Phases of the Moon

Mapper watched the trio of; Airmail, Tempest, and Wildfire leave the castle. The rest of the group had already left, except for Dusk and Brush Stroke, and they didn’t really count in her mind. “Now that Middle Pet has left the castle, shall we begin the tour, Mistress Luna?”

“Certainly, Mistress Mapper,” said Luna. “We will start in the public museum, and then work our way from there to the lower levels.”

Mapper asked, “Will Junior Pet be joining us on the tour?”

“No,” stated Luna, “She is…uncomfortable, with the lower levels.”

Mapper nodded and turned to her wife, “Didn’t dream of me, Senior Pet?”

“No Mistress,” said Serenity.

“Who did you dream of?” asked Mapper.

“Mistress Luna,” answered Serenity.

“It was the Princess, then?” Mapper pressed.

“No Mistress,” was Serenity’s only answer. Mapper sighed softly. She knew her wife was being difficult on purpose, and that there was no real need for the questions. Still, it was important to keep up appearances. She opted for the waiting game and simply stared at her. Serenity finally confessed, “I dreamed of Nightmare Moonbeams.”

They arrived at the elevator and Luna pressed the button for the lift. “I must apologise, Serenity. I don’t usually discuss any part of a dream with anypony other than the dreamer, but as you’re all close I figured a few details would be all right. If you’d like to share all your dream on the ride down, it’s up to you.”

Serenity looked at her wife, “May I speak freely, Mistress?”

“You may,” was Mapper’s terse reply.

Serenity smiled as she told her dream, “All the talk from Mr. Caffeinated yesterday about Nightmare Moon, and then flying with Princess Luna, only to discover she was my idol, DJ Moonbeams. I thought how wonderful it would be to combine all three into one. Nightmare Moonbeams broke my body with her bass cannon slamming me against the wall. Then, she took my broken body and put it on her turntable and used the needle on my flesh to make beautiful music.”

Mapper asked, “Was there blood?”

“Yes Mistress,” Serenity responded excitedly, “There was lots of blood.”

Mapper thought on that for a moment as the doors opened and the three of them stepped out of the elevator, “When did you last have a dream like that?”

“The night you used the cricket bat on me, Mistress,” answered Serenity, “Only it was you in my dream, Mistress.”

Luna was morbidly fascinated by the disturbing amount of glee in Serenity’s voice as she retold the dream she witnessed first hoof. “And the branding?”

The joy left Serenity and she broke down crying as she nuzzled Mapper, “I love you, Mistress.”

Mapper hugged her wife, “I know, love, I know. It was a dream. It’s okay, and you can tell her.”

Serenity kept her face buried in Mapper’s mane, “I wanted you to own me, Mistress Luna.”

Luna led the two of them from the elevator into the museum. “This part is open to the public. It has a history of Equestrian laws, and a somewhat benign display of crime and punishment. The last public execution was one hundred and eighty years ago. There have been non-public executions since, but even then, the last was fifteen years ago.”

Princess Luna stopped at an unremarkable nondescript blank wall and she stared at it. “Just so you know Serenity, Nightmare Moon would have done all that to you and more.”

Serenity finally moved back from her wife and turned to Luna, “I know and I would have welcomed it, Mistress Luna. In my dream, you used my body to make music, and the music was beautiful.”

Luna, her attention focused on the wall, lit her horn and a part of it dropped into the floor which revealed a centuries old iron door hidden behind. “It most certainly was beautiful.” She placed her left hoof on a specific part of the door and a blue light surrounded it.

A mechanical voice announced, from nowhere, “Hoof print verified. Retina scan required.”

Calling upon her inner darkness, Luna reached into that other part of her that still lingered in her mind and she altered her eye to a slit pupil with a greenish tinge. Mapper shuddered at the sight, while Serenity’s joy returned. The mechanical voice continued, “Retina scan verified. Voice password required.”

