Wildfire 2: Releasing the Flame

Chapters

Prologue - Arrival
Chapter 1 - Stripe's Cup of Java
Chapter 2 - A Haunting Truth
Chapter 3 - That Which We Fear
Chapter 4 - Love that Overcomes
Chapter 5 - The Fun Has Been Doubled!
Chapter 6 - Nothing to It, But to Do It
Chapter 7 - Open Invitation
Chapter 8 - Love Heals
Chapter 9 - Socking Revelations
Chapter 10 - Poetry Reading
Chapter 11 - Wildflower Blooms
Chapter 12 - A Wildflower For Wildfire
Chapter 13 - Working on a Dream
Chapter 14 - Stormy in the Sky with Lightning
Chapter 15 - Maid Service
Chapter 16 - Painting it Black
Chapter 17 - All Aboard!
Chapter 18 - The Flame's Release
Epilogue - Pushing The Limits

Prologue - Arrival

“Ow, ow, ow!…OOOOUUUCH!” Wildfire released the piercingly loud scream of pain as the end of the leather crop made contact twice with her left cutie mark and twice more on her right, the stinging pain lancing through her already sore and tender flanks.

Dancing on the tips of her hind hooves the little yellow pegasus struggled against her tight bonds to no avail. She knew full well the ropes wouldn’t give, but she struggled anyway. Bent over the hardwood desk she had nowhere to go to escape the relentless swing of the damned crop.

The spreader bar kept her hind legs apart a full twelve inches past shoulder width, the attached hoofcuffs held her hind hooves on eight inch chains the legs of the desk. Extended in front of her on the desktop her forelegs were secured together by another pair of hoofcuffs joined by a D ring, which in turn had a chain looped through it extending down the side and under the desk to another D ring in the centre of the spreader bar. A knotted rope tied at the dock of her black tail was pulled taut by the clamps at the tips of her ears. The choice was easy, lower her tail and painfully pull her head back or ease the cramp in her neck by lowering her head and pulling her tail further up her back.

“The answer Miss Wildfire. Do you have it?” The purple coated unicorn stalked slowly around the desk, watching the struggles of the bound pegasus as a predator observes its prey. Held in a glowing green magical aura the crop gently stroked and caressed Wildfire’s cutie marks as its owner ceased her pacing behind the bound pony. “I’m waiting Miss Wildfire.”

“I – I don’t know!” What she did know was this was humiliating. Very humiliating. If the moisture and growing heat in her nethers was any judge, also a huge turn on. She had only been given twelve strokes of the crop, already she could feel the steady plick, plick, plick of her juices dripping from her exposed pussy.

“Pathetic Miss Wildfire. Absolutely pathetic.” The crop swished through the air, striking twice at each thigh, once on her labia and once on the pegasus’s exposed tailhole.

“Miiiiiistr…AAAAGGGHHH!” Wildfire screamed as the crop smacked the ring of her anus, tears streaming down her face. The plick plick from her marehood had increased to roughly two per second, the sound and smell only adding to the reddening blush of embarrassment on her cheeks.

“We’ll try this again Miss Wildfire.” Her cruel Mistress’s cold voice echoed through the empty classroom. “Seven multiplied by eight. You have five seconds.”

Wildfire barely had time to register what the question was before the sadistic unicorn started her countdown.

"Four..."

Sweat poured down her face as she tried to work out the answer, try as she might, she just didn’t know.

“Three…”

Once more she struggled pointlessly at her bonds, the plick, plick, plick of her leaking marehood audible over the rattle of the chains.

“Two…”

The crop stroked her reddened flanks, massaging the areas already hit by the merciless teacher.

“One. Time’s up Miss Wildfire. Your answer?”

“I – I…I don’t know!” Wildfire buried her head into the desk, shame and humiliation burning her cheeks as red as her flanks.

“I’m sorry…” She whimpered pathetically.

“You will be. Oh you will be Miss Wildfire.” Wildfire heard the crop drop to the floor behind her. Turning her head as much as she was able her brown eyes went wide as saucers as she saw a cane floating in the purple unicorn’s glowing green magical grasp towards her. “Fifty six. The answer is fifty six. What is it?”

“F – F – fifty s – six…” Wildfire trembled in fear against the desk as the cane came to rest against her tender plot, the plick, plick of her juices now a uninterrupted stream creating a puddle between her hind legs. The swish of the cane was the only warning she got. A split second later the burning pain blossomed across her thighs as it hit below her pussy. She released an ear-splitting scream as the cane struck three more times, once on each cutie mark and finally at the perineum between her vagina and anus.

The purple unicorn stood in front of the bound pegasus. “Sixty divided by five. You have five seconds Miss Wildfire.”

Between her sobbing tears and intense pain Wildfire didn’t realise the five second count had gotten to ‘two’ already. She didn’t even know what the question was, let alone how to answer it.

“One…” The cane came to rest at the soles of her outstretched forehooves, bending with just enough flex to rub the sensitive frogs. Enough pressure to let Wildfire know what was going to happen next. “Your answer Miss Wildfire?”

No…no…p – please my Mistress…not there…please…” Wildfire begged as she tried to shift her hind hooves out of the growing puddle of herself spreading on the floor. She knew it never did any good to beg. Her cruel Mistress never listened. Only a correct answer stopped the punishment Wildfire knew she was getting.

“The answer is twelve Miss Wildfire.” The cane stroked up and down the soles of the pegasus’s hooves, from the bulbs to the toes, “Twelve strokes should help you remember hmm?”

“T – twelve?” Wildfire shook her head in sheer panic. “No, no please!”

“You will count them Miss Wildfire. Miss a stroke and we start from one. Understand?”

“Please, Mistress, please…” The pegasus lowered her head, pulling painfully on her tail, “I…I understand, Mistress Amethyst.”

“Then we begin.”

Wildfire braced herself as much as she could against the unbearable amount of pain she knew she’d be receiving in a matter of seconds. She knew even if she counted to twelve in one go she wouldn’t be walking anywhere anytime soon. Only she would, because she was released from the desk the unicorn would fasten a spreader bar to her wings, holding them open and making flight impossible. She would feel these twelve strokes for days to come. The humiliation would be exquisite.

The cane floated back away from her exposed hooves, hovering in front of her.

The cane started to move.

Wildfire felt the air move ahead of the cane.

Wildfire shut her eyes.

~ ~ ~

“Wily!” A voice that sounded nothing like the cruel sadistic Head Warden called her name.

“Wily! There was that voice again, more insistent this time, and definitely male.

“Wildfire!”

Wildfire raised her head from her forelegs on her folded down bed in the cabin of the Friendship Express’s First Class carriage, and felt the warmth of the early morning sunlight catch on her face, but not as warm as the very fluffy mattress and extremely soft blanket to which she retreated back to. Quickly realising there would be no more sleep she yawned herself fully awake and re-emerging from the luxurious sheets she turned her head around, searching for the source of the voice. She could smell the familiar scent of the stallion. Standing a couple of feet away from her in the cabin was her best friend Dusk Melody.

“You…” she yawned again as she scratched the back of her head with a hoof and sitting up in her fold down bed, “What do you want, Dusk?” Wildfire asked grumpily, sliding off the bed to her hooves.

“And a very good morning to you too, Miss Grumpy Wings.” Dusk said tersely, his tone devoid of any humour at all. “It’s eight thirty a.m., the Express gets into Manehatten Station in roughly ninety minutes and, just because I asked them very nicely, the kitchen has kept a breakfast open for us a little later than normal.” He paused for a breath, studying his old friend closely as he did so. “C’mon, they have sugared oatmeal…”

“I’m not hungry.” Wildfire stated plainly, sitting down in the cabin and using the heat on her face to turn her head to the sun.

“You’re not…” Dusk started with a pause. This wasn’t like his Wily to refuse oatmeal, especially sugared oatmeal. “Wily you didn’t eat yesterday, c’mon you must be a little hungry?” He tried to coax her gently.

“I said I’m not hungry, Dusk.” Wildfire replied. She wasn’t, in all honesty hungry. Yes it was Tuesday morning, yes she hadn’t eaten all the day before, but her Mistress had very kindly allowed her a full bowl of dog food in her cell on Sunday and the little yellow pegasus wasn’t due to be fed again till the coming Thursday.

“Well,” Dusk said firmly, resting his hoof on his best friend’s shoulder, “I’m hungry, and either way we need to get out of this cabin for a while, the turn down team will want to clean it out for when the Express arrives in Manehatten.” He said, sliding open the door with his midnight blue hoof.

“Yes Dusk.” Wildfire capitulated with a slight bow, her voice dulled and her ears slicked back at the authoritative tone in his voice.

Dusk frowned at his friend’s unusual reaction, but chose not to say anything about it. After all, they had been apart for five years, ponies change. “Alright then, let’s go eat.” He smiled, gently steering her with the hoof at her shoulder.

“I can walk, Dusk. I know the way.” Wildfire snapped, shrugging her friend’s hoof away from her shoulder. Extending her wingtips to the floor the yellow mare took her hesitant careful steps out of their cabin and into the aisle, using her wings to feel where she was and turning right to walk to the Friendship Express’s buffet carriage.

“What’re you having Wily?” Dusk asked as he slid easily onto his seating pad opposite his friend.

With a small amount of effort as she felt with her hoof and wingtip for her own seating pad Wildfire seated herself and rested her forehooves on the table between them. “Nothing, I said I’m not hungry.” She said simply.

“Well that’s too bad,” Dusk smiled warmly, “Because I ordered ahead while you were sleeping and you have a bowl of hot oatmeal with chocolate sauce coming in about five minutes, along with a black coffee, stirred clockwise just the way you like it.”

“Yes, thank you, Dusk.” Wildfire thanked him curtly, sitting arrow straight and unmoving on her seating pad, her head pointed down to the floor.

‘Grrrr…’ the midnight blue stallion growled internally, trying with all his might not to reach over and shake the ungrateful mare by her shoulders until she squealed. ‘I don’t get this…that’s her favourite, it’s always been her favourite…what the hay’s going on?’ The thoroughly perplexed stallion asked himself. “Wily, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, Dusk.” She replied quietly, the blind mare still looking at the floor.

‘Nothing bucking much,’ Dusk thought as he watched his friend sitting there opposite him in silence, only answering with the barest of answers. His mother, Octavia, had warned him that ponies change, and to not expect too much from the yellow pegasus, but this was utterly ridiculous.

Dusk sighed deeply and rested his head against the train’s window, his memory and attention wandering as he wistfully watched the Equestrian scenery whizz past outside. If he was honest with himself this trip hadn’t been at all as the young prince had imagined it would be. He had thought, once he had been reunited with his old friend, the weight of Equestria that he’d been carrying on his shoulders would’ve finally been lifted. Alas that wasn’t to be the case, as was quickly apparent in the first few hours of this trip.

Dusk Melody was inwardly very happy the journey was almost over. What had started as an optimistic opportunity to reconnect and bond with his oldest friend had quickly, very quickly, not even two hours into the twenty hour train ride things had started to go south.

“Your breakfasts, your Highness, Ma’am.” The earth pony waiter bought over their orders on a high quality silver tray on his back and, with a delicate grace he seized the tray in his mouth and laid it on the table between them.

“Thank you, Savoir Fare.” Dusk gave the first class waiter a polite nod of thanks as he carefully positioned the teacup for the Prince and the coffee mug for his friend.

“Enjoy your meal, Highness, Ma’am.” The cream stallion bowed in return, and took his leave to clear away the other tables.

“I will, thank you.” Dusk reached a hoof for his earl grey tea and lifted the teacup to his lips for a delicate little sip, looking over at the little yellow pegasus sat silent and unmoving opposite him. Again he had the urge to seize and to shake her silly, if only to get a reaction from her. No matter what his mother said about ‘ponies changing’, this wasn’t the best friend he remembered.

‘I wish Vocal Chord was here…’ he thought glumly as he held the teacup in his hoof. Then again, he dearly wished he could’ve flown the journey. At sonic rainboom speeds he could’ve made it to Manehatten from Canterlot in just about two hours. Instead he was stuck on the Express with a friend who had been pretty much unresponsive since leaving the capital city. ‘Vocal at least would’ve been fun, like he was last week.’

“Hehe…” Dusk chuckled lightly under his breath as he took another, bigger sip of his earl grey. That trip to Manehatten they had both undertaken just a few days prior had been fun indeed. Sure the royal duties bit had been dull as anything, even desperately so, these types of event usually were. Like Twilight had often said, ‘nod and wave, Dusk, nod and wave.’ And more than anything else, the appearance in Manehatten to open the new wing of the Manehatten General Hospital, had involved a lot of nodding and waving.

‘Still…the trip wasn’t a complete dull waste of time.’ Dusk smiled to himself as he drained the rest of the earl grey from his cup and set it back on its china saucer. On a walkabout during some rare downtime Dusk and Vocal had discovered, entirely by accident, a zebra owned coffee shop under the building that housed the Manehatten Times newspaper.

In the short space of time the young lovers had been going to the coffee shop, Stripe’s Cup of Java, both Dusk and Vocal had struck up an easy going friendship with Caffienated, the orange coated zebra stallion who owned it. Dusk smiled at the thought of the zebra, ‘Stripes’, as he had quickly taken to calling him. He was the reason the Prince was heading back to Manehatten. With no royal engagements on the horizon, well, none he couldn’t hoof along to that idiot Blueblood, Dusk had readily taken the zebra up on his offer of attending one of his strictly ‘adult only’ parties.

‘Which…is why we’re here now, I guess…’ Dusk mused as he reached a hoof for one of his cinnamon hay cakes. Vocal Chord had been so looking forward to coming back to Manehatten to attend Caffienated’s party. He had even been out and had Rarity make him a special collar and leash for the occasion, all frilly dark blue and pink lace, it would’ve looked perfect on his little pup.

‘Oh well…’ Dusk thought mournfully as he chewed the hay cake and swallowed it down. Saturday afternoon his mom had stopped by their suite in the Canterlot Castle’s east wing with what she thought was good news, and it was, really. Vocal’s band had been struggling for the past couple of years, their last few albums hadn’t been very well received, either by the critics or the fans, and Luna had come with a surprise announcement. She had only gone and gotten Vocal and his band a sell-out gig, and of course it was for Tuesday night over at the new and improved “Trixie’s Place” club.

There was no way in Equestria his sexy coltfriend could turn that opportunity down to attend a BDSM party, no matter how much he wanted to. And of course Dusk had understood, like a good coltfriend does, so here they were. A brief visit to the care home where he’d discovered Wily was living yesterday noon time and they were off on the two p.m. Express to Manehatten.

Dusk was reaching for a second hay cake when a thought occurred to him. Glancing over the table at his friend he found her sat unmoving, still as a statue, with her scarred face looking down at the floor of the train carriage. In the past ten minutes she hadn’t made any effort to get her chocolate oatmeal or her coffee. Biting back the comment he wanted to utter, instead he asked, “Wily…I saw the letters you sent to your dad. Why, why didn’t you tell us, tell me, where you were?”

From her statuesque position on her seating pad Wildfire didn’t bother to lift her head up. “Why, should I have?” She asked dully, her voice again not sounding like her own, at least as Dusk remembered it. “You didn’t care. None of you cared.” She accused her friend, who in turn looked down and away.

Cocking her head to one side Wildfire recalled clearly the last moments she had shared with the midnight blue pegasus all those years ago;

“Blitzwing threw acids in your face, Wily. Your eyes…they um…the doctors say they exploded in your head.” Dusk explained, feeling sicker and sicker with each word, each syllable of each word, that he spoke. “I'm sorry…”

“STOP SAYING YOU’RE SORRY!” Wildfire threw Dusk's hoof back at him as her temper exploded. “I’M THE PONY WHO’S BLIND!” The pegasus screamed, not caring that her lungs and throat were burning raw, “WHAT THE HAY ARE YOU SORRY FOR?”

“Wildfire…please calm down,” Eirene put her hoof on her patients shoulder, causing her to jump in panic. “I'm sorry Wildfire, but you need to calm down.”

“Wily…” Dusk started, his head in his hooves as Wildfire started to take deep breaths. “It…it was my fault.”
“What?” Wildfire asked.

“Oh I’m sure Dusk didn’t mean anything by it Wily.” The nurse tried to intercept the outburst she could see coming. Sadly she wasn’t quick enough.

“Shut up, nurse.” Wildfire snapped, silencing the student nurse who ‘eeped’ as she turned her head in her direction. “Dusk,” she said dangerously, “What do you mean, it's your fault?”

“You weren’t paying attention in the science lab.” Dusk said quietly, each word ripped from him. “I showed Blitzwing the scroll that made him snap. It was all me, Wily. I…I’m so sorry.”

“So…he was aiming for you?”

"Yes....yes he was.” Dusk almost whispered, unable to look at his friend.

“Why?” Wildfire asked, her simmering temper barely held in check from her earlier outburst.

“Why what, Wily?”

“Why show Blitzwing that scroll? So what he won for that second. So what Dusk? You had to know how he’d react, D.” Wildfire demanded of her friend.

“Wily, I had no idea he’d lose it like that, I swear!”

Wildfire raised a hoof for silence and cut across the midnight blue pegasus. “You knew he’d react though, didn’t you?” She whispered as her voice threatened to give out, “You wanted him to react, you wanted him to rise to that stupid scroll. Well congratulations D, he reacted, and here we are. Was it worth it?”

“Wh – what?” Dusk asked, disbelieving of what he’d heard. “Wily please…”

“DON’T CALL ME WILY! GET OUT!” Wildfire screamed again, causing a doctor to look around the door frame, only to be waved away by Eirene.

“Wil…Wildfire…” Dusk couldn't remember the last time he’d used his best fiend’s full name. “You don’t mean that, please!”

“YOU DID THIS TO ME! GET OUT!” She screamed again, her hooves searching her bed for something to throw. Finding nothing she seized her pillow and threw that instead.

“Wily, what the buck?” Dusk exclaimed as the pillow missed him by a clear four feet to bounce off the walls to the floor.

“Prince Dusk…” Nurse Eirene stooped to pick up the pillow, “I think you should leave, please, my patient doesn’t need this stress.”

Dusk slid off the seating pad he was sat on, but made no movement to leave. “I'm not leaving!” He said with a stomp of his hoof, “We need to work this out.”

“GET OUT!”

“Your Highness, please…” The young earth pony mare took a deep breath and squared up to the Prince. “My patient has requested you leave. Um…please do so or I'll summon security.”

"Fine...I’ll go.” Dusk turned to leave and paused in the doorway. “Wildfire, I really am so sorry.”

“Just go Dusk.” Wildfire said quietly as she rolled over in the bed she was laid in, hoping she was facing away from the door. “Leave me alone.”

Wildfire lifted her head up as she finished speaking, facing roughly at Dusk, who in turn had remained silent throughout the unpleasant little trip down a very bumpy memory lane. “You left me, Dusk.” Wildfire said quietly, “You left me and you didn’t come back.”

Dusk paused, glancing at his old friend. “You asked me to leave.” He replied, not looking away from her.

“Dusk I was nineteen; I was scared, I was in pain, I had Celestia-knows what drugs pumping round my system…” Wildfire started, looking downwards again. “I was lashing out. Yes I wanted you to leave but…but I didn’t want you to stay away.”

“Alright…” Dusk said as he started to pour himself another cup of tea from the pot that Savoir Fare had left on the table, “If not me, then why not tell Air Raid, or Cyclone, Darkstar, or any of us?” He asked, breathing in the heavenly earl grey scent.

“Air Raid?” Wildfire asked incredulously, again lifting her scarred face, “You are joking, right? Vocal Chord finally teach you a sense of humour, did he?” She asked, her temper rising. “She left me! Or didn’t she tell you the details?”

“She uh…no, she rather glossed over the whole ‘leaving you’ thing. She told us she left you, that was it.”

“Well then,” Wildfire said bluntly, “Let me fill you in, shall I?”

“AAaaaaAAaaaHHH!” Air Raid screamed. And screamed. For a full minute she screamed, unable to vocalise her emotions any other way. Finally after what seemed like an age the green mare ran out of breath and shuddered to a haggard awkward silence that, in the wake of the terrified scream, seemed to stretch for eternity. An eternity in which the only sounds where the breathing of the three mares.

"R – Raid…Raid…wh – wha…” There was so many things whirling around Wildfire’s brain that her questions all muddled and what came out of her mouth was a garbled mess.

“W – Wily…I'm sorry I can't do this…” Air Raid interrupted, standing to her hooves.

“Wha…what d’you…I don't understand….you said I was p – pretty…”

“I lied! Okay I lied! I'm sorry Wily but look at you…you aren't my mare…she was pretty; you…you just aren't.” She turned on her hooves and started to head towards the open door.

Wildfire heard the clopping of her hooves, “Raid…please, I'm still your Wily, come back…”

Air Raid didn't bother to turn around or even look over her shoulder as she paused halfway to the door. “I can’t do it Wily…I can't care for you. I have my career…my racing…you're hideous...I can't be seen with you looking like that…” Feeling thoroughly wretched Air Raid took another loud step away from her now snivelling mare.

"Raid please..." Wildfire reached with her hoof, grasping at the very air. "Come back, talk to me, please!"

Air Raid just carried on walking. “Sorry Wildfire...we had fun while it lasted. Fun’s over, babes.”

“Raid!” Now it was Wildfire’s turn to scream, as the sound of hooves receded away. “AIR RAAAAID!” Wildfire reached out further with her hoof, hoping to catch the retreating mare. “Come back…please, please come back!”

“Wily…Wily I had no idea…” Dusk murmured as he lifted his teacup to his lips for a hesitant sip. “I…I’m so sorry.”

“Will you stop saying ‘sorry’, D?” The yellow pegasus asked with a tentative smile, “We’re here now, aren’t we?”

Dusk couldn’t help but smile a very wide smile. That was the first time since their reunion in Canterlot’s Residential District Cemetery at Silverbolt’s graveside two weeks ago that his best friend had called him ‘D’ like she used to all those years ago. It was only when he heard it said so naturally then that he realised just how much he’d missed hearing her say that. It felt…it felt good, almost better than finding her again. “You’re right, Wily. We’re here, and we’re going to have some fun.” Still beaming his wide smile he reached a midnight blue hoof for another of his cinnamon hay cakes, again he noted that his friend wasn’t eating. “Would you at least try the oatmeal, for me?” He asked again, “You know I hate eating alone.”

“Ugh…fine, D.” Wildfire pouted playfully across the table. “But only because I hate being nagged.” Slowly, very slowly indeed, Wildfire lowered her muzzle to the bowl of chocolate covered sugared oatmeal resting in front of her on the table. Using her hooves either side of it she located it and moved lower still, hesitantly sticking her tongue out just an inch above the bowl before her. For a split second she paused. It had been so long since she’d eaten chocolate, or oatmeal, or even tasted coffee, she had quite forgotten what it tasted like.

A split second later, and aware that Dusk's pink eyes were upon her, Wildfire hesitantly plunged the tip of her tongue into the chocolate coating the sugared oatmeal. All at once the rich flavour exploded on the tip of her tongue, exciting her long-neglected taste buds. “Oh sweet Luna’s sainted mane!” She gasped, pulling back and swallowing just the slightest bit. It was like nothing she’d ever tasted before!

If she could’ve seen, she’d have seen Dusk’s face full of confusion at her reaction, but instead she delved in again to the bowl of oatmeal, this time dragging her tongue along the chocolate for a longer taste. Again her tongue exploded with sensations long forgotten and denied her; the smell of the cocoa in the chocolate and oatmeal hit the back of her nostrils just as the creamy sweet taste of the beautiful chocolate lit up her mouth. Instantly it made the yellow mare think of fresh warm strawberries that just fell on loamy soil after a gentle summer rain. It was a warm, complex, sweetness balanced with a fresh bitterness.

“Wily…” Dusk said with a frown as she lifted her head up from the bowl, “What gives? You’re acting like you’ve never tasted chocolate before.”

Wildfire didn’t answer straight away. Her brain was overloading. Long hidden memories were starting to resurface, neurons firing in her head connecting with strands, sensations and feelings she had locked away in a little dark part of her head, memories of chocolate, and of coffee…coffee, of an eighteenth birthday that involved coffee, black coffee with two sugars, in bed with Air Raid…coffee…Raid…she remembered, though it was fragmented.

“I…” Wildfire sat up, panicking. “I, um…I uh…” she was in a sensory overload, she was at a loss as to what to do. She wasn’t supposed to feel like this, this wasn’t right. She was a slave. Slaves weren’t given chocolate and coffee. “Am…Amethyst…” she whimpered quietly, wishing her Mistress were here to comfort her. Amethyst would know what to do, she’d beat her until the doubt and confusion left her mind. “I…Dusk, D, I um…sorry I need to go…cabin…” Quickly she slid to her hooves and with stumbling hoof-steps used her wingtips to guide herself back to the first class cabin, leaving a stunned and bemused stallion behind her, a cinnamon hay cake held in his hoof.

In a matter of a few moments Wildfire had found her way back to their cabin, her wingtips steering her straight down the Express’s aisle. In their absence the turn down team had been in and done their jobs, cleaning out the cabin and folding away the beds. Sniffing she could smell the scents of the cleaning products they’d used, the scents of the freshly pressed linens even though they were folded away. Using her wing and hoof to locate the couch she laid across it, feeling the cold worn leather beneath her hooves and her fur. Resting her chin on the side of it she breathed in, the smell of the cleaning fluids calming her shattered frayed nerves.

Wildfire laid there immobile on the couch, for the first time in a very long time the little yellow pegasus was at an utter loss as to what to do. She needed her Mistress’s guidance, desperately. Thoughts, memories that she hadn’t had for five years, so long that she had thought them forgotten, were bubbling unbidden to the fore of her mind. Her nineteenth birthday…spent with Air Raid…that had been a good day. Now she was thinking, without her Mistress to guide her, she found she recalled that day, tied up to her bed and being made to orgasm for her marefriend…her marefriend.

“Air Raid…”

“How many did we have?” Asked an amused voice on the edge of her consciousness.

“Whaaaa?” The semi-coherent thought was the best she could manage after the vibrator’s merciless assault. At this point she wasn’t even sure who was asking or what they wanted to know. She was just pleased the orgasms had stopped.

“I asked, ‘how many did you have?’.” Air Raid placed a gentle kiss on Wildfire’s sweat soaked lips. “Did you enjoy your present sweetheart?”

“E – e –eight…teen.” Wildfire managed to breathe out. “I…came…eighteen times…” Her head rolled back against the board, her breathing coming under control.

“Well,” Air Raid frowned at her, “That won’t do at all will it? You’re nineteen today after all.”

Wildfire barely had time to register what her marefriend had said before she felt a hoof at the entrance of her sopping sex. As wet as she was Air Raid had no trouble inserting her hoof all the way to her elbow in one smooth thrust, tapping Wildfire’s cervix in a matter of seconds. Pulling out to her fetlock she thrust in again, once more bumping the closed entrance to Wily’s womb.

“Ah ah aaaAAAAAHHHH RAAAAIIIID!!!” Wildfire screamed as she climaxed for the nineteenth time, her marefriend thrusting her foreleg in and out of her like a piston, further wetting the already soaked bed and her partner’s leg with more of her cum. “Puh…p…please…no more, I can’t take any more…”

“And that makes number nineteen!” Air Raid smiled as she started to unbuckle the hoofcuffs, releasing Wildfire from her bindings. Once freed the exhausted pegasus flexed her aching muscles, rubbing circulation back to her shaking hooves.

Summoning what strength was left in her forelegs Wildfire pulled Air Raid into a tight hug, showering her muzzle in soft flowery kisses. “Thank you thank you!” She kissed her once more on the lips, “I love you y’know, like, a lot.”

“That’s a coincidence, ‘cause I love you too.” Air Raid gave her a kiss of her own, before breaking away from the tight hug. “Now my sweaty little sex kitten, ready for the next part?”

“Wha…there’s more?”

“It’s only six thirty. There’s the whole rest of the day to go yet baby.” Air Raid scooped Wildfire up and onto her back, spreading her lime green wings wide to support her marefriend’s weight as she trotted them both to the bathroom. “But first, a certain somepony needs a bath. You stink of sweat and sex.”

“Whose fault is that?” She asked dreamily, her head still a daze of sensations from the hour of orgasms.

Air Raid shouldered open the bathroom door with a smirk. "It's yours of course. Not like I have a spray can of Wily Funk." With that the lime green pegasus trotted over to the large oval bathtub, and gently laid her marefriend into the waiting hot water, disturbing the floating rose petals as she settled on her front. Looking around the bathroom Wildfire noticed for the first time the nineteen rose scented candles scattered around the room as the blessed hot water soothed her tight muscles.

“Spread your wings Wily.” Air Raid seated herself behind Wildfire on the outside of the tub, and ran her hooves up her back from the dock of her tail to the shoulder joints, slowly circling her hooves around the bases of her wings to stimulate the uropygial gland at the base of her tail. Lowering her hooves to the base of her tail Air Raid coated her hooves in the oily substance and returned them to her marefriend’s wings, spreading the diester waxes over the feathers. Starting with the primaries she made sure that each was coated in the oil that would help waterproof the feathers and keep them flexible. Symmetrically she moved each hoof to the secondary and tertiary feathers in turn until her task was completed.

Wildfire felt herself relax into the soothing rose scented water almost to the loss of consciousness. Sensual pleasure shot through her sensitive wings with every delicate little nibble and tweak that Air Raid performed, every minute realignment of a feather sent fresh spikes of bliss through the yellow pegasus. A couple of times Air Raid used her teeth to remove the tough sheath from a newly moulted feather, or to gently remove a damaged feather altogether.

“OoooaaAAAhhh…” Wildfire cooed as her marefriend used a hoof to stroke and tease the underside of the feathers while she licked, nipped and sucked the topsides into their proper aerodynamic positions.

Once she was satisfied the preening was completed Air Raid reached for the shampoo, and squeezed a generous amount over Wildfire’s back before using her hooves to rub it into her fur. A few moments later and the smell of the previous hour had left her marefriend’s coat, replaced with the lavender and jasmine shampoo. Dipping herself under the warm water Wildfire washed off the soap while Air Raid fetched a towel to dry her off.

Snapping back to the present, a present that saw her laid alone on the couch in the first class cabin of the Friendship Express bound for Manehatten with her best friend, Wildfire couldn’t help but smile at the long lost memory. “Damn you Air Raid…that was a good day.” She whispered to the leather couch.

‘The times weren’t all good though, were they?’ the poisonous little voice whispered in her head. ‘Raid used you in front of your mum and left you…didn’t she?’

Wildfire shook her head, confusion rife within her. In truth she wasn’t sure what she remembered as fact, what she’d invented, and what her Mistress had invented for her to believe. She very clearly recalled taking Air Raid to meet her mum in the Cemetery in Canterlot’s Residential District, the touch of the cold metal iron gate under her hoof, the smell of the warm grass under the evening moonlight…

Wildfire confidently pushed open the iron gate, leading the way along the well-trodden cobbled path she knew so well. “Mum’s waiting just over here,” the yellow mare said to her partner walking hesitantly beside her, pointing the way with a wingtip. “She’s been wanting to meet you for ages.”

Air Raid wasn’t sure how she felt about that, if she was honest with herself it sounded a little creepy, but it was obviously very important to Wildfire that they do this, and do it right. “I hope I make a good first impression Wily.”

A few minutes later they were stood before Silverbolt’s grave. “Mum, I’ve got somepony I’d like you to meet.” Indicating the other pegasus with a wing she continued, “This is Air Raid. You’ll remember I spoke about her before, and well, she asked me out tonight!”

Wildfire gave Air Raid a gentle nudge in the ribs, mouthing ‘go on’.

“Hey Ma’am,” Air Raid began uncertainly, ‘what do you say to a head stone?’ she thought to herself, “My name’s Air Raid. Call me Raid, most ponies do. I uh…asked your little girl out tonight, and err, Wily wants to know if you’re okay with it, with us dating, going out and…stuff.”

There was a moment’s silence before Wildfire tenderly nuzzled Raid’s neck, and said with a whisper; “Mum likes you, she just wonders what took us so long to get together.”

Air Raid released a deep breath she didn’t realise she was holding in. She was still unsure of this whole thing, but it felt weird, good weird, to have her mum’s ‘blessing’. “You visit your mum often then Wily?”

“Every Monday and Thursday. I come to see her, have a chat, unload stuff that’s bothering me, get her advice.” Air Raid shot her a sceptical look before she could stop herself. “I know she can’t really hear me silly, but I dunno, being here feels like being with her, y’know? Cuddling mum’s stone, it’s like getting a cuddle from her. I know it’s silly…”

Air Raid placed a foreleg over Wildfire’s shoulder, “It’s not silly. I get it, you want to be near your mum. How did she…?”

“Die? Mum worked with the Canterlot Weather Team. One day when I was twelve they were creating a storm and an errant cloud got loose, mum got hit by a lightning strike, she was dead before she hit the ground.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Wily.” She tightened the hug, nuzzling her cheek. “What else do you do, when you come to visit?”

“I write my poems.” Wildfire turned her head and retrieved her treasured book from her saddle bag carefully in her mouth. Taking it in her hoof she passed it to Air Raid, who took it in her own hoof.

Without even giving it a look she dropped the precious leather bound book to the grass and, without warning Air Raid spear tackled her to the ground, earning the lime green mare a surprised squeal from the yellow pegasus. “You really are adorable when you’re flustered you know Wily. Now, where were we?” Air Raid purred as she delicately nibbled her marefriend’s jawline up to her ear, giving it a long slow lick.

“W – we…ooooh that’s niiiice…can’t…do it here…hmm…Raid.” Wildfire managed to pant out through Air Raid’s sensuous nibbling.

“We can do it wherever I damn well want to do it, you got that, virgin?” Air Raid said nastily, harshly biting her way down her yellow furred body to her previously untouched marehood, uncaring of the fact they were in a graveyard.

“R-Raid…please stop…aaaaah…” Wildfire squeaked in surprise, her whimpered protests dying away unheard and unheeded as she felt Air Raid’s tongue start to lap at her exposed sex, her marefriend’s saliva mixing with her own juices coating the inner walls of her tight tunnel. “hmm Raid…I like that…” She cooed happily, giving herself over to her ministrations. Just as she was starting to buck her hips she felt the wondrous tongue remove itself from inside her, leaving her shivering on the edge.
“Why…why’d you stop?” Wildfire whimpered as the waves of pleasure dissipated.

“That was just the warm up act sweetie,” Air Raid giggled as she spat on her hoof, liberally coating it in her glistening saliva. ‘Should be enough lube’. “This is the main event…” She teased as she placed the leading edge of her hoof at Wildfire’s entrance, not enough to penetrate her but enough for her to know what was coming next.

Wildfire felt the toe of the hoof resting on her sex, she had a very good idea what her marefriend had planned for her. She trembled in excitement, and a little in fear. Sure she’d pleasured herself before but she’d never had anything inside her.

“Are you ready for this Wildfire?” Air Raid asked gently, taking note of her partner’s nervous shivering.

Wildfire nodded, keeping her eyes closed. “Will, will it hurt?”

“You’ll feel a small sharp pain at first, then it’ll feel wonderful, like the best pleasure in the world.” Air Raid lowered her head to kiss Wildfire’s lips, “I won’t do it if you don’t want me to, I can do something else.”

"N - no...it’s, I’m, fine…I want you to, please…”

Air Raid kisses her lips once more as she applied a tiny bit of pressure to her foreleg, inching her hoof past Wildfire’s spread labia, breaking the hymen with one smooth, slow push.

“Oh…oww!” Wildfire squealed with the sharp pain she felt between her legs, her muscles tensing up with the warm sticky sensation trickling from her spread pussy as it flowed over the invading hoof and down the inside of her thigh. ‘I’m bleeding! That’s my blood!’

“Wily, relax, or it’ll hurt more sweetie.” Air Raid held her hoof in place, just barely inside her tunnel.

“I can’t…it hurts!”

Air Raid brought her other hoof over and started gently rubbing it around her marefriend’s hood, teasing her clitoris with half touches and near misses, wiping away most of the slowing trickle of blood in the process. Wildfire visibly relaxed with the sensuous circular motions, distracting her enough for Air Raid to slip more of her foreleg inside her.

‘Sweet Celestia’s mane she’s tight!’ Air Raid halted her pushing once more as she felt her vaginal muscles gripping her leg, instead pulling back out a tiny fraction, lowering her lips to plant several soft kisses around Wildfire’s hood.

“Ngh!...ahhh Raaaaid!” Wildfire squirmed with the renewed pleasure of her marefriend’s tongue against her, instinctively raising her hips, sliding further along the penetrating limb. She was no longer aware of the earlier pain, consumed with the overwhelming feeling of just how wonderful it felt.

Air Raid wrapped her lips around Wildfire’s sensitive swollen clit and suckled hard, thrusting her hoof forward, progress made easier with the flowing juices around her leg adding needed lubrication. Alternating between smooth licks and hard sucking Air Raid thrust deeper within her with each forward motion until to her very great surprise she felt the toe of her hoof touch her partner’s cervix. Withdrawing her leg a quarter of the way Air Raid thrust back in again, again tapping the closed opening of Wildfire’s womb.

“Cum for me Wily, spasm up and down my leg…” Air Raid cooed as she increased the pace of her sawing rhythm, pumping her leg into the wet whimpering mess that was her marefriend.

“Raid, I’m gonna…I’m close…”

“Cum for me…” Air Raid whispered right inside Wildfire’s ear, delivering a torturously long slow lick all the way up before nipping hard at the tip. This extra stimulation was the final push to tip her over her edge.

“AIIIR RAAAAAIIIID!!” Wildfire screamed her marefriend’s name into the night sky as the most intense orgasm of her life coursed through her body, her vision going bright white as her back arched from the cloud, her vaginal muscles clenching almost painfully around Air Raid’s knee deep leg.

“Hehe…” Air Raid sniggered as she pulled her hoof roughly from Wildfire’s stretched open marehood. “That was fun, babes.” She said uncaringly, wasting no time in standing up to her hooves as Wildfire panted underneath her. “Sorry but I’ve decided you aren’t good enough for me anymore.”

"Raid please..." Wildfire tried to get up from the grass but found she couldn’t move her hind legs. Instead she reached with her hoof, grasping at the very air. "Come back to me, please!"

Air Raid just carried on walking away from the used pegasus. “Sorry Wildfire...we had fun while it lasted. Fun’s over, babes.”

“AIR RAAAAID!” Wildfire reached out further with her hoof, hoping to catch the retreating mare. “Come back…please, please come back!”

Except…Except that wasn’t how it happened, was it? Or was it? “Ugh…” shaking her head in a vain attempt to clear her confused mind she found she still didn’t know for sure. She laid her head back down on her crossed forehooves she sighed deeply, trembling on the leather couch. Oh, how she wished her owner was here to order her troubled mind. With Amethyst everything was so much simpler. Back at home she didn’t have to think, she didn’t need to think. Amethyst had taught her through tender loving pain that thinking was dangerous. Slaves weren’t required to think, that’s why they had caring owners, to do the thinking for them.

Gently Dusk Melody knocked on the doorframe of the cabin to announce his presence to his friend. “Wily? Wily are you alright?” He asked, taking a tentative step inside.

“Yeah…Yuppers…I’m fine, D.” She answered without turning her head, though her ears swivelled back to Dusk’s direction and followed his hoof-steps as he entered the cabin. She didn’t know why she said that, ‘Yuppers…’ it just seemed, natural, somehow. ‘Yuppers…Yuppers…hmm…’ she rolled it around in her head a few times and smiled, deciding she liked it.

“I bought you your coffee.” He said simply as he set the fine mug down on the table between them, the scent wafting through the cabin. “You um…you left it, behind, in the buffet carriage.”

“Thanks D.” Sitting up on the couch she sniffed out the delicious smelling beverage seductively wafting its scent teasingly into her olfactory senses. Tentatively she felt with her hooves and, upon locating the mug of now cooled coffee, carefully lifted it to her lips, wondering as she did so if this tasted as good as the chocolate had. Taking a small mouthful she swilled it around her mouth, tasting it as if for the first time in her life.

Swallowing the liquid Wildfire decided it wasn’t as good as the chocolate. It was better. Better, and she wanted more, whether Amethyst Glory would’ve allowed it or not.

~ ~ ~

‘Well…that certainly was…something,’ he thought, popping the cinnamon hay cake he’d been holding for the last ten minutes into his mouth and chewing it slowly, mulling over the show he’d just witnessed. 'All I did was ask why she was acting so weird eating her oatmeal.' He shook his head to be honest the midnight blue pegasus didn’t know what to make of any of it. "Mares," he muttered.

The prince reflected on Wildfire's parting words, ‘Amethyst Glory, hmm…’ Dusk thought, bringing to mind the Director of the Helping Hooves Care Home over on the east side of Canterlot’s Residential District. The purple unicorn mare was definitely not a pony to cross, Dusk had ascertained that much from merely being in her presence for the two half-hour meetings he’d had with her.

The first, two weeks ago now, was shortly after he and Vocal Chord had reunited with Wildfire in the Cemetery when they were visiting Silverbolt for her fifty-ninth birthday. At first the yellow pegasus had been evasive and unresponsive to Dusk’s enquiry as to where she’d been living, but eventually she’d caved and told them she’d been staying at the care home.

It boggled the midnight blue stallion’s mind to imagine his best friend had been in Canterlot all this time, to be so very close to her these past five years and to not know anything about her well-being or where she was intolerable. Of course, once they had their respects to Wildfire’s mum, had laid their flowers and shared the thousand year old bottle of moonshine, he and Vocal had insisted on walking Wildfire home.

That had been the first time he’d met Amethyst Glory, sat in her metaphorical ivory tower of an office, overseeing the care home. ‘Definitely not a mare to cross…’ Dusk thought to himself as he reached a hoof for his third cup of earl grey tea. He stood by that claim as well. Oh, she had been pleasant enough, to be sure, but spending all of his life around the castle and especially his aunt’s Day Court and his mom’s Night Court Dusk Melody had long ago learnt the art of the ‘Pony With Two Faces’. Moreover, he’d learnt pretty quickly to recognise this behaviour in others, and when it was being employed against him.

'Amethyst Glory, Tartarus, she’s a master of the two-faced pony, for sure.’ Dusk chuckled as he drained his earl grey. ‘Aunt Tia would be proud,’ he thought wryly, allowing himself a smile. Of course, there was the question of her sheer power as well. Having been around; his mom, his aunt, his cousin, not to mention Twilight Sparkle and the rest of what most ponies called ‘The Celestia Six', not to mention his mother and even Vocal Chord, Dusk Melody was no stranger to being around and recognising power and talent in other ponies. By now at twenty four, Dusk could almost smell latent power and talent like an aura, and Amethyst Glory, she reeked of power from twenty yards away.

Still, there was no time to dwell on that. With all of his delicious cinnamon hay cakes finally eaten and the teapot emptied of its earl grey load Dusk realised they were just over half an hour away from Manehatten Central Station. ‘Better see if Wily’s okay…’ with that thought in mind he carefully reached over the breakfast table and picked up the silver tray with his friend’s mug of coffee on it and placed it on his back. If she hadn’t had all of her oatmeal he could at least make sure she had her coffee.

Trotting back to their cabin Dusk Melody gently knocked on the doorframe to announce his presence to his friend. “Wily? Wily are you alright?” He asked, taking a tentative step inside.

“I bought you your coffee.” He said simply as he set the fine mug down on the table between them, the scent wafting through the cabin. “You um…you left it, behind, in the buffet carriage.”

“Thanks D.” Sitting herself up on the couch she sniffed out the delicious smelling beverage seductively wafting its scent teasingly into her olfactory senses. Tentatively she felt with her hooves and, upon locating the mug of now cooled coffee, carefully lifted it to her lips, wondering as she did so if this tasted as good as the chocolate had. Taking a small mouthful she swilled it around her mouth, tasting it as if for the first time in her life.

“No worries, Wily.” Dusk reclined on the leather couch on his side of the cabin, watching his best friend enjoy her black coffee with a smile on his face. For the first time since they’d been on the train together the little yellow pegasus seemed like the best friend he remembered her to be. In that one brief instance it was as if the past five years hadn’t happened.

“Twenty minutes! Friendship Express from Canterlot arriving Manehatten in twenty minutes! Could all passengers please be ready to disembark with their luggage when the train makes a full and complete stop, Thank you.” The conductor finished his announcement as Wildfire finished drinking her cooled mug of coffee.

“Have you got everything ready, Wily?” Dusk asked as he watched her hang her saddlebag over her barrel, just behind the base of her wings.

“Yea…Yuppers, D, I’ve got everything here in my bag.” Wildfire replied, checking her bag was secure as she felt the train begin to slow down. ‘What few things I have, anyway…’ she thought, thinking of the meagre contents of her saddlebag.

“Alright then,” Dusk smiled, hoisting his own bag on his back and taking a step towards the door of the first class cabin. “Need help finding the exits?”

“Um…yes, please if you wouldn’t mind, D.” Wildfire replied, a slight blush colouring her yellow cheeks.

“Hey, no problem.” Dusk took a few steps and left the cabin first, standing to the right side to allow Wildfire room to pass him. “Right, use your wingtips, walk forward till you’re out of the cabin and turn left, then keep going until you come to the carriage door. Then we’ll be in the entrance bit, ‘kay Wily?”

“Yuppers, I got this, D.” Quietly they walked single file down the aisle of the Express until they reached the entrance part that Dusk had mentioned just previously. “So,” Wildfire said as she hooked a forehoof around a guard rail to steady herself against the decelerating Express, “Tell me about this zebra you’re taking me to meet.”

Chapter 1 - Stripe's Cup of Java

After disembarking the Friendship Express at Manehatten Central Station at precisely ten a.m., Dusk Melody and Wildfire slowly made their way from the bustling busy station and into the warm welcoming sunshine of the mid-morning. Through the streets they walked in a happy silence. Not the awkward icy silence of the first few hours of the train ride, this was a pleasant comfortable silence shared by the two friends.

Trotting along the paved streets with her left wing over Dusk’s back and her right wingtip brushing the concrete surface of the sidewalk Wildfire decided almost instantly that she preferred Manehatten over Canterlot. Sure there were a few startled gasps at her acid-scarred face from the odd passer-by but nothing like the dramatic screams she was accustomed to while running her errands for her Mistress Amethyst back home.

“How you doing, Wily?” Dusk asked after a few more minutes of quiet walking, he slowed to a stop close to the edges of a main road near the crossing point.

“I got this, D.” Wildfire replied, stopping with her friend. The little yellow pegasus recognising the crossing point from the little raised nodules built into the street surface, not uncomfortable they were there to let the sight-impaired ponies know there was a crossing there.

“Good, because just over this road, it has two lanes then a central reservation, then two more, there’s Caffeinated’s coffee shop.” Dusk said with a smile, already smelling the scents of tea, coffee and assorted pastries and desserts from the zebra owned shop across the street. “Here we go, careful now…” Dusk started as he gently nudged his friend forward with his right wing.

“D, I can do it on my own, alright?” Wildfire snapped, a little too harshly than she intended, perhaps, but she’d been walking and steering herself around Canterlot unaided for just under four years now and she was still here, crossing a road was foal’s play. But…‘He’s only trying to help, he doesn’t know everything does he?’ She thought to herself as they started to cross. “D…D I’m sorry, it’s just…I’m used to doing it on my own.” She said when they reached the safety of the crossing’s central reservation.

“Hey, it’s cool.” Dusk replied, removing his midnight blue wing from his friend’s back. “I’m gonna go ahead, alright?” The stallion said with a grin at his friend’s independence. “It’s about twenty five feet from here to the coffee shop, walk in a straight line, there’s no traffic coming, you’re good.” Dusk dragged his wingtip along Wild fire’s flank as he started to cross the road.

“Yuppers, I got this, D.”

Crossing the empty street ahead of his friend Dusk Melody hoofed open the coffee shop’s door and entered the splendid shop. Breathing in the heady aromas Dusk was reminded just how much he loved it here. From the shiny floor, a chequerboard patterned black and white tiles, to the bright red bench seats along the sides near the large windows and the pale blue serving counter, Dusk loved this place. “Hey, Stripes!” He cheerfully greeted the larger orange coated zebra stallion, “An earl grey for me, and can you get a black coffee with three sugars on for Wily?” He asked, taking a seat three tables down on the right. “She'll be here in a sec.”

“One tea and coffee coming up.” Caffeinated rumbled in his deep voice as he turned to fill out the order, his cutie mark of a white coffee mug with a stylised red heart displayed on his flank.

“Looking forward to the rope party tonight my friend?” Dusk asked, shrugging off his saddlebag and making himself comfy on the bright red seat.

“Always look forward to using my ropes and hoof-cuffs, Dusk.” Caffienated chuckled, bringing over the tray with the two drinks on it on his back and laying it with practised ease on the table.

Wildfire approached and fumbled with the door, trying to hoof open the wrong side of it before she managed to open it with her left forehoof “Yes! I'm here!” She cheered good-naturedly as she stepped into the coffee shop. “Told you I could do it on my own.” She flicked her ears and sniffed, trying to make out her friend’s scent but amongst the other smells in the shop it was next to impossible. “Dusk, make a noise so I know where you are.”

Obligingly Dusk stomped a forehoof on the black and white chequered floor tiles. “Over here Wily.”

“Ah…there we are, I got you.” The yellow mare turned her head and using the sound of her friend’s hoof trotted along to the third table down on the right from the door.

“Good morning Wily, there’s a coffee dark with three sugars on the table for you.” The orange zebra greeted the young mare with a smile.

“Ooh, thank you Caffeinated.” Wildfire replied as she felt for the bench seat with her right forehoof and carefully sat herself down, extending her left wing to find her steaming mug. “Now, I heard you talking about ropes when I came in?”

“Yes, you heard the voice of experience.” The zebra agreed, making sure his newest customer was comfortable. “Bondage tonight, a solid spanking and bondage for tomorrow.” He gave a gleeful little snicker, “If only to watch you mares wiggle.”

Wildfire giggled as she lifted her mug to her lips and took a confident little sip, ‘Sweet Luna this is gorgeous!’ She thought to herself, allowing the hot bitter liquid to slide easily down her throat. While she was more at ease now than she had been on the train, she found this taste was still taking some getting used to. “Oh…I'll wiggle alright, Caffeinated.”

Dusk smiled, taking a sip of his earl grey, “Wily has told me she plays her part very well.”

“There is playing the part,” the orange zebra smiled wisely, “And there is struggling to find a way to sit on the hard floor without the knots digging into sensitive areas while keeping your inflamed cheeks as comfortable as you can.” He chuckled as he noted a couple of ponies enter his shop.

“Hmm…now that I want to experience.” Wildfire said, setting her mug back carefully on the table. ‘Ha…that’s nothing, I can take that any day…’

“Indeed you shall, you can talk to my wife Thespian about the experience.” Caffeinated then looked around the coffee shop over to the doors, as if expecting another entrant. “So, where is Rover?” He asked, referring to Dusk’s coltfriend who had accompanied him the last time he’d visited his humble establishment. ‘Hehehe…’ he sniggered internally; that had been a very memorable visit, indeed the barista had a bowl of water ready for the submissive little pup.

“Oh, um…Mom arranged for Vocal’s band to have a comeback gig tonight, Stripes.” Dusk explained his coltfriend’s absence. “He and the band are practising in Canterlot for it right now.”

Wildfire took another sip of her coffee, “I can't wait to meet Thespian, Caffeinated. Your wife sounds cool.”

Dusk Melody shook his dark grey-maned head. “To be honest I’m still getting my head around all the stuff you want done to you Wily, you sure?” He asked with no small amount of concern. Though the majority of the trip from Canterlot had been silent, the little yellow mare had been rather vociferous on this topic. Not that Dusk was too worried by this per se, he could well recall the antics Wildfire and Air Raid used to get up to.

“As sure as I’m sat here, D.”

“Once you realize Dusk what a rush it is for the bottom you won't hold back, nor will you think of it as abuse.” Caffeinated smiled as a large earth pony entered the shop. “That was my biggest issue, that it was spouse abuse.” He sniggered, turning towards the newcomer. “There’s nothing like a ruined dinner to let you know you have neglected somepony.” He trotted off towards the counter to serve some clients, with the promise he’d be back soon.

The two friends drained their respective drinks as Caffienated led the grey earth pony stallion over to their table. He was mid grey in colour with a bright sun yellow mane, he wore a smart black suit blazer over a white shirt and a red cravat, and looked to be well into his late middle age, though his eyes had a youthful energy to them, not dissimilar to the zebra he accompanied. “Baron, I'd like to introduce you to Wildfire, another friend of Dusk's who will be joining us tonight.”

Baron approached their table and bowed to both Dusk and to Wildfire, although the later just noticed the movement of the air and turned to face that general direction. “A pleasure my dear,” he said in his Manehatten accent as he took her left forehoof and placed a gentle kiss upon it. “But, do tell how long ago did you lose your eyesight?”

“Hello!” Wildfire gasped a little in surprise when she felt her hoof lifted up, which quickly became a fillyish giggle as it was kissed. “It was an accident in school science class roughly five years ago now. Long story short I ended up with sulphuric and hydrochloric acid thrown in my face, which melted my eyes.”

“Hmm…” Baron very gently released the yellow mare’s hoof and stood up to stand as tall as the zebra beside him, “Maybe I can hear the longer version tonight.” Turning to Dusk, the earth pony inclined his head in a polite nod, “Good to see you again Dusk, will the other gentlecolt be joining us later too?”

Dusk returned the nod with one of his own, “No, Mom got Vocal and his band a gig at the newly rebuilt and refurbished ‘Trixie’s Place’ club, they’re getting ready for that tonight, unfortunately.”

“Excuse me, Baron?” Wildfire spoke up, “I don’t mind telling you the story, if you’d like.”

“It would truly be a joy my dear, but alas duty calls.” The grey earth pony smiled as he turned towards the elevators over in the far corner of the coffee shop. “See all you tonight, thanks for the brew Caffeinated.” With a wave from Dusk, the stallion trotted off with his beverage to the elevators.

“Well, Wily, that was my father-in-law.” Caffeinated smiled, watching the earth pony board the elevator for the Manehatten Times building located above the shop.

Wildfire thought about it for a moment before passing her carefully considered verdict; “He sounds nice.”

Caffeinated chuckled, “We had a rough start in the beginning, but we're best buds now.”

“Protective dad, huh?”

Dusk leant forward, taking Wildfire’s hoof in his own for a brief moment. “Stripes, about what you were saying earlier about abusing Wildfire,” the midnight blue stallion started, stroking his friend’s fetlock protectively, “I'm ok with tying her up, what shocked me was the 'wanting to be used by three at once until I can barely walk' idea that she mentioned on the way here.”

“Yes, that is one of those fantasy things.” The zebra agreed seriously. “I'm as protective of my wife as Baron was of his daughter, Wily.” He said, hugging Wildfire’s shoulder. “He first saw me as a gold digger out for the money. Newly arrived in Equestria, and being a zebra didn't help me any. As I say, that is all water under the bridge now.” Looking around at the clock behind the counter Caffeinated turned to head back to his coffee machine. “And, I need to prep for my next client who now saves me a trip of delivery. Omega will be down from the Times offices in a minute.” He chuckled as he got to work prepping three coffees.

“Omega!” Dusk exclaimed, “I remember him, he did my interview when Vocal and I came here last week, Wily you’ll like him.”

No more than ten minutes later, and right on time, Omega, a white unicorn stallion with a short pale green mane and tail and brown eyes, entered the lobby from the street. “Good morning Caffeinated!” The white unicorn greeted the barista with an easy smile and almost immediately diverted to Dusk and Wildfire’s table. “And, a very good morning to you, Dusk.” Omega looked at the little yellow mare. “Is Vocal Chord not with you?”

“Hey Omega!” Dusk greeted his favourite reporter with a hoof bump that the white unicorn was all too happy to return, “No, I’m afraid he has band stuff in Canterlot going on today and tonight, I have my best friend Wildfire here with me instead.” He said, indicating the yellow pegasus with a wave of his foreleg.

“Hi!” Wildfire smiled, swivelling her ears and using the new sounds and smells to hopefully point her head in Omega’s direction.

“A good morning to you, Wildfire.” The white unicorn then turned to Dusk, “So, that is good news. Will he and the band be going back on tour?” He asked, sniffing a potential story in the making.

“Yeah, hopefully!” Dusk nodded, “Mom's sorted him and the band out a bit of an ‘easy starter’ at a club in Canterlot to get them going again.”

“I hope both of you enjoy your stay in Manehatten.” Omega said with a smile as Caffeinated passed him over a serving tray holding three precious, and in this case, life-saving, mugs of zebran coffee. “I best be going before Airmail sends a search party.” Lighting his horn he lifted the tray and its cargo in his pale brown aura. “A pleasure to meet you again Dusk, and I hope to see more of you Wildfire.” With that he and the coffees headed off to the elevators.

Wildfire grinned, “I'll hear more of you I’m sure.”

Dusk waved his hoof, “Pleasure as always, Omega.”

“I still haven't told him you'll be there tonight.” Caffeinated said quietly as Omega turned and smiled at Wildfire’s return quip before boarding the elevator. “And that was the stallion that asked me out on a date not so long ago.”

“He sounds...adventurous,” Wildfire smiled at her friend, feeling rather more at ease here in Manehatten now she had met three ponies and none of them had reacted in anyway like the ignorant nobles back home. “None of them were weirded out by me. Manehatten is way better than Canterlot, D.”

Dusk merely grinned in response. “Now you sound like Vocal.”

Caffeinated gave a snicker, “I think Omega was more interested if Dusk had traded you for Vocal.”

“So he's into stallions huh?” Wildfire smiled, “That's cool.”

“His partner, Sunshine, will be there tonight.” Caffeinated said with a grin, “Sunny also enjoys being tied up, and just so you know, Omega is the Manehatten Times political reporter.”

“Oh, awesomes!” Wildfire exclaimed excitedly, “I recall on the Friendship Express from Canterlot Dusk said he gave Omega an interview.” She leant over the table, “Sooooo Dusky, did you bring the toys?”

Dusk Melody sighed, rubbing his temples with his forehooves. “Yes, Wily I bought the toys. Rest assured my saddlebags are weighed down with the sheer amount of them.”

Before Wildfire could respond she heard the now familiar ‘ding’ of the elevator and two mares, one an azure blue pegasus and the other a tan coloured earth pony stepped out of it into the coffee shop. “Looks like Omega spilled the beans, you are about to get company.” Caffeinated said as he – somewhat wisely – ducked back behind the counter.

Turning her head to the sound of the elevator Wildfire heard one of the sexiest voices she’d ever heard in her life.

“Hello Caffeinated, Omega forgot the scones.” The blue pegasus said, her summer green mane held in a ponytail bobbed as she walked.

“Yeah, he is such a silly unicorn.” Her friend giggled, though Dusk wasn’t surprised in the least that both of the mares stopped at their table.

“Hi Dusk, Wildfire. I’m Airmail,” the azure pegasus smiled at the Prince, though her brown eyes were focused squarely on the little yellow mare in front of her. “And this is Lavender. Enjoying this zebra's coffee?” She asked, while Lavender merely smiled and looked intently at the two visitors.

“I always enjoy the tea.” Dusk grinned in reply.

‘Oh sweet Luna’s mane her voice!’ Wildfire thought to herself, ‘It’s beautiful!’ She tried to place it, this mare’s accent sounded Manehatten, but there was another element to it that her trained ears were struggling to recognise. If she had to put a hoof on it she’d say it was ‘northern’, but the north of Equestria was a pretty big place, stretching from the Crystal Empire and Yakyakistan in the east to Vanhoover in the west. “Hi Airmail, Lavender, nothing but strongest coffee here.” She pointed a hoof to her empty mug.

Lavender smiled a warm smile that lit up her twinkling blue eyes, “Always nice to see such handsome and beautiful visitors to our fair city.”

“Yes it is lovely.” Airmail crouched down to Wildfire’s left side. “Wildfire, do you like to touch to know a pony?” She asked, her brown eyes drinking in the details of this young looking mare. ‘By Luna she’s a beautiful pony…’

“Y-You mean us?” Wildfire blushed a faint red. “Um...yeah if you don't mind, Airmail.”

“Not at all sweetie.” Airmail leant in so close to the yellow pony that Wildfire could feel her breath. “Right beside you now.”

“Ooh…let me move over to the other side and I can be next.” Lavender said with a playful giggle in her voice as she scooched around to the other side of the bright red bench seat, her hooves sounding on the black and white tiled floor.

Wildfire shivered at the touch of Airmail’s breath on her muzzle. Carefully, slowly, she extended her left forehoof until she felt the warm soft fur of the other mare’s neck. Gently she moved it upwards to feel the bone of Airmail’s jaw beneath the sensitive frogs of her hoof. She frowned in concentration as she felt the angles and contours of her jawline, her cheekbones and her muzzle. Running her hoof over her nose Wildfire felt up the bridge to Airmail’s forehead, noting the absence of a horn. Feeling down the sides of her face now from her ears Wildfire could feel an inches long scar under the fur on the right side, as well as little nicks and scars over her left eye and on her left jaw. Carefully, she felt down the pony’s neck and to her back, feeling the pair of folded wings. “Airmail…you um, you're a very pretty mare,” Wildfire stated finally with a little flush of her cheeks.

“Thank you love,” Airmail smiled, “You're quite fetching too.”

Wildfire raised her eyebrows in what she hoped were a flirtatious manner, her hoof still resting tenderly on Airmail’s right cheek just below her eye, feeling her warmth through her frog. “Flattery will get you everywhere.

Lavender rested her hoof very gently on Wildfire’s right shoulder, carefully so as not to frighten her. “Me next, please, before Airmail takes up all your time.”

Wildfire’s flushed cheeks flushed a little warmer. “There’s um…there's no rush.”

“Pfft, I know Airmail,” Lavender giggled, brushing aside her cherry red mane with her right foreleg, “So I have to seize the moment when I can.”

At that Airmail leant in front of Wildfire to blow a very loud and very long raspberry at Lavender, causing the tan earth pony to break out in a fit of giggles. “You have a thing for wings, Airmail.” She said between her giggles.

“And, your point is?” Airmail asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh…oh nothing,” Lavender smiled, “I’m just sitting here waiting.”

Wildfire giggled, “You'll make this blush permanent, you two.” She whispered, feeling her flushed cheek get redder and hotter. “I’m…I’m sorry Lavender.”

Suddenly Airmail nuzzled Wildfire’s right cheek, “She is nice and warm, Lavender.” She commented, eliciting a very fillyish giggle from the blushing yellow pegasus.

“What they hay was that Wily?” Dusk asked from his seat across the table. “I swear I never heard you make that noise before.”

“Hush you,” Airmail sniggered, not looking away from Wildfire. “Males never can understand real mare speak.”

“Ignore him, Airmail.” Wildfire smiled, earning herself a bemused stare from the midnight blue stallion. “And, you can do that again, if you want...”

Lavender laughed a gentle tinkling laugh, “He has two moms so there’s a chance he might figure it out over time.” Lavender then leant across from where she was sat on Wildfire’s right and nuzzled her cheek. “Oh you’re right, it is warm.”

“I'm telling your hubby on you.” Airmail giggled from behind her azure blue hoof.

The very next thing that Wildfire felt was a very soft hoof touching the feathers on her left wing, on the side that Airmail was sitting. Her yellow wings twitched involuntarily under the amazingly gentle touch as it stroked along the leading edge, the toe and sole of the blue hoof tenderly caressing the primaries. “Hmm…Airmail, that's nice…” she cooed as her wings twitched a little harder. Used to only harsh and brutal treatment at the care home, Wildfire found she couldn’t control her wings when they popped up with an audible *Poomf!* “Nggh…stupid wings!”

Dusk, who was about to make a sarcastic quip at the expense of Wildfire and her wingboner suddenly found himself quiet when he saw the warning glare that Airmail was shooting his way. Recognising that look from long experience with his mom playing her kinky games with his mum knew better than to argue.

Caffeinated looked over from the pale blue counter and noticed the very impressive display the orange zebra put down his mugs he was just about to fill with fresh drinks for the table he called, “No shouting now, girls.” His quip earned him a glare from Airmail and a giggle from Lavender.

“Um…Lavender,” Wildfire muttered, trying to desperately get her errant wings under some sort of control, and failing miserably, “You um…wanted to say hi?”

“Yes please then I'll let Airmail have her time.” The tan earth pony mare chuckled as Airmail let out a pronounced "humph".

“Alrighty,” Wildfire felt the mare to her right shift a little closer on the bright red bench seat, placing her cheek nearer to her hooves as the yellow pegasus lifted them up and carefully touched the tan earth pony’s face, making a mental image of Lavender’s face as she ran the frogs of her hooves over the contours and lines of her face, neck and back, noting that she was an earth pony. “Huh…” she said presently, when she was happy with her image. “Another pretty mare. Do you all hide out in Manehatten?”

“Not hiding, Wildfire, no.” Lavender giggled, “Just living. You have a very soft touch. Caffeinated, I'm getting good vibes here, you should invite these two to dinner.”

“Promise you won't tell Omega, because they will be there.” Caffeinated replied as he carried over a serving tray with three mugs of coffee and a cup of earl grey tea to the table.

“Oh, really?” Lavender smiled, her blue eyes all alive and twinkling. “Did Caffeinated tell you about what goes on?”

Dusk laughed out loud as he took hold of his teacup with a hoof. “Wily, your chat up lines are awful!”

“Like yours are any better, 'questionnaire colt'.” Wildfire shot back her retort automatically, sniggering as Dusk spluttered his tea over the table with an outraged ‘hey!’ “Oh…yeah, he told me, Lavender.” Wildfire replied to the tan mare.

“Not everypony shares your hobbies, Lavender.” Airmail said quietly, sticking her tongue out to her friend, still in her position next to Wildfire.

“Do either of you play?” Lavender asked, returning the raspberry to Airmail.

Dusk nodded, taking a more refined sip of his tea than he did before. “We do, my coltfriend Vocal and I, on weekends he likes to be my little puppy.”

“Well um...I kinda like being tied up...” Wildfire murmured softly, but loud enough to be heard by everypony at the table. Idly the little pegasus wondered if these Manehatten ponies would be as harsh as Lotus or Amber. ‘Probably not…’

“Ooooh,” Lavender squeed with a soft clap of her forehooves, “I love it really tight and my hubby, Topper, does it just right. Airmail and her partner Tempest don't play, but they like to watch if you know what I mean.”

“Ha, ha.” Again Airmail pouted at her friend, then quickly turned her attention back to the yellow mare she was busy flirting with. “So Wily, I don't mean to be rude to you, but lover colt across the table doesn't do a very good job preening, and you'd think he would.”

“I can preen very well thank you!” Dusk protested.

“Yuppers, your own wings...hmm…” Wildfire moaned with pleasure as she felt Airmail’s soft gentle azure blue hoof lightly stroking her left wing. “Speaking of which, Mmmm…sorry these don't seem to want to behave. Wildfire shuddered happily at the light touch. Indeed, she had forgotten what a gentle touch had felt like.

So gently and tenderly was Airmail running her hoof along and under the base of Wildfire’s left wing that the little yellow pegasus was almost purring in sheer delight. Other ponies came in from the street and the elevator for their coffee and pastries and seemed to ignore the display at the table, a few taking the time to look, but none actually disturbing them. Airmail bent her head to whisper in Wildfire’s left ear, “I'll not push, but if you're interested, Tempest and I like to share.”

“So Dusk,” Lavender said as she moved over to Dusk’s side of the table and sat next to the Prince, “Will your coltfriend be there at the party tonight too?”

Wildfire backed away slightly, her face pointing down at the black and white tiled floor. “You...you don't mind my face, my scars?” She asked hesitantly, her voice full of nerves.

“Hmm?” Dusk looked over with concern at Wildfire, then back at the tan earth pony now sat next to him. “Oh no, he was, but he's got band stuff to take of at home. Mom’s sorted him and the band out a gig at a club in Canterlot tonight.”

“Awww,” Lavender pouted, a little playfully, a little seriously. “He is a good singer too, I was looking forward to meeting him.”

Airmail nuzzled her azure blue cheek gently along Wildfire’s yellow one and whispered, so that only she could hear, “They are a part of you, so no, I don't mind at all and, I must apologise...” she placed a very tiny chaste peck on the yellow mare’s cheek, “I’m sorry, I really didn’t notice your scars till just now.”

“You…you aren't put off by them?” Wildfire asked, genuinely puzzled, not just by Airmail’s reaction but by most ponies out here in Manehatten.

Airmail’s hoof lightly touched under Wildfire’s chin and lifted it, moving her yellow muzzle to face her. “Are they sensitive to the touch?” She asked gently.

Wildfire nodded, as much as the blue hoof under her chin would allow, “A bit, they still hurt sometimes, but I have meds for that. And, well...I never said I wasn't interested Airmail.”

Airmail then did something that Wildfire completely and utterly did not expect. Very lightly, so gently the yellow pegasus barely felt it at all, she kissed both of the heavily scarred empty eye sockets. “May I ask you a very personal question?”

“Um…s-sure, of course…” Wildfire gasped, shuddering as she flinched a little at the touch of the mare’s lips.

“What colour were they?” Airmail asked simply.

Once again Wildfire lowered her head, her wings drooping a little. “Before the accident, they were brown, chestnut brown.

"You have such beautiful eyes." Airmail lifted Wildfire’s hoof to her own smiling face, allowing the blind mare to feel her wide broad smile. “Does this tell you how I feel?”

Wildfire smiled in Airmail’s direction. “I’m…I’m getting a fair idea, yes.” She nodded, still smiling. “This...is a bit new, I’m sorry.”

Airmail gave a little fillyish giggle, “I've been told I'm a bit over the top.”

Lavender nodded, “Lots of times.” She agreed.

“No…not that, being treated like I'm a normal pony, I mean.” Wildfire muttered quietly, almost under her breath.

Lightly, very tenderly indeed, Airmail brushed Wildfire’s lips with her own, holding the kiss for a few heartbeats before pulling away. “I'm a lead editor, Wildfire. I've seen horror. I've also seen that beauty can survive.” Airmail kissed her lips again, “Your beauty has survived.”

Dusk shot Lavender a curious look as he felt the tan earth pony mare shudder beside him.

Wildfire blushed furiously as Airmail kissed her lips. “In um…in uh…Canterlot, mares would pull their foals over the street to avoid getting too close to me...”

“Then…I can only pity the foals for not getting the chance to know you.” Airmail whispered kindly.

Dusk nodded his agreement. “Ponies aren't a very accepting lot back home, indeed, Vocal and I have had our share of opposition to being together.” The midnight blue pegasus sighed deeply, shaking his head at the stupidity of the ‘noble ponies’ before he finished off his cup of tea. “But, Lavender you shuddered, are you alright?” He asked in concern.

“You can find them everywhere, even here. I guess in Manehatten they are outnumbered compared to Canterlot.” Lavender nodded with a sad smile, “Sorry, Dusk, when Airmail talks of seeing horror, it is not a pretty sight.”

“Um...Airmail?” Wildfire asked hesitantly, “Can you um, would you mind, touching my wings again? Please, it was nice?”

Lavender lifted her head and raised her voice to make sure she was heard. “Caffy! Get the mop! Airmail is going to preen a mare's wings.”

Airmail shot her friend a pouting look, “Hey!” The azure blue pegasus sniffed loudly in feigned outrage. “I resemble that remark.” She giggled, excited at the prospect of preening. “I’m moving behind your wing, Wily.”

“Only if it's no trouble, I don't want to put you out...” Wildfire said quietly as Dusk watched with a smirk on his muzzle.

Airmail began her preen of the yellow mare’s left wing by using her lips and tongue to arrange the misaligned feathers into some semblance of order, which in turn stimulated the gland at the base of her tail. “Put out?” Lavender sniggered, “Yeah she puts out alright. She's the only pony I've seen orgasm by preening instead of being preened.”

Caffeinated finally came over to the table with bag in his mouth. “Here are the scones you wanted.”

Airmail seated herself behind Wildfire on the left side of the pegasus on the bench, and ran her hooves up her back from the dock of her tail to the shoulder joints, slowly circling her hooves around the bases of her wings to further stimulate the uropygial gland at the base of her tail.

“Oh...oh, OH my, that's really nice…” Wildfire murmured as Airmail lowered her hooves to the base of her tail. The azure blue mare coated her hooves in the oily substance and returned them to the yellow mare’s wings, spreading the diester waxes over the feathers. Starting with the primaries she made sure that each was coated in the oil that would help waterproof the feathers and keep them flexible.

Symmetrically she moved each hoof to the secondary and tertiary feathers in turn until her task was completed. Wildfire felt herself relax onto the table top in front of her as Airmail took the feathers in her mouth, moaning gently as she got into the preening which added a nice vibration to her work.

“Wow!” Wildfire moaned in delight, sensual pleasure shooting through her sensitive wings with every delicate little nibble and tweak that Airmail performed, every minute realignment of a feather sent fresh spikes of bliss through the yellow pegasus. A couple of times Airmail used her teeth to remove the tough sheath from a newly moulted feather, or to gently remove a damaged feather altogether. “Dusk...nggh, how come, aah…your preens don't feel this good?”

“Airmail has a feather fetish.” Caffeinated explained simply.

Lavender giggled up at the orange zebra, “Yeah, Tempest's wings look like she has been in the rain when Airmail is done with her.”

“Sweet Luna that's good!” Wildfire moaned, panting hard as she felt her climax fast approaching with the very skilful sensual preening. “Woe…this is…WOW!”

“Yeah the better she does the more she gets off. Of course right now she is in the zone and a bomb wouldn't distract her.” Lavender said with a smile, sliding from the bench seat and taking up the bag of scones in her foreleg. “Well it has been a pleasure, and I look forward to comparing knot work tonight. I'll take these up and let the office know our manager is 'busy'.” With that Lavender put the bag’s handle in her mouth and headed off to the elevators.

“T-That's...okay, I don't want…” Wildfire panted heavily, “Her distracted!” She moaned and panted, “Sweeeet Luuuuna!” She screamed out loud as she reached her climax at the same time as Airmail, both mare’s soaking the bench seat and the floor underneath it with their cum.

Airmail finished her preen with a loud moan as she sunk to her rump, her cum still dripping to the tiled floor. “Thank you, Wildfire, thank you.”

“No...th - thankyou...” Wildfire gasped, resting her head on the table as her breathing started to finally come under control.

“How does your wings feel?” Airmail asked, concerned that the younger pegasus was alright.

“Where are you?”

Airmail leant her head against Wildfire’s left cutie mark. “I’m right here.”

Very carefully Wildfire turned around on the bright red, now heavily stained, seat and used her hoof to find Airmail’s muzzle, before kissing her tenderly on the lips. “They feel like that, Pretty.”

“Your feathers were lovely.” Airmail giggled as she lovingly returned the kiss. “Almost as lovely as you.”

Wildfire kissed the azure blue pegasus on the lips again, lingering longer this time. “You can turn a mare’s head you know, if I knew to look.” She whispered seductively with a raise of her eyebrows at Airmail.

“Lavender is holding the fort for you Airmail.” Caffeinated informed her, when he was sure she was back in the room.

Airmail smiled warmly, “I think you know how to look at me just fine,” she raised Wildfire's chin and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. “And, I'm sure Lavender is doing fine Caffy.”

Wildfire carefully raised her forelegs and draped them around Airmail’s shoulders for a hug. “I um…I hope you didn't mind me kissing you, just then.”

Airmail shook her head, pecking the yellow mare’s lips again. “I don't think I can get enough of that. I hope you don't mind sharing with Tempest.”

Wildfire smiled, “Not at all, Pretty.” She said confidently. With everything she’d had to live with back at the care home, a shared threesome with another mare would be nothing.

“Have you ever played the stallion?” The azure blue pegasus asked, again kissing Wildfire’s lips.

For a moment Wildfire looked confused, “Played the stallion?” She asked with a frown, before realisation finally came to her with a bang. “Oooh…you mean with a strap-on?”

Airmail giggled, “Yeah, I mean with a strap on, silly.” She laughed, bopping the yellow mare’s nose gently. “Me and Tempest swap. I don't mind stallions, I just don't like how they smell, that’s all.”

“Oh…oooh, no I’ve never done that.” Wildfire smiled and gave an embarrassed little giggle, “Silly me, I thought you meant actually playing with a stallion…um, ignore me I’m just being dumb,” she laughed, hopefully covering her error. While it was true at the home that she’d serviced many a stallion in her time, she didn’t really want to go into it, and besides, her Mistress had warned her against revealing anything about the home to any unwanted outsiders. ‘They won’t understand how I love you, slave,’ Amethyst had whispered in her ear.

Dusk sniggered over his cup of earl grey, “Wily, you silly filly.”

“Dusk, I think I should show how silly I am…” Wildfire grinned an evil grin in her old friend’s direction as she reached a hoof onto the table and felt for her black coffee. “Oh I know…I can tell Airmail the questionnaire story...”

Airmail stroked Wildfire’s yellow-furred back affectionately, “Hmm, I'd just love to hear the questionnaire story.”

Wildfire paused for an agonisingly long moment as she took a long sip of her now cooled coffee, all the better to let the torture sink in for her best friend. Even after all this time away she knew Dusk hated this story above all others. Indeed, the yellow mare was certain that when she eventually was a drooling elderly mare with no memory at all, she’d remember this. “Well, did you know,” she paused for dramatic effect, “That when he got together with Vocal Chord he was so nervous he went to Twilight for advice on what to do on a first date, and she advised him to do a questionnaire? Hehehe, it was seventy questions over twenty five pages!”

“Twilight?” Airmail asked when the little yellow pegasus stopped for breath and for another dosage of coffee.

“Oh right, I mean Princess Twilight Sparkle, sorry Pretty. And, he actually gave him the questionnaire on their first ever date!” Again Wildfire paused in her story, this time to allow her giggle fit to subside before continuing, “He expected him to fill it in right then and there in the basket of a hot air balloon!” She laughed out loud as Dusk made a valiant but ultimately futile attempt to hide in the seat.

“Yes. Yes I did actually do that.” Dusk admitted, completely red-faced and to the amused sniggers of Airmail and Caffeinated, although the latter did already know the story from Dusk’s visit the week before, when Vocal had taken great pleasure in his coltfriend’s embarrassment.

“I like to interview by taste,” Airmail whispered into Wildfire’s left ear, causing her wings to pop open to a decent ‘semi’.

“You interview by taste huh?” Wildfire giggled, wiggling her flank a little, “Did I pass?”

Airmail suddenly wrapped a foreleg around Wildfire's neck, bringing her into a tight embrace as she tilted her head to one side, kissing the yellow pegasus full on the lips. Wildfire returned the gesture, placing her own leg at Airmail’s summer green mane, running it through her ponytail as she ran her tongue across the azure blue lips, silently asking permission to enter. The lead editor granted it, parting her lips for Wildfire's tongue as she ran her own over and around it, eliciting a few pleasurable moans from her. A second or two later Airmail thrust forward with her tongue into the younger mare's mouth, running it around the inside before briefly wrestling Wildfire’s tongue into submission. Finally the need to breathe forced them to break the kiss, their lips coming apart with a wet smacking noise. “You taste nice front, back, and on the sides.” Airmail said with the release of the kiss.

“Hmm…” Wildfire moaned pleasurably, noticing that once again her wings were fully erect, again. “I think these wings are permanently gonna be like this today.”

“And now?” Caffeinated asked, having fully enjoyed the impromptu kissing session between the two mares.

Airmail looked over at the zebra, a look of complete and utter seriousness. “Tempest trusts my judgment, Caffy.” She said, checking the ticking wall clock with a slightly shocked look. “I do however need to get back to work. Be seeing you tonight Wily?”

Wildfire leaned to where she was sure Airmail was, sniffing her scent to make sure, and laid her head on her azure blue shoulder. “I want to feel your tongue in me tonight.” She whispered in her ear.

“I'm sure that can happen,” The editor whispered back, “Though it will be more than just me.”

“Well, in for a bit, in for lots of ‘em, right?” Wildfire giggled nervously.

“Yes,” Airmail said, lightly pressing her lips to Wildfire’s, giving a last delicate little kiss. “I do hope you'll be touching me later tonight.”

“Yuppers, I will, but you might have to guide me in though, if you don't mind.” Wildfire looked down at the floor, her quiet nervous aspect from the Friendship Express threatening to return. “I um…I uh, I might not be very good though.” Wildfire blushed, suddenly very, very nervous; it had been a long time indeed since she’d done anything to please anypony other than be chained to the floor and allow them to use her body like a toy, a mere receptacle, nothing more.

“I don't mind, Wildfire. Tempest and I are good at sharing.” Airmail said reassuringly.

Wildfire gave a small tremulous smile, her previous confidence all but waning under the prospect of all the new interactions she’d be expected to partake of later. All of a sudden she wished she was back in the home with Amethyst, Lotus and Amber. At least there she knew what to do and how to behave. “Um…Airmail…will you let me know if I'm doing it wrong?”

“No, Wily,” Airmail said, stroking her back, “Becuase you won't be doing it wrong. You'll be doing it with us.”

The little yellow pegasus gave a slight sigh as she relaxed with the backrub. “You know what I mean, I just don't want to mess up…” Wildfire shuddered involuntarily. ‘If I mess up, then D might tell Mistress, if D tells Mistress I’ll be in trouble…she might…she might put me in the box again…’

Airmail felt the shudder under her hoof but as she had no idea as to what was causing it, she put it down to simple nerves. Casting a look over at Dusk she said, “You ever tell her she worries too much?” She asked, cocking her head back at Wildfire. “To mess up is to not try. As long as you try you will be fine. We will guide you, but if you know how to please yourself, you can please others.”

Caffeinated placed a hoof gently onto Wildfire’s shoulder. “I think you'll find that Airmail and Tempest live up to being loving and kind.” He said kindly, his deep voice going a long way to soothing the yellow mare’s frazzled nerves.

“Oh, that earns you a kiss, Caffy.” Airmail giggled, “I'll be sure to give you that tonight when your wife is there.”

Dusk shook his head with a sigh, running his hooves up and down his empty teacup. "I’ve told her, I told her all the time on the Express here Airmail, trust me.”

Wildfire pointed her head to the tiled floor again, this time slicking her ears back to her head and shuffling her yellow hooves. “I’m sorry...I guess, I shouldn't be so nervous, should I?”

Airmail stopped stroking Wildfire’s back and once again lifted her head up from the floor and turned it to ‘look’ straight at her, the brown eyes searching the scarred face. “You shouldn't worry if you’re good enough. Being nervous is fine, it adds to the cute that is you.” She said with a gentle kiss of the lips. “Caffy, you'll let us have the Mare’s Room, right?”

“Of course Airmail,” Caffeinated rumbled, a foalish twinkle in his green eyes, “Can I sell tickets?” He asked with a snicker, earning himself a stuck out tongue and a raspberry from the azure blue pegasus.

“If you like, Wily,” Airmail said with a little kiss, “We can make the room dark and do it all by feel.”

“Really?” Wildfire asked, genuinely taken aback and surprised by what she’d just heard. “You'd really darken the room and come down to my level?”

Airmail shook her head, causing her ponytail to sway over each shoulder. “No, it would be bringing you up to our level.” She said with a boop of her hoof to Wildfire’s nose. “Think positive dear.”

“I’m sorry, Pretty,” the yellow mare blushed a faint red. “I'm not good at this am I?”

Airmail smiled, “One step at a time, Wildfire. One step at a time.”

“I’m…I’m um…a lot more confident when I'm instructed what to do…” Wildfire whispered quietly, thinking of how much simpler and easier things were when her Mistress took charge of her and ordered her daily routine, gave her errands and beautiful punishments when she was a bad slave.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot, you're a lot like our friend Serenity.” Airmail giggled, “Well, I can base off of that. Do you like forceful Mistress stuff, or just general guidance?”

“Oooh…you can be as forceful as you like!” Wildfire gushed, perking up and clapping her forehooves together excitedly. “And, could you maybe, call me names and stuff?” She asked eagerly.

“Wily gets off on that, don't worry.” Dusk said with a smile from the other side of the table. Certainly he easily remembered the things Air Raid and Cyclone used to get up to with Wildfire, and the fun times they had together, mainly because his friend would tell him in excruciating detail about it the day after. No, what surprised the stallion was the mention of the derogatory name calling…that was new. Still he shrugged, paying it little mind.

“Yes, a lot like Serenity.” Airmail nodded affirmatively. “Don’t you worry, we will introduce you to the mare's club. Tempest and I enjoy the show and like to get in a few licks,” the azure blue mare winked to Dusk and to Caffeinated, who merely rolled his eyes, “But, Mapper can be a harsh Mistress and Serenity is her little slave pony.”

Wildfire’s ears perked up at the mention of the word ‘slave’ from Airmail. ‘A harsh Mistress? Ha!’ Wildfire thought to herself with not a small amount of pride at her own ability, ‘Wait till she sees what I can take!’ She smiled, even her owner was sometimes proud of the punishment she could take. “That sounds fun! Don't worry about being too rough, I can take anything, anything at all.”

“Well, if you're willing, Mapper can use another slave for the evening.” Airmail said with a gentle hug, hanging her foreleg around the yellow mare’s shoulder. “And, if you get comfortable enough with us mares, you could let Dusk join the Stallion's Club.”

“He has only met one of them.” Caffeinated said, slightly concerned.

Airmail shrugged, “Wily has only met one of us.”

“Um…can we see how we go, please?” Wildfire asked uncertainly, feeling herself unconsciously nestling into Airmail’s warm body. She didn’t know why, exactly, she’d only known her for something like an hour or so, but…there was just…something about this mare that made the little yellow pegasus feel…wanted. It felt strange, not ‘wanted’ like her Mistress wanted her, but wanted nonetheless.

“Of course, love.” Airmail noticed the little blind mare nestling into her, she couldn’t not notice really, strangely though, to say they’d only just met, it felt…okay, just right. “Just let Mapper know your safe word, and don't be afraid to use it if she goes too far. We will always respect that.”

“Okay, I will.” Wildfire nodded, “And, thanks for the preening earlier.” She was genuinely happy, flexing her wings she ruffled her feathers, loving the way they felt. If she was honest her wings hadn’t felt this good in years, since before they were broken at the home.

“That really was my pleasure.” Airmail let out a fillyish giggle. “I do happen to have a serious feather fetish.”

Caffeinated let out a loud chuckle, unable to keep in his mirth, “Yeah, that’s like calling the ocean damp, Airy.” The orange zebra nudged Dusk and they both shared a giggle, which developed into a full laugh when the azure pegasus stuck out her tongue at the two stallions.

“I noticed.” Wildfire giggled at the joke, and at the sniggering stallions. “Pretty, is there anything I can do for you later, at the party?”

“Yes, there is, and we can talk about that later.” Airmail nodded with a smile, “A hint, it has to do with your wings stroking me everywhere. I will be happy to clean them again when you're done.”

“Ooh! I can do that!” Wildfire said a little more confidently. After all, back home her Mistress used every part of her for her pleasure. She was used to that, that was easy. “And, after, would you be alright, if you, I mean, could you spank me?” The yellow mare asked hopefully. The vibes she’d been getting was this Airmail cared for her, and the care home staff always beat her to show her how much they loved her.

The tone of Airmail’s voice changed a little, though it was still upbeat, “I don't want to disappoint, but that is more Mapper's thing. Me, I like to nuzzle and lick the red marks afterwards.” The azure blue mare said with a lick of her tongue up Wildfire’s left ear with a nip at the end that caused her wings to twitch again.

Wildfire somehow managed a resigned sigh and a pleasured moan all at once. “My wings are staying erect all day today aren't they?”

“And mine never popped up once.” Airmail giggled behind her hoof, “Practice dear, practice.” A thought struck her then as she checked the ever-ticking wall clock, a constant reminder to the lead editor that she really, really should be back at work by now…and, ‘I would be back up in my office, if this beautiful little pegasus wasn’t so magnetic…what is it about her?’ Airmail really didn’t know, she couldn’t put her hoof on it, but there was ‘something’ about this young mare. “Are you going to be here tomorrow for the Open Mic?”

Wildfire nodded, “Oh yes! Dusk told me about that, on the Express here. I write poems, Pretty. I’ve…got a book full of them.” She said a little sadly. ‘Or at least, I had a book of them.’ She thought miserably. ‘Mistress Amethyst took my book from me, but I was a very bad slave, bringing Dusk back like I did.’

Airmail smiled at that. “Good that zebra needs some competition.”

“Oh, um…I doubt my poems are as good as Caffeinated’s are.” Wildfire started when thought of her old leather bound poetry book gave her an idea. “I've got an old photo in my saddlebag, if you'd like it?”

“I'd like to look at it,” Airmail said, all of a sudden very interested as her curiosity was piqued. “But, I don't want to keep it from you.”

Wildfire reached a forehoof into her saddlebag and for a few moments fished around until she felt a familiar touch of the old wrinkled photograph. It had been one of the photos from her poetry book, Amethyst had slid it from its page and let her keep it. Probably as an added punishment for her transgression. “Here, Pretty. You can have it, I don't need it anymore.” She passed over the picture, unaware it was one of herself and Air Raid in much happier times, so very long ago now.

Airmail looked down at the old photograph she now held in her azure blue hoof, of a younger Wildfire – younger even than she was now – and some other mare, a lime green pegasus who looked familiar from somewhere but she couldn’t place it. Airmail though didn’t care for the other pony. She only had eyes for the smiling face of the yellow pegasus looking up from the picture. The smile, how it reached and lit up her large beautiful chestnut brown eyes, she could virtually feel the happiness emanating from the picture. Sniffing loudly she used a hoof to wipe her own brown eyes, eyes she hadn’t realised were wet. “That…that’s what I pictured when I asked for your eye colour.” Airmail leant in close to nuzzle Wildfire’s cheek tenderly. “You're as beautiful now as you were then, because the beauty is there in your heart.”

Wildfire returned the gentle nuzzle with one of her own, “You're sweet for that, Pretty. Canterlot could use your ideas of beauty. Maybe then my marefriend wouldn't have left me...” she trailed off, thinking once more of how Air Raid had screamed at her before she had left her in the hospital.

“She was a prize bitch, Wily. Not worth your time worrying about.” Dusk said from his seat, getting protective of his old friend.

“Maybe you just need learn what it is to be a friend.” Airmail said to the midnight blue stallion. “Friends are the ones left behind to pick up the pieces.”

“I did my best…” Dusk whispered, though in his heart of hearts, of course, he knew this to be an utter lie. “Especially as it was my fault it happened.”

“No!” Wildfire protested adamantly. “No it wasn't, D.”

“Friends don't argue over blame,” Airmail said with a silencing hoof over Wily's mouth. “For there is enough to go around.”

Dusk looked down at the table. “The stallion who threw the acids was aiming at me,” he said glumly, his shoulders slumping with the change in his mood. “Wily got herself in the way. It…It should be me scarred and blind, not her.”

“You hush too,” Airmail barked sternly at the young Prince. “Will this change the past?”

“Airmail...” Caffeinated rumbled warningly, taking a step towards the blue mare.

Dusk Melody sighed again, wishing the empty teacup was a mug of moonshine. “No...No it won't, Airmail.”

“Now…I really do need to get back to work.” Reluctantly the azure blue mare released the hug she had maintained around Wildfire’s shoulders for the past several minutes. “We will play tonight, and if he’s lucky we’ll let your stallion watch to see how it is done.” She giggled playfully, planting a delicate little kiss on the yellow pegasus’s lips.

“I look forward to it, Pretty.” Wildfire giggled as she returned the little kiss, not wanting the mare to leave.

“Later all,” with that Airmail turned, making sure to playfully stroke Wildfire’s nose with her summer green tail, causing the little pegasus to wrinkle her muzzle and giggle like a filly as she waved a goodbye. “And Caffy, don't you let them escape tonight’s fun.” She smiled, particularly at Wildfire, taking a very long last look at the little mare before heading over to the elevators.

Caffeinated looked around, his sparkling green eyes following Airmail to the elevators at the far end of his coffee shop. They didn’t leave her until the doors closed shut and the lights began to flash, indicating the car was in motion. Only once the orange zebra was sure she was gone did he return a rather solemn and unusually serious gaze back to the table and its occupants. “Some things you both should know about her that she may, or may not, share with you later.” The stallion began, taking up a seat next to Dusk as he took a deep breath. “Airmail is the most compassionate pony I know, and also the most dangerous.” In response to Dusk’s questioning look he continued, “She did a long tour in the Equestrian Special Forces as a top class sniper. She has over two dozen confirmed kills. She also killed a stallion that tried to rape her. She has seen the worst that ponies and griffons together can produce.”

Caffeinated paused for a moment to allow what he’d said to sink in to the two ponies. Judging by their expressions, he safely, and quite rightly, assumed it had. “Since she took the lead editor job here at the Manehatten Times, there is nowhere she won't go. Hiding in that compassionate heart is some pain that she keeps well managed. It's part of her total focus on pleasing others to please herself.”

“Wow...” Wildfire put her hoof to her mouth in wonder. “I had no idea she’d done so much…” while it was true that Wildfire had seen her share of death and physical pain during her time as a firefighter in Canterlot and again at the care home, it was also true she’d never killed anypony, unless you counted Heatwave her old partner from way back.

“She is one of three friends of mine that have killed in the past.” Caffeinated explained, still with the sombre expression on his face.

“I guess…it does put things in perspective, doesn’t it?” Dusk commented quietly beside the larger stallion.

“You guess?” Wildfire asked incredulously, “I can’t begin to imagine that, at all.” Just then a spike of pain, deeper and more intense than the standard background pain she endured, lanced through her head from the nerves around her eye sockets, causing her to wince in agony. “AAaaAH…D-Dusk, ugh…can you get my painkillers? My scars are hurting me something rotten.”

“Sure thing Wily,” Dusk said, immediately searching through his saddlebag for the co-codamol pills that the care home had provided her with. Seizing them in his midnight blue hoof he pulled them out and passed over two of the strong paracetamol and codeine medication. “Here you are.”

“I’ll get you some water to take those with, Wildfire.” Caffeinated said with a smile, bustling over to the sink behind the counter to fill an empty glass.

Wildfire grimaced a little with the pain from her face, a thought occurring to her while Caffeinated was away at the counter. A thought that worried her somewhat about the party later and what she’d been told. “Um…can we have it just us five mares for this first time?” She asked as she smelt the zebra’s scent get stronger, signifying his return to the table, along with the clink of the glass of water on the table top. “Is there a dimmer switch where the lights can be turned down, but not off altogether?”

“Wily, this is for you.” Caffeinated replied with a warm smile, “Everypony wants you to be comfortable while they make you uncomfortable.”

Wildfire popped the two co-codamol’s in her mouth and proceeded to wash them down her throat with the freshly delivered cold water. “I um, I don't want to be a bother to anypony.”

Dusk leant across the table and rested his midnight blue hoof on his friend’s yellow one, and saw her smile at the contact. “Wily, you’re many things but you aren't a bother. Listen to the zebra!”

“You'll definitely be a bother if you eat all the cake before I get a slice.” Caffeinated chuckled, his shoulders shaking as he laughed. “Wily, you will have a private room as the mares like to play that way. Since you can't tell they may make it totally dark for their own fun.” He said, his deep voice sounding reassuringly, “Mapper and Serenity are both unicorns so they will give any needed light. Just make sure you set any ground rules for what you do not want to happen.”

Wildfire gave a tentative smile at the orange zebra’s comforting words. She couldn’t explain why but every time he spoke she felt calmer, it was as if his deep rumbling voice was like a balm for a wound. “I’ m really interested in the hard floor and the ropes you mentioned earlier.”

“I can certainly let Mapper know to abuse you in a loving way.” Caffeinated smiled as he reached a hoof for the coffee he had bought over for himself when he’d bought the water for Wildfire.

“She doesn't have to hold back for me.” Wildfire stated confidently, sipping the rest of her water from the glass. “If I'm doing it I’m doing it properly.”

“You haven't heard my motto I shared with Dusk,” the barista said gently, setting his coffee mug back on the table. “Love with discipline is what you show a child. Discipline with love is what you show a trusted partner. Without love there is no discipline. Without love there is only abuse.” The orange stallion smiled such a smile that Wildfire could hear the amusement in his voice, “Mapper will try to get you to use your safe word; she gets off on that, just let Mapper know ahead of time if you want special consideration. Serenity will do whatever she asks, the other two, Airmail and Tempest, have let their limits be known already.”

“I don’t want any special treatment, Caffy.” Wildfire said quietly.

Dusk sighed deeply into his cup of earl grey. “Wily, it's not a contest to see who can take the most.”

“Wily,” Caffeinated started with concern colouring his deep voice. “I hope you can understand that Airmail and Tempest are not into bondage, but they do like to play with the prey. Serenity will not hold back simply because she is Mapper's slave, and Mapper will do what she can to get that safe word out of you.”

“I didn't mean it like that, I want them to like me…” she said, her voice almost a whisper. Her Mistress Amethyst had always told her that whenever she did whatever the care home staff wanted her to do the more they liked her. “I just don't want to disappoint, everypony always assumes I'm fragile and I'm not.”

“Wily, blindness doesn't make you fragile.” Caffeinated said with a bit of a sigh, “If you were eighty, or had some bone disease then that might make you fragile.” He paused for a brief moment while he took a measured mouthful of his coffee, before deciding to try a different tack. There was something off about this young mare, something bothering him that he couldn’t put his hoof on. It was as if she was desperate to please and show what she could take, with little regard for herself, and that worried him. “Has any of my friends treated you with foal gloves?” He asked, “Even Airmail surprised me with the eye colour question, but she is like that.”

Wildfire smiled like a filly on her first date at the mention of the lead editor’s name, a smile that didn’t go unnoticed by the two stallions. “Airmail was...surprisingly sweet. I liked how direct she was. It’s just…I'm not used to being treated like a normal pony…”

“Yes, she can be sweet, and she can be a hard ass at times.” Caffeinated smiled ruefully as he got up to prepare some refills for the table. “I trust her judgement in how to handle a situation. I also trust Lavender on reading a pony and her thoughts on their temperament.” The orange zebra checked the clock as he worked, noting the early afternoon time. “Tempest will be in soon with Topper, that's Lavender's husband.” He grinned, pulling a tray of watercress and cucumber sandwiches from a shelf beneath the pale blue counter. “Topper makes me look small…” the stallion chuckled, bringing over the three refills and sandwiches on a tray balanced perfectly on his back.

Wildfire carefully reached her left forehoof for her black coffee with three sugars when Caffeinated placed it in front of her so she could use the aroma to zero in on it. ‘Five years without coffee, now I’ve had like, five in as many hours…least I’ll be energetic for later,’ she thought to herself with a grin, thinking of the things she and Airmail would do; then again, this Tempest sounded like fun too. “I am looking forward to meeting Tempest,” she said after she’d swallowed a mouthful of hot fresh zebra coffee.

“Most of the time she doesn't live up to her name.” Caffeinated laughed, thinking of the one time that her play with Mapper had gone a ‘little wrong’. “Tempest is the balance to Airmail, she is a sweet, softly spoken pegasus.”

“So, the dinner and party,” Wildfire started as she breathed in the heady scent of her drink, “Are we going to your place?”

“Yes, I live on Stallion Island” Caffeinated explained, taking up his own mug of coffee from his seated position next to Dusk who was happily nursing his earl grey. “The subway will take us there under the river.”

“Ooh a train?” Wildfire exclaimed, sounding just like a little filly, “I like trains.”

“It will be crowded to start with but taper off toward the end.” The orange zebra warned cautiously, unsure how the blind mare would cope with the smaller, more compact carriages of the subway train that were, by necessity of design, smaller than those of the Friendship Express. “Ah, here comes the Storm and Tops,” he noted with a grin as a violet pegasus mare with a spikey unruly looking black mane that reached her shoulders walked into the coffee shop alongside a truly huge chocolate brown earth pony stallion with a short electric blue mane. “That should keep Dusk in place for a bit.”

“Hi Caffy!” The blue-eyed violet mare called out as she headed straight for the elevator without sparing the table and ponies there a glance, probably going to see her marefriend, Dusk safely assumed.

“Yo, Caffeine, got some left over muffins?” Topper said by way of a greeting as he approached the counter. It was only when he was stood next to the zebra that Dusk realised what the shop owner meant when he had said that the earth pony made him look small; Topper stood at least four hooves taller than Caffeinated at the shoulder.

“Of course I do,” the barista replied with a ready smile, “Go fetch Lavender and then get them.”

Dusk Melody paused, his cup of hot earl grey held inches from his midnight blue lips. ‘Sweet Aunt Tia’s sainted mane…it’s like Applejack’s barn grew legs!’ The Prince thought to himself as he watched the titanic earth pony follow Tempest over to the elevator.

Walking over to join his violet friend Topper chuckled, “I'm sure Airmail will lead a special delivery to get them back down here fast.”

Wildfire almost dropped her coffee mug when she heard Topper say the azure blue pegasus’s name, her ears perked up in his direction. “Airmail's coming back!?” She squeaked out, just catching her half-full mug in both forehooves, “I mean, um...isn't that nice…” she muttered, a fierce crimson blush colouring her cheeks, the heat not staying on her face.

“I’m sure Airmail will be talking about you all the way down the elevator with Lavender backing her up.” Caffeinated smiled as he made his way back over to their table, Dusk obligingly making room for him to sit down next to him.

“Sounds like sompony's quite the smitten kitten…” Dusk sniggered as he teased his best friend, enjoying her intense blush.

Caffeinated snickered from his position next to the royal pegasus, “Do you blame her for that Dusk?” He asked, taking up his own coffee for a quick sip.

Dusk Melody shook his head, “No Stripes not at all, doesn't mean I can't tease her for it though.” He grinned a wide grin, “Consider it revenge for the questionnaire thing earlier.” He said, taking a satisfying sip of his tea.

“Wily,” Caffeinated started with a snicker in his voice as he leant over and playfully nudged her yellow hoof that wasn’t holding her coffee mug, “When I found out about the questionnaire, I fell down behind that counter and couldn't breathe, my ribs were hurting so much.” He chuckled, his green eyes sparkling at the discomfort the pegasus stallion was in.

“I…I just couldn't believe he followed Twilight’s advice!” Wildfire laughed out loud, setting her mug down on the table just in case. “Of all the ponies he could’ve asked!” She shook her head, her laugh dying to a snigger. “Twenty five bucking pages! Priceless!”

“I've meet Princess Twilight Sparkle once over in Baltimare.” Caffeinated said with a smile as he recalled the memory, “I liked her, a straight forward and to the point pony, got things done.”

Wildfire smiled as she thought about Twilight, about the times long ago when she’d see her around the castle in Canterlot. Always a very approachable pony, always had time for everypony. Wildfire had liked that about the youngest Princess. And, of course, she was the best teacher they’d ever had. “You should have seen her teach, Caffy. Best Professor at Canterlot University by far.”

“And…here comes the horde!” Caffeinated announced after a few minutes of silence with a wry smile, watching the lights on the elevator flash down to the ground floor, heralding the arrival of four ponies. “Let me go get refills, drinks and treats.” The orange zebra got up from the table’s bench seat and headed over as with a now familiar ‘ding’ the descending elevator car disgorged its cargo.

Dusk looked over to the crowd and had to fight hard to stifle and snort of laughter; for Airmail was attempting, in the manner of a filly eager to get the new toy from her mother, dragging a somewhat more composed Tempest over to Wildfire’s side of their table while Lavender and the massive Topper followed closely behind them. “This is her, this is her!” Airmail squealed, reinforcing the filly image in Dusk’s mind, “And she’s a lot of fun!”

“Hello Wildfire,” Tempest greeted the blind mare with a smile, causing the mare’s ears to track her and she turned her head to the sound of her voice. “Airmail says you're a tasty treat.”

“Don't forget poor Dusk over here…” Lavender gave Dusk a sympathetically tight hug, making him splutter for breath as her earth pony strength squeezed his slight frame. He perished the thought of how strong her partner was, given his sheer size. “This is Topper, my hubby!”

“Hello.” The mountainous chocolate brown earth pony said simply, for all Equestria looking and sounding like a larger version of Mac, just as Caffienated returned to the table laden down with assorted drinks and flavours of muffins.

“Oh, hi!” Wildfire squeaked, only just realising that Airmail must’ve told her marefriend everything. “She...er...she preened me. Hope that's ok?” She asked tentatively, half of her expecting to get yelled at like back home, the other half unsure if she’d get praised for it.

Gratefully Dusk returned the hug with Lavender, nowhere near as tight as the tan earth pony mare hugged him. “Hey again! And, hello to you, Topper.” He grinned up at the chocolate brown stallion, “I stand by my first thought, that Applejack's barn has grown legs.”

“Of course it's okay, Wildfire, that makes it easier for me to follow up and get the drool off.” Tempest replied as Airmail merely rolled her brown eyes in response.

“Applejack?” Topper asked, confusion clear in his lilac eyes.

“One of the Celestia Six,” Caffeinated clarified as he pulled over a spare seating pad from an unused table and sat at the head of the table. “Owner of Sweet Apple Farms.” He continued as Topper finally nodded with a smile of understanding.

Dusk smiled, reaching a hoof for his refilled cup of tea. “It's not often I meet somepony who makes her bother look small.”

Wildfire ignored her friend’s conversation on the other side of the table, she had ears only for the two mares beside her to her left. Airmail, her Pretty, had called her fun! Her! Fun! Giggling like a love-smitten filly she smiled, “Airmail, you really think I'm fun?”

“I really do!” Airmail squee’d excitedly, “If Caffy hadn't cleaned up I could prove it too.”

Topper snickered from his now seated position next to Lavender – she had sat next to Dusk – opposite Wildfire and Airmail and Tempest, the latter two mares still stood to Caffienated’s right, “Oh, that kind of fun. Did you watch love?” He asked of his wife.

Wildfire couldn’t help but giggle. “We um, we did kinda did make a mess.”

Lavender, looking positively minute next to her husband, but then again everypony looked small next to the titanic earth pony, had wrapped her forelegs around his and was busy hugging him tight when burst into giggles, “Of course I watched, you know Airmail needs adult supervision.”

Standing to Wildfire’s left, and sharing a nuzzle with her marefriend Tempest joined Lavender in the giggle fit, “She does that, Lavender.” Listening to her speak Wildfire’s ears swivelled and strained, trying to place her accent. There was the Manehatten there, sure, but there was an extra element to it as well, an underlying richness that she was struggling, even with her trained ears, to place.

“It was an interesting show.” Dusk reached for his earl grey then thought better of it as he sniggered at his best friend.

“Dusk...questionnaire.” Wildfire said simply, using the sound of her friend’s voice to send a loud raspberry hopefully in his general direction. She loved having this over the royal pegasus, and she knew he hated it, which made her love it all the more. Dusk baiting should be a spectator sport, after all.

All of a sudden, Prince Dusk felt five pairs of eyes – and Wildfire – zero in on him. The midnight blue stallion assumed that since the group knew Airmail quite well, they naturally would focus on him. Not that Dusk could blame them any. Tempest merely raised an eyebrow sardonically, “Questionnaire?” The violet mare asked, her curiosity sufficiently piqued.

Dusk, despite the weight of the five stares he was receiving still took a moment to drink his tea. “Fine…” Even though he tried his best to frown he smiled in the end. “When I got together with my coltfriend I was so nervous at first I went to a friend for advice, and she advised me to give him a questionnaire about his likes and stuff, to find out more about him. So on our first date I did just that.” Dusk explained, looking from one pony to the other he could virtually see the laughter in their faces.

“Yeah…easy questions,” Caffeinated sniggered at the head of the table, his green eyes alive with mirth, “Like, what's your favourite colour, favourite number, what do you usually do on a Tuesday at two twenty eight p.m., that sort of stuff.” The orange zebra erupted in barely held back laughter, closely followed by Lavender and Topper, who both snorted laughs which sent their respective coffees everywhere, and their owners scrabbling for napkins to wipe up the mess.

“I am never, ever, going to live that down…” Dusk briefly considered hiding under the table, but ultimately decided against it.

“Nope!” Wildfire giggled happily. “Tell them how big was it was, D.”

Dusk sighed, though the sigh was lost somewhat amidst the assorted laughing, sniggering and giggling going on around him. “It was seventy questions, over twenty five pages...no appendix though, I’d left that back at the castle, y’know, for later…”

“And, what happened to it?”

“Vocal Chord took one look at it and used his magic to throw it over the side of the hot air balloon!” Dusk’s sudden indignance at what Vocal had done to his very carefully prepared and well thought out questionnaire only made the crowd of ponies – and one zebra – laugh all the harder, until he himself couldn’t resist any longer and he joined in with them.

“See,” Caffeinated said once his laughter had subsided sufficiently to allow him to speak, “Both of these characters fit right in.”

“They totally do.” Airmail agreed, though the azure blue pegasus’s brown eyes were solely for Wildfire.

“Are they coming tonight?” Tempest asked hopefully, sharing the object of her marefriend’s gaze.

“Yes,” Lavender replied to the violet mare, “But Omega doesn't know about it.”

“Why not tell him?” Topper asked, an eyebrow raised questioningly at his wife.

Caffeinated looked squarely over at Dusk, who in turn noticed the pointed stare and did a ‘what?’ shrug of his shoulders. “Omega covers politics and I wanted it to be a surprise for him.”

“So?” Topper asked, not getting it at all.

Dusk thought for a second and finally realised what the zebra was getting at. “Oh...Oh! I know…Omega interviewed me and Vocal the last time we were here, that time last week.”

“Oh!” Topper’s lilac eyes went wide as he realised just who this dark blue pegasus actually was. “I read that, so you're that Dusk? Cool.” The large chocolate brown earth pony stallion said simply, causing Tempest, Airmail and Lavender to all join in with a girly giggle fit, as they were in on the joke.

Dusk nodded with a broad smile, “I am indeed that Dusk.”

“Your parties are never dull Caffeinated,” Topper smiled down at the midnight blue pegasus. “So, Dusk, are you a top or bottom?” He asked as he reached a hoof for his own mug of coffee.

“I suppose I’m a top,” Dusk replied, thinking of all of his prior dates with Vocal Chord, leading him through the streets of Canterlot on his leash, all those times at the Café Diem with Vocal nestled under the table drinking from a bowl of water and then playing ball with him in the Royal Gardens. “Though a bit of a novice I'll admit.”

“I’m a sla…um...I mean I'm a sub…” Wildfire blushed hard as she joined in the conversation, almost making a slip of the tongue that her owner Amethyst had warned her against before Dusk had taken her to the train station yesterday afternoon.

“Airmail,” Dusk said gently with a smile, “I think your little smitten kitten there needs a nuzzle.”

Airmail caught Dusk’s comment and not-so-subtle nod in Wildfire’s direction with a grin and a twinkle in her brown eyes. “Double team!” She called out, nudging Tempest in her barrel and inclining her head so she got the idea as well. Flapping her violet wings to help her leap over Wildfire she landed with precision on the bright red bench seat and in perfect practised unison the two mares nuzzled the little yellow pegasus from each side.

For a brief moment Wildfire was confused at the sudden movement of the air to her left as Tempest flapped her wings and soared over her. “What th...” she wondered aloud as to what was happening…then she felt the dual contact of the double nuzzle and decided it was good. Very good. “Oooh this is nice...” she practically purred.

“I thought so, Wily.” Dusk laughed, pleased his friend was having such a good time, and that she was seemingly coming out of the shell that she seemed to be in while on the Friendship Express.

Wildfire only vaguely heard what Dusk had said, so absorbed was she being the filling of a mare nuzzle sandwich, again she found herself conflicted. Ponies just didn’t treat her this gently. It was…odd, strange, to simply be nuzzled instead of beaten. “Oh…walk your dog you, let me enjoy this, D.”

Lavender leant in to her husband with a slightly sad smile. “Vocal won't make it tonight Topper, since he is getting the band back together.” She explained, planting a kiss on his chocolate brown shoulder, the highest point she could reach.

“Ah…that is why you've been playing that CD lately.”

“Yeah, my Mom sorted them an easy starter gig in Canterlot to get back into it.” Dusk supplied, really, really missing his beloved coltfriend right now.

“I'll close up so you all can scoot,” Topper said to Caffienated with a nod and a smile as he checked the time on the clock behind the pale blue counter. “We'll ride on over with Omega when he comes down.”

“And, that is our cue to leave.” The orange zebra slid easily from his seating pad at the head of the little coffee shop table and stood to his hooves, standing taller than Dusk but not as tall as the larger earth pony.

Airmail got up and stood from the bright red bench seat, her summer green tail pointing towards Wildfire. “Let’s get a moving Wily, just follow my tail.” She instructed, moving forward a few steps to allow Wildfire then Tempest to exit the bench seat behind her, forming a mare chain in the coffee shop.

Tempest giggled behind the little yellow mare, “I have your rear covered, oh yes I do.” She said eagerly as they started to move out, Airmail already out of the door and holding it open with a hind leg for Wildfire to exit the shop as well.

Dusk Melody snickered from his seated position, “Want some filling in that sandwich Wily?” He asked with a giggle, flapping his midnight blue wings to rise up from the seat next to Lavender and land next to Caffeinated’s left side.

“See this?” Wildfire said over her shoulder without turning her head as she stepped out of the coffee shop and into the warm heat of the early afternoon Thursday sunshine, “I'm ignoring you. I have a tail to follow.” She said with a grin, stepping into line behind Airmail’s tail, her scent of jasmine just strong enough for her well-used nose to follow.

“Let's roll Dusk,” Caffeinated said with a sly grin, “We don't want the mares to get started without any witnesses.”

Dusk smiled up at the orange stallion, “That’s a good point, Stripes,” he chuckled, walking out of the coffee shop into the warm sunlight and hustle and bustle of early afternoon Manehatten. “Plus, I'm not missing out on teasing opportunities.”

From the map that Dusk had taken the time, during one of Wildfire’s quiet and utterly inexplicable mood swings, to read, the midnight blue pegasus knew it was a couple of blocks from Stripes Cup of Java coffee shop to the metro station from Manehatten to Stallion Island. Walking the clean paved streets side by side with the larger stallion, Dusk again was struck by how different this city was from Canterlot; high rise skyscrapers, neon street signs, the salty tang of the nearby ocean in the air.

“You two have tourist passes, Dusk?” Caffeinated asked, thinking ahead for when they would arrive at the train station.

Dusk patted his saddlebag with a wing, “Certainly do, Stripes. Got them right here.”

“Dusk has mine,” Wildfire said, from her position a few scant inches behind Airmail’s summer green tail. “Seeing as he's officially my 'carer'…” she spat the word ‘carer’ out like it had a bad taste to it. That at least was the story her Mistress had given her.

“It’s nice to have somepony if you're new to the city,” Airmail said over her shoulder from her lead position in the mare chain, “Although, the trains are very friendly to the handicapped.”

“True that, Airy.” Tempest agreed with her marefriend as, in front of her, Wildfire decided to be a thoroughly naughty little mare and flicked her black tail to one side, giving the violet pegasus a free and unfettered view of her marehood as she walked in front of her. “Now we're talking.” Tempest said with appreciation of the view, “I always like to see just what the tail is attached to.”

“Oops…” Wildfire said innocently as she walked along with her tail firmly hiked to one side, earning herself a delightful little laugh from Airmail in front of her.

Dusk, walking alongside Caffeinated just behind and to the left of the mare chain, rolled his pink eyes with a barely contained snigger at his best friend’s brazen display, wondering where she’d got the nerve from. ‘Although, it is nice to see her acting more like her,’ he thought to himself with a wry smile. “Oops…yeah right, Wily.”

Wildfire’s ears flicked backwards to trace Dusk’s voice and was just on the verge of unleashing a witty retort she’d just thought of when she heard both Airmail and Tempest together call out, “More oops, more oops!” simultaneously from her front and rear.

“And you weren't watching?” Caffeinated asked the midnight blue stallion with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Dusk blushed a deep red blush that was visible even on his dark blue fur, “Well…um, as a concerned 'carer', I looked, yes.” He admitted, still blushing.

Wildfire sniggered from her position between the two marefriends. “Dusk, the day you're my carer is the day I'll have foals.” She said as she started swaying her hips seductively with her walk, making sure to keeps her tail high and to one side, her Mistress Amethyst always liked her when she walked like that.

“You know I really like feathers?” Airmail asked over her shoulder to the little blind mare closely following the scent from her tail, “Well Tempest here really likes the pregnant look.”

Realising she was actually drooling at the beautiful sight of Wildfire’s exposed marehood and tail-hole Tempest blushed, bringing a faint red tinge to her cheeks, “I do like that full body look and I love to watch the foals kicking.” She said, licking her violet lips.

“Well, I doubt I'll ever have that,” Wildfire said quietly, dipping her tail as her head lowered slightly. Amethyst and the staff had found out about her long-held desire for a filly but they’d quickly squashed that. Still…she desperately wanted her little Fireflight. “But…you can enjoy the show if you, Tempest.” She said, regaining a little of her confidence and flicking her tail side to side, keeping it up high.

“No complaints back here!” The violet pegasus grinned, subconsciously wiping fresh drool from her chin with a flick of her wing.

“You alright there, Tempest?” Dusk sniggered, noting a few of the passers-by were shooting the chain of mares funny looks, most of which were aimed at Wildfire and her scarred face, but thankfully with the four of them around her none of them said or did anything but look. “You look a bit flustered, nothing distracting you?”

“Nope,” Tempest answered very quickly, “I'm completely focused, no distractions here at all.”

“Uh huh…” Dusk replied sceptically as he watched his best friend give Tempest a playful wiggle of her swaying hips, then he chuckled loudly and clearly when both of the violet pegasus’s wings sprung open and fully erect with an audible *Poomf!* “No...No distractions AT all, right Tempest?” He asked with a laugh, “Wily you are terrible.”

“I’m not distracted,” Tempest replied, not once taking her bright blue eyes away from Wildfire’s swaying hips and winking marehood. “Just more aerodynamic, that’s all.”

“I'm not terrible! I'm very good actually.” Wildfire breathed in Airmail's scent and giggled playfully, exaggerating the sway of her hips as she walked, now she definitely knew she was having such a positive effect on the mare behind her.

“Nice wingboner by the way...” Dusk muttered with a grin as he saw the metro station hove into view in the near distance, not too far from where they were now.

“I’m not distracted, so I can't look at you Dusk, but I'll take your word for it.” Tempest replied, entirely preoccupied by the sight of the mare in front of her, as Airmail and Caffeinated both shared a laugh.

Wildfire smiled and lowered her tail, intent on teasing the violet mare behind her. “MMmmm…” she shivered excitedly as she felt Tempest close the gap between them and her hot breath touched the base of her black tail. “Is everything okay back there Tempest?” The little yellow mare snickered, keeping her tail flat down.

“All is well at your six o'clock, Wily.” Tempest confirmed with a slightly dazed smile, her nose scant inches away from the dock of Wildfire’s tail.

“And, we are here.” Airmail said as they entered the Manehatten Metro Station; like most of the buildings in the coastal city it was a monumentally large grey edifice, however its façade was more open, with the entire front made of many panes of glass, allowing in acres of natural sunlight to the station inside, which in the modern style was gleaming white tiles and the turnstiles all shining silvered chrome.

Wildfire knew she was inside, the sound of her hooves was different on the tiles than it was on the concrete outside, added to that the noise of the traffic was dulled somewhat by the station’s walls. “Thanks for checking me out, Tempest.” She said with a gentle flick of her tail across Tempest's muzzle.

Airmail trotted through the centre turnstile of a set of five and waits on the other side for the small party to catch her up.

“Wily, stop you're at the turnstile.” Tempest said from behind her as the yellow mare lined up with the ticket barrier to the immediate right of the one that the azure blue mare had passed through just a few minutes before. “I'm passing on your right.” She said as she passed through the fifth far right turnstile.

“I'm following Tempest.” Caffeinated rumbled in his deep soothing tone as the orange zebra stallion followed his friend through the barrier.

Seeing Wildfire waiting against the fourth chrome turnstile barrier, Dusk Melody pressed the tourist day pass against the scanner at the side of the barrier and waited for it to beep green before nudging his best friend’s flank with a wingtip. “Alrighty…here we go…” the yellow pegasus carefully stepped forward, pressing her chest against the cold metal, feeling the turnstile move in a circular motion as she walked through to the other side.

Pressing his tourist pass on the sensor scanner and hearing the beep Dusk Melody took the turnstile to the immediate left of the one Wildfire had used. “Hmm…first time using these.” He said with a smile, as Canterlot had no Metro system.

“Works the same way at the exit,” Tempest explained as they all met up in their group at the other side of the turnstiles. “We have monthly passes.”

Dusk inspected his tourist pass briefly before placing it back in his saddlebag. “So, this buys the ticket then?” He asked curiously.

“Depends on the pass.” Caffeinated said, “For tourists it is either a day pass, or a weekly pass.”

Dusk smiled, taking up his place at the right of the orange zebra. “I’m so used to paying a conductor.”

“Too many ponies coming through the Metro Station on a daily basis to do that.” Airmail explained, “Jumping a turnstile will get the police after you though.” She added as an afterthought, in case Dusk was actually considering it. Flicking her summer green tail under Wildfire's nose she again took up her position in front of the yellow mare. “This way, Wily.”

“I've got your back!” Tempest called a little over eagerly, taking up her new favourite position behind the yellow mare.

“Canterlot only has taxis, right?” Caffeinated asked, turning to Dusk as they walked.

Wildfire happily began to follow Airmail’s summer green tail, immediately finding her now-familiar jasmine scent. “Um, Tempest, have I got dirt on my tail?” She asked with a sly grin, lifting her tail up, purely for the following mare’s benefit, of course.

“We do use taxis in the city,” Dusk nodded, “Then there’s the Friendship Express to get to the other towns.”

“If you take the subway uptown to the Grand Central you can catch a train overland.” Caffeinated explained, “We will have to make a change at Battery Park.”

Tempest, seeing the silky black tail lifted tantalisingly in front of her got her muzzle a little closer and made a grab for it, holding Wildfire’s tail firmly in her mouth between her teeth and proceeded to nom it as they walked to the platform, eliciting a cute little squeak of surprise from the yellow pegasus.

“Well, you did tempt Tempest, Wily.” Airmail said with a giggle as she once again led the mare chain to the platform.

“Did I?” Wildfire said as innocently as she possibly could, an innocence that was somewhat undermined by the violet mare presently latched onto and currently nomming her black tail, all the while listening to the giggles from the azure blue mare walking closely in front of her. “I suppose I did tease her a little…maybe more than a little,” she giggled, thrilling at the pleasurable sensations flowing through her tail to her dock and to her upper thighs. “Y'know, keep eating it, and I can't move it out the way...”

“Ah gotta cahvahed…” Tempest slurred from behind her still with a mouthful of tail.

With a little effort Wildfire tugged her now well-chewed tail from Tempest's mouth, and with a flex of her dock she held it firmly to the left side, exposing herself for the violet mare again. “Better view?”

“The view is nice, but your tail was fun to chew on.” Tempest giggled as Airmail began to slow down upon reaching the crowded platform.

With some gentle tail flicks across her muzzle the azure blue mare warned Wildfire to slow down and stop. “Turn to your right, Wily, and we'll wait for the next train.” Airmail said as she moved close to the yellow mare’s left while Tempest quickly moved up to stand by her right.

“At this time of day the trains are every five minutes.” Caffeinated said as he moved behind the three mares on the crowded Metro platform.

Turning to the right and waiting as she had been instructed, Wildfire once again found herself between Airmail and Tempest, this time with a mare to each side of her like they had been when they had double teamed her in the coffee shop. By smell alone she could identify it was Airmail to her left, her scent of jasmine was like a hoof-print. To her right she was beginning to associate the scent of rose and sandalwood with Tempest. Wildfire shivered at the mass of ponies, losing her former confidence somewhat she slicked her ears back to her scalp, lowering her head and kept her tail well down. She decided she didn’t like Metro Stations very much. They were noisy, crowded and confusing. As she trembled between the two marefriends they each draped a comforting wing over her back, and in the few minutes she had to wait for a train, Wildfire found she wasn’t so scared.

Two minutes later the subway train entered the station with a sudden strong gust of wind and a loud screeching of brakes. Above the instant clamour of hoof-steps, voices and other miscellaneous noises that threatened to overwhelm her Wildfire heard Airmail to her left speak calmly and clearly above the confusing din, her voice as a lighthouse beacon to lost ships. “Wait until the others get off, you're in front of the door.” A few seconds later she spoke again, “Okay Wily, straight in five paces then right two then right again to the wall.”

‘Alrighty…I got this…I got this…’ Wildfire told herself over and over and, despite wishing she was back at home she took a hesitant step forward, using her wingtip to keep her straight and counting down the five paces and turning to her right the two extra paces to wait where she had been directed.

Dusk followed Wildfire onto the train, noting with a satisfied smile that Airmail had directed his best friend to the designated handicapped zone just inside the door as the other three walked in after him, the azure blue pegasus loitering near them while Caffeinated and Tempest moved further into the train’s carriage to find empty seating pads.

“Am I in the right place?” Wildfire asked uncertainly as the train lurched into motion.

“Yes,” Airmail said, adding her voice to the reassuring scent of jasmine to her left, “You’re in the carriage’s handicap zone. You can turn around with your cute little butt to the wall. I'll stay next to you, the others have moved a bit further in. Dusk do you want to stand next to her?” She asked, moving protectively close to the little yellow mare.

“I was gonna follow Stripes and Tempest, Wily you ok with Airmail?” Dusk asked, reassured when his best friend nodded by way of reply, both mares leaning to the left with the motion of the train as it began to pick up speed. “Alright, well, behave you two…” he said with a grin over his shoulder as he trotted after the zebra and his friend.

“Is he gone?” Wildfire asked a few seconds later.

Airmail nodded, “About fifteen feet way seated with Stormy and Caffy.”

“Good,” Wildfire sighed deeply, “I know he means well, Pretty, but he can be a bit ‘much’ sometimes.” She said quietly, thinking of all the times Dusk had asked her if she was okay, did she need anything, could he help her with this, or with that…she knew her friend was only trying to help, but by Luna did it get under her feathers. More than it being annoying she just wasn’t used to anypony doing anything to help her, her Mistress certainly didn’t.

“Like an older brother?” Airmail asked, a definite giggle in her voice.

“One of those annoyingly helpful older brothers,” Wildfire said with a laugh as with another screech of brakes the train slowed abruptly to a stop and exchanged passengers. Unlike the Friendship Express there were no cheery announcements.

“Five more stops and we switch trains.” Airmail supplied when the train once more started moving.

Wildfire was about to reply to Airmail’s statement when she heard a young filly’s voice not more than a few feet in front of her and to her left caught her attention. “Mommy! What happened to her eyes?” She asked, her voice all squeaky, like she wasn’t long out of foalhood.

Wildfire stood there despondently and with a groan ready in her throat. From long experience in Canterlot she knew what was coming next. The filly’s mother or father would inevitably shriek, or gasp with horror and pull the child away in case Wildfire was contagious, or some insult or other would be thrown her way, or, more commonplace would be the shriek and the sudden relocation of the family away from the ‘monster with no eyes’. What Wildfire definitely did not expect was what she heard next, namely an older mare's voice with a Manehatten accent say; “I don't know dear, you will have to go and ask her.”

Wildfire heard the cutest little hoof-steps in front of her, then suddenly stop. “Excuse me,” the filly, a little white unicorn with a long curly tan coloured mane similar to Lavender’s coat, said as she pushed up her red-rimmed glasses.

Wildfire smiled, crouching down a little to where her ears told her the sweet little voice had come from. “Hi!” She said, somewhat rather surprised that she hadn’t received her usual reaction. “Can I help you?”

“What happened to your eyes?” The little filly asked boldly, completely unafraid of the mare now crouched in front of her.

“I had an accident, when I was in big school.” Wildfire replied, glossing over the gorier details.

“Oh…” the little unicorn thought for a moment, her white hoof tapping her chin. “Does it hurt?” She asked after a few moments deliberation.

“Sometimes it does, yes.” Wildfire kept her smile firmly in place as she answered. She liked this little filly, and she rather liked her mom too, for allowing her to come over rather than keep her away. ‘Manehatten’s awesomes!’ She concluded, smiling wider all the time.

“Do you want a hug?” The little filly asked, reasoning that when she was hurt her mommy gave her a nice tight hug and that always made the hurt go away, so there was no reason at all why a hug shouldn’t make this mare feel better either.

“Is…it ok with your mommy?” Wildfire asked hesitantly, before a not-so-delicate nudge to her ribs from Airmail at her side made her change her reply. “I mean, I'd love a hug, thank you.” She smiled, holding her hooves open for the offered cuddle.

Wildfire then felt two tiny little forelegs reach midway around her barrel and grip her tightly in the cutest most adorable hug she’d ever been given, before the hug was released and she heard the little hoof-steps diminish as she trotted off back to the mare with her. “Mama! She said she had an ask… an ack…” the little filly said to her mother, trying to pronounce the longer unfamiliar word.

“An accident?” Her mother asked, a hint of amusement in her Manehatten accent.

“Yeah, at big school!” The filly answered excitedly.

“Did you remember to say thank you?” Her mother asked her with a smile.

Again the light trotting sound of the tiny hooves returned to Wildfire’s ears, “Thank you for telling me, Miss.” The unicorn chirped.

“You're very welcome little one.” Wildfire smiled a very wide genuine smile, ‘If…when I have my little Fireflight, I want her to be like that, just like that…’ she thought to herself as the little filly trotted off back to her mother. “Airmail?” She said to the azure blue mare stood beside her, “I...I want one of those. I want lots of those.”

“That one was well behaved,” Airmail agreed, inching closer to stand to Wildfire’s right, as the handicapped box she was in allowed for one occupant and an attendant. “Wily, can I ask you another personal question?”

Wildfire nodded, “Of course you may, Pretty, you can ask me anything.”

“Why don't you wear wrap around dark glasses?” Airmail asked, genuinely curious as to why she didn’t wear these things. “You would attract less attention.”

Wildfire stood quietly for a brief moment, feeling the motion of the train carriage beneath her hooves. “I…I tried them, they hurt and it feels like hiding.” She replied with a little white lie. Truth was her Mistress wouldn’t permit her to cover herself up. Amethyst preferred the reactions that her slave garnered, it meant she was far more likely to be left alone in the streets of Canterlot while on her errands.

“Well, it is,” Airmail said kindly. “It’s hiding from the world something what you may not want them to see. Still, you must expect ponies to see the damage and some to react less politely than little fillies.”

Wildfire laughed bitterly, “Airy, I'm used to bad reactions. I remember one time in Canterlot a year or maybe it was two after the accident this colt came and hugged me, his mom pulled him away, afraid the monster would hurt him.”

“Well, that filly’s mom must be one of those that think real life should be learned when you're still little.” Airmail said with a gentle blue hoof resting lovingly on the little yellow mare’s right shoulder. “You will find others in this city as uncaring as those in Canterlot, they just tend to stay in the background and don't push their ideas here.” She started to stroke Wildfire’s black mane with her hoof, ‘By Luna she’s a pretty little thing…’ she thought, “Do you know why you got an easy spot to stand on this train?”

Wildfire ‘hmm’d’ as her mane was gently stroked, almost caressed. “I can guess…” She murmured quietly.

Airmail gave a little giggle as she stroked higher, to the base of Wildfire’s right ear. “I like guessing games.”

“Ponies here are scared of me? Or they’re avoiding me?” Wildfire guessed assuredly, justly confident as this was the usual reason that she was left alone.

“Buuuuuzz!!” Airmail sniggered, flicking the yellow ear and making a buzzing noise like that of a cheesy Saturday evening gameshow, “Guess again!”

“Then, I really don’t know.” Wildfire replied with a shrug of her shoulders and a flick of her ear.

“You're standing in a painted box marked ‘handicapped only’ which allows for one attendant.” Airmail smiled, rubbing the ear she just flicked, “Which is why I asked if you wanted Dusk to stand next to you.” She explained, “Every train carriage has this box, which is why you could easily travel here alone.”

“I…I see.” Wildfire said, smiling as her ear was rubbed. Travelling was something she wasn’t even permitted to use the taxis back in Canterlot, Amethyst had insisted she walk everywhere for her errands. “I'd much rather have you here, if you don't mind. Dusk is great, don't get me wrong, but he's a bit clueless. I don’t always need a carer, I want my best friend back.”

“You want us to work him over for you?” Airmail asked with a giggle, returning to stroking Wildfire’s mane, getting lower to her back. “Of course, there could be another reason...” she said as her azure blue hoof reached the mid-point between her wings.

Wildfire laughed out loud at that, “No, no it's ok, thank you.” She giggled, “I just want him to act like he did before this. To not walk on eggshells.” ‘Probably doesn’t help I yelled at him at the hospital,’ she thought sombrely. “He feels responsible I know he does.”

“I've seen others love someone so much they are blind to that pony's needs in their effort to protect them.” Airmail put her left foreleg around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. “I've seen it in cult leaders, parents, and in companions. A hoof to the head often helps.”

“Ha!” Wildfire snorted the laugh, “He could use one sometimes, like when he blames himself for what happened.”

Airmail glanced at the yellow mare. “From that story, he is the one that started it, but you are the one that got in the way. What you haven't said is did you mean to get in the way?”

Wildfire took a long slow deep breath as she prepared to share her story. “Well, story is at university Dusk never hid his sexuality, this stallion at school took exception to it. I hated him for bullying Dusk. Honestly I was looking for a reason to hurt him. He and Dusk had an argument or something or other. Dusk showed the bully this ornate scroll he got from Celestia, and he lost it, like totally lost it. He knocked Dusk to the floor of the science lab, and as I went to see if he was okay I turned and got the acids in my face. I guess it was my fault.”

Airmail tightened the hug she had around Wildfire’s shoulder. “Now, you know that isn't true.” She said with a kind nuzzle, “The fault is with the one tossing the liquid. It was just bad chance it got into your eyes. So…what happened to the stallion that did this to you?” She asked, hoping the answer would be something equally as horrific.

“Princess Twilight arrested Blitzwing in the science lab, she was the teacher for that class, the police ponies came for him while the paramedics came for me.” Wildfire said almost mechanically, with little feeling. “Twilight supported his family’s claim of insanity and he was committed to Canterlot Asylum.”

For a few moments after that the two mares stood in silence, the noisy rattle of the subway carriage and the vibrations it sent from the wheels on the tracks through the floor to Wildfire’s hooves as soothing to the little yellow pegasus as the foreleg around her neck and shoulders. “Um...Airmail, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Airmail smiled, retracting her foreleg and replacing it with her left wing. “Most I'll say is 'no comment'.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire said, taking a breath, “What's your cutie mark?”

Airmail snickered, “Not much to do with my job for sure. It is a brown parcel on a white cloud.” She giggled, touching her flank to Wildfire’s own. “It does look cute on my blue fur, though. I have a green mane and tail too, and brown eyes.”

Wildfire’s heart all but skipped a beat, placing the colours along with the picture she had of the older mare she had in her head. “See, I said you were pretty.” The yellow mare aimed a nuzzle at Airmail’s cheek. “See mine? Those flames? I was a reserve firefighter in Canterlot. When I graduated university it was going to be my job proper.”

Airmail nodded in appreciation. Any worker in the emergency services was worthy of respect. “A dangerous job. My parents were in the courier service. I got my mark when I did a delivery for my mom, was supposed to be an easy one. There was some shoot out going on but I delivered anyways. That day changed my life and I joined the military.”

“I loved the danger.” Wildfire said, casting her mind back to five years ago for the first time in a long time. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d thought about her old life. Thinking like that just wasn’t allowed. “My part was to fly above the fire and use the Cumulonimbus clouds to rain water from above. When there were no clouds or they ran out I'd have to fly to the Weather Factory double time for more.”

“My nickname in the service and at the Times newspaper is 'On Time'. I wasn't afraid of danger, but I preferred to put a stop to it as soon as possible.” Airmail said, returning the nuzzle to the young yellow mare. “So, the name my parents gave me and the cutie mark just reinforce me being on time.”

“I won’t pry,” Wildfire said quietly, “You must've seen some awful things. My worst day was when I got my cutie mark, ironically. I was eighteen, I was at a four storey fire in Canterlot. I flew through flames to get to this earth pony family of four that were trapped on the third floor. My partner and I managed to get the two colts and the parents, but he died after they were safe.” Wildfire’s tone dipped a little as she remembered Heatwave, her old partner, and the unnecessary way he had passed away.

Airmail tightened the hug again as she nodded grimly. “Losing somepony like that is something that just doesn't go away. If you need some nightmares I can tell you some stories.” Brightening up suddenly though she grinned, “I'd rather talk about us, like Tempest, for example.” The azure blue mare smiled warmly as she began to describe her marefriend. “She is a violet pegasus with an unruly black mane and tail. She has a hurricane symbol on her butt and she is a captain of the weather ponies in Manehatten and she also does search and rescue during storms. I think the only thing she doesn't care for is clear sunny days, she finished with a loud snicker in Wildfire’s right ear.

“I have my own nightmares, thank you.” Wildfire laughed softly as Airmail tickled the fur of her inner ear. “You two seem made for each other.”

“We first met a few years ago when I was doing training in severe weather conditions, and she was the one making sure it was severe enough for the military. Did her job a bit too well.” Airmail laughed as she continued, “Mapper and Serenity are married, we've thought about it, but just haven't taken that extra step.”

Wildfire nodded as she listened intently, “I did have a marefriend, Air Raid her name was, but she left me as you know. There’s been nopony since then.” She said quietly, her tone changing as she though back to her time with Air Raid, and how badly it had ended.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that, about her leaving you. Of course, Caffy will tell anyone that Lavender and I are outrageous flirts.” Airmail chuckled, her shoulders shaking with mirth, “It was our flirting with Caffy and Caffy not taking the bait that made Omega think he was gay. We never let Omega know so it was funny to let it play out.”

“Hehehe...” Wildfire laughed out loud, “I'm very definitely into mares. Definitely. It was...very nice when you preened me, and the kisses were lovely. It’s…certainly the most ‘intimate’ I’ve been in five years…” Wildfire trailed off to silence, not finishing her sentence, as she thought about her time in the care home. What she had said was perfectly true. Despite being forced by her Mistress to pleasure many ponies, some mares, some stallions, those encounters had hardly been intimate.

With a small amount of concern, Airmail noted her little companion’s change of mood and silence, and said, “The military is co-ed so I've been around lots of stallions. I'm not turned off by them, but I'm really not turned on by them either. It is a smell thing with me. I'll still preen a stallion's wings in a heartbeat though.” She smiled, “And, Tempest likes to play the stallion for me, and sometimes I'll swap with her now and again.”

After a few more minutes of silence, Airmail spoke up again just as Wildfire felt the subway train begin to slow down, with its now familiar and almost expected screech of tortured brakes. “It's our stop here so we need to change trains.” The azure blue mare whispered into her ear. “You can get off the train with no directions. I'll just follow.”

“Alrighty Pretty, I got this.” Wildfire replied with a confident smile. ‘Let’s see…I turn to the left first and head to the door, then five paces straight forward.’ She said to herself, mentally recounting her hoof-steps required to get off of the carriage. Stepping forward into the hallway the little yellow pegasus could smell the jasmine scent of Airmail to her right, the sandalwood of Tempest approach to her left no doubt with Caffienated and Dusk with her.

With a lurch the train came to a halt and with a gust of air the doors opened to the platform. Wildfire felt a gentle nudge to her right flank as Airmail let her know it was safe to leave the carriage, and with five confident hoof-steps she lead the little group onto the Battery Park Station platform.

“You girls talk about me?” Tempest asked with a grin as she sidled up beside them still to Wildfire’s left.

“I'm sure Airmail talked about all of us.” Came Caffeinated’s deep rumbling voice from his position behind her.

Airmail snickered, “Only the embarrassing things, right Wily?”

“Right Pretty, we gossiped about girls, stallions and Dusk.” Wildfire giggled as she heard the rumbling roar of train wheels and felt the rushing whoosh of air that heralded the arrival of another train.

“This is ours, and there is a wheelchair in the square,” Airmail said with another nudge of her wing to Wildfire’s flank. “It will be on your left when you enter the square from the hallway. There’s still room for me in there.”

From memory Wildfire took the five paces forward to board this second subway train and, feeling the surface change beneath her hooves she felt the raised edges of the handicapped box against the toes of her hooves. Turning to the right the little yellow mare was about to take a seat when a stallion’s voice behind her almost had her on the ceiling with surprise. “Careful there, don't sit on me, just move to your left a bit and you can back up to the wall.”

“It’s her first time in the Manehatten subway.” Airmail’s voice sounded again to Wildfire’s right side as she scooched along in the handicapped zone. “Still getting a feel for it.”

“No problem,” the stallion said genially, with a ready smile that Wildfire could practically hear. “I have ponies that see still run into me.” He said as the blind mare gave an indistinct mutter. “You're with the paper right?” He asked of Airmail, once he got a closer look at her. “I've seen you on the train before, Airmail is it?”

“Yes, that’s right.” The lead editor confirmed with a polite nod of her head.

“I'm Haymarket.” The terracotta coloured earth pony introduced himself, “I live near La Colt Park.”

“That’s not far from where I live,” Airmail answered with a nod as she watched Caffeinated, Tempest and Dusk move down toward the end of the carriage so as not to block the doors. “This is my friend Wildfire,” she said with a wave of her azure blue hoof to the yellow mare, “She is visiting from the capital.”

“That’s cool, I’m pleased to meet you.” Haymarket said, his good natured smile still in place. “My face is about three feet off the ground and a foot to your left.” The terracotta earth pony stallion kept his head as still as he could while Wildfire carefully felt her forehooves around his face and built up a picture of his features. “I don't have much chance to talk to many ponies sitting in this square. It’s nice to have company.”

“I’m pleased to meet you Haymarket.” Wildfire said as she lowered her hooves to the floor of the carriage.

“So, you’re from Canterlot?” He asked rhetorically, “I’ve been there, the mass transit is terrible, but then it isn't a real big city. Still, they could at least put in an above ground trolley.”

Wildfire nodded, a little bitterness in her tone, “They could do a lot of things.”

“And the hills!” Haymarket exclaimed loudly, “Plus the infernal cobblestone streets, I ask you, who still does that!?”

Airmail giggled behind a hoof, “It does makes it scenic and rustic-looking.”

“I'd be okay with that if they had a trolley to get my sorry tail up those hills.” Haymarket groused, though his green eyes had a pleasant cheer about them. “Are you enjoying your visit to Manehatten so far, Wildfire?” He asked kindly.

“Actually yes, yes I am, Haymarket.” Wildfire replied, using the sound of his voice to turn her head his way. “I’ve had a much better day here than five years back home.” Wildfire suddenly looked away, ‘Why did I say that? That was a terrible thing to say! Mistress Amethyst will punish me so much! I’m an awful slave…’

“This city cares about getting ponies from point A to point B.” Haymarket added with a grin.

“So, Haymarket,” Wildfire said, quickly recovering her composure hopefully before either of the two ponies near her noticed her slip. “How come you're sat in the special zone?”

“Haymarket,” Airmail said, “Do you know a zebra?”

“Well I've seen that one before that came on the same stop you did. I can't remember the name though.” He replied before turning to the little blind mare with his easy grin. “Well, Wildfire, I lost both front legs in an accident. There’s enough left to help me steer this chair. Makes my ass look tight though with all that work.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Airmail said with a smirk as she admired the view. “Wildfire run a hoof over his flank, if that is okay of course?”

“Never a problem having a cute filly touch my glutes.”

Wildfire carefully and slowly ran a hoof along the terracotta stallion’s back to where Airmail directed, taking in the tight contours of his flanks and hind quarters, she had to agree he was finely cut. Moving her left forehoof back towards his chest she noticed the stallion’s missing front legs. “Damn…that’s harsh, sorry.”

Haymarket shivered, finding the soft gentle touch of Wildfire’s yellow hoof very pleasurable indeed. “Life moves on. I ain’t going to wallow over the loss.” He said confidently, “A few changes, better seating on the train, curse the idiots that don't put a slope on the curb at street corners.” He laughed easily, thoroughly enjoying his little audience and his brief massage. “I can even get up steps thanks to my hind legs. An essential skill to learn.”

For some reason she couldn’t explain Wildfire found herself laughing with the stallion to her left. “I’m still waiting for my other senses to go super powered so I can join the Power Ponies.”

“Harsh is loss of sight.” Haymarket chuckled, “I can see the steps that are a challenge. About the Power Ponies, I don't know if wheelie power is needed.”

Again Wildfire laughed, “I’m sorry if I sound bitter, I hate wheelchairs.”

“With those fine legs I don't think you need one.” Haymarket paused giving Wildfire a long hard look, taking in every inch of her yellow-furred body.

‘You wouldn’t say that if you only knew how many times my legs have been broken,’ Wildfire thought to herself, instead she said; “You're sweet, thank you. It’s a shame not everypony notices them past these.” She said, waving a hoof over her scarred face.

Haymarket grinned, “I noticed your legs when you walked on, and then when you almost sat on me. Life is a challenge, but some of us are more challenged than others.”

“Well, small as I am, you would notice if I sat on you.” Wildfire sniggered.

“Hmm…shouldn't I be on my back for that?” He asked with a raised eyebrow that had Airmail busting out laughing, as well as Wildfire, who had to bite back a filthy retort. “Do…do you get out to La Colt park much, Airmail?” He asked, breathing through his snorts of laughter.

After a few moments of sniggering laughter Airmail was able to control her breathing enough to answer. “For Luna's night and an occasional picnic. We live near Clover Lake Park.”

Wildfire made a ‘hmmphing’ sound, “I get out when the care home treats us to day trips.”

“Care home,” Haymarket perked up his terracotta coloured ears, “Are you on supervised meds?”

“Yuppers, I need them for my scars,” Wildfire explained, “Plus I have no family in Canterlot that want me, so home is Helping Hooves Care Home.”

“Woah, I was on narcotic pain meds in the beginning, those were supervised so I wouldn't get addicted.” Haymarket said sympathetically, “Off that now though, just have phantom pain now and again. I'm surprised they don't have an apartment complex that caters to the blind.”

“There is one on North Point, right?” Airmail asked curiously.

Haymarket nodded his confirmation, “Yeah, they don't move stuff around so the residents don't have to worry on tripping over stuff.”

“Helping Hooves might as well be a prison by a different name.” Wildfire muttered under her breath. ‘What the hay is wrong with me?’ Wildfire wondered, mystified at herself, ‘If Mistress heard this she’d beat me till her magic ran out…’ she shuddered at the very thought.

“That is what it sounds like for you in Canterlot.” Airmail commented, her ears picking up what Wildfire had said, as she draped her wing comfortingly over her back.

Haymarket smiled, “Yeah, the place in North Point is all about independence. Just it is easier when those living there have a common issue and the management is sensitive to the needs.” He flexed his hind legs to prevent pins and needles, “They had to make adjustments for me with this chair at my place.” He sighed, standing still again to Wildfire’s left as the train continued on its way. “You'd think the capital would have an advocacy group for that. I'd raise such a stink if I was living there. Then, I did over the streets and no trolley.”

“Heh,” Wildfire snorted derisively, “Canterlot doesn't give a buck if you don't fit the norm, I’m lucky Dusk managed to get me out for a few days.”

Airmail tightened the grip of her wing around Wildfire’s barrel, “It seems like Canterlot wants nothing but square peg ponies. Round ones can just leave.” At that she gave the little yellow mare a gentle nuzzle. “Caffy says that Princess Twilight gets stuff done once you can get her to see the problem.”

Haymarket snickered, “Yeah, the press usually has good things to say about Princess Celestia's general.”

“Here in Manehatten though it is the mayor that cares. Canterlot's mayor must have his head shoved up his own ass.” Airmail snickered, causing Haymarket laugh out loud as she gave another tender nuzzle to Wildfire’s cheek, then she felt a pair of gentle lips that she had come to know very well softly brush hers. “Nuzzles are just the beginning.”

“They'd better be, Pretty.” Wildfire smiled as she returned the soft and tender kiss. “Now you know why I hate home so much. They shove you out the way where the high class can't see you, then its meals at six a.m., noon and four p.m. followed by lights out at eight p.m.” Wildfire muttered before being silenced by another little kiss.

“I say give them Tartarus or take away your tax bits!”

“Sometimes it isn't that simple Haymarket,” Airmail said, her muzzle still scant centimetres from her new friend, “But, I do agree I'd raise a stink if the mayor here did something stupid.”

Haymarket nodded as the subway train began to slow down. “Well, life does go on, but sometimes you have to be the one to make something of it. This is my stop. Don't be a stranger Airmail, us cripples like to talk too.” He said with a smile as the train doors opened. “Good day, gentle mares.”

“I'll try to remember that, Haymarket.” Airmail waved a good bye and watched as the terracotta earth pony made his way off of the train. “Two more stops to our station, Wily.”

Wildfire was silent for a few minutes as the subway train began to move again and pick up speed. Her thoughts were occupied suddenly by her dad. She had said moments earlier there was no family in Canterlot that gave a damn…and she was right, wasn’t she? If her dad had cared that much she never would’ve ended up with Amethyst. “Yeah, dad had no use for a sightless pegasus so I was kicked out.”

Airmail laid a comforting hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder. “My parents are gone, but Stormy's treat me well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Pretty.”

“Hey…” Airmail said kindly, “Stuff happens and you move on. Sounds like your dad could use a hoof to the head too.”

Wildfire shrugged her yellow shoulders, almost hard enough to dislodge the azure blue hoof as the train passed through the next station without stopping. “It doesn't matter anymore,” she said in a small tiny voice, five years of Amethyst’s indoctrination returning to the fore of her mind in full force. “I’m nothing, I don't matter anymore.”

“Is that right,” Airmail said flatly, giving Wildfire a non-plussed look. “Well if that is true, they you don't want nothing to do with me.”

Wildfire shrunk visibly back to the wall of the carriage. “I um…I never said…I didn’t mean...sorry…” she whimpered, feeling just she did when her Mistress was scrutinising her performance of a given errand.

Airmail smiled a thin dangerous smile as she reached for the blind mare’s chin and lifted it up to place a kiss on her lips. “Must be my hearing playing tricks again.” She said, her voice recovering its previous warmth. “Before I can matter to you, you need to matter to yourself. Just saying…” she kissed the little pegasus’s lips again as this time the train began to slow down. “That you're still beautiful even when you're all sulky.”

Wildfire blushed a red so bright it matched the flames of her cutie mark. “Um…thank you, Pretty.”

“And…here's our stop.” Airmail announced once the train had stopped and the doors were open. “You lead I'll make sure your ass follows and watch so your tail doesn’t fall off.”

Wildfire couldn’t help but laugh out loud as she turned to the left for two paces and then took the five straight ahead. “I'll try and give you a good show.” She said, making sure to lift her black tail to the left as she exited the carriage.

“You're always a good view.” Airmail giggled, taking care to gaze long and hard at Wildfire’s exposed marehood. “Later I'll touch you where I'm looking so I can be a mirror for you.”

Wildfire giggled, keeping her tail firmly aside. “Promises, Pretty.” She said with a smile as she walked further onto the platform from the train, with Caffeinated, Tempest and Dusk following from the train in short order.

“Tempest you have lead,” Airmail said as the violet mare went to take up her position on Wildfire’s left. “It’s my turn to watch the six o'clock.”

“On it!” Tempest called out eagerly, both glad to be free of the confines of the subway train and at the same time happy that her marefriend was having a turn enjoying the excellent view behind Wildfire, as she took up the lead position with a flick of her tail to the yellow mare’s muzzle.

“Welcome to the Mare's club.” Caffeinated rumbled in his low deep tone of voice as he patted Dusk’s back with an orange foreleg. “Let's go Dusk, I think you'll like my place.” Nodding the two stallions fell into step alongside the three mares in their little chain of three as they left the Stallion Island Metro station.

They, the group of five, had been walking along in a comfortable easy silence, thoroughly enjoying the now mid-afternoon sun and each other’s company when Caffeinated gave voice to a niggling concern that had been bothering him since they had all left his coffee shop. “Wildfire, not to put a damper on things, but you sure you want to deal with Mistress Mapper?” He asked bluntly and as ever to the point.

Airmail shot the orange zebra a look from her position behind the yellow mare, “Me and Tempest will be there, it will go fine.”

“Mapper knows how to break a pony and put the pieces back together.” Tempest commented from the head of the chain, her flicking tail sending her scent back to Wildfire following behind her.

“I’m already broken Tempest.” Wildfire muttered, almost under her breath, as she flicked her tail from side to side for Airmail’s pleasure like she had done for the violet pegasus when she had followed her. “There’s no need to foalsit me!”

