They Never Suspected

Chapters

Two Princesses for the Lizard
The Aftermath
The Next Day
He Never Suspected
She Never Suspected
Return to the Bedroom
A Short Goodbye
Pink Temptation (AU)
(Almost) Everyone has a Good Time

Two Princesses for the Lizard

Breaking Bread

It wasn’t long after the Nightmare Moon incident that Ditzy moved me in with her. Twilight hadn’t put up too much of a fuss after I told her that I’d help her out whenever she needed me to. It didn’t take her too long to actually employ me, taking my time from eight am to four pm, every day. She even paid me, enough bits to feed the three, then four of us.

But I’m getting ahead of myself still. This journal is meant to pick up directly after my last one, after Twilight had decided to stay with me and her new friends in Ponyville, with as few gaps as I can manage.

Twilight had sent me downstairs to do some cooking, while she stayed upstairs and unpacked. I looked around the kitchen and smiled as an idea formed in my head and I ran to the main room. I took a few pieces of paper and a pen from the desk and scribbled a few notes. Five, to be exact.

I then busied myself around the kitchen, and the diner was nearly ready by the time my small family poured into the kitchen. Twilight started pulling dishes out of the cabinets and setting them on our normal table, but she stopped when I said, “Actually, I was thinking it would be a nice day to eat outside. I’ve already enchanted blanket to repel bugs and all.”

She nodded, smiling slightly. She knew that I preferred the outdoors and loved eating outside, and she put away our glass plates and grabbed a stack of stouter wooden plates. While she wasn’t looking, I grabbed all the rest of the stack and handed them over to Dinky, who secreted them outside while Twi wasn’t looking. She stealthily grabbed a handful of silverware on her way out.

Ditzy lifted up the main pot as I grabbed as many of the sides as I could, leaving Twilight only the plates and some silverware. She almost had some potatoes to carry, but Dinky snatched them up before Twilight could look too long at them. Twilight looked at me narrowly, as though she thought I was setting her up for a prank. I did my best to look innocent and walked through the door to our backyard.

As soon as she walked through the barn-styled door she dropped her plates and pushed her hands against her mouth. A quick flick of a wand caught the plates and silverware, then distributed them amongst the rest of the set plates.

Her five friends grinned in greeting, plus two little sisters and a friend. All eight had brought something with them, either juices and other drinks or extra courses for the multitude breaking bread with us. I set the course I had contributed to on the spread blanket, the yards of cloth set out like a banquet table.

After tearing up a little and going around and hugging everyone, Twilight sat at the end of our blanket and offered thanks for our food and our friends. After a few minutes of quiet eating, Pinkie and Rainbow started up conversations on either end of the blanket. It didn’t take long for everyone to start chattering, thanking each other for making certain dishes and complimenting their food.

I stayed quiet mostly, thanking the others every now and then for compliments and handing out a few of my own. Mostly I listened to Ditzy as she spoke at length on the possible contents of a certain brown-paper wrapped box she’d had to deliver that had been small, but still required a cart to move. The man she’d delivered it to had seemed to pick it up with no strain though, and she debated with Rarity across the food on whether the item was magical or if the receiver was simply very strong.

I finished my plate and sat there, listening to the two of them and smiling. Reaching over, I took her unoccupied hand and enjoyed the warmth of it in my hand. I felt her heart speed up a little, and shared a small smile with Rarity when we noticed her face flush and her smile grow wider as she continued to speak about her day.

On the other side of me was Fluttershy and Rainbow, telling Applejack and Pinkie Pie of their day across the table. Fluttershy was also discussing treatment for some of Applejack’s animals, who had come down with a skin rash, and Rainbow was describing intricately a prank in the making. It was the most serious I had ever seen Pinkie.

Twi was at the head of the table, as much as there was a head. She sat right across from me, and we spoke about overdue books and her usual topics. She tried to engage Dinky with banter about her schoolwork, but at that point she was still acting skittish around both of us.

Everyone had their fill, and I wrapped up what leftovers there were and stuck them away, for lunch tomorrow. Everyone stuck around for a few hours, until Rarity mentioned something about a dress she needed to work on. Everyone agreed that it was a bit late, and with hugs everyone went to their mostly separate homes. Fluttershy kept Rainbow over most nights.

Ditzy was the last to leave, staying behind to help me out with dishes duty. We chatted about my day then, the books I’d checked out and the seemingly strange topics some people were interested in. She ended up leaning against me, pressing her shoulder to mine as she dried dishes I cleaned. She then handed them to Dinky, who put them away. While not very developed, her magic allowed her to put the higher dishes away.

Sooner than I wanted I was walking her to the door, taking the towel she had dried her hands on. She stood on her tiptoes and closed her eyes, and I knelt down to brush my lips against hers. She opened her eyes and lifted an eyebrow, then reached up and pulled me down into a deeper, much sweeter kiss.

After what felt like ages that passed much too quickly, she pulled away and smiled. “Every kiss better always mean that much to you, got it?”

I nodded happily and leaned forward to kiss her again, then closed and locked the doors after I watched her walk away. I turned and saw Twilight giving me a look, and I shrugged.

“You’re grinning like some idiot.” She walked up and used a tissue to wipe some of Ditzy’s lip gloss from my face.

“Well, surely only idiots can be this happy,” I told her, refusing to let her ruin the moment I’d just had. Twilight was rolling her eyes as I walked to the windows, were I closed the shutters and locked them. We made sure that there weren’t any books sitting in the night return, then went upstairs.

I looked around the small room and at the cramped twin beds. “Twi, what’re we going to do with the space in the basement?”

She sighed and muttered something. I turned and stared at her. “I know I didn’t hear you right. What was that?”

She sighed and said, slightly louder, “I hoped to transfer a laboratory her from the castle.”

I gazed at her a little longer, completely silent. She fidgeted under my gaze for a while, then sighed as she lost our silent battle. Without a word, I picked up most of the bed I’d been sleeping on and toted it downstairs, into the mostly empty basement. I didn’t mind sharing a room with the night return slot or the mostly abandoned shelves of a few bookshelves that sagged with age and disappeared weight.

I returned to Twilight’s room to find her in her bed already. I went over and kissed her forehead, earning a harrumph from the grumpy scientist. I picked up the rest of my bed and turned out her lights as I closed the door.

I set up my bed and moved some of the bookshelves around, planning my room. I then grabbed most of the books and, making sure of their contents, placed them together on a single bookshelf. I pulled my wand and shrunk the rest of the bookshelves. I stacked them onto the spare space of the remaining bookshelf, leaving them for Twilight’s scrutiny.

I turned and grimaced, pulling my wand once again and creating a siphon to pull all the dust and dirt from the floor and walls into a ball on the tip of my wand. I opened a small window, painted closed many times, and tossed the filth outside. A moth attempted to fly in, but I caught it in an open hand and pushed it back out.

I looked back over my room and wiped a hand over the wall, checking for dust. I decided that it was the best I wanted to do at the moment and looked around my bare room. I liked it, though I felt it was still in great need of a wardrobe. And some of my clothes to put in it. That would have to wait until morning though; I wasn’t going to wake up Twilight for something I didn’t need.

Sitting on my bed, I realized that this simply wasn’t one of the nights I needed sleep. They were getting fewer, far fewer, and I found myself at a loss for what I could do while passing time for the sun. On my sleepless nights I usually just spent time with Celestia, but now she was hours away and my transportation spells were still hit and miss.

I could fly and be there in an hour or so, but that would still leave only six hours in exchange for two very exhausting flights. I didn’t find the idea very attractive. I went back upstairs and perused the library I had at my disposal. Its size left much to be desired, but there seemed to be a fair selection. I browsed for a while, but I bored quickly and gave up, sitting on a chair and allowing myself to descend into a sour state of mind.

I looked up to on the clock on the wall and groaned. It was eleven-o’clock, and Twi usually didn’t stir until nine. I had nothing to do until the library opened at eight, and I didn’t feel like sitting around for nine hours. I snuck into Twilight’s room and grabbed a coat, then walked to the front door. I opened them as quietly as I could and squeezed out. I locked the door and set a seal over the keyhole, so no-one could magic their way into the library while I was out.

I put on my coat, more for looks than for warmth. People stared if you walked around in a cold wind with only jeans and a t-shirt. My feet still feel trapped whenever I had to put on shoes, but I suffered the discomfort in return for being able to enter any shops that might have been open.

I walked into the center of town and saw the cupcake house I’d first met Pinkie at. The light in the shop was still on, so I walked up and tried the door. It opened, and the bell softly chimed as I shut the door behind me. A voice came from the back, “Pinkie, did you forget to lock the door? Go send them away, and make sure to lock the door this time.”

“Yes Mrs. Cake,” A tired-sounding Pinkie said.

“We’re closed right now, can you…” Pinkie started as she walked out of the room behind the counter. She saw who it was and smiled, speaking over her shoulder, “It’s not a customer Mrs. Cake, it’s just Spike.”

“Just Spike, am I?” I asked her, locking the door. “If you don’t want people looking for delicious baked sweets, your light shouldn’t be on.”

She stuck her tongue out at me and grinned, beckoning me into the kitchen. I walked around the counter and stepped into the kitchen, where Pinkie tossed me an apron and a small, white cap. “I assume you’re bored? Come help us make dough for the bread tomorrow.” Mrs. Cake was wrist deep in a mound of her own dough, and there was another pile not far from hers.

I faked a sigh as I put on the borrowed gear and washed my hands. “Poor servant dragon am I, that never gets a break from work even after I cook a meal for twelve and then washes all the dishes.” A wet towel hit me in the face as I turned, and I heard the women giggling.

“Stop speaking like a dork. And I know for a fact that a certain lovely blonde helped you with those dishes.” She laughed as I adopted the grin I always got whenever Ditzy was mentioned.

I was shown the flour, water and other ingredients, then instructed to start on a sourdough. Mrs. Cake asked me some stuff about my past, mostly where I grew up and other tidbits. I told her as much of the truth as I could, including the fact that I was a dragon and everything except the Darklighters. She’d looked at me a little strangely out of the corner of her eye, as if she thought I was simply a crazy person Pinkie had invited into her bakery.

I pulled a flour-covered hand out of my pile of dough, and let the scales and claws show through. She stopped kneading dough for a moment, eyes widening as she turned her head to look at the claws protruding from long, knobby fingers. I pushed my fingers against my palms and moved them in circles, presenting a whispering noise as the scales brushed over each other.

She shivered and turned back to her own dough, seemingly lost in thought. After some time she finished with her dough and put in in her fridge, in a covered bowl. She washed her hands as Pinkie finished with her own batch and toweled her hands off with a strip of cloth hanging near the sink.

“Don’t leave yet, Spike. I have something I would like you to do,” she said and left the room. I finished with my batch of dough and added it to Pinkie and Mrs. Cake’s own. She returned quickly, holding an ancient book. Pinkie gasped when she saw it. “That’s the book we keep all of our recipes in!” She whispered to me furtively. “She never takes that out of the vault under the register!”

Mrs. Cake slowly opened the tome, and I heard the aged paper crinkle as it was turned. She opened it to an index first, near the very front. After scanning it she turned all the way to the end of the book. She flipped a few pages back and showed me a recipe of extreme length. “I’ve never seen this bread made. Could you do this?”

Scanning the contents of the page, my eyes widened. “I could try, by this seems rather complex. Where did you even get this recipe?”

She grinned and shook her head. I looked back to the book, then went over to the sink and washed off all of the excess flour and dough. I took out my wand and used it to arrange two small circles, some of Celestia’s rune magic. I looked up at my audience.

“This is going to be a bit more complex than I’m used to. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, I’ve never done quite this before.” I placed my hands into the circles and applied some of the same magic I used with my wand through my hands.

They grew incredibly hot very quickly, and I tensed the muscles and said a few ancient words, telling the magic what it was I wanted. The magic complied and the heat poured out, filling out my hands until they were the same as what I had showed Mrs. Cake minutes before.

I pulled them from the surface and grimaced at the twin scorch marks in the wood, where my hands had turned into claws. “I’ll fix that,” I told her, apologetically. She merely looked at my twin paws.

“Why didn’t you just change them like last time?” Pinkie asked.

“Well, last time I was just showing you what they looked like.” I reached over and ran my talons over the palm she offered. She shivered and ran a hand over the back of mine, her smooth skin clashing with the leathery scales. “These are my real hands, as they should be. I’ve conjured up my scales before with some simpler magic, but for this recipe I needed the claws as complete as possible.”

I offered my other hand to Mrs. Cake, and she gently touched my scales. She shivered and withdrew her hand quickly. I pulled the other from Pinkie and flexed my hands, experimentally. They felt much different from the last time I’d had them, many years ago. I tapped my fingers against my palm and realized what it was.

“I’m turning more humanoid,” I told Pinkie, who raised an eyebrow.

“Like, you used to be more lizardly?” I nodded and flexed my hand, feeling the skin beneath my scales tense and relax. “Like, how much lizardlier?”

“A lot. I don’t remember having actual fingers, just paws with claws in them.”

“Uhm… Maybe it’s because of the last five years or so as being a human?” Mrs. Cake suggested. I looked at her and nodded slowly.

“That makes sense. I think I’ll send Celestia a letter about it. But for right now,” I said, flexing my claws at the cabinets, “Let’s try making that bread you’re so interested in.” She nodded and in a few moments I had all of the ingredients in front of me.

I rolled my shoulders, readying myself for the massive amount of effort this was going to take. Looking over the cookbook one last time, I started humming as I mixed all of the spices and flour. Letting my dragon side take over my throat a bit, I opened my lips and starting singing the words the book detailed. I felt my magic flowing from my lips into the words and out of my hands into the dough.

I could also see the walls vibrating ever so slightly from my voice, and I realized that my singing had become little more than flowing tone, winding its way through the very wood of the house as it imparted the magic I had given my voice into the air. A very bedraggled man nearly fell on his way down the stairs and looked at me, questions dying in his mouth as he saw me.

I realized that the air was actually glowing, and the dough that I had been kneading on the table was starting to float. Pinkie rushed up the stairs to the man I assumed was Mr. Cake. She grabbed him and dragged him down the rest of the stairs, sitting him beside herself and Mrs. Cake across the table from where I was putting on my impromptu show. I should really have been charging.

I had the feeling that dust should have been falling from the rafters as I reached a plateau in my song. Sustaining the note for as long as I could, I put the dough on a tray prepared for the oven. The bread rose even as I held the note, doubling in size and even nearly tripling before I had to gasp for breath.

The glow faded from the air and seemed to soak into the resting dough. I kneaded it into shape one last time, humming again. When I was done, the bread had accrued a golden glow. I walked it over to the oven and opened the door and set it inside, near the back. Leaving the door open I walked back some paces. I tensed my throat and flexed, feeling that peculiar clicking that only happened when I was partially dragon. I opened my mouth and clicked one last time, igniting my breath into fire that I directed into the oven.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw everyone jump, and watched Mr. Cake fall most of the way out of his chair before his wife steadied him. Pinkie was overjoyed, clapping her hands together as I streamed green fire into the oven.

The book had said to “bake” the bread in this way for as long as I could hold the flames, but no longer than four minutes. I counted to two-hundred and thirty-eight before I let go of the fire, panting heavily as I gulped in air. Cautiously I reached into the oven and pulled out the tray, slightly warped by the heat but shining brightly as though it had been cleansed of all age.

The bread was golden-brown and steaming slightly. I looked over the book and nodded. While it was a shade or two lighter than intended, it was still within a perfectly acceptable range.

“It’s going to take about five minutes to cool enough to be edible. I need to rinse my hands, could somebody else set the table with some condiments? The book suggests honey or jam and butter.”

Pinkie grabbed some plates and set the table while I rinsed and Mrs. Cake explained to her husband what was going on and who I was. Using water this time, I changed my claws back into my human hands. Using a towel, I set the rather large loaf onto a plate and toted it over to the table, where Mrs. Cake sliced it delicately.

The inside was pale, and very porous. Steam escaped the bread as she sliced it, and the warm smell seemed to calm Mr. Cake a little. He finally relaxed for the first time, and a small smile played across his face as we all breathed in the warm scent of bread.

I used a knife to spread some honey over my slice, then took a small taste of it. Then a larger taste. I looked around the table, confused.

“This bread… It tastes sort of bland, doesn’t it?”

Confused and crestfallen faces greeted me as I looked around the table. Three nods, and Pinkie was across the room, reading the recipe. I felt a small warmth blossom in my chest, and ate more of my honeyed bread. It didn’t add any more flavor, but it did increase the warmth.

Looking around, I noticed everyone looked perkier. I finished my slice and joined Pinkie across the room. “It pretty much only says its name, and how to make it. Nothing of its flavor, or why a dragon has to be the chef. This seems to me a pretty standard bread recipe…”

She pushed her hand against her chest and pushed slightly. I noticed her flushed face, and realized that I too felt hot. I looked over to the table at the Cakes and noticed that they’d become red as well, and were staring at each other in a way I recognized.

“Pinkie, what’s the name of that bread?”

“I believe it’s called ambrosia, and it seems to be intended to increase…” She peered very closely at the book and shut it, a small look of panic in her eyes. “It’s said to increase 'passion'.”

I looked at the two Cakes, who were getting closer to one another quite quickly. I picked up Pinkie and threw her onto my shoulder. I walked her out of the room, and heard a small crash of plates knocked off of the table as I unlocked the door. I turned off the lights and slammed the door behind me, locking it. I walked a little ways away from the bakery and breathed deeply.

“Uhm, Spike?” Pinkie’s voice came from behind me, over my shoulder. “You’re touching…”

I realized exactly where my hand was holding Pinkie to keep her balanced on my shoulder, and I quickly put her down. She leaned into me, as if her legs wouldn’t support her. She looked up into my face, and her body somehow found more blood to push into her face. I realized that the bread was probably affecting her much more than it was me and groaned aloud.

I felt her place her hands on my chest, and when I looked down again she stood on tiptoe and tried to kiss me.

“Oh, no no no no. I love Ditzy, and she’s more than enough for me.” I picked her back up again and started back to the library, watching carefully where I put my hands.

“Oh Spike, you’re so rough,” I heard her moan, and when I looked back she seemed to be massaging her chest. I quickly looked forward again and bounced her a bit, trying to get her to stop.

“Pinks, try saving it until we get home.”

“Oooh, taking me to your house now? What would Twi say,” Pinkie giggled, bending more at her waist. I wondered what she was doing, until I felt her hands grab my butt. I jumped a little and, without thinking, swatted her in the most easily accessible area. Of course, this simply made her grab harder.

By the time we’d reached the library Pinkie wasn’t being quite so nice. She’d tried removing my pants twice as I was walking and was in the process of rolling my shirt up to my shoulder blades. I used my wand to open the door and close it again, as quietly as I could with Pinkie still giggling and moaning as I jiggled her.

I walked down the stairs as roughly as I could, bouncing her on my shoulder as I descended. This seemed only to encourage her, and I felt her pull of her shirt and throw it on the stairs. I opened my door and threw her on the bed.

She looked at me and grabbed one of her bare breasts and spread her legs, panties peeping out from under her skirt. She motioned to me with her other hand, running the second one away from her breast and down towards her skirt. “Come get me, lover…”

I slammed the door, tearing my eyes away and locking the room, sealing it so she couldn’t try and get out through the window. I heard her moan throatily and bolted up the stairs, away from the sounds of the gorgeous woman doing who knew what to herself behind the door.

I picked Pinkie’s shirt up as I ascended, and closed and locked a second door at the top of the stairs. I turned and noticed Twilight Sparkle, standing at the top of her stairs in a small nightshirt and rubbing her face sleepily. “Spike, what’s with all of the noise…”

She stopped speaking as she saw the disarray of my clothes. My shirt was still riding right below my neck, and my pants had lost their belt and now sagged open on my thighs. I saw her take in the pink shirt in my hand. Confusion running across her face, she asked, “Is that Pinkie’s shirt? What is she doing running around withou…”

Her eyes widened and she flushed, deep red. I looked down and noticed for the first time the result of Pinkie’s ministrations, and my own reaction to the bread. I moved behind the counter used for checking out books, and cleared my throat.

“We were baking bread. If you could send a note to…” I looked up at the clock. Three in the morning. “I guess to Luna. See if Celestia’s awake too, tell them I need… knowledge on a certain type of magic.”

She nodded and started back up the stairs. I blushed and coughed. When she looked back I said, “Maybe wear pants on the way back down.”

She looked down to her bare thighs and flushed brighter, than ran up to her room and slammed her door. I straightened my shirt and tried pulling up my pants. They were a little too tight at the moment though, and I couldn’t button them. I gave up and tossed them onto a chair, along with Pinkie’s shirt.

Twilight came back down in jeans and a heavy sweater. “I sent word of… your problem. Luna said she’s coming with Celestia.” I nodded, keeping my body close to the counter. She looked at the pile of clothes on the chair and shifted uncomfortably. “Is there something… I could do to help?”

I felt my eyes widen as I stared at her, and her eyes widened and she turned bright red again. “No no no, I meant, do you need a sheet or something!”

I grabbed my chest and breathed, looking straight down at the counter. “No, I don’t think it would… hide much right now. I think I’ll just stay here. Close to the counter.”

She nodded, looking anywhere besides me. I shuffled some papers around the workspace, trying to keep my mind away from Twilight’s pale thighs moving up the stairs…

“Uhm, can I have some cold water and a towel, please?”

Twilight gave me a funny look, but returned with a glass of water and a towel from the kitchen. Staying as far away as she could, she put the items on the desk. I grabbed the glass and dumped it over my head, gasping as the cold water made the breath hitch in my chest. I wiped away the excess water, and looked down.

All the water had done was make my clothes stick to me.

Twilight eyed my wet body and asked, “Help at all?”

I shook my head and she smiled a bit, as if enjoying the torture I was undergoing. I leaned over and her smile faltered.

“Milky white calves leading up to supple, smooth thighs,” I said, grinning and blushing bright red myself. Twilight twitched and covered her face with her hands, looking to the door and squeaking something about how the Princesses should be soon. The smile fell from my face. “How much did you tell them, exactly?”

“Just that we had a non-urgent situation that was embarrassing to speak of.” She still covered her face with her hands, muffling her speech a bit.

Someone knocked gently on the door, making us both jump. Twilight rushed over and pulled open the door, letting both of the Princesses walk in. Celestia was the first, a look of concern covering her face until confusion replaced it when she saw me standing behind the book counter, dripping. She looked over to the pile of clothes on the nearby chair. I could see gears turning in her head as she looked between the pink shirt and me, and I started shaking my head.

“Celestia, you are blocking me,” came another voice from behind the first Princess, and Luna pushed between her sister and the door. She looked up into her confused sibling’s face, then followed her gaze to the chair. Confusion fell over her face as well, and she asked, “I thought you were dating that blonde, not Pinkie?”

“Is… is that the problem, Spike?” Celestia asked, a very worried and slightly panicked look replacing the confusion.

