The Rise of Passion

Chapters

Chapter the Second: A Glimmer of Truth
Chapter the Third: Birds of Prey
Chapter the Fourth: Open Doors
Chapter the Fifth: Outside Help
Chapter the Sixth: Feeling Great and Powerful Once More
Chapter the Seventh: Imperfect Technique
Chapter the Eighth: Failure to Launch
Chapter the Tenth: Mother
Chapter the Twelfth: A Mother's Love
Chapter the Thirteenth: Open Hooves
Chapter the Fourteenth: Familial Bonds
Chapter the Fifteenth: Backdoors
Chapter the Sixteenth: Only the Very Best
Chapter the Seventeenth: Putting on the Mask
Chapter the Eighteenth: Steeled
Chapter the Nineteenth: Change of Plans
Chapter the Twentieth: Out of the Frying Pan
Chapter the Twenty-First: Silent Alarm
Chapter the Twenty-Second: The Crystal Empire
Chapter the Twenty-Third: Investigation
Chapter the Twenty-Fourth: Regent
Chapter the Twenty-Sixth: Cozy's Glow
Chapter the Twenty-Seventh: Adjusting to Life
Chapter the Twenty-Eighth: Tea with Titans
Chapter the Twenty-Ninth: The Witch of the Everfree
Chapter the Thirtieth: The Cure for What Ails You
Chapter the Thirty-First: Feathers and Stripes
Chapter the Thirty-Second: The Most Natural Remedy
Chapter the Thirty-Third: Glittering Slopes Championship
Chapter the Thirty-Fourth: May the Best Stallion Win
Chapter the Thirty-Fifth: Rigged
Chapter the Thirty-Sixth: Out of the Frying Pan
Chapter the Thirty-Seventh: Domination
Chapter the Thirty-Eighth: Desperation
Chapter the Thirty-Ninth: Cure for Loneliness
Chapter the Fortieth: Remedial Sex Ed
Chapter the Forty-Second: Trading Places
Chapter the Forty-Third: Parts Unknown
Chapter the Forty-Fourth: Sharing
Chapter the Forty-Fifth: Reconvening
Chapter the Forty-Sixth: Interruption
Chapter the Forty-Seventh: Expansion
Chapter the Forty-Eighth: Shuffling
Chapter the Forty-Ninth: Snag
Chapter the Fiftieth: Saving Gallus
Chapter the Fifty-First: Recuperation
Chapter the Fifty-Second: Diving In
Chapter the Fifty-Third: Cooking Up a Plan
Chapter the Fifty-Fourth: Measure Twice
Chapter the Fifty-Fifth: Rubber Fashion Show
Chapter the Fifty-Sixth: Cleaning Up
Chapter the Fifty-Seventh: Lockdown
Chapter the Fifty-Eighth: Gallus Turns Himself In
Chapter the Fifty-Ninth: Truth and Justice
Chapter the Sixtieth: Starlight's Return
Chapter the Sixty-First: Applejack Falls
Chapter the Sixty-Third: Twilight Time
Chapter the Sixty-Fourth: Closeness
Chapter the Sixty-Fifth: Passion Rising
Chapter the Sixty-Sixth: Culmination
Chapter the Sixty-Seventh: Duskfall
Chapter the Sixty-Eighth: The End of the Road
Chapter the Seventieth: Reunited
Chapter the Seventy-First: Coming to Terms
Chapter the Seventy-Second: A Glow from the Shadows
Chapter the Seventy-Third: Ponyville Trembles
Chapter the Seventy-Fourth: March on Canterlot
Chapter the Seventy-Fifth: Battle of the Sun and Moon
Chapter the Seventy-Sixth: Cozy's Inauguration
Epilogue the First: Personal Matters
Epilogue the Second: Royal Affairs
Epilogue the Third: The Crystal Throne
Epilogue the Fourth: Return to Ponyville
Chapter the First: Pulling the Sword form the Stone
Chapter the Ninth: Opening Doors
Chapter the Eleventh: Stellar Review
Chapter the Twenty-Fifth: Homecoming
Chapter the Forty-First: Shuffling Rooms
Chapter the Sixty-Second: The Final Defender
Chapter the Sixty-Ninth: Breaking Twilight

Chapter the Second: A Glimmer of Truth

Cozy Glow awoke in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room of an unfamiliar house. She was sore, her head was throbbing and her memory was fuzzy. The bed was comfortable, at least, and rather large. It was big enough for four adult ponies of moderate size, or perhaps a dozen of her. A thick flannel comforter covered her, and all around her, the colours ranged from pink to red.

The sound of hoofsteps approached outside the door. Cozy had to act quickly, but how? She could pretend to cry and force a few tears out to make it more convincing, but she didn't have enough time to come up with what was wrong, nor did she have the time to start planting seeds into the mind of whoever it was.

In the end, she opted to close her eyes and lie still. Pretending to still be asleep would allow her to listen in on what they said, whoever it was. It could lead to more information being gathered, and that was what mattered most.

The door latch clicked open twice. That told her there was a lock on the door. There were dark red curtains on the wall; that likely meant windows, and a locked door would reasonably lead her to believe locked windows. The hoofsteps came closer. The steps had a sort of "klak-klak" sound, as opposed to a "clip-clop" sound. The pony walked with confidence and flat hooves, meaning they likely thought very highly of themselves and were careful in their gait. Their direction indicated that they were coming to the bed, meaning a higher degree of acting may be in order if she had to pretend to wake up.

In response, she measured her breathing. Sleeping ponies tended to not breathe as constantly as awake ponies. While awake ponies breathed in and out regularly, sleeping ponies tended more toward inhale, exhale, and pause. It wasn't as simple as holding her breath; she had to wait with her lungs empty. That made it harder to fake, especially over long periods of time. In addition, she had to constantly be moving her eyeballs under the lids, just in case whoever it was was searching for it.

The steps were right next to her when they stopped. The sound of metal knocking against wood told her that something had been moved on the nightstand next to the bed. There were other sounds that accompanied it, like the rumbling of unsteady ceramic. A tray of some sort?

The sound of the hooves retreating told Cozy that she was soon to be alone again. She hadn't taken in all of her surroundings, but they had already changed. She needed time to reorient herself with her surroundings and come up with a plan, and the sooner she could do that, the better off she'd be.

The door closed, and both latches clicked into place. Cozy waited, counting out fifteen seconds before popping one eye open.

"Hello, Cozy Glow," smiled Starlight, standing right over the top of her. "Sleep well?"

"I just woke up, Ms. Glimmer."

"You've been awake the entire time I was in here," corrected Starlight, pointing to the other side of the bed. A heart rate monitor was running in silent mode, and it showed an increase from forty-two beats per minute to sixty-seven two minutes ago. "Excellent bluff, by the way. It would have fooled me if I hadn't taken steps against it."

Cozy sat up, miffed. She opened her other eye and sighed. "What do you want?" she asked. "Did you just come in here to gloat? To remind me that I'm going right back to being frozen in stone? Are you here to tell me that it's time for my reformation? Because I can assure you, I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done, and I'm very sorry."

The monitor beeped, alerting them both to its presence, not that they needed it to know that Cozy was lying.

"Oh, fine," she huffed, crossing her front legs. "Just send in Twilight and her friends, already. I'd rather be stone than sit here and wait to be turned back to stone."

Starlight nodded. "As it so happens, I will be sending Twilight and her friends to you. However, it's not what you think."

"Oh, no?"

Starlight grabbed the heart rate monitor and secured it to herself. It took a moment for it to recalibrate, but it was soon displaying Starlight's heard rate at seventy-eight beats per minute.

"The reason I locked you in here is because I needed to talk to you before you ran off. In all honesty, both of us have suffered humiliation at her hooves. She took everything away from me. And then she took everything away from you."

Cozy looked to the monitor. Seventy-seven beats per minute. "What did she take from you? Be specific."

"I had a beautiful little town, filled to the brim with ponies who had been separated from their individuality in order to build a community where nopony is better than anypony else. A place where equality reigned. A place where nopony was bullied for being different. It was paradise. And she went and destroyed it. Everypony was happy, and smiles were bountiful, and then she stepped in and turned everypony back into pompous, sneering braggarts! "I can make better cookies than you!" "Oh, yeah? Well, I can ski down this mountain faster than you!" "Big deal! neither of you is capable of matching me in hoofball!" Such disfunction, and she calls herself the Princess of Friendship!"

Cozy watched the monitor as she listened, and while Starlight had become heated, her heart rate never rose above eighty-two. It was clear to see that she was telling the truth. With the speech over, she turned back to Starlight. "What is it you want with me?"

Starlight smiled. "You are truly an inspiration. That you even came close to taking over Equestria is proof enough that you are exceptionally gifted at pulling the strings from behind the curtains. That is what I want. I want you to remove Twilight from the throne."

"So you can take her place?"

"So you can take her place," Starlight corrected. "I don't want all of Equestria. What I want is a town, roughly the size of Ponyville, that I can have dominion over. If you can grant me that, I will happily be your second-in-command. I'll carry out your orders to the letter, just help me take Twilight off the throne and give me a place where nopony needs to come to blows."

Cozy leaned back. She seemed to be genuine in her plea, and it would be a lie if Cozy said she had never dreamed of ruling over all of Equestria. "You want to be my lieutenant?"

"I will serve you loyally and faithfully until the end of my days. I have come to love you since the time of your imprisonment, and will do anything you want, if you will bring Twilight Sparkle to heel."

Cozy had heard that line before. She tossed her comforter aside. "How about eating me out? If you can't do that, then you have no-oO-OH--!"

Starlight had dug right in with her tongue, much to Cozy's shock. She wasn't particularly good at it, but her technique wasn't so terrible that Cozy would need to correct her very much.

She gently stroked her former teacher's mane. "You might have something, there," she smirked. "I will consider your offer."

Chapter the Third: Birds of Prey

Cozy lightly nibbled on her sandwich as she looked out the window. Grilled cheese with avocado, while sounding strange at first, was actually pretty okay. Even better, there was tomato soup to go with it, made with carrot and crushed red pepper. Both had gone cold while she was waiting to see how long Starlight would take to finish her off, but it was an hour well spent.

The windows were fitted with a mesh screen of some description. She was unaware of what it looked like from the outside, but she was aware enough of how they worked. Somepony would have to be pretty close to be able to see her in the window, and she had to be pretty close in order to see out. For her own safety, the curtains would be drawn if she wasn't looking, anyway.

From her viewpoint, she could see Canterlot Castle, a fair distance away. From the other window, Twilight's School of Friendship in Ponyville. She had to commend Starlight for her choice in rooms. Any other view would not have infuriated her so much. That she felt this angry by design almost made her proud to have such a capable mare as her right hoof. To the right, there was humiliation at the hooves of Twilight and her friends. To her left, the ponies that sealed her away in stone, sitting on the throne that was supposed to be hers. Cozy wasn't one to give out genuine compliments, but Starlight had set her up perfectly.

Then again, she'd had plenty of time. Cozy had no idea how long she'd been set in stone, but it had to have been at least a year. The guards on the street didn't look to be panicking, or even concerned. If her release had been made known, Celestia would have them scouring the countryside for her. It was unlikely that Celestia would relax until she thought she was dealt with.

She heard steps outside the door again and drew the curtain. It was immediately obvious that it wasn't Starlight again. These were not hooves, but claws. Bird, dragon or gryphon. She could rule out most dragons, as these were light steps. Spike was still a possibility, but unlikely. Starlight would have to be lying with that heart rate monitor. If that was the case, Cozy would have gained a bit more respect, but there were other possibilities to examine. If it was a bird, it must have been a big one. An emu or ostrich. Most likely, this was a gryphon, and a smaller one, at that.

The door swung open, and her assessment was proven correct. "Gallus Griffin."

"Cozy Glow."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was sent to see if you're done with your lunch and collect the dishes."

Cozy returned to the window. "You're not surprised that I'm back. I take it then, that you're in on the plan."

"I've already covered a lot of our tracks. It will be a little while before anypony thinks to look for you."

"Good boy." Cozy took a sip of soup from the mug it had been served in. "I'll be done soon. In the meantime, I have some questions for you."

"Ask away," answered Gallus, leaning against the doorframe.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because Starlight didn't hire a maid. The more ponies involved, the more likely this plan is to fail."

"Not the dishes," she groaned. "Why did you want me to be returned from my stone imprisonment?"

"Oh, yeah, that... Well, it's because of love."

Cozy turned and looked at him. "If you start singing about how much you love me, I'm going to vomit."

"Not you!" scoffed Gallus. "Headmistress Sparkle!"

Cozy raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're in love with her?"

"I'm attracted to powerful mares," he admitted. "I draw pleasure from raw power, and she's brimming with it."

"And you want her to spit on you and call you trash."

"Wrong again. I want to conquer her. To dominate her and make her my own. I want her to carry my chicks for all of Griffinstone to see! Every gryphon in Griffinstone will see how powerful she is, and that she is subservient to me, and will know that I am the most powerful among my kind!"

Cozy took another sip. "So, it's a power trip."

"That, and she's really hot."

"So, let me see if I have this right." Cozy finished her mug and sat it down before turning to the window and crossing her front hooves behind her back. "Starlight Glimmer wants to see Twilight Sparkle removed from power, broken and defeated. You want to take the defeated body and fill it with your seed so that she can have your kids. In exchange for this, I am to be given my freedom from being turned to stone. That's a lot for you two to ask with barely any reward for me."

"You can have all of Equestria in exchange for your ear. As long as my own interests are kept, I'll help you take the throne from Luna and Celestia."

"And Twilight?"

"And Twilight."

"And Cadance?"

"With you as my witness, I'll mount the head of Shining Armor on a pike myself!"

Cozy chuckled. "A fine thought, but Shining Armor will belong to me. You are not the only one who wishes to conquer a spouse."

Gallus cleared his throat. "Right, so... You will also have him, then. Do you want his wife and daughter, too?"

Cozy shrugged. "Who's to say at this point? There is much to consider, and I will need time to come up with something. I will also need to regain my strength before we can even think of striking. One more question before you go." She popped the last bite of sandwich into her mouth. "I don't want to keep guessing at who is coming. How many are you that want me to overthrow the Equestrian royal family?"

Gallus picked up the dishes and placed them in his wing for transport. "Right now, it's just myself and Starlight. And you, I guess..."

"So, our peers are not in on it, just the two of you?"

"So far, yes. It is our plan that, eventually, everypony will have accepted it. Whether they want to or not."

"I see." Cozy took a deep breath and turned around. "Leave me, Gallus. I have scheming to do."

Chapter the Fourth: Open Doors

The sun was setting over Celestia's Canterlot. Soon, darkness would ensnare Equestria in its cold, humble embrace, but it would not be long until the dawn broke once again. But this time, Cozy Glow would be sitting atop the throne.

The doors opened, and Starlight and Gallus walked in. "Good," nodded Cozy without turning to look. "You're both here. That means I can spare my command of one of you to seek out the other."

"Have you considered our proposals?" asked Starlight.

"I have," answered Cozy. "Gallus?"

"Yeah?"

"Come lick my hooves while we talk."

Gallus glanced around the room. "Why?"

"Because I told you to," answered Cozy. "Come over here, lie down on your stomach, and lick the bottoms of my hooves."

Not quite sure what she was going for, Gallus moved over to the filly, lay down on the floor, and slowly inched out his tongue to gingerly lick at Cozy's hooves. She smirked down at him while he did, belittling him and making him feel inferior.

"Okay, I suppose it's my turn to ask why you're doing this," stated Starlight. "Have you considered our proposals or not?"

"I have, Ms. Glimmer. Come, lick my other hoof."

Starlight approached and lay down, taking Cozy's entire hoof into her mouth and sucking on it.