“Dusk, let her go.” Caffeinated interjected with a hoof to the Prince’s mouth just as the midnight blue pegasus opened his to argue with his best friend. “I trust Mapper or she wouldn’t be here.”

“Stripes,” Dusk whispered, skilfully removing the hoof covering his lips, “As you may have noticed, she has issues, and I don't know how to help…”

“Dusk, she isn't the first pony I've dealt with that has depression.” Caffeinated replied, comfortingly nuzzling Dusk’s cheek. “Wildfire, I just wanted to be sure you're in for this. Once it starts, only Mapper or your safe word will decide when it ends.”

Wildfire gritted her teeth determinedly, “I’m counting on it Caffy...” she said, making sure to keep her tail up high.

“See?” Dusk asked the zebra pleadingly, “It's like she wants to get hurt! I can't get to her when she's like this.”

Caffeinated nodded understandingly. “Pain is another sensation. Endorphins are another release. You'll be there so you can see how it is done, just never forget the love in this or it is game over.”

“I know Stripes,” Dusk said quietly, lowering his head and slicking his ears back. “I just worry about her, y’know? Where her mind's at…”

Caffeinated smiled at the younger stallion. “Tonight, you'll have a good idea where it is, and so will she.” The orange zebra took a deep breath before continuing, “Love comes with hurt, and it is all about trust. Not an easy thing that.” He asserted with a smile as the Metro Station disappeared behind them and they started to trot together through an upper middle class neighbourhood made up of single detached two storey houses and bungalows.

“Ugh…you get any more protective D, you’d think you watched me sleep…” Wildfire grumbled from between Tempest and Airmail.

“I'd watch you sleep.” Airmail said, her brown eyes zoned in on Wildfire’s hindquarters.

Up front Tempest giggled, “If I'm sleeping next to her you can only watch her half the time.”

In spite of her darkened mood Wildfire smiled, quite unused to the flattery and attention she was getting. “Would you now? And what bit would you be watching?” She asked with a snigger. “So, now I have two mares wanting to share my bed?”

“Wrong, Wily!” Tempest called out, “We want you to share our bed!”

“I would focus on your wings.” Airmail added with a giggle, licking her lips as she watched Wildfire’s hips sway seductively in front of her.

“I'm the one focused on your tail.” Tempest clarified as she led the chain along the sidewalk of the upmarket streets.

Airmail kept up her little giggle fit, “I put the 'ass' mare in front so you could watch hers for a change, Wily. I love how your wings fold so nicely to your body and how my talking about how sexy they are might make you lose control at any moment.” The azure blue pegasus gasped out a low barely held moan of desire as she gazed longingly at the moistening labia of Wildfire’s exposed marehood, impressed how the yellow mare brazenly held nothing back. “The smooth curve of the muscle, the delicate flow of the feathers. How much I want them to tickle me between my hind legs…”

Overhearing Airmail’s very detailed description of what she wanted to do to Wildfire, Caffeinated watched with an amused smile to see if Dusk could keep control of his wings. He was rather satisfied to see the Prince sporting a rather impressive wingboner.

“I'm thinking about my wings stroking between your hind legs too, Pretty.” Indeed, Wildfire’s desire to pleasure the mare behind her was rather obvious, given the position of her wings, which were currently almost at right angles to her body. Tempest’s violet wings were also erect, but Airmail, showing perfect control still hers down.

Despite her outward show of control Airmail was very, very aroused indeed. “Now I want to fly over you and let those feathers stroke my undercarriage in the softest way possible.” She panted from her position at Wildfire’s tail.

“What's stopping you, Pretty?” Wildfire said with a playful wiggle of her hips as she blew a breath of air at Tempest's tail.

“Absolutely nothing, dearest.” Flapping her wings Airmail took off to hover the few feet from the ground at the level of Wildfire’s extended wingtip. Savouring the moment of anticipation she flew through one wing from behind and then performed a picture perfect mid-air U-turn to take the other wing between her legs, then she landed, again behind the yellow mare. “Hmm…I might have gotten them a bit wet, so I'll preen them later.”

“Don't forget about me!” Tempest called from the front of the chain, and, not needing to be reminded twice Airmail obligingly took off and flew over Wildfire to repeat her performance on Tempest’s stiffened wingtips.

“Right Wily,” Airmail said as she landed once more behind her, “Your turn to do a flyover!”

“Oh….um…” Wildfire muttered, suddenly very unsure of herself – she couldn’t really remember a time in the past year at least when she had flown – with all the times they had been broken by Lotus Stripes and Amber Leaves she doubted they could provide any lift or support her weight at all… “My attempts at flight usually end with crashing and pain…”

Airmail however wasn’t about to take a ‘no’ for an answer. “Don't give me that crap. Get your ass in the air,” she commanded. Tempest, be her wing mare and she can do your wings after practising on mine.”

Tempest sniggered, “You just want to feel her up with your wings.”

“And?” Airmail replied with a raised eyebrow.

“But...but…oh ok, I'll have a go…” despite not wanting to, and being unsure of her ability, Wildfire was more afraid of disappointing her new friends if she refused. And, like Mistress Amethyst always told her, the only way to get ponies to like her was to do whatever they demanded of her, whenever they demanded it. Refusing them was bad, very bad, and Wildfire was a good pony, a good slave. Spreading her abused wings she gave a nervous flap, managing to get a foot off the floor before landing back down. “I'm scared...hang on I'll try again…” weakly she flapped her wings once more.

Turning to face the hesitant mare Tempest took off and hovered perfectly ten feet from the ground. “Okay Wily, you need more altitude. I want you at ten feet, how are you at hovering?”

Wildfire was trying not to panic. In the Fire Department she had been a precision flyer, but that was five years and a whole other lifetime away from where she was right now. “I-I'm ok...I think…I don't know!” Uncertainly she flapped her wings and hovered, fighting every single urge to land. “How high am I?”

“You’re three feet off the deck.” Tempest said clearly from several feet above her. “Fly to my voice that will gain you some height.”

“Oh…heavens!” Wildfire gasped as she flapped a little harder to fly slowly up towards the sound of Tempest’s voice. This was easily the weirdest thing she had ever done…every beat of her wings was a battle not to give way to disorientation and plummet ground-wards.

Tempest watched her rise up with a satisfied smile. “Good, that’s good, okay hover again.” Having no idea of her flying ability she was pleased at least she could follow directions. “One sec, let me piss on my tail.” Relaxing her bladder, which was now uncomfortably full from the coffee shop she released her stream and urinated on her black tail. “Ahh, there we go, can you smell that?”

Breathing in deeply through her nose Wildfire nodded happily, the heady aroma was distinct and very clear, overpowering the faint scent of sandalwood. “Oh yes! You smell gorgeous!”

“Okay, now follow your nose.” Tempest directed, turning her back to the blind mare. “I'm going to take you through some paces and then will see if Airmail's feathers tickle.” With her back to Wildfire, Tempest started to fly at a moderately slow speed, only twenty miles per hour, not even enough to trouble a below average flier, with added altitude changes ranging from plus to minus five feet and a few unexpected banks.

“Um…okay Tempest.” Wildfire wasn’t sure about this at all. ‘C’mon Wily…you can do this…flown through a burning building, remember? You got this…’ Wildfire concentrated hard, harder than she had done on anything for a very long time, doing her very best to follow the lovely smell in front of her. ‘I’m doing it! I’m doing it!’ She cheered herself. “How am I doing, Tempest?”

Looking back over her shoulder this time Tempest was actually impressed. “You’re doing good Wily, following nicely. Okay, time to slow it down for the fly over. Airmail! Incoming.”

“Okay, let's do it.” Spatially she had zero idea where she was, she – literally blindly – followed the scent of Tempest’s pee-soaked tail as it moved in front of her, getting lower and lower until… “Yoooow! Sweet Celestia!” The touch of Airmail’s feathers on her underside were wholly unexpected, wonderfully stiff and sliced right through her marehood like nothing she’d ever felt before.

“Woohoo!” Airmail cheered from somewhere below and behind her, “Wily, you did it!”

“Okay,” came Tempest’s voice from her left side, “Now for a U-turn and her other wing, can't leave that out now, can we?”

“I’m so doing the other one,” Wildfire giggled, eager to feel that feeling again, “Am I lined up?”

“Airmail coming in on your six.” Tempest instructed clearly from her hovering position on the yellow mare’s left. “Go straight ahead, you’re doing great Wily.

Taking a slightly more confident breath this time Wildfire flew forward, hoping somehow she’d be prepared for the feel of the feathers. Again however she was caught unprepared as the azure blue feathers ran under her body, slicing through her now sopping marehood a fair bit stiffer than the first pass as she was flying against the grain.

“Airmail to Wily,” She giggled from the ground, “Come in Wily, I have soggy!”

“Okay, Wily, follow my bank.” Tempest’s voice sounded once more, this time to the front and the left of Wildfire’s position. “Get ready to hover,” she said a few seconds later when they were coming back in to land next to Airmail and her soggy wingtips. “And…hover now.”

“Okay,” Wildfire smiled hesitantly, subtley altering the angle of her wings to hover in place where she was, “I'm hovering Tempest, is here okay?”

“And…very well done,” Tempest congratulated her, clapping her forehooves together, “You're a foot off the deck so you can drop.”

Doing as she was told Wildfire folded her wings and dropped the remaining twelve inches, landing a little ungainly on wobbly hooves. Immediately upon her touchdown she was mobbed by Airmail and Tempest, both mares full of praise for what she’d just accomplished. “I'll let you wash my tail later when we get to Caffy’s place,” Tempest whispered in her yellow ear, while Airmail’s hug was threatening to break ribs.

“See, I told you it was easy. Then Tempest knows how to do that far better than me.” She smiled, finally loosening her embrace when Wildfire started turning blue. “Anyways, you get the prize, Wily.” She giggled, placing her now damp aromatic feathers under her yellow nose for her to clean, which she duly and obligingly stuck out her tongue to lick.

“Okay, mares.” Caffeinated rumbled, standing next to Dusk, having thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu aerial display by the three pegasi, “You can save the happy dance for when we get to my place, before a search party is sent out.”

Chapter 2 - A Haunting Truth

Doing as she was told Wildfire folded her wings and dropped the remaining twelve inches, landing a little ungainly on her wobbly hooves. Immediately upon touchdown she was mobbed by Airmail and Tempest, both mares full of praise for what she’d just accomplished. “I'll let you wash my tail later when we get to Caffy’s place,” Tempest whispered in her yellow ear, while Airmail’s hug was threatening to break ribs.

“See, I told you it was easy. Then Tempest knows how to do that far better than me.” She smiled, finally loosening her embrace when Wildfire started turning blue. “Anyways, you get the prize, Wily.” She giggled, placing her now aromatic feathers under her yellow nose for her to clean, which she duly and obligingly stuck out her tongue to lick.

“Okay, mares.” Caffeinated rumbled next to Dusk, “You can save the happy dance for when we get to my place, before a search party is sent out.”

“I got point since I'm easy to follow now.” Tempest said with a giggle, taking up her position once more at the head of the mare chain.

Wildfire breathed in the heady scent of Tempest’s urine soaked tail as it passed by her, “I'd follow that scent anywhere,” she said with a smile.

Airmail’s ears flicked, picking up the change in the yellow pegasus’s tone, as well as the pretty little goofy smile she wore on her muzzle. “Is this a fetish you didn't share earlier?” She asked gently, with a smile of her own.

“Kinda...I like pee…” Wildfire blushed a very bright red from her position between Tempest and Airmail, the heat of her cheeks radiating from her face. “I um, I would've shared, but it never came up…I um, I was worried you'd think it was disgusting…” Wildfire trailed off to silence, ‘I don’t like it, I love it,’ she thought to herself with a smile, ‘My Mistress loves her little toilet too…’

“I'm not going to judge you on your kinks,” Airmail said kindly, “Even if I don't share them.”

“I'm not against the idea,” Tempest said with a grin as she lead the chain down to the end of a very nice well-kept avenue lined with tall trees and around a corner, “Since you now know Airmail doesn't play that game.”

“As long as it is outside or in the tub I don't care.” Caffeinated said with an amused tone in his deep rumbling voice, walking down the sidewalk next to Dusk and now behind the three mares.

Still blushing deeply, like a filly that had just been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar, Wildfire asked hesitantly of the mare ahead of her, “So…I can clean your tail, Tempest?” She asked nervously. ‘Please say yes, please say yes!’ She hoped excitedly.

“Let’s go into the backyard first and you can mouth clean it for me.” Tempest grinned from her lead position as they walked down the avenue of trees, happy to finally have a mare that shared her kink.

Caffeinated smiled when Wildfire gave a very cute ‘yay!’ these two were going to be a lot of fun indeed, though ‘something’ still concerned him about the little yellow mare. “We are here.” He rumbled presently after a few more minutes walking, as his house came into view at the end of the line of trees. Ostensibly, from the outside, it was a alabaster white two storey H shaped ranch, though there was an extensive basement level, making for three floors in total. The small group approached from the back, the two legs of the ‘H’ ending in towers with an arched balcony between them facing them beyond a spacious outdoor pool and patio area. “There are; four bedrooms, four full baths, two half baths. I'm the main party pony for the group,” Caffeinated chuckled, “Although most of today’s entertainment will take place in the dining room and the lower level underground.”

Dusk whistled appreciatively as they trotted along a pathway of paving stones that wove around a large vegetable garden lined with apple, pear and orange trees on two sides, with the large white house on the other. “Wow! Nice place...” the midnight blue pegasus smiled, his first thought being, ‘Imagine the parties Pinkie could throw here!’

Wildfire, trotting along behind the violet mare in front, felt and noted the change in surface from the sidewalk to the paved path, the surface feeling different through the soles of her hooves. Breathing in she smelt the scents and aromas of the fruit trees and the vegetable garden they were walking past, as well as the delicious smell of Tempest’s soaked tail she was busy following. “I smell flowers! Are there daffodils?”

“Yeah,” Airmail’s Manehatten / Northern accented voice came from behind the little yellow mare. “Thespian loves to grow flowers and herbs, and she has a grazing garden in the back by the pool.” The azure blue mare explained as she watched Tempest lead the chain around the path to the patio area between the outdoor swimming pool on the right and the ranch on the left. “Say hi for us Caffy won’t you, I'm with Tempest and Wily.”

“Sure, come in Dusk and let's see who is already here.” Caffeinated said, leading the younger stallion through the centre arch of three that supported the balcony above that looked out onto the pool and patio.

“So Pretty,” Wildfire said with raised eyebrows when Tempest stopped on the open patio area, “You gonna watch?”

Shaking her head Airmail giggled, “Wily I have wings to preen, so you can chew tail and I'll chew feathers.”

“The wife's income is a whole lot more than mine, and she does enjoy her gardens, and I enjoy entertaining.” Caffeinated smiled to Dusk upon entering the ranch. “Plus us earth ponies like the dirt and water and mud.” He snickered to the royal stallion before stepping into and using the hoof bath in the foyer.

Dusk watched the larger orange stallion use the hoof bath, “Should I as well, Stripes?” He asked courteously.

Caffeinated nodded, “Please, if you would. It helps keep the place clean. We don't have any staff.” He gave another little snicker. “I do most of the cleaning since I have the time.”

“Not a problem mate.” Dusk said as he used the hoof bath as he had watched the zebra do but a moment before and trotted into the main floor of the ranch. A blue grey earth pony mare, who looked to Dusk to be some twenty or so years older than himself and whom he safely assumed was Thespian then entered and gave Caffeinated a very wet sloppy kiss. Behind her was stood Baron whom he recognised instantly and a late middle aged white mare who he did not.

Outside in the warm mid-afternoon sunshine Wildfire eagerly spread her yellow wings wide open to allow Airmail ease of access to all her feathers. Having had one of the best preens of her life a short time previously she wanted it again. “Tempest, can you guide me into your tail sweetie?”

The blue grey mare approached the pegasus with a gracious smile and a small polite nod of her head. “Hello, you must be Dusk, I'm Thespian, this zebra's enabler. I believe you've already met my father, Baron, and this is my mother, Snowfall.” She indicated the older white earth pony mare though she looked to her husband quizzically.

Immediately Caffeinated got the meaning in his wife’s bright green eyes. “Vocal got a gig from Princess Luna so has bowed out. Dusk's other friend is out back on the patio with Airmail and Tempest.”

“Oh,” Snowfall said with a smile, her grey eyes twinkling with a youthful vigour behind her long white mane, “Will they be putting on a show?”

“You know Airmail,” Caffeinated chuckled, his green eyes as alive as his mother in laws, “So I'd say that is a yes.”

“Hello Thespian,” Dusk stepped forward to formally greet the blue grey mare with a bow, “I’ve heard much about you from Stripes here.” Turning to the two older earth ponies he bowed once more, “Hello again, Baron, and to you, Snowfall.”

Thespian tried and thoroughly failed to supress a giggle behind her hoof, “What's with all the bowing?” She giggled sweetly, “I say, if you're going to that much trouble you should be kissing my hoof too.” She smiled as Dusk stood back up with a blush just barely detectable against his midnight blue fur. “Please come inside and mingle; Requiem, Longshore, Recital, Trumpet, Tinkerer and Belle are already here.”

Outside on the patio Tempest cast a glance up to the wide balcony overlooking the pool area and saw six ponies she knew very well looking down at them. “Looks like the audience is here. Okay Wily, you can get started.” The violet mare smiled as she lifted up her black pee-stained tail.

Wildfire, behind Tempest, didn’t care who was watching. Privacy was a luxury that had long been denied to her at the care home. Without further hesitation the little yellow pegasus lowered her head to the base of tempests tail, just under the dock where it meet her body, and very slowly licked her tongue up her left flank. “You know Tempest, if you have any pee left, you can always go on me...”

“Hmm…I will,” Tempest moaned with the feel of Wildfire’s tongue now on her inner thigh, inching ever higher, “But, now it won't be a surprise.” She said with a petulant grin.

It was all Wildfire could do to not lower her head with the pleasure coursing through her abused wing as Airmail started her sensuous preening, starting with the primaries of her left wing. “Hmmm…that's the stuff, Pretty, just there...” with a supreme act of will she forced herself to stay in contact with Tempest’s hindquarters, licking her tongue up her crotch from her pubic mound, straight up between her labia and up to her tail-hole before sucking and nibbling on the dock of her black tail.

“Oh…oooh sweet Luna’s mane…” Tempest gasped, waves of bliss from Wildfire’s tongue radiating through her core. This mare was good! Oh Luna was she good! Feeling her bladder still painfully full the violet mare relaxed her muscles and released a small amount of golden liquid straight onto Wildfire’s nose and face.

Feeling the first few drops of the tangy liquid hit her nose, Wildfire smiled; she knew what to do. ‘There we are…’ she thought as she opened her mouth and started to greedily drink the warm stream that hit the back of her mouth. With each swallow she took she could hear a clapping of hooves up above her to her left somewhere.

Inside the ranch in the foyer Dusk could hear the clapping of hooves above where they were standing. Caffeinated’s mother in law rolled her grey eyes upwards with a smile. “It seems they have started,” Snowfall said with a little giggle, Dusk walking with her and the other three up a wide flight of stairs to the upper floor and the balcony.

“Ahh…I see Wily’s thirsty.” Dusk smiled a wide smile watching his best friend with her muzzle pointed directly at Tempest’s marehood drinking her steaming stream of golden urine.

Beside the young Prince and her husband Baron, Snowfall smiled, “Oh, I see what you mean Dusk. Watersports it is.”

Back outside on the sun-warmed patio, the rays making a kind of natural spotlight on the scene below – not that the three ponies needed any highlighting, they were definitely the centre of attention for the watching ponies – Tempest squeezed her abdominal muscles, forcing her stream of pee to stop. “Only little bits for you and only when I feel like it.”

“Hmph…” Wildfire grunted in frustration, licking her lips before going back to licking Tempest’s taint, paying particular attention to her tail-hole with her tongue while she reached a hoof between her hind legs to toy with her marehood, as her tongue was busy probing the puckered sphincter of her anus.

“Oh no you don’t…” Tempest chided as she felt the hoof at her wet labia. “Tongue only please, Wily. I just want my tail and anything else I might piss on cleaned.”

Obligingly Wildfire moved her tongue from one hole to the other, giving little teasing flicking licks over the violet mare’s dripping lips with the tip of her tongue. “Better?”

“Yeeeees…” Tempest let out a low moan in appreciation of Wildfire’s efforts. ‘Luna…this mare knows what she’s doing!’ She thought, letting out another short stream of hot golden pee as a reward. “Yeees that’s better.”

Up on the balcony overlooking the scene, Thespian managed to tear her green eyes away long enough to whisper to her zebra, “Sunshine called before you arrived, love, and he is running late, so Omega is too.” Glancing back down the middle aged blue grey earth pony watched Airmail and Tempest who she knew well, with a mare she didn’t, having their fun on her patio. “Introductions can wait till after the performance, but I would like to know who the pegasus in the middle is?” She asked with a smile.

“Thespian…that’s my best friend, Wildfire.” Dusk supplied without looking at the mare as he watched his best friend in question open her mouth and drink this second stream that squirted straight down her waiting throat, before finding and sucking on Tempest’s clitoris.

Baron raised an appreciative eyebrow. “Is she tied to your family?” He asked the young stallion.

“No, she isn’t family, Baron.” Dusk replied solemnly, although Wildfire wasn’t far removed from being family, just not in the ‘blood’ sense of the term. “We’ve known each other since we were five, and I owe her a great deal.”

“Airmail has taken a shine to her.” Said a red and blue painted earth pony mare with a black megaphone for a cutie mark stood next to a similar sized black earth pony stallion with a white mane. “And, it seems Tempest has a new playmate too.”

Caffeinated chose that moment, with all the eyes firmly on the performance below, to drop his bomb. “Wildfire wants to meet up with Mapper.” He rumbled, happy that his comment had gotten everypony’s attention.

Down the line next to the painted pony a light blue unicorn mare with a darker blue mane spoke up, “Stormy is being such a tease!”

Dusk chuckled, “Looks like Wily's enjoying herself.” He said with a smile.

A dark green pegasus stallion muttered, “Belle, can I have Airmail do my wings next?”

An olive drab unicorn, with a pair of blue socks for a cutie mark, who Dusk assumed was ‘Belle’, replied with a smile. “Only if you'll do my horn at the same time.”

Lavender and Topper walked out onto the balcony after letting themselves into the house. “Hello, we're...whoa…” Lavender’s greeting died on her lips as the tan earth pony mare’s blue eyes surveyed the hot scene below.

“Dinner and a show.” Came Topper’s rather understated reply, nonetheless he too was struck by the view.

Down on the patio Tempest took a step forward, squeezing her hind legs closed and letting out a third stream of hot gold that ran down both before opening her legs. Wily I think you missed a spot.”

Smelling the unmistakable scent of the urine trickling down the violet pegasus’s hind legs Wildfire lowered her head to the floor, to the bulbs of Tempest’s hooves and began to drag her tongue up her legs against the violet fur, tasting the delicious tangy liquid as Airmail finished her preening of her left wing. “How…how am I doing?” She asked, planting a long lingering kiss on Tempest’s marehood, taking care to flick her tongue between her labia just under her clitoris as she passed onto her other hindleg and Airmail began to nibble her way down her flank.

“You’re…aaaah…you’re d-doing…hmmm…just fine, dearest.” Tempest moaned through the pleasure firing through her body. “You…MMmmm…drink pee like a pro!”

Beaming with praise she only usually got from her Mistress, Wildfire returned her attention to Tempest’s slit, alternating between long slow licks that probed the entrance of her sopping wet tunnel and sucking delicately on her engorged clit, shuddering with her own pleasurable jolts as behind her Airmail found and lingered under her tail. “AaaAAAH! A-Aiiiry!” Wildfire screamed, “Sweeeet LUUUUNA!” As she reached her second orgasm of the day under the azure blue mare’s ministrations before she moved up her right flank.

Up on the balcony Dusk looked around himself and saw the red and blue painted earth pony mare had a hoof under the black earth pony stallion, firmly between his hind legs and moving with a slow but definite stroking motion. The light blue unicorn mare had her horn lit with a green glow that matched her eyes, and there was a tell-tale green glow around the sheath of the red unicorn stallion who was stood next to her, his low panting evidence to all of what she was doing. Caffeinated meanwhile was nibbling sensuously on Thespian's right ear while Baron was leaning against Snowfall, whose grey eyes were glued to the show.

“D-Damn Wily…” Dusk murmured, his own pink eyes not straying as he watched his best friend sucking on Tempest’s clitoris, her little yellow body shaking silently with an unmistakable second climax that afternoon, no doubt from Airmail’s mouth on the feathers of her right wing. The stallion felt his wings get so erect and stiff they started to hurt, from the corner of his eye he noted the dark green stallion and Tempest also had very erect wings, while Airmail's were still resolutely at her side.

At that point two earth pony stallions walked out onto the balcony, one purple with a blue spiked mane and the other pink with a grey mane. "Looks like the mares club is putting on a show." The pink stallion said to his partner as they reached the balcony rail just as Dusk started to subconsciously rub himself. He hadn’t been aware he was this hard, and normally he wouldn’t have dreamed of doing this in public, but the evidence around him said this was a ‘norm’ amongst these friends…and damn he was horny now…he vaguely heard the purple stallion as he replied, "Looks like a new club member too." Running a forehoof along his erect shaft Dusk whispered, “I like stallions…I like stallions…”

The pink earth pony stallion stood by him, his hoof now on Dusk’s back. “You do?”

“Yeah…yeah I do…” Dusk nodded, still rubbing away at himself, “But that's hot!”

“They usually aren't that messy.” The purple stallion said with a critical eye over the show on the patio below them.

“Who cares? We get a new club member too.” The pink stallion replied with a smile. “Where’s Omega and Sunshine?”

“Hmm…r-running late, dears.” Thespian answered with a low moan as Caffeinated’s tongue found her inner ear in ‘that’ spot.

Down on the patio Wildfire was in a micro universe of blissful pleasure she hadn’t experienced in five years. A combination of Airmail’s very skilful tongue and teeth playing with the deepest recesses of her wings had lit up the nerve endings of her feathers literally like nothing she had ever, ever felt before in her life, along with Tempest’s seemingly never-ending streams of urine at the front…well if there was a heaven, she was in it right now. “Piss on me Tempest!” The little yellow pegasus called out as once more, teasingly, Tempest forced her pee flow to stop.

“Well…that didn't sound very sincere…” Tempest snickered tauntingly, flicking her tail over Wildfire’s yellow muzzle.

Desperate for more, and like a hog searching for truffles, Wildfire buried her snout into Tempest’s marehood, her lips around the dripping urethra. “I’m your filthy little toilet, please use me!” She begged.

Biting her lip and forcing her voice to be as calm as she could, Tempest said commandingly, “Say it so they can hear you up there on the balcony.”

Of course, having no actual idea of exactly where ‘up there’ was or how close or far away it was, Wildfire opted to just shout as loudly as she could, given her muzzle was buried in Tempest’s marehood. “I'm your filthy little toilet whore! Fill me up!” She screamed aloud, the desperation in her voice carrying clearly to those watching.

“I'll piss on you honey buns!” Came a shout from a stallion somewhere above her and to her left.

Grinning Tempest decided the yellow pegasus had begged enough, and with a grunt and a sigh she fully relaxed her abdominal muscles contracting around her bladder. Where before she had let little trickles, this was a hydrant by comparison, the force and intensity of the golden piss splattering and bouncing off of Wildfire’s open mouth and muzzle, going up her nose and down her neck to puddle around her forehooves. “Aaaah…yeah…drink that!” So into it was she that the violet mare didn’t realise until it was too late that there was a familiar pressure in her bowels, and a grunted ‘Uuugh…’ later she voided them, releasing several semi-firm lumps of smelly brown faeces onto Wildfire’s scarred face that left little trails as they dropped to the paved patio floor to join the growing puddle of steaming urine. Even Airmail paused at that, before she went back to her preening.

“Okay, that is going all out!” Snowfall called out, clapping her hooves in appreciation of the three mares, especially the newcomer.

“Give it to her Tempest!” Wildfire heard a stallion call out as she swallowed as much of the delicious pee as she could, letting some wash over her yellow fur. She smelt the warm excrement below her, not minding in the slightest she had been defecated upon. ‘I did say I was her filthy little toilet…’ she thought with a smile, just happy that she had been used. At last something had happened that she was accustomed to.

“Dears, do put that in the compost when you're done playing.” Thespian called down from the balcony.

The purple earth pony stallion bent close to his partner’s ear, “Trails, follow me I need your lips right now.” He whispered in a commanding tone just as Wildfire buried her snout as far as she could manage in between Tempest’s violet ass cheeks and licked away for all she was worth.

The pink earth pony stallion tapped Dusk on his shoulder. “I'm Trails and that hunk there is Sonic.”

“Hi…hey,” Dusk coughed to clear his throat, trying with all his willpower to tear his pink eyes from the scene on the patio. “I'm Dusk, Dusk Melody.”

Sonic grinned, “Oh, the guest of the hour.” He said with that same wide smile, “Want to join us in a bit of three way relief?”

Dusk looked one last time at the patio. “Sure...Wily looks like she's having her fun.” The midnight blue pegasus returned Sonic’s grin. “No reason I can’t have mine.”

Trails pointed with a forehoof to the two sets of stairs directly behind the balcony. “Play rooms are downstairs in the basement unless you want to do a stage show outside with the mares.”

Dusk grinned, his wings not coming down in the slightest as he turned to follow the two earth pony stallions. “Basement sounds good.”

Outside on the patio Tempest shook her ass with a little giggle, making sure Wildfire got all the remaining drips. “I want to be spotless so I can go inside, Wily.”

“Certainly,” Wildfire said as Airmail finally finished preening her right wing. Without a moment’s hesitation the little yellow mare licked up the entire length of Tempest’s nethers, making sure she got her tongue everywhere, the folds of her labia, the fur around her thighs, her perineum and especially the tight ring of muscle that was her anus. “Stop me when I'm done.”

“Her grumbling tummy will stop you.” Airmail snickered, moving forward around Wildfire as she worked to clean her marefriend’s hindquarters and gave Tempest a lip lock.

“Okay Wily,” Tempest said, breaking the lingering kiss with Airmail after a few moments, “Let’s see if you pass Airmail’s inspection.” She moved forward a few hoof-steps and Airmail scooted around the violet mare’s tail end to inspect Wildfire’s tongue-work, while the yellow pegasus excitedly held her breath.

“Wily, front and centre!” Tempest commanded.

“Yes Ma'am!” Immediately Wildfire got up from her seated position on the patio and used her wing to trot forward and turn to face the older pegasus, standing straight at attention. This commanding tone she was used to, this sounded a little like her home.

Tempest started kissing Wildfire all over her face, making sure to get everywhere where her urine had impacted the mare’s yellow fur, adding little licks and nipping here and there as Airmail dipped her azure blue muzzle under her marefriend’s tail for a close up inspection and flicked out her tongue for a quick taste, very impressed to discover there wasn’t any residue left on the violet fur of her inner thighs and her marehood at all.

Wildfire moaned with aroused delight as Tempest gently bit around her face and her neck. “Hmmm...harder, Tempest, bite me harder, please…” she pleaded, the pain was nice, but nothing at all like she was used to.

“Sorry love,” the violet pegasus replied with a shake of her head. “This is what you'll get from me. I'm not Mapper by any stretch of the imagination. Airmail?” She asked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

Airmail giggled, her muzzle still under Tempest’s tail. “You’re clean enough to eat off of, which is what I'm doing.”

Somewhat reluctantly Wildfire accepted a kiss from the violet mare, “So, um, was I any good?”

Tempest smiled and planted a wet sloppy kiss on the yellow mare’s nose. “I'm hungry, let’s eat…something other than mare that I mean. I had fun, did you, Wily?”

Airmail popped up from behind Tempest and fluttered around to land next to her marefriend and Wildfire. “I had fun too!”

Wildfire was practically bouncing on the paved patio. “It was amazing!” She was truly elated. These two mares genuinely seemed to like her! That meant she had done a good job letting them use her like that, when she got back to the home her Mistress would be pleased with her, she was certain.

“Airmail, give Wily a kiss.”

“Oh…you know I don't like the taste of piss...” the azure blue mare whined, shuffling her hooves.

“Airmail.” Tempest gave her marefriend a deeply reproachful look. “Besides, I just washed her face.”

Airmail sighed, “Okay…” hesitantly she gave Wildfire the briefest of kisses on her lips, barely making contact with the smaller mare, before coming back in for a much deeper one once she was satisfied that she was indeed clean enough for her to kiss.

Wildfire kissed back enthusiastically, before breaking it as a thought struck her. “Should I go clean up? I don't want to upset anypony by smelling of pee.”

“There is an outdoor shower here by the pool and plenty of towels.” Tempest said with a grin. “Or, Belle knows ‘Insta-dry’ spells.” She tilted her head up and called loudly, “Belle!”

Almost instantly the olive drab unicorn with a light green mane peeked her bright blue eyes over the first floor balcony railing. “You called, Tempest?”

“Insta dry needed, please, Belle.”

Belle giggled a bright tinkling giggle, “I’m not surprised, I’ll be right down.”

Airmail suddenly, and with a facehoof, remembered Wildfire was new here and needed directions to the outdoor shower. “Okay, Wily, turn to your two o'clock. Then ten feet away is the pool skirt. It is concrete. Another ten feet after that is the pool. If you turn left and follow the edge you'll come to the shower stand after, oh about another thirty feet. That is at the edge of the grass and also concrete.

Back inside the ranch Sonic, Trails and Dusk had approached the single flight of stairs down to the main floor of the house. “Basement’s okay with us,” Sonic said with an eager smile. “Do you have preference?” He asked Dusk as they began their descent, “Pink or purple?”

Trails, the pink earth pony stallion brushed his grey mane from his green eyes, winked at the royal stallion. “I've never tasted pegasus spunk.”

“Oh…no, no preference at all, Sonic” Dusk smiled widely, very excited for what was to happen. “This is gonna be fun!” He had to restrain himself from clapping his hooves on the stairs. “Vocal's gonna be pissed he missed this.”

Sonic’s purple ears perked up, “Is Vocal your coltfriend?” He asked, his eyes lighting up when Dusk nodded his head in the affirmative.

Trails, walking beside his partner, asked; “When will you see him next?”

Dusk paused on the stairs, suddenly missing his beautiful light grey unicorn, though they’d only been apart for something like two days. “Um…oh, in a few days when we get back to Canterlot, he's busy doing band things for a gig tonight.”

The two earth ponies looked at each other on the stairs and with very wide smiles indeed said together as one, “Sheath hickies!”

“They only last three days though.” Trails said with a slight frown, as if he felt rather short-changed, which quickly turned back into a smile when he realised that just meant they’d have to reapply them before he left. Just to be sure, of course.

Dusk chuckled as they reached the landing of the main floor. “Well…the amount of groupies Vocal's had, he won't mind me indulging now.” The midnight blue pegasus smiled, Vocal Chord’s exploits were rather legendary, and Dusk was well aware of his colt friend’s ‘promiscuity’, and he was completely fine with that. After all, no matter how many eager groupies there were, it was always him that he came back to.

As coincidence had it, just as Dusk and the two earth ponies were rounding the main floor landing to descend the next flight of stairs to the basement the front door opened, allowing entry to; Omega, the pale green-maned white unicorn political reporter from the Manehatten Times and a Cream coloured earth pony stallion with a blue mane and a yellow sun cutie mark whom Dusk didn’t know. “Club Room now!” Sonic said simply by way of greeting.

“Dusk!” Omega flustered, completely unprepared to deal with this unexpected sight of the Prince, here, right now. “I…ah…I...um…” the white unicorn performed a passable impression of a goldfish, opening and closing his mouth for a few seconds, but nothing intelligible came out.

“Sonic said Club Room so move your tushie.” The cream earth pony next to him said with a grin and a slight nudge to Omega’s ribs, pointing to the two earth pony stallions disappearing down the stairs.

Dusk gave Omega a wink, “You heard them, move that tushie.” He giggled, falling into step with Omega and the cream coated stallion, the three of them following Sonic and Trails down to the basement level of the ranch.

“Pegasus is still mine!” Trails said excitedly as he paused outside an unassuming plain wooden door with a sign that said simply; ‘Stallion’s Room’ with a legend underneath that made Dusk chuckle, 'Need Balls to Enter'. Trails noticed where Dusk was looking and broke out into a little giggle fit. “That sign keeps all the mares out except Mapper.” The pink earth pony stallion said through his giggles.

“Not that we've complained about Mapper mind you.” The cream earth pony said, joining in Trails’s giggles.

“True that, she is more stallion than mare.” Sonic grinned as he hoofed open the door to the Stallion’s Room and stood aside for the other four stallions to enter ahead of him – brazenly admiring the view with some long hard looks at the sets of four flanks as they trotted past – before he shut the door behind himself.

“Welcome to our den.” Trails said, flopping onto one of several large futons surrounding a low table that occupied a good half of the wood panelled room. The other half being taken up with an expansive bed with a large fluffy looking mattress and a large well stocked bar in the corner. “Omega, since you know this fine pegasus you can do introductions.”

“So,” Omega started as he took a large double futon with the cream stallion laid next to him, “How much can I introduce Dusk?” He asked, stroking the stallion’s blue mane.

Dusk, seeing that Sonic had taken a futon next to Trails took an empty one a space away from the others, nestled himself on his selected futon. “As much as you like mate,” he said with a nod to the white unicorn, the one pony here he was familiar with.

“Okay!” The unicorn smiled from his futon, happy to have three pairs of eyes on him. “I'm Omega, political reporter for the Manehatten Times and this is Prince Dusk, son of Princess Luna and Princess Octavia.” He introduced the midnight blue pegasus with a wave of his hoof, to various impressed ‘ooh’s and ah’s’ from the assembled crowd. “Now, his coltfriend is away so we need to make him feel at home. This is Trails, he indicated the pink green eyed stallion with the grey mane and single black horseshoe cutie mark, who I guess has called dibs on our guest, is a stagehand on Broadway.” Omega paused for breath before moving onto the purple stallion. “This is Sonic, he’s a sound tech. He and Trails are an item and are married. This,” he said, nodding to the cream stallion with the blue mane, “Is my coltfriend, Sunshine.”

“Do you play like Octavia?” Sonic asked, his grey eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Next to him Trails was himself getting excited, “Forget tasting pegasus spunk I'm getting royal spunk!” He exclaimed, clapping his forehooves together.

Smiling to each stallion in turn Dusk raised a hoof in welcome. “I play the violin as good as mum plays the cello.”

“That’s cool,” Sonic said with a grin, “And, while I know my Trails is ready to get to the meat of the issue, I can make him behave if you'd like to relax first. We do have a full stocked bar in here.” He said, reaching over to playfully tap his partner’s pink forehead.

Dusk shrugged, shaking his head at Sonic. “Nah it's cool. I stand on ceremony enough at home as it is, and to be honest, seeing my friend get pissed on has made me all hot.” This much was definitely true. Watching the show out the back had made him horny, very horny.

“Whoa…” Sunshine breathed incredulously, surprised enough to lift his head from Omega’s white flank-cushion, “Did Airmail finally let Tempest piss on her?”

Sonic shook his blue maned head with a smile, “Nope, Dusk here brought a friend.”

With the forehoof that had been stroking Sunshine’s blue mane Omega flicked his coltfriend’s ear playfully, “Ah…you made me late for that, Sunny.” He chided with an almost imperceptible frown.

“I'll piss on you later.” Sunshine sighed with the casual flick of his ear, unmoving from his reclined position.

“Trails offered to piss on all three of them,” Sonic explained with a smile, “Then we saw our Dusk here needed some servicing and you two showed up just in time.”

“You can piss on me if you want…” Dusk said nonchalantly with a shrug of his midnight blue shoulders. While he was ever the top with Vocal Chord back in Canterlot, and he was more than happy with that, as he loved his pup more than anything in the land of Equestria but here he saw an opportunity to switch things up a little and maybe try some things he hadn’t done before.

“Buck yeah!” Trails exclaimed, hoof-pumping the air triumphantly, “You hear that Sunny?”

“Eeyup!” Sunshine propped himself up on the elbow of his forehoof and winked at the pink stallion. “I know a unicorn here that will join you Dusk.” The cream earth pony chuckled as he placed a little kiss on Omega’s fur. “I always need to piss after a hard blow.”

Trails got up from his futon and trotted across the club room, his hooves clopping on the hardwood floor, to the very large bed that occupied three quarters of the space on the left of the room. “I know you'll like this Dusk,” he said, beckoning the Prince over and stroking his hoof over the fluffy looking mattress under a dull red sheet.

Intrigued, Dusk got up from his futon with a flap of his wings and trotted over to the bed, which looked easily big enough to accommodate at least ten ponies comfortably with room to spare, and prodded the inviting looking mattress with his hoof. To his very great surprise it was a cloud mattress, and judging by the way Trails’s pink hooves were resting on it rather than sinking through it, the sheet covering it was enchanted with a cloud walking spell. “Oh…it’s a cloud! Sweet!”

“I said you would like it.” Trails grinned, happy to be proven right in this case. “So, Dusk,” he asked with half-lidded dark green eyes as he slid onto the bed, “Do you like belly up or belly down for a position?”

“Belly up please, Trails.” Dusk replied with a grin as he too slid onto the cloud bed on his back, scooching towards the pink stallion, his hind legs spread wide either side of his head while behind him Sonic, Sunshine and Omega did a very quick game of pony rock paper scissors to see who got whom.

Climbing onto the bed Sonic stood over Dusk, his hind legs straddling the pegasus’s head with a grin. “Okay the newbie gets to taste me.” He said with a commanding tone as Omega laid on his back with his nethers under Sonic while Sunshine straddled his coltfriend. At the other end between Dusk’s legs Trails began licking the midnight blue stallion’s sheath without any preamble.

“Aah…Mmm…” Dusk moaned, arching his back as Trails dragged his tongue slowly up and down his sheath. “Aah…Trails…Trails you're good with that tongue…” he gasped with pleasure, the pink stallion massaging his balls with a hoof and started sucking on his sheath with a determination to leave love bites.

When Dusk opened his mouth to moan lustily again Sonic took the opportunity to lower himself on the pegasus’s dark blue muzzle, resting his heavy balls at his chin, which Dusk immediately started to suck on, his hips gently bucking up to Trails’s face with each slow lick and suck the pink pony performed.

“Trails, aaah…that will leave a mark.” Sonic purred as Dusk alternated between sucking one testicle then the other in turn, “Everypony…hmm…make sure you give Dusk aaah…a sheath hicky as a present to his coltfriend.”

Between Dusk’s hind legs Trails continued his work, determined to coax the midnight blue stallion’s cock out from his mottled sheath, and was rewarded for his efforts with the emergence of his moderately sized stallionhood. Grinning in his triumph Trails massaged Dusk’s sack, gently squeezing now and then with his hoof while his tongue danced nimbly over his rod.

“Hmm…oooh yeah Trails that's good…” Dusk moaned, opening his mouth and taking the flat head of Sonic’s cock in his mouth, sucking the head in an invitation to buck his face, Sonic’s member hardening and lengthening in the Prince’s maw. To his pleasant surprise Dusk could tell he was bigger than a pegasus, bigger even than his Vocal, but he didn’t dwell too long on that as he was occupied with sucking on the hard length now finding its way down his throat, filling his senses with its musky scent.

At his crotch Trails continued to tease him, running his blunt teeth all over Dusk’s hardened shaft as Dusk pulled his tongue back and began to swirl it in circular motions over Sonic's head, poking gently at the tip to taste the salty pre that leaked from it, while he involuntarily bucked his hips at Trails's incessant teasing.

Trails pulled away from Dusk’s rocking hips, a sly grin on his pink muzzle. “Eager are we?” He asked, his hoof just resting against his sack, “Well…time to show you the ‘royal treatment’. From his position under Sonic Dusk could just hear the rest of the stallions chuckle as Trails moved his head down and actually swallowed the pegasus’s shaft working on the sheath till his tongue was playing with his balls.

‘Sweet mother of all the alicorns!’ Dusk thought, almost overwhelmed with pleasure as Trails swallowed his cock. In the years with Vocal his coltfriend had never managed that. In response, Dusk reached his forelegs around to seize Sonic's ass and pulled him to the hilt in his mouth.

“O…Om…Omega, he's doing it!” Sonic exclaimed as he felt the warm wetness of the Prince’s throat, “Holy shit…Mmm…” He gasped, “Dusk does that trick too!”

‘Let’s see if he likes this…’ Dusk thought, humming a tune that sent vibrations through Sonic's cock buried in his throat.

“Ah…Aah…Sweet Luna we're keeping this one!” Sonic moaned lustily, earning himself a muffled chuckle from the pegasus at the mention of his mom’s name.

Between Dusk’s hind legs Trails started to continuously swallow the head of the royal stallion’s rock hard cock to the medial ring letting his contracting throat do all the massage work. A moment later, sensing the twitching of the shaft in his throat Trails began to get a bit rougher with his hoof massaging his balls while his tongue worked his dick at the same time.

“AAH…MMmmm…” Dusk gave a muffled moan, bucking his hips harder in tune with Trails's deep throating sucking, and used his left forehoof to rub Sonic's butt, alternating between humming and swirling his tongue around the earth pony’s cock as it plowed his throat. Guessing that as they were married and what Trails was doing to him would be appreciated by the purple stallion as well Dusk used his right forehoof to cup Sonic’s heavy balls with a gentle squeeze.

Trials started to move back and forth, dragging his teeth over the Prince’s sheath, but stopping before clamping his lips down on the throbbing shaft, eliciting cute little whimpers from the pegasus.

Dusk felt Sonic's body tense up at the cupping touch of his hoof at his balls, so he began rubbing Sonic's sack a little harder as he tentatively smacked the purple earth pony’s flank while cupping his nuts with a gentle squeeze, making Sonic moan with a lustful desire as Trails started to bite down and rolled his balls with a hoof. Instinctively Dusk mirrored the action, rolling Sonic's balls and smacking him a little harder.

Dusk heard another grunt and a moan from the stallion above him, as well as loud lewd slurping noises from Trails at his crotch as he descended into bliss, smacking both of Sonic's flanks quite hard as he heard Omega reaching his climax somewhere next to him. “Omega, you're a light weight, but you sure do taste good.” He vaguely heard Sunshine’s voice as Sonic yelled; “Buck!”

Dusk could feel Trails giggling around his hard shaft buried in the pink stallion’s throat, sending pleasurable vibrations through his length, he used both of his forehooves now to caress and roll Sonic's full heavy balls, he was aware his midnight blue wings were very painfully hard, pressed into the cloud mattress beneath him.

Seeing the erect wings Trails took a risk. He reached out with one pink foreleg and ran it through your feathers. The effect was instantaneous, Dusk shivered all over at the sensuous touch, bucking his hips hard into the earth pony’s muzzle. Trails gained a little confidence and started hoofing the feathers along the flow of the quills.

Above Dusk, Sonic grunted and with a final thrust of his powerful hips hilted his impressively large cock in the pegasus’s throat and came loudly, filling the Prince’s mouth with string after string of thick gooey semen that the midnight blue stallion struggled to swallow, some of it seeping out of his mouth around the shaft, and was soon followed in short order by Sunshine as the cream earth pony creamed in Omega’s mouth.

“B…By Luna's teats, Mmm…I'm the second one out.” Sonic murmured, his cock still spurting in Dusk’s throat.

Beside him Omega grinned, clapping a hoof to the purple stallion’s back, “If you'd held out for a few seconds more you could have been third.”

Dusk rather expertly swallowed everything Sonic had to offer, and started twitching himself, as with Trails's combined ministrations on his rock hard shaft and now his erect wings he knew he wouldn't be long in cumming himself.

“Omega lend Sunny a hoof and I'll help out against lover boy here.” Sonic smiled, “I'm tired of seeing Trails win this game, but I don't know if I want the newbie to win either.” The purple earth pony gently pulled out his softening cock from Dusk’s used throat and spun around to deliver a hard kiss that left him tasting his own spunk on his lips.

Dusk greedily accepted the rough kiss, pressing back into it with enthusiasm but pulling back before Sonic could slide his tongue inside his mouth, “Feathers!” He murmured through a haze of pleasure.

With a sly grin Sonic pulled back from the kiss. “Omega, forget Trails and give this colt here a special horn job on the wings.” He then went back to the kiss, tenderly this time as he filled Dusk’s mouth with his tongue.

In the kiss, his mouth surrendering once more to Sonic, Dusk shuddered at the thought of what could possibly be coming next, heard Omega chuckle as he walked past his head to the left side where Trails couldn’t reach.

“This will be fun, I've seen what it does to Serenity.” The white unicorn said with a smile.

Dusk felt the tip of Omega’s horn press very gently against the primary feathers of his left wing and just as Trails deep throated him for the umpteenth time he saw it light up in the room with a pale brown glow.

A split second later and Dusk’s wings were alive with the sensation of a thousand butterflies caressing every single nook and cranny of his feathers. The midnight blue pegasus lost it. “AAaaaaAAAH!” He threw his head back on the cloud mattress and screamed as he came in Trails’s mouth, filling the pink stallion’s throat with his thick white semen as Omega intensified the spell, causing Dusk’s back to arch from the bed and his hind legs to spasm. “GaaAAAAH!” He screamed again as Trails deep throated him again, roughing up his balls with a pink hoof, causing Dusk to shoot some more seed down his throat before slumping back exhausted against the mattress. “M…Mom's stars that...was...wow!”

Trails, to his credit, took his time with Dusk’s softening shaft, making sure he was empty and clean before he finally gave in himself and pumped his cum down Sunshine’s throat as the cream earth pony finished him off.

“My magic talent is sound wave manipulation, but on a micro scale.” Omega explained his little ‘butterfly’ trick with a grin as Dusk gasped for air, trying to bring his breathing under control as he rode out the wave of pleasure from his climax.

“H-Hey Sonic?” Dusk breathed, “Thanks…for mentioning Mom…while I was…hilting you…” he managed a weak laugh, “Omega, please teach Vocal Chord that trick, I beg you.”

“What? Oh…yeah, forgot about that,” Sonic blushed the faintest little blush, “But your Mom is hot.”

Trails finally let go of Dusk’s now very clean shaft and laid with the back of his pink head on the pegasus’s belly and with his left ear gently flicking his flat cock head said, “He does swear by Luna's teats all the time.”

“So does my Mum,” Dusk sniggered as the others agreed with Trails.

“Royal pegaus spunk is pretty tasty Sonic,” Trails said with a smile and half-lidded eyes at his partner. “But I still love you.”

“Good, I'll keep you then.” Sonic grinned, blowing the pink pony a kiss.

Dusk leant back on the mattress, content for the moment to be Trails’s furry pillow. “I seem to remember talks of peeing before?” He asked casually, excited to try this now the ice here was well and truly broken.

Without a word Sunshine then moved up and started sucking hard on Dusk’s sheath as Omega chuckled, “I think they need to finish what Trails suggested first then we can move to the wet room.” The unicorn said with a smile as his coltfriend let go with a loud smacking of his lips. “Yeah, that left a mark, Sunny.”

Sonic leant in to give Dusk one more kiss then he moved to kiss his husband before moving to latch onto your sheath, locking his lips and after a good long hard sucking the purple stallion let go. “By Luna's withers I didn't match you Sunny.”

Dusk laid there on the mattress and snorted with laughter. “Is there any part of my Mom you don't swear by?”

“My turn.” Omega smiled as Sonic moved out of the way to make room, the white unicorn wasted no time latching onto Dusk’s sheath and lighting his horn to send that wonderful feeling of butterflies dancing on his balls.

“Aah, her cock?” Sonic guess with a smile.

“Only cos she…aaAAAAH ain't got one...most of the time…” Dusk said, his reply interrupted by a moan as Omega’s spell found its mark.

Omega let go of Dusk’s sheath as the others laughed out loud at Dusk’s comment. “Now…there is a mark!” He stood back proudly to admire the rather large love bite that joined the others now adorning the Prince’s mottled sheath.

“Omega, you are so teaching that trick to Vocal Chord.” Dusk gasped again, chuckling at the four love bites covering his sheath.

“Oh?” The white unicorn said with a raised eyebrow, “Another exclusive interview?”

Dusk snickered, “I'll bring the lube.”

Reluctantly Trails lifted his grey maned head from Dusk’s belly, “As comfy as I am right now I guess it is time to go to the wet room.”

“So,” Trails grinned as he watched his husband get up off the bed and hoof open the plain wooden door of the Stallion’s Room for the others, “Sonic he knows my trick.”

“He’s as you as you are, my love.” Sonic grinned, blowing the pink stallion a kiss as he trotted past with Omega and Sunshine, with Dusk bringing up the rear having finally got up from the sheer comfiness that was the cloud mattress.

“You guys want to lead the way, I'll follow…” Dusk snickered at Sonic who closed the door behind them, “Just…hmm…staring at some cute hot flanks...”

“See, he does like the pink.” Trails giggled, even more so when the other three stallion’s gave him a rousing chorus of raspberries.

“I do Trails,” Dusk grinned as Omega used his magical aura to open the door to the wet room, which was situated to the left of the Stallion’s Room in between that and another plain door marked ‘Mare’s Room’. “Now…Sonic I heard you say you were 'keeping this one'? I certainly hope so,” he giggled.

Sonic chuckled as he trotted into the fifteen feet square tiled shower room. “Alas, he married me, and divorces are just so expensive.” He gave Dusk a wink, “We're herd in the Stallion's Club. You're more than welcome to join.”

“You can extend that invitation to Vocal. I vouch for him.” Omega said as he moved to the middle of the wet room and laid down on his back. “My Prince, would you care to join me on the floor?”

“Why yes my good sir, I would indeed.” Affecting a mock Canterlot accent Dusk sat on his haunches roughly a foot away from Omega on the floor and spread his midnight blue wings wide open.

“You asses piss on me and I'm kicking balls.” Sonic groused, his urine phobia well known and respected by the Stallion’s Club.

Sunshine giggled, “It’s tempting, but I'll pass this time.”

“Open wide, colts.” Trails grinned, lifting his hind leg to reveal his darker pink cock extruding from its sheath. The other two stallions did the same, and Dusk licked his lips in anticipation of what was to come as the three stallions lowered their legs, thick meaty dicks all showing between their legs as they advanced to stand over the waiting unicorn and pegasus.

Standing over the two ponies Sonic started singing, “Singing in the rain, just singing in the rain.” Before he and his herd-mates all let go of their pee in a triple golden shower that caused steam to rise from the stallion’s fur where it landed on their bellies, their legs, on Dusk’s wings and most importantly in their open waiting mouths. To say it was his first attempt Dusk swallowed a fair bit of the golden rainfall, however some of it spatters off his closed eyelids, running down his face, down his fur and pooled around his hooves while Omega laid next to him was almost submerged.

Sunshine grunted as his stream began to die away. “Uugh…I've needed to do that for hours.”

Breathing heavily by Dusk’s side Omega merely gasped, “T-Thanks…love.”

Grimacing slightly Sonic dipped the whole sole of his hoof in the yellow puddle around Dusk and presented him with the befouled hoof. “By Luna's clit you'll lick that clean.” He commanded as the others laugh.

Looking mesmerised at the purple hoof, urine from three stallions dripping from its hard edge and white wall Dusk merely nodded. “Right away Sir,” he said submissively, taking the offered hoof in his willing mouth, running his tongue around the hard edges before sucking on the soft sole underneath.

“I want in on that action.” Omega grinned, pee dripping freely from his white fur as he sat up, Sonic obligingly lifting a rear hoof for the unicorn.

A few minutes later, once the pooled urine had drained away down the many drains located around the wet room, and once Sonic was happy with the shine on his hooves as a result of the grooming job performed by the two stallions, said with a grin; “Still one item that needs cleaning…” as his extended soft dick dangled and waved between his hind legs. Obligingly Dusk opened his mouth and swallowed Sonic's mottled dark purple cock whole, sucking away gently as he supported himself with his forehooves on the Prince’s shoulders. Omega, sitting himself up, joined in where he could, making sure to tongue bath Sonic’s heavy balls. “Hmm…that was good work boys,” Sonic congratulated, “But it’s time for the bottoms to get cleaned up. Trails, bring that pink flank over here.”

“Yes Master.” Trails said eagerly, his hooves clopping on the tiled floor as he presented one of his forehooves to each of the two stallions kneeling before him on the floor. Immediately and without hesitation Dusk took the offered hoof in his own, nuzzling it lovingly before sucking it clean. A few moments later after Trails had gotten all his hooves cleaned he presented his dick in a similar fashion to his Dom, the darker pink member hanging temptingly in front of Dusk’s face. “May I have first dibs your highness?”

Watching Dusk expertly clean Trails’s shaft with his tongue Omega looked to his own Sub and smiled. “You may approach, Sunny.”

“Yes, Sir.” Obediently Sunshine trotted over and sat in front of the white unicorn.

“Hoof!” Omega ordered, and watched as straightaway Sunshine lifted and presented a cream coloured forehoof dripping with urine from the tiled floor. “Look at this hoof! Each time my tongue touches it to clean it you will be punished.” Omega said with a smile as he began to take the daintiest little licks of his Sub’s hoof. “Feel free to assist, your Highness, it will only increase his punishment.”

“Of course, Omega.” Dusk said with a grin once he had finished polishing Trails’s stallionhood. Without waiting for further instruction the midnight blue pegasus flicked his tongue over Sunshine’s offered hoof, mirroring Omega’s dainty little licks with many of his own.

Omega paused as he watched Dusk gracefully flick his tongue over his Sub’s hoof. “Of course, if my Sunny kept his hooves clean he wouldn't be punished, yet he never seems able to do so.” He grinned as Sunshine’s cream cheeks coloured up with a faint red blush.

Sonic tapped a hoof to the white unicorn’s shoulder. “The food will be ready soon Omega.”

“Okay,” Omega said with a rueful smile, “You're very fortunate this time Sunny,” He said as he returned to the cream earth pony’s hoof with decidedly quicker licks to speed up his cleaning.

~ ~ ~

“Wildfire! Have a nice time in the backyard?” Caffeinated greeted the little yellow mare with a wide smile as she entered the main floor of the ranch from the patio outside, flanked by Airmail on her left and Tempest on her right, freshly showered and Belle-dried from her display a few moments earlier.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire replied, matching the orange zebra’s smile with one of her own. “It was amazing! Did you all see?”

Snowfall trotted down the stairs from the balcony on the top floor that overlooked the patio, the pure white earth pony mare eager to meet this young gem that had landed amongst them. “You're a wonderful play dear.” Snowfall beamed as she pulled Wildfire into a gentle hug. “Such pure emotion! Why, I could just eat you all up.”

Caffeinated grinned, “Wily, meet my mother in law, Snowfall.”

Wildfire tried to say something, anything really, but she was overwhelmed by the soft wall of fur and underlying muscle that was currently hugging her. She tried to learn about this mare during the hug; Snowfall was taller than her – no surprise there, most things were taller than she was – and by the feel of her she was as old as Baron felt earlier in the coffee shop, but there was no denying that firm earth pony strength, age or no. “H-Hey…Snowfall,” she squeaked out eventually, “Pleased to meet you.”

The next thing Wildfire realised was she was getting hugged again, this time by a different mare. She knew the hugger was different by the feel. If anything she’d have said this mare was younger as the hug was decidedly firmer, but that was a pure guess. The biggest cue however was the smell; where Snowfall had a scent of white chocolate about her, with a faint hint of strawberry, if Wildfire had to put her hoof on it this new mare’s scent was that of flour and baking powder. “Hi, I'm Thespian, and I do hope Caffy has mentioned me in passing.”

“Hi Thespian!” Wildfire smiled as she greeted this new mare. Safe. That’s what this mare smelled like. Safe. From her scent she obviously baked a lot, and a long ago memory of her own mother spending all weekend baking, filling their kitchen with the smell of fresh cakes and bread surfaced then. The yellow mare smiled in the safe hug. “Caffy has mentioned you in the coffee shop earlier.”

“It was nice of you to let Tempest preform.” Thespian said as she finally released the embrace with a warm smile. “Airmail isn't as open about some things.”

“Oh…I really enjoyed it!” Wildfire enthused. She had to make sure these ponies liked her, after all, if she refused them anything then word might get back to her Mistress, and an angry Amethyst Glory was something she didn’t want to countenance. The very thought made her shiver, her good mood evaporating quickly as her brain envisaged the many and varied punishments her owner could devise for her.

“So I don't like rain, sue me.” Airmail groused to Wildfire’s left.

“No…I'd rather screw you.” Tempest gave the azure blue mare a cheeky wink over Wildfire’s back, blowing her marefriend a kiss for good measure.

“You're new to the place and there are some low tables so take your time to familiarise with stuff.” Caffeinated’s soothing low voice rumbled from just in front of the yellow pegasus, going a long way to calming her nerves. “You are standing in a U shaped hall. This floor has kitchen and dining areas to your left, and to your right there is a music room, a library and television room. Above us are the bedrooms, and below in the basement are the play rooms.”

“I’ll be careful, Caffy.” Wildfire squeaked, her ears firmly slicked backwards and her tail between her legs. She was well aware the penalty for bumping into and breaking anything.

Airmail straightaway noticed the smaller mare’s change in demeanour and nuzzled her cheek with her own. “I'll be with you, unless you want to explore on your own.”

“No!” Wildfire gasped, ignoring Airmail’s attempt at the comforting nuzzle. She’d said the thing, the one thing, the only thing that the yellow mare feared, ‘on your own’. The one thing after ‘alone time’ was the box… “I don't want to be alone, please…” she murmured quietly.

“I know you will be careful, Wily, just fair warning.”

“He is saying he has a thing for low, leg breaking tables.” Thespian smiled as she kissed her husband’s striped cheek.

“I do, but when you stand on one love you're just the right height.” The zebra chuckled, while not small by any stretch, his wife was nonetheless not as tall as he, and her stuck out tongue with full on pout made him chuckle all the harder.

Tempest, like her partner, also now noticed Wildfire’s mood, and moved in closer to her right flank. “I'm with you too Wily, so you can explore and we'll be a silent watch until needed, or is there a place you'd like to go now? Like food maybe?” The violet mare asked hopefully, casting a hungry glance over at the buffet tables lined up along the far left wall in the large informal dining area between the kitchen and dining room.

“Yeah, food and Tempest do go together.” Airmail snickered, earning the azure mare her own stuck out tongue from the black maned weather pony.

“I…I'm…I’m okay,” Wildfire tried but ultimately failed to sound at all convincing. “I just don't want to be on my own.”

Wildfire was kissed passionately on both sides, firstly by Airmail and then shortly after by Tempest. “Never alone, love.” Airmail whispered in her left ear.

“We won't abandon you,” Tempest breathed, causing the yellow pegasus’s right ear to flick, “But, we don’t want to foalsit you either.”

Wildfire shivered involuntarily, “They…they sometimes leave me alone all day at home...I can’t stand it…please, I don’t want to be alone…” she trailed off to an uneasy silence as she felt the welcome body heat of the two mares pressed to her sides.

“You’re never alone when you are with us.”

“Tempest is right though, we want you to have your independence.” Airmail smiled warmly, again gently nuzzling the smaller yellow mare. “We're here with you and we’re here for you.”

“Wily, don't be afraid, but stretch your wings like you did for me earlier today.” Tempest said, opting for a reassuring tone.

Wildfire scuffed her left forehoof on the carpeted floor of the hallway. “Sorry I…I'm spoiling the mood.”

Airmail bent her head to place a tender kiss on Wildfire’s cheek. “Sorry,” she smiled, “But you'll have a hard time spoiling my mood today.”

Tempest likewise adorned Wildfire’s other cheek with a gentle kiss. “Wily, you are ours till Mapper takes you away. She will play on your fears.”

“She can't be as bad as the wardens back at the home…” Wildfire whispered, causing Airmail to look away as she blushed a deep crimson colour.

“She can't see you do that, Airy.” Tempest chided her marefriend from Wildfire’s right flank.

“Oh…’course not…sorry, Mapper can be very, very harsh.” Airmail said hesitantly, her blush firmly in place.

“Only in ‘Mistress’ mode though.” Tempest offered with a shrug of her shoulders that Wildfire felt due to her proximity to the violet mare. “She is sweet as a nut outside of that. You will meet the sweet side when she gets here.”

“Serenity is her wife and slave.” Airmail said with a smile, recovering from her blush.

“Yes,” Caffeinated rumbled from where he was stood in front of Wildfire and to her left, her ears tracking his deep low voice. “We all worried about that for no reason.”

“True,” Thespian’s voice sounded just to the right of the larger zebra, “I think Mapper worships her, but only in private.”

Wildfire scuffed her hoof once more on the carpet, a cold dread seizing her heart as the other ponies talked about this ‘Mapper’. In truth this trip was starting to sound like a bad idea. She could get this treatment back at home. “I…I broke a vase once a few months ago when it was winter, I bumped into a table I didn't know was there. They had me stand outside till my feathers froze. Is she that bad?”

“Yes.” Thespian said simply. “She is.”

“Oh...” was all Wildfire could think to say. When the nights were cold, which they were, halfway up Canterlot Mountain, her wing joints still ached from where Amber Leaves had expertly whipped her frozen feathers.

“At least it isn't winter now,” Caffeinated chuckled nonchalantly, “Or she will stick you in the pool.”

“On a positive note,” Airmail smiled, “She's never killed a pony, unlike some of us.”

“Oh…” slowly Wildfire shrunk to the floor between Airmail and Tempest, shaking like a leaf with her ears flat and her forelegs over her head, her wings extended over her hind legs that were drawn up to her belly. “Oh…”

Looking around herself comically for a few moments, blinking as she looked for the yellow mare that was stood between herself and her partner, Airmail finally looked down and saw Wildfire quivering on the floor. Blinking with surprise the azure blue mare got down on the floor and brushed the mare’s muzzle with a wingtip. “Do I scare you Wily?”

“Th-The…the w-wardens scare me...when I'm a bad pony…” Wildfire trembled, finding no succour in the touch of Airmail’s primary feather, nor the smell of her jasmine scent.

“Mistress Mapper thinks all ponies under her power are bad ponies.” Tempest said, raising a curious eyebrow at Wildfire and Airmail on the floor. “She will however, respect your safe word.”

Wildfire merely continued to shiver where she was laid, “Th-They don't have s-safe words at the home.”

“You're at a real home now.” Airmail whispered, trying her best to comfort the little yellow mare she had come to like. A lot.

“Not for long though.” Wildfire muttered miserably, fear evident in her voice. “Mistress Mapper can do what she likes, it'll be just like being at home.”

“It is Mapper's way.” Caffeinated said calmly. “She is a harsh mistress, but also a loving one. It is a love I really don't fully understand.” He explained, a little concerned by Wildfire’s extreme reaction. ‘A daymare, perhaps?’ He thought to himself. “You may want to talk to Serenity about it before things start.”

Beside him, and equally concerned, Thespian said; “Serenity is happy, I don't understand her, but she is happy.”

Again Airmail caressed Wildfire’s muzzle with the tip of her wing. “No one will make you do this, Wily, but it is a way to overcome a fear.”

“It’s nice here…” Wildfire said, still firmly planted on the floor of the U shaped hallway. “Here I can get punished and chose when it ends!” She exclaimed, incredulity battling with the fear in her voice.

“You can, if you will.” Airmail said kindly, recognising from her own experiences the dread in the young mare. “We'll be there with you Wily. Mapper will listen to you, and she’ll respect your decision to end it.”

“Only the wardens end the punishments at home.” Wildfire laughed, “This will be easy.”

“Wildfire, overcoming fears isn't easy.” Airmail said with a gentle nuzzle, nudging the mare to stand up with her nose. “I've had a lot of practice.”

“I think we all have.” Tempest agreed as with her marefriend’s insistence Wildfire stood up from the floor and dusted the yellow pegasus’s back off with her wing.

Just as Wildfire got herself to her hooves and her composure recovered the main door open in the foyer was surrounded by a bright magenta glow and through it walked a pink unicorn mare, roughly a similar age to Airmail, with a short styled light brown mane and tail. Radiating an aura of power she was wearing pure white stockings and a lacy white corset. Her magenta magic, matching her eyes, had a hold of the reins that led to another unicorn mare. This mare was a teal colour with a long burgundy mane and tail and wearing a set of royal blue stockings with matching bridle, corset and panties. “Good afternoon everypony!” The pink mare greeted the small crowd in the hall. “I hope I'm not too late.”

Thespian chuckled, “You always know when the food is ready dear, so you're right on time.”

Wildfire’s ears swivelled to the sound of the newcomer’s voice. She detected a distinct clipped Canterlot accent, underlying the typical Manehatten she had come to recognise, laced all the way through with an air of unquestioned authority. “Um, who's that?” She asked uncertainly.

“Mapper, I'd like you to meet one of our new guests.” Caffeinated said with a smile, extending an orange striped foreleg to the blind mare. “This is Wildfire, she’s from Canterlot, here with our other guest whom I hope will be up soon.”

Collecting what remained of her nerve Wildfire pointed herself in Mapper’s direction and waved a forehoof. “H-Hi…”

Mapper, the pink mare, took a couple of steps into the foyer towards the group. “Charmed, I'm sure.” She said, her tone distinctly unimpressed. “Serenity, you may wave a hoof.” At her order the teal unicorn immediately raised her foreleg and waved once. “Is everypony else here?” Mapper asked, looking around the hall.

Thespian nodded, the blue grey mare’s blonde mane bobbing with the movement of her head, “Yes Mapper, the stallion's club is holding a meeting the rest are in the dining area.” She replied with a wave of her foreleg to the buffet area and the dining room.

“Mapper,” Caffeinated rumbled, attracting the pink unicorn’s attention, “I'd like a moment of your time to better introduce Wildfire.”

“Oh?” Mapper asked indifferently as she appraised Wildfire with a deep penetrating look.

Nervously Wildfire raised her hoof to wave once more in the general direction of the authoritative voice. “Will dusk be up soon?” She asked in a skittish, hushed tone, which the pink mare caught instantly. Thespian, Snowfall and Baron drifted from the hallway and the foyer area to the large dining rooms while Airmail and Tempest stayed resolutely by Wildfire’s side.

Mapper let the reins she was holding in her magenta aura drift from her to coil over Serenity's horn. “Politely fetch the colts.” She ordered simply, watching the little yellow mare closely.

Wildfire extended her wings either side of her, making sure in her own mind that Airmail and Tempest were still there. Sure she could still smell their respective scents of jasmine and sandalwood, but in this new place full of sounds and other smells she didn’t know who was who until they said something.

“Why should this one interest me, Caffeine?” Mapper asked as Serenity nodded quietly and trotted off for the stairs down to the basement.

“She is looking for a Mistress.” Caffeinated said with a serious look in his green eyes.

“Hmm…” Mapper spared the yellow pegasus a second, deeper look, “What is this ‘Dusk’ then?” She asked of the orange zebra.

“To her, a friend and a guilt ridden carer,” Caffeinated rumbled with a chuckle in his voice. “To his coltfriend he’s a master without a clue.” He added as an afterthought.

Without thinking Wildfire sniggered at Caffeinated’s joke, covering her mouth with her left forehoof as the pink unicorn took two steps closer to the little yellow pegasus. “Silence!”

Immediately Wildfire was quiet as if suddenly struck dumb. ‘This sounds familiar…’ she thought, slicking her ears back flat to her scalp and nervously lowering her head and tail, shivering almost imperceptibly. ‘Just like my Mistress…’

Mapper paused, narrowing her magenta eyes somewhat dangerously. “Head up!” The pink unicorn ordered sharply with a stomp of her hoof. “I want to look at you dear so don't you dare hide from me!”

Straightaway, almost as if it were on a string, Wildfire raised her head as Mapper instructed, the power and authority in her voice practically palpable.

“Hmm…” Mapper breathed slowly through her nose as she surveyed the small blind mare standing before here in Caffeinated’s foyer. ‘She can follow instruction, at least that’s something.’ She thought to herself with a thin smile. “Make room girls I need to check this filly out.” Mapper watched and waited while Airmail and Tempest moved roughly five feet away to either side of Wildfire, forming a wide gap around her.

As Mapper began her slow walk around Wildfire she made sure to carefully brush her with her shoulder and flank so that the blind mare could feel the smooth silken clothes she was wearing, although she doubted the pegasus could tell what the clothes were. “Who blinded you?” She asked with genuine interest.

Wildfire shivered, knowing this question would come up, “It was a stallion, Blitzwing, five years ago at university in Canterlot.”

“I didn't ask for your life story.” Mapper cut her off tersely.

“Oh...s-sorry…” Wildfire murmured.

“I didn't ask for apologies either.” Again Mapper cut the yellow mare off as she began a second walk around the little pegasus, this time using her muzzle to investigate. She took her sweet time poking her pink nose under each of Wildfire’s wings, sniffing and nosing deep between the feathers to the wing bone. Moving onto her hindquarters Mapper delved under the mare’s tail, thoroughly inspecting her all over, impressed when Wildfire detected the presence of her nose above her tail-hole she spread her legs apart and raised up her black tail. ‘There’s promise…definitely potential…I wonder…’ “Hmm…freshly showered and Belle dried I see. Tempest,” she said to the violet pegasus, “You found somepony that enjoys your kink?”

“Yes,” Tempest replied with a smile, “And, she enjoys it well.”

Mapper paused her inspection back at the front of Wildfire, the pink unicorn noticing how her ears tracked the sound of her voice and her hooves around the foyer, noticed how any noise above that which was deemed ‘normal’ caused a ruffle of the mare’s feathers. “Have you played with her too Airmail?” Mapper asked suddenly and loudly, again noting this reaction.

“I have, and she is sweet tasting.” Airmail answered immediately, causing the yellow mare to blush with the praise, licking her lips as she recalled the taste of Wildfire’s sweet feathers.

“Hmm…she’s a bit skittish,” Mapper said critically, noting the heated blush with a raised eyebrow. “A bit proud too. I will accept yes or no answers, Wildfire. Were you born in Canterlot?”

“Yes,” Wildfire replied simply with a nod of her head, her ears perking up at a distinct and loud gasp of an intake of breath she heard from Tempest beside her to her right.

Mapper smiled a dangerous little smile, wishing this mare was hers to punish as she saw fit. “Dinner isn't over yet, so I'm not in full Mistress mode. We are just friends having a chat, right Wildfire?” She asked very sweetly.

“Um…yes?” Wildfire answered uncertainly.

“Now, is Dusk your master?”

“No.”

“Do you want me to be your Mistress?”

“Yes.”

“This interview is over.” Mapper said, her tone a little kinder as she bent her head down a good few inches to nuzzle Wildfire’s cheek with her own. “Relax for now dear, it is dinner time.” The pink mare breathed into her left ear, “We will sort other things out later.”

As Mapper stood back up to her full height, a full three hooves taller than the yellow pegasus, Airmail and Tempest moved back to their original position at her sides. “Now, where is my pet?” Mapper asked to nopony in particular, looking around the main floor for the teal unicorn.

Almost as if on cue Serenity moved off of the stairs to trot over and stand behind and to the right of her wife and Mistress. “Did you find Dusk?” Mapper asked.

Serenity nodded, “Yes Mistress.”

Mapper rolled her magenta eyes at the large orange zebra stood by her left side. “Caffeine, why are you stallions so unreliable?”

Caffeinated shrugged his shoulders with a chuckle. “I was born that way.”

“Pet, what were they doing?” Mapper asked the teal unicorn.

Serenity smiled around the bridle and bit in her mouth. “They were cleaning up in the wet room, Mistress.”

Involuntarily Mapper shuddered, drawing out a snigger from Caffeinated, Airmail and Tempest, which the pink unicorn duly ignored with a roll of her magenta eyes and a flick of her light brown mane. “Hmm…never mind, let us get some food.” Mapper then lit her horn and took hold of the reins attached to Serenity’s bridle and turned to lead her pet over to the large dining areas.

“Yeah let’s get some eats and Dusk will catch up with us.” Airmail agreed with a smile and a rumble from her belly.

Wildfire sniffed, following the familiar scent of jasmine as it started to move away to the left. “Can I follow you, pretty?” She asked as Caffeinated, Mapper and Serenity made their way over to the long buffet tables in the dining area.

“MMmmm…panties do make her look hot.” Tempest commented on the skimpy little bit of royal blue silk that was doing its very best to cover Serenity’s teal rump, her cutie mark of a black bar of four eighth notes clearly visible, as was the outline of her marehood, earning a little giggle from Mapper who was leading her.

Airmail moved past Wildfire with a brush of her summer green tail across her yellow muzzle. “Sure thing love.” She almost purred as Tempest immediately took up her position at her rear.

Wildfire took a couple of steps, following the scent of the azure blue pegasus with a smile on her face. “You there too, Tempest?” She asked, though she knew the answer really before she asked it.

Just for confirmation though Tempest wuffed at Wildfire’s back side, her nose and lips nipping at the base of her black tail, causing it to hitch up with a sharp jerk. “Just another asset for you, love.” The violet mare giggled, close enough for the blind pony to feel her breath above her marehood.

“Yay!” Wildfire squealed loudly in the manner of an excited little filly, her former façade of confidence starting to return to her, her earlier ‘episode’ on the floor of the foyer and her nervousness with Mapper all but forgotten as she entered the large spacious dining room in the middle of the mare chain.

~ ~ ~

Coming up to the main floor from the Stallion’s Room in the basement alongside Sonic, Omega, Trails and Sunshine, Dusk Melody was nudged gently in the ribs by Sonic - the purple earth pony pointing out the large dining area over to the left of the carpeted foyer.

Walking into the dining room Dusk was at first struck by the sheer size of it, which was saying something given that he was accustomed to the banquet halls in Canterlot castle, which was easily big enough to accommodate the twenty two ponies milling around inside it with ease and plenty of room to spare around the expansive tables laden with all manner of food. He saw some he recognised, such as Caffeinated and Thespian, Baron and Snowfall, along with Wildfire who was as ever between Airmail and Tempest, the latter two ponies were having her try different dishes along the line.

Then conversely there were those he didn’t know, such as the red and blue painted mare he had seen on the balcony but not had the opportunity to meet, and…and…two of the most visually striking unicorn mares he had seen in a good long while. One, a middle aged pink mare with a light brown mane who, if he had to guess was in her early forties, and the other a teal unicorn with a burgundy mane who looked younger but not by much were easily the stand out pair in the room.

The stand out pair, although, Dusk noted with a smile as he made his way over to Baron, not for the way they were dressed – although it was provocative, with the pink one wearing white silk socks and corset, while the teal mare was wearing a set of royal blue lingerie that included a bridle with reins looped around her horn – no. What made them stand out most to Dusk was the aura of power they generated. He had felt it when he had met Amethyst Glory in Canterlot, and as he observed the teal mare chatting with others and eating, still with the bit in her mouth, he felt it again.

Baron saw the Prince approaching him and his wife and broke away to greet the royal pegasus. “Hello Dusk,” he wore a pleasant smile as he gave a polite nod, “Welcome back to the land of the mundane.”

Likewise Dusk returned the polite little nod with one of his own. “Hey, Baron.” Looking around the expansive dining room he snickered, “I see Wily is with her two new friends,” he chuckled, nodding over to where she was standing with Airmail and Tempest.

Following Dusk’s eye line Baron nodded and lowers his voice to barely above a whisper. “Your friend had a near melt down, but she seems to have bounced back.”

Dusk frowned. ‘A near melt down’…which meant what, exactly? “Is she alright?” Dusk asked, suddenly concerned, more so however when he turned to face the mystery pink mare. The midnight blue stallion could practically feel the pink unicorn’s magenta eyes burning a hole straight through him. “Who's the pink nightmare moon wannabe?” He asked, nodding over in Mapper’s direction.

Baron’s voice was still low when he replied; “As you can see, Tempest and Airmail are with her.” The mid grey stallion said quietly, “I'd say she had a daymare, if anything. As for the pink pony in white, that is the ever so, at the moment, sweet Mapper. Her wife Serenity is over there wearing the bridle.”

Dusk frowned. As he recalled it wasn’t like Wildfire to freak out. She was usually solid. “I'll go see if she's ok. So that's Mapper huh?” He excused himself with a polite bow and made his way over to where Wildfire was standing beside the food tables with a nod to Serenity.

“Stud colt has returned.” Tempest sniggered into Wildfire’s right ear as she saw Dusk get closer.

“Hmm…thanks for ruining the prank, Tempest.” Dusk pouted with a hint of a smirk. “Hey Wily, you alright?” He noted Airmail and Tempest quietly share a ‘look’ over Wildfire’s back then they silently watched the exchange. The stallion was put in mind of bodyguards, which part of him was glad for.

Wildfire gulped nervously as she turned her head to her best friend’s direction. “Yes! I'm fine!” Too late she kicked herself when she answered, a bit too quick and too loud.

Picking up immediately on his friend’s higher than normal tone, Dusk was utterly unconvinced. “Baron said you freaked out, you sure you’re alright?” He asked again.

“I said I'm fine,” Wildfire snapped, putting the daisy and daffodil sandwich back on her plate, irritation clear in her voice. “Leave it, Dusk.”

Protectively, almost as if she were closing ranks, Airmail took a half-step closer to the little yellow mare’s left flank. “We were with her, and she is fine now.”

“What happened?” Dusk asked, persisting onwards.

“Nothing, D. Nothing happened!” Wildfire insisted.

Pleadingly Dusk looked at Airmail with a 'what happened' look on his face.

Somewhat sympathetically Airmail picked upon the pleading helplessness of the young Prince. “Some conversation frightened her,” the azure blue mare elaborated carefully. “We were with her and worked through the fear.”

Far from being placated Dusk was concerned. As Amethyst had pointed out, more than once, he was responsible for her safety on this trip away from her. “Tell me what's up, Wily.”

“Bucks sake Dusk!” Wildfire snarled, causing a few of the nearby ponies in the dining room to look in their direction. “Just…just leave it!”

“Alright,” Dusk gave a little whinny of frustration as he realised he was getting nowhere fast. “I get it. I'm going to get food.” He turned his back on his best friend lest he or she should say something either would regret. Especially here where they were guests. He didn’t however get very far in his quest for food before a violet coloured hoof tapped his shoulder. “What?” He asked without looking around.

“Dusk,” glancing over his shoulder he saw Tempest’s smiling face. “Letting go is another sign of love.” She said kindly as she watched Airmail move Wildfire further down the food table to entice her with a new treat, a little four inch chocolate covered pie.

“But...but…” Dusk foundered, really not knowing what to do for the best. He knew he’d only been back in her life for two weeks, but he still felt that pang of protectiveness, even now…or was it guilt? He didn’t know. Eventually after a few seconds he caved and sighed, seeming to deflate a little. “Tempest…watch her for me?” He asked, not knowing what else to do.

Tempest kept her violet hoof on Dusk’s shoulder as he turned to face the weather pony. “Airmail and I are with her, but she still needs her independence.”

Again Dusk sighed, “I don’t think she knows what she needs, truth be told.”

“Ooh…these smell nice, Pretty!” The little yellow mare lowered her head, sniffing this little treat that Airmail had identified as a ‘Swingle’, a single-serving four inch key lime pie. Taking a little bite from the edge of it Wildfire almost melted at the taste of the tart lime curd, buttery graham cracker crust, all covered in gorgeous dark chocolate. “Oh sweet Luna! Airy these are…wow!”

Looking over at the blind mare almost wet herself over a desert she took for granted, Tempest couldn’t help but smile. “We'll teach her to learn her wants and then see which of them are needs.”

Dusk shook his head, “I…I just don't know how to reach her sometimes, like…every now and then she goes really, I dunno, distant, even for her.”

Tempest then lowered her voice just as Baron had done. “Wily and Mapper have talked to each other, Mapper is interested.”

While expecting that, from what Wildfire had said back in the coffee shop, but still it gave him pause for thought. “Everypony here talks about her like she' the living Nightmare. Should I be worried?”

Tempest laughed out loud at that, her giggles making Dusk smile. “Until dinner is over, Maps is a sweet carnie pony. Then she pretends to make Nightmare Moon look soft.”

“You jest, surely?” Dusk asked, somewhat incredulously. “No way she's as bad as Mom.”

“Nopony can be as sweet as your Mom,” Tempest replied with a wink, “Then, you've never experienced the Nightmare. Caffy has all the legends from those days.”

Dusk nodded. “I’ve heard the stories, straight from the pony’s mouth. Perhaps I should go say hello? I felt her giving me the stare a few moments ago.”

“One word of advice.” Tempest said seriously, her hoof back on Dusk’s shoulder, this time to pause him rather than offer comfort. "She is not what she seems, but there is much she won't show. Finding and pushing your buttons will bring her joy.”

“Well,” Dusk said with a smile, “Wily seems to be herself for now, I'll go over and say hello.” He inclined his head with a polite nod to Tempest and trotted over to where Mapper was standing.

Watching the Prince like a magenta-eyed hawk, Mapper smiled a little inward smile as she saw Dusk draw near to her. When the pegasus was but a few paces away the pink mare exclaimed, “Your Highness!” She said loudly, enough to draw the attention of a few other guests, with a bow so low her chin touched the floor. “It is an honour you'd approach a common pony such as myself.”

Dusk paused at this…display. “Uh huh.” He then smiled, recalling what Tempest had said just moments beforehoof – ‘Finding and pushing your buttons will bring her joy’ – and, in his finest Canterlot replied, “The honour is mine fair mare, one must mix with the rabble once in a while.”

Mapper had a slightly saddened look on her face as she stood back to her full height, before quickly recovering her composure. “Yes, it is true,” the pink unicorn gave a dramatic wave of her hoof over her light brown mane. “You must deal with dirty rabble such as myself when far from the glories of your palace.”

Taken aback, Dusk was acutely aware that many more of the others were now watching this little performance. “What?” He flustered before catching himself with a wry smile, “Fine…you win this one.”

“Nay My Lord!” Mapper cried, rearing to her hind legs and ensuring she had the attention of the whole room, much to Dusk’s discomfort. “If I have offended thee then please provide chastisement.” She declared, looking for all Equestria like she was performing at Carneighgie Hall as she dropped to the floor and grovelled at Dusk’s hooves. “I would never take away your honour or victory!”

Taking a stunned step backwards Dusk lowered his head with and growled, “You know that's enough, right?”

Wildfire’s ears perked up at the sound of the scene now dominating the room, especially at Dusk's voice. “Pretty,” she groaned to Airmail stood next to her, “He isn't about to do something stupid is he?”

Mapper looked up from her exaggerated grovel with an undisguised smile. “Are you quite sure, my Lord?”

Hearing Wildfire’s groaned question Airmail scrutinised the scene, immediately weighing up various scenarios in her head, and whispered to the yellow mare, “Has he ever done harm to ponies in the past?” She asked, ready at a moment’s notice to intervene if and when she deemed it necessary.

“Oh Goddesses no!” Wildfire replied, “He just has a tendency to make a complete ass of himself.”

True to Wildfire’s word, Dusk frowned as he perceived the slight to him. “Forget it.” He ‘hmph’d’ as he turned to walk away. “I didn't realise a simple 'hello' would be such trouble. Good day!”

“It seems you are correct.” Airmail whispered quietly just as Mapper laughed a loud mocking laugh and stood back up from the floor.

Wildfire groaned deeply. “Oh no...Pretty kill me, please!”

“Excuse me…” Dusk trembled, almost incandescent. “Did I happen to miss a funny thing?”

“I don't know,” Mapper said with amusement clear in her voice and a twinkle in her magenta eyes at her victory at hoof. “Did you happen to pass a mirror?”

“No…oh no,” Airmail whispered with a hint of a giggle. “No, you can't laugh at him if you're dead.” She giggled as Mapper lit her horn with a magenta glow and used her magic to lift various treats from the table, including several miniature strawberry parfait, and filled her plate with them.

“Hmph,” Dusk snorted with a short stomp of his hoof, “You're easily the most insulting mare I’ve met here, I said good day!” With that he began to walk away, muttering darkly under his breath as a blush so intense it coloured even his midnight blue furred cheeks.

Mapper meanwhile simply stood where she was and sniggered. “Seems you were right Caffeine.”

Lavender trotted up to Dusk and whispered, “Her victories are usually not so easy…” she said in a kind cool voice, the tan earth pony mare trying her best to diffuse the situation, but Dusk merely stalked past her without a word, his face as thunder.

Once more Wildfire groaned. “He did the 'good day' thing, didn't he?” She whispered.

Airmail did her very best to silence her giggles, and she returned the whisper to the little yellow mare. “Yes, with a personal storm cloud.”

Wildfire shook her head disbelievingly, “Oh Celestia! He's gonna be in a mood for ages now...”

Airmail couldn’t help a giggle, “Maybe one of the Stallion Club members will take pity on him and rut him good.” The older azure blue mare whispered into Wildfire’s ear.

“They won't be able to with that rod up his ass,” Wildfire replied quickly.

Airmail continued to giggle as she watched Mapper trot over to Caffeinated and have a brief but animated low volume conversation with the orange zebra. “You obviously don’t know Trails,” she managed to say through her giggles as Dusk stomped past them both, his muzzle pulled back in a snarl, grumbling under his breath.

Hearing Dusk’s grumbling Wildfire turned her head to follow her friend’s path. “Dusk…D, D! What did you do?”

Stalking past his best friend Dusk ignored her, carrying on walking out of the dining room and even out of the ranch, eventually stopping by one of the pool loungers and flopping down on it in what was left of the late afternoon sun.

Over at the long buffet table Mapper looked over to see her pet was having a conversation with Requiem, the red and blue painted earth pony mare, a small selection of food on her plate floating in her hazel aura. Waiting patiently for a natural lull in the dialogue between them she smiled when she saw the teal unicorn pause but for a moment. “Serenity, open up!” The pink mare ordered, floating over a miniature strawberry parfait to the waiting unicorn’s mouth, which she ate with a lick of her lips.

“Mmm…yummy!” Serenity swallowed the miniature desert with a pleasurable moan that made Requiem giggle.

Mapper meanwhile was deep in thought, mulling over the little blind mare in her head. The fact she was blind didn’t bother her in the slightest. She was still a pony, and all ponies were bad ponies…and from her inspection the experienced Dom could tell the pegasus was eager, perhaps too eager. She also came with excellent recommendations from both Tempest and Airmail, plus she had to have passed Lavender’s little test to even be here at all, and yet…like Caffeinated had said, and which she agreed, there was ‘something off’ about this mare, something that didn’t sit right with either of them but which neither could put their hoof on. Making her mind up Mapper called for Serenity. “Pet!”

Quickly Serenity put down her plate of food and wiped her muzzle clean, after all it wouldn’t do to present herself otherwise. Trotting over to her wife she stood behind and to the right of the older pink mare. “Yes, Mistress?”

Mapper smiled warmly, proud of her pet’s obedience. “Pet, I'm extending your free time, but it would please me if you were to gain an understanding of Wildfire over there. She…interests me.”

Serenity glanced over to where her Mistress was pointing with her hoof and smiled. “Okay Mapper, she does look interesting.” She agreed, lighting her horn once more and retrieving her plate in her pale hazel aura before moving over to where Wildfire was standing with Airmail and Tempest, the yellow and violet mares busy demolishing yet another of the key lime Swingles while Airmail watched with an amused look on her face. “Hello,” she said to the little yellow Pegasus when she was a few hoof-steps away. “I'm Serenity, Mappers pet and sometimes slave. I hope you're not upset, but she thinks Dusk is a fool.”

Upon hearing this newcomer’s voice, Wildfire turned her head in the general direction, trying to asses it. To her it had a very musical lilt to it, and she detected a trace of an accent different to that of Manehattan, possibly a hint of south eastern Equestria though she couldn't be one hundred per cent sure. Still, this Serenity of which she’d heard so much at least sounded nice. “Hi, I'm Wildfire - call me Wily - and I’m not upset, I know he's a fool.”

Serenity smiled as she rested her plate on the table next to them, “Your scars are pretty,” she said without preamble.

Wildfire lowered her head, angling her face down to the floor of the dining room. “So everypony here keeps telling me.” She replied in the manner of one who clearly didn’t believe her. She knew how awful she looked, she was told often enough at home. “You...you really think so?”

“I see the world different.” Serenity said with a smile so wide and genuine that Wildfire could practically hear it in her beautifully musical voice. “Airmail, you think wildfire is pretty, right?”

“Of course I do.” Airmail answered immediately and with a caress of her azure blue wing over Wildfire’s left flank.

“If all there was of Wildfire was the scars would she still be pretty?” Serenity asked kindly.

Airmail hesitated, pausing to consider her reply for the briefest moment. "They are a part of her, and she is still pretty.” She answered, her wing still comfortingly stroking the smaller mare’s back.

“But, what if all there was, was scars?” Serenity asked again, driving her point home.

This time Airmail didn't pause. “She would still have a beautiful heart.” She said tenderly, leaning her whole body close to Wildfire’s left side, snuggling her under her wing.

“So yes,” Serenity said gently, “I see the world differently.”

Wildfire scuffed her hoof on the carpeted dining room floor, “It's a shame ponies back home don't see it that way,” the yellow pegasus murmured, wanting to turn her head away but somehow not being able to.

“What colour were your eyes?”

Wildfire sighed, lifting her head from the floor to point her scarred face at the melodic voice in front of her. “You're the second one to ask that, they were chestnut brown.” She answered, a trace of regret in her voice.

“I don't see scars anymore.” Serenity said as she took a little step closer to the blind mare. “Please close your eyes.”

Wildfire shook her head. “I...I can't, I don't have any eyes.” Wildfire felt this much was patently obvious. “They melted in the accident that blinded me.”

“You won't close them for me?” Serenity sounded almost disappointed at that.

Straightaway Wildfire caught the subtle change in the tone of the melodic voice in front of her. While still other-world-ish in its beauty there was a definite tinge of disappointment that the yellow mare wanted to rectify. “Um…well, I'll try.” Concentrating really hard she managed to flex her forehead, creating the tiniest, barely noticeable, movement of her scarred face.

Smiling a satisfied smile Serenity leant forward and proceeded to lightly kiss the scars over both of Wildfire’s eye sockets, in a similar fashion to how Airmail had done back in Caffeinated’s coffee shop, giving the yellow mare a scent of strawberries. “You can open them now.” Serenity said kindly, the smile back in her sweet melodic voice. “You have beautiful eyes, Wildfire.”

For the second time that day upon hearing that day Wildfire was stunned as she heard those words. ‘You have beautiful eyes, Wildfire’. “You…you aren't mocking me…you really believe that don't you? Everypony mocks me at home.” She muttered as she lowered her head, thinking of the wardens and their cruel jibes and barbed comments.

To her left side, present as ever, Airmail gave her a gentle nuzzle. “Serenity is a fountain of truth.” She whispered with a smile.

“Thank you Airmail.” Serenity said before turning her hazel gaze back to the blind pegasus. “Wily,” she asked kindly, “Do you want to cry?”

“I can't cry.” Wildfire answered, “My tear ducts were melted in the accident…” whatever she was going to say next was silenced by the feel of an impossibly soft furred forehead that touched against her own, and by the smell of strawberry and the ridges of the base of a unicorn horn she knew it was Serenity. She almost cried out as she felt a hot liquid slide down her scarred face and on to roll off of her yellow cheeks. This mare was crying, for her.

“You don't need tears to cry but I can share mine with you.”

Hearing those sweet melodic words, feeling the hot tears on her face, smelling the salty tears combined with the strawberry, jasmine and sandalwood scents of the three mares arranged around her Wildfire rolled her shoulders as the emotion overwhelmed her. “Th-Thank you…” she barely made any sound through her sniffs and snivels, as close to crying tears as she could get. And yet, as she rested her head against that of the taller pony, Wildfire felt something very strange about Serenity’s face on the bridge of her nose. “Um...I’m sorry...but, your face, it feels strange.”

“Help me, please.” Serenity said, removing her head from Wildfire’s forehead and standing up to her full height as gentle tongues on each side of the little yellow mare licked away the tears that had left tracks on her fur. “Your hoof please.” Said Serenity once the impromptu clean-up had been accomplished.

“Know me.” Serenity said simply as Wildfire held up her left forehoof. Using her own teal hoof Serenity raised and guided Wildfire’s questing hoof over her face.

‘Oh…oh my stars…’ was Wildfire’s first thought as she felt the sole and frog of her hoof touch over felt lined leather straps that ran around her muzzle, and a metallic ring out of the corner of her mouth on each side. There were more straps dropping from that and then go up to loop around her horn. Gently feeling over every small detail Wildfire learnt this unicorn wasn’t large, though as with most things she was bigger than herself, and she also had a good mental picture of the apparatus that adorned her delicate face. “You're wearing a bridle? Can…can I ask why?”

“And more besides.” Said Serenity, the teal unicorn lighting her horn in her hazel coloured aura she used her magic to gently take hold of Wildfire’s hoof and move it very slowly and carefully over her royal blue stockings of silk, a tight silk corset and even the silken panties she was wearing. “As I said, I'm Mappers pet and sometimes slave.” Serenity continued as she returned the pegasus’s hoof to the carpet. “I love her and will do all I can to fill her desires. This is how I was dressed taking the subway here.”

“I wish I had your courage,” said Wildfire with a tiny smile as she shook her hoof, still tingling slightly with the after effects of being held in the firm but gentle grip of the unicorn’s magic.

“It isn't courage.” Serenity explained simply. “It is pleasing the one you love. She is also similarly dressed, but only with stockings and a corset, she wears them proudly in pubic, how can I do any less?”

Wildfire considered that for a moment, fighting to supress the unbidden thoughts of Air Raid that struggled to surface from where she had hidden them these past years. “Then…you are lucky to have one who loves you.”

“Are you two her lovers?” Serenity asked, looking first at Airmail and then at Tempest in turn, before lightly kissing Wildfire’s nose.

Immediately and together as one the two pegasi answered with a firm and definite, “Yes.”

“Let us go to the Mare’s Room then and talk.” Serenity said with a nod to both of them before continuing. “I have strawberries, cream and chocolate.”

Wildfire felt Serenity move away from her and Tempest nudged her right flank, urging her to follow along behind her as the violet pegasus trotted off after the teal unicorn. “If you have chocolate, I’m yours!” Wildfire giggled, very eager to once again sample this rare treat.

Airmail smiled, taking up the rear of the mare chain, checking out Wildfire’s shapely hindquarters in the process. “Another titbit of information from our Wily.”

“Hmm…I don't know Airmail,” Tempest said over her shoulder as they left the expansive dining room for the entrance hall and foyer. “She says no one loves her.”

“You just need to give her a good rutting then.” Airmail giggled as they began to descend the stairs to the basement level of the ranch.

Wildfire lowered her head sadly just as her front legs found the first step in the flight of stairs and carefully proceeded to follow after Tempest and Serenity. “At the home nopony loves me...” she muttered almost under her breath, 'And…I'll be back there soon, won’t I? Back to the hooves of my Mistress…’‘

“Well, I can get a job in Canterlot, easy.” Said Tempest with an assured smile, which, with her high status in the Manehattan Weather team was perfectly accurate.

Airmail joined in then, “I could transfer to Canterlot too.”

Suddenly full of panic Wildfire’s head shot up from the floor. “NO!” She exclaimed, “I don't want you to see home...it's just, home.”

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, a look of confusion crossed Airmail’s azure blue face. “You said you don't live in a home, but in a care taker run place.”

Following Serenity to the left around the stairwell of the basement hall towards the plain wooden door opposite the Stallion’s Room, Tempest shrugged her violet shoulders, “If we move there you'd have to live with us.”

Wildfire couldn’t believe her yellow ears. This was just too much! That these two mares, both of whom she’d only known for no more than a matter of hours, were seriously discussing moving halfway across Equestria for her! Her! “You, you mean...I wouldn’t have to go back...'there'?” She almost spat out the last word.

“Not if we go with you.” Tempest said reassuringly.

If she could’ve, Wildfire would’ve wept tears of joy at the mere thought of not going back to Canterlot, back to her Mistress Amethyst. “You'd really move, for me?” She asked, awe in her voice as she heard a nearby door swing open.

Wildfire entered the Mare’s Room, which was furnished in a very similar fashion to the Stallion’s Room down the hall, with lots of comfy futons for sitting occupying one half of the room while a very large bed took up the majority of the remaining space. Airmail used an azure wing to guide the yellow mare to a spot in between herself and Tempest, with the violet pegasus sat nearest to the door. “Now, let us talk like friends and share truths.” Serenity said as she took her own futon opposite the three pegasi. “Firstly, who is moving?”

“We were talking about moving to Canterlot to be with Wildfire.” Airmail answered, draping her right wing over Wildfire’s back.

Wildfire shivered at the contact. “I…I don't want to go back to the home...but Canterlot is all I know.” As was true. Besides a field trip with the University to the Everfree Forest she’d never ever been out of the capital in her life.

Serenity sighed deeply, “Mapper would miss you both dearly. Maybe Thespian could find others for the Mare's Club, but you two would be hard to replace.” She said, having to stifle a giggle as she did so at the puffed out chest of Tempest sat across from her. Looking now directly at the little yellow mare nestled between her friends, Serenity asked, “Will you share truths with us Wildfire?”

Wildfire suddenly felt the scrutiny of the other three mares upon her, and her natural tendency to shrink away kicked in. But, she was here now, so… “Um...y-yuppers, sure.” She replied, a little bit uncomfortably.

“Don't push, please, Serenity.” Said Tempest as she immediately noticed Wildfire’s distress and put her wing over the yellow mare’s back as her marefriend had done.

Serenity however ignored the violet mare. “Do you really want to be Mistress’s pet?” She asked matter-of-factly and to the point.

‘Do I really want to be Mapper’s pet?’ Wildfire pondered the question silently for a moment, and just as Airmail was going to ask her if she was okay she answered. “I...I um, I want ponies to like me, and at the home they like me if I do whatever I'm told.” She paused, her ears perking up and she smiled a wide smile. “I'm good at doing what I'm told. But then they tell me I'm a bad pony, an awful pony.”

Serenity nodded, “Mistress believes all ponies are bad ponies. I'm a bad pony.”

“Oh...bad ponies get punished.” Wildfire agreed, happy to be sharing with one she assumed was like her. “Head Warden Amethyst Glory lets the wardens punish us.” Again, Wildfire paused. Somewhere in the very deepest recesses of her psyche she knew it wasn’t right… “But...it's alright, because we deserve it for being so bad.”

“Yes,” Serenity agreed, though her hazel eyes were narrowing, “We deserve to be punished for being bad ponies.”

“Oh, I don't mind the beatings,” Wildfire said nonchalantly, as if she was discussing the weather, “I've learned to take those...it's the solitary confinement I can't stand. Warden Glory knows I hate it.”

“Wait a moment...” Airmail interjected, “Serenity, who punishes you?” She asked of the teal unicorn, the pieces of a varied Wildfire-shaped jigsaw beginning to slot into place for her.

“Only the Mistress punishes me,” Serenity replied straightaway, “She would die to protect me from other ponies. My life is hers to use at her pleasure.”

Wildfire was stunned. “Only...only one punishes you?”

Now Serenity frowned, “There can only be one Mistress.”

Tempest shared a look of deep concern with her marefriend and then Serenity. She, like Airmail, had been trying to figure this mare out, and from the look on the azure mare’s face she was as worried as she was by what the yellow mare was saying. “Wily, who is the Mistress of the place you stay at?”

“Amethyst Glory is the Head Warden,” Wildfire replied, “But there are other wardens who work for her.”

Serenity tried her best to hide the suspicion in her voice, she had noted the looks of concern on her two friends, and they alone gave her cause for concern. “Mistress can supervise others to punish me at her desire. They work her will, but she is always with me, because she loves me.”

Airmail’s wing began a stroking motion on Wildfire’s back. “So, this Amethyst is always there when you are punished?”

“Oh no,” the blind mare smiled and then let out a little giggle at Airmail’s wing strokes, “She's too busy all the time, sometimes Lotus Stripes, Amber Leaves or Hazel do it, and when one gets tired another comes and takes their place.” She finished proudly.”

Serenity’s hazel eyes were practically slits, while Airmail and Tempest both had hooves over their mouths. “Doesn't your Mistress love you?”

Wildfire shook her head. “Should she? I just do whatever I'm told to do.” She held her head up high, “Then I make ponies like me. That's what they say.”

“We are all bad ponies.” Serenity said with a saddened shake of her head. “I now know why you want to be the Mistress's pet. A Mistress should love her pet.” The teal unicorn looked at Wildfire with sympathy in her eyes. It was fast becoming clear this mare hadn’t known love in Canterlot. She took a breath before continuing. “Mistress will not move to Canterlot, she says no pony there is worthy of her punishment. You will have to move here to be her pet.”

“But…if...if I move though, if I try to get away, Mistress Glory will be angry with me, very angry, and she'll put me in solitary again, in…in the b-box…” Wildfire stammered nervously, cowering now between the two marefriends at the sheer thought of being locked back in that dreaded box.

“Serenity,” Airmail said, trying to get that horrid image out of her mind, “Has Mapper ever given you to another and left you with them alone?”

Serenity nodded, “Mistress has done this.”

“Did that pony you were given to ever punish you?”

“No, Airmail.” Serenity answered quickly, “Mistress will not allow me to be punished without her being there. The pony reports all the bad things I've done while Mistress was gone and I help them to remember any bad things they may have forgotten.”

“I…I don't mind what the wardens do, as long as it's not solitary confinement, in the box.” Wildfire muttered with a shiver that ran the length of her body.

“So, do you think this Amethyst Glory is a good Mistress?” Tempest asked, recovering enough from her appalled shock to speak up.

Once more Serenity shook her head, not bothering to mask the contempt in her melodic voice. “If a Mistress will not love a pony enough to punish her herself then she is not a Mistress but a bad pony.”

“She isn't bad!” Wildfire suddenly shouted, shocking Airmail with her vehemence as her conditioning kicked in and she defended her owner. “I'm the one who’s bad!”

“All of us are bad ponies, Wildfire.” Serenity said, a little more kindly than before. “Will you be Mistress's slave?” She asked again.”

“L-Like…like when I broke Mistress Amethyst’s vase.” Wildfire continued, not hearing what Serenity had said. “I didn't know the table had been moved, but I should’ve. That's when Amber told me I was a worthless and useless waste. Then…then Mistress Amethyst got angry with me, and she put me in the box. Only, I didn't scream this time, cos nopony ever comes when I scream.” Wildfire’s voice had taken on a deadened mechanical quality to it, and though she couldn’t see it there were tears in Tempest’s blue eyes. “But, she must have felt better later, because they let me out after just five days.”

Again Serenity subjected the blind pegasus to her scrutiny. Try as she might though the teal unicorn couldn’t detect any falsehoods, and that concerned her a great deal. Whatever the exact truth, Wildfire genuinely believed what she was saying was the truth. “My Mistress doesn't like ponies that lie, they are very bad ponies. I have lied to Mistress and she was very harsh with me.”

“Serenity,” Wildfire started, oblivious to the distress that Tempest was in to her right side. “Do...you show your marks, from being punished?”

Serenity nodded, “If the Mistress wishes me to show the world I'm a bad pony then I do. Mistress is kind though and lets me wear clothes when I sing on stage.”

“I have marks too!” Wildfire exclaimed with a wide smile, reaching her left forehoof over to her right wing that she’d extended and dragged it backwards over the leading edge of the wing; pulling the leading feathers against the grain to expose lattice work of nasty looking scars of different ages, some were old, some distinctly newer with some being just a few days old. “You see?” She puffed her chest proudly. “I can't see them but I know they're there.”

Serenity lifted up her chin, her expression holding nothing but disdain. “I have lifted my nose because of a bad smell.” She said simply. “There is no Mistress in your home. There are only very, very bad ponies full of hate and anger. You are a bad pony.”

“But...I try to be good!” Wildfire panicked, cowering low to the futon she was sat on. “I try! Don't put me in the box please! I'll behave, I'll be good...just don't lock me in the box!”

Shocked to the core of her being, Tempest blinked back tears that were rolling freely down her violet cheeks, boiling rage bubbling in her breast at the sight of Wildfire’s abused wings. What shocked her most was the matter of fact way which the yellow mare was so proud of enduring this treatment. She shuddered involuntarily. “Wily, my love I'm going to leave the room, are you okay with that?” She asked, not waiting for the answer before getting up off of her futon.

“I'm staying right here with Wily and Serenity.” Airmail said evenly, her ever present azure blue wing hugging Wildfire tightly.

“Oh, sure Tempest.” Wildfire smiled obliviously as the violet mare forced calm upon herself and hoofed open the door to the Mare’s Room in as calm and collected a way as she possibly could, so as not to arouse suspicion with Wildfire.

As gently and as ‘normally’ as she could manage Tempest closed the door to the Mare’s Room and for a few moments stood in the basement hallway, trying to retain some semblance of calm. Roughly the violet mare wiped her hoof over her leaking blue eyes and galloped full tilt up the flight of stairs that led to the main floor and the dining areas, determined to put an end to this care home in Canterlot. Entering the U shaped hallway Mapper tried to intercept the violet missile but Tempest waved her away with her wing, her eyes zeroed in on the large zebra deep in conversation with Thespian and her parents Baron and Snowfall.

Skidding to a halt by the small group she almost upended a nearby table laden with food, and without warning or explanation seized the zebra and dragged him to one side, to confounded looks from the other three ponies – which Tempest fully ignored - as she quickly filled him in on what Wildfire had revealed to her downstairs.

Caffeinated stomped his hooves, causing a few of the other guests to look in his direction. “Where is Dusk!?” He shouted loudly, the unfamiliar anger in his voice ensuring he had the rest of the group’s attention now as well.

Dusk, as it happened, was outside on a pool lounger using a small whisky to nurse his Mapper-induced bad mood in the late afternoon sunlight when he heard the orange zebra angrily shout his name. Idly he wondered just whom he’d managed to annoy now as he got up. “I’m here stripes!” He called, trotting over, “What's wrong?” He asked, wondering what the big emergency was.

“Every. Bucking. Thing.” Caffeinated punctuated each syllable with a vehemence Dusk had hitherto only witnessed back home when his mom had stolen the last of his aunt’s special chocolate death cake. “Stormy, lay it on him.” The orange stallion said firmly.

“What's this about?” Dusk asked as the others in the large group stopped what they were doing and gathered around. Feeling the many, many pairs of eyes upon him the midnight blue pegasus stood firm, though he suddenly felt very claustrophobic. Looking around he wished they’d back up a few hoof-steps, then he noticed that Serenity, Airmail and Wildfire were absent from the group.

Caffeinated and Mapper stood aside as Tempest advanced upon the royal stallion. “What do you know about the home Wily is in at Canterlot?” She asked simply, her blue eyes staring sharp pointy daggers.

“Helping Hooves?” Dusk replied, a look of puzzled bewilderment on his face, “Not much, only that it's the best in Canterlot, it bears the royal seal…why? What's happened?”

‘What’s happened? Are you bucking kidding me?’ Tempest wanted to scream at the top of her lungs…instead she asked, “Did you know they move shit around so she trips over it and gets in trouble. Did you know they have scarred her? They have broken her wings. They beat the shit out of her and she takes it so that they might like her! They lock her in a little box and leave her there till she stops screaming!” All through her tirade of accusations Tempest never once raised her voice, least Wildfire might hear down in the Mare’s Room, but she stomped forwards until she was muzzle to muzzle with Dusk.

“You…wh-what…they d-do what?” Dusk stammered, the colour draining from his fur, a look of utter shock and disbelief plastered on his face. “There have been rumours…” Of course there were rumours. Rumours abound of the corruption that was rife in the nation’s ‘shining’ capital city. “Mom…Mom issued the guard to carry out inspections...everything always passed.”

Caffeinated was shaking with rage, a rage that found its way to his green eyes. “I revere Princess Luna, but I'm not happy right now.”

Dusk foundered under the shocked and angry glares of the assembled ponies. “B-But the wardens…they were spotless, CRB checks, background history checks…all passed…the patients were happy.”

“Did you ever have her examined by a professional away from that place?” Thespian asked, her blue grey hoof on her husband’s back in an attempt to calm the angry zebra.

Tempest shook her head, still not quite believing it herself. “Wily's happy. If she wasn't happy they beat her until she was happy again.”

“Um…Thespian, they uh…had their own onsite doctor...this...is, it's not possible. They passed several inspections!” Dusk ran his hoof through his mane, feeling very isolated all of a sudden. “I’d know if my best friend was being beaten...surely I'd know! She'd say something?” He asked desperately, not wanting to believe what his ears were telling him.

“Well, Prince Dusk, what are you going to do about this?” Caffeinated asked brusquely, shocking the young stallion with the use of his title. “How is Airmail holding up?” He asked, looking now at Tempest.

“She let me come out here instead of herself, and Mapper, listening to Serenity put my mind through a blender.” Tempest replied tersely, not taking her blue eyes off of the Prince in front of her.

“I...do...about...it's true? All of it?” Dusk asked, opening and closing his mouth.

Mapper stepped up, putting her pink hoof on Tempest’s shoulder. “Did Serenity detect any lies?”

Tempest shook her head. “No, which is why I'm here. It's all true in her mind, and her body is evidence enough for me.” The violet pegasus then roughly poked the toe of her forehoof into Dusk’s chest, trying to shock the stallion to action. “She's scared to death they will find out she talked.”

“There’s evidence, on Wildfire?” Dusk asked, dumbfounded by a daze of shock.

“Did she proudly show you the scars on the underside of her wings,” Tempest asked, jabbing Dusk once more with her hoof. “Or gloat to you about the broken bones?”

“Who did it?” Mapper asked, her tone icy and her expression even icier.

“Not Amethyst,” Tempest answered shortly. “She had her flunkies do it. Wily thinks Amethyst Glory is a Mistress she needs to please.”

Mapper shook her head. “Abusive ponies are bad ponies, and I'd love to get a hold of them.” Her tone was offended, as if this Amethyst calling herself a Mistress was an affront to everything she believed in. It was.

“Scars…broken bones...they just said she had an accident, their doctor confirmed it...they did that to her?”

Tempest snorted out an abrasive laugh. “Her mind is cheese!” She exclaimed, earning stunned gasps from the crowd. “She is real proud of all the damage they did to her. Wily took the abuse so they would like her again!” Blinking away tears that appeared in her eyes she turned to the pink unicorn by her side. “I'm sorry we even thought of giving her over to you Mapper.”

Mapper merely nodded to her friend. “That is why I sent Serenity in.”

“But...Stripes, you spoke to her, earlier in the shop, she was Wildfire, you saw her...” Dusk dropped to his haunches, his hind legs unable to support his weight any longer.

“She's been brainwashed, rinsed out and repeated.” Baron put in firmly, his hoof over his daughter’s shoulder.

“She was happy with the attention Airmail and Lavender gave her.” Caffeinated said, his anger giving way to a sadness that permeated his deep rumbling voice. “I'm blinded by my own kinks, and I thought it was something she would enjoy.”

“Hang on...” Dusk raised his head, glancing over at Baron then back to Tempest. “Earlier, here, you said she freaked out. Over what?”

“We were talking about isolation, and she panicked.” Tempest said, “'Don't put me in a box', she said. I said we would do that here.”

“And…what did she say down there, with you?” Dusk asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

“In the Mare’s Room?” When Dusk merely nodded his head, Tempest took a deep breath and gave the stallion the opportunity to steel himself for what was to come. The violet mare began her story, making sure to add highlights for the audience around them. “They’d move things so she would run to them and blame her followed by beatings. She named four of the wardens that did the work, but not Amethyst Glory, who only gave out the orders. Wily took the beatings so they would like her again. She was very proud how much she could take, no matter how bad. They…they would switch beaters because her tolerance was stronger than their hooves.” After fifteen minutes Tempest ended her recital, and so stunned were they that not a single equine in the room dared breathe.

Nopony in that dining room was more stunned than Dusk Melody. “All that happened, under our noses all these years?” He didn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe it. Things like this just didn’t happen. They didn’t. And here he was, completely out of his element and being expected to do…something. What? What could he do? They were all looking at him, expecting…something, wanting, and demanding, that he do something. Hesitantly he shook his head to clear his fugue. He had to do something, any damned thing. “Where’s my saddlebags, where's. My. Phone!?”

“It was the box that finally did her in. Left her a puddle.” Tempest said dully, fully aware of the consequences and meaning, knowing that as a fellow pegasus Dusk too would get the implication, that his best friend had been subjected to ‘the pegasi’s fear’, the absolute worst thing you could do to any pegasus. “She finally learned not to scream so they would eventually let her back out.”

“Phone right there.” Caffeinated said as he passed over Dusk’s cell.

“She's not going back.” Tempest asserted firmly, with a tone that clearly said that ‘that was that’. “Until there is a trial she isn't leaving the sight of me or Airmail.”

“This ends today, Tempest, I swear it.” He quickly dialled his mom’s personal number at the castle. “She trusts you?” He asked as the dial tone began.

“I hope so,” Tempest nodded, “She does trust Airmail.”

“Yeah mum it’s me, Dusk,” he said with a shake of his head as Octavia answered his call. “Can you get Mom? ...I don't care if she's sleeping, get Mom!” He started to shout, the shock, the pressure and the expectation of these ponies for him to act beginning to get to him. “So what if the Night Court was busy?” So too was his desire to avenge his best friend... “GET MY BUCKING MOTHER NOW OCTAVIA!” Dusk screamed down the phone line, just shy of the Royal Canterlot Voice in terms of volume.

“Yelling at your parents won't solve anything.” Baron sniffed, offended on Lady Octavia’s behalf.

“Mum…mum I'm sorry...just, please get Mom for me, and put her on, please!” He lowered his phone and said to the others, “She's getting her.”

“Tempest,” Thespian said with a smile, “You should go back and check on them.”

Tempest shook her black maned head. “No, Serenity is doing a good de-brief, and Airmail will have it all memorized.”

“My pet should get a reward.” Mapper smiled, pleased with her wife’s performance. “I'll pretend I didn't see her eat any chocolate today.”

“Hi, Mom,” Dusk said loudly, silencing those around him as his mother finally answered the phone. “Look, I’m sorry I woke you...we have a thing, something's happened at Wildfire’s home...I can’t, sorry…” he hoofed the phone over to Tempest. “You tell her...I can't repeat that.”

Tempest blinked once then twice and looked at the cell phone like she’d never seen one before. “You want me to talk to Princess Luna?” She deadpanned.

Dusk nodded, “You heard it all better than me, please tell her.”

With a slightly shaking violet hoof Tempest took the offered cell phone. “H-Hello, this is Tempest, weather captain in Manehattan and I've got nothing but bad news.” She spoke quickly to mask her nerves. “Yeah. Ah…one moment.” She looked at Dusk as she held out the phone. “You think I'm trustworthy?”

“Wildfire thinks you are. I think you are.” Said Dusk as he took back his cell.

“To whom am I speaking? Dusk is this a prank?” Princess Luna’s irritated voice could be heard on the end of the line.

“You can drop my name.” Caffeinated rumbled quietly in Dusk’s ear. “I'm sure I'm in one of Princess Twilight's letters that made the Princess change laws.”

“Dusk Midnight Melody,” Luna’s voice sounded once more, “Why did you wake me up? Tavi said you shouted at her, used her name?”

“Just tell her the ponies in the home hurt Wildfire really bad and then I'll give the details.” Tempest said quietly to the young royal.

“Look, take that gaming headset off and listen.” Dusk said into the cell’s speaker, “The wardens that run Wildfire's home, they're abusing her!” He said quickly as the rather suspect sound of a headset being removed from a pony’s head could be heard from the speaker. “Listen to Tempest, she's a witness.”

“Hello, me again.” Tempest said with a faint blush colouring her violet cheeks. “So, my marefriend Airmail and I were talking with Wildfire and she let some info out. We got another pony named Serenity there that has a truth detector talent. What Wildfire told us is true in her own mind. Serenity doesn't think it is a fantasy she made up, but one the staff made up for her. They would move things and blame her for ruining into them and then the leader Amethyst would have her beaten.” As Tempest paused for breath, the violet pegasus could swear she felt the temperature drop, just from the phone. “That wasn't enough though. She was told the beatings would make them like her again. They had to get rougher to get a reaction out of her and she was proud to take it so they would like her more.”

Princess Luna smouldered, raw power emanating to almost a Royal Canterlot Voice. Ever since her son had discovered his old friend was living in Canterlot she’d had a ‘feeling’ something was amiss. “I see.” The Lunar alicorn said simply, power crackling from the cell, “You have evidence to back this up?”

“I've seen the scars, and her wing has definitely been broken more than once.” Tempest explained, holding the phone away from her as the power coming from it made her fur stand on end. “What broke her was the isolation treatment in a box. If you raid the place we can get you info on where that is.” Tempest’s voice lowered, furious that a pegasus would willingly be subjected to such horrific treatment. “I don't know what you know of Airmail, but she is worth looking up. Equestrian special forces.”

“Very well Tempest.” Luna’s voice came over calmer now than before. “I have heard of Airmail. Very 'capable' as I understand. You've done well. Please put my son back on.”

“Oh and the zebra says ‘hi.’” Tempest said with a giggle. “That is Caffienated, an orange one. I think Princess Twilight knows him.” The violet pegasus held the cell phone out to Dusk, a wide smile on her face. “She wants to talk to you.” After hoofing over the phone she performed a four hoofed happy dance that bought sniggers from the assembled ponies. “I talked to a Princess! I talked to a Princess!” She chanted as she danced in the dining room.

“Mom...” Dusk greeted his mother as he took the phone back, “A raid, yeah I agree. No! Wait!” He exclaimed, “Give me two hours to get to you...I know Manehatten is fifteen hours flight away, I said I'll be there in two! I want in on this.” He did the math quickly in his head for rainboom speeds back to Canterlot. “I love you, bye.”

At precisely the moment Dusk hung up the phone and stowed it in his bag, Serenity came up the stairs from the Mare’s Room and trotted over to join the group. Immediately the teal unicorn moved to stand behind and to the right of Mapper. “Mistress, Wildfire is unworthy to be your slave.” She said simply, a hint of sadness in her melodic voice. “She will however make a good pet. She is a bad pony, because other ponies have made her bad. Those ponies do not deserve love, Mistress.”

Dusk trotted outside to the patio. “I’m going now. Any fast fliers want in? Come with.”

Tempest shook her head with a grim determination. “I'm not leaving here, and nor is Airmail. You’re on our own, stud muffin.”

“Fine.” Dusk looks at the assembled group that had followed him out to the poolside. “Look after her for me, please?”

“She is in the good hooves of those that love her.” Serenity said from her position next to her Mistress.

Mapper gave the Prince a curt nod. “Hurt them and I'll think of you as less of a fool.”

Dusk merely returned the nod, and turned to face away from Caffeinated’s ranch, crouching and spreading his powerful midnight blue wings just like rainbow taught him.

Caffeinated raised a hoof in farewell, “Dusk, please save the rainboom until you are out of range of the house.”

Dusk didn’t turn around as he answered, “Bill me the damage Stripes.” Conserving his considerable power, Dusk released it in one mighty push and thrust off from the poolside at a quarter the speed of sound, fracturing the concrete slabs in a five foot wide crater and leaving a dark blue blur in his wake.

Thespian sighed as she heard the unmistakeable sound of tinkling crashes from within her house. “There goes the glassware.”

“He’s still a fool,” Mapper said with a grim smile, “But…not much of a fool it seems.”

Serenity moved to place her teal hoof on the violet pegasus’s shoulder. “Tempest, you will be needed in the other room now.”

“Okay,” Tempest nodded, “I'll go see how they are doing.” A split second later there was a thunderous ear-splitting boom from the sky, followed by several concentric dark blue circles that emanated from a spot in the clear cloudless sky as Dusk Melody went to supersonic speed back towards Canterlot.

Chapter 3 - That Which We Fear

“I love you Wildfire.” Following Serenity’s departure from the Mare’s Room, Airmail scooted her futon over so it was touching Wildfire’s own, “I love you and you'll never have to go back to that 'care' home again.” She said as she laid her right azure blue wing carefully over the shivering little yellow mare to offer her the comforting warmth of her body. “You're not alone anymore.”

“I…I don’t?” Wildfire whispered, quivering on the futon under the blue wing. “I really don't have to go back?” She asked incredulously. She couldn’t believe what had happened. She didn’t dare believe what had happened. Was she really free of Amethyst Glory? It didn’t seem real. “Dusk!” Her head shot up suddenly as a stark realisation hit her. “You…you can't tell him! He can't know!”

Airmail bent her head and gave the smaller mare a tender loving nuzzle to her left cheek. “Wily I love you, but the world will know, the world has to know.”

“You love me?” Wildfire asked, pulling away from the nuzzle but not looking at the blue pegasus caressing her left side. “Why?” She asked morosely, dipping her head back down to her forehooves. “You mean you feel sorry for me.” Said Wildfire in a saddened tone. She really didn’t know what would happen to her now. Everything she’d known for a fifth of her lifetime was up in the air. ‘If Dusk knows he'll be angry, his Mom will be angry...they'll punish me…’

Airmail looked shocked. Speechless was more like it. It was all she could do to not seize Wildfire by the shoulders and shake her silly. “Sorry? I feel sorry for you? Did you think I was feeling sorry for you back in the coffee shop? Or when we walked to the subway? Or when I stood with you on the train?” She asked heatedly, “Do you really think so little of me? Do you hate me that much?”

“No!” Wildfire cried, “You're nice, really nice…I hate myself.”

Lowering her muzzle back to the younger mare’s cheek this time Airmail gently kissed her. “You know, Serenity is right. You do have beautiful eyes.” The lead editor smiled at the yellow mare, “I only wish you could see yourself how I see you.”

Turning her head slightly to the left Wildfire hesitantly returned the kiss. “Airmail, um…Pretty?” She asked nervously, “What's, um…what's going to happen now?”

Airmail sighed a little sigh. “Now, Baron will make sure I don't kill any ponies.” She said without a trace of a smile. “I honestly don't even know if Dusk is still here, but I'm here so you will not be alone. I don't think Mapper will let you be her slave, but she will make you a pet for the evening. Will that be fun for you?” She asked, carefully watching the little yellow mare to gauge her reaction.

Immediately but without thinking Wildfire answered, “If it'll make her like me it'll be fun!” She exclaimed with a wide smile. “But, the other ponies...will they like me?” She asked, suddenly worried about the other guests that were here. Those that had been watching her out on the patio earlier. “Tempest can pee on me again, they liked that didn't they? That was fun!” She reasoned, “I'm not sure I want Dusk to see me yet though...”

In addition to her right wing now Airmail draped her right foreleg around Wildfire’s shoulders and hugged her tightly, so tight she could feel the hot tears, even smell them as they rolled down the azure blue cheeks. “You can never make me like you, I love you. You can't make other ponies like you by being what you are not. Ponies will like you because you are you.” Still hugging the little pegasus tightly Airmail paused for breath before continuing, “Tempest doesn’t pee on me and she loves me and I love her. Tempest won't pee on you to like you, she will pee on you if you love her enough to ask again.”

“I um…I, I think I...love you.” Wildfire stammered, thoroughly confused. It was just…too much to absorb, all at once. “But, out there, they'll know won't they? They'll be looking at me…”

“They would have to get through me first Wily.” Airmail replied, squeezing her ever tighter. “Do you think anypony could get through me? Even Sunny-butt wouldn't have a chance.”

Putting her left foreleg up and over the larger azure blue mare’s shoulders Wildfire held on to Airmail for grim death. “I…I feel safe with you, but we'll have to go out though, won't we?” She asked with a deep reticent sigh. “I can't stay in here forever, can I?”

“No,” said Airmail firmly, “We stay here until Tempest comes back and gets us.”

Wildfire shuddered at the firm tone in that wonderful Manehatten / Northern accented voice. “Am…am I in trouble?” She asked meekly.

“You're a bad pony, Wildfire,” Airmail giggled, “But sometimes it is fun to be a bad pony.”

Once more Wildfire lowered her head. “I don't mean to be a bad pony...please don't hurt me.”

Airmail’s heart ached so much for this young mare, to the point of exploding. “I love you, if I hurt you it is to show that love for you because you've asked me to punish you.” She said kindly in her ear. “I'll never, ever hurt you for my own pleasure.”

Wildfire shook her head, trying desperately to process…everything. She didn’t know why she felt so safe with this mare, she just did, and that was that. Maybe it was because she reminded her vaguely of her mother. “You…you won't break my wings, or shut me on my own?”

“What is your safe word?” Asked Airmail simply. “I want to love you when we have fun, and if the fun isn't fun I want you to use that word.”

Casting her mind back over the fog of the last five years of her life Wildfire recalled the times she used to spend with Air Raid, before Amethyst came into her life, before Helping Hooves Care Home. A happier, normal time. She smiled an actual genuine smile as she remembered. “Can I have 'peaches,' please Pretty?”

“Okay,” Airmail said with a smile, “Peaches it is. Let’s practice.” At that her voice changed, becoming stricter, more authoritarian. “I'm going to tie up your wings so they stick out from your body. What do you say?”

“Punish me,” Wildfire recited happily, something of her former conditioning kicking in. “I'm a bad pony.”

“I'm going to put a bridle, bit and reins on you and lead you around so others can look.” Airmail said calmly but firmly. “What do you say?”

Wildfire smile and answered quickly, “I deserve this! I’m a bad pony.”

“I'm going to tie your wing tips to your bit so you can't fly away when I lead you around.” Airmail said, getting ready to up the stakes of the test. “What do you say?”

Wildfire’s smile wavered, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the other older mare, but still she recited; “It's my own fault for being a bad pony…”

Airmail reeled, shaking her head somewhat at the metaphorical stone wall she was butting her head against. Really, she imagined with a shudder that she could allow, and join in with, Tempest in defecating all over this little blind mare and Wildfire would readily allow it to happen. “Alright…I get it. You’re a bad pony…a very bad pony.” She said with a deep sigh, “But…you have a safe word, you can use it if you want to.”

“I do… ‘Peaches’…” Wildfire said quietly, excited about the evening to come, about how she’d please all those ponies upstairs when she did exactly what they all wanted. “Then, then Mapper can do the rest.” Wildfire replied a little more confidently, “Um...could you ask her to tie my tail to the bridle, to hold it up?”

“I'm sure she will make you a pretty little pet.” Airmail said with a grin, her mind already conjuring up images of the yellow mare tied up like a Hearths Warming present. “Will you be my pet?” She asked, changing tack.

Wildfire’s ears perked up at that, and she turned her head to the other mare’s direction. “Yes.” She nodded eagerly. “You make me feel safe.”

Airmail smiled a relieved smile. “With me you get Tempest, will you share me with Tempest?”

“Oh, I don't mind sharing!” Wildfire stated confidently. Being shared around and used again and again was something she was used to. “They shared us around the home often enough, whenever they liked.”

Airmail frowned. “This is a sharing of love,” she said with a shake of her head. “Will you let me share my love for you with Tempest?”

Wildfire paused and thought about that. Would she share? Could she share? Properly share, with real love? She honestly didn’t know. It had been so long since she'd experienced 'real' love, she had forgotten what it was like. But…she trusted Airmail as much as she’d ever trusted anypony. “I…I feel safe with her too. You two looked after me, so yes, I can share.”

“Wildfire,” Airmail said very seriously, “Will you share your love for me with Tempest?”

Wildfire nodded without hesitation. “I love you both.”

“You're safe now, you are part of a herd. Our herd.” Airmail smiled as she got up from her futon with a reassuring stroke of her wing along Wildfire’s left flank to trot over to the little, but fully equipped drinks bar. After all this she needed a stiff ‘something’, and she was pretty sure Wildfire did as well. “Do you want to live in Canterlot or in Manehattan or somewhere else?” She asked as she poured out two of the weaker strength moonshines that were stocked in the bar.

“I...I don't know...” Wildfire said hesitantly tracking Airmail with her ears as her hooves clopped on the hardwood floor and reassured by the scent of jasmine and her voice that she was still there with her. “Please don't laugh but I really do want a foal, maybe it would be best if I moved, Canterlot has nothing but bad memories now.”

“To be perfectly honest with you,” Airmail started as she took up the tray with the glasses on in her mouth and turned to trot back to the futons, pausing long enough to set the tray down on a low table, “Both Tempest and I could move easily, but we would like to stay here in Manehattan.”

Wildfire considered this for a brief moment, breathing in the delicious scent of the moonshine in front of her. “Um…maybe...could I stay with you?” She asked nervously, making her decision.

“With us,” Airmail corrected gently, taking her own glass in her hoof for a quick sip. “Tempest and I share a place not far from here.”

Wildfire reached for her own glass, and after two fumbled attempts she found it, although her smile quickly vanished as a thought struck her, her ears slicking back to her head just under her black mane and she hung her head. “I have no money…” she muttered quietly, ‘Or anything at all...’ she thought as she picked up her glass.

“Why do you need money?” The older mare asked, “You have a lot of stuff to move?”

The little yellow mare scuffed the forehoof that wasn’t holding her moonshine on the hardwood floor. “I um…I don't have anything…we weren't allowed things at the home.”

“Okay,” Airmail set her empty glass on the table, “So, what do you need bits for?”

“Well, I’ll need bits, for rent…and food and stuffs.”

At that Airmail let out a little giggle. “Rent will cost you two kisses a day for each of us. No back rent!” She laughed, “Can you cook?”

“But…what if I mess up, or break something?” Wildfire asked, really very nervous of the answer.

“Well, if you mess up on purpose I might just spank you.” Airmail replied kindly, scooting back over to the futon next to the little yellow mare. “Otherwise, you will just have to clean up your mess. Tempest and I will lead you through the house so you know where things are and it will be safe.”

“You…you won't be angry with me?” She asked, nestling back into the familiar jasmine scented body warmth of the pegasus next to her.

“Love, I can't say I'll never be angry with you.” Airmail said with a soft nuzzle along the blind mare’s neck, “But I won't hurt you if I'm angry. I'll let Tempest calm both of us down so we can make sweet love again.”

Wildfire giggled like a little filly, “I like the sound of that, Pretty.” Still giggling she extended her right wing to half its span and lowered her head, ruffling through it before carefully selecting a primary feather and with a small hiss she pulled it out. “I offer it to you, Airy.” She said, holding it in her teeth to the azure blue mare.

As Wildfire selected a – relatively undamaged – feather, Tempest opened the Mare’s Room door and trotted inside with a grim smile that turned genuine when she saw the exchange. “Trade ya!” She exclaimed, immediately pulling a violet feather from her wing as she made her way to the right of the little yellow mare.

“You're back I see.” Airmail said, also pulling a feather, “It will cost you two now, Wily.”

Immediately Wildfire ducked her head under her abused wing and quickly chose then pulled another feather, this one for Tempest. “Hi Tempest…um, I know it's not much, but it's mine to give.”

“You give of yourself, which is all we can ask for.” Tempest smiled, giving Wildfire a gentle nuzzle along her right cheek.

“It will be enough for all of us.” Airmail said kindly, graciously taking the offered feather from between the blind mare’s teeth with her own. Just as she did so a thunderous ear splitting boom, muffled slightly by the walls of the ranch, echoed throughout the building and shaking the wooden panelled room.

“What the buck was that?” Wildfire squeaked as she heard the boom, unaware of what had caused it, or from whence it had come.

“That…that would be Dusk, bringing Tartarus to some very bad ponies.” Tempest answered, a grim note of satisfaction in her voice.

“He…Dusk…he knows?” Wildfire stammered, still shaking from the sonic boom.

Tempest nodded, “Will you forgive me? I told him everything.”

“Oh! Oh no…no, no!” Wildfire sprang to her hooves on the futon, prancing on all four hooves as her anxiety took hold of her and she started to panic. “Oh, oh well...it's done now. Is…is he angry with me?”

“No,” Tempest said in a bemused tone, an eyebrow raised at the panicked prancing mare. “He does love you, but like a sister I think.” The violet mare hung her head slightly. “There is more to forgive me for…”

This admission momentarily distracted Wildfire from her four hooved panic. “Why, Tempest, what do you mean?”

With a deep breath and a slightly heavy heart Tempest plowed on. “I spoke with Princess Luna. She knows too.”

Cold dread froze Wildfire in place. Dusk knew. Luna knew. This was bad…very, very bad. Her Mistress would know that she’d talked. She was in so much trouble! So, so much trouble. “Pr-Pr-Princess L-Luna?” Once more she panicked, dancing on her hooves. “Oh no...no…there'll be a raid...what'll happen to the others?”

Airmail shot her marefriend a ‘look’ that spoke volumes. “You talked to Princess Luna?”

“Yeah.” Tempest replied simply, brushing her violet furred chest like she spoke to royalty all the time.

Airmail snorted a ‘hmph’, “Has everypony in this room talked to a Princess but me?” She asked with an exaggerated playful pout.

Tempest merely shrugged her shoulders and giggled. “If it helps any, she knows your name...I sort of dropped it, but it did seem to seal the deal.” She said, blowing a kiss to the pouting blue mare. “Wily,” she asked, “By ‘others’, do you mean the residents or the staff?”

“M-Mistress Amethyst, Amber, Lotus...they, they'll get hurt won't they?”

“Hmph!” Tempest snorted derisively, “No more than they hurt you. Something Serenity said though...”

“They were only doing their jobs!” Wildfire cried, cutting Tempest off as she ceased her panicked four hoof dance and she tried to make a bolt for the door of the Mare’s Room. “I never should’ve said! I should have behaved better for them!

‘Oh no you don’t!’ Airmail sprang from her futon and leapt after Wildfire, in two quick paces she had her forelegs wrapped around the yellow mare’s hind quarters and used her body weight and momentum from behind to take her down to the hardwood floor in a rough hard tackle. “You going to abandon us!?” Airmail yelled around the swishing black tail, “Don't you love us anymore?”

Leaving her futon Tempest flapped her strong violet wings and hovered over to the mares struggling on the floor. “Are you going to leave us all alone?”

Down on the hardwood floor and struggling in Airmail’s iron-tight grip Wildfire tried without success to inch her way to the door…to do what, exactly? She had no way whatever of getting out of Manehattan on her own, as well as absolutely no way in Equestria of beating Dusk all the way back to Canterlot if he’d gone supersonic, even if she could see where she was going. Realising this with a defeated sigh the little yellow mare slumped and stopped, laying still in Airmail’s legs. “I...I love...I don't know!” She moaned, her head hitting the floor. “I…I love you...”

Bending her legs Tempest lowered herself to lay next to the now motionless yellow mare. “Serenity told Mapper that you were a bad pony, because they were bad ponies.” She said kindly, laying a violet wing over her back. “Then, she said that you deserve love, but that they do not.”

From her position just under Wildfire’s tail – a position that at any other time Airmail would’ve liked to have been in – the azure blue mare lifted her head up, blowing her tussled summer green mane from her eyes as she did so. “Wait…Serenity said that?”

“Yeah.”

Airmail's grapple then turned into a hug as she crawled up Wildfire’s still body. “Please don't try to leave us again.” She whispered, planting a soft delicate loving kiss on the smaller mare’s lips.

“I'm sorry...” Wildfire replied with a definite blush. “I…I won’t, I promise.”

Once she was completely sure that the blind mare wasn’t going to make a break for the door again, Airmail slowly released her hug. “Are you going to be okay with the others?”

Wildfire shrugged a little as she began to sit up from the floor. “I can't stay in here forever, can I, Airmail?” She asked as the two mares helped her back to her futon that she had so rapidly vacated. “Will you two put your wings over me?” She asked, suddenly and inexplicably feeling very vulnerable.

As the little yellow mare sat back down there was a gentle knock at the plain wooden door to the Mare’s Room and, with it surrounded in a bright magenta glow, it swung open to allow Mapper admittance. “Good afternoon, mares. Dinner is now over.” Mapper said pleasantly, the white silk socks she was wearing muffled her hooves, but Wildfire was still able to track her as she walked over and took a futon opposite them. “Thespian says dessert will remain out for those that want it.”

Airmail had her wing draped protectively over Wildfire’s left flank. “Wily, you don't have to do this if you don't want to.”

“I know,” the yellow mare smiled, though she was undoubtedly nervous at the prospect of what she was letting herself in for, she had at least learnt that these ponies weren’t anything like those back home…and Airmail and Tempest especially seemed to really care about her. Like, really, really care. If they were to be believed. “It's okay Pretty, I can do this, I owe you all so much for today.”

Airmail frowned, a deep frown that sounded in her northern accented voice. “Wily, you don't owe us anything. We give ourselves freely and gladly accept what you offer.”

Wildfire nodded with a smile. “Then…accept that I want to do this, for you both and for me.”

At that last sentence from the little blind mare, Mapper leant forward, her bright magenta eyes twinkling and alive with the possibilities of the fun they could have. “So,” she said, unable to keep the eagerness from her clipped Canterlot accent, “You still want to be my pet for this evening, Wildfire?”

“I do,” she answered with a nod of her head.

All at once the tone of Mapper’s voice changed like a light switch. Where a split second before she was pleasant and perfectly reassuring, now there was a hard no-nonsense authoritarian edge to her. “Very good,” the pink unicorn said with a glint in her eye as she switched modes. “You may call me Mistress and you may say yes or no with Mistress to my questions. If anypony else asks you a question you may say, ‘Please ask my Mistress,’ do you understand?”

On her futon Wildfire immediately caught the change in the tone of Mapper’s voice. It was scary, yes, but at the same time it was familiar yet different. As strict as she sounded, there was an undercurrent, something more that was absent from Amethyst’s voice. “Yes Mistress,” Wildfire said confidently.

“You do have pretty eyes,” Mapper said, sliding off of her futon and taking a step over to the blind mare. “But, I can't let others see that.” Lighting her horn the pink mare opened the store closet and levitated out a few supplies, which she arranged on the coffee table. “Ah…to begin with…” she smiled, floating up a length of silken fabric over the scars that took up a good portion of Wildfire’s face. “Hmm…rather fit, her wingspan looks to be roughly your size Tempest.” She looked appraisingly as she carefully secured the blindfold around the back of the smaller mare’s black mane, noting she squirmed with the pressure on her facial scars. “A bit wiggly, perhaps, but I can overlook that.”

Airmail said, “She has said her scars do cause her pain under pressure, Mapper.”

With a slight nod of her head the pink unicorn magically loosened the blindfold just a little, while ensuring there was still a snug fit. “Tempest, which goes better do you think, burgundy or forest green?”

Tempest grinned, “You know I like green.”

Mapper nodded her agreement, “Yes, and I think it goes will against her fur and mane.” Once more she lit her horn, this time levitating a set of four forest green coloured socks up from the coffee table and holding them against the yellow of Wildfire’s fur. ‘Yes…this is just the ticket…’ she thought to herself with a grin, the socks passing her own criteria. “Lift your front left forehoof up six inches.”

Straightaway Wildfire did as she was instructed, lifting up her left foreleg. A second or two after she did so she felt something impossibly soft and silky slide up her leg. “Oooh…” she gasped, fighting a little giggle as the tingle of the magical aura tickled the fur of her leg from hoof up past her fetlock and elbow on up to her upper leg. This was quickly repeated on her other three legs until all four were clothed in the luxurious silken socks.

Wildfire then heard a pony walking around and behind her. From the slightly muffled hoof-steps, as well as the wafting scent of strawberries, she knew it to be Mistress Mapper. “Lift your tail.” The strict command all but confirmed it to her, and straightaway she hastened to obey, flexing the muscles of her dock to raise up her black tail to fully expose her marehood and tail-hole.

Mapper watched with a smile as the little blind mare did as she instructed. Lowering her head to the pegasus’s crotch she breathed in the heady musky scent of her sex, and her unmistakable arousal. “Oh my…Airmail, come over here and get a whiff of this!” The pink unicorn exclaimed, pointing with a hoof to Wildfire’s hindquarters. “How long have you been building her up?”

Wildfire detected the sound of more hoof-steps, this time un-muffled, and the scent of jasmine moving that told her Airmail was moving behind her to stand next to Mapper, then she shivered involuntarily as she felt some hot breath blow over the moistened labia of her marehood.

Behind her Airmail breathed once more over the exposed sex, giggling slightly as it winked at her. “She is rather receptive.”

“Well can't have the public seeing that, can we!?” Mapper said, deciding what to do she lit her horn and lifted up a pair of forest green panties that matched the socks she was wearing. “Lift your left rear hoof six inches.” She ordered curtly.

As she obediently lifted her left hind leg Wildfire felt something like cloth around the outside of her hoof. She was just wondering what this soft cloth was when she heard Mapper’s voice once more, “Set it down and then raise the right hoof.” She did do, and felt the cloth around the outside of her right hoof as well. “Set it down.” As soon as her hoof touched the hardwood floor she felt the cloth material ride up the outside of her legs until the panties were fitted snugly against her marehood. The loud snap-click of the tail fastener held them securely in place. “You're right Tempest,” Mapper smiled over to the violet mare. “The green does do a better job hiding the wetness.”

Imagining how she looked, Wildfire smiled and felt a length of silk on her back that was magically wrapped around her barrel just behind her wing joints and then the metal fasteners under her chest were clicked together. ‘Oh wow…it’s a corset!’ She thought as she realised just what the new garment was. She had just enough time to take a deep breath in before the ties along her spine were tightened up.

“Shall we continue, Pet?” Mapper asked, slightly concerned for the young mare.

Her concern was assuaged when she answered without hesitation, “Yes Mistress!”

“Open your mouth.” Waiting a split second after the yellow pegasus opened her mouth wide Mapper then floated a metal bit in to settle comfortably behind her back molars against the crease in her mouth. “Close.” She ordered simply, levitating up a black faux leather bridle as Wildfire closed her mouth around the bit. With a little manual adjustment Mapper fitted the bridle over the little mare’s face, covering her muzzle and connected it to the bit, then tightening the straps behind her head helping to hold the forest green blindfold in place. “I understand you'd like to have your wings displayed, is that true, Pet?” Mapper asked as she added the reins to the bridle and looped them loosely around her muzzle.

“Yes Mistress!”

Mapper smiled, she had to admit, everything considered, she was a little impressed with this little pegasus. “Spread them wide to the side.”

Spreading her yellow wings wide Wildfire felt a pony’s muzzle delve carefully beneath her feathers. At first she thought it was Airmail beginning another wondrous preen, but very quickly she realised this was an inspection, not a sensuous preening. The muzzle in question snuffled between her feathers, parting the soft downy feathers of the leading edges of the wings, her inspection paying close attention to the scarred heavily damaged areas, causing Wildfire to flinch involuntarily.

Getting a close up look of the scars, the uneven skin that told of the many breakages, Mapper was revolted. Utterly, utterly revolted. The older pink mare really had to struggle to blink back her tears and maintain her ‘Mistress’ façade. “And…neither of you two noticed this?” The disgust in her voice was palpable.

Airmail shook her head sadly, “You know when I preen I kinda go off into la la land.”

Tempest also shook her head. “She was behind me when we went flying earlier.”

“It wasn't until she showed off the damage to us with pride in this room, did we notice.” Airmail added, wanting nothing more than to hug the little blind mare.

“Yeah,” Tempest said grimly, the recollections still prevalent in her mind. “I left the room after that.”

During this brief exchange Mapper took the few precious seconds to properly compose herself before she spoke again. When she did so there was no trace of the distress she had felt when she had inspected Wildfire’s wings. “Pet, if a wing hurts you, you may stamp the floor with your right forehoof, do you understand?”

Wildfire nodded, “Yes Mistress.” She then felt a series of cold metallic ring clips get levitated to and secured around her wing bones that were just on the inside of the three main wing joints of each wing. They went around the flesh of the limbs and through the feathers. She winced slightly as she felt the three metal clips on each of her wings. Winced, but she didn’t stamp her hoof. ‘This is okay…I can take this…’ she told herself, determined to carry on. Wildfire then felt a metal bar, roughly four pounds in weight, slide easily along the clips around her wings. This was quickly joined by a similar spreader bar on her other wing. These metal bars effectively held her wings open in their spread position. Briefly she felt a strap across her back across her shoulders and between her wings but this was lifted away as it tightened, raising up her wings a just slightly.

“Nggh…aaah…” Wildfire grunted then sighed as her right wing tip was pulled forward almost painfully so and then she felt the metallic bit wedged in her mouth pulled towards the wing tip.

“Head front and centre!” Mapper barked as she magically secured the end of the spreader bar to the right side of the bit.

“Nggh…nggh…” again Wildfire grunted, this time with the pressure on her right wing, but she didn’t try to move or lower her head. Experience told her better than that. Suddenly and without warning her other wing was pulled forward the same amount and then clipped to the bit, this helped her stay centred, but the new position, with both wing tips secured to the bit in her mouth naturally wanted to pull her head back.

“I’m thinking bells,” Mapper said critically as she slowly walked around and surveyed her pet. “Do you agree, Airmail?”

Airmail nodded, a gleeful look on her muzzle and a twinkle in her brown eyes. “I like bells.”

Mental images of how she looked flooded through Wildfire’s mind, 'Damn…this is hot!' She thought with pride as she felt a cloth mesh with a large opening encase her black tail and as soon as it was secured in place around her dock it was pulled up over her back between her wings and shoulders to a point of near pain and it was attached to the back of the bridle, causing even more pull against her neck, pulling her head back even more.

“Sway your tail left and right!” Mapper commanded.

Swaying her tail as instructed Wildfire heard the soft chime of bells that ran the length of her tail sleeve. She swished it again, enjoying the sound of the bells just as she heard more jingles, this time from lower down as a set of hoof-cuffs with bells were magically secured around her lower legs.

“She looks just like a Hearths Warming present.” Tempest commented, earning herself a warm blush from the trussed up yellow mare.

“I don't think I'll be fooling anypony…” Mapper sighed audibly from behind Wildfire, shaking her head not only at the thick musky scent coming from the yellow pegasus, but also at the very obvious - and growing - damp patch at the gusset of the forest green panties that were now so wet the clear outline of the labia and marehood were patently visible. “Those panties are soaked! Oh…oh well…they still have the illusion of hiding something.”

Wildfire then felt the reins fall from her muzzle. “Come Pet, it’s time to meet your audience.” Mapper said authoritatively, gently pulling on the reins to lead her forward towards the wooden door of the Mare’s Room.

Feeling the pull of the reins Wildfire hesitantly took a few steps, her heart pounding with nerves in her chest as she felt Airmail and Tempest’s muzzles on her wings, guiding her through the door and out into the basement level hallway. Shivering at the touch of the two muzzles, Wildfire walked along and up the stairs, not really caring where she was going but blindly following the pull of the reins wherever her Mistress decided to take her. From the feel of the carpet and the smell of the food she surmised it was towards the dining rooms.

“Greetings everypony!” Mapper declared dramatically, magically throwing open the doors to the large expansive dining room and rearing up to ensure she had everypony’s attention. “I present for your viewing enjoyment, Wildfire! The, ah, the damp. But, mares and gentle-colts, I assure you her fire is still burning!” Wildfire stifled a giggle – to her she sounded like a circus ringmaster introducing a new act – only she was the act, for them all to enjoy…and she was perfectly fine with that. “Please, draw near and view, sniff and taste to your heart's content!” Turning her attention to the teal unicorn currently enjoying a sneaky chocolate surprise. “Senior Pet!”

Quickly, and quite aware that she had been caught eating the chocolate treat, Serenity lowered her plate to the cloth lined table and levitated a napkin to her mouth to clean herself up before trotting over to the four ponies. “Yes Mistress?”

Mapper smiled, the twinkle in her eye speaking volumes and telling Serenity in no uncertain terms that she’d been caught red-hooved. While she had been willing, taking the extenuating circumstances into account, to forego the earlier chocolate transgression, Mapper made a mental note to make sure her wife paid for this one. “Take the reins, Pet, and see she doesn't get bored in one place. I'm going to sample some of that Luna Moonshine.”

“Yes Mistress.” Obediently, Serenity lit her horn and took hold of the reins in her pale hazel aura, and began to slowly lead Wildfire around the expansive dining room.

Following the gentle pull of the reins Wildfire blindly followed after the teal unicorn, trusting that she’d steer her right. Straightaway as she began walking around the room she felt the ponies milling around her. She felt their hot breath on her fur, causing it to stand on end, and she could feel the lick of a wet tongue now and again contact her flanks and her wings.

“I'm here love.” Airmail said from her position just off to her right, “And Tempest is enjoying the view too.”

Automatically Wildfire tried a small nod by way of reply, a motion which was severely restricted by the tail sleeve hooked to the back of the bridle, causing her to moan happily not only at the licks she was receiving but now at the sharp pain that lanced from the dock of her tail. After four minutes standing still she felt the reins tug her forward for a few feet before going slack once again. Walking forwards more confidently than before Wildfire stopped when she felt through the bit in her mouth the reins slacken.

