Fancypants and Fleur de Lis
Midnight Starfall sat at the small, round breakfast table in her cozy but fancy Canterlot apartment. Her kitchen area was directly adjacent to an arched door that opened onto a covered balcony. From there, one could see over the rooftops of buildings across the cobblestone street, out to a large portion of Equestria to the northeast. Sitting just inside the kitchen, but with the door open, she looked out at a slice of that view, Vanhoover only visible as a small gray and brown smudge nestled and hidden among green hills whose colors were muted by light fog.
She took a small bite of a bagel.
It was toasted and buttered, and left small crumbs on her lips and in the deep blue fuzz of her chin. Besides the tiny beige flecks of bread, her cheeks were also contrasted by dark freckles, like small pools of deep water among the shallows. Her eyes were turquoise, a clear daytime sky juxtaposed with her nightlike coat, her mane an in-between shade of smoky blue, like twilight just after the reds and oranges of the sunset have faded away.
Midnight set down her mostly-finished bagel, the aqua telekinetic aura fading from it and moving to the morning's issue of The Canterlot Exposé. She started with the front page, as usual, mentally keeping a few grains of salt ready to go with the often scandalous and biased stories.
Is Princess Celestia's cake addiction causing political turmoil in Saddle Arabia?
Midnight sighed, but read the story anyway. As expected, it had little to do with cake, and almost nothing to do with the Princess herself. Royal chefs use saffron to make her cake, shortages of it in Saddle Arabia have led to disagreements over use of land, blah blah blah. It was just the kind of misleading headline meant to gain attention for an ultimately empty story. The following pages were not any better, and after skimming them, she soon found herself in the classified ads. One in particular caught her eye.
Wanted: Public walking pet,* one night per week. 100 bits per night.
A hundred bits per night just to walk their dog or whatever? That was too good to pass up. She carefully tore the ad from the paper and set it aside, missing the fine print below.
She picked up the last bite of bagel and popped it in her mouth.
Hopefully, by the time she got there, the position would still be available.
Late afternoon sunlight cast long shadows along the street in the neighborhood inhabited by Canterlot's most elite citizens.
As she approached the lavish mansion at the address in the ad, Midnight wondered why such a wealthy family would even need to advertise, as they generally had plenty of connections, and thus no need for public advertisements for trivial things like dog walkers. After all, why trust the public, when they could afford to hire from a well-established business?
These questions didn't really matter anymore, however, as she was already here, and would likely be able to figure it all out, anyway, even if she didn't get any answers directly. She stepped up two marble steps onto a covered semicircular area around the main entrance. With only a moment of hesitation, she pressed a dark blue hoof to the doorbell, hearing it chime faintly from where she stood. Almost immediately, the door opened. Standing just inside the entry was a stallion wearing a fancy black and white outfit that she recognized as a butler's suit.
"Oh!" he said, then seemed to realize something before he composed himself. She already knew he had mistaken her for Princess Luna. She was used to it. "Apologies, Ma'am. I mistook you for... somepony else. Master Fancypants and Madame Fleur will be here shortly; please come in and you may wait in the foyer."
Midnight Starfall was no stranger to being mistaken for the lunar Princess. It was an odd change for her when Luna returned; nopony really knew about her before then, and so the comparison was never made. Of course, shortly after, she got plenty of stares in the streets, as well as overly cautious mothers pulling their foals closer, sometimes even turning around and ushering them away. As Luna became less feared and more loved, the dynamic changed, and Midnight still caught ponies awkwardly stopping and staring, sometimes even dipping into the start of a respectful bow before realizing their mistake.
"Thanks," Midnight said with a smile that was largely fuelled by the two names the butler had said. Fancypants and Fleur de Lis were two of the nicest wealthy ponies in Canterlot, so she was excited to meet them again.
"Here about the advertisement in the paper, I presume?" he asked. She nodded. "Very well. Ah, here they come now."
As she stood just inside the main entrance, directly in front of her was a grand staircase, wide at the bottom and narrowing slightly as it led up to the second floor. Coming down the stairs were the two upper-crust ponies she had been expecting, and her smile brightened.
"Ah, is that Midnight Starfall I see?" Fancypants called down as he approached. He always had such a great memory for ponies he had only briefly met. "It's a pleasure to see you again, my dear. But, tell me, you're not here about the... advertisement, are you?"
Midnight nodded. "Yep! And you can call me Middy if you want."
"I like her," Fleur whispered not-so-discreetly.
"Very well... Middy," Fancypants said with a sly smile. "Did you bring your own collar, or shall we retrieve one for you?"
Midnight gigglesnorted. "How could I have brought a collar when you didn't even say what kind of pet it was?"
Fancypants quirked an eyebrow. "I, ah... I feel as though there may have been a misunderstanding here. Perhaps you missed the, ah, fine print?"
She tittered sheepishly, putting a hoof behind her head. "W-well, maybe..."
Fleur de Lis seemed to be grinning wider as she enjoyed this turn of events, but said nothing. Fancypants paused to think of just how he was going to break the news to Midnight.
"Well, my dear, we weren't looking for somepony to walk a pet, but rather to... how shall I say this... be a pet. To walk in public," he said with a small smile. When she simply blinked, he continued. "With a collar and leash and such."
As her mind turned the words over, examining them and then grinding them down into actual meaning, she suddenly found herself saying "I'll do it." She surprised herself a bit, not completely aware of just where her reply had come from, but she wasn't yet regretting having said it. Then she consciously nodded at the two mildly surprised unicorns.
"Really?" Fancypants said. "Are you... quite sure?"
"You don't have to," Fleur added.
"I..." Midnight said, trailing off and pausing to think for a moment. "I want to."
Fleur actually belted out a short laugh at that, then covered her mouth. "Sorry, that was just entirely unexpected," she said. Midnight smiled and giggled herself, feeling quite at ease with the pair.
Fancypants was smiling. "Very well! Shall we go pick out a collar and leash for you?" he asked.
