Ever Onward

My eyes stung as I looked away from my computer and I blinked rapidly to try to adjust myself to hazy green light of my room. I always kept my little basement abode dimly lit, mostly so I didn't have any glare on my monitor, but it was times like these that I tended to regret the decision. Hours upon hours of staring at the harsh blue light was murder on my eyes and made it take damn near forever to accustom myself to something more comfortable. Honestly, I was surprised that I still had decent vision even if distant print was harder to read now than when compared to what I remembered as a little girl. Still, I wouldn't trade it for anything. My computer was the one escape I had to distract myself from the torments of my past.

My stomach gurgled, reminding very keenly of why I'd decided to take a break, so I pushed my chair away from my desk, rolling with a little spin across the concrete. My feet hit the floor as I slid out of my chair, the cold concrete against my bare toes making me wince, and I made quick little hopping steps up the stairs to my door, the hazy green fog gathered around my feet and in the edges of my vision wafting and swirling around me.

I wasn't exactly sure what time it was since I'd neglected to check my computer's clock before getting up but it had been a few hours since I got back from the store, so I was sure that Mom was done with dinner. She was a slow cooker, mostly because she took breaks in the food prep to get other work done, and I didn't mind. I even helped take over occasionally when she seemed especially busy or asked even if I wasn't the best chef. I knew she'd finish whenever she finished and I really wasn't in any position to complain either way. I might be a shit daughter and person, but I'm not ungrateful.

I stepped out into the hallway, wincing again as the bright light reflected off the haze and shocked my retinas. "Mom? Is dinner ready?" I waited for a few seconds, expecting a reply, and shrugged when one never came. She was probably in her room and didn't hear me. It wasn't ask that surprising, especially considering how pregnant she was. She was getting more and more tired, more and more sore, so I took shuffling steps towards the kitchen. If she was napping, then I could help out. It wasn't all out of kindness. I mean, I am hungry, but I love my mom, and I knew she needed sleep with how much work she was always putting in, so why not?

The kitchen wasn't far from my room, just down the opposite end of the hall from the living room and front door, and even my timid, shuffling steps covered the distance in just a couple seconds. I glanced at the bathroom just opposite the kitchen's door for a second, wondering not for the first time in my nineteen years why the dining room wasn't there instead, then pushed into hallway outside my bedroom.

The mansion-castle's stone halls were quiet as usual, not that odd since the size of the place and its thick, stone walls easily swallowed up any conversation or minor commotion. What was strange, though, was the distinct lack of somebody by my side. Sure, I'd only been here for a short while and there were a couple times where I'd been left alone, especially late at night like it was, but, looking over my shoulder, neither Ysa nor Lulabelle were asleep on my bed. The room was still, empty save for the lifeless furniture set about the space, and silent.

The soft slaps of my bare feet on the floor were like gunshots in the night, but there wasn't anybody around to disturb and nobody would hear them through their doors in their sleep. The fog swirled around my feet, so thick that it almost felt like I was wading through it, and, for just a moment, it almost felt like I could hear it. There were moments where the wisps swirling around my feet seemed to call out to me, almost like it was whispering to get my attention, but whenever I stopped to listen everything was silent.

It was eerie and set my nerves on end, but that wasn't really any different from the usual since I'd gotten here. I've been walking on eggshells, trying not to overstep my bounds and failing horribly at keeping my cool, and there's only been a few, short moments that my nerves hadn't been keeping me on edge. I was walking a fine line between sanity and straight up losing my mind, but luckily I've had Ysa, and Silk, and Lulabelle to help keep me grounded. Now, though…

The hallway seemed to go on forever as I shuffled down it, keeping close to the wall yet very carefully avoiding the extremely expensive looking vases and busts lining the corridor. The last thing I wanted was to break something important and cause more trouble than I already was by being here, but I also barely knew the few halls I'd been through and was very keen on finding my way to Silk's room. I frowned, furrowing my brow and pursing my lips.

