The next thirty minutes passed in silence as both Applejack and Twilight went about their assigned tasks. Twilight did what might have been the fastest research of her life, trying to find a way to escape her bindings. Applejack stayed in the kitchen, cooking a meal for the two of them and, after realizing he'd be back soon, Spike.
Twilight was juggling between looking through her magic books and making a list of the ones who would try to pull such an elaborate prank on them. She had listed everypony with a grudge against them, then applied it to logic.
Trixie? No... she’s all better after we got that amulet off of her. Gilda? I doubt she has the resources... Chrysalis? This seems pretty petty for someone as big as her...but depending on what these bands do, I shouldn’t rule her out. Discord?
That actually got her to pause. The Spirit of Chaos had claimed he was turning over a new leaf, but Twilight still didn’t trust him. The only reason she had agreed to be drunk last night was that the Princess had him scouring a particularly dangerous region for Chrysalis and the changelings, part of his “public service”, in a word. Whatever the draconequus might be planning, he wouldn’t jeopardize it now.
That train of thought barrelled down a new path. Could Pinkie be responsible? She often does things she thinks are good without thinking them through... no, she wouldn’t be pretending not too if she did, and she doesn’t have the resources besides.
She sighed, returning to her books. There was nothing about about removing the bands, not yet, anyway...
"Soup's on, Twi!" Applejack called, pulling the unicorn out of her pages and beckoning her to come down. Laid out on the kitchen table was biscuits and gravy, freshly squeezed apple juice, and wheat toast.
"It looks good, Applejack," Twilight noted, taking a seat.
"Yeah, well, I wanted to make more, but you don't seem to have much in the way of ingredients here."
The unicorn shrugged. "We really don't eat around the table much. I'm usually studying, so we mostly eat sandwiches."
"Aw, that's no good, Twi," the cowpony shook her head. "Ya should be eatin' together, it's important."
"I just don't have the time, Princess Celestia always sends me more work to do."
"You have time to hang out with us," the earth pony pointed out.
"Yes, I make time for you girls, I make time for Spike too. Almost any time I'm not with all of you I'm with him."
There was a bit of a silence as the two started eating. "Hey, Twi? ...Do you ever think that maybe you work Spike too hard?"
Twilight shook her head. "He always speaks up if he thinks he's been treated unfairly. Believe me, he wants to work like that."
Applejack rubbed her head with her hoof. "Why? I can't get Apple Bloom that excited about her chores."
Twilight just beamed. "He just wants to make me happy. The day he was born he clung to my leg and wouldn't let go. I had imprinted myself on him, and he wouldn't let anypony else raise him. He always wanted to be around me. I let him be my assistant so he could have an excuse to help me."
The cowpony chuckled. "He don't seem that clingy now."
Twilight smiled a warm smile. "He's grown out of it... mostly. He still wants to sleep in my room instead of his own. That's why he always sleeps in that basket."
Applejack couldn't help but chuckle. "Silly dragon. Always wantin' to be around his mama, huh?"
Twilight blushed. "Something like that, yeah. You see..."
She was cut off by the front door opening, the bell above giving a pleasant ching as it did so. Twilight began to excuse herself to attend to the customer, but the sound of claws on wood stopped her. A moment later, a familiar baby dragon walked into the room.
"Hey Twilight, I'm back!" Spike greeted. "Oh, hey Applejack. Did you stop by for lunch?"
"Well, somethin' like that..." she said slowly.
"There's plenty for you, Spike," Twilight jumped in, not wanting to explain this just yet. "Have a seat."
Spike moved to obey, but stopped. "Hey, Twilight, since when do you wear rings?"
Twilight flinched. Spike reacted the same, afraid he had just done something bad.
"Oh, well..." Twilight said slowly. "You see, last night, me and Applejack... we had a lot of a special big pony drink..."
"You got smashed?"
Twilight's eyes widened. "How do you..."
"Twilight, I'm not sheltered. I grew up in the same place as Blueblood, remember? You and Applejack got drunk. What happened?"
