Who Rules?: Riposte

The light glistened off her chitinous skin like the gleam from a mirror whose silver had gone far past tarnished. For her safety, as well as the ponies around her, she was strapped to the table—despite her protests. Two unicorns circled around her slowly. One of them—a rust-colored stallion with a golden sphere for a cutie mark—there to maintain the shield that kept the space sterile and safe, while the other—a white mare with a scalpel cutie mark—was making the preparations for surgery. They were soon joined by another pony, a female pegasus with a pair of hearts for a cutie mark this time, who immediately began assisting the unicorn mare.

Next to all of them was a machine with a square opening in it. A glow of magic filled that space, spilling out onto the table beside it, adding to the glare of the bright fixtures circling the space, filling it with light.

And Cadance sat above, watching it all.

“How long is this going to take?” The volume was barely above something that only she could hear.

“I don’t know,” Fleur answered. “This is new territory from what they told me.” Cadance felt a hoof on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

As she turned her head, Cadance pulled back slightly. “Me? I’m fine. It’s Chrysalis who should be worried.”

“But you’re worried about her, and more so your role in this whole thing,” Fleur said softly.

“Well, yes, but how could I not be?” Cadance turned back to look at the changeling queen and Princess of Equestria, lying so serenely on the table. “She’s put such faith in me. How can she be so calm?”

Cadance was certain that the sigh from Fleur must have been accompanied by a shrug. “It’s the way that she is. Never show weakness, even in a moment like this.”

“You didn’t see her earlier. She was doing everything she could to persuade me to help.” Cadance glanced over for a moment. “She even said ‘please.’”

“And ponies say that the impossible will never happen,” Fleur chuckled.

Turning back to the theater below, Cadance lingered on Chrysalis once more. The changeling slowly turned her head, and their eyes met. Chrysalis smiled.

“They’re going to be taking her heart out. How does she know that I’ll be able to keep her alive?” Cadance’s voice once more fell to almost inaudible levels.

Still, Fleur again answered. “Because you will.”

“I hope so. I don’t want her death on my conscience.” She shook her head. “This is a crazy plan.”

“I agree,” Fleur stated. Immediately, Cadance’s head turned to her. “What? Just because I believe in your ability, doesn’t mean that I don’t think it’s crazy.” She took a breath. “Still, the idea of her heart being replaced by pure love makes sense. That’s what keeps her alive. Your magic should be able to do everything that her own heart does, and maybe more.”

“I’ll settle for just keeping her alive,” Cadance said with a sigh.

The unicorn moved to stand beside Chrysalis, obviously speaking to her, but the shield prevented any sound from escaping.

“I wish I was closer,” Cadance mumbled. “I think that they are about to begin.”

“We can move you to the theater if you like. You’ll just have to stay out of the way of the surgeon,” Fleur explained. “R thought you might prefer to stay here so that you could still see and use your power while staying clear of the actual events.”

“I know, I know,” she answered with a shake of her head. “I just….” She sighed. “I’m nervous.”

The surgeon looked up at Cadance and gave a short nod. Forcing a smile on her face, Cadance returned the gesture. The alicorn’s horn lit up, adding a pink tint to the room as magic in the shape of a heart formed on the very tip of it—and then sat there, waiting.

Without hesitation the surgeon turned around and brought a scalpel up to Chrysalis’ chest, and then, with amazing precision, she cut into the heavy material of the changeling’s skin. Beside her, the pegasus prepared the tools that the surgeon slowly brought into use.

“Is…is Chrysalis still awake?” Cadance asked.

“She is, but she can’t feel what’s happening. A numbing spell has been cast upon her,” Fleur said, and then continued after a pause, “hopefully.”

They watched in silence while the surgeon went about her work. The view was clear, without any obstruction. With each cut and alteration to the changeling, Cadance winced, feeling with her eyes the pain that must go with it. With remarkable speed the surgeon was able to proceed through Chrysalis’ body, working her way to the core of her being. Then, the pegasus turned up to Cadance and gave a short, curt nod.

The magical heart left Cadance, floating down slowly until it neared the edge of the shield. Just before it touched, a hole appeared in the shell, providing a clear path downward. Carefully, slowly, Cadance brought her magic down, hovering just above Chrysalis’ body, waiting for the precise moment.

Cadance swore she heard it. The actual sound of Chrysalis’ physical heart being cut out and pulled from her body. Every instinct told Cadance to turn her head. To not watch as this horrible thing happened, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

The moment the heart was out, she pushed her magic inside, physically placing itself in the spot where the other heart had just left. She summoned another one, this time moving it without pause, putting it in place and reinforcing the first one.

“I’m in,” Cadance said. “I’ve got this.”

“You’re doing great. Don’t worry,” Fleur reassured her.

The physical heart was moved to the small glowing cube, where it was instantly washed in a strange crisscross of magical energy. It coated the heart, surrounded it in a tight sheathe of magic and then it began to contract.

“What’s going on?” Cadance asked. “What’s happening to the heart?”

“From what I was told, this is the process that will deconstruct the heart and analyze it’s magic. Break it down to its core so that the machine will know what to look for,” Fleur explained.

“Break it down? What do you mean? That sounds like it’s going to be destroyed!” The volume of Cadance’s voice went up with every sentence.

“Well, yes. That’s what’s going to happen. Chrysalis said that your magic would help her regrow a new heart. Her original one will be destroyed in the process,” Fleur stated. “Chrysalis said she told you about—”

Every pony felt it. A wave of energy that coursed through them and over them, washing each with its unique signature. The shield around the operating theater sputtered and disappeared. As did the glow around Cadance’s horn.

Chrysalis screamed and then fell still.

“No!” Cadance shouted. Without a thought, she leapt from her spot, gliding down to land beside the table. The glow of her heart inside Chrysalis’ chest was fading from view. Short, rapid breaths filled Cadance’s lungs. Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning the changeling’s body.

Planning gave way to instinct, and Cadance brought her horn down to rest alongside Chrysalis’ crooked, bent mockery of a horn. Every ounce of drive filled her own heart, and she pushed her magic out of herself, channeling all of it into the other horn. Pink light grew, and then was suddenly filled with swirls of green, which surrounded both changeling and alicorn, wrapping them tightly in a cocoon of mixed magic. At once, the magic seemed to both burst away from them and sink into their flesh.

Cadance collapsed on top of Chrysalis. She could feel herself breathing, but beyond that she wasn’t sure of much. Her eyes worked just fine, though, and she could see a burnt, blackened husk of what was once a heart resting inside the machine.

As her hearing slowly came back to her, a variety of words filtered through. “…magical surge…unknown source…unlike anything they’ve felt…completely ruined…wound healed….”

She blinked and pulled her head back, trying to rise up to her hooves. Quickly she discovered that her muscles were still too rebellious to obey her completely, and she fell back down onto Chrysalis—who responded with a distinct “oof.”

Pulling back again, this time only with her head, she looked down into the face of the changeling queen. A toothy, fanged grin smiled up at her.

“I knew you could do it,” Chrysalis muttered weakly.