Her eyes widened and she nodded. When they turned back toward the stairs and beckoned her to follow, her heart began to race. She didn't really know just what she was getting into, but she was excited to see where they– er, rather, it led. As she climbed the stairs, she looked up at an enormous and intricate chandelier made of hundreds of crystals hanging from a silver frame, shimmering in the daylight. Her hoof bumped a step and she only just caught herself before falling face-first into the stairs. It seemed her nerves were getting the best of her, so she took a deep breath and focused. At the top of the stairs, they opened a set of double doors that revealed a long hallway, then walked nearly its entire length, making small talk, before turning left into a side room.
Midnight audibly gasped when she saw inside it. The walls were lined with shelves holding hundreds of collars, leashes, gags, blindfolds, kinky outfits that were meant to accentuate curves and lift tails, wigs, makeup kits, and a plethora of other fetish gear. From the moment Fancypants had explained the situation, she had a good idea of what she was getting into, but seeing it was different. Still, her gaze lingered longingly on the collars, drawn especially to the darker ones, the blues and blacks and deep purples.
"Well, I'd ask what you think, but your face really says it all," Fleur said with a giggle.
"I've never seen anything like it," Midnight replied, not even taking her eyes off the shelves to make eye contact.
"It is one of the largest collections in Canterlot," said Fancypants.
Midnight took a step forward, and stopped, looking back. "May I?" she asked.
Fancypants nodded, and the dark blue pony stepped forward, restraining herself from rushing too much and appearing too eager. The shelf she approached had countless collars on display, with a wide variety from solid colors to intricately patterned ones, and even a few with designs etched right into the faux leather. Her gaze fell upon a black collar sparsely studded with what looked like very small diamonds, placed seemingly randomly like stars in the night sky. She raised a hoof and gingerly rested it against the shelf before turning her head back. Both ponies nodded their silent approval to her unasked question. She picked up the collar with her hoof, wanting to touch it, and turned it over, feeling a deep desire to wear it, like it had a powerful aura surrounding it that called her, drew her to it.
"That one, then?" Fancypants asked.
"Yes," she replied immediately without turning. She nearly jumped when Fleur placed a foreleg on her withers, having silently approached from behind.
"Hmm, yeah, I know that one. We got it from a Princess Luna-themed sale. It even came with a matching leash," she said. She floated over a black leash studded with diamonds just like the collar itself, and draped it over Midnight's hoof holding the collar. She then spoke again, leaning in to whisper into Midnight's ear. "Nopony else has ever worn it. You'd be the first."
The blue unicorn shuddered at the words and almost melted to the floor on the spot. Fleur giggled.
"Seems it's settled, then," Fancypants said. "Would you like to try it on now, my dear?"
Midnight nodded eagerly. Fleur smiled widely as she took the two items in her magic. Midnight backed away from the shelf to make some space and let Fleur de Lis put the collar on her. She felt it wrap around her neck, and it was briefly pulled tight, then loosened to a snug fit and... then it was simply there. She felt hyper-aware of its presence, at her throat, not restricting her breath, but still almost feeling as though her airway was tighter. Once it was properly fastened, she felt the leash attach to the metal ring on the back with a soft click. At that moment, she felt a certain kind of freedom bubble up within her, an unexpected comfort that she only later identified: Freedom from responsibility. Not a simple vacation away from work and stress, but relinquishing self control and letting somepony else take the reins, letting them be the ones to make choices, and letting her just simply nod and please them. It wasn't something she wanted all the time, but for her it was a very welcome temporary change.
Despite her presently mysterious enjoyment, she still felt incredibly self conscious and anxious. She immediately felt herself blushing, invisible against her dark coat, but feeling like the warmth of her face might tip them off if they stood close... which they were. They didn't seem to notice.
"I dare say it looks quite lovely on you, my dear," said Fancypants.
"Yeah, it really goes well with your coat," Fleur added.
Midnight blushed harder and looked away with a smile she couldn't get rid of if she tried.
"So," Fleur began, "here's how we do this. We'll walk you around the mansion a bit first, and if you ever want to stop, you just say 'pineapple', got it?" Midnight turned her head back to show that she was listening and nodded. "Good. If it goes well, we'll head out and walk around town a little before we come back here. And don't feel pressured to continue for the money; we'll be giving you the hundred bits for tonight even if you wanted to stop right now. It's really important to us that you enjoy this as much as we do. Also, we often get rather... into it, and that usually means a bit of sexual teasing or play. If that is something you want us to avoid, let us know right now and we'll keep it chaste."
Midnight bit her lip, not from indecision, but from anticipation of just what ideas they had. "Y-yeah, that's perfectly fine," she said.
"Mmm, then, shall we begin now?" Fancypants asked.
Midnight nodded, and the instant she did, she felt the collar tight on the back of her neck, pulling her forward toward Fleur, who smiled wickedly, obviously an act but it showed a genuine love for what she was doing that made Midnight's heart flutter. She looked up into the eyes of her new Mistress. "Good pet," Fleur said with a small pull of the leash, presently held in her hoof, followed by a stroke of her dusty blue mane.
"I say we visit the gardens," Fancypants suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Fleur said with a yank of the leash that was commanding but not harsh. Midnight eagerly followed along.
The three unicorns walked back along the hall and out the front door, past the butler, who offered a knowing wink to Midnight. She smiled sheepishly but being seen like this felt exciting. They walked along a small gravel path around to the side of the mansion, where there were rows upon rows of beautiful flowers and bushes, short well-trimmed trees and hedges, and a variety of colorful decorations from wooden flamingos to a dragon made of painted wire mesh. The scent drifting from the flowers was delightful, and for the first time since putting on the collar, part of her did want to dash off and explore. She ignored that urge, however, and let them lead her around. Fleur held the leash and the two ponies talked to each other about their day as if Midnight didn't even exist, and she truly felt like a pet then, the rational part of her mind knowing full well it was part of the kind of game they played. Perhaps they wanted her to gain their attention...?
She suddenly stopped and sniffed deeply at a flower, only to feel the leash go taut, then be pulled by Fleur.
