“Forever?” Jonathan Apple asked.
“Forever,” Blue Skies replied.
Jonathan chuckled. The old tawny coloured earth pony turned to look at his sky blue pegasus wife. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
Blue narrowed her eyes at the sky, challenging the expanse with a glare. “Nah, forever. I’m not losing you to something as lame as time.”
“Maybe apple pie.”
“... Maybe,” Blue relented. “But, you are a very close second!” She added.
He laughed, slapping the the grass underneath them with a withered hoof. A breeze blew through the meadow, shifting the dappled light overhead.
“Well, I can’t be too mad. My apple pie is delicious.” Blue eyed Johnathan’s rear, then waggled her eyebrows. He released a guffaw. “We’re too old for that nonsense, Blue.”
“Age is just a number, babe,” Blue countered.
“And functional hips are a requirement.”
“You’re no fun, John.”
“No, I’m just old.”
Blue maneuvered herself on top of Johnathan. She nestled her head into his chest. Vivid green eyes peered back at him from the bush of his fur.
“At least, we can still cuddle,” Blue said.
“Its the only thing we do!” Jonathan laughed, wheezing slightly from Blue’s weight against his chest.
“It very important.”
“It is. Can’t skip our daily cuddles.”
She nodded. Jonathan stroked her mane as she dozed off. A frown mared his face as a nagging thought came to mind.
“Do you mean it?” Jonathan asked.
“Mean what?” Blue mumbled.
“Forever?”
Blue scooted up and pressed her snout to his.
“We could live a thousand lifetimes, and I would still choose you,” Blue said.
“... I didn’t take you for a romantic.”
“With you? Always.”
She kissed him. He kissed her back. Two lovers near the end, entwined.
“Hey, gorgeous, how you doin’?” A raspy voice greeted.
Rome Apple, a tawny coloured earth pony, sighed. She turned to glare at the crass newcomer, but came up short as she took in the large sky blue pegasus mare.
She stared into the mare’s green eyes. They were familiar. Echoes of the past asserted themselves, followed by recognition.
“Blue?!” Rome exclaimed.
The mare pressed her snout to hers. Any doubts Rome had vanished in that moment. In the busy heart of industrial Fillydelphia, Rome had been reunited with the love her former, and, hopefully, present life.
“Found you,” Blue said.
She laughed through a sudden burst of tears. “You did, you mad mare.”
“Only you would cry this much when you’re happy, John.” She pulled back, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Though, wasn’t expecting you to be a mare.”
Rome huffed. “Neither did I. Quite the shock when my memories filtered in.”
“Well, I definitely love the new look. So—” Blue stuck out her hoof “—I’m Roaring Skies. What name does the lovely lady go by?”
She shook the offered hoof. “Rome Apple. And if you would like to see this lovely lady more, you’ll do well to woo her properly.”
“You want me to first date you all over again?”
“Yes. Johnathan may have been left swooning, but Rome is frankly affronted by this crass mare before her.” She smiled coyly. “If you want me, you’ll have to get me to fall in love with you all over again.”
Roaring’s body puffed up, joy radiating from her face. She smiled widely, adoration in her gaze.
“I accept the challenge,” Roaring said.
“You’re really keeping to that promise, huh?” Fuji Apple remarked, a cabaret owner meeting an interested buyer.
“When I make a promise, I mean it,” Hurricane Skies answered, a stallion this time and, coincidentally, said interested buyer.
“I admit that it’s strange to see you like this.”
“Good strange or bad strange?”
“Strange.” She brushed her lips along his neck. He shivered, desire sparked in his eyes. She never got tired of getting him worked up. “It’s still you. I don’t care what equipment you bring, just that you’re here. You know I'd always choose you.”
His wings fluttered restlessly at his side. Heat coloured his cheeks. She would have him begging her to let him take her soon. Exactly as planned.
“... I do too,” Hurricane answered. He frowned. “What if… you aren’t there?”
Concern flooded her. “Have you lived through a lifetime without me?”
“... I felt very alone,” He whispered.
She pressed her snout to his. His wings wrapped around her. She wiped away tears out of the corner of his eye.
“Then make the best of it. Even if I’m not there, that’s no excuse to waste your life away.”
He nodded. They stayed together for a long while after, embracing.
Empire Apple held her husband close. She loved him. She did. She was content. She was.
But he wasn’t Skies.
No matter how well her life was here, it couldn’t fill the void that filled her heart. It had been too many loops, too many lonely lifetimes. She needed him, but he wasn’t there.
She prayed to whoever had given her this blessing and curse that it wouldn’t remain this way.
Braeburn Apple paced the corridor of the Cloudsdale Wonderbolt Arena. It had taken a lot to get him there. All for an inkling off of a poster that had quickly turned to a gut instinct when he’d caught his eye during the show. It might not be him. He couldn’t be sure, not until they met. Even if it was him, that didn’t mean Skies would want to be with him again. He could have moved on, decided not to find him again.
It would hurt if that was the case, but another lifetime without him, another lifetime alone, was too much. Even if he refused, at least—
His thoughts were interrupted by rough kiss on the mouth and wings wrapping tightly around him.
Tears pricked the corner of Braeburn’s eyes as he held Soarin close. “Still forever?” He croaked out.
“Always.” Soarin pressed his snout against his lover’s. “I told you, Apple, forever, always.”
He kissed him again. He kissed him back. Two lovers, finally entwined again.
