Author's Note

GOOOOOOOOOOD DAY!

Hello kind readers, it is I, Morgan! Here to bring you an all new chapter into the ever changing fuckery that is Orion's life.

As always, leave a comment. Call your representatives. Throw me a pallet of bricks! Whatever your pleasure. And thank you, once more for visiting my lowly page.

If you like my work and wish to donate a couple of bucks so I can buy a beer, here is my Kofi. I have a few new things that will drop on that page at the end of Sept. (I Hope)

Other than that, enjoy and thanks for reading.

Peace!!

Breakdown

"MOTHER FUCKER!" Orion roared as he desperately tried to smother the flames that sparked and flickered fitfully from the long metal and wood board he had been working on.

He wasn't worried about anyone hearing him. He had long ago figured out how to soundproof the small chamber hidden within an offshoot path of the sewer system. Nor was he concerned about smoke choking him out as the room was well ventilated.

No, he was just plain angry.

Angry that this was the fifth board he had burnt to a crisp in the last six months. No, it was more than just the smoking dreams before him.

He was pissed at himself. This was just the latest to upset him.

After the offer from Granny, and his subsequent running away, he had thrown himself into his private research. Either ignoring or being short with any mail the Apple Family sent him. The guilt tore at him each time he did so, but he could not face them. Fear kept his hooves from making even a weekend visit.

So, instead, he devoted himself to projects as a way of distracting himself.

Which led to him wasting material he had earned from Forager on the idea that he could build a hoverboard. An actual hoverboard, not that janky two-wheel construction he had seen kids in neighborhoods rolling about on, back on earth.

As he watched the fire slowly extinguish, with his magic's help, he went over in his head what had gone wrong this time. Getting it to hover had been no problem; using an anti-gravity enchantment had been all but child's play. But it would not go anywhere other than using his hoof to push the device for locomotion.

When he tried to put in a propulsion system, the two spells warped and ripped apart the insides of the board. What was he doing wrong?

Looking into the exposed innards of his latest failure, he sighed. It would all have to be melted down again. None of it was salvageable as they were right at that moment.

"Well, I got the time to try again, I suppose." He thought miserly.

It was Estrus season once more. Which meant classes were on hiatus till mother nature was done fucking with the mares of the nation. He was certainly glad to be reborn in this world as a guy. It would suck to have to go through life like that.

Slowly ripping the "wires" of gold and copper out of the board's shell with his magic, those not melted to slag at least, he idly played with a dagger he had crafted a few months back. It was designed with a stunning charge in the handle that connected to the blade.

The handle itself was made of rubber. He had crafted the rubber from the extracts of an insane amount of dandelions he had pulled a little under a year earlier. After adding ammonia and starting the process of coagulation with some acid, he had come up with about five pounds of the stuff.

His reasoning for the blade had been the reminder of almost being caught by that griffon Moya employed, Scout. Last time he only had a janky knife to use, and that didn't put the bird brain down.

A popping sound occurred behind Orion, and his blood ran cold.

In his efforts to hide his little hole in the sewer wall, barriers that could act as a solid surface had been easy to make. One of the beads in his mane had been made with the enchantment. Acting as a kind of I.D. card for him. It had been one of his more clever ideas; it kept people out and unaware that there was anything there at all.

There was another type of barrier he could have made that required a rare gem called anthracite. In his world, it was nothing more than a better version of coal. Here in this world, however, it was a blue-green stone that seemed afire with inner light. Its connection to natural magic gave it the edge when compared to all other gems, as it allowed spells to touch the veil between realities. It acted as a projection antenna rather than an anchor power source.

Teleportation was essentially a breach in reality when formed, like a wormhole connecting one place to another. The barrier would deny people from entering a set area of the creator's choosing.

There were two reasons he hadn't made one. First, it was extremely hard to find. From what he knew, Equestria was the only nation to have a source, and that was heavily guarded. Secondly, the barrier he made would immediately implicate him as an enchanter. The effort in creating one would not prove to be a benefit at that point. He had a rough idea of how to craft one, but it would be a trial and error deal that he was not sure he had the patience for.

So each time he came down to his workshop was a risk, which is why he stuck to a nighttime schedule.

Besides, polite ponies never just teleported in on someone like that. However, that was primarily due to the restrictions on teleportation. You couldn't teleport into a cave; something about the stone's interference. And you had to be already close to your target to find them.

Turning around slowly, he was greeted with the sight of Twilight Sparkle, gazing about with increasing levels of shock, judging by the widening of her eyes. She knew what she was looking at. The how she knew could be figured out later.

He pulled all the magic he could from his two bands and his horn and wrapped her up in flows of air, securely trapping her horn in raw strands of his own aura. He poured every ounce of extra strength into that. She was more powerful than him by far, even with the crafted faux horns around each of his biceps.

He gripped the dagger in his hand tighter and held it outside her view. No chances. He watched in panicky silence as she gazed back at him, terrified.

"O-Orion?" She asked hesitantly.

"Shut the fuck up!" He hisses at her. His mind was having trouble trying to formulate a plan. Could he make it out of the city before she broke through the bonds he would be forced to trap her in? Could he even bind her?!

"Are…are these what I think they are?" Her voice picked up in a greater panic, mirroring his own anxiety riddled mind.

"I said shut up!" He shouted, making her wince. "The fuck, Twilight! Why in the hell did you TELEPORT to me directly?!"

She didn't say anything at first. Her lips quivering like she was going to cry. She had made no attempt to break his hold on her as of yet, but tears leaked down the side of her muzzle.

"Oh, for the love of…you can answer the question." He facepalmed.

"Y…y-ou were not in your room, so I thought I would find you quicker by doing…." She said nervously.

"You visited me at..." He looked at the wall-mounted clock he had brought down there with him in order to keep track of time and gaped at the display. "TEN AT NIGHT?!" He roared, grateful for the time of evening and the wards he had in place. In truth it was twenty after ten, but Lizard Brain had locked onto the simple fact that it was late.

"I…I was bored…and wanted to see you?" That sounded like an excuse. He wanted to smash his brains out into the rough stone walls of the room. He was busted, he was screwed, all because one bored ass filly wished to see him.

"Jesus Christ, Twilight…" He whimpered. "I am screwed because of you!" She gaped at him. "Celestia is gonna find out, and my ass will be thrown in a cell. A very nice cell with a lovely view, but a cell nevertheless!" He hissed out.

