  “So, what would you like?”

She shakes her head, and answers, “It doesn’t matter, I’m happy just to be here.”

“Aww, Twilight,” you smile grandly, feeling your heart beat even warmer than before.  “Well then, how about we just share a large pizza with…oh, are you fond of extra cheese?”  She closes her eyes and nods.  “Okay, and what would you like to drink…water, soda, tea?”

“Do you like lemon-lime soda?” she asks.

“I do,” you nod, continuing to smile.

“Then get us each a soda.”

“Okay.”

Twilight uses her magic to slide the menus to the edge of the table, while her eyes focus solely on you.  Her hoof resumes gently caressing your hand, until she pulls it back, when you both see the waitress trotting over to your table.  She smiles at your server and warmly says, “Hey, Zesty, how’s it going tonight?”

The waitress shakes her head of long red hair, and glances at the two of you with her pale blue eyes,  “Business has been pretty steady tonight, Twilight.”  The white mare notices you and then looks back to Twilight.  “I see you brought your friend tonight.”

Twilight grins happily, “He’s not just any friend.  He’s my special somepony, now.”

Zesty’s face perks up, “Oh, I see you’ve finally told him then.”

“Yep,” your mare nods, while you sit there smiling.

“Well then, what can I get for you two?” your server asks.

“You can order for us,” Twilight calls over to you, playfully bumping one of her hind hooves against your right leg.

You nod and look over at Zesty, and politely request, “We’d like a large pizza with extra cheese and two lemon-lime sodas, please.”

Zesty takes her little notepad and scratches down your order with her pen.  “Okay, I got it.  I’ll have that out for you shortly.”

“Thanks, Zesty,” replies Twilight, continuing to grin happily.

“No problem,” she replies, leaving your table, and heading into the double doors of the kitchen.

Once again, you and your mare are alone.  The booth offers a fair amount of privacy, and the large section of tables sprawling out in front of you is mostly empty.  Well, save for a few tables over near the bar.

Twilight is just leaning her chin on her forelegs, gazing at you with loving eyes.  You give in and rest your right cheek on your hand, returning her affectionate look.  Reaching out your left hand, you place it softly along her right hoof.  “A bit for your thoughts,” you speak softly.

“Just thinking about you…about us,” she sighs, causing you to smile back at her.  “I can’t remember when I was in this good a mood?”

Twilight lowers her right hoof, resting it along the table, while it remains gently ensnared by your hand.  “Me either,” you utter, enjoying the calm of the moment.  “So, what would you like to do after dinner?”

Twilight sighs, looking at you silently.  “I’m not sure.  Wait,” she begins, “We could do some stargazing with the telescope back in my room.”

“I’d like that,” you respond.  “Only, what would you say to stopping by Sugar Cube Corner, once we’re done here.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.  I’ve always wanted to share a milkshake with you,” you muse.

The dreamy look in Twilight’s eyes seems to grow.  “Really?”  You nod, silently.  “Well, then I’d love to.  Only, we don’t need to stop there.  Vinny’s has great milkshakes as part of his dessert menu.”

You smile at Twilight even more, “That’s great.  Then we can just stay here…it’s perfect.”  She giggles happily at your enthusiasm.

A little over ten minutes pass and Zesty returns to your table.  “Here you go!” she says setting your sodas on the table.  “Now, give me one minute and I’ll be right back with your pizza.”

Twilight and you each take a sip of your sodas, and barely a moment later, your waitress returns with your pizza.  She sets it on the table along with a plate for each of you.  “Enjoy,” Zesty expresses, “And I’ll be back to check on you, and see if you need anything else or if you should want to see our dessert menu.”

“All right.  This looks great by the way!” you declared, suddenly realizing how hungry you are.

Twilight giggles and smiles to your server, “Thanks Zesty.”

“Anytime,” she bids, departing to check her other tables, as more ponies have started arriving.

Steam is rolling up from your pizza, as it sits there lightly sizzling with a beautifully golden brown crust and an evenly melted coat of mozzarella.  Taking a deep breath, you invite the aroma of the pie into your nose.  “Mm-mmm, it sure smells good,” you remark.

“Wait till you taste it!” grins Twilight.

Gripping the pie server, you lift a slice from the tray.  It’s accompanied by a series of mozzarella strings, suggesting this is one cheesy pizza.  Carefully, you set the slice on Twilight’s plate and sever the strings of cheese.  “Here you are, Twilight.”

“Thank you,” she replies happily.

“You’re welcome.”  You manage to free a second slice from the stringy confines of the pizza, placing it onto your plate.  “There, now let’s see how this tastes,” you remark.  

Before you can pick up your slice, Twilight holds her slice in her hooves, presenting it to you. “Here, take a bite,” she offers.

A joyful smile forms on your face as you lean forward, and take a bite.  Your teeth sink into the warm tip of the slice, while you slowly pull back, taking a sizable bit of stringing cheese with you.  The flavor of the pizza is excellent.  There is a nice crispness to the crust, a good coating of tangy sauce, and the cheese adds the final compliment with a nice bold but mild flavor, pleasing to your taste buds.  “Mmm, that is good,” you express to your mare.

Twilight smiles and softly giggles at you, “I told you.  So, may I have a bite of my slice?”

You give her a winsome grin, holding the slice on your plate up to her.  It’s still quite warm, but not so hot as to burn your fingers.  Steadying the slice in your hands, you watch as Twilight slowly leans toward it.  Her mouth opens as she surrounds the point of the pizza, gracefully biting into it.  Like you, she draws back more cheese than pie as she chews and swallows her first bite.

“So, how is your pizza, Twilight?” you ask, giving her a delighted smile.

She licks her lips, and then rests her eyes on you.  “Just as yummy as ever,” she responds.

Twilight holds your slice up again, “More?”

You chuckle warmly at her, loving this rather romantic way of eating pizza.  Giving her a simple nod, you take another bite from the pizza slice, finding the second taste even better than the first.  “You weren’t kidding.  This is one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had,” you declare.

“I’m really glad you like it,” she remarks.  A jubilant smile remains on her face as she waits for you to take another bite.  

The two of you continue holding the slices for each other, until you’ve both eaten two whole pieces.  Oddly enough, you find that you are feeling quite full just from eating a few slices.  There are still four sections left as you contemplate having one more.  That’s when your stomach reminds you its low on space and your sweet tooth has your mind still thinking - milkshake.

Glancing over at Twilight, you ask, “Do you want anymore?”

She shakes her head, “No.  And if you’re also full…why don’t we get a box.”

You nod in agreement, “That sounds good.  Oh, do you still have room to split a shake?”

Twilight grins, “Of course I do.  There’s always room for dessert.”  She giggles softly as you flag down Zesty.

Your server returns to your table, beaming you both a cheerful smile, “So how is your pizza?”

“It’s great, Zesty,” you remark with a smile.

“Glad to hear it.  Now, do you need anything?”

“Yes, may we please have a box for our leftovers,” Twilight requests.

“Of course.  Did you two save room for any dessert?  Vinny made one of his famous cookies and cream pies…or maybe you’d like to see a dessert menu?” she asks.

You shake your head, “That’s not necessary, but we would like to share a large…” you pause to look over at Twilight.  She nods, just before you continue, “Chocolate milkshake.”

Zesty smiles at both of you, and replies, “Coming right up.  Would you like whipped cream…and two straws?”

“Please,” you respond, while Twilight nods her head in agreement.

“I’ll go put in your dessert order and bring a box for your leftovers,” she replies, after jotting down your order.

“Thanks, again, Zesty,” Twilight chirps graciously.

Your server smiles as she trots off to the kitchen.  A few moments pass and she returns with a box and says it should only be a few minutes till your shake is ready.  Twilight continues to stare dreamily at you, as you load the other half of your pizza into the box, carefully closing it and setting it to the side.

As you wait for your dessert, you join Twilight, sitting there and staring affectionately at her.  You sigh calmly, reaching over and resting your right hand on her left hoof.  A gentle blush falls across her adorable lavender cheeks, making her sigh contently.

Zesty returns, pushing a small cart filled with a variety of filled plates, including your dessert.  She places it between the two of you and sets a pair of long handle spoons and your straws onto the table.  “Here you are!” she declares, while you eye up the milkshake and its enticing mound of decadent whipped topping.

“Wow, this looks delicious!” you gasp to your server.

“It sure does,” grins Twilight,

Zesty chuckles softly at you both, fishing your check from her apron pocket, “You two enjoy.  And I’ll just leave this here for you.”  She sets your check on the table, and then adds, “You can either pay me or the cashier up by the counter.  Can I get you two anything else?”

“Nope, we’re good,” you answer.

“All right, thank you both for dropping by,” she remarks, as you both thank her, just before she moves her cart to another table.

Your eyes return to your dessert, which has been crowned with a red cherry, at the summit of the whip cream.  At first you think of taking the little bonbon for yourself, but you can’t forget your manners or you lovely mare.  Looking at her thoughtfully, you ask, “Twilight, would you like the cherry?”

She beams you a loving smile, and replies, “Okay.”

You hoist the cherry by its fairly long stem and hold it up to her.  “Open up,” you snicker.

Twilight opens her mouth as you place the cherry on her tongue.  She slowly closes her mouth and pulls the cherry off of its stem, smiling at you, while she chews and swallows it.  “Mmm,” she expresses.  Twilight spies one of the spoons, and uses her magic to lift it up, collecting some of the whipped cream.  “Here,” she utters.

You open your mouth and empty the spoon of its contents, allowing the cool, fluffy and very creamy topping to dance across your taste buds before swallowing it.  “Yum,” you mutter, “Shall we?”  You un-wrap the straws and place one in both sides of the shake.  Twilight nods as she leans over to her straw and starts drinking the cold chocolatey beverage.  You promptly join her, taking several sips, savoring not only the milkshake, but also the act of sharing it with Twilight.

After taking several sips you stare affectionately at each other.  Taking your spoon, you fill it with some of the cream and present it to Twilight.  Without a word, she leans over and empties your spoon, licking her lips very slowly, while batting her violet eyes at you.

She continues sharing the whip topping with you, until the mound has finally vanished, leaving you both to return to your straws and finish the rest of your chilly dessert.  

Once your milkshake glass is empty, you both finally leave your table, taking your leftovers with you, and leave a nice tip for your friendly server.  After paying for dinner, Twilight walks beside you, while you head for the door.  As you walk through the tiny lobby, one of the random wall fliers catches your eye.  

“Hey, Twilight, look at this,” you remark.

“Hmm?” she mutters, turning to look with you.  “What is it?”

“There’s going to be a dance Friday night at the city hall reception room.  Oh, that’s right!” you gasp, reading more of the flier.

“What?” asks Twilight, filling with excitement.

“Friday is Hearts and Hooves Day,” you respond with a gleeful smile.

Twilight’s eyes widen.  “That’s right it is…and I just realized, it’s tomorrow!” she exclaims.

Placing your free arm around her, you lean close and ask, “Twilight, would you like to go to that dance, now that we’re a couple?”

Her face lights up brightly as she jubilantly responds, “YES!”

You chuckle warmly at her as you depart Vinny’s.  “The poster says it starts at eight.  Can you imagine…us dancing together…it’d be romantic,” you sigh.

“It would.  Oh, I can’t wait,” chimes Twilight.  “I’ve never had a special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day before.”

“Well, you do now,” you smile, pulling her close again.  “So, ready to do some stargazing?”

“You bet!” she declares, as the two of you make your way back to her place.


*	*	*	*


After returning home, the two of you head for her room.  A little over an hour has gone by as you both enjoy checking out the starry night sky over Ponyville.  Twilight is making a few quick adjustments to the telescope.  “There we go,” she announces.  “Oh, there it is.  Here, take a look.”  

Twilight steps aside, allowing you to glance through the eyepiece.  Taking a good hard look, you notice a grouping of thirteen stars.  At first you aren’t quite sure what you’re looking at.  The stars toward the left almost seem to form a very lopsided Little Dipper, but you know that can’t be right.  “Uh, Twilight, just what am I looking at?” you ask.

“That’s the constellation of "Luna".  It was discovered by Princess Celestia over 500 years ago,” Twilight explains.

Taking another look at the group of celestial objects, you start to see the shape of a pony – all be it a simple one.  “Oh, okay.  Now, I can see Luna’s head and her legs, all the way to her long tail.  Wow,” you softly gasp.

“I didn’t know you enjoy stargazing so much,” Twilight admits.

You snicker, pulling away from the telescope, “Yes well, we didn’t get to spent much time together at night, so there was no way you could have known.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Twilight replies with a sigh.

You look at her with a kind smile.  “You know what they say though, “Better late than never.””  

She closes her eyes and beams you a happy smile, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Before you both know it, the hour begins to grow late.  Twilight joins you in sharing a fatigued yawn.  “Oh my, would you look at the time?” she remarks.

“I know,” you agree, enjoying a brief stretch.

Twilight trots over to you, and rubs against you.  “This was a great day,” she grins.  “So, you ready for bed?”

Placing your arm around her, you smile and nod, “Yep.”

“Then come on,” she bids, leading you up the steps to her loft.  You eagerly follow her and take a moment to stretch again, once you reach the top.  Twilight folds back the covers, while you dress down to your underwear.

She lays on her bed looking at you with her bedroom eyes.  “Coming?” she asks.

“Uh-huh,” you utter back, sliding in beside her.

Twilight sits up and wraps her hooves around you, resting her head on your shoulder.  You smile, placing your arms around her, enjoying the feeling of holding her close.

She sighs affectionately and says, “Our first night sleeping together.  I can hardly wait to dream with you by my side.”

“Twilight,” you sigh happily, feeling almost at a loss for words.  “It’s going to be great, having you so close.”

She pulls back, and stares at you half-lidded.  Looking into her violet eyes, you begin to feel a warm intoxicating sensation, as the urge to kiss her possesses you.  Leaning front you press your lips to hers, sharing a deeply passionate kiss.  Her hooves tighten around you, while she moans quietly, pushing her lips against yours.  You squeeze her tenderly and moan softly, enjoying the affectionate gesture just a while longer.

A few more seconds pass and the kiss ends.  Twilight continues staring at you lovingly, as she whispers your name.  “I’m so glad things turned out the way they did this afternoon.”

“Twilight…so am I.  Would you like to cuddle for a little?” you ask smiling her way.

“Oh yes, I would,” she utters back in a silky voice.

She lays down beside you, while you pull the covers over you both.  Placing your arms around her, you pull her very close.  Twilight places her hooves against your chest, and lets out an extremely happy sigh.  

Her breath softly falls against you, making the moment seem perfect.  A feeling transcending joy takes hold of you, while you can hardly believe you are here, cuddling with the mare of your dreams.  Tenderly, you rub your cheek against hers, and begin running the fingers of your right hand through her silky mane, relishing every second that passes.  

Twilight nuzzles you back very affectionately, sighing with each gentle motion of her cheek.  You feel her hind leg push its way in between your legs, adding to your shared intimacy, while you marvel at the sensation of her velvety fur against your skin.

Pulling back, you take a long loving look into her beautiful eyes, watching as they glisten in the pale light of her room.  Part of you feels like you could just lose yourself in them.  Twilight blinks her eyes at you and very fondly speaks your name, rubbing her left hoof along your cheek.

“Twilight…you’re so beautiful,” you whisper.

A pale blush forms on her cheeks as she smiles at you.  “You’re making me blush,” she giggles.

“You look adorable when you blush,” you muse, caressing her rosy left cheek with your hand.

“Hmmm…” she sighs, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Twilight…” you begin.

“Yes?” she responds, while her eyes remain focused on you.

“I love you,” you profess.  You’re not sure if you were just feeling of the moment, or if you finally saw a chance to confess your true feelings to her after so long, but you just felt a strong need to speak those three words to her.

Twilight’s mouth lightly falls open, as her eyes begin to glisten with tears.  She doesn’t say anything, rather she just continues staring at you with loving eyes.

You return your fingers to her mane, stroking her softly and very tenderly.  “I don’t know if it’s too soon…but I’ve felt strongly for you since the day we met.  Even after being with those other mares…you’re the one I’ve always longed to be with, Twilight.”

Those words are all she needed to hear as the tears spill from her eyes and begin running down her blushing cheeks.  She wraps her hooves around you tightly and manages to say your name and finally says, “I love you, too.”  More tears fall from her eyes as she tries to sniff back a few sobs.  “I’ve cared deeply for you as well.  From the first time we met, I knew there was something really special about you.  I always hoped that maybe someday…we’d be together.  I never expected to fall in love with you.  That’s why it always hurt to see you with those other mares, when I knew I was the pony you should have been with.”

You reach over and tenderly wipe the tears from her eyes.  “I’m here, now,” you speak softly, feeling your own eyes glaze over with tears.  You hold her close and nuzzle against her dampened cheek, and repeat, “I’m here, now.”

Twilight lets out a few sobs, sniffing back some tears.  Then she pulls back to look at you one more time.  She smiles for you and leans toward you, until her lips lock yours into a very passionate kiss.  You sigh contently, feeling her love for you in every gentle motion of her lips.  Twilight is able to feel the same as you return her kiss, just as deeply.  You can feel your love for her stoke the flames of your passion, as you decide to make your kiss even grander.  A single prod against her lips is all it takes for Twilight to part her mouth, while she happily joins her tongue to yours for a tender caress.  Gentle moans fill the air as you and your mare once again savor kissing each other.

Separating your mouths, you each take in a few breaths, continuing to gaze at each other.  That’s when you both share a sizable yawn, recalling how tired the two of you are.  You chuckle softly, and utter, “I guess we should get some sleep.”

“Yeah,” Twilight replies calmly.  “It’s so wonderful that you’re here.”

You smile at Twilight as you rest your heads on the pillows and nestle close together, under the warm covers.  She leans back and uses her magic to turn off her lamp, shrouding the room in the darkness of night.  Twilight nuzzles you one more time, before letting her eyes drift shut.  Then, in moments she joins you under the soothing veil of slumber.


*	*	*	*


Following a wonderful night’s sleep, Friday at work turns out to be the best day you’ve had in months.  You felt on top of the world all day, which even seemed to cheer up all of your customers.

After work, you return to the library and are greeted by Twilight.  She is still as happy to see you as ever.  Together, you begin counting down the hours till the dance.  And while things seem to be a bit on short notice, you managed to get her a nice bouquet of roses and found out she has a present that she plans to give you at the dance.  You can only wonder what it might be.  Either way, you are looking forward to sharing some slow dances with your beloved mare.  

Finally, the hour begins to near.  There are just fifteen minutes till the dance is set to start.  You are happily walking your special somepony along the streets, on your way to Town Hall.

As you near your destination you turn to Twilight, “I hope I’m dressed-up enough.”

She giggles at you, “Oh come on, you know the flier said the dress was “casual”.  I’m not even wearing any clothes, other than my coat.  So what you’re wearing will be fine.”

“You’re right, Twilight.  I just want this night to be very special,” you reply.

She leans against you, and says, “Don’t worry…it will be.”  Twilight giggles softly as Town Hall becomes even closer.  “Spike and my friends were glad to see I was happy again and wasn’t quite as stressed.”

Keeping your arm around her, you ask, “Were they surprised when you told them about what happened?”

“They were a little surprised to hear that we became a couple, but they had hoped you’d be able to help me calm down,” she remarks.

“I told them I’d try my best,” you wink.

Twilight giggles, “You did, you really did.”

Arriving just outside the building, Twilight and you can see the small gathering of ponies and even a few humans waiting with their dates.  Attendees are being allowed to enter as their admissions are being collected.

“It looks like they are letting ponies enter awhile,” you note.  “Come on, Twilight.  I’d like to see if I might say hello to the DJ before things begin.  I’m curious as to the songs they’ll have.”

“Okay.  I want to see to the final preparations of your present anyway,” Twilight remarks.

“Oh, you didn’t have to get me anything,” you note, patting her back softly.

“But I wanted to,” she insists, smiling at you.

After paying admission for the two of you, your mare follows you into the reception center.  She leaves you for the moment to see to your gift, meanwhile, you head over to the DJ’s table, and have a word with Vinyl Scratch.  You ask her what songs she has for the dance.  To your amazement, you find that she has songs from your world as well as song’s from Equestria.  

Vinyl tells you that guests can make song requests and she’ll happily note the dedication before playing each.  Keeping that in mind, you select two songs from your world that you just know Twilight will love.

“So I’d like you to play those two songs for Twilight,” you request.

Vinyl adjusts her shades and smiles at you, “No problem.  I’ll play your first song to get the dance started.  No pony else has made any requests yet.  Now, I will have to play the second song after one of our guests sings the dance’s second song.”

“Sings?” you question.

“Yep.  In addition to dedicating the songs I play tonight, a few ponies have asked if they could sing a song for their special somepony.  And the second song of the dance will be sung to someone special,” the DJ notes.

“That’s fine.  Thank you, Vinyl,” you speak graciously.

“Anytime,” she grins.

Departing the stage, you make your way back to the floor, past the tables, and begin searching for Twilight.  

A few moments pass and you find your adorable unicorn.  “There you are,” you call to her.

Twilight trots over to you, beaming you a very big smile, one of the biggest yet.  “Hey!”

Placing a loving arm around her, you inquire, “So, you ready for a really romantic night?”

“I sure am,” she utters with a giggle.

The last of the ponies and other guests finish filtering into the massive reception room.  The mayor trots out onto the stage and stands before the microphone.  A hush falls over the crowd as she clears her throat, “Eh-em.  Fillies and Gentlecolts…and welcomed human guests…I’d like to say a few words before we begin this year’s Hearts and Hooves Day dance.”  She looks over her notes and offers each guest a jubilant smile.  “Let me begin by saying how happy I am to see such a full house tonight!  I hope all of you will have a great time during this wondrous holiday!  Now before we get started, I just want all of you to know, our honored DJ – Vinyl Scratch will be happy to take song requests.  We’ll be partying from now until two in the morning, so have fun everyone!  And a Happy Hearts and Hooves Day to you all!”

Following the last of the mayor’s words, a round of applause and cheers fills the room.  The town’s leader steps off the stage and the house lights begin to dim.  A spotlight keys in the DJ as she addresses the crowd, “All right everypony!  I hope you’re ready for a great party!  I have a fun mix of love songs and good rock songs to help you keep your hooves and your feet moving all night long!  Please keep in mind I am happy to take any requests.”  She pauses a moment and nods her head.  “Now, to get this night started, I’ve got a few requests already.  So ponies and humans, get ready to dance!  Our first request is a love song from the human world, called “Save the Best for Last” by an artist named Vanessa Williams.  This song goes out to Twilight Sparkle – courtesy of her very own special somepony!”

Twilight gasps softly as she turns to you, “What’s this all about?”

“I requested two songs that seem to fit our situation very well.  So, with that in mind, would you care to dance, my lady?” you ask chivalrously.

Twilight blushes slightly as you reach for her hoof.  “Oh, my, of course,” she answers.

The two of you step out onto the dance floor with the other happy couples.  Twilight stands on her hind legs and places her hooves on your shoulders.  You in turn place your hands on her shoulders, and give her a loving smile.  Her eyes partially close as she returns your smile.

Play - " Save The Best For Last" - by Vanessa Williams	

The song’s intro begins to play, while Twilight and you begin to sway slowly back and forth across the floor.  Your mare keeps her ears focused, while you continue dancing, just as the first verse beings.

(Pause for the first verse of the song)

A brief interlude plays following the first verse.  Twilight’s eyes are now staring deep into your own.  Her smile has grown even bigger as you continue to sway along the floor.  Then, the song’s second verse begins.

(Pause for the second verse of the song)

Your mare continues to smile affectionately at you, and quietly says, “You can place your hands on my waist.”

“Huh?” you mutter softly.

Twilight gives you a seductive smile, while her horn briefly lights up, moving your hands down to just a hair below her waist.  She softly rests her head on you shoulder as your dance continues.  “I really like this song,” she sighs.

“I thought you would,” you whisper, in a volume just loud enough for her to hear.  Then, you both continue dancing as the last of the song plays.

(Pause for the last part of the song)

The music begins to fade, and Twilight is looking at you with her glistening violet eyes.  “That was beautiful.”

You smile, feeling just a tad misty-eyed yourself.  “Twilight,” you utter.

Twilight softly brushes her hoof along your cheek, as the smile remains on her face.  “Well, it’s time for me to give you your present,” she speaks.

“Oh?”

“Yes.  I need to head up on stage.  Keep watching,” she winks.

“All right,” you reply, still wondering what this present may be.

The spotlight cues in on Vinyl Scratch again.  She looks out to the audience and grins, “Okay, that was our first song!  Now, the second song of the night, another special request, will be sung by Ponyville’s very own – Twilight Sparkle!  This song goes out to her very special somepony…who just happens to be a human.” 

Twilight walks out onto the stage and approaches the microphone.  Vinyl looks over to her and nods, “Go ahead, I’ll start the music when you’re ready.”

“Okay,” Twilight replies.  Looking out to the audience, she feels a very slight moment of nervousness, before she says, “Good evening everyone!  I’ve just recently hooked up with someone very special to me.  There were times I wondered if we’d ever get together, which is why I want to sing him this very special song.  It’s one form his world that’s meant a lot to me over the past two years.  It’s called – “Dreaming of You”.”

You look up at Twilight, while your face fills with awe.  She looks over to Vinyl and nods.  A soft melody fills the room, several couples begin slow dancing, as you and most of the crowd focus on your mare.

Twilight smiles brightly at you, and starts to sing.

(Pause for first verse)

There’s a slight pause between the song’s first two verses.  You stand there, before slowly moving closer to the stage, focusing on every word she sings.

Twilight continues to wear a jubilant expression as she continues.

(Pause for second verse)

Your hand slowly rests over your heart as your mare sings on with glistening eyes.

(Pause briefly at the end of verse three – the “I love you too” part.)

Silently you mouth, “I love you,” to Twilight, keeping your focus intently on her, feeling a series of powerful emotions in your heart.  Despite your best efforts, you’re eyes slowly begin to water with newly formed tears in response to her song’s moving lyrics.

She sees you among the crowd and winks at you, before finishing the song.

(Pause for the conclusion of the song.)

As the song comes to an end, the tears win the battle and nothing you do will stop them, while they begin falling down your cheeks.  A cheer rolls up from the crowd as applause fills the air, following Twilight’s wonderful performance.  After taking a few bows, she departs the stage, eager to return to you.

She quickly discovers you standing there among the tables by the stage.  Her eyes immediately begin to tear up as she sees you standing there crying, despite yourself.  Twilight rushes over to you and throws her hooves around you.  She looks you in the eye and sniffs, “You’re crying.”

You nod and whimper softly, “Yeah, that was a beautiful song, Twilight.”  Placing your arms around her, you hold her close, feeling a few more tears trail down your face.

She tightens her hooves around you, and softly utters, “You’re so sweet.”

You wipe your eyes and she does the same, drying her own tears.  Giving her another loving smile, you ask, “So, shall we dance some more?”

“Oh, yes.  Let’s make the most of this night,” she declares gleefully.

You both head back to the dance floor, feeling even closer than you did before.  Vinyl announces the next song you requested for Twilight.  The two of you start to dance close together as it begins to play.  You place your hands on her waist, while she rests her hooves on your shoulders.

The night ushers on joyfully for you and all the attending couples.  Then, like all good things, the dance comes to an end.

Twilight and you depart a little before two, emerging in the brisk night air.  Together, you are making your way back to her place.

She walks very close to you, and rubs against you, enjoying that you have your arm around her.  “What a magical night,” she muses with a dreamy sigh.

“Yeah, it sure was,” you admit.  “We danced so much.”

“It was wonderful.  But I’m still touched that the song I sang to you, made you cry,” she smiles happily.

You chuckle nervously, rubbing your arm along her back.  “I didn’t think I’d ever cry in public like that,” you utter feeling just a little embarrassed.

Twilight bumps against you and sighs lovingly, “There’s nothing wrong with it.  Besides, I think it’s made me love you even more.”

“Twilight,” you reply, stroking her soft fur.

She smiles at you again.  “Come on, we’re just about home.  Why don’t we head to my room and have a little fun,” she winks playfully.

You grin at her, “All right.  The perfect ending to a romantic night.”

The moon looms overhead, casting its soft glow over Ponyville, while the two of you near the library, eagerly looking forward to sharing some heated passion as you enjoy the rest of this wondrous night.

Your story with Twilight is only just beginning!  Look for more chapters...coming soon!






> Chapter 3 - "One More Dance"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“For Whom She Sparkles”



Chapter 3 – 
“One More Dance"



Written by 
JaydexTheShadowKnight



Now that the dance has ended, you and Twilight are just about back to the library.  The night air is still very cold as a slight breeze nips at you both.  Your mare moves closer to you and you can hear the audible sounds of her shivering.

“Brrr, it’s colder than I remembered it being tonight.”

Opening your coat, you draw Twilight close, placing what you can of it around her.  “I know what you mean.  Here, stay close to me.  We’re almost home.”

A happy giggle leaves with her exhaled breath.  “Yeah.”  Twilight turns to look at you.  “Thank you.  I feel warmer already.”

“Anytime, Twilight, my love.”  You run your arm across her covered side.

