> Canterlot Troubles > by R-Dashiefan20 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash sat on a cloud above Ponyville. She was holding the gold sword from her new necklace in her hand. She spun it around and played with it, remembering the one that gave it to her. It had been almost a week since he had flown out of her life. But, the pain she felt in her heart was still fresh and new. When she was growing up, she never thought she would be one to fall in love with someone she just met. After all, she didn't believe in love at first sight. That is, until she experienced it. Ever since he had left, she hadn't felt like doing much of anything. Usually by this time in the day, she would be practicing her best stunts to show off to the Wonderbolts. "Hey, Rainbow Dash!" She heard from somewhere below her. She looked down to see Scootaloo. She was a young pegasus with dark pink wavy hair. She wore her usual green cargo shorts and black hoodie. Rainbow dash headed down and landed in front of the other pegasus. "What's up kiddo?" Rainbow asked. "Nothing much. Me and the girls are still trying to figure out our special talents. I was wondering if you could help me with my flying." She asked. "Sure thing." Rainbow Dash said as she managed a weak smile. "Is everything okay, Dash?" Scootaloo asked. "Yea, I'm just remembering a friend that's long gone." Rainbow Dash replied as she ruffled Scootaloo's hair. > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I stood in the darkness of the Covert Flyers' court room. I was only wearing my clothes that Rarity had made for me and my sword. "Jet Stream. You stand accused of displaying public affection with the on known as Rainbow Dash. How do you plead?" The shadowy figure on the TV monitor asked. "Guilty, sir." I said. "You have violated the one rule we have in our organization. You were told when you were sworn in as a captain, that you were not allowed to show any affection toward another individual. We run a professional organization here. We do not take it lightly when one of our own break the rules that were established at the beginning of your training." The figure said. "I am aware of this sir. I know it doesn't mean much to you, but, I'm sorry. I just could not help my self around her. She's literally everything I could ask for in a girl. She would also make an excellent Covert Flyer." I replied. "Be that as it may. You knew the rules when you accepted the position. With that being said, I have no choice but to reassign you to..." The figure began as the door to the CF court slammed open. Princess Luna came in and stood next to me. She was an alicorn with long flowing hair that resembled the night sky. She was dressed in a dark blue dress that had a crescent moon on the hem and had a serious look on her face. I had first met he when I was flying back to HQ that night, I told her my dilemma and she agreed to help me as best as she could. Until now, I thought she had forgotten about me. "Can I help you, princess?" The figure asked. "I am here on behalf of Jet Stream. What you are about to do is not right. You can not separate two pegasi as in love as Jet Stream and Rainbow Dash are." Luna said. "With all due respect, princess. He knew the laws of our group before he became a captain. We do not make exceptions for anyone. Even if they have royalty on their side." The figure said. "Okay then. How about a quid quo pro, then? If you reassign Jet, then I will use my royal powers to shut you down." Luna said. "You wouldn't dare. Your sister would be furious." The figure said. "Actually, I'm with Luna on this matter." A voice said from behind us. I turned to see an alicorn with long flowing hair that was streaked with blue, pink, and green. She wore a bright yellow dress that had a sun on the hem. "Princess Celestia, you would shut us down just because we wish to deal with one of our the same way we have done for years?" The figure asked. "That's right. If you reassign Mr. Stream here and separate him from Rainbow Dash, I will consider it a royal offense. We may have the power of the elements of harmony, but, there is no greater force on the planet than that of true love. Which from what I've been told, is exactly what the two of them have." Celestia said. There was a long silence from the monitor. "Very well, princess. We will not reassign Jet Stream. We will, however put him on a special assignment. He is to keep close watch on the six who possess the elements. We fear a great evil is arising and we will need all of them again. Be warned, if it is as we fear, there may not be much time or hope for Equestria. This evil will be the likes of which none have ever seen before." The figure said as the monitor clicked off. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I stood in silence for a moment trying to process what had just happened. I jumped as I felt a hand on my back. I turned to see Luna standing behind me. "I told you we would make them change their minds." She said with a smile. I hugged her, then immediately jumped back. "Um, sorry princess. I just... you don't know what this means to me." I said. "It was no trouble at all. Now, come on, there's a certain brokenhearted pegasus that's waiting to see you." She said. We walked out of the building and onto the cloud that supported it. We took off and headed for Ponyville. After about an hour of flying, we reached the town. As I searched for Dash below, Luna handed me a small black velvet box about the size of my hand. "This is for you. Use it when you are ready." She said. I put the box into my jacket pocket. I spotted Dash in a field with a younger pegasus trying her best to fly. "Thank you so much Luna and Celestia." I said as I headed down. Dash was sitting in the crook of a tree. I landed silently behind her and grabbed her by the waist, spinning her around to face me. "Hey, what the..." She started. Her face lit up as she saw me. Her magenta eyes grew wide and she started to cry tears of happiness. I wiped her tears away and kissed her. We stood there in a long embrace for what seemed like an eternity. "Ooh. Dash, is this your 'boyfriend'?" A voice asked, breaking us from our trance. I pulled away from her to see the young pegasus sitting where Dash was. We both blushed and looked away. Dash inhaled sharply and looked up. "You know what? Yes, he is. Scootaloo, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend. Jet Stream. Jet, this is my protégé, Scootaloo." Dash said. "Nice to meet you. You must be pretty cool if you won Dash's heart." She said. "Well, thank you. I like to consider myself to be pretty awesome." I said. "You sure are. Now, Scootaloo. If you don't mind, we have some catching up to do. So, run along now." Dash said. "Really?" Scootaloo asked. Dash just glared at her. "Fine, but, you owe me a flight session." She said as she hopped on a scooter and took off. "So, how did you get out of being reassigned?" Dash asked as we sat down on the grass and leaned against the tree. "Well, on my way to HQ that night, I ran into Princess Luna. I told her about our situation and she said she'd help me in what ever way she could. During my hearing today, she and Celestia showed up. They threatened to shut down the CF if they reassigned me and separated us." I said. "Celestia and Luna did that for us?" She asked. "Yep. Not only did they leave me as captain as this jurisdiction, they gave me a special assignment too." I said. "What's that?" She asked. "I'm the personal guard for the six of you ladies." I said. "Why would they do that?" She asked. "They said they feared a great evil was coming. But, whatever. As long as I'm with you, the world could end right now and I'd still be happy." I said. "Really?" She asked. "Of course. I love you, Dash." I said. "I love you too." She replied. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just then, a bright flash blinded the both of us. "You two are so adorable!" Pinkie's voice screamed from somewhere in front of us. My eyes cleared after a minute and I saw Pinkie standing there smiling at me with a camera that had a giant flasher on it. "Holy Celestia, Pinkie. Were you trying to blind us?" Dash asked. "No, I just needed the lighting to be right." She said. "Well, maybe go with a less blinding flash next time." I said. "Okie dokie loki." Pinkie replied. "Oh, you guys want to come to Twilight's birthday party?" She asked. "Shit, was that today?" Dash asked. "It starting right now." Pinkie said. "Let's go then. I need to talk to her anyway." I said. "Come on then." Pinkie said as she hopped away. We followed her to a big bakery with pink painted walls. We entered and saw that everyone was already there. They all gasped when they saw Dash and me. Twilight came over. "It's so good to see you smile, Dash." She said as she gave her friend a hug. "Jet. What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be reassigned. Not that I'm not happy to see you." She said. "I'll explain later. Let's just enjoy the party. Happy Birthday, by the way." I said. "Thanks. You guys want some cake?" She asked. "Sure." Dash replied. Pinkie appeared beside us holding two plates with cake on them. The cake was the same purple as Twilight's hair with pink frosting. It tasted like velvet cake. "How y'all doin' now that yer back wit' Dash?" AJ asked. "A lot better AJ, thanks for asking. "Ya' know, she was so broken hearted wit' out y'all around. She couldn't even bring herself to practice any of her stunts for the Wonderbolts." She said. "Well, that won't be a problem now. Because I'm here to stay." I said. "Well, that's good ta hear. I'll talk ta' y'all later." AJ said as she disappeared into the crowd. Rarity came over and hugged both of us. "You know, you two do make a very cute couple, darling." She said. "Thanks, Rarity." I replied. "If you two ever tie the knot, you simply must let me design the wardrobe." She said. "Yea, and let me plan the party!" Pinkie screamed at my left side. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Also, ow! I think I may be deaf in my left ear now." I said. "Sorry." Pinkie said. "That's okay. Just watch the volume next time." I said. "I have the perfect designs already in mind for your wedding day." Rarity said. "Well, don't go getting ahead of yourself Rarity, we may not end up getting married." I said. "Puh-lease. A love as true as what the two of you have. It would be a crime to not get married." Rarity said. "Well, even if we do. I have one rule." Dash said. "What's that, darling?" Rarity asked. "No dresses." Dash said. "But, it's your wedding day. You must wear a dress. Surely you could stand to wear a dress for one evening." Rarity said. Dash looked at me and I just shrugged. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Okay, fine. But, it better not be super fucking girly." Dash said. "Fine. I will rethink a dress for you." Rarity said as someone called her name in the crowd. "Sorry, darling. I must be going. Remember, if you decide to tie the knot, let me know." She said as she disappeared into the crowd. "So, how do you like the party?" Pinkie asked. "It's really good. I like the music, is that Dubstep?" I asked. "I don't know. You'd have to ask the DJ, Vinyl Scratch." She said as she pointed to a DJ booth that had a unicorn behind it. She had spiky blue hair that was striped with light and dark blue. She wore jeans and a loose fitting T-shirt that read, 'DJ Pon-3' and had a musical note on it. "I might do that later. I just want to spend some time with my Dashie right now." I said. "Okie dokie loki." Pinkie said as she joined the crowd. "Hello Rainbow Dash." Someone said quietly from beside us. I turned to see Fluttershy standing there looking at the floor. "Hey, Fluttershy. How have you been." I asked. She looked up at me and smiled. "I've been good, but better now that Dash is happy." She said a little louder this time. "Yea. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." I said. "That's good. I don't like it when Dash is sad. It's not the same in Ponyville." She said. "Yea, I'm not letting him go again." Dash said. "You two do seem happy together." Fluttershy said as she too joined the crowd. "Well, everybody seems to like the fact that we're together." I said. "Yea. I think they're mostly surprised to see that I'm actually with someone." Dash said as we headed to the dance floor. "What do you mean?" I asked as we started to dance. "Well, I've never really been the romantic type. Everyone thought I would just be alone forever." She replied. "That's kind of harsh." I said. "Well, to be honest, until I met you I never thought I'd find love. Every guy I went out with was just so lame and never supported my dream of being a Wonderbolt." She said. "Well, you don't have to worry about me not supporting you. I think you'd make a great Wonderbolt." I said. "And, that's why I love you. Now, shut up and let's dance." She said. We danced until everyone started leaving the party. We headed out too. "Bye Dash! Bye Jet!" Pinkie yelled after us. "Bye Pinkie. Great party tonight." We said together. We started to fly off. "So, where are you staying at, now that you live in Ponyville?" Dash asked. "Well, the princess offered me a room at the castle. So, I guess there." I said. "Like hell, you'll stay with me and you'll like it." She said. "Well, well. Look who turned into a bossy pegasus all of the sudden." I said with a smile. "Well, I already thought I lost to once. I won't let you leave me again. So, come on." She said as she pulled me toward her house. "Here we are. Home sweet home." She said as we approached a two-story cloud house floating above the town. "Very nice." I said as we landed in front of the door. We walked in and something hit me in the head. I fell to the ground, dazed. > Chapter 5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I looked up to see a flying turtle. I shook my head knowing the couldn't be right. I blinked and looked again. It was