//------------------------------// // One failed attempt at a Royal Apology // Story: Apple Scratch : Onward to the Equestria Games! // by Mariacheat-Brony //------------------------------// The enchanted ball touched the perfect center of the terrain before it bounced up to the eye level of the two players selected for the kick-off. The blue eyes of Graphite focused briefly on the green one of Applejack before gulping nervously as he spotted a somber smirk on the freckled face. The tall and muscular woman snatched the ball with a swift move of her arm before Graphite could even think of gathering his magic. “AAAAAND, Applejack seizes the ball and literally catapults Graphite out of her way with a shoulder-strike worthy of an enraged minotaur!” Pinkie commented with glee while the grey-haired Manehattenite shrieked as his body left the ground. “She’s clearly determined to make up for her absence during the eighth-final , as she has shown us by scoring a total of thirty points of the sixty-two scored by Ponyville in the first three periods of the game!” The crowd exploded in cheers a few seconds. “Never mind, it’s thirty-one out of sixty-three now!”         Manehatten’s keeper was getting told off by their trainer as he had hovered away from the goals as Applejack took aim, leaving them defenseless in front of the blonde Ponyvillian. The keeper had taken way too many balls thrown by Applejack in the stomach, all while not stopping her from scoring, to care about the game’s score. Especially when the gap between the two teams was over forty points already. “I’m glad Applejack’s feeling better,” Fluttershy commented with a warm smile from their private box. “Though, I’m sorry for this poor Graphite fellow…” “She’s been rather brutal whenever he tried to get the ball from her,” Cadence stated pensively. “Well, more brutal than with the others…” “I think his duel with Vinyl’s still too fresh in Applejack’s mind,” Twilight suggested with a shrug of her shoulders. “Just like in Octavia’s…” “YEAH! CRUSH HIM, AJ!” Octavia shouted as Applejack took the ball from Graphite’s magical grip after he intercepted a pass between Allie and Raindrops. “MAKE HIM PAY FOR WHAT HE DID TO VINYL!!!!” “Octavia, you should try to be a little bit more neutral,” Celestia recommended with a short giggle before Octavia simply ignored her. “Yes, take example from Princess Celestia,” Rarity commented casually. “She has never acted in favor or disfavor of any team or athlete,” she added slowly, though the venom concealed in her voice was not lost to the two thousand-year-old monarchs in the box. You’re letting her off like that, Tia? Luna asked with a mental frown when Celestia simply let out a discrete sigh in response to Rarity’s passive agressivity. I can hardly blame her, Lulu… Besides, didn’t you say that I would deserve it? Celestia asked back in a tone that suggested the raise of metaphorical eyebrow. I saw the state Applejack was in at the end of her fight with you, Tia… You clearly deserve more than a few implicit bad words thrown at you… That makes me feel so much better… Celestia rolled her eyes behind her closed eyelids. You’re welcome… But still, you’re her Monarch before you’re her friend, Tia! Acting like a monarch wouldn’t help in this situation… And acting like nothing happened neither… I think I know what to do… “And with that,” Pinkie commented cheerfully as the referee blew the end of the match with his whistle. “Ponyville wins the first quarter final with a score of eighty-six points to thirty-one thanks to their massively strong monster of a Ground Player: JACQUELYN APPLEJACK APPLE! WOHOOOOO! Who, in my humble opinion, just exploded the Games record of number of blitzeseses realized during a single match with a total of forty-seven tackles! I’ll need to check in the games records book!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “And a large pint of cider for the lady of the game!” Bon-bon shouted, offering a huge glass full of an amber liquid to the tall blonde sitting at the table with the rest of her team. “On the house!” “Thanks, Bon!” Applejack beamed with a wide grin as she took the mug from the bartender.         