She simply smiles as you both see her home come closer into view, until you find yourselves at the front door.  Twilight swiftly uses her magic to unlock the door, granting you both refuge from the bitter cold.  

Closing the door behind you, you remove your coat and are just able to see the row of coat hooks along the wall, in the pale glow of the moonlight and starlight streaking in from a nearby window.  After hanging it up, you turn to Twilight.  She promptly nods as she removes her own coat.  Taking it gently in your grasp, you hang it next to yours. 

Not wasting a second, you both quickly draw one another into a loving hug.  “Mmm, that’s better.”  Twilight chuckles, feeling the warmth of your embrace and that from inside the library.

“Yeah.  It really got cold while we were at the dance.”  You join her chuckling.

Moving apart, the two of you venture into the library.  Suddenly, you remember that the library is still in more than a little disarray.  You stop yourself a second too late, and knock over a stack of books that are still sitting on the floor.  “Whoops.”

Twilight flips on a nearby light, finally illuminating the room.  “Sorry, I forgot to turn on a light when we got inside.”  She grins sheepishly as she walks over to you.

“Ahh, I could have turned on a light too.”  You note and are thankful that only one stack of books toppled.

Your mare giggles, making you smile as the two of you briefly exchange a loving glance.  “I guess we both were just so eager to get in out of the cold that it slipped our minds.”  Twilight brushes her hoof along your chest, continuing to smile.

You give her an affirmative nod.  “Yeah.”  Then your eyes briefly widen as you give her a more direct and troubled look.  “That noise I just made won’t wake Spike, will it?”

She places a hoof over her mouth as she giggles at you.  “No, silly.  Spike’s a deep sleeper, plus he’s in the room I gave him months ago.”  Twilight flails her hoof dismissively.  “Besides, I doubt an erupting volcano could wake him, and even if it did, he’d probably just wave a claw and go back to sleep.”

You chuckle feeling quite relieved.  “That’s right.  I remember you telling me how stubborn he can be.”  

A grin forms on your face as you join her in navigating through the sea of stacked books.  Placing your hand along her mane, you look her in the eye.  “Then that means we have your bedroom to ourselves.”

She bumps against you and nods.  “Mm-hmm…we will.”

Turning your gaze forward, you nearly collide into another stack of books.  Looking at Twilight, half-sheepishly, you chuckle.  “Um, why don’t I give you a hand cleaning up this mess tomorrow.  I have the weekend off, and it would be a great way for us to spend some more time together.”

Twilight throws her hooves around you, delighted by your suggestion, only she didn’t realize how close your were standing to that pile of books.  Her affectionate gesture lightly nudges you back into the stack of literature, which promptly topples over shattering the silence.  You both freeze, and the only sound you hear in the background is that of Spike snoring, through the closed door of his bedroom several feet away.  Your mare lets out a sigh of relief.  “Good thing he’s such a deep sleeper.  And I’d love having your help to sort these books tomorrow.”

Placing your hand along her velvety back, you smile as you caress her fur.  “It’s a date.  Now, why don’t we head upstairs before we knock over anymore books.”

“Good thinking.”  Twilight nods as she chuckles with you.  Turning out the lights, you both exit the library and make your way upstairs to her room.

Twilight uses her magic to turn on a few lights near her bed, offering you both some light as you ascend the stairs to her loft.

Kicking off your shoes, you bend over and place them out of the way near her dresser.  Turning to the nearby chair, you see to your backpack, which contains a few things you brought over from your house, including a change of clothes.  

Looking over your shoulder, you see Twilight is busying herself in the closet.  She calls over to you, “I’m just getting an extra blanket for the bed.  With that wind whipping outside, we just might need it.”

“That’s not a bad idea.  Do you need any help?”  You look back over at her.

She shakes her head swiftly.  “No, I’ve got it.”

“All right.  I’m just checking my bag for something.  Then I’ll be over.”

“That’s fine.  I’ll just be a minute myself.”

Returning your focus to your bag, you reach into your pants pocket and remove something, concealing it secretly in your hand, and then slip it into the large section of your backpack.  This will be a nice surprise for Twilight, you muse to yourself, knowing it will come in handy later, and that’s not considering the little something you have for her right now, before you both hit the sheets. 

The ruffling sounds of Twilight laying the extra dark blue blanket over her bed reaches your ears.  Then you notice hoofsteps heading your way.  Turning around quick, you cover your bag, giving Twilight an innocent look.

She glances up at you and gives you’re a quizzical expression.  “Are you…hiding something?”

Shaking your head and grinning at her, you reply, “No, what makes you say that?”

“Um, the way you’re standing by your backpack.”

Collecting yourself, you give her a more relaxed expression.  “No, I’m not hiding anything.  I was just wondering, are you hungry?”

Giving your question some thought, Twilight rubs a hoof over her belly.  “All that dancing did make me a bit peckish, so I could go for a little snack.  But, why are you asking me?”

You give Twilight a short-lived grin.  “Well, even though Hearts and Hooves Day is basically over, I did have one last thing for you.”

Twilight steppes closer to you, a look of growing intrigue blooms across her face.  “Oh?  And what might that be?”

After giving her a loving smile, you turn to your pack and reach into it.  “I know this might border on cliché, but I got some chocolates while I was at Sugar Cube Corner earlier today.  Don’t worry, it’s not in a heart-shaped box.”  You remove the small white rectangular carton and show it to her.  “Well, Mrs. Cake did put heart stickers on it.”

Twilight eyes up the box, and a rather playful-looking smile spreads across her muzzle.  “It’s not cliché to have brought me some candy.  Gifts such as this are…traditional.”  Twilight wraps her hooves around you and gives you a half-lidded gaze and an even bigger smile.  “Like us ponies, tradition is important to you humans, isn’t it?”

Looking into her expressive eyes, you give a silent nod, placing your free arm around her.  “Yes,” you whisper very quietly.  “Most of us value it…I know I do.”

Twilight leans closer, brushing her lips past your ear.  “Good.”  Her whispered word sends chills racing up your back.  Unable to resist, as she pulls back to look at you again, you press your lips to hers, sharing a needed kiss.

Her hooves tighten around you as gentle moans fill the air, hers and yours.  You take a deep breath in through your nose and breath back out the same way, feeling her shiver from the flow of your breath on her face.  Twilight pushes back a little harder, and you notice her breath fall along your face causing you both to moan once more, before ending the kiss.

Twilight giggles softly.  “So, what kind of chocolates did you bring?”

You run your free hand along her silky mane.  “Freshly made mini-peanut butter cups.”  

Twilight’s eyes sparkle brightly.  “I love peanut butter cups!”

Delighted by Twilight’s words, you smile and reply, “I thought you did.  Now, why don’t we have a seat on the bed and enjoy some of these?”

“Okay.”  She removes her hooves from around you, and follows you over to her bed.  There, the two of you sit down side-by-side.  Opening the box, you reach down and pick up one of the candies.  “Open up, my love.”  You snicker holding it up to her mouth.

A giggle escapes Twilight’s mouth as she closes her eyes and waits for you to feed her one of the peanut butter cups.  Smiling gleefully, you place the chocolate on her tongue and shiver from her lips brushing against your fingers as you retract your hand.  Twilight chews the tasty confection slowly and gleefully.  “Mmm…delicious.”  She opens her eyes and licks her lips.  “You have got to try one of these.”

You give her a nod and a snicker.  “All right.”

Twilight’s horn illuminates as she levitates one of the peanut butter cups up to your mouth.  She then bats her beautiful violet eyes at you.  “Okay, your turn…open up.”  Twilight giggles.

Indulging your mare, you open your mouth and feel the candy land gently on your tongue.  As you begin to chew, you savor the sweet and smooth milk chocolate and quickly taste the bold and creamy flavor of the peanut butter as it all blends beautifully in your mouth.

“These are great!”  Licking your lips, in the same playful fashion as Twilight, you reach into the box and retrieve another cup for her.  Twilight giggles like a filly as you give her another.  

The two of you take turns sharing a few more of the chocolates before it’s your turn again.  Using her magic, Twilight lifts another peanut butter cup your way.  Just as you prepare to open your mouth, Twilight does something different.  She floats it away from you and over beside her. 

“Hey, that’s mine.” You snicker while looking at her, pretending to be annoyed.

Twilight laughs at you.  “You want it…come and get it.” She then deftly grips the candy between her teeth.  A partially muffled giggle slips past her lips, which only seems to make what she’s doing cuter and sexier.  

Giving her a shameless grin, you move closer to her and place your arms around her.  “If you insist…” You lean in close to Twilight and carefully grip the chocolate in your own teeth.  Twilight giggles again and happily surrenders the peanut butter cup.   You pull back briefly and consume the yummy confection.  Then, after clearing your mouth, you lean back in and lock your mare into a loving kiss.

She places her forelegs around you and moans delicately, just before you wrap your arms around her, again.  You sigh softly, savoring the heavenly sensation of her lips pressed against your own.  Then, to your surprise, you feel Twilight poke her tongue against your lips.  Delighted by her boldness, you part your mouth and together your tongues share a passionate dance.

You join Twilight in filling the room with tender moans, while your kiss continues for a few moments more.  Your lips part and both of you pant lightly for air, remaining in each other’s embrace.

Twilight gives you a loving look and partially closes her eyes.  “Another great kiss.”

“Yeah.”  You whisper, feeling a little light-headed.  Then you grin at Twilight.  “Though, you didn’t mind that we both had peanut butter breath?” you ask, lightly bopping her muzzle.

She giggles while shaking her head.  “It didn’t bother me.  I’d be happy to share a kiss with you anytime.”  Twilight places a hoof on your hand and smiles sweetly, batting her eyes.

You gently stroke the fur of her foreleg with your other hand.  “Aww, Twilight.  I feel the same way.”

Twilight softly speaks your name and gives you a winsome gaze.  “So, I take it you enjoyed that…what I did with the candy, I mean.”

You reach out your hand and tenderly stroke her mane.  “Of course I did.  It was perfect, and then the kiss that followed…”

She sighs contently, leaning her head toward your caressing hand.  “I’m glad.”  Twilight’s eyes fix on you.  “You know, I’m still a little new to some of this, but I really want to try being romantic and, well, sexy for you.”

You chuckle quietly at Twilight’s concern, and it only seems to make her cuter.  Your hand continues its ginger strokes.  “You’re doing fine, Twilight.”

Her face lights up.  “You mean it?  I mean, I gave it my best the other day…I…”

You place your free hand over her mouth, and look at Twilight half-lidded.  “The other day was wonderful.  You were great…adorable like always and…very sexy.”

After removing your hand, Twilight casts out a relieved sigh.  “That’s a relief.  I did some reading on the subject, and even when all I had was a hope that we’d someday be together, I decided to read about what humans like.”

You snicker, finding her dedication quite heartening.  Feeling even more love for Twilight, you draw her into a deeply affectionate hug.  “Mmm…Twilight.”

She sighs softly and shares your hug, whispering your name.

The two of you move apart, and Twilight looks up at you again.  “You know, before we take this any further…we should probably finish getting ready for bed.”

You give her a nod.  “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.”

Thankfully, Twilight’s home has a second bathroom just below her loft.  You let her have first crack at getting ready, while you close the box and put the remainder of the candy back into your bag.  You double check and see that the other item is still safely ensconced amongst your change of clothes.  You chuckle softly to yourself, before zipping your backpack.

The familiar clack of trotting hooves meets your ears.  Turning around, you see your beloved Twilight walking up behind you, beaming you another loving smile.  “The bathroom is all yours, honey.”  She giggles at you, and continues to seem very happy about using terms of endearment on you.

You share her loving smile.  “All right, I won’t be long.”  As you walk past her, you pat Twilight’s back tenderly and hear her sigh in a yearning fashion.

After taking care of your nightly routine, you return to the loft and dress down into nothing but your underwear and a T-shirt.  Heading over to join her, you see Twilight has already turned back the sheet and blankets, and is laying in bed waiting for you.  Your mare is sprawled out on the right side, facing you in a very alluring pose, lightly flipping her tail.

You crawl into bed on the left side, and take a lengthy and loving look at Twilight.  She smiles at you and brushes a hoof along your cheek.  “A bit for your thoughts.”

You return her smile, and reply, “I’d gladly give them to you for free.”  Reaching out your hand, you return the favor and caress her velvety cheek.  “I’m probably going to sound like a broken record after a while, but, I’m just so glad I’m here with you.”

A light blush forms on Twilight’s cheeks.  “That’s really sweet of you.”  She gives your cheek another stroke, before continuing.  “While you were in the bathroom, I was wondering about something.”

“Oh?”  You look at her feeling rather intrigued.

Twilight sits up to properly join you.  “Yeah.  I was wondering if you want to spend the entire weekend at my place.  I know you’ll probably want to stay at your place during the week, because of your job.  And I know we don’t want to rush things too fast…but.”   

You grip Twilight’s right hoof and rub it gently with your thumb.  “I know what you mean, Twilight.”  You clear your throat and feel a sudden rush of emotion, from having her so close.  “This is bound to be a little new in some ways for each of us.  We’ve both had feelings for one another, and…” You pause for a moment, collecting your thoughts.  “I just want to enjoy spending time with you.”

Twilight leans close to you and rests her head on your shoulder.  Your arms surround her as you hold her and feel your eyes becoming a little misty.  Your mare sighs as she nuzzles against you.  “I’m glad you understand.  I feel like there’s a million things I want to say to you, but somehow I’m just not sure how to say it all.”  Twilight pulls back and looks up at you, her eyes are glistening in the soft light of her room.

You smile and nod, moving your right hand to cup her chin.  “In many ways, I feel exactly the same.  And that’s why I’d love to stay the entire weekend with you.”  You chuckle, finding something to lighten the moment.  “Though, I’ll need to go back to my place tomorrow and get another change or two of clothing.” 

Twilight giggles, continuing to smile.  “That’s not a problem.  We could always stop by your place after we finish organizing the library.”

“Yeah, that would work perfectly.”  You snicker.  “I was actually about to suggest the same thing.”

Her smile grows.  “You know what they say, “Great minds think alike.””

You chuckle, softly caressing her cheek again.  “In that case…what am I thinking now?”

Twilight doesn’t even take a moment to ponder your question.  Instead, she gives you her bedroom eyes and gently kisses your lips.  Pulling back, she quietly whispers, “Was it something like that?”

“Yes…” you respond softly.  Securing your arms around her, you draw her into a deeply passionate kiss and let out a soothing moan for her, then begin dancing your fingers through the silky tresses of her mane.

Twilight’s hooves wrap around you, pulling you close as she shares your loving kiss, adding her delicate moans to your own.

A few moments pass and your lips part, leaving you both in the other’s embrace, while you softly caress Twilight’s mane.  “Twilight…I have to have you…now.”

She slowly sweeps her hoof across your chest.  “Then take me…”

Her hushed words dance melodically in your ears, causing you to smile and quake with anticipation.  “Mmm…say that again.”

Twilight blushes in response to your request and continues giving you her bedroom eyes.  “Then take me…” A seductive smile morphs onto her lips.  “I…want you…so badly,” she breathes.  

“Hmm, my sweet, sexy Twilight…” you whisper, squeezing her tightly as you kiss her even deeper than before.  As your desire grows, you run your right hand along her neck, down across her side and just enjoy petting her velvety fur, savoring every moment of what you know will be an unforgettable night with Twilight.

She shudders, letting out a soothing moan, pressing her lips back against yours.  Her hoof returns to your chest, but this time, you feel her magic untuck your shirttail, driving it upward.  Briefly withdrawing your hands from her, you swiftly and fervently remove your shirt and drop it out of bed, letting it fall wherever.  

You place your arms back around Twilight and lovingly pull her down beside you.  Your right hand happily resumes its ginger petting of her slender barrel.  Gazing at Twilight’s face, you see the intrigue growing in her eyes.  She places her hoof on your bare chest, and starts caressing you, while looking at you half-lidded.

Twilight kisses your lips, causing your passion for her to burn brightly.  Emboldened by your desire for her, you slide your hand to Twilight’s cutie mark, where you dance your fingers and gently knead against her flank.  Her rump twitches from your loving touch, while Twilight passionately sighs.  “More…please.”

Leaning over, you deftly kiss her neck and permit your fingers to move on to her hind leg.  Twilight trembles hungrily under your touch, and moving her left hind leg, she offers you better access to her nether region.  Traipsing your fingers to her belly, you continue teasing your way down to her marehood, where you trace her crescent with a single finger.  “Mmm…” you hear Twilight moan softly.

You noticed her left hoof continue moving along you chest, and look up, catching a glimpse of the mounting desire in her sparkling violet eyes.  Twilight pants and shivers in response to your circling two fingers along her sensitive nub.

“How’s that feel?”

Twilight lets her head fall against her pillow as she coos softly.  “That feels so good…just like…b-before.”  

Then, as you prepare to deepen her pleasure, you feel her hoof leave your chest and shudder as you feel it press against the firm bulge in your underwear.  You sigh deeply, reveling once again in the blissful touch of her hoof.  “Oh…Twilight.”

Twilight giggles as she watches the emotions form on your face.  “I wanted to return the…f-fav…f-f-favor…ooh…” Her words collapse as she feels you slowly slide two fingers inside her.

Seeing the peaceful and lustful look on her face, you smile and begin caressing her wet inner walls.  You notice her body lightly twitch as she shivers with pleasure.  “I don’t think I’ll ever tire of this, Twilight.”

Twilight moans a little louder and sighs contently.  “Oh…that’s wonderful…mmm, this feels so amazing.”  She moans your name and gives you a very loving gaze.  Her horn lights up with a raspberry glow.  “Here…” She manages to speak.  

You feel her magic tug and pull at your underwear, driving them down and uncovering your excited masculinity.  You glance down as she brushes her hoof along the tip of your shaft.  Your finger motions halt as you feel a shock wave of delight race up your back.  “Twilight.”  A blissful moan escapes your mouth as you feel her hoof stroking the smooth underside of your member.  

You moan again, savoring the sensation of her hoof along your manhood.  Eager to return the favor, you resume massaging Twilight’s marehood, hoping to share the same level of devotion and ecstasy that she's sharing with you.

Glancing up, you stare at your mare and can see Twilight is certainly enjoying your loving touch.  Briefly closing your eyes, you continue to feel the enthralling sweep of her hoof along your manhood, making your loins tingle.  

The two of you fill the room with the harmonious sound of your sighs and moans.  Twilight’s breath starts to deepen, at nearly the same time as yours.  Pulling her close with your left arm you give her a passionate kiss.

Following the kiss, you both gaze into each other’s eyes and cease your petting.  “Twilight, this is heavenly…but I can’t keep teasing you like this.”

Twilight sighs pleasantly, and to your delight, the blush remains on her beautiful cheeks.  “You aren’t teasing me…this has been wonderful.  But, I’m ready to move on, if you are.”  She smiles at you, running her free hoof through your hair.

“I am.”  You gently sweep the back of your hand along her mane.  Twilight bats her eyes at you, a smile of anticipation decorating her lips.  “Just stay laying like this, my darling.”  After caressing her mane a few more times, you place your arms around her, and plant a series of tender kisses on her cheeks, lips and neck.  Then, staring deep into her beautiful eyes, you smile and pull her closer.  

Twilight shivers as she feels your spire bump just above her mound.  Glancing down, you place a hand on your staff and gingerly brush the head along her beautiful flower.  You sigh and quietly moan with Twilight.  Then giving her a final look, you tenderly push against her and gradually slide inside her, placing your hand along her flank as you enter the rest of the way.

Twilight trembles with pleasure from the rapturous sensation of your merger.  Placing your right hand along her cheek, you look at her longingly, then make sure both your hands are resting firmly on her shoulders as you start to thrust against her.  The motion beings slowly at first, and as you slide back in, you feel her walls tenderly squeeze against you, adding joyous savor to your union.  The heavenly sensation elicits a soothing moan from you as you and Twilight share another loving gaze into each other’s eyes.

Feeling the mounting pleasure in your loins, you begin adding speed to your movement.  Twilight’s hind legs begin to twitch against your legs, while she remains partially on her back, gripping your shoulders tighter with her hooves.  The sweet sounds of her sensual moans fill your ears, enhancing the pleasure you feel from Twilight, causing you to moan with her in a soothing symphony of bliss.

Twilight manages to open her eyes and moans your name.  “Mmm…please, don’t stop, I need you.”

“Anything, Twilight.”  You call to her and hold her tighter as you add even more speed to your loving thrusts.  Your breath begins to grow even shallower and heavier as you feel her labored exhales pool along your bare chest.

In a fit of passion, Twilight draws you into a heated kiss that rapidly escalates into a blissful union of your caressing tongues.  Your mouths part as Twilight gasps and lets out an elated moan.  You nuzzle against her mane briefly, feeling your heart beat rapidly within your chest as you breathe heavily for air.  The feeling in your loins is getting even stronger as you feel a white heat rolling up your back.

You join Twilight in closing your eyes, overwhelmed by the throes of ecstasy, making you feel even more desire for her.  Your moans begin to increase in tone and frequency and like before, you notice Twilight make a series of adorable squeaks and whimpers.

A few moments pass and Twilight grips you tightly in her hooves, her back twitches and she lets out a long heavenly moan, right in your ear.  The sound of her pleasured cry, coupled with a surge of moisture along your manhood finally sends you over the edge, allowing you to join her in a beautiful climax.  You let out a long loving and lustful moan into Twilight’s ear, and cast your gift repeatedly into her, elated beyond words.

The two of you grip each other weakly as you gasp heavily for air and continue to feel the rapturous bliss of your union attempt to slake your fervent desire for each other.

Gradually, you both begin breathing normally.  Opening your eyes, you see Twilight looking back at you with her loving violet jewels.  She affectionately runs her hoof along your chest, while you caress her silky mane.  Twilight whispers your name.  “Ahh, that was just as wonderful as before.”

“It really was…maybe even a little better.”  You smile and lightly scratch behind her ears.

Twilight smiles at you and sighs.  “Yeah…mmm, that feels nice.”

You snicker softly, scratching her ears just a little more, before dancing your fingers back through her gorgeous hair. 

Twilight sighs contently, while the smile remains on her face.  “I’m so glad you’re here.”  She snuggles against you and grips you in her hooves.  

Securing your arms around her, you give Twilight an affectionate squeeze.  “So am I.  Hmm, so am I.”  Gingerly, you stroke her cheek with your fingertips, enjoying another heavenly look into her eyes.  “You’re so beautiful, Twilight.”

She blushes and lowers her head bashfully.  “You really think so, don’t you?”  Still blushing, she looks back at you and continues to smile.

You nod, still smiling back at her.  “Yes.  And you know something?”

“What?”  Twilight places her hoof along your cheek.

“I’ve always thought you were beautiful and sexy, even before you did any of those things you’ve done, now that we’re together.  Especially that thing you did last time with your hind leg.”

“You mean this?”  Twilight begins running her right hind leg across your right leg, very slowly.  The feeling of her velvety fur on your bare skill feels just as wondrous as before.

Leaning in, you give Twilight a brief kiss, then pull back.  “Uh-huh.  I love how that feels,” you chuckle, “And the look you give me while you do that…it drives me wild.”

Twilight can’t help but giggle at you.  Then, she runs her hoof across your hair.  “You really are sweet…and I love it.”

You smile at Twilight as the two of you move, so you can cover both of you with the sheet and blankets.  Then together, you nestle under the covers.  Twilight uses her magic to switch off the remaining nightstand lamp, which then blankets the room in the soothing shroud of night.

Laying there, you feel your chest gently heave as you breathe, noticing Twilight’s chest heaving against yours as she breathes right beside you.  “This is more than I could have ever hoped for,” you profess, reaching out to stroke your mare’s mane, continuing to enjoy her hair’s silky texture.

Twilight nuzzles her cheek against yours and brushes her lips past your ear.  “And it’s only just beginning.”

Resting your head along your pillow, Twilight joins you and you gaze at her in the darkness.  “I know.”  Then you chuckle softly.  “I guess you’ll be dreaming with me tonight.”

“Endlessly.”  Twilight whimpers and you notice her hooves grip you tightly as she buries her muzzle in your chest.

Keeping your arms around her, you tilt your chin down.  “Twilight, are you okay?”

She starts to sniff and you feel something warm and wet drip onto your chest.  Twilight sobs a little, before composing herself.  “Sniff…I’m sorry.  I-I just can hardly believe this is finally happening. I was beginning to think it never would that…I…sniff.”

“Awww…” You hold her even closer and rest your chin along her crown, being mindful of her horn.  Her gentle sobs and broken words just melt your heart, and you feel warm tears pool into your eyes.  “Twilight…” You run your hand along her fuzzy back, and kiss her forehead, while a few tears trail down your face.  “It’s all right…I feel it too.”  Her hooves tighten around you even more as you continue consoling her.  “I’m here, honey…I’m here – and so are you.”

A few minutes pass and Twilight calms down.  She sniffs a little and pulls back form your chest, looking up at you in the dark.  “I’m sorry about that.”

You pluck a tissue from the nearby nightstand and softly use it to dab the tears around her eyes.  “You don’t have to apologize.”

Twilight reaches out to stroke your cheek, and she discovers a lingering tear on your face.  She draws back her hoof and looks at you.  Her horn illuminates, allowing her to confirm her suspicions.  “You were crying too.  Awww…you’re so caring and understanding.”  Twilight sniffs briefly.  “I didn’t mean to cry like that.  It’s just some of these feelings are taking me by surprise.  I’ve felt strongly for others in the past, but, I’ve never felt this strongly about a lover, before.”

You draw Twilight into a warm and loving hug.  “That’s all right, Twilight.  Your tears show me just how much I’ve meant to you all along.  And I have to admit; the feelings took me by surprise too.  You are an incredible mare.”

Twilight returns your hug and leans against you, nuzzling you vigorously.  “Now you see why I’m so happy.  Your tears tell me the same thing.”

You chuckle at her.  “Of course, and I’m so glad.”

The two of you snuggle under the covers and Twilight lets out an adorable yawn.  “Oh my.  I almost forgot I was tired.”

She lets out an infection giggle that gets you laughing right along side her.  Then, you yawn yourself.  “Well, come on.  Let’s get some sleep.  And remember, I’ll be by your side…all night long.”

“I will.”  Twilight shares a goodnight kiss with you.  Then she speaks your name and says, “I love you.”

You kiss her back, and respond, “I love you, Twilight.”  The two of you cuddle close and in the calm of night, you both drift carelessly off to sleep.


* * * * *


Gradually, you begin to stir.  Taking in a deep breath, your eyes open.  You smile at the sight before you – Twilight still nestled at your side, her hooves pressed gently against your chest, while she remains in your loving embrace.  Your smile grows as you hold her close and gingerly nuzzle her.

Twilight begins to awaken, adjusting briefly within your arms.  Her violet orbs open as you greet her with a loving face.  “Good morning, my angel.”

She giggles as her hooves move to encircle you.  “Mmm, I like that one.”

You snicker under your breath as you softly caress Twilight’s mane.  “It just seemed to fit, you look so radiant in the glow of the morning light.”

Twilight’s belly lets out a rumbly growl.  She blushes, giving you a sheepish look.  “I guess that wasn’t very angelic.”

You shake your head and keep smiling.  “Maybe not, but you’re still my angel.”  You briefly rub your nose to hers – sharing a pony kiss.  Twilight giggles and snuggles against you.  Taking in another deep breath, you keep your eyes on Twilight.  “So, shall we get some breakfast?”

Twilight lets out a faint yawn.  “Oh, what time is it?”  She looks over to the clock on her nightstand as the two of you sit up.  After enjoying a good stretch, Twilight turns back to you.  “It’s a little after nine, some breakfast would be nice.  Oh, but I doubt Spike’s up yet.  He really likes to sleep in on Saturdays.”

Stretching your arms, you stifle a yawn, then place an arm around Twilight.  “In that case, I could make us some breakfast.  But I’ll warn you, I’m no where as good a cook as Spike.”

Twilight playfully smacks her hoof on your chest.  “Oh come on.  You’ve cooked for me a few times in the past, and each time it was really good.  You’re just being modest.”

You look at her and grin.  “Okay, just don’t say I didn’t…warn you!”  You reach over and start tickling her belly.

Twilight breaks out into a giggle fit.  “Hey!  Stop that!”

“Stop what?” you snicker.

“Oh, that’s how you want it…okay, buster!”  Twilight tackles you and starts tickling your arms and shoulders with her hooves.  “See, two can play!”

The two of you roll around the bed laughing, until you go from tickling each other to sharing a passionate kiss.  You embrace Twilight and feel her hooves holding you back.  As your lips continue to press against hers, you caress Twilight’s silky tresses, sighing contently as you enjoy every second of kissing her.

The kiss ends and Twilight bats her eyes playfully at you.  “That was fun.”

You snicker and nod.  “It sure was.  You’re incredible, Twilight.”

She nuzzles against you and sighs happily when she feels your arms surround her again.  “Mmm, I love it when you hold me.”  Twilight sighs one more time then looks up at you.  

“I love holding you.  Heh-heh.”  You chuckle and then give her another nuzzle.  “Well, I’d better get dressed, so I can make us some breakfast.”

