Author's Note

May everypony have a happy new year and may this year be better than the last.

Twenty Five: Contemplating Judgment

It's been a few days since Twilight has decided to have a foal with me the next heat season. Since then, she's been more open about her affections toward me. Before, she was a little bit reserved about showing affection for me in public. Now, she just doesn't care. Now, she'll walk up and bring my head down to give me an affectionate kiss then say, "I love you." I also found out that Ember will live for a few centuries and her breeding time also is at least a couple of centuries. She's young yet, like me so there's plenty of time.

Right now, at this moment, I was in my fox form walking with my dad, still in his changeling form with the inhibitor ring stuck on his horn, toward the teleportation rune to take us to Chrysalis' cell. The rune was located in a small vacant room of the castle that was the farthest away from everything else. The room didn't have anything in it other than the rune itself.

"You really want to do this, dad?" I asked while looking down at him as we stood side by side waiting to step onto the rune to take us down to the cells below.

After a determined sigh, he looked up at me with a firm nod. "Yes, son. I want to do this. She's the one responsible for turning me against you. She's the one responsible for bringing me here and brainwashing me against my own family. I want to confront her over what she's done."

"Very well, let's go," I told him before motioning him forward into the rune and then following him into the rune. After a couple of seconds of bright light, we were down in the crystal caverns below Canterlot. And Chrysalis' cell was just ahead on the left. And now that dad has been released from his cell, and especially now that he's about to talk with her again, Tia took down the silent areas in front of the cells. Which means that I didn't have to be nearby in order to hear them talk. I, however, moved to stand off to one side behind him anyway as he stepped up to Chrysalis' cell.

Chrysalis herself was laying on the bed and already facing the crystal bars of her cell, so she noticed when he stepped up to the bars. And looked like she really didn't care at this point because she was just staring off into space with a bored look on her face. Still had that same look when my dad walked up to her cell.

Then sat his butt down and simply stared at her.

After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke up. His voice was filled with heartbreak, regret, and anger. "Ever since being convinced that my son was right, I've been thinking about what my first words would be to you. You helped bring me here to this world in a body that's not my own. You brainwashed me into attacking the family of my son. My grandchildren." Every sentence he spoke, I could tell that he was getting angrier. His voice was rising and getting edgier with each passing sentence. Not that I blamed him any for it. I'd be pissed too. I'm just glad that he's on my side again. "Made me believe that you were the real ruler of this nation. Used the imagery of my wife against me. Basically... Fucked me into compliance."

Now, that was news to me. "That's just plain cruel." Was my quiet and simple comment about that.

My dad didn't respond to me but stood there for another few seconds just staring at Chrysalis in pure hatred. Then suddenly stepped forward and banged his hoof against a crystal bar making it spark with magical energy making the invisible magical wall visible for a couple of seconds. "YOU HAD NO RIGHT!" He screamed it at her putting all his hatred and rage for her into it.

All through this, Chrysalis was still simply staring off into space and not acknowledging his presence. Until what my dad said last. Then she quickly turned toward my dad with a wicked grin spreading across her face. "I had every right when that stupid pony came to me with the offer of bringing you here." That grin on her face started looking more and more insane after each sentence she spoke. That insanity started creeping into her eyes as they slowly widened as she kept on talking. "That's my lot in life as an accident upon creation. I'm a plant that feeds off of love. A. Plant." She paused to cackle like a mad pony. "That what I am and that's all I will ever be. A! Plant! A plant that feeds off of pony's love. And it will always be my desire to see those pesky interfering princesses fall and to take over all of Equestria! You were such an easy pawn in that game." She paused again in her insane rant, to actually bat her eyes at him with a hum that was supposed to be alluring. "However, I will say that you are good at bucking."

I looked at her with a look that screamed "I can't believe you just said that." What she said next, I didn't know how to respond.

"But even I must admit that your son is better."

Then she turned that alluring look over to me and gave me a wink.

My dad let out a very horse-like snort and turned toward the teleportation rune with a disgusted tone in his voice. "I'm leaving. I don't know why you even keep her around."

I waited until my dad had disappeared before a sigh escaped me and looked at Chrysalis with some pity. "He's right, you know. I don't know why I keep you around. Maybe it would be better if I just put you out of your misery instead of trying to reform you."

"You might as well because I'll never stop trying to kill you and everything you hold dear."

I believed her, too. It was in her eyes. Without another word, I turned and left her there.

^_^

From there, I bid my dad goodnight, because it was already late at night, and walked into Tia's room before morphing into my naked human form. My daughter was already asleep as I thought she would be considering I said goodnight to her before leaving with my dad. Now, they were both on the bed with Solar laying on a thick pillow fast asleep. And Tia was laying on her side facing the doorway next to her with her head on the pillow next to her. She brightened immediately when I walked in. That smile turned to a wicked grin as she wiggled her eyebrows at me with her eyes traveling up and down my naked body as I walked over to the bed. The mattress was made from clouds and another soft material that muffled any vibrations I made after getting onto the bed. Therefore my daughter wasn't disturbed from her sleep as I got onto the bed. So, I laid down next to my daughter with one arm above her on the pillow and the other reached out and gently started stroking Tia's side.