"Very good, Starlight. A good listener and you predicted the next step," Cozy smiled. "Don't stop until I say so."

Cozy took a deep breath and held her words, feeling the tongues of these two caressing the inner workings of her hooves. She's been fluttering this entire time, so her hooves were clean, but that's not what mattered.

"Do you understand the purpose of this exercise, Starlight?"

Starlight grunted and shook her head, but did not stop.

"What about you, Gallus?"

"No, Cozy."

She scowled. "I did not tell you to stop, Gallus."

He immediately returned to licking, not sure why he was opting to do so.

"Furthermore, you will address me as "Mistress" from now on. Do I make myself clear?"

They nodded, and this time, Gallus kept his tongue on Cozy's hoof.

"Good. Now, since you have successfully passed the first test, I shall explain myself. You are licking my hooves as a pledge of allegiance. If any of your proposed goals are going to come to fruition, you need to do exactly as I say, without argument or question. Gallus, take my whole hoof into your mouth."

Gallus did as he was told.

"Good boy. Now, the reason I am having you refer to me as "Mistress." That is because, outside of these walls, we cannot know who is listening. If one of you should slip up..." she looked right at Gallus, "then other ponies will know that I have escaped, and that you had something to do with it. If you should end up in the dungeons being tortured, I have to leave this place and start from the beginning. You may even be turned to stone. See this as an action of benevolence toward you, to keep you safe."

Starlight nodded emphatically.

"Good girl. Move up to my thigh."

Starlight sucked her saliva off of Cozy's hoof, then moved up to lick at her groin.

"Now, all of us are fully aware that Twilight Sparkle is our main target. For the two of you, this is the end goal. However, we're going to avoid her for quite some time."

"What?"

Cozy glared at Gallus. "Who told you to stop?"

He lowered his head. "A-apologies, Mistress." He went back to sucking on her hooves.

"Now, as I was saying, she's a fair distance away, yet. We could go after her now, but let's be honest: if the two of you alone could defeat her, why in Equestria would you have asked for my help? You can't beat her on your own. The sooner you accept that, the faster we can set up a plan to take her down. Know her, and know yourself. If you know neither, you will always lose. If you know yourself, but not her, then who knows what the outcome will be. But if you know your limitations and specialties, and you know how she will react, you can anticipate her moves in advance, and you will always win."

She smirked down at Gallus. "Move up to my thigh, Gallus. Do as Starlight does."

Gallus moved forward, but it was clear that he was just as inexperienced at eating pussy as Starlight was. Moreover, his closeness led to an overeager reaction, making it obvious that he'd never been this close before. That, coupled with his staring, led her to a conclusion.

"For example, Gallus, one could bait you into an easily winnable fight by pointing out that you're a virgin."

Everything stopped. Gallus had just taken a blow to his pride, and Starlight was shocked. "Wait, really?"

"I was saving myself for someone special," admitted Gallus, shrinking down. "I guess I never really came around to it..."

"Let this be a teaching moment," proclaimed Cozy. "I'm a weak little filly, and simply by knowing who I'm dealing with, I have wounded Gallus, a well-documented tough guy. Now, who told you that you could leave my thighs?"

"Sorry, Mistress," said Starlight, returning to her work. Gallus did the same, but the blow to his ego had him working slower and shakier.

"How Gallus feels now is the state we need Twilight to be in if we want to take her down at all. Unfortunately, an accusation such as that will not be sufficient. We must weaken her in another way."

"Angk huk kay igh gak, wiskwes?" asked Starlight, not ceasing her licking to ask her question.

Cozy smiled. "You can stop licking, Ms. Glimmer. Gallus needs the extra practise."

Starlight took a step back and looked up at Cozy Glow, wondering if she should ask her question again.

"First and foremost, we will need allies. Strong ones. And I don't mean muscles, but influence. We first need to have more than just the two of you."

"I have a few in mind, Mistress, but I'm not sure if they will join our cause," said Starlight. "I don't know if I have what it takes to convince them, but with your help..."

A smile stretched across Cozy's face. "I'm starting to like you, Ms. Glimmer. Tell me; who did you have in mind?"

Chapter the Fifth: Outside Help

"Trixie is not quite sure what you're talking about..."

It had been three days since Cozy had agreed to help Starlight and Gallus. In that time, Starlight had spent all of her spare time learning techniques and theory from Cozy, who had also opted to put together a string of events that had all led to bringing Trixie back to her place.

"I know it's a bit tricky," nodded Starlight, opening the front door. She glanced upward and saw a shadow in the window nodding at her. If anypony else had looked up there, they would not see the shadow, but the decorative mesh that looked like a pair of closed curtains. If she hadn't been specifically looking for it, she wouldn't have seen it. "That's why I called you here. I need your help."

Trixie did glance at the window, but she couldn't see anything. "Something wrong?"

"I saw the curtains move just a bit. Probably just a little draft. I'll have to look for it later, your time is too valuable to waste looking for it."

"Nonsense! Trixie would be glad to help with this problem!"

"I'm sure you would, but let me rephrase my statement. There are more important things I need your help with than finding a draft. I can always find it later and patch it up."

Trixi nodded slowly. "If you're sure..."

Starlight led Trixie upstairs and into a small guest suite. The bulk of the room was taken up by a bed and wardrobe, but there was a sitting area with tea and cookies in the middle of the room. If Trixie were more cautious, she would wonder how there was hot tea and warm cookies, given that Starlight had spent the last six hours at the school, fulfilling her duties to the academy.

Thankfully, she cared more about pouring herself a cup of tea and eating the cookies than how Starlight had managed to prepare them. "Now, then. What is this secret project you've been working on, Starlight, and how can Trixie assist you in completing it?"

Starlight nodded. "Trixie, I've heard tell about who you were before I joined up with Twilight and the gang. Apparently, you were a force to be reckoned with."

"Trixie does not like to talk about it," she answered. "Trixie was going through a dark time in her life. It's much better now."

"Well, I don't want to make you uncomfortable by reopening old wounds, I just have some questions, purely from an academic standpoint. If you tell me, we can prevent other ponies from treading the same path."

There was a brief pause as Trixie had another cookie. She seemed to be considering the offer.

"Okay," she finally said. "Let it not ever be said that Trixie does not care for those who may be suffering in the same way she has."

Starlight smiled, but not too much. Convincing Trixie to share her experience was only the first step. Cozy had said it would be the easiest one, but the anticipation of what was to come of it excited her. She had to hold that in, or it would betray her real intentions.

Over the next hour, Trixie went over the events that saw her first meeting Twilight and her friends, what with the ursa minor and the bragging. She then went over the humiliation that followed, being chased out of town over and over. During this time, Starlight pretended to be interested in what Trixie was saying, inching closer and closer and lightly touching her. First her shoulder, then a hug, letting her hoof slide behind her back against the opposite hip. Cozy had told her to make herself a place of comfort, so that when Trixie made herself vulnerable, she would look to Starlight for strength.

Then Trixie began talking about her time with the Alicorn Amulet. This was the challenging part, and this was where Starlight had to act decisively and swiftly.

"So, I immediately returned to Ponyville. This was the site of my original humiliation, and I decided that it had to be where my redemption started."

"I can see that," responded Starlight. "It was Twilight that had been the first to beat you down, and you wanted revenge. I bet you thought that if you could only break her down and show her that her ways were wrong, that you could find happiness."

"That's exactly what I thought!" shouted Trixie. "So I challenged her, and thanks to the Alicorn Amulet, I won with little issue!"

"Wow. How much power was in that amulet?"

"Oh, it was huge! I don't think I even made it to ten percent of what I could have done!"

"Do you know what happened to it?"

Trixie shook her head. "It's locked in a vault under the castle, along with a lot of other artifacts. There are five keys that have to be used to unlock it, plus a bunch of enchantments. You can't open it, and I would advise against that, anyway. That thing's not right. It... does things... to its wearer. And I care about you too much to allow you to be corrupted by that thing."

Starlight shook her head. "I wasn't going to put it on. I just needed to know it was safe. I don't want it to hurt you again, either." To accentuate this, she gently nuzzled Trixie's neck. This was a probative move, to allow her to make a better judgement as to how much progress she'd made with Cozy's advice.

To her shock, Trixie nuzzled back, practically cuddling with her. This was an excellent return. Starlight had always been interested in Trixie as a romantic partner, and establishing that connection had the capacity to bring them closer. Not to mention that having Trixie wanting her would allow her to employ her in her plans much faster.

Then again, it could all go wrong. A bad bedroom experience was all it would take to drive a wedge between them, and that meant that they would have to contend with Trixie when the time came.

Luckily, it did not matter which of these paths they were sent down, as Cozy had accounted for both of them. Trixie would either be a fine ally, or a magnificent scapegoat. That choice is what made her a spectacular test of Starlight's abilities at this stage. No matter how she performed, it would all go according to plan.

Chapter the Sixth: Feeling Great and Powerful Once More

Starlight stroked Trixie's mane as she continued her story, being especially comforting whenever Trixie would talk about using her power, and pulling away and smiling almost condescendingly whenever the topic of Twilight's abilities came up.

"And then she started spouting all of these spells that nopony could do. Age spells, gender swapping, duplication... I mean, even with the amulet, I wouldn't know where to begin in all of those."

"And all just to prove that she was better than you?"

Trixie knew that wasn't the case, but the words stuck in her mind. "N-no, I was being mean. She was just trying to keep her friends safe."

"That may be, but surely, she could have gone about it without stooping to petty insults and trickery, right? I mean, did she ever just ask you to stop?"

"She did," swallowed Trixie. "Trixie may have been a little bit mad with power at the time. Like I said, the amulet messes with your head. I sort of lost myself along the way."

"Then it's not your fault. The amulet made you do that."

Trixie winced. "I was also very bitter at the time. It wasn't all on the amulet. A lot of it came from being run from town to town, being declared a fraud and a braggart. I'm an illusionist; telling stories comes with the territory. And having everypony making fun of your own brand of fiction solely because somepony else thought it was real and tried to replicate it in real life is perhaps the deepest cut one can take."

"You're referring to the ursa again?" Starlight pulled Trixie in close.

"I even tried to stop that one. It was a made-up story, so when one actually came to Ponyville, I cast what few spells I had to try to hold it back, and I told everypony to stand back. When Twilight actually did it, I was in shock. Word spread quickly, and it tore me apart."

"I'm sorry, Trixie."

She sniffled. "It's not your fault, Starlight. This was all before we met, so there's not really anything you could have done about it. Even then, I was dumber then than I am now, so I likely would have tried to convince you that I really did vanquish an ursa major."

"I might have indulged you." Starlight leaned down and kissed Trixie's forehead.

Trixie picked herself up and looked into Starlight's eyes. A few tears ran down her cheeks, and she had a look on her face that screamed that she'd been wounded. Just as Starlight was beginning to wonder if she'd gone too far, Trixie dove at her, kissing her all over. Starlight was happy to return the favour.

Soon, their bodies were rubbing against each other sensually, indulging in each other's warm embraces. "Trixie has never felt so close to anypony before," she breathed, holding Starlight close. "She's not sure how to proceed. She just knows that she wants you to be happy."

"And Starlight is happy to teach her how to do that," Starlight responded, grabbing Trixie's butt. "Let me show you to the bed."

They practically ran across the room, with Starlight picking Trixie up and rolling her onto her back as soon as she hit the mattress. "Trixie has never been with another mare before. Only stallions."

"Stallions? You said you've never felt this close to anypony before."

"Trixie still needed to eat..."

Strarlight slithered between Trixie's legs and pushed her thighs apart. "Well, it's my turn to eat, now..."

Starlight had been practising on Cozy Glow while making up their plans, and had improved to at least be "good enough," as Cozy had said. She still had much to learn, but this was enough to bring in Trixie, most likely, and that would give her somepony to practise with even more, and even better, Trixie could show her how things felt on the receiving end.

Trixie bathed with lavender and rosemary. Starlight could taste it on her lips and smell it on her softer skin. She squeaked and squirmed, clearly unsure of the situation and uncomfortable with being this vulnerable but trusting that Starlight would treat her well. She didn't know if she was too sensitive, and would be unable to last, or not sensitive enough, and forcing Starlight to work harder.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," breathed Trixie, secretly hoping that she would continue, still. "You've already made Trixie feel amazing. This is way more than I was expecting!"

Starlight slurped up the fluids dripping down Trixie's arsecheeks. "But I do want to," she smiled. "I want Trixie to be so pleased that she has every incentive to stay by my side, no matter how difficult things become."

Trixie nodded nervously, then howled out in pleasure as Starlight dug her hoof into her pussy. Lapping at and sucking on her clitoris, she rubbed everything all over until she found a very soft, very tender spot just upside of Trixie's pelvic bone. Every graze and glance caused Trixie to clamp down on her hoof. This was the spot Cozy had told her about, right where she said it would be. For now, Starlight would leave it alone, and only come back to it when she was sure that the time was right.

Trixie's eyes rolled back in her head, and her hooves tugged at the sheets. All of her effort now was directed at her thighs, demanding that they stay open and not clamp down on Starlight's neck. Even with that being her only command, she was having trouble concentrating on it.

"T-Trixie has... s-s-something to say," she panted.

"Don't be afraid, Trixie," gasped Starlight. "You're safe with me."

"I... I love you, St-t-tarlight!! Ah!"

That was it. That was what Starlight had been waiting to hear all evening. One of several things, actually, but it was one of the few triggers she was waiting for. Now, it was time to cement that feeling.

She went back to the soft flesh and pressed, hard. Immediately, more pleasure than Trixie had ever felt in the entirety of her life crashed into her, and she lost control of everything. Her legs wrapped around Starlight's neck, clamping her tightly to her crotch. Fluid sprayed from her folds with every contraction, and her screams echoed throughout the room, spraying drool all over the pillows.

It was just over a minute before Starlight was able to regain her neck. Trixie's muscles were finally beginning to let go of her, and it wasn't long before she collapsed into a convulsing heap.

Starlight pulled the blanket up over Trixie's body and give her a sticky kiss on the lips. "I love you, too, Trixie. You mean the world to me, and I want to see you grow stronger. That's why I've enlisted some help."

The door opened, and Cozy Glow walked in. "Hello, Trixie. Would you like to help Starlight live out her greatest dream?"

Trixie was stunned, but Starlight's hoof on her shoulder and reassuring smile told her that this was all going to be okay. She nodded, and received a pat on the shoulder from Cozy before she passed out, too overcome by bliss to fight back.

Chapter the Seventh: Imperfect Technique

Starlight stepped off the train into the Crystal Empire. She had managed to draw Trixie in, and Cozy was bringing her up to speed. Gallus was improving at a rate Cozy was happy with, and soon, he'd be out and about, just like Starlight was. He just needed a bit more training. Not even a week, as of his evaluation today.

Starlight took a deep breath. She was a little bit nervous. She was going after Sunburst today, and while she knew him better than most ponies, she was also aware that he would be difficult to convince to join their side. She didn't know if she was capable of bringing him over to her side. Even Cozy had her doubts in Starlight's ability to bring him in. The advice she gave, while seemingly not helpful at the time, was looking better and better. "If you feel that this mission is going sideways, back off. Make this a probe, because you might not be ready."

She walked down the street at a brisk pace. Sunburst had a tendency to lose himself in his study, especially on weekdays. She had to catch him before he became too distracted, so she could use that to her advantage. If he could agree to coming back to her place without realizing what he was agreeing to, she could have Cozy Glow in her ear, helping her along. She wasn't going to try to convince him of anything, just to pop in for a visit. She was strong-willed, but it was much easier to hold onto your own thoughts than it was to push thoughts into somepony else's head. She needed the advantage, first.

She spotted him walking up the street as his study came into view. She glanced at the time by way of a nearby clock and realized that he was earlier than scheduled. She had to run for a bit in order to interrupt him. Luckily, he was absorbed in his scroll, so he wouldn't see her coming.

