The Adventures Of A Reluctant Dragon Lord

Chapter 28

HMS Sliver Shadow, En Route to Zebrica

Spike took a long swig from his canteen and sighed. He smiled at his mate while she diligently went about her morning exercises. To stay limber after her stay in the hospital, Ember insisted on adding some yoga poses to her sparring retinue. Which, by default, included Spike as well. The young Dragon Lord didn’t mind. Yoga was great for loosening up muscles, getting the blood flowing, and providing just a little bit more added dexterity. Plus, it gave him the opportunity to watch his mate’s beautiful, toned body while she stretched out.

He found himself starting intently at her for far longer than was considered socially acceptable, even for a Wyvertii. Not that it really mattered at this point since they were a couple. Ember was currently arrayed in a crouching position with her legs spread far apart, which gave Spike a generous, unobstructed view of both her mons and the sexy little tuft of pubic hair right above it. The young man swallowed hard.

It had been quite some time since he’d last seen Ember in person, and even longer still since they’d had any private time together. The urge to smother his headstrong, yet beautiful mate with affection and love was almost overwhelming. Spike waited until she finished her pose and relaxed a little bit, then he launched his attack. The young man winced slightly when he felt the tip of his penis accidentally jab into his stomach as he bent over. It caused him a fair amount of pain but nothing that could make him back down from his goal.

Although determined, Spike’s approach was clumsy, awkward, and not quite as smooth as he’d planned. The stiff erection that stood proudly between his legs reminded the Dragon Lord to be a little bit more careful with his movements, but Spike still managed to grab ahold of Ember’s knees without too much trouble. However, he made sure that his grip was firm enough only to keep her from moving around. Spike didn’t want to cause his mate any pain or discomfort.

Ember squealed in surprise when he started kissing his way up her legs and thighs; she only began to protest when Spike inevitably inched closer and closer to her pussy. With her legs wide open as they were, the delicate, salmon-pink flesh of her flower was on full display. Spike took a deep breath and licked his lips.

The musky aroma of Ember’s natural scent combined with her morning workout sweat was overpowering. His penis became achingly hard after his senses were bombarded with her pheromones. But he willed himself to resist the urge to mount her immediately. He wanted to focus on pleasuring her first. Without a moment’s hesitation, he pressed his lips against the outer edge of her folds and used his tongue to probe inside her depths.

“Spike! STOP! Ahhn… I’m all sweaty and gross. Oh, Goddess that’s—at least… wait until I take a shower! I’m not clean down there…” Ember protested weakly.

Instead of being deterred, Spike relentlessly swirled his tongue inside Ember’s pussy, making her writhe and moan on the yoga mat. While she was distracted by his ministrations, Spike took the opportunity to roll her swollen clit between his fingers, tugging on it gently to maximize the amount of pleasure she would feel from it being stimulated so intensely.

The technique proved to be quite effective. Ember arched her back, squeaked loudly, clamped her thighs around Spike’s head, and promptly came all over his face. As his mate lay panting on the yoga mat, the Dragon Lord crawled atop her and planted a gentle kiss on her neck. She blushed heavily and crossed her arms underneath her breasts. Amused by her adorable pout, Spike reached down and slowly teased her clit with his thumb, which made her gasp.

“Just what in the seven hells do you think you’re doing, Spike?! Can’t I go about my exercise routine in peace? Goddess, I swear you’re always so horny first thing in the morning…”

Spike laughed and kissed her stomach, relishing the salty flavor of her skin. “You don’t have to play hard to get with me, Ember. I can always tell when you’re feeling pent up. There’s no shame in admitting that you want to have sex.”

“Ok, fine! Maybe I am a bit pent up. You’d feel the same way if you were cooped up in a fucking hospital room for three weeks with no way of getting off. Delmira did visit me a couple of times, but I… was way too embarrassed and… sore to ask her to do naughty stuff.”

Spike traced his fingers along her abs. “Well, I’m here now and I want to do a whole bunch of naughty stuff to my beloved mate. How’s that sound?”

Ember’s cheeks flushed an adorable shade of pink. “It’s not fair! Why are you always so damn charming? Very well, then. I accept your offer, Dragon Lord Spike. Just… make sure that you’re nice and gentle. I’m still a little bit sore… down there.”

Spike acknowledged her request by caressing Ember’s cheek and kissing her forehead. Ever so slowly, he spread her legs apart into order access her womanly folds. As Spike suspected, she was sopping wet and the smell of her arousal was pungent and musky. With an amused smile, he noticed that Ember had cum so hard earlier that some of her arousal had even managed to soak the spot right underneath the yoga mat.