Why was I trying to find Silk? She was definitely asleep considering how dark it was out the windows and, even if she probably wouldn't mind, I didn't want to wake her. I'd already taken up more than enough of her time. I didn't want to push my luck and burn the bridge she'd do kindly built for me, but…

The little hints of whispers were getting more pronounced, more prominent, and almost to the point that I could make out words. There was a chill to the air now, completely unlike the typically mild evenings I'd gotten used to, and it made the haze nip at my toes. My teeth chattered, the clicks echoing in my skull and in the air around me, almost as if the fog was more solid than just a soft green mist, but I pressed onward. I really needed to find Silk. Surely she'd know where Ysa and Lulu were and we could keep each other company until we fell back asleep. All together this time.

The mist called out my name, hints of shapes forming in the fog as I rushed through the hall, much less focused on keeping quiet now and more on finding the right door. My footsteps slapped against the stone as my eyes darted back and forth, searching for some sign of which door was Silk's. I couldn't remember which was which or even which side it was on, not with the clamoring for my attention from the fog around me. Little lengths of the green haze slithered along the walls beside me, keeping just in view and in pace in my peripherals but never staying in place whenever I tried to get a good look at it.

My heart was thundering in my chest now, pumping blood in my ears like a drum that played a frenzied duet with the clicking of my teeth, backed up by the staccato puffs of breath that frosted in the icy chill. My lungs burned, straining to filter the frigid air into something usable as I frantically looked around me, the sultry calling off my name from the fog growing more and more persistent with each passing moment, first from the left, then from the right, back and forth whenever I tried to get close to a door, and I shifted away from it each time in my sprint. I felt like I was being herded, like I was being led right where it wanted me, but I didn't dare stop to confront it, whatever it was. It was using the mansion's haze as a cover, using it to keep itself just out of my sight, and I didn't want to take the chance of letting it catch me.

My body screamed in protest from the prolonged flight, pleading with me in the form of fiery lungs and burning muscles as I desperately tried to escape my pursuer, when I noticed, finally, an open door up ahead, light pouring out of it and into the green fog. As I got closer, I could hear talking, most of it unintelligible, but above the static noise I could hear a more distinct voice. It was one I recognized, one I knew very well. Male, deep, and cruel. I could hear his mocking tone even if I couldn't quite understand what he was saying.

I froze in place, my body locking up instinctually, as memories I tried so very hard to suppress were dragged back to the surface just at the sound of him. Tears stung my eyes, but I couldn't do anything. I mean, I was just some plain, loser ginger and he…

My, my… You poor child… I think it is about time you… "-wake up!"

I flinched as the words drove a spike into my brain and groaned. Even with my eyes closed, the light was like a knife digging into my skull, and I tried to cover my face with my arms, but they refused to move and just lay at my side feeling like lengths of jelly. An attempt was made to ask for some sort of shade, but all I could manage was a painful croak like I was trying to gargle out words through glass.

There was a desperate squeal from my side that stabbed through my skull before I was swept up in tiny arms and my face was squished against a soft, slightly scaly chest. "She's awake! She's awake!" Ysa's voice was scratchy and thick as opposed to get usual bubbly, cutesy cheerfulness. "Twilight! Twilight, she's awake!"

There was a clatter and commotion from beside me, punctuated by a drowsy, muttered, "Huh?" before I felt a familiar tingle and a softly, but firmly whispered "Ysa, please talk more quietly. She's going to be extremely sensitive for a while." Then, after a slight pause, I felt the kobold get pried away and something soft and smooth wrap around my eyes. "Mary, can you hear me?" Her voice was even softer, but still felt like a needle in my brain, but I nodded. "Good…" There was a pause as a sigh tickled my neck. "Good. Thank Harmony. Okay."

There was another pause where Twilight muttered to herself, Ysa still clinging onto me though a little more loosely, and the tingling faded from around me as the fabric was secured and tied around my eyes. "I need you to leave this on and try to keep your eyes closed, okay? I'm sure you noticed when you woke up, but your senses are kicked up to an eleven right now… Except maybe touch? Though I'm almost certain that would've been too if we'd drained your excess magic more conventionally, but that might have taken too long and we couldn't risk any extra-"

"Twilight!" Ysa hissed, the harsh sound making me wince, as her body tensed against mine.

There was a sharp gasp, punctuated by a long pause, before Twilight sighed again. "I'm sorry, Mary. I'm just worried and… It was a really close call, Mary." I waited for Twilight to continue, but several long minutes passed before I realized that she was softly sniffling.