"Hey, Sunburst," she smiled, turning on the charm immediately. "You're back early."

He looked up from his scroll just before tripping over a cobblestone. He didn't fall, but the experience was enough to bring his focus back around. "H-hey, Starlight," he chuckled, glancing back at the offending pebble. "Yeah, I was tutoring Flurry Heart. She's a very smart young mare, and her studies are coming along splendidly. It seems that every day, she's brushing past my lessons and solving every puzzle I craft for her faster than the last."

"Sounds like you have your hooves full," smiled Starlight. Full hooves were a good thing. It meant he was distracted. "Do you mind if I come inside? It's a bit nippy out here."

"Right, right..." he blushed. "I forgot that you're not as used to that brisk northern air. It takes some time to grow used to it, so I guess I just don't notice it anymore."

"I would guess that wearing a blanket under your saddlebags helps."

Sunburst glanced back at his saddlebags and saw the knitted cover. "It was a gift from Flurry. Her mother helped her make it." He pulled out his key and unlocked his house, stepping inside. Several stacks of books sat on a few of the tables. To the right was a library with a couch that had used to be a living room before he ordered a few dozen extra bookshelves. To the left was a small kitchen and bathroom, and at the back was a bedroom on one side, and a small workshop and utility room on the other.

"Nice place," Starlight commented. "You finally have your own spot."

"It's okay," shrugged Sunburst, taking off his saddlebags and placing them on the table. "Not enough shelf space, though. Seriously, how hard is it to have an affordable duplex that's close to my work, within walking distance of the grocer, and has enough places to store my books? Is that so much to ask?"

"I recently bought a place, myself," smiled Starlight. "You should come see it some time."

"I wish I could, but I'm kind of wrapped up in life here at the moment. Tea?"

Starlight stepped forward. "I'll make the tea, if it's all the same to you." Sunburst was not exactly capable when it came to making food for himself. He had even burnt tea.

Sunburst nodded. "Good. That gives me time to unpack." He pulled open his saddlebacks and began unloading stacks upon stacks of books, notebooks and papers.

Starlight went into the kitchen and had a look around. There was no fridge, only a chest freezer, and lifting the lid showed her a bunch of frozen meals, along with a bag that had previously contained several tubes of yogurt that were now frozen yogurt. Closing that, she found that his cupboard was mostly bare. There was a big jar of salt and pepper to compliment his "set it and forget it" meals, and some stuff for tea. No fridge meant no lemon juice though, so she was restricted in her options.

She fired up the kettle and joined him in the living room, where he was already engrossed in his books, flipping through them as if he were searching for something. "What are you looking for?"

"Something to teach Flurry," he answered, not looking up at her. "She's soaking up all of my knowledge like crazy."

"Sounds like she likes you."

"Oh, yes, she and her mother trust me implicitly."

"Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. What would you do if they weren't the princesses anymore?"

This was a big risk. Any normal pony that heard such a question would immediately consider it suspicious. But Sunburst was not a normal pony.

"I'd probably keep teaching Flurry. It doesn't matter her status; I just want to see her grow into the best young mare she can. Why do you ask?"

"So, no matter what, you want the best for her?"

"And for all ponies," he smiled, only just barely looking up from his work. "Hey, do you know where my book on thorium disappeared to?"

This was going to be trickier than she thought. He was doubtlessly loyal to Flurry and Cadance. She would be unable to make him see otherwise. Granted, she wasn't against those two, either, with the exception being that they would lash out at her for her vengeance against Twilight, but as they would stand in the way, Sunburst would stand with them.

"Starlight?"

"Hm?"

"My book on thorium. Have you seen it?"

She shook her head. "First time here. I don't know how everything's organized."

He blushed. "Right, sorry. I'll find it... eventually..."

Chapter the Eighth: Failure to Launch

The kettle whistled in the kitchen and Starlight rushed in to turn off the flames. She poured the water from the kettle into the pot, rehydrating the leaves. When Sunburst made tea, there was a chance that he would put the leaves directly in the kettle and boil them, giving the tea a distinctive burnt taste. He was always surprised with how Starlight was always able to make it better.

With just a dribble of honey, she brought the tea back to the living room. She'd been thus far unable to find an opening through which to approach the problem of needing Cadance and Flurry out of the way, and she was running out of ways that were less aggressive. Unlike with Trixie, tipping off Sunburst would have dire consequences if he did not join their side. The amount of sway he held with the royalty would not be inconsequential if he were to take their side, and that meant that he could not be blamed if something were to happen to Twilight. Not to mention the fact that, with how aggressively Flurry was pursuing his knowledge, he would likely have an alibi.

"So, what's a typical day for you, working at the castle?"

Sunburst ignored the question, his eyes glued to his book as he wrote something down on a nearby scroll.

"Sunburst?"

"Hm?" He looked up. "Oh, the tea, yes. Sorry, I forgot."

Starlight put on a fake smile, the same one she always had when Sunburst was too distracted to listen. "It's okay. I could only find two cups, though. Have the others not been delivered?"

"It only came with two, actually." He picked one up. "In fact, this one's never been used. Maiden voyage of cup number two!" He took a sip, and shook his head. "How are you so good at making tea?"

"I just follow the directions. Now, you were telling me about your typical day working at the palace."

"Was I?" He thought about it and shrugged. "I don't remember where I was..."

"Don't worry, we weren't that far. Just start over, and as long as you cover everything, I don't mind anything said twice."

He chuckled. "That sounds just like Flurry. She's always saying that I don't have to push so hard to make new lessons for her. As long as I show up, it's a good day."

"Sounds like the two of you are close."

"Oh, we're inseparable! Every morning she jumps into my hooves for a hug. How about you? How are your friendship studies going?"

Starlight cleared her throat. "We were talking about you."

"Right, sorry. Anyway, we have breakfast together, because she always asks if I've eaten yet, and of course I forgot to prep something for breakfast. Then we go on to our lessons for the morning, then lunch, then a practical exam. Once that's done, I return her to her mother. She begs me to stay, but I have to find something for her to do the next day."

"Sounds lovely."

"I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world."

"Anything in the world?" growled Cozy. "Anything at all?"

"I can't believe it, either," sighed Starlight. "I gathered all kinds of information, but nothing that can turn him to our cause. No matter what, he's going to keep tending to Flurry as if he were her father. I mean, he's not, but--"

"Enough!" groaned Cozy, folding her legs. "You failed, but at least the door's still open. I'll just have to come up with another plan. You're dismissed, Starlight."

Starlight shuffled out of the room, and Trixie followed. "I might have an alternative," she assured Starlight, "but Cozy says she'll only do it as a last resort."

"I'd rather wait for her decision," huffed Starlight. "I know you probably worked hard on your plan, but right now, I need to practise more."

"Well, I'll help you with that, then," proclaimed Trixie, puffing out her chest. "Come on, I want to show you what I bought."

Trixie grabbed Starlight by the hoof and pulled her into their shared bedroom. Trixie had only just begun sleeping there, and was still a registered renter elsewhere, but she was all too happy to share Starlight's bed if it meant she could feel her hooves while they slept.

Trixie reached under the bed and pulled out a box. "I was saving this for a special occasion, but since you're having trouble, I think it might be better if you have it now."

Starlight opened the box, and her eyes lit up. "You can't be serious?"

Trixie nodded. "Trixie is very serious. You used a technique that cemented me into your plan, in a way that you must have practised. In order to bring in another stallion, you need to be just as skilled in the opposite direction. Normally, the greatness that is Trixie is capped in that way, but this will at least be able to give you something to start on. Just... It's enchanted, so don't go all the way, right away, okay?"

"Oh, like I could do all of this at once," chuckled Starlight, pulling out the strap-on dildo. "How much did this cost, anyway?"

"My dignity," blushed Trixie. "But it's worth it, if you like it."

"I love it," smiled Starlight. "Put it on; we're going to try it out."

Trixie looked to the door. "Right now?"

"Right now. I need as much practise as I can work in."

Trixie shuffled her hooves nervously, then took the dildo, closing the bedroom door. She slipped it on and crawled onto the bed. "N-now, Trixie's new to receiving, still, and clearly never this way, so let's start slow. Maybe just see how far you can fit in?"

Starlight crawled between Trixie's legs and started dragging her tongue along the underside. "Have to make sure it's all slippery," she explained.

Trixie was trembling, wondering why she had purchased the enchanted one, rather than the normal one. Then she remembered that the whole point of it was to have Starlight wear it while pounding her pussy. She had never intended to wear it herself, especially this early in their relationship. Still, Starlight was important to her, and she wanted to ensure that she had all the tools she needed to succeed. Even if it did mean she would be experiencing the sensations of Starlight's blowjob.

Chapter the Tenth: Mother

Starlight and Trixie walked out of the bathroom to Find Stellar Flare tapping her hoof. "I didn't hear the sound of hooves being washed. You're not tracking excrement all over my son's house. Go back and wash up."

"You didn't hear the sound of the toilet flushing, either," smirked Starlight. She couldn't wait to see Stellar Flare being made to lick Cozy's hooves. "Perhaps I soundproofed the door because we needed the privacy. How can you say with certainty that we didn't wash up, hm?"

Stellar Flare opened her mouth, but was interrupted by a loud whistling from the kitchen. Apparently, the girls had been in the lavatory for longer than they'd thought, at least time enough to allow a kettle of water to come to a boil. She walked in and turned off the water, pouring a dark green liquid into one of the cups, directly from the kettle. Starlight was suddenly aware of why Sunburst always had trouble making good tea.

"Would you girls care for some?" asked Stellar, glancing backward.

"Not at the moment," answered Starlight, lightly covering Trixie's mouth to protect her from the burnt flavour. "We'll wait for the next batch."

"Who says there'll be a next batch?"

"I'll make it myself, if I have to."

The lock on the front door, despite being unlocked, clicked and it swung open. In walked Sunburst, whose smile immediately faded seeing ponies in his house. "How'd you manage to pick the lock, Starlight?"

"I didn't," answered Starlight quickly. "I knocked on your door to see if you were home yet, as you said yesterday that you often come back earlier than usual, and who should open the door but your mother. She's just offered up some tea."

Sunburst stormed forward and poked his head into the kitchen. "Mom?!"

"Hi, Sweetie! How's my boy?"

"Very annoyed, mother. Did you break into my house while I was at work?"

Stellar waved her hoof. "Don't be silly, my boy! Your door was unlocked. I just walked right in because I thought you were home."

"And you didn't think to leave when you found out I wasn't home?" Sunburst was shouting now, having gone back to the living room/library. He was still wearing his saddlebags, but rather than just emptying his books onto the table, he was returning them to their shelves.

"But then who would make you tea and be a comfort to you?"

Sunburst sighed. "Look, I need to run to the market. I'm not going to be back until tonight, probably."

"Oh, don't worry," smiled Stellar Flare. "I'll be here when you come back."

Sunburst pouted. "No, Mom. This house is going to be empty. You can come back this weekend."

"We had hoped you would have more time," smiled Starlight, moving toward the exit. "We actually brought you a gift, but it can wait. Next Wednesday, perhaps?"

"Next Wednesday would be fine, but I really do need to go."

"Why don't you just sit back and relax?" smiled Stellar. "Mommy will handle your shopping for you."

"Mother, I swear to Celestia..."

"Come with us," blurted out Trixie, grabbing Stellar's shoulder. "Your son clearly has things handled on his end, you can return the day after tomorrow for this weekend visit you wanted, and we can show you the baby's room firsthoof!"

Stellar Flare was about to pull away and bark at Trixie for grabbing her, but at the mention of a baby, plus Trixie's need for privacy in the bathroom told her a tale that she was marginally interested in.

"Yes," concurred Starlight, catching on. "Come along, you can stay at my place for the time being. That way, you can be closer to your son for the weekend. Trixie, would you care to move ahead, I have one last thing to say to Sunburst before we go."

"What's going on?" he whispered. "Did you find a boyfriend, or something?"

"It's just a show for your mom. There's no baby for certain yet, but we can have a room made up for one quickly. I'll fill you in on Wednesday if your mom doesn't beat me to it, but if we don't work in tandem, she's not going to leave."

"Right, thanks."

They filed out the door, and Starlight helped him make sure it was locked by jiggling the handle. While Sunburst headed to the market with empty saddlebags, Starlight and Trixie dragged Stellar Flare to the train depot.

"So who's the father?" she asked, as soon as they were all situated on the train car. "That's the most important question."

"Sunburst, of course," answered Starlight. "He doesn't know it yet, so please, keep it to yourself."

"He deserves to know."

"You're right. Why do you think we were there today?"

"Well, if you'd told him right then and there, we could have stayed."

"He was busy. We've now made plans to talk to him again, long before the birth. He will know with plenty of time to spare. I will make sure of it."

"Like Hell you will!" Stellar pointed an accusative hoof at Trixie. "She is going to tell him!"

"That can be arranged," nodded Starlight.

"Why me?" asked Trixie.

"Because you're carrying my grandchild, of course," answered Stellar. "Sit up straight; I don't want him being crushed already."

"What makes you so sure it's a "he?""

"Because you dressed up in blue for the gender reveal party."

Trixie scoffed. "Do I look like I'm five months pregnant to you? We only just found out today. How can we possibly tell the gender this early, much less dress up?"

"So... you're blue because you're..."

"It's my pelt colour, yes."

Stellar shook her head. "Here and I was hoping for somepony a bit more important. I suppose I didn't specify who should mother my grandson." She sighed. "Oh, well. At least you'll have me there, hovering over you to make sure you're doing everything correctly."

"What makes you so sure you know what the correct way is?"

Stellar chuckled. "I'm sorry; does your son have the ear of multiple Princesses? I didn't think so."

Starlight furrowed her brow. "I have the ear of multiple princesses, and I run a school for one, and I was in charge of an entire town for several years."

"And how's that working out for you?" she smirked.

Trixie was starting to see why Starlight was so irked by Stellar Flare.

Chapter the Twelfth: A Mother's Love

Stellar Flare stepped off the train, confident in her abilities. She knew what she was here to do, and she was sure she could do it. Even better, she could do it all in one day. She had the entire weekend, sure, but if she could, a single day would possibly grant her extra favour with the ponies in charge. Her part of the plan was easy, and while she had sneered at Trixie's assertion of who to pick, something that even Starlight felt a little bit uneasy about, she could think of nopony better.

She walked right back up to Sunburst's door and gripped the handle. It didn't twist, as it was actually locked this time. Instead, she rapped the knocker against the brass plate, and after a few minutes, a very disheveled-looking Sunburst pulled the door open. "Mother, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Seven thirty-eight, ante meridiem, Saturday the fourteenth." She pointed to a clock in his foyer. "Just in time to cook you breakfast."

He groaned and pulled the door the rest of the way open. "Would you care to come in?"

"That sounds lovely," she said, brushing past him and heading into the kitchen. Starlight had sent her along with ingredients from her own kitchen along with some easy recipes. While she considered herself a stellar cook, the fact that she was wanting a different result than usual meant that she needed to expand her knowledge, especially if Starlight was right about the approaching meritocracy.

"I thought you were coming later," he yawned, shuffling after her. "Were you really in such a hurry? To make it here by now, you must have left Starlight's place in Ponyville before dawn."

"Starlight's place isn't in Ponyville anymore, dear. She bought a bigger place to enact her bigger plans, and also to raise the baby."

"Yeah, about that... What baby is that?"

Stellar Flare turned to her son and placed her hooves on his shoulders, smiling lovingly at him. "I'll tell you later, it's a long story. Why don't you go have a shower, dear, and give your mane a good brushing while I'm prepping your breakfast?"