a flying turtle. Dash helped me up. "Sorry, this is Tank. He's my pet tortoise." She said. "How is he able to fly?" I asked. "Twilight gave me a magic propeller for him." She replied. "Well. Remind me to where a helmet around here." I said. Dash yawned. "Will do. What do you say we hit the sack? I'm pretty tired." She said. "Yea. Let's do it." I said. "Sleep I mean." I said quickly as I felt my face get red. "Well, come on then." She said as she headed upstairs. I kicked off my boots and followed her. We entered her room. It was a bit messy. The bedspread was thrown off into the floor uncaring and there were a lot of tissues wadded up on the night stand, beside the tissues was a bottle of what appeared to be hand lotion and a suspicious looking long skinny box. Dash ran over and scraped the tissues into the trash and pushed the bottle, the tissues, and the box into a drawer in the night stand. "Heh. Sorry about the mess. I haven't felt like getting out of bed until today, since you left." She said. "Clearly." I said motioning to where the tissues and lotion had been sitting. She hit me in the arm. "You aren't to tell anyone about what you just saw, understood?" She said. "Yea. I gotcha." I said. "Good. You can hang your jacket right here." She said as she hung hers on a hook behind her door. "I'm going to go use the restroom and change, then we can get some sleep." She said as I hung my jacket up. "Alright, I'm going to go ahead and get comfortable." I said. "Okay. I'll only be a minute." She said as she entered the bathroom. I laid down on the bed and pulled the blanket up onto the bed. After about two minutes, she came back into the bedroom. She was wearing a pair of blue pajama pants and the same white T-shirt. She flopped down beside me and curled up next to me and I put my arm around her. "So, any plans for tomorrow?" She asked as she pulled the blanket up. "Well, I need to meet with Twilight first thing. After that, I don't know. Why? Did you have something in mind?" I asked. "No, just thought we could spend the day together. After all, you never got a proper tour of Ponyville." She said. "Yea, true. So, we have a plan." I said. "Yep, tomorrow will be awesome. Ooh! I just remembered!" She said. "What is it?" I asked. "Tomorrow starts cider season." She said. "What's that?" I asked. "It's the time of year when AJ and her family make their apple cider. It's the best in all of Equestria." She said. "Alright then. Sounds like a fun day. But, for now, let's get some sleep." I said. "Right. Need sleep to have energy to get the cider." She said. We sat in silence for a while before drifting off to sleep. It was the best sleep I had had since I left Dash behind at the Crystal Empire. > Chapter 6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was awoken by the sound of my phone ringing. I jumped and accidentally threw Dash off the bed. "What the hell?" She asked rubbing her head. "Sorry, babe. I'm not used to sleeping with someone beside me." I said as I pulled her back onto the bed and pulled my phone out. It was a message from Pinkie. 'Where are you guys? You're missing all the cider!' It read. "Who's that?" She asked. "It's Pinkie, she wants to know where we are. We're missing the cider." I said. "Shit! I forgot all about that. I'm going to get dressed." She said as she sprinted into the bathroom. I slid my phone back into my pocket and grabbed our jackets. She came out of the bathroom and I threw her jacket to her. "Give me a second, babe. I got to use the bathroom." I said as I went in and lifted up the seat. After a minute I finished and put the seat back down. I flushed the toilet on my way out and we ran downstairs. We put our shoes on and headed out the door. We flew for several minutes before reaching an apple orchard with a line stretching all the way from the barn to the wooden fence. It was a good mile long. "Damn, we better get some cider." Dash said. "What's the big deal? It's just some cider." I said. "What's the big deal? What's the big deal?! I'll tell you the big deal! Every year, the apples make their famous cider and sell it three days. But, they make a new batch everyday. And everyday, they run out before everyone gets some." She said. "Calm down. We'll get some of it." I said. "Sorry everyone! That's it for today!" AJ shouted from somewhere up ahead. "Damn it!" Dash shouted. "It's okay. There's always tomorrow. Besides, I need to go talk to Twilight. Then, we have the whole day to spend together." I said. She sighed. "You're right." She said. "So, where would Twilight be at this time of day?" I asked. "Probably in the castle." She said. "Well, let's get going. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner it'll just be the two of us." I said. "Okay." She replied as we took off toward the castle. > Chapter 7 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a huge purple stone castle that was supported by a giant crystal 'tree'. We landed at the base of the 'tree' and entered the doors. We were greeted by two guards wearing golden armor and carrying large steel swords. "Welcome Ms. Dash." They said as we entered. "Hey guys. Is Twilight here?" She asked. "Princess Twilight is in the library." They said. "Thanks. Come on Jet." She said as she started up the stairs. We headed left from the top of the stairs and continued down a corridor that was lined with large wooden doors. We eventually came to an open room that had six thrones sitting in it. Each one had a different symbol at the top of the backs of them. There was a set of three balloons, a set of three diamonds, a set of three butterflies, a set of three apples, a magical spark, and one that I recognized immediately. "I take it that's yours?" I asked pointing to a throne that had a cloud producing a rainbow lightning bolt. "Sure is." She said. We proceeded through the room into a larger room across from it. It was a gigantic library. At the far end of the room was Twilight sitting at a desk with her nose buried in a book. "Watch this." Dash said quietly as she sneaked over behind Twilight. Dash silently pulled a book off one of the shelves and slammed it on the ground. "Holy Celestia!" Twilight screamed as she jumped up and fell backwards, landing on her ass. Dash and I both busted out laughing. Twilight got up and gave us an evil glare. "Rainbow Dash, I could've seriously hurt myself just now!" She yelled. "Yea, but, you didn't." Dash said between laughs. We recovered from our fit of laughter as I walked over to join them, Twilight still had an angry look on her face. "Oh, come on. Give her a break. She needed a good laugh. She's upset she didn't get any of AJ's cider today." I said. "Oh, was that today?" She asked. "Yes, it was today." Dash said. "Anyway, the reason we're here is because when I had my hearing to determine my punishment, they assigned me the task of guarding you ladies. They said that they believed a great evil was rising. Any idea what they were talking about?" I