I could only gawk at the sisters, making offended noises and shaking my head. “No no no, I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk and I came across the Cake’s bakery and then Pinkie asked me to help them and then Mrs. Cake had this recipe and I made it…”

Celestia held up her hand, stopping me. “Spike… What? That made no sense, slow down.”

I took a breath, and in that moment of silence, a loud moan came from behind the closed basement door. Three heads turned slowly in that direction and I froze. They all looked at me, and I simply said, “I couldn’t leave her around Mr. Cake.”

Celestia looked at me for a bit longer before rubbing her forehead and closing her eyes. Luna tried not to break into a fit of giggles, still just a teenager mentally. Twilight went pale and sat in a chair on the far side of the room, facing away from me and the door.

“Okay Spike. You went to help Pinkie Pie make bread because you couldn’t sleep?” Celestia asked.

I shook my head. “I went for a walk, because I couldn’t sleep. I came across Sugarcube Corner while I was walking, and I went inside.”

“That’s when Pinkie asked you to help her?”

“Her and Mrs. Cake, yeah. I helped them with some bread dough. We got to talking, and it come up that I was a dragon. Mrs. Cake had a recipe that could only be truly completed with a dragon, so we tried it.” I stayed as calm as possible, trying to remember every detail. I assumed it was the bread or the… blood loss, but my mind felt a little fuzzy and I couldn’t remember properly.

Celestia arched an eyebrow and asked, “Did this recipe have any clue as to what kind of bread you were making?”

I fidgeted. “Yes, but we didn’t check until after we’d had some. Me, Pinkie, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake. I left them in the kitchen when I left, but I didn’t want something… embarrassing to happen with Pinkie so I took her.”

Celestia had to hold up her hand again, and I stopped to take another breath. “Did this recipe have a name? What was the description?” She asked.

I looked away and muttered the name. Her eyes widened and she got extremely close, looking me in the eyes. Again I muttered, “Ambrosia bread…”

She looked deep into my eyes. “How long did you last?”

I blushed and stared at the princess, shocked. She shook her head vigorously and asked, “How long did you cook it for? The full four minutes?”

“Uhm, no, I stopped a few seconds short of four…”

“At least ten seconds, right?” Celestia asked, face full of hope. Luna had been giggling ever since I had announced what bread it was we’d eaten, and Twilight was just looking on, silently.

“Uhm, closer to eight…”

Celestia laid her head on the counter, directly in front of my abs, and sighed. I felt her hot breath hit my cold skin, and suddenly noticed the low-sweeping back of her dress. I couldn’t help but look down at the top of her head, then down her back to her shapely hips…

A sudden noise on the underside on the counter seemed to announce my current train of thoughts, and with both hands resting on the top of the counter, I had no alternative explanation as to the sound. Celestia slowly moved her head up and looked directly into my eyes, a blank slate except for the blush that played across her cheeks.

Luna, however, had adopted a shocked expression that soon dissolved into full-blown laughter. Twilight hadn’t heard the noise, thank Celestia, and simply chalked it up to the weirdness of the night.

The Princess raised an eyebrow, keeping my eyes locked in hers. “How… bad is it?” she asked, quietly.

“Uhm…” I said, hesitating. I was trying to think of any non-suggestive words to describe my current predicament, but I had become engaged in a battle to keep my eyes on Celestia’s face, and not lower. Much lower…

She put a hand on her dress and pushed it to her chest, glaring into my eyes. I guessed I hadn’t kept my eyes on hers as well as I had tried. She glared for another second, then sighed and dropped her hand away and pressed her elbows together, turning her head away. “Twilight, go ahead and go to bed. We’ll handle the spells he needs; you probably won’t want to see him… during the magic.”

My eyes were entirely enraptured with the cleavage I was currently being presented, but I tore my gaze away long enough to see Twilight stand up and quickly walk up her stairs. She paused halfway up and turned to Celestia. “It won’t hurt, will it?”

Celestia smiled wryly at me. “Not enough.”

Twilight nodded, then cast one last worried glance at me before finishing her walk up the stairs and shutting her door. Celestia immediately cast a spell over Twilight’s door. When I raised an eyebrow, she blushed and said, “Silencing spell.”

I was about to ask what the silencing spell was for, when she leaned over and kissed me. She was so much softer than what I expected, and I felt my eyes roll a little as she pulled herself close to me, over the counter. I pulled away first, mind buzzing and filled by white noise. “But, Ditzy…”

“Will never know about this, and deserves an… experienced man for her first. Does she not, sister?”

I’d forgotten Luna was in the room, and felt her push herself against my back. She was warmer than I expected from the Princess of the night, and I felt myself melt a little as she pressed against my back. Breathing into my ear, she said, “No woman deserves an inexperienced first.”

I shivered as Celestia ran her hands over my chest. “But… but, we’ve known each other for so long…”

She shrugged. “You mean I watched you grow up. But you weren’t so young when we first met, remember…?”

She pulled my shirt over my head as she spoke, leaving only my hips covered. Luna trailed her hands over my back as Celestia administered to my front, making my flesh erupt into goose bumps.

Luna slid her hands under my last piece of clothing and pushed them down, allowing me to spring out and knock against the counter once again. Luna giggled and reached around me, trailing her hands over my hips until she finally reached the front…

“Holy…” she breathed, wrapping her hands around my base and forcing a moan from between my lips.

“Hmmm, that good, sister?” Celestia tried to grab me as well, but I was leaning against the counter for support and her hands couldn’t find a way around the workspace. She frowned, then grinned and pulled her dress up, over her thighs. She climbed up onto the counter, pressing her body to mine as she sat down. She wrapped her legs around both me and her sister, pulling me to her lips and Luna against my back.

Luna made a noise and grabbed Celestia’s breasts, trying to push herself back. This made the Princess moan of course, and I took her open lips as an invitation and licked the inside of her top lip, slowly.

Celestia moaned louder and grabbed my tongue with her lips, gently sucking on it and nibbling the tip. The new sensation caused me to push my hips forward, grinding my hips into hers and my member into the bottom of the counter. Luna was still holding onto me with both hands, and she began moving up and down my length as far as her arms could reach from behind me.

“Oh Luna, please don’t,” I panted. “I’ll soil the card catalog if you keep that up…” Luna laughed softly and ceased, grabbing my chest and holding herself against my back as she gently bit my neck and ear. I growled softly and reached around, cupping her ass as I copied her movements onto Celestia’s neck. Both Princesses moaned as I bit softly into the nerves of Celestia’s neck and kneaded the ass of the younger Princess.

I pulled back a little from Celestia, and she started to pout. Before she could say anything, I turned to pick up Luna in my arms. I turned back Celestia and placed her sister in her lap. Gently but insistently, I spread Luna’s legs and placed as much of myself against her. Reaching behind her, I took one of Celestia’s breasts in each hand and ground my hips into Luna.

Twin moans rose from the siblings, and Luna laid her head back onto one of Celestia’s shoulders. She looked pleadingly up at her sister and pushed her hand up into Celestia’s glorious hair, pulling her sister’s head softly down. Celestia complied, latching onto Luna’s neck and sucking gently. She moaned softly, becoming louder when I joined her sister on the other side of her throat.

I still had my hands on Celestia’s chest, and I massaged gently as I trailed kisses down Luna’s neck to her collar. Celestia’s moans vibrate all through her sister’s neck, tingling my lips on her collarbone. Luna’s moans themselves wavered with the strength of her sister’s pleasure, her arching back pressing her own slightly smaller breasts into my chest.

“You two aren’t playing fair,” she moaned, reaching between her legs and stroking my length with her fingertips, her arms too short to do much more. I pressed my stomach against her arm, using it to rub her and eliciting a deeper moan than before. “Why are we teaming up on me… when Spike’s the one… with the problem?”

Celestia was a little too busy with Luna’s neck and shoulder, so I said, “Luna, you are helping with my problem.” I pulled back and tensed, lifting my member above the counter and pushing it gently into the panties I felt covering Luna’s sex. I wrapped my lips around hers as she moaned, feeling her air vibrate in my lungs as I breathed in the essence of the Princess.

“But it would be rude of me not to return the favor,” I said, grinning as I pulled away. She tried to wriggle her waist against mine, but I pulled completely away from both of the sisters. Luna nearly came after me, but I folded Celestia’s hands around her breasts and squeezed, setting Celestia to rubbing and massaging.

Luna eyed me, pleading with me to come back. I smiled and pulled a chair over to us, sitting down and pulling her dress up over her thighs. She seemed to understand what I was going for and tried closing her legs, blushing redder than she already was and trying to say something about cleanliness and how she hadn’t been able to bathe before coming over. I held her legs where they were and stood up once more, kissing her fears away.

I sat again, and Luna allowed me to spread her legs once more. Celestia actually had her sister up in her lap, so I could see both the white cotton and the pink silk clothing both of my lover’s arousal. I spread Celestia’s legs a little more as well, then leaned forward to rest my chin on the wood of the counter. I could see how tense Luna was, muscles quivering from being so tight.

Grinning, I got a bit closer and blew hot air out of my mouth, directly onto Celestia. She jumped a little, but not as much as when I slipped my tongue over both of their folds, starting at the bottom of Celestia’s slit and pressing through the cloth all the way to Luna’s end. Both women sighed heavily, as if I had soothed an unknown burn.

Luna reached down and gently pushed my head forward, encouraging me to continue. I grinned and complied, flattening my tongue and pushing it into the silk material, tasting her desire and soaking the pink cloth. Celestia sighed, feigning sadness. I grinned and pushed a hand up to her slit, rubbing my thumb over her lips.

Both sisters moaned as I rubbed them through their panties, switching my hand and my mouth whenever the mood struck me. Luna was sweeter than Celestia, but not nearly as intense as the elder Princess. As odd as it sounds, Celestia was much more flavorful than Luna.

Of course, she didn’t respond as well to my tongue as she did to my hand, so I mostly kept my mouth on the sweeter sister; slipping my tongue between her folds through the silk cloth on my tongue and sucking gently at the small nub I felt at the top of her sex.

Nearly screaming in pleasure, Luna couldn’t keep still as I pressed my lips against hers. She moaned, sounding frustrated instead of pleasured, and reached for a pair of scissors near the book we kept to log books in and out. She pushed my head away, and before I could ask what she was up to she had used the scissors to cut the middle of her panties away, revealing her soft folds to me. Almost as an afterthought, she cut away Celestia’s as well, baring the smooth lips topped by a small patch of hair the same color as rest of her locks.

Forcing a scowl, I snatched the scissors away and tossed them to the floor. “You could have hurt yourself,” I started before I was pulled back into Luna’s legs.

“Your tongue needs to be inside of me, now,” she almost panted.

I followed the order, slipping my tongue between her lips and inside her heat. She was moaning again, flexing her back to almost ride my tongue. My hand was taking advantage of Celestia’s newly exposed flesh, quickly following my tongue into new territory. Celestia moaned her approval, rocking back and forth on my fingers as much as she could. This only added to Luna’s movements, both women nearly screaming as I moved inside of them.

My hand was starting to cramp, forcing my fingers to curl inside Celestia. I felt a small curve inside, and curious, I pressed gently on it and rubbed. Celestia stopped making noise entirely, throwing her head back in a silent moan. She closed her eyes and her face scrunched up and she clamped down onto the finger I had inside her, forcing me still. She thrust her hips forward once, twice, then fell back onto the counter. Her head lulled off the edge, and she slowly relaxed enough for me to free my hand from her.

Luna looked back at her sister, seemingly triumphant. “He found your button, didn’t he?”

Celestia nodded, breathing too hard to say anything. She gently pushed her sister off of her, into my lap. Luna settled in front of my member, almost grasping it between her cheeks. She rocked her hips back and forth, rubbing me between her lips and getting me quite slick with her juices and my spit.

“See, me and my sister usually compete over trivial things.” Luna leaned forward, setting her entrance over my tip and pressing gently down. “A not-so-trivial thing we compete over, rarely, are men. Mostly, which one of us gets to be their first.” She pushed down a little harder, slipping my head inside of her. She moaned lightly, and I followed. “It usually is something like this, and whoever orgasms first loses. With only teasing until an orgasm, of course.”

I grinned up at her. “So I’m a prize, then?”

Luna smiled back and shrugged. “In a way, I suppose.”

I pulled her off of me, earning me a look of puzzlement and frustration. I picked her up and turned her around, setting her back where she was and pushing her head down into her sister’s sex. “Well, this prize has a mind of its own, and would like a little show.” I stood up, pressing into Luna as she moaned into Celestia’s lips. Celestia moaned and reached up to her dress, pulling it down to expose her pale breasts to the library. I reached down and pulled at Luna’s dress, pulling it down over her shoulders so the material bunched over her stomach.

Looking down, I noticed how distracting the slip of pink was. Looking at the scissors on the floor, I sigh and wished I hadn’t been so hasty. Pushing one of my claws out from under my skin, I flicked upwards and cut the last of the silk from her hips. She looked back impatiently.

“Hurry and come here,” she panted, pushing against me with her wet slit. I grinned and pushed back lightly, fitting into her top hole. She looked back, a slightly scared gleam in her eyes. “Wrong one. There’s no lubricant there, boy.”

“Well then, we’ll just have to find some,” I said, smiling back at her. Slowly, I rub my member against her, getting her juices all over until I was at the point of dripping. Moaning, she returned the her sister’s lips, using her thumb to flick Celestia’s nub as she entered with her tongue. Celestia murmured appreciatively, pushing Luna’s face against her opening and grinding slowly; first up, then down.

I sat one last time and pressed my tongue to Luna’s small hole, making sure to get everything nice and wet before attempting what I was about to do. Her moans were muffled by Celestia’s lips, but the Princess let me know of her sister’s pleasure with her own loud approval.

I got up and pressed against the slick opening. Luna lifted her face from her sister’s folds and told me to go slow. Before she could finish, I slowly entered her. Words became moans, and Celestia lifted her hips to catch the vibrations from Luna’s mouth. I gathered up a handful of Luna’s dress and pulled her backwards onto my shaft with it. She moaned loudly into Celestia and pushed her lips harder against the Princess’s fold. She must have slipped her tongue further in as well, because a moment later Celestia had her second orgasm.

I bottomed out in Luna, reaching down to fondle her breasts as I slowly pulled out of her. No longer worried about her sister, Luna was letting her head hang down in front of the counter. Worried about her hitting her head, I picked her up and sat down, letting her slide slowly all the way from my head to the base.

Celestia lifted her head to see what had Luna being so loud, then grinned when she saw her sister’s spread legs being lifted and pressed back down with increasing speed. Her voice sounded strange, hitching with every down stroke. Eventually she regulated herself, leaning against me and just keeping a constant, low moan.

I wrapped my arms around her hips as well as her legs, opening her further for her sister’s pleasure. I paused when Celestia flapped a hand at me, much to Luna’s frustration. “Don’t you know how to just keep going, or do you just stop every time I’m getting somewhere on purpose?”

I grinned and started slamming into her, getting her back to where she was before Celestia interrupted us.

Celestia had grinned and stood up, swaying a little as if she were drunk. She walked around the chair Luna and I were currently preoccupied on, then tapped me on the shoulder pointed to the counter, flapping her hands at me.

Getting the gist of what she wanted, I stood up, still bouncing Luna up and down on my shaft. I turned and pressed my ass to the counter, then jumped up onto it. I made sure to time it just right, so that Luna got a little extra push on the up stroke and so that I slammed all the way into her as I landed on the counter, making her gasp for air.

Her sister grinned at my actions and he sister’s breathlessness, then pulled the chair up to the counter and applied her tongue to Luna’s slit. She didn’t play around either; I could feel her tongue through Luna’s wall, and it definitely felt nice. She pulled away rather quickly though, a look of surprise on her face.

“You’ve already came! When?”

Luna grinned. “After he penetrated me dear sister, well after yours. Probably about the time he bottomed out for the first time, I can’t remember. That was nearly…” She stopped talking and moaned, squeezing a little on my shaft as she bounced down a little harder than normal. “Ooh, that was three orgasms ago…”

Celestia sniffed a little and pushed two fingers into her sister’s opening. I knew it was two, because she spread them a bit and stroked both sides of my member through Luna. “Well, don’t be too greedy. One more and then he’s mine.”

Luna sighed. “Very well then, but maybe we can switch holes first?” She looked over her shoulder. “This is fantastic, dear Spike, but I have a feeling that there’s a wonderful orgasm to be had with you hitting my womb instead of my intestine…”

I pulled slowly out; a small pop sounded as the vacuum created was broken. She sighed a little, then reached down and stroked me with her hand. She wiggled back against me and put me at her other, proper entrance and pushed down. Well lubricated, she slid easily to the bottom of my shaft and wiggled her hips from side to side, murmuring happily. I slid out, and she stopped murmuring and moaned.

I felt Celestia’s hand on the showing part of my shaft, then on my testes as I slid back onto Luna. She followed her sister’s ascension a few times, stroking along my member as it was uncovered and reclaimed. Then she simply laid her fingers among me and slipped inside of Luna’s love box. Luna threw her head back and Celestia curled her fingers, stroking her sister’s wall as she climaxed. Soon she had to stop moving her fingers completely, Luna clamped down so tight.

The Princess’s chest was heaving as I slid out of her and laid her on the counter. Celestia took me in her hands and was pumping up and down with them both, feeling me tense.

“I’m close, Celestia,” I breathed. I’d been close for a while, but Luna had been a little too tight to be comfortable. She nodded and started pumping harder, and suddenly popped her mouth down over my tip.

I shuddered as a warmth started to spread from my stomach, and I knew what was about to happen. I looked down as the Princess worked me with her mouth and hands, and realized that this was not where I wanted my seed.

I stood up, popping myself out of her mouth. She looked up, confused, but I was very close and I didn’t want to waste words. I pulled her to her feet and pushed her over the counter, so her ass was in the air. She looked behind her, about to say something, but whatever words they had been were drowned out as I split her for the first time. I pushed all the way into her entrance and shivered as I felt her clamp down on me.

Feeling my time nearing, I pushed down on the counter and lifted myself, angling myself so that I was hitting the place I though her button was with each stroke. I seemed to work, as she quickly clamped down on me and started shuddering, gasping out my name.

I called her out as I thrust one last time and spilled into her, filling her with warm, sticky strands of my cum. She shuddered, and I could have sworn she came again. After too long my orgasm ended and I slumped into her, hips pressed against her round ass.

Panting, she looked over her shoulder and smiled sweetly at me. “You know, I hadn’t planned this when I came here.”

I chuckled, about the only response I could summon. I glanced over at Luna, nearly asleep on the counter. Slowly, I slid out of Celestia and moved over to the Princess of the night. I laid myself on her slit, rubbing myself over her slit. She moaned and gently pushed me away with a foot.

“No more, my hips are going to turn into dust,” she mumbled. Her foot had found my still-hard member, and her stroking was sending me very different messages than she was. She looked up at her foot, as though it were an alien thing, than moaned in exasperation and gestured at me. “Come on then, but be gentler this time.”

………………………………………..

I’d climaxed within Luna twice and on the both of them once before we decided we were done for the night. Both of the Princesses were dripping, and much too tired to go back to the castle by the time we finished. The two of them sent of a note saying that they were fine and not to worry about them, then we headed down the basement stairs.

I unlocked and cautiously opened the bottom door. Pinkie Pie was sitting in the middle of my bed, naked with three fingers jack-hammering inside of her. She had her head laid back, so she didn’t see us when we opened the door. The two Princesses looked at each other and grinned. Celestia waved her hand through the air and the scraps of their clothes disappeared, along with all of the mess I’d left on and inside them. They walked inside and quietly closed the door, a locking spell appearing on the outside.

I walked back up the stairs cleaned myself off as well, then slipped into my pants and laid out on the chair, much more ready for sleep than I had been when this stupid night had started. My shirt was gone, either shredded or covered with fluids, so I simply draped Pinkie’s shirt over myself and quickly fell asleep.

The Aftermath

I awoke to two soft lips on my cheeks. I smiled up at Celestia and Luna… then tried to leap away as some of the memories of last night came back. I managed to kick off of a table beside me but didn’t get enough air to clear the chair. It went to the floor with me, cracking something as we hit and I kicked again, rolling across the floor and under another table.

My mind was racing with memories of last night, of what the Princesses had done with me. Had all of that happened, or had it been something in a dream? Was it all the fault of that bread? Was Pinkie okay?

My train of thought ceased abruptly when I noticed Celestia’s dress in front of me. I watched as she bent at her knees and turned her head to look at me under that table. Her dress didn’t even look stretched, after what I remembered happening last night.

I started stammering and stuttering, trying to apologize for what had happened, knowing I had been in a foreign state of mind. She held her finger up to her lips and shook her head, then offered me her hand. I hesitated for a minute, then took it and let her lead me from under the table and back across the room to where Luna was sitting near the chair I’d spent the night in.

“Spike,” Celestia started. “We understand that you probably don’t want to talk about last night, or probably ever think about it again.”

“Regardless of how much fun it was,” Luna interrupted with a smile. Celestia gave her a rather harsh look that was pretty much ignored.

Looking back at me, Celestia put her face in her hands and rubbed gently. “I honestly don’t much want to think of what you did either. That bread you made doesn’t affect only you, but the people around you. Twilight might have gotten caught in its magic if you hadn’t had called on us.”

Celestia looked straight at me, catching my eyes in hers. “Besides Spike, none of that happened. Not the way you remember it, anyhow.”

My mouth moved by itself for a bit, mind taking in that information and rejecting it. I tried again and it was rejected much more quickly this time.

“Princess, I remember in very graphic detail most of last night’s… activity.”

“As well you should,” she sighed. “It did happen… in your sleep. Remember that first kiss I gave you?”

I nodded, remembering the soft feel of her lips on mine.

“That was pretty much the only time we touched last night. I cast a sleeping spell while you we distracted. You’ve been in that chair most of the night.”

I looked at the chair laying on the ground, thinking slowly of what I had thought was last night. My mind was much more accepting, with Celestia’s new information and my much calmer mind. This actually made much more sense than last night’s events. I frowned and looked into Celestia’s face.

“I’ve never had a dream like that before, Celestia. Was it just that bread I ate yesterday?”

Celestia made a face and looked over at Luna, who seemed to study the spines of several of the closest books. “It was mostly the bread.”

“I wasn’t playing when I said that it’s been a long time,” Luna said, quietly. “It may have only been in a dream, but that’s still more than I’ve had for what seemed to last eons. I’ve been… lonely.”

Celestia reached across the table and gently squeezed her hand. Luna smiled and gently said thank you. Then her grin widened. “Careful sister, Spike may get ideas.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at me and I flushed, hiding my face and the flush scrawled across it. “I didn’t ask about what you dreamed,” she told me, “So what happened last night is entirely between you and Luna. Although now that I think of it, if she doesn’t mind, I may ask her what transpired…”

Luna blushed furiously. “Dear sister, you’ll have to pry it from my cold lips. Or Spike. My point being, you’ll not hear of it from me.”

