Speaking Lies and Breaking Down

Erin’s swank formal dress — sans the abbreviated tailoring, of course — was just as stunning in the real world as it was in her dream. She seemed to sparkle, even in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the big military conference room, while her confidence and quick humor made her more than a match for any of the dignitaries in attendance.

She was even more beautiful than the first time Mary had seen her, sitting across from her at that late night dinner, and the doctor did not need to guess why. It was said that “clothes make the man” — or woman, in this case — but that was only true to an extent. It took a measure of self-assurance to rock an outfit, and Erin had plenty, with enough to spare.

The green-and-khaki colored venue was filled with smartly dressed people milling between tables piled high with appetizers and drinks. Mary was on her third martini and starting to feel it, so she wisely kept herself away from any serious clusters of conversation as she drained her glass, switching it out with a full one from the tray next to her.

There’d been a breakthrough with the faction that was demanding more access to Canterlot magic. Sun Princess Celestia had worked hard over the past week to negotiate a series of compromises, culminating in an historic agreement, and the higher-ups had decided to put together a gala celebrating the event. Celestia herself was holding court nearby with a gaggle of presidents and prime ministers, smoothly answering questions and discussing future partnerships.

Mary seethed with jealousy; the Princess had been doing shots left and right all night, but you wouldn’t know it from the elegance and poise she was displaying. “Fucking magic,” Mary muttered as she turned back to Erin, who had struck up a lively conversation with one Lt. Kurosawa, looking sharp in her dress uniform and shiny medals. “It really does solve a lot of problems, doesn’t it?”

Mary noticed movement high in one corner of the room, and she glanced up to see a security camera moving to track Erin as she wandered the floor with the Lieutenant.

“I hope you’ve been more subtle than that while keeping an eye on her,” Mary said.

“Do not take me for a fool,” Luna swiftly replied in her earpiece. “Discretion is my stock-in-trade. The day I need your advice on surveillance is the day I retire to a farm somewhere. Maybe Sweet Apple Acres needs an extra hoof.”

“Fair enough,” Mary said with a laugh. That was the home of one of the Six Legends…Applejack, wasn’t it? Crazy that the place was still around. Even crazier that she was. From the history she’d learned of the other world, each of the Six possessed an artifact that, among other things, greatly extended their lifespans. Hundreds of years later, and they were still out there having adventures.

The mysterious Twilight was one of the Legends — the most powerful, from all accounts. If Celestia’s tales contained even an ounce of truth, then the rest of them had to be seriously strong as well, just to keep up with such a monster. And that was before she became an alicorn.

Luna interrupted her thoughts. “That said, I’m happy to say that my watch has been unnecessary. Ms. Taggart has been the model of stability for the past couple of weeks. I’m glad we were able to help her, both inside and outside the dream world.” She paused, as if it pained her to say the next sentence. “Good work, Dr. Parvotti.”

Mary hid her amusement at Luna’s reluctant praise with a bite of her olive. “Thanks, but it’s mostly been her busting her ass. A recommendation from Celestia opens a lot of doors, so it wasn’t hard to get her into the Canterlot Institute’s press corps on a provisional basis. She’s still here because, turns out, she’s good at what she does. Life’s about making the most of opportunities, and that’s exactly what she’s been doing.”

“You’re starting to sound like my dear sister,” Luna sniffed. It didn’t quite sound like an insult. “But, the Canterlot Institute? She decided on that for an organization of such importance? My word. She never did have a head for names.”

Luna wasn’t entirely wrong. “She wanted to keep it simple, and she didn’t want it named after herself. Doesn’t really matter what it’s called. The whole world will know its name soon enough.”

“Hmm,” Luna said, unconvinced. They both watched as Erin laughed merrily at some embarrassing story Kurosawa was telling about her daughter. Julie had been invited to the get-together, but apparently she was a bit under the weather. Mary couldn’t imagine why.

“Still, Doctor…your methods during the operation were certainly messier than the plan originally called for. You could have been more careful.”

