The High Princesses’ arrival caused a short silence from the attending parties in the village hall. As Celestia and Luna were busy bidding their hello to some of the nobles, the sounds of casual conversations slowly started to fill the hall again.
Only to turn into ushered whispers when the Ponyville trio, preceded by Twilight Sparkle, entered the room. While most of the whispers were about Cloud Kicker’s confrontation with Gilda, which had been the main gossip in town since morning, some of the attendees who weren’t from Ponyville commented the Apples’ very own presence.
“I wonder what they’re doing here?”
“How could they got invited to Fancy Pants’ reception?”
“Did you see what those two are wearing?”
“They didn’t know that the Princesses were attending?”
“Probably, otherwise they would’ve dressed in something other than those jeans and T-shirts...”
“That worn-out hat is so gaudy,...”
“So, one managed to beat Shining Armor in a magic duel and now they think they can walk in this party uninvited?”
What those gossips didn’t know was that, despite whispering among themselves, Vinyl’s ears, which were those of a well-talented musician, picked up the general idea of who and what they were talking about.
“We’re making quite the show, AJ,” Vinyl commented with a chuckle.
“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked with curiosity.
“They’re thinking we don’t have anything to do here apparently,” Vinyl explained with a shrug.
“In our own town’s village hall?” Applejack asked in disbelief and anger.
“Let them be, AJ,” Cloud Kicker chimed in casually. “Those stuck-up jerks from Canterlot stupidly believe they own every place of Equestria because they live in the shadows of the Princesses.”
Twilight cleared her throat to remind them she was from Canterlot as well.
“Fiiiine. The majority of the Canterlotians are like that, with the exception of a living encyclopedia and her family,” Cloud Kicker added playfully, causing snickers from the two Apples and a frown from Twilight.
“I guess this is where we part ways,” Vinyl said as she spotted her relatives chatting with Octavia’s relatives and Octavia herself. “I’m going to see what’s going on over there,” she added before walking toward them.
“Ah’m gonna grab a drink.” Applejack had seen Lyra opening a bottle of wine behind the buffet table. “Seeya!”
“And, I’m gonna go where I’m supposed to guard,” Cloud Kicker stated with a hint of annoyance. She faced Twilight who was still frowning at her. “Will you forgive me if I add ‘extremely hot’ to the ‘living encyclopedia’?” she asked in a playful whisper.
“It’ll be a good start,” Twilight conceded with a short giggle, before sighing wearily.
“You know? It doesn’t have to be tonight, that can wait a day or two,” Cloud Kicker quietly said with concern.
“I want to do it as soon as possible, Cloudy,” Twilight said sternly. “It has caused you enough trouble already.”
“Trouble’s a big word for what I have been through.” Cloud Kicker chuckled. “It’s more like small disturbances, like a pebble in the shoe. Just need to put shoe off and it’s gone.”
“Cloudy, Gilda blackmailing you isn’t just a ‘pebble in the shoe’,” Twilight remarked in a worried whisper. “The same could be said about what happened yesterday.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Cloud Kicker shrugged.
“And what if something you can’t handle happens because of that secret?!” Twilight quietly asked with a shaking voice.
“Twilight,....” Cloud Kicker whispered with affection. “Nothing bad will happen to me because of that.” she smiled softly.
During their chat, the pair has arrived to the place Cloud Kicker was supposed to be stationed in: a small alcove situated that had a clear view of the hall, but that was hardly noticeable for anyone partying in the aforementioned hall.
“I know... but I can’t stop thinking it might happen.” Twilight started to tremble slightly. “Just like I can’t stop thinking that my brother might snap at you, or Cadence yelling at you, or the Princesses...”
“Twilight,” Cloud Kicker interrupted her softly, taking her helmet off. “Look at me in the eyes.” Twilight focused her gaze on Cloud Kicker’s. “Are you happy with me?”
“Of course I am!” Twilight immediately claimed with sincerity. “Why do you even ask that?!” she nearly shouted, almost drawing the attention of some passerby on them.