“Okay.”  Twilight gives you one quick peck on the lips before you both get out of bed.  Heading to your backpack, you fish out your change of clothes and get dressed.  


* * * * *


Twilight joins you as you both head into the kitchen.  Then, after checking her pantry and fridge, you decide to keep breakfast fairly simple as you gather the items to make pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Once the food is ready, you turn off the stove and load two plates.  Setting them on the kitchen table, you give Twilight a hopeful look.  “Well, here’s your breakfast.”  You grin.

Twilight closes her eyes and takes a deep whiff.  “This both smells and looks really good.”  Using her magic, she raises her fork and tries a bite of the scrambled eggs.  “Mmm, these are pretty good.  Though, I hope you won’t take this as a critique, but they could use just a little ketchup.”  Twilight levitates the ketchup bottle over and adds a little to her eggs, and proceeds to take another bite.  “Yum, that made them even better.”  Twilight giggles.  “Just like with my hay and soy burgers, I love putting a little ketchup on my eggs.”

You chuckle at Twilight, and decide to put a little ketchup on your own eggs.  “Ketchup does add a certain zing to food.  Oh, why not add some syrup to the pancakes and give them a try.”  You add, pointing to the still steaming cakes.

“All right.”  Twilight douses her pancakes with a generous coating of syrup.  Loading up her fork, she waits for the excess topping to drip off, before inviting the warm spongy morsel into her mouth.  You watch her closely as she chews and then smiles upon swallowing her first bite of pancake.  “Hey, those are pretty good too.  See, you can cook!”  Twilight smiles thoughtfully, placing a supporting hoof on your hand.

You blush a little, and first enjoy some of your eggs and then a few bites of pancake, now that they’ve soaked in a little pool of golden syrup.

While you and Twilight continue to enjoy your meal, you hear the pitter patter of dragon feet and notice Spike groan as he walks into the kitchen.

Twilight takes a sip of the milk from her mug, then greets Spike with a smile.  “There you are, Spike.”

The dragon wipes his eyes and looks at both of you.  “Oh, I see he spent the night again.”

Twilight nods.  “Yep, and since you were still asleep, he took the liberty of making breakfast.  I hope you don’t mind.”

Spike takes a sniff.  “Oh, so that’s what I smelled.”  Taking another whiff, Spike glances over at you.  “That actually smells kind of good.  What did you make?”

You point over to the stove and counter.  “I just made scrambled eggs and pancakes.  Oh, I thought you might get up, so I made some pancakes for you.  They’re on a plate under that frying pan lid.  I wanted to keep them warm, in case you’d be a while.”

Spike nods and then heads for the counter.  “Okay,” he speaks blankly, until he removes the lid.  “Huh?”  He turns his head, looking back at you.

“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind, Twilight showed me where you keep some of your little gems for cooking.  I thought you’d enjoy some gemstone pancakes.”

Twilight rubs her hoof on your hand again.  “That was very sweet of you.”

You place your other hand on her hoof and smile at Twilight.  “Just doing my part.”

“Yeah,” Twilight replies.  She leans over and gives you a pony kiss – rubbing her nose along yours, completely ignoring the fact that Spike’s in the room.

“Gross!” You hear Spike growl.  “Why don’t you two save that for the bedroom.”

Twilight looks over at the little dragon and giggles.  “Oh come on, Spike.  Would you act any differently if you were with Rarity?”

Spike tries his best not blush.  “Uhh…umm…well.” He turns to his plate of lightly steaming food.  “Say, this breakfast looks pretty yummy.  I’d better eat it before it gets cold.  Uh yeah.”

You laugh with Twilight as Spike tries to act like he’s not embarrassed.  Then, the two of you happily finish the rest of your breakfast, while Spike sits down to join you.  The three of you share some light conversation, nothing really special, just a recap of your plans for the day.  Then, Twilight lends you a hoof as you clean up the kitchen.


* * * * *


After finishing in the kitchen you and Twilight head for the library, while Spike steps out to run a few errands, and mentions something about paying Rarity a visit.

You and your mare emerge in the sea of somewhat cluttered books.  There, you stand beside Twilight and study the stacks carefully.  “So, where should we get started?”

Twilight glances up at you and chuckles.  “Oh don’t look so worried.  Aside from the two stacks we knocked over last night, I’ve got the rest of the books sorted.”

“That’s good.  Though I wasn’t really worried, just wasn’t sure where to begin.”

She smiles at you and floats a few books over to you.  “Well then, here’s a few from this pile right here.”  Twilight briefly points to the stack and then to one of the empty shelves.  “You can put those on that shelf over there.”

“Be glad to.”  You carry the books over and start loading them onto the shelf.  Returning to the pile you take a look over them.  “Are these all your books, Twilight?”

She places several onto a nearby shelf, and turns your way once it’s full.  “No, these are the library’s books that I let all the ponies in town check out.”  Twilight places a hoof to her chin and chortles.  “You know, I’ve even had ponies from other towns come to borrow books from here.”

You smile and nod, placing a few more books onto the shelf.  “Now I see why you put some much effort into making sure your library is so neatly and carefully organized.”

Twilight nods.  “Yes, that’s right…” She stops herself and looks around the room.  Your mare blushes as she starts putting tomes from another pile onto the shelf.  “Well, I try to keep it neat, most of the time.”

Putting the last of the books from your first pile onto the shelf, you study the filled shelf and nod.  “From what I’ve seen, you do a very good job.  This is just one of those organizing days.”

“That’s nice of you to say.”  Twilight giggles happily as the two of you resume filling the shelves.

As you find yourself working through the piles, you discover this task to be quite enjoyable, and it’s most likely because you’re here with Twilight.  Plus, you know that later on, things will only get better once you’re both done.  After all, you still have that little surprise for her.  You made sure to tuck it in your pocket after getting dressed this morning.


* * * * *


A few hours have passed and thanks to Twilight being so organized, you are down to your last two stacks of books.  Placing the last few tomes from your pile onto the shelf, you head over to help your mare with her final stack.  Picking up the last four volumes, you smile at Twilight.  “Here are the last of them.”

“Thank you.”  She returns your smile and places the last of the books onto the shelf.  The two of you look around and there is no longer a myriad swamp of books stacked all over the place.  The hard wood floors of the library and clear and pristine once again.  Shelves all throughout the book repository are neatly and carefully filled with the Golden Oak’s collection.

Twilight walks over to her podium and checks off the last item on the list.  “There,” she mutters.  “It’s all done.”  Twilight walks to a nearby window and lets out a rather lengthy sigh.

Walking over, you stand by her and place a loving hand on her back.  “Is something wrong, Twilight?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.  I was just thinking about the dance while we were cleaning up the books.”  She looks up at you and you can see it in her eyes, there is definitely something on her mind.

Running your hand along her back, you offer a sympathetic smile.  “Did you want to talk about it?  I know we really had a great time.”

She nods.  “Yeah, we really did.  You and I…we danced so much.”  Twilight sighs again.  “It just seems like it went by so fast, and now…now it’s over.”  You move to hold Twilight in your arms bringing her to stand on her hind legs while her hooves come to rest on your chest.  “Huh?”  She looks up at you and blinks, then she realizes you’re holding her and she smiles.

“You know something, my angel?”  You run your fingers along her furry cheek.

Twilight shakes her head,  “And what’s that?”

“I had a wonderful time dancing with you last night.  It really did end too soon.”  Twilight’s sparkling violet eyes remain on you as you stroke her hair.  

Your mare nods.  “Yeah.”  Twilight places her hooves around you and giggles as she rests her cheek on your chest.  “This is really nice, being here with you…like this.”

“Just like this morning.”

“Mm-hmm.”

You chuckle quietly, keeping your arms around Twilight.  “I’m glad I can be here for you.  Oh, and speaking of the dance – I’ve got a little something for you.”

Twilight stares at you, the excitement mounting in her eyes.  “Really?  What do you have?  Another present?”

“Something like that.”  Reluctantly, you let go of her.  Twilight stands back on all fours and watches you with gleeful eyes.  Reaching into your pocket, you remove an item that remains concealed in your hand.  “Here we are.”

Twilight shakes her head.  “I don’t get it.  What do you have there?”

“This!” You hold up your hand and unfold it, revealing a shimmery magenta jewel.  

Twilight’s face lights up with excitement as she gasps, “That’s a melody crystal!”

You nod.  “Yep.  I remembered you telling me about these a while back, when you stopped by the stationery shop.”  You walk over to a nearby table and set the crystal down.  Standing in front of Twilight, you reach down and grasp her right hoof in your hands.  “Just like you, my angel, I really enjoyed the dance last night.  I figured your library would have more than enough room for us to dance in, so I placed the second song I requested last night, right onto this crystal.”

Twilight closes her eyes, as her smile seems to grow even bigger.  “I loved that song.”

“Then, shall we dance, one more time, my dearest Twilight?”  You keep her hoof clasped gently in your hands.

She looks at you with sparkling eyes.  “Yes!”

Reaching over, you give the jewel a simple ping with a flick of your finger and think about the song stored on it.  The gem glows softly and the song’s melody begins to fill the air.

You walk Twilight to the center of the room.  She rises up on her hind legs and rests her hooves on your shoulders, while you place you hands around her, resting them along her waist.

You look each other in the eyes and share a brief kiss, then begin to sway back and forth as you gradually start an orbital path around the room.

Twilight rests her head on your shoulder as you continue to dance.  “I love this song, because it makes me think of you, honey.”

“Same here, my angel,” you speak quietly, delighted that she really seems to enjoy you calling her that.

Her head remains on your shoulder and she sighs happily, swaying with you as the song plays on.

(Pause till the rest of verse 1 ends)

The two of you remain close still dancing as the song’s interlude plays.  You reach up and run your hand along Twilight’s mane and briefly nuzzle against her cheek, hearing her contented coos flutter gingerly into your ears.

Just as the song’s second verse begins, Twilight pulls back, so you can resume gazing into each other’s eyes.  The love continues to shine in hers and you know she can see it glowing from yours.  The proof is in Twilight’s smile.

(Pause till the song ends)

The song comes to an end and the crystal’s glow fades.  You and Twilight come to a halt, but remain close while she continues to stand on her hind legs.

Twilight speaks your name and runs her hoof across your cheek.  “Thank you…so much.  That was wonderful.”

You smile and chuckle, placing a hand along her velvety cheek.  “You’re very welcome, Twilight.  I’d do anything for you, and thought you’d enjoy sharing a dance right here, in your own home.”

“You’re so sweet.”  Twilight leans up and kisses you very deeply.  Your arms fold around her, sharing her expression of your growing love.  You join her in moaning delicately, reaching up to stroke the tresses of her mane.

Your lips part and you both keep looking into each other’s eyes.  “I love you, Twilight.”

“And I love you,” Twilight professes, speaking your name very lovingly.

Catching the sight of a nearby clock, you look back to Twilight.  “What do you say we go out and grab some lunch?”

Twilight smiles and nods.  “Okay.”  She gives you a brief squeeze.  “Oh, and afterwards, we can stop by your place so you can get a change of clothes.”

“That’ll work out great.  Then, we can enjoy the rest of the weekend, together.”

“Yeah.  I wonder what all we’ll end up doing?”  Twilight places a pondering hoof to her chin.

You take hold of her hoof and smile at her.  “It doesn’t matter, just as long as I’m with you.”  

Twilight shares your affectionate smile as she returns to all fours.  You walk over and recover the melody crystal, slipping it back into your pocket.  Then, the two of you head to the front door, and after donning your winter coats, you both depart the library heading out into Ponyville, looking forward to whatever the weekend may hold.
	
> Chapter 4 - "A Gift from Twilight"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The cold winter air nips at you and your mare, making Twilight move closer to you as you both continue walking through Ponyville.  Placing your arm around her, you pull her even closer.  “Winter is certainly not going to let us forget that it’s still here.” You chuckle, smiling over at Twilight.

She looks up at you and giggles.  “No, it certainly won’t.  That breeze certainly isn’t helping either.”  Twilight looks around, just as another gust of wind washes over both of you.  The unicorn huddles closer to you, shivering.  “Where did you want to have lunch?  Someplace close I hope.” She gives you pleading eyes.

You chuckle, knowing you could never resist such a look from her eyes, but thankfully you have the perfect idea.  “Yes, sweetie, I know just the place and it’s not far either.”

A happy grin forms on Twilight’s face.  “Really?  Where?”

You pull her closer, while the two of you stroll along.  “What would you say to lunch at Hay Burger?”

“Yay!” Twilight all but squeals, then she leans her head near your chest.  “I haven’t eaten there in a while.  Oh, but I didn’t know you like Hay Burger.”

You softly pat her shoulder.  “Are you kidding?  They make a mean soy burger.  The way they grill them, it’s hard not to know they aren’t like hamburgers from my world.  In fact their one soy burger reminds me of the ones my old high school cafeteria used to serve.  They claimed they were made of beef, but I think they were just meat flavored, still, I ate more of their double cheese burgers than I care to admit.”  You break out into sheepish snickers, making Twilight smile all the more.

“Well, that’s good to hear.”

Keeping your gaze on your mare, you go on.  “And let’s not forget the fries.  I’m not too big on hay fries, but the potato fries are delicious, as well as the horseshoe cut ones.  I’m so glad you ponies like potatoes.”

“I know a lot of ponies enjoy them.  And I’m happy to say, I love potatoes.” Twilight joins you chuckling as you make your way across the road, staying close.

You grin victoriously as you spy Hay Burger not far away.  “Hey, there it is!”  You point and share a nuzzle with Twilight.

“Mmm, I love nuzzling with you.”  Then above the sound of the breeze, you both hear your stomachs grumble.

Sharing a laugh, you and Twilight continue toward the restaurant.  “Now, feel free to get whatever you’d like.  It’s my treat.”

“Well, I’d like some heat, that’s for sure.  Oh, but, you paid last time we went out and the few times we had dinner when we were just friends.  Don’t you want me to pay?” Twilight looks at you, with the most adorable and sincerest of eyes.

You cup your hand under her velvety chin and smile at her.  “No.  You’ve given me something worth more than any money, Twilight.  I’m happy to treat you to lunch, for just being you – my mare.”

Twilight’s eyes begin to sparkle as she gives you a smile and a great big hug.  “I love you.”  She happily declares, saying your name.

You return her hug, ignoring the nip of the frigid wind.  “I love you, Twilight.”  Pulling back, you gaze into her eyes, still all smiles.  “Come on, let’s get out of the cold and grab some food.”

“Mm-hmm.”  Twilight nods, as the two of you make your way into Hay Burger.

Inside, you notice the line to order isn’t overly long.  There are only two ponies ahead of you.  That gives you the perfect amount of time for you both to decide what you want.

Keeping Twilight close, you glance over at her and pat her side.  “So, what are you thinking of ordering?”

Twilight places a hoof to her chin.  “Hmmm…I think.”  She pauses to study the colorful menu, which always reminds you of the burger joints back on Earth.  “Even though I don’t come here too often, just about everything is really yummy and you were talking about soy burgers.  So, I think I'll have a double cheese soy burger with a…” Twilight listens to her tummy growl.  “Large order of potato fries, and this may sound crazy, but even though it’s cold outside, I’d really enjoy a medium chocolate shake.”  She grins over at you, giggling quietly.

Nodding, you smile and partially close your eyes.  “Mmm, sounds good.  I think I’ll have the exact same thing.”  You chuckle, while tenderly patting her side again, almost wishing she didn’t have to wear a heavy winter coat, so you could stroke her soft fur instead.

The last pony in front of you moves to await their order, allowing you and Twilight to step up to the cashier.  He’s a young tan stallion, blonde hair sticking out from under his uniform hat, and cheerful green eyes looking at you from behind a simple pair of glasses.  He greets you and your mare with a welcoming smile.  “Hello, what can I get for you two today?”

You return the counter attendant’s smile and make eye contact with him.  “Yes, I’d like two double cheese soy burgers, two large potato fries and two medium chocolate shakes.”

The cashier punches the order into his cash register, then glancing back at you he responds, “Now let me just make sure I got this right.  You wanted two double cheese soy burgers, two large potato fries and two medium chocolate milkshakes, is that correct?”

You nod twice.  “Yes, that’s correct.”  Twilight nods too, smiling happily.

“All right.”  The cashier presses a few more keys, then smiles again.  “That’ll be 18 bits please.”

Reaching into your coin pouch, you gather coins totaling 18 bits.  You hand him the money and he takes it in his right hoof.  “Thank you.”  He clicks a few more keys and prints your receipt.  “You’re order 123, and your food should be up shortly,” he announces handing you your slip.

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, have a good day.”

Twilight stays close to you as you both step over to the far side of the counter and wait for your order.  Even though there’s a little wait, standing here with Twilight doesn’t bother you, unlike waiting for food alone in the past normally would.  Having her by your side just seems to make the world a much brighter place.

Twilight leans her head against you, staring up with those adorable violet jewels of hers.  “Something on your mind, you look lost in thought.”

You glance back at her, still smiling.  “No, not really.  Just thinking about how wonderful it’s been spending time with you.”

“Awww, that’s sweet of you.  I’ve really been enjoying spending time with you as well.”  Twilight casts out a quiet sigh and joins you looking forward, just as one of the order preparers sets down your tray.

“Order 123,” the mare calls to you.

“That’s us,” you reply.  She slides the tray your way and you securely grip it in your hands.  “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, have a good one.”  

“You too.  Come on, Twilight, let’s go find a table.”

Twilight follows you away from the counter and taps your side with her hoof.  “Wait, we don’t want to forget condiments and straws.”

“Not to mention some napkins.” You chime in.

Twilight chuckles and nods.  “Uh-huh.”

Grabbing a few small cups, you turn to her.  “You said at breakfast you like ketchup on your burgers, how about your fries?”

“Yep, them too.  What about you?” She asks with a cute giggle.

“Same here.  Let me just fill some of these.”  You pump some ketchup into a couple of the small condiment cups, while she fetches some straws and napkins.  Once the items are placed neatly on the tray, the two of you head over in search of a table.

Twilight points a hoof to a table in a quiet corner of the restaurant.  “What about that table?”

You nod.  “That’ll do nicely.”

Making your way over to the table, you set the tray down.  Then, being a gentleman, you pull out one of the simple wooden bucket stools for Twilight.  “Here you go, honey.”

Twilight can’t help but blush as she happily sits down, before you gently push her a little closer to the table.  “Thank you.”

You take a seat across from her.  “Anytime.”  Twilight smiles as the two of you begin divvying up the food.  She pushes one of the boxed burgers over to your side of the tray while you slide one of the large containers of fries over to her.

Taking one of the straws, you peel back and remove the paper, offering it to your mare.  She smiles sweetly and takes it in the gentle grip of her hoof, before placing it into her shake.  “Thanks.”

You nod, doing the same to your drink.  Taking a sip, the cold and chocolatey beverage is more than to your liking.  Then, you crunch on a few fries.  “Mmm, they got the salt on these just right.”  

Twilight nods in agreement, munching on some of her own.  “Yeah, they did a great job.  I hope the burger is equally good.”

“Yeah.  Like you, it’s been a while since I was last here, but I remember always enjoying myself whenever I ate at Hay Burger.”

“Same here.”  Twilight stops for a moment to look over at you, blinking her eyes at you.  “And you know, I think I’m going to enjoy it even more this time.”

You snicker, breaking out into another smile.  “You know something, I think you’re right.”  Feeling just a little awkward and not to mention knowing you’re both in public, you quickly eye up your sandwich.  “Say, we ought to try these burgers.”

“Okay.” Twilight giggles, still smiling at you.

Opening your burger box, you notice the nicely made sesame seed bun holding your sandwich.  The melted cheese is hugging the dual patties, adding to its overall appeal.  Clasping the burger up in your hands, you hope the flavor is as good as last time. 

You take a small bite and your eyes immediately widen, not only does the burger and cheese still have the same great taste, but there’s a nice coating of ketchup and the right hint of mustard on the burger adding the perfect zing and pizzazz to an already yummy sandwich.

After chewing the first bite, you swallow and look over as Twilight finishes her first bite.  “Mmm, that’s just as delicious as I remember.”  She looks over at you, excitement in her eyes.  “So tell me, how is yours, do you like it?”

You nod, taking another bite. “Mm-hmm,” you mumble with your mouth full.  Swallowing, you give Twilight an equally jubilant look.  “Just as tasty as ever.  I’m glad we came here.”

“Me too.”  Twilight takes a sip from her drink and joins you as the two of you continue consuming your lunch.

Dipping some of your fries in one of the ketchup cups, you pop them into your mouth, enjoying the savory oral sensation that follows – a sweet and tart zing with that delightfully flowing and salty potato flavor.  You glance over at Twilight just as she dips her burger into some ketchup, before she takes a sizable bite.  Setting her sandwich down, she smiles over at you.  You chuckle at her, noticing a blob of ketchup on her left cheek.

Grabbing one of the napkins, you reach over.  “Uh, Twilight, you got a little ketchup on your face.  Here.”  You gently wipe the sauce from her cheek and smile at her.

Twilight gives you a slightly bashful look, as her cheeks turn momentarily flush.  “Thank you.  Sometimes I just can’t eat without making a little mess.”  She giggles, and breaks out into a smile as she sees the loving expression in you eyes.

You share a warm chuckle with her.  “I have the same problem.”

Placing a hoof over her mouth, Twilight giggles.  “I can see that.  You’ve got some ketchup on your chin.”

“What?”  Patting your chin, you feel a little something squish against your fingers.  Before you can grab another napkin, you notice one sweep along your face.

“There,” Twilight announces.  “Seems we both are a little messy today.”

“Yeah.  Some foods, like these, just seem to be that way.” You grin.

As your belly begins to fill, you find your are less interested in your meal, and became more focused on Twilight.  You sit there gazing over at her.  She looks back, and smiles your way.  “Lost in thought about us, again?”

You nod.  “More or less.  Just still really happy that we’ve become a couple.  I know we’ve only between together for about three days, but it feels like so many wonderful things have happened already.”

Twilight reaches over and places her right hoof on your left hand.  “That’s because…so many wonderful things have happened.  And don’t forget, we were falling for each other for a long time, so it’s no wonder things feel…”

“So right?”

She nods, her smile growing, as her cheeks become rosy.  “Yeah.”

“I really need to thank the princess for bringing me here to live.  Say, that reminds me, Twilight.”  You move your other hand to softly pat her hoof.

Her eyes narrow thoughtfully.  “Yes?”

“Does Celestia know about us?  Did you tell her?”  You stare at Twilight with eyes full of wonder.

Twilight shakes her head.  “No, not yet.  To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to write to Princess Celestia and tell her.”

“Do you think she’ll be okay with her star pupil dating a human?”  You ask, some slight trepidation in your voice.

Your mare moves her hoof to softly caress your hand.  “Don’t worry.  She’s a really wonderful and understanding pony.  Besides, I’ve mentioned other human – pony couples in my letters to her.  She’s seemed really happy about them, and even told me of those she’s seen in Canterlot.  While the nobles don’t seem to approve, Celestia certainly does.”

You cast out a relived sigh.  “That’s good then.  When I first met her and she offered to bring me here, I thought she was an incredible individual, unlike anyone I’d ever met.”

Twilight giggles, taking in a deep breath.  “You know, that’s how I felt when I first met her.”  She pulls back her hoof.  “Well, we should finish eating, then we can stop by your place, so you can get some extra clothing.”

“Yeah.”  Taking another sip of your shake, you both resume eating the rest of your food.  After finishing up, the two of you discard your trash and return your tray, before departing Hay Burger.

The bracing cold greets you both again as you venture back out into Ponyville.  “Now, I know why we didn’t take off our coats inside Hay Burger.”  Twilight grunts.  “It’s really cold today.”

“I know.  Stay close.  It’s not too far to my house.”  Twilight moves closer to you and you pull her against your side.

“Brrr.”  Twilight shivers and leans a little harder against you.  “I’m glad your place isn’t far.”


* * * * * *


You open the door to your simple home.  It may not be a big three-story house or a mansion, but it’s got everything you need on one floor, and has been a reliable dwelling since shortly after your arrival in Equestria, almost three years ago.

Twilight enters with you following closely behind her, shutting the door, which keeps the harsh cold outside.  Throwing back the hood of your coat, you let out a deep breath.  “Whoa, I can’t believe we have to go back out into that.”

Twilight stands close beside you, still lightly shivering.  “Brrr…t-tell me about it.”

Unzipping your coat, you hang in on the nearby coat rack.  “Well, there’s no real need to hurry right back out there.  We can at least warm up in here before rushing back outside.”

Twilight nods, and cheers gleefully.  “Yay!”  She unzips and removes her coat, using her magic to join it beside yours.  She expects to feel chilly, but after closing her eyes, bracing for more chills, she notices it’s fairly warm inside.  “Huh?  It’s not cold in here.”

You shake your head.  “Nope.  Even though I haven’t been home that much, I keep the furnace on, I just cut it back so it’s not running constantly.  This way I don’t come home to an icebox.” A snicker slips past your lips as you walk past the thermostat.  “Let me just bump this up a little.”

Twilight walks up to you and brushes against you.  “I’m still feeling a little cold.”

You place an arm along her barrel, rubbing her gently.  “You do feel a bit chilled.  Did you want me to make some hot chocolate…or, I know.  Why not take a load off and relax for a bit.”  Twilight hangs her head, seeming a bit dejected.  You chuckle and pat her head.  “You know, we could sit together.  I’m sure I could help warm you up.”

Twilight’s eyes beam with joy as she bumps against you.  “That’d be wonderful.”

“Well then, where did you want to sit?”  You ask her, looking around your living room.

“Hmmm, we could sit on the sofa…or, I know.  How about your recliner?” Twilight turns, giving you another of her adorable looks, her cheery eyes gazing right into your own.

“Of course.  That sounds wonderful, just let me have a seat and get situated, then you can join me.”

“Sure.”

You take a seat in your trusty reclining chair, taking a moment let your head rest along its plush and welcoming back.  You sigh, knowing that only one thing is missing – your mare.  “All right, Twilight, join me.”

“Uh-huh.”  Twilight trots over, facing you as she gingerly sits on your lap and partially drapes herself across you.

You place your left arm around her and give her a loving look.  “Want to recline?”

Her lavender cheeks turn red.  “Yes.”  Twilight giggles as she watches you tug on the reclining lever.  The chair tips back slightly as the front swings up with a metallic click, raising both your legs and her hind legs.  In an instant, you both sort of fall back, Twilight now laying partially on top of you.  Her mane flutters, coming to rest along her shoulders.  “Whoa, that gave me a slight start.”

You chuckle, keeping your left arm around her back.  “It’ll do that to you sometimes.  I know it’s happened to me already.”

Twilight giggles, finding your explanation humorous.  Then, she realizes you’re nicely reclined and that she’s laying against you.  She squirms slightly, getting comfortable.  Her ginger movements feel relaxing as you place your other arm around her, holding her tight.  “This is heaven,” you sigh contently.

She nuzzles her cheek against yours.  “It sure is…and you’re really warm.”  Twilight sighs, while draping her hooves across your shoulders and partially ensnares you in her loving grasp.  “I could just stay like this…with you.”

“Twilight,” you whisper, giving her a tender squeeze.  Softly, you cradle her in your arms lightly swaying back and forth in your comfy chair.

She moves back a little and gazes deep into your eyes.  Returning her loving stare, you look back into her violet eyes, noticing her mouth hanging partially open as her warm exhaled breath falls gently along your face.  Your own mouth drops open, allowing your breath to sweep across her beautiful muzzle.  She quietly speaks your name, moving her waiting lips closer to yours.

You secure your arms around her, and move to meet her in a passionate kiss.  Twilight sighs and shares a few joyous moans with you.  Her body trembles as you begin caressing her beautiful and silky mane, combing your fingers softly through her heavenly dark sapphire locks near the streaks of purple and rose, while your lips wrestle amorously with hers.

Feeling your passions burn brighter, you open your mouth, only to find Twilight has already done the same, her tongue quickly meeting yours, deepening your oral bond.  The pleasure rippling across your bodies makes you both let out a series of soothing and partially muffled moans.

She enjoys the kiss with you for just a little longer, before your mouths part.  You pant softly, gazing up at her welcoming face.  Then, as she pulls back just a little more, you discover that your kiss hasn’t completely ended yet.  A single string of saliva continues to bond you together, until it finally falls.  Twilight takes in a quick breath, before smiling at you.

You smile back, running your hand along her velvety cheek.  “That was.”  You pause to kiss her cheek.  “Delightful.”

“It was…and I just became lost in the moment and now that we’re together, it felt so right.”  Twilight sweeps her hoof lovingly along your cheek, while her eyes remain fixed on you.

“I know…I’m so glad you did.”  You return your fingers to her mane, softly stroking her tresses.

Twilight rests her head on your chest, and quietly sighs.  She holds you tighter in her hooves, and coos softly as you squeeze her lovingly in your arms.

She sighs again, just before you kiss her forehead, minding her horn and still caressing her mane.  Twilight lets out a little yawn.  “Mmm, I could almost go to sleep.  Your breathing is very relaxing, and I just feel so comfortable laying here with you.”