Luna sniffed and said, “I love you, Sky Dive.”

“Voice password verified,” announced the mechanical voice. All the security passed, a series of mechanical sounds could be heard and the blue glow faded. Luna pushed open the door to reveal a series of steps down. “The rooms of interest are down there.”

“You handled that security test rather well, Mistress Luna.” Stated Mapper.

“You are some of the very few outside my family that know my true feelings for Sky Dive.” Luna said as she moved down the steps while the other two trailed behind her. At the bottom was a door identical to the one above, and Luna repeated all the steps to gain entry. “Only two ponies in all of Equestria can gain access to these rooms, and the other is holding court.”

Serenity spoke up, “Love can only multiply, Mistress Luna, it can never diminish.”

Mapper reflected on something Coffee Bean said earlier, “Was the bit with the eye, you, or an illusion?”

“A very good question, Mistress Mapper,” Luna said as she tried to form an answer closest to the truth. “I would like to say it is an illusion, but I believe it is more like a memory.” Her horn was the only source of light as she moved down the hall.

“To your left and right are holding cells. Sound carries very well down here so any noise made in the room ahead would be heard in these cells.” That was by design, so that the sounds of torture being carried out would in itself be a torture to those waiting their turn. The hall led into a larger space. Luna cast a spell which lit all the torches along the walls. They gave off an orange light. “Her stain is always with me,” Luna whispered. “Always.”

Mapper looked around the room followed by Serenity. “Most of these will simply kill a pony in a very painful way. Loss of an asset.” She stopped at rack that held a variety of whips, “These, on the other hoof, would serve a purpose. She heard Serenity doing a tiny hoof dance to her right and turned to see what had her all excited. “Oh, an iron pony! I’ve only seen some literature on this.” Mapper moved to inspect the inside closely.

“I thought you’d be interested in that,” Luna said. “I also have a wooden pony over here, and next to it a rack.”

Mapper stepped back from the iron pony to look. “Caffy has a wooden pony, but the rack dislocates joints and seems to be another waste of an asset. At least it doesn’t kill quickly.” She looked at her wife still doing little hoof dances.

“Senior Pet, step into the iron pony.” Serenity moved inside with haste, and Mapper closed the pony shut. All that is heard is a low moan from inside. Mapper sighed, and said in a low voice, “As I feared, not extreme enough.”

Luna blinked, for a hundred needle sharp spikes had just been driven into Serenity’s flesh. “No?” Luna shook her head, “I’m aware of your pet’s addiction. Would she like me to use a bass weapon perhaps, like in her dream?”

Mapper snorted, “I’m sure she would, but shattering her body is counterproductive.” She moved back to the whips and pulled a scourge off the wall. It was imbedded with metal. “This would strip hide without taking much muscle.”

Luna whispered, “Would you like to look like the pony in her dreams?”

Mapper smiled, “I can’t be her dream. I’m her reality. She has told me things I do to her in dreams. In dreams, there is no death, and there is instant healing.”

“Healing I can provide,” said Luna, “should it be necessary.”

Mapper snorted, “Maybe for punishment.” She looked around the room, “May I move a few things?”

“Of course, you may,” Luna replied.

Mapper used her magic to move a tall narrow pyramid under a ring in the ceiling. She then attached two chains to the ring that ended in manacles. Satisfied with her work she used her magic to open the iron pony. Inside Serenity’s teal fur, from the shoulder back, was the same color as her burgundy mane. Mapper cracked the scourge on the floor, and Serenity rushed over to grovel in front of her. “Are you a bad pony?” demanded Mapper.

“Yes Mistress,” said a submissive Serenity.

“Who is your owner?” Mapper shouted.

“You are Mistress,” Serenity pleaded.

Mapper walked around Serenity and trailed the scourge handle through her bloody fur. “Really, Pet?” Mapper slapped the handle against a cutie mark, “Then why did you want Mistress Luna to brand you?”

