Hope and Shadows
Chapter 7 "Of Maidens and Monsters."
By Steven Little
My Little Pony © Hasbro
"Yes! Yes Baby Bird, Yes!" Honey kissed her new fiancée and hugged him tightly.
"But you can't get married, you're too young." Braeburn protested.
"No they're not." Twilight corrected him. "Sixteen is the age of consent and as long as they have a parents permission there's nothing against it."
"And they do!" Pinkie, Rainbow and Soarin shouted in unison.
"Clyde, don't you have anything to say about this?" Braeburn asked. "She's your granddaughter."
"S'pose I have a few things to say. First, I want to thank Inkie and Blinkie. You girls did an excellent job on those bands, the other one is exactly they way I described it to you." Clyde looked around the room at the slack jaw expressions on the ponies in his home, all but Pinkie. Her smile lit up the entire room. "What, this old timer still has a few marbles rattling around between his ears. I knew what the boy would do if backed into a corner and that’s just what you did Braeburn, that’s why I had the second band made.”
“Is that true Jato, you only asked me because you were desperate?” Honey asked, the stress of the situation causing her stomach to churning angrily.
Jato kissed the mares cheek softly. “No Bee, at first it was supposed to be a promise band, something to prove that I love you and would never leave but when I saw those two bracelets in the box, I knew what I needed to do and I don’t regret any of it.”
“And that brings me to my second point.” Clyde said. “Jato I'm right proud of you boy. That took a lot of courage and you did it well. However, I'm going to warn you this once and only this once. If you ever hurt my grandbaby you'll have more than the Apple family to deal with."
"Yes sir." Jato answered him, looking into the old pony's stern gaze ans swallowing hard.
"Lastly Braeburn, I have a lady friend coming over tonight and if you haven't made peace with Jato by then, I'll ask Princess Luna to marry the two of them right here and now."
Braeburn sat there with a confused look on his face. "Braeburn, could I possibly talk to you for a moment in the next room?" Luna asked him. The blond stallion followed her into the next room that turned out to be Clydes bedroom. Looking around he noticed how plain the room appeared. No carpet or wall hangings, there was one chair along the wall on the left side of the large bed. The bed itself was not all that remarkable. The blanket covering the surface was slate gray with no pattern. Opposite the bed on the far wall sat a dresser with a large mirror atop it. On the dresser sat multiple pictures of ponies in the old stallions life. One special picture frame held a photo of his long departed wife while the others contained many many pictures of his three daughters Inkie, Blinkie, and Pinkie.
"Was there something you needed Princess Luna?"
"Yes, I wanted to talk to you away from the others; I know this can't be easy for you but I felt you should know that Clyde wasn't joking. When I arrived, he told me about what he had planned; the old stallion is a very sweet pony. I also want to inform you that if he asks, I will marry Honey and Jato on the spot if they want." Luna put a hoof on his right shoulder. "Braeburn, you need to make peace with Jato. Honey loves him and if you succeed in driving him off, she will never forgive you. You'll lose her Braeburn and most likely Pinkie as well. Please, try to make peace."
"You're right Princess. I know in my heart that Honey loves that little pegasus and no matter what I say, there's nothing I can do to change that. For their sake, I will do my best." The two ponies rejoined the others in the living room. Luna sat back down next to Twilight while Braeburn walked over to Blossom and held a quick whispered conversation with her. After a while, Blossom nodded, trying to keep her bottom lip from quivering. Applejack rested a hoof around her cousin's shoulder while Macintosh stroked her mane affectionately.
Braeburn walked over to where Jato and Honey were sitting. And sat in front of them. "Where do I start? This was a while ago back when Blossom and me were both fourteen and living in Appleoosa. We were thick as thieves back then, always getting into all kinds of trouble. Appleoosa was still being built and drew ponies from all over Equestria looking for work and some who were looking for a new start in life away from the city. One of these newcomers was an orange earth pony with a dark brown mane by the name of Charger. He was twenty at the time and I absolutely idolized him. He was funny, he was strong and all the fillies liked him. Well, one day I introduced him to Blossom. They became fast friends and were always hanging out; sometimes she spent more time with him than me. I noticed Charger getting a might close with her but I thought he was just being friendly and I was letting my jealousy get the better of me. Then, one morning, I found Blossom behind the Salt Lick Saloon bruised, crying, and bleeding. Charger had beat her up and uhm, he…"
"He raped me." Blossom said sitting next to Braeburn. "The whole town went looking for Charger but he'd already left and no pony knew where he went. I left Appleoosa to live with Applejack and Macintosh for a while but then moved in with our aunt and uncle Orange. They had a psychologist friend that ran an office not far from their home. It took a while but she helped me put my life back together."
