//------------------------------//
// Chapter Four: Confrontation 
// Story: Love Potion No. 6 
// by Flint Sparks 
//------------------------------//

	The sound of fire echoed through the chamber-like restaurant, rousing panic in the crowd. Ponies stood up to run, but were mowed down by the pegasi’s shots. One pegasus tried to fly to the ceiling, but one shot fired turned his jacket a sickly scarlet and the pegasus spiraled downwards, unconscious. Somewhere, a mare screamed. The mob mentality shifted from panic to fear as some ponies cowered underneath their tables instead of trying to escape. Unfortunately none of the unicorn nobles were proficient enough to combat the gangsters, and nor were the pegasi staff speedy enough to rush them.

As soon as the gangsters revealed their true pinstriped colors, Rarity used her magic and shoved Twilight underneath the table, dropping down to meet her. They lied on their stomachs, listening to the panicked cries of the nobles as the gangsters thinned the crowd.

“What are you doing? We have to do something!” Twilight hissed as she tried to break free from Rarity’s magical grasp. Rarity narrowed her eyes, desperately strengthening her magic. Due to the tablecloth obscuring her view, Twilight had no way and no room to teleport. She struggled for a moment before glaring at her lover. “Why?”

Rarity peeked from under the tablecloth. Nearby lay a noble, his mint jacket tarnished by a large circular scarlet blemish, oozing red liquid and pooling on the ground. The noblepony moaned in pain, his eyes rolling in their sockets. They briefly focused on Rarity, long enough for the noble to whisper for her to save herself and then he fainted in shock. Rarity dropped the tablecloth and noticed the red sticky liquid had reached her. She leaned down and sniffed it; the scent was ghastly.

“Twilight, darling. It seems like we’re under attack,” Rarity explained. Twilight gave her an unamused glare.

“Thank you Rarity. We still need to do something!” Twilight’s horn glowed, attempting to counter Rarity’s magic. Rarity intensified her spell, knowing it wouldn’t be long until the powerful mare overtook her.

“Twilight, stop! These are mobsters! If you draw attention to yourself, they’ll try to capture you, the princess!” Rarity warned, concerned for the safety of her lover. Twilight met her gaze, frowned, and finally cancelled her magic. The two mares stared at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. The panicked noise had died down and no more shots were heard. 

The table began wobbling. Twilight and Rarity looked up as light reached their eyes; the table was rising! The two pegasus gangsters lifted the table high into the air and tossed it to the side. They hovered, flapping their wings menacingly and staring at the crouching princess. Their weapons gleamed as they aimed them at the princess, threatening to shoot. The larger grey stallion jerked his head, motioning for the princess to come forth.

“Darling, no. Sudden. Movement.” Rarity whispered, barely moving her lips to speak. The pegasus began cautiously lowering, heading toward the ground to land. Twilight answered through a crack in her frozen frown.

“Now can I?”

“Yes.” Rarity nodded. Twilight leaped toward her, her forelegs outstretched. She wrapped her legs around Rarity and her horn flared, charging the spell. The gangsters reactively fired, but the two entangled mares disappeared in a bright flash. 

“Eek!” Rarity screamed as she pushed Twilight aside, saving her from a streaming pool of red. Twilight rolled her eyes. Rarity saw her lover’s bemused expression and complained. “You mustn’t stain your dress so casually! It took me weeks to get the constallations perfect!’

“Rarity!” Twilight stomped her hoof and spat, driving Rarity to silence her whines. “I think we have bigger concerns than a little fashion mishap!” Rarity followed the pointing hoof to see the pegasi gangsters flying toward them. Teleporting across the chamber had been a tactical maneuver, but it only delayed the inevitable when your assailants could fly.

“Darling, now!” Rarity cried when the pegasi lifted their weapons. Just as their hooves pulled the triggers, Twilight grabbed her and blinked out in time, the table shielding them ripped apart by the oncoming projectiles.