Celestia looked over to me, but I was already shaking my head frantically. She looked at the both of us with narrowed eyes. “Someone will tell me,” she said. “Or I shall have Dawnbreak find out for me.”

Luna and I shared a glance and we both began telling Celestia my dream. We didn’t get far before Celestia waved a hand at us, covering her face with the other one. “Spike… you’ve been getting into the forbidden arts section of the library, haven’t you. I thought we stop that years ago.”

I smiled, still hanging my head. “I never stopped reading any part of that library, Celestia. I just got better at hiding it.”

She started to give me a look, but gave up halfway and sighed. “Spike, you know why I didn’t want you going in there…”

“I do, but I also memorized the list of books Silent Scroll warned me about, all the ones that may be dangerous for me. And if there ever was one I wasn’t sure about, I asked her about it.”

Celestia still looked unhappy, but she waved her hand in the air. “That’s all beside the point. I’ve heard more than enough of this dream. I’m going to go back home, I feel like a nap will do me some good. Luna?”

The younger Princess nodded, and they both rose from the table. Celestia went straight to the door, but Luna hesitated. She walked around the table and gently kissed my forehead.

“You didn’t cheat on Ditzy,” she said, firmly. “You just had a good dream. Think of it like that, okay?”

I nodded, and she bent over and gave me a soft hug. “Thank you,” she whispered into my ear, then both Princesses left me and my thoughts in the library, alone.

The silence didn’t last long. I heard a knocking from downstairs, through the closed staircase door. I remembered my other guest, and made sure I was clean and completely dressed. I looked again to my shirt, then decided against it. The tattered cloth would merely tease if Pinkie was still… bewitched.

I unlocked the top door and descended the stairs in the darkness, bringing my draconian eyes forward to let me see Pinkie’s heat. She was sitting on the bed, away from the door. I let my eyes return to normal and slowly opened the door.

She had her skirt back on, laid flat against her legs. She was wearing my sheet as a shirt, covering as much skin as she could. She waved, still cheery but subdued. “Hi Spikey. I’m sorry about last night, I don’t know what came over me. I think it was that bread?”

I smiled and nodded. I walked back upstairs, leaving the doors open, then returned with her shirt. I tossed it to her and turned as she got dressed, rooting through my dresser until I found a shirt to pull on.

When I turned she was standing near me, and she lightly hugged me. “Thank you for holding back, Spike.”

I patted her head awkwardly, then smiled down at her when she pulled away. “You’re my friend Pinks, I’d never do anything like that to you in that sort of state. Even if I had wanted to” -which I had, I must admit- “I could never have done that without your sober consent.”

She smiled brightly. “I suppose I’ve found another drinking buddy then.”

I smiled and nodded, then led her up the stairs and into the main room of the library. I pushed the broken chair out of the way, and threw my tattered shirt on top of it. I walked Pinkie to the door and opened it for her. I received another hug, this one much tighter, and waved goodbye to her as she started skipping down the road, humming a cheery song to herself.

I closed and relocked the door, leaning against it and sighing in relief. I’d been afraid that since she hadn’t had a partner she hadn’t been able to relieve the… magic’s effects, but it was apparently a timed event.

I pulled my wand out and walked over to the chair I’d broken, picking up some of the larger splinters on my way over. I patched the chair as best I could, but it wobbled a bit still. It held my weight though, so I put it back. The shirt I could do nothing for, so it went straight in the trash can.

A knock drew me to the front door, and a red-faced Pinkie. “Uhm… Mr. and Mrs. Cake are still… going at it…”

I nodded and stood aside so that she could enter. She looked at the chair, then around the library. “So… Did they at least look good?”

I looked at Pinkie and tilted my head to the side, a confused look playing across my face. She looked down at her chest and pressed her arms together a little. I blushed and looked away.

“They were very nice Pinkie, I think you have a gorgeous figure. I would have stared a little more if I thought I could have gotten away with it.”

She reddened and smiled a little, looking satisfied with herself. She wandered over to a section of books and pulled something to read, still humming her happy tune.

……………………………..

She spent the morning immersed in her book, with a bottle of water, while I cleaned around the library. I also walked down to my new bedroom and took the sheets off of the bed to wash. I walked back into the room to make sure that was the only thing I wanted to clean. Walking into the room, I realized why Pinkie had the water.

Sniffing lightly, I picked up my mattress and walked upstairs with it, leaning it against a wall right outside of the back door. Pinkie had not gone to sleep right away, and the thoughts of what had gone on in my bedroom was enough that I had to pretend to clean the counter for a minute or two.

I believe she noticed though, considering her ever flushed face deepened a couple shades and her smile widened before she returned to her book. I gave up the act and went downstairs to open the window, then straightened up my room while my problem shrunk. There wasn’t anything that really needed straightening though, so it was mostly just fidgeting with stuff in my hands and putting items back where I’d picked them up.

When I walked back into the room Twilight was sitting with Pinkie. They stopped talking when I walked in, so I assumed they were speaking of what had happened last night. Pinkie had apparently gone into great detail, because Twi was extremely red and wouldn’t meet my eyes.

Pinkie was grinning conspiratorially and winked at me. “Did you finish your… business?”

Twi and I gaped at her, than she started sputtering syllables while I denied Pinkie’s accusations. She burst out laughing and flapped her hands at us, managing to tell us to calm ourselves between gales of laughter.

“So,” I said, between her bursts of giggles, “Do you think the Cakes have… finished yet?”

Pinkie stopped laughing and gazed, thoughtfully, at the ceiling. “Well, Mr. Cake always has had a lot of stamina… And Mrs. Cake sure can take quite a bit of a beating…”

Pinkie looked into the scandalized face of Twilight Sparkle and shrugged, a neutral mask covering her usually giggling face. It cracked quickly though, starting with red cheeks and ending with her usual broad grin.

“I’m sure they’re on their last legs, if nothing else. I’ll go check up on them, see if they need to rehydrate or something. I know I was pretty thirsty after last night.” With a wink she skipped out of the door and started back down the road towards Sugarcube corner, leaving everyone in the library with a blushing face and dirty thoughts on their mind.

Twilight and I sat in awkward silence after I finished my chores and she hers. She was pretending to read a book she’d already read four times, and I was simply staring up at the clock and watching the seconds fall away. Finally the time to open the library to the public came around, and I unlocked and dispelled the hexes over the door for the last time that day.

I had an idea, and while Twilight got the desk up and running I searched through the section we had on protective spells. Neither book had what I was looking for, so I wrote myself a note and left it downstairs where I could see it. When I went upstairs, Ditzy was waiting at the desk with Dinky, talking quietly with Twilight.

When she saw me she smiled, and I smiled back tentatively. She spoke a good-bye to Twi and pushed her sister over to a section of books for young girls. When she reached me she stood on tiptoe and kissed me lightly, then smiled secretively up at me.

“So, Luna and Celestia, huh? That’s a pretty big dream.”

I stared at her, silently, waiting for jealousy or anger.

Instead, she messed with the collar of my shirt and fidgeted a little, biting her lip in an adorably thoughtful way. She grinned up at me with red brightening her cheeks, and took my hand and lead me over to the staircase leading upstairs.

“He moved downstairs last night,” Twilight called across the room, and we halted and Ditzy pulled me to the other staircase, leading down this time, and told me to close the door. I did so, confused but following her down the stairs she bounced down. When I reached the second door she was looking at the frame that would support my bed.

Pointing to the empty spot, she looked at me and arched an eyebrow. “Uhm, Pinkie was enchanted like me, and she spent the night… on my bed…” I raised my own eyebrow at her, and her face reddened further.

“Well, go get it. We’ll flip it if it’s still… not dry.”

“Why exactly do we need the bed? I could go get some chairs…”

She giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down into her face, silken lips parting slightly to welcome my own. After a minute she let me pull away, breathless from our kiss.

“I’m a jealous person Spike,” she said, looking at me. “Celestia and Luna are very beautiful, and Luna appeared in my dreams last night to tell me what had happened and begged your forgiveness.” She ran her hands over my shoulders and down to my chest, resting them in between us. “I told her you’ll have to work for your forgiveness,” she continued after a bit, pulling my hands up to where she had been holding hers and clasping our palms together.

She grabbed my wrists and pushed my hands to her chest, letting me cup her breasts through her shirt. She grinned up at me and finished her sentence. “And I do plan on making you work for it. Go get that mattress.”

I tried to lean forward for another kiss, squeezing gently, but she just giggled and turned me around, pushing me at the door. “Mattress,” she said laughing, and pushed me out the door and up the stairs a bit.

I ran up the stairs, stopping and composing myself at the top. I opened the door to find a very startled Twilight Sparkle standing nearby, browsing the shelves and trying to drink out of an empty glass. I ignored her and went to the back door, through the kitchen. I snagged my mattress and rushed back through the room and shut the door on Twilight’s puzzled stare, closing and locking the door this time.

I rushed back down the stairs and opened the door, making Ditzy jump a little. I tossed the mattress on the frame and closed the inside door, casting a silencing spell on the door after I’d walked through. I tossed my wand and bracelet on the dresser near me and turned to another puzzled stare.

“Twilight’s upstairs with an empty glass, trying to spy on us.”

She grinned and asked me to take the spell away for a second, then leaned out the door and moaned, as loud as she could. We heard the glass break on the floor and rapid footsteps. Ditzy started giggling, but I was too busy thinking about what was about to happen.

She had bent at her middle when she leaned out of the door, and her butt was sticking out slightly. She’d been planning something apparently. Her jeans fit very snuggly and I could see black lace peeking over her waistband.

Moving a quietly as I could, I pressed both of my hands to her seat and squeezed, firmly. She gasped and nearly fell over, but I grabbed her waistband and pulled her back, keeping one hand on her ass and squeezing as much as I could grab. She giggled and grabbed the door frame, steadying herself and pushing back. I let go of her waistband and used both of my hands, running them over and around her clothed cheeks.

“Spike, I had you bring the bed down for a reason,” she said, panting a little and very red now. I ran my hand around to the front of her pants and unbuttoned them, pulling both her jeans and her underwear down to cup the bottom of her ass. She squeaked and made to pull them back up, but I pushed against her ass and made her grab the door frame again. Roughly I pushed and squeezed her bare flash as she giggled and moaned quietly.

I scooped her legs out from underneath her and carried her over to the bed. She flailed her legs and arms a bit, not expecting the sudden change in altitude. I just kissed her neck and ears, silencing her protests and dissolving her into giggles. I tossed her gently, turning her in the air as she fell into a giggling mass of hair and woman. As she fell I snagged her pants on my outstretched fingers, leaving behind her panties on accident.

She wiggled and pulled her underwear back up over her ass. “I’ve got to tease you a little bit,” she giggled.

I grunted noncommittally and pulled my own shirt over my head. When I reappeared out of my shirt Ditzy was sitting up, on the edge of the bed, and she was reaching for my belt. I took the time she spent unbuckling me to lean over and grab the back of her pink shirt and pull it over her head. She was wearing a purple, flowery bra that did not match her white lace panties but conflicted sweetly.

She didn’t bother teasing herself however, and as soon as she unbuckled my belt everything came off. If I hadn’t have pulled back a bit she might have been hit in her nose. I did not feel that this would have been conducive in our ventures, not matter how funny I may have found it. It did, however, get in her way when she was coming back up, and I was treated to the feeling of her smooth hair on the bottom of my shaft.

She giggled and grabbed me with her hands, seeming to look me over. “You’re… bigger than I expected. And very, very warm. You’re almost hot…”

She slowly stuck out her tongue and slowly ran it over my head. I shivered and she smiled, doing it again a bit harder. I put my hands on either side of her face and tilted her head so that I could lean down and kiss her. We darted tongues playfully, and I lowered myself to my knees so that I could wrap my arms around her and pull her close.

She hugged me tightly and I felt something wet against my cheeks. I pulled away and wiped at her eyes, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

She smiled lightly and said, “I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m just very happy and emotional. Please, don’t stop. You’re making me feel way too good…”

I smiled and lowered my lips to her collar and started kissing and nibbling softly. She murmured and wrapped her arms around my neck, loosely pulling me closer. I pressed my chest to the mostly flat surface of her stomach, letting her breasts rub softly on my neck. She shivered and pressed harder.

“You’re getting stubbly, it’s rough…”

“Would you like me to get rid of it real quick?”

“Don’t you dare move away from me.”

I smiled and moved my kisses up slowly, kissing the slight hollows on top of her collarbones before moving to the left of her neck. She moaned and wrapped her legs around my sides, pulling me close with all of her limbs. I could feel her warmth and decided I wanted a more direct touch. I wove my arms around her and grabbed her cheeks again, pulling her close enough to feel her through the thin fabric.

She rolled her hips a little, rubbing her panties against my torso and moaning more. I grabbed her bottom lip in both of my own and nibbled on the very edge. She returned the action onto my top lip, sucking gently and playing across the flesh with her tongue. I smiled and moved my arms up, over her back, and unfastened her bra. She shivered as I ran my hands over her spine and the muscles on either side, but she crossed her arms in front of her when her straps fell loose.

“I’ve never shown anyone besides Dinky my body before…”

I gently took her hands and placed them on my chest, then pulled the fabric away from her chest. Her small nipples were a pinkish brown and very hard, from the temperature of the room or the feeling of my taking off one of her most intimate pieces of clothing, I couldn’t tell. They were nearly dead center in her C-cup breasts, milky white with the barest traces of blue veins.

Her fingers tensed, but I gave her a smile and a kiss. She seemed to relax, though the blood in her cheeks did not recede. I trailed my way down from her lips, over her chin and down her esophagus back to her collar. From there I slowed, trailing kisses down the center of her chest over her breast-bone, all the way from her collar down the her navel.

She tensed when I reached the area where her breasts started, and relaxed when I dipped below them. I let my lips drift over the sides of her stomach and leveled my face with hers again.

“Ready?”

She nodded, and I gently cupped her right breast with my palm. She shivered and made a small noise in her throat, which I took as encouragement and as an excuse to start kneading her chest with both hands. She started to moan a bit louder, with an open mouth instead of keeping it in. Looking up at the ceiling, I started moving away. She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back, using her legs to trap me against her.

I grunted at her, but she shook her head and pressed my face back to her chest. I sighed and stood up, bringing her with me over to the dresser that held my wand. She giggled and grabbed my neck, holding on for the ride.

I grabbed my wand from the dresser, the other hand cupping Ditzy’s ass to help keep her in place. Casting not only over the door but also the ceiling, I made sure that Twilight and Dinky would remain undisturbed for the rest of the day. And maybe night.

I brought the wand over to the bed with us, in case anything else I needed it for cropped up. On the way over Ditzy started slipping lower on me, until she came to rest on my waist. We both blushed a little when her heat connected with mine, and I stopped walking completely. I smiled evilly and pulled my hips back, dragging my shaft back over her slit. She moaned deeply and twitched her back, making herself slide back and forth over my member. This just made her voice deeper, and she buried her face into my neck.

I felt her legs trembling, so I grabbed her ass in both hands and lifted her a bit, just enough to take her weight off of her legs and leave me resting mostly between her folds. She shivered and bit into my shoulder, firmly but with no will to harm. I pulled my tongue over the lower part of her ear, letting my breathe warm the moist skin.

Her breathe hitched when I pushed forward, her voice silenced momentarily as I drug her hips all the way back to mine. She shuddered, then moved her face away from my neck and kissed me, as deeply as she could manage while hanging off of my form.

“If you don’t take me soon, dragon boy, I will go insane and just have to finish myself on your chained body.” She let herself fall back, pulling me down to the bed along with her. I laid her down as gently as I could manage without just dropping her flat on the bed. She ran her arm underneath her neck and fanned her hair so that she wasn’t laying on it. Most of it pooled over the edge of the bed and swung just over the floor.

I sat upright on my knees, just staring down at her and enjoying the sights my eyes feasted on. Her blonde hair fanned over the bed, her pale skin glistening from the exertion and the sudden heat of the room. Her perky breasts piled on top of her chest moving with every breath and the pert nipples topping them. Cheeks still quite rosy, chest almost heaving with her breathes and breasts jiggling nicely.

Noticing what I was doing, Ditzy grinned and gently pushed me away, standing me up and moving me away from the bed. She sat back down and smiled at me, broadly. Slowly, she lifted her hands to her shoulders and trailed them across the opposite sides of her body, right hand grabbing her left shoulder and moving slowly over the smooth skin towards the collarbone as her left hand did the same to the right.

The met and crossed on the breastbone, moving over each other and down slowly, circling her breasts and gently lifting them. Shivering, she squeezed and fingered her nipples for me, grinning as my shaft bounced up and down with my racing pulse. She squeezed the tops of her breasts one last time, than continued moving her hands down the sides of her stomach.

She rubbed her hips, making a show out of pushing her chest out, spreading her legs slowly when she was done. Her panties had a large wet mark, stretching from the top of her slit and nearly halfway down her ass. She moved her hands down and over her thighs, moving over the tops to the knees and back to her core on the insides. She cupped her hands over her slit, and moaned slightly. Then she smiled.

“I had time to prepare,” she said, breathlessly. Grinning, she used one of her hands to pull aside the lace covering the last part of her body. With her other she traced her hairless lips, bringing the fingers up to her mouth for some lubrication before sliding her fingertips between her folds. Shivering, she fell onto her back and spread her legs, using her hands to pry apart her lower lips.

She lifted her head to smile at me, then gestured me over with a flick of her head. “Come on lover, I haven’t got all day. Come take me.”

I walked slowly over to her. Lowering myself slowly to my knees, I lowered my mouth to her entrance. She looked up, but before she could register what was going on, I placed my mouth at the top of her slit and breathed warm air on her sex.

She moaned loudly and her hands grabbed at the mattress as her legs wrapped around my head, pushing me into her heat. I grinned and hummed slightly, using my throat to vibrate everything my mouth was touching. She ran hand through my hair, but I noticed the other one wander up and squeeze her right breast. I ran my tongue over my lips and parted her folds with it, dipping into her wet heat.

All of her muscles tensed and her back arched, a moan escaping her lips that was almost as loud as a scream. Glad I’d soundproofed the room, I let her grind against my lips as I kept my tongue lashing between her folds, drawing out her moan and her orgasm.

Her back released and she fell to the bed, panting heavily as I drew myself up onto the bed, holding myself above her body. She grinned, wide and silly. Her eyes both clamped onto mine for a moment, but a second later one drifted away to do its own thing. She seemed to be able to switch which eye she used, depending on where here concentration was. Today the left was staring up at the ceiling and around the bare walls when it wasn’t gazing at me.

“All done already, dear?” I asked, brushing my tip against her opening as casually as I could manage. I used one of my hands to brush her bangs away from her face, and she kissed first my hand, than wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my face down to hers. With her legs she pulled my sex to her own, gasping as my tip parted her folds and my shaft rubbed between her lips.

Reaching down she grasped me in a hand and led me to her entrance, pulling me partway into her before she put a hand onto my chest.

“I broke my hymen a while ago, so there won’t be any blood, but I’m still a virgin. Take it gentle, okay?”

I nodded, laying another volley of kisses across her neck and chest. Giggling, she led my mouth straight to a nipple and squeezed her breast with a hand, teasing the bud around my lips. I smiled and complied, taking her between my lips as she took me between hers. Sucking and whirling my tongue around her areola, I pushed steadily into her. She moaned and pulled at me with her legs, forgetting her own words of warning and urging me into her.

I complied, pulling out all the way and sliding back in, going from half merged to completely sheathed. Her mouth formed a small circle and her back arched again, trapping me inside of her as her muscles contracted and pulled hungrily at me. I shivered at the new feeling, last night’s dream paled in comparison to the feeling.

When she laid still again I pulled out slowly, waiting until only the head was left in than plunging back in to my base. I felt as if I were barely fitting, like a glove one size too small made out of a very flexible fabric. I couldn’t stand not feeling it, and I wasted no time in setting up a regular motion. Pulling out always earned a moan, sounding almost longing, and every thrust brought a sharp gasp and a bucking of her hips.

Teasing her nipple brought forth more noise, and a bite to her neck was all I needed to bring her to another orgasm. I pushed through this one and moved faster inside of her, stirring her juices as I pulled and pushed into her. She pulled me pretty much flat to her, and I instinctively rolled the both of us, she ending up on top.

Rolling her hips, she pressed down on me and made sure I was as deep as I could go. She than slowly twisted her hips, making sure of her new power. Grinning, she slowly raised herself about three fourths of the way off of my shaft, than dropped herself back to my base. She started to repeat the process, but she was moving a bit slow for me.

I grabbed her hips when she reached the peak of her ascent. She looked confusedly down at me, until I lifted myself up into her with a small smack. She pulled a deep breath and looked as if she were getting ready to moan, but I had already pulled out and moved back into her before the noise could tumble from her lips.

I felt myself growing closer as she fell forward onto her arms, and I paused my movements. She moaned and looked down into my eyes, disappointed face framed with golden hair.

“I-I’m close, love. Is it a safe time right now?”

She grinned and sat upright, grinding her hips down my shaft to the base.

“No, not really,” she said, smiling at me. She placed her hands on my abs and started bouncing up and down on me, rapidly calling forth my own orgasm. “But I really, really want to feel your seed in me.”

I grabbed her hips and positioned my feet, pumping up into her as she bounced on my hips. I felt a little hesitant about spilling inside of her, but I couldn’t not after her words. I flipped the both of us so that we were back where we started, with me on top. I grabbed her legs and pulling her to my waist, spreading them at the same time and bottoming out inside of her.

We came together, her fourth coming seconds before and causing my first. She moaned silently with this one, arching and digging hands and feet into the bed as I pulled her hips into my own.

We relaxed after some moments, she falling limp before I had finished pumping into her. She shivered as my last spurts shot into her, moaning very quietly.

I pretty much collapsed on top of her, holding myself over her with shaking arms to ensure I didn’t crush her. She laughed softly and pulled me down onto her, both of our bodies entwined in the closest embrace we could manage.

“I love you, Spike. No more dream sleeping around, okay?”

I nodded, grinning stupidly. She smiled and grabbed my hair, pulling me in for one more kiss before we straightened ourselves on the bed, using a spare blanket to cover our nude bodies as we rested from the morning’s activity.

The Next Day

After a small nap I woke Ditzy up with a few small kisses along her neck and shoulder. She just rolled over after the first few, so I moved around to her front and continued there, moving my lips down until I was kissing her chest instead of her neck. With a small sigh she opened her eyes and pushed my head away, smiling.

“I’m awake, I’m awake. Where’d you throw my clothes?”

“Around,” I said, shrugging and gesturing to her pants on the floor and shirt hanging from the doorknob. Her panties were still on but soaked with our juices, and her bra was half under the bed. She gently felt her only remaining piece of clothing and frowned, then peeled the underwear off and tossed them on the floor.