Mary’s drink developed a harsh note. “Ain’t a plan in the world that survives contact with the enemy, even when the enemy’s someone you’re trying to save. Celestia and I were just adapting to Erin’s needs, and I’d say that was the right call. Besides, you know you loved it.” She decided to needle the Night Regent a bit. “Adaptability is a good thing. You should try it sometime.”

“No, thank you,” Luna said in Mary’s ear. “I’d rather figure out solutions to problems before they happen instead of taking unnecessary risks, like Celestia.”

“Is that right?” Mary downed the rest of her drink. “Guess that’s why she’s the Princess, and you’re not.”

Mary immediately regretted what she’d said, and Luna’s silence made her feel even worse. She told herself it was the alcohol talking, even as she reached for another, but that was only part of it.

She muted her earpiece, lest she make things worse with another unnecessary statement. “Some self-reflection would do you good,” she grumbled.

“I can feel my dear Youngest sulking. What did you say to her this time?”

Mary looked up from her glass upon Celestia’s approach, glad for the distraction and pleased that the Alicorn was finally able to take a breath from the depths of her diplomatic duties. A wireless transmitter, adapted to fit her equine physiology, was clipped to one ear.

“Nothing much,” Mary said with a guilty expression. “Just that she needs to stop worrying about her precious plans so much and take a leap of faith sometimes.”

“I see,” Celestia said as she floated what Mary understood to be a very old whisky neat to her lips, taking a delicate sip. “There’s certainly something to be said about jumping head-first into the unknown, but preparation and risk management are the keys to any successful endeavor. I’ve never been all that good at either, so I’m very glad the Night Regent is. We cover each other’s weaknesses, Luna and I. It’s how we’ve solved problems that might have destroyed the kingdom otherwise.”

Celestia leaned closer to Mary as she playfully lowered her voice. “Though, between you and me, I’ve always believed that a life without risk is a bit dreary. But everyone has different needs.”

Mary took a sip herself as she considered the Princess’ words. Certainly, she’d taken a lot more chances since she and Celestia had become a couple…chances that might have backfired disastrously if certain events had happened just a bit differently, jeopardizing her career or worse. Maybe she was getting addicted to pushing the envelope further and further. What would happen when her luck ran out, or when Celestia wasn’t there to make things right?

“I hear Erin’s been doing well,” Celestia said, reading Mary’s mood as the alicorn’s eyes followed the reporter. “And evidently, she’s been spending time off the clock with the good Lieutenant. I think I’ll jump to conclusions and wish them the greatest of happiness.”

Mary nodded, trying to shake herself out of her funk. “Rumors are going around, to be sure. Almost as many as there are about us. Didn’t think Kurosawa was in the relationship game, but I guess even assholes deserve a little love.”

“So to speak,” Celestia said as she took another swallow.

Mary laughed as her mood began to lighten. They both stood in companionable silence for a while, soaking in the party’s ebbs and flows.

“Say what you want to say, little pony,” Celestia said lightly as she poured herself another out of the aged bottle on the refreshment table.

Mary considered making one for herself, but the thought of her duties the next day made her decide against it. “Was it that obvious?”

“Extremely so.”

The doctor chuckled, wondering why she bothered trying to hide a damn thing from the alicorn. “I was just surprised you were willing to let yourself be…handled like that in Erin’s dream.”

Celestia gave her a flat look. “I let you fuck me in the ass the first night we were together.”

“Decorum? Please?” Mary glanced about, glad they were away from listening ears. “And that was different. That was…a power bottom situation, I guess? You were still in charge, and it wasn’t like I was trying to dominate you at the time. I just wanted to get my rocks off. I didn’t want to make you lose control like Erin did.”

The Princess’ eyebrow rose a millimeter. “Do you think I’d actually lost control?”

“Fuck no,” Mary said immediately. “I ain’t that stupid. You had things well in hand, I’m sure.” She switched out her empty with a glass of ice water, trying to pace herself some, and she took a refreshing swig. “Although I gotta say, that was some Academy-level acting. You really sold the hell out of taking that cock down your throat. And letting your horn get broken was such a nice touch,” she added, admiring the intact spiral of ivory jutting majestically from Celestia’s forehead. “That shit spooked even me.”

“Indeed? Good,” Celestia said, turning away with a small smile.