“Yeah, your heartbeat…” You nuzzle against her cheek.  “Is so soothing, it almost seems like a dream…having you here with me…in my home.”

Twilight perks up a little, smiling as she looks at you.  “I feel the same way.”

You smile, still playing with her hair.  “Well, I should pack those clothes.  Unless you want to fall asleep here.”

She shakes her head.  “You’re right, we should get up.  Besides, I’ve never really gotten to see that much of your place.”

The two of you sit up, while you un-recline your chair.  “But you’ve been here a few times before.”

Twilight nods.  “Yeah, but most of the time I was at the front door or standing just inside your living room.  I’ve never seen the rest of your house.”

Placing a hand to your chin, you realize she’s right.  “Gee, now that you mention it, you haven’t seen that much of the place.  Well, want to see my room while I pack?”

Twilight closes her eyes and nods.  “Of course.”  Her gleeful words make you feel half-giddy as she reluctantly moves off of you and you stand with her.

You lead Twilight back the hallway and to your bedroom door.  “Here’s my room.”  You slowly open the door, allowing your mare to see the place you sleep.  Thankfully, you don’t live like a slob, so your room isn’t a disaster area.

Twilight follows you inside and walks past you giving the place a thorough inspection.  “Your room looks really nice.  It’s in good shape, clean, even the bed’s made.”  She giggles, and then trots over to you.  “I always suspected you were an organized individual.”

You chuckle a little sheepishly.  “Well, I certainly try to keep things nice, but that doesn’t always work out.”

“It happens to the best of us.  You saw how messy the library was this morning.”

You nod, while sharing a few laughs with Twilight.  “You’re right.”  Grabbing a spare bag, you go to the dresser and begin gathering some clothes.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Twilight run her hoof along your neatly made bed.  “So this is where you sleep, alone, I’m guessing.”

“Pretty much.”  You call over packing some extra socks and a T-shirt. 

“You know…” Twilight gives you a long stare.  “We’ve slept in my bed, one of these days we should give your bed a try.  Don’t you think?”  She gives you a flirty look with half-lidded eyes.

A rush of warmth runs up your back as you place some underwear in your bag.  “Yeah, that’d be really great.”  Pausing for a moment, you give the very idea of sharing your bed with Twilight some thought.  You feel somewhat airy as you set the bag on the floor.

Twilight giggles.  “I’m glad I’m not the only one that likes the idea.”

“Yeah…” Shaking your head, you stop daydreaming and pick up your bag, heading over to your closet.  Sliding open the door, you decide on which pair of pants and long sleeve shirt you want to take.

“Oh, hey, I almost forgot something.”  Twilight calls to you.

“And what’s that?” You grab a pair of pants and a long sleeve shirt, adding them to your bag.  Walking over to Twilight, you set your clothes on the bed.

“I know Hearts and Hooves Day is over, but, like you did today, I remembered I have a present for you.”  Twilight lowers her head, blushing a little.

“A present for me?” You blink at her with intrigued eyes.

“It’s nothing special, just something I made a while back, and I’d like you to have it.  Hopefully it’ll be something you’ll enjoy.”  Twilight rubs her right hoof anxiously over her left foreleg.

You bring Twilight up into a standing embrace with you.  She tilts her head and smiles at you.  Stroking her mane you share her smile.  “Twilight, if it’s from you, I’m sure I’ll like it, whatever it may be.”

Twilight sighs, leaning her head along the hand fondling her hair.  “I can hardly wait to get back and see what you think.”

“Same here.  You’ve got me curious.  Well, I’m all packed.  So, why don’t we head out?”

“Mm-hmm.”

You both depart the bedroom and head for the front door.  Stopping by the thermostat, you adjust the setting.  “There, I didn’t want to forget to put this back to the “away” temperature.”  

Twilight grabs her coat and pulls it on.  “Yeah.”  She exhales heavily.  “Well, back out into that cold wind.”

After putting on your coat, you zip up and stand beside your mare.  You place your hand on her back and pat her affectionately.  “Don’t worry.  This will be our last trip out into the cold.  Just stay close, Twilight.”

She bumps against you, nuzzling you and giggling.  “All right, I’ll stay very close to you.”  Twilight speaks your name and smiles, and makes sure her coat is also zipped.  Then, the two of you leave your house and return to the windy and frigid air of Ponyville.


* * * * * *


After making your way back, you and Twilight enter her warm home.  Quickly, you shut the door, banishing the winter air back outside where it belongs.  You join her in casting out a relieved sign, now that you’re both out of the cold.  Removing your coats, you each take a moment to hang them on the hooks.

A slight groan flees your mouth as you enjoy a good stretch.  “There, honey.  We’re back at your place, with my change of clothing.”

Twilight stands close to you, shivering just a little.  “Yeah, I-I’m glad we can stay in where it’s warm, now.”

You place your arm around her and hold her close.  “Hmm…are you cold, Twilight?”

She paws you softly with her right hoof and leans closer to you.  “A little.  Would you warm me up?  Please?”

You chuckle at her adorably spoken words.  “Of course, my Twily.”

Twilight giggles at you.  “Did you just call me?”

“Yeah, I did.” You nod at her and run your hand along her barrel.  “Is that okay?”

“Uh-huh.”  Twilight smiles.  “There were times when my brother used to call me that, and it would really get on my nerves.  But, I really liked the way you used it.”  She giggles again.

“Well, come on, let’s go into the study and have a seat on the couch.”

Your mare smiles and nods.  “Okay.”

You set the bag with your change of clothing behind the couch and promptly have a seat on its soft cushions.  Twilight joins you and nuzzles up against you.  Wrapping your arms around her, you hold her tenderly, resting your chin on her crown, her horn lightly brushing against your cheek.

Twilight sighs as you caress the side of her neck, near her ruff.  You give her a loving squeeze, continuing to keep her close.  “That should help you warm up.”

Your mare chuckles, squirming lightly within your arms.  “Ahh, yeah.  You’re just as warm as you were at your place.”

You coo under your breath, still lightly stroking her lavender fur.  “I’m glad.  Of course, I could always put some fresh wood in your fireplace and start a fire.  I mean, I know you have a furnace, but, wouldn’t it be nice to sit in front of a crackling fire, together?”

Twilight runs her right hoof along your chest and nuzzles against your cheek.  “Yeah…that would be nice.  But, I almost forgot.  I still need to get you your present.”

Keeping your arms around her, you continue cuddling with your mare.  “Oh yeah, but it can wait.”

She groans lightly.  “Aww, come on.  It won’t take long.  Besides, you can put your spare clothing up in my loft while I get your gift.”  Twilight runs her hoof under your chin in a rather sensual manner.  “We can always come back down here.  Then you can light the fireplace.”  She giggles, which makes your heart melt.

Giving her one more squeeze, you let Twilight go.  “All right.  And I must admit, I’m still curious about this present you have for me.”

Twilight pulls away and rises to her hooves, a little shaky at first.  “Wow, I think I let myself relax a little too much there.”

You chuckle, rising to your feet.  “Aww come on.  I can’t be that soothing to cuddle with.  Can I?”  You glance at her curiously.

“Mmm…” Twilight sighs quietly, as she sweeps against you.  “Don’t sell yourself short.  Now, come on.”

You nod as you grab your bag, then proceed to follow her up the stairs.

Arriving in her study, just below her loft, you notice the place is deserted.  “Huh, I guess Spike’s not here.”

Twilight looks back at you.  “Sure looks that way.”  She walks over to her desk.  “Oh, looks like he left a note.”  Twilight reads over it then walks over to you.  “Looks like he went to run some errands and took Owlowiscious with him.”

You walk over to the loft’s stairs and pause with your foot resting on the first step.  “Well, I guess that means we have the place to ourselves again.”  Looking Twilight’s way, you beam her a cheery smile.

She shares your smile and accompanies you as you both ascend the steps.  “Yeah, now let me just think, where did I leave that.”

Reaching her loft, you walk over to your backpack and set your extra clothing at the base of the chair its resting on.  “Where did you leave what?”

“Your present, silly.”  Twilight walks over to her closet and begins some light rummaging.  “Aha, here it is.”  A gleeful tone clings to her words as she reaches for the item she sought, using to your surprise, her hooves, rather than her magic.

You blink a bit, still possessed with wonderment as you finally see her present the item.  

“Here it is,” Twilight announces.  “Tell me what you think.”

She presents you with a heart-shaped throw pillow.  It appears to be made with a beautiful red crushed velvet, is outlined with a boarder of gold and pink lace and has the words “I Love You” embroidered in white around the center.”

At first, you aren’t sure what to think as your gaze meets Twilight’s.  “Twilight, I…”

“Do you like it?” She smiles, before continuing, “I know it’s nothing special.  I made it about a year after I started living in Ponyville.  I saw other couples enjoying each other’s company around Hearts and Hooves Day, and wanted to work on my sewing, and…” Her words drop off and she sighs.  “No, that’s not the real reason.  You can see my sewing needs help.  The “I” from “I Love You” is really off center.  I just made it, and foolishly hoped that someday I could give it to my own special somepony as a token of my affections.  Silly, huh?”  

Twilight offers the pillow to you.  Clasping it gently in your hands, you can feel the soft texture of the crushed velvet.  You take a closer look at the fairly large throw pillow, and can see how the “I” is indeed off center, but knowing that she sewed it, somehow makes you begin to smile as a warm sensation begins pouring from your heart.

You give the pillow a brief hug.

Twilight is still standing and lightly stammering, it sounds like she’s afraid you aren’t happy with her present.  

Walking closer to her, you pat her shoulder, all smiles.  “Twilight.”  You wrap your arms around her and pull her close.  “I love it.”

“You do?”

“Of course, I do.  Not only is it a gift from you, but it’s something you made yourself.  That makes it a treasure.”

Twilight looks up at you, her eyes becoming glassy.  “You’re not just saying that?”

You feel your own eyes glaze over with tears and shake your head.  “Never.  I have something I can keep at home, that will always make me think of you, during the times we’ll have to be apart.”

Twilight speaks your name and hugs you back.  “I’m so glad you like it.  I love you.”

“I know, Twily.  I love you, too.”  You hold her close, and kiss the top of her head.  She coos softly and cuddles close to you.

Your hug ends, and you walk over to your backpack.  “I’m going to keep this with my things, so I won’t forget to take this with me.”

Twilight smiles.  “Good, I’m still glad you’re happy with it.  Say, did you want to go downstairs and sit by the fireplace?”

You nod.  “Yeah.”  After setting the pillow with your things, you walk over to Twilight, placing your arm on her back. 

She stays close to you as you descend the steps down to the study.  “Say, have you gotten a chance to read the new “Daring Do” book?”

“No, I haven’t.  Wait, are you saying you have it already?”

Twilight giggles.  “Yep.  I couldn’t help but notice you paying close attention when we put away my “Daring Do” collection this morning.”

You chuckle sheepishly.  “What can I say, the series is truly awesome.  Heh, heh, heh, I almost sound like Rainbow Dash.”

She nods as you start down the stairs leading to the library.  “Yeah, I know Rainbow Dash would be happy to hear you say that about the series.”

“Wait, didn’t you ask me if I’d be interested in letting you read to me sometime?” You turn to Twilight, smiling.

“I did.  I don’t seem to recall your answer.”

“Well, it’s “yes”.” You grin, patting her furry back.

“How about this.  I’ll get the new Daring do book, while you get the fire going, then, we can sit close and I’ll read to you.”

You close your eyes briefly.  “Sounds great.”

Arriving in the library, you enter the living room and locate the neat stack of timber resting a safe distance from the fireplace.  Examining the hearth, you notice it’s empty and in well-kept order.  You can see why Twilight values Spike and how he’s earned the title “Number 1 Assistant.”  

Grabbing a few small logs, you place them into the hearth.  Not quite satisfied with the quantity, you grab two more pieces and some kindling.  Now pleased with the stock of wood, you take one of the nearby matches and strike it.  A small pop meets your ears as a flame ignites on the end of the match.  Holding it against the kindling, you watch as the wood catches flame and spreads to the large pieces of timber.

In almost no time, a warm fire begins crackling from with the fireplace.  Turning back, you notice Twilight enter the room, humming happily as she carries the book within the raspberry glow of her magic.  “The fire’s good to go.”

“Great.  I have the book.”

You stand up and walk over to Twilight.  “Let’s see what we have here.” You grin.

Twilight floats the book in front of you.  Taking it from her magic’s grasp, you look at the cover.  The image immediately instills a rush of excitement within you.  “Whoa, that title  - “Daring Do and the Secret of Volcanic Valley”.  Wow, that must be the Valley on the cover.  But I always thought volcanoes are found in high places.  Well, I guess if they can exist underwater, a valley isn’t that farfetched.”

Twilight nods.  “Yep.  And I’m sure you’ll note the impressive shot of Daring Do swinging on a rope, trying to dodge flaming rocks.”

“Yeah, I wonder what she’ll run into in this one and if there’s going to be a new villain.”

Your mare giggles, most likely delighted by your excitement.  “Well, why don’t I start reading.  Of course, we might not make it through the entire book tonight.”

“That’s okay.  These books are also fun to savor…even though they always leave you wanting to read the next page, two pages before you get there.” You grin again, handing the book back to Twilight.

She ensnares it in her magic and sits close to you in front of the fire’s warming glow.

Seeing the look in your eyes, Twilight waits to open the book.  You lean over, giving her a hug and press your lips to hers.  She lets her eyes drift shut as you both take a moment to enjoy the expression of your still growing love.

You pull back after the kiss ends, very eager to enjoy this new story.  “Whenever you’re ready.”

Twilight nods as she opens the book and flips to the story’s prologue.  “Okay.  Prologue – “The Museum” Daring Do crept silently through the deserted halls of the famous Maretropolitan Museum.  She knew word of the legendary Fire Ruby would draw in thieves to this popular Manehatten tourist attraction.  She wasn’t sure what they’d do with it, but given the gem’s colorful history, Daring knew someone was bound to want the jewel.  It was her hopes to find out why, that is, if she could catch the culprits, before they could attempt to flee.”

You sit there and feel almost like a little kid.  Eagerly hanging on every word Twilight speaks.  So far, this promises to be the best “Daring Do” book yet.


* * * * * *  


A little over three hours have passed.  Twilight would stop her reading every now and then, to drink some water and give her voice a little rest, or to share your foreshadowing thoughts.  However, like you, she remains just as eager to continue reading the new “Daring Do” novel.  From the build up in the story, you can tell chapter 4 is nearing its end, and as much as you’d like Twilight to keep reading, you figure a break won’t hurt, once she’s finished the chapter of course.

You continue to hang on your mare’s every word, watching with silent awe.

Twilight pauses to flip the page and clears her throat.  “The fire continued to rage throughout the warehouse.  Daring narrowly managed to leap from a pile of burning crates and slip out one of the exits, just before the roof finally gave way.  Smoldering and flaming debris burst from the doorway.  Daring spread her wings and made a quick takeoff, endeavoring to flee the immolated structure.

She landed several feet from the warehouse as the sounds of cracking brick and breaking glass filled the air.  Daring glanced up and saw the building was on the verge of collapse.  It was a good thing she made it out in time.

A rush of pain from her left thigh made her wince.  “Ah, darn.  I was careless.”  She reached back her left forehoof and rubbed it just below her cutie mark.  The pegasus shuddered as she drew back a hoof thinly coated with her own blood.  “This is all I need,” Daring groused.  There was no time for her to see to her wound, at least not yet.  The building was still crumbling and she needed to see if she could catch sight of the culprits that hit the museum.  There was no way she was just going to let them get away, not again.”

Twilight paused to catch her breath.  “End of the chapter.”

“Aww man, just when it was really starting to get good,” you groan, before chuckling.  “Oh well.”  You shift your gaze to the clock and notice the time.  “Maybe we should take a break.  The book’s not going anywhere.  Besides, it’s getting close to dinnertime.”

Twilight nods, closing the book.  “You’re right.  So, what did you want to do about dinner?”  She gives you a hesitant look.  “You don’t want to go out somewhere do you?”

You chuckle at her expression, then respond, “You mean out into that cold again, with night falling?”  Twilight nods uneasily.  “Of course not.  I’d rather stay in where it’s warm.  Not sure what we should make though.”

“I’m sure we’ll think of something.”  Twilight smiles as she sets the book on a nearby end table.

“You’re right.  And it’s not quite dinnertime.  Care to cuddle in front of the fire for a little?”

Her face lights up.  Closing her eyes, Twilight nods, sliding right next to you.  “I’d love to.”  She ensnares you in her loving hooves.  “Mmm, you’re still so warm.”

She giggles, leaving you giddy as a smile curls up on your lips.  You place your arms around her and pull her close, rubbing your cheek along her silky mane.  “Ohh…Twilight.”

Your mare sighs, while you both sit there, listening to the soothing crackle of the fire. Twilight softly kisses your lips, then begins nuzzling along your cheek and shoulder, shifting lightly within your embrace.

The warmth of the fire and that of Twilight makes you sigh.  You’d dare say this is your idea of heaven.  Part of it still almost feels like a dream – being with the mare you’ve loved for so long, is just beyond wonderful.  You kiss her head, and know this is no dream, adding even more joy to your savoring.

No longer caring about dinner, you and Twilight continue sitting there, cuddling before the fire, and hoping the moment will never end.


* * * * * *


Even though you and Twilight made the most of your time together, the weekend has reached its inevitable end.  It’s Sunday night, and much to your chagrin, you need to head home, seeing as Monday begins another workweek for you.

You have all your belongings packed in your backpack and the bag you put your spare clothing in.  Twilight is standing beside you at the front door, a half weepy look in her eyes.  She speaks your name and says, “Do you have to leave already?”

After hearing her less than jubilant words you all but chuckle at Twilight.  In the past, you’d never dream she’d say something like that.  You smile brightly at her, naturally you feel an aching in your heart.  Leaving her isn’t something you want to do, but practicality dictates otherwise.

You set your bag down, freeing your hands, still beaming her a smile.  “Believe me, Twilight, I don’t want to leave, but my work clothes are at home and it’ll make more sense if I leave to work from home.  Not that the slightly further walk form here would be a problem.”  You do your best to give her an encouraging look.

Twilight steps closer to you and places her hoof along your chest.  “Well, what if I were to come with you to your place.  Would that be okay?”

Her violet eyes sparkle with intense sincerity.  You barely have the heart to tell her ‘no’, but you know if she came back with you, you’d never want to leave your house in the morning.  You kneel down, cupping your hand under her chin, and cast out a heavy sigh.  “I’d love to say, “Yes,” to you, but if you came back with me, it’d probably be too great of a distraction.  And, don’t you have some things the princess wanted you to work on this week?  We each have our jobs to do.”

Twilight hangs her head.  “Oh, you’re right.”

You stroke her mane gingerly.  “Come on now.  I’m not leaving forever.  I’ll drop by once I get home from work.  I’ll change at my place and then come over to see you.  I love you, Twilight.  I’m not going to miss spending time with you.”

“Oh…” she cries your name and throws her hooves around you.  “I’m sorry, I’ve just enjoyed having you around.  I guess I got carried away.  I'm still a little new to this in some ways.”

You run your hand along the lavender fur of her velvety back.  “Think nothing of it.  Besides, you aren’t alone.  I’ll be giving that throw pillow a hug, before I go to sleep.”

Twilight giggles.  “I’m still really glad you like it.”

“Why wouldn’t I enjoy a gift from you?”  You chuckle at your rhetorical question.

She pulls back, still in your arms.  Twilight’s cheeks become rosy.  “Well, I guess this is good-bye, for now.”

“Yes, only for now.  And…” You lean in close to kiss her.

Twilight secures her hooves around you and presses her lips back against yours, a soft moan muffling its way past her gentle lips.  You grasp her tenderly and securely, then begin stroking her mane as you prepare to deepen the kiss.

You tickle Twilight’s lips with your tongue, giving her the message.  She moans softly, parting her mouth to share a deeper kiss with you.  Your tongues caress affectionately, while she trembles from you touch as you continue sweeping your fingers across her heavenly mane.

After a good minute or two, you mouths part, leaving you both to pant, taking in some extra air, which your noses failed to provide during your oral bond.

You rub your hand along Twilight’s cheek.  “Wow, you’re still in such a loving mood…even after what we shared last night.” 

“What can I say?  I’m so happy being with you, and last night was…mmm, divine.  I can’t wait until next time.”  She plants a short kiss on your lips, before gazing at you half-lidded.

You share her gaze, while fingering her hair.  “Well, I’d better not make you wait too long then.  Tomorrow night should be interesting.”  You speak in a soft voice and wink at Twilight.

“I think it will," she giggles, "Well, you’d better get going.”  Twilight lets you go as you pull back from her, a bit reluctantly, before securing your bag.  You give her a loving look.  Twilight moves a little closer and gives you a hug.  “I love you.”

You return her hug, squeezing her tight.  “I love you, my angel.”

Turning, you open the door, happy you’ve got your coat on.  The cold air seeps back into the library.  “Glad I don’t live too far from here.”  You chuckle, turning your head to take one more look at her.

You step outside and wave to Twilight.  “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tomorrow.  I can’t wait.”  She waves her hoof at you, a big smile still adorning her face.

You return your eyes forward and smile yourself as you walk along, heading for home.


* * * * * *


You catch sight of your home, and breathe a sigh of relief.  It’ll be good to get out of the cold and back into the warmth of your house.  

Walking onto the small porch, you stop at the front door and fish out your keys.  Turning the lock, you open the door, eager to get in out the cold.  That’s when, you hear a gentle voice speak your name and say, “You’re finally back.”

At first you think it might be Twilight, but the voice doesn’t match.  Turning back, a little hesitantly, you recognize the voice.  There you see her, Daisy, your ex.

“Daisy?  What are you doing here?”  A visage of shock and undesired awe sticks to your face.

The bundled up pale magenta earth pony smiles and trots up to you, her hooves clopping as she steps onto your porch.  “I’ve been wanting to see you.”

“But, Daisy, didn’t I make myself clear the last time we spoke?” You ask, extremely uneasy from her presence.

“I know.  But you were still upset.  I figured you just needed some time to cool down and think.”  Daisy grimaces slightly as a gust of cold wind blows.  “Brrr, can we go inside and talk?”

You fight the urge to roll your eyes, but know the porch is no place to hold a conversation.  “Huuuh, I suppose not.  Come on, it’s too cold to stay out here.”

“Thank you.”

You open the door the rest of the way and motion for her to enter, partly hating yourself as she trots inside.  No matter what you two have to say, you just know this isn’t going to end well.  After all, this is the mare that broke your heart.
	
	
> Chapter 5 - "A Troubling Night"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
The nip of the icy night air makes you shiver as you close the front door.  Now that you and Daisy are inside, you remove you coat and hang it on the nearby rack.  You can’t believe you’re standing here in your house with her.  So many thoughts suddenly swirl throughout your mind.

Daisy stares at you with her green eyes as you walk over to the thermostat and slightly nudge the dial.  The furnace grumbles to life and begins its gradual task of warming things up, well, to more than your away setting.

You take a deep breath and sigh.  Before you can speak, you feel a pair of affectionate hooves wrap around you from behind.

“Oh, I’ve missed you.” Daisy sighs.

You place your hands on her hooves and push them away, breaking free of her embrace.  Passing the sofa, you toss your backpack over the arm and into the corner.  “What do you think has changed between us?”  Looking back you give Daisy an inquisitive glance.

“Uh, I…” She swallows thickly and lowers her head.  “I made a terrible mistake.”  Daisy walks over to you and pats your shoulder, then proceeds to run it along your upper arm.  “I never should have left you.”  Her eyes soften and she smiles.  “That’s why I’m here.  I-I want to get back together with you.”

You pull your shoulder and your arm away from her, grimacing as you do.  “It’s too late, Daisy.  Things ended between us.  I was in a bad place for a while…a very bad place, but I’m better now…and more importantly, I’m with someone else.”

Daisy blinks.  “Who?”

“Twilight.  It turns out she’s been in love with me from the beginning.  It’s hard to believe, but she has, since I first fell for her.  To think about all the time I spent with you and those other few mares.  Humph, and all of you ended up breaking my heart anyway, but Twilight was always there for me.”  

Daisy grows silent and just looks at you somewhat befuddled.  

“I never thought I’d have a chance with her, that’s why I looked for love elsewhere.  But, that doesn’t matter now.  Daisy, I love Twilight, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.”

Turning back toward Daisy, you can see her expression change as her face falls.  Her eyes quickly become glassy as she swallows hard.  “I…” She begins to sniffle as she starts to cry.  “I’m sorry.  I n-never wanted to hurt you.”

You snarl under your breath.  “It’s not going to work this time, Daisy.”

“Huh?”  She sniffles and wipes away a few tears.  “What do you mean?”

“You used the crying approach before.  And, I’m not going to fall for it anymore, not this time.”  You march over to the front door.  “I was attempting to be polite when I invited you in, because of the cold.  But, part of me thought you might be here to rehash things.”  Opening the door, you point outside.  “I think you’d better leave.”

Daisy blinks at you.  “Just like that?  When did you become so cruel?”

Shaking your head, you take a deep breath.  “When you broke my heart!”  Your words are stressed but not to the point that you’re yelling.  The stern scowl on your face leaves Daisy’s mouth agape.

“But I, I though that stallion really loved me.”

You shake your head again.  “Yes well, like you told me before.”  Your tone softens, a little.  “He must have only wanted you, because you were with me.”

Daisy closes her eyes, just as you close the front door.  “Yeah,” she begins.  “I don’t know why I was so stupid.”  She faintly sniffles, brushing a woeful hoof along the carpet.

“It was really hard for me.”  You pause, taking in a difficult cleansing breath.  “The night you left…I was going to finally tell you…no.  There’s no point now.”  You turn so your back is facing the wall and lean against it.

Daisy walks over to you and places her hoof on your crossed forearm.  “Tell me what?”

You gaze meets Daisy’s and you close your eyes.  This will probably be one of the hardest things you’ll have to say to her.  “That night, I was going to tell you that I loved you.”

“Aww.”  Daisy is barely able to make a whole word, but rather just a vocal response.  She blinks a few times then looks your way again.  “You loved me?”

You nod solemnly.  “Yes.  I did, at the time.  But after your left me and shattered my heart...”

“Yes.”  Daisy looks at you, concern and wonder gleaming in her eyes.

“The love I had for you, it has since died.  And while it’s nice seeing you.”  You try to sound sincere, but doubt you are succeeding.  “I’d rather you just left.  There is nothing more between us.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.  I’m sure there is a great stallion, or perhaps even a human out there that would be perfect for you.  But it’s not me.”  You slowly open the door for Daisy.

She seems at a loss for words, and finally cinches up her coat and makes her way out the front door.  You look after her, part of you feels sorry for her, but the rest of you can’t get over the hurt, which makes this all the more difficult, because Daisy is right, you aren’t cruel.

“Have a safe trip home.  And stay warm.  It’s a very cold night.” You call after her.

Daisy steps away, dejection more than apparent in her gait as she steps off your porch and takes the small path off your front yard and back into Ponyville.

You linger there for a moment, until you can no longer see the pink of her fur and the lime green of her mane and tail, peaking out of her coat.  You ease the door shut and lock it, then remain at the door for a moment, lightly bumping your forehead against it.  I don’t know why, but something tells me I haven’t seen the last of her.

Heading back into the living room, you open your backpack and retrieve the heart pillow Twilight gave you.  The whole ordeal with Daisy has left you feeling a little shaken.

Making your way over to your recliner, you sit down and hold the pillow close and let out a long uneasy sigh.  


* * * * * *


After holding Twilight’s pillow for almost half an hour, you finally decide to call it a night.  Crawling into bed, you cover up.  Tossing about, you experience some difficulty trying to get comfortable, at first.  Then before long, sleep pulls you in.

You begin a fitful slumber, troubling dreams plague your mind as images of Twilight and Daisy pass before your sleeping eyes.

The restlessness returns as you tear from your sleep.  Sitting up, you body is tense and shaky.  You reach for Twilight’s gift and hold it in your arms.  Resting your chin along its top, you catch the faint scent of Twilight’s home and her floral perfume that smells of sweet lavender.

Taking a few moments to think, you finally flip back the sheets.  Turning on your nightstand light, you quickly dress, then get your backpack.  There’s only one thing that can help you now.

After packing some clothing and a few other items, you zip up your bag, and place the heart pillow on your bed, between your pillows.

Donning your coat you zip up and exit your home, then secure the front door behind you.  Your destination is clear…


* * * * * *


The hour is growing very late.  Midnight has come and gone, you’re not sure the exact time, but as you near your destination, you can only hope she is still awake.

Your boots crunch in the layer of snow and you can’t miss the night air whipping across you as the wind begins to blow.  The faint smell of burning timber from nearby fireplaces dances across your freezing nose.  Your nostrils pop as you sniff in the frigid air.  Fortunately, you have arrived at your destination.

You feel a sense of relief as you walk up to the front door of the Golden Oak Library.  Thankfully, you know Twilight tends to be a night owl, so hopefully she’s still up.  You knock on the front door, unafraid of disturbing anyone else, after all, you know as well as many of the ponies that Spike is a very deep sleeper.