"That wasn't the end of it though." Braeburn continued. "When Charger did what he did, he hurt her badly. Because of the damage he inflicted inside of her, Blossom can never have a foal."
"And that's what you think of me?" Jato asked him, trying to keep his temper in check. "You think I'm some mare abusing rapist?"
"No, I know you aren't Charger or anything like him but I can't help it. Every time I see you two together, I flash back to him, what he did and the knowledge that I saw what was happening and did nothing. I swore to myself I'd never let someone I care about be hurt again, not when I could prevent it."
Blossom put her left hoof on his shoulder. "It's okay Braeburn. It wasn't your fault, it never was. I don't blame you."
"But I'm the one that introduced you to him. I put you in the position in the first place." The amber stallion said, trying hard to hide the guilt tearing him up inside.
Pinkie walked up behind him and slapped him hard upside the head with her right front hoof. "Braesy, would you just shut up and listen for a minute. We're all trying to tell you the same thing but you need to listen."
"Braeburn, even if you hadn't introduced me it could have happened anyway. All the young mares in town were head over hooves for him, myself included. Heck, I think even a few of the colts liked him."
"I just need some time to think about this, okay? I'm sorry everypony; please just give me a little time. Everything’s happenin’ so fast and I need some time to work this out." The amber stallion pleaded.
"Okay Braeburn. You have one week but if this isn't resolved by then, well, you know what will happen." Luna warned him.
There was a sudden knock at the door that caused everypony to glance over at Clyde. "I'll get it." The older tan stallion said as he walked over to the front door an opened it. "Evening dear, you have excellent timing as always."
Rainbow Dash's jaw hit the floor when Clyde's guest walked in. "Mother? What are you doing here?"
"Aaaaaand that's my queue to get going. I need to get back to the station and add a few more charges to that rats record.” Garnet said.
"Who's that?" Twilight asked the purple unicorn.
"Charger, I have him locked up back at the station. The magistrate is coming to pick him up tomorrow afternoon and I need to have all the paperwork ready for him."
"That monster is here in Ponyville?" Braeburn shouted.
"Yes, and I'm going to need you and Blossom to come down to the station to identify him; the incident you described is not on his record. I can press the charges without it but an identification would help the new charges stick.
“But it’s been so long, I don’t know if it’s be worth it to drag all that up again.” Blossom said hesitantly.
“I know it can’t be easy for you Blossom but there is no statute of limitations on rape in equestria and this additional charge will just make sure he stays in jail even longer, but I don’t want to push you into anything you aren’t ready for.” Garnet said.
"No, I'll go." Blossom consented. "I don't want to see him again but if I can help make sure he never hurts another filly, I'll do it."
"I'll go with you Blossom. I'd be happy to swear out a statement for you Garnet." Braeburn added.
"What about me?" Jato asked. "I heard him trying to get Honey into a bar just before we fought."
"Mr. Kingpin hadn't told me anything about that, in that case you and Honey should also come with us; I'll need a statement from you both."
"And I'm going to want every detail of what happened." Braeburn said sternly.
"Then let’s get going. The sun will start setting soon and I have somepony that will be waiting for me at the office tonight."
Applejack and Macintosh stood up with them. "You aint going anywhere without us." Applejack assured them.
"C'mon Garnet, sooner we get this over with sooner we can get back to our lives." Macintosh said as he held the door for the others.
"Luna dear, why don't you go with them incase Braeburn does something rash. You seem to be able to get through to him."
Luna gave her wife a kiss and escorted the others out the door and back toward Ponyville.
"Clyde dear, did I miss something? Are you having a party tonight and why were my daughter's friends talking about somepony in jail?"
"Come to my room and I'll explain everything to you." Clyde said as he led her away. Just before entering the room, he lightly smacked her flank and closed the door behind them.
Rainbow Dash was stunned. "I did not just see that. Inkie, Blinke, we need to talk."
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As the group of ponies approached the outskirts of town, Luna slowed her gate to allow Blossom and apple Jack to catch up with her. “Is everything okay back here?” She asked.
“Everthin’s fine Princess, we was just catchin’ up on old times. Blossom was just tellin’ me about her coltfriend back home.” Applejack informed her.
“Really, what’s he like dear?”
“Oh he’s just to wonderful for words, Princess.” The light pink mare gushed. “Well, to start off with, His name’s Trevor and he’s a unicorn. He has a long flowing mane, which is pure white just like his coat, and his eyes are the prettiest shade of red.”