The group had retired to Bon-Bon’s to unwind after their crushing victory over Manehatten’s team while Zecora and Turner had remained in the Coliseum to watch the other quarter finals. As soon as they walked in, all the patrons stopped their conversations and cheered loudly for the local sports team. Once the walkabout with their enthusiastic fans was over, the Ponyville team enjoyed their drinks at the booth that had been named after Ditzy’s first medal. “Roseluck, Canterlot’s quarter-final is the last of today, you’ll get to see Sergeant Stormwind in action, so stop checking the clock already,” Cloud shouted playfully as she softly elbowed the madly blushing florist in the ribs. “Sh-shut up!” Roseluck stammered defensively, earning bouts of laughter from her teammates. “Anyway, kinda weird to see you three here with the others!” Lyra stated to Vinyl, Applejack and Cloud as she brought a plate of warm appetizer for the seven red-and-golden-clad athletes. “By this time of the day, you’re usually in the arms of your respective ladies!” “Is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Lyra?” Cloud asked with a smirk as Vinyl and Applejack shrugged. “More surprise than anything else,” Lyra replied with a casual shrug before casting a pouting face at the blonde Lieutenant. “I miss our third friday of the month already though… Unless you could pervert Lady Sparkle enough...” “I’m sorry, Sweetie, that’s not gonna happen,” Cloud assured with a playful sigh before Lyra could finish her suggestion. “If I corrupt her too much, I’ll have her brother, her sister-in-law, the whole Council, these two,” she stated, pointing at Vinyl and Applejack. “AND Princess Celestia after my skin. I like my skin as it is just fine!” “Hmmmm, your skin IS too pretty to be chased after by all those people,” Lyra admitted slowly. “Well, I tried at least!” “Here’s to trying!” Vinyl chuckled softly before raising her own glass of cider. “To trying!” her teammates shouted happily, mimicking the red-eyed Titanian’s gesture and earning a playful roll of eyes from their friend/waitress before she went on with her job. “Say, Cloud,” Ditzy called after the group finished their first drinks. “I’ve been meaning to ask you a little something for a while now…” “I hope it’s not a night of fun, since I can’t provide those anymore,” Cloud replied playfully. “Though, I have a friend in the Guard you might want to have a date with. A real gentleman, good with kids from what I know… and sized like his namesake,” she added with sly wink. “And his name is?” Roseluck asked with curiosity. “Mustang,” Cloud replied softly. “Woooooooh,” Allie and Raindrops whistled playfully, winking at Ditzy. “That has nothing to do with what I wanted to ask,” Ditzy replied seriously before leaning toward Cloud softly. “But we will discuss about this Mustang character in the near future,” she added coquettishly. “What do you know, I thought your life was all about Dinky now,” Vinyl commented with a proud smile. “It still is, but since she’s getting older, I can start thinking about myself every now and then,” Ditzy replied with a shrug. “Back to what I was saying!” “Okay. Shoot!” Cloud assured with a nod. “What’s the history between you and Spitfire?” Ditzy asked softly causing Cloud’s eyes to snap wide open. “I mean, she seems so angry at you for some reason… and yet during a few events, I saw her smile proudly whenever you did something cool.” “And there was your sword match against Skytalon… When she said all those things about you,” Raindrops added slowly. “Boy, for a second I thought Spitfire was about storm in to break that bitch’s neck!” “At one moment she hates your guts,” Allie stated slowly. “And at another, she seems pleased with you… It’s weird…” “Welp.. It had been weird between her and me since my training days were over,” Cloud explained with a sigh. “Back when I was nothing but a constantly horny greenhorn soldier…” “You were still a constantly horny soldier not two months ago,” Vinyl commented casually. “But I wasn’t a greenhorn anymore,” Cloud replied with a shake of her head. “Anyway… For my performances during my three years of training, I was authorized to active duty and promoted Sergeant first class. It was sort of a big deal in my regiment so we went to one of Las Pegasus clubs to celebrate. Spitfire was there too, since I had been sort of her private apprentice or something…” “You did something stupid, didn’t you?” Raindrops asked slowly. “Something really stupid…” Cloud stated with a sigh. “We found out her fiancé and her had just decided on the date for the wedding, so it gave us another reason to celebrate…After that, I remember getting drunk… REALLY drunk, I might add,” she explained softly. “Next thing I know, I woke up naked between Spitfire and her future husband…” “Woh!” her teammates, minus Vinyl and Applejack who knew the story