"Why would she do that?!" She shouted at him, offended on her mentor's behalf. Then switched gears. "You are an enchanter! An Artificer! The first in centuries, if anything, she would more than likely help you further your knowledge!"

Orion could only groan in frustration. At seventeen, and as bright as she was, he would have expected her to learn a little about valuable resources and the effects those resources can have on a nation.

"When was the last time there was an enchanter, Twilight?" He asked quietly.

"Um, not since Starswirl the Bearded. After the great vanishing in twelve thirty-one, twelve hundred years ago. Why?"

Starswirl had somehow cropped up again. He ignored it for now.

"Do you know what would happen if Celestia was to find out that I am an enchanter?"

"She would probably take you in. To give you access to the best Equestria could offer." She said, puzzled. Obviously, Twilight had no idea where he was going with this judging by the confused look on her face.

"Say she did all that, and I asked to leave once I got to my eighteenth year. Do ya think she would let me go?" Orion pleaded in his head that she understood what he was driving at.

"Um…she would likely try and stop you. Offer you a reason to stay." He laughed, and she blushed angrily.

"Twilight, do you know why enchanting is so valuable? Why Celestia has put out a two million bit reward for anyone related to the repair of her gate?" She shook her head as best she could, considering his hold on her. "It's because enchanting can make greater use of spells on the same medium, unlike crystal magic and the like. Weapons of destruction. Vessels that can fly higher and farther without the need to fuel up. He or she who controls the high ground rules the battlefield and all that."

"But the Princess would never want that!" She practically wailed that bit. He had to wonder if she was serious. A look at her determined face said she was. He tried to explain.

"You do realize that not everyone likes this country, right? The Zebrican tribes have been waging a guerilla campaign against our colonies for decades now. So far, there has been no way to track them successfully. Airships are so costly to keep functioning that if knocked from the sky, the loss wouldn't be felt in just lives lost. That would be a financial hit the nation would have to absorb that would end up driving taxes up just to compensate. Only a few outside of the military have civilian-controlled airships, and even then, the Throne heavily regulates those. An enchanter could help manufacture a fleet that not only could take those hits, but fly higher than an airship in current service."

"But the Zerbricans shouldn't be hurting our colonists. They should be friends!" Out of all that, she locked onto the fact that the zebra people were hurting, even killing those who would try and live on their land without permission. Not the oh so great danger his ability presented.

"We are colonizing without their permission. They told us no when we asked years ago. Celestia is doing it anyway." He silenced her with his fingers before she could object. "That doesn't matter at the moment. What does is I represent a potential danger to her and her rule. If I manage to leave, someone else could pick me up and use me against Equestria. Do you really think she would let me go then?"

He pulled his hand back and watched as her face contorted in thought and then realization.

"No…" She whispered quietly.

"Exactly. I don't want ANYONE finding out about this. Especially her." He stated firmly.

"You…you want me to lie? To the Princess?" She asked incredulously. She was pushing against his bonds now, and she showed no difficulty in the effort as he strained to keep them in place. Sweat had begun to bead on his forehead.

"I'd prefer it to be an omission. Just don't mention this at all, please?" He was desperate, he would not be able to get away, and his life was in her hands now.

Then a thought struck him. One he had tried not to dwell on when he had discovered it at the city's library.

"There's another thing. I did some research, and what I found made me very uncomfortable. Anytime someone came out, claiming they were capable of enchanting, they either disappeared or were found dead."

It was a disturbing trend, and not just isolated to ponies either. Griffons, minotaurs, and even a diamond dog at one point, all vanished or died under mysterious circumstances. Their homes and workplaces were ransacked the very same night of the incidents that claimed them with no ryhme or reason.

Someone was out there, either killing or kidnapping people, and he did not want that to happen to him.

"So, it is not just the Princess you worry about…." She murmured to herself. Her eyes drifted to his, and she finally pushed her magic through his like paper. "You have gotten a lot stronger." She smiled as if she didn't just make a joke of his efforts.

Neither said a word as she walked around his little shop, looking at the various diagrams he had tacked to the wall. His hand ached with the grip he held on the knife. "Stab her in the shoulder. A shallow cut is all that will be needed. By the time she recovers, I can be halfway down the mounta-"

"Alright. I will keep quiet about this." That statement derailed his entire train of thought, and he jerked as if struck.

"Wha-?"

She giggled at him. "I promise, I will not tell Princess Celestia, or anypony else, till you are ready."

"Till I'm ready? What on earth makes you think I ever want anyone to know about this?!" He was incredulous. She was taking this a lot more in stride than he ever thought possible. Almost as if it didn't matter to her. What was going on?

"Orion, one of the lessons the Princess has taught me is that you cannot always force a pony to do what you know is right. They won't see it till much later, and they won't appreciate the fact that you pressured them into it." He just stared at her. It was a good lesson, but now he had the Sword of Damocles over his head. Eventually, she would tell. That would not do.

"Twilight." He stated firmly, shifting his weight on the stool to keep the knife out of her view as she continued to look at all the half-completed ideas. He did not like how she took a serious interest in the almost finished Celestia Lie Detector Five-Thousand. "The only way I want anyone to know is if I find out who is killing or making people go poof. Because I will have a target on my back the moment that I come out as an enchanter." Did she have to stare at it so hard? "I have a feeling that the Princess won't be able to protect me then."

That got her attention. She whipped about fear on her face.

"Of course, the Princess can protect you! Why would you even think that!?"

"Because she's not omnipresent! She can never be everywhere at once."

She paused at that, the confident demeanor all but gone, and she bit her thumb as she thought furiously.

"You are correct." She said finally, and he held his breath. "If….if I were to help you, uncover who it is that is hunting supposed enchanters…will you tell her then?" His first instinct was to say yes. He was desperate to keep his secrets hidden. But knowing her, she would have this mystery solved within a year, and he was not yet finished learning.

"No." She frowned and opened her mouth, but he spoke over her. "No, Twilight, and if our friendship means ANYTHING to you, you will keep it a secret because you would hurt me in the telling."

She recoiled, and he felt guilty threatening their relationship like that, but not remorseful. This was his life, and he wasn't about to jeopardize it because of her. However, he didn't have to go that far. Or so he hoped. An apology she doesn’t really deserve would hopefully place her in a better state of mind.