“I can’t go around wearing those all day, let me borrow some of yours.”

“Okay, but you’ll have to fight me for them,” I told her, gently pinching her right breast near her nipple. She gasped and punched me in my chest, holding the offended area. I smiled and kissed her, lips pressing to hers. She frowned and pushed me gently, adopting a stern expression and pointing me to my dresser.

“Shoo, no more today. That one time was enough to have me walking funny. Go, underwear.”

Shoving me out of the bed, she bent over and snagged her bra. I grabbed some of my own clothes on the way to the dresser, pulling up my own boxers and pants as I walked. Taking advantage of my position when I bent to grab my pants, Ditzy smacked me soundly on my left buttock, surprising me with her force. When I looked reproachfully, she frowned and rubbed pointedly where I had pinched her, making us both smile.

I grabbed her a pair of my undershorts and the rest of her clothes as moved back to the bed. I handed her the shirt she’d been wearing and bent down, sliding the underwear over her feet and up her calves, rubbing the skin as I passed over. She hummed gently and ran her fingers through my hair, allowing me to push her down and push the clothes the rest of the way over her hips.

She had to spread her thighs to pull the cloth all of the way up, and I took the opportunity to kiss another set of lips, through the soft cotton. She moaned, and her hands returned to my hair, pulling me gently into her. I grinned and ran my tongue along her slit, from the bottom up. She moaned again, louder, than pushed me away.

“You’re ruining these, go get a shirt or something,” she said, almost petulantly.

I grinned and kissed her folds one last time, then got to my feet and moved to where I had tossed my shirt on the other side of the bed. By the time I had grabbed and put on my shirt she had all but buttoned her jeans. And by the time I had moved back around the bed, she had completed even that task and was looking around my room.

She turned to me and opened her lips, asking something that I interrupted with a kiss. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, cradling the back of her head in a hand while the other grabbed her lower back. She tried saying something, but gave up halfway through and just hummed happily against me.

I pulled away and we smiled at each other, me telling her how I loved her and she repeating me. I looked at her slightly dopey smile and felt my own blossoming.

“So, what was it you were asking about?”

Her grin disappeared as she frowned, apparently in thought. It reappeared as she lifted a hand to her head.

“I was going to ask if you had a brush,” she said, patting at the tufts of hair that had been mussed while she had napped and when we had made love.

I nodded towards the same dresser I kept much of my clothes in. “There should be one in the top drawer.”

She walked over to the dresser and I sat on the bed, watching her as she pulled my brush through her near waist-length hair. The golden strands were straight and thin, falling into place quickly. She passed the bristles through the rest of her hair, making sure it was as well-placed as the rest. She smiled and held out her hand, walking slowly to the door.

I stood and took her hand as she passed near the bed, and we walked out of my room and up the stairs side by side.

………………………………

Twilight eyed us as we walked up the stairs, blushing slightly and quickly returning to… whatever it was she was doing with the cards from the card catalogue. Her daily sorting, maybe. I walked Ditzy over to the table where her sister was sitting, and I left them to their own devices while I went into the kitchen.

I made a few sandwiches for lunch for everyone, making a few different ones for Dinky. I hadn't quite gotten her tastes down yet, but I knew mostly what she wouldn't eat at least. Turkey and cheese for Twilight, ham and cheese for Ditzy, one of both for me, and a grilled cheese for Dinky with a back-up peanut-butter and jelly.

Pouring juice for all of us I toted the food and drinks on a tray and set up on the table with the sisters, taking Twilight’s food to where she worked at the desk. I set her food in an unoccupied section of desk and started to walk away before she caught my sleeve, tugging me back to her work area.

“Spike, are you sure you’ve been with her long enough to start up this kind of relationship?” she asked, as bluntly as she could manage while fidgeting and blushing. Her uncomfortable actions only worsened when I raised an eyebrow.

“Twilight,” I said, in a voice I reserved for commanding. She flinched at my tone, much deeper than usual. “I am well over a thousand years old, even if I’ve only been active for the last few years. For much of that time I was alone except for the servants who cleaned my shell every ten years. And while your company and the Princess’s are fine for normal friendship, I need someone… more.

“And besides, we’ve been dating for nearly a month while you dawdled about, trying to decide whether you wanted to return to the castle or not. That may not seem like a long time for you, who’ve been much too caught up in her studies for a partner, but it’s four times the length some couples last.”

She had stopped fidgeting, and was now merely hanging her head.

“I’m sorry Spike,” she said faintly, “I was out of line.”

I reached out and put my hand on one of her shoulders, squeezing gently. She looked up, into my slight smile.

“I’m not mad at you, Twi. I just wanted you to know that you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not about to get myself into trouble, especially not with Ditzy.”

Twi smiled back feebly and nodded. I lifted a hand and wiped a tear away, and she gripped it tightly.

“I suppose I just don’t want to lose my best friend,” she said, melancholy ringing heavy in her voice. I used the hand she was gripping to tilt her face up, so that she was looking me in the eye.

“Twilight, you’ll never have to worry about me leaving you. Even if I stop living with you, we both know I’ll still be here every day to help with the books and cleaning.”

She smiled, eyes still swimming but no longer leaking. I patted her on her cheek, encouraging her smile with a grin of my own. She wiped at her eyes and smiled wider, then pushed me towards the table while she waved her hands, muttering about having a whole catalogue to reorder. I walked backwards, reminding her of her food and receiving another flapping of her hands for my troubles.

I reached the table to find all but my sandwiches gone, and half of all of our glasses quite empty.

“I was thirsty, and I didn’t think you’d mind, so I refilled some of my glass with yours,” Ditzy said. I nodded and picked up one of my sandwiches, taking a bite of pure cheese and bread. I raised an eyebrow and received a giggle in return. “Dinky wanted your turkey, also.”

“I don’t why we’re even waiting to get married,” I pretended to grouse as I finished the grilled cheese and took a sip of my half glass. Ditzy had started to drink as well, but had stopped abruptly when I finished my sentence. She stared at me, mouth hanging wide.

“I, uhm, I don’t think I’m, well, ready…” she stuttered at me. I laughed out loud and leaned over the table to kiss her forehead.

“It wasn’t a proposal dear heart, only an unserious complaint.” She nodded and hastily sipped at her juice while I ate my other sandwich. Dinky had just been looking through her book, done with her own food, when she spoke up on the matter and made her sister spit most of her drink back into her cup.

“I wouldn’t mind at all if Spike became my actual big brother.” She made a face at her sister’s outburst, then finished, “Besides, Miss Sparkle says you two might as well be married anyhow, with as much time as you spend together.”

“Well, one month is much too short for a proper courting,” I told her as Ditzy wiped her mouth and chin with a napkin. “People would talk. One year is the minimum, but I think your sister will hold out on me for two.”

“Can we please talk about something else?” Ditzy moaned, looking uncomfortably at Twilight who had been staring icily at Dinky and I.

I chuckled and complied. We talked about the book Dinky was reading, how her summer break was going so far, and if there were any boys who had caught her eye. Her book was a boring one about a subject she thought would be interesting but wasn’t, her summer had been dull so far but that was fine with her, and all the boys in her class were still gross but some of the older ones were starting to catch her eye.

“There’s this Pegasus named Lightning Flash who looks pretty cute,” she confided in us, “But I get the feeling he’s all looks. Scrawled Pages is much smarter, and he’s still pretty cute…”

Ditzy and I advised her sister as well as we could, holding hands underneath the table. The whole thing was just adorable to me, but it seemed to worry Ditzy a bit. I chalked it up to sisterly concern, same as Twilight. Personally, I thought twelve was a little late to have just started discovering the opposite sex, but still years too young to be doing anything about it.

Eventually Twilight called me over to help her with some returned books, and then she had me cleaning some of the taller bookshelves. By the time we had finished shelving and cleaning Ditzy had decided that it was time to go home.

“It feels like we always come over to the library,” Dinky complained. “Can Spike start coming over? It’s not like you don’t want him to.”

Ditzy muttered something about their house being dirty and waved her sister out the door, pushing gently but insistently. She turned and stood on tiptoe, but I shook my head.

“She has a good point. I could take tomorrow off and come visit you, if you don’t mind?”

Ditzy smiled and nodded, reaching up and bringing my face to hers for the kiss she was waiting for. “I suppose that’ll be okay,” she said before kissing me once more. “Just don’t complain if it’s still a bit messy.”

“Promise,” I said. “Should I bring something for dinner? I was planning on heading over when I finished my morning chores, but I don't know how long I’ll stay…”

She smiled and shook her head. “We already had tomorrow’s dinner planned. And both of us know you’ll probably… spend the night,” she told me, reddening at the thought. My face joined her and I felt the same silly smile spread across my mouth.

We bid each other goodnight, thoughts more on tomorrow than on any of the rest of the night. I walked back into the main room to find Twilight sitting at one of the normal tables, munching on a bread roll as she skimmed rapidly through her current studies. A thought popped into my head and I moved to grab my jacket, but I realized that I’d been in too much of a hurry to leave the bakery last night.

“Twi, I’m heading over to Sugarcube Corner. I’ve got to make sure the Cakes are all right, and grab my coat.”

She mumbled around her bread and waved at me. I stepped out of the library, locking the door to keep patrons out and away from the studies of Twilight. Interrupting her in the middle of her thoughts could be dangerous, if not bodily than mentally. She’d gotten good at tearing down a person’s ego when she wanted to… Thankfully, it wasn’t often she wanted to.

I had an uneventful trip to the bakery, waving at a few of the people I recognized from the library and a few I recognized from the food stalls I bought fresh fruits and vegetables from. I even got to wave at a passing Fluttershy, who smiled and waved back. She had a large basket of greens that she almost dropped, but she returned her hand to it in time to restore its balance.

I walked cautiously into the bakery and instantly recognized the smell in the air, the Ambrosia bread still lingering. I stepped out of the doorway and closed my eyes, stilling my mind before I opened my eyes and continued to the end of the counter, where Mrs. Cake was looking everywhere but at me, redder than a ladybug’s shell.

I waited where I stood, out of the way of any incoming or outgoing customers. It didn’t take long for the few customers in line to finish their orders, and no-one was hanging around the tables set around the shop. I closed and locked the door behind the last customer, flipping the open sign over to read, “Closed, come back tomorrow!” It was fifteen minutes early, but I didn’t think anyone would mind too much.

I took a seat at a table near the counter, while Mrs. Cake rushed into the back room with a few unsold pastries on a large tray. I heard some quiet words in the kitchen, than waved at the youth who walked out with my jacket in her hands.

“Hiya Spike! Mrs. Cake is a little embarrassed right now, I hope you don’t mind if she hides in the kitchen and pretends to clean for a bit.” Pinkie plopped my jacket down in front of me, and I was suddenly very glad I was sitting down.

She noticed me fidgeting and smiled, widely. “Yeah, Mr. Cake says her doesn’t want that in the bakery anymore. Something about some of the younger men giving Mrs. Cake some looks?” She folded back my jacket to reveal the rest of the loaf of Ambrosia bread, wrapped in plastic. The wrapping seemed to be very layered, as if whoever had wrapped it had done so many times.

“Mr. Cake says he can’t get the smell to go away, no matter how many times he wrapped it. He was trying for an awful long time, you know. There must be at least half a roll of plastic on that poor bread.” She giggled, taking the loaf in a hand and squeezing it, crinkling noisily.

“Most of our customers have been pretty quick to leave the store as well,” she told me, wrapping the bread back into my jacket. “And we had a complaint from our neighbors to keep the windows shut, as well. They all said they needed a break from their spouses,” she said, keeping her eyes committed to whatever spot she had picked out on my jacket.

I waved my hand over the bundle, breaking her line of sight and startling her out of her daydream. “Pinkie, do you need to stay in another bed tonight? I’m not using mine tonight.” Her face reddened, and I shook my head. “No, no. I am not using my bed tonight, at all. Do you need a place to sleep?”

She started to shake her head no, but a small crash sounded from behind the counter, in the kitchen. We both jumped to our feet, but a small moan halted our trip. Pinkie put her face in her hands and silenced a giggle with her fingers.

“You know, it may be safer. Let me go get a few things, and I’ll follow you home. But,” she ended suddenly, whirling to face me. “You will not only let me lock the door, but you’ll also lock the outside as well.” She was frowning, a nearly new expression from her. “I don’t want another embarrassing episode. I believe you’ve seen me naked quite enough, young dragon.”

Her skirt lifted as she spun towards the stairs, showing more of her thighs than I needed showing. I had the feeling that she had spun harder than necessary and flashed her skin on purpose, but she had bounced up the stairs before I could ask. My mind started wandering, and I fought with it until she fell back down the stairs. She jumped up, having landed on a large bundle of what I hoped were very soft things.

“C’mon, and remember to pull all the curtains. I don’t want anyone walking by and discovering that they’ve… fell out of the kitchen and onto the counter.” Pinkie walked over to the windows nearest her and started tugging on the cord to lower the blinds. There were only two large sets, one apiece to cover both sides of the store. Their size hindered the lowering though, and it took several seconds to get them down straight.

Looking towards the door, I frowned. “Uhm, what about…” I pointed at the pane glass door. While the blinds covered both halves of the store, the door itself was unhindered by any sort of blockage besides the “Closed” sign. Looking around, Pinkie snagged a tablecloth and held it up to the door.

“As long as no one’s trying to look, this should do.” She had to stand on her tiptoes to hold the sheet against the top of the door frame, and her shirt tugged her skirt up another inch or so. It took me a second to gather my thoughts, long enough for her to look back and find me staring. She dropped her hands and blushed, shuffling uncomfortably.

I picked up another cloth and held it out. “Maybe we should tie this to the bottom, just in case somebody does get… curious.” Pinkie smiled, a small grin.

“To the bottom of what, the other tablecloth, or my skirt?” she joked, making three knots as she tied the two cloths together. I blushed and turned from her, gathering my jacket and its bundle. The smell of the bread wafted out of the jacket and into my face, and the table shifted away as its spell took effect.

“What was that scraping…?” Pinkie had turned to me, and I quickly dropped my jacket to waist height. She gave me a confused look, and then lost all expression as it dawned on her. Looking down at her shoes, she suddenly lifted her face and walked to me, a determined look on her face.

“Spike,” she started, looking slightly up into my eyes. “You know I’m a virgin, right?” Swallowing nervously, I nodded. I wasn't sure where the conversation was heading, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. She slowly lifted one of her hands and placed it on my hip, not shifting her gaze.

I shied from her hand, but she frowned and held her other hand up. I stayed still this time, and she moved her hand over until she was resting on top of my swelling. I shivered, and my pulse made me twitch into her palm. She squeezed gently… and then tried to raise herself into my lips.

I twisted away, grabbing her sack of supplies and making sure to keep my jacket exactly where it was. “Well, we really should be going now. You have a key, right?”

She remained where she was for a minute, blinking up at the ceiling that used to be my face. Shaking her head lightly, she took a key out of her pocket and held it up. I opened the door and threw the tablecloths over the glass and adjusted it slightly, covering as much of the door as I could.

She walked through the door and took a deep breath of air, smiling at the sun and closing her eyes to the light. I closed and locked the door with her key. I made sure that all the glass was covered and turned to the young woman, being unusually still for her normal self.

Tapping her shoulder, I smiled down at her. She grinned back, and we started on our way back to the library.

He Never Suspected

“So, what are we supposed to do with this?”

Twilight waved irritably at the badly wrapped parcel, surrounded by a faintly glowing field. I had managed to keep the bread downwind of both Pinkie and I, but the smell had taken over the library moments after the door had closed. Two prolonged breaths had sent her scrambling for some dusty tome, and after some hurried ruffling the bread had been put into some sort of pocket that I didn't have the brain power to understand at the moment.

“Well, we can’t really risk destroying it. Burning or obliterating it with magic would just send particles into the air, and we can’t risk hiding or burying it. It could seep into the ground, or attract something to it with the aroma.” I scratched my scalp, ruffling my messy hair even more.

Pinkie was looking back and forth between Twilight and I, a wide smile pairing with a mostly vacant look.

“We could simply let it rot away, let it take care of itself?”

I shook my head. “It was made with Dragonfire and magic. If it even rots, it would probably take years. And besides, aging may make the smell even more… potent.”

Twilight pulled her wand and pointed it to the pocket, muttering some modifying spell. The pocket shrunk to the same size as the bundle, but couldn’t seem to compress it any more than that.

“Well…” I started as Twilight put away her wand. A thought was forming, something monstrous and terrifying.

“We could… lock one of us away, and finish it. Eat the rest of the bread.”

Twilight gaped at me, and Pinkie locked her eyes onto the field of magic.

“That would be torture for whoever volunteered. Why would anyone take that suggestion?” Twilight shook her head. “And besides that, what about the ones to lock her up?”

“Why her?” I interjected. “Why can’t I be the volunteer?”

Twilight glanced down at my wand. “Spike, not only are you a very powerful sorcerer, you’re also a Dragon. Any spell that could hold you would probably harm you, and the ones that don’t you could tear free from. And if you do get out…” She glanced at Pinkie. “We’re the closest ones to you, right now.”

I frowned, trying to think my way around her logic and failing. “So, I guess that means no one’s eating it. I wouldn’t put Pinkie through that again, and you’re as powerful as I am with your magic.”

“Or you could take away my wand,” Twilight said, holding the wood out to me. I shook my head, pushing her hand back.

“You can still summon power, and a spell with power and no way to focus it would be even more dangerous. No, we need either another volunteer or another idea…”

Pinkie suddenly piped up. “Give it to Fluttershy.”

Both Twilight and I looked at her, skeptically. “What would she do with it that we cannot?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie laughed and rocked forward in her chair, leaning towards us over the table. Twilight and I leaned forward as well, and Pinkie whispered, “Mating season.”

I got it a few seconds before Twilight did, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. Twilight looked at the two of us, confusion scrawled across her face.

“Twi, Fluttershy takes care of the animals!” I was recovering from my fit, but Pinkie seemed to be just hitting her giggle stride. “The animals have a specific mating season, so…”

“So she could feed the bread to them without any adverse consequences to the local biome!” she nearly yelled, excitement hitting as comprehension dawned. She joined us, laughing lightly and quietly. Pinkie finished her gale, and I wiped a tear from my eye.

“Well, I’ll just make sure that this spell will stick for a while, and I’ll find somewhere safe to keep it.” She picked up the packet gingerly, adverse to touching it more than she needed to. “Will you get a letter to her, Spike? I doubt she’s up to it right now…”

Twilight glanced up at the clock, and seemed startled to discover that it was nearer to morning than to nightfall.

“Goodness, how did it get so late? We really need to get some sleep, Fluttershy usually wakes up a only a few hours from now, and I want to get this bread to her in case some of her animals are… close.”

“I’ll do it,” I volunteered. “I’m rested enough for a couple of days, thanks to yesterday. I wouldn’t sleep anyhow.”

Twilight nodded. “Very well then. I’ll sleep in a bit, and Pinkie can too since neither the library or the bakery are open tomorrow. Do you want to know what the cancelation is for this?” she asked, hefting the lightly violet package.

I shook my head, pulling the book she’d found the spell in towards me. “I’d rather find it myself, and I’m interested in the rest of the book anyhow.” I patted the blank spot beside me on the table. “You may as well leave that here, since I’ll be taking it in a few hours anyhow.”

Twilight looked down at the bread and put it back on the table, wiping her palms on her shirt as if they could be dirty from the ambrosia. She saw my smirk and reddened, looking away and walking to the stairs leading to her room.

“Twilight,” I called, softly and deeply. She jumped slightly and turned her head to look behind her. “Goodnight, Twilight,” I said, keeping my previous tone. She muttered her reply and hurried up her stairs.

Pinkie looked at me curiously, and I shrugged. “She doesn’t like it when I use a lower tone at her, it always makes her red.”

She smiled a bit and let her eyelids droop, leaning over to me. “I think I can understand why, Spike…” she said, her own voice toned lower, and words laced with… emotion.

It was apparently my turn to turn red, and Pinkie laughed quietly. “See you in the morning, Spike.” She stood up and hugged me loosely, then walked down the stairs to my own bedroom. I heard the door lock, and I pulled my wand to add my own lock to the outside as I had promised her.

That done, I put my hands over my face, and spent the next few hours getting my thoughts straight.

………………………………

The sun was already up when I knocked on the cottage’s door, softly enough to hopefully keep from startling the owner inside. For a moment I was afraid that I had knocked too softly, until I heard a soft voice call through the door. It was too quiet for me to understand, but it at least meant that she was on the other side.

“Flutters, it’s me, Spike,” I called back, trying to keep my tone reassuring. I heard a couple of locks scrape open, and the door cracked enough to allow a lock of hair and an eye to peek through. I smiled and waved. The door closed, and I heard a last lock scrape through its housing before a lovely young woman appeared in the doorway, pink hair hiding half of her face but less of her shy smile.

She looked inquisitively at the bag slung over my chest, resting on my hip. I drew the still bewitched parcel out and held it up for her inspection, saying, “I come bearing gifts to the household, should they approve.”

Confused, she invited me in, fussing over some tea and cookies before she settled across her coffee table from me, her in a cushy chair and I on her equally plush couch.

“Now, just so you can know what we’re dealing with, I’m gonna open a small hole in this field,” I told her, placing the loaf on her table. “Is Dash gonna be around soon?”

“Uhm, yes, but… Can I ask why that’s important?” she asked, eyeing the package.

“You’ll see in a moment. Nothing really dangerous, I assure you. Nothing important to do today, either of you?”

“Uhm, I don’t think so, the animals are all foraging today and Dash already has her work for the weekend done. But how will this affect her if she isn’t here…?”

I laughed lightly. “The… effects will linger long enough. But again, the only danger may be dehydration,” I told her, a wry smile playing its way across my lips. She only shook her head, and I pulled my wand.

“Brace yourself,” I warned, then cancelled the pocket when she nodded to me. Instantly the smell of the ambrosia enveloped the room, washing away the smell of the forest that usually permeated the house. I recast the spell, stuttering once but managing to lock the bread away again.

I peered over at Fluttershy, trying to gauge her reaction. She was entirely still, and more than a little pale. In a moment her face flooded with blood, a trickle of it running from her left nostril slowly. I moved towards her, but her hand shot up in front of me, one finger extended skyward, telling me wordlessly to have patience.

After half a minute, she reached slowly to a side table with tissue resting on top of it. She calmly wiped at her nose, clearing the thin red line and licking a tip to finish the stain. She put it into a basket underneath the same table, then resumed her earlier position, looking straight into the floor between her knees.

“Fluttershy?”

She twitched at my voice, then lifted her eyes to mine. The blush that had been receding came back in full force, but she kept her gaze locked with mine.

“Flutters, are you okay?”

She shivered a little, eyes closing for a second. When they reopened, she smiled slightly.