“It almost sounds like he’s an albino.” The Princess surmised.
“He is, but thankfully he doesn’t have the problem with sunlight like some do. Oh, and he’s a performer too.” Blossom informed them.
“He sounds like quite a catch their cous’, I’m really happy for you. Does he know that you can’t, I mean…”
“Yes, he knows I’m barren and he also know why but he’s been very supportive and caring about the whole thing. We’ve talked about adoption after we’re married next year but it’s so hard these days and being a stage performer doesn’t seem to impress the adoption board.” She said.
“Well, I don’t want to get your hopes up, but their may be a way that Twilight and I could help you out but it’s something you’ll want to talk to your fiancée about.”
“Really?! Oh thank you Princess, I don’t know what to say.” Blossom said, moved to tears by the Princesses offer.
“There’s no guarantee, simply a possibility. After you get home, talk to your coltfriend and then send me a letter here in Ponyville and we’ll go from there.” Luna said with a smile.
Up ahead, Braeburn finally got the last of the information out of Jato and Honey. "Seriously? You really bucked that piece of trash across the bowling alley? Oh wow, I would have paid some real bits to see that!" He laughed.
"It's not something I was proud of Braeburn. I acted like a cocky idiot and Honey could have gotten hurt. I should have just grabbed her and left but instead I let my ego get the better of me."
"That's very mature of you to say Jato." Princess Luna said as she, Applejack and Blossom caught up with them. "Under the circumstances though I think what you did was the right thing. Had you backed off then, Charger would know he could get you to back off again. By standing up to him and exerting your dominance you made it clear that of the two of you, you were the superior stallion."
"You've been into Twi's psychology books again haven't you Luna?" Applejack asked smiling. "Well, I can't say I understand how y'all feel about it Jato, but I know me and Big Mac here are mighty proud of you, standing up for Honey like that."
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As they approached the front door of the Sheriffs office Garnet turned to the others. "Are you sure you want to do this? I was serious when I said I could press charges without your statements."
"It's okay Garnet, I want to do this. I want to make sure the stallion you have locked up is Charger. It would put my mind at rest knowing he was behind bars." Blossom told him.
"All right, come in and I'll lead you back to the cells." Garnet opened the door and quickly turned on the lights. Leading them to the back, the eight ponies lined up against the wall watching the prisoner.
"So, I take it this is where I get a beat down and told to change my evil ways?" Charger said walking up to the bars.
"That's most definitely him. Blossom and Honey said in unison.
"You, I don't recall." He said to Blossom. "But I remember you just fine cutie. You get tired of that shrimp back there? Want a real stallion to show you the ropes?"
Jato lunged forward shooting a hoof through the bars connecting with Chargers jaw, sending him sprawling against the cot at the back of the cell. "If you lay a single hoof on her again I'll tear you apart!" The blue pegasus yelled. Braeburn stood their stunned.
"Was that all ya needed Garnet? I'd rather not hang around that scum any more than we have to." Applejack said.
"Yup an identification was all I needed to tie the charges to his record. I can get statements from you tomorrow before the magistrate arrives."
"Why don't you and Macintosh take Honey and Blossom back to the farm. I'm sure Twilight will be along soon. I'll be right behind you." Luna said.
"Blossom? Well, didn't you fill out nicely? If you come by later I'm sure we can get reacquainted!" Charge yelled through the bars as the others left the building.
It was Braeburn's turn to punch Charger and this time the arrogant criminal received a bloody nose. "You will not talk to her again you monster."
"Hey, aren't you one of the Princesses? Aren't you supposed to be about law and order and all that stuff?" Charger asked Luna. "This is clearly abuse why don't you stop them?"
"Indeed, I am Princess Luna and you should feel lucky that my sister is the one who handles judiciary matters. If I had my say, I would have the authorities find the deepest darkest hole they could for you to spend the rest of your miserable life." Luna sneered at him. "Garnet, I'm going to accompany Macintosh and the girls back to their home. Try to have a good night." Luna snapped her tail at Charger and walked out of the holding area.
"So, what happens now?" Charger asked.
"What happens now, is I come in there to clean up your injury. I can't have you bleeding all over when the Magistrate gets here. Those two are here to ensure you don't try anything funny while I clean you up." Garnet took out his key and unlocked the door. Without warning, Charger rushed the door and slammed into it, forcing Garnet to hit his head against the brick wall, knocking him out cold.
"Well well, seems the only thing standing between me and freedom is a spineless coward and foal with too much attitude."
There's two of us and only one of you, do you really think you're getting out of here?" Braeburn asked.