* * * * * * * *

The smell of brimstone assaulted Celestia’s nose as she stared out at the great grey-black landscape. Rocks seemed to sit a little more still, and the shadows they cast were slightly darker and deeper. The air did not move by any means other than the figure pushing and pulling on it with their every breath. Perpetual twilight hovered above. Neither light nor dark, it simply hung in the sky, defiantly. Tartarus was exactly as she remembered it.

“Lena, this makes no sense,” she stated, pulling her neck back to the other side of the portal. “How are you here?”

“Well, when you and Luna left Tartarus, she agreed to allow me time away, promising to take my place while I was gone.” Selene’s smile was wide enough to threaten reaching her ears.

“No, no, I knew that. I mean,” Celestia pointed her hoof at the massive hole hanging in the air, “this. You aren’t allowed outside of Tartarus. This can’t happen.”

“I’m not outside Tartarus,” Selene trotted casually around the two alicorns, stepping back to stand next to the very unnatural portal, “I brought it here with me.” Before there was a response, she continued, “and, technically, the ruler of Tartarus is not allowed outside of the realm. For the next two weeks, that is going to be our sister, Luna.”

“One week,” Luna answered.

The other two turned to look at her. “I beg your pardon?” Selene asked.

“The agreement I made with you was that I would come down to Tartarus to rule in your stead for one week, not two.” Luna’s head went high, being countered by her right eye which closed itself halfway.

“Well, yes, you made that promise over a year ago, though,” Selene answered. She then walked up to the larger mare and rapped her hoof against Luna’s dark peytral. “One week a year, Luna. I’m cashing in two years at once.”

“You don’t get to make that decision!” Luna’s voice echoed off the walls.

“Well, you didn’t keep your promise, so I’m taking liberties!” Selene’s voice threatened to overpower Luna’s.

“Pardon my interruption,” Celestia’s calm voice broke their conversation, “but what was that you mentioned about bringing Tartarus here? That seemed rather important, actually.”

“Oh, that,” Selene casually waved a hoof in the air while her eyes danced over the walls, tapestries, and stained glass windows adorning the room. “It’s a new spell I created. I was getting anxious, so I decided to do something about it.”

“A new spell? And did you test this spell out in any way?” Celestia asked, stepping over beside the ombre colored alicorn.

“I did!” Selene smiled. “Just now. It worked wonderfully, I think.”

Celestia glanced over at her wife, whose stare was currently affixed to the ground. Following them, she looked down to see a dark, dismal grey-black beginning to creep into the room.

“And did you consider the side effects?” Celestia’s voice remained remarkably even.

“Oh, there is nothing serious, I assure you. A magical power surge in the area at the very worst. It might disrupt a spell or two, but what harm could that do?” Selene answered. “That is, unless I stay too long. Then there is the slightest chance that the portal won’t close properly and you’ll have a new passage to Tartarus in the middle of your castle.”

Celestia stared at Selene, who continued to look around the throne room. “How thoughtful of you,” Celestia stated.

“Oh, don’t be so dour, Celly!” Selene finally turned her head back towards her sister. “The passage won’t stay open long. As soon as Luna goes through, I’ll close it up, then everything will be perfectly normal.”

“Which brings us back to the point that you are asking more of me than I offered,” Luna growled.

Selene’s chest slowly swelled, filling up with the local air—which caused her eyes to open very wide. “Oh my! I forgot how real air tasted. This is….” She stepped to Luna, slowly. “Sister Luna, I do apologize for my actions, but since your last visit the back of my thoughts have been consumed by the idea of once more walking among the living. And, loathe though I am to admit it, they have crept through to the front of my mind more surely each day. I have likely acted more rashly than I will easily admit, but I have become almost neglectful in my duties in Tartarus. This is not a good thing, as I am charged with keeping many dangerous beings in check.” She smiled warmly. “So, I ask you, please, will you honor your word and allow me this time in Equestria?”

Her head remained high, chin up, as Luna looked down upon the slightly smaller alicorn. “We agreed upon one week.”

“I know, I know, but look at it this way: if you allow me these two weeks now, you’ll have an entire year before this comes up again. If not, then who knows when I might show back up in the few months?” The corners of Selene’s mouth twitched almost unnoticeably.

Luna’s shoulders fell only an inch. “Does it truly mean that much to you, sister, to have these two weeks together?”

Bringing her lips into her mouth for a moment, Selene swallowed. “More than I can possibly explain.”

A look was shared between Celestia and Luna. Eyes shifted, head’s turned, and an audible exhale finished the decision.

“Very well,” Luna said calmly. “I will do this for you, sister.”

“Oh, Lulu! You have made me so happy! I knew I could count on you!” Selene threw her forelegs around Luna’s neck, pulling her into an almost crushing hug.

“You…are…welcome,” Luna squeezed out as she dislodged herself from the nigh-death hug.

“Lulu?” Celestia said softly. “Where did that come from?”

“Oh, come now, she deserves an honorarium,” Selene answered. “She is family.”

Celestia paused. “An honorarium is a deposit of money, Selene. Do you mean sobriquet by chance?”

“Is it? Oh, well, then yes, let’s go with your choice of words.”

The space between Luna and Celestia closed until it was gone.

“Two weeks,” Celestia said. “It doesn’t sound that long.”

“Not for beings that measure time in millennia, no,” Luna answered.

“Do you…? Is there anything that I…?” Celestia’s words caught in her throat, twice.

“Tia,” Luna brought a hoof up to touch her wife’s face, “you will be fine.”

“I know that,” Celestia said, “but can’t I worry about you a little?”

“You’ve worried about me more than a little, already,” Luna answered.

Their heads moved forward until the sides of their horns touched. Slowly they slid down against each other, the ridges of the spirals clacking softly as they progressed, until their muzzles touched.

“Stay safe,” Celestia said softly.

“I will. You do the same,” Luna answered.

Their lips met and lingered for a long, warm moment.

Celestia was the one who pulled away, with a smile growing on her face. “Don’t worry, Canterlot will be here when you return.”

“Given our record of events, I’ll take that with a grain of salt,” Luna chuckled.

A cold feeling ran over their hooves, and they looked down to see the floor turning a pallid grey.

“I should go,” Luna said.

“I know.” Celestia leaned in for another quick kiss, and then pulled back just as fast. “I love you.”

“And I, you,” Luna answered.

There was a pause just long enough to be taken as silence. “You two are adorable!” Selene stated, her voice laughing along with the words.

Taking two steps back, Luna unfurled her wings and then pulled them back to her side elegantly. “I am ready.”

Selene’s smile grew wider. “All you have to do is step through, sister. The Brass City is straight ahead. You should see it in no time.”

“Thank you. I will do my best to keep Tartarus running in your stead.” Luna walked past Selene and stepped into the portal.

“I know you will!” Selene moved directly in front of the opening, Celestia moving to stand beside her. “Oh, and do forgive Tisiphone, she is just a little extra cranky because she doesn’t get to come with me. She should be well past that temper tantrum by now. I’m sure she won’t be too bad.”

Luna’s head snapped back around. “What?”

Selene’s horn took on a bright, silver glow and the portal collapsed in an instant.