Twilight made a mental reminder to give the spoiled prince a good kick in the flank...or another area, if it could be reached, perhaps while wearing bladed shoes. "...Well, you see... we... kind of... got... married."
Spike's eyes opened wide at this. Applejack and Twilight held their breaths in anticipation.
"Why haven't you gotten it cancelled?"
Both ponies blinked. That was not the reaction they had expected. It hadn't just been a tone of curiosity. It had been panic... worry.
"We tried," the cowpony stepped in, "but th' mayor said it takes three weeks to annul a marriage."
"...But you're going to get it cancelled? It's not real?"
"That's right," Twilight confirmed.
"Oh. Okay." And with that Spike happily sat down and began making himself a plate. He was about halfway through it when he noticed that neither of his tablemates had said anything. He looked up and saw the two ponies gaping at him.
"What? Is there something on my face?"
"Sorry, Spike," Twilight apologized, "but... everypony else has been laughing their tails off at us. You just seem... relieved."
And it was true. There had been a sense of relief in the young reptile. Scratching the table awkwardly, he spoke. "Well... I was afraid I had missed your wedding. I'd want to be around to see it."
"Oh," Twilight responded as memories of her brother's wedding kept flooding back. "I guess that makes sense." She returned to her meal.
Applejack, on the other hoof, wasn't convinced. There was just something a little... off about the explanation.
"Whoa, Spike, smaller bites," Twilight scolded as her charge swallowed a biscuit nearly whole.
"Aw, come on, Twi," the dragon muttered.
"You know, Spike," Applejack said slyly, "I don't think Rarity would wanna date somepony... or somedragon... who ate like a slob."
Spike stopped. He looked at his plate. Then, he grabbed another biscuit, extended his pinkie, and brought the food to his lips, taking a tiny nibble.
Smiling, Twilight looked at Applejack. "You're good."
In truth, Rarity probably would have welcomed ghastly table manners as opposed to where she was now. She was seated in front of Blueblood's desk, shifting nervously while the stallion leafed through a few papers.
"Alright, here's the deal. Are you aware of our progress with locating the Changeling Queen?"
Rarity shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I daresay that subject seems to have leaked out of the news."
"That was quite intentional," the prince explained. "Because we haven't gotten any significant results."
Rarity was a bit shocked. "You've been forbidding the newspapers from reporting on that?"
Blueblood shook his head. "We don't have to. One of us in the Elite just makes a donkey out of himself in front of the paparazzi. It gets the news off of things that could spread paranoia. The last thing we want is ponies attacking other ponies because they think they're changelings in disguise."
"That still seems a bit... dishonest."
"That's politics, Beautiful."
"Don't call me that."
"That's politics, Sexy."
"...Call me Beautiful," Rarity said through gritted teeth.
"If you insist," Blueblood said with a smile that he had spent years practicing to get the maximum amount of smug self-satisfaction out of. "Now then, we have been hoping to get a lead on the changelings for months, and luckily, I happen to know where to look next."
Blueblood slid a piece of paper across the desk, stopping it directly in front of the mare. She saw it was a flyer, reading 135th Annual Manehatten Fashion Designer Showoff.
"The showoff?" Rarity said, stars appearing in her eyes. "I've always dreamed of having my fashions shown off there!"
"Well, here's your chance," Blueblood responded. "Several members of the Elite are going to be there, but Princess Celestia will not. This makes it the perfect time for the changelings to swoop in and replace some key figures in society. We need somepony on the inside to keep an eye out and report back any suspicious behavior."
Rarity blinked. "Shouldn't I go get my friends for this? This sounds like Element of Harmony business..."
The prince shook his head. "If all of you are there, the changelings will know something is up. If you're alone, they'll think you're just showing off your fashions."
Rarity nodded. "I suppose that makes sense... but what if they try to replace me?"