“And your brother, his wife and the Princesses want you to be happy, am I right?” Cloud Kicker asked, ignoring Twilight’s question.
Twilight gave a curt nod. “What’s your point?”
“My point is: why do you think they’ll be mad when you’re doing what they want?” Cloud Kicker asked with a smirk. “That is being happy.”
Twilight blinked a couple of times before a growing smile lit her face up, much to Cloud Kicker’s pleasure who smiled back at her.
“Thank you, Cloudy,” Twilight whispered fondly, resisting the urge to kiss her still secret lover. “I needed to hear that.”
Cloud Kicker looked around to see if anyone could see them before pulling Twilight in the alcove. Before Twilight could voice any protests for being pulled around like that, Cloud Kicker pressed her lips against hers. Despite her initial shock, Twilight quickly relaxed into the kiss, closing her eyes in contentment.
Cloud Kicker let go of Twilight before breaking the kiss. Twilight opened her eyes slowly to lock her gaze on Cloud Kicker’s with a dreamy smile.
“You looked like you needed more than verbal encouragements,” Cloud Kicker explained as Twilight was about to speak.
“Maybe I need more non-verbal encouragements,” Twilight whispered playfully.
“Hmmm.” Cloud Kicker scratched her chin in reflexion. “If you can cast an invisibility spell and somehow soundproof this alcove, then I might have just the thing for that,” she purred in a very hungry and lustful tone.
Twilight’s response to that was an intense blush combined to a quiet squeak as images of what she and Cloud Kicker could do if she would cast such spells started filling her head. She gulped, suddenly feeling her throat as dry as a desert, something a small part of her brain, the one which somehow remained rational, attributed to the heat wave Cloud Kicker had caused inside her.
“I.. I really need to get an ass in water... I MEAN a glass of water! I really need a glass of cold and refreshing water!” Twilight stammered with embarrassment. “I must go... I’ll see you later!”
“If you ever need me, I’m not moving from this spot,” Cloud Kicker winked before putting her helmet back on as Twilight walked toward the drink table, fanning her face fervently with both her hands. “So adorable,” Cloud Kicker whispered as she watched her lover go.
“Lady Rarity, do you know by any chances who are the people talking to Fancy Pants and Lady Octavia?” a noble with small glasses and black hair asked pointing at Granny Smith and Vinyl.
“That’s Mrs. Smith and her granddaughter, Vinyl Apple, my dear Jet,” Rarity answered casually.
“Aren’t they from Ponyville?” Jet’s wife, Uppercrust, asked with a cocked eyebrow. “I wonder how they got invited.”
“Well, from what I know, Mrs Smith and the Apple Family are a bit of a big deal for Ponyville,” Rarity explained matter-of-factly while internally frowning at Uppercrust’s remark. “Mrs Smith and her family were one of the founding families of this town, and Sweet Apple Acres is one of the town’s most important apples supplier in the surrounding area. If not the most important for short.”
Rarity paused to take a sip of her glass of wine to let the informations sink in her interlocutors’ head.
“So, in essence they own a rather big farm around these parts,” Jet summed it up with a concealed, condescending tone which wasn’t lost to Rarity’s ears.
“Orchard,” a voice southern accented voice chimed in casually.
The married couple plus a few bystanders turned to face the source of that comment. Their gaze fell on Applejack walking up to Rarity’s side, a small plate of appetizers in her left hand, a cheese croquette in the her right one.
“I beg you pardon?” Jet asked with a confused frown.
“Sweet Apple Acres isn’t a farm, it’s an orchard,” Applejack explained before tossing the croquette in her mouth. “Oh, those are good!” she commented happily for herself.
“Excuse me, Miss, but that’s kind of rude to butt in conversions like that,” Uppercrust chastised with a cold glance.