I swallowed hard, trying to get some semblance of moisture in my throat, and croaked out a strangled "…what…" that probably sounded more like a garbled cat being strangled, but the event was immediate.

Twilight was immediately right back next to me, her voice thick with emotion, and pressing something smooth and cool against my lips. "Harmony, Mary, you shouldn't be talking. You almost destroyed your vocal chords screaming. Drink this." She pressed the object closer to my lips, tilting it, and icy cold liquid lapped up against me. I sipped slowly at first, the chill burning in my aching throat, then started sucking down the water with vigor as she talked softly. "I suppose you should know what happened that way you can let us know when it's starting to get worse…" She sighed and placed a hoof on my thigh as I finished the glass and carefully pulled it away with a tinkle of magic and a clatter when it was deposited somewhere off to the side. "You were suffering from magic poisoning, pretty badly too. Normally, cases like this, especially as bad as yours are extremely rare, because most beings have ways of bleeding their excess magic, but…" Another sigh and she pulled away from me while Ysa clutched tighter, almost painfully so.

"You don't, as we just found out. You said you were having headaches, right?" I nodded when I realized she was pausing. "That's one of the first warning signs for those whose magic reserves are stored in the spine or nervous system like equines, cervids, and you. Other signs are dizziness, nausea, and possibly weakness, though none of those are guaranteed." Her tone was grim, but I swallowed and nodded. My heart was slamming against my chest and sweat soaking the sheets and beading on my brow. This wasn't a revelation that I wanted. I was already struggling enough with the changes in my life, but now the world was trying to kill me with magic I never wanted. "Typically, it takes months, sometimes years to build up enough magic to cause poisoning like that, but you were oversaturated in less than a week, which means that you've been taking in an exorbitant amount of aether."

"H… how?"

Twilight waited for a moment, and it sounded like she was shuffling in place, before whispering again. "Well, I'm guessing it's because of your emotional state, but it's really hard to tell. Magic is very closely tied to your thoughts and emotions and can be negatively and positively impacted by it for many different reasons, but in this case… I want to say that your mood changes have been making your body instinctively draw in magic to defend itself, doubly so since your body has been had magic before and doesn't know what to do with it."

I shook my head when she paused again, fear gripping my chest. I could already feel my chest tightening as panic welled back up in me, shortening my breath. The blindfold was making it hard to not feel trapped, and each sharp inhale scraped painfully through my throat. I needed to get out, I needed to leave, to get home. I needed-

There was a click and I jumped, head swiveling to find what was coming as wood and metal creaked before a low, womanly voice pierced through the thoughts racing through my brain. "Is Miss Rose…? Oh!" There was a rush of padded footsteps before I was painfully tackled to the bed, a big furry body crushing Ysa against. "Lulabelle was so worried! You collapsed and vomited this black tar, then started screaming. Lulabelle didn't know what to do, but Miss Ysayle was able to find Princess Sparkle and… Lulabelle is so glad you're okay."

I cringed as each word dug into my skull like a hot knife, but still relaxed as best as I could in the canine's embrace. It was definitely a relief to have her here with me, and already the tightness in my breast was beginning to loosen, my breath coming more evenly. It was amazing what Ysa's and Lulu's presence did for me.

Twilight pressed her hoof against me once more and I glanced in its direction out of habit, still sightless with the blindfold. "Mary, I know it's been difficult for you, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen again. If you experience anything strange, please let us know. I've had some experience with humans in the past, but you're a completely different breed than the ones I knew when I was younger, so it's going to be a lot of guesswork for you." I opened my mouth to try and choke out a question as to how they helped me, but there was a tingle as Twilight's magic pressed against my lips. "Please, save your voice and relax. You're going to need a few days to recover your strength and let the lingering effects of magic sickness wear off. If your headache comes back, let somebody know right away and we'll treat it immediately. Until then, blindfold on and no loud noises." Her hoof left my side and I heard the sound of hooves on stone as she walked away. "Lulabelle, Ysa, make sure that she stays put. Don't stress her out and try to encourage her to sleep. I'm going to let Silk and Daliah know that she's awake. Mary, Daliah will be by as soon as she can with some stew."