You grin from the thought, while knocking on the door again.  Taking a deep breath, you wait a few more seconds and hear light hoof falls from behind the door, then notice the knob click as the door opens.

Twilight looks up at you and her mouth falls open as she gasps.  “Huh.  Is it really you?”  She reaches her right foreleg toward you.

You smile and gently grip her hoof.  “Yes, it’s me.”

A look of confusion briefly crosses Twilight’s face.  “But, I don’t understand.  I didn’t think I was going to see you till tomorrow, after you finished working.”

“Yes well, something’s come up.”

“I don’t…” Twilight tilts her head and seems to notice your backpack.  “Why do you have your bag with you?”

You take in a deep breath.  “Can we discuss this inside?  It’s really cold out here.”

Twilight chuckles and nods.  “Of course.”  She then feels a rush of the night breeze.  “Ooh, you’re right.  That’s an icy wind.  Come in.”  Twilight motions you in and stands beside the door.

Stepping inside, you turn back, waiting for her to join you, once she’s secured the door.  “Thank you.  Man it’s a cold one tonight.”

Twilight starts walking beside you.  “You aren’t kidding.  But, why are you here?  Is everything all right?”

You shake your head.  “Not exactly.  It’s a bit of a story.”

As you both enter the library, the familiar sound of Spike’s snoring reaches your ears.  It’s a sound you’ve come to know after your recent stays here and the several times you visited Twilight in the past.

The unicorn giggles softly.  “Um, why don’t we just go up to my loft.  You can place your bag there too.”  She smiles as she pats your backpack.  “Am I to take it you’ll be spending the night after all?”

You nod.  “Yeah.  And after we talk, you’ll understand why.  Well, I hope you will.”

Twilight blinks a bit curiously, but the smile remains on her lips as you both make your way to her room.

After reaching her loft, you set your bag on the lone chair beside her vanity.  You barely finish turning around, as Twilight snags you into a loving hug.  She wraps her hooves around you and pulls you close.  “I know it’s only been a matter of hours, but, I really missed you.”

You smile and return Twilight’s hug, placing an arm around her and softly stroke her mane with your free hand.  “I missed you too, Twilight.”

She looks up at you and her face partially falls.  “Are you okay?  I can tell you’re happy to see me, but something seems off in your eyes.”

Chuckling softly, you shake your head.  “I guess this is one time I can’t hide my feelings.  Or maybe it’s because I don’t want to.”

“Come on.”  Twilight gestures you to her bed, where you both sit down.  “Now tell me, what’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure how to start.”  You pause for a moment.  

She smiles and places her hoof over your hand.  “It’ll be okay.  Just start at the beginning.”

“All right.”  You take a deep breath.  “Well, once I got home, I was all ready to head inside, when I heard somepony talk.  Turns out it was Daisy.”

“What?!”  Twilight’s eyes widen. “You mean, your ex?”

You nod.  “That’s right.  I invited her in, mainly because it was too cold to talk outside.  But, long story short.  She told me she missed me and wanted to get back together.”

A look of concern forms on Twilight’s face.  “What did you tell her?”

“I told her that nothing changed between us.  That I still couldn’t trust her after what happened.  She apologized for how she treated me, but I also told her that I was with you now.”  You smile.  “And I said I’d never do anything to hurt you.”  

“Aww.”  Twilight smiles back.  

Shaking your head, you puff out a breath.  “Of course Daisy started to cry.  But I stood my ground, and after I explained that it was over between us, she left.”  You look down at the floor and shake your head.  “I’m not sure why, but my gut tells me I haven’t seen the last of her.”

“Oh my.  Wow.  So that’s why you packed some things and came over.”

You lift your head and look over at Twilight.  “Yeah.  I feel a little silly, but the encounter with Daisy left me a bit shaken.  I held that pillow you gave me for a while, before I finally went to bed.  Only I kept having nightmares.”

“Nightmares?  What about?”  Twilight moves closer to you and pats your shoulder.

“They mainly involved Daisy bugging me to get back together with her.  With her around, I kept seeing you angry and upset.  All while feeling like I was going to lose you.”

Twilight places her hooves around you again and coos softly in your ear.  “It’s okay.”  She pulls back a little.  “And you aren’t silly.  Here I thought I was the only one acting insecure.”

You snicker nervously.  “Yeah.  I just don’t ever want anything to drive us apart. Especially since we finally got together, and I don’t want all those feelings we’ve had for each other all this time to be for nothing. I…”

Twilight hugs you tighter and you tenderly respond in kind.  Pulling her closer in your arms, you stroke her silky mane.  She sighs happily and nuzzles you sweetly.  “Oh…hmmm.  It’s so sweet that you care so much about me.  Well, whatever may come, I doubt we have to worry too much about Daisy.”

“Yeah.”  You gaze lovingly into Twilight’s eyes, the smile returning to your lips.  “Twilight.”

She chuckles quietly and speaks your name, while staring at you with her bedroom eyes.  “So, you’ll be spending the night with me after all?”

“Mm-hmm.  After those dreams and what happened, I just felt the need to be closer to you.  I just, want to…”

“I know. And I’m really glad you enjoyed the pillow.”  Twilight continues to hug you tight and runs her hoof along your hair.

“Not enjoyed, enjoy.  It’s sitting on my bed at home right now.”

Twilight moans softly as she slides down and leans against your chest.  “Well, how about we turn in for the night.  I was feeling drowsy and thinking about going to bed when I heard you knock.”

You brush the back of your hand along her bangs.  “I’d love to.  It’s another cold night.” Your smile grows. “We can keep each other warm.”

“Mmm, I’d like that.” Twilight smiles and closes her eyes for a moment.  “You know something?”

“And what’s that?” You lightly run your finger behind her left ear.

Twilight shivers and giggles.  “I think I could get used to spending nights together.  That’s all.”

Nuzzling against her, you give Twilight a loving squeeze.  “So could I.”

The two of you get up from the bed, then proceed to get ready to turn in for the night.  After the two of you take a turn in the bathroom, you dress down to your underwear and crawl under the warm and inviting covers of Twilight’s bed.  She slides in next to you and rests at your side.

Pulling the sheet and blanket up over you and your mare, you make sure she has a more than fair portion to cover with.  Her violet eyes remain fixed on you, still brimming with affection.  You wrap your arms around Twilight and feel her velvety fur brush against your bare limbs as she moves up against you.

Running your fingers along her cheek, you lock Twilight into a loving kiss.  One you feel is long overdue.  Twilight leans against you and gleefully returns your kiss, placing her forelegs around you and moaning contently.  You breathe deeply through your nose and moan back passionately.

Your lips part, and you find yourself once again fondling Twilight’s mane, feeling its softness under your fingers.  “Hmmm, I’m right where I want to be.”  You chuckle.

Twilight smiles and starts rubbing her hoof along your shirt-covered chest.  “So, are we just going to sleep tonight.  Or did you want to make love again…even though it’s sooner than we…”

You place your fingers to her lavender lips.  “I’d love to, Twilight, but for right now, if you don’t mind.  I’d just like to hold you close and unwind.” Then, you stare at her suggestively. “Besides, we can always see where the night takes us.”

“All right.”  You can’t miss the disappointment in her eyes, but you can tell her mind is still going and soon the look fades and the love starts beaming brightly again.  “I suspect it would be better if you’re a little less tense before we jump into anything.  But, you know.”  Twilight smiles at you seductively.  “I’ve read that sex is a good way to relax.”

You laugh at her and her charming book-smarts.  “I know.”  Squeezing her again, you add, “But kissing and cuddling is another good way to relax too.  Besides, we wouldn’t want to skip the foreplay, would we?” You grin.

Twilight smiles and then uses her magic to turn off the lights.  “All right.  But…” She grows silent, just as you feel a slight rush.  Twilight starts to rub her hind leg along your leg, in very much the same manner she did the time you two first made love.  “If you change your mind.  I’m right here.”

You chuckle again.

“What?  What’s so funny?”

“You, Twily.  And here I thought I was going to be the one always trying to push for sex.”

She grows silent for a moment.

“You’re blushing, aren’t you?”

“How can you tell, it’s dark now.”

You snicker.  “Because, I know you.”

“Then, you’re not upset?”

You scoff and if the lights were on, she’d see the miffed expression on your face.  “Of course not.  Why would I?  It’s not a crime to be horny, Twilight.  Besides, I’m glad we feel so strongly for each other.”

She sighs and places her hooves along your chest.  “You’re right.  Maybe I’m just reading too many books…um…and magazines about relationships.”

You nod to yourself, recognizing the sheepish tone in her voice.  “Magazines?  Been reading Rarity’s “Cosmarepolitans” again?”

“All right, you got me.”

Pulling her close, you cut the comedy and sigh.  “I sure do.”  You share another tender lip embrace, then join Twilight in resting your head along the pillows.

“Good night, sweetheart.  Did that sound all right?”

You kiss her again.  “That was fine, my love.  And good night, my Twilight.”

Checking on the covers again, you make sure they’re cinched up tight, then adjusting your arms around your mare, you begin to slowly pass out, once again becoming slumber’s unwitting victim.


* * * * * *


Your eyes slowly peel open.  At first, all you can see is a brownish red blur, still partially obscured in shadow.  A faint groan escapes your mouth as you notice a welcoming warmth and familiar velvety texture pressed against you.  Closing your eyes, you sigh, realizing your still in bed with Twilight.  

Opening your eyes again, you glance around, but before you can make sense of your surroundings, you notice a very pleasant sensation between you legs.  Puckering your lips curiously, you attempt to figure out its source.  Twilight moves against you and you feel another jolt of pleasure.  Your eyes widen.  It seems your underwear shifted during the night, and your manhood has managed to escape its cottony prison and is now brushing against Twilight’s nether region.

It’s then that you notice Twilight begin rubbing her leg along yours.  Looking over at her, you can see that her eyes are open.  “Hey.”

“Hey,” you reply.

“Mmm, is that your uh…brushing against me?” Twilight chuckles playfully.

You snicker back.  “Yes.  Seems it slipped out while we slept.”

“Yeah, that sounds right.  But here, let me just…” Twilight places her hooves on your shoulder and moves her hips and adjusts her hind legs slightly.

Her heavenly curves brush against the head of your spire sending blissful chills up your back.  “Ooohh,” you shiver.

“Do you like that.”  You nod silently.  “I thought you might.”  She flexes her hips and moans softly as her marehood slides along your manhood.

“Mmm, Twilight.”  You tilt your head back and savor the sensation, just as your eyes catch the familiar glint of daylight beaming in from around the window near Twilight’s telescope.  “Aww, man!”

Twilight pats your cheek.  “What is it?”

You turn to her and shake your head.  “It’s already morning.”

Twilight’s eyes widen.  She turns her head and spies her alarm clock.  “Phew.  It’s not as late as I thought.  But…”

Sharing her gaze you see what time it is as well.  “Yeah.  I’ve only got a little over an hour till I have to leave for work.”  You take another look at the clock, then smile as you see Twilight’s loving countenance.  You run the back of your hand along her smooth cheek.  “You know what.  There’s still some time.”

“Yeah?”  Twilight’s face brightens.

You nod.  “Uh-huh.  I’d rather not do a quickie, but.  There’s no way I can leave this unfinished.”  Twilight’s mound twitches against your mast.  “Mmm.  I need you, Twilight.”

She places her hooves around you and softly nips your lower lip.  “Hmmm.” Twilight giggles.  “Mmm, just as I need you.”  Twilight stares at you with loving and sultry eyes.

Your fingers dance through her silky dark sapphire, purple and rose locks.  “Are you ready or do I need to…” Your words fall off and you seize from a wave of euphoria as Twilight pushes against you.  

“You tell me?” She asks playfully, a strong blush spreading out across her face.  You feel the dampness seep out of her crescent and coat the lower portion of your spire.  “Oooh, I’m so glad you wanted to continue.”  She giggles, then she sighs brushing her hoof along your cheek.

Your smile grows as you feel your cheeks become flush.  “Yeah,” you mutter, then reaching down, you grip your member and gently prod the tip against her petals.  Then, you push inside, feeling Twilight’s body twitch and catch the sound of her elated moan funnel into your ears.  You place your hands along her flanks as the two of you remain on your sides.

Twilight hooks her forelegs on your shoulders as you start thrusting into her.  Gazing into her violet eyes, you begin to feel fervent as you add speed to the heavenly movement that’s forming between you.  You lightly grunt and sigh as you hear delightful moans ring out from Twilight’s adorable mouth.  She pants your name and draws you into a passionate kiss, wasting no time swirling her tongue with yours, excitement present in her soothing whimpers.

Your mare begins flexing her hips against you with each inward motion you make, causing you to grip her flanks tighter while you continue adding speed.  As you continue making love to Twilight, you feeling a little loopy but are somehow able to feel an unyielding joy.  For so long you wondered how it would feel to be with Twilight and hoped you’d make every intimate moment a memorable one.

A whimper slips past your lips as you feel the build-up in your manhood.  You can only hope Twilight is getting close, but a few louder moans and a gradual arching in her back signal you that it won’t be long.

Your breath quickens and your heart beats faster as your body grows hotter.  The pleasure seems almost overwhelming as you continue your loving task.  Then, Twilight trembles and moans again, leading up to a really enticing cry of ecstasy.  You feel your body quake and surrender as you join Twilight, moaning almost uncontrollably, gasping for breath as you explode inside her and feel a warm spurt from her drape against your manhood.  You move your arms to embrace Twilight and hold her tight as you both shudder from the seemingly endless pleasure screaming throughout both of you.

Twilight lays with you, panting almost in sync with you as your breathing begins to slow.  “Huh, Twi-Twilight.  Oh, man.”  Your chest heaves.  “That was…wow.”

“Yeah.  I-I know.”  She pants, running her hoof through your hair.  “That was some quickie.”  She giggles.

You lay your head back on the pillow and puff out a contented sigh.  “Whew.  I needed that.”  You chuckle, caressing Twilight’s mane, which has now become a little messier.

She runs her hoof along you.  “I can see that.  Oooh, but it was good.”  Twilight spies the clock and grins.  “And it wasn’t that short.  Unless you consider fifteen minutes to be a quickie?”

You laugh and continue stroking her hair.  “I guess we savored things a little more than I thought.”  Following her eyes to the clock, you smile.  “But there’s still close to an hour till I have to leave for work.  So, it was a very good call.”

Twilight rubs her leg along yours again, making you sigh.  She smiles.  “I’ll say.  I’m going to feel giddy all day.  Thank goodness Spike will be going in and out from the errands I have him helping with today.”

“And even if the going gets rough today, I can think back to this.”  You hug Twilight.  “Mmm, and know you’ll be here waiting for me, when I finish working.”

She shares your jubilant façade.  “You bet I will.”

Your eyes widen.  “Oh, but as much as I’d love to stay here and cuddle, I’d better get dressed for work.”  You toss back the covers and slowly pull away from Twilight.

She rises beside you and continues to smile.  “Say, would you like something for breakfast?”

You look at her.  “Oh?”

She nods.  “Yeah.  I feel like something more than cold cereal or a pastry this morning.”

Standing up, you turn back and close your eyes.  “Whatever you’re in the mood for will be fine with me.”

“Okay.  I know just the thing.  You get ready and I’ll whip something up in a jiffy.”

“Sounds great.”  You nab Twilight as she goes to slip past you.

“Huh?” She looks at you, somewhat surprised, but equally intrigued.

“Thank you, Twilight.”  You give her a big hug.

“Awww, you’re welcome.  But what did I…”

You shake your head.  “For being my mare and for being kind enough to make breakfast.  I appreciate it.”

Her face softens.  “I’m happy to do it.”

Again you smile, and finally you let Twilight go as she heads downstairs.  You finish dressing and then join her in the kitchen for breakfast.


* * * * * * 


Once again, you find yourself making the trip to work.  Arriving at the stationery shop, you enter in the back, via the employee entrance.  Then, opening your small locker, you carefully hang up your coat inside and close the door.  Checking your attire, you secure your work-issued apron and prepare to start your day.

Glancing around, you survey the various items in the petite warehouse, which rest on a series of shelves and small pallets in the back of the shop.  Upon seeing all the various paper and writing supplies, your thoughts quickly return to Twilight.  It was an unexpected bonus that you got to spend another night with her, although being back at work, you find it was harder leaving her this morning.  And right now, your heart aches while being away from her.

Giving the matter some thought, you realize it could still stem form your encounter with Daisy last night.  You only hope your gut is wrong about not having seen the last of her.

Walking past a series of shelved items, you spy your boss.  “Morning, sir.”

He turns and says your name.  “Ah, there you are.  And well now, just as punctual as ever.  It’s barely quarter of.  But you know, that’s one of the things I admire in an employee like you.”

You wave a dismissing hand.  “Aww it’s nothing special, I’m just doing my job, Mr. Bright Feather.”

The stallion chuckles at you, rising from a group of boxes.  “You don’t need to always be so formal.  When the customers aren’t around, you can call me, “Bright.”  I keep telling you it’s okay.”

Smiling, you nod.  “I know, it’s just I’ve gotten use to respecting my superiors.”

He snickers and just shakes his head.  “Well, that’s another admirable trait you’ve got.  Oh, and here, help me with these candles.”  Bright Feather slides two of the boxes your way.

You squat down and bear hug the boxes, carefully lifting them off the floor.  It’s a good thing you braced yourself, seeing as these boxes are indeed heavy, but thankfully not as heavy as they could be. It’s either that or you’re getting stronger.

Grunting under your breath, you lug the boxes over to one of the far shelves.  “You want these in the normal spot?”

“Yeah, that’ll work.”  

Nodding, you spy the shelves where the other candles rest, and much to your delight there is a nice open spot near the bottom.  Cautiously, you set the two cases down, then proceed to slide them one-by-one onto the shelf.

Bright Feather stops behind you and sets the last two boxes down.  “See if these will fit.  I know we seem to sell a lot of these mid-sized stick candles, so I wanted to stock up, just in case we have another run on them.”

Placing the last two boxes on the shelf, you turn and nod.  “Good thinking.  It wasn’t a pretty sight the last time we ran out of these.”

“Yeah, while it’s good for a business stallion like me, I felt for the surprisingly large number of ponies that used these candles in their homes, offices and studies while they did paperwork and their writings.”

“Tell me about it.”  You chuckle.

Bright Feather places a hoof over his mouth and clears his throat.  “So tell me, how are things going with Twilight?”

You smile, as the mere thought of Twilight stirs a sense of jubilation within you.  “It’s going great, sir.  I’m so happy being with her.”

He nods, sharing in your smile.  “Good.  Good, though I can’t help but feel there’s going to be a “but” in your next reply.”

Shaking your head, you sigh.  “You’d be right, and you know me all too well.”

Bright Feather chuckles.  “Yes well, there’s something off about you today.  And while you seem truly happy regarding Twilight, there has to be something causing you trouble.”  The stallion picks up a few more boxes and sets them on their designated shelves.  “Why just this past Friday, after you told me about getting together with Twilight, it seemed that nothing could get you down.  Now, here it is Monday, and you seem a lot less joyful.  Anything you’d like to talk about?  We still have some time till we open to the public this morning.”

Despite feeling troubled, you can’t help but smile from Bright Feather’s words.  He’s a tan Earth pony that’s far more than just your boss.  For more than the two years you’ve been working with him, he’s become your friend as well as someone you can talk to and even confide in.

“Well, I got a visit from Daisy last night.” You begin.

“Oh, isn’t she your ex?”

You nod.  “That’s right.  She wanted to have a talk, but I just wanted to be anyplace else.  Anyway, after talking, I found out she wanted to get back together.  But I told her about Twilight and how I doubt I could ever trust her again.”

“Ah.” He scratches the whiskers on the bottom of his chin.  “I gather she didn’t take the news too well.”

“Nope.  And when she tried to use her crying defense on me, I told her it wouldn’t work this time.”  You sigh again.  “So, she finally left.”

Bright Feather nods.  “And I might be wrong, but let me guess, you have an odd feeling that you’re still not done with her.”

Your eyes widen and you blink a bit.  “Man.  You’re good, Bright.  You sure you didn’t miss your calling as a psychiatrist?”

He breaks out into hearty laughter.  “Mwa-ha-ha-ha.  That’s a good one.  No, I like my job selling stationery and similar supplies just fine.  But I tend to be observant, and come on.  I’m in my sixties, so don’t forget, I’ve been in and seen more than my share of relationships.”

You chuckle.  “Of course, the benefit of experience and dare I say, wisdom?”

A grin forms on his face.  “I wouldn’t goes as far as wisdom, but something to that effect.”

You sigh.  “I just wish I knew what to do about her.  Heck it even gave me nightmares last night.”

His brow raises and his eyes widen. “That is serious, but you know, I wouldn’t worry too much about Daisy.  Even though she’s showing her interest.  From what I know and have heard about her, she usually tends to be more on the timid side.  Oh she’ll drop all kinds of hints that she’s interested, sometimes she’ll even manage to tell somepony she’s interested in that she’d like to go out, but most of the time she’s usually afraid of the kind of pony she’s really interested in.”

Taking a moment to think about Daisy, you nod, knowing that Bright is onto something.  “You have a point there.  Still, I’m going to keep my eyes open.  Something seemed a little different about her last night.”

“Staying diligent is always a good idea.  Though, I don’t think you have to worry about you and Twilight.  Why, I remember you told me you had a thing for her since I met you.  In fact, I believe the reason you said you wanted to work here was because you knew Twilight would come here for quills, parchment, and even some of my impulse items.”  Bright Feather snickers.  “I knew it would be a good idea to stock books.”

“Yeah, you’re right.  Maybe I am worrying for nothing.”

Bright walks over to you and pats your shoulder.  “Your concern is valid, I just wouldn’t obsess on it too much.  Oh yeah.  Speaking of impulse items, you might as well mark down these candy hearts and put them in the bin near the register.”

Stopping in front of the heart-shaped candies, you reach down and pick up one of the small bulk bags.  “That’s right.  Things took off so fast with Twilight, I never thought about buying some of these to share with her.”  Bright remains quiet, his eyes showing that you have his attention.  “Not that it’s any big deal.  Usually I don’t have anyone to buy these for around “Hearts and Hooves Day” or “Valentines Day”, a similar holiday on Earth.”

He nods.  “Well.” Bright Feather pats his hoof softly on the bag of hearts in your hand.  “Why don’t you take these, on the house, and share them with Twilight.  Then, mark down the rest, and take them out front.  It’s about time to open up shop.”

You smile.  “Thank you, sir…err, Bright.  And I’ll get these ready to go and then I’ll open up.”

“Great.  I’m going to get some paperwork taken care of in my office.”

“All right.  Thanks again.”

He smiles before heading to his office.  “Anytime.”

You place the candy in your locker, then take care of marking down the rest, before taking them to the bin out front.

Once you’ve carefully placed each bag into the bin on the counter near the register, you walk over and unlock the front door.  Then, taking a deep breath, you flip the door sign from “Closed” to “Open”.  I sure hope this isn’t going to be one of those long drag out kind of days, you wonder to yourself, making your way to check the aisles and see if any items are in need of last minute restocking.
	
> Chapter 6 - "Love Changes"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	

There’s a grumble in your belly as you catch sight of the proud grandfather clock behind the counter.  It’s just about lunchtime, which means the first half of your day hasn’t dragged on too badly.  

You smile as you finishing ringing up an order for one of your customers.  “That’ll be 12 bits please.”

The stallion nods as he gives you a few coins.  “Here you are.”

You take the money and add it up.  Pressing a few buttons on the older style register, well older than the modern models you knew on Earth.  The drawer spits open allowing you to house the bits in their proper section.  After closing the drawer, you continue to smile.  “Is there anything else I can help you with today, sir?”

The customer shakes his head.  “No, but thank you as always for the kind and helpful service.”

“You are quite welcome, sir.  Thank you for stopping by, and have a good one.”

“I will, you do the same.”

Your smile becomes contagious as the stallion breaks out into a happy one while he gathers his bag and walks away.  There’s an upbeat step in his gait as he leaves the shop.

You no sooner take a step back, then a lovely white mare with teal hair walks up to the counter.  The smile remains on your face as you catch sight of her lovely purple eyes.  “Hello, miss, is there something I can help you with or find?”

She seems a bit shy as first, then clears her throat.  “Y-yes.  A friend of mine told me you sell melody crystals here.  Is that right?”

Continuing to smile, you step out from behind the counter.  “Why yes, we do.  Here.” You point over to one of the aisles.  “Do you see that display of greeting cards?”

The mare follows your pointing finger.  “Yeah.”  She nods then looks back at you.

“If you head back that aisle, with the cards, you’ll find the melody crystals on the other side…eh, a little over half way down.”

She smiles and gives another nod.  “Thank you.”  The mare makes her way back the aisle and seems very happy from the information you gave her.

Letting out a calm sigh, you lean against the counter and once again are glad that you work in the stationery shop.  You’re good at what you do and you take satisfaction in helping the customers.

“Ah, there you are.” A more than familiar voice rings out.

“I know that voice,” you speak aloud.  Turning your head you smile, confirming your suspicions.  “Twilight, it is you.  But what are you doing here?”

Your beloved unicorn steps up to you, bearing you an adorable smile, while looking even cuter clad in her winter coat.  “I’m here to see you, you goof.”

You chuckle, scratching your cheek.  “I figured that.  But, I wasn’t expecting you.”

Twilight walks up to you and lightly brushes against you.  “Neither was I, but I spent the morning working on a paper for Princess Celestia, when I noticed the time.  I was hungry anyway and thought it might be nice if we had lunch together.”

You place your arm around Twilight.  “That sounds great, but I’d better check and see if my boss minds if I duck out now.”

“He won’t mind at all,” Bright Feather calls stepping out from the back room.  “You did such a good job minding the shop that I already finished my lunch.”  Your boss glances at the clock.  “Yeah, it’s almost 12:30.  You can join Twilight.”  Bright smiles at both of you and gives a happy nod.

“Thank you, sir…uh Bright.  I’ll be back by one.”

“Not a problem.  And don’t worry if you’re just a minute or two late.”  He grins, before continuing.  “I was young once.”

You nod graciously, and then duck behind the counter.  Removing your apron, you quickly move back out again and join your mare.  “All right, Twilight.  Shall we?”

She giggles and nods.  “Yes.”

“Ooh, one second.  It’s always so warm in here.  I almost forgot it’s still cold outside.  Let me grab my coat.”  

“Okay.”  Twilight smiles and waits out front while you dash back to your locker and secure your coat.  Then, after zipping up, you rejoin your mare as the two of you depart the shop.  

Emerging outside, you notice it’s not quite as cold today.  “Wow, what a difference a day makes.”

Twilight nods.  “I know.  That wind died down and it doesn’t feel quite as cold.”

You place your arm around her as you both walk along.  “So where are we going?”

“Right over there.”  Twilight points at her favorite café.

“Oh, right.  You love this place…and so might I add do I.”  You think back for a minute as the two of you walk over and head inside.  “Yeah, we used to come here a lot for lunches on days I’d help you in the library.

“Yep.”  Twilight smiles.  “Those were good times.”

“Greetings.  We’re a little zlow today, zo feel free to zit wherever you like.” The host pony remarks.  He smiles at both of you as he normally does upon your arrival.  “Zo, it’s been a little while zince I’ve zeen you two.”

You smile at his charming accent.  He speaks like a French waiter, or as in Equestria, Prench, because like Earth they have a similar country called Prance.  Though, you still are trying to wrap your ears around the way the word “Prench” sounds when spoken.  Somehow it just seems a little off.  But, you figure it will grow on you more in time.

Focusing your attention on the host stallion, who also tends to double as a server, you smile.  “Yes.  Well this is a place we usually come to when it’s warmer.”

He nods.  “Ah yez.  I zee, you enjoy zhe alfresco dinning.”

“That’s right, we do,” adds Twilight.  “But I told him that your indoor seating is just as good.”

You nod.  “That’s right.”

The stallion sees how fondly you speak to each other and stares briefly as he seems to notice how closely the two of you are standing.  “Could it also be zhat you two are now more than juzt friendz?”

“Maybe,” you reply.

“Either way, zit where you like.  And a thousands apologizes for holding you up.”

“That’s okay,” you respond as you and Twilight walk past him.  

“What about here?” Twilight asks pointing to one of the booths.

“That’s perfect.”

The two of you sit down across from each other and just as you get comfortable, you notice Twilight place a hoof over your hand.  “I know we spent last night together and I saw you this morning before you left for work, but…” Twilight blushes.  “I really missed you.”  She sighs, a little dreamily and a little bit out of frustration.  “I must seem crazy.”

You reach back and stroke the fur around her hoof.  “Hey, Twilight, it’s all right.  We’re in that early phase of love.  It’ll make you seem a little crazy at times.  And…” Glancing around the café you turn back to her.  “Wait a sec?”

“Yes,” Twilight asks, basking her violet eyes on you.

“Are you meaning to say that when we used to come here…you were already seriously crushing on me?”

Her blush deepens as she nods sheepishly.  “Yes, I can’t deny it.  But what about you?”

