In the interior Canterlot gardens, accessible only by one of two ways: walking through the gates that surrounded the mountainside palace or through the castle itself, a trio of friends navigated the grand space in preparation for a private bachelorette party that would take place here in a matter of days. The foliage was vibrant and the greenery lush and full of life. The eclectic wildlife that roamed the grounds mostly chose to remain out of sight when not feeding. Only the most select ponies were allowed to tour the area at any time, in order to preserve the pristine peace.

While Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Spike were all old acquaintances from Ponyville, Starla Shine couldn't really consider herself a part of their group. So she didn't, and simply followed closely as an attendant was expected to. The two unicorns and lone dragon constantly talked about particular instances that took place when they lived together long ago, which was hard for her to follow. Of course, the fact that Rarity kept sending her a stink eye whenever she drifted too close to Spike played a somewhat larger role for feeling alienated, and so Starla took to walking alongside the unicorn named Twilight Sparkle whenever she wasn't pushed to the rear of the group.

The others would laugh every so often, then Twilight would remark on a feature of the garden that she thought would look to be something to highlight for the upcoming festivities. There would be a statue, or an interestingly designed hedge, or a bed of brightly colored flowers along the well maintained path of colored dirt that snaked its way through the gardens.

In all of her time in Canterlot, Starla never would have imagined being able to go into the palace, much less take a tour of the gardens as they were doing right now. She had heard from a few of her former classmates from Rarity's fashion school that grew up in Ponyville, of how they often took a class trip to see the labyrinth and the number of statues that adorned the outer palace gardens, which she now had the privilege to see with her own eyes. In particular was the absurdly jovial display of Discord, the amalgam of creatures and avatar of chaos and disharmony that the Elements of Harmony had defeated once upon a time. Twilight Sparkle had proven to be an inspirational pony, given that she was not only the Element of Magic but Princess Celestia's protégé. To think that Rarity was also an Element was a bit more of a stretch, not to mention a bit difficult to stomach.

"Oh, and over here is where we can place the table for gifts. Both the serious and joking variety. Though I figure they'll have to be segregated so they don't get mixed up. So, what do you think?" Twilight stopped the tour for a moment and turned to the married couple with a wide smile on her face.

"It's really beautiful, Twilight." Spike said with a thoughtful head nod. His green eyes took in the scenery around them and the corners of his mouth turned upward in an appreciative grin. "What do you say, dear?"

Unlike Spike, Rarity was having a difficult time being attentive, especially for the last few minutes of the tour. The unicorn jerked in surprise from feeling the dragon's elbow nudge her withers and she nearly tripped over herself to look back at her patiently quiet friend. "Hmmm? Wha?" Rarity gasped and gulped seemingly at the same time, brushing back her mane despite it being pulled back in a tight purple bun. Her blue eyes shot back and forth between Twilight and her husband, the both of them looking a tad amused and nearly scandalized, respectively. "V-very good. I'm very impressed, Twilight. This really can't be your first time planning this sort of party, can it?"

Twilight smiled at her friend's compliment and began walking down the path to lead the group tour once more, looking over her shoulder as the others followed. "It is my first bachelorette party, though when she gets in, Pinkie Pie will really be helping me out with what needs to be done. But this isn't my first time planning a large gathering."

"Right, that science fair you had." Rarity said, citing something her friend mentioned in one of their regular letters.

"Not a science fair, Rarity." Twilight chuckled. "A science colloquy.

"Yes, that." Rarity casually replied and cleared her throat. Her ear twitched for a moment but Twilight failed to notice nor understand the significance of that signal, looking forward once more. Spike and Starla on the other hand, exchanged a quick glance before Twilight explained that the upcoming clearing a few feet away from the garden maze would be a perfect area for the colts and fillies to play their games during the reception.

"After the path curves, I'll show you where I was thinking the vow renewal ceremony can be held!" Twilight's excited voice echoed and dimmed compared to Rarity's foggy thoughts. The dressmaker felt feverish and wondered with tense excitement if her dearest could smell her arousal as her tail swayed left and right. Going two days without getting off was manageable, but becoming increasingly maddening. It was one thing to stay abstinent from Spike's delectable, completely fulfilling cock for a short while. It was another thing entirely to restrain from even using the compliment of toys she had back at the house (or any mundane object that could be made into a toy), much less touching herself with her hoof to find release. It was a completely new sort of experience for one so used to regularly shuddering in orgasm multiple times a day.

