Chapters The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 13.1 The Proposal
Author's Note
Takes place between A Hearth's Warming Interlude, and A Royal Canterlot Wedding.
Warning: The below may contain dangerous amounts of; ponies, fluff, cuddling, and warm feelings.
You have been warned.
Cuddly Kidnapping Capers Consume Canterlot Castle SFW
Elias scratched his eyebrow, flipping lazily to the next page of A Ponies Guide to Ponies by Twilight Sparkle. It had not escaped his notice that the purple unicorn had slipped a few of her own works into the stack of books she had given him. Now that he actually had the time and mental focus to read, he had begun taking the stack apart, book by book. The book he was working on was supposed to help him understand pony culture, but the more he read, the more he thought that the princess's protege needed a few lessons herself. He sighed and flipped another page, skimming as he determined if he would be taking another trip to the front desk. He and the librarian, Neat Shelf, were on a first name basis with his frequent returns, and if Elias had learned anything about the ponies, he knew he would be seeing a lot more of the fuzzy pink mare, especially given the way her hips wiggled whenever he approached.
A cold child raced up his spine, and Elias mentally cursed himself, and curled deeper into his blanket. With winter descended over Equestria, it was almost permanently cold, and while the ponies in his life all had the advantage of layers of fuzzy pony fluff, he did not. Unfortunately, they had all noticed, and it took a supreme effort on Elias’ part to remain unsnuggled. It wasn’t a bad occurrence, per say, but Elias could almost feel his inner strength being made soft by the fuzzy, adorable ponies. They were just so cute, and warm, and huggable, and…
Damnit! They were making him weak! He needed to stop...
Elias’ eyes flicked up as a low series of whispers seemed to echo through the still air of the library. How anybody had managed to sneak so close without him noticing was a bit strange. Elias, while mildly impaired, knew his senses were always searching for potential threats. He should have been able to detect hoofsteps in the nearly silent library, and the fact that he hadn’t meant that something was up. Elias slowly closed the guide and set it to the side, making sure it was well away of his canteen and the candle he had brought to read by. So late in the night, much of the library was unlit, so Elias resorted to bringing his own candles. He left the light source where it was though, and he slipped around the dark edge of the shelves.
The library quickly became pitch black, and Elias moved slowly through the darkness, keeping a hand out to make sure he didn’t bump into any tables. Once he was just far enough away from the candle, he crouched low and dropped his hand to the hilt of his dagger, looking around with narrowed eyes for the source of the whispers. His eyes flicked to the windows first, still marking that it was nighttime. The snow seemed to glow as it fell, and for a moment, Elias became mesmerized by the white powder, watching it with a slight smile. Snow was so much better in Equestria, so much purer and softer. If it hadn’t been for his recent near-death experience, Elias imagined that he would have accepted one of Night Flash’s invitations to go out and play in it, but Elias could never seem to shake the chill in the air, and with his lack of winter clothing, he confined himself inside. Night Flash had been understanding, and after his fun, he had curled up with Elias by a fire, making hot chocolate for both of them.
Elias’ eyes flicked back into focus as a trio of ponies came around the barely lit corner of the bookshelf. His eyes quickly picked out Neat Shelf, as well as Nightshade. The third pony, however, remained in the shadows. All he could tell was that she was a mare, and a pegasus. Or… Elias squinted. The pony wasn’t in the shadows, she seemed almost as if she was made of shadows, or as if the shadows were following her every move. Elias felt his eyes water as he tried to pick out a definite shape among the blackness, so he looked back to the guard captain and librarian, both of whom were staring at the still-burning candle.
“I thought you said he was here Neat?”
“He was!” the pink librarian replied. “He loves coming here! I always bring him hot chocolate and blankets since the poor dear always seems cold. It’s one of the reasons I agreed to help you find him for the princess’s project.”
Nightshade quickly shushed the unicorn.
“Keep quiet about that! There’s a reason we have to get the jump on him. It took a lot of work to get him to bet something as ludicrous as… the thing, and if he hears, he’ll figure out a way to dodge it again. We can’t force him to be in a thing.”
Neat Shelf snorted.
“Then why are we trying to foalnap him? That is the very definition of forced.”
Nightshade scoffed and waved a hoof of dismissal.
“Semantics. We just need to bag Elias and get to the cuddle room. Could you check the nearest bathroom? I’ll try to find him in the dark. He’s really good about hearing ponies coming.”
“There’s no need Captain,” a smooth voice said from behind him.
Elias turned to find Luna grinning at him with a victorious smile. And a rather large burlap sack. It was her; she was the shadow pony. A glance behind him showed that the shadows were normal next to Nightshade. The alicorn wiggled as she crept closer.
“Now Elias, be a good loser and hop on in my cuddle sack. We have a date with destiny, and I will not let you dodge it again.”
The cuddle pile. Sonofabitch they meant to take him to the cuddle pile. That bet was coming back to bite him, he was just lucky he had thrown in the conditions he had. He just needed to escape two more times, then they had to call it off. The only problem with that was that the three ponies had him boxed in, and two of them had magic. With the third pony being Nightshade, Elias knew that he was in trouble. He had to buy time.
Elias stood and took a step back from Luna, holding his hands in the air.
“Now Luna, you know that we don’t have to-…”
She swiped the sack through the air, forcing Elias to dodge to his left. He narrowly missed clipping a table as he stumbled his way into the aisle. Luna was hot on his heels with a feral grin on her face.
“You won’t be freed by your smooth words this time Elias. Neither will your hug bribes work. Night Flash already waits in the cuddling room. Everypony else seeks your capture. Come quietly, or suffer my fuzzy wrath.”
Elias took another step back, only to halt mid-step as Nightshade flapped down behind him. The thestral spread her wings and grinned.
