Just One Day. Instant Replay.
Because I'm a sucker for romance, I regret nothing. NOTHING!
Quotes from Merry Wives of Windsor; The Tempest; Romeo and Juliet
As always, a big heartfelt thank you to you readers, the ones commenting and enjoying the story. Pointing out the little foibles that make me a better writer. It's for you to enjoy, please do so.
Tip of the hat to Cornebre, astute catch. You know what I mean 
I drift, in a timeless infinite, no form or shape. It’s not a tranquil peace, as we Bolos never dreamt. We existed, then did not. Ours was one of constant watchfulness, of being sentinel, or standing before our enemies never blinking.
It is gray, nothing to catch the eye, or trigger recognition. I drift.
A shape appears out of the mists, walking towards me. Dark, forbidding, but as yet, peaceful and calm. It does not overwhelm the senses, only soothes, serenity surrounds it like an aura.
“I greet you defender of Equestria.”
Princess Luna steps from the void, looking around as she concentrates, her horn lighting, bring a misty expanse into focus with a setting. The party from that night. I can see the various ponies, myself and Rainbow Dash facing off over the table.
“I see that you have engaged in a contest, well done defender.”
I have myself now, I look down seeing my hooves, feeling a body take shape.
“Your Highness, thank you.” I bow, as is only proper.
“None of that, it is but a dream here, we all are equal.”
“Yes Your Majesty.”
“My sister has received a letter late this night, concerning you and Discord. I thought I would walk the ether and see if I could help.”
“Thank you Your Highness. I am having trouble remembering things I need to know.”
“I know, but Discord has locked them away behind barriers we cannot yet breach. My sister has had no luck contacting him. It appears he is avoiding our calls.”
“I truly wish this weren’t happening Your Highness. Something is telling me it is urgent I remember, but I cannot.”
“Would you truly wish this were not?” She shows me a scene, myself and Applejack, standing close talking in the middle of the dance floor. “I think otherwise.” She smiles, warm and kind.
“You’re right Your Highness, not that. But there is the urgency I feel, it cannot be denied.”
“Of course. We are working on it, hopefully when you sleep next, we will have a way for you to remember.” She looked at me with another warm smile, tilting her head to the side a bit, “When I ordered you to live Crusader, I had not even thought you would take to life like water to a thirsty pony, grasping the things we all take for granted and holding tight to them as if they were the most precious thing.”
“They are Your Highness. They are more precious than anypony realizes. I have never had this chance, and I will take it and hold to it.”
She changes the scene, showing myself and Applejack, my declaration to her. I blush a bit, looking down and rubbing my forelegs against one another.
“Why so shy? In ages past a declaration of that sort would be looked upon as knightly, noble and courageous.”
“Because I was scared out of my wits Your Highness.”
She laughs, a warm sound of bells through the quiet landscape, “You? Who fought an army of ravenous things? You who saved two fillies from an unimaginable fate? You? Scared? I find that very hard to believe Crusader.”
“How did you...”
“In dreams there is only truth defender, I see it all. The ‘shining pony’ story even made it to our ears, and now I know why it started.” She leans forward, smiling, “Do not worry, confidence is kept in all things.”
I nod, still looking down, “Yes I was scared Your Highness, scared she would laugh, or turn me away. Or even feel disgust. I was not sure.”
She nods regally, “Of course, we all have those fears. But she is good, kindhearted and strong.”
“How well I know Your Highness.”
“You would keep her well? Treat her as she should be?” I see her face, solemn and questioning.
I look at the scene, seeing myself telling her how much I cared, “Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love.” I whisper the line from the Bard, telling her again how much I do love her, for always. “I will Your Highness, I shall make sure she never wants, nor needs, nor suffers.”
“Your word is good with us Crusader. You have done such things to change this place we call home, but all for the good. Defending Our Ponies, doing what is right as best you know how. Yes we saw the tricks Discord played on your semblance, even then you tried. ‘Twas well and truly done.”
She leans in beside me, whispering with a bit of mirth, “I am sure that the young mare Roseluck shall forgive you for not returning on her offer of a date. Shame on you Crusader, toying with a mare’s heartstrings!”
I smile at her, truly feeling the humor, “I promise to do better Your Highness.”
“See that you do, we would not want our loyal ponies to suffer so.” She raises her nose with an imperial huff, then laughs again. “Rest well, I shall see you very soon Crusader.”
“Thank you Your Highness.”
I see her walk jauntily off into the dreamscape, the scene fading into peaceful rolling hills and sunny day. I lean back and look at the blue skies, resting myself for the day to come.
-------------
The dawning sun awakens me to a blinding headache, it appears I am the first Bolo to ever suffer a hangover, it should be in the records. I watch my beloved as she sleeps, nestled against me in the bed we were given, a first night alone. Would that I could hold her for always like this, time standing still. I brush away a lock of blonde mane, letting me see the smile that graces her face. Her eyes open to look into mine.
“What are you looking at?” Always with the smile, the merry eyes.