asked. "Hmm. Not that I can think of. Maybe there's something in one these books. Did they give any clues as to what it might be?" She asked. "No, just that it will be the likes of which none have seen before." I said. "Well, that's not much to go on. I may be able to find something. Just give me some time." She said as she pulled a few books off the shelf. "Well, we've got plans. Let me know if you find anything." I said as we headed out of the library. "Will do." She said. > Chapter 8 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We left the castle and starting walking down the street. We passed a big round wooden building that had several floors and pillars. "That's town hall. We just recently got it fixed back up after somebody nearly destroyed it." She said as she glared at a pegasus that was sitting outside on a bench. She had light blonde hair and wore a teal skirt that showed a pattern of bubbles on it and a blue shirt with a yellow tie. The most noticeable thing about her was her eyes, they both pointed in two different directions. She just waved at Dash as we walked by. "Who was that?" I asked. "Just a pegasus that can't fly straight to save her life." Dash said. We passed the bakery from last night. "This is Sugarcube Corner. It's where we all go for something sweet and also where Pinkie throws most of her parties." Dash said as we kept walking. We came to a rather large round building. It had pink and purple checkered tiles on the roof, blue painted walls, and yellow striped awnings. "This is the Carousel Boutique. It's Rarity's workshop." She said as she pushed the door open. Rarity was at a worktable with several various fabrics and papers scattered around everywhere. Her hair was slightly frayed and looked like she hadn't slept. She turned when the door shut behind us. "Oh, good. Just the two people I wanted to see." She said as she went behind a curtain and brought out a set of outfits. > Chapter 9 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a black tuxedo and a wedding dress, the had strips of rainbow fabric woven into it. The veil was see-through rainbow material. "Well, what do you think? I was up all night working on the new designs." She said. "They're nice, Rarity. Really they are." I said as I walked over and put my hand on her shoulder. "But, like I said before, nothing is for sure yet." I said. "Yea, Rarity. Besides, I don't even know if I want a wedding. We might just do a drive-thru wedding in Las Pegasus." Dash said. Rarity gasped. "Nonsense, darling. You simply must have an official ceremony. It wouldn't be the same without one." Rarity said. "Don't worry, Rarity. If I do propose, we'll have an actual wedding." I said. "Rarity! Have you seen my pink headband?" A voice yelled from upstairs. A young unicorn descended the stairs. She had pink and purple striped hair that was naturally curly. She wore a yellow knee-length skirt and a pink coat over a pink and white striped shirt. "No, Sweetie Belle, I haven't. Where are you off to anyway?" Rarity asked. "I told you, we're having a meeting of the crusaders today." Sweetie Belle said. "Oh, here it is." She said as she pulled a pink headband out of a pile of fabric and slipped it on her head. She looked over at me and Dash. "Are you marrying this guy, Rainbow Dash?" She asked. "Maybe one day. Why?" She replied. "No reason. Rarity seems to think that you two are going to. She's been up all night working on these outfits." She said motioning to the tux and dress. She leaned closer. "I think she's going a bit crazy over it, to be honest." She whispered. "You're telling me." I whispered back as she headed for the door. "Tell Scootaloo I said hey." Dash said as Sweetie Belle was leaving. "Come on, let's get out of here before she forces me to propose right here." I whispered to Dash as we headed out the door behind Sweetie Belle. > Chapter 10 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We headed down the street rather quickly. We passed that old destroyed oak tree from my first time here. I looked over and saw the crater that I had created when I landed here. "That over there is Twilight's old house and library. It got destroyed during our fight with Lord Tirek." Dash said. "Yea, I remember getting the intel about that fight. That was pretty awesome." I said. "Yea. It was. Twilight showed him not to mess with Ponyville." She said. "Man, who would have thought that someone could make such a big crater from falling and survive?" I asked as I looked at the crater that was about two feet across and about five feet deep. "Well, I'm glad you did." She said as she kissed me. "It's funny." I said. "What is?" She asked. "I could have sworn you said you weren't the romantic type." I replied. She hit me in the shoulder. "Shut up and accept my love." She said as she tackled me to the ground. She sat on top of me and held me down as she kissed me again. "Hey, guys!" Pinkie screamed from behind Dash. Dash jumped up quickly and helped me up. We stood there red faced. "What were you guys doing?" Pinkie asked. "Nothing. We were just, um..." I started to say. "That's not important. What do you want Pinkie?" Dash asked. "Well, I just wanted to see if you were still going to let me be in charge of planning your wedding." Pinkie replied. "Oh for the love of Celestia! Does everyone think we're getting married?" I asked. "Well, you are aren't you?" Pinkie asked. "Not right away, no! Eventually, most likely." I replied. "Well, you should. You guys are perfect together." Pinkie said. "I still get to plan it, right?" Pinkie asked. "Yes, Pinkie. You can still plan it when we have it." Dash said. "Yay!" Pinkie squealed as she ran off. "How does she just show up like that?" I asked. "Honestly, I don't know. She just does." Dash said. We walked past a small house with a sign in front that read, 'Doctor Minuette, DDS'. "That's the dentists office. She's pretty cool, always gives free check ups." Dash said as we continued through town. We came upon a small cottage with several animals in pens around it on the outskirts of town. "That's Fluttershy's house. Come on, let's see what she's up to." Dash said as she pulled me toward the house. She knocked on the door. > Chapter 11 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a minute, a guy answered the door. He had straight white hair with two different horns sticking out of it, one was a deer antler and the other looked like a twisted unicorn horn, he also had a goatee. He was wearing a brown suit and had two mismatched wings. One was a bat's wing and the other was some kind of birds wing. "Well hello, Rainbow Dash. What brings you by? Here to join us for tea?" He asked. "No. We're just here to see Fluttershy. Now let us in, Discord." Dash said. He looked at me with his piercing yellow eyes. I gave him a look that said, 'don't even think about it'. "Who's your friend? He seems a bit serious and no fun at all." He said. "Don't worry about who I am. Just let us through." I