As she came to a halt a stallion’s voice came from her left side, just in front of her. “Look here.” The voice said gently, obviously talking about her to another pony nearby, “You don’t see this normally, but look now…yeah they really did a number on her, just like Stormy said.” At that Wildfire couldn’t help but blush, knowing everypony here could see what she had been hiding from them, she could feel their hot breath over the many varied scars on the leading edges of her wings. She stumbled slightly, her mind full of imagined reactions at what they could see.

“I'm still here, love.” Airmail said, pressing her nose against the thinly covered hole under her tail with a strong intake of breath, savouring the little yellow mare’s musky scent.

Mapper called from across the dining room, a medium strength Moonshine held in her glowing magenta aura. “Does my Junior Pet drink alcohol?”

Distracted now from her worry about what the other ponies could or could not see, Wildfire answered straight away, wanting to turn her head to her new Mistresses voice but was unable to by the clips holding her wingtips to the metallic bit in her mouth. “Yes Mistress.”

“Senior Pet,” said Mapper, pouring out a Moonrise cocktail – the pink unicorn understood her new pet was familiar with Dusk, and also with Luna, and she took a fairly safe gamble that she’d drank this, or something similar before – and levitated it carefully over to her waiting wife. “Take this and let her have small sips.”

Wondering just what it was she was being offered Wildfire felt the edge of a straw push against her lips, getting no warning as to what it might be. She was about to take a welcome sip of the…whatever it was – it had no scent, which puzzled her – but she was distracted somewhat by the others moving around her, touching, sniffing and licking her at random moments. Before she knew what was happening Wildfire felt the straw come out of her mouth with a sharp motion and poke her hard in the nose, then going back in between her parted lips. Unsure what to do, the diminutive pegasus did nothing.

The teal unicorn pulled out the straw again, Serenity spoke up, at once admitting to her failure to carry out her orders. “Mistress I have failed.”

Without any warning at all Wildfire heard the loud tell-tale singing noise of a crop flying through the air, shortly followed by the familiar sound of hide impacting on a pony’s hide. “Try again.” Mapper said tersely, her eyes narrowed as the crop hovered in her magical aura.

Once more Wildfire felt the straw between her lips, the little mare blushing at her schoolpony error, even more so that Serenity had been punished for it, and proceeded to take a small suck on the straw. ‘It’s a Moonrise!’ She thought with a surprised gasp as she immediately recognised the blend of Luna Moonshine and Sweet Orange Acres Orange Juice. ‘Oh sweet Luna above it’s a Moonrise!’ She smiled at the familiar taste, quickly taking another sip.

Just as she was about to take a third sip of the cocktail Wildfire felt the straw slide out of her mouth and the reins gently but firmly pull her forward roughly about five feet. Walking forward she was feeling pretty good about herself and the little show she was a part of, until she felt the outstretched feathers of her right wing bump a pony as she passed, and then a stallion’s voice call out, “Watch it!” Causing her to stumble backwards a few paces.

As she stumbled Wildfire heard another, equally loud slap of hide upon hide, then came Mapper’s stern voice. “You may stomp your hoof once before you move her to let others know.”

All the time, through these two hard slaps, Serenity never made a sound, not even the slightest gasp of pain. “Yes Mistress.” She said simply, returning the straw to Wildfire’s lips.

Wildfire took a small sip of the offered Moonrise cocktail through the straw pushed in her mouth, feeling both a little sorry for the smacks she was hearing Serenity receive and sorry for the fact she wasn’t receiving them. She enjoyed it for but a moment though before she heard the stomp of a hoof and then felt the reins again pull her forward and this time turn her to the left. Obediently she followed where the teal unicorn led her, following the pull of the reins.

“Lovely pie Thespian, I think I need to walk that off.” Mapper said loudly, raising her own glass in a salute to the blue grey earth pony mare. A few of the ponies around her gave voice to various comments on how great an idea that would be, and how they’d like to see the pets paraded, which gave the pink unicorn a great idea. “Come along, Senior Pet, and do tow that one along.” She commanded, turning her back on her wife and heading towards the main doors.

Wildfire heard the stomp of a hoof and the reins began to pull her forward. Excited at the prospect of what was to come, to say nothing of pleasing and impressing her new Mistress, Wildfire flicked her ears at Mapper’s comment and proceeded without question to follow the reins as best as she could.

Noticing the slight, very slight, hesitation, Airmail put her hoof on her pink friend’s shoulder. “Mapper,” she began cautiously, “She is blindfolded.” She said, with the emphasis on the ‘blind’.

Pausing Mapper gave the azure blue pegasus a look with an arched eyebrow, “And, your point is?” She then thought on what the mare had said and smiled. “Oh…hmm…Junior Pet, do you know your way around this house?” She asked, finally getting her friend’s meaning.

“No, Mistress.” Wildfire replied immediately, which, besides the dining rooms and the basement, was perfectly true.

“Hmm…Senior Pet,” Mapper addressed Serenity, “You may guide her, but don't waste words.”

Inclining her head in a small respectful bow Serenity once more lit her horn, taking up the reins in her pale hazel aura. “Yes Mistress.” Pulling on them gently the teal unicorn led Wildfire through the main doors of Caffeinated’s ranch. “Steps down.” She said simply as she approached the small set of steps that led from the ranch to the street.

Wildfire heard the warning come from in front of her and although she followed the pull of the reins without question or hesitation she also noted that Serenity did not slow down, nor did she or anypony else give her any warning about the length and rise of the treads, or how many there were. Hesitantly Wildfire walked down the steps leading to the foyer, and it all went well until she miss-timed the last step, stumbling ungainly with a jangle of all the bells attached to her tied up tail and the cuffs on her hooves.

Quickly, and with practised ease, she recovered from her stumble as the reins kept pulling her forward. Wildfire was hoping the tumble had gone unnoticed. A tall hope given the amount of noise she had made. Sure enough a split second later there was an audible ‘swishing’ noise followed by a sharp stinging pain from her left flank as a narrow strip of hide impacted upon her ass just above her cutie mark. “I will not have you embarrass me in public with your clumsiness!” Mapper exclaimed sternly.

“N-No, Mistress.” Wildfire gasped, wincing at the stinging pain in her flank.

“Mistress, I have failed.” Serenity admitted.

Wildfire felt the reins stop pulling her as Serenity made her admission. The little yellow mare stood perfectly still, waiting for the sound of the slap that would surely follow at any moment, and sure enough, with the signature singing swish, there came a loud slap of hide upon hide.

“Good…good that you admit your failures, Senior Pet.” Mapper smiled lovingly at her wife, caressing her teal flank with the crop before putting it away in her bag. “As for you...” the pink dominatrix addressed Wildfire with a nuzzle across her cheek and whispered in her ear, “I will not fault you for being a pegasus.” She said somewhat kindly as she noted the width of the door to the outside may be problematic, what with the yellow mare’s wings bound as they were.

“Thank you Mistress.” Wildfire didn’t know what she was thanking her for exactly, it seemed the thing to do.

“Recital,” Mapper called to the light ice blue unicorn mare with the dark blue mane that had been watching the show put on by Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire earlier. “Could you please teleport this pet outside?” She asked as Recital trotted over with a smile on her face. “It seems that Caffy made the front door to narrow.” Mapper added with a sideways smirk to the orange zebra.

“What!?” Caffeinated looked up with a feigned indignance at the suggested inadequacy of his home, “You did the bondage all wrong!”

“As if you'd know.” Mapper retorted with a shrug of her pink shoulders. “You just tie up earth ponies.”

As Caffeinated laughed aloud at Mapper’s dig, Wildfire stood there in the foyer – in Tempest’s words, dressed up like a Hearths Warming gift – and wondered with not a little trepidation just what teleporting felt like... ‘It’s probably safe, otherwise Mistress wouldn’t have asked her friend to do it…maybe…’ she thought, scuffing the floor nervously with a hoof as unseen to her Recital lit her horn and surrounded her with a shimmering emerald magical field. ‘Wait…what…what the buck…’ further thought however was cut off suddenly as she felt the coruscating magic ripple over her body and the teleportation begin to take effect. At least she assumed it did. She felt very warm, and for a very brief moment Wildfire had the extremely unpleasant feeling of being contracted, squeezed impossibly thinly and squirted through a narrow tube, something like water though a hose. Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, with a loud crack she was herself once more, with her usual dimensions and proportions, and thankfully, with all her limbs where she had left them. ‘Alright…that…was weird!’ She didn’t have the opportunity for further contemplation though as almost immediately she heard hooves trot to the front of her and felt the reins get taken up again.

Appreciatively Mapper ran her pink hoof calmingly over the silken forest green panties. ‘Very good…not many can take teleportation,’ she thought as her hoof wandered lower to rub over the gusseted crotch of the panties, and then, without giving her any warning the pink unicorn lowered her muzzle and gave her a long slow deliberate lick straight up her crotch from her pubic mound to her dock, earning a murmured ‘Hmm…’ from the little yellow mare. “My! What a tasty pet I have!” Mapper exclaimed, a bit loudly. “I must show pride in her by parading her around the neighbourhood, so all can see and smell her!”

Wildfire’s ears pricked up with the realisation, ‘I'm being paraded!’ She smiled an eager smile. Now was her chance to shine for her new Mistress, to show off what she could do and what she could endure to please her.

“My beloved Pets you two are most tasty.” Mapper said with a grin as she tasted Serenity in the same manner that she’d tasted Wildfire but a moment before. “I believe I shall parade you so that all may know that I have the best Pets.”

Wildfire then felt her reins being pulled gently but firmly forward, and, with her chest swelling till it was fit to burst with the pride she felt at being praised so much by her new Mistress – indeed, Amethyst Glory had never ever lavished so much praise upon her for doing so little – the little yellow mare followed along happily behind Serenity.

They had been walking down the street from Caffeinated’s ranch, along a similar tree lined avenue, this one however was lined with tall leafy conifers interspaced with some maple and a couple of willows here and there. They trotted along in relative silence for a good few minutes, Wildfire guessed at five, maybe ten, before she heard her Mistresses voice from up ahead, “Good evening, gentleponies!” Wildfire heard her call, obviously addressing another group. “Such a lovely evening we are having today. I do hope you enjoy the parade.”

Wildfire’s face lit up in a fierce blush as she realised she was actually outside dressed as she was, bells on her tail and all, like the Cock-Horse from the nursery rhyme, who had rings in her wings and bells on her hooves. She loved it. Every single second, and, from the cheers coming from the small group of roughly six to eight nearby ponies, they appreciated the show as well.

“Curb down.” Serenity warned the diminutive mare behind her, although her pulling never stopped, and her warning happened in the space of one hoof-step.

Getting the warning just in time Wildfire managed to adjust her step so she didn't fall, and carried on walking down the street, her bells jingling musically with each fall of her hooves upon the sidewalk.

Presently, after another few moments walking Wildfire felt the pull cease, and duly she slowed to a stop. She couldn’t see it, of course, but Mapper had chosen to stop their little parade outside a residence as grand as Caffeinated’s ranch. Situated on the left side of them the house in question was a sweeping three storey affair with a wide balcony extending a good few feet out from the second floor. Glancing up to this balcony Mapper smiled as she saw a group of stallions looking down on something that was hidden from view by a large thick hedge. “Pets,” she said in a loud clear commanding voice that immediately drew the ponies’ attention, “Stomp your hooves. There are some stallions up on that balcony.”

Straightaway, Serenity stomped all four hooves, and a second later Wildfire joined in, stomping her hooves in kind. Although, if she was honest, the bells on her tied up tail and on the cuffs around her hooves made more noise than her sock covered hooves. Still, they still earned themselves loud lewd whistles and leering cheers from the stallions assembled on the balcony above them.

“Onward!” Mapper called after a few moments, once the pink mare was satisfied all of them were extended from their sheaths.

At once Serenity stopped stomping her royal blue sock covered hooves and started pulling Wildfire again with the reins she held in her pale hazel aura. Walking on at the familiar pulling pressure on the metallic bit in her mouth Wildfire couldn’t help but smile at the attention she had gotten. ‘I made ponies happy! I made ponies happy!’ She sang to herself. Surely her Mistress would be pleased.

At once, and again, without any warning the pulling stopped as Mapper bade Serenity to halt. This time their parade had stopped outside of an ice cream parlour. An ice cream parlour that just happened to be full of ponies of a wide variety of ages enjoying a cool early evening treat after the hot day. A twinkle glinted in Mapper’s magenta eyes as she saw a couple of mothers put their hooves over the eyes of their colts and a filly, who pulled against it to try and see the ‘pretty ponies’. ‘This is definitely a good place to stop,’ she thought mischievously. “Senior Pet, would you like an ice cream?”

Serenity nodded eagerly, “If it makes my Mistress happy,” she said with a small polite bow of her head.

“Junior Pet,” said Mapper, turning to address Wildfire with a critical eye, “Would you also like an ice cream?”

Wildfire tried a nod, forgetting for a moment that her tail was connected to the back of the bridle she wore, and gave a slight hiss as it tugged on her dock. “If…if it pleases my Mistress.” She gasped out as the brief pain subsided to a dull ache.

Eyeing her Pet through dangerously narrowed eyes Mapper decided Wildfire needed to remember her given rules. Raising her left forehoof she brought it down sharply and swiftly, with unerring aim, on the stylised flames of her cutie mark, leaving a little red mark where the toe of her hoof had connected. “I let your ‘thank you’ slide,” the pink mare explained, magically sliding her white sock back up her leg, “But, I believe you only have three responses allowed. Try again, Pet.”

Wildfire blushed deeply at her school-filly error, but this time she didn't wince with the strike on her flank. “Yes, Mistress.” She answered, correcting her response with one of those that she was allowed. In the near distance she could hear some ponies comment on what Mapper had done to her, but try as she might, flicking her ears in their direction and straining, she couldn’t tell what they were saying.

She heard the hooves that were muffled by the silken socks trot away, she assumed to buy the ice creams, Wildfire was left standing there, though she could tell her reins were still being held, so she knew she wasn’t standing there alone outside the shop. After a moment she heard a pony approach behind from her left, a quick inhale told her the pony smelt of jasmine. “I'm never far away.” Airmail said quietly, offering the little mare precious support.

Wildfire stood, grateful for the reminder of Airmail’s presence, smiling with a not inconsiderable amount of pride as she heard other ponies’ approach, whose voices she did not know commenting on just how lovely she and Serenity were dressed. She made a show of ruffling the feathers of her outstretched wings and spreading her hind legs just a little further apart than they were before, making it easier for the unknown onlookers to detect her scent, which they immediately commented upon – in particular the strength and muskiness of both their aromas.

“They are lovely, are they not?” Mapper asked, somewhat rhetorically, to excited murmurs of agreement as she returned carrying two chocolate ice creams in her shimmering magenta aura. “Display only today though, I’m afraid.” She said, earning herself a round of disappointed ‘awws’ from the little crowd. Smiling the pink unicorn floated the two frozen treats over to Serenity, who wordlessly took them up in her own magical field. “Senior Pet, you may feed yourself and you may feed the other Pet too. Now, let’s move along, many things left to see.”

Just as Wildfire felt the slack of the reins get taken up and pulled once more with that gentle but firm tug she also felt a cold chocolate flavoured something touch her lips. Smiling with the sudden touch of the ice cream she began to lick the treat as she walked, thoroughly enjoying the sweet, sweet taste.

“Curb up.” Serenity warned as she led Wildfire along the route her wife dictated, both of them walking behind the pink unicorn.

As usual there was no break, no pause or interruption between hearing the warning and encountering the obstacle, and straightaway Wildfire stepped up as she was directed to in order to prevent falling. “Grass.” She heard from ahead of her, and sure enough below her hooves the texture of the ground changed from hard concrete to soft grass, though of slightly more concern to the little yellow mare was the growing discomfort that was the weight of her wings as they began to pull heavily on the bit.

Suddenly the reins stopped pulling Wildfire along, but the ice cream never moved from her lips as Serenity continued to feed both of them the refreshingly cold treat. Now standing perfectly still on the grass surface, Wildfire busied herself with licking the chocolate ice cream from its little cardboard tub as a soft gentle breeze began blowing. Ordinarily she would’ve given pause to enjoy the salty tang of the sea carried in the air, but chocolate took precedence. As it was silent where they were now, but for the breeze, she was able to concentrate fully on the delicious sweetness of the treat, at least until with a deep long lick she finished her tub.

Almost as soon as she finished her ice cream Wildfire heard a loud slap of hoof upon hide from in front of her. Literally a split second later she felt that same slap, this time her Mistresses hoof came down hard and strong on her right cutie mark. Mapper tutted disapprovingly as she shook her light brown maned head. “Such messy pets I have!” She exclaimed loudly, “Clean each other up, and I want a good show!”

Straightaway and before Wildfire could properly process her Mistresses order, a pony smelling deliciously of chocolate started licking her lips and her muzzle with long slow licks. ‘What…oh…oh m-my…’ she thought lustily as her bound wings strained against the bit they were bound to. Unfortunately the moment of indecisive inactivity cost her.

Mapper raised her pink hoof and delivered another stinging slap across the pegasus’s yellow flanks. “I said I want a show! She needs cleaning, now.”

Again, Wildfire didn't wince at the slaps she received, the strikes feeling all too familiar to her as she finally extended her tongue around the metal bit wedged in her mouth and began to lick the mare in front of her. Serenity, to her credit, had her long wet tongue darting and flicking all over Wildfire’s lips, her nose and her muzzle, and she was making a very big deal of cleaning the little yellow mare. Feeling Serenity's muzzle so close to her own, Wildfire quickly began mimicking the unicorn, licking her all over her nose and her muzzle.

Mapper looked on approvingly, every few seconds casting glances to both Airmail and Tempest, both of whom were enjoying the public display as much as she was. The pink unicorn nodded to herself, content in her mind she’d made the right decision in taking on Wildfire. But…as hot as this make out session was, it needed ‘something’ more. A second later she had a flash of inspiration. “Both of you may moan.”

Immediately Serenity started moaning into the many kisses and licks she was delivering over Wildfire’s now clean muzzle, and likewise the little yellow mare moaned happily, still licking her tongue messily over Serenity's muzzle as she felt a hoof brush over her crotch. “Ooh my...” Wildfire gasped aloud, shuddering at the touch as it sent electric sparks of pleasure through her core.

Serenity then gave a much deeper, far more heartfelt moan, and Wildfire just managed to hear one pony walking around the two of them, inspecting them. Lustily the pegasus moaned, and as she continued to sloppily lick at Serenity’s lips the teal unicorn was now trying to clean Wildfire’s throat of any chocolate ice cream. From the inside. Obligingly she opened her mouth to give better access to the excavating tongue, in turn sliding her tongue deep into Serenity’s mouth.

Unfortunately, all this stimulus, the wandering hoof, the amazingly sensuous kissing and the openness with which they were being displayed for everypony and anypony to see had an effect, and this effect was wanting to make itself known on the body of the young yellow pegasus. Particularly in her wings. As Serenity added delightful little nibbles to her lips to her kissing repertoire, Wildfire’s outstretched wings were straining very painfully against their bindings, trying to pull her head up.

‘AaaAAgh…b-buck my wings!’ Wildfire grimaced and winced with the pain singing its way through her throbbing wings. ‘Oooow…’ Luckily the questing hoof hovering over and around her marehood lingered a little longer, and with a gentle pressure moved the soaked forest green panties into her cleft, the silken fabric rubbing against her clitoris. “Hmmm…” Wildfire shivered at the attention at her slit, allowing the sudden pleasure there to take her mind off of the blossoming pain in her wings.

Without warning the hoof left Wildfire’s sopping wet marehood and she heard distinctively muffled hoof-steps as the pony walked around them to Serenity. Wildfire guessed the hoof that but a moment ago had been prodding at her nether region was currently doing the same to her kissing buddy, given that Serenity suddenly started moaning deeper and harder as she tried to push against the hoof while holding onto her mouth.

Whimpering at the loss of contact with the hoof Wildfire instead pushed her tongue harder into Serenity’s open willing mouth, doing her very best to ignore the growing discomfort and aching pain in her wings.

“Well done my little Pets.” Said Mapper approvingly roughly five minutes later. “Turn and face your audience.” She grinned at the assembled mares and stallions that had been all the while silently watching the show.

“Turn to your left.” Serenity said simply, and Wildfire hastened to do as she was told, turning ninety degrees to her left.

Mapper smiled, “You may both take a bow.”

There came the raucous noise of thunderously loud applause from the large number of ponies, the watching crowd either clapping or stomping their hooves as well as cheering their approval for the free show as Serenity and Wildfire both bent their forelegs and bowed deeply.

As she stood up once more to her diminutive height Wildfire felt Mapper plant a soft and tender kiss on her lips. “You are a good Pet. A moment later she heard the tell-tale sounds of another kiss then Mapper’s voice telling Serenity that she too was a good pet.

Wildfire then felt her reins get taken up and pulled, and duly she walked, following the direction of the pony leading her. Serenity, with the reins held in her hazel aura, continued to call out warnings to her charge. “Pavement.” She said simply, wasting no words as her Mistress had ordered. As she felt the surface change from grass to pavement beneath her hooves she heard Mapper away to her front left carrying out random conversations with passing ponies, speaking with great pride for her two lovely Pets as she pointed them out to the ponies she spoke to.

‘I’m doing it!’ Wildfire blushed with the amount of praise she was receiving, the pride in her chest making her feel ten feet tall. She walked along with a definite spring in her step, despite the steadily increasing pain in her wings.

“Curb down.” Serenity warned, and just in time Wildfire lowered her step as, from a command from Mapper, the teal mare stopped pulling on the reins.

“Would you like release my Pet?” Said Mapper to Serenity, her white socked hoof hovering over her wife’s royal blue panties.

“If it pleases my Mistress,” Serenity said with an eager nod of her head.

Almost straightaway after Wildfire felt that same caring surprisingly gentle hoof again press on her crotch. “You too would like release my Pet?” Mapper asked kindly.

“Yes, Mistress.” Said Wildfire simply, having learnt her lesson before to just use the three phrases she was allowed. Without thinking she tried to nod her head, “AaaAAH…” she moaned, gasping with the pain flourishing in her dock and her already tiring sore wings.

Mapper at once caught the gasp from the little yellow mare, the experienced Dom correctly guessing her charge was nearing her limit. From what Tempest had reported back at the ranch, the pink unicorn was unsurprised to see the pegasus not surrendering to the pain that must surely be surging through her little body. At once it both impressed and alarmed her. She smiled, grateful that they were but ten minutes from Caffy’s place. “Such an eager Pet.” Mapper praised, “Tempest, should I give it to her now?”

Tempest, who had until now remained silent throughout the parade, shook her black maned head with a sly grin. “No, I don't think you should give it to her now.”

Mapper nodded respectfully, “She is precious to you isn’t she. Very well, I will deny her release for now.” Giving her wife a small nod she pulled her hoof away from Wildfire’s sodden green panties and turned to head back to the ranch.

“Nggh! Aaah…” Wildfire at once moaned at the agony blossoming with pulsing waves through her cramped extended wings and whimpered from the loss of the contact of the wonderful hoof. ‘Say ‘peaches’…just say it, it’ll all be over…’ She thought, but quickly banished that notion, so desperate was she to please and impress these ponies, she trotted along enduring the pain.

“Curb up.” Serenity warned after roughly eight more minutes of silent walking as they neared the ranches back yard, the very same entrance that Caffeinated, Dusk, Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire had used earlier that morning.

“Senior Pet, lead her around to the back and wait for me.” Mapper ordered as she watched the little mare step up and follow her wife around to the patio.

“Grass.”

Wildfire felt the grass under her hooves just as sweat began to pour down her forehead. ‘Say ‘peaches’…Pretty said it was okay to use the safe word…say it.’

‘No!’

“Gate. Lift wings.”

With a not to considerable effort Wildfire strained her already tired and aching wing joints, flexed her abused muscles and almost screamed in pain as she raised her wings upwards with just enough space to clear the gate. ‘Say it…admit you’re weak, go on…’

‘No!’

By the time Serenity stopped pulling her and the reins went slack, the sign to stand still, Wildfire was visibly trembling with the effort of holding her wings in their outstretched position. Tempted though she was, still she did not use her safe word.

After about two minutes, Mapper trotted around to the concreted patio, ignoring the cracked and shattered slabs where that fool Dusk had taken off, and stood in front of Wildfire. Standing there watching her sweat and bite her lip with the sheer effort to not cry out in agony, it was all the pink mare could do to not let her heart break for her. Instead, with a supreme effort of her own, she kept her voice even. “Are your wings tired, my Pet?”

Although she kept the scream from her lips Wildfire couldn’t hide the pitiful whimper as she answered, “Y-Yes…yes, Mistress…”

Immediately that the words left her mouth Wildfire felt Mapper and Serenity’s dual magical fields gently take hold of her tired aching wings, supporting them so the pain began to ebb away, and then she heard a sharp click as the clips from the sides of the bit were disconnected. Next thing she felt was the metal poles being pulled out from the round clips and finally the wing clips were carefully removed. “My lovely Pets, you may now have Free Time.” Mapper said kindly as she took Wildfire’s left wing in her magenta aura just as Serenity took her right, and together they slowly folded the limbs away. “You may not use the bathroom for any reason.”

Serenity bowed, “Thank you, Mistress.”

Likewise, Wildfire bent her forelegs, “Thank you, Mistress.”

Mapper, lest her emotions get the better of her, turned her back on the yellow pegasus and trotted over to the other two pegasi. “Airmail, Tempest,” she said quietly so as not to be overheard, “I think your lover can really use you right now.” She said, the concern patently apparent in her voice. “If you succeed in making her pee I'll treat you both to dinner next time we’re in the city.”

Airmail took a purposefully noisy step over to Wildfire waiting quietly on the patio by the pool, smiling as she recalled their antics earlier in the day. “You did well out there.” She said with a genuine smile.

“Sorry I wouldn’t let Mapper have her way with you,” said Tempest as she too came up on Wildfire’s right side, “But there were a lot of ponies watching.”

Wildfire welcomed the reassuring safe scents of jasmine and sandalwood that now surrounded her like a comforting blanket. “I…I did well, Airmail?” She asked as both mares began nuzzling her cheeks, one on each side of her. “Hmm…you could have let her Tempest, it’s not like I've never been used in public before.” She said, returning the nuzzles one after the other.

Tempest was very pleased right at that moment that Wildfire was blind. It meant she couldn’t see the saddened look on her violet furred face. “Yes,” she said, putting on a determinedly cheerful smile, “But I'm selfish and I want to only share you with Airmail right now.” She leant close to the yellow mare’s right ear. “Forgive me?” She whispered, close enough to cause the ear to flick in her direction.

Wildfire smiled. “Of course I do, silly.”

“This is no longer before.” Airmail said seriously, laying a caring hoof gently on the blind mare’s shoulder. “You are family to us now. I don't want what was before to make your decision. I want you to make your decisions for us and for yourself.”

Wildfire nodded solemnly, “I know Pretty, it's just…hard to get my head around, y'know?” This much at least was true. Wildfire knew she was free, free of Canterlot, the care home, of Amethyst Glory…but something in her being wouldn’t allow her to believe it. She was worried if she did then she would suddenly wake up, back in her cell all alone.

“Well…if you still want an audience we can get you your release here on the patio, or we can use the Mare's Room.” Tempest said with a grin, thinking of Mapper’s last request to Airmail and herself.

“I’d like to do it here, if that's alright with you?” Wildfire asked, flexing her wings involuntarily against her barrel as her muscles twitched, “I am glad Mistress released my wings.”

“If it wasn't okay love, I wouldn't have given you the choice.”

“Thanks Honey,” Wildfire smiled. ‘Honey’ seemed right to call Tempest, just as ‘Pretty’ suited Airmail. In her mind at least. To her Tempest was a sweet mare, very akin to her mother. Indeed, from just their short time together she reminded her of Silverbolt in many ways. “To be honest, I was almost ready to use my safe word, my wings were starting to really hurt.”

Airmail smiled, her azure blue hoof still on Wildfire’s shoulder. “Mapper is a very good judge of ponies and Serenity was looking out for you, right?” She asked of the teal unicorn as she trotted over to their little group.

“I like having another Pet around.” Serenity smiled, “You were fun to clean.”

“So were you Serenity, I think chocolate tastes even better when I’m licking it off of your lips.” She said with a giggle, a giggle which turned a little reticent. “I do wish I hadn't fell on that last step out of the though.” She wiggled her ass, hoping Airmail noticed, an idea creeping into her mind. “So, you gonna try and make me pee?”

Serenity narrowed her hazel eyes, scrutinising the little blind pegasus, mulling over her question. “Do you want punishment?”

“Oh yes, yes if I have earned it.” Wildfire eagerly nodded her agreement, ‘And, even if I haven’t earned it, getting punished means the Mistress cares, it means she likes me!”

Serenity giggled, “Wildfire, you're as bad as me doing naughty things.” All at once her light melodic tone became serious as she read the little mare. “But!” She said sharply, getting her attention, “The Mistress likes you. Being naughty will not make her like you more or less. It will just get you punished.”

“Tell her why you do naughty things.” Airmail said with a smile, hoping that this chat with Serenity would help the troubled mare.

Serenity answered quickly and easily, “I get high on endorphins, and I see if she catches me.”

“And?” Tempest pressed, wanting like her marefriend to help the blind pegasus.

Serenity smiled a wide smile around the bridle and the bit in her mouth. “And, if she doesn't catch me I confess.”

“I um…I noticed.” Wildfire started uncertainly, still trying to digest everything that was happening. “So…so um, what's classed as naughty?” She asked, trying to get her head around how different it was here with these ponies.

Serenity nodded, acutely understanding the little mare’s confusion. Indeed she had shared a similar moment of ‘awakening’ when she had first attended Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, when a hazing by her dorm-mates had turned the now thirty three year old unicorn into the pain loving Sub she was today. “You are a Pet, you have a lot more room than me. To be naughty is to do what she told you not to do. Like me eating chocolate earlier today. When you used the wrong words you were naughty.”

“I…I see.” Wildfire said, listening to Serenity explain it made it all sound so simple, so obvious. “So, if I break the rules, I'm naughty?” She asked with an eager smile. “So, who will punish me?”

“The one whose rules you break.” Serenity replied simply, “Only the one whose rules you break,” she added, pre-empting Wildfire’s next question before she asked it.

“We can have our own play time,” Airmail said gently, nuzzling Wildfire’s neck. “And, if you like I'll spank you without you being naughty, but it is more fun if you are.” She giggled, an idea coming to mind. “Like, we make a rule. ‘No moulted feathers left in the bathroom’. If you would like a spanking, you just leave a feather were it is easy to find.”

“Oh, ok!” Wildfire exclaimed happily, this was something she understood. “I like spanking!” Leaving a feather or two lying around every time she needed to be beaten seemed the easiest thing in the world. “So, Mistress will punish me soon?” She asked hopefully.

Serenity’s look became concerned, “What have you done to be punished?”

Wildfire thought for a moment before she answered. “I um…I used the wrong words, and embarrassed her when I fell.”

“Mistress already punished you for the wrong words.” Said Serenity with a shake of her head. “I was to guide you, so I was punished for you falling.” She paused for effect before continuing, “Mistress always does punishment right away, unless it is Free Time. Punishment always waits till Free Time is over.”

“I see…” Wildfire smiled. ‘At least…I think I do,’ she thought to herself. This was all so different, so…strange.

“Wily, I need to ask you a serious question.” Tempest said, drawing the blind pony’s attention. “Think before you answer, please.”

Wildfire turned her head in the direction of Tempest’s suddenly serious sounding south-eastern accent, wondering with a puzzled twitch of her scarred face what was wrong. Or what she had done. Or not done. “Um…okay Tempest.”

“It’s about the peeing we did earlier today.” Tempest started seriously, speaking softly but firmly, “Did you do that because you thought you had to, or because you wanted to?”

“Well, it's...it's complicated.” Wildfire stammered, trying to put into adequate words just what she thought. It had been a long time since anypony had cared whether she liked anything that happened to her. “I um…I do like it, I really do...but, I really wanted you to like me too, and I was taught to do whatever ponies like.”

Airmail smiled, “She likes it too. Me, not so much.” The azure blue mare lovingly stroked the little pegasus’s back. “Wily, if you want to do it, then that is fine. If you think we want you to do it, then that is not fine. You understand?” She asked her kindly.

Wildfire shivered under Airmail’s touch. “I…I think I do,” she cocked her head to one side, trying to process the notion that she didn’t have to do something if she didn’t want to do it. Such a thing seemed utterly laughable. After five long years she was somewhere where she could choose to end her punishments and where she could do what she liked to do, rather than what she was made to do. “It's so confusing!” She exclaimed desperately, “I really do like being peed on though, and I'd love you to do it again.”

Serenity’s hazel eyes sparkled, “May I suggest a game?”

Airmail nodded with a grin. “Go for it.”

“Sure, you do fun stuff.” Tempest giggled, “Wily, you in?”

“Yuppers!”

“Good.” Serenity smiled, pleased her friends were willing to play, and even more pleased her fellow Pet was in too. Now, she was determined, Wildfire’s education would begin. While she recognised a natural fellow Submissive in her, the teal unicorn also appreciated the sheer amount of mental damage caused by those evil ponies in Canterlot. “Mistress asked me to help you be a good Pet, but being naughty is what Pets do sometimes.” Lighting her horn, Serenity took up Wildfire’s reins in her hazel aura. “We should move over by the bushes.”

Feeling her reins being pulled with that same gentle pressure on the bit in her mouth that she had felt throughout the parade, Wildfire obediently followed, walking confidently until she felt the hard concrete of the patio turn to soft grass beneath her hooves.

Serenity waited patiently until Wildfire was stood with all four hooves on the grass, between the small scattered bushes that lined the sides of the pool area. “Please lay on your back and make your wings comfortable.”

“Okay…” bending her elbows and knees Wildfire lowered her belly to the grass, and, making sure her wings were tucked firmly to the sides of her barrel she arched her back and rolled over to lay on her back, the dappled early evening sunlight dancing off of her yellow fur.

Serenity then lowered herself down to lie next to Wildfire on her right side, her head level with her breasts and belly. “Being naughty is all about doing fun things. May I touch you sexually, Wildfire?” She asked kindly.

Wildfire almost burst out in laughter. Now they were asking permission to touch her. Nopony had asked like this for a very long time. She was accustomed to ponies just using her as and when they liked. “Of…of course you may, you don't have to ask.”

“It is polite to ask, so I ask.” Serenity tried her absolute best to not be offended, utterly appalled at the life this mare had endured. “It is always the way it should be. Mistress may give permission for me, but I must ask.” She continued, her melodic voice softening as she asked, “You understand?”

“Um...yuppers, I…I think so.”

Serenity smiled, gently nuzzling Wildfire’s breast. “Friends will help you learn. Mistress says you cannot pee.” She said, laying out the rather straightforward rules of her little game. “You must try very hard to not pee. This is the fun part. The three of us will try to make you pee. You understand?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I think I like this game.” Tempest sniggered, hunkering down on the grass between Wildfire’s open hindlegs.

“Airmail, you have the mouth,” Serenity said as the azure blue mare laid down by Wildfire’s head. “Tempest, you have her marehood. I have everything in between.” The teal mare smiled a very devious little smile. “Wildfire, you must not pee. No matter how much Tempest begs you to do so, you absolutely must. Not. Pee. I wish you luck, you naughty little pony.”

Laying there on the grass surrounded by the three other mares, Wildfire gulped... ‘Tartarus, this will be hard!’ She barely had the chance to process this thought when, without warning she felt a pony’s muzzle – who she knew from Serenity’s instructions to be Tempest – between her hind legs and, pushing the panties aside, get in her snatch begin licking and teasing her labia.

“Shower me with gold!” She heard the south-eastern accented voice call from her marehood, the hot breath on her moist entrance sending tingles of pleasure through her being. The little yellow mare opened her mouth to moan, as she did so Airmail locked her lips around hers in a kiss unlike any other she had been given that day. This wasn’t a rough kiss, but one determined to show her tongue could and would master Wildfire’s own tongue.

Just as she was melting into the dominant kiss, and the tongue teasing her rapidly leaking marehood, Wildfire then felt Serenity begin nibbling on her nipples, alternating from the left to the right, and then, when she thought she couldn’t take any more stimulus, a hoof lightly pressed down just over her bladder. ‘Hmm…th-that's…oooh that’s nice!’ She thought, unable to vocalise her thoughts as Airmail’s tongue denied her voice. ‘That's...cheating!’ She winced at the weight of the hoof on her bladder.

“I'm dying of thirst!” Tempest called, delivering a long slow lick from her tail-hole to her marehood, lingering torturously on her clitoris for a good few licks, causing Wildfire to wriggle and squirm, “I need that salty liquid in my throat!” She begged as Serenity continued to massage her belly, all the while teasing her nipples.

Momentarily Airmail pulled away from the deep kiss, breaking the contact of their lips. “You have got to fight back, love.” She almost commanded, before once again driving her tongue to invade Wildfire’s mouth.

“MmmMM!” Was all the sound the diminutive yellow pegasus could muster in response, ‘I'll try Pretty.’ Tentatively she pushed back against Airmail's tongue just as another groan of pure pleasure at Serenity’s massage escaped into Airmail’s mouth.

Although Wildfire couldn’t see it, Serenity had lit her horn. The devious teal unicorn had levitated over some of the pool water, held in two hazel spheres of pure power she manipulated them to slide over the wriggling mare’s forehooves. ‘What the buck…’ all she could feel was her forehooves encased in the cold water. “AAAAH…” she moaned louder, the massaging hoof was now stronger, increasing the pressure on her bladder just as her mouth moved down from teasing her nipples to help out Tempest.

“Please shower me!” Tempest urged, her tongue no longer alone as it delved deep into Wildfire’s sopping wet tunnel.

‘Damn...’ Wildfire felt the strong urge to pee build and build, ‘I'm not going to last much longer no matter how hard I try…’ so, she decided to stop trying to hold back the surging dam building in her bladder. “Lick me, please!” She begged loudly to the two mares at her crotch.

Now, at her begging request, both Serenity and Tempest battled over her slit with their tongues, lips and teeth. Airmail ran her hooves over Wildfire’s chest while still holding her lip lock and Tempest added her hoof to Serenity’s that was now pushing hard – almost painfully hard - with her massage.

‘Ooh...ooh buck it I tried...’ Wildfire thought as she gave in to the relentless teasing and relaxed her bladder muscles under the weight of the varying stimuli, the pressing massage, the oral assault on her marehood and the deep hard kiss. ‘Here it comes…’ with a deep sigh of relief she released her stream of hot golden pee, knowing full well that there’ll be consequences. “Aaah…that's better...”

Not moving an inch from Wildfire’s spread open legs Tempest allowed the almost never ending stream of steaming pee to pour over her face and muzzle, drinking down what she could, the rest spattering into the grass. “Thank you, love.”

As Wildfire’s stream finally petered out, Serenity started laughing loudly. “You are a very bad pony!” The teal unicorn then released the spheres of pool water and rolled over onto her back next to the yellow pegasus. “I'm a good pony,” she asserted. “A very good pony.”

“Yuppers...I'm a bad pony.” Wildfire breathed heavily.

Airmail giggled, “Do you think Serenity might be a bad pony too?”

“No,” Wildfire shook her head, “Serenity's a good, nice pony...I um…I did try to hold it.”

Airmail whispered in her ear, “Love, she isn't lying on her back to catch the last bit of evening sun.”

“Oh...oh I see.” Wildfire giggled as the realisation dawned on her. “It seems we're both naughty ponies.”

Serenity shook her head. “I am a good pony.”

“Wily, catch or massage?” Tempest asked with a sly grin.

“Oooh…ooh can I catch, Honey, please?”

“Well, I'm keeping my spot away from the tail.” Airmail said definitely with an air that wasn’t going to be argued with.

Tempest sniggered as she pressed lightly on the teal unicorn’s swollen bladder. “Roll over then, girl and get in position. This looks like one naughty pony.”

Serenity gasped at the contact, still shaking her head. “N-No, I'm a good pony.” She moaned, though with rather less conviction now than before.

Feeling her way down along the impossibly soft fur Wildfire giggled, “I want to taste Serenity's pee.”

“I'm a goo...” Serenity started before Airmail silenced her with a deep, hard kiss full of lust that wasted absolutely no time at all in taking over her mouth, her tongue easily pushing the unicorn’s out of the way.

Tempest began using both hooves to rub her belly, “Get a taste now.”

Wildfire arrived at Serenity’s marehood finally, and paused for but a moment, breathing in the heady scent of her musk, before extending her long tongue and giving her slit a little testing lick.

Serenity mumbled something inaudible into Airmail's mouth, the azure blue mare not letting up in her kiss for an instant as Tempest slunk lower down to join in with Wildfire licking away at the teal unicorn’s labia, getting Wildfire’s nose as well.

Busily lapping away Wildfire smiled, ‘Tempest smells of my piss!’ She thought as she kissed Tempest's nose before going back to licking Serenity, this time dragging her tongue from her tail-hole to her clitoris as Tempest had done to her, but wrapping her lips around her hard little nub and sucking hard.

“She is such a bad, bad pony.” Tempest teased, pressing ever harder into the massage of the unicorn’s bladder as Serenity sort of struggled, but not with a lot of effort at all, causing the violet mare to punish her by squeezing that much harder.

Giggling at Tempest, her muzzle sending delicious little vibrations up through Serenity’s core Wildfire continued to lick and nibble at Serenity's labia, before once more wrapping her lips around the teal mare’s clit and sucking gently.

“MmmMMmmmMMM!” Serenity moaned, her mouth still firmly locked in Airmail’s firm kiss, her back arching and her four legs flailing around – albeit carefully so as not to hit anypony – as her climax was getting nearer and nearer, and harder to push away.

“Time to take her over the edge and get you a drink, love.” With that, Tempest gave one last hard push with both of her forehooves deep into Serenity’s bladder just as Wildfire sucked particularly hard on her clit, and with a long deeply contented sigh Serenity finally succumbed to the stimulus and released a long strong stream of pee.

Wildfire, positioned at Serenity’s clitoris, was lucky enough to get the entirety of the slightly orange and earthy tasting stream in her mouth, swallowing with practised ease. ‘She must eat a lot of greens…’

Airmail then released her hold on Serenity’s lips, “I…I am…a bad…pony.” Despite this fact the teal unicorn smiled a wide smile as she gasped deeply for breath, laying exhausted amongst the bushes of Caffy’s ranch.

~ ~ ~

“Mom, please be cool.” Dusk begged of the larger mare as they both appeared from the nothingness of the void in a scintillating flash of bright blue magic, little ethereal stars glowing around the mother and son pair before twinkling away to nothing, the only sign of their teleportation the stench of ozone lingering in the air.

Princess Luna stood by her son and sniffed with an air of offended indifference. “Dusk, I'm sure I don't know what you mean.” She said, offering the midnight blue pegasus a sly smirk.

Dusk shook his head, clearing the residual haze of the long range teleportation with a grin as he led the way up to the main door of Caffeinated’s ranch, the moon settling high in the sky courtesy of his aunt back in Canterlot. “Mom…it's a party, these are my new friends...no Canterlot Voice please!”

“Oh…pfft…fine.” Luna smiled, shaking out her large expansive wings and folding them away to her barrel as she trotted up to the closed main door and knocked upon it with a silver-shod forehoof. While she waited for the occupant within to allow her entry the lunar alicorn glanced up to the stationary stars, each one in their exact position to the millimetre, with a giggle. ‘No imagination, Celly.’

After a few seconds of waiting the white door opened to reveal a blue / grey earth pony mare with a flowing straw blonde mane and strikingly sharp emerald green eyes who appeared to be in her mid to late middle age. “Oh Dusk, hello...” Thespian started in greeting, a greeting which ended suddenly with a comedic dropping of her jaw as she realised just whom the smiling pony was that was standing on her doorstep. Quickly, in the space of a few heartbeats, Thespian recovered her composure with a smile of her own. “Princess Luna, do please come in!” The earth pony mare stepped back to make room, noting how many there might be in the entourage.

The Princess inclined her head in a small polite bow, “Thank you very much. It's just me and my son.” Luna took a few steps forward, crossing the threshold into the foyer of the ranch. “Come on Dusk.”

With a slightly hesitant pause Dusk followed his mother inside the ranch, “Mom…pleeeease behave!”

“I'm sorry you're a bit late for a meal,” Thespian said, still slightly awed by the sudden appearance of not one but two members of the royal family in her house, one of them the Goddess of the Moon herself. Here. In her house. The very Princess that she herself had portrayed on stage during the Winter Solstice Festival. “But, there are leftovers I could warm up, or there’s still dessert on the table if you like.” She felt like she was babbling, rambling on. “Dusk, it’s so good to see you again, has that nasty business been taken care of?” She asked the young Prince, although despite talking to the stallion she never took her eyes off of the Princess.

At the mention of dessert Princess Luna’s ears noticeably perked up and her eyes sparkled. ‘Cake! Oh my there’s cake!’ She thought eagerly, very pleased she had decided to attend. “I would love some cake if there is any,” she smiled to her gracious host. “You must be Thespian, Dusk has told me about all of you. Please, I insist you call me Luna.”

As Luna finished speaking the last syllable of her name there came a loud raucous cheering from what sounded like the whole Night Court Assembly from the floor above them.

“Of course Luna,” Thespian gestured towards the large informal open dining room. “We have two chocolate cakes in this room. One with vanilla frosting and the other with chocolate frosting.” She finished with an air of pride at her baking.

“I'll definitely have some of the chocolate frosting one, please.” Luna practically bounced as she followed Thespian over to the dining area, “And yes, the 'unpleasantness' has been dealt with.” She cocked her head and flicked her ears at the sound of the cheering. “My apologies for crashing your party.”

“Yeah,” Dusk grimaced, following his mother over to the buffet tables as he realised just how hungry he was, after all he hadn’t eaten since his altercation with Mapper earlier that day. “We sorted the care home.”

“It's no trouble at all Luna.” Thespian said, picking up a cake slicer and a plate. “Some mares are putting on a show out in the patio. The balcony is upstairs if you’d like to watch. Shall I get you some cake now?”

Luna nodded eagerly. It was a rare thing for her to get a cake all to herself without her sister hogging it first. “If you wouldn't mind, Thespian. Cake first, then details, if you require them.”

Dusk walked down the table, piling on what was left of the spring flower sandwiches on his plate, as well as some chocolate swirls and a couple of parfaits. “I’m sure Stripes and Airmail are interested.”

Luna however only had eyes for the chocolate cake, which the blue / grey mare was cutting torturously slowly. “All in due time, manners, Dusk.”

Thespian nodded her agreement, “Yes that can wait…”

She was then interrupted by a middle aged pink unicorn mare with a pale brown mane - and the most striking magenta eyes she’d ever seen - that came trotting down the stairs, wearing, Luna noticed, a tight white corset and white silken socks that worked very hard to show off her natural curves. Upon seeing Luna and Dusk standing with Thespian, Mapper burst out laughing. “Thespian you are so busted!” Still laughing, she left the stairs and turned to head out for the pool.

“Ah, um…cake?” Thespian foundered, a faint tinge of a blush colouring her blue / grey cheeks as she held out the large slice she’d just cut.

“Thank you!” Luna lit her horn and took the cake, plate and all, in her magical aura, taking a tiny delicate bite, her eyes immediately going wide with a pleasant surprise at one of the most beautifully crafted cake she’d ever had the pleasure of tasting. ‘This mare can teach the cooks in the castle a thing or two!’ She thought with a smile as another mouthful found its way down her throat. “This is delicious!”

“Thespian,” Dusk started, ignoring his mother’s moan of delight. “How's Wily been?” Asked Dusk, his voice full of concern for his old best friend.

Thespian glanced out to the patio for a few seconds before turning back to the young stallion. “I believe Mapper is going to check on her now.”

“You say some mares are putting on a show,” Luna said between swallowing mouthfuls of the wondrous chocolate cake, the chocolate frosting coating her tongue just so, “What kind of show?”

Thespian’s blush was still in full effect as she answered. “Ah, it was um, an exhibition of oral sex with water sports.”

“Ooh...it's that kind of party?” The alicorn’s green eyes lit up, “No wonder you didn't want me coming, Dusk.” She smirked at her son, who in turn blushed so hard that she could almost feel the heat coming from him.

“Yes,” Thespian nodded, not a little pridefully, “A fun party for close friends to share their fantasies.” She said just as a yell from the patio outside filled the air, a yell that sounded to Luna like the pink mare that was just there laughing, “Who told you two that you could take your panties off!” Unflinching, Thespian picked up a glass in her hoof. “Luna, would you like some orange juice with your own brand of Moonshine added?”

“Mom…” Dusk audibly groaned, “Please be cool.”

“Oh, hush son.” Luna smiled a wide smile. “Had I known I would have brought Octavia.” The Princess made a mental note to possibly return here in the future. Dusk’s new friends seemed commendable ponies, if her son trusted them enough to leave Wildfire with them while they took care of the ‘carers’. “And yes, I'd love a Moonrise, please Thespian.”

“By Luna's left rear fetlock it is the Princess herself!” Came a startled stallion’s incredulous voice from the stairs leading down from the balcony level of the ranch.

Dusk laughed, almost dropping his plate on the table as he recognised that stallion’s voice. An earth pony who was, earlier in the day, deep in his throat. “That would be Sonic?”

Taken quite by surprise, and completely unaccustomed to being addressed so by what was – although she’d never use the term herself – a common pony, Luna joined in Dusk’s laughter. “By…by all my fetlocks it is I!” She managed to say through her giggles.

Undoubtedly and thoroughly expectedly Sonic’s exclamation bought with it calls of interest as more ponies come down the steps to see if this was indeed the Princess of the Night that had stopped by. “Dusk!” Sonic said loudly, “You didn't say your mom would be paying a visit! Caffy, I now rate this best party ever!”

Dusk shrugged his shoulders as he shot Sonic a smile across the foyer. “She insisted on coming back here after we were done at Canterlot.”

Luna couldn’t help grinning over at the purple earth pony stallion, who almost out of nowhere was joined by his pink husband. “So, you swear by all my body parts Sonic?” The Princess couldn’t keep the sparkle from her turquoise eyes. “I’m flattered. Most ponies use my sister.”

“Ahh…yes…” Sonic blushed a darker shade of purple around his cheeks, “I thought a fetlock would be safe.”

Trails stood by his partner and hugged his flank, brushing his grey mane from his dark green eyes. “This is a social visit, right?” He asked, a little nervously, remembering all too well, like everypony else did the scene that had led to the Prince’s abrupt departure hours earlier.

“Mom, this is Trails.” Dusk introduced the pink earth pony stallion with the black horseshoe cutie mark, who was now doing a cute little pose.

“Charmed.” Luna bowed her head in greeting. “And yes, it’s partly social, after all why should my boy have all the fun?”

“No reason,” Trails said with a shake of his head. “Though, he is both fun and talented. You up for hugs your Highness?” He asked with a grin all over his muzzle.

Walking down the stairs from the balcony, not even daring to believe the pony he revered could possibly be standing in his home, Caffeinated stopped still as a statue for a good few seconds as he saw that yes, indeed it was she. The lunar alicorn, higher royalty, here in his ranch! And about to hug Trails of all ponies. “Trails you feel her up and I'll punt you into next week.” He said warningly, finding his deep rumbling voice at last.

Luna merely smiled, putting her cake down on the buffet table. “By all means I accept hugs, Trails, though I insist on just Luna, please.” Casting a little smirk at her son she giggled. “I take it Dusk has already entertained you?” She asked, though the deep blush on both Sonic and Trails faces spoke volumes to the Princess. “And, if he feels me up he'd better be very good at it.”

With a smile on his muzzle that just screamed ‘I’m going to hug a Princess!’ Trails stepped forward to give the alicorn the offered hug, just as another loud yell came from the pool area, “Belle, your services are needed!” Called that commanding mare’s voice as the pink stallion gave Luna a polite hug. “I'll let the pros do the feeling up.” He said with a grin, “Yes, your son put his mouth where his...ahh...” he trailed off then under Luna’s amused expression. “Dug a hole on that one...”

“Your son is a proud member of the Stallion's Club, Luna” Sonic said, confidently coming to his partner’s rescue as he made sure to get his polite hug in with the Princess.

Dusk, about to answer Sonic’s comment, noticed Caffeinated now walking towards them from the stairs. “Hey, Stripes.”

“Well…it's about time he had some fun.” Luna grinned at her son as an olive drab unicorn mare with a pale green mane and a cutie mark of two socks as blue as her eyes trotted down the steps and out toward the pool.

“Luna,” Caffeinated rumbled with a low bow to the alicorn, “It is indeed an honour to receive you in my home.” The orange zebra greeted her with a smile. “Did you want some of your own Moonshine or some of that coffee I had sent over?”

Princess Luna returned the gracious bow, “And, you must be Caffeinated.” She said to the zebra stallion, “The honour is all mine. My Dusk speaks most highly of you.” She smiled as she saw Thespian emerge from the kitchen area with a tray of drinks in her mouth. “I will have a drink, Thespian is bringing me a Moonrise, and we’re celebrating.”

Thespian carefully, and with a practised ease, trotted over and placed the silver serving tray neatly in an empty space on the buffet table. “The one with the parsley is yours Dusk. Luna, your moonrise.” She said, offering the tray to the Princess.

Dusk smiled, reaching for the non-alcoholic version of his mother’s drink. “Thanks Thespian,” he said, taking his drink up in his forehoof.

Luna in turn lit her horn and levitated her Moonrise to her lips for a delicate sip just as Mapper, the pink unicorn mare, re-entered the entrance hall from the patio leading a teal unicorn – dressed, Luna noted with an appreciative smile, in a royal blue corset, socks and panties - by her reins held with her magenta magic aura whom in turn was leading a yellow pegasus who was similarly dressed in forest green lingerie by her reins held with her pale hazel magic. Luna’s smile widened, at least she was familiar with the pegasus. ‘The official reason I’m here,’ The Princess thought, somewhat sadly as she took another sip of her drink and the olive drab unicorn she assumed was Belle followed them inside.

Dusk nudged his mother’s barrel with a foreleg. “Mom, go easy on the ‘shine.” He said, taking a sip of his own drink just as Baron and Snowfall made their way down the stairs from the floor above now the show was over.

“I say, Luna,” Baron said with a smile, the older mid grey earth pony stallion inclining his head in a formal greeting to the lunar alicorn. “Children always think they know more than their elders.”

Luna giggled as she was about to take a sip of her Moonrise, “And, this one thinks he knows best, of course.”

Dusk, taking a long sip of his parsley moonshine, paused as he glanced over at Wildfire as she was lead into the wide foyer area, to stand alongside Serenity, Airmail and Tempest. “Looks like Wily had her fun.” Dusk smiled, looking his best friend over, trying to gauge how she was doing.

Mapper stepped forward to meet the young Prince, “Both my Pets have been bad ponies.” The pink unicorn inclined her head respectfully to the Princess. “Luna, I see you brought your own Pet.” She said, smiling politely at Dusk, daring him with her magenta eyes to try and answer her back.

Princess Luna smiled as she looked Mapper over. ‘Just as Dusk described on the way here,’ she thought with a wry grin. The aura of commanding power was palpable. Here was a pony worthy of Luna’s – everypony’s – respect, which was plainly obvious. Moreover that she was a fellow Dom as she herself was, piqued her interest also. She was curious to know this Mistresses methods and compare them to her own. ‘Still…business first then pleasure,’ she thought to herself. “I did, I can't leave him at home until he's trained.” She grinned, mostly at her son’s reaction to that, his drink spluttered over the tablecloth. “You are their Mistress, yes?”

Mapper stepped forward with a nod, “I’m Mistress Mapper, Mistress Luna.” For a brief moment the magenta eyes unflinchingly searched the turquoise, until after a second or two both mares shared a smile, each Dom recognising a kindred spirit in the other.

“Well met, Mistress Mapper.” Luna replied with an incline of her head.

Mapper simply nodded her head in response, “Pardon me, Luna.” She said before addressing the large orange zebra. “Caffy, we’re staying on schedule or will there be a delay?”

Caffeinated shook his head. “I see no reason to delay.” He said simply, his low voice rumbling through the foyer. “Luna, please feel free to join as you see fit.” With a reverent nod to the Princess, the zebra turned and with a hoof over his wife’s shoulder the two of them made for the stairs leading down to the basement level, followed quickly by Baron, Snowfall and the rest of the ponies that had been milling around the ground floor.

“Of course, Caffeinated.” Luna replied, her aspect becoming altogether more business-like, though this was one last piece of her royal duty she knew she wasn’t going to really enjoy. “Dusk, go and play.” She said to her son. As Wildfire’s friend, he was too close to her to be of any real use from here on out. To Mapper once more she turned as Dusk trotted off after Sonic’s disappearing blue tail. “Mistress Mapper, would you introduce your Pets?”

Mapper smiled, “Luna, these are a couple of naughty ponies.” Said the pink unicorn, stepping back over to the motionless Subs. “My Senior Pet, Serenity and Junior Pet, Wildfire.” Mapper made the introductions, indicating the teal unicorn then the yellow pegasus with a wave of her white sock-clad forehoof. “Both of you may grovel before Mistress Luna.”

Quick to obey, Serenity placed her chin on the floor of the foyer, folding her front legs under her barrel and lifting her flanks high in the air, her burgundy tail hiked up high and out of the way.

Airmail helpfully moved nearer to Wildfire’s left side and whispered in her ear, describing to her what Serenity was doing. Nodding, Wildfire copied what the azure blue mare had said to her, bending her forelegs and grovelling with her nose pressed to the floor and her rump as high as she could manage.

“Wildfire is a new Pet but I don't allow that for excuses.” Mapper walked around her two Pets, talking about the yellow mare like she wasn’t there. “Her friends do help a bit, which I allow.”

Luna appraised the two mares with a satisfied, critical eye. “As well you shouldn’t.” She approved of Mapper, a lot. She could tell just by the look on the pink unicorn’s face, that look of love and care for her Pets hidden just behind the Mistress façade, that this was a pony with whom she would get along. “They are well trained it seems. However you say they are naughty ponies?”

“Oh yes, very naughty.” Mapper’s magenta eyes twinkled. “I instructed them both to not pee, yet they still did so.” She said with a shake of her head that dislodged a lock of her light brown mane. “Would you care to inspect them?” At Luna’s nod the unicorn addressed the two grovelling ponies. “Pets, you will accept commands from Mistress Luna as if they were my own. Free Time is over.”

Right then Belle’s pale green mane appeared at the top of the stairs. “Mapper, we're getting started downstairs.” Said the olive drab mare, pointing her hoof down to the basement below them before turning and trotting back down.

Princess Luna slowly circled the two mares, carefully looking over both as her ethereal mane swept itself up into a magically created severe pony tail. “Your junior pet I know,” she said finally, after a few moments of silent inspection spent gathering herself for the undesirable task that she had to carry out from here on. “I would speak with her a moment.”

“Junior Pet, you are free to answer any question Mistress Luna may ask you.” Mapper said sternly as she took up a position next to the Princess. “Do not embarrass me.”

“Yes Mistress,” the yellow mare replied quickly.

Thespian then reappeared from the basement, the blue / grey earth pony accompanied by two others. “Luna, a moment of your time, if I may?” She interrupted politely.

“Of course, Thespian.” The alicorn turned to face her with an “Excuse me,” to Mapper and trotted over. “What is it?”

With a wave of her hoof Thespian proceeded to introduce the two ponies standing with her. “This is Requiem,” she pointed to the tall slender red and blue painted earth pony mare with a blue and red mane with inquisitive, alert green eyes and a black megaphone cutie mark, “And this is Longshore.” Thespian indicated the stallion, a well-built black coated earth pony with a long styled white mane, tan brown eyes and a crossed silver sword and quill cutie mark. “They tend to the house while we are playing in the basement.” Thespian explained, “They can take care of any needs you may have.”

“We’ll be in the dining area…” Longshore started with a polite nod to the Princess.

“…With all the cake!” Requiem finished for her husband, not-so-subtley dragging him towards the array of cakes still left on the buffet tables.

“A sincere pleasure to meet you both,” Luna smirked as Requiem made a beeline for the desserts. ‘Mare has her priorities straight…’ the lunar alicorn thought with a wry grin as she walked back to Mapper and the two kneeling Pets, and Thespian vanished back down the stairs to the basement. “Pets, you may both stand.” She commanded, her tone switching when she addressed them.

Like lightning, Serenity was quick to stand up to her hooves, her bridled head held high. A little slower than her fellow Pet, Wildfire nonetheless stood up to her diminutive height next to Serenity.

Seeing her with her head bowed and the dangerous look on Mapper’s face, Airmail quickly leant forward once more. “Love, lift your head up. Remember, this is not before.” She whispered quietly into Wildfire’s left ear.

“Wildfire.” Luna said clearly, getting her attention as she took a step closer to the yellow mare. “How are you?” She asked her as kindly and as softly as she could manage.

“I’m…I um…” Wildfire stammered, cocking her head to one side in apparent thought, aware of the expectant stares of those around her. In all truth she didn’t know how she was. Scared, excited, happy, angry, sad…all these things and more were running through the young pegasus’s mind. Finally she answered simply, “I'm...confused, Mistress.”

“As is only to be expected.” Luna said with a warm smile she hoped the blind mare would feel. “If you will allow it, I will touch my horn to your head and cast a simple spell.” She stated her request, looking to Mapper and at Airmail, in the absence of anypony else suitable, for their permission to proceed.

Mapper, for her part, did nothing. She didn’t acquiesce, nor did she refuse. She merely stood watching, her face unreadable. Airmail on the other hoof stepped closer to Wildfire’s left side. “Will this help her?” She asked concernedly as Tempest moved forward to stand next to her marefriend.

Luna nodded, “It will allow me to assess the level of damage she has suffered. Dusk mentioned she was…'fragmented'.”

“Will it change the pony we love?” Tempest asked, worry etched across her face.

“Her past doesn't hinder our love for her.” Airmail said boldly, unflinchingly staring a hole straight through the lunar alicorn. “I've seen far worse than that, and as bad as it is, to lose that would change her.”

Luna smiled. Here was a group of ponies willing to stare her down, then here was a group that genuinely cared for this young mare. ‘Do they love her, really?’ She wondered to herself, ‘After such a short time?’ Luna shook her head. Were Cadance here she would’ve detected it in a heartbeat. Alas, she wasn’t the Princess of Love. “She will not be harmed or altered in any way, I assure you both.”

Tempest smiled, Airmail however remained unconvinced. “Forgive me, but that has been said before when a mind has been wiped.” The azure blue mare said defiantly.

“Airmail is it?” Luna asked, to a nod of reply. Indeed, there was no introduction necessary here. Luna almost instantly recognised the blue pegasus from her special forces file. Her record there spoke for itself, as did the mare’s record in the more secret service that Luna herself operated. In both, Airmail had distinguished herself. “Dusk said you were protective of her. You have my word if she is harmed in the slightest I will go back to the moon. And you, Tempest?” She said, addressing the violet mare, “I well remember you from the phone call earlier.”

“Yes Luna,” Tempest nodded with a smile that did not reach her blue eyes, “Please, do what you must.” She nuzzled Airmail’s cheek lovingly. “I do love her. I'll trust you.”

“Thank you, Tempest. Wildfire, will you allow me to touch your head and cast my spell?”

Wildfire answered without hesitation. After all, a Mistress had made a request of her. Fulfilling it would please her and then Luna would like her again. “Yes, Mistress Luna.”

Lowering her head, Princess Luna gently and with extreme care touched the tip of her long horn to the centre of Wildfire’s forehead, and closed her turquoise eyes in concentration. A split second later a shining blue magical light spiralled up the grooves of her horn right to the very tip, which ignited in a bright glow when it touched the yellow mare’s fur.

Luna flinched the very moment the low level mind probe spell made contact with its subject. Almost immediately and with next to no resistance the Princess had access to Wildfire’s memories. Gently, with practised skill, Luna sifted through the shattered debris that was the pegasus’s mind. She saw everything. In an instant the past five years of this mare’s existence – she could hardly call it a life – was laid bare for Luna to see. So broken was she, so conditioned, she didn’t even attempt to resist even this low level spell.

Looking through the five years, it was all Luna could do to not cry there and then for this pony. Abuse layered on abuse, torture and neglect, fear, terror and unremitting violence had been this mare’s daily routine. Luna’s very soul screamed tears for this pony, that little part of her that was still the Nightmare howled for blood and vengeance, even though the act had already been carried out. What made this a million times worse was that this was no faceless random pony. Luna knew Wildfire. Knew her well, albeit through her son. She had watched Dusk grow up with this mare, she herself had laughed and shared jokes, as well as, on rare occasions, Moonshine with this mare. And now here she was. A pale shadow of herself.

A single tear leaked from her closed eyes as mere moments later Luna withdrew her horn and cancelled the spell, a deep sadness in her eyes when she opened them. There were no words to express how she felt, how Wildfire had been failed in every single way one of her citizens could possibly be failed. Eventually, through a forced calm she didn’t feel, she addressed the young pony. “You have my sympathies, Junior Pet.”

Wildfire stood before the Princess wondering when she was going to cast her spell. She had felt the touch of her smooth horn against her head, then seconds later felt it removed. “Um…yes, Mistress Luna, thank you.”

Luna glanced at the other ponies, to the blue and the violet mares. “Airmail, Tempest,” she started, quickly hiking her façade of authoritative calm back in place – she still had a job to do here, after all – “You say you love her? She'll need it. Her recovery will be a long and slow one.”

Again, Airmail looked straight at the alicorn. “Life is not fair nor easy, but that is how it should be.”

Tempest nodded her agreement, “She is with real family now.”

“Indeed, you are caring for her here then, in Manehatten?” Luna asked, hoping the answer would be a ‘yes’. It would make her job here that much easier.

Airmail frowned a little at Luna, then glanced over Wildfire’s back at her pink friend. “Mistress Mapper, may I ask your Pet questions?”

Mapper nodded straightaway. While she had been silent throughout this examination thus far, she fancied herself that she knew the azure blue mare well enough by now to know where she was going. “Junior Pet, you may answer Airmail's questions. You will answer from your heart and not what you may think others wish to hear.” The pink unicorn ordered simply, before turning to her wife. “Senior Pet, please monitor her answers.”

Obediently, Serenity nodded. “Yes, Mistress.”

Standing to Serenity’s left Wildfire also nodded her understanding, more than a little scared of what Airmail might ask her. “Yes, Mistress Mapper.”

“Do you love me?” Airmail asked simply.

Wildfire smiled, ‘This is easy!’ She thought to herself. “Yes I do, Pretty.”

“Do you love Tempest?”

Again Wildfire smiled, “I love Tempest.”

“You are free, will you go back to Canterlot and take us or stay here with us?”

Straightaway without any hesitation, Wildfire answered. “I'd very much like to stay here with you both.”

“Will you share with us your pain, your fears, your hopes and your dreams?”

“I have already shared my pain and fears,” Wildfire started confidently, before faltering somewhat, “And…and, I'll share the rest, too.”

With that Airmail nodded thankfully to Mapper and gave Wildfire a gentle nuzzle along her cheek. “Luna, she will stay here in Manehatten with us, but we will not be caring for her. We will be with her and loving her so that she can care for herself.”

“I see.” Luna smiled a very genuine, very warm smile. “That’s all I wanted to hear, thank you.”

Closely watching the one pony in Equestria she truly loved with all of her heart, Mapper asked, “Senior Pet?”

Serenity gave her wife a knowing look in return, “Mistress, her last answer was hedged, but all were from her heart.”

Mapper nodded, satisfied with her wife’s answer. “I'll leave that to you Airmail, I've looked deep enough.” With that the pink Dom clapped her white sock-clad forehooves. “Well Pets, original rules now apply, amended to include that you treat Mistress Luna as you would me.” She smiled warmly at the Princess. “Luna, I give you free rein as I trust you care.” To the teal unicorn she said, “Senior Pet, lead Junior Pet to the dungeon.”

Wordlessly, Serenity bowed to her Mistress and lit her horn in her pale hazel glow and took hold of Wildfire’s reins draped over her neck and lifted them, gently tugging them as she trotted towards the stairs that lead down to the ranch’s basement level.

Obediently Wildfire followed the tug on her reins, and quietly Airmail and Tempest followed alongside her.

Luna smiled as she watched the four mares disappear down the stairs. She didn’t have to be Cadance to feel the love and affection on display here. It was as if it was physically here in the room. “You have punishment to meter out, correct?” She asked of the pink pony standing to her left.

“I think I interrupted your cake.” Mapper began with a grin, “Did you get your fill? Me, I like the one with Vanilla frosting.” She added, seeing that the alicorn had opted for the chocolate one. “I do have punishment, but they need to reflect on their misdeeds.”

“Mapper if you wouldn't mind, you give the punishments you deem fit.” Luna replied, her ethereal mane in its pony tail dancing flickering little stars that reflected from her crown and breast plate. “I wish to observe Airmail, Tempest and Wildfire some more this night.”

Mapper sighed as she walked with Luna to the buffet tables and with her magic reached for the cake with the vanilla frosting, “I can’t distract you then?” She asked, taking a slow bite that relished every little taste on her tongue. “Did you know Thespian collects plushies? Like to see them?”

“Thank you for the gracious offer Mapper, and on another night I would take you up in a heartbeat.” Luna said as she quickly helped herself to another slice of the wonderful chocolate frosted cake. Just because she was here and it was there. And it would be rude to leave it, wouldn’t it? “I regret I can't be distracted from my duty this night, although I do have a plushie for Thespian.”

“You do?” Thespian asked from the stairs, appearing as if summoned just by Luna mentioning her name, though she was moving very slowly as she made her way up the steps. Luna raised an eyebrow in a questioning look, but her answer was soon provided as Thespian crested the stairs. Over her shoulders and around her barrel she was wearing an expertly applied – to Luna’s practised eye - tortoise shell rope bondage harness, the bright red rope standing out against her blue / grey fur, the tight diamonds and knots placed just so to dig into her skin. Between her four hooves was placed a central ring to which hoof-cuffs were attached to an eight inch chain, effectively hobbling the earth pony mare, so understandably getting up the steps took considerable care. “That is very nice of you.” Thespian smiled despite her predicament. “Caffeinated wanted some more cake.”

“Yes, I have a Twilight plush for you.” Luna said with a smile, appreciating the skill with a rope that was evident in Thespian’s current attire.

“I’m glad somepony wants the vanilla frosted cake.” Mapper snickered at Luna, before levitating over a plate with three slices to the earth pony mare, who took it in her mouth, and started to walk past the hobbled Thespian towards the steps. “I'm sure she won't be running off, coming Mistress Luna?” She asked, not bothering to look over her shoulder at the blue / grey mare.

“Mmmph…hat is ovey, ut we can alk ater. Ust et cake.” Thespian mumbled around the plate she held between her teeth, causing a little drool to leak onto the edge of the cake as she turned as fast as she could to hobble back down the stairs, not wanting to keep her zebra waiting.

“After you, Mistress Mapper.” Luna followed after the pink unicorn, sparing the bound earth pony mare an amused snigger as she watched her struggle. “While we walk, what is your view of Wildfire?” She asked, her tone reverting to business-like seriousness.

Mapper sighed a little sigh as she started down the stairs. “She begged to be my Pet and to be my Slave. Serenity is my Slave.”
The pink mare answered quickly. “I had Serenity interview her to see if she was right for any of it.”

“And?”

“She has the makings of a good Pet.” Mapper replied after a moment’s hesitation at the bottom of the stairs. “She needs more confidence and love. Airmail and Tempest will give her that in spades. Serenity said she would make a bad Slave, so I let Wildfire know she was unworthy to be my Slave.”

“Very good,” Luna nodded, looking around this new hallway.

Mapper turned to face the alicorn, “Did you know Wildfire has beautiful eyes?” She asked seriously. “I'm sure she would have cried if she could. She wanted to know what would make her worthy.”

Again Luna nodded, though this time with a prolific sadness. “I sensed her eyes through her memories when I contacted her. Tell me, why was she unworthy?”

Starting to walk slowly forwards Mapper answered, “She doesn't know how to love. To be a good Slave you have to love your Master more than life itself. To be a good Master you have to love your Slave completely.” Now a definite hint of sorrow entered Mapper’s voice. “Wildfire doesn't know what love is, or how to love, only how to please.”

“I agree, from my contact with her, I saw what they did to her, what they turned her into. She is so desperate to please she'll happily agree to anything.”

“That last answer of hers.” Mapper said quietly, as if troubled. “She still hides some pain as she fears to let it go would lose herself. As for hopes and dreams, you have to have them in order to share them.” A thought struck the unicorn then, “What do you know of Airmail?” She asked curiously. “Seems you know something.”

“And she has no hopes or dreams, other than to please other ponies no matter the cost to herself.” Luna surmised sadly. It seemed her last duty of the day would indeed be a sorrowful one. “I know of Airmail through her reputation and her reports. She is very…capable.”

Mapper smiled. “Yeah, that is a word you can use.” She gestured with her forehoof as she began the little tour of the basement. “There is the Mare's Room and Stallion's Room with the wet room, in the middle.” She explained, pointing at each plain wooden door. That is the Gaming Room, and here is the Dungeon.” She paused outside a set of large double doors.

Luna noted each room had a corresponding sign and cute saying on the wooden doors. Indeed, under the plain sign ‘Dungeon’ was the saying, ‘Not the Moon’. “I also know Airmail is dangerously psychotic, which is why I must observe them in the Dungeon.” She giggled at the saying on the Dungeon doors, taking in the details of the basement. “An interesting set up here Mistress Mapper.” Interesting wasn’t the word. The Stallion's Room, ‘Need balls to enter’, the Mare's Room, ‘Leave balls at the door’, the Wet room, ‘The ocean is damp’ and the Game Room, ‘Eight bits’. “You should come to the castle parties. My Octavia would love you.”

“Bondage is the main stay here, as well as some discipline.” Mapper explained, “The couple upstairs, Requiem and Longshore, don't play, but do enjoy a show. Tempest and Airmail don't play either, but assist me. You may guess who is in the Mare's Club and our newest member.”

“Our own Wildfire.” Luna answered straightaway. “Mapper, I worry for her.”

“The setup is Caffeinated’s, to scratch Thespian's little itch. It grew from there. He comes to the carnival where I work to take all my plushies for his wife’s collection.”

Luna nodded, absorbing the information from the pink unicorn. “Wildfire has a safe word I assume? She understands its use and importance?”

“Wildfire is with Airmail.” Mapper said simply as though this was explanation enough. “I can't think of a safer place in the world other than with me. I don't love her though.” Mapper paused then, her sock-clad hoof on the wooden door. “She has one but the home couldn’t have cared less about a safe word. I, personally, get off on a pony using her safe word, but I can read a pony well. She paraded around with outstretched and bound wings. I got her home and out of that before she collapsed. I honestly don't know if she would have used her safe word.”

Luna sighed deeply. She was afraid of this. “Mapper, to be safe with Airmail and Tempest she needs to use it. I need to know she can use it if she needs to.” The Princess hated herself so much for what she was about to say. “To know she can be safe alone in the city I need proof she can look out for herself. Do you know her enough to make her use it? If not, I’ll have no option than to send her to another residential facility.”

Mapper hesitated for a brief moment, then she nodded, her magenta eyes pointed to the basement floor. “Yes, but it will come at a cost. I need to let Airmail know and for her to agree. She can keep Tempest in line.”

“Do what you must with Airmail. Get her on board.”

“You will have to deal that that male which is your son.”

Luna couldn’t help a small smile. “Dusk means well. Where is he?”

“You think so?” Mapper raised a sceptical eyebrow. “He’s a royal fool.” She said, staring at Luna unflinchingly. “Once I got a handle on Wildfire I couldn't even find the pieces to put her back together.” She sighed, “At least he acted when the shit was rubbed under his nose. All the stallions should be in here, it is a group activity. They stank up the Stallion’s Room earlier today.”

Luna smiled fondly. “Dusk’s heart is in the right place. Perhaps we should get Airmail and Dusk out here now and tell them both what I have in mind?”

Mapper shook her head. “It is a big room and Wildfire isn't a dummy. Plus, and more to the point, I don't think I could get Airmail out of that room. Are you going to order her out?”

“I never said she was a dummy.” Luna’s voice turned a little bit indignant. “Distract her then. I don't want to order anypony if I don’t have to, but Airmail and Dusk need to be on board.”

Right at that moment Thespian came carefully down the steps still holding the plate of cake in her mouth.

“Hi there crazy plushie lady!” Mapper’s face lit up with glee, the dominant part of her being loving to watch the blue / grey earth pony mare make her way awkwardly towards them stood by the Dungeon doors. “Let me get the door for you.” Thespian performed a picture perfect eye roll and with a rolling gait necessitated by the restricting hobble moved between the pink mare and the alicorn as Mapper held open one of the doors. “After you, Mistress Luna.”

Upon entering the Dungeon Luna paused for the briefest of moments. Mapper had described it as a ‘big room.’ Big was rather an understatement. It was huge, by Luna’s estimation at least forty feet square and fifteen feet high, though she noticed the corner to her immediate right had a right angle wedge cut into it, no doubt allowing for the foundations of the ranch. ‘It is a big room.’ Luna giggled to herself at the understatement as Mapper strode off to a central area where Serenity and Wildfire were stood side by side with Belle, Recital, Airmail and Tempest. Dotted around the bare brick walled room were many seating pads, more than enough to comfortably accommodate the twenty plus ponies, a good half of them in their various states of bondage.

“Belle, did you truss up my Junior Pet?” Mapper asked as she walked around the yellow mare, now sporting a similar rope shell to what Thespian was wearing, though her bindings were a jet black that stood out against the yellow fur.

“I did!” Belle proclaimed proudly, the olive drab unicorn wearing a wide smile on her face at her work, which was, by her standards, rather excellent. “It was a little different than working on Tinkerer, but not a lot.” Belle giggled, “No balls.”

Slowly, loudly clopping her hooves on the flagstone floor, Mapper walked up to Wildfire with a smile on her pink muzzle. “Do you like the feel of the ropes, Pet?”

Rotating her ears to track the hoof-steps, Wildfire answered immediately. “Yes Mistress!”

Appraisingly Mapper walked around her newest Pet and felt her up, her white socked forehoof caressing Wildfire’s pantie clad rump, inspecting the black rope pressing the forest green silken material into her marehood. “Knot over her asshole and knot on the clit!” Mapper praised her young friend’s efforts, running her hoof over Wildfire’s mound. “Good work Belle!”

Belle almost glowed. “Thank you! She was well behaved too.”

“Really?” Mapper nodded, “Were you well behaved, Junior Pet?”

“Yes Mistress!” Wildfire exclaimed, her head held high and her voice proud.

“And Recital, did you truss up my Senior Pet?” Mapper asked the pale blue unicorn mare standing proudly next to a similarly bound Serenity, the teal unicorn sporting a tight royal blue tortoise shell rope harness.

Recital nodded, her dark blue mane bobbing around her horn. “Yes, just like Belle it was nice to work on a mare instead of a stallion.” She giggled, “Less parts.”

Nodding approvingly Mapper walked around and surveyed her beloved, lovingly running her forehoof over her rump, around and under her burgundy tail between the crotch ropes and knots. “You two trying to put me out of work?” She asked the unicorns with an amused glint in her magenta eyes.

Belle looked at Recital, Recital looked at Belle. Sharing the same thought they turned to Mapper quickly with a resounding “No!”

Mapper laughed out loud as Luna walked towards her, picking out a haphazard path through the many seating pads dotted around the Dungeon room, no doubt smiling at the excellent work on display, which she was. Walking over near Tempest who was standing as ever near Wildfire’s right flank. “Occupy Wildfire.” She said simply, lowering her voice to a barely audible level. Without waiting for a response the pink mare trotted over to Dusk, who was sat with Omega who had Sunshine in hoof-cuffs and a sheath lock, and Sonic, who had Trails in hoof-cuffs as well. Keeping her voice low Mapper whispered to Dusk, “Follow me.”

Startled from his reverie – enjoying the view of the bound stallions - Dusk looked up at Mapper, nodded silently and followed her as she trotted over to the far side of the large room. On her way there Mapper looked over at Airmail and, when the azure blue mare was looking back performed a series of ear flicks before leading them all over to a large toy box in the corner.

Once they got there Airmail quickly turned to Mapper and whispered, “Who's in trouble?”

“Mistress Luna is running this show now.” Mapper replied, her clipped accent a low whisper, “I'm playing along.”

Dusk looked from unicorn to alicorn, “Mom, what's up?” He asked, confused at why they were huddled in a corner of the Dungeon whispering when there was a show waiting to be put on.

Luna took a deep breath and plowed on, addressing the azure blue mare and ignoring her son. “Airmail, does wildfire have her safe word and understand its use?”

“Yes,” Airmail nodded, “We covered that quite a bit with Serenity in the Mare’s Room.”

“Has she used it?” Asked Luna, already knowing from her brief chat with Mapper the answer was ‘no’.

Airmail shook her head. “Never…wait…Mapper, you said you would…” her sentence was cut short as Mapper placed a white-socked hoof to her friend’s mouth.

“I understand she had her wings bound earlier,” Luna stated, looking from pegasus to unicorn. “Correct, Mistress Mapper?”

“Yes Mistress Luna,” the pink unicorn admitted with a deep sigh before explaining further. “For roughly one hour her outstretched wingtips were bound to her bit and tail to her bridle.”

“Was she showing signs of extreme discomfort?” Luna pressed on.

“Yes,” Mapper said with another sigh. Sometimes, just sometimes, things really stank. “Which is why I brought her back here and sent her to the backyard.”

“So, you ended it, not her?”

“Yes Mistress Luna,” Mapper nodded, “I ended that game. For the benefit of a new and unbroken Pet.”

“Wait, wait…while we were playing she told me she almost used it,” Airmail cut in desperately, for she could see where this was going, and she didn’t like it one bit. “Isn't that enough?” She looked at Luna with pleading eyes.

“No Airmail.” Luna shook her head with a definite no. “Almost will not suffice. I need to know for her own future safety she can know when to end it, and not let it be ended.”

“Well bu...” Airmail started with a stomp of her hoof before the pink mare once again stopped her with a hoof to the mouth.

“You don't trust me?” Mapper asked, a tiny trace of hurt in her magenta eyes.

“Mistress Mapper,” Luna forged ahead, oblivious to the interaction. Her only thought was this unpleasant duty, and getting it over with as neatly as possible. “In your experienced opinion, would Wildfire have allowed herself to suffer?”

With an indignant look on her face Airmail gently pushed Mapper’s hoof away for a second time. “I really do love her it isn't some pity party like she has already accused me of.”

“Mistress Luna, one moment, please.” Mapper started then fell silent with a faraway expression. Unknown to Luna and to Dusk she was silently communicating to her wife through the symbiotic telepathic link they shared. Few of her herd-mates fully understood this link, save to say that she and Serenity were more closely joined than perhaps any couple ever were.

Answering her unspoken summons Serenity came trotting over to the corner of the Dungeon where they were stood. “Yes Mistress?” The teal unicorn asked with a polite bow.

“Was Wildfire going to use her safe word during our parade?” Mapper asked without any preamble.

Serenity looked down to the flagstones for a brief moment before answering. “May I speak freely, Mistress?”

“Speak freely, Pet.”

Serenity shook her head. “No. She first thought about it around a half mile from home. Maybe every hundred yards after that. When she knew we were near the house she stopped thinking about it. When you made us go out back and went inside she thought about it some more. She was afraid to disappoint you though. That was when you ended it, Mistress.”

“I see.” Luna said sadly. Those two words in this context hurt her as if a dagger had been thrust into her heart. Sometimes, just sometimes, she hated her ‘duty’. “She is still obsessed with pleasing other ponies to the point of her own suffering, and she gladly accepts this as normal?”

“Yes Mistress.”

Serenity’s verdict was damning. “Then, the course of action ahead is clear.” ‘And may the mother of all alicorns forgive me for what I must do.’

Serenity raised her hoof and spoke up, the slightest trace of regret in her voice. “Mistress?”

Mapper glanced at her wife, knowing she wouldn’t interrupt unless she had a very good reason to. “Speak, Pet.”

“Mistress, Airmail knows of an event that will trigger her safe word.”

Airmail looked dejectedly at the floor while between them Dusk finally found his voice. If they were suggesting what he thought they were suggesting…if his mother was suggesting…but surely not… “Mom, you can’t, you surely aren't suggesting that?”

“Hush Dusk,” Luna silenced her son without sparing him so much as a look, because one more pair of accusing eyes and her resolve would break. Forcing her voice as calm as she could, she asked, “Airmail, what will trigger her safe word?”

“The. Bucking. Box.” Looking the Princess unflinchingly in the eyes Airmail pronounced each syllable with a venom the alicorn struggled to countenance.

‘Mother preserve my soul…’ Shifting into another gear that almost…almost made her lose herself to that small core of darkness that lingered in her being, Luna replied coldly, “Very well.”

Realisation dawned on Dusk. A box meant only one thing, The Pegasi’s Fear, that which they all dreaded above all else. “Mom, Mom you can't!”

“Quiet, fool!” Mapper snapped impatiently.

“Mistress Mapper.” Luna began, with the detached coldness of one announcing an execution. “I authorise this course of action. Do what you must to get Wildfire to use her safe word, and to know she must use it.”

The first thing Mapper did was to wrap Airmail in a tight hug. “I love you.”

“I know.” Airmail whispered miserably.

“I wouldn't do it earlier because there were no pieces left to pick up.” Mapper said, still holding her friend and herd-mate in the tight embrace.

“And now?” The azure blue mare shot the unicorn an accusatory glare.

“I will help you put her back together again.”

“Will she trust us, after this?” Airmail asked, deeply wishing there was something else they could do.

“Love,” Mapper smiled thinly, thankful that her back was turned to the crowd of ponies behind her as tears began to well in her eyes. “She doesn't trust us now.”

Seeing Mapper’s tears Airmail relented, just slightly. “Mapper…I can't hate you.” She said as she shot a look at Luna that screamed ‘but you I can,’ “But I really don't like you right now.”

“I can live with that.” Mapper sniffed, a single solitary tear streaking down her pink cheek as Serenity suddenly turned and left to resume her spot, standing next to Wildfire.

At this point the cold darkness had a firm grip on the Princess. “I really don't care if you like me or not Airmail. The other patients of that home were sent back to their families. She has none. I don't dispute your love for her, I question her love for herself.”

Another tear streaked its way down Mapper’s face, leaving a wet track as evidence of its progress, before she lit her horn with a bright magenta glow that seconds later left her face clean and tear-free. “Mistresses don't cry.” She said simply, getting her head where it needed to be.

“You’re full of yourself.” Airmail scoffed at the lunar alicorn, “I wasn't talking about you.”

Luna’s turquoise eyes blazed, her pupils turning to slits for perhaps a tenth of a second. “If Wildfire cannot or will not use her safe word I'll have no choice but to assign her another care facility in Canterlot.” She said with an awful air of finality.

“Gentle-mares…” Mapper said quietly and with authority, “We should not argue. It is show time!” She said loudly, and once more Mapper lit her horn, this time tripping the magical lock of the large nearby toy box. “Tempest, get your tail over here to help with the toys.”

Finally Luna turned to her son, “Dusk, do nothing or I'll remove you myself.” She said tersely as the midnight blue pegasus made to open his mouth to again object.

“Mistress Luna, you doubt me? I'm shocked!” Mapper, getting into her full ‘Mistress’ mode, smiled gently at the Princess before again turning to the angry blue mare. “Airmail, get your usual assignment. Today is suspension bondage.”

“The usual, Mapper?” Tempest asked as she trotted over to the toy box, her violet face bearing a look of mystified confusion at the delay that was shared by the rest of the assembled herd.

“Yes, Tempest.” Mapper replied, “Mistress Luna, Caffienated is sat at the best place to enjoy the show, do take the stud muffin with you.” The pink Dom said to Luna with a nod to Dusk, whose flustered expression raised a giggle from Tempest.

Luna nodded, “Very well. Dusk, you’re with me.” Turning her back to the three mares, Luna nudged her son with her wing and ushered him with her over to Caffeinated's position, taking two of the empty seating pads next to the large orange zebra and his hobbled wife, the latter resting against her pad rather than sitting on it while seated on the row behind them a hoof-cuffed Snowfall snuggled up to her husband, Baron.

“Airmail, what's up?” Tempest asked quietly from her position next to the well-stocked toy box.

In response Airmail gently nuzzled her marefriend. “Mapper is going to break Wily. I agreed with it.” She added quickly at the look of outrage on Tempest’s face.

In the centre of the large Dungeon, Mapper reared up to her hind legs with a loud clap of her forehooves to make sure she had the crowd’s attention. “Greetings Doms!” The pink unicorn declared loudly. “I have briefed Mistress Luna on what we are doing, so it is time for us to get started!”

Having completed the introduction Mapper dropped back to her four legs, firmly in control of the event. “I only inspected two ponies so far,” she said, trotting over to where Caffeinated was sat. “Let us see how the rest of you are doing.” Reaching the stallion’s position she smiled sweetly at the bound earth pony. “Caffy, enjoy the cake?”

Caffeinated returned the smile to his friend, “It was okay, but she drooled on it.”

“Really!” Mapper brought her forehoof to her mouth, feigning a show of stunned outrage. “Such a naughty pony.” Smiling, she carefully inspected the tortoise shell rope bondage and hobble, paying particular attention to where the rope and especially the knots dug into the blue / grey earth pony’s skin, making sure she wasn’t in any real distress. “We can't shorten the hobble or she won't make it up the stairs.” Mapper said quietly, almost to herself than to the assembled crowd. “I sentence!” She declared, standing back to her full height. “Airmail, present the tawse to Caffy.”

Straightaway Airmail delivered the wide leather strap to the zebra, who stood from his seating pad and got into position behind his wife. “Tail high.” He ordered shortly, smiling as Thespian obediently flexed her dock and raised her blonde tail up over her head. Luna watched with a smile as he took the tawse from Airmail in his mouth and rested it teasingly against his wife’s exposed thighs. Without any warning he wound back and with a resounding ‘SWAP!’ impacted the leather strap hard on Thespian’s left buttock.

“Nggh…AaaAH!” Came the pained grunt from Thespian and from the group a soft count of ‘one’, counting out the strike.

Again Caffeinated wound back with the leather strap, this time aiming for his Sub’s left buttock, again the group counted the strike, each well placed impact leaving a beautiful red mark as evidence of its caress. Caffeinated and the group repeated this until the count had reached ‘ten’, leaving tears streaming down the earth pony’s cheeks and her hindquarters a bright red from the repeated strikes to her cutie marks, her thighs and her butt. Taking a moment’s breather, Caffeinated granted his wife a brief respite as he walked slowly around to Thespian’s muzzle, and proceeded to lovingly lick the tears from her face, quietly whispering something in her ear and smiling when she whispered back. “She is unrepentant for drooling on my cake!” The zebra Dom declared to Mapper.

“Tempest, the cane if you please.” Mapper requested of the violet mare as Thespian’s green eyes went wide with barely contained fear and desire, shivering in place against the seating pad.

With a polite nod of his head, Caffeinated took the long flexible bamboo cane, about half an inch wide, in his mouth and rubbed it gently over Thespian’s tender reddened cheeks.

‘SWAP!’ the cane sang through the air, landing on the sweet spot, the perineum between his bound wife’s marehood and anus, causing Thespian to hop forward with a howl of pain.

“AAH…OooOOW!” Thespian cried as she worked to steady herself on her hooves, fresh tears of pain and pleasure running down her cheeks.

“Baron, would you kindly steady your daughter please.” The orange stallion requested of his father-in-law, the older earth pony stallion moving from his seating pad to stand in front of his daughter, his head placed under her head and against her chest. Again and again Caffeinated sent the cane down with pinpoint accuracy, selecting the tenderest spots on his wife’s exposed rear.

The count went to three, three stinging strikes of the cane. By the third Thespian’s tears were leaking all the way down into her father’s blonde mane. ‘SWAP!’ the cane sung a fourth time, this time landing squarely on the blue / grey mare’s tail-hole with a force enough to make her dance on her hooves. “AaaAAAH!” She screamed, before resting her chin down on Baron’s head. “Lemons!” She cried out when she could next draw breath.

Smiling with satisfaction Caffeinated turned back to Tempest who had been quietly watching the scene and returned to her the cane, and as the violet pegasus took it back to the toy box the zebra wasted no time in gathering his wife up in his hooves. “Thank you, Sir.” He said with a nod to Baron who returned to his wife.

Taking care to kiss away each and every one of Thespian’s tears, Caffeinated nodded to Mapper. “She is forgiven.” He rumbled in his deep voice, never once letting go of the tight hug.

Standing over near Serenity, Wildfire, while she obviously couldn’t see what was happening could hear every last detail of the last few moments. She heard every ‘swap’ of the tawse and the cane, every thudding impact of implement upon hide, every gasp, squeal and scream of pain from the punishment hoofed out to Thespian. In her head the yellow pegasus counted along with the group, reaching fourteen before she heard the earth pony say 'lemons', and just like that it all stopped. 'Fourteen?’ Wildfire thought to herself with pride, ‘I know I can take that…I’ll show them…I’ll show Mistress Mapper I’m worthy of her!'

Moving on down the arrangement of seating pads Mapper paused, the grin on her face almost predatory. “Master Topper, where did you get that outfit for Lavender?” She asked the huge earth pony stallion sweetly.

Topper returned the grin with one of his own, one that reached his twinkling violet eyes. “From MiAC, Mistress Mapper.” He replied simply, referring of course to the Manehatten branch of the Mi Amore Cadenza range of strictly adult toys that the Princess of Love had made famous across Equestria.

Leaning up in his seating pad to get a better view Dusk couldn’t help but smile at the sight. All he could see of Lavender was her red tail and her nostrils. The rest of the tan earth pony mare was completely hidden away under a very tight form-fitting bright blue PVC sensory deprivation body suit, her four legs bound together with hoof-cuffs. While Dusk had heard of them, of course, he’d never seen one. The very thought of being constricted like that made his skin crawl under his fur.

Lowering her head, Mapper took her time to inspect the suit, noting there were no spaces at all for her ears or her eyes. “Noise cancelling earphones?” She asked inquisitively.

Topper nodded, “Yes Mapper.”

Mapper looked closely at the tan mare’s muzzle as it was larger than normal, “Ball gag?”

Again, the massive brown earth pony stallion nodded, before raising a hoof to brush his blue mane out of his eyes. “Yes, Mapper.”

“Oooh, toys inserted?” She asked as she saw Lavender suddenly twitch and wriggle from an unseen stimulus.

“Yes Mapper, both holes.”

“And what has she done to earn this?” Mapper asked curiously.

“She was gossiping about events at work.” Topper explained, the large earth pony as ever conservative with his words.

Putting a scandalised look on her face, Mapper turned to Airmail. “Airmail, it seems your employee is a gossip!”

Tutting out loud Airmail shook her head. “Shameful.” She said, disappointment rife in her voice.

Turning back to Topper and Lavender, Mapper asked, “How long has she been in this?”

“Forty minutes now.” Topper replied, checking the large white wall clock.

“Let’s see if she can make an hour.” Mapper said with a smile. “Can you turn up the toys?”

Topper smiled an evil smile, “Yes Mapper, they are on medium now.” Raising his right foreleg he turned a dial on the control sleeve he wore, turning the toys buried deep in Lavender’s marehood and anus to their ‘high’ setting, causing the tan earth pony Submissive to wriggle all the more, though she remained standing.

“I love it Topper, that should show you shouldn't gossip.” Mapper spared the couple one last smile before moving on around the half circle of seating pads and stopping at Recital and her husband Trumpet. “Recital,” she said, addressing the pale blue unicorn mare with the dark blue mane, “Thank you once again for dressing my Pet. So, what has Trumpet done lately?” She asked, waving a hoof over the dark red unicorn stallion who was bound with hoof-cuffs on his front and hind legs, securely blindfolded and with a pale blue sock on his horn the colour of his wife’s fur.

Wildfire heard Mapper praising another punishment, heard her Mistress talking with a stallion she thought she recognised about an hour time limit. The diminutive pegasus couldn’t help but smirk to herself. ‘Ha…I can beat that…an hour is nothing!’

Recital turned a sorrowful, mournful look towards Mapper, her emerald green eyes believably on the brink of a tearful breakdown. “I believe I have neglected him, because he is not pleasing me in bed.”

Mapper looked aghast. “A fine stallion such as this?” She asked incredulously, running a hoof along Trumpet’s dark red coat.

Theatrically, with a hoof to her forehead, Recital nodded. “Unfortunately yes, most disappointing.” She said critically as her stallion’s ears drooped, slicking back to his scalp.

“Hmm…” Mapper said thoughtfully, “Could be a case of too much blood to the brain. You need to draw it would where it is most needed.”

Eagerly, Recital nodded her agreement. “Yes, the beam maybe.” She said, her comment sending a shiver of fear and excitement through the dark red stallion’s body.

“I agree.” Mapper nodded, “I suggest the cat o’ nine tails.”

Recital gave a moment’s pause, and when Trumpet nervously shook his head the pale blue unicorn smiled and nodded. Sliding gracefully from her seating pad she led the stallion over to the opposite corner of the Dungeon where a perpendicular metal beam awaited them. “Up and over.” Recital ordered her blindfolded husband, who obediently rears up to his hind legs and allowed himself to be led forwards until the beam was resting under his chest. She then secured the hoof-cuffs to the base of the beam.

Standing quietly by Serenity Wildfire’s confident smirk slipped from her face when she heard Mapper mention drawing blood. Cocking her head to her left she could hear the tell-tale sounds of a pony being restrained nearby, and Mapper suggesting a whip.

Using her mouth, Recital took hold of the nine tails when Airmail brought it over to her. Taking aim at the stallion’s hindquarters she swung it in a vicious arc, the knotted leather thongs of the whip stinging him as they wrapped around his thighs and his sheath.

“YaaAAH!” Trumpet yelped then immediately bit his lip to keep quiet, his exposed butt twitching involuntarily over the beam.

Lighting her horn in her emerald green aura, Recital held the whip in her magic to allow her to speak. “Make it hard for me!” She commanded, now using her magic to really let loose. One strand of one swipe wrapped itself around his ballsack.

“Nggh! Nggh AAAH!” Trumpet couldn’t help grunting in pain, twitching and hopping over the beam. With a slow but steady pace Recital then began to alternate her swings from left to right, her strokes not giving the bound unicorn stallion chance to predict where or when the next strike would come from. Underneath his body Trumpet’s shaft started to extend and harden from its sheath, getting ever harder with each unerring strike of the whip.

Noticing this pleasing reaction, Recital aimed a strike squarely at his hardening cock. “I want a pillar of stone!” She commanded, not letting up in the slightest as she continued to whip him.

Hearing the repeated sounds of the whipping, and agonised grunts of pain, Wildfire’s mind began to swim back to her days at the care home. She wasn’t scared though, far from it. This was familiar, this was safe. This was something she knew very well.

Now at full mast, Trumpet was a rather impressive sight to behold. His rod of iron quivers with each whipping until the count hit twenty. Seeing her beloved husband fully erect, Recital’s horn lit up and the cuffs sprung loose from their bindings on the base of the beam. Taking the apparatus in her emerald green aura she quickly moved the beam out of the way to the side and like a flash she was under her blindfolded partner. “Buck me hard!” Recital’s needy marehood was soaking wet from the whipping of her mate and, like a well-trained Pet, he was in her quickly, his deep red fur a considerably brighter red around his ass, where little trickles of blood ran where Recital had broken his skin.

‘That’s impressive…’ Wildfire thought as she heard the whipping reach a count of twenty. She remembered not so long ago, maybe a month, the last time she had been ‘properly’ punished by her Mistress Amethyst. She had been made to wait while the others had been beaten and trained. Wildfire recalled how she would pace herself against the other patients, taking pride in taking more than them. ‘Hmm…I smell blood…’ She sniffed the blood in the air...she'd smelt her own many times before.

“Hello, Sonic,” Mapper moved on to greet the purple earth pony stallion while Trumpet enthusiastically rutted his wife. “I see that had an effect on you.” The pink unicorn mare peered underneath Sonic’s body at his hardened length shamelessly on display.

Sonic, noticing Mapper looking, laid on his side to further show himself off. “By Luna's left teat it did!” He said proudly, earning a snorted laugh from the lunar alicorn seated not far away. “Damn him for being straight.”

Casting a critical eye over Trails, Mapper smiled her sweet little smile. “Have you been a bad pony?” She asked, her tone disarmingly innocent.

“Yes, Mistress Mapper.” Trails answered her straightaway.

“Nice cock bondage there Sonic,” Mapper complimented her fellow Dom as she inspected the submissive pink stallion. “I’m pleased to see you have been practicing.” She paused though when she saw the sleeves around his lower legs. “Why the hoof sleeves?” She asked, genuinely curious as she looked closer at the sleeves that tightly bound Trails’s forelegs together and his hind legs together too, secured with tight straps over his shoulders and flanks.

“Helps him learn his place.” Sonic said with a shrug of his shoulders.

‘Learn his place…’ Wildfire thought as she listened to the conversation. This she understood. ‘I learnt my place, and I know it.’

“What did the naughty pony do?” Mapper asked, her voice still sweet. Looking away to the side though Trails didn’t answer her. “Are we not talking?” She asked with a feigned hurt expression on her face. “So, Master Sonic, what do you suggest?” The pink unicorn asked the smiling purple stallion.

Grinning a wide grin Sonic shot a knowing look over to the olive drab mare sat by Tinkerer. “Belle.” He said simply.

“A bit harsh,” Mapper said quietly as Trails let out an involuntary whimper, “What did he do?”

Sonic cast a stern glance at his wriggling whimpering partner, enjoying every second of his adorable pink stallion’s distress. “He needs to tell it to the group.”

Nodding thoughtfully Mapper looked Trails square in the eye. “Well?” She asked again, though Trails shook his head mutely and looked away.

Wildfire heard Mapper’s voice, heard the mocking taunting tone...a tone she recognised and understood. A tone that sent her troubled mind straight back to the care home, to her stood there in the Dungeon, Mapper sounded precisely like Amethyst Glory when she would delight in taunting her. This was all too familiar. ‘My turn will come. My turn always comes…I’ll show them all what I can take.’

“Why not let him think on his punishment now that he knows what it is.” Mapper smirked at the bound pink pony. “Maybe he will confess.”

Seated beside his partner, Sonic acquiesced with a nod, “Okay Mistress Mapper, we let him stew…” the purple earth pony stallion bought his lips right next to his Sub’s ear and whispered, “But not for long. Belle is waiting.”

As Trails gave voice to another delightful whimper, Mapper again walked along the line, this time stopping at Belle and Tinkerer. “Hello love,” the pink unicorn addressed the olive drab mare with a polite incline of her head. “Thank you again for the fine work on my Junior Pet, and I see you have your lovely husband dressed the same.” Mapper lowered her neck and took a long hard look under the dark forest green pegasus, “Did Sonic show you that cock bondage?”

Belle, her light green mane now pulled back in a very severe pony tail, smiled back at her fellow Dom, “He did and it was sweet of him.” She said silkily, her horn lit with a dark blue glow that stroked along her bound husband’s back and wings, earning her a smile from the stallion.

“Has he been a good boy?”

Belle nodded, “Yes he has, so I'll let him stay in this all the way home.” She said, magically twisting the rope harness that was secured tightly around her husband’s body, causing Tinkerer's smile to widen.

Wildfire shivered involuntarily, Amethyst’s old taunts swimming around her head. Still she stood determinedly. Today she'll show her. Today would be the day she made her Mistress proud. When her turn came she'd finally make the Warden happy.

“I brought a soft overcoat for him.” Belle explained to Mapper.

Mapper nodded appreciatively, “Well planned girl, well planned.” She gave Tinkerer a light kiss on his cheek before moving on down the line.

“Hello Omega,” Mapper paused as she greeted the eggshell white unicorn stallion with the turquoise mane. “Interviewed Mistress Luna yet?”

Omega smiled a smile that reached his twinkling brown eyes as he shook his head. “Not yet, Mistress Mapper, but the night is still young.” He replied with a wink.

‘Warden...Warden…wait, no…no…’ Wildfire in a state of confusion she shook her head. That just didn't sound right anymore. ‘It's Mistress now…not Warden…Mistress…’ It was confusing, but to Wildfire it didn't matter, ‘Punishment is punishment.’

Both Mapper and Omega looked over to Luna and winked together, and straightaway the lunar alicorn returned the wink with a nod and a smile.

Save for the almost obligatory hoof-cuffs, Sunshine looked undressed until Mapper took a look under his barrel to closer inspect the cream earth pony stallion. “My, what did this naughty pony do to deserve a sheath lock?”

“I caught him masturbating twice today.” Omega explained with a smirk on his face. “Between the Stallion Club meeting and dinner.”

“My, my, my…” Mapper tutted derisively, “Such a sex crazed stallion you have, Master Omega.”

Amidst all the new sounds, the smells, the mocking taunts from Mapper…Wildfire, left to stand by Serenity, struggled to make sense of it all. ‘It's…it’s all so confusing…it never used to be confusing.’ It was simple before, it was easy. The new pony, Airmail…she’s the one that confused her, saying she loved her. ‘Nopony loves me, Mistress Amethyst said so...’

“So what is your master plan, Omega?” Mapper asked with a smirk.

Sliding from his seating pad Omega moved up behind Sunshine and started to gently massage his Sub’s nut sack with a forehoof while delivering a slow lick under his blue tail. “Work him like this until he begs me on bended legs to take it off.” The eggshell white Dom said simply, his hoof now working in slow circles around Sunshine’s heavy balls.

Loudly Mapper laughed. “Well…that should be a quick few minutes.”

Again, though Mapper spoke it was Amethyst Glory’s taunts that Wildfire heard in her head. She stood proudly next to her fellow Pet. The diminutive pegasus was determined. She would make her Mistress love her today when it was her turn. She'd go that bit further, just for her. Then she was sure to avoid the box. ‘Ugh…’ she shuddered in her tight ropes. ‘Anything but that box...’

“Master Baron and the blank flank,” Mapper snorted derisively as she made her way fully back over to where she started, addressing the much older earth pony couple seated over behind Caffeinated and a recovered Thespian, though the blue / grey mare was still being held in the orange zebra’s tight loving embrace. “How are you today, Sir?”

While Baron stood to his hooves, Mapper inspected the pure white mare very carefully. While this was a play, to her a pony’s safety was not a game. And, while she would never ever, in her role as a Dom or as a friend, suggest that the mare in her sixties couldn’t handle the bondage, that didn’t mean she couldn’t take the extra few seconds to make sure everything was applied ‘just so’. Between Snowfall’s front and hind legs were a four foot long spreader bar attached by D rings to well-padded hoof-cuffs. Joining the two bars together was a longer metal bar as long as the earth pony’s body, forming a stretched capital H shape.

Satisfied everything was in order, Mapper resumed her stern façade. “I assume she still hasn’t learned?”

Sadly Baron shook his blonde maned head, “She has not, Mistress Mapper.”

Nodding her understanding, Mapper pointed her sock-clad hoof to the spreader bars and the cuff. “I'm going to need those later, will you leave them out for me?”

Baron nodded, “Of course, Mistress Mapper.”

As Wildfire thought of the dreaded box her thoughts began to drift towards the new pony, Airmail. She recalled the talk they had, about the box and a word they had discussed earlier.

“Caffeinated,” Baron said, drawing the zebra’s attention, “Some help with your mother-in-law, please.”

Standing from his seating pad, and carefully removing himself from the tight cuddle he was sharing with his still bound wife, Caffeinated moved up to the row behind them and stood next to Snowfall while Baron went over to the wall and lowered a cable that ended in a ring with two short cables coming off of the ring. Using his mouth, the mid grey earth pony stallion quickly connected the short cables to the ends of the long central bar. “Who is a pretty mare?” Baron asked sternly.

“I'm not.” Snowfall muttered, her grey eyes firmly glued to the flagstone floor of the Dungeon.

Without another word, Baron moved back to the wall and lifted the hoof-operated cable. As the slack of the cable grew taught it began to lift the bound earth pony mare off of the ground and Snowfall toppled over, to be caught by Caffeinated’s strong reliable hooves. The mid grey stallion kept pulling the cable to lift his wife off of the floor until her pure white mane just barely touched the flagstones.

Once his task was complete Caffeinated went back to his wife, resuming their cuddle-fest in earnest as Luna leant over to Dusk and whispered quietly, “I'm thinking of trying these on Tavi when we get home, you know how your mother is.”

Baron then picked up what looked like a plain old broom in his forehoof. “Who,” he asked again, “Is the pretty mare?”

“I'm not,” Snowfall repeated, swaying upside down in the suspension rig. “I'm old.”

Snorting, Baron wordlessly pushed his wife with the broom and Snowfall stared to spin in a slow circle centred upon the cable hanging from the Dungeon ceiling. Though spinning slowly at first, Baron gradually increased the speed of the spins as he repeated the question and the elderly mare stubbornly refused to admit she was pretty.

Faster and faster he spun the rig, relentlessly asking the same question over and over again, while Snowfall kept shouting out the same answers, “I'm old! I'm ugly! I'm horrible! I'm plain!”

Mapper, making sure to make enough noise to not cause surprise moved up between Luna and Dusk. “Can you guess her safe word?” She asked Dusk in a low whisper.

‘Safe word…’ Wildfire thought as she heard Mapper close by. ‘Airmail said to use a safe word to avoid the box...peaches…my safe word…’

Dusk watched the scene with Mapper and his Mom, the rapidly spinning mare making him dizzy himself, “Um…beautiful?” He offered after a moment’s consideration.

“Who is the pretty mare!?” Baron asked once more, now yelling the question as he spun Snowfall so fast she was but a white blur held in mid-air. She was holding out longer than usual, thanks to that dratted couple on the subway earlier, though not too much longer, if he was any judge of his dear wife.

Sure enough after two more revolutions, Snowfall - now hopelessly dizzy and on the verge of vomiting - started desperately shouting, “I'm pretty, I'm pretty!”

Immediately upon hearing the safe word, Baron used the broom held in his hoof to slow her down and once more Caffeinated moved over to lend a hoof when she was finally lowered. “Yes,” the mid grey stallion smiled tenderly at his beloved. “You're pretty and don't you forget it again.”

Wildfire heard a familiar mare shouting ‘pretty’. ‘Airmail is Pretty. Airmail made me feel safe.’

Once she was out of the hoof-cuffs and the spreader bars Caffeinated helped Snowfall onto Baron’s back, the dizzied earth pony mare muttering “I'm pretty…” over and over as a line of drool leaked from her lips.

Mapper smiled at Dusk and Luna. “A nice play on safe words. Of course, being called a blank flank all your life doesn’t make you feel pretty.” She said sympathetically, referring to the fact that Snowfall’s cutie mark of three silver-white snowflakes was barely visible against her pure white fur.

‘Pretty...’ the word made Wildfire think of Airmail. As she did so her thoughts of the old care home vanished, the remnants of a life she no longer had to endure evaporating into the ether. She didn’t know why it was so confusing, she just knew she isn't there anymore, she's here, with Airmail.

A loud thud sounded across the Dungeon as the wriggling form of Lavender toppled over onto the flagstone floor. “Topper, how long?” Mapper asked, her – as well as everypony else’s – attention drawn by the sound of pony meeting the floor.

“One hour and twenty four minutes.” Topper replied, concern etched on his brown face as he reduced the intensity of the toys lodged deep inside his wife back to low and crouched down to check on her with two taps of his hoof to her exposed nostrils. Feeling the coded request the PVC encased mare frantically shook her head ‘no’. “She’s fine.” Topper said simply, “Just wanted to lie for a spell.” He smiled, turning both of the toys back up to ‘high’ and enjoying the adorable twitches Lavender was making in her suit.

Happy that nothing was amiss, Mapper turned and walked back over to Trails. “Going to confess?” She asked the pink stallion, who turned his head away, refusing to answer her. Grinning she looked at Sonic, who in turn nodded and looked away. “Belle!”

‘I…I’m not at the home…I’m here, here with my Pretty…’ Certainty gave Wildfire confidence as she listened to all this happening. The voice she heard wasn't the Warden, it was her Mistress. Her new Mistress.

Answering Mapper’s loud summons, the olive drab unicorn mare left Tinkerer’s side and trotted over to stand by the pink unicorn’s side in front of Trails, the tied up pink stallion shivering so hard in the tightly secured hoof-sleeves he fell over.

Mapper looked down at him and smiled a sweet, dangerous smile and he closed his eyes to escape her magenta gaze.

Kneeling down in front of the fallen stallion, Belle too had a smile on her face, and it definitely was not the pleasant friendly sort of smile either as the olive drab mare lit up her horn, surrounding Trails’s whole body in her dark blue aura. Almost immediately Trails began to jerk and it looked like he was biting his lips as Belle’s spell started to take its effect.

From his vantage point across the Dungeon, Dusk could see ripples running through the pink stallion’s fur and in particular his nut sack was twitching. Grinning somewhat maniacally Belle manipulated the tip of his tail to tease the puckered ring of his asshole while she made his mane stroke the length of his ears.

“What th…” Dusk started, not getting it at first what was happening as Trails started jerking around on the ground and let out a loud laugh. Then the bit dropped.

“Good isn't it?” Luna asked, raising herself up to get a better view. “I did something similar to Tavi once, not long ago.” She said nonchalantly, causing her son to splutter as Trails tried desperately to escape, but his attempt was ultimately futile as his legs were held immobile within the hoof-sleeves. Snorting with laughter he flopped from one side to the other, rolling on his back to the other side and back again. After a few seconds his laughter turned to yelps which increased in frequency and volume while Belle watched with a look of pure pleasure.

“Tavi didn't last this long…” Luna commented almost to herself, impressed with Trails’s endurance in his glowing dark blue prison as the pink stallion was now laughing uncontrollably, his immobile body jerking and twitching violently. Lifting his head from the Dungeon floor he tried to form a word but found he couldn’t get it out, he started to choke noiselessly as he was forced to laugh so hard his breath was taken away.

“He’s choking!” Dusk hissed the whisper, nudging his mother’s barrel just as Trails lost control of his bladder. Dodging around the growing puddle of urine under his Sub, Sonic moved closer to Trails’s muzzle and the pink earth pony looked at him, still trying to speak with no air while Belle mercilessly cranked up the rippling tickles of her spell.

“Oh hush, Dusk.” Luna whispered her reply without looking away, “They'll stop.”

From his position at the front of his foundering partner Sonic watched him very carefully. He knew is Sub liked to push this part as long as he could, but when his husband’s dark green eyes began to glaze to a faraway look he decided enough was more than enough. “Horseapples.” He said aloud, and straightaway the dark blue magic aura surrounding the pink stallion became visibly less intense as Belle gently eased back on the spell until a released Trails was able to take a much needed gasp of air, with Sonic still looking down on him.

“See?” Luna whispered to her son. “You need to live, Dusk.”

“I…I love…you…” Trails said once he filled his lungs with precious oxygen and was able to speak.

“I know you do,” Sonic said tenderly, cradling his lover’s head and stroking his mane. “Now, why are you here?”

“I…I told you Dusk's spunk tastes better than yours.” Trails finally admitted, earning a scarlet blush from the young Prince, and a loud giggle from his mother.

“And now?” The purple stallion asked with a raised eyebrow.

“How about as good as?”

Sonic chuckled, “I can live with that.” Kissing his partner’s lips Sonic returned to his seating pad. “He is forgiven.”

“Still two naughty ponies to deal with.” Mapper said, turning to her two Pets waiting quietly in the middle of the semi-circle while Belle, seeing her services her no longer required returned to her trussed up hubby.

Watching with a smile a thought occurred to Luna just as Mapper was about to address her Pets. The Princess raised a hoof high to attract Mapper’s attention.

“Mistress Luna,” said as she paused at Luna’s interruption, “Your input would be invaluable to our small group.”

Easing from her seating pad Luna stood to her full height and spoke clearly. “Dusk is guilty of three transgressions.” She said as Dusk whipped his head to his mother so hard he cricked his neck. “One, raising his voice to a parent. Two, using her name. Three, causing her distress through the use of foul language. I suggest the cane, his safeword is 'violin'.”

“I would agree with Mistress Luna.” Baron said aloud. “I bore witness to his most unbecoming disrespectful behaviour.”

“B-But…but!” Dusk gasped, shocked as if Belle has seized him in her magic.

“I was there too.” Mapper nodded in agreement. “Do you wish to mete out the punishment, Mistress Luna?”

In a mild panic Dusk looked from pony to pony, trying to find hint of a joke. “B-But...!”

Tempted though she was right there and then to personally make her son atone for making her beloved Octavia cry so, Luna instead shook her head. For her sake as much as Dusk’s. What with the blood on her hooves from earlier in the afternoon, she could feel the Nightmare semi-dormant within her, and it was taking all her effort to keep it that way. “The fool is all yours Mistress Mapper, have fun.”

Somewhat reluctantly Mapper turned away from Serenity and Wildfire. “I’m sorry Pets, but royal duty calls. You both will have to wait.” Casting a glance over to where Recital was busy applying a disinfectant lotion to Trumpet’s raw hide after their ‘enthusiastic’ rutting session Mapper called over to the light blue unicorn. “Recital, could you please return the beam to where it was fastened?”

While Recital nodded silently and floated over the metal beam over to the fastening rings set in the flagstone floor and concentrated to secure it in place, Mapper levitated the hoof-cuffs that were around Trumpet’s dark red hooves right on over to Dusk.

“Mom…” the midnight blue stallion jumped to his hooves. “M-Mom you aren't serious?”

“I most certainly am, very serious.” Luna spared her son a withering look that spoke volumes. “Do as Mistress Mapper instructs.”

“Going to put up a fight, little colt?” Mapper asked when she saw Dusk’s reaction.

“I…” Dusk looked pleadingly to his mother, who gave the merest shake of her head. “I...no, no I’m not.”

“Sonic, whatever do you see in this...this...Gelding?” The pink Dom sneered derisively as she used her magic to fasten the four cuffs slightly tighter than was strictly necessary to Dusk’s hooves.

“He has his talents.” Sonic shrugged, suddenly rather in what else was happening.

“Hmph!” Mapper snorted, pointedly turning her back on the young Prince, unimpressed. “Tempest, the one inch please. Giddy up Dusky, over to the beam with you.”

Mapper made a show of keeping her back to the pegasus as Dusk, albeit reluctantly, did as he was told and Tempest brought over the cane and nodded to her. Letting out a little sigh she peeked to see if Dusk was over the beam, which to his credit, he was straddling the beam like Trumpet had been before him, perpendicular to the bench with the metal beam running under his chest. Lighting her horn, Mapper magically fastened the hoof-cuffs to the bench ends, leaving Dusk’s legs spread but the front and back hooves together.

Taking the one inch wide cane in her magenta aura, Mapper approached the Prince’s hindquarters. “Last time I saw something this passive they were beheading a dead pony.”

Indignantly Dusk threw an angry glare at Mapper, but knew enough to stay silent.

Twirling the four foot long cane pole about in the air Mapper stroked the bamboo up the pegasus’s thighs and used it to lift up his dark grey tail. “Can you keep that up, bad boy or do you need a tail cuff?” Without giving him a chance to reply, Mapper wound back and slammed the cane into his exposed ass cheeks, followed quickly by two more rapid strikes.

“Aah…aah…OoOOW!” Dusk squealed and cried with each of the expertly applied hits.

“Not the word I was looking for, colt.” Mapper snorted as again the cane landed, this time painting a thin red welt high on both of Dusk’s upper thighs just under his tail.

Biting back tears Dusk shook his head defiantly. “No, no you won’t!”

Without a word the cane sung through the air and again struck across his thighs, leaving another welt in its place.

“BUuuuUCK!” Dusk screamed, not trying to hide his tears now as he cried out with the pain.

The next blow of the cane landed squarely across his tail-hole, leaving a red line across the Prince’s sphincter.

The split second he felt the cane land Dusk’s pink eyes went wide as saucers and he jerked his head up, letting out a hearty scream, ‘almost...’ just as he processed this thought the strike was followed up by just the tip of the cane landing on his perineum, just a fraction of in inch form his sack.

“AAaaAAGH BUUUUCK!” He screamed again as Mapper directed another stiff strike to this time land across both ass checks right above Dusk’s sack hitting a hair’s width away from the previous hit.

“AAAGH…v-vio-lin…” Dusk screamed and whimpered, letting his head slump down, “Violin!” He called out again.

Mid way through a swing of the cane that Mapper fully intended to burst this gelding fool’s balls, the pink unicorn managed to stop herself at the last possible second just as the stallion called out his given safe word. Breathing hard and fast she snapped the cane in half and threw the pieces to the flagstones. “Recital, release him please.”

Dusk panted, breathing shallow breaths through the stinging pain across his hindquarters as Mapper walked up to Princess Luna and bent down to whisper, “The reason I have no male pets is because if I did I'd make Amethyst Glory look like a choir mare.”

Luna let out a tinkling laugh as Recital helped Dusk back over to his seating pad, “I can see that. Very nice work Mistress Mapper.”

Sparing Luna a wink, Mapper stood back up to her fullest height and turned with a flourish, licking her lips as she stared straight into Serenity’s hazel eyes. “Senior Pet, are you a bad pony!?” She asked of her wife loudly.

Standing next to her, Wildfire heard Serenity being addressed, for the time being her head was right here, and she shivered involuntarily at the harshness of Mapper’s tone.

“Yes Mistress.”

“Why are you a bad pony?” Mapper asked, quieter this time.

“I ate chocolate before dinner, Mistress.”

“Is that all?” Mapper asked as once more she circled her Pets.

“No Mistress, I peed on your Junior Pet and I wasn't supposed to pee, Mistress.”

“Anything else?” Mapper asked dangerously coming to a stop mere inches from Serenity’s muzzle.

“Yes Mistress, I made your Junior Pet be a bad pony by making her pee when you told her not to pee.”

“You. Made. My. Pet. Be. A. Bad. Pony!” Mapper punctuated each and every word with a stomp of her forehoof.

“Yes, Mistress.” Serenity admitted, not once looking away from her Mistress.

Listening to the exchange, Wildfire was impressed at Serenity's admission of her misdeeds. ‘I’ll have to match it,’ she resolved to herself, excited that finally her turn to be punished was coming very shortly.

Still facing Serenity, and igniting her horn, Mapper levitated the tawse from Airmail's collection and sent the sturdy leather strap screaming across the Dungeon to be intercepted by Serenity's perfect teal ass.

“Thank you Mistress!” Serenity cried out, her melodic voice full of pleasure as the sheer force of the impact sent ripples through her hide. Again, the tawse landed hard, this time making the teal unicorn lurched forwards in order to remain standing. “Thank you Mistress!”

Mapper narrowed her eyes in concentration and, waiting a second longer than before, sent the next blow in from an angle that went straight up and down her crotch.

Serenity danced on the tips of her hind hooves, “Thththeaank…you…Missttresss!” She gasped in undisguised bliss as the pain of each strike released more and more endorphins into her system.

Listening to the sounds of the impacts, Wildfire counted them in her head, determined to match and supersede the count when her Mistress was done.

Without any warning the tawse impacted Serenity high on her left thigh, the blow rapidly followed by another equally strike high on the opposite thigh. “Thhthththththth…” the teal mare hissed in utter euphoria, her marehood leaking her juices to the floor. “Missssss…”

The next two blows landed squarely over her black bar of four eighth notes cutie mark, one strike for each that lit up each with an angry red welt. “Hmm…Missssstressss…” now Serenity had her hazel eyes closed, transported to her own micro universe of pleasure and pain.

Another hard blow from the leather strap impacted on her dripping slit. “MMmmm…”

Another pair of strikes once again landed on her cutie marks, just missing the impact sites of the previous strikes, casing the pain-loving Submissive to finally shed tears from her closed eyes. “Thththth…” she hissed in her breath, stifling a dull pained moan.

“What will my Pet do?” Mapper asked, speaking at last.

“Beee…a…a…g-good p-p-pony, Misstresss.” Serenity gasped in reply, the whole of her hindquarters lit up in sweet agony.

Smiling, Mapper floated the tawse in front of the crying teal unicorn. “Kiss.” She ordered.

Bowing her head, Serenity placed a tender kiss upon the strap as if it were her lover, but the very second her lips left its surface it flew away, came around the room and with the extra momentum landed with a very loud ‘SWAP!’ on both ass cheeks with such force it sent the weeping unicorn forward into Mapper’s waiting embrace. “Forgiven.”

“Thaaaank…you…MMmisstresss…” Serenity hissed as Tempest helped the endorphin-addled pony to an empty seating pad to rest up.

“Junior Pet,” Mapper said, turning on her most severe ‘Mistress’ voice as she watched her wife be carefully draped over the nearest pad. “Have you been a bad pony?”

“Yes Mistress!” Wildfire answered eagerly now her Mistresses attention was directed solely at her. ‘This is my chance! I’m gonna make her so proud!’

“What have you done?”

“I peed when instructed not to do so, Mistress!” Wildfire admitted quickly.

“Is that all you did?”

“No Mistress!” Wildfire exclaimed with a shake of her head. “I helped Senior Pet to pee, and make her be a bad pony.”

Now the event she was here to witness had finally begun, Luna sat up on her seating pad, her turquoise eyes intently watching the scene as it unfolded.

“You are the reason I had to punish my Senior Pet!”

“Yes Mistress!” Wildfire nodded.

“You make good ponies into bad ponies?” Mapper brought her muzzle in so close to Wildfire’s the yellow mare could feel her Mistresses breath on her fur as she was asked the question.

“Yes Mistress!” Wildfire replied, loud and proud she agreed, though at this point she would’ve gladly agreed to anything if it meant she could do her Mistress what she could take and make her like her all the more. “I do Mistress!”

As the last syllable left her mouth Wildfire felt herself lifted up off the floor, held securely in the grip of a magical field as a separate magical aura fastened four hoof-cuffs around her hooves. “Do you think Senior Pet deserved her punishment?”

“No Mistress!” Wildfire answered excitedly as she hung in mid-air. “It was my fault, Mistress!”

Over on her seating pad Luna leant forward, a worried look on her face. ‘She's way too eager...’

The next thing Wildfire felt was her four legs being spread wide apart as the metal spreader bars that Baron had used on Snowfall were put in place, secured to the cuffs by the D rings. When the magical auras finally lowered her to the floor and let her legs go, Wildfire found she couldn't move them in the slightest.

“Do you think I should punish you, bad pony?”

“Yes Mistress!” Wildfire gave her legs another experimental wriggle, they were still totally immobile. Along with the tortoise shell rope harness that held her wings tightly into her barrel she was starting to feel the first pangs of anxiety that lead to ‘the fear’. “I must be punished, Mistress!” She exclaimed, trying to push it from her mind.

Surrounded once more in Mapper’s glowing magenta aura Wildfire was flipped upside down and floated up to the cable which the pink unicorn securely attached to the centre metal bar. Once everything was in place, the magic faded from her body and the diminutive pegasus was left securely tied, fully immobile and suspended three feet off of the floor.

Looking over her hoof-work, Mapper's ears began to flick in an intricate pattern.

Reading the signs, Tempest and Airmail quickly and quietly started to herd the other ponies over to the exit, a partially recovered Serenity picking up Lavender in her magic, while Recital carried Trails.

Luna started shaking her head sadly as Wildfire tried another wriggle, only to find that she was just as immobile as before, the only thing keeping her from her anxiety was knowing she wasn’t alone in this Dungeon. She couldn’t hear all the other’s leaving the room.

“Do you want to be my Slave, Junior Pet?”

Using her Mistresses voice as a reference, Wildfire turned her head to face her. “Yes Mistress!” She answered immediately.

Clopping her hooves loudly, Mapper moved to stand near the tightly bound pegasus' head. “Did I not tell you that you were unworthy to be my Slave, Pet?” She asked, that dangerous silky tone back in her voice.

“I will prove I am worthy, Mistress!” Wildfire pleaded, breathing heavily as her anxiety started to get a hold of her.

Noisily, knowing full well that the blind mare was tracking her hoof-steps, Mapper moved away from the suspended mare. “I have decided you are not worthy of my punishment either.”

“I…I am!” Wildfire cried, real panic starting to set in now she heard the receding hoof-steps heading away from her. “I am worthy Mistress! Please punish me!”

“Maybe,” Mapper said from over by the wide double doors. By now everypony else had left, except herself, Airmail, Luna and Dusk. “If I return. Good bye, Pet.”

At the mention of the word ‘bye’ Wildfire started to really panic, writhing in her bindings, desperate to be free, but found she had no purchase on nothing. “Mistress!” Wildfire screamed at the top of her lungs, “I need to be punished...please punish me!”

On her seating pad Luna sat perfectly still, not even daring to breathe as she watched everything, she didn’t notice Airmail sitting next to her, her brown eyes boring holes into Luna’s very core.

“I…I’m…alone...no...” Wildfire again tried fruitlessly to escape. “N-No…”

Very quietly Mapper came up and motioned for Dusk to leave, and without a look back, the midnight blue stallion at once obeyed, leaving the Dungeon.

“I…I’m not alone...I'm not alone...” Wildfire repeated the mantra dully, trying to ease her growing terror with the sound of her own voice.

Noisily now, Mapper moved to the door. “Maybe you will be worthy someday Pet,” She said loudly, “But not today.” She left the Dungeon, slamming the wooden door behind her.

In a literal blind panic Wildfire thrashed and struggled with renewed vigour in the suspension rig, but ultimately, after an inevitable ten minutes struggle she grew motionless. “No! You said you wouldn't! Mistress come back!” The bound yellow mare started sobbing pathetically, rolling her shoulders with each loud sniffle.

“C’mon…” Luna muttered under her breath as Airmail leant against her and shook her head.

“Mistress!” Wildfire screamed, “Mistress!” Her sniffled sobs become rolling heaving dry sobs as the blind mare ‘cried’.

'Not yet...c'mon Wildfire...you can do this…’ Luna thought desperately to herself.

Hopelessly Wildfire slumped in the rig, resigned to her mounting fear. Then…then something happened. She started to remember. Through the haze of her terror and her tears and blind panic she remembered. Remembered what Airmail had said to her. In a very, very tiny voice indeed she utters for the first time her safe word. “P-Peaches…” she whimpered pitifully, before slumping in the rig, her shoulders heaving with emotion.

The very second Airmail heard the word ‘peaches’ leave the yellow mare’s mouth she was up out of her seating pad, her hooves clopping noisily as she surged forward.

“Peaches!” Wildfire screamed as she heard the hooves approach her. She heard the hooves and smelled the scent of jasmine. “PEACHES!”

“I'm here love,” Airmail said reassuringly, flapping her wings, the azure blue pegasus hovered up and embraced the screaming mare in her hooves. “I'm here Wily, I’m here.”

“Peaches!” Wildfire whimpered in Airmail’s tight embrace, “Please, Pretty...peaches!”

Straightaway the Dungeon door opened. “I'm very, very proud of you, Pet.” Mapper said with a wide genuinely warm smile, lighting her horn once more.

Chapter 4 - Love that Overcomes

“I…I’m not alone...I'm not alone...” Wildfire repeated the mantra dully, trying to ease her growing terror with the sound of her own voice.

Noisily now, Mapper moved to the door. “Maybe you will be worthy someday Pet,” She said loudly, “But not today.” She left the Dungeon, slamming the wooden door behind her.

“C’mon…” Luna muttered under her breath as Airmail leant against her and shook her head.

“Mistress!” Wildfire screamed, “Mistress!” Her sniffled sobs become rolling heaving dry sobs as the blind mare ‘cried’.

'Not yet...c'mon Wildfire...you can do this…’ Luna thought desperately to herself.

Hopelessly Wildfire slumped in the rig, resigned to her mounting fear. Then…then something happened. She started to remember. Through the haze of her terror and her tears and blind panic she remembered. Remembered what Airmail had said to her. In a very, very tiny voice indeed she uttered for the first time her safe word. “P-Peaches…” she whimpered pitifully, before slumping in the rig, her shoulders heaving with emotion.

The very second Airmail heard the word ‘peaches’ leave the yellow mare’s mouth she was up out of her seating pad, her hooves clopping noisily as she surged forward.

“Peaches!” Wildfire screamed as she heard the hooves approach her. She heard the hooves and smelled the scent of jasmine. “PEACHES!”

“I'm here love,” Airmail said reassuringly, flapping her wings, the azure blue pegasus hovered up and embraced the screaming mare in her hooves. “I'm here Wily, I’m here.”

“Peaches!” Wildfire whimpered in Airmail’s tight embrace, “Please, Pretty...peaches!”

Straightaway the Dungeon door opened. “I'm very, very proud of you, Pet.” Mapper said with a wide genuinely warm smile, lighting her horn once more. Concentrating hard the pink unicorn surrounded the suspended pegasus in her glowing magenta aura and carefully, very carefully indeed, removed her from the heavy duty suspension cable and lowered the yellow mare to the flagstone floor of the Dungeon before removing the spreader bars and the hoof-cuffs.

Slumping on her seating pad Luna let out a huge sigh, releasing the breath the Princess didn’t know she had been holding. “She did it…”

Having quickly landed on the ground, Airmail wasted no time in pulling Wildfire in close for a tight hug, smothering the whimpering mare in her warm wet kisses. A second later the double doors burst open and in a violet blur, Tempest ran into the Dungeon room, her hooves clopping noisily on the flagstones.

“P-P-Pretty?” Wildfire gasped for breath.

Mapper, meanwhile, had moved over to sit next to Luna on the seating pad that had been occupied by her son not too long ago. “I orgasmed, did you?” She asked with a smile.

Catching her eye, Luna couldn’t help a giggle. “Yeah, I did a little bit.”

Continuously Airmail planted soft kisses all around her young lovers face, neck and muzzle. “I'm here for you, love.”

Likewise, Tempest went to her side and held her tight. “I'm here too, love.”

“I…I was alone…” Wildfire moaned, her breathing only now starting to come under control. “I…I was scared…”

“Shh…” Airmail kissed her lips lovingly. “Shh…I heard you call to me, you named me a fruit and I’m here.”

“You…you came, for me?” Wildfire asked almost incredulously. In all the years she’d screamed and screamed, begging to be released, nopony had come for her, not once.

“We are here for you, Wily, we are a herd.” Tempest said, tenderly hugging the little mare’s flank.

“We…we're together now?” Wildfire asked hesitantly, not daring to lift her head from the heavenly jasmine scent of Airmail’s warm azure blue fur. In simple response the two mares took turns, alternating their tender kisses to the diminutive yellow pegasus.

Mapper leant in close to Luna’s side, “She did hold out for longer than I thought,” the pink unicorn whispered quietly so as not to be overheard.

Next to her, Luna leant in, lowered her head and uses her foreleg to conspicuously wipe her eyes. “I was worried for a moment there.” The Princess admitted.

“Just so you know, Luna,” Mapper said, suddenly finding the white silk sock around her foreleg very interesting while the lunar alicorn busied herself drying her eyes, “If she hadn't said it I would not have come back. Not until the stink of her carcass left this room.”

“I know,” Luna sniffed, “It…it had to be done.” Though somehow, that platitude rang hollow in her ears.

“Because,” Mapper explained very simply, “I wouldn’t have let you take her away from here.”

At that simple statement, carrying neither threat nor malice, Luna cast the pink mare a sideways glance. “Wouldn't you, indeed?”

In response Mapper simply giggled, hugging Luna’s right foreleg. “I can be pretty stubborn at times.”

“Then…I'm afraid we would have had a fight.” Luna replied sadly, “I would have removed her.”

“Not the first fight I've lost,” Mapper shrugged, brushing her chest nonchalantly with her right forehoof, “But, you asked me to break her. You didn't set a time limit.”

Luna chuckled at Mapper’s brash honesty. “No, no I didn't, did I?” She agreed softly.

“As I said, you could have her corpse, but not before then.” Mapper stated firmly with an air of ‘that was that’, “Besides, Airmail has sworn to protect me. Things could have gotten ugly faster than a horseapple eating contest.”

Luna nodded with a genuine smile. “Thankfully that resort wasn't necessary.” She said before her smile slid from her muzzle and her tone became melancholy. “I’ve seen enough violence today.”

“None of this was necessary,” Mapper said with a reassuring smile that went some way to lifting Luna’s sunken spirits. “But, life happens, and it often sucks.” The pink mare placed a gentle kiss on Luna’s cheek, tenderly kissing away the single tear that fell there. “Those three make a cute herd.” She said, pointing her hoof. “Hate to think I'd have to thank Amethyst Glory for that.”

“She had to love herself enough Mapper, and she did.” Luna said determinedly, “Besides, we made sure Amethyst Glory and her lackeys won't hurt anypony else ever again.”

Unexpectedly, Mapper laughed, a tinkling musical laugh, “She doesn't love herself quite yet, but she does love those two ponies.” She giggled, once more kissing the alicorn’s cheek. “So, Princess, where is that plushie? I think there is a need for Thespian's tushie.”

“I have it here in my saddlebag.” Luna smiled, picturing Thespian’s face, “And I could use a very strong drink.”

“After you then, my fair maiden.” Mapper smiled, sliding from her seating pad to her sock clad hooves. “Together we shall storm the castle and...now, what did Thespian say…oh yes, our fun will be doubled!”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh as she stood up and flexed her long toned legs. “Indeed it shall.” She was still giggling like a little filly when she reached the double doors of the Dungeon.

Following close behind the Princess, and entirely not bothering to disguise the fact she was ogling the perfectly formed and toned midnight blue rump of the alicorn in front of her, Mapper said, “Caffy says he’s got a whole barrel of your Moonshine.”

“Then I suggest we go and make a dent in it,” Luna said as she lit up her horn and used her magic to open the doors, standing aside politely so Mapper could leave ahead of her.

“Enjoying your visit so far?” Mapper asked, obligingly leading the way upstairs to the ranch’s main floor.

“I am.” Luna nodded, taking her turn now to admire the view of Mapper’s swaying pink behind, as well as her swishing light brown tail. “Nice work on Dusk by the way. It saves Octavia a job later.”

Back in the Dungeon, Wildfire sighed happily, entirely lost in the amazingly gentle embrace of her two lovers. “Pretty, can I keep the ropes on?”

Looking down over the little mare, her yellow fur criss-crossed with the black ropes, tied in a series of intricate yet well placed diamonds that divided up her body, Airmail smiled warmly. “Yes love, they are comfortable, are they?” She asked with a note of concern in her voice.

“I love them!” Wildfire exclaimed happily, loving the feel of the smooth ropes as they dug in just a little to her skin under her fur, especially the knots on her clitoris and anus, holding and pressing her forest green panties into her crotch.

“Yes, Wily, you can keep the ropes on.” Airmail smiled, licking her lips as she did so. While she and Tempest didn’t play Mapper’s game, she did enjoy a trussed up mare as much as the next pony. “You do look very sexy in them.”

Smiling, Wildfire wiggled her flank in the air. “I do my best, Pretty.”

Unable to resist, Tempest lowered her head to Wildfire’s upper thigh, and carefully placing her tongue, she took a long slow lick up the yellow mare’s butt cheek. “Yeah, you look hot and all, but let me show you what else they are good for.”

“Hmm…w-what are they good for?” Wildfire asked, shivering with the sensation of the lick from Tempest.

Tempest didn’t answer right away, instead the violet pegasus took to her wings and hovered low over Wildfire’s back, running her hoof over the rope that ran down her back. “This.” She said simply, grinning as she took hold of the ropes down her spine in her forehooves and twisted, driving the knot in her ass and the other into her clit while the belly ropes slid over her nipples. Earning herself a low shuddering moan of pleasure from the little mare, Tempest twisted them back to relieve the pressure before almost immediately twisting them again to return the pressure to the knots while simultaneously rubbing her new lover’s nipples with her hoof. “And then there’s this…” she whispered as she caressed Wildfire’s pubic mound with her hind hoof.

“Wings are a wonderful thing…” Airmail smiled as she took Wildfire’s muzzle gently in her hooves and gave her a deep loving kiss.

“Oh…oh my...” Wildfire gasped once Airmail had released her from the kiss. “That’s…well that's just wonderful, how those knots ground into me felt really good!” Feeling with her snout, Wildfire found the azure blue mare’s lips where she had left them and placed a kiss upon them, gently venturing with her tongue.

Hovering above the two ponies, Tempest smiled, “Airmail, let’s move this to a more comfortable location, shall we?”

Returning her marefriend’s smile with one of her own, Airmail carefully helped Wildfire rise to her hooves. “Yes, I think that would be nice. Are you coming with us, Wily?”

“Of course I will!” Wildfire exclaimed with a wide grin. “I think I've had enough of this room for now.” This much was definitely true. While the experience in the Dungeon hadn’t been the worst of her young life, the room stank of sex, arousal, blood and her fear. She was only too keen to be away from here, at least for now.

Flapping her powerful wings over to the nearby toy box, Tempest scooped up the forest green bridle and reins that Wildfire had worn out on the parade and hovered back over to the two ponies. “I'm very proud of you Wily.” She said as she landed and slipped the bit into the crease of her mouth.

While Tempest secured the strap behind Wildfire’s head, Airmail took up the reins in her forehoof. “Come along my lovely little pony.”

Immediately following the pull of the reins, Wildfire practically glowed with the praise from the violet weather captain. “You um…you're proud of me, really?”

“Yes, of course I am,” Tempest laid her left wing over Wildfire’s back as they both left the Dungeon together, “You are a special pony and you did very well, not just today, but a few minutes ago.”

Leading her out of the Dungeon and around the little U shaped hallway they passed the wide stairs on the left and trotted towards the Mare’s Room where they had already spent much of the day. Moving ahead, Tempest opened the plain wooden door to allow them entry then followed the two of them in, allowing the door to close behind her.

“Um…I was scared,” Wildfire replied as Airmail led her to the very same cloud filled futon she had been sat on when they had heard Dusk’s rainboom earlier, “But then I remembered the talk I had with Pretty, about using my safe word.”

“Yes, and that was very brave of you.” Tempest smiled as she pulled her cloud futon over and as always, sat close to the yellow mare’s right side, “But just now you said you wanted to leave that room.” She said with a nuzzle to Wildfire’s cheek, “A decision you made on your own.”

“Yuppers…I did, didn’t I?” Wildfire smiled and gently returned the nuzzle.

Airmail let go of the reins, letting them drop before gathering them up to loop them over the diminutive mare’s neck and secure them under one of the black ropes that made up the tortoise shell bondage as she leant in to kiss her once more.

“Ask for us, Airmail.” Tempest said seriously.

Releasing the jasmine scented kiss, Airmail’s Manehatten / northern accented voice took on a very serious tone that Wildfire had heard once or twice before. “Tempest and I are a couple.” She said as she took the cloud futon to the left of the blind pony. “We are part of a small herd that is in turn part of a larger herd. Wily, will you join us and be our third? To make us the smallest herd within the herd?”

Wildfire paused, hesitantly scratching the back of her head with a hoof as she thought it over. “Well…you two make me feel safe. I like being with you, and I gave you both a feather, so yes,” she smiled and nodded, “I'll join your herd."

“And I'll treasure the feather,” Tempest said solemnly, “But there is more to this. I love you. Do you love me?”

Straightaway Wildfire nodded her head. “Yes, I do.”

“I also love you Wily,” Airmail said softly, placing a kiss on her left cheek. “Do you love me as well?”

Without pausing to consider she answered, “Of course I do, Pretty, I know I'm safe with you.”

“Then…” Airmail said a little reticently, the azure blue mare choosing her words with utmost care, “This may be the hardest part for you. I don't want you to make love for me. I don't want you to make love for yourself. I want you to make love for us. I want you to please us. Not just me or Tempest, but us.” Again she placed a tender kiss on the little yellow mare’s cheek. “Can you do that, Wily?”

Tempest felt her shiver next to her on the futon. “We will teach you so don't fear if you find it is too hard to do now.” She said kindly, “You're part of our herd now.”

“I um…I'm not sure I understand,” Wildfire cocked her head to one side, apparently deep in thought, though she was struggling with this strange new concept. “You um…you want me to do stuff to make us all happy?”

“Yes Wily,” Tempest said, trying with all her soul to keep the frustration from her voice. ‘Luna above it’s like talking to a foal…I was right…her mind is cheese!’ The violet pegasus thought to herself sadly. “We want you to do things that make you happy with us. Not to do things that you think will make us happy to like you. We really do love you.”

“I think I get it,” Wildfire nodded slowly after a few minutes of contemplation, “You want me to have as much fun as you, because you want me to be happy with you?” She offered hopefully.

Airmail nodded, sharing a ‘look’ with her marefriend over Wildfire’s back that spoke volumes, “Yes Wily, we want you to be happy with us, and not for us.”

“I can do that!” Wildfire smiled, turning her head left then right.

“We don't pretend in our love.” Tempest explained, “Even if we get mad at one and another, our love will endure. It is forever.”

“Wily,” Airmail started, once more drawing her attention, “If there is anything you don't want to do, just let us know and we will not do that with you.”

“If there is anything you want to do then let us know.” Tempest said, laying her violet wing over Wildfire’s rope clad back. “And, we will see if Airmail or I will want to do that thing with you.”

To say Wildfire was stunned was an understatement and a half. “So…it's alright if I don't want to do something, I can just say so?” She looked down for a moment as she thought, looking for all Equestria like a filly at school being taught a valuable lesson. “And…it…it’s alright if I mess up sometimes, you’ll both still love me?”

Nodding seriously Airmail sighed, thankful that apparently the little yellow mare was beginning to understand what she and Tempest were trying to teach her, while at the same time full of sorrow that this had to be taught at all. “I will love you if you mess up, and I will love you even if you disappoint me.” She draped her right foreleg over Wildfire’s shoulder, “That will not ever change.”

“I will love you the same,” Tempest whispered kindly, “Will you love us when we mess up or disappoint you?”

Involuntarily at the word ‘disappoint’ Wildfire shivered against the ropes that bound her, and the two mares that flanked her. “I um…I'll try not to disappoint you, I um…I um…I really don't want that. And, how can you two disappoint me?” She asked incredulously, “You've given me a home, a real home.”

Now Tempest laughed out loud, her shoulders shaking with mirth. “Airmail has her moods and I'm often away doing weather things. We have loved each other for a long time and we can still disappoint one and another.”

Airmail joined her marefriend in her laughter, “So yeah, we will mess up.”

Wildfire smiled, the laughter contagious, “Amethyst told me I messed up all the time,” she said through her giggles, “So I'll try and do better for you two.”

“Wily, we won't tell you when you mess up.” Tempest added, “We will tell you if we are disappointed though. If I mess up I have to confess it to Airmail, and now to you also.”

“So...Tempest,” Wildfire said as she turned her head to the weather captain, “I'm equal to you and Pretty?”

“We are a herd.” Airmail said, a tiny little bit of exasperation creeping into her voice. “We are equal to each other, we are responsible for each other and we are accountable to each other.”

Picking up on her marefriend’s tone, Tempest quickly gave Wildfire a tender nuzzle of her cheek and then followed up with a kiss for good measure. “A little earlier you said, 'If I don't want to do something you would let us know.' What is it you don't want to do Wily?” She asked, genuinely curious as to what this mare really did or did not like to do.

“Hmm...” Wildfire lowered her head in thought, the question bringing back more than a few horrid memories of what abuse the care home staff subjected her to. “Well um…I didn't like it when they took dumps on me, or when they cut me. Bleeding was scary.” She said very quietly, still holding her head down. “So...if it’s okay, I'd like to not to those things, please.”

Tempest, who was for the second time that day very, very glad that the diminutive yellow mare was blind – as it meant she couldn’t see the tears that suddenly welled up in her blue eyes at her revelation – wrapped her violet wing around her barrel to hug Wildfire tightly. “Will you…can you, ever forgive me?” She asked sadly, her head down as she cried silently, thoroughly ashamed of what she had done to her out on the patio earlier in the day.

Immediately and without thinking, Wildfire answered, “Of course I can, Honey.”

Still Tempest wept, “T-Thank y-you, I…I…s-swear I'll never dump on you again.”

Although she felt a great deal of sympathy for her marefriend, Airmail was very glad right then to have an example at hoof to use on the troubled pegasus. “See, we do mess up, and thank you for your forgiveness, Wily.”

“At least you didn't make me rub it into my fur and then whip me for not cleaning it off.” Wildfire replied with a little shrug of her shoulders.

Now it was Tempest’s turn to shiver. Though she was into scat play – something she was grateful Airmail tolerated – she had a very good inkling how Wildfire had been made to ‘clean herself off’, and she was willing to bet her last bit she hadn’t been allowed to use a shower, and that was just disgusting even to her. How she had avoided septicaemia she had no idea. “That isn't the point Wily.” The violet mare said sadly, “We do things to make all of us happy. I’m sorry I did that to you, but now I know and I won't do it again.” She finished with a delicate kiss to Wildfire’s nose.

“Thank you, Honey…” Wildfire replied with a kiss of her own.

Now it was Airmail’s turn to quickly change the subject. “What can we do to bring you pleasure and happiness, Wily?”

“Well…” Wildfire thought carefully, trying hard to remember the fun times she and Air Raid used to get up to all those years ago, though it was hard, like wading through treacle, trying to separate the good memories from the bad. “I um…I do like being tied up, and being ordered around. I also really like being peed on.”

“You are nicely tied up at the moment,” Tempest giggled, “But, unfortunately I’m all peed out from our play by the pool.”

“And, as you know,” Airmail added quickly, “Peeing doesn't interest me.”

“Now that we have you all tied up, little pony,” Tempest giggled, playfully rustling her feathers over Wildfire’s back, “Is there anything you fantasise about doing?”

Wildfire didn't have to think about this one. This was easy. “Well…I do really like cleaning hooves.”

“Wily,” Airmail said seriously, “Can you please tell me why you like cleaning hooves?”

“Of course I can Pretty,” Wildfire smiled in her direction, “Licking hooves is fun, and I’m really good at it.”

Tempest glanced over, nodding to Airmail, seeing that she clearly shared the older mare’s concerns. “Wily,” she started, not bothering anymore to hide her worry, “I’m good at many things, and I don't like doing them all.” She continued with a kiss to the yellow mare’s cheek. “What is it about hoof cleaning that makes you feel good doing it?

“Well…” Wildfire smiled as she returned the kiss to the violet mare, “I do get really turned on when I do it, and, well, they liked it too.”

Airmail and Tempest spent the next few minutes in silence, just taking turns between themselves kissing and nuzzling the little yellow pegasus, making sure between them to pay extra attention to the forest green bridle she was wearing.

“Hmm…” Wildfire moaned happily, almost purring, “It is nice to just be kissed and nuzzled though. Do you like the bridle?”

Between her many kisses Tempest could’ve facehooved out of frustration, though of course none of it was directed at Wildfire. “Didn't I just say you looked sexy?” She asked rhetorically, “Especially in that ‘wow’ outfit.” She giggled, “And, leading you by the reins is easier than peeing on my tail and having you follow.” She said with a smile as Airmail laughed out loud.

Wildfire giggled, “I like being led around, and being a Pet was fun, like I was earlier for Mapper.”

Airmail shifted uncomfortably. Hooves were a touchy subject with her, after what she’d seen and done while in the forces, and the war zones she had waded through, the mere thought of hoof worship made her want to dry heave. “Um...I'm bit shy having others touch my hooves.”

Tempest meanwhile just shrugged her shoulders. “I don't get turned on by hoof worship, but you can worship mine if you like.” The violet pegasus then scooted her cloud futon around so she was facing Wildfire head on and she placed her left foreleg so the knee was touching just under Wildfire’s chin. As she did so Airmail started a slow and very deliberate nibble journey down the left side of Wildfire’s neck and just over her shoulder where the rope bondage started.

“Hmm…” Wildfire smelled the sandalwood scented foreleg under her nose and smiled, placing a little kiss on the knee joint and then a couple more kisses lower down. “Mmm…thanks Honey.” Delicately kissing down Tempest's violet foreleg, Wildfire reached the front of her hoof and began to run her tongue over the hard leading edge, nibbling gently and planting soft kisses around the toe. “Hmm, P-Pretty that’s really nice,” she cooed as the azure mare nibbled around the ropes over her shoulders, “But you can bite harder, if you want to…”

“Is it okay if I don't bite harder?” Airmail asked, keeping up her little sensuous nibbles.

