Rule of Three

Chapters

Chapter 1: The Sire and the Dam
Chapter 2: One Age Spell...
Chapter 3: The Foal Shower
Chapter 4: Tomorrow May Bring
Chapter 5: Hello, Little One

Chapter 1: The Sire and the Dam

Rule of Three

Chapter 1: The Sire and the Dam

The coronation had been beautiful.

It would be an event that ponies would talk about for years to come. Twilight Sparkle, former protegee of Princess Celestia, three-time savior of Equestria and Bearer of the Element of Magic, now an alicorn princess and co-ruler of the country. It had been a momentous occasion. It would go down in history as one of the most phenomenal events of the age. Ponies had come from all over the country to partake in the festivities, and droves of other creatures from neighboring countries had been in attendance. Everyone knew Twilight would be amazing in her new role. No one saw her ascension as anything but a miracle. She’d worked all her life for this, and nopony was more deserving of the honor she’d been bestowed.

And of course, her parents couldn’t have been prouder.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light walked side by side through the quiet streets of Canterlot’s residential district, making their way for home. It was evening now, and while the celebrations were still going on, they’d both had enough of the loud music and joviality. They’d never been much for partying, even in their younger years, and the constant influx of complete strangers wanting to meet the parents of the newly-anointed Princess had left them both a bit frazzled.

“Did you catch what that llama’s name was?” Night asked Velvet as they turned onto their street. “I could barely understand him through the accent.”

Velvet yawned. “Duke Shamren. He invited us to his estate this fall for the Harvest Festival. I told him we’d think about it.”

“Hmph.” Night reached into his saddlebags and pulled out his keys. “It’s funny. If we actually took up on the offers everypony gave us tonight, we could plan a year-long trip around the world.”

“At least it wasn’t as bad as it was at Shining’s wedding.” Velvet rubbed her eyes. “Do you remember the Baron of Antelora? He pestered us so much that I was about ready to blast him in the wall.”

Night chuckled and opened the front door of their two-story townhouse. “Between him and the Shah of Dromardia, we almost started an international incident.”

“Would’ve been worth it, too,” Velvet grumbled as she went inside. “Ugh, royalty... the more of them I meet, the more I’m convinced ours are the exception rather than the standard.”

The familiar sights and smells of home greeted their tired senses.The entryway became bathed in the warm glow of a lamp as they hung up their bags and went further in. Night loosened his tie and made for the kitchen, turning on lights as he went. Velvet took off her jewelry and headed for the bathroom. Night made some tea while Velvet cleaned up, which was ready by the time she got out. They took their respective mugs and went to the living room, where they relaxed into their favorite chairs.

“So,” Night said.

Velvet blew on her mug. “So.”

“Our daughter’s a princess, and our son is a prince.” Night laughed, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “Both of them have saved Equestria multiple times, and they’re both proper, upstanding citizens in every right. I think it’s official, honey. We’re good parents.”

Velvet giggled. “Acceptable ones, at the very least.”

Night’s gaze wandered to the various family pictures all about the room. “Do you ever wonder how it happened?”

Velvet stared over at the hearth, her eyes unfocused. “I don’t think I’ve stopped wondering.”

“Nothing really stands out, though, does it?” Night said, leaning back in his chair. “We’re nopony special, and I don’t think we did anything unique in raising them. We loved them, encouraged them, taught them the same things everypony else teaches their kids. Not exactly what you’d call revolutionary.”

Velvet folded her arms. “They weren’t unusual when they were growing up, either. Maybe a bit on the reclusive side, but we’re not exactly social butterflies.”

Night shrugged. “Genetics, maybe? Reproduction’s a ruddy crap shoot. We could've just got lucky.”

Velvet frowned. “Their cutie marks are in magic, Nighty. Both of them! If that happened because of chance, I’ll eat my diploma.”

“But what, then?” Night rested his chin on his hoof. “If it wasn’t nature or nurture, how did both our kids turn out to be national heroes?”

Velvet was silent. She picked at a stray cushion thread in her chair, her eyes flitting from picture to picture, as if one of them held the answer. All of them held memories, but not a single one spoke to her. Shining had always been hard-working and polite. Twilight had loved learning and never lost the spark. They’d done all the things normal kids had done, and there’d never been any kind of sign that foretold the great things they’d do. Not even their magic levels had been anything strange until they’d gone off to school! Their foalhoods had been completely uneventful.

“We may never know for sure,” Velvet finally said. She looked up at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting to the two empty rooms upstairs collecting dust. “It’d be nice if there was something concrete we could point to, and it certainly would keep all the ponies who pester us about it off our backs, but I have no idea. It almost makes me wonder if it was anything we did at all.”

Night stirred his tea and floated over the day’s newspaper. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s not like—”

Knock, knock, knock.

Night and Velvet jumped. They exchanged a brief surprised glance, but neither of them moved.

“Were you…” Night said.

Velvet shook her head. “You?”

Night shook his head as well. They hesitated a moment more, then both got up together and went to the front door. Night looked in through the peephole, then clicked his teeth and took a step back.

“What?” Velvet asked curiously. “Who is it?”

“The in-laws,” Night said. He opened the door and bowed.

Velvet’s eyes went wide. Standing there without any form of disguise were Princesses Celestia and Luna, looking down at them with calm, serene smiles.

“May we come in?” Celestia asked.

Velvet needed a second to process that the immortal alicorn rulers of Equestria were on their doorstep, but she quickly recovered. She hummed and raised a hoof to her chin.

“I dunno. You two seem awfully suspicious. I might need to hide the good silver.”

Luna chuckled. “Well met, Twilight Velvet.”

“Hello, your Majesties.” Velvet bowed and stepped aside. “A pleasure, as always.”

Celestia and Luna came inside. Velvet led them to the living room, where she and Night returned to her chairs. The two royal sisters sat down on the couch.

“No torcs this time, I see,” Night said, his eyes twinkling. “Guess that means I reinforced the coat hooks for nothing.”

Celestia’s face went fiery red. “I am so, so sorry about that. Did you get the money I sent?”

Night snickered. "Five thousand bits was a bit much for a minor wall repair. We wound up putting most of it in savings.”

“Five thousand?” Luna did a double-take at her sister. “Tia!”

“Oh, calm down,” Celestia said placidly. “It was out of my personal funds. I do actually get paid, you know.”

Luna continued to stare dubiously at Celestia. “Five. Thousand. Bits. For breaking a coat hook.”

“I felt bad!” Celestia said defensively. “You expect me to tell Twilight that the first thing I did in her parent’s home was—”

“Forgive me, ladies,” Velvet said dryly, “but I imagine your absence is causing a few ulcers amidst the Royal Guard. We should probably make this quick before the city goes on high alert.”

Celestia and Luna laughed nervously, their hooves behind their heads. Velvet found the image bizarrely comical, as the expression was one she’d often seen on Twilight or Shining when they tried to raid the cookie jar. It was certainly an honor to see and get to know the mares behind the regal masks, but what was so surprising to Velvet was how completely normal Celestia and Luna both were.

“Ahem. You needn’t worry about a panic.” Luna straightened and squared her shoulders. “I made all the necessary arrangements before we stepped out. We’re not needed until dawn.”

Night raised an eyebrow. “Twily didn’t mind you leaving early?”

Celestia shifted uncomfortably. “She… doesn’t know we’re here. She was in the middle of celebrating with her friends, and we thought it best not to interrupt.”

Velvet exhaled out her nose. There were a lot of ways she could respond to that, but she knew Celestia well enough to understand her intentions. Luna was harder to read, but she had a kind heart.

“Let’s not beat around the bush, then,” Velvet said. “What can we do for you?”

For a minute, the stoic, regal mask slipped back over Celestia’s face. It was a passing thing, though, and she shut her eyes and shook her head. She tried again, and when she met Velvet’s eyes this time, she had a deep, wise look that revealed the experience of her long, long life.

“Every amazing thing Twilight has ever done is being celebrated today,” Celestia said. “This is her time to shine, her moment to be on top of the world, and she’s earned every second of it. The same was true for Shining on his wedding, and even though that event was marred by the invasion, that he and Cadance removed Chrysalis and the changelings all by themselves is just another testament to their abilities.”

Velvet said nothing. She’d tried very hard to forget some of the things that’d happened that day, and she didn’t want to delve too far into it.

“Your children are the greatest heroes Equestria has ever known,” Celestia continued. “They’ve accomplished feats I thought impossible, defeated foes I thought unstoppable. A golden age is dawning thanks to their efforts, and now future generations will enjoy years of peace and prosperity for centuries to come.”

A flush spread across Velvet’s cheeks. She felt an intense desire to look away, but something kept her glued to Celestia’s piercing eyes.

“Shining and Twilight are beautiful in every way.” There was no note of jest in Celestia’s voice. “They’re smart, powerful, kind, wise, adept, just, and humble. From the first moment I saw them, I knew they had all the traits necessary to be great leaders. They’ve since used their talents to make our world a better place, and most incredible of all, they’re both still so young! I can’t even begin to imagine what else they’ll accomplish in their lifetimes. Can you?”

Maternal pride glowed in Velvet’s chest. What would they do? She didn’t have a clue. It would be amazing, though, that much was certain. Velvet would’ve loved Shining and Twilight regardless, but them to be so successful, to do so much for the world… what more could she have asked for?

“I don’t know what it is about the two of you.” Celestia motioned to both her and Night. “Maybe it was something you did, maybe it was something beyond your control. Maybe it was chance, maybe it was destiny, or maybe it was something else altogether. I imagine you’ve asked yourself many times how Shining and Twilight became who they are, but I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you. All I can tell you is that you both definitely played a part in it, and you’ve my most sincere thanks.”

Annnnnd that was when the warning bells went off in Velvet’s head.

“I hope you aren’t this transparent in real negotiations, Celestia,” Velvet said. She crossed her legs with a small frown. “We left early because we were tired of listening to those exact same cheesy lines from the rest of the nobility. I’ll grant that they mean more coming from you, but honestly, you’re better than this crap. Stop wasting our time and just say what it is you want.”

Luna snorted and covered her mouth with a hoof.

Celestia opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She worked her jaw several times, but couldn’t seem to come up with a reply. Finally, she looked away and twiddled her hooves.

“Sorry, it’s just… old habits die hard. I keep forgetting you two aren’t, well...”

Night cocked his head. “Aren’t what?”

Luna burst out laughing. “Aren’t the dimwitted louts that we have to deal with on a daily basis! You’ve no idea how refreshing it is to talk with somepony who isn’t sucking up to you, or worse, flat-out terrified!“

Celestia jerked her head at Luna. “What she said.”

Velvet’s eyes softened. She did have an idea, actually, although it certainly wasn’t to the level that these two had to deal with. She and Night had had to come to terms with their own abrupt celebrity status, and it’d taken some getting used to. It was annoying at times, yes, and it was one of the reasons why she and Night tried to treat Celestia and Luna like family, but in return, they expected to be treated the same.

“The point still stands,” Velvet said.

Celestia brushed her mane out of her face. “I suppose it does… I suppose it does. You’re right, you deserve better than that, but one of the reasons I was going about it that way is because this is going to sound ridiculous if I just come out and say it.”

“Our daughter is an alicorn princess and co-wielder of an all-powerful ancient relic,” Night said calmly. “Our son is the prince consort of a formerly cursed, mythical nation. I think we’re well-acquainted with the ridiculous.”

Luna grinned hugely. “Have I mentioned how much I enjoy our conversations?”

Velvet’s lips twitched. “Once or twice.”

“Fine, fine.” Celestia looked up and stared at them both. “Cards on the table, no doublespeak, flattery, lies of omission, mind games, ulterior motives, over-elaborate schemes, manipulation, blackmail, hidden meanings, or irons in the fire. Here it is, plain and simple, flat-out, straight-up, nothing more, nothing less.”

Night and Velvet nodded.

Celestia took a deep breath. “Could you please have another child?”

Silence. Absolute, pure, undisturbed silence. No one spoke or reacted at all. The only things that continued to move were the Princesses’ ethereal manes and tails. Night and Velvet were like stone. They didn’t even blink. The moment stretched on and on until Velvet finally coughed and rubbed her ears.

“I-I’m... not sure I heard that right. Could you repeat that for me?”

“We’d like another savior of Equestria, please,” Luna said slowly and clearly. “Preferably more than one if you’re up for it, although we understand—”

“Night and I are well past our foal-rearing years.” Velvet leaned forward and showed them the gray hairs in her mane. “I’d have thought our wrinkles were evidence enough of that.”

“We’re well-aware you’re both getting on years,” Celestia said. “We’re also aware of your medical histories, genealogy, magical ability, and ambient sensitivity, all of that. Biologically, there’s nothing holding you back from conceiving, but I know it would be hard. I’m willing to offer a way to make it easier on both of you."

“There’s no easy way to raise a child, Celestia,” Night cut in. “No matter what you’re offering, the bulk of the work would still be on us.”

“And we’re too old to keep up with it anymore.” Velvet examined her right foreleg, where a liver spot was barely visible through her coat. “Now if we were in our twenties? Sure. Thirties? Why not. We might’ve even done it in our forties, but now? We’ll be senior citizens before the child is in boarding school. I’m sorry, your Majesties, but even if we have the ‘winning formula,’ the time to use it has passed.”

“Well, that’s solved easily enough,” Luna said with a wink. “All we need to do then is give you both a little boost.”

...

Velvet blinked several times. “A little what, now?”

“Oh, come now,” Luna said with mock reproach. “Need I remind you what Tia and I are? What we do every day? You honestly think a parlor trick like the Age spell is beyond our capabilities?”

Velvet felt a chill. “The… Age spell?”

“Argh!” Celestia facehooved. “I told you not to say anything until we had a chance to—”

“You can’t be serious!” Night all but shouted. “The Age spell? The incredibly difficult, dangerous and illegal Age spell? Are you both daft?!”

Luna ignored Celestia’s rebuke and addressed Night in a cool voice. “I assure you, Night Light, the only daft thing in this room is your fear. As I just said, the difficulty and complexity is nothing for us. There are some risks, yes, but in the hooves of capable spellcasters such as ourselves, you’d be in greater danger riding a train down to Ponyville. And as for the legality of the matter, well…”

Suddenly, all eyes were on Celestia.

“Care to explain?” Velvet asked her.

Celestia made a noise between a growl and a groan. “Alright, just… hear me out. I promise it isn’t near as bad as you think.”

Velvet very much doubted that, but decided not to comment. She pursed her lips and motioned for her to continue.

Celestia nodded thanks and cleared her throat. “About six hundred years ago, a group of dying and desperate unicorns decided to perform the Age spell on themselves without any precautions whatsoever.The result was a very messy explosion, and dozens were killed. The media got wind of it before I could do damage control, and they told everyone that the spell was at fault because controversy sells more papers. Never mind all the successful cases that’d been recorded up to that point, never mind that the victims were morons to begin with, never mind that I made a statement explaining that the spell is completely safe when performed by a capable spellcaster. Nopony cared. The public went nuts over it, they demanded that the spell be outlawed, so I caved and gave them what they wanted.”

“Howeverrrrrr…” Luna sang in a lilting voice.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Howeverrrrrr, I didn’t want to give up my right to use it on others, so I made a loophole in the law stating that the Princess can cast the spell on any willing pony they choose.”

It took a few moments to properly digest that.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Velvet held up a hoof. “So if I’m hearing you right, you’re basically saying that the infamous, sacrilegious, universally reviled Age spell is not only perfectly safe and effective, but is only illegal because some idiots attempted it without any precautions?”

“Yes!” Luna clapped her hooves. “And the public bought into the sensationalist hype. Isn’t that the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard?”

Velvet’s eyelid twitched. “It’s a close second.”

“Oh, it gets better,” Celestia said bitterly. “My loophole’s been made useless because of the stigma surrounding the whole thing. I’ve made many offers over the years, but I’ve gotten turned down every time. I’ve seen a lot of good ponies die that could’ve lived long, long lives, and I’ve spent countless nights wishing I could’ve convinced them how silly they were being.”

Luna then leaned forward with a very serious look. “I do hope you’re not both going to be silly, too.”

Velvet wasn’t sure what to think. On the one hoof, there were a lot of awful rumors surrounding the Age spell. Most of them were dismissible, but others held enough plausibility that anypony who had half a brain stayed far, far away. Velvet and Night were decently accomplished spellcasters, and they had a healthy respect for spells that’d been declared forbidden.

But on the other hoof, Celestia was saying that the rumors and hearsay were all false, it was all a misunderstanding, and she was even offering to perform the spell on them herself.

Her.

Celestia.

The immortal demigod responsible for the flippingSun.

There was really only one question on Velvet’s mind.

“WHAT KIND OF FUCKING MORONS HAVE YOU BEEN OFFERING THIS TO?!”

Celestia blinked several times. “Uh…”

Luna started laughing so hard she fell off the couch.

“Velvet’s right!” Night said with a dumbfounded look. “If what you’re saying is true, a pony would have to be INSANE to turn you down! How in heaven’s name have you been pitching this?!”

Celestia looked between the two of them in disbelief. The blush from before was now coming back, and after a moment’s shock, she suddenly looked very tired.

“The wrong way, apparently.”

“Told you!” Luna said from the floor.

“Not now, Lulu.”

“Well, I’ll believe you!” Velvet said, her eyes gleaming. “If you really can do this, then I’m going to take you up on it!”

“Same here!” Night said eagerly. “To Tartarus with old age! I wanna be around for as long as I can be!”

Celestia waggled her eyebrows. “Be careful what you wish for. The spell can be renewed many, many times before it loses its effect.”

“Even better!” Velvet clapped her hooves. “When can we do it?”

“Hold on a moment,” Celestia said. “Does this mean you’re agreeing to our proposition? You’ll have another foal?”

Velvet opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. She thought the response would be automatic. An extended lifespan in exchange for doing something that was hard-wired into every living thing already? What was difficult about that? Why wasn’t she shaking Celestia’s hoof and giggling like a schoolfilly?

But then it all hit her at once.

The discomfort of pregnancy, the agony of childbirth.

The sleepless nights attending to a wailing, helpless infant. The near-total loss of free time. Dirty diapers and other things of indescribable revulsion. The stress of maintaining constant supervision. Endless worrying. The fights with Night. The ceaseless giving with next to no return. Teaching, guiding, advising, counseling, all to be ignored once puberty hit. The accountability for all the child’s actions until adulthood, and her personal favorite, Empty Nest Syndrome.

“What do you think, Honey?” Night said.

And then there were insane expectations that would be on the child. They would face constant pressure to be just as amazing as Shining and Twilight. They’d spend a lifetime trying to escape a pair of shadows that stretched off into the horizon. It didn’t matter if Velvet and Night put every effort forth into providing a normal childhood, the rest of the world would be breathing down all their necks.

Who knows what effect that would have on a child?

Luna looked up. “What say you, Twilight Velvet?”

And speaking of Twilight and Shining, how would they react to suddenly having a sibling almost three decades younger than them? Acceptance? Rejection? Indifference? Resentment? None of the above? What would happen if this child wound up simply being normal? What kind of life would he or she live? And even if they were another prodigy-slash-hero, would Velvet and Night then be stronghooved into doing it all over again? Would their extended life come with the price tag of becoming nothing but glorified breeders?

Velvet gulped and looked around again at the pictures on the bookshelves and walls. An entire life’s worth of memories surrounded her: Parties, graduations, weddings, picnics, vacations, happy times, sad times, frustrating, stressful, joyful, adventures great and small.

Did she want to go through it all again, despite the massive physical, mental, and emotional effort required to be a parent?

Was she willing to turn back the clock, to be a mother once more and bring new life into the world?

Had it all been worth it in the end?

“...there will be stipulations,” Velvet finally said.

Celestia nodded. “Of course.”

“And there’s a very good chance the child won’t be what you’re hoping for.”

“We know,” Luna said as she got to her hooves. “We just want you to try. ”

Velvet sighed turned to Night. “This’ll be hard on you, too. Think you’re up to it?”

Night took her hoof in his. “If you are.”

Velvet smiled and patted his arm. “You’ll be with me every step of the way?”

In reply, Night leaned in and gave her a tender kiss. “Just try and stop me.”

Velvet smiled. She stared into his face for a moment, recalling how he had once looked. He hadn’t changed all that much. There were crow’s feet around his eyes, his cheeks were a little more gaunt, and his ears were a little droopy, but his eyes were still clear and strong. He was still very much the stallion she fell in love with, and if there was anypony in this world she’d want to do it all over with again...

Velvet nodded to herself. She then cleared her throat and sat up in her chair, turning to the two sisters awaiting her answer.

“Never a dull moment, is there?”

Celestia and Luna chuckled.

“Fate tends to cling to those it chooses,” Celestia said. “It can be a heavy burden, but it can also be be a great blessing.”

Luna gestured to the family photos all around them. “I’d say it’s mostly been the latter for you.”

Velvet couldn’t really argue with that. There’d been some bumps here and there, but for the most part, it’d been a good life.

“Well, in that case…” She put a hoof on her belly. “You two had better bring one heck of a gift to the baby shower.”

Celestia’s eyes sparkled with glee. “Oh, we most certainly will.”

Luna happily clapped her hooves. “I knew that you’d say yes! I look forward to seeing your new foal! And who knows with two? Perhaps he or she might even be born an alicorn!”

Velvet rolled her eyes. “Pfft, yeah. Like that could ever happen.”

Chapter 2: One Age Spell...

..and a Few Weeks Later-

WHAM! The front door slammed shut behind Night, rattling dangerously on its hinges.

“Damn it.” He set down the bags he’d been carrying, turning around to check and see if he’d broken anything. Fortunately, he hadn’t. At this rate, he was going to have to replace the whole blasted frame. “Keep forgetting to hold back…”

He’d just returned from a trip to the store. Normally, it took him about a half-hour to make the trip (on a good day), but he’d just made it in less than twenty! Heck, he wasn’t even winded by it! This was great!

“Stars, I love this.” Night picked the bags back up and went to the kitchen, setting them down on the table so he could put things away. He’d picked up a few things his doctor had recommended to help with conception, and seeing as Velvet was going to be in heat any day now, he wanted to be ready to do his part. Magic could help a little bit this kind of thing, but really, it ultimately came down to doing things the old-fashioned way.

Night snickered. Not that that was a bad thing.

Whistling, Night used his magic to float the groceries into the cupboards. He couldn’t believe how much easier this was! His mind was clear and sharp as a knife. His magic came at his beck and call. All those little aches and pains that plagued him were gone. That thrice-blasted chill in his limbs had vanished, and even the soreness in his left shoulder, a remnant from an old sports injury, had healed! The old giddiness of his youth was racing through him again, making him feel invincible, and all he wanted to do was take Velvet in hoof and challenge the whole world.

Night paused. Speaking of which, where was Velvet? She’d been in the study when he’d left, but now he didn’t hear the furious tika-tik-tik of her typewriter. She hadn’t been in the living room when he’d passed, the bathroom door was open, the basement door was closed, and they didn’t go upstairs much these days. He doubted that she was outside, either, so that only left—

Sniff… sniff-sniff...

Night stopped dead. He’d just caught a whiff of something—somethinggood. Curious, he closed the kitchen cupboards and looked around, but he didn’t see anything of note. All there’d been was a passing hint of the aroma.

He raised his head and inhaled deeply...

…and got blasted by it full force.

“Niiiiiiiiiiightyyyyy~” Velvet’s voice suddenly sounded from the hallway. “Oh, Niiiiiiiightyyyyyyy...”

It was a familiar, tantalizing scent, sweet, warm, and lingering. It permeated Night’s brain and punted logic right the fuck out, rerouting his blood and sending a clear message to his loins. Almost on autopilot, Night heeded Velvet’s call and followed his nose, walking down the hallway and heading towards the master bedroom. When he got there, he saw that the door was open a crack with a dim light beyond, and the heavenly scent was coming from within. He took another deep whiff and nudged the door open, and when he did, his eyes went wide and dilated from what he saw.

A youthful Velvet was lying leisurely on their king-sized bed, sipping at some wine while looking straight at him. Set in her mane was a violet—the flower he’d given on their first date—and she was swishing her tail back and forth, fanning the scent of her heat with a come-hither stare. She was wearing a pair of azure panties emblazoned with his cutie mark; and a small fan was going with a steady whirr, its gentle breeze directed at the door. Enchanted candles were lit all around the room, and the air was warm, like a midsummer evening.

“Hey,” Velvet said in a soft voice.

Night’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Velvet’s mane was full and shiny, the deep purple streaks the same color as the flower she wore. Her neck was thin and shapely, a compliment to her round, elegant muzzle, and there wasn’t a wrinkle anywhere on her to be found. Her silvery coat was healthy and thick, complete with a soft, fuzzy tuft on her chest, and her overall frame was as curvy as he remembered.

And her hips. Sweet Celestia almighty, if those things could be weaponized, she could conquer nations. Combined with the effects of the Age spell, her motherly form had given Velvet a look that just flat-out screamed fertile, and if that wasn’t enough, her lovely hourglass form ended in an amply-cushioned rump that could turn heads a mile away.

“H-Hey,” Night managed back. He’d seen her many times in the last few weeks, of course, but never like this. He continued to ogle her from the doorway, dumbfounded, a greedy look creeping into his face. “Uh… wow. Erm, H-Honey… I mean, just… wow. Ahem, you uh… heh-heh… stars almighty… looks like it happened, huh?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Velvet stretched languidly on the bed, revelling in her rejuvenated form. Even her voice sounded younger. She wiggled her rear enticingly, inviting for him to approach. “It always did sneak up on me...”

As Night came closer, he could see just how worked up she really was. Her face was flushed and rosy, her lips parted as she panted for breath. Her coat glinted with a light sheen of sweat, and she kept licking her lips when she stared at him, her gaze hungry and yearning.

Night stopped at the edge of the bed, simply absorbing the moment. Everything about Velvet, from the way she fidgeted under his gaze, to the way she kept touching her stomach. He wanted to remember it all. Velvet’s panties were drenched with arousal, the blue cloth soaked through and revealing her winking marehood. There was an intensity about her, like a coiled spring ready to explode; or a wild animal waiting to pounce. It was all utterly intoxicating to him, and all he wanted was more, more, more, more—

Night snapped out of it. There was that giddiness from before, that youthful energy that felt like helium in his chest. It was ordering him to fuck Velvet six ways to Saturday, and it was rather hard to ignore.

BE AGGRESSIVE, it said. TAKE HER... TAKE HER TAKE HER TAKE HER TAKE HER DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT NOW NOW NOW

SHE’S YOURS YOURS YOURS ALL YOURS

SHE WANTS YOU

MAKE HER SCREAM YOUR NAME

Night didn’t move a muscle. Even with his dick throbbing and twitching and his instincts trying to break free. He simply locked eyes with his wife, appreciating her as if she were a work of art, burning this image into his memory.

“This is surreal,” Velvet said, her voice breathy and strained. “Isn’t it?”

Night smiled. “Our lives are surreal. All we can do is take things as they come.”

Velvet chuckled despite herself. “Like we always have.” She moved over a bit, letting Night climb onto the bed. She shivered as the mattress sank beneath his weight, his very presence making her wetter. She watched as his corded muscles flexed and slid beneath his azure coat, toned and firm once more like they’d been in decades past. Even a simple movement like laying down next to her was so damn sexy. His dry, masculine scent was ambrosia to her sensitive nose. and once he’d settled, she buried her face in his chest, inhaling deeply, like she could get high on him.

Night wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled Velvet into an embrace. He stared off into the darkness, stroking her back while the warmth radiated from their bodies.

“You’re shaking,” he noted.

Velvet pressed her muzzle deeper into his fur. “I know.”

Night squeezed her a little tighter. Without saying a thing, he held her close and stroked her back, nuzzling and cuddling her, staying like that for as long as she needed. He could feel her heart pounding, fast and furious, so much so that he felt it in his ears. Velvet was holding on to him like a vice, gripping him as if she feared he’d float away.

Velvet looked up into Night’s eyes. Gently, she pressed her forehead against his, crossing their horns with a click. The buzz of their mixed magic fields made their minds grow fuzzy, almost as if they were drunk. They closed their eyes and savored the feeling, their hot breaths mixing and swirling together like eddies in a current. They’d done this so many times: sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes with passion, sometimes with feeling, and sometimes just because. Each time was special and had a meaning, but this time...

Velvet’s thoughts were abuzz with what-if’s. Worries, doubts, and expectations on what they were about to do, how they were going to do it, and what kind of challenges they were going to encounter. So many things could go wrong. This could all end in disaster. Already the pressure was starting to keep her awake, and at this rate she wasn’t sure if—

—and then Night was kissing her, and nothing else mattered anymore.

She couldn’t hold back her moan. Night’s warm, gentle lips were like a soothing balm, pressing softly against hers while he petted her mane. He began sucking and on each of her lips in turn, the quiet smek of his pecks sending a thrill through her. She tilted her head and opened her mouth, relishing his hot, wet exhales brush over her tongue; and she ground against him on impulse, his stiff, sticky stallionhood soaking her fur.

“Ah~” Velvet gasped, her head swimming. She slid her tongue inside Night’s mouth and licked his confines, exploring every inch of him with practiced ease. He started sucking on her tongue, puckering his lips tight so he could keep her in longer. She pressed her head harder to his, her motions gradually getting more fevered. Night flared his magic and wrapped his tail around hers, sending a pleasant jolt through them.

Velvet’s shivers gradually faded. She started pushing harder into his kisses, her excitement spurring her to pick up the pace. This stallion was hers. HERS. Eagerly, she swiped her tongue along the smooth, polished surface of his teeth, her hooves creeping up to cradle his head. Night let out a throaty growl, thrusting hard against her, his own hooves drifting down to her godly hips. Inevitably, he put more force behind his efforts as well, and for minutes their kisses rolled leisurely back and forth, making a game of it as they rediscovered each other’s bodies.

Eventually, Night pulled away. He met Velvet’s eyes for a fleeting moment, then started licking her neck in long, weighty swipes. Velvet’s breath was like a hiss, tensing from the electric thrill of his raspy tongue on her throat. She started nibbling and sucking on one of his ears, tugging the lightly-furred skin just the way he liked, and she felt him twitch and go a little bit faster. She went to his other ear and did much the same, but then, feeling playful, she nipped the very tip...

“!!!”

...and suddenly she was on her back, with Night looming over her, snorting like a mustang.

“N-Nighty!” An even heavier blush crept into her cheeks as Night’s wild eyes drilled into her, abruptly making her feel like she’d been caught. Adrenaline ripped through her, and it suddenly felt like there was a fire in her belly. “Oooooh, Nighty… Nighty, yes…”

She’d forgotten how sensitive his ears were in years past. She was getting a good reminder now.

Night made a nickering noise and ripped off her panties with magic, revealing her delicate, desperate flower. His thick, strong hooves pinned her in place as he kissed her again, this time hard and forceful. In a flash he broke away and started sucking on her horn, running his teeth along the grooves and snaking his tongue around the spiralling tip. Velvet squeaked and went rigid, going cross-eyed as waves of pleasure crashed against her mind. Suddenly she became aware of the pre falling from his length, dripping steadily and overflowing her navel.

“Nnnightyyyyyyyyy,” she cooed. “Mmmrrrrrhhhh…”

Night puckered his lips and hummed, a low, guttural sound that sent delightful vibrations straight into her horn. Velvet felt herself wink, twice, her inner muscles spasming, trying to clamp down on the dick that wasn’t there. Her tail thrashed back and forth on the mattress, attempting to hike itself up nice and high, so much so she thought it might lift her off the bed. That fiery spring inside her was burning, hotter... hotter, always hotter…

“GUH!” Velvet ground against his dick, sandwiching it between them, a boiling rod of steel just for her. She could smell his musk now, earthy and familiar, and it was the last straw for her. Her trepidations blanked out completely, turning her into a being of need, and she cried out two words in a stilted, cracking voice.

“D-DO IT!”

Night didn’t need to be told twice. He released her horn with a wet POP and widened his stance, pulling back so he could align himself. For a moment she felt him at his entrance, poking, swaying, moving with his subtle motions, her nether lips kissing his very tip. Night swooped down for one last frantic kiss, and then with smooth, practiced ease, he pushed his dick inside her cunny.

Velvet was beyond words. Stars danced before her eyes as she was penetrated with a loud schlick, that blazing, agonizing urge replaced with delicious, blessed satisfaction. Night’s long, broad girth was spreading her like she hadn’t been fucked in years, and his initial thrust alone sent shocks racing along her spine. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever been this tight, not even in her maiden days, and the look of disbelief on Night’s frazzled face suggested he thought much the same. It felt like his dick was tickling the back of her throat, but even still, her inner muscles were trying to devour his entire length, and her tunnel was stretching, stretching, stretttttccching, to accommodate him.

Night grunted through his teeth. Snug. Soft. Wet. Those words repeated over and over in his mind like a broken record. Velvet lips were parted in awe, moving soundlessly as she took gradually more of him. Her eyes were fluttering and rolling into her head, lost in the feeling of him inside her. It was a good look on her. He thrust a second time, harder, his medial ring slipping in with an audiblesquelch. Her mound bulged with his size, stuffed full with his girth and still swallowing more, and he watched fascinated as his shape gradually disappeared in her fertile depths.

Night was almost in all the way. His sack was but a few inches away from brushing against her rear, and he could feel his balls stirring, sensing what was to come. He didn’t push at all now, he just let her pliable marehood be molded around him, and he planted love bites on her shoulder as a few inches became one… then one-half… a quarter… a sixteenth...

...there.

Night and Velvet lay still, gasping for breath. They looked into each other’s eyes once more, sharing a tender kiss as their hearts beat as one.

“Hey,” he whispered.

Velvet reached up and stroked his cheek. “Hey.”

Their sweaty manes were stuck to their necks. A rosy tint colored both their faces, and their pulses were racing a mile a minute. Their entwined bodies were primed and set, ready to go on a hair trigger, and in that moment, nothing else existed but them.

Night nuzzled her and murmured in her ear. “I’d swear you were a virgin if I didn’t know better… you’re so freaking tight… soft, too... no wonder they call you Velvet—GAH!”

Velvet squeezed down on him even harder, her powerful muscles kneading his shaft like she was milking it. A long, loud groan escaped Night’s lips as the pressure rose in his loins, and that wild, bestial look seeped back into his eyes, the one that made Velvet feel like prey.

“Eager to be knocked up, are we?”

Velvet wiggled her hips. “Shut up and fuck me.”

Night didn’t argue. He pulled back with a strong motion, managing to get a little over half of himself out of her passage. He rocked back and forth a few times, teasing her with a few false starts, but then with a proper thrust, he plunged once more into the breach.

“OHHH!” Velvet’s voice rose a whole octave. That annoying empty feel had plagued her on the backthrust, but now she felt complete again. Her folds were furiously pulling him back in, trying to claim their virile prize, and Night seemed all too happy to oblige. His dick was throbbing, his balls swelling, causing more fluid to escape him and make her insides all the slicker. He pulled back and thrust a second time, this time faster and stronger, and she arched her back and gripped him with all her might, almost completely lost to desire.

Velvet lolled her head back and forth as Night rutted her. She wrapped all four legs around his barrel and pulled him in as far as he would go, his tip just barely brushing against her cervix. It seemed his size was still just right. He always did fill her up so nicely, and the way he went in at different angles to get her good spots… thank the heavens Night had always been an attentive lover, because if he only cared about ‘getting to the finish,’ their sex life would’ve gone stale long ago.

He found a good rhythm and kept pistoning away. Minutes passed as he entered and exited her with a meaty THWAP, the bed shaking in time with the sound of their hips colliding. The candles around the room flickered from the vibrations, causing their light to dance and form strange, wavy shadows. Night buried himself inside Velvet again and again, controlling his own pleasure while working to drag out hers, and he grabbed a mouthful of her mane and yanked, causing her to shout his name before devolving into gibberish.

Night’s endurance was waning. He wanted to last longer, but Velvet’s sexy noises were too much. His end was waiting in the wings, ready to burst out onto center stage, and already it was making him start to speed up his pace. Fortunately it looked like Velvet was close, as well, and in her state, there was only one thing that was going to push her over the edge.

Night’s motions became jerky and unbalanced. He was at the point of no return, but he continued on without hesitation. A snarl escaped him as his muscles tightened to the point of pain, his balls reaching their boiling point. Velvet sensed the change and voiced her approval, moving with his thrusts to ensure sure he stayed inside. That fiery spring in her belly kept getting wound up tighter, demanding release, and just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore...

“AH!” Night erupted inside her, shooting long, gooey ropes of seed into her waiting womb. He pumped load after load inside her, his twitching nuts producing more with every surge. He swiftly overflowed her pussy and soaked their crotches in jizz, but even then, he still kept cumming, his pulsing dick gushing out steady streams of stallion spunk. Velvet came as well with a joyous shriek, her pussy convulsing and trying to hold in as much as it could, but that was impossible with Night’s unexpected output. She abruptly felt like she was soaring, flying high above the clouds, and her vision went dim and floaty as that blasted heated itch was quenched.

Their twin orgasms left them both reeling. Night was the one who came down first, and it was with a loud, sticky SPLORTCH that he managed to disengage himself. For a few speechless moments, he marveled at the sheer volume of cum he’d produced; it looked like he spilled a jug of milk on the bed. He glanced down at his still-twitching package, seemingly no worse for the wear, and made a mental note to invest in some waterproof sheets.

“That…” Velvet said from beside him, her voice loopy and faint. “Was a lot…”

Night made an affirmative noise. “Doc wasn’t kidding about those supplements.”

With a weak sputter of magic, Velvet managed to collect most of the excess and dispose of it with a spell. She then scooched closer to Night, hugging him with a dreamy sigh. “Mmmm, my hero. Vanquisher of the vile heat.”

Night snickered. “My old foe.” He put an arm around Velvet and lay beside her, planting a kiss just below her horn. “And just when I thought I’d sheathed my sword for good.”

Velvet patted his shoulder. “I know you’re up to the challenge.” She closed her eyes and sank into the pillows, basking the warmth of his seed inside her. “Along with all the challenges to come.”

Night’s expression grew placid. He looked up at the ceiling with unfocused eyes, still a bit shocked as to what they’d agreed to. It was crazy enough what had already happened to them, but now this, on top of everything else? Velvet was right--it was utterly surreal! What was raising this third child going to be like? How was he or she going to be received? How would he and Velvet be treated by extension? Sure, ponies were nice to them now, but what if this third child wasn’t what they wanted? Would he and Velvet be able to protect them?

“So many questions, never enough answers,” Night said aloud.

Velvet didn’t reply. She didn’t need to. They’d talked about this for weeks.

Casting those thoughts aside, Night snuggled next to Velvet and lay with her a while, waiting until her heat flared back up and she needed another round.

“It’s going to be an interesting ride.”

Chapter 3: The Foal Shower

Eight Months Later-

“Let’s see here…” Velvet sat back comfortably in her favorite chair, pondering the pile of presents before her. She couldn’t get a read on what was inside them, so she just grabbed one at random, picking a small box wrapped in purple paper.

“Oh, these are adorable!” Velvet lifted up the tiny pajamas out of the box for everyone in the room to see. They were a pure, deep black, adorned with sparkly stars in the arrangement of constellations. “Awww, thank you, Twilight!”

Twilight Sparkle, who was sitting in the chair across the living room, smiled softly, her wings fidgeting a bit. Also in the room were Shining Armor, Cadance, Celestia, and Luna. It was rather inconvenient to have two separate baby showers (one for friends, another for family) but having royals in the family kind of demanded it.

“I thought it looked kinda like the pajamas I used to have,” Twilight said. “You know, the blue ones.”

Velvet’s smile turned wistful. “You looked so cute in those…”

Twilight’s eyes fell on her mother’s pregnant belly. Heavy and round, her new sibling slept soundly within, snug and secure. “Let’s hope that that trend continues.”

Velvet had gotten pregnant even before she’d fully gone out of season, but that hadn’t stopped her and Night from continuing to go at it like rabbits. Their sex drives seemed to be stuck on ‘high’, and the sessions they’d had were some of the best in years. Even seven months later they were still going strong, although they tried to keep things on the down-low when others, such as family, came to visit.

“Do you have pictures, by chance?” asked Celestia. She and Luna were sitting together on the couch, which was snug for ponies their size, but neither of them seemed to mind the close contact. “I’d love to see.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” said Luna, leaning forward. “Foal pictures are always fun!”

Twilight’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. Stars above, Celestia and Luna wanted to see her baby pictures. Mission abort! Eject! Eject!

Velvet thought for a moment. “Hmm, I’d have to check the photo albums. We can check later.”

“Mooommmm...”

Velvet raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “What? It’s not like there’s any blackmail material in there. You were a completely normal baby.”

“Though you certainly gave your mother Tartarus before you were born,” Night muttered.

Velvet shuddered. That pregnancy, privately referred to as the Year of Suffering, had been a big reason why she and Night had stopped at two. Fortunately, this pregnancy hadn’t been nearly as bad. The worst she’d had to endure were cramps, cravings, and morning sickness.

Twilight suddenly became very interested in the floor. “I-I… you, it’s just that... ergh…”

Fortunately, Celestia took pity on her. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, Twilight. I was just curious. We don’t have to see them if you don’t want.”

The weight slowly lifted off of Twilight’s shoulders. “U-Uh, yeah. Let’s pass on that, if we could.”

Luna’s ears drooped. “Aww…”

Twilight cleared her throat and returned her attention to the pajamas. “A-Anyways, I had a friend help me weave some spells into the fabric. They keep the wearer comfortable regardless of temperature, they’re self-cleaning and resistant to stain, they display things like heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and magic levels as needed, and they also stretch to fit the wearer up to a certain point! They should fit the baby for about three years or so, give or take a few months... Oh! And they’re fireproof. Just in case of a magic surge.”

Velvet’s jaw about hit the floor. She’d noticed that the garment had spells on it, but she hadn’t realized that they were permanent. Working spells into fabric permanently was no small feat, and it must’ve been quite the undertaking—both for Twilight, and whoever had helped her. A garment like this was probably worth along the lines of several thousand bits!

“Wow.” Velvet set the pajamas gently back in the box. “That’s... quite impressive, honey! Thank you! All of those things will definitely come in handy.”

“Just all of those things?” Night smiled and winked at Twilight. “No wish-granting features, or invincibility charms?”

Twilight blew a raspberry at him. “Sorry. I’m reserving those for my own children.”

“Alright, let’s see…” Velvet looked through the pile, shifting her weight a bit so she was more comfortable. The foal had a tendency to start squishing her bladder if she stayed still for too long. “I thiiiinnnk… I’ll opennnn… uuuuppp…this one!”

The present in question was pink with a gold and purple bow on it. Recognizing Cadance’s orderly hoofwriting on the tag, Velvet wasted no time in tearing it open.

Inside the box was a set of plain-looking diapers, about a dozen of them. They didn’t look fancy or out of the ordinary, but they emanated a strange magic Velvet wasn’t familiar with.

“What do we have here?” Velvet picked up one of the diapers, examining it from all angles. “There’s some kind of magic in these… a Conjuration spell, I think?”

Cadance, who was sitting on the loveseat beside Shining, smiled. “They’re designed to detect… ah, organic waste, and dispose of it. I thought I’d try to spare you the ickiness of changing diapers.”

Velvet’s eyes lit up. “Oho! Really?!”

“Yep!” Cadance said brightly. “You and Night have had to do it twice over already, so I figured you deserve a break. The spell on each one will only last a month, but it’s rechargeable.”

Night in particular took a great interest in this. Leaning over, he eagerly inspected the diapers with a gleeful grin. “Oh, thank the stars… these are great, Cadance! These are going to be a lifesaver!”

Cadance giggled. “I don’t like changing diapers, either. It’s one of the reasons why I was looking into it in the first place! Plus, I figured this was a safe investment for me and Shiny, eventually.”

At this, Velvet studied Cadance carefully, reading her body language and tone. Her daughter-in-law seemed nonchalant, but there was the sliiiiiightest bit of yearning in her voice, her eyes flicking down to Velvet’s belly now and again.

“And when’s that ball going to get rolling, hmm?” Velvet asked. “I certainly hope you two haven’t been deterred by Nighty and me. I’d love to see you start a family of your own soon!”

“Yeah!” Twilight chimed in. “I want nieces and nephews to spoil!”

“Surely you’re not going to let Velvet and Night win, are you?” Luna said. “They’re beating you now 3 to 0!”

Celestia covered her mouth to hide her snort.

In reply, Cadance gave Shining a very odd look, her face scrunched up like she was sucking on a lemon.

Shining wilted a bit, but to his credit, he didn’t shy away from the question. “It’s been a lot of work reestablishing the Crystal Empire. Cady and I have been up to our ears trying to handle it all, dealing with things like trade routes, border disputes, peace treaties, law revisions, national security, military protocol, and dozens of other things. We’re both so busy right now that we wouldn’t be able to give a child the attention they’d need.”

Cadance reluctantly grunted her agreement. “We know we’ll never be typical parents, just on sole basis of who we are, but we do want to be with our kids as much as we can. I’m not going to dump our foals on some wet nurse or nanny. That’s just not happening.”

“We’re hoping things will settle down in another year or two,” Shining continued. “Once we’ve finished laying down the foundation of… well, everything, we can start thinking about things like kids. Until then...”

Velvet looked down at the floor. She’d been afraid of something like this, but wasn’t sure if there was a way to make things easier for them. Shining and Cadance had a big responsibility, and they had to make sure the Crystal Empire was set back in order.

“I think that’s smart of you,” Night said, nodding as he spoke. “You realize that having kids now would be biting off more than you can chew, and you don’t want to get in over your heads. That’s a very mature assessment.”

“That it is.” Celestia smiled warmly at Shining and Cadance, her voice taking on an approving air. “It takes a level head to realize that the needs of your little ponies take priority over what you personally want. It’s not easy, I know, but sometimes, we need to make sacrifices.”

“Such is the burden of the crown,” Luna said.

Velvet bit her lip. She was afraid that problems like this were just going to keep coming for Shining and Cadance. She wanted them to be happy up there, not weighed down by the responsibilities all the time.

“That being said,” Celestia continued. “I can’t help but observe that your decision is a symptom of a larger problem. If you’re short-staffed right now, or just don’t have enough ponies experienced with administration, I might be able to spare you a few of my advisors for a while. That’ll ease the workload while you seek full-time replacements.”

“Which we also can help with,” Luna added. “We get applications for administrative positions all the time, from University graduates to veterans. Just tell us what you’re looking for, and we can send ponies your way.”

Shining and Cadance went stock still, their eyes going wide. If Velvet didn’t know better, she’d think they’d both just become statues.

“R-Really?” Cadance breathed. “You’d do that?”

“That would help so much!” Shining blurted. “Yes! Yes, PLEASE!”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps you should’ve said something sooner, hmm? You needn’t suffer for nothing, you know.”

Both Shining and Cadance chuckled, putting hooves behind their heads.

“And I feel like I should mention,” Night said in a matter-of-fact voice. “That a certain other princess rather enjoys performing administrative work, particularly things like going through old books. Perhaps if you asked her as well—”

BANG

“YES!” Twilight teleported in front of Shining and Cadance, the biggest grin on her face. “Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! Let me help you! I can go through the Empire’s archives and update things!”

Velvet and Luna burst out laughing.

Shining, after getting over his mini-heart attack, haltingly found his voice. “S-Sure, I guess?”

Cadance smacked herself upside the head. “Oh, for pony’s sake… we should’ve thought of you to begin with, Twilight! You’re perfect for that!”

“She really is, and you should have,” Velvet said, ignoring that it hadn’t occurred to her, either. Whatever, she could blame it on pregnancy brain. Neither of them had that excuse. “With her handling your paperwork, I bet you’ll be all caught up by the end of the quarter.”

Twilight scoffed and raised her chin. “Don’t make me laugh, Mom! I’ll have everything straightened out in a month. Six weeks, tops!”

Velvet rolled her eyes. She knew how her daughter got when it came to these things. All she could hope was that Twilight didn’t burn herself out.

“If Twilight does indeed bring your books up to code, and you get some extra hooves to spread out the remaining work, I’d wager things will become much easier for both of you,” Celestia said to Shining. The faintest of grins crossed her face. “Perhaps then you can focus on other projects.”

Luna pretended to examine her hoof. “Projects with eleven months of prep time, perhaps?”

“I know you want to, sweetie,” Velvet said. She looked down at her belly with a fond smile, feeling the light flutterings of the foal twitching in its sleep. “I’ve seen the look in your eyes when you’re around little kids. It’s the same one your father had before we had you.”

Shining didn’t reply right away. He sucked his teeth and rolled his shoulders, trying to stay stoic as he endured simultaneous puppy-dog eyes from his wife and sister. He suddenly noticed that Night was trying to catch his eye, and while his father remained silent, his expression was one that spoke volumes.

“Let’s… see how things go,” Shining finally said. He put an arm around Cadance and smiled. “If we get things under control, and everything really does slow down, I don’t see any reason to hold back. You’re right, Mom, I do want to do this, but I wanna make sure Cady and I can put forth the time and energy before we take the plunge.”

Velvet smiled back. “I know, Honey. I trust your judgement.”

“WOOHOO!” Twilight raised a hoof in the air. “Oh, I can’t wait, I can’t wait! I just know your kids are gonna be so adorable!”

Night turned to Celestia and Luna. “Guess this means we’ll be needing to plan another shower pretty soon.”

Judging by the looks on their faces, neither Celestia nor Luna had a problem with that.

Meanwhile, Cadance leaned in and whispered in Shining’s ear. “Remember what we talked about. Four, at the very least.”

Shining chuckled. “Yeah, right. We’re not gonna be satisfied with four.”

“Hmm, you’re right.” Cadance snuggled closer and snuck a peck on the cheek. “How many bedrooms are in the castle, again?”

Velvet decided that that was enough chatter for now. She picked up a new present, this one in indigo wrapping. It appeared to be from Luna, who now sat up a little straighter.

“I hope you like it,” she said. “I made it myself.”

Intrigued, Velvet opened up the gift and peered inside.

Within was a circular crib mobile of metal, beautiful and intricate, dyed in colors of deep violet, pale lavender, and steely silver. The arms of the mobile were inlaid with runes of some kind, none of which Velvet recognized, and the edges were set with cloudy stones that almost looked like pearls.

“Oh, my…” Velvet carefully picked up the mobile in her magic, eliciting an “Ooooooh” from all present.

“It’s a dreamcatcher,” Luna explained. “One of my own design. Its filters out bad dreams and other maladies of the mind, but it also soothes anypony in the vicinity, allowing them to fall asleep faster. Infants wake during the night for many reasons, but with this, yours will hopefully sleep longer, and easier.”

Velvet was speechless. She’d never seen so much care and effort put into something as mundane as a crib mobile! It was practically a work of art! Something like this had to be one of a kind!

“Wow, Luna,” Night said. He carefully took it from Velvet to look it over himself. “This spellwork is top-notch! Thank you! How long did this take you to make?”

Luna shrugged. “One of my first acts upon my return was to place enchantments like these across the entirety of the Dreamrealm. What’s in the mobile is just a more focused version. I did this quite often back in the day for ponies I favored.”

“You haven’t done anything like that for me since you’ve been back,” Celestia pouted. “Am I not in your favor?”

“You haven’t asked,” Luna replied smoothly. “You know, that thing ponies do when they want things?”

Celestia nudged her. “Oh, hush.”

Velvet finally found her voice. “I-I don’t even know what to say. Thank you, obviously, but beyond that... you said it’ll help the baby sleep?”

“It should, yes,” Luna said. She tapped her chin in thought. “Although, considering newborns are notoriously finicky about sleeping, he or she will still likely wake during the night. Just not as often. Hopefully.”

Velvet suppressed a snort. She was well-aware of how hard it was to get babies to sleep for long periods of time. She’d take any help she could get.

“May I go next, Velvet?” Celestia gestured to the small white box in her lap. “I only have one gift for you, but after you see what it is, I think you’ll understand why.”

Velvet almost laughed. It appeared that not even she was immune to sibling rivalry. Might as well indulge her, but it was going to be tough to one-up Luna’s gift.

Velvet accepted the box and brought it before her. She opened it up, and inside was…

A scroll. Just an everyday, mundane scroll, rolled up tightly and sealed with wax. Attached to the scroll was a note written in tidy, flowing script, so she took it out and read.

Velvet-

Within this scroll is a spell took me several months to perfect. It did not exist until just a few weeks ago, and since has been tested and approved by both the Equestrian Mages Guild and Equestrian Medical Association. It’s subsequently been given the classification of B-Class Hazardous Magic. (This means it can only be distributed by a licensed physician or registered arch-mage. Considering I’m the latter, that’s not really an issue. I’m just telling you in case you were curious).

I know that childbirth is excruciatingly painful process. Even with the accomplishments of modern medicine, it’s still not enjoyable by any means. This spell is designed to fix that. It works by—

Velvet’s eyes grew wide, then progressively wider as she read farther down. By the time she finished the letter, you’d think she’d seen a ghost. She set the letter down and gaped at Celestia, who merely winked in reply.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, looking between them. “Mom? What’d she get you?”

Velvet didn’t reply. She just passed the letter to Night, whose face also quickly assumed a look of shock. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out.

“Okay, now I’m curious.” Luna turned to her sister. “What is it?”

“You know that little project you gave me advice on a few weeks ago?” Celestia whispered. “I got it working.”

Luna mouth became an ‘O’. “Ah. Very nice.”

Velvet coughed and closed the box, setting it beside her. “That’s very, um… very, considerate of you, Celestia! Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I imagine that this has already been... erm, distributed, to the local hospitals?”

“Oh, yes,” Celestia said. “Along with several dozen trainers to instruct in its use. By year’s end, every hospital in Equestria should be able to provide it.”

“So are we just not supposed to know, then?” Cadance asked. “Come on, Aunt Tia. Spill the beans!”

Shining and Twilight nodded agreement.

But Celestia remained aloof. “I think I’ll wait for the newspapers to make the announcement. I will say, though, that this is a gift for you as well, Cadance. And if you—” she gestured to Twilight, “—ever decide to have foals of your own, then it’s your gift, too.”

Now Twilight just looked even more confused. Cadance, on the other hoof, perked up considerably. Shining’s expression was somewhere in between, but it was clear that the gears were turning in his head. He didn’t dwell long on it, though, and instead produced a present of his own from behind the couch.

“Here, Mom,” Shining said proudly. “I may as well go next. This one’s from me.”

Cadance apparently hadn’t seen said present before this, as she looked at it with an expression of horror.

And Velvet could see why. It was possibly the worst wrap job Velvet had ever seen. The box wasn’t even completely covered on all sides, and there had to be half a roll of wrapping paper on the sides that were. Tape was everywhere on the thing, mostly doing more harm than good, and if she didn’t have her magic to force it apart, it likely would take forever to open.

Velvet took the papery abomination with a mother’s smile. “I can see that, dear.”

Shining snickered. “Yeah, probably should’ve had Cady wrap my gifts.” He gestured to the plethora of perfectly-proportioned pink presents peppering the pile on the floor. “She makes it look like art.”

Beside him, Cadance slowly… slowly lowered her head into a facehoof. “Never again, Shiny. Never. Ever. Again.”

Well, the wrap-job may have been terrible, but the gift inside certainly wasn’t. Within was an Ursa Major teddy bear, soft and huggable, with wide black eyes and a happy smile on its muzzle. Its lavender fur was incredibly fluffy, perfect for any infant.

“Oooh!” Velvet picked up the teddy bear and hugged it, rocking it back and forth in her hooves. “Oh, this is great, Shining! It reminds me of the one you had!”

Shining grinned. “Good ol’ Dipper. I figured go with what you know, right?”

Night leaned over and examined the teddy bear, nodding his approval. “Not bad, bud. Let’s hope they don’t sleep with it until they’re twelve, though.”

Shining turned a faint shade of pink. “I was eleven and a half...”

Celestia’s face grew into a smirk. “My former Guard Captain slept with a teddy bear until he was a preteen? We might have to revoke your Medal of Bravery for that.”

Luna’s expression grew grave. “A considerable violation of protocol.”

Shining Armor blew a raspberry at them. “I regret nothing.”

Velvet smiled fondly. She loved it when she could see her home as intended; a place where ponies could relax. Seeing Celestia and Luna letting their manes down was quite the compliment, indeed.

“A-hem,” Twilight coughed.

Shining’s grin faltered. He rubbed his arms for a moment, then exhaled out his nose and spoke up. “Ah, another thing about the bear, Mom. Twily and I collaborated a bit with our gifts, and when she told me she was enchanting the pajamas, I kinda... did the same thing with the bear.”

Velvet raised her eyebrows. She examined the teddy bear closer, and sure enough, the bear was ablaze with protective enchantments. They likely were designed to be hidden from any and all prying eyes, but to Velvet, they were as clear as day.

“What did you do?” she asked, playing dumb. “I don’t sense anything.”

“You’re not supposed to.” Shining sat up a little straighter in his seat. “I put wards on the bear, all of which are tied to the baby’s magic signature. Deflection, repulsion, poison detection, elemental resistance, things like that. If one of the wards is triggered, you and Dad will be notified immediately, and an S-Class forcefield will be erected around the baby. Said forcefield will only be able to be deactivated by one of the ponies in this room, and only if no mind-controlling effects are present on them.”

Velvet blinked several times, digesting all of that. “Erm, I’m... not sure all of that’s necessary, Shining. I doubt the baby will be in danger from any of those things.”

Shining shook his head. “Look around you, Mom. You’re surrounded by some of the nation’s most important and powerful ponies. There’s a chance somepony may try to use you or the baby as leverage to get at one of us, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let that happen.”

“He’s right, Velvet,” Cadance said. Her voice was soft, but fervent. “I don’t like thinking about it, but you and Night are at risk.”

Velvet sighed. Of course she knew that, and she’d taken measures of her own to protect herself and Night. She was okay with some extra security, but she didn’t like having things forced on her...

...or slipped under her nose.

“I think you’re overreacting a bit.” Velvet kept her voice flippant, her expression dubious. “I appreciate that you want to protect us, but this is going too far. You may as well put wards on the whole house while you’re at it!”

Shining suddenly became quite serious. He steepled his hooves and lowered his chin. “Twily?”

“...yeah?”

“How many protective spells and wards do we have on Mom and Dad, counting the ones on the house, and the ones we—” he gestured to himself, Cadance, Celestia, and Luna. “—all helped you with?”

Velvet said nothing, but inside, she was cackling like a madmare. About time they admitted it. She was going to have a field day with this.

There was a very long pause before Twilight answered. If one didn’t know her, they might say there’s no way she’d have the answer to something like that. A single pony able to coordinate spells from multiple ponies, and to make them all work in sync? That was absurd.

Twilight opened her mouth to answer—

“One hundred and thirty,” Night said.

Everypony (save for Velvet) flinched.

With a rather bored look, he yawned and cracked his neck. “That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it, Twilight? One hundred and thirty spells, all cast by you in secret upon your mother and I, without our permission. You even used some impressive charms to prevent anypony from sensing them.”

Twilight froze, her mouth still hanging open.

“One hundred thirty-three, dear,” Velvet said, her voice as icy as it was calm. “She put a few more on this weekend.”

Night raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What were these ones for?”

Velvet pretended to think for a moment. “I haven’t analyzed them all yet, but one of them’s designed to cancel out the effects of a curse that ‘brings thoughts to life.’”

“Y-You… what?” Panic crept into Twilight’s voice. “How?! I used a six-layer Falerion Concealment Array! There are Omega Class dampening runes etched around the house! There’s no way—”

“I’m your mother, Twilight.” Velvet rested a hoof on the crest her womb, patting it gently. “Your magic is, and always will be, mixed in with mine. You forget that both you and Shining were once where this little one is now. It’s not exactly hard to detect either of your spellwork as a result. ”

Something seemed to click for Twilight. “Gestative sympathetic arcane resonance...” She groaned and put her head in her hooves. “Oh, horseapples, I forgot all about that...”

“I suggest you stop trying to hide things from us,” Night said, his voice becoming like iron. “Both of you. We’re not stupid, and we don’t appreciate being treated like it.”

“You… you just baited us,” Shining realized. “Baited us into admitting guilt!”

“Yep,” Velvet said. “And you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.”

Celestia and Luna silently watched the exchange, intrigued. They’d never really gotten a chance to see Velvet and Night properly be…. well, parents. It was eye-opening to see. Cadance, on the other hoof, had been around a few times when Shining or Twilight had gotten chewed out. She knew well enough to keep to keep her mouth shut.

Especially considering that the glares Night and Velvet were giving Twilight could’ve stopped a dragon in its tracks.

“I’ve noticed you tend to add wards after something’s happened down in Ponyville,” Velvet said. Her eyes drilled into Twilight, her voice stern and hard. “Is there something you’d like to tell us?"

Twilight gulped and shrank down in her seat.

“Wait, hold on!” Shining cut in. “Twilight didn’t—”

“Shining Armor,” Night and Velvet said as one.

The address was like a whip crack, making frosty chills race down Shining’s spine.

“S-Sorry,” he mumbled.

Night stared at him for a moment longer before turning back to his daughter. “Go ahead, Twilight. Enlighten us.”

Twilight felt herself starting to sweat. A nervous laugh escaped her, her legs bouncing back and forth on the chair. “We… uh, k-kinda had a mishap with an old book?”

“What kind of book?” Velvet asked.

Twilight’s wings twitched again at her sides. “I’m not… actually... sure? I-I never actually saw it.”

Velvet and Night simply stared at her.

“Really, I didn’t!” Twilight said in a rush. “It got destroyed before I could analyze it! All I know is that contained a pretty nasty c-curse that one of my friends used on accident… made a bit of a mess in town, heh-heh...”

Velvet and Night continued to glare with all the gut-wrenching fervor of annoyed parents. Velvet also noticed that Cadance and Luna looked a little guilty, too, but that could be dealt with later.

“Was anypony hurt?” Night finally said.

“No, thank goodness,” Twilight said. “The curse was removed in time. There was just a bit of clean-up.”

“More than a bit,” Cadance muttered.

“We told you to be careful going through that library, Twilight.” Night jerked his head at Celestia and Luna. “Even they told you to be careful! Who knows what kinds of things have wound up in there over the centuries?!”

Celestia took the queue. “He’s right. I’d no idea a book of curses was in that library, hidden or no. At this point, it’s safe to say there’s no telling what’s out there.”

“I’ll remind you that we were not the ones who originally built that castle,” Luna added. “It was made by the Council of Three Tribes, passed to us only when we were asked to rule.”

“But I wasn’t the one who found the book!” Twilight protested. “Spike went out there by himself and found it in a secret room! If I’d known, I’d never have—”

“And why exactly,” Velvet said, her voice growing even colder. “Did you let Spike, a baby dragon, go off into the Everfree Forest by himself?!”

Twilight pursed her lips. She twiddled her hooves idly, her eyes falling to the floor.

“I think I can explain that,” Celestia said. “From what I recall reading in the report, Spike had been left in the care of one Rarity Belle, who became emotionally distressed about something regarding her special talent. Spike wanted to help her feel better, so he snuck off to the castle in the Everfree hoping to find a spell of some sort. That’s when he found the book.”

Velvet thought about that for a moment. She’d met Rarity before; she’d seemed like a nice enough pony. Perhaps a bit too interested in the superficial, but not a bad sort. Velvet had also heard from Twilight that Spike had had a crush on Rarity, and while he wasn’t as smitten as he’d once been, his affection still lingered.

“I’d think twice about leaving Spike in Rarity’s care from now on,” Night said to Twilight. His eyes were still hard, but his voice lost a bit of edge. “He’syour familiar, and thus your responsibility. You can’t trust that other ponies understand the kind of trouble he’s prone to.”

“Agreed,” Velvet said. “And I hope you’ve talked with both Rarity and Spike about all this. As a princess, as a caregiver, as a friend, you need to be the one that puts their hoof down.”

Twilight looked up, a glint of fury in her eyes. “Oh, believe me. Spike is very much grounded for the foreseeable future. That’s why he’s not here right now. And as for Rarity, she was more or less a victim, but she should have kept a better eye on Spike. Fortunately, she wants to make up for it however she can.”

Twilight gestured at the baby pajamas. “She was the one who helped me enchant the onesie. Did it free of charge, of course, and she also mentioned making another pair on the house. She’s going to be doing some things for the town, too.”

Velvet let out a long exhale. “Well, it’s good to see that you’re not slacking on the discipline front, at least. I know you don’t like exercising your authority, but I’m afraid that comes with the package. You have those wings for a reason, dear. Ponies need to see that you’re not a pushover.”

Twilight slumped in her chair and rubbed her temples. “I know, I know…”

Celestia hid a small smile. She’d had a lot of trepidations about how the world would receive Velvet and Night’s third child. She had less so, now.

“Now, as for the hundred-plus spells you have on us,” Night said, addressing both Twilight and Shining. “You really should’ve gotten our permission before casting them. Regardless of whether your hearts were in the right place, you didn’t even give us a say in the matter! You just went ahead and did it! Does our opinion not matter to you?”

“I seem to recall teaching you both that unsolicited spells on other ponies are not okay.” Velvet narrowed her eyes. “Did that particular lesson not sink in?”

Shining winced. “We were afraid you’d say no…”

“...and you both can be stubborn about things like this…” Twilight added quickly.

“...and every day trying to convince you would be a day you’d be unprotected…” Shining said.

“...so we decided not to take the chance,” Twilight finished. “It just… wasn’t worth the risk.”

Velvet barked out a harsh laugh. “Stubborn about our own safety? Honey, we’re well aware of who you and Shining have become! It takes every ounce of our self-control not to brag about it to everypony we know! How naive do you think we are?”

“I think what’s happened is that you two have forgotten who we are,” Night said softly. “We may be old… well, maybe not physically anymore, but we’re not idiots. Did you think we forgot about Discord’s escape? The changeling attack? Sombra? The vines from the Everfree? We know you both lead adventurous lives, and our lives could get adventurous by proxy.”

“We’re touched that you’d do so much to protect us,” Velvet said. She rested her hoof on Night’s arm. “And seeing you already looking out for your new sibling is amazing! But you can’t skulk around and go behind our backs. That is not okay. If you want to help with our security, you TALK to us about it first. Are we clear?”

Twilight and Shining mumbled affirmations and apologies.

“And maybe you can keep us up-to-date on these adventures you keep having, hmm?” Night said. “Neither of you write home as often as you used to. We miss the letters.”

Luna stifled a laugh. Ever the grievance of a parent was not hearing enough from their children. Some things never changed.

”Now, let’s move on, shall we?” Velvet turned her attention back to the pile of presents waiting to be unopened. “Ooooh, this looks like a good one! Let’s see what we have…”

Chapter 4: Tomorrow May Bring

Three and a Half Months Later-

Night yawned as he closed the bathroom door behind him. It’d been a pretty low-key Saturday, with him and Velvet content to get some work done around the house. Most of it was last-minute preparations for their imminent new arrival. Twilight’s old room was completely redone as a nursery; the few belongings she still hadn’t brought to that new castle of hers moved to Shining’s room. They’d gotten the last bit of painting done a few weeks ago, too, and now with the new wall border and carpet, it practically looked brand-new. Velvet had spent most of the day cooking and freezing things so they’d have some easy to prepare meals in the coming weeks, and while they were pretty well stocked on supplies, trips to the store for random items were undoubtedly going to be common.

Night went about his nighttime hygiene while his thoughts wandered. Celestia and Luna had made a statement regarding the misconceptions surrounding the Age spell, touting Night and Velvet as the ‘poster ponies’ for the project (Luna’s idea). Many were still on the fence, but many more were lobbying to get the ban repealed, and now it seemed that change might be on the horizon. A part of him still couldn’t believe all of this was happening, but the reflection staring back at him was proof enough. His dark blue mane was full and vibrant, not a single gray hair to be seen. His amber eyes were clear and sharp, blessedly free of the crow’s feet and dark circles that’d plagued him. He didn’t look a day over twenty-five, with Velvet actually looking even younger, and the longer he stared at himself, the more grateful he was they’d both accepted Celestia’s deal.

But even with gratitude, said deal weighed heavily on his mind.

Celestia and Luna, benevolent as they were, were hoping for another prodigy. Twilight and Shining had unspoken expectations that their little sibling would be like them. And as for the rest of the world, with Velvet due any day now, reporters had started harassing them for details on the foal. They didn’t give them the time of day, but they both knew it was just the beginning.

And that’d been just one of the crazy things to happen lately. Shining had messaged them last week with the news that Cadance was pregnant, and the week before that, a giant demon centaur had attacked Canterlot, stealing everypony’s magic and going on a rampage. Twilight’s spells had thankfully protected them from notice, but still…

Speaking of Twilight and Shining, Night couldn’t be happier at how they’d taken all of this. A part of him had been afraid that they’d be weirded out by everything, or even worse, revolted at the use of ‘forbidden magic’, but needn’t have worried about anything. When they finally came clean, Twilight had hugged him and Velvet in tears, overjoyed that she now had more time to spend with them. Shining and Cadance were similarly elated, with Cadance’s immediate question being whether Shining could eventually have the spell cast on him, as well.

To be honest, Velvet being pregnant seemed like an afterthought.

“Have as many kids as you want,” Twilight had said between sobs.“Just don’t make me b-bury you…”

“Of course it’s weird seeing you and Mom young,” Shining said with a shrug. “But weird’s kinda become par for the course for us, hasn’t it? If you guys wanna have another kid, go nuts. I don’t mind.”

Night put his toothbrush away, watching the swirling water flow down the drain. He doubted Shining and Twilight were going to play a major role in their new sibling’s life, what with them having their own responsibilities. They likely were going to be more like an aunt and uncle, but all things considered, that was probably the best anypony could hope for.

“Nighty?” Velvet called.

Night’s ears twitched. He’d thought Velvet had gone to bed already.

“Yeah, hun?”

“I’m in the study. Could you come here when you’re done?”

Night shrugged. “Sure thing.” He finished up, then opened the door and made his way down the hall.

He found Velvet sprawled out on the old couch beside her desk. She was laying on her side, wearing nothing but a set of striped socks she was fond of, her face scrunched up in supreme concentration. She was fiddling with a device comprised of tubes, pumps, and suction cups, and was trying to attach said suction cups to the enormously swollen mammaries between her hind legs.

“Come on… just lemme... ERGH!” Velvet tossed the pumps away and gave him puppy dog eyes. “I can’t get them on.”

To describe Velvet as ‘heavily pregnant’ would be an understatement. Her gravid girth positively bulged with life, a precious maternal sphere jutting well past the couch cushions. The curve of her wide barrel, smooth and round, rose high above her shoulders and hips, almost hypnotic as it rose and fell.

The rest of Velvet had filled out nicely, as well. Her curves had become even more defined in months past, giving her hips and rear a delicious softness. Her entire body seemed to glow with vigor; her mane, tail, and coat all sporting that thick, lustrous look, and she had a calm, peaceful air that complimented her motherly form. Velvet’s pregnancies hadn’t always been this kind to her, looks-wise, or symptoms-wise, but for whatever reason, this one...

Night snickered and trotted over to her, taking the pumps in his magic. “You’re leaking again?”

Velvet let her head flop onto the armrest with a grunt. “I could feel them filling back up barely an hour after dinner. I swear, they only just fit in my maternity bra now, and at this rate I’m going to outgrow it! I doubt we’re gonna need formula at all.”

Night could see she wasn’t lying. Her breasts were each larger than grapefruits, the fat, pink nipples each leaking out a stream of creamy milk. The dual swells were nestled snugly against her massive womb, the flawless skin stretched taut beneath her silvery coat. He could also make out the thin, pink crease of her marehood just beneath her milk-drenched nethers…

…and from the cloying scent he caught upon getting closer, she was drenched in more ways than one.

Night took the milking pumps in his magic. He breathed on each nozzle to warm it up, then, kneeling down, he scooched in close to her undercarriage. Her belly looked even larger this close—tight and full, firm, yet soft. In days past he would just sit there beside her, watching their foal shift about, pressing its little hooves against the walls of its sanctuary. The little tyke seemed pretty mellow tonight, but Velvet seemed to be agitated despite this, fidgeting as her ample weight sank deep into the couch cushions.

Night hid his grin. He loved this game.

Velvet couldn’t see what Night was doing, as her bulk was so large it obscured her vision. All she could see was his back half, where she got an eyeful of his hefty balls swaying back and forth. She tried not to pant as his sheath twitched before her eyes, slowly relinquishing its long, thick prize.

“Mmmrrhh…” Velvet stretched out her legs, giving Night a full, tantalizing view of her fertile form. She lazily swished her tail, already damp with her fluids, as if she was beckoning him with it. “I feel so full, Nighty. Just look... look at what you did to me! I hope you’re proud of yourself...”

Night licked his lips. He attached one of the pumps to her right teat, then stealthily, he ducked down and inhaled her familiar scent. Velvet’s crotch took up his whole vision, and it was like he was bathing in her warmth. Velvet felt him and made a low hum, her eyes fluttering closed. She heard the softwhir of the milking machine turning on, and a few seconds later, there was blessed relief as her right teat was drained.

But as for the left one…

Night pressed his muzzle to Velvet’s warm flesh. Supple and soft, he kissed along the edge of her breast, poking his tongue out here and there to taste her.

“Please…” Velvet shivered and leaned closer, hungry for his touch, but he pulled back with a soft laugh. He took another deep whiff of her, relishing the smell of aroused, pregnant mare—his mare, heavy with his progeny. He couldn’t help but go a bit lower, ‘accidentally’ nosing her folds with a quick lick…

Velvet bit her lip. That teasing jolt of ignited the coals that’d been smoldering in her belly all day, and a moan escaped her before she could stop it. The sound spurred Night to kiss just a little bit harder, go a tiny bit faster. She could see the clear beads of pre on his tip, his hips twitching every so often, and every time, his erect length would bounce off his underside, leaving a clear, sticky splotch.

Velvet’s nostrils flared. Now she could smell him.

“Ohhhhh…” Velvet began rubbing and stroking her womb, paying special attention to her navel. She hadn’t gotten an outie during pregnancies one and two, but the third time was the charm, it seemed. “Oh, yessss… Nightyyyyyy…”

Night was starting to feel that eager buzz, that headiness that crept into his chest and thoughts. He swirled his tongue once around her clit, lapping up her nectar before kissing back upwards to her neglected teat. Her engorged nipple stuck straight up, leaking more than ever as it begged for attention. Yet still Night went slow, methodically, dutifully cleaning his wife’s underside with his tongue. He lapped up all the excess that’d spilled, nibbling at her coat here and there, paying special attention to the tight crease between her breasts and belly. Velvet let out a windy coo, her limbs going slack at the attention, purring like a kitten as Night stoked that fire within her.

Night eventually cleaned her up nice and good. Pausing, he smacked his lips and tasted Velvet’ proper, noting that she was a little sweeter than usual. Regardless, he turned his attention back to her warm, soft breast, and with a cheeky grin, he swooped in and began suckling her.

Velvet’s breath caught in her throat. A heavy blush rose in her cheeks as Night’s firm, soft lips tugged on her, slurping down her milk. A proper sigh finally escaped her in a long, sultry croon, and she murmured Night’s name over and over while her blank eyes stared off into nothing. Her whole world was centered around the delightful feel of Night’s nursing, almost forgetting the still-burning fire in her core...

Almost.

Night couldn’t get enough. Velvet was so warm, so alive, and so impossibly hot when she was like this. It made him want to do this over, and over, and OVER, making a hero for every future disaster Equestria might face. He could feel the pulse of her body as he drank down her milk, and her pregnant belly seemed to throb, burgeoning with their growing foal. He loved the way she moved with the weight, slowly swaying with that heavy grace, and he dreamed of her staying like that longer...

Slowly, Night put a hoof on Velvet’s navel, ever-so-slightly rubbing around it. He felt Velvet tense and grow warmer, then rested her hoof upon his, guiding him to rub the fleshy nub in full. He obliged and pushed harder, twisting his hoof for emphasis—

“MMMmm!” Velvet jerked her hips, hard. She tossed her head as her leg twitched, the spike of pleasure dancing like wildfire across her skin. Little butterflies fluttered deep within in her belly, fanning the rising flames, and as if on cue, that telltale ache made itself known, her marehood yearning for attention. She looked back over at Night’s back half, specifically at his virile package, and resisting the urge to fidget, she focused her magic on it, wrapping his length in her grip and squeezing.

Night let out a low growl. He started tugging harder, noisily slurping down her milk with loud smacks and pops. There was an impressive amount in there, and it easily flowed into his mouth, warming his belly as he gulped it all down. He stepped closer and kept drinking, his senses now completely awash in her, and he was hopelessly addicted, that urge to pounce fighting against his control.

“It’s... b-bigger...” Velvet panted. Night’s cock was twitching and dripping in her aura, and she was completely focused on it, lazily massaging it the way he liked. “You’ve n-noticed... haven’t you?”

It was a rare side effect of the Age spell, triggering hormones that enhanced sexual capability. In Night, it’d made his stallionhood longer and thicker, his testes fuller and heavier, increasing his output by a considerable amount. He barely needed any recharge time at all, now, and the result was that they could go all night if they wanted…

Night kept suckling Velvet until her teat was bone dry, outpacing the milker by a good margin, then leaving it to finish the job. He moved on now to her mountainous barrel, trailing upward in a stream of slow, steady kisses, stopping only to occasionally inhale the scent of well-oiled skin—sweet, light, and reminiscent of chocolate. He took another step closer and sat on his haunches, taking her maternity in both hooves and feeling its full, squishy weight, gently nuzzling it as his eyes fell closed. He began rubbing in slow circles, pressing his face against her taut width, feeling and hearing the light thumps within.

Velvet could only see Night’s back now, but she still could feel his length in her aura, dripping and twitching at a steady rate. She hummed as he caressed her womb, his loving touch tender and soft, like he was worshipping her.

“Lotion,” Velvet murmured. She reached over to the end table, floating over a jar of thick yellow substance. She gave it to Night, who wordlessly opened it and scooped out a generous glob. His nostrils flared with the scent of cocoa butter as he slathered it on her stretched skin, rubbing and blending it in with practiced ease, covering her belly in a soft sheen.

“Ahh~” Velvet sank further into the couch with a delicious sigh. She guided his efforts now and again, directing him to particularly itchy or sore spots, but otherwise let him pamper her unheeded. A warm glow was in her chest, a perfect compliment to the clenching ache in her nethers, but she’d no desire to rush things. She continued to stroke his dick at a slow, steady pace, careful not to push him too far, just enough to keep him where she wanted him...

Night continued to rub her steadily, but now he began kissing her ribs, planting little nibbles here and there, lazily making his way up her body. When he got to her heart, he stopped and gave it an extra long kiss, then another, his hoof reaching out to loop behind her back. He kept travelling upward and got to her shoulder… then her neck, where he instead of kissing, he began sucking, feeling her pulse dance beneath her sweet skin.

Panting, Velvet wrapped her hooves around Night’s head, pushing him down harder, her breath coming in hisses and gasps. Her heart was thudding in her chest, a heavy blush in her face as Night kept sucking her, and—oh Celestia, his breath on her neck, those hot, snorting puffs of air every time he exhaled through his nose…

“You naughty boy…” Velvet squeezed his length a little tighter, kneading and pumping it with care. Her magic extended to his sack, tugging on the loose, stretchy skin. “Don’t stop…”

Night grunted. He released her neck with a wet POP and began nibbling her jawline, reveling in the sexy sounds she made. He nuzzled her cheeks before touching his lips to hers, and then they were lost in a deep kiss, their tongues darting out to mingle. Softly, tenderly, they kissed once, twice, thrice, Velvet setting the tempo while they pushed back and forth. One of them always wanted more when the other pulled away, and so they made a game of it, trying to see who would crack first.

They might’ve gone on like that for some time, if not for the DING of the milking machine.

“Ngggaaahh…” Night pulled away, his cheeks rosy. A tendril of saliva connected their mouths, and his gaze was locked with Velvet’s, her smoldering bedroom eyes luring him back in.

“Velvet, love,” Night said. “Serious question...”

Velvet stroked Night’s dick a little faster. “Hmm?”

Night’s tongue flicked in and out, his eyes greedy. “Wanna try for twins, next?”

Velvet grinned and pulled and Night back in for another kiss, biting his lower lip and moaning into his mouth. He took that as answer enough, and with a flash of his horn, he pulled the suction cup off her and moved the milking machine away. In an impressive display of magic, he encased Velvet in his aura and lifted her off the couch, carrying her pregnant weight with ease as he took them to the bedroom.

“Oh!” Velvet squeaked in surprise. “Ohhhh… my big strong stallion…” She let him take them their room, sighing happily as he set her on the bed. “You gave me two amazing children, and now, you’re giving me one more…”

Night was beside her a second later, possessively pulling her to her chest. His hooves looped around her, stroking her while he breathed in her scent, his leaky stallionhood matting, no, marking her coat. “I’ll give you as many as you want, dear. Just say the word...”

Velvet snuggled into his embrace and smiled, wrapping her tail around his, both of them now cradling their foal. “Can you—ah—imagine?” Night had started kissing her neck again, and each touch felt like lightning on her skin. “Some couples—nngh—don’t have sex at all—mmmh—while pregnant...”

Night had nothing to say to that. Instead, he deftly moved his hips, using magic to align his dick between Velvet’s breasts. He pushed it between the milky mounds and kept it there, the base of his shaft pressed against her marehood, and he began moving back and forth, his cock sandwiched between her soft teats. His oozing tip brushed her belly with each thrust, and his movements stimulated her clit, sending constant jolts through Velvet.

“Yesssssss...” Velvet added her magic to his, pressing her breasts together and smooshing his dick. She felt him start a steady rhythm, his muscles tensed and bristling, fighting to stay in control. He was like a caged animal—docile at first glance, but ready to spring at any moment. It made her quiver and press harder against him, her vulva winking against his shaft, so very willing to receive him...

Night’s muzzle was buried in Velvet’s mane, chewing and tugging on the scruff of her neck. Velvet’s pillowy breasts were like heaven, especially on his medial ring. Her plump, cushiony rear against his hips was divine. The mass of her fertile barrel was a thing of beauty, and he hadn’t stopped rubbing it with lotion the whole time, caressing the stretched skin in small, careful circles. Every muscle in his body wanted to go faster, to give in to that inner fierceness. But even as his impulses threw themselves snarling and roaring against his will, he kept resolute, maintaining his sturdy pace, savoring his pregnant wife.

Velvet’s moans became low and husky, drifting unbidden from her parted lips. She leaned more of her weight against him, wanting more of his embrace, and he obliged, gripping her harder as his feathery lips trailed up to her glowing horn. He kissed all around her sensitive base, his teasing tongue tracing its grooves, delighting in the feel of her magic. He started licking her like a lollipop, and when he did, that clenching ache in Velvet’s nethers bloomed into a fiery need. Her moans became more desperate, laced with whimpers and gasps, and the sounds made Night grin.

“Fast, or slow?” he whispered.

“Slooowww,” Velvet mewled. “Slow, slow, slowwwwwwww…”

Night pulled back just a bit, needing to use magic to bend his sizeable rod towards Velvet’s sopping entrance. With a bit more magic, he peeled back the petals of her flower, and while nibbling on her ear...

“Ahhhaaaaahhhhaa...” Velvet’s voice rose and fell, nearly cracking under the strain. His head didn’t fit at first, the pressure on her entrance building, building, building… then, with a lewd, wet POP, her marehood swallowed his spongy head. Night’s gasp was like a hiss in her ears, and she felt his muscles tense, gripping her nice and tight. Little by little he pushed inside her, his efforts feeding that all-encompassing burn, and she arched her back against him, thrusting her prominent womb beyond their embrace.

It was with a snail’s pace that Night moved, dragging out their joined sensations, kissing and ravishing Velvet with practiced ease. He wiggled his hips every so often, attentive to the sounds she made, his hooves moving down to rub her cutie marks. She remained mind-bogglingly tight, and she knew just how to squeeze his length, bearing down on him with her inner walls, trying to milk him like he’d milked her. Minutes passed before he’d even got to his medial ring, but neither of them cared, so focused were on each other’s sounds, scents, and touch.

Velvet could feel their foal shifting amidst the excitement. The little flutters only added to the storm inside her, and it made her moan all the louder. Soon her first peak rolled over her, a stealthy thing that hit her out of the blue, but it ended far, far too soon, and all it did was leave her wanting more. A tingling burst swept through her as the second orgasm hit, making her shudder in the best way, but it was nowhere near enough to sate her. Night felt her shuddering and pushed his medial ring inside, determined to further drag out her high, and when he did, that tingling burst was followed up immediately by another. Her voice cracked then, girly and lewd, and she bared down on him, hard, her nether lips sucking the rest of him inside.

“?!”Night thrust even deeper on reflex. He abruptly found himself hilted, his hips pressed against Velvet’s pillowy plot, and his eyes shrunk to pinpricks as the caged beast inside him barrelled free, filling his mind with raw, unbridled lust.

“MINE.” The feral snarl escaped him as he bit her mane and yanked, her cries becoming whinnies of need, and he pumped in and out of her like a stallion possessed.

SHLICK! SHLICK! SHLICK! SHLICK! SHLICK!

Night was relentless. He held nothing back as he claimed Velvet’s pussy, stuffing her full with hot, engorged horsecock. He could feel her tunnel stretching, her legs quivering, her womb throbbing, and it spurred him on to longer, harder strokes. His ring buzzed her clit on every backthrust, and soon she was screaming his name over and over, her depths thirsty for his seed. And Night could feel that seed building, his balls heavy and fat, a hefty load primed.

Velvet could hardly take it. Again and again, those tingling bursts spread out from her core, her blooming barrel awash in it all. The mass of her womb bounced with Night’s thrusts, and she could feel his tip tickling the edge of her sealed cervix, the jolts adding to her pleasure. She’d lost count how many times she’d cum, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that Night hadn’t, and so he kept railing her, fierce and fevered, the sounds and smells of sex heavy in the air.

It soon came to a climax. Night felt that telltale tingling in his balls, that familiar internal rush. His pistoning became unsteady, stuttering, his muscles contracting with each push, and his flat flare swelled inside her, lodging firmly inside. He bit down on her shoulder, and Velvet yelled, loud. He wedged his cock as far as it would go inside her, and with one final twitch—

“AH!” Night exploded inside her, the first jet of cum splattering against her deepest barrier, painting it a thick coat of white. He erupted again, his jizz hot, hot, hot, spreading all throughout Velvet’s tunnel, making it slippery and slick in the best way. His third and fourth loads were even bigger, the fifth and sixth even more so, and soon her pregnant pussy was saturated with sticky stallion seed, seeping out of her in steady spurts.

Velvet very nearly whited out. The heat of his orgasm inside her, oh Goddess, that blessed, delicious HEAT. How it added to the pulsing warmth surging through her, to provide that final push that sated that gnawing, clenching ache. Her mind became awash in floaty goodness, her limbs going rigid with each new wave, and her voice petered out to a breathy groan, hugging and stroking her big, burgeoning belly while bearing down on Night’s member.

Night’s orgasm kept going for a good bit after that, his teeth grit as fresh cum travelled up his thick, long shaft. He could feel their foal shifting all the while, its movements like faint vibrations, and the surreal sensation filled him with a rush of pride. He eventually did peter out and relax his grip on Velvet, but when he did, he did nothing to remove himself from her… nor did she from him.

“Such a loud, lewd mare I married...” Night kissed the spots he’d bit, running his lips along the shallow teeth marks. “We’re gonna need soundproofing spells again soon...”

Velvet grinned. She tilted her head back, resting against the crook of his neck. “Not... for a year... or so.”

Night shifted himself a bit. In years past, he would’ve felt a pinching strain right now, deep inside his core. Now, though, all he felt was a pleasant buzz, steadily spreading out to fill his groin, keeping him horny, heated, and hard.

“I just can’t get enough of you,” Night whispered. His dick twitched inside her, the wet heat making him recharge all the faster. “But… ungh… we’ll have to be careful, or we really could… nnnf... wind up with twins…”

Velvet tilted her head, her eyes meeting with his. Their cheeks were rosy, their breath coming in quick pants. Their manes were disheveled and matted, and they licked their lips over and over, like their tongues were searching for each other. Neither of them spoke, but something passed between them all the same, and in an instant they were kissing again, fast and frenetic, their dual moans echoing in their mouths. Night started moving again, fluid and smooth, his hard, solid stallionhood raring to go. Velvet resumed squeezing in time with his thrusts, her powerful vaginal muscles massaging his cock, and all the while their tongues moved back and forth, pushing into each other’s mouths with fervor.

It was a long time before either of them went to sleep.

Chapter 5: Hello, Little One

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