already, let out in shock. “That must have been quite the celebration,” Raindrops commented, earning a short nod from Cloud. “I can understand why things are awkward between you and Spitfire.” “Oh, that wasn’t the problem…” “What do you mean?” “Well, considering Spitfire’s status as a celebrity, you’d think her marriage would have made some noise,” Cloud explained with a sigh. “Well it didn’t… cause it never happened!” “....Why?” Ditzy asked with a worried glance. “I don’t really know the details but,” Cloud stated with a wince. “Let’s just say that two days after THAT Night, Spitfire’s fiancé came at my barracks while I was packing my stuff to come back to Ponyville. Of the bat, he said that he had broken up with Spitfire and claimed his undying love for me…” “......” Her teammates stared at her blankly. “I’m sorry, what?!” they all asked in confusion. “Apparently, he was convinced that because sex with me was awesome it meant that we had a special connection… Stronger than the one he had with Spitfire,” Cloud explained while scratching her head with a displeased groan. “What did you say to him?” Allie asked slowly. “Well, I shouted at him to get the hell out of our compound and to go back to Spitfire and beg for her to forgive him for his stupidity…” Cloud explained. “I think Spitfire’s attitude with me kinda tells you how things went on after that…” “... Is this why you turned off many couples who asked you to join them for a threesome?” Raindrops asked after thinking about it for a few seconds. Cloud nodded slowly. “Whenever I wasn’t certain they had understood that it was just physical, the deal was off.” “Well, it wasn’t much your fault,” Allie stated softly. “I mean, it kinda is, but it’s mostly Spitfire’s fiancé’s fault for doing that to her… She should be mad at him more than at you… I think!” “Ah ain’t sure of what Ah’ll say, but Ah think she’s just lashin’ on Cloud to stop feeling guilty fer lettin’ it happen and not knowin’ he’d do that to her,” Applejack suggested slowly. “It’s always easier to put the blame on someone else.” “What exactly happened to him?” Ditzy asked with an angry tone. “Did he get what he deserved?” “Oh, I think the Wonderbolts got a good hunting session after that incident,” Cloud chuckled somberly. “You tried to talk to her about it?” Roseluck asked with worry. “She still seems to care about you, even if it’s hidden beneath her anger.” “Before the games, I’ve hardly had any contact with her,” Cloud replied slowly. “Maybe when all this is over…” “Huh, excuse me! Vinyl?” a feminine voice softly called from behind the blue haired Ponyvillian.         Curiously, Vinyl turned around to where the voice came from, along with her teammates. Their gazes fell on a girl about Vinyl’s height wearing striped, dark blue and white leggings, a very light grey top and a light blue, denim jacket. She had long, deep blue hair with a large, pure white highlight just above her forehead. The newcomer gave Vinyl a short wave before flashing the whitest smile the Ponyvillians had ever seen, only to have Vinyl return it, only wider. “Hi!” the new girl called cheerfully.         Vinyl didn’t reply and stood up to lift the blue and white haired girl in the air with a strong, heartfelt hug. The new girl squealed in surprise at the sudden hug before she started to giggle softly. “Who’s that?” Allie asked with curiosity as the new girl took Vinyl’s head in her arms to hug her back. “Don’t know, but I sure hope for Vinyl’s sake that she’s not her college sweetheart!” Cloud stated with a smirk. “‘Cause Octavia doesn’t look like she’s appreciating the hug!” she added, pointing at the bar’s entrance. All gazes focused on where Cloud was pointing at, seeing that Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy and Octavia had just come in, the three former glancing at the latter with worry as she had frozen with a shocked expression at the sight of her lover lifting that unknown girl in a happy hug. When Vinyl put the other blue-haired girl down, Octavia recovered from the shock and walked up to her lover who hadn’t seen her approaching. “What are you doing here, Colgate?” Vinyl asked excitedly. “Shouldn’t you be attending lectures by this time of the year?” “You really think I’d have missed you competing in the Equestria Games?” Colgate asked back with a cocked eyebrow. “I have someone taking notes for me for the next two weeks!” She glanced up and down Vinyl’s red and golden sports uniform. “Look at you in your town’s colors…You finally look like a real athlete!” she added before pulling her tongue out. “Says the laziest student of the C.R.U.M.?” Vinyl retorted playfully before she spotted Octavia walking to her. “Hold on a second. Hey, Ta….”         