Forty-five minutes later, Sunburst opened the bathroom door, spilling a cloud of steam all over the floor. He felt pretty good as he moved into the kitchen, kind of surprised at what kind of spread his mother had put together. "What's the occasion?"

Stellar chuckled. "Does there need to be a special occasion for me to want to see my son? More importantly, seeing my son is a special occasion. I want to be able to see you more often, but you never visit."

"I write letters," he offered as his mother filled up his plate with a lot of food, perhaps more than he could eat in one sitting.

"One piece of paper every three months is not enough." She shook her head as she sat down and started eating. "I haven't seen you since Hearth's Warming, and I didn't even receive an invitation. How am I supposed to brag about how great my son is if he's never around?"

Sunburst swallowed. "I was busy with the recitation, as you could see. I had a lot on my plate, much like I do now. I'm very busy, which is what happens when one's genius is recognised. I'm in high demand. Such high demand that I was personally asked by Princess Cadance herself to teach her daughter advanced theory in both magic and chemistry. It's very good for me."

"I realise that, Sunburst. I know that you're one of the best mages Equestria has to offer, and you have a rapport with the princesses. I'm so very proud of you, and I want to put that on full display. You're such a shining beacon of hope. How can you expect me not to be proud of you?"

"Mom..."

"I'm sorry, but I absolutely need more than just a letter every few months to let me know how you're doing. I'm your mother. I deserve more frequent updates."

Sunburst sighed. "I know. Look, it's not that I'm unhappy with the praise you've been giving me. I know that you want to show me off to all of the other parents and hold me up on a pedestal." He looked up at her and steeled his face. "That's actually why I kept you out of the loop. When I tell you about my achievements, you tell the other parents, they complain to their children about not living up to me, and it hurts them. Yes, I want all of the glory and praise that comes from my status and position, but not at the expense of their mental wellness. Even then, I leave things out of my letters because I can't stand the thought of others suffering over something I was able to control."

The room fell quiet. Neither of them spoke, knowing that there really wasn't anything for them to gain from continuing to argue. If nothing changed, Sunburst would continue to trickle-feed Stellar the information that she wanted, and she'd continue to proudly display how wonderful her son was. Neither of them was doing anything innately or intentionally wrong, and yet, ponies were suffering for it.

"Something needs to change, Sunburst," sighed Stellar finally. "Something needs to be done to fix our relationship. Your relationship with me, and my relationship with the others. If we don't, this is just going to go around in circles until one of us breaks."

"I know, mom. For what it's worth, I'm sorry we had to come to this."

Stellar smiled, stood up and walked around the table, hugging her son. "My boy. You're always looking to solve a problem; fixing things that are broken, keeping them from becoming broken or mitigating the damages so they don't break as much."

"Mother..."

"I'm just saying, if anypony can come up with a solution, it's you."

"You doing that is contributing to the problem."

Stellar chuckled. "Sorry. It's an old habit. I'll tell you what: I'll go clean up, and that should give you some time to think of some kind of solution. Does that sound good?" She rubbed his back and smiled down at him. She was not expecting her weekend to go this way, but fixing their relationship was the most important thing for them right now.

He hugged her back. "Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, Sunburst."

Chapter the Thirteenth: Open Hooves

With the dishes done, Stellar wandered into the library to find Sunburst lying on the couch, reading a book. She walked up behind him and gently rubbed his shoulders. "Hey, Sunny. Reading something about psychology?"

He shook his head. "Botany. But I'm thinking about it. You're right. Something has to change. I just don't know what yet."

"Well, you'll figure it out, won't you?"

"I certainly hope so."

"Anything so far?"

Sunburst leaned back. "I have two solutions, actually. The first one doesn't really change anything. Not significantly enough, I mean."

"What is it?"

That's to have you move closer to me. I could have you set up with a nice, cozy place nearby, and you could check in as often as you like. Of course, that doesn't really do much about the bragging. I could hold you back a little bit, but could I really stop you altogether?" He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Would that really be so bad, though?" asked Stellar. "Having me living here could solve that. After all, whose parents live here?"

"A lot of them," answered Sunburst. "I work with several ponies who live nearby, as do their parents. And if you should go bragging to the parents of my students, the fallout would be devastating for them."

"You only have one student."

"Right now, but I'm going to move back to Ponyville at the end of the break and resume my normal teaching job, and you'd have to move with me. Otherwise, we'll find ourselves in the exact same scenario as we do now."

Stellar nodded. "I suppose that's true. What's the second option?"

"The second option presents the same problems as the first, and that's for me to find a roommate who can keep you abreast of what's going on in my life."

"That would be lovely."

"Yes, but it presents the same problem."

"Not really. In one, you have to find me a house. In the other, you have to find somepony who wants to split your rent. Those are completely different problems."

"I was referring to the other problems."

"Right, same story there."

"Even so, finding a roommate would be a difficult process with me being busy all the time."

"How about a marefriend?"

For the first time this entire conversation, Sunburst looked up from his book. "Pardon me?"

"That's a good idea, right? It'd give you something to look forward to when you come home, they can be a comfort to you through the night, and it would stop my urging you to find somepony to bear your children."

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. It would solve a collection of multiple problems. And it could potentially convince you to leave the other parents alone, and they'll stop bugging their kids as much."

"Then it's settled. A marefriend is what you need. Now, I was at a function last week, and there was this beautiful young ma--"

"No," Sunburst cut her off. "Look, I've not really been in a relationship before."

"That's why I'm trying to help you."

He shook his head vehemently. "No, let me make this clear. Because I've waited for so long, I want my first time to be... special. You know?"

"How special?"

"Well..." He blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "I want my first time to be with somepony I love. Not just some mare I've never met, but somepony I genuinely want the best for, you know? Somepony I care about a lot."

"Somepony you love," she nodded. "Somepony who means the world to you. Somepony who wants you to have the best life possible."

"Yes, exactly." Sunburst returned to his book, rolling onto his back. "Let's not talk about this right now. You're here. What did you want to see here in the Crystal Empire?"

"Besides my darling son?" She thought about it as she sat down on the opposite side of the couch. "Let me think..."

The room was silent for a few minutes save for the ticking of the clock. Stellar had thought about this since Trixie had suggested it, and it still felt like a bad idea. It could possibly drive her son away from her forever, but it could also bind them permanently. Mayhaps this wasn't what he wanted, but he hadn't said no, and he was practically begging for it.

Sunburst suddenly tensed up at the unfamiliar feeling of a tongue against his balls. He looked down between his legs, his eyes wide. "Mom!?" he squeaked.

She dragged her tongue along his peeking shaft as it slid from his sheathe. "The pony who cares about you the most; the one who loves you more than anypony else; the one who wants you to be your very best. Name one other mare who loves you anywhere near as much as I do."

Wh-what are you-- Ohhh..." As his tip slipped between her lips, tiny pinpricks shot through every muscle in his body, and he began to squirm. Despite his writhing, he was neither wriggling away from her nor pushing her back. "Mom, we..." he gasped, "...we-- we can't! Ah!"

She slurped him dry. "Why not, Sweetie? Don't you love your mother?"

"I do! I do!" he answered, "b-but... this is against the law!"

"No, it's not, honey."

"It is, though!"

"The law prohibits us from being wed. However, what we do in the library behind closed blinds is for us to know, and so long as it doesn't hurt anypony else, the guards will be just fine looking the other way."

He gasped as she swallowed his entire length in a single bob, holding herself down and licking his balls. "A-are you s-s-sure?"

She popped up again and smiled at him, rubbing her cheek against the side of his cock, which was already beginning to flare. "If you don't tell the guards, or anypony who will tell the guards, then you'll be perfectly safe. I promise. After all, would I let anything bad happen to my little Sunny?"

He blushed. "N-no. I guess not..."

She smiled and kissed him. "Besides, a cock like this should be appreciated. It's big, it's heavy, and it's flavourful."

"Mom, it's dirty!"

"Mm-mm. You took a shower just before breakfast, and I know how thorough you are. I raised my boy to clean himself properly, and you certainly did."

"Mooommm..."

Chapter the Fourteenth: Familial Bonds

Stellar Flare hovered over Sunburst. His book had been marked and set aside for later consumption, but something else was so occupying his mind at this time that he couldn't focus on it anymore. His mother's tongue was digging through his mouth, and even though there was something in his head shouting about how wrong this was, it felt so very right. He couldn't resist her anymore.

She came up, pulling his tongue out of his mouth with just her suction. He was gasping for breath, his eyes glazing over. "Something's... definitely changed..." he wheezed, his hooves twitching.

"And it's all for the better," Stellar smiled down at him, running a hoof over his barrel. "My big strong boy. You want to see how much mommy loves you?"

He didn't know. On one hoof, he was afraid. Could this change be ruining his relationship with his mother? This could potentially end in a sea of tears, and they'd never be able to look each other in the eye again. Sure, he was annoyed by his mother's overbearing nature, but he didn't want her out of his life completely.

On the other hoof, the disfunction in their current setup wasn't healthy, either. He'd said it himself at the breakfast table: something between them needed to be remade. He didn't want to hate his mother, but he knew he was walking down a path that would lead to that, and changing course was a necessity. But was this really the right way to go?

He sheepishly nodded. "Yes."

"Then just relax, Sunny, and let mommy's love wash over you." Stellar began sliding her hips against him, rubbing her pussy against the underside of his cock. She was glistening with anticipation, and he was already slick with her saliva. Her lips slid along his length, and when she came to his tip, it slipped in easily.

As he was slowly and smoothly enveloped by her pussy, she closed her eyes and let out a soft moan. She hadn't been sexually active in over a decade, and she'd almost forgotten the warmth that was provided by a real cock. A dildo felt nice, sure, but to have somepony to share this intimacy with her made her feel more alive than she could even remember. Reaching his balls and finding herself stuffed was already the highlight of her year by a wide margin, but she was also spending time with her son, the most talented, most renowned and most important unicorn in all of Equestria. Nothing could possibly top this.

For Sunburst's part, he'd never experienced anything like this. He was still a colt at heart and was very inexperienced. He needed somepony who was going to take him by the hoof and guide him. Who better could he possibly find for that than the mare who had been directing him until he'd become a stallion? Sure, some of her guidance had led him in ways that he would rather not tread, but she was a good mother. She wouldn't purposely lead him astray. If she had, he wouldn't be who he was today.

He could feel her heat radiating into him as she began to slide up and down. Much like what she had done with her mouth, this felt amazing. This was what he'd been missing for all of these years? He was sure that the feeling his mother was experiencing was similarly good, if her face was any indication. Several other mares had wanted to sleep with him previously, and he'd passed them by because he didn't know them well enough. This happiness, this wonderful feeling that he'd ignored for so long... Could it possibly be the catalyst for the extended friendship he had been researching? Could this be "Friends with Benefits?"

Soon, the room came to life with the sound of flesh slapping against flesh, heavy breathing, and whispered names back and forth. They stared deeply into each other's eyes and pressed their lips together in another kiss, this one far more sloppy as they were moving more vigorously. Sunburst was even beginning to let his instincts take over, his hooves gripping her hips as he finally began to thrust up into her.

"That's right, Sunny," she encouraged, trying to match his pace. If this world of effort and merit Starlight had promised was true, she wanted her son to put forth the effort to be the very best. He deserved it, sure, but he had to show the initiative. She'd already opened the door for him, and now he had to walk through it. By the end of the day, he had to be on top, and she would be beneath him, holding him aloft so that all could see how valuable her son was; Equestria's most sought-after bachelor. And before long, a married stallion that all the mares wished they could have.

"M-mom, ah!"

"That's right," she urged. "Mama's here! Mama's here and she loves you. Can you feel my love?"

"Mom, I... Gah!"

She could feel him throbbing. He was just about to blow his load. While she couldn't really bear his child, she wanted him to know that it was okay to claim a mare, to bring her in as part of his family and start having kids with them. Just because she was too old to give birth anymore did not stop the other young mares from taking his offspring. As he was an only child, it was her last chance at having grandchildren, and she could not let it pass her by.

"That's right, Sunny! What you're feeling is good, and it's about to be so much better. Now push hard!"

He yanked her down as commanded, gasping as his seed flooded her womb. She was more barren than all of Saddle Arabia, and had no eggs left to fertilize. She wasn't afraid that he would give her a new foal. Even if he could, they would be welcomed to loving hooves. After all, their father would be the greatest unicorn Equestria had ever seen.

"M-mom?"

She looked down, and he seemed to be worried about the goop leaking out of her. She leaned down and kissed him, snuggling up against his chest. "It's alright, Sunburst. You can do that with me any time you want. Mommy will always love you."

Taking a deep breath, separated from his heavy breathing, he wrapped his hooves around her shoulders. "I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, Sunny."

Chapter the Fifteenth: Backdoors

Gallus flushed his face with cold water and looked in the mirror. It had been a difficult few days, but tonight was the night. Tonight, he would show Cozy that he meant what he said; he was willing to undermine the current seat of power to put her on the throne.

The door squeaked open. "You 'bout done in there, boy?"

"Almost!" he called back. He picked up his helmet, put it on, made sure it was straight, and gave the handsome devil in the mirror his most charming wink and claw guns. Walking out the door, he was back in the hallway with the crystal guard leading him around. "Ready to go, Corporal."

The guard nodded and started down the hall. "Now, let's see what you remember. Patrol route Two-Alpha?"

"Starting at the front entrance, follow the outer wall to the armory, turn left and circle the southeast gate. Continue along the wall to the barracks, go through the central hall there and then left again to the northwest gate. Move quietly to the infirmary from there, circle around the inside, and then back to the front entrance."

"Very good," nodded the guard. "Ideally, though, you'll be quiet around the barracks, too. Two-Bravo."

"Two-Bravo starts at the northeast gate and heads north along the wall through administration. Take a left at the northwest gate and through the barracks the opposite way as Alpha. At the southwest gate, turn left, check the guest rooms, then back to the northeast gate. Be quiet throughout."

"Right again. You'll have this down in no time. Two-Charlie."

"That's the path we've been following all day," answered Gallus. "Except we were supposed to take a left two doors back."

The guard stopped, looked back, and turned around. "Right you are." They quickly returned to their path and continued onward. "So tell me, why is it that you were assigned to patrol with us at such a young age?"

Gallus shrugged. "Part of being a gryphon is being able to hold our ground and hold onto our belongings. Security in Griffinstone is a personal matter, not something handled by the public. We have guards, sure, but they're in it for the money. If someone makes off with your stuff, they'll retrieve your belongings and punish the thief, but they'll keep the goods. I guess, because I grew up in that environment, that I just kept a tight enough handle on my own belongings that when I came to Equestria, I took a bunch of classes with the intent of keeping my stuff safe. That may be a little selfish, I know, but it has led to me protecting other ponies' belongings."

"I suppose," shrugged the guard. "We're not really protecting belongings, though."

"It is if you think about it, though," argued Gallus. "Consider this. They are your responsibility. Your princesses. Your fellow soldiers. Your friends. You don't want other ponies breaking them or mistreating them or taking them away from you. You'd fight to protect your loved ones. Right?"

The guard shrugged. "I've never thought about it that way. I still would refrain from thinking about them as my belongings, though. It seems a little insensitive. They're ponies with their own wants and feelings, too. Not objects."

Gallus shook his head. "I'm not saying that you should treat them like a blender, where they break and stop being of use to you, and you throw them out for the new model with a variable speed motor. I'm saying, consider them to be of value to you. Be zealous in making sure they're all safe the same way you keep everything in your house safe."

With a bit of hoof-waving, the guard eventually nodded. "Yeah, okay, I see what you're saying. That's actually a bit difficult for ponies, because we're wired differently than gryphons, I guess. I suppose opening the borders to allow other creatures into Equestria is going to lead to some differences in opinion. Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. I guess I just don't spend a lot of time with gryphons, you know?"