As my hand glided over her still lithe form, her smiling content-filled eyes were locked onto mine. With a happy smile on her face, she moved closer to me with a hind leg shifting over to rub against my leg. I responded by gliding my hand down to her cutie mark and giving her a gentle possessive squeeze. After moving my other hand under her head, she turned her head and kissed my hand before laying her head on it, closing her eyes, and sighing contently. All while my hand gently squeezed and massaged her cutie mark as her hind leg rubbed against mine.

She wanted me to stay with her for a little bit before spending most of the night with Luna and Nightmare Moon. Therefore, I had taken a nap in the afternoon. I was happier now than I had ever been in my life that my heart seemed to be exploding with it. Watching Tia and my daughter sleep had me thinking about my thoughts earlier. I love them so much that I would gladly die for them to protect them. Would I also end Chrysalis to keep them safe? If she truly won't reform and if there's really no hope for her, then would it be not safer to end her life? Get rid of the possibility of her ever doing more harm? If there's no chance for her to reform and she just simply won't do it, as she hinted at, then she's definitely dangerous. Too dangerous to keep alive? If I make that decision, then I can't do it alone. I'll have to not only talk to my herd about it but Thorax as well. Especially the changeling kingdom because they were under her rule. In the meantime, I stayed there and waited until I was sure that they were fast asleep before I carefully extracted myself.

After making sure I could leave without waking them up, I returned to my fox form then left the room to talk with Luna. I remembered that she was waiting for me in the garden as she wanted to spend some time with me outside under the full moon tonight. When I got to the garden, Nightmare Moon was the personality that was primary because she looked like Nightmare Moon. She was laying on her side on the soft flowers by the fountain looking up into the full moon sky. As I trotted over to her, I thought that this would be an interesting conversation. Because up until actually seeing her, I didn't immediately think about bringing it up with Nightmare Moon. Just Luna. Nightmare Moon's thoughts about this would definitely be interesting.

As I got closer, she turned her head down to look at me. And with a quick flash of her magic, my colors darkened to the black coat that she liked and a playful mischievous expression crept up on her face. Complete with a knowing smirk that had me wondering just what she had in mind and how wild it may or may not be.

"There is something on your mind tonight," Nightmare said simply as the smirk dropped into a disappointed frown. That frown started turning upside down when she teased, "I know a way to take your mind off of it."

"I know you can and in many tantalizing ways, my Nightmare," I said to her as I walked up beside her then laid down beside her; facing her. "However, I would like to talk about Chrysalis before our night begins."

"And what troubles you about...her?" there was clear animosity in her voice as she paused just long enough to put some emphasis on the last word.

"What troubles me," I continued slowly while in thought, "is what I'm thinking about doing to her." I paused just long enough to gauge her reaction. Her reaction was a mixture of caution and curiosity. "As you know, my dad went to see her. Their conversation was short, to say the least. I've told you how she came into existence." Nightmare nodded at that. "She still believes that she's just a plant that her sole purpose in life is to suck ponies dry. So much so that, I think, she's gone completely insane." There was uncertainty in my voice as I continued which echoed in my eyes as I looked at her. "And because I think that there's very little hope of her ever reforming herself, I'm thinking about putting her out of her misery."

She was shocked to hear me say that. Her eyes went wide with her mouth hanging open slightly as if her mind had temporarily shut down and she didn't know what to say.

"I mean, if she truly won't be reformed, as she had said many times, then she's dangerous. Even as secure as she is, she's still very dangerous." I looked off to the side a little, now deep in thought and just voicing those thoughts at this point. "Nothing is truly one hundred percent secure. So, there's always a chance for her to escape and come after my family like she has said she will do. Would it really be better to just go ahead and end it? Even if that was the case, I can't, and won't, do anything until I speak with my herd first and especially Thorax and the Changeling kingdom." I paused long enough to look back at her with all uncertainty about my thoughts in her eyes. "What do you think?"

She stayed as Nightmare Moon while lost in thought. There was a few seconds of sheer disbelief in her eyes before she looked away in deep thought. "Why ask me?" she finally asked, turning back to me after a couple of minutes.

"I love you and want you safe. You're in my herd. And even without that, you are in a unique position." Leaning over, I laid a couple of tails over her and kissed her cheek. When she didn't immediately respond and looked like she was still thinking about it, I continued my thoughts. "She's still dangerous and I think it's obvious that she's not going to stop. So, do I put her out of her misery now when we've got a chance or wait until she actually attacks our family? I know how you feel about Solar, so what would you do?"

During the next few minutes as she thought about it, her mouth opened and then shut a couple of times as if she was going to say something but didn't. Finally, she spoke with her voice soft and contemplative. "I would probably be thinking about the same thing. Although, even I, Nightmare Moon, may or may not have gone through with it. It is an interesting question. An interesting dilemma. I think it is wise to speak to the others. For me, I don't know."