said as I made a move to get by him. He just moved to block me. "Ah, ah , ah. Not until you tell me who you are and how you know Rainbow Dash." He said. "Discord, who is it?" Fluttershy said from behind him. She pushed past him and her face lit up as she saw us. "Yay. More friends to have tea with." She said as she grabbed our arms and pulled us inside. We sat down at a table and were given ceramic tea cups. "How do you like your tea?" She asked. "Actually, Fluttershy. I don't really like tea. Do you have any coffee?" I asked. "Oh, well, I suppose I could make some real quick." She said. "Thank you, Fluttershy. I would appreciate it." I said as she disappeared into the kitchen. After she left, I noticed Discord giving me a dirty look from across the table. I returned it as I took a cookie from a plate in the middle of the table. We kept looking at each other hatefully as I munched on the cookie. > Chapter 12 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a few minutes, Fluttershy returned with a pot of coffee and a pitcher of milk. She sat them down on the table next to the tea pot and the bowl of sugar cubes. She poured some coffee in my cup. "One lump or two?" She asked. "Two, please." I replied as I grabbed the milk. She put two sugar cubes into my cup and poured tea for everyone else. I poured some milk into my cup and stirred it until all the sugar was dissolved. I tilted the cup to my lips. "So, how goes the wedding plans?" Fluttershy asked. I did a spit take and looked at her and sighed. "Look, you're like the third to forth person I've had to say this to today. We are not getting married. We haven't even had an official first date yet." I said as Discord did a spit take. "You two? Dating?" He asked as he burst out laughing. "Now, Discord. It's not nice to laugh at friends." Fluttershy said. "Sorry. I just can't believe that the awesome Rainbow Dash is being tied down by a guy like him." He said. I set my cup down. "Excuse me? A guy like me? What exactly do you mean?" I asked, leaning forward on my elbows. "Well, isn't it obvious? You clearly aren't the right guy for her. She needs to be with someone... more her speed, someone who will be able to keep up with her." He said. I stood up with my fists clenched. "I'll have you know that I can keep up with her just fine. And if you say one more word, I'll make you eat those words." I said. He just shrugged. "Now, guys. There's no need for such violence." Flutteshy said quietly. "We better go before I hurt him." I said as I walked toward the door. Dash followed behind me. > Chapter 13 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We walked outside to find that it was dark. "Sorry, Dash. I didn't mean to ruin the evening for you." I said as we took off toward the house. "It's okay, Discord's an ass anyway." She said. We walked in the house and kicked our shoes off. "Let's watch a movie." Dash said as she flopped down on the couch. I sat down beside her. "What're we going to watch?" I asked. "How about something actiony?" She replied. "Sounds good to me." I said. She qued a movie up on Netflix and leaned in close to me as it started. We at there and watched the movie until my phone started ringing. I looked at the screen, it was Twilight. "Hello?" I said as I answered it. "Jet. I think I may have found something. Come over here as soon as you get up." She said. "Will do." I said as I hung up. "Who was that?" Dash asked. "It was Twilight, she thinks she found something. Wants us to come over when we get up tomorrow." I replied as I yawned. "Speaking of which. You want to head to bed?" I asked. "Yea, I'm kinda tired too." She said as she turned off the TV and we headed upstairs. I hung up our jackets and we laid down. She curled up next to me I wrapped my arm around her. I pulled the blanket up over us and we passed out in a matter of minutes. > Chapter 14 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up and looked at my phone, it was almost noon. Dash was already gone. There was a note on the nightstand. I picked it up and read it aloud. "Jet. Went to wait in line for cider. I didn't want to wake you. Call me later. Love, Dash." I said as I got out of bed. I used the bathroom and grabbed my jacket. As I was leaving, I slipped my shoes on and flew over to the castle. I entered the doors and was approached by the guards. "State your business." One of them said. "I'm here to see Princess Twilight." I replied. "Very well. She is in the library." He said. I nodded and headed up the stairs. I entered the library and was immediately hit in the head by a book. "Ooh. Sorry." I heard a voice say from the balcony above me. I looked up to see a young dragon with green spines carrying an armful of books. He was wearing a purple hoodie, white T-shirt, and cargo shorts. "It's alright. Have you seen Twilight?" I asked, rubbing my head. "Yea. She's over there." He replied pointing to the desk at the far end of the room. "Thanks." I said as I tossed the book back up to him. "Hey, aren't you the guy that's going out with Rainbow Dash?" He asked. "Yea, why?" I replied. "No reason. Just asking." He said. I shrugged and went over to Twilight. "Hey, Twi." I said as I approached. She turned from her book. "Oh, Jet. I was wondering when you'd show up. Where's Dash?" She asked. "She's out trying to get some cider." I replied. "Let's hope she gets some this time." She said. "Yea, you and me both. So, what'd you find?" I asked. "Oh, right. Spike!" She yelled. There was a crash from somewhere behind us. Then, the dragon from before showed up beside me. "Yea Twilight?" He asked. "Find me 'Equestria's Guide to the Dark Arts', please." She replied as he took off between the book shelves. "So, what was it you found?" I asked. "I'm not entirely sure. It was only half of a page, it looked like someone had ripped the other half out. As if they were trying to keep something hidden." She replied as Spike came back carrying a large leather bound book. He set in on the table. "Thanks, Spike. Why don't you go take a break while Jet and I have a talk." She said. The dragon wasted no time in leaving the room. "Okay, let's see. Where was it?" Twilight muttered to herself as she flipped through the pages. "Aha. Here it is." She said as she handed me the book. I took it and looked at the page she had flagged. > Chapter 15 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a story describing an alicorn that was more evil than anyone that had ever come before. It went on to say that he had murdered his own parents out of pure spite. The page was torn right where it talked about how he had been defeated. "That's interesting. I wonder who would want to erase this part of Equestrian history." I said as I handed the book back to her. "I don't know. I tried to contact Celestia to see is she had a copy of this book, but, she hasn't been answering." She replied. "That's not good. Any answer from Luna?" I asked. "No, she never answers during the day though. That's when she sleeps." She replied. "Well, if they don't answer, we may have to make a trip to Canterlot." I said. "You may be right. Celestia usually answers when I call. I'll keep trying, but if I can't get ahold of her or Luna by morning, we're definitely going up to the castle." She replied. Just then the door banged open and Dash came in. "I don't believe it! Ran out of cider again!" She yelled. Twilight just laughed. "It's not funny! I'm tired of never getting any damn cider!" Dash yelled. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her in a big bear hug. "It's okay, babe." I said. She just gave me an exasperated sigh. "Tell you what. I just finished up here. Let's head over to Sweet Apple Acres and I'll have AJ make a batch just for us." I said. "She won't do it. They only make enough for ten barrels a day." She said. "I don't think she'll turn down money to use on the farm." I said. She just sighed again. "Come on, it's worth a shot. Call me tomorrow if you don't get ahold of the princesses." I said as I pulled Dash out of the room. We exited the castle and headed for the orchard. > Chapter 16 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We arrived after a few minutes and found a guy knocking apples out of a tree. He had dirty blonde hair. He was wearing jeans and a red shirt that had half of a green apple on it. "Hey Big Mac, AJ in the barn?" Dash asked. "Eeyup." He said without turning around. We headed to the barn and walked inside. "But, AJ. Ah'm not a little kid anymore. I can handle stayin' tha night in tha treehouse by mahself fer one night." A young girl was saying as we walked in. She had red hair with a big pink bow in it. She was wearing jeans and a green t-shirt. "Ah said no, Applebloom. Now, quit yer fussin' an' help yer brother with tha apple pickin'." AJ said. Applebloom stomped out of the barn. AJ turned to see us standing there. "Well, howdy guys. How goes tha..." She started. "Let me just stop you right there. We are not getting married yet." I said. "Well, ah was jus' gonna ask how yer day was goin'." She said. "Oh, sorry. I just assumed you were going to ask about us getting married. Everyone else has." I said. "No. Ah was jus' wonderin' how y'all were doin'. If y'all wanna' get married that's y'alls business." She replied. "Well, thank you for your consideration of our private matters." I said. "Ain't no problem. Now, what can ah do fer ya?" She asked. "Well, we were hoping that you could sell us a batch of your cider." I said. "Sorry, y'all jus' gonna' have ta' wait until tomorra's batch." She said. "Told you she wouldn't do it." Dash said. "Hold on, babe. Now, AJ. What if I pay double what you usually sell the barrels for?" I asked. "Are ya' serious?" She replied. "How much do you usually sell the barrels for?" I asked. "A full barrel usually goes for twenty." She said. I pulled out my wallet and opened it. I handed AJ a fifty. "Consider the extra ten a token of my gratitude." I said. "Well, ah'll be right back wit' yer cider." She said as she headed out of the barn. After she left, Applebloom and Big Mac came in. "Can ya' please talk to her, Big Mac? Please." Applebloom was saying. "Nope." Big Mac said as he set two baskets of apple down and began to sort through them. Applebloom looked over to Dash. "Can ya' talk to AJ fer me? Please." She begged. "Sorry, squirt. She already said no. I can't get involved in family matters." Dash said. Defeated, Applebloom trudged out of the barn. AJ came back in carrying a large wooden barrel. She set it down on the ground in front of us. "There ya go." AJ said as she walked over to Big Mac to help sort the apples. "Thanks, AJ." I said as I picked up the barrel and headed out of the barn. > Chapter 17 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I looked over and saw Applebloom sitting outside crying. I looked over at Dash and she shook her head. I raised my eyebrow at her and set the barrel down. I walked over and sat down beside Applebloom and pulled a tissue from my pocket and handed it to her. "Dry those tears and tell uncle Jet what all the fuss is about." I said. She took the tissue and wiped her face. "Me an' the other crusaders wanted ta have a slumber party at our treehouse. But, AJ doesn't think I can handle being by myself for one night. She still thinks ah'm just a baby." She said. "Is that all? Let me go and have a talk with AJ. Sit tight, I'll be right back." I said as I got up. I went back into the barn. "Hey, AJ. Not to butt into other people's business, but, I couldn't help but notice that Applebloom was upset because she couldn't go to her slumber party." I said. AJ turned to me. "Jet, it's not that ah don't want her ta go. It's jus' that we're all to busy with cider season ta keep an eye on tha little tikes." AJ said. "Is that all? Dash and I could do it if you'd like. That way everyone gets what they want." I suggested. "Y'all would do that?" She asked. "Well, yea. After all, you did just sell us a barrel of cider. You didn't have to that." I said. "Well, ah appreciate y'all doing that fer us. Ah better go tell Applebloom tha' good news then." She said. "I'll handle it. You two just keep making that cider." I said as I left the barn. I sat back down next to Applebloom. "Well, I have good news." I said. Applebloom looked up at me with a big grin on her face. "Yeah?" She asked. "You can go to your slumber party. But..." I said. "But?" She asked. "Dash and I have to keep and eye on you girls tonight." I replied. "What?!" Dash and Applebloom said at the same time. Dash pulled me to the side. "Are you crazy? Why are you volunteering me for things?" She asked. "Come on, babe. Do you really want to see a little girl cry?" I asked. She looked over at Applebloom. "Well, no. But, I had plans for us tonight." She said. "What plans?" I asked. "Well, I figured we could get tipsy from this cider and have some fun." She replied. "Wait. Is this alcohol?" I asked. "Of course it is. You don't really think I would get that upset over just apple cider do you?" She asked. I just shrugged. "Well, we can still drink it. It's just keeping three little girls safe for one night." I said. She looked from me to Applebloom. "Alright. But, you owe me a fun evening tomorrow night." She said. "Deal." I replied. "Okay, Applebloom. Here's the deal. You girls can have your slumber party and Dash and I will just sit outside and make sure you three stay safe. That way you girls can have your fun and I can keep my promise to Apple Jack. Deal?" I asked. There was a moment of silence. She jumped up and hugged me. "Thank you Mr. Jet." She said. "No problem kiddo. What time does you slumber party start?" I asked. "Eight." She replied. "Alright. We'll meet you girls here at the farm at around ten till. Okay?" I said. "Okay." She said as she skipped off and went into the house. > Chapter 18 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We headed back to the house and watched TV until seven thirty. We filled