"Ah ah ah, pet, you have to keep up," the ritzy white-coated mare said, a hint of playful danger in her tone. Burning curiosity made Midnight want to rebel more just to see what they would do, but she decided to play nice for now.
After a few more minutes of wandering through the garden, pretending not to notice Midnight, Fleur finally turned to her with another grin that told a story Midnight could only guess at. "Well," she said, "you've been quite patient. I only had to pull the leash once. Good pet. Good pets get treats." She leaned forward and kissed Midnight on the lips, surprising her, but she melted into it, even letting out a soft moan of appreciation. Then Fleur pulled back and licked her lips. Midnight was suddenly very glad she had not tested them by stopping or resisting more.
"I've an idea," Fancypants said suddenly. "Middy, my dear, you bear a striking resemblance to Princess Luna. And I can't say I haven't thought of one of the Princesses answering our little ad. That may be a silly fantasy but you, my dear, are as real as they come. What say we... embrace that angle? We can even dress you more appropriately."
"Oooh," Fleur said, "that sounds fun."
Midnight hesitated. She desperately wanted to say yes, but she was immediately afraid of committing some kind of crime. "I-I don't know... is that legal?" she asked.
Fancypants barked out a laugh. "My dear, it may surprise you what one can get away with in this city. And we are quite close to the Princesses. In the event of backlash, we will take full responsibility. It is my idea after all. We can even get that in writing, if it would make you feel better."
She paused to consider for about two seconds before blurting out "Let's do it. And no need to get it in writing."
Back into the house they went, up the stairs, and down the long hallway, this time turning right, into a different room. This one, too, was stocked with fetish gear, but nearly all of it was clothing of some sort or another.
"I actually have just the thing in mind," Fancypants said as they entered. He stepped quickly behind a rack of dresses and noisily fiddled about before returning into view holding a dark blue dress that slowly faded to black from front to back. There was a large crescent moon on the side. "It came from a different catalog than the collar and leash, but was similarly inspired by Princess Luna. I think it would look dashing on you, don't you?"
"I love it!" Midnight said.
"Here, I'll help you into it," Fleur said, stepping up alongside her and taking the dress from Fancypants.
She draped the dress over Midnight and wrapped its collar around her neck, connecting two flaps, secured by a pin shaped like a crescent moon that matched the design on the dress's flanks. It was fairly short, stopping just above her knees, but it covered her cutie marks and the upper half of her tail. Her cutie mark was an especially noticeable difference between her and Princess Luna, as hers was a crescent moon with two stars shooting past it, with none of the inky black blotches that were very unique to Luna herself. With her flanks covered, she felt distinctly vulnerable to mistaken identity, which she knew was the purpose, but the feeling still sparked a small fire of anxiety and excitement within her.
"Lovely. Absolutely divine, my dear. However, there is one last thing we should add," said Fancypants.
"T-there's more?" Midnight asked.
"Indeed. Wait here for just a moment while I fetch it." With that, the stallion left the room. Fleur was smiling again.
"Oh, we are gonna have so much fun with you," she said, then punctuated her statement with a lick of her lips.
"Ehehe... ah... thank you. For everything. I hadn't expected this to appeal so much, but... wow," Midnight said.
"Oh, believe me, you would be surprised at just who this sort of thing appeals to," Fleur said, the act temporarily dropped in favor of casual converation.
Midnight giggled. "I believe you. Still... there's just something about it that feels right, you know? That, and... well, you and Fancypants are ponies I trust."
Fleur flashed a genuine and warm smile. "That's always nice to hear. You did great in the garden, by the way. I'm really looking forward to the real thing."
"Heh... me too, actually. So, do you know what he's getting?"
"I'm pretty sure I do, but I want it to be a surprise."
As if on cue, Fancypants returned with an item floating in his telekinesis that Midnight took several seconds to recognize. What at first looked like a tangle of black straps connected to silver metal rings and two large sturdy squares of black faux leather, she soon realized was a bridle... with blinders. She was surprised to see an item like that, as blinders had fallen out of use centuries ago. They were mostly used to keep servant ponies from being distracted, especially those pulling carts. They were a relic from a time where inequine treatment of other ponies was commonplace. The kind of thing one would only presently see in depictions of the distant past or hear referenced in common idioms. She stared at them with growing dread, but an equal amount of curiosity.
"Are those..." she trailed off.
"Indeed," Fancypants said, "but the blinders can be removed. They just came with the bridle, you see."
"Do ponies ever... use them?" she asked.
"Oh, all the time," Fleur interjected. "It made news the first couple times we did, but that was a long time ago. Ponies around here are just used to seeing us walking pets in public with all kinds of... interesting gear." Her smile was predatory but not aimed at Midnight.
"I, um... I'd be willing to try them," Midnight said, her face heating up again at the thought.
Fancypants smiled and gave the bridle over to Fleur, whose wolfish grin was presently decidedly aimed at Midnight as she disconnected straps and placed the device on Midnight's face. The cold metal snaffle bit slid into her mouth and rested behind her front teeth, a bit uncomfortable but a feeling she was confident she could get used to. She realized that talking with the bit in her mouth might be difficult.
"Mleh," she vocalized as she simply felt the bit. "Fineaffle."
Fleur immediately began removing it, a warm concern in her eyes as she did. The bit came out.
"Oh, no, sorry," Midnight said. "I was just making sure I could say it with the bit in."
"Ah, okay," Fleur said. "Well, we are quite good at understanding 'bit-speak' as we call it, so if you say the safe word, we'll know. Shall I put it back on, then?"
Midnight nodded with a comfortable smile, opening her mouth to accept the wet bit back in. Fleur fastened and tightened the bridle and soon enough, the two large black squares were covering Midnight's peripheral vision. Sensing movement from Fancypants but not seeing it sent a shiver up her spine, but it wasn't bad. It was an oddly comfortable fear, a fabricated anxiety to let these two ease with their commanding and reassuring presence.
"Alright," Fleur said as she tightened and fastened the final strap, "all done. Shall we go out now?"