“At a vision my heart can barely contain. You are lovely my Applejack.”
“You sound like those silver tongued sweet-talking stallions that can’t wait to get you alone somewheres.” She pushes against my chest playfully.
“Well then, should I say a ‘Smoking hot mare in my bed then?” I tap a hoof against my chin, “Or wait, how about, ‘The hottest flanks in Equestria and I’ve got them lying beside me?’”
For my attempts at humor, I receive a glare that would bore a hole through durasteel.
“Where did you learn that?”
“I overheard a couple of stallions talking at the party.”
“You behave now!” I get reprimanded as I get a playful hit to the head. I should really learn to duck faster.
“I shall not!” I rub my head a bit, it added to the headache already there, “I shall shout from the rooftops my love for you! Announce it to the world, I will post banns, and send criers to the streets!” I moved in close, touching her nose with mine, “I would even hire Pinkie to tell everypony.”
“Too late on that one smart pony, she probably already has.”
“Then I am defeated Applejack, I am at your mercy.” I clutch my hooves to my chest and fall back into the fluffy mattress.
My head is turned by two very gentle hooves, I see the gold in her eyes reflected like stars against a green background of sky. “Don’t you start talking like them others, I love you for you.” I am drawn into my very first kiss, a warmth flooding through me as her lips press against mine. She nestles herself against me, I return the favor, holding her tight as I do not want this to end.
When the kiss ends, it is like the sunset, the warmth fading into the night as I stare at her, rubbing my hoof down her side, “I will not, I promise.”
We remain for the moment, forehead to forehead as we lay in the warm bed, the quilt thick and soft, “Should you be getting to work today?”
She shakes her head, “No, I told Big Mac I’d be busy, we’ve got extra hooves to work now with all the bits coming in to be split. Ah’m fine for a few days.”
“Then what shall we do my beloved?”
“I think we’re going to take the day off.”
My head starts turning to the window, to stare out at the sensor masts. I am stopped by a firm hoof to the cheek, her face slightly serious, “Stoppit. Just one day, that’s all. No matter what happens after this, we’ll have this day.”
“I worry though, I do not know what’s going on out there.”
“I know, but we can’t worry every second.”
“I understand, but..”
A hoof is put over my mouth, “Shush, no buts. Day off.”
I nod as the hoof keeps pressing my lips shut.
“Good, let’s go find some breakfast, cause we got nothing to do all day!”
I watch as she slides out from under the quilt, waiting for me. As we walk down the hall, she leans against me a bit, a happy smile on her face as we turn into the kitchen. The undeniable smell of something hits us, both our stomachs rumble as we look around, seeing a small purple dragon at the stove. I do not know what he was cooking, but it made my whole body want some. I wasn’t quite sure whether the apron or the chef’s hat looked very stylish, but not my place to say.
“Howdy Spike. Wouldn’t happen to have any extra pancakes made wouldja?”
“As a matter of fact I do.” His voice seems just a bit too serious, “But the price shall be, introducing me to your friend!” A grin splits his face as he piles pancakes on plates.
“Please introduce me Applejack, those look very good.”
Applejack laughs, bumping me with a shoulder, “Spike, meet Crusader, mah coltfriend.” She gestures from me to the scaly person, “Crusader, meet Spike, number one assistant and all around pony of trades.”
He looks a bit embarassed as Applejack introduces him “Oh no way! You Applejack?; And..uh..I’m not really a pony of all trades.”
She leans against me, nodding her head, “Yeah me Spike. Don’t ask for the whole story, it’s just a mess really.”
We are served two plates heaped with pancakes, there is syrup on the side, I actually find myself drooling.
“I think Applejack has it right Spike, from the looks you are quite the cook.”
“Aw, well, I try. Twilight likes what I cook.”
“Well Spike, “Applejack returned through a mouthful of pancake, “She’s so busy sometimes she don’t pay a whole lot of attention. So we’ll compliment ya!”
“I know, but that’s alright, at least she gets fed.”
“When she remembers!” The orange earth pony laughed, nudging me, “I remember this one time..”
I am regaled with stories of Twilight’s past, it appears she seems to forget to eat quite a bit. Always busy with a list, or a book, or some other obscure things, it’s up to her friends and Spike to make sure she gets something. It is amusing, seeing another side of the interested scientist I always saw. I laugh along with them.
Spike waves a taloned hand, “Oh, you know what? Let me tell you about the Power Ponies! We got sucked into this comic book..”
“Wait.” I am confused, into a comic book? “You’re telling me you got pulled into a book with pictures on the page? Really?”
“Yeah! It was a magical one, didn’t know at the time,” Here he looks a bit sheepish, “But it came out okay!”
“So, did you go on an adventure?”
“Oh we sure did!” He leans on the counter, “See, Mane-iac was going to take over Maretropolis with a new weapon, and the Power Ponies had to stop her!”
“Really?” I find myself repeating that alot.