"I'm sorry. That was unfair of me. But this is important. More important than anything else right now. This is my life, and I won't be able to live it how I want if everyone out there knows what I can do."

Twilight sighed heavily, yet she nodded, and his hopes rose with it.

"You…are right. I will keep quiet. As wrong as I think it might be. I know what is going to happen once you do come out." She looked at him, and he was surprised to see a touch of bitterness in her eyes.

"Since I became the Princess's student, my family has constantly been approached by influential ponies, from nobility to business. They all had innocent requests to have my parents ask me to ask my Teacher. Those requests seemed so benign at first." She rose and began pacing the small space as she continued. "She knew right away what was happening. While she did put a stop to much of it, I still get letters. The few friends I started to make turned out to be just using me on behalf of their parents. When I refused even them I…I was left alone."

He slumped in his seat. He had gotten her promise. But now he knew why it was so hard for her to make friends. Twilight Sparkle, was as distrustful of others as he himself was. Those she thought were her confidante abandoned her when they realized they would not get anything out of their one-sided relationship. That was why she had remained quiet when Buttercup Spray and her friends approached him on that first day. They had likely once been her faux friends.

The dominos had finally fallen into place.

Placing the knife on the table, he got up and hugged her.

"If you were so distrustful of people. Why did you decide to become friends with me? I'm an asshole." His shirt muffled her sudden laugh that she buried her face into. He was really getting tall.

"Because you didn't want anything from me. If anything, you tried your hardest to push me away. Tried to get me to leave you alone." He grunted in surprise. He hadn't realized she had known he was trying to get rid of her. "You are genuine. You don't hide how you feel, and I…I want to be a part of that."

That was it. It was a little overwhelming to learn of her past experiences this way. Knowing that she had never met a genuine person before him, it also left another mark on his soul for the lies he had embraced to hide what he was. Her sudden elevation in position had been so abrupt for the purple filly, that the cruel lessons of the influential had been jarring enough to put her into a shell. When he had cracked that shell, Celestia had taken notice.

Twilight shook in his arms. Muffled sobs reverberated in his chest. He hugged her tighter. She didn't want the life of an aloof noblemare. She wanted friends and had been smacked hard with the reality that there were far too many that would like to use her and her position.

As he held her, he idly thought she should meet AJ and Rarity down in Ponyville. He was sure they would get along just fine.

—---

After some time and a whole lot of nose-blowing, Twilight settled down to a more manageable ball of spastic. They sat on a pair of stools and regarded one another.

"That is a very nice shirt, by the way. Where did you purchase it?"

He touched the forest green shirt, now adorned with her dried snot and tears.

"This is from a friend down in Ponyville. She's a pretty good tailor. Had this and a bunch of others whipped up before I left."

"She?" He missed the dangerous subtext of the tone she spoke in.

"Yep. I met her when I was down there for my community service. Her and another. Applejack. Everyone calls her AJ, though. They're a bit older than both of us, I think."

"AJ…" He didn't miss it that time. But then a thought occurred to him as a scent entered his nose. An odor he had been smelling but had been too distracted to notice.

"Twilight…why did you visit me now, at this hour?"

"I told you. I was bored." She responded, heat in her voice as she slid off her stool. Orion's eyes widened in panic.

"OH SHIT!" It was Estrus season, and Twilight was a seventeen-year-old mare.

"Purple, you're never bored. You have books!" He said nervously as he practically fell out of his own seat in his efforts to backpedal from her.

"Hmmm." She mused as she tapped her chin. He hadn't noticed till then, but there was a flush to her face. It tinted her ears almost the same color as her fur. Her eyes heavy lidded. "I do, but I couldn't focus on them for some reason. I kept thinking...of you."

When had she backed him into the wall!?

"Twilight, I think you need to leave, now," Orion said quietly, fear causing his voice to shake. This was not how he wanted to lose his V-card a second time. He had heard that some mares lose their wits during estrus. Their body's instincts taking over and making them find something to satisfy that itch became the only thing they would wake up for.

It wasn't like that always, but every year there would be mares who couldn't control themselves.

The season itself, only lasted about three weeks, four for some. But a month was still allotted automatically to give mares a chance to make plans to either get with their partner or isolate themselves till it was over.

It must have hit his friend early with a sledgehammer.

"But we are having such a great time together." She murmured, voice low and husky. Now she was straddling his knee. He could feel heat practically searing his flesh. She had it BAD.

"It isn't any longer! Twilight!" He shrieked! "YOU'RE IN HEAT!"

The filly blinked in confusion at him for a couple of seconds, lips inches away from his own. Owl-like eyes replaced the sultry ones mere seconds ago.

"Oh….OH NO!" She looked at their situation and backed off babbling. "Orion, I'm…I'm so sorry! I did not mean to…I would never…I…..I…."

In a flash of purple light and the pop of a firecracker, she was gone. Her scent began to dissipate as the ventilation now had a chance to purify the room.

Orion slumped to the floor, eyes bulging.

"That….was almost a disaster." Running a trembling hand through his mane, he looked down between his legs and groaned. He had popped wood, judging by the obscene lump now fighting with the cloth of his black pants. Clearly, he had not been unaffected.

He looked up to the knife on the table, now cursing himself for not holding onto it. He would have never taken her down without it had she not seen reason at the last moment.

Just a week ago, she had performed over two hundred consecutive spells in the span of a few minutes for a demonstration. Trottingham Preparatory had come to visit, and the Canterlot school had wanted to put their best hoof forward. The display was terrifying. Worst yet, she hadn’t even looked a little winded from the exercise.

This whole situation thoroughly and utterly destroyed any desire for creativity.

He adjusted his pants the best he could and sighed. He'd have to take care of this. That scent of hers was stuck in his nose.

As he climbed the ladder toward the ponyhole cover above, his mind tossed up a stray thought.

"Was her tits always that big?"

He would have slammed his head against a can if it didn't give away his position in the narrow alley across from a closed baker’s shop.

It was the tail end of the season, and for some reason, he thought he could get to the post box and back again before any mare dealing with the lingering effects could notice. The mailbox was only a street away, after all.

That little jaunt should have been made through the sewers.

He had slid yet another polite rejection letter to visit Griffonia into the box. Screaming had become increasingly insistent about him going up to the rather mountainous region that was her home. Turning around, he had come face to face with a pair of blue ear tufts, a horn poking up between them. The street had been barren not too long ago. Looking down, he noticed a pink-maned mare he would say was just entering her thirties.