“Not as rude as disregardin’ ma kin and what we do for living behind our back,” Applejack replied slowly with a colder glare that made Uppercrust take a step back. Her cold demeanor vanished as she turned her face toward Rarity. “Have ya tried these white cheese and nuts crackers, ma Lady? They’re good eatin’.” Applejack extended the plate in front of Rarity who, despite rolling her eyes, took one appetizer with a genuine smile.
“Thank you, dear,” Rarity replied before taking a small bite of her cracker.
“And tell me, miss, who are you to speak to my wife like that?” Jet asked, clearly offended.
“Name’s Apple, Jacquelyn Apple!” Applejack said before biting on one crackers. “But I prefer being called Applejack, what about you?”
“Well, Ms Apple, My name’s Jet Set, and this is my wife Uppercrust,” Jet introduced himself and his wife.
“Why don’t their names even surprise me?” Applejack asked to herself, earning a small giggle from Rarity who had manage to hear her.
“Tell me Ms. Apple, how did you and your family came in contact with Fancy Pants?” Uppercrust asked.
“Hmmm... Ma sis’ met him a couple of days ago an’, from what I heard, they got along nicely,” Applejack explained matter-of-factly. “As for me, Ah met the fella last night...”
“The fella?” Uppercrust asked with a shocked face.
Applejack ignored her. “... Ah helped him to find a caterer an’ that’s it.”
“How come your sister or you even met someone like him in the first place?” Jet asked with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
Applejack answered by pointing her finger at where Fancy Pants and his wife were chatting happily with Granny Smith. Well, she was more pointing at Vinyl who was watching their grandmother discussing with Octavia’s relatives, her hand holding firmly the cellist’s while Octavia leaned her head on Vinyl’s shoulder.
Jet and Uppercrust’s mouths dropped when Vinyl shifted her head to kiss Octavia on the forehead. Apparently, such display of affection didn’t go unnoticed by Octavia’s aunt who took the opportunity to turn the flow of the conversation on two lovers, causing them to blush madly.
“As for how Ah met the guy....” Applejack continued, earning back the dumbstruck couple’s attention. “Rare, you got a little something here!” Applejack scratched the middle of her lower lip.
“Oh, dear!” Rarity said in a short panic, before tapping her lips with a napkin. “Is it gone?”
“Almost,” Applejack grinned before pressing her lips on Rarity’s, causing a rather loud gasp from the other couple.
The kiss didn’t last long. Applejack looked around and smirked at the shocked expressions she had caused, only to be slapped by a rather put out Rarity. The slap didn’t hurt Applejack at all, but it made her face Rarity again.
“Applejack, how dare you?!” Rarity fumed.
“Yes, how dare you do something so uncouth to Lady Rarity?!” Uppercrust asked the farmer.
“Oh, keep quiet you, it’s none of your business!” Rarity growled.
“I beg your pardon?” Jet nearly shouted in shock as his wife stood with her mouth agape.
“Atta girl!” Applejack chuckled, causing Rarity to turn her attention back to her.
“Stay quiet while I’m dealing with them, I’ll get to you later.”
“Yes, Ma’am!” Applejack gave a short tip of her hat.
“As for you two,” Rarity faced the Set couple who seemed to shrink in front of the baroness. “I’d take you kindly to mind your own business instead of expressing your stupid and senseless opinions on things that are none of your concern,” Rarity said coldly.
“Lady Rarity, how dare you speak to us like that?” Uppercrust asked in anger. “We’ve been nothing but nice to you!” her husband nodded with an angry frown.
“Nodding in front of me to shake your head in disapproval when I turn my back is not what I call being nice to me. It’s nothing but mere hypocrisy and I’m tired of it!” Rarity explained abruptly.
“This is scandalous!” Jet roared angrily before walking away from Rarity, his wife in tow.
“You’ll regret this, Rarity Belle!” Uppercrust added threathfully.
“See if I care, you fashionless parasite!” Rarity growled, earning a shocked ‘oh’ from the insulted woman.
“Well, that was mighty impressive,” Applejack commented with a nod as Jet and his wife were out of earshot. “But what exactly pissed ya off like that?”