“No, not really,” she said huskily. “I need you to get Rainbow. As soon as you can. Or at least… not be here. Because…”

I nodded vigorously, standing. Her eyes stayed where mine had been though, and she ended up eye level to my waist. Her blush darkened, and she slowly licked her lips.

Blushing as hard as she was now, I hastily retreated three steps. “I’m, uh, going to leave that here, along with a note explaining everything,” I said, pulling a roll of parchment from my bag and tossing it to the table. “Let me know if you’re okay with the, uh, plan. I’ll go get Dash now, uhm…”

She stood slowly, looking at me very predatorily, almost like a bear with it’s food. I turned and ran, rushing through the door and summoning my wings to my back as I fled the cottage. I jumped into the air and looked behind me, watching Fluttershy slowly close the door I’d left open.

Flapping my leathery wings, I sighed deeply and berated myself for not giving her a little more warning. I hadn’t wanted to go into details with her, mostly because I wasn’t sure what terminology she was comfortable with, and because I wasn’t comfortable discussing the matter at all. I still should have given her much more warning…

Finding Rainbow’s house was a simple matter, considering how many Pegasi made their homes on the ground in town instead of in the sky like she did. While it wasn’t the only one, hers was more obviously of Cloudsdale design. While the other few Pegasi who made their homes of the clouds had created them with a style more designed for regular Earth-bound homes, she had made hers grand and swooping, with quite a few ‘cloudfalls’ as some called them. Particles of water kept as fog that ran in loops, the falls sparkling prettily in the sunlight, even turning into rainbows in the right angle of light.

Landing on what she considered to be her front porch, I stretched my wings as far as they would go before folding them into my back. They weren’t used to the exertion and ached dully, but the ache felt oddly good. Shuffling them into a more comfortable position, I placed two fingers between my lips and whistled, my version of knocking on Rainbow’s door.

Looking up, I found her window and waited. A multicolored mess poked out eventually, frizz and tangles losing to each other over an irritated, confused face.

“Spike? What in the name of Celly are you doing up here, at this time, on my day off!?”

Laughing, I told her to get dressed and get down to where I was. She huffed until I told her Fluttershy wanted her, then grumbled at me to wait and be patient. After a ten minute wait, a brushed and dressed Rainbow Dash walked out of her front door, yawning and stretching her wings out to her side.

“What’s the deal with Flutterbutt?” she asked sleepily, using a pet name I hadn’t heard before.

“Oh, you’ll find out. Nothing bad, just something to be ready for.”

She lifted one of her eyebrows, looking curiously at me. I regretted not telling Fluttershy about the bread, but I wanted to keep it a surprise for Dash. It wouldn’t hurt Rainbow’s feelings, the way I feared I might have hurt Fluttershy’s.

“You’re not getting anything out of me, Rainbutt,” I told her, making a face at her. This only seemed to confused her, and I laughed again. “Not really awake yet?”

She shook her head, and I reached into my pocket and withdrew some coins. “Here, buy a coffee or something on the way, you’ll need to be awake when you get there.”

She took a moment to stare at me, incredulous. She snatched the money from my palm, muttering angrily about ‘mystery dragons’, and dove from the cloud before I could bid her farewell. Laughing to myself, I dove off the other side of her porch, heading home.

The library was still asleep when I arrived, the outer spell on my room still intact and undisturbed. I went ahead and removed it, confident that Pinkie wasn’t going to awake and molest me or anyone else. A yawn surprised me though, coming from across the room.

Walking around the chair, I found Twilight reading a book, very heavy lids staying barely open. She smiled vaguely up at me, then went back to her book.

“Trouble sleeping?” I asked her. Insomnia plagued the poor Unicorn, for reasons no one seemed to be able to figure out. I always just chalked it up to her not being able to tire her mind sufficiently; when we talked it seemed like her mind was always computing at something.

“Only a little. Mostly trouble staying asleep.” She looked up at me, blushing slightly. “The, ah, effects of the ambrosia… linger.”

I nodded, chuckling. “I remember. Anything you want to talk about?”

She started to shake her head, but stopped herself with a sigh.

“I still sometimes forget how old you are,” she started. “May I speak with you about something I can only otherwise speak to Celestia about?”

I nodded, sitting in a chair across from hers. She tried starting several times, stopping each time. I reached across the table and took her hand, smiling warmly at her. She smiled back and took a breath to start.

“I’m… lonely. And a little afraid.” I tried to ask her a question, but she anticipated it and held up her hand. “I know you’re always here, always by my side. But…” She gazed up into the shelves she was facing. “Your heart belongs to Ditzy. It does now, anyhow.”

She wiped at her face, and I realized she was crying. I stood from my chair and walked around the table, sitting once again on the arm of Twilight’s chair. I pulled her close to my side, and she wrapped her arms around my waist and pushed her face into my side, holding me tight.

This wasn’t the first time she’d cried on me. Night terrors occasionally plagued her dreams, and she’d been known to crawl into my bed and hold on to me much like she was now. I’d stroke her hair and whisper her fears away. Now though, I could whisper nothing. I didn’t know what to tell her.

“Twilight,” I said gently when her sobs had abated. She lifted her face to me, her eyes puffy and red from crying and pressing against me. “Twilight, you know I love you, so very much. While what I have with Ditzy is strong, it’s not stronger than our bond. I, I don’t know what to say, much less how to say it, but… I will be here whenever you need me, always.”

She nodded, laying her head in my lap. “I just… I just have this hole in me, and I don’t know how to make it feel better. I can only think that what you have with Ditzy would help…”

Extremely uneasy suddenly, I leaned away to look down at her head. “Twi, there has to be someone you like around town. Surely some young man has caught your eye?”

She lifted her head from my lap and turned in her chair to look into my eyes. Once again, her eyes were swimming and her face was scrunched up. She looked so miserable that it broke my heart, even as I knew well enough to dread her answer.

“Not any young man but one much older than I,” she said bitterly, smiling through her tears.

“Oh, Twi, no,” I breathed, whispering into the air.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to come between you and Ditzy,” she said, sniffling and looking down into the book that still lay open in her lap. “I love you too much, and respect her too much, for that.” She looked up and smiled, watery eyes glistening with new tears. “I’ve given up on you, I swear. It just hurts to be reminded.”

I nodded, sitting awkwardly on the edge of the arm. “Is there any way I can help?” I asked, after some silence had lasted a little too long.

She shrugged, barely moving her shoulders. “I dunno, tell me we never had a chance. Tell me you would have turned me away, however gently. Break my heart some more.”

Her words stung, biting into me. It was my turn to swipe at my face, finding more moisture than I’d expected. When I turned back I found Twilight staring up, sorrow painted over her normally cheering features.

“I, I’m so sorry Spike, I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry I lashed out, I didn’t mean it…”

“It’s okay Twi,” I said softly. “I know you didn’t mean it like that.” I reached out and put my hand on the top of head, soothing some errant hairs back into place. “It’s just… I felt more like you were my sister, more than anything else. I never even considered…”

“And you shouldn’t have,” she interrupted me. “I shouldn’t have. Not only am I older and younger than you, but I’m much closer family than a lover should be.” She took my hand in hers and pressed my palm against her cheek, smiling and sniffling. The she pushed me away, waving me back into my own chair.

“I don’t even know why I’m this distraught,” she groused, when I had sat back in my chair. “I knew we couldn’t be anything besides family, and I knew you’d find someone eventually.” She seemed less miserable now, but still a bit too weepy for me. I left my chair and wondered up front, where we kept some tissue for those who needed them.

“I mean,” she continued from across the room, “I knew nothing would happen unless one of us said something, and I knew you didn’t feel the same way. And I knew I couldn’t say anything without making us awkward, and you’re the only person I can count on to be close as you are.”

She took the proffered box, wiping at her eyes and nose. I was trying to stay silent, let her get everything off of her chest. And I had to think of something, anything to say, besides the truth; if she had said something, we probably had a pretty good chance. Telling her that would only break her heart further, I knew that. I had to let her think that we’d never have had a chance.

She sighed again, and smiled at me. This one wasn’t watery, and her sniffles had even stopped for the moment. “Thank you so much, Spike. This feels so much better, having this off of my chest.” She sniffled one last time, blew her nose into a tissue, then stood.

“I never really got to sleep, though. I’m off to bed, to whatever end. We can talk about this some more, if you want.”

I nodded, faking a smile. She smiled lightly back, and left the room still holding the tissues. As soon as she was gone I sighed heavily, cupping my face and lowering it between my legs. This was tearing me up, and I had no way of knowing how to deal with this.

I straightened, remembering something. I knew someone who could help us both, a sort of couple’s councilor.

Rarity.

She Never Suspected

“Spike, I’m not sure what it you’re asking me, exactly. What do you mean by ‘counseling’?”

I’d left the library shortly after Twilight had gone to sleep for the second time. It hadn’t taken me long at all to reach the little boutique. Rarity had opened the door shortly after I’d knocked, and confessed to being up since dawn to work on dress orders. Inviting me in, I was offered my second cup of tea. Declining, I took a seat and blurted, “I need someone to talk to. I need a counselor. For counseling.”

After frowning, she’d asked what I had meant. Breathing as deeply as I could, I slowed my racing mind.

“I need you to promise me this won’t leave the room. And Twilight especially needs not hear of this, not yet.” Rarity leaned her head to the side and gave me a strange look. I shook my head and launched into my explanation, covering the conversation I’d had with my best friend minutes ago.

She’d started the conversation fussing with the arrangement of the teapot and cups on the table, but as I got deeper into the conversation she stopped what she was doing and dedicated her whole attention to me, concern slowly covering her features.

“And, what is it you want me to do, dear? I’m not sure how I could help her… Maybe set her up with someone, get her mind off of you?” Rarity was staring into her cup of tea, mumbling to herself what sounded to be names.

“Honestly,” I said, interrupting her, “I was hoping you, or someone you know of, had gone through something similar. I figured I could count on you, for, uhm, love advice. I’m very out of my elements here. Anything you think will help…”

Rarity nodded. “You need to get her head off, well, you. Push her feelings from you to someone else. Hopefully her feelings towards you will simply change, especially if you support this other suitor.”

She blushed, looking back in to her cup. “Speaking of, uhm, suitors, do you know what… who she would prefer?”

I understood what she was asking, but when my mouth opened to answer I realized I didn’t know.

“Uhm, I think she’s into guys. I mean, we’ve never talked about, and she’s always been too busy studying to really… figure it out. I mean, I have to figure guys with, well, with all that’s come to light recently. But she’s never been asked out by a lady before… I have no idea.”

Blushing, Rarity stirred a spoon absentmindedly through her tea, though the cream she’d added was long dispersed. A thought occurred to me, and I leaned forward.

“Rarity?” I asked, gently. She looked up, into my eyes. “Would you like me to ask Twi if she likes ladies or not?”

Her blush deepened and she lifted her cup, pushing it into her nose as she missed her mouth. Hand shaking slightly, she set her cup on the saucer on the table in front of her and took a small bit of air.

“Rarity,” I said gently, reaching out and laying my hand on hers. “Please, don’t be nervous. The worst that could happen is that she says no, and she won’t even be saying no to you.”

“No, but you will be,” she pointed out, a sad smile on her face. I inclined my head, my own small smile sitting on my face.

“Which would be worse, no or no answer? Better than to love and lose, et cetera.”

Her smile warmed a bit, touching her eyes. “I suppose so. Then, yes. Please ask her, for me.”

I nodded, smiling. Curiosity struck, and I asked her what exactly interested her in Twilight, eliciting a shy smile I’d never seen her wear before.

“Spike, you’ve been with her for so long that I’m not sure you’ve noticed, but she is an extremely good looking young woman. Maybe a bit too bookish for some, but I love how well-read she is. And she’s so cute when she’s wrapped up in some book, and when she tries reading while she’s walking somewhere…”

Her blush disappeared slowly as she talked about her crush, and I realized that she had to have been harboring her feelings form quite some time for them to develop this far. I felt myself grinning.

Rarity noticed my smile and her blush returned, her lips slamming shut and her eyes wandering to the floor, conjuring the image of a purple haired Fluttershy. I laughed softly and stood.

“Thank you Rarity, you’ve helped me a great deal.” I offered her my hand, and she took it as she lifted from her chair. I squeezed gently, covering her hand with my other. “I hope I can return the favor, truly.”

She lifted her eyes to return my gaze, and I smiled at her own small grin. “I probably shouldn’t get my hopes up, should I?”

I shook my head. “No, likely not. But I can’t tell you not to, either. Hope is all anyone could, ehm… hope for?” I scratched my head, trying to think of another way to phrase that.

Rarity laughed and hugged me, squeezing her arms around my chest. “I think I understand what you mean, Spike. Now go away, I’ve some dresses that need to be tended to.” She pushed me gently to the door. “Really though… thank you.”

I smiled and nodded, then turned to head home. I heard her door close, and a small shout as soon as the latch was slid into place. Hoping that her excitement was not wasted, I set out.

……………………………………..

Pinkie was awake when I entered the library. The clinking of pots and pans let me know someone was awake, and I knew Twilight wouldn’t have been messing with the cookery. Enough failed experiments had taught us both better.

Following the smell of warm grains and hot raisins, I ventured cautiously into the kitchen. She didn’t seem to hear me, humming to herself as she mixed a batch of whatever she was making in a large bowl. I pulled a chair out from beneath the table as quietly as I could manage, watching pink hair sway as she mixed the dough.

I’m ashamed to admit I also watched her bend over to grab a pan from the counter. I’d seen her shirt sleeve when I’d came in, but I hadn’t been able to see that she’d neglected to wear her pants as well. Light green panties greeted me from between locks of her hair, supported by luscious pale thighs. Deciding to let myself be known, I whistled lowly.

Pinkie spun around, wide-eyed and open mouthed. She quickly regained her composure, standing straight-backed and smiling at me. “Well, thanks for the confidence booster,” she said, as cheery as she always was. “I wish you hadn’t had to scare me for it, though.”

“Well, if you’d known I was here, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the… vista.” I glanced pointedly at her bare legs, and she blushed and pulled some of her hair in front of her shoulders to drape across her body. It wasn’t quite long enough to hide everything, but it was definitely one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen.

Laughing, I asked, “Pinkie Pie, do you want me to find you some clothes? Are your pants dirty?”

“Uhm, no, I’m just used to not putting on all my clothes on Sunday mornings, since Mr. and Mrs. Cake usually don’t wake up until after noon. I always have a shirt in case,” she said, tugging on her sleeves, “but I usually just wear some undershorts. But all of my actual shorts were dirty, so…

Holding up my hand, I waved away the barrage with some laughter. “It’s okay Pinkie, I understand. I usually stick to shorts myself, when it’s warm enough. Go get dressed, so I can stop making fun of you.”

She nodded and scampered out of the kitchen, trying to hold her flowing hair down but failing. I stood from my chair, walking around the table and over to the counter the bowl of dough sat, unguarded. I grabbed a spoon nearby, ready to dunk it until I saw a note attached.

“No Touching!” it proclaimed, with several exclamation points. Raising an eyebrow, I pulled the note off and examined it. On the reverse side was another message, “I Mean It!”

Laughing, I replaced the spoon and sat back down to await a fully clothed Pinkie.

Pants back on, she was much chattier. Watching her bounce around, placing her dough on a baking sheet and placing it in the oven, I noticed that she seemed a lot more energetic than before. “Pinkie?”

She stopped in the middle of some story about Applejack messing up a muffin recipe. “Pinkie, do you act like this on purpose?”

She smiled secretively, and made a locking motion in front of her lips. Smiling, I nodded. I may not understand her motives, but Pinkie could most certainly act any way she wanted.

“Can I ask why? It surely must be tiring.”

She shrugged. “It’s more fun this way. People around me have more fun, and I certainly do.”

Laughing, I nodded and motioned to the seat across from me. “Well, you don’t have to act for me.”

Laughing herself, she sat and launched back into her story, just a full of energy as before.

…………………………………………….

Mumbling sleepily, Twilight walked into the kitchen around an hour later. Pinkie’s cookies had turned out well, popping out of the oven about forty-five minutes ago. Cool enough to eat a few minutes after, Pinkie and I had had a very sweet lunch of oatmeal cookies and milk.

Twilight walked over to the counter, where the remainder of our lunch sat. Staring at the pile, Twilight seemed to zone out for a minute. Breaking the spell, I asked her, “Twi, would you like some breakfast?”

Slowly nodding, she picked up the tray and brought it to the table. Sitting heavily, she reached over and took my glass of milk, half full and still cool. Slurping nosily, she stuffed half a cookie in her mouth as a chaser. She ignored our stares, but huffed when we smothered giggles… after her forth cookie.

Finishing her milk, she seemed a bit more aware than before at least. Well, her eyes were a bit more open. She stared at the plate, obviously contemplating more cookies, but pushed it towards me. A blush started when she caught my eye, and she looked away slowly.

Rubbing my chin, I stared at her, trying to think of the best way to ask about her… preferences. Glancing at Pinkie, I wondered if I could plan it with her… But then she might start thinking of Pinkie instead of Rarity, and that wasn’t even close to what I wanted. Just getting Twilight a companion was no longer the objective, now it was specifically Rarity I wanted as her partner.

“Twilight, do you look at guys?”

Both the librarian and I looked over at Pinkie, standing by the window. We both got up and made our way to the window, to see what she was staring at. It turned out to be the clouds. Pinkie looked at the both of us with surprise, and asked, “What?”

“Uhm, I guess we thought you were looking at a guy.” I looked all along the street, while Twilight looked at the floor, concentration playing across her face. “What brought this up?”

“Oh, nothing in particular,” she said, staring dreamily back up to the clouds.

“I look at both, I guess.” This seemed to surprise both of us, and it was Pinkie’s turn to stare with me. “Uhm, w-well, the only people I see are my five friends and Spike,” Twilight stuttered. “A-a-and, well…”

“We’re all dead sexy, so you like looking,” Pinkie finished, grinning widely. Twilight blushed, looking at a wall instead of meeting our gaze, and I laughed.

Elbowing Pinkie gently, I said, “Well, it’s not like she has any lack of eye candy with you five around.” Pinkie joined Twilight in the blushing club, and Twilight hid her face with a hand, muttering about how that wasn’t what she meant.

“So, you mean you look at more ladies than guys,” I quipped.

“Only statistically!” she protested loudly.

Laughing, Pinkie hugged Twilight and I patted her on a shoulder. “We’re only joking, silly!” Pinkie giggled, letting go of Twilight. “And besides, I’m really flattered, as I’m sure the rest of the girls would be. It’s no reason at all to be embarrassed.”

Still blushing, Twilight nodded, embarrassed all the same.

“Besides, it’s not like none of us have never thought…” Pinkie let the thought trail off, to finish in my head. Blush rising, I noticed that I was the odd man out this time. Twilight and Pinkie were staring at me, one frowning and the other grinning mischievously.

“I get the feeling that some of us never really stopped,” Twilight said, disapprovingly. “And never really should have started.”

Raising an eyebrow, I met Twilight’s gaze. “Which of your friends have you imagined, Twi? How many at the same time?”

Her face blazed, and she attempted to hide most of it under her hands, leaving only purple eyes to gaze back.

“Ooh, more than one, definitely. Naughty Mrs. Sparkle, how many?”

Blushing wildly, she muttered something under her breath that made Pinkie's eyes widen in shock, and cheeks blaze nearly as red as hers. I moved a little closer, moving my hand up to my ear.

“Five, okay!” Twilight yelled, anger and shame covering her face. I felt my face copy Pinkie’s, and Twilight fidgeted nervously.

“Wow,” Pinkie said after a minute. “I’ve only ever gotten up to four, I’ve never needed that one extra.”

Thinking fast, I cleared my throat and said, “Well, I guess that means I’ve beaten both of you.” They both looked at me, aghast.

“Yup,” I forced myself to say, leaning forward with a grin. “Seven,” I whispered.

Their eyes widened, and for a few uncomfortable moment they stared at me. Then Pinkie burst into laughter, falling over and holding her sides as she gasped for breath between gales. After a minute, my composure broke and I joined her, sliding out of my chair to lie on my back.

Twilight stared at us like we were idiots for a bit, then joined us on the floor, giggling. Eventually all of our laughter faded away, and we three were left on the ground, grinning like idiots.

Finally, Twilight spoke up. “Well, I wasn’t lying about my number. Pinkie?”

“Nah,” she said. “It’s usually just one or two at a time with me, but the most at one time is usually everyone but Rainbow or Fluttershy. Nobody needs two Pegasi.”

Looking over at me, they both raised an eyebrow and waited. Sighing, I thought about it for a minute. Twilight tapped her finger impatiently, and Pinkie was leaning closer every second.

“Two,” I admitted. “Three, maybe once.”

Twilight stared at me, disbelieving. Pinkie laughed though. “You’re so boring, Spike. Can I ask who?”

“Feel free to ask,” I told her, making a face, “but don’t expect me to tell you. Not the truth anyhow.”

The princesses had been a onetime fantasy; thinking back on that dream made me feel too guilty to enjoy the thought, even after adding Ditzy. Not to say that the thought hadn’t gone anywhere…

“Wait, that’s hardly fair,” Twilight protested. “You know both of ours, why can’t we know yours?”

“Because mine is extremely personal. Know that Ditzy was one of my three, and leave it at that. Please,” I pleaded.

“So, was she not one of your…?” Pinkie trailed off, me having fixed her with a blank stare when she’d started speaking.

“So, uhm, Twi. You said you’d imagined all of us? Do we get equal, uhm, ‘screen time’?” Pinkie asked hastily.

“I, I don’t know,” Twilight said thoughtfully. “I’ve never really thought about it. Uhm, I think it may be a tie between…”

She stopped, blushing hard.

“So, between Pinkie and?” I asked, tired of playing around the topic. I wanted information half an hour ago, I was tired of messing around.

Pinkie blushed and squealed quietly behind her hands as Twilight looked pointedly away. “Uhm, I suppose it’s a tie between Pinkie, and… Maybe Fluttershy? Rarity? They’re just so beautiful, and Rarity is so refined while Fluttershy is so kind… Not that Rarity isn’t it’s just…”

She sighed and stopped speaking. “Spike, can we drop this? I’m feeling very… drained right now.”

“One last thing, and I’ll be quiet,” I promised. She sighed and nodded, closing her eyes and resting her head in her hands.

“Pinkie, can we have privacy?” I asked, making a face. “Your presence could color the answer.”

“Yeah, okay. I have to use the bathroom anyhow.” She jumped to her feet, making her the first one off the floor. Striding purposefully, she left the two of us alone.

“Twi,” I started, waiting for her to ready herself. “Would you…” I chewed on my lip, trying to make sure I phrased this correctly. “If one of your friends were interested, would you date any of them?”

Surprised, she stared, wide eyed, into her lap. After a minute, she smiled lightly and blushed. “Yes, absolutely. Are you asking for a particular person? Do I get to know who it is?”

