The it - I'm glad you've stuck with it, and I hope the new content was worth the long wait!
A/N - Hi there everycreature! Not an insane amount to report on this update, so I'll keep this short. I hope everyone's been well, and I hope you're enjoying the new chapters!
Almost as though my words carried a grain of prophecy to them, Applebloom did indeed calm down before we reached my home. She had even begun to chat with her sister, becoming more excited as she spoke of her favorite topic, her adventures with the Cutiemark Crusaders. Or rather, her adventures with Sweetie Belle and occasionally Scootaloo, as the latter had a significant amount of her time taken up lately with waiting for me to get out of the hospital. Fortunately, this latest trip had been less urgent than many of the others, which gave the feisty little Pegasus filly more time to spend with her friends, and less worrying about her Papa. I had also stayed in the local clinic in Ponyville, rather than being stuck clear out in Canterlot.
Right as we started up the path that led to my front door, a blur of rainbow colors streaked down from on high. My last encounter with such a phenomenon had me physically resisting the urge to duck and cover, as I was fairly certain that Rainbow Dash was, in fact, not about to pelt me with another melon. At least, that was what my conscious mind was telling my subconscious. Though while I was relatively confident that a melon-shaped missile wasn't inbound, I couldn't necessarily speak for any other sort of fruit or vegetable.
My lovely, country marefriend and her younger sister looked at each other as they noted their friend's approach, and paused to watch the rainbow blur zip down in between us and stop. "Heya Applejack, heya 'Bloom. Would you mind if I talked to Blake for just a minute? I promise I'll have him back to you in ten seconds flat."
Both sisters frowned almost in unison at the brash Pegasus' intrusion, but Applejack let out a low sigh as she saw her friend cringe. "Alright, Sugarcube. But don't keep 'im too long." I could tell that the lovely farm mare wanted to say more, though she had apparently decided against it.
Thankfully, my Southern Belle turned and ushered her little sister into the house, though I couldn't help but notice the way that Applebloom puffed her cheeks out in annoyance as she allowed herself to be led off. Once the two were inside, I turned back to my rainbow-maned friend and crossed my arms over my chest. "Alright Dash, you've got me, out in the cold, dark night. What's up?" I had to wonder why she decided to talk with me out here instead of inside, where it was significantly warmer, and while we both were likely equally tired of being out in the cold.
A rather embarrassed grin crossed the cute flier's features briefly, and she looked down at the snow beneath her for a moment as she hovered in the frigid air. "I uh… wanted to apologize." After another moment of silence, she looked back up to me. "Not just for roping you into that prank without telling you what was up, but for all the things I did before too. I know I apologized for all that stuff already, but I still feel bad for it, and I wanted you to know how- Mmph!" I interrupted Dash's apology by placing two fingers on her lips, causing those bright, magenta eyes to look up into mine.
Those eyes were met with a smile as I returned her gaze. "Dash, it's ok. I promise I'm not mad, and I promise I don't blame you for what happened." My hand shifted, and caressed her cheek with a gentle touch that she leaned into with something of a dreamy expression. "As for the prank… I admit that I wish you'd told me about your plan before we went off and nearly shattered the laws of the universe as we know them. But besides that, it was still pretty awesome. I think you'll have trouble topping that, at least in terms of how zany things got."
As I spoke, I continued to caress Dash's cheek with my hand, an act that she clearly enjoyed as she continued to lean into the gentle touch with a goofy smile on her face, eyes dazed and unfocused. Despite that, it seemed she had been listening to me, as the ariel ace grinned and looked up at me as I finished speaking, her lovely eyes coming back into focus as she began to speak as well. "Thanks Blake, that means a lot to me. You're a really good friend, and I've been feeling really bad about the things I did and said. You've had enough going on without adding me into the mix." With that, she flew up and kissed my cheek. "But, you said we were cool, so there's no use dwelling on it. You forgave me, so now I'm going to forgive myself." I was glad to see some of the old Rainbow Dash coming back and showing herself. It was sad to see the normally confident and cheerful mare acting so… downtrodden.
I could see that Rainbow was about to turn and fly away, likely to head off home to warm up, but I had another idea. Reaching out, I grabbed my friend oh-so-gently by one of her blue-furred wrists, and pulled her in close to me. Before she could protest, or do anything more than let out an adorable squeak of surprise, I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers, kissing the mare deeply. A muffled grunt of protest died in her throat before it could even be given voice, and I could feel that athletic body of hers almost literally melt in my embrace as she began to eagerly kiss me back. Had I not already known how the brash Pegasus felt about me, I would never have even thought to try something so bold and invasive, but I did know how she felt, and had a very good idea that she would accept the gesture.
