> Apprentice
>  by macXtreble
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was a dark and stormy night, lightning flashing against the ivory towers of Canterlot Castle. A loud thunderclap awoke the Solar princess from her sleep, an aura of unease settling over her as she grew more aware of her surroundings. 
She stepped out of her chambers, silently closing her door behind her, nodding at the guard who stood watch in the hall. He was confused that the Princess was awake so early in the evening, but mentally figured that anypony might have either trouble sleeping or very restful sleep in such a storm.
Celestia silently navigated the dark halls, to which she had become accustomed in the last thousand years, having built this castle so she wouldn't have to be reminded of her sister's banishment. 'As if that helped.' She thought, contemplating. Every time the sun set, she had been reminded of her beloved sister, missing her blue mane and crooked smile. 
Celestia could still remember the first time Luna had raised the moon alone, the weak, but victorious smile she displayed, how she had flapped her wings with joy, her tiny filly frame barely lifting from the floor. "I Did it, Cewwy!"Young Luna had chirped, ecstatic from head to toe.
"You sure did, Woona."She murmured to the memory long past with a soft smile. Despite the past, Luna was here now, and Celestia's mission now was to find the source of her sister's agitation, not to mention the Princess herself.
Her horn lit up white, illuminating the ornate door knob and slowly twisting it, opening the door slightly enough to see the night sky blue mare pacing back and forth anxiously. The stance, her hoofsteps clattering through the Throne room, all seemed eerily familiar to Celestia, though she couldn't recall ever seeing Luna act in such a manner. 
Celestia stepped into the room and stood before her sister, her magnificent white coat gleaming like freshly fallen snow. "What troubles Thee, dear sister?" She whispered, her pale pink eyes piercing Luna's azure ones.
Up close and personal, Luna looked alot more disheveled and upset. Her eyes were tearstained and full of pain, her fur was tousled as if even during the daytime, she'd been tossing and turning fitfully."My dreams... they aren't easy. I've seen her..." Luna looked up at her elder sister. "Did it hurt so badly when you sensed Twilight?"
Celestia looked thoughtful a moment. "For a week prior to meeting her, yes. It was excruciating. You have sensed her in your dreams?"
"Yes, though she doesn't know how to control being in them."
The elder sister nodded. "So, since you know what the filly looks like, we can search for her."
"She's.... not a filly."
"A Gryphon cub? A Dragoness? A Zebra?" Celestia asked. All her suggestions were dismissed with the shake of Luna's head.
"She's a mare." The Lunar Princess stated plainly.
"You mean, an adult?" Luna nodded.
"My Apprentice." Luna whispered softly, as if to a lover whom had caused her much pain but she couldn't stop loving. Celestia knew the feeling well.
The Lunar Apprentice was coming, and soon.
		
		
> A Simple Kind of Mare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	"Disaster!" The butter yellow, blue-maned earth pony cried, looking in disgust at the new outfit for her concert. It was a seamless black wetsuit, complete with swimming fins." The concert is tonight, and all I have is this?"
Her friend and fellow singer, a tan unicorn mare with red mane and tail, walked in."Ugh, i hope these aren't matching costumes." she said playfully, as her distraught partner fell to the floor at her hooves.
"Treble, best friend, trusted partner.... please fix this, find me some better costumes."
The tan pony sighed, her soft blue sweater crinkling as she nodded."I'll do my best, Sapphire." 
A roadie pony with a headset stuck his head between the lavender sequined curtains of the dressing room. "Ms. Shores, the practice is about to start."  
Treble trotted across the room, the roadie stepping out to let her leave." Save 'Simple Mare' for the end." She winked, walking out.
Treble gasped out loud in the hallway.' how am i supposed to find five costumes in three hours?' 
She cantered outside, the fresh air revitalizing her as she watched the sun beginning to set from its source at canterlot castle down the street, feeling more confident as the moon peeked over the horizon.The small, young mare sized mare lit her horn with her green magic, a white flash occurring as she turned in Canterlot square and appeared in Ponyville on Sugarcube Corner's front stoop.
"Wow, success for once." Treble sighed in relief, anxious now for another reason. "I hope she's not busy." Treble murmured, smoothing her tousled mane with her magic as she trotted. To her left, she saw a familiar red muzzle framed by a wooden stand advertizing apples. She stood taller, her heart beating faster as she approached the booth.
Treble's captivating, bright green eyes met the yellow maned stallion in the booth. "Oh my, a kissing booth?" She whispered softly with a smile.
Big Macintosh blushed and grinned shyly. "Nawt in public, Filly."
She stepped insistently forward." A muzzle nuzzle?" She replied in a sweet, innocent tone.
The much larger earth pony stallion leaned down, gently but shyly rubbing his soft muzzle on hers, giving her a caring look. She returned the look, rubbing her muzzle back against his and slowly kissed his lips tentatively.
"Can anypony cover for you? I need you to be there tonight." She whispered to her special somepony, her front hooves on the counter of his stand.
Macintosh nodded." Here is AJ now."
AppleJack wordlessly donned an apron and began checking the apples for flaws. 
"Thanks." Mac said. Treble hugged the mare.
"Thanks, I'll have him back in the morning."
"The mornin' ?!" AJ protested.
"From his bedroom at the inn." Treble explained with a blush. Macintosh pulled on his saddlebag, the accessory clinking as he fastened it.
The couple turned to leave, Treble smiling at Mac. "Ready to go dress shopping?"
His eyes widened and his sister chuckled. 'Totally worth mah afternoon to hear that story later' She thought, selling her first two red, round, perfect McIntosh apples.
	