Serenity cried out in anguish, “She wouldn’t hold back, Mistress!”

Luna watched the interplay between the two ponies. Glad it wasn’t her in Mapper’s place. If it was, she wouldn’t hold back. Mapper used her magic to lift Serenity, slamming her back onto the ceiling. She then moved the manacles to her wife’s forelegs. “You will know your owner, Pet!”

“Yes Mistress!” Serenity shouted.

Mapper released her magic holding the unicorn up so that Serenity now hung from the ceiling by the chains fastened to her forelegs. She then lowered the ceiling ring and positioned Serenity’s body so the narrow pyramid slid into Serenity’s vaginal opening. Mapper hadn’t bothered to lube the pyramid, since she was sure her wife orgasmed a few times in the iron pony. Mapper continued to lower Serenity till she was spread wide by the pyramid, then a couple more links which would force Serenity to pull up on the manacles to relive the pressure. “Who is your owner?”

“You are Mistress!” replied Serenity.

Mapper watched blood flow down the pyramid as she lowered the unicorn another link. With her magic she flailed Serenity’s flank with the scourge which wrapped wickedly around her lower back. Mapper pulled it away with a spray of blood and torn flesh. Serenity’s eyes glazed over as she cried out in sheer joy.

Watching, Luna smelled the scent of blood far more intense than any dream walk could bring. She wanted to move forward and put her hoof in the blood, but instead she turned to the stereo system. Music from one of Moonbeams’ sound tracks filled the dungeon. She specifically chose the one Serenity was playing in her dream. Mapper paused a moment to look at Luna and she gave a little nod to the pop music playing.

“I don’t believe you!” shouted Mapper as the scourge fell again and again across the unicorn’s back and flank. Every strike ripped and tore at the teal mare’s twitching body, every strike sent blood spraying from the fresh wounds. The volume of the music increased, and Mapper dropped the chain another two links. “Who owns you?”

Serenity was lost in a world of painful ecstasy. “Mistress Mapper owns me!” she cried out, “No other pony but Mistress Mapper!”

“Then you will have my mark of ownership!” shouts Mapper. She turned to Luna. “Where are the irons?” she asked.

Luna smiled and her eyes once more took on a dangerous green tinge, “Here they are.” She used her magic to pull a brazier filled with several irons. “You can have your choice.” Mapper looked at the irons and pulled one that didn’t seem historically important to her. Luna’s voice grew high and cold, “Good choice, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper, aware of the change in her friend’s aspect, carefully moved a little closer to Luna and lowered her voice, “I’d like to modify this to my cutie mark, and I will make every effort to restore when finished. May I?” The alicorn’s callous laugher sent chills down even her spine.

“You may do as you wish,” Luna stated, “and there is no need to restore it.”

“And have the Queen of the Libraries find out?” Mapper stated, “I think not.” She easily twisted the metal to the shape of her own mark. She lowered her voice further, “Can you make the heat an illusion, but the pain real?”

Luna’s voice changed ever more in pitch and, as long fangs extended from her upper jaw, it was obvious she was losing herself just as Serenity had. “I can ignite any pain receptors you wish. I can make her believe her blood is boiling if you desire.” Her grin revealed the full extent of her fangs.

Mapper painted the iron a bright pink, “Than please do so with this iron.”

Luna shrugged her shoulders, “As you wish.” Her horn glowed briefly, “It is done.”

Without hesitation, and because she didn’t trust the alicorn that now stood beside her, Mapper pressed the iron against her own cutie mark. She staggered under the immense pain, but she didn’t cry out, nor did she drop the iron. A glance showed Mapper her cutie mare was now bright pink.

Luna’s voice purred, “It feels wonderful, doesn’t it? Most ponies scream when I brand them.” Mapper inspected the mark for burned flesh or just pink paint. Luna laughed a dark laugh, “You took that so well. Are you sure you don’t want real fire?”