Midnight nodded and again, she immediately felt the collar tighten with a firm pull from Fleur. The two wealthy ponies resumed their little game of ignoring her for the time being as they exited the mansion, and it made Midnight feel surprisingly close to them, like she had been there all the time, and was part of their family in a way. She idly played with the snaffle bit in her mouth, running her tongue over it and pressing at the middle where it was hinged, finding it rather satisfying to play with while she walked and listened to the conversation that she couldn't follow as they named names she did not recognize and used some upper-crust terminology with which she wasn't familiar. They might have even been doing it on purpose.
Midnight's heart went from a trot to a light gallop as they neared the main gate. Being in public... looking like Princess Luna minus the flowing mane... being pulled along by a leash. It all started to excite and scare her, and she surprised herself by emitting a small whimper. The sheer confidence coming from Fancypants and Fleur was infectious, however, and she truly trusted them. The last of her worries seemed to fade into the distant back of her mind, and she was fully eased into her new role as their pet. The gate opened. Fleur pulled on her leash. She followed, eyes forward. She wanted to follow. Then they were out of the gate, and on the street, and she still just wanted to follow. Wanted them to lead her.
And they did.
The sky was dark, just past twilight, and the moon was low on the horizon of the young night, casting long and subtle shadows against the gray street. Nopony was presently visible to Midnight, but she knew that was sure to change as they left the residential section of the neighborhood. Sure enough, it wasn't long before she saw a few ponies, dressed in fancy vests and dresses, coming toward them. A monocle shimmered as a stallion gave her a passing glance, looked away, then there was the same shimmer as he did a double take. Then he looked away again, seemingly fascinated by a lamppost. As the group of ponies passed, she could feel their stares but could not see them for the blinders, keeping her eyes focused forward. After they thought they were out of hearing range, she swiveled an ear back and picked up hurried, excited whispers, only able to catch the flurry of "s" sounds.
As the three continued on, more ponies passed and stared, and they were soon among shops and restaurants and the street was lit with the soft yellow glow of magic streetlamps. A steady stream of ponies walked along the sides of the street, and from the narrow perspective in front of her, Midnight constantly saw ponies looking at her, and could feel about a hundred times as many watching her from the sides she couldn't see. She certainly heard the word 'princess' whispered several times. Fleur began keeping light pressure on the leash, making the collar dig into her mane and the back of her neck, as if to constantly make sure she kept her eyes forward, on her masters, and she obeyed.
Suddenly, Fancypants turned back toward her, and she felt a rush of adrenaline. After being led around so neutrally, he was finally going to address her!
"Luna, my dear, would you like a snack? You've been so good so far, I think you've earned it," he said. She nodded quickly, wordlessly. "There's a bakery up here that makes the finest éclairs in Equestria."
She froze with a sudden realization; he had called her Luna! Fleur had to give the leash a slightly harsher tug to get Midnight moving again, and she shook her head to clear it of the distracted thought and focused on following them, feeling a giddy fluttering in her belly. Only a minute later, they arrived at the bakery, and she glanced up at the sign. Gustave le Grand's Exceptionally Exquisite Éclairs, the sign said in fancy curly writing. The night was warm enough, so the door was propped open with a little wooden doorstop painted to look like a slice of cake. They entered. There was a long glass display case stocked with a plethora of baked desserts, from small cakes to fruit-filled turnovers, and a wide variety of the expected éclairs. Behind the display was a snooty-looking griffon with a long mustache growing from his beak. His eyes widened when he saw Midnight.
"Mon Soleil! Ah... I mean... eez zat Princess Luna I am seeing?" he asked in a thick Prench accent.
"Ackthully-" Midnight started, only to be cut off by a sharp yank of the leash and a stern look from Fleur.
"Gustave," Fleur said, "this is our pet for tonight, and she has been... mostly well-behaved. We'd like three classics, please."
"Yes, of course, Mademoiselle Fleur."
He grabbed a set of tongs with his claws and expertly placed three delicious-looking éclairs into three paper bags and set them on top of the display. Fleur took them while Fancypants paid, and the ponies went back outside and sat at a nearby table.
Fancypants took his dessert out, floated it to his mouth, and took a bite. Fleur did the same. Midnight watched them expectantly, waiting for one of them to take off her bridle.
"Well?" Fleur asked. "Are you gonna eat it?"
She was supposed to eat it with the bit in her mouth? Midnight floated the long chocolate-topped treat from its bag and opened her mouth, the bridle stopping her from opening too wide, and had to peel back her lips and take a bite with her front teeth to avoid smushing it against her face. She did get a decent bite, however, and awkwardly worked her jaw to get the chunk of food past the metal bit to her rear teeth where she could chew it. It worked after some struggling, and she couldn't deny that the fluffy bread, creamy filling, and chocolate frosting made for a delicious combination. The struggle to eat the whole thing kept her masters waiting, but they were patient and polite as they let her finish. The moment she did, Fancypants spoke.
"Mmm, good pet," he said. "Eating with a bit in your mouth isn't easy. You're a natural, my dear."
Midnight smiled.
"Now, come along. Let us finish our walk," he said and stood up.
The sugary flavor lingered delightfully as she stood up and followed them, without a clue where they were going but trusting them to know. She enjoyed the simple pleasure of a lovely walk along lamplit streets, among ponies whose stares had long since stopped leaving impressions on her. She didn't care about them anymore; she had the only two ponies she needed.
In a strangely sudden motion, Fleur gave the leash over to Fancypants. The small action raised a hundred questions in Midnight's mind, as it wasn't preceded by any kind of warning. It just kind of... happened. And the dynamic suddenly felt new to her. The constant pressure against her neck was gone, as the stallion left some slack. He subtly shifted forward and Fleur slightly back. They stopped talking. From her perspective, Midnight thought she could see the corners of some kind of knowing grins, but they were still faced away, and it was difficult to be sure. Her heart sped up and she wasn't sure why. Then she took a slightly sharper breath as Fleur turned her head back and, with a hungry smile, locked eyes with Midnight.