There were little sounds from Ysa and Lulu, letting Twilight know that they understood, before her hoofsteps continued away and silenced by the closing of a door. I stared blindly in the direction of where she'd gone for several short seconds before going limp in Lulabelle's arms. It was taking too much effort to even lean slightly forward to pretend to keep eye contact with them, and my aching, tired body was protesting vehemently against the action, so I just let the two of them embrace me and relished in the feeling of their bodies pressed close.

"Do ya need anything, Mary?"

As Twilight had asked, her voice was quiet and timid, still slightly thickened by emotion, and I tried to flash a grimacing smile as even that shook my brain. "…w-wa…"

There was a flurry of motion as the lizard slithered out from between Lulu and me, the sounds of glass clinking together and liquid being poured, then a soft "Here…" as the cup was placed against my lips once more. I drank more slowly this time, letting the cold water soothe the ragged fire in my throat as best as it could, and angled my face up to let Ysa know I was done. A little water still dribbled down my chin and soaked into my hair, but she was quick to pull the glass away before I made a mess and set it back wherever it'd been with a clack.

Silence filled the air again as Ysa climbed back up between us, snuggling her head up against my chin with her arms wrapped around my neck. It was nice, but there was a gnawing feeling in the back of my mind, a thought that I just couldn't let go of. Twilight had said something about an odd way of saving me and that that was the only reason my whole body wasn't screaming at the slightest touch. What had they done? I trusted Lulu and Ysa, and to an extent Twilight, and I figured they wouldn't do anything that would put me in any more danger than I was already, but it still worried me. Was there going to be lasting issues? I needed to know, so I shifted to get my friends' attention and mouthed out my question as best as I could when I felt them move.

"Lulabelle… doesn't understand? Are you asking what happened? Lulabelle is not good at reading lips."

"I think she's askin' about after she passed out. Right, Mary?" I winced, angling my head back and forth, then nodded. It wasn't quite right, but it should let me know anyway. "Well, ya collapsed and started barfing and screaming, and I didn't know what to do so I panicked and ran for help. It was a good thing, too, 'cause everybody was too far away to hear ya, but I found Twilight and we rushed back, but by then… by then…" She sniffled, and I felt hot tears splash against my neck as she squeezed me tighter and nuzzled up as close as she could get. "Yes were-"

"Miss Ysayle…" There was a shift of weight against me and Ysa nodded against my chin. "You were not doing well, Miss Rose, so Twilight sought out Miss Strand and, with her and Daisy's help they were able to stabilize you." Not doing well… Ysa had been about to say something, but Lulu had stopped her. Had I died and did they somehow bring me back? Was it going to happen again even with their help?

Wait, how did Daisy help?

"…h-ha…?"

There was a crash and I let out a gravelly yelp, as loud, heavy breaths filled the room. "Mary!" I cringed and whimpered as the cry pierced through and echoed in my skull before I was once again crushed by a new body slamming into me. "You're okay, you're okay, you're o-"

The was a tussle as Silk's words were strangled out, followed by a harsh, but infinitely quieter shh brought everything still once again. I was glad that Silk was worried about me, maybe not that I had caused the worry, but because it showed her concern had been genuine and her attention before hadn't been just physical, but that didn't lessen the awful agony ringing in my brain. It took a few heavy breaths, muffled by something, before she finally started talking again, much, much more softly.

"I was so terrified for you, love. When Twilight came rushing into my room telling about magic sickness and telling me to bring the girls, I… Well, I might have panicked a bit." There was a quick pause and I could almost imagine the shameful blush on her cute, pale yellow cheeks before she spoke up again. "Speaking of, I am terribly sorry I was not here with you when you came to. I checked in whenever I could, but I have been tending to Daisy for the past couple days and helping her process what she… uhm… Mary, are you…?"

I gaped at the sound of her voice, guilt quickly gnawing at my heart, the weight of what happened finally, truly settling in. I'd been out for a couple of days at least, maybe more, and they had to take care of me during that time, and, somehow, something had happened to Daisy because of me. Tears welled and soaked into the blindfold, making it stick to my face while I croaked out a strangled, painful whine. The three of them were up in an instant, their immediate presence gone as I felt scales, fur, and magic search up and down my body beneath the blankets, but that only made me cry harder.