The young man grasped the shaft of his penis and carefully rubbed it along the surface of his mate’s glistening lips, making sure to get it coated evenly before he fully committed to penetrating her. Spike inserted his manhood into Ember’s quivering folds as slowly as he could, centimeter by centimeter, until his balls brushed up against the outer rim of her cute little pucker.

Unlike Sunset, he wasn’t entirely sure if Ember was receptive to the idea of anal play or if she even wanted his cock to go anywhere near that particular hole. For some women, it simply wasn’t a comfortable or pleasant experience. This was especially true in Spike’s case because he had such a thick penis. And by the looks of it, Ember appeared to be pretty damn tight down there. He decided it was probably for the best to hold off on teasing her there for the time being until they had a chance to discuss the subject in greater detail.

Spike began thrusting his hips back and forth at a steady pace. As always, the inside of Ember’s pussy was hot, slippery, and incredibly tight. Even after being injured and recovering in the hospital for several weeks, her walls still constricted around his shaft like a hungry python. Spike was grateful that she wanted to make love the slow way because otherwise, he definitely would not have lasted very long.

Ember intertwined her fingers with Spike’s as he bent down and kissed her on the lips. There was a little bit of tongue wrestling between them, but it was mostly an affectionate gesture. They were simply two lovers enjoying the sensation of being joined together as one. When they finally broke the kiss, Ember wrapped her arms around Spike’s back and gently kneaded the firm muscles in between his shoulder blades with her fingers.

Spike gasped as he felt what could only be another orgasm ripple through Ember’s body. The sensation of his entire penis being milked for all it was worth was nearly overwhelming. He couldn’t hold it in any more. With a loud grunt, he pushed himself as deeply into Ember as he could possibly go, clenched his buttcheeks together, and pumped her full of his hot, sticky, seed. He promptly collapsed atop his mate and rested his head in-between her breasts.

Ember ran her fingers through his hair while they took a moment to catch their breath. “Oh, Goddess. That was… amazing. I really needed a good fuck. Although, you still could’ve warned me what you were gonna do. I don’t like surprise attacks.”

Spike carefully extracted himself from Ember and rolled onto his back. “Fair enough. It's just that that you look so irresistibly sexy whenever you work out. I simply couldn’t help myself. I promise that I’ll say something next time.”

With a satisfied grin, Ember shifted her position until she was in-between the crook of Spike’s legs. Since they’d just finished making love, his penis was still semi-tumescent and coated with a little bit of semen and some of her own arousal. She cupped his balls and began massaging them with one hand while she grasped the base of his shaft and sucked on his cock.

Spike gasped as Ember’s slippery tongue swirled around the tip of his head. The young man’s entire penis was still extremely sensitive to just about any kind of stimulation due to all the blood being pumped down there. Even though he wasn’t necessarily in any hurry to get hard again, Ember’s fellatio technique saw to it that he became erect once more in a matter of moments.

Spike let out an embarrassingly loud moan when he felt Ember firmly press her fingers against the little gap located slightly below his ballsack. It was what Twilight often referred to as the “Male G-Spot”. Spike wasn’t quite sure how Ember had learned of it, but he certainly wasn’t complaining! As advertised, it made his brain turn to mush and his body tingle with electric pleasure. He grabbed the sides of Ember’s head and started playing with the tips of her ears.

“Ember… unhh—Gods that’s… w-what are you… doing?”

Ember released Spike’s manhood from her mouth with a slick pop. “Returning the favor from earlier when you ate me out~ Hmmm. You’re pretty sweaty down here too. Goddess, your thick, meaty cock smells and tastes so… manly right now. I just can’t get enough of it! Now, don’t you worry about a thing. Just lay back and relax. I wanna make you cum again.”

The Dragon Lord didn’t argue with his mate. He simply laid back, rested his head against the mat, and allowed her to do as she damn-well pleased. She continued to bob her head up and down at a quicker pace while rubbing his G-Spot several times in quick succession. The familiar pressure of an impending orgasm began to build deep within his balls and crept its way up along his shaft. Spike curled his toes, thrust his hips upward, and grunted passionately as he squirted a few errant spurts of cum into Ember’s mouth. She took it all like a champ, and swallowed every last drop without complaint.

Ember giggled while she licked Spike’s penis clean. “I’ll bet that felt really good, huh?”

“Oh Gods, yes! Did I ever tell you how much I love you, Ember?”

Ember crawled atop her mate and kissed him on the lips. Spike could still taste himself on her lips, but he didn’t mind terribly. “Yes, you most certainly have. Plenty of times. And guess what? I happen to love you too. If I didn’t already make that obvious.”