The escaped prisoner charged between the two ponies knocking them against the wall and cell bars. Braeburn was knocked unconscious when his head hit the brick wall behind him, and Jato was groaning from hitting the bars. Charger placed a hoof against the young pegasi's bandaged wing and pressed down hard causing Jato to cry out in pain. "Oh good, you're awake. I just wanted you to know that now that I'm free, I'll be leaving. With your broken wing you won't be able to catch me and I doubt your friends are in any condition to help you either."
Charge started to walk away when an evil thought crossed his twisted mind. He came back to Jato and jabbed the wounded wing again. "Before I go, I just had a thought I’d like to share with you. I'll be paying that little filly of yours a visit tonight when everypony’s asleep. It will be a night to remember; I'm going to use every part of that filly to make me feel good and the last thing she is ever going to feel is me, rutting into her over and over again." Charger laughed manically as he walked out of the sheriff’s office and started to follow the numerous tracks away from the building, toward a farm on the outskirts of town.
After he left the building, Jato got to his hooves and walked over to the amber stallion against wall. "Braeburn, wake up!" He said prodding the stallion in the ribs. “Come on, wake up!”
Braeburn woke up groggily. "What happened and why is the room spinning?"
"You're still dizzy from hitting your head on the wall. I need you to take the bandages off my wings." Braeburn looked at him with a confused look on his face. "That bastards going after Honey and I can 't catch him if my wings are bound!"
"But you left wing is broken. If you try to fly with a broken wing you could loose it."
"You think I care? Listen Braeburn, you don't like me and I'm not all that fond of you but this isn't about us; we can hash it or go a few rounds later. Right now all I care about is getting to Honey in time, now unbind my wings, please!" Jato pleaded with him. Braeburn was shocked at the young pegasi's devotion to his daughter. Without another word Braeburn undid the bandages from around Jato and watched him run out the door.
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Jato ran down the road as fast as his short legs would carry him. Pumping his legs as hard as he could, he felt his speed building up faster than he expected and he didn't care. Only one thing occupied his mind and that was to get to Honey, as fast as possible and to do that he knew of only one thing. Feeling the muscles bunch and tighten in his legs he jumped into the air with all the power he could muster. As soon as he took to the air a rainbow contrail developed behind him almost instantly. The adolescent pegasus spread his wings forcefully, cringing at the pain in his left wing. The bone was fractured, forcing Jato to flex the muscle in an uncomfortable way just to keep the appendage straight. He tried as hard as he could to block the pain from his mind as he climbed into the air higher and higher. Scanning the ground as he climbed he finally saw the orange pony walking down the road, dodging back and forth behind the apple trees. Not far ahead of him was Princess Luna and the others. Jato flipped his body painfully around and point his nose straight at the escaped prisoner. The blue Pegasus flapped his wings harder than anytime in the past. Up, down, up, down, the rhythm continuously running through his head. Urging himself harder and faster, he pushed his body beyond his known limits. Focused on his target, Jato barely noticed the wind cone building up around him. Gritting his teeth he willed his wings to flap even harder. All sound seemed to go mute around him as the air exploded in a sonic rainboom, forcing Jato to a speed he never thought possible. Tucking his wings tightly to his side, he dove like a comet from the sky; blue feathers streamed away from him, floating softly down to the ground. He angled himself, driving his right shoulder into Chargers hips, slamming him into a tree with a sickening crack.
Luna, Applejack, Macintosh, Blossom, and Honey all heard the sonic explosion and watched a fiery red, orange and yellow trail dive directly into the orchard. The ponies turned around and quickly ran to the supposed landing site knowing only Jato could leave a trail like that. When they arrived at the scene, the scream that ripped its way out of Honey's mouth could be heard across Ponyville. There before them, laid Charger writhing in pain and Jato completely unconscious beneath an apple tree that had broken off at the base. Jato's right wing and shoulder appeared horribly mangled while half of his left wing hung limply, connected to the rest of him by a few strands of skin and tendon; a broken shard of wing bone gleaming in the moon’s light, his wings comply devoid of a single feather.
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Jato woke slowly. There was no sunlight; there was very little light at all. Around him he could hear various machines whirling and buzzing in the background but he could not see them or much of anything for that matter. He could feel the soft mattress beneath him and knew he was lying in a bed, but who's? Jato tried to look around but all he could see was blackness. The young pegasus tried to move but as soon as he did, lances of white-hot pain burned through him. "Hello?" He called, his chest aching badly as he drew in a deep breath. "Is anyone there?"