"That's fair considering I'm not really sure myself." Neither of us said anything for a couple of minutes after that while I used a tail to gently start rubbing between her wings. "Didn't mean to ruin the mood or anything," I finally said after another minute or so of silence.

She tisked at me with a roll of her eyes, "Thou should be punished for that." And I wasn't worried when she looked away with a disappointed look on her face. Until she turned her head back around with a growing wicked grin on her face and a mischievous look in her eyes.

Damn, I'm in for something that's for sure.

What she had in mind was truly a punishment for me. After we teleported to the throne room, she still had that almost nerve-wracking mischievous grin on her face when she told me to, "Morph into your human form and lay down on the throne." So, I did. I changed to my human form and walked up the steps to lay down with Nightmare's eyes watching me the whole way. Remember that the throne was a little smaller than a queen-sized bed while still looking like a throne. That way she and Tia could lay down on them and relax during the day. After laying down, I knew that I was in for some light bondage and role play when she used her magic to lightly tie my hands and feed to the mattress. After she tied me down to the throne on my back, I watched her slowly sashay her way up the steps toward me. Her eyes took on a bedroom quality but still with a mischievous grin.

"I must admit that you are a worthy adversary," she cooed with her voice holding an air of triumph in it as she glided up the steps. "But you have lost," she started to say as she stepped up to the throne by me. Then lifted a hoof to my chest and rubbed lightly while leaning in to whisper, "And now you are mine to do as I choose." After sitting her butt down, she started rubbing her hoof down my chest slowly and seductively as she tilted her head at me with an alluring smirk. "And with you completely helpless, I get to thoroughly explore your most unique body."

Now I knew for sure that we were roleplaying and I was playing the captured enemy. This could be good or be torturous for me. And considering what happened earlier, it was probably going to be the latter.

"And explore your body I shall, my captured prisoner," she cooed after leaning in to whisper into my ear. I watched and felt her hoof slowly start stroking my semi-hard cock. "I'll touch, kiss, lick, and suck that cock of yours until you beg me to buck you. And only when you tell me everything that I want to know will I let you pound this royal rump. Unless I'm not satisfied with your answer. If that is the case, then I'll bring you to the brink and then stop. Then start again bringing you to the brink before stopping once more. I'll keep bringing you to the brink and stopping before you're satisfied to torture you into telling me everything."

"I won't tell you anything, dark queen," I responded by putting a little growl in my voice.

Pulling back, she laughed knowingly down at me then tilted her head with a soft hum, "Oh but you will, my most delicious prisoner." She removed her hoof from my semi-hard cock, laid herself on top of me, and turned around where her butt was now near my head. "You will," she whispered while leaning her head down near my semi-hard cock and kissing the head lightly. "Now get hard for me, my prisoner," she cooed before slowly and lightly kissing down my shaft. Once she got to my balls, she stopped long enough to take a deep breath. "You have a wonderful scent," she cooed then lifted her head to look back at me.

By now, my heart was pounding in my chest with all my blood going south.

"Need a little help?" she asked as she smirked at me while lifting her tail to expose her wonderful butt and pussy lips. "Only one other has had the privilege of seeing the royal rump in all its glory." Using her magic she untied the hand that was closest to her and then slapped my hand right on her cutie mark. "And nopony has had the privilege of touching the royal rump." She moved my hand around her rump, manipulating my fingers into squeezing and rubbing her rump and butt. "Count yourself lucky...," she paused as my cock responded to her which made her grin back at me. "I see you are a hoof on stallion, hmm?"

My eyes gladly latched onto her most beautiful rump and butt. Especially the soft moist pussy that her magic slowly and torturously moved my hand toward.

"I'll let you touch me," she cooed as she lowered her head to my cock giving it another light kiss. "Just tell me what I want to know." She moaned as she engulfed the head of my cock in her mouth and sucked gently on it. She sucked ever so gently for about a minute before pulling back then turning her head to look back at me. Then moaned with her eyes closed as she moved my hand slowly up her inner thigh so close to her pussy, and yet so far away.

This slow agonizing pace was truly maddening and damn her for turning me on so much.

"Tell me, please," her voice softened to that of a genuine plea as she moved my hand close enough to her pussy that I could just barely touch it. "I'll admit to wanting you to pleasure me but I can't let that happen unless you tell me where the rebel base is. This is just as torturous for me too." She opened her eyes and latched them onto my hard saluting cock standing up straight for her. "Seeing such a wonderfully long and thick cock and not pleasuring myself on it, is torture for me as well. Don't you see that? Don't you want that? To plunge that wonderful thick cock of yours into my wet and warm depths?" She leaned her head back down to my cock giving it a light kiss again before smirking back at me, "Because it's very obvious that you clearly do."

"My loyalty is worth more than simply sex, dark queen," I softly growled to her, getting into the part as she lightly ran a finger of mine lightly across her pussy lips with a long soft moan.