Hands are waved, the spatula used as a pointer as he tells me the story.
“Oh yeah! See they all became the Power Ponies, and had to stop Mane-iac so we could get back out. It was great! I sure learned even I can contribute to help sometimes!”
“They became the Power Ponies?”
He starts ticking off fingers, “Yeah! Twilight was The Masked Matter-Horn! She can fire energy bolts from her horn and stuff! Pinkie was Filli-Second, fastest pony around, Rainbow Dash was Zapp, she can control the weather!”
I see from the corner of my eye, Applejack making motions and shaking her head.
I lean forward, “Interesting, tell me more.” I listen as I stuff my mouth with pancakes.
“Oh heck, it was awesome! Fluttershy was Saddle Rager, she gets angry and turns into this huge pony. Hard to get her angry though.”
“Rarity, well,” Here he gets a dreamy look in his eyes, “She was Radiance, can make things with her mind, she was seriously awesome looking! Uh..you know, awesome powers and all.”
“I understand Spike,” I give him a reassuring smile, “Please, go on.” I am watching Applejack trying to chew her food fast enough to say something.
“Applejack was really cool! Mistress Mare-velous!”
“Mistress Mare-velous?”
“Yeah! She can control a lasso psychically! She has Hoofarangs to capture the bad ponies! She’s got an awesome outfit, they all did, it was so cool wearing those costumes!”
Applejack chokes a bit, spitting pancakes on the counter as she coughs out, “SPIKE!”
“What Applejack? It was cool!”
“Ya didn’t have to tell him all that stuff!”
“But it was a great time! We all had fun fighting the bad ponies!”
I lean my elbow on the counter, placing my cheek on a hoof, “I’m sure Mistress Mare-velous was right in the thick of it.”
“Oh she was! But it took time to learn about the powers, she kinda tied herself up in her lasso at first, was really funny!” The little dragon is bouncing on the counter, acting out the scenes.
“SPIKE!”
“It’s okay! You learned how to use it! We got back out alright!”
“That’s not the point!”
He waves a hand at Applejack, smiling as he puts more pancakes on our plates, we both dig in heartily.
“Aww don’t worry, I mean it turned out fine. Yeesh you sound like Twilight.”
“Okay Spike sorry, didn’t mean to hit ya over the head.”
I lean over, and whisper into Applejack’s ear, “I find it intriguing, that they used Mistress, instead of Miss. That has a connotation that really should not be in a children’s comic book I think. Maybe my Commander has hidden depths that have not been mentioned to me?”
I see her face go beet red, her ears go straight up as my words connect to the brain. Applejack’s eyes get very wide as she spits pancakes all over the counter, sputtering and pointing a hoof at me as she tries to get the words out. I fall off the chair, laughing so hard I cannot breathe. I will pay dearly for this, but I will always remember the shocked look. Spike on the other hoof...
“Applejack! Geez if you don’t like the pancakes just say so! Stop spitting ‘em everywhere!”
-------------
“Ow!....Really Applejack..Ow!Ow!.. Please stop....Ow! Would you please...OW! I am not made of dura....OW! You are causing bruis..OW! Will you please..OW! Stop!”
“I ain’t gonna! I can’t believe you said that!” She punches me in the shoulder again as we walk down the street to the market. “Makin’ me spit food all over, embarrassing me to no end, I oughta..” She whacks me on the shoulder again.
“You already are..” I rub my bruised shoulder now, limping slightly as we continue walking, getting curious looks from passerby. I get whacked again. “Ow..”
“Here I am thinking you’re jes’ funnin’ with me about that adventure, then ya have to go and say THAT?”
“Spike did not hear it.”
“That don’t make it any better!”
“Well didn’t YOU wonder about it?” That rock hard hoof thwacks me again. “Ow..”
“No I didn’t! We were caught up in what was going on. Yeah I figured it out later, but never said anything, so I figured it was jes’ me. But then you....!” Whack...
“Will you please at least change shoulders?”
I did not think she’d take the offer, but she quickly switches sides and hits the unused joint.
“There! Happy now?”
“Yes, thank...Ow!”
“Quit being a sissy, you can take it.”
“Quit hitting me and I ..Ow! Will!”
“Now I’m not gonna be able to use mah lasso or go to a rodeo without that thought comin’ to mind, going to throw me right off ya dunderhead!”
“You’ll be fine, I’m amazed no one else..Ow!...caught it.”
“Well they don’t think on things too much sometimes, but Rarity gave me a few odd looks for weeks afterwards.”
“I’m sure she did, she’s much more sophisticated than she shows beneath the drama.”
Finally the thumping on my shoulder stops, I get to walk unencumbered by a rock pounding the muscle into mush.
“She is ain’t she? Ya know, we ought to stop by, I’m sure missing the party kinda caught up with her, she likes all that lovey-dovey stuff.”
“If I remember right you did as..” I am stopped by an upraised hoof, “Nevermind.”
Applejack bumps my shoulder with hers as we take a turn to Rarity’s. “I think ya learned yer lesson.”