“You’re not getting past me Bright. I’ll hug you down, then help drag you off. Pay your dues, or things are going to get… fuzzy.”
“That’s what’s going to happen anyway!” Elias said as he took a big risk.
Vaulting a table put him in the air for a few split seconds, but that would be all the ponies needed to grab him. Luckily, the darkness, and the quickness of his movement gave him the element of surprise and he cleared the table with ease, setting off down a side aisle. Elias grinned as he wove a wild pattern through the bookshelves, disappearing easily into the dark library. The cries of the ponies disappeared quickly, and as the noise vanished, he let his steps slow.
Elias took short breaths as he turned his ears out, listening carefully for the approach of hoofsteps. He only had to make it five minutes, then they had to call off the ambush for the day. Then it was as simple as surviving one more ambush, then he was safe. Elias grinned and chuckled softly. He was going to win.
His chuckling ceased when Book Binder came around the corner of the bookshelves, smiling brightly at him. Her face was lit up by her horn, as were the large pair of burlap sacks she was carrying.
“Not this time baby boy. I knew Princess Luna couldn’t get you, but I know just the pony who can.”
Elias tensed, ready to turn on his heel and run. All he had to do was break line of sight, then her magic couldn’t get him. As a fuzzy body plowed into his back, Elias realized he had been baited once more, and he couldn’t help but groan at his own stupidity. The pair rolled to the ground, with Night flash landing on his back, and nuzzling his neck.
“Mhm, Red, you’re cold. Good thing Bindey set the trap when she did, or you might freeze!”
Elias felt himself lift into the air, and one of the sacks quickly covered his upper half. Night Flash giggled and nuzzled as it happened, either unnoticing, or uncaring as he was thrown into the sack as well. Book Binder clicked her tongue and tapped one of Elias’ exposed legs.
“Elias, could you tuck your knees please? I want you to be fully in the sack so that you don’t get hurt.”
Elias snorted.
“How is my leg being in or out of the sack going to change anything?”
“Protection spell on the burlap,” Book Binder replied. “This is a game Elias, nopony is supposed to get hurt, and every measure was taken to make sure we had good, clean fun.”
Elias sighed and tucked his legs in.
“Fine, I’ll play along. Can’t believe I fell into two ambushes in one night though. I’m getting soft.”
Book Binder sat the sack on the ground and turned it so that Elias’ face was towards the opening. The unicorn poked her head in and smiled.
“No you aren’t baby, we’re just getting tougher. You slipped through our hooves three times before tonight, it was about time we started playing dirty. Now scooch over, Princess Luna will be here in a minute to pick us up.”
Elias sighed and extended an arm as best he could. Book Binder giggled and hopped into the sack. The pair of ponies writhed and shuffled about, wiggling and nuzzling as they got into hugging positions. As soon as they were settled, the sack closed, and Elias felt them lift into the air. Luna chuckled as she set the burlap on her back.
“Thank you for being a good sport Elias. This is meant to be an enjoyable experience, and while the chase has been enjoyable, it his high time to get the reward.”
Elias grunted, resting his chin in Book Binder’s mane. The mare giggled and nuzzled him, sighing happily. He felt a hoof touch his chest, and he could almost feal Book Binder’s frown.
“You are cold Elias. Is everything alright? Do we need to take you shopping for warmer clothes?”
“No,” Elias replied. “I just need to make it through the next couple of days, then we’ll be back on duty. I’ve seen what Nightshade has planned. I’ll just sweat through everything.”
Book Binder sighed and nuzzled him again.
“Shoot, and here I was hoping to get you something fuzzy.”
Luna chuckled again.
“I think we’ll be meeting everyone’s requirements then. Because of your resistance to our cuddles Elias, this cuddle pile is larger than the others would have been. I have called in everypony, and this cuddle will last for days . I hope you enjoy snuggles.”
Elias groaned loudly, while the three ponies around him giggled.
Day 1
Elias hated everything. He was currently staring at Night Flash’s flank, or more accurately, he currently had said flank wedged against his cheek. The pegasus had been turned over by Book Binder in their sleep, and since the next break wasn’t for another four hours, Elias wasn’t able to say anything. He had promised to be as friendly as possible and not soil the event by being a party pooper, but the longer he had pony butt in his face, the less he felt like he could keep his word.
Elias’ eyes flicked up as Luna snorted. The alicorn grinned at him, pulling him tighter into her chest fluff.
“Enjoying the view are you Elias?”
His eyes gave her his answer. The alicorn chuckled softly again. She whispered some words to the ponies on top of them, then everything shifted. Elias found himself flat on his back, and a different pony sighed, wrapping their hooves around his chest while snuggling his neck dreamily. Leathery wings folded across his chest, and Elias felt a pair of fangs nip at his ear.
“Enjoying yourself cuddle boy?” Nightshade whispered in his ear.
Before he could answer, Elias found himself face to fluff with Luna as the alicorn settled like a cat on his face and chest. She giggled as she rested her head next to Nightshade's.
“I’m afraid our resident human can’t answer Captain. He is busy doing what we should have forced on him all along.”
Elias felt Nightshade chuckle beneath him.
“Every mare knows that a stallion’s only real job is to be buried face deep in fluff. It was only a matter of time before we taught Bright his place.”
Elias wanted to protest the thestral’s words, but all that escaped was a wide yawn. On some unknown instinct, he let his hands wrapped around Luna’s back, and he closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of lavender as he fell asleep.
Day 2
Elias was having a difficult time coming to terms with his feelings regarding ponies. Neat Shelf was in his arms, completely knocked out on his chest. To his left was Scalpel, who was much the same, while to his right Book Binder and Night Flash talked quietly to each other. Elias was at the base of the pile, and despite the dozens of ponies above him, he had no trouble breathing, and didn’t feel at all crushed. No doubt it was the safety spells Luna had briefed them all on when they had started forming the pile. There was a reason she had been forced to commission a cuddle specific room.