up a couple of two liter bottles with the cider and packed them along with two cups and a blanket into Dash's bag and left for the orchard. When we got there, the girls were already waiting for us. "Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo yelled as we landed. She ran over and hugged Dash. "Hey, kiddo. How goes the hunt for your talents?" Dash asked. "Bad. We still haven't figured it out. That's why we're taking the night off and having this sleepover." Scootaloo replied. "We should get going. It's getting late. Wouldn't want to be out after dark. Nightmare Moon might get you." I said. "Please, we know there's no such thing as Nightmare Moon anymore." Sweetie Belle said. "He's right though, we should get going." Scootaloo said. They led us into the orchard. After a few minutes of walking, we came to a small treehouse with pinkish walls, shutters and a small yellow balcony with a wooden walkway leading up to it. "Here we are." Applebloom said. "Well, let's get settled in girls." Sweetie Belle said. They ran into the treehouse giggling. Dash and I walked up the walkway and sat down outside the treehouse and leaned against the wall. She pulled her bag off her shoulder and unzipped it. She took out the glasses and the cider. She poured some into the glasses and handed me one. "You know. It's not the evening I had planned, but, it's still going to be fun because we're together." She said as she leaned against me. "Yep. Even if it was the dead of winter, as long you're by my side, I couldn't be happier." I replied as I took a drink from my glass. We sat there drinking and stared at the stars for hours listening to the girls laugh and carry on. Eventually, it got quiet inside the treehouse. "Sounds like they're out. Ready to have some fun?" Dash asked. "What so you mean?" I replied as she pulled me into a kiss and straddled my hips. I pulled away from her. "Woah. They're literally right on the other side of this wall." I said. "Come on. That only makes doing it here like, twenty percent cooler." She replied. "I don't know about this. What if they wake up and look outside to find us doing this?" I asked. "Shh. Just go with it." She replied as she kissed me again. "But..." I started and was cut off as she kissed me again. I gave up and let her have her way. We made love right there outside the treehouse and passed out shortly after. > Chapter 19 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was awoken by a sharp gasp. I looked up to see AJ standing over us. I blinked a few times before realizing what she was gasping about. Dash was still passed out on top of me and the bottle of cider was emptied by our side. I shook her awake. "Mm. Just five more minutes." She groaned. "I don't think we have that long." I said as I shook her harder. "Can't this wait?" She said as she opened her eyes and looked up. "Eep!" She squealed as she saw AJ standing there. "Well, now. Great job watchin' tha' girls. Please tell me y'all at least waited 'til they was asleep." She said. Dash nodded as she pulled her panties back up. I cleared my throat. "They're not up yet are they?" I asked. "No. Good thing too." AJ replied. "Sorry. This wasn't part of the original plan." I said. "It's fine. As long as tha' girls didn't see anythin'. Ah know how the cider can make yer head swim." AJ said. I pulled my phone out and checked the time. It was almost ten o'clock. I stood up and my pants fell down. AJ looked down and blushed. "Oops. Sorry." I said as I pulled my pants back up. "That's alright sugahcube. Yer real lucky there Dash." AJ said. "Hey, keep your eyes to yourself." Dash said. "It's fine, babe." I said. She just gave me an angry look. "Anyway. We should be going." I said as I packed up our glasses and the blanket. "Thanks fer keepin' an eye on tha' girls fer me." AJ said as we headed down the walkway. I dialed Twilight on my phone. "Hello?" She answered sleepily. "Did you hear from the princesses?" I asked. "No. I was about to get up and head to the castle." She said. "We'll meet you there." I said as I hung up. "Come on. Let's drop off this bag. We've got to get to Canterlot." I said as we flew toward the house. We quickly dropped the bag inside the door and headed toward the castle. "So, what's in Canterlot?" Dash asked. "Twilight thinks something's wrong with the princesses. Neither one of them have been answering Twilight's calls." I said as we approached the castle. We landed next Twilight who was pacing back and forth. "What's the matter Twilight?" I asked. "That!" She said pointing to the castle doors. > Chapter 20 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I looked up to see that the doors were covered in some kind of green slime. "What is that stuff?" I asked. "I think it might be the work of the changeling queen." She said. "Her? But, I thought you guys defeated her at Candence's wedding." I said. "We did. But, I guess she came back. We have to find a way through this crap, or the kingdom is doomed." She said. "I got this." I said as I drew my sword and slashed through the slime. "There we go." I said. We pushed the door open and went inside. The halls were eerily quiet. "Where do you think everyone is?" I asked. "Knowing that bitch, she's probably got everyone cocooned somewhere." Dash said. We continued on into the throne room. I looked up to see two cocoons made of the same green slime. I flew up and sliced them open. The princesses fell to the ground gasping for air. "Are you okay?" Twilight asked as she ran over to them. "It's... a... trap." Celestia gasped. Just then, a flash of black came from behind me and sliced my side open. I fell to the ground in pain. "Gah!" I screamed as I looked up to see an... 'alicorn'? She has a twisted looking horn and torn dragonfly looking wings. She had long teal hair and was wearing a tattered black and green dress. "Now that I have all three Canterlot princesses, I can take over this pitiful city and no one can stop me." She said. "I can still stop you." I said as I tried to get up, only to be brought back to my knees. I was supporting myself with my sword. "Puh-lease. My poison is already taking effect. Soon, you won't even be able to breath. You will die a slow and painful death." She said. I looked over to Dash and gave her a look that said, 'Run!'