A/N: This story is a proper ending to the series that is a 1000x more uplifting then how it usually ends for this couple when I write them. It's a bit darker and SA is def underhanded with his affections so it's a Mature story. It's also a family piece and you see QC/SA get their happy ending. Enjoy and I'll let you know when it's about to get raunchy.
Summary: Shining Armor had been a fool to let her go that last time, but this time would be different. He would haunt her the way she haunted him, and by the end of it, she would be begging to have him back in her life.
Is it possible to have a third chance at love?
Shining armor ducked around the corner following the earth pony known as Amber stone.
It was easy to blend in the crowd as the small town of Ponyville was full of happy denizens going about their normal day. Still, years in the military had taught him a thing or two about being cautious and staying undetected. He kept his distance keeping his eye on her every move, a feat that was as rewarding as it was laborious.
His eyes darkened as he swallowed a groan watching her hips sway coquettishly as she went about her day unaware of her audience. Swallowing his desire, Shining Armor knew he had to be careful lest he give his position away.
She was probably on her way to pick up her daughter from the local foal school. Gemma was a very bright girl. Why she sent her there he'd never understand. At the thought of the cloud colored filly, he couldn't help but grin. She truly was a joy to be around. She was shy but fiercely loyal. There wasn't a mean spirited bone in her body and he wondered how someone so innocent could be the daughter of the duplicitous mare. Ever since he saw her at the store, his mind had been a mess. It was her, his heart knew.
Stopping through the busy town market, he paused as she stopped at a fruit stand surveying the stock a farmer had laid out. Her feminine features seemed thoughtful as the mare considered the fruits in front of her. A sandy colored mare with a mane the color of mahogany, Amber's eyes flickered between a crate of peaches and a crate of blueberries.
Blueberries, he thought. Gemma loves blueberry lemonade.
Despite not being able to hear what she was saying, he could tell she was haggling for a price by the way she fluttered her eyelashes and shifted her body, leaning closer, if not suggestively, into the stand keeper's space. Cerulean eyes narrowed as he watched the other pony blush and splutter as his mark weaved her spell about him.
Part of him wanted to make his move and ruin her on the spot while another part of him liked to see this side of her. Amber Stone looked honest enough, but Shining Armor knew that the sweet accent and even those big brown ingénue eyes of hers were all a lie.
There was nothing wholesome or proper about the mare and he couldn't wait to expose her for what she was.
Amber Stone loved her daughter. As she placed a bag of blueberries in her satchel, she smiled coyly at the stand-keeper one last time. Making her movements as deft as she could, she spun around to throw a wave over her shoulder as she walked away from his stand with that sway in her hips.
Stallions were so easy to manipulate she thought as she continued down an alleyway. Years ago she had taken great pride in her abilities, now it was just something she did. Times had definitely changed. And thanks to her daughter, so had she.
Speaking of said pony, her mind turned to the blueberries in her satchel.
Gemma loved blueberry lemonade. With a bowl of lemons sitting on her kitchen table, all she needed were the sweet and tart little berries to make her little one happy. Her daughter had one of the biggest hearts she'd ever seen and sometimes she could only stand in awe of the sweet filly. It wasn't something she'd got from her.
How had she gotten so lucky? Anyone in Ponyville could attest to the panache that was Amber Stone. Her expression was angelic, but her eyes said otherwise. They only warmed at the sight of her daughter.
Normally she was always on guard, but today's labor had been so long and all she could think of was foal school and bath time. Though her orchard was nowhere as big as Apple Farm Acres, she did grow a variety of fruits that she maintained alone. Even with a cutie mark that depicted a blooming fruit tree, it was not her ideal job. It simply put food on the table.
Just as she was about to exit the alleyway, she felt the telltale fingers of unicorn magic before being slammed in to a little entryway still obscured in the alley. Wincing as her body made contact with wall, she gasped when another body swallowed her form and magically bound her mouth.