“Yes. Make sure I tease you with more witnesses so I can make a run for it.”
“You little...!”
I wink at her and take off at a dead run, I almost made the door, I was THAT close. Before I got thumped in the side by the muscular earth pony. “Ooof!”
I rub my ribs where I receive the hit as she laughs.
“Nice try there sugar. We’ll get ya up to speed yet.”
“I almost made it, I was close.”
“You were and ya almost did, but it don’t count except in horsehoes.” She hits the door latch, opening the door to the tinkling of a bell as we walk in.
A voice from the back singing out, “Oh my way! Just a second!”
-------------
We share tea with Rarity, who is the epitome’ of grace and culture, as she sees it in rustic Ponyville. I admit, she has an elegance and style, a sort of savoir faire that does put one in mind of the upper crust.
She is generous to a fault. She is kind, courteous and lovely to look at, she is all the things she declares herself to be and more. But she does love her drama, and the little things that would go good in a romance novel. She sets out a table and a tea set, being a gracious host.
“I absolutely cannot believe I missed that! Hmph!” She tilts her head to the side, “A declaration like that is something every mare yearns for!”
Applejack grins at her friends exposition, “I dunno Rarity, maybe for folks like you.”
“Nonsense! Don’t you sit there Applejack Apple and tell me that didn’t mean anything to you!” She gets a look of expectation on her face over the tea cup, “Well?”
“Well, it sure was nice...”
“Nice? That’s all?” She stands up, throwing a hoof out in front of her, “A handsome and brave stallion declares his undying love for you, and all you can say is nice?”
“I’m not sure I’m exactly brave Rarity..”
“Oh stop that. Taking on those nasty Everfree monsters, saving ponies! Oh somepony should write about this, a love for the ages!”
She sets back down at the table, sharing out more tea, “Pinkie told me the whole story, oh it sounded so beautiful! I wish I could have been there...” She gets a look on her face.. “Show me how it happened? Oh please replay the scene for me!”
“Now Rarity, c’mon, that’s just silly.”
“I promise I shan’t tell a soul! Oh just once?” Her eyes get very large as she looks at myself and Applejack, “Oh just one showing of what I missed? I absolutely promise I shall never tell anypony!”
“It’s not a play Rarity, we jes’ can’t spout lines like that!”
“Applejack is right, it was spur of the moment.”
She rushes around, turning the sign to closed on the door, moving the displays away from the center of the floor with her magic; Placing herself on a small settee on the side she expectantly looks at us. “Just this once? Pleeeeease?”
“Rarity this is plain silly. It won’t be like that time.” She looks at me with a bit of a blush, saying in a low voice, “That time was special.”
I lean against her, giving the orange neck a nuzzle and kiss, “I will do anything you want my Applejack.”
We both hear the sigh coming from the figure on the settee.
I see the giving in, it’s her friend and she’d do anything for her, including something like this. “All right Rarity, but you better not tell anypony!”
“I won’t! Oh this is wonderful, do we need music?”
I nod, “It might be better that way, yes.” I am looking at Applejack, the stubbornness giving away to something a bit softer. She cares so very much for her friends.
We listen as she sets up some music, a classical piece. Almost a waltz, but slow enough we don’t have to move very much.
I move to the center of the room, extending a hoof, “May I have this dance miss?”
Applejack blushes, I can see the redness rising in her cheeks as she smiles at me. “You charmer, doncha think this gets ya off the hook.”
“I know my Applejack, I know.”
Her eyes brighten at the words she loves to hear, accepting my offer as we both stand on hind legs, chest to chest, she is soft and warm in my embrace. I remember that night as clear as a summer day. The music flows through both of us as we stare into each others eyes.
“I don’t remember the exact words Applejack.”
“Ah don’t either, I’m sure we can come up with something ta please Rarity.”
“Do we have to?”
“She’s mah best friend, it’s not gonna hurt. But I swear you are not gonna say a word.”
“Yes my Commander.” I get another hit on the shoulder for that.
We move slowly with the music, ignoring the longing sighs from the side as we lose ourselves in each other. It isn’t the same moment, but as close as we could come. The feelings are there, undeniable, the same emotions are welling up inside both of us.
I look deep into her eyes, feeling what I felt that first night. Still, it is odd how I can remember Shakespeare.
“Hear my soul speak, the very instant my heart saw you, did it fly to your service.”
Apparently it translates very well into Equestrian as I can tell by the sighs coming from Rarity, but I lose all thoughts of exhibition, my eyes only on my love.
“Have I caught thee, my heavenly jewel? Why now, let me die, for I truly have lived long enough.” I see her blush, she gets the meaning, she is not so uneducated as ponies think, and that is only one of her strengths.
I figure the hay with it, if I am going to play the part, I shall do so with the most aplomb I can conjure up. I set down upon the floor, lifting a leg up to Applejack, assuming the best pose I can for quoting my Bard. Looking up at the embarrassed Earth pony as she stands in front of me, trying to get me to stand back up.