You feel your cheeks become warm as you continue stroking the fur of her foreleg.  “Yeah…I was happy every time we came here.  I cherished any time we got to spend together.  Even though I was almost certain you didn’t feel the same way or that I’d never have a chance, due to your schedule.”  You grin.  “That and I figured a mare as incredible as you had to have plenty of good stallions knocking at your door.  So, I figured, what chance did some human have.”

“Wow.” Twilight speaks softly.  “And I used to think that I was too big of a bookworm or as Rainbow Dash always said, “An egghead,” to be of any interest to you.”

You clasp her hoof and fight the urge to pull Twilight out of her seat so you can hold her.  Settling for an affectionate grip on the end of her foreleg, you smile at her, feeling that familiar flutter and tightness in your heart.  “It’s just like the other day, when we finally found each other.”

“Yeah.”  She smiles, the glassy look in her eyes lets you know she’s feeling the same inside.	

Play "Love Changes" (Optional)

That’s when you catch the sounds of oddly enough a human song on the café radio.  “Twilight, do you hear that song on the radio?”

She nods.  “I do.”

“It’s an older one but a good one.”

The two of you sit there and just stare into each other’s eyes, while listening to the lyrics of the song. 

As the song plays on, you release your grip on Twilight and get up.  It’s no longer enough to just clasp her hoof.  You walk over to her side of the booth and slid in next to her.  You throw your arm around her and pull her close.  “Twilight,” you speak in a nearly muted voice.

She rests her head against you and whispers your name, lightly pawing your chest.

(Wait till song ends (Optional))

As the song comes to an end, Twilight notices you sniff and reaches out her hoof in time to catch a lone tear as it overflows from the crowd the others made in your eye.  “Look at me, Twilight?  I’m just as bad.”  You give her a light squeeze.  “That song was beautiful.”

She rests her head on your shoulder and sighs.  “It really was.  It’s depicting your love life here in Equestria.  But…”

“Yeah.  What is it, Twilight?”  You rub your hand along her barrel.

“I only hope, I don’t end up doing like the other mares.”  She shakes her head.  “I don’t want to break your heart.  But I’m still both new and rusty when it comes to romantic relationships.”

You chuckle.  “Well, just look at my track record.  I’m hardly a pro, heck I’m still a novice at best.  I even have an ex trying to claw her way back into my life.”  You sigh, keeping Twilight close.  “Don’t worry, Twily.  We’ll work through this.  I’m sure we’ll hit our rough patches, but we’ll make sure to handle each as they come and make sure we don’t act too hasty.  Deal?”

Twilight nods and nuzzles against you.  “Deal.”

She gives you that adorable look of hers, just as you contemplate kissing her.  “Uh, we should probably move apart a little the waitress should be…”

“Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry to keep you two waiting.  There was a little crisis in the kitchen.”

“See,” you whisper as you both scootch apart.  Smiling at the waitress, you shake your head.  “Hey, that’s okay.  We were just chatting while we waited.”

“Okay, then, here are some menus or do you know what you want?”  The tan mare offers you the menus.

“Yeah, we’ll take a minute to look over things.”

“All right, I’ll be right back.  Still have to make sure everything’s good back there anyway.” She grins, giving you some time to check the menus.

You look around and don’t see anypony else.  The host stallion is cleaning the windows and you note that your booth does afford you a little privacy.  Turning, you give Twilight a very loving look.

“What, what’s that look for?” She blinks.

You chuckle.  “Well, we have a few minutes and the host is busy cleaning windows.  So, I thought…” You replace your arm around Twilight and instead of saying anything else, you draw her close to you.  She smiles briefly before nabbing you in her hooves, just as your lips meet.  You press your lips firmly to hers and feel Twilight happily respond in kind.

Your kiss lasts just long enough to keep from going overboard.  Twilight looks at you airily and leans against you.  “This was a great idea for lunch.”

Patting her back, you nod.  “It sure was.  So, any idea what we want?”

“Hmmm, probably…the usual.” Twilight chuckles as she pushes the menus aside.


* * * * * *


You take a lengthy sip of your ice water and pat your gut.  “Mmm, that was tasty.”

Twilight giggles.  “Yes, it certainly was.  Ahh, what a wonderful way to spend lunch.”  She smiles, once again staring at you with her beautiful eyes.

You close your eyes briefly, then return her look.  “Yeah, I know I loved the company.”  Your kind words elicit another fond smile from Twilight.  Glancing out the window, you catch the sun peaking out from behind a series of clouds.  “Huh.  That’s right.  Before you know it, spring will be here, won’t it?”

Twilight nods.  “It sure will.  Heart’s and Hooves Day takes place a good two-thirds of the way into winter.  So, in a week or so the planning will be starting for Winter Wrap Up.  But the bulk of it won’t be till a week or two into March.”

You nod, then your face brightens.  “Hey, now that we’re a couple, does that mean I get to help you with Winter Wrap Up?  I mean, I’ve done my part in the past, but I’ll be closer to the action this year.”

Twilight chuckles and nods.  “Of course.  Since my first winter in Ponyville, I’m still the all-team organizer.  And Spike never seems too big on getting up early or helping.  He still likes to spend most of his time napping.”  She starts laughing again.

Twilight’s adorable laugh makes you laugh too, especially since you know first hand that Spike tends to be more than a little stubborn at times.  “Yeah, I know how Spike can be.  Well, we can plan when the time comes and I’ll be more than happy to lend you any assistance so that winter can be wrapped up smoothly.”

“Wonderful.  I always appreciate any help.”  Twilight places her hoof on your hand.  “And I’d certainly welcome your assistance.”  Her eyes partially close and she smiles again.

You smile and nod, then catching a glimpse of a nearby clock, you let out a heavy sigh.  “Ah, dang.  It’s just about time for us to go.  I have to get back to work.”

Twilight shares your sigh.  “Oh well, it can’t be helped.  And as much as I’d like to stay with you, I do need to get back to that paper I was working on for the princess.”

Chuckling, you pat Twilight’s shoulder.  “Well then, it seems duty calls.”  You reach for your bits, but Twilight stops you.  “Huh?”

Twilight pulls back her hoof.  “I’ll get this.”

“You sure?” You ask.

She nods.  “Uh-huh.  You paid for lunch yesterday.  Let today be my treat, sweetheart.”  Twilight blushes a little, seems she still really enjoys using terms of endearment.

“All right, if you insist, honey.” You grin, only adding to her blush.

After you and Twilight finish at the café, the two of you walk back to the stationery shop.  There, the two of you say your good-byes and share a loving and somewhat lengthy kiss.  She looks back at you and smiles, before you finally walk inside the shop.  

Taking a deep breath, you make your way to the back of the store.  After putting your coat back in your locker, you pause for a moment.  One thing's for certain, you’re going to relish every minute of these early phases of your relationship with Twilight and do your best to make sure the two of you can make these feelings last.


* * * * * *


The remainder of your day passes smoothly.  And before you know it, your shift has ended for the day.  Gleefully, you do your part to clean up the shop, though Bright Feather usually keeps the shop open till around seven.  Regardless, you’re just glad it’s 4:30, which means you’re done for the day.

After putting your apron away and making sure everything looks decent in the storage area.  You grab the candy hearts, put on your coat and zip up.

Bright Feather pops through the door leading out front.  “Heading out for the day?” he asks.

“Yes, sir.  I was just about to come out and say good-bye, oh and see if you had any last minute things that needed taken care of.”

The stallion shakes his head.  “Nope.  You’re good, my friend.  Another fine job.”  He chuckles.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You got it.  Till then, have a good one, Bright.”

“You do the same.”

He waves as you slip out the back door.  Now that you’ve hit the streets of Ponyville, your head fills with even more thoughts of Twilight.  You start out for the library, when you stop abruptly.  Your foot is still half off the ground.

Looking across the way, you happen to spy the flower shop.  A big smile forms on your face.  Hey, why don’t I stop by and get Twilight some flowers.  I’ll bet that would make her day.  You chuckle.  I know I don’t really need to bring her anything, but it would be a nice way to thank her for lunch.  Besides, anything’s worth seeing her smile.

With your mind made up, you start for your new destination.  If you were bubbling anymore with happiness, you’d be bouncing along the road like Pinkie Pie.

Following a short stroll, you arrive at the flower shop.  The smile remains on your face as you open the door and step inside.  The little bell over the door jingles, announcing your arrival.  As you make your way further inside, you take a long look around.  There are so many flowers to choose from.  There’s a heavenly fragrance in the air as the various scents of each flower assault your nose.

You stand there for a moment, pondering what you should get for Twilight, when you hear a familiar voice call out.  “May I help you?”

Your eyes widen and you try to contain the sudden shock on your face.  Shaking your head, you turn to see none other than Daisy standing behind the counter.  Rats!  How could I forget she works here?

Slowly, you make your way to the counter, Daisy immediately sees that it’s you.  Her chipper façade falls and is replaced with a less than happy one.  “Oh, it’s you.”  

“Yeah.”  You barely know what to say.  Following last night’s encounter, you didn’t expect to see Daisy again so soon.

“Let me guess, you’re here to buy flowers for “Twilight”.” She adds overly sarcastic emphasis on Twilight’s name.

You resist the urge to grimace and try to remain diplomatic.  “That’s right, can you recommend anything?”

Daisy crosses her forelegs in an annoyed display and huffs.  “Why ask me, why don’t you go ask “Twilight”?  I’m sure she could tell you what kind of flowers a unicorn would like.”  The Earth pony partially closes her eyes, never have you seen such a loathing and contemptible look on her usually cheerful face.

You swallow thickly, suddenly feeling like you’ve been dumped in the middle of a conversational minefield.  One misspoken word could trigger a nasty scene.  Your only consolation is that the shop is currently free of other customers.  Closing your eyes for a moment, you know this is most likely going to end very badly, no matter what you say.

Daisy looks your way, the bitterness still ever present in her gaze.  “Well?  What’s it going to be?  Oh wait, you asked me to recommend something.  How about this.”  Daisy sets a potted plant with long leaves on the counter.  “A spider plant.  Perfect for a skanky bookworm like her.”

That was the last straw.  It’s one thing if Daisy is rude to you, but to insult your Twilight, especially when she isn’t even present to defend herself, well that’s another thing entirely.  “Take that back, Daisy, NOW!” You didn’t even realize you raised your voice.

“Make me!” She barks at you.

You shake your head.  Looks like she wants a shouting match, so who are you not to oblige her? 

“I wanted to be civil about this.  All I wanted was to get my mare some nice flowers.  It was foolish of me to stop here.  I should have went to one of other flower shops.”  Daisy just snorts at you.  “Yeah, I can see you’re jealous!  But if you hadn’t been such an idiot, then maybe I’d be here buying flowers for you!”  You return her look of bitter disgust, and suddenly all the pain she’s caused you fuels your anger, giving you focus.

“Huh!” Daisy gives you an incredulous and befuddled look.  “So you’re making this my fault?!  Typical, you human males are just like stallions.  Always blame the mare for your failure!”

Your eyes widen, you quickly find yourself teetering on the cusp of becoming livid.  A feeling you abhor more than any other emotion.  You prepare to respond, but closing your eyes, you take a cleansing breath and shake your head.  “No…” Slowly you raise your eyes back up to look at her.  “I won’t do this…not here and not now.  I can’t do this.”  You turn to step away, then glance back at her again.  “You’re so angry right now.  This was a mistake.  I’m leaving.”  Turning slowly, you start to walk away.

Just as you approach the door, you hear hoof beats enter from behind the counter.  “What’s going on out here?”

You know that voice.  It’s Lily.  Turning back, you see Rose join her.  “Is there a problem out…oh.”  

Lily and Rose see you, then glance over at their sister.  Lily steps out from behind the counter.  “Please, don’t go.”

You shake your head.  “I’m sorry, Lily.  I don’t want to fight with Daisy anymore.”

“Fight?” Rose questions.  She looks at Daisy.  “Were you shouting at him, a customer?”

“I did come to buy some flowers.” You speak, and almost wish you had Twilight’s teleportation ability.  You’d rather be anywhere than here at the moment.

“He started it.  Last night, I went to make up with him and he sent me away.”

Rose shakes her head.  “That’s no reason to be mean to him when he comes to our shop.”

Lily’s mouth hangs open for a moment.  “You really did that?  Picked a fight with him?”

“Yeah, so?” Daisy is still considerably mad.

“I can’t believe it.” Lily shakes her head.  “What would our parents say if they saw you acting like this?  Especially, to a customer.”

Daisy blinks in disbelief.  “I can’t believe you two are defending him.  He was mean to me and then came here to buy flowers for his new marefriend.  Am I suppose to be happy for him?!” she shouts.

Rose walks over to her.  “That’s not the point, Daisy.  This shop was the legacy our parents left for us.  You know mom and dad were glad the three of us wanted to follow in their hoofsteps.  But if they saw you doing this to a customer, regardless of your relationship to him…” Rose’s words trail off.

Lily hangs her head.  “What would they say if they saw you acting like this?  Didn’t our parents teach us to take the high road in tough situations like this?”  Lily looks at her annoyed sister, a distinct sadness in her golden eyes.

You stand there silently, watching all of this unfold, and feel no closer to a solution.

Daisy sighs, then looks at both of her sisters.  “They did teach us that.  But it hurts.”

Rose nods and places a sympathetic hoof on Daisy’s shoulder.  “I know, and that’s perfectly normal.  But…”

Daisy hangs her head and her ears droop dejectedly.  “You’re right.  It’s no excuse to act like this.”  She sighs heavily, the anger slowly fading from her voice.  “And certainly not to a customer.”  She turns to her sisters.  “I’m sorry you two.”

Lily joins them back behind the counter.  “It’s not us you need to apologize to.”

Daisy swallows thickly.  “You don’t mean?”  They both nod and then she nods with them.  “You’re both right.”  There’s a solemn tone in her voice now as Daisy slowly lumbers out from behind the counter.

At this point the anger you were feeling has taken an unexpected holiday.  You didn’t expect to get this in depth a look into the flower sisters’ family history.  It certainly explains a few things.

Daisy stops several feet in front of you, her head still hung low.  Gradually, she raises it up.  Her ears are still drooped and a very woeful expression has taken place of the anger she had been displaying.

She speaks your name softly.  “I…I’m sorry for the way I acted.”

“Daisy…” you reply in almost a whisper.  It pains you to see her like this.  After all, this isn't what you wanted.  “It’s all right.  I’m sorry I raised my voice.  This isn’t easy for me either, you know.”

Daisy nods faintly.  “I know you didn’t mean to. I just I…” She sniffs a little and starts to sob.  “I’m sorry…”

You feel your heart sink, much to your surprise and from the break in her voice as she sobs, you know Daisy isn’t doing this on purpose, like she did last night.  Then, just as you consider going to comfort her, she makes a run at you, and buries her head on your chest.  Her hooves surround you and she cries loudly.

Closing your eyes, you know without a doubt that you aren’t made of stone.  You lean down and rest your cheek along the puff of her mane and place your arms around her.  “It’s okay, Daisy.  Go ahead and cry.”  You feel your eyes become glassy.  “I’m sorry.” You speak as a lone tear trails down your cheek.

Daisy continues to cry, sobbing for a good five minutes.  Clearly, there were unresolved feelings she had yet to come to terms with.  You run your hand along her back, hoping this will offer her some kind of closure.

She pulls back and wipes a few straggling tears from her green eyes.  Daisy looks up at you.  “You, you aren’t mad?”

You shake your head.  “No, not anymore.  And even though our relationship may have ended.  It doesn’t mean we couldn’t still be friends, does it?”

Daisy sniffles a little, then shakes her head.  “No, it doesn’t.”

“Good.” You smile and pat her back.  “Because I’d like to keep coming here when I want to buy flowers.  And it won’t always be just for Twilight.” You grin.

Daisy nods.  “I know.  You’ve bought flowers for other reasons in the past.”

“That’s right.  Oh and while your sisters were talking to you.”  Daisy watches you curiously and Lily and Rose just smile.  You walk over and grab a nice bouquet of assorted tulips.  “I think this will do nicely.”

Daisy smiles.  “Oh, you made a selection?”

You nod.  “I did.  How much do I owe you?”

Rose glances over at the display.  “That’ll be te…uh, seven bits please.”

You reach into your pocket and fish out a few coins, then place them on the green counter.  “Here you are.  Oh, and keep the change.”  You wave a hand as you walk toward the door.

“Wait a moment.”  Daisy walks up to you.

You pause.  “Yeah, what is it, Daisy?”

She gives you a quick hug.  “I just wanted to thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  But I didn’t really do anything.” You note, feeling puzzled.

Daisy smiles.  “You did more than you think.  I guess time will tell how things go.”

“Yeah, but I hope we don’t get into anymore fights.  We’re not a couple anymore you know.”

She chuckles, the first jubilant sound you’ve heard from her since you entered the shop.  “You’re right.  Take care.”

“You too.  Later, ladies.”

“See you!” Lily and Rose call after you.

After exiting the shop you just smile, securing your floral cargo.  “Well, that ended better than I expected.” You mutter to yourself.

Taking a deep breath you make your way for Twilight’s.  It’ll be so nice to see her again, and best of all – you shouldn’t have to worry about Daisy anymore.


* * * * * * 


Twilight leans against you, resting her head on your shoulder as you both cuddle on her sofa.  “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me too, Twily.  So, do you like the flowers?”  You glance down at her.

She runs her hoof along your chest and her eyes seem to sparkle as she looks up at you.  “I love them.”  The two of you look over at the coffee table and smile.  The tulips are resting in a lovely vase and add a nice touch to the living room.  Twilight rubs her cheek along your neck and sighs.  “And I’m glad to hear you were able to finally settle things with Daisy.”

“Me too, Twilight.  Me too.” You run your hand along her silky mane and nuzzle her bangs.  “I was worried that she might start something and try to break us up.”

Twilight giggles.  “That thought had crossed my mind, but, you know something?”

“No, what?” You continue combing your fingers through her hair.

“After our conversation at lunch, I don’t think ours will be a relationship that anyone will be able to break up so easily.”  She sighs contently, and keeps trailing her hoof along your chest.

Pulling her closer, you give a nod.  “You know something, I think you’re right.  So, what do you want to do this evening, dinner, read a little or maybe just sit here and keep cuddling?”

Twilight surrounds your with both her forelegs and gives you a loving squeeze.  “I don’t care, just as long as I can be with you.  For now, why don’t we just keep cuddling?”

You smile, turning to fully embrace your mare.  “I’d love to.”  You sigh, savoring the sensation of Twilight’s breath along your neck.  “And I’m just as glad I’m here with you.”

Twilight sighs again, resting her head on your chest, no doubt enjoying the beat of your heart.  “I love you.”

You feel that bubbling happiness return, and as you hold Twilight in your arms, you can make out her heartbeat, which only adds to your smile as you reply, “I love you, Twilight.”  You rock her in your arms as the two of you continue to sit there on the couch and cuddle.  For the moment, neither of you has a care in the world.



> Chapter 7 - "Under the Weather"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stepping out into the streets of Ponyville, you hold up your hand as the sun glares in your eyes.  Continuing to shield your eyes, you smile.  Even though the air is still brisk, it’s nice to see the sun break through the winter clouds.

You take a chilly breath as you make your way through the marketplace.  With work done for another day, there are a few items you need to pick up on your way home.  Even though you spend a good deal of your time with Twilight, you still spend some of your time at your place.  Besides, as Twilight mentioned over the weekend, she would like to spend more time at your place.  And hey, why can’t you two spend some time there this coming weekend?

You smile from the happy thought and keep an eye out for your first stop.  “Howdy, partner!” You hear the familiar voice of Applejack call.

Spying her at her family’s stand, you shuffle over to her.  “Hey, Applejack.  I didn’t think I’d see you in the market today.”

She chuckles at you as she replies, “Normally, you’d be right.  But Granny was feeling mighty ambitious today.  So she and Big Mac went through the apple cellar and brung up a whole mess of apples.  She started peel’n and then rolling dough.  And when I got up this morn’n, I was met by the smell of pies.  Wouldn’t ya know it…Granny had whipped up a ton of’m.  So, I got Apple Bloom ta help me pack’m up.  And here I am.”

Giving her stand a thorough look, you see the assortment of pies and notice even more resting in a cart next to Applejack.  “Wow!  You weren’t kidding.  Granny really was busy baking this morning.”

Applejack nods firmly, then bears you one of her charming smiles.  “You don’t know the half of it.  The kitchen was a complete mess.  But, hey it gave me something to do since the trees are still hibernate’n.”

You nod mindlessly, then contemplate if you should buy a pie.  Not that it’s a hard choice.  Since your arrival in Ponyville, it didn’t take long before you knew the masterful bounty of goods that Applejack and her family are known for.

A nip in the air makes you rub your hands together.  “Brrr.  It’s still chilly out.  Man, why can’t it be spring already?”

Shaking her head, Applejack just laughs at you.  “You sound like so many of the ponies I’ve seen earlier today.  But if you’re cold, I’m selling hot chocolate.  Oh, and to help move the pies, I also brought a few cases of apple cider. And you know our prices can’t be beat!”  She winks.

Honest till the end, but you’d expect no less from her.  “Well, I’ll take a hot chocolate…and what the hay, I’ll take a pie as well…and two bottles of cider.”

“Heh, heh, heh.  I had a feeling you’d buy something.”  Applejack takes one of the boxed pies and the apple cider and carefully places it in a paper bag with handles.  “Here, thanks to our zap apple jam sales, good old Filthy Rich gave us some nice bags for our customers.”

“That’s great.  Oh, what do you I owe you?” You ask.

“Hmm, that’s four bits for the pie, two bits for the cider and another two bits for the hot chocolate…eight bits even should cover it.”

Reaching in your bit pouch, you fish the money out and set it on the counter.  “Here you are.”

“Thank you, sugar cube.  Let me get your drink.”  She turns to the large metal urn and fills a generous size paper cup with hot chocolate.  Applejack places a little sleeve over the cup and presents it to you.  “Here you go.”

“Thank you, Applejack.  Mmm, this will really hit the spot.”  Taking the cup you take a whiff of its chocolately aroma.  Then, inviting a small sip into your mouth, your eyes widen.  “Ahh, hot, hot.  Mmm, good though.”

Again you make the farm pony laugh.  “Yeah, I was hopin’ I didn’t have to tell you it was hot.”

Shaking your head, you reply, “No, it’s just the fate of my tongue when it comes to hot drinks and often times hot food as well." You laugh a little, and carefully take another sip.  “There, good this time.”

Applejack nods, then taps her hooves on the counter.  “Oh, I almost forgot.  This is the first time I’ve seen you since you went to help Twilight.  And I just wanted to thank you on behalf of all of us.  I was start’n to think that she would never stop frettin’.”

“No problem, Applejack.  I never would have guessed that her feelings toward me were what had her so upset.”  You shake your head before sipping your hot chocolate.

“It’s true enough.  But, at least we’ve all been seeing her again.”  Applejack gives you a sly look, then says, “That is, when she ain’t with you.”

You smirk her way, then smile.  “Yes well.  You knew I was crazy about Twilight…I just never thought in my wildest dreams…that she felt the same.”

“Well, it’s good she does.  Oh, right…one more thing.  Since Twi is coming around again.  Now this is just a thought.”

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you bring Twilight to my place Friday evening for dinner.  I’ll get the whole gang together.  I’m sure the others will stop by, and you can see the rest of the Apple family too.”

A joyful look forms on your face.  “That’d be wonderful.  Don’t worry, Applejack, I’ll make sure to let Twilight know.  We’ll be there.”

“Splendid.  Oh, don’t forget your pie and cider.”

“Huh?  Oh, right.”  Shaking your head, you grab the bag’s sturdy handles.  “It’s so easy to get sidetracked.”

Applejack grins and nods.  “Don’t I know it.  Well, have a good one.”

“You too!”

With the first of your cargo secured, you down more of your slowly chilling hot chocolate and look around for your next stop.  Spying the right place, you take off walking, a happy beat in your step as you eagerly look forward to Friday’s dinner. 


* * * * * *


It’s late Friday afternoon.  Your work week has ended and you’re enjoying taking a load off, cuddling with Twilight on her bed, while she continues to read more of the latest Daring Do book to you.

Twilight nuzzles her cheek against yours.  “Mmm, you always smell so nice after you shower.”

You chuckle, wrapping both arms around her and pulling her against you.  “The wonders of soap and warm water.”  You laugh again, nuzzling her silky mane.  “I’m so glad the weekend is here.”

“I know.  And today isn’t even over yet.” Twilight giggles as she sets the book down.  “But, I’m guessing neither of us is really in the mood for “Daring Do”.”

“Well…” You snicker and give Twilight another nuzzle.  “It’s not that I’m not in the mood for “Daring Do”, I’m just enjoying some quality time with my mare.”

Twilight giggles as she leans back against you and gives you an adorable look.  “Yes, well, I’m just doing the same.  Enjoying my time with you.”  She glances over at her alarm clock.  “We still have a little over an hour till Applejack and the others will be expecting us.”

“Yeah.” You give her one of those looks.  “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Twilight giggles again, while she turns within your arms to face you.  “I don’t know…” she begins in a silky voice as she leans in to kiss you.

Your arms tighten around her as you share her loving gesture.  Twilight’s hooves slip around your waist, while she presses her lips harder against yours.  Reaching up, you caress her silky tresses just before your kiss ends.  Your gaze meets hers.  Then she asks, “Am I?”

A soft chuckle leaves your lips.  “Definitely.”  Reaching over to the nightstand you grab a small bag.  “Candy heart?” You smile, holding up a green one.

“Ooh, is that lime?” Twilight grins.

You nod.  “You know it is…and it says, “My Sweet” on it.”

Twilight giggles again, then brushes her hoof along your hair.  “That heart sounds almost as sweet as you. Ah…” She opens her mouth.

A big smile blooms on your face as you place the candy on her tongue.  “There, my angel.”

Twilight closes her mouth and takes a moment to savor the candy.  “Mmm.”  Then, she looks at you dreamily.  “You haven’t called me that for a while…hmm.” She places a hoof to her chin.  “Not since you started calling me “Twily”.”

You resume caressing her mane.  “Do you have a preference, my love?”

“Well…” She shakes her head.  “No, nope.  Either is fine with me.”  She gives you a loving hug, then uses her magic to fish out a candy heart. “Hmm, what do we have here?  Orange…is that okay?”

Smiling at her, you nod.  “Of course it is.  Now, what’s it say?”

Twilight holds the heart up.  “It says, “Be Mine”.” She giggles.

“Good, cause I already am yours.” You open your mouth and Twilight sets the candy on your tongue.  Inviting the candy inside, you enjoy the subtle sweet and orange flavor of the heart.  “Mmm.”  You lean front and share another kiss with Twilight.

Twilight turns over and the two of you lay back.  “We can cuddle for a little, then we should head out.”

“Sounds like a plan.” You hold her close and rub your cheek along her silky mane.  “It’ll be good to see your friends again.”

“Yes.  Applejack was right when she told you it’s been a while since the whole gang got together like this.”  Twilight turns on her side so she can snag you back into her hooves again.  “And best of all, when the night is over…I will still have you.”

“You know it.  Ahh.”  You sigh contently, securing your arms around your mare.


* * * * * * 


Joyful laughter fills the dinning room at the Apple family’s home.  Glancing at a nearby clock, you notice it’s a little after seven.  Patting your belly and smacking your lips you look out at everypony.  “Mmm, that was a wonderful dinner…and Applejack.” You look her way.

“Yeah?” She replies.

“This was a great idea.”

Applejack smiles and takes a sip of water from her glass.  “Shucks, I was hoping it’d be a good one.”  She turns to Twilight.  “And it’s so nice seeing you around again.  I don’t have ta tell ya, we were all genuinely concerned about you, Twi.”

Twilight smiles happily as she looks at everypony across the table.  “I’m glad you all care so much.  And like I said since this week began, I’m very sorry I worried all of you.”

“Darling, it’s more than all right.  Matters of the heart can really take a toll on you.” Rarity waves a hoof, then takes a sip form her glass.

“I’m just glad things are back to normal and that you seem so much calmer,” Fluttershy remarks.

“Things aren’t completely normal.” Pinkie Pie eyes you up, then adds in a bubbly voice, “So, how are things between you two?!  I’m guessing…good!  Come on, you can tell us.”

The two of you look a little on the spot. You smile and place a supportive hand on Twilight's shoulder, letting her know you've got this. “Well, Pinkie, I won’t lie…I’ve never been so happy. This past week has been just…well, amazing!”

“Amazing, huh?” Rainbow Dash questions.  “After all those times you told us how you felt about Twilight, it was just “amazing”?”

Your cheeks turn bright red and you turn to Twilight.  She starts to giggle and grins.  “Oh, don’t be so embarrassed.  At least you had the courage to tell the others how you felt.”  She sighs and shakes her head.  “Until we spoke, I never really told anypony…well almost no pony.”

You place an affectionate hand on her shoulder.  “Twilight, it’s okay now.”  Then you turn to Rainbow Dash.  “All right, Rainbow, maybe “amazing” is underselling it a little.  Um let me see.  Oh, I got it.” You snap your finger.  “It was awesomely stupendous and unquestionably fannnnn-tastic!  There!”