She was jittery, her eyes darting to him than around them. Was she going to ask him for some RedBalls?

"H….hey there…little colt." Alarms gongs rang in his head. Only a couple of types of people used that kind of phrase. Doctors trying to give a child a shot, and Catholic priests. "W..what are you doing…" she swallowed nervously, "out at this time of green?"

"Dear God, she's lost it!"

"Maybe he was lookin' for a lesson of what grown ponies do during this time of year?" The whispered words tickled his ear, making him scream and jump away.

An all champagne-colored mare had snuck up on him while he was distracted with the first one.

"Uhhh…" what was he to say?

"You are certainly tall." She chuckled richly, and her yellow eyes drifted to his legs. "Those….look really strong…."

Her tone and her gaze said it all. She did not give a rat's ass about any consequences.

As he continued to backpedal, he ran into something, and a shadow fell over his face.

He had backed into a very large mulberry mare, now staring down at him, licking her lips hungrily.

"Now…ladies…" He spoke jerkily, altering course and backing away from the three unicorn mares that were looking to circle him like sharks. "I'm….not certain I'm ready for that kinda education just yet." No response as they turned to follow him. "Please think about this. This is rape…under the law. And I'm a minor!"

"Best to train them young…" giggled the blue one.

"And I don't believe it's rape if it's under the pure purpose of…education." Responded the yellow-eyed mare.

The third just drooled.

That was enough for him, and he promptly hoofed it out of there. All three were hot on his heels as he tossed trash cans in their way in his passing.

Now he was four streets away from home. The trio had somehow managed to push him further and further from the orphanage.

"How am I gonna get out of this?"

How many years had it been since she had flown?

Not just the little quick drops and ascends between floors in the open portions of her palace. But beating her wings against the air for true sustained flight?

With Estrus coming to an end, she had already caught up on the paperwork that had cluttered her desk since the beginning of the year. That mountain of files and ledgers had been daunting.

Once she conquered the ever-present foe known as paperwork, Celestia had headed to her personal dining hall earlier in the day for a mid-morning snack, when a stray primary had knocked against a vase, nearly sending it to a broken end.

Catching the valuable urn in her magic, she regarded her wing in irritation. She was annoyed that she missed the feather during her morning's preening. Gently pulling it free, she levitated it to a disposal can and dropped it in.

As she watched it fall, noting its twists and turns, it was then that a feeling stirred within her. It was like the feather was trying to fly, and a thought rose in her mind.

When was the last time that she flew herself?

Now her broad, large white wings beat the air powerfully. The intense rush of wind she felt tugging at her clothes and mane was exhilarating. She had missed this.

This was just what she needed. A break from the mundane. From the shackles of her duties.

The creak of cloth and the clang of metal echoed about her, and she barely suppressed a sigh.

Of course, she wouldn't be able to just fly alone, but she would not complain. Celestia had managed to talk the young Corporal in charge of her current detail, Gypsy Glow, into only three to accompany her for her afternoon flight.

Still, she did wish they would give her a little more space. As it was, she could almost touch them with every flap.

Yet, she flew on, thinking she should make this a regular activity for herself. That was till one of her shadows in the sky interrupted her thoughts.

"Princess, there seems to be some type of trouble in the streets below." One of them said suddenly, breaking her from her reverie.

She glanced at the mare with a frown, before following her gaze down to an entrance to what appeared to be a dead-end alleyway.

"What is going on down there?"

Three ponies had another cornered at the mouth. That pony looked familiar to her.

"It couldn’t be...surely he wouldn't be so foolish…."

"Princess?" The mare spoke again. Soft Feather was her name unless she missed her guess, she had drifted in close to get her orders.

"....Form a holding pattern above. I wish to deal with this." With the freedom of flight, she was starting to feel like her old self again. The chance to be more hands-on in her rule did not come up often, and she was going to relish this.

None of her guards objected. Despite the insistence of generals and secretaries, the rank and file still knew they were there as more protection for whoever thought to strike at her than any real defense for the monarch herself. At least most of them did.

Just as she began her descent, the purple mare teleported behind who she was increasingly sure was Orion Falls.

It happened so fast that an average pony would not have been able to see clearly what had occurred.

The moment the mare had vanished, his horn ignited in a torch of black and gold. It was like a pulse that only she could see emanated from his body, and he seemed to swell. In a burst of speed, he dodged her attempt at a tackle, bounced off the wall, and brought his right fist across her face, sending the mare careening into the street.

"I have had enough from you!" He roared. Then turned to face the other two in an aggressive stance. "You want a piece of this whorse cock, then fine! Come and get it! I'm done playing with you!" She was now positive who the pony was that was foolish enough to come out this time of year. Or have such a vulgar expression cast from their lips.

She better put a stop to this and fast.

"What was that spell?" She wondered as she dove in.

His hand throbbed from punching that mulberry bitch.

She certainly knew how to cut off avenues of escape for someone who had lost the ability to speak. It had been her who had managed to corner his ass in this dead-end alley.

"Fucking whore."

The other two, whether from his sudden violence or his rather menacing pronouncement, were now hesitant to continue the chase. The sudden evidence of seriously getting hurt must finally begun registering in their lust-addled minds.

In truth, he had been trying his damndest not to hit any of them. It was biology he was at war with, not them. They must have been going crazy this year.

Suddenly, a very white object slammed between him and the remaining two assailants, stirring up dust clouds and cracking cobblestone. Broad wings nearly blocked his view entirely for a few seconds. Where they connected, just above the center of the back, muscles flexed powerfully as they retracted.

His initial assessment had been correct when he had first met her. Celestia may have looked soft to the casual observer, but as he watched her hands form into fists, her biceps and forearms bulged menacingly, he knew that this mare could wreck house should she want.

"Why is it…” she said with a menacing pause. “…that on one of the few days I have to rest, I find three grown mares harassing a colt on the street?" Her cold tone seemed especially dangerous as she loomed over the pair.

Orion couldn't see it, but he did not doubt the withering stare he had received not too long ago was the reason the last two just wilted like sunburned plants.

They gave no answer as the sudden appearance of royal guards swooped in to restrain them. A third broke off and checked on the bitch he had flattened into the trash.