Vinyl was silenced by Octavia pressing her lips against her own. Her red eyes widened in surprise along with Colgate’s blue ones before she closed them and relaxed into the kiss. Vinyl rolled her eyes in pleasure when Octavia’s tongue penetrated her mouth and started to dominate her own pink muscle with intensity. Colgate started to blush at the sudden passionate kiss before she noticed the dark-haired girl casting a dark glare with one purple eye while pleasing Vinyl with her tongue. “... And here I thought AJ had the subtlety of a wild ghorgon,” Fluttershy stated in a whisper as Colgate frowned in puzzlement at Octavia’s dark stare, while Vinyl’s mind was sent in a world of blissful sensations. “Yeah…” Applejack let out while the others nodded slowly. “..Wait a min....HEY!!!” “....Ooooookaaaaay… You’re obviously busy so….… Plus the Blitzball match of Fillydelphia is about to start…. We’ll catch up later, or something...” Colgate let out slowly with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks before she walked away from the kissing pair.         It was only when the long blue haired girl was out of sight that Octavia stopped her fervent kiss with an audible pop. Vinyl mouthed a silent wow before she opened her eyes and realized that her friend from the University was gone. “Where did Colgate go?!” Vinyl asked in confusion as all her teammates plus the other Council Members cocked a meaningful eyebrow at Octavia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~         Later that afternoon, in Sweet Apples Acres’ furthest Western barn… “.... I feel bad for Vinyl’s friend, Colgate,” Rarity let out with a sigh as she wiggled her back against Applejack’s chest. “Poor girl must have felt really uncomfortable…” “Well, it’s not to me that ya have to say it,” Applejack replied in a whisper as she rested her chin on Rarity’s shoulder while the seamstress was sitting on her lap.         The pair had retired after a few drinks with the rest of Ponyville Team. The rest of the team had gone back to the Coliseum to watch the last quarter-final of today that had opposed Canterlot to Las Pegasus, with Vinyl still a bit upset that Colgate had left so suddenly. “I wonder why Octavia did that?” Rarity wondered out loud. “She’s never shown any signs of jealousy before today.” “Has she ever been in a relationship b’fore meeting Vinyl?” Applejack asked with a tilt of her head. “You neither when you met me, yet I don’t see you glaring at all the boys that come to chat with me,” Rarity replied as she passed her hands over the muscular arm spooning her. “Keywords here are “Don’t see”,” Applejack retorted playfully, causing Rarity to twist her head to look back at her with a cocked eyebrow. “...Also, Ah growl to every man that talks to ya too friendly fer ma likin’s, not just glarin’!” “Don’t tell me you actually do that!” Rarity frowned sternly. “Ah won’t tell ya!” Applejack shrugged before pecking Rarity’s lips delicately. “Ah know it ain’t the good way to go, but Ah can’t help it…” she explained slowly as Rarity opened her mouth to reply. “... That’s somethin’ that scares me ya know… The possibility fer ya to find someone who’s better match fer ya than Ah am…” “....That’s what scares you?” Rarity asked softly. “Eyup,” Applejack replied with a slow nod. “... Ah’d take on Celestia and Luna in a fight two to one if it would make ya stay with me…” “....Well, no need to worry about that,” Rarity reassured as she straddled her lover to caress her cheek. “I definitely couldn’t find better person to be with than you,” she whispered with sincerity before she leaned in on her lover’s lips. “Hmmmmm.” Applejack moaned with her eyes closed. “That sure as sugar is a relief…. Cause Ah didn’t win against one, and Ah’ll certainly never be able to win against the two of them!”         