Off in the distance, a soft golden light appeared and seemed to speak to him in the gentlest voice he had ever heard. "Hush now, thou need thy rest. Please, lay thee down and return to thy slumber."
"Who are you? I don't recognize your voice." He asked.
The ball of light came closer and took shape as it approached the side of the bed. It was an alicorn though one Jato had never seen. She was tall, slender, and white like Princess Celestia but her mane and tail were fiery red in color. When Jato looked her in the eyes he saw two pools of deep blue sapphire. On her head she wore a crown of golden laurels. When she spoke, it sounded like the loving whisper of a mother to her foal. "Who We are is not important little one, that thou survive is."
"I'm frightened." Jato admitted, his eyes filling with tears.
The alicorn smiled. "Dear sweet child, why art thou frightened?"
"I'm afraid of what I will return to." He said. "My wings have most likely been destroyed. I can feel my body twisted and broken. Honey wont want to be with me when she sees what I've become. Her father hates me. I can't think of anything worth going back to."
The angelic alicorn knelt over and softly kissed his forehead. "Calm thy self child. Thy friends and loved ones are more forgiving and accepting than thou give them credit. Sleep now and worry not about thy future. Be true to thy self and never doubt thy courage and thee will prevail in all things."
Jato opened his eyes and found himself in a sterile white room of Ponyville General Hospital. "Ohhhhhh, my head. Did someone get the name of the dragon that hit me?" Looking to his left, he noticed another hospital bed had been pushed next to his. Jato saw Honey laying there, her head rested on the pillow. "Honey, Honey?" He said softly trying to rouse her. He tried to reach his left front hoof over to her but cried out as intense pain shot up his arm and into his back.
Honey's eye snapped open as Jato cried out. "Oh Baby Bird don't try to move! I'm so happy you're awake, I'll be right back please don't move okay?" Honey bounded off the bed and ran out the door. As Jato watched her go he tried to sit up but found that he could not move. He couldn't see what was holding him down due to the blanket tucked up under his chin. He lay there for what seemed like hours when Honey rushed back in, a battalion of ponies following her.
Jato smiled at them as they entered the room. "I'd wave hello but I can't seem to move for some reason." The ponies in the room looked down at the floor and shuffled their hooves. Fluttershy, Honey, Twilight, Luna, Rainbow Dash and Soarin approached the bed.
"How are you feeling Jato?" Luna asked.
"It hurts, everywhere but I'm fine I guess. How long have I been here?" He asked.
"You've been here for a month." Fluttershy said. "It was touch and go there for a while and a couple of times we didn't think you were going to make it but you pulled through." She said smiling.
"A month?" He asked in disbelief.
Soarin put a hoof on his son's bed. "Son, first I want you to know how incredibly proud your mother and I are. You were able to do a sonic rainboom despite your size, I can't even do that." His father said.
Jato looked over to his mother and saw the tears in her eyes. "Dad, what's wrong and why can't I move?"
"Jato, when you hit Charger you slammed him into a tree and broke it off at the stump." Rainbow tried to explain. "At the speed you were going, you shattered his pelvis and your right shoulder. Charger will never walk again but he's still behind bars. You were incredibly lucky though. You could have died."
"Why can't I move?" Jato demanded. The only thing I can move is my left foreleg and it hurts like heck to do that." A sudden thought occurred to the small pegasus. He painfully grabbed the blanket and pulled it from him revealing the bandages covering most of his body. "What happened? Am, am I paralyzed?" He asked, tears welling up in his eyes.
Honey stroked his mane and tried to comfort him. "Easy sweetie, it's not as bad as it looks."
"Jato, you broke your right shoulder and wing joint, crushed three ribs and broke your right wing." Fluttershy explained. "The tree you slammed Charge into broke off at the base and fell on you both. One of the tree’s limbs punctured your left lung; you’re very lucky to be alive Jato. Oh, pardon me, I need to talk to your other doctors."
"Your left wing is a different matter. Half of your wing was almost completely ripped off when you preformed that sonic rainboom." Twilight told him. "You lost some bone when you crashed. Fluttershy and the other surgeons had to put several small metal plates in your wing to stabilize it. When your all healed up you'll have to relearn to fly with the added weight in your left wing."
"The doctors and the Princesses were able to heal most of the damage and we gathered up as many of your feathers as possible so they could implant them but we couldn't find them all. You'll have to regrow a lot of them." Honey said. "The only reason you can't move is because Princess Twilight used a spell on the bed. You can't move yourself, but others could move you. It was so you didn't roll over in your sleep and hurt your wings further.”