“Good-bye!” Celestia shouted, but it only went out to the open air of the room. She felt the air fill her lungs completely and then slowly turned to look at her remaining sister.

“What happened to your horn?” Selene asked. “Is that gold?”

“It…is,” Celestia answered slowly, still staring at the blank space where a portal just lay. “It is also a very long story.”

“Oh, well then, I would love to hear it! Preferably over a wonderful meal. It has been lifetimes since I last ate real food. I really don’t remember what it tastes like,” Selene’s eyes glistened as she spoke.

The breath that Celestia took in finally found it’s way out in a gentle sigh. “Of course, Lena. I think that this is enough to qualify as a special occasion. I’ll see about setting up a banquet.”

“Oh, Celly, that sounds delightful!” She fell against her sister playfully. “But, is there any chance that I can get a little something right now?”

Celestia looked over at the other alicorn, and saw a smile she hadn’t truly seen in centuries. “Of course. Let’s go make a kitchen run.”

* * * * * * * *

The chair slid up easily under the table, putting Rarity a wonderfully exact distance from her plate. This was what made the difference. It wasn’t the big things, like the location, the view, the luxury, or even the clothes—though they did comes in a very close second—that showed the true value of this dinner date, it was the little things. The fact that her date took that extra moment to pull out her chair and then help push it in again. Those were the things showing Rarity that Trixie truly did care about how she felt.

“Trixie hopes that the restaurant is good enough. It isn’t often that I go out to dinner. Mostly I eat backstage,” she said, sitting down across the table.

“It’s lovely, thank you, Darling.” And a simple glance around the room only reassured that statement. And room is a casual description of the outdoor space serving as the dining area for the Neighponese restaurant Trixie had chosen.

A ninety-foot waterfall overlooked the traditional garden surrounding them, bringing the culture of that distant land a little closer—if only in a rather Equestrian-ized manner. All of the wait-staff of the establishment were dressed in somewhat costume-y versions of Neighpon clothing, and some of them seemed to have just a touch or more of their heritage from that region as well. Red was the predominant color everywhere Rarity looked, with enough white to balance it out and make it seem lush. The smells of exotic seasoning and spices filled the area, adding just the right amount of mouth-watering quality to go with the visuals.

“Good. Trixie was wanting someplace special to bring you,” she replied.

The two mares easily matched their surroundings. Trixie was wearing a rather form-fitting dress that transitioned from light blue to dark as it traveled down to her flank. The fabric gave off a gentle sheen to highlight the performer’s curves. Across from her, Rarity was clad in a flowing white gown littered with sapphire sequins around the collar. The train of the dress trailed half her body length again behind her, ending with a hint of sapphire poking from beneath the hem.

Both designs were surprises from Rarity, sprung out when Trixie mentioned that she had reservations for dinner. Trixie was ready in only half an hour. A full hour after she was done, Rarity was ready as well—which would have put them late for dinner had Trixie not lied, claiming they were due half an hour before they actually were supposed to be at the restaurant.

“Oh, Darling, you don’t ever have to worry about something like that. I’d be just as happy sitting in your room and dining on whatever delights that the room service menu had to offer.” Looking across the table, Rarity batted her eyelashes playfully.

Trixie nodded and smiled. “No, you wouldn’t.”

There was almost enough pause for it to be noticeable. “Well, that’s true,” Rarity admitted, “but you don’t have to go and say it out loud.”

“It’s okay. Trixie knows that you like to be on display. And truthfully, I like to show off my prize possession,” she said with a wink. “Makes all of the other ponies rightfully jealous of Trixie.”

“Oh you!” Rarity did her best to force herself to blush, and turned her head away.

Just in time to see another mare jerk her head to the side, suddenly not looking their way. A dark green pegasus with a brilliant yellow mane.

Leaning into the table slightly, Rarity whispered, “I believe that you have been noticed by one of the other diners.” She smiled. “It’s nice to be out with someone famous.”

“It’s one of the reasons Trixie doesn’t go out very often,” she replied. “Well, at least not recently.”

“Recently?” Rarity sat back normally in her chair. “Why, whatever has happened to make things different?”

“Oh, nothing serious, just that it seems to Trixie that all of her fans have become a little more…grabby than she would like,” she said with a nod.

“Oh my! Well, that certainly isn’t a good thing. It’s one thing to be adored—which you should be, by the way—but it is quite another thing to actually lay your hooves on a stranger, no matter how well you think you know them from their celebrity.” Sitting up a little straighter, Rarity tossed her mane slightly.

“Trixie may be exaggerating slightly, but it seems that way, at least. Lots of ponies wanting to touch me as I walk past.” Trixie sighed. “I realize that Trixie is an impressive mare, but they should show restraint.”

“Naturally,” Rarity agreed, looking once more to the green mare. This time she wasn’t looking towards them, at least not when Rarity turned her way, and Rarity lingered on her for a moment. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“That’s odd,” Rarity muttered.

“What is?” Trixie asked.

Shaking her head, Rarity turned to look back at her marefriend. “Oh nothing, really, just an observation.”

One of the wait-staff, a young earth stallion with broad withers and a perfectly kept black mane, stepped quietly to the table, setting down a bucket of ice with a large bottle in it. “A bottle of Ecurieneuf Du Pape, madams. Courtesy of the house.”

Slinging a towel over the bottle, he worked it into the crook of his leg and carefully twisted a long corkscrew in with his teeth. A tell-tale popping sound finished off the single, smooth motion of his mouth, freeing the cork from the bottle.

The sparkling liquid filled one of the two slim flutes resting on the table, and he waited as Trixie levitated the glass to her lips. With a simple nod he was given the go-ahead to pour the second glass for Rarity.

“Enjoy,” he said with a slight bow before departing the table.

Rarity floated her own glass up. “Well, Darling, what shall we toast to?”

Trixie took a deep breath. “How about we toast to…togetherness.”

“That seems a little…odd, but if you like, Darling.” She raised her glass over to the other until their edges sang from contact. “To togetherness.”

The glasses turned up, and Rarity fought back a giggle from the bubbles tickling her nose. “Delightful,” she said lowering the flute to the table once more. “I do so hope that the food here matches the ambiance. The staff and the guests seem so…” Her voice trailed off as she looked to a table across the way. “Now this is becoming silly.”

“What?” Trixie turned to look at the table where Rarity’s eyes focused. Two mares and two stallions sat, all of them well dressed, having a pleasant conversation. “What is it?”

Rarity gave a slight huff as she openly looked over the room. “Every mare in this restaurant—except for the two of us, naturally—are all wearing outfits from the same designer.”

“Are you sure?” Trixie raised an eyebrow.

“Oh please,” Rarity’s eyes rolled back in her head, “I would know those designs anywhere. Michael Hors. Not a fan, myself, but his style is very distinctly his own.”

“Maybe he has a shop nearby?” Trixie suggested.

“Well, of course he does, but there are at least a dozen other designers who have stores as well. There is no reason that every mare should be wearing his clothes over anypony else’s.”