Said alicorn smiled at him from above. Luna nuzzled the top of his head.
“Enjoying yourself yet Elias?”
Elias didn’t answer, and he felt himself flush as he tried to look away. Luna’s smiled widened and she prodded his forehead.
“Come on now Elias, it is quite alright to admit it. Everypony here is of the exact same mindset, it is why they are here after all.”
Elias sighed and met her eyes again.
“Fine, you win. I do enjoy this. I’m a complete softy now thanks to you. Damn soft ponies.”
It decidedly not help him stay angry when Neat Shelf hiccuped in her sleep. The mare’s face showed obvious distress, so Elias nuzzled the top of her head, while also rubbing her belly in small circles. The librarian giggled, then settled back with a happy sigh. Elias looked back to Luna, who seemed to beam with pride.
“Very good Elias. You have all the makings of a Hugmaster.”
“I’m not signing that Luna.”
The alicorn sighed, but her smile did not waver.
“I know Elias. Perhaps in time, but not yet. I will say this however, you are not soft; not like you believe you have become at least. You are ever the battle-hardened warrior we found in the Everfree, and in a few days, you will no doubt prove it.”
She took a deep whiff of his hair.
“But it is alright that you are also the soft human that enjoys cuddle piles. You can be both, it is merely about learning the situations when one or the other is called for. You already have the capability and intelligence to make those calls Elias, so relax. Snuggle freely and without fear. This is all for you.”
Elias sighed and shook his head.
“I’m… not sure I can do that Luna. I… I just don’t know if I can.”
Luna sighed again.
“Very well then Elias. Sleep, think about my words. You still have another full day and a half to release your inner pony.”
Luna snorted and nuzzled his head aggressively.
“But should you decide to do so, do think of me. I love having a warm human pillow.”
Day ???
Elias groaned as somebody prodded his side. His grip on the pony above him tightened slightly, and he pressed his face further into her back fluff. He wasn’t ready to wake up, didn’t want to leave yet. The third day had been a blur, but from what he did remember, Elias knew that he had done as Luna had recommended and released his “inner pony” for a bit. That Elias had been a hugger, and the chill that had plagued him for weeks had finally dissipated. They wanted to quit now that he was finally getting comfortable? He didn’t want that. He just wanted to sleep a bit longer…
“Bright, get up, the cuddle pile is over,” Nightshade said.
“Shh…” the pony in his arms whispered. “Do not ruin this Captain, he is an amazing snuggler! I should hire him permanently.”
The pony moaned softly as Elias let a hand drift over her belly fur, scratching it softly.
“Yes Elias, perfect. Give all of your love to my softest fluff. Let us cuddle without end my snuggly little human.”
Nightshade prodded Elias’ side.
“Bright, you were supposed to be on duty in an hour, get up. Princess, you have to let him go. Training starts today.”
Elias groaned.
“No… Just…. Five more minutes.”
The pony above him giggled.
“You heard the human, Captain. Five more minutes.”
Nightshade sighed loudly.
“Princess I can’t just let him…" She paused, then said; "I’ll make you a deal.”
“Captain, just take your armor off and join us already! You’ve been wiggling like a caterpillar standing there. Elias wants to snuggle, so snuggle! Encourage this lovely behavior!”
Elias sighed happily as another fuzzy body quickly joined them, snuggling into his side. Nightshade nibbled on his ear and nuzzled his face.
“You aren’t allowed to get up now cuddle boy. Stay right where you are, that’s an order.”
Elias snorted and rubbed his face in her chest fluff blindly. The thestral giggle madly and pressed his face in deeper.
“Good boy, snuggle away cuddly boy. I’m sure by tomorrow this affectionate streak will have run its course.”
Luna groaned loudly.
“Captain! You have jinxed it now! Where will I get a cuddle buddy like this? He’s so warm!”
Nightshade chuckled.
“Had to Princess, you’ve been hogging him for two weeks. The other pile ponies have been asking after him, and unless you intend to have another pile, you gotta let him go.”
Luna sighed and sniffled.
“Wouldn’t have to if he’d just sign the cuddle clause.”
Nightshade sighed dreamily.
“A pony could only wish. Maybe eventually, but he’s needed elsewhere Princess, you know that.”
Luna sighed.
“I know, I know.”
Elias felt her scoot closer, and he cracked an eye open to meet her gaze. She was within centimeters of his face, and she smiled sweetly at him.
“Can we do this again Elias? This has been quite the experience, and I think we have all had an enjoyable time.”
Elias snorted.
“Two weeks? Why don’t I remember that?”
Luna giggled.
“Because my snuggly little human, you have been buried in fluff for much of it, even while eating. I have had a constant shift of extra ponies to join the pair of us, and we have kept you in a fuzzy heaven. Have you enjoyed your time at Castle Cuddle?”
Elias groaned and hugged her tighter.
“Just let me enjoy the last day before I come to my senses and think this is all weird.”
The pair of ponies on top of him giggled and wiggled, nuzzling him back to another peaceful night of sleep.
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The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 13.2 The Unmentionable Times; Night Flash
Author's Note
Occurs between the Hearth's Warming Interlude, and Chapter 26: The Royal Canterlot Wedding
Poker Night SFW
“Luna!” Elias and Nightshade called as the alicorn stalked into the room.
Her head was down, and her brow was furrowed with frustration and concern, two emotions that decidedly did not belong at poker night. Elias shot her a wide grin and waved the alicorn over.
“Come on Moony, sit down. We’ve got cards to play, and they’ll take your mind off of whatever’s bumming you out.”
Luna sighed, avoiding his eyes.