"She is alive, my Princess." His head spun. He hadn't even considered he might have killed her. A chill swept over him.

"Just as well, I would request that you take her to General. Once she is revived, escort her to holding. I want to know what happened here and why it is a colt cannot walk the streets safely no matter the year." Celestia's gaze swung to him and did not ease even a little. "And you shall come with me and explain why you believed it a good idea to be out during this time of day, unescorted."

"But I thought you said I should be safe on the streets." A deepening frown and a raised eyebrow made him realize she wasn't going to tolerate his usual bouts of indifference. "Princess." He added much to belatedly he realized.

Nodding, she responded. "I did, and you should. With a reasonable escort. Now. Come."

"Ooooohhhh, she pissed, pissed today."

With no choice but to follow after her, he stuck his hands in his pockets and tried his best not to stare at her ass as they made their way to the sudden appearance of a royal carriage. Togas certainly looked appealing on her.

Orion wanted to break that fucking clock. The insistent tick-tock made the already awkward situation worse.

After getting into the carriage Celestia had called, he had done his best not to follow suit with the mares that had pursued him for the better part of an hour.

Neither one had said a thing the entire journey to the castle. Or up the opulent staircases and down the halls. Entering into the same sitting room that she seemed to have reserved just for him, they just sat. Him, feeling even dumber than before as he, staring at the floor, wishing to become part of the stitching there. She glaring at him like she wanted to choke him.

Just thinking of how those fists clenched was enough to make him shudder.

Maybe a compliment would break the ice?

"You know, that dr-"

"What the buck were you thinking?!" She interrupted with a shriek. She had been waiting for him to speak, but hearing her curse for the first time was a shock to the system his brain was unprepared for. It sounded…wrong.

"I…uh…uhhh haha?" Lizard brain was not helping, choosing to churn out slurry word vomit instead.

"This is not funny, Orion. You could have been seriously hurt. They could have done things to you that might scar you for life. What on Equis were you thinking, being out and about during a time like this?"

"I was sending a letter?" The truth tumbled off his lips before his brain had finally rebooted and made it a question at the same time.

"A letter." She deadpanned at him.

"Uh yeah, actually. I was sending a letter." Her continued stare made him want to explain himself further before he risked another nuclear fission incident. "Okay, listen, I was just sending a reply to Screaming Rush up in Griffonia." She nodded, prompting him to speak further. "The mailbox was just a block away, and I figured a quick trip there and back would have been simple and quick."

"Then you ran into trouble." She finally said.

"Yes, honestly, I should have just beat the hell out of them and went home. But I was being nice. Or at least trying." Her raised eyebrow made him flush. "What?"

"You are making claims that you could have taken them in hand. Orion, I find that a little hard to swallow." Celestia smirked.

He laughed. "Who killed a Timberwolf?" That got a thoughtful nod and then a snort. The mare was not amused.

"Regardless, this is a time of year when a colt, or even a stallion, should not go out unattended."

"Next, you'll be telling me to wear a full cowl to hide all but my eyes." He muttered sourly.

"Nonsense. That would get far too warm for a pony." Her frown finally relented. "Orion, estrus can be a terrible time for mares, do you understand?"

"I do. It's a problem with biology." He responded immediately, and she smiled. "But you can't tell me that they shouldn't have some kind of self-control. That out there was ridiculous, and you know it."

"It was. I do agree. But it seems every year there are cases where mares succumb to their baser needs." She sighed heavily. "The common denominator in all of them is the fact that they all have not been with a stallion or gotten any relief in years. It is simply a build-up effect of seasons with no end in sight."

"Then why don't they just do what you do?" He leaned back and smiled at the surprised look on her face.

"I am sorry, but what are you implying?"

"Let me answer with a question of my own. Are Alicorns above the symptoms of the season? Do they not have those issues?"

"No, we do…." He grinned. "I see. Clever."

"Not so hard to figure out when you strut about as if it's a typical Thursday. My real question is, why not share that particular spell, or potion, with the masses?"

—------

Not for the first time, she had been stunned by his intellect and ability to see what others did not.

What's more, he understood there was a reason that he did not see, but knew she had for keeping "Gadfly Supprimere" out of the hands of the common pony.

The spell suppressed the natural cycle of a mare with no ill consequences. Unfortunately, a good majority of mares in the past abused the magic, which caused a decline in the population of Maradon. A failed city-state that she once presided over. She had taken that lesson to heart.

Celestia had no idea on how to respond. Orion being as intuitive as he was, she held no doubts that he would know if she lied to him. But what would he do with the truth?

The fact that she found herself wanting to be honest with him was another issue. Why was it so easy to be open with him? This colt of fifteen springs was beyond the average world-wise pony.

"I will have to answer delicately." She finally decided.

"Unfortunately, it is not so simple a solution. There are a number of factors that prevent the broad application of contraceptives." Celestia spoke slowly.

Orion's brow furrowed.

"Like what?"

"You are not making this easy for me, colt." He grimaced in response.

"Okay. Let me make some guesses then.” His brow furrowed in thought. “Okay, I'd imagine this, whatever it is, is rather effective. Yeah?" She nodded. "And the way some mares bitch and moan over the early spring, I'd say they would likely use it religiously rather than have to go through that kind of suffering." It wasn't a question, but still, the monarch nodded. "Which means fewer foals would be born the next year…."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. It was a leap of logic for a pony not in the know, no matter how small, and once more she found herself impressed. He was absolutely correct in his assessment of her issue with that particular spell being public knowledge.

"Is there a weaker version?" Celestia blinked.

"A weaker version?" She found herself parroting.

"I'll take that as a no. But why not?"

She was stumped. Magical Theory had never been her strong suit. That had always been her sister's talent as she had developed a more political skill set over the millennias. The thought had never even popped up into her mind, only more issues to deal with. More problems that needed her attention.

"I shall be honest, Orion, I have never put thought into that." He just shook his head in exasperation.

"And because no one else knew you had an out, they never sought to question. You never told anyone. It's a spell, isn't it?"

"...yes. It is."

"And you've known about it for so many years you've kinda put it to the back of the mind, only pulling it out during this time of year. Never to think of it otherwise." Where was he going with this?

Rubbing his hands across his face, he sighed.

"I'm gonna level with ya. That shit was terrifying. Being out there with those psychos horning after my dick." Her muzzle wrinkled at his less than savory choice in expression. "I got an idea. Do you have any researchers you can trust?"