While the young couple cuddled on the soiled yoga mat, Sunset Shimmer finished up her morning run on the top deck. She’d found that the fresh air and sunlight helped to further reduce the feeling of queasiness that roiled in her stomach every so often. As much as she hated to admit it, Sunset was not a big fan of oceanic travel. She much preferred to keep her feet firmly planted on solid ground. Such was the disposition of a woman who’d spent the better part of a decade living in the Everfree Forest.

The slight rolling of the ship as it glided across the waves always made her want to puke. In fact, when they’d first set sail from Baltimare, she’d tossed her cookies over the side immediately after they’d all enjoyed a luxurious dinner. Sunset apologized profusely and felt embarrassed by her lack of sea-legs. The medical officer laughed it off and assured her that she wasn’t the only one who had issues with sea-sickness. He’d prescribed her a little bottle of brown, triangular shaped pills that he claimed would help calm her upset tummy. So far, they seemed to work.

The run had been refreshing, but Sunset paused for a moment and sniffed herself. As she suspected, her skin was warm and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. She wrinkled her nose in disgust when she realized just how ripe she smelled. Or… at least that’s how she perceived it. Many of the sailors she passed by were, of course, consummate professionals but even they weren’t immune to Sunset’s potent, hybridized pheromones or her Amazonian physique.

A few of them stopped what they were doing and took a moment to admire Sunset’s womanly assets and savor the slightly spicy, cinnamon-like aroma of her natural scent as she passed them by. Ever the perceptive huntress, Sunset was fully aware of their lustful stares. She couldn’t exactly blame the sailors for looking at her body. After all, it wasn’t every day that they got to see an exotic beauty such as herself casually stroll about the ship au naturale.

In the end, Sunset decided to give the sailors a little show as a gesture of gratitude for all of their hard work. She made sure to put some extra sway in her step while she sauntered down the hall. Sunset giggled to herself. It felt pretty damn good knowing that you were sexy. When she finally reached the training room, she crinkled her nostrils at the overpowering, musky odor that assailed her senses. There was no mistaking that particular smell.

Sure enough, she spotted Spike and Ember cuddled up next to each other on a large, purple yoga mat. Evidence of what they had done earlier was apparent all over their bodies and the floor too. Sunset couldn’t help but let out an impressed whistle. The two of them must have cum several times to create a sticky mess of that magnitude. She found herself feeling just a wee bit jealous that she’d missed out on all of the early morning fun.

Sunset stood in the entranceway with a smug grin. “Well, lookie here! Seems like you two have been very busy this morning with your workout routine. Taking a little breather?”

Despite the fact that they were all mates and had seen each other in such a state before, both Ember and Spike blushed heavily while Sunset laughed at their expense. Without missing a beat, the jungle dweller padded over to her still-blushing mate and offered her a hand. Ember took it gratefully and gave Sunset a quick, but firm hug.

Spike stood up on his own and glanced down at his penis for a moment. It had finally become flaccid once more but was slightly red and shiny. A very obvious indication that he’d recently had sex. Other than the smell in room, that is. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked back at Sunset with a sheepish expression. Handling a relationship with one woman was difficult enough, but juggling three at the same time? He was still learning the ropes on that.

Sunset put her hands on her hips and cocked her eyebrow. “C’mon, Spike! There’s no need for you to look like a kid who’s gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. It’s ok to have a little private time with Ember every once and a while. I can tell she really enjoyed it. She’s practically glistening! Erm—well, that’s probably just the cum and sweat… but you know what I mean!”

Ember blushed furiously. “SUNSET!”

“Sorry, I keep forgetting that you’re sensitive about that kind of stuff. My bad. I meant what I said though. You guys don’t have to feel guilty about spending some private time together on my account. We’re all mates and we all love each other, right?”

Spike nodded in agreement. “Yeah. You grew up in Equestria just like I did, Sunset. Having multiple partners isn’t exactly the social norm. I’m trying my best to keep all of you happy… but it’s not like I have a guide book to tell me what to do. I’m working this out as I go.”

Ember walked behind Spike, wrapped her arms around his waist, and kissed his back. “And no one’s saying that you’re doing a bad job. I should be the one to apologize. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamt of sharing my life with a man who would love me unconditionally. You know, other than my father, of course. I’ve obviously found him, but… I’m having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he can’t be mine alone. I guess that makes me selfish…”

Sunset shuffled her feet. “I totally get how you feel, Ember. Relationships are pretty damn complicated even under the best of circumstances. Sometimes, we can’t help but feel a little bit possessive of those we love. So—uh—don’t feel too bad about it, ok? Not to change the subject or anything, but… I was gonna head down to the shower room and clean up before breakfast. You two are welcome to join me if you want.”