"Mary? What's wrong? Did we hurt ya?"

I sobbed, pain wracking in my skull and throat, and futilely tried to wipe the moisture escaping from the cloth, but I could barely even get my arms to twitch at my command, so I resigned myself to a quick jerk of my head. "…m… sah…"

Anything else was choked out by searing pain in my throat and a swift plat of tiny fingers on my lips. "Mary! Twilight said no talking!"

"Love, are you… upset because of something we did? If you w-want us to-" It hurt like hell, but I shook my head vigorously, forcing back my tears. They were being too nice to me despite me already being nothing but a burden, but… no matter how guilty it made me feel, I didn't want them to stop. "Then why… Oh. Ohh… Marilynne! Do not dare think that you are imposing upon us at all, do you hear me?"

"What? Is that why you're…?" I could almost feel their eyes on me and shame weighed heavily on my heart, but it didn't make the feeling of inferiority, of uselessness fade. I nodded. "Aww, don't feel bad. We don't care about any of that." Ysa draped herself back across me again, any hint of her previous somber mood gone as she squeaked happily and nuzzled up under my chin.

"Miss Rose, what happened is not your fault and neither is anything else that you've been dragged into here. We, all of us, made a decision that pulled you from your home and from your life."

"Exactly, love. If it was not for us summoning you, you would have never suffered through any of this and you'd be happy and carefree with your family." I swallowed. It was partially true, though I couldn't expect them to understand when I wouldn't share my thoughts with them. I wasn't happy back home, bordering on depression, and every day was filled with mundane, repetitive tasks on my computer, watching the same old shows and playing the same games over and over to occupy my mind and keep me from thinking about what had cornered me in my home. I was lonely, even with my mom keeping an eye on me and trying her best to be a part of my life and be there for me, but now… I finally had friends. "And do not worry your little head about Daisy, if you were. She gladly offered to help and is just suffering from a rather large stomach ache. You, ah, were overfilling as she said and, not to be rude, she said your magic tasted rather awful straight from the source, which is strange because she has never disliked somebody's magic before and was rather fond of your ambient aether." Silk paused, shifted ever so slightly on me, then again but more pronounced as her front hooves lessened their pressure against me. "Nevertheless, fret not about Daisy. She is fine and would and will gladly do it again. It is just taking her some time to… digest, as it were."

I nodded, my lip quivering, and bit back my mounting tears just in time for a knock to sound at the door. It was soft and wouldn't have been audible had anybody still been talking, but the lull in our largely one-sided conversation was just enough for me to catch it. "It's open, Missus Daliah."

The door creaked open and I was immediately got with the thick, meaty smell of stew. My stomach growled, but that was thankfully covered by the sound of the matronly minotaur's admonishing voice, saving me at least a bit of embarrassment. "You three. Shame on you, get off the poor dear. She's supposed to be resting and she can't do that with you suffocating her, don't'cha know?" There was a shifting of bodies as all three of the guests on my bed dispersed with muttered apologies. I would have giggled if I could have gotten out anything more than a scraping wheeze. "Much better."

With their sudden absence from my side, the sudden shift in weight from Daliah as she climbed onto the bed was much more pronounced and I almost rolled towards her as the mattress sank to accommodate her. "Oh, surry dearie. I always forget that these beds aren't as firm as mine. Here, let me just…" I gasped when a thick, strong arm slipped beneath my shoulders and hefted me up out the divot without even a grunt of effort to pull me up against the most plush, warmest breast I'd ever felt in my life. Which, to be honest, wasn't all that many. What was once something that had taken all of my effort not to ogle at at the dinner table earlier in the week was now firmly cushioning my face which I was sure was beet red considering the giggling coming from around the room. "There we are. Now, the stew is hot and Princess Twilight said you would have trouble moving, so why don't'cha let me take care of that for ya, dearie?"

There was another round of giggling as Daliah removed her arm, making me yelp as I sank further into her bountiful titflesh and shiver as a nipple as thick as my middle finger pressed into my spine. There was a clatter of ceramic from my left, a light tink tink, then a few soft gusts of air before a warm spoon pressed against my lips and filled my nostrils with the mouthwatering scent of meat and gravy. "Open wide, dearie." I swallowed heavily, embarrassment burning heavily in my cheeks, and parted my lips.