"Hopefully, that will change," nodded Gallus. "The same will apply to dragons, too," he warned. "They like to protect their hoards the same way we do, but with a bit more fervor."

"I'll keep that in mind. You ready for tonight?"

Gallus took a deep breath. He didn't know if he was, given what was planned. Granted, the guard didn't know that. "I believe so, yes."

"Do you remember what you're doing?"

"Patrol Route Two-Bravo. I know the route well."

The guard patted his shoulder. They continued to chat, with Gallus being allowed to give out warnings and perform identification checks on anypony wandering the halls as part of his training. He was, of course, listed as a shadow, and his every move was scrutinized, but being a long-time student of security training, he was swift, efficient, and professional. He was even allowed to confiscate a can opener and take it to the security office.

"I'm surprised at you, Gallus," the guard said as they sat down in the guards' commissary. "You took to this like a duck to water."

"About that..." Gallus cleared his throat. "Comparing us to birds is kind of offensive."

"Sorry. It's an expression. What I meant wa--"

"I know what you meant. Just take note in the future if you ever meet another gryphon. They won't be as forgiving as me."

The guard nodded. "Right, well, I meant it as a compliment. You're really good at this."

Gallus smiled. "I try. It's been my goal for a long time to be a captain of the royal guard or better. A lot of this, I try to practise on my own time. Some of my classmates think I take it a little too seriously, but they change their tune when they want something kept safe. I'm always their go-to."

"Sounds like you're pretty dependable. I have no doubt you'll make it." He wrapped a hoof around Gallus's shoulders and pulled him into a sort of half-hug. "Hey, I know this is a bit unorthodox, but since you're already so advanced, how would you feel about tackling your route on your own?"

Gallus looked to him with his eyes wide open. "Are you serious?"

The guard nodded. "I was supposed to deal for a poker game tonight before you showed up. I'd like to have my scheduled night off, rather than escorting you around. There will be other guards on your route, don't worry."

Gallus took a deep breath and nodded, a smile running across his face. This was going better than he could have ever hoped.

Chapter the Sixteenth: Only the Very Best

As the sun set over the Crystal Empire, Cozy was just finishing preparations on her wig. "This thing's super itchy. Could you have found one that was a bit more lice-infested?"

"There are no lice," assured Starlight, checking to make sure it was not only straight, but firmly held in place. "It just doesn't breathe well because it's a wig, and it's trying to stick itself to your scalp. Give it time to settle."

Cozy groaned. "This better work. I'm depending on too many ponies executing their roles perfectly. If even one of you fucks this up, we're all screwed."

"Rest assured, Mistress, Trixie was born to perform her task!" bellowed Trixie from the doorway, tossing her hat and cloak onto the couch. She was clad in navy blue spandex that covered all but her face and horn. "She's going to give the performance of her lifetime!"

"And she had best keep her voice down," urged Cozy. "You're in disguise so that you won't be spotted. Shouting is sure to draw everypony to you. We want them to be drawn near you."

"Don't be too hard on her, Mistress," calmed Starlight. "She's doing her best. She's just excited, that's all. I think we're all a little nervous. This is a huge risk."

Cozy folded her forelegs. "You think I don't know that? I have the most to lose, here. At least the rest of you have the capacity to convince Twilight that you were forced into this situation by me. I'm going right back to being stone if we're caught. So don't fucking let yourselves be discovered!"

"Don't worry," assured Starlight. "Once you're airborne, I'll be running interference for Trixie. We'll have the guards broken into two groups, chasing chaos. And of course, we'll be able to disappear back here if things go too far wrong."

"Then we just have to worry about Discord," huffed Cozy. "Are we ready?"

Starlight tied back her mane under a bandana, the last step to looking like a completely different mare. "Do I look like myself?"

"You would need to ask somepony that didn't see the transformation," said Trixie. "Of course, you always look hot, anymore, so Trixie could pick you out of a crowd."

"You can suck each other's proverbial dicks when we're done," spat Cozy. "If I look like a casual filly, then the illusion is good enough. Let's go."

Trixie went upstairs and out the window, sneaking across the rooftops. Meanwhile, Cozy put on her best smile and exited through the front door with Starlight. There were still a few ponies out on the streets, but under the disguises and low light, they were not recognised. In fact, the exact opposite was true.

"Good evening, ladies," smiled a guard that Starlight had been assigned twice on visits to the palace. "New in town?"

"Just visiting," assured Starlight in a slightly gruff voice.

"We came to see the crystal heart!" squeaked Cozy, clopping her hooves on the ground excitedly. If Starlight didn't know better, she'd truly be convinced that this was no more than a normal, giddy filly. "We heard that it glows in the dark, and I wanted to see how bright it really is!"

"You heard correct," chuckled the guard. "Do you need an escort? I can show you where it is."

"Isn't it just down this street?" asked Starlight. "I can see it from here."

"Yeah, but wouldn't it be better if you had a guard with you? It's late, and weirdos come out in the dark. I wouldn't want your trip to be ruined by some knife in an alleyway."

This guard had struck a chord with Cozy. It almost sounded like a veiled threat, as if it would be his knife. Perhaps he would be a fine addition to her ranks when she actually came forward and revealed herself.

"I think we can manage," chuckled Starlight, pulling Cozy closer to her. She didn't need to, but it helped to sell the illusion they wanted to put forth.

"If you say so, miss. Just remember, the royal guards are always on the lookout for trou--"

A loud boom caused all of their attention to turn away from the palace. Lights, loud cracks and bangs, and smoke filled the skies. Even though Starlight and Cozy knew that Trixie was the one causing this mess, they still were not expecting it at a specific time. Even if they had known the exact moment the fireworks were supposed to go off and where, they had to feign surprise, so the genuine surprise startling them only made them seem more natural.

"Take your daughter and go somewhere safe," instructed the guard as several others joined him in chasing after the ruckus. Trixie was already moving, as evidenced by the changing direction and source of the rockets.

Starlight nodded, picked up Cozy, and ran away from the distraction, conveniently towards the palace. One look at Starlight's panicking façade and the child she was holding told the guards everything they needed to know; to leave her alone, and that she was a mother protecting her child.

They ducked into an alleyway near the palace. It was hidden enough to keep any prying eyes away, not that anypony would be looking this way with a panic in the streets, but it was also close enough that Cozy's time in the open air would be minimised.

"Gallus should have already opened the window in administration," said Starlight, looking up at the walls of the palace. "There," she pointed, indicating a pair of yellow claws just now opening one. "That's your entrance into the palace. Once inside, Gallus will take you to Flurry's room."

"And your end? Let's make sure you can manage that."

Starlight nodded. "I'll aid Trixie in the distraction, we'll go back to the house, and I'll come pick you up an hour before dawn in a garbage cart. I'm set. Go, already!"

With a nod, Cozy flew up into the air toward the open window as swiftly and as silently as she could. She had much to do inside the castle, and a lot of the rest of the plan fell on her shoulders. She had to kidnap Flurry and pull her away without anypony realising it, and make it to the other end of the garbage chute before daybreak.

She landed in the office with Gallus. "Nice costume. You almost look like a guard."

"And you almost look like a normal filly. You have any trouble finding the place?"

"No. You find the room?"

Gallus lowered his head. "They wouldn't grant me that security clearance."

"Gallus?!"

They both looked up. Down the hall, a guard was approaching them, fast.

"Fuck," swore Cozy under her breath.

Chapter the Seventeenth: Putting on the Mask

Gallus was shaking so much that his armour was rattling. He'd just been caught sneaking somepony into the castle. "What do we do?" he whispered to Cozy.

Cozy had to think quickly. She needed to come up with a way to solve this, and fast. Luckily, she was good at thinking on her hooves, and as the guard approached, she ran up to him, tears in her eyes. "I can't find my way back home!" she sobbed, pressing her face to the guard's hoof, making sure her wig separated them. If she left a smudge of makeup on his leg, it'd all be over.

The guard looked up and scowled at Gallus. "What's the meaning of this?"

Gallus looked to Cozy, who gestured for him to play along. "I found her wandering the halls, sir. She said she had lost her way, and I was trying to calm her down so I could ask her some questions. I think she's lost, sir."

The guard looked down at Cozy. "Is that true? Are you lost?"

Cozy sniffled and nodded. "My daddy, he's in the infirmanen... Inferen... The place with the doctors. Mommy and Chalk Line and Hickory Stump and Switch and I came to see him, and I had to go to the bathroom, and when I came out, they were all gone! And I don't know where they went!"

"It's okay," said the guard, gently petting her shoulders. "The infirmary's closed to visitors right now. Half of the staff have gone home for the night. Do you know your parents' names?"

Cozy nodded. "Their names are Mommy and Daddy!"

"What do other ponies call them?"

"Chalk Line calls them Mom and Dad. Does that help?"

The guard shook his head and looked to Gallus. "She's in your care for the rest of the night. Take her to one of the guest rooms and watch over her. You can ask one of the guards in the barracks for the key, if you can pull them away from their poker game. I'm going to fill out the required paperwork." He turned back to Cozy. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Cabin Candle."

"I will do my utmost to find your parents, young miss Candle."

As soon as they were out of earshot, Gallus leaned down and whispered "That was spectacular. You come up with that all by yourself?"

"Right there in the moment," smirked Cozy. "I'm actually pretty good at manipulating ponies, as you should know."

"Yeah, but I didn't know you were that good."

Cozy snorted. "I convinced you to suck on my hooves, and you knew you were being controlled. Imagine what I could do to you if you thought slurping on them was your idea?"

"I thought that was a show of loyalty?"

"It can be both. Who says it can't be?"

Gallus chuckled. "I guess I still have a lot to learn."

"Yeah, but you're on your way. You do have a good teacher, after all."

They rounded the corner. "There's the barracks, up ahead. How do you want to play this?"

Cozy shrugged. "That guard said they were playing poker. I'll keep their attention for a bit. You try to find out where Flurry is, then come back and tell me that you've found me a room. By the by, that's your excuse for leaving me with them: finding a guest room that's ready to go."

Gallus nodded. "You sure you'll be alright in there, completely surrounded by guards who'll be watching you closely?"

Cozy smiled. "You should have more faith in me. I'm pretty good at poker."

With a nod, Gallus pushed the door open. Sure enough, seven ponies were gathered around a table, and there was a free chair. Cozy hopped up on the chair while Gallus quickly explained the situation to the dealer, the corporal that had been showing him around all weekend.

"Guest rooms, huh? Yeah, we have a few of those still empty. Here." He reached into his pack and pulled out a key. "This will take you into the guest rooms. Be quiet about it, and come back when you've found one."

"Right," nodded Gallus. "Can I leave her here with you all?"

The guard scrunched up his nose. "Why not take her right to the room?"

"What if the guests are..." Gallus cleared his throat, "enjoying each others' company? She's just a filly, after all."

"Good point, good point. Okay. Go on, then."

Gallus nodded and placed twenty of his own bits in front of Cozy at the table. "Help her keep her mind off her troubles, would you? And go easy on her."

Gallus stepped out into the hallway. He had been paying closer attention than he had let on. There were a lot of guest rooms on this floor for lower-ranking visiting dignitaries and local magistrates. Above them were some larger rooms, and above that, a series of suites. On the same floor as the suites were the royal bedchambers, where Flurry undoubtedly was. He also knew that none of the suites were occupied at this time, so looking for an empty one would give him an excuse to be up there.

He bolted up the stairs, knowing that they were already behind schedule. From the stairwell, the windows looking out told him that Trixie and Starlight's performances had ended. No more distant popping or shimmering lights adorned the city, and all was quiet. They were probably already back at their base of operations, and he would join them in the morning.

He started checking rooms one by one. There was no alert, so it wasn't necessary to have a guard posted outside the rooms, as a standard patrol route would cover everything just fine. He only needed to stay ahead of the patrols to make sure he wasn't caught.

He started checking rooms, ducking into them when he knew there was a guard coming. They had no reason to believe that anypony had access to these suites, as the doors were all supposed to be locked, and no guests of this level of importance were supposed to be here. He could judge when the guards had left by the lights shining under the door, and just waiting for them to go by.

It took almost fifteen minutes of searching, but he soon found his way into an occupied room. He strolled over to the bed and leaned over the side of the covers just in time for Princess Flurry Heart to roll over and face him, still sound asleep. He smiled down at her, knowing that he'd found what he needed.

Chapter the Eighteenth: Steeled

Gallus returned to the barracks. He'd been gone for forty-five minutes, but he'd found what he'd been looking for. All doors were now locked, excluding Flurry's, which had not been locked when he arrived. They were ready to go without anything to stand in their way.

"But I only have three of one," said Cozy, laying her cards on the table. "Three sixes. How does that stack up against your two pair again?"

The guards slapped their cards on the table, grumbling as they pushed the stack of bits toward Cozy. She happily took the whole thing as two of the guards, having now lost their entire paycheck, stood up and walked away from the table, leaving just Cozy and two others. Judging by where all of the bits were, it was obvious that Cozy had outplayed all of the others.

"I found her a room," informed Gallus, sitting down at the table and sliding the key back to its owner. "Has she been good?"

"Really good," huffed the corporal. "This is all I have left, and it's the minimum bet. Where'd you find her?"

"Wandering administration," sighed Gallus, "just like I told you before."

"One more hoof?" pleaded Cozy to Gallus. "Please?"

The look in her eye told Gallus that she wasn't asking his permission, but demanding that he accept. "Fine. One more game, then it's off to bed with you."

"Yay!"

The corporal dealt two cards to everypony. Cozy was actually given a pretty bad hoof as Gallus could see. It was a two of spades and a four of clubs.

"All in," sighed the corporal, putting all six of his bits in the center of the table. Cozy did much the same, pushing eight bits into the pot.

"Just eight for me, too," sighed the third guard, making the minimum bet and rapping his hoof on the table.

The corporal, having received the input from everypony at the table, set one card face-down, then three more face-up; the four of spades, the five of spades, and the ace of hearts.

Immediately, the other guard smiled and pushed two more bits into the center of the table. "All in."

The corporal looked at Cozy. "You don't have to match his bet if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine," smiled Cozy, pushing two more bits in. "It's Gallus's money, after all."

Gallus groaned. It was his money, and at best, she had a pair. What was she doing?

The dealer put another card face-down, then face up. This one was the six of spades. Normally, another round of betting would occur, but since all but one player was all-in, the final burn and turn showed the three of spades.

The corporal was the first to reveal his cards. He had the king of hearts and queen of diamonds. "I have a king."

The other guard laid out his cards on the table. The ace of spades and the five of hearts. "That's a flush," he chuckled, reaching out to pull in the bits.

Gallus grabbed his hoof. "There's a third player, and she could have something that beats that."

"Like what? A full house? Four of a kind? She can't beat a flush."

"You won't know until she shows you."

Cozy laid her cards out flat. "A pair of fours?"

"Not good enough," snorted the guard, pulling in his winnings.

"Again with this?" demanded Gallus, grabbing his wrist again. "Take a closer look."

The corporal leaned over the table. "That's a straight flush. She wins."

"No way."

"A straight flush," nodded Gallus. "You don't beat a straight flush unless you have a royal flush." He pushed the cards out of the way and scooped all of the bits into a bag. "Now, it's time to go. I need to put this filly to bed so we can find her parents in the morning."

"Nighty-night!" waved Cozy as she followed Gallus out of the room. "Don't let the bedbugs bite!"

As soon as they were out in the hall and could no longer be heard, Cozy turned to Gallus. "Find it?"

"She's unguarded," nodded Gallus. "Hop up on my back, and I'll take you right to her."

Cozy rode Gallus up to Flurry's room. Being a gryphon, his back feet were padded, and his front claws were quieter than hooves. Returning to Flurry's bedroom was easy, now that he knew where it was.

