The Dog Days Are Over

by strangephantasm

Where The Heart Is

The silence was broken only by the gentle lapping of the waves, the endless laughter of the seagulls overhead and the occasional creak and groan of a ship at sea. The HMS Catharsis glided over the water, the sails tall and proud. The sheets of forest green canvas were emblazoned in the middle with the crest of the Knights of Harmony overlaid on the sigil of the Royal Equestrian Navy. A pair of heavily armored unicorns patrolled the main deck, their hauberks a shade lighter than that of the sails.
In the pilot house, the enormous captain stood at the vessel's helm like a monolith. She was a good ship in fine weather, barely any adjustments to course were necessary and he never had to fight her to keep the rudder steady. Normally he made it a matter of personal pride as a helmsman to keep the compass from fluctuating by even the smallest degree, but today's sailing was so smooth he spared a moment from concentration to glance over at the wall where a portrait hung.
The Chess Pieces stood together on an open field, magnificent and dynamic. Their personalities and expressions were as varied as their races. All bore the scars of battle, some more than others. He himself stood beside “Mango” Jack Khajit and the right honorable Dr. Professor Missy, Phd. The painting was, of course, a complete and utter fabrication. For one, the Pieces were rarely ever gathered as a group. They had their own lives and interests to look after, especially now that it was all over. Second, many of them couldn't stand one another, much less pose for a portrait. Some outright hated one another.
At least the artist had been sensible enough to place Zeta Chi on the opposite end of the field from him. Then again, maybe that had been some kind of poetic touch, a subtle commentary on the gamut of their character. A gold plate at the bottom of the frame said: “My Little Humans.” The princesses had found it particularly hilarious the first time they'd come aboard.
From up in the crow's nest, a pegasus called land-ho. Locking the wheel in place, the captain stepped out onto the deck and peered through a very fancy spyglass which he was particularly proud of. It had been a gift from Apple Bloom for his birthday, which made it all the more special. Through the lens the shining walls of New Canterlot Castle loomed high above the Ponyville District Harbor. He smiled at the sight of his beloved port. Even though it had only been four months since they'd departed for an inspection of the Fudge Islands Penitentiary, it seemed much longer.

For some reason, leaving home these days always felt like forever.