. She did just the opposite. "Chrsyalis! You're going to die for that!" Dash said as she charged the changeling queen. Chrysalis caught her by the neck and threw her back across the room. She landed a few feet from me. She walked over and stuck her foot on Dash's throat then looked at me. I struggled to turn my head to look, I could feel my whole body seizing up on me. "How about before my poison kills you, I make you watch as I kill your beloved girlfriend." She said. I saw Dash cringe in pain as Chrysalis put more pressure on Dash's neck. I was helpless. All I could do was watch as she slowly crushed Dash's wind pipe. "Jet, help." She managed to croak out as Chrysalis kept putting more and more pressure. I felt my adrenaline kick in. I stood up, ignoring the pain in my side and turned to face her. She didn't even notice, she was too busy focusing on Dash. With all the strength I could muster, I raised my sword above my head. "Hey... bitch. I think... you need... some aspirin." I said as I brought my sword down with full force on her head. She turned just in time to see her sealed fate. As soon as the blade made contact, there was a blast of light and a shock wave that threw me into the wall. I blacked out. > Chapter 21 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I awoke in a hospital bed. I looked over to see Dash slouched down asleep in a chair beside me. On my other side was a table with flowers and balloon sitting on it. I sat up and cringed at the pain in my side. Dash opened her eyes and sat up. A smile spread across her face as she saw me awake. She hopped up and helped me. "You should try not to move so much. You're like, fifty percent bandages right now." She said. "Funny. How long was I out?" I asked. "About two days." She said. "Wow. I feel like I've been hit by a bag of bricks." I said. "You're lucky that's all that's wrong. The doctors didn't think you'd recover from Chrysalis's poison." She said. "Pssh. It takes more than a little bit of poison to kill this pegasus. What happened after I blacked out?" I asked. "Well, after the flash of light, there was just a charred spot on the ground where she had been standing. Then, we rushed to the Canterlot hospital for treatment." She replied. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Yes. I'm fine. Just a bruise on my neck is all." She said. I noticed my jacket hanging on my bed post. I reached into the pocket and pulled out the black box Luna had given me. I rolled it around in my hand. "What's that?" Dash asked. "It's a present from Luna." I said as I mustered my courage. "Dash. I realized something that day. If we're ever in another life threatening situation, I'd like it to be with you as my..." I paused as I opened the box for her to see its contents. "... my wife." I finished. At first she just stared at the ring with a surprised look on her face. I started to get worried. She slowly took the ring and slid it on her finger. A huge smile spread over her face as she pulled me in for a kiss. "Gah! Easy." I said as she pressed a little hard on my bandages. "So, that's a yes?" I asked. "Well, duh. What was I going to do? Say no? You've saved my life, twice." She replied. There was a gasp from the doorway. "I knew you two were getting married." Pinkie said. "Yes, Pinkie. We are. So, go spread the word. Also, have Rarity come by. I need to talk to her." I said as Pinkie hopped away. "You should help her plan it. Make sure she doesn't go overboard." I said. "What about you?" She asked. "I'll be fine. Give me about a week to recover. Then, we'll tie the knot." I said as I pulled her in for another kiss. She left to go after Pinkie. I wasn't feeling well, so I went back to sleep. I woke up the next day just as Rarity was coming into the room. "Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you Darling." She said. "No, it's fine. I can't sleep all the time anyway." I said. "What did you want to talk to me about?" She asked. I pulled my sword over and handed her the sheath. It was made of a black almost leather material. "Do you think you can replicate this material and make my tux out of this?" I asked. She took it and studied the material. "Hmm. It'll be tough, but I think I can, darling. What's so special about this material to have it as your tux?" She asked. "Just a little precaution. Nothing to worry yourself with." I said. She just shrugged. "Will you be better in time for the wedding next week?" She asked. "Of course. I'm not going to miss my own wedding. Besides, I heal quickly." I said. "Marvelous, darling. I will see you there then." She said as she left. The rest of the week went by quickly. > Epilogue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I was dismissed from the hospital the day of the wedding. There was a carriage waiting outside to take me to it. I arrived at the castle and was greeted by Rarity. "Hurry, darling. We need to get you dressed." She said as she pushed me into a dressing room. The tux was hanging there waiting for me. I changed quickly and exited the room. "You look marvelous, darling. Now, come on. Your bride awaits." She said as she pushed me to the edge of a walkway, leading out to the royal garden. I walked to the end and took my place. Since I didn't get to pick my groomsmen, Dash had gotten Big Mac and Spike to fill the spot. As her bridesmaids, she had chosen Twilight and AJ. The music started to play and Dash came out onto the walkway. She looked stunning in Rarity's dress. She was followed by Applebloom and Sweetie Belle as the flower girls, and Scootaloo as the ring bearer. Once she joined me at the end of the walkway, Celestia came out to preside over us. She began reciting the typical marriage vows. I could see Dash's face through the veil and I got lost in her beautiful magenta eyes. "Jet?" Celestia asked. "Oh, uh, I do." I said. "Very good. Do you Rainbow Dash, take Jet Stream to be your lawfully wedded husband..." Celestia started. "Yeah, yeah. I do." Dash interrupted. "Very good. May we have the rings?" Celestia asked. Scootaloo came up and held the rings up to us. I took the silver and gold ring with a rainbow colored diamond and slipped it onto her finger. She took the other ring, a plain silver wedding band and slipped it onto my finger. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Celestia said as I lifted Dash's veil and kissed her. We walked down the aisle and as we got to the end, one of the guards stepped out in front of us. He had a vacant stare on his face and was wielding a shotgun. "You were supposed to die before you ever got to Ponyville." The guard said in a deep and echoing male voice. "Stand down this instant!" Celestia ordered. "You cannot tell me what to do anymore, sister dear. And as for you. You continue to meddle in my affairs, now I will take the one thing you love." He said as he aimed the gun at Dash. I pushed her out of the way just he pulled the trigger. I was knocked to the ground. I stood back up just as the guard was tackled by his friend at the other side of the doorway. I looked around but there was no sign of Dash. Where she should have landed, there was only a charred mark on the red rug. "I told you I would take what you love. That'll teach you to mess in the affairs of others. You will never find your beloved Rainbow Dash now." The guard said as he just went unconscious. There was a disembodied laugh echoing through the castle. It boomed and bounced around, seeming to come from everywhere. "Did anyone see what happened to her?" I asked. Everyone just shook their heads. I collapsed to my knees and threw my arms up. "NOOOOOOOO!" I screamed. The sound echoed off the walls of the courtyard.