Cozy hovered over the foot of the bed. "She looks so peaceful," she whispered. "If she weren't an affront to everything I stood for, I'd have some second thoughts. Even now, I'm reevaluating what to do with her once we've finished our plans."

"Can't she be released with the others?"

"Yes, but what to do until then? When she's just in storage, what do we do with her?"

"We can discuss it later," urged Gallus. "We're on a time limit right now."

"Right," sighed Cozy. "Give me the gear."

At the corner of the bed, Gallus pulled out a long length of rope, a very large gag and a ring with a gem on one side and a screw on the other. Very carefully, Cozy slipped the ring over Flurry's horn and tightened the screw just enough to hold it in place while Gallus prepared the rope. The ring was a set of three that Gallus had been gifted by Twilight that could block all magic. He'd coaxed some unicorns into fighting him when he knew she'd be watching and threw the fight so she'd give them to him, in case of future incidents. They would work on Flurry, just as they'd worked on Trixie when he was testing their effectiveness last week.

When they were ready, Cozy jumped on Flurry, pinning her down and stuffing the gag into her mouth while Gallus tied up her limbs. Cozy finished first, and proceeded to tighten the ring around Flurry's horn.

It wasn't even a minute before they were done, and Flurry was all tied up. They also proceeded to toss her into a bag and tie that up to disguise her visually. It was just one extra precaution they had to take.

"No more turning back," breathed Cozy. "This was the point of no return, and we've crossed it. No matter what happens now, we have to keep going until we're done. Are you ready to do that?"

Gallus took a deep breath, looking at the sack they'd tossed Flurry in. She had already stopped moving around as much, as if giving in to her despair. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

Cozy smirked and patted his cheek. "You do not. Good boy."

Chapter the Nineteenth: Change of Plans

Gallus looked up at the clock. It was already three in the morning. They'd spent more than half the night in here, just waiting, making sure that all traces of them were cleaned up so that nopony would know they were there. With the chiming of the clock, Gallus unfolded his claws. "Time to go."

Cozy hovered off the ground and grabbed the bag they'd put Flurry in, draping it over Gallus's shoulders before sitting behind it. He was strong enough to carry both of them, and his paws were still quieter than her hooves. In the worst-case scenario, if they had to bail out, she would fly off on her own, and Gallus would carry Flurry. Starlight could come up with a way of engineering a pardon, and if she couldn't, they could find a replacement.

Gallus opened the door and stepped out into the hall. There were no guards in sight, so Gallus started down the path in the direction of the patrol route. All seemed fine at first, but as they came up to the first turn, they saw the glow of a lantern approaching them.

"Gallus?" whispered Cozy. "What the fuck is this?"

Gallus shrunk down. "I forgot that the rotations reverse at midnight! What do we do?"

Cozy bolted to a nearby door and gave it a push as silently as she could. It swung open, and she beckoned Gallus over. "In here!"

Gallus followed her in and they shut the door. He breathed heavily, watching the underside of the door until the lamplight passed. He breathed a sigh of relief after it was gone. "We can go again," he sighed. "As long as we remember that the rotations are backward."

"Not yet," chuckled Cozy from the center of the room. Gallus turned to look, and all of the tension that had melted away with the passing of the guard came back twofold. They had just ducked into a room without looking, and by some miracle hadn't been diving right into a trio of guards in the middle of a cribbage tournament. Where they were instead was much more dangerous. "I-is that...?"

"Princess Cadance and Shining Armor," Cozy nodded, "sleeping soundly, with no clue that we're even here."

"We should go," urged Gallus. "We can't take them both on at once."

"I don't think we need to," smirked Cozy. "Stuff Flurry in the closet and stand near the door. If they wake up, we can stick to the cover story of "I'm a little lost foal, and you're the guard who's trying to keep me safe." We'll just add that I was scared and bolted, and you followed me in here cautiously to avoid trouble. They'll eat it right up."

Gallus did as he was told, holding himself to keep his armour from rattling. He was selling the role of "nervous first night on duty" very well, as if he actually were afraid that they'd wake up and find out what he'd done.

Cozy set herself down next to Shining Armor and gently moved the comforter, centimetre by centimetre until she was sure of what she was looking at. "Just as I suspected," she smiled. Fluttering to the other side of the bed, she stuck her head under Cadance's side, inspecting her without lifting the covers at all. "Not so much over here."

"Wh-what is it?"

Cozy fluttered over to Gallus. "We don't have to fight them both. Do you have a spare ring?"

"No," answered Gallus. "We only needed one. So, I only brought one."

"That's fine. Stop shaking. Look around and see if you can't find another ring and some rope."

"Wouldn't we need two?"

"Shut up and look. Don't argue, just do it."

With a sigh, Gallus started rifling through their wardrobe drawers. The first two were nothing but clothes, but when he looked in the closet he'd dumped Flurry in, he found what he was looking for. In a chest of drawers filled with all manner of sex toys and bondage gear, he found a box with five rings. There was a slot for a sixth, but it was empty. He grabbed the whole box and the various lengths of soft rope used for tying up naked bodies without harming the skin.

"Great, I found them. Now what?"

Cozy grabbed one of the rings and slipped it gently over Cadance's horn, tightening it so that it wouldn't slip off, the same way she had done to Flurry. She had also picked up a ball gag out of the closet and was ready to pounce. "When I say go, you pull back the covers and tie her up. I'll handle the gag. Ready?"

"What about him?!" urged Gallus, indicating Shining Armor. "He'll wake up for sure!"

"Probably," smiled Cozy, "but you can kick his arse, right? Go!"

Cozy immediately jumped on Cadance, waking her up. Her hooves started flying immediately, and Gallus had his claws full trying to tie her up.

By some miracle, they somehow managed to bind her despite her struggling. As soon as Gallus tightened the final knot, he turned to Shining Armor, to see his very angry glare way too close for comfort. He toppled backward off the bed and covered his head with his claws.

"Oh, stand up, you big baby," chided Flurry, smacking his rump. "Cowardice is a bad look for anyone."

Cautiously, Gallus raised his head. Just past Cadance's heaving abdomen, he could see that Shining Armor was already wearing a ring, was bound and gagged more completely than they could have done with all of the struggling, and for some reason, wearing a chastity cage on his cock. Given a moment to inspect Cadance's body amid the calm, she was sporting a rather hefty-looking strap-on dildo.

"It seems they were having a fun evening," chuckled Cozy. The smile drained from her face. "Separate them. Don't let their horns touch."

Gallus grabbed Cadance and pulled her away. She was draped over his shoulders, with the dildo poking him in the ear. "This wasn't part of the plan," he said. "How are we going to sneak all three of them, and you, out through the garbage chute?"

Cozy took a deep breath as she sat down next to Shining. She rubbed his cheek and neck with her hoof as she thought about it. "Plans change all the time. We ended up in here by mistake and had to adapt. We'll just have to adapt again."

Chapter the Twentieth: Out of the Frying Pan

Gallus grunted as he adjusted Princess Cadance's struggling body on his back. "We're just going to leave him here?" he huffed, pointing at Shining Armor.

"Of course not," growled Cozy. "He's already seen your face, so if we leave him, he's bound to bring the force of the Entire Equestrian military down on top of you. You'd have to disappear completely. I can help with that, but then you'd be useless to me, and I can't very well have that, can I?"

"So, what then?"

"First, you carry her," Cozy pointed at Cadance, "down to the garage. I'll carry Flurry. Stuff them in a wagon, and I'll keep watch over them while you come back and collect the hubby. Then we walk right out of here. If anypony asks, you found my dad in the infirmary and are taking the two of us back to our house." She rubbed her hoof under Shining's chin until he pulled away. "He's such a shy daddy..."

As soon as the next lantern passed by, Gallus and Cozy carried their prey out into the hallway. Now that they had reacclimated to the guard rotation, it was pretty easy to stay out of sight, even with Cadance flailing as much as her bonds would allow. It was a slow but uneventful trip down to the garage, where a small cart with storage was ready to go.

"Okay, I'll wait here with the girls," puffed Cozy. "You go back up and grab the last one."

As Gallus disappeared up the stairs, Cozy turned to face Cadance. "Don't look so angry," she chuckled, stepping closer to the tied-up mare. "This is one of your fantasies, and one you were really wanting to play out. Just not with me."

Cadance grunted and scowled.

"I can prove it," she smiled. Shoving her hoof between Cadance's legs, she soon pulled it back out, sopping wet. "You are positively dripping with pleasure, just waiting for the moment Gallus comes back. You want to let him violate you while your husband watches like a cuck. It turns you on, doesn't it?"

Cadance shook her head violently.

"You can't lie to me. I know that art better than anypony who ever lived." Cozy undid the tie on the bag and wiped the fluid on her hoof against Flurry's mane and face before closing the bag again.

"I suppose I should thank you," she continued. "After all, this wouldn't have been at all possible if you weren't such a horny slut. If Shining Armor hadn't been all bound up, we'd have left you both in your bed and had to have come back later and kidnap you under a higher level of security. But since you went through the trouble of tying him up for us, we were able to skip a step. Thank you so much for making this easier."

Cadance's eyes went wide for a moment, then lowered to the floor, letting a stream of tears flow down her face. She had given up. For now, at least. She had no means of fighting back right now, and all she could do was wait. Wait for Shining Armor to end up next to her, and wait for one of the two to come up with a plan. Or wait for Twilight. She'd come running as soon as she heard, and would undoubtedly find a way out of this mess.

Cozy continued to taunt and molest Cadance until Gallus arrived. "Here," he said, pushing Shining Armor onto the back of the wagon. "He's a lot heavier than she is."

"Bigger, too," smiled Cozy, wiping her wet hoof on Shining's upper lip so he could smell her arousal. "Five twenty-two, Tourmaline Lane. The house with the light blue door."

"Right." Gallus pushed Cozy down to the floor and pulled the cover up over the wagon. "Keep those two separated."

Gallus hitched himself up to the wagon and pulled it out into the street. He was stopped only once, by a gate guard that asked what he was doing, taking out a wagon unsanctioned. There was a quick discussion following, as the news of a lost filly in the castle had already reached the gate. It was pretty easy to convince him not to look, either, with the admission that she was sleeping. It was only just before dawn, after all, and she'd had a long, difficult night.

The carriage went back behind the house so as not to be seen, and Gallus parked it right behind the backdoor. Once he was sure it wouldn't move, he opened the door to find Starlight slipping into the uniform of a sanitation worker. "Gallus?!"

"Keep your voice down!" he urged in a whisper, lifting a claw to his beak. "We had to run the second part without you due to complications. Things didn't work out the way we planned, and we had to improvise." He pulled back the cover on the wagon and showed her who they'd captured.

Starlight's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious."

"Does it look like a joke?" asked Cozy, jumping out of the cart. "Take them out of this cart and put them in the other one so we can smuggle them out of town. We're leaving right away."

"R-right," nodded Starlight, rushing off to grab the other cart. "You'd better go upstairs and tell Trixie, too. She needs to know before we leave so she can come with us."

"Of course," nodded Cozy. "Gallus, go tell her."

"Right away, Mistress."

Gallus rushed up the stairs and brought Trixie down, holding an ice pack on a swollen ankle. She limped right up to the cart and saw the royal family tied up. "Oh, shit. You weren't kidding."

They took a few minutes to change the royal family from one cart into the other. There was a false floor in the one they had brought to the empire with them, which Cozy had hidden in with the makeup. Starlight had pulled it in a simple disguise, and now had to do the same in reverse, with the added weight of the royals.

Once they were strapped in, Cozy looked to Gallus. "You coming?"

Gallus shook his head. "I was supposed to stay at the palace until it was time to clock out, then come back to you. With the change in plans, I think it'd be best if I stayed behind. If the guards can account for my duty schedule, I'll have an alibi. One that's just as strong as the rest of the guards that didn't notice they were missing until breakfast. Besides, if I don't take the cart back, they'll suspect me. I need to look innocent. That, and having a spare set of eyes here will be a boon, I'm sure of it."

Cozy nodded and lowered herself into the hidden compartment. "Come see us when you're off duty." She kicked the wall twice, and Starlight took off, headed back to her manor near Canterlot.

Chapter the Twenty-First: Silent Alarm

Starlight awoke to a slap from Cozy's hoof. She'd settled down for a short nap, as had most of the house, but Trixie had been watching the roads, being the only one of them who'd managed to sleep the night prior. "Wake up!" shouted Cozy, hovering over her.

Starlight bolted upright. "What happened?" she asked, knowing that something had to be off.

"Twilight's coming," scowled Cozy, "and she's bringing a selection of guards. I can't be seen or mentioned!"

Starlight jumped out of bed and rushed to the window. Sure enough, Twilight was on her way, with nearly twenty guards in tow. "Shit."

"Shit's about right to describe this situation," nodded Cozy. "I'm going to hide out in the vault with our prisoners. You need to drive her off. We're not ready to take her yet, especially with this many armed and armoured stallions watching her every move."

"Right," nodded Starlight, rushing over to the nightstand and brushing her mane. "I'll try diplomacy first. Maybe she doesn't know anything."

"Then why does she have so many guards?" reasoned Cozy. "She knows something. Probe if you can, but be ready to come to blows. She might be here to arrest you."

"I'll go quietly if that's the case," spat Starlight. ""There must be some mistake, Princess Twilight! I have been by your side for so long! You have to believe me!" Think she'll buy it?"

Cozy folded her front legs. "Maybe. I'm still going to seal myself up. I can't let her find me."

The two left the room and went off in opposite directions, with Cozy heading to the vault and Starlight going to the front. She had to act like she'd been awake all day, and that Trixie hadn't been watching the road.

They managed to synchronize their story with ease. Starlight had asked Trixie for help with a friendship problem a short time ago, and they'd ended up sleeping together. Trixie had been here ever since, helping to build their relationship from the ground up. They'd been here all night, exploring their sexuality, and Trixie had fallen out of bed and hurt her ankle. A lot of it was actually true.

They sat and waited for Twilight. Before too long, there was a loud pounding at the door that sounded very urgent. With a deep breath, Starlight approached and pulled the door open.

Immediately, five guards filed in. One grabbed Starlight and pressed her against the wall, the next tackled Trixie, and the other three dispersed into the other rooms.

"I specifically told you not to do that!" shouted Twilight, walking in. "Put them down, right now!"

"B-but princess," growled the knight holding Starlight against the wall. "What if they're the ones that did it?"

"What if it's you?" demanded Twilight. "You, giving orders to mercenaries when I'm not looking?"

"Princess, I would never!"

"Neither would they! Put them down. They're no danger to me."

"Oh, yeah?" growled another guard, coming back into the room as more filed in from outside. "How do you explain this?!"

"That's a cheese knife," explained Trixie. "I was making lunch." A loud beeping started coming from the kitchen. "And now it's burning. Can you at least go shut of the stove?"

The next few minutes were spent in much the same way, with Twilight having to convince the guards to first let her friends go, then to stop pulling apart the house, and finally to wait outside. Not all of them, of course. Three of them refused, by order of Princess Celestia herself to keep Twilight safe. They stood at the back of the room, though, as Trixie brought out a tray of four burnt cheese sandwiches with tomato and radish slices.

"Sorry about all of that," sighed Twilight, sitting down opposite them. "Did they hurt you, Trixie?" she asked, pointing to the bandage.

"No, that's a preexisting injury from last night. Trixie was lost in a swirl of emotions and fell out of bed."

"Ah. I'm sorry to hear that. I had something bad happen to me last night, too."

"Is that why you're surrounded by guards?" asked Starlight, pouring some tea.

"Yeah," sighed Twilight, "and also why they're being so aggressive."

"Well, what happened?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "Princess Cadance, Shining Armor and Flurry Heart are missing."