"Very well then," she said suddenly before removing my hand and securing it again over my head. "Then I will give you a taste of what you are going to miss," she winked at me then turned herself around on top of me. Then slowly scooted forward where her waist was over mine and she placed her front hooves on either side of my head. Then lowered herself down and used her magic to guide my cock to her waiting pussy. "Get a taste of my warm wet depths, my human prisoner." She lowered her head down to whisper seductively to me just as the head of my cock parted her pussy lips, "Feel me, my human prisoner." Her eyes closed with her mouth hanging open in silent moaning as she stopped when she fully engulfed the head of my cock inside of her. And when she opened her eyes again I'd almost swear that there was a genuine pleading look in her eyes. "Just tell me and this body will be yours."

I pretended to hold back before saying in a quick defeated manner, "Alright, alright. They're in the black forest just let me fuck you."

Nightmare cackled madly before suddenly plunging herself fully down upon me with a shout of triumph. Lifting her head up with eyes wide with excitement, she spread her wings as my cock plunged deep into her warm wet depths. "YES! YOU AND EQUESTRIA IS MINE!"

At this point, I think the roleplaying was over. Especially when she suddenly brought her head down for a long passionate kiss. As I opened my mouth to tongue wrestle with her, she moaned loudly into my mouth. Then started riding me in passionate earnest. After she released my hands and feet, I grabbed her horn with one hand and put the other between her wings. My heart pounded in my chest while the wet slapping sounds of sex hit my ears as I thrust myself up to meet her.

She then broke the kiss, slammed herself down on me one last time, lifted her head, and teleported us. She teleported us right back outside by the fountain under the light of the full moon. She lifted herself up far enough that I let go of her horn, stopped rubbing between her wings, and put my hands on her rump. And when she looked down at me again, her eyes had changed to show both Luna and Nightmare Moon. She looked down at me with a look of happiness and unbridled passion. And when she spoke it was both of them speaking simultaneously, "We love you, our husband. You have saved us and loved us." She tilted her head back and looked up to the moon high in the night sky. "Hear us, our moon above, and hear our pledge. We pledge to love our husband with joy and with joy let him impregnate us during heat season." Her head tilted down again and lightly rubbed a hoof against my chest as her eyes locked onto mine. And with a happy smile on her face, finished with, "So, we can raise a foal together. Make love to us this night, our husband, and consummate that promise."

^_^

For the next couple of hours, we came together time and again as she kept telling me how many times and in how many ways she wants me to take her during heat season. I also told her how much I love her and gladly show it for all of Equestria to see. After our time of lovemaking, we simply laid together under the full moon simply enjoying each other. That's when she told me that Fluttershy's sanctuary slash our herd community would begin its groundbreaking this morning. With everypony, including Ember, having decided on where each of their small huts will be, it was time to break ground. Everything else was already taken care of with Mayor Mare regarding permits, so there was nothing left to do but build it.

Most of the herd would be there for the groundbreaking this morning. Luna slash Nightmare Moon wouldn't because she would be sleeping. This was why Luna slash Nightmare Moon suggested a four-hour power nap around sunrise. I would get some sleep two hours before and two hours after sunrise. Nightmare gently put me to sleep while laying with her in the garden under the full moon.

And woke up with my daughter bouncing on my side and saying, "Daddy," over and over again while giggling and laughing. I was now in my fox form and laying on my side in Tia's bed as my daughter laughed away while jumping on her daddy like a trampoline. Tia didn't mind one bit because her head was laying in front of mine on the pillow with a wide happy amused grin on her face. Tia's smirking amused face was the first thing I saw after opening my eyes.

I snorted my own amusement at this and simply said, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Tia didn't say anything because if she did she would have burst out laughing. I know this because her face showed barely contained laughter, so she just hummed an acknowledgment and nodded her head. Meanwhile, my daughter gleefully and happily continued hopping on top of me while saying, "Daddy." After another minute, or so, of this, I morphed into my human form while turning over onto my back. Then grabbed my happy giggling daughter in both hands, so I could bring her down and blow raspberries against her belly. While I held her just above my head as she giggled away, I said to her, "Alright, that's enough jumping on daddy. Daddy's awake."

"Yes, I am enjoying it to answer your question," she said to me while I put my daughter down onto my chest. My daughter, meanwhile, giggled away happily while I tickled her tummy. "For the first time in my entire life, I'm the happiest I've ever been. I've got a family." She leaned in and gave me a hard passionate lingering kiss with a happy hum, which I returned. "But if we don't leave for Ponyville, we'll be late."

"You're right," I agreed then lifted my daughter in my hands over my head. She squealed happily as I wiggled her above my head. "You want to go see your Aunties and our new herd home?" She squealed out what I thought was an affirmative, so Tia took her in her magic long enough for me to roll off the bed and morph into my fox form again. Tia let Solar go as our daughter start fluttering over to me. I stopped to let her land on my back and waited for Tia to walk about the bed to catch up to us before using the rune teleporter to instantly teleport us to Ponyville.