“You did, Applejack!” Rarity accused fiercely, poking Applejack’s chest with her finger. “How dare you kiss me like that in front of everyone?”
“So, what? Ah ain’t supposed to kiss ya in front of them fancy people because yer ashame of me?” Applejack asked in anger.
“No, you can kiss me whenever you want, no matter the company!”
“Then, what’s the problem with that kiss?”
“Five seconds!”
“Huh?” Applejack tilted her head in confusion.
“You kissed me for five little seconds,” Rarity explained angrily. “Five measly little seconds of lips touching with no real passion, nor emotion, nor romance whatsoever. How could you do that to me?” she asked in disappointment.
“Is that what it’s all about?” Applejack asked in disbelief. “That’s the reason ya were so snappy a couple of minutes ago?
Rarity slowly nodded with a sad pout.
“Ah swear, Rare, yer one of a kind.” Applejack scratched her brow with a chuckle, her gaze falling on the plate she was holding. ”Ya want a half of the last cracker?” Applejack asked before picking the white cheese and nut cracker up and giving the empty plate at a passing waiter.
“That’s your answer?” Rarity asked with a bemused expression. “Half a cracker?”
“Do ya want it or not?” Applejack asked with a knowing grin before putting the cracker between her teeth, leaving one half of it exposed outside her lips.
“Oh!” Rarity let out in realization. “Well, when you put it like that, I can’t really say that I don’t want it,” she added with a short giggle.
Rarity brought her face close to Applejack’s, slowly opening her mouth to let the cracker slid between her lips. As her lips met Applejack’s skin, she slowly closed her mouth, hearing small cracking noises as the appetizer broke in half. Applejack and she softly breathed in the crumbs into their respective mouths simultaneously.
Rarity, her eyes focused on Applejack’s, pushed the tip of her tongue in between her lover’s lips, playfully snatching some of the white cheese cream on top of the half cracker in her lover’s mouth. Applejack’s answer to this food theft was to swallow her half whole before pinching her lips together to trap the tip of Rarity’s tongue.
Rarity arched her left eyebrow at Applejack before her eyes snapped open in shock when the farmer slowly started to suck the tip of her tongue. Applejack’s green eyes sparkled with mischief as she noticed the growing blush on her lover’s alabaster face.
At some point, Applejack flicked the tip of Rarity’s tongue with her own. Rarity started to shiver at the gesture before forcefully pulling her tongue out of her lover’s mouth. Her tongue now free of movement and not stuck between her teeth, Rarity could finally quickly masticate the cracker.
It was very tasty, but she didn’t get the opportunity to savor it. As soon as she could, she swallowed the appetizer before kissing Applejack again. She thrusted her tongue in between her lover’s lips, shivering from pleasure as Applejack started to suck her tongue again. She tilted her head on the side, sighing pleasantly through her nose, tickling Applejack’s face doing so.
When they broke the kiss, they found out that they were both entwined with each other. Applejack had her arms around Rarity’s waist while Rarity had one hand on Applejack’s neck and the other through her lover’s golden hair. They looked around and noticed a lot of people staring at them with their mouth agape.
“Y’all wan’ a picture or what?” Applejack asked fiercely as Rarity blushed in embarrassment, causing all the observers to look away in shame.
All, except one.
“Aaacchhh, Yes!” Photo Finish said happily, before photographing the couple multiple times with bright white flashes, much to the concerned parties’ surprise.
“Hum, Hum!”
“Zilence, you,” Photo Finish chastised her husband who had just cleared his throat. “You zaid zhat I could take pictures if someone ever zayz that I could!” she turned her attention to Applejack and Rarity, the latter whispering kind words comfort to the former who was rubbing her eyes, now dazzled by the flashes. “YEEES, zo much Magicks with these two!” Photo Finish said happily before lifting her photo camera in front of her eyes, ready to capture another moment of de Magicks.