As quickly as the tender, emotional kiss had begun, it ended, with the colorful athlete pulling back and panting softly. She was quiet for a long moment before speaking. "W-wow…" She remarked, that cute face once more a mask of dreamy wonder, even as it glowed beet red in the darkness of the winter evening. It took only a moment for her to snap back to reality, however. "I-I uh… That was… I don't even know what to say. I feel like that one kiss just made everything all better!" Even as she spoke, Rainbow Dash flitted about in front of me, embarrassed and confused, and possibly even a little aroused by what had just happened, given her history with interacting with me.
Her words caused me to chuckle softly, and I stepped back to give my flying friend some space. "That was what I was hoping for, Dash. I couldn't think of words to get across my full feelings, so I tried something new." The Pegasus mare stopped her agitated flying and looked at me. "I know you still need time, but I wanted you to know I was being honest with what I said before, both about forgiving you… as well as being happy to have you as part of the herd. When you accept the offer, that is."
It seemed to take a moment for this statement to sink in with my energetic friend, but when it did, she smiled surprisingly somberly at me. "Thanks Blake, that means a lot." With that, she flew up and kissed me on the cheek, then turned and began to fly off, though I didn't try to stop her this time as she headed in the direction of her cloud home. "I still need to think this through, but I promise I won't keep you waiting. I want more of those awesome kisses!" She called back over her shoulder as she headed off into the cold of the night.
Her words made me chuckle softly, and I couldn't help but shake my head lightly as I turned and made my way inside, the powdery snow crunching beneath my booted feet in that strange, drawn-out way that fresh snow always seemed to. Once I passed through the doorway, into the glorious warmth of my own home, my sanctuary, I saw that my girls, or at least three of them, as Twilight was likely still sleeping, were gathered around a merrily burning fire as it crackled away in the hearth. It appeared as though Luna, Applejack and Derpy, along with Scootaloo and Applebloom, were all playing a board game together, with Scoots laying on the floor next to Luna while 'Bloom did much the same beside her big sister.
Even as I hung my warm, knit cap on the coat rack beside the door, Luna and Scootaloo stood and trotted over to greet me, both wearing broad smiles. "Hello, my love. I trust you had a good time at your party this evening?"
My coat came off as she asked the question, being hung on the rack with my hat once the cold, fabric shell was free of my body. After that I leaned down and scooped up a giggling Scootaloo into my arms, holding her close to me. "Your hands are cold, Papa!" She exclaimed as she began to wiggle around in my grasp. "You should come over by the fire and warm up!" I loved just how excited and happy my little filly sounded whenever she got to spend time with me, especially since the feeling was mutual.
I smiled warmly at the welcome I was given, and at my Lunar lover as I allowed Scoots to climb up onto her favorite perch on my shoulders, where it was a little warmer. "I did." Came the answer to Luna's query. "We had a small… mishap involving Pinkie, but Twilight and I managed to get things straightened out fairly quickly." I decided to leave out Nightmare Moon's part for now, having a guess as to how her counterpart might react.
The lovely Princess of the Night returned my smile and reared up on her hind hooves, placing the front on my chest as she leaned in for a kiss, causing Scootaloo to protest. "I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your night, dear one." She remarked, then hopped down. "Though I have another question that I fear may somber the mood."
A few ideas formed in my mind as to what she could want to ask me, but I knew better than to spend too much effort in speculating. "What is it, Lulu?" I asked, crouching down so that I was more on my lovely marefriend's level.
A soft, yet deeply emotional sigh escaped my lover's lips, and she looked away from me briefly. "Do you remember the tradition I told you of some time ago? The one involving the release of the snowflakes?"
It took me a moment to remember what she was talking about, but when I did, my eyes went wide with guilt and my heart filled with a fear that I had let Luna down. "Oh no… I didn't miss that, did I?" I asked, suddenly crestfallen. I had a good idea of how important that ceremony was to Luna.
Fortunately, my worries were quickly put to rest by my lovely Princess. "No my love, you did not miss it." She stated with a kind look in her eye as she gently shook her head. "My sister always ensures that the snow in Canterlot is the last to fall, so that no matter where the snowflake she releases may roam, it will remain intact until the spring. However, time is short, as the ceremony is to take place the day after tomorrow."
I let out a sigh of my own at that news, though my own was one of relief. Before I could speak however, Applejack interjected. "Are y'all talkin 'bout tha thing Princess Celestia does every year, where she sends up one o' them snowflakes that pony from a long time ago made?" Luna gave her a nod in the affirmative. "Would ya mind if'n me and 'Bloom came along ta see it too? Ah heard there ain't gonna be no more after this year, and Ah wanted ta take Applebloom ta see it at least once b'fore it was all over."