	
	
> Thunderstruck
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: Thunderstruck

"Hello?" The door to Carousel Boutique swung open, a small bell chiming above it. A young purple and green dragon emerged from the back, running and hugging Treble. "Hi, Spike." She giggled in surprise as Mac walked in tentatively. 
"Is that you, Treble?" Rarity's unmistakable voice chimed, stepping around the corner, a folded pile of fabric held aloft with her magic as the white, regal looking unicorn smiled. "Oh, and Macintosh too, what a surprise."
"Eeyup." The large red stallion said, nodding his head in greeting.
Rarity looked back and forth between the pair as if trying to figure out a puzzle. "How can I help you today? Wedding gowns, perhaps?"
The stallion blushed and mumbled something  incoherent as Treble stepped forward." Actually, I need five costumes for my show tonight.... Some designing kook decided to send us scuba clothes instead of actual costumes."
The unicorn seamstress looked close to fainting at the thought. "You poor thing!"She galloped back into her workroom. "Come on in, I might have something you'll much prefer."She called.
Treble and Mac tentatively trotted around the corner, followed by Spike and the soft clicking of his claws on the spotless tile. Rarity was surrounded by a few different ponnequines, each sporting a rough, rather punk look, offset to look more feminine mixed with pastels or glittering in some way.
Treble looked surprised, looking around at each design, picking the outfit she wanted to wear in her mind: a green top that laced like a corset with black fishnet socks, a green plaid, frilly skirt with the netting underneath poking out and inlaid with clear, sparkling white gems, and a matching plaid bow for her mane.
"These are great, Rarity..." She started, not wanting to offend her friend." I'll definitely use some of them... but do you have anything more like Sapphire? You know how she likes to shine and be bolder." 
Rarity nodded." I based this collection off of you, but I do have something more of her speed..."
Treble blushed deeply." You didn't have to go to such trouble."
The alabaster mare shook her head, violet curls bouncing. "Oh, no no, no trouble at all. In fact, a couple of the designs were Spike's"
The young, purple and green dragon stepped forward. "Yeah, I like your look."
Rarity pulled another ponnequin forward with her magic, a bright blue dress that faded to a lighter blue and white in the train, looking like waves in the ocean. Atop its head lay a sapphire studded tiara, the sapphires spelling out the word Queen across  the front. 
"Perfect." Treble agreed, looking it over.
"Excellent. Spike, add some more sapphires to the train, and... I think to make it blend better.... put a layer of the diamond tulle underneath." Rarity said. Spike took the dress and began working."Now, while I've got you here... I'll rent these to you for ten bits tonight, under one condition."
Treble gulped, wondering about the condition. "What's the catch?"
Rarity led them around to the all white dresses in her boutique." You're going to try on a wedding dress."
"We ain't ready to get married." Mac said in an uncertain, but protesting tone as Treble stepped forward, giving Rarity a determined look. The two, equally lovely in thier own rights mares locked eyes, grinning.
"It's only a dress." Rarity chimed innocently."And who knows, you might like her in it. Nopony said YOU had to try it on." She grinned. 
Mac shrunk away at the last words as he was left alone, the snow white unicorn following her tan friend with what looked like a pile of white, diamond and sequin encrusted fabric.
After a few moments, Treble stepped back out, the silky white sequined fabric bringing out all of her features as it hugged her waist, flaring out to a beautiful  diamond embedded train, and as she looked out from behind the thin white lace veil, her red mane brushed and put in a side braid and pinned with diamonds, Mac was breathless.
The small, tan mare blushed as he stared at her wordlessly, stepping closer on glassy horseshoes, the tile softly clicking with each step as she came up to him. She was even more beautiful up close, and he couldn't help but nuzzle the veil out of the way to look at her better."Wh-what do you think?"Treble whispered softly.
Mac wanted to tell her how beautiful she was, how seeing her like that made him want to ask her right then and there to marry him, but he couldn't offer such things without a hoof ring, nor more to offer than living on the farm with his family. So he quelled all of the feelings in his heart right then and gave her the weaker answer. "Eeyup." He paused as she looked a little... sad, disappointed that he hadn't more to say, and  kissed her muzzle softly. "You're pretty."
Treble looked around at the clock as Rarity stepped back in. "It's very late, I have to go to practice. Can you bring Sapphire's later, and I'll take the others now?"
Rarity nodded, magically lifting four boxes in front of her, looking at Mac." Put 'em on mah back." He said, a soft pang of regret still stabbing at his heart. She did so, and Treble teleported to her right, the dress and accessories landing in a neat, folded pile somehow. They went outside, walking towards the edge of town, Mac's large frame holding the boxes on his back effectively.
"You didn't like it." Treble said finally.
"Ah thought you were.... beautiful."He corrected her. "It just....makes me want thangs we can't have now."He said shyly.
Treble blushed, coming closer as her horn lit up, and her luminous green eyes misted with tears. With a blinding white flash, the two ponies reappeared in the hallway outside Sapphire Shores' dressing room. The mare lifted the boxes off of his back with her magic, pointing a hoof at the door across the hall." We'll talk about that later, okay? You can hang out in my dressing room, or come out and watch the practice." Her rather large ears tilted, listening as the song ended. "It's my song now, I gotta go." She turned and galloped off.
Mac followed her, thinking he'd rather hear her voice than stay alone.
	