“Trixie admits that it is unusual, but it’s not wrong. Perhaps there is a showcase for his work? Or maybe…maybe they just like his clothes, and…and they wore them.” Trixie brought her hoof up to her mouth, covering a yawn.

“No pony likes his work that much, Darling. Michael Hors is…well, I don’t…” Rarity barely brought her hoof up to cover a yawn of her own. “Now see what you have me…doing.”

“I’m sorry. Trixie is suddenly very…exhausted,” she mumbled.

“Me too.” Rarity blinked. “That’s…odd.”

“Yes. Yes, it…is…” Trixie’s head impacted the table with enough force to jostle the dishes.

“Trixie!” Rarity tried to push her chair back, but she found it suddenly far too heavy. “What…what is happening…?”

The force of Rarity’s head hitting the table was strong enough to knock the champagne flute over, coating her hair in the sparkling wine, and slowly working it’s way to the edge of the table where it ran off to form a tiny puddle on the ground.

The stallion walked up to their table and slowly looked from one mare to the other. He looked to the people seated around the restaurant and gave two quick motions with his head, one left and one right. Immediately they jumped up and began to scuttle about the room.

Once more the stallion looked down on the two unconscious mares, and he smiled. As he turned away, the shine in his black mane reflected the colors of the room, giving it a faint red sheen.

* * * * * * * *

The curtain had to have a magical enchantment on it. That was the only excuse Cadance could think of, given that she was sure the intensity of her glare was enough to incinerate almost any normal material.

She could hear the doctors speaking to Chrysalis on the other side of it, but it was muffled and indistinct. Given that there was only about eight feet separating their two beds, with only that same light blue curtain acting as a barrier, it pretty much convinced her that it was magic. The sound should have carried straight through it.

“How are you feeling?”

It was an innocent enough question, so Cadance gathered herself—breath slow in, breath slow out—before she gave Fleur an answer. “I’m feeling better, thank you. A little stronger every minute.”

“You should drink something.” For emphasis, Fleur refilled the cup sitting beside Cadance’s bed and pushed it towards her.

Cadance heard the sigh more than she felt it. “Thank you.” She raised the cup and took a small sip and then returned it. Before it could touch the table again she was already speaking. “I should have known she was lying.”

“She wasn’t lying,” Fleur began and then twisted her expression a little, “not per-se, anyway. With your protection, she believed that the heart would stay intact.”

“Yes, she just failed to mention that the original thought was that it was going to be completely destroyed!” Cadance shouted in hushed tones.

Fleur stood there for a minute, waiting. “Would you rather not have been there to save her?” she finally asked.

Again, another sigh. “No. No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’ve thought it a few times, but that’s not what I’m actually saying. I’ll just never understand that mare.”

“She is…unique,” Fleur said with a light laugh. “The sad part is that the heart was destroyed by the strange magical surge that ran through the area. R and his team were only able to get a small sampling of her power to use in the machine. It’s going to make using it spotty at best.”

“I’m not sure that’s really the sad part of all this,” Cadance countered.

Both heads turned as the curtain was pulled back, breaking down what lay between the two beds and revealing the pair of doctors and single nurse who were tending to the other patient.

“…to bring in the other half of this equation.” Half of the doctor’s sentence became clear as he became visible.

With nothing now protecting her, Cadance again wielded her stare, this time directly at her intended target. Chrysalis smiled back calmly.

“Well, we’ve just completed our examination of Princess Chrysalis, and, just as you claimed, there is…no heart.” Dr. Keen Spirit was an Equestrian-renowned physician, and considered by many to be the leading cardiologist in the land. He was an elderly unicorn with a white coat and a white mane. His cutie mark of a single heart matched the pinkish-red tint of his eyes.

“Thankfully, you were there, Princess,” the other doctor added on. In contrast, Dr. Wide Vision was a striking black unicorn stallion, with a light blue mane and eyes. On his flank rested a cutie mark of a stethoscope surrounded by a field of magic, reflecting his expertise in the field of medicinal magic.

“I concur,” Chrysalis said gently.

“So, what’s going on? What happened?” Cadance asked, gruffly.

“Well, I’m not sure I can answer that completely,” Dr. Keen Spirit said, “but from what Dr. Wide Vision and I can assess, your magic has actually replaced her heart.”

“I…I beg your pardon?” Cadance pulled her head back and narrowed her eyes. “I’m not casting any spell. I’m not even using any magic at all right now.” As if to illustrate, her hoof came up and tapped her non-glowing horn.

“True,” Dr. Wide Vision replied, “but I believe that when you physically connected to Princess Chrysalis earlier, you actually formed a sort of magical bond with her. And now, your magic has taken on not only the role, but—from what we can tell—the actual shape of a changeling heart. You and your magic are keeping Princess Chrysalis alive.”

Cadance blinked. “That was sort of the plan…kind of. My magic was supposed to allow her system to stay alive while her heart was out of her body, keeping her safe until she could have it put back in, but…there is no way that I could be doing that.”

“You are, Princess,” Dr. Wide Vision stated. “It’s my belief—and we are working on pure theory here, as the two of you have trotted into completely new territory—that you and she have, well, for lack of a better term, bonded.”

“Oh, no we haven’t!” Cadance shouted.

“I’m very grateful,” Chrysalis hummed.

Bringing both hooves up to her face, Cadance rubbed the area around her eyes, trying her best to push all the negatives back down. Tiny little specs of light showed up in the darkness of her eyelids, telling her to ease up a bit.

“Okay,” she said, revealing herself from behind her hooves, “what does that mean? In how it relates to Chrysalis and myself?”

“Ah, well, that’s an interesting question,” Dr. Wide Vision said. “I’ve examined the magic that is connecting the two of you, and it seems that you are magically tethered as well. If you’re magic were to somehow disconnect from Princess Chrysalis, then she would surely die. And that’s not all, the backlash that would be directed to you might be more than your system could handle, as well. It could potentially kill both of you.”

“Uh-huh,” Cadance droned. “That sounds…great.”

“This magic also has a limited range, I believe,” he continued.

“Meaning?” Chrysalis asked.

“That means that we can’t be too far apart,” Cadance answered. “The question is, how far?”

Dr. Wide Vision took a deep breath. “The one thing we don’t want to do is push that limit. So, to be safe, I’m recommending that the two of you stay within fifteen feet of each other.”

“Fifteen feet! That’s—” She stopped herself and took a deep breath. “For how long?” Cadance asked.

“Well, that depends,” Dr. Keen Spirit replied. “Changelings as a whole heal quite quickly, it helps to make up for the fact that they are physically weaker than ponies in general. Princess Chrysalis is a step beyond that, however, and heals at an amazing rate and, as you can tell from the fact that she survived this trauma, is quite sturdy physically. Her regenerative capabilities are what allowed you to even attempt this odd procedure, and—”

“How long, Doctor?” Cadance interrupted.

He took a breath. “I’d say no more than a few months, but possibly much less. Again, we’re in untested ground.”

“Months?” Chrysalis replied. “That will be an entertaining period in my life.”

“Months. A few…months,” Cadance said slowly. “Tied to,” she stared at the changeling queen once again, “her.”

The sudden silence in the room settled onto everypony’s shoulders.