Applejack had hardly finished speaking when Luna slowly trotted up to her. "Dear Applejack, of course you may both come. The Winter Snowfall Festival is for all ponies to experience, not just those of rank, living in Canterlot." She gave the country mare a warm smile. "As a matter of fact, I had intended to invite yourself and all of your friends to attend as well. But… given recent events, the thought admittedly slipped my mind."
Applejack chuckled softly in that endearing way of hers and rubbed one leg with the opposite hoof. "Ah s'pose ya got a point there." She remarked after a moment. "Ah sure would appreciate bein' able ta go up and see that with Bloom, at least once." I knew enough about Applejack's past to know that the upcoming Celebration would likely be an especially somber event for her.
Not wanting the current mood to continue on its current, downward trend, I shifted around the two mares and sat by the blessedly warm fire, next to Derpy. "It sounds to me like it's settled. Assuming that everypony can make the time, we can all pack and leave tomorrow, that way we have time to get to Canterlot and get situated. For now, why don't you girls continue your game, and then maybe I can join in on the next round?"
My observations seemed to have the desired effect, as both Luna and Applejack gave me warm smiles, though I had a feeling that only Luna guessed my underlying motives. With a gesture to her Southern Belle of a herdmate, Luna trotted back to the game board, the two of them taking up positions close to me, with Luna sitting on the other side of Derpy while Applejack sat on my open side. Scoots and Dinky, predictably, clambered into my lap and made themselves quite comfortable.
After a few games, and a bit of pleasant conversation, everyone began to filter off to bed, though Applejack and her sister went off to spend a little sisterly time together outside, probably to talk in private and maybe, knowing those two, get into a snowball fight. It wasn't long before the other two fillies were in bed, and once I had finished tucking Scootaloo and Dinky in for the night and reading them a story, I crept out of their room, and made my way down the hall, back to the main level of the house so that I could tend to the fire until it died down enough to safely leave for the night. I didn't mind the solitude though; it felt nice to have a little time to myself after the hectic events of the day.
The quiet thoughts that had been floating around in my mind were interrupted by a soft voice that came from next to my chair. "H-Hi, Blake." I had heard the soft hoofsteps approaching me, though I hadn't been worried, as I could tell by the cadence that it wasn't a pony trying to be stealthy so much as one who simply walked softly.
With a soft smile, I turned and looked into those striking, crimson eyes, which looked even more red than Vinyl's did. "Heya Mitta. How are you feeling tonight? I know there was a lot going on, so I hope it wasn't too much for you."
The former Sunny Town resident sat down next to me with a sigh so quiet I had almost mistaken it for a normal breath. "I'm doing… alright." She remarked after a moment. "Everypony in your house has been nice to me, though it's really strange being in the same house as Princess Luna. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it."
As she spoke, I turned back to the fire and listened, steepling my hands in thought. "I can't say I blame you. Knowing what happened to you, I can say that I doubt I would feel comfortable around her." I looked back over to Mitta as she stared into the low, crackling flames, eyes shifting slightly as she seemed to search the fire for answers. "That said, I can tell you that she does regret mistaking you for one of those who deserved that fate, which is why she made that counter-curse to release you."
There was a long moment of silence as Mitta considered my words. "For that entire time, that whole thousand years of Tartarus, I thought I deserved to be cursed just as much as everypony else was, and I was ready to face my punishment for my part in what happened… or at least, I thought I was ready. Then you came along and showed me that I was wrong about my deserving that fate, that it wasn't my fault and I shouldn't blame myself… and I believe you, but it's still hard to look at Princess Luna and think of her as anything but the mare who made me spend a thousand years literally moonlighting as an abomination." While my friend was normally a tender, quiet mare, I could still hear the bitterness and resentment creeping into her tone, though I couldn't blame her for it.
As she finished speaking, Mitta stiffened lightly when she felt my hand on her neck, sliding down until it was resting between her shoulder blades, where it began to gently scratch that lovely little sweet spot so many ponies seemed to have there. "I wish I had better answers for you, Mitta. I can't change the past, and neither can she, but I'm certain that if it were within her power, she would do so. Luna really is a compassionate mare beneath that calculating exterior, and she does feel terrible for including you in the curse." I chuckled softly as the cute little mare next to me relaxed visibly, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the contact.
It took a long moment for her to compose herself, but eventually, Mitta spoke again. "I know you're right on that too. I can see the guilt and the regret in her eyes when she looks at me. I know I'll forgive her, I just wish I could bring myself to do it sooner. Especially since I still don't blame her for cursing the rest of the town. They do deserve what she did."