“I… I’m not sure Elias, I, eep!”
Elias refused to take no as an answer as he scooped the large pony up. Moving quickly, he slung Luna over his shoulder and walked back to the poker table. Nightshade watched with a wide smile as the human plopped down in his seat, then put the pony princess down next to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She flushed red with embarrassment as she finally looked him in the face. Meeting his eyes only caused her to blush harder and she looked at the floor with a small smile.
“That was most inappropriate Guardsman.”
Elias shrugged.
“Maybe, but I won’t let you be a grump when nobody around here allows me to be one. It’s poker night, you’re going to laugh with Nightshade and I. Whatever issue you had beforehand doesn’t matter now, not until we’re done at least.”
Luna sighed again, but she nodded in agreement and leaned against Elias’ shoulder. She stayed there for a moment, then blinked. In a flash of movement, she was on her hooves, swatting Elias with her wing as she shot a playful glare at him.
“Dirty cheat, you seated me so that you could look upon my cards!”
Elias chuckled as the alicorn moved to her normal spot. She had started trying to "talk more shit" when they were in a private environment; something that he appreciated. While the alicorn was awful at it, she was trying, and while she was no Anyon, it made Elias feel a bit more relaxed when talking to her.
“Hey, if it takes a little hug to win, I’m not above stooping. Besides, it stopped you being grumpy, now didn’t it?”
Luna grumbled as she wiggled in her seat. Nightshade looked at Elias and gave him a snort.
“And where’s my hug?” She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her belly fur, putting a small pout on her face. “I had a bad day too.”
Elias jabbed a finger at the mare.
“You’re always a grump Big Fluff, so I let it slide. You want a hug from me, then you gotta win one.”
The thestral stopped her act and snorted again.
“If that’s all I need, then this won’t take long at all. You suck at this game.”
Elias rolled his eyes. He reached for his water glass, taking a passing glance at the food tray. There wasn’t much on it; a few cheeses and crackers, small fruits, hay. Nothing exciting or interesting. He sighed and snatched up a grape and popped it in his mouth.
“Says you fluff, now quit stalling and deal. I can’t wait to whip your butt, and I don’t need you stacking the deck.”
Nightshade clicked her tongue.
“Big talk cuddle boy, but you’re getting ahead of yourself. Starting bets ladies. Princess?”
Luna stuck out her tongue in thought as she stared at the ceiling. After a moment of consideration, she shrugged.
“A modification of the usual I suppose. Three hugs from Elias, and the equivalent fifty bits from Nightshade.”
The thestral whistled as she wrote the bet down.
“Wow Princess, Elias’ hugs are pricey huh?” She stopped for a minute, then shrugged. “It’s not a bad price though, and I’ll match. He is a very warm pony.”
Elias let out a long bet and stretched his arms behind his head.
“I still don’t get you two; you’ll bet money with each other, but not me?”
Nightshade gave him a deadpan look.
“That’s for two reason’s cuddle boy. First, you’re legally a kid, and technically we would be breaking the law by betting money with you. Second, you refuse to just give out a hug. We always have to poke and prod to make “Mister Tough Guy” give so much as a single snuggle.”
Luna giggled as Nightshade puffed out her chest fluff in an awful imitation of Elias. The human glared at the thestral as she snorted and smiled, dropping the façade.
“If you ask me, we should have kept that cuddle pile going forever, with you at the center.”
Elias sighed and closed his eyes. His thumb and forefinger rubbed at his eyebrow.
“I thought we said we’d never speak of that.”
Nightshade stuck her tongue out at him.
“Maybe Princess Luna did, but I sure didn’t, so buck up.”
She cleared her throat and shuffled in her seat.
“Now that pecking order has been cleared up, what do you want cuddle boy?”
Elias shifted in his seat to better glare at the mare. He tapped his fingers on the oaken table for a moment, then shrugged.
“The usual. Some “illegal” substances from Nightshade, and fifty bits from Luna.”
Nightshade made another quick note, the began shuffling the deck.
“Alright then ponies, how many games tonight?” She looked to Luna as she cut the deck in her hooves. “I know you have that meeting in the morning Princess, do we need to have a quick game night?”
Luna sighed.
“Not quick, but I would like this to remain short. While I enjoy my time with the both of you, the Zebras have started getting aggressive again, and this will be another in a long series of diplomatic meetings to ensure Equestria’s safety. Needless to say, I need to be on top of my thinking game because I am not looking forward to this.”
Elias leaned back in his chair and smiled at the blue alicorn as she rolled her neck.
“Maybe I can help you relax with a snuggle then Luna, if you’re willing to do something for me in return that is.”
Luna gave him a look that was half playful, and half eager to accept.
“Why Elias, willingly giving out snuggles? Have we truly broken you so soon?”
Elias waggled his finger at her.
“Ah ah ah, you haven’t heard my terms yet.”
Luna rolled her eyes as Nightshade shuffled the deck again.
“I’m sure I can get whatever it is you require.”
“Gryphon vodka,” Elias said simply.
Nightshade choked loudly, and the deck of cards dropped from her hooves, scattering themselves across the table and onto the floor. As the thestral scrambled to recollect them, Luna snorted in disbelief.
“I retract my statement. Elias, you do know that substance is illegal for ponies of all ages, right? It is a poison.”
Elias shrugged.
“It’s actually quite good,” he responded. “a bit more bite then I’m used to, but overall very flavorful.” He sighed and blew out another sigh. His eyes focused on a nonexistent point on the table. “Unfortunately, it is also very hard to get my hands on any.”
“Who gave you a taste Bright?” Nightshade asked as she scooped up the remaining cards.
