//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 // Story: Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Quesadilla Conquest // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// After waddling up the stairs, Sumac huffed and puffed his way down the hall to the Princess Suite. A trip to the outhouse had done nothing to ease his discomfort and the little colt was both ecstatic and miserable at the same time. Halfway down the hall, he saw Pebble, which made breathing just a little more difficult. He stopped and tried not to think about his distended stomach. “Sumac.” Pebble sounded as though she was having some trouble breathing. “Pebble.” Lifting his left front hoof, Sumac waved, feeling all dorky and not knowing why. “I was just heading out back…” Pebble’s confession trailed off when she realised that colts didn’t want to think about fillies pooping. Or maybe they did. It was just too disgusting for her to think about. Colts could be so gross, but there was something intriguing to Pebble about letting Sumac watch her poop and now, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. “And I just came back in,” Sumac replied as he thought about what sort of interesting faces Pebble might make when she was pooping. He felt his ears grow warm and unable to stop himself, he grinned. “Number two.” “You’re so mature… it keeps me infatuated with you, but I keep having lengthy discussions with my mother as to why we both love dopes.” “No, Pebble, we’re number two.” “Now is not the time to be calling me Pebby Poops, Spunkpuddle.” “Pebble”—when she blinked her eyes at him and he saw mischief, Sumac relaxed a little but continued with his words—“we scored second place. We should be proud. I really hope you won’t mope over this.” “We were destroyed by Fluttershy. My feelings on this subject are confusing. On one hoof, I wanted to win. On the other hoof, it’s Fluttershy. She cried because she won.” Pebble shuffled around and made little hoofy kicks as her tail swished from side to side. Stepping forwards, Sumac thought about what Applejack had said, about making Pebble feel special. She was looking at him right now with wide, but sleepy looking eyes, and she reminded him of her mother. Another step closer and Pebble’s muzzle was now inches away from his. Tilting his head, Sumac realised that at some point, Pebble had reached almost equal height with him, but that was okay because fillies matured faster than colts and he had plenty of time to get taller, but he got to enjoy the fruits of Pebble’s rapid maturity now. “Are you about to kiss me?” Pebble asked. “I was thinking about it,” Sumac replied. “I want to kiss you passionately on the lips… and then, when I’m done, I’m gonna move up and kiss your belly button.” Pebble’s nostrils widened and her sides bellowed outwards as she made a sharp inhale. It was obvious to anypony that knew her well that she was struggling to maintain her mother’s deadpan expression. “Fantastic. I have to go and pinch a loaf and my pervy coltfriend wants to kiss me.” “I could come and hold your hoof,” Sumac offered. Snorting, Pebble shoved him away and the corners of her mouth kept being tugged upwards. “You just want to see my cutie mark, you cad.” “Well, duh.” Sumac closed the distance once more and gave Pebble his best rakish grin. “We’ve raised a dragon together, we’ve been the best of friends for the longest time, I have a little piece of your soul that you gave me after most of mine got stolen by my mother, and I played a game of poker with Pale to free you from the realm of the dead. I think it’s about time I saw your cutie mark. I’m owed.” “Hah, no.” Then, with predatory half-open eyes, Pebble leaned in, pressed her muzzle against Sumac’s, and kissed him with all of the savage, clumsy, awkward ferocity that a horny adolescent filly besieged by hormones could muster. Being an earth pony, Pebble could muster quite a bit. The colt returned the kiss with slobbery enthusiasm and he let out a nervous squeal of surprise when Pebble’s tongue slipped between his slurping lips. It remained for only a second, a stealthy, well-muscled invader that shocked and surprised him by licking the roof of his mouth, then it was gone. Pebble pulled away with a moist slurp and Sumac saw that she had a coy, almost nonexistent smile. “I’m gonna go drop a deuce. Don’t wait for me…” And with that, Pebble trotted away with her tail hiked high in the air. “‘Cause I love to see you smile, smile, smile… yes I do…” Sumac watched her go, feeling a peculiar feeling, and wanting to follow her. Twilight, sprawled on the bed, watched