"We'll have you under guard. They try anything we'll be right there to save you. All you have to do is go there, show off your fashions, keep a few eyes out, and you'll be a free mare, with a few new prospects too as an added bonus. See? Not that bad, is it?"
Rarity couldn't argue. This did seem like a good deal... almost too good. Still, the alternative was worse. "I suppose... am I going to have time to put together some new designs?"
"Are you kidding? That's all you're going to be doing over the next week, aside from learning how to spot a changeling in disguise. You're no good to us if you don't complete the primary objective.”
Rarity blinked. “I don’t think I can learn about that and make dresses all in a week.”
“Oh, it’s easy,” Blueblood said. “And besides, I’ll be with you. I’ll be posing as your escort for the evening...”
Rarity felt her eye twitch involuntarily. “Well...I suppose we can keep up appearances...”
“Oh, and to keep up appearances, we’ll be bunking in the same one bed hotel room.”
“...You will be sleeping on the couch.”
“I am a prince, you’re a commoner. You’ll sleep on the couch.”
Rarity buried her head in her hooves. “...Is it too late to have some of that scotch?”
"I'm afraid so, you have to be sober to work."
And with that, her head made a dent in the desk.
"And you're paying for that."
Fluttershy giggled as Rainbow Dash's kisses moved from her cheek down to her neck. She felt herself shiver a bit. Her kisses reached her collar bone. She began squirming. Her partner went lower...
"Stop!" the pegasus squeaked.
Immediately the command was obeyed. Rainbow Dash removed her lips and replaced them with a hoof. "Right here, then? Here's where you feel uncomfortable?"
Fluttershy blushed, but nodded. "Y-yes. I'm sorry, Dash..."
The cyan mare groaned, flopping down next to her. "Don't apologize, that's your problem. You shouldn't have to do anything like this that makes you uncomfortable."
"But... you'll want to eventually."
"You better believe it,” she uttered, wiggling her eyebrows in a way that made her partner giggle and blush. "But it isn't about what I want right now."
Fluttershy smiled. She wrapped her forelegs across her foalhood friend, placing her head on her chest. Rainbow Dash returned the hug, kissing her on the forehead.
"You still need to grow a backbone, honestly," the cyan mare said. "You can't live like this..."
"I've been fine so far..."
"Whenever I wasn't around in flight school, you were picked on all the time," Rainbow Dash reminded. "And after we moved to Ponyville, you hardly had any friends other than me and Rarity until Twilight moved into town."
Fluttershy found herself unable to counter that claim. She snuggled into her partner's chest, hoping she'd stop talking and just let them cuddle. Unfortunately, she kept going.
"You're just too afraid to say no to anypony. That's why we did what we just did. I was on pins and needles worried I'd take it too far."
"I... I..."
Rainbow Dash finally noted her lover's demeanor. She fought down the urge to point out that her argument had just been validated and held her more tightly.
They stayed that way for a while. So long that Fluttershy fell asleep. Dash didn't mind, she just held her close. She looked at her, truly looked at her for the first time... she was so beautiful. She hadn't noticed before. It was...
And then the powers that be, apparently being bored with running the universe, decided it would just be funny to ruin the moment. A carrot suddenly flew and hit the sleeping Fluttershy in the head. Giving a small yelp, the yellow pegasus flew straight up and out of Rainbow Dash's grip.
Angel stood, tapping his foot impatiently. Holding a pocket watch, odd for Fluttershy to own since she hardly wore clothes, he angrily pointed to the time.
"Oh my, it's feeding time, isn't it?" Fluttershy said apologetically. "I'm so sorry, I just got so caught up resting with..."
Wishing he had a whip to crack, Angel did the next best thing and stomped angrily, pointing toward the kitchen.
"Oh, yes, of course," Fluttershy said apologetically. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash, I've got to feed the animals, and..."
Rainbow Dash suppressed a groan. As rude as Angel had been, Fluttershy had neglected her duties for nearly an hour. Still...