"I do. What is this idea of yours?" Celestia found herself smiling at him. She believed she knew what he was planning to suggest now. In truth, she should have made the considerations herself, if she had thought of it.

"Why not show them the spell and have them research a version that would still leave a mare in need, but leave the effects more manageable." Spreading his hands, he leaned back.

"Hmmm." She mused, a finger tapping at her chin. "What would be the ultimate point, though?"

He leaned forward again, he had the bit in his mouth now. "That's easy. First and foremost, you wouldn't have what happened today going on. Secondly, your soldiers would not have to struggle through the effects as hard while on duty. Finally, day-to-day life wouldn't have to come to a stop for a month. Folks can still go about their lives while still allowing those who wish to procreate to do so."

The white monarch changed her mind. She no longer wanted him in the military. With an intelligence such as his, he would be more at home in bureaucracy. A thinking stallion that could solve problems without running to her for the answers all the time. Or better yet, reminding her of simple issues, such as pets.

"I will…take that under advisement, Mr. Falls." She smiled warmly.

A problem Celestia had found during her time ruling is that no pony wanted to make a decision without her input. Every step, it was a must for her to be consulted on for things that she had seen the common village ponies more than capable of solving. Orion's higher education would be spent learning the finer points of political office.

As she mused, a sudden thought occurred to her. The colt across from her eyes widened at the smile that grew into a grin.

"On a not-so-unrelated note. Orion," he visibly winced, "a few weeks ago, I found Twilight barricaded in her room. You would not happen to know as to the why that is…would you?"

"Ahhh, nope. No, I would not." He said far too quickly.

"Oh, this is delightful. He still has a side to embarrass." She chuckled.

"Truly? I only ask because I could not help hearing her cry out your name. She sounded like she may have been apologizing." With that, the black pony groaned audibly and slumped in his chair.

"She…she came to-”

The door to her receiving room burst open with a thud, and the current subject of their conversation rushed into the room with the grace of a foal learning to walk.

"OH, PRINCESS!" Her student wailed, causing the colt across from her ears to lay back as he sank into the cushions in shock.

"Yes, Twilight?" She fought to keep a straight face. This was entirely ridiculous. What were the odds that her protege would come storming in right at that time? The Tree was messing with her surely.

"I…I did something terrible!" She snuffled grotesquely and continued on before Celestia could ask. "A..a… a few weeks ago, I went to Orion's. I was…I couldn't…."

"By the Tree, out with it, foal." It was not unusual for her student to become fixated on something that bothered her. She had once become so inconsolable when she had tried to save a dove that she spent two weeks sequestered inside her room, barely eating and drinking.

Unfortunately, the poor thing hit a crosswind that drove it into a window. It was a particularly hard hit that broke many of the bones within its body.

Twilight had secretly attempted to save the creature, but the filly's limited understanding of biology and healing magic at the time only prolonged its suffering.

Celestia had held a small funeral for the dove to help ease the pain of failure for her student. It still had taken months before she had fully gotten over the event.

The upside was that her little protégé had devoted months of study and practice to healing injuries.

Now, Twilight was in her receiving room, rapidly explaining how she had visited the colt before her in the middle of the night because she could not focus on anything but him.

Celestia supposed that it could not be helped, and this situation was not entirely her fault. Or his. Perhaps she should not have shielded her from the effects of Estrus for so long. It had been the desire that her student needed to grow that she had first cast the spell on the filly when she first began to blossom.

Choosing to forgo that measure this year may have been a mistake. Or perhaps it was a folly to have done it to begin with as it left her ill equiped to handle the season with any competence.

Still, it was humorous, which was why she was struggling to maintain her dignity in the onslaught of Twilight's confession.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Orion's face went from shock to one of blushing horror.

"Did…did they actually…." Her fears were allayed when the purple filly had gotten to the part of him chasing her out of his room. "Smart, colt, very smart." She had to admit, Celestia had not expected Orion to have the presence of mind to think much beyond how pretty Twilight was. One stallion had told her from ages passed that it was akin to being smacked in the face with a blunted mace. One did not possess the faculties for rational thought at that point.

"P-princess?" The quiet, demure voice of her student broke her away from her thoughts. She had been looking full on at the colt by this point, and in return, he had sunk further into his seat.

"I'm sorry, Twilight, but that was a little bit much." She gave a soft smile to ease her words. "While I am happy that you have come to me with this confession, you could have picked a more appropriate time for this."

Twilight's hands dropped to her side as she blushed in shame. She had made a mess of her face with the tear tracks, and mucus stuck to her nose.

The young mare had really been worked up over this.

Her student began to avert her eyes in shame and then stopped with a start. Her eyes locked onto Orion's own.

"Or-Orion? W…what are you doing here?"

Rather than answer for him, Celestia placed her hands in her lap, fingers laced. She wondered how he would respond.

The Alicorn monarch would regret that.

His glance snapped from her student to her for only, but a moment; an evil gleam twinkled in his eyes, and his muscles worked hard to keep the expression of terror on his face. "What are you planning, Orion?"

"OH, THANK GOD, TWILIGHT!" He threw himself behind her, feigning fear.

"C-c-came in time for what?" Her prized student's voice stuttered out.

"The…the Princess…she…oh God…she was….SHE WAS ABOUT TO HAVE HER WAY WITH ME!" He shouted in complete mimicry of Twilight's earlier outburst.

"WHAT?!" Twilight bleated.

"WHAT?!" Celestia parroted within her own mind as she leaned forward in shock, hands gripping the chair arms tightly.

"IT'S TRUE!" He declared loudly once more, huddling behind the purple filly even further.

"Orion." Her student firmly said, turning around to look at him, her magic flashing to remove the disheveled appearance that she had just been. A stern, if concerned, glare on her face. "She is the Princess. Why would she ever do that? She would NEVER do that."

Celestia allowed herself a small smile of pride. Her student knew her better than most, and the filly's ready defense of her was greatly appreciated. "The nerve to even imply…."

"Really?" Twilight nodded confidently. "Then tell me, oh confident one, where are the guards?"

"There…." The purple pony's brow furrowed in thought.

The monarch's own raced along similar paths. "How does he know there is no pony out there?" She had sent her guards away the moment she had gotten into the castle, mainly as a preventative measure as some of the castle's staff were still suffering the effects of the season.