Mapper stepped forward and nuzzled Luna, “Watch and know true love.” With unsteady steps Mapper moved back to where Serenity hung. “Who is your owner?”

Serenity responded in a dreamy voice, “Mistress Mapper is my owner.”

Mapper moved the iron where Serenity could see it, “Then know your owner.” Serenity’s eyes were filled with love and her smile widened. Mapper moved the iron to the unicorn’s right flank and pressed it for a full ten seconds.

Serenity screamed, “I love you!”

Mapper moved over to her wife’s left flank and pressed the iron again for ten seconds. Serenity’s mouth was open, but there was no air left in her lungs to make any noise as the unicorn passed out. Mapper inspected Serenity’s flank to verify the flesh wasn’t burned, and turned back to Luna. Mapper saw the Princess as she sat with a forehoof pressed between her hind legs. With unsteady steps she moved near and nuzzled the alicorn.

Luna panted. Her eyes again looked normal and the fangs were once more gone. She was whole, and she was Luna, still. Just like she had every second of every minute of every hour of every day, she had passed. She had quelled the darkness inside. “Forgive me, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper just smiled and turned back to her wife. She lifted Serenity off the pyramid and undid the manacles. She then laid her wife in the blood that had pooled beneath her. “All ponies are bad ponies,” Mapper stated without turning back to Luna. “We all have our dark side, but who rules us is a choice we all must make.” Mapper moved forward and stroked Serenity’s mane. “I don’t want any injuries that may harm her having a foal, but the rest can stay.”

“I’m afraid you came very close to meeting my dark side,” Luna stated as she assessed Serenity’s injuries and then magically healed the internal ones.

“I wasn’t afraid of that, but I didn’t trust you either. That is why I branded myself first.” She looked back at Luna, “I wanted to both see if you did what I asked and to experience what she would experience.” Mapper nuzzled Luna, “I don’t fear your dark side, and there are many that would welcome it returned.” She kissed Luna. “Princess Luna can and will keep control for as long as she wishes to.”

Luna nodded, “It is good that you don’t trust me. To be honest I very nearly didn’t keep control.” She returned the kiss, “I had to remember you are my friends and not my enemies.”

Mapper smiled, “If you had lost control, it really wouldn’t matter how much I did to stop you, then I don’t fear death.” She raised a hoof and pulled a suitably heroic pose, “It would have been epic though! A battle-hardened mage and an even stronger untested mage versus a Goddess!”

Luna kissed the unicorn, “I really am glad it didn’t come to that, Mapper. Thank you for reminding me who I am.”

Mapper kissed her back, “The real truth of the matter, Luna, is that if I did win I would have to face Octavia’s wrath. Better to have died losing.”

Luna laughed a genuine laugh, “This much is true.”

Mapper moved over to the pyramid and licked the point. “The body can produce so many interesting flavors.” She turned to her wife. “I lost count how many times she orgasmed on this thing.” Mapper sighed, and she stroked Serenity’s burgundy mane. “When I lost control, this pony nearly died. That Mapper is still alive and well, but this Mapper is the Mistress, and not she.”

“We are very much alike, Mapper,” Luna said, stating the rather obvious. Perhaps that was why they were such good friends.

Mapper snorted, “I might just be a little bit easier to kill than you.”

“Like I said,” stated Luna, “I’m glad we didn’t have to find that out.”

Mapper picked up the iron and restored it to the original mark, a look of distaste on her pink face “I’d rather not have my cutie mark in this place.” She put it back in the brazier, “Do you have water to clean up with?”

“Of course,” Luna answered. She filled a barrel with water and levitated to a spot just outside the pool of blood.

Mapper inspected Serenity to see if she had awakened yet. “Hmm, this won’t do at all. That scourge was far too effective. Please have a look at this.”

Luna trots over to Serenity, “What do you need, Mapper?”

