//------------------------------// // Gathering The Middle Aged Mares of Harmony (Part 2) unedited // Story: There's Something About Nightmarity // by thewaffler //------------------------------// Nestled near the border of the Everfree forest though much larger now than it previously was stood a familiar cottage. If you were to assume this quaint home was peaceful and quiet then you’d be making an ass out of you and me. You see as the years passed by even the infamously timid, and self-conscious Fluttershy found the abstract thing we all call love and with that sprung forth a family. Knowing that time was of the essence Spike wasted little of what he had left to sprint out of Ponyville, and down the path that would lead him to the pink-maned pegasus that he’d known since his first day in town. Taking a quick turn past a tree Spike could now see the enlarged cottage that had been Fluttershy’s dwelling for oh so long, as well as hear a loud crash emerge from within it. “Ha ha, you missed me!” *FA-THUMP!* “Stop hoggin it!” “DAAAAD!” The breaking of glass was the only warning allotted to Spike before a hoofball broke out of the front window, and flew toward his head like a missile. With a startled yelp Spike managed to duck just in time before the projective flew past his head and harshly imbedded itself into a tree behind him. “....I guess the kids are up.” “WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT RUNNING IN THE HOUSE!” Spike inwardly shivered as he distantly recalled how the loud, down to it’s last nerve voice used to be only used in giving hesitant advice and profuse apologizing. Nowadays timid and shy just wasn’t enough to keep one’s family in line. As the yells, sounds of furniture breakings and random ‘eeyups’ and ‘nopes’ continued on, Spike shook his head before picking himself back up, and making his way toward the door. “WE’VE BEEN OVER THIS! STOP PUTTING ANGEL THE 4TH IN SLEEPER HOLDS!” A cry of displeasure echoed from behind the door just as Spike’s knuckle began to tap against it. *Knock* *Knock* *Knock!* “ALL OF YOU BE QUIET RIGHT NOW!” Almost immediately the abode became deathly silent besides the sound of approaching hoof-steps, and a now much quieter voice called out from within. “Umm...just one minute..please.” As Spike waited his ears could pick up the hushed sounds of foals being herded out of the room, as well as a certain stallion of few words being threatened to keep the mentioned foals in line. After another minute a click was heard, and the door opened slightly revealing a bright aquamarine eye though somewhat bloodshot from a lack of sleep. “W-who is it?” “Hey Fluttershy, it’s me Spike!” While with anyone else Spike might have been a little ruffled to have a friend not recognize him immediately, he always made sure to give the cream colored pegasus a pass since he was well aware how much she’d been at her wits ends dealing with her sons. “Oh Spike! It’s so nice to see you! Did you and Rarity want to have another couples night out?” Fluttershy quickly opened the door more so to reveal herself…as well as a slightly roughed up living room to the drake. “Not, quite, though Rarity’s mane may give Aloe and Lotus more they bargained for during your next visit…”Spike shrugged before getting to the matter at claw. It was weird that he wasn’t nearly as stressed out about all of this as he had been earlier this morning when he sent the letter. “...um, how do I put this without you freaking out? Nightmare Moon has made her way into Rarity again. Well, at least Rarity seemed like the one in charge this time, I think.” ”N-Nightmare Moon?!” The butter yellow pegasus almost blunted out forgetting that her family was still within earshot of her and her guest. “Yeah, well anyway I sent a letter to Twilight, could you be at the boutique by one o’clock.” ”Okay, Spike. I’ll be there shor--” Fluttershy was interrupted mid-sentence. *CRASH!* She looked to see the vase carrying her grandmother’s ashes was currently smashed into a million pieces on the floor and she turned her gaze towards her children who were pointing their hooves at each other. “It was him!” They yelled in unison. Seeing as that was his cue to get the Tartarus out of Dodge, the dragon sprinted away from the cottage and even as he made his way to Sweet Apple Acres he could still hear faint yelling in the background. It was another fantastic day on Sweet Apple Acres, the sun was shining, Applejack was enjoying the sight of a job well done in record time thanks in no small part to her awesome wife Rainbow Dash and her wonderful husband Soarin. While, her brother and Fluttershy had their hooves full with their foals and the budding new apple crop near the Butterfly Sanctuary, the main Apple homestead was a little chunk of Elysium mostly thanks to supersonic speed of two of the fastest pegasi in Equestria. It also didn’t hurt that Rainbow Dash’s dad: Dio foalsat for them every chance he got, something about spoiling his them rotten made the retired roadie happy. All in all the small herd looked like ponies half their age largely in part to having relatively stress free lives. Applejack