The Ballad of Dusk and Dawn

by Shatterpath

5

Chapter 5

++ Twilight ++

How I adore my sensitive farmpony for her gesture to Princess Luna. I cannot even begin to guess what it must be like for her, returned to society after being evil and ostracized, isolated for a millennium. Of course, that means that I'm now alone with my elders. No pressure...

"She's nice," Dad suddenly comments thoughtfully and I see Apple Cider swallow a smile.

"She's the best," I add vehemently with a grin that I bet is bordering on dopey. "This whole family is."

Drat! I've gone and inadvertently brought up the ugliness with Jazz Apple again. As though conjured up with magic, Granny Smith bustles over with a tray of steaming bowls that she deposits at the crowded table. "Pumpkin apple soup. My daughter-in-law's specialty from Bridleham. Eat up!"

It's sweet to see how delighted my beloved teacher is with being here, eating these wonderful foods with her subjects. There's a ruckus at the door, Granny's voice haranguing someone outside, and to my amusement, the pegasus guards are bullied in to crowd in at the table. They are clearly uncomfortable, looking pleadingly at our liege, but she only smiles and shakes her head. When the Apple matriarch sets bowls in front of the matched pair and orders them to eat, they fidget, but do as they are told. Some wild sense of perversity urges me to bother them once again about their identical looks and if there are cutie marks hidden beneath their elaborate armor. It was an endless game when I was a filly. Honestly, for all I know, these are the same stallions! Rather than embarrass myself, I sip my soup before looking at my mother. She seems distracted and is unusually quiet.

"Are you okay, Mom?"

Startled from her thoughts, she blinks and smiles weakly. "Still processing, Kitten. But your dad is right, she does seem nice."

"She is nice," Apple Bloom suddenly pipes up indignantly and I smile warmly at the youngster. It's good to hear her reverting back to her normal, chatty self. Her brother's abominable behavior had left her too quiet and too sad. "She's the best."

Granny Smith nods briskly and mutters something none of us hear, but it makes Celestia smile again. Right on cue, Applejack's voice can be heard as the front door opens and a moment later she returns with Princess Luna. "That smells mighty good, Granny."

"Get yer tail in here, foal, and eat up before it gets cold," the oldster grumbles good-naturedly at her granddaughter. The younger princess looks bemused but warmed by my lover's presence. I know exactly how she feels! There's something so warm and likable about this pony and her straightforward steadfastness. Good on my AJ for warming up the aloof and scarred former Nightmare Moon.

Astonishingly, dinner turns into a jovial affair as everyone relaxes and gets to know each other. All of the food is as wonderful as I've come to expect from this talented family, culminating in the perfectly flaky apple pie that Celestia had smelled so avidly before. The Apples insist that the visitors eat the treat and they are happy with the flaky tarts Granny whipped up to cover the extra mouths to feed. After hesitating politely, my mentor indulges in the fat slice of pie, her blissful expression making me laugh. Both Luna and guards are just as happy with it, followed by my folks. "Told you they grow the best apples in Equestria," I boast and make the Apples smile.

With a collection of apple cider in mugs as colorful as all of our various coats, we retreat to the big living room to rest and talk. It warms me again that Luna accepts Applejack's invitation to settle beside her. Celestia takes the spot beside me, leaving my lover and I wedged in warmly between our leaders. This sort of intimacy doesn't faze me, after all I've been Celestia's personal student for years now, but I have to say I'm glad to see my mate adapting so well. The guards hang inconspicuously by the kitchen, one curling up to sleep while the other keeps watch. Mac takes the couch as is his custom and cuddles his little sister, who is clearly ready to fall asleep while Granny relaxes in her rocking chair to knit. The two sets of parents complete the two half-circles on the luxurious rug.

"Thank you for having us," Celestia breaks the quiet that settles and Pink Lady beams, despite the lingering hurt in her eyes from the earlier drama with her younger son.

"Not at all, highness. It's our pleasure. A full house makes for a warm house."