^_^

Thanks to the instantaneous travel due to the teleportation rune, we weren't late. And we didn't have to walk far to get to where the groundbreaking would take place. Everypony but Luna was already there plus the construction ground crew. The crew comprised of all stallions which were mostly earth ponies with a couple of pegasi and unicorns mixed in. Except for one pony that stood out among them. That particular pony stood out for a very good reason. Because it wasn't a he but a she. Interesting. Not only was this pony a mare but I'm pretty sure she was also the foreman, or foremare I guess you would call her. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against females in what would be perceived as a male workplace. Just a little surprised. To most guys, I would think, the hottest girl of all is one that would look gorgeous in a dress one minute and get her hands dirty by working on cars and trucks the next. Plus would never hide behind her man in case of an intruder but would be the first one to the shotgun case.

And by the look on the mare's face as we walked up, it appears like she was just such a mare. She also was a pegasus that was holding the blueprints and plans for the area as well under one wing. She had a hard no-nonsense I don't take no crap about her. When Tia and I first walked up, the foremare gave me a hard look as if in annoyance at something. That look softened when my daughter jumped up on my head to take a look around.

When Tia and I walked up to the group, I immediately started walking over to Fluttershy. She was also the one standing in front of the foremare and it was my place to stand in front of her for the groundbreaking. After sitting my butt down next to Fluttershy, I took a second to lean down and give her a quick kiss in greeting. I also noticed that she had our two foals on her back with her wings folded over them like a blanket. I also noticed that we weren't far at all from the teleportation rune either. But just about ten, or so, yards away.

"Now that we are all here, can we please get started?" the foremare asked while looking overall annoyed at me.

So, I knew that I had to be careful around this mare. But for some reason that I can't fathom, there was just this desire to mess with her. I remember all those old cartoons where a devil was on one shoulder and an angel on the other. And that's what I imagined when the devil in me with grinning with glee at messing with this mare. However, the angel in me was giving me a big warning about this mare just might not take it too well. So, I did the right thing and listened to the devil. And this is how that went.

"Can I say a few words?" I asked while trying to sound sincere.

She sighed impatiently with a slight roll of her eyes, "Fine but make it quick."

I gave her a nod and pulled Tia and Fluttershy against me with a smile while looking around at the others around me. "Three years ago I never thought that I would be here right now. Heck, I didn't even know that this world, and you all, were even real until the Tree of Harmony pulled me here. And now with a family." I paused and looked back at the foremare specifically just to fake the idea that I was done. The foremare waited for a beat, gave me a nod, and then started to speak.

"Now we ca-"

"A family that I couldn't be happier with," I interrupted her with a mischievous and amused smirk on my face, "and will do my ultimate best to be the best father, husband, and lover that I can be." After I stopped talking, I looked over at the foremare again. And she was clearly not happy. Her lips were in a tight line, her eyes were glaring at me, and with her wings flared and twitching all said one thing. That she wasn't happy about being interrupted. Meanwhile, some of the girls were confused about this. Tia and Rainbow, however, knew that I was messing with her due to the amused smirks on their faces. I tried keeping a straight face as well.

"Boys, let's-"

Interrupting her again, I continued in an exaggerated fashion with, "That I will protect with my very life and look forward to the wonderful and safe community that we will build together." By this time, most of the girls were trying to hold in their giggles and amusement. The foremare, not so much. And sensing what I was about to do, Tia used her magic to pull our daughter away from me and toward her. The foremare's face said it all. She narrowed her eyes at me with a look that said, do it again. Interrupt me again and see what happens. So, I stayed silent.

She waited while glaring at me with a tight-lipped look that just dared me to interrupt her again.

I didn't say anything.

The foremare opened her lips to speak, and while glaring at me, said, "Get star-"

And decided to poke the devil herself. "And live life toAAAHH!" I screamed out a shout as she launched herself at me with a move that rivaled Rainbow.

"THAT'S IT!" she screamed out her frustration at me as she chased me away from the group.

It was one of those times that you were shouting in the fear of being caught while laughing hysterically at the same time. That's what I was doing. I'd shout when she got near while laughing at this at the same time. And while I was trying to get away, not only did I hear the other girls laughing but I also heard Rainbow shout at me, "Better run, Emmit. She's a quick one!"

^_^

The foremare was finally satisfied after I let her hit me a couple of times while cussing me and after I apologized to her. After I finally apologized to her and she walked away, I found out why she's the foremare for this group. It was still worth it though. On the way back to the group, after she left me, I noticed that the work had begun and the girls were off a ways from them. And it was only when I walked up to them that Rainbow floated up to me with a grin and a chuckle and said, "Dude, that was good. Looks like you'll get a black eye out of it."

I gave her a chuckle of my own and a slightly dismissive shrug. "Eh, it was worth it." Then looked to the other girls with a serious look, saying, "I want to discuss something with you all, so if we could go over to Fluttershy's cottage please?" So, we all retreated to Fluttershy's cottage where I asked Tia to put Solar to bed next to Shadow and Midnight because of what we were about to discuss. It wasn't something for little ears to hear. After Tia returned from putting our daughter to bed, I told them about possibly giving Chrysalis the ultimate judgment. And then asked them their opinion.