"Those éclairs were delicious, but I'm still... hungry," Fleur said with a lick of her lips. Midnight gulped and her tail swished faintly, constricted by her dress. The pink-maned unicorn slowed until she was walking side-by-side with Midnight. "How about you, pet?" Fleur leaned over and gently nibbled on Midnight's ear, making her eyelids flutter and eliciting a soft moan of desire.
"Mmmh," was all Midnight could say, so she instead nodded slowly, almost drunkenly.
Fleur slowed yet again, getting behind Midnight. She noticed Fancypants turn off of the busy street and onto a side street with nopony on it, then with a quick glance around, hurried into a dark alley. It was surprisingly neat and clean for being the space behind buildings. The moon was visible in the sky, and it cast a dim glow on the scene before her. She could see the dark outline of his stallionhood limned against the gray cement ground of the alley, able to see its shape but no details.
Fleur rested a hoof on Midnight's rump and she pressed forward, hiking up the short dress and exposing her tail and rear to the gentle breezes of night air. Her tail automatically flagged as Fleur massaged her rump and flanks, hooves stroking over her cutie marks.
"Mmh, never tasted a princess before," Fleur said, her voice low and breathy.
Midnight shuffled her legs apart and she felt Fleur's eager breath on her exposed marehood, followed quickly by contact from her gentle muzzle. Then her tongue flicked out in a small exploratory lick, earning a soft moan from Midnight. Fancypants dropped the leash and walked around behind Fleur, and thanks to the blinders, no matter how much she turned her head, she couldn't see them anymore. The hazy view of the dimly lit alley swam out of focus as another wet lick from Fleur brushed her swollen clit and trailed up her parted labia before pulling away.
"You are tasty," Fleur said.
Midnight's ears were both pointed straight back, and she heard a slight shuffling and a couple clacks of hooves on concrete, then a gasp from Fleur that was both heard and felt against her winking marehood. A masculine grunt, a subtle wet sound, then Fleur's muzzle was again pressed up to Midnight's nethers. A hungry tongue flicked out and deep into her, and that fuzzy snout was being repeatedly shoved against her sensitive lips. She could hear Fancypants grunting as he rutted his beloved, which only served to smush Fleur's face against Midnight's presently-dripping sex.
Midnight's legs quivered and she struggled to stifle her moans, her mind still present enough to fear being caught in such a compromising position. Still, anypony walking past the alley would surely hear the sounds of sex. That extra hint of danger made Midnight's heart pound, and she felt a surge of arousal course through her. The eager mouth of Fleur lapped and suckled and kissed the blue and pink pussy, and Midnight peaked, spraying a gush of her warm nectar against Fleur's face as her tunnel quivered and convulsed. She heard Fancypants grunt, and she knew he was finishing inside Fleur, who was also crooning a deep and satisfied moan.
The three ponies panted, and Midnight became very aware of the cool night air against her sweat-soaked coat, bringing out a shiver that she was on the edge of regardless of the cold. Reality slowly sunk in, and she could not believe she had just done... that with these two ponies, and in public no less! She toyed with the metal bit with her tongue as she turned the events over in her mind, already reliving them.
"We should get back home," Fleur said, her voice breathy, bringing Midnight back from her thoughts.
"Yes. Indeed," Fancypants panted.
After quickly wiping up the majority of the mess, they went back out to the street. Once again, Fleur held the leash. Midnight felt certain that ponies would notice that her dress was wet, clinging to her sweaty flanks, but she knew the colors were too dark to see that. It didn't change the fact that she could feel it, and that her mind was busy assuming that meant it was visible.
She got the same kinds of stares she had all night, with the same whispers, but there was no way to know if anypony could tell she had just had a powerful orgasm minutes before. As they progressed back into a residential area, ponies disappeared and the streets were mostly uninhabited. The route back was different, and Midnight didn't even realize they were back at the mansion until they turned into its walkway, passing through its gate again. She felt invigorated by the experience, giddy with how much she had loved it, and refreshed, like she had just taken a much-needed vacation.
Back inside the large house, the butler was waiting patiently just inside the door. Fleur immediately began removing the bridle, collar, and dress. She gave the items to the butler to wash, and then the three were alone in the spacious foyer.
"Middy, my dear," Fancypants said, "you were an absolute delight. If you'd like, I believe we would be more than happy to have you next week. What do you say, Fleur?"
Fleur licked her lips as if to taste Midnight's lingering essence. "Oh, yeah. I would love to do that again. You were fantastic. But, of course it's still your choice, Middy. How about it?"
Midnight's smile was already in place and she felt they knew her answer long before she said it. "I'd like that. This has been... well, I don't even know how to describe it. It was good. Really good."
Fleur giggled, and Fancypants spoke. "Well, seeing as it is getting a bit late, and given your present state, would you like to stay the night here? We have a guest room for our pets, and they are always welcome to stay for the night after a walk," he said.
"Oh! Yes, that sounds perfect."
They showed Midnight to her guest room, and bid her goodnight, leaving her alone in the bedroom that felt larger than her entire apartment. As she had hoped, it had its own bathroom with a large tub, perfect for a nice relaxing soak. She made full use of it, letting the warm water rinse away the sticky sweat and grime.
After the bath, she slipped into the bed, nestling herself between the silky sheets, her clean coat warm and frizzy. She spent some time going over the night in her mind before sleep took her, and when it did, she dreamed of the moon.
Midnight Starfall's eyes opened to an unfamiliar sight. She was not in her own room. Mild confusion was quickly replaced by a warm feeling as she remembered the previous night. As her grogginess further cleared, she spread herself out between the sheets, enjoying the enormous and spacious bed. Her legs were all stretched to their limit, and still she was completely under the covers! She could certainly get used to this.
After a yawn and a nice relaxed sigh, she got out of the extremely comfortable bed and went into the bathroom. They had everything she could possibly need, and they had said this was a room for their pets, so she made herself quite at home. She took a long, hot bubble bath and spent plenty of time brushing and preening, finishing with a few spritzes of coat shiner and some hoof polish (applying a bit to her horn as well). Satisfied, she left the room, and stopped in her tracks just as she did.