Mapper parted the fur on an undamaged spot on Serenity’s flank. “That is the sort of scaring she should have. That was from a bullwhip.” She moved her hoof to a spot the scourge had hit, “This took too much flesh and fur, and it will not be at all hidden by her pelt. If you could do some healing to leave her a clean scar, please.”

“Of course, Mapper. I’ve gotten quite good at healing since last Friday. Please lift her so I can get to both sides.” Once Mapper lifted Serenity in her magic, Luna went to work on the new damage, skillfully knitting flesh and restoring fur till only clean scars remained.

“Thank you,” Mapper said, once more admiring the display of magic on show. “I don’t want her to lose her scars, but she must still preform. I don’t know how much Ms. Winter would care about the smell of blood.” Mapper set Serenity back down in her own blood and the unicorn began to stir.

“It’s not a problem, Mapper,” responded Luna, “and…Winter, where have I heard that name?”

“Friends of Wildfire,” replied Mapper. “She saved them from a burning building.” She nudged Serenity.

“I love you Mistress,” came Serenity’s soft melodic voice.

Mapper asked, “Who is your owner?”

“You are my owner, Mistress,” Serenity replied.

“Who are your Mistresses?” Mapper asked.

Quickly, Serenity responded, “Mistress Mapper, Mistress Thespian, Mistress Snowfall, and Mistress Luna are my mistresses.”

“Clean up,” ordered Mapper, satisfied that her wife was back with her.

Luna watched Serenity stand up and, without any aid, begin to power wash the floor and pyramid with her sonic magic. Mapper moved to stand next to her and watched. “I remember now, Mapper.” She looked at her companion, “Just between us Mapper, did you really test Wildfire on that flight?”

“Did I test her, yes,” Mapper said, “But the better question is what part of the flight was the test.”

“Color me curious,” continued Luna, “You just seemed a trifle harsh with her after your return.”

Mapper called out to her wife, “Senior Pet, do you owe your life to anyone?”

“I owe my life to you, Mistress,” Serenity said immediately, without pause from her cleaning.

“Why?” asked Mapper.

“You are my life,” responded Serenity, “and without you I am dead.”

“Explain it to Mistress Luna,” ordered Mapper.

Serenity paused in her cleaning to look at Luna, “I love Mistress Mapper and all that I am is hers to do with as she pleases.”

Mapper watched Luna take that in before she spoke, “Wildfire thinks I saved her life, but that isn’t true. I allowed her to keep her life, but she doesn’t understand that yet.”

Luna nodded, “I get it. There’s a real difference between what she perceives and what is reality.” She smiled, “I’m guessing her landing was the test of her limits, and she passed?”

Mapper smiled, “Yes, after she pulled out of the dive I told her it was five thousand feet up to the castle. She asked to land and I directed her to the tram station. I would have let her try to reach the top.” She shrugged, “I’m not really sure what I would have done when she failed that.”

“You sound certain she’d fail.” Luna asked, “Could she have made the climb?”

Mapper snorted, “She barely made the quarter mile to land, and that was mostly gliding.”

Serenity finished the cleaning of floor, equipment, and her own hooves. She then pushed the dirty water to a drain. Mapper looked around as she spoke, “So am I. My teleport skill is really that bad.” Serenity fur was caked with blood, “Senior Pet, prance around. I want to see if you’re still dripping.” It was more of a hobble than a prance. Still Serenity stamped her hooves as she circled, and left no hoof prints or blood splotches.

Luna continued, “Still it shows progress. I have to believe she wouldn’t have landed last week.”

Mapper circled Serenity as she stood still, “That is the benefit of pain. It lets you know your limits. The pain is gone, but the wings are still weak. She needs to learn new limits and how to reset them.” She turned to Luna, “Is there any problem with Senior Pet walking the halls like this? I need to get her cleaned up.”

“None at all, Mapper,” Luna said. “If you are done with the tour we can get Serenity cleaned.”