“Oh, of course it is,” she murmured as she dragged her tongue over the bottom of Tempest's hoof, before blowing gently on the sensitive sole around the frog.

“Heeheeehahaaa…” Tempest let out a cute little giggle, “That tickles!” Tempest squealed like a little filly while Airmail moved lower down Wildfire’s back and started a very slow preening of the yellow mare’s abused wings.

“It’s supposed to tickle,” Wildfire grinned then she swirled her tongue around the inner white wall, licking slow wet licks over the sole and around the edges of the sensitive frog of her hoof, grazing her teeth on the harder front edge. “Hmmhmm Pretty, you're so good at preening!”

“Thank you,” Airmail smiled, on the edge of her happy zone with her mouth full of yellow feathers, “Have you preened another, Wily?”

Wildfire shook her head as she started to kiss gently over Tempest’s frog to the bulbs at the rear of her hoof. “N-No, only myself. There weren’t any pegasi at the home.”

“Will you let us teach you to preen another pony?” Airmail asked as she lovingly stroked the soft downy feathers of the leading edge of Wildfire’s left wing.

“Oooh…” Wildfire almost purred, “I-I'd love to.”

“Does my preening you make you happy?” Airmail asked, her hoof now straightening and aligning the primary feathers.

“Oooh…” Wildfire moaned, “It…it really does!”

Airmail paused in her preen, her forehooves rubbing and stroking the both sides of Wildfire’s wing. “Preening me would make me happy too. Remember I wanted us to do things that make us all happy?”

“I um, I remember, is this one of those things you meant?” Wildfire asked as she gave each bulb a sensuous lick and a gentle suck and pulled away from the now very spotless hoof.

“The hooves?” Tempest asked with a smile as she inspected the very, very thorough hoof worship she’d been subjected to. “It is ticklish, and you are very sensuous at doing it.” She lifted her cleaned hoof and began to gently stroke Wildfire’s black mane and yellow cheek. “I'm happy you're doing this, but are you happy tickling my hooves?

“I'm happy doing it,” Wildfire said without pause, “But if you don’t like it I can do something else for you?”

Tempest rubbed her hoof lightly over Wildfire's straight black mane. “I'm not unhappy, but I don't want you to do things for me, I want you to do things for us.” She said seriously, shooting Airmail a ‘look’ that made her pause in her preen.

“Wily?” The azure blue pegasus started softly, so as not to arouse any suspicion, “Suppose I came home after a long hard day with muddy hooves, would you clean them for me?”

Wildfire shifted on her wonderfully comfortable cloud filled futon in an attempt to turn her head over her shoulder and face the lead editor. “Of course I would, Pretty. I'd get them all clean for you, and I'd feel good doing it as well.”

“And, that’s nice,” Airmail replied, “But tell me exactly how would you clean them?”

Wildfire cocked her head and creased her brow in confusion. “Um…I-I've just shown you how I clean a ponies hooves, silly filly.”

Straightaway Wildfire heard the tone of Airmail's voice change and at the same time she heard a definite sniffle from Tempest’s direction. “That…that would make me very sad, Wily.”

“But…but...” Wildfire began to panic a little, the diminutive pegasus getting clearly agitated, “H-Have I done something, have I said something wrong?” She was almost too scared to ask.

Airmail nodded sadly, her northern accent all full of sorrow. “Yes, you said you would eat mud to please me, but that would make me sad. You should never, ever have to eat mud Wily.” She leant in and kissed the very edges of her primary feathers, causing them to flutter involuntarily as Tempest sat back down on her futon. “Wily, let me tell you what would make me happy.”

Uncontrollably Wildfire shivered and trembled, “I-I’m s-sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad!” She squeaked.

“I know, so to make me happy,” Airmail nuzzled the yellow pony’s feathers as gently as she could possibly manage. “When I come home at the end of the day with muddy hooves I want you to use some soap and water and a cloth and clean them so they are very clean, and then to have fun you use that tongue of yours to tickle my hooves and make me laugh.” The azure blue mare smiled warmly, “That would make me happy.”

“Do you understand the difference, Wily?” Asked Tempest gently but firmly.

“I um…I see, yes. I think I understand the difference,” Wildfire lowered her head in thought, trying to process what Airmail and Tempest were trying very hard to tell her. She smiled, starting to see how much better off she was here and now. “I um…I can use a cloth first and then lick your hooves after?” She said quietly, her head still lowered. “They…the staff…didn’t let me use cloths.”

“Wily,” said Tempest softly, “Do you think we are the same as they?”

Now Wildfire sharply raised her head, turning towards the south eastern accent, “No! No! No…you really aren't, it’s…it’s just what I'm used to doing, that’s all…” she finished a little miserably.

Airmail took Wildfire’s chin in her forehoof. “Do you like to eat mud?”

Wildfire shook her head slightly, “Well...no, no I don’t…but, it was better than being kicked until my ribs broke.”

There was a definite sadness in Tempest’s voice now, when she laid her violet hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder. “You don't like being kicked?”

Again Wildfire shook her head, “No…no I don't, Honey.”

Gently Airmail kissed Wildfire on the little yellow mare’s nose. “Do you like being bitten, Wily?”

Hesitantly, gingerly, Wildfire returned the kiss, her lips pressing tenderly to Airmail’s own. “Well…not really, I guess, Pretty.”

Moving carefully Tempest lifted herself up and reaching over Wildfire’s neck she nibbled just below the diminutive pegasus’s ear with her teeth, but not applying a lot of pressure. “Did you like that, Wily?”

“Aaah…” Wildfire shuddered happily in her black ropes. “Mmm…ooh H-Honey that’s niiiiiiice…”

Airmail giggled, “Tempest liked it too, so much so her wings are all out on display.” She said as Tempest joined her in the little giggle fit. “She likes to groom me after a shower,” Airmail whispered in Wildfire’s yellow ear. “Would you like her to groom you?”

“Um…yuppers, please, Pretty.”

“So you see, there are things we can do that bring us pleasure.” Airmail said patiently, feeling like she was finally getting somewhere with this troubled pony.

Looking up over Wildfire’s back Tempest shot her marefriend a devious sly look, one that made the lead editor shiver. “So, Airy, you going to tell Wily what we do together to bring us both pleasure?”

Although Wildfire couldn’t see it, of course, Airmail had a very serious blush flushing across her blue cheeks, so much so that the blind mare could feel the heat coming from her lover’s face. Turning her head to face, Wildfire cocked her head as she asked, “What…what is it?”

Shrinking away slightly from the questioning look on Wildfire’s face, Airmail whispered very, very quietly – almost inaudible in the Mare’s Room – “I…I um…I like to be rutted,” she breathed, almost as if she was scared of the yellow pegasus’s reaction to her revelation.

Tempest raised her foreleg to her left ear, comically straining to hear what her marefriend had barely said. “What was that dearest?” She sang out the question, her blue eyes alive with mirth.

The blush colouring Airmail’s cheeks with a bright red glow threatened to combust the azure blue pegasus as she lifted her head and cleared her throat. “I…I um, I like Tempest to…um, to mount me and buck me till I cum at least three times.” She said loudly.

“Or more…” Tempest added helpfully with a wide smile.

Wildfire couldn’t help the wide smile that split her face, “And what pony doesn't like that?”

“I only let mares mount me.” Airmail said quickly and definitively with an air of ‘and that’s that,’ her tone saying she wasn’t taking any argument on the subject.

“Honey, will you mount me too?” Wildfire asked eagerly.

“I would be happy to mount you.” Tempest replied proudly, only too happy to have another playmate. “I let airmail mount me sometimes when I'm in the mood, and she hasn't asked often.” The violet mare explained further, before turning to the azure blue mare directly. “Airmail, did you want to mount me more often?”

“I really like being mounted,” Airmail answered, more for Wildfire’s benefit as much as anypony else’s, “But, I'm not much for being the stallion so I love to mount you when you are in the mood. Same for you Wily, while Tempest will be happy to mount you, I can if you really want me to, but I'd love for you to mount me.”

“Oh…I'd like to try it, mounting you, I mean.” Wildfire said with a shiver as Tempest began to gently preen her right wing. “Hmm…Honey…you are really good at preening,” she commented with a soft blush as a thought occurred to her. “When...when mares mount you, um…are they gentler than stallions?”

Airmail sniffed, “I've never had a stallion mount me and I ki…I mean, I don't know.” She stopped abruptly.

Finishing the straightening of the right primaries, Tempest paused before she moved on to the secondaries. “I try to mount Airmail to please her in the best way possible as it makes me happy to watch her cum. And cum again.” She added as she used her hoof to gently realign the edges of the secondary feathers. “I've been mounted by a stallion before, and I’d rather be mounted by Airmail.”

Wildfire shuddered, really violently shuddered. “Um…the stallions, Lotus Stripes in particular, at the home were really rough with me, and it hurt so much when they were finally done using me.” She said quietly, almost ashamed of the admission of what she was saying. Surprised that the words were coming out of her mouth.

“It…” weeping silently Airmail rested her forehead gently against Wildfire’s own, so that her hot salty tears leaked onto her yellow muzzle from her nose. “It s-shouldn't b-be that way…” she sniffed though her tears.

‘Okay…’ Tempest thought to herself quickly, ‘I can see where this is going…we’re gonna need a drink, and soon, like now…’ Sliding off of her seating pad Tempest trotted across the hardwood floor of the Mare’s Room to the small – but well stocked – bar. “Wily…” she said as she pulled out three glasses one after the other, “You have to let me know what pleases you.” She said seriously, putting the emphasis on the word ‘pleases’, reaching for the bottle of Moonshine. “Hurting you will certainly not please me.”

“I know it won’t Honey,” Wildfire’s ears swivelled, tracking Tempest’s movement across the room, and from the direction she guessed where the other mare was headed as she remembered Airmail going over there to the little bar earlier. She was actually quite pleased, a drink was just the thing right now. “And, it won't please me either. It um…it wasn't so bad when they rutted me in my marehood, but then they'd use my butt and that really hurt.” As she finished she felt the hot wet tears from the intense jasmine scent in front of her and after a second she realised what they were. “Pretty, are you crying? Have I upset you?”

Airmail sniffled loudly, nodding to Tempest when she raised a glass in her direction. “It's…it’s not supposed to hurt, it is supposed to make you feel wonderful.

“Wily,” Tempest started as she poured out the Moonshine into the three glasses, “Airmail doesn't like ponies that rape other ponies. She doesn't like them a whole lot.”

“Oh…oh I'm sorry…” Wildfire said quietly, worried that she’d put her hoof in it and wishing she’d not said anything at all, “But, they only did that when I was a really bad pony.”

Airmail growled loudly while Tempest carried over the tray with the three loaded glasses on it and laid it carefully on the low coffee table in easy reach of them all. “Wily, that is not a reason. It is never a reason.” The violet mare sighed as she took her glass in her hoof and took a sip, “You need to tell her, Airmail.”

At first the azure blue mare ignored the glass, “I'm…afraid to.” She said in a tiny quiet voice.

Tempest took a generous slug of her drink, “Wily, sex is what you do with us now, and we’ll all take pleasure in it.”

“What…what if she doesn't like me?” Airmail asked her marefriend, staring at her untouched glass, her voice barely a whisper.

“You know I love you Airmail,” Tempest answered kindly, “But you can't let Wily love a lie, can you?”

Wildfire shuddered involuntarily before extending her hoof and feeling carefully for the glass that Tempest had helpfully placed in front of her. “I'm a bad pony then,” she said as she picked up her glass, “Because I begged them to do it to me.”

Finally Airmail took up her glass and swallowed a long sip of her Moonshine. “Ah, but did you beg them, or did they threaten you if you didn't beg them?”

Wildfire took her time answering. She really didn’t want to, but they were being truthful and she owed it to her new herd-mates if nothing else. “Well…if...if I didn't beg them to do that, Lotus loved to hear me beg, it really turned him on...they'd put me in...the box and leave me.” Wildfire paused while she took another drink, “And, they knew I hated the box more.”

“That is rape, Wily.” Airmail said, shaking as she barely contained her anger.

“They didn't love you, Wily.” Tempest commented with a shake of her head.

“I know it was rape, Pretty...but I wasn't given a choice.” Wildfire paused to drain the rest of her glass, smiling with pleasure as she swallowed the Moonshine. “Besides, I'd much rather they used me and go to bed sore as buck than spend time stuffed in the box with a broken wing.”

“You will never go back to them.” Airmail stated matter-of-factly, “I will kill them all first.” She said in a manner that quite clearly said she was not exaggerating or being facetious in any way at all.

“Airmail…” Tempest said warningly, resting her own empty glass down.

“I wish they were dead.”

“Please, never say that again.” Airmail was shaking so hard that Wildfire could feel the vibrations against her left flank. “Please Wily, I'm a…a...I’m a killer.” Tears welled in her brown eyes as she ripped the admission from deep within her very soul.

“Um…you are? Really?” Wildfire asked, before mentally facehooving as she remembered what Caffeinated had said to Dusk and herself back in his coffee shop earlier that morning.

“I…I'm very good at it…” Airmail muttered, giving way finally to the tears that stung her eyes, “I've killed hundreds of ponies.” She wept, her tears tracing tracks down her blue furred cheeks. “It's…okay if you want to hate me now.” She said quietly, eyes glued firmly to the hardwood floor.

“Pretty, I couldn’t ever hate you!” Wildfire exclaimed as she sought out Airmail’s nuzzle and gave the sobbing pony as delicate and loving a kiss as she could manage. “But...now, now I’m free…I wish they were dead before they ever got their hooves on me, and turned me into...into this!” She spat out the word 'this' with real disgust as she reached her left foreleg over Airmail’s shoulder and squeezed her into a hug.

Tempest raised an eyebrow, “You mean, into this beautiful mare that has come into our lives?”

Submitting to the hug, Airmail allowed herself to be held, allowed Wildfire to shower her face and muzzle with haphazard sloppy kisses she felt she didn’t deserve. “I'm not stupid, Honey.” Said Wildfire as she turned her face towards the sandalwood scented pony. “I know today was an accident…” she said, still kissing on and around Airmail’s lips.

Hearing this Airmail whispered in the yellow ear, “What was an accident, Wily?”

Wildfire took a deep breath and steadied herself, for she knew what she was about to say wouldn’t be very well received, but they were being honest with each other, right? “If…if Vocal Chord hadn't been so busy with his band, then Dusk wouldn't have brought me here.” She said somewhat sadly, “He only asked me to come because he was too nervous to come on his own.” She bent her head and nuzzled Airmail a little more.”

“What!?” Now Tempest shouted, her patience almost at and end. “What!?” She shouted again, “Are you saying my love for you is an accident?” She stomped her violet hoof to the hardwood floor. “Are you saying I should never have loved you and that you should still be in that Tartarus Damned hole in Canterlot?” She leant forward, her wings flared angrily as she jabbed her forehoof to Wildfire’s chest. “Am I just an accident to you, Wily?”

“No!” Immediately Wildfire cowered, her forehooves shooting protectively up over her head, her whole body shivering. “No! I…I'm sorry! I do love you...please, please don’t send me back, please!” She begged pathetically.

“Send you back!?” Tempest shouted again, “Send you back!?” She shrank back to her futon, only now realising the effect her tirade was having on the mare she claimed to love. “I love you, Wildfire! I'll never let them send you back!” Tenderly she reached for Wildfire’s cheek, with the same hoof she jabbed with. “I love you. I love you right now with all that you are. I'm sorry I yelled at you, but we promised we would tell you if you disappointed one of us. I was disappointed because you thought my love for you wasn't real.”

Still cowering on her futon, Wildfire whimpered, “I...I know it’s real Honey,” she sniffed miserably, trying her best to cry but of course with no tear ducts, no tears would ever come. Indeed, she doubted there were enough tears in Equestria to account for the emotion she felt. “I…I just meant me being here in Manehatten at all was the accident.”

Gently Airmail put her right foreleg around Wildfire’s neck and nuzzled her cheek. “Wily, please don't think that. Nothing that ever happens is an accident.”

“If this is an accident, Wily,” Tempest said while very, very gently nudging her hoof under Wildfire’s chin to coax her from out of her little cocoon, “Then it is the best accident that has happened to us in a long time.” Smiling, she leant in conspiratorially to the little yellow mare. “Do you know what will cheer Airmail up?” She asked in a stage whisper before adding, “And I think it will please you too…”

“Um…I um…I do like being with you Pretty, and with you, Honey.” Wildfire smiled a little tiny smile as she emerged from her forelegs. “You two haven't made me do anything that I haven’t wanted to, and well, um, that’s really nice.” She blushed a little at Tempest’s highly suggestive, almost lascivious tone. “Um…what is it, Honey?” She asked nervously, wary of the coming reply.

“Airmail really likes to have her wings preened, and I think you will be pleased to do so, right?”

Wildfire could practically sense the half-lidded look on Tempest’s face as she purred into her ear. “Oh, of course, I want to be happy making her happy.” She replied with a soft giggle. Then, a very, very long hidden thought crept daringly into her brain. A thought she hadn’t had since her days with Air Raid, and the first few days in the home. Thoughts that involved a little filly called Fireflight. “Um…is it okay if I tell you something, after?”

Airmail smiled as she quickly scooted into prime preening position in front of Wildfire and obligingly spread her wings as wide open as she could. “Wily, you can tell us anything at any time.”

“You’ll want to use your mouth and your hooves to find Airmail’s wingtip and then starting with the primaries, move along down the wing towards her barrel.” Tempest grinned as she moved around to the right side of the two other pegasi before her, eager to play cheerleader.

“Um…” Wildfire started, shuffling forward on her futon in order to touch her muzzle to the feathers of Airmail’s left wing, before running her forehoof very carefully along the leading edge of the wing to deftly stroke the first primary. “When we were with Luna, before, you asked me about any fears, hopes and dreams I had? I um…I wasn’t entirely honest. I do have one dream.” She said quietly as she added her tongue to the next feather in line.

“Aaah…” Airmail moaned, her brown eyes closed, the azure blue mare already feeling the pleasure of the tongue now running along her feathers, “Our…oooh…our hope is to make your dream become real.”

“You've done your own wings,” Tempest nodded eagerly, “Do you feel good after?”

As she sniffed along Airmail’s feathers Wildfire smiled as she built up a mental image of a set of pinions majestic enough to rival the Princesses themselves. “It’s…it’s a silly dream really, Pretty.” Wildfire smiled with the thought that maybe, just maybe, her fictional filly at long last had a very good chance of becoming reality. “And Honey, I feel really good when I preen my wings.

When Airmail spoke next, Wildfire could’ve sworn she could hear the smile in the azure blue mare’s northern accented voice. “Silly…hmmm…silly dreams can be the best ones to aaah…make come true.”

“Okay,” Tempest smiled, watching the yellow pegasus eagerly exploring her marefriend’s left wing. “Then you've got the basics down already. Start with the primaries there at the wingtip and then move to the tertiaries nearer to the bone. Pull out any loose or broken feathers you come across and just spit them out to the side. As you move in start with the secondaries and then the tertiaries in front of them.” Tempest barely took a breath as she was getting into full ‘teacher’ mode. “Use your mouth to align the feathers and she will be in paradise.”

Nodding, Wildfire pulled away from Airmail’s wing and in a very tiny voice that the other two had to struggle to hear, said, “I um…I really want to have a foal.” Quickly, as if embarrassed, she went back to Airmail’s wing and with her lips she found her primary feathers and sticking out her tongue she dragged a long slow sensuous lick over their downy surface, using her mouth only to gently realign a few she found that were out of place. Feeling along the wing with her nose she started on the secondaries, carefully tugging a loose one she found, causing Airmail to purr like a kitten.

As Airmail purred and moaned from the enthusiastic, if inexperienced preen, Tempest giggled from behind her violet hoof. “You're doing very well, Wily. Would you like to do both wings now?”

“Sure I would Honey,” Wildfire giggled, her voice muffled slightly by the blue feathered wall of secondary feathers she was muzzle deep in. Moving on to the smaller tertiary feathers, she kissed each and every one, lavishing a little more attention upon them than was strictly necessary before moving across Airmail's back, planting sloppy wet kisses at the nerve points where the wings met her body.

“Hmm…aaah…th-thank you Wily that is just lovely.” Airmail cooed happily, her wings fluttering involuntarily with each touch of her lover’s lips.

“Wily, we will be sure to talk about your dream when you are done.” Tempest said kindly, laying a violet forehoof on Wildfire’s shoulder as she crossed over onto Airmail’s right wing. “It is a big step and it is definitely not silly.”

Moving up to the primaries now on Airmail's other wing, she gripped one that was broken and bent out of shape, she took it in her mouth and tugged it gently. Having a thought she placed her left forehoof on Airmail's back softly rubbing in circles around the base of the wing as she worked diligently at realigning the feathers.

Again Airmail purred loudly and in a positively cute fashion as Tempest watched the diminutive pegasus work. “Dusk was a fool to not let you preen his wings.” Tempest giggled, slightly envious of the job Wildfire was doing.

“Heehee…I've known for years he's a fool,” Wildfire giggled, sending little vibrations through Airmail's wing as she went ever lower, tugging out a couple of loose tertiary feathers.

“Hmm…hmm…” Airmail moaned, shivering under Wildfire’s extremely gentle touch, and especially from the vibrations in her wing. Airmail panted, her tongue comically hanging out, “That is soooo good!”

Grinning at a job well done, Wildfire used the hoof on Airmail's back for balance before moving the other forehoof to gently caress the underside of the right wing as she sucked and nibbled a few errant secondary feathers. “What...like this pretty?” She asked innocently, very impressed with the general standard of cleanliness of Airmail’s wings as she hadn’t encountered very many feather mites at all.

“Aah…aah…T-Tempest,” Airmail gasped, her wings fully erect. “She followed me home, can we keep her? Pleeeease?”

Tempest giggled as Wildfire finally pulled away from the azure blue mare’s wings. “Aaaand, I think I'm done.” She said, licking her lips. “I’m sorry if I missed any. Um…if you like, I could always go other them both really slow to make sure I got everywhere?”

“You did a wonderful job, my love.” Airmail said as she glanced over at Tempest. “Together we can...”

Unfortunately Wildfire didn’t get to find out what they could do as just then the plain wooden door opened and she heard what was undoubtedly Snowfall’s voice come from the doorway, that and a waft of her white chocolate scent confirmed to the blind pegasus who it was. “Good evening, I am sorry if I'm spoiling your three’s fun.”

“Hello, Snowfall, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Tempest asked curiously.

“Prince...oh, I’m sorry,” the elderly pure white earth pony mare corrected herself with a smile. “Luna, would like to talk to all three of you if you have the time.”

Wildfire perked her head up and turned to face the sound of Snowfall’s voice. “Luna wants us?”

“She wants to speak with you, dear.” Snowfall said gently. “She is upstairs listening to one of my son-in-law’s many stories.”

Wildfire nudged the reins that were looped around the back of her neck and tucked under her bridle. “Will you lead me, Pretty?” She asked nervously.

Standing to her hooves, Airmail turned and held her chin in her wingtip. “I would be honoured too, and you are looking beautiful, surely fit to be seen by a Princess.”

~ ~ ~

Standing in the now crowded U shaped hallway outside of the almost empty Dungeon, Dusk allowed the double doors to close behind him as the midnight blue stallion came face to face with Sonic, Trails, Omega, and Sunshine who were all stood patiently waiting for him. Glancing to his left he saw the other herd ponies either walking or being carried up the stairs to the main floor of the ranch.

Sonic looked past the young Prince to lock eyes with Mapper who had just appeared behind the stallion in the Dungeon’s doorway, but with the merest shake of her head and a flick of her ear the purple earth pony stallion knew it’d be pointless asking her right now. “By Luna's left ear that was the strangest shit she has ever done.” He said before turning his questioning gaze to Dusk once more. “Do you know what the buck is going on?”

By way of response, Dusk grunted a non-committal something that sounded vaguely like, “Huh…do I ever, Sonic.”

“Why don't we wait it out in our club room?” Trails asked – freed, Dusk noted, from the constricting hoof-sleeves that he had been bound in back in the Dungeon.

“Yeah,” Sunshine commented as the cream earth pony sidled up to his partner with a nuzzle to his neck, “I'd love to get this cock lock off.”

“Hmm…” Omega smiled teasingly, “I don't know, Sunny.” He sang, enjoying the look of desperation on his stallion.

Dusk scuffed his hooves on the carpeted floor, “Look,” he said tersely, “I'll fill you all in in the club room, 'kay? Might want some drinks though.”

“We have a bar in the room.” Sonic pointed with his hoof towards the wooden door of the Stallion’s Room.

Omega, catching the tone in the pegasus’s voice took a step closer, a look of concerned sympathy in his brown eyes. “Those drinks going to be non-alcoholic, Dusk?”

“You know what?” Dusk snapped, “Just this once, no, Omega.”

“Dude, I care okay?” Omega said gently with an eggshell white hoof resting on Dusk’s shoulder, “And besides, I don't need Caffy on my ass about this.” He forced a smile, “So is one good one going to be enough? I don't want you to be shitfaced on your first visit.”

“Dusk, I'll back Omega on this.” Sonic joined in with a second hoof, this time his own placed on the Prince’s other shoulder. “You can always go upstairs if you want to get hammered.”

Dusk sighed, visibly deflating before the intense stares of the four other stallions. “Yeah okay, look guys, I’m sorry for snapping at you, it’s just been a day and a half.” Dusk looked intently at the floor of the hallway. ‘A day and a half…that’s a way of describing it at least…’ he thought to himself. Unbidden, thoughts of earlier in the day crept into his head. Without the need to close his eyes he could see them, the Wardens all lined up on their knees in the care home’s dining hall, some were begging for their lives, some were weeping, while some had silently accepted their fate. He could see his mother walking up and down the line, or the thing that shared his mother’s body anyway, coldly pronouncing judgement and announcing their sentence. Try as he might he could see the Nightmare’s slit green eyes alive with vengeance as her long horn lit up and one by one the Wardens fell, their hearts magically crushed to ruin in their chests.

Last to fall was Amethyst Glory. Not once did she flinch or quail, not once did she try and run like the others. As the Nightmare fitted the blades to his wings she just knelt and bared her neck, not once looking away nor showing any remorse. Dusk blinked, those emerald eyes full of hate burned into his mind. “I…I just need one of the strongest things you have, Sonic.”

Smiling, Trails led the small group into the Stallion’s Room, quickly followed by Sunshine, Omega, and Sonic, who paused and motioned with a hoof for Dusk to enter ahead of him. Dusk managed a small smile as he entered, somewhat cheered that the room still smelled of their earlier escapades. Wasting no time at all, Trails walked up to the little bar – that just happened to be a twin of the one in the Mare’s Room – and immediately got to work prepping the five drinks. “Caffy sent us down some of your mom's Moonshine.” The pink stallion explained as he got out five glasses, “So, two ounces of that and do you want a mixer with it?”

Dusk’s mind was elsewhere as he took his futon. ‘Amethyst Glory, I pronounce you guilty of the wilful neglect, false imprisonment and torture of one hundred and forty seven ponies placed under your care over the space of fifteen years. Do you have anything to say before I carry out your sentence?’ Dusk shivered, wishing with all his soul that his mind’s eye would show him something else. ‘Ha! Don’t make me laugh, colt. You don’t have it in you like she does…’ were the last words to come from Amethyst Glory’s mouth as Dusk flexed his wings, “Oh um…straight up if you don't mind Trails, straight up…” he could still feel the pang of pity, see the flash of the impossibly sharp wingblades, smell the sudden overwhelming coppery tang of blood that filled his nostrils as it fountained from the awful wound.

“No problem,” Trails smiled, busily mixing the drink for the small group, “One straight up Moonshine it is. At least one of you is easy,” the pink stallion giggled as he poured out the various concoctions. “Over to you, Omega.”

Omega, who was sat on a particularly large futon with his partner, paused in his fondling of Sunshine’s still-locked sheath as he lit up his horn and with a little concentration floated the respective drinks over to their owners, making the cream coated stallion whine in frustration.

“So what’s up with Mapper?” Sonic asked, taking his Sunset Dream in his purple forehoof, “I don't think I've ever seen her not beat a pony.”

Dusk took his straight Moonshine in his wing as he got comfy on his futon – the grade A whipping that Mapper administered to his hindquarters still stinging a little, particularly the last strike above his sack – “Mom authorised her to break Wildfire,” he explained simply, taking a sip of the Moonshine that made the normally tea total stallion wince and gag. “It’s a test Mom wants her to pass.”

“It’s still odd.” Sonic commented after a sip of his drink, “I've seen Mapper break ponies before.”

Omega smiled, raising his Sunrise in a salute to the pink dominatrix, “She doesn't always use force. She can play mind games with the best of them.”

“Okay,” Sonic nodded in agreement of the eggshell white unicorn’s statement, “So what, Wildfire has a thing about being hung upside down?”

Dusk shook his head and took another sip of the straight Moonshine that once again burned his throat on its way down to his belly, “No Sonic, she's absolutely terrified of being shut up in a small box barely big enough to fit her and being left on her own.” The midnight blue stallion shivered, ‘Amethyst Glory, I pronounce you guilty of the wilful neglect, false imprisonment and torture…’ again he shivered but quickly recovered himself. Anypony willing to use the ‘Pegasi’s Fear’ in such a twisted and evil way deserved what they got, and that was that.

“Well, she’s in a big box now, and she can't touch the sides.” Trails said with a sympathetic shudder as he sat by Sonic’s side. “Sounds like something Mapper would do, alright.”

Laid on the futon next to Omega, Sunshine whined, desperate now to have the sheath lock removed. “P-Pleeeease…”

“Not now, Pet,” Omega shushed him with a dismissive hoof, “Grownups are talking.” Turning his attention to Dusk, Omega asked curiously, “What do you mean, Luna authorized it?”

Nursing his Moonshine in his wingtip Dusk replied without looking up. “The abuse she took at the 'care home'…” he paused, shuddering in disgust at the very thought of the place, “They conditioned her to take a real beating and be proud of what she could take. Apparently she didn’t safe word out when Mapper had her outside earlier even though her wings were giving her discomfort and pain. So, Mom wanted to know if she could be pushed to using it.” Once more he looked at the half empty glass held in his wingtip, hearing the mocking tone of Amethyst in his head. ‘Ha! Don’t make me laugh, colt. You don’t have it in you like she does…’ he didn’t have to try very hard to see the flashing of the wingblades and what happened next.

“Dusk, I assure you that what is said in the club room stays in the club room,” Omega said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone, “But I'd love to ask you that question later in an interview, or will it be no comment and not worth my bother?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Something like that went down here in Manehatten not too long ago.” Sonic commented as he lovingly stroked Trails’s grey mane.”

“Yeah,” Trails agreed, sipping his own drink. “A city official was paid off to not inspect, wasn’t it?” He asked rhetorically, “He got caught and a lot of heads rolled. That was some bucked up shit, right there.”

“Please Master,” Sunshine begged, kissing Omega’s fetlocks, “I'm going to bust a nut.”

Omega grinned, using his magic to gently roll his Sub over onto his back to expose the shining lock holding his stallionhood restrained in his sheath. “You want me to kiss it and make it all better?” Without waiting for a reply from his Pet he started to kiss Sunshine’s nutsack.

“Arrrrrggggg!” Sunshine gasped as his partner continued to place wet sloppy kisses all over his pendulous balls.

“Oooh, Omega, do I have a story for you.” Dusk said humourlessly as he necked the rest of his Moonshine in one swallow, ignoring now the burning sensation in his throat. “For all of you. But, but that’s why we were escorted out of the Dungeon, so we wouldn’t hear her screams, and to make her believe she's alone.”

“A story I'd very much like to hear,” Omega said with a nod of his head to Dusk, “But I think my Pet needs a bit of love right now.” He smiled, once more kissing and fondling his Pet’s heavy balls. “Don't you, my baby?”

“Pleeeease Master!” Sunshine whined.

With a flash of his magic Omega unlocked the sheath lock and levitated the bondage device over to the toy chest in the corner of the Stallion’s Room and watched appreciatively as Sunshine wasted no time at all in emerging from his previously bound sheath and getting rock hard. “I think I know a good home for that.” Omega grinned, waggling his rump playfully.

Dusk looked on, enjoying the scene as he watched Sunshine’s stallionhood getting hard and erect, his powerful wings already at half-mast.

“Who's that for?” Omega asked, gently stroking his Pet’s hardened cock.

“Only you, Master.”

Another stroke of an eggshell white hoof along Sunshine’s mottled cream member, “And?”

“Anypony you offer me to, Master.”

Gently, Omega slapped his hoof against his Pet’s sack, “Who is it not for?”

“Aaah…” Sunshine gasped, his iron hard cock twitching with the force of the hoof-slap. “M-Me Master…aah…I-I may not pleasure myself.”

Grinning widely, Omega turned his back to Sunshine and leant over the edge of the futon that both stallions were laid on, and rested his forehooves under his chin on the hardwood floor. “Bring it home to Master!” He said, raising up his turquoise tail over his back to present his tail-hole to his partner.

Sunshine rolled to his hooves and, reaching for the cherry flavoured lube from the toy chest the cream coated stallion wasted absolutely no time at all in smearing a generous hoof full of it all over his throbbing erection. When he judged himself adequately lubricated, Sunshine mounted his partner and lined up the flat head of his stallionhood with Omega’s waiting hole, and in one easy motion bucked his hips forward, entering up to his medial ring.

In spite of his sombre mood, Dusk smiled, his left forehoof straying down his midnight blue furred body to rub along his sheath. “Hmm…” he moaned, biting his lip as he watched Sunshine thrust harder into Omega’s anus past the medial ring to hilt inside him, the eggshell white stallion busy drooling into the hardwood floor.

Still gently stroking Trails’s grey mane Sonic saw where Dusk’s attention was focussed and his purple muzzle split with a wide smile. “You need a landing zone for that, flyboy?” He asked with an appreciative nod to the Prince’s hardening shaft as it emerged from his sheath.

“Know what Sonic,” Dusk grinned, “Why not?”

Sonic nudged his Pet’s flank, “Think pink.”

Immediately, needing no further prompting, Trails rushed forward and knelt before the midnight blue pegasus. “What is your wish?” He asked subserviently.

Pondering for just a moment, Dusk smiled. “I want you to suck this like your life depended on it.” He said finally, giving Trails his best bedroom eyes as he stood up from the futon – his hindquarters were still too sore from Mapper’s cane to lay down on – his erection swinging between his open his hind legs.

“I'm sure I can do better than the first time,” Trails said with a wry grin as he scooted around Dusk’s hind legs and rolled under him on his back, his pink muzzle resting inches away from the glistening head of Dusk’s cock, a drop of pre already leaking from the urethra.

“You want this quick or slow?” Sonic asked, positioning himself in front of the young Prince.

“Slow.” Dusk answered straightaway, not needing to think about it. “I want to enjoy this.”

“Yes Master, as do I.” Came Trails’s voice from his position down between Dusk’s hindlegs as he started his ministrations, delivering long slow deliberate licks and gentle nibbles along the length of his shaft while he fondled his heavy balls with a pink hoof.

As his pink Pet got to work underneath the midnight blue pegasus, Sonic leant forward and applied a firm lip lock to the younger stallion’s lips, not asking for any kind of permission, the dominant earth pony stallion slid his tongue inside Dusk’s willing mouth as he shuddered from the sensations, enjoying the licks and nibbles that Trails was giving him.

In a stark contrast to the slow ministrations that Dusk was receiving, Omega squealed in pleasure at the hard rutting he was getting from Sunshine behind him, almost on the verge of an Equestria-shattering climax as he watched the three of them in front of him. Buried deep in his anal passage Omega felt Sunshine’s thrusts become erratic and his breathing fast and shallow. “Now Sunny! Fill your Master now!” He ordered, knowing he wasn’t at all far away.

Playfully Dusk nipped Sonic's tongue, causing the purple stallion to withdraw from his mouth. “Didn’t ask, did we?” He asked with a smirk.

Unabashed, Sonic shook his head. “Nope, you going to refuse?”

“I didn’t say that now, did I?” Dusk replied as he pulled Sonic into a rough kiss, mashing their lips together while he bucked his hips hard into Trails’s face just as Sunshine screamed as he came hard into Omega’s ass.

“That was my first taste of your mom's Moonshine and I'm liking it.” Sonic smiled, pulling his tongue from Dusk’s mouth. “Your mom has made some nice things, to include you, flyboy.”

Omega grunted into his forehooves and Sunshine, still hilted deep in his Master’s ass leant forward over his eggshell white back to lick and kiss his ears, a very contented happy smile on his cream face.

“I’m so very glad you approve,” Dusk whispered with a half-lidded gaze. “And, whomever said I was nice?” He purred as seductively as he could manage before once more kissing Sonic, moving his tongue with deft assurance into the purple stallion’s mouth.

“I say you’re nice.” Sonic winked as he sucked hard on Dusk’s tongue while all the while Trails laid tender teasing kisses along the hard length of his cock. “You have a sweet ass.” Breaking the kiss he glanced over at the other pair of stallions. “If you’re finished over there Omega, we need you over here.” Sonic grinned as he went back to kissing and trying to steal Dusk’s tongue.

As Dusk tongue wrestled Sonic for dominance of his mouth – which wasn’t really any contest, since Dusk gladly moved his tongue aside for the more dominant pony - he just saw Sunshine and Omega walk past his field of view and lowered his left forehoof down to stroke Sonic’s hardening shaft.

“Now, he said he wants it slow, Sunny.” Dusk heard Omega’s voice, followed by a light laugh, but he felt a broad wet tongue press under the dock of his tail and immediately started swirling and lapping around the muscular ring of his tail-hole in slow circular motions, causing the Prince to give a low moan just as Trails finally took his whole length in his mouth, but still moving agonisingly slowly. A split second later and there was yet another sensation on Dusk’s right wing as a Omega began a slow preening, while Sonic left his hooves on the floor, happy to let him lead.

“GAaaAAH…” Dusk let out a cute gasp at the sudden sensations that hit him all at once, from the anilingus from Sunshine, the expert fellatio from Trails to the sensuous preening that Omega was giving him, it all combined to make his knees weak. “Aaah…y-you hit my spot right there, Sunny…” he moaned blissfully before resuming the kiss to Sonic while rubbing his hoof along his shaft a little harder.

“You still want it slow, Dusk?” Omega asked with a smirk as Dusk flared out his powerful midnight blue wings wide to their fullest span, the feathers fully erect. The eggshell white stallion also noted with satisfaction the series of grunts that the pegasus made at Trails's delicate ministrations, causing him to buck his hips harder in desperation for relief.

“AaaAAH…d-damn…damn that’s soooo good!” Dusk cried before turning his gaze to Omega. “B-Buck no…I've had it with slow.”

Sonic pulled away from the kiss just long enough to catch his breath, “You heard him, boys!” Sonic then put a hoof behind Dusk’s head and pulled the Prince’s muzzle onto his own, forcefully invading his mouth with his tongue just as Trails went into deep throat mode and Sunshine decided to see just how much of his tongue Dusk’s asshole could take. Omega meanwhile continued his slow sensual preen, waiting for Dusk to hit his peak.

“H-H-Holy shit...” Dusk’s pink eyes began to roll backwards in his head at the rush from all the stimuli, and seizing his opportunity Sonic pressed his tongue down his throat, thereby winning the mouth battle. “T-Trails...oh Goddesses...” Dusk gasped, his voice all muffled, “I-I'm g-gonna cum...” the pegasus grunted and twitched involuntarily, his immaculate feathers going into spasms, “O-Omega, y-you aaaah…you preen like that, I-I'm...keeping you...” he moaned in utter bliss, his climax not long away now.

“Oh yes, yes you’ll cum alright…” the eggshell white unicorn grinned an evil grin as he lit up his horn and rested it at the base of Dusk’s wings, right at the spot on his back between his shoulders and his wings, and casting his spell, sonically rippling all of the feathers as the sensation of a thousand butterflies danced over the Prince’s wings.

“BUUUUCK!” Dusk screamed at the top of his lungs, screamed as he came, and came violently, shooting rope after rope of his semen straight down Trails’s throat as his knees buckled under him from all the stimulating sensations spread across his body.

Grinning somewhat maniacally, Omega kept up the ‘butterfly effect’, as he called it, upon Dusk’s wings until the royal pegasus orgasmed for a second time. As Dusk shot more of his cum down the pink stallion’s throat, Omega slowly began to taper the spell’s effect, Trails kept Dusk’s cock hilted deep in his throat and Sunshine didn't slow down either. Still pulled into a deep kiss, he could feel Sonic's smile around his midnight blue lips.

“Aah…aah…” Dusk panted long and hard, “Y-You're all...coming home...with me…” he panted, breathing heavily around the kiss that Sonic refused to let go of. “Ah…phew…” he gasped, finally after a few long minutes able to bring his breathing back to a normal rate.

Sitting back on his haunches behind the still-twitching pegasus, Omega laughed out loud. “I can't take Sunny all the way to Canterlot.”

“And, I'm not leaving because we like where we are.” Sonic grinned, planting a very delicate little kiss on Dusk’s lips. “You can visit any time, of course.”

“Hmm…y-you can count on it…” Dusk wriggled a little, as round his hindquarters Sunshine and Trails were busy doing clean up. “Damn…I so needed that!” He exclaimed, thoughts of Amethyst Glory, of Helping Hooves care home, even of Canterlot, pushed well out of his mind thanks to the four very sexy stallions around him in this little corner of Manehatten.

Still laughing, Omega reached forward and carefully stroked Dusk’s quivering primary feathers. “You ever try earth pony?” He asked, genuinely curious.

“Nope,” Dusk shook his head, “Just unicorn.” He said, thinking longingly of his beautiful stallion back in Canterlot, and what his Vocal might be doing, whether he was missing Dusk as much as Dusk was him.

“Well Dusk, I keep Sunny around for more than just his cooking,” Omega chuckled, now gently massaging between the pegasus’s flight muscles, “And I'm sure he has you well lubed up by now.”

“Sure you do,” Dusk said with a wink at Omega.

“He really is a good cook,” Sonic said in Sunshine’s defence, “But I don't tell the mares about his special spices.”

Dusk, unsure if that was an innuendo or merely an in-joke that he had no way off getting, merely turned to the cream earth pony stallion with a smile and said, “Sunny, I hope you're up for rutting this…” he wiggled his flank suggestively, “Cos I'm not in the mood for gentle.”

Chuckling, Omega scooted around to the front of Dusk next to Sonic, “I'm not suggesting Sunny.” He snickered and nudged Sonic’s barrel with his foreleg. “This pony has been drooling over your royal ass since you arrived.”

“I don’t care who,” Dusk grinned as Sonic actually blushed a very deep purple, “As long as somepony ruts me good and hard.” Reaching out with his foreleg, purely to ‘encourage’ him, Dusk stroked his hoof along the length of Sonic's iron-hard shaft.

“One hard and rough rutting coming right up.” Sonic moved behind him so fast Dusk swore the earth pony stallion had teleported. “Thanks Sunny,” he said, stroking the cream stallion’s blue mane as he made way for him. “You can clean my tail-hole if you like?”

“In our club it’s usually three on one, but thanks to your visit we can now do four on one!” Omega smiled as Sunshine gave a simple “Eeyup,” to Sonic. Placing a soft kiss on the Prince’s mouth that almost asked ‘can I?’ Omega said, “I'd like another oral interview with you right now.” With that he kissed Dusk’s lips a little more forcefully, meanwhile Trails was still underneath the midnight blue pegasus, attempting, with his mouth and tongue, to milk him dry.

“Come get it…” Dusk said in between kisses, finally mashing his lips into Omega’s, letting the eggshell white unicorn know he was okay with rough as he pushed his tongue into his mouth with a renewed force.

Just then Dusk felt the weight of a stallion on his back, far heavier than Vocal Chord ever was, with a coarser coat and a headier, muskier scent. Sonic placed his forehooves squarely on Dusk’s shoulders, just above his wing joints and in one hard fluid motion, thanks in no small part to sheer amount of Sunshine’s saliva that coated his sphincter and anal cavity, thrust his dark purple stallionhood into the Prince’s tail-hole. “Damn you're tighter than I thought, flyboy.” Sonic grunted as he thrust in past his medial ring.

“Oooh…oh sweet Goddesses!” Dusk moaned, causing Omega to snicker in his mouth as he tried with all his might to push back against the thick veiny cock now buried up to the hilt in his asshole. “Nggh! I-Is that...all you got?” Dusk gasped as he thrust himself backwards, “I said I wanted rough!” He goaded, pulling Omega into a deep hard kiss.

Sonic snorted, “By Luna's vulva, I'll give it to you rough!” He leant forward, taking hold of Dusk’s dark grey mane with his teeth and roughly yanked his head back. Rearing up to his hind hooves Omega put his fore hooves on Dusk’s shoulders to hold the kiss just as Trails’s tongue found it’s way everywhere over the Prince’s shaft in his mouth.

“AaaAAH! AaaAH!” Dusk screamed aloud as Omega momentarily released the kiss to allow him precious breath, “Harder! Buck me!” He shouted, thrilling at the pain in his mane as his head was pulled back, forcing his tongue once more into Omega's willing mouth.

Grunting, Sonic pulled out hard and just as hard, slammed himself back into Dusk’s welted ass, the royal pegasus’s pink eyes going wide, and no doubt he would’ve screamed in ecstasy and pain had Omega not took that moment to force his tongue deep into his mouth. A hoof he couldn’t see was gently juggling his balls while teeth danced along the length of his hard cock.

“AAAH…OooOOW Yeees!” Dusk’s moan was muffled and only barely audible, “Like that...ride me like that!” He vaguely wondered if Sonic could understand him, his breath and moan stolen by the unicorn’s kiss, he felt his shaft getting hard again from the attention under him, and he eased up a little on the kiss.

Letting go of Dusk’s mane, Sonic pushed him forward with a particularly hard thrust of his thick cock into his spread open asshole. “S-Sunny that isn't my tail-hole!” He grunted as Sunshine began to lick and suck Sonic’s heavy balls.

“Sweet CelestiaaAAA!” Dusk threw his head back and screamed, as Trails now had Dusk’s rock hard length to the hilt in his mouth, and at the same time he felt somepony's tongue lapping at his swinging balls. Desperately he tried to push back in time with the rough hard thrusting from Sonic behind him. “H-Hit...me, s-spank my flanks!” He gasped as Omega once again allowed him to breathe.

“You have my permission, Sunny.” The eggshell white unicorn said before he mashed his lips to Dusk’s own, again easily dominating the Prince’s mouth.

Pausing in mid-thrust Sonic watched as Sunshine’s hoof swung and was intercepted by Dusk’s rippling flank. “By Luna's cutie mark that is hot!” He grabbed Dusk’s dark grey mane again and picked up the pace of his thrusts to a burn.

“AaaAAH!” Dusk moaned heavenly into Omega's mouth. “T-Tell him t-to hit me h-harder! AaAArrg! S-Sonic...Buck me, please, BUUUUCK MEEE!”

Sunshine however needed no more further encouragement and he surged up Sonic's back to reach Dusk’s hindquarters with both of his forehooves. The weight of the cream earth pony stallion on his back drove Sonic into a frenzy of motion, the purple pony almost a blur as he pounded Dusk’s ass. Trails deep throated Dusk’s throbbing cock, swallowing him hard in time with Sonic’s rapid thrusts. Omega pulled back from the kiss just to watch the look on Dusk’s face with a smile plastered over his muzzle.

“B-Buuuck T-Trails you…you’re good…” Dusk winced under the continuous unrelenting assault, loving absolutely every second. “AAAH…S-Sonic...I want you to cum in me, fill me up!”

Adjusting his position slightly, Sonic’s forelegs now pulled at the base of Dusk’s wing joints, at the most sensitive point where the powerful pinions met his barrel. Again he loosened his hold of the dark grey mane. “Goddess of the Night I'm cumming!” The purple earth pony gave a last few erratic thrusts before reaching his pent up climax, spewing his thick gooey cum deep into the Prince’s bowels. Trails meanwhile was already putting his all into the effort of his expertly applied blowjob, determined to make him cum as Sunshine’s hooves started to leave red marks on Dusk’s midnight blue fur.

As Sonic continued to fill Dusk’s ass, he could feel the welts and bruises forming on his flanks - not caring in the slightest as he felt he deserved this pain – he lowered his head, gasping, moaning from the sheer pleasure. He was just about to warn Trails he was going to cum as well when the feeling of hot semen gushing deep up his hole finally pushed the pegasus over his edge, and with a loud scream he came as well, shooting again in Trails's mouth.

“G-Goddesses…” Dusk moaned, slumping as his legs could no longer bear his weight. “S-Sweet G-Goddesses...”

Still hilted inside the slumped worn out pegasus, Sonic rested his weight on his back as Sunshine slid off of Sonic’s back and began gently licking and kissing the hoof marks he left on one flank, a couple, he noted had fallen dangerously close to the still red and angry cane prints that Mapper had left on Dusk’s hindquarters. Having finally drunk his fill, Trails quickly joined Sunshine in ministering to the welts on his other flank.

“By Luna's Sainted Clitoris, you are a good lay.” Sonic breathed, the other three ponies breaking out laughing at Sonic’s choice of swear.

Shivering at the heavenly wet kisses on his flanks, Dusk moaned, “You...you…aren't bad...either.”

Leaving his position at Dusk’s mouth, Omega got up to his hooves and trotted over to the small well stocked bar. “So, Dusk, a mixed drink to help recover?” He asked with a loud snicker.

Unmoving from his position bent over the futon, Dusk merely nodded. “Uh huh…please...that'd be great…” he replied, smiling weakly and thoroughly spent.

“Keep mixing, Horny…” Sonic said, a little weakly himself, as he finally fell out of Dusk’s well plowed passage, which he took as his cue to slide off of his back. The purple earth pony placed a tender kiss on Dusk’s cheek and barely made it to his own futon with Trails as ever by his side before his drink arrived via magical levitation.

Next, Omega floated a glass over to Dusk, who took the drink in the grip of his shaky hoof, taking a small sip, noting how it tasted like one of Manehatten's famous Long Island Iced Teas, where the flavour hides the alcohol. Of course, he smiled, Omega had the presence of mind to make him a virgin one.

“Hmm…that’s really not bad Omega, thanks.” Dusk said with a smile as two more drinks floated past him and the licking of his flanks stopped while Sunshine recharged.

Omega walked over for a kiss, his own drink floating near him. “You're very welcome.”

“So, do we venture out to see what happened or do we play cards?” Sonic asked the group.

“I think,” Dusk said before taking another sip of his drink, “When whatever happens, happens, we'll all know about it.”

Sonic grinned. “Cards it is, hope you don't mind small stakes.”

“Not at all,” Dusk smiled, “Not at all.”

~ ~ ~

Leaving the Mare’s Room the three pegasi followed Snowfall quietly out into the hallway and towards the flight of stairs that lead up to the main floor of the ranch, but as the elderly pure white earth pony mare began to ascend the steps, Airmail paused before the first riser as a thought came to her. A thought that was bothering her deeply. Motioning with a hoof for Snowfall to carry on ahead, the azure blue mare turned to face Wildfire who was now at her side. “Wily, will you give me an answer from your heart to a question, please?"

Wondering why they had stopped, Wildfire nodded nonetheless. “Of course, Pretty.”

Taking a very deep breath, Airmail plunged in hooves first. “Okay, how do you feel about Mapper?” She asked, her brown eyes narrowed, judging her reaction.

Now it was Wildfire’s turn to pause. ‘How do I feel about Mapper?’ She thought, scuffing her forehoof on the hallway carpet, ‘That…is a very good question…’ Honestly, right then and there, she had no idea. “I um…I don't know. I mean, I liked being her Pet, but she was really mean in that room when she left me.”

“We'll catch up, Snowfall.” Tempest said to the earth pony mare when she turned again at the top of the stairs with a quizzical look on her face. Sharing a look with Airmail, Tempest stepped in next to Wildfire’s right side as Airmail stopped pulling the reins and, looping them over her neck, moved close to the little pegasus’s other side.

“Tell you what,” Airmail said gently, “Think about it for a bit while we just snuggle you.”

For a few all too brief seconds, Wildfire just stood in silence, content to stand there and enjoy the snuggles from her two new herd-mates. She mulled over the question that Airmail had posed to her. On the face of it, it was easy. On the one hoof, Mapper was nice, she smelled vaguely of raspberries, she was kind, considerate and plainly an experienced Dominant. But…but then there was the other hoof, the one that was still sore about what had happened in the Dungeon. “I um, I don’t think I like her very much, Pretty.”

“I can understand that.” Tempest said, somewhat sympathetically, “I didn't like what she did either, but...”

“Mapper asked me first.” Airmail interrupted, cutting across her marefriend, shocking her into silence. Tempest didn’t think they were being quite that honest. “I said she could.” The lead editor carried on, before her resolve began to waver a little, “I'm…I’m sorry, Wildfire.”

Disbelieving of what she’d just heard, Wildfire pulled away from Airmail’s snuggles, her mouth hanging open as she took a step away which also forced Tempest to move lest she be stepped on. “You…you said she could?” To be betrayed by Mapper was one thing, but she had assumed that Airmail and herself had bonded over the last few hours they had spent in each other’s company.

Feeling utterly wretched, Airmail hung her head in shame. She could tell just from Wildfire’s tone she had overstepped a boundary, and that the good work of the previous hours was on the verge of being undone. “I did, Wily.” She admitted as if each syllable was being ripped from her, which wasn’t far from the truth. “I did. I could say it was for us, but that wouldn't be true. It was for you that I betrayed your trust. I love you Wily, and I'm sorry.”

Using the scent of jasmine and the sound of the north western accent, Wildfire turned her head to ‘look’ up straight into Airmail’s face. “You did it for me?” She asked tersely, her feathers fluttering and the fur at the back of her neck rising with her temper.

Tempest didn’t know who to hug the most. She did know however that her marefriend wasn’t being entirely honest, and this brewing situation screamed for honesty. “Airmail?” She asked simply.

Selfishly, Airmail was glad then that Wildfire was blind. She didn’t want to think how much worse this moment could be if the diminutive yellow pegasus had eyes to match her obvious mood. “Okay, that isn't really true either.” Looking at Wildfire’s face though, Airmail didn’t have to use much imagination to place a pair of chestnut brown eyes over the acid scars that dominated Wildfire’s face. 'And…what would they show?’ She asked herself miserably, ‘Hurt, anger, betrayal, outrage or perhaps fear, confusion or mistrust? Or, maybe all of the above?’ Airmail thought miserably, “I did it for me.” The azure said with a slump of her shoulders. “I didn't want to lose you.” She started crying freely as she looked away, unable to look in those terrible eyes.

Rather than cowed by the sadness in Airmail’s voice and the smell of the tears, Wildfire just felt angry, and used, like her innermost demons had been put on display for everypony’s entertainment. “Were you there?” She asked, her wildfire temper barely held in check. She could tell by the change in the sound of Airmail’s voice that she’d looked away from her. ‘How dare she look away from me!’ “Were you watching?”

Airmail merely nodded by way of a reply. “Yes,” she said simply, what more was to be said?

“Well, did you enjoy the show?” Wildfire’s clipped Canterlot accented voice as low and angry as she took a step forwards, stomping her hoof into the hall carpet. “Did I put on a good performance!?” She shouted furiously in Airmail’s face.

“I…uh, I...” Airmail found her words had failed her, and she quailed like a scolded filly caught with her hoof in the cookie jar.

“Wildfire. That is quite enough!” Having been summoned by an apologetic Snowfall and witnessing the commotion from the top of the stairs Luna stomped her silver clad hoof, drawing the attention of all three ponies as she slowly descended the stairs to stand by Airmail’s side. “Airmail is not at fault.”

“What do you mean?” Wildfire asked brusquely. Right now she didn’t care she was in the presence of high royalty. “Didn’t you hear what she let Mapper do?” Her yellow wings flared as she pointed a disgusted hoof in Airmail’s direction.

Shaking her head, Luna merely sighed. “No, Wildfire, I’m afraid you blame the wrong pony.”

“Then who...?” Wildfire demanded, in no mood at all for guessing games.

‘Mother please…give me the strength to get through this, please…’ Luna took a step towards the little yellow pegasus, the difference in height between them as like a mother and a filly. “Wildfire, if you are to be angry at anypony, then be angry at me. I allowed it to happen.”

“No!” Airmail cried, cutting across the lunar alicorn as she had Tempest minutes earlier. “I let it happen so you wouldn't take her away from me. Mapper told me what she would do I said she could!”

“Airmail,” Luna sighed deeply, “There is blame here.” She said with the ghost of a thin smile on her lips, her hoof resting on the azure blue mare’s shoulder, “It is mine, and that burden is mine alone to bear.”

Now, Wildfire turned to Tempest, following the smell of sandalwood to her right. “Honey, were you in on it as well?” She asked, just as harshly as she intended, entirely ignoring the Princess.

“No,” Tempest shook her head, “But I knew something was up when Mapper started what she did,” Tempest explained before pausing for breath and collecting herself. “When I left the room, Airmail and Luna stayed inside…” the violet pegasus looked away, like Airmail she was unable to look at Wildfire. “I...I didn't do anything to stop it…” she admitted, reluctantly letting her go.

“Wildfire,” Luna said, her authoritative voice drawing all attention to her. “Your lovers are blameless.” She nodded once at Airmail then at Tempest. “To their credit they resisted my idea. However I overruled them.”

Wildfire didn’t need to see to know where Luna was standing. All her other senses were lit up like Hearths Warming trees with the aura of sheer power emanating from the lunar alicorn. At any other time it would’ve been awe inspiring. Now, with her back well and truly up, Wildfire took two steps towards the pony that dwarfed her and, craning her head all the way back, spat, “Then why, 'Princess'?” She almost yelled in Luna’s face. “Was it good for you? Was it fun watching the cripple lose her mind for you?”

Subconsciously Luna took a step backwards, unprepared for the vehemence of Wildfire’s tirade. Indeed, there weren’t many ponies in Equestria that had spoken to her like that. “The ah…the ordeal was a test, one I am pleased you passed.”

“Airmail!” Wildfire snapped, still so angry she was ignoring the plaintive sobs coming from the older pegasus, “You said she'd take me away, explain it to me.”

Sniffling back fresh hot tears, and wiping her foreleg over her muzzle to wipe away those that were streaking down her azure blue fur, Airmail finally replied, “L-Luna, she uh…she wanted to um, to take you back…back to C-Canterlot, unless you'd use your safe word.” She couldn’t help it, Airmail couldn’t stop the tears now that flowed freely down her cheeks. “Serenity said…s-she said you wouldn't use it on the parade. M-Mapper said she could get you to use it...by...by putting you in a box and leaving you alone.”

Hearing Airmail’s sobs, Wildfire’s temper evaporated into thin air, leaving a numbed reeling mare in its unpleasant wake. “So, you…put me through my own personal Tartarus just to see if I'd use my safe word?”

“Partly, yes.” Luna nodded, risking a tremulous smile as she sensed they were getting somewhere at last. “Mapper said you were still dependant on others to end your punishments, rather than you doing it yourself, even though you were now able to do so.”

Still crying floods of tears, Airmail reached out with her forehoof to Wildfire, tentatively touching the yellow mare’s left hoof. “Please…Wily, please don't hate me…”

Feeling an instant flash of remorse for what she said to her lover, and the manner in which she’d said it, Wildfire felt the tentative touch of Airmail’s hoof upon her own, and finally smiling she tenderly stroked Airmail's hoof. “So what happens now?”

“Now?” Luna gave a very genuine smile, “Having demonstrated you can care for yourself, you are free to live where you like, with your herd of course.”

“I don't hate you Airmail,” Wildfire said, still thoroughly ashamed of how she had acted, justified though it may have been. ‘How in Equestria could she hate the pegasus she called ‘Pretty’?’ She asked herself. “But…I am disappointed, I trusted you, Pretty.”

“We promised to tell each other if we disappointed one or another, remember?” Tempest said as she found her voice at last, sidling back to Wildfire’s right flank. “I'm sorry I disappointed you, Wily.”

“I'm sorry I disappointed you too, Wily.” Airmail dared to smile, but didn’t dare to remove her hoof.

Standing amidst the other three mares, Wildfire cocked her head to one side, very deep in thought. Yes she felt hurt, angry, betrayed even, but…and it was a very, very big but…she was here, wasn’t she? She was here, in Manehatten. She had been welcomed with open hooves – and hearts – into a herd. She had two lovers in Airmail and Tempest who cared, really cared for her, and most of all, she was free. Free finally of Amethyst Glory and her Tartarus-damned care home. “It’s like we said earlier though, right?” Wildfire said eventually when she’d made her mind up. “We're allowed to mess up?”

Still not removing her hoof that Wildfire was holding, Airmail leant in to nuzzle her cheek. “Yes, we did agree to that.” She said with a very relieved smile.

“I did say we would mess up.” Tempest agreed, also leaning in close to nuzzle Wildfire’s other cheek.

Soaking up the double nuzzle Wildfire knew she couldn’t possibly be angry with the two pegasi anymore. Absolutely no way in Equestria. This was where she belonged now. “Then, you are both forgiven, my loves.” Immediately after the last word left her lips the diminutive yellow mare was promptly smothered with kisses from both Airmail and Tempest.

Reluctantly, after a few long minutes, Airmail disentangled herself from the snuggle-fest with a serious expression on her azure blue face. “There is still an issue that we need to resolve, love.” Although of course Wildfire couldn’t see her, she could hear the tone of her voice change. “We are a herd of three.”

Likewise, Tempest also took a small step backwards as she caught her marefriend’s meaning. “Before you came into our lives we were a herd of four.”

“Wildfire,” Airmail started, her hoof on her shoulder, “How do you feel about Mapper being a part of our herd?”

‘Mapper…a part of our herd?’ Immediately, Wildfire wasn’t sure about this at all. Yes, she had enjoyed being her Pet. Yes, she had been properly mean back in the Dungeon, but…with Mapper would come Serenity, and she liked her a lot. “Well, from what you've both said, what happened wasn’t her fault, so I guess I'm alright with it.” Wildfire turned her head left and right as she spoke. “I'd have to talk with her.”

Somewhat relieved, Airmail hugged the yellow mare’s shoulder. “It is all we can ask, thank you.”

“Wily,” Tempest said gently, “Will you forgive Luna for putting you through Tartarus so you could stay with our herd?”

Again, Wildfire had her head cocked, deep in thought as she mulled over Tempest’s question. ‘Damn…why is everything so hard today?’ If she was honest, part of her wanted to slap the alicorn for putting her through ‘that’, while the other half wanted to hug the life out of her because now she was finally free to live her life, such as it was. “Princess Luna, I don’t agree with what you did, but I get why you did it, so yuppers, I forgive you.”

Luna gave vent to a very relieved sigh, releasing a long held breath. “Thank you, Wildfire.” She breathed, “It's far more than I deserve. Now,” she said, her tone considerably brighter and a wide smile on her midnight blue furred face, “If that is concluded, I have one last duty to perform today. A happy one, I might add.”

“Oh?” Airmail asked curiously.

Luna nodded, still smiling. “The other patients of the care home,” Luna was reluctant to use the term ‘inmates’, “Tia and the Guard returned them to their families with the compensation due to them.” She explained as she lit her horn, levitating a cheque from her saddlebag over to the lead editor for Airmail to hold. “Now that Wildfire has a family and a future, this belongs to her.”

Scanning the cheque, Airmail shot the lunar alicorn a look of unbridled suspicion. “Is this a bribe, Luna?”

“It…it…most certainly is not!” Luna spluttered, a look of utter shock all over her face as her voice went up through several octaves before she managed to calm herself, “While I completely understand that no monetary value in the land can ever truly compensate Wildfire for what she has endured, I assure you that figure is what the state says she is due.”

Reading the Princesses face, Airmail paused for a few seconds. While she was no Serenity by any means, she had dealt with enough politicians and government officials to smell when something was being hushed up, and to Luna’s credit she didn’t detect anything of the sort here. “Wily, the cheque is for five hundred thousand bits.” She said, giving the yellow pegasus a gentle nuzzle, “We are a herd. It is for the herd or we give it back, what do you think, Wily?”

Straightaway, without needing to think, Wildfire answered, “I want us all to share it, Pretty.”

Reaching over Wildfire’s back, Airmail passed the cheque over to Tempest. “Okay,” she smiled a genuine smile, “Thank you Luna, I’m sorry I just...don't deal with government and money. Sorry.”

“It’s perfectly fine, Airmail.” Luna eyed the azure blue pegasus warily, “I understand your reticence.”

“Ahem…” Tempest coughed politely as she once more took up the reins attached to Wildfire’s forest green bridle, “I do believe we were on our ways upstairs to show off our lovely Wily to the others.” She said with a grin, very happy to change the subject back to something a little less emotionally charged.

Returning Tempest’s grin, Airmail nudged Wildfire’s barrel. “Ready to go, Wily?”

“Oh…I am so ready.” Wildfire smiled, flexing her muscles against the tortoise shell rope bondage she wore. “Will you drink with us, Luna?” She asked, turning her head to the Princess.

“Of course, Wildfire. It would be my pleasure.” Luna replied as Tempest pulled gently on the reins to lead Wildfire towards the stairs. Pausing just a moment, the lunar alicorn lit her horn and with a small amount of concentration she vanished away her royal attire; her crown, her breastplate and her silver shoes, content that her duties were done for today at least. ‘I so need a drink…Moonshine, straight up.’ She thought as she followed the three pegasi up the stairs and across the U shaped hallway to the large dining area.

All of a sudden, Tempest stopped pulling Wildfire’s reins and both she and Airmail took several steps backwards, going very quiet indeed. For a brief moment, Wildfire wondered why they’d stopped, as they hadn’t taken nearly enough steps to reach the dining room. Her unspoken question was answered however when she felt a pony touch noses with her own.

A unicorn pony that smelled of raspberries.

“Hello,” Mapper said simply, not moving her nose from the little mare’s own.

Standing perfectly still, as if they were two ponies occupying a micro universe, Wildfire stiffened slightly at the sound of her voice before relaxing a little as she noted it was distinctly softer than it had been down in the Dungeon. It was the same tone the unicorn had used when she had inspected her before dinner. “Hi, Mapper.”

“Touch my cheek with your hoof.” Mapper said quietly, just loud enough for them both to hear. This wasn’t for anypony else other than Wildfire and herself.

Cautiously, almost tentatively, Wildfire raised her left forehoof and felt carefully up the unicorn’s neck until she found her lower jaw, then she slid it upwards, eventually finding her cheek.

“Now,” Mapper smiled, impressed as always by this little pony, “Slap me like you mean it.”

“Why?” Wildfire asked, thoroughly confused. Of all the things she had been expecting, this was pretty low on the list. Mapper however, said nothing by way of explanation, just standing with her nose pressed to hers. Sniffing the air though, Wildfire could tell that Airmail and Tempest were near, but for some reason, silent. “If I slapped you I'd have to slap Pretty, Honey and Luna. And, I'd rather not, unless it was a command?”

Still Mapper said nothing, merely maintaining her nose to nose stance with Wildfire.

Wildfire lowered her hoof to the carpeted floor. “No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I won't. We're a herd now, and you're forgiven, Mapper.”

“It was a request,” Mapper said with a grimace. “I will make it again. Slap me like you mean it.”

“Then…I have failed, Mistress.” Wildfire sighed as she kissed the pink mare’s nose.

“Please…”

Wildfire couldn't see Mapper’s tears, but she could hear the pleading in her voice. To her it didn’t make a lick of sense. “I said you were forgiven.” She said, again kissing her lips.

“This isn't about forgiveness.” Mapper replied as her hot tears ran down her pink face, leaving wet streaks in their wake. “This is about us. You will do this.”

“Why?” Wildfire asked, her head to one side, “Why must I strike you?”

“Do you want me to beg!?” Mapper stomped her hoof as she wept, wishing Wildfire would just do as she was asked. “Do this or walk away. The choice is yours!” She punctuated the point with another stomp of her sock clad forehoof.

“So, those are my choices? Hit you or leave?”

“Yes! Slap me or leave!”

“Like I mean it?”

“Yes,” Mapper sighed, almost at the end of her rope, “What would be the point otherwise?”

“Fine…you pushed.” Without another word Wildfire raised her left forehoof, sliding it up Mapper’s neck to her tear-soaked pink cheek, and then, with as much force as the diminutive pegasus could muster, she brought her hoof hard across Mapper's face for a very stiff punch.

Mapper’s face swung to her left with the force of the impact of Wildfire’s hoof on her right cheek, before rocking back to return to its position touching Wildfire’s nose. Already her cheek was swelling up from the punch as she leant forward and placed a deep loving kiss on the yellow mare’s lips like she meant every second. “Wildfire, I love you and welcome to the herd.” The pink unicorn smiled a genuine smile as she wrapped her forelegs around Wildfire’s neck, just above the black ropes that adorned her body and kissed her passionately one more time. “And Pet,” she said finally, “I find that you are worthy.” With that she moved away and called out, “Serenity! Drink and an ice pack, please!”

As Mapper walked off to the kitchen to get ice for her face, Airmail let out a long held breath that with the tension in the hallway she didn’t realise she was holding in. “Thank you Wily, you just proved you can act when you need to.” She said, her voice full of pride, “I love you!”

“Guess what?” Tempest smiled, “I love you too.”

“I um…I didn’t want to hit her…” Wildfire said hesitantly, feeling the need to explain herself to Airmail and Tempest before suddenly she broke out in a fit of giggles. “Um…teehee…was, was it a good hit?” She asked, her shoulders shaking with mirth.

“It was perfect, Wily!” Airmail sniggered, draping her wing over Wildfire’s back and holding her in a tight feathery hug. “And, Mapper loves you too. We can be a herd of five, now.”

“Wily,” Tempest said seriously, though she still put her forelegs around Wildfire’s neck as Mapper had done but a few moments before. “You will learn to understand Mapper, but she needed that to show you could fight back.”

Amidst the loving hugs and the cuddles, Wildfire beamed happily, “She said I was a worthy Pet!” She grinned, feeling twenty feet tall.

“You are worthy because you will stand up for yourself.” Airmail smiled proudly. “It will take time Wily, but we are with you all the way.”

“Yes,” Tempest agreed, placing a well-deserved kiss on Wildfire’s lips. “So, let's go tease Mapper about her ice pack and get some drinks, besides I want everypony to see how beautiful you are in your lovely dress of ropes and silks.”

Wildfire’s giggles returned in full force. “I do feel up for some teasing,” she put a hoof over her muzzle to stifle her incessant giggles. “And…teehee…I could use a drink too…besides, I have a sexy flank to show off for you, Honey.”

Belle, Tinkerer, Recital, Trumpet, Requiem, Longshore were all milling around in the large expansive dining room while Serenity and Mapper were occupying a corner to themselves, Mapper was busy holding an icepack to her right jaw and Serenity was using her magic to help her wife hold the icepack where it was most needed, namely over the rather large and distinct Wildfire-shaped hoof print there.

Closing the dining room door behind them, Tempest leant and whispered the setup of the room to Wildfire, pointing out who was talking to whom, and which pony was drinking and chatting with which. “Still want to show me off, Honey?” Wildfire smiled, shaking her rope bound flank provocatively.

“Yes, I do.” Tempest replied, once more taking up the reins she led Wildfire around the dining room, making a beeline to where Mapper and Serenity stood together in the far corner.

Smiling, Airmail peeled off towards the kitchen. “I'll go get us drinks and see who is in the kitchen.” She said with a nod to Requiem and Recital as she slipped through the held open side door.

“Hello Mapper,” Tempest sniggered, her blue eyes twinkling with the opportunity to tease her herd-mate. “Turning the other cheek?”

“You can kiss my nether cheek.” Mapper grunted, lowering the ice pack from the right side of her face just long enough to deliver a perfectly formed raspberry straight at the violet mare. “Just trying to present my good side, Bee Vomit.” Lifting the ice back in place the pink unicorn took a few moments to really admire Wildfire’s whole being. “Hello Pet, you are looking beautiful.” She smiled, meaning every word.

“Thanks, Mapper!” Wildfire raised a hoof and sniggered, “It's ice to see you too!”

In spite of herself, Mapper chuckled. “You only saw my bad side. Raise that pretty hoof to see my good side.”

As Wildfire raised up her right forehoof, Mapper moved forward until the sole of the hoof touched her chest. Sliding her hoof upwards she eventually arrived at the left side of her face, the cheek that Wildfire didn't smack, smiling as she carefully felt the contours and angles of the unicorn’s features. “This is definitely the better side,” she said, still smiling.

Mapper grinned and Serenity quietly used her magic to move the ice pack from her wife’s cheek to cover Wildfire’s hoof.

“Oooh!” Wildfire squealed, but didn’t pull her hoof away, “Oh, that’s cold!”

Mapper giggled, “Ponies do say I tend to have a chilling effect on them.” Lowering her head she kissed Wildfire tenderly on the lips before pulling away with a wry smile at Tempest. “You are promoting this mare?” She asked, although she was already well aware of the answer she’d get from the violet pegasus pony.

“Wily,” Tempest said gently but firmly, resting her hoof on the little mare’s shoulder, “Do you want to be part of a herd of five?”

“I do!” Wildfire exclaimed, not even needing to consider it. “I really do!”

“Okay,” Mapper’s smile grew wider, “I'm in favour.” Taking the ice pack in her own magenta aura, the pink unicorn turned to her wife. Through the deep symbiotic link the two ponies shared she already had her answer, but for the sake of clarity for everypony else, she had to ask. “Serenity?”

“Oh yes!” The teal unicorn gushed, happier than ever to once again be a part of a bigger herd since their mare’s herd had separated in less than pleasant circumstances. Circumstances that were at least behind them all. “It will be fun to have some more wings in the herd.”

“Okay, well then, my beautiful Pet,” Mapper’s smile seemed permanent as she bent her neck and kissed Wildfire once again. “I'll talk to Caffy about it, and I'm sure the others will get to know you before the next gathering.” Pausing, Mapper placed a tender kiss on Tempest’s lips. “Is she staying with you two?”

“Oh Yes,” Tempest smiled, “She has agreed to that.”

“Teach her well, Tempest.” Mapper gave Wildfire a little peck on her cheek, and Tempest a knowing wink, before walking off with Serenity and her now melted ice pack to the kitchen.

“I’m in!” Wildfire positively glowed from all the kisses, not to mention Mapper and Serenity’s acceptance into the mare’s herd, so much so she could’ve performed a rainboom there and then. “Honey, I’m in!” She gave a delightful little squee as she danced happily on the tips of her hooves.

Wasting no time at all, Tempest swooped in for a long sloppy kiss in Mapper’s absence. “Yes. Yes you are now in the small herd, now let’s visit the others, shall we?” The violet pegasus asked, somewhat rhetorically, as she gently pulled on Wildfire’s forest green reins and steered her over to Tinkerer and Belle who were enjoying what was left of the vanilla frosted chocolate cake.

Happily following the pull of the reins around the large dining room Wildfire could’ve danced she was so contented, for the first time in a very, very long time she was truly happy. ‘By Luna’s horn I’m so lucky Dusk decided to bring me along to Manehatten!’ She thought to herself with a huge wide smile that threatened to never be removed from her face.

“Wildfire, this is Belle and Tinkerer.” Tempest introduced the two ponies, “Belle is an olive drab unicorn, she has a light green mane and dark blue eyes. Her cutie mark is two blue socks.” The violet pegasus nodded to Belle with a smile before moving on to Tinkerer. “Tinkerer is a forest green pegasus with a yellow mane and violet eyes. His cutie mark is two crossed hammers.”

Belle stepped forward with a wide smile, “Hello Wildfire, I've Belle-dried you.” She leant her head down to the smaller mare and touched their noses together before pulling back just a little so she could feel her breath on her muzzle.

“I remember your blow dry on the patio earlier,” Wildfire grinned as she raised her forehooves and carefully felt up the sides of Belle’s neck to feel around her face. “Thanks for that.”

“And this is my husband, Tinkerer.” Belle smiled as the yellow pegasus finished her introductory sweep of her face, especially smiling when she carefully stroked her slender horn, causing a few pleasurable little sparks to shoot out the tip like a little firework.

“Hello, Wildfire.” Tinkerer grinned as straightaway Wildfire lifted her hooves to feel his face. “When you’re done with my handsome face, go lower and really know me.”

“Alrighty Tinkerer,” Wildfire replied, sliding her yellow hooves back down both sides of the forest green stallion’s neck until she came to a tortoise shell rope bondage that felt very similar to the one that she herself was wearing which was no real surprise given that Belle had dressed her in the Dungeon. Feeling along the pegasus’s body she could feel all the diamonds and the knots, all the intricate and perfectly placed rope work he was wearing. “Nice ropes, Tinkerer.” Wildfire smiled as her hoof strayed around his tail where a strategically placed knot was lurking.

“Thank you,” The Stallion Island native replied, “You’re looking mighty fine all trussed up, too.”

Airmail returned from the kitchen to catch the tail end of the conversation with a tray of dinks balanced on her back. “Moonrise for you, Wily,” she said, passing out the glass to the blind mare, who took it carefully in her hoof. “Mapper is talking to Caffy.”

“The ropes are lovely, aren’t they?” Wildfire asked with a little faint blush colouring her yellow cheeks. “Do you like the ropes being twisted too?”

Tinkerer softly snickered and then from behind with no warning, Belle did just that, lighting her horn with a dark blue glow as she seized the ropes running down her husband’s back and twisted them. “OooOOH, yeeeeeaaaaah…” he gasped, catching his breath with his tongue almost hanging out of his open mouth, owing to the sweet pain from the tightened ropes digging into his skin and the knots digging into his sheath and tail-hole.

“I guess you do,” Wildfire giggled, taking a little sip of her cocktail.

“Let’s leave those two to play.” Said Airmail as she rested her drink back on the tray she was carrying on her back.

Tempest looped the reins over her wing and moved ahead of Wildfire, steering her around the long buffet table to where Recital and Trumpet were standing together, drinks held in both their magical auras. Standing aside Recital allowed herself to be felt by Wildfire’s hooves while all the time Tempest was at her ear, filling in details she couldn’t feel, such as Recital’s pale blue coat and her dark blue mane.

Next she moved on to Trumpet, the dark red stallion was still wearing his hoof-cuffs from the Dungeon, though the blindfold covering his golden brown eyes had been removed.

Wildfire took her drink in her left forehoof, deep in thought as she took a sip of the Moonrise. “Lots of ponies here like being tied up, don’t they?” She asked nopony in particular, more thinking out loud than actually asking.

“It is a big part of what brings us all together.” Tempest said with a smile.

“Yes,” Airmail agreed, “We’re a family, of sorts.” The azure blue mare took her own drink in her hoof as Tempest led Wildfire almost around the buffet table to where they had started. “Wily, Requiem and Longshore are next, two earth ponies and neither are bound.”

Seeing the three pegasi approaching, Requiem set down her glass on the table. “Well, somepony needs to house sit while the rest of you play.” The painted native of Manehatten’s Brooks said by way of a greeting, brushing her red and blue mane out of her turquoise eyes.

“I’m pleased to meet you both,” Wildfire said as she held out her hoof, which the earth ponies promptly bumped. “You don’t play then?” She asked curiously.

“We watch,” Longshore smiled, the black stallion nodded in appreciation to Airmail and to Tempest. “Like your performance in the back yard earlier this afternoon.”

Draining her glass, Wildfire felt for the tray that Airmail was carrying and set it back down. ‘Longshore sounds nice,’ she thought to herself. ‘Well, they all sound nice…especially Requiem. I like her,’ though Wildfire did detect a subtle variance on her Manehatten accent that was different to Tempest’s. “I do hope it was one worth watching, Longshore.”

“I'm always open to new idea and techniques.” Longshore said, earning himself a giggle from Requiem.

“Hello, Junior Pet.” Serenity’s soft melodic voice sounded from Wildfire’s right as the teal unicorn walked up and laid a very gentle kiss upon her cheek.

Turning her head to her right, Wildfire followed Serenity’s scent and sought out her muzzle, returning the kiss with one of her own and only pulling away once she needed air to breathe. “Hi, Senior Pet, you having fun?”

Serenity smiled warmly, a smile Wildfire could almost hear in her voice, “I am now that you are a part of us. Thank you, for forgiving my Mistress.”

“I'm glad I'm part of us too,” Wildfire giggled behind her hoof. “It was no trouble really, forgiving her. Ultimately it wasn’t her fault.

“We are all responsible for our own actions.” Serenity affirmed, that smile still present in her melodic voice as she wrapped her teal forelegs around Wildfire’s neck and pulled her into a tight hug. “She knows this, and you've learned this too, I think?” Serenity asked kindly, before once again kissing her lips. “Welcome home.”

Wildfire smiled under the assault of all the kisses. “I have, the lesson was a little harsh, but I'm glad I learnt it, Serenity.” She replied, leaning into the hug and returning the kiss with one of her own.

“The colts are downstairs and Lavender and Topper are upstairs enjoying some private time.” Airmail said, taking a long drink of her beer, “The rest are in the kitchen.”

“Teehee,” Wildfire giggled behind her hoof, “With any luck Dusk is getting plowed all the way back to Canterlot.”

From over the dining room, standing next to his wife, Trumpet called over with a wide grin on his muzzle, “So Wildfire, you want to join the pool on which one is plowing him?”

Next to her husband, Recital sniggered, “To play fair odds are Omega and Sonic. The other two are very low percentage, but high odds.”

“Well…” Wildfire cocked her head as she mulled over the possibilities, “My bits are on them taking turns, with Omega going first!” She exclaimed confidently.

“Check,” Trumpet smiled, levitating out a little notepad and pencil and noting down Wildfire’s bet next to her name. “You are down for Omega.”

“I’ll go for Sunny,” Tempest placed her bet, “He is due.”

“Put me down for Sonic, please Trumpet.” Airmail snickered, “No doubt he swears by his mom.”

Now Wildfire couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “I have to say that’s weird, getting rutted and having somepony shouting your mom's name during the act, I mean it would certainly put me off my stride if Airmail shouted out ‘Silverbolt'.”

“Serenity?” Tempest asked curiously, wondering who the teal mare would bet on.

“Sonic,” Serenity replied, “If the Mistress allows it.”

Wildfire sniggered as a thought occurred to her, “Y’know, a better bet would be if he can still walk afterwards.”

“Hey, Trumpet,” Airmail said, sniggering as she tried to swallow her mouthful of beer, “Has Luna placed a bet?”

“She went for none of the above,” Tinkerer supplied, “She also said they would need a surgeon to remove that stick up his ass first.”

Longshore laughed, “She also hopes to lose.”

~ ~ ~

Down in the Stallion’s Room, Dusk Melody was very glad they’d agreed on ‘low stakes’ for the poker game. They’d been playing five card draw for roughly an hour now, and Dusk was busy losing his ass. Fifteen games played and fifteen bits lost, some to Sonic but mostly to Trails. He was quite sure had they been playing for something more serious that the pink earth pony would own Canterlot Palace by now.

As Dusk was about to lose his sixteenth bit in a row, an unseen saviour came to his rescue when there came a few short sharp taps at the wooden door. “It's open.” Sonic called, laying down his straight flush and earning several groans from the other stallions arrayed around the coffee table.

The wooden door to the Stallion’s Room opened to reveal Longshore standing with a wry smile that easily reached his brown eyes as he saw the cards and the large – ish – pile of bits in front of Sonic and Trails. ‘Pair of hustlers,’ Longshore thought to himself, but instead said, “We’re going to play charades and thought you all might want to join in.”

“Everypony else up there, Longshore?” Asked Sonic as the purple earth pony stallion swept his winnings into his saddlebag resting by the nearest leg of the coffee table.

“All but Lavender and Topper.” The jet black earth pony stallion replied from the open doorway. “They're on the top floor having some quiet time alone.”

Trails opened his saddlebag to accept his pile of bits, then he turned to face the white maned stallion. “Is Lavender still in her suit, ‘Shore?”

Longshore nodded, “As I said, it’s still quiet time, so I'd think so yes.” The earth pony stallion smiled over at Sonic first then at Dusk, who was still glad to just be lighter by fifteen bits. “Something else to consider too,” he said, “We'll all vote next month, but the mares club is now unofficially a herd of five.”

Dusk sighed happily, “I’m glad Wily's okay, I was getting worried about her.”

“She's making the rounds upstairs doing intros.” Longshore explained to Dusk with a sniggering grin, “She does have a soft touch with that hoof of hers,” then he laughed out loud, “But Mapper might disagree with that.” He laughed, recalling the almighty left cross that Wildfire had delivered to Mapper’s right cheek.

“She slugged her?” Dusk whistled appreciatively, “Shame I missed that.”

“Oh yeah,” Longshore chuckled, “She got her good. They kissed and made up afterwards, but Mapper is milking it with an ice pack.”

“So what were the odds?” Sonic asked, genuinely curious as he slipped off of his seating pad with a justly satisfied smile plastered all over his purple muzzle.

“Ah,” Longshore shifted uncomfortably, “Can't we wait for that till we're all upstairs?” He asked, rather thankful his blush couldn’t be seen against his jet black fur, turning to leave the doorway and to make room for the other five stallions. “My money was on you Sonic, by the way. See you all upstairs.”

“Sonic?” Dusk asked with a raised eyebrow as the young Prince stood up from his own pad.

Sonic smiled, “Those ponies will bet on anything that goes on in this house.” He grinned, patting Dusk on the back with a purple forehoof, “We'll get the odds upstairs before we tell who the winner is.”

Sonic then left the Stallion’s Room, followed quickly by Trails, Sunshine and Omega who bought up the rear, undisguisedly checking out the flanks of every stallion that walked past. “Do hurry old chap,” The eggshell white unicorn said to the pegasus, who was similarly enjoying the view, “Can't leave an audience hanging, can we?”

Hurrying to catch up, Dusk noted that Sonic and Trails were already half way up the stairs to the ranch’s main floor and, not wanting to miss anything, flapped his powerful wings and made it up with the rest of the group of stallions, only to be greeted by a thunderous wall of clapping and stomping of hooves upon their arrival at the large expansive dining room.

“Odds first!” Sonic called out impatiently to the crowd of applauding ponies.

Consulting a little notepad he held in his jet black hoof, Longshore replied, “Sonic you were two to one, Omega was evens, um…tapped twice was thirty to one, Sunny and Trails were each a hundred to one, and not tapped at all had one taker at a thousand to one.”

Virtually glowing with pride at all job – or Prince, in this case – well done, Sonic nudged Dusk towards his mother.

With a Moonrise Sonata held in her glowing turquoise magical field Princess Luna laid across two seating pads pressed together to accommodate her larger size, an amused smirk all over her midnight blue muzzle. “Well, Dusk, I assume Sonic won?”

Almost able to fly, Sonic performed a little low bow before the Princess of the Night that had his blue mane touching the carpeted floor, and rose up making sure to slap Dusk playfully on the ass with his hoof. “By Octavia's womb you have a fine stallion here!” He exclaimed while Longshore made a brief round of the assembled herd, pausing to pay out a few bits to some of the crowd.

“Not that it’s your business Mom,” Dusk grinned, wiggling his slightly sore ass at Sonic’s slap, “But I rather think I won in the end.” Then, mischievously he added as he saw his mom bring her glass to her lips, “Twice.”

Spluttering, Luna just about managed to swallow the mouthful of the cocktail she held in her mouth as she held up her forehoof to stall her son. “T-Too…too much information, Dusk, I'm just glad you can still walk.” She gasped, holding a hoof to her chest.

“Now I feel insulted that he's walking!” Sonic grumbled aloud, earning himself a general laugh from the crowd. “Although,” the purple earth pony smiled as he parted the fur over Dusks’ flanks to show the results of Sunshine’s many hoof-slaps, “Not for lack of trying.”

“That's true!” Dusk smiled, “You’ll just have to try harder next time.” He turned his head over his shoulder and gave Sonic a seductive wink.

Safely draining her drink, Luna laughed, “You’re more than welcome to take him back downstairs.”

“By Luna's cutie mark I've been put to shame!” Sonic raised his forehoof to his forehead in a feigned swoon. “Well, if her Highness doesn't require a walking stallion, we can see what can be done to rectify matters.” He gave Luna a meaningful wink of his grey eyes.

Catching Sonic’s meaning Luna gave the slightest nod of head by way of reply. “He doesn’t need to walk, as long as he can still fly reasonably straight.”

“Well, he definitely isn't straight,” Omega chuckled, playfully slapping Dusk’s other cheek. “And, define 'reasonable’, Luna?”

The lunar alicorn shifted on her seating pads with a sly grin on her muzzle, “Well Omega, a sonic rainboom into a building tends to make a mess you know.” She sniggered behind her hoof.

“Mom!” Dusk stomped his hoof indignantly, “That was one time!”

“Are we playing charades or going back down stairs to finish business?” Sonic asked over the peals of general laughter from the others.

“Well,” Dusk said, shooting his mother a ‘look’, “If Mom has quite finished bartering away my next screw, I'd happily go back downstairs.” Then, to the group as a whole he said loudly, “Watch her, she cheats at charades.” He smiled as Luna raised a hoof and pointed to herself mouthing ‘who, me?’

“You could always put on a show in the back yard,” Airmail offered from her position to Wildfire’s left near the almost empty buffet table.

“I'll go make some more popcorn,” Caffeinated sighed as he stood up.

“Back yard huh?” Dusk grinned, shaking his bruised ass playfully at Sonic. “I'm up for it, are you?”

Already Sonic felt his mottled dark purple sheath as Dusk presented himself, “It’s too bad we don't sell tickets, but if your mom will watch I know I'm up for a show that will bring the house down.” The earth pony stallion chuckled before turning to the large orange zebra. “Standard policy Caffy?”

Caffeinated nodded, “Yes, no reason to change. I'll let Luna know.” To the unicorns amongst the group the zebra asked, “Mapper, Serenity, could you please move the bar up to the balcony? Recital, Trumpet if you could move the food?” While the four unicorns got busy with their tasks, the orange zebra moved over to the lunar alicorn. “They won't back down from a challenge, and I do have good security, but that is from the outside.” He explained respectfully, “The standard policy here is no recording sound or video at all of what happens, but if you want to be an exception to that, we can talk.”

“There’s no need Caffienated.” Luna replied, extremely mindful of this group’s established rules and policies she tapped her horn with a smile. “I can make him cringe later.”

“I'm sure you could.” Caffeinated chuckled as Longshore came up beside him and asked quietly, “Four or five? The group all agrees to five.” The orange zebra nodded ‘five’ and looked back at Luna, “Number of taps,” he explained without the slightest hint of a blush or apology. “Not to be disrespectful, Luna, but are you up to this?”

Luna in turn smiled, grateful that her host had the foresight to ask – while she was by nature more easy going than her sister, she appreciated the courtesy Caffeinated had extended to her. “Of course, Caffy!” She exclaimed as she stood to her hooves. “I say five, too.”

“You sure about this, flyboy?” Sonic asked Dusk as the group began to move to the balcony upstairs, although Belle ducked into a room instead. “No performance anxiety?”

“As if!” Dusk replied, turning to leave through the back doors to the outdoor patio area with Sonic almost protectively at his side.

“I was the victim of the last show,” Sonic said as he put his foreleg around the young Prince’s shoulder to steer them both outside to where Omega, Sunshine and Trails were waiting for them. “And that was just three versus me and I promise you I wasn't walking anywhere.”

Emerging on to the paved patio, now well-lit by the surrounding floodlights, Dusk gave a cheeky flap of his wings. “I don’t need to walk, earth boy.”

At that, Omega snickered, “I pity the ones you fly over.” The eggshell white unicorn chuckled as the five stallions made their way out past the part of the paving that Dusk had cracked earlier in the day to stand on the decking by the pool.

“Serenity!” Sonic called up to the teal unicorn stood by the carefully repositioned bar on the balcony. “Be a love and float down some liquid stamina. Best make one for flyboy too, Omega has been a right mother hen.”

“He has that,” Dusk commented with a giggle as Omega rolled his eyes and gave a loud tut, which was interrupted by five freshly prepped and mixed Moonlight Sonatas that Serenity obligingly sent down moments later in her glowing hazel aura. “Somepony has to be the adult here,” he pouted.

Reaching up a forehoof Dusk took hold of his drink, “And you do it so beautifully,” he teased with a wink towards the unicorn stallion.

On the balcony above them, Caffeinated reappeared with a large tray of popcorn held in his mouth, which he rested on the desert table while Serenity took various drink orders from the crowd. “Any words of encouragement to start them off Luna?” Caffeinated asked the Princess.

Luna stepped forward to the safety railing of the balcony and reared up to place her forehooves upon it as Belle, now with Lavender and Topper, re-joined the group and took up prime viewing positions. “Only that I'll be disappointed if Dusk can still fly.” She replied to the orange zebra, before turning to the stallions arranged below her. “Wear him out boys!” She called out in a tone approaching the Royal Canterlot Voice.

On the decking below the balcony the five assembled stallions offered a low respectful bow to Princess Luna as well as the other herd-mates that were lined up to watch the coming show, a bow which was returned by a gentle nod from Luna. Standing to his hooves, Sonic turned to his partner with a grin on his face. “Trails love, you're up first.”

Downing his drink in one gulp the pink stallion took a step towards the young Prince and planted a tender kiss on Dusk’s lips, pulling away a moment later just long enough for Dusk to drain his glass in turn.

Casting a glance up at the balcony Dusk shot his mother a wink. “Enjoy the show, Mom.” He quickly finished his Sonata and as soon as the liquid hit his throat he went back to the kiss with Trails.

Up above, Mapper sidled over to Luna and rearing up onto the railing, laid her head on the Princesses shoulder. “Hmm…maybe he isn't a total loss after all.” She commented quietly, earning herself a wry smile from the alicorn.

Down on the decking, Trails had broken from the kiss, finally, and began to move down the pegasus’s neck, planting little kisses as he went down to Dusk’s collar bone. The instant the pink stallion moved he was replaced by Sunshine, the cream earth pony kissing Dusk’s lips as Trails started to work his way along his right side and under the wing delivering gentle nibbles to the underside of the wing joint.

Dusk draped his forelegs around Sunshine’s neck, pulling the earth pony stallion deeper into the kiss, nibbling his lower lip, though when Trails went further along his flank to start gently massaging and kissing his cutie mark, Dusk gave an involuntary shiver as he began to emerge from his sheath. “Ah…aaah, Trails that's awesome...” he moaned aloud when Sunshine broke the kiss only to be replaced straightaway by Omega as he worked his way down the left side of Dusk’s neck. At the Prince’s rear now, Trails moved to his dark grey tail and snuffled under the dock, licking and kissing just above his anus. Sunshine meanwhile continued to the left wing joint and then on to his full moon cutie mark.

“Y-Your turn, huh?” Dusk gasped as he immediately kissed Omega’s eggshell white lips, his powerful wings fluttering to stand semi erect at the attention he was receiving. Feeling a pair of questing lips kissing around the ring of muscle that was his tail-hole Dusk flicked his tail up and aside to allow Trails access.

After reaching Dusk’s left cutie mark Sunshine rolled onto his back, fully displaying himself to the watching crowd above and slid himself under Dusk’s barrel and started to deliver long slow loving licks of his long muscular tongue to the Prince’s heavy swinging balls and his sheath, as well as the length of his cock that had emerged, the attention only serving to bring out more of the pegasus’s member.

Taking Sunshine’s manoeuvre as his cue, Trails pulled back and, wetting his tongue with saliva made sure Dusk’s sphincter was as well lubricated as he could manage then when he was satisfied the pink stallion reared up to his hind hooves and without any preamble he penetrated Dusk's anal cavity in one smooth thrust of his hips as his forehooves rested on the Prince’s shoulders.

“AAaaAAH!” Dusk gasped at the sudden firm penetration from Trails as Omega broke the kiss, only to be replaced immediately by Sonic roughly pressing his purple lips to Dusk’s own while Omega started to kiss and nip his way down his neck. “Ah…sweet Goddesses!” He moaned, though his moan was somewhat muffled by Sonic’s mouth, he staggered slightly at the sheer length and girth invading his slick hole with its firm thrusts before planting his forehooves into the decking and pushing back onto Trails, getting more of the pink stallion inside him. “H-Hmm…aah, Sunny you're good,” Dusk whimpered as his length became very firmly erect.

Watching from the balcony Luna wore a faint blush on her midnight blue cheeks. ‘Oh my, he has gotten better…’ she thought, while Mapper stood next to her, intently watching the performance while down the line from Princess, Lavender – out of her isolation suit - was fixated on the unfolding scene while next to her Topper had his forehoof rubbing away under her flagging tail. Further along to their left, Airmail and Tempest were busy nuzzling Wildfire, paying more attention to her than the stallions below while Serenity was playing host. To Luna’s right, Caffeinated and Thespian were nuzzling each other, both watching. Baron and Snowfall were watching as well but the pure white mare had her forehoof under Baron, stroking away at her husband’s sheath. Next to them, Belle was preening Tinkerer’s wings while they both watched, and finally Recital had a hoof buried under Trumpet and Requiem and Longshore were busy swapping spit.

Enjoying the nuzzles from Airmail and Tempest, Wildfire nuzzled and kissed them both in return, her wings spread wide and erect. Over in the centre of the line, Luna’s turquoise eyes were riveted to the show, a forehoof straying unbidden to her glistening marehood. ‘Good boy, very good boy,’ she thought to herself as the toe of her hoof found her clit and made her hind legs tremble.

Behind Dusk, and mounted to the hilt of his stallionhood, Trails was thrusting his mottled pink cock in and out of the Prince’s rectum fast and hard. For leverage the earth pony dug both of his forehooves into the leading edges of his wing joints and roughly pulled back. In a deep kiss, Sonic pushed Dusk’s head back, allowing Trails to reach and grab his mane in his teeth.

“Nggh!” Dusk gasped, the force of Trails’s pull enough to break the kiss with Sonic, “Ahh…ah, c-c'mon Trails, buck it like you mean it!” He moaned and, almost on order, Trails began to thrust himself ever harder into Dusk’s stretched tail-hole as Omega moved to the Prince’s wing and started a slow sensuous preen of his primary feathers.

“Ooh…hmm yeeeeah…” Dusk’s blissful moan was cut off by Sonic’s kiss as he fully extended his wings, allowing Omega access to every nook and cranny of his midnight blue feathers, while underneath him, Sunshine – who admittedly wasn’t as good as Trails – still did a respectable job on the pegasus’s shaft, running his muscular tongue over every inch of his throbbing cock as Trails increased his pace, now almost a pink blur as he rapidly slammed in and out of his rectum.

Inside Sunshine’s mouth, Dusk’s smaller cock twitched and throbbed under the cream stallion’s efforts. Panting hard, on the verge of his climax, he mashed his lips to Sonic’s in a hard passionate kiss while behind him, Trails’s thrusts became erratic as he knew he wasn't going to last much longer hilted as he was in the Prince’s asshole. “Ngh…ah…aaah, N-Now, Omega!” Smiling a sly smile, the eggshell white unicorn waiting until Trails hilted inside the pegasus one last time, then Omega lit his horn and the butterflies on Dusk’s wings took effect as Trails emptied his load deep inside his anal cavity.

“AaaAAH! S-Sweet mother!” Dusk screamed into Sonic’s mouth as the butterfly effect from Omega sent him over his edge and he came with a weak thrust into Sunshine’s mouth. “O-Omega...that's still...cheating…” he gasped, a little out of breath as he slumped a little.

After a few seconds, Trails pulled himself out of Dusk’s ass and, getting to the decking, rolled to his back so he could take over for Sunshine while the cream stallion – now fully erect with a very impressive boner - surged to his hooves. Wasting absolutely no time at all, the earth pony reared up and mounted the pegasus. “Oh, oh Luna that is tight!” He groaned appreciatively as he thrust his large cock up Dusk’s well-lubed ass while Omega quickly moved to his other wing to again begin a slow preen of his primaries there.

“You can't cheat in love.” Sonic smiled, once more leaning in to kiss Dusk’s lips.

“Aaah…Mmmm!” On the balcony Luna bit her lip hard as she reached her own shuddering climax, her back arching into the railing while out of the corner of her turquoise eyes she saw that Topper had mounted Lavender, the tan earth pony mare also propped up on the railing. Further along the balcony, Airmail was sat in front of Wildfire while Tempest was behind the yellow pegasus, both mares were pretty free with their choice hoof locations, causing the smaller mare to tilt her head back and let out a blissful moan.

Under the intrusion of Sunshine’s frankly massive member – both in terms of girth and length he literally dwarfed Dusk – he grunted, struggling to accommodate the sheer size as he planted his forehooves on the decking and in time with the earth pony’s thrusts pushed back as hard as he could. “D-Don’t b-be gentle now, Sunny.”

Pulling his muzzle from Dusk’s wing, Omega laughed out loud. “You heard the lad, Sunny! This isn't some soft unicorn tushie, give it to him!”

Watching, Luna dipped the toe of her hoof into her marehood while furiously rubbing away at her nipples with the other as she supported herself with her erect wings.

“Hmm…ooooh…” Wildfire groaned, in a world of bliss as her lovers delicate hooves found their way all over her little body, particularly under her tail and around her breasts. In turn she caressed the primary feathers of Airmail's right wing with a soft hoof.

With his cream hooves hooked around Dusk’s shoulders and his dark grey mane held firmly in his mouth, Sunshine hasted to obey his Master, and Dusk could feel his firm strong powerful earth pony body along the top of his as he picked up speed once had opened enough to take his considerable size. In a world of pleasure, Dusk clenched the muscles in his ass around Sunshine's huge cock, making it really tight for him. “YeeEES! Just like that, Sunny!”

“Uh…aaah…t-this feels like virgin ass!” Sunshine managed to mumble around Dusk’s mane as he pounded away, easily pulling out past his medial ring only to thrust back in hard and fast.

Dusk gave a little snigger, knowing his little trick had worked, he settled in to enjoy the hard rough ride that Sunshine delivered, and though he was thrusting away into Dusk’s anus like a pony possessed, Sunshine certainly had a great deal of stamina, so Omega was actually able to reach his secondary feathers before the cream stallion called out with an erratic hilting thrust, “Now Omega!”

“Holy bucking LUUNAAAA!” Dusk threw his head back from Sonic’s kiss and screamed long and loud as once again Omega sent the magical butterfly’s over Dusk’s wings, sonically vibrating every single feather from their roots to their tips. “I-I'll ne...ver get used…to that…” he gasped, struggling for breath as he emptied his balls into Trails’s mouth at the same time as Sunshine emptied his load into the Prince’s used asshole, so much so that he was dribbling hot sticky cum out of his stretched hole.

The leaking semen proved to be more than enough lube for Omega, as he moved behind Dusk to mount and enter him next. Moving down, Sunshine rolls under the two stallions and began licking at the pegasus’s swinging balls, while at the same time feeding off the drippings that splurged out all the more once Omega rammed his iron hard cock deep inside his stretched and used anus. As soon as Omega was in tight, Sunshine's skilful tongue moved over to lick his balls too. Underneath the well rutted Prince, Trails was working his mouth along his shaft, determined to get him hard again to see how much more juice he could squeeze out of him while Sonic kept kissing him, happy to watch Dusk’s half-lidded expressions, in particular the rolling his pink eyes made as he got more and more lost in the sensations of Omega filling up his ass.

Up on the balcony Mapper was still watching the unfolding scene while Serenity had abandoned her hostess duties and was buried muzzle deep under her light brown tail, using her mouth to pleasure her Mistress. Trumpet meanwhile had mounted Recital and Longshore had mounted Requiem. On the other side, Snowfall was knelt underneath Baron using her mouth, and Caffeinated and Thespian were still openly watching and touching each other.

Pulling away from her kiss, Airmail paused just briefly in her teasing of Wildfire’s rock hard nipples. “Hmm…Wily, I want to taste you.” She whispered seductively in her ear.

“Mmm…” Wildfire almost purred, so aroused was she by the dual ministrations from her lovers, “Go right ahead, Pretty!” She exclaimed with a smile as Airmail, wasting no time, moved in behind Wildfire and underneath her flagging tail while Tempest withdrew her hoof from the yellow mare’s crotch and slid around to her front to take over the kissing and the nuzzling.

Having given herself two climaxes, Luna glanced over to where Tempest was nuzzling Wildfire and, with a smile, she moved over to the violet pegasus and bent her neck to very gently kiss her wing.

“Oooh…” Curious to see just whom had kissed her left wing, Tempest turned her head and looked over her shoulder. “We are a herd and I say yes.” She offered Luna a smile and a seductive wink before going back to passionately kissing Wildfire’s lips.

“Thank you, Tempest.” Luna returned the pegasus’s smile as she took the largest of the primary feathers in her mouth and beginning her slow sensual preen.

“Ugh…aah…c-c'mon Omega, b-buck me!” Dusk pleaded desperately, both of his powerful wings now so very erect they were starting to hurt, then he sighed blissfully as the unicorn began to thrust himself into the Prince’s ass.

“It is cuter when you swear by your own Mom.” Sonic smiled as he broke the kiss to allow Dusk to breathe.

Between Omega’s harsh rough thrusts, Dusk barely managed a shaky smile up at Sonic. “Nggh…Mmm, Luna's ass that's gooood!”

“Don’t tempt me flyboy,” Sonic grinned, “That can't end well.” Snickering the purple stallion went back to dominating Dusk’s mouth while under him, Trails had succeeded in getting the Prince hard once more.

With considerable ease, thanks to the two full loads that had already been dumped in the Prince’s rectum, Omega slid his thick hard cock in and out of Dusk’s slimy hole. “Mmm, S-Sunny, lend a hoof please.” He grunted, his hard thrusts becoming erratic as he neared his peak.

“You AaaaAH…you w-wanna Mmmm, spank this, Sunny?” Dusk moaned amidst Omega’s hard thrusts and Trails’s expert tongue. “Oooh, d-do it, do it hard! Nggh! Omega...harder!”

Immediately Sunshine rolled out from underneath Dusk and moved up to drape himself over Omega's back so that both of his forehooves were free and he started to spank the Prince soundly, as he had down in the Stallion’s Room. The sound of each hard slap easily carrying up to the balcony above.

“Buck yeah, give it to him Sunny!” Mapper shouted her encouragement as she looked down, immensely impressed both with Sunshine’s spanking and with what the ‘fool’ could endure. She decided to stand by her statement to Luna, that Dusk wasn’t that bad, after all. Almost as if on cue beneath her, Serenity was now horning her Mistresses glistening wet slit. Meanwhile Caffeinated had begun to mount Thespian and Baron did the same to Snowfall while Lavender and Topper were now laying in each other's hooves, the show below forgotten.

“Aah…AAAH!” Dusk screamed with each stiff impact of the cream stallion’s hooves upon his flank, some of the strikes catching the already existing welts, sending wonderful jolts of pain flourishing through his hind quarters. “Ah…AAH…d-damn Sunny, that's sooo good!”

Omega’s thrusts became erratic, his cock jerking inside Dusk’s anal cavity as he hilted in the pegasus one last time, though luckily – for the Prince anyway – he couldn't use his magic when he was cumming. “Switch!” He said simply as his cock erupted rope after rope of his semen deep into Dusk’s bowels to empty his load into him.

Sonic finally let go of the long held kiss. “My turn now, love.” The purple earth pony stallion whispered with a half-lidded glance into Dusk’s pink eyes.

Beneath both Omega and Sunshine, Dusk’s slender frame convulsed and jerked as he came again, messily shooting his hot sticky cum straight down Trails’s warm throat. “Ah…aah…at least...I was spared...the damn butterflies, this time…” he gasped for air, his hooves only just managing to support him under the weight of the unremitting assault.

Sonic grinned a wry grin, “Love, we have only just started.” He said, letting the statement linger in the air as Omega pulled out of Dusk’s ass and Sunshine climbed down from his Master’s back.

Quickly, Omega moved to the front to take over the kiss that Sonic had abandoned. “At least you'll see my horn light up this time.” Omega said with a wink.

Making his way back around to Dusk’s stretched and cutely gaping asshole, Sonic reared up over the Prince’s back, his iron-hard cock entering his battered hole with ease. While the purple stallion was a bit thicker than Omega, this extra girth proved no obstacle as Dusk was slick from the mixture of the three loads that had been dumped in his anus. As the sheer brute force of Sonic’s entry forced some out to leak down Dusk’s inner thighs, Sunshine moved onto Sonic's back to resume his stiff spanking of his ass cheeks.

“YeeeAAAH!” Dusk moaned happily, the thrusting, the spanking as well as Trails’s constant attention on his own painfully hard cock sending sweet endorphins through his system. “S-Slick...enough for you?” He gasped, shuddering under Sunshine's well-placed hoof strikes. “Aaah…s-spank me...like I owe...you money!”

By way of response Sunshine merely laughed, raining blow after blow down on Dusk’s flanks, which were now glowing an angry red from the many impacts, which had Mapper above cheering and moaning all at the same time.

Beneath Sonic’s relentless thrusts Dusk grunted and winced with the sheer amount of pain, “Ugh…ah, m-maybe, maybe...I don’t owe you that much,”

Catching Dusk’s meaning at once, Sunshine slightly reduced the force of his strikes, reigning in his natural earth pony strength while in contrast Sonic piled on the force, not letting up for an instant as he rutted the Prince’s ass. “Heh, hey, I think that is a red moon on your cutie mark!” He taunted between huffs for breath.

Up on the balcony, the couples were now lying down cuddling with each other and watching the shows end having satisfied themselves. Mapper though was still standing but leaning heavily on the railing, a very impressed smile on her muzzle, though she was loath to admit it to anypony, she was actually pleased her earlier assessment of Dusk had proved at least a little false. Not paying any attention whatever to the show, Airmail had her tongue buried deep inside Wildfire’s marehood, working hard to get the yellow mare to collapse, which given her panting and her unsteady stumbles, her collapse wasn’t far away from happening. Luna meanwhile was making Tempest shiver uncontrollably as she kissed between her violet wings.

“Nggh…I, aaaah…I always OOOOOW, liked red!” Dusk’s moans and grunts of pleasure almost became screams under the constant spanking and the unremitting rutting, leant forward to kiss Omega.

After roughly ten minutes of rutting Dusk’s asshole raw, Sonic gave a series of loud grunts as his last few thrusts became very erratic, a sign he was nearing his climax. “Omega, light him up.” He said simply and as he thrust hard to hilt himself inside the Prince’s butt one last time the eggshell white unicorn’s horn lit up again, delivering the oh so sweet butterfly effect to Dusk’s wings while Sonic roughly dumped his seed deep inside his bowels.

“Sweet Tiiia's tits!” Dusk cried out as he stumbled to the decking below him, unable to stand anymore as his shaking hooves and sonically vibrated wings were wholly incapable of supporting his weight anymore, he just lay there panting happily at the poolside.

Mapper, watching intently, smiled an even bigger smile than before as she knew from the previous play that had left Sonic unable to walk for a number of hours what was coming next. “Princess!” She called without looking away from the scene for an instant, “This you'll want to see.”

Hearing Mapper’s voice, Luna turned her attention away from Tempest’s wings to follow the pink mare’s hoof as she pointed to the show.

Standing from Sonic’s back, Sunshine moved to Dusk’s left side while the purple earth pony stallion finally dismounted, a little river of white gooey cum leaking from the Prince’s gaping hole as he did so and he moved to his right side. Underneath him, Trails rolled out and moved up to where Omega was standing. “My turn again.” Trails whispered and the pink stallion once more took up kissing Dusk’s lips as Omega moved away out of his line of sight. “Have a taste of yourself, Dusky,” he smiled as he slid his tongue into the pegasus’s mouth.

From their flanking positions either side of Dusk, Sunshine and Sonic both brought a foreleg up from behind and over his powerful midnight blue wings and down his shoulders, holding him gently but firmly. Looking at Omega, he and Sonic shared a ‘look’. “Horn him.” Sonic said simply.

Dusk, who was busy deeply Prench kissing Trails and tasting his own cum in the process, was utterly unprepared for what happened next. He had – vaguely – heard Sonic say ‘Horn him’, but he paid it no mind until Omega inserted his eggshell white horn into his well-used asshole.

Dusk shrugged, he thought he was just going to get horned. Nothing special, right?

Dusk was wrong.

Dusk was very, very wrong.

Held upright thanks to Sonic and Sunshine, Dusk felt the tip of Omega’s horn enter his wide open hole. He felt the smooth cartilage rub against the well-worn walls of his anus, he felt every spiral ridge as it got thicker and thicker the more it entered him, and he offered silent thanks he was so well lubricated. Just when Dusk expected the unicorn to withdraw so far and then thrust back inside him, instead Omega pressed ever onwards, inserting more of his horn.

Five seconds later and Dusk was feeling uncomfortably full, but still Omega didn’t stop. “Nggh…aaahn…” he moaned, on the verge of protesting, to get them to stop, when he felt the very tip of the stallion’s horn touch his prostate. Reflexively he froze, and then, then he felt a tingling sensation pulse through his bowels and his lower abdomen as Omega powered up his spell.

A split second later, Dusk’s universe erupted as he felt a force fill him with powerful pulsing waves. Another millisecond and he realised the butterflies were not on his wings. They were pulsing with a rapidly increasing frequency inside him.

Then the magical pulses began to coalesce upon each other, building on each other and increasing the next wave’s intensity until…

“LUUNAAAA!” Dusk’s back arched severely as the waves reached their crescendo and his pink eyes rolled back in his head, his four legs and wings going into spasms as every single nerve in his body was lit up with overwhelming pleasure. Held up in Sonic and Sunshine’s legs his body danced and jerked as he orgasmed once, twice, three times under Omega’s onslaught and he experienced the most powerful climaxes of his life. Ever. His world went a bright white as his overloaded brain short circuited and he slumped, useless and unconscious, in the stallion’s legs.

Only when he was sure Dusk had collapsed, when he saw he was drooling senselessly, did Omega cancel his spell. The eggshell white unicorn slowly, very carefully, pulled his horn out of Dusk’s contracting anus. Once he was clear, Sonic and Sunshine gently lowered the pegasus to the decking as Trails stole one last kiss. Looking up at the balcony the unicorn smiled and gave a low bow, as did the other three stallions. “I can find you a bassinette to carry him home.” He called up to the lunar alicorn.

For a few brief seconds Luna just stood stock still propped up on the railing, her jaw hanging open at what she’d witnessed. ‘Hottest. Thing. Ever!’ She thought to herself.

Mapper sidled over and gave the stunned Princess a gentle nuzzle. “I still haven't figured out that trick.” She commented with a smile.

“I can come close,” Belle said from behind her husband, “But nothing like Omega.”

“Yeah,” Tinkerer nodded, “That butterfly effect…” he didn’t finish his sentence, his forest green wings just shot out fully erect with an audible *Poomf!*

‘I must get him to show me that,’ Luna said to herself, making a mental note to do so as she returned the bow to the four stallions below her on the decking. “I'd appreciate it, Omega.” She said finally finding her voice, “Thank you.” She sniggered at the state of her son, happy they had taken her request to ‘wear him out’ to heart.

“Serenity!” Sonic called up, “Good time to show off for Mapper, can you bring lover boy here up there with you?”

Nodding, the teal unicorn lit her horn and, surrounding Dusk in her glowing hazel aura, lifted the unconscious pegasus easily up to the balcony, even going so far as to put his wings back into a resting position.

Omega shared a ‘look’ with Sonic, Trails and Sunshine before calling back up to the balcony. “We're all going to hit the showers. If you'd be so kind as to help, Belle?”

Smiling, Belle gave Tinkerer a tender kiss. “Be right down, Omega!”

“Thank you, Serenity,” Luna smiled as her son was levitated over the railing and into the ranches upper storey. “Would you be so kind as to put him on the couch?” She asked with a ghost of a smirk on her muzzle.

“Yes Mistress Luna,” Serenity nodded, moving Dusk over to a nearby couch. “Recital,” she said with a brief pause, “A blanket please, he's leaking.” She said with a tiny amount of distaste as little drips of white seeped from his ass.

Quickly Recital found an old blanket, and she used her emerald green magic to cover the couch and then Serenity very gently set the Prince down upon it.

“Thank you both.” Luna giggled behind her hoof. “I'd say he did very well.”

From her position laid next to Baron, Snowfall smiled. “Best game of charades ever.”

As Luna giggled her agreement, Mapper came over to the Princess, a seductive smile on her pink muzzle. “Not to suggest we are nearly as capable as your wife, but if you'd like a bit of TLC, I'm sure the herd will be more than happy to give you some, Luna.” She offered, very aroused after watching the performance of the stallions.

Chapter 5 - The Fun Has Been Doubled!

“Serenity!” Sonic called up, “Good time to show off for Mapper, can you bring lover boy here up there with you?”

Omega shared a ‘look’ with Sonic, Trails and Sunshine before calling back up to the balcony. “We're all going to hit the showers. If you'd be so kind as to help, Belle?”

Smiling, Belle gave Tinkerer a tender kiss. “Be right down, Omega!”

Quickly Recital found an old blanket, and she used her emerald green magic to cover the couch and then Serenity very gently set the Prince down upon it.

“Thank you both.” Luna giggled behind her hoof. “I'd say he did very well.”

From her position laid next to Baron, Snowfall smiled. “Best game of charades ever.”

“Why not?” Luna smiled at Mapper, “I could use some fun.”

As Wildfire shuddered and moaned into her climax, Airmail surfaced, coming up for air from under her flagging black tail. “Say it, Thespian!” She called, her azure blue muzzle covered in the diminutive mare’s glistening juices.

Stood by her large hunky zebra, Thespian giggled, “Let our fun be doubled!”

“Her…aaah…her favourite line, I think.” Airmail panted as she sat up beside her new lover.

Hearing the line that she was no doubt most famous for, albeit inadvertently, from that now long ago Nightmare Night, the corners of Luna’s mouth turned upwards in a ghost of a smile, a smile which became a giggle and then a full on belly laugh. One which the other ponies joined in with wholeheartedly. “H-Have y-you been waiting long to say that, Thespian?” She asked through her giggles.

“Ever since you walked through the door,” giggled the blue / grey earth pony mare, ever resplendent in her perfectly applied tortoise shell rope bondage.

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper interjected with a polite bow as Luna and Thespian shared a nod and a wink, “May I suggest the Mare's Room for our activities?”

“Of course you may, Mistress Mapper.” Luna grinned as the lunar alicorn followed the herd, moving down the wide flight of stairs to the main floor of the ranch, just as the other four stallions came in from the open patio doors through the hoof-dip having been thoroughly washed and Belle dried, ™.

With a slightly bashful smile on his purple muzzle, Sonic approached the Princess in the hallway. “Luna…I do hope we didn't disappoint, I can say your son stood up quite well till the end.”

Surveying him critically for a brief moment, just long enough for Sonic to assume she was ‘less than pleased’, Luna smiled and put a hoof on the stallion’s shoulder. “You all performed admirably. I daresay Dusk enjoyed himself as well.”

Omega grinned beside his herd-mate, “He wasn't the only one to do so, Luna.”

“So I saw, Omega, many times.” She replied with a knowing wink directed at the eggshell white unicorn.

Hugging his wife, Caffeinated said, “Most of us are going into recovery mode now too.” The zebra smiled, ushering the herd towards the large kitchen area where the drinks were. “That was a hot show and the balcony is a mess.”

“Yes…” Luna smiled guiltily with a definite blush colouring her midnight blue fur, “I believe we all enjoyed it.” She glanced upwards, pointedly looking away towards the ceiling and the evidence of her own 'enjoyment'.

Following her gaze, Caffeinated gave a loud snicker. “Luna,” he said, his amusement evident in his deep rumbling voice, “I think we all would be hard pressed, except Mapper maybe, to determine whose puddle is whose.”

At that, Luna laughed a genuine, tinkling laugh. “Well, I suppose you're right, Caffeinated.”

Mapper began to descend the wide stairs to the basement level below, but paused on the stairs after a few steps, “I just have better tongue than you, dear Caffy.” Zebra and unicorn shared a moment as they looked at each other, before the moment passed and Mapper continued to lead the way downstairs.

“Oh,” Belle asked curiously, “Where are you all off to?”

This time Mapper didn’t pause, not out of any disrespect to the young olive drab mare, but more a burning desire to get it on with an alicorn. “To see if we can light the night,” she replied without a trace of irony.

“Open invitation?” Belle asked hopefully as by now Requiem and Snowfall both had interested looks on their faces too.

Feigning an air of indifference, while secretly performing somersaults inside, Mapper shrugged. “I'm fine with that, it seems I need to back up my boast.”

Eagerly, Belle, Requiem and Snowfall followed Luna down the stairs who in turn was following after Tempest, Airmail Serenity and Wildfire as Mapper lead the group of mares along the right side of the U shaped hallway past the double doors of the Dungeon on the left and the Wet Room on the right to the plain wooden door of the Mare’s Room.

Upon entering the room, Luna took in the details, from the wood panelled walls painted a pale sky blue, to the bar, the bed and the many cloud-stuffed futons arranged around a low coffee table to the hardwood floor on which she trod. “This is a lovely room,” she thought out loud, earning herself nods of approval from the other mares as they all took a futon each. “And…hmm, clouds!” Luna gasped as she got herself comfortable. Although, with nine mares now in the room – one of them an almost fully grown alicorn – it was considerably more ‘snug’ that normal.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire said, having been steered to the futon she had occupied earlier in the day. “That’s what I said too!”

“After we're done,” Mapper smiled at the diminutive pegasus as she sat with Airmail to her left and as always Tempest to her right, “I'm sure you will be refilling the pillows, Junior Pet.”

Turning her head towards the sound of Mapper’s voice, Wildfire ruffled her feathers proudly. “Yes, Mistress!”

“To our guests,” Mapper said loudly from her futon next to Serenity and in the manner of one calling a meeting to order, “Belle here has a thing for preening, almost as bad as Airmail. Requiem I know plays for both teams. And Snowfall,” the pink unicorn paused as, looking from olive drab unicorn, to red and blue painted earth pony, she came to the elderly pure white earth pony mare. “While it is nice of you to join us, I am a bit surprised.”

Sat next to Luna on the Princesses left, Snowfall shrugged. “So I've gotten curious watching you fillies play.” She said with a grin, “Besides, Baron says experience is the best teacher.”

“Curiosity is a fine thing, Snowfall.” Luna nodded to the pure white mare, openly admiring the curve of her flank.

Hesitantly Snowfall nodded up at the lunar alicorn, a tremulous smile playing over her white muzzle. “Still, I am rather nervous though, so it would be nice to be guided.” She took a breath before continuing, a faint red tinge colouring her cheeks. “I know how to please myself, so I think I can play.”

Perhaps it was because they were of a similar age, but Luna’s heart soared for the white mare. “Would you like to start by preening?” She asked gently, laying a forehoof on Snowfall's shoulder.

At Luna’s touch, Snowfall’s blush increased in its intensity as she swore that little electric shocks ran down her shoulder. “I um…I-I've not preened anypony before.” She almost babbled, “The whole family are earth ponies, and um, well…just watching Airmail do it is pretty exciting.” The elderly earth pony mare glanced over to the olive drab unicorn. “Belle, can you please help me since Airmail isn't much of a teacher once she starts.”

Luna smiled at Snowfall kindly. “I'm sure you and Belle will do just fine.” Standing from her futon and kicking it to one side Luna made sure she had plenty of space either side of her as the alicorn spread her rather impressive wings to their fullest eight and a half foot span, causing Airmail to almost salivate at the sight of the flared feathers. Some were the same midnight blue as her coat, some were darker while some were black as night. All of them seemed to shimmer and shine with an otherworldly iridescent sparkle that was driving Airmail crazy with desire.

“Airmail,” Luna giggled behind her forehoof, “You're drooling my dear.”

“Ahh…” In a thorough daze, Airmail blinked her brown eyes once then twice, coming back to herself as she saw the smirking faces of the other mares arrayed around her “Your ah, your wings are gorgeous!” She gushed, her heart pounding hard in her chest.

Luna, fully aware of Airmail’s feather fetish, had a very naughty devious thought. “Would you by any chance like a closer look?” The Princess winked, twitching and flexing her large primary feathers.

Getting up from her futon, Snowfall carefully bounced along the pillows like a mare half her age to join up with the younger Belle on the right side of Luna, the side opposite Airmail, who was so turned on and aroused by the sight of the most sensuously beautiful wings she had ever seen in her life that she orgasmed on the spot, soaking her futon through with her cum, and was soon close to the left side of Luna's body. Wasting no time at all, the azure blue pegasus made a start on the secondary feathers, taking the tip of the nearest one into her mouth.

“I think that is our cue,” Belle said with a gentle nudge to Snowfall’s barrel. “Stand here, next to me and I'll show you how much fun this can be.” With the olive drab unicorn on the outside of her, the two mares moved in close to Luna and like Airmail, started with the secondary feathers.

Also standing from her futon, Mapper struggled internally to contain her eagerness and anticipation, “Mares, today will be our first taste of alicorn, so this is rather exciting!”

With the pleasurable sensations of the preening starting to send little electric shivers through her large wings, Luna couldn’t help but giggle at Airmail's reaction. “You really get off that much on preening?” She asked.

Although the question was directed at Airmail, it was Tempest who responded on her marefriend’s behalf. “She is in the zone Luna, she won't be able to answer you.” The violet mare explained, noting the glazed over far away expression on Airmail’s face.

“Your turn to share, Requiem.” Mapper said to the earth pony, who was rather obviously looking down at Luna’s hooves.

“Ahem…” The red and blue painted pony cleared her throat with a smile, all the time not looking away from those simply beautiful hooves. “Ah, okay, I really like hooves. I like touching others and having mine touched.”

Upon hearing Requiem say that, Wildfire’s ears perked up and she shot her foreleg in the air, like an eager schoolfilly getting teacher’s attention. “Mistress?” She gasped, “Mistress, please may I clean Requiem's hooves, please?” The yellow pegasus practically begged.

Mapper had to fight hard not to laugh, ‘By the Goddesses, she is so adorable!’, and what sort of Mistress would she be if she denied her? “If Mistress Luna has no immediate need for your services, I see that is a proper use of you.” Mapper replied evenly.

Looking on with a quiet giggle, Tempest said, “I think we will see more of Requiem in the Mare's Room after today.”

“Nggh! Ah…aaah…” Luna’s back arched, thoroughly enjoying the slow preening being delivered to her by the three ponies behind her. “Ah…by all means Wildfire, you may...aaah...attend to Requiem.”

Sliding from her futon, Requiem knelt reverently before the Princess. “May I attend to your hooves, Luna?” The painted pony asked eagerly, licking her lips.

Serenely, and with a blissful smile on her muzzle, Luna extended a hoof to the earth pony mare. “You may.”

Leaning to her left, Tempest whispered surreptitiously into Wildfire’s right ear. “Wily, you’ll want to go forward three paces, then ninety degrees left and two paces will bring you to Requiem's flank and her rear hooves.” She directed, making sure the little yellow mare knew where she was going.

With a wide smile, Wildfire nodded before sliding off of her futon and very carefully getting into position behind Requiem, her nose snuffling down the back of the earth pony mare’s bent hind leg to reach her hooves.

Mapper looked from herself to Tempest then to Serenity, both of the other mares barely containing themselves. “Hmm…that still leaves three of us to attend to your needs, Mistress Luna.” The pink unicorn smiled, licking her own lips with the anticipation.

“Hmm…t-then, then aaaah…you may each choose a hole to pleasure...ooooh!” Luna answered, throwing her head back and moaning as she got into the preening, which was utterly sublime.

Having reached Requiem’s left rear hoof, Wildfire trailed sloppy kisses down the back of the painted pony’s leg, sliding her tongue between the rounded bulbs at the back of the hoof before kissing around the hard outer edge to the toe of the hoof, all the while tasting the deliciously sweet tang of the sweat on her tongue.

Mapper and Tempest shared a very brief look at each other, their ears flicking in an intricate game of hoof, wing and horn before the violet mare, with a triumphant look on her face, moved to straddle Requiem. “Well Luna,” she smiled, wrapping her forelegs around the lunar alicorn’s shoulders, “I wish to taste your sweet lips at the front.”

Mapper, who with an equally wide smile on her face – obviously she considered herself the winner of hoof, wing and horn - moved instead behind Luna where she was sat. “Then I’ll taste your sweet lips from behind.” She said as Serenity rolled under the Princess and with a hoof softly playing with her belly fur, the teal unicorn latched on to a nipple.”

As soon as Luna felt Tempest’s lips touch hers the Princess pressed back, kissing Tempest as deeply as the violet pegasus kissed her, though not too hard. “Hmm, as you wish, Mapper.” Luna gasped as with a thought she swept her swirling ethereal tail to one side.

Behind Requiem, Wildfire ran her tongue across the sole of the painted earth pony’s rear hoof, wrinkling her muzzle ever so slightly at the taste of the mess that had been left on the balcony upstairs. ‘I wonder whose cum this is?’ She wondered idly as she licked it off of the inner wall while she blew gently on the soft centre.

Busily licking away at the toe and white wall of Luna’s offered forehoof, Requiem shuddered, wholly not used to the sensations of giving and receiving at the same time. As she dragged her tongue slowly along the sensitive frog of Luna’s hoof, she too tasted a wonderful mix of mare and stallion ejaculate that the Princess had stepped in. Eagerly she lapped it up in an attempt to restore the hoof to its immaculate, perfect, condition.

For Mapper, positioned behind the lunar alicorn under her tail, it was nothing short of a dream come true. Never in her life – outside of her dreams - did she ever think she would have a chance with an alicorn. Yet, here she was, muzzle deep in Princess Luna’s sopping wet marehood. Years of experience poured into her every effort, every deft well placed lick of her labia, every lap of her tongue along her slit, every gentle kiss of her clitoris. For her efforts she was rewarded with more juices leaking from the highly aroused alicorn.

Tempest, meanwhile, was the least affected by Luna being, well, Luna. She pressed back into the deep passionate kiss, savouring every second that her tongue danced with the Princesses before pulling back to deliver an extremely gentle nuzzle along her cheek. Reaching her ear she whispered, “Thank you for being you…”

“Y-You…Hmmm, y-you are most…aaaah, welcome, Tempest.” She whispered kissing Tempest deeply once more, adding delicate little nibbles to her bottom lip while she moaned in heavenly delight at Mapper’s – and every other mare’s – attention all over her lithe quivering body.

Having licked up the cum residue from the painted pony’s hoof, Wildfire began to swirl her tongue around the middle of Requiem's hoof, gently nibbling away at the inner edge of the white wall while using her other hoof to gently stroke her right hind hoof, causing the earth pony mare to shudder and shiver in delight.

Underneath Luna, Serenity was fully on her back and the teal unicorn had all four hooves running in slow sensuous circles over the Princesses soft belly and chest fur while at the same time her mouth moved from nipple to nipple and down to her hard exposed clit and back again.

At her forehoof, Requiem moaned in sheer bliss as she worked the one hoof with her tongue until it glistened with the coating of saliva she had applied, then the painted pony took the toe into her mouth, sucking on it as hard as she could.

Behind Luna, Airmail was lost in the moment, gone in her own little micro universe that contained just her and the delicious alicorn feathers she was preening, while on the opposite wing, Belle and Snowfall were slowly making their way out to the primary feathers on the right wing.

With all the various stimuli lighting up almost all of her sensitive areas, Luna was quickly panting and moaning her way to her climax, Tartarus be damned with decorum and what was proper, this was utter heaven…her breath hitched as a particularly long tongue stroke from Mapper sent her over her edge. “Aaaah…S-Sweeet OCTAAAAAVIA!” She cried, shuddering as she came into Mapper’s open mouth.

Swallowing up Luna’s cry with a long deep kiss Tempest whispered, “She will always be as welcomed as you are, Luna.”

“Hmm…aaaah…th-thank you Tempest...” Luna moaned, breaking the kiss for breath. “I'll…aaah, I’ll bring her next...oooh Mapper, you're exquisite!”

“She is the alpha of our little herd for a reason.” Tempest smirked.

As Tempest said that, Luna’s hoof slid out of Requiem's mouth as her shuddering orgasm overtook her. Behind the mare, Wildfire could smell the cum leaking from Requiem’s marehood as she quickly recovered and moved over to the lunar alicorn’s other forehoof, while Wildfire moved onto the earth pony’s other rear hoof, making sure to give it the same oral treatment as the first, moving her left hoof up the painted pony’s leg to find her slit. ‘Hmm…she really is wet!’ Wildfire thought with a giggle.

An electric jolt of pleasure shot through a primary feather of Luna’s right wing, and angling her head back, she saw the pure white mare was responsible. “GAaaAAH…S-Snowfall...I, ooooh, I refuse to believe you haven’t preened before...ahh!” She kissed Tempest slightly harder now, nipping her bottom lip gently with her teeth.

While the Princess was getting more and more vocal, Snowfall was silent, the elderly mare fully concentrating on following Belle's lead, but with a beautiful midnight blue feather in her mouth, she knew this wouldn't be her last venture into preening.

“Hmm, Luna,” Tempest purred seductively, “However did you know I was that kind of mare?” She whispered as she kissed the Princess back with more force, bringing her own teeth into the fray.

Luna’s whole body shook as Serenity sucked on her clitoris and Mapper’s tongue swirled past her labia and around the tight inner walls of her wet tunnel, “B-Because...hmmm...y-you didn’t AAAAAAH! S-stop me!” She screamed into Tempest’s mouth as a second climax rocked her to her very core.

Abandoning Requiem’s right hind hoof, Wildfire shuffled forwards, trailing wet sloppy kisses all the way up the earth pony's hind leg before reaching her goal and planting a final kiss on her pubic mound.

“M-Murrr…Mapper isn't the only one that can give good tongue,” Tempest smiled as she slid her tongue back into Luna’s mouth.

As Requiem came again, both from Wildfire’s efforts and her own thrill at having the opportunity to worship an alicorn’s hoof, she let the now shining other forehoof slip out of her mouth. Spotting the Princesses perfect hind hooves she decided to crawl forward to get to the rear ones, only to run into Serenity's teal ass. Encountering the unicorn’s hindquarters, Requiem stopped for a snack. Feeling the foreign tongue lap against her own wet crotch, Serenity's legs straightened, lifting Luna off the ground for a moment till they bent again, letting her touch down.

As waves of pleasure washed over Luna’s very being, an idea came to her, of one area that wasn’t being pleasured. Hesitantly, unsure of the response she’d get, she whispered to Tempest, “Would you please lick my horn?”

Behind Requiem, and with her muzzle buried in the earth pony’s marehood, Wildfire drank down most of Requiem's cum as it dripped freely into her open mouth. The yellow mare dragged her tongue from the painted pony’s clit all the way up her glistening centre to her ass, before pushing her nose into her, giving her another long lick.

Looking deep into Luna’s eyes, the blue meeting the turquoise, Tempest gave the Princess a seductive look. “It would be my pleasure, Luna.” The violet mare then licked up the lunar alicorn’s long nose and planted several light kisses up her muzzle until she reached the base of the twelve inch long horn. The pegasus licked, then kissed, and turned her head sideways and took the wide base of the horn in her mouth while she grazed her teeth along the hard outer edge.

The touch of Tempest’s teeth just under one of the ridges of her horn made Luna shiver. “Hmm…yeees! J-Just like that...”

Grinning, Tempest ran her tongue along the lowest ridged spiral to the far side and then back to pick up where she left off, and in this way she slowly, almost torturously slowly, dragged her violet mouth up the length of the horn to kiss its rounded tip, while underneath her, having had her snack, Requiem crawled forward between Serenity’s open rear legs in a quest to worship Luna's rear hoof.

Luna’s turquoise eyes were half closed in utter bliss. “Aaah…ah…y-you n-need...to give...Tavi lessons Temp..ahhh!” She moaned as Tempest reared up to her hind hooves, putting her forehooves on her shoulders to allow her to more easily reach the end of her horn.

Wildfire moved forwards with Requiem, encountering Serenity's rear hooves, although of course the blind mare couldn’t tell whose hooves belonged to whom. Completely unaware to whom the hooves belonged, and believing they were Requiem’s, she gave them a long tender kiss. With her attention dedicated to suckling on Luna’s left nipple, Serenity felt a wet tongue drag along her hoof, and in a moment of shock she bit down hard on the nipple, causing Luna to cry out, more in shock than any actual pain, then Serenity began licking and kissing the offended nipple. Utterly oblivious with hooves before her, Wildfire carried on licking and sucking on Serenity's hoof.

Reaching the tip of Luna’s horn, Tempest used her teeth and her mouth to drag the Princesses head down to a more agreeable angle so she could take a few extra inches of a much longer horn than anypony else in the group has in her mouth to suck and lick, giving the alicorn a highly skilled and experienced hornjob.

After several minutes of Tempest’s exquisite hornjob, not to mention Mapper’s deft tongue still deep in her sopping marehood, it wasn’t long that Luna began releasing iridescent sparks of harmless magic into tempests mouth as her body started shaking, a third orgasm taking hold of her. “TAAAVIIIIIIIIII!” She screamed loudly, showering Tempest’s muzzle with her magical release as well as Mapper’s face with her physical release.

Tempest savoured the sensations pulsing through her mouth, while the magical emissions didn’t taste of anything they did send delightful little tingles all through her muzzle, and she took a few more inches in to start deep throating the top eight to nine inches of Luna’s twelve inch horn. Behind her, Mapper fed greedily from the Princesses latest orgasm before moving her forehoof to replace her mouth as she moved her mouth north to explore some new territory under the alicorn’s billowing ethereal tail.

Under the incessant sensory assault Luna gasped for breath, leaning on Tempest in a desperate attempt to maintain her balance as Requiem crawled forward just enough to reach her left rear hoof, which she seized in her lips and started licking away while behind her Belle and Snowfall were nearly done preening the Princesses right wing. On her left wing meanwhile the very slow and sensuous Airmail was only just now getting to the alicorn’s primary feathers.

“AaaAAH…M-mapper,” Luna moaned, in utter heaven, “Hmm…y-your t-tongue is very skilled,” she panted, already feeling her core beginning to heat up and tremble, “As…as are my p-preeners.”

Moving forward slightly, Wildfire finally caught Requiem's rear hoof – or what she assumed was Requiem’s rear hoof – and, dragging her wet tongue along it, she gave it a long slow lick causing the painted earth pony to shudder on top of Serenity and the hoof she was tonguing fell from her mouth. Instead she wriggled across Serenity's teal chest to get to the last of Luna’s hooves.

Leaning her head upwards, Serenity allowed her tongue to take over for Mapper’s hoof as she began to lick and nip all around the Princesses dripping wet labia, alternating between flicking her tongue just inside the entrance to Luna’s tunnel to delving deep inside her marehood. Behind her, Mapper proceeded to give the alicorn’s tail-hole her full and undivided attention, swirling her tongue around the muscular sphincter before stiffening it and delicately probing inside.

On the alicorn’s wings, Belle pointed with a hoof, directing the elderly Snowfall to move around the heaving, shuddering, trembling Princess to help Airmail, and from the tip of the feathers they moved inward together towards her back to between her wings and began a slow massage.

To her front, at her head, Tempest was suckling on Luna’s horn like a new born foal desperate for milk from its mother’s teat, and Airmail was still lost in her own little micro universe that consisted of her, alicorn feathers and ecstasy. As Tempest delivered a particularly deep bob of her head that swallowed three quarters of Luna’s long spiralled horn, the Princess stumbled and moans softly, a moan that increased in pitch as a fourth, far stronger and more violent orgasm coursed through her large powerful body, “H-H-Holy OCTAAAAVIAAAA!” She screamed in the full Royal Canterlot voice as she collapsed to her knees, thankfully stopping a ways short of squashing those ponies still under her, pleasuring her even as electric sparks of magic shot from her horn like a Roman candle firework.

Everypony continued their respective work until Snowfall and Airmail met up and finally stopped preening. Her mouth full of Luna’s magical emissions from her horngasm finally allowed her horn to slip from her lips, all glistening and shiny from the violet mare’s saliva, little sparks still sputtering from the tip. Requiem let the last hoof fall from her mouth, as shiny wet as her horn. Under her, drinking and swallowing the sweet nectar that flowed from the alicorn’s marehood, Serenity laid her head back for air and Mapper looked up from under her tail. “I do believe she may have heard your call, Mistress Luna.” The pink unicorn smiled as she placed a lingering tender kiss on Luna’s anus.

“Ah…aaah…” Luna gasped, greedily sucking much needed air into her lungs as the group of ponies removed themselves one by one from around her to recline on the futons around the Mare’s Room. “Ah…y-yes...I ah, I rather think she might…”

Seductively, Mapper slunk around to Luna’s front and reared up to wrap her forelegs around the lunar alicorn’s shoulders, “If you're not finished yet and would like something deeper, Tempest is our resident stallion.” She purred into her ear as Tempest merely blushed in front of her, deep red colouring her violet cheeks.

Glancing over at the heavily blushing mare, Luna wiggled her flank. “You think you can ride this, Tempest?” She said, giving the violet pegasus her best half-lidded gaze.

Quickly recovering her composure, Tempest brushed her chest with her forehoof. “I’ve had no complaints yet, nor do I expect any in the future.” She grinned, blowing an imaginary mote of dust from her hoof.

Mapper slapped Tempest’s shoulder with her pink hoof. “Atta girl, show her how it is done.”

Taking up her familiar position snuggling into Wildfire’s left side, having pressed their two futons together, Airmail sniggered, “Go for it love!”

Looking squarely at Tempest, Luna smiled. “Rut me, Tempest.”

Breathing evenly, although her heart was hammering fit to burst from her chest, Tempest trotted over to the toy box. ‘I’m gonna rut a Princess…oh dear sweet Goddesses, I’m gonna rut a Princess!’ Were the thoughts that were running through her head, joining her heart in its tattoo. “Your assistance, Airmail.” She said as evenly as she could.

Getting up, albeit somewhat reluctantly, from her yellow snuggle pillow, Airmail trotted over and from the open toy box the azure blue mare grabbed a thick double-ended stallion dildo – moulded in a V shape with an eye towards anatomical accuracy with a flared head, medial ring and pronounced veins designed to excite the recipients marehood – complete with straps and buckles. Taking the larger end in her mouth Airmail lowered it almost reverently to the pillow with her ass high and tail even higher.

Very ready, Tempest stepped into the straps, her hind legs all but quivering in anticipation. ‘Okay Stormy, you can do this, you’ve done this before…but I’m gonna rut a Princess!’ She was glad she wasn’t a real stallion, at least there was no danger of stage fright. “I'm all lubed from that horn work, so slide it in.” Quick to oblige, Airmail raised the dildo at an angle so the one part of the V easily breached Tempest’s wet labia neither lips. Sniggering softly at how her marefriend now looked like a well-endowed stallion – minus the balls – the azure blue mare then buckled it over her violet back.

Bending her forelegs to the floor, Luna positioned herself as if she was bowing, with her ass very much in the air, her billowing tail hiked to one side, shamelessly presenting herself to receive Tempest, as Airmail liberally slathered her saliva all over the shaft of the fake cock.

“Hmm…the joy of this toy is fucking you is fucking myself…” Tempest purred as she turned towards the Princess.

Luna watched a transformation before her eyes befitting a changeling. Tempest's stance and very being transformed to the stallion she had become.

Tempest strutted up to the alicorn. Her voice deeper, "My, what a pretty filly I've been offered today." She moved alongside the mare trailing a wing from shoulder to flank. "Such beautiful curves and luscious flesh." The pegasus could barely contain herself as the larger alicorn shivered under her touch. Once behind the Princess she lifted the starry tail with a forehoof to fully appreciate the marehood of a Goddess, and what she was about to do to it. "But, enough with the formalities." She quickly climbed up onto Luna’s back with practiced precision she slipped the head of the cock into her wet entrance. “I see my friends have prepped you well.”

“Aaah…” Luna sighed as she felt the first few inches of the toy penetrate her and the sheer girth spread her tunnel, “T-They have been thorough…”

Sliding in easily as far as the medial ring, Tempest pulled out almost all the way before giving a stallion like snort and bucking her hips forward, firmly thrusting the toy inside the alicorn almost to its hilt. “I hope there is still some sweetness left on these lips,” Mapper smiled, trailing her pink hoof tenderly along Luna’s cheek and jaw as she moved around to the front.

“GaaAAH!” Luna squealed with the force of Tempest’s entry, moaning as she felt every single inch of the long wide toy penetrate her sopping marehood, felt every exaggerated vein brush along her passage, she planted her forehooves on the hardwood floor and pushed herself back in time with Tempest's hard thrusts, succeeding in hilting the toy inside her. “Hmm…k-kiss me and see.”

With a savagery that she was unprepared for, Mapper did just that. Placing her forelegs around the alicorn’s head the pink unicorn mashed her lips into Luna’s, forcing her tongue into her mouth. No gentle lover’s kiss, this kiss said ‘I’m in charge’, and eagerly, Luna succumbed to it as she heard Belle whispering to somepony next to her. When that pure white somepony got up and started licking her horn, her universe shrank considerably.

Gasping for breath, Luna did her very best to return Mappers kiss with equal force, before breaking away and biting her lip as she bucked her hips back in time with Tempest’s hard thrusts. Behind her, digging her hooves into the leading edges of her wings, a hitherto unseen side of Tempest was making itself known. “Take it, you bitch, take it all!” The violet pegasus cried out harshly as a red mist descended upon her. “Take it all day long till I'm tired!” She grunted, hilting the fake cock inside the Princesses dripping tunnel.

Luna, bent over with her ass in the air surrounded by mare’s watching her get rutted like a common slut, thrilled at the dirty talk, “Buck me like a whore!” She had no idea where that came from, but right then, with Mapper forcibly kissing her and Snowfall licking her horn, it just seemed right.

“Nggh…aaah…I'll buck you bowlegged, you dripping cunt!” Tempest screamed, lost in her own little fantasy world, “You'll be spitting cum when I'm done plowing your field!”

In utter ecstasy, Luna pulled away from Mapper’s kiss for air, begging, “Do it! Do it!”

“Nggh…yeeeeeah I'm going to ride you wet and hang you out to dry!” Like a stallion, Tempest was rutting the lunar alicorn so hard she had to really plant her hooves to not move along the floor, however unlike a stallion, Tempest had no stamina issues - and she was bucking herself while she was doing this – nopony watching really knew if she was talking to the one she was mounting or to herself. “I'll leave you so wide open a foal would fall out of you, bitch!” As the violet mare hilted the toy deep inside Luna’s marehood yet again she brought her forehoof down on the crescent moon cutie mark. “Beg! Beg me you whore! Beg me to let you cum!”

Underneath her Luna was almost delirious from the overwhelming pleasure rippling through her body, she knew her climax wasn’t far away now. In a delightful rush of pain she gasped at the contact of Tempest’s hoof on her flank. “AaaAAH! T-Tempest…p-pony up and...AAaah! Do me like a bitch!” Luna screamed, not caring who was watching or what they thought of her. “Harder! Buck me harder!” She cried before she trailed off to a mewling whimper, “Let me cum…please!”

“No you slut, you don't really want it!” Tempest’s muzzle was pulled back in a snarl of complete lust as her heat built inside her core, slamming the Princess hard and deep. “You need to beg better than that!” Leaning forward she grabbed Luna’s ethereal mane in her teeth and pulled back as hard as she could, while at the same time slamming her other hoof into her opposite flank. As her head was jerked back, the sensuous licking on her horn stopped and a large patch of white fur was sent tumbling across the futons out of the corner of her eye.

Luna’s turquoise eyes went wide as saucers with the shock of the sweet pain as her mane was sharply pulled backwards. 'This is amazing!' She thought as her flank was spanked again. “P-Please, please...Tempest, please I beg you please, let this worthless bitch cum...PLEASE!”

Curling her violet hoof around Luna’s mane, Tempest spat it out of her mouth and pulled it back ever harder as again her thrust deep inside her. “Who’s your Daddy!”

“Y-You are!” Luna had tears in her eyes with the effort of staving off the orgasm that Tempest wouldn’t allow her to have. “I'm yours! Please, please let me cum!”

With her voice reduced to little more than animalistic grunts and snorts, Tempest pulled back literally as hard as she possibly could on the Princesses mane while she slammed so hard into her wet marehood she momentarily left the floor. So deep was she inside her she was brushing the alicorn’s cervix. Letting go of her mane, Tempest held herself there like she was ejaculating. “Soak me with your cum, you bitch!”

“AAH…AAAAAH TEEEEEEEEMPEST!” Luna screamed as her mane was released, along with her pent up denied orgasm, the lunar alicorn’s sweet cum gushing all over Tempest's groin and her hind legs. “Th-Thank you...” she moaned into the floor of the Mare’s Room, “Thank…you…for letting me cum!”

Around them, the room was in quieted awe. Sprawled upon Luna’s broad back, Tempest lay panting for breath still hilted inside the larger mare. “There you go…that’s my baby. So warm, so wet.”

Riding out the remainder of her very intense climax, Luna dropped to the floor and panted heavily, breathing in the scent of the hard wood and the stench of eight other mare’s arousal – as well as her own – she gasped, “I'm yours, all yours.”

On her back, Tempest was likewise panting for breath. “While you are here at least.” The violet pegasus had just enough energy left right then to snicker, “You're a good buck Luna, but I can't keep you. I can love you though, and be sure to give my love to Octavia.”

Playing support, Airmail moved up to help her exhausted marefriend dismount and to help remove the dildo with her mouth as always. Moving it to the side to be cleaned up later, Airmail snickered, “You do taste sweet, I can see why Mapper was enjoying herself so much.”

“Y-Yes, I rather think Tavi would miss me if you kept me.” Luna snickered as she pushed herself back up to her, admittedly wobbly, hooves. “Tempest, I want a kiss.”

Helped along by Airmail, Tempest staggered in front of the midnight blue mare and gently but firmly locked lips with her.

Returning the tender kiss, whispering in her ear, “That was heavenly, thank you my love.”

“I didn't hold back,” Tempest whispered with a genuine smile, “And I daresay I loved it as much as you.”

Quickly recovering, Luna giggled. “I'd have banished you to the sun had to dared to apologise, you were magnificent.” She said before kissing the pegasus hard on her lips.

“I won't apologise for being me.” Tempest giggled fillyishly before placing a tiny little peck on her muzzle. “Thank Mapper though, she knows what I'm like and must have thought you'd enjoy that bit of play.”

“Well,” Luna giggled as she fluttered her wings and landed on her futon, “Rough is always fun.”

Regaining her own futon on Wildfire’s right side, Tempest giggled again, “Must be catchy, the rest here say the same thing.”

“And, Mapper?” Luna smiled over at the pink unicorn who was lovingly stroking her wife’s burgundy mane. “Thank you.”

Pausing in her casual grooming of Serenity’s mane, Mapper returned Luna’s easy relaxed smile. “I just help to ensure that all of Caffy's guests find their visit enjoyable. Especially their first visit.” She then nodded respectfully over to the alicorn. “Thank you, Princess, for being Luna this night.”

“You're most welcome, I thank you all for treating me like Luna.” The alicorn had a fun little thought and beckoned Mapper over, with a hoof. Seeing Luna’s gentle summons, Mapper hastened to trot over with a grin as wide as the Princesses. “You know Mistress,” she whispered when the pink unicorn was close enough to her. “Your Pets were rather naughty just then.” She said with a wink.

“One waits to confess,” Mapper whispered back, casting a look full of adoration at Serenity. “While the other is still in training.” Wildfire received a nod of respect that Airmail communicated to the blind mare via a nuzzle before giving the Princess a light kiss. “Senior Pet,” she said loudly, once more assuming her well-practised role, “How was your performance?”

Standing from her futon, Serenity took a few steps forward to stand in the middle of the semi-circle of ponies, and with her heart in her throat, bowed before the mare that was her wife, her lover and her Mistress. “I was a bad pony, Mistress.” Her soft melodic voice doing more to draw her herd-mate’s attention than her prostrate position.

“Explain.” Mapper said quietly but firmly, turning to stand side-by-side with Luna, their expressions equally stern and authoritative.

Still in her bow, Serenity replied, “I bit without permission, Mistress.”

“My!” Mapper exclaimed, moving her white sock clad hoof to her forehead, “I'm surprised Senior Pet!” Her exaggerated posture wouldn’t have been out of place on the stage, but she carried the performance perfectly. “What made you do such a bad thing?”

“I failed to control my body when I was touched, Mistress.”

Mapper couldn’t disguise the look of pride she felt when she heard Serenity confess to her. She only hoped that her newest Pet was listening and learning. “So, you did two things wrong, my very bad pony.”

“Yes Mistress,” Serenity nodded, “Please punish me to correct my bad behaviour.”