Elias looked up to find a very serious expression on her face. Her hooves set about reshuffling the deck, but her eyes were focused squarely on him, with more than a little concern concentrated in her orange eyes. He opened his mouth to say that it didn’t matter, but she seemed to predict his words.
“Princess Luna’s right, that stuff is no joke. Adult by your standards or not, you aren’t allowed to have more, and I will find out who supplied you with your first taste. Poison doesn’t begin to describe that stuff.”
Elias crossed his arms, more than ready to stonewall the ponies to protect his friend, but the look in both of their eyes made him hesitate. He frowned and stared at the table again.
“I’ll tell you if I have your word that they won’t be punished.”
“Is it somepony we know?” Luna asked.
Elias’ eyes flicked up to her.
“Your word first. I won’t be responsible for getting them in trouble for something small, and non-important.”
Luna and Nightshade exchanged a glance, then they both nodded. Elias sighed and leaned forward.
“Anyon gave me a taste from his private flask. No selling, and there’s no more of the stuff. I got the rest in exchange for letting him play with Feather some more.” Elias waved his hand in the air. “The old bird thinks he can apply another series of enchantments, but so far he’s been unable to.”
Luna frowned at him.
“So Anyon gifted you gryphon vodka in exchange for working on your gladius, and now it is gone? He has none left?”
Elias nodded and sighed.
“Unfortunately. I emptied what little was left in the flask, and when I asked if he anymore, he told me no.”
Luna exhaled in relief.
“Good, he should not have had any in the first place, but I suppose he could have been drinking it sparsely since he came under our service.”
She rubbed at her forehead.
“As for your “offer” Elias, I shall not take it. A good snuggle would be lovely after the day I’ve had, but gryphon vodka can be deadly to those who aren’t gryphons. It’s part of the name after all.”
Elias shrugged as Nightshade began dealing.
“Maybe for ponies, but I like to believe I’m made of sterner stuff. Hell, my whiskey was about the same proof from what I could tell.”
Luna curled her muzzle in disgust.
“Indeed, and a foul substance it was.”
Elias scoffed at her.
“Bah, you don’t know. That stuff was liquid gold. It was the finest of my Earth stock, and tasted like heaven.”
“I think not,” Luna replied with an eyeroll. “It burned as you drank it, and I am most glad that you are rid of it.”
“Wouldn’t be if Book Binder hadn’t found my still,” Elias muttered.
“Your illegal still,” Nightshade said with a grin. “The one that a legal minor such as yourself is not allowed to have?”
“It wasn’t like I was going to distribute it,” Elias protested. “That’s why it was small enough to only fill a barrel’s worth. One batch could have lasted me a lifetime!”
Luna shot him a disappointed, deadpan look.
“Elias, you had secured four, five-gallon drums for it. That is far too much to drink of your “whiskey” poison.”
Elias rolled his eyes at the pair of them.
“Enough about criticizing my failed attempts at brilliance. Nightshade, are you done dealing or what?”
The thestral grinned at him.
“Eager to lose Bright?”
Elias flipped his middle finger up at the thestral, and she snorted dismissively as she finished dealing, and began shuffling the deck a final time. Elias watched her hooves closely as they moved at lightning speed. He was always surprised at how well hooves worked with holding and manipulating objects, but watching Nightshade shuffle the deck was always impressive. The mare was simply fast.
She set the deck down, then they picked up their cards as one. Elias immediately set his back down.
“Fold.”
Luna clicked her tongue and smiled.
“Why Elias, are you folding simply as an excuse to pay out hugs? For shame.”
Nightshade grimaced and shook her head as she folded as well.
“Nah, that was just a bad hoof. Show em ponies.”
Elias flipped his hand over to reveal a seven and a two, both of different suits. Nightshade had a two and an eight, while Luna had a pair of aces. The alicorn smiled at them both.
“Well well well, it seems you two have gotten better at the paper games.” She chuckled darkly. “Your newfound skill shall not save you from me.”
Nightshade rolled her eyes and began reshuffling the cards.
“Yeah yeah, that’s what you always say Princess, right before you lose.”
Luna stuck her tongue out at Nightshade, and Elias chuckled at their antics as the cards came around again.
*****
Elias tapped his leg nervously while keeping a blank expression on his face. His hand was absolute shit, but he was doing his best to bluff his way to victory. Their bets had become more outlandish and odd as the night went on (as they usually did), but if he won the next hand, the nights debts were cleared for him, he got a flask of hard cider from Nightshade, and a tidy pile of bits from Luna. If he lost… the cuddle pile would be the beginning of a path Elias felt divided on. On one hand, it would make him into the softest human being in existence, and he wouldn’t be able to so much as look at a sword, let alone swing it. On the other, ponies were really soft…
Elias mentally told himself to focus, driving away the parts of his mind that wanted to reach out and feel Luna’s soft belly fur. Now wasn’t the time. He had been on a losing streak; it was why he had bet big. Unfortunately, the deck had not been kind, and he was stuck with a pair of aces, a three, and a four. It wasn’t good, and he knew for a fact that Luna had at least a pair of kings and queens, but Nightshade’s hand was a mystery. His eyes locked onto the thestral as she chewed on her tongue.
With a dramatic sigh, Nightshade took a card, then groaned and folded.
“Unbelievable. Down two hundred bits and no hugs. What a crummy game night.”
Luna smiled at the thestral.
“It makes up for last week when you won four hundred bits and thirty hugs from Elias. You hogged him at every opportunity.”
Nightshade rolled her eyes.
“You’re one to talk Princess, you’re the one who kept him as a cuddle captive for two weeks.”
Luna snorted.
“He was not a captive, he was my cuddle buddy. He enjoyed himself as much as I enjoyed hosting him.” She turned and smiled sweetly at him. “Isn’t that right Elias?”
The human flushed red and focused on staring at his cards.