“Why don’t we give the princesses a moment,” Fleur suggested. She stepped gracefully over to Dr. Wide Vision, running her hoof along her mane as she did. “Perhaps you’d care to go over the details involved over a cup of coffee?”

“Oh, uh, of course,” he stammered, and then joined her as they walked to the exit of the room. Dr. Keen Spirit joined right behind them.

The only one left in the room was the nurse. A buckskin earth mare with black mane and socks, and brilliant blue eyes. Her long lashes batted slightly as she spoke. “My name is Mercysong. I’ll be here until morning. I’ll be back to check on both of you in a bit. If you need anything before then, just press the call button.”

As Mercysong stepped out of the room, Chrysalis’ eyes followed her every step, all the way until the door closed.

“Well, well, well, I don’t believe I could have asked for a better nurse. What was your—” She stopped herself as she turned back to see Cadance doing her very best to burn a hole through her head with her eyes.

“Months. We have to be together for…months.”

“Possibly,” Chrysalis said, “but I’ve been underestimated many times. Perhaps it won’t be nearly so long.”

“How did I let you talk me into this?” Cadance asked.

“‘Please,’ Princess. I said, ‘please.’” Chrysalis smiled over at her.

Cadance’s magic grabbed the curtain between the beds and pulled it out until she couldn’t see Chrysalis anymore.

* * * * * * * *

It was exactly as Selene stated. The walk from the portal to Dis was straight and easy. Still, standing outside the gates, Luna felt lost. Her brow knitted and her forehoof tamped the ground lightly. Looking first left and then right revealed the same view, a long, brass wall devoid of any decoration or delight. Her head moved back to look directly forward, taking in the massive gates into the heart of Tartarus. All she had to do was open them, and she would be inside.

Those words rattled around in Luna’s head for a minute.

“Guards.” It finally hit her. “There are no guards.”

Once more her head turned. Neither side had the legion of dead ponies sitting atop the walls staring down. Nor were there two ponies standing beside the gates serving as sentries.

And Tisiphone was not pacing atop the gate, either.

“Something is amiss.” Her wings spread to their full width, and with one powerful beat she was aloft. A scant moment later her hooves set down on the top of the gate, giving her a clear view of the inner city.

It was chaos.

Debris cluttered up the courtyard. Chunks of stone scattered in all directions, mixed with pieces of brass, twisted and bent. The table where Luna and Celestia had both dined was gone, visible now only as the broken shards mingling with the other stone pieces that were missing from some of the buildings. A force of destruction had made its way through the courtyard, and the city had paid the price.

No pony—living or dead—was visible in the carnage below her.

The only thing that seemed untouched was the great brass tower itself. Its massive height soared above her, almost defying what had happened below it. Luna’s lip curled back, revealing a row of sharp teeth and pointed fangs that she bared in its direction. The feathers on her wings bristled and she let out a loud snort causing her head to twist.

She leapt from the gates before she had even opened her wings. On the fall down they sprung out and she glided to touch the ground once more. The crunching sound beneath her hooves was a reminder of the degree the damage encompassed. The larger pieces were visible, but whatever did this also was able to pulverize stone.

Her eyes scanned the ground, and smaller details came into view. There were broken weapons amidst the debris, but still no sign of a pony in full body—or smaller parts. Twisted and bent pieces of brass furniture and decorations lay half-buried under the fallen walls. Several small—and a few large—craters occasionally dented the ground itself, some with the stone and brass bits inside, while others remained clean.

Step after step, she slowly began to walk the grounds, her eyes wide and vigilant. No matter where she went, the damage went with her. Aside from the tower, it seemed that no building was left untouched. Eventually, Luna was forced to turn once more to that great, brass structure.

Again her heart seized up, and her eyes turned to slits. A sensation froze her to the core and burned the blood running through her veins. The feathers on her wings again stood out, making her seem larger than normal. Her hoof tamped on the ground, this time with some considerable force.

“You will not cow me,” she growled out loud.

Her lips twitched, finally pulling back into a full sneer. And then she screamed. Raw and primal, her lungs vented her hatred and remembrance of the tower and her time inside it in a long, bellowing roar.

Her hooves moved against the ground, running towards the hated building, just as her wings spread and caught the wind, carrying her up, all but parallel to the tower until she came to its peak. Once, twice, and then a third time she circled the tower, her mouth never closing, and her fangs never hidden. A well-trod path on the rooftop revealed itself and she banked over and came to a stop next to it.

A rough, ragged breath pushed in and out of her lungs. As Luna’s eyes opened wider, each respiration became slower and more stable, until everything about her once more appeared normal. She stared at the center of the tower’s roof and the opening there leading down into the core of the building. The entrance leading into The Pit. Filling her lungs, she held it a little longer than needed, and then let it out slowly.

“It was the past, Luna,” she said to no one save herself. “You will not be trapped inside again. There is no one here to imprison you. You decide what happens in Tartarus today.”

Two steps in to her journey towards the opening to the tower, she noticed the sound of her hooves. A normal click-clack of hoof on metal and nothing more. It was not just the outside of the tower that remained whole, but its rooftop as well.

The stairs down turned the moment they passed the roofline, working their way to the walls where they spiraled down, far beyond any depth she could currently see. Her mind tried to piece together where the actual cells inside the tower—the rooms holding the most heinous creatures for their individual tortures—began. The scattered openings along the sides of the stairs began almost immediately, but she wasn’t sure if they were cells or simply rooms. Though why anypony would want to spend time in this damnable tower was inconceivable to her.

So, she walked. Step after step, moving down the spiral, looking for something, anything to help her understand the destruction outside.

The staircase had no railings, and if it were not for her wings and lengthy experience with heights she may have felt uncomfortable. The thought of finding an empty cell—a broken cell—concerned her deeply, however.

The sound rattled up through the tower, echoing off the walls. Glass falling, but not breaking, against a very solid surface. Her head turned, following the instructions her ears gave her, locating the origin of the sound. A room not very far below her at all.

Her wings opened as she leapt out, and she twisted in mid-air, turning back towards the same side of the tower. Without a sound she plunged down, darting towards the open space along the staircase. Her hooves didn’t touch the ground until she was fully inside the space, landing with a wide stance and her horn glowing with midnight energy. Her face was pulled tight into a fierce mien, adding to her already considerable presence.

She was ready for anything. Almost.

Sitting on the floor, amidst several now empty bottles, was a blood red mare with a pair of horns twisting off of her head, spilling back towards her neck. Her tattered black mane hung loosely, and her dragon-like wings rested askew on her back. A black mask was over her face, with brass studs lining either side of her muzzle to look like an obscene grin. Her eyes exposed were left exposed, and they spoke more than her limited dialogue ever could. Deep and worn, filled with a new level of sadness.

“Tisiphone?” Luna asked.

“Niii-iii-iii-iii-iiiigggghhhhttt Brrrriiii-iiii-iii-iiinnnggeerrrr.” Her voice, normally a mix of gravel and razors, added a new sound: sobbing.