Next to the door, in the hallway, was a cart. Everything she had worn the night before was sitting on it. The collar, leash, and bridle sat in a small pile next to the neatly-folded dress, which had a note on it. Next to the note was a small sack full of coins. She grabbed the paper and read what it had to say.
Middy,
As a token of our appreciation for a lovely night, please have these things as our gift to you. You may keep them whether you come back next week or not, but if you do, we expect you to be wearing them.
Fleur de Lis and Fancypants
"What," she said. She giggled. "Wow."
Under the items, there was a night-black bag for her to carry everything in. She packed the things into it with giddy glee and slung the strap around her neck, carrying it like a mailbag. She found her way to the stairs in the main entrance and saw the butler at his post by the front door.
"Hey!" she called to him. He turned toward her attentively. "Can you tell Fleur and Fancypants I'll definitely be coming again next week? And that I said thanks for everything?"
"Of course, Madame," he replied with a respectful bow, making her feel just a bit above her normal station.
As much as she'd have loved to stay and experience a rich mare's life, she didn't want to overstay her welcome, and had other plans for the day anyway. She was going to meet her friend Libby for lunch, and the sun's position in the sky told her it was late morning.
Midnight walked home at a slightly quickened pace, and recalled the night's activities, feeling as though they had happened to somepony else. She knew it was no dream, but it still felt very much like one. The bag was heavy against her shoulder where it rested, but it didn't actually weigh all that much. Its contents were burning a hole through the fabric and into her mind. She couldn't wait for next week.
As distracted as her thoughts were, she still managed to make it home in a timely manner. She placed the black bag in her closet, levitating the sack of bits out to set aside. Then she went straight back out to head to the restaurant where Libby would be meeting her.
It wasn't a long walk to The Morsel Morral, a small building with a large covered outdoor sitting area. She plopped into a chair that was surprisingly comfortable for patio furniture, and levitated a complimentary newspaper from a nearby table, spreading it open. Her friend would likely be another twenty minutes, so she settled in and prepared to wait. The wait would not be a relaxed one, however, as she saw the front page of the day's paper.
She saw herself wearing the dark dress, collar, and bridle with blinders. She, Fancypants, and Fleur de Lis were all facing away from the camera, with Fleur holding her leash, clearly attached to the collar. The article title, just above the photo (she hadn't heard any cameras!), said Did Princess Luna Lose a Bet? Midnight whimpered and moved the paper just a little closer in an effort to hide her face from the world. Her heart sank and her curiosity got the better of her. She began reading the story, knowing she was not going to like it.
The article speculated many reasons why "Princess Luna" would be wearing blinders and a leash and collar, and none of them were particularly flattering. She deeply hoped Fleur and Fancypants had a plan for this, but she felt utterly helpless. The last thing she wanted to do was run around the streets telling everypony that she was responsible for this mixup, but short of that, there was little she could do. A small spark of optimism kept her from despairing, however, as the couple had seemed quite certain that they could handle whatever problems might arise.
"Middy? Is that you?" came a familiar voice. She lowered the paper to peek over it and saw her friend Libby, a light cream-colored pegasus with a grass-green mane.
"Libby! Oh, sweet merciful Luna, thank goodness you're here! You need to look at this," Midnight said, swiftly turning the paper around and shoving it into her friend's face.
"Hey! Ah... sure," Libby said. The paper lost its blue aura as the pegasus took it in her forehooves, sitting opposite Midnight. "Okay, so Luna has a weird kink. That's kinda cool, I guess."
"No! That's..." Midnight said, then stopped and lowered her voice to a whisper. "That's me!"
Libby quirked an eyebrow. "Huh."
"Huh? Huh? That's all you have to say? What if she finds out? What if I get in trouble? Does that count as impersonating a princess? Isn't that illegal?"
"Yep," Libby deadpanned. She was an attorney, so she would know.
"I can't go to a dungeon! I... I..." Midnight began to pant and her eyes darted about as panic set in.
"Relax, the last time that law was relevant in a case was over three hundred years ago. At worst, you'll be remembered for reviving it!"
"Not helping. Seriously, Libby, I might need you to represent me! You'd do that, right? For me?"
"Sure."
"Oh, thank you so much!"
"As long as you can afford me," Libby said, her expression unchanging.
Midnight narrowed her eyes and the start of a growl came from the back of her throat, deep and low.
"Hah, I'm kidding. That was for saying Equestria would be better off without lawyers," Libby said with a smirk.
Midnight gave her a flat stare, but it quickly broke and she sighed. "Okay, fine. Fair enough," she said.
"Honestly? I expect this'll all just blow over by next week."
A week. A whole week, and if Midnight kept her promise, it would start all over again. She took a deep breath to calm herself some and spoke.
"Okay, so you don't think I'm going to get in trouble?"
"Nah. Maybe you'll be fined and charged with something minor. Impersonation laws are for stuff like treason and political manipulation. You'll be fine."
Midnight sighed. "Okay. Okay, good. Thank you."
"Sure, no problem. But, uh... now you gotta tell me about it."
Midnight's face burned, but she didn't mind sharing details with her best friend... even if she did just about give her a heart attack.
They ordered lunch and Midnight talked about what had happened, earning plenty of smirks from Libby. She left out what had happened in the alley. By the time she was done telling the story, she was feeling much better. Libby had suggested that, even if she was fined, it was likely Fancypants and Fleur would cover it, so there was actually almost nothing to really worry about. Legally, anyway.
There was still the matter of what ponies would think once news got out about who was really wearing that leash and collar. She expected to have plenty of explaining to do to once that detail reached the press. That, however, was territory she felt she could navigate on her own; she could certainly weather that storm when it hit, as unpleasant as it might be. It was much better than life in a filthy dungeon.
Their luncheon finished, Midnight gave her friend a quick hug and a sincere thanks for the reassurance. They made plans for their next meeting and parted ways, leaving Midnight with a new set of problems. Manageable problems, but problems nonetheless. She went home and brought the newspaper with her.