Dash flew up. "No problem, I'll help you," she assured, glaring at the rabbit. Angel just blew a raspberry at her. He then turned and hopped toward the kitchen, waving his tail in a mocking manner.
Well, Dash thought as Fluttershy followed, here's obstacle number one...
Poor Rarity....
At least Twilight and AJ are making the most out of this.
Yay, it lives!
Is it weird that I kind of like Competent Blueblood? Well, not 'like him as a person', since he's still the kind of guy who, if I had to spend five minutes stuck in a room with him, at least 599 of those seconds would be spent looking for a blunt object to apply to his face, but as a narrative foil.
Well that's interesting.
Angel needs to be put in his place. Like he was in last weeks episode......lol. Need more please. Please?
Huh...I don't mind that there's not much humor in this chapter, at least I got to see this chapter, eh?
I'm just waiting for Celestia to figure out whats happening between doucheblood and Rarity, and then stepping in and telling doucheblood off. Also, I'm betting Celestia is behind the unremovable rings, and the unannulable marriage
I wish Rarity would just let AppleJack buck Blueblood straight across Equestria, with the whole city of Canterlot, the min 6 along with the Princess watching as he flies off into the sun set. like team rocket.
Oh Spike, you teally should let Twi know you aren't truly a baby anymore.
You are mature enough for everything.
Dear Faust, man, I'm going to be feeling that between my legs for a week just out of sympathy!!!!
Anywho, this is awesome. Have a like, a fave, a watch, and a Derpy.
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I like it! Definitely going to be keeping an eye on this one. And don't worry overmuch about the length, the storytelling is great, so it's going to feel like it's short to the reader regardless!
Please keep writing, I'll keep reading!
Oh dear me. i get the feels that Luna is behind it all, and yet I'm super interested to find out. all the goods your way, and a watch to boot!
Someone is on a shipping spree. Someone with a lot of power.
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I wouldn't expect either princess to have to bribe the mayor, not with how everyone in Ponyville reacts in their presence. So unless they were working through underlings...
Rarity is getting the very short end of the stick in this fic isnt she
There doesn't seem to be enough resistance on Angel's part when Fluttershy is shipped. Its a missed opportunity really and more authors should explore it more, Hell make it the center focus of the fic!
Regarding what you're doing so far, please keep it up for its awesome. There's no other way I can describe it honestly.
Is it bad that one of the best Flutterdash stories I've read isn't even primarily about Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?
... and i'm caught up. So Blueblood is a dickier James Bond. Fluttershy has some skeleton in her closet. Spike has been hanging out with the wrong ponies. And the mayor is suddenly taking bribes...
Definitely keeping an eye on this story.
Well, this story is looking very fun and exciting. Eager for more.
IT'S ALIVE!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!
*coughs* ok enough of that. i liked this chapter, it wasn't very humorous, but it did move the plot along, i don't think anypony set them up, maybe they bribed the mayor while they were drunk so they couldn't bust it up, and another part of me says that it is secretly spike trying to get twi laid
on another note, you said the story was 2 weeks or so after super cider 6000, but here it sayds its after the current ep's of S3 even before the party (quote" the only reason she got drunk was because the draquoneus had flipped a new leaf" or something like that,inconsistency, ho!
You know what I think?
I think twilight and applejack are on reality TV.
Holy cow! Another unexpected update this week!
Twilight and Aj seem to be starting to take their situation rather well, all things considered.
Rarity is, as expected but worse than I thought, Royaly F-! And then there's the threat of changelings? Trouble just keeps piling on doesn't it?
And finally, some FlutterDash.....(I'm a happy camper now!)
Hm....
This gives me an idea.
Well, really, it was an idea I already had. This just made that idea better.
2021756 Maybe a bit, but as fun as it is to see Prince Blueblood put in his place, it is nice to see at least a little depth to and intelligence in his character sometimes.
Not funny? Could've fooled me. I'll admit, I chuckled. Blueblood/Rarity's interactions were great. Angel was great. This whole story is great. Fridays are now best day, period, end of story and I can't wait for more.