> In the Midnight Hour
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Celestia followed her sister through the streets of Canterlot, Luna looking for something unseen as they traversed their town in the way of commoners. 
Luna stopped as she saw a crowd surrounding a bit of wall against a nearby building, her heart racing in desperation and need to find her target, every moment of the search in vain only causing her more anguish. Celestia had only been so afraid of and for Luna once, back when she had first become the Nightmare.
The dusk time was approaching, and the princess of the night stepped forward as if reminded of such things, walking into the crowd as their subjects bowed and parted, honored by the presence of their sovereign rulers. As the Alicorn day princess approached her sister, she could feel her excitement as she stared hungrily at the poster gracing the wall.
It was an advertisement for a concert, and there were two mares in central focus, one yellow with a blue mane, and the other much plainer, but eye catching in a more subtle way, with a tan hide and red mane.
"It's her!" Luna said softly in excitement.
"Sapphire Shores?" Celestia asked in confusion, looking at her sister as if it were a joke.
"No, the unicorn." Luna said, turning to the nearest of the subjects watching them, a grey young stallion with a short tuft of orange mane holding a Sapphire Shores saddlebag. "You. Come forward."
The pony stepped forward, his wings folding back shyly." Y-yes, y-your highness?" He stuttered. Luna put her hoof on the poster under the unicorn mare.
"Tell thy princess the identity of this mare." She commanded.
He looked surprised. "T-that's S-sapphire's new p-p-partner. They call her... T-Treble. Treble Score." The stallion shook nervously.
"Thank you." Celestia said, smiling reassuringly to the poor pony as Luna began trotting off. "You've been most helpful." She told him before going after her sister. The guard looked over the poster, his grey muzzle turning in a smile before following after his charges, who were arguing with each other.
"I MUST see her." Luna said with a pained expression in her eyes.
"Not tonight." Celestia replied. "Her Concert is tonight, and you don't want to interrupt her life like that. Tomorrow morning, she will be summoned to the castle. You." Celestia turned to the guard, who looked surprised to be addressed. "I want you to follow that mare. You know where to find her now. In the morning, approach her and order her to have an audience with the royal sisters."
He nodded." Shall I go now,  your highnesses?"
"Yes." Celestia said before Luna could speak. "OUT of uniform. You must be discreet." 
The grey stallion guard saluted, and turned, trotting away.
He began thinking as he walked, his intelligent golden eyes surveying everything around him.' She hasn't changed much.... Why is she here, at this time?' He thought as he navigated through the busy streets, passersby able to see the look of deep concentration that he himself could not. 'I just started this job, why would the princesses give me such an important job?' 
He wondered, spotting the concert house ahead, but turning instead into the doorway of an inn, tossing bits onto the counter.
"I'll be in and out until morning." He told the innkeeper pony, who nodded and gave him a large, ornate key with a tag that said '6' on it. The guard took the key in his mouth, and went up the stairs to locate the room.
Once inside, he stripped off his armor with his hooves, letting each piece fall to the floor with a soft clang, the last piece was his helmet, and he shook out his stark white mane as he dropped that into the pile with the rest, his charcoal fur matted and roughed up from the armor.
He sighed, relieved to be free of it, and headed towards the shower. He needed to look decent to get into the concert.
The water poured over his body, shimmering in the golden mark on his flank as he thought of her, his hooves quickly and automatically scrubbing the shampoo into his fur. He had thought about her from time to time throughout the years, but he could've never guessed that he might see her again.
Her luminous eyes danced through his mind, haunting him with their beauty as he moved his soapy hooves up to his mane, saturating it in shampoo as well. The stallion believed in something called Fate, quite firmly believed in it, but shook his head under the stream as he rinsed the shampoo from his mane.
'Soon enough, your job will be over, and you'll go back to humble garden patrol, and even if she does recognise you, she'll go back to being famous and distant soon.' He reassured himself, shaking as he rinsed his fur. He turned off the water with his hoof, stepping out and beginning to towel off, the assurances doing nothing to surpress his quickening heartbeat.