Rarity’s loving smile vanished in favor of an angered frown at the mention of Applejack’s fight with Celestia. “Rare,” Applejack let out firmly after she noticed the dark expression on her lover. “Ah told ya to let it go!” “How can you ask me that?!” Rarity snapped furiously. “For all I know, you could have died in that Castle in the Everfree!” “Ah didn’t!” “You could still have!” “BUT AH DIDN’T!!!” Applejack shouted vigorously, startling her lover. “Ah’m fine, and that’s all that matters!” “What about yesterday then?!” Rarity asked in a shout. “Were you fine yesterday when you spent nearly the entire day sleeping to recover from the hurt she inflicted on you?!” “Ah slept because Ah needed sleepin’ and now Ah’m rested!” Applejack argued sternly. “No need to be all dramatic about it!” “I’m not being DRAMATIC!” Rarity yelled angrily as tears ran down her cheeks. “My lover was returned to me in state that wouldn’t have been out of place on a war casualty! All because Princess BITCHELESTIA provoked her in a silly fight!” “.......” Applejack flared her nostrils as she exhaled loud and longly. “First of all, yer lucky Granny didn’t hear ya say that, otherwise yer pretty tongue would have kept the taste of soap for the rest of the year!” she stated, half-chuckling as she brought her fingers up to wipe away the tears in Rarity’s eyes. “...Sniff… Sou-Sounds like experience is talking here,” Rarity commented through her sobs, cracking a brief, amused smile. “You betcha!....Second, Ah understand that ya’re mad at Princess Celestia, but it ain’t fair for her,” Applejack explained slowly. “After all, Ah could have stopped the fight any time Ah wanted…” “...What?” “A fight involves two parties at least,” Applejack stated. “Ya really think she would have kept on if Ah hadn’t shown the will to fight back?” “....” “Ah’m as much to blame as her, Rare,” Applejack admitted slowly. “You’ve known her for longer than Ah have… Do ya honestly think she would have kept fightin’ me if I had yielded after the first punch instead of tauntin’ her back?” “...... I.. I.. I can’t say that she would have,” Rarity let out in a whisper as she remembered the many times she had witnessed Celestia stopping her lessons at the first signs of fatigue coming from Twilight. “But…” “Rarity!” Applejack whispered as she took her lover’s chin in a soft grip. “Ah’m fine, so let it go please,” she demanded softly. “Ya’ll get wrinkles if ya start frownin’ every time ya see her…And Ah’d rather to have ya keep yer purdy, young face as long as possible!”         Rarity’s reply to that was to snatch Applejack’s hat and to start beating her face up with it while the blonde let out a loud, heartfelt laugh. After a few seconds, Applejack blocked a blow by delicately securing Rarity’s wrists in her grip. She pulled the two aggressing arms apart, causing her hat to fall between the two lovers and Rarity’s visage to open to her. Ever so delicately, Applejack leaned forward and captured Rarity’s pulpy lips between her own.         Applejack’s hands slid up to Rarity’s shoulders before they stopped at the crook of her back while the purple-haired woman passed her arms around the blonde’s neck, reciprocating the kiss fervently. After the first kiss was broken, Rarity barely had the time to recover as Applejack started peppering her lips with affectionate pecks. “...A-All Right- I’-I’ll let it g-go.” Rarity moaned blissfully, stuttering on every word because of Applejack lavishing her with kisses. “O-only be-because I wa-want to rema-remain pret-pretty for y-you!” “Atta girl!” Applejack smirked playfully.         The mouths met once again, only this time with both their tongues out to fight for dominance over the other. For the first time she could remember, Rarity seemed to have taken the advantage over her muscular and dominant lover, who tilted her head to the side and pulled the seamstress closer. A faint, deep blue glow was perceived by Applejack’s half-closed eyes as she felt Rarity’s skintight dress getting looser under her touch and her own shirt being instantly unbuttoned and pulled open. When Rarity pecked her way down Applejack’s neck, the latter threw her head back, getting ready to finally enjoy a more-than-deserved relaxation after an excellent performance on the Blitzball field and her fight with Celestia two days prior. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A bit later, outside Sweet Apples Acres’ furthest Western barn… “Sister…. Why am I coming along with you again?” Luna asked a few minutes after a rather bewildered Apple Family member had pointed to West when Celestia had asked her where Applejack was. “Why, you’re here to apologize to Applejack and Rarity with me!” Celestia replied matter-of-factly. “I thought that was clear enough as I told you that when we left the Coliseum!” “Well, I understand why YOU have to apologize,” Luna retorted, pointing an accusing finger at the taller princess. “Since you’re the one who beat that poor farm girl up until she passed out in order to satisfy your for-too-long-repressed urges for blood and violence!” “.... My for-too-long-repressed urges for blood and violence? Really?” Celestia cocked an eyebrow at her little sister. “That’s what I’ll tell the media if the story leaks to them,” Luna retorted with a shrug. “Seriously though, why am I here?” “Well, you’ve got something to apologize for if I remember correctly from what you told me had happened in Rarity’s suite after Applejack came back,” Celestia remarked with narrowed eyes. “That’s good, because I don’t remember asking it, my dear!”  