There were no immediate answers that came to my mind regarding her statement, so I simply allowed us to slip back into a peaceful silence. For a time, the crackling of the fire was the only sound to be heard, and it seemed that Mitta had become more content to simply sit in silence, until another voice spoke up from behind us.
"Greetings my love. Hello Miss Mitta." A part of me was happy to hear Luna's sweet voice, while another part cringed almost in the same instant I felt Mitta tense beneath my hand. "I apologize for intruding; I was simply curious as to why you had not come to bed."
Mitta was, surprisingly enough, the first to answer her. "He was helping me work though a few things, Princess. Blake has been a good friend to me, and he's helped me in so many ways already." She stood and turned back to look at the Lunar Diarch. "I'm sorry I kept him up, I just haven't had much of a chance to see him since he freed me." I noticed that the longer she spoke to Luna, the quieter and more reserved she became, seeming to be much like Fluttershy in that aspect.
Seeming to sense her troubled thoughts, Luna took a slow step forward, smiling softly. "I understand. Blake is indeed a good stallion. But I sense that there is more to it than simply wishing to spend time with him. Please, would you be willing to share your thoughts with me?"
The prompt seemed to frighten the timid mare, who looked back to me with a questioning expression that showed her clear apprehension. "I think it would be a good idea, Mitta." I remarked reassuringly. "There are things between the two of you that need to be said, things that will only get in the way of moving forward if you don't talk about them."
The spark of understanding in those striking, crimson eyes told me that Mitta had caught my meaning, and gave me a slight nod. "A-alright…" She took a deep breath, and looked to Luna once more. "Princess Luna, I'm grateful to you for freeing me from that curse as you did, but at the same time, I feel… angry, because you put me under it in the first place. I… I think I resent you for what I went through."
There was a pause as Luna took in those words, though her expression told me she likely expected such sentiments. "I understand why you feel such anger." She remarked quietly. "You are fully justified in feeling the way you do, and I do understand how you feel, perhaps better than you know. I know it will be of little consolation, but please, if there is anything I can do to help you, I would like you to tell me."
It was clear that Mitta's fear of Luna was slowly fading, at least for the moment, and she looked up into the eyes of the Princess of the Night, perhaps for the first time. "I don't think there's anything that can help besides time, Princess." Those starkly red eyes looked in my direction for a moment. "Blake told me that you regretted catching me up in your curse. I know you feel bad for doing it, and that helps, because it shows me you really do care. But it's just something I'm going to need time for."
My lovely, Lunar-themed marefriend nodded with a solemn expression. "I understand." She replied simply. "I know this will likely not make you feel any better, but if you are willing, I would like to assist you in obtaining proper housing. It would not be right of me to simply allow you to fend for yourself after what has happened, and I know that, while he would gladly continue to grant it to you, you do not wish to live off of Blake's goodwill forever."
The offer seemed to take Mitta by surprise, as she blinked and flinched backward with the shock of it. "I-I um… that's very generous of you, Princess." She remarked after a long moment. "But wouldn't that mean I was living off of your own charity instead of Blake's? No offense, but I don't really want to be in your debt."
Perhaps as expected, Luna seemed to be ready for that remark. "This would not be charity. This would be just compensation for a wrong that has been committed against you." The logic made sense to me, and I would likely have taken the offer, if begrudgingly.
There was yet another lull in the conversation as Mitta considered the offer. "If… if you're truly willing to help me, then I won't say no." She remarked slowly, seeming to take her time to say the words carefully. "I'm beyond grateful to Blake for what he did for me, and what he's still doing, but… I don't want to impose on him." Her gaze turned in my direction once more, and I was graced with a rare smile from the mare, perhaps the first since she had been freed.
Luna's mane shifted and swayed lightly as she nodded. "Very well, Miss Mitta. I will leave the two of you in peace then." As Mitta had before her, Luna looked to me with a soft smile. "Do try not to stay up too late, my love. You have a herd of mares who miss you." With that, Luna turned and trotted back upstairs.
The Lunar Diarch was hardly out of sight when Mitta flopped over onto her back, breathing heavily as her eyes spun in the odd, cartoonish fashion that sometimes happened when a pony was overwhelmed. "Th-thanks, Blake. I don't think I could have done that if you weren't here for support." Her words were met with a chuckle as I got up out of my chair, carried Mitta up to her room, then slipped quietly into my own for the night after bidding the former Sunny Town resident a pleasant night's sleep.
It felt good to have a somewhat normal night for a change.