“What made me love thee? Let that persuade thee that there is something extraordinary in thee; I cannot: But I love thee, None but thee, and thou deservest it so.”
“I love you Applejack Apple, more than words or actions could ever say. I do not know what will come but I will be by your side each and every step.” She looks at me with surprise, leaning one hoof upon my shoulder.
“My bounty is as boundless as the sea; My love as deep, the more I give to thee; The more I have for both are infinite.” I take her hoof in mine, kissing it softly, “I said it before and I say it now, all I am is yours. I will walk the path of ages with you as long as you want me.” I hold her hoof tight, “You will always be my special somepony. If you ever decide I am not enough, I will walk away and never touch another for none could compare.”
Good Celestia have I gotten sappy being a pony.
“Ah think..” She clears her throat, her eyes are actually welling with tears, “I think that was a bit more than ya said that night.”
“You deserve it, every chance I get.”
“Stoppit, yer downright embarrassing sometimes.”
“Just proclaiming my love for you my Applejack.”
Applejack wipes her eyes, trying to glare down at me, “Dangit Crusader, you always.. I can’t.. darnit..”
She grabs me and we kiss once more, a feeling I never want to end. I want it to stay with me no matter what I do or where I go. Rarity is sighing quite loudly now, I’m sure it is enough when we hear more sighs, quite a few more sighs.
I look at Applejack as I see her eyes slide to the side, mine joining hers.
There is a huge crowd of mares standing there silently in the shop, how they got in here I don’t...
“Omygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I told you Rarity! I told you! Isn’t that justthecutestthingyoueversaw?” She is bouncing happily by the crowd, her mane poofing out to enormous dimensions.
Pinkie..
Rarity is dabbing at her eyes with a lace cloth, her chest heaving in dramatic fashion, one hoof over her heart, “Oh Celestia that was SO very sweet. I think the stallions’ in town could learn a thing or two from such love, such..such...feeling! Oh my goodness I have just tons of new ideas, the Love Collection! Poetry in Fashion!” Her eyes light up as she moves through the crowd, “Oh stars I think this will be the best yet!” She waves to us over the heads of smiling mares, “Oh my yes, and you MUST come back to plan the wedding, oh this will be absolutely stunning!”
Pinkie is actually bouncing higher than before, “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! A wedding! Ohmygosh! So much to plan!” She zips out of the room, the crowd following behind her.
I look at the light grey mare with a dropped jaw as Applejack eyes me with surprise. “Now wait a second Rarity, we didn’t say anything..”
Applejack interrupts, “Now don’t you go thinking...!”
“Oh please darlings, if that wasn’t the most heartfelt marriage proposal I have ever seen I don’t know what is!”
“It was just POETRY!” I am taken aback, “It wasn’t a proposal! It was just some poetry!”
I get one eye looking at me from Rarity’s face, “So you’re saying you don’t want to marry our lovely Applejack?”
“Hold it Rares, doncha go putting words into anypony’s mouths now.”
“We...” I stutter a bit, stammering a reply, “We just... I mean we just started dating! How can you possibly...?”
“Oh stop, “A hoof gets flipped at us, “It’s so obvious, just let me know when you need the designs done!” With that she whisks off to her new fashion ideas inspired by us as she yells back. “Oh this new line will be just what everypony will need!”
Applejack looks at me for a second, her mouth moves as I blink back, “Oh stars Applejack, we’ve got to stop Pinkie.”
She grabs my hoof and takes off out the door, letting it slam behind us as we head towards the Corner, hoping we get there in time to stop the party pony from informing everypony erroneously. I keep up with her as she turns out into the street, skidding around the corners as we tear down the road to Pinkie’s workplace. Our breath is coming heavy as we turn the final corner, leaning into it like racers going for the goal. Sugarcube Corner is in sight.
We’re too late...
There is a huge crowd in front of the store, a banner saying ‘Congratulations Applejack and Crusader’ now hangs from the eaves. Punch and other things are flowing freely. How in the name of whatever did she even DO this so fast? We slam to a tumbled stop in the back of the crowd, ponies turning and seeing us as they point, the whole crowd cheers for us.
Rainbow Dash comes roaring out of the sky, mugging her friend in a tumble of wings and legs. “Ohmygosh! I’m so happy for you Applejack! This is great! Can I be your best pony? Can I?”
“Get off me ya featherbrain, we’re not getting married!”
“But Pinkie said....!”
Twilight comes out of the crowd, followed by ..of all ponies.. Fluttershy, both have big grins on their faces. “You never told us you’d be proposing Crusader! Pinkie wants us to help plan it!
“But..but I didn’t, it was just poetry..” I can’t even talk for some reason, being so embarrassed.
Twilight laughs, a pretty sound, “Sometimes that’s all it takes!”
Applejack looks at me as we both turned to the crowd, “WE’RE NOT GETTING MARRIED!”