“So, you’re not seeing dark patches anymore?” Vinyl asked casually to Applejack who blinked a couple of times in response.
“Nope. Finally gone!” Applejack sighed in relief.
After a rather flashy onslaught, Photo Finish got her camera ‘confiscated’ by Blossomforth, more to avoid having to deal with an angered Applejack than anything else. After that, the reception went rather well.
Granny Smith definitely took a liking of Octavia’s uncle and aunt, much to Vinyl and Octavia’s pleasure. The three had been discussing about all kind of things until Fancy and Fleur remembered that they sadly had other guests to see. It was with regret that the married couple went to speak with a bunch of leechin’ vermits, as the matriarch would call them.
At that moment, Granny Smith was sharing old stories from when Ponyville was founded with the mayor, some of her advisors and a rather curious and attentive Princess Luna. On the other side of the hall, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were discussing with Bon-Bon about the good job she had done with her staff for this catering. Granted, Pinkie did most of the talking, but it didn’t matter to the other two; mostly because they were either too shy or too tired to interrupt their cotton candy haired interlocutor.
The remaining Apples: Vinyl; Applejack and Big Mac, were now sitting at a table, waiting for AppleBloom and Babs to come back with a slice of pie for each of the five people.
“So, how’s everything going on for you, big brother?” Vinyl asked. “You’re not too bored, are you?”
“Eeenope,” Big Mac replied with short shakes of his head. “Time tends to fly with Pinkie askin’ questions,”
“What did she ask?” Applejack asked with curiosity.
“Fer most parts, things about Braeburn,” Big Mac replied casually.
“Well, ain’t that interesting?” Applejack whistled.
“Isn’t Braeburn taken already?” Vinyl asked. “You know, with that Appleloosan native chick... What was her name again?”
“Little Strongheart?” Big Mac cocked an eyebrow. “Ah don’ think they ever got together.”
“That’s a shame,” Applejack commented. “She’s quite a nice gal.”
“It would’ve brought a little exotism in the family,” Vinyl said jokingly.
“Ah think the family has already enough exotism with yer two noble women.” Big Mac chuckled.
“Yer just jealous because ya can’t score with women,” Applejack said with a smirk. “Unlike us,”
“Good one, AJ!” Vinyl high-fived with Applejack.
“Ma sisters, ladies and gentlemen,” Big Mac commented sourly. “The most supportive and comfortin’ ones in the world.”
“You betcha!” Applejack and Vinyl said simultaneously with playful grins.
AppleBloom and Babs returned with a waiter holding a tray with five slices of pie in tow, causing the conversation between the three older siblings to move on to something more appropriate for their little sister and cousin.
“So, are you enjoying this reception, kiddos?” Vinyl asked as the waiter was serving the plate in front her. “Thanks,’ she added for the waiter who replied with a polite nod.
“Well, we thought Sweetie Belle would be there,” AppleBloom admitted. “But Pinkie’s kinda fun, so it was nice.”
“Yep.” Babs nodded, blowing a strand of her hair from face.
“Anyway, let’s dig in!” Applejack said hungrily before taking the slice of pie in her hand.
All five Apples took their slice of pie in their hand and, like one man, they simultaneously took a bite of it. As soon as the bit of pie touched their taste buds, they all snapped their eyes open with a blank expression. They slowly masticated, making their bite of pie go to the right of the their mouth, then to the left. All in perfect synchronicity. It took them a whole minute before simultaneously swallowing with a small wince.
“What’s going on?” Octavia asked in confusion as she and Rarity walked up to their table.
“Maybe the pie’s not good,” Rarity suggested.
“Pears,” the five Apples explained in a sour voice, putting their slices back on their respective plate.
“What?” Octavia and Rarity asked with incredulity.
“Pears!’ they repeated, each one of them pointing an accusatory finger at the offending slices of pie.
“Seriously?” Octavia shook her head in disbelief. “You know pears are as healthy as apples, right?”
All she earned as a response was a loud collective gasp from her lover and her family. All five Apples were looking at her as if she had gone crazy.