“Tisiphone, are you all right?” Luna took a step over towards her. “Have you been injured? Did you have to fight whatever…”

Her own words faded away from Luna as the final statement spoken by Selene replayed in her mind. She looked at the erinyes. Then at the bottles around her. Then back at the mare who was wavering slightly in a sitting position.

“Tisiphone?” Luna took a careful step towards her, trying to meet her eyes. “Did…did you cause all of that destruction out in the city?”

The two mares just stared at each other for a long moment, but eventually Tisiphone’s head slowly moved up and down.

“What happened to the guards?” Luna asked softly.

The huge creature shrugged her shoulders, and then one of her claw-like hooves brought the bottle it held up to her mouth. A thick red liquid poured out freely, with the majority of it going down the mare’s throat.

“That was one hell of a temper tantrum,” Luna stated flatly.

Tisiphone held out her leg, holding the now half-empty bottle towards her new guest.

One of Luna’s eyebrows slowly arched upwards.

* * * * * * * *

“…which led to him being half-buried in a pile of flesh-eating maggots!” Selene exploded into a fit of laughter at her own story. Celestia smiled politely back at her, while raising her cup of tea to her lips.

Though her right eye did twitch slightly. Mostly due to this being the fifth story like this in a row.

“So, tell me something of Equestria, Celly!” Selene prodded. “Listening to one of your stories will certainly give me time to finish my lunch.”

The idea of finishing that lunch seemed more like a dare than a goal to Celestia. Upon arrival in the kitchen, Selene didn’t order something for lunch from the cooks, she ordered everything for lunch from the cooks. Every dish they were able to make, she wanted. Anything that was already prepared, she asked for. The result of these requests led to no less than thirty-five dishes being laid out on the table in front of the newly arrived alicorn.

Celestia had a small salad.

“I can’t believe that you intend on eating all of that, Lena.” Celestia’s eyes wandered over the cornucopia of options while her head shook slowly.

Outside of the two of them, the kitchen was now empty. They sat at a fairly large, round table kept in the corner for the staff to use. The heavy tabletop was littered with stains and scars, with eight mis-matched chairs surrounding it. The two alicorns sat reasonably next to each other, divided only by enough space to allow them to move comfortably.

“What?” Selene finished chewing a bite of an eggplant casserole. “You know that we don’t have food like this in Tartarus. And any that you might send down to me rots in a matter of minutes, so I never can enjoy that, either.” A rather large oatburger floated in front of her, and Selene wasted no time in taking a full third of it in a single bite. That didn’t stop her from speaking, though. “Tell me about the horn!” She waved her hoof towards the top of Celestia’s head.

“Ah, well, my new horn is the direct result of an invasion that was conducted against our world by an alternate reality version of Equestria, actually.” Celestia took another sip of her tea.

Selene stopped chewing. “I beg your pardon?”

A warm smile grew on Celestia’s face. “I wish that it was as…entertaining…as the stories you’ve been sharing, but unfortunately, it’s a tale of death, hardship, and loss, ultimately. An immensely powerful being came here from her world, conquered Canterlot, and in my first battle with her, my horn was destroyed. With the aid of some other ponies, I was able to have this new one forged from the remnants of my old armor. The invader was only beaten back by the combined forces of myself, Luna, Queen Chrysalis, the Elements of Harmony, and…Cadance.”

“Cadance?” Selene’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful.”

“Yes, she is. I would go so far as to say that she was the most important pony involved in the battle, actually. Without her, we would certainly have lost.”

Selene’s eyes focused forward on nothing at all, simply staring down at a space she truly couldn’t identify at the moment. Finally, she looked back up at her sister. “Where is she, Celly? Is…do you think that it would be possible for me to meet her?”

Celestia’s smile grew larger. “Not only is it possible, Lena, but I think it almost a certainty. She is here in Canterlot right now. She’s off on some important errand of some sort, but as soon as it is finished, I can almost guarantee that she will be delighted to meet you.” Her eyes motioned towards the door leading out of the room. “I’m sure she will be at the banquet that I mentioned. That will give you a chance to meet everypony. It’s sure to be a social event.”

“That…that sound wonderful. Meeting a variety of ponies would be magnificent, of course, but,” she paused for a short breath, “but I would rather meet her before. Something more casual.”

“Of course. That won’t be a problem, Lena,” Celestia answered softly. Then her smile faded slightly. “It would probably be a good idea for you to meet Chrysalis before the banquet as well, actually.”

Falling off her like rain, Selene’s softer expression turned to the cheerful exuberance again. “That’s twice you’ve mentioned this Chrysalis. Who is she? You said she was a queen earlier.”

“Yes, she’s a queen, and a princess now as well.” Celestia took one more sip of tea and then set the cup on the saucer. “She is a changeling queen, who now co-rules Equestria along with Luna and myself.”

A large pancake on a fork hung in the air in front of Selene for a moment, and then lowered down as she broke into an uproarious laughter. “Oh, Celly! Oh, that is rich! I forgot how wonderfully dry your sense of humor can be!”

Celestia waited for the laughter to fade somewhat. “I’m not making a joke. I’m telling you the truth.”

The sound of Selene’s fork dropping to the table rang through the room. “Oh, please! You have to be joking. A changeling queen?” Her eyes darted up and down what was visible of Celestia. “Celly! That’s ridiculous!”

“Nonetheless, it’s the truth. Chrysalis is now a Princess of Equestria, and as such, has all of the privileges and responsibilities that go along with it.” She takes a deep breath. “It has been trying at times.”

Selene opened her mouth but nothing came out. Finally she closed it with a loud huff from her nose. “At least tell me that there are good things that have happened, as well.”

“Many,” Celestia laughed. “Though, sadly, they do seem overshadowed by the negative things as of late.”

“Well then,” Selene raised her fork up once again, pancake still attached, “let my arrival serve as the spark to help turn things around to the better! I will help you find the joy that has been missing from your life, and give you happy stories to tell everypony!” The entirety of the pancake was then summarily stuffed into her mouth.

Celestia slowly shook her head. “I can’t believe that you are going to try to eat all of this food.”

The fork suddenly turned around, pointing directly at Celestia. “You go a few centuries without having any decent food and then we’ll talk!” She stabbed a potato covered in butter and cheese. “Besides, who doesn’t like to eat sometimes?

* * * * * * * *

The tight clicking sound arrived at an alarming speed as the curtain between the two beds was yanked back against the wall, pulling Chrysalis’ eyes over in an instant.

“I’m hungry.” Cadance didn’t turn her head or raise her voice. She more growled and grumbled at the bed, just in the vicinity of her room companion.

In her turn, Chrysalis casually let her eyes move across the entirety of the other princess, the corner of her mouth slowly edging up. “Oh, I’m sorry, are we talking to each other again?”

She snorted, she shifted in place, and Cadance finally turned her head to look at the changeling. “If we’re going to be in the same room for months,” her breath escaped in a sigh, “then it would be ridiculous not to.”

“Oddly enough, I’m very happy to hear you say that, Princess.” Chrysalis shifted slightly, allowing her body to move to a more comfortable position to look from bed to bed.

The left eyebrow on Cadance’s head moved up. “Oddly enough?”