Later that night, after a day filled with writing apologies and planning explanations, Midnight's tiredness caught up to her, and she crawled into bed. Whatever was going to happen, hadn't happened yet, so she was grateful to have had time to prepare. Her mind relatively at ease, she quickly fell asleep in her warm bed.
Wrapped in the fuzzy blanket of sleep, her mind conjured up the memory of her night as a pet, and she began to dream about it. Then, the instant she did, an enormous and terrifying presence was there with her. She didn't know why, but she knew that whatever it was could see all of her thoughts, and she felt extremely exposed. Then, as quick as it had come, it was gone.
A gentle breeze. A bright flash and magical pop! A shadow in her doorway. Tall and commanding.
Midnight felt afraid. She stared at the shadow, unblinking, and it approached her. As it stepped closer, she could make out details, and she saw... Princess Luna. The alicorn was standing over her, a stern and displeased scowl on her face.
"P-Princess Luna? I ca-"
"Silence!," Luna said, not quite a shout, but with all the power of one.
The princess watched the terrified unicorn, judging her and reading her. Midnight gulped, as much out of fear as to swallow words she desperately wanted to say. After a minute that felt like twenty, Luna spoke, softer but still with a dangerous edge to her words.
"We know not who you are, but you have given Us a bad name, and We will not stand for it. We have come to discipline you as the Crown demands. You are not to speak unless We tell you to. For your crimes against a Princess of Equestria, We hereby sentence you to one night as a servant to Us while we make right the wrongs you have done. Do We make Ourselves clear?"
"Yes, Pr-"
"Silence! We did not ask you to speak. You may nod or shake your head."
Midnight nodded quickly, quaking in terror. Her mouth was clenched so tightly that her jaw ached.
"Very good. Now, the first order of business is to make you look like you did last night. Do you have the items here? Ypu may speak only to tell me where they are."
Midnight pointed a hoof at her closet. "C-closet, black bag," she said, then shut her mouth tightly for fear of saying more.
Princess Luna flung the closet door open noisily and took the black bag, emptying it into the air and separating the items out in an impressive display of telekinetic control. She then lifted Midnight herself, who let out a surprised squeak, and skillfully put everything on her at once. After only a few seconds, the unicorn was dressed just as she had been last night, and was gently placed on the floor.
"Ah, yes. Just like the photo in the newspaper. Now," Luna said with a harsh tug of the leash, "let us go out."
Out? Midnight thought. As much as she wanted to protest and ask questions, she dared not defy Princess Luna's orders. Not that speaking was much of an option with the bit back in her mouth, anyway. All too quickly, she was pulled out her front door and was on the street. Luna marched with a burning purpose in her steps, and Midnight was sure she knew where they were headed. They were going to the same place Fleur and Fancypants had walked her.
While they walked, she gathered her scattered thoughts and got over the surprise of what had been a rather sudden intrusion. She remembered something, then. Princess Luna was the guardian of the dream realm, and Midnight had fallen asleep. This was certainly really Luna, and she was surely going to "punish" Midnight, but in a dream! A small smile crawled over her lips as she realized this. There was no way a Princess would visit her actual home and drag her out onto the streets. It had to just be a very realistic-feeling dream that was going to teach her a lesson about wronging Luna. She heaved a long sigh of relief, and her legs stopped shaking, and her breathing returned to normal. She would have to play along, of course, so as not to disappoint the Princess, but inwardly she was going to enjoy the harmless pet routine.
Armed with new confidence, Midnight focused on the swaying rear of Luna, not out of perversion, but to enjoy the hypnotic flow of her tail, and the way it moved as if underwater, in a gentle current. Despite complications that arose from looking like her, Midnight felt a strong connection to her, for obvious reasons. Being with Luna, even in a dream, was making Midnight quite giddy. She hoped to serve her "punishment" well and please the lunar goddess.
After about ten minutes of silent walking and nervous excitement on Midnight's part, the two reached an area that she recognized as the street that she had been on the night before. Ponies were whispering and staring, many bowing their heads in respect, but most of them seemed confused. There had been plenty of that on the way, as well, but Midnight was not bothered by it.
Princess Luna stopped. Midnight stopped too, just short of walking right into that royal rear. She backed up a step. Suddenly, surprisingly, Luna spoke very loudly.
"Ponies of Canterlot, hear me! We are here to absolve Ourselves of blame for the previous night! For, you see, 'twas not Us, but this pony here!" Luna said, then turned to Midnight and spoke more quietly. "Tell them your name."
Midnight cleared her throat. "Midnight Starfall," she said loud enough for everypony to hear.
"There! You see? 'Twas a lie what the newspaper printed about Us! This... Midnight Starfall impersonated Us! And rather poorly, We might add. Just look at her mane! 'Tis nothing like ours. She also has no wings! How could you all miss that detail? She is also at least a full two hooves shorter than Us. Now, as is tradition, We shall punish this impostor publicly."
Midnight bit her bottom lip. Being publicly humiliated was something she would normally avoid like a plague, but in the safe confines of her mind, it sounded... somewhat appealing. The illusion of being made an example of in front of anypony who happened by, but with none of the backlash? She was actually looking forward to it, as she trusted Princess Luna, angry as she may be, to not bring any true harm to her.
Princess Luna's horn glowed, and Midnight's dress was forcefully removed, tearing it harshly, then dropped to the ground in a heap.
"Look! This cutie mark is nothing like ours!" Luna said to the growing crowd of ponies around them.
Midnight felt so exposed, so vulnerable, so... turned on. Her hind legs shivered under the weight of the gazes she felt on her flanks, all the curious stares of a hundred unknown ponies drinking her in. Her face burned with shame, but she still liked it. She could feel herself winking, her marehood probably visible from the sides where her tail wasn't blocking the view. Uncountable whispers reached her ears, like the scurrying of a thousand rats on stone. They teased her, words she knew she could understand if only she could hear them, but they all drowned each other out, making it all a senseless cacophony that only hinted at having meaning. The few ponies she could see, directly in front of her where Luna or the blinders didn't block her view, had expressions that told of guilt and curiosity, like they were watching a train wreck and couldn't look away.