“Octavia, I love you and all, but you better not say anything like that ever again,” Vinyl said slowly.
“Same goes for ya, Rarity,” Applejack chimed in with a dumbstruck expression.
“Eeeyuuup!” AppleBloom, Babs and Big Mac added with nods of approval.
Rarity blinked. “Can you believe that?” she asked Octavia.
“Are you implying that I’m not allowed to eat pears now?” Octavia asked Vinyl with narrowed eyes, ignoring Rarity’s question.
“No, I’m just asking you to never mention it again,” Vinyl corrected. “You see the difference?”
“WHERE IS SHE?!” A thunderous, angry shout resonated in the village hall as Octavia was about to answer.
“Please, Duke, calm down!” The panicked voice of Rainbow Dash followed the shout.
“Ah think we better go to see what’s going on...” Applejack said as she stood of her chair.
“Yep.” Vinyl nodded before standing up. “Anything other than that awkward ‘pear’ discussion.”
The evening went well for everyone so far. Except for Twilight. During the reception, the lead figure of the Council of Harmony had tried to tell Shining and Cadence about Cloud Kicker and her, only to get interrupted by someone who wished to speak to the princely couple whenever she tried.
“What’s on your mind, my dear student?”
Princess Celestia looked at her student with worry as Twilight drank down her third glass of wine. Her brother and sister-in-law had, once again, evaded her nth attempt thanks to some noble who wanted to chat with them.
“Nothing! Everything’s fine, your Highness!” Twilight replied in a mix of anger and frustration.
“Twilight, something’s definitely wrong,” Celestia said with concern. “You know you can tell me everything, right?”
Twilight let out a soft sigh. “There’s nothing really wrong, Princess,” Twilight explained awkwardly. “It’s just that I must say something important to Shining and Cadence, and each time I try, someone comes and block me. I guess that it frustrates me a little.”
“Well, you understand that now that your brother’s prince, he sort of has to be present for everyone at that sort of gathering,” Celestia explained with kindness. “It’s what expected of him and Cadence.”
“I know that the moment’s not really well chosen, Princess,” Twilight admitted. “But, that’s not something that can be delayed.... Not anymore!” she added, a pinch of sadness growing inside her as Twilight remembered what happened to Cloud Kicker because their relationship was maintained secret.
“It’s really that important, Twilight?”
“Of the most importance, your Highness!” Twilight assured with conviction. “To me at least.”
“Well, in that case.” Celestia smiled. “Wait here, I’ll bring them to you. After all, no one’ll dare to bother them if one of the High Princesses is chatting with them. If you’re ok with my presence, that is.”
“Of course!” Twilight nodded eagerly. “That’s also something that...”
“WHERE IS SHE?!”
“Please, Duke, calm down!”
“Was that Renée?” Celestia asked with a puzzled frown.
“It sounded alot like her,” Twilight nodded, her worries about telling the truth about her lover momentarily forgotten.
Celestia and Twilight walked up to where the shout came from. As they came closer, they saw a very angry man with large, brown, eagle wings spread on his back surrounded by his escort of five guards wearing Cloudsdale’s praetorian armors, and by Rainbow Dash.
Celestia recognized the shouting man immediately. He was a high member of Cloudsdale’s senate, the Duke Gaius Skytalon. Gilda’s father.
“Where is she?!” Gaius repeated in an angry yell.
“Duke Skytalon,” Celestia chimed in sternly, breaking the man’s angry frown to a more submissive one. “What is the meaning of this?”
“I’m sorry for my outburst, your Majesties,” Gaius quickly said with a deep bow as Luna took place at her sister’s side.
“He wants to speak to Cloud Kicker, Princess,” Rainbow explained with worry.
Why does he want to speak to her? Twilight thought with concern. Wait a minute... Duke Skytalon.... He must be Gilda’s father....
“And you feel the need to yell for everyone to speak to me?” Cloud Kicker asked the angry Duke in annoyance, as she came into view with six of her guards a few feet behind her.