Of course, it had been days since she had any sex. Quite an astounding feat, really. Abandonment play was all very well and good but Rarity was aghast that not even masturbation was doing it for her now. Spike had since thrown away his pillow, not at all appreciating the soaking it received the last few nights since he started acting strangely.

Her thighs pressed against one another and she shifted ever so slightly from side to side. She was so close to finding where he hid his new pillow the other day. Oh, the fun sorts of games that a married couple would go into, to keep things exciting! Her thoughts turned to her husband's voracious "appetite" and the signs of his patience beginning to wear thin, just like hers. For example, he was beginning to eye her hungrily again. Nonetheless he had proven to be extremely strong-willed (Rarity would think no less of her sweetest husband) but even he wouldn't be able to hold his instincts back for long. She knew that the brat following behind her simply wasn't enough of a mare to please her dragon, despite the masturbatory fuel their screams and moans from a few nights ago still provided. 'Soon', Rarity thought to herself in her pleasure-clouded thoughts and chuckled, 'I'll have him right in my hooves...'

The anticipation was simply delicious. Licking her lips slowly, she reveled at the thought that their make-up sex was sure to be astounding. As Twilight continued to speak animatedly to Spike ahead of her, Rarity stopped and sniffed the air and found the path she needed to go on. She saw from the corner of her eye Spike's little cum dump hurry over to him and whisper that she was heading away. Good.

Rarity smiled at the dutiful maid's behavior and headed for the labyrinth.

Glancing to his right, Spike watched as Rarity veered away from the others and toward the tall green hedgerows. "Rarity..." He hissed, hoping not to call Twilight's attention. "Rarity, get back here." Spike clicked his tongue in irritation from being ignored and looked over to Starla. "Stay with Twilight. Ask her questions to distract her, or something." Without waiting for the young unicorn to reply he walked after the white pony as calmly as he could, as to not attract attention from the palace workers tending to other parts of the garden.

He stepped into the tall hedge walls of the labyrinth, every time trailing shortly behind the mischievous unicorn just as she disappeared behind a corner, the swaying purple locks of her tail reeling Spike forward more and more to the center of the maze. The dragon's feet swooshed through the grass floor as he walked quickly to catch up with the more casual gait of the pony. A left, then a right, then several more lefts; each turn made his surroundings turn quiet as Rarity deftly navigated away from every dead end and somehow managed to stay ahead despite his hurried pace.

Finally, after minutes of chasing, Spike found her waiting for him in the very center of the maze, her expectant blue eyes and alluring smile doing little to hide some agenda. Spike pressed forward with half a mind to grab the pony and drag her out by force if he didn't already realize she'd probably like that sort of "assertive" behavior. Assured that he had fully taken her bait, Rarity then turned away from him and began searching out the various types of flowers present in the center of the maze, with dainty steps through the colorful beds off of the dirt path that circled around where two benches were set up.

"Aha! I found it...Gerbera!" Like a school filly she turned with wide-eyed excitement to him, her beautiful tail wagging to and fro with anticipation. "Do you remember, Spike?" She asked in a low, husky manner, repeating the question before continuing on with her thought. "Do you remember? When we were still courting in Ponyville?" Spike scoffed at that word but she failed to notice. "The effect of their aroma?" As she slowly and seductively licked her lips, Spike began to hear a soft buzzing sound reach his ears. His ear fins twitched at the strange noise, which was somehow familiar.

It was like a long roll of fabric was being torn, or the tiny flapping of wings, like that of an insect's... "Oh, fuck." He muttered under his breath, making Rarity twitch in turn. He looked over to the pony, seeing her squirm and show off a dumbly satisfied smile. The lower half of her body arced down against the flower bed, as though she was scratching an itch that made her face redden and flush almost feverishly.

Her gaze was slowly losing its focus, vacillating between a predatory stare and lewd intoxication. "Right here, love?" Her voice quivered breathlessly, trembling with pleasured distraction that sent a chill of anxiety down Spike's spine. "Ohhhh...yes...I want you to take me!" She said, turning around to face away from him, dropping fully to the ground and raising her tail, looking over her shoulder to watch him with expectation. "Rut me like y-mmmmf!"

Quickly Spike lunged forward and clasped his hand around her muzzle to quiet her lewd moaning as best he could. With his other hand he pressed her to the ground, palm just above her tail, prompting her to lift herself at an angle, almost catlike in a way, in eager anticipation to present herself. Her moaning, while muffled under his hand, was the least distracting thing as he felt her wide tongue stroke languidly against his palm, making circular then jabbing motions with the muscle. Paying this no mind, in a deft motion his clawed finger dipped into her, penetrating past her aroused labia with ease. The suddenness and forcefulness apparently caused her rapturous pleasure, as he felt her shake in orgasm right away while he reached deep within and prodded about with his index and middle claws to pull out the vibrating capsule. However he quickly realized that it wasn't in the sopping wet interiors of her vagina.