“Hmm…” Mapper breathed, moving on to Wildfire without further comment. “Junior Pet, how was your performance?” She asked, very pleased indeed to see that the diminutive yellow pegasus, having had Airmail whisper to her and tell her what her fellow Submissive had done and what was expected of her, had also took a few hesitant steps forward and bowed to her Mistress.

“I cleaned Requiem's hooves as ordered Mistress,” Wildfire started confidently but then she began to trail off. “But, but um…I got lost and cleaned Senior Pet’s as well, Mistress.”

Mapper just stared at her, trying to ascertain where the yellow mare’s head was. “Whose hooves did you have permission to clean?” She asked calmly, making sure to keep her voice even.

“R-Requiem's...Mistress. I-I was a b-bad p-pony!” Wildfire squeaked, doing her very best to not quiver in front of the other mares.

‘She’s expecting to be whipped, or beaten in some way…well I have just the thing for you, little one.’ Mapper thought to herself with a smile, a smile which she allowed into her voice, just a little. “Yes, you are a bad pony! You disobeyed me and you cleaned the hooves of a Pet and not the guest you were assigned to. You deprived our guest of her pleasure!”

Hearing the slight subtle change in her Mistresses voice, the definite hint of amusement that now coloured her clipped Canterlot accent, Wildfire breathed a little easier as she bowed. ‘This isn’t like before, Wily. Mapper’s different.’ She told herself. “Yes Mistress.” She replied, considerably calmer now, “I must be punished for my behaviour.”

‘Oh, you’ll be punished, just not the way you think, little Pet.’ Mapper stood to her full height, which while not as tall as Luna was nonetheless impressive as she passed her judgement. “The two of you naughty Pets go and stand in the corner while we think about your punishment.” Turning to the rest of the group she said, “I suggest the rest of us go to the Wet Room and clean up.”

Hastening to obey her Mistresses command, Serenity sprang to her teal hooves and rushed over to the corner of the Mare’s Room and faced the wall, closely followed by the slower Wildfire who, following Tempest’s surreptitious hoof nudge, made her own way to the corner of the room by following Serenity’s scent.

Moving to the plain wooden door, Mapper used her magenta magic to open it and stood aside for Luna to leave first. Following her out, Mapper made it two full steps before being stopped by a wall of ponies in the U shaped hallway holding various signs. Recital, Trumpet, Longshore, Sonic, Trails and Omega each held up a ten, while Thespian, Baron, Sunshine and Tinkerer all had big eleven signs. Caffeinated, stood in the centre of the audience, had a sign that just read, #%$@&#^!!.

As the rest of the mare’s, minus Serenity and Wildfire, made their way out of the Mare’s Room and began taking the applause that was due, Luna couldn’t help but laugh. “Impressed, are we?” She giggled.

Amidst thunderous clapping and stomping of hooves, a rather red faced Caffeinated, having just heard his revered Goddess being rutted in his very home, just managed to say, “I…I saved most of the glassware…”

Luna merely carried on giggling as Mapper, with a very self-satisfied smile, continued on to the Wet Room. “In that case, Caffeinated, we weren’t loud enough!”

~ ~ ~

Roughly thirty minutes later, having thoroughly washed each other in a wide circle and being dried by the ever-useful Belle, Mapper led the group of mares out of the Wet Room only to pause in the U shaped hallway. Luna, for her part, had loved the washing circle. She had chosen to wash Airmail, while Requiem had washed her. During the shower, she had discovered of the painted earth pony’s hitherto unknown daredevil side, as well as her wish to sky dive. Luna, who found she rather liked the theatre pony and professional psychiatrist, resolved to make her wish happen.

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper said with a tiny hint of disappointment that the crowd had dissipated back upstairs, “The Pets have stewed for a good while, now to consider their punishment.”

Her attention momentarily diverted from Requiem, Luna smiled. “Ah yes. To the business at hoof.”

“My Senior Pet should have better control over her hoof being licked.” While she knew Serenity, and knew her propensity for being naughty on purpose – and she loved her for it with all her heart – Mapper couldn’t help feeling a wee bit embarrassed in front of Luna. For the alicorn, she had wanted everything just so.

“Ahh, Mapper,” Requiem spoke up, the Brooks dialect colouring her Manehatten accent wonderfully, “I don't think that was Wildfire. I kinda sorta snacked on Serenity's snatch while I was looking for Luna's rear hoof.” She admitted with a not too inconsiderable blush on her cheeks.

“Not an excuse, Requiem.” Mapper asserted quickly, “Biting is a serious thing when I don’t want her to do it.” She said almost to herself more than anypony else. “Ball gag?” She asked Luna with a raised eyebrow after a moment’s thought.

“Certainly,” Luna eagerly nodded her agreement. There was just ‘something’ she found incredibly erotic about a gag, whether it was the drooling pony wearing it, or the cute sounds as they tried to speak around it. “And for the Junior Pet?”

“Hmm…” now Mapper had given Wildfire a great deal of thought over the past half hour. “Galoshes for little Miss Hoof Fetish?” When Luna agreed that this was an excellent idea, and gave her approval, Mapper suddenly sighed, “Hmph…ball gags I have, but here I only have socks, not quite the same.”

Luckily Requiem was on hoof to save the pink mare from her own pout, “Hey, Recital knows your place and she easily has the range.”

Luna smiled as she and Mapper led the rest of the group up the stairs to the ranch’s main floor. “Problem solved then, yes?”

Ascending the stairs, Mapper nodded. “Let me have a chat with Recital and then we can deal with the Pets.” Closely they were followed by the rest of the mare’s group, Luna being quite pleased to find Requiem staying close to her right side.

Meanwhile, back in the Mare’s Room, still resolutely facing the wall, Serenity heard the plain wooden door close behind her. Though she remained silent, the older mare could sense and feel the younger’s anxiety begin to rise. After the Dungeon experience, this was only to be expected. Inconspicuously she shuffled a little closer to the diminutive pegasus and leant against her.

Wildfire, who was indeed on the verge of a panic attack, felt immediately much calmer as she felt the breathed in and smelt her now familiar scent, felt the welcoming warmth of Serenity’s body heat next to her. She didn’t know if she was using her magic or not, to be truthful she didn’t care. Right then and there, knowing she wasn’t alone, knowing Serenity was with her, was more powerful than any spell.

The two ponies shared a bond of kinship right then that went beyond mere words. Leaning back into the teal unicorn, Wildfire unfurled her left wing and angled it upwards to drape it over the larger mare’s back and increase the closeness of the embrace. Feeling the feathery blanket cover most of her back, Serenity looped her right forehoof around Wildfire's left and straightaway the blind pony gripped her hoof tight to let her know it was appreciated.

Although words between them were not necessary – Wildfire didn’t even know if she was allowed to speak in this situation, she knew Serenity was going to be punished because of her and what she’d done. After a few more moments of silence, she couldn’t help herself. Leaning her head up, she whispered, “Sorry.”

Next to her, Serenity simply shook her head and remained silent, knowing full well thanks to the extraordinary link she shared with her wife and Mistress would be immediately aware if she spoke, and while she liked to be naughty now and again, there were limits to how far she was willing to push.

Wildfire who, thanks to the close proximity of her fellow Pet, felt Serenity shake her head, straightaway understood the meaning of the gesture and fell silent. She made sure however to keep her wing firmly in place over her back, and Serenity, likewise grateful for the closeness and also aware of the fledgling bond between them both, snuggled in deep under Wildfire’s wing.

‘I wonder what our punishments will be.’ Wildfire thought apprehensively as she nuzzled Serenity’s cheek.

Up on the main floor of the ranch everypony else was either arrayed around the large music room or the library situated along the left side of the house as one looked from the wide stairs. Some, like Thespian and Tinkerer, were still happily wearing their tortoise shell rope bondage, while in the music room Trumpet was still in his hoof-cuffs next to Recital. Dusk, Mapper noted with a hint of satisfaction, was still asleep on the couch upstairs.

As the mares peeled away to pair up with their respective partners, Mapper trotted up to the light blue unicorn who, at that moment was enjoying a magical mane grooming session courtesy of her husband, Trumpet. “Recital, a favour, please?”

Giving the pink unicorn a half-lidded stare from under her dark blue mane, Recital answered, “Hmm…aaaah…y-yeees M-Mapper?” She almost purred.

Mapper was about to reply, to tell her the favour she wanted when Belle, the young olive drab unicorn, skipped over to the five disc CD player and switched it to a pop…‘thing’ that the older pink mare found quite distasteful. ‘Ugh…sounds like something Serenity plays when she wants a paddling,’ she thought with a little twitch of her eye. “Ah…yes, I have galoshes in my foyer closet. I have need of a set of four, please.”

Recital’s ears perked up at the thought of exercising her teleportation skills. “Ooh! Can I get one of your dark chocolate bars while I'm there?” She asked eagerly, knowing just where Mapper stashed them, and also knowing that Trumpet had hidden hers.

Mapper nodded with a sly smile towards the dark red unicorn. “Take two or they will get stale.”

With a smile as wide as the proverbial Cheshire Cat, Recital lit her horn and in a bright flash of glowing emerald green magic, disappeared with a loud ‘pop’, leaving behind a thoroughly bemused looking dark red unicorn. “Thanks Mapper,” Trumpet said with an exaggerated roll of his golden brown eyes. “Now I'll have a chocolate rushed unicorn to deal with.”

Skipping away towards the library, pleased with a job well done and eager to escape the ‘noise’, Mapper blew him a kiss. “You're welcome love,” she called over her shoulder.

Sniggering at a perfectly executed wind up job as she’d ever seen, Luna said to Requiem, “Would you like that flight a little later on?”

Slightly disbelieving, Requiem looked up at Luna, her turquoise eyes going very wide indeed at the thought of one of her dreams finally coming true. That it was being done with an alicorn was purely a bonus. “Longshore, baby, do you mind if I go flying?”

From the library, the jet black earth pony stallion laid his book down and looked at his wife with an indulgent smile. “Not at all love, you have fun.” Longshore smiled a smile that easily reached his twinkling brown eyes. “Land safely, please.” He chuckled before once more picking up his book.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Requiem performed a four hooved dance of pure delight, the blue and red painted pony wearing a wide smile as she danced like an overgrown filly, “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

As Luna was about to break down in giggles, Recital reappeared in a flash of green magic just inside the front door of the ranch, candy bar in her mouth while she held the four galoshes and the other candy bar in her magical aura. Grinning at Requiem’s little dance, she quickly located Mapper in the library and levitated the set of galoshes to her while she sent the candy bar to Luna.

Taking the bar with a word of thanks, Luna turned back to the painted pony with a smile and with a whisper to Requiem, she said, “I hope you like to go fast.” Then, a thought struck her. One she supposed should have occurred to her earlier. “Ah, Requiem, why do you want to fly?” She asked curiously.

Requiem took a deep breath as she prepared to explain why she wanted what she wanted. “I’ve been an actress for years, Luna. On the stage when I play a pegasus, I always have a wire.” She explained quickly, “But, it is just so exciting to fly around. I ah, I can only imagine having no wire.” Then, in a very soft, almost inaudible voice, Requiem asked, “Could I please have some free fall time?”

“You want me to let you fall?” Luna asked incredulously.

Looking around, Requiem made frantic ‘shh-ing’ motions with her hooves, very worried that Longshore had overheard and would put a stop to it. “Not so loud, please!” She hissed, “Yes, yes I do. I might fly like a rock but I'll be actually flying. Just in free fall.”

“Very well then.” Luna nodded her agreement as she saw Mapper trot over to the stairs down to the basement level with the galoshes and a ball gag, “It seems that Mapper has the Pets well in hoof. Hop on, Requiem.”

Unexpectedly, Requiem giggled behind a forehoof, “Teehee, can we go up to the balcony first?” She sniggered, “I'd feel silly riding you around in the house.”

“Of course,” Luna laughed softly, and side-by-side, the alicorn and earth pony alighted the stairs up to the first storey where they trotted over to the – thankfully cleaned – balcony. Once there at the safety railing, Luna couldn’t help but smile as she recalled the amazing rutting her son took on the patio decking below. “Comfy back there?” The alicorn asked as Requiem climbed up on her back and held on tight with all four of her legs.

Behind her, secured on the Princesses back, Requiem couldn’t help but smile in anticipation, “I’m better than I was in the Wet Room.”

Laughing, Luna spread her powerful wings to their full eight and a half foot span and angled her primary feathers for take-off. “I'll ask you again in a moment. Fifteen thousand feet alright for you?” She asked as with a single flap the two mares rose five feet into the clear night sky.

Now down in the basement, Mapper took the handle of the plain wooden door in her glowing magenta aura and made more of a show of fumbling to open it than was strictly necessary, purely to announce her presence to the waiting stewing Pets inside. Hearing her Mistress finally arrive, Serenity let go of Wildfire's left forehoof and stood up straight to attention, facing the wood lined wall.

Feeling Serenity pull away from her and stand up straight, Wildfire thought it best to do the same. Having no idea at that point just whom it was who was about to enter she pulled her wing back and stood to attention, just in time as it happened, as the door opened a fraction of a second later.

Entering the hard wood floored room, Mapper purposefully clopped her hooves to allow Wildfire to track her hoof-steps as she approached both of her Pets hindquarters. “Have you been good Pets while I was gone?” She asked in a silky voice.

Straightaway, before Wildfire could say anything at all, Serenity shook her head and said, “I was a bad pony, Mistress.”

Appreciatively Mapper ran her sock clad hoof over her wife’s flank, lovingly stroking her black bar of four eighth notes cutie mark. “What did you do, Senior Pet?” She asked delicately.

“I was cold and leaned against Junior Pet to be warm.”

Hearing Serenity’s admission, Wildfire just couldn’t allow her fellow Pet to take all of whatever was to come. “I um, I was a bad pony too, Mistress.” She said, sounding more confident than she felt.

Now very gently stroking Wildfire’s bright red fireball cutie mark, just as lovingly as she had done to Serenity, Mapper asked, “And what did you do, Junior Pet?”

“I held Senior Pet with my wing, Mistress.”

‘So very eager, so desperate to be liked and accepted…so very cute and adorable,’ Mapper thought with a smile, happy that through their sympathetic link, Serenity silently agreed with her. “I blame Senior Pet for that by being cold when she should have endured it.”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire nodded.

“Senior Pet, turn around and open your mouth.” Mapper ordered simply and, as Serenity did so, a right red ball gag, the two inch red ball perforated with tiny holes so as not to impair breathing, floated into her open waiting mouth. Once the ball was lodged behind her teeth and pressing her tongue down into her lower jaw the gag was securely fastened behind her head. A heavy winter coat, taken from the Mare’s Room closet, then covered her body. “That ball gag should keep you from biting ponies that don't ask for bites and the coat will keep you warm.” Mapper said firmly, then, a little bit softer, said, “Junior Pet lift one hoof at a time so I can put something on them.”

Wildfire nodded. “Yes, Mistress.” Starting with her left forehoof she lifted each up in turn as she had earlier when her Mistress had put the forest green socks on her. When she raised up each hoof she felt the socks being slid down and removed and then something hard and artificial be fitted there to take their place.

Mapper securely fitted the last of the hoof-wear and stepped back. “As long as you wear those galoshes you will know you cannot lick any pony's hooves to include your own until I think they should come off. A pet must always know her surroundings so as to not make mistakes.”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire said as she flexed her hooves, “I'll do better, Mistress.”

“Senior Pet,” Mapper said, running her hoof along Serenity’s jaw, taking up the tiny bit of drool and smearing it over her teal muzzle, “Find the soiled pillows and futons, then remove the cloud stuffing so they can be washed. Junior pet you will fill them back up tomorrow.” Turning her back to her beloved without another glance, she nudged Wildfire with her magic. “Follow me, Junior Pet. I want the others to see your fashion statement.” Walking to the wooden door she held it open for the blind mare. “Senior Pet, you may come upstarts after your task is finished.”

Following her Mistresses scent, Wildfire carefully walked after the pink unicorn, using her wingtips pressed to the floor as a guide to keep herself in a straight line, as well as making sure she didn’t accidentally hit anything, she followed her out into the U shaped hallway and from the feel of the carpet towards the stairs.

Reaching the first riser of the stairs, Mapper was duly impressed to see the diminutive pegasus so close behind her with no aids. “Step up, I hope you have remembered the step count and don't embarrass me.” She said without pausing to wait.

Feeling the vertical riser with her hoof, Wildfire stepped up easily, counting off the number of steps in her head as she went along. “Yes Mistress, I do remember,” She said confidently as she took the step up, automatically feeling for the next one in turn.

Mapper trotted up the stairs without another word, and likewise behind her Wildfire also made it up the stairs without any incident, dutifully following her Mistresses scent without question or error. Looking around herself she tried to locate her painted friend and coming up short, Mapper asked, “Where is Requiem? I have a bad pony here that wants to apologise.”

Sonic stuck his head out of the music room, “She and Luna jumped off the balcony.” He said with a snigger, then winced as a cookie hit the chuckling purple earth pony upside his head. “Ooow!” He grimaced as the perfectly aimed cookie bounced along the carpet.

“They went flying,” Thespian supplied, another cookie shaped missile ready in her blue / grey hoof should it be necessary to fire off another salvo. “They should be back soon.”

“Pet, follow.” Mapper ordered curtly.

Obediently Wildfire followed her Mistress, wondering idly where she was being led, when a few seconds later she heard Airmail’s north western accented voice from somewhere to her left, an instant later she smelt her jasmine scent. “Looking real sexy in those galoshes, Wily.” She heard the azure blue mare add a wolf whistle for good measure.

A moment later Mapper’s voice sounded again in front of her. “Stop, Pet. There is a cookie on the floor for you, you may eat it.”

Immediately, Wildfire stopped. “Thank you, Mistress.” She said gratefully, and lowering her head to the spotlessly vacuumed carpet of the hallway the diminutive pegasus used her highly developed and well-practised sense of smell to sniff out the chocolate covered macaroon. Thankfully the chocolate treat was easy to locate, and as soon as her sniffing muzzle touched the cookie she scooped it up with her tongue straight into her mouth.

Watching her swallow, Mapper asked with a smile, “Pet, do you understand what you may not do?”

Licking her lips free of any residual crumbs, Wildfire replied, “I may not lick any hooves until these galoshes are removed, Mistress.”

Mapper nodded. “I think Airmail and Tempest may wish some cuddles. You are on Free Time, Pet.” Trotting off towards the music room in search of cookies herself, the pink unicorn called out, “Thespian! I hope you didn't waste all those cookies on bonehead!”

Standing where Mapper had left her, Wildfire could scent both the sandalwood of Tempest and the jasmine of Airmail as the two mares moved along the right and left sides of her, respectively Airmail on her left and Tempest to her right. Where they had been almost all day. “So,” Tempest asked, her hot breath at Wildfire’s right ear, “What do you think of your punishment?”

Wildfire cocked her head to one side, deep in thought for a few moments. ‘I’d hardly call it being punished,’ Wildfire thought to herself. ‘It’s certainly nowhere near as bad as I’m used to…’ Turning to her right, the blind mare smiled. “Well, it’s not so bad really, it just means I can’t clean any hooves for a while.”

Airmail gave her new lover a gentle nuzzle. “Did you think punishment must bring pain?” She asked kindly.

“It usually does,” Wildfire replied, before smiling, “But that was before. I know it’s different now.”

Copying her marefriend, Tempest gave Wildfire’s other cheek a nuzzle, “Welcome to being loved, lover.”

Impulsively, Wildfire bent her head to the right, “And welcome you to a sloppy kiss!” She giggled, pressing her lips to Tempest’s in as sloppy a kiss as she could manage, hoping the violet mare could taste the chocolate cookie.

“Don't get me wrong, Wily.” Airmail said, slightly envious of the grade A lip lock that Tempest was bravely enduring. “If you had hurt a pony you might have pain with the punishment. Mapper doesn't believe you should be punished for more than the offense you committed.” A second or two later, and Airmail tapped Wildfire’s shoulder. “And sloppy kisses for me, please. She isn't the pretty one.”

Breaking the kiss, but leaving a sexy strand of saliva between them, Wildfire turned to the lead editor. “I know. That's why Mistress is better.” She smiled then, before she passionately kissed Airmail. “Of course I have kisses for you, Pretty.”

Expecting to see Serenity at any moment, but after a few minutes had passed and there was no sign of the teal unicorn, Tempest asked, “Do you know what she did to Serenity? She hasn't come up yet.”

Wildfire nodded, “Mistress made her wear a ball gag, and she placed a winter coat on her.”

“A winter coat?” Airmail asked, not sure if Wildfire had understood properly, “I can see why the ball gag for biting. But the winter coat? That just sounds silly.”

“Senior Pet leant against me because she was cold.” Wildfire explained simply. “Mistress sorted it.”

“Wily,” Tempest said gently, “Do you think she was cold?”

Cocking her head again as she mulled over what the weather captain had asked. The answer was obvious, really. It certainly was not cold anywhere in the ranch. “No, Honey. I think she was comforting me, she held my hoof too, because she knew I was about to panic.” She added the last eight words quietly, almost ashamed.

“You may be right,” Airmail smiled, “But what did she tell Mapper?”

“Senior Pet told Mistress she was cold.”

“Do you think Serenity would lie to Mapper?” Airmail asked, unfolding her right wing and draping it liberally over Wildfire’s back.

“She'd be a bad pony if she did.”

“Yes,” Tempest smiled, seeing where Airmail was leading Wildfire, and determined to help her get there. “So maybe she was cold but holding your hoof and leaning against you warmed her up. If you were comforted by that then it was a bonus, right?”

“Now for a harder question, Wily.” Airmail said, kissing the yellow mare’s left cheek. “What did Serenity teach you about your new Mistress?”

Casting her mind back an hour or two, Wildfire knew the answer to this one. She easily recalled what Serenity had told her after she had slugged Mapper. “She said we're each responsible for our own actions, Pretty.”

“Nice try, Wily.” Tempest said with a nip of her right ear. “Could it be possible that Mapper thought the same thing you did when Serenity confessed?”

“Yes, I'm sure of it.” Wildfire nodded. “Mistress isn't silly.”

“Did she challenge Serenity on it?” Airmail asked.

“No, Mistress accepted it.”

“The lesson is Mapper trusts your intentions too.” Tempest spelled it out for her. “She does love you Wily, and she understands we are not perfect. Just be sure what you say is truthful, even if not the whole truth. Talk to Serenity about it when you are not in play time.”

“I will do,” Wildfire nodded with a smile, “Although I think I get what you mean.”

~ ~ ~

After taking care of Mapper’s little delivery request Recital went on search of her husband while nibbling the dark chocolate. She stuffed the last of it in her mouth when she found him in the Music room. “I’m bored, so very bored,” the unicorn stated while holding a forehoof to her head.

Trumpet, who had been listening to Serenity’s pop jazz remix, opened his eyes and smiled at his wife’s antics. “How many of those candy bars did you eat?”

“Just one,” replied a sorrowful voice before she thrust a hoof into the air, “And it’s gone!” Recital rolled to her side and then to her back draped over her husband. Then with a sly smile she started nibbling on his horn.

Longshore walked into the music room, “Recital, you’re back!” He watched her roll her eyes at him. “I have something you might be interested in. The play is called Appleloosa, and it is a musical.

Recital gave one last lick to her hubby’s horn before she sat back up, “Oh?”

Trumpet held back the soft sigh as his wife went from sexy to shop in an instant. She was deep into reading the script when he stood. “I’ll get us some drinks,” he stated before leaving the room without acknowledgment.

After several readings Recital looked up at Longshore, “I’m all in for this. Looks like fun.” The earth pony nodded and retreated back to the library. Her husband hadn’t returned and the unicorn found herself bored again. A look around and inspiration struck her as the facilitator of her plan walked by. “Thespian,” the Stallion Island native called out, “Do you have your make up kit with you?”

Thespian paused when she heard the question. Of course she had her kit at the house. The blue / grey earth pony set down the plate of cakes in her mouth, “Sure, Recital. Oh! You want to do makeovers?”

Recital smiled and tossed her mane, “Well, yeah, kinda.”

Thespian giggled as she stamped her forehooves, “That will be so much fun! Let me get the rest of the mares.” She bent down to pick the plate back up.

“Thespian, wait,” Recital stopped her again while pointing a hoof at the sleeping form of Dusk resting on the couch in the hallway. A wide grin crossed her muzzle, “I want to do that one.”

Thespian looked to where her friend was pointing and blinked twice. “Luna's son?” She asked as the ghost of a smile played at the corners of her mouth. Looking back from the enthusiastically nodding unicorn to the sleeping pegasus and back again a few times, little gears turning in her head, Thespian snickered at the thought of what they were about to do. Raising her voice just slightly she called to the music room, “Trails, we're doing make overs!”

Straightaway Trails’s Brooks dialect piped up with an excited clap of his hooves, “I'm in!” His voice sang out as he skipped into the hallway.

“Not you.” Thespian stopped the bouncing pink stallion with a hoof to his chest.

“Aww!” Trails moaned, visually deflating like a balloon with the air let out, “Why not me?”

Thespian just grinned, her green eyes twinkling with mischief, “Him.”

Trails followed where she was pointing with her blue / grey hoof, his visage quickly switching from disappointment to the smile of one who had just been told he could lick out a chocolate covered mixing bowl. “I'm so in.” He grinned, his dark green eyes alive, “You got your kit?”

“Getting it now,” Thespian said over her shoulder as she headed up the wide stairs to hers and Caffeinated’s bedroom. “You get the consultants.”

Bouncing on the spot, fit to burst, Trails skipped back to the music room virtually glowing, “Hey!” He called, getting most of the occupant’s attention, “Tempest! Lavender! Me, Thespian and Recital are giving Dusk a makeover, are you in?”

Lavender thought about it, for the span of a heartbeat anyway, before she sang out, “I’m in!”

In the corner next to Wildfire and Airmail, Tempest sniggered, “Yeah should be fun.” Nudging the yellow mare with her elbow she asked, “You want in, Wily?”

“Oh yuppers! Definitely, yes!” Wildfire buzzed her wings excitedly, “I've always wanted to paint his hooves, I'm in!”

“Serenity,” Trails said as he turned to the ball gagged teal unicorn, “Would you be a dear a position the client for us, please?”

With a brief look to her Mistress, who merely gave her the tiniest of nods, Serenity lit her horn and enveloped Dusk in her glowing hazel aura and magically she rotated the young Prince onto his back and for good measure she wedged pillows under him so he wouldn't roll off, then she positioned his legs for easy hoof access.

“Let me know when you need to get to his mane.” Mapper said, feigning bored disinterest although her wide smile gave her away. “Can we move him to the park?” She asked as the delicious idea ran through her head.

“No Mapper,” Trails said with a touch of admonishment in his voice that clearly stated ‘you should know better’, “You'll just have to remember this.” Pink had just finished scolding pink when Thespian came back down the stairs with her makeup kit held in her mouth. Shrugging, Mapper trotted off to the dining area leaving Serenity in the music room with her ‘music’ as Sonic trotted out to watch the fun.

“Hmm…” Trails was looking Dusk over with a critical eye, working out what colours would best go where, when eventually he made up his mind. “With that fur, I'm thinking silver highlights and purple eyeshadow. I'm torn between ruby red and burgundy for the hooves. What do you think, Recital?”

Recital too joined Trails in looking the Prince over as if they were scrutinising a painting in progress at the museum, “Good choices, though burgundy is a bit more masculine, and I think a better looking lip gloss.”

Helpfully ushered into a kneeling position by her best friend’s hooves, Wildfire said quickly, “I call dibs doing the hooves!”

Trails smiled over at the diminutive yellow pegasus, “They’re all yours love. Okay…so, if we do burgundy here and there, then we go with ruby for the ribbons in the mane and tail?” The pink stallion asked, more thinking out loud really, to which the others nodded their approval.

Suddenly, Tempest sniggered, “Hey guys, remember that quip about Sunny slapping his moon red?”

Of course everypony could recall with absolute clarity the events that had taken place outside on the decking. Thespian squeed with delight, “I have fur dye in the kit!”

An idea struck Trails, and he turned to Tempest, “What about his wings, Stormy?”

“Hmm…” Tempest looked Dusk over, “I say keep it simple. How about silver highlights towards the edges and tips of the feathers? That combination would look well against those dark coloured feathers.”

Wildfire giggled, unable to contain herself, “This is gonna be sooo cool!”

Trails clapped his hooves like a conductor bringing an orchestra to attention. “All right mares, let’s get at it!”

“Wily,” Tempest asked with a hoof on her shoulder, “Can you handle a brush to paint the hooves?”

Wildfire nodded, “I should be able to, I'll hold it tight in my mouth, Honey.”

Very carefully, having selected a medium sized hoof-brush from her kit, Thespian placed the handle of the brush near Wildfire’s open mouth. Feeling the tip of the handle with her tongue, the yellow pegasus gripped it in her teeth, sliding her muzzle down to hold it by the ferrule. Next, Thespian pressed the tin of burgundy paint onto Wildfire’s hoof where she gripped it tightly. “It's non-toxic but not the best tasting.” Thespian warned with a smile. “Don't worry if you get any in your mouth, we can clean up later.”

With the brush held firmly in her mouth, Wildfire mumbled a barely audible 'okay' and began layering the paint on the brush and once she was satisfied she got to work, carefully working the brush around the centre of Dusk’s forehoof, starting with the hard toe and the white wall while the others quietly consulted each other as they worked away on the Prince’s makeover. Caffeinated walked in to find out where his cake went. Only to be drafted into giving needed advice on tribal facial designs that were all the rage in the rock and roll circles. Grinning at the state that Dusk was being turned into, the zebra wisely took his leave, and cake, before the mares decided they needed a model that was awake.

Having tried a few different angles to properly coat Dusk’s hoof, Wildfire mumbled 'damn!' around the brush, “I just can’t get it everywhere!” Then…she had an idea. It sailed pretty close to the wind with the galoshes still on her hooves, but it was an idea. In utter frustration she spat out the brush and dabbed a bit of the burgundy paint on her tongue and began using that to now properly paint her best friends hooves. Taking the paint on her tongue Wildfire winced a little, as it tasted somewhat of pickled beets, nonetheless she carried on, ‘Heh…it’s not the worst thing I've ever had in my mouth’, she thought as she moved onto the other forehoof.

Pausing in her painting the underside of Dusk’s wings, Tempest noted what Wildfire was doing and, more importantly, the good job that she was doing and with a sense of satisfaction went back to applying the silver highlights. “And D said I'd never prank him!” Wildfire sniggered as she dabbed more of the paint on her tongue ready to tackle the hind hooves.

Trails gave her a reproachful look that reached his voice, “Darling. This isn't a prank. We’re giving this stallion new life!”

Wildfire giggled, “You can call it what you like, I'm pranking him.”

“Once you finish that hoof, I’ll tell Mapper Serenity can roll him over.” Tempest said with a smile, having finished her ‘art’ on the wing nearest to her.

Hearing her name mentioned, Mapper came trotting back into the hallway from the dining room, a piece of chocolate cake with vanilla frosting held in her hoof. “Are you ready yet...” she trailed off to silence as she saw quite clearly Wildfire dragging her tongue along Dusk’s hind hoof. Outraged, but keeping her voice as even as she could, she asked, “Junior Pet! Are you licking a hoof?”

Wildfire’s heart skipped several beats as she jumped a few inches in the air. “Um…n-no, Mistress.” She replied with a shaky tone in her voice.

Mapper took a few steps forward, tapping her hoof dangerously on the carpeted floor. “Lies will not sit well with me, Pet!”

“B-But…but I-I'm not licking Mistress, honest! I-I'm painting!” As proof, she opened her mouth to show the burgundy paint on her tongue.

Mapper paused, entirely not expecting this at all. “What?”

Finally finishing up the facial designs on Dusk’s face, satisfied the Prince looked like a glam rocker from roughly a decade ago, Thespian put her brushes aside. “She is rather good at it too, Mapper. You could do worse than have her paint your hooves some time.”

Mapper narrowed her magenta eyes, searching for any sign of duplicity. Finding none, in fact she giggled, wondering if after her time at the home Wildfire was capable of telling a lie anymore, said, “Didn't you have a brush?”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire admitted with a nod of her head. “But, please forgive me, I just couldn't get it to cover the whole hoof.”

“Pegasus thing,” Tempest offered helpfully, “Don't have your magic, nor an earth ponies lip dexterity.”

Mapper sighed, accepting what she was being told. “Fine. Fine, finish up and I'll get Serenity to roll him over.” To the olive drab unicorn she called, “Belle, we'll need some more pillows from downstairs, please love.”

Straightaway, Belle brought up a veritable army of cloud pillows and Serenity, under Mapper’s direction, magically rolled Dusk over to his front when the last hoof was done while Belle and Recital nested him securely on the pillows so they could finish the wing tops, mane and tail.

After about another fifteen minutes, Wildfire asked, “Does he look gorgeous?”

Trails took a step back to admire their finished work of art. “Oh…oh yes, yes he does.”

Tempest nodded her agreement. “He does, in a feminine kind of way.”

“That’s what I said.” Trails giggled, “But he does need one last thing. Thespian, some of your hot pink lip gloss please.”

Tempest looked confused, “We put burgundy on his?”

Trails gave the violet pegasus a knowing wink and a nudge of his foreleg. “Tempest, darling, you will see.”

Wildfire snorted out a laugh as she got up to her hooves. “I do wish I could see his face when he finally wakes up.”

With Dusk finally finished to all their satisfaction, Serenity laid him out on his side on the couch with his wings neatly folded away. As a finishing touch, Trails applied the lip gloss to himself and then gently moved one of the pegasus’s hind legs so he could place several sloppy kisses all along his sheath.

“There,” the pink stallion stood back to fully admire his work. “Now he is done.”

~ ~ ~

As she approached the ranch Luna spread her wings to effectively slow down her gliding descent. “Well, there are thrill rides and then there are eighteen thousand foot death drops.” She smiled as she flared her wings wide and landed softly on the balcony of the ranch.

Waiting for Luna to fold her wings away, Requiem slid off of her midnight blue back and trotted inside the first floor. Taking a few steps down the stairs, the red and blue painted pony paused at the bottom on the ground floor and stomped her hoof in utter outrage. “Oh, for the love of the Sun and the Moon I've been upstaged by a stallion!”

Behind Requiem, Luna took a moment to realign a few feathers and then followed her new flying buddy down the stairs, eager to see what had caused her outburst. Joining the earth pony mare on the main floor, Luna didn’t have to look very far as arrayed before her, still sleeping from his rutting on the decking outside, was Dusk. This however, wasn’t the Dusk she had left behind. This Dusk had been given a considerable makeover. Everything from the burgundy hoof paint, to the lip gloss to the hickies on his sheath, her son looked a picture. “Oh my...” Luna barely contained a snigger behind her forehoof. “Who invited Vocal Chord?”

As she sniggered, Longshore walked into the U shaped hallway. “Welcome back love, Luna.” The jet black earth pony stallion greeted the two mares without an ounce of shame. “While you were flying the rest were chatting in the dining area, and well, some of them got bored.” He waved a hoof over to Dusk as if that was explanation enough.

Taking another look at her son, Luna didn’t even try and hold her laugh in anymore. “So I see Longshore!” She barely managed to say as she erupted in snorted giggles. “Now,” the Princess said as she calmed herself with a conscious effort, lest she give herself the hiccups, “Who's responsible for my son's new look?” She asked as she and Requiem walked in to the music room.

Immediately Trails shot his pink hoof into the air, reminding Luna of an eager student in class. “Me! Well, it was sort of me.” He gave a sideways look to the light blue unicorn and the blue / grey earth pony, as if selling out his gang members to the teacher in the Principal’s office. “It was Recital's idea, and Thespian's makeup.”

“I did the hooves!” Wildfire chirped happily.

A split second later and the pink stallion shrunk and hid behind his partner, Sonic, at the death glare that the painted earth pony mare was giving him from beside Luna. “Ouch, Requiem, turn down the stare…and, what on earth happened to your mane?” He asked, as ‘windswept’ was definitely an understatement.

Unable to hold her scowl for more than a few seconds as she was still high from the ‘flying’, Requiem started bouncing on all four hooves again, looking like a filly who’d been told she could have a lifetime’s supply of her favourite ice cream. “I was flying!” She exclaimed, momentarily drowning out the jazz that Serenity had put on the stereo. “I really did fly, almost not straight down, too!” The painted pony couldn’t contain her four-hooved dance any longer, “It was so awesome! Luna took me cloud walking too! I ran right of the edge and it was a total rush!”

“So, you flew better than a rock, then?” Caffeinated asked with a coltish twinkle in his emerald green eyes that earned him a perfectly formed raspberry from the red and blue mare.

“How long did you free fall?” Tempest asked, taking a break from nuzzling Wildfire.

Conspicuously, Requiem shot Luna a ‘look’ as she ran a hoof through her blue and red mane in a futile attempt to smooth it down into her regular style…a style that had nothing to do with a tribute to Siouxsie Sioux. “About twenty seconds I think, and another forty flying.”

Luna, for her part, and to her eternal credit with Requiem, didn’t rat her out on the fact that the free fall was nearer to ninety seconds than it was to twenty. “I had to double check her for hidden wings, you'd think she was a pegasus with how comfortable she was on that cloud.”

“It was even better than the Mare's Room!” Requiem squealed, much to Longshore’s amusement. “I was bit slow at first, I thought it might be icy and I didn't want to fall on my butt on my first proper cloud walk.”

“You were amazing.” Luna affirmed as she looked at the zebra with a grin. “Caffy, I do believe Dusk has offered you a flight?”

Caffeinated returned Luna’s grin, “I'll live through Requiem, Luna.” He nodded, “Thank you for taking my friend up there.”

“It was my pleasure,” Luna replied with a smile. “Even more so to bring her back down.”

At that, Longshore laughed lightly, giving his wife a long hard cuddle as she laid next to him, “Yes I'm very happy with that too.”

“I rather thought you might be.” Luna smiled and joined in with the easy laughter as a thought struck her. “How about you, Wildfire, have you done much flying recently?” While her primary duty here today was over and done with, and the Princess was more than happy to leave Wildfire here with her new herd-mates to grow with them, she was still interested.

“She will be re-filling pillows tomorrow.” Mapper replied on the yellow mare’s behalf when she didn’t answer straight away.

‘Fireflight…I like that name for a foal…she’ll be a pegasus and I’ll teach her to fly and…’ her train of thought was derailed at the station when Wildfire felt Tempest’s foreleg nudge her barrel. “Oh, um, sorry...I was miles away.” The diminutive mare admitted with a blush. “I did a bit of flying earlier, with Tempest's awesome help, apart from that no, not so much.”

Luna nodded, “You make sure she does a thorough job, Mapper.”

Reclining next to Serenity, and idly stroking her mane, Mapper shot Wildfire a sideways look through narrowed magenta eyes. “My new Pet is sneaky, she painted hooves with her tongue.”

“Hmm…” Luna couldn’t quite hide the smirk in her tone, “Wasn't your Junior Pet forbidden from using her tongue on hooves, Mistress?”

Without pausing in her petting of her wife’s long flowing burgundy mane, Mapper nodded. “I think my Senior Pet has been teaching her,” the pink unicorn said with a casual flick of Serenity’s teal ear, “She was not allowed to lick hooves as she likes to clean them. Painting hooves, however, is putting something on them.” Now Mapper smiled over at Tempest, “Of course, the rest complimented my Pet on her good work.”

“I should hope they did, her hoof-work is impressive.” Luna smiled, fully appreciating Mapper’s dilemma – do you punish or praise? – and thoroughly pleased that Wildfire was at last acting a little more like herself. “Still, I'd watch that one, were I you.”

Mapper nodded, “She is too pretty not to watch.”

“Well, I can’t argue with you there Mistress, she is indeed pretty.” Then, very curious to know how Wildfire was doing, mainly because she knew Celestia would ask her when she got back anyway, Luna turned to Tempest. “So,” she said to the violet mare, “Tempest, how was your new herd member with flying?”

Not bothering to break the loving nuzzle with Wildfire, Tempest replied, “She was like a new filly to flying, but her confidence was gaining as I took her to basic level graduation by the end.”

Wildfire, in turn, cooed as she nuzzled Tempest happily. “Honey is a great teacher.”

“And, how do you rate Wildfire's ability Tempest, do you see her improving?”

Tempest paused for a moment, sharing a look with Airmail over Wildfire’s back, considering her answer before she turned back to the Princess with a serious look on her face. “That is something we still need to work out with Wildfire. We expect independent movement in and around Manehatten. Although, her confidence in formation flying has shown a marked improvement with just one, two hour session.”

Airmail scrutinised the lunar alicorn with a hard look from her brown eyes. “Why the intense interest Luna? Curious has to how little they did over in Canterlot?” The azure blue mare asked, a little harshly and unkindly maybe, but she found she had precious little sympathy for others where Wildfire was concerned.

Luna turned away towards the open door of the music room, her ethereal mane and tail seeming to deflate along with her mood. “More like I’m ashamed at how little was done in Canterlot, Airmail.” The Princess took a few steps towards the door, with cake in mind to pick her back up. “Please forgive my nosiness, I was just checking,” she sighed deeply as she walked out, “It’s painfully apparent what was and what was not done.”

Luna paused when she felt a hoof on her shoulder, looking back she saw a smiling Airmail jerk her head up towards the balcony. “Are you up for some more flying?” She asked, her voice considerably kinder now than it was back in the music room.

“Most certainly I am!” Luna exclaimed with a sudden smile.

Behind Airmail, Tempest ushered Wildfire out of the music room with the brush of her violet wingtip. Smiling, the lead editor turned to her little lover, “Wily, you got free wing movement with the ropes?” She asked as she made sure the forest green blindfold and the bridle were secure around her head so they wouldn’t slip or move in-flight, but she removed the reins, purely for safety reasons. The thought of the straps of material getting caught in her wings and causing a crash made Airmail shudder. “Don’t worry, Wily, I'll put them back when we are done.” Lastly, Airmail checked the galoshes were also secure and tight around her yellow hooves.

In response, Wildfire spread her wings and rotated them comfortably through all the motions she’d need for flight, ending with a flexing of the wingtips and primary feathers until she was happy. “Yuppers, I can move these babies okay!”

Airmail tried really hard not to giggle. And she failed utterly. “Tempest, take lead with Wily in tow. Luna and I will take flanks. I’m thinking some low level night flying with a few lit areas to show off our pretty mare.”

Walking past the little yellow pegasus, Tempest flicked the tip of her black tail under Wildfire’s nose to get her attention. “Let’s go to the balcony, Wily.”

‘I’m gonna be shown off again!’ Wildfire thought with a blush as she heard Airmail's comment, and instead concentrated on following Tempest's tail and her sandalwood scent up the wide flight of stairs to the balcony on the first floor. “I'm there!” She giggled excitedly.

“Step up, Wily.” Tempest warned of the little raised step that led out on to the balcony proper.

Wildfire felt the riser of the little step as she walked forwards, and stepped up to navigate the step. ‘I'll get the lay of this place soon,’ she thought to herself, as once more she heard Tempest’s south western voice slightly up ahead. “Be careful, use your wingtips, there are table and seating pads.” Turning her head this way and that, Wildfire pinpointed where the larger pegasus was, then she said, “Slide a bit to the right and walk forward to the railing.”

Flaring her wings, Wildfire used the tips of her primary feathers to feel her way around, presently making her way around the scattered obstacles to the balcony rail without incident. “See? I’m getting it…eventually.”

Through her wide beaming smile, a smile that reached her eyes and coloured her voice, Tempest said, “You can do it Wily. Now, just wait for my call.” Flapping her strong violet wings, the Manehatten weather captain lifted off from the balcony and hovered a very short distance over the grass. Tucking her tail between her legs, she let loose a short stream of hot golden pee and lifted up her now wet tail to allow Wildfire to catch her scent. “Wily, straight up!”

Straightaway, with her nose raised in the air, Wildfire picked up the scent of Tempest's pee and, sniffing a few more times she got her position in her mind’s eye. “I gotcha Honey!” Flapping her own wings, Wildfire took off, following after Tempest like she had done earlier in the day.

“She's a stunt flyer, but I'm not so don’t worry if I fall out of formation.” Airmail smiled to Luna as she took off from the balcony into the fresh night sky.

“Interesting technique.” Luna giggled as she too flapped her wide powerful wings and took off, settling in beside Airmail as they flew.

Up ahead, spying an open wooded park, Tempest called out, “Wily, we’re going low under some trees, your wingtips may touch grass.”

Despite it being almost eleven in the p.m., there was enough ambient light from the street lamps dotted around the park for Tempest, Airmail and Luna to comfortably see under the trees, since it was a public park. ‘Under the trees? Yikes...okay, here goes nothing…’ Wildfire egged herself on as she descended, blindly following Tempest’s scent, giggling like a filly as the very tips of her wings touched the grass. “That tickles!” Luckily she couldn’t see the very large very solid branch she just missed colliding with.

In front of her however, Tempest did notice as she looked over her shoulder. “Wily! Less talk, more follow!” The violet mare called out sternly as she pulled up into a steep climb and performed a sharp one hundred and eighty degree turn to fly backwards, weaving and swerving between the treetops, imitating one of her favourite sci-fi movies.

Behind her, Wildfire sniggered. Tempest's trail wasn't at all hard to follow, and to the yellow pony the scent was like a homing beacon. “Whoa!” All of a sudden, she noticed the sharp change in direction and, calling upon her experience of formation flying and close quarter flight in tight spaces with the Canterlot Residential District Fire Team, she flew up and turned to follow the pungent scent trail to weave in and out of the leafy treetops. She was doing very well, until she miss-timed a swerve on the last tree canopy and clipped it with the tip of her left wing, letting out a loud, “Oow!”

Deciding to leave the fancy life threatening stunts to Tempest and Wildfire, Airmail very bravely flew over the trees instead.

‘Damn… but that's impressive!’ Luna said to herself as she followed after Wildfire, weaving through the trees with ease, a wide gleeful smile on her face.

Without pausing for a second, Tempest flapped her violet wings harder, gaining altitude as she climbed and changed her course to head over towards a large very well-lit suspension bridge. Flying along behind the weather captain, Wildfire flapped her wings, gaining altitude and following after Tempest, matching her roughly move for move. Alongside Airmail, Luna flew in the loose formation, matching the other mares in their rate of climb.

Levelling off, Tempest flew along the road on the bridge, weaving between the green lights and, flaring her wings, slowed down to a hover. Flying along behind, Wildfire noticed the scent of Tempest’s pee becoming stronger and stronger the closer she got.

“Wildfire, slow down a bit.” Luna called out when she realised the yellow pegasus wasn’t going to stop.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire called back, slowing herself just in time. “I um, I thought the scent was getting stronger. Sorry!”

Hovering over to lay a violet hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder, Tempest said kindly but firmly, “You need to stay aware of your surroundings, Wily. Now, it is show time, so somepony may be watching and taking pictures.”

Wildfire giggled, “I hope anypony looking enjoys the show, Honey.”

“Right…” Tempest looked over the bridge, the suspension cables and the towers, and an idea percolated in her stunt flyer brain. ‘This really will be a show!’ Still hovering, Tempest nudged Wildfire with a foreleg. “Wily, rotate through ninety degrees and make sure you stay on course.” The violet pegasus then rotated to the right, but didn't care which way Wildfire rotated behind her.

Wildfire first rotated ninety degrees to the left, trying to catch the scent, then finding nothing turned to the right and followed after Tempest as she exited the bridge and performed a slow bank to the right. “Wily,” Tempest called loudly to ensure her directions would be heard, “We are going to fly between the suspension cables. They are eight feet apart. We will be flying sideways.” Tempest said, not pausing or slowing in the slightest as the cables came ever closer, “You will rotate left. When I say lock, your wings will be level to your body. Do not flap. I'll say unlock after the first wire, and you will have fifty feet to the next wire. I'll say lock again. Any questions?”

Wildfire grinned a wide grin, recalling what Heatwave taught her many, many years ago now. “No, Honey. Nothing to it but to do it!”

Once again, Airmail decided that discretion was the greater part of valour and said, “I'm going under. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Watching as Tempest finished the wide bank and lined herself up with the dangerously narrow gap between the cables and resumed her flight speed, Luna decided she had to agree with the lead editor. “I believe I'll go under with you, Airmail.”

Wildfire meanwhile, happily followed the wide bank and sped up to match Tempest’s course and heading, heard the leading mare call out sharply, “Rotate!” as she herself rotated left to slide sideways between the steel cables. Next came the orders “Lock” and then followed by “Unlock.”

A split second later, wholly unaware of how close she came to hitting the cables, Wildfire rotated to the left and followed Tempest’s orders to lock her wings in a sideways glide. The fifty feet that spanned the bridge passed in a matter of seconds and again Tempest called out to her to lock and unlock her wings.

Having safely – just – navigated the hanging suspension cables, Tempest called out, “Unlock, Wily. Normal flight.”

Obeying her commands the second she heard them, Wildfire unlocked her wings and flew along behind Tempest, really hoping she’d done it right and that Tempest was suitably pleased with her for how she had flown. “Did...did I do it, Honey?”

Ahead, Tempest flew with her forelegs tucked in. Noticing Wildfire was going to copy her she called out, “Fly level, Wily, I'm manoeuvring.”

“Okay Honey.” Wildfire replied, concentrating hard on maintaining her level flight.

Flying around and back under the diminutive yellow pegasus to deliver a surprise nuzzle to the underside of Wildfire’s chin, Tempest’s voice was full of pride. “You did very well, Wily. I'm very, very proud of you.”

Happily, Wildfire returned the nuzzle with a wide grin. “It was nothing really Honey, I just followed your trail.” To Wildfire it had felt a lot like an old training exercise from back in the day. Smoke room flight practise had called for teams of two to fly through a burning building with visibility almost zero. It called for total and complete trust between partners, and full confidence in their ability to lead you. Which Wildfire had in Tempest.

“Hey…” Tempest started admonishingly, “Do not diminish what you did. Your rotations were right on the money. You got upside down flying in one try and you followed commands.” She couldn’t hide the pride in her voice when she spoke next. “Where would you like to fly?”

Wildfire virtually glowed with pride at Tempest’s compliments. “I'm very good at doing what I'm told!” It was true, she was. Very good at following commands given to her. It made her happy and she knew it pleased those whom she obeyed. “Well…I'd like to try what I used to do for a job, when I flew through a building.”

“You want to fly through a building?” Tempest asked, her mouth open wide.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire exclaimed with a smile, “It doesn't have to be on fire or anything like last time.”

Coming up from under the Manehatten suspension bridge, Airmail said to Luna out of the corner of her mouth, “I should fly with my eyes closed more often, I think.”

Flying up alongside the azure blue mare, having also taken the ‘easy’ route, Luna nodded, “Me too Airmail, and I'm immortal.”

Mulling it over in her head, Tempest was trying to work out if Wildfire had a day job as a lawyer in Tartarus’s Kitchen. “That’s…doable, Wily, but we will need to schedule that. I don't want to trespass, but there are buildings under construction we can fly through them another day.”

Beside her, Wildfire gave a loud squee as she clapped her hooves together. “Awesomes! Hey, I'll be putting out fires again next!”

Smiling at the blind mare’s enthusiasm, Tempest led her out towards the sandy beach that surrounded Stallion Island. “Let’s fly the surf and then we can go back to Caffy's place.” She said with a grin as she steered her over to the eastern shore of the island.

Unquestioningly, Wildfire followed Tempest's lead, more than happy to go wherever she was led. “Hey, Honey, do you think we could teach my foal to fly if it’s a pegasus?” She asked, practically from nowhere.

Following along behind Tempest and Wildfire, far enough back to not be overheard by the two mares in front as they flew towards the east of Stallion Island, Airmail leant over and to Luna commented something that had been bothering the back of her mind since the parade with Mapper and Serenity earlier in the day. “Wily's blind trust is a bit scary, but I think I can earn it.”

Luna considered this carefully, and with a nod, replied, “You think it’s part of how she was conditioned by Amethyst Glory?”

Airmail merely nodded. “That’s why it is so scary.”

“Indeed,” Luna agreed. “You'll have to watch that in the near future.”

Airmail made a mental note as they flew along. “I'll let Mapper know, Luna. Who she takes orders from needs to be limited.”

“A very prudent move, Airmail.” Luna nodded, making notes all the time for Celestia later. “I would limit it as well. Forgive the poor turn of phrase, but she does follow blindly.”

“Hmm…,” Airmail made the rather noncommittal noise. That was worrying, but not what was worrying her the most after watching Wildfire – albeit skilfully – fly through the suspension cables. “I have to say, her lack of fear is another surprise. She knew the danger but she never flinched, not even slowed down. She just kept going.”

Here, Luna thought she had some information to hoof. “I understand from Dusk, that before she was blinded Wildfire was a reserve firefighter in Canterlot. She even flew through a burning building to save two colts and an earth pony mare.”

“Yes,” Airmail said thoughtfully, recalling the subway ride she had shared with Wildfire after they had left Caffeinated’s coffee shop. “She told me the story. Personally, I think she would be good for the weather team, but I'll let Tempest do her career path. I'm pretty much a loner.”

“Going on that, I'm not surprised over her lack of fear.” Hearing Airmail say she was a loner, the Princess thought she detected a hint of ‘something’ in her voice. Very pleased to have the opportunity to get to know an extremely reliable pony that she only previously knew through her military record in person, Luna decided to push a little. “A loner you say? I am of course familiar with your service records Airmail, your reputation goes a long way before you.” From all the times that Luna had made use of the ex-sniper’s expertise, she could definitely say this was true. “Your service was always delivered ‘on time’.”

Airmail nodded gravely. “Once you earn a nickname you have to live up to it.” Then, she sighed deeply, as if the weight of the nation was upon her shoulders. “I don't want to be alone anymore, and having Wildfire in the herd is great, my job though still needs me to be independent of any pony.”

“I apologise, Airmail. I didn't mean to drag up any bad memories.”

“Bad is a point of reference.” Airmail said simply as she began her descent to the wet sand and the breaking waves below them. “Mostly for the survivors I left behind.”

Luna, noticing straight away that they weren’t going to be landing near Tempest and Wildfire, who were already almost down, carried on the steady glide with the pony next to her. “I understand you, Airmail. As I said, I have read all the reports. I too like to see a job through to the end. Whatever that end may be.”

Airmail didn’t look at Luna as she flared her wings a few feet above the sand, “I left survivors because they weren't targets. Like that foal’s parents, or a spouse sitting right next to their partner left wondering why he or she suddenly had no head. I've often thought it would have been kinder to kill them too, but I didn't.” The azure blue mare gave Luna a long hard cold look as she touched down a good thirty feet away from her marefriend and Wildfire. “Sometimes…sometimes, you can't afford to be kind.”

“No.” Luna agreed, their eyes locking, sharing a joint understanding, she placed a midnight blue hoof on Airmail’s shoulder as her hind hooves touched down into the wet sand. “No you can’t. I'm afraid I’m not kind, either.”

~ ~ ~

“Wily,” Tempest turned to face the blind mare in mid-flight, angling her wings to rapidly slow her descent as they were over the sandy beach. “You will be able to teach your foal to fly and do a lot more besides.” Tempest said with a concerned look on her face as she landed. “You can teach the foal to see like you do.”

“I do hope so, Honey.” Wildfire smiled not far behind the violet pegasus.

“Okay, Wily, you’re going to be landing on wet sand.” Tempest said, offering guidance as the yellow mare hovered down to land. “Ten feet and closing…five…two…one, and, you’re down!” She talked her in to a perfect landing.

Landing, Wildfire felt the cold wet sand squelch beneath the galoshes that covered her hooves. “Hmm…thanks for the heads up, Honey.”

Trotting up the beach a tiny way to avoid the tide, Tempest laid down on her back. “Wily, lay next to me, sweetie.”

Nodding, Wildfire walked up and flopped on her belly next to Tempest, smiling a wide smile at the feeling of the sand under her belly and leant in close to nuzzle the larger mare’s cheek. “This feels nice Honey.” She said almost absent mindedly as Tempest extended a wing over her to cover Wildfire’s lower back and tail.

Wildfire draped her wing over Tempest in return, breathing in deeply to taste the salty tang of the sea at the back of her throat. Feeling the soft chill of thee night, hearing the dull roar of the ocean just a few feet away she lowered her head to rest on Tempest’s outstretched foreleg. “Honey…” she sighed happily, “I think I love it here.”

Laid next to the little blind mare, Tempest looked up at the clear starry night sky, figuring out in her head how best to ask what it was she wanted to ask. Ultimately she decided on the direct approach. “Wily, why do you want a foal?”

“Why?” Wildfire turned to the sound of Tempest’s south western voice. This was quite possibly the easiest thing she’d ever been asked. “I've always wanted a foal, ever since forever. When they were doing the bad stuff to me in the home, punishing me, using me or whatever, I'd keep the thought in my head that one day I'd see my dream come true. They couldn’t take that dream from me. It kept me sane, if you call whatever this is, sane.”

Raising herself up on her foreleg, Tempest found she got it. As she placed a tender kiss on Wildfire’s lips, she got it. “I think you fly saner than I do.”

Grinning like a filly, Wildfire kissed her back, just as gently. “It helps when you can’t see what’s coming.”

Tempest, however, wasn’t going to allow her to simply brush away what she had done so easily. “Yes, but I told you what was coming though, yet you were still very brave.”

Wildfire nodded, “I clipped a few obstacles though, especially those trees that insisted on getting in the way. But, I trusted you wouldn't lead me anywhere I couldn't follow, the rest was easy.”

Leaning across, Tempest gave Wildfire a tender nuzzle, “Wily, who else will you trust to follow?” She asked gently, full of concern.

Laying in the sand, cuddling with her new herd-mate, Wildfire gave the question the thought the question required. “Well…Mistress of course, and anypony you think is trustworthy.” Wildfire smiled then, as a further thought came to her. “Like those herd-ponies back at the ranch, I’d follow them, they’re nice.”

Tempest nodded, herself mulling over what Wildfire had said to her and the implications of what she’d said, that she’d happily follow any one of twenty one ponies. “You, Mapper, Serenity, Airmail, and I are a herd.” Tempest started slowly, “I trust all of you - yes you Wily - with my life. I'd ask you trust them as well.” Then she took a breath, hoping she phrased what she wanted to say next the right way. “I love those at Caffy's place and I hope you can be part of the greater herd. I would ask you think carefully about what anypony asks you to do and I guess make sure it won't anger the Mistress, me, Airmail, or Serenity.”

In Tempest’s embrace, Wildfire thought for a moment before she gave her a nod and a smile. “Yuppers, I can do that. You know Honey, I followed you because I wanted to. I could have and would have landed if I wasn't happy.”

Overcome suddenly, Tempest reached a foreleg over the little yellow mare’s neck and pulled her into a deep passionate kiss, mainly because if she didn’t, she’d have burst into tears of joy instead. And at that moment a deep kiss seemed better. “That…that is the nicest thing you could have said to me right now.” She whispered as she pulled away.

Wildfire pulled away from the kiss with a slightly puzzled expression on her face. “Really, Honey?” She asked as she pulled Tempest into another tight hug, showering soft kisses all over her muzzle.

“Really.” Tempest returned the kisses, kisses which turned into nuzzles which became petting in the wet sand.

With her forelegs wrapped around Tempest’s neck, Wildfire suddenly rolled over in the sand and, as the violet pegasus came to rest on top of her she began kissing along the weather captain’s jawline to her neck. Going with the unexpected roll, the older mare moved into heavy petting, delivering sloppy kisses all the way up the side of her head to nip and lick Wildfire’s twitching ears.

Moaning happily, Wildfire blew a trail of soft hot breath down Tempest’s neck, tickling her fur violet fur just as she took that opportunity to slide her right hind leg up between the blind mare’s own, the knee brushing against her marehood while her right forehoof played with her outstretched left wing, the other violet hoof holding her tight in a deep kiss.

Feeling the soft gentle touch of Tempest’s hoof caressing the feathers of her left wing, Wildfire whimpered in sheer pleasure as her yellow wings flared out erect beneath her body. Moaning in utter bliss she nibbled gently on her bottom lip as she locked in the kiss. As she felt the nibble, Tempest’s petting became more and more intimate on the wet sand of the beach.

Taking the initiative, Wildfire kissed her way down Tempest’s right foreleg, ruffling her violet fur as she went first with and then against the grain of the soft velvety fur, until eventually she rubbed her nose over the hard toe of her hoof. Smiling, thinking very naughty thoughts, Wildfire used the tip of her left wing to brush away the wet sand that had clung and accumulated on and around the white wall and the sole, before she tasted sandalwood as she tenderly kissed the outer edge of the now sand-free hoof.

Sensing where Wildfire was going with this, and knowing where to draw the line between naughty and disobedient, Tempest whispered in her ear, “Wily. Kissing is okay, but no licking.”

“Oops!” Wildfire squeaked, the yellow mare flinching involuntarily, “I was nearly a bad pony!”

“Yes, you almost were a bad pony,” Tempest nodded with a sympathetic smile, “But you can use that talented tongue on something other than my hooves and be a very, very good pony.” The weather captain whispered seductively in her ear.

“You bet I can, Honey!” Wildfire slid down Tempest’s body underneath her, rubbing her nose along her violet belly as she went down, at the same time trailing wet kisses as she gradually went lower and lower. Kissing and licking between her breasts she stopped at her pubic mound. Resting her chin just under Tempest’s marehood, blowing a gentle breath on her exposed clitoris before she gave it a slow lick. “That nice, Honey?”

“Hmm…” above her, Tempest quivered at the touch of Wildfire’s tongue, “Mmm…yes Wily that is in need of cleaning…”

~ ~ ~

Having landed the thirty feet apart from Tempest and Wildfire, Luna removed the comforting hoof from around Airmail’s shoulder and turned to look out over the roiling, tempestuous waves. Breathing in the salty tang of the ocean, the lunar alicorn stood in quiet contemplation for a few moments. She desperately wanted to unload on to the azure blue pegasus stood by her side, and she was weighing up just how much she could trust her. Ultimately she decided. Dusk trusted these ponies. So to could she. “Airmail,” Luna started, breaking the easy silence between them, “May I ask how many you took?”

“Lives?” Airmail asked, without looking up at the Princess.

Likewise, Luna stared out over the waves, she replied quietly, “Yes.”

Airmail shot her a quick look before returning her brown eyed gaze back to the dark waters before her. “Seven hundred and sixty one,” she said without a trace of pride or pleasure. In fact there was precious little emotion at all as she continued, “To include that stallion six months ago.”

Scrutinising the unfathomable waves, Luna nodded sadly. “My own tally stands in the tens of thousands.” She sighed deeply as she once again offered up a prayer to her mother for forgiveness. “I’m afraid I lost count while on the moon. Today…today I added seven more...and...” the Princess of the Night found she couldn’t finish her sentence. Instead she wept tears, hot stinging salty tears that fell like raindrops to the sand beneath her hooves.

Sparing her a longer look, Airmail took a step closer to the alicorn and put a comforting wing over her side. “Does that tally include the ones you ordered, or your personal count?” She asked and, not waiting for a reply, the ex-sniper followed up with, “I will kill now if need be. Life has value, yes, but some do bring that value to less than zero.”

“No, Airmail.” Luna shook her head determinedly, “Whether I ordered it, or whether I did it on my sister’s orders, I still have all that blood on my hooves. I still have all that red in my ledger.” The midnight blue alicorn offered a tiny smile at the blue mare’s gesture. “Today Airmail…today I did something unforgivable, something you may hate me for.”

Quick as a flash, Airmail responded with, “You found and ate my cookie I had hidden?”

For a good few minutes, Luna laughed bitterly. “No, no…today I instructed Dusk in his first kill, to join the ranks of my assassins…” Luna’s voice trailed off as in her mind’s eye she pictured the scene. The bodies of the fallen Wardens laying in a neat line, their hearts magically crushed inside their chests, their bodies still twitching as their brains finally accepted the cold embrace of death. She saw herself lighting her horn and the wingblades sliding on her son’s wings. She could see the scornful look the unicorn gave her son, hear the mocking tone of her last words. She saw the flash of the impossibly sharp blades as they sliced through muscle and bone, saw the fountain of blood a second later. She saw it dripping from Dusk’s unflinching muzzle. “Dusk took Amethyst’s head himself.”

Airmail laughed softly, recognising the need of a spirit that needed lifting. “You need a funny story, let me tell you about my last kill.”

Luna leant in to Airmail’s feathery embrace. “I'm listening.”

Airmail took a deep breath as she delved into the memory. “A unicorn stallion thought I'd be another easy rape victim. Once he mounted me his magical grip weakened so I broke his neck. Court called it self-defence, but they were concerned because I had no remorse over the stallion’s death. Said I needed therapy for anger management.” Airmail couldn’t help but giggle, “This is the funny part. Requiem has a license to practice.”

Luna nodded with a grim satisfaction. “Then, the stallion got what he deserved.” Then, the Princess breathed out a long sigh. “Oh Airmail I don't just kill, on occasion I banish the worst of the souls to Tartarus as well, as in the case earlier.”

Airmail shrugged, perhaps a little nonchalantly, “I have no concern for souls.” She did however offer the Princess a tender nuzzle. “If you didn't want Dusk to know the realities of life and death you could have left him behind. If he didn't want to do what you asked he would have rebelled there and then, or he is waiting to rebel when the time is right.” The azure blue mare paused as she considered her next words. “I can't say I understand Dusk, but then again I haven't known him for a whole day yet.” Then she put her hoof pretty close to what she thought was the underlying issue at hoof. “And, if you think Octavia will be disappointed, I disappoint ponies more often than I'd like. They still love me though.”

“Dusk did a lot of growing up today. I've never been prouder in my long life than when he took Amethyst Glory's head from her shoulders....and…and that makes me a monster, doesn't it?”

Pulling her wing away from Luna’s back, the lead editor took a step back and bobs her head, giving the Princess an exaggerated inspection, looking closely over and under every part of Luna’s body as she walked slowly around her. “Is your sister a monster?” She asked plainly.

“No Airmail, she is not.”

“Aah okay,” Airmail said with a smile, “For a moment there I took that as alicorn equals monster.” Still with the same smile, the azure blue mare put her wing back over Luna’s back. “Do you want to be a monster?”

Luna shook her head in Airmail’s embrace. “No, but what I want isn’t important. It is the role I play, and sometimes I play it all too well.”

Airmail nodded wisely, “The word is pride. I'm proud of what I've done, for I did it well. To the best of my ability. I'm sure someone out there would call me a monster too.” Airmail gave a snorting laugh, “A pox on them I say.” Then, she turned to face Luna with a serious, searching look on her face. “You though, while Caffienated would defend you to the hilt, have been a monster. I believe in the sanctity of life. I'm on the side of good. Life has value and I'm moved that I must take it away, but I do so. The side of evil places no value on life and uses it accordingly. Like a tool in a box that is tossed if broken and easily replaced. I don't know, but were you like that as Nightmare Moon, or did you still value the lives lost to your cause?”

In response Luna merely sighed and examined her hooves in the sand. She had only ever shared these thoughts with Sky Dive, her sister and her beloved Octavia before now, and here she was about to tell an almost complete stranger of her innermost demon… “Airmail…I was an utter monster when the Nightmare had its hold of me. You know the worst part? The Elements of Harmony cleansed that demon’s taint from my soul, allowed me to master it rather than the other way around, but I still bear the memories, and the shame, of what I did.”

“Difficult question first.” Airmail said, a little coldly, “Why?”

“I bear the shame, Airmail, because I stopped killing the targets sanctioned by my sister, and I went after anypony. When the Nightmare had me in its grasp, when I had given myself over to the hate and the bitterness, the resentment and the jealousy, then many innocents fell to me just as easy as the guilty.” Luna began weeping once more. “I'll not live long enough to atone for what I've done. That's why.”

Airmail nodded, startled somewhat at the Princess honesty, and fully appreciative of this insight into her mind. “Serenity would tell you that all ponies are bad ponies. I would add that all bad ponies don't deserve to die. My sanctioned kills were just two hundred and sixteen. I'm sure there are a few more in the reports, but not the number I gave you. Evil must be confronted by good. A little over a thousand years ago I would have fallen to you.”

Again Luna sighed, unwilling to give and admit the answer to that. Airmail knew though, didn’t she? “Yes, you would. I would have taken you, and I would have revelled in the kill.” She admitted baldly, although the real issue weighing her down like leaden weights now presented itself to her. “Now…I ask you, what kind of mother teaches her son to kill, Airmail? Answer me that.”

“Good,” Airmail smiled sweetly, “Time for the questions that matters then. Did you learn anything from the experience?” She asked, straight to the point. “Something that you took away? Something you can pass on to your son? Or did you teach him to kill Amethyst Glory like Nightmare Moon killed whomever was under her hoof at the time?”

Defiantly, Luna put her hoof down with a shake of her head. “No. It wasn't a slaughter, it was an execution. There is a difference. We didn't allow them to suffer. We were quick, clean and merciless. Dusk was...he was an artist with his blades.”

Airmail nodded with satisfaction, feeling her point was made. “Then, Dusk didn't kill because he could, but because it was needed. That is the difference between good and evil. Yeah, you were evil once, and I'm sure you could be again if you chose to go down that path.” Airmail paused then, deciding whether to unload her baggage to Luna. She took a deep breath, “I let five of all those targets I killed bleed out. I really, really didn't like those five.” Then, Airmail laughed lightly. “Even the stallion that raped me was dead before he pulled out.”

Luna nodded. “Celestia judged the executions were necessary, and left me to carry out her orders. That is how it was, that is how it is. I wanted them to suffer for what they did, I really wanted to hurt them, Airmail, but we were clean and we were quick.”

Airmail leant in close to Luna’s left side and snuggled with her, nestling into her ethereal mane, allowing the little shining stars to twinkle around her head. “Memories are forever and for you that is a long time. Regrets are for never. Shame, well that is a hard one. I have no shame whatever over my actions. You may need to talk to a smarter pony than me on that.”

“I only bear shame for the ones the Nightmare killed.” Luna asserted. “I don't regret any of the sanctioned kills. They were judged to be necessary.”

Airmail shrugged, “So why so worried about your son? Really, monster?” She giggled into Luna’s midnight blue fur, “As long he knows killing is ending a life and not a sport, he'll be fine. For all you know that kill was his last kill, and then he may make you proud too.”

Now, Luna couldn’t help but laugh out loud, feeling the weight of her burden removed from her shoulders. “Next you'll be telling me I'm a silly filly and you’ll spank me for my foalishness.”

Airmail stepped away from Luna’s side and turned to face the larger mare, a very serious, stern look on her face. “You are a silly filly.” She prodded the Princesses chest as if she was scolding her, although a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth belied her seriousness, “Caffy has learned to spank Thespian, I wonder if he'd spank his goddess too?” She asked, finally giving in to her giggles.

Luna joined in, finding the giggles quite infectious. “I think it would probably make his night.” She nodded to the azure blue mare, “I thank you for listening, Airmail.”

“You're welcome, Luna. I still need to let Wily know of my past.” Airmail sighed, before a deliciously naughty idea crept into her head. “My secured cookies says he faints if you ask him to spank you.”

Luna snickered, picturing the large, muscular, well built, hunky, orange zebra given free rein to act out his dreams. Dreams she’d seen many times over and found delightful. “I'll see your cookies and raise you Tia's cake supply that he cums on the spot if I ask him to tie me up first.”

“Unfair tactic!” Airmail protested, “That is his kink!” She snickered, “Then again, if Thespian has worn him out it may not be on the spot. A rock hard erection though, yeah.”

“Your time frame from asking to cumming, then?” Luna asked, eager to work out the details of the wager.

“Hmm…” Airmail mulled it over carefully, giving this very important issue the thought and care it was due. “If you ask him to spank you first and he doesn't pass out, the cookie is yours. He won't agree, but you'll have a cheering section to be sure. You ask him to tie you up for punishment, he will do that and yeah, zebra meat is impressive. After that if he does spank you I owe you boon I can grant, not harming my herd directly or indirectly. If he cums within ten minutes of his saying done, to the last knot on tying you up, you can make me do something embarrassing in your mind. If not I get lots of cake.”

Luna’s turquoise eyes twinkled. “Deal!” Lifting her forehoof to her mouth she spat on it and extended it to Airmail.

“I'll even count it as cumming if Thespian blows him.” Likewise, Airmail spat on her hoof and extended hers to meet Luna’s, and they bumped them together with a wet smacking noise that wasn’t gross at all.

“Excellent!” Luna said with a giggle, “This should be fun!”

“It will be good fun too.” Airmail agreed with a smile, a smile that only got wider as she glanced over to where Wildfire and Tempest were busy making out in the wet sand. “I see my herd-mates are enjoying sand in places they will wish they hadn't later.”

Looking over, Luna sniggered at the show, and started to walk over with her new friend. “Indeed they are, Airmail.”

Walking up with a jaunty swagger, Airmail put on a deep voice, “Beach Patrol!” She barked.

Quivering on top of Wildfire, Tempest was busy panting but still found the energy to reply. “Pfft…have the Princess send them on their way.”

Luna sniggered behind her hoof. “Shall we go on our way?”

Airmail was practically bouncing like a giddy filly on Hearths Warming morning eager to open her presents. “Luna's going to give Caffy a wet dream!”

“Eh…” Tempest snorted dismissively, “Nothing new there.”

Airmail’s brown eyes shone bright. “While he is still awake, Stormy.” She filled in just as Wildfire chose that moment to nip at Tempest’s swollen clit before wrapping her lips tight around it and sucking hard.

“Mmm…Wily, let’s aaah…aah,” Tempest moaned, “Let’s take this were it is more comfortable and where there is a bigger audience than these two.”

“Yuppers!” Wildfire giggled, “I'm up for that.” She wriggled down under Tempest’s body and rolled to her hooves, extending one to help Tempest stand up.

“As I said,” Airmail nudged Luna with her foreleg, “You’ll have a large cheering section and I won't be sorry to have no cake, even though I think I'll be getting some.”

Luna’s eyes sparkled in the twilight. “We shall see. Depends if Caffeinated lasts longer than ten minutes.”

Tempest rose up to a kiss from her blind mare. “You got her down to ten minutes? Now that’s a challenge!” To Wildfire she gave another lingering kiss as she shook out her black tail. “I'll need my tail cleaned though before we go inside. Ready?”

“Yuppers!”

Author's Note

Requiem's flight with Luna can be found here

Chapter 6 - Nothing to It, But to Do It

Trotting up the wide flight of stairs with Airmail to her left and Tempest to her right, Wildfire stepped out onto the expansive balcony on the first storey of Caffeinated and Thespian’s ranch that overlooked the paved patio, the wooden decking and the large swimming pool out back, and for a brief moment the yellow pegasus basked in the warm mid-morning sunlight. With a full belly from breakfast, the two marefriends smiled at each other and pulled back and let Wildfire soak up the heat of the glorious Friday morning sun.

With the drama and excitement that had been yesterday's bondage party now well behind her, and a belly full of the best breakfast she’d ever had – hot roasted chocolate oatmeal and pineapple juice courtesy of Thespian and Belle – Wildfire was standing happily letting the heat of the rising sun wash over her scarred face as she heard some of the other herd ponies leaving for their various jobs.

“Wily,” Tempest said as she placed a violet hoof on the diminutive pegasus’s shoulder, "How good is your sense of direction?” She asked, genuinely curious as to the blind mare’s ability to fly unaided.

“Well…” Wildfire cocked her head to one side as she thought long and hard about the answer. “It’s okay, Honey.” She answered truthfully. “I can get around Canterlot just fine on my own, but that’s took like, ages for me to learn. I use my ears, my wingtips, my hooves and I listen to gauge where I am.” She smiled then, as she turned her head to her right, following the sound of Tempest’s voice. “Why’d you ask?”

“Because, after you’ve done your little task, we’ll be flying home, and I want to see if you can follow me without me wetting my tail.” Tempest explained, “Airmail will follow you, but she’ll only say something if there is danger.”

Wildfire nodded her understanding. She liked that they weren’t treating her like a useless foal. “I can still smell your scent, it’s just not as strong, that’s all.”

“We are facing south,” Airmail started as she stepped up to Wildfire’s left, running her wing casually along her flank, “Our house is north of here…”

“So we're turning around one hundred and eighty degrees?” Wildfire interrupted.

“Yes,” Tempest interjected with a grin at her partner, “But you have an important job to do before we go. Remember what Mapper wanted you to do today?”

“Yuppers! I have to sort those cloud pillows out in the Mare's Room.” Wildfire replied.

Airmail made the sound of a gameshow buzzer going off with her mouth. “Uh aaah! Close, Wily. You need to refill the pillows that Serenity has washed.” Turning her head to her back, Airmail retrieved a double saddle bag and stepped closer so she could fit it securely around the smaller mare’s barrel. “These saddle bags I’ve put on your back hold twenty empty pillows that need filling, ten to a side, okay?”

“They will hook together so once they’re full you just need to pull one to get them all back.” Tempest supplied helpfully as Wildfire spread her wings experimentally around the straps of the saddle bags, “Now,” she said, having found what she was looking for from scanning the patch of sky immediately above them, “There is a Stratocumulus cloud at about three thousand feet up and about half a mile south of where we are for you to use.” Taking a step closer, the violet pegasus nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek and gave her a tight hug. “I know you can do this, Wily.”

Concerned, and not as convinced as Tempest, Airmail asked, “Do you want us to wait here or follow you?”

“No!” Wildfire exclaimed, before she continued with a tiny blush, “No, Pretty, no. Mistress gave me this task. I'll give it a shot.” Determinedly squaring her little shoulders, which looked utterly adorable to the two older mares, Wildfire stepped up to the safety railing. “So…it’s straight ahead, three thousand feet up?”

Airmail and Tempest both nodded at each other before saying together, “Yes.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire spread her abused wings and ruffled her feathers to judge wind direction, “I just fly through the cloud?” She asked, having never actually filled cloud pillows before.

Tempest couldn’t resist a giggle. “You land on it and then use the pillow case to scoop up the cloud stuff.”

“It's okay Wily,” Airmail gave Tempest a ‘look’, “We all have to learn new things.”

Wildfire snickered at Tempest, “I want a kiss for that giggle when I get back.” Angling her wings and flaring her feathers for take-off, the little yellow mare crouched and pushed herself off of the ground with her legs and the use of her strong breast muscles to flap of her wings. ‘Nothing to it, but to do it…’ she thought confidently as she gained altitude with each downstroke, instinctively altering her angle of attack on the upstroke in order to pass through the air more efficiently.

Happy, Airmail went back inside the white walled ranch to get drinks for herself and Tempest, while the violet pegasus’s crystal blue eyes remained firmly glued to Wildfire’s ascent to the heavens.

‘Flight school…remember flight school…’ Wildfire thought to herself as she rose up steadily higher and higher through the morning sky, ‘The air gets thinner the higher you get…it feels different, you got this…’ having given herself a good talking to, and using her ears and the leading edges of her wings – the most sensitive parts of her body for flight - like the most basic altimeters, Wildfire was able to feel the slight change in the air pressure around her. “Alrighty…this feels high enough.”

Coming back out onto the balcony carrying two Celestia special coffees on a tray in her mouth, Airmail flicked her brown eyes upwards before setting the tray down on a nearby low table. “She is flying straight, she just needs a bit more altitude and she'll run into the cloud.”

Tempest nodded as she took her milky coffee in her forehoof. “She is doing rather well to say she’s flying blind.”

Airmail sipped her own coffee, “You know about the firefighting, right?” The azure blue mare asked rhetorically, “She’d maybe be useful in a forest fire with visibility reduced by the smoke.”

High above the ranch, flying at approximately two thousand eight hundred feet above the ground, Wildfire altered the angle of her wings and flew straight forward what she judged to be the half a mile distance...but after a few moments she hit nothing but thin air. “Damn,” Wildfire cursed, realisation hitting her as she hovered in place. “I should've hit it by now. I'm not high enough.”

Down on the balcony, Tempest crouched, getting ready to launch herself speedily into the air. Noticing her marefriend’s change in posture, Airmail put a halting hoof on her shoulder. “Ah, ah. Stormy you said you believed. Give her a chance.” She said quietly, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt at that moment.

Fighting a rising sense of panic in her hover, Wildfire turned through one hundred and eighty degrees and flapped her wings, creating a firm downstroke to rise up the remaining two hundred feet. Rising up as she flew back the way she came, the blind pegasus smiled to herself as the tips of her ears grazed the underneath of the Stratocumulus cloud. Although she couldn’t tell, the cloud she was flying under was a mile across at its widest point, with a length of roughly five hundred feet. Coming around the leading edge of the cloud Wildfire paused. “Okies…that was the underneath...” she affirmed to herself, building up a mental image of where she was. Turning once more, the diminutive mare raised herself vertically upwards before hovering back towards the cloud with her hooves outstretched.

Touching the side of the cloud with the toes and the soles her outstretched forelegs, making contact hooves first with the fluffy vapour filled cloud, the pegasi magic in her hooves creating a solid surface. “Aha!” She exclaimed in victory. “I gotcha, cloud! You are mine!”

‘Now...I just need to get up to the top…I wonder how big it is?’ She wondered curiously as she flapped vertically, trailing her front hooves in the cloud's edge so she didn’t lose it or where she was. Presently after what felt like forever but was in reality only a few moments she rose up the four hundred feet to the very top of the Stratocumulus. She definitely knew she was there as she felt her hooves leave the cloud’s edge. “Aha! Here we are.” Flapping herself forward, Wildfire stood on the cloud proper and folded away her now tired wings, her pinions aching and throbbing along the lines of the many breaks and fractures she had endured over the years.

Still, pain was just pain. How could she care about something like that she had a job to do for her Mistress? “Alrighty then,” she said to herself with a wry grin, “Let’s get these pillows filled, and show Mistress how useful I can be.” Fishing in her saddle bags with her forehooves, Wildfire pulled out the empty pillow cases and, humming and singing her favourite song her mother had taught her, began scooping cloud-stuff into the open pillows.

“Line one is the time
That you, you first stayed over at mine
And we drank our first bottle of wine
And we cried

Line two we're away
And we both, we both had nowhere to stay
Well the bus-shelter's always OK
When you're young

Now you're older and I look at your face
Every wrinkle is so easy to place
And I only write them down just in case
That you die

Let's take a look at these crow’s feet, just look
Sitting on the prettiest eyes
Sixty 25th of Decembers
Fifty-nine 4th of Julys
Not through the age or the failure, children
Not through the hate or despise
Take a good look at these crow’s feet
Sitting on the prettiest eyes

Line three I forget
But I think, I think it was our first ever bet
And the horse we backed was short of a leg
Never mind

Line four in a park
And the things, the things that people do in the dark
I could hear the faintest beat of your heart
Then we did

Now you're older and I look at your face
Every wrinkle is so easy to place
And I only write them down just in case
You should die

Let’s take a look at these crow’s feet, just look
Sitting on the prettiest eyes
Sixty 25th of Decembers
Fifty-nine 4th of Julys
You can't have too many good times, children
You can't have too many lines
Take a good look at these crow’s feet
Sitting on the prettiest eyes

Well my eyes look like a map of the town
And my teeth are either yellow or they're brown
But you'll never hear the crack of a frown
When you are here
You'll never hear the crack
Of a frown.”

Working hard and fast, Wildfire had quickly worked out a system of filling the pillow cases – scooping them under the surface of the cloud and zipping them closed before the cloud-stuff could escape – and secured them with a wingtip with the hook on one end and the eye in the other. “And...and that's the last one done, yay!” Doing a little happy dance she zipped the last one closed.

“Now then, getting them back to the ranch…” Turning her head about, standing in the middle of two rows of ten freshly stuffed pillow cases all joined to each other. Thinking back she remembered what Tempest had said about them being hooked together and tentatively, after double checking each one with her wings, gave one a sharp pull.

‘Heehee! They're gonna be so thrilled I did this on my own!’ Wildfire giggled, feeling the two groups of ten pillow cases bunch up under her, hanging down from the saddle bags, the little yellow mare walked back to the edge of the cloud. “Right. Now to get back down.” She thought out loud, the vocalising helping to organise her thoughts, “I came south, north then south, so this is definitely the right way.” Spreading her wings she leapt from the Stratocumulus cloud, deciding to descend in a step pattern back to the house and back to her mares.

“She’s inbound.” Tempest announced having, of course, not once taking her brown eyes off of the cloud.”

Airmail nodded as she too looked up and saw Wildfire’s descent. She’s using a step descent,” she commented critiquing Wildfire’s chosen method. “My opinion, she should have come back here before descending.”

“That’s it,” Tempest decided, “I'm launching.”

“No.” Again, Airmail stopped the impulsive violet pegasus, this time hooking her hoof around her black tail. “Let her try on her own.”

Tempest shot her lover an impatient look, “Yeah, I am, I just don’t want to lose her on the first day, Airy.” Ignoring the eye-roll she received, Tempest took off without a backwards glance, making sure to stay low.

Continuing her step descent, Wildfire dropped down what she guessed was a few hundred feet before levelling off and flying forwards, only to repeat the process. ‘Definitely getting lower. Nice one, Wily!’ The small pegasus was feeling rather pleased with herself as she busied herself losing another five hundred feet. ‘Hmm…the air feels thicker alright.’ Instinctively she started sniffing around and listening for guidance, straining her senses but getting nothing.

From her vantage point, flying about a thousand feet away from Wildfire, Tempest watched her efforts from a distance so that her scent would not get to Wildfire’s attuned nose, letting her fly on her own, but watching for when she got within a hundred feet of the ground

Wildfire paused as she got no return to her senses. “C'mon, idiot, think...you dropped a few hundred, took you to the cloud level. Then you lost five hundred, so you should have two thousand five hundred to drop. Right.” Folding her yellow wings slightly, Wildfire angled her muzzle down towards the ground and dropped quicker, thrilling in feeling the rush of the air over her fur and feathers, as well as using the quickly changing air pressure to judge her distance.

With a yelp of panic, Wildfire realised – too late – that she was descending too quickly to keep a track of her altitude using her crude method. “Oh…oh buck!” She flared her wings to slow her down, while still going lower. Desperately she sniffed the air, trying to smell grass or dirt or anything for that matter.

Descending again, much slower this time, Wildfire opted for a gentler glideslope, as she assumed she was nearer to the ground now.

Watching the haphazard descent, Airmail was sorely tempted to shout out, to guide Wildfire in to her, and the azure blue mare resolved to do so if Wildfire made it to within a hundred yards. Flying the thousand feet alongside her, Tempest was ready to call out if Wildfire dropped below one hundred feet of height, or if she was moving away from the general direction of the ranch.

Starting to fly forward northward, in the right direction, Wildfire gradually felt herself getting lower as, trailing behind her, Tempest started to peel away.

Wildfire kept up the steady pace of the descent, dipping her left wing slightly but quickly correcting her level flight, desperate to get within sensing range of her two mares, fighting the urge to panic, with her tortured wings flaring up in considerable pain, she tried with all her might to ignore it to the back of her mind as she wobbled a little to the right before once more getting back on course, so determined was she not to be seen to mess up.

Airmail was watching Wildfire so intently that she didn’t notice Requiem had wandered out onto the balcony following her ‘meddling psychologist talk’ with Dusk – the Prince in question recovering from said ‘talk’ with an earl grey tea inside. “Airy, what's going on?” The red and blue painted pony asked as she shielded her eyes against the sun with a hoof so she could scan the sky. “I though you guys were going home...is that Wily and Tempest flying around?”

“We sent Wily on a solo mission, for something Mapper asked her to do for her.” Airmail replied. “She is doing okay so far.” She watched as Wildfire dipped her head, going lower but keeping up the rate of descent.

“And, what is Tempest doing?”

“Crash prevention,” Airmail explained simply. “She was very confident in herself when she left to go to the cloud. She did the job perfectly,” the lead editor of the Manehatten Times paused then as she watched the little yellow mare struggle to come back down. “But…but now she is unsure of herself.”

Requiem nodded with a sigh. “Her first mission, she’s afraid to mess up, that is still large in her mind.” The psychologist in her reasoned, getting Airmail’s attention as they both watched Wildfire slow to a hover, obviously collecting herself. “What if you put her in a box for doing this wrong?”

“But...what…” Airmail dropped her jaw almost comically to the floor. Indeed it would’ve been funny where it not for the aghast stunned and shocked look on the blue mare’s face. “But, but we would never, could never, ever do that!” Seeing Wildfire in the low hover, Airmail was in her own launch position, only to be stopped by a painted hoof on her back between her flared wings.

Requiem shook her head when Airmail shot her a questioning look. “She needs to know she can fail and you will still love her.”

Two hundred yards out from the ranch, roughly a hundred yards up, Wildfire ultimately made the decision for her. The intense pain running along the old breaks in her wings, coupled with generally not knowing where she was, and finally it all proved too much for the blind pony. 'Nope. I tried. I failed. That's it. If they punish me, they punish me. I can take it.' She hovered towards the ground. ‘I'll just have to walk back from here.’

Seeing her new lover giving up and descending towards the ground oh so very close to the ranch, Airmail shrugged off Requiem’s hoof and called out, “Wily!” As Tempest climbed and flew over to join Airmail on the balcony.

“Pretty!?” Wildfire called back in reply, her head immediately snapping in the direction the familiar voice had come from.

Airmail had to fight to hold back her tears of joy as Tempest landed by her side. “Get back in the air, Wily!” She shouted out as loud as she could. “You are almost here, you can fly in towards my voice. Just two hundred yards to go now!”

“Yuppers!” With a renewed vigour, Wildfire took off again, heading like a laser guided yellow missile towards the welcome sound of her voice.

“Good,” Airmail called, “Just a couple degrees to the left, now fly straight…”

“You're doing great, Wily!” Tempest called out her own encouragement as she watched Wildfire prepare to land.

“Honey?” Adjusting her course, Wildfire perfectly followed the sounds of both Airmail and Tempest’s voices, more confidently coming in closer and closer to the ranch until she was able to smell the jasmine and the sandalwood scents of the two waiting pegasi. When the scent and the sound was at their most intense she flared her wings and touched down for a slightly wobbly landing. “I…I messed up the descent.” She muttered quietly, slicking her ears back and scuffing the balcony with a hoof.

“Wily…” Tempest placed a tender hoof on the diminutive yellow mare’s shoulder as Airmail gave her cheek a loving nuzzle. “You flew almost a mile to a cloud. You filled and brought back all twenty of the pillows. You didn't lose your direction when you were done. Finally you flew back to within two hundred yards of the house and you landed safely when you were unsure.” Taking a deep breath, Tempest kissed Wildfire’s lips. “So you tell me Wily, when did you mess up?”

“I um…I dunno,” Wildfire pointed her head to the floor of the balcony, “I wanted a steady line, I felt all over the place coming back down.”

Having none of it, Tempest smiled and tenderly kissed her again. “Your descent from the cloud was steeper than your climb. That made the overall trip longer. You actually flew straight both to and from the cloud.”

Airmail’s voice was full of pride, “It was your quicker descent that made it seem to take longer than you may have thought it should be.”

Hesitantly, Wildfire lifted her head up, a tremulous smile playing over her muzzle. “Oh...so, so I didn’t mess up?” Nervously, as if expecting a beating at any moment, she once again scuffed her hoof. “I just wanted to show you I could do it.”

Seeing her distress, both Airmail and Tempest took up their now regular positions either side of the yellow mare, both giving her tight hugs with their wings. “You did show us.” Airmail whispered in her ear, “You were very brave, Wily.”

“You really did do it.” Tempest cooed in her other ear. “It wasn't easy to watch you and not fly out and save you. You didn't need saving at all.”

Smiling a wide ear to ear smile, Wildfire nuzzled both mares in turn. “Thanks...it, it was harder than I thought it would be, but once I found the cloud filling the pillows was easys!”

“You did a nice job circling back for the cloud.” Said Tempest kindly. “What was amazing was how you knew which way to fly back when you were done.” The violet mare’s voice was very suitably impressed at that.

Wildfire was flabbergasted. “Honey…you really thought that was amazing?” They were proud! Of her! Airmail and Tempest were proud of her! “I um, I just went back the way I came.”

“I think you are one step closer to independence, Wily.” Airmail asserted with a definite tone in her north western accented voice. “Your confidence will only build too, although the ground transportation is very good and you should learn to use that also.”

“Yes, we will do all that,” Tempest giggled, tapping Wildfire’s shoulder with her hoof. “But for now you need to put those pillows back in the Mare's Room.”

“Alrighty Honey!” Wildfire practically bounced as she turned towards the exit of the balcony, “I can get to the Mare's Room.” Without waiting for directions or prompts the blind pony trotted off towards the wide flight of stairs.

All this time, throughout the cuddle-fest, Requiem had stood quietly to the side, not wanting to interrupt the precious bonding moment. “Have you thought of getting her some travel aids, y’know, something like a GPS?”

Requiem snickered at the total blank looks that Airmail and Tempest gave her. “I thought not. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I'm off to bother a Princess. You two have a lovely day.” Flicking her tail under the vacant mare’s chins, the painted earth pony sauntered back inside the ranch, her meddle detector firmly set on Luna.

~ ~ ~

Roughly an hour later the clock in the music room struck eleven in the a.m. and the ranch, which had been crammed to the rafters with twenty three ponies the day before, now felt really empty seeing as most of them had left for their homes or in Caffeinated’s and a few other’s cases, for their respective work. Thespian was in the middle of regaling Airmail and Tempest with a story about the Winter Solstice and, while both had heard it before, it did at least serve to pass the time while they waited for Wildfire to return. The blue / grey earth pony being a natural born actress didn’t hurt either.

A moment later and Dusk Melody wandered in, following his much needed chat with Requiem on the poolside decking out back. “Hey,” he started after waiting politely for a lull in Thespian’s story, “Has Mom gone?”

Thespian nodded to the young Prince with a generous smile on her muzzle, “Yes dear, she did that vanishing trick of hers just a few minutes ago. She did say she would be at the open mic at Caffy’s shop tonight though.”

Dusk grinned, “Good, I do hope she remembers my good violin.” In the meantime though, Dusk had resolved to explore Manehatten a little more. His previous visit, to open the ward of the hospital, had revealed to him the rather beautiful North Park, as well as Stripes’s coffee shop, of course.

As Dusk and Thespian began what was potentially a very long – and drawn out – conversation about the theatre and performing in it, and comparing the Manehatten scene to that of Canterlot’s own, Airmail decided it best to make a quick exit before her boredom-o-meter maxed itself out. Luckily for all concerned, Wildfire was trotting up the wide flights of stairs and made it to the main floor of the ranch at about the same time as Airmail did the same. “Hi Wily!” The azure blue mare exclaimed, “Are you ready to head out?” She asked, really hoping the answer would be a ‘yes’.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire answered, “I sorted all the futons down there!” The yellow pegasus was rather pleased with her little self. Granted, she had to thank Serenity the next time she felt her, as the teal unicorn had very kindly left the empty futons arranged in a horseshoe shape so they were easy for the blind mare to fill one and then move on to the next until her task was finished.

“From here to our place it is a mile walk.” Tempest said as she appeared at Airmail’s side at the top of the stairs. “I'd like to do that first, then we can fly back and forth later.”

“Alrighty Honey.” Wildfire smiled at the sound of Tempest’s voice. That sounded like a definite plan, or as good a plan as any, anyway.

The good byes didn’t take all that long, for Thespian and Dusk were deep in their conversation and were now comparing acting to musical performances and especially which of them had played to the worse audience. Leaving – or escaping, depending on the point of view – the ranch, Wildfire found the path was not wholly unfamiliar, as it turned out Airmail and Tempest lived near the large lake that Wildfire had been paraded past the day before. Tempest pointed this out to her, as well as the fact that Mapper and Serenity actually lived a bit further north on the other side of the lake.

Along the mile long walk, Airmail made sure to point out the names of the four streets they passed along, in particular how the several cross walks they encountered on the sidewalks had an audio signal when red or green for pedestrians allowing those who had sight impairments to cross safely.

They did of course point out the very important location that was the ice cream shop (because let’s face it, we all need ice cream), and after a leisurely walk of roughly twenty five minutes or so, the three pegasi arrived outside of Airmail and Tempest’s terraced townhouse.

Walking up the concrete sidewalk of the street, Tempest put her wing over Wildfire’s shoulder to halt her outside their front door. Quickly, the violet mare described the plain two storey red bricked house. To the left of the white door there was a modestly sized flower bed consisting of lavender, pink and white Asters, alongside Foxgloves and Star Gazer Lilies. To the right, in front of a large white framed bay window was a small grassed area.

Once they had gone inside the house they first covered the great room, which lead in to the dining room and then connected to the kitchen. Going room by room, what was in each and exactly where it was. During the quick tour, Airmail made sure to constantly reassure Wildfire that the things in the rooms, especially the entertainment centre and the kitchen equipment wouldn’t be moved without her input first.

Extra amount of time was taken to make sure Wildfire knew the location of the appliances in the kitchen, things that wouldn’t be moved such as the oven, fridge and so on. Next on the mini tour were the upstairs, the master bedroom that the three of them would share and then the smaller bedroom that was the office.

“I’m really sorry, I have to go to work, Wily.” Airmail said regrettably as she headed over to the back door that lead onto the back yard decking, a respectably sized vegetable garden along the left side and a large oak tree in the right corner. “Tempest will be here though to help you explore some more.”

“Okay Pretty.” Wildfire made sure to give her new herd-mate a lingering kiss before she left, after all she did have her rent to pay, “Thanks for the tour round, you both have a really nice place.”

“It is nice and cosy,” Tempest smiled, making sure to get her kiss in on Airmail’s cheek before the back door shut. “And, it’s even more so now with you to snuggle. As our herd grows….” Tempest paused as she rubbed a wing lovingly over Wildfire's belly, enjoying imagining how sexy the yellow mare would look when she was heavily pregnant. “We will expand to a larger place.”

Standing in the great room with Tempest, Wildfire giggled at the feathery touch of the violet wing. “I can do snuggling, and I really can’t wait to expand the herd…” she trailed off as she scuffed the toe of her hoof on the carpeted floor. “Actually Honey, I'm a bit nervous about that.”

Laying across the large four seater couch in the great room, Tempest gave the blind pony an extremely sympathetic look. “You can tell me, Wily.”

“Well...” Wildfire started, feeling for the couch and laying down on the remaining half – taking up but a quarter of it – as she faced the larger, older mare nervously. “You see, the only stallions I've been with were the ones at the home, when I was being punished...it, the thought of it scares me.”

“Wily,” Tempest’s heart wanted to erupt for what this mare had experienced, but she forced her voice calm, “You do know that the ponies at Caffy's place are one big herd?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire nodded hesitantly, “And I know they aren’t like 'that', but it’s still scary!”

Tempest placed what she hoped was a comforting hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder. “You will have time to get to know them. We have to have a vote of the herd to let in a new member into the herd. Does that scare you?”

“Um, a little, what if they don’t want me?” Wildfire gave voice to the niggling fear eating away at her as she nuzzled the violet foreleg on her shoulder.

“I want you. Airmail wants you. Serenity wants you. Mapper wants you.” Tempest smiled, “Are you still afraid?”

Wildfire shook her head so hard her black mane whipped around her neck, “Nopes! Not with you four with me, no I'm not, Honey.”

“Good, and I have a secret to tell you.” Tempest booped the blind mare’s nose playfully, “The most important vote likes you. Do you know who that vote is?”

“Mistress?”

At that Tempest couldn’t resist a giggle, “She may be full of herself, but no.” The violet pegasus sniggered, “You met her with Airmail yesterday in the coffee shop.”

Cocking her head to the side, Wildfire thought hard, casting her mind back to the previous day, while it was only twenty four hours it felt like several months. “Um…Lavender?”

“Yes,” Tempest answered, stroking the smaller pegasus’s yellow cheek with her hoof, “Serenity can tell if you're lying, but Lavender can tell if you have a good heart.” This time when she paused she leant her head forward and gently kissed her lips. “You have a good heart, Wily.”

“Aw…thanks, Honey.” Blushing intensely, Wildfire tried to cover it up with a kiss of her own to Tempest’s lips. “This…this is going to take some getting used to, being here with you and Pretty, I mean.” She smiled as she pulled away from the kiss, “It all feels like a foal’s tale, y'know?”

Tempest smiled, recalling the tender sweet scene in the Mare’s Room of Caffeinated’s ranch before they had all gone to sleep in the early hours of the morning. How Wildfire had told her about her dream for a foal on the beach, how Serenity had expressed her wish for a foal of her own. “Wily, did you like Tinkerer?” She asked gently, determined to make all this troubled mare’s dreams happen.

Wildfire nodded, “Yuppers,” she smiled, “He felt gentle, and he liked being tied up as well, like me.”

“Would you like your foal to be a pegasus?” When Wildfire nodded ‘yes’, Tempest followed up with, “You know there are other ways to get pregnant besides being mounted, right?”

On the wide soft couch Wildfire lowered her head, in thought, “I know Honey, but...they just don't seem very personal I suppose.”

Shuffling forward, Tempest wrapped her forelegs around Wildfire’s neck for a tight hug, nuzzling along her cheek as she did so. “Airmail and I will be with you from start to finish. You do have time.” Then, the violet mare switched tack a little, “You like Belle too, right?”

“Hmm…yuppers! She sounds fun,” Wildfire replied, likewise draping her yellow legs around Tempest – just – and kissed along her jawline. “And, I feel better about it knowing you'll both be there with me.”

“Belle has had three foals by Tinkerer, one was a pegasus, and the other two are unicorns.” Tempest said gently, sneakily kissing Wildfire’s ear. “The youngest is still at home with them. If you like I'm sure you could spend a night or two there to get to know them better.” Then she said, as an afterthought, “When you're ready of course.”

“That would be nice, but not yet though,” the yellow mare flinched, wanting to pull away from the hug she was entwined in, but Tempest’s grip was too tight. “I um…I want to get used to being free before I think seriously about my foal.”

“Will you talk to me about it?” Tempest asked softly, carefully loosening her hug when she felt the blind mare try and pull away. “You don't have to but I'm willing to listen. You know I love you and won't judge you for your past.” Tucking her forelegs under her body Tempest contented herself with a tender kiss on Wildfire’s lips. “No matter how terrible that past was, it brought you to me today.”

“I'll talk about it, Honey.” Wildfire said confidently, “No secrets between us, right?” Then a thought occurred to her as she thought back to the brief tour around the kitchen. “Do you want a drink of something first?” She asked hopefully.

“With alcohol?”

Wildfire smiled, “Sure, why not?”

Tempest giggled behind her hoof, “We aren't as fancy or as equipped as Caffy.” The violet mare snickered as she sat up. “I have beer, and sweet red wine...and beer.”

“Honey!” Wildfire laughed, “A thousand kisses for a beer!” She exclaimed dramatically on the couch.

“I'm going to count too!” Tempest giggled as she booped Wildfire’s nose. “You know where the kitchen is and the fridge is where we left it. Beer is in the right door shelf middle. The shelf below has ginger ale. The shelf above has butter and condiments.”

“Ugh…” Wildfire shuddered as she slid from the couch to her hooves. “Honey, you're welcome to the ginger ale.” Feeling with her wingtip to know where she was, the diminutive pegasus made her way through the small hallway that connected the great room to the dining room, and with just a second of orienting herself, turned right towards the kitchen. “Want anything else?” She asked while she was turning and finding the other wall.

“Just a ginger ale please, Wily.” Tempest called, making a conscious effort to not get up and follow her. “So, I don't have to worry about you or Airmail drinking them?” She asked with a giggle as the yellow mare disappeared from view.

“Nopes!” Wildfire called as she successfully navigated the kitchen to the holy beer receptacle that was the fridge. “They're all yours, Honey.” Getting a bottle of beer and a bottle of ginger ale from the fridge, she placed them on a tray she had felt on the cold marble work surface next to the fridge, and with no difficulty at all she made her way back to the great room and the waiting weather captain.

Tempest watched, thoroughly impressed with how fast Wildfire was able to pick up her surroundings, and a thought occurred to her. “I have to stop in at work later, did you want to fly the storm with me today?”

Trotting into the great room, Wildfire felt for and deposited the tray onto the low coffee table. “Hmm…sure, Honey. Sure I'll give it a try.”

“Then I'm cutting you off at one beer.” Tempest smiled as she scooped up her ginger ale in her wing. “You can have another afterwards at the open mic.”

“Oh, that's alright,” Wildfire shrugged, “I don't drink a lot, I was never allowed more than a few back at the care home.” Getting her bottle of beer, she hopped up and seated herself next to Tempest on the couch. “So, what d'you want to know about before?”

Tempest considered this as she sipped her ale. What did she want, or need, to know? “Um…start before you were blinded. I want to know about your life as a reserve firefighter. What was your day job when not doing that?”

“That’s easy, Honey.” Wildfire replied. “I was at university with Dusk when I was a reserve firefighter. It was going to be my job when I graduated. The plan was to do on the job training when I wasn’t studying, leave school, then start work the next day.”

“I won’t lie, Wily. Fire scares me a bit.” Tempest shuddered as she swallowed her ale. “We were always told feathers and flame don’t mix.”

Wildfire laughed out loud at that, almost spilling her beer. “I wasn’t supposed to get near to any flames during the training, but when you have a lack of pegasi in your Fire Team, and an emergency goes down, you just do it y’know?”

Tempest nodded. As a captain of the first battalion of the Manehatten Weather Team, she understood responding to pressure and working within a team. “It is an honourable job, Wily.”

“I loved it! I really, really loved it!” Wildfire enthused, her wings fluttering in sheer excitement. “So much I got my cutie mark doing it, though at eighteen it was a little late coming.”

“Oh my!” Now Tempest was surprised. Usually a cutie mark presented itself before the age of ten. Eighteen was abnormally late for a talent to be revealed. “I was seven when I got mine.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire said quietly, finishing off her beer. “I was a blank flank for ages and ages.”

“Did you get teased about that?” Tempest asked, knowing full well what she herself was like as a young filly.

“Oh, just a lot, yeah.” The little yellow mare laughed, “But you soon learn to ignore them after a while. I like to think my cutie mark waited until I proved I was ready for it.”

Tempest lowered her head and leaned forward to get a proper close look at Wildfire’s cutie mark. “It is a pretty mark with the all the flames.” She said as she appraised the stylised burning fireball that adorned the yellow mare’s right flank. In particular she realised close up there were little flecks of orange and yellow in the red flames, creating an unnervingly real image. “And then the accident happened. I take it that put you in the hospital?”

“Teehee…” Wildfire giggled behind her hoof, “The flames didn’t feel very pretty at the time when I flew through that burning building, primary feathers all smoking, fur singed, mane and tail smouldering almost on fire.” She snickered and nuzzled the violet mare’s cheek as she recalled that afternoon so long ago now. “Then yeah, a few months later not long after I turned nineteen there was the accident in the science lab at school.”

Concerned, Tempest moved closer so she was alongside the yellow pony and nuzzled her cutie mark before pulling away as Wildfire took a deep breath, clearly recalling the traumatic incident. “Honey…that hurt so bad. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe how bad that hurt. So much more than being on fire.”

“First thoughts when you knew you wouldn't see again?” Tempest questioned.

“Well…I remember when the nurse was telling me about it after I woke up, that basically my eyes had boiled and exploded in my head and my lids had melted, leaving me like this…” Wildfire felt Tempest move back slightly as she nonchalantly described what had happened to her, “It’s shameful I guess, but at first, I was so angry. I wished I hadn’t gotten in the way. I wished it was Dusk blinded instead of me.”

“That isn't shameful.” Tempest replied quickly, “Wishes don't change what happened, do they?”

“No,” Wildfire agreed with a smile, “And when your best friend is about to get two beakers of acid thrown at him, what d'you do? I just reacted. I didn’t stop to consider the consequences.” She giggled a little, “Then again, when I was younger I never gave consequences a second or third thought.”

“You are a pony of action!” Tempest exclaimed dramatically, complete with heroically posed hoof. “You still are.” She snickered and leant in to give Wildfire a quick kiss before an idea marched into her head. “Hold still a moment, I want to do something.”

Taking a deep breath, Tempest closed her crystal blue eyes and lifted a tentative hoof that very gently touched Wildfire’s face and, starting with her left cheek, carefully felt its way all over her face. When she got to her muzzle and slid her hoof up to the bridge of her nose to her face the violet mare felt Wildfire instinctively stiffen up and wince at her touch. To the smaller mare’s credit though, she didn’t try and stop her as Tempest ran her hoof as delicately as she could over her scars. With just the slightest of pressure she could feel the give of the scar tissue that covered the sunken empty eye sockets. It was only when she felt her like this that Tempest truly appreciated just how small the other pegasus actually was. “I've closed my eyes. I want to see you the same way you see me.”

“And?” Wildfire asked with a genuine smile, somewhat impressed that she’d done this for her. “Do I look good?” Wildfire asked, raising her own hoof up to Tempest’s face, mirroring her actions as she gently felt around her features.

“Yes love you look good.” Tempest’s smile could be heard in her voice. “Although, I don't think I'm doing your beauty justice with my hoof.”

The diminutive pegasus laughed softly as she folded her forelegs under her body. “That’s why I call you Honey, because you're sweet.”

“Do you like the nickname, Wily?”

“Yuppers! It’s okay,” To be perfectly honest, she hadn’t heard her nickname in the five years she was in the care home. It was only when she, Dusk and Vocal Chord had encountered each other in Canterlot’s Residential District Cemetery. She was only out on her own at all because she’d been a good little pony for Amethyst. “Dusk's always called me that, just like I call him D. When I hear ‘Wildfire’ I know I'm in trouble.”

“I know Dusk called you that, I just want to be sure you like me to call you that.” Tempest explained, “You can call me Stormy if you like. That’s Airmails pet name for me.” The violet mare giggled slightly as she rubbed noses. “I do like Honey though, it is cute and it makes me feel sweet.”

“Stormy...hmm…Stormy…” Wildfire played with the nickname like she was testing it. “I kinda like that too. I think it suits you, Tempest.”

“Wily, was the home bad from the start or did that happen over time?”

Wildfire went silent for a long few minutes. So long in fact that Tempest wasn’t sure if she was going to answer her at all. Just as the weather captain was about to ask something else, Wildfire spoke. When she did though it wasn’t her with her usual tone. “For the first month or so it was alright. Then…then it began to get bad. When I resisted them, resisted Amethyst Glory, that’s when it started to get real bad. Wildfire shuddered involuntarily, “They went from moving stuff about so I hit it to breaking my wings…they’d break my leg then wait for it to heal then break another and so on…then…then they used the box.”

“What happens at Caffy's ranch is ponies showing their love through discipline.” Tempest said gently, though silently she was utterly revolted just like she had been yesterday in the Mare’s Room. “It does cause pain though. Does the thought of that hurt you?”

“Pain?” Wildfire almost barked out a laugh. “No Stormy, pain doesn’t bother me anymore.” That much was certainly true. Her everyday was managing and coping with an X amount of background aches and pains from various parts of her body from injuries she had accrued over the years. Her badges of honour. Pain was just pain, and that was that.

“Love,” Tempest said, “I'm talking about hurting you. I don't want anypony to hurt you.”

“I know it’s different,” Wildfire sighed, “But the thought of being hurt doesn’t hurt me.”

Tempest looked away then, despite having no eyes, she imagined the hard lived in stare she would otherwise be getting right now. “I've already hurt you enough. I hurt you when I let Mapper leave you alone.”

“Yeah...after a year or two of dreaming up new ways to hurt me and break me, they found that I wasn’t giving in so they thought that up.”

“Airmail and I don't find pleasure in pain like the others.” Tempest said, trying really very hard to push what Wildfire had just said out of her head. Her skin had crawled enough when she had seen Wildfire tied up in the tortoise shell that had held her wings closed, or on the parade when her wings had been bound to the bridle. She couldn’t bear the thought of a box. “We don't do the ropes either,” the violet mare continued. “We do help Mapper though. Ponies like Thespian really love it when they are spanked, and spanked hard. Others like different things. I want you to know you don't have to play those games.”

“That’s the difference though Honey.” Wildfire stated. “Here, with you all, it’s a game. There...well, there it just wasn’t.”

“Okay, you can play the game at Caffy's too.” Tempest nodded. That she could understand well enough. “Airmail and I know enough about ropes if you want to play that also, but neither of us really want to spank anypony. I think the biggest difference is you are loved here.” She paused, letting what she’d said sink in. “You know Mapper is the alpha mare of our little herd?”

“I know,” Wildfire nodded. If anypony was going to be the alpha, she would’ve put bits on it being Mapper. If she had any bits to bet with. “I don't want you to spank me if you don’t want, but being tied up and lead around was nice, it felt familiar and secure.”

“I want to do things that make you feel happy, safe, and loved.” Tempest said firmly. “Do you know what it meant when Mapper said you were worthy?”

“It meant that she accepted me…I think.”

“It meant you were worthy of her love.” The violet mare answered for her. Determined to make sure Wildfire got this, and got it good. “That means she loves you more than her own life. Mapper is a very possessive pony that jealously guards the ones she loves. I love you too in that way, as does Airmail and Serenity.” Tempest gave her a nuzzle. “You are stuck with us now.”

Willingly, Wildfire returned the tender nuzzle. “So…I'm not ever going to be on my own again?” She asked hesitantly.

“I can only think of one way.” Tempest replied, utterly hating herself for what she said next as it was plainly obvious she was afraid. “You'd have to leave us and wish we were not part of your life ever again.”

“No!” Wildfire fretted, predictably, “No! I…I don't want that, at all…”

Tempest leant forward and placed a tender lingering kiss squarely on Wildfire’s lips, effectively silencing her panic. “We don't want that either. If you did want your own place we would help you get that. If you just want your own room, we can find a bigger place for us together. I like having a pony with me when I sleep.”

Wildfire shook her head after she returned the kiss. “Honey, it’s not that I can’t be on my own at all, it’s just…when Mapper lifted me up it felt just like being in the box, on my own, and that scared me.”

“Love,” Tempest couldn’t help but smile as she expressed the sympathy for what Wildfire had endured. How could she not? “There is a big difference between being on your own and being alone. You will never. Be. Alone, again.”

The diminutive yellow mare nodded her understanding. She did get it, it was just so…different, to what she had grown accustomed to. “Um…for now, if it’s alright, I'd like to sleep with you two, if you really don't mind. It’s not like I have anything to bring over is it?”

Tempest bopped her nose gently with her hoof. “You silly little pony. You have already brought all you need. You brought yourself.”

Wildfire smiled a wide smile. “Um…it'd be great if you tied me up here, I really liked that, and you'll be careful with my wings won’t you?”

“As if they were my very own, Wily.” Tempest affirmed with a tone that left absolutely no room for doubt. “Though I will need to untie you for the weather patrol.”

“Mapper was very careful.” Wildfire replied. One of the things she did take from yesterday was how careful and gentle Mapper had been when she was tying her. She liked that. It made such a refreshing change.

Thinking about it for a brief moment, Tempest finally nodded her agreement. “I can do that, the toy bag is up in the bedroom, shall we go in there then?”

“Yes please, Honey.”

Sliding from the wide couch, Tempest flicked her black tail under Wildfire’s nose as she moved ahead of the yellow pegasus and led her though the small connecting hallway from the great room to the dining room and took a sharp left to start climbing the stairs. Not as wide as the ones back at the ranch, they were still able to bear two fully grown ponies side by side, though Wildfire elected to follow after the violet mare this time. Once on the upstairs landing, Tempest led the way in the L shaped hallway past the small guest bedroom and the office on the way to the master bedroom. “Climb up and to the centre of the bed please, Wily.”

“Okay!” Taking a few steps forward, Wildfire felt the edge of the mattress and the thick duvet hanging over the sides of the large bed that dominated the master bedroom. Fluttering her wings she hovered up and with careful sinking wobbling steps she got to where she thought the middle of the bed was.

“Do you have a certain way you like to be tied?” Tempest asked as she dragged the well-stocked toy box out from under the bed. “I'm not as good as Caffy or Mapper, but I can make you feel secure. Oh, we have bits and bridles too.”

On the bed - and trying very, very hard not to jump up and bounce like a little filly - Wildfire shrugged her shoulders, which merely served to make her bounce anyway. “I don't mind really, I would like a bit and bridle though.” Yeah, being led around on the reins had been fun.

“I will start with that then.” Tempest replied as she pulled a ruby red bridle from the toy box. “Open up.” Obediently, a few seconds later, when she opened her mouth wide, Tempest slid in the bit to the crease of her mouth as she pulls the bridle over Wildfire’s head the yellow mare could feel the weight of the reins. “Comfy?”

“Yuppers! That’s great, Honey.” Wildfire smiled in reply just as she felt Tempest start looping a length of rope around her little body. Now, the blind pony had her share of being tied up over the years, by ponies of varying skill and intent, and if she was being very critical she’d have said Tempest was amateurish at best, but she wasn’t and it was making her feel secure and safe.

“You know that Mapper doesn't call Airmail and I Pets?” Tempest said casually as she wove the rope around Wildfire’s barrel, creating the first of the diamonds in her fur.

“Um…I noticed that, yeah.”

“Hmhmm…” Tempest mumbled a little, using her mouth in the absence of magic to weave the tortoise shell around her lover. “She still loves us. You don't have to be her Pet, and she will still love you. Do you understand?”

“I do,” Wildfire nodded, “I liked being her Pet though.”

“Okay,” Tempest shrugged, “It is your choice and I support your choice. When we are here at home you can be my Pet if you like.”

“Can I, really, can I?”

“You can indeed, my lovely Pet.” Tempest offered her a delicate little kiss and she started to tighten up the ropes, although they are not anywhere as tight as they were yesterday with Mapper, they were sufficient for purpose. “How does that feel?” she asked as she inspected the bondage, testing its tightness for blood flow.

Wildfire shivered as she flexed herself against the encompassing ropes. “Honey, that feels great!”

“Would, ah, would you like to go for a walk?” The violet mare asked, taking up the reins in her wingtip with a gentle tug, “With me, around the lake? It is only about two miles of trails.”

Now Wildfire did bounce a little, “I'd love to go out for a walk!” She walked off the bed with the gentle tug of the reins, grinning excitedly.

“Okay.” Tempest smiled. She could do this, easy, right? Nothing to it. “So, do you want me to lead you or do you want to walk beside you?”

“Hmm…walk beside me if you like, I don't mind, Honey.”

‘Oh thank Luna for that!’, “I wasn't sure with the reins.” Tempest eyed them apprehensively, unsure if she was ready to really take the role. “I've seen Serenity and Mapper lead you. I can hold the reins if you like, but I'd rather walk side by side.”

“That's okay, I can do side by side.”

“Cool.” Tempest breathed an audible sigh of relief, “I'll show you where Mapper and Serenity live on the other side of the lake.”

“Honey, you don't want to lead me like Mistress did, do you?” Wildfire asked as she followed Tempest’s sandalwood scent back down the stairs to the great room.

“I will, Wily.” Tempest sighed, loud enough to be heard as she hoofed open the back door that lead to the oak tree and the vegetable patch, and beyond that, the dirt path that wove around the lake. “It just seems odd to me though, see I like to walk with my friends and my lovers.” When Wildfire followed her outside, she gave her a loving kiss, “I also understand pet play too. That is why I asked. We can do pet play, I'm okay with that.”

“That's alright,” Wildfire smiled, feeling the grass of the garden beneath her hooves brush against her soles. “I don't want you doing something you're not okay with.”

That earned her another sigh, one of mild frustration this time. “Love, I am okay with it.” Tempest put her violet hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder. “I just don't do pet play often as Mapper enjoys that a lot. I want you to feel as beautiful as you are. Do you like others to see you walking with me holding your reins or walking behind me holding your reins, or not holding them at all?”

Wildfire cocked her head, deep in thought for a moment. “I um…I'd like to walk beside you with the reins please. I know I'm new to this whole pet play thing, but it's familiar too, y'know? At the home, they, the wardens I mean, didn't treat me the same as Mistress but it was quite similar.”

“I love you and I want to treat you with respect.” Tempest buried her frustration under a smile as she hoofed open the gate that lead on to the dirt path out the back. “I also want to please you, and if being my Pet does that, then my Pet you will be.” Taking the reins in her mouth, the weather captain led Wildfire out on to the path and then looped them around her neck.

“Thanks Honey.” Wildfire grinned as she walked, feeling the ground change beneath her hooves from grass to dirt. “It’s just what I'm used to. Everything's changed so much so fast that it feels like I haven’t touched the ground yet.”

Tempest kissed her again. “Walk with me then.” She started along the dirt path, opting for a counter-clockwise direction around what was a huge circuit with the mile wide lake in the centre. “Wily, I know you've had a lot happen to you at the care home, but now you are free. If you liked some of the things at the home, you can still do them. If you don't like them you don't have to do them.”

As she walked, Wildfire turned her head this way and that, taking in the many varied sounds and scents around the lake. She could hear bugs chirping, birds singing. She resolved to learn what species they were by their songs. She could smell the fruit on the trees that bore them and the blossom on trees that did not. And, though it was late morning, she could still smell and feel the dew on the wet fresh grass. “Y'know,” she said presently after a few moments of silence, “Earlier in the Mare's Room…I didn’t want to go to sleep, I fought it off for ages and ages.”

“Are you okay sleeping with others, or do you want to sleep in your own room?” Tempest asked, glad her irritation was quickly flooding out of her hooves with each therapeutic step along their route.

“I'm okay sleeping on my own, that's how it was in my cell back at the home.” Wildfire paused on the path as she was sure she smelt daffodils, maybe even bluebells. “It’s silly Honey, I know it is, but I put off sleeping cos I didn’t want to wake up in my cell and yesterday be a dream.” She laughed a hollow laugh as she scuffed the path with her hoof just so she could smell the fresh dirt smell. “Now look at me, I'm scared to go to sleep.”

“Then the three of us will sleep together and you can sleep in the middle and it will be a snuggle fest.” Tempest leant in and gave the blind pony a tender kiss all along her cheek. She was just beginning to appreciate what all this meant to her, how momentous it was just to walk along a path she took for granted, to do anything without the fear of being hurt. “Welcome to your new life and this isn't…” she reached over and tweaked Wildfire’s skin just at the base of the back of her neck with a hoof-like pinch. “This isn't a dream.”

Walking along, the yellow mare returned the kiss, “I'd like to be in the middle, then I'll know you're both there…” she was about to say something else when she felt the pinch and, because it was more unexpected than in any way painful, she squealed playfully, “Ow! Oowie…dreams don’t pinch!”

“You must not be dreaming then.” The violet mare shrugged in an innocent tone, then as they rounded a corner of the water she saw something that gave her an idea. “There are lots of ducks on the lake, would you like to go feed them?”

“Ooh! Yuppers! Please, let’s feed them, Honey!”

“Okay, okay we can do that,” Tempest said in the manner of a parent calming an over-excited filly being taken on an outing. Walking together along the path, the two mares made their way towards the community entrance and then they turned down a side walk to the lake proper. “We will cross a smooth path, which is for the bikes.” She called out just as the surface changed. The next path is pebblier for walking. It is closer to the lake.”

Wildfire walked alongside the larger, older pegasus, trying her best to take in every sensation she was subjected to, when the best one yet presented itself. “Hmm…” she sighed as she breathed in through her nose, “The water smells nice doesn’t it, all clean and fresh.”

“It is a very nice lake.” Tempest had to agree there. “One end has a swimming area if you like to swim. In the winter we ice skate on the lake.”

Again, the blind pony turned her head about, sniffing and flicking her ears as she did so. “Honey…everything smells so nice here.” She sighed happily, absorbing it all. “It just 'feels' comfy. I think I might have a swim another day.” Unable to contain herself, she performed a little happy prance as she walked, grinning a wide smile the whole time.

“Feel this,” Tempest said after a moment, directing Wildfire’s hoof to one of the many bird feeding stations dotted around the lake. “It's a bit coin and gives you a double hoof-full of food for the birds.” The violet mare put in a bit and helped Wildfire get the paper bag full of food. “They will come to you.” She commented quickly, pre-empting the next question. “The feeding machine is like a can opener to a cat.”

Feeling the feeding station, Wildfire quickly found the slot for the coin and slipped it in, noting how it made a distinctive whir and a click as it deposited the feed in her hoof. She understood straight away what Tempest had meant about them coming to her. The moment she had heard the whir, she had noted the quaking of what sounded like an army of ducks as they began to gather around her. “They sound hungry, Honey.” She smiled as she tossed a bit of the feed and heard the webbed feet scrabble for it. “Dinner time, duckies!”

“They are always hungry, I think.”

“Then I'll always feed them.” Said Wildfire, tossing more feed to the assembled hoard.

Tempest threw her own hoof-full of feed, grinning at Wildfire’s enthusiasm. “Now you can come here anytime you want.”

“I think you'll know where to find me if I'm not at home.”

“Okay,” Tempest grinned as she threw the rest of her feed, “I'll check here first, but a note on my laptop would be nice.”

“Of course I'll leave a note, Honey.” Wildfire replied, almost overwhelmed by the thought she could come and go from this wonderful spot as she saw fit, whenever the idea took her. She threw the rest of her feed and turned to face the violet pegasus. “It’s a nice place too for thinking of new poems I think.”

“It is a nice place,” Tempest agreed, “You'll meet some of the neighbours sometimes too. A few are watching now I think because of the lovely dress you are wearing.”

“I hope they like my outfit,” Wildfire giggled behind her hoof.

“Ponies are different everywhere.” Tempest shrugged as she waved a hoof in greeting to the mare and stallion who lived a few doors away from them. “We live here because it is a friendly neighbourhood.”

“Well…I think you made a good choice.”

“Not all of Manehatten is like this.” Tempest commented quickly, “Still we can have fun, can't we, Pet?” She giggled as they continued around to the far side of the lake. “It will be hard to describe getting to Mappers place. Here at this end is the boat dock. You should feel the road crossing the path.”

“Yeah, the surface feels different under my hooves, is this the road?”

“Yes,” Tempest commented with a nod of her head, “They have to wait for bikers and walkers and seldom does anyone bring a boat to the lake anyways.” The two mares continued their walk until Tempest paused at another intersection. “This is the point where we would turn away from the lake to get to Mapper’s place. She isn't right on the lake like we are.” She smiled as she turned off the main dirt path to go to Mapper and Serenity’s house. “Both are at work right now, but we can go to the house if you like?” Getting no reply she glanced at the yellow mare, “Wily? Wily!?”

Next to Tempest, Wildfire had let her mind wander to her foal as she walked along, entirely not listening to a word Tempest had said for the last five minutes. “Hmm? What…oh…oh sorry, Honey I um…I was miles away,” she said with a definite blush that almost matched the ruby red bridle. “I um, I do tend to drift from time to time. It ah…it would be nice to go to their place.”

“What were you thinking?”

Still blushing fit to combust, Wildfire said, “I was playing with my foal in the grass, feeding the ducks with her. Everyday things like feeding her, changing her, her first day of school, just stuff like that.” The diminutive pegasus lowered her head towards the ground. “I’m sorry, it was rude of me.”

Giggling, Tempest lightly bopped Wildfire’s nose with her hoof. “It was rude to not share that lovely thought. Selfish little mare keeping it all to yourself like that.”

“I’m sorry, Honey.” Wildfire scuffed the floor, afraid she was really in trouble.

“Wily, I still love you and you're forgiven.” Tempest said with a giggle. “We all want your dream to come true too.” She smiled, naming the streets they passed as they walked the two blocks from the lake and approached Mapper’s place.

Wildfire giggled as she walked along, paying attention to the street names that Tempest called out, in case she ever needed directions. “You might not forgive me after a few two a.m. night feeds.”

“I'll help you if you let me have a sample of milk.” Tempest snickered, “Mare's Milk products are great, but it is better warm from the source.”

“It’s all yours whenever you want, you'll have to share with the foal though.”

The violet mare laughed, “I bet the foal will be greedy and not share with me at all.” She snickered as they finally got to where they were going. “This is Mapper’s place. It is a detached standalone home, but a bit smaller than our townhouse. Has a master bedroom and a smaller one, like ours, but it has a decent sized basement similar to Caffy’s place.” Tempest finished off as she gave Wildfire the address of the house.

“Oh, I'm sure she'll share with her Aunt Tempest.” Wildfire snickered as she took note of the address that Tempest gave her.

“You think I'll make a good Auntie?”

“I think you'll all make good Aunts to my filly.”

“Wily…when you have the foal…” Tempest started hesitantly as she nudged her lover back towards the lake, not really sure how to phrase the next question, and not wanting to put any pressure on it. “Will you still want to work, or will you stay home and raise the foal?”

“I'll stay home and raise her.” Wildfire answered straight away without needing to think about it.

“If our herd were to have a second foal, would you help raise that one too?” Asked Tempest as they once again took the dirt path to the lake.

“Honey, I'll tell you a not-very-secret secret.” Wildfire giggled as they walked along. “I love foals. I'll happily raise any number of them if I have the chance.”

Pausing on the path, Tempest wrapped her forelegs around the smaller mare’s neck and gave her a hug. “Serenity would like a foal, but she cannot quit her job and didn't want to send the foal to day care.”

Smiling, Wildfire returned the hug and slipped in a gentle nuzzle for good measure. “Serenity would be an awesome mum, and I'd be happy to help raise her foal.” She paused then as her tone dropped from happy to something a lot darker. “Honey I wouldn’t ever send mine to any kind of care place. They're bad!” She accentuated her point with a stamp of her hoof. “All of them are bad! They'll all hurt you in the end!”

“Wily…” Tempest tightened her hug, “I don't want the foals raised outside the herd either, but not all places are bad. Still, our home is better than any place else.”

“They tell you they'll take care of you!” Wildfire carried on along her little tangent, not listening to what Tempest had said, “Like they told my dad they'd take care of me! I swear I'm not letting my filly out of my...” she shuddered, all her anger evaporating as she realised what she was about to say. “Out of my…my sight.” Wildfire slumped her shoulders and sighed deeply. “You know what I mean.”

Tempest continued to hold the little yellow mare as tight as she could. “None of us will, Wily. Your foal will only know love with us.”

“Yuppers…yes she will.” Wildfire’s tone became melancholy. “Not that my dad gave a flying buck either way, just as long as the embarrassing cripple was out of his mane and he could drink.”

Tempest released the hug, her stormy temper flaring instantly from nothing. “Stop it! You stop it right now!” She jabbed her hoof into the yellow mare’s chest. “You are Wildfire. You are a wonderful and beautiful pegasus!”

“Y-Yeah...” Wildfire sniffed, rubbing her chest with her wing, “You've helped me remember that. I-I’m sorry, that was bad of me.”

“I don't care a flying feather what your dad thinks,” Tempest started, “But I do care what you think. Please, Wily, please don't belittle yourself.”

Wildfire nodded, her head still pointing downwards. “It's hard y'know? I had it drilled into me for years that I was useless, pointless, just there to serve and do as I was told. That…that just doesn’t go away overnight. I really wish it did.”

“Well then, Wildfire,” Tempest smiled as she recovered her composure, “I'll just have to drill into you that you are useful, beautiful, and that your herd is proud of you.” She bent her head down to kiss the sniffling mare’s lips.

“Yes Honey, you will.” Wildfire giggled in the kiss, her mood lifted. “I'll try and be a quick study.”

“All we can ask of you.” Tempest said firmly as she continued on around the lake and back towards their home. “During the day there is a life guard at the swimming end of the lake. If you bring the foals let them know and they will help you watch over them. If you bring them out at night, make sure to bring one of us with you.”

“Sure, Honey.” Wildfire smiled, picturing the happy scene in her head as they trotted around the lake. “I'll bring them out at night when they wake up, at least then they won’t wake up the whole house with the crying.” As they made their way around the lake, Wildfire could hear the happy joyous sounds of adults and foals playing in the water. Stopping for a moment and listening, she took in the sounds of the families playing. “I want my filly to make noises like that, Stormy.”

Carrying on around the bottom end of the lake, Tempest giggled. “We can always tickle her.”

Sniggering, Wildfire nodded, “Sounds like a plan.”

Presently, after another twenty minutes or so of enjoying the pleasant walk in the late morning sun, the two mares ended up back at the townhouse where they had started. Opening the gate Tempest steered Wildfire past the oak tree now on their left and up to the back door. “We have about two hours before we have to go.” The weather captain said as she let them in to the kitchen. “Would you like to take a nap?”

Trotting inside, Wildfire smiled. “Yeah actually, a nap would be nice.” A thought struck her on the way to the stairs leading up to the bedroom. “Honey, do you think Mistress will still want me as her Pet when I'm carrying?”

At the top of the stairs Tempest turned and nuzzled Wildfire tenderly. “Mistress Mapper loves you Wily. You will be her Pet as long as you wish to be her Pet.” The violet mare giggled as she led the way to the master bedroom. “You might be able to get away with a bit more naughtiness when you're pregnant, but she will remember.”

“I'll not push my luck.” Wildfire smiled, a smile that widened when her hoof tapped the edge of the bed. “So, nap?”

Tempest nodded, “Together.”

~ ~ ~

It was early afternoon, not long past mid-day when the alarm clock buzzed its loud discordant alarm throughout the master bedroom of Tempest’s, Airmail’s and now Wildfire’s home. It was a split second later that Wildfire decided she had a new enemy in her life as the infernal contraption continued to buzz away. ‘Go away! Buck off!’ she thought sluggishly, rolling over in the large comfortable bed.

Next to the yellow mare, Tempest untangled herself from her lover’s limbs and with a swipe of her violet wing silenced the alarm that’d had the impertinence to wake them both up. “Time for me to go to work Wily.” She said loudly to the pegasus shaped lump under the duvet. “Will you come with me?”

“Uh…ugh...a few more minutes, Ameth…” jerking herself up just before she finished that awful name Wildfire woke with a start, fighting her way out of the duvet like a large yellow butterfly emerging from an impossibly warm and comfortable cocoon. “Uh, oh…I'm up! I am, honest.” Amidst a torrent of giggles from her lover she slid off of the bed and stretched her legs. “Yuppers, I'll go with you, Honey.”

Scooting around the foot of the bed, Tempest stole a kiss, “Great stuff! Have you moved clouds before?”

Grumbling at her muscles that popped when she stretched, Wildfire returned the kiss with one of her own. “Yeah, I used them to put out fires sometimes. Captain Hot Spot would send me off to the weather factory in the Industrial District to get clouds as and when we needed them. “It’s been a while though.”

“Are you willing to work with another pegasus or do you want to just work with me?” Tempest asked as she gave her feathers a cursory inspection after her slumber.

“I'll work with somepony else, you can’t hold my wing all the time, right?”

“Okay then,” Tempest smiled, impressed at Wildfire’s determination. “I'll put you with Lieutenant Frost. He does excellent training and he will have you moving clouds. I need to cover the whole area so I'll be out of reach a lot of the time.”

Accustomed to being moved around different handler ponies, Wildfire merely shrugged. “I'll be fine Honey, don't worry about me.”

Again, Tempest placed a tender kiss on the little yellow mare’s lips. “Wily, my job is worry. That way the other ponies don't have to.” Then she gave a little giggle. “Need to use the bathroom before we go?”

Almost on cue at the mention of the word ‘bathroom’, Wildfire’s bladder requested it be emptied, rather expediently too. Squeezing her hind legs together with a giggle, she said, “Now you mention it, yeah I do.”

“Well, you know the way.” Tempest smiled as she made her way out of the master bedroom and made her way down the stairs. “I'll wait for you at the front door.”

“Alrighty, I got this.” Wildfire trotted off to the bathroom which was adjacent to the bedroom. Such a good mood was she in as she used the toilet and took care of her business she was humming her little happy tune the whole time. In fact she was half way through the first verse a second time as she carefully walked down the stairs, using her wingtip as a guide and counting off the thirteen steps until she hit the main floor.

As soon as Wildfire joined Tempest outside on the sidewalk in front of their white front door, the violet pegasus flicked her black tail between her hind legs and let a little trickle of her urine wet her tail through. “Wily, we’ve got about twenty miles to fly to get to the meet up location for the battalion.” Waving her tail under Wildfire’s nose, the weather captain flared her wings and crouched. “Let's fly.”

Once the two mares were in the air and flying towards the meeting point, Wildfire gave voice to a concern that was worrying her. “Um…Honey, I’m sorry you have to go to work with a wet tail.”

In response, Tempest merely giggled, “I don't mind, Wily. It is standard training.”

Wildfire blushed slightly behind Tempest, very grateful her new herd-mate was so accommodating. “I know you don’t but, surely there's gotta be a better way of me getting around, not that I mind following you I mean…”

“This is the best way for following, but Requiem said something about a portable GPS so we can work on that later.” Tempest called back over her shoulder, “I thought the three of us could go shopping tomorrow downtown.”

Wildfire’s squee told the weather captain all she needed to know. “Shopping!” The look of pure delight on her face just confirmed it.

“Yes, shopping.” Tempest giggled as she led the little yellow mare in a wide bank to stay on course. “Because you need some sexy socks!”

“Green ones?” Wildfire asked, thinking of the forest green lingerie she had worn yesterday on the parade and later in the day. “Oooh…purple! Purple would look good with yellow fur, Honey.”

Again Tempest giggled, “Maybe green and purple stripes?”

“Are you sexying me up?” Wildfire asked with a wide happy smile on her face as she felt the breeze flow over her wings and her fur. “Good job I like to look pretty for you.”

“You are beautiful all the time, Wily.” Tempest affirmed gently, “But clothing does add to the excitement.”

“I know, Honey.” Wildfire said as she adjusted her course just slightly. “I'll be beating them off this flank you just watch.”

“Good girl.” Tempest grinned as they flew onwards through the city of Manehatten. Every other minute or so she would greet a pony who flew past them on the way as the weather battalion gathered together. Behind her, she heard Wildfire hum a tune, a tune she’d heard a few times since she’d met her yesterday. She’d noticed the yellow mare would hum it when she seemed happy. Tempest had tried to place it but she just couldn’t. So, she asked, “Wily, are there words to that song you hum?”

“Oh, this tune?” Wildfire sounded surprised, “It’s called 'prettiest eyes'. It’s by a Canterlot based band called the Beautiful South. It was a favourite of my mums before she died.”

Tempest nodded, “When we get back home can you sing it to me?”

“I'd be happy to, Honey.” Wildfire smiled a smile that reached her voice. “Though I'll apologise in advance for my lousy singing voice. Y’know, most of the time I don’t realise I'm humming it, I just do it when I'm happy.”

“I'm happy you're happy,” Tempest started as she reached the meet up point for the battalion of weather ponies. “But, now we are here it’s time to start work.” Slowing to a hover atop the substantial Cumulus cloud, Tempest turned to Wildfire. “Will you hover next to me please?”

“Of course.” Recognising the shift in Tempest’s tone from casual every day to formal business, Wildfire shut up humming and slowed to a hover, positioning herself next to the violet pegasus.

“Battalion, attention!” Tempest called out loudly. “First I'd like to introduce Wildfire.” She indicated the hovering blind pony with her right forehoof. “She is with Airmail and I in every sense of the word.” Eyeing the assembled leaders of her teams, she barked, “Commanders report!”

As Wildfire raised her hoof in greeting to what she assumed was a large gathering of pegasi, reports came in from various quarters of how many of the weather teams were absent and why.

Surveying her battalion with no small amount of pride, Tempest ordered, “We have seven hundred and fifty square miles of rain to produce for two inches total over the next three hours.” Turning to a sky blue pegasus pony with white patches on his hooves, Tempest beckoned him closer. “Captain Dew, I need to speak with Lieutenant Frost.” Then, at her louder ‘work voice’, ordered, “Commanders take charge of your companies and let’s see some rain!”

Mere moments later, after Captain Dew had departed for his company, a pure white stallion whose coat was flecked with little diamonds of icy blue flew up and saluted smartly. “Lieutenant Frost reporting, Ma'am.”

“Greetings, Lieutenant.” Tempest returned the salute. “This is my companion Wildfire.”

“Hello, Wildfire.” Frost returned the offered hoof bump with a pleasant smile as the breeze blew his icy blue mane. “May I ask what happened to your eyes?”

“Oh yeah, sure,” Wildfire replied as she turned her head to the sound of Frost’s voice. From the sound of it he was a lifelong Manehatten native. “It was an accident with acids back in university.”

Tempest interjected, “Wildfire here has worked with clouds for fire suppression before.” She explained, “She is getting back into the swing of things.”

“Understood, Major. I take it Wildfire knows your scent?” He asked, and as Tempest nodded ‘yes’, Frost maneuvered himself so that he put his icy blue tail between his superior’s hind legs and allowed her to wet it with a trickle of her urine. Once he was happy his – now distinctly yellow tinted – tail was sufficiently coated in Tempest’s scent Frost turned his back to Wildfire and made sure she caught it. “Okay Wildfire you're with me.” He said loudly and clearly. “We have duty in this area to put a storm together. Fifth company is bringing and handing off clouds to us for placement.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire smiled as she got the heady scent in the back of her nose. “I'll follow your lead, just point me in the direction of the clouds.”

“Later Major,” Frost nodded to Tempest before spreading his wings and taking off from the Cumulus cloud. “Meet you when the storm has been dispersed.” Steadily he flew back to his platoon. “Sergeant Spring Rain, you have the company. I'll be observing and conducting training.”

Smelling the shifting scent in front of her, Wildfire took off and flew straight and level after Frost.

“Sir, yes Sir!” Spring Rain, an optimistic blue / grey pegasus with a pure white mane, saluted sharply as Frost and Wildfire approached the waiting platoon. “Okay ponies, let’s get it together!”

Wildfire then heard the sounds of lots of wings flapping as the rest of the platoon hastened to carry out their given orders. “Did you do cloud groups or lone clouds for fire suppression?” Frost asked.

“Um, it was lone clouds mostly.” Wildfire replied as she cast her mind back.

“Okay then, here we will be building a storm, so you need to feel when you've connected with another cloud.” Frost’s Manehatten accent explained to her as he took off again. “Follow me and I'll get you started.” With the blind mare following close behind him, Lieutenant Frost flew and looped around in the sky. “Okay Wildfire, your first cloud is thirty feet in front of you. You'll need to push it at this altitude for about a mile. There will be a guide pony above you when you reach the connection zone. Just follow the directions from there. I'll be back to get you to your next cloud.”

Nodding she understood the instructions she had been given, Wildfire flew straight forward with her yellow hooves outstretched until she touched the cloud. Smiling and gripping it with her forehooves she pushed it forward. 'Feels like old times, cloud.' She thought with a giggle, except this time she wasn’t flying towards a burning night club.

The guide pony hovering in place watched with some amusement as the small blind mare approached the connection zone. Once Wildfire had the cloud within a hundred feet of the destination the bright red guide pegasus overhead gave her last minute manoeuvre instructions to place the cloud inch perfect. With that done the guide released her to go get another cloud.

Hovering in place, Wildfire noted that Frost wasn't back yet from wherever he had gone to. Raising her muzzle, the yellow pegasus sniffed all around her for Tempest's scent. ‘What should I do now?’ She thought when she didn’t pick up any familiar scents. At a loss, she decided to hover in place, waiting for Frost to return. Noticing the blind mare hovering, the guide pony called out, “You there, drop fifty feet and go get another cloud!”

“Alrighty!” Happy with something to do, Wildfire descended down through what she estimated to be fifty feet, feeling for the next cloud as she went.

“What in Tartarus are you doing?” The bright red guide pony called, wondering just that very same thing as she watched the yellow mare drop down. “Can't you see that...that…” her voice trailed off as she realised who it was. Major Tempest had radioed her that a blind mare was joining them this afternoon. She just assumed she was joking. “Wait, you're Wildfire, right?”

“Yuppers, that's me!” She called back.

“Now that you've dropped down out of the way, fly back the mile to where fifth company is handing over clouds.” She ordered clearly, “Somepony there will get you squared away.”

“Alrighty, thanks!” Wildfire turned and flew back the way she had come.

Frost was decidedly impressed as he watched Wildfire flying back towards him. Her spatial awareness was to be complimented. “Welcome back. Now, go another one hundred feet straight, and then up fifty feet you'll be behind the next cloud you need to push.” The white stallion hovered over and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Sorry I got distracted by a minor emergency. You're doing great!”

Wildfire smiled and patted the white hoof with her own. “Thanks Frost, it’s nice to be useful doing something again.” Without waiting for a reply she flew off as she was directed, guessing her altitude and feeling for the cloud as she went along. After a few moments she felt the bottom of the cloud graze the tips of her ears as she flew just underneath it. “Hmph!” She exclaimed, feeling the cloud above her, she flew up and turns around before gripping the cloud with her forehooves. ‘Would be easier if I could see…’ despite grumbling, she flew off with the cloud, thoroughly enjoying being busy.

When she got back, a different guide pegasus had her position the cloud just so, and before she could send her off again, the smell Tempest's urine-soaked tail hit her nose and she sniffed to get its location. Picking it up, she flew off in search of the delicious scent.

“You are doing really well, Wildfire.” Frost called out before the yellow pony could embarrass herself by shouting for Tempest. “You've overcome your handicap nicely.” The white blue flecked stallion nudged her gently with his hoof. “We're moving over to sector three now.”

“Thanks Frost, I do my best.” Wildfire smiled as they flew one after the other the two mile stretch of sky to sector three where they repeated what they had done before. While all around her she heard various pegasus ponies grumbling about how much the work sucked, Wildfire was loving shunting the clouds around to where they were needed for the storm.

Fifty minutes of cloud pushing later, Frost flew up with a grin. He had decided to stop being impressed by the yellow mare. “Okay, now for the next phase.” Flying upwards, Frost led Wildfire up about one thousand feet and then horizontally in the direction that she had been pushing clouds.

“What's next, Frost?”

“Cloud bouncing, like for your fire suppression, only not all at once.” Frost explained. “We need two thirds of an inch per hour for the next three hours. Bouncing shifts are thirty minutes on and thirty minutes off. I'll help you get started so we have the right amount of rainfall.”

“Okies, Frost. I can do that.”

“Good, rest time for you.” Frost smiled as they flew through the late afternoon sky. “Just relax on the cloud, the bouncing actually make it feel nice, sort of like a vibrating bed.”

“Yuppers, I could do with a rest, actually.” After all the flying she had just done, Wildfire was acutely aware that her tortured abused wings were starting to really hurt her, especially the newer scars. “My wings are getting a little stiff.”

“No problem, Wildfire, you can relieve me.” In silence they flew for roughly another fifteen minutes, until Frost began to descend. “Okay, down a hundred feet to the cloud top.”

Dropping down the hundred feet to the cloud surface, Wildfire folded her aching wings away the very second her hooves made contact. “Aaah that’s soooo nice!”

“When I start, feel my vibrations.” Frost said as he landed next to the sighing mare. “Takes a bit of practice to get the right fall rate. If it works out there should be no cloud left when we are done.” He laughed out loud, “It never works out though.”

From somewhere off to her left Wildfire heard Tempest’s loud commanding voice ring out. “Battalion! Commence rain!”

“I can do it,” Wildfire smiled, “Honey's given me a job to do, I’m not gonna let her down.” As she laid down on the cloud she heard the order repeated many times over by the other Captains and their Lieutenants, and from her laid down position she could feel Frost starting to bounce on the cloud and she had to admit, it did feel good laying on it. “That does feel nice, Frost.”

She felt a pony land next to her on the cloud. “Hello love, enjoying your job at the waterworks?” Tempest asked.

“Yuppers! It’s pretty cool.” Wildfire replied with a smile. “I fluffed a bit when I flew under a cloud but I sorted it. I’m just resting the wings while we bounce.”

Trotting over, the violet mare lowered her head and nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek. “Enjoy your break then. Going well with Frost?”

Returning the nuzzle, the diminutive yellow mare couldn’t help but smile. “They're fine, really. They just get achy, cos, y'know, stuff that makes them ache.” She commented, not wanting to go into details here but hoping Tempest would get it. “Frost's fine, he's great to fly with.”

“Good, enjoy your bouncing.” Tempest gave her lover a little kiss. “I have to check up on the other companies and gauge the fall rate.”

Wildfire lifted her head and kissed her back. “Go, go do work stuff, I'll be okay.”

With that, Tempest flew off and for the next thirty minutes Wildfire laid down into the cloud and spread her wings so that the heavenly vibrations from Frost’s bouncing went straight through the undersides of her tired aching sore wings. Presently Frost stopped. “Your turn, Wildfire.”

“Alrighty!” Getting up from the cloud, Wildfire started bouncing on the surface of the cloud just like she used to when she was with the Canterlot Fire Team. She could feel through her hooves the makeup of the Cumulus change ever so slightly with each bounce she released rain from it. “So, Frost, what’s Hon...I mean, Tempest like as a boss?”

Taking his place sitting on the cloud in front of Wildfire, Frost considered his answer. “She’s well organized, fair, shares the glory and takes the blame.”

Wildfire smiled, “Can’t beat that, sounds like my old Captain.”

Frost continued, “Doesn't socialise much with the battalion, but I can understand that. We have our annual ball and a few other events.”

“Nice,” Wildfire bounced happily as she agitated the cloud, “Have you known her long?”

Deep in thought, Frost nodded. “She was a company commander when I joined the battalion. Not my commander. She earned the promotion to battalion commander about two years ago. Other than being a bit stand-offish I haven't heard a bad word about her.”

Smiling a wide smile, Wildfire put in, “I met her yesterday, on a visit from Canterlot.”

“Oh, I thought from your accent you were from there.” Frost commented as he laid down and snuggled into the cloud. “I visited Canterlot with my folks when I was a colt. Very pretty city.”

“Hmm…yeah...” Wildfire was just about to argue the point and fill this stallion in on just what went on under the surface of that ‘very pretty city’, but decided this wasn’t the time or the place. “Depends where you go I guess. I'm glad I've moved.”

“Me, I love the big city life. So, you thinking of doing weather duty or returning to emergency work?”

“I’m not sure really. I'd like to go back to firefighting, I enjoyed that, but this is fun too.” Wildfire grinned as she carried on her work.

“Hmhmm…something to think about if you take this job.” Frost said through a wide yawn, “They will assign you to a different battalion.”

“Will they?” Wildfire thought out loud, “Well not too fussed there,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. “As long as they point out the clouds.”

“The whole weather brigade is a good bunch. I'm sure you'll do fine in any battalion. Just wanted to be sure you knew. They cannot let the appearance of fraternization happen.”

“I get that, and they wouldn’t have to hold my wing all the time,” Wildfire giggled, “I just need a little help here and there.”

“Well, you did very well on that first cloud.” Frost affirmed with a smile and a stretch of his legs. “We always have somepony at the drop off and pick up points. Cloud delivery can be more taxing, but even then if you're willing to overcome your disability then we are willing to deal with it.”

“Thanks, Frost.” Wildfire smiled as she worked, “The alternative is sitting at home going crazy bored. I'd rather be doing something now I'm able to.”

“Yeah, staying active is best.” Frost chuckled, “I'm going to catch a few z's, Wildfire.”

“No problem at all, Frost, I'll keep bouncing.” For the next hour the diminutive yellow mare carried on working the cloud, keeping up the steady rhythm she had started. Very happy in herself, she first started humming her happy tune before throwing caution to the wind and singing ‘Prettiest Eyes’ out loud to the accompaniment of Frost’s snoring.

After the hour, Frost woke up, ready to take over from Wildfire. “Your turn to rest. You’ve done good work, the fall rate is looking good very good.”

“Okies!” Taking her rest, Wildfire laid down on the cloud as Frost started to bounce in her place. Ruffling her wings, she nosed her muzzle along the leading edges of her wings, pleased at least they weren’t hurting her any more.

The following two hours passed in a rather pleasant manner, with mare and stallion both taking forty minute shifts to bounce on the Cumulus cloud. The conversation was light and easy, with Wildfire and Frost comparing jobs, each of course thinking theirs was best and not allowing the other to sway them in the slightest.

Towards the end of the last shift and Wildfire was rapidly running out of cloud to bounce on, indeed she could feel it getting thinner and thinner with each strike of her hooves. Frost was awake watching the little yellow mare as she stopped bouncing when a thought struck her. “Should I keep bouncing?”

“As they say,” Frost tried hard to hide his chuckle, but failed utterly. “Good to the last bounce. So, keep at it till it’s all gone. Then, we will go to the rally point over at the Celestia State Building.”

“No probs, I got this.” It only took a few more hard bounces on the cloud before it dissipated completely, leaving the two pegasi hovering as the last drop of rain fell to the ground.

“Hmm…not bad, Wildfire.” Frost hovered over to her and congratulated the yellow pony. “Ended three minutes early!” Looking around, the white stallion saw that less than half the weather zone still had cloud cover. “Let’s get to the rally point.”