Most were simply shocked and stunned into silence. Understandable considering that this would be the first time that I ever suggested such a thing. "What are your thoughts about this? I've already asked Luna's opinion and neither she nor Nightmare Moon doesn't know what to think. I wanted you to know my thoughts about it and your opinion on it before I went to Thorax to get his thoughts on it."

As we sat around Fluttershy's living room in her cottage, Tia was the first to voice her thoughts as she sat beside me on the sofa. "I understand your reasoning," she said to me with a somber look on her face. I was sitting beside her in my naked human form on the sofa between Tia and Fluttershy with an arm around Tia. The look Tia had in her eyes told me a life of hard decisions. And that I was about to find out about some of them. "I've even had to do what you are suggesting in the past. What you call Capital Punishment. I've carried it out in the past before Luna and I found the Elements of Harmony." All their eyes were on her right now as she spoke. Especially Twilight. Twilight's mouth was hanging open in shock.

"You've killed ponies, Celestia?" Twilight asked the very question that they all had on their minds.

With a sigh, Tia leaned into me as I gently rubbed her back between her wings and she spoke softly with sorrow and regret in her voice. "I've only done it with ponies that had committed atrocities too bad to mention. Worse than Chrysalis. Even then, I didn't want them dead. However, I didn't feel that I had any other choice."

"Then you found the Elements," Applejack mentioned as she followed her thinking.

"Yes, Applejack," Tia confirmed with a nod toward AJ that was sitting on the sofa across from us. "Then I found the Elements and that they could turn ponies, and Discord, to stone. Discord was the first one that we tried them on."

"Then those stone ponies around the hedge maze..."

"Yes, Rarity," Tia nodded to her as she sat next to AJ, "those are real ponies. Real ponies that their punishment is forever in stone. Forever to see the world go on around them but never to join."

"I get that you don't want to kill," Fluttershy began speaking softly, "but in a way, isn't that more cruel than death? Being able to watch the world go on but never joining it? At least in death, there's a semblance of peace, isn't there?"

"My father would say to let them die in battle," was Ember's comment as she leaned against the wall next to the sofa I was sitting on.

"I never thought about it that way, Fluttershy," Rarity said quietly as she looked up at her thoughtfully. "If death truly is peaceful to all, then wouldn't turning them to stone deny them that peace due to their cruelty? Is that like saying to them because of how cruel you were, you don't deserve peace in death?"

I saw a contemplative look on her face as she rolled that thought around in her head. "I never thought about it that way either, Rarity. Mother would know, though." She then looked at me with a small glad smile, "I am glad, though, that you will discuss this with the changeling kingdom."

"Yeah, they were under her rule after all," Rainbow commented in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.

"Which, I may go and talk to him tomorrow. Because just turning her to stone just doesn't seem to be enough for me," I muttered to them with uncertainty in my voice. Then shrugged and finished with, "I don't know, maybe I'm starting to get paranoid because I'm a father now."

"I think that comes with being a parent." I think Fluttershy said it to ease my concerns because she said it with a small smile and a slight giggle.

"Oh, I agree Fluttershy," Pinkie spoke up. "I worried about the twins every time I foalsat them. And now about my own foal."

"One reason, why I'm glad that Emmit talked us into creating this small family community for us," Tia said happily while leaning against me with a soft hum of contentment. "It's well protected."

"Yeah, that's true," AJ agreed with a nod.

"Quite, so let us tell you how it's going to look like, darling."

^_^

(Next day, Changeling kingdom)

It was the first time that I've been to the changeling fortress since the rescue. They kept the top floor open to the air and instead of a throne, there was a circular table in its place. Right now, he was sitting across from me with a shocked look on his face that mirrored the ones that appeared on the girl's faces when I told them. I expected that reaction, so I waited for his brain to reboot while sitting at the table. The table wasn't a tall one because there weren't chairs to sit in, so the table was lower than normal so we could simply sit on the floor. It took a couple of minutes before he spoke up again.

"When you said that there was something important you wanted to discuss with me, that wasn't something I expected." When he spoke up again, his voice sounded just as shocked as his face looked. I gave him a nod and waited for him to continue. The look on his face told me that he was mulling over the idea and needed another minute or so. "Even as long as we were under her iron hoof, I don't think we've ever thought about her being killed."

"We have the power to turn her to stone and lock her away within a magically protected stone vault. However, in my mind, no matter what we do, other than outright killing her, would be one hundred percent sure that she won't be any sort of threat in the future." I said after he finished his thoughts. So, I continued with mine and my uncertainty of what I was thinking of doing. "We have the authority, sure. But..." I left it hanging there for him to think about and comment on.

He nodded a couple of times, "Yes, I understand. And I thank you for speaking to me about it. I just don't know how I feel about that possibility, so I know the other changelings don't either." Neither of us spoke up for a couple more minutes until he spoke up with an idea. "Considering that you aren't going to kill her right away, I think it would be a good idea for me to bring it up with the rest of the hive and see what others think."