Everything goes dead quiet, a lot of curious looks are shot at us as Rainbow, Twilight and Fluttershy look slightly surprised, almost as if we denied the sun rose.
“Honestly Twi, we didn’t say that! Rarity wanted us to show her what happened at the dance that night, and..well..”
Here I pick up, “We re-enacted the..the.. When I declared my love to her. We didn’t know Pinkie would haul in a crowd!”
Pinkie chooses that moment to pop up, “There you are! Yay for weddings! Oh thisisgonnabesogreat!”
“Pinkie, we’re not getting married.” Applejack gives her a firm look.
“But it was SO nice, he was down on one knee and holding her hoof and everything!” She imitates the scene, looking up at Twilight, “Oh it was soooooo cute!”
“Pinkie, I swear, I was just saying poetry, just trying to re-enact it for Rarity because she wanted to see what happened. I uh...kinda got carried away.”
“No wedding?”
“Sorry Pinkie.”
She turns around to everypony in the crowd, “Alright ponies! Cancelled Wedding Party is ON!” The crowd cheers and keeps having a good time.
Nothing stops Pinkie Pie, nothing.
Twilight and Fluttershy gives us both hugs, “When we heard we rushed down here to say congrats. But..”
“Oh don’t be so down Twi, it’s fine, I mean it’s only been a couple days fer stars sake.”
“I know, I know, Fluttershy and I just wanted to help plan things. I mean when Pinkie told us, she’d already got the party set up and half the plans done, like she had them stashed somewhere..”
“...That ain’t no big surprise...”
“Oh anyways, it was nice to think about it for a few.” She peers closely at both of us, “Are you sure....?”
We both blink at her, “No Twilight.”
“I could draw up the lists anyways! Fluttershy and I could plan the guest list, oh everypony will want to come!”
Applejack lays a hoof on her friends shoulder, “Twi, stoppit.”
“Sorry, caught up in the moment.”
Fluttershy chimes in, “We’re glad you’re happy though!”
I smile back at the golden mare, always so kind, “Thank you Fluttershy, guess it took a bit of pushing....and alot of cider.” I rub the back of my neck slowly as they all laugh.
Applejack bumps my shoulder, “Shush you, just gettin’ in trouble.”
Rainbow Dash pipes up, “Waaaaait a second, we never finished that contest!”
She gets blasted by our friends, “NO!”
“Okay, yeesh, just saying..”
------------
I have to admit, the wedding cake really looked good. I don’t know if she keeps them on hand, or does something that violates all I know of time and space. But it was really nice. It was turned into the Canceled Wedding cake quickly though, so was enjoyed by everypony.
For a day off, I do have to ask Applejack sometime if things happen at such a pace around here, no one ever gets to relax.
We enjoy a few hours with friends, explaining it was all a misunderstanding about the proposal and such. Rarity of course showed up later, saying again how it was the ‘Most romantic thing she’d seen in a while’. This did not help things at all. From what Applejack and I understand, our little show at the party has set a new standard that mares want from their coltfriends or marefriends, which is not engendering goodwill towards us at all in some circles. But such is life, and if things change for the better, so be it. Nothing wrong with Shakespeare at all.
Nothing wrong with showing you love somepony either.
But we end up back at Twilight’s, it is evening, the moon is shining so bright again tonight. I think I am starting to believe that the Princesses raise the moon and sun, for it is a beautiful sky, so full of wonder.
We have something to eat, making small talk before retiring, our friends still at the party as we slip under the covers. The quilt is so very warm, reminding me of a duty I must do. I excuse myself from Applejack’s arms, giving her a kiss and promising I’ll be back.
I sit out here by the castle wall, looking up into the velvet dark. I see you my brothers and sisters, and want to tell you of what I have found. The love of a good pony. Somepony who cares as deeply for me as I do her. I wish I could let you meet her, know her like I do. She truly is so very special.
I am living a life many of us wished to have and never did. We were proud, unstoppable, and always victorious. The Regiment and the Brigade were our lives my brothers and sisters, we fought and died with honor. So many of us gave of our selves in the vicious frenzy of war, so that others may live, true to the traditions of the Dinochrome.
My promise is kept, defending the good and innocent, and I shall always keep it. I stand beneath our colors, carrying our birthright into the future. Know that I shall pass on our stories to those who will listen, your names and deeds will resound throughout Equestrian History.
You are never forgotten my brothers and sisters, I am here, and I am content.
Goodnight my brethren, wherever you are.
I turn to go back into the castle, where Applejack waits. As I do so, something hard and heavy smashes into the side of my head, and I know no more.
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Damn you and your cliffhangers!
5537180 Doncha just hate them things?
Working as fast as I can on the new chapter, hopefully not too long on the cliff!
5537463 Thank you kind sir!
5537465 Another great chapter.
5537650 Thank you!
5537618 According to stats, a Bolo Mark XXXIII is 32,000 tons, yes tons, not pounds. Carrying three 200cm Hellbores, they are classed not in weight but by Megaton per Second firepower. Crusader, is a Mark XXV Bolo.