“Well, considering our past, it’s not as though the two of us have had what anypony would call a casual, friendly relationship,” Chrysalis admitted. “Nonetheless, conversation with you has always been animated and entertaining.”

“Which part? The thinly veiled threats or the outright hatred?” she asked in response.

“See, you’re already going down the darker path. There really is no need for it, Princess,” Chrysalis stated. “I don’t see why we can’t become friends, even.”

The sound that came out of Cadance was somewhere between a cough and a sputter. “Friends? Seriously, did you just say friends? You have become a very presumptive…princess, haven’t you?”

The space between words was long enough to hear them both breathe. “Did you just stop yourself from saying something a little more venomous than princess?”

The only immediate answer was Cadance shifting in place. Her next words were no answer at all. “Why didn’t you tell me that the heart might be destroyed, Chrysalis?”

“Because I had faith that you would keep it from happening,” she replied instantly.

“It still would have been nice to have a warning!” Cadance’s voice echoed in the small room.

“Would you still have done it?” The smooth buzz of Chrysalis’ voice countered the louder princess.

“I…. That’s not the point!” The volume was lower, but a firm bite remained. “I should have been told so I could make an informed choice!”

“Perhaps, but that is the past, and neither of us can change it,” Chrysalis stated. “And everything worked out in the end.”

“What?” Cadance sat up a little straighter. “This is your definition of everything working out?”

“I’m alive. So are you. And the scientists believe that they will be able to track the other changeling in time,” Chrysalis leaned back, “so, yes, I do.”

Cadance’s head slowly moved side-to-side. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Thank you,” Chrysalis answered. “Also, now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m also hungry.”

A dry creaking sound signaled the door opening. “Good evening, Your Highnesses.” Mercysong backed her way into the room, pulling a cart with her. “It’s time for dinner.”

“Perfect timing!” Cadance leaned forward, her nose already one step ahead of her eyes in trying to figure out what was on the cart. Warm smells tinted with something smooth and silky, yet still sharp wafted over to her. “What is that?”

“For you, Princess, we have one of our chef’s specialties,” she lifted the cover from the dish, revealing the contents, “ratatouille.”

“Ooh, it smells delightful.” Cadance licked her lips and swallowed.

Mercysong moved a specially designed table into place and then transferred the plate to rest in front of Cadance. The display of colors created an immediate visual appeal for the dish, and Cadance waved her nose over it one more time. The combination of herbs and vegetables filled her head, bringing a smile to her face. It was enough to briefly make her realize that one of the scents she noticed was missing from this particular dish.

“And for me?” Chrysalis asked calmly.

“We have the same option for you, Princess, should you want it,” Mercysong stated.

“It does smell wonderful,” she began, “but I don’t actually draw sustenance from that sort of meal. Thank you for offering, though.”

The nurse stepped between the beds and slowly pulled the curtain out until is separated the two princesses.

“So, it’s true that you only subsist on love,” Mercysong asked.

“Well, not only love,” Chrysalis stated, “but love is easily the most filling of emotions. The only true meal we can have, though other, similar emotions will get us by for a time.”

“What kind of emotions?” she asked.

Slowly, Chrysalis narrowed her eyes.

Closing her eyes fully, Mercysong opened them back only halfway. “I might be able to offer you another choice of meal, Your Highness.”

Slipping her long tongue out of her mouth, Chrysalis let it draw back slowly across her fangs. “Why don’t you lock the door?”

Chrysalis watched Mercysong slink over to the door, and then quietly turn the latch.

In a glow of pink magic, the curtain slid open once again.

“You two aren’t going to….” Cadance began, her eyes growing wider. Then to Chrysalis, “You do realize I can give you a boost of love and fill you right up.”

“Actually,” Mercysong said softly, “the doctor has ordered that you not do anything unnecessary, for fear that any extra strain on your magic damage the healing process.” She slinked over between the two beds. “Why don’t I close the curtain again, Princess, giving you some privacy.”

“Yes, let’s not take that chance, Cadance,” Chrysalis began before turning back to the nurse. “Question for you…Mercysong, isn’t it? Do you prefer mares or stallions?”

“I’m fine either way, but given a choice, stallions, Your Highness,” she answered, turning back towards the changeling.

For a second time the sharp smell struck Cadance’s muzzle. This time, however, she recognized it. Her eyes suddenly focused on the plot of the pony in front of her. Once more, she licked her lips and swallowed.

“Then I shall be your stallion, my dear.” A green glow surrounded Chrysalis. When it faded there was no immediate obvious change. At least none above the sheets.

Turning, Mercysong took the curtain in her teeth for the second time since her arrival, and started to pull it out, but was stopped by a sudden magical glow.

“No,” Cadance growled. “I didn’t say you could close that.”

“Cadance,” Chrysalis said softly, “if the mare is uncomfortable, then allow her to have—”

“No,” Mercysong interrupted. “No, I don’t mind.” Her words came out in short gasps.

“Mercysong, don’t let her intimidate you,” Chrysalis brought a hoof up, directing the nurse’s eyes to hers. “Are you sure?”

She said nothing. Leaning forward, she brought her lips to Chrysalis’ face, pausing to feel the changeling’s breath before moving in fully for the kiss. The nurse’s right hoof slipped under the sheet, sliding down Chrysalis’ body until it found its goal. A moan came out from the kiss, with a sound that could have belonged to either mare—or perhaps both.

The sound coming from Cadance’s bed was much more primal. A growl, or something akin to it, welled up from the core of the Princess of Love. Her eyes became slits and her lips pulled back into a snarl.

Mercysong broke her kiss, and moved her lips to the side of Chrysalis’ neck. The changeling raised her head and laid back, giving the mare clear access as she peppered kisses slowly downward. As she got lower, she pulled away the sheets, revealing more of Chrysalis with every new affection she applied, until finally all of her was visible. Staring at the erection before her, Mercysong licked her lips. It easily matched every stallion the nurse had ever been with to this point.

“Go ahead,” Chrysalis breathed. “If that’s what you would like, it would be wonderful for me.”

No other encouragement was needed, and the nurse lowered her muzzle down, placing her lips tenderly against the very end of Chrysalis’ grown cock. The soft kiss brought forth a sigh of pleasure from the changeling, and she closed her eyes, lying back fully to enjoy nothing but the sensation.

Moving her lips along the length of the shaft, Mercysong never left contact with Chrysalis’ cock. Saliva began to make it shine with a clean, slick quality. As her mouth came to the top once more, her hoof took over at the base, once more tenderly stroking. Carefully, Mercysong took the head of the cock into her mouth, letting her tongue swirl around the tip playfully.

“You have such a gentle touch,” Chrysalis whispered.

“Yes,” Cadance growled, her head only inches behind Mercysong’s ear, “and I think that’s about enough of that.”

Both of Cadance’s hooves grabbed the back of Mercysong’s head, and she pushed the mare down, forcing inches into her mouth—and then into her throat. The nurse gagged, coughing and trying to pull back, but her own strength was not equal to the might of the alicorn holding her down.

“Swallow it!” Cadance spat.