This time they landed on the stage, filled with abandoned instruments and a few collapsed musicians. One brown earth pony screamed in agony about her ruined dress, soaked with dripping red liquid. The pegasi opened fire at the disorientated mares. Twilight pushed Rarity and they rolled under the piano, which began absorbing the projectiles. Due to the recent stress of the night’s events, Twilight felt too spent to cast any more magic. 

The alicorn panted in Rarity’s embrace, her body heated with exhaustion. Rarity placed a white hoof on her back, massaging and rubbing circles tenderly. Magical exhaustion was no stranger to her. Rarity helplessly watched as the gangsters lifted the piano from above them and threw it to the side, off the stage.

Rarity began shaking, ice creeping into her veins, as the pegasi aimed their weapons at the still mares. Twilight lifted her head from Rarity’s shoulder and looked at the gangsters with an empty light in her eyes. As the pegasi’s hooves pulled back on the trigger, a fire ignited in Twilight’s eyes. Her wings shot out and flapped brutally, sliding her and Rarity across the stage and away from the firing barrage.

As Rarity laid on her back in shock, she watched Twilight push off her and into the air. As she did so, a small white stick fell from the folds of her dress and fell onto the floor, forgotten. Rarity reached for it, but froze as Twilight engaged the gangsters.

Twilight had received lessons on flight propulsion and stability from Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, respectively, but she was still nowhere near as skilled as them. Despite her lack of natural talent, Twilight’s rage allowed her to outmaneuver her opponents’ fire as she returned it with magic beams of her own. The three winged ponies weaved and dodged around each other, their aerial combat fraughting the restaurant with collateral damage as ammunition and magic alike ripped apart fancy furniture.

One shot fired was easily dodged by Twilight, but Rarity’s mind raced, her reflexes slowing the projectile until she could see the ball casing flying straight at her. She flinched, ready for the pain to come. A second passed. She opened her right eye and saw the ball casing embued with miasmic energy. Twilight, having stopped it in time, threw it to the side as she reengaged the gangsters. She was a princess now, and she would protect her subjects. 

Especially Rarity. 

Rarity’s heart fluttered as she watched her princess protect her from the gangsters. She swooned as magic energy knocked the smaller tan stallion from the air. She gasped when Twilight’s wing was clipped by a stray shot. She held her breath when the two came close and nearly grappled. And lost it when the stallion punched Twilight, knocking her out of the air, and dramatically lowered his weapon toward the downward spiraling mare. Her azure dress fluttered in the fall.

Rarity’s mind blinked out of the present.

It was the night of their second date. It was just as fun as their first, but a little less casual. Rather than prance around like fillies at a carnival, the two had gone to see a play at the Ponyville’s schoolhouse. The colts and fillies performed a play in Twilight’s honor after she had put out a building fire with the water tower, similar to how she defeated the Ursa Minor.

The two were laughing at a joke Twilight had just told, enjoying each other’s company. The sound of wings flapping drew their attention, drawing them to look up into the night sky. A dark carriage carrying the Princess of the Night descended, landing and rolling toward the mare’s side. As the two greeted Princess Luna, Rarity eyed the mud puddle the carriage was about to run over.

A bright flash blinded Rarity, forcing her eyes shut. She opened them a moment later to see Twilight with her regalia and fur completely covered in mud.

“Princess Twilight, we are truly sorry for our intrusion! We did not mean to dirty the royal body!” Princess Luna apologized, flying out of her carriage. Twilight just laughed and glanced over her shoulder toward Rarity.

“It’s perfectly alright, Princess Luna. I just didn’t want Rarity’s new dress to get dirty, that’s all." 





Rarity snapped back to the present, hormones pumping in her body. She cares about me! She still loves me! The pegasus’ hoof was slowly pulling on the trigger, his speed slowed to a crawl. She could count the individual feathers on his beating wings as he floated in air. Far behind him the restaurant’s windows were clouds of floating glass as the batpony SWAT team had been called in for the emergency.