had just finished loading the last hay stack into the barn, her work ending to the smell of freshly baked pie and Dash yelling something about miller time. For the middle-aged earth pony life couldn’t get any sweeter; she had her health, the orchard was doing better than ever thanks to the assistance of the two athletic ponies in her life and...Oh it was probably worth mentioning that the pony with the more ironed out family values out of the bunch had settled down with not only a pegasus husband, but a pegasus wife as well. Who’d have figured? “Heyyy ladies! Grubs nearly finished so get those fine tails in here before I eat it all.” Applejack had to chuckle at her husband’s hollered words as she wiped the sweat off her brow. True to his words the ex-Wonderbolt would happily eat every last crumb himself if kept waiting for too long; AJ smugly chalked it down to Soarin appreciating the value of an apple brand pie. Just as the earth mare was turning to head back to the house her emerald eyes picked up on a familiar purple shape making way towards her. “Now there’s a sight for sore eyes.” Choosing to patiently wait for the fast approaching drake Applejack, made a mental note to have her apron wearing hubby bring the food outside; it was too damn nice a day outside to be chowing down indoors. Happy to see that the more grounded of his friends was waiting for him Spike slowed his sprint to a slow trot so that he could better catch his breath. With time quickly running out before he figured Twilight would show up the dragon really wanted to have everyone assembled. “Yo AJ!” “Howdy Spike, fancy seein’ you this far outta town.” AJ tipped her hat in greeting once her draconian friend stopped just a few feet away from her. “You could say that...as much as I wish it was just a nice visit I’m here to.” “Hey Soarin!” Cutting off Spike before he could finish his message the farm pony whipped her head around to look toward her home. “How bout you bring them fixins outside, oh and bring a fourth place. We’ve got some company today.” Spike’s ears could barely hear the sound of Soarin saying something in reply, as well as what sounded like a certain rainbow maned pegasus chirping in from elsewhere. “Ah tell you what Spike, Ah’d never have figured Soarin for the kitchen type, but boy-howdy can that stud work his way around a pie.” Applejack had to fight the urge to snicker at her own accidental innuendo; apparently all the time spent with Rainbow Dash was rubbing off on her. “Well that’s great, and all AJ, but I...” “You know Ah never put much stock into them between meals, but Ah’ll have to admit after seein’ what Soarin can do in the kitchen as well as learnin’ how pegasi eat like bloomin’ birds warmin’ up to ‘brunch’ was easier than Ah thought it’d be.” Not noticing the slightly off-out expression on Spike’s face from being interrupted AJ turned back to the drake to give him a warm smile. “Ah hope you don’t mind sittin’ a spell with us and havin’ a bite to eat. Like ah said that husband of mine’s got a knack for pie.” “I know someone else who knows their way around a pie.” Landing in a stylish manner right next to the orange furred mare, one Rainbow Dash shot her life-partner a half-lidded smirk causing the earth pony to blush slightly. “Yo Spike, didn’t know you were stopping by.” “Hey Dash, yeah it’s a bit unexpected but I...” “He’s here to snag a bite to eat with us Dashy, hope you didn’t go and drink all the cider by yourself.” The sheepish grin on the pegasi’s face was proof enough that Dash had been stealing a few sips without either of her spouses. “You know what AJ that really hurts.” Rainbow Dash’s expression changed to mock annoyance whilst Applejack rolled her eyes in good humor, and Spike sighed to himself for getting cut-off again. “Apple cider doesn’t taste half as good without a slice of ‘Apple pie’.” Soarin not seeing the exchange between his wives as he trotted toward the group piped in after hearing his wife’s last sentence. “Nothing taste better than her warm gooey sticky apple pie.” “What about mine!” Dash always the competitive one complained, well that was until she realized that he was talking about actual food or so she thought as she felt a wing brush against her flank, “I love yours too, though yours is a bit more of a lemon meringue.” (pie related dirty puns FTW) I’m oddly proud of that. Spike was watching this entire scene unfurl, he coughed into his fist catching their attention. Trying to alleviate the awkward moment, Soarin spoke up. “So who’s ready for brunch?” Both mares were quick to shout out “Me!”, and right when Spike thought he could get a word in edgewise his eardrums were filled with the cacophony that is three ponies diving face first into pie pans...that is until Applejack had to come back up for air. “You know *munch* we still gotta get that *chew* dang ol *chomp* plow replaced before *eating noise* your pa brings the kids back Dash.” Ears perked up from the being reminded about her hyperactive offspring the rainbow maned pony uttered a reply which involved a few casual swears, and pie crumbs peppering the air. To most this would