Mary wondered about the Princess’ enigmatic reaction, though she figured it was just Celestia being Celestia. Still, her earlier conversation with Luna stuck in her mind.

Unnecessary risks, huh? How far was she willing to go for a thrill?

“That’s not all, is it?” Celestia asked, without looking in Mary’s direction.

Of course it wasn’t. “Can you stop being perceptive for once?”

“I appreciate the compliment, but even Julie could tell you still have something on your mind.”

If Mary ever had dreams of developing a poker face, they were certainly dashed now. “All right. I’m sure you didn’t mean the things you said about Erin, but…” She hesitated. “I think I just wanted to hear it out of your own mouth.”

Celestia turned to face Mary in full, wearing a gentle smile that seemed to outshine every other light in the room. “There’s still some kindness in you, Dr. Parvotti.”

“The fuck there is,” Mary said firmly. She knew herself that well, at least. “It’s just that…some of that stuff hit kinda close to home, you know?” She averted her eyes, as if Celestia might be able to see into her past.

The Princess drew closer to Mary. “I won’t say that I wasn’t…excited by such role-play, but I said what I said because I believed in Erin’s ability to refute it. She’s put in a lot of work over the course of her life to get where she is, but she’s always been afraid to push herself further, beyond her comfort zone. She only needed a bit of assistance to pull her out of her rut, as we all do at times.”

“That, and a subconscious mind free of crippling fear and pleasure addiction.”

“I suppose that’s helpful, too,” Celestia said with a small laugh, but it quickly faded. “Regarding the talk about fetishes, I’d daresay I’m the last pony who should be demeaning anyone for their kinks. Erin said it best herself: your desires are part of you, but they’re not the only things that define you.”

“I know that,” Mary said with a sigh. “I know that, but…these days, it feels like I’ve been letting my desires override my better judgment. Thinking with my cunt, I guess. The past couple months made me realize I’m not the person I thought I was, and I’m trying to figure out what that means. This is your fault, by the way. Maybe we should organize an expedition into my head, too.”

Too late, Mary sensed that she had once again stuck her foot firmly in her mouth. Her breath caught in her throat, thinking that Celestia might show contrition for her part in the doctor’s upended mental state. Instead, she gave Mary a measuring stare.

“Do you know why I wanted to fuck you so badly?”

Mary swallowed, but she met the Princess’ steady gaze with her own. “Because of that perception we were talking about?”

“No. Because I saw you checking out my ass. That, and I could smell your dripping twat from across the dining room. You were so ripe and ready, I almost took you right there on the table.”

A flush colored Mary’s cheeks, and her heart began to throb in her chest. Celestia’s way of discussing the filthiest subjects with the same tone she might use in a policy meeting always drove her wild, and she knew the Princess was doing it on purpose.

Mary moved her hand with a casual slowness, surreptitiously making contact with Celestia’s invisible cock. Even with this light touch, she could tell it was quickly filling with blood, growing harder and thicker by the second.

“So, Erin was the appetizer, and I was the main course?” Mary whispered.

“And little Julie was a tasty dessert,” Celestia replied as her voice deepened into a growl. “But right now, I’m in the mood for something much more substantial. More…filling.”

Mary felt Celestia’s unseen prick throb mightily in her hand, and she could wait no longer. “Let’s get out of here,” she hissed. “I’ve been in an anal mood lately for some reason, and I want to see how much of this fat fucker I can fit in my-“

“Celestia! Can you hear me?”

Luna’s panicked voice burst out of Mary’s earpiece. She considered giving her shit about ruining the mood, but something about her tone made her hold her tongue.

“I’m here,” Celestia said into her own wireless mic, speaking with professional curtness as she stepped out of Mary’s personal space. “What’s happening, Night Regent?”

“I…I’ve just received a report from one of my agents. I’ve checked and double checked its accuracy, and it looks sound. Still…it’s so hard to believe, after all this time-“

“Stop dancing around the subject, Youngest,” Celestia said bluntly. Mary saw unusual lines of tension around her eyes, as if already knew what the subject was. “What did you find out?”

Luna took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before continuing.

“Sister…we've found her. At last…at long last…we’ve found Twilight.”