Dash nods slowly. “Better, now I have a slight idea of how you feel.” She grins and giggles through her teeth.

You try not to roll your eyes.  This isn’t the first time Rainbow has gone out of her way to tease you.  Though, you feel privileged to be the target of her teasing.  It’s just one of those things that helps make you feel more like part of their group.

Applejack sits back and seems to enjoy everyone conversing and of course watching Rainbow torment you.  She turns to her brother.  “Well what do ya know.  Dinner and a show, ain’t, Big Mac?”

“Eeyup.” He shares his sister’s chuckles, then he asks you two, “So, what all are you two plan’n for this here weekend?”

Looking over at Big Mac, you reply, “Well, we’re going to be spending more time together, of course.”  You place your arm around Twilight.

Twilight leans against you and gives you a supportive look.  “That’s right.  The two of us are just making up for lost time.”  She pretends to bonk herself on the head.  “Uh.  Who’d have guessed the two of us went all this time without knowing we shared the same feelings.”  Twilight laughs sheepishly.

“I can think of one pony,” you just manage to hear Applejack speak under her breath, seeing as she’s sitting on your other side.  You just laugh to yourself as she clears her throat before she says, “I’m glad everypony could be here tonight.  It’s been a lot of fun.”

“You can say that again!” Pinkie squeals.

“Pinkie’s right, Applejack.” Twilight smiles and looks around at the table.  “Times like these remind me what amazing friends I have.”

Before Twilight can say another word, there’s an odd clattering coming from the kitchen followed by a clear, “Dagnabbit.”

Applejack gets up from her chair.  “Um, if y’all will excuse me. I’d better have a look in the kitchen.  Granny Smith might need a hoof with dessert.”  She slips out of the room and into the kitchen.  “Granny?  You doing all right in here?”

You turn to Twilight.  “Hmm, I wonder what’s for dessert.  Something in the kitchen has been smelling amazing.”

Twilight smiles and places her hoof on your shoulder.  “I’m not sure, but I know I caught a strong whiff of cinnamon.”

“Oh boy.  It might be one of Granny’s pies.” You grin, pulling Twilight a little closer.

Twilight realizes you two may be putting it on a little thick.  “Uh.” She whispers your name. “We’re not at my place…or yours.”

Looking over at Twilight and then out at the others, you withdraw your arm.  “Oh, right.  Sorry about that.”

Rarity shakes her head.  “Please, darling.  A little harmless public display like that is fine.  Isn’t it, everypony?” She looks around the table.

Big Mac nods his head.  “Eeyup.”

“I think it’s really sweet that you two finally found each other.” Fluttershy claps her hooves together and smiles.

“Yeah, you two look so cute together.  Aww.” Pinkie grins, tilting her head to the side.

Then, just as Rainbow Dash opens her mouth to speak, she’s cut off.  Applejack returns to the group.  “Everything’s A-okay, partners.  The oven was just givin' Granny a hard time.  But we’re all good now.  Hope y’all are ready for one of Granny’s famous apple crumb pies, and we have vanilla ice cream so ya can have it Al-ay-mode too.” She winks at everyone.

There is a small squeaking sound as you see Granny Smith wheel in a steaming hot pie on her dessert cart.  “That’s right everypony…oh and you.”  She turns your way and smiles.  “I didn’t forget you now, dear.”  Granny chuckles.  “And at my age I’ve forgotten plenty.”

You laugh at Granny’s antics.  Then, the sight of the delectable pie makes your mouth start to water.  “Oh, Granny Smith, you have outdone yourself.  That pie looks amazing!”  Turning to Twilight, you smile when you see that she seems just as excited as you are.

“Okay now, who all wants it with ice cream?” Granny asks as she starts slicing the pie.

“This is gonna be so good, Twilight.” You pat her back, speaking in a quiet voice.

She turns to you and speaks softly, “I know.  It’s a good thing we’re heading to your place after we’re done here.”

You chuckle.  “Yep.  This get together isn’t over yet.”


* * * * * * * 


After dessert, the group continues chatting for another solid hour, before everyone begins to say their good-byes.  You and Twilight say your own farewells to the group then make your way home. 

The two of you enter your house and you quickly close the door, chasing the winter cold back outside. Twilight lets out a hearty yawn as she walks over to the coat rack with you. "Oh, excuse me."

You chuckle glancing at the nearby clock. "Wow, I wasn't hallucinating at Applejack's. It really was going on ten when we finally left." You look at Twilight, then cast out a yawn of your own.

She giggles at you, before yawning again. "Well, at least that explains why I'm so...ahhhh...tired."

After hanging up your coats, you walk over to your mare and run your hand across her back. "At least we're here at my place, nice and warm."

Twilight shivers a little as she looks at you. "Brrr, speak for yourself. I'm still chilly. "

You place your arm around her and pull her close. "Don't worry, Twily, I'll keep you warm."

She leans against you.  “Mmm, I’m sure you will.”

Glancing down at Twilight, you notice she’s leaning a little too hard against you.  “Uh, Twilight…Twilight…wake up!”

“Huh? What…oh no.  Did I just nod off?”  Her cheeks turn a little red as she stands back up.

Softly patting her back, you remain beside her and enjoy a good stretch.  “Come on.  Why don’t we head to bed?”

Twilight nods.  “Okay.” She yawns again as the two of you start back toward your bedroom.  “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

You turn out the lights and then follow Twilight back the short hallway and enter your bedroom.  Twilight makes for your bed and flops onto it.  “Mmm, just like the other day…your bed is so inviting.”

Shaking your head, you briefly laugh at Twilight.  “Um, wouldn’t you prefer to be under the covers?”

Glancing at your bed and then over at you, she grins.  “Oh, right.”  Then, her eyes partially close as she swirls her hoof on the top blanket.  “Of course…maybe we don’t want to go to sleep just yet.”  Twilight yawns again, placing her hoof over her mouth.  “Don’t worry, I’m still awake.”

Dressing down, you shake your head.  Twilight always seems cute when she resists sleeping.  Though, this is the first time she’s done this since you two became a couple.  Now that you think about it, this does bring to mind the memories of when you’d hang out at her place, helping her with a project or hunting for the right book.  She often tried to pull all-nighters and usually fell asleep at her desk or while sitting on one of her reading cushions.

You slide into bed next to her, now that Twilight has drawn back the covers.  “What am I to do with you, Twilight?”

“Mmm, I can think of a few things,” she speaks in a silky voice.  Despite her fatigue, she’s still making an attempt to seduce you.

Reaching out your hand, you deftly caress her mane.  “So can I.  But, are you sure you’re up for anything?  You did just doze off in the living room.”

She flails her foreleg in a dismissing manor.  “That was just because you were so relaxing.  Besides.” Twilight perks up and runs her hoof across your T-shirt covered chest.  “I’ve got my second wind.”

Making a bit of a face, you’re slowly convinced from her response and reply, “All right.”

Twilight smiles as she slowly inches closer to you.  She places a hoof on your shoulder and slowly leans toward you.  Then, just as she goes to kiss you, she pauses.  Drawing back, you discover why.  “Ah…ah-ah-choo!!” Your mare is rocked from a rather powerful sneeze.  She sniffles a little.  “Oh, sorry about that. I…oh my goodness.”  Twilight turns her head.  “Please tell me it wasn’t as messy as I think it was.”

Turning to the nightstand, you clip a tissue for her.  You coax her to turn your way.  “Well, it wasn’t a clean and dry sneeze.  But, here.” You offer Twilight the tissue.  She takes hold of it in the raspberry glow of her magic.  “It’s not too terrible.”

“Oh…then why does it feel kind of gross?” She asks, while wiping the small mess from her nose and muzzle.

“Um, because that’s how messy sneezes are?” You shrug your shoulders.  “They happen to the best of us…right?” 

Finishing with the tissue, Twilight discards it in the nearby waste can.  “Yeah.  Just one of those things.” She shakes her head and then sits back on her haunches.  “Um, I guess after that you don’t want to kiss me now.”  Her ears droop and she stares at the bed, lightly tapping it with her hoof.

You blink at Twilight a few times, then cup your hand under her chin, making her look up at you.  “I wouldn’t say that.”

“So, it’s not too gross?” She asks.

Before she can say another word.  You lean in and draw her into a quick kiss.  Then pulling back, you smile.  “No…at least not to me.  You did use a tissue.  Now come here.”

The smile returns to her lips as Twilight leans in to share a longer and more affectionate kiss with you.  Your lips wrestle amorously with hers, then end in a gentle parting.  Her cheeks are a little flushed, as she looks at you rather dreamily.  “You never cease to amaze me.”

“I try.” You place your arms around her.  “So, you’re really up for this?”

“Mm-hmm.” She smiles at you again, while employing her beautiful bedroom eyes.

Giving Twilight a little squeeze, you pull her down beside you.  Loosening your grip, your begin caressing her velvety barrel.  You ponder how you’d like to proceed.  Then, you notice a subtle but rather cute sound coming from her.  You make a curious face…Twilight is very quietly snoring.  “Uh, Twilight?”  You lightly prod her side.

“Huh?”  Her eyes open.  “Oh no, I did it again.”  She facehoofs.  “I’m sorry, I really want to…I mean your bed…it’s first time…mmm at your place.”

You reach over and caress her silky locks.  “Forget about it.  There’s always tomorrow.  Let’s just nestle down and get some sleep.”

Twilight nods weakly.  “All…all right.  You twisted my foreleg.  Mmm…” She reaches out and snags you in her hooves.  “Bring that warm body of yours over here.  I’m still cold.”

You chuckle and happily do as your mare asks.  “Of course.”  Placing your arms around her, you notice she has just enough of her wits about her to use her magic to cover you both.  You cinch the covers over a little more, then draw her closer.  “Night, Twilight.”

“Mmm, night…” she mutters your name, then nestles a little closer to you and grows still.

You smile as you hear her gentle breaths, which pool softly against your chest.  Casting a calming sigh out your nose, you keep your arms around her and quickly follow her into blissful slumber.


* * * * * *


You groan softly as you slowly awaken.  Opening your eyes, you glance around your room.  Sunlight is trying to peak in from the edge of the darkening curtains covering your window.  As the fog of sleep gradually flees your mind, you give a nod and let your head flop back onto your pillow.  Staring lazily across from you, you see Twilight.  Her muzzle is close to your chest and her hooves are pressed against you.  Securing your arms around her, you giver her a tender squeeze.  She faintly moans and lightly moves her head.

Blinking for a moment, you’re surprised that Twilight isn’t waking up.  Then it dawns on you – maybe it’s still really early.  Turning to your nightstand, you spy the alarm clock.  Your eyes widen as you see that it’s going on nine.  “Wow, it’s that late all ready?”

“Ehhh, not so loud…” Twilight trails off and continues to doze.

“Twilight?” You look down at her.  “It’s almost nine.”

“Good…wake me when it’s actually…mmm, nine.” She mutters and hunkers further under the covers and closer to you.  “It’s cold in here.”

You blink.  With flannel sheets, two blankets and a bed spread, you wonder how Twilight could be cold.  Not to mention she is nestled up against you.  “Twilight, are you all right?”

“Oh, can you give me five…ty-four more minutes.  Mmm, I’m still sleepy.”  She weakly reaches her hoof up and pulls the covers over her head.

Fivety-four more minutes, you wonder scratching your head.  Twilight isn’t making much sense.  Your face lights up as you pull the covers over both your heads.  “Here, is this warmer, Twilight?”

Her eyes partially open as she looks around.  “Mmm, slightly.”

“How about some warm tea or hot chocolate?  Something warm to drink and a nice hot and hearty breakfast might be just the ticket to warm you up.” You run your arms up and down her back.

“Ooh, watch it.  That spot’s a little sore.”  She shivers and cringes a bit.

“Twilight are you…okay?” You ask her again.

“I’m fine…um, just a little cold and oh, I feel drained…like I have no energy.”  She returns her hooves to your chest and tries to inch a little closer to you. 

“So, cold and drained.  Let me check your forehead.”  You sit up after checking her forehead.  “Whoa, no wonder you’re cold Twilight, your forehead is hot.”

Twilight opens her eyes the whole way.  “Oh no, does this mean I’m…sick?”

Shaking your head you reply, “I’m not sure.  But from the symptoms, I’d say there’s a good chance you have something.”

She places her hooves over her face.  “That’s just great.  Winter Wrap up is in less than three weeks.  I can’t be sick now.”

“Relax, honey, it’s probably just a simple cold.  A few days rest and you’ll be fine.” You run your hand along her back.

Twilight smiles at you and takes a calming breath.  “Yeah, maybe you’re…” She turns to sit up.  “Ah-ah-ah-choo.”  Your mare sneezes, only unlike last night, you notice her horn glow an odd shade of blue.

“What the?”

She shakes her head and rubs her hooves along her cheeks.  “Oh, that hurt.  Uhh, my sinuses are all stuffy.”

You reach over and grab a tissue.  “Here Twilight.  Why did your horn glow?”

Twilight takes the tissue and blows her nose.  “Uh…that didn’t help.”  She looks at the tissue.  “Eww.”  She tries to lift the soiled hanky with her magic, but nothing happens.  “Huh?  Why didn’t my horn light up?  Wait?”  She turns your way.  “Did you just say my horn glowed?”

You nod stiffly and swallow hard.  “Yeah.  It lit up a weird shade of blue.  Is that normal when unicorns get sick?”

Twilight’s eyes widen.  “Blue…oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.  This can’t be happening!”

“What is it?” You do your best to stay calm and composed, the last thing you want is to add to Twilight’s worry.

She leans against you and wraps her hooves around you.  “I can’t be sure, but it sounds like magiconduitis…commonly referred to as horn fever.”

Your eyes widen at the word “magiconduitis”, which makes you swallow hard again. “Um is…is horn fever serious?”

“It’s hard to say, while I’ve read about it in books, I’ve never met anypony who actually came down with it before.  Basically, magiconduitis is an inflammation of the horn and often times causes painful congestion in the sinuses as they share nerves.”  Twilight looks at you with troubled eyes.

You run your fingers through her lightly mussed mane.  “Don’t worry, Twilight.  I’m here for you.  I’ll do my best to nurse you back to health.  Do you know if there is a cure or treatment or specific food your should eat or drink?”

She keeps her hooves around you and just rubs her cheek along your chest.  “I’m not sure.  I haven’t read about horn fever in a while.  If I had the book “Rare and Common Unicorn Ailments”, I could just look up the entry for…ah,” Twilight sneezes again.

You hand her another tissue and set the box by her side.  “For magiconduitis?”

Twilight blows her nose.  “Yeah.  That would be the best place to start.”

“Well, why don’t I get dressed and head over to the library and get the book.  Do you need anything else while I’m there?” You continue caressing her mane, while Twilight looks to the ceiling.

“Hmm.  No, I can’t think of anything.  Oh, before you go, could you bring me a glass of cold water?”

You kiss the back of her head.  “Of course, my love.  I’ll be right back.”



* * * * * *   


After getting a few things for Twilight and making sure she’s situated, you finish dressing, and then put on your coat, making sure to zip up.  Not wasting any time, you make your way into Ponyville, rolling your eyes as you plow through another windy day.  But, no matter, Twilight needs you and nothing, absolutely nothing will keep you from helping your beloved mare.

The library comes into view, giving you a brief sense of relief.  Making your way inside, you look around.  The shelves are neatly organized, following the work you and Twilight did last weekend.  Only now, you couldn’t begin to guess where to start looking for the book in question.  That’s mainly because you forgot to ask Twilight where she keeps it.  You aren’t sure if she keeps it with her personal collection or with the books accessible to the citizens of Ponyville.

“Hello?” You hear Spike call from the kitchen.

You perk up recognizing the voice of Twilight’s faithful assistant.  “Spike, good, you’re awake.” You call out, walking toward the kitchen.

The dragon comes scampering out when he hears your voice.  He calls your name and says, “Hey, how’s it going?”

“Good, Spike.”  You deadpan.  “Okay, that’s a lie.  Actually, things aren’t going so well.”

Spike looks around and then cranes his head up at you.  “Um, where’s Twilight?  Shouldn’t she be with you?”

“Well…Spike, Twilight isn’t feeling well.  She sent me here to find a book.  Maybe you could save me some time and help me find it.”

“Oh, which book?” Spike scratches the back of his head.

“She said it was called “Rare and Common Unicorn Ailments”, I believe.” You place your hand on your chin and nod.  “Yeah.”

Spike stares off into space for a moment, then his face lights up.  “Oh, that’s right.  I know where it is.  Be right back.”  He darts out of the room and runs up to Twilight’s study.  You hear what can only be the sound of shifting books, then just as you contemplate going up to offer him some help.  You hear the patter of dragon feet on the wooden steps as he makes his way back down.  “Found it!”

You grin.  “Wonderful!”

Spike holds up the book, bound in a navy cover with shimmering green and gold lettering.  “Here.”  He offers you the book.

Taking hold of it, you give it a closer look.  The title is there in green and there’s also a picture of a unicorn skull in gold and a flask filled with a bubbly potion.  “Hmm.  This should be just the ticket.  Hopefully, Twilight can read this and make sense of what she’s got.”

“She’s not in too bad a shape is she?” Spike asks giving you puppy dog eyes.

“Uh, she’s got…” You pause, perhaps this is a situation that calls for tact more than the truth.  “She said it’s like a head cold.  I don’t think from her reaction that it’s anything too serious.  But, you know, an ounce of prevention.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve heard Twilight use that quote…it’s worth a pound of cure.”  Spike dusts his claws and gives you a nod.  “Well, if that’s all you need, I’ve got a cake to get back to.”

You prepare to depart, then you stop.  “Wait, Spike.  Do you have a quill and some parchment?”

He stops in place and turns back to look at you.  “Yeah?  What’s up?”

“I’d like to pen a letter to the princess, if it’s not too much trouble.” You reply.

“No.  In fact, I can write it for you if you like.”  Spike holds up a quill and a roll of parchment.

You reach out and carefully take them from him.  “Thank you, Spike.  But, I can write this.  Oh, and thanks for finding the book for me.  I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Spike replies, appearing a bit flustered at how quickly you snatched the quill and paper from him.

You set the paper down on the coffee table and dip the quill in the inkwell Spike just sat on the table.  “Oh, thanks again.  No wonder Twilight holds you in such high regard.  You really are the best assistant ever.”

Spike waves a claw and turns away.  “Ah, go on.  I try my best.”

Not paying too much heed to Spike, you begin scratching down your words.  “Dear Princess Celestia…duh, duh, duh….huh, huh, huh. Buh, buh.”  You continue to mumble as you complete your letter.  “There and sighed, me.” You grin as you roll up your letter.  “Here we go.  All set, Spike.”  You offer him the scroll.

“Okay, let me just send this.”  He places a seal on the parchment and then using his magical fire breath sends the letter out.  “There you go, it’s on its way.”

“Thanks again, Spike.  Remind me I owe you a sapphire cupcake when all this is over.” You tuck the book in your satchel and zip up your coat.

Spike looks at you in disbelief.  “Really?  I didn’t do anything that special.”

“Oh, but you did.  I’d still be looking for that book if you hadn’t helped me.  I didn’t know Twilight kept it in her study.  And that still has to be the quickest way to send a letter, ever.”  Making haste, you open the door and dart back out into the windy Ponyville.

“Hey!” Spike calls out to you.  “When you do get it, make sure the cupcake has butter cream sapphire frosting.”

Turning back you shout, “You got it, Spike!”  Returning your eyes forward, you continue along hoping you can shed some light on Twilight’s condition and help with her recovery.



* * * * * * *


Three hours have passed since you returned.  Twilight found the passage she was searching for and sadly, her suspicions were correct.  “Horn fever,” you mutter, applying a cool compress to her forehead.

“Mmm, ahhh.” Twilight murmurs from within her sleep.

You sigh, hoping the book is wrong.  “Hang in there, Twilight.” You gently caress her dark sapphire mane along the streaks of rose and violet, which even though its getting messier, it’s still silky.  From what the book said, if Twilight does indeed have magiconduitis, she may be in for a rough week or two.  At least she should be well in time for Winter Wrap Up, but it still may leave her weakened.  If anything, she’s going to need you more than ever.

Heading out to the kitchen, you check on some vegetable broth you are heating on the stove for her.  While horn fever doesn’t negatively impact the stomach, the book did recommend eating mild foods, at least for the first week or until the nasal congestion begins to lessen.

Grabbing a bowl, you fill it, satisfied the thin soup is hot enough and has just the right flavor.  Then, setting it on a round serving tray with some simple crackers and a steaming mug of tea, you head back to your room.

Carefully, you make your way over to Twilight’s side of your bed.  You set the tray on the mostly empty surface of the nightstand.  Looking over you see Twilight paging through the book again.  “Oh, you’re awake.”

She lowers the book and looks up at you.  “Ah, so you’re the reason my stomach woke me.”  Twilight smiles at you rubbing her belly.

You turn her way and give her a curious look, then smile.  “Are you feeling any better?”

She shrugs her shoulders.  “Eh, my head still feels like its stuffed full of hay, but I can’t sleep forever…besides, I’m hungry.”

“Well, then you’re in for a little treat.  I made some hot vegetable broth, and brought some crackers to go with it.  Oh, and a nice hot cup of the mint tea we enjoy when you used to have me over to help with projects in the library.”

Twilight sits up a little more.  “Oh good.  That sounds wonderful.  Uh.” She grimaces a little as she tries to use her horn.  “Afraid my horn is still on the fritz.”

You lift the bowl off the tray and place a napkin under it.  “Not to worry.  Here.” You load up the spoon and offer her some broth.  “I can assist you.”

Twilight blushes a little.  “All right.  I feel a little silly, not being able to really feed myself.  I mean I could use my hooves.”  She grins.  “But I am a little out of practice.”

“That’s why I’m happy to help.  Besides, it’s kind of like when we fed each other peanut butter cups and candy hearts.”

“Okay.” She continues to smile at you as she opens up.  You carefully offer her the broth and she empties the spoon.  “Mmm, that’s really good.”

“More?”

“Mm-hmm.”  Twilight reaches for the bowl.  You smile and make sure the napkin stays under it as she takes hold of it.  “You know, I find I have started using my hooves just a little more, since we started seeing each other.”  Her face looks a little weary, but Twilight still offers you loving eyes, then she starts to slowly down the bowl of soup.

You chuckle to yourself, even in sickness, your heart still soars from just how incredible Twilight continues to be.  “Twilight.” You speak softly as she continues enjoying the broth.

She takes a final swallow and holds up the bowl.  “Mmm, that really hit the spot.”  Twilight offers you the bowl back.  “It was tasty and warmed me up.  Thank you, so much.” She looks at you fondly and smiles again.

Somehow, even with her messy mane and watery eyes, Twilight seems just as beautiful as ever.  “Glad you liked it.  There’s more in the kitchen if you’d like another bowl.  I covered it so it’ll stay warm.”  You take the bowl and set it back onto the tray.

“Mmm, I’m good for now.  But, you have been just amazing today.”  She leans over and gives you a hug.  “I never dreamed I’d get sick like this, least of all after we got together.”

You place your loving arms around her.  “These things happen.  I’m sure you’d do the same for me.”

Twilight tries to hug you just a little tighter, but you can tell she’s still a bit weak from her faltering forelegs.  “In a heartbeat.”

“Oh, care for some tea?”

She nods.  “Certainly.”

Like the bowl, she takes the mug of warm tea into her hooves.  Slowly, she invites the minty beverage into her mouth, and much to your surprise, she downs the entire thing rather quickly.  “Mmm.  Brewed perfectly…and just a hint of sweetness.”

“Just the way you like it.” You smile taking the mug, now that she’s finished it.

Twilight throws back the covers.  “I’m going to go freshen up.”

“I’ll be here, if you need me.  Um, but while you take care of that, I’ll take this back to the kitchen.  I’ll leave the crackers, in case you get hungry later on.”

“Okay…and even though I can still get around…I’ll always need you.  I’m really enjoying having you by my side.” She smiles all rosy-cheeked as she walks into the bathroom.

You just smile happily as you take the tray with the empty mug and bowl back to the kitchen.  Placing the leftover broth in the fridge, you clean the few dishes, then make your way back to your room.

Twilight is back in bed, and has resumed reading the book.  “Figure anything else out?”

“No, it’s still the same illness as before.  Ahh,” Twilight yawns.

“Feeling sleepy?”

“A…a little. Mmm, would you lie beside me?  I’m a little chilly.” She smiles at you, her eyes sparkle just as genuine as ever.

Heading over to your side of the bed, you crawl in beside her, fully clothed.  “Anything for my mare.” You place your arms around her and pull the covers up over both of you.

Twilight snuggles against you.  “I don’t think this is an ailment humans would have to worry about…unless you’re hiding a horn somewhere on your body.”

“Um, well…not that I know of.” You grin.  “Besides, I’d happily risk it, just to be with you.”  Reaching out, you move a stray lock of hair away from her eyes.

“Aww.” She nestles closer to you.  “I’d be willing to risk it all too.  Hmm, just to be with you.” She giggles weakly, while resting her hooves on your chest.  “Mmm, I love you.”

You give her a tender squeeze.  “I love you too, Twilight.”

She murmurs your name, then grows quiet.  The sound of her breathing is the only thing you hear along with the gentle hum of the furnace.

Keeping your arms around her, you allow the serenity of the moment to wash over you and feeling that familiar sense of fatigue, you too succumb to sleep.
> Chapter 8 - "Winter Wrap Up - Part 1"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

An elegant but forceful knocking on your front door tears you from your slumber.  “Huh, what?” You blink and for a moment wonder where you are, what planet you’re on and even what year it is…not to mention if you were asleep for long.

Shaking your head, you notice the familiar glow of the sun beaming in around the windows.  Glancing at your alarm clock, you notice the time.  “Oh, It’s only 4:30pm.”  You cast out a calming sigh.

The knocking resumes at the door.  Making a puzzled face, you put on your slippers and head to the front door.  There’s one final round of knocking before you call out, “I’m coming, I’m coming!”  You arrive and open the door.  There’s a brilliant light that makes you shield your eyes.  “Whoa.”

The bright glow fades and you gasp in awe and disbelief at the sight of Princess Celestia standing there. “Hello, may I come in?  It is rather chilly outside.”

You gulp as you stand aside.  “Of course, your highness, please, won’t you come inside?”

Celestia chuckles softly as she steps inside.  She speaks your name and turns your way, just as you close the door.  “So, you have really made some progress.  Your home looks positively charming…well, compared to when you first moved in.”

“Uh, th-thank you, princess.” You stutter a little.

“Please, it’s just us, you don’t need to be so formal.  “Celestia” will be fine.”  She continues to look around your living room.

“Are you here because of the letter I sent you?”  Celestia nods.  Then giving her a closer look, now that the light around her has faded, you notice something about her.  “Why are you wearing saddlebags?”

The princess chuckles again.  “So full of questions, just like you were when I first met you on Earth.”  You don’t say anything.  All you do is just stand there in awe, again.  “Ah, I see I’ve had that effect on you.  But to answer your question, yes, I am here in response to your letter, and I am indeed wearing saddlebags.”

You scratch the back of your head and slowly step closer to her.  “You didn’t have “that” effect on me, but I was just a little confused.  I expected you to send a reply letter, not actually show up.”

Celestial looks back the hallway.  “Yes well, when you mentioned the disease Twilight suspects she may have contracted, I wanted to show up in person, to make sure.”

“Aren’t you afraid of getting sick?” You ask her.

She shakes her head.  “Of course not.  In addition to my sun magic, I also have great healing abilities, so I have a natural immunity to most illnesses.”

“Wow, no wonder Twilight spoke so highly of you alicorns.”  Shaking your head, you realize you’re rambling.  “Oh, we should check on Twilight.  Uh, right this way, you…um, Celestia.”

The princess smiles and follows you back to your room.  Upon entering you see Twilight resting in your bed.  Your eyes immediately tear up.  She’s holding the pillow she gave you and you see a glistening from the corner of her eye.  It warms your heart so that she gave you that wonderful heart-shaped pillow she made.  “Twilight,” you mutter in almost a whisper.  Standing at her side, you gently nudge her.  “Twilight, Twilight, we have a guest.”

“Huh?” Twilight opens her eyes and looks around, while still clutching the pillow.  She catches sight of you and Celestia.  “Oh!”  She quickly hides the pillow.  “Um, p-princess.  How are you?”

Celestia giggles softly as she walks up to her faithful student.  “I’m fine.  But from what he’s told me, you aren’t doing so well.”

Twilight nods weakly.  “Yeah…it’s true.” She sighs and lightly punches the blanket.  “I’ve got magiconduitis.”

“Yes, and with Winter Wrap Up fast approaching, it seems this ailment is most ill-timed.”  Celestia walks up and places a hoof along Twilight’s forehead.  “You don’t seem overly feverish, but…there it is.”

“Huh?” Twilight glances up at her mentor.

“The eyes.  There’s the distinct look in them.”

Twilight sniffs.  “Oh and my sinuses still feel stuff with clay…ah-ah-ah-choo!”  Her horn glows that same strange blue color again.

“And the final symptom.  An odd blue colored glow on your horn.  I’m afraid you two were right.” Celestia sighs.