Laughing, I shook my head. “No no, I believe I’ll let her introduce herself. Although,” I paused, a thought flashing into my head. “I may keep it a secret until…” I leaned forward, keeping her eyes on mine. “You would agree to a date with any of your friends, to potentially love one of them?”

She tugged nervously on a strand of hair for a brief few seconds, then smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. No matter who, I will take them seriously on a date.” Leaning forward, she peered towards the door. “But, you’ve got to warn me if it’s Pinkie, okay? I’ll need to prepare all of my energy for her,” she chuckled.

“Not me,” chimed the woman as she whipped back into the kitchen. “Sorry Twi, I’m not interested like that.” She popped half of a cookie into her mouth, offering the other half to both of us. We waved it away, Twilight probably still full from earlier, and me just not in the mood for sweets.

“In ladies, or just in me?” Twilight asked, a little disappointed but still chipper.

“In anyone, really.” She took the neglected cookie and finished it. “Life’s full of too many other things right now, I’m too busy for a soul mate. But attractive-wise?” She grinned at us both, leaning forward and pushing her shoulders together, adding a seductive suggestion to her expression. “I’m interested in making sandwiches,” she said huskily, looking pointedly from me to Twilight.

Giggling, she picked up the rest of the cookies and put them into a bag she produced from her pockets.

“But not right now,” she chimed. Walking over to the both of us still on the floor, she tilted my red face up and kissed me, chastely, on the lips. She turned and bent over again, giving me leave to a very unchaste view as she kissed Twilight the same way. “I need to get home, check on the Cakes and make sure they’re still alive and hydrated.”

Winking, she left the kitchen. After we both heard the front door close, Twilight and I shared our gaze, taking in the other’s red face.

“Did she give you…” I started.

“A fantastic view of a very juicy bottom?” the scholar finished, burning bright as she completed my sentence. I nodded, and she mimicked the gesture. “Yeah, she did.”

We kept each other’s gaze for another few seconds, before I broke into uncomfortable chuckling. Twilight started giggling as well, and we shared another moment before I stood, reaching a hand out to help her off the floor. She took my hand and I pulled her up, the both of us nearly touching we ended up so close.

“So,” I started lamely, stepping away. “Pinkie is tied for first? May I ask why?”

Twilight reddened further, lowering her face. It took a minute, but she finally said, “She’s so… voluptuous. Just seeing her move sometimes…” She lifted her hands and pressed them over her chest. Well, over her left breast mostly, small compared to some but still very much there. “Just feeling her lips on mine…”

I coughed, extremely uncomfortable. Twilight seemed to realize what she was doing, and snapped her hands away from her chest. “I’m gonna go clean some… books!”

She dashed from the room. I stood looking through the doorway, then looked at the dishes sitting in the sink from Pinkie’s visit.

“Well, they’re not going to do themselves.” I walked over to the sink, and started scrubbing away the cookie crumbs and old milk.

Return to the Bedroom

The three of us left Celestia with her coffee, the princess flush and pouring over the letters she’d received earlier.

I’d never thought about how warm another’s hand could be, and now that I was holding on to two of the loveliest women I knew. I wasn’t really thinking of what was likely coming, mostly because I wasn’t able to think.

All I was able to concentrate on was the feeling of Ditzy leaning against my arm, and Luna leading us through the castle. Every now and then I’d look down at Ditzy’s blushing face, or forward at Luna’s red ears; the rest of her face was blocked by her long, dark hair.

A large wooden door opened and closed, and we were suddenly in what was obviously Luna’s bedchambers. The walls were lined in what seemed to be violet velvet, and the ceiling was painted black with sparkling stars dotted throughout. A moon was setting on one border, where the ceiling met the wall. I walked over to a set of thick curtains and pulled one aside, confirming my suspicions; the moon on the ceiling was in the same area, and in the same phase as the real moon.

“It gets a little bright when the moon is full,” Luna said as she walked over to a wardrobe, placing a hand on the dark, old wood as she took her shoes off. “I wouldn’t be comfortable staying in here without it though; I’d have to go sleep on the roof.”

“Got used to sleeping under the stars?” I asked, releasing the curtains.

“I got used to sleeping with the stars,” she muttered as she struggled with her stockings. “They were my companions, and I couldn’t abandon them. Whether they would notice it or not, I couldn’t,” she paused for a second, pulling adamantly on her stocking.

I walked over and picked her up, setting her on the nearby bed. She gasped when my hands touched her hips, and she giggled madly as I moved her through the air, a small “oomph” accompanying her landing. The blush had never left her cheeks, and now returned to its brilliance.

I looked at Ditzy and patted the bed beside Luna, and she smiled and nodded. Kicking off her own shoes, she joined us over at the bed, then nervously took Luna’s hand. Smiling, I ran my hand up Luna’s leg, to the top of her stocking.

“You couldn’t what, Luna?” I asked, smiling gently as I hooked my finger under the offending article of clothing. She gasped and shivered as I slowly pulled the sock over the knee, down her calf.

“I-I couldn’t stand to sleep without th-them. I tri-tried when I first got back, but I coul-couldn’t get a good night’s sleep.”

I noticed that she only seemed to stutter when I touched her. Still smiling slightly, I ran my hand from the top of her foot, over her calf, to just over her knee. Beneath her dress I saw my hand traveling, just barely moving the loose fabric.

Instead of stuttering her words, her breath itself seemed to flicker. Noting the tension in her shoulders and neck, I removed my hand and took hers. “Luna if you’re not ready for this…?”

“I’m ready,” she said quickly, then smiled shyly. “I’m just nervous. In dreams I can be whoever I wish, act however I want. But I’ve never… had a real partner…” She gazed up into her ceiling, shining with artificial starlight. “I’ve never even thought about preferences before tonight…”

I lifted a hand to her cheek, stroking it softly. “We’re here for you too, Luna.” I looked over to Ditzy, who was breathing noticeably and nodding slowly. “While this will hopefully be just as fun for us, this is also for you. We will do as you wish, as quickly as you wish.”

“Or, I will, at least,” I said teasingly, running my free hand over Ditzy’s thigh.

This earned me a giggle and a smile, as well as a finally relaxed princess. She looked between us, than pulled ditzy and me a little closer for a hug.

Or half a hug, since I was still on the floor. Instead of the cheek touch Ditzy received, I got a faceful of cleavage. Giggling, Ditzy pushed her face away from Luna’s and pushed my head away.

“We were having a meaningful moment, perv,” she joked, laughing.

“Luna’s fault,” I pointed out. “Besides, where were you a few hours ago? Oh, right, same spot. Followed by Celestia, if I remember right?”

“Almost needed a snorkel in there,” she chimed brightly. Luna snorted, and we all leapt off the cliff into a sea of laughter.

After we stopped and the tears had been wiped away, we sat where we were and just smiled at each other. Then Luna lifted a foot in my direction, twirling a lock of hair Ditzy had let loose. “You know, I’ve still one sock on…”

Smiling, I lifted my hand to grasp her heel and ankle, cupping her foot and running my remaining hand over her calf. She still shivered slightly under my touch, but instead of hitching, her breath sped up. Crossing her legs, Ditzy sat behind Luna and slowly stroked her bare arms and shoulders.

Sighing a little, Luna sagged back slowly, until Ditzy was half supporting her weight. Her arms rested on either side of Ditzy’s lap, and her head rested in the hollow that lay between the shoulder and neck. She was staring dreamily up into the painted sky, smiling.

“It’s like,” she started suddenly, speaking softly while I removed her sock, “…Like a warm river massage, if that makes sense. Like a warm river, pushing over your sorest muscles.”

Running my hands over her bare legs, watching Ditzy run hers from Luna’s wrists to her collarbone, I thought I understood what she was talking about.

“Well,” Ditzy said softly, into Luna’s hair, “I think a river would cover a little more ground…”

When she touched Luna’s collar again, instead of running her hands back down Luna’s arms, she slowly traveled straight down, almost smoothing down Luna’s dress. Haltingly, she ran her hands lightly over Luna’s breasts, conforming her palms as Luna’s body swelled, proving to the world how much of a woman the princess could be.

Moaning softly behind her lips, Luna pushed her chest out further, pressing Ditzy’s hands further into the yielding flesh. Allowing a small grin, the blonde clamped down and squeezed generously.

Enjoying the show for the moment, I laid my hands on Luna’s legs and slowly slid her dress upwards, displaying inches of pale, smooth skin. Wriggling slightly, Luna slowly spread her legs as the cloth passed her knees.

Blue briefs covered the untouched princess’s sex, a small wet patch forming as quickly as the blush spreading her face. Running my hands up to her hips, I keened forward and up, angling my face upwards.

Luna’s eyes confusedly met mine, until Ditzy leaned both ladies forward. When our lips met, Luna’s eyes first widened, then closed as she pushed deeper into our embrace. Shy at first, my gentle nipping on her lips persuaded her mouth to open slightly, a moan escaping as she did so.

Letting my tongue run over her lips, I let it revert a small amount, thinning and splitting at the tip. Slipping between her lips, I wrapped my halves around her whole, squeezing and caressing.

The effect was immediate; Luna reached forward with both arms, leaning entirely on Ditzy as she wrapped all of her limbs around me, pulling me as close as was possible. She even pulled herself forward on the bed a little, causing a small giggle from behind her. With a couple of small bounces, Ditzy was back in place, pushing herself onto Luna’s back as before.

I smiled around my tongue, feeling Ditzy’s vigorous work on Luna’s breasts as the backs of her hands squirmed on my chest. Raising my arms, I ran my hands op Luna’s hips and over her sides, to Ditzy’s stomach. Moving up, I cupped her smaller, but no less lush chest and squeezed moderately.

A small contented hum sounded behind one of Luna’s shoulders, and a hand was removed from between our chests. A hand scooped a tangle of hair from one side, and a smiling red face appeared to my left. The hand reappeared on the princess’s chest, and small pink lips closed around the right side of Luna’s neck.

She broke our kiss then, laying her head on Ditzy’s shoulder to moan deep in her throat. Grinning, I took the opportunity to bite gently down on the other side, licking the skin pinched gently between my teeth. I think she tried to moan again, but nothing but air came out, accompanied be a deep shiver.

“I don’t really need these clothes anymore,” she said, deep-throated and absentmindedly. “And some of them are… really dirty.”

Grinning, I lifted my face and moved my hands from my girlfriend’s breasts to my princess’s ribs, giving her breasts a playful squeeze over the present hands as I dropped them from her collar to her underclothes. Pulling gently, I smiled as I saw Ditzy’s hands fall away and disappear to the back of Luna’s neck, where her dress was tied.

“Sweetie, I’ll need my waist back to get these off,” I told Luna, tugging at her briefs. She looked down, confused until she saw her legs wrapped around me still. Blushing deeper, she sighed as her legs unclasped and fell back to either side of my hips. She shivered, and I wondered why until I looked down.

The entire front of her panties were soaked, and plastered to her folds. A part of my shirt was also wet, dampened from where it had been pressed so tightly against her hips. Blushing, Luna wore a mortified face and refused to look into my eyes.

Grinning, I lowered my head so that my chin rested on the mattress, also wet from excitement.

“Spike, what’re you…?” Luna breathed, almost a whisper. She stopped as soon as my tongue caressed the cloth, tasting her dew as I ran from the bottom of what I could see to the top. Shivering, she moaned and tried to push my head away, feebly and half-hearted. Breathing through my nose, I exhaled the warmest air I could.

“Ooh Spike, I thought I said take those off,” Luna whispered, fidgeting. “You are my knight, and I will command you, don’t you make me…”

Laughing, I used a claw to cut the sides of her underwear off, and pulled them from beneath her. She grabbed my hair and pulled me back to her lips, moaning and wriggling as my tongue danced along her lips.

A second later, the already dim light went out as a cloth was dropped on my head. I pulled away to see Luna’s bare breasts being squeezed and teased by Ditzy, once again sucking on Luna’s neck and toying with the pert nipples.

Grinning, I lifted Luna slightly and pulled the rest of the dress over her hips, disrobing her completely. I pressed myself back into her, pushing my middle back into her core and reclaiming her mouth for my own. Pushing gently at Ditzy’s hands, I tugged at her dress. Tapping gently on my head, Ditzy looked at me confusedly.

Wrapping my arms around both of them, I pulled at the strings that laced the dress around her stomach, untying at least the top knot and pulling it loose. She seemed to get the hint, and she reached around her back to pull the rest loose. Dipping her head, she pulled the loop of cloth that made the neck over her head, baring her own breasts.

Running my hands over her stomach and onto her smaller orbs, I broke my kiss with Luna to stretch over her shoulder and kiss Ditzy, gently sucking on her bottom lip.

I felt a hand wander to the buttons on my pants, and felt another set working on my shirt. Grinning, I broke the kiss and stepped back, standing as I did so. Both ladies set up a pout, and I laughed softly as I slid my shirt over my head. Luna reached forward to attack my pants again, straining against Ditzy’s restraining hands a bit to reach. Unbuckling my belt, she pulled my pants fully to my knees, taking my underwear with them.

She gasped slightly, déjà vu filling my mind as she reached forward and wrapped a hand around my shaft.

“I thought your dreaming increased your size, but….” She used her free hand to pull me forward, closing the space between me and her lips. “You’re just as big as before… I wonder…?”

“Wonder what, dear?” I asked, puzzled.

“If you taste the same, as well,” she said, before popping my head between her lips. Her tongue rolled over me, and I had my turn at moaning, almost growling as I settled my hands on her hair, stroking softly.

Moving slowly, Luna bobbed over what length was already in her mouth, taking in a bit more on each down stroke. Ditzy was grinning, long since rid of her dress and on her knees, rubbing herself almost luxuriously. Smiling at her, I winked as she blew a kiss my way.

A thought occurred to me, and I pushed Luna’s head away. When she looked up at me, I pulled her to her feet gently. I picked her up and placed her in Ditzy’s lap, with her legs folded under her and on either side of Ditzy’s. I then pulled her forward, until she was on her hands and knees.

Ditzy understood immediately, and slowly ran her tongue over one of Luna’s raised buttocks. Shivering, Luna opened her mouth to moan, and I slid slowly between her opening lips.

Breathing deeply, Luna grinned and slowly started bobbing on me as Ditzy moved lower on Luna’s backside. I knew the second Ditzy reached the good spot, because Luna sent a long, reverberating moan along my shaft that had me echoing her.

I looked down, taking in the wonderful site below me. Luna had most of me inside of her mouth, and was bobbing steadily up and down what she had managed to intake. Soft slurping noises were steadily coming from her lips, and every now and then her teeth sent a tingle down my shaft to my base. Her long hair flowed over her shoulders, nearly to the floor, showing off the milky expanse that was her back. It was currently bowed near her stomach, with her ass quivering in the air as Ditzy’s fingers gripped her waist and massaged her cheeks. Low slurping sounds also carried over, and a moan almost always accompanied these.

Pulling myself back a small bit, I started rocking my hips back and forth, slowly parting Luna’s lips as I gently slid in and out of her mouth. I felt more than saw her grin, and she looked up to meet my eyes as she pulled me in deeper. I moaned up into the ceiling, and I rocked my hips jus the slightest bit faster.

Slowly Luna lifted her head, letting her tongue slide across the bottom of my shaft as she took me out of her mouth, stroking slowly with a hand.

“I think it’s Ditzy’s turn,” she almost gasped, panting slightly and grinning. “I feel as if she’s being left behind.”

“Literally?” I asked, grinning as I lifted Luna from the bed. I sat down and moved Ditzy, having her straddle me. Between Luna’s leftovers and Ditzy’s self-administrations, I slid smoothly into her deepest reaches, causing a rapidly escalating moan that got lower as it got louder.

She took a deep breath and sighed after our hips met, breathing rapidly through a grin, eyes closed. I kissed her deeply, and we shared out taste of Luna. After a bit I broke our kiss and lay back, motioning to Luna. She tried to sit next to Ditzy, but I pulled her until she was by my head. Twisting her hips, I had her straddling my face, looking to Ditzy. I lifted my head to kiss her intimate lips, and she moaned as she pushed down with her hips.

Mostly in the dark, I looked up towards the curve of Luna’s mostly firm ass and couldn’t help but reach up and take a hold of two handfuls of smooth flesh. She gasped slightly, and rubbed her hips back and forth on my now outstretched tongue. Flicking it back and forth, I caressed both sides of her folds until I found her clit. Wrapping both halves of my tongue around her hood, I stroked like she had stroked me, and she shuddered violently and cried out wordlessly.

Holding her hips, I felt Ditzy lean forward to steady Luna. The movement rubbed me in exactly the right way, and I moaned as I twitched inside of Ditzy. Luna moaned again as I breathed into her, and her thighs clamped onto the sides of my head. I felt her hands on my stomach as she leaned forward, and she ground almost harshly into my tongue.

Pushing, I wriggled half of my forks into her before the sheer pressure stopped me, and I pushed my lips up onto her and hummed another moan as I twitched inside of Ditzy again. I heard her moan loudly too, and strangely, start to giggle. I also felt her lift on me, and then fall back onto my lips, quickly swallowing me again.

Luna gave one more twitch before she listed to the side, falling onto a pile of pillows and sighing deeply. I looked up into Ditzy’s flushed face, understanding why she had started giggling now. The laughter seemed to be forgotten now though, and she again lifted and dropped herself onto me, quicker now.

Smiling, I snuck a thumb between us and tested the place where we connected, finding what I was looking for and massaging it roughly. She moaned and started bouncing much faster, knees plated firmly on either side of my hips. Pushing up with my own legs, I started meeting her in the air, planting each thrust firmly inside of her until we could hardly move.

“Oooh Spike, I’m… I…” she moaned, her hair and breasts bouncing almost wildly. Lifting the top half of my body, I wrapped my arms around her ribs, pulling her up.

“Come for me, my love,” I whispered, and I pushed her down as far as I could.

With a soft cry, her entire body tensed. Eyes slamming closed, she wrapped her arms around my head and tightly, roughly shoved my face between her breasts as she came. My hands snuck down and delivered a small, quick swat to both of her buttocks before I grabbed both. Another moan, another twitch, and I felt so very close now.

Breathing heavily, Ditzy looked down at me sleepily, grinning but confused. “I thought,” a deep breath, “I thought you were much closer, love?”

“I reserved it,” I gasped, out of breath myself. “I figured that Luna would want it…?”

We both looked over at the princess, who had propped herself up on a few pillows. And happened to have two fully occupied hands, one on a full left breast, while the other one was two fingers deep inside of herself.

“Oh Spike,” she sighed, “I would have been done with just the show if you’d finished. How would you like me, insatiable one?”

Looking up into Ditzy’s face, I kissed her deeply and asked her, “Inside or out, lover?”

Looking over at the reclined Princess, Ditzy grinned.

“Inside, of course. You shouldn’t have even asked, honestly.”

“I’ll need you to vacate than. Vámonos, dear,” I said, pulling her gently up and off of me. She sighed grumpily, pretending to pout until I licked one unoffered nipple and laid her down. She giggled and pushed me away, towards Luna and her widely spread legs, fingers still working deep inside her.

Gently grabbing her wrist, I pulled her hand out and up, the two wet fingers sliding easily between my lips as my tongue wrapped around her middle digit. She sighed, grinning lazily as I cleaned her fingers.

“Come now Spike, I’m well and ready, no more need for foreplay,” she half giggled, half moaned.

I pulled her into a sitting position and kissed her, sharing her flavor with her. “Are you broken, or whole?” I asked, when we parted again. Confusion spread across her face, until I patted the small patch of hair near her thighs.

“Oh, uhm, self broken?” she said, almost nervously.

I nodded, smiling. “Okay, I think you’ll feel less pain then. Less, but not no. I don’t think.” We laughed, all three of us, and Luna kissed me again, crawling on top and pushing gently on my shoulders.

I moved her hands though, and made it so we were embracing, my arms around her waist and hers around my neck.

Kissing her, gently this time, I lined us up and pushed my head between her folds, gaining a small short gasp and a much tighter hug. Slowly, I pushed down on her hips. For less than a moment, nothing happened. Almost ready to apply a little more pressure, her hips suddenly disappeared from my hands, and she was hilt deep on me.

A small gasp was the first noise she made, followed quickly by a deep groan. I looked into her face and found closed eyes, and a small smile.

“Everything good? Sweetie?”

“Ooh Spike, everything’s more than good,” she whispered, wriggling in my lap. “This feels…”

Slowly I pushed my hips up, interrupting her thoughts completely. With what was nearly a mewling noise, she leaned into me. Presented with a flawless opportunity, I took one of her breasts in my hand, the other nipple in between my lips. A small bucking occurred, as she twitched from my mouth, and then again from the movement of her own hips.

Leaving a breast, my hands met behind and below her, grabbing a luscious handful and raising her against my chest. She was still twitching, not on the outside but in. Lowering my hands I thrust inside of her, producing the loudest moan of the evening.

“Spike,” she almost panted, “this is lovely and all, but please, this is almost tortureou…”

She moaned as I repeated the motions, skipping the stop this time and just pulling her back up. I was close as well, but something wasn’t quite ready…

I stood up, still holding the princess, and flopped the both of us gently back onto the bed. Looking down, I grinned. Pulling back, I hilted back into her, making the both of us moan. This was it, the perfect view, her ample breasts spilling to the sides, bouncing up as I thrust back into her. The thin covering of sweat that covered her entire body, the sheen of it on her smooth stomach…

“Are you close, honey?” I panted, keeping rhythm as we breathed.

Instead of an answer, she reached up and grabbed my shoulders, pulling my lips down to hers and moaning so loud it was nearly a scream into them, twitching wildly around me and bucking up into my hips.

I released as I entered the deepest part of her I could reach, pulsing and shivering as I filled her as fully as I could. I almost thought I could feel as she overflowed, staining the bed as her body struggled to drink me all in.

Gasping, we finally parted lips, drinking in the air as though it were a thing of liquid. It was certainly steamy enough in the room to make it so that the air seemed wet enough.

“Ditzy, could you…?” I started to ask.

A light snore was her reply. She’d fallen asleep sometime, despite our murderous rocking of the bed and surely echoing voices. Spread eagle, she managed to be taking up half the bed, with us on the other half.

Giggling, Luna looked up into my eyes and grinned. “What were you looking for,” her eyelids dropped seductively, and sleepily, “lover?”

“An open window,” I said, kissing her again on her cheek. “And maybe something to clean the bed with.”

“You know where the windows are, and I know where the towels are,” she said, sighing happily up at me. “But, we don’t have to be done quite yet…?”

Laughing softly, I picked her up, staying inside of her.

“Very well princess, but we probably shouldn’t rock the bed anymore.”

Smiling wryly, she bounced against my hips, making me wobble gently.

“There’s floor all around us, but first…” She leaned forward and we again kissed, deeply.

“I want to know how long your arms can last,” she finished, grinning.

A Short Goodbye

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Pink Temptation (AU)

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(Almost) Everyone has a Good Time

“I’m nervous,” said Twilight, messing with the hair she had let Rarity doctor into waves. Out of her usual ponytail, her hair seemed to become alive; it shone in the light, and floated gently with the breeze before falling back into the exact place it had rested before.