It's why she had prepared her own tea and used capesso to bring it to the room.

This must have been a guess, a truly remarkable and well thought out one, but merely just that.

"Well? Were there guards standing by the door before you barged in here?" He pressed. The demure attitude didn't last long as he was already standing at an impressive height over her student as the filly slowly came to the realization that there was not.

"No…"

"That's because she sent them all away, right after kidnapping my ass off the streets. I was just trying to send a fucking letter!" He exclaimed, reclaiming his act once more.

"Oh, Twilight, do not fall for this charlatan's lies." She had no idea what he was planning, but this was beginning to get out of hand. She needed to stop this before it got worse and quickly.

"My student, there were guards-

"Really?! What were you doing out on the street then?! What season is it?!" Orion interrupted, a grin threatening to crack that scared mask.

Celestia had missed the moment her student had turned to look at her. Absolute horror now visible as she had followed the path of cake crumbs filled with lies.

She tried again to refute the blatant lies and misleading half-truths, but just then, the teapot lurched from the table beside her, splashing tea everywhere.

"We have to run!" The colt cried in mock terror, now grinning at her bewildered face. Twilight had not seen the look of triumph, for if she had, she would have known his tales for the falsity that they genuinely were.

Instead, her horn charged with a tell-tale teleportation circle, not even inverted, and screamed.

"PRINCESS! HOW COULD YOU!?"

The glow of her spell enveloped both of the foals in a bright purple flash, followed by the pop of air being displaced. They left behind a very bewildered Princess Celestia. Tea on her dress, the carpets below a mess.

"Well, there goes that rug from Prince Shining Spark." It was a shame, too, she had liked the prince's easy-going manner, and he had been quite charming with his gifts. The Saddle Arabian rug from his homeland having been one of them. It was ancient, as his bones must now be by now.

Giggles broke through her lips before she realized it. Full-blown laughter soon followed as she summoned some cleaning supplies from a nearby maid's closet.

She could have just sent everything to the heap if she had wanted, but Celestia felt that this was a just punishment for her curiosity about what Orion had planned to do. Magic may just ruin the threads entirely.

It was an excellent charade he had thrown together. His quick wit indicated once again reminded her of his talent to think on his hooves. A grin split her face. She was finding a lot to praise him for, even if he had a few detractors.

Still, that sharp mind had helped him avoid what could have been a terrible incident judging by Twilight's confession.

Picking up the silvered tray, suppressed chuckles erupted once more, events from before her students' sudden departure replaying in her mind.

"So absurd."

"Why is he laughing? This is serious!" She still couldn't believe it, yet the pieces fit.

Her Mentor had tried to have her way with a pony. A colt! Her friend, no less!

She wasn't one for gossip. In fact, she largely ignored the goings-on in her teacher's court. But rumors often made their way into the tightest of locks. Rumors of noblemares having illicit dealings. Of stallions of high status indulging in the obscene. To think Princess Celestia might be a part of that!

She couldn't believe it, not entirely at least. But she had decided to put some distance between Orion and her so that she could get to the bottom of it. Though, maybe she shouldn't have yelled at her mentor like that.

Twilight hadn't realized that she had gone on instinct in the teleportation. Instead of going to a place like her family's home, she had instead gone with the familiar by rote. Now they sat on the carpet of her private study. The place was a mess with books and sheets of paper scattered throughout the private chamber.

Her embarrassment was, fortunately, mitigated by the fact that her friend was still find it difficult to breathe.

"Orion?! Why are you laughing?! This is serious!" Gasping for breath, the colt remained on the floor, clutching at his sides. The insides of his ears were beginning to take on a blue hue. "The Princess was about to have her way with you!" She hissed in exasperation. "So why are you laughing?!"

"Because…hehe." He struggled to get to his knees. "Oh God….that was too perfect….the timing! Oh...Jesus Christ!"

Stomping her foot in frustration, she picked him up in her magic and brought the wheezing pony eye level with her.

"Why are you not more worried?" She spoke firmly and with authority. Just as she had seen the Princess do a hundred times.

"Because…I,” he wheezed, “I...LIED!!!!" He shrieked in hilarity.

Twilight dropped him with growing alarm and widening eyes.

"I yelled at the Princess. I yelled at her, and he had lied and convinced me she had been about to do something…I yelled at the…I YELLED AT THE PRINCESS!"

Orion, her friend, possibly the only true friend she had, was struggling to get to his hooves as laughter wracked his body.

"Did…did you…..hehe he did you see her face?!" He cackled. "She was all like: "nuh uh"!" He grabbed his sides. "Oh ow…and you were all like…heeeee: "How could you, my Princess"!" Tears were rolling down his eyes.

"Y….y-you lied to me? Why?!"

Using one of her chairs, he managed to stand.

"You have…hehe…to understand, Twilight." He cleared his throat and looked like he was trying to form a solemn expression. It was ruined by the way his lips kept quivering into a smile. "Your not-Mom….heee, ahem. Was just getting started with the grilling she had planned. Any moment and she'd likely be asking for a stool sample." He kept chuckling.

Her best friend had used her. She had yelled at her teacher over a lie. And all he had to offer, were more jokes.

"I YELLED AT THE PRINCESS!"

Orion looked up from adjusting his clothes, concern on his face.

"Twilly? Ya a-"

She screamed.

Water flooded his nose and mouth as he struggled to the surface. He had not expected her to do that. The question was, how had she done that?

As his head broke the surface, he gasped, taking in lungfuls of air at the same time coughing up what he had nearly inhaled. Struggling to stay afloat, he looked about to see where she had sent him.

Off to his left was a gazebo on a lone island connected by a bridge to the shore, a group of ponies all staring at him. They were way too far away to really pick up details, but he suspected they were likely gawking at him.

To his right, and a little ahead, was a trio of ponies. They were on a long canoe-like rowboat, all staring at him. He waved. One, a filly his age, waved back hesitantly.

Directly in front of him was the lakeshore itself, a mere hundred or so meters away. With an internal groan, Orion realized he would have to swim the entire distance himself as the two mares, and one filly in the boat had made no move to help him.

Considering what he had gotten into the day, he suspected that might be a good thing. They might…expect things from him.

It was not the graceful strokes of an Olympic gold medalist. Instead, it was the strokes of someone stricken with cerebral palsy that barely kept his head above water as he floundered and chugged half the lake at an agonizing pace to the soggy sand.