I gave him a nod of my own. "I agree completely. Somepony like you and other changelings, that has been impacted by her tyranny, deserves the respect of say so in her punishment."

The smile he showed me was grateful for the consideration but also was a sad one due to the nature of the subject. "Thank you. I think what I will do is address the other changelings as a whole and give them time to think about it before letting you know what they think."

"Understandable," I replied. "As you said, I wasn't planning on doing anything with her until I got the input of others anyway. But there was something else that I wanted to discuss." He nodded at me to continue. "It's about the new changeling younglings in the maturation chamber. I'm glad we were able to free the changelings from her rule because those young changelings don't deserve to be used as military tools." He agreed wholeheartedly with a firm nod in my direction. "And you are aware that Chrysalis disguised herself as Daring Do to use me to spawn these new changelings. They are supposed to be able to eat solid foods as I do which would help them infiltrate pony society. And I'm torn on not only how I feel about it but whether or not to be a part of their upbringing." I paused in thought while looking down at the table as if it would have all the answers for me. "She used me in their spawning yet they are part of your kingdom. I don't know how you would feel, or how other changelings would feel, about me helping to educate them. I found dad in the maturation chamber and from what I understand, he was in there for a few days."

"I was told that he felt the way you do," he gave me a nod, "that they shouldn't be used as soldiers. And now that we are all free to live in pony society, we all feel the same way. I've thought about the possibility of sending them to school in the future when they are old enough." He shrugged slightly with a smirk, "Luckily, that won't be for a long while as it takes months for new changelings to hatch. So, there's time. I'll as the others to think about your request for the younglings as well. Right now, I think they would welcome it. Because as you know, many have expressed desires to start a family. And we have another generation of changelings to think about. On the other hoof, not many right now really know about raising younglings. So, how would they get the knowledge?"

I lightly chuckled in amusement at his last question. "The school of hard knocks." After he looked at me in confusion, I explained, "An expression. It means, learn as you go. However, I think it would be fair to say that either Celestia and or Fluttershy would be happy to come here and talk. Or even bring little Solar out here for that matter."

He chuckled with a happy smile, "Your daughter is a real face hugger isn't she?"

"Yeah, she is," I chuckled with him. "It would be a good experience for her to bring her here, so she can get more experience with other cultures."

"And speaking of culture, why don't take a look around and see what we've done so far?"

"I'd love to, thanks," I said as we stood up for him to give me a tour. What was interesting about the structure itself is that there wasn't any more constant shifting of holes as there was before. It was a simple solid structure. Because it wasn't constantly changing, it was much easier to navigate. He kept the throne room, so to speak, was still at the top and it would be where all meetings would be. The maturation chamber was down at the very lowest level underground because of the benefit of being almost at a constant temperature year-round. Cool in the summer and warmish in the winter. The rest of the structure was living quarters for now until the others found other places to live as they are slowly integrated into pony society. He said that after changelings are fully integrated into society, then there won't be much use for this place.

"What about you then?" I asked as we walked into the maturation chamber where I tranqed my dad. "After the others are integrated into society, what leadership role will you have?"

"I'll still be like Princess Celestia or Luna, but the last thing I want to do is rule over them." As we walked into the maturation chamber I suddenly got strong Alien vibes. All the eggs looked eerily similar to the old movie and the warm humid atmosphere didn't help either. Then the thought of how I was so like Ripley in the Alien Resurrection movie. Part of Ripley's humanity got put into the queen which used her new parts to spawn a horrible xenomorph. In this world, Chrysalis used me to spawn this new generation of changelings. The parallels started to make my head spin.

After taking a deep breath and a dismissive shake of my head, I concentrated on how horrible it would have been for these young changelings to be turned into soldiers. "At least they're free now." I gave him a glad smile as I looked at the eggs that have yet to hatch. "And have a brighter future ahead of them."

^_^

After a long day of talking out my death wish for Chrysalis, it was my night with Rainbow and Scootaloo. And both of them wanted to spend some time underneath the full moon before went spent the night in Rainbow's room at the castle. That actually was near the waterfall in our new home slash animal sanctuary that was being built. Even though neither Rainbow nor Scootaloo was of the romantic type, they did appreciate and agree with Rarity's suggestion. Both of them said that it would be a great place for tonight. That was my first clue that this would be more of an emotional night for us.

So, I was laying on my back in my naked human form with Scootaloo resting on top of me with Rainbow laying up against us. It was a cool night and with the soft sound of the waterfall behind us and the bright full moon above us, it really was almost a picturesque romantic atmosphere. I had both arms around Scootaloo with one hand exploring her butt, flanks, and gripping the base of her tail. The other was lightly rubbing, massaging, and scratching between her wings.

Rainbow had one wing draped over Scootaloo as she talked to her with a different look about her. One that I haven't really seen before on her face. But one that I've seen on the others. "I've had sex with him so many times and in so many ways, as you know. And as I've said in the meeting before, I've felt like I haven't been truly intimate with him." She paused to look at me with eyes filled with softened eyes and a smile that spoke volumes. And was confirmed at what she said next. "Because of the questions that Ember has been asking we've realized, or I've realized, that I haven't really been intimate with you, Emmit. I've realized that you were right. You can be intimate without being sexual and be sexual without being intimate. I've mostly been sexual without being intimate."