“Thank you, Mistress Luna,” said Serenity, “for letting us play in here, and for the music.”

“It was my pleasure, Serenity,” said Luna, “I’ll just need a moment to lock the doors and reset the security.” Once back in the stairwell Luna went through the same motions as she used to open the door. Only her pass phrase was ‘Rest easy, Sky Dive’. When they were back in the museum she locked the last door, and raised the wall.

Mapper spoke up, “If the dark side needs appeasement, just ask, I’m sure my pet would love to play and I can watch next time.”

In spite of herself, Luna’s eyes flashed green, “Really? I’d like that, if you’re both willing.”

“Yes, Mistress Luna!” Serenity responded.

Mapper giggled at her pet’s quick reply. “Remember when I said I didn’t trust you? You’ve shown trust, and I’m willing to return trust. I will be watching so you don’t forget the love part.”

“Your supervision will be necessary if and when we return here.” Luna laid her hoof on the bare wall, “You two are the first to walk back out of here.”

Serenity said, “Thank you, Mistress Luna.”

“You know,” added Mapper, “it doesn’t have to be here. I really don’t know what I’m getting into, but I believe it is better us, than you, and far better us than your wife.” After the briefest of pauses, “If I may ask?”

Luna removed her hoof from the wall and turned, “You may ask.”

Mapper didn’t lower her gaze, “Has your wife seen this side of you?”

Luna responded quietly, “She knows.”

Mapper nodded, “There should be no secrets between wives. Why did I marry you, Pet?”

Serenity answered, “So that we can be one mind, body, and soul.”

“Octavia and I have no secrets,” said Luna.

Mapper laughed lightly, “What I said about secrets was a lie. We all have secrets, don’t we, Pet?”

“I forgive you Mistress,” Serenity responded.

Mapper smiled, “Thank you for your trust in me, Luna. Both of us will treasure what happened in there, but in there it will stay.”

Luna breathed a sigh of relief, “I understand, and you will forget this room exists, won’t you?”

Mapper tilted her head, “I thought this room was open to the public.” She looked around the museum, “But I can forget it if you want.”

Luna’s smile came back, “Thank you, Mapper,” She gave the unicorn a light kiss, and turned to Serenity, “Would you like me to teleport you to a bathroom?”

“If it pleases the Mistress,” Serenity answered.

Mapper chuckled as she looked at her wife, caked with blood from neck to fetlocks, “It would be interesting to see how the guards react, but of course there may be some tourists about.”

“Brace yourselves,” Luna said, “We will see if your stomachs are better than Airmail’s.” Luna’s horn lit and the three of them appeared in Luna’s suite. “Bathroom through there.”

Mapper laughed, “Thank you for the teleport. I’m very short range and line of sight, but I’m still a unicorn. Pet is far better, yet not skilled at it.”

As Serenity took her leave and moved to the bathroom, Luna trotted over to her vanity and took out a small box. She turned to Mapper, “I’d like you to have this.”

Mapper blushed, “We’re both already married.”

Luna was flustered, “What? No! I mean, yes we are, but that is not what this is for.”

Mapper giggled and took the box. When she opened it she could only stare, stare in wonder and amazement at the gold and platinum ring inside. “Who made this? It’s off my ability to even read.”

Luna giggled, “Your Princess of Libraries made it. It’s a level twenty.”

“What?” asked Mapper, in awe and respect of the innocuous, innocent looking enchanted device. The power emanating from it was tangible. “Does Celestia get a little too frisky for her?”

“Sometimes,” Luna smiled. “Octavia has used it on me a few times.”

“I only carry around level nines, because there is no unicorn outside the Celestia borough in Manehatten that can make a ten.” Mapper’s voice turned deadly serious, “Now this is trust. What would you have done if Caffy had an artifact like this in his playroom?”

“I would have submitted to him using it,” answered Luna. “The one he did use I could have broken if I wished.”