I learned quickly that she was serious in her insistence for me to open wide when she firmly, but gently slid what was more akin to a bowl than a spoon into my mouth and, ever so carefully, filled my mouth with the most delicious, overwhelming mix of flavors I'd ever experienced. There were spices and flavors that I'd never tasted before, probably herbs local to Equisra, or whatever, but I could also taste carrots and potatoes and onions, chopped into perfect portions, mixed in with the not-quite-beef chunks that fell apart in my mouth. It was a festival of flavor with each act perfectly supporting the others without overshadowing one another so well that I almost gagged from trying to savor it too long, and when it went down it soothed my throat like a balm.

"That good, eh?" She chuckled, and I felt the bassy sound through her chest. "Well, that's good then, 'cause I brought plenty for ya." Before I could even motion to let her know I was ready for more, Daliah had the next spoonful right there for me. There was a level of comfort in being cradled in the minotaur's embrace and spoon-fed a delicious meal that had me almost in a trance and before I could even process it I was filled to bursting and still holding my mouth open for the next bite that didn't come.

I felt the woman chuckle against my back as the dish and spoon clinked together one last time off to the side. "Surry, Mary. I tried to bring ya more than ya could eat, but'cha just gobbled it all down as fast as I could feed ya!" She laughed again, this one more throaty and full-bodied, and I smiled along with her. "Gosh, I was worried that ya wouldn't like my food when ya barely ate anything last time, but it does my heart good to know that'cha liked my cooking. 'specially this dish. It was my daughter's favorite don't'cha know."

There was a hint of thickness in her voice as she spoke about her daughter and I would have asked about it if I could utilize my own voice for anything more than scratching glass, but it was gone without a trace as quickly as it had come. "I'll go get'cha some more, so you just rest here." She gently shifted me, easing me off her chest, and I took that scant moment to use what little working muscles I had to cover my stomach. There was a moment of silence where I hoped she had noticed, then Daliah laughed softly and laid her hands over mine. It was heavy despite her gentleness, and I was worried that I might lose some of the stew before she laid me back and stood. "Surry, dearie. I suppose we both got a little overeager there, eh?" I could already feel Silk, Lulu, and Ysa edging back over to me, but Daliah tsk'd and they all stopped. "I trust that you'll give her enough space and let her rest?"

It hurt to laugh, but I couldn't help the gravelly chuckle at their combined shuffling. It felt like they were squirming in place, caught in a scrutinizing glare. "Honestly, Daliah, do you think us so brutish to suffocate the poor dear while she is hurt?" At least Silk had the presence of mind to sound somewhat ashamed. "We will behave, I swear. The last thing we want to do is put too much stress on her, right girls?"

There was a small chorus of agreement and I could imagine minotaur tilting her distinctly feminine, bovine head in just that way that my mom did when she want quite sure she believed me. "Good. Mary, if they give ya any trouble, just let me know and I'll set them straight." Her voice was soft and instilled in me a warmth that I'd only ever felt from my mother. For just a moment, I could imagine that she was the one admonishing my friends and not the massive cow-woman, but just like most of my daydreams, that faded and left me once more with a longing for home.

The door opened and closed, signaling Daliah's departure with the soiled bowl and spoon. The trio at least had the decency to wait three whole seconds before crowding back around me, but I really didn't mind. I was already missing Daliah's presence pressed up against me, and the feeling of three other bodies against mine was a comfort I could quickly grow addicted to. Despite Daliah's mock concern, they weren't smothering in the slightest. They simply pressed their bodies in close to mine, enough to let their presence be felt, but still giving me enough space to shift and move if my body would've responded how I wanted it to.

"So, anything you wanna do?"