“Of course you are dear,” Ditzy chirped happily. “It’s your first date, and you look wonderful, and I do too, and Spike will when he changes, and we’re going to have a wonderful time!”

Rarity had insisted on doing the ladies’ hair long before the date, to Twilight’s unrelenting displeasure. I talked her out of complaining though. I knew that Rarity had her own preparations to see to.

It had taken a week or so to get everyone’s schedule set straight, making sure that the four of us all had nothing going on. Ditzy and I were there to make sure nothing went wrong, and to have our own little date. Twilight had wrinkled her nose at the idea of a double-date, but had no spoken objections.

Ditzy had received a small makeover, a simple hair treatment and a bun. Rarity had almost started on me, but once I knew she was trying it was easy to keep away from her. I kept my usual spikes, for tonight at least.

Rarity had also left us with clothes; elegant evening gowns for the ladies and a suit for me. The dresses teased and hinted at hidden curves, and I lost myself whenever I put my hand on Ditzy’s waist or back. I even found myself trailing my hand from her hip around her side, and almost started up over her stomach before she tapped my hand sharply.

Blushing, I walked over to my own finery. Holding it up, I stared critically over the jacket and pants that made up the suit, along with a… bow tie? I looked over at Ditzy, and it was her turn to grin. Handing me a white shirt for beneath the jacket, she pushed me towards the bathroom and flapped her hands. Dejected, I walked in and start changing.

The suit was more comfortable than I expected, but I still felt stifled in the jacket. Twilight smiled and walked over, reaching up and undoing the tie with a quick tug and remaking it. She did much better than I had.

Pressing gently on it to flatten it to my shirt, she stepped back and both girls eyed me, making me squirm a little. Apparently they liked what they saw; Ditzy smiled widely, and Twilight blushed and smiled as well, though much more shyly than Ditzy.

“Ready for your date, Twilight? She’s very lovely, if I were single I might be jealous,” I told her, winking at Ditzy. She didn’t know yet who were meeting, so she’d likely be just as surprised as Twilight to see Rarity again.

Twilight kept her blush, but now it was directed at the floor. She started tugging gently on a wisp from one of her bangs. Ditzy squished her own face, pushing her cheeks together and moving her hands up and down slightly.

“Twilie,” she almost moaned, pulling the I’s until the name lasted for moments instead of the single second it normally took. “You’re much too cute like that!” Her hands lifted from her own cheeks and gravitated towards Twilight’s, pinching threateningly. “Stop it now, or I’ll mush your cheeks up good!”

Twilight eyed Ditzy’s fingers and stepped back, forcing her hand to drop away from her hair. It bobbed, curled into shape from Twilight’s worrying. It seemed strangely content to be there, for a lock of stray hair. Instead of the promised pinching, Ditzy soothed back the hair, placing it back behind Twilight’s ear the way Rarity had it.

Twilight blushed and glanced over at me. I grinned and held up six fingers, causing her to shake her head in confusion.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” I told her, keeping my quiet laughter to myself. Frowning, she glanced up at the clock.

“What time are we supposed to be there?” she asked again.

“You know it’s six. If you’re ready we can head out, and just be there ahead of her.” I shrugged at her, trying to convey my apathy. While I was as excited as she was about this date, I wasn’t nearly as anxious as she was.

“… Yeah, I think I’ll go crazy if I sit here too much longer. It’s fifteen minutes away, right?” She looked nervously down at her shoes, small thick platforms that made her look like she was going to a meeting.

“Yes, but I’m not going to make you wear your shoes until we get there,” I assured her. The ones Rarity had picked out worked great with Twilight’s turquoise gown, but they weren’t made for walking, even over the most level of paths. I’d had her snag a purse that matched reasonably well, and told her she could hide her current shoes when we got near to the train.

We’d agreed that Ponyville, while very picturesque and warm, was simply not a great place for eating out. While it could boast of its fresh foods, no one had taken advantage of that fact quite yet. A small diner and the Cake’s bakery were the most one could hope for, and with Pinkie squealing pretty much incessantly whenever she saw Twilight and the diner closed on weekends, Canterlot was our backup.

I’d sent a message ahead, a reservation request, and been nervous until I got the conformation the day before. Two times had been available, and I chose the one at seven thirty. That gave us about thirty minutes after the train ride to get there. Plenty of time to find the place, which I remembered being close to the station.

And hopefully, the train ride would be enough to let Twilight and Rarity get over their almost inevitable awkwardness. Rarity would probably be okay, but Twilight was definitely going to be… intense.

I sighed, walking to the door. “Come on then, she might be there already anyway. I think she’s looking forward to this as much as you are…”

Twilight looked at me skeptically as she walked past me. “I don’t know who could be that anxious to date me, I think I’m pretty approachable.”

“I just bet,” I muttered, locking the door before closing it.

………………………………………………..

We were first to the station, which surprised me. Twilight had changed into her other heels early in case her date was actually there, and had teetered and tottered the rest of the way to the station. Ditzy was unusually light on her feet in her heels, only ever tripping once. Twilight had never hit the ground, with the both of us supporting her, but had gotten very close to tipping the lot of us on our bottoms.

We reached the platform with five minutes to spare, five minutes to wait on Rarity and let the awkwardness begin. We sat on a bench to wait for the fourth in our group. Looking over at Twilight, I discovered her to be as fidgety as I’d expected, looking from her shoes to the clock on the wall to the bracelet Rarity had placed on a slender wrist.

Ditzy was fidgety herself, although her wide smile betrayed her feelings as excitement rather than anxiety.

“Ever been to Canterlot, outside of official business?” I asked, slipping my fingers between hers.

“Only once, to buy Dinky a wand. I wanted to find one that wouldn’t break easily, but Elm Branch doesn’t have a lot to work with here.” She tensed her hand, gently locking our fingers together. “I went to see a man named Carbon, whose father was a blacksmith who forged indescribable wands, in many different forms. He was also known for his blades, until he disappeared from his store. No one’s really sure where he went, and his son won’t say anything except that he’s alive, and doing fine.”

Twilight shared a look with me, and I put a hand to the pendant I wore on my wrist. Nodding, we didn’t say anything. I hadn’t known Graphite was in hiding…

“Anyway, it had been said that he’d taught his son some of his trade, and that he had a shop of his own in Canterlot, hidden away in some corner.” Ditzy giggled and shook her head. “He was hidden near the train station, in a lovely square surrounded by bookshops and scribe suppliers. I wouldn’t have even known he was a smith, if not for the heat from his forge coming through an open door.”

“How did you find his shop?” I asked, knowing her sense of direction wasn’t… entirely accurate.

“Oh, I asked a guard to show me there. It took all of five minutes,” she giggled. “Some people just love the drama of a story. He was very nice too, made a good wand from some Ironwood he had around. A little pricey, but I think it was very worth it.”

“That was a very lovely story dear, but I think we may be late for our train.”

Twilight and Ditzy jumped and turned, Rarity finally speaking up. She’d gotten here a few minutes ago, about halfway through Ditzy describing our favorite blacksmith. She’d sad down, and I winked at her to let her know I’d seen her. Twilight had been so wrapped up in Ditzy’s story that she hadn’t noticed the elegant woman sat beneath her, and Ditzy had been staring into space as she told her story, a habit left over from recalling addresses she’d forgotten.

Rarity had gone a little more daring with her dress than the others, letting it dip into her cleavage as much as could still be called modest. Her hair was down around her shoulders, loose curls bouncing and bobbing with her movements. She had some sort of jeweled chain in her hair, holding her hair away from her face and eyes.

On her ears small silver pendants sparkled in the light, and she had a matching necklace of what looked to be silver lace. She was wearing gloves that shined with a dull light, and matching heels that looked vaguely like Twilight’s.

Confused and sputtering, Twilight stared at Rarity. “H-hi Rar-Rarity, what are you…?” Taking in her dress, Twilight blushed and hid her mouth with a hand. “Oh, are y-y-you…?”

Blushing, Rarity smiled shyly and nodded, giggling. I sighed and put a hand on Twilight’s head.

“Twi, calm down. Breathe in… and out.”

Twilight swatted at my hand, frowning furiously and mumbling something at me. Looking closer at her, I noticed tears in her eyes, Frowning myself, I stepped between Twilight and Rarity.

“Twilight, what on earth is going on in your head? What is wrong?” I whispered under my breath, wiping at her eyes with my thumbs.

“Oh Spike, it’s Rarity,” she moaned miserably, “and I can’t go with her, not her…”

Frowning deeply, I glanced over my shoulder at a bewildered Rarity and Ditzy. “Go snag a seat, we’ll be right there,” I assured them, snagging Twilight by her elbow and pulling her away.

I stopped suddenly, whirling towards the frightened girl Twilight had become. “Twilight,” I almost hissed, lowly enough to not be heard by the others, “what do you mean, you can’t date her? What’s wrong with Rarity?”

“Nothing!” she almost shouted, freezing me in place with my confusion. “Nothing is wrong with her Spike,” she almost sobbed. “She’s the most beautiful person I know, and did you see how prettily she was dressed, and look at me! I’m…” She sobbed heavily, twitching and pressing into me. “I’m… a librarian. A shut-in, a bookworm…”

Wrapping my arms around the girl, I realized how right and how wrong I’d been. Twilight needed someone besides me, badly. I had no idea her self-image was this distorted.

Pulling some cloth from my pocket, I gently pulled away from Twilight and lifted her tear-stained face. When she looked at me, confused, I plopped the tissue on her face. She stopped sobbing almost immediately, slowly regaining her composure. Wiping at her eyes, I pulled the cloth from her face.

“Spike,” she said, once more in command of her breathing and tears. I’d never seen a less telling face than hers in that moment. “Why did you cover my head like a bird?”

“I thought it would help you feel better,” I said, shrugging. “I didn’t really think it through…?”

She slowly nodded, as though anything from the past few minutes had made sense. “Okay, I think it worked. Or I’m in shock. I don’t care.” Sniffling one last time, she took the cloth back from my hands and blew her nose, quietly.

Looking back towards Rarity, her mouth quivered again. I quickly grabbed her chin and pulled her back into my eyes.

“Hey,” I said softly. “Wanna know something?”

“What’s that?” she asked, whispering along with me.

“Rarity was terrified that you wouldn’t be attracted to her,” I told her, smiling slightly. “She swore to me that you’d turn her away.”

Confused, she peeked over my shoulder at her date. “But Spike… how could anyone turn her away? She’s… gorgeous, in every way…”

“And she said much the same as you,” I told her, straightening from the posture I’d affected to whisper to Twilight. “Now, stop being so self-defeatist and talk to the woman, she’s as nervous as you are and probably thinks you’ve rejected her.”

Gasping, Twilight whipped around me and strode back to the bench, where Rarity was sobbing quietly in Ditzy’s shoulder. Ditzy looked distraught herself, until Twilight knelt on the floor in front of them. Gently tugging on Rarity’s shoulder, she looked up in Rarity’s face and whispered something.

I’m told that Twilight only said she was sorry, but it made Rarity sob even more. I did hear the next part for myself.

“I was so scared of the thought of you, I had no idea that you could be nervous too. Rarity, I’m sorry I didn’t ask you myself… Would you… go to dinner with us tonight?”

Rarity’s sobs ceased for a moment, then two. Her face loosened, and anyone other than Rarity would have looked slack-jawed.

I gently pulled Twilight to her feet, then Rarity. Walking them a few feet down the bench, I sat the both of them there. Twilight met Rarity’s gaze, blushing. Rarity simply stared blankly at the librarian.

Slapping my forehead, I let my hand drag down over my face, intentionally distorting my features for a few seconds.

“Rarity.” She broke her gaze with Twilight, blankly looking into my eyes. Leaning over, I whispered into her ear, “If you don’t snap out of it, I’ll make up the dirtiest fantasy I can think of and tell Twilight it’s yours.”

It didn’t work. Rarity just pulled her face away and frowned at me, confused. Still more than I had before…

“Rarity, Twilight likes you,” I said, slowly. That seemed to get through; her face could have lit a thousand caves. “She knows you like her. We’re late for our train, and maybe our dinner reservation. Would you like to come with us on a date?”

Rubbing her eyes, she sighed and glanced over at Twilight before grabbing the collar of my shirt and pulling me down.

“Spike, I’ve made a terrible fool of myself.” Her voice quivered, watery from her sobs. “How on earth could I go on a date after acting this way? I didn’t even know I could embarrass anyone this much, much less myself. I am a Lady, and I’ve made a fool of myself…”

She sounded almost in tears again. I grabbed her shoulders in both of my hands, pushing her away far enough to look into her face.

“Rarity,” I said, “what do you think love is?”

Blushing, she looked over at Twilight… and giggled.

“Twilight, I’m afraid I haven’t been very... ladylike for the past few minutes,” she apologized. “I would love to go to dinner with you.”

……………………………………………..

After a hastily sent apology to the restaurant we were never to arrive at, a ticket purchase, and a letter to Dinky letting her know we were going to make a weekend out of our date instead of only a night, we were finally on a train.

“I hope Applejack doesn’t have too much trouble with the Crusaders,” Ditzy had said when I’d sent the letter through Dinky’s wand. She was at a sleepover, joining Applebloom’s friends at Applejack’s house. They called themselves the Cutie-Mark Crusaders, and had inducted Dinky at once when I’d introduced the bunch to Ditzy’s sister.

“I still don’t know what possessed you to tell my little sister and her friends that story,” Rarity groused at me from across the space that separated our seats. The plush benches faced each other, much like restaurant booths without a table, so Ditzy and I sat across from Twilight and Rarity.

Twilight’s hand twitched, almost manically. It had been ever since she noticed that I’d taken Ditzy’s in my own. I had to assume that she couldn’t find a comfortable way to reach over and take Rarity’s, who had both hands folded in her lap.

“Twilight, can you see if the food cart is coming?” I asked her, glancing down the hallway over her shoulder. She turned in her seat and I lifted Ditzy’s hand in mine, staring at Rarity. She looked surprised and looked at her own, then back to me. I rolled my eyes and glanced pointedly at Twilight’s.

Her blush told me I’d gotten through to her, and I dropped my hand just as Twilight returned to her original position. “No one’s coming, Spike. Would you like me to call her?”

“Oh, no no. I just thought I heard her wheels, is all.” The trolley had already passed once, and had a broken wheel that squeaked with every motion.

Twilight nodded, then frowned. “Don’t change the topic, Spike. Why did you tell those three about the tattoos?”

“Well, mostly because it’s fascinating,” I told her, frowning back. “I had no idea they’d become so captivated by the idea of hand ornaments. And besides, they asked me.”

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Scootaloo had found an ancient picture of the princesses, hands crossed with the backs showing. There had been a sun emblazoned on the back of Celestia’s hand, and a moon on the back of Luna’s. Bringing it to me, she had asked, “Celestia doesn’t really have a hand tattoo, does she?”

“Not anymore she doesn’t,” I’d told her, not thinking. “Luna still has her Cuathie Mark, though.”

“Her what?” she had asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Oh, uhm, that’s an ancient marking used by the Cuathiens. It was kind of distinguishing mark, a defense against Changelings, who couldn’t match the mark for some reason.”

She stared at me blankly for a minute before asking, “Used by who?”

Laughing, I had fetched an old book from the library’s shelves. Flipping to the chapter I’d been looking for, I showed her a picture of what appeared to be half man, half horse. “Cuathiens were an ancient equine race. Some called them centaurs, but the Cuath were what they called themselves.”

I put a finger to a point in the book. “This describes the ritual they used to find their marks, the Cuathien Mark.”

Looking closely at the word, she seemed to mouth it silently.

“Cutie mark?” she asked finally.

I burst out laughing, shaking my head. “No honey, Qu-Auth-Ee-En. Cuathien.”

“But… Cutie Mark is much better,” Scootaloo said, grinning. “Thanks Mr. Spike!” She ran out the door, still holding the picture. I’d shaken my head at the time, but I’d known something was going to go wrong as soon as the group had announced themselves as the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders’.

They had come to me once before, demanding that I use my “Super Powered Dragon Magic” so give them these marks. I’d explained to them how the symbol was permanent, and that if the symbol did not describe them completely that it could eat the skin off of the hand. That had put them off for a few days, until they came back and demanded a spell that would show them their perfect mark.

Sighing, I’d taken out the book and my wand. Finding the spell I was looking for, I picked up my wand and lifted the rug that covered the library floor. They all had gasped at the intricate runes doodled on the hardwood, leftovers from an experiment I’d forgotten about. I pointed my wand at the far end and flicked my arm to the side, waving my wand over the floor.

All the chalk had lifted into a small ball, levitating in place as I examined the floor for any leftover marks. Satisfied, I’d started on another circle, using the same chalk.

It had taken me a while, but I finally produced the spell described and inked in the book. Pointing to the middle, I showed the girls a linked trio of circles. “Stand in these, with your backs to each other.”

They had hurried to comply, except for Scootaloo. “I dunno, Mr. Spike… Is it dangerous?”

Creasing my forehead, I frowned at her. “Do you care? You’ve already come to me twice, demanding magics you know little of. What more risk could there be?”

Shivering, she’d walked slowly to her two friends, joining them in the middle. Looking over the runes and circles, I nodded approvingly and stepped between the three, standing in the gap made by their circles.

“Never turn your head,” I had told them. “Look straight ahead, and ignore everything you see, but never close your eyes. I want you to know what it is you ask for.”

Pointing my wand, I started the rune’s magics. The three had gasped and trembled as all light left our circles.

“Manse me teryn ahl, Draconia.”

The voice came from all sides, and I grinned as the three girls shivered.

“Hello to you as well, Deep One,” I greeted, in its own language. “I apologize for the intrusion, but this bunch was looking too deeply into your arts. Is it too much trouble for a kind of light show?”

“Not at all,” it said, letting some of its choice minions come forward to stare at the three girls, leading Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to gasp. Applebloom burst into tears, sobbing as she stared at the scaly, twisted creature.

“That’s enough,” I said quickly. I hadn’t thought that they’d been near so susceptible, and I certainly didn’t want to break one of them. “A flash and a sound, if you please, and we’ll leave you be.”

With a flash of lightning and a roar that turned my bones to jelly, the library reappeared. I allowed myself to sink to my knees, dropping my wand, and looked around myself at the three laying around me. Applebloom’s body still shook with sobs, curled into a ball. The other two seemed to just stare into space, looking at where the apparitions had been.

Walking in a small circle, I picked up the two catatonic girls and set them by Applebloom. I let them gaze, remembering the sight of the Others, before softly tapping their cheeks. The two shrank from me, pulled out of whatever living nightmare they were stuck in. Pulling Applebloom upright, I wiped away her tears and some chalk from her cheek.

“Now, I want you all to remember the cost of deep magic. Swear to me you will never use it,” I asked of them, gently. Instead of answering, Applebloom had started sobbing harder, and Sweetie Belle had thrown up.

“Good enough,” I had said simply. “Now, give me the backs of your hands.”

They stretched out their arms, and I picked up my wand from where I’d dropped it earlier. Placing their left hands together, I tapped each hand and placed the true spell. There was a bright glow, then nothing but smooth skin.

“I thought…” Scootaloo had to take another shaky breath. “I thought the mark was supposed to stay? We didn’t even get to see what it was…”

“And nor will you,” I said, standing up. “We had to leave too quickly, we didn’t have enough time. To have the marks now, we’d have to go back…”

“No!” the three of them almost screamed.

“Well, we were there long enough that it imprinted on your skin. When you discover what your mark should be, it’ll appear there. Long enough for me to imprint there permanently, should you wish.”

I held my hands out, helping pull the three girls to their feet. Motioning towards the kitchen, I helped them to the table and three chairs. Walking over to the icebox, I pulled out some baked treats Pinkie had made and left for Twilight. Filling three glasses with chocolate and milk, I put the treats in front of the Crusaders.

“Eat, the sugar will help.” Moving through dimensions always left me famished, and I figured sugar would help them forget about the turmoil I’d put them through. Hopefully they wouldn’t come back to magic for their marks…

With some gentle urging I had them eating and talking excitedly about their marks, babbling about what they wanted their marks to be. Satisfied that I’d left them with no lingering damage, I pulled some meat from the icebox, and started on replenishing my own energy. I knew I would sleep that night.

“Uhm, Spike?”

I turned to Sweetie Belle, making sure to wipe my face first.

“Thank you,” she said, blushing at the table. “I’m sure that spell wasn’t easy, and you didn’t really have to help any of us… And I know you’d never let us get hurt…”

I held up a hand, stopping her. “Where are you going with this, Sweetie?”

“Uhm… Mostly just thank you, and…” She shivered. “What was that place?”

I sighed, lies running through my mind. “Somewhere I never should have let you even glimpse,” was what I said, as truthfully as I could. “It was no place for thirteen year olds.”

“I’m fourteen,” Scootaloo quipped, biting into her third cookie. She looked away when I met her gaze.

“Regardless of your age, I shouldn’t have taken you there.” I bowed my head to the table. “I apologize, and I swear to you I’ll never take you back there. As to where…” I shrugged. “I don’t think anyone really knows.”

Nodding, we finished our drink and food in silence.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Twilight had heard the story before, but Rarity and Ditzy followed along well enough as I explained myself. Skimming the potentially scaring details, of course.

“I should charge you for all of the materials that they use,” Rarity complained, grinning at me. “They seem to make a different set of clothes for every ‘test’ they go through. A surprising amount of harnesses get made…”

“I would pay for it, if I thought you’d let me,” I bounced back. She laughed lightly and, playing it off as smoothly as possible, slipped her hand along the seat and snagged Twilight’s hand lightly.

Twilight stiffened, blush creeping along steadily. I pretended not to notice any of it, and Twilight started breathing regularly again when she realized it wasn’t a big deal to us. Smiling, she gripped Rarity’s hand a little tighter.

“I dunno,” Ditzy said, frowning. “I mean, I understand you didn’t want them messing around with…” She paused, tilting her head a bit. “What do you call the runes you use?”

“I just say runic magic, it seems easiest to remember,” Twilight told her.

Ditzy nodded. “I understand you didn’t want them messing around with runic magic, but why scare them like that? Are the runes so terrible?”

“Well, it’s more like the lack of runes are dangerous. Without them they couldn’t call to the Deep Ones,” I explained, trying to deconstruct the process in my head, “ but without them they would also be defenseless against the Deep Ones…”

Ditzy frowned at me, so I laughed and kissed her forehead. “It’s complicated. Which is another reason I didn’t want them messing with runes.”

She nodded, sighing lightly as she laid her head on my shoulder. “Okay. As long as you don’t think they’ll try and get their marks in arcane magic or sacrificing animals or anything.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “They’ll be fine. As long as they don’t attempt going back to the Deep realm, they’ll be fine.”