Mapper laughed, “We all knew that. The only unicorn there that couldn’t break it would have been Omega.”

Luna smiled, “I knew I was safe and in good hooves. I saw his dream, and I gave him his dream.” She giggled, “It also scratched my little itch, too.”

“Luna,” Mapper asked, “why would I need this?”

Luna moved onto her bed and reclined, “Because I trust you Mapper, you are more than a friend to me. You speak of repeating what happened down there. You saw how close I was. You’ll need this to control me. Believe me when I say you are now among the six ponies living that know of that room.” Luna smiled, “I’d like to have my itch scratched too, while you’re here.”

Mapper set the ring next to Luna on the bed and the box back on the vanity. “I need to wash my pet. I won’t be long. We can talk about this after that.” She kissed the Princess, “Pain is real, happiness is false. Love is true power and hate withers before it.” Mapper followed Serenity into the bathroom.

Luna’s curiosity overcame her and she cast a spell to make the wall to the bathroom transparent in one direction and allowed the sound to carry out. She watched Mapper gently and tenderly hoof wash Serenity to remove the caked blood and inspect the wounds. She complemented Serenity how well her pet did under pain, and asked about the flavors of the iron pony, pyramid, and scourge. Once finished, Mapper brushed Serenity’s pelt, mane and tail which hid any evidence of her scars. Luna let the spell fade as they moved to exit the bathroom.

Mapper climbed onto the bed with the ring between her and Luna. Serenity still had a bit of a limp as she climbed onto the bed to lay on Luna’s other side. “It really comes down to trust, Luna,” Mapper led off. “I can’t take this, but you can bring it with you anywhere, true?”

Luna nodded, “True.”

“I could forget it, and then where would we be?” explained Mapper. “First though, for trust, you must have truth. I do not want to use that. I have control and I don’t need it. Pet knows she doesn’t yet have control and needs it.”

Mapper toyed with the ring, “You showed real control today. I saw a happiness in freedom, yet you were still in control.” Mapper moved the ring to the box on the vanity. “It was control on the edge, but still control. Luna, what did you think when I said I’ll show you true love?”

Luna watched the ring move off to the box and pursed her lips, “I thought you’d show me exactly why you and Serenity love each other, and you did.”

“Did it move your dark side though?” Mapper asked.

“No, that aspect of me does not or cannot know love,” stated Luna. “However, seeing such love allowed me to remain in control.”

“It is sad for any pony to not know love,” commented Serenity.

Mapper stroked Luna’s cheek, “I can say I love you, but it isn’t the love your wife holds for you, or the love I hold for my herd. Maybe it is close to the love your sister has for you. You cannot control love, for it must run free. I trust you. I do not fear you. I think the one thing you are concerned about is I don’t fear letting you go either.”

“And that is why you need that,” Luna said as she pointed to the ring in the box.

“That shows a lack of trust,” stated Mapper. “If you want me to use that, then you really don’t want to play with us.”

“I don’t want to use it,” explained Luna, “more I want you to know it’s there should you need it. I’m in control of myself.”

“If you trust me to keep you in control, then you won’t need that,” said Mapper. “It is still fine to have it nearby.”

Serenity nuzzled Luna’s ear, “Smart ponies think like Princesses.”

Luna laughed and turned to kiss Serenity. She closed the box and kissed Mapper, “I trust you to control me, Mistress Mapper.”

Mapper kissed back, “I’ll trust your healing skills if we accidently char some flesh.”

“Mistress?” inquired Serenity.

Mapper looked at her wife who was in turn looked at her own cutie mark. “Yes, Pet?”

“I’m sorry you had to wash off your brand,” Serenity explained.

Mapper reached over Luna and poked Serenity’s cutie mark. She watched her wife flinch and a look of joy spread across her face. “Still there, just invisible.”

Luna smiled, “That was a lovely moment to watch.”

Mapper giggled, “Which branding? My ass is sore as, well, I don’t think I can say how sore it is.”