As they pulled into their reserved slip he stepped off the deck and onto the dock even before the unicorns had finished with the mooring lines. He'd have given any of his crew hell for doing something like that but the sight of a certain couple of mares standing on the pier got the better of him. And besides, he was in charge which meant he could do as he damn well pleased.
Applejack and Fluttershy raced towards him, nearly tackling the minotaur in a flying glomp. He nuzzled the Element of Kindness affectionately, squeezing her tightly.
“Missed you.” He said softly.
“An' what about me?” Applejack demanded.
He grinned and pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers. Fluttershy's cheeks turned bright red. She would never quite get used to the sight of her friends snogging.
“You too.” Fudge said, finally coming up for air.
A pair of voices at the end of the pier rang out.
“Oh come on! We seriously just missed it?” Sweetie Belle groaned, pouting slightly.
A camera hung from a strap around her neck.
“Ah told ya we'd be late! If'n ya didn't want to miss the mushy stuff we shoulda left earlier.” Apple Bloom admonished.
The minotaur's grin somehow got even wider at the sight of them.
“THERE'S my girls!” He beamed, spreading his arms out wide. “For a minute there I was worried you wouldn't come see me.”
They hugged him with a gusto, although not quite with the same amount of force Fluttershy and Applejack had.
“How'd the spahglass work out?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Like a charm.” He replied. “Clearer than binoculars. Better distance too.”
The young mare was immensely pleased with herself that she'd chosen a good gift.
“Did the bad guys give you any trouble?” Sweetie Belle inquired.
Her far too serious expression made him chuckle.
“They're all locked up tight. Nothing to worry about.”
“Welp, let's get on home sugarcube. Granny's a waitin' and ah made ya' some zap apple cider.” Applejack said. “Though how ya can stand drinkin' that stuff's beyond me. Ah can't stomach them things unless they're made into jam.”
He smacked his forehead at that.
“Shoot! I can't believe I missed the zap apple harvest!”
“Don't worry about it none. We had plenty o' help this year.”
“But... but... the bunny suits!! I wanted to see the bunny suits!” He wept.
“Ah kin put one on for ya later if it's that important.” Applejack offered, rolling her eyes.
“That's not the kind of bunny suit I'd like to see you in.” He said with a wink.
“...They's flirtin' again.” Apple Bloom said, nudging her friend. “Might wanna get yer camera ready.”
Sweetie Belle, always a sucker for romance levitated it up in front of her, grinning hopefully. The two lovebirds rolled their eyes, giving a chaste smooch. The shutterbug clicked away, and having satisfied her fascination the group began to walk back towards town.
“So... how's Scootaloo?” Fudge asked tentatively.
The orange pegasus was always a touchy subject. He deeply regretted that the final third of the Cutie Mark Crusaders wasn't really a part of his life. That was impossible though, on account of the fact that he had nearly pummeled her adoptive dad to death and left him inside an erupting volcano. Now that he thought about it, he never did learn how Zeta survived that. Go figure.
“Same as always. She's working with Rainbow Dash on a new lineup for the Wonderbolts. There's a lot of talent this year apparently.” Sweetie Belle explained.
“And... and the Other?”
The two young mares exchanged knowing glances.
“Quiet mostly.” Apple Bloom said. “She thinks the Nightmare's gone ta sleep what with it bein' all peaceful like. No more fightin' to do an' such.”
“Good. That's good. I still don't understand why she didn't get rid of that... thing.” Fudge said with more than a hint of disdain.
“Because it needs a host.” Fluttershy admonished. “And it can't help being what it is Peter.”
She tended to use his true name more than others. Special Fluttershy privileges.
“I know. I just don't think I can overlook what happened with Luna.”
Applejack smirked a little, shaking her head.
“Sugarcube, I ever tell you that ya remind me of a certain blue pegasus?”
“Hey now. Just because I get a little defensive of my favorite mares does not mean I can go around being compared to the Element of Loyalty.”
“Suuure.” Apple Bloom said, rolling her eyes and turning to her best friend. “Ya hear what happened with the Council o' Minotaurs from the Dominion?”
Sweetie Belle shook her head.
“Now there's no reason to go and bring that up...” Fudge protested.
“Big ol' bunch a minotaurs gets together and decides they's gonna conglomulate--”
“Conglomerate.” Her sister corrected.
“Ohh whatever! Anyhows, they needed somebody to be in charge and guess who they chose?”
“No way...” Sweetie Belle said in disbelief.
Fudge facepalmed. The whole thing had been a huge debacle. He had technically caused the very first international incident since the formal recognition of the Dominion as a sovereign nation.
“Eyup. They came an' told Petey that he was the Minotaur Chief. And do ya know what he did? He told em' to go buck themselves!”
The Element of Kindness gave a little gasp at Apple Bloom's uncharacteristic use of language.
“Sorry Aunt Shy.” She apologized. “Anyway, it caused a big hullabaloo. Ah heard King Griffin himself had to come down an' sort things out.”
“No he did not!” Fudge huffed. “...He just came down to laugh at me with Princess Luna. And that's beside the point! The point is, while I may have responded to the Council a little... strongly, I'm an Equestrian general and I will be till the day I die or until the princesses fire me, whichever comes first. I can't be part of a foreign nation. It's a conflict of interest.”
“See? Loyal to a fault.” Applejack stated, matter of fact.