“We said we wouldn’t talk about that.”
Luna’s smile widened slightly.
“Elias, we are all friends here, and nothing said in this room leaves, just as promised. Nopony can break the spells I wove into the very walls. You can safely admit you enjoyed it.”
She shot a quick glare at Nightshade.
“As your guard captain has shown, you are as strong as ever, and at the top of your class in every physical aspect. Any worries you have about being soft are as empty Nightshade’s pocket after tonight.”
The thestral voiced her protest at the jab while Elias regained his composure, resuming his blank poker face.
“Fine, I will admit it. I had fun, but you need to win before you even get to consider having something like that again.”
Luna sighed, and her face dipped at that.
“Indeed. I raise a snuggle session coupon.”
Elias nodded and tapped on his leg again.
“I’ll raise forty bits, or a bottle of-…”
“No gryphon vodka.”
“Forty bits it is then.”
Luna frowned at her cards, then looked to the pot. She bit her lip for a moment, then visibly drooped as she folded.
“Curses. The pot, while lucrative, has become too rich for my blood.”
She looked to Elias and smiled as she set her cards down.
“Congratulations Elias, you have come out on top of your first game night.”
Elias felt a flutter in his heart at his victory, and it only grew sweeter as he laid down his cards from both ponies to see. Both ponies swore, sort of. Swear was a liberal description of Luna’s words.
“Bedswerving bobolyne am I! How the fluff did I not see your bluffing?” Luna groaned and rubbed at her eyes. “I am a fopdoodle for letting this slip by.”
While Elias didn’t understand much of it, he could understand the sentiment. Nightshade, however, was perfectly understandable, and refreshingly blunt in the land of ponies.
“Motherfucker,” the thestral said loudly.
Elias guffawed, while Luna flushed red and glared at the guard captain.
“Captain, that language is most unbecoming!”
Nightshade jabbed a hoof at Elias.
“He says stuff like that all the time, and he’s like ten years younger than me!”
“That does not excuse it,” Luna shot back. “It is part of his culture to swear in that manner, and he alone gets an excuse to use such language.”
“That isn’t fair, he’s legally a kid!”
Elias butted in before the pair actually started arguing. He opened his arms wide and smiled.
“Are you two going to keep arguing about Nightshade saying fuck, or are you going to give me a celebratory hug?”
Both stopped glaring at each other and looked to him eagerly. Luna twitched slightly.
“Truly?” she asked.
Elias rolled his eyes as the ponies started wiggling.
“The window closes in three… two…”
Elias caught both ponies as they leapt free of their seats and crashed into his waiting arms. The nuzzled in close, and Elias couldn’t help but enjoy the pair of fuzzy bodies on him. So incredibly soft. He had done this with purpose however, and after giving them both a light squeeze of a hug, he grinned at Luna.
“Now pay up you two.”
The alicorn immediately tried to duck away, but Elias’ plan worked perfectly, and she was completely unable to break free of his strong arms. Luna flushed red as she squirmed.
“Elias… this is not… necessary. I just… need to…”
Elias smiled at her.
“Pay up Princess, I’ve seen how you try to duck around Nightshade until the next poker night. Don’t make me break out my secret weapon.”
She wiggled some more, so Elias gave a wink to Nightshade, then gave Luna a light peck on the cheek. The alicorn stopped fighting and stared at him. She then flushed a deep crimson and giggled nervously as she avoided eye contact. A hoof reached out and snagged her saddlebags, pulling out a bag of bits. She slipped them on the table, then leaned into his neck.
“There are your bits Elias,” she mumbled.
Elias felt his smile slip as the alicorn continued staring at the table. He ran his hand down her back, making sure to rub the sweet spot between her wings. Luna purred and nuzzled his neck, but that depressed look in her eyes didn’t disappear.
“Are you alright Moony?” Elias asked.
Luna nodded.
“I… yes, I am alright. I am just thinking about work.”
Elias frowned. It was a half-truth, but that other half was pure lie.
“Are you sure? I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”
Luna looked at him with a smile, which quickly molded into a wider smile and a light blush.
“Of course not Elias.” She nuzzled his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. “You shall make a lucky mare very happy one day.”
Nightshade giggled as she rubbed his other side with her chest fluff.
“I’ll say. Elias is going to get some flank with how warm he is, and those hands…” She shivered as he scratched her ears. “There isn’t a pony under the moon who won’t a piece of this.”
She purred and nipped at his ear.
“Heck, if I wasn’t busy running down Chaser, I’d try to take that fine human body all for myself.”
Now it was Elias’ turn to flush red, and the thestral cackled as she nuzzled closer, reaching out with a hoof to tickle Luna’s belly. That put a smile on the alicorns face, and using her superior weight, she drove Elias backward, causing his chair to tip, sending the three of them sprawling to the ground. Before he could defend himself, both ponies were on him, and they both gave him a kiss on the cheek, giggling as he flushed redder. Luna buried Elias’ face in her chest fluff for a moment, while Nightshade scrambled for her saddlebags, pulling out a tall bottle of hard cider.
Luna let him up, and then with a cheer of victory, Elias cracked the bottle open, passing it to both ponies as they settled against his side.
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The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 25.1 Cuddly Kidnapping Capers Consume Canterlot Castle SFW
Shock and Awe SFW
Elias frowned as he watched the scouts warm up. He had no idea what to drill them on while they waited for the coaches Celestia was supposed to send. They would never function as stand-ins in a shield wall, and while they could learn to throw pilla, they would be exposed the second they flew up to get their aim. It was the very thing he was trying to avoid, so he was at a loss as to what to do with them. He knew how useful they would be, but aside from the same physical training the rest of the legion got, they had nothing else to do.
Elias glanced at Night Flash, who watched the other pegasi with a bored expression on his face. Elias nudged the pegasus with his leg, then motioned to the scouts.