“Cadance!” Chrysalis’ eyes popped open, looking down at what was transpiring. “What are you doing?”

She looked up the length of Chrysalis’ body, one side of her mouth turned up towards her ear. “Teaching this little bit how to suck cock. I’m surprised you didn’t notice.”

“You shouldn’t…shouldn’t…” Chrysalis paused, her eyes opening a little wider as Cadance shoved Mercysong’s head down until her muzzle pushed against the changeling’s body.

“That’s right,” Cadance whispered into Mercysong’s ear, “it’s good to see that you know your role.”

Abruptly, Cadance let go of the other mare’s head. Immediately she pulled up until Chrysalis’ cock sprang free from her mouth. Tears ran down Mercysong’s face, trailing the makeup she was wearing along with them. Her eyes turned to look at Cadance, who stared back with a blazing fire inside her.

“Are…are you all right?” Chrysalis stammered.

“She’s fine,” Cadance answered, her eyes still fixed on Mercysong. “Show her that your fine.”

It was a full heartbeat, but Mercysong lowered her head back down, taking a full half of Chrysalis’ cock back into her throat and then beginning to bob up and down.

“I’ve encountered her kind before. I smelled it on her when she walked in.” The laugh that accompanied Cadance’s words was darker than Chrysalis’ chitinous coat. “She has a princess fetish. She’s wanted to fuck a princess for years, and now that she’s got two of them in beds, well….”

Once again Cadance grasped the back of Mercysong’s head, entwining her hoof deep in the mare’s mane. This time, however, she did not press down, but simply kept her hoof there as the mare’s head moved up and down on its own.

“Excellent work, cocksleeve,” Cadance purred. “That’s what you are, you know: a cocksleeve. Your only purpose is to please the cock in your mouth.”

“Cadance!” Chrysalis gasped. “You don’t need to abuse—”

“Shut up!” Cadance’s head spun around to Chrysalis, who recoiled slightly. “Just lie there and take your blowjob, and don’t even pretend that you aren’t enjoying it.” She turned back to bring her mouth up near Mercysong’s ear. “Now, cocksleeve, why don’t you give your princesses some sort of sign that you’re enjoying what you are doing?”

A deep moan sounded from Mercysong as she pushed herself down to the base of Chrysalis’ cock once again. She paused there, opening her mouth slightly wider as if hoping that somehow more would fit inside.

“That’s a good start,” Cadance whispered as Mercysong pulled back far enough to allow herself to breath, but still not taking the shaft out of her mouth. “Let’s see if I can find more proof.”

Cadance’s other hoof slipped between Mercysong’s hind legs, eliciting a sharp whinny from the mare. She pulled her head back, letting Chrysalis slip from her mouth completely. “Oh yes! Yes, please!” Mercysong pleaded.

“Please? Please what? Please shove my entire hoof up your sopping wet cunt? Is that what you want?” Cadance taunted.

“Yesssss!” Mercysong hissed.

“Then get back to work on that cock, and I will!” Cadance commanded.

Without hesitation, Mercysong resumed her task, her head moving up and down at a much faster pace than before.

“Oh. Oh, that feels so good,” Chrysalis said softly. “You’re so good.”

“You can thank me later,” Cadance laughed. “Right now….”

Cadance’s body weight shifted slightly, and Mercysong’s eyes became huge pools of white with a tiny dot in the center of them. The nurse screamed, but it was muffled against the flesh inside her mouth. A moment later Mercysong forced her head down once more, bottoming out, but just for a moment. She then pulled back to the point where the cock almost left her mouth, only to immediately go all the way back down to the base.

The tempo of Mercysong’s actions were dictated by the piston-like action of Cadance’s hoof as it plowed deep inside her willing cunt. Cadance felt the walls of the nurse’s vagina clamping down hard as it was stretched by her full hoof, and that only brought a wider grin to the princess’ face.

“Don’t you dare finish before her! You are servicing a princess—a PRINCESS!” Cadance growled. “You WILL suck her like she deserves, and you WILL swallow every drop that comes out of her cock. Is that clear?”

The sound that came from Mercysong was indecipherable, but Cadance took it as an agreement, especially considering the renewed vigor that the nurse began using. It was like a magic trick. Every second a full-length stallionhood would present itself, only to disappear the following second as it was swallowed down the mare’s throat. Such long, smooth motions began to impress Cadance quite a bit.

“It’s a shame I don’t have a cock like that,” she said with a deep tone. “I’d love to see you swallow a dick from a different perspective. Still, I’m impressed.” To emphasize her point, Cadance thrust her hoof deep and hard, pushing fully against the mare’s cervix. A flood of liquid began to coat Cadance’s foreleg as the mare screamed around the cock in her mouth again.

“Are you cumming? Are you?” Cadance demanded. She didn’t wait for an answer, and instead began to pump her hoof in and out faster and deeper than she had before.

“Oh…oh yes…yes!” Chrysalis body arched, bringing her back fully off of the bed where she lay. Mercysong’s head stopped moving, positioning itself halfway down the length in her mouth, while her throat bulged with each swallow. It stayed that way for a second until Cadance yanked back, pulling Mercysong’s head free and sending a streamer of white shooting across the mare’s face. Twice more smaller loads shot out of Chrysalis’ cock, landing on Mercysong’s face, some of it finding its way into her open, panting mouth, which the nurse reflexively brought back with her tongue and swallowed down

Letting go of the nurse’s head, Cadance also freed her hoof from the mare’s vagina. She moved that hoof up to sit beside Mercysong’s face. “Lick this clean. I don’t want your marecum on my hoof.”

Weakly, but obediently, Mercysong’s tongue came out and began to lap along the hoof in front of her. Cadance turned to look at Chrysalis, but the changeling was looking down at Mercysong, the corner of her eye welling up.

“Thank you,” Chrysalis whispered. “That was…. Thank you, so much.”

With a snort, Cadance grabbed Mercysong’s mane again, pulling on it until the mare was up and off of Chrysalis and the bed. “Get out of here. Go clean yourself up,” she said with a sneer. “Oh, but make sure you come back in an hour or two. I still need my turn, after all.”

The first couple of Mercysong’s steps revealed the battle that she was waging against gravity and equilibrium, but she stopped, took a long, deep breath, and then walked back to her cart with no visible signs of distress. She looked back over at the two princesses, her face an amalgam of the tan of her coat, the black that surrounded her eyes and streamed down her cheek, and the odd crossing lines of fading white that clung to her fur, and she smiled warmly.

“Thank you, Princesses.” She bowed her head. “I will definitely be back for my…rounds…a little later.”

She walked, very gingerly, towards the door, unlocked it, and then pushed herself and her cart outside the room. Both Chrysalis and Cadance watched her every step before turning back to look at each other.

Their faces slowly went from their post-coital expressions back to their regular demeanor. They stared at each other, the thoughts of what just happened running through their minds as they recounted everything that they did, and everything that they said.

Everything.

Gradually their eyes grew to the sizes of saucers as the details sank in. Their individual actions. Their words. Every little bit becoming clear.

In unison, they shouted at each other, “What the hell have you done to me?!”

…to be continued.