“Oh, sorry about that Jato, I’ll release the spell but you have to promise not to move around too much.” Twilight said. After the young pegasus nodded his agreement, Twilight lowered her head and a light purple aura seemed to lift from the bed, allowing Jato to move on his own once more.
Jato shook his head, trying to clear the rest of his long sleep from his mind. “Sorry about being over dramatic there, I just had a really weird dream, I was talking to an alicorn before I woke up.”
Twilight chuckled a little. "Who was it, Luna, Celestia or me?"
"It wasn't any of you. She was really pretty though." He felt Honey's eyes on him. "Not as pretty as you though Honey. It was weird, I'd never seen her before but she seemed so familiar. Her voice was soft and gentle and I know it sounds weird but she spoke in old Equestrian and I could feel an amazing amount of energy coming from her."
"What did she look like?" Luna asked interested.
"Her coat is the purest white of driven snow and her mane and tail burns with the color and power of a red phase star. Her eyes are two perfect blue sapphires and atop her head she wears a golden crown of laurels that glows like the light of the full moon." Twilight spoke as if by automatic.
"How did you know that?" Jato asked in disbelief.
"I have no idea." Twilight said, rubbing her temple with a hoof..
"Please excuse me, I, I have to go." Luna apologized before running out of the room. Twilight looked around at the bewildered expressions on the other ponies, excused herself, then ran after her wife.
Jato watched the two Princesses leave. "What was that about?"
“I have no idea.” Honey said.
Braeburn approached the bed and put a hoof on the young, light blue stallion’s good shoulder. “Jato, I don't know what to say. You risked your life to protect Honey from that monster. Can you ever forgive me?" Braeburn asked him.
"There's nothing to forgive, you're her father. If you weren't protective of her, I'd be worried."
Braeburn pulled Jato into a fatherly embrace. "Just promise me you'll take good care of my little filly, she's the only one I have." When he released the young pegasus Jato noticed the broad silver band securely fastened around his hoof, the jewel Honeybee shining in the light.
"You mean it? You don't mind if Honey and me stay together?"
"After what you did, I'd be proud to give my daughter away to you at your wedding, whenever you decide to have it." Braeburn said as he walked toward the door, Pinkie Pie by his side. "Don't keep him up too late Honey, he needs his rest."
"Okay daddy!" She said.
Jato slowly sat up in the bed. "What's going on?"
"Daddy talked with your parents and the Princesses. I'm going to stay with you at your house till you're better. Princess Twilight already cast the spell that will let me walk on clouds but this one lasts a whole month."
Fluttershy walked back into the room smiling. "Jato, I just spoke with the other doctors and we've agreed you can go home but you have to be careful. No flying at all until your wings are healed. If I find out you removed the bandage from your wings for any reason other than bathing, you're coming home with me and Macky will be your nurse."
"Yes ma'am." He squeaked.
Soarin walked back to the bed. "Come on son, I'll carry you home." Jato slowly and carefully wrapped his front legs around his father's neck and slid onto his back. Rainbow Dash knelt down allowing Honey to do the same.
Walking out of the Hospital, Jato heard some of their friends talking to each other. "Hey Garnet, did you here your mom finally told your dad she was pregnant again?" Caramel asked.
"Yeah, apparently dad already knew." Garnet said laughing. “Oh, hey Jato, it’s good to see you out of bed, you take care of him Honey!”
“You bet I will.” She said with a smile.
Soarin walked out from under the entry canopy and looked back to his offspring. "You okay their sport? Just hang on tight; we'll take this nice and slow." He said as he and Rainbow sprung into the air.
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Honey couldn't help but look around as they flew through the air. "This is almost as good as when you flew me around Jato." She said smiling. "Of course the speed was fun too."
"If you want I could speed around with you." Rainbow Dash said to her passenger doing a quick loop.
"No, that's okay Mrs. Clouds."
"Please just call me Rainbow or just Dash. You're practically family now, you don't need to be formal." The four ponies slowly made there way past Sweet Apple Acres to the large cloud house floating in the sky. Landing softly, Honey experimentally put a hoof down on the clouds and found them firm beneath her. She stepped off of Rainbow Dash and bounced slightly on the fluffy white surface. Rainbow Dash opened the door for her. "Welcome to our home." She said smiling.
Honey walked up next to Soarin and allowed him to lower Jato across her back. "I really should get him into bed so he can rest."
Both Soarin and Dash smirked at each other. "His room is upstairs, first door on the left." Soarin said. Honey thanked him a brought her fiancée into the house.