By this time they had made it back to Sweet Apple Acres, where the smell of freshly baked pie wafted through the air. Big Macintosh came trotting up to them in his plodding, leisurely way.
“Macintosh.” Peter greeted.
“Fudge.” The stallion replied.
As the guy who was seeing his sister, their relationship was both complicated yet also remarkably simple: They would remain friendly up until such time as Fudge caused Applejack to cry, at which point Macintosh would break every bone in his body. Or at least try anyway. Truthfully Big Mac was unused to not being the strongest thing around, but he was still obligated to fulfill his sacred brotherly duties even if it killed him.
Granny Smith came slowly tottering out of the house. Time was winning the inevitable battle and getting around was becoming more difficult for the old mare. Still, she wouldn't stand for not giving a proper greeting.
“You young'uns sure took a long time comin' up from the harbor. Lollygagin' about while ah'ma slavin' over the stove! I was startin' ta think ya'll weren't never comin' back. How was Mac and me s'posed to eat all that pie by ourselves?”
Fudge knelt down and tenderly kissed the matron's cheek. Try as she might to play the part of the cranky old lady, those were words filled with love. It was just her way of saying she'd missed the big lug.
“Hi there Granny!” He greeted.
“Hi yerself, Jumbo. How'd the big water treat ya?”
“No complaints. Fair winds and following seas.”
“Well let's git on in the house. Suppers waitin'.” She said, turning to Fluttershy. “You stayin' on too missy?”
“Oh, no. I'm afraid not ma'am. I have to get back and check on the animals.”
“Shame. Oh well, more pie fer Jumbo I guess.”
Fluttershy approached Fudge and the pair exchanged the usual amount of farewell affection. Which meant the unaccustomed passerby would have thought he was trying to squeeze her to death.
“I'll... see you tomorrow I guess?”
“Definitely. Goodbye dearheart.”
“Bye Peter.”
Granny Smith watcher her canter away, a fond look in her eye.
“Such a nice girl! Sweet as cider on a summers day.”
“You can say that again.” He agreed.
“Jumbo... you drink too much.”
“Granny!” He groaned.
The old lady's jokes always seemed to be at his expense.

Not much had changed about Sweet Apple Acres since the Smooze destroyed the original. Sure, the house and the barns and the things inside them were new, but these didn't matter in the scheme of things. What mattered were the apples, and the Apples that grew them. That year had been hard, as it was for everypony. Even those who hadn't lost everything to the Smooze or to the battles to come still suffered great hardship. The royal coffers could only do so much.
But through those hard times, neighbors who had never so much as spoken to one another had to depend on each other to get by. The Magic of Friendship flowed forth out of the darkness, and Harmony dwelt in the land. The princesses had never been prouder of their little ponies than they were that year.
Sweet Apple Acres was a testament to that Harmony. It had been such a large part of life in Ponyville, the idea of it being gone was simply unacceptable. Although the founding of a megatropolis like New Canterlot was a colossal effort that occupied so many ponies time, it seemed as though there was never an end to the volunteers helping to plant trees in the Ponyville District. They outnumbered even all the Apples that had come from all across Equestria to assist their kin.
Fudge Whiteflame was no exception. He had finally found a use for all those muscles that didn't cause him an ounce of regret. He worked long and hard not just to restore the Apple's home, but to make it bigger and better than ever. Applejack had always been an important pony to him. Apple Bloom as well. He'd been hooked on Apple Bloom since the day that he'd watched her ask Twilight if she was going to stay for brunch.
Gods, how long had it been since he and the other Chess Pieces had just been normal people watching ponies on a screen? For him, it was quite literally an eternity. Memories of the Labyrinth still haunted him. Wandering those blank white halls, where he felt neither thirst nor hunger nor fatigue. Wandering till the passage of time had become an alien concept altogether. He would have welcomed madness, yet it ever came. Of course, he'd been saved eventually. By whom, he did not know. The identity of his rescuer was still a mystery to this day.
Then the Smooze happened, and the war, and... and everything else that led him back to Fluttershy, and Apple Bloom, and all of the other ponies he cared about.
As for her sister... truth be told, it wasn't her gorgeous blonde tresses or her perfect golden flanks, or even those endlessly deep emerald eyes that someone of a dangerously romantic persuasion could drown in if they weren't careful. It was the love that she had, not just for her family but for everypony around her. Her honest desire to see everypony prosper resonated with his own desire to put suffering to death with his own two hands. In the end, it was her sincerity that won his heart.