probably be off-putting, or rude but in the apple family it was pretty close to fancy talk. Sadly at the moment Spike wasn’t feeling like ‘apple family’’ no instead he was feeling like that dragon who ran all the way up to your farm to deliver an important message while he was one a tight schedule and you haven’t taken a single moment to let him talk. As patient of a drake he may have been...we all have your limits dear reader. “Speaking of plow AJ I was…” “By Celestia’s beard will you guys shut up for just a one moment here!” Spike’s frustrated shout was loud enough that at that very moment a certain alicorn avatar of the sun above’s eye twitched momentarily before she started to fret over her non-existent facial hair. “....sheeh Spike if you had something you wanted to say...just spit it out man.” Being the laid back pegasus she’d always been Dash took next to no offense to Spike’s outburst. “Yeah sugarcube, if there’s something you need to be tellin’ us why’d you wait till we had brunch all ready?” Any irritation AJ might have had was instantly smothered by her ability to sense when something was amiss in the world. “It’s cause I was trying to...then you started...oh forget it.” Pinching the bridge of his snout for just a moment Spike looked back to the concerned trio to and proceeded to inform them of the impending situation that loomed over his home at the boutique. “...and that’s why I’m here to fetch you fetch you two so that in case things get a bit out of whack we can--” “I think we get it champ.” Chuckling at the slight scowl Spike had instantly dawned from being interrupted again Rainbow Dash quickly shared a nod with AJ before turning to Soarin. “Alright then me and applebuns are gonna follow Spike to the boutique, Soarin, baby you stay here and hold down the fort.” Though not an element of harmony Soarin had braced himself for action, and was visibly perplexed at being told to sit this one out. “But ain’t you gals (and Spike) gonna need all help you can get skittle tail?” “Yeah, normally, but remember my dad Dio is due here any minute with the foals and I know out of the three of us you’re the best choice for keeping them under control by yourself.” Though she’d never admit it, Rainbow Dash was the one who had changed th most significantly and while she could get up to speeds that’d put most younger ponies to shame, she was also a mother, a wife and a wife once more and had grown into her roles with her own sense of flair. With a quick nod Soarin gave his rainbow-maned wife a quick Wonderbolts salute before he began gathering up the plates to take back inside. On the sidelines Spike watched with an impressed expression; he hadn’t seen that coming. “Ah reckon that gal really does set a heart on fire when she gets to actin all tough.” From right next to Spike, Applejack let a smirk grow across her face as she noticed Rainbow Dash blush in response. “I’ll agree to that hun, now hurry up and fix all this Nightmare business so I can show ya both how much I like a mare who can take charge.” Faster than the renowned Dash herself for a split second, Soarin zipped up to both of his wives and gave them an affection peck on the lips before trotting back toward the house. Meanwhile back at The Legion of Doo...err...I mean The Carousel Boutique “Oh how wonderful, the dragon is gonna bring the menagerie of middle-aged mares you call friends.” Nightmare said with an aura of smugness. “Can’t wait to see the purple body snatcher. I got some choice words for her, none of which are meant for polite conversation outside of a kennel.” “Try to be on your best behavior for both our sakes. I already have enough on my plate from this whole ordeal and I don’t need you making things any more complicated.” If she had the ability, the fashionista’s spectral guest would have rolled her own eyes. “Don’t act like you don’t like it? You like the power, the body and the near alicorn perfection.” “...” Rarity wouldn’t admit it, but the dark moon princess had a point. “All you do is take and all I do is give. I will admit I have my flaws. I’ve made it no secret that I have dreams of world conquest and have killed thousands without remorse, but need just move past that; it’s not I killed anyone you know...yet. At least I won’t kill Spi...err the dragon.” “So, no murdering my husband?” “He amuses me, do not not press the subject any farther.” Their exchange was cut short as what sounded like several ponies were congregating outside the dress shop. "Looks like the Hag Nags of Harmony have arrived. Oh, woe is me." Nightmare remarked snidely. "I'm simply trembling in fear of Celestia's Purple Puppet, the Technicolor Donkey, the Diabetus, the Redneck and the...um... hold on...I'll think of something...uh...the Butter Colored Moron. Yeah, they all can't be win--" Nightmare was interrupted by a frustrated Rarity. "Will you stop this insistent name calling?!" However, what the fashionista failed to acknowledge were the five ponies and one dragon staring at her as she continued to argue with herself in two completely different voices. This was interrupted when Fluttershy coughed. "Um...Hey girls?"