“Lead on, Frost!” As they flew on, the rest of the battalion was slowly forming up at the meeting point, coming in as and when their respective jobs were completed.

“The commander isn't here yet so you can stay with me.” Frost said from his position next to Wildfire. “We have about twenty minutes of hovering. Are you good for that?”

“Yuppers! I should be, anyway.” Wildfire smiled as she flapped her wings in the hover. “My wings don't ache any more, much…”

“This job will definitely get your wings in shape.” Frost commented with a grin.

After ten minutes hovering beside the Celestia State Building, Tempest appeared with a beaming wide smile on her violet muzzle. “Hi Wily!” She called, flying straight into a tight hug. “Was this taskmaster up to speed?”

Turning her head to face Tempest she smiled and stole a quick kiss of her lips. “He was great to fly with, and we had a good chat on the cloud.”

Okay,” Tempest grinned, “Well you can fly with me. We will get this wrapped up and go to Caffy's for some coffee.”

“Coffee sounds awesomes!” Wildfire gushed like a filly as Tempest pulled away from the hug but stayed close.

Taking her place in front of the battalion, the violet mare called the assembled pegasi to attention. “Battalion! Attention! Commanders, report!” Tempest waited patiently while reports from the different sectors came in on the fall amount and any injuries that had been sustained. “Very good.” She said once all the reports had come in. “Company commanders take charge!” As the large group broke up into its subsidiaries, Tempest turned back to the hovering yellow mare. “Okay Wily that is the end of the official business, now for coffee.”

“Coffee…you are a goddess!” Wildfire smiled as she followed Tempest’s lead. “I'm ready, Honey.”

As they flew through the city towards Caffeinated’s coffee shop, Tempest took the time to explain just how flight in the streets was controlled by coloured zones for direction and altitude. She also appreciated just how difficult this system would be for Wildfire to adhere to, being as she was, blind. “Hmm…maybe the GPS thing that Requiem mentioned will help you with that. Otherwise it might be better for you to use the subway or walk.”

“I am interested in this GPS, Honey.” Wildfire replied as they began a gliding descent to the ground. “I've found that's what is giving me the most trouble, trying to guess the height I’m flying at.”

It wasn’t long at all before the two mares landed safely on the sidewalk outside of Stripe’s Cup of Java at twenty five minutes past six in the p.m., following the cessation of the rainfall twenty five minutes earlier. Folding away their wings, Tempest gave Wildfire a gentle nuzzle along her cheek. “Yes, we will go looking for that tomorrow and we’ll do some research on it first thing in the morning, promise.”

Chapter 7 - Open Invitation

After they landed outside Stripe’s Cup of Java, Wildfire and Tempest entered the building and Wildfire commented, “It is noisy, is all the herd here?”

“Some,” answered Tempest, “a lot of ponies come to this event.”

Airmail looked up from her food as her partners entered the front door of the Manehatten Times building. “Hello Stormy, Wily, that was some nice rain you turned out.”

Tempest laughed, “I’m sure someone was unhappy with the rush hour rain, and that makes my team happy.”

Wily smiled as she turned in the direction of the voice, “Hey Pretty, had a good day?”

“Stellar!” responded Airmail, “Omega got a report in on time.” The stallion near her snorted at the comment.

Tempest used a wing to guide Wildfire, “Let’s hit the buffet table, I’m starving.”

The smaller pegasus moved with her, “It smells good, what do they got?”

As they neared the table Tempest informed her, “Veggie casserole, and fruit salad. Oh! Those wine roasted mushrooms, I really like those. There is a pasta Alfredo. Some bread and cheeses plus butter.”

“The veggie casserole sounds good, but I’m not so sure about the mushrooms,” commented Wildfire. “Who’s here? I usually hear Dusk make some sort of noise by now.”

Tempest saw that Wildfire was doing fine getting her food, though she fumbled a bit finding the serving spoon in the dish. “Caffy and Thespy are working the coffee bar. At our herd ‘reserved’ table is Baron, Snowfall, Omega, Lavender, and of course Airy. Topper is here working the buffet table.”

“Hi guys,” interjected Topper, “Must be nice to stay dry above the clouds.”

“Hello Topper,” Wildfire smiled as she tried to remember what he felt like.

Tempest snuck some mushrooms onto Wily’s plate as she looked around. “Sonic and Trails are still setting up and about twenty other ponies are here.”

Some of Wildfire’s self-consciousness came back with so many ponies able to see her. “That’s a lot of ponies,” she said in a low voice as she sniffed some cheese to add the ones she liked to her plate.

Once they each had their plates full Tempest led Wildfire to the table. “I think Wily had a lot of fun today making it rain on other ponies.”

“Yeah, it was a blast,” Wildfire giggled. “I was glad for the rest at midday though.”

“You need a dull office job like mine,” commented Airmail.

“I like my dull office job,” Lavender giggled, “thank you very much.”

“No thanks, Pretty,” Wildfire returned with a shake of her head, “it was much more fun flying around.”

“Yeah,” commented Tempest, “and we do need to look into some flight aids for Wily tomorrow when we go shopping.”

Wildfire added, “If you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I don’t know Wily,” Airmail said while she rubbed her chin. “Do something to please my lover, or be a meanie pony.” She nuzzled her lover, “I think I’ll please my lover. I have an idea what to do about it.”

Wildfire nuzzled back, “I can speak sarcasm too, Pretty.” She added a kiss, “We had a nice walk around the lake before we started work.”

Airmail asked, “Did you feed the ducks?”

“Oh yes, I did,” Wildfire smiled at the recent memory. “It was a lovely place, probably my second favourite spot.”

“Is the first spot next to me or Stormy?” inquired Airmail.

Wildfire giggled, “The first spot is my new home. That is my favourite place.”

Tempest nudged Airmail with a wing, “I guess we tied for first place Airy.” She saw Mapper lead Serenity by her reins through the front door. Serenity’s appearance generated a lot of hoof clapping from the non-herd ponies. Tempest quickly described the pair to Wildfire. “Mapper and Serenity just walked in. Both are wearing really fancy ball gowns and Ser has a bridle on.”

Wildfire answered Airmail first, “Yeah Pretty, you both tied for first in my heart.” She then asked Tempest, “Was Serenity being led by her reins?”

“Yes she is,” answered Tempest.

Mapper’s voice drifted over to the table. “Fetch me some food Senior Pet.” She looped the reins over Serenity’s horn and joined the others at the herd table. “Very refreshing rain Stormy. Most enjoyable.”

Dusk Melody then entered the building with a mid-blue earth pony stallion as his companion. “It wasn’t that bad,” Dusk said, “just a bit of rain.”

His companion replied, “That rain ruined a perfectly good painting!”

Wildfire bounced, “I hear Dusk! Who is that with him?”

Tempest called out, “I’m glad to know some pony’s parade was rained on!”

Airmail added, “It was published in the paper, Dusk. I’m not sure who it is Wily.”

Dusk moved his companion towards the herd’s table, and tried to keep his voice low, “Please don’t make a scene here, these are my friends.”

“Fine,” the other stallion responded, and then to the group, “I don’t read the papers, but fair enough.”

Caffeinated came up to the table and dropped off Dusk’s cup of Earl Grey tea, “Help yourself to the buffet. What is your friend drinking?”

“Thanks Stripes,” Dusk replied gratefully for the tea. “Hey guys, this is Brush Stroke. I met up with him in North Park.”

“I’ll have a coffee please, black,” Brush Stroke replied to the zebra. “Hello, and please call me Oils,” he said to the group at the table.

Serenity walked up to the table and placed a single plate of food in front of Mapper. Mapper fed both herself and Serenity from the plate.

Brush Stroke looked around the table, “You have some impressive friends, Dusk.”

Omega looked the pair over, “Hello Oils, been to open mic night before?”

“No,” responded Brush Stroke, “but Dusk here said it’d be fun though.”

Omega laughed, “Welcome to the insanity.”

“It isn’t that bad,” added Airmail. “Just organised chaos.”

Sunshine walked in and saw Omega wave a forehoof. He walked over and gave the stallion a deep kiss, “Food now!” He then marched off to the buffet table.

Brush Stroke watched and smiled, “Organised chaos I like. Sort of like my workshop.”

Wildfire spoke up, “Hey D, who’s your new friend, and where is Vocal?”

Omega chimed in, “Yeah, how did his gig go?”

Airmail nudged Wildfire and spoke of over the noise of so many ponies, “Recital, Trumpet, and Requiem just came in. They went straight to the buffet table.”

“Will Tinkerer and Belle be coming?” Wildfire asked.

“No,” answered Snowfall, “Belle is working tonight and Tinkerer is with her.”

Dusk gave a soft sigh, “It went well, Omega. Too well as it happens. He isn’t coming, ever.”

“I’ll let Buttercup know. She covers entertainment,” Airmail said and added, “So, by ever, did you two have a falling out?”

“You can say that Airmail,” answered Dusk, “Vocal decided that the tour was number one in his life, and old coltfriends need not apply.” He welcomed the hug from Brush Stroke.

The three newcomers sat at the table. Requiem spoke up, “Hi Dusk.” She studied the other stallion as she thought she knew him.

Dusk asked, “Are we all here that’s coming?”

Requiem answered, “All but my husband, Longshore. Go ahead and do intros. I can fill him in later.”

“Okay then, this is Brush Stroke, but he likes the name Oils,” Dusk led off. “And this mare is my close friend Wildfire, whom I told you about.”

“Pleased to meet all of you, and it is good to put a face to the name Wildfire,” stated Brush Stroke.

“Just call me Wily,” she smiled.

Requiem asked, “Oils, don’t you have a painting in City Hall?”

Brush Stroke was pleased to be recognised, “Yes, I do.”

Sunny chuckled, “Oh, we have another celebrity.”

Brush Stroke blushed, “A minor one, for now.”

“Dusk, when is your mom going to get here with your fiddle?” Requiem questioned.

“She should be here soon,” Dusk answered.

“Your mom’s coming?” Brush Stroke smiled, “It’ll be nice to meet her. You didn’t talk much about her earlier.”

“No,” Dusk swallowed, “no, I didn’t.”

“Dusk, would you be interested in doing a performance together?” asked Trumpet. “I was thinking Trotskovsky’s Marche.”

Dusk nodded, “Yeah, why not?”

Trumpet smiled, “Should be fun, that piece goes well with the violin and Prench horn.”

“Should be awesome mate.” Dusk looked to his friend, “Wily, you reading during the show?”

Wildfire bounced at the table, “Yes D! I have a couple of poems ready.”

Longshore arrived at the table with a plate full of food and received a kiss from Requiem. “Contracts are a pain in my tail,” stated the stallion.

“Ah, my poor baby,” Requiem said with another kiss. “You can lie down on the couch and I’ll talk to you until it is all better.” That comment received laughs from several ponies.

A flash of turquoise light near the coffee bar revealed Luna and Octavia. Both dressed in their Gala dresses. Octavia wore a bridle and carried her cello case on her back. Luna carried a violin case and held Octavia’s reins in her magic. The pair nodded to Caffeinated and approached the herd table.

The noise level in the room dropped drastically. The knowledge that Serenity would perform was common, but to have Lady Octavia perform brought this night to a whole new level. Many started calling friends to encourage them to join the party. Brush Stroke stuttered, “T-that’s P-p-princess Lu-Luna h-h-here!”

When the couple reached the table Dusk spoke up, “Hi mum, mom, thank you for bringing my violin.”

“Mom!” said a shocked Brush Stroke. He looked between the alicorn and earth pony, “She’s your mom and she’s your mum!”

Mapper laughed, “Good evening Mistress Luna, your son’s failure to talk about you is an understatement.” She gave Octavia a good look over. “You’ve brought your Pet! How sweet of you. Shall she be performing?”

Luna looked over Mapper and Serenity and sighed, “Tie?”

Mapper nodded, “Tie”

Dusk was perplexed, “Tie?”

Luna looked at her son, “My goal was to out dress Mistress Mapper tonight. I have a feeling a sneaky zebra may have warned her.” She turned to Octavia, “You may answer, Pet.”

Octavia kept her eyes to the floor, “Yes Mistress Mapper, I was allowed to bring my cello.”

“Mistress Mapper,” Luna stated which drew the mare’s attention back to her. “My present to you for tonight. For my Pet’s sake I do hope she pleases you.”

“Junior Pet!” Mapper spoke with authority.

Wildfire was snuggled between Airmail and Tempest. Both were trying to get her to eat the veggie casserole after she found out it had celery in it. Now she saw her opportunity to escape. “Yes Mistress!”

“You have graduated to Middle Pet for tonight,” continued Mapper, “and do finish your food you took from the buffet.”

Wildfire’s ears drooped in defeat, “Yes Mistress.”

Mapper continued, “Now I have a complete set! Do you think if I combine them I’ll get an alicorn?” The ponies around her laughed.

Trumpet was star struck by the sight of Octavia, and he spoke to Dusk, “Think she would join us on that Trotskovsky piece?”

Dusk snickered, “Try stopping her, with her Mistresses permission, of course.”

Mapper looked at the stallions, “She came here to perform and perform she will!”

Caffeinated joined them at the table, “Good evening Luna, here is your lunar café, not on the menu, and Mapper, what is Octavia drinking?” Another hush fell over the crowd when they realised how familiar the barista was with royalty.

Luna interrupted, “Mistress Mapper, my pet has been bad, so if I might suggest Earl Grey tea for her.”

Octavia let out a little whine and pawed at Luna’s dress.

“Very bad indeed,” Mapper nodded. “Mistress Luna, would you do me the honour of taking care of your Pet’s watering and feeding for the night?”

“Very good Mistress Mapper,” Luna turns to the zebra, “Earl Grey for my wayward pet.”

“Same as your son?” Caffeinated asked, “With steamed milk?”

Luna nodded, “That will be fine.” She noted that Mapper was feeding Serenity from her plate, and looped the reins over Octavia’s neck. “Pet, please fetch me a plate of food and put enough on the plate for yourself too.”

“Yes Mistress.” Octavia walked over to the buffet and started loading up a plate.

Caffeinated returned with a tray full of drinks. He put Octavia’s tea where Mapper pointed and distributed refills to the herd.

Luna held up her cup of coffee, “I normally drink it black, but I approve of this non-menu coffee.” The zebra simply smiled as he returned to the coffee bar.

“Shine?” Dusk asked. He only received his mom’s smile for an answer.

Octavia returned with a plate full and set it in front of Luna. The alicorn smiled, “Do drink your tea Pet before it gets cold.”

The grey mare did so with a grimace and hoped her wife would soon give her some food to hide the taste.

Caffeinated moved to the building entrance as he saw a white zebra enter, “Shangazi kahawa kuwakaribasha usiku.” His aunt’s coat was liberally sprinkled with grey and there was plenty of sliver highlights in her mane and tail. They gave each other a nuzzle and then he continued, “Angalia Mungu wa Usikuni hapa!”

The mare responded, “Lazima uwe utani kwamba hawezi kuwa!”

Both Luna and Mapper turned when they heard the Zebran spoken. Mapper broke out in laughter and Luna turned her attention back to the pink unicorn. Mapper controlled her laughter, “That’s Coffee Bean, Caffy’s aunt and High Priestess of the Hall. He is bragging about you being here, and she doesn’t believe him.”

Luna commented, “You do know I speak fluent Zebran.”

Mapper rolled her eyes, “I’d hope so since they worship you. Other than Thespy, the rest of the herd doesn’t understand Zebran. I just want to let them in on the joke.”

Caffeinated gestured at the herd table and watch his aunt’s eyes go wide. After a couple of minutes he finally nudged the frozen mare to move.

Coffee Bean did eventually move on unsteady legs. As she got closer she moved faster and fell prostrate to the floor in front of Luna, “Naomba huwezi kunipiga wafu Mungu wa Usiku,” the mare begged.

Caffeinated put a hoof on the mare’s shoulder, “Tu kuamka yeye ni nzuri na kuzungumza Equstrian.”

Luna smiles, “Please arise and I’ll be killing no ponies tonight. Caffeinated has spoken highly of his family.”

Coffee Bean stands, “Oh, please forgive my rudeness.”

Luna pats a spot next to her, “There is nothing to forgive. Please join us at the table. Caffy, fetch your Aunt a lunar café please, and a refill for me.”

Caffeinated does a little bow, “At once your Highness.”

Coffee Bean was in awe, “This, this is most unexpected Mungu wa Usiku, how may I serve you?”

Caffeinated called out from the coffee bar, “You could bring her the coffee.”

Luna watched the elderly mare seemed to fly to the coffee bar and put the tray on her back. She returned just as swiftly without spilling a drop. Coffee Bean set the tray on the table and hoofed Luna her drink. She raised the drink, “To the night.”

Coffee Bean raised her own cup and replied, “Ndoto Mwezi.”

Luna’s turquoise eyes narrowed, and she saw genuine fear in the mare before her. She had forgotten the zebra still revered her for what she once was. Luna tapped the cup and took a drink while she watched as the zebra took a long awaited breath and sipped from her own cup.

Coffee Bean coughed as the coffee and moonshine poured down her throat. “Forgive me.”

Luna lightly laid a hoof on Coffee Bean’s shoulder, “There are things that should not be spoken of in the open.”

Caffeinated, Thespian, and Topper joined the table. Caffeinated stated, “Everything is well in hoof and it is time to get the open mic going. Is everything okay Lulu?”

Coffee Bean swung a forehoof and stuck Caffeinated, “Angalau yeye nyuka wewe wafu!”

Luna again put her hoof on Coffee Bean’s shoulder. “Please Coffee Bean, I can accept informalities with friends, and nopony will be struck dead tonight.” She sipped her coffee, “Unless the coffee should run dry.”

Coffee Bean leapt to her hooves in a panic, “Je, una kutosha? Je, mimihaja ya simu ghala?”

Caffeinated hugged his aunt tight, “Please calm down. Everything is fine. We have plenty of coffee, just relax.”

“Forgive me Coffee Bean,” Luna said with a smile, “Your nephew’s life is safe, it was but a joke.”

Coffee Bean blinked a few times as she calmed down, “Kama wewe kusema, Mungu wa Usiku.”

Caffeinated released his hug, “Yes she said it, now sit down next to your Goddess and learn from her. And please, Aunt, speak Equestrian.”

The opening acts of the open mic are normally reserved for first time performers. The audience gave instant and honest feedback. Cheers and clapping hooves are loud, but so are the cat calls and comments for any unfortunate poor performances. Nothing derogatory was said, and it is all meant to be in good fun.

Mapper spoke up, “Well that was very entertaining. Any more of your relatives showing up tonight, Caffy?”

Caffeinated chuckled, “Cousin Leaf may show up to play her drums.”

Octavia took another sip of her cooled tea and grimaced. She looked to her son and opened her mouth only to close it. She then looked to Luna and Mapper.

Mapper didn’t miss what happened. “Junior Pet, you are on Free Time until I have need of your services. If you want food or drink you are dependent on the whims of Mistress Luna.”

Octavia let a smile cross her lips, “Thank you Mistress.” She turned back to her son, “Dusk, who is your friend sitting next to you?”

“Oh, right mum,” Dusk puts a foreleg around the earth pony’s shoulder. “This is Brush Stroke.” Dusk noticed that he is still too shocked to speak. “He likes to go by the name Oils.”

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper enquired, “do you have a favourite piece you would like Junior Pet to perform?”

Luna responded, “Yes, I’d like her to play Les Carnaval des Animaux. It’s a Prench piece.”

Dusk hugged his companion tighter, “Oils, this is my mum, and my mom of course.”

Mapper smiled, “Excellent choice. I do hope she has some stamina tonight.” Mapper enjoyed the indignant look on the mare’s face. “The stallions, Dusk and Trumpet would like her to join them in some sombre piece. I also plan to have her play to a poem read by Middle Pet and to a song that Senior Pet will sing.”

Luna waved a dismissive hoof, “She’ll do fine. May I inquire as to what your Pets will be performing?”

Coffee Bean muttered, “Nilidhani kungekuwa taa zaidi na chini ya majadiliano.”

Luna did a spit take and turned back to the zebra she saw cringe. “I like to chat over coffee so I fear there will be no lighting tonight, and your Equestrian is slipping.”

Coffee Bean bowed low, “Sorry, sorry, please forgive this silly mare.”

Luna leaned forward and kissed the mare’s nose which left Coffee Bean speechless. “I like silly mares.”

Mapper laughed, “Then you will truly like that one. Anyways, I’m having Middle Pet read the Jabberwocky.” She hoofed the poem in braille to Wildfire. “Study that Middle Pet and do not embarrass me.”

Wildfire took the sheet of paper, “Yes Mistress.” She ran a hoof over the bumps while Airmail and Tempest watched, intrigued.

Mapper continued, “Senior Pet will sing Ode to Joy. I have the sheet music to both, in case Junior Pet is unfamiliar with the works.”

Octavia sniffed, “I have performed both, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper kept mental note of the infractions that Junior Pet would account for. “Middle Pet you are on Free Time until your performance. You have poems to read?”

“Yes, Mistress,” responded Wildfire, “I have two, Mistress.”

“Very good,” Mapper nodded, “You will perform those first so your voice is warmed up for the poem I want you to read.”

“Yes Mistress,” was Wildfire’s response.

Recital was whispering in Coffee Bean’s ear when the zebra mare leapt again to her hooves. “Yeye alifanya nini?”

Caffeinated face hoofed. Luna looked back to the zebra mare and smiled.

Coffee Bean pointed a hoof at her nephew, “Je, kweli kuwaambia mungu wa usiku alikuwa farasi mbaya?”

“Equestrian Aunt, Equestrian!” said the exasperated zebra stallion. “I did say that because she was a bad pony.”

“Bado wanaaishi?” Coffee Bean said with disbelief.

Luna again put her hoof on Coffee Bean’s shoulder, “He lives because I was a bad pony.”

Coffee Bean sat back down as she tried to comprehend what had happened. Recital smiled and again started to whisper in the zebra mare’s ear.

Both Luna and Caffeinated waited to see what Coffee Bean would do next.

Brush Stroke finally found his voice, “Interesting family and friends you have Dusk.” He turned to Octavia, “It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Octavia, and you Princess Luna.”

“It is nice to meet my son’s friends,” Octavia started, but she was interrupted when Luna decided to feed her again.

“We will have to talk more, Oils.” Luna commented before she turned to her wife. “I expect you to finish that tea.”

Octavia replied in a very subdued voice, “Yes Mistress.”

Omega ate off of Sunshine’s plate, “So, Dusk, you and Oils have hit it off? Where did you find this drifter, Oils?

Dusk nuzzled his friend, “Yes, we’re together.”

Brush Stroke saw the lay of the land and kissed his partner, “This little darling happened to sit in the way of my painting, and I asked him to shift it. We ended up talking.” He kissed Dusk again, “I do like his blush too.”

Omega chuckled, “Yes, he does blush rather well,” only to watch Dusk blush harder. “So, he didn’t play hard to get?”

“Is this an interview, Omega?” Dusk asked.

“Not at all,” Brush Stroke continued, “he was very interested in what I was painting, and I couldn’t shake him off.” He looked between the two, “Interview?”

Dusk commented, “This stallion is the political reporter for the Manehatten Times, and he has interviewed me before.”

Brush Stroke nodded, “Maybe I should start reading the paper.”

Coffee Bean let out a high pitch squeal and fell over with one forehoof raised in the air.

Caffeinated rushed over to her and with the aid of Recital and Trumpet help to get her upright. With a voice just above a whisper and a look of desperation in her eyes, Coffee Bean asked, “Wewe alimgonga yake?”

Luna, Mapper, and Thespian burst into giggles.

“I told you, Aunt,” replied Caffeinated, “she was a bad pony.”

As Luna laughed she gasped out, “He swings hard too.”

Coffee Bean took her nephew’s face in her hooves, “Sisi kamwe kuzungumza haya tena.”

Caffeinated nuzzled his aunt, “It never happened, no problem Aunt. Please try to speak Equestrian.”

Luan regained control of herself, “I don’t know if my bottom will let me forget,” The squeak from Coffee Bean was precious. “Son, when were you going to introduce us to your new coltfriend?”

Thespian excused herself from the table.

Dusk winced, “Give me a chance, mom. I just met him!”

Omega laughed, “He doesn’t want Oils to slip from his hooves, Luna.”

Sunshine chimed in, “Besides, he is already at stage four. Meet the parents.”

Omega laughed, “Have you kissed him Dusk?” He promptly kissed his ray of sunshine.

Brush Stroke smiled, “Oh, he has, haven’t you love?” He leaned in half way to Dusk, who closed the distance to complete the kiss. Sunshine and Omega both clapped their hooves quietly.

Dusk looked at the stallion, “Many times once it stopped raining.” He turned to his mothers, “You’ve met him now. I hope you are pleased.”

Luna nodded, while she may not know his works, the others seemed to think he is a good artist. Time would tell if he was good enough for her son.

Dusk planted one more kiss on Brush Stroke, “I’m still hungry, do you want anything?”

Brush Stroke nodded, “Just fill a plate for the two of us.” He watched Dusk walk off to the buffet table, “He’s such a pretty mare.”

“Yes, he is,” Omega agreed.

“I’ve seen him prettier,” commented Luna.

Thespian walked past the table wearing armour and fake wings. “My turn,” she said as she walked past and onto the stage. The herd listened as she sang the ‘Rhinemaidens’ Song’ as Flosshilde. Her performance was followed my much hoof clapping and cheers from the audience and herd.

“This performance is splendid,” Brush Stroke announced. As Dusk sat back down at the table he leaned toward Omega, “But not a patch on last night’s performance I gather.” His smile grew wider as Dusk blushed.

Omega nodded, “I’m quite sure I heard Thespian singing last night too.”

Thespian returned to the table. She left her armour and wings on. “I’m sure you did Omega. It is good our beds don’t squeak too loudly.”

Brush Stroke nuzzled Dusk, “Dusky was quite proud of it once I got it out of him. As I said, such a pretty mare.”

“Oh,” Omega smiled, “you’re speaking of his performance.”

Dusk grew positively hot next to him, “Yes, the four on one, I believe?”

“His performance was award winning,” commented Luna. She was happy to see Brush Stroke had to keep Dusk from crawling under the table.

“Well I did cheat a bit,” Omega admitted, “I did take two turns.”

Sunny added, “After the performance he proved just how pretty he can be.”

“Could we move along,” pleaded Dusk.

Brush Stroke gave him another kiss, “Yes dear.”

“Wildfire,” Caffeinated called out. Once he had the mare’s attention, “You’re up next after this act.”

“Thank you, sir,” she nuzzled her companions, “I got this.”

Airmail asked, “Do you need help getting to the stage?”

“I just need directions,” Wildfire responded.

Airmail and Tempest shared a look and Tempest whispered into Wildfire’s ear, “Okay, after you stand turn to your right. About fifteen paces will put you even with the stage. Turn left and the stage is about twenty paces away. There is a gap between the tables, but it isn’t a big gap. Stage is about one foot off the floor. It is ten by ten and the mic is front centre.”

Wildfire nodded, “I got it. Nothing to do but do it.”

Airmail added, “Go ahead to the first turn left and wait. Sonic will announce you.” She gave Wildfire a kiss which was followed up with Tempest’s kiss.

Wildfire stood up and moved to the spot. She really didn’t want to fail in front of the others.

Sunshine smiled, “Dusk did look good in silver highlights, but with your fur you’d look good in gold highlights, Oils.”

Luna leaned over and kissed Octavia on a lighter bit of grey fur, “You’re my pretty mare.”

Brush Stroke laughed, “You may be right, but I’ll never be as pretty as this mare,” he said as he hugged Dusk.

Octavia moves to kiss Luna on the lips, “I’m not that pretty.”

Sonic’s voice came over the PA system, “Next up is Wildfire with some poetry.”

Mapper’s stern voice sounded, “Junior Pet will not embarrass the Mistress with disagreement!”

Octavia looked like she was about to cry, “No Mistress.” She leaned against Luna, “I’m your pretty mare.”

Brush Stoke looked to the stage, “Isn’t that your friend Dusky?”

Dusk watched Wildfire move her way forward, “Yes, and she is quite good at poetry.”

Wildfire held her wings in front with tips to the floor as she moved forward. She felt the chairs as she passed tables, and heard the comments from ponies who realized she was blind. She was worried at first, but none of the comments were hurtful. Just realization or encouragement. When she felt the stage she stepped up and move to what she though was the middle and turned left. Wildfire moved forward till she felt the mic stand, just a bit to her left. She took a moment to centre herself. ‘I did it!’ The mare smiled and her voice caught the first try, “H-hi, th-th…” Wildfire cleared her throat, “Excuse me! Hi, this is a poem called ‘Flying High’ and I dedicate it to Airmail and Tempest who helped me know what it was like to fly again.” Wildfire took a calming breath. Her braille notes were under a hoof, but she didn’t need them.

“Up I fly, Through the sky.
On eagle's wings, Soaring high.
Down below, Rivers flow.
Waving plains See me go.
Sun so bright, It's almost white.
My wings of gold Reflect its light.
In the air, Flies my hair.
Inside of me, Joy flares.
Gaze upon the sea. I think it's like me.
None can hold it. Forever free.”

She heard plenty of hoof claps and Airmail whistle. “Thank you, this second one I call ‘Wildfire’. It is for the herd of friends that have taken me in.

From the audience a pony called out, “Yeah, I’ve heard of friends.”

Wildfire snickered, “That’s good, do you have any?” Which was followed by much laughter.

Once again Wildfire paused to centre herself. She did change paper just in case, but her confidence built from the audience reaction.

“I burn I bake I turn I wake.
Filled with the fire you set in my heart.
I can't explain my desire been there from the start.
Hot flame engulfs my brain I couldn't douse it if I tried.
You melt my pain forgetting the times I cried.
Does your blaze burn too, mine keeps growing.
Please tell me if you do for my seeds keep sowing.
You started me like a match faster than fast.
My soul you did snatch wildfire at last.”

More hooves clapped and Wildfire made it off the stage. She walked back through the tables with encouragement voiced in her ears. Once back she received a big hug from Tempest. “You’ve set my heart on fire.”

“Thank you Honey” she said as she returned a nuzzle. “What did you think Pretty?”

Airmail led off with a lusty kiss, “They are as beautiful as you, and your beauty shines.”

Sonic called Recital and she excused herself from the table. Coffee Bean watched her go as she pondered all that Recital had told her.

“Those were lovely poems, Wildfire,” commented Dusk.

“Thank you D.” Wildfire couldn’t contain her glee, “And for more kisses like that I can read more poetry.”

“Sounds like some bed time reading,” added Tempest as the got in on the action.

“The Trotskovsky piece is up next,” Caffeinated informed the group, “and Mapper, I’ve added Octavia to your pet line up. Order is Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn.”

“Thank you Caffy,” Mapper responded.

While Recital sang an original dark song about bullies and poisoned chocolates, the musicians readied their interments. When Recital left the stage, the audience were left pondering if they really wanted to eat the chocolates on the table. A hush moved through the crowd when the three ponies took the stage. Most ponies would pay hundreds, even thousands, of bits to listen to Octavia play, and here they were able to listen for free.

“Middle Pet,” Mapper inquired, “Are you familiar with the poem? You may take the notes with you.”

“I am, Mistress,” Wildfire answered, but she held the notes just in case.

Mapper smiled, “I found your poems acceptable Pet, you may have a dessert of your choice.”

“Thank you Mistress,” Wildfire glowed with the praise.

Airmail asked, “Would you like your dessert now?”

“Only if there is chocolate,” Wildfire licked her lips.

Airmail lowered her voice to a whisper as the audience had grown silent, “After this performance.”

Luna’s voice could just be heard, “Make me proud my love.”

The three, being as they were, well versed in classical music performed the sad poetic symphony named Marche Slave by Trotskovsky flawlessly. The haunting music mesmerized the audience. When they finished there was a moment of silence before thunderous hoof clapping and cheers erupted.

As the three took their bows, Luna move her hoof over to Mapper’s, “I do love to hear my Pet play.” The alicorn wiped away her tears.

The group returned to the table and put away their instruments. “Junior Pet,” Mapper called out, “You have earned a dessert and drink of your choice. Do finish the tea first though, one should not be wasteful.”

Airmail stood, “I’ll get your chocolate love, and be right back.”

“Thank you Airy,” responded Wildfire.

“Yes Mistress,” Octavia said as she finished the nasty tea.

“What would you like Pet?” asked Luna.

“Milky coffee and a chocolate too, if it pleases you Mistress.” Octavia answered.

Caffeinated smiled, “One Celestia special coming up. Requiem, you and Longshore are up after this next act. Then it is my turn, and Lavender, you’re after me.” Caffeinated moved off to get the coffee.

Airmail returns with two plates of chocolate. “Here you go Wily. Luna, I heard what your pet wanted and took the liberty to bring it for her.”

Octavia smiled, “Thank you Ms. Airmail.”

Wildfire inhaled the delicious dessert, “Thank you Pretty.”

Luna kissed Octavia, “You did very well love.”

“All three of you did very well,” amended Thespian.

“Most true,” Luna agreed.

Caffeinated sat the cream with coffee in front of Octavia while Requiem and Longshore excused themselves from the table. “Baron, if you could pony the fort while I take my turn?”

“Of course I can.” Baron replied as he stood to see to the guests.

The herd watched Requiem and Longshore do a feisty ballroom dance on the small stage. The performance received well, and earned the pair much appreciated responses from the audience.

Caffeinated moved onto the stage after the couple left. “Out of deference to our very special guest and to my Aunt, I will first read my poem in Zebran. Out of deference to the rest of you I’ll read it again in Equestrian. The audience laughed. Caffeinated did his first read through.

“Katika usiku sisi wanazurura Ni giza, tuko peke yake.
Hata hivyo mimi sina hofu kwa mwezi ni karibu.
Mwanga wake unang'aa juu yangu na wote mimi kweli wanahitaji kuona.
Mimi Bask katika mwanga wake laini ulimwengu mpya gani kuonyesha.
Amani na utulivu ni moja katika utulivu.
Mungu wa Usiku na mwanga wake upendo, mioyo kila mahali kuachiwa huru.
Bila wasiwasi au hofu ya kuishi maisha ya haki, na Mungu wa Usiku.”

Coffee Bean watched her goddess while her nephew read. She saw Luna’s eyes shine with moisture and smiled as Caffeinated then started his second read through.

“In the night we roam It is dark, we’re alone.
Yet I have no fear for the moon is near.
Her light shines on me and all I truly need to see.
I bask in its soft glow a new world does it show.
Peace and tranquility are one in serenity.
Goddess of the night with her loving light, hearts everywhere set free.
Without worry or fear to live life right, by the Goddess of the Night."

Brush Stroke commented to Dusk, “His poem is rather good.”

The loudest hooves clapped at the herd table, while the rest of the audience also showed their appreciation. In part because Caffeinated ran this event and made it free to attend. He passed Lavender on the way to the table. “Mapper, there is this and one more act before your Pets perform. Thank you Baron, I have the helm.”

“Stripes,” Dusk commented, “You came close to matching Wily’s reading.”

“C’mon D,” Wildfire exclaimed, “He did much better than me!”

Caffeinated chuckled, “Tie?”

Wildfire giggled, “Tie.”

Coffee Bean leaned close to her nephew, “Mimini fahari yaw ewe mpwa.”

Luna waved the zebra stallion over to her, “Your aunt is right to be proud. Thank you for the lovely poem.” She followed up with a kiss.

“You are most welcome, Mungu wa Usiku,” Caffeinated returned the kiss.

Lavender then proceeded to tell an utterly outrageous story about a cabbage and a motorcycle road trip which left the audience gasping for breath. Even Luna thought it was the funniest story since forever. “I do hope someone has a recording of that,” gasped Luna. “Tia so needs to hear it.” When the mare returned to the table Luna had her breath back under control, “Really, A helmet on a cabbage for safety?” Lavender took a little bow for a reply.

“Mapper,” Caffeinated stated to get the mare’s attention. “Your three are the last of the program. They follow Coffee Bean and after your group is karaoke.”

“Thank you Caffy,” Mapper nodded.

Dusk kissed Brush Stroke, “Having fun Oils?”

Brush Stroke smiled, “Not bad for a first date, Dusky.”

Caffeinated brought around refills, and whispered far too loud into Dusk’s ear, “How did the questionnaire go?”

Dusk choked on his tea and tried to slip under the table. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as Caffeinated walked off snickering.

“Oh, I smell a story.” Brush Stroke nuzzled the stallion that attempted to escape.

“No!” Dusk shook his head, “No story, nothing at all to tell.”

Wildfire laughed, “I’ll be happy to tell him.”

Dusk’s voice grew stern, “You wouldn’t dare!”

Mapper interjected, “Please refrain from ordering my Pet around. It’s not that I want to save you, Prince, but your story can wait till karaoke starts. Plus, I trust my Pet to speak truthfully.”

Dusk grumbled, but said nothing.

“Aunt,” Caffeinated started, “It doesn’t look like Leaf made it, but Sonic has the recording.” He kissed the zebra mare’s cheek. “Do well.”

Coffee Bean took the stage and the audience gave her respectful silence least the Priestess cast some zebra curse on them. Sonic started the recording of tribal drums and Coffee Bean danced like a mare a third her age. The dance included a chanted prayer in Zebran. It was a prayer to Nightmare Moon seeking protection and good harvest.

Luna watched the performance intently, and listened to the words of the prayer. Too much history that she had tried hard to forget came to the forefront of her mind. The performance was flawless, yet Luna was uncertain what to think about it.

Mapper laid a hoof over Luna’s, “Treat it for what it is. A hope that you can still provide.” She watched Luna nod before she removed the hoof. Coffee Bean left the stage. “Junior Pet you are on stage for three performances. Do not embarrass me.” Mapper looked to her other two Pets. “I will say the same to both of you.”

“Yes Mistress,” Octavia and Wildfire said together. Serenity said nothing but did bow.

The audience went quite as Octavia took the stage for a solo performance. She began the Prench piece and her cello sang.

To Luna, Mapper whispered, “You’d think she has unicorn magic.”

Luna whispered back, “Indeed, I think so myself.” Luna smiled at the flawless performance.

The audience erupted with hoof claps and cheers at the end of the performance. Mapper stated, “Airmail, be a dear, and lick the chocolate off Middle Pet’s face.”

“With pleasure!” Airmail announced as she went to work and quickly licked Wildfire’s muzzle most thoroughly.

“Middle Pet, make your way to the stage quickly now. Start your reading after Junior Pet does the intro bit of music.” Mapper saw Tempest started to whisper to Wildfire. “Tempest! Stop being a mother hen. She made it up there fine on her own the first time.”

Wildfire enjoyed the face cleaning and gave each of her mares a kiss, “Yes Mistress!” The diminutive pegasus followed the same path to the stage. When she stepped up on it Octavia gave a light tap of her hoof to let her know where she stood. Wildfire moved to the mic and sat down with a hoof hoovering over the paper. She was determined to do this and not give any reason to embarrass her Mistress.

Octavia begun to play and on cue Wildfire read the poem. She tried to be as dramatic as she could. The poem itself was rather funny though and it was a challenge for the mare.

A few moments into the performance and Luna winced. She whispered to Mapper, “She drops a note now and again. It’s the arthritis in her hooves.”

Mapper shrugged and whispered back, “I wouldn’t know. I listen to carnival music all day.”

Throughout the poem the audience laughed, and at the end they clapped loudly. Wildfire took a bow and left the stage and returned to the table. Serenity passed her on the way and brushed Wildfire’s flank with her own.

“She dropped two notes on that piece,” stated Luna, “and she will admit to it.”

Wildfire returned to the table, “You have pleased me Middle Pet,” commented Mapper, “you may have some of Airmail’s cake.”

“Oh, come on!” Airmail sounded upset, but both her and Mapper giggled.

“Yay!” said a happy Wildfire, “I get cake.”

Serenity walked onto the stage and moved over to nuzzle Octavia. “They judge us as individuals. Don’t get lost in my singing.”

Octavia nuzzled back as she flexed her hooves. “Very well.”

Serenity moved forward to the mic. The audience was enraptured by their presence. Two of the greatest performers on stage together in a downtown coffee shop. They saw history being made. Serenity made full use of her three octave range to belt out the song, and Octavia used her cello to sing for her.

Brush Stroke commented to Dusk, “You could have sold tickets for a thousand bits a seat for this performance.”

Luna though listened with a fine ear and fought to hold back the tears as her wife dropped note after note. “She’s struggling.”

“You will have to forgive me for my punishment will be light,” responded Mapper. “This is too beautiful.”

“It is, isn’t it. Still if she was doing it on purpose, I’d say don’t hold back,” Luna responded, “but she is truly trying her best.”

Mapper reached out a hoof to Luna, “I take it she can be quite naughty if she feels you’re being inattentive?”

Luna nodded, “She can be a hoof full at times.”

The performance ended and it brought the house down. So many texted the ‘I was there when it happened’ texts to friends and family. The pair left the stage and Caffeinated took their place. He waited for the crowd to calm down before he made his announcement. “Thank you all for attending. The mic is now open to anyone that wants to do karaoke. Please give your song selection or track to Sonic.” Caffeinated returned to the herd’s table. Ponies lined up to talk with Sonic. Some came this night for karaoke, but found much more.

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper led off when Serenity and Octavia arrived at the table, “I noticed how beautiful Junior and Senior Pet looked on stage, and I have to ask where did you get Junior Pet’s gown?”

“Ms Rarity was quite kind enough to make it for me,” answered Luna. “She is very generous with her talent.”

“I should ask Coco about it then,” responded Mapper, “she may be able to make me a near copy. I think it would look fetching on Senior Pet.”

Luna smiled, “There is no reason you can’t have her put on Junior Pet’s gown right now.”

“Ah, but there is,” Mapper spoke with a sly smile. “Junior Pet, how was your performance?”

Octavia stared down at her own forehooves, ashamed her body was failing her. “I failed, Mistress, I’m afraid to say I dropped five notes throughout the night.”

Mapper nodded, “Senior Pet, yours?

Serenity looked Mapper in the eye, “I failed, Mistress, I missed a note.”

“Mistress,” interjected Octavia, “She missed the same note I did, and I believe th…”

Mapper cut her off, “You will not make excuses for Senior Pet!”

Octavia’s voice was sorrowful, “I have failed you Mistress.”

Mapper looked to the blind pegasus, “Middle Pet! I would have your opinion on Junior Pet and Senior Pet’s performance.”

“Mistress,” Wildfire responded, “I felt they were both excellent, I really enjoyed the show.”

Mapper turned to her wife, and Serenity spoke, “She tells the truth, Mistress.”

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper said as she turned to the Princess, “where will you be spending the night?”

Luna smiled, “I have not made plans, mayhap you have a suggestion?”

Mapper thought out loud, “Should I punish them now or later, is the question.”

Luna shrugged her shoulders, “I see no harm in punishing them later, Mistress Mapper.”

“Caffy,” Mapper called out, “you up for house guests?”

Caffeinated laughed lightly, “Is there a time when I’m not?”

“Well,” Mapper’s grin took on a feral look, “there was that time when…”

“Yes!” Caffeinated interrupted, “I’m available for house guests!”

Mapper giggled with enjoyment at the zebra’s embarrassment, “Airy, Stormy, are you two up for another night at Caffy’s place?”

Tempest replied, “I’m free and clear for Saturday.”

Airmail added, “Sure, as long as you don’t keep me up all night.”

“Then, Mistress Luna,” Mapper spoke, “may I suggest you spend the night at Caffy’s. It would be better than any hotel.”

Luna nodded, “I would have to agree with you there.”

Coffee Bean looked to her nephew, “Mungu wa Usiku ni kukaa katika nyumba yako?”

Luna laughed, “Yes, Coffee Bean, I am, again. Your equestrian is slipping again.”

Coffee Bean announced, “Mimi kukas…forgive, then I’m staying at my nephew’s house too.”

Caffeinated smiled, “I love you, Aunt, and you’re always welcome.”

“This has the makings of a fun night,” Luna added.

“As for punishments,” Mapper’s voice turned serious, “If you wait too long they forget why they’re being punished.”

Luna amended her earlier statement, “Our Pets are intelligent, but I can understand your concern.”

Mapper nodded, “Yes, at least some of the time they are.” She giggled and then resumed her role as Mistress, “Senior Pet you embarrassed me with your performance! Remove your gown!”

“Yes Mistress,” Serenity responded and quickly used her magic to remove the fancy gown which left her wearing a rope harness and panties.

Coffee Bean said, “One sexy mare,” and when she saw Serenity blush she added a whistle.

“I fully agree with my Priestess on that,” added Luna.

Mapper looked Octavia over, “As for you Junior Pet. Your punishment will start now also. From now until dawn Middle Pet will carry you cello.”

Octavia’s eyes went wide, “But Mistress,” she said as stamped a hoof on the floor.

Mapper’s grin widened as she waited to see if Octavia could dig her hole any deeper.

Luna came to her wife’s rescue, “Pet…”

Octavia closed her eyes with a soft sigh, “Yes, Mistress.”

Mapper smirked, “Spunky. So, Luna, will your son be joining us tonight?” Mapper spoke as if the pegasus wasn’t there.

Luna turned to her son, “Well?”

“Actually,” Dusk answered, “I’m heading back over to Oil’s place.”

“After I’ve heard the questionnaire story, darling,” Brush Stroke interjected.

Mapper laughed, “Middle Pet you have free time, as I want to hear this story too.”

Caffeinated barked out laughter while Wildfire also laughed with an evil grin on her muzzle. Airmail moved to a guard position between Dusk and Wildfire.

Dusk shook his head, “Mom, banish me now, please.”

Luna shook her head, “Hush, it’s a funny story.”

Wildfire raised her head high, “Well, y’know how Vocal Chord was his first coltfriend, right? D was so nervous about asking him out on his first date he went to Princess Twilight, his old teacher, for advice.”

Dusk cringed in his seat while Omega nuzzled his husband, “You’re going to like this story, Sunny.”

“Princess Twilight,” Wildfire continued, “gave him a book. One hundred one tips for the novice romancer, and he followed it word for word!”

Dusk tried to slip under the table, but Brush Stroke caught him in his hooves, “You aren’t going anywhere beautiful.”

Wildfire could only imagine how much Dusk squirmed, “He wrote out a seventy-five question questionnaire,” she laughed, “it was twenty-five pages!”

Dusk groaned, but Omega added, “It gets better.”

Wildfire tried to control her own laughter, “Dusk got a hot air balloon from the Princess, and gave the questionnaire to Vocal Chord during the ride.” Wildfire could no longer control her laughter as she finished, “and Vocal Chord took one look at it and tossed it over the side of the balloon!”

Brush Stroke busted out laughing, “Oh, darling that is priceless!”

Omega put his two bits in, “Should have arrested the both of them for littering.”

Dusk facehooved, “When will you stop telling that story?”

Wildfire continued to laugh, “When it stops being funny!”

Omega smiled and added, “I think it would be a fitting epitaph, ‘Wait I’m only on question fifty-two!’”

“Wildfire,” Luna snorted and giggled, “it will never stop being funny.”

Dusk groaned, “Thanks Twi…”

Caffeinated clapped Dusk on the shoulder, “Now you can proceed to question Oils without fear,” he snickered.

Dusk rolled his eyes, “I hate you all. Mom, seriously? Couldn’t you have banished me five minutes ago?”

Between her laughs, Luna got one word out, “No!”

Brush Stoke snuggled Dusk, “Smile darling, it was pretty funny.”

Trumpet spoke up, “Caffy, you going to want some moral support tonight?”

“Really Trumpet,” Thespian said, “You don’t think my husband can handle nine mares?”

Trumpet smiled, “It would be ten if I come over.”

Dusk looked at Octavia, “I think Trumpet just wants to hang out with my mum.”

“Well it won’t be eleven,” Brush Stroke said, “as I’m taking my mare home.”

Dusk nuzzled his companion, “I’m your mare now?”

“Of course you are dear,” Brush Stroke said with a kiss.

Mapper spoke up, “Your mare? You should dress her up nice. Lavender, yes, Dusk would look best in Lavender.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” Lavender responded, “Do you think he would look good in my Topper?”

Mapper facehooved at a pun gone wrong and Lavender laughed.

Caffeinated spoke while the others groaned. “Sure Trumpet, we can play some cribbage while the mares hatch some nefarious scheme to doom us all.”

“As long as you have coffee,” Luna stated, “You are free from my nefarious schemes.”

Coffee Bean looked at Luna with a gleam in her eyes, “Tunapaswa mpango wa zaidi ya kutupa ziezi wa jua.”

Caffeinated quickly responded, “Aunt! Now is not the time!”

“Caffy is right,” Luna said as she lightly put a hoof on Coffee Bean’s shoulder, “my sister will have to wait for another time.”

Coffee Bean smiled, “I’m patient.”

“As am I,” Luna added and then she turned to Oils, “So, where will you be taking my colt?”

Brush Stroke answered, “My place is not far from the uptown park, Princess.”

Sunshine nudged Omega, “To bliss if he is a good pony.”

Baron asked, “On the west side?”

Brush Stoke answered Sunshine first, “I’m counting on him being a naughty mare first.” He then turned to the elder, “Yes sir, it is.”

Luna smiled, “Please, less of the ‘Princess’, Oils. We’re practically family.”

Omega nuzzled his husband, “Sing me a song, Sunny.” He watched the stallion get up and head over to where Sonic waited. “Your mare likes it rough, in case he hasn’t been confessing.”

Brush Stroke smiled as he watched Dusk blush, “Oh, does he now? This night gets better and better.”

“He does another trick,” Omega snickered, “but I’ll not reveal that one.”

“Well I do have all night,” Brush Stoke kissed Dusk and helped him to his hooves. The group said their good-byes as the pair left.

Baron and Snowfall also said their good-byes for the evening and followed Dusk and Brush Stroke out the door.

Mapper looked over at the grey mare, “Junior Pet, do you sing?”

“Only with my cello, Mistress,” Octavia answered.

“Excellent!” Mapper said as she clapped her hooves. “Senior Pet, pick one of those songs I won’t let you sing at home for karaoke and another for Junior Pet to sing to. Junior Pet will sing first.”

Octavia bit her lip to remain silent.

Tempest nuzzled Wildfire, “Why don’t you sing that song you like to hum?”

Wildfire nuzzled back, “Yeah, I’ll give it a crack, but I warn you I’m not brilliant.”

Mapper took control, “Middle Pet you may sing after Senior Pet. Off the three of you go to let Sonic know your choices.” Mapper smiled as she watched the three of them trot off. “It is going to be a pleasure to listen to Junior Pet sing without her cello.”

Luna watch her wife march off like she was on her way to the gallows, “Pleasure may be a bit of a stretch.”

Mapper watched Serenity give Octavia her song selection and then the grey mare stomp her hoof in frustration. Mapper’s forehoof drifted down between her hind legs, “What is Junior Pet’s safe word?”

Luna also intently watched the scene unfold, “Dubstep.”

Mapper’s hoof slowly stroked herself as she waited. When Octavia moved to the microphone her other forehoof stomped the table, “I’m going to enjoy every painful moment of this.”

“Trust me Mistress Mapper,” Luna said as she watched her wife start, “She’d rather be whipped than do this. Nicely done.”

Octavia tried to sing ‘Change of Heart’ and those that knew her for the cello, soon realized that she wasn’t a singer. The mare continued to slog through the song, but the audience responded as they did to any pony that performed poorly. While Octavia tried to sing she heard, ‘Is that a pony or cat singing?’ and, ‘Not a cat, this show has gone to the dogs.’ As well as ‘Who stole Lauper’s soul?’

Octavia continued to struggle on as an utterly horrid and tuneless noise came from her mouth. The jeers continued, ‘It’s a jailhouse singer, behind a few bars and can’t find the right key.’ And, ‘I thought singing in the toilet improved your voice.’ Serenity gave her a smile of encouragement, but just half way through the song Octavia could take no more. She stopped, “Dubstep. I-I’m sorry…” She had tears in her pink eyes and her cheeks were bright red.

Mapper let out a loud moan. She didn’t try to hide her orgasm. “Pet. Here. Now!”

“Yes, Mistress!” Octavia ran back to the table. Her blush heated up the room.

When she arrived, Mapper commanded, “Under the table now! I’m in need of clean up.”

“Yes Mistress,” Octavia responded as she ducked low and crawled under the table happy to be out of sight.

Mapper removed her own hoof and smiled as Octavia went to work. She watched Serenity sing ‘Mares just wanna have fun’ what she personally thought was a dreadful song. Still her pet sang loud and proud as she danced around the stage. The performance received nothing but cheers from the audience. Mapper casually licked her hoof once then said aloud, “If Middle Pet does well, I think I’ll reward her with this hoof.”

Airmail giggled, “You are a very generous Mistress, as I know my mare will hit her mark.”

Luna’s forehoof had also drifted below the table as she thought about her wife as she serviced another mare. “I think that would be a nice reward, Mistress Mapper.”

Serenity returned smiling as the thunderous applause could be heard. Mapper pointed down, “Senior Pet, you may service Junior Pet, but you may not remove her panties.” Mapper watched her pet’s eyes light up as she slid under the table. Then Mapper noticed what Luna was doing. “You have trained your pet very well, Mistress Luna, but forgive me, do you require attention?”

Luna blushed, “I do. It is always a pleasure to see my Pet so well used.”

“Well then,” Mapper’s smile grew wider, “Let us see if she runs or not.” Mapper focused her attention on the zebra mare, “Mkuu Kahawa, je unataka kula Mungu?”

Coffee bean reared back from the table and fell on her rump. Fear was evident in her eyes.

Luna laughed, “Mistress, you’re awful!”

Mapper moaned again, “Very well trained. I’m up two to none and it is simply not fair.” She watched Coffee Bean regained her legs and moved backwards towards the exit. “If you don’t want her to run you should say something.”

Luna muttered, “I want her tongue in me is what I want.” Louder she called out, “Mimi kudai sadaka yako Kahawa! Huduma mwenyewe.”

Coffee Bean’s legs shook, but she had stopped moving. Her voice was a whisper, “Mimi sistahli.”

Luna was used to ponies that feared her, but it is not what she wanted from one that claimed to be her priestess. Luna had to let her know she was worthy, “Mimi atahukumu.”

Caffeinated moved up alongside his aunt. He was going to stop her from running but now he whispered in her ear, “She is as sweet as the finest honey.”

Coffee Bean’s jaw dropped as she moved back to stare at her nephew, “Can this be true, or is this a dream?”

Caffeinated smiled, “Doesn’t Nightmare Moon grant dreams to the devoted?”

Coffee Bean returned her attention to Luna, “Mimi ni yako na amri.”

Luna nodded, and she watched Coffee Bean return to the table next to Mapper before she ducked under to join the crowd. Luna let out a sigh of pleasure as the zebra mare put her tongue to work.

Thespian questioned her husband, “Is that why you invited Coffee Bean?” All she got in response was a smile.

Wildfire had to wait for the applause for Serenity died down before she could start her song. The actions of the zebra mare didn’t distract her, nor did it distract the audience. They were used to the many odd things that happened at the herd’s table. Wildfire sang ‘Prettiest Eyes’ much to the enjoyment of the crowd. She smiled at the applause when she was finished.

Mapper spread her hind legs further apart, “Airy, Stormy, please congratulate Middle Pet, but…” Mapper paused at the sound of Luna’s loud moan.

Luna gasped, “Oh, my stars! Yes, right there!”

Mapper smiled and continued, “I have need of her now.”

Wildfire smelt and felt her marefriends join her as she walked off the stage, “Did you guys like it?”

“It was beautiful,” Tempest led off.

Airmail nuzzled Wildfire, “My mare with the prettiest eyes.”

Wildfire giggled, “Don’t forget my flank.”

Airmail kissed Wildfire, “Never, but Mistress has need of you, if you please.”

Wildfire kept her wings out front as a guide as she moved back to the table. She could sense Airmail and Tempest close behind her. “How may I please you Mistress?”

Mapper’s voice took on an air of indifference, which was difficult due to Octavia’s fine work. “Middle Pet, I’ve soiled my hoof. Please do your best to clean it.”

Wildfire did a little filly hoof dance, “At once, Mistress!” She moved to the sound of the voice and used her wings to locate Mappers extended leg. Wildfire could smell the excitement that covered the hoof, and went to work with sensual licks.

“Oh yesssss,” Mapper purred. “I do hope the Priestess is doing her worship justice.”

“She,” Luna squealed as another orgasm washed over her, “she is indeed.”

Caffeinated’s self-evident excitement had him conclude that now would be a very good time to stop serving and sit at the table. “Nice to see you haven’t lost your Zebran, Mapper.”

Thespian cuddled up to her husband and lowered a hoof to see how far she could take him.

Recital and Lavender also snuggled up to their husbands and copied Thespian’s move for their own enjoyment.

Luna adjusted Coffee Bean slightly, “Oh, yes, that is the spot! Work it Priestess!”

Mapper is sent once more over the edge, “Junior Pet stop.” She looked down to see Octavia look back up. “Service Senior Pet, but you may not remove her panties.”

Octavia spun around while Serenity scooted forward so they could sixty-nine each other under the table.

Mapper allowed Wildfire’s attention to her hooves to be a calming experience. She watched the yellow pegasus off in her own little world, and exchanged forehooves for worship.

Wildfire took the exchange of hooves in stride as she hoped to get to all four of them this night.

Luna rode out another orgasm and turned to the zebra stallion, “Wewe ni bora kuliko wakati Caffeinated ina uso wake kati ya miguu yangu.” She felt Coffee Bean shudder between her legs at the praise.

Caffeinated was too close to the edge from Thespian’s attention to respond, but she did for him, “There is a difference between a stallion’s tongue and a mare’s tongue.” Thespian then slid under the table to finish what she had started. Requiem and Lavender had already slid between their mate’s legs.

Mapper had herself back under control and looked across the table, “Mistress Luna, is your Priestess worthy of a reward?”

“Yes,” Luna panted, “I think she does deserve a reward.”

“Middle Pet,” Mapper stated as she watched Wildfire continue to lick her hoof, “you have done very well and I wish to reward you. Please bring the zebra mare under the table to climax many times.”

Wildfire gave the hoof she held one last lick, “Yes, Mistress,” She then dropped down feeling with a foreleg till she found her target. At first sniff the rear hoof smelt clean, but she gave it a lick anyways. The target’s arousal was easy to scent and Wildfire moved in for the kill. She used her tongue to play with the zebra’s marehood.

Coffee Bean lurched forward at the contact and almost inserted her muzzle into Luna. Luna squeaked loudly at the penetration. “Stars and Moon!” the alicorn shouted as she drenched the zebra’s muzzle.

Mapper enjoyed the show Luna put on and moved her hoof back between her legs only to bump into an ass. She looked down and saw that Serenity stared back at her with her muzzle deep in Octavia’s snatch. Mapper mouthed, ‘Naughty Pet’ and could feel her wife smile. She played with Octavia’s ass and moved to her tail hole. The older mare orgasmed under her touch.

Around them the non-herd crowd had started to depart. A few of the diehards continued to perform bad karaoke. Omega had enough stimulus as he watched the others and whispered to Sunshine. The pair departed and received only a half-hearted nod from Mapper as they left.

Luna rolled backwards to lie on her back, “Kusugua yangu kitako na kwato.”

Coffee Bean moved with the roll, but when she head Luna the zebra mare moved her tongue give Luna’s anus her full attention.

Luna moaned, “Yes, just like that.”

Caffeinated gripped the table as he thrusted himself forward with a loud moan. The zebra tried to catch his breath.

Mapper surveyed the room. Sonic and Trials packed the gear and most of the crowd was gone. She saw a few other couples engaged in sexual enjoyment. Mapper fiddled with Octavia’s ass with one hoof while the other stroked her tail.

Sonic and Trails walked up to the table and Trails giggled. Sonic clearly announced, “I’m not doing mop duty tonight.” He walked over to Luna and whispered in her ear, “Enjoy.” He did the same in Caffeinated’s ear. After a kiss to Trails the pair left the building.

Wildfire added Coffee Bean’s breasts to her play time fun. She wasn’t sure how many times the mare had orgasmed, but Mistress did want her to keep at it till she had cummed many times.

As if cued, Thespian, Recital, and Lavender popped back up next to their husbands and gave each one a sloppy kissed filled with their own sperm. The stallions returned the kiss with interest and as one they slid beneath the table and between their wife’s legs.

Serenity felt Octavia cheating as she used a hoof to move her panties to the side for better access. She was naughty herself as she stopped servicing Octavia and let the grey mare have her way.

Luna was immersed in another orgasm, ‘I hope Dusk is having half as much fun as I am.’ She moved a forehoof down to play with her nipples.

Mapper continued to play with Octavia when she noticed Luna’s forehooves had disappeared. She quickly ducked down to look under the table to see what the Princess was up to. “Senior Pet, sensually preen Mistress Luna’s wings. Junior Pet, assist Coffee Bean in bringing Mistress Luna pleasure. She is playing with herself and we cannot have that!” Mapper sat back up with a smile as the two carried out her commands.

Octavia nudged Coffee Bean to plunge her tongue deep into Luna’s anus. Coffee Bean moved a hoof over Lunas clitoral hood and her mouth to the alicorn’s nipples which denied the Princess access. Wildfire is fully invested in breaking Coffee Bean’s concentration as she pleasured the zebra mare.

Thespian gave off a high pitched squeal followed by Recital and Lavender. Expressions of bliss on their muzzles.

Mapper stood and walked around to the front of Luna who was still laid out on her back. She kissed the alicorn. The pink unicorn then kissed up her muzzle and between her eyes till she moved to kiss, lick, and suckle the Princess’ long horn.

“Gaahhh,” Luna gurgled, as further cognitive thought went out the window due to over stimulus.

Mapper watched Luna’s horn glow with magic. She had plenty of experience in giving horn jobs. She added her teeth to the mix and waited for the fireworks.

Octavia removed her tongue from Luna’s tail hole and inserted the tip of her hoof. Her other hoof she pushed into Luna’s slit. Coffee been kept up her hoof work and nipple play. Mapper lapped up the magic as Luna’s horn let loose the desired fireworks. Mapper stated calmly, “Let’s finish her.”

Caffeinated, Trumpet, and Longshore all moved out from under the table and nuzzled their mares. Caffeinated then moved to check on the few other patrons left to watch the show and offered refills.

Octavia pushed deeper with her dexterous hooves. Coffee Bean nibbles hard as she moves from nipple to clit and back. Serenity continued her erotic feather preening. Mapper lit up her horn and rubbed it against Luna’s glowing horn. Luna gasped, “Gonna…I’m…gonna…”

The four mares redoubled their efforts on Luna, while Wildfire continued to bring ecstasy to Coffee Bean. In short order Luna’s full Canterlot voice sounded off, “Sweet Goodness!” Firework shot from her horn as she sprayed the mares at her crotch with her sweet cum.

Mapper held her horn against Luna’s and whispered in her ear, “Shall we continue, Princess?”

“Nggh, you can,” Luna’s breath was heavy, “stop for now, please.”

Mapper kissed Luna’s horn and then she kissed her lips as she helped Luna back up into a sitting position. “Junior Pet to Mistress Luna’s right side. Coffee Bean to her left side. Middle Pet.” Mapper looks around, “Where is Airy and Stormy?” She saw Thespian point to a spot at the table. “Middle Pet to my side.” Mapper walked around to sit opposite Luna. “Senior Pet, complete the preen in a professional manner.”

Octavia quickly moved to sit at Luna’s side. Coffee Bean gave her one last lick before she moved to Luna’s other side. Serenity moved from sensual preening to practical preening to finish the job she started. Wildfire licked her lips as she scrambled from under the table to sit next to Mapper.

Caffeinated thoughtfully delivered a refill of each mares preferred drink as Longshore announced, “Another successful open mic, Caffy.”

Luna still panted heavily as she kissed Octavia and then turned to kiss Coffee Bean. It was then she noticed two mares that stood nearby with wide smiles. Luna released Coffee Bean from her kiss and looked at the mares.

“Can we have your autograph?” one asked.

Luna smiled at the pair, “Certainly you can. Who shall I make it out to?”

First held a menu and pen in her hoof, “To Peppermint, please.”

The second one also held a menu, “Keystone, please.”

Luna took the menus and pen in her magic and wrote the pony’s names along with her signature. “There you go.”

Together the mares let out a fillyish squee, “Thank you Princess!”

Neither of the mares left though, and after an uncomfortable few minutes, Peppermint asks, “Can we have Lady Octavia’s signature too?”

Keystone followed up, “And Lady Serenity’s?”

Mapper gave a slight nod. Octavia hoof signed the two menus while Serenity used her magic to sign her name in turn. Their night well and truly made, the two mares danced like little fillies. “Thank you!” they shouted. Each talked a mile a minute as they left the coffee shop.

“Two more ponies pleased,” Luna said around her wide smile.

Coffee Bean shivered next to Luna and the alicorn looked at her with concern. The zebra looked back at her and said, “Wewe ni kweli Mungu wa farasi.”

Luna smiled, “I’m happy to be so, Coffee Bean.”

Coffee Bean looked away, “Hadithi ya zamani wewe ni haki lakini kali bibi.” She looks back, “That I’m here now makes me wonder. You taste as sweet as my nephew says Mungu wa Usiku.”

Luna kissed Coffee Bean, “Hopefully not so harsh.”

Serenity finished the Princess’ wings and moved around to sit next to Mapper. After the pink unicorn tapped the cup of hot chocolate, Serenity picked it up in her magic to drink.

Coffee Bean continued, “The zebras need a harsh mistress who is fair so that all will know their place yet can hope for more.”

“Should the need arise,” Luna said evenly, “I can be harsh.”

Coffee Bean bowed, “It is an honour to serve you Mun… Luna.”

“I was honoured by your service,” Luna enjoyed the blush that spread across the zebra’s face.

“Junior Pet,” Mapper stated to get her attention, “Stand and present your panties to Mistress Luna for inspection.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Octavia stood and faced away from Luna as she lifted her tail.

Serenity could be heard giggling behind her cup of coco.

Mapper smiled, “It is well known that earth ponies don’t do half measures, right Coffee?” The zebra blushed harder. “I did fear that Senior Pet might drown.”

Luna raised a forehoof to run along the panties wedged deep in her wife, “My Pet is impressive alright.”

Wildfire located her coffee with a wing tip and started to drink.

Luna noticed that Caffeinated, Thespian, Trumpet, and Recital were cleaning up around them, “It appears we made quite the mess.” Mapper waved a hoof as it was not a matter of importance. Her ears flicked far more than would be thought of as normal. Luna knew the herd had some code and she was determined to decipher it.

Mapper lightly laid a hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder, “Middle Pet, please ask nicely for your marefriends to join us.”

Caffeinated stopped by the table and left a wooden cup and a few playing cards.

Wildfire spoke up, “Pretty, Honey, will you join us please?”

Mapper suppressed her laughter and leaned to whisper in Wildfire’s ear, “They are under the table about ten feet past me.”

“Oh…” Wildfire giggled, “Right.” She moved under the table and between the mares in search of her companions.

“Senior Pet,” Mapper questioned, “What would be a fun game to play?”

“Truth or Dare, Mistress,” Serenity quickly answered.

Wildfire soon found the pair with a delicate touch of her wing tips. They laid head to tail, and fast asleep. Wildfire moved from under the table, “Pretty and Honey are asleep Mistress.”

Mapper nodded, “Please wake them Middle Pet and ask them to join us.” She turned to Luna, “That does sound like a fun game Mistress Luna, unless you’d rather do something else?”

Luna shook her head, “Truth and Dare sounds marvellous, Mistress Mapper.”

Wildfire nipped Tempest’s ear with caution. As she stirred she whispered, “Mistress Mapper would like the two of you to join her.”

Tempest whispered back, “Wake Airy while I hold her.”

Wildfire moved and nipped Airmail’s ear and she jerked awake in an instant held by Tempest. Wildfire informed her, “Mistress Mapper would like for you to join her.”

Airmail kissed Wildfire, “We’ll be right there.”

Mapper watched the three mares emerge from under the table. She pointed a hoof at Octavia, “Airy, you’re sitting next to Junior Pet, and Stormy, you are next to Senior Pet.” The two mares took their seats while Wildfire sat next to her. She nodded to Serenity and the unicorn’s horn lit up to distribute the cards. Mapper called them out as they fell, “Ace for the Princess, Duece for me. Trey for the Priestess and four for the Papermare. Five for the Storm, Six for the Singer. Seven for the Blind, and Eight for the Musician.” Mapper used her hoof to upend the cup and an eight sided die fell out. “You roll the die and the number that comes up will say truth or dare. So you may ask a question or issue a challenge. Once done the cup goes to the number rolled. If you roll your own number you must tell us a truth even if we know it, such as, ‘I’m a unicorn.’ Then the cup passes to the left.” Mapper put the die back in the cup and pushed it to Luna. “Pets, you are off duty for the purpose of this game. Feel free to enjoy your drinks.”

Luna took the cup in her hooves and upended it. The dice rolled out and showed a five.

Tempest smiles and raised her chin, “Truth.”

“Very well,” Luna said as she looked at the mare, “What fetish do you really enjoy?”

Tempest smiled, “Warm urine on my fur and face.”

Airmail giggled, “Yeah that’s the truth alright.”

Tempest raddled the cup and spilled out the dice to show one.

“Truth,” Luna announced.

Tempest pouted, “What is your greatest fear?”

Luna responded, “Being sent back to the moon.” She picked up the cup and die and rolled out a two.

Mapper’s response was instant, “Dare.”

Luan snickered from all that had happened over the last two days, “Clean Wildfire’s hoof.”

“Any one in particular?” Mapper asked.

“Your choice,” was Luna’s response.

“Middle Pet, lay on your back please,” Mapper told the mare, and after Wildfire did, she commanded the pegasus, “Present your left rear hoof.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Wildfire stretched her left rear leg towards Mapper. She felt it grasped by a couple of hooves and then a tongue swirled over the surface and under, “Ohhh, yes Mistress.”

Mapper giggled as she worked. After a very careful and sensual cleaning Mapper released the hoof, “You may sit back up Middle Pet, and my commendation on how well you take care of your hooves.” The pink unicorn cast the die and it turned up an eight.

Octavia smiled, “I choose dare.”

“I dare you to put your panties on Luna,” said a very smug Mapper.

Octavia used her hooves to slide the panties off, and then her teeth to hang them from Luna’s wing with a very strong blush on the grey mare’s face.

Mapper laughed, “Ah, the pet likes loopholes, I see.”

Octavia shrugged her shoulders, “You didn’t say where to put them, Mistress.”

Mapper waved a hoof, “Roll the die, pet.”

Octavia cast a three.

“Truth,” Coffee Bean called out.

“Would you service my Mistress’s, sister?” Octavia questioned.

“Without question,” the zebra responded, “any service she desires.”

Coffee Bean picked up the dice cup in her hooves and cast a six.

“Dare,” said Serenity.

“I dare you to lick my nephew’s balls,” challenged Coffee Bean.

Serenity stood up and walked over to where Caffeinated was cleaning.

“Do you all need something?” questioned the zebra.

“Yes,” Serenity said. She pointed a hoof to the coffee bar which was behind the zebra, “What is that over there?” When Caffeinated turned to look, Serenity ducked down and with a very loud and wet slurp she watched the zebra leap forward out of reach. Serenity trotted back to the group, “He tasted like Thespian.”

Luna laughed, “Oh, good one.”

Coffee Bean held her sides as she gasped for laughing so hard.

Serenity rolled a four.

“Dare,” Airmail shot back.

Serenity politely charged Airmail, “Remove Octavia’s bowtie with your teeth.”

Airmail crawled over to Octavia between her hind legs as she reached up to undo the bowtie. She did a terrible job with her mouth as she nibbled all but the bowtie, that sent Octavia into a giggle fit, until she took it off by accident. She dropped the bowtie on the table and took up the dice cup, and tossed the die. “Seven, I rolled your number Wily.”

Wildfire raised her head from her coffee, “Oh, righto then, dare.”

Airmail stared at Mapper, “I dare you to bite Mapper’s nipple hard enough for me to see it in her face.” She watched Mapper’s face go stoic.

“Alrighty,” Wildfire said with a smile. She nosed her way down Mapper’s body till she reached a nipple and bit it hard.

After about five seconds Airmail saw Mapper raise an eyebrow. “Good.” Wildfire sat back up.

Mapper lightly stroked the yellow pegasus’ cheek, and pushed the dice cup in front of her, “It’s your roll.”

Wildfire shook the dice cup and turned it over to let the die spill out.

Mapper watched it stop, “You rolled a seven, you must tell us a truth about yourself.”

“Alrighty,” said Wildfire, “I don’t like tea.”

Octavia muttered, “You and me both.”

Mapper laughed, “It is good that Junior and Middle Pets have something in common to punish them with.” She tossed the die and it turned up a one. Mapper’s grin turned feral.

Luna brushed a speck of dust off her chest as if it were nothing. “Dare.”

Mapper said, “They should be wet and cold by now. Properly put on Octavia’s panties.”

“Is that all?” Luna said off hoofedly. She used her magic to pluck them off her wing and slowly slide them up her legs till snug.

Mapper watched closely to make sure she used no magic to warm them up. “Nice and tight, you look very cute in them.”

“Thank you Mistress Mapper,” Luna took the dice cup and tossed a four.

“Dare me,” responded Airmail.

“Remove these panties with your teeth, please.” Luna sat back and waited.

Airmail wasted no time as she ducked under the table to reappear between Luna’s legs. It took her a lot of nibbles to undo the tail fastener, and then she opened wide taking the whole crotch in her mouth and slowly pulled them down Luna’s legs. Airmail moved back to her spot and dropped the panties next to the bowtie.

“Very well done,” Luna said with a soft sigh.

Airmail rolled a three, and Coffee Bean stuttered, “D-dare.”

Airmail laughed lightly, “I dare you to ask Luna to taste your nectar in your zeban language.”

Coffee Bean’s jaw dropped as she stared at Luna. The alicorn gave a slight tilt of her head. “Je…Je Mungu wa Usiku tafadhali ladha asali yangu?” Luna raised an eyebrow and Coffee Bean cringed.

“Mapper,” Airmail asked, “did she say it?”

Mapper nodded, “Indeed she did.”

Further away Caffeinated busted out with laughter.

Trumpet looked up from nuzzling his wife, “what’s up?”

Caffeinated laughed, “The mares are playing truth or dare.”

Luna took a drink of her coffee and then winked at Coffee Bean.

The zebra mare was able to calm down, and she took the dice cup and tossed a one. Her calm fled.

“Truth,” was Luna’s one-word statement to the mare.

Coffee Bean looked deep into Luna’s eyes, “Je, ndoto mwezi bado kuishi ndani Yako?”

Caffeinated stomped a hoof on the table, “Shangazi!”

Mapper used the silence to translate, “She asked if Nightmare Moon still lived inside Luna.”

Luna struggled with an answer. It was just a game but this Priestess wanted the truth. She answered with a soft voice, “No, Coffee Bean, it does not.”

Coffee Bean couldn’t hold herself back. She took hold of Luna’s shoulders, “Je, kuendelea na kazi yake?”

Caffeinated stood and shouted, “Shangazi, hii si wakati au mahali!”

Luna stiffened under Coffee Bean’s hooves and her smile faded.

Mapper again translated, “She wants to know if Luna will complete Nightmare Moon’s mission.” It left the other ponies around the table stunned.

Luna found her voice, “Caffy is right, this is not the time to answer that.” She took the dice cup and cast the die. It turned up a one.

Coffee Bean let loose of Luna as she sat back down, “Nisamehe, nisamehe.”

“Nothing to forgive,” Luna said as he looked at the die. “Now a truth from me. I’m claustrophobic.”

Mapper kept her face neutral, “An interesting truth, what do you think of that Middle Pet?”

Wildfire was deep in thought at the revelation. Just yesterday Luna watched her as she hanged from the ceiling. Should she be angry that Luna would use her own fear against her? Should she rejoice that Luna was as crippled as her? She missed not having Pretty and Honey on either side of her. She thought of Pretty, and she found calm, “That Luna is claustrophobic? Just that I can sympathize with her.”

Mapper watched Wildfire and then she turned to Airmail and Tempest with a flick of her ears. Both returned a single nod.

Luna passed the dice cup to Coffee Bean, and the zebra acted like it might bite her. “Your roll, Coffee.”

Coffee Bean took up the cup and cast the die with her eyes closed.

“Five,” Tempest spoke, “Truth.”

Coffee Bean opened her eyes with a sigh of relief, “Will you bring the mare’s herd back together?”

“Yes,” stated Tempest, “I would have us united again.”

“Oh, would you now?” asked Mapper.

“Yes, Mapper,” Tempest’s voice was determined, “I would have the five of us under one roof again.” She took up the dice cup and rolled an eight.

“Truth, this time,” Octavia stated.

Tempest’s grin didn’t look at all pleasant, “So, Octavia, have you ever tasted your son’s sperm?”

Octavia reared back, her eyes wide, “Never!”

Tempest once again wore her pleasant smile as she shoved the dice cup over, “Your roll.”

Octavia looked around and saw everyone, even her wife, smiled at her embarrassment. She cast the die, and it came up eight. “Truth, very well, I cannot play the cello as well as I’d like anymore.”

Mapper rolled her eyes, “Is that like saying the sun isn’t as hot as it used to be?”

Octavia passed the cup to her wife, “Maybe.”

Luna rolled the die and it came up three.

Coffee Bean built her resolve, “Dare me!”

Luna looked at the mare and said, “I dare you to slap me.”

Coffee Bean responded instantly as she used her earth pony strength. Luna’s head rocked as the hoof made contact with her jaw. Coffee Bean fell prostrate to the floor, “Mimi kuyapoteza maisha yangu na wewe.” Caffeinated seemed to teleport as he appeared on the other side of Coffee Been.

Mapper was too stunned to translate, Octavia leapt to her hooves. The rest were as stunned as Mapper.

First Luna kissed Octavia and pushed her back down on the pad. She then turned to Coffee Bean and lifted her face in her hooves. She kissed the zebra deeply, “Don’t be silly, none will forfeit their lives today. It is just a game.” Luna let go of the mare and raised a hoof to her cheek. As she casted a heal spell, “Well played, Coffee Bean, well played.”

Coffee Bean regained her seat, “Wewe kucheza mchezo wa hatari”

“Very dangerous indeed,” Mapper muttered.

Coffee Bean took the cup that Luna passed to her and cast the die. It came up three. She hated that die. Tears fall from her eyes, “I’m unworthy to serve as your Priestess, Luna.”

Luna blinked as this simple game seemed to turn dark, “Why?”

“I have questioned you, and felt your anger.” Coffee Bean’s voice is filled with sorrow.

“Nonsense,” Luna waved a hoof, “You didn’t anger me.”

“Even my nephew says I went too far,” Coffee Bean sobbed.

Luna smiled, “Then you are forgiven.”

Coffee Bean shook her head and dropped it back to the floor, “I prayed she still lived within you! Under your power and control. That the spark of her was still alive. The hope for all pony kind. I’m selfish and unworthy.”

Luna’s voice grew stern, “You are not unworthy.”

Coffee Bean cried out, “If she is truly dead then my life is a lie!”

“Coffee Bean,” Luna said softly, “I can’t say if the nightmare is truly dead, but it doesn’t reside here,” Luna held a hoof to her chest, “anymore.”

Coffee Bean lifted her head off the floor, “You are the Goddess of the Night. Nightmare Moon was a pure fire that burned and cleansed. Do you have that fire, Luna?”

Luna nodded, “I have the fire in me.”

The zebra mare sat back up, “Then there is still hope. Will you still have me as Priestess?”

Luna nuzzled Coffee Bean, “Of course, now who’s roll is it?”

Mapper spoke up, “The die has passed to Middle Pet.” The unicorn moved the cup to touch Wildfire’s hoof.

Wildfire up ended the cup.

“Congratulations Middle Pet,” Mapper said after the die stopped rolling, “you have rolled a seven and owe us a truth about yourself.”

Wildfire smiled, “Alrighty, I hum my mum’s favourite song when I’m happy.”

Tempest spoke up, “That was the song you sang at karaoke?”

“Yuppers, it was,” Wildfire nodded.

Mapper gently stroked Wildfire’s cheek with a hoof, “I don’t think you have pretty eyes, Middle Pet. I still think you have beautiful eyes.” The yellow pegasus’ blush was so innocent. Mapper cast the die and it came up five.

“Truth,” Tempest said.

Mapper did an eye roll, “Can’t you live for once?”

Tempest shook her head, “Not with you Mapper.”

“Fine,” Mapper spat out, “Do you love Wildfire as much as you love the three of us?”

“Yes!” Tempest responded, “Yes, I do.”

Wildfire’s blush deepened, “Thanks Mistress.”

Tempest raddled the cup and tossed the die.

Serenity watched the die stop on six, “Dare.”

Tempest pointed a hoof at the unicorn, “I dare you to sing Rapper’s Delight by the Sugarhill Gang.”

Serenity sighed, “Fine. Give me a moment to look it up.” Serenity dropped to her lowest octave and rapped while she danced around the table. Those in the building busted out in laughter at her antics. When she finished, Serenity raspberried Tempest because of her loud hoof clapping. Her toss of the die came up eight. “The die is giving you lots of love, Junior Pet.”

Octavia smiled, “So I see. Very well, dare.”

Serenity giggled, “This may be easy considering your wife. I dare you to deep throat my horn.”

Octavia stood and trotted around the table. She lined up Serenity’s horn and took it in her mouth. She moved down until her lips met flesh. Octavia swallowed once and keep her lips locked around the horn as she dragged her head back.

Serenity did enjoy the sensation, but not once did her horn light up.

“Nicely done, my Pet,” said Luna as Octavia trotted back around the table.

“I will guess,” pointed out Mapper, “that she has had a lot of practice.”

Luna nodded, “It would be a good guess.”

Octavia rolled the die and it came up four.

Airmail stated, “Truth.”

“Tell me,” asked Octavia, “what won’t you do in bed?”

Airmail held a hoof to her chest, “I won’t crap in bed.”

“Thank Celestia,” announced Tempest.

Airmail and Tempest look at each other than at Luna and they both lost it in giggles.

“I’m grateful for that too,” added Wildfire.

“What?” asked Luna. “You thank my sister, but you won’t thank me?”

Airmail rolled the die, while Tempest answered, “It has to deal with crap, and that is more your sister’s line, I think.”

All the ponies at the table to include Luna laughed. When she saw the one that Airmail rolled Luna stated, “Dare.”

“I dare you…no.” Airmail smiled, “I dare you to kiss Thespian.”

Luna looked and saw Thespian behind the coffee bar. She stood and teleported in front of the blue / grey mare. The Princess wrapped her hooves around Thespian’s shoulders and gave her a deep and passionate kiss. After she let go, Luna teleported back to the table.

Thespian shouted out, “Woot!”

Luna smirked, “Thespian is quite a good kisser.” She rolled the die and it came up six.

Serenity responded with, “Dare.”

“Let’s see,” dared Luna, “if you can deep throat my horn.”

Serenity giggled, “Challenge accepted.” She trotted around the table and asked, “Would you kindly lower your head?”

“Certainly,” Luna stated as she did so.

Serenity lightly put her hooves on Luna’s cheeks to do a small adjustment and took the horn in her mouth. She dragged her teeth along the length until her lips pressed against Luna’s head. Serenity then continually swallowed till the horn was out of her mouth. Others watched the light show through Serenity’s cheeks.

Luna’s eyes closed as she gasped and once Serenity let go she whispered, “Oh, my…”

Octavia spoke up as Serenity trotted back around the table, “It is nice to see some pony else do that.”

Mapper clapped her hooves loudly, “Well done Senior Pet, very well done!”

“Yes,” Luna cleared her throat, “well done indeed.” The blush was self-evident on the Princess’ cheeks.

Serenity sat back down, “Very pointy Mistress Luna, and quite delicious!” She rolled the die.

“I’ll have to remember those that can do that,” Luna stated as she nuzzled Octavia.

Coffee Bean whispered a silent prayer as the die turned up a three, “Dare.”

Serenity looked at the zebra and challenged her, “Kiss Octavia in a way that would please your goddess.”

Coffee Bean moved around Luna and swept Octavia off her hooves. She put sixty plus years of experience into the kiss, full of unbridled passion.

As Coffee Bean moved back to her position, Serenity asked a bemused Octavia, “Junior Pet, would that have pleased Mistress Luna?”

“What?” Octavia blinked a few times, “Oh yes!” she nodded vigorously, “Pleased, very pleased.”

Coffee Bean sat down and rolled the die. It came up seven, “Wildfire, choose truth or dare.”

Wildfire sat down her coffee cup, “Truth.”

“What colour were your eyes?” Coffee Bean asked.

Wildfire answered, “They were chestnut brown.”

Coffee Bean slid the dice cup to Wildfire’s hoof, “Mapper is right, you do have beautiful eyes.”

Wildfire blushed. She had heard it enough times now that she started to think it might be true. She up ended the cup.

Mapper smiled at the two, “Dare me, Middle Pet.”

Wildfire giggled. She heard how the two of them play off each other, “I dare you to kiss Caffy.”

“Caffy!” Mapper called out, “Refills please.”

Caffeinated came over with a tray of drinks, “What did they dare you to do, Mapper?”

Mapper waved a hoof, “Finish your job, then come over here, my handsome stallion, and I’ll tell you.”

Caffeinated distributed the cups and moved next to Mapper. She kissed him, tongue and all. The stallion returned the kiss.

Octavia and Luna shouted together, “Whoop!”

He added a light kiss when she moved back. “That was better than some mare sneaking up to lick my balls,” he laughed as Serenity also broke out in giggles.

Mapper took the dice cup and tossed a four.

Airmail responded with, “Dare.”

Mapper smiled, “Dear Airy, I dare you to properly put on Junior Pet’s bowtie and panties.”

Airmail rolled her eyes, “Fiend.” She fumbled putting on the bowtie. After she took a good look at it, Airmail managed to get it on. The panties actually stuck to the table when she pulled them off. “Lovely, the pegasus muttered. She slipped them on and shivered at the cold wetness. Once the tail fastener was snapped Airmail sat back down.

Octavia blushed, “Sorry about the sticky.”

Airmail smiled, “I’ll so get you for this Mapper.”

The pink unicorn waved a dismissive hoof, “Promises, promises.”

Airmail rolled a one and smiled at the goddess, “Actually Octavia, I think the stickiness is because of Luna.”

Luna giggled and looked Airmail in the eye, “Dare me.”

“Very well,” stated Airmail, “I dare you to give any one mare at this table a primary feather.”

Luna unfolded her wings and pulled a primary feather with her teeth. She used her magic to float it over to Airmail. “There you go Airy.”

Airmail took the feather and placed it in her mane, “I’m honoured, and will treasure your gift to me.”

Luna rolled the die and it came up four.

Airmail was still hoofing the feather in her mane when she saw her numbered rolled, “Truth.”

“What is your phobia?” Luna asked.

Airmail answered softly, “Failing a mission.”

Luna nodded as she passed the dice cup.

Airmail rolled a four, and she touched the feather in her mane, “This is the fourth primary feather given to me.” She slid the dice cup to Octavia.

Octavia rolled a six.

Serenity responded with, “Dare.”

“Kiss Wildfire so her wings react,” challenged Octavia.

Serenity stood, “Is magic allowed?”

“If you want,” responded Octavia as she eagerly watched.

Wildfire heard Serenity approach and she wondered what the unicorn would do. Magic was still an unknown factor in her life since all she had experienced was Amethyst Glory’s manipulations. What she didn’t expect was that Serenity stuck her muzzle in her ear.

Serenity kissed Wildfire’s ear lightly and whispered loud enough for all to hear. “I’m going to watch Airmail and Tempest hoof you till you cum, and then watch you lick the cum from their hooves.”

“W-what?” Wildfire’s wing sprang open with a loud ‘flumph’ very ridged. “Ohhhhh,” the diminutive pegasus blushed at her wingboner.

Serenity kissed her ear again, “I’ll try to make this up for you later, Junior Pet.” She returned to her seat, “You didn’t say anything about kissing the lips.”

“That’s okay,” responded Octavia, “That was very nice.”

Mapper laughed as she sat back up having ducked to keep her head after Wildfire’s wing flared wide. She stroked the yellow primaries and said to Serenity, “Yes Senior Pet, you will need to make that up later.”

Octavia added, “You should be very proud of those wings, Wildfire.”

Serenity cast the die and it turned up one, “Oh, this is my night!”

Wildfire struggled to regain control of her wings as she sipped her coffee.

Luna took a sip of her drink before she answered with a smile, “Truth.”

Serenity pouted, “Do we here bring you joy and happiness?”

Luna giggled at the pout, “Would Senior Pet have desired I said dare? Yes, I have found both joy and happiness with the herd.”

Serenity nodded and pushed the dice cup to Luna in her magic.

Luna rolled an eight.

“Dare, Mistress,” Octavia stated.

“I dare you to drink a cup of tea of my choosing.” Luna’s smile widened with the grimace on her wife’s face.

“Any particular tea, Mistress Luna?” Mapper asked.

Luna still watched her wife, “Earl Grey please.”

“Caffy,” Mapper called out, “One Early Grey, straight up please.”

Caffienated soon arrived with the tea, “That is an unusual request from you Mapper.”

“It is for Junior Pet,” Mapper pointed a hoof at Octavia, “She has had a change of heart.”

Caffeinated sat the tea in front of the grey mare and returned to cleaning.

Octavia finally took her eyes off Luna and looked at the horrid cup in front of her.

Airmail nudged Octavia, “Best to not let it get cold.”

Octavia grumbled, “Fine.” She took a sip, “I don’t know how Dusk can stand this stuff.” She took another sip before she rolled the die.

Mapper saw the cast turned up a two. “The peanut gallery will remain silent. I grant you a truth.”

Both Airmail’s and Tempest’s jaws dropped.

“What is your greatest achievement?” Octavia asked.

Mapper smiled, “Getting a pony to use their safe word. You were my latest greatest achievement.” She noticed her wife shake her head. “Alas my truth detector went off.” Mapper turned her attention to Airmail. “Finding love.”

“Awww,” purred Wildfire as she wondered with whom it was.

Mapper leaned across the table and Airmail met her half way with a kiss, “Thank you, Airmail.”

That caught Wildfire’s attention. ‘Mapper found love with Pretty? Is that why Pretty wants the herd back together?’ Wildfire drank her coffee as she tried to take it all in.

Mapper sat back down, “Getting you to use your safe word was one of many highlights in my life though.”

Octavia nodded as she drank her hated tea.

Mapper rolled a five.

“Truth,” announced Tempest.

Mapper sighed, “What is your favourite cloud type?”

“Nimbostratus,” answered Tempest.

“You always did love to rain on someone’s parade,” Mapper said as she passed the dice cup.

“It is my thing,” responded Tempest. She cast the die and it turned up four.

“Dare me, love,” Airmail stated.

Tempest giggled, “I dare you to take off those panties and stuff them in your mouth to suck on until your number is rolled again.”

“Oh,” Luna stated with amusement. “That is harsh, Stormy.”

“By Luna’s mane you just made me get them wetter!” Airmail announced as she worked the tail fastener.

Luna laughed at her name being invoked for such a reason.

Airmail worked the panties off and stuffed them in her mouth. She frowned a bit, “Not as tasty as I hoped.”

Tempest laughed as she padded the dice cup to her companion, “I do like to indulge you now and again.”

Airmail rolled a two.

“Dare,” stated Mapper.

Airmail thoughtfully chewed the panties, around the mouthful of cloth she said, “I dare you to kiss me with tongue.”

Octavia finished her tea and quickly drank her cooling coffee to get the taste out of her mouth.

Mapper stood up, “What, that kiss we just had, wasn’t enough?” She saw Airmail shake her head as she walked around the table. Mapper gave the pegasus a deep kiss while she did a tonsil check. Mapper came back up for air and returned to her seat where she immediately drank some of her mocha, “Yeah, that tasted terrible.” She rolled a six.

“Dare me, Mistress,” Serenity stated.

“I dare you to braid Mistress Luna’s mane.” Mapper challenged.

Serenity’s eyes went wide, but she nodded. The mare stood and walked behind Luna. “With your permission, Mistress Luna.”

“Of course,” commented Luna, “Please make it look pretty.”

Serenity used her hooves and magic to make a nice Prench Braid. She commented as she worked, “Your mane is full of beauty. It is almost a crime to tie it down.” She finished the braid when she plucked a burgundy hair from her mane to tie off the end. She returned to her seat.

Octavia reached out with a hoof to touch the braid, “It looks lovely, Mistress.”

The others around the table nod in agreement.

Luna kissed her wife, “A wonderful job Senior Pet, you must do this again.”

Serenity failed to hide her blush as she rolled the die. It turned up a three.

Coffee Bean had regained her confidence, “Dare.”

“This should be easy,” Serenity led off, “Kiss Mistress Luna like you kissed Junior Pet.”

Coffee Bean smiled as she looked at Luna, “Mungu wa Usiku naomba busu wewe?”

Luna smiled back, “Of course you may kiss me, Coffee.”

Coffee Bean felt she didn’t put enough passion in her kiss to Octavia, and doubled down on her effort with Luna. Caffeinated along with the rest in the building cheered Coffee Bean on. All of Coffee Bean’s hopes and dreams were poured into the kiss.

Octavia barely ducked in time as Luna’s wings shot out. The cheers grew louder at the sight of Luna’s wing boner. Coffee Bean came up for air, “Ninakupenda Zaidi kuliko mimi upendo maisha yenyewe.”

“Sweet Goddess,” Luna purred, “That hasn’t happened for some time.” Luna tried to regroup from the kiss, “I accept your love, but ask that you keep your life.”

Caffeinated nuzzled his aunt, “Umefanya pudamilia kiburi.” He checked for refills and returned to the coffee bar.

Luna also nuzzled Coffee Bean, “You have indeed done the zebra proud.”

Coffee Bean’s white fur cannot hide her blush. She rolled an eight.

Octavia petted the erect wing of her wife, “Truth, please.”

Coffee Bean asked, “Will you protect the Goddess of the Night till your final breath?”

“Most certainly I will,” Octavia announced.

“It is good to know she has such fierce protectors,” Coffee Bean said with a smile as Caffeinated distributed the refills.

“Always,” Octavia added as she took the dice cup. She rolled a seven. “Truth or Dare Middle Pet.”

Wildfire sipped from her fresh cup, “Truth.”

“Alright then.” Octavia asked, “What is your greatest fear?”

Wildfire dropped her cup only to have it saved by the hazel magic of Serenity. “I…ah…well…”

Mapper stroked Wildfire’s cheek softly with a hoof, “Answer, Middle Pet.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Wildfire collected herself, “It’s okay, I’m fine.” She took another deep breath, “Actually it’s being shut away in a box and left alone.”

Mapper kissed Wildfire, “Your coffee is safe in front of you Middle Pet.” She pushed the dice cup to Wildfire’s hoof, “It’s your roll.”

“I’m sorry, Wildfire,” Octavia commented.

“Why?” asked Mapper, “It is good to know the other pets so you can better serve them.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” Wildfire whispered as she tossed the die.

“My turn,” announced Tempest, “Dare me, Wildfire.”

Wildfire giggled, “I dare you to kiss my hoof.” She held a forehoof up.

Tempest walked around and planted a kiss on Wildfire’s hoof with an added sucking noise.

Wildfire giggled like a little filly.

Tempest returned to her seat and cast the die.

Luna looked at the one that turned up, “Here we go. Dare, Stormy.”

Tempest laughed, “I dare you to kiss Coffee Bean as well as she kissed you.”

Coffee Bean’s eyes went wide.

“May I,” Luna asked the zebra mare.

“Watch yourself, Junior Pet, she might take your head off this time.” Mapper suggested around her laughter.

Coffee Bean nodded.

Luna took hold of Coffee Bean’s cheeks and her horn lit up. She flapped her wings to rise to the ceiling with Coffee Bean held in her magic. She delivered a very passionate deep kiss and with her magic sent tingles through the mare’s fur. Luna felt the hopes and dreams of her Priestess, but she felt the added emotion of unconditional love. The alciorn wrapped her tail around the zebra’s tail before she lowered them both down to the floor. “You are truly worthy, my Priestess.” Luna untangled her tail as they each took their seat.

Coffee Bean stared into Luna’s eyes, “Mimi ni ngao yako msichana.”

Mapper smiled as she translated, “She has declared herself to be Mistress Luna’s shield maiden.”

“I am honoured,” Luna responded. She took the die and cast an eight.

Octavia looked back at her loving wife, “Dare, Mistress.”

“Kiss all of Airy’s primary feathers,” ordered Luna.

Airmail unfolded her wings, “Get ta kiss’n”

Octavia moved around behind Airmail and kissed her way through the primaries on one wing. She repeated that on the other wing with an added nip of the last feather. Octavia returned to her seat.

Airmail looked at her, “You forgot one.” She pointed to the feather in her mane.

“You’re quite right!” Octavia reverently kissed the dark blue feather. She then cast the die and it turned up four.

“Dare me, Tavi,” Airmail said around the cloth.

Octavia nodded to her wife, “I dare you to kiss Mistress Luna’s primary feathers.”

“So not fair!” Airmail announced as she moved behind Luna’s spread wings.

“Kiss only Airy!” Tempest reminded her. “We don’t have all night for you to get lost in her wings.”

It was a Herculean effort on Airmail’s part to only kiss each primary feather. The desire to preen burned within her. Airmail was shivering when she finished. “That was the hardest dare I’ve ever done.” She sat back down and rolled the die to show a five.

“Truth for you, love,” Tempest stated.

“Do you want to share in raising a foal?” Airmail asked with the panties still in her mouth.

Wildfire’s ears perked up at the question. She had talked about a foal earlier with Pretty and Honey, but now she would hear it again from the mares she loved.

“Yes, I do want to share in the raising of a foal,” answered Tempest, “and show the foal what it is to be in a loving herd.”

Airmail and Tempest both turn to look at Wildfire. They said nothing but each smiled at the huge smile on their companion’s face.

Tempest picks up the dice cup and roles an eight.

“Dare,” Octavia stated.

“I see that Airmail didn’t take those panties out of her mouth when her number came up,” Tempest observed, “I dare you to put them on properly, Octavia.”

With a guilty look, the panties slid from Airmail’s mouth.

“As you wish,” Octavia replied to the dare, “I was hoping to take them from your mouth.”

Airmail snatched the panties from the table and stuffed them in her mouth. The ponies around her busted out laughing.

Octavia put her hooves around Airmails shoulder and gave her a lusty kiss. She wrapped her tongue around the panties and met a bit of resistance as she pulled them out, but not enough to tear the cloth. The grey mare then slowly slid the soaked cloth up her hind legs and sat back down.

“She makes a lovely squishing sound when she sits,” Mapper pointed out.

Luna giggled, and stroked Octavia’s mane, “She is lovely.”

Octavia smiled at the complement and rolled a two.

“Dare me if you dare, Junior Pet,” Mapper said with her nose high.

Octavia sat back and spread her hind legs, “I dare you to lick the crotch of these panties.”

Mapper laughed and dove under the table. Her head soon appeared between Octavia’s legs. Mapper pushed her muzzle against the crotch and her tongue pushed the panties deeper between her labia lips. The mare she worked on moaned and it was music to Mapper’s ears. Satisfied she could no longer see the crotch of the panties Mapper rested her head between Octavia’s breasts. “No adjustments to your panties, Junior Pet, unless you lose them in a dare.”

Octavia still shivered from the sensations, “Yes, Mistress.”

Mapper moved back under the table to her spot and rolled a six.

Serenity looked Mapper in the eye, “Truth, Mistress.”

Mapper returned the look for a few moments, “Do you wish to bear a foal, Senior Pet?”

“Yes, Mistress,” responded Serenity, “It is my greatest desire after you.”

Wildfire’s ears perked up as she listened to the talk about foals.

“Airmail,” Mapper called out as she turned away from Serenity. “There is a three level, four bedrooms for sale near my place. We could have two bedrooms combined into one. The other can be an office and play room. Plenty of storage space on the lower level.”

“I will look into it Mapper,” Responded Airmail, “Move in mid to late June good?”

Mapper nodded as she passed the dice cup to Serenity.

Wildfire went back to her coffee happy that her dream was one step closer to becoming reality.

Serenity rolled a three.

“Truth,” responded Coffee Bean.

“Why have you not sought to join your nephew’s herd,” Serenity asked.

“It is complicated,” Coffee Bean began, “My duty is to the goddess first, and the tribe second.” She shivered when Luna lightly brushed her with a wing tip. “Caffy is devoted to the tribe, but he has chosen to live outside the tribe. Such a choice I will not make. To join my nephew’s herd would bring disharmony.”

“Thank you, I understand,” Serenity said as she passed the dice cup.

Coffee Bean rolled a seven. “Truth or dare, Wildfire,” she asked.

Wildfire lifted her head, “Alrighty, truth please.”

Coffee Bean asked, “Do you love Mapper from obedience or from your heart?”

“I love her from my heart, and that’s why I obey her.”

Mapper looked at Wildfire and didn’t see Serenity nod, but her face went from neutral to a smile. “Your roll Middle Pet,” she said as she slid the dice cup to Wildfire’s hoof.

Airmail responded to the tossed die when it showed a four, “Truth, Wily.”

Wildfire thought for a moment. It seemed that everything was going too well. In need for confirmation she asked, “Alrighty, will you be an aunt when I have my filly?”

Airmail responded, “I do not believe I’ll ever be a mother, but I would be deeply honoured to by your filly’s aunt and to love her as my own.”

Wildfire sniffled as that was as close as she could get to crying. “Thank you Pretty.”

Airmail rolled a one and Luna responded with, “Dare me please, Airmail.”

Airmail smiled, “I dare you to kiss Wildfire’s belly over the womb with your blessing for a healthy foal, and that it be the pegasus filly her heart desires.”

“That would be my pleasure.” Luna moved around the table and laid next to Wildfire. She kissed her belly fur and said a quiet prayer.

Coffee Bean whispered, “Mungu wa Usiku itafanyika.”

As Luna returned to her spot at the table, Mapper spoke up, “It is within her power.”

Wildfire put a forehoof over her belly in near disbelief. “Thank you,” she murmured, “Thank you all.”

Mapper choose to ignore Wildfire’s informal term of address, and instead lightly stroked her cheek.

Luna rolled a four and Airmail laughed, “Dare me back, Goddess of the Night.”

“I would see the filly’s aunt bless her well being too.”

Airmail stood, “I will, but I doubt my blessing holds any power, but it is real.”

As Airmail moved around the table Wildfire was stunned. It was so hard to believe that so many truly cared about her, and her future foal. “I know Pretty, and I love you.”

Airmail laid next to Wildfire like Luna did, and pulled the feather from her mane. She laid it over Wildfire’s belly and kissed the feather. “I pray that your hopes and dreams are fulfilled, and that we are a herd united.”

“Thank you,” Wildfire whispered.

Airmail returned the feather to her mane as she walked around the table. “Well that was something beautiful.” She rolled an eight and laughed, “Need help with that wedgie?”

Octavia shook her head, “Truth, if you please.”

Airmail looked over at Luna, “What is it in Luna that you love?”

Octavia looked at her wife, “An easy answer would be everything, but what I love the most is her sense of humour. The side of her most rarely get to see.”

Airmail nodded while Octavia rolled a five.

“Truth,” stated Tempest.

“You say you want a herd united with two desiring foals. Are you ready for all that will entail?”

Tempest giggled, “I’m the morning mare in the herd so early duty will be a pleasure for me. The herd sleeps as one so the foals will never be far from caring and love. What is sleepless nights compared to that?” Tempest giggled some more, “Of course both Airy and Maps can sleep through one of my thunderstorms.” Tempest took the dice cup and rolled a two.

“Dare me,” Mapper stated.

“I dare you,” Tempest said as she pointed a hoof at the unicorn, “to reveal what is under your gown.”

“Well played, Stormy.” Mapper nodded to Serenity and her horn lit up to quickly remove Mapper’s gown. Underneath was a rope harness just like Serenity’s only she had no panties on.

“Well,” said a surprised Tempest, “I really thought you’d have a corset on.”

Mapper took the dice cup and tossed a one. “We are back to where we started, shall we call it a night after this?”

“Indeed we shall,” said Luna, “I grant you a truth, Mapper.”

Mapper waved her hoof, “You share the rule of all of Equestria. You are an all-powerful alicorn. Why are you here?”

Luna blinked a few times to collect herself, “Even all powerful alicorns need to relax and enjoy themselves, and I like to relax amongst friends.”

Serenity smiled as Mapper climbed onto the table to give Luna a kiss. “Now that is a good answer.”

Luna kissed back, “So glad you approve Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper gave another kiss, “Friend?”

Luna returned the kiss, “Friend.”

Airmail chimed in, “Get a room.”

“Excellent idea Airy,” Mapper climbed back off the table. “Senior Pet, assist Middle Pet in getting the cello strapped on. We will see you at Caffy’s place, as soon as we can.”

Chapter 8 - Love Heals

It was dark when Airmail, Tempest, Wildfire, Luna and Octavia finally left the Manehatten Times building and took off from the empty sidewalk outside of Stripe’s Cup of Java coffee shop following the merriment that had been the open mic night. Not to mention the fun that had been the game of truth or dare suggested by Serenity. Celestia had once again taken care of the sun and the moon, making Luna wince at her lack of imagination as her sister had placed the stars in the same places they had been in for a thousand years. And, with her wife on her back, Luna lifted them both into the inky black sky to follow the other three pegasi back to the ranch.

With Tempest leading, and Wildfire following her alongside Airmail, the flight was relatively uneventful, save for the fact that Wildfire was carrying Octavia’s prized cherished cello in its case on her back.

And Tempest insisted on flying the Narrow’s Bridge route. Through the suspension bridge’s cables. Again.

While Octavia fretted endlessly over the safety of her instrument and Wildfire’s ability to carry it, the five mares had arrived back at the large two storey white ranch. Still in front, Tempest made to land on the wide balcony of the first floor. Being the first one to land she started off a loud beeping noise from the ranch’s security alarm system. Airmail had the keycard and thankfully she landed next at the same time as Wildfire did and quickly retrieved the card from her saddlebag and slapped it across the card reader before she hoofed in the required security code.

Smiling, Tempest hoofed open the sliding balcony doors and trotted inside with Airmail and Wildfire as Luna came in to land with Octavia, both mares entered Caffeinated's place.

Inside the ranch, on the first floor’s U shaped hallway in front of the wide stairs, Airmail stopped to help Wildfire unstrap the case containing the priceless cello from her back. The moment Luna landed, the very second her four hooves touched the balcony, Octavia jumped off of Luna’s back and rushed over to the little yellow mare, taking her beloved instrument as soon as she was able.

“Has she been a good Pet to be able to play with her toy?” Tempest asked Luna with a grin.

“Actually no, she hasn't.” Luna replied, thinking of all the fretting and worrying her wife had done on the flight here. “Pet, leave it alone. Wildfire was instructed to carry it.”

Watching Airmail help Wildfire carry it down the stairs, with the aim of placing the instrument in the music room, the dark grey earth pony danced on the tips of her hooves, obviously in a fair bit of distress, “B-But...Mistress…”

Lovingly, Luna stroked the old mare’s charcoal mane and gave her cheek a nuzzle. “Shh…it's alright. It won't come to any harm.” With a hoof, she guided her down the stairs to the floor below.

Wasting to time at all, Tempest was already in the kitchen on the main floor, working the coffee machine. “Creamy coffee for your Pet, Luna?”

“Yes please Tempest,” Luna nodded from the bottom of the stairs, “I think she's had enough tea for today.”

“We may as well wait in the Kitchen.” Airmail said as she guided Wildfire to the long breakfast table while she opened the fridge and snooped inside for whatever goodies she could find there, her brown eyes quickly zeroing in on three of her favourite desserts.

“Excellent idea, Airmail.” Luna smiled as she draped her large left wing over her wife. “Come on, Tavi.”

“Apple Pie I can heat up, there’s black forest cake, or we have fruit salad?” Airmail called over her shoulder while Tempest set the various drinks on the kitchen table.

“Pie for me with vanilla ice cream, Airy,” Tempest smiled when she took her spot on the bench at the table.

Luna’s turquoise eyes lit up like it was her birthday. “Oooh cake! Definitely black forest cake. I so seldom get the chance with Tia around.” This earned her a loud giggle from the azure blue pegasus, “Airmail I'm serious!” The Princess insisted.

Octavia snickered, “She does like her cake.”

“Wily?” Airmail asked the yellow mare as she too took up a seat, having sniffed out her sugary black coffee. “Oh, and what for your Pet?” While she waited for a reply, Airmail got a couple of slices of the apple pie and placed one on the microwave then she cut a very generous ‘alicorn’ sized slice of thee black forest cake and passed it with her hoof in front of the salivating Luna. “Thespian uses real kirshwassa from Germaney.”

“I’ll have the fruit salad please, Pretty.” Wildfire answered as she blew the steam from her coffee.

Pausing in the licking of her midnight blue lips, Luna answered, “Tavi will have the apple pie and strawberry ice cream please Airmail.” She smiled, knowing that it was one of her wife’s favourite desserts.

Working the microwave like a professional, Airmail pulled out the now-warm slice of apple pie and smoothly slid another one in, this one for Octavia. Retrieving the tubs of ice cream from the freezer, the azure blue mare added vanilla to the warm one and hoofed it over to Tempest. Turning back to the counter she poured out a serving of the mixed summer fruit salad into a deep bowl for Wildfire.

Octavia grinned a very wide grin at the thought of hot delicious apple pie and wonderfully cold strawberry ice cream while Airmail put the summer fruit salad in front of Wildfire with a loud clink of the bowl and the spoon. Turning her attention back to the counter as the microwave pinged. Slicing one more piece of apple pie she swapped it in the microwave for the hot one, and after she had added three large scoops of strawberry ice cream to it she served it up to the excited earth pony.

“Thank you, Airmail.” Octavia said with a smile, waiting for Luna’s nod so she could eat.

“Thanks Pretty!” Wildfire exclaimed, diving in to her bowl like an exuberant filly and taking a bite of her fruit salad.

“You’re welcome, Wily.” Airmail giggled with the ping of the microwave and added two large scoops of chocolate ice cream to her warmed slice of apple pie before joining the group of mares at the kitchen table. “Very nice flying Wily, and excellent flying as always, Tempest.”

“I do my best,” Wildfire said, lifting her muzzle from the bowl and hastily swallowing the mouthful of apple, orange and mango. “And, I did have a precious cargo.”

Luna meanwhile was struggling with her dilemma, weighing the constraints of Princessly decorum against her almost physical need to dive in and decimate this black forest cake as if it had wronged her greatly. Instead she settled for a compromise and levitated a dessert spoon full to her mouth like it was a mechanical digger. “Airmail,” she said when she paused for air, “Is your feather still safe?”

In response, Airmail tilted her head to reveal the dark midnight blue feather, while it was a little windblown from the flight, it was securely tied to her mane above her right ear. “It will find a home with the other three in my bedroom.”

Proud of how well behaved her Pet was being, Luna gave her the nod as she replied to Airmail’s statement, “You are building a collection?”

“If you call four feathers over thirty years a collection,” Airmail said as Octavia began delicately eating her dessert. “Especially since I've gotten two of them in the last few days.”

Now Luna was interested, “Oh?”

Airmail nodded, “Beautiful Eyes here was my third, yesterday.”

Octavia meanwhile was in sheer bliss with her apple pie and strawberry ice cream, as was Tempest with her pie and vanilla, while Wildfire was busily polishing off her summer fruit salad like she hadn’t tasted it in years. Which she hadn’t. Luna however, was determined to make her rare treat last more than a few quick bites. “Well,” she said after a swallowed mouthful, “My feather can't compare with hers, I'm afraid.”

Airmail paused in her pie eating to nod her agreement. “It’s still an unexpected treasure, Luna.”

“It was no trouble.” With her sumptuously creamy black forest cake almost gone, Luna addressed the little yellow pegasus. “Wildfire, about your foal, you seem awfully sure you're having a filly.”

“Yuppers!” Wildfire lifted up her muzzle from her fruit salad. “It’s all part of the plan. Get free of the home, find somewhere to live, get pregnant, have a filly. In that order.”

“I hope that Serenity has a filly too.” Airmail put in thoughtfully.

Wildfire turned her head to the sound of Airmail’s voice, detecting a little reticence in her tone. “Does Senior Pet really want a filly?”

“She does,” Airmail replied, “For Mapper.”

Wildfire licked out the last of her fruit and smiled. “I’m really not fussed what it is as long as it's healthy.”

Opposite the blind mare at the kitchen table, Tempest greedily scooped up the remains of her apple pie with her tongue. “Yeah, but you really don't know how Mapper will act, Airmail. She might learn to love a colt.” She pointed out.

“Maybe,” Airmail shrugged, “With all our support.”

“I didn't know how I'd be with Dusk,” Octavia interjected with a reminiscent smile, “But I wouldn't change having him for the whole of Equestria.”

Luna simply smiled and, bearing Requiem’s advice in mind, kissed her wife on the nearest patch of her fading grey fur.

“Speaking of, Dusk seemed to recover from Vocal Chord pretty quickly.” Tempest commented, “That Brush Stroke is no small time painter.”

Swallowing a mouthful of her strawberry ice cream, Octavia put in, “I don't blame him, life is much too short to mope over a singer.” Then, under her breath, the ageing earth pony mare muttered, “Not all of us live forever.”

Tempest nodded, “Why you have to seize the moment and live it to the fullest.” Then she giggled mischievously, “Even if it does scare some cello player.”

Octavia nodded, entirely not noticing Luna's pained expression from her previous comment, nor the fact her wife had stopped eating her cake. “My apologies for fretting, but nopony else has ever carried my cello before.”

“You still worried over it?” Airmail asked, “The case is unharmed.”

“No,” Octavia shook her head, the light flecks of grey / white dancing in her otherwise charcoal mane. “Mistress said it would be unharmed, and it is.”

Stricken, unable to sit there anymore, Luna roughly pushed away the remains of her black forest cake, drawing attention to her. “If you'll all excuse me, I need some air at the balcony.”

Airmail pointed out to the patio with her azure blue hoof. “The doors are unlocked now, so you can do straight out to the pool deck if you like.”

“Thank you,” Luna got up very quickly and turned towards the back doors, “I just need a moment…” her voice breaking as she called over her shoulder.

“So…what's up with her?” Tempest asked when Luna was outside, a thoroughly puzzled look on her violet face.

Octavia looked down and twirled her forehooves around each other. “I um…I fear I have upset my Mistress.”

Airmail caught on at once, “Oh, about dying, you mean?”

“Yes,” Octavia nodded, still looking at the kitchen table, “Sometimes I speak without thinking, and this subject upsets her.”

“Didn't Requiem talk about this?” Tempest asked as she reached for her coffee, “Death never really comes to those who are kept in your heart.”

“It is hard to talk to a memory though.” Airmail commented gently.

Octavia lifted her head, conspicuously wiping her pink eyes. “Mistress feels it more keenly than most. When she came back from the moon she was unaware of the length of time she was gone until the Elements cleansed her.”

Tempest had to admit as she sipped her coffee that she didn’t get it. “It's been thirty years since that, though.”

Listening, Airmail thought she had it, and gently changed the subject slightly. “So, Octavia, has she told you about loves from her past?”

“Oh yes,” the old earth pony replied, perking up as her pink eyes shined with renewed enthusiasm. “Once when I asked her. There was a pegasus called Sky Dive she loved very dearly. She told me that upon her return she had hoped to rekindle their flame, instead she spent a whole week at her grave, and at the graves of all those she had known from before.”

Tempest tenderly laid her violet hoof on to Octavia’s, “Do you go with her?”

“Every year on her birthday.” Octavia replied. “I won't let Mistress go alone, it’s...not healthy for her.”

Airmail nodded. “That sounds like something Requiem would say. I want to be cremated when I go, so that Tempest will have to dust my urn.” She giggled as her marefriend responded with an exaggerated eye roll.

Having been silent the whole time, Wildfire spoke up, “In the home, I wanted to be buried at sea.”

That got Airmail’s attention. “Like, whole body or scattered ashes?” She found herself asking before she realised just what she was asking.

“Whole body.” Wildfire answered with a smile. “Mainly because Amethyst Glory always said she'd dance on my grave. That way I'd know she'd drown.” She finished with a snigger, and to giggles from the others around the table.

Both Airmail and Tempest’s giggles gave way to laughter, then Tempest said, “If that is what you want that is what you'll get. Somepony will take your foal to the beach to visit you.”

Wildfire’s voice went quiet, “I don't know anymore, Honey.” She said confidently, “I'm more concerned about living now.”

“And quite right, too.” Octavia agreed.

“Thank Luna for that,” Airmail smiled as she reached for her coffee, “But Octavia is right. We don't have forever so make memories for others so through them you have your immortality.”

Octavia took a sip of her milky coffee and nodded, “Besides, Wildfire, Mistress assures me they have begun lengthy prison sentences, with little chance of release.”

“And you have family with you now Wily.” Airmail put her azure blue hoof around Wildfire’s shoulder, “She can never touch you again. If Mapper doesn't do something to her, I will.”

Wildfire leant into the tight hug that she now found herself in. “I know, Pretty,” she whispered, “I'm happy here, really I am.”

Seeing as Airmail was nearest to Wildfire, she leant in to deliver a tender nuzzle to her yellow cheek as Tempest asked, “If I may ask Octavia, how old are you?”

Octavia nodded. “Of course you may, Tempest. I am sixty one.”

Unperturbed in the slightest, Tempest replied, “I’m thirty eight, Airmail is forty eight. Mapper is forty three and Serenity is thirty three while Coffee Bean is sixty eight, and she is pretty spry.”

Luna chose that moment to re-enter the ranch and trotted up to the kitchen, drying her turquoise eyes with her magical aura. “Sixty one years young, I might add.”

Finishing up her nuzzle, Airmail giggled, “You heard Requiem. You should read her book, ‘Growing Old is Mandatory, but Growing Up is Optional’.”

Octavia wrung her hooves once more. “I-I'm sorry for upsetting you, Mistress.”

Reaching the table, Luna leant in and lovingly nuzzled her wife’s cheek. “Forget it my love.”

Airmail snorted derisively, “As if you will.”

“I told my Pet to forget it,” Luna said with a wink at the azure blue mare. “I didn't say I'd forget it, Airmail.”

Sat next to her wife, Octavia gave a deep sigh and reluctantly pushed what was left of her coffee to one side. “Tea, Mistress?”

“For our sakes we hope you will never forget us and that you'll watch over whatever foals we may have.” Tempest said, trying very hard to suppress her giggles aimed at Octavia.

“Yes Pet, tea for you for the rest of the day.” Luna smiled a very thin smile at her naughty mare, then, to Tempest she brightened, “How could I forget my new friends? You have no idea how refreshing it is to be here, and treated like anypony else!” The lunar alicorn enthused, indeed, the allure of being here amongst these ponies where nothing was expected of her other than to just be her, was almost intoxicating. “Now, we know what Dusk did with his day, I assume you ponies had work?”

“Honey took me for a walk round the lake,” Wildfire spoke up proudly, before draining half of her cooled black coffee. “Then I helped out with the weather work.”

Tempest nodded, suitably proud of Wildfire’s achievement. “Lieutenant Frost says she did well on the Weather Duty.”

“My wings ached real bad after a while,” the diminutive yellow pegasus continued, “But making it rain was just like old times firefighting with the Canterlot Fire Team.”

“Hmph…” Airmail slumped her chin onto her forehoof and propped herself up with it. “I pushed a quill all day…”

Luna sat up straight and put a hoof to her chest. “I sympathise Airmail, I too spent most of the day pushing a quill…”

“Yes,” Octavia interrupted with a loud cough. “Over me, Mistress.”

Almost instantly Airmail perked up, sensing as she did the opportunity for teasing to be had. “Does she write cute little sayings and symbols around your cutie mark?” She asked, her brown eyes alive with mischief.

Octavia blushed a very deep red, which pleased the lead editor no end as she replied, “If I've been a good pony, yes.”

Tempest snickered, “I prefer to use the non-business end of a quill on Airmail,” she teased with a seductive wink over the kitchen table, causing Airmail to become very interested in what was left of her apple pie.

“Oh?” Wildfire asked, “You don't get written on, Pretty?”

“I um, I'm a little bit…ticklish.” Airmail squeaked, still studying her plate with glowing cheeks.

Wildfire giggled loudly behind her hoof, “I’ll have to remember that, in case I wake up first.” She thought, hatching plans in her head to tickle her lover’s hooves in bed.

“Yes,” Tempest snickered, “But she also kicks.”

“Um…” Wildfire paused, shelving her freshly laid tickling plans, lest she get a hoof in the face. “Maybe I won't tickle you awake then, Pretty.”

“Or,” Tempest cut in, her blue eyes twinkling, “Maybe I'll help you.” She giggled, earning herself a perfectly formed and lovingly delivered raspberry from the azure blue mare as well as renewed giggles from Wildfire.

Octavia smiled as she looked wistfully at her half-finished coffee. “That reminds me of the time when Mistress Celestia woke Dusk up by making the sun shine just on his room three hours early.”

Suddenly Tempest mentally kicked herself. “Ooh! I should have asked Octavia for some of Luna's secrets when she was outside.”

“Well to be fair, love,” Luna giggled as she reached for her cake, “He did spike her cake with laxatives, made her ‘unwell’ for hours afterwards.”

“Cake abuse?” Airmail commented, “That does sound positively criminal.”

Luna nodded sagely, recalling with extreme clarity the very messy – and smelly - after effects of Dusk’s prank on her sister. “It was indeed, Airmail. And Tempest, you can ask away.”

Tempest considered this for but a moment before she answered, “Aah…but there is less fun finding out your secrets from you.”

An idea occurred to Airmail then, “Are you ticklish?” She asked innocently, “Of course, Caffy wasn't tickling you the other day.”

Luna giggled, “I am ticklish as it happens.” With a devious idea in her mind, the lunar alicorn sprang to her hooves. “My Pet can tell you where while I go inspect her cello.” She was giggling like an excited little filly as she exited the kitchen for the music room. “Perhaps it would look good bright pink?”

Tempest barked out a laugh, “It would match her bow tie then, at least.”

Octavia sat there completely stunned, her mouth hanging open in shock. “L-Lulu…y-you wouldn't...”

“She didn't say what tea,” Tempest started after Luna had left the confines of the kitchen, “Would you like a green tea?”

“Yes please, Tempest. With two sugars and cream if you please.” Octavia grimaced even at the thought of that, “I suppose I earned it, didn’t I?”

Wildfire leant across the table, an incredulous tone in her voice as she asked, “Would Luna really paint your cello?”

Tempest giggled at the yellow mare’s naivety. She really was cute when she was clueless. “I'm sure she is good with illusion magic to make it look pink, Wily.” She offered, getting up from the bench to prep the green tea.

“I doubt Mistress would really paint it,” Octavia agreed, “But she does like to tease.”

Airmail smiled at the elderly mare opposite her and reached a hoof over to comfort her. “I think you'll like this a lot more than that Earl Grey.”

Octavia shuddered, “Seriously, how Dusk can stand it I don’t know, Airmail.”

“I don't know, I drink Coffee.” Tempest commented from the Tea’s Maid machine, then a sly smile crossed her violet muzzle. “So, spill, where are Luna's tickle spots?”

Octavia grinned, “The base of her wings, just where they join her barrel.” She started, ticking off her wife’s best spots in her head as she divulged these state secrets, “Ah…behind her ears, under her chin and her worst spots are the centres of her hooves.”

At the mention of hooves Wildfire’s ears perked up, “Her hooves?”

Airmail let out a soft giggle, “Well, that explains why she was suddenly tired before Wildfire even finished one hoof.”

“Oh yes,” the dark grey earth pony mare giggled, “She laughs like a filly when Mistress Celestia attends her hooves.”

Suddenly curious, whether it was the reporter in her or whatever, Airmail asked, “We got Dusk's perspective of living at the palace yesterday. What is your take on it?”

Octavia shrugged at first. She’d been asked this question many times over the years in one form or another – did she prefer the palace to her old home? What was it like? and so on – that she had a reply ready to hoof. “The palace itself isn't so bad, I tend to stay away from the Day and the Night courts, which Mistress assures me is dull beyond words. I have my music rooms near my suite, so I'm happy, though Mistress keeps me busy.”

“Can you really deep throat her horn like Serenity did?” Tempest asked as she laid the steaming hot cup of green tea in front of her.

Octavia swelled with pride. “I can, it took some practice though.”

Airmail shuddered involuntarily, “I know for sure I'd choke to death.” Then she asked something which had been on her mind for a little while. Not ‘bothering’ her as such, more something she’d noticed and had picked up on. “Serenity doesn't call Mapper Mistress all the time, do you with Luna?”

Octavia paused as she thought about it. “There are only a hoof-full of times that I don't,” she said finally, “But usually yes I usually refer to my wife as Mistress.”

“Mapper calls it 'Independent Time' when she and Serenity are just a couple of ponies.” Tempest said with a smile as she prepped a second round of coffees for herself, Airmail and Wildfire. “I think Serenity prefers to use Mistress though.”

Understanding, Airmail nodded. “Can I ask you a more personal question?”

Taking a very delicate sip of her green tea, and finding it not wholly unpleasant, Octavia smiled, “Of course you may.”

Airmail took a deep breath as she prepared to ask what she wanted to ask. It was a very intimate question after all. “Dusk may have told Wildfire, but I personally don't know. How did you conceive Dusk?”

Wildfire interjected, “D spun me a wild tale about it being a 'magical night'.” She said with a loud giggle.

Octavia smiled a wide warm smile at the now long ago memory, one she’d cherish forever until the end of her days. “Well…I remember it was the night of our first anniversary, we had talked about bearing a foal, and Mistress suggested we get a night pony guard to join us for the night.” If possible, the earth pony’s smile only grew wider as she recalled Night Watch’s magnificent performance on that night. “It…it was indeed magical.”

Tempest laid the tray holding the three hot coffees on the kitchen table, causing Octavia to squirm with envy as she again sipped her green tea. “Both Wily and Serenity have expressed a desire to do it the natural way.” She commented as she hoofed out the mugs to their intended recipients.

‘Reporter’ Airmail was in full swing. “Don't all the night guard have bat wings?”

Octavia nodded to her interviewer. “They do indeed.” Then, turning her attention to the violet weather captain, she replied, “There are spells, really potent spells for fertility, but I think it's highly unlikely you'll get a colt without a stallion's ‘involvement’.”

Airmail snorted. “A trip to a clinic and a syringe doesn't sound too personal.” A comment which earned her a very disapproving stare from her marefriend.

The dark grey earth pony blushed, “When you put it that way no, I don’t suppose it does.” She conceded the azure blue mare’s well-made point. “I confessed to my Mistress my wish for a colt, and she invited her most trusted guard to join us.”

Although not a prude by any stretch of anypony’s imagination, Tempest was nonetheless eager to change the subject back to a slightly less lewd topic. “Have you written your own music for your cello?” She asked as she sipped her coffee.

“Oh yes,” Octavia smiled, likewise happy with the subject change. “Many pieces, in fact.”

Airmail sighed internally at Tempest’s little smirk, “Was the piece you played earlier tonight one of yours?”

The dark grey earth pony shook her head. “No, it was a classic Prench piece I know Mistress really likes.”

“I'd like to hear an original piece.” Tempest said, because this was Octavia Melody, and who wouldn’t want her to play something if you had the chance? “I take it your tour will be mostly your work?”

“Yes, Tempest.” Octavia nodded with a slightly sad smile. “My final tour coming up will feature mostly my own pieces. If Mistress allows I might play for you all later?”

Tempest smiled eagerly, “I'm sure that can be arranged.” Then, as she sipped her coffee, a thought occurred to her. “Are you up to it though?”

Octavia sniffed, trying her very best to not be offended. Although her medical history was private – she had no desire for the whole of Equestria to know she had advanced arthritis in her hooves, anypony with any kind of decent ear could’ve known at the coffee shop she had dropped a couple of notes. And for once, not intentionally, either. “I can manage one piece to my satisfaction, thank you...” she sighed, “Forgive me, I don't wish to be rude.”

Far from being upset, Tempest understood the need for an artist to perform. “You accepting hugs?”

Octavia smiled, “I certainly am.”

Airmail leapt up with a grin, pulling Wildfire with her as she called out, “Group hug!”

As Airmail, Wildfire and Tempest all came around the kitchen table and began to position themselves around the old earth pony mare. Hugging her gently, the violet pegasus whispered, “I'm really the softy here and didn't meant to say you couldn't perform.”

Gratefully, Octavia accepted the group hug from the three mares. “Tempest, I didn't mean to take it so much to heart, I do apologise.”

Tempest leant forward and very gently kissed and nipped the dark grey ear nearest to her. “Accepted!”

Try as she might, in the group hug, Airmail was once again curious. “Have you and Celestia ever gotten it on?”

Without a trace of a blush whatsoever, Octavia replied with a nod, “Yes we have. Many times in fact.”

“Is she as much fun as Luna?” Tempest asked.

“Did Luna tell you about her time with Caffy?” Airmail asked, not giving the earth pony time to answer.

“Or her time in the Mare’s Room?” Grinned Tempest.

“Or in the shower?” Airmail put in.

Laughing, Octavia held up her hooves in a somewhat futile attempt to stem the flow of questions. “One at a time, I beg you, please.” Looking from Airmail to Tempest she decided to answer them in the order she had been asked. “Firstly, Mistress Celestia is fun in her own way, she is far stricter than my wife, with a much bigger horn.” She added with a wink that made Tempest blush. “Second, Mistress told me about making Caffeinated's dream come true, about how she let herself be dominated. It is an itch she has at times. As for the other times it must've skipped Mistresses mind, though she did tell me about taking one of you flying.”

“That was Requiem.” Tempest smiled. “She let her cloud jump from eighteen thousand feet.”

“Requiem was the one licking Luna's hooves in the Mare's Room,” Airmail interjected, “And she is the one Luna washed in the Wet Room shower.”

“Indeed?” Octavia raised an eyebrow, “I remember my first flight. It wasn't all that pretty.” The earth pony snickered at the memory. Certainly afterwards her beloved had needed several showers to get properly clean. “Really, Airmail? I must ask Mistress about this when she reappears.”

Airmail grinned as she pulled up a picture of Requiem on her cell phone. “She's forty four and she acts like she's fourteen. Freefalling is a huge passion of hers.”

Octavia looked at the picture of the red and blue painted pony and smiled as she put the face to the name, recalling clearly now the exuberant mare from the coffee shop earlier. “She’s a beauty indeed. Well, as I reminded my Mistress while she was cleaning herself for the third time, the lack of…ahem…control was not my fault, and were I meant to fly I would have been graced with wings.”

Tempest merely giggled, “You just need Requiem's attitude then. She says wings are cheating.”

“Oh, I don't mind being taken along for a teleport,” Octavia replied, “But otherwise, hooves on the ground, thank you.”

The violet pegasus then asked something she’d been itching to ask since they had met Octavia back at Stripe’s Cup of Java, something of Equestria-shattering importance. “Did you bring any foal pictures of Dusk?”

Octavia nodded her head. “Of course, Tempest. Would you like to see?”

“Meh…I've seen them before.” Wildfire shrugged as she left the group hug to seek out her forgotten black coffee.

A huge bout of sympathy soared through Tempest’s chest as she watched Wildfire seek out her drink. “We'll describe the ones she shows so you can remember them.”

Reaching into her saddle bag, Octavia retrieved her album, which one would assume she – like all mothers – carried around for just such an occasion like this. To their great credit, Tempest and Airmail were the perfect audience, adding ‘oohs and aaaws’ to the immensely cute photographs, until they came across one the diminutive pegasus actually remembered. As they described the picture of a very young Dusk with his moon shaped rattle, pacifier and building blocks around him, the memory returned to her. Many years ago, Octavia had shown their old friends this album. “I do remember that one, the one in the nappy and the rattle,” Wildfire commented, “Dusk was such a cute baby.”

“Until you're the one to change the nappies.” Airmail snickered.

Wildfire didn’t care a jot. She’d pictured this happening for so long now that little things like dirty nappies couldn’t possibly put her off. “My little filly can get filthy as much as she likes, I'll be more than happy to change her.”

“Even when the poo goes from cute on Mare's Milk to that Celestia awful smell when they eat veggies?” Airmail nudged her with her foreleg.

The yellow mare shook her head, “Nopes! Not even then. Pretty, I don’t care as long as I have filly cuddles afterwards.”

Both Airmail and Tempest smiled and giggled then, how could they not, at Wildfire’s enthusiasm for her dream? “Did Luna change nappies?” Tempest asked, still bearing her smile.

“Oh yes,” the old earth pony nodded, “Mistress always took care of the night shift, as she is always awake at that time.”

“I know you can start your milk to flow.” Airmail thought out loud, “Did Luna nurse him?”

Again, Octavia nodded. “If he was hungry at night, then Mistress fed him.”

Tempest’s mind wandered a little at that point. “I think I would enjoy doing that…”

Airmail snickered, “Stormy, you just like me sucking on your nipples.”

Quick as a flash, Tempest fired back, “You're the one with a milk fetish.”

Wildfire laughed out loud, almost spluttering her cold coffee across the kitchen table. “Milk and feathers, Pretty?”

“Duh for feathers,” Airmail laughed, “But yeah, I would love to see both of you nursing. I grew up on mare’s milk.”

“Honey did say earlier at the lake she'd like to share my milk with the foal.” Wildfire piped up before she drunk what was left of her black coffee. “You were nursed as a foal, Airy?”

Airmail giggled, “So some of me has rubbed off on you, Tempest, and by the way I grew up on mare’s milk, I meant until I left the house as an adult.”

In reply to her marefriend’s quip, Tempest merely rolled her crystal blue eyes and turned to Octavia with another burning question she’d just thought up. “What about the other two Princesses, do they play too?”

Octavia smiled. It was common knowledge that Cadance did, given her extensive range of Mi Amore Cadanza – or MiAC, as they were more commonly known - shops that catered exclusively to almost every kink and fetish that the adult pony could dream up. “Princess Cadance does, as you probably know, Tempest. Princess Twilight has her own Pet also.”

Tempest digested that little nugget. “I guess I sorta thought of the royal family as its own herd.”

“They are as close as a herd,” Octavia agreed, “They are all family apart from Princess Twilight, and she may as well be family.”

Airmail smiled again. “You found out Tempest’s fetish, and she has a hard time getting me to play with her, but yeah.” She whistled appreciatively, “Four princesses…must be heaven.” The azure blue mare sighed, while Tempest shrugged her shoulders.

“It certainly can be...let’s say…intense, when they're all at the castle.”

“There are times when we are too intense and don't get along together.” Tempest said, thinking of the incident not all that long ago that had split their little mare’s herd apart. “It’ll be interesting living under the same roof again.”

“Do you intend to bear your foals at a similar time then?” Octavia asked curiously.

“Serenity and Wildfire do, yes.” Tempest clarified. “I have no plans on ever getting pregnant.”

“Same here I think.” Octavia agreed, though somewhat reticently, “One was quite enough.”

“I'll be a mother through Wily and Serenity.” Tempest snickered, “Aunt Airmail will change nappies as she has a lot of experience.”

“Thank you so much for volunteering me.” Airmail deadpanned over the kitchen table.

“You have experience?” Wildfire asked, “I knew you'd make a great Aunt!”

“Yes,” Airmail rolled her eyes, “So much so I joined the Equestrian Forces to escape babysitter duty.”

Tempest scooted around and leant behind Octavia to tenderly nuzzle Airmail’s cheek. “You'll make a great Auntie.”

Wildfire’s ears drooped back to her head as she pointed her head down to the table. “Oh...oh, well you don't have to change anything if you don't want to, Pretty.”

“You just try and stop me.”

Tempest went over to Wildfire and gave her a nuzzle as well, just so she didn’t feel left out. “She just likes to complain so you know she is happy.”

As Tempest re-took her seat at the bench to the left of Octavia, with Airmail to her immediate right, Luna’s powerful voice echoed from the music room with just a hint of mischief. “Your cello is a lovely pink with green lightning bolts! Can I come back yet?”

Looking over the table at each other, sharing the same thought and casting a quick glance at the unsuspecting Octavia, the violet and the blue mare grinned before Airmail and Tempest answered as one with a loud, “Yes!”

Luna had barely taken one step back into the kitchen when to either side of the old earth pony mare, Airmail and Tempest both stuck their tongues in her ears for two very wet sloppy kisses, causing the dark grey pony to squeak loudly in complete surprise.

“Oh, very nicely done.” The lunar alicorn giggled her approval as she took her seat on the bench opposite Wildfire.

Between the two younger mares, Octavia squirmed, “M-Mistress…aaah…m-make them staaahp!” She pleaded fruitlessly as each proceeded to give deliberately breathy snickers into the dark grey ears.

Luna merely levitated over a mug of moonshine coffee which she magically boiled. “Stop what, Pet? Carry on, girls.”

With Luna’s blessing, Tempest, with her muzzle still deep in Octavia's ear spoke in a husky vibrating whisper, “We had a nice talk about changing nappies while you were gone.”

Likewise, and not to be outdone, Airmail had her muzzle in the earth pony’s right ear as she asked, “Why green lightning bolts?”

Luna blew her coffee and answered with supreme nonchalance, “Because they clash so nicely with pink.”

“AaaAAH!” Octavia moaned, squirming her hind legs together under the gentle torture of the tongues mercilessly attacking her ears. “Mmm…” she whimpered when Airmail switched from tonguing to nibbling the very outer edges of her ear.

Tempest however was content to see how deep in Octavia’s ear she could get her muzzle. “Hmm…Dusk’s foal pictures are sooooooooooooooo cute.” She purred, stimulating the sensitive hairs all around her victim’s ear.

Enjoying the unfolding scene, Luna couldn’t help but smirk, “Aren’t they just divine?”

“Hmmm!” Octavia shuddered with pleasure as Airmail nibbled on her ear.

Airmail looked up at Luna with mouthful of her wife’s right ear. “I'm surprised you survived Requiem’s hoof licking so well, Luna.” She grinned, her voice muffled but clearly audible what she was trying to say.

Luna smiled around her drink. “She told you then?” The alicorn sniggered behind her hoof. “I assure you it was quite the effort.” Then a wonderful jewel encrusted idea swam into her mind, and with a grin that reached her voice, turned to the yellow mare sat opposite her. “Say, Wildfire, your lovers are doing quite a number on my Pet. Would you like to lend a hoof?”

“Does Octavia have tickly hooves?” Tempest asked, entirely not bothering to remove her muzzle from the ear it was in, which caused the dark grey earth pony to squirm ever more, her hind legs firmly pressed together.

“Not ticklish, no…” Luna shook her head. “But she does like her hooves serviced, don’t you, Pet?”

“Nggh…” Octavia hissed as like two sharpshooters, the two tongues found their mark yet again.

Airmail looked up with a devilish grin on her muzzle. “Go get 'em, Wily.”

Wildfire almost leapt up from the table in her enthusiasm, “I'm so there!”

Luna smiled as she watched the blind pony get up and feel her way along the kitchen table to where her two lovers were lovingly assaulting her Pet’s ears. Every time she watched her move she was impressed how well she made her way around. “Wildfire, which would you like first?”

“Hmm…” Wildfire actually thought about it as she zeroed in on the dual familiar scents of jasmine and sandalwood. “Let’s start with the left hind, please.”

Obligingly, Airmail and Tempest paused in what they were doing and between them both they easily rolled Octavia over onto her back, resting the older mare very carefully on the tiles of the kitchen floor. Now rolled over, the dark grey earth pony presented her left hind hoof to Wildfire’s lips as Airmail re-inserted her tongue, this time in the mare’s left ear while Tempest skilfully moved from nibbling her other ear to kissing her lips.

Down at the offered hoof, Wildfire felt the very toe of it tap her lips ever so gently so she knew where it was, and she took it in her forelegs and began to give it her expert attention.

Seeing the yellow mare swirling her tongue delicately around her wife’s hoof, Luna scooted around to stand on Wildfire’s left side and she lowered her head to Octavia's crotch, to the panties that were still in the wedgie as Mistress Mapper had ordered back in the coffee shop.

Octavia’s breathing hitched as the lunar alicorn began kissing around her marehood, trailing her wet lips in tiny little pecks around her labia before kissing down her right inner thigh.

At her head, Tempest nibbled along her jawline down to neck and then back up to her mouth while Airmail kept up her ear work. “And Pet?” Luna smirked as she lifted her head up, “Be a good girl and don't cum until permitted.” With that she kissed her way back up her hind leg.

Octavia, fully expecting this from her Luna, could only groan under the sensory assault, “Y-Yes…M-Mistress…”

Tempest, getting an idea, gave the earth pony a last loving kiss to her lips and moved down to her left forehoof. “I love to watch you hold that bow and now I’m going to love lip massaging that hoof.”

Octavia merely whimpered in pleasure as her Luna started to stroke her rapidly moistening labia with her right wingtip. “Oooh...hmmm Mistress…that’s heavenly…”

Having licked and sucked her way all over Octavia’s left hind hoof, Wildfire carefully moved around Luna’s larger body to get to her other hind hoof, quickly finding it and repeating her favourite inner swirl technique as she ran her tongue firmly around the inner edge of the white wall and then dancing it over her sole.

Tempest, watching the hoof pro that was Wildfire work her magic, tried to do the same to the hoof she now held in her grasp, dancing her tongue around the sole and the sensitive frog.

In the midst of all this loving attention Octavia panted heavily, her core starting to heat up with excitement. “P-Please, Mistress…” she gasped.

Luna ignored her at first, running the tip of her long spiralled horn up the other side of her marehood. “Please what, Pet?” She asked teasingly.

Trying her best to control her breathing, Octavia moaned, “Let...” she gasped, “Me cum, please?”

Smiling a sly smile Airmail finally moved from the earth pony’s right ear to place a firm but tender lip lock on her to slow down the pleas. Giggling to herself, Luna made a show of thinking about it before she shook her head. “Hmm...not yet, I think.” Instead she lit her horn with her turquoise glow and used it to vibrate her Pet’s moist labia as she moved slowly towards the wet entrance to her marehood.

With no other recourse, Octavia whimpered audibly into Airmail's deep kiss, her body trembling as Wildfire began nibbling gently on the hard outer edge of the hoof before blowing softly into the centre just above the tip of the frog.

On the other side of her, Tempest used her left forehoof to rub Octavia's chest and then up and down her foreleg as she flicked her tongue over the bulbs at the back of her hoof, while Airmail kept up the kiss and used her hoof to gently scratch behind the ears and play with her charcoal mane.

At her Pet’s now sopping wet marehood Luna could feel her trembling, a sure sign that she wasn’t far away from her climax. “Who's my pretty young mare?” She asked silkily as she slightly increased the vibrations from her horn.

Hearing that, Airmail released the kiss so that she could answer the question.

In a heady daze of pleasure, Octavia barely registered what she’d been asked, “I...I am, Mistress!” She squealed.

“You are what?” Luna asked simply.

“Y-Your…aaaah…” Octavia tried really hard to breathe, “Your p-pretty mare...Mistress!” She squeaked as Airmail bumped noses with her.

“So close,” Luna tutted, “But not right, Pet.” Increasing the vibrations even more, the lunar alicorn smiled and moved her long horn to the entrance of her wife’s slit and slowly, torturously slowly, slid the top third in past the now drenched panties.

Octavia tried to talk, tried to protest, but Airmail immediately kissed her to interrupt her, knowing the panting whimpering mare would have to shout out the answer Luna wanted to hear.

At her hind hoof, Wildfire now rubbed her muzzle across the hoof's soft centre, breathing hot breath through her nose directly onto the most sensitive part of the hoof as she did so.

Octavia shivered, her whole body visibly trembling with the sheer effort of holding in her orgasm, knowing full well that just saying the answer will set her free. She didn’t want to say it. It wasn’t true.

She wasn’t pretty, not any more.

She was old, faded, a shadow of what she once was.

She knew she wasn’t pretty, but she couldn’t fight off the intense vibrations coursing through her any longer, nor could she resist the hoof jobs from Wildfire and Tempest or Airmail’s sweet kiss. She just couldn’t.

As the front doors opened she pulled away from the kiss and in a mild delirium screamed, “I-I'm your pretty YOUNG MARE MISTRESS!”

In response Airmail gave her a deep tongue probing kiss and Tempest moved from worshipping her hoof to nibbling the foreleg at the juncture to the barrel.

“Of course you are, Pet.” Luna whispered lovingly. “You may cum.” She heard hoof-steps enter the ranch as she slid her vibrating horn deeper inside Octavia’s dripping marehood, well past the panties and rubbing against her clitoris.

With the added stimulation of the vibrations directly on her nub, Octavia couldn’t have held back any longer had she wanted to. “AAaaaAAAH…s-sweet LUUUNA!” At a volume not far away from the Royal Canterlot Voice, the dark grey earth pony arched her back and came, orgasming very loud and very hard, wetting her mistress’s forehead in the process with her sweet cum as it poured from her like a waterfall.

Mapper, with Serenity beside her, stood just inside the large kitchen bearing a smirk on her pink muzzle. “And, somepony told me my Junior Pet couldn't sing.”

Luna ceased her vibrations and gently pulled her horn out of her wife’s wet tunnel, allowing Octavia to ride out her intense orgasm as she magically cleaned herself up. “I’ll have you know, she sings very well.”

“Better in the kitchen than the dining room.” Thespian commented with a giggle as Caffeinated carefully stepped around the mares to get to the coffee machine.

Luna moved up to kiss her Pet’s sweaty lips. “You're my pretty young mare, and you can have your coffee my love.”

Through half-lidded pink eyes, Octavia gasped as her body heaved in the afterglow of her climax. “T-Thankyou…” she panted, “Mistress…”

Busy at the coffee maker, Caffeinated emptied out what was left of Octavia's green tea and got started prepping her a coffee along with drinks for the others too. “I’m glad you weren't too bored waiting for us.”

“Middle Pet,” Mapper said to Wildfire, resting her pink hoof on her shoulder as she made her way carefully back to the long bench at the kitchen table. “Did you make it safely back with your cargo?”

Wildfire nodded, “Yes I did, Mistress.”

Mapper leant in and tenderly kissed the diminutive pegasus’s forehead. “You are a very good pony, Free Time for you.” She stroked the mare’s cheek, “Enjoy your night even more than you already have.”

Wildfire practically glowed from the praise she had received. “Thank you, Mistress!”

Getting the pink unicorn’s attention, Airmail performed a complex set of ear flicks as she used their silent method of communication, at once both pleased and amused to see the confusion on her herd-mate’s face. “Caffy, dear,” Mapper started, “When did you get a pink cello?”

Luna merely sat in the kitchen and giggled, looking as guilty as when she and Celestia had stolen their mother’s cookies from the parlour when they had been young fillies.

Caffeinated however looked utterly perplexed as he made the various drinks for the group. “Um…” he tried to discern if Mapper was playing him.

Octavia meanwhile managed, with some effort, to stand up with visibly shaky legs, she waved off her wife’s offer of support as she sat on the bench, and thoroughly looking forward to a coffee she shot Luna a quick look. Giving her the barest shake of her head which Luna quickly returned, Octavia visibly relaxed as Caffeinated turned to face Mapper. “What pink cello?” He asked in his rumbling low voice.

“The one in the music room,” Mapper replied. “Isn't it yours?”

Wanting to see for himself, Trumpet peeled off from the group and walked off to the music room and very quickly the dark red unicorn stallion was back, looking mystified. “Looks like the one Octavia played, but isn't, since it is bright pink.”

“Thespy?” Caffeinated asked his wife, but the blue / grey earth pony simply shrugged.

Like a very guilty filly caught with a cookie in her magical aura, Luna held up a hoof. “I'm afraid I got creative while Tempest, Airmail and Wildfire questioned my Pet.”

Trumpet was in shock, that his hero’s prized instrument could be defaced in such a manner. “But…but, green lightning bolts?”

Luna giggled, “Don't they clash nicely?”

Brushing his dark red hoof through his orange mane Trumpet had to agree that yes, they certainly did clash. “So much so they might actually affect the sound.”

“Oh, I doubt it.” Luna giggled as she turned to her wife. “Pet?”

“With your permission, Mistress.” Octavia bowed, now recovered from her climax, “Ms. Tempest asked me for a performance.”

Tempest bounced on the bench with unbridled glee, “Pretty please with chocolate sprinkles!”

Luna smiled, “Now, how can I possibly deny that?” She turned to Octavia, “Pet, you may indulge yourself and perform any piece you wish.”

Seeing which way the music room was from where Trumpet had walked, Octavia led the small group there in a trot, with Caffeinated bringing up the rear with a large tray of drinks balanced perfectly on his back. As the ponies made themselves comfortable around the music room, the orange zebra passed out the drinks to their respective owners the ageing cellist got herself ready and in position before she began a most intimate of performances, beginning to play 'Elegie in C minor, Op 24' - a piece she had learnt and played when she had been little more than four years old, stood on a stool in her father’s great room – with the practised ease of an artist at work she played, though with some effort she played the six minute piece perfectly, not dropping a single note.

A round of polite hoof clapping greeted her when she finished the performance, and Octavia gave each member of her audience a low bow as if she had just performed for Carneighgie Hall. “Thank you all.” She said with justifiable pride.

On her seating pad next to the gently clapping alicorn, Mapper leant over and asked quietly, “Mistress Luna, did you punish Junior Pet while she was here?”

“Once, Mistress Mapper,” Luna replied solemnly, “For upsetting me regarding her mortality.”

“She dropped five notes.” Mapper then proceeded to tick off the various punishments in her head, Luna nodding her agreement to each one. “One, Middle Pet carried her cello. Two, She sang Cyndi Lauper, and that was utterly divine. Three, she was punished by Mistress Luna. Four, I will erase as she was a good Pet on that last piece. So that leaves number five, which is not one to do alone.” Sitting up straight on her seating pad Mapper clapped her hooves loudly, “Pets!”

At once, Serenity moved in front of her Mistress and bowed so that her muzzle touched the carpeted floor of the music room.

Next to Wildfire, as ever on her left side, Airmail whispered what was expected of her to the little yellow mare. “Move in front of Mapper and bow.”

Nodding her understanding, Wildfire sniffed out her Mistress’s scent and carefully walked in front of Mapper, to the right of Serenity and bowed low to the floor.

As Octavia was busy resting her cello and bow on its stand, she saw out of the corner of her eye Mistress Mapper looking at the two Pets in front of her with a frown creasing her pink face, and Luna looking at her with at her expectantly. Mentally facehooving, she quickly remembered her place and scurried over beside Wildfire and bowed as low as her joints would allow of her.

Watching with a raised eyebrow, Mapper asked in an even voice, “Were you delayed putting away your cello, Junior Pet?”

“Yes, Mistress.” Octavia answered truthfully to the floor.

“I see.” Mapper nodded, taking her answer at face value. “It is good to finish a job then move on to the next. You three will now clean the Stallion's Room. Please wash your hooves when you are finished and report to the Mare's Room.” Her orders finished, Mapper clapped her hooves again.

Silently, Serenity nudged Wildfire’s left flank and stood up, trotting out of the music room into the U shaped hallway and over to the wide flight of stairs. Feeling the nudge, and hearing her Mistresses order, Wildfire stood up and with a well-placed wingtip the blind mare felt her way out of the music room. Octavia, not knowing exactly where to go, got up and followed Wildfire down the stairs.

Once the three mares were down the stairs in the basement level of the ranch, Serenity led the other two straight over to the left to the plain wooden door that had the sign ‘Stallion’s Room’. “It is nice to not have to do this alone for once. Careful in there putting a hoof to your mouth or you may taste something you didn’t want to.” She warned from grim experience.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Wildfire commented offhoofedly with a shrug of her shoulders.

Octavia, busy looking around the basement hallway, wasn’t listening too closely as she saw the sign saying ‘To the Moon’ on the Dungeon doors. Snickering at the sign she turned to the little yellow mare with a puzzled look on her face. “What do you mean, Wildfire?”

“Oh…” Wildfire replied, “It doesn't matter now.”

Octavia noted the door through which Serenity went, the 'Stallion's Room', had under it a sign saying, 'Need balls to Enter', which the teal unicorn duly ignored. Wildfire and Octavia followed Serenity through the door, the little mare immediately wrinkling her nose against the now very stale day old smell of stallion musk. “Uuugh!” She uttered before she could stop herself.