“Hoooey! That was good eatin'!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, holding a hoof over her slightly bulging tummy.
“Eeyup.” Her brother stated eloquently.
“I'll get everythin' washed up. You can go head on ta bed Granny.” Applejack said.
“Thank ye kindly snickerdoodle, Granny's a might tuckered out.”
As the old mare excused her self, Big Macintosh slipped away wordlessly to work on the family accounts as he did every evening.
Apple Bloom took a swig of from a mason jar and shrugged.
“Guess it's just us.”
“Ah think that's just about enough cider.” Applejack suggested in her big sisterly way.
“I kin handle my liquor thank you very much.” Apple Bloom glared. “And after all the trouble it took gettin' them apples harvested ah think I'm entitled.”
“Didn't I tell you to quit growing up?” Fudge smirked. “You know... you're getting to be just about as pretty as your sister. Why, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we had to start watching those young stallions a little more closely.”
Apple Bloom blushed, embarrassed.
“They ever give you trouble, I'll sock 'em but good.”
“PETEY!” She groaned, smacking him with her hoof.
“Ah but she's a big girl now Fudge, she can take care of herself.” Applejack smirked.
“UGH! It was bad enough with just one of ya around!”
“We tease you because we love you.” Fudge declared with a grin.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and stormed off, muttering to herself.

The pair slipped into the kitchen and began washing the dishes. Everything was quiet except for the crickets chirping endlessly away beneath the full moon outside. Occasionally a barn owl hooted, disturbing the otherwise peaceful night. Applejack looked up out the window at the stars as she finished drying the last plate and smiled.
“Sure did miss havin' ya around sugarcube. I hate it when ya gotta go off ta that island a yourn.”
“Well I hate to leave, but Shining Armor gives me hell about if I don't do inspections. Says the regulars are more disciplined than my boys.”
“I should get Twilight to make her brother give ya a break.”
“Speaking of which,” He began. “I'm not the only one who could use a break... Your shoulder twitched.”
The mare blinked in confusion.
“Beg pardon?”
“You said you had enough help for the harvest. Then your shoulder twitched. Always happens when you stretch the truth a little.”
Applejack frowned. Her sister's complaint must have tipped him off.
“We did have enough help! There was me, an' Macintosh an' Apple Bloom. Pinkie Pie helped some, and Celt came by, though I think he might have swiped more apples than he harvested, and then there was--”
“Applejack... you gotta quit doing this okay? Don't push yourself so hard.”
She sighed and rested her head against the sink.
“You know that yer the last fella who ought ta say that ta me. Look, I ain't... I ain't goin' anywhere so you can just stop frettin' about me so. Ya know ah don't like it.”
“...I'm sorry AJ.”
“I'm goin' ta bed.”

She left him standing there pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He listened to her mount the stairs and close the door a little too hard. He knew what she was referring to of course. It was a taboo subject, something they never spoke about. With a sigh of his own he slowly trudged upstairs and began a shower. A short while later he slipped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. Applejack was brushing her mane out. Ordinarily he loved seeing her with her long golden locks hanging down like that, but tonight it was her excuse to keep her back turned to him. They said nothing to one another as she blew out the candle and slipped into bed, facing the wall.
He reached out toward her but thought better of it, stopping himself as he was about to put his hand on her side the way he usually did. There was no point to it, she'd just get mad. With a heavy heart he lay down and slowly drifted off to sleep.

“Oh, Peter! I was wondering when you'd show up. It looks like you made it just in time to watch her go.” The abomination giggled, a cheerful mockery of the mare he'd once known.
Applejack's eyes bulged hideously as the thorns bit into her neck, the vines strangling the life out of her. In the last second she seemed to recognize him through the tears, reaching out pathetically with her hoof as her sight faded. It fell limply to her side, her head slumping over.
No! This couldn't be happening! Not her too! Not again!
Muscles trembling, he slowly floated up off the ground, purple smoke seeping out of his body as his eyes began to glow. An unnatural mixture of roar and birdlike screech erupted from his throat.

He sat up with a start, breathing hard. The sheets were soaked with sweat and his whole body shivered violently. He grasped the base of his horns and gritted his teeth, eyes screwed shut tight as he rocked back and forth. Tears streamed down his cheeks as Applejack quickly lit the candle and slipped her hooves around his midsection. He felt her comforting warmth as she pressed herself against his back.
“It's okay darlin'. I'm right here. Everythin's okay.” She assured.
Like magic, the panic attack left. Her presence, her words, it was as if she had cast some kind of calming spell. But as his breathing began to slow down and synchronize with hers, he heard a voice echo through his skull:

“No Fudge. You will never be okay.” Vanilla whispered.