Isn’t that what you said to Rarity before entering her lover’s mind?” “.....Maybe,” Luna stated as casually as possible as the two rulers had almost reached for the sole barn of the orchard they were walking by. “I didn’t realize that this farm was so vast,” she added in a slightly awed tone. “I’m not entirely sure, but I think Twilight mentioned that the surface occupied by Sweet Apple Acres is as large as Ponyville itself if not larger!” Celestia commented as she glanced around her. “It’s hard to believe they’re hardly more than two or three people taking care of all that.” “Quite hard to believe… Like the beat down Jacquelyn gave you,” Luna replied with a smirk.         Celestia rolled her eyes at her sister as there was only a few feet separating them from the lone barn. On their way, a group of small, red with yellow dots creatures flew from a nearby tree to the barn roof, each carrying an old looking apple in their tiny paws. One of the smallest ones let go of the large apple it was carrying. With a high pitched shriek, it dove to the ground to catch its fruit before it crashed on the ground. It sank its small claws in it, but couldn’t fight the momentum of the falling apple. That was before both were caught in Luna’s midnight blue magic a few inches above the ground. “What an adorable little thing,” Celestia commented softly as Luna lifted the tiny fruitbat up to her face.         The maroon eyes of the small, fruit-looking bat looked deep into Luna’s teal eyes with a glint of adoration. Much to Luna’s surprise, it let go of its fruit and flapped its reddish, leather wings to land on Luna’s shoulder. Then the fruitbat wrapped its wings around her neck and squeaked softly as it nuzzled her. “I’m not an expert on animal behavior, but I think this little guy likes you!” Celestia stated with a warm smile as Luna tried to pry it off her neck. “Come on, little one! Let go of me this instant!” Luna protested softly as the fruitbat didn’t loosen its grip. “Anyway, let’s get this over with,” Celestia stated before walking the distance that separated her from the barn door.         Luna quickly stopped her attempts at prying the animal off her neck, the fact that it’s fur was really soft helped a bit in making that decision, and joined her sister at the door. Before Celestia could knock on the barn door, a loud, throaty growl came from within the barn, chasing the fruitbats away from the roof while the one on Luna’s shoulder started to shake like a leaf. “There, there,” Luna softly whispered as she caressed the animal’s head with her finger in reassurance. “I didn’t know they kept wild beast locked up in that barn,” Luna added with a frown as more groans and throaty growls came from inside the barn. “Darn it, Rare….” Applejack’s voice groaned in a tone that clearly indicated intense satisfaction. “Lower… LOWER!” “Only if you say please,” Rarity’s voice chuckled sensually before a sharp slap was heard by the two princesses. “Kyaaaaaah!” she shrieked in a mix of pain and pleasure. “GO! LOWER!!!” Applejack ordered sternly. “....Yes, mistress!” Rarity moaned in submission. The Princesses had quickly turned their heels and had started walking away from the barn, both with their cheeks slightly pink. Luna had both her hands covering the oblivious bat’s ears while the animal was wondering what the fuss was all about. “Our apologies can wait for tomorrow, right?” Celestia asked with a sheepish chuckle. “Indoubtably,” Luna nodded fervently. “You nearly killed her, I wandered around her memories without invitation… One day more, one day less to apologize for those things won’t change much in the grand scheme of things.” The two royals teleported themselves to their estate in flashes of blue and golden, leaving the West orchard of Sweet Apple Acres and all its local flora and fauna to hear what was happening in the barn. Well, nearly all its local fauna, as they had teleported a small, red Fruitbat along with them in their rush to leave.