Even if I couldn't see anything, I still instinctively glanced down towards the voice of the kobold from her place on my chest and let the question bounce around in my head. I didn't have any plans for anything even before I was essentially given a magical aneurysm. I'd been spending my past few days just letting everybody drag me around on their whims. I wasn't upset by it, and I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't enjoyed most of my time here, but I didn't have anything that I could do without guidance. I didn't have my computer, though my inability to move or see would've made having it pointless, my phone was… somewhere back in my room, and I didn't have any books to read even if I could…

I paused, blinked, then glanced at Ysa. "Buh…" I coughed, pain searing my throat while Silk's magic tinkled and the sound of putting water met my ears once more. I drank deeply, the warming water still soothing, and smiled wanly in thanks before carefully mouthing out book while weakly pantomiming the turning of pages.

"I, uhm… What's she asking for?"

Ysa shuffled on my chest and Lulabelle laughed from my left. "Miss Rose wants us to read her a book. Is Lulabelle right?" My smile brightened and I nodded, immensely thankful that whatever had numbed my body left at least everything above my neck functioning mostly fine, even if I had a bit of a headache still. I struggled to bring my hands together and form them into a heart on my lap and mouthed romance at the desert dog and this time it was Silk that gasped.

"Ooh, love. Romance?" She cooed and snuggled in close, her cheek pressing right against mine and her mane tickling my nose. "You would get along seemingly with Goldie, I think. You see, while I just adore the idea of a true blue romance, Goldie is obsessed with it. You should have seen her library back before we had to flee Canterlot. There were whole walls filled with shelves in her room dedicated to reading material and, if I am not mistaken, most of them were those cheesy city mare meets wild stallion smutty novels." She pulled back for a split second before a tap of wetness pressed against my cheek and I felt her climb off the bed, leaving me burning in the face. "Stay put, love, and I will be back with something for you."

Her hooves rang out her motion on the stone, each step feeling like a wound up flick to my brain, before, just like Daliah, she was gone with a pair of clicks from the door. "That's not fair! I wanna kiss, too!"

I grinned, trying not to laugh through my red cheeks as the kobold slithered the rest of the way up my body and pressed her muzzle to my lips, her tongue flicking tentatively against them, before pulling away with a pleased-sounding hum. Embarrassing as it was, the pecks felt nice, they felt right, like it was something that was natural, and they were doing wonders for my mood. I wanted another, maybe one from Lulabelle, but I figured that the big canine wouldn't be as likely to try and steal kisses from me like the other two. Lulu was by far the most reserved of the two, even if that wasn't all too hard of a mark to fall under, and I had the distinct feeling that she wouldn't even think of acting without me asking… And I don't think I could do that.

"Miss Rose, are you comfortable? Not too hot or cold?"

I tilted my head, confused, then felt her hand on my hip, on my skin, and her question clicked into place. I felt my face light up to try and blend in with the coppery orange of my hair and only kinda cursed her for making me aware of the fact that they'd stripped me down again. I suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable, more so than I'd been when I thought I was just mostly paralyzed and blinded. I'm sure I would've noticed eventually, probably, and appreciated being made aware of it, but I definitely could've gone without the sudden shame of being made aware of how I'd been naked around a bunch of people for the past… hour? Not that I could've gotten an accurate reading from it, I couldn't see the sun to judge the passage of time, though I could still feel its warmth being filtered through something and onto my bare skin.

I wasn't hot, even with both Lulu and Ysa keeping my body heat close in, but I knew that if they pulled the blankets up it'd quickly become unbearable. I was feeling self-conscious, shame stinging in my eyes at the thought of them having to see my bony body and washboard chest. I hated that, even with them showing interest in me, my mind told me that I wasn't worth it with a voice that wasn't mine, like an insidious parasite sucking the joy out of my thoughts. I evidently paused for too long, or maybe my thoughts were showing on my face, because Lulabelle carefully pulled just the sheets up over my chest and tucked the edge up under my armpits, adding a gentle pat on my shoulder. I despised that I felt uncomfortable around people I liked and generally trusted, but I still turned a thankful smile her way. It didn't make me feel better, but I at least felt less vulnerable.

Then, as if busting through the tension in my thoughts, the door burst open, thankfully caught before it could make its full swing, and Silk's sing-song voice jabbed beautifully at my brain. "I am ba~ack!" The door was closed once more, with a lot less force than it was opened, and the mare's clopping hooves announced her approach until those were silenced by the plush mattress as she climbed back up and nestled herself against me. "Did you miss me, love?" There was a shuffle of fabric, an almost imperceptive click and then the rustling of pages as something small was dropped into my lap. "You will have to thank Goldie when you get the chance, because without her you would be here listening to me drone on and on about the history of the world." She paused, shifted ever so slightly. "Part One, I think Twilight said, before going off on a rant about there being no subsequent volumes that I graciously left her to."