as several ponies darted away from the door. They had stood with their ears pressed to the door, but now, the door was about to open. Feeling bloated and full, Twilight watched the door open and Sumac stood in the doorway, looking around with one suspicious raised eyebrow. “HAH HAH! YOU GOT WRECKED!” Within a split second of uttering these words, Fluttershy covered her mouth with her front hooves and looked mortified. She let out an alarmed squeal and her body posture became that of extreme submissiveness. “Way to go, ‘Shy. You’ve successfully dominated a foal and then gloated about it.” Applejack, now laying on the bed beside Twilight, had been standing with her ear pressed to the door just a few seconds before. “Are you proud?” “Yes!” Looking shocked by her own admission, Fluttershy stood there with wide eyes, then wiggle-waddled over to give Sumac a hug. She sat down on the floor, hugging him, somehow looking both apologetic and dominant. “Oh, Sumac, I’m so sorry, I’m not used to winning anything.” “All of you were standing at the door, eavesdropping,” Sumac said as he allowed himself to be hugged. “No,” Applejack replied, which was technically true. Not at all of them had been standing at the door, just some of them. Her muzzle crinkled as she turned to Twilight, just daring her to say something. As for Twilight, she didn’t say anything, she didn’t feel the need. She was still experiencing the afterglow of her cheese-gasm. She had only eaten one quesadilla, yes, just one, and then she had been overcome with emotion. What a glorious experience it had been though, and now, she was free to experience the cheesy indulgence at any time. Turning her head, Twilight glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who was sleeping on a cot in the corner, with two cuddly little dragons. The lithe little pegasus had become a fuel reactor, and was now converting biomass into a high octane gas. Sighing, Twilight admired the adorable sight of Rainbow snuggling with Spike and Boomer. She came, she saw, she had conquered the cheese quesadilla. “I really liked the ones with those paper thin slices of green apple and that Fancy white cheese,” Applejack said as she rolled over onto her side. “Those is perfect and I’m gonna make ‘em at home.” Nodding, Twilight half-listened, but her attention was focused on Fluttershy and Sumac. It was obvious that Sumac didn’t want to be hugged or cuddled, but was bearing it for Fluttershy’s sake. Fluttershy looked somewhat distressed because of her competitive nature surfacing. The bed creaked and Twilight felt herself being pulled into the depression caused by Applejack, who had rolled over against her. Looking over her withers, she smiled at the pony snuggling up against her side. “Twi, this was just what we needed,” Applejack said in a low voice as both she and Twilight watched Pinkie Pie join Fluttershy and Sumac. “We all just get so caught up in our own lives now… some of us more than others. I don’t want this trip to end. We’re all gonna go home and go our separate ways. Rarity has to be in Manehattan or somewhere in just a few days. Rainbow Dash is planning some trip with Daring Do. And you, you’ve got to do your princessing stuff.” “I plan to have Spike clear my schedule so I can stay home for a bit,” Twilight confessed to her friend in a soft whisper. “Lady Lulamoon can run Ponyville for just a little bit longer. There’s some things I need to do for myself, Applejack.” “Twi…” “Yes, Applejack?” “If’n you can forgive me for stickin’ my snoot where it don’t belong, Twi—” “Forgiven,” Twilight said to her dear friend. “Be careful with Pinkie,” Applejack said in a very low whisper after she pressed her muzzle close to Twilight’s ear. “She’s on the rebound and she’s gonna hold all of this hurt inside of her and pretend like everything is fine. And then one day, at some point in the future, it’s all gonna come out. The best thing you can do for her right now is just be her friend. Give her a shoulder to cry on. If’n something comes from that, so much the better. But don’t try to organise no relationship and start setting up checklists of things you need to do for progress.” “Okay, Applejack.” Twilight was surprised by how subdued her own voice sounded. “And Twi…” Applejack’s whisper was halting and hesitant. “Twilight, sometimes, sometimes the things we hold most near and dear to our hearts are the things we don’t understand. And if’n we try to understand them, if’n we unravel the mystery, they stop being special to us. Once you find out a music box is just a collection of cogs, springs, and gears, it stops