The two feigned shock. "Did they just run off?" asked Starlight.

Twilight shook her head. "I don't think so. They weren't scheduled for a trip, and they would have told the guards if they needed to leave. They would have had to, to reschedule meetings and such. They wouldn't just leave their guests hanging like that. I think they were kidnapped, and Celestia agrees. Somepony snuck in there without the guards noticing and made off with them."

"Or some creature," added Starlight. "I'm not pointing to any one in particular, as I don't know the details, but do you think it might have been a dragon or hippogriff or gryphon? They are supposed to have equal access as the rest of us."

Twilight shook her head and leaned in. "I think I know who it was."

"How?" asked Trixie. "And if you know who it was, why aren't you trying to take them out?"

"Because she's hiding from me," answered Twilight. She took a deep breath, then pulled an envelope out of her saddlebags and gave it to Starlight. It showed the statue in the locked-off section of the Canterlot Gardens. Trixie leaned in and saw Chrysalis and Tirek, but that was it. "Cozy Glow has escaped from stone."

Starlight and Trixie simultaneously swallowed hard and shrunk down.

"I've taken steps to ensure the other two are still locked away," continued Twilight. "I trust that you'll keep all of this under your hats, of course. We don't want to cause a panic."

Starlight nodded. "But how are we supposed to find out where she is if we're not supposed to ask about her?"

Twilight shook her head. "You two don't need to worry about that. If you see her, let me know immediately, of course, but for now, I just wanted to keep you in the loop."

"We appreciate it, Twilight," bowed Trixie. "Please, if there's anything else you need from us, do not hesitate to ask. We may be deep into a personal study in friendship, but what kind of friends would we be if we didn't help you out in this trying time?"

"Oh, trust me," smiled Twilight. "As soon as I come up with something I need your help with, I'll let you know right away. I'm through with thinking I can tackle things on my own." She leaned back and sipped at the tea Starlight had poured for her, then scrunched up her face.

"Something wrong?" asked Starlight. "It turned cold while waiting, didn't it?"

"No, the tea's fine." A smile crept across Twilight's face. "I suddenly had an idea, and I needed to make sure it was a good one in my head before saying it out loud." She looked right into Starlight's eyes. "I have just come up with a way you can help."

Chapter the Twenty-Second: The Crystal Empire

"She did WHAT?!" Cozy's jaw dropped to the floor. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"She made me the Interim Regent of the Crystal Empire," smirked Starlight, opening her suitcase. "And Trixie's going to be my assistant."

"Starlight, it's no question that you're my most loyal follower. Bringing me back was your idea. What am I supposed to do without you?"

"There's still Gallus," offered Starlight. "Though I may need him from time to time to keep up appearances. And then Stellar Flare can be brought in soon, too, and she should be chipping away at Sunburst as we speak." She dumped a bunch of clothing items into the suitcase she'd previously opened. "And it's not like I'm going to be there forever. Just until Twilight finds a real regent."

"But you're crucial to the plan," growled Cozy through gritted teeth. "We need you! We don't have any other powerful unicorns, and I have my doubts about Sunburst joining us. I don't think he has it in him."

"He will," argued Starlight. "We just have to give him no choice in the matter. The world is changing. Those in power now will not be for long. He has a place in the new world order. He'll see soon enough what the smart path is."

"Great," groaned Cozy. "While you and Trixie are off ruling the empire and coaxing him to our way of thinking, and Gallus is off doing the dirty work, I have to stay here and feed the prisoners."

"Oh, don't be like that. We'll just have to make some changes to the plan, that's all. Simple, small changes. We're still ahead of the curve, here.

"And what if Twilight's just luring you into a trap?"

"She had guards pinning us down when she came in," chuckled Starlight. "If she wanted us taken down, she had the means and opportunity. The fact that she didn't means she has no motive to do so. She doesn't know what happened. Trust me, I'm working on it."

Starlight took a deep breath as the train slowed on approach to the Crystal Empire. She and Trixie had opted to come with minimal equipment their first time, to start setting up. If they showed up with too much stuff, it would indicate that they knew they'd be here for a while. Enough stuff for a week was just the right amount.

They stepped off the train to find that there was a pair of guards waiting for them. "Trixie Lulamoon and Starlight Glimmer," they saluted. "We are here to escort you to the palace. Please, come with us."

"Lead the way," Starlight nodded.

One of the guards turned and started toward the palace. Trixie and Starlight followed him as a pair, and the other guard followed behind them. All of the guards they passed on the street seemed to be on edge, which was understandable.

"Starlight! Starlight!"

As they came up to the palace entrance, they heard Sunburst's voice as he galloped up to them. With how fast he was running at the new regent and how tense the guards were, half a dozen descended on him immediately and tackled him before Starlight could stop them.

"Let him up," she ordered, and they complied, taking a step back, but keeping their guard up. "I'm a little busy right now, Sunburst."

"This is important," huffed Sunburst, having just had the wind knocked out of him. "It's about Flurry Heart!"

Starlight took a deep breath and turned to one of the guards. "Take him to one of the conference rooms. I'll talk to him after I settle in. It seems like he knows something that I don't."

"Yes ma'am," saluted a guard, grabbing Sunburst by the shoulder. "This way, sir."

The remaining guards escorted Starlight up to the room she'd be staying in; one of the fourth floor suites. It wasn't Cadance's or Flurry's room, but one of the unused guest suites.

"Can you believe it?" asked Trixie, flopping down on the bed. "We're ruling over the Crystal Empire!"

"Just on a temporary basis," shushed Starlight, gesturing to the guard at the door subtly. "As soon as we find out what happened to Cadance and Flurry and Shining Armor, we'll be headed back home. Hopefully soon."

"Oh, yeah," chuckled Trixie. "Still, in the meantime, this is going to be awesome!"

They proceeded to unpack and store their belongings in the provided wardrobes. This only took a few minutes, and after they were done, a guard arrived to escort them to where Sunburst had been taken.

He wasn't remaining calm. He had been arguing with the guard about how his information was important and demanding to speak to either Starlight or somepony of authority, and had been hoofcuffed to the table as a result. Gallus had been left to watch over him, and was still in his uniform.

"You look tired," commented Starlight on seeing Gallus.

"I was prepping all of yesterday to go on night shift, and five minutes before I was supposed to go to bed, the alert went out that the princesses were missing, and I was called back to action," he answered. "If you look bright and bubbly after that, you have to tell me what your secret is."

"A nap," nodded Starlight. "I'll see that things quiet down around here."

"Quiet down?!" interjected Sunburst. "Flurry Heart is missing! We need to go on high alert! Scramble the guard and look for her!"

Starlight held up her hoof. "I know. That's why I'm here."

"To look for them?"

"That, and to keep the place in order in their absence," nodded Starlight. "Somepony has to keep this place running."

"How'd you know they were gone? It only happened last night."

"Twilight told me." She sat down and placed a hoof on his. "Is that all you know?"

"Y-yeah..."

She sighed. "Look, I'm putting together an investigative team. Do you wan--"

"Yes!" he interrupted. "I will lead your investigative team to victory! I will find out what happened to Flurry!"

There was a brief pause as Starlight waited for him to finish. "And her parents?"

He shrunk down. "Oh, right, them too. Cadance and Shining. Yeah, we'll look for them, too."

Starlight nodded. "How's your mother, by the way?"

He lowered his head and blushed. "She's good..."

Chapter the Twenty-Third: Investigation

Starlight and Trixie had spent all of Monday doing clerical work; signing documents, scheduling meetings, making copies and sending memorandums. This wasn't something that would happen with a lot of their days, but it took longer today because nothing was actually done on Sunday due to the incident and moving in, and they had to learn the system in place at the Crystal Palace in order to integrate themselves and prepare for what was coming. Twilight certainly would have known better, but she was out searching for Cozy Glow.

It wasn't until Tuesday afternoon that they finally had time to go into the bedrooms and look around. The detectives assigned to the case had already done their part, and there wasn't much left to discover, especially since they already knew the truth. Still, they had to look it over, and Sunburst was invited to be present when they checked Flurry's room.

"Have you ever been in here before?" asked Starlight, looking at the collection of photographs.

"All the time," Sunburst answered, sitting on the bed and running his hoof over the pillow. "She's a very friendly, very smart filly. She had me come in here all the time when she needed me to look something over. Always working on something to show how she understood that the knowledge I gave could be applied. "

"Then you'll be instrumental," nodded Trixie. "What looks out of place to you?"

He looked around. "That's just it. Almost everything is the same. The only bit of evidence that there was any struggle is that her bedspread was in disarray." He stroked his beard. "That tells us that whoever did this wasn't after anything in particular, but Flurry herself. This was no burglary, but a straight-up kidnapping."

Starlight nodded slowly. "Any thoughts on what might be going through the kidnapper's mind?"

"Minds," scowled Sunburst. "Flurry wouldn't let herself be taken by a single assailant. There'd have to be at least a dozen. And they'd have needed to wear cloth hoof covers to make it into this room without being heard by the guards. And also, without being seen. Ninjas?"

Starlight scrunched her nose. "I don't think it was ninjas. One of the guards, perhaps? A former guard?"

"We can look at who was recently added to the guard rotation," suggested Trixie. "Transfers, new recruits, disgruntled dissenters..."

"Good idea," nodded Sunburst. "That Gallus Griffin has been causing me all sorts of trouble, and he's definitely new."

"He also has an alibi for the night in question, and has been a well-respected security student for years. You know this; you taught him how to do some of it. Formation training, proper lock design... Hell, you taught him how to use a partisan!"

"And therefore, it would be easy for him to come in and stab her."

"Sta-- There's no blood! You're having a lot of trouble staying objective, here."

He sighed. "I'm just really worried about her." There was a brief pause as his head drooped. "I guess it's easier just to find somepony to blame than it is to come up with a reasonable solution."

Starlight put a hoof on his shoulder. "I know. But just because it's easy doesn't make it right. Sometimes, the hardest decisions to make will tear us apart, but we have to choose wisely. There will come a time when you won't know which path to take, when both options will seem the correct choice, and it is at times like those when you have to decide between following your duty and remaining true to your friends that your true self comes out. I wonder whose side you will take?"

Tears were falling silently down his cheeks as he nodded. "Don't worry," he said, wiping them away. "Nothing like that is ever going to happen. My duty is to protect my friends. I won't let anything happen to you."

Trixie and Starlight smiled and nodded at each other before each of them wrapped a hoof around either side of his waist. "Come on," nuzzled Trixie. "We should take a moment to clear our mind, and I know Cadance has a sauna in the basement."

He nodded and the three of them made their way downstairs. On the way, Starlight took note of the various locked rooms down here. "You two go on ahead," she frowned, looking around. "I have to find a guard and ask them some questions."

As Trixie escorted Sunburst into the steam room to build a physical aspect to their relationship, Starlight found a guard and scholar to take her on a tour of the locked rooms to find out what they were. Many were filled with magical artefacts, mostly powerful pieces that were too strong for the public to make use of. Others were cursed. It was strange to see that the Alicorn Amulet, something Trixie had thought locked in the vault under Canterlot, was locked in here, instead.

One room in particular was empty and very tall, and at the top had a slot that was the exact shape and size of the Crystal Heart. "This is the room where Sombra hid the Crystal Heart at first," explained the scholar. "Records show that the crystal ponies were brought down here and tortured. This poured their pain and anguish into the heart, in an attempt to break it. Rumour says that he managed to crack it, but could not do much else."

Starlight looked on the slot in awe. "If we moved the Crystal Heart down here, would it still be able to exert its protective capabilities?"

The scholar pushed his glasses up his nose. "I suppose so, but it may discourage the crystal ponies, and without their love, it won't work. Why?"

Starlight turned to him. "I have this hunch that Cadance and Flurry were removed from their beds because they were standing in the way of something. Shining Armor, by that same logic, would have actively pursued them to save his wife and daughter. What if their next target is the Crystal Heart?"

The scholar and guard looked at each other. "Are you sure?"

Starlight shook her head. "It's just a hunch, and I'd rather it was wrong. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the three of them just showed up at the edge of town, unharmed? Unfortunately, that's not the reality we're living in. Until we're sure, let's work on putting up a facsimile, yeah? If we can't, I'd rather just know that the heart was safe."

Chapter the Twenty-Fourth: Regent

The next two weeks passed in a much faster manner than was expected. Starlight's history in community management cleared most of the problems that arose, and once she synchronised with the role she was to fill, she didn't really need Trixie around. Not that she didn't want her around, and almost every evening was punctuated with exhaustive lesbian sex that really helped them sleep through the night.

Not to mention the fact that their love helped to fuel the Crystal Heart, which had been moved downstairs as requested. Sunburst, who also joined in on their sexual congress on Tuesdays and Thursdays, was the acting liaison with the crystal ponies, and was voicing their opinions to Starlight and vise-versa. They were okay with the idea of moving the crystal heart temporarily, as long as it didn't stay gone for too long. It was their protector, after all, and having to defend themselves for a bit to guard their shield was an acceptable prospect.

Of course, the only news about what might have happened to the royal family came from Gallus. He was bouncing back and forth between Cozy and the palace, delivering news back and forth. Cozy was starting to find it very tedious to take care of the prisoners, though Twilight had not dared to come back or send a guard to look over the place.

In fact, the only contact with Twilight was a letter that said she was coming to inspect the Crystal Empire exactly two weeks after Starlight had taken over. Starlight had, by now, exhausted the temporary supply of things she'd brought with her, and had needed to resupply, though the crystal ponies had been very accommodating, helping her out whenever they could, as if she were the real princess.

As promised, Twilight's carriage rolled up to the palace on the day in question. She had taken a detour through the city to make sure that she saw how life in the empire was going. When she finally stepped off the carriage with Spike under the palace, she wore a big smile as she approached Starlight.

"Wow. I knew you were the right pony for the job, but I didn't expect you to be this thorough. How are you finding it?"

Starlight smiled back. "Let's talk inside, shall we?"

As they moved to the steps, Twilight looked up and frowned. "Where's the Crystal Heart?" Panic washed over her. "Did somepony steal it?!"

Starlight gripped Twilight's shoulder tightly. "No. It's fine. Or was, half an hour ago when I checked. Come, I'll show you."

They made their way down into the basement, through a well-guarded door and into the chamber where the Crystal Heart hung in the air. "It's still here," breathed Twilight in relief.

"I thought somepony would try to steal it, so I brought it down here to keep it safe."

"And the crystal ponies were okay with that?"

"They took some convincing, but as long as it returns to the surface before the next Crystal Fair, they don't want it stolen from them again."

"Who do you think would steal the Crystal Heart?" asked Twilight.

"Who do you think would steal the Crystal Princess?" returned Starlight. "How's your search going, by the way?"

Twilight shook her head. "No luck. She didn't leave a trace. She's just gone."

"Any strange happenings that may indicate her plans?"

"Just Cadance's family's disappearance. No word on that front, either."

"I see." Starlight sighed. "I really hoped we'd have found something by now."

"I know. It gives me no pleasure to do this, but I'm making you a full-on regent for the Crystal Empire. Until Cadance returns, somepony needs to be in charge, and you're doing a magnificent job. I can think of nopony better. I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you here, rather than at your own place. You will, of course, be compensated for your loss."

Starlight was ambivalent. On one hoof, she needed to return to Cozy in order to move their plans along. On the other, she had hoped to run an entire city, and the Crystal Empire had offered just that. "I'm honored," she chuckled, "but at the same time, I wish I could go back to my studies at home. It'd be terrible if I had little to teach my students this upcoming year, and it's not fair to them."

"I know," nodded Twilight. "If it weren't necessary, I wouldn't ask it of you. But I'm counting on you to make this right. It'll be over as soon as Cadance and Shining return with Flurry. I promise."

Starlight nodded and sighed. "I suppose I should start having my things brought here, then, huh?"