“You!” Gaius pointed an accusatory finger at Cloud Kicker, his anger coming back at full charge. “What did you do to my daughter?!”
“You might wanna start by telling me who the hell are you,” Cloud Kicker said apathetically, ignoring the whispers that started after Gaius’ questions.
Twilight, on the other hand, couldn’t.
“Probably another of Cloud Kicker’s saucy stories...” a man from Ponyville asked with a roll of his eyes before turning away from the scene with a couple of other attendees.
“I wonder how she became lieutenant in the first place,” another man, from Canterlot this time, according to his accent, asked his neighbor. “I mean yes, she can fight... but she doesn’t really have the … ‘standard attitude’ of a royal guard, let alone one of a commanding officer.”
“Well, didn’t you heard about the rumor? The one about her and Captain Shining Armor.”
“That’s ridiculous, Prince Armor’s far too respectable for something like that.”
“I know, but the idea’s still very plausible if you consider others officers... After all, a good commander, like Shining Armor, listens to his officers’ recommendations.”
“Oh, you’re probably right....”
Twilight felt sick at hearing that. How could they judge Cloud Kicker without even knowing her? she thought with anger.
“What have you done to Gilda?!” Gaius roared.
“Oh, that’s who you were talking about,” Cloud Kicker replied. “Well, apart from defending myself when she attacked me yesterday, nothing much.”
“You’re lying! I’ve seen her! She kept staring at this...” He pulled out the remains of Gilda’s sword from under his coat, and threw it at Cloud Kicker who caught it nonchalantly. ”....shaking in fear like a little girl woken up by her worst nightmare!”
“What exactly is that?” Cloud Kicker looked at the sword in confusion before Blossomforth whispered something to her ear. “Oh! I get it now.” Cloud Kicker faced Gaius. “Well, that just means that your daughter learned something valuable about herself yesterday.”
“Really?” Gaius asked fiercely. “Enlighten me then.”
“She learned that she was nothing but a child playing some adults games,” Cloud Kicker explained coldly. “And that she was extremely lucky to not having been severely injured. Too bad for her, she had to learn that the hard way.” Cloud Kicker glared at Gaius before throwing Gilda’s sword back at him.
“You’ll pay for that!” Gaius muttered.
“For what? For your daughter’s behavior, or for your inability to teach her how to behave in the first place?” Cloud Kicker asked with a dark stare.
Gaius’ face became bright of anger, while electric sparks circled his fists. “I will not be talked like that by some two bits slut like you who attained her position by offering herself to her superiors,” he growled threateningly, taking a step toward Cloud Kicker.
That remark added to his tone and his step forward caused shocked gasp from the attendees who didn’t come from Ponyville, while every Ponyvillians only cast hateful glares at the duke. Cloud Kicker’s guards, ready to defend their leader, slowly moved their hands toward their weapons, immediately mimicked by Cloudesdale’s prateorians.
“ENOUGH!”
All gaze turned to the source of the shout, and almost everyone was surprised that it came from, Twilight and not from the High Princesses. The Council member was staring at the offending duke with a rage that Twilight had never experienced before.
“I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU AND THAT PUNK DAUGHTER OF YOURS!” Twilight bellowed as she walked up to him. ”Your daughter has spent the last three days trying to blame Cloud Kicker for all of her bad decisions! She was the one who tried to blackmail her. It was because of that she got suspended, and in the end cut out from her team! Gilda was the one who attacked Cloud Kicker when she couldn’t deal with that fact!”
The Duke Skytalon wasn’t impressed by Twilight’s outburst, on the contrary of the rest of the audience, Princesses included, who was looking at the dark skinned woman with wide eyes. Nor did he seem surprised when he heard what Gilda did.
“I don’t think I’ve asked the opinion of this skank’s latest toy,” Gaius replied with a cocked eyebrow.
“What?” Twilight asked, fear and shock replacing her anger.