"Oh for the love of..." Spike clicked his tongue and muttered to himself. No matter. Expertly taking his digits out of her while keeping the pony pinned to the ground, the dragon figured that the complete drenching of his hands was a mixed blessing and immediately penetrated her puckered ass with just his clawed index finger, this time.

"YES!" She hollered with her mouth still covered, "Mmmmmm, Spike! Put it in my ass! Pump me HARDER!" To his consternation, Rarity squirmed and buckled in pleasure from his renewed prodding, and coiled her purple tail around his arm to pull him deeper than he was ready to. Although in terms of pure strength Spike was easily able to resist, but in terms of retaining a delicate touch with his clawed finger being knuckle deep within her bowels, he was at a disadvantage as a result of her frantic movement. Knowing her, Rarity would have gone out of her way to use a thinly (thus fragile) walled pill in order to feel the maximum effects of the Bee Fly's buzzing as it sensed the Gerbera's pollen. His thoughts took a dark turn for a moment as he wondered how in the wide wide world of Equestria could the inspect smell the pollen from within such confines, but he quickly shook his head and reasserted his focus. He wasn't that monster anymore.

He was Spike.

Adjusting the angle of his wrist, the dragon dared to reach deeper within, ignoring the constant milking spasms of her muscles to evict the intruders within its confines. That was when he felt it. The point of his claw just barely brushed against some foreign object within the otherwise juicy warm walls of her rectum. Just before he was able to grasp the capsule, however,Twilight's voice echoed, "Spike? Rarity? Where are you?" It sounded very close.

"Tsk..." Spike clicked his tongue a second time. Much to Rarity's disappointment he pulled his finger out and stood up, then causing her to gasp he picked up the pony and held her in a princess carry while keeping his hand tight over her mouth as she continued to mumble out exceedingly lewd things and he just started to run. Bounding quickly with the help of his powerful legs he made it back into the winding grassy hedge walls in a couple of steps and rushed by Twilight without so much as to stop to hear in yelp in surprise. With ease he retraced his steps and emerged from the maze and hurried into the castle proper by pulling open the door with his foot grasping the handle and disappearing inside.

With not a pony in sight, Spike zoomed down the hallway and to the first large door that caught his attention. While not a solid memory, his instincts played in large part to help him remember that this was one of many guest bedrooms in the castle. One that was far away enough from the more populated portions of the castle, in any case. Charging ahead, Spike juggled the pony in his arms to open the door and slip into the room and look the door behind him.

With one fell swoop, Spike placed the pony in his arms onto a soft oval rug placed upon the hard marble floor then dipped his finger into Rarity's ass a second time, quickly finding the now-dormant capsule and dug it out. While Rarity spasmed in delight from the swift movements, the dragon crushed the capsule between his index finger and thumb and flicked the remains away, before moving his hand to support the pony's underside once more. Her heavy panting soon became measured and calmer, and upon realizing what had happened, Rarity let out a long a disappointed whine. "Why were you in such a hurry my lo-" Her thoughts halted when she realized the change in scenery. Looking around, she recognized the marble castle interiors and jumped to her hooves, almost hopping about in giddy excitement. "Oh, Spike! Don't tell me...are you going to ravish me right here? In the palace?"

His voice was low. "Rarity."

"You'll...you'll fuck me hard and rough until I'm screaming..."

Spike pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rarity."

"...and the echoes of my slutty moans will let everyone know just how much in love we are!"

"Rarity."

She was taken aback by his reaction. The softness of his chastising voice was deafening in her ears. The pain in his tone clenched at Rarity's chest and her first impulse was to await a heavy backhand against her cheek. She could feel a trail of wetness stream down her hind leg at the thought.

With steadily eroding patience she waited for that delicious sting to knock her to the ground and she smiled, waiting...waiting...waiting...

"I remember." He breathed out, finally.

Rarity blinked, hardly expecting her husband to say this of all things. She made her best attempt to smile while showing a puzzled look to his serious one. "...remember what, dear?"

Spike gulped, wanting no more than to shout at the pony before him to "Cut the crap!" but he restrained himself. Visibly so, by gritting his teeth and giving her a more intense stare than he intended. She flinched against her wanting to, finding the look on the dragon's face disconcerting rather than simmering. The sort of fierceness that didn't look at all playful.