“What suggestions do you have First Centurion? Are they warming up like they should be?”
Night Flash looked over the scouts, then nodded.
“It’s how I would warm up General. Even preening is important to make sure you’re able to fly well, and I don’t see a single pony that isn’t working on their wings in some way. I think they’ll be prepared for when the princesses’ coaches show up.”
“Speaking of,” Night Flash, glancing up to Elias, “who are the coaches? I don’t know anypony outside the guard that would be too good at teaching our scouts how to fly better. I mean, we have a couple of Wonderbolts here, who’s going to know better than them?”
Elias grinned.
“Oh, you’ll see First Centurion. On the note of Wonderbolts however, I assume you haven’t been harassing them for autographs too much?”
Night Flash straightened and puffed out his chest.
“Actually General, I haven’t done a single thing in all my time as First Centurion. I need to act like an officer before I act like a fan after all.”
Elias pondered his words silently for a moment, then snorted.
“You got the autographs after curfew, didn’t you?”
Night Flash’s stern demeanor vanished, and he drooped.
“Yes,” he whispered.
Elias chuckled and shook his head.
“Don’t look so glum First Centurion, I can’t blame you for things you do on your free time, just do try to prepare yourself. I don’t need my second in command acting like a dork when Misty Fly and Fleetfoot get here.”
Elias heard a small squeak from his left, and a loud crack of thunder from the sky. He shaded his eyes from the sun as he spotted a pair of contrails spinning through the air.
“Speaking of,” Elias muttered. He looked to his scouts, who were all staring into the sky at the approaching Wonderbolts. “Snap to recruits! I will not waste valuable Wonderbolt time with you acting like a rabble. Form in a line!”
The pegasi scrambled about like chickens with their heads cut off. Only the few ponies who had been Wonderbolts before fell easily into line, looking only slightly nervous as they watched the pair of blue and yellow clad ponies spiral into the training grounds. Elias glanced to his left and grinned at Night Flash’s frozen expression. The stallion looked like he was going to have a heart attack. Elias nudged the pony, jolting him from his stupor, then motioned to the pair of Wonderbolts as they began to walk out their landing.
“Well come on First Centurion, you’re going to be working with them, you need to introduce yourself.”
Night Flash looked at him with wide, fear filled eyes.
“What?” he squeaked.
“Well I can’t do it,” Elias said. “The wings on my back are for show, not use. I need a pegasus officer to make sure the coaches keep our scouts on their toes and to ensure that proper punishments are dished out for failure. That’s you. The only other candidate is Centurion Ice Blossom, and I need her to run pilum drills.”
Night Flash sputtered, and his eyes flicked to the pair of Wonderbolts, who pulled off their flight goggles, looking around until they spotted Elias. The human gave them a short wave, then nudged Night Flash again.
“Today First Centurion, or you’re never getting those cards signed.”
Night Flash looked torn between his overwhelming nerves at meeting one of his idols, or not getting his cards signed. Elias smiled and shook his head, then walked forward, leaving the pegasus to sort out his internal dilemma. He kept an even expression on his face as he approached the pair of Wonderbolts, and he mentally cursed himself as he felt a flutter of nervousness in his own chest. He and Night Flash had spent just enough time talking about the Wonderbolts for Elias to get hooked, and while he wasn’t quite as fanatical as Night Flash, he hadn’t ever actually seen a Wonderbolt in uniform before. He had to say, the blue and yellow looked as good in real life as it had on the cards.
He offered his hand to Fleetfoot, but instead of shaking it, she forced him to curl it into a fist as she bumped it and grinned at him. The motion felt foreign, and clashed with everything Elias had styled himself after, leaving the human feeling awkward as he dropped the limb back to his side. The pegasus didn’t seem to notice as she smiled up at him.
“You must General Bright.” She motioned to herself, “Name’s Fleetfoot, this here is Misty Fly.”
The yellow pegasus beside her squinted at the row of scouts.
“I’m seein’ some familiar faces here Fleet. Is this washout school?”
Elias saw a few of his scouts bristle at the accusation, but they looked to him, keeping their mouths shut until he spoke. That was a good sign. They expected him to defend their honor, and he would not disappoint.
He squashed any traces of nerves he felt, and crossed his arms, glaring at the yellow pegasus.
“Misty Fly was it?”
She nodded and smirked at him. Elias’ bad eye twitched with irritation.
“Keep that kind of talk to yourself,” Elias said sharply. “These ponies volunteered to be here, and unlike you, they aren’t going to another show to do loops for a crowd of fans.”
He saw outrage flash in her eyes, so he crouched until he was at her eye level, then directed her eyes to the line of scouts with his finger.
“They are going into the heart of war, and they are some of the bravest ponies here, because they will be doing so with weak armor. You’re here to compensate for their armor with better training, but please, belittle them. I’ll send you scampering back to your little flight club with your tail between you legs, then hire somebody who is actually good at flying to coach them.”
Elias stared her down as Misty Fly’s eyes hardened into a furious glare. He didn’t so much as blink as she puffed out her wings. Before the pegasus could but heads with him, however, Fleetfoot intervened, putting herself between the pair of them, and laughing nervously.
“Alright, I think we get the message. Nopony is going to be throwing insults at anyone, right Misty?”
The yellow pegasus growled.
“He started it!”
Fleetfoot spun on her.
“Actually, you did. This isn’t the academy, and we aren’t going to haze these guys. This is a whole different thing, and I swear if you buck it up and soil our good name, Spitfire will hear about it, got it?”
Misty Fly withered and nodded silently. Fleetfoot took a step back and took a deep breath.
“Good. Take five Misty, cool your head. We’ve got a job to do, let’s do it right, and look good while we do it, okay?”