Rarity, faster than Rainbow Dash would ever give her credit for, dove into her bag and grabbed the bottle. She turned to the stallion, the trigger nearly pulled all the way. Rarity narrowed her eyes in rage as her horn glowed sapphire, brighter than Twilight’s had and illuminated the room in mystic beauty. 

Rarity was nowhere as powerful as Twilight, and nor would she ever be. She may be a simple seamstress, but even a lady must protect the one she loved. Her horn charged and she closed her eyes. For Twilight, it was as easy as breathing. For Rarity, it was the hardest endeavor she’d ever faced.

Her horn flashed, releasing energy. Rarity opened her eyes to see the ball casing leaving the weapon, floating toward her with a small white motion cone coating it. The stallion had an evil grin on his face, believing he held victory. The corner of his smile began lowering as his mind began to comprehend the newly teleported obstacle in his way. Rarity snarled and threw the bottle, leaving her hoof in a slowed motion.

Rarity, her talent at magic already pushed to its limit, could only watch as the ball slowly approached her. She began to feel the pull of gravity as the ball made impact on her chest, the force traveling through her body. It felt as if she had been tackled by Rainbow Dash after performing a sonic rainboom. Suffice to say, it hurt.

Time sped up once more. Rarity’s casualty propelled her backwards, causing her to land on the ground a couple yards away from Twilight. She lay in her dress as the red puddle poured from underneath her still body.

The bottle uncorked on the stallion, splashing him with pink liquid. He spat, some of the strange potion entering his mouth. The bottle did not break, instead falling to the ground with nothing but a single bounce. He wiped his mouth and pointed his weapon at Twilight once more.

Twilight shakingly stood up, and turned her attention Rarity. She ignored the pegasus as she limped toward her lover. No shots were fired at her as she approached the still, pale body. She nuzzled her partner’s head, trying to wake her. With no response, she poked with her wet, snot-covered muzzle as tears ran down her face. “R-Rarity? Rarity!?”

The pegasus laughed. “How tragically romantic! Now Princess, you’re coming wi-”

“RARITY!!” Twilight screamed to the heavens, rearing her head up in anguish. She whipped around and faced the stallion, her eyes narrowed and biting her lips in anger. Her horn charged with scarlet energy as her coat turned white and her mane enflamed…





Meanwhile at Canterlot Castle...

“Thank you, sister. This tea is quite delectable,” Princess Luna praised as she lifted her pink cup with her magic, taking a delicate sip. Princess Celestia nodded and closed her eyes, taking in her sister’s praise.

“Your welcome, I toiled over it with love. Say, Lulu, I heard you visited Ponyville the other day. How was your visit?” she asked, taking a sip of her own.

Luna smiled. “It was quite fun. During my visit, I was-” Luna glanced out the window behind Celestia. This window was quite fascinating, having the greatest view of the shopping district. A new fancy restaurant had opened and her reservation was for next week, and unfortunately she could tell she wasn’t going to be able to enjoy it. A mushroom cloud of fire and smoke erupted from the restaurant, shocking Luna. ”BUCKING DISCORD!”

“You did what?!” Celestia spat out her tea, surprised by her sister’s use of the ancient canterlot royal voice. “What did I tell you?! Hooves off my man!”





The entire restaurant was in shambles. Fortunately, nopony was hurt. Severely, at least. The cruel, grey pegasus was caught dead-center in the blast. He barely survived, but his entire body was pink for his fur and feathers were completely burnt off. His pink stubs flapped pathetically just before gravity embraced him. The pegasus suffered first-degree burns and pain seared through his body as he hit the floor. Masked batponies flew to him and placed hoofcuffs on his damaged pink nubs. 

Twilight, exhausted from her raging excursion, limped back to the body of her lover. She stood over her dramatically, her mane being blown by an unknown wind. Tears dripped down her face, landing on the red-soaked mare. Rarity was tragic, still and silent in her red dress. Twilight stared into space contemptlatively. Emotional and dramatic, just how’d she want it. What will I do without her?

A pony wearing a white hospital uniform bumped past her and began rolling Rarity’s body over. Twilight fumed and snapped. “What are you doing?” 