Inside the Stallion’s Room, her hooves clopping on the hardwood floor, Serenity shrugged. “I've seen worse. At least they chose to do some of their play out in the back yard.” The grateful tone in her voice did not go unnoticed by the other two ponies. Looking around, Serenity saw the rectangular shaped mat lying to one side of the room. Having no idea if it had been used or not, she asked, “Wily could you scrub the mat please?”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire nodded, “I’m on it.”

“Thank you, let me show you where the stuff is.” Serenity led Wildfire to a closet, its door almost invisible as it was the same plain wooden panelling as the walls, inside were strap on hoof brushes, buckets, mops, a sink and mild disinfectant soap. “Do you need help?”

“Nopes,” Wildfire replied, her role at the care home all coming back to her, “I've scrubbed stuff before, I got this.”

“Octavia, that room,” Serenity pointed her horn at a similarly almost invisible door situated next to the mop room, “That is laundry. I'll strip bedding and send it your way if you could get the wash started, please.”

“Certainly.” Octavia trotted over to the laundry room as Wildfire started to hoof scrub the mat, humming her happy tune as she worked away. Next to her, Serenity's horn lit up with its hazel glow and in short order she stripped the cases from pillows and she levitated them over to form a pile at the door of the laundry room. These were quickly followed by bedding and other cloth items.

With a distinct look of distaste on her teal muzzle, Serenity made sure to inspect each pillow to see if it also needed additional cleaning. A few with suspiciously ‘heavy staining’ were separated from the rest and the clean ones went on a shelf.

Dutifully at her assigned post, Octavia gathered up the soiled bedding in her hooves and deposited it as fast as she could into a washing machine, crinkling her nose up at the smell. “Uugh! Indeed, Wildfire.” As she worked, Octavia listened to Wildfire humming away. “Wildfire, dear, you're humming.”

Lifting her head up, Wildfire paused in her scrubbing. “Oh…am I? I don't realise I'm doing it, just sort of happens when I'm happy.”

Serenity put in, “It’s that song she sang at the open mic, ‘Prettiest Eyes’.” With that, she took the pillows not saved by the cases to the mop room.

“I'm familiar with the song, in fact I'm a fan of the band,” Octavia replied, “I just wondered why you hummed it. You can’t be that happy scrubbing a stallion's mat.”

“Making Mistress Mapper happy is cause enough for joy.” Serenity said, as if that was that and proceeding to hoof scrub the soiled pillows.

“It's habit I guess.” Wildfire shrugged as she poured some more disinfectant and scrubbed at a new spot. “I work hard, I do well, I don't get beaten, I'm a happy Wily, so I hum my tune.”

Loading up a second washing machine, Octavia was aghast. That Canterlot, her home, could be so rotten, was anathema to her. “The care home was really that bad?”

“Yuppers, it was.” The diminutive yellow mare scrubbed furiously at a spot on the mat like it owed her money. “But, now I’m happy, 'cos I like making my Mistress happy, not 'cos I'm living in fear of getting a broken wing.”

Serenity’s ears perked up, and she decided to test the newly freed mare. “What will you do if Mistress Mapper punishes you physically?”

Wildfire stopped in her cleaning and thought about it. “Well, if I think it’s too much, like it’s abuse or it’s really hurting then I have my safe word to use, 'Peaches', like Octavia did at the karaoke earlier.”

Serenity nodded, pleased that to say yesterday Wildfire’s mind was described as ‘like cheese’, she seemed – on the surface at least – to be doing well. “I have only used my word once.” She commented, “Now I'm her slave and I don't think I'll ever use it again.”

“Slave huh?” Wildfire asked, “What’s that like?”

“It's who I am.” Serenity answered quickly and easily, “I'm completely devoted to my Mistress. I'll do anything she desires and I know she loves me as completely as I love her.”

“Huh...” Wildfire digested that as she went back to work on the mat, scrubbing at a particularly hard bit and trying very hard not to think too much on what the stain might be while Serenity got back to her task, using her hazel magic to spin dry each pillow once it was clean. “Amethyst Glory used to say I was her slave...punching bag would've been more like it.”

“There was no love.” Serenity said kindly, “You were not a slave, you were an object, much like the scrub brush on your hoof.”

Wildfire muttered, “You aren't kidding, Serenity.”

Hearing this somewhat muffled exchange over the noise of the washing machine, Octavia called, “They treated you that badly?”

“Without love there is only abuse.” Serenity commented from where she was working in the storage room.

“How much has Princess Luna told you?” Wildfire asked as she stopped scrubbing the large mat for a moment.

Octavia emerged from the laundry room, “Mistress hasn't told me much,” she admitted.

Serenity floated the last pillow to the shelf and put a pair of brushes on her forehooves as she left the storage room the teal unicorn used Wildfire’s bucket and started surreptitiously cleaning the parts that the blind mare – through no fault of her own – hadn’t gotten to or had missed. Stood on the bits she had cleaned, Wildfire called, “Well c'mere then. I’ve got something to show you.”

As Octavia left the laundry room, and Wildfire heard her hoof-steps clop on the hardwood floor, Wildfire spread her tortured yellow wings as wide as she could spread them. “Serenity, could you please magically move my feathers and show Octavia my souvenirs?”

“Yes Middle Pet, of course.” Obligingly, Serenity lit her horn and, taking her wings in her glowing hazel aura, she did as Wildfire requested and very carefully indeed she pulled the feathers back along the leading edges of her wings.

Seeing the extensive damage, Octavia’s pink eyes grew wide at the exposed criss-cross latticework of scars and improperly mended broken wing bones that were currently being highlighted by the unicorn’s magic. “Oh…oh sweet Luna above…” the dark grey earth pony had her hoof to her mouth in complete shock at what she was witnessing.

“Yeah.” Wildfire turned her head away with a faint blush. “Now you know. They were that bad.” Turning to the vague direction of Serenity, she said, “Thanks Senior Pet.” With that she went back to the mat, humming her happy tune.

Serenity nodded, “You are welcome. Know that Mistress Mapper loves you, and there will be no more abuse.”

“Yuppers, I know,” Wildfire agreed, “That's why I'm happy to serve her, it’s not that I'm scrubbing this,” she indicated the mat with her hoof, “It could be anything and I'd still be happy doing it.”

Serenity heard the truth in her fellow Pet and herd-mate’s voice and stepped over to nuzzle her cheek tenderly. “Your efforts show your love for Mistress Mapper.” While Wildfire was somewhat easy to read, Octavia on the other hoof was trickier. Turning to the earth pony she asked, “Why are you here, Junior Pet?”

“Because my Mistress bade me to obey Mistress Mapper as if she were my wife,” Octavia replied, giving something of a standard stock response. “And, I live to serve my Mistress. Making her happy makes me happy.”

Serenity of course saw straight through this the very second the words left the ageing earth pony’s lips. “Yet you were naughty and Mistress Luna had to punish you.”

Octavia looked away to an empty patch of wall. “Sometimes…sometimes I need reminding I'm her pretty mare.”

Serenity stopped her scrubbing. “Here with us Pets you can speak the truth.”

Octavia stomped her hoof slightly into the hardwood floor. “I'm scared alright?” She said, reluctantly admitting the fear that took her heart most days. “Mistress knows there are more years behind me than in front now, and yes, despite my Mistresses reassurances, that scares me. A lot.”

‘At last,’ Serenity thought to herself, ‘Something akin to the truth at last.’ The teal mare scrutinised the earth pony a little closer, the wrinkles, the lines, the light grey in her fur, the white in her mane and the arthritic hooves that were slowly taking her gift away from her a day at a time. She did feel a degree of sympathy for her, she still had something she needed to say. “My Mistress asks that I be a good pony, but I'm a bad pony, and if Mistress doesn't notice I must confess. If I'm a very bad pony and Mistress catches me she will punish me. If I'm a very, very bad pony she might even whip me.” She couldn’t hold in the soft sigh of happiness at that thought. “I should be a good pony, but I am not. You, Junior Pet are a bad pony so that Mistress Luna will spend more attention on you to love you as you are. You know she believes you are beautiful, and still you are a bad pony for your own selfish reasons, just like I'm a bad pony for mine!”

Octavia nodded. Of course, Serenity was right. She smiled a wide smile for this unicorn who was practically half her age was twice as wise. “Yes, I admit I'm a bad pony for thinking like I do. I too confess my failings to my Mistress, and I'm a bad pony for liking her attention when she punishes me.”

Serenity went back to scrubbing, pleased that what she had said had at least sunk in. “All ponies are bad ponies, but even selfish bad ponies still want the love of their Mistress or their Master. Even bad pony Mistresses and Masters still need the love of the bad ponies they control. Do you love Mistress Luna more than your own life?”

Again, Octavia nodded. “A lot more, Senior Pet. A whole lot more.” She turned and went back to the laundry room as she heard the washer finish its work. “Anything else need washing?”

“No, just put the laundry in the dryer and we will be done.” Serenity replied and as she heard Octavia hoof the laundry in to the dryer and turn it on, she said with a smile, “You are a bad pony, Junior Pet.” She giggled, “But sometimes that can be very, very good.”

Octavia merely giggled as Wildfire stood up straight, flexing her legs. “Is there anymore of this mat that needs doing?” She asked, “Did I get everywhere?”

Giving it a once over, Serenity was happy it was sufficiently clean. “It is done, Middle Pet, please put the items away. I will get the air freshener.”

“Alrighty.” With that, the blind mare removed the hoof brushes from her forehooves and carried the cleaning things back to the storage room as Serenity levitated the air freshener from the middle shelf and sprayed it liberally around the room to leave it smelling like an old growth forest.

Floating the air freshener back to the storage and closing the door, Serenity giggled, “Once I was a very, very bad pony and left the room smelling like bubblegum.”

Wildfire was stunned, though not totally surprised. “No…for realzies?”

“Yes,” Serenity nodded with a nostalgic smile as she recalled the wonderful feel of the cricket bat on her flanks. “But I will be a good pony today as I do not want to share my punishment.”

Octavia closed the laundry room door, “It certainly smells a lot better than when we came in.”

Nodding, Serenity led the way out to the Wet Room. “We need to clean our hooves quickly before Mistress is displeased at our slowness.”

~ ~ ~

Up in the music room, sat on her seating pad next to Luna and surrounded by Caffeinated, Thespian, Airmail, Tempest, Recital, Trumpet and of course Coffee Bean who was present at Luna’s left side, Mapper turned to Tempest with a smile playing over her muzzle. “Now the Pets are busy, tell me Tempest, was it a simple flight back or your usual?”

“Through the Narrow’s Bridge cables.” Tempest replied nonchalantly.

Not one to be easily stunned, Mapper was now sat with her mouth hanging open in shock. “Do you have…any…idea the value of Wildfire's cargo?” She asked, her voice little more than a disbelieving hiss.

Tempest shrugged, “Less than the value of Wily.” She replied, to which the pink mare could only nod her agreement.

Luna put her forehoof on Mapper’s in an attempt to comfort her. “Wildfire did fly very well, once more.” She commented, neglecting to mention the part where she once again flew under the bridge rather than through it.

“Of course she did.” Tempest stated like this was patently obvious. “She is a precision flyer, that training and skill hasn't been lost.”

Mapper smirked, “How did Junior Pet take the flight?”

“Tavi liked my flying just fine, though watching Wildfire flying with her cello she just about dirtied my coat...again.” Luna giggled behind her hoof.

“She was in a bit of panic landing too,” Airmail interjected, “But we calmed her down.”

“So I heard when we came in.” Mapper commented, earning her a round of giggles and sniggers from the others in the music room. “It should take the Pets about half an hour to do the work, so I'm up for some desert while we wait.”

“Very good idea, Mapper,” Luna agreed, almost licking her lips at the thought of another taste of Thespian’s cake. “I'm getting more of that black forest cake seeing as I have chance.”

Thespian couldn’t believe her ears as they all made their way back into the kitchen, access to the top chefs and cooks in the land and here Luna was complimenting her cake! “You really like it?”

Luna smiled as she took the seat she had before. “It's exquisite, Thespian. Thank you.”

Thespian was a happy filly, doing a little hoof dance not wholly dissimilar to the one that Requiem had performed when Luna had agreed to take her flying the day previous, and she veritably flew around the table helping Airmail who had decided to take on dessert detail again.

“It’s so rare I get to try any as good as that, Thespian.”

Thespian giggled, making sure to serve the Princess up an extra-large slice – which she did and she enjoyed the look of lust on the alicorn’s face when she slid it in front of her. “Take a slice home with you, and leave a plate with a few crumbs on the dining table.”

Mapper raised an eyebrow, “Careful what you wish for Thespian, or you'll have that unannounced plushie inspection after all.” The pink unicorn’s comment served to sober up the prancing earth pony as Airmail made sure everypony got the cake, pie or fruit salad they requested.

In her own little piece of heaven, Luna giggled, “If Tia got wind of cake as good as this you'll have another house guest.”

Thespian thought about that, with a hoof raised to her chin, “I could get used to guests liking my cakes.”

“Then I'll be sure to leave some lying about.” Luna replied through a very unprincessly mouthful of cake, cream splattering all over her lips.

“Please eat all you want,” the earth pony giggled, “Just don't drink my ingredients.”

Luna smiled to herself, amazed at how much ‘at home’ she felt among these ponies. Oh, if I ate all I wanted Thespian I'd have flanks like my big sister.”

“Round is still a shape.” Thespian giggled, as did the rest of the group join in on the joke, none more so than the lunar alicorn herself.

Amidst her sparkling laughter, Luna managed to reply, “Still it’s a very good job I flew here, get these calories burned in advance.”

Swallowing a mouthful of her apple pie, Recital spoke up then as a thought occurred to the light blue unicorn. “Did you all have fun with the truth or dare game?”

Enthusiastically Luna nodded. “It was fun indeed, mainly due to Serenity's skill with deep throating my horn, and to Coffee Bean's skill with her lips.”

On Luna’s left, and busy with her own slice of black forest cake, the elderly zebra attempted and failed an invisibility spell as this time Airmail had a fruit salad. “It may have been so,” the azure blue mare said between mouthfuls of apple, grape and orange, “But Octavia says she can do your sister's horn too.”

Mapper looked up from her ice cream. “Challenge accepted.” She said simply.

Luna thought about it before giving her judgement on the matter. “She can just about do Tia's horn, though she leaves about an inch or two at the base, which she says doesn't count due to her fur.”

Mapper smiled as she sucked ice cream from the spoon. “Do bring her by for cake of course.”

“The next time I think I'll have to,” Luna nodded thoughtfully, “She was rather put out at having to mind the shop again.”

Mapper shrugged, “Let the Librarian Princess do that, or better yet, bring her instead.” The pink mare commented in the manner of one that sees and converses with royalty every day of the week. “You said she has a Pet?” She asked, her magenta eyes twinkling.

At that, Luna giggled, almost spitting the cake she was trying to swallow. “The librarian...yes…hehehe…yes, Twilight has a pet. Rainbow Dash is very, very well trained.”

Tempest almost dropped her spoon into her apple pie. “The Wonderbolt!?”

Airmail was likewise incredulous. “The commander of the Equestrian Air Force?”

Luna nodded, “The one and only, and as I’m sure she'll tell you herself, most awesome flyer in Equestria, yes Airmail.” She replied with a smile as she went back to and finished off her cake.

“Yeah,” Airmail said as she too finished her dessert, “She is brought up a lot in flight school.”

Over by the coffee machine, Caffeinated rumbled, “That accounts for two of the Celestia Six, I wonder, have the others gone down the same route?”

Mapper flashed the orange zebra a knowing look full of meaning and pausing with her vanilla ice cream, asked, “What does that mean Caffy?”

Smirking, Caffeinated sauntered over and gave Mapper a kiss to the tip of her horn, earning an embarrassed squeak that bought giggles from the group of ponies around the kitchen table. “Aren't you the one that always says close friends should ‘bond’ closely?”

To Airmail’s statement, Luna replied, “I imagine Rainbow Dash's manoeuvres are required reading in flight school. If they aren't she'll be very insulted.” To Mapper’s momentary discomfort she laughed. “Caffy, Fluttershy and Applejack have been happily married for just over thirty years, they have two thirty year old daughters, Cloud Blossom and Apple Honey. Cloud is a sculptor, a wonderful artist, while Honey happens to captain the Manehatten rugby team.”

“Oh…” Thespian exclaimed, drawing attention to herself, “There are examples of Cloud Blossom’s art in the Manehatten Museum!”

Mapper nodded, “That leaves the designer who we all know is world famous and the party one…I think.” Of course, everypony here knew who Rarity was. She had boutiques all over the country, and several in Manehatten alone. Most well-known was the upmarket Rarity’s Recreations, run by Coco Pommel, and the slightly more accessible Rarity For You on Saddle Row run by Plaid Stripes.

“Rarity and Pinkie Pie?” Luna asked with a smile, “It took them a while, but they've been together for a few years.” Then her tone turned somewhat serious, “But…please be careful how you mention Pinkie Pie around my Pet, Octavia doesn't exactly get on with Pinkie.”

Mapper nodded thoughtfully, “Good to know there’s something else I can use if Junior Pet gets out of line.”

“You all know the Grand Galloping Gala?” Luna paused for breath as they all nodded at her. “The one that was held after my return was an utter disaster. For a few years after, my Pet hated the sound of her name, now she's cooled to just disliking her.” Luna giggled, “Octavia has never really forgiven Pinkie for ruining her set that night.”

“So…she carries a grudge.” Mapper thought out loud, “Hmmm…”

“No,” Luna shook her head, “Not usually, Pinkie Pie is the exception that proves the rule. You have to understand, Mapper, my Pet had worked her whole career at the time just to get invited to play at the castle, and for her opportunity to be ruined by the thoughtless act of a careless pony, it took her years to recover her reputation.”

Mapper smiled, “Is that why you chose pink for her cello?”

“Oh that...partly.” Luna agreed, “I knew she'd hate it.” The lunar alicorn lit her horn and concentrated hard, cancelling the illusion she had been maintaining for the past hour. “I've had my fun with that.”

“You have an interesting definition of fun.” Caffeinated smirked as he kissed Thespian’s cheek. “As in, fun is what you make of it.”

“I just wanted to see if she'd play with it looking like that.” Luna grinned as she drank her coffee that the barista had made for her.

Trumpet commented then, “I don't think she looks at her instrument when she plays. I know I don't.”

Luna nodded her agreement, “I don’t think she even sees it as an instrument, more it’s a part of herself, Trumpet.”

The dark red unicorn smiled as he lovingly hugged and kissed his wife at the kitchen table. “True, it’s like your hoof is a part of yourself when you walk.”

“Exactly so, Trumpet.”

Mapper smiled as she finished her vanilla ice cream with a great amount of relish. “I think I should make another trip over to Canterlot.”

Luna’s ears perked up at that, and she giggled to herself imagining Mapper and Serenity in the castle just hanging out with her, Tavi and Tia. “Hmm…you'd be welcome at the castle of course, Mapper.”

Mapper nodded her thanks, intent as she was on getting every last piece of vanilla from her bowl. “Very sweet of you, I'll make sure to attend our next class reunion.”

“Class reunion?” Luna asked.

Mapper smiled as she replied, “I did graduate from Celestia’s school, as did Senior Pet.”

“Interesting, I’ll make sure the guards will let you straight in,” Luna smiled as Mapper murmured her thanks around her spoon, then a wonderful idea struck her, perfect for embarrassing her colt. “Now...I do believe my Pet was showing foal photos of Dusk to Airmail and Tempest. Would anypony else care for a look?”

As one, Thespian and Recital both shouted an echoing, “Yes!” Earth pony and unicorn both bouncing with motherly excitement.

Caffeinated chuckled at his wife’s enthusiasm. “Too bad Snowfall isn't here.”

As a response, Thespian stuck her tongue out at her hubby as Luna took hold of her wife’s photo album in her turquoise magical field and levitated the book of memories over to Thespian’s eager waiting hooves. “Have fun, Thespian.” Luna giggled behind her hoof as immediately the two mares had the photo album open, and even though they’d already seen it, Tempest and Airmail still joined in the many ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and even the odd ‘that's so cute!’ that followed. What struck all of them however, was how much the young Prince looked for all the world like a filly. A fact that wasn’t helped when Luna added whistfully, “He was a cute little colt…”

Smiling to herself at a mother’s medling fully accomplished, Luna thought out loud, “It would be nice to see pictures of Wildfire's filly as she grows up.” A throwaway comment, nothing more, she didn’t really expect a response.

Looking up from the photo album however, Tempest replied, “It would be nice if we were able to see Wildfire's filly playing with Serenity's filly.”

Airmail nodded, “There will be lots of pictures too.”

The parent in the Princess had to agree she was quite looking forward to that. A lot. “Yes, that would be very nice to see.” Then, she couldn’t resist a little tease. “And of course, I want to see the pictures of Aunty Airmail here changing the foal’s nappies.”

At that, Mapper laughed out loud, “Ahh, the hoof of experience.”

Airmail stuck out her tongue at the laughing pink unicorn. “Maybe I'll just let them ride around on Auntie Tempest with no nappies at all.”

Luna, like Caffeinated and Thespian, joined Mapper in her laughing fit. “Dusk used to do that, trust me I perfected cleaning spells pretty quick.”

Tempest snickered, “We should just bath together. Far easier and less of a faff.”

Beside her nephew, Coffee Bean looked up from the photo album and glanced across at the orange stallion with a sly grin on her old muzzle. “Mimi lazima kupata baadhi ya wengine albamu farasi picha?”

Caffeinated merely closed his emerald green eyes and shook his head, full of a dread that his Aunt actually would carry it through and get his old photo album to show the others. Seeing the poor stallion’s reaction, Luna offered as sympathetic a look as she could manage, although the effect was ruined entirely by her snigger.

Having had enough of the cuteness that was the foal photos, Mapper stood up with a loud sigh. “I'm all for retiring to the Mare’s Room.”

Caffeinated nodded, indicating himself, Thespian, Trumpet and Recital. “The four of us will be up in our bedroom.”

“I must admit I'm eager to flop on a cloud.” Luna agreed with Mapper, stretching her long legs as she stood to her full height. “Requiem said earlier that Wildfire had refilled them.”

“I was going to bring that up.” Mapper said to the Princess and to Airmail and Tempest. “Did she use her safe word?”

Airmail gave her a puzzled look. “Why would she do that?”

Mapper shrugged, “I was hoping you didn't have to hold her hoof doing so.”

“We didn't need to.” Tempest spoke up in Wildfire’s defence. “She got there and back on her own. Well, almost. She landed about two hundred yards away in a neighbour's back yard.”

Luna joined in, “From what Requiem told me, it was a ninety per cent successful mission.”

Surprised, Mapper raised her eyebrow. “What…no crying out like a lost foal?”

Airmail shot her a straight deadpanned look. “No, Mapper, she didn’t.”

Mapper nodded with satisfaction, very pleased with her Pet’s performance. “She has come a long ways indeed since you made me break her, Mistress Luna.”

“She has indeed.” Luna agreed as the group made their way out into the U shaped hallway. “I'm amazed at such an amount of progress in such a short space of time. I will confess when I touched her mind I was rather concerned at the amount of trauma I found there.”

Tempest spoke up then, “Talking with her at our home, I get the impression that time is more of a break now, an interruption of her life plans.”

“Good,” Luna nodded to the violet weather captain, “And I'm impressed she was as good as you said she was on the weather team earlier Tempest.”

“Frost let her solo a cloud, said she took direction well.” Tempest commented, “She was a bit unsure, but she did well. We are going to go shopping tomorrow for some aids for her.”

“And socks!” Airmail put in, not wanting to omit the vitally important socks.

Luna just smiled and shook her head. “I think I'm going to stop being surprised at just what she can accomplish. I admit I thought any kind of controlled flight was beyond her at first,” at Airmail’s outraged look she quickly added, “I'm very happy to be proven wrong, Airmail.” She giggled, “Besides, one can never have too many socks.”

On the stairs leading up to the top floor of the ranch, Thespian nudged her husband in the barrel. “See Caffy, I told you we need more socks!”

“When you think you have enough, Thespian, buy some more!” Luna called after the ascending group.

Conspicuously, like a filly asking out her first date, Mapper sidled over to the alicorn. “Will you be joining us this night, Luna?” She asked hopefully.

Luna nodded with a smile and a nuzzle to the pink unicorn’s neck. “I'll join you in the Mare's Room for a while, then I think I shall sample a bedroom, Caffy has cloud mattresses.”

Coffee Bean snickered at the top of the stairs, “He has grown soft,” the old Priestess smiled nonetheless, “Not that I will fail to enjoy the softness.”

Lowering her head to nuzzle the old zebra, Luna smiled, “You're more than welcome to join me, Coffee Bean.”

Coffee Bean merely bowed in deference to her Goddess. “I'm honoured, Mungu wa Usiku.”

From the first floor, Caffeinated called down, “So you know, we will be in the first bedroom on the right as you come up the stairs.”

Nodding to Caffeinated, Mapper led the way down the wide flight of stairs to the basement level of the ranch, the other four mares following closely behind her. Pausing at the Wet Room, the pink unicorn listened for but a moment with her ear pressed up against the door. “The shower is running so they should soon be joining us.” With that she entered the Mare’s Room and dutifully inspected the pillows and futons that her Pet had filled. Deeming the job well done, Mapper chose a futon and settled down upon it, folding her legs in under her body.

In stark contrast, Luna immediately – and most unprincessly – flopped herself down onto the nearest two pillows, stretching out her legs and wings with a deep happy sigh of relief. Airmail and Tempest settled themselves either side of Mapper, while Coffee Bean chose the futon nearest to the midnight blue Princess. Giving the white zebra mare a smile, Luna draped her left wing over her. Feeling the luxuriousness of the wing over her back, Coffee Bean closed the hoof-width gap between them and Luna once more nuzzled the old Priestess. Laid next to her, Coffee Bean was hesitantly enjoying herself.

The door to the Mare’s Room opened then and the three Pets, led by Serenity, entered the room and when the teal unicorn lowered herself in front of her Mistress, she had Wildfire to her left and Octavia to her right copy her in the low bow she offered. “Mistress,” Serenity’s melodic voice said, “We have completed the task.”

Looking down imperiously upon her three Pets, Mapper couldn’t help but feel justifiably proud at what they had done. “Shall I inspect?”

Unmoving from her bow, Serenity replied, “As the Mistress desires.”

After a short pause, in which she closely scrutinised each of them in turn, Mapper ordered simply, “Senior Pet, Report.”

Serenity spoke up first, “Mistress. Junior Pet questioned Middle Pet and Middle Pet upset Junior Pet. Also, Middle Pet is no longer proud of her scars.”

Communicating with her wife with more than just mere words, Serenity silently filled her Mistress in on every little thing that had transpired in the Stallion’s Room. Satisfied and happy beyond measure, Mapper asked, “Do you think Middle Pet should have a reward?”

Her nose still touching the hardwood floor, Serenity replied, “If it pleases the Mistress.”

“Suggestion?”

Serenity smiled, “Give me to the Middle Pet, Mistress.”

From her futon, Mapper nodded, “I will take it under consideration.” The pink unicorn then turned her attention to Serenity’s left and to the diminutive yellow mare awaiting her orders. “Middle Pet, Report.”

Without raising her head, Wildfire answered her Mistress as best she could. “I scrubbed clean what Senior Pet asked me to clean Mistress. Junior Pet asked me about the home, and if it was that bad. I asked Senior Pet to help me show her. I apologise for upsetting her, Mistress.”

“Hmm…” Mapper looked down at the blind pony. While that report wasn’t necessarily what she wanted, she at least deserved points for effort. “Is it true you no longer take pride in your scars?”

“Yes Mistress, it is true.”

Finally, and with the ghost of a faint smile adorning her pink muzzle, Mapper turned to Octavia who, while not as low as the other two, was still bowed before her. “Junior Pet, report.”

“The laundry was done Mistress.” Octavia replied straight away, her muzzle as low to the floor as she could manage. “I did question Middle Pet about her experiences…” Noticeably, the dark grey mare’s voice trembled and cracked at what she’d witnessed. “I-I…I had no idea it was that brutal, Mistress.”

Feeling a not too small degree of sympathy for the older pony – no doubt she had felt the same as she had done when she had inspected Wildfire’s wings before the parade – Mapper extended her hoof to Octavia’s shoulder. “I have no idea how brutal it was, Junior Pet.”

“I have been shown the evidence Mistress.” Octavia replied sadly, “Her time there must have been awful.”

“Yes,” Mapper nodded sympathetically, “But now she is in a home of love.” Turning her attention back to her bowing pegasus, the pink unicorn asked, “Middle Pet are you happy here?”

Straightaway Wildfire answered, “I can't remember a time when I was happier, Mistress.”

Through her unique link with Serenity, Mapper got four words that made her very happy indeed. ‘She speaks the truth.’ Although, just by looking at the yellow pony you could see she was happy. This one wore her heart on her foreleg, indeed. Inwardly Mapper smiled. While it did make her easy to read, it also meant she wasn’t keeping anything back. “Anything else Junior Pet?”

Octavia shook her head. “No, Mistress.”

“Roll onto your back, Junior Pet.”

“Yes Mistress.” Hastening to do as she was instructed, Octavia rolled over onto her back, the weight of her legs causing them to splay open so that but for the panties wedged in her marehood since the open mic at the coffee shop she was fully displayed.

Looking on, Mapper smiled her approval as her eyes met Luna’s. “Middle Pet, you may use your mouth only to adjust Junior Pet's article of clothing for a smoother appearance.”

“Yes Mistress!” Immediately, Wildfire used her wingtip to feel her way to her right, moving confidently past Serenity and touching Octavia’s right hind leg. With her hoof and her nose now she felt her way around Octavia to get her head firmly between the dark grey pony’s legs, pushing in with her muzzle until she had the panties in her teeth. Getting a firm grip the diminutive yellow mare pulled them out of her and licked them smooth, causing the cellist to shudder happily.

“Well done Middle Pet.” Mapper clapped her forehooves together loudly as she announced, “Free Time for Senior and Middle Pets. Mistress Luna, I commend Junior Pet to your care.”

Luna nodded to Mapper then to her wife. “Pet, come here.” She lifted her right wing and as Serenity moved up against Mapper and Airmail Tempest moved to lay either side of Wildfire, Octavia righted herself and scurried under Luna’s outstretched wing. “Mistress...” Octavia nuzzled the alicorn’s shoulder as she gave voice to her concerns, “Luna, my love, the care home staff. Please tell me you punished them.”

Settling her wings over the zebra to her left and the earth pony to her right, Luna nodded grimly. “They were punished as severely as I was able Tavi. Do you understand me?”

Octavia looked up at her wife and her pink eyes went wide as saucers as the realisation dawned upon her just what that meant. Luna had never, ever hidden from her the darker more sinister nature of her royal duties. Something that until now she had kept a firm hoofs breadth away from. Now of course, after the events of the day before, those lines had become very blurred. Very blurred indeed. “I understand you, Mistress.”

As Serenity nestled in deep next to her partner, Mapper nuzzled her affectionately. “Did you enjoy your night, Pet?”

“Hmhmm…” Serenity purred, “It was a lot of fun, but no offense Mistress, Luna's horn was very tasty.”

“And you Wildfire,” Mapper asked as Airmail hugged her left flank and Tempest hugged her right. “Did you enjoy your evening?”

“Yuppers Mistress!” Wildfire smiled, “It was a great evening!”

“What did you like most?” Mapper asked curiously.

Wildfire didn’t have to think about it very hard. She knew what she had loved the most about tonight, no, the whole day in general. “Flying back here, I really enjoyed that, Mistress.”

Mapper nodded as she cuddled into Serenity. “You did very well Wily, in fact your responsibility from now on is to fill the Mare's Room pillows when we stay here.”

“Awesomes!” Wildfire almost bounced between the two older mares, “I can totally do that, um...Mistress.”

Turning to the violet pegasus, Mapper snickered, “Tempest you may mother hen of course.”

In response, Tempest just smiled sweetly while they both shared a wink and a knowing look full of meaning as Wildfire spoke up, “Pardon Mistress, but all Honey has to do is point me in the right direction.”

Tempest bent her head and nuzzled the little yellow mare, “I'll always point you in the right direction, Wily.”

Cuddling under Luna’s right wing, Octavia nosed the alicorn’s shoulder to get her attention.

Feeling the gentle nudge, Luna looked down upon the dark grey earth pony with a smile, “What is it, love?”

In not quite a whisper, not quite her normal volume, Octavia said, “Mistress I saw the damage that was done to Wildfire's wings.” The ageing earth pony shuddered involuntarily as she recalled with unnerving clarity the horrendous damage she had witnessed in the Wet Room. “They must hurt her so much to fly. Isn't there something, anything you can do about it?”

“Hmm…” Luna thought about it. While she was by no means an expert on healing spells she was, as a Dom, sufficiently well versed in emergency spells in case a play should go wrong. “There might well be.” Looking across at the yellow mare nestled in between Airmail and Tempest, she said, “Wildfire can I ask you a favour?”

“You are on Free Time, Wildfire.” Mapper reminded her as Airmail watched Luna closely, highly suspicious of what she was about to do.

“Sure,” Wildfire said as she turned her head towards Luna’s voice. “What do you need, Princess?”

As gently as she possibly could, making sure it was understood what she said next was a request and not an order, Luna asked, “Wildfire, could you stand for me and spread your wings, please?”

In order to allow her the movement, Airmail and Tempest lowered themselves to their bellies on their pillows either side of the little yellow mare as Wildfire nodded. “Alrighty, Princess.” Standing carefully to her full height – which admittedly wasn’t much – she spread her wings as wide as she could.

“Thank you Wildfire.” Luna inclined her head in thanks, “Now with your permission I'll use a spell to move your feathers. It won't hurt, I promise.”

Mapper spoke up, “I have every confidence that my Pet can withstand some pain.”

Squaring her tiny shoulders, Wildfire braced herself. “Alright,” she said, somewhat emotionlessly.

With the diminutive pegasus’s permission, Luna lit her horn and taking the yellow feathers in her turquoise magical aura she carefully moved the downy feathers on the leading edges of her wings aside against the grain, displaying the extensive damage for all to clearly see. With tears in her eyes, Octavia winced and looked away, while Airmail and Tempest remained stoic at the view from underneath their new herd-mate.

Muttering aloud to herself, Luna surveyed the damage. “Hmm…lots of scarring, some old, some newer, more recent.” To her trained eye, well versed as she was in administering pain, Luna at once identified the marks of the bullwhip, the crop, the blunt force of a hoof… “Hmm…the scarring is easily fixed, superficial damage....” next she moved on to the breaks, of which there were many. As she could tell, most of which were administered by a large stallion’s hoof. Some however were the result of a well-aimed whip. The darkness in the Princess was almost impressed. “Ulna and Radius on both wings broken twice, Humerus on the left broken once and the Metacarpals on the right broken once.” Luna had a tear in her eye as she dismissed the spell. “Thank you, Wildfire. You may sit.”

Pulling her wings back in to a resting position, Wildfire lowered herself to sit back down between Airmail and Tempest, her head well down. Straight away the two older pegasi draped their wings comfortingly over Wildfire’s back and Airmail nuzzled her affectionately. “I love you.” She whispered in her ear.

Wildfire had a tremulous smile on her muzzle, “I…I love you too, Pretty.”

“I just need one more thing Wildfire,” Luna said gently but firmly, bringing everypony’s attention to her. “Honest answers to the questions I’m going to ask.”

Watching the exchange with great interest, Mapper was almost insulted and offended that it was being suggested her herd-mate would be untruthful. Indeed, she was about to vociferously object when Serenity put her teal hoof on her wife’s foreleg and shook her head. Controlling herself, Mapper asked calmly instead, “Mistress Luna do you think my pet would lie?”

Concentrating on the yellow pony, Luna didn’t look at the pink unicorn when she replied, “No Mistress Mapper, I don't.” Scrutinising Wildfire some more, Luna assessed just what she could and could not do. “Now, Wildfire, were any of these breaks fixed properly, allowed to heal correctly?”

Wildfire shook her head sadly, “No, Princess. They left my wings to heal on their own.”

Again, the Nightmare within her howled for vengeance, and Luna had to really force herself to quieten it down. She needed cold hard precision here, and would tap into that part of herself as and when was necessary. “I see. And, does it hurt when you fly?”

Wildfire cocked her head in thought as she considered her reply. “Well, I'm alright for about forty five minutes or so, then they start to hurt real bad, Princess.”

“I see,” Luna said quietly, “Well given the extensive damage to your wing bones I am amazed you can stay in the air for even that long. Tempest, how long was Wildfire working the weather earlier?”

Now it was Tempest’s turn to consider her answer. She hadn’t given it much thought earlier when they were working. “A twenty minute flight from our house to the meet up point, and a hour after that pushing clouds. Then she did three thirty minute shifts of cloud bouncing with thirty minute breaks. After that it was roughly another forty minutes or so till we got to the coffee shop.”

“Incredible,” Luna was stunned. “Absolutely incredible. You must have been in some, please excuse me, awesome amount of pain, Wildfire.”

Wildfire just shrugged her shoulders. “Yuppers, it hurt a bit, sure. But pain is just pain, y’know? Nothing to it, but to do it.”

Luna couldn’t help but laugh. “Wildfire, I think you and I have a very different opinion on what 'hurts a bit' means. I wouldn't attempt to fly with wings like these, let alone attempt and pull off the moves you can do.”

Airmail shot Tempest a glare over Wildfire’s back. “Didn't you notice?”

Tempest shivered. She hadn’t been looked at like that in a good long while. “I was working the Battalion and when I checked in with Wily she seemed fine. She said she was fine!” The violet mare protested her innocence.

“They really didn't hurt all that much, Pretty.” Wildfire spoke up, “I’m used to it by now.”

“Now,” Luna said loudly, before the situation could get out of hoof, “The scarring I can heal right here right now, you won't feel a thing, other than a pleasant tingling sensation over your wings...”

“Call me cynical but I hear a pretty big 'but' coming,” Wildfire said as she interrupted the Princess, “And I’m sure I won't like it.”

Mapper couldn’t suppress her giggle, “Weren't you paying attention Middle Pet? Mistress Luna said it was her sister with the pretty big butt.” At that Wildfire sniggered and even Serenity started laughing.

“Very well.” Luna nodded, finding very little humour in what she was about to say. Indeed she was prepared for the reaction from a certain azure blue pegasus who was still glaring suspiciously at her. “Here's the 'but'. I can mend the breaks in your wing bones. BUT…they have been so poorly and improperly fixed before now that to mend them properly...I'll...I…I'm afraid I'll have to re-break them first, in order to set them.”

Hearing that, Serenity smiled a really eerily wide psychotic smile. “Wildfire,” she asked, the ear-to-ear smile still firmly in place, “Do you want to be awake when Mistress Luna breaks your wings?”

In utter shock, Wildfire didn’t hear what Serenity had said, so focused was she on Luna’s statement. “Y-You…you want…t-to do what!?” She exclaimed, momentarily forgetting she was addressing royalty, “You w-want t-to break my w-wings!?”

Throughout this, Airmail and Tempest had remained strangely quiet, now however the violet mare nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek tenderly. “They healed wrong, love. The only way to properly fix them is to set them correctly. To do that they must be broken again.”

“B-But…but…” Wildfire spluttered, starting to get panicked, “Y-You said…you wouldn't hurt them!” Breathing deeply the little mare began to hyperventilate from fear.

Serenity’s too-wide smile never slipped once. “Do you want to be awake?”

“What!? Do I…do I what!?” She breathed heavily, “It'll bucking hurt!”

Serenity’s psychotic smile turned all hopeful. “I didn't ask that.”

Wildfire shrugged, “I was awake the first time they were broken wasn't I?” She asked, her defeated shoulders slumping, “How is this different?”

“Please answer Senior Pet's question.” Mapper interjected, “Do you want to be awake to see what Mistress Luna does?”

“Yeah,” Wildfire replied determinedly, “Yeah I do. I can't see what she's doing with my wings, so I'll feel it instead.

Unable to contain herself at the prospect of experiencing such sweet pain, Serenity jumped to her hooves. “Do you want to feel the pain?”

Wildfire grimaced, “Not particularly, no I don’t.”

“Let me feel it for you!” Serenity started to dance on her four hooves, so excited was she at the thought of what she might be allowed to do here. “Please! Please!”

“Serenity,” Luna asked, interrupting Wildfire before she could fire off an objection, “Are you completely sure about this?” She asked as Airmail and Tempest both nuzzled the yellow mare and scooted backwards to give them room.

Now Serenity had given up the happy dance and was bouncing on her pillow with excitement. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“Let her have her fun,” Mapper shrugged, “She is on Free Time.”

“Fun!?” Luna was in complete disbelief. She might have spent a thousand years away, but in the thirty that she had been back she was fairly certain now she had a working understanding of the word ‘fun’. This wasn’t it. “Mapper, there are ten separate major breaks in the wing bones, plus multiple minor breaks as a result of hooves. I assure you, Serenity, this will be excruciatingly painful.”

“Please! Please!” As she begged, Serenity wet herself with anticipation. “Please! Please!”

Luna blinked once then twice. In the BDSM circles in Canterlot, she had of course met mares who were addicted to pain. Such a thing was in of itself not uncommon. Indeed, as a cause of most of it, Luna understood sometimes it was desirable. Indeed, her own beating at the hooves of Caffeinated proved that, but she’d never encountered a mare quite like Serenity. Nor, she was sure, would she ever again. “Last time, this will likely be the worst pain you have felt in your life. Are you sure? Once I start I will not stop until it is finished.”

Completely understanding Luna’s reluctance, Mapper slid off of her futon and put her hoof up on Luna’s shoulder. “If you want to punish her then just say no.”

At the sound of that, Serenity immediately stopped her bouncing, becoming altogether more subdued for an eternal few minutes until Luna gave her a long hard look and nodded her agreement to the plan. Utterly thrilled at finally being able to indulge in her true kink, Serenity moved in front of Wildfire as Tempest and Airmail slid pillows underneath them both. “Wildfire, are you comfortable?”

Nestling on the pillows that her herd-mates had thoughtfully slid under her, Wildfire felt movement in front of her that she guessed was Serenity. “Yuppers, I'm comfy.” She replied, sounding far more confident than she felt. The next thing Wildfire felt was a forehead resting on her own as the teal unicorn laid down on the pillows in front of her. She felt the unicorn’s spiralled horn resting upon her head between her ears, she felt a pulsing tingle that signified a spell being cast, and suddenly, miraculously, every single iota of pain Wildfire had vanished from her body. She was about to comment on this when she noticed it was only the pain that had gone, she could still feel the pillows under her and Serenity touching her.

Casting her spell, Serenity shivered happily. “It is like a light tickle, you have a very high pain tolerance, Wildfire.”

Wildfire shrugged, “Yeah, I know. I've learned to deal with it.”

Cautiously, thinking ahead, Mapper moved forward and to the side to sit between the two mares and placed a hoof over her wife's horn so that it wouldn't lose contact with Wildfire. Just in case.

Standing from the futons she was resting on, Luna walked over to stand behind Wildfire. “Spread your wings please.”

Looking up at the lunar alicorn, Mapper said, with a great deal of pride in her voice, “As you may have guessed, my Pet scores very high in empathy.”

As Wildfire nervously spread her wings wide open on the floor, Serenity gasped, the empathic link between her and the little yellow mare now fully established. “Oh…oooh yeeeesssss,” she hissed, “It is like I have wings.” Indeed it was as if she was no longer a unicorn but a pegasus pony. She could feel Wildfire’s wings as if they were her very own. “Oh it is sooooo good!” The spikes of pain running through her new limbs were sending corresponding spikes of pleasure through her body.

Luna frowned a little as she prepared her spell. “Serenity, can you feel Wildfire's wings as if they were your own?”

“Y-Yes…yes,” she moaned, “I feel the points of pain.” Her melodic voice was shaking with the sheer pleasure of the pain she felt. “I can feel the musculature, I can feel the bones, I can feel the feathers resting on the pillows.”

“You can feel the poorly mended bones and scars?” Luna asked.

Serenity gave the slightest almost imperceptible nod, not wanting to break this most exquisite connection. “I can feel the bones and the pinched nerves and the twisted muscle. Not the scars on her wings though, that pain is too light. I can feel the scars over her eyes though.”

Laying there in the Mare’s Room, Wildfire was truly, utterly amazed. “You…you can feel my sockets, where my eyes were?” It was only then that Wildfire noticed that the pain in her face was gone too. A pain that had become such a part of her that at first she hadn’t noticed its absence.

“Yes,” Serenity was by now so aroused it was an effort to speak. She felt the scars, she felt the melted flesh and the pitted empty sockets that once had held the prettiest chestnut brown eyes. The teal unicorn felt all this as if it was she herself that’d had the hydrochloric and sulphuric acids thrown in her face. “I know the pain of the kisses.”

“Damn...you know what I live with everyday then.”

“I love you Wildfire,” Serenity whispered, using her empathic magic she continued to draw on the past pain so that it faded from the diminutive pegasus and transferred it to herself. “Give me all of your pain.”

“Ahem…” Luna cleared her throat, “If we are all sufficiently…prepared...I need to concentrate fully on this task. Anypony else who might make a noise, I ask you to please leave.”

“Pet,” Mapper breathed in Serenity’s ear, “You may not make a sound above a whisper unless Mistress Luna asks you a question. You may however orgasm freely.”

Serenity merely whispered in reply, her voice full of arousal and adoration. “Yes Mistress.”

“I'm staying,” Airmail stated defiantly, making it very clear from her tone that she was going absolutely nowhere at all. “I've seen worse.”

Huddling next to her marefriend, Tempest’s voice while resolute, wasn’t as confident as Airmail. “I'll just snuggle Airmail and I'll try to be very quiet.”

Behind her on the futons that Luna had vacated, Coffee Bean said steadfastly, “Nami kuwa imara.”

“Tavi?” Luna asked over her shoulder without turning around.

With a wavering voice that was uncertain, Octavia replied, “I'm staying, Mistress.” Hearing the dark grey earth pony’s distress, Coffee Bean moved over the futons to lay next to her and tentatively draped her foreleg over her shoulders to see if she would allow the hug, a hug that Octavia gladly accepted.

Reliving the whole five years of past abuse that Wildfire had endured at the care home, Serenity had a blissful smile plastered all over her teal muzzle.

Wildfire was beyond amazed. “I-I…I don't hurt any more, anywhere...”

Mapper shot Wildfire a stern look, a look that made it to her voice as she ordered, “You too Middle Pet, quiet unless Mistress Luna asks you a question.”

Wildfire whispered, “Yes Mistress.”

“Very well then.” In position to see every part of Wildfire’s wings, Luna was finally ready to start the procedure. “Everypony, we begin in three…two…one…” on the count of one, Luna lit her horn and cast her spell – or spells, would’ve been more accurate, for there were several minor spells layered together to create the effects she needed - extending her powerful magic first through Wildfire's left wing. With her eyes closed she allowed herself to ‘see’ through her exploratory magic as it extended along the bones in the wing. In short order she came across and felt the first break in the Radius and, as gently as she could, broke it again.

Sure she would hear a scream, Luna was impressed to see Serenity just shiver and smile as the Princess held the bones together and magically sealed them seamlessly together before she moved on to the next break in the Radius.

Bracing herself to once more feel the agonising pain of her bones breaking, Wildfire instead felt nothing. She heard the awful snapping sound of the bone breaking and she felt the pressure, she just felt no pain at all. Completely unsure what to make of it all, Wildfire shuffled instinctively at the noise.

Her concentration wavering slightly at the movement of her ‘patient’, Luna commanded, “Hold still!”

On the other end of the empathic link, Serenity pushed her forehoof between her hind legs and began to circle her marehood as Luna reached and broke the second break in the Radius and, gaining confidence in her own ability, the two in the smaller bone of the Ulna before magically knitting them back together.

On the edge of her awareness, Luna noted Serenity was now rubbing herself very hard. Paying it little mind, she asked, “Were those three breaks tolerable Serenity?”

Maintaining her connection, Serenity panted, “They were delicious, Mistress Luna, but the pain fades.”

Moving her magical consciousness over to Wildfire’s right wing, Luna at once detected the breaks there. “I'm going to do the other Radius and Ulna together. Be prepared.” Despite her warning, the teal unicorn’s smile never wavered once and Mapper looked at the Princess as she took hold of the improperly healed breaks. Giving herself a silent countdown Luna broke all four fractures simultaneously.

With her hoof playing over her clitoris, Serenity bit her lip to give off a soft moan and the whole room could smell her arousal as Luna wove the broken pieces back together, sealing them as one bone each. “Nggh…” Luna winced in complete concentration and found the large Humerus bone had a large single break and many tiny hairline cracks radiating from it. Breaking apart all of them, she started to sweat with the effort.

Taking a deep intake of air, Serenity began hoofing herself with the stimulus from the intense pain as the lunar alicorn deftly slotted the many pieces back together inside Wildfire’s wing and magically sealed them. “Hmm…last one now…” she said more to herself than to anypony else.

As Luna re-entered Wildfire’s left wing, she noticed Serenity’s leg was up to her fetlock inside her dripping wet marehood. Encountering the fragile carpal joint, Luna extended her magical field over the honeycomb lattice that was the metacarpals, frowning somewhat as she found at least fifteen separate tiny breaks in these 'finger' bones.

Serenity began to come back down from her high, the tingles of these breaks almost tickling her as without warning Luna magically shattered the bones, causing the teal mare to once again bite her lip in order to hold back her scream of ecstasy while now the sweat was running freely down the midnight blue alicorn’s face as she tried – and failed in a few places – to keep the multiple pieces from rubbing against each other as she tried to mould the tiny breaks into their proper form.

Reaching her second orgasm from the pain alone, Serenity whispered, “Mistress?”

Pouring more power into the multi-layered spell, Luna was finally able to sculpt the myriad breaks back together into their proper shape, sealing them shut.

“Finished?” Mapper asked, awed at the display of power and skill.

Finally, Luna sent a wave of power over the skin of Wildfire's wings instantly healing the scar tissue she found there. “And...I'm...done...” weakened by the effort, Luna stumbled to her knees.

Concerned, Mapper bent over Serenity’s prone form. “Come home my Pet. Return to me my love.” She whispered in her wife’s ear as Serenity pulled her hoof out of herself with a dazed half lidded look on her face, as sweaty as Luna was. “Taste Wildfire's pain.” Mapper smiled at her. “Can you taste it?”

Still keeping up the connection, Serenity barely nodded, “Yes Mistress.”

“Show me.”

Seeing her wife stumble, Octavia rushed out from under Coffee Bean’s foreleg to Luna's side, tenderly nuzzling her Mistress as a soft hazel glow appeared over the acid scars that covered Wildfire's face and also over a spot on her left wing where the Princess had fused the bones and two spots on the finger bones she had just mended.

Seeing that the three spots on the wing were glowing a brighter hazel than her face, Mapper asked, “On the wings, what is the flavour?”

“Mistress,” Serenity replied, “There are nerves are caught in the bones and they are squeezed with pleasure.”

Shooting the exhausted Princess a look, Mapper asked, “Are you up to finishing?”

It had been years since Octavia had seen her wide this exhausted, since the incident with the Tantabus in Ponyville. Lovingly she put her hoof on her shoulder. “Luna...my love, are you alright?”

“Y-Yes, I'm...I will be,” Luna tried to stand and then stumbled back to her knees, “I’m…just light headed.”

Following Octavia’s lead, Coffee Bean slid from her futon and nuzzled her Goddess. “Kuchukua nguvu zangu.” She said gently.

“Is…is it done?” Wildfire asked, astounded as she experimentally flexed her wings. “My wings...they don't feel like my wings!”

“AaaAAAH!” Still connected by the empathic link, Serenity orgasmed for a third time.

Mapper cried sternly, “Lie still Pet!”

Whimpering, Wildfire whispered, “Yes Mistress.” With her wings fully outstretched she lay still on the pillows.

“Luna,” Mapper asked gently, “Can you continue?”

“I-I'm...finished...Mapper.” The Princess shook her head in order to clear it. “The bones are mended, and the scar tissue is gone.”

“Love, show us the tasty spots again.”

“Yes Mistress.” Once more Serenity’s hazel glow reappeared on the three spots on the left wing and Wildfire’s eyes.

“You've mended the bones,” Mapper explained, “But those are nerves pinched by the bones you mended, and I have no finesse at all to do such fine work.”

Luna sighed at the prospect of using her magic again so soon. “It was...harder than I imagined it would be.”

“All great undertakings usually are.” Mapper replied, “But based on Serenity’s last orgasm I don't think I want to let Wildfire have her pain back just yet.”

“There's nothing that I can do about your eyes I'm afraid, Wildfire.” Luna asserted gently, choosing her words carefully, “There's nothing left for me to repair.”

“Can you not free the nerves so they are no longer pinched in the wings?” Mapper asked the Princess.

In her wife’s and Coffee Bean’s embrace, Luna considered her reply, “Hmm…possibly, can Serenity tell me where they are, exactly?”

Leaning back into Serenity’s ear, Mapper said firmly, “Focus love. I want the spot of flavour. Start with the one at the edge of the wing.” As soon as the pink unicorn finished speaking the bright hazel glow shrunk to a pin point of hazel light.

Seeing the bright point of light on the wing, Luna once again closed her eyes and concentrated her magic as she entered the point of the wing. A simple exploration revealed the nerve bundle was fused with the bone. “Hmm…damn it’s fused…” Lighting her horn even brighter the lunar alicorn layered yet another spell onto those she had already cast and mentally entered the bone itself and proceeded to slowly, very slowly, separate each individual nerve fibre.

After twenty minutes, when she was finished, the pin point of light vanished and the next spot along the wing shrunk down to be followed by the last. Keeping up her concentration, Luna repeated her process on the remaining two areas, individually separating each and every nerve. Eventually, after forty minutes of solid effort, all that was left was a soft hazel glow around where Wildfire's eyes should be.

Seeing just the glow around the yellow mare’s face, Mapper stroked Serenity’s back and affectionately nipped her ear. “Return to me Pet and let Wildfire have her pain back.”

Serenity almost whined, “No more flavour, Mistress?”

Mapper shook her head, “No more.” Smiling sadly at the loss of the connection, Serenity gradually cancelled her empathic spell and slowly returned the dull everyday pain of the acid scars to Wildfire. Once, and only once, the hazel glow was completely and totally gone from Serenity’s horn did Mapper hold her wife and remove her horn from Wildfire’s head.

“Damn…” Wildfire winced as she felt the familiar dull ache of her scars seep back through her face, although probably as a result of the spell the pain was somewhat diminished. “Aaahn…” she gasped as she also felt a new ache through her newly repaired wings, almost like she had flown through some tree branches.

Mapper smiled as she cuddled her semi-conscious wife, “Pain lets us know we live, Pet.”

“I…I hope...nopony needs magic for a while,” Luna gasped, covered in sweat and trembling with the sheer effort of the amount of magic she had just performed. “I'm done…” still she found the energy to smile at Octavia's worried look.

Serenity came around for a moment, a heady smile on her face. “Thank you Wildfire, for sharing.”

Again, and for what felt like the millionth time that evening, Wildfire was amazed. “But…my wings...” she squeaked in disbelief as she folded and flared them a couple of times, even giving them a flap, “They…they feel brand new!”

“Tempest, Airmail,” Mapper smiled at the two very relieved looking pegasi, “I think your companion needs to test drive her wings.” Bending her head down, the pink unicorn tenderly kissed the teal mare’s cheek. “Was it good Serenity?”

Still fuggy from the experience, and her three orgasms, Serenity nodded. “It was wonderful Mistress.”

“The Best?”

Serenity shook her head and gave a very tiny smile. “No Mistress, I'm thankful it wasn't the best.”

Watching the three pegasi stand, Luna warned, “Don't push them too hard, the bones are fully repaired and operational, but the muscles may be weakened. Best to take it slow, Wildfire.”

Tempest nodded as she stretched her legs. “Let's do a short flight to the beach and back.”

“Don't push yourself.” Luna warned again, this time very serious. “I'm not doing that again.”

Turning to face the Princess’s voice, Wildfire bowed both out of respect and gratitude. “I promise I'll be careful.”

Airmail inclined her head to Luna, “We will be careful of our companion.”

As Airmail and Tempest left the Mare’s Room with Wildfire following closely behind them, Mapper turned to Luna with a new level of appreciation in her magenta eyes. “Your fine skill and precision was beautiful to watch, Luna.”

“Thank you Mapper.” Luna smiled back at her, “It certainly was a challenge, more to the point I'm very happy it worked, for there was no guarantee of success.”

“Pfft…” Mapper scoffed as Serenity fell asleep, “Coffee Bean believed in you. You couldn't possibly fail.”

Luna giggled, “That much is true.”

Octavia spoke up then, finding her voice finally. “It staggers me Mistress that she was able to fly at all with damage that severe.”

“Pain is in the mind,” Mapper merely shrugged in response, “And so you can control it.”

Luna nodded at that. “Serenity said Wildfire's tolerance was exceptional.”

“Yes,” Mapper agreed, “It takes a lot for her to taste the pain, however she could taste it right away.” The pink mare lovingly stroked her wife’s snoring body. “I'm going to let her sleep, but yes, she also absorbs the memory of pain like a sponge. It is the real pain that she loves the most to taste.”

Sadly Luna shook her head. “Extraordinary. How a group of ponies could so wilfully inflict so much suffering to another that that pony starts to view it as 'normal', it makes me feel sick imagining it.”

Cold fire flashed across the magenta eyes at that. “Abuse will gain my anger. Suffering is part of life. Pain is a drug that can be misused.”

Octavia raised her hoof then, “If my Mistress has done what I suspect she has, they will never hurt anypony again Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper gave a slight grin, “Airmail’s solution or were you merciful?”

“It was an execution, not a slaughter Mapper.” Luna replied grimly, “And their souls are forever bound in Tartarus.”

Mapper shrugged, “For the best. Airmail tends to give back suffering as it was given.”

“I know,” Luna nodded, “I have all her reports from her missions, still, it pleases me that I was able to put at least some of her abuse to rest.”

“I will not abuse my Pet, so rest well there.” Mapper said assuredly, then she let out quite a fillyish giggle. “Of course, some have their own idea of what abuse is.” She looked pointedly at Octavia, “Like having a blind pegasus carry their cello or singing bubblegum pop songs.”

Nodding, Octavia smiled, “You have me there Mistress.”

“So,” Mapper giggled, “My idea of abuse may not be another's idea of abuse.”

“Still, I have to admit that Wildfire did do an admirable job.” Octavia grudgingly agreed.

“I trust Tempest.” Mapper said simply. “She believes in Wildfire, so I to believe in Wildfire.”

Luna smiled as she cuddled into her wife’s left flank. “She is an exceptional pegasus and you're a lucky Mistress to have her as a Pet.”

“She will be a very useful and valuable member of our herd.” Mapper replied with a wink directed at Octavia, “I could use a strong earth pony though.”

Grinning, Octavia returned the wink. “I'm happy to be your Junior Pet, as my Mistress allows.”

“I don't think I can love you as your Mistress loves you so I'll be happy when you visit.”

“Oh…” Luna thought aloud, “I think we'll visit quite regularly from now on, don't you Tavi?”

Happily, Octavia nuzzled Luna’s shoulder, “Yes my love, I rather think we will.”

“Coffee Bean,” Luna said, “How are you doing?”

Completely awed by what she had witnessed, Coffee Bean took a moment to reply. “I have seen the power of the Goddess this night.”

Absolutely contented, Luna laid her right wing over Octavia while holding up the other. “Coffee Bean I'd very much like a snuggle from you, please.” As the old white zebra moved to Luna’s other side she pressed in deep against her midnight blue fur and the Princess laid her wing over her as she had with her wife. “Tavi,” she asked, “Where would you like to sleep tonight?”

Quick as a flash Octavia answered, “With the Pets Mistress, if you please.” She didn’t know if it was a motherly thing or not, but nothing in the whole land was going to keep her from snuggling with Wildfire tonight.

Mapper raised her eyebrow with interest, “Will you be sleeping elsewhere Luna?”

A moment’s thought later and Luna had her answer. “I'm going to use a bedroom this time I think.”

“Are you going to join the other four?” Mapper asked, thinking of Caffeinated, Thespian, Trumpet and Recital already upstairs.

Luna shook her head, “No, not this time, I fancy stretching out.”

Mapper nodded, “Care for any company?”

“Oh,” Luna grinned, thinking how exquisite bedding Mapper would be, “I can always use company.”

“The Pets don't need supervision.” Mapper thought aloud, with a definite nod of her head to Octavia, “Gives them a chance to be naughty. How much company would you like, Luna?”

Glancing to her left and to the simply irresistible white zebra, Luna grinned, “Two mares should be sufficient company for tonight, I think.”

Following Luna’s gaze, Mapper smiled as an idea took hold in her head. “May I be so bold to suggest a fine Earth Pony?” She asked, earning herself a delightful little squeak from the old Preistess.

“You may.” Luna smiled back, playing along with the pink unicorn. “Know you of such a fine pony?”

Mapper rubbed her chin, deep in thought. For a split second she was tempted to say ‘Pinkie Pie’, but one look at how comfortable and relaxed Octavia was put her off of that. “Mayhap the stripy one next to you?”

“Aah!” Luna nodded, “I quite agree with your choice, Mapper.”

Nestled into Luna’s left flank, Coffee Bean could scarsely believe her old ears. “Nami kuthibitisha thamani yangu Mungu wa Usiku.” She uttered reverently.

“I'm sure you will prove your worth just fine, Coffee.” Mapper assured the white zebra, “So, if you still have room for another do you want a tickly feather or somepony horning in on your operation?”

Luna thought about it but ultimately shook her head. “No I think you two should be sufficient to keep me company.” Glancing down to her right she winked at her wife, “Tavi, you staying for one Pet in particular?”

Octavia blushed at having been found out. “Well…I do want to cuddle Wildfire forever, Mistress.”

“She has been trying to be a good pony.” Mapper smiled. “Maybe you can teach her that being a bad pony now and again can be just as much fun.” Continuing to stroke Serenity’s mane as she slept, Mapper asked, “You will watch over this one too?” When the dark grey earth pony nodded that she would, Mapper said, “One more favour Junior Pet. When this one wakes let both Pets know all the negatives to bearing a foal. It won't stop them but it might sober them up a bit.”

Octavia nodded, “Certainly Mistress, though as you say it will not stop them, either of them, from what I gather.”

“I don't want to stop them.” Mapper explained, “I just want them grounded. They are bringing our little herd back together.”

“Then I shall ground them, Mistress.”

Luna leant and conspicuously kissed a patch of Octavia’s light grey fur. “Before we go, who's my pretty young mare?”

Feeling in a thoroughly good mood, Octavia replied, “I am Mistress.”

“Yeye ni lakini mtoto,” Coffee Bean commented, earning herself a snorted laugh from Mapper.

‘I certainly hope they are going easy, no bridge flights…’ Luna thought, and indeed she was about to vocalise this thought, when she was interrupted by loud excited chatter from outside the Mare’s Room. Notably from one mare that was louder and more exuberant than the others.

“Wohoo!” Wildfire whooped with glee as she burst back into the room, “That was like, totally amazing!”

With the plain wooden door still open, Tempest entered ahead of Airmail, the azure blue mare distinctly out of breath. “We went to South Point,” Tempest explained, looking at Wildfire proudly.

“I take it somepony enjoyed themselves?” Luna asked, trying desperately to hold in her giggle as Wildfire was busy with a four hooved happy dance of utter joy.

“We got her up to sixty miles per hour after some stretching and…”

“These aren't my wings!” Wildfire interrupted Tempest, unable to contain herself any longer. “It's like, the best Hearths Warming gift ever!”

Standing from her futon, Mapper went and hugged the still dancing pegasus tightly, so very proud of how brave she had been this night. “You may thank Junior Pet for asking her Mistress to do so. I will also leave Senior Pet in your care. We adults are using the back left bedroom. It the Pets are too much for you then you two can use one of the front bedrooms.” Breaking the hug to kiss the sleeping Serenity, Mapper trotted over to the door.

Wildfire practically spear tackled Octavia as Luna wisely dodged out of the way with Coffee Bean. “Thank you! Thank you Octavia, thank you!” Hugging her tight, the little yellow mare pulled away a little, “But, thank you doesn't seem enough for this, for what you’ve done.”

“Seeing you happy is thanks enough,” Octavia smiled, “But I'll have a cuddle as well.”

Airmail glanced over at Tempest, “Want to have some private time or d’you want to foalsit?”

Tempest thought about it. For two seconds. “Private time. Let the Pets play freely.” She and Airmail both shared a kiss and nuzzle, then Tempest grinned, “Have fun, Wily.” With that they went over to join Luna and Coffee Bean at the door to the Mare’s Room, Mapper having already departed.

“Yuppers!” Wildfire didn’t care, she was too busy hugging Octavia like there was no tomorrow. “You have fun too!”

Chapter 9 - Socking Revelations

Luna stirred as she heard the knock on the door. She heard Caffeinated's deep rumbling voice say, “Napenda kuwajulisha mwezi wanachokiabudu kuwa kifungua kinywa ni tayari.” Luna snorted which woke her companions from their slumber.

“Thank you Caffy,” Luna got out before she was interrupted by a massive yawn. “A pleasant morning to you.” On either side of Luna lay two waking mares. The Priestess Coffee Bean was nose to tail and Mapper’s pink muzzle was next to Luna’s ear.

Coffee Bean reverently kissed the lunar cutie mark, “It is a moon worthy of worship.”

Mapper gently nibbled the midnight blue ear, “I’ll fetch the Pets so you can go straight to your meal.”

“This is defiantly one of my better mornings, I think,” Luna said as she failed to suppress another yawn.

Both Mapper and Coffee Bean rolled off the bed. Mapper headed for the door while Coffee Bean had to agree, “Yes, very much so.”

Luna did a quick flap of her wide powerful wings to land softly next to Coffee Bean and gave her a kiss. She heard Caffeinated call out to Airmail and Tempest. Luna caught a glimpse of the zebra when Mapper left the room.

“Morning, Caffy,” the pink unicorn gave the zebra a nuzzle.

“Morning Mapper,” the Caffeinated returned the muzzle. “No one has gone down to the lower level yet.”

“Luna,” Coffee Bean said to gain the alicorn’s attention, “would you like a shower before we eat?”

It was a busy night for the Princess, “Yes, Coffee, I would like a shower first.”

Coffee Bean lead the way into the spacious bathroom. The shower stall was built to hold four ponies. “Please allow this one to assist you.”

Luna stepped into the stall, “I shall, for you are my Priestess.”

Coffee Bean quickly got the shower started and was very efficient in helping Luna get cleaned up under the hot steaming water. In particular, those hard to reach spots. When she was finished the zebra started to clean herself only to find Luna helped to clean her hard to reach spots. “While I do love the attention my Goddess lavishes on me; we should finish lest the cook bring her wrath upon us.” Luna snorted as Coffee Bean turned off the shower and turned on the fur dryer.

“Yes,” agreed Luna, “Last thing I need is Thespian’s righteous anger levelled against me.” The alicorn spread her wings under the warm air and relished as the air flowed over and around her pinions. Her Priestess saw to any miss aligned feathers. ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘I could easily get used to this.’

Mapper threw open the door to the Mare’s Room so it slammed against the wall. Octavia let out a shout, and Wildfire jumped to her hooves. Serenity simply lifted her head to look at her Mistress. “I want all of you stripped and showered and up to breakfast in fifteen minutes!” Mapper let the door close behind her as she left the room.

“What happened!?” Shouted Wildfire.

Octavia worked to slow her breathing. “Does she wake you up like that every morning?” asked Octavia.

“We have no time for chit chat.” Serenity used her magic to remove her harness. “Do you need help undressing, Junior Pet?”

“Oh,” the flustered Octavia was still trying to gather herself after the rude awakening. “Yes please.” She pried out her panties and pealed them off. Serenity used her magic to remove the corset. “Thank you,” commented a calmer Octavia.

Serenity floated the soiled clothing and rope into a hamper. “Come, we must be clean for the Mistress.” She led the other two out of the Mare’s Room to the Wet Room. Mapper exited the Wet Room and Serenity bowed. Neither said anything to the other. Wildfire smelled Mapper drift past and also remained silent. Octavia, still trying to get her bearings, couldn’t think of anything to say before Mapper was heading up the stairs. Serenity held open the door, “Quickly or we will be punished for our tardiness.”

The three walked into the room. Octavia caught sight of herself in a mirror and froze. Serenity guided Wildfire to the shower head. “Form a triangle,” commanded Serenity. “Middle Pet you will wash my back half and your own front. “Junior Pet will wash Middle Pet’s back and her front.” Serenity paused when she saw the immobile Octavia.

Octavia ran a hoof over her face and mane, “No…no!” She stomped a hoof in despair.

“Junior Pet!” Serenity had no patience for delay. When the grey mare turned she could see her eye filled with tears. “Here, now!” She pointed to the spot she wanted Octavia. Once the mare was in place, “Wash Middle Pet’s back now. I will wash your back. We have no time for your introspection.” Serenity went to work with a diligent, and possibly overzealous, washing of Octavia’s back.

Octavia grunted out, “as you wish,” and went to work on Wildfire. The pegasus hummed her favourite tune as she worked. The rude awaking was forgotten.

Serenity watched the other two. “Very good, both of you wash your face and front.” She did the same. “Quickly lest you share in my punishment for tardiness.” The other two did pick up the pace and Serenity inspected both from nose to under tail, “Good, now to the dryer.” The unicorn flipped her tail over Wildfire’s muzzle as she moved to the spot in the room.

Wildfire giggled at the tail tickle. “I do remember where it is Senior Pet.” She followed Serenity and stood next to her. Octavia glanced once more at the mirror with her mane slicked down from water. It made the silver stand out even more. She moved next to Serenity if only to stare at a wall instead of that hated mirror.

Serenity turned on the fur dryer. Octavia grumbled to herself, but a cheerful Wildfire announced, “That shower was just what I needed.” The diminutive pegasus spread her wings under the air currents. “Oh it feels so good to spread them like this. I can’t remember when I last could.”

Serenity turned off the dryer, “Junior Pet assist me in making Middle Pet’s wings presentable.” Serenity moved around Wildfire and aligned any feathers that were askew. “Now!” she commanded when she noticed that Octavia hadn’t moved.

“Fine,” was the grey mare’s terse reply. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she started on Wildfire’s wing. The pegasus shouldn’t be subject to her foul mood.

Once Octavia was finished Serenity informed them, “Now it is time to brush. Form a triangle and brush your partner’s tail and hindquarters. Then do your own mane and front.” Serenity levitated hoof brushes to Wildfire and Octavia. She even fitted Wildfire’s to her hoof. “Quickly now, for time runs short!” She was pleased that Octavia took this seriously, and enjoyed Wildfire’s soft touch with the brush.

After they took care of their partner, each went to brush their own mane. Octavia turned to face the mirror again as she bushed. ‘How could so much silver appear over night?’ She pulled hard against a knot in her mane and cried out in pain.

“Are you okay Junior Pet?” Wildfire asked.

“She is not,” responded Serenity before Octavia could say anything. “She fears she has become ugly overnight.”

“Look at my mane!” Octavia shouted.

Wildfire reached out with a hoof and touched the grey mare’s mane. “It feels wonderful. So soft and long.” Octavia’s jaw dropped in surprise.

“Beauty is determined by the one who wears it. Not by the one that sees it.” Serenity advised. “Be beautiful and you are beautiful.”

Octavia sighed, ‘They could never understand.’ She finished her brushing quickly though.

“I find you both presentable,” announced Serenity. “If Mistress is displeased it will by my error.” She moved to the exit, “Follow.” At the base of the stairs Serenity ordered, “Junior Pet to my left. Middle Pet to my right, and you may use your wings if you must.”

“They promised me they wouldn’t move things Senior Pet,” announced Wildfire, “and I trust them.”

A brief smile crossed Serenity’s muzzle. She was pleased that Wildfire was showing some willingness to stand her ground. She did notice that Wildfire kept her wing out just enough to touch her flank. The unicorn led the pair to the smaller dining room, and halted. “Bow,” she whispered, and all three lowered their head to the floor. “Mistress, I beg your pardon for our tardiness. We present ourselves for your inspection.”

Mapper barked out some short commands, “Stand. Turn. Lift tail.” Serenity quickly spun around followed by Octavia. Wildfire took a couple more seconds as she flared her wings to ensure she didn’t hit anything when she spun. All three lifted their tails. “Mistress Luna,” Mapper asked, “do they appear to be clean to you?”

Luna nodded, “The do indeed, Mistress Mapper.”

“I agree,” confirmed Mapper, “Pets, you may eat in the kitchen.”

Serenity turned and waited till the other two had also turned before she led them into the kitchen. “We are still on Free Time, so eat what you want unless told you can’t earlier.”

Wildfire sniffed, “My ‘Wily Sense’ is tingling. I smell oatmeal and chocolate.”

Octavia snorted, despite her mood, “Wily sense?”

Serenity assisted Wildfire in getting oatmeal with some coco powder, and then got food for herself. Octavia looked over what was available. “Mistress Thespian,” Serenity said, “is very kind to leave us so much to choose from.”

Thespian watched the Pets in the kitchen. “Luna,” she asked, “is there anything Octavia would like for breakfast?”

“Grapefruit, please,” answered Luna. “That is where our son gets it from.”

“Oh,” responded Thespian, “I didn’t put any out, but there is some in the bottom of the refrigerator.”

Mapper sighed, “Thespy, you spoil the Pets.” Thespian used her ultimate weapon on Mapper. Big eyes, and pouty lip. “Fine,” the unicorn responded as she caved.

Serenity spoke up, “Junior Pet, there is grapefruit in the refrigerator.”

“Thank you,” responded Octavia as she turned from the table to the refrigerator to fetch the grapefruit.

“Mistress Luna,” Mapper led off, “Is Junior Pet a morning pony?”

Luna smiled, “If the morning starts at eleven a.m. then, yes she is.”

Mapper nodded, “That may explain her ill temper that my Pet reports.”

“You don’t have chocolate radar, Junior Pet?” asked Wildfire.

“Of course,” answered Octavia, “but I don’t have oatmeal radar like you do, Middle Pet.” Wildfire giggled.

“She’s in a mood?” Luna sighed, “That ‘could’ be the reason for it.” She noticed Octavia get a grapefruit. “Mapper,” the Princess asked, “are you in communication with Serenity?”

“Middle Pet hides it well from the Mistress,” Mapper led off, “but not from the Pets.” She took a bite of food, “Hmm, oh, yes. It is part of her emphatic talent and we share a para cognition link.” The unicorn giggled, “Now you know another of my not well kept secrets.”

“Forgive me for asking,” enquired Luna, “but can she tell you what sparked my Pet’s mood?”

Mapper giggled, “Serenity can’t read minds, and she didn’t say. Still it started in the Wet Room when she looked in the mirror, and grew worse when she was brushing her mane.”

“Oh, no,” Luna facehooved. “I know what it is.”

Mapper only nodded, but Coffee Bean spoke up, “It is about what we talked about last night?”

“Yes,” Luna responded, “along those lines Coffee Bean.”

Coffee Bean snorts, “Beauty comes with maturity, isn’t that right Thespian.”

“You know it!” Thespian giggled.

“Then I must be very mature for my age,” Tempest announced as she and Airmail walked in.

Airmail looked at the table, “Where’s Wily?”

“The Pets are eating in the kitchen,” answered Mapper. “Please gather your food and eat out here with us. I don’t want the Pets spoiled.” She glanced over at Thespian, “At least no more than they already are.”

Airmail and Tempest walked out to the kitchen and both nuzzled Wildfire before they gathered their own breakfasts. Each nuzzled her again as they walked back out to join the rest in the dining room. Luna smiled at their return, “Good morning to you both.” The alicorn turned to Coffee Bean, “I’ll see to my Pet’s mood when they finish their meal.”

Tempest dove into her food while Airmail took a moment to acknowledge the Princess, “Good morning Luna, and to you all. We still on for shopping, Thespy?”

“Yes,” Thespian replied, “I’d like to make an early start of it as I have rehearsal tonight.”

“Same for me,” Recital added, “At least we have our pack stallions to speed things along.” She smiled at the males who remained silent.

“I think I’ll join you,” Luna added much to the pleasure of Thespian, “Some socks might sweeten my wife’s sour disposition.”

“Yes!” Tempest announced with a hoof in the air, “Socks for everypony!”

Airmail giggled at her companion’s antics. “And some nice things for Wildfire. Trumpet and I have found a couple of nice electronics stores that have the gadgets she needs.”

Luna nodded, “That should please Middle Pet. You already have of an idea of what she might want?”

“She showed up with a lone saddle bag worth of stuff. She will need flight aids,” answered Airmail.

“She also wants something to use for writing and recording her poetry,” added Tempest.

“Plus we will need a terminal for the house,” amended Airmail, “with a blind interface.”

Thespian nodded, “Don’t forget something to dress up in at home and away. A mare should always look her best.”

Mapper agreed, “It is better to have your own things instead of borrowed things.”

“Sounds like she doesn’t really want much,” Luna thought aloud, “Something for her poetry and to get around.”

Mapper smiled, “She needs a collar.”

“Should it be pink?” asked Airmail.

Mapper shook her head, “I was thinking a custom colour of blue and violet.”

“She would like that,” added Tempest.

“A collar would suit her, I think,” Luna said before she turned to Mapper, “I might just have to look into those mirrors you mentioned last night, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper giggled at the comment, “When you two finish your breakfast we can get things started. Electronics first or last?”

“Last,” responded Airmail, “I don’t want her distracted. Once we get them we will test them out.”

“I’d like to watch that,” Luna spoke up, “It’s hard to imagine her flying better than what she already does.”

Airmail laughed, “Maybe she’ll give that Wonderbolt a challenge.”

“Rainbow?” Luna enquired, “I’d like to see her at least try.”

“She would try, and be happy to win or lose,” Tempest smiled, “Rainbow would wear a blindfold of course.”

“Of course she would,” Luna agreed, “Rainbow might be Equestria’s biggest braggart, but above all else she cherishes fair competition.”

Airmail pushed her empty plate away and looked at Tempest who did the same, “We’re full Mapper.”

Mapper raised her voice to be heard in the kitchen, “Pets!” Serenity quickly moved out to stand before Mapper and bowed to the floor. The other two followed closely behind and also bowed low. “Free Time is over. Clean the dishes and put away the left overs.” To the others, “We may as well wait in the music room.” Mapper and the rest left the Pets behind as they departed.

Once the others had left the room Serenity issued orders, “Middle Pet, the dish soap is under the sink. You have sink duty. All the pots are hoof scrubbed.”

“I got this,” announced Wildfire as she returned to the kitchen to fill the sink.

“Junior Pet,” Serenity continued, “You will put away the left overs.”

“Where do they go, and is there something to put them in?” asked Octavia.

Serenity responded, “Containers are in the lower cabinet to the right of the refrigerator and place them in the bottom right shelves of the refrigerator.” Serenity followed Octavia back in the kitchen. The unicorn levitated two items at a time. She started with the pots going to the sink for the humming Wildfire, and then dishes on the adult table to the dishwasher. Octavia got the containers and moved food on the serving table to the containers. Serenity then moved the serving dishes and their dishes to either the sink or dishwasher. Once that was done she then moved to clean the dining room table.

“I’ve got the food put away,” Octavia informed the unicorn.

“Very good,” replied Serenity, “Now clean the kitchen tables.” Octavia went to work and Serenity soon joined her in the kitchen to clean the counter tops.

“That is the last of the pots, Senior Pet,” Wildfire said as she drained the sink.

Serenity saw they were neatly stacked in the drying rack. “Very good, now clean the sink.” She saw Wildfire go to work. The three finished and Serenity started the dishwasher. “Make sure your hooves are clean and we will report to the Mistress.”

Octavia noticed that Wildfire was humming, “I see that somepony is happy.”

“Doing things that please the Mistress,” Serenity informed the mare, “makes one happy.” She did a final inspection of the kitchen and her fellow Pets to make sure all hooves were clean and dry. “Follow.” Serenity led them to the music room, “The task is completed, Mistress.”

Luna looked the three over and zeroed in on Octavia, “Good morning, my pretty mare, did you sleep well?”

“I slept well, Mistress,” Octavia brought a forehoof up to the silver streak in her mane that she noticed that morning. Her voice was sullen, “You slept with pretty mares, Mistress, while the Pets had to suffice with me.”

Mapper gasped, “That must have been terrible! Senior Pet, were you able to sleep next to such a pony?”

“Yes, Mistress,” replied Serenity.

“Middle Pet,” asked Mapper, “were you able to sleep?”

“Yes, Mistress,” replied Wildfire.

Luna sighed, ‘This again.’ She looked at her wife, “Pet, are you not my pretty mare?”

“No, Mistress,” Octavia replied, her voice still sullen. Coffee Bean snorted loudly.

Luna’s eyes narrowed to slits as her ire rose, “Thespian, it seems my Pet believes she isn’t pretty. Is it possible for you to make her so?”

Thespian looked at Octavia. Serenity moved to the side and pushed Wildfire with her. The blue / grey mare walked around the dark grey mare. “Yes, it can be done.”

“Then please do so,” requested Luna, “if you don’t mind.”

“Of course!” responded Thespian. “Something delicate comes to mind. A bit of touching up. Just let me get my kit.” Thespian moved out of the room.

“Pet, stay here!” ordered Luna as she followed Thespian. While they walked up the stairs, Luna commented, “Actually Thespian, touching up isn’t what I had in mind.”

Thespian reached the top of the stairs, “Oh?”

“No,” continued Luna, “I’ve had quite enough of Tavi’s moods. I want her pretty, really, really pretty, for our shopping trip.”

“Are you talking Dusk like pretty?” asked Thespian.

“I am!” insisted Luna, “I want ponies to notice her, to see how pretty she is.”

Thespian entered the bedroom, “Okay, do you want glamorous, or do you want over the top?”

“No half measures, Thespian.” Luna smiled, “Over the top and more if you please.”

Thespian nodded, “Ahh, so Mapper level of pretty.” She giggled, “I played the lead role in ‘Best Little Whorehouse in Canterlot’, and I can do that over the top look for her. She ‘will’ be noticed.”

Luna stopped in the bedroom and noticed it had a lot more personality than the one she stayed in. “Yes, thank you, and now to arrange for clothing.”

“Ohh,” cried out a very happy pony, “I have the outfit in my closet. Care to see?”

Luna had seen the play, but it had been some time ago. Her curiosity was piqued by what Thespian had in her closet, “Of course.”

Thespian opened the walk in closet and moved some items so one outfit stood out alone. “My coat is a bit bluer than hers, but this should look good on her.” It was a fire engine red corset and red fishnet stockings with a red crotch less panties. A silver metal bridle with dark red straps and a very tiny, bright red, pill box hat covered in red sequins. Thespian blushed, “Caffy likes me to wear it now and again.”

“It. Is. Perfect!” Luna giggled, “May I take it downstairs?”

“Oh, no!” Thespian poked her muzzle into a zebra striped bag and pulled out a blind fold. She set it on top of her make up kit. “She must be prepped first.” She grabbed the kit and her mouth and headed out of the room.

Luna could imagine what was going to happen. “I quite agree,” and she followed Thespian down the stairs.

Thespian had a saucy swing in her tail as she headed down the steps. The mare turned into the TV room and called out, “Mapper!” Once the pink unicorn poked her nose around the door way she continued, “I’ll be working in here. Please blindfold Ser and Wily, as I’m going to pretty them up too. Send Octavia in here, please.”

Mapper returned to the music room, “Senior Pet, please take Middle Pet down stairs and both of you return to the TV room blindfolded. Junior Pet, follow me.” Mapper returned to the TV room with Octavia in tow. Airmail, Tempest, Caffeinated, Trumpet, and Recital followed, very interested in what Thespian was up to. In the TV room, Thespian had her standard, if somewhat large, make up kit open as she plotted the possibilities on what to use on the Pets.

Octavia hesitated when she entered, “Mistress?”

“Yes, Pet?” Luna asked as Octavia slowly moved into the room to stand near Thespian. Her eyes darted from the makeup kit to Luna and back. Luna watched her wife fidget, “Your punishment. You are determined to not be a pretty mare, even though I say you are. Thespian has agreed to help me prove you are a pretty mare.”

Thespian hoofed the blindfold to Octavia, “Luna let me know she wants this to be a surprise, so put this on.”

“As you wish,” Octavia sat down and put the blindfold on. Serenity and Wildfire entered blindfolded, both moving with ease.

“Serenity, please set four feet to the right of Octavia,” directed Thespian. “Okay, Wildfire move to your right four feet and sit. Okay, Mapper, feel free to use my kit on your Pets.” Thespian set down some bright red hoof polish. It had mica flakes to make it extra shiny. “I’m thinking this for the hooves.”

Luna nodded, “Please make my Pet beautiful.”

Mapper watched Thespian work. “Did you have an outfit in mind, Thespian?” she asked.

Thespian replied, “The one in my closet with the red hat.”

Mapper clapped her hooves. “I know just what to dress my Pets in!” The unicorn started applying make up to both her Pets.

Octavia shuddered under Thespian’s touch as she applied bright red fur powder to the top halves of her ears. Luna leaned in close to her wife, “You were expecting a spanking?” Octavia nodded. “Thought so,” continued Luna, “but I think this is a far better way to show your beauty.”

Thespian added sky blue tips to Octavia’s charcoal mane and then Prench braided the mane so the blue tips stood out. She added sky blue streaks to Octavia’s tail and a bright red band on the tail base in the style zebra’s wore.

Octavia fidgeted some more, “I’d rather prefer the spanking, Mistress,” she pleaded.

“I’m sure you would,” Luna whispered in her ear, “but I thought we could try something different.”

Thespian added some silver glitter to her fur that hid the lighter grey patches. She held up a tube of bubblegum pink lip gloss to Luna, and after the alicorn nodded she applied it to Octavia.

Luna whispered some more into Octavia’s ear, “You look prettier already.” Octavia whimpered, and Luna added, “I thought you wanted me to tell you that you’re pretty?”

Thespian added a blush that matched the lip gloss to Octavia’s cheeks. “Now you need to keep your eyes closed for this next part.” Thespian removed the blindfold so that she could put on the sky blue eye shadow and violet mascara to complement Octavia’s eye colour. She finished with a bit more silver glitter on her face to hide any light grey fur. “Mapper, could you get the outfit for me please?”

Mapper had removed the blindfolds from Serenity and Wildfire to finish their makeup. Both Pets only had a light amount of makeup applied. The hoof polish almost blended in with their fur colour.

“O-o-outfit, Mistress?” queried Octavia.

“Yes,” responded Luna, “The makeup has made you pretty, but the outfit will make you beautiful.”

Mapper trotted off to get outfits for all three ponies while Thespian added some more colour here and there to make sure Octavia would be noticed. “She doesn’t have pierced ears?” Octavia shivered again.

“No,” commented Luna, “She does not.”

“Oh, I know just the thing! But I do want them back, please.” Thespian exited the room as Mapper returned with outfits for all three. Mapper dressed Octavia in panties, corset, and stockings with little fuss. She added the bit of the bridle in Octavia's mouth and fastened the straps for it. She placed the small hat a bit off centre to give it a jaunty appearance.

Thespian returned as Mapper dressed her other to Pets. Serenity in a dark blue, and Wildfire in a dark tan. “I wear these each year on your night, Luna.” Thespian showed the alicorn sterling silver clip on crescent moon earrings.” She clipped them to the red section of Octavia’s ears.

“Perfect, Thespian,” Luna said as she admired the work. “I’ll see to it that you get them back.”

Thespian took time to look at Octavia. “This brings back so many happy memories.” After a soft happy sigh, she called out, “Recital, we need to get dressed up too for our shopping trip. You stallions need to put something on also!”

Mapper quickly spoke up, “Pets! Keep your eyes closed. Luna, did you bring something to wear? It seems that it is dress up time for everypony.”

“Great work, Thespian,” commented Luna, “You do look like a very pretty mare, Pet.”

“Do you have your royal regalia, Mungu wa Usiku?” asked Coffee Bean.

“No, Coffee,” replied Luna, “I did bring something though. Is there a place I can change?”

Mapper laughed, “Are you afraid the stallions might see getting dressed?” Mapper nodded toward the room exit, “My outfit is in the Mare’s Room so you can come with me.”

“Mine is in the foyer,” added Coffee Bean. She left the room with Mapper and Luna which left the Pets alone in the room.

Serenity spoke up with a mischievousness in her voice, “No peeking Middle Pet!”

“No,” Octavia spoke of with a voice that lacked any confidence, “I won’t peek.”

Serenity giggled, “Very good Junior Pet, but I didn’t think I’d have to tell you.”

“I’d peek if I could,” Wildfire said with a giggle. “Senior Pet, does she look pretty?”

“I’m not peeking either!” responded Serenity, “and If you touch me with a hoof or wing, I’ll know you’re peeking Middle Pet.”

Wildfire laughed, “Okay, you got me there. I won’t peek.”

In the bedroom Thespian put on a light green corset combo with skirt, while Recital put on a white gown with gold ribbons. Both stallions put on vests with bow ties.

In the Mare’s Room, Mapper put on an ivory corset with pink lacing and an ivory tulle skirt. Luna put on a jet black corset with matching translucent skirt. “Nice outfit Luna,” commented Mapper, “I kept my Pet’s makeup subdued enough to ensure your Pet receives the most attention.”

“Thank you, and your corset looks very nice,” responded Luna. “I agree, but I do like the subtlety of their makeup, as it suits their beauty.”

Mapper smiled, “They do reflect upon me.”

Coffee Bean put on her Priestess garb which looked like a mirror image of Luna’s regalia. Black crescent moon on silver.

Airmail put on a simple forest green dress and Tempest a white blouse with purple ribbon and a short purple mini skirt.

All gathered back in the TV room where all three Pets still stood with their eyes firmly closed. Mapper moved to stand in front of Octavia. “Senior Pet, Middle Pet, to my sides.” Luna moved to Octavia’s left side.

Serenity whispered to Wildfire, “Move to the Mistress’ left side, she is facing us now.” Serenity moved to Mapper’s right side, and Wildfire led with her wing and moved to Mapper’s left side.

“Pets!” Mapper commanded, “You may open your eyes.”

Wildfire giggled, and Serenity didn’t react at all to Octavia’s makeup with anything more than her usual smile of support. Octavia looked at the light makeup on the other two Pets and then down at herself. She quickly looked around for a mirror but spotted none. “Wha- what? I l-look…I…look…”

“You look beautiful,” interrupted Luna.

Thespian sang out, “Shopping!”

“May I lead, Thespian?” asked Mapper as she had a planned course to best show off her Junior Pet.

“Of course you may,” responded Thespian who knew Mapper well enough that this trip was bound to be fun.

Octavia stuttered some more, “Sh-shopping? L-like this?”

“Mistress Luna, would you take up Junior Pet’s reins please?” directed Mapper as she took up Serenity’s reins. “Senior Pet, you have Middle Pet.” Serenity responded and took Wildfire’s reins. Mapper led the way out of the house.

Luna pulled Octavia’s reins, “Of course my pretty mare. I want to share your beauty with the whole world.”

No one that knew the way to the subway said anything about the route Mapper chose to get there. The unicorn detoured the group through the park which was starting to fill up on a Saturday morning. A pair of older colts in their late teens whistled. “Look at that hot mare!” one shouted out.

His partner replied, “Which one?”

“The one in red!” the first shouted loudly.

Octavia blushed hard, “Mistress, they are looking at me!”

“Why shouldn’t they?” Luna asked. “Smile for the nice colts.”

The pair of colts followed at a safe distance, “Swish that tail again, baby!” the first one called out.

“You heard them, Pet,” Luna said with a sly voice, “swish your tail.” Octavia did so and her blush deepened when both colts whistled loudly again. “Wasn’t that nice of them to notice how pretty you are.” She could barely see Octavia’s nod.

As the parade of ponies neared the subway station a stallion called out from a second story balcony, “Hello Mapper, on parade again today? Love your pony in red and the pegasus in black.”

Mapper laughed, “Look again, Steamer.”

Steamer replied, “You’re looking pretty too, Mapper, and so is Serenity, but it is nice to see some new ponies in your stable, like those two and the one in tan.”

Mapper waved a hoof. She knew ponies would only see what they wanted to see. Luna laughed when she realized the stallion though she was a pegasus. “That nice stallion thought you were pretty too, Pet” Luna stated.

Octavia wished the ground would swallow her up and understood why Dusk would rather have been banished yesterday, but all she said was, “Yes, Mistress.”

Coffee Bean neared Luna and said, “Wewe ni aina ya kuwa si akampiga wafu.”

Luna laughed, “Being simple doesn’t warrant a death sentence, Priestess.”

Coffee Bean nodded, “That any of us live shows the truth of that.”

At the entrance to the subway was a floor length mirror for ponies to check themselves before they exited the station. Luna noticed the mirror and led Octavia over to it, “Let me show you why so many ponies think you’re pretty, Pet.”

Serenity whispered to Wildfire the details of how both she and Octavia are dressed, along with the rest of the herd, and Luna. Wildfire took it in and smiled, happy that all of them were so pretty for the shopping trip.

Octavia stood before the mirror slack jawed at her reflection while the rest waited patiently. She turned a little to her right and then to her left, “M-mistress!”

Thespian giggled, “I think I caused that reaction on stage.”

Caffeinated nuzzled her, “That you did, love.”

Octavia was flustered, “I can’t…I look…I…”

Luna nuzzled her wife, “I’ll make you see how beautiful you are, love. I’m with you always.”

“I – I suppose red does suit me,” whispered Octavia.

“That’s my Pet,” Luna said softy as she pulled the reins to lead Octavia from the mirror to where Trumpet had their pass cards for the turnstiles.

Coffee Bean waited for them on the other side, “This should be humorous.” The zebra nodded to where Caffeinated was talking with a zebra stallion station guard on the platform.

Luna giggles, “Indeed, Coffee.” She pulled the reins, “Come Pet.” Octavia followed with a swagger in her walk as she felt far more confident in her look.

As Luna neared Caffeinated he turned to her and bowed low. The guard looks and falls prostrate to the floor, “Kuniepushia Mungu wa Mwezi!”

Coffee Bean snorted, “Je, si kuwa myoga na kusimama mbele Mungu wa Mwezi!”

Luna stifled a giggle, “Fear not, for I shall spare you today, but do stand for I seek brave zebras in my forces.”

Others on the platform studiously ignored what was going on. It was common knowledge that all zebras are crazy and there are no alicorns in Manehatten. The guard stood and said, “Mimi katika huduma yako Mungu wa Mwezi.”

Luna looked the guard over, “Thank you for your service.” Inside Luna loved all the attention.

Caffeinated smiled and put a hoof on the guard’s shoulder, “Go in peace, brother.” He turned to Luna, “This way, Goddess.”

“Thank you, Caffy,” Luna said with a nod as she took Octavia’s reins. “You know; a goddess could get used to this treatment.”

A young mare walked up to Luna, “That is really a good outfit! You look just like Princess Luna!”

“Why thank you!” Luna exclaimed, and then she whispered to the mare, “I’m trying it out for Nightmare Night.”

“You would totally win!” the mare said with glee and then walked back to her friends.

“Mistress,” Octavia commented, “I believe you enjoyed that.”

Luna giggled, “Maybe.”

The train arrived, and Mapper stated, “Senior Pet, you are with Middle Pet.” The train car was empty enough that the rest could easily stand together.

Luna looked about the train car, “This seems like a nice way to travel around the city.”

A young filly spotted Octavia, “Momma, momma, look at the pretty red dress. Can I have a red dress?”

The filly’s mother looked Octavia over. “Ah,” she replied to her daughter, “we will have to see what we can find dear.”

Luna watched her wife blush a deep red, “See, Pet? Even the wise little filly thought you were pretty.”

From her past experience Wildfire knew she stood in the yellow handicapped square. Senior Pet was with her, and Pretty and Honey were nearby. Wildfire started humming her happy tune.

At the next stop a middle aged couple got on the train and stood near Octavia. The stallion soon realized he needed to sit with his legs close together. The mare with him asked, “Are you advertising for a sex shop?”

Mapper swiftly replied, “Yes, will you be at our grand opening?” The mare stuttered and went quiet.

Luna added, “Should we offer them a discount voucher?” The mare decided the next stop was her stop and dragged her husband off with her. Luna couldn’t contain her giggles when they left.

The stop after that five young stallions and two young mares entered the train. One stallion whistled, “We’ve entered the party train!” The group stayed near Serenity and Wildfire. “What are you hot babes up to? What to come party with us?”

Further down the car Mapper held a foreleg in front of Airmail and shook her head. Airmail stayed where she was, but still glared daggers at the young adults near her lover.

Wildfire immediately stopped humming and nudged up against Serenity, “Are they talking to us?”

Serenity didn’t move but she did reply, “They are talking to the wind, Pet.”

“Pet?” a second stallion spoke up, “Wow that is as hot as you are dressed. Magpie, you need panties like her.”

“I have them dummy,” the mare retorted, “and you didn’t notice the last time I wore them.”

“I must have been totally drunk then,” the second stallion laughed.

The third stallion spoke up, “I bet you can really get a stallion off with those wings.” He didn’t notice Wildfire shudder at his comment.

The second mare spoke up, “And maybe that one will shove her horn up your ass!”

“TMI,” the third stallion said, “TMI”

Wildfire pressed herself tight against Serenity as she shuffled her hooves. Serenity remained resolutely silent. Tired of the non-response they got, the seven started talking about their plans for the day and left after three more stops. Wildfire sighed a breath of relief, “I thought they would never leave.” Serenity said nothing, but she didn’t push Wildfire away either as the diminutive pegasus stayed pressed against the unicorn’s side.

At the other end a couple entered the train and moved down the car until the stallion exclaimed, “Sweetsong, look at her! By Celestia’s mane you’d look great wearing that!”

Sweetsong looked at Octavia, “You and your love of panties, Glen.” Still the couple eyed the pretty grey mare.

Luna spoke up, “Isn’t she pretty?”

Glen looked away from Octavia, “She is totally hawwwwwww…” He swallowed and nudged his marefriend.

“What?” Sweetsong said as she looked from Octavia to her coltfriend and then turned to look what he stared at. “Wow, you look just like…Oh, by Lululululu ahhh…” She smiled, “Princess?”

Wildfire still leaned against Serenity when she asked, “What is happening? It sounds like they are having fun.”

Serenity replied in a whisper, “The ponies are admiring the beauty of Junior Pet.” Wildfire nodded as she already knew that.

Luna deadpanned, “Yes?”

“So nice to see you visiting,” continued Sweetsong like it was an everyday thing to meet a Princess. “Didn’t read about it in the newspaper at all.” She nudged her friend with her shoulder, and whispered, “Say something nice, dummy.”

Glen spoke up, “Your friend looks reeeally nice!”

“Thank you,” Luna responded, “Would you like a better look?” She turned her attention to Octavia, “Pet, do a twirl for the nice couple.” Octavia obediently turned full circle and swished her tail when she did so.

There were murmurs around the train car now, “Can that be Princess Luna?”, “No, it can’t be, must be actors.”, “I bet it is a film.”

Luna smiled, “Thank you both for saying that. I’m most grateful.”

The stallion tore his eyes from Octavia to the Princess, “You look really good too. Better than the pictures.”

Luna giggled, “Next you’ll both want my autograph.”

The pair looked at each other then said together, “Can we?” The group laughed.

Luna and Sweetsong then talked about Luna’s visit to the city and what Sweetsong thought were highlights of the town. The herd kept silent so that they wouldn’t interject their own opinion in the conversation. Glen though spent more time looking at Octavia than Luna. Luna noticed and said, “Just ask if you’d like her to move her tail.” The stallion glanced at his marefriend and decided that silence was the best course of action.

Caffeinated interrupted the group, “We change trains at the next station.”

“Thank you, Caffy,” Luna responded and said her good-byes to the couple.

Serenity took up Wildfire’s reins, “Come, Pet, we are changing trains.”

“Alrighty,” said Wildfire, who was once again firmly in her happy place.

Serenity and Wildfire stepped out on to the platform to wait for their next train when a mare called out to them, “What are you two doing here dressed like that!” Serenity ignored the mare, but Wildfire froze up with the head down and legs splayed out. “I’m talking to you!” Wildfire shivered and whimpered and Serenity didn’t even turn her head to look at her.

The mare moved to Serenity’s front, “Get your whore ass out of this station.” Serenity said nothing and looked past the mare.

Wildfire finally moved as she glued herself to Serenity’s side and whimpered, “I – I want to go home, Serenity.”

Mapper had held Airmail’s tail with hers when the crazy mare had first spoke up. Airmail glanced between her and Wildfire. Mapper’s ears flicked and she let go of the tail. Airmail disappeared into the crowd.

The mare put a hoof on Serenity, “I told you to…”

A flutter of wings and loud clack of hooves that landed on the platform next to the mare, “That was assault and now it’s battery. Do I arrest you or make you disappear quietly?” asked a quiet dead voice.

To Wildfire the new voice was as scary as the first one, but somehow it also seemed familiar. Serenity, whom she was pressed against still said nothing, but at least she didn’t move.

The mare turned to the newcomer, “Who in Tartarus do you think you…” She looked into the cold distant eyes of the pegasus, and removed her hoof from Serenity as she backed up a step. The other pony took a step forward. “I…” The mare blinked, but those eyes bore into her. She backed up quickly and bumped into another pony, then turned and galloped away.

Mapper looked at Luna as she watched the scene and said, “Best to fight crazy ponies with crazy ponies.”

“I love you Wily,” Airmail said.

Wildfire was still pressed against Serenity as she tried to become one with the pony, when she recognized the voice. “P – Pretty is that you?”

“Yes, love,” Airmail said gently, “I’m never far away.” She nuzzled Wildfire who moved away from Serenity and nuzzled back. “Are you okay?”

Wildfire whispered, “Is she gone? She was mean.”

“Yes, love,” Airmail replied, “She is gone. You’re no longer alone, Wily.”

“I know Pretty,” Wildfire said still unsure as to what happened, “but was th – that you that made her go away?”

Airmail giggled into Wildfire’s mane, “I didn’t make her ‘go away’, but instead she chose to leave.”

A smile returned to Wildfire’s muzzle, “I’m glad she did.”

Airmail gave Wildfire a kiss, “You okay with Serenity?”

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Wildfire kissed her back.

A uniformed stallion walked up, “Is there a problem here?”

Airmail shook her head, “The problem left, we’re okay, thank you.”

The stallion nodded and gave the two corseted mares a look over before he moved on to give other corseted mare a look over.
“Our train is coming,” Airmail nuzzled Wildfire one more time, “I’m going to re-join the others.”

Wildfire blew a kiss to her lover, “I’ll feel you later, Pretty.”

Airmail trotted off with a shiver. She loved that line. Once she reached the rest she commented, “Thanks Mapper, they’re okay.” The group boarded the train and she watched out of the corner of her eye the other pair board. On board between the two groups was a group of twelve elementary age foals with two adult chaperones.

One little filly saw the pair in the handicap square, “What happened to her, Ms. Chalk?”

Ms. Chalk looked at the pair and the filly, “Is it polite to talk about other ponies, Dewdrop?”

The filly shuffled her hooves, “No.”

“And?” asked Ms. Chalk.

Dewdrop spoke up, “I’m sorry!”

Serenity nudged Wildfire, and the pegasus responded, “I forgive you.”

Another filly jumped up and down, “Ms. Chalk, Ms. Chalk, it’s a Princess!”

The second chaperone whispered, “Do you think they are shooting a film?”

Luna approached the group with Octavia towed by her reins. “Hello everypony.”

Ms. Chalk spoke up, “Oh, Princess, we didn’t mean to interrupt you.” The foals gathered around to look at the royal couple.

“It’s her!” the other mare exclaimed, and she found herself at the centre of attention. “Sorry, Lady Octavia, I’m Ms. Sunrise, and I’m a very big fan of yours.”

Luna said, “You may talk with her Tavi.” She looked back at the foal, “Who wanted to talk with my friend, Wildfire, over there?” A filly raised her hoof, and Luna smiled as she looked at Ms. Chalk.

Ms. Chalk nodded, “You may talk with Ms. Wildfire, Dewdrop, but remember to be polite.”

“Yes, Ms. Chalk,” the filly moved quickly to where the two stood in the yellow square.

“Hello Princess, I’m November,” said a filly, “are you the one that owns the moon?”

“Yes I am, November,” Luna nodded.

“Can we visit it?” asked November.

“I’m afraid you can’t,” answered Luna, “it is very cold.”

“Hello, Princess,” said a colt, “I’m Orange Seed. Do you have lots of guards?”

“My sister and I do have lots of guards, Orange Seed,” stated Luna.

“Can I be a guard,” asked Orange Seed.

“Well that depends,” Luna started off. “Do you do well in school?”

Orange Seed blinked, “I, ahh, I’ll try harder!”

Luna smiled, “That is very important, and do you mind your parents?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Orange Seed responded.

“Hello, Ms. Wildfire, my name is Dewdrop.”

“Hi Dewdrop,” Wildfire smiled.

“You and your friend look pretty,” Dewdrop stated.

Wildfire blushed, “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry you can’t see,” the filly added.

“It’s okay,” Wildfire said as she still held her smile, “I’ve learned to deal with it.”

“Oh,” responded Dewdrop, “You haven’t always been like this?”

“No, Dewdrop,” Wildfire responded, “I had an accident in school.”

Dewdrop lowers her voice, “I’m in school now…”

Wildfire noticed the change in voice, “Oh, hey, it wasn’t that kind of accident. A bad stallion in school was trying to hurt my friend, and I helped.”

Dewdrop shuffled a hoof, “I don’t like bullies.”

“Lady Octavia,” Ms. Sunrise stated, “I really enjoyed your latest sonnet. They broadcasted it on the Public Network.”

Octavia nodded to the mare, “You have my thanks.”

Ms. Sunrise continued, “The range of notes and cadence was beautifully crafted. You have a true gift for writing music.”

Octavia smiled brightly, “I’m most pleased you liked it!”

“Your work is an inspiration,” Ms. Sunrise sighed, “but I fear I lack skill to follow it properly.”

Octavia shook her head, “Nonsense! Practice is all you need, and if you enjoy it then play it.”

Ms. Sunrise giggled, “Just what I tell my students. I guess I should listen to myself more often.”

“Hello Princess,” stated another filly, “I’m Ocean Wave. Did you like school?”

“I loved school,” Luna answered, “Do you like school, Ocean Wave?”

Ocean Wave scuffed a hoof as she decided it wouldn’t be best to answer that question. Luna smiled and let her go. ‘It may be enough to give her thought on what she is doing and improve her life.’

Another colt stepped forward, “I’m Steel Beam, and I want to work on tall buildings like my dad.”

“I’m pleased to hear that, Steel Beam,” Luna said with a serious voice, “It is a very honourable profession.”

“I don’t like bullies either,” Wildfire agreed. “Do you have any in school?”

“Oh no,” Dewdrop responded, “not now. I like my new school. There aren’t any bullies in it.”

“I’m pleased to hear that,” commented Wildfire, “then you won’t have any accidents like I did.”

“That’s good,” said Dewdrop, “but it is still sad that it happened to you.”

“Hello, Princess,” announced a colt. “I’m Tracker, and I want to be a guard like Orange Seed!”

“Oh, my,” Luna said wide eyed, “two young guards already. I do feel much safer.” Both colts puffed out their chests.

Ms. Chalk announced, “Foals, it is time to regroup!” Several loud awwws followed that statement. “Thank you for your time Princess. We are visiting the Natural History Museum, and it is our next stop.” She looked around at the gathered foals, “What do we say?” The fillies and colts all said ‘Thank you.’

Dewdrop heard Ms. Chalk, “I have to go, thank you for talking with me, Ms. Wildfire.”

“I enjoyed it Dewdrop,” replied Wildfire, “Thank you for talking with me.”

After Dewdrop joined the group, Luna spoke up, “It has been a great pleasure speaking with you. I look forward to my two new guards, after they graduate with honours.”

“Thank you, Lady Octavia,” said Ms. Sunrise. “I look forward to your tour in Manehatten.”

“I hope I see you in the crowd,” smiled Octavia.

The two mares got their excited charges off the train. Ms. Sunrise remarked before the doors closed, “Those Canterlot ponies sure dress to impress.”

Serenity spoke loud enough to be heard by the nearby Luna, “Two more stops, Middle Pet.”

Luna and Octavia re-joined the other ponies. Wildfire smiled and nudged Serenity, “That filly was nice, wasn’t she?”

“All ponies are bad ponies,” Serenity replied, and then she nudged Wildfire, “Some are not as bad as others.”

Wildfire giggled, “I can’t wait to have a ‘not-so-bad-pony’ of my own. Can you?”

Serenity nuzzled Wildfire, “We can try together.”

“I’d like that a lot,” Wildfire nuzzled back.

Serenity lowered her voice, “I hope we please the Mistress with our foals.”

That thought sobered Wildfire up, “Yeah, me too.”

Coffee Bean welcomed Luna’s return, “The foals still flock to you, Goddess.”

Luna sighed softly, “If only all my royal duties were as enjoyable as that.”

“Junior Pet,” asked Mapper, “who was the mare eyeing you?”

“Ms. Sunrise,” responded Octavia, “a happy fan, Mistress.”

“A fan of your flanks, I’m sure,” commented Mapper.

Octavia smiled, “My flanks are flattered, Mistress.”

Mapper looked to the Princess, “Is she always such a sweet talker, Mistress Luna?”

“Indeed she is,” Luna agreed, “when she isn’t busy being a silly foalish Pet, Mistress Mapper.” Luna gave Octavia a lusty kiss.

“Our stop,” announced Caffeinated as he led the group out the door.

“Time to go, Middle Pet.” Serenity pulled Wildfire’s reins.

“Okies,” said Wildfire, and then she added, “I hope I’ll be a good mum to my filly and a good foalsitter to yours.”

“All ponies are bad ponies,” repeated Serenity, “but I think you can be a good, bad pony.”

Trumpet used the pass key for all the herd as Caffeinated led the group outside the station. Luna and Octavia walked past the full length mirror and Octavia stopped to admire herself. She had gained confidence from the subway ride, “I do look rather good in red, Mistress.”

“Is somepony starting to enjoy themselves?” Luna asked.

Octavia blushed hard as she remembered this was supposed to be a punishment, “A little, Mistress.”

At the street exit Thespian pointed across the street at the store front. Rarity’s Recreations with the words Coco Pommel underneath. “Here we are.”

“So that’s her Manehatten outlet?” asked Luna.

“Well,” replied Thespian, “it is the high end one in the fashion district. Her first store is over on Saddle Row. That one caters to the general populace.” When the light changed, Thespian led the way across the street. The door slid open at her approach and she entered.

Inside a mare greeted the group, “Greetings, Ms. Thespian. Ms. Pomm…Princess!” The clerk bowed very low.

“Sorry, Marigold, I forgot to mention my party had grown larger,” Thespian giggled, “Is Coco in?”

Luna looked around the store. Not much different from Rarity’s Ponyville shop. Lots of space to move around, and several ponykins with very individual dresses on and a few suits too. “Oh, that looks interesting, Pet.” The intimate apparel section had caught her eye and she pulled Octavia with her as she moved in that direction.

“Yes, Ms. Thespian,” Marigold stated after she recovered from the shock of having Princess Luna in the store. Her eyes followed the Princess as she spoke, “Ms. Pommel is in the show room and is expecting you.”

“Luna, dear,” stated Thespian to catch the alicorn’s attention, “Perhaps we could make introductions first, and I think you’ll have a better showing in the show room?”

“Of course,” Luna blushed, “I was just curious as to what they may have.”

Coffee Bean mutters, “Bosi farasi na bosi wa kiki.” Caffeinated chuckled.

“Like you’re not bossy,” Thespian said with a sniff. “And I can’t blame you Luna, so many pretty things to see in here.” Thespian followed Marigold into the back along with the rest of the group.

Luna giggled at the interchange, and looked around this room as she entered. A runway stage was centred and around it were a few seating pads. There were some tables along the back wall. It was large enough to comfortably hold a few dozen ponies.

Marigold left the room through a door that led back stage and moments later Coco entered focused on Thespian, “Good morning Thespian,” she moved in for a nuzzle that Thespian returned, “It is so good to see you and…Princess Luna!” Coco bowed low.

Luna walked forward and helped the mare back to a standing position, “Hello Coco, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m just here for some shopping, nothing official if you please.”

Thespian pronounced with a dramatic flair, “It took a lot of hoof twisting, but now you can tell your friend Rarity that her shop isn’t the only one that caters to personal visits from royalty!” She giggled which reduced the overall effect.

“Um, thanks?” Coco said as she recovered from the royal visit. “Well, if it’s shopping you want you’ve come to the right place. How can I help you today?” Ms. Pommel looked the group over and took mental notes on how they were all dressed.

Tempest was quick to speak up, “Socks! I know we need three full sets. One yellow and violet, one yellow and blue, and one blue and violet.”

Mapper smiled, “These two,” she nodded at Serenity and Wildfire, “could use some high end intimate apparel.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Wildfire, “Can I get some socks? I like purple with my yellow fur.”

Tempest moved to nuzzle the pegasus, “Love, the blue and violet ones are for you so you can wear our colours.”

“Aww, thanks Honey,” Wildfire giggled, “Can I get something for you and Pretty?”

“That is what the yellow and blue socks, and yellow and violet socks are for,” responded Tempest, “so we can wear your colours.”

“I’d like to get them for you Honey,” stated Wildfire.

Airmail nuzzled the yellow pegasus, “I’d love for you to do that, love.”

Coco looked the mare in red up and down long and hard, “Octavia?”

Octavia nodded and smiled, “Coco.”

Coco looked at Thespian, “Thespian, isn’t that the outfit you wore in the production of…”

Thespian interrupted the shop owner, “Yes it is! Don’t you think she looks fabulous in it?” Coco slowly nodded.

Octavia’s ears perked up, “Production of?”

Coco blushed and Thespian smiled, but Luna spoke up, “It was the production of ‘Best Little Whorehouse in Canterlot’, Pet.”

Outrage crossed Octavia’s face, and she narrowed her pink eyes at her wife, but stayed silent. “And Thespian here played the lead role,” added Luna with a smile.

“You did look good wearing it Thespy,” Mapper added to the conversation.

Thespian’s smile grew wider, “I’m sure Luna would like to find something in a similar style for her wife.”

Octavia muttered, “I’m sure she would.”

Luna ignored her wife’s response and said, “I would actually, now that you mention it.”

Coco Pommel was oblivious to the interactions and said, “Red is a nice colour on her, but I think something softer would look better. What about pink, that would look lovely against her pelt.”

“Oh, yes!” exclaimed Luna. “Pink would be adorable.” She couldn’t help but notice her wife as she gritted her teeth.

Coco walked around Octavia, “While the pill box hat was a big thing at the time, I’m thinking Saddle Arabian. A fez maybe.”

“A fez would look fetching on my Pet,” commented Luna as she watched Octavia’s scowl grow.

Coco walked behind Octavia and used a hoof to move her tail. A loud meep sounded from the grey mare. “Do you want to keep the crotchless look?” Coco asked.

Luna nodded as she enjoyed her wife’s embarrassment, and bright red blush, “Most definitely, I do.”

Coco finished her tour and asked, “This outfit doesn’t have garters, would you like them added?”

“Yes, please,” answered Luna.

“Do you have a lacing colour preference?” asked Coco, “I was thinking pink / purple to match her eyes.”

“Perfect,” announced Luna. “I love the whole look you described.”

Coco smiled, “I don’t have the right colours in stock, but I can show you some designs that will give you an idea of what I wish to achieve. So…would a week be acceptable?”

“A week is fine, Coco,” Luna said as she kissed a red hot cheek on her wife.

Coco walked over to Mapper, “Hello Mapper, Serenity, and who is this?”

“You may call this Pet, Wildfire,” Mapper informed her.

Coco walked around the two Pets, “How high end?” Serenity always stood proudly, but the shop owner noticed the other mare held her head high for inspection. ‘Mapper always did train her pets well,’ thought Coco.

“I believe what you described to the Princess would do nicely.” Mapper said as she watched her two Pets.

“Seafoam for Serenity,” Coco thought out loud, but noticed Mapper’s nod. “I don’t think a fez will work with that mane colour though.”

“I’m quite fond of the pill box hat,” Mapper responded.

Coco nodded and moved to take a closer look at wildfire. “Nothing that interferes with flight?”

“She won’t be flying while wearing it,” but Mapper added, “I would like to keep the possibility open.”

“Grass green is her colour,” Coco stated, “but what would you like the lace colours to be?”

“Light brown,” Mapper replied.

“Same crotchless pantie style for both?” asked Coco, to which Mapper nodded.

While the others were occupied Octavia hissed at Luna, “Happy, Mistress?” Only to be ignored by her wife.

Coco finished her inspection with ideas formulated in her head, “The usual time frame?”

“Of course Coco,” Mapper said, “Ten days is fine. Let me know if you need more time.”

“Very good,” concluded Coco, “And for the rest of you?”

Recital spoke up first, “Concert Hall evening wear for me, please.”

“Oh, yes,” Thespian said, “the same for me, and a tux for each of the stallions.”

Airmail shook her head, “The socks are enough for me.”

“Same for me,” added Tempest as she then looked at the diminutive pegasus, “What about you, Wildfire. Would you like some business casual, and maybe dress for a fancy dinner party?”

“Yes, please Honey, I would like some of those.” Wildfire blushed as she thought, ‘I’m actually buying things for me!’

“Princess?” Coco asked.

“Socks for me will be fine, thank you.” Luna responded as she still ignored her wife, but could feel her glare.

Coco walked up to the stage and presses a button. Two clerks entered with drinks and desert cakes. “If Octavia, Serenity, and Wildfire will please move backstage, I can run a few designs past you. Then I can take measurements.”

Mapper looped Serenity’s reins over her horn and teal unicorn took Wildfire’s reins in her magic and moved through the door way.

Luna dropped Octavia’s reins and the mare shot daggers at her wife before she stalked off with her tail firmly held against her ass as she followed the pair out of the room.

“Coco, dear,” Thespian said once the door was closed, “Over the top for the earth pony.”

Coco gave Luna a worried look. “Please do, Tavi will love it.” Coco gave a weak smile and exited after the Pets.

Thespian and Recital helped themselves to drinks and snacks. “Coco loves to have general directions and freedom of execution.”

“You know how much my Pet loves pink, Thespian,” giggled Luna, “I was pleased that Coco suggested it on her own.”

“Oh, yes,” Recital giggled, “But she does look good in pink, and she also wears that pink bowtie.”

“True,” responded Luna, “but she sees the bowtie as a uniform and I don’t think she even notices the colour anymore.”

Back stage Coco announced, “Everypony strip, please.”

Serenity quickly removed her clothes with magic. “Middle Pet, shall I help you with your clothes?”

Wildfire had gotten her stockings off, but was having a hard time with the corset, “Yes, please, Senior Pet.”

Serenity quickly removed Wildfire’s clothes, and then looked at Octavia shaking with anger. “Junior Pet, do you need assistance removing those clothes? Mistress Thespian would be quite upset if you tore them.”

“I don’t care!” shouted Octavia. “I’m not a whore!”

“All ponies are bad ponies,” intoned Serenity as she removed Octavia’s clothes without permission.

Coco was very hooves on when she took the measurements. The earth pony started with the irritated mare and moved on to Wildfire and then Serenity.

Out front the group had gathered on some seating pads to wait for the show, “I’m very sorry about Octavia’s behaviour,” Luna mentioned. “It is very unbecoming and she is so eager for a spanking too.”

“She does seem a bit overwrought about wearing pink,” Thespian said.

“I don’t think it is a pink thing, Thespian,” Luna amended, “I think it is more about what she was wearing.”

“Oh,” added Thespian, “It is a beautiful outfit. I really enjoyed wearing that.”

“It isn’t so much the outfit,” Luna continued, “but what the outfit represents.” Luna sighed, “Still, it embarrasses me.”

Mapper shook her head, “Well it should if she truly believes you would think so little of her.”

“Wait,” Thespian interrupted, “This isn’t a pink thing, this is a whore thing?”

“I’m sure it is something of a pink thing too, Thespian,” Luna said, “but Tavi now thinks I believe she is a whore because of what I put her in.”

“What?” exclaimed Thespian, “I know ponies like to use labels on others. When I got the part I asked Mapper about it, and her encouragement was all I needed. Does Tavi think only a whore would wear such clothes?” Luna nodded. “Well,” Thespian said as she stood up. “I’ll just see about that!” The earth pony stormed off through the back stage door.

Coffee Bean spoke softly, “Bosi farasi.” Mapper nodded, but made no move to stop Thespian.

Luna watched the mare go, “I may have just made matters worse.”

The door slammed open and Thespian entered. Coco and Wildfire jumped at the noise. Serenity watched calmly and Octavia glared. Thespian marched up to Octavia and poked her in the chest with a hoof. She watched Octavia’s eyes narrow, but before the dark grey mare could speak, Thespian started shouting. “What the Tartarus is wrong with you!” She poked her again, “You think a dress makes you a whore! You don’t know the first thing about being a whore!”

Wildfire moved over to put Serenity between her and the yelling pony. The pegasus whimpered but said nothing. Serenity let the Middle Pet find comfort next to her.

Octavia sniffed and looked down her nose at the earth pony mare, “I never presumed to call you a whore.”

“That’s your problem!” Thespian yelled. “When I wore that I was the best whore in all of Canterlot on that stage!”

Octavia harrumphed, “What suits one pony doesn’t have to suit another, does it?”

“You are a fool!” Thespian continued her tirade, “You have no idea what it is like to be whatever the part is you play. Whore or High Society mare is really no different.”

“You dare to call me a fool?” Octavia yelled back.

“I do call you a fool!” Thespian yelled in return. She took a breath, “You are a fool for failing to see love when it is tossed in your face. You are desperate for a mares love and you have all of her love. Even when she has to dress you like a whore for you to see it.”

“Luna will not be pleased,” muttered Octavia.

“You are the worse that nobility produces.” Thespian didn’t wait for a response. She turned and marched from the room the same way she came in. Only this time she didn’t slam the door.

“All ponies are bad ponies” Serenity whispered, “Even ponies that think they are good.”

“Is everything okay?” whispered Wildfire.

“What does she know?” Octavia said with a sniff.

“Yes, Middle Pet,” Serenity said as she nuzzled the yellow pegasus, “Mistress Thespian is okay now, and maybe Junior Pet will learn to be okay soon.” She looked to the shop owner, “Ms. Pommel, I think we should get ready for the show least the Mistress find fault with her Pets.”

Coco had never seen Thespian so angry off stage. She remembered the production well as she liked that play. Still a dress is just a dress, and not what you are, but what you project. She sighed, “You are right Serenity.” Coco took her measurements to an assistant and described what she wanted. The assistant then left to fetch the items.

Thespian calmly entered the room and strolled up to Luna, “Please forgive me, but I may have raised my voice with your wife.”

“I couldn’t help but notice, Thespian,” Luna said with a smile, “Did she offend you in some way?”

“Hmm, oh yes, well my profession really.” Thespian sighed, “A bit of a touchy subject for me, but I’ve spoken my piece so that is behind me now. I believe that Mapper has laid out a corrective action plan.” Thespian shrugged, “It was a good play too, and I’d play it again. Even if I’d have to take the role of the matron.”

“Yes, Mapper has,” commented Luna, “and it will be carried out. Be assured of that.”

Thespian nodded, “I mean I was a good whore, wasn’t I Mapper?”

“You were the best,” Mapper smiled, “and I would know.”

Luna radiated anger and stomped the floor with a hoof which fractured it, “How dare she embarrass me! While a guest in your house, no less!”

Coffee Bean moved close to Luna, “Thespian haoni ukumbi kama kutafakari ya ulimwengu wa kweli.”

Thespian giggled, “I know more of that zebra speak than you think, Coffee.”

Coffee Bean rolled her eyes, and them put a hoof on Luna’s shoulder, “Mungu wa Usiku sidhani duka hili wanyenyekevu anastahili hasira yako ya haki.”

Luna looked at the damage she caused, “You’re quite right Priestess, I’ll save my anger for where it is deserved.” Luna cast a simple spell to restore the floor.

Coco’s assistant returned with several garments on her back. “For you Octavia I have this.” She showed off a sheer blue corset where Octavia could see the dark blue boning. Sheer blue socks with dark blue garters, and bits of string for the panties. She assisted Octavia getting the outfit on and finished it off with a tail sleeve for the first eight inches of the tail and a blue bow over her dock. Last was a red fez. “Blue isn’t really your colour, but it should show off the design nicely.”

Coco turned to Serenity, “This is for you, if you can put it on please.” Serenity nodded and took the dark red brocade corset with a lighter red pattern and put it on. She also put on the black lace stockings and garters. Red lace panties and dark red pill box hat. “Red is a good colour for you Serenity.”

“Last I have this for you Wildfire,” Coco said as she turned to the last mare. “I’ll describe it to you as I help you dress.” Coco did just that with a little assistance from Serenity. “This is a velvet forest green corset. Green fishnet stockings with dark green garters. Dark green panties too and a green cabbie hat.” Coco looked her over, “You really would look better in a lighter green, but still the fashion idea comes across.” Coco clapped her hooves, “Okay mares, up on stage. I will let you know when to start.” Coco left the room to join the others.

Serenity nudged Wildfire, “Follow.” Wildfire kept a wing tip out against the unicorn and followed. “Five steps.” Wildfire climbed them with Serenity. “Wait.” Wildfire stopped. “When you parade I will cough when you are two steps from the end. When I do turn and come back to me.” She nuzzled Wildfire, “Walk straight.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire replied as she returned the nuzzle.

Octavia remained silent when she joined the two back stage. ‘What is wrong with that mare?’ She sighed, ‘What is wrong with me?’

Coco entered the show room, “Here are three ideas to consider. I know the colours are not right, but please look past that, and at the design of the lingerie.” She clapped her hooves.

Serenity nudged Wildfire, “You are first. Walk proudly and show the Mistress your beauty.”

Wildfire strutted out onto the stage with her head held high. When she heard Serenity cough she spun around and started to head back.

While Coco didn’t plan the order ahead of time, she trusted Serenity to take charge back stage. Once Wildfire turned, Coco commanded, “Stop and lift tail.” Wildfire did just that. “This is a study in velvet and satin. Soft, yet powerful. You may continue.” She watched Wildfire move behind the curtain.

“Junior Pet,” Serenity said in a low voice, “you are next.”

Octavia put the last few minutes behind her as she strutted out onto the stage with a swagger. When she reached the end Octavia spun around ready for the command from Coco.

“Stop and lift tail,” Coco ordered. “This is a study in sheer with the boning visible as a contrast. Sheer stockings complete the look, and while it may seem she has no panties from the side, from behind the G-string look frames her beauty perfectly. You may continue.” Octavia moved off and she waited for her last model.

Once Octavia had moved alongside her, Serenity high stepped onto the stage like the showmare she was. She crossed her hooves one in front of the other and reared up at the end when she spun around.

“Stop and lift tail,” Coco said while impressed with Serenity’s performance. “This time is a study in brocade. While a heavier fabric than the first two the colour variations in the brocade give a strong impact statement to the mare that wears it. Ample lace draws the eye to the subject. You may continue.” Serenity high stepped her way backstage.

Coco turned her full attention on her clients. “I do have other designs, but I believe these three most suit your desires. I can show some more if you wish.”

“I’d like the sheer one for Wildfire and the brocade for Serenity please,” Mapper stated.

“A good choice Mapper,” Luna added.

Coco focused all of her attention on Luna, “And for you Princess?”

“No,” Luna said, “I’m very pleased with what you have shown me.”

Coco nodded, “Then the sheer one for your wife?”

“Pardon?” Luna said then understood the question, “Oh, no, all three for my wife please.”

“Of course, your Majesty,” Coco said with a smile, “Do you want some other colours?”

“All in the pinkest pink you have, please Coco,” Luna said as her smile grew.

“Yes, that can be done,” Coco started, “but, if I might suggest…for the brocade, a white base with pink over it would really stand out nicely against her fur.”

“An excellent suggestion, Coco,” Luna nodded, “Please make it so. Tavi can count herself lucky I don’t have you put Pinkie Pie’s cutie mark on them.”

Coco blinked, “Laughter, the element of harmony?”

Luna giggled and realized they would be known across Equestria, “Yes, the very one.”

“Um, well,” Coco smiled, “for the garter clasps I happen to have all the Element bearer’s cutie marks. They are rather hot items, especially the butterflies.”

Luna clapped her hooves, “Do it, please!”

“Um,” Coco lead off, “for all three, would ten days be acceptable?”

“Yes,” Luna nodded, “I’m okay with that.”

Coco turned to the other mares, “Thespian, do you have a colour choice for the evening wear? I think the last one was bright red.”

“Yes it was,” answered Thespian, “How about a green to match my eye colour?”

“Wasn’t that what I suggested last time?” Coco responded. Thespian simply smiled.

“Hey!” Recital exclaimed, “I was going to pick my eye colour! You’re a mean one, Thespian.”

Coco quickly interceded. “I can do two different styles in green.” With that Thespian stuck her tongue out at Recital.

“Okay,” Recital said, “but make sure mine shows more flank than hers.”

Backstage Serenity led Wildfire off the stage, “They are finished with us so we need to get back into our original outfits now.” She assisted both mares in undressing, along with herself, and Coco’s assistant took up the clothing. Serenity then helped them back into their original clothing. She noticed that the fight seemed to have gone out of Octavia.

“I have a wide variety of socks, both solid and striped in stock,” Coco stated, “Did you have a colour choice, Princess?”

“I’d like some solid crimson one, please Coco,” answered Luna.

“Okay, I’ll get the socks. Please enjoy the refreshments while you wait.” Coco added, “If you wish, please check out the store front also.” Coco moved back through the door.

“I liked the show, all the mares did well on stage,” Luna stated as she helped herself to more drink and the tasty little cakes.

Mapper spoke up, “I agree that our Pets managed to not embarrass us on the stage.” She and the others joined the Princess around the refreshment table.

Coco entered the backstage area quite pleased. She spoke briefly with her assistant and then moved to the models. She saw they were all dressed in the original outfits. “All of you did very well on the stage, thank you.”

Serenity let loose one of her small smiles, while Octavia nodded. Wildfire did a little dance, “Yay, I did well!” she glowed happily.

“All of you may return to your Mistresses” Coco said as she moved through the door her assistant left out of.

Serenity took up Wildfire’s reins and leads her back to the showroom. Octavia followed closely behind the pair. When they entered, Mapper said, “Well done Pets, you may have snack and drink.”

Serenity led Wildfire to the table, “Is your chocolate sense tingling?”

“Always, Senior Pet,” Wildfire giggled, “Always.”

“You’ll like these chocolate biscuits then,” she said as she added them to a plate, “Water or apple juice?”

“Water, please,” responded Wildfire.

Serenity moved the plate and glass were Wildfire could take it and prepared her own plate.

Octavia moved to follow the pair to the table when Luna said, “Tavi, here please.”

The dark grey mare approached her wife with head lowered and ears down, “Mistress.”

“Well?” Luna asked.

“I have failed you Mistress,” Octavia said with a sniffle, “and I have embarrassed you Mistress.”

“By Tartarus you have,” stated Luna. “Apologize to our gracious host.”

Octavia lifted her head and looked around to see that Thespian was nearby. “Lady Thespian, I wish to apologize for any upset caused to you by my actions.”

Thespian moved closer, “You enjoy preforming before an audience, Octavia?”

Octavia nodded, “I do.”

“As do I Octavia.” Thespian stated, “Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances. On stage I am what I portray least I cheat the audience that watches. It matters not what I may be cast as, for that becomes who I am.” The earth pony smiled, “You should wear that outfit with pride, and I accept your apology.” Thespian gave Octavia a nuzzle, “I do look forward to your performance, as I’ve purchased a gown for that evening.”

Octavia returned the nuzzle, “Thank you for accepting my apology, and I hope you enjoy my performance.”

“I did, dear,” Thespian responded, “All but the pouty lip. That was over acting,” she finished with a giggle.

“You may have drink and snack, pet,” Luna said and watched her wife walk off. She them moved near Mapper and whispered, “Mother of the Goddesses, she infuriates me at times.”

Mapper whispered back, “She is expecting a spanking, then?”

Luna nodded, “Yes, but nothing ever seems to change.” She sighed, “Still, I’m going to spank her soundly for this.”

Wildfire nibbled her chocolate biscuits and sipped her water. She felt proud of how all the ponies admired her, and that she had made them happy. That was all that mattered.

Coco returned with some bags. “Tempest, there are the three sets of socks you ordered.” Tempest took the bag. “Princess, here are your socks.” She lowered her voice, “I tossed in a purple set for your sister, and a pink set for your wife.”

Luna smiled, “That is very kind of you, Coco, thank you.”

“Well,” Coco led off, “I would like to ask a huge favour of you, if I may please.”

“Of course you can,” responded Luna, “What do you need?”

Coco blushed, “I’d like a photo with you to display in the store.”

“Easily done,” Luna smiled as the simple task requested, “It would be my pleasure.”

An assistant entered and took the photo, “I’ll have this printed and ready for you in a moment, Ms. Pommel.”

“Would you like another one just for yourself, Coco?” Luna asked.

Coco blushed harder, “Thank you but...” Her assistant walked back in with the photo on a clip board, “This is more than enough, and would you please sign it?”

Luna took the quill from the clip board with her magic and signed her name with a flourish while Coco did a little dance of happiness, “I do hope that Suri wonders by.”

Luna thought for a moment, “Rarity told me that story. Wasn’t she your employer once?”

Coco nodded, “Yes, before Ms. Rarity came to my rescue. I’ll have your order delivered to the palace in a plain wrapped package, Princess. Thank you again for shopping at Rarity’s Recreations.”

“It has been my pleasure, Coco,” Luna said as she nuzzled the mare. Thespian, Mapper, and Recital also nuzzled Coco and offered their thanks for her work.

Wildfire listened to all the happy talk around her when she remembered something. “Senior Pet, may I ask a question?”

Serenity looked at Wildfire for a moment, “You may.”

“When you were helping Mistress Luna heal my wings, Mistress Mapper asked how the pain tasted, and if it was the best. You said no.” Wildfire asked, “I just wondered what was? The best I mean?”

“This is not the time nor place to discuss this Middle Pet.” Serenity nuzzled Wildfire and whispered, “When we have Free Time and we are alone.”

“Alrighy then,” Wildfire returned to her snack.

Serenity felt her reins taken up and took up Wildfire’s. Trumpet announced, “Our next stop is Compuland.”

Luna took up Octavia’s reins and the group left the store.

Outside Mapper spoke to Luna, “Mistress Luna, may I have a few moments of your time?” Luna nodded. “Senior Pet, please take Junior Pet’s reins. I wish to view the lot of you from back here.”

Luna released the reins for her magic as Serenity took them up and led the two Pets down the sidewalk. “What is it Mistress Mapper?”

“Far be it from me to tell another Mistress how to handle her Pet,” Mapper started off, “but maybe you’d be open to a discussion on Pet handling?”

“Is this about Tavi?” Mapper nodded. “Yes then,” Luna said with an air of defeat, “I’m open to a discussion.”

“Should some Pet desire a sound spanking there happens to be a public fountain further along the path we are taking.” Mapper added, “Very public and popular this time of day.”

“Yes,” Luna said, “I can see how that might focus the punishment, but should a Mistress really just give a Pet what they want?”

“That really depends on the Pet, Mistress Luna,” Mapper said with a smile. “What might a Pet be expecting for such a punishment?”

“A hoof to the ass,” Luna muttered.

“I’ve often found the unexpected will reinforce a lesson you wish a Pet to learn,” commented Mapper. “There are other things besides hooves one can use to spank.”

“Of course,” Luna said as if she stated the obvious, “riding crops, paddles, even a cane, but I don’t have any of those with me at the moment.”

Mapper giggled, and Luna gave her a glare. “It is amazing how much more is available when one thinks outside the box.” Mapper looked at Luna’s bag, “There are many instruments that can be used for a spanking, and nopony said there had to be pain involved.”

“What?” Luna looked at the same bag Mapper looked at, “But...wait…you mean,” Mapper nodded, “I would have never thought of that.” Glee spread across Luna’s face, “How far is this fountain?”

“Two more streets,” answered Mapper. The group crossed a street and the open area of the fountain came into view. “It was a lovely show, Senior Pet, return Junior Pet to her Mistress.” Serenity let go of her magic hold on Octavia’s reins to let Luna pick them up. As they crossed the next street Mapper gave a low whistle and the rest of the herd stopped to look at her. “Senior Pet, to me.”

Serenity pulled Wildfire with her as she moved to Mapper’s side. Caffeinated, Thespian, Recital, Trumpet, and Coffee Bean moved to join her. “What’s up, Mapper?” Caffeinated asked.

Mapper merely nodded in Luna’s direction as she led Octavia to the fountain. “Watch and learn.”

Coffee Bean asked, “Will the Goddess settle accounts with her Pet?” Mapper merely giggled.

As Luna led Octavia to the fountain, the earth pony saw the square was filled with ponies enjoying their lunch and foals playing in the fountain. “Mistress?” Octavia asked, but she received no reply. Around her she heard the crowd.

“Look at the fancy ponies,” from a colt. “She looks pretty,” from a filly. “Do you think they are shooting a movie?” from a stallion. “They must be, that pony looks just like Princess Luna,” from a mare. “Look over there. It’s Thespian and Serenity. That is Recital too, it must be a movie,” from a stallion. Ponies that planned to leave decide to stay.

Luna uses her throne room voice, “Pet, you are a very bad pony. You have embarrassed me, and dishonoured our host. For this I will spank you here and now!”

More voices in the crowd, “Oh, they’re starting, think I’ll be on camera?” from a mare. “That is Serenity, I’d just saw her in the Wagener play, think we can get autographs?” from a stallion. “Hey that pony is dressed up to look like Lady Octavia!” said a mare.

Octavia shivered with excitement at the thought of getting spanked, but she looked around at the large number of ponies gathered at the fountain. She blushed hard and said, “Mistress?”

“Position!” snapped Luna. Octavia moved to Luna’s front and stood crosswise. She lowered her chest and raised her tail.

The noise of the crowd is reduced but some comments still made it to Octavia’s ears. “Look how she is dressed, that is hot,” said a young stallion. “I like the pretty red dress,” said an older filly. “This must be a parody film,” said a mare. “Daddy, what are they doing?” asked a filly. “What happens if you’re a very naughty filly?” replied her dad. The filly’s eyes went wide.

Luna levitated a pink, fluffy, sock out of the bag so the crowd could see it. Several started to giggle or laugh. She moved the sock so Octavia could see it. ‘What? No! Not like this,’ she thought but only said, “Mistress?”

“You pushed for a spanking, Pet,” Luna said. “Are you a bad pony?”

Octavia squeezed her eyes shut and said, “Yes, Mistress.”

Luna used her magic to raise the sock and flicked it causing the faintest of hits on Octavia’s flank. Some ponies laughed, a few cheered, and one shouted out, “One!” The filly asked, “Next time I’m bad will you spank me with a sock, dad?” Her father laughed too hard to answer.

Wildfire moved closer to Serenity till their flanks touched. She heard Luna say something about a spanking and then the count. All the ponies were cheering or laughing and she couldn’t figure out why.

Octavia folded her ears and lowered her head at the crowd noise. “Head and ears up,” commanded Luna. “Open your eyes as I want them to see you and you them.” Twice more the sock smashed ever so lightly on her flanks.

Those that were cheering took up the count. The ones that were laughing tried to get their breath back. Octavia lifted her head and saw the cheering ponies. Two more gentle strikes landed over her cutie marks. The count continued and one pony shouted, “Tickle that ass!” Luna smiled at the noise and the sock continued to rain down barely touching fur.

“S-senior Pet, wh-what is happening?” Wildfire asked nervously as Octavia started to cry in earnest.

“Mistress Luna is giving Junior Pet a severe beating,” Serenity whispered, “for being a very, very naughty Pet.”

Wildfire heard the count continue with much cheering, “Oh, I see, kinda.”

More shouts erupted from the crowd, “Teach what it is like to be a bad pony,” said a young colt. “Spank her again,” a stallion encouraged. “This is very funny, mommy,” a little colt said.

“Mistress Luna is so upset she is using a sock to beat her with,” Serenity continued.

“A sock?” questioned Wildfire.

“Yes,” responded Serenity, “a very, very harsh punishment.”

More of the colts and fillies start to mock her, and the laughter of the crowd grew louder. It pushed Octavia over the edge, and she whimpered, “D-d-dubstep, Miss-mistress.”

Luna floated the stocking back into the bag. The crowd cheered with much hoof stomping and laughter. The Princess walked around and kissed her wife, “You are forgiven.” To the crowd she took a bow, and then took up Octavia’s reins and led her back to the group.

Serenity whispered, “It is over. She has used her safe word. If Mistress allows, we should help Junior Pet get over this severe punishment.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire couldn’t stop the giggle.

The crowd stated to disperse, but a few more comments are over heard, “She really does look like Princess Luna,” said a mare. “Don’t you wish it was her sister being spanked?” asked a stallion. “Yeah, that would have been so funny,” answered another stallion.

Luna sniggered over the comments, ‘Maybe one day.’

Mapper asked, “Is your Pet in need of a tissue, Mistress Luna?”

Luna nodded, “I believe she is, Mistress Mapper.”

Octavia sniffled, but her tears had slowed, while the blush remained firmly in place.

“Sadly,” said Mapper, “I’m fresh out. Maybe Thespian will be kind enough to touch up her make up later.”

A colt ran up to the group, “That was really funny! Thank you for doing a show.”

“You’re very welcome,” Luna said with a smile.

The colt ran back and shouted, “She is nice!”

Mapper looked to her two pets, “Are you okay, Senior Pet?”

“The punishment was deservedly harsh, Mistress,” Serenity responded, “but I will be okay.”

“And you Middle Pet,” Mapper asked, “are you okay after that severe punishment that Junior Pet received?”

Wildfire couldn’t think of a reason why she wouldn’t be. Nopony ever spanked her with a sock. “Yes, Mistress,” she answered.

Trumpet led the group out of the fountain square, “Any bets that is up on Facetube before our next stop?”

Caffeinated laughed, “I don’t have that many bits to lose.”

Luna was surprised that her wife’s blush could get any redder.

Trumpet led the way into Compuland. Airmail moved up next to Serenity, “I’ll be taking Wildfire for a bit.” She took the reins in her wing when Serenity’s magic faded. “We’re going to get you some electronics,” Airmail stated to Wildfire, “Trumpet is real computer smart, but we want to get you stuff you can, and will, use.”

“Alrighty, Pretty,” Wildfire’s smile widened, “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

“Senior Pet, Middle Pet, you are on Free Time until we leave this store,” Mapper spoke up. “You may look for a video game, Senior Pet.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” Serenity giggled and skipped off into the store.

Now inside, Luna used her magic to dry Octavia’s eyes and gave her a kiss. She turned to Mapper, “Video Game, Mistress Mapper? What does she play?”

“She likes murder mysteries,” Mapper replied, “and super cute games that want to make you vomit, like Sugar Rush.”

Luna giggled, “Ugh! I can understand. I’d thought she’d like a game called Dark Souls.” She turned to her wife, “Love, you can have Free Time too and have some fun.” Octavia bowed to Luna and quickly scampered off to the racing game section.

Trumpet, Airmail, and Wildfire walked up to the service desk, “Hello,” Trumpet led off, “we need some electronics for my friend here,” the unicorn indicated the blind pegasus next to him.

The stallion clerk looked her over, and asked, “Any hobbies?”

Airmail read the stallion’s name tag and whispered in Wildfire’s ear, “His name is, Current.”

Wildfire giggled and pretended she has some hidden ability, “Yes, Current, I like to write poems and fly.”

The clerk laughed, “I can’t help you with flying, but how about a voice writer and audio reader? Can you read braille?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire replied, “I can read that with no problem.”

“Okay, I can show you something if you come with me.” The clerk led the trio to the correct section in the store, and talked along the way, “We have learning software for the unit so it can understand your speech, and the unit only ways half a pound. There is a printer too, though it weighs a pound and a half, but can print both braille and standard type.” They reached the spot, “You want to try one out?”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire smiled, “I’d love to!”

Tempest, Recital, Coffee Bean, Thespian, and Caffeinated wondered about the store till they got to the movie and music sections where the five browsed. Octavia was playing Need for Speed, and next to her Serenity was playing Super Mareio Cart.

“How about you, Mistress Mapper,” Luna asked, “Is there any games you like to play?”

“I’m really good at solitaire,” Mapper laughed, “I do like the mass player games like Ponycraft, EverPony, and StarPony.”

“I have fun playing a futuristic game called Mass Effect,” Luna mentioned, “You might like that.”

“Is it an online game?” asked Mapper.

“Well, no,” admitted Luna, “but Dark Souls is.”

Current hoofed a thick notebook to Wildfire, and she sat down to take it with her front hooves. “If you feel down the right side, on the frame, are the control buttons, each with the function in braille on the button. On the left side are ports to connect to other devices and the bottom has the power port.” He watched Wildfire’s hoof glide over the buttons. “For an added fee the unit can be Wi-Fi capable.”

“Sounds easy,” commented Wildfire, “I found there is a button for on and another one for off.”

“Yes,” responded the clerk,” That way you don’t have to guess it is on or off with only one button. Press the on button and say the word record twice carefully. It may take time to learn your speech pattern. Talk into the device and say stop twice. Then you can say playback twice and you’ll hear what you recorded.”

“Why do I say the words twice?” Wildfire asked.

“In case you use any of those words in your recording. That way you won’t accidently trigger the machines software,” Current answered.

“Alrighty.” Wildfire turned the unit on and stated clearly, “Record, record.” She giggled and said, “Hi there, this is Wildfire, and I’m the sexiest mare in the store.” That got a laugh from Airmail. “Stop, stop,” she repeated and then, “playback, playback.” Wildfire heard her own giggle and her words in a mechanical voice, but not Airmail’s laugh.

“The mic is very directional,” the clerk quickly informed the pegasus, “You have to be in front of the device facing and within two feet of it to pick up your sound. That reduces a lot of noise from getting into your recording.”

“That’s good,” Wildfire nodded, “Airmail can be quite noisy.” That earned a raspberry from Airmail.

Current continued, “Next to the bottom is a menu button that will put the device in menu mode. It is voice activated but you have to be in the right menu. Below that is a, play screen, button that will let you know what menu you are in. You can say ‘start menu’ to put it in that menu no matter what one you are in.”

“Does it come with other voices,” Airmail asked.

“Yes,” the clerk responded, “That was the default, and there is a total of five voices, but you can purchase more to include accents and foreign languages.” He saw both mares nodded, “The battery in the device has about a five hour charge. You can buy an extended life battery that will give you twenty hours, but weighs about a pound.”

Wildfire holds the device in her hooves, ‘This is like owning magic,’ she thought. “This sounds too good to be true,” she added.

Current smiled as he saw a sale being made, “It’s very true, but does have a cost. Base unit is four thousand bits and the Wi-Fi version is an additional two thousand bits. Printer is three thousand bits and it uses standard card stock for braille or standard paper for print. The extended battery is five hundred bits. Plus, we offer a no fault warranty.”

Wildfire thought about it and said, “The Wi-Fi would be good to have, and the printer. I don’t think I need the battery though.”

Airmail nuzzled her lover, “How long do you think you’ll be at the lake writing?”

Wildfire giggled, “All day if I have the chance, Pretty. Oh, I think I might need that extended battery.”

Current nodded and smiled, “Okay, one other item I didn’t mention, but I’m a sales pony. There is a braille keyboard that plugs into one of the ports if you don’t want to say your words out loud.”

“Alrighty, that would be useful if the foals are asleep,” Wildfire giggled, “Or some nosey mare is listening in.”

Current continued, “The no fault warranty covers everything, dropped in the lake, eaten by a foal, but you do have to bring what is left back. One thousand bits for one year or one thousand seven hundred bits for two years. For loss prevention you should add it to your homeowner insurance. Additional languages are two hundred or three hundred bits depending on the language or accent.”

“Uh, huh. Okay max warranty please,” Wildfire said with the math lost in her head. “What’s that come to altogether please?”

“Buying the whole package gives you a small discount,” Current stated, “so the total would be eleven thousand bits.”

“Wowsers,” Wildfire muttered. She couldn’t believe she was spending so much money on herself.

Airmail nuzzled her again and whispered, “You just spent five hundred bits on socks.”

Wildfire laughed, “I did! Okay I’ll take it, thank you.”

Airmail asked, “Does that keyboard work on a standard PC?”

“Yes,” responded the clerk. “It is a standard USB device.”

“Okay,” Airmail continued, “We’ll need a Platinum Four with Windigos Ten tower. Oh can this tablet be connected to the PC for input, and output?”

“Sure can,” the clerk said, “You will need an add on audio package with the Windigos to make the menu system audio input and voice output.”

“Cost?” Airmail asked.

Current did some numbers on his computer, “Okay, it is twenty thousand bits complete. You have the keyboard, but it also includes a headset with microphone, and it is a good one too. Do you need an UPS system?”

“No thank you, we have one in our office that can handle the added load.” Airmail turned to Wildfire, “This will give you a spot in our office, Wily.”

Wildfire was at an utter loss for words. ‘Can I really be this lucky and get all my dreams?’ She finally managed to get out, “Thank you Pretty, I’ll take it.”

“Great,” Current announced, “If you want, you can add an inexpensive monitor for one thousand bits for others to use.”

“No, thank you,” added Airmail, “We have spares ones at home if needed.”

The happy clerk was very happy, “Wildfire, do you like music?” he asked.

Wildfire nodded, “Yeah, I do, there’s a band I really like.”

“Well, with the purchases you have made today, I can offer you an MP3 player that can connect to your tablet or computer for downloads for the total sum of,” he added a dramatic pause, “zero bits.”

Wildfire giggled, “I think I can do that.”

“Isn’t that a first player shooter game?” asked Mapper.

“Yes, it is,” responded Luna.

“While this may not be a surprise to you,” Mapper said, “That is the sort of game that Airmail likes. I like the team games on line and tend to be a healer. What about you Mistress Luna?”

“I really play a lot of different games on different gaming systems,” Luna said as the pair moved to where their Pets are playing. “I really love the retro games though. I think they make it easier for me to better understand this modern world.” She watched a gleeful Octavia for a few minutes. “Having fun Tavi?”

“Yes Mistress!” She paused the game and pointed a hoof at a car, “That’s a Bugatti Veyron and goes two hundred and sixty two miles per hour!” She un-paused the game and a maniacal look took over her face.

Mapper giggled, “Have you taken your pet free falling?”

“Only once,” Luna responded while her wife was too involved in the game to hear them, “Her and Requiem are very much night and day on that aspect of flying. My wife is hooves on the ground all the time type of pony.” Mapper laughed and Luna looked around, “I wonder if they have a retro section in this store.”

A nearby clerk quickly moved in, “Could I be of some assistance?” the mare asked.

Luna smiled at the fast service, and she read the nametag, “Maybe, Amber Grain, I’m looking for an older title, from an older console, the Sega Mega Drive. The game is called Shining in the Darkness. I’ve been searching a long time.”

“We have a small retro section, ma’am. If you could follow me please,” Amber Grain led her to a sparse part of the gaming section.” Both Luna and Mapper followed the mare as they left their Pets to play.

“Very good,” Current stated, “Anything else I could interest you fine ponies in?”

Wildfire shook her head, “I’m very happy with what I’ve got, thank you.”

“That’s because you got me, oh, and some stuff.” Airmail said with a smile.

“The total is thirty one thousand bits then,” Current stated. He took Wildfire’s card, “The warrant begins today.” The sales clerk rung up the sale.

Wildfire nuzzled Airmail, “Well, yeah, you always make me happy.” Wildfire signs the tablet the clerk held for her. “How we going to get this home?”

“We offer same day delivery,” Current stated, “and with your purchase there is no extra charge for that.”

“That would be great!” Airmail exclaimed and gave the address to Current.

“Could I ask you a question,” Current led off, and when the mares and Trumpet nodded, “Is that Serenity, the opera singer?” He pointed to the teal unicorn playing a game.

Airmail followed his hoof, “Yes, it is.”

“She has the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard,” he stated with a soft sigh, “I’d love to her autograph.”