“Speaking of going places,” Rarity chimed, seeming relieved for the change of topic, “you never really told us where we’re going. You’ve only said that we’ll see when we get there.”

“And so you will,” I said, chuckling. “I want it to be a surprise. I’ve already sent off a letter for our lodging, and the… caretakers have more than agreed to house us for a weekend. They’re thrilled to know we’re coming, promise.”

“Do they know all of us?” Rarity asked, surprised.

“In a way,” I dodged, truthfully lying. Twilight gave me a look, and I admitted, “Yes, they know all of us. But no more, I really want this to be a surprise. It’s still an hour from Ponyville, so we’ll be the same distance as before. Just, for a longer time.”

The two legal guardians nodded. “And Applejack was okay with housing the three for the extra day or so?” Ditzy asked, looking up at me. Unable to hold myself back, I peppered her forehead with little kisses, making her giggle and push my head away.

“I asked Dinky to send us back a letter if there was a problem, and she hasn’t yet. Either there’s no problem, or they’re already asleep and it’ll wait until tomorrow morning.”

Nodding, she laid back against my chest. Twilight eyed us, then looked over at Rarity. I caught her eye and shook my head. I knew that I had been quick with Ditzy, but I doubted Rarity would appreciate Twilight trying to nuzzle up on her chest.

Disappointed, she huffed quietly and stared out the window. “Are we going to get to the restaurant before it closes, or are we eating with our hosts?”

“We’ll be eating at the same place as we’re staying, with at least one of our hosts.” The other one may well be asleep, I thought. Smiling, I leaned back against the bench and let the conversation get away as my mind wandered.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

We arrived without further incident, and Twilight had a confused expression as she glanced around. “I don’t understand, Spike?”

“I thought we were going somewhere else?” Ditzy finished for her, looking around at the familiar views of Canterlot. Even at night the streets were busy, people walking and talking among themselves as they hurried from place to place.

“I said we were going to eat somewhere else, not that we weren’t going to Canterlot,” I said, a little smugly. I earned three whacks, one quite vicious. “Oow, Twilight… that one kind of tickled…” I danced away from her second one, laughing as I led the group towards a diner I’d heard of, that supposedly stayed open all night.

“Any idea where you’re going, scale-face?” Twilight called down the road she was following me down.

“Only the vaguest of ideas, Twilie!” I called back, laughing. It felt good to have everyone getting along this well, and I was looking forward to the dinner we were late for.

The place was called The Cellar Door, and lived up to its name. I’d heard tell of it for years through the rest of the Darklighters, but this was only the second time I’d seen it. Five stone steps led down into the bottom of a stone building, a very abrupt door blocking the way into the place.

“Spike, are you sure this is the place?” Ditzy asked, holding onto my arm. We weren’t in the friendliest of places, this particular establishment down a few alleys and well from the main road.

Pointing to the door, I pulled her attention to a small golden dot in its middle, with a candelabra emblazoned in the middle. “Yeah, I’m sure. Dawnbreak was the one who pointed me this way. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t tell me that I had to bring you here and have it be some kind of prank.”

She nodded, and I raised my fist to knock gently in the very center of the door. The dot pulled away to reveal a golden iris, staring at me. I held my wand up, and the eye disappeared from the door. The golden circle reclaimed the peephole and the door opened, revealing a thin man, wearing red and white finery.

He stood aside and motioned us inside, closing the door behind us. Out of the alleyway, we now stood in a hallway of white tile and red curtains. Between the decorative hangings were paintings, all landscapes.

“Sir?” I said quietly to the doorman, scratching at my shoulder. “This is our first time here. We are sent by…”

He held up a hand, smiling. Turning to his side, he made a ‘follow me’ gesture with his hands, then strode down the hallway. Still scratching at my shoulder, I nodded to the girls. We hurried to follow him, though he didn’t walk too fast for Twilight, still new in her heels. Passing over several closed doors, we walked until we came across one marked VIP.

Knocking gently, he opened the door and made room for us to filter in. This room was decorated in much the same way as the rest of the hallway, gold filaments playing through the tiles and in the curtains. Two paintings mastered this room, both of the same landscape. A woman with long hair smiled out from them, near what appeared to be on the edge of a cliff. A tree grew near the edge, seeming to lean out over the abyss.

In one picture the woman was golden-haired, standing under the spring tree in the noon sun. In the opposite she had deep blue hair, standing under an autumn tree in the light of a full moon. Both pictures captured her beautiful smile perfectly, though the rest of her features seemed blurry.

“Hello again, friends,” called a quiet, resonant voice from a deeply brown, oaken table with six sides.

“You do not know how good it is to see my friends again,” called another voice, lighter pitched and slightly louder.

The three ladies gasped and two bowed, while I dipped my head quickly, grin wide on my face.

“My ladies, you have no idea how much we’ve missed you,” I told Celestia and Luna, the two elegantly dressed princesses smiling widely at us from their seats.

They quickly left their seats and rushed over to us, Celestia nearly picking up Twilight in her hug while Luna enclosed me in a warmer, more reserved hug. The princesses switched, and it was my turn for Celestia to test my ribs.

Ditzy and Rarity looked nervously at one another, unsure of how to greet the princesses. When Luna and Celestia turned to them, Rarity offered a hand, mimed by Ditzy. “My ladies, it really is…”

Celestia interrupted Rarity with her own hug, bypassing her hand completely. Luna mimicked her sister, wrapping her arms around Ditzy’s head and pushing the poor woman’s head between her… err, her chest.

Rarity emerged from her marshmallow hell looking frazzled, Ditzy with a blush and a grin. Switching, the sister princesses attacked the women again. Rarity seemed ready this time, trying to push her arms above Luna’s and gain the upper ground. Luna outmaneuvered her easily, and Rarity was buried once again. Ditzy may as well dived in, for all the fight she put up.

Done with their little dance the sisters pulled back to examine their handiwork; Rarity was red and flustered, trying to stammer out a greeting. Ditzy was redder, but she was smiling widely, and only said, “Hello Luna, Celestia.”

Celestia and Luna burst out laughing, once again hugging the woman still held gently in their grasp, chastely this time. “Well, Ditzy won this one,” Celestia told her sister, smiling heavily.

“Three times I’d wager,” Luna said, feigning dryness but grinning as widely as her sister.

Twilight looked flabbergasted, but I was losing a battle with gales of laughter.

“When on earth did the Divine Sisters turn into…” I couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore, and sat heavily in the nearest chair as I filled the room with sound. The laughter proved to be infectious, and eventually everyone joined in but Rarity, who was too busy looking vaguely scandalized.

“Probably when Luna came back down,” Luna said, mischievously. “It was ever so boring up on the moon…”

She affected a melancholy look and gazed at us, until Celestia affectionately shoved her into the wall, both of them giggling madly.

“What exactly were you going to name us, before you interrupted yourself?” Celestia giggled, breathing quick, light breathes.

Motioning her over, I whispered into her ear. She pulled back, looking shocked, then burst into the same gales of laughter I had. She wobbled over to her sister and whispered into her ear, and then shared Luna’s renewed laughter.

The doorman entered, holding to his own, slightly secretive smile. Walking to his six guests, he handed out thick pieces of cream colored paper. The princesses returned to their seats, still chuckling, and we four sat with them. Twilight and Rarity sat opposite us with Celestia on Twilight’s other side, facing the sunny picture. Ditzy and I sat with Luna, staring at the dark picture.

“I feel as though we need to apologize for our behavior,” Luna addressed the table. “We’ve been here awhile, and may have started without you,” she told us, moving her finger around the rim of her glass, making it sing quietly. “I’m afraid that we’re both what many call ‘Lightweights’, and I find myself giggly.”

“Speak for yourself, sister,” Celestia rebuffed. “I am not even half through a glass, I’m merely happy to be with you and my best of friends. And,” she said, arching an eyebrow and leaning on the table, “their dates.”

I saw Rarity’s blush, and assumed Ditzy’s. Twilight buried her head behind the menu, which turned out to be a drinks list. The doorman either had a twin brother, or ran the entire restaurant by himself, because he was back before I had decided on my drink. The princesses ordered more of what they had, Twilight and Ditzy ordered Celestia’s fruity cocktail, Rarity ordered her own glass of wine, and I ended up ordering something the menu only called Honey.

Switching our current menus with larger, folded ones, the waiter bowed and left, without scribbling a note on the pad he now had in his belt. Looking to Celestia, I asked, “Does he ever speak? Or even have a name?”

She smiled and made a locking motion over her lips, serving only to intrigue me more.

“So, have you been dating long?” Luna asked, across the table.

“Only in their heads,” I remarked before they could answer, earning my Twilight’s wrathful glare.

“Only for… oh, I suppose it’s been three hours now,” Rarity said, looking at her watch and blushing.

Luna and Celestia both looked at each other, startled. “Oh, uhm…” Luna started.

“We had, err, assumed that it had been quite a bit longer than that,” Celestia finished. “You’ll be wanting more than two rooms, then?”

Had either of them had a drink, I believe it would have been spit across the table or fell onto the floor. In lieu of such theatrics, Rarity blushed and stammered while Twilight’s eyes lost their focus and turned to the painting that couldn’t have been any less interesting to anyone at that moment.

“They can share a room,” I said, earning five surprised looks. “Never said a bed, just a room,” I said, soothingly. “I know for a fact Twilight’s room has an extremely comfy sofa in it.”

Rarity and Twilight both lost some of their blush, and shared a look that rekindled it. “Uh, I’m certainly not opposed to the idea…” Twilight managed to stammer out, and Rarity agreed with a nod of her head, grinning slightly.

“Well then, no need to change plans,” Celestia said softly, making Twilight jump a bit as she reminded Twilight that she was still beside her. “I trust you two have no problems sharing a room?” she asked us, glancing across the table.

“Uh, not anymore,” I admitted, blush spreading across my face and Ditzy’s as our gaze crossed.

Arching her eyebrow, Celestia had the tact not to say anymore.

“You two have lots of fun your first time?” Luna asked, gazing curiously at Ditzy.

Red, she slowly slipped from her chair to hide under the table. I was half tempted to join her, until Celestia gently hit her sister in the arm, giving her a surprised look. Pulling her gently back into the chair, I touched Ditzy's cheek and smiled, earning a smile back,

“What, is the Princess of the Night not allowed to be curious about what may or may not go one beneath her moon?” Luna asked, rubbing her forearm absentmindedly.

“No princess should ask,” Celestia said flatly, then grinned and said softly, “Not in polite company, anyhow.”

All five of us heard her, and three stared redly at her, while Luna huffed and I kept my gaze away. I had a very sinking feeling that Ditzy and I should get ready for either some awkward questions, or some awkward dreams. Depending on how drunk the princesses got, of course.

“Luna, may I ask which glass you’re on?” I asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

“Why? Are you trying to liquor me up? Your lady already as well as molested me, are you looking to as well?” she asked, rapid firing her questions at me.

“Just curious, no, and I could do that with you sober,” I said, just as quickly.

She gasped lightly, blushing, then laughed once more. “I’m on my third, nosey.”

Nodding, I leaned over to Ditzy. “I’m so sorry, I would’ve warned you if I knew they we like this. It must be because of Luna, because Celestia has never acted like this…”

She wrapped her hand around mine, kissing my cheek. “It’s okay,” she whispered back. “I’m having fun, and I’m glad they are too.”

Smiling, I turned my head and kissed her back, our lips meeting and parting quickly, but not quickly enough to get passed the Night Princess.

“Hey, that’s hardly fair,” she said, affecting a pout. “Why is it no one tries to smooch on us, Celestia?”

“Because the last one who tried ended up in a drunk tank for a couple of days,” I said, chuckling. “And in her personal guard, as well.”

Celestia had the presence of mind to blush at that. “He deserved it. Not only drinking on duty, but trying something on me while smelling so much of beer? It was good fortune he did not receive further punishment.”

Luna looked startled, then stared at her sister. “So you’re the reason I have had no offers? I demand you apologize at once. I’m tired of being lonely, and beer doesn’t smell so bad…”

Celestia and I started laughing, and soon enough Luna and Ditzy joined in. Twilight was looking at Celestia and Luna with wonder in her eyes, and Rarity, smiling, looked confused.

“Enough of making fun of Luna and me,” I declared, as the drinks arrived on a platter. The itch returned to my shoulder, spreading along my arm. “Rarity, what exactly are your plans for Twilight tonight?”

The confusion left her face, swapping for a blush and stammered phrase.

“Yes, Rarity. What are you plans for my student, tonight?” Celestia asked, leaning over Twilight. Rarity actually gaped at Celestia, her face panicked.

Blushing, Twilight put an arm protectively around Rarity. “No m-more than what I w-w-want for,” she told her teacher, meeting the princess’s eyes fiercely.

Celestia actually drew back a little, in shock, before she lost herself in giggles. “I’m sorry, dear Sparkles,” she said between them. “I only meant for laughter, not defense.”

Nodding, Twilight kept her arm around a blushing Rarity. When Twilight turned to looked into Rarity’s face, she leaned forward and kissed Twilight gently. “Thank you, Twi,” she said, sounding breathless. This only served to fluster Twilight further, causing her to stammer slowly into silence.

“Really though,” Luna said unhappily. “When does Luna get some kisses?”

Even Rarity laughed this time, soothed by Twilight into at least a bit of comfort. She seemed to be admiring the princesses’ dresses, Celestia wearing a dark blue that accented her skin and hair, while Luna was robbed in a deep, almost reddish gold. Both were sleeveless, like the other three’s, but only Rarity’s deep neck came close to the princesses’ own, both of which came nearer to the bottoms of their busts than the top.

“You know Celestia, I think I remember you being modest,” I joked with her, eyeing her dress pointedly. She blushed a tiny bit and tipped her glass towards Luna.

“I can’t very well let my sister beat me, can I?” she teased. Sighing, she looked back down into her cleavage. “Really though, it’s a bit disconcerting, all this… flesh. I miss my neckline, but not the infernal sleeves that went along with it.” She stretched her arms to her sides, as fully as she could. “Bare arms feel… magical, almost.”

“You’ve very pretty arms, princess,” Ditzy said, startling Celestia out of her train of thought. “The both of you are very lovely, and your dresses compliment yourselves and each other,” she sighed.

“Thank you, Ditzy,” Luna said warmly, for the first time completely serious. “All of you are looking very lovely as well; I would compliment the dressmaker were they here.”

Grinning, I pointed to the young woman sitting across from my own date. “She’s here, and not only the dressmaker but the make-up artist and accessorizer. Our Twilight’s dating a fashion expert.”

Rarity blushed and smiled demurely.

Luna leaned across the table and, smiling, said, “Then, will you do one favor for me?”

Nodding, Rarity leaned to the table and tilted her head, looking excited and inquisitive.

“Next time you do Twilight’s dress, can we have more cleavage?” she whispered, pretending we couldn’t hear her. “About the same as yours would be nice, but if you think she would go for more…?”

Twilight’s face was glowing, but Rarity said, in the same stage whisper, “I think I could talk her down to her bellybutton, but it’ll take me a few dresses.”

Luna nodded solemnly. Leaning back into her chair, she seemed to drift off into space, her eyes losing focus rapidly.

“Excuse our Luna,” Celestia said dryly, smiling. “Not only the Queen of dreams, she is also Lady of Daydreams.”

“Don’t call me that,” Luna muttered, well under her breath.

Celestia and I laughed lightly, then turned to the door as it opened and food came streaming in.

“I hope no one minds, but I took the liberty of ordering for us all,” Celestia explained, as the plates found places in front of us. “I know Twilight and Spike well enough, but I had to guess for Rarity and Ditzy.”

Looking down at the food, I heard my stomach, not growl, but roar. I realized that I’d been hungry since well before noon, but had been too nervous to know until now. Looking around the table, I saw that everyone besides Luna apparently had shared my anxiety. Luna was still off on whatever tangent her mind had come up with.

Without many more words, we prepared our cutlery and set our napkins up so that food would not stain our good clothes. Reaching over, I gently tapped Luna on a forearm. She frowned at me for a moment, before her nose and eyes caught up and she spied her food.

“Ah, thank you Spike. I have a feeling that my fantasy might have gone on for quite some time.” She hastily set up her own napkin, then joined hands as we all thanked those who had toiled to bring the food to our table.

There was little talk while we ate, mostly thanking the short man as he came and left our table. Honey, as it turned out, was pretty much as it sounded; someone had fermented honey, then bottled it. Very sweet and slightly sharp, I enjoyed the flavor and had another glass with the meal.

When everyone was finished, the waiter/doorman/server came and took everyone’s plates. Twilight yawned loudly, staring sleepily at where her plate had been. Rarity smiled and placed a hand on top of her date’s. “This was very nice Twilight, thank you,” I heard her whisper.

Twilight smiled happily, then, shyly, place a hand on Rarity’s cheek to pull her head to Twilight’s. After their short kiss, Twilight sighed happily and leaned back into her chair, blushing and holding loosely onto Rarity’s hand. “Do they have beds here as well, or am I expected to walk to the castle like this?” she asked Celestia.

The doorman walked in, smiling wryly. “We’ll be sleeping at the castle dear,” Celestia said, laughing lightly. The mood was lower, but still happy after dinner. The food had seemed to calm both the princesses’ heads, and everyone was much more comfortable around the quieter rulers.

Allowing the doorman to help them from their chairs, the princesses stretched, Celestia straight to the ceiling, and Luna out to her sides. I followed suit, and Ditzy and the rest of our party followed.

“Don’t look so put out Twilight,” Luna said. “We’ve a carriage, so you’ll only need to walk to the door. And then to your room, unless you’d sleep on our steps.” She laughed lightly, echoed by her sister and I.

Leaving the dining room, I was shocked to see several copies of the doorman, lined up on the wall. I noticed the one who had a notebook in his belt, and the one without a jacket who had served us our food off of a cart. Every other one looked exactly the same, and as though on a cue they all bowed to us, smiling their little secretive smile. The itching feeling returned to my shoulders, spreading across my back.

Celestia and Luna giggled, bowing back. Twilight, Rarity and I followed suit. Ditzy took a few seconds longer, gazing at the rows of well-dressed servers before copying us. We all rose at the same time, and walked down the slightly full hall. Twilight and I walked to the front almost unconsciously, walking shoulder to shoulder in front of the princesses. We looked at each other, surprised.

“Why did we…?” Twilight started to ask.

“Instinct,” I said, shrugging. “Princesses and loved ones in the back.”

Looking over our hosts, I spotted one whose eyes wouldn’t meet mine. Walking over, I stared at him until his eyes turned up into mine. They were a blue-green, with black flecks sprinkled throughout. Surprised, I pulled back and dropped my hand to the wand dangling from my belt.

A soft hand grabbed my forearm, and the smell of lilacs drifted over me.

“Hold, Spike,” Luna said, softly. “We know, Celestia has known since the establishment was opened.”

“They’re Changelings,” I whispered, hoping I was quiet enough to not let Rarity and Ditzy hear.

“And they’re only here to make people happy. You know Changelings feed on emotion, and happiness feeds very well. They do no harm to anyone, and they’re not going to. Now, are you going to put your scales away or not?”

Looking down at my arms, I realized what the itch had been. My arms were covered up to the wrist in my scales, green veined with purple lines. Sighing, I concentrated on pulling up my human flesh.

After I was finished I looked back at the green-eyed man, looking very nervous at his proximity. “Sorry,” I muttered, walking back over to the group.

“What’s going on?” Ditzy asked, worriedly. She took my hand, squeezing gently. Smiling, I kissed her on the cheek and shook my head. There was no reason to have her worry about the Changelings, not yet anyhow.

We traversed the hallway without any problems, the front door opened by another of the Changelings. A carriage awaited us, no noticeable driver attached. The door opened itself, revealing a round area with no seats. We piled in, confused. Celestia was the last one in, and reopened the door as soon as she closed it.

We walked into the courtyard of the castle, off to the side of a very surprised group of couriers. Several of them walked up to the princesses, handing each of them most of the letters they had. Tipping and bowing courteously, the princesses waited until everyone else dispersed, then shoved the papers roughly into the small clutches they had.

Ditzy took my arm as we walked up the steps, holding herself closely to my side as we navigated the hallways. I’d assumed that we were heading off to our bedrooms, but we found ourselves in another dining room.

“Luna needs to sober up,” Celestia told us as she grabbed a few cups from the cupboard. “And it wouldn’t hurt for me to have some coffee either. Anyone else?” I took a cup, and Twilight almost reached for one. Rarity tugged on her sleeve and whispered into her ear, causing a blush and a small stutter.

“Uh-uh-uhm-uhm, I think we-we’re going up to my room actually. Goodnight Celestia, Luna…” Rarity tugged gently on her hand, and the two disappeared from the room.

Luna was laughing into her coffee cup, while Celestia only smiled and sipped her drink.

“I wonder if she’ll relax now,” Ditzy said brightly, making Celestia spit her drink back into the cup. Still laughing, I offered her a napkin. Luna hadn’t quite started laughing, she had kept her mirth contained behind a hand as her shoulders shook.

“I doubt it, but we can all hope,” I told her, after my giggles subsided. “We can hope.”

“Yeah, hope that they have as good a first time as you did,” Ditzy said, elbowing me gently. Both of the princesses glanced at each other, Celestia raising her eyebrow at Luna.

“She still hasn’t told me of what transpired that night,” Celestia said. “I assume Spike has told you what he dreamt of. Does it bother you so much?”

“Not so very much, since I know it was a dream.” Ditzy sipped at my coffee, making a face at it and pushing the cup back to me. “It bothers me a bit to have been completely uninvolved, but I also think it would have bothered me to have been there without my permission?”

Luna took a seat across from us, handing Celestia a cup full of caramel colored coffee. She sipped at her own drink, as unaltered as mine.

“I can understand,” Luna said, “having been involved in… certain dreams without my explicit consent. Not me,” she said quickly, looking at our faces, “just a part of their subconscious in my image.”

“Would you have felt better if we had asked you and gotten you involved in the dream?” Celestia asked, stirring her drink slowly with a thin spoon.

“I would’ve felt fine about just going over there in person,” Ditzy giggled. I’d had both hands on my coffee mug, but I let go with one and reached over to hers, taking her fingers between mine.

“None of us wanted to push you, and we,” Celestia gestured to Luna and herself, “were just really unsure of how fast your and Spike’s relationship was progressing. Or of how far it had already progressed.”

“Just some light petting until the next morning,” I said, blushing. “She came over as soon as she woke up she says, and… well, we recreated some of my dreams.”

Celestia reddened, but Luna outshone her, actually being there in most of my dream.

I felt a tugging on my sleeve, and looked over at Ditzy, who matched Luna in her blush. She leant over and whispered in my ear, a short phrase. I looked at her, smooth faced. Not meeting my eye but staring in the region of my chin, she nodded forcefully.

“Uhm, Luna?” I started, fixing my gaze upon her cup. When I glanced up she met my eyes, curious and a bit confused. “May we have a private word with you?”