Shining Armor smirked as he held tightly to the mare. Despite her no longer being able to truly articulate herself, he had no problems muttering dark promises into her ear. "I know who you are," he almost growled, "and I'm going to ruin you for it."
She whimpered into her magical gag as she felt the seriousness of his threat. "Amber Stone..." he mocked. "What a quaint name, and such a lovely mare." She shuttered as she felt one of his hooves move across her form.
"What's wrong?" He cooed. "You seemed to like that shopkeeper's attention." He chuckled darkly when she shook her head with wide pleading eyes. "My attention not what you want?"
Shining Armor could feel her tremble against him and instead of being disgusted by his own harsh tactics, he found he was pleased by her reaction. Patience, a voice seemed to whisper. In due time he would punish her for her misgivings, but not right now. Her daughter was waiting, and Gemma didn't deserve to have her illusion of her mother shattered just yet.
Next time, he thought with an aching of his own.
"Watch yourself," the stallion growled before teleporting away leaving her breathless and nervous. Glancing around wildly, Amber wasted no time exiting the alley.
The two moved through town as they did every day. Amber stared dutifully ahead while Gemma looked around waving at ponies as she passed. She really liked Ponyville, unlike her mother who merely tolerated the town.
While normally Gemma was a whirlwind of words after school, today she was quietly concerned. She didn't know how, but for the first time in a while her mother was uneasy.
She could feel it as the emotions were much too defined to be hers. Frankly, they made her uncomfortable and the small filly wanted them to stop.
"Mama," she trailed unsurely. "Are you alright?"
Amber halted and looked down into concerned cerulean eyes. Her heart lurched as her expression softened. She didn't like lying to Gemma as her daughter's latent abilities made such a feat damn near impossible. It was always easier to redirect her interest.
"I..."
"You can't lie to me, remember." She reminded seriously. The first time she could recall her mother outright lie, she remembered being oddly sad. The other pony truly believed her and that had been the worst part. It made her see her mother in a different light.
Somehow her mother knew of her disdain despite her trying to hide it. Amber was sad for days and the little filly felt horrible. The two had a long talk about the word and why it was important to be honest with each other.
Amber shot the filly a scowl to which her daughter giggled.
"I ran into an old friend today."
"You have friends?"
"Petty aren't we Jewels..." The little girl giggled which made her mother smile. "I used to have friends."
"Oh." It was all her mother would disclose, she knew, but at least it was something. True Gemma herself had very few friends. Talcum Powder was a boy in her class whom she liked to talk and play with. The others were nice enough, but she preferred the company of the dreamy introvert over her more boisterous classmates. Her only other friend was the mare in charge of the library. But then again Twilight Sparkle was nice to everyone. Her mother hated the library with a passion. Or at least she seemed to harbor a private contempt for its keeper.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Gemma blinked realizing they were now outside of town and on the path to their humble cottage and farm. She wished she really knew who her mother was. Nothing except her love for her seemed real. She loved her too, sweet Celestia she did, but Amber Stone kept everyone at arms-length- daughter included. "No ma'am," she spoke with her eyes on the ground ashamed of her thoughts. It wasn't as if her curiousness would be rewarded.
Amber frowned and the two continued on in silence.
When Shining Armor first made the decision to stay in Ponyville, he'd occupied a room in his sister's library. Now that he had his own home in town, he seldom visited Equestria's newest princess. If anything it was more because of how busy she was. Lately, however, it wouldn't have mattered as he'd been much more pre-occupied with his own plans.
He lay on his bed with his forelegs folded beneath his head as he stared up at the ceiling. His eyes sparkled as his face still held that smirk from earlier.
Amber Stone… What a fitting name for such a form. It had been a while since he held a mare, let alone 'the mare that got away.' And the way she fit against him was enough to make his body twitch as he remembered sensual nights and hot baths.
Shining Armor wondered if she was thinking about him.