“Hmmm,” Airmail thought out loud, “How much should we charge this gentlecolt to get Serenity’s autograph?”

“Oh, I dunno, Airy,” Wildfire replied, “He has been really helpful and all…” She nuzzled Airmail’s ear and whispered, “Cost of the MP3 player?”

Airmail giggled, “You drive a hard bargain,” She looked at the clerk, “Wily wants a full refund for the MP3 player and we will introduce you to Serenity.”

Current laughed, “Don’t tell my manager, but it’s a deal.”

“Thought you’d go for that.” Wildfire felt Airmail turn and she followed her to Serenity.

Airmail spoke up when they reached the gaming mares, “Serenity?”

Serenity paused the game and turned, “Yes, Ms. Airmail?”

“This gentlecolt here is a fan of opera,” Airmail began, “and he would like to talk with you, and get your autograph.”

“Did you charge him for that, Ms. Airmail?” Serenity asked, and when Airmail shook her head no, a change came over the teal unicorn. “Hi there! I take you’ve seen some of my performances?” Serenity and Current then talked about the opera scene and her upcoming works plus his joy that he got to meet her and that he got the coveted autograph he had so desired.

Both Mapper and Luna turned when they heard Serenity’s melodic sing song voice. Mapper smiled, “Anther fan colt.”

Luna to smiled as she turned back to the selection that Amber Grain showed her. Another voice interrupted her search, “Can I have my ears painted, mommy?” Luna spun around to see a little filly next to a hard blushed Octavia. “Yes you can if you’re a good filly while we shop,” her mother answered. “Yay!” the little filly danced then stopped, “I’ll be a good filly mommy.” Luna’s heart went out to her pretty wife and she again turned back to the games.

“It is hard to compete with ebay, ma’am, so we only have some really off the wall games available,” Amber Grain said so she wouldn’t build up the customer’s hopes.

“Here is Cake Magic,” Mapper said as she hoofed it over to Luna. “A fine gift for your sister.”

Luna laughed, “Yes, she would like that, and…” Luna let out a fillyish squeal, “Surely not! It is here!” She holds up the game, Shining in the Darkness, “Best day ever!”

Mapper laughed, and the clerk remained professional, “We have some Alicorn 2400 games too,” she holds up a shoe box of cartridges.

“Oh?” Luna looks at the box.

“Yes, but we don’t have the gaming system,” the clerk amended, “It was state of the art twenty-five years ago.”

“I have the system,” Luna stated as she looked at the titles, of which she only had one. “I’ll take the box please.”

“Don’t forget the Cake Magic,” Mapper reminded her.

Another happy clerk was happy, “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be happy to ring that up for you.”

Luna, Mapper and Amber Grain move back to where Serenity and Octavia were playing. The other clerk had gotten his autograph, and the rest moved off to look around. “Tavi, would you like that game?” Luna asked.

“Yes, please, Mistress.” Octavia responded, her blush still visible.

Mapper asked Serenity, “Would you like a game, Senior Pet?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Serenity responded, “If I’ve pleased you, this one Mistress.”

“You have performed admirably, Pet so I shall indulge you.” Mapper said as she let Serenity carry the game and they moved off as a group with the clerk to pay for their purchases.

Caffeinated met them at the front. “I’ll get us a couple of cabs for our next stop,” and the stallion stepped out of the store.

Coffee Bean watched him go and then started laughing. The others looked at her and she said, “My nephew thinks he’s funny.”

“He can be amusing at times,” Luna mentioned.

“Yes,” Coffee Bean said, and then directed the group. “In the first cab is Mungu wa Usiku, me, Mapper, and the Pets. If you could please board last, Luna, it will give the joke the full effect.”

Luna looked outside again to see that the cabbie Caffeinated talked to was a zebra. ‘I think I’m really enjoying my time with the zebras.’ “You’re right, Coffee,” Luna stated, “this is going to be fun.”

Mapper and the Pets boarded first and the cabbie looked back to get an eyeful of the mares. When Coffee Bean boarded he quickly turned his attention back to the front. Coffee Bean said, “Mei Mungu wa Usiku kuleta baraka napenda.”

Without turning around the driver responded, “Kuwakaribisha Baraka yake kuhani.”

Luna stepped into the cab and said, “Una Baraka yangu.”

The zebra laughed and turned around and let out his only filly like squeal, “Mungu wa Usiku jinsi naomba kuwa ya huduma!”

Coffee Bean spoke up before Luna could, “Kuendesha gari kwa Fifty Seventh na Broadway.”

“Kama nina mbawa!” The cabbie raced off to their destination.

“I fear he will test your immortality, Mistress Luna,” Mapper muttered.

Luna laughed as the cab raced down the street, “Coffee Bean, I do think you enjoyed that.” She saw Coffee Bean laugh behind her hoof. She looked over at Octavia and saw her wife’s eyes wide with excitement as the Manehatten buildings passed by in a blur. She nuzzled her wife, “Enjoying the ride Pet?”

“Yes, Mistress!” Octavia shouted, “The speed is most thrilling!”

There was a near miss as they raced through Time’s Square and Luna refreshed her vocabulary in inappropriate phrases in the zebran language. Her wife whooped with excitement at the near collision. “Is my pretty mare happy?” Luna asked.

“Your pretty mare is very happy, Mistress!” Octavia responded.

After a couple more, near accidents they arrived at the intersection. The Cabbie was exhausted. Luna smiled as she exited, and said, “Huduma yako imekuwa kukubalika na upate kufanikwa.” An excited Octavia exited with her. Mapper paid the cabbie with a sizable tip included as she exited the cab last.

The cabbie tried to catch his breath as he replied. “Namshukuru Mungu wa usiku kwa ajili ya baraka yake.”

The group moved off to the nearby MiAC store, and Coffee Bean said, “That was a nice ending. Better than saying you may live,” she giggled.

“He deserved it,” Luna said with feigned indifference, “he did please my Pet with his efforts.”

“We may as well go in,” Mapper stated, “as it will be a few minutes before the rest catch up to us.”

Octavia was still so full of joy that she failed to notice the bright pink exterior of the MiAC store with purple and gold trim. The colour scheme was in honour of the owner of the Equestrian wide chain of stores, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Inside the store was packed with anything that might be needed to spice up a romance. A wide range of fetish items, guide books, videos, incense, oils, lotions, and lubes.

Luna nuzzled her wife’s ear, “Would you like to browse?”

Octavia nodded, “Yes, Mistress.”

Mapper moved to brush Wildfire’s side, “Senior Pet you may also browse. Middle Pet you’re with me.” Serenity let loose her hold on the reins and skipped off deeper into the store. “Follow,” Mapper commanded and was pleased that Wildfire obeyed without hesitation. “You need your own toy bag, Middle Pet, something you can enjoy with Airy and Stormy.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Wildfire responded, “I would like that, and maybe some hoof cuffs would be nice.”

“Has Airy told you how she likes to be mounted by Stormy?” Mapper asked.

“Yes, Mistress,” Wildfire said, “Honey has told me she likes to do that, and I heard her with Mistress Luna.”

“Would you like to mount Airmail?” Mapper questioned.

“Yes I would, Mistress,” Wildfire replied, “It’s something that Pretty enjoys.”

“Then run your hoof over this,” Mapper commanded as she touched Wildfire’s chest with an object and then moved it away.

Wildfire lifted a hoof and felt the object. She moved slowly along its length felling the flare, ring, and bumps till it moved in a V and she felt a smaller version of stallion’s penis. “It…It feels nice Mistress, I like it.”

“Very good Middle Pet,” Mapper smiled, “Now let us search further into the store.”

Serenity went straight to the paddle display and sat before it with a longing look. Octavia wondered a bit through the store. She had seen some of the items displayed shown off by her niece on occasion at the palace, but never such a wide range of items. When she reached Serenity, Octavia sat next to her, “Magnificent.”

“Yes,” Serenity gave a sad nod, “but I don’t know if I’ve been good enough to get one.”

“Here we are, hoof cuffs,” Mapper added them to the basket, “Is there anything else you like when you’re bound?”

“Nipple clamps are nice, Mistress,” responded Wildfire.

“Oh, yes!” Mapper added them to the basket, “They are very pleasant. How about…” The door opened and the other six arrived. “Caffy, please escort Airmail and Tempest to the coffee shop on the corner. They may not see Middle Pet’s purchases until they get home.”

“Aww,” Tempest protested, and then she whispered to Thespian.

Airmail rolled her eyes, “Fine.” She and Tempest followed Caffeinated out of the store.

“As I was saying, Middle Pet,” Mapper continued, “Would you like some ear clips? Nothing keeps a pony’s tail up then when clipped to the ears.”

“Yes Mistress,” Wildfire said, “Those sound nice too. Oh! Could I get some vibrating plugs for both holes? With adjustable settings too, Mistress?”

“Of course,” Mapper said, “they are over this way.” When they reached the spot, Thespian was looking over the display. “Wear out the last one, Thespian?”

Thespian giggled, “He cannot fill both holes at once.” She selected a couple to add to her basket.

Wildfire confessed to Mapper, “When they’d deny my orgasms at the home, and make me beg for release, it was exhilarating, Mistress.”

Thespian looked at the diminutive pegasus and back to Mapper. Mapper just smiled and said, “If I didn’t allow you to cum till I gave permission, you’d find that to be exciting?”

“Oh yes, Mistress,” Wildfire said.

Mapper looked through the selection and picked the same two that Thespian picked, “What was the longest you went before you came without permission?”

“An hour, Mistress,” Wildfire responded, “they kept altering the speeds, brought me to the edge many times before I couldn’t hold it anymore.”

“Impressive Pet,” Mapper held out the two plugs, “Feel these to see if they are the size you want. “I’ll have to see if I can get you to go longer.”

“They were very displeased, as you can imagine Mistress.” Wildfire felt the plugs, “These are perfect, Mistress.”

“I would be displeased too Pet,” Mapper said, “but I believe you will like my displeasure.”

Octavia looked at the paddles, and sighed, “I’m sure I haven’t been good enough.”

“All ponies are bad ponies,” Serenity intoned.

Luna moved up next to Octavia and nibbled her ear, “Seen anything you like, Pet?”

Octavia nodded, “The paddles, Mistress, though I doubt I’ve been good enough to get one.”

“If I allowed you to choose a paddle, which one would you pick?” Luna asked.

Octavia pointed a hoof at the slim wooden paddle that was filled with holes and painted a bright pink. “That one, Mistress.”

Luna levitated the pink paddle off the display, “I’m pleased with your choice, Pet, and I will get this for you.” Her wife’s smile was reward enough for her.

Wildfire followed Mapper through the store and thought about what she said. Amethyst Glory’s displeasure at the home was never something she looked forward to. Yet Mapper said she would look forward to her displeasure. Wildfire was still very confused about her new situation away from the home. Nothing seemed to be what she was used to or what she expected.

“Do you like strawberries?” Mapper asked.

The question derailed Wildfire’s thoughts, and she hesitated in answering, “Yes, Mistress, I do. The only fruit I don’t care for is peaches.”

Mapper smiled, “Noted.” She added some strawberry lube to the basket. As they walked along Mapper added a yellow velvet blindfold to the basket. When they reached the display where Luna, Octavia, and Serenity were, Mapper asked, “Anything else that might interest you?”

“Well, yes, Mistress,” Wildfire pawed at the floor,” I would like something to spank me with, but Honey says she doesn’t like spanking.”

Mapper asked, “Do you like to be spanked, if you’ve earned it Middle Pet?”

“I do, Mistress!” Wildfire exclaimed.

“Middle Pet do you think that Senior Pet was well behaved today?” Mapper asked.

“Yes, Mistress,” Wildfire responded, “she has.”

Mapper looked at her wife, “Have you been a good pony today, Senior Pet?”

“No, Mistress,” Serenity responded. She saw her wife looking at her, “I told Middle Pet that Mistress Luna was punishing Junior Pet most severely.”

Mapper shook her head, “I’m very disappointed, Senior Pet, you may pick out the instrument of your punishment.”

Serenity did a tiny happy hoof dance, “The cricket bat, Mistress.”

Mapper nodded, “I may find displeasure in Middle Pet, what would you recommend, Senior Pet?”

“The riding crop, Mistress,” Serenity said while she watched Wildfire mimic her happy hoof dance.

“Opinion, Mistress Luna?” Mapper asked.

Luna held the pink paddle in her field, “Sometimes it does take more than a sock, Mistress Mapper.”

“Very true,” Mapper agreed, “but I doubt that will sting nearly as much as the sock did.” Mapper took the cricket bat from the display, “I’m very displeased with Senior Pet and she has earned this.” Serenity couldn’t contain her smile. Mapper took the riding crop also and added both to the basket. “I’m sure that Middle Pet will earn my displeasure also.”

Luna giggled as she watched Serenity, “This is for when she remembers to be naughty in a good way.”

They moved to the front of the store where the rest waited. Thespian picked up some oils for Tempest along with her own purchase. Trumpet and Recital had a selection of videos. Coffee Bean purchased a new vibrator and some incense. Luna and Mapper each paid for their own purchases.

“Did you get everything you wanted, Wildfire?” Luna asked.

“Yuppers, I think so,” the pegasus answered.

“Middle Pet?” Mapper said in a low voice.

“I mean, yes, Mistress,” Wildfire quickly responded.

Just as quickly, Mapper took the newly purchased riding crop from the bag and applied two quick forceful strokes across Wildfire’s ass.

Wildfire gasped out loud, in both surprise and pain, “Thank you, Mistress.”

Mapper returned the crop to the bag, “We may as well see if this shop has coffee as good as Caffy’s.”

Octavia snorted, “I doubt it.”

Luna levitated a pink sock out of the bag, “Open,” she ordered. Octavia opened her mouth and she floated the sock in. “Close.” Her wife did so. “Yes, Mistress Mapper, to coffee!”

The coffee shop was two doors down from the MiAC store. At the entrance Mapper said, “Caffy does enjoy his fun. Would you mind entering last, Mistress Luna?”

“He does,” responded Luna. “The cab ride was a lot of fun, and I’ll bet he has something like that planed.”

“Not taking that bet.” Mapper entered followed by her pets, Thespian, Recital and Trumpet.

Luna entered last with Octavia in tow. She saw Caffeinated at the counter and an earth pony stallion behind it. Once the barista had gotten his eye full of the Pets he turned his attention to the new arrival and his jaw dropped.

Caffeinated chuckled, “I told you we’d get free drinks.”

“It’s good to know I’m appreciated,” Luna smiled. She walked up to the coffee bar with Octavia.

Caffeinated bowed, “Always, Princess.” He looked at Octavia, “I ordered a creamy coffee. Have I erred?”

Luna looked at her wife, “Have you learnt your lesson?” Octavia nodded, “You haven’t erred, Caffy.”

Caffeinated motioned to the black earth pony with a red mane, “Princess, I’d like to introduce you to Nightwatch. Nightwatch, Princess Luna and Lady Octavia.”

“It is my pleasure, Princess,” Nightwatch stated, “and Caffeinated did pull a good one over me.” He pushed a coffee to Luna, “Brazebran black,” and a second cup, “Celestia special.” He chuckled, “I thought for sure he was pranking me.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you Nightwatch,” Luna said. Ocatavia nodded in agreement. “Thank you for the coffee.” She turned to Octavia, “Open.” Octavia opened her mouth, and Luna floated the sock out and back into her bag. She took the coffees in her magic and led Octavia over to the table where the rest sat. She took a sip, “Caffy, are you the supplier?”

Caffeinated had remained at the bar, “Good guess, Luna.”

Trumpet informed the group, “We will have to take the subway to our next stop since it is in the Broncs.”

Luna thought of their last trip, “I wonder if I’ll meet any future guards on this trip?”

“So,” Tempest opened, “What did you get Wily?”

Mapper cleared her throat, “Mistress said you will find out after we get home, Honey,” Wildfire said with a sly smile. Tempest did an eye roll and Mapper laughed.

Octavia took a drink of her creamy coffee and let loose a happy sigh, “Thank you, Mistress.”

“You’re welcome, love,” Luna turned to Trumpet, “The Broncs? I’ve read that is where most of the zebras in Equestria stay.”

“Very true, Luna,” Caffeinated responded. “It is the major trading port with the Zebralands.”

“Mistress,” Wildfire spoke up, “may I ask Pretty a question?”

Mapper looked at the pegasus, “About your purchases?”

“No, Mistress,” Wildfire shook her head.

“Very good,” Mapper led off, “Senior Pet, Middle Pet, you have Free Time until we leave this café.”

“May I have a scone, Mistress?” Serenity asked, and skipped off to the counter when Mapper nodded.

“Thank you, Mistress,” Wildfire said before she turned to Airmail. “I did wonder, Pretty, why they tease you about having experience with nappies when you are an only foal?”

Airmail ignored Mapper’s giggle as she answered, “I was seven when I went to my foster family. Less than a year after that they had their first foal, and was followed by three more.”

“Did you like it?” Wildfire asked.

Airmail smiled, “It was nice to have brothers and sisters, and be part of a loving family.”

“Yuppers,” an excited Wildfire responded, “it sure is!”

“That is why she has nappy duty,” added Tempest.

“Yeah,” countered Airmail, “but you’re the one that would let them pee on you.”

“I wouldn’t mind that either,” giggled Wildfire. After a moment she sobered up when she thought of her going to the home. “Pretty, if you don’t mind, how come you had to go to a foster home?”

Airmail’s voice and demure changed. Tempest put a wing over her, and Wildfire felt and smelled Mapper move between her and Airmail. The unicorn wrapped Airmail in a hug. “On the day I got my cutie mark, my father killed my mother and then killed himself. I spent six months in the orphanage before I was fostered and later adopted.”

Wildfire shivered, as that was the same voice she heard chase off the scary mare in the subway. It didn’t sound at all like the Airmail she knew. Her ears flattened against her skull, “I…I’m s-sorry, I sh-shouldn’t have asked.”

Airmail blinked and leaned past Mapper to nuzzle Wildfire. Her voice returned to normal, “I have nothing to hide from you Wily. You can ask me anything, my love.”

Wildfire relaxed with the nuzzle, “I just wondered if it was like why I was sent to that home.”

“Who sent you to that home?” Tempest asked.

“My dad,” Wildfire said bitterly. “He decided he couldn’t care for a crippled daughter. Said it was too much trouble.” Wildfire drooped and her voice lost all emotion, “But…he stopped loving me way before that.”

Caffeinated spoke up, “Dusk said you lost your mother when you were young.”

Wildfire sighed, “Yeah, Cutie, she died when I was twelve. She worked the Canterlot weather team, and took a lighting strike from an errant cloud when they were setting up a storm.”

Airmail nuzzled her again, “Did your father blame you?”

Wildfire shrugged her shoulders, “Honestly I don’t know. He wouldn’t talk about it. Started hitting the drink hard, and soon all he cared about was his next cider bottle.”

“Where is he now?” asked Airmail.

“Canterlot probably,” Wildfire gave a bitter laugh, “if he hasn’t drunk himself to death. Yeah, he’d still be in Canterlot.”

Mapper spoke up, “I never knew my father.”

Thespian added, “You’ve met my father, Wildfire.”

Wildfire smile, “Baron, yes, he is nice.”

“We will cross that bridge together,” Airmail said, “if you want your father back in your life.”

Wildfire grimaced, “I’d like to feel him one last time, but I don’t want him in my life!”

Tempest looked at the yellow pegasus, “Even if you have a foal? Like Airmail said, we will be with you.”

“No!” shouted Wildfire. “He had his chance. If he’d have cared for me I never would have spent five years there! I want to feel him and let him know I’ve beat him!”

Serenity paused while she nibbled her scone, “All ponies are bad ponies.”

“Yeah,” whispered Wildfire, “yeah, we are.”

“Well said Middle Pet,” said Mapper, “Free Time is over.”

Wildfire reigned in her emotions, “Yes, Mistress.”

Mapper added, “I believe you will need some cuddle time tonight, Middle Pet.”

Wildfire’s ears still drooped, “As you wish, Mistress.”

Mapper kissed Wildfire lightly, “I do wish that.”

Caffeinated spoke up, “The station is on the corner.” He led the way out of the coffee shop.

Trumpet took point to use the pass cards at the turnstile. Luna led Octavia past the full length mirror, and watched her wife check herself out with pride. The station was crowded and a male voice called out, “Is the mare in red for sale?”

Luna spun her head and glared at the stallion who was soon isolated as his friends backed away. “She is not.” She watched the stallion turn tail and disappear in the crowd.

Coffee Bean shook her head, “Yeye ni bahati ya bado wanaishi.”

Luna tugged on Octavia’s reins, “He served as an example. Hopefully next time his brain will act before his mouth.” She walked up to where Trumpet waited, “Apologies for the delay.”

The platform was even more crowded than the entrance. Mapper levitated the riding crop from the bag and twilled it around in front of her. Soon there was space around her and her Pets. Luna giggled at Mapper’s method of crowd control.

A stallion approached Luna, “Excuse me, but are you Princess Luna?”

“Yes, I am she,” Luna replied.

A murmur ran through the others in the crowd as they realized this wasn’t an actress. “Are you here to weigh in on the Mayor’s race?” the stallion asked.

Thespian stepped forward between the two, “What? Blue Ink has no chance! He isn’t in touch with the ponies.”

The stallion focused his attention on the earth pony, “But Silver Scroll has been in office too long!”

Airmail and Caffeinated placed themselves between Luna and the pair arguing politics. Coffee Bean said, “Bossy pony is bossy, but useful.”

“Yes, quite helpful,” Luna smiled.

From the other side another stallion spoke up, “Lady Octavia?”

Both Luna and Octavia turned away from the political discussion to the new comer. “Yes?” Octavia said.

“I’m looking forward to your concert, but this is a novel way to advertise it,” said the stallion.

Octavia smiled, “Indeed? I’m dressed as my Mistress desires.”

“It is charming to be sure.” The stallion looked past Octavia, “My compliments, Princess. Your wife looks lovely today.”

Octavia swelled with pride at the complement and Luna responded, “She does, thank you.”

The stallion continued, “Will your sister also be visiting Manehatten, your Highness?”

“Not in the immediate future,” Luna answered.

Luna’s attention was drawn away again when she herd Caffeinated say, “Airmail, coming down the steps.”

Airmail looked, “Crap! I’m on it.”

Coffee Bean spoke up, “Remain here Mungu wa Usiku. We will take care of this.” The zebra mare followed after Airmail.

Luna tried to figure out what was happening. She looked to the stairs that Caffeinated warned Airmail about, and saw a group of young adults. What they had in common is each wore her sister’s cutie mark. She looked back over at Caffeinated.

Caffeinated saw that the pair had the situation in hoof and turned to the Princess, “Celestites. A useless gang, noisy, but they shouldn’t be an issue here.” He moved to Luna’s front, while Tempest stood to her left and Octavia to her right.

Luna watched the group focus on Coffee Bean and she stepped forward. “Mistress Luna!” Mapper’s voice brought her up short. “She is your Priestess, not some light weight zebra. Please do not embarrass her.”

“Fine,” Luna said with gritted teeth, “but I’m watching them.”

Caffeinated said, “They’re all talk. If Coffee can’t handle them, Airy will.”

Luna watched the scene unfold. The youths focused in on the zebra mare with jeers. Coffee Bean retorted about their questionable ancestry. The insults against Coffee Bean become more abusive. Coffee Bean added new words to Luna’s vocabulary. Other ponies on the platform started to laugh at the gang being stood up by a lone zebra. The youths moved back up the stairs and continued to hurl insults. Before they are gone, Coffee Bean turned and flipped her tail before she trotted back over to Luna. Airmail, who did nothing, joined the group. “Youth is wasted on the young,” Coffee Bean said.

Luna was impressed by her Priestess, “Indeed it is.”

A mare on the platform stated, “Well, that is not the way to greet a Princess to our city.”

Coffee Bean nodded, “A lot of talk, but no action, which is good. City prison is not a pleasant place.”

“I imagine it isn’t,” Luna agreed.

“No television,” Recital said with a giggle.

Luna giggled along with her, “They would not survive.”

“There is still a strong pro Celestia presence from the old guard in the city,” Caffeinated said, “and that was an example of their fools, err, foals.”

The train arrived, and Mapper said, “Senior Pet, you have Middle Pet.” She joined the others as they entered the train.

Luna noted that Caffeinated did a lot of the ear flicking which she was sure was some sort of code. “Perhaps they’d be happier in Canterlot closer to their worship?” Luna stated as the group had to separate due to the crowded train.

Coffee Bean stayed on Luna’s left while Octavia was to the Princess’ right. To the zebra’s left was Mapper. “They know they wouldn’t enjoy Canterlot as they are not nobles. Here money still rules,” said the Priestess.

Others on the train focussed on the group, “Isn’t that Princess Luna?” from a mare. “No, it can’t be here in the city,” spoke a stallion. “I’m sure it is, she does look just like the pictures,” the mare retorted. “You may be right,” the stallion responded and he approached Luna. “Excuse me, Princess, but are you here on an official visit?”

Luna shook her head, “No, purely pleasure.”

Others quickly began to take pictures “I do hope you’ve found our city pleasing, your Highness,” the stallion continued.

Luna let loose a bright smile, “I have!” Soon the talk was reduced to the city sites and shopping centres.

Serenity and Wildfire again occupied the handicapped square. Wildfire was humming a different tune which Serenity recognized as ‘Don’t Marry Her’. The next stop three stallions leading three mares dressed in the same fashion as Serenity boarded the train. The group gasped when they saw Serenity standing there.

Mapper laughed and said loud enough for Luna to hear, “Serenity fan club.”

Luna looked down the train car and laughed, “So I see.” She returned to the conversation with the locals.

Wildfire felt crowded as the ponies around her started gushing about how much the loved Serenity and her work. Serenity started chatting with them like she was on Independent Time. All the ponies sounded very happy though so she kept humming her tune and listened to the conversation. Serenity did introduce her as a friend, and the fan club was courteous to her, but they stayed focused on Serenity.

“I’ve been to many shops,” Luna said, “Rarity’s Recreations, Compuland, and the MiAC store.”

A mare questioned, “You shop at MiAC? Doesn’t Princess Cadence bring you things from her stores?”

“It is true that my niece does bring samples on occasion,” Luna clarified, “but I don’t wish to live off the labours of others. So I do go shopping to buy things instead of having them given to me.”

“Still, that would be one grand MiAC party!” the mare continued with general agreement from others.

Luna laughed, “When Caddy does come around it is a party of interesting ideas.” Luna let the conversation flow and she noted that it seemed nopony had reached their destination as the car was completely full.

Mapper interrupted the conversation, “This is our stop, Princess.”

Luna took up Octavia’s reins and excused herself as politely as possible. Many other ponies got off at the stop to catch a train back to where they needed to be. Serenity also graciously excused herself from the fan club and took up Wildfire’s reins as she exited the train. The group merged back together as they headed for the exit. “How does it feel to be an everyday pony, Princess?”

“I’ll ignore that ‘Princess’ jab,” Luna said with a smile, “and it is rather refreshing, Caffy. I could get used to it.”

“Ponies will follow you,” Coffee Bean commented.

“You’ve made the day for a lot of them,” Thespian said. “Remember when Princess Celestia visited, Caffy?”

Luna nodded to Coffee Bean and replied to Thespian, “I’m sure I have, Thespian, and I’m pleased to have done so.”

Caffeinated rolled his eyes, “No subway, no walking around. All motorcades and guards.”

“You have to forgive him,” Thespian said. “He gets grumpy when they close the street in front of his shop.”

“Besides,” Airmail added, “Luna is not without her guards. The earth pony in red looks very dangerous.”

Trumpet held the passes to let all of them out of the subway system. Luna commented, “You have to understand that my sister and I have very different views on how visits should be performed. I like my low key approach and who needs guards when I have Tavi and Airy plus those two fine colts.”

“Show of power, Mungu wa Usiku,” Coffee Bean stated.

Luna laughed, “Show of power, that is very much Tia’s thing.” Luna noticed the neighbourhood was populated with zebras. The sight of her here led to immediate deference, but none of the zebras avoided the Princess. All of them bowed low as the alicorn passed.

“It is best to accept it,” Coffee Bean whispered.

Luna did her best imitation of a Twilight smile and wave, “I will, Coffee.”

Some of the zebras were brave enough to ask Luna for her blessing and the Princess gave it freely to all that asked. Wildfire listened to the quiet conversation around her. She sensed no danger and continued to hum her happy tune.

Trumpet announced, “We are here, ‘Fly by Night Military Surplus’.”

Airmail chuckled, “I wonder if Kupa is still running the place.”

Luna pondered the sign, “I admit, I’m interested in what they might have. You wouldn’t find a store like this in Canterlot.”

Airmail answered, “They have a lot of stuff, most of it is old, but serviceable.”

Trumpet entered first and this time Coffee Bean didn’t delay Luna. The Princess followed behind Airmail. Inside a zebra announced, “Welcome to Fly by…” He stopped at the sight of Luna, “Woah! My licenses are in order!” Airmail giggled, and the zebra asked, “Airmail, what is going on here?”

Luna laughs, “I’m sure they are.”

Airmail moved forward with Trumpet, “Trump, you have the list?”

“I do,” Trumpet replied as he set the list on the counter.

The shop owner took the list, but looked at Luna, “Je, Mungu kusababisha mapinduzi?”

Luna smiled serenely, “I certainly will.” The rest of the group hung back with Luna and watched the show.

The owner looked over the list, and Airmail said, “We don’t need to see the ‘special stock’, just what is on the list.”

The owner snorted as he looked up at Luna, “Nini Mungu haja na mambo madogo mimi, ila farasi wake itakuwa tayari kwa amri yake.” He then turned to Airmail, “Who needs this?”

Luna spoke up first, “My friend here,” she indicated Wildfire with a wing, “requires them for the uprising.”

Airmail smiled and answered, “The pegasus, Wildfire.”

The zebra chuckled, “All will follow and none shall be left behind! I’m Kupambana, Princess of the Night. Come, Wildfire, I must try these items on you.”

Airmail stared at the owner, “The good stuff.”

“What?” Kupambana held a hoof to his chest, “You want me struck dead?”

Serenity led Wildfire to the counter and released her reins to Airmail, “Just making sure, Kupa,” Airmail stated.

Luna turned to the group with her, “Did Tia really have motorcades and guards?”

Caffeinated snorted, “Yes!”

Thespian nuzzled him, “Like I said, one grumpy zebra.”

“It wasn’t just my shop they closed,” Caffeinated explained. “They closed every shop on Broadway from Battery Park to Central Park!”

“True,” countered Thespian, “but ponies were happy to see her. She gave a nice speech and went to the theatre. She sat in the same box you got us tickets for, Luna.” Thespian smiled, “I don’t blame her for the pomp and ceremony.”

Caffeinated muttered, “She could have gotten out and touched hooves at least.”

“I’ll never understand Tia’s need for pomp and ceremony,” Luna said.

Coffee Bean shook her head, “Ceremony and pomp has its place. Only it should be in front of foreign leaders and not your own ponies.”

Caffeinated snorted, “Manehatten may as well be a foreign power.” Coffee Bean simply nodded to the statement.

“Even so, Coffee Bean,” Luna stated, “I much prefer my approach. I dare say I’ve enjoyed myself more on the trains and walking than I ever could in a car.”

Coffee Bean smiled, “It seems this young one has learned to enjoy herself too.”

Octavia looked at Luna, and when Luna nodded, she answered, “I have indeed!”

Mapper pulled out the riding crop and inspected it for any defaults.

After Wildfire reached the counter, Kupambana asked, “How long have you been blind?”

“Five years,” Wildfire answered, “ah, sir.”

Kupambana smiled, “Hearing is fine. Sense of balance.”

Wildfire knew a snarky reply when she heard one as she was the mistress of snarky, “Yuppers, that’s all good.”

Tempest moved up on the other side of Wildfire which caused Kupambana to glance between the three, “Oh, hi there, Tempest, so…” He looked them over again and both Airmail and Tempest smiled. “Is she with you two?” Both pegasi nodded and a smile grew on Wildfire’s face. “Okay, fine,” he focused on Tempest, “so can she fly at all?”

Tempest answered, “Precision controlled flight.”

“Then this gear is for her to go solo?” Kupambana asked.

“Yeah, it is.” Wildfire lifted her head a little higher in pride.

Kupambana snorted, “Your ears sensitive to ear buds?”

Wildfire shook her head, “Not really, no.”

Kupambana leaned across the counter to hoof a small object into Wildfire’s right ear. “Nice outfit by the way,” he said as he clipped the object to her ear.

Wildfire giggled, “Now you notice, huh?”

“Had to make sure you marefriends wouldn’t kill me first.” Kupambana leaned back, “How does that feel?”

Wildfire flicked her ears a few times, “Feels alright.”

“The usual set up comes with a heads up display, but I can make it audio and the display go dark.” Kupambana said, “So she can be a sneaky night flier.”

Wildfire giggled again, “I think I’ll need the audio over visual.”

“Duh,” Kupambana stated.

Wildfire smiled, “Aww, no sense of humour?”

Kupambana strapped a visor over Wildfire’s eye sockets that strapped around the ears and behind her head, “I might be the least dangerous pony in this room, so no.” After several clicks he tightened all the straps. “Shake your head like you’re trying to get that off.” Wildfire vigorously shook her head, but was unable to dislodge the visor. “She can’t be wearing that bit,” Kupambana added.

Airmail turned to Serenity, “If you please?”

Serenity spoke up, “Open your mouth Middle Pet and keep it open.” Wildfire did so and Serenity removed the bit, and straps for it.

Kupambana reached forward and put a new bit in her mouth and used the visor straps to hold it in place. “She is going to need a lot of practice. Does she have voice recognition software?”

“Picked some up earlier today,” Airmail answered.

Tempest added, “She was able to use the default setting. Her Equestrian has little accent.”

Kupambana noticed Wildfire was checking out the odd bit in her mouth, “You should feel a stud on the left side of the bit. Move it with your tongue.”

Wildfire felt for the stud and moved it left with her tongue, and in the earpiece she heard, ‘Power up, activated.’ Wildfire jumped, “It spoke to me!”

The others didn’t hear anything, but they did see the Heads Up Display light up. Kupambana grabbed the manual, “I should be able to make that go dark.” To Wildfire he asked, “What did it say?”

Wildfire replied, “Power up, activated. Does that mean it’s working?”

“Heh,” Kupambana exclaimed, “It does work!”

“I don’t think we need to worry too much about the display for now,” Airmail commented.

“Okay, fine. Wildfire, it has a throat mic so you can just speak normally,” Kupambana told the pegasus, “Say, altitude.”

“Honey,” Wildfire asked, “Didn’t he sound a bit surprised that it worked?” She giggled and said “Altitude.” In the earpiece she heard, ‘ten point four metres.’

“A bit sarcastic, isn’t she?” Kupambana asked no pony in particular.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Tempest stated.

“Sarcasm is my second language,” announced Wildfire, “Oh, the earpiece said something. Ten point four metres.”

“That is above sea level,” Kupambana stated. “Now say range to ground.”

“Range to ground,” Wildfire repeated, and in her earpiece she heard ‘one point two metres.’ “Now it said one point two metres,” Wildfire reported.

“That is the range from the headset to the ground,”Kupambana said. “Keep that in mind if you’re not flying upside down. Now if you say repeat before the command it will let you know any changes of point one metre. Can get real annoying though. If you say stop, it will cancel the repeat.”

“Alright. I got it.” Wildfire said with pride.

Kupambana smirked, “Say direction.”

“Direction,” Wildfire repeated, and the earpiece said, ‘Two hundred eighteen.’ “Okay I got a direction, and I take it that is degrees. So what direction is zero?”

“Pretty smart for a pegasus,” Kupambana said, “What direction is zero?”

“I did go to school, you know,” Wildfire giggled, “I’ll say straight ahead.”

“Compass direction, love,” Tempest said in a low voice.

“Oh,” Wildfire blushed, “sorry, north.”

Kupambana laughed, “You’re wrong this time, but you could be right too.” The zebra showed them a small device. “You get six with the set and they are preprogramed in point one through point six.” He played with one. “Now, Wildfire, turn to your left.” Wildfire did so, “Now say point one direction.”

“Point one direction,” Wildfire repeated the command, and in her earpiece she heard ‘ninety-two degrees’.

After a few moments Kupambana checks the device, “It’s turned on and should be working.”

“Oh, sorry,” Wildfire said, “I was caught up in how great this stuff is. It said ninety-two degrees.”

“Okay, smarty panties,” Kupambana asked, “what does that mean?”

“Oh, that is why you said I could be right some of the time!” Wildfire did a little dance. “It is ninety-two degrees from where I’m facing, or to my right!”

“That’s right,” Kupambana said. “Any point device or programed location will be based on your facing. Your direction is based on a compass. Now I want you to say point one repeat direction.”

“Okay, point one repeat direction,” Wildfire said, and the earpiece responded with ‘ninety-two degrees’. “Okay it said ninety-two degrees again, and nothing else.”

Kupambana nodded, “Yes, direction needs to change a full degree to repeat. Now turn slowly to your left and tell us what the number is doing.”

Wildfire started turning to her left and the numbers in the earpiece started to increase. “Oh, they’re getting bigger because it is moving behind me.”

“Stop,” Kupambana said, “that’s right. Now move slowly right until it says zero.”

“Okay,” Wildfire said as she moved to the right. The numbers counted down till it reached zero and she stopped. “Okay, I’m at zero now, so it is in front of me.”

“It is,” Kupambana stated. “Now take four side steps to your left and then say stop after you’re done.”

Wildfire nodded and took the four side steps. “Stop. The numbers got bigger and now the last number was seventy-eight.”

“Now say, point one distance.” Kupambana said.

“Point one distance,” Wildfire repeated, and her earpiece said ‘one metre’. “Okay, it is a metre away.”

“So, you put these points either as a temporary landing zone, or permanent if you want to land at a certain location. You can also program points in the headset, but addresses will land you at the front door. You can put latitude and longitude in also up to five decimal places.”

“So if I want to land on Caffy’s balcony I put this point there, or I put his address to land at his front door,” Wildfire said to be certain.

“That’s right,” Kupambana responded. “If you have them on something moving then the numbers will change as you and they move. You need repeat for that if you want to play tag.”

“Yowsers!” exclaimed Wildfire.

“Will she be flying in the city?” Kupambana asked.

“I certainly hope so,” Tempest responded.

“Okay,” Kupambana said, “well, you can load locations from any terminal, but to do it on the fly it is best to use a portable, does she have one?”

“Picked that up this morning, too,” Airmail answered.

“Use the command, active traffic control.” Kupambana stated, “It is a real pain in the tail, but it will keep you in the flight pattern for city flying.”

“Okay,” Wildfire said to be clear, “so, active traffic control for city flying?” In her ear she heard ‘no destination found’.

“That’s right,” Kupambana agreed.

“It said, ‘no destination found’, just now,” Wildfire stated.

Kupambana laughed, “Told you it was a pain in the tail. You activated it with that command. Say stop to turn it off.”

“It can be a pain in the ass all it wants as long as it helps me fly.” Wildfire said with a laugh. “Stop.”

“For real collision prevention she will need to wear this full body flight suit.” Kupambana shows off a mesh outfit. “It isn’t pretty like that outfit you have on, but it is functional. You can wear it over things, but you can’t wear anything over it.”

“It doesn’t have to be pretty,” Wildfire stated, “That’s Airmail’s job.”

Kupambana laughs, “Wow, she’s non-stop. I recommend you wear the flight suit anytime you’re in a crowded area with ponies or obstacles.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire giggled, “and yeah, I’m non-stop.”

“Seventy five thousand bits for the set up to include the six points.” Kupambana stated, “You can buy more points if you think you’ll need them. It can also give you time and date and you can program it for when you next need to rut Airmail.”

Airmail rolled her eyes, “Love you too, Kuppa.”

“Awesome!” Wildfire shouted, “Now it’s really useful!”

“Help her into the flight suit,” Kupambana said as he put it on the counter. While Serenity did most of the work, the zebra explained how it worked. “The suit will let you know If there are soft bodies within one metre per ten kilometres per hour, and that is in all directions. Hard targets at ten meters per ten kilometres per hour, but that is only to your front. It will take some getting used to at the intersections.”

Wildfire thought about it, “So, the faster I’m going the more distance it scans for targets?”

Kupambana nodded, “Glad to see our schools aren’t complete crap.”

Wildfire added, “That gives me more time to avoid them, right?”

“Only if you’re paying attention,” Kupambana warned.

Wildfire frowned, “What would be the point otherwise?”

Kupambana snorted, “A lot of expensive hardware scattered on the pavement.”

Wildfire nodded, “Your point, but I always pay attention when I fly.”

“That’s good to know,” Kupambana smiled, “I will look forward to your next visit, and practice. Practice a lot.”

“I will,” Wildfire nuzzled the mares to either side of her, “and these two will make sure I do.”

“You want to fly home, Wily?” Tempest asked.

“Yeah!” Wildfire caught herself, “If that is alright, Mistress?”

Mapper smiled at the diminutive pegasus. She had taken a lot of leeway in talking to the zebra, but it was expected. “I’ll catch up with you later Pet. Airy, try to keep Stormy from…oh, never mind, there is nothing you can do about her.” Airmail giggled and Tempest shook her head.

“Thank you, Mistress!” Wildfire regained her excitement.

Tempest turned on point two, and put it in her saddle bag. She hoofed point one over to Airmail. “We’ll start with some city flying and then play tag over the water. I have point two and Airy has point one.”

“Sounds like it will be a lot of fun!” Wildfire said.

Caffeinated spoke up, “Thespian and I are heading back to my place. Do you have plans Luna?”

“We’ll accompany you back to your place, Caffy,” Luna said, “I have to return this wonderful outfit, and Thespian’s earrings.” She raised a hoof to her mouth in faux boredom, “Duties to attend to, Tia to placate.”

Thespian said, “Be sure to take her some of the black forest cake.”

Coffee Bean laughed, “Or a container with nothing but crumbs. I’ll be walking home from here. Thank you for your time Mungu wa Usiku.”

Luna laughs, “You’re most welcome, Coffee Bean. I’ll take Tia some cake, that’ll please her, plus she has her new video game I bought her as well.”

Coffee Bean nuzzled Luna, “Juhudi yako yote kuleta mafanikio.”

Luna returned the nuzzle, “You too, Priestess.”

“Take care, auntie,” Caffeinated said, “I’ll see you the full moon if not sooner.”

“Middle Pet,” Mapper said, “you are on Independent Time when you leave this place. I’ll drop your gifts off on my way home.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” Wildfire was doing a little hoof dance as she waited to fly.

Airmail nuzzled Kupambana, “Bye Kuppa, and thanks for your help. Okay Wily, Stormy, let’s fly!” The three mares left the shop.

Mapper gave a soft sigh, “Sad to see she didn’t make another mistake. This riding crop really needs to be broken in.”

“She isn’t daft Mistress Mapper,” Luna giggled, “I’d forgotten she had such a gift with sarcasm though.”

“I didn’t notice,” Kupambana said with a smile.

“Of course not,” Luna sniggered, “Before we leave, I’d like to buy these night vision goggles.” She levitated them to the counter.

Kupambana waved her away, “They are yours, Mungu.”

“My thanks,” Luna turned to her wife, “We’ll have fun with these Pet.”

Caffeinated said, “That’s our cue. Kukaa salama na faida Kupambana.”

“Until the revolution,” Kupambana responded.

The group left the military surplus store for the short trot to the subway station. Octavia spoke up, “Finally playing fair, Mistress?”

“Now you’ll have no excuses when I win,” Luna responded.

Recital asked, “What game are you usually winning at?”

“Hide and seek,” Luna said.

“Night time hide and seek,” Octavia amended.

Mapper playfully twirled the riding crop that she had never put away. “That sounds like fun,” Recital said.

“It is fun, right Pet?” Luna asked.

“It will be fun Mistress, now the playing field is levelled.” Octavia responded.

On the way to the station, the zebras all bowed to Luna, but didn’t make much of a fuss about her presence. At the entrance to the subway, Octavia slowed down to look in the mirror. “Admiring yourself again?” Luna asked.

Octavia quickly moved to Luna’s side, “A little, Mistress.”

The mid-afternoon traffic was light in the subway. After boarding the train the group could overhear three stallions commenting on the pretty mares in panties. “Permission to stretch, Mistress?” Serenity asked.

“You may, Pet,” Mapper answered.

Serenity turned away from the stallions, and raised up on the tips of her rear hooves. She slid her front hooves forward till her chest was to the floor. The unicorn raised her tail high and gave a mighty yawn, before she stood back up. “Thank you, Mistress.” The effect on the voyeur stallions was obvious.

Octavia looked at Luna with a hopeful smile. “Do you need to stretch, Pet?” Octavia nodded. “Very well, you may,” Luna said. The Princess watched her wife copy Serenity’s moves. She turned her head when she heard one of the stallions’ gurgle. Luna smiled as one stallion was laid out on the floor, another hoofed himself, and the third had made a mess on the floor.

Mapper shook her head, “You’ve failed, Senior Pet, and you shall be punished.”

Serenity did a little dance, “Yes, Mistress.”

Octavia’s eyes went wide after she saw the reaction of the stallions. “I think our Pets like to show off, Mistress Mapper.” Luna said as she nuzzled her wife.

“That they do, Mistress Luna,” Mapper said as she smiled at Serenity’s happiness. “They both show themselves well.”

At the next stop all three stallions exited the train, “I wonder if that was their stop?” Thespian asked.

“Probably tired,” Luna giggled, “they looked spent to me.”

A couple of stops later, Recital spoke up, “It has been a fun day of shopping. Hope to see you again, Luna.”

Trumpet handed the pass cards over to Caffeinated, “See you gaming night to be sure.” He and Recital made sure to get a nuzzle in with Luna.

“You certainly will, Recital. Fare thee well, Trumpet.” Luna watched that pair leave the train.

“Thank you for coming along,” Octavia added as they left.

At the last stop, for this line, the group exited to wait for the Stallion Island train. On the platform was a stallion playing a concert harp with a hat out for tips.

Luna turned to the zebra, “Now that Wildfire will be writing her poems again, do you think she’ll publish?”

Caffeinated nodded, “If she wants to, Airmail knows who to contact.”

Octavia playfully nudged Luna and glanced over to the harp player, “May I, Mistress?”

Luna smiled, “Of course.” She levitated a hoof-full of bits to Octavia, and watched her trot off before she turned back to Caffeinated. “I only ask because those she read at the open mic were really good.”

Caffeinated shrugged, “There is no shortage of poets in Manehatten. I guess it is how much she wants to share her work, and how much of it is personal or private.”

Luna nodded, “Very true.”

Caffeinated continued, “Tempest will encourage her, and Airmail will make it happen if it is meant to be.”

Octavia deposited the bits in the hat, “You play beautifully.”

The harpist looked at the mare, “Ms. Octavia?” The dark grey mare nodded, “Please wait a moment,” continued the stallion.

“Dusk has told me that Wildfire wrote a lot of poems before her accident,” Luna said.

Caffeinated chuckled, “Poems about Dusk?”

“Heavens no,” laughed Luna. “Dusk told me they were about her mother, an old partner, and her marefriend at the time.” Luna recognized one of her wife’s composition being performed by the harpist. “He is quite good.”

Thespian giggled, “He ought to be. He plays for the Met.”

Luna trotted over to stand next to her wife. She saw that Octavia followed every note. “A splendid performance of one of my wife’s pieces.” The train entered the station.

The stallion didn’t stop his playing, “Ms. Octavia is an inspiration.”

“In more ways than one,” Luna agreed, as the train left the station.

The stallion finished the piece and gave a little bow. “I look forward to your upcoming event in town, Ms. Octavia.”

Luna and Octavia both stomp their hooves in approval. Luna returns to the group while Octavia lingered behind. “I hope to see you there,” the earth pony said.

“I’m with the Manehatten Philharmonic,” the stallion said, “and we will be warming up the crowd for you.”

“My apologies for missing the train,” Luna offered the group.

Thespian smiled, “They come every ten minutes.”

“Excellent,” Octavia said, “then I can listen to this lovely harp once more.”

The harpist starts playing, ‘The Summer Sun Shines’, Yes, but it won’t be one of your pieces. That would be a bad showing.”

“Indeed,” responded Octavia, “Do you know what pieces will be played?”

"Swift will lead off with Trotkovsky’s ‘Serenade for Strings’, followed by his own work from two years ago, ‘Ode to a Winter’s Night’. Then we will play the ‘Princess’ March’ when you and your wife enter, and then off we go to make room for you.” After a pause he added, “I’m Chords, by the way, Ms. Octavia.”

“A very fine selection Chords, “Octavia stated, “I’m pleased to have met you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Octavia,” Chords responded, and, if I might add, you look positively stunning this afternoon.”

Octavia blushed, “Thank you, Chords, you really think so?”

Another train entered the station as Chord raised a hoof to his chest, “I swear upon my honour.”

“Come, Pet,” Luna tugged at the reins, “We aren’t missing this one.”

Octavia moved with the pull, “I must be going, but thank you once more.”

The train car had plenty of room as most of those on board had returned from their shopping. A mare asked of Octavia, “Where did you get that beautiful red outfit?”

Octavia looked to Luna and with her nod she turned back to the mare, “It is on loan from my friend, Thespian.” She pointed her out with a hoof.

Mapper nibbled lightly on the riding crop while Thespian spoke up, “Oh, that was made for me by Coco Pommel for a theatre production.”

“Isn’t she the one that runs Rarity’s Recreations?” the mare asked. Thespian nodded, “I will simply have to stop in!” the mare exclaimed.

Thespian took on the duty of entertaining the other shoppers with her own recent shopping trip. Luna leaned close to Mapper, “Mistress Mapper,” Luna asked, “I can’t help but notice your crop is getting itchy. Has my Pet displeased you?”

Mapper at first ignored the question and turned to the zebra, “Caffy, is it okay if we stop in for a drink? We can walk home from there.”

“It would be no problem at all, Mapper,” Caffeinated responded.

“Thank you, Caffy.” Mapper turned back to Luna, “Yes, Mistress Luna, very disappointing.”

Luna glanced at her wife and her voice turned serious, “How has she disappointed you?”

Mapper nodded in Thespian’s direction, “I’d rather not interrupt Thespian’s fun at the moment. We still have to get from the station to Caffy’s house.”

Luna looked at Octavia and saw the worried look on her face, “As you wish, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper smiled, “Thank you, your Highness, for indulging me.”

Luna watched Octavia stand perfectly still, “Not at all. If she has been a bad pony, you are of course at liberty to punish as you see fit.” She watched Octavia’s hooves start to shuffle.

“You are too kind, Mistress Luna, to allow me the opportunity of administering correction,” Mapper said.

Luna leaned in and whispered into Mapper’s ear, “Thank you for indulging me, Mistress Mapper. I do so love to watch another punish her.”

Mapper shrugged, “She has worked very hard to earn it, and like any study, multiple sources help the Pet learn.”

Serenity smiled. Not enough for the Mistress to notice, but enough for Octavia to notice. From what Octavia knew of Serenity, the smile didn’t give her any comfort at all.

“Truly, Mistress Mapper?” Luna queried, “what did she do to displease you so?”

“Please, Mistress Luna,” Mapper said, “I ask that you indulge me further until the right moment arrives.”

“Of course,” Luna nodded as she looked at Octavia again, but her wife kept her eyes on the floor.

The group left the train when it reached their stop on Stallion Island. Caffeinated took the lead, to use the passes, with Thespian alongside him. Mapper chatted with Thespian as they walked and she had Serenity in tow. Luna and Octavia brought up the rear. Caffeinated used the pass cards to get all of them out of the station.

Mapper steered Thespian to the full length mirror and left plenty of room in front of her. Luna and Octavia moved into that space. Mapper’s horn lit up and the riding crop moved to the far side of Serenity to lightly tickle her flank. Mapper said, “Mistress Luna, your pretty Pet received a number of compliments today.”

While Octavia continued to look into the mirror, Luna turned around and smiled, “She did indeed, Mistress Mapper.”

“Junior Pet?” Mapper led off and watched Octavia turn her gaze from the mirror to herself. She placed a hoof on Thespian’s shoulder, “Who is this mare beside me?”

Octavia smiled, “Thespian, Mistress.”

The riding crop sailed from behind and swiftly struck Octavia over each cutie marks. Mapper watched the mare’s eyes go wide and gasp then she calmly said, “It is so loud here at the station, what was that, Junior Pet?”

Octavia glanced at Luna, but there was no help for her, so she answered, “The mare beside you, Mistress, is Thespian.”

The riding crop struck twice more high on Octavia’s ass. She took a small hop forward. Mapper looked to Luna, “Mistress Luna, maybe my hearing isn’t what it once was. Could you have her repeat the name of the mare beside me?”

Luna nodded, “Answer her, Pet.”

Octavia was uncertain what to do. She knew who the mare was, but Mapper’s strikes were really hard. “Thespian, Mistress. Our host while we are here.”

Mapper quickly struck Octavia’s left breast, lower right ass, right breast, and lower left ass. Octavia managed to not cry out, but she was unable to hold back the tears. Mapper said to the crowd at large, “I always thought that Canterlot was more concerned with forms of address than Manehatten.” The unicorn turned to the Princess, “Mistress Luna, have I erred? Does Canterlot use no honorifics anymore?”

Luna smiled now that she understood what Mapper was getting at, “You have not erred, Mistress Mapper. Try again, Pet.”

“Ms. Thespian!” Octavia shouted out, “Mistress, beside you is Ms. Thespian.”

Mapper yanked up Octavia’s tail, and administered two swift strikes to her vulva, and Mapper’s smile grew when Octavia cried out from the pain. “The Pet can learn!” Mapper exclaimed. “Is that what you used when that nice mare asked you about your outfit?”

“N-no, Mis-Mistress.” Octavia cried out, “I erred badly, Mistress.”

Mapper administered two more stokes over her tail hole. “Yes, you did, Junior Pet! What about that gentlecolt in the station playing the harp? What was his name?”

Octavia couldn’t hold back the tears, “His name was Mr. Chords, Mistress.”

Mapper swiftly stroked each nipple. Octavia couldn’t hold the shout of pain, “Did I miss hear again? Did you call him Mr. Chords at the station?”

Octavia whimpered, “I-I did not, Mistress. I erred Mistress.”

Mapper rubbed the crop over Octavia’s ass. “Do you remember Mr. Kupambana’s shop?”

Octavia sniffled, “I do, Mistress.”

“It was a lovely shop,” Mapper said. “I do believe that Mistress Luna purchased something for you there, correct Junior Pet?”

Octavia resisted the urge to wipe her runny nose, “Yes, Mistress.”

“Did some pony ask you a question about it, Junior Pet?” Mapper asked.

Octavia’s ears drooped, “Yes, Mistress, Ms. Recital asked a question, Mistress.”

The crop rose and fell with Mapper’s words as she stuck Octavia around her hind quarters. “Really Junior Pet? I didn’t think you remembered, since you didn’t even bother to use her name!”

“Dubstep!” Octavia’s foreleg folded up under her, “Dubstep, Mistress, Dubstep.”

The riding crop froze in mid-air. Mapper took hold of it with a forehoof and released her magic. She placed the crop under Octavia’s chin and gently lifted her head. “Has Junior Pet found my instruction to be of use?”

Octavia sobbed, “Y-Yes, Mi-Mistr-ress. Th-Thank y-you, Mist-Mistress.”

Mapper bent down to give Octavia a light kiss, and then lowered the dark grey mare’s head and removed the riding crop. “Remember this Junior Pet. Another Mistress may not be as forgiving as I am.” Octavia nodded, but said nothing. Mapper put the crop in her bag and stepped back. She glanced at Luna and saw the Princess standing there slack jawed. “She is pretty, Mistress Luna,” Mapper said. The Princess swallowed and turned from her wife to Mapper. “I do hope you’ve found my efforts to teach wayward pets to be acceptable.”

Luna thought about what just happened. ‘I’ve never gone this far with Tavi. She lasted so long under the crop, and yet…I have mixed feelings. It was so hot to watch another punish her, but I fear for my wife’s pain…’ Luna swallowed again, “Yes, Mistress Mapper, she is truly beautiful all over, and I did find your teachings to be most acceptable. Thank you.”

Mapper was positive Luna had orgasmed just as she did. The pink unicorn looked at her wife, and saw the longing in Serenity’s face. The crotchless panties did nothing to hide her excitement. Mapper turned to the zebra, “Caffienated, while I thank you for the offer of hospitality, I feel I need to get my wife home for some quality ‘Mistress’ time.”

Caffeinated was still amazed how far Mapper went with Octavia. “Of course, Mapper. My door is always open for you.”

Mapper took up Serenity’s reins and led her from the station to the north. Serenity was actually skipping as she walked.

Luna knelt down next to her wife, “Are you alright Love? Do you want me to take some of it away?”

The intense pain made it difficult for Octavia to concentrate, “Please Mistress, if you could just take the edge off, please.”

Luna’s horn lit up and she removed some of the worse damage that was inflicted by the crop. She then helped Octavia back up to her hooves.

Caffeinated spoke up, “Would you still like that drink, Luna?”

“Yes, please, Caffy.” Luna nuzzled Octavia, “I think we could both use some quiet refreshment before we head home.”

Caffeinated kept the pace slow to make it easier for Octavia. Once in the house the group went straight to the kitchen. “A lunar café for you Luna, and a Celestia Special for you Tavi.”

“Thank you, Mr. Caffeinated,” Octavia said before she took a sip of the coffee and let herself relax.

“Thank you, Caffy,” Luna said as she placed a wing over Octavia.

“This has been a memorable three days with your visit, Luna,” Thespian said. “Thank you for your time and your concern for Wildfire.”

“Thespian,” Luna said, “it is the very least I can do. You have been a splendid host, and concern for Wildfire again is the least she can expect. I like to think we’ve put right a few wrongs done to her over this past few days.”

“She has proven resilient,” Caffeinated said, “and Maps will ask for her to join the herd in two weeks. I’m positive that she will get the needed unanimous vote.”

“You didn’t get to spend much time with Oils,” Thespian said. “He does strike me as a typical Manehatten artist.”

“I’m sure I’ll bump into him in the future.” Luna smiled, “I’ll have to get Dusk to take him to that restaurant in Canterlot.”

Caffeinated laughed, “The one he was kicked out of with Vocal?”

“That’s the one.” Luna took a sip of her coffee, “I’d like to witness the scene when Oils takes his pretty mare on a date there.”

Thespian giggled, “Have bail ready. They will have to arrest Oils for trespassing to get him out of there.”

Octavia sniggered in her cup, “I think we can cover it, Mistress.”

Luna nodded, “I’ll have it ready just in case.”

“Unless I’ve missed my mark, Oils won’t hit anyone” Thespian said, “Is Dusk as mild mannered, or do you think Oils will keep a tight rein on the lad?”

“Dusk is very mild tempered. I’m sure you’ve noticed here that he’s very submissive by nature, unless, of course, he has very good cause to be angry. Even so, Oils seems to have him well in hoof.”

Caffeinated smiled, “You did say mare, right?”

“I did,” Luna confirmed.

Caffeinated laughed, “I’ll have to tease Trails about that.”

Thespian joined in on the laughter, “He is convinced he is the prettiest mare in the herd.”

“I think it’s obvious who the stallion is in this relationship, Ms. Thespian,” Octavia said. “Dusk is clearly the mare.”

“You haven’t seen Trails in full drag!” Thespian lifted her hoof, “With his skill with makeup and you’d never know he is a stallion.”

“Thespy,” Caffeinated warned.

“Pardon,” Thespian corrected herself, “When Shoe is in full dress you’d never think she was anything but a mare.”

“Really?” Octavia said, “That is impressive, ma’am.” Octavia set her cup down, “I have finished, Mistress.”

Luna drained her cup, “Please forgive the sudden departure, oh! The cake!”

Thespian rushed off to the kitchen and retuned with a whole cake in a carrier. “Here you go Luna.”

Caffeinated could see the pride in his wife as she made cakes for royalty. He followed Thespian up with a nuzzle to each of the mares. “If court ever gets boring,” he said, “just shout, ‘Off with their heads!’ to no pony in particular. Let them keep guessing.”

Luna laughed, “I might just do that. We’d like to come back in the future if you’ll have us.” Luna returned the nuzzles.

“The door is always open, Luna,” Caffeinated said, “unless it’s locked. Then look me up in the coffee shop.”

Luna giggled, “Indeed I shall.” She floated over her personal card. “Invite me when something fun is happening.”

“Every fourth Thursday is the dungeon followed by open mic Friday,” Caffeinated said. “Second Thursday is gaming night, a family affair. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Excellent. Farewell for now my friends. Hold tight Tavi.” With a bright flash the royal couple were gone.

“Alas my fair Prince,” Thespian spoke in her theatrical voice, “my time of fun has drawn to a close, and I must prepare myself for work.”

Caffeinated gave her a kiss, “See you at dinner tonight after the show.”

Chapter 10 - Poetry Reading

It was mid to late in the Saturday afternoon when the three very tired but very happy pegasi landed in the backyard of their townhouse. Tempest of course was barely out of breath while Wildfire and Airmail resembled hot sweaty bundles of fur and feathers. Wildfire was wholly unsure what the time was, and quite frankly she didn’t care. The game of tag they had played on the way back from Kuppa's shop that had signified the end of the shopping trip had been the best fun in the world, and once she’d gotten accustomed to the way her new flying gear worked she even managed to win a couple of rounds.

Standing on the grass in the shade of the large leafy old oak tree to her left, the little yellow mare flared her wings to allow the cold gentle breeze to cool her feathers, while in front of her she heard Airmail clop onto the decking near the back door.

“I'm going to put point three here.” The azure blue mare said as she rooted through her saddle bag for the beacons that were connected to Wildfire’s flying gear and fixing the self-adhesive backing to the back door. “This is your landing zone whenever you want to come home.”

“Alrighty Pretty.” Wildfire nodded, making a mental note that point three was now ‘home’.

“Tempest,” Airmail asked, “How we going to work the pass key?”

Tempest shrugged in thought, “I could turn off the randomiser. We can get voice recognition software for the next place.” Airmail nodded her agreement and, using her pass key, she entered the four digit code that unlocked the house.

“That tag was fun!” Wildfire chirped happily, though still slightly out of breath as the three of them, Wildfire bringing up the rear, entered their house. “I…I think I need to work out though.”

Tempest giggled, “I'm the one that works out so you can stick with me. Airmail is just naturally lean and I think she works out when sleeping.”

“I think you're right there, Honey.” The diminutive mare giggled, then she paused as the sound of a truck’s screeching tyres outside the front of the house interrupted her.

“We have a delivery.” Airmail said as she pointed a hoof to the front of the house and trotted through the great room to greet the delivery unicorn before he could ring the doorbell. “Wily, your computer stuff is here!”

“Awesomes!” Wildfire exclaimed, clapping her hooves with excitement as Airmail took the offered pen in her mouth and signed the UPS stallion’s delivery note. “That was quick!”

“I’m just glad we got back in time.” Tempest smiled at her new herd-mate’s enthusiasm and Airmail shut the front door, the blue mare now surrounded by the electronics. “Let's get it upstairs to the office.”

“Alrighty Honey, is there anything I can carry up?” Wildfire asked eagerly.

“The heavy stuff,” Airmail snickered, “you're the one that says you need to work out.” She grinned as she took some of the smaller boxes under her wings.

Wildfire stuck out her tongue with a smile, “thanks Pretty.” With Tempest’s help the yellow mare took the twenty five pound box by the handle in her mouth, which she assumed was the tower and backup drive, the three pegasi managed between them to get everything up the stairs to the office.

“Wily,” Tempest asked as she ferreted through the box she had carried up and pulled out the new tablet. “You want to start a journal or diary?” She asked as she hoofed the tablet over to the mare sat on her seating pad while Airmail worked quickly to clear a spot in front of her and get the wires hooked up to the computer.

“Yuppers that would be a cool idea.” Carefully, Wildfire took the tablet from Tempest’s hooves, and she gave it a little cuddle, still disbelieving she actually had all this stuff, where just a few days previous she had nothing. In a barely audible whisper, she said, “I'm gonna love you.”

Deciding to let Airmail work, and that the best way she could think of to help was to get herself and Wildfire out of the way, Tempest gently nudged the yellow mare’s hooves to put the tablet down and, with a wide smile she got her off of the seating pad and out into the upstairs hallway so she could help her out of the very figure hugging collision suit.

“Thanks Honey,” Wildfire smiled a few minutes later once the flight suit was removed, “that suits gonna take some more practice I think.”

Tempest nodded, “I'll practice with you as often as you wish when I'm here or you're with me.”

“Like Kuppa said, don't wanna smear forty thousand bits worth of gear all over the ground.” Wildfire chuckled.

Burying her quick flash of irritation, Tempest kissed Wildfire’s lips which effectively silenced the little mare. “I don't want you smeared all over the ground. I can't love bits.”

“I’d best learn quickly then.” Wildfire raised up on the tips of her hooves and kissed Tempest’s muzzle. Then, she cocked her head to one side and had a brief think as she heard Airmail working away in the office. “Honey…you know Mistress gave me Independent Time? Well, what does she want me to do? Is it like Free Time?” She rattled off the three questions, utterly and completely at a loss as to what to do with her little self without another pony’s instruction and direction.

Hearing that, Airmail put her wires down and called out from under the table, “it means you’re on 'I'm not a Pet' time. I still wouldn't be rude to Mapper, but you can just be yourself.”

‘And just how do I do that?’ Wildfire thought uncertainly to herself. “Oh…oh right...” she scuffed her hoof nervously on the carpet. “So, right now I'm not a Pet?”

Tempest did her very best to breathe through her nose, exhaling frustration and inhaling calm and happy. “We talked about this at the lake, Wily. You don't have to be a Pet at home,” she paused, knowing full well that what she was about to say next would be received like a bucketful of cold vomit. “But, if it makes you more comfortable, then I can try to be a Mistress for you.”

“What!?” Airmail exclaimed, albeit predictably.

Tempest shook her head and offered her lover an apologetic look, “I said I'd try.” She said as Airmail said nothing, just working away at setting up the computer.

“It…well, it, it’s not that,” Wildfire fretted, that familiar feeling of being adrift, lost and not knowing what to do or how to do it. “It's just...strange, that’s all, having nopony telling me what to do.” She rubbed her right foreleg with her left, “I guess I could have a play with my tablet?”

Airmail surfaced from under the desk like an azure blue submarine with two cables in her mouth, “Help her get it hooked up to the Wi-Fi,” she mumbled at Tempest.

Nodding, Tempest reached into the office and taking the tablet up in her hooves she retreated from Airmail’s workspace back into the hallway. “See if you can do that yourself using the menus.”

“Alrighty, let’s have a crack at it.” Sitting on her haunches, Wildfire took the tablet in her wingtips and ran her hoof up the left side with the on button. Quickly finding it, she flipped it on and was immediately grateful for the specialised audio menu. Despite her working knowledge of computers being five years old, the menus were thankfully intuitive, and in short order she had it working.

“Give me the keyboard.” When Airmail nudged it over to her, Tempest took it and hooked it up to the tablet. “There, easier to enter the password with this.”

“Okay, I see her tablet on the home LAN.” Airmail smiled as she stood up from the desk. “Compy here is up and running too.” Then she shot it an almost resentful glance. “This thing is better than mine.”

“So I need to think of a password?” Wildfire asked, and when prompted by the tablet she immediately entered ‘Fireflight’ and repeated it to confirm it. “I have one I won’t soon forget.”

“That was for the router.” Tempest explained, “you can either have an audio password to unlock the tablet or you can use the keyboard, but that might not always be available.”

Wildfire thought about it. “I'll do an audio one, Honey.”

“Okay Wily,” Airmail called when she had finished setting up her audio password for the tablet, “come here and take a break from your tablet.” As Wildfire walked back into the office, the azure blue mare wiped her green mane from her eyes with a satisfied smile on her face. “Your work station is the first one to the left of the door,” Airmail directed her back to the seating pad in front of her new station. Once she had sat back down, Airmail took the keyboard back and hooked it to the tower on the desk.

“I gotcha, Pretty.” Wildfire smiled as she got herself comfortable on the seating pad and rested her forehooves on the desk so that they touched her new keyboard.

Airmail rested her hoof on Wildfire’s shoulder, “I want you to put stuff how you like. The tower is under the desk to your right.” She explained, “the power switch is at the top. Is that a good spot or you want it to your left?”

Wildfire thought about it, and after a moment replied, “to the left would be better, Pretty. I've always been left hooved.”

“One moment,” Airmail giggled as once again she ducked under the desk and quickly switched over the tower to the left side as Wildfire had requested. “I'm right hoofed, but at least you're in your right mind.”

“Don’t knock it,” Wildfire giggled, “this left hoof does all my favourite things.”

“Okay,” Airmail said, standing up again, “so the power button is top centre, you'll need to turn it on if we have a power outage. You can leave it on all the time. On the right side there is a cd button to open and close it if you want to burn some music for your tablet.”

“Uh huh,” Wildfire lowered her left forehoof and felt the buttons, starting with the top centre one and then the one on the right that Airmail had pointed out to her. “When we go shopping next I'll have to visit a music store.”

“The keyboard is right in front of you. Behind it is a connection. You can take it off that and connect it to your tablet if you want.” Airmail passed Wildfire a headset, “this is so I don't have to listen to your audio menu.” She giggled then, “If you feel along the cable there is a knot, a connector, and knot if you want to connect the headset to your tablet too.”

Wildfire smiled as she felt along the cable, feeling the knots and the connector with her hooves, “oh I see, so I can have the headset hooked up to the tablet too?”

“Yes,” Airmail nodded her agreement, “then you can listen to your writing or music without others hearing. Same thing if you want to write your poems without others hearing you can use the braille keyboard.”

“Hmm…” Wildfire mused with a smile, feeling the headset all over with her hooves and noting that it had earphones and the microphone built in to it, “that'd be cool if I write one for you both as a surprise.”

“Please set the headset down where you can find it easy.”

“Alrighty Pretty,” Wildfire felt with her left hoof to the edge of the keyboard and, finding a space, placed the headset to the immediate left of the keyboard, just a few inches away. “I'll be able to find it there.”

“Okay two more things.” Airmail said, her tone all serious like one teaching class, “I have a cable with two knots for your tablet and one with three knots for your flight headset. You need to put those where you can find them too. If you hook up your tablet it is the same as you carrying it. And, you can use the headset and keyboard like it was connected.” She paused to let this little info dump settle in the little yellow mare’s head before continuing, “hook up the flight headset and you can enter destinations and get updates.”

Wildfire smiled as she took all this in. She supposed it shouldn’t really come as a great surprise that the lead editor for the newspaper should know her way so easily around computers. Taking these two new cables in her forehooves she felt for the knots that Airmail had described and placed them very carefully to the right of the keyboard. “As it happens, I have a few destinations in mind, places around here I'd like to go.”

“That will let you pretty much program any destination,” Airmail said with a smile, her hoof again on Wildfire’s shoulder, “but if you're going on a long fight it would be nice to let us know so we don't worry.” She finished with a long lingering kiss to Wildfire’s lips.

Returning the kiss, Wildfire asked, “course I'd let you know Pretty. So I can program destinations into the headset as well as use the six pre-set points?”

“Yes you can. The six points are in there and mobile.” Airmail stepped back dramatically and gave herself a drum roll with her hooves on the desk. “Quiz time!”

As Tempest laughed out loud, Wildfire groaned. “I hate exams…”

Giving the blind pony a mighty raspberry, Airmail forged ahead regardless of whether she hated exams or not. “There are four cables. One with no knots, one with a single knot, one has two knots, and finally one with three knots. What are they for?”

For a moment, Wildfire was lost. She cocked her head in thought, but she had been so excited she had hardly paid much attention. At least this wasn’t Professor Calculus and her hated spot tests. “Um…I think…three knots is for the flight headset, two knots for the tablet,” then she started to struggle. She really didn’t want to get it wrong. Airmail – and Tempest – had been so good setting this up, she didn’t want to anger them and get punished for it. “Um...is the one knot the keyboard to the tablet and no knots is that the tablet headset?” She guessed.

“BUZZZZZ!” Airmail made the gameshow noise again, “You get the boobie prize.”

Seeing Wildfire flinch, and recalling what Requiem had said on the balcony of Caffy’s ranch the day before about what failure meant to the yellow pegasus, Tempest stepped in straight away, “That means you need to suck her boobies.”

Stroking the blind mare’s back comfortingly, Airmail giggled, “feel along the headset cable.”

Relaxing from her flinch, Wildfire giggle, “told you I sucked at quizzes,” she muttered as she felt along the headset cable until her forehoof touched a knot, then the connector and finally another knot. She figured that way when she took off the headset for her tablet it would connect to the one knot cable. Feeling along another cable she realised the keyboard cable had no knots on either side of the connector.

“Well?” Airmail asked.

Wildfire thought about it again, not wanting to get it wrong a second time. “Right, um…so the keyboard is the one that has no knots.”

In response Airmail swooped down and gave her a deep hug and an even deeper kiss.

Wildfire snickered as she returned the kiss, pressing her lips gently back into the wonderful scent of jasmine beside her. “The Professors at university should've used the kiss method, I might've learned more.”

Airmail thought about it and giggled again, “I think the ‘suck my boobies’ method has merit too.”

Wildfire and Tempest both snorted a laugh, “I’m not gonna argue there, Pretty.”

Airmail then smiled as she kissed her again, “It is going to be sweet when you're all milky.”

Wildfire giggled, “I’m really looking forward to that happening, Airy.”

“You can pay your penalty later.” Airmail said with a smile, “for now you can work with the gear so you can get used to it.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire placed a gentle kiss on the azure blue mare’s cheek, “you'll have to remind me, y'know in case I forget.”

Now Tempest giggled, “She'll remind you alright, no problem there.”

“S'alright then.” Wildfire thought aloud as she brushed her forehooves over the braille keyboard, getting used to the feel of the bumps that denoted the different letters and functions. “I don't want to be naughty on my first night.”

“That depends,” Airmail replied, “define naughty.”

“Well…going to sleep with any penalties unpaid, only giving twenty kisses per day, that kind of thing.”

“Twenty,” Tempest giggled, “that would make you a slacker, Wily.”

“Exactly, Honey.” Wildfire replied, “I don't want to fall behind. Honey did mention a daily kiss minimum to cover the rent after all.”

“Well,” Airmail whispered kindly in her ear, “I'll let you split the rent between us then.”

“And I thought you'd both want to collect,” Wildfire pouted cutely.

Spinning the seating pad around, Airmail and Tempest both kissed Wildfire’s muzzle until it was damp. “We do,” Tempest said finally, “but we owe you half the rent each too.”

Kissing them back as best she could under the assault of the lips, Wildfire giggled, “at least paying the rent isn't going to be dull.”

Another forty minutes passed while Wildfire had a little play with her tablet and her computer, she got a little familiar with each device, in particular her tablet, with which she fully intended on filling up with her poems. Since this was primarily Tempest's office, the violet weather captain took up most of the available space. While Wildfire had her play, and Airmail watched and answered any questions she may have had, Tempest took the opportunity to do some prep work for the rain that was planned for Sunday.

While she had her little play, Wildfire had a thought. “Y'know the computer, can it download music and movies?”

“Sure,” Airmail was the first to answer as she looked up her very important research – and storing the cat video along with the rest of her collection – without a trace of a blush, “but a lot of the share sites are pirated and full of viruses.”

“You can always download stuff from facetube.” Tempest commented from her station.

“True,” Airmail agreed, “Me and Tempest can share our music files with you too.”

“So…if I typed in facetube here,” Wildfire indicated the search box on her screen, “I can search for Beautiful South songs?” Then a though struck her, regarding one of her favourite movies of all time. “And, have you two ever seen 'Scent of a Mare'?” She asked excitedly.

Airmail couldn’t help but laugh, “yeah, following Tempest.”

“No…” Wildfire laughed, “the movie silly, not that there's a movie about following Tempest...is there?”

Airmail giggled, “She does have some moves.”

“Airmail aside I've not seen that movie.” Tempest said with a shake off her head.

“Oh!” Wildfire clapped her hooves, “I'll have to get it then, you're in for a treat. It’s about this stallion who’s a blind depressed army colonel who has this young stallion look after him for a few days.”

Picking up on the not-so-subtle similarity, Airmail came over and gently nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek and her neck, “this isn't a reflection on your life is it?” She asked, her northern accented voice full of concern.

Wildfire returned her lover’s nuzzle with one of her own as she sensed the older mare’s concern. “No Pretty, I liked that movie before my accident, though I guess it kinda fits now too.”

Airmail however wasn’t convinced so easily. “Depression isn't a joke, love. Let us or Requiem know if you start down that path.”

“Yuppers, I will,” Wildfire said earnestly. “Though I really don't have anything to be depressed about anymore.”

Seeing the opportunity for a cosy movie night cuddled up on the couch with her two mares, Tempest spoke up eagerly, “I can make popcorn and we can watch and listen to your movie tonight if you want.”

“Can we really?” Wildfire squee’d like a little filly, “that'd be so awesomes!” In her excitement, she had a thought, regarding selecting and storing destinations. “So, to put locations into the flight headset, I just plug it in and tell it where I want to go?”

As she watched her with a smile, Airmail leant over. “More to it than that. You got the flight headset plugged in?”

Wildfire felt along the line of USB cables with her right forehoof for the one with three knots, “I got it!” She said triumphantly, though it still took her two attempts to plug it in, as the first time she had it upside down.

“Okay,” Airmail sniggered, “Put your headset on as you will need the mic.”

Reaching to the right for her flight headset, Wildfire put the apparatus on like Kuppa showed her earlier in his shop, the funny feeling bit in her mouth. “Okay, I got it.”

Airmail tried really very hard but she couldn’t stifle her giggles, “not the flight one, the other one.”

“Well…I, I knew that really…” blushing an intense bright red, Wildfire quickly swapped the flight headset for the one to the left of the keyboard.

Finally quieting her giggles, following a raspberry from Wildfire and a ‘look’ from Tempest, Airmail explained, “the bottom left key has the word start in braille that brings up the main menu and you will hear the list in the headset. You will hear the one you want and say that clearly in the mic.”

“Alrighty, bottom left key…” Wildfire said aloud to herself as she felt for it and found it, pressing the key with the toe of her hoof. In her headset she heard a list of options, one of them being 'flight helmet'. ‘Hmm…I guess that's the one…’ to the microphone she selected, “flight helmet.”

When Wildfire selected flight helmet from the main menu a sub-menu with three options came up, ‘edit commands’, ‘delete destination’ and ‘add destination’. Nearby to her right ear, Airmail was listening as the list was sounded out in the earphones. “Edit will let you change a command if you don’t like the default ones. Careful when you delete a destination as you can accidentally delete one of the six points.”

“Okay,” Wildfire smiled at how easy this was to use, even she could do it. “So I need 'add destination'.”

“You can use the keyboard or follow the prompts with your voice.” Airmail encouraged her gently, then she said with a blush that reached her voice, “I can't pronounce half the cities in Equestria so I'd have to type them.”

“Okay Pretty,” Wildfire giggled, “I'll feel how I get on with the voice prompts.” Finding that she was able to navigate the menus easily enough, she left and came back to the ‘add destination’ command. She smiled to herself. Now that she was free from Amethyst Glory, there was only one place in Equestria she wanted to be. Somewhere she hadn’t been in two weeks, somewhere she would go now as a free pony.

Speaking as clearly as she could into the mic, she said, “Canterlot, Residential District Cemetery.”

Immediately, Airmail’s ears perked up. “Oh, is that where you mom is?” She asked, while Tempest, who hadn’t heard the story from Dusk or from Wildfire, listened in from her workstation.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire replied as she followed the audio instructions to add and store the cemetery to her programmed list of destinations. “It’s been a little while since I last visited Silverbolt, sorry I mean, my mum.”

Tempest whispered softly, “visiting her means a lot for you.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire agreed solemnly, her voice subdued from its earlier excitement, “before the home I used to go every Monday and Thursday, spend an hour or two with her...it’s silly I know, I used to nuzzle her headstone. Then…at the home, Amethyst would only allow me to go see mum when I had been a particularly good pony for her.”

An idea struck Tempest then as she listened to Wildfire talk about her mum, “can you get some time off Airy?”

Airmail rolled her brown eyes at her violet lover and gave her a ‘duh, I’m the boss’ look. “I'm in charge, and it is Canterlot after all. What about Thursday?”

“Yuppers!” Wildfire exclaimed, her earlier excitement and enthusiasm returning all at once. “I’d like us all to go, then I can introduce you to her. Heatwave, my old partner, is in there too.”

“I would like that too.” Tempest smiled from her computer, the week’s duty rosters almost finished.

Airmail nuzzled Wildfire’s cheek tenderly, “yeah that would be great to visit your mom.”

“You’d have liked her I think, especially you Honey” Wildfire smiled as she talked about Silverbolt. She hot that warm fuzzy feeling in her heart that she used to associate with Air Raid, and that she now associated with Airmail and Tempest. In particular Airmail. “She worked the Canterlot Weather Team, first as Storm Generator then she was a Trainee Instructor.”

Tempest whistled her appreciation as she placed Frost in temporary charge of her duties from Thursday onwards, “that is a prestigious assignment.”

“She was good at it too,” Wildfire nodded, justifiable pride in her voice. “She wasn't in charge of a whole squad or anything like you are, Honey.”

“That took a lot of time and work love, and I've only got one battalion so far.”

“Yeah, she wants the whole brigade.” Airmail snickered behind her hoof.

“You'll get it, Honey, I know.” Wildfire smiled a wide smile, picturing her mum and Tempest flying together. “Mum's speciality was creating lightning storms. She was supervising a group of trainees who were tasked with creating a class ten thunderstorm over my school the day she…she…” Wildfire sniffed and rolled her shoulders, “the day she…died.”

That earned her an immediate and sustained group hug from her two mares that after a good ten minutes showed no sign of stopping any time soon. “When it's time to go, go doing what you love.” Tempest whispered tenderly.

Airmail draped her foreleg around Wildfire’s shoulder, “others you love will carry you though the pain.”

Gratefully the blind mare returned the hug, “a faulty substandard Nimbostratus cloud made it through the Canterlot Weather Factory’s quality control, and while she was working with the trainees it couldn’t hold the charge and it hit her with a lightning strike. My mum was dead before she hit the ground.” In her mind, Wildfire could remember being in school, looking out of the window, screaming, begging her to pull up as she watched her mum fall to the ground, legs and wings all at odd awkward angles…and then watching her slam lifelessly into the playing field.

Tightening the hug until she threatened to break her shoulders, Airmail whispered, “you can show off your new herd to her.”

“I will, Pretty.” Wildfire gave one more deep sniff before she lifted up her head and smiled in the midst of the jasmine and sandalwood scented hug. “Maybe I'll write something while we're there. She used to help me with a poem every now and then.”

“You have your tablet and you can write as many poems as you wish.” Airmail smiled as Tempest went back to finalising her battalion’s duty rosters.

“Yeah I know, and I'm grateful for it I really am, it’s just amazing.” Wildfire replied before going a little silent as she thought about writing poems with her mum way back when. “You see, shortly before she died mum gave me this book I used to write in, real nice. It was black leather, real leather, with parchment pages.”

Tempest’s ears perked up at the mention of such a personally significant item, specifically the absence of such a personally significant item. After all, genuine leather products were rare in Equestria, especially one that was a gift from her departed mother. If it meant that much, and it clearly did, where was it? “Wily, what happened to the book?”

Wildfire gave a particularly loud sniff. “About seven months ago, Amethyst took it off me...” she sniffed, “because…because I was a really bad pony…she said she burnt it…”

“Damn her!” Airmail was just about to finally release her hug too, when she heard that little gem she applied it all the tighter until the little yellow mare gasped for breath. “Damn that mare to Tartarus!”

“Yeah,” Wildfire muttered miserably, then she brightened a little, “but now I can start again though, thanks to you two.”

Airmail showered her scarred face in multiple kisses as Tempest frowned at her computer. “Yes,” the violet pegasus interjected, “and your mom will love these poems just as much, Wily.”

Wildfire returned the kisses without hesitation, “It's not a complete loss, I can still remember her favourite poem I wrote for her.”

Airmail smiled as she finally, albeit reluctantly, released the hug and sat next to Wildfire for once on her right side. “Why don't you record it into your tablet right now?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire grinned, excited at the prospect of breaking in her new favourite toy. “It can be my first one in this new book.” She said with a smile as she heard Tempest move from her workstation to sit on the other side of her. “Alrighty,” taking the tablet in her forehooves, the diminutive yellow mare made sure it was still switched on from her earlier play with it.

“Attach it to the two knot cable and you can use your headset to record.” Airmail prompted her gently.

“I gotcha Pretty.” Reaching to her right, she felt along the row of cables until she came to the right one and took the two knot cable and, once she found the port on the tablet, inserted it as she was still wearing the headset. “Am I good?”

In a stunningly bad imitation of Serenity – complete with an attempt at her Fillydelphian accent - Tempest said, “all ponies are bad ponies, but I love you anyways.” She finished with a loud giggle.

“Yeah you’re good Wily,” Airmail confirmed with a giggle at Tempest, “you just need to say record twice to start it and stop twice when you're done.”

Wildfire sniggered at Tempest. “Alrighty, here we go. Record, record.” And then, she began the recording of her first poem in her new tablet.

“If I could give you diamonds for each tear you cried for me
If I could give you sapphires for each truth you've helped me see.
If I could give you rubies for the heartache that you've known
If I could give you pearls for the wisdom that you've shown
Then you'll have a treasure, mother, that would mount up to the skies
That would almost match the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes
But I have no pearls, no diamonds, as I'm sure you're well aware
So I'll give you gifts more precious my devotion, love and care.”

“Stop, stop.” Wildfire said when she was done, taking a deep breath as she wondered whether or not her two herd-mates had liked it or not.

“And the greatest of these is love,” Tempest commented softly.

“She loved me reading that.” Wildfire smiled, picturing her mum’s happy smiling face. “Oh hey, is there any where you two would like to add to the flight headset?”

Airmail shook her head, “no I'm good.”

“Not this trip love.” Tempest replied, “I want to see the place you once called home.”

Wildfire thought about it then, her head to one side as always the visual clue she was thinking. “I’d better add the Residential District Fire Team station then too, that was home when dad got really bad. Hot Spot used to let me crash in his office.”

“Okay.” Airmail said as the front door bell rang.

Before either Airmail or Tempest could get up to answer it the door opened anyway. “Hello, everypony!”

At once alarmed and then relieved, Airmail facehooved and called out, “In the office, Mapper!”

Likewise relieved at just who had brazenly entered their home, Wildfire heard Mapper’s hoof-steps coming up the stairs with Serenity’s in tow behind her as she continued to scroll through the flight helmet menus until she once again got to ‘add destination’ option. Speaking clearly she said, “Canterlot, Residential District Fire Station.”

“I see you are playing with your new toys Wildfire.” Mapper smiled as the pink unicorn stuck her head through the open office door. “I brought your other toys with me.”

“Thank you Mistress,” Wildfire smiled as she turned her head towards the sound of her clipped Canterlot accent, “I’m having a little play with it, with Pretty and Honey’s help.”

Mapper smiled, “you’ll pardon me if you find any grey hairs on one toy.” Nodding at Serenity who was waiting out in the upstairs hallway, the teal unicorn floated the MiAC bag containing Wildfire’s purchases to her Mistress, who took the bag and set it down in the office. “Junior Pet insisted I test it on her.”

“Which toy is that?” Airmail asked, her curiosity piqued.

“The riding crop dear.” Mapper smiled with satisfaction as she recalled whipping Octavia at the train station until she cried her safe word.

“I take it Junior Pet displeased you Mistress?” Wildfire asked.

“Hmhmm…” Mapper nodded, “to the point where Mistress Luna wanted to watch. I do believe that she has gained some understanding.”

“Aah.” Wildfire smiled in understanding. Seeing an opportunity to confess her own transgressions and to be a good Pet for her Mistress, Wildfire said, “I believe your Middle Pet has behaved badly as well Mistress. I was very sarcastic with Mr. Kuppa in his shop.”

“I heard Middle Pet,” Mapper replied, walking over and putting her pink hoof comfortingly on Wildfire’s shoulder. “But I believe you were trying to please the old stallion and you were on Free Time. As punishment I'm only going to give you one kiss.” Leaning in, Mapper placed a gentle kiss on the pegasus’s lips.

Greedily, as if it was the last she’d ever experience, Wildfire accepted and returned the kiss, then when she pulled away she smiled a smile that lit up her face. “Thank you, Mistress.”

“You're such a harsh Mistress.” Tempest commented with a giggle.

Looking at her wife starting to fret in the hallway, Mapper eyed both her and the handle of the cricket bat sticking out of the full saddle bag she was carrying. “I wish you all the best, but Senior Pet needs some loving so we will be off.”

From out in the hallway Wildfire could hear Serenity's hooves doing a little happy dance and the yellow mare giggled as she heard the two unicorn’s trot out and down the stairs.

Once the front door had slammed shut, Tempest eyed the MiAC bag like it was going to explode. “Wily, you going to show us what is in the toy bag that Airy and I had to sit with Caffy while you shopped?” She asked, nudging the bag to Wildfire’s forehooves.

“Of course, Honey.” Wildfire smiled again as she took hold of the bag and upended it, spilling the contents out in a neat pile. “I hope you like what Mistress helped me pick out.”

Searching through the little pile, Airmail’s brown eyes lit up like a filly on Hearths Warming morning. “Ooh, you got a stallionator too. I didn't know you liked to mount mares, Willy.”

“Well um…I-I'm not sure that I do,” Wildfire replied with a tiny smile, “but Mistress asked in the shop, and she made it seem very appealing at the time.”

Tempest hugged her gently, “It is very appealing.” In her ear she whispered loudly, loud enough for Airmail to hear, “maybe we can give Airy a double mounting.”

“Um...” Wildfire murmured, “we can try.”

“Airy?” Tempest looked over to her long-time lover only to find her with a vacant stare and a little drool coming from her mouth, “Airy? Airrrrryyyyy?”

“Huh? What?” Coming back to the room, Airmail wiped the drool from her lips and blushed, “oh…yeah, that just might be a lot of fun….a lot…of fun…”

Wildfire fretted and rubbed her foreleg. “But...what if I'm no good at it?” She asked, her voice full of worry. While she had been mounted many, many times against her will at the home, she had never ever done the mounting. “I don't want to hurt you Airy.”

Tempest gave her a little kiss to calm her nerves. “Love, if you don't like it you don't have to do it. And if you want to try, then practice makes perfect.” She then gave her another kiss for good measure. “You worry too much.”

Investigating the goodie pile, Airmail spoke up, “Who suggested all the clamps?”

At once Wildfire brightened up and beamed a very wide smile to the office, “they were me, as were the hoofcuffs.”

“Okay,” Airmail said, putting them to one side, “so that is your little pleasure.”

Inspecting the toys as well, Tempest picked up a thin strap of fabric. “The blindfold matches your fur colour, Wily.”

“Ooh…Mistress picked out a yellow one?”

Going for the riding crop next, Tempest gave it a close look over, “I don't see any sign of Octavia on the riding crop. Who suggested that, Wily?”

Wildfire blushed a little, “Well, I said I liked being spanked, but that you weren't keen on it, Mistress bought it anyway.”

“Hmm…” Airmail said as she reached the bottom of the pile, “Mapper can go a bit too far. But I see she was thinking of me with the Strawberry lube.”

Just then the doorbell rang again but this time it doesn't open. Tempest grunted in frustration as a few minutes later it rang a second time. “Maybe Mapper’s gone and locked herself out. I'll go get it.”

“You like strawberries too?” Wildfire asked as she heard Tempest grumbling to herself as she trotted out of the office and made her way down the stairs. “Mistress asked me if I like them, I said I did but wasn't keen on peaches.”

Whatever Airmail was going to say in reply to that was cut off by Tempest’s voice from downstairs. “Hi Caffy, by Celestia's Mane, you two have to come and see this!”

~ ~ ~

Landing in front of the steps that led down from the white façade of Caffeinated and Thespian’s ranch, Dusk Melody tucked away his wide powerful wings as Brush Stroke slid off of the velvet saddle on his back that was a part of the dress he now wore.

While his coltfriend adjusted his mid-blue dress, that just happened to be the same shade of blue as Oils’s coat, the earth pony stallion marched up to the main double doors and knocked upon them smartly with his hoof as Dusk walked up behind him, keeping a half pony’s length behind him.

Following Luna and Octavia’s departure via teleport mere moments before, Thespian opened the door and once again her jaw dropped comically as she took in Dusk’s appearance. In addition to the elegant mid-blue dress that reached the floor, the midnight blue pegasus was dressed in matching mid-blue silk socks that ended in horseshoes, a mid-blue collar buckled around his neck with a heart shaped tag that was engraved ‘Oils’ upon it while his lips were adorned with silver lip gloss that matched the silver highlights in his wings. Completing the look was the tight ponytail that held his dark grey mane up.

Panting, clearly out of breath from his flight from Luna knew where, the young Prince – who looked far more like a Princess – said, “H-Hey...Thespian....is Wily here?”

Wondering what had rendered his wife speechless, Caffeinated came to the open door and gave an appreciative whistle and ducked his head to look at Dusk's undercarriage as Thespian found her voice. “Sorry Dusk.” The blue / grey earth pony mare replied, “she should be at home with Airmail and Tempest by now.”

“You like her?” Brush Stroke smiled to the large orange zebra, “I thought I'd dress my marefriend accordingly.”

“At…Airmail and Tempest’s…right...” Dusk panted, “I got something to give her.”

Inquisitively, Caffeinated nosed his way past the hem of Dusk’s dress, on a quest to find any observable stallion bits.

Thespian smiled at Dusk, “do you have her address?”

“I don’t, no.” Dusk shook his head, “can you give it me please?”

Brush Stroke noticed where Caffeinated was looking, much to his ‘mare’s’ discomfort, and he chuckled, “you won’t find any.” He said, “all locked away, darling.” He explained, referring to the very secure sheath lock and the tight blue panties under the dress.

“She is lovely indeed Oils.” Caffeinated rumbled in his deep voice as he stood up to his height. “I can walk you there. Thespian has to get ready for work.”

Dusk blushed an intense blush under Caffeinated’s scrutiny. “Thanks Stripes, I could use a walk. Tricky thing flying in a dress, as I tried telling Oils.”

Brush Stroke beamed at his mare. “I assure you she got plenty of admiring whistles on the flight here.”

Turning with a wide grin on his orange muzzle, Caffeinated placed a tender kiss on his wife’s lips. “Later love, don't wait up for me.”

“Dinner after my rehearsal?” Thespian asked with a warm smile as she returned the kiss to her husband.

“I wouldn't miss it love.” Caffeinated proceeded to lead the way and Thespian went back inside the ranch to get ready for her rehearsal later that day. “It is about a mile, and there is an ice cream shop on the way if your cutie needs a treat.” The large zebra said to the mid-blue earth pony stallion as they fell in side by side with each other, Dusk silently bringing up the rear walking behind his stallion.

“Hmm…” Brush Stroke thought aloud, thinking of what they had to give Wildfire and picturing her joy, “I think she's earned an ice cream, come on love.”

As they walked along the street, smiling at the odd whistle and admiring glances that Dusk was getting from passers-by, Caffeinated said to the artist, “Did she happen to mention her make over by Thespian and Trails?”

“Oh yes, she was very proud of that,” Brush Stroke replied, talking to the larger stallion in kind as if Dusk wasn’t there at all. “It inspired my highlights of her wings and the lip gloss. The pony tail though was Dusky's idea.”

Caffeinated smiled as he steered the little group over a cross walk. “When Trails wants to be, she is a mare. She can show you some tricks to soften the muzzle to a rounder appearance.” The zebra glanced over his shoulder at that and noticed again what he thought when he had looked at Dusk’s foal and colt pictures, that the stallion was already pretty effeminate looking to begin with. The dress and the socks merely completed the picture. “Even voice lessons to change pitch without losing volume.”

Brush Stroke smiled as he saw the ice cream shop hove into view in the near distance. “Dusky would love those, wouldn't you dear?”

Behind his stallion, Dusk nodded eagerly, “yes Sir I would.”

“Your mom teleported home about five minutes before you knocked.” Caffeinated commented over his shoulder to the submissive pegasus, “your mum has a sore ass, so I’d step lightly.”

“I see,” Dusk replied, “thanks for the heads up Stripes. It might be best to head home tomorrow then, let mum get over it.”

“Don't be surprised if your mum has taken to wearing pink either.” He rumbled as the trio arrived at ice cream shop, pausing just long enough to hold the door open.

“Pink.” Dusk replied as he made his way to a nearby empty booth pointed out by Brush Stroke. “Mum. Mum in pink?” He deadpanned as he slid on to the bench seat. “Riiiiight.”

“If you're a really brave little girl you can ask about her pink socks!” Caffeinated found he really, really had to pause at that moment due to his laughing so very hard and instead he motioned them both to place their order with the waitress that came over.

Smiling, Brush Stroke sat next to his mare and opposite the still laughing zebra. “Hmm…that almost sounded like my girl was answering back didn't it, Caffienated?” He commented as he placed two orders for chocolate and strawberry mix ice creams.

“What do you say?” Brush Stroke asked of his mare with a sideways glance while Caffeinated caught his breath and ordered a chocolate and vanilla swirl as well as a pint of peach ice cream.

After a few moments of drawn out silence, in which Dusk considered what he’d said, and in which time the ice cream orders arrived, Dusk answered, “I’m sorry Stripes.”

Brush Stroke smiled a wide smile at how fast his mare was learning. “Good girl, Dusky.” As a reward, the mid-blue earth pony stallion slid over his ice cream to the midnight blue stallion.

Swallowing his first mouthful of his chocolate and vanilla swirl, Caffeinated looked up and glanced between Brush Stroke and Dusk and back again, at last seeing what was staring him in the face. “Ahh so she is more than just your marefriend, Oils?”

“A little bit more,” the dominant artist replied with a proud smile, “I must say she's unusually very well behaved for one so new to the game.” He commented as Dusk sat quietly, eating his ice cream and not interrupting what the stallions were talking about.

Caffeinated nodded his agreement, “Mapper gave Luna several tips on the proper care and feeding of Pets. I'm not as well versed in the matter so you'll have to forgive me, Oils.”

Brush Stroke shook his head, his short red and yellow mane waving about his eyes, “nothing to forgive, darling.” He took a spoonful of his own ice cream with a smile, “from what I remember of Mapper she seems quite capable, wouldn't you agree Dusky?”

Only now he was directly addressed did Dusk look up, “yes Sir, very capable.”

“Dusk,” Caffeinated’s deep voice cracked with barely contained mirth, “you should ask your mum about the particularly brutal beating your mom gave her at the public fountain.”

“Oh?” Dusk commented with a raised eyebrow, “not like mom to spank mum in public.”

“It was terrible. I thought for sure Serenity would cry.” The zebra couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory. “The sheer force of that pink sock across your mum's ass like the kiss of a summer breeze. It was terrifying.”

“Oh...ooooh I see.” Dusk at once realised what had happened, and he snorted with laughter. “Yeah mum really hates pink, you may have picked it up.”

An idea suddenly struck the artistic earth pony stallion, and he laid a hoof gently on his midnight blue ‘mare’. “You know sweetie, pastel pink would look super against your midnight blue fur.”

Dusk almost dropped his spoon at the thought of being dressed in pink silk socks and a pink dress. “Yes Sir it would,” looking over at the orange zebra, he said, “how did the shopping trip go? Did Wily get everything she wanted?”

“She got more than she hoped for.” Caffeinated replied as he too enjoyed his chocolate and vanilla swirl. “Stuff for her writing, for flying solo and safe, and some toys from Mapper.” He paused to snicker out loud, “Wildfire forgot where she was for just a moment.”

“Yeah,” Dusk thought aloud, which earned him a tap on the hoof from his stallion, “she does that sometimes.”

“Oh? What happened?” Brush Stroke asked, suddenly curious, “she make a faux pas I take it?”

“Wildfire gave a flippant answer to a question from Luna. Mapper did one of those, 'Pet?' things and Wildfire quickly corrected herself.” Caffeinated explained, “she only got a taste of the new riding crop Mapper bought for her.”

“Sounds like something Wily would do.” Dusk replied with a smile as he thought about the priceless package his stallion carried in his bag. “What we've got to give her should make her day, I think.”

“I agree,” Brush Stroke smiled, “it is rather special.”

“Of course, your mum didn't fare so well under Mapper's attention.” Caffeinated rumbled on.

“I bet she didn't,” Dusk giggled in such a fillyish fashion that for a moment the zebra believed he was a mare, “you think Mapper’s soft on Wily?”

“No,” Caffeinated shook his head straight away, “Mapper isn't soft. She always believes punishment should fit the crime. I'm sure Wildfire felt those kisses of the riding crop, but her crime was minor and self-corrected.”

Brush Stroke perked up a little then, “my little Dusky was naughty last night, and I had to punish her.” The dominant earth pony smiled when Dusk blushed so intensely it showed on his midnight blue fur, “she didn't think much of the paint brush at first, until I showed her they aren't just for painting with…” he finished with a wink at the zebra.

Caffeinated laughed at that, “I've found a solid wooden hairbrush is a multi-purpose instrument.”

“For the flanks yes.” Brush Stroke nodded, “however a three quarter inch flat watercolour brush can do wonders on the primary feathers.”

“Hmmm, well that is interesting.” Caffeinated smiled, making a mental note of that little gem. “I may have to get a few for our next playdate.”

“You really should, just drop a quarter inch for the secondaries, then another quarter inch again for the tertiaries. This one,” Brush Stroke patted Dusk's ponytail lovingly, “was crying begging for release for forty five minutes once I got started.”

“Did she earn it?” Caffeinated enquired.

“Eventually she did, yes.” The mid-blue earth pony smiled as he finished up his ice cream, “after another twenty minutes of denial. I was greatly inspired by her recounting of the 'butterflying' your friend Omega does.”

“Yes,” Caffeinated commented with a wry grin all over his orange muzzle, “I've experienced that first hoof. Most refreshing.”

“She was quite fond of that story as well.” Brush Stroke smiled as he patted Dusk’s hoof, “shame the poor thing passed out though.”

“Well they can be intense.” Caffeinated shrugged, “maybe you'd like to visit with your marefriend?” He invited, fairly sure that Dusk especially would jump at the chance.

“I'd love to of course,” the earth pony stallion took him up on his offer eagerly, “I didn't want to presume an invitation.”

Caffeinated merely smiled in response as both he and the artist finished up their respective ice creams. “If you're brining Dusky, think of it more like meeting the in-laws.”

“Excellent.” Brush Stroke nodded, “is it much of a ways to go to her friend's house?” He asked without looking to see if Dusky had finished eating or not.

“No, not at all and besides, I need to get this ice cream delivered before it melts.” The zebra replied with a sly grin as he slid out of the ice cream shop’s bench seat. “If we're lucky we'll be interrupting something.”

Dusk smiled as he too stood up to his sock clad hooves. “They were pretty hot together that first afternoon outside your place, Stripes.”

“Yes,” Caffeinated commented over his shoulder as once again the midnight blue pegasus fell in line submissively behind the other two stallions, “and Wildfire just did her first in city and outside city solo flight with a game of Pegasus tag.” Then he chuckled lightly, “so she may have her nose in her new tablet or in one of her marefriends.”

“Really?” Dusk spoke up incredulously, “those flying aids are good enough to allow her to play tag?”

Without looking this time, Caffeinated replied, “Wildfire dropped seventy five thousand bits on that gear today.”

“Bucking Tartarus...”

Brush Stroke shot his mare a severe look, “sweetie, language!”

Immediately, Dusk shrunk as he felt an inch tall. “I…um…. sorry Sir. I meant I’m glad that compensation money being put to good use.”

“So yes,” Caffeinated couldn’t quite hide the amusement in his voice as they walked on down the street towards Airmail and Tempest’s – and now Wildfire’s – house. “The stuff is good enough to play tag with.”

“From what I hear though Wildfire was accomplished as a flyer anyway,” Brush Stroke commented to the zebra.

“Tempest called her a precision flyer.” The orange stallion affirmed as he led them onto the next street over and around a corner.

“I haven't seen her fly while being here,” Dusk commented, “I've heard the tales though.”

“Your mom praised her flying so that should count for something.” Caffeinated stated simply as he led the two other stallions down the row of well-maintained townhouses.

“It does,” Dusk nodded, “don't get me wrong I knew what she was capable of before, and she was good then.”

“When she was a firefighter, yes?” Brush Stroke asked to clarify what he had been told.

“Here is the townhouse.” Caffeinated announced before Dusk could answer his stallion’s question. “The lake she likes so much is behind it that way.” He commented with a hoof pointed in the lake’s general direction. Then, with the two stallions alongside him, the zebra trotted up the small path and rang the doorbell.

Getting no immediate response, Caffeinated rung the bell a second time, only to be rewarded with the sound of approaching hooves from the other side of the door. Standing back slightly with a wide smile on his face, he waited eagerly for whomever it was to open the door.

“Hi Caffy,” Tempest opened the door and almost immediately her mouth hung open in sheer disbelief. “By Celestia's Mane, you two have to come and see this!”

Her attention now well and truly caught by Tempest’s excited voice, Airmail stood up and nudged the little yellow mare next to her. “Come on, Wily let’s go see what has Stormy so excited.”

“Okies, I wonder what it is?” Taking off her computer’s headset and placing it carefully next to the keyboard, Wildfire followed the azure blue mare out of the office and down the stairs to the great room.

Seeing the sight that greeted her in her great room, Airmail froze at the bottom of the stairs and was very nearly rear ended by Wildfire behind her. “Oh Luna, she is so cute!”

Having fully recovered from her initial shock, Tempest walked a full circle around the young Prince, taking in every minute detail from her mid-blue silk socks and dress to the ponytail and the collar that adorned her neck. “Cute enough to mount.” She passed her verdict after a few moment’s silence.

Stepping out of the way, Airmail leant in to the diminutive yellow mare as she stood next to her. “Wily, Dusk is dressed in drag and 'she' looks great.”

Unable to contain herself, Wildfire snorted with laughter. “Y-You…” she giggled, “you're joking, right?”

“Oh no,” Tempest said, her voice full of appreciation for the amazingly feminine form stood in her great room, “even I'd buck that.”

At a ‘look’ from his stallion, Dusk quickly inclined his head, “thank you, Tempest.” He said with a smile.

“Ahem…” Airmail said to the two stallions, “hi Caffy, Oils.”

“A good day to you, Airmail.” Brush Stroke nodded politely before turning to Tempest, again as if Dusky wasn’t there at all, “you can buck her if you like, I get to watch though.”

“D, please, I have to feel this...” Wildfire asked, wholly managing to not keep the snigger from her voice, “please?”

To Brush Stroke’s comment, Tempest laughed, “well she will need another hole, I'm not putting my toy in her ass.”

“Make sure you feel underneath the dress, Wily.” Airmail informed her, “that corset has 'her' sheath covered and the panties has 'her' balls pretty well hidden.”

“Go ahead Wily,” Dusk grinned, “have fun.”

“You need to get one of Trails’s outfits,” Tempest said as Wildfire stepped forward, “she makes the nips stand out like breasts.”

Reaching her best friend, Wildfire felt around Dusk's body, very slowly taking in every aspect of 'her'. As she felt the ponytail and then the collar around his neck, her giggles got harder and harder to suppress, and by the time she had reached the silken socks and the ornate saddle she had stopped trying and openly snorted her mirth. A mirth that only increased as she explored the dress and the panties underneath that hid Dusk’s balls, it all proved too much and Wildfire collapsed to the floor in fits of giggles.

“What brings you around?” Airmail asked, “Showing off your mare?”

On the floor, Wildfire finally was able to speak, “this is better than our makeover!”

“Yes and no.” Brush Stroke replied to Airmail’s question, “I am showing her off of course,” he said proudly, nothing but love in his voice for his mare, “but my Dusky has a special something for Wildfire.”

Hearing that, Wildfire stopped laughing, and in a slightly serious tone asked, “you got something for me?”

Tempest smiled warmly at the blind pony as she sat up on her haunches, “you sure today isn't your birthday, Wily?” She asked as the mid-blue earth pony stallion fished a hoof into his saddle bag and retrieved a very plain, very ordinary looking package wrapped in brown packing paper and passed it to Dusk.

Taking it very carefully in his hooves, Dusk explained, “yeah…see, a clean-up crew at the care home found this in a hidden wall safe in Amethyst Glory's office.” He paused for a brief moment to take Wildfire’s hoof in his wing and hold it out. “They passed it on to Aunt Tia. She took a look at it and called me, got Oils's address and had a bat pony guard fly it here.” Unable to hide his smile he gently put the A4 sized parcel in Wildfire’s hooves as Airmail and Tempest both looked on, interested to see what it was. “Remember this, Wily?”

“Birthday?” Wildfire smiled, “more like all my Hearths Warmings, Honey.” Feeling the weight of the wrapped parcel in her hooves, she teared at it with her teeth, unwrapping it in the manner of an excited filly. When an old familiar smell of leather and parchment and ink hit the back of her nose she paused in utter disbelief. “N-No...no it's not....my mum's book?”

“Yep!” Dusk, along with Brush Stroke, beamed a wide smile. “All intact and all yours.”

Approaching the stunned yellow mare, Tempest asked softly, “this is your poem book?”

“Y-Yuppers…” Wildfire sniffed a long loud sniff, her shoulders rolling with each sniff, crying like a foal as she cradled the book in her forehooves. “I haven't had this for months...I...I thought they'd burnt it…” still in shock, she ran a hoof over the black leather cover, embossed with her name in gold on the front. “They…they said they’d burnt it!” The whole room was silent as they watched the reunion. “D…thank you D...I have no words for this.”

Stepping up to Wildfire’s left side, Airmail nuzzled her gently. “Hugs are like pictures and worth a thousand words.”

Dusk smiled, “I'll go for a hug, Wily.”

“Yeah…” Wildfire sniffed and launched herself at her best friend, hugging the midnight blue stallion so tight around his neck that it could easily be mistaken for a wrestling hold. “D…Dusk, I-I'm sorry...it’s too much…” she sniffed again as Airmail and Tempest both looked on with happy smiles on their faces.

“I’m just glad you have it back, bestie.” Dusk said tenderly as Brush Stroke looked on with a proud smile.

“I…I’m sorry I laughed at you…” Wildfire whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Shh…” Dusk stroked her black mane comfortingly, “don't be, it’s okay.”

After a few moments, Wildfire was forced to break the choke hold – or ‘hug’, as she called it – when her best friend began to gasp for breath. “Pretty, Honey, if you want to read it, you can go ahead.”

Understanding Wildfire’s need to share her book, Tempest nonetheless shook her head. “After we get in on some of this action.” Hugging Dusk tightly, the violet mare whispered, “you are pretty enough to buck.”

Likewise Airmail followed up with a hug and kiss, “thank you Dusk.”

Almost combusting under the weight of the hugs and the kisses, Dusk smiled, “it's my sincere pleasure guys, honestly.”

“Tempest.” Waiting until the moment had passed, Caffeinated spoke up, “Mapper said I should pick this up for you all when I had a chance.” He hoofed over the pint of peach ice cream.

“Um…” confused, Tempest took it anyway. Mapper had her reasons, she always did. “Thanks Caffy.”

As Tempest hurried to put the ice cream in the freezer, Brush Stroke hugged Dusk and in a not very quiet voice at all, whispered, “I love you, you pretty mare.”

Coming back into the great room, Tempest had an idea. “Wily, we can transcribe this into your tablet and then keep the book for your foal to read when she is old enough.”

“I um…I-I’d like that…” Wildfire replied, evidently still a little stunned, “thank you.”

“You guys want to stay for drinks or something?” Airmail asked, finally thinking of being a good host to her guests.

“Thanks Airmail,” Caffeinated replied with a raised hoof and a shake of his head, “but I have a dinner date with the wife I need to get ready for.”

“We have to say no too sadly,” Brush Stroke said with an apologetic look on his face, “I want to whisk my Dusky away for a just reward.”

Dusk found another shade of red to blush and did so, brightly. “Uh…can we stop by another time though?”

Giggling, Tempest nudged Wildfire and whispered, “It's your house too.”

Wildfire smiled, “of course you can silly, you're always welcome D, and your stallion is too.”

When Caffeinated, Brush Stroke and Dusk had said their goodbyes and made their departures, Tempest lovingly nuzzled Wildfire’s right cheek. “Luna has smiled on you Wily. If you like, we can look at your book together?”

Wildfire merely sniffed over and over, cradling her book in her forelegs like it was a new-born foal. “I got it back...I got my mum back!”

Tenderly, Airmail nuzzled her left cheek. “Do you want us to read that in the bedroom or in the office?”

After a few minutes, Wildfire stopped sniffing, “Um…bedroom, please, Pretty.”

Smiling, Airmail guided the little yellow mare up the stairs and, helped her on to the very middle of the bed and immediately scooted around to her left, snuggling in to Wildfire’s side and covering her with her right wing as Tempest entered the bedroom and snuggled next to her on her right side. “Sometimes good things do happen, Wily.” Tempest kissed the blind pony’s cheek. “May we read your poems?”

Glowing from the unexpected gift, Wildfire placed her book down on the bed in front of her. Carefully she hoofed open the black leather cover to reveal to Airmail and Tempest the one hundred A4 parchment pages therein. The two other mares could see the pages were divided up into sections marked Air Raid, Heatwave, Mum, Friends, Beautiful South. They did notice as well, curiously, that the last ten pages were in braille, while the rest was written. “Of course you may Stormy, just pick a section.”

Looking over Wildfire’s little shoulder, Tempest didn’t really know where to begin, so she said, “I'd like to start at the front and read your first one.”

“Alrighty.” Wildfire passed her book to Tempest, who took it reverently in her hooves.

Looking over the first section in the book, the violet mare could see that it was easily the biggest section too, entitled simply Air Raid, it took up twenty five pages. Starting as she said she would at the first page, Tempest began to read aloud;

“I knew the day we met
That we were meant to be
I knew our fate was set
That you were the one for me

I didn't even know you
I only knew your name
I wasn't sure what to do
I didn't know who to blame

I knew I thought you attractive
I could tell that you were nice
The butterflies were so active
That I couldn't think twice

Everything I did that day
Didn't show you who I am
Every time you came my way
My heart began to ram

My actions weren't natural
My reactions weren't real
I felt so very terrible
But my heart I did not wield

And when the group said goodbye to me
My eyes were fixed on you
I knew I was trying to see
If you felt the same way too

I liked you when I saw your face
But maybe it was the touch
My heart had begun to race
I already liked you too much

I knew the day we met
That we were meant to be
I knew our fate was set
As friends, as lovers.”

When Tempest had finished the poem, entitled simply ‘Crush’, Tempest asked, “who is Air Raid?”

“Air Raid…Raid…” Wildfire rolled her ex’s name around on her tongue as if she was testing it for the first time. Her voice became noticeably emotionless as she spoke, “in Canterlot, at university, she was my long time crush and my first marefriend before my accident.”

Picking up on her change in tone, Airmail hugged her closer. “You don't sound happy.”

Wildfire leaned into the hug. “No, no I don't.” She sighed deeply. “We were together for just over a year, maybe eighteen months at the most. Luna’s sainted mane I loved her so much! She’s a race driver. I used to watch as she raced, she loved rally cross. We…we were happy. Really, really happy. Then I had my accident.” Wildfire’s voice went dead again, “In the hospital, Air Raid came to visit me once. My nurse took the bandages from my face and she screamed at the sight of me. She said she couldn't be seen out with somepony like me.”

Both Airmail and Tempest held Wildfire close and nuzzled her tenderly. “I hope you will let yourself be seen with somepony like me.” Tempest whispered in her ear.

“And me.” Airmail said as she too kissed her cheek.

“The way I feel it, it’s her loss.” Wildfire stated simply, thought there was a trace of regret in her voice. “And, I wouldn't want to go anywhere without the both of you.”

Deciding it was probably best, and in the interests of not killing the mood, Tempest skipped over the rest of Air Raid’s section and moved onto the next, entitled Heatwave, and read the first poem she found there.

“He was always my pillar when I knew I'd fall
Always my anchor, so strong and tall
His hard face changes only for me
His softer side, so careless and free
He knows my dreams are too big for this place
His little girl's leaving, ready to begin her race
He knows I'll be thinking of him wherever I go
I know I'm ready to do this on my own
But still I cry and he holds me tight
He tries to be strong, not a tear in sight
I'm ready to reach for the stars in the sky
He's ready to watch his princess fly
It's time to let go, sure of a path to take
But now I know, even pillars can break
For when I fly away, trying to stifle my cries
All I could see were tears in my father's eyes.”

Now it was Airmail’s turn to sniff as she shed more than a couple of tears while Tempest read the poem out. “That is beautiful. That's how I feel about Rye, my foster father.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire smiled at the memory of her old mentor / teacher / instructor / father. “Heatwave was simply the best.” As she laid there flanked by her two herd-mates, a thought entered her head. “Tell me about your foster parents, Pretty.”

Smiling a very wide genuine smile, Airmail took a breath. “Rye is seventy two, a wheat coloured earth pony married to a sixty eight year old powder blue pegasus named Bluesky. I was seven when they took me in nineteen eighty nine. I was a brat and called Rye lots of names, but he never stopped loving me. I learned that wings don't make a pony.” Airmail paused for just a moment before she carried on, “a year later they had their first foal. Followed by three more over time. Two pegasi fillies, Raindrop and Silver Cloud, born in nineteen ninety and nineteen ninety two. An earth pony colt named Grain in nineteen ninety four and then finally a pegasus colt called Sundown in nineteen ninety six.”

Wildfire decided she liked this family a lot. “Rye sounds nice, I like the sound of him. That’s what a proper dad should be like, like Heatwave was to me.”

Airmail nodded, a nod that Wildfire could feel as she was still being nuzzled. “Bluesky used to be on the Vanhoover Weather Team, now she’s a Milk Mare. Rye still farms…” she giggled a loud giggle, “rye.”

“Did they treat you different to their own foals?” Wildfire asked gently.

“Oh Luna no, I was treated like the first born.” Airmail replied, “they had given up having a foal when they took me in.” She giggled again, “I might have a touch of magic and mom would...aaahhmmm...” she trailed off then to an embarrassed silence that thankfully Wildfire broke.

Wildfire giggled, “Heatwave never had foals, to him I was his daughter. I remember he pestered Captain Hot Spot for a month to let me on the Residential District Fire Team.”

Tempest said gently, “he must have loved you a lot.”

“He did, Luna bless his soul.” Wildfire smiled as she remembered the one pony apart from her mother that’d had a guiding effect on her life. “He died the in the afternoon of the day Air Raid asked me out in the evening, after we put out this huge four storey fire.”

Turning the pages, Tempest flipped to the last of the Heatwave section of poems.

Hearing the parchment moving, Wildfire turned her head to her right, “found a good one Stormy?”

“The last one in the Heatwave section, Wily.” Scanning it bought a tear to Tempest’s blue eyes, but she read it out loud anyway.

“Remember when we met?
When I was just a kid.
And you said to me,
'It's okay, we're all friends here.'
And treated me like a normal kid?
Well even if you don't,
Thank you, as you now mean the world to me.

Remember when I first cried in front of you?
When times were tough for me.
And you said to me,
'It's okay, I'm here.'
And it all seemed a little better?
Well even if it's slipped your mind,
It made me who I am today.

Remember when you fell apart?
You couldn't cope without your Dad.
And I said to you,
'It's okay, I'm here for you.'
And you put back up your mask?
Because it had slipped that day and I saw,
The real you, scared and hiding.

Remember when I left you?
To move on to my next stage.
And you said to me,
'I'll always be here for you.'
And we hugged and talked for hours?
You wanted me to chase my dreams,
And helped me through my fear.

Remember when I became you?
And you took to the sidelines.
And I said to you,
'I'm here to carry on.'
And you watched like a proud parent,
As I took my first steps?

Now it's me remembering you,
As you lie in the ground.
I'll always remember your calming voice,
And be grateful for what I found.”

“I remember that one,” Wildfire commented with a smile when Tempest had finished reading. “It was while he was training me. Damn he was such a hard teacher.”

Airmail spoke up, “the best teachers are.”

“Yuppers, he didn’t stand no messing about come training. The one and only time he ever bawled me out was when I didn't take it serious enough one time. He said if I was more concerned with joking about to get my flank out the door.”

As she listened to what Wildfire had to say, Tempest carefully flipped to the first poem of the next section, marked ‘Mum’ and the violet pegasus read it aloud.

“You brushed my mane and tucked me in,
Made me laugh for hours on end.
You kissed my boo-boos when I fooled around.
Mummy, you never let me down.

You held my hoof as I got my shots
Then took me for ice cream that hit the spot.
You bought me Polly-Pockets and Barbies too.
Mummy, there's no one quite like you

You held my hoof as I walked through the door,
Then you met my teacher as I stared at the floor.
You told me it'd be fun, and I'd make friends too,
And for that reason, Mummy, I love you.

You listened to me talk about the drama and boys
Then taught me how to handle it with class and poise.
You spoke with wisdom and of things you know.
You love to hear me say, "Mommy, you told me so."

You love the Goddess with all you heart,
And you're kind and gentle and pretty and smart
If I could be anyone, I'd pick you
'Cause, Mummy, the world would be better with two of you.

You've taught me so much, with more in store
And with each day that passes, I love you more.”

There was no way no how under Celestia’s sun that Tempest was hiding her tears after something as touching as that. “Are there any pictures of her in here?” She asked, eager to see the mare that had inspired such a poem.

Wildfire nodded, thinking of the little five by four photo paper clipped to one of the pages. “There should be, Honey. It should be clipped to the top of one of the pages.”

Looking at the photo, Airmail at once saw a smiling middle aged pegasus mare, rounded out a little from bearing a foal but by no means fat, with a bright yellow coat and a crimson mane. “I see where you got your beautiful fur.” Admiring the photo a little closer, Airmail could see the beautiful chestnut brown eyes that everpony had associated with Wildfire since they had met her.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire smiled, easily conjuring up the image in her head from memory, “she's pretty isn't she?”

Turning the pages, Tempest selected two more poems in the Mum section and read them out.

“One day I was given to an Angel in disguise
Who's beautiful, yet so fragile wings were tattered beyond recognize

But this Angel to whom I was given, what a heart of gold had she
Who had yet to realize how important she would be

This Angel to whom I was given is so selfless, so giving as can be
Who shares her gift of mercy so that others may be free

This Angel to whom I was given is so faithful, so true
Who would lay down her own life if it meant salvation of one or a few

This Angel to whom I was given is so thoughtful, so kind
Whose never-ending love and prayers are the reason I'll be fine

This Angel to whom I was given is a blessing, my hero all the time
I am so proud to call her Mom, this beautiful Angel of mine.”

~ ~ ~

“To my dearest mother,
Whose soul never grows old.
Your smile outshines the sun,
Your heart is made of pure gold.

Deep down in my heart,
You hold a spot that brightens my days.
Eyes that are shining as stars,
Rosy fair cheeks to see always.

God gave me a wonderful mother,
The greatest treasure known.
Mother you made my life worthwhile,
Nothing can compare to the love that you have shown.

I pray to God to keep you here for as long as he will,
I would not know what to do without you.
Mother you overlook my faults,
And you understand the things I say and do.

Mother you inspire me,
With your special love.
You shelter and guide me,
With a warm and infinite patience from above.

You are my Mother so dear,
And one I can call my own!
You have gentleness in you,
You always pass along reassurance even though I am grown.

You know how to soothe my soul,
When I am in doubt and fear.
Your tenderness watches over me,
Throughout the years.

Running your hooves through my hair and making me laugh,
Making this world a delightful place to live.
Mother your wisdom is incredible,
Thank you for each wonderful insight you give.

Your heart is full of forgiveness,
For the mistakes made by me.
You never judge or hold a grudge,
You shared Jesus' love and how he died to set me free.

You are always generous in helping family and friends,
Always having a word of compassion.
You forget about your needs and placed mine above yours,
I want to be a mother just like you! A Mother of passion.”

“Aaah,” Wildfire smiled, “that second one I wrote for mum’s forty seventh birthday present, I didn’t know it would be her last.”

Tempest once again nuzzled the diminutive yellow pegasus. “I can hear the love in your poems.”

“Everypony I knew was amazed that I didn't get a cutie mark for writing.” Wildfire commented.

Tempest then turned to the last ‘mom’ poem there was to read, and immediately she noticed the mouth writing was different to all the other poems thus far. Before she read it out, Tempest asked, “when did you write this, Wily?”

“Oh…my nurse wrote that for me in the hospital shortly after my accident,” Wildfire replied, “I dictated it to her.”

“Through the hardest part of life
In my heart the memories clear
Of the greatest mum I love so dear
I held you so close to my heart
Praying that we'll never part
But angels came and took you away
And a tear I shed for your everyday
Now In my arms I held you tight
shining lit up star
My mum will watch from up far
In all the pain I'm going through
Just remember, I'm here with you.”

Deciding that she had cried quite enough for one day, Tempest thought she’d play it safe and flipped the page to the first poem in the friends section and saw there was a five by six photograph of seven very happy smiling eighteen year old ponies arranged in two rows looking back at her from the page. Dusk, she recognised straight away. Wildfire was in the centre with her wing around a lime green pegasus with a blue mane whom she assumed was Air Raid in front centre, a pink earth pony stallion with a white mane on Dusk’s right, while a jet black pegasus mare sat to Air Raid’s right. To the other side a royal blue unicorn stallion stood to Dusk’s left and a pure white unicorn mare with a grey mane sat in front of him to Wildfire’s left. “You still have pretty eyes, Wily.” Tempest smiled at the picture.

“Maybe, Honey, but they were prettier back then.”

Tempest nuzzled Wildfire tenderly, “Eyes are the windows to the soul and you have a beautiful soul.”

Smiling, Wildfire nuzzled Tempest in return, “That photo was a good day as I remember. We'd all been to the fun fair in Canterlot. Air Raid arranged it as a nineteenth birthday treat.”

Grinning, Tempest returned to the book and read the first friend poem she found under the happy photo.

“As I think of our friendship, I begin to see
Mere words can't describe what you mean to me.
When this cold, hard world has me lonesome and blue
I look up to see my angel, my sweet angel, you.

You dry the tears that fall from my eyes.
You bring me sunshine to brighten my sky.
You rescue me when I'm scared and alone
And take my hand to lead me home.

No matter the miles that keep us apart
We're always together in each other's hearts
Sometimes we take for granted, I fear,
The ones who are so close and dear.

We get so caught up in life and things we must do
Sometimes we forget to stop and say I love you.
If ever you felt I forgot or didn't care
Let me stop right now, my true feelings I'll share.

You're the sun in my sky, the bed where I lie.
You're the home where I'm safe, the field where I play.
You're everything I am, everything I do.
So what I am saying is I LOVE YOU!”

Wildfire smiled a very, very wide smile as Tempest read out the poem to her and Airmail. “Honey, I wrote that one after we all met for the first time in High School. We shared classes at school then we all went to University together.

Curiously, Tempest turned the pages of the book until she came to the last one written in braille. “Wily, will you please read this one to us?”

Wondering which one Tempest had requested, Wildfire took the book back from the violet mare and ran her left forehoof over the braille, her shoulders slumping as she read and recognised the poem. “I…I…Honey I will read it, just this once. I wrote this on Hearths Warming eve four years ago, after my first year at the care home.”

“It’s like a plague that never goes away,
Or an animal and its prey,
It waits...
And waits...
And waits...until you're ready,
Then closes in and devours you...
From the inside out.
ALL you see is shadows of the ones you once knew,
No more happiness,
No more laughter,
No more love,
It’s like a thunderstorm that blocks your soul.
Your soul becomes a black hole,
Whatever said, heard, or learned,
Is forgotten, never brought up again,
No longer does anything matter,
It’s all darkness,
Like a plague that never goes away.”

In stunned silence Tempest reached over with her hoof and closed the book in an effort to shut ‘that’ away. “I'm glad you have this back with every poem in there.” She kissed Wildfire as tenderly as she could manage. “Happy and sad for I love you all the more.”

In response, Airmail moved her right wing over to cover both Wildfire and Tempest.

Surrounded either side by both her mares, Wildfire couldn’t help but smile. “I'm glad I have it back too. It’s a miracle is what it is. I'm not reading that last one again though. That's how I felt back then in the home.”

“Tomorrow is another day in your future.” Airmail smiled as she yawned a little yawn. “Will you be able to sleep tonight?” She asked as she noted the shadows getting longer and longer on the yard and under the oak tree outside the house.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire yawned as well behind her hoof before she could stop it. “I should be alright. That first night after the party at Caffy's place I was scared to go sleep in case I woke up back there and it was all a dream.”

“Well…” Airmail lovingly kissed Wildfire’s lips. “Tonight I hope you dream of us.”

~ ~ ~

Sitting back at the breakfast table, Tempest sighed the sigh of a mare with a belly full of sugared oatmeal and strong coffee. Looking about herself the violet mare beamed in satisfaction as the others, Airmail and Wildfire, both had similar expressions on their muzzles as well. Taking a last swallow, emptying the dregs of her coffee, Tempest said, “I have to be on site at ten a.m. this morning.” Turning to Wildfire she asked, “you want to play weather pony again Wily?”

“Well, she needs a job, Wily can't live on free kisses forever,” Airmail commented as she too drained the remains of her morning coffee.

“Actually Stormy,” Wildfire spoke up, her own chocolate covered oatmeal and coffee long since gone, “I was going to check out the Fire Station in Manehatten, see if they'll have me.”

Tempest thought about that for a moment, impressed that Wildfire wanted her old job back. “There are several Stations in Manehatten, one of which is not that far from here.”

Airmail shot Tempest an exaggerated look. “So, take her to your office and visit the Chief.”

“Duh! Of course!” Tempest exclaimed, complete with a hoof slapped to her forehead. “I can take you to City Hall where my dusty office is and introduce you to the Fire Chief.”

Wildfire was beside herself with excitement. “Honey, could you? Really!? Thank you! It would be properly awesomes to get back into work now that I can.”

Getting up, Tempest smiled at the diminutive pegasus’s enthusiasm. “Okay, I got point six with me for the weather duty, but maybe you get the job and need it at the Fire House.”

Catching on, Airmail stood from the breakfast table as well, and nudged Wildfire’s foreleg with her own. Let’s get you suited up to fly into town and we’ll add ‘City Hall’ to your destinations.”

Wildfire giggled as she followed Tempest and Airmail up the stairs to the office in order to get her flight suit on, as well as get her headset updated with the city’s key locations. “Hmm...that's if I get hired straight away Honey,” she thought out loud, “the Manehatten Chief might just laugh me out the building.”

“And what if he does?” Airmail challenged when they got to the top of the stairs, “you're Wildfire, don't let somepony intimidate you.”

“If he does,” Wildfire said in a determined voice as she started to dress herself in the wondrous flight suit, “I'll go straight back in and ask again.”

“Rung isn't a bad stallion, though.” Tempest considered as she hooked up the flight headset to Wildfire’s computer.

“True,” Airmail agreed, taking her role as flight suit fitter very seriously, especially when it came to using her muzzle to make sure the crotch was secure.

“You…aaah, you know him?” Wildfire asked, her voice rising in pitch when Airmail’s muzzle went a little too deep.

Tempest nodded, busily downloading the city’s most important locations – chief amongst them Caffy’s coffee shop – into the headset. “We work, if I ever showed up, in the same building.”

Airmail spoke up, “I've interviewed him a few times.” She said as she stepped back to admire the tight, very, very tight flight suit. Airmail admired it for a good long time. ‘Damn…if Wily was carrying bits under that, you’d tell which side was Celestia and which was Luna…’ she thought, biting her bottom lip.

“Oh…um, what's he like?” Wildfire asked nervously, “if he's anything like Hot Spot he'll be a hard pony to please.”

“He’s straight and to the point,” Airmail replied, “he doesn't play politics.”

“I've said hi to him a couple of times.” Tempest put in, her job almost complete. “All I've ever done is assign a pony to ferry clouds to him as and when needed.”

Wildfire grinned a wide grin. “He sounds almost like Hot Spot’s twin.” She giggled, brightening up. “Hey! I can ferry clouds about, I've done that before!”

“That is actually a good idea, Wily.” Tempest agreed as she disconnected the headset. “Cloud Burst leads the Fire Team pegasi, but they can't spare any for moving clouds.”

Airmail smiled, patting Wildfire on the shoulder. “Looks like you have an in, Wily.”

“Yuppers, it does!” She smiled as she took the headset from Tempest and placed it very carefully on her head. “Providing cloud cover was my main job when I was with the Canterlot Fire Team. Heatwave and I were the only two pegasi on the Residential District Team, so we got called out a lot.”

Sparing a moment, Tempest double checked Wildfire's directions, and after a minute or two stood back, happy that everything was programmed in just right. “Good, that will take you to the Pegasus Landing Pad. The PLP is between the north and south bound flight paths. We will leave here heading north across the sound, over Battery Park and up Bridleway. You will go up to get to the landing area.” Tempest paused as she explained all this to the blind mare. “It is a twenty foot hollow cube in the centre of the building.”

Airmail simply rolled her eyes as her lover was about to enter full ‘mother hen mode’. “Stormy, you worry too much.”

“And you don't worry enough.” Tempest countered straight away. “I want you to lead Wily, you okay with that?”

“Yeah Tempest, I'm alright with that.” Wildfire said, determined to do this right, after all this would be her first time flying as lead pony in the heart of Manehatten’s flyway.

~ ~ ~

Flying along in the beautiful mid-morning sunshine, Wildfire was greatly amazed that the journey into town was as uneventful as it was. There had been a few soft collision alarms sounding from her suit’s sensors that turned out to be seabirds flying out to feed.

It was a good fifteen minutes into the flight that Wildfire got her first true taste of flying in Manehatten. While flying straight and level, maintaining an altitude of three hundred feet above the ground, and a city-safe speed of thirty miles per hour, Wildfire got a soft collision alarm from the flight suit at two hundred and seventy degrees with an elevation of plus eighty degrees. Listening to the alarm, she muttered, “damn collision warning…” slowing her speed slightly, she rose six feet to clear the obstruction.

To Wildfire’s consternation however, the alarm only got louder and more urgent in spite of her evasive manoeuvres. ‘Oh…you bucking fool!’ Wildfire kicked herself, ‘a plus elevation means I need to descend! Uuugh…I got this…’ angling herself downwards, the diminutive yellow mare descended twelve feet in order to correct her error and to clear what was potentially in her way.

As she made the course corrections, her suit alerted her that the first soft target had now moved to three hundred and thirty degrees with an elevation of plus forty five degrees. A second soft collision alarm then sounded, this one moving to one hundred and eighty degrees with an elevation of minus fifty degrees.

Concentrating hard, Wildfire thought, ‘the first to my left, almost in front and has gotten lower, the second is behind me and lower…’ in response, the yellow mare adjusted her course to the right, thinking to put distance between herself and the obstruction on her left.

As she moved, the soft target that was behind and below her suddenly decided to accelerate up and to her left. The next thing Wildfire heard was wings slapping and an angry stallion’s voice up to her left. “Watch where you're going you idiot!”

‘Damn!’ Wildfire cursed herself, “I’m sorry!”

Up above her and to her front a voice called out, “what? Oh, hey, I'm the one who’s sorry.” The alarms went silent then as both soft targets moved away from her.

“Uugh...Kuppa said this'd take practice,” Wildfire grumbled as she got herself back on course for a direct approach to the City Hall. “I thought I'd caused that…” When she got closer to the large building, the automatic ILS beacon took over her headset, instructing her to follow its gentle guide slope. Following the flight controller’s instructions, Wildfire came in to land safely on the Pegasus Landing Pad.

With a flaring of her wings, Tempest landed next to her little herd-mate. “You okay, Wily?” She asked, having witnessed the altercation in the sky from her tailing position.

“Yuppers…” Wildfire sighed, “I'm fine, Tempest...just weirded out I guess. Hearing a collision I avoided I was worried I'd reacted wrong that's all.”

Deciding upon the best course of action for just such an occasion, Tempest hugged Wildfire tight before they moved themselves off of the PLP. “You did okay, you just need more practice. I saw that idiot almost run into you, but somepony closer took action. Asshole was texting.”

Wildfire giggled, “maybe they’re the ones that need flying lessons.”

“They should outlaw flying and texting is what they should do...” Tempest snorted, “well come in and see my office and then I'll take you to the Chief’s office.”

Wildfire giggled, proud though ninth less that Tempest was happy with the way she had flown all the way here with just her instruments. “I’d love to feel your office Honey, bet it's all super official.”

“Wily, we landed on the thirtieth floor.” Tempest explained, “Weather offices are on the twentieth, Fire Chief is on the third. My office is a cubby hole that collects dust.”

Wildfire sniggered behind her hoof as they walked down one of the winding corridors from the PLP. “How come you don't use it much?” She asked curiously.

“One simple reason,” the violet mare giggled, “I can watch Airy's ass from home.”

“Yuppers, I imagine that's a better view than your office walls, if it looks half as good as it feels.” A thought struck her as they walked along, one that had been bothering her since they had awoken in each other’s hooves that morning. “Honey, how did you like the movie last night? Your popcorn really was nice, I thought it made it better.”

“Movie was sweet and I don't think Airy yawned more than ten times.” She sniggered out a loud laugh at that, for she herself had taken great pleasure in the past to bore her Airy senseless, now it seemed did had a playmate in her fun. “Secret of good popcorn is how many seconds to set the microwave.”

“Hmm…I don't think ‘Scent of a Mare’ was Pretty's kind of movie.” Wildfire reflected ruefully. “Not enough things exploded.”

“Yeah,” Tempest agreed, “chase scenes and gun shots is her type of film. And really, the only time I come into the office is if someone is in trouble, and to work for official functions.”

“Hey!” Wildfire exclaimed suddenly, making Tempest jump in shock, “I know a movie Airy would like, one called 'Drive Angry'.”

Tempest laughed, “yeah, that sounds like her speed.”

Wildfire continued, “the female lead in it wears these cute little denim shorts the whole time.”

“Do you want some cute little denim shorts?” Tempest asked, her mind racing ahead, picturing little Wildfire in cute, tight, cute shorts…

“Yuppers, they'd be cool. Then I can dress up for you both.” At that the little yellow mare blushed an intense blush. “Y’know...last night in bed I was trying to think up a poem for you both.”

“Your poems are very sweet and I'd love to be in your book.” Tempest replied as she led Wildfire to one of the express elevators. After another short elevator ride that lasted barely a moment, the two mares arrived at the Weather offices, which were staffed and busy with ponies bustling about their respective duties.

A light grey pegasus stallion caught sight of Major Tempest and called out, “Attention!”

Returning the salute he gave, albeit reluctantly, the violet mare waved the over-zealous stallion on with a curt, “Carry on.”

“It was hard to get my ideas in order, though.” Wildfire commented, happy that her new lover would be proud to be in her book. “I just kept coming back to a line from my favourite play, ‘o strange new world, that has such ponies in it’.”

Tempest paused slightly at that quote. She was sure she’d heard it somewhere before. Then it hit her. “I've heard of that...oh! It was at a play named after me!” Smiling, Tempest addressed a scarlet coloured Pegasus stallion, “Sergeant Twotone, is everything on track for today’s weather front?”

“Yes Ma'am.” Two tone replied smartly, bringing his hoof up in a sharp salute.

Tempest spared him a brief nod, “thank you, Sergeant. Carry on.” Then, she led Wildfire to a room that was indeed little more than a chubby hole. “Here is my office,” she said, hoofing open the door and standing aside to allow Wildfire to enter first. “At least the speciallist dusts in here. Please feel free to feel around.”

“Alrighty, Honey.” With that, Wildfire proceeded to explore the office, both of her wings outspread for good measure. “We did a version of the Tempest back in university, I was Miranda, and not very good.”

“That's cool,” Tempest commented as she watched with intense curiosity the way Wildfire explored a new place, how she carefully went around the sides first. “Serenity was in the opera I saw. She played the spirit, but I can't remember her character's name.”

“Ariel.” Wildfire said over her shoulder.

“I'll take your word for it, but that sounds right.”

“Air Raid played her.” Wildfire said as she made her complete circuit around the eight by ten foot office. She had found that the desk was centred, with two seating pads in front and one behind. There was also a small bookcase along one wall, and knew framed items hung on the wall behind the desk. One of these was very large. “Surprisingly, Raid was a good actress.” Her little tour finished, she turned to the sandalwood scent and smiled. “You have a really nice office, I like it, it's good you have something to show for how many years you worked at it.”

Tempest giggled at that, “Wily, what I love the most is the ability to work at home.” Hugging the little mare tight, after all it had been a good fifteen minutes since she was last hugged, Tempest asked, “ready to go down and face the stallion?”

“Well,” Wildfire commented with a sly grin, “we both know the view is better.” Another thought struck her then, as they both shared a laugh, “Do you see your parents much? Pretty has told me about her foster home, you know about mum and my useless excuse for a dad.”

“Mine live in Trottingham, so at least four times a year I visit.” Tempest answered with a smile as she thought of her family, “my brother still lives there so keeps me up to date.”

“Oils sounds like he's from Trottingham I think.” Then, having decided that she’d stalled quite enough, she squared her little shoulders and put on her determined face. A face that was do adorable Tempest had to really fight not to d’aaaaw there and then. “Yuppers, let’s go meet the Chief.”

“Okay everypony, things look good. Excellent work, and I’ll see you at the front later.” As they both left the offices, Tempest leaned in and whispered quietly in Wildfire’s ear, “they will be talking about my unexpected visit for weeks, you watch.”

Wildfire just nodded in reply, then she said, “ponies pay attention when boss lady walks in.”

After another short uneventful elevator ride, both Tempest and Wildfire emerged on to the third floor and trotted across the level to enter an office. Looking up, the mare that either the reception asked, “hello, how may I help you?”

“Yes Ms…” Tempest bent her neck to read the name plate on her uniform, “Ms. Thistle, is Chief Rung in, please?”

Ms. Thistle quickly checked her computer’s diary and shook her head. “I'm sorry you can’t, it's Sunday. He is off today.”

Tempest metaphorically – and very almost literally – facehooved. “Of course, well, can I make an appointment with him for tomorrow please?”

Thistle opened up a file on her computer, and after a moment’s scrutiny looked up at Tempest with a smile. “Yes, is nine a.m. good?”

Tempest nodded eagerly. “That should be fine, right Wildfire?”

“Yes, that'd be great, thank you Ms. Thistle.”

“Please put Tempest and Wildfire down for the nine a.m. slot, Ms. Thistle.”

Thistle looked up suddenly at the mention of Tempest’s name. “Oh, are you from the weather office upstairs?”

Tempest merely nodded a ‘yes and Thistle was overjoyed. “You guys are doing great! My garden is really blooming. I have you both down for nine, see you tomorrow.”

Wildfire nodded her head in the direction of Thistle’s voice. “Thanks for the appointment Ms. Thistle.”

Once they were outside the office, Tempest turned to the diminutive yellow mare and gave her a tight hug. “I'm sorry Wily, I didn't even think about it being Sunday. I guess I should have called first.”

“Meh…” Wildfire shrugged her shoulders, “it's okay, Honey. The day wasn't a total loss, I still needed the flying practice didn't I?”

Tempest grinned, there she had a point, and a good one too. “You going to head back and keep Airmail busy?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire said with a nod of her head, “I think I will. We don't want Pretty getting bored, do we?”

“You can sweet talk her and try out that new toy of yours.” Tempest leaned in and whispered suggestively, “she might even cuff you and use the nipple clamps…” she finished with a deep kiss to the lips.

Prench kissing Tempest in return, Wildfire smiled, “I'm already there at home.” She giggled, “As long as you're sure you don't need a hoof here?”

“I have an hour to kill, there is a deli on the main floor.” Tempest replied, “I was going to get a bite and catch up on news. I should be back home by five p.m.”

“Alrighty,” Wildfire smiled, “I'll feel you later then Honey.”

“I'll walk you back to the elevator, just in case.” Tempest said, the mother hen in her coming out again, “The signs are in braille, but on the thirtieth turn left and it will go straight to the landing pad for you to take off from.” Pausing at the doors she asked, “Home is at what point?”

“It’s point three, mother, and Airmail has point two.” Wildfire replied quickly, putting Tempest’s fears to rest.

Grinning, Tempest pulled her into a kiss at the elevator. “I love you.”

“I love you too Honey,” As the elevator doors closed, and it began to rise to the thirtieth floor, a thought occurred to her. ‘First time on my own in Manehatten!’

Chapter 11 - Wildflower Blooms

Forty Five minutes after her departure from the Pegasus Landing Pad located on the thirtieth floor of the Manehatten City Hall and Wildfire was preparing to land in the back yard to the rear of her new home. The flight back home hadn’t been nearly as exciting as the one going had been. Following the same glide slope she had used to land there Wildfire had quickly and without incident left the congested air traffic around the city proper and soon found herself in the open sky towards Stallion Island.

“Alrighty, here we go…” she muttered to herself as her flight suit and headset guided her in the last few feet to a perfect landing on the wooden decking, the beacon on the door beeping three times to signify she was where she wanted to be. ‘I even missed the oak tree! Go me!’ she thought, using her tongue to slide the bit in her mouth to the ‘off’ position. Approaching the closed door, she knocked twice with her left hoof as was her custom, before nudging it open and trotting inside to the dining room. “It’s just me Pretty!” She called out.

“You don't have to knock, Wily.” Airmail’s voice came from the great room, along with some jazz style music she didn’t recognise being turned off. She assumed it was either radio or CD. “You're back early, didn't you get the job?”

“It's only manners,” Wildfire replied as she made her way through the dining room to the small connecting hallway that joined it to the great room. “I didn't want to catch you with a stray mare, that's my job.” She giggled at her own joke, “Chief Rung wasn't in, so we made an appointment to see him at nine a.m. tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah, it’s Sunday.” Airmail mentally facehooved. Hard. “If you catch me with a strange mare you can make it a threesome!” She giggled as she watched the little mare precisely feel her way around the wall and walk towards the sound of her voice.

“Best to bring her back in then.” Wildfire giggled. Zeroing in on Airmail’s northern accent, she hazarded a guess she was on the couch to the left of the small hallway that ran along the wall opposite the front door. Feeling with her right wingtip she felt the coffee table she knew was in front of the couch, and was about to sit down when Airmail interrupted her.

“Just me and my feather collection.” The azure blue pegasus smiled, “you want to touch them?”

“Oooh!” Wildfire squeaked when she took her flight headset off and placed in on the corner of the coffee table where she would easily find it again. “Can I? I promise I'll be careful!”

Airmail giggled and hovered up, then she picked up the curio case from the shelf that held her collection of four feathers, four memories dear to her heart. “You'll think you weren’t with one of them. I keep them over on these shelves. I've added Lunas to the top, yours is right below it.” She landed next to Wildfire and, opening the case, she placed it in Wildfire’s right hoof. “Bottom one was from Captain Tenderhoof.” Airmail looked misty eyed at the pale grey feather. “He was my first commander. Went on an assignment that went sour. I was sent in for clean-up. He was still alive when I got there but he died on the evac back. Last thing he did was give me that feather.”

Wildfire carefully, almost reverently, touched the feather that Airmail directed her hoof to. To her it just felt like any other feather but then she chided herself. ‘To anypony else my book is just a book.’ Instead she smiled softly, “was that your first feather?”

“Yeah, above it is the second.” Airmail gently moved her yellow hoof to feel the lower half of a violet primary feather.

“What was it like?” Wildfire asked curiously, “fighting I mean?” She touched the half feather, wondering who in Equestria would give just half a feather, while at the same time she thought it was familiar. “Whose was this?”

“Fighting was a job I had. I did it very well.” Airmail replied, happily glossing over the horrors she had witnessed through the scope of her sniper’s rifle, all those lives she had ended in a shower of gore and exploding brain matter… “that half feather was given to me by Tempest. In return I gave her a whole one. It's a funny story and best if we tell it together. Above that is yours and then Luna’s.”

“Did you like doing it?” Wildfire asked as she touched and felt her feather, the one she had plucked from her wing three days ago in the Mare’s Room of Caffeinated’s ranch. She scrunched up her muzzle, “It feels all thin and scrawny, wouldn't you like a better one now that I have them, Pretty?”

“No, Wily,” Airmail shook her head 'no' for emphasis, “I love that one dearly as you gave it to me from the heart.” She paused, thinking about Wildfire’s question. “I guess I did like doing my job. I like to think I made a difference. Sometimes I needed somepony to remind me I was liking it too much.”

“Are you sure?” Wildfire quickly moved on from her scrawny little feather and touched the primary feather that Luna had gifted to Airmail during the truth or dare game at the open mic night at Caffeinated’s coffee shop. “Wow…that is one really nice feeling feather.” She said in an impressed, almost awed, tone of voice, “y'know, we should all make a difference. It's why I loved firefighting so much.”

“I'm sure you'll show them you belong in the morning.” Airmail said kindly as she placed her azure blue hoof with Wildfire’s yellow one and closed the glass door of the curio case.

“I hope so Pretty.” Wildfire sighed, “weather duty was alright, but not 'me' y'know?”

“And Wily that feather of yours is priceless.” Airmail smiled as she hovered back up and put the case back on the shelf. “I wouldn't trade it for your whole wing full of feathers.” She landed softly and gave the diminutive yellow pegasus a tender kiss. “You gotta do what your heart leads you to do.”

Wildfire blushed a beautiful shade of red to match her fireball cutie mark. “You sweet talker.” She leant up and kissed her marefriend’s lips. “Wanna read my book? It’s only fair, I touched your treasures.” She giggled, “no burning building rescues anymore for me though I think.”

“You never know Wily.” Airmail replied, “you do what you got to do when it comes time to do it. You're not going to let a bit of blindness stop you, are you?”

“It hasn't stopped me yet,” Wildfire smiled, “I'm still here kicking and screaming.”

Airmail giggled, “you're a quiet screamer then. I'd love to read your book, but only if you snuggle with me.”

“I think I can manage that.” Wildfire laughed, “After all I do owe you for the ten yawns my movie gave you last night.”

Airmail joined her lover in a light laugh. “Either your hearing is really good or someone tattled on me.”

“Hmm…a bit of both,” Wildfire smiled as she turned and walked towards the hallway that led to the dining room and to the stairs. “I only counted four, besides, I know one you'll like better.”

“Right now I'll like a good book and some good snuggling. Then lunch.” Airmail replied, taking the lead at the stairs and heading up to the master bedroom. Taking Wildfire’s book of poems from the night stand beside the large bed, she laid on the bed, waiting to curl up with a good book while she waited for Wildfire to move in behind her into full on snuggle mode.

Following Airmail up the stairs, Wildfire used both of her wingtips to feel along the walls to get to the bedroom. Walking inside she found the bed where she remembered it and hopped up on to it next to Airmail and laid next to her. “Close enough for a snuggle, Pretty?”

“Your wing over me would be nice.”

“I can manage that.” Smiling, Wildfire draped her right wing over Airmail’s back, flaring the feathers out wide and pulling her in close and helping herself to a cheeky nuzzle along her shoulder as she did so.

Airmail ran her hoof over the real leather cover. “Do you want me to read these out loud?”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire replied, nestling herself deeper into the older mare’s side, “just pick any that jump out at you, Airy.”

Taking another long moment, Airmail’s brown eyes studied the poetry book’s cover. The fact it was real genuine leather was significant enough, as was the gold embossed lettering on it, dedicating it to its owner. “Wily, how did you get the book itself?” She asked.

“My mum gave it to me on my birthday when I was ten.”

“I'm guessing you were writing poems before then?” Airmail enquired gently.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire replied enthusiastically, “I started about seven I think – though it might’ve been earlier, I used to write on any old scrap of paper I could find.” She chuckled, “it used to wind dad up no end.”

Airmail giggled, her heaving sides making Wildfire laugh along with her. “I could picture a quill on your flank, but the flames are more you I believe. They reflect the heat of your passion.”

“Hmm…probably why it took so long for my cutie mark to appear,” Wildfire commented, “I think it was confused.”

“Maybe,” Airmail said thoughtfully. She had as much idea as the next pony when it came to cutie marks and their relevance or significance. Which wasn’t much. “Well, let me begin at the beginning.” Turning the page, Airmail opened the book at the first section, Air Raid’s section, and read aloud the first poem that Tempest had read yesterday.