Misty Fly nodded again, grumbling to herself and shooting glares at Elias as she trotted a few feet away. The human rose from his crouch and clasped his arms behind his back. Fleetfoot took another deep breath before she looked back to him with a smile.
“Sorry about that, it was a…. long flight. It can be stressful.”
Elias inclined his head.
“No worries at all, I just get defensive around my ponies is all. I’m sure you feel the same.”
Fleetfoot nodded and grinned, puffing out her chest in pride.
“The Wonderbolts are one big family. We’d do anything for one another,” she shot a glare at Misty Fly, “Including smacking somepony upside the head when they need it!”
The pegasus stuck her tongue out in reply, but the tension seemed to bleed from the air. Elias let a small grin onto his face.
“Fair enough. Either way, today should be one of the last interactions we have, because you two shall be working with First Centurion Flash here.”
Elias turned as he motioned to the pegasus, then stopped as he found the pony dripping with sweat and hyperventilating. Elias blinked in surprise as he saw a very familiar binder in the stallion’s hooves, and a glance toward his saddlebags found them bulging with more card binders. Elias met Night Flash’s eyes.
“First Centurion… did you fly home while we were talking?”
The pegasus gulped, then nodded as he continued gawking at Fleetfoot. Elias let out a small snort.
“First Centurion, I have no words.”
He felt a nudged on his hip, and he glanced down to Fleetfoot. The bluish pony winked.
“I think I can handle this one General. We see fans all the time, and I think you’ll crush his dreams if we don’t take care of this now.”
Elias glanced back to Night Flash, and the stallion twitched as he stared back with wide, pleading eyes. Even covered in armor and with a helmet obscuring part of his face in shadow, the stallion looked absolutely adorable, and it took a substantial amount of willpower not to give him a hug. Elias let out a long sigh and rubbed at his brow.
“Scouts, First Centurion, you have twenty minutes to get this out of your system.”
The pegasi bolted and formed two groups, swarming both Wonderbolts.
“I expect you to be flying like dragons when the times up!” Elias shouted.
He was completely ignored as the chattering excitement reached a fevered pitch. Elias sighed, walking to the shade to wait the ponies out. He watched the groups closely, making sure nobody was making an embarrassment of themselves. He was surprised when after only a minute or two, Flash trotted from the group of ponies, holding neither his binder, nor his saddlebags. He trotted over to Elias, then plopped down next to him, keeping a good half foot between them. Elias side-eyed the pegasus as he practically bounced in his seat.
“Something happen First Centurion?” Elias asked.
The pegasus squealed and leaped at Elias.
“She’s going to take my cards and get them all signed!” Night Flash exclaimed. “I thought I would only get her and Misty Fly’s signatures, but the whole Wonderbolts team!”
He squealed again and did a little dance, fluffing his wings out in joy. The pony positively exuded happiness as he bounced around, and Elias couldn’t find it within his heart to punish him for his unprofessionalism. He instead simply watched as Night Flash danced about, letting the pony exhaust himself.
It took him a few minutes to come down from his excited high, and he quickly realized how much of a fool he was making of himself. He blushed and sat back down, still smiling as he stared at the ground. Elias rolled his eyes and patted the pony on the back.
“Pace yourself there First Centurion. These two are supposed to be spending the next three months with us. If you geek out every time you speak to them, I’m going to have to find someone else to fly with them.”
Night Flash squeaked and froze again.
“F- fly with them?” he whispered.
Elias smiled and shook his head, bracing his hands on his knees.
“What did you think you’d be doing? Watching from the ground? Fuck, I could do that.” Elias shook his head. “No, you’re going to be up there, running drills, making sure they can spot me in a formation, that kind of thing. You studied the packet Scarlet gave you, right?”
Night Flash nodded quickly.
“Of course!” he squawked. His voice immediately dropped as he looked around, making sure nobody was watching. “I studied. I just… didn’t know I’d be running flight drills with the Wonderbolts .”
Elias rolled his eyes again, and wrapped an arm around Night Flash, giving him a lightning fast hug.
“I trust you to do a good job. Just stay calm, remember your discipline, and remember that you’re in charge.”
He motioned to Fleetfoot.
“She isn’t in charge, neither is Misty Fly. You are. You hold command, and the scouts follow your orders. Do your job, I know you can.”
Night Flash stared at Elias, then looked away to rub at his tear-filled eyes. He sniffled as he spoke.
“T-thank you General, that really means a lot.”
After another sniffle, Night Flash snapped to his feet and saluted.
“I won’t let you down!” he proclaimed.
Elias pulled his watch from his belt and glanced at the time.
“Good, because they have three minutes left. See that they aren’t late getting to training. I’m going to go and file paperwork before lunch.”
Night Flash’s happy expression remained for a moment more as he beamed at Elias, then he slipped into his stern guard persona, and he pulled out his own watch, glaring at the scouts.
“I expect you to be in line with wings at the ready in two minutes!” he shouted. “If you’re even a second late, I will make sure to bind your wings and throw you from Canterlot mountain myself! Move ponies!”
The scouts began to scramble back into formation as Elias got to his feet. He gave Night Flash one last grin and a wink before walking to his office.
Author's Note
Takes place after Chapter 44
The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 25.2 Poker Night SFW
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Chapter 25.3 The Snuggle Shark Begins SFW
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Chapter 44.1 Shock and Awe SFW
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Chapter 52.1 A Night in Bordertown; Part 1
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Chapter 52.2 A Night in Bordertown; Part 2
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The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 52.3 A Night in Bordertown (Jail); Part 3
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The Centurion Project; Filling in the Gaps
Chapter 6(9)8.1: I am contractually obligated to make a joke because of the number (Cut Content)
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Chapter "71": April Fools
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