Touching herself as she remembered their relationship.
All of their relationships.
Chuckling to himself, Shining Armor realized how twisted he truly was when it came to her. He had known her at different times as different ponies and he had loved them all. Loved them fiercely and yet hated her just as passionately.
Chrystal Emerald was his first love. Strong, demanding and despite her selfishness there was a pure heart underneath all of her bravado. He had wanted her so badly then and when she finally conceded to him, gave in to what she also wanted, it marked them both in ways they could never hope to recover from. At least until he forgot. He snorted.
Cadance… Or at least who he thought was Cadance. The thought made him laugh. Shining Armor had fallen in love with a dream then. A female vision wrapped in sensuality and ambition. Temptation and fantasy had played them both for fools. Her only flaw had been she loved him too much. And he had fallen prey to her enticements instead of seeing her for what or who she was. It had hurt at the time, but could he really be held accountable? He had fallen for her once before, after all.
And finally, there was the disgraced Changeling Queen, Queen Chrysalis. Broken in both body and spirit. He had hurt her then. Hurt her for all the pain and suffering she had inflicted upon them both. Even at her lowest she still had claim to him. And he had hated it. Hated her, despite the overwhelming desire he felt for her. There was a whole lifetime Shining Armor had begun to remember and deny. The night he took her in anger, all of his fears had been confirmed. He still loved her despite such a sentiment equating to something like treason.
Shining Armor let his mind wander over his tumultuous love-life a bit longer before his thoughts once again turned to his newest conquest.
He had been a fool to let her go that last time, but this time would be different. Torture had never sounded so satisfying. He would haunt her the way she haunted him and by the end of it she would be begging to have him back in her life.
As Amber relaxed in a steaming cauldron after enjoying a satisfying dinner and treat with her daughter, She couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the day's event. The alleyway incident in particular.
She closed her eyes as she remembered Shining Armor's voice in her ear.
Low… Thick… Dangerous even.
For as long as she'd known him, she'd never heard him speak like that.
Oh she'd heard his tone distorted and heavy with lust, but never had he sounded so dark. It scared her. Terrified her really. Did he really wish to hurt her? Words can say one thing, but emotions don't lie and he had wanted her in the alleyway. Her shock and fear had not only pleased him, but he had become excited by it.
Part of her was incensed at his nerve while another part of her burned at the feel of him so close. It really had been too long.
Amber thought all her feelings for him had died, replaced by her devotion to her daughter. And then there had been that moment at the store when she saw him and Gemma, she honestly hadn't known how to react. She hoped to never run into him again after that, but lately it seemed he was everywhere.
She shifted in the water allowing the sweet smell of blossoms and the calming smell of lavender to flood her senses. Sighing, Amber let her thoughts drift as the hot temperature of the water relaxed tight muscles.
Settling in Ponyville had been an odd choice, but she honestly hadn't known Twilight lived there or that Shining Armor would one day decide to live there as well. She had simply settled where she had a home. She'd even tended Pa Herbert's grave clearing it of weeds and vines, and leaving fresh flowers on it weekly.
Brown irises burned green as she opened her eyes sinking deeper into the tub. Shining Armor was a fool she thought angrily as her eyes returned to Amber's earthy hue. How dare he accost her so roughly as if he hadn't been the one to turn her away. "Blockhead," she muttered as she calmed not wanting to disturb her daughter from sleep. Gemma may not have looked like her, but she definitely had picked up some of her latent abilities.
Calming, Amber's eyes drifted close once again as she relaxed. Her thoughts again traveled as she remembered his scent and the warmth of having another body pressed so tightly against her own. Resting her head against the bath's edge, she bit her lip as she relived the feel of his hoof traveling her body.
She almost moaned his name as she felt him doing things that were improper for an alleyway. When she finally regained control of herself, she opened her eyes to see one of her forelegs had changed in size in appearance.
She was annoyed to find that it was masculine and snow white.