"I remember everything that I've done to you." He said. Feeling his throat dry within moments of saying this he gulped again. Spike did not immediately follow this up with something else. Rather, he brought his hand up to caress Rarity's cheek in a comforting manner then allowed his grasp to weaken so his clawed fingers brushed against the Fire Ruby the unicorn always wore. "...and all the things you've done to me..."

She involuntarily shrieked and jumped back immediately, wide-eyed and raised her forehooves in a defensive manner to protect the necklace. "What are you doing?!"

Almost a minute passed and the tense silence had risen as though it were a thick fog that obstructed each other's view. Ever subtly Rarity's eyes flickered between her Fire Ruby and Spike, trying to discern if it were marked or scratched while ever paranoid that the dragon would suddenly attack her. Her feelings had never been more mixed about that prospect. She pawed at the Fire Ruby with the inner soft groove of her hoof to find any imperfections in the gem's cuts.

As Rarity grew more and more preoccupied with the Fire Ruby Spike sighed tiredly. "You're shaking."

Her eyes shot back up to keep him in focus. A frizzled strand of her mane fell loose to dangle in front of her eyes, as well. "Y-you're acting strangely!" Rarity's voice quivered back. She watched as her husband's face changed from its fierce stare to that of concern then to a stern glare. So many emotions...so unlike how he used to be. "It's...it's not right......" Rarity said nervously, "What happened, Spike? What corrupted you, so?"

He nearly jumped at her, nearly let his dark thoughts return to take control of his actions. "You're the one that's not..." He reeled back when he realized...and slowly shook his head at the sight of the fearful look in her eyes and her demeanor and took a steady step forward. "...supposed to be like this..." Falling to her haunches, Rarity protectively clasped the gem necklace tighter and scrambled back until she bumped against the bed. Spike let out a trembling exhale from seeing the panic-stricken mare, covering his mouth with his hand. With a single breath he steeled himself, lowered his hands to his sides and moved forward again, taking to one knee so they were eye to eye with one another and so he could bring his hand to cup Rarity's face again. "I know you're in there..."

"She's...she's finally turned you against me, hasn't she?" Rarity quivered and gulped. Rarity knew how fruitless it would be to try anything against him. Had experience in how powerful a being he was when there was something he wanted. And now she had lost that...usurped by a pretending harlot who somehow brainwashed her love. "I knew I should have done to her what I did to Glam when I had the chance!"

Her horn came aglow but Spike did not act against it. Instead he continued caressing Rarity's trembling form, looking straight into her eyes without ever turning away. "I know the pony I love...is somewhere in there..." It sounded familiar. Why did those words sound so familiar? "You just need to wake up, Rarity." He repeated some long forgotten mantra, letting his worried concern and iron declaration intermingle freely, strangely comforting her from hearing his voice.

With his other hand, Spike combed back her locks of purple mane once, then twice before brushing his thumb along the ridge of her brow in a gentle, repeating caress. Her tense expression softened at his touch. Her limbs slackened, and her head nuzzled more into his hands. The magic that was being focused in her horn dimmed, slowly fading away in brightness, dimming until at last the spell at its tip dissipated like glitter in the wind.

There was a tenderness in his touches. A sincere caring that was making her lips tremble at the thought that, the gentle ministrations she had taught him to do after all these years simply didn't compare. He was being so gentle, not at all consistent or regimented. Each touch was unique. Her heart was aflutter at the feel of his palm, the grooves of his digits, the points of his claws, simply being in contact with her. No need to firmly press against her muscles a set number of times, or to massage in any particular manner. It felt so good, to see the warmth in his eyes as opposed to a stoic stare. But then why did it also hurt? Like needles striking her chest whenever her glance happened upon the saddened curvature of his lips.

A tear, blackened by her mascara, ran down her pure white cheek. With his thumb Spike caught it and wiped it away. Leaning close he kissed that cheek, making her softly coo in delight. She felt warm all throughout her body. But why, even as he pulled away from that sentimental gesture, did he remain somber? She pouted, seeing the look on his face.

"I...I don't understand, darling...why are you sad?" Rarity's voice cracked suddenly and more tears began to stream down, black beads of her makeup crawling down along the soft white hairs of her face. "You're...you're acting strange...Spike...is it something I did...?"

Was this it? Not even kept as his mistress, was he going to completely leave her for her of all ponies?