You turn to Celestia.  “Is there anything we can do?  Otherwise Twilight will be in for a few painful weeks.”

Celestia smiles.  “Not to worry.  You asked why I was wearing these saddlebags.” She opens the bags with her golden magic.  “I needed them to bring this.”  She levitates two bottles of a bubbly green potion.  “Here.”

Your eyes light up like a Hearth’s Warming tree.  “Is that the antidote?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid this isn’t an instantaneous cure.  It will still take most of the next two weeks for this medicine to defeat the infection.  But, it will help to lessen the impact and with plenty of bed rest, Twilight should start feeling better in a few days.” Celestia sets the bottles on the nightstand beside your mare.

You place your hand on Twilight’s shoulder.  “Isn’t that great, Twilight?”

She smiles and nodes weakly.  “Yes.  At least I should be able to do my part when Winter Wrap Up arrives.”

“That’s right.”  You quickly turn and bow to princess.  “Celestia, thank you, thank you so much!”

Celestia smiles and places a gilded hoof on your shoulder.  “You are very welcome.  Now come on, please rise.  I get enough bowing when I’m holding court in the throne room.”

“Oh.” You scamper back to your feet.  “Sorry, I’m just so grateful.”  There’s a big smile on your face.

“You are very welcome.  And would you please follow me back to the living room?”  She gives you a rather stern look.

Suddenly you have that sinking feeling.  Then, you do an internal facepalm.  Of course, Twilight is in your bed and you wrote the princess.  She’s not stupid.  Celestia probably figured it out.  Well, you suspected this moment would eventually come.  It just seems like there could be a better time.  “Yes, Celestia.”

“Wait,” Twilight speaks.  “You two don’t need to go.  Especially if this is about what I think it is.”

“Oh?”  Celestia turns to Twilight.  “And what might that be?”

Twilight hangs her head and sighs, then she coughs a little.  “I’ve been meaning to tell you that about a week ago, he and I got together.”  Your mare pauses for a moment.  The tension in the air seems really thick and you’re unsure of the look on Celestia’s face.  “I wanted to tell you, but wasn’t sure if you’d approve.  I know you’ve said in the past you’re fine with human-pony couples, but none of them had your student as one of the ones involved.”

For a few moments there’s a super serious look on Celestia’s face, then as quickly as it formed, it fades and is replaced by a smile.  “Oh, Twilight.  Why would I disapprove?  You know I’ve told you countless times, you’re free to lead your own life.  And I wouldn’t miss seeing where your life goes for anything in the world.”

“Princess,” Twilight reaches out to share a tender hug with her.  “I should have known.”

“Twilight, Twilight.”  Celestia giggles warmly.  “I know I come off a bit stern at times, but you can always feel safe talking to me.  Because, I promise I’ll always listen, then I’ll react.”  She winks.

You chuckle, breathing a major sigh of relief.  “Phew, you had me going for a moment.”

Celestia turns to look at you.  “Yes, well, there are times I can’t resist the chance for a good joke.  Now as much as I’ve enjoyed visiting you two, I fear I must return to Canterlot.”  She shakes her head.  “Like always, there are just so many matters of state to deal with.”

Nodding, you reply, “Yeah seems there’s always work to be done.”

“Yes.”

“Um, let me walk you out.  Twilight, I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” She smiles at you.

You stand tall and motion for the princess to exit your room.  “After you, Celestia.”

“Oh, thank you.”  Celestia smiles as you follow her back into the living room.  The two of you head for the door, then she turns your way.  “Make sure Twilight takes all of that medicine.”

You nod dutifully.  “I will.  You can count on me.”

“I’m sure I can.  And I wish you both the best.” She laughs again. “By the way, the look on your face…it was worth giving you both such a stern look.”

You wave farewell, while laughing at the princess’s lighthearted side.  “Have a safe flight back to Canterlot.”

“Thank you.  Until next time…farewell!” Celestia calls your name as she steps outside and takes to he sky.  Even the blustery wind doesn’t seem to slow her down as she rises into the sky, majestically flapping her elegant white wings.

“Wow.”  You watch Celestia a while longer, then retire back inside.  After locking the door, you head back to your room.  “Okay, Twilight.  Ready for some of that medicine?”

"Of course, but could you come here first?” She asks with loving eyes.

You walk over to her.  “Yes?”

Twilight carefully wraps her forelegs around you.  “Mmm, thank you for everything you do.”

You place your arms around her and sigh lovingly.  “Anytime, Twilight.  I’m just glad I could help.”

“You did, you really did.” She grunts softly as she keeps her hooves around you.

“And I saw you holding that pillow you gave me.”

Twilight looks up at you.  “Yeah.  I’m just so touched you love it.”

You nod your head.  “I do, but not nearly as much as I love you.” You draw her back into another hug.

“Mmm, I love you too.  Oh.”  She breaks your hug.  “Ah, ah-ah-choo!”  Twilight takes a tissue and wipes her nose.  “Ugh, stupid cold…lousy horn fever.”

You just laugh as you reach for one of the medicine bottles.  “Come on, Twilight.  Let’s get some of this in you.  Oh, be right back.  I need a medicine cup.”  She just smiles as you step into the bathroom and rummage around a little.  Then, returning, you take the empty cup and read the bottle, then pour some for her.  “Open up.” You smile.

Twilight giggles, then opens her mouth.  You hold the cup up to her mouth and your mare drinks down every drop.  She smacks her lips for a little.  “Hmm, not a terrible flavor…mmm, tastes like a lime or a grape and…” Twilight shivers.  “Eww, there’s the tang and that twinge I get from most medicines.”

You chuckle as you pull the cup away.  “Yes, well, you know that twinge means the medicine will work.”

“I know.” Twilight giggles again.

You disappear long enough to wash the cup with hot soapy water.  Then after drying it, you set it with the bottle on the nightstand.  “There, all set for the next dose.  Looks like you take this twice a day.  Each bottle is about a week’s worth.”

Twilight partially closes her eyes and nods.  “Well at least it will help.”

“Yeah.” You run your hand along the back of her mane.  “Even under the weather, your mane is still silky.”

She places a hoof on your forearm and tilts her head, giving you the fondest of looks.  “Maybe it stays that way so you’ll keep stroking it.  Mmm.” Twilight sighs.  “It’s so soothing when you touch my hair.”

“Just like that day we got together and I brushed your mane…and tail.  It was very relaxing for me too.”

“Good.”  Twilight yawns.  “Oh come on!  I just did nap.”

You smile and give her mane a little more attention.  “You need your rest.  Tell you what.  You get a short nap and I’ll go make something for dinner.  Any requests?”

She shakes her head and yawns again.  “Nah, I trust you too…mmm, make something…yeah.  That’ll be yummy.”  Twilight lies her head back down and drifts off.

You check on her covers and give her a tender kiss on the cheek.  “Rest well, my love.”

“Mmm.” Twilight murmurs from within her sleep.

Taking one more look at your mare, you leave you room and ponder what to make for dinner.


* * * * * * 


The week moved on slowly, however, Celestia was right.  After close to four days, Twilight started perking up.  Her symptoms began to ease, but she still seemed more than a little drained from everything.

Work kept you busy, but the weather was decent and your boss was kind enough to let you go home to check on Twilight during lunchtime.  You’ve always treasured having a good boss like Bright Feather.  

Friday finally rolled around and after getting home from work, Twilight invited you to crash in your bed with her for a little nap.  It was a tiring day, so a nap with your mare seemed to be just the ticket.

Unlike the day Celestia visited, you opted for comfort and dressed down to your underwear, before crawling under the covers with Twilight.

The covers are nice and warm as you lay beside your mare.  Her velvety fur is comforting as you sleep at her side.  Your mind is glazed over with blissful slumber.  So much in fact you don’t realize you’ve rolled onto your back.

You smack your lips and turn your head on your pillow, getting a little more comfy.  Then you hear a familiar voice, Twilight’s voice.  She calls your name and says, “Hey.  Wake up.”

You groan at first, and aren’t sure why she’s interrupting your nap with her.  You open your eyes for a second and don’t see her beside you.  Then you notice a welcoming weight on top of you.  “Huh?” You turn to look up.  “Twilight?”  Opening your eyes and wiping the sleepiness from them, you see her smiling down at you.  “What’s the…”

She giggles at you and boops your nose with her hoof.  “You’re finally awake, silly.”

“Hey what do you…wait a sec.  Why are my underwear…” You give her a baffled look.  “Twilight?”

“Mmm.  Sorry.  I woke up a few minutes ago, and can you believe it.”  She holds up a hoof.  “My head feels clearer, and I actually feel awake.”

A smile forms on your face.  “That’s wonderful.”  You reach up and caress her cheek.  “So, you’re on the mend now?”

“Mm-hmm.  I am.  And it’s a good thing too.”  Twilight sighs rather provocatively.  “Now, are you awake?  Hang on, I know.”  She wiggles her rump and squirms on you just a little.

“Ah.” Your eyes widen.  “Yes, I’m awake.”

Twilight laughs.  “I see that and I see that’s awake and standing at attention too.”  She moves a little and her folds bump into your spire.  “Ooh, fully awake.”

“Mmm.” It’s been about a week since you and Twilight had a chance to mess around.  You lightly shiver with delight from the gentle motion and warmth of her marehood.  Then, you notice something else.  “Whoa, Twilight…you must be feeling better.”

She blushes and runs her hoof through your hair.  “I told you.”

“Wow, you’re dripping wet.” You grin and smile as you caress her mane.

Twilight moans softly as she moves so your manhood collides with her feminine curves.  “What did you expect?  We haven’t had a chance to do anything since I got sick.”  Her blush deepens.  “I was horny Friday night.”  She giggles a little.  “I feel a little naughty admitting it.”

You shake your head.  “There’s nothing wrong with admitting it, Twily.  Mmm, so then, you want to…have a little fun?”

She gives you a seductive look and nods.  “Yes and make love.  Mmm.”  She rubs herself against you again.  The dampness of her arousal blanks your mind and you simply wrap your arms around her and looking into her violet eyes, draw her into a lengthy kiss.

At first you’re not sure it was a good idea, but then, she presses her lips back and starts to moan softly.  Her hooves come to rest on your shoulders as she adds to your kiss and opens her mouth.  The kiss is better then any you can recall, and it seems like it’s been forever since your tongues had a chance to share a loving dance.

The kiss ends and you see Twilight pull back, a thin trail of salvia clinging to her lower lip. “Oh?” She smiles as it breaks, before she tugs at the covers.  “We’ll get too hot if we stay covered up.”

You nod.  “Yeah.  Uh…oh.”

Before you can move a muscle, Twilight’s horn lights up its normal raspberry color.  Slowly she works the sheet and blanket down to just past your feet.  “There…it worked.” She cheers and leans down to kiss you again.

You caress her mane.  “You really are on the mend.  Sure that you’re up for…”

Twilight places a hoof over your mouth.  “Mm-hmm.  I am, even if I’m not.”  She rubs against you again, only this time her throbbing clit brushes along the top of your member.

“Oh, Twilight.” You shiver as you move your hands down to her cutie marks.  There, you run your fingers along her softest fur and tenderly knead them on her flanks.  “Should we?”

“Skip the foreplay…oh yes.  Here.”  Twilight wiggles her rump a little and pushes her slippery mount along your hard shaft.

“Mmm, yeah.” You firm your grip on her cutie marks and feeling your way around, help to guide her down.  “Ahh.”  Your voice collapses into pleasured moans as you slowly push into her hungry marehood.  Pulling her down to your hilt, you immediately feel her give your masculinity a welcoming squeeze.

Twilight giggles, as her hooves remain draped on your shoulders.  “I’ve got you now.” She kisses your lips again, then lightly starts to buck her hips on you.

Shivering waves of pleasure roll across your manhood and surge up your back.  Smiling up at Twilight, you gaze deep into her eyes.  She shares your loving gaze and from that fondness alone, you nearly feel as though you could explode into her until you pass out.  But things have only just started and you know you’re more than up for the long haul with your sweet mare.

Your caress her mane one more time, then with your hands on her cutie marks, you aid in her flexing hips.  Twilight adds more speed as she casts out the sweetest sighs and most endearing moans.

You take turns sharing lip and cheek kisses.  At one point, you notice her neck as she tilts her head, allowing you to plant a tender kiss along it.  You hear a sigh of approval from Twilight and find endless delight in kissing her there.  The blissful sensation along your manhood causes you to join her in moaning and sighing again and again.  Twilight’s glance meets yours as she locks you into another kiss – the best one yet.

“Mmm, Twilight.”  You moan as you both begin nuzzling each other’s cheeks.

She starts going back and forth from cheek to cheek as she pants passionately into your ear.  Twilight moans your name.  “This is wonderful.”

“Oh yes…it’s so, so good.  Twilight.” You moan and pant into her ear as you both continue to nuzzle.  

Your body shivers again as Twilight adds even more speed to your elating union.  Checking your grip on her flanks, you make sure to keep time with her motions.  A chance to pull back presents itself and you savor another look into her eyes.  The two of you resume nuzzling as your eyes go shut.  Twilight quivers and shakes against you and her hind legs twitch a bit, right along with your own.

The pressure and pleasure in your loins is building.  “More, more…please more.” Twilight pants into your ear.  “Ohhh, I’m so horny.”

Her words flow like water into your ears. Tightening your grip, you add more of your own speed to her movements.  “Ahh, Twilight…tell me you’re close.”

“Mmm, yes, yes…ohh, I’m so close.”  She kisses your lips, and gives you a loving and almost pleading look, then nuzzles you again.  “Please, burst inside me.  I want you.”  Her hooves dig into your shoulders and her body trembles even more.

You manage to reply.  “Anything for you, Twilight.  Oh, have me…” Your mind begins to glaze over in ecstasy as you feel all but to the breaking point.  

Twilight cries out and lightly arches her back.  She moans into your ear and gives your manhood a hard squeeze.  Somehow in the blissful storm you mange to keep her hips moving and in seconds you join her.  Your body tenses up for a moment and then you erupt, bursting over and over into her.  “Twilight.” You mange to call out moving your hands to wrap around her back.  

She trembles in your arms and gives you another squeeze.  A delightful rush of dampness falls against your spire as you pop out two more spurts.  Your breath quickens and you just lay there panting right along with Twilight.

For a fleeting moment nothing exists outside the two of you.  Your arms remain locked around your mare and her hooves are still hooked on your shoulders even as she trembles.

Several minutes pass as you turn to look up at her.  “Twi…Twilight.”  You huff for breath and loosen your grip on her.  Keeping on hand running along her back, you gingerly caress her mane with the other.

Twilight gives you a weak smile and manages to say your name.  “Ah, that was so worth the effort.”  She lays her head on your chest.

“Are you all right?” Your breathing begins to calm.

“Yeah. I will be…as long as I’m with you.” She giggles as your fingers continue to trail through her hair.  “Mmm, please don’t stop doing that.”  Twilight sighs again.  “It’s the perfect compliment to the first orgasm I’ve had in a week.”

You chuckle and continue stroking her mane.  “That one was amazing.  Did I “burst” sufficiently?”

Twilight looks at you and blushes, then sighs again, rubbing her hoof along your side.  “Definitely.  Oh, there it is…”

“What…no, yeah.  I feel it too.” You smile.

“Our hearts…beating side by side.  Wow.”  Twilight giggles as she runs her hoof through your hair.  “Yours is still beating so fast.”

You look up at her as she lifts her head.  She looks into your eyes and you comb your fingers through her tresses.  “It’s only because I’m so crazy for you, Twilight.”

“You’re not alone.  I know my heart is still pounding a bit.”  She turns to the nightstand and you follow her gaze to the alarm clock.

“Almost dinnertime?”

“Yeah.” Twilight adjusts against you.  “Mmm, I’m still feeling that wonderful sensation.”

“Same here…ooh.” You place your free hand on Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight gives you a devilish smile.  “Did you like that?”

“Yeah.  Mmm, that feels so good.” You twitch slightly as Twilight continues to give your manhood firm but gentle squeezes.

“I’m not letting you go easily.” She giggles.

“Well, I’m in no hurry.  We can just stay here for a while and go from there.” You resume caressing her mane.

“That sounds wonderful.”  She lays her head back onto your chest.  “I hope that makes up for our second week being less than ideal.”

“It was wonderful, but who says this week was a let down?  Aside from work, I still got to spend most of it with you.” You sigh and savor having Twilight so close to you.

“Even though I was sick?” She groans a little.

“Hey, you didn’t plan it.  Besides, I love you, Twilight, you know that.  I’d happily care for you when you’re sick.”

“Aww, I know you’re sweet, but you seem to keep getting sweeter.  Mmm, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You don’t say anything else, just sigh contently, while stroking her mane with one hand and holding her with the other.

“I love you.” Twilight whispers your name and places her hooves around you as the two of you remain there on your bed and enjoy the moment a while longer.


* * * * * *


Tucking in your shirttail, you stretch your arms and yawn.  A new day is beginning and not just any day.  After what seemed so far away, Winter Wrap Up has finally arrived.  Checking your clothes, you give a nod.

The toilet flushes and the bathroom door opens.  Twilight comes trotting back into your room.  Her horn is glowing as she holds the second bottle of medicine.  “That’s the last of it.”

“Ah, that’s right, the last dose.  You seem better and your horn has been working more and more.” You smile walking over to her.

Twilight draws you into a hug.  “Yes.  Thanks to your help.”  She wiggles her rump.  “Oh, I really had to pee this morning.  I didn’t think it was ever going to stop.”

You chuckle, running your hand along her back.  “Well, your body is still healing itself and needs to flush out the last of that infection.”

She nods and sets the bottle down on your dresser.  “Yeah, you’re right.  Mmm…I love a morning hug from you.”

You chuckle.  “Better than an afternoon or evening hug?”

“Oh, you.” Twilight shakes her head.  “But, can you believe it?”

“Yeah, Winter Wrap Up Day.” You smile down at her.  “We’d better gather some things and then go meet up with the others.”

Twilight nods.  “Right.  I’ll go get our checklists.  Be right back.”  She kisses your lips, then trots out of the room.

You got to your closet and get your backpack.  You can’t help but grin.  The two of you are still at your place.  Going through your closet you get some handy things you know are going to be on the checklist.  “There.”

Twilight comes back into your room holding the checklists in the grip of her magic.  “I’ve got the lists.  Oh, there you are.”  She smiled as she walks over to you.  “What’re you up to?”

“Just packing some handy things, like a first-aid kit and some snacks.  Oh, don’t forget to fill some canteens.  You never know when a task will take you far from water.”

Twilight stares at you with loving eyes and just swishes her tail contently.  “Oh, when you speak so practical and plan like this…oh, I could just take you right now.”

You grin.  “Gee, Twilight.  I didn’t realize organization did it for you…wait.”  Smacking your hand on your forehead you nod.  “Right, no wonder that night in the library after we cleaned up.”

She halves her eyes and nods.  “Well yeah.  But, I’ll be honest.”  She rubs up against you.  “Organizing makes me feel really good, but it only turns me on when you do it.”  Twilight winks at you.

Your cheeks grown warm as you blush.  “Aww, Twily.  You flatterer.”

“Whoa.” You draw her into an affectionate hug.  “Um, ah, I see.”  Twilight places her hooves around you and joins you in a passionate kiss.

“Mmm.”  Your lips part and you sigh lovingly, sharing a loving gaze with her.  “Okay, we’d better get to work.”

Twilight giggles as you two move apart.  “Right.”  Then she looks back at you.  “Though, I’m glad you had us take a moment to do that.  Ooh, look.”  She holds up her checklist.  “I made time for that, see?”  She points a hoof.

“Hmm, 'Kiss my special somepony.'  Wow, it’s there.”  You chuckle and pat her back.  “Okay, I need a few things from the kitchen.  Then we’ll head out to your place.”

“Sounds good.  Oh, don’t forget your snow gear.”

“On it.” You call back the hallway.  The welcoming sound of Twilight’s laughter fills your ears, while you fill your canteen with water from the tap.  The familiar smell of cold wet metal fills your nose as the canteen fills up.

“Looks like we’re about done here.”  You place a few last items into your backpack, then zip it shut.  “Let’s go.”

Twilight leans against you.  “Right behind you.”  The two of you zip up your coats and make your way out into the chilly air of Ponyville.


* * * * * *


You stand there with Twilight and Spike as she reads over her checklist.  The rest of the town’s ponies and her friends are waiting as she reads over each item.

Twilight turns to the large group of ponies.  “Okay, everypony.  During our meeting last week, you all have been assigned to a team.  Spike, see to it the leaders get their clipboards, please.”  She stands tall and smiles, while wearing her all-team organizer vest.

“Right.” Spike walks up to the leaders of each group, a stack of clipboards in his claws.  “Here you are, everypony.”  He hands each leader a clipboard.  “Your checklists, assignments and any notes Twilight felt you should have are detailed on there in pretty much the same way they were last year.”

None of the leaders speak.  Instead, they simply nod as they start looking over their materials.  Spike scampers back over to you and Twilight.  “All set.” He grins.

“Thank you, Spike.  Okay, everypony, get with your leaders.  They will give you your individual assignments.  Let’s do our best to wrap up winter just like we did last year!”

The others all cheer and many wave their hooves in support of their annual task.  You feel even more privileged that Twilight is your mare.  It’s so rewarding to watch her take charge of everypony and get things going.  And, just like the past few years, you see even more humans in the crowd this year.  All the more reason to feel satisfied, knowing that your kind is helping tend to the land you love.

“Ah, Equestria.”  You sigh as you walk over to Twilight.

Twilight smiles at you.  “Thinking about the land you love?”

You nod.  “Yes, because it has the mare I love.”

Her smile grows and her cheeks turn just a little rosy.  “Aww.  Anyway, how did I do?”

You turn to place you hand on her back.  “You did great, Twilight.  I know I’m excited about today.  And this year, I get to help out more than I ever did.”  You hold your free hand close to your heart.  “This will be great.  Oh, hey.”  You turn to Twilight.  “How are you feeling?”

While Twilight is wearing her special vest, she’s wearing it over a coat.  “Not too bad.  I still feel just a tiny bit drained.  But, the cold air is refreshing.”

“Well, if you need anything, just let me know.  Oh, I guess, what should I work on first?” You smile as you continue walking with her.

“Uh, hang on one sec.”  She turns to see Spike sleeping in the bushes.  “Okay, check, Spike sleeping in the bushes.”

You grin.  “So much for his little speech of, 'I’m not going to nap till after lunch this year.' ”

Twilight giggles as you continue over to a small table where more of her notes are set up.  “Poor Spike.  But he has already been a big help.”

“He sure has.  We should get him a sapphire cupcake for later.”

“I’m sure he’d like that.  Just like the four you got him after I started feeling better.” Twilight pats your leg.

You blush a little.  “Yes well, thanks to his help, Celestia brought that cure for your illness, and oh, what an early evening romp we had last Friday.”

“Yeah it was great.” Twilight leans against you.  “Okay, now, here’s what needs done next.”

“I’m all ears.” You place your hand on her back again and read over the checklist with her.


* * * * * *


Snow crunches under your boots as you make your way along the snowy path.  Looking around, you recognize where you are.  You’ve made it to the backside of Sweet Apple Acres and the western edge of Ponyville.  In addition to getting your bearings, you’re searching for Twilight.  Rarity said you should be able to find her in this area, helping place bird nests.

“Twilight.  Twilight” You call making your way through the snow and the cold.  Thank goodness it’s Winter Wrap Up Day.  I’ve had my fill of the snow and all this cold weather.  It doesn’t need to get too hot too quick, but some warmer weather would be nice.  Panning your head around, you still don’t see Twilight.  “Now where could she be…ah.”

Trudging on a little further, you find yourself at the base of a rocky plateau.  Glancing above, you notice snowy fields and of course nearby apple tress.  Nodding, you know you’re right where you are supposed to be.  Then heading a little further along the path parallel to the rocky wall, you see a gathering of trees and finally, Twilight.

“There you are, Twilight.” You call over to her.

“Huh?” Twilight looks over her shoulder and smiles.  “Oh, hey.  How’s it going?”

Giving your mare a looking over, you notice a small cart full of neatly prepared bird nests.  Twilight is using her magic to place them in the crossed branches of the trees.

“It’s going good.  Rainbow Dash and Applejack sent me to give you their latest update.”  You turn to your backpack and remove a small piece of paper.

Twilight has three nests held in the raspberry glow of her magic as she places them.  “There.  That’s another tree all set.”  She smiles as she walks up to you.  “My horn is working great.”

You smile as you place an arm on her shoulder.  “That’s great news.  So, still feeling okay?”

She nods and uses her magic to snag the piece of paper from you.  “Of course.  But, I’m still so glad you’re concerned.  Hmm, now let’s see what they have to report.”

Leaning next to the cart of bird nests you tap a boot in the snow.  “I think you’ll be pleased with their progress.”

“Hmm.” Twilight reads over the note and smiles.  “You’re right.  I am pleased.  Rainbow Dash says the birds will be arriving soon and that the Pegasus Team is clearing the clouds away.”

Right after Twilight makes that remark, you notice rays of sunlight begin peaking through breaks in the clouds.  Holding up your hand, you shield your eyes.  “Yeah. Sure seems that way.”

“Oh and Applejack says the fields in Sweet Apple Acres are almost cleared.  The plow team has done a great job clearing the snow.”  Twilight folds up the paper and smiles.  She takes her clipboard and flips through her checklist.  “Okay, looks like we’re ahead of schedule.”

“That’s good.”  There’s a noticeable scrapping sound and a slight rumble.  Turning your eyes to the top of the plateau, you see piles of snow start to form along the edge.  “Ah, there’s the plow team now.”

Twilight nods.  “Yeah.  Things are coming along.  Hey, want to take a little break?” She smiles and rubs a hoof along your belly.

“Sure. I don’t think it will hurt.  Then we’ll get back to.  Gah.” You shield your eyes again as even more sunlight fills the sky.  “Wow, the Pegasi are really clearing those clouds.  Mmm, feel that warm sensation from the sunlight.”

Twilight stands beside you for a moment.  “Yeah, it feels really nice.  Ooh, but I don’t want the sunlight glaring in my eyes.  Come on, we can make use of the shade from this outcropping.”

“Okay.” You follow Twilight closer to the rocky wall.  Glancing a little further ahead of where you two are at, you notice a bend in the plateau and that it forms a bit of an ‘L’ shape.  “Huh.  Why did Rarity send you here with nests?”

“Well, Fluttershy told her about this distant group of trees and that some of her bird friends were gypped out of having nice nests out here.  I wanted to see how my horn was doing and didn’t think bird nests would be a big deal.”

Reaching for your canteen, you pop the lid and take a sensible gulp.  “Yeah, well, it seems that’s going all right for you.  Want some?” You offer Twilight your canteen.

“Yeah, so far so good.  And thanks.”  She takes hold of your canteen in her magic but moves to hold it in her hooves.  “This is a little heavy.”  She giggles.  “Don’t want to over do it too much.”  You smile as she takes a few good sips, then gives the canteen back.

Screwing the cap back on, you take a calming breath.  “So far things are going smoothly.”

“Uh-huh.  Let’s see what’s next.”  Twilight checks over her clipboard.

As you stand there with Twilight, you notice the sunlight begin to fade.  “Huh?  That’s funny.”

Twilight looks up from her clipboard.  “What’s funny?”

“The sky just dimmed…what do you suppose…” You walk out from under the rocky awning and see why.  “Whoa, what is the plow team doing?  Those snow piles are getting awfully big and close to the edge.”

“Close to the edge did you say?”

Walking back over to Twilight, you nod.  “Yeah.  We should head up there and tell them to start piling the snow elsewhere otherwise these trees might get…”

Twilight flinches.  “Huh?”  She wipes her face.  “Water?”  Looking up she sees water dripping off the rocky outcropping.  Her eyes widen.  “We’d better move.”

You nod.  “Right, we don’t…” A loud cracking sound fills the air and is immediately followed with a loud rumbling sound.  “Oh no.  Twilight…run!”

“Ahhh!”  She shouts out as a combination of rock and snow begins to start raining down from above.

“This way.” You call to her.  Only you halt in your tracks as more snow and debris is falling ahead of you.  “Back the other way, quick!”

The two of you try to run but the ground is still covered with a thicket of snow.  The rumbling and cracking intensifies.  “Oh no!”  The combination of snow and rock is now becoming a full-fledged avalanche.  

There is almost no time, as the debris becomes larger.  A frantic search reveals an opening in the side of the rocky wall.  “Twilight, this way.”  You reach for Twilight as the two of you make it to a patch of snow free ground.  “Inside!”

Twilight nods as you both take a short jump and make for the cave.  The cracking and rumbling is so loud it hurts your ears.  You and Twilight make it through the opening and strike the cavern’s rocky floor.  Turning back you see snow and rocky debris pours into the cave entrance.  “Twilight!”

You hear her cry your name, before the ground quakes.  You manage to get your feet and find Twilight a short distance from you.  Not hesitating, you skid to a halt beside her and hunker down on top of her.  You both close your eyes and brace yourselves, while the avalanche continues to rumble all around you.


To Be Continued…