Honey slowly pushed opened the door to his room and smiled at what she saw. The room was a complete mess. Comic books and apple soda bottles littered the floor. His bookshelf had just about everything but books on it but the walls were what really caught her eye. Aside from a few Wonderbolt posters, his walls were covered in pictures of fillies showing off their flanks in various suggestive poses. Walking toward the bed, she carefully laid him in it. "You don't have any sheets or covers or anything?"
"No, we usually just grab the cloud and pull it over us." Jato said.
Reaching into the cloud that made up his bed, she pulled and found a portion of the cloud in her hooves. She pulled harder and a blanket of cloud emerged from the foot of the bed. Slightly astonished, she draped it over Jato and tucked it in around his head. "I don't know how warm that is but I suppose it will have to do, if nothing else, I might ask your parents if they could get a blanket for me from my room back at the farm." Looking around the room, she quickly looked back at Jato.
"Okay, these have got to go." She said pointing at the lewd pictures on the walls. I'm sorry if you don't like it but I'm taking them down."
"It's okay, you can take them down if you want. I mean this room is yours now too while you're taking care of me. That is, unless you want a room of your own, we have two guest rooms." Jato said blushing.
Honey pulled the last of the dirty pictures from the wall and stuffed them into what appeared to be a special garbage bag that wouldn't fall through the clouds. She smiled as she began to pick up the garbage on the floor. "Oh no, I'll be staying in here. I'm not letting you out of my sight. Celestia only knows what sort of trouble you'd be getting into if I weren't here."
After cleaning the whole room top to bottom, Honey sat back and admired her work with a smile. Grabbing the garbage bag she walked toward the door and was met by Soarin as she opened it. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you just wanted to let you two know that dinner was going to be in a few hours." He said.
"Thank you Mr. Clouds. Oh, by the way, is there someplace I can put this. I fear I had to remove Jato's choice of wall decoration as well as the rest of the trash in his room."
"I'll take care of it for you. So, you took down his pictures? Rainbow is going to love you. Either way, I'll come get you when the food is ready and please, call me Soarin."
"Thanks Soarin." She said as she turned back into the room and closed the door. Looking back over to Jato she saw him shivering in bed. Rushing over she sat next to him. “Are you okay Jato?”
"Yeah, just a little cold."
"Well, there's nothing to do for a few hours till dinner, I suppose I could keep you warm."
"You don't have to do that." He said blushing.
"Jato, I said I'd take care of you and I mean to see that you get the best of care." Honey lifted up the cloud cover and slid into bed next to him. Carefully she put her hooves around his bruised and beaten body and cuddled with him. "Is this better? I'm not hurting you am I?"
"No, I'm fine and you're so warm." He said smiling. He pulled her closer to him, nuzzling against her cheek.
Honey felt herself blush. Turning her head slightly she kissed her future husband deeply. The two ponies lay there kissing for while before Honey pulled out of the intimate embrace. "Jato, I love you and I have a confession; ever since that first time we shared ourselves, I've wanted you again. But I wanted this time to be different. I want to be held by you, touched by you, to be…"
Jato held a hoof over her mouth. "It's okay, Honey, I've wanted the same thing." He said licking the edge of her ear. Slowly moving his left front hoof from her back, he slid it slowly down until it rested on her flank. Continuing the lick at the gentle curve of her ear, he started to rub the filly's flank.
"Oh Baby Bird, this feels so good, please, don't stop." Honey softly moaned. The pegasus, moved down her face and began to lick and bite at the left side of her neck. Sliding his hoof from her flank he gently slipped in between her thighs. "Oh Jato! She yelled softly.
Downstairs in the kitchen, Rainbow Dash and Soarin couldn't help but silently laugh to themselves. "He got that from me too." Soarin claimed proudly.
Rainbow slugged him the shoulder and walked back to the stove. "As if."
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Across town, languorous lovemaking had just finished. "Oh Garnet, that was wonderful."
"I do my best Bloom."
"Does your head still hurt? That jerk cracked you a good one back there." She asked concerned.
"It was hurting for a while but it's fine now. I'm sorry we couldn't go on our date that night and with everything being so hectic at work with the publicity from Charger’s capture, I haven't had a chance to take you out again, how about tomorrow?"
"Sorry, I have an audience with Princess Luna tomorrow. I have no idea how long it will take."
"I guess then if I want to do this I'll have to do it now." Garnet bent over the side of the bed and it sounded like he was digging for something underneath, his backside and tail waiving in the air.
Apple Bloom reached over and stroked his rump. "Mmmmm, nice." Garnet sat back up in the bed with a slate gray box in his hooves. "What's that?" She asked.