“I think we’ll take you up on that offer, Sunset. The Silver Shadow might technically be my ship now, but I’m not about to walk around smelling like sweaty sex all day. What kind of Dragon Lord would my loyal crew think I was, then? It simply isn’t proper!”

Sunset chucked. “A buck naked badass who frequently gets laid~ I dunno, Spike. Sounds like you’ve got a pretty awesome reputation to me.”

“Har! Real funny, Miss Snarkset Shimmer. Alright, let’s go ahead and get cleaned up. We can take our time, since it’ll probably be a while until Delmira decides to drag her lazy carcass out of bed and join us for breakfast. C’mon.”

Luckily for Spike and his companions, the Silver Shadow was equipped with a state-of-the-art galley. It was staffed by a tough as nails, gourmet chef by the name of Garvyn Silberfeder, who hailed from the Kingdom of Griffonia. He was tall, burly, and kept his snow-white hair cropped short in a military crewcut. The chef’s beard was kept equally short and he wore a traditional Griffonian major’s feldgrau uniform underneath his cooking apron. His piercing violet eyes were hard, but there was an undercurrent of polite decorum just beneath the surface.

The retired Major’s boots clicked on the tiled floor as he presented the hungry Wyvertii with a plate of fluffy, buttermilk pancakes. If he was at all off put by Sunset’s complete lack of table manners, he didn’t show it. The amazon didn’t hesitate for a moment to slather her stack of pancakes with butter and blueberry syrup before stuffing a massive forkful into her mouth.

Ever the carnivore, Ember opted to have steak, eggs, and hash browns for her breakfast instead of pancakes. All of it liberally doused with a smattering of hot sauce. Ember didn’t waste any time devouring the morsels on her plate either.

While the girls were enjoying their respective meals, Spike took a moment to swig his coffee and savor a single bite from his own stack of pancakes. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Delmira as she groggily shuffled into the room like a zombie. The goddess yawned loudly and scratched her crotch while she poured herself a cup of coffee. Despite the brown liquid inside being scalding hot, she chugged all of the coffee down as if it was water, and proceeded to do so again with a second cup. Spike simply shook his head and took another bite of pancake.

It wasn’t an instant transformation by any means, but she seemed somewhat more alert when she plopped down on the chair next to her mate. After nibbling on a few strips of greasy bacon, she leaned over and gave Spike a good morning kiss. Underneath the table, Delmira placed her hand on Spike’s thigh and stroked it affectionately while she continued to enjoy a cranberry scone.

The Dragon Lord chuckled to himself. He could feel Sunset’s foot gently rubbing up against his other leg too. For all the craziness in his life, it was moments like this that he treasured the most. Just the simple pleasure of enjoying a hearty breakfast with the girls he loved. The peace and calm of their meal was shattered when they heard a loud, metallic groaning noise come from deep within the bowels of the ship.

Immediately thereafter, Spike noticed the dishes begin to slide across the table as the ship rocked back and forth in what, he could only assume, was rough seas. A worried look spread across his mates’ faces. None of them were as experienced with trans-oceanic voyages as he was and they all were terrified of this new development. Spike honestly couldn’t blame them. The ocean was an ancient force of nature that was to be respected and never underestimated.

Thinking quickly, Spike stumbled over to one of the brass speaking tubes mounted on the wall. The klaxons hadn’t been turned on yet to signify an emergency, but he wanted to check with Captain Hook to make sure they weren’t in any danger of capsizing.

“Bridge. This is Spike. Is everything alright up there?”

First Officer Light Beacon answered in a tinny voice. “Apologies, your highness. We’ve just run into a rouge storm. Unusual for this time of year, but not entirely unheard of. For now, I’d suggest remaining in place until we weather this out. It’s not safe to walk around the ship.”

“Copy that. Thanks for the status report.”

Pale-faced, Sunset stood behind Spike wringing her hands together. “What’s going on?! Are we in danger? Oh, Gods! I knew it was a bad idea taking a ship! We’re all gonna die!”

“It seems that we’ve run into some kind of freak storm. I wouldn’t worry too much though. Captain Hook is a competent and experienced sailor. He knows what he’s doing.”

Delmira padded over to Sunset’s side and comforted her with a hug. “I may be a goddess, but the ocean gives me the willies too. Ehehehe. It’s one of the reasons why I chose to stick to the continent all those centuries. Creator above. I hope we don’t end up drowning out here…”

“Delmira, I understand that you’re scared but that kind of talk only leads to panic. We have to keep our cool and let Captain Hook do his job. There’s a good chance that this storm will—”

Spike was interrupted by the blaring sound of the klaxon alarm. It signaled that there was an emergency state declared on board and reminded everyone to prepare themselves for new orders. An icy lump of fear formed in the pit of Spike’s stomach. Maybe this storm was a hell of a lot more dangerous than he originally assumed. The speaking tube crackled to life once more, expect Captain Hook was the one on the line.

“I beg a moment of your time, Prince Spike. As a precaution, I’ve declared an emergency state aboard the ship. Please proceed to the lifeboats with your companions, post haste. Hopefully, we won’t have to use them but… the waves around us are looking rather ominous at the moment.”

Spike bit his lip. “Understood, Captain. Girls, we need to get going. The Captain’s ordered us to prepare the lifeboats. You know, just in case… we need to use them.”

The Dragon Lord tried his best to keep his mates calm, but it was clear that they were all scared out of their wits. The situation only worsened when they donned their lifejackets and stepped onto the deck. Dark, coal-black clouds floated above them, pelting the ship with torrential rain while the occasional lightning bolt crackled nearby. Waves slammed into the side of the ship with a thundering crash, making the soaked Wyvertii lose their footing momentarily.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a massive wave began to form about three nautical miles away from the ship. It grew and grew until it reached the height of a Manehatten apartment building. Spike had heard stories from navy sailors about them. They were called “Rouge Waves”. Many marine scientists dismissed the phenomenon as an exaggeration due to their lack of documented evidence, but it was quite apparent to Spike that they were indeed very real.

There was no stopping such a monster. Spike wrapped his arms around Ember and Sunset and pulled them close to him. Delmira placed herself in the crook of his legs. If this truly was the end, they would at least drown together. Spike grit his teeth and held his breath as the massive wall of water approached the side of the ship like a lumbering behemoth. There was a brief sensation of tumbling around in the water, then there was only darkness.

Spike awoke to the sound of seabirds and crashing waves. His entire body ached something fierce and he felt like he’d been thrown into one of Maud’s rock tumblers and unceremoniously dumped out. He slowly cracked open his eyes, only to be momentarily blinded by his mother’s sun. After muttering a colorful curse, he attempted to open his eyes once more but this time, he made sure to shield them with the palm of his hand. As soon as everything began to come into focus, Spike immediately noticed that he was sitting on a beach somewhere.

The sand was pristine and nearly as white as freshly fallen snow. The water a deep turquoise color. Archetypical features for the southern tropics. When he turned around to survey his surroundings, he realized that there was a lush jungle just a few steps ahead of the shore. Without any maps or charts to consult, Spike couldn’t be sure how large the island was but it was certainly big enough to survive on.

The Dragon Lord smacked his lips and coughed. Swallowing copious amounts of seawater had a way of making one dehydrated and miserable. Before he could even start to think of how he was going to find something to quench his thirst, a coconut appeared in his hand. He accepted the fruit without hesitation and greedily gulped down the delicious water stored inside. He felt something warm and pleasantly soft press up against his back. There was no mistaking a naked woman’s embrace. He was a bit surprised, but make no effort to resist.

“Thank the creator you’re ok! We though you might never wake up!” Delmira sobbed as he buried her in between Spike’s shoulder blades.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Delmira. What about the girls? Are they ok too?”

“Yeah,” Delmira sniffed, “Ember’s off fishing and Sunset went into the jungle to forage for things we can eat and build a shelter with.”

“What happened?”

Delmira nuzzled her cheek against Spike’s hair. “It was awful! That gigantic wave washed us overboard and, by some miracle, we wound up on this island. So far, it seems deserted. But at least there’s plenty of fish and coconuts to eat. I… don’t know if the ship sank or not.”

“Well, that’s some good news at any rate. How long was I out?”

Delmira blushed. “Umm—I’m not entirely sure. Probably for a few hours at least, given the position of the sun. Sorry, if I overreacted a little bit earlier. But I was REALLY worried about you! We all were. I don’t what I would have done if you’d—”

Spike leaned over and kissed his mate on the cheek. “Hey, let’s not go there. The important thing is: we’re all alive and perfectly capable of surviving out here. I’m sure my mom will send out a search party once she realizes that we didn’t make it to Zebrica on time.”

Satisfied with her mate’s answer, Delmira cuddled up closer to him and sighed. While they sat and watched the waves crash upon the shore, Ember returned with two large sharks slung over her back. After dropping the grey-skinned fish on a bed of palm fronds, she rushed over to Spike and hugged him fiercely. Ember smelled faintly of the ocean but Spike found that he didn’t mind. While she rested her head on his lap, he ran his fingers through her hair affectionately.

“I’m glad that you’re ok, Spike.”

Spike chuckled. “So, everyone’s been telling me. Are those… tiger sharks?”

“Mhmm. Had to get something bigger since we’re feeding four people. Besides, we haven’t gotten the chance to weave fishing nets yet. Why? Does shark not suit your pallet, milord?”

Spike waved his hands. “No, it’s fine. I was just wondering how exactly you managed to catch them. They are one of the ocean’s fiercest predators, after all.”

“Oh, that’s easy. I cooked up a fireball in my hand and waited until it was nice and condensed. Then, I detonated it underwater. The shockwave kills ‘em. No mess. No blood. No worries.”

Spike felt his balls try to creep up into his stomach. “Isn’t that… really dangerous?”

“Duh! Hey, don’t give me that look! I knew what I was doing. A Wyvertii’s fire magic can never hurt them. Even its aftereffects. I’m pretty sure we went over this already, Spike.”

“Well, sure we did. But I don’t remember you or Onyx mentioning something that specific. Is there anything else I should know about my fire magic that’s mind-blowing or useful?”

Sunset dumped a pile of dried wood by the shark carcasses. “Here’s a helpful tip: so long as you’ve got a chipping stone, enough sand, and the technical knowhow, you can create obsidian blades pretty easily. That’s how I got this sweet dagger.”

Sure enough, when Spike looked over towards Sunset, she had a wicked looking obsidian dagger strapped to her ankle, secured by two strands of homemade rope spun from plant fiber. The craftsmanship was superb. It reminded him of the weapons the natives used in the Daring Do series. He wondered just where Sunset would have gotten the idea to do such a thing and remembered that she was equal parts: badass survival expert and nerdy bookworm. Not for the first time did he wonder how he’d managed to win the heart of such an amazing woman.

Given their innate magical abilities, it didn’t take too much effort to get a bonfire started. They’d dug out a hole in the sand and filled it with rocks to serve as a crude firepit. In no time at all, the sharks that Ember had caught earlier were efficiently butchered and roasted thereafter. Everyone enjoyed some more coconut water as they sat around the fire, chatted, and chewed on their dinner of shark steaks and assorted tubers that Sunset had found in the jungle.

Just as the Dragon Lord and his mates were about to relax and watch the tropical sunset together, he noticed something emerge from the surf a few meters away from their makeshift basecamp. Or more precisely, three individual beings. They were clearly humanoid, but unlike any race of people Spike had seen before. It became immediately apparent that their race had no qualms when it came to nudity. Logical, given the fact that they must have lived deep in the ocean. Their lack of attire also made it very obvious that the trio were females.

The tallest one, who led the other two, Spike assumed must have been their leader. Her skin (or scales rather) was a rich, golden-yellow hue that practically glittered in the setting sun. The leader’s poofy orange “hair” resembled the tentacles of a sea anemone but more uniform in structure and shape. The second woman had turquoise scales and her “hair” was tied up in a cute ponytail. While the last woman’s scales were lavender. Her “hair” was styled in twin tails that hung behind her. Otherwise, all of their bodies were sleek and completely smooth.

Both their hands and feet were webbed with pointed claws at the end. Segmented, fan-shaped fins protruded from the sides of their arms, legs, and ears. They were no doubt meant to make the women more hydrodynamic while they swam underwater. Or at least, that’s the conclusion Spike came to. It made sense, biologically. All of them had slitted eyes, but they more shark-like than reptilian. Their teeth were sharp and serrated like a shark’s as well.

It struck Spike as odd that the ocean dwellers had breasts, but he wasn’t entirely certain if their race could even be considered true “fish” in the first place. However, none of the women had particularly large busts. Only slightly larger than Rainbow Dash’s. Probably to cut down on drag while they were swimming, most likely. Still, it was interesting to see that the women’s nipples were only a few shades darker than their scales.

The golden-scaled woman approached the camp, head held high. “Who is in charge here?”

Spike slowly raised his hand. “That would be me. My name is Spike. Prince of Equestria, and Dragon Lord to the Wyvertii. Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Charmed. I am Princess Adagio Dazzle of the Hydronepitan Empire. First in line to the Emerald Throne, and daughter of Emperor Tidal Wave. Now that we’ve gotten all of the pleasantries out of the way, I have come here to inform you that surface dwellers are forbidden to step foot here. The punishment for trespassing is death.”

“Your highness, with all due respect, none of us really had a choice in the matter. We were swept off of our ship by a rogue wave during a fearsome storm. My mates and I are simply trying to survive. I’m sure that Princess Celestia will send a search party to rescue us in no—”

Adagio held up her hand. “Be that as it may, our laws are clear. I have no intention of allowing your people to encroach upon our great empire. We have thrived for countless millennia without the surface dwellers interfering in our affairs and we shall continue to do so at ANY cost.”

Delmira let out a heavy sigh. She’d met Emperor Tidal Wave centuries ago when he’d decided to travel to the Forbidden Continent to collect some rare fire diamonds that only formed near the volcanic vents. The dragoness was well aware of how xenophobic the Hydronepitae could be when it came to outsiders, but she hoped that she could convince the emperor to spare the lives of her mates as a gesture of goodwill for allowing him to take some gems all those years ago.

“Princess Adagio, might I interject for just a moment?”

Adagio narrowed her gaze at Delmira. “Proceed as you will.”

“My name is Delmira. I am the Goddess of all Wyvertii. I’m… currently in my mortal form, of course! Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”

“I may have. What of it, Great White Dragoness?”

Delmira chuckled awkwardly. “Oh, well… you see, I met your father a few centuries ago. I was wondering, if perhaps, you would allow me to speak with him in person? This relates directly to my children. Specifically, the ones you see before you. They are my mates. I can’t imagine you’d want to anger a goddess by killing them, would you?”

The turquoise scaled woman bounced up and down. “Dagi, you should probably listen to her! I know I wouldn’t want to piss off a goddess. And besides, the male’s pretty handsome. It would be such an awful waste to kill a hunk like him. Erm—not that the other ones aren’t cute too~”

“Sonata, what have I told you about interjecting in important ROYAL affairs?!!”

Sonata shuffled her feet in the sand. “That I should keep my mouth shut when you’re talking about important royally stuff. But before you yell at me again, I want you to know that I think it’s a reeeeeally bad idea to kill these poor dragon people. It looks like they’re just trying to survive after being marooned here, ya know?”

The lavender scaled woman nodded in agreement. “As much as I hate to admit it, your Highness, I’m inclined to agree with Sonata. They have no obvious means of communicating with their comrades or mode of transportation. At least, as far as I can tell. If this woman speaks the truth, then we may very well be making a grave mistake. Would it not be prudent to show mercy?”

“Point taken, Captain Blaze. Very well then, Miss Delmira. I shall spare the lives of your… mates and take you to see my father. But… if I find out that you’ve been lying to me about what you are, I will personally see to it that you are all swiftly executed. Do I make myself clear?”

Delmira breathed a sigh of relief. “Of course, your Highness. And thank you for showing us mercy today. I won’t forget it!”

“Duly noted. Let us move on to more pressing matters. I can’t very well take all of you to see my father as you are. Surface dwellers are incapable of surviving underwater. Some changes shall need to be made to your bodies. Aria! Sonata! Come assist me with the transformation spell.”

The three women gathered around Spike and his mates. They all closed their eyes and began singing. It wasn’t any song that Spike had ever heard before but their voices were haunting and beautiful. As they continued their melody, magic auras that matched their scales radiated from their bodies. When the trio opened their eyes, eerie green wisps of mystic energy danced along the edges. Before Spike knew it, there was a brilliant flash of light and everything felt… strange immediately thereafter. Like he wasn’t quite himself.

Spike looked over at the girls and noticed that their bodies had changed. Quite drastically, in fact. They now resembled Princess Adagio and her entourage. Their “hair” color had remained the same. However, their skin now became scales. Sunset’s was a vibrant yellow color, Ember’s was cyan, and Delmira’s was snow-white. Spike looked down at his arm and noted that he was purple. Everything else about the girls’ anatomy pretty much remained the same otherwise.

The young Dragon Lord walked a few paces and realized that something was off. A familiar weight that was always present in-between his legs suddenly was missing. Hesitantly, he looked down at his crotch only to recoil in horror when there was absolutely nothing there. One very manly scream of terror later, Spike began pacing back and forth in the sand during a full-blown Sparkle Brand® panic attack.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!! EVERYHTING’S GONE!!”

Adagio laughed despite the situation. “Relax, Lord Spike. Your testicles are now on the inside and your penis is retractable. It rests within a sheath-like cavity just below your stomach. A physical adaptation of our race designed to protect your family jewels from harm and make it easier for you to swim underwater. Honestly, I’ve never understood why surface dwellers have their squishy male parts dangling about out in the open. It leaves them quite vulnerable.”

“But how do I even know that my dick is in there? I can’t exactly feel it.”

Adagio shot Spike a predatory grin. “Oh, that’s a simple matter~”

Before Spike even had the chance to ask what the princess meant, she bent over and presented her backside to the Dragon Lord in the sultriest manner possible. She slowly spread her lips apart, revealing the golden-hued flesh inside. The princess took the opportunity to play with herself, rubbing her clawed finger along the glistening surface of her folds. She made it a point to make sure that Spike saw the thin trail of her arousal drip onto the sand below. As he watched, entranced, Spike felt the familiar sensation of his loins stirring to life.

He looked down, and sure enough, his mauve colored penis stood proudly at attention. It was substantially more curved than before and the head was pointier at the end. Tiny bumps and ridges coated its entire surface. Not unlike some of the more exotic dildos he’d seen on the market. His manhood, however, had not lost any of its girth during the transformation. The Hydronepitae stared at him with blushes on their cheeks and a hungry look in their eyes.

Adagio gasped softly. “By the oceans! That thing’s thicker than a sea cucumber!”

Delmira didn’t waste any time inspecting her mate’s new appendage. She knelt down in the sand in front of him and gently poked his penis a few times to test how stiff it was. With a satisfied smirk, she then went about rubbing her fingers along its bumpy surface. She only stopped when Spike whimpered softly and a tiny bead of precum oozed from the tip.

“I can’t wait to test out such marvel of aquatic engineering~”

Adagio gave Spike’s butt a playful squeeze. “I have to admit; Sonata was right about you being handsome. Who knows? Perhaps, if you play your cards right, I might be persuaded to invite you into my bedchamber for some afternoon fun. What say you, Aria? Isn’t he marvelous?”

Aria fidgeted in place while she found a seashell particularly interesting. “It’s not my place to question your taste in male suitors, your Grace.”

“Oh, don’t be such a spoilsport! You have my permission to speak freely, Captain.”

Aria adopted a sour expression while she blushed. “He has… merit as a male specimen.”

“That means she thinks you’re cute, Lord Spike.” Adagio whispered in his ear.

“Not to abruptly change the subject but… you seemed so serious earlier. Why are you acting so differently all of the sudden? Is it because we’re both the same race now?”

Adagio sighed while she rubbed Spike’s shoulders. “I’m not normally such a serious woman. My birthright demands that I act decisively and in the best interest of my people from time to time. I’m sure you understand. The burden of being a ruler and all that.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Princess Adagio, I have a somewhat awkward question that I feel needs to be asked. Uhh—for the sake of understanding your cultural norms.”

“Please, do go on. The only stupid questions are the ones never asked.”

Spike wiggled his new toe claws in the sand. “Are your people open-minded when it comes to sex? I kind of figured that was the case since you—ah—didn’t seem to mind being watched while you were playing with yourself in front of me…”

“Well, to be fair… I do consider myself a staunch exhibitionist. As you can see: I’m perfectly comfortable in my own skin and I’m certainly not afraid to flaunt what I’ve got! But to answer your question: yes, we are. Much like your own people too, if the rumors I’ve heard have a shred of truth to them. The Wyvertii, I mean. Not those stodgy Equestrians. It’s quite clear to me that you’re more the former than the latter. Were you, per chance, adopted?”

Spike shifted uncomfortably. Partially because of his erection, but mostly because he was unnerved by Adagio’s perceptiveness. “Yes, actually. My parents died in a shipwreck when I was still a baby. Afterwards, I was raised by Princess Celestia in Canterlot. I also lived in Ponvyille with my sister, Twilight Sparkle, for a few years.

“The whole: ‘becoming the next Dragon Lord’ thing is a relatively recent development. It wasn’t… always like that. I just happened to get back in touch with my Wyvertii roots while I was staying in Brimstone for the Gauntlet of Fire. And, in the end, it felt like the most natural thing in the world continuing to live as they do. I don’t regret it either. Otherwise, I never would’ve met my wonderful mates.”

Adagio bowed slightly. “My apologies, Lord Spike. It seems that I may have been a bit hasty in my judgement of you earlier. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive my transgression. My people have always been deeply distrustful of surface dwellers. In the past, they’ve often been quick to exploit our precious resources and scorn our physical appearance.”

“I’m sorry about that. If it’s any consolation, I think you’re very beautiful, Princess Adagio.”

“How refreshing,” Adagio purred as she traced her clawed fingers along Spike’s chest, “A man who is honest both with his actions and his words. You’ll make a fine ruler of your people someday, Lord Spike. I can feel it in the very marrow of my bones. Come along, everyone! We’d best not keep my father waiting!”