The white mare, her scarlet mane pulled in a bun, blinked. “Miss, I’m just checking the victims for injuries.”

“Injuries?!” Twilight’s vision began blurring with tears. “She’s d-d-d-” She stopped, holding her face as her speech turned into sobs. She couldn’t finish the sentence, she just couldn’t.

“Princess…” The nurse placed a hoof on the distraught mare’s shoulder. “She’s not dead.”

“I’m so sorry, Rari- Wait, what?” Twilight dropped her hooves, wide-eyed. The mare jerked her head at Rarity. Twilight’s eyes traveled across the folds of the scarlet dress as they lightly rippled, revealing that Rarity was breathing. “Wait, then how? The blood! How?”

“This isn’t blood, the gangsters were armed with markers,” the nurse explained as she dipped her hoof in the red liquid. She brought it up to Twilight’s nose, allowing her to sniff it. It smelled familiar, like…

“Paint?” Twilight scoffed. “All these ponies are fainting because of paint?”

The nurse shrugged. “What can I say? These are nobles we’re talking about. They’re fussy about the smallest things.” As if to prove her point, several bodies began moaning in agony.

“My dress!”

“I just had this suit dry-cleaned!”

“My custom-fit! RUINED!!”

Twilight smiled meekly, thanking the mare. With the nurse’s help, Rarity began to stir. 

As her eyes opened, Rarity’s sight filled with the face of her lover staring down at her own. Rarity smiled, weak from the fall’s impact, and reached up to caress Twilight’s cheek. Twilight smiled, and leaned down to peck Rarity’s horn.

“That was impressive magic you cast, dear.” Twilight’s eyes began to wet again, but she stifled the incoming sobs. Her heart was heavy, heavier than it had been before and wracked with guilt.

“Twilight, darling…’tis was only a red dress. However,” Rarity tried to stand, but failed and continued to lie on the ground. “ I have a confession to make,” Rarity whispered, her sides tight and finding it hard to breathe. Twilight nodded, holding Rarity’s head as she lifted it. Rarity’s horn glowed with a dim blue light, levitating the forgotten bottle toward her. Twilight took it in her own magical grip. The bottle was half-empty, the pink liquid angrily sloshing within its confines. Twilight mouthed the words written on the side.

“I, I’ve heard of this. Rarity, you were going to drug me with love potion?” she asked, tilting her head down to Rarity. The injured mare nodded. Rarity looked away from Twilight’s gaze before explaining.

“I thought you didn’t love me anymore, that you thought I had only put out because you were a princess. I thought you were done with me and ready to move on! I thought you didn’t care anymore!” Rarity cried as tears soaked her eyes and muzzle. Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but the hoof on her cheek slid over it and silenced her. “But, the way you defended me tonight. I saw how you reacted when I was hurt. You do love me, and I was a foolish spinster to not realize that. That is why I don’t deserve you. You deserve a true prince, not some foal.”

Twilight gulped, and decided it was time. “Rarity, I understand you might feel you’ve betrayed me. That potion, yes it is frightening, but it’s benign. You meant well, and we both know it. Besides, if anypony has betrayed her love’s trust, it’s me…” Twilight looked away, stifling a sob. 

“Darling?” Rarity whispered, resting her other hoof on Twilight’s. Her sapphire eyes shimmered in the light, striking Twilight’s heart in a way she’d never feel from another mare. Twilight sighed, and dispelled her inhibitions.

Twilight scanned the room until she saw the small white stick she dropped. With her magic, she levitated it and brought it forth. Rarity stared at it as Twilight held it in front of her.

“H-how?” Rarity asked, staring at her love. Twilight threw the stick away and hung her head in shame.

“Rarity, I’m sorry. I-I-” Twilight tried to found the words, but couldn’t. She began to cry as Rarity patted her on the back.

“It’s okay darling, don’t force it out,” Rarity cooed.

“Rarity, I’m pregnant!”