"I got this for you the other day. It took a while to make but I think it's worth it." Garnet set the box in front of the yellow mare.
Apple Bloom studied the box for a moment and saw a name inscribed along one side. " 'The Rock Farm'. Is this from Pinkies old home?" Garnet nodded. "You got me a rock?"
"Would you just open it already?" He said smiling.
Apple Bloom slowly slid the top of the box off revealing a thin gold band with a gem design that resembled Garnets cutie mark exactly. Apple Bloom stared at the bracelet then looked at Garnet with unshed tears in her eyes. "Is this? I mean I…"
"Apple Bloom Mildred Apple, will you marry me?" He asked.
"Yes, of course I'll marry you!" She said kissing the stallion passionately. Breaking the kiss, she punched his shoulder. "But if you tell anypony what my middle name is, I'll beat you to a pulp."
"Agreed." Garnet reached over and placed the bracelet around her right front hoof. "I didn't think anything could make you more beautiful but that bracelet sure is trying." He kissed his future wife and wrapped his powerful hooves around her. They lay back down in the bed in each other's embrace. Apple Bloom had a sneaky smile on her face and reached a hoof down to message between Garnet's thighs. "Again?" He asked incredulously.
"I have at least a few years to catch up on." Apple Bloom felt her prize growing once more. "For too many lonely nights I've denied myself the pleasure of your, company, by not being here and now that I'm back I intend on enjoying that company as often as I can."
Garnet smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
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On the other side of town, a terrible dragon beset an innocent damsel. "Oh heavens, what ever shall I do?" Rarity said in an overly dramatic voice. "This horrible reptile has me bound and helpless. When shall a gallant knight come to save me from the dragon's lustful wanton desires?”
"You shall never escape me. Again and again they have sent many knights to save you and each fell before my might; tasty too." The dragon taunted his captive. "The entrance to this cave has been blocked and disguised so none may ever find it, you are trapped here forever."
"Of all the worst possible things, this has got to be the worst I could possibly imagine." Rarity said, being overly dramatic. "Won't somepony save this vulnerable, helpless, nubile young maiden?"
"No one can hear you but me now. Come to think of it, what will I do with you?" The dragon asked himself. Getting a mischievous look in his eyes he slowly approached the damsel. The dragon began to slide his long reptilian tongue over the unicorn's body. Starting at her ears he licked down the side of her face and around her neck. Finding the sensitive and almost unnoticeable scared portion of her neck, where it met her right shoulder, the dragon sucked and licked the thin-skinned flesh.
"Oh, oh, what are you doing to me you vile dragon." She panted heavily.
"I will make you mine now and forever." He said slowly biting down until he felt the sharp points of his fangs break the skin of her neck. Moving further down, he ran his long sinuous tongue down her chest and stomach. Massaging her flank with his claws he began to lightly drag his tongue around her nipples and inner thighs.
"Oh, it feels so good but it's so wrong! You filthy animal, how dare you!?" The dragon reared back exposing himself to the helpless pony. The unicorn could only marvel at the site in front of her. "W-what do you intend on doing with that? You can't mean to… No, it's far to big, you'll kill me!" Approaching her with lust in his eyes the dragon held her down in preparation for his conquest of the voluptuous mare.
In the room next door, two mares stared at each other in bed, mirth stamped on their faces. "Oh Spike, you filthy beast!"
"Your parents have to be the weirdest couple in Equestria." Scootaloo teased.
The white unicorn next to her laughed. "Just think, soon, they'll be your parents too." Sweetie Belle informed her. “Don't worry, in a few days, the house will be ready and we wont have to listen to anymore Bedroom Theater.”
The orange pegasus laughed and kneeled in bed next to her mare. "Roar! I'm a terrible dragon and I'm going to eat me some pony." She said as she dove between the unicorn's thighs.
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At the library, Twilight was finally able to get Luna to talk to her. "What's going on dear, this isn't like you. You look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?" The lavender Princess asked her.
Luna took a deep breath and looked into the eyes of her lover. All she could see was compassion and longing reflected in those beautiful violet eyes. “How did you know what she looked like?”
“I don’t know why or how but I think I’ve seen her before, twice. The first time was when me and our friends rescued you from Nightmare Moon and then again when you were Nightmare Moon was attacking your mind, trying to take over again. I didn't have a conversation with her that first time but she urged me on and showed me what I had to do to free you. Then after you lost your wings during our second encounter with Nightmare, she was the one who kept me from being overwhelmed with power and told me exactly when to strike and destroy the last remnant of Nightmare Moon." Twilight explained. "Do you know who or what she is?"
"Twilight, she’s my mother."