I acknowledged that with a nod before she looked back at Scootaloo. "That's what I want us to focus on tonight. I want us to be emotionally intimate with him." The look on Scootaloo's face told me that, because she was still young yet, she really didn't fully understand. Rainbow smiled down at her. "I love him. I spend so much time being cool for others that I've begun to understand how important it is that Emmit knows it, and sees it. And even though it might not be cool to show it in public, it's better for us."

"Is that why you've been more mushy around others?" Scootaloo asked with her voice sounding genuinely curious.

"Yeah," she said, turned her head back to me, reached her hoof out, pulled my head toward her, and gave me a soft lingering kiss. It was one of those kisses that spoke volumes of what she had been talking about. She paused enough to pull back and look at me with bedroom eyes that spoke of her happiness. "I love you, Emmit. And I'm happy to be your mare and be in your herd." She leaned in pressing her lips against mine again. And with her soft lips against mine, she sighed softly in the kiss, and let it linger before pulling back. "I love the way your hands feel. The way my body just responds to your touch. The way you tell me that you love me." She smirked at me when she said, "Especially when you show that around others. Like the time when you washed me and had sex with me at the same time in the mare's showers. You kept your eyes on me the whole time as you undressed me. You kept your eyes on me as you washed me while having sex with me at the same time. That. Was. So. Hot."

My eyes were locked onto Rainbow's as she talked. However, my hands were also currently massaging Scootaloo's flanks. And in response to that, she was slowly rolling her hips instinctively. Which had her pussy lips rubbing against my now hard shaft.

"Right in the middle of all those other mares, you were only concentrating on me. Your hands and body washing me while you were inside me were the hottest thing we've done together. The other Wonderbolts told me how jealous they were."

As Rainbow paused to look at me with a wide thankful grin, Scootaloo used that moment to look down at me and speak up. "Would you do that do me as well? It's been a while since you've bathed me and I really like it."

In response to her request, I lifted my head up and gave her a soft lingering kiss. I put some passion in it, moaning softly as she opened her mouth to let my tongue dominate hers. "I will, Scootaloo," I told her after breaking the kiss. "I'll wash you and bathe. My hands, and my body, will rub all over you with both of our bodies lathered up with soap. Then I'll dry you as my hands touch every part of your body."

"I'd like that," Scootaloo said softly as a blush appeared with it being obvious that she was thinking about it.

"Until then, tell him how you feel about him. Tell him your deepest darkest secret that you've not told anypony else." After Rainbow said that, Scootaloo looked as if she didn't really know why Rainbow wanted her to do that.

"It's about trust, Scootaloo," I said to her as she looked back down at me. "By doing so, you trust me with your deepest and darkest secret. By giving me that trust, you're opening yourself up emotionally to me. Or just tell me your deepest wants and desires."

For a couple of minutes, the only sound was the waterfall behind us and the gentle rustling of the leaves on the trees as the gentle wind blew through them. "Because of my small wings, I'm afraid that I'll never be able to fly. Or have any stallion love me because I wasn't a good enough flier or a flier at all. That's why I was so nervous around you and why I didn't ask to join the herd when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle did. I was afraid that you didn't like me that way."

I waited until I was sure that she had finished before rubbing my hands slowly up her back. When my hands reached her wings, I gently encouraged her to spread them out for me. She was hesitant at first but let them expand. "These wings, don't define who you are," I told her while running my fingers down the main wing bone. I only continued after my fingers gently wrapped around the wing joints and started massaging them. "They may define what you can do. And like Bulk Biceps, for example, it could keep you from flying or even flying at all. But it won't define who you are or what your worth is to me, Rainbow, or anypony else in this herd. And we all know what flying means to you. And even though we'll do everything we can, everything that I can, to help you realize that dream, just remember that those small wings don't define who you are."

There was a wide smile on her face when I got done which told me how relieved she was that I felt that way. After that, it only took less than a second for her to go from an insecure young mare to passionate bedroom eyes take me now passion. Her head shot forward for a deep passionate kiss as her hooves wrapped around my head pulling me up to her. She began pressing and rubbing her pussy lips against my hard shaft while moaning loudly into my mouth. When she pulled back, there was a passionate and possessive look in her eyes while she continued to coat my hard shaft with her juices. "Then love me. Touch me. Kiss me. Bathe me. And I'll do the same. I want to wash you, bathe you, and love you." She looked over at Rainbow just long enough to ask her. "Will you help me with that?"

"Oh, definitely," Rainbow replied with a wide grin to her. Then looked down at me with loving eyes. "Same some for me, ok? Love me after you love her. Take your time with me, Emmit. Nothing quick with me tonight but love me slowly. Then let us wash, bathe you, and love you tonight before we join you in your bed tonight."