The entire room fell silent. Everypony stopped doing anything. Nurses and doctors alike stopped their examination, armored guards stopped their patrols, even the nobles surprisingly stopped their whining to stare at the alicorn princess. Rarity stared, mouth wide open. The stick hadn’t lied, but it was much more surprising coming from Twilight herself.

“Darling, that’s wonderful, but how? Who’s the f-father?” Rarity’s question wavered as her bottom lip began quivering. Her spirits sank as the very thought of cheating came to mind. I bet it was that Flash Sentry! Or Soarin! Even with Twilight’s words, Rarity began to feel worthless again.

“You are,” Twilight answered, coldly. Rarity continued to stare at her.

“Really,” she deadpanned. “Darling, I’m sure you’ve read enough books to know that two mares canno-”

“Rarity!” Twilight hissed. “Do I have to say it? Don’t you remember that night? The one with Princess Luna?” Everypony in the room gasped, their minds racing at the implications.

“Well yes, of course. Princess Luna helped clean your regalia off after that nasty spell, and to make up for it she taught you that spell-” Rarity stopped, her eyes shot wide-open in realization. “Darling, please tell me this is a joke. You told me that spell wouldn’t….”

Twilight groaned. “It did. Rarity, it’s supposed to be stallion to mare because the womb resets. It’d take a month of sustaining the spell for any danger to be present!”

“And for… me?” Rarity asked, her mind racing to the event in question. It had been a truly… adventurous night. Twilight sighed deeply.

“Ten minutes. It takes a stallion ten minutes to ‘recharge,’ so to speak.” A pegasus hopped into the air several yards away.

“I can attest to that!” he shouted, grinning foolishly. A couple nurses tackled him and put him in a straightjacket before hauling him off. Rarity and Twilight stared, blinked a few times, and decided to ignore him.

“I’m guessing going at it the whole night didn’t help, right darling?” Rarity asked, confirmed by Twilight’s nodding. Rarity fell silent, deciding on how to address the news. “Twilight, I have no words for this.”

Twilight teared up. “I know, I’m so sorry!” It was her fault for not knowing the precautions of the spell! It was an old, out-dated spell and she should’ve researched male anatomy ahead of time. Thanks to her, she was about to force motherhood on her best friend and lover!

“As Applejack would put it,” Rarity spoke as her horn glowed, “I need a drink.” Twilight could only watch as Rarity rolled on her side and took the potion bottle in her lips, taking a deep sip. She gulped it down, shivering, and smacked her lips in a very unladylike manner. Once she finished, she licked her lips and turned to Twilight. “I know you're upset, darling, but I believe that should speak more volumes than I ever could.”

Twilight smiled and began to cry a river as their audience let out a collective ”aww…” Rather than speak, Twilight stepped over her so all four hooves brushed against Rarity’s side. She wrenched the bottle away and pulled it to her own lips, finishing the potion. She threw it, gasped as the warm sensation rolled through her body, and looked down at the mare of her desires.

Rarity stared up into Twilight’s magenta pools as Twilight stared into Rarity’s sapphires, several thoughts communicated without a word. As everypony in the room held their breath expectantly, Twilight crouched down and lay her lavender lips on white. Rarity wrapped all four legs around Twilight’s body, pulling her on top of her and moaning pleasurably as she deepened the kiss. 

The guards surveying the area and arresting the gangsters decided to leave the two be, instead closing off the area with yellow tape to give the two mares their privacy.

Twilight pulled out of the kiss and gazed lovingly into Rarity’s eyes. Rarity’s heart melted as the wound within healed. Even- especially as a mother, she would continue to love Twilight. She was the Element of Generosity, and she would give everything for her love and her new life. For Twilight, for the foal, and for their life together. She had realized the truth all along as she brushed against a damp wing.

It wasn’t a prince I was looking for, nor a princess. A blessing no goddess could ever give, for I had been enlightened. Her name is Twilight, and she is mine as I am hers. Twilight, my love.

Rarity’s eyes closed as she gave into pleasure, realizing everything would be alright.


~end~