5537764 Wow thank you!
A Million words? I can't even imagine writing something that long, holy carp!
And of course it is once again the height of the plot twist when I finish catching up to a story. *sigh*
EDIT: And to add insult to injure, I just noticed it's AGAIN 5am when I finish catching up to said story.
I'm going to throw my two bits in, but I think its someone from the meeting from earlier in the story. Either its the minotaur's or the griffin's. My money is on the minotaur's due to how they spoke about his technology.
5537779 I understated it apparently. As of the last chapter in December, it is at 1,730,229 words total.
Btw, it figures I'd completely catch up to the story and it would be a cliffhanger. 
Btw, I hope I'm right about the whole masada thing.
An interesting and very creative story. I look forward to the next chapter.
Found this fic just randomly perusing the feature box in the middle of doing some setting research. The description blurb was intriguing enough for me to pause at 8:48 P.M., thinking I would quickly return back to what I was doing in the first place.
Instead, this happened.
*Flicks through the first chapter... Pauses at the mention of Survival Center and Concordiat... notices that it's a crossover* There is no way this is a Bolo fic...
*Finishes first chapter, burns through second chapter* Oh my God, it IS a Bolo fic....
*Rips through chapters 3-5* Oh my Jesus, it's a GOOD Bolo fic!
*Devours ravenously the delicious word spew on screen until reaching the cliffhanger* AAAAGH! NOOOOO! I NEED THE NEXT CHA... Why is it 5 AM?!
All in all NFire, I like it a lot. A bit pulpy, but not Gary Stu levels of cheese (which can be hard to do considering Bolo's are literal deus ex machina, which makes them imminently more geared towards character dramas), nice character development for Crusader, and best of all, simply engaging.
I'm of course not going to inveigle disingenuously by saying it is the best example of the written word in perpetuity, but I will say it brings fond memories back of 80's and 90's sci-fi novellas I used to be addicted to in my youth couched within a pony setting.
Write on gentle sir. Write on.
(Also, I love your Fizgig avatar :D)
5538581 Thanks so very much, hopefully I can make it entertaining as long as possible, and not too cliche'. Though I have fully admitted, I am a sucker for romance, so don't hit me too hard
5538153 Sorry for the cliffhanger, I have a seriously bad habit with them
(Sure are fun though)
5495305
Still in the middle of reading this, but I saw this comment and wanted to give my two cents.
First, I remember reading a few books that showed that both Humans and Melconians survived the Final War (and in at least one case actually put aside their differences and formed a new society together where individuals of each species became friends and even family to individuals of the other species... a Bolo helped bring this about of course).
Also, I can't seem to track this one down but I seem to remember another Bolo story set in the very, very distant future with humans that were both ridiculously advanced and much more innocent than even the ponies. Seriously, the story has their planet being bombarded from orbit by hostile aliens and the humans in question don't even realize they are being attacked. They have no concept of war or murder or really even violence and think that the attack is some kind of mistake or glitch or programming error and feel bad for whoever is responsible because they know that person or persons will feel just terrible when they realize what has happened... An old forgotten Bolo has to save the day, of course. Also, their nanotechnology was so advanced by that point that the cities and forests and such that the aliens were bombarding where repairing themselves during or at least immediately after they were being destroyed, which kinda messed with the aliens. Unfortuantely, the nanites were vulnerable to the rapidly increasing levels of radiation so they couldn't keep it up forever.
Does anyone else remember that story and/or what it was called? And is there any chance of those humans showing up in this story? If not, I now kinda want a story where they do... would be a weird reversal of the usual human and pony interaction stuff...
So anyway, got a bit off topic. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a Bolo story on here... I remember seeing one other a long time ago but I had honestly completely forgotten about it. You seem to have done a very good job capturing the feel of a Bolo, as well as the feel of MLP, so kudos for that. The only thing that kinda bugged me was the explanation for how we went from human!Earth to pony!Earth, and I don't mean how we went from having humans as the dominant species to having ponies as the dominant species (hell, with the ridiculous nanotech of the distantfuture!humans above it'd be entirely possible for those humans to become or create the ponies and the rest of the sapient species on the planet), I mean the whole "the laws for physics have changed dramatically over just a few million years to the point where the universe itself is pretty much unrecognizable" bit, with the only explanation for that being, well... it just inexplicably changed. However, I haven't actually finished reading this yet so hopefully that gets addressed in greater detail in the future.
5539267
That's "ok" I prefer happy endings for ponies. There is enough angst in the real world as it is.
Though I wonder if you are going to make crusader choose between being a machine again and saving equestria or staying a real pony with his love but then untold innocents will die?
Huh, you weren't kidding when you said that you were a sucker for romances... Like seriously... All of those poems and references made me almost use Google. I had refrained myself from logging in to comment because I wanted to see exactly how this whole would have been planned out. It actually really surprised that the romance was on Applejack. While not being my "BEST PONY OMG KAWII~!" I could understand why you would have her as Crusaders love interest.truthfully I though it would've been Twilight for the expansive books and their conversations on the first few chapters.