Luna giggled, “Both.”

Serenity crawled up on top of Luna to look at Mapper’s pink cutie mark. “I’m sorry Mistress.”

“Forgiven,” said Mapper, “and I’m happy you’re not angry that I got to try it first.”

Serenity giggled, “May I ask Mistress Luna a question?”

“You may,” answered Mapper.

Serenity asked, “Mistress Luna, did your sister enjoy the video game?”

Luna laughed, “Yes she did, and very much so. So much I was afraid she might eat it.”

Serenity smiled, “Mistress Luna, did your pet enjoy the pink paddle?”

Luna nodded, “She enjoyed its touch. It stings worse than a regular one.”

Mapper laughed, “Not nearly as much as those pink socks, I’m sure!”

Serenity giggled, “Mistress, may I walk around, please?” Mapper nodded. “Mistress, could you help me stand please?”

Mapper got off the bed and moved to the other side to help her wife off the bed. While Serenity stood unsteadily for a few moments, Mapper asked, “Is there anywhere she can’t go?”

“Not really,” replied Luna. “The few restricted locations will have guards.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” said Serenity as she turned to the pony on the bed, “Thank you, Mistress Luna.” Serenity moved off like a pony five times her age, with a smile of a pony one fifth her age.

Mapper watched her leave the suite, and then climbed back onto the bed where she was. “I hope I didn’t insult you when I said most of those toys were useless.”

“Not at all,” said Luna. “You were quite correct when you said most of them kill. That is what they were intended for.”

“I’m still part of the ‘I’ve never killed a pony’ club,” Mapper said. “Came close, but that doesn’t count. I’ve always looked at death as the cheap escape. I won’t go out of my way to avoid it, but I’m not looking for it either.” Mapper giggled, “Serenity really did like the iron pony though.”

“You and Serenity are two very unique ponies, Mapper.” Luna shook her head, “You have seen that room, and here you are talking to me now.”

Mapper gave it a bit of thought, “I wonder what it would have been like back then. Did you have henchponies? I could be a good henchpony. I have a strong sadistic streak that runs through me. Airmail helped me harness that.”

Luna snorted at the thought of ‘henchponies’, “I do have a network of operatives that work for me as and when required. They bring certain ponies to my attention.”

Mapper giggled, “Not my cup of coffee, but you should get the likes of Kupambana or Coffee Bean to recruit some zebras for you. Caffy says they are invisible to most of pony society.”

Luna nodded, “You know, I’ll take that advice.”

Mapper leaned against Luna, “My ass really does hurt.”

Luna giggled, “Would you like me to do something about that?”

Mapper gave the alicorn her biggest, most soulful eyes, “Will you kiss my booboo and make it all better?”

Luna laughed at the look Mapper gave her, “I will if you use the contents of my toy box on me.”

“I can only imagine my toy box and ask, do you have a time limit?” said Mapper.

“How long can you stay?” inquired Luna by way of reply.

“We have a seven O’clock appointment at the Season’s house as a favour to a herd member. Serenity will be preforming,” said Mapper. “I think we would have to leave here by five thirty to prepare for that event.”

“My schedule is clear until night court,” said Luna. She shuffled around on the bed and cast a healing spell over Mappers cutie mark and gave it a light kiss. “I’d like some cuddle time before you go.”

Mapper wiggled her ass and rolled to her back with her legs in the air. “Thank you for the healing spell, but I got what I really wanted.” She broke out in laughter, “For you to kiss my ass.”

“Both were my pleasure,” stated Luna. “I do hope that one of them did the trick.”

Mapper rolled off the bed and pranced around a bit, “It does feel a lot better.” She stopped by the bed, “I was going to ask if you wanted an audience, that is, do I get an assistant, not that I need one of course.”

“Then I could summon Tavi here, if you wish,” said Luna.

“That would be the pony I’m thinking of.” Mapper said with a nod.