being so magical and just becomes something mundane. If you pull it apart, it stops making music. What I’m sayin is, Twilight, is that you shouldn’t try too hard to understand Pinkie, or else you’ll ruin what makes her special.” “Thanks, Applejack.” “Don’t mention it, Twi.” It would be time to go soon. There was a sleeper car reserved for them that would be leaving on the evening train. There was all the usual frantic going about and getting everything packed up. Twilight wasn’t worried too much, as she hadn’t brought much. She had brought two dragons and one nephew, all of which were accounted for. “Play kitty with me!” Boomer begged as she rubbed up against Sumac. “No! I’m too big to play kitty with you.” “Meow?” “No!” Twilight smiled and wondered if perhaps, she should have played more games with Spike. She moved over to where Spike was, sat down beside him, and pulled him close with her wing. He was marking off a checklist of accomplishments, things that had been achieved here in Appleloosa. The list was long and had quite a few checkmarks. “Hey, Spike, got a moment?” “For you, always.” “Spike… how would you feel about me going on a few dates with Seville and Pinkie Pie?” Looking up from his checklist, Spike looked Twilight right in the eye. “Are you asking me for my permission or something?” “No.” Twilight reconsidered. “Maybe?” After a bit more consideration, she shrugged. “I don’t know, Spike.” She gave thought to Spike’s feelings and how all of this might impact him. “I just want to make sure that you’re okay with it. I know that you are very close with both Seville and Pinkie—” “And you plan to marry them?” Spike asked. “What? No!” Twilight began to sputter and she turned away from Spike’s solemn, penetrating stare. “Gah, Spike… no… I mean, not right away, it’s just… just… I sorta figured that it was time for me to grow up a bit and learn how to date, and I needed a safe space with ponies I trust to do that, and Seville and I are close friends, and Pinkie Pie and I are close friends, and Spike… I’m not even one hundred percent certain of my sexual orientation.” “Oh.” Spike blinked. “I’m gonna need you, Spike. You know all of my warning signs. All of my triggers. You know how to keep me safe from myself. You proved that with the, uh, Smarty Pants Incident. I have some anxiety issues, and while I trust Seville and Pinkie Pie, I trust you most of all.” “I understand.” Reaching up, Spike grabbed Twilight’s ear and gave it a tug. He then stroked her cheek and gave it an affectionate pat. “I can run interference if I need to.” “Thanks, Spike.” Twilight paused and and her expression became one of pain. She swallowed, lowered her head down a bit, and whispered, “You know, Spike, without you, I think I might have been a mentally stunted shut-in. You’ve always been the one that has pulled me out of my comfort zone and then kept me going while I panicked and acclimatised to uncomfortable surroundings.” Not knowing what to say or how to respond, Spike put his arms around Twilight’s neck and hugged her. The pair of them sat there and watched as Boomer followed Sumac around and acted like a kitty. Both of them began to remember simpler times, when Spike was a baby dragon without complications and Twilight was a little filly that so desperately wanted to understand the world. Boomer belched, and because her tummy was still far too full, she set Sumac on fire. The colt didn’t panic, not in the slightest, and he was quick to use an extinguishing spell before real harm befell him. Then, while Spike and Twilight watched, Sumac—still smouldering—pulled Boomer into a hug to comfort her before she started crying. “Hey Spike… if you’ve ever wondered what friendship looks like in action…” Twilight Sparkle pointed with her hoof at Sumac and Boomer. “That’s us. That’s how the world sees you and I.” “One dragon, one pony, best friends.” Spike gave Twilight’s neck a squeeze. “You know, Twilight, it might be nice to have Seville around in the mornings. He can cook and he makes the best orange juice.” “Spike…” “Just saying, you have the ways and the means to make him stay till breakfast—” “Spike!” “—and you know how hungry you get when you stay up all night reading.” Squinting, Twilight wasn’t certain how innocent Spike was. Her brows furrowed, but she took him at his word and gave him a nod. She felt an odd sense of relief knowing that Spike was still innocent. “We’re gonna need an early warning system though, like Starlight Glimmer’s ribbon hung on the door when Sunburst visits. I don’t want to walk in on you and Seville or Pinkie—” “SPIKE!” “Just sayin’!”