By the time he dragged his carcass from the water to flop onto the carefully maintained beach, he was winded beyond just nearly drowning.

"Learn…to swim…with hooves." Even his thoughts were wheezing. "Man…I miss having feet."

After more time than he cared to admit, he sat up and looked around.

Twilight had sent him all the way back to the second plate. Canterlot Glistening Lake, while it did not really live up to the name, was still the best park he had ever been to.

With realization, he knew she had used auferte on him. Just like he had done with the Apple’s dog, Winona. Still, to put him out here took far more strength than he could ever imagine.

Located in the wealthier quarter of the city, it had a spectacular view of the valley below and the forest beyond that.

The sheer amount of power needed for someone to teleport from one location to another on the same street was taxing. For the purple filly to send him so far in a fit of rage was not only impressive, it was terrifying.

"Did her mane actually light on fire?" It had been one of the little details that had stuck with him. That and her room, what little he could see of it.

Purple. “What is it with ponies and bold colors a gypsy wouldn't wear? Did Stone advise the filly on her color scheme?”

There was a fair amount of other colors, but it was altogether overpowered by that violet hue.

Typical girl's room.

Despite the dunking, he was grateful for the timing. Orion had been on edge the entire time Celestia had him cornered in her den of suffering. He hated that room.

Despite the word vomit, Twilight had carefully censored just what room she had popped into, and outright omitted what he had been up to. It had all been true, just heavily redacted. From what he could tell, the filly must have struggled with how she could confess to her terrible crime of trying to get a booty call. The way the overstuffed Marshmallow had acted, it seemed as if this took a long time in coming.

By whatever deity that rules this backward ass planet, Orion had managed to avoid, not only explaining what happened between them, but getting away from the royal pain in his ass entirely.

He should buy Twilight some ice cream.

And apologize for using her like that. That was beginning to become a bad habit.

Getting up, he dusted himself off. Wet sand had caked his clothes and had somehow gotten under them in places. That was going to itch until he got home to bath.

Turning around, he stopped, a small smile forming on his face.

When Twilight and he had been teleported out of the room, the filly had not inverted the spell. He had seen it all.

Teleportation was a lot of more complicated than he had first thought.

Back on earth, he had heard about ley lines but had never given it much thought otherwise. The girl who had been telling him of it had her shirt cut too low for him to focus on much of anything beyond how nice her tits looked.

Here in this world, they spread across the planet in a haphazard manner. There were the major ones, of course, known as Meadow Lines. They ran the globe in an almost perfect grid.

What made them random wasn't the large lines. It was the small ones called Glade Lines. They and the even tinier Gap Lines jut off from the main power source in random directions. Even off of each other.

The theory was that those points are where surges had happened in the distant past, and the result was leftover sources of power one could tap into at need. How and why? No one really knew. Research into the field had yet to provide anything concrete.

The reason Orion knew so much about it is because the thaumic field emanated from those lines. Enchanting tapped into that particular power field. He figured the closer you were to one of them; the more effective whatever you created would be.

A random Glade Line was running through the city of Canterlot after all, and he had wondered what would happen if he crafted equipment directly over one of the major streams of magical power.

Ley lines were also the reason why items created through Artification would eventually fall out of sync with the thaumic field. The different vibrations in each line of power were random, which meant when a device such as his Radar bead passed across several of the lines, it would lose connection from the constant realignment it had to do.

He blinked. "Is that why the Portal Gate in the Everfree is still working?" He hadn't really thought of that before. It made sense. It likely had remained in one location for centuries.

"Excuse me? Are you okay?" He nearly jumped out of his skin at the soft feminine voice at his elbow.

"Jesus Christ, you scared the hell out of me!" Hand to his heart, in a vain attempt to slow its beating, he turned to look at who had spoken.

It was the green-furred filly from the boat.

While he had been muttering to himself chasing after threads of thought, the filly and her mother, or mothers it seemed, had come ashore. The two mares, one a dark violet in a blue dress, the other green in a yellow pantsuit, had just finished pulling the boat onto the beach and were now walking hand in hand towards them.

He had missed a question.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" He responded to a very annoyed, and not that he was paying attention, really short green pony in a blue flora dress.

"I asked, for the third time might I add, if you were okay?" She huffed.

"Yeah…sorry, I was just…trying to figure out how to teleport. Thoughts kinda ran away from me. Thanks for asking." He dusted the obscene amount of sand from his pants with very little effect. It was still soaked and clung to his legs unflatteringly.

"Judging from how you swam to shore, I was thinking you might be wondering if you were dead or not." She laughed.

That grated on his already frayed nerves and he snapped at her.

"First off, fuck you, not everyone can swim. Secondly, fuck you." She gaped at him. Her mothers stared at him in shock.

"Oh, don't act all surprised. I was drowning, and not a single one of you tried to help. You had a boat. I'm assuming you know how to paddle." He snorted derisively, forgetting in his sudden white-hot anger that he hadn't originally wanted their help. "What stopped you from at least offering?" The violet one's wings ruffled in agitation. "Hell, you could have flown over and plucked me from the water. Asking if I'm okay, then insulting me. Screw you."

"Jade, let us go. This ruffian is far too big for his ears." Huffed the green mare, as she grabbed her daughter's hand.

The filly, now known as Jade, was reluctantly pulled away, a frown on her face.

"Too big for my ears? Lady, I'll tie yours in a fuckin' knot!" He called out as they marched away onto a path leading to the city.

He was getting more stares.

"The hell are y'all lookin' at?!" He shouted at them.

Eyes averted quickly. Orion heard something along the lines of; "his father must be ashamed of himself," and other mutterings in kind.

He just stalked off—tail flicking in agitation. Everything that had happened to him that day just boiled out of him in a tidal wave of fury.

Stepping into an alleyway, he paused.

"The hell is wrong with you?!" He demanded of himself. The man turned colt had gone entirely too far with his reaction to the mild rudeness of that family, and he knew it.

His hands shook as he cupped his face in an attempt to calm his emotions. Orion had been on a roller coaster of ups and downs. Celestia's poking and prodding had not helped that, even if her breasts felt amazing to snuggle into.

With his breakdown in front of the monarch, he was at his wits end. All this trouble just trying to send a damn letter.

"I need a fuckin' vacation…" He muttered as he pushed from the alley wall and made his way home.