For some reason Spike might of did it.
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I second that vote, he has the connections, he has to have gems and jewels stashed somewhere that he can use, and not only that he can send a letter to anyone and he most likely has dirt on everyone
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Even though he might of did it, but it could of be someone helping him XD
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It's almost as fun as giving a pile of dog crap sentience and the ability to speak. Wait, that's not fun at all you say? But I thought we were discussing the same thing?
Blueblood is at his most fun when he is an utter buffoon being made sport of, constantly. Jerks being stupid and getting served is a time-honored barrel of laughs to be opened at every other corner in literature.
Way too OOC for Twily. She's not vengeful or violent.
happen to know
Use capitals for Beautiful and Sexy, because they're used as nicknames. Now he's saying that politics are beautiful and sexy.
One week or two?
So let's see, we have :
: still funny as hell
(insert Blueblood here) : awkward, but funny
: overlord cuteness
This is just excellent
Maybe I'm wrong, but wasn't this story set a bit after they kicked in the flank Flim and Flam?
If this ended up with snarky Blueblood x Rarity that would make my day. That ship can be a lot of fun when written well.
The banter between Blueblood and Rarity remains golden, even if it's weird to have Blueblood leading a covert operation. I'm hoping Twi and AJ eventually they are perfect for each other and that Spike doesn't ruin it, like most things. Fluttershy and Dash's subplot is of course golden so yeah all things looking good.
If Rarity hoofs Blueblood in the face would that get her in a lot of trouble?
This is getting very good. Very funny.
I'm still betting that the three alicorns are behind this one. Cadence would know which one of Twilight's friends would make the best life-mate and Celestia and Luna are the only ones strong enough to enchant the rings in a way Twilight couldn't break.
I think that Angel is going to find that Rainbow Dash isn't as easy to manipulate as Fluttershy and is cunning enough to get her revenge without her marefriend knowing.
Flutterdash subPLOT. I know, too easy. But it had to be said. You said this sets up later PLOTS so I look forward to them.
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Really? Huh...
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Thanks for catching these.
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That's a mistake, I'm looking for where it says that in the story so I can fix it.
YEAH AN UPDATE!!!!
Going to say this straight up, not a Blueblood fan, but I'll tolerate it. Anyway, keep trucking those chapters out!
Keep it coming! This is absolutely wonderful. I have loved every minute reading this so far and hope to continue to do so as you release more.
Just got to the flutterdash bit and I'm so happy that you've put in them working out boundaries as a couple,
Its one of those little things you'd expect a couple, where one of them has issues with things that make them uncomfortable, to actually do.
It's such a normal thing that you wouldn't notice it unless you were really looking
things like that make me happy
is that odd?
Applejack is starting to prove to Twilight that she could make a good spouse, but both of them are too eager to annul the marriage. The whole sub-plot for Rarity and Prince Blueblood is interesting. I wasn't very keen on it while reading the last chapter, but I feel a little more intrigued now for some reason...and now theres a sub-plot for Dash and Fluttershy? How did you know I had a weak spot for them?
Was a short chapter, but it was enjoyable. Can't wait for more.
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Mostly agreed, but I wouldn't agree on capitalising 'beautiful' and 'sexy'.
I LOVE THIS ¿ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE? (AND YES I BROKE MY CAPS =/)
MAKE MOOOOOOORRREEEEE!!!!!! good fic, keep it up
More then funny enough. Had me rolling! This is quite an interesting tale and i look forward to more.
This story:
Please keep writing! And I feel like Rarity is in a VERY bittersweet sticky situation...
I love it! I thought it was very humorous, but very subtly so, so it was more of an intelligent and witty funny. Keep up the great work I cannot wait to read the rest of the chapters!
Yay for Flutterdash subplot Keep that going and I will be very happy.
The main other interest for me is the AJ and twilight part. Those continue to be funny.
And rarity... This is probably going to go deep...
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That's 9 minutes and 59 seconds.
Impressive.