“You think my daughter didn’t rant to me about what you were doing with that depraved woman?” Gaius asked. “You’re even more of a slut than her, considerin....”
“LIEUTENANT, DON’T DO ANYTHING.....” Blossomforth shouted in a panic.
Gaius faced Cloud Kicker again, only to have his nose smashed by a crimson and golden armored fist, surrounded by a white foggy aura, before being catapulted through one of the village hall windows by a sudden and powerful gust of wind. The shocked crowd heard a loud thud from outside, making them know the Duke hadn’t gone very far.
“.....too rash,” Blossomforth finished her sentence with a sigh.
“Blossom,” Cloud Kicker called with a stern voice, breaking her punching stance in front of an awestruck Twilight.
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“Dispatch Moonshield and Sentry to carry the Duke to the hospital,” Cloud Kicker ordered. “I know for certain that he’s got his nose broken and maybe a few ribs as well due to his landing outside."
“Yes, Lieutenant Kicker,” Blossomforth answered with a nod before heading to see the two aforementioned guards.
“Swiftwing,” Cloud Kicker faced the red haired guard who was standing next to Blossomforth. “Go back to the post and take a few blank forms for the Duke, Fancy Pants and the Mayor,” Cloud Kicker demanded. “They’re likely to lodge a complaint.”
“Well, Ms. Kicker, I’ll have you know that I have no intention of doing so,” Fancy Pants assured with an approving smile.
“I’ve already planned that someone would be thrown out the window actually, so it’s no problem at all,” the Mayor explained casually, earning cocked eyebrows from everyone in the village hall. “What? May I remind my fellow Ponyvillians that Applejack is in attendance?”
While most of the foreign attendees didn’t understand that question, everyone who knew Applejack and her legendary patience toward those who patronized her gave nods and mumbles of approval, much to Applejack’s annoyance.
“That makes only one form for you to bring, Swiftwing,” Cloud Kicker said before taking her helmet off.
“Yes, Lieutenant.” Swiftwing nodded. “Huh... Is it ok if I lose it on the way to the hospital?”
“As tempting as it sounds, no, it’s not.” Cloud Kicker chuckled. “But, I suppose that can wait until tomorrow morning.” Swiftwing nodded again. “The rest of you, get back to your posts,” Cloud Kicker added before turning to the Cloudsdale’s praetorians. “You five are still here?” she asked with a cocked eyebrow, causing the grey armored men to break out of their stun to head out of the village hall.
“Cloudy, why did you do that?” Twilight asked softly as the crowd slowly went back to their previous conversations. “You’re going to get into trouble!”
“I’m not letting anyone say such horrid things to you while I’m around,” Cloud Kicker assured with a smile before kissing her lover’s forehead. “Besides, you’re worth all the troubles of the world. Twice!”
Twilight beamed before pulling her guard into a deep kiss, earning ‘oh’ of surprise from the few people who were still paying attention to them. Namely, the three princesses, Fancy Pants and his wife, the Mayor and their friends, thought the latter ones were less surprised than the others.
“That’s what you wanted to tell your brother and Cadence, Twilight?” Celestia asked with an imperceptible grin when Twilight broke the kiss and faced them.
“Yes, Princess.” Twilight nodded, holding Cloud Kicker’s hand with a small blush. It was hard with her lover’s gauntlet, but she managed.
“Well, we’re in for a good story in that case,” Celestia said with interest. “As soon as Shining wakes up, of course.”
Everyone turned their attention at the empty spot next to a still dumbstruck Cadence, only to look down and to find out that the Captain of the Royal Guard had lost consciousness when no one was paying attention.
“I knew he would faint when he saw us kiss,” Cloud Kicker said with a shrug. “Vinyl, let’s be having your bits!” she added, extending her hand to grab a bag of bits.
“Actually, he fainted when the Duke said that you and Twilight were an item,” Vinyl explained with a devious grin. “So, I won this one.”
“Damn!” Cloud Kicker muttered to herself.