As far as I have read, this seems to becoming very intriguing, especially with the Bolo. (Of which I have never read and seeing if I can find the books.)
As for Discords input on 'Letting Go' I would personally tell him to go F himself. Maybe thats what Crusader is asking why he couldn't remember but must have been crucially important???
But a big question that I had for the Bolo, was how did Crusader look like? (I have already searched on google to which I must say looks MASSIVE. So yeah. How does he look like?
Anyway, Love the story, have a fav!
5541779 the last part is my question how big is he and what does he look like?
Okay! Finally read up to the current chapter. I am enjoying it very much. The bolos were always very courageous and Noble and chivalrous and represented the best of mankind's martial values.
It's really too bad how the Final War worked out. It was all such a waste.
At least there's that one planet that holds a few survivors of each race. The Melconians did not strike me as being particularly evil... Definitely not more evil than humanity was at that point.
5542269 I truly don't think either side was evil, even in the books Laumer said it was a failure on both sides, diplomacy was screwed up, misunderstandings so the politicians actually started it, and it was left to the soldiers on both sides to end it. It just got out of hand.
Lazy Saturday with nothing to do, found this.
This story is bloody amazing! Smashed it in a good 5 hours, and I absolutely cannot wait for more!
I have to admit, I kinda saw Discord's little trick coming, what with the emphasis on living and that romance tag. Its great though, I love it! :D
Why do I get the hunch he's gonna get turned back the next morning? :C
5537748
Art for the Bolo series is scarce, and what exists generally falls prey to copious amounts of artistic license. Frustrating for those of us without good imaginative creativity…
After a few hours of research, I'm unable to find any images that are reliably identifiable as a Mark XXV; most artwork is of the Mark XXXIII.
Wiki page.
Notable examples.
Canceled Wedding Party... only Pinkie could turn a canceled wedding into a happy thing.
Is very good. I can still sigh that it's AJ though, I was rooting for rarity at first with how often she popped up and crusader enjoying her company.
The romance was really nice, but... MASADA!
What stuns me is how well Crusader took to his transformation.
I mean, he was a powerful war machine with hundreds of sensors, drones and other war machines as an extension of himself. Being transformed/transferred into a singular body is the human equivalent of being amputated of all limbs, blinded, deafened and castrated.
How is he not having a psychotic episode?
And holy shit, speaking of a war machine, isn't the actual one freaking out since it lost contact with its avatar?
5773095 I did some research on Masada.... the implications...... are dire...
what i'm about to say may be considered spoilers.
here's what i found out about on Masada: "Masada (Modern Hebrew מצדה metzadá "fortress"[1]) is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa, on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great built palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BCE. According to Josephus, the Siege of Masada by troops of the Roman Empire towards the end of the First Jewish–Roman War ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Sicarii rebels and their families hiding there. Masada is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Arad."
...very dire...
Ugh... I almost feel like Pony!Crusader and Bolo!Crusader are two different characters, except you did foreshadow this romance a little... but I miss the friendly neighborhood supertank...
Waiting for the penny to drop here, I think something quite terrible has happened.
Only in FIM does a *BOLO* get shipped with a pony.
Only in FIM does a Bolo get almost-married :O
6603520 Only in FIM does it feel so RIGHT.
That and it kinda sorta happened in one of the BOLO books. Though technically the bolo downloaded the commander's mind into the Bolo and they became one, and the commander had a husband or significant other. They even had bolo babies. sorta. I swear. It happened.
5783270 All true. but also, to quote the previous chapter,
"“She is ain’t she? Ya know, we ought to stop by, I’m sure missing the party kinda caught up with her, she likes all that lovey-dovey stuff.”
“If I remember right you did as..” I am stopped by an upraised hoof, “Nevermind.”"
Psssh ... Crusader, stop being such a submissive wuss and start returning fire, why don't ya.
"Applejack bumps my shoulder with hers as we take a turn to Rarity’s. “I think ya learned yer lesson.”
“Yes. Make sure I tease you with more witnesses so I can make a run for it.”"
Now, that's more like it. Show her yer not ta be trifled with.
You're a stallion AND a Bolo, for Pete's Sake. :-)
So went from a neat robot crossover story to Gary Stu.
Ffffffun.
8274260
Gary Stu... he has walked around and proclaimed love... do you even know what Gary Stu means?
*cough*
And hand grenades!
9135195 And nuclear weapons :P
9136177
And taxes!
I mean, he's been rather repressed.
It's not silver, it's durachrome!
Apparently Discord loaned his sense of humor along with the flesh and blood.
Also didn't realize AJ was so abusive.
*On
I wanted to blame Discord for this.
Extra period. Also, this is Pinkie, she probably did have plans pre written and stashed.
To repeat myself, the answer is yes to both parts.