She giggled, her sultry voice sounding like heaven to my ears, and shuffled through the book's pages while Lulabelle and Ysa adjusted themselves to accommodate the unicorn. There was a bit of whispered arguing between Ysa and Silk about who would be reading, which Silk kindly put to rest when she explained that she had the book. Ysa, instead, huffed and crawled up under the sheets, pressing her cool body against mine, and I could just imagine the smug look she flashed Silk when I heard the mare sigh and mutter out an "Honestly…" under her breath. Lulabelle, quiet, readjusted the sheets, making sure that both Ysa and me were now snugly wrapped in the blanket before cradling me against her. Her fur was as soft as clouds against what little skin was still exposed and did more to keep me warm than any amount of blankets ever would.

I smiled. The three girls were like a bastion around me, building up the walls in my mind that were fighting to keep my darker thoughts at bay, though that was an uphill battle. Still, it was nice to have people that aren't my mom around to care. After years of exclusion, isolation, and self-loathing, this was like a spa cruise vacation for my soul.

Silk's story was exactly as I expected and looked forward to, following the perspective of a young farmer's daughter, a pony mare named Petunia, that was suddenly thrust into a life of adventure and intrigue by a band of soldiers under the employ of the local Baron. She had been expected to serve the soldiers during their short stay there, but didn't expect to find a gem in the rough ore that was a band of soldiery. An officer, a pegasus mare named Windtunnel, to my pleasant surprise, flirted and teased her, offering to show her the world, and swept the little farm mare off her feet, or hooves, as it were.

Silk, in my opinion, was an amazing orator. She changed her voice for each character, though they obviously still held her husky sultriness, and voiced her dramatic pauses and intensified her words when something particularly interesting came into play. She knew exactly how to keep my attention, or maybe I just found her voice intoxicating, because I was caught off guard when I heard the gentle sound of squeaky snores coming from the kobold snuggled up on my chest.

There was a sound of pages turning before I heard Silk's magic cut out. "I think that is a good enough place to stop for now." I groaned. It was just getting to the juicy parts. "Now, now, love. We shall have plenty of time to continue this later, but for now you need your rest and I think Ysa and Lulabelle will agree." She paused, and, in the lapse of sound, I noticed that the desert dog's breathing was soft and even, her arm limp and heavy against my hip. I mouthed a silent Oh. "They have been keeping a very close eye on you and I must admit that I am a mite envious. I do wish I had the time to keep you company, but Daisy is still not fully recovered and it would not be fair to either of you if I did not tend to her."

There was a shift in the weight from her side, followed by an extended, pronounced groan, before I felt the pressure of a hoof on my shoulder. "Get some rest, Mary, and I will be back to read to you again later." The only warning I had before her lips met mine was the sudden wash of her hot breath against my face as she leaned in close. Her lips were as soft as I remembered from the last time as she melded our mouths together, and I found myself moaning into the dance her broad tongue played with mine. It was painful, each little gasp and groan burning in my throat, but it left me panting for more when she pulled away with a wet smack. "Hopefully that will leave you with sweet dreams while Princess Luna is occupied." She giggled softly, and hopped off before I could even think about getting my arms free. Not that I could have stopped her with my limited function, mind you, but the thought was there. She laughed all the way to the door, her sweet tittering echoing in my head, until the sound of the door closing shut her out and left me alone with the fresh desire burning in my loins.

I huffed, frustrated, and tried to shift around to find a more comfortable position to let some cooler air calm the fire between my legs, but with both Ysa and Lulabelle snuggled up so close and holding me so tightly, I couldn't even shift the blankets off my toes. I groaned in annoyance and meet my head fall back, using what few mental faculties that weren't being assigned to replay the feeling of Silk's sensual embrace in my mind, and put everything I had into falling asleep. It'd only been a couple hours, though.

Tonight was going to be a very long night.