"That would be best. I'll cover your expenses in doing so, of course. We'll hire a moving company and everything."

Starlight shook her head. "I'm going to refrain from moving everything right away, in case they come back. I'll have Trixie help me out with it all. She knows what I was working on. Gallus can help her, too, if she needs a bit of muscle. He's been very helpful recently."

Twilight nodded and looked back to the Crystal Heart. "Has there been any issue with the Crystal Heart being down here? Can it protect the Empire from underground like this?"

Starlight shrugged. "Nopony's attacked us. Besides, if they were able to sneak past it to kidnap Cadance, can it really stop them? There might be some kind of protection from the Crystal Heart, or it might only stop certain types of enemies. I'll need to do some research to determine its effectiveness."

Twilight nodded. "I can't argue with doing research. I can only tell you that sealing it away at the top of the tower is what allowed Sombra to take control over the empire. The crystal ponies need that heart. They need to see it, and to know where it is. Their bravery can only take them so far."

Starlight placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulders. "Don't you worry, princess. I'm going to make sure that the crystal ponies, as well as their heart and lands are kept safe. If something dares threaten them, the Crystal Heart will rush to their defense. I'll clear a path for it to do so personally. They're in my charge now, and I will not allow them to come to harm. That, I can promise you."

Chapter the Twenty-Sixth: Cozy's Glow

Sunburst grunted as he pushed his cock deep into Trixie's pussy and fired off his load. Starlight was underneath both of them, her legs wrapped around Trixie, whispering calming affirmations into her ear. She was still bothered by what Cadance had said to her, but Starlight was doing everything she could to make her partner feel better. She'd even given up her turn with Sunburst to embrace her in a loving, protective hug. Any hurt that Trixie was feeling would be soothed as best Starlight was able.

"Feeling better?" asked Starlight, kissing Trixie's neck.

Trixie nodded. "Trixie owes Starlight for this. If there's ever anything I can do, I--"

Starlight placed her hoof on Trixie's lips. "Be there when I need you."

"That's beautiful," panted Sunburst, pulling out. "You two are great together. I wish I had somepony like that." He flopped down on the bed, his sticky erection slowly softening. "Do you mind if I stay here tonight? It'll be a real inconvenience to walk home like this."

"Not at all," smiled Starlight, lifting the covers up over them. "Trixie needs some extra cuddling, anyway."

The three of them all huddled up with Trixie in the middle, and as soon as Starlight could hear Sunburst's snoring, she gave Trixie one last kiss and slowly slid out of bed. One of the secret entrances to the chamber Trixie had put together was in this very room, hidden behind a bookcase. It slid out of the way and Starlight made her way down to the holding chamber. The guards had locked up the chamber of the Crystal Heart, and sound-proofing the door was trivial at this point.

With Gallus already there via a different entrance, they dragged the royal family under the Crystal Heart, with Starlight pulling Cadance, Gallus dragging Shining Armor, and Cozy carrying Flurry.

"Look upon the protective light of hope," smirked Cozy, pulling away their blindfolds. "It drives out the dark and shelters you from evil. And yet, it will not protect you from me. Why do you think that is?"

Flurry grunted behind her gag, unable to answer.

"Perhaps, and hear me out on this, I'm not actually evil. Perhaps my way of thinking merely differs from yours, and our ideals are at odds with each other. Perhaps you perceive me as evil, but the heart does not think so. The Crystal Heart has deemed me a good pony, and a good pony I am. And who better to take the role of leadership than a confirmed good pony?"

"You are not," interjected Cadance, sitting in the middle of the room, shadows from the Crystal Heart darkening her face. "The Crystal Heart forgives those who can yet be saved. You are a child and can learn to be better. The Crystal Heart does not break down fillies."

"Let's test that, shall we?" smiled Starlight. Light bloomed around her horn and arcs of lightning burst from the tip against Cadance's flank. She grunted and growled in response, not dignifying her tormenter with the crying and begging that such pain usually brought forth. Cadance kept her mouth as closed as she could, clenching her muscles to keep from flailing about.

When the lightning stopped, Cadance relaxed, panting in exhaustion. After a few seconds, she shifted her weight to pull herself upright, breathing through her nose. It was less efficient, but more defiant.

Her heart sank when she saw what had happened to her flank, though. Two grey rectangles, one on top of the other, were where her cutie mark had been. The same was happening to the side that had not been shocked. Floating in front of her was her cutie mark, glowing inside of Starlight's magic.

Starlight looked up at the Crystal Heart. "Nothing. I suppose that proves we aren't as evil as you claim."

Cozy approached and presented her flank. Slowly, Cadance's mark was lowered until it connected to her skin, taking its place right alongside her own. Now sporting two cutie marks, Cozy smiled. She could feel power coursing through her veins. She could feel her wings expanding, and opening them up, she could see the tips turning purple. And yet, there was no horn. "Next, we take Flurry's power," she smirked.

"I don't think so," growled Sunburst, stepping over the top of Flurry. "I'll not let you harm her."

"Sunburst?" gasped Starlight. "How did you--"

"You left the door open," he snorted. "After your treatment of Trixie, I had to wonder why you were leaving her alone. So, I followed you, and this is what I find?!"

"You're in for it now," chuckled Cadance. "Sunburst is going to free us and put us back on the throne where we belong."

"Nice try," spat Starlight back. "Sunburst made a promise that he'd never raise a hoof against his friends, and that's us. We'll still take the throne."

"I don't give two shits about who sits on the throne!" he shouted. "I'll not let you harm my Flurry!"

There was a silence as nopony moved or spoke. The tension in the air was fit to burst, with only the slightest touch. That touch came from Flurry, who grabbed Sunburst's leg with her chin, begging him to save her with her eyes.

"That's going to be a problem," sneered Cozy, taking three steps closer to Sunburst and Flurry. "Whether you like it or not, we're taking her cutie mark. If you stand in the way, we will have no choice but to cut you down."

Sunburst winced but did not back away. He wrapped his hoof around Flurry and picked her up.

"We need that cutie mark," reiterated Starlight, blocking the exit with her body. "We both know which of us is a better mage, Sunburst. Give up."

He swallowed hard and looked into Flurry's eyes. "You just need her cutie mark?" He hugged her tightly. "If I give it to you, will you leave her alone?"

"She has to stay hidden," barked Cozy. "She stays here!"

"Fine!" snapped Sunburst back at her. "She can stay, but I want her put in my care! I want your word that you will not harm her!"

There was another pause, but eventually, Starlight nodded. "Okay. If you remove her cutie mark and give it to Cozy, then you can come down here and take care of her whenever you wish. Certain conditions will apply, of course, but we promise, not a single hair in her mane will be harmed if you give Cozy Flurry's mark."

He nodded. "I'll need you to teach me the spell."

Starlight took a few minutes to go over the method, teaching Sunburst how to do the spell. Once he knew, he turned to Flurry and took off her gag.

"Sunburst?" she sniffled.

He kissed her forehead. "It's going to be okay, Flurry. I won't let them hurt you anymore."

"I'm scared."

"So am I, Flurry. But I'll never stop looking out for you. Hold my hoof?"

As best she could with her limbs bound, she gripped tightly his hoof as he held her close to his chest. His horn lit up, and she grunted in pain as he slowly peeled away her cutie mark, gently rocking her body back and forth in his lap. No lightning shot from his horn, though Flurry did feel a burning sensation on her thigh.

Peeled away, her cutie mark flew across the room and slapped onto Cozy's flank. With this, her body began to glow, and she rose up into the air. Soon, she was wrapped in a blanket of light, and when it died down, her body lowered to the floor, her brand-new horn as plain as the nose on her face. She'd passed out, being overwhelmed with the power, but Sunburst hadn't noticed, as his attention was solely on the tears streaming slowly down Flurry's face.

Chapter the Twenty-Seventh: Adjusting to Life

Starlight woke up and stretched. It'd been three weeks since Cozy had taken control of the princesses' cutie marks, and she had been practising magic with Starlight and Sunburst's guidance. Sunburst had the advanced theoretical knowledge, but Starlight was much better at practical magic, especially when it came to anything mind-altering.

Trixie reached over and grabbed Starlight's breast. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

Starlight smiled and rolled over, planting a kiss on Trixie's nose. "With you by my side? Always."

Trixie moaned as she snuggled in closer. "Wanna fool around?"

"You know I do..."

There was a knock at the door. "Lady Regent?" called a guard. "The mayor of San Palomino is here for his meeting, ma'am."

Starlight turned to look at her nightstand. The mayor wasn't supposed to be there for another twenty minutes. He was early. "I guess I'll have to take a rain check on that, though. Wait for me tonight?"

"I'm already thinking of how to set it up. Breakfast, at least?"

After breakfast and a meeting with the mayor, who was asking for zoning permissions that were out of Starlight's jurisdiction, Starlight paid a visit to Stellar Flare, who was living in Sunburst's place now.

"How are things going between you and your son?" asked Starlight, sitting down to a cup of tea.

"Oh, they couldn't be better," smiled Stellar. "He's really coming into his own as a stallion. He has a fair selection of mares to comfort him, a de facto child to act as my granddaughter, and a respected position at the palace. He even has multiple foals de jure on the way! I could not possibly be more proud of my darling boy."

"And how do you think he feels about you?"

Stellar chuckled. "He comes home with a smile on his face, we don't fight anymore, and every night when he comes to bed, he gives me a kiss. I don't need him to tell me that he's feeling better about us. He's happy. That's enough for me. Maybe it's not by my hoof, but I like to think that I started him down that path."

Starlight chuckled. "Maybe, maybe not."

"I hear you're carrying one of them."

"That's right. Trixie, my lover, is carrying another."

"I'd heard. Are you still planning to raise the children in that manor of yours?"

Starlight shook her head. "I don't know anymore. We may need to keep living in the palace, or we may be sent to Canterlot Castle, but we'll think of something if we have to."

Stellar nodded. "See that you do."

After lunch, Starlight had a meeting with the head of the local trade commission regarding the opening of a new livery company near a residential area, and how best to classify the area for taxation purposes. Not much was decided at this meeting, as the formation was still conceptual in nature.

After exiting the meeting, she made her way down to Sunburst's room. The chamber where they had stored the royal family in preparation for the ritual had been expanded upon in secret, and now had two duplicates. This one was better, as Sunburst had brought in some nice things for Flurry.

"...And the resonance with the second point of contact sends the signal back and forth, amplifying it until the two can no longer communicate, and that's the point when it falls apart," finished Flurry, drawing a line graph on a chalkboard to demonstrate.

"That's correct," Sunburst smiled, hugging the filly. "Starlight, listen to this! Flurry can graph the mathematical formula that fuels the Crystal Heart!"

Starlight smiled back. "Glad to see she hasn't changed that much. How is she? Personality-wise, I mean."

"The same as always," he chuckled, ruffling Flurry's mane with his hoof. "Why do you ask?"

Starlight nodded. "Sometimes, that spell has a side effect that strains the mind. Adds an extra layer of stress."

"I noticed that when you taught it to me," said Sunburst, glancing up. "All it took to fix that was a little tweak here and there to remove it. I'll show you how to do the revised version someday."

Starlight chuckled as she left the room. "I'll keep that in mind. You two have fun!" In truth, she didn't care to learn the new iteration. The mind-altering effects were intentional to the spell's creation, and she wasn't quite sure that Sunburst had truly removed it. Flurry had continued to grin the whole time, and seemed to feel a strong connection to Sunburst, the caster. Sunburst had classified that as normal behaviour, but was it really?

The next room was Cozy's. The intent was for her and Shining to have separate rooms, but at the filly's insistence, despite Shining's objections, they were sharing a bed in the nicest room of the three by far. As Starlight pushed the door open, she was graced with the roar of moans and the wet slapping of flesh on flesh.

Cozy was crouched down on the bed, her face contorted in bliss as Shining, wearing a blank expression that screamed "enthrallment," rammed his cock repeatedly into her pussy. They were right in the thick of it, and if the sheets were any indication, this was the third time they'd had sex today.

"Working on control spells?!" shouted Starlight, barely audible over the rough fucking.

Cozy did not answer back. She may not have heard Starlight, or she may have been lost in her own world, it did not matter. She could not answer back if she couldn't interpret the words gracing her ears.

"I'll come back later!"

As she closed the door, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Cozy had what she wanted and was making the best of it. They still had to take down Twilight, but for now, things were looking great for their cause. It was okay if they slowed down a bit to come up with a plan as to how to proceed.

The last room was Cadance's, and she was looking very ragged. Gallus stood watch over her, and saluted as soon as she entered. "Any news?"

"None yet. We're running out of time off, and if we can't find a replacement to run the empire, you won't be able to come to me at the school."

"You have somepony to keep watch over the empire," grunted Cadance, sitting up and puffing out her chest.

"Yeah, no," smirked Starlight. "You'd scare the crystal ponies if you went out looking like that. Can you even smile anymore?"

Cadance pulled her lips back and gave a brilliant white smile. It wasn't her normal smile, though. It looked like her smile had taken over her whole face, and she had to force it back down to her scowl. "Happy?"

"Very," smiled Starlight. "You just keep on smiling, and I'll consider it."

Chapter the Twenty-Eighth: Tea with Titans

Twilight let out a chuckle. "Sounds like a good time to me."

"It was," snickered Sunburst. "It truly was a fun experience."

"So, it seems that the three of you are building yourselves up just fine," she sighed. "Not to bring the conversation down, but there's been no word of Cozy Glow or the royal family. I mean, I'm glad that they'll have a strong, happy empire to return to, with the Crystal Heart back in place, but it's been a month, and some of the investigators are losing confidence."

"Oh, cheer up, Twilight," smiled Starlight, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "They're not gone forever. I haven't given up the hope that you'll be reunited with them, and neither should you."

Twilight shook her head. "I haven't given up hope. I'm going to keep looking, and when I find them, it'll be all the more rewarding with that big hug at the end."

"That's the spirit!" smiled Trixie.

They all took a sip of their tea. "So, Sunburst, Trixie, are you coming back to teach at the school of friendship this year?"

"I am," nodded Trixie. "Starlight and I have been talking, and we agreed that we're moving just a bit too fast. We love each other, sure, but we don't want that to turn into smothering or resentment, so we're going to add a bit of longing into the mix, and just meet up on the weekends."

"I'm staying here," answered Sunburst, scrunching up his face. "I found some students over the break that could really use an education, but can't take the train to school."

Twilight swallowed her cookie. "I could subsidize their transportation," she offered. "We also have boarding facilities that we can aid them with, as well as many other workarounds for their financial status."

Sunburst shook his head. "It's not about the money. One of the kids literally can't leave the house because of their condition."

Twilight nodded, a bit confused, but not wanting to pry. "Well, I suppose that's a pretty good reason. At least you're still teaching. I'll tell you what I'm going to do: You're still a teacher at the school, you're just teaching abroad. That way, you still earn your paycheck."

He bowed. "You are most generous, Princess."

"I'll be going back, too," volunteered Gallus, one of the door guards. Starlight had hoof-picked his locations and placed him wherever she needed him. "My extern contract expires next week just before the start of the next term, and I can only reinstate it if I'm a listed student and in my off hours. Otherwise, I'd need a license, and that's something I can only have once I graduate. If I don't go back to school, I'll have nothing to do for the next six months."

"Not to mention your friends," added Starlight. "You were absolutely gushing yesterday over that letter from Sandbar. I'll bet you can't wait to see him again."

Gallus blushed, and his feathers stood on end to help disperse the heat of his face. "Th-that's not... the only reason." He cleared his throat, pushed his feathers back down, and tried to present a more professional air. "It's just a perk, okay? My relationship with Sandbar is nice, but it's not like it's going to strongly impact my professional career."

"Your relