You opened your eyes without prompting. Nothing had exploded or banged. There were a pair of eyes gazing at you. It wasn't Starlight. They had swapped places at some point, because Trixie was watching you intently. On seeing you awaken, she reached a hoof to your side and gently brushed. "May Trixie ask a question and get an honest answer?"

Had you been less than honest so far?

Trixie tilted her head a little. "Very well... Will you give Trixie a foal entirely out of duty, or were you speaking truthfully in your admiration of her?" She slid in a little closer. "Tell her why you like her."

Where was Starlight, you wondered, but didn't dare remove your eyes from Trixie. You told her you liked her showma--mareship. You liked her confidence and you also kind of just liked how she looked, if you were being honest.

Trixie smiled at that. "Trixie is glad you said the last." She moved her hoof to your chest. "Love without lust is a strange thing. You are... a curious stallion. Trixie is still trying to work herself to lust for you, but she admits it is a challenge. You are a fine pony, but can't you be... a pony? A mighty unicorn stallion." Her ears fell a bit before forcing themselves upright. "Trixie is attractive to other unicorns, is she not?"

Oof, Trixie was having self-confidence issues. She wanted to be shown she was sexy to other ponies, not strange bipeds. What if you were happy being a biped?

Trixie lifted her shoulders. "She cannot force you, nor is she trying to." She hopped up to all fours suddenly. "Come, let's face the day. We'll get to know one another better. Perhaps, by the end of it, Trixie will eagerly raise her tail."

"If you two are done." Starlight sat up behind you. "We have work to do."

You did have work to do. First, a light meal, then off to the training yard, then to the research area to get measured and start asking pointed questions.

Starlight's eyes shone. "What manner of pointed questions?"

You explained your curiosity about cutie marks.

"You're ready to destroy them?"

Not quite. You wanted to know how they really related, entirely. Going off of a hunch seemed like a dangerous move.

Starlight nodded. "I can't argue with knowing more. With you at our side, we can look into things with a bit less resistance."

Resistance?

Trixie pointed at Starlight. "She has been an outspoken voice of her cause. Trixie has tried to tell her to keep it quieter, but not everypony listens to her. It was surprising Starlight was even allowed to be on the list."

So Starlight was already crusading against cutie marks?

Starlight huffed. "I want to save us, all of us. They do serve a purpose, but is it worth extinction? Would a world where we couldn't be absolutely sure what our calling is be that awful?" She pointed at you. "You don't have one. Aren't you managing?"

You had been kludging through life as best you could, sure. What choice did you have?

A soft clopping came from the door before it opened without waiting. It was Careful Study. She had a tray of food beside her, being pulled by her magic. Her eyes went to Starlight and Trixie. "They weren't tugging my tail..."

Trixie raised a brow at Careful. "Who is this?"

Starlight hopped down from the bed. "A former stud."

Careful colored quickly. "My name is Careful Study, and I am his caretaker, magic teacher, and friend."

You slid from bed to your feet and approached Careful while explaining that what she said was true.

Trixie snorted softly. "A friend? Or a friend?"

Careful sank a little. "We..."

Starlight put a hoof between the two. "Don't pressure her. Hello, Careful. We'll be working together, I assume?"

"Together?"

Trixie nodded softly. "Trixie and Starlight have accepted the task of mentoring him."

Careful put a hoof to her chin. "Four mentors? Here, you should all eat. I brought enough for everypony." She pulled the cart a little closer.

Your belly did not disagree with that idea, and you soon had breakfast nicely handled, or was that more of a lunch? You were late starting the day, but you needed that sleep, darn it.

Careful slipped in as you ate and her magic wrapped around your balls, gently lifting them as she moved her calipers into position. You had, at least a little, grown used to it, at least enough to not squeak while she was at it.

Her expression turned to joy. "One hundred... and two percent!"

Starlight raised a brow. "Measuring thaumic reserves?"

Careful bobbed her head at Starlight. "80%, 99%, 102% Now, it could just be a fluctuation. That's not high enough to say for certain, just like 99% was 'good enough' to be called a full recovery. At the very least, you appear to be entirely recovered. How do you feel?"

All three mares looked to you. You felt... good. You wanted to get your muscles moving a bit, but then they all had some research to do.

Starlight grinned. "I like your attitude."

Trixie glanced at Careful from the side. "Trixie heard that studs could become ponies, temporarily, if their mare wanted?"

Careful blinked. "That is within our means."

Trixie looked back to you. "If you want to... Trixie will not force you." She trotted past all of you, out into the hallway.

With her gone, Starlight sighed gently. "Could you? It would mean so much to her. Either way, make it special. Make her feel like the amazing mare she is."

Careful blinked, then smiled. "I doubt that will be an issue. I don't think he can be with a mare without making them feel like a goddess." Her cheeks were warm, but she spoke earnestly.

Starlight smiled at that. "Good to hear, now, about that workout?"

Starlight wanted to come along?

"Lead the way."

So you ended up bringing her along to the training field. The guards were a bit wary of her.

Thunder Step marched up towards the two of you. He pointed at Starlight. "Care to explain why she's here?"

Was there something wrong with her?

He raised a brow. "We don't take kindly to Celestia-dissidents."

Starlight fluffed up in anger. "I am not against Celestia! She's a perfectly lovely ruler... who has made a mistake."

Thunder thrust a hoof at her. "Where do you--"

Starlight leaned in, cutting him off. "I've made mistakes just as bad! I just happened to fix mine, with Twilight's--"

"Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Starlight rolled her eyes. "Yes yes. Either way, we've both made similar mistakes. I don't hate her for it. I want to fix it. I want to save everypony."

You put a hand between them. Maybe a bit less politics, a bit more working out?

Thunder hiked a brow. "If you were one of mine, I'd make you run ten laps backwards for that, but you aren't, so I'll let that slide. You have a point." He looked back to Starlight. "If you're here to move, then move." It was as close as he was going to get to accepting her presence.

With the confrontation over, the games began. Starlight remained at your side, doing what you did, though she used more magic to do it. Why climb a rope when she could levitate, for instance.

That was not something Thunder accepted. When she landed, he prodded her right in the chest. "What's wrong, too weak to handle it?"

Starlight blinked softly. "I have plenty of strength." She tapped at her horn.

"Reports say you had to work in low magic situations before. What happens if you need to climb in one of those?"

Starlight scowled at him, then nodded. She approached that rope and began trying to scale it, only to fall down each time, but she wasn't giving up easily.

The other guards began shouting encouragement and ideas for her, but she never got more than about two feet up before she collapsed. When she finally gave up, she sagged. "Very well, you can make fun of me now."

Thunder clapped her on the back. "There won't be a need for that if you admit you have work to do. We all do, or we wouldn't need to be here."

The other guards agreed with soft murmurs, and the training resumed.

When it was done, you and Starlight were sweaty and dirty. You were willing to ignore that for the moment. Starlight, less so.

"Come on, let's get washed up before joining the others." She flicked her tail before leading the way back to your room and that hot soapy bath that always stood ready to receive your filth. She grabbed at your clothes with her magic, peeling you free easily and tossing them aside.

You were perfectly capable of taking off the whole two pieces of clothing you had.

"I know." Starlight smiled at you. "But you are my student, and we are to be friends. Friends help friends. Come on." She slipped into the bath with a loud sigh of pleasure. "Mmm, just the thing for after some stress."

You decided to join her, sinking in across from her.

She moved around the tub, circling to be at your side. "Do you agree with them?"

Agree with who, on what?

"Am I wrong to question Celestia?"

Was she really questioning Celestia? She regretted what she had done.

Starlight perked her ears. "Does she?" She sounded genuinely surprised. "She never said that to me." Clop, her hoof met her forehead. "Of course she wouldn't. She's the ruler of Equestria. She has face to save... Really though, she is sorry?"

You explained that Celestia knew she had messed up and wanted to fix it as badly as anyone you'd met so far.

Starlight nodded softly. "Perhaps I should be easier on her then. Really, I'm not angry at her specifically. She's pretty nice as rulers go." She leaned in and gave you a sniff before her magic grabbed a sponge and started going to work on you suddenly. "Let's get you nice and clean."

If she wasn't interested in being studded for, why was she being so intimate?

Starlight paused. "Am I doing this wrong? I thought you'd like it... Look, let's be honest with one another. I'm... new to the friendship thing. Trixie I'm starting to get a handle on, and she's quite the mare to handle. You? I... don't know you yet. Just tell me when I do something wrong, which I inevitably will. Promise me that and I can relax a little."

You did promise that. If she did something wrong, you'd tell her and let her fix it.

Starlight smiled. "If you mean that, then thank you. That means a lot." She leaned in and nuzzled your chest a little. "Now... while Trixie wants a stallion, I... I've seen humans. I've seen them a lot more than Trixie has. I can see the pretty parts instead of 'just' an alien. I'm more surprised you see more than an alien when you look at us."

You gently ran a few wet fingers through her mane, which made her shake her head and laugh. "Watch it." She sounded far more amused than upset. "Look, what I'm saying is... if you want to try being friends, let's try it. We have more to learn about one another, but I'm willing to try it."

Both of you cleaned, you climbed up to dry land.

With a little tingle, all the water ran free of you under Starlight's intense magic. "I'll show you a few tricks, once you get the basics down." She used the same trick to wash the clothes quickly and have them dry in a snap. They felt a bit odd, as if too much starch had been used, but they were clean and ready to go.

With nothing in the way, you both headed to the research center. Starlight spoke to you as you both walked, "They didn't allow me in this wing before. You're my ticket in. I want to solve this, I really do."

Would she solve it even if it meant leaving the cutie marks alone?

Starlight blinked. "Why wouldn't I? Look, I'm not hating cutie marks out of principle, but if they're going to drive us extinct, they have to go. That's straight forward, isn't it?"

So... about that cutie mark removing spell?

"That's a big no go." Starlight shook her head. "It doesn't actually remove it, to start. It just replaces it with a far inferior one. I also promised to not cast it again, but if that really was the solution... I don't think it is. We don't need tepid cutie marks. We're tepid enough as it is."

The guards eyed Starlight, but didn't stop her from walking alongside you. You were in the lab, where Moon, Careful, and Trixie were already waiting.

The three of them were discussing something among themselves as you two approached, but stopped and looked up.

Moon adjusted her glasses. "Welcome. I expected you far earlier in the day, but I've been informed you required additional sleep. Congratulations on your full recovery. You are now tied for first place in number of successful breedings without measurable degradation."

Trixie look to you, then over at Moon. "Does this mean he can perform his 'duty' with Trixie without concern?"

Careful coughed softly into a hoof. "I think the risk is lower, but not gone."

Trixie fixed her eyes on you. "When is the risk ever fully gone? Are you a coward, or will you show Trixie how Bold and Virile you are?"

Moon shook her head. "The goal is to practice his thaumic system so that he can breed without physical harm. Do you intend to hamper that?"

That snapped Trixie out of it. "She meant no harm by it." She sat up fully. "What is the next step required?"

The next step, as it turned out, was light practice. They had you take off your pants and get to glowing. While you were focused on that, they, Moon, Starlight, and Careful, went off, speaking in complex words and exchanging ideas.

Trixie did not join them. She stayed with you, watching your sheath ooze glowing cum. She glanced towards the others to make sure they were busy.

You asked her what was in her wicked little head.

Trixie lifted her shoulders. "Why let this go to waste?" She darted in and lapped up those salty fluids, the glow spreading onto her lips and tongue as she cleaned you of the mess that you kept making, which kept her quite busy. The sensation of her wet warm tongue rubbing against your sensitive head brought your shaft out, hardening swiftly as she followed after it, lapping at your glowing seed.

Moon's voice cut through the pleasure. "You may as well proceed." She was looking at you. "This is a fine practice for focus. Don't allow yourself to become any brighter or dimmer, no matter what she does. If she stimulates you to climax without actual copulation, there will be stress, but considerably less than a breeding would entail."

All three of the other mares were watching you two. Trixie was blushing fiercely at being caught giving head to the stud, but she didn't stop.

Well, if it was allowed... You reached for Trixie's sides and gently rubbed at her fur. You gave her support, making it easier for her to stand as she opened her mouth wide and accepted the flat end of your member into that warm chamber. Her tongue darted out, dancing over you and sending shivers through you.

"Too bright," warned Moon, bringing your focus back on your thaumic network.

You held Trixie while trying to keep things held just so. One of her hooves inched forward and began rubbing against your balls slowly up and down. Each brush against the sensitive fur of your sac sent thrills through you. Focusing became that much harder, but you were trying your best to hold onto that control.

The pleasure was becoming higher and higher. Your control muscle wanted to flex, to release. You were fighting instincts. The part that amazed you more was that you were winning. You should have climaxed already, but holding the output right there meant you couldn't.

Trixie pulled free and began to kiss down that powerful pillar. "Is her talented student resisting her? Don't you want to see her glowing with your magic?" Her hat and cape were tossed aside with flicks of her magic. "Show me your power..."

Oh how you wanted to. You'd show her your power all over her pretty face. Still, you held on, or tried. It was starting to slip. Little bursts of seed would bubble up once in a while in a great surge that Trixie would lap up instantly. You couldn't hold it back forever.

Careful tapped you on the shoulder. "You can let go now."

The permission was all you needed. With a grunt of relief that turned to one of pleasure, your magic/seed flowed from your heavy balls. Trixie tried to seal her lips around the end of your tool, only to discover that studs were a grade beyond normal stallions. Her cheeks puffed out instantly and she gave a shocked squawk as she backed up off of it, only to be sprayed with powerful jets of glowing seed.

She was soon soaking wet with wide and startled eyes. "Trixie was not being literal..."

You felt manipulation on your sensitive balls as Careful slipped the calipers on you. You were tired, but not nearly so dead as the first time you had worked to fill Applejack.

Moon nodded. "Excellently done. You held out for two minutes and fifteen seconds." She adjusted her glasses lightly. "You might have held on for longer, but you've accomplished the task at hoof."

Careful kept the calipers on you. "Eighty percent, but that's well within the normal dip. I can see it already rebounding. Do you mind if I monitor this?"

You couldn't think of any good objection, besides being tired a little. You leaned back as your messy shaft softened.

Trixie recovered from her shock and stood up, her mane and pelt glistening with your seed, though the glow was fading away. "Filthy stallion." She pressed forward and began licking at your messy shaft, making you squirm with oversensitivity. At least she got you clean quickly enough and finally relented. "You owe Trixie one bath, and it had better be a good one."

Author's Note

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-DB7SSX6N/

Confusing news lends to confusing thoughts. You want a lot of things, but that cutie mark thing, that won't go away. With your mind on your health, you remember that, though tempting, you're supposed to be taking the day off from such things to help ensure a full recharge before you fill her with Great and Powerful foals.

Oh... oh my, that chapter went on a bit long...

There were so many conflicting things to try and get out. I hope I did a decent job of following your choices.

1) Give Trixie that bath she wants.
2) Time to breed Trixie.
3) Agree to be a stallion for Trixie whenever you get to that.
4) Nope, staying human.
5) Light down, time for better spells!
6) About that wand...
7) We need more information on what a cutie mark really is or is not.
8) Maybe we should wait on anymore hanky panky until we know we're recovering fully