I'm comforted by the singular sensation of Celestia's magical mane and tail whispering over my hide, a familiarity that I hadn't realized that I missed. For a long moment, I curl my head around, resting on my forelegs, so that I can breathe in the completely unique and otherworldly scent of my teacher. Unlike anypony else, she smells of summer skies and warm sun, rather than flesh and fur. It comforts me as it always has. For so very many years, she was my rock as I have spent more time with her than my parents.

"Ya can ask, y'know," Applejack pipes up suddenly and I smile to myself for a moment before raising my head. "Ah don't mean ta make you uncomfortable, but avoidin' the subject don't make things any easier."

"How did you know?"

Unexpectedly, the question comes from Princess Luna, her head cocked curiously. Does her mane and tail feel the same as her sister's? Stay on track, Twilight!

"Well, the crush was right off," Applejack answers readily, turning her attention to Luna. "But it grew and grew over time until I was right sick with it. Not a bad sick, just weighed down by how strong it was and I really thought it was just me. I hid it best I could for a long time, but our friend Rarity figured me out and called me out on it. So I 'fessed up to Twilight here and she shocked me by sayin' yes. Coulda knocked me over with a feather. And then we got to know each other better and love came a callin'." Luna looks confused, almost skeptical and Applejack's voice gentles to something almost maternal. "Mah mama always told me that it's important to like somepony before you can love 'em. Darned if she wasn't bang on." There's still confusion on the dark face, but I force myself to hold my tongue and see what my mate will say. "She also told me that ah'd know it when ah felt it. And she was right again."

Swiveling her head around, Applejack nuzzles my ear, delighting me with the affection, before she returns her attention to Luna. "I will do my best to remember." The sentiment is awkward from the immortal one, but I think she has much to think about. My loving smile must say volumes, because I see my folks share a loaded look before looking at me like they just might get it for the first time.

There are more questions for us as the night grows deeper, but I'm happy to answer all of them. As a scholar, I understand questions and the curiosity that drives them. So I explain and hold back no secrets. Luckily, nopony asks me anything that I can't answer easily. Eventually, Mom even laughs as I tell tales of my lover and my friends, and she shares some of her own. Dad is characteristically quiet, adding in his two bits here and there while watching both myself and Applejack. Luna monopolizes my lover to my amusement and I'm glad to see the burgeoning friendship. All is going well, our combined energies winding down towards sleep, when a near violent outburst from Applejack nearly scares everypony half to death.

"What!?!?! What in tarnation are you talkin' about?"

She's on her feet, jostling me roughly, practically snorting in alarmed defiance at the flummoxed Princess of the Moon. "I... I thought you must know."

"Yer out of yer dang mind! It's impossible!"

I'm on my feet now, moving into her space, shocked to see tears in her eyes. "Applejack, what's wrong?"

A violent shake of the straw-colored mane is her only response, her expression absolutely stricken and I feel something like terror. "It ain't true, it can't be true. How? How?!?!"

Despite myself, I cannot resist looking over to Princess Luna for some sort of explanation to what she said that has upset my lover so. She looks at least as upset and confused. "How could you not know? The time must be months past."

Wrapping my mate in my forearms, I want to scream at Luna in frustration, but temper my voice into quiet, shaken fury. "What time?"

"She is pregnant."

For a moment, the world goes white in shock. My ears buzz and the surroundings seem to vanish in the haze. But after a moment, all clears in my mind. There has been no transgression on the behalf of my Applejack. I trust her implicitly and she would not betray me. I know what happened as certainly as I know anything. Clutching my shaking earth pony love, I murmur for her ears only. "The jolt we felt on the Spring Equinox. That's what it was. It all makes sense now, Applejack."

Teary, shocked green eyes, the pupils constricted to mere points, stare incredulously at me. Tenderly, I stroke her messy forelock, filled with so much adoration for her that my heart actually hurts. Now that I know the truth of it, my own senses and magic and intuition tell me the entire tale.

"And better, my dearest love, so am I."

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