Princess Luna moved behind her, and Midnight's tail wanted to flag, but she held it down, willed herself to not reveal her arousal. It didn't matter.
"And what is this? Midnight Starfall, are you... enjoying this? We can see your tail twitches with desire," Luna said. Midnight could no longer see her, but she could feel Luna's presence there; it was a cold, dark void, like the very concept of Night itself was behind her. Contradicting feelings radiated from there: Safety, danger, darkness, coziness, warmth among cold, hostility, fear of the unknown, blissful unawareness, loneliness, softness, silence. She both loved and feared what she felt from the unseen diarch. Her tail raised.
"Ha! You are winking like a mare in heat. Is that really what you want, then? To shame yourself in front of all these ponies? Pathetic," Luna said, but Midnight could hear a slight breathiness in the last word. She decided to play along as planned, and shook her head violently, stifling whimpers.
Swiftly, a hoof pulled her tail aside and her marehood winked again, suddenly exposed to so many more ponies. At that, she actually did whimper, but Luna either didn't notice or didn't care about the small noise as she pulled the smoky blue tail up and flipped it onto Midnight's back. Whispers from the crowd increased dramatically, and her back-facing ears picked up distinct gasps and nervous giggles.
Luna leaned up close to Midnight's ear and spoke in a low voice. "These ponies will be telling this story for the rest of their lives. By tomorrow night, the whole city will know of this moment. Is that what you want?" she asked. Midnight shook her head. Luna continued, her words razor-sharp and cutting. "Well, then you shouldn't have besmirched the good name of royalty!"
The princess's hoof suddenly pressed against Midnight's heated entrance, eliciiting a gasp of surprise and pleasure from her. The cold metal of Luna's regal shoe left an icy sting where it contacted Midnight's warm lips, but the pain wasn't all that uncomfortable, just odd. Being metal, however, it quickly warmed against her, and Luna swirled it in surprisingly gentle circles that Midnight found very pleasing. She moaned softly as the alicorn massaged her sensitive lips, still very aware of the crowd of ponies that seemed to be two or more deep, completely surrounding her. There was a loud click of a camera behind her, and she saw its brief, bright flash reflect off the ponies in front of her. That only increased her arousal, and she wiggled her rump against the smirking princess's ministrations.
"Like the attention, do you?" Luna asked, just above the murmur of the crowd. "Good, because now everypony will know who you are, and they will never mistake you for me again. Now, let's really make it memorable, shall we?"
Though her mind was filled with the lightning-bolts of pleasure, she still did not miss an excited lilt in Luna's voice, nor her use of the word "me" which was less formal. Knowing that Luna was enjoying this too pushed Midnight over the edge, and she spurted a warm splash of marecum against the royal hoof, making it sticky with her arousal. She groaned lewdly as she came, inner walls convulsing, and her hind legs were shivering so bad that they barely supported her weight.
To Midnight's horror, Luna continued.
The unicorn whimpered and shook her head, trying to signal that she was done, but Luna's horn lit up and a strange feeling fell over Midnight. She was... aroused again. Still quaking from her first orgasm, she suddenly came again, very nearly collapsing on unreliable and shaky legs.
"Like I said, they will remember this," Luna said. Another blue glow from her horn, and more unexpected arousal. She sped up, focusing on Midnight's clit, bulging out from its hood. The unicorn came yet again, with another wet splash. This time, her hind legs buckled and she found herself in an awkward sitting position. Her mind became clouded, but she still very clearly heard Luna speak again. "Hah! Only three? Very well, I believe we are done here."
There was a bright blue flash, then a vague memory of being back in her bed and watching the retreating and hypnotic rump of Princess Luna swaying as she left the room. Then the world faded away.
Midnight woke up feeling extra hazy, and remembered her dream with a warm blush. She shifted slightly, and felt wetness beneath her blanket. With mild dread, she slid out from under it, feeling like a cold swamp. She flipped the blanket back and saw a wet spot big enough that she worried she had wet the bed. A tentative sniff, however, proved that not to be the case. She couldn't believe she had cum so much, and quickly took the soiled sheets and piled them in her laundry basket. Her hind legs were wet and sticky as well, so she hurried to the bathroom to clean herself off.
One warm bath later, she was feeling quite refreshed, and went to her kitchen to make breakfast. She toasted and buttered a bagel, and sat at her small breakfast table, enjoying the view, and thinking about her amazing dream. A small speck on the horizon escaped her notice.
She took a bite of her bagel.
Crispy and buttery. The small speck grew larger and she watched it. It wasn't a bird, of that she was sure. She was quite used to seeing papegasi fly around the city, but this one was on a strangely direct trajectory. Another bite of bagel, a small and content smile on her lips. The pegasus was close enough to see now, golden armor standing out against a light orange coat and electric blue mane. Seemed to be a stallion (as most royal guards were). She wondered if something big had happened, as guards generally did not visit her area unless there was an emergency. As he neared, she expected to see him fly directly over her roof. Instead, he angled down and landed on her balcony. Her jaw dropped and she was speechless as the stallion gripped a letter tucked under his armor, and placed it on her table. Then, with a quick salute, he took off before Midnight could even ask what was going on.
After taking a second to recover, she looked down at the letter. It was a thick envelope with dark blue writing on the front that said "Hope you learned your lesson."
Midnight used her magic to carefully tear it open along the top, and spilled the contents out next to her bagel. The only item inside was a folded newspaper. A heavy ball of dread settled firmly in her belly as she unfolded it. And there, clear as crystal, she saw herself from behind, her cutie mark clearly visible and her tail raised. A black bar censored her plot, but Luna's hoof was clearly touching it behind the censor bar. She read the article's title above the photo.
Luna Impostor Outed By Luna Herself In Lewd Public Display!
"Oh," Midnight said. "Oh... buck."