Remaining quiet, the towering dragon was now on both knees, bowing down with his back hunched so his forehead touched against hers, resting alongside her horn.

It hurt.

She thought thought she would be maddened by this prospect...the idea of her Spike leaving her. But instead...she was overcome with melancholy.

Why did her chest pains grow the more he touched her, the more he treated her like a delicate glass figurine? And then she heard it. Felt it.

A sob. A hushed gasp for breath. Droplets of warm wetness falling onto her from above. Was he...?

"Spike?" Rarity asked, glancing up to see his eyes clenched tight. "Oh no...there is something wrong..." She shook, unable to comprehend why Spike would cry. Her Spike, who had killed a countless number of villains who dared lay their paws on her.

Spike, terrified and unable to escape...

...unable to scream for help...

...unable to speak out of turn...

...who lost all that made him him, for the sake of being turned into the perfect lover and the partner suited for her darkened tastes; a mindless drone.

What had she done? When had she...?

Feeling his tears continue to fall upon her, Rarity began to shake even more, dropping her forehooves fully to her sides. Looking downwards she saw her Fire Ruby, covered in the black drops of her tears. The symbol of their love darkened and no longer the bright shimmering red that had first kindled her feelings for Spike. In the same way her own mind and soul and heart were devoured by the darkness that she so wanted to say she reveled in; survived and adapted to. But that was a lie. She had never felt so alone. Desperate for that cold blanket wrapped around her, suffocating her, to be ripped asunder. For warm light to reflect on that wonderful gem that she had received from Spike on his birthday once again.

"...there's something wrong..." A single clear teardrop fell onto the middle of that blackened heart, revealing the ruby itself. A single red dot amidst a muddy black canvass. Then another. And another. Slowly, she watched with watery eyes as her necklace regained its beautiful luster as her mascara-stained tears were washed away by his clear ones. "...with me..." Realizing this, Rarity clenched her eyes shut and leaned entirely onto him, confused and conflicted as to why this felt so right. This sort of closeness. As well as the feeling of release from a weight that had been on her chest for years. "I'm...sorry..." She whispered, and closed her eyes. "I'm so, so...sor-..." Before she could continue, Spike wrapped his arms around her, holding her tighter against him.

Rarity sniffled. And smiled. They were both crying now, but she never felt so warm in such a long time.

Starla grinned as she took her ear away from the door and stepped away.

"How are they?" Twilight asked from behind her.

Without looking back Starla replied, "They're fine."

Although she wouldn't see it, Twilight nodded then sighed. "I never knew that things were so tough between them. I mean, sure, I could tell there was a lot of stress going on, but they looked so happy together." Starla managed to refrain from frowning when she heard that, unable to believe that one of Rarity's supposed close friends wasn't able to tell. In any case, she stepped away from the door and looked toward the purple unicorn. "You remember where your room is, right?"

"Yes. Thank you, Ms. Sparkle." Starla said with a curtsy, acting ever like a dutiful maid.

"I can take care of everything else from this point, so could you tell Rarity not to worry anymore?" Seeing Starla's nod, Twilight headed down the hallway. "See you tomorrow, Starla."

After Twilight disappeared around the corner, Starla walked the other direction and outside onto one of the several smaller balconies that dotted the exterior of the Canterlot palace.

She looked up at the amazing tapestry of lights that Princess Luna had made. Almost instantly her eyes found the placement of the North Star. Her mother's star; the star of her mother's namesake.

It had been a while since they last chatted, what with all of the craziness going on. But Starla knew her mother was ok with the wait, figuring that their one-sided conversation tonight will probably be the longest they had in years.

Starla stepped forward, leaning on the banister with her forelegs crossed and sighed, wondering where to even begin when something below caught her eye. No guards seemed to be present for her to call to, and hoping that her eyes were simply playing with her imagination, she decided that it was safer to be sure than not. She leaned farther out, remembering what Twilight her taught her earlier in the day about teleportation magic and focused on a spot on the ground far from the object that raised concern with her. In a blink of light, Starla felt the ground dissolve under her just to reform a few inches below where she was standing, causing her to stumble slightly upon landing. "W-wow..." the unicorn shivered from the tingles running up and down her legs and spine and the strange sensation of feeling every hair follicle on her body, just like how Twilight described she would. Her smile disappeared somewhat as she spun on her hooves to hurry over to the still form lying on the ground just short of the servant's side entrance to the castle.

There it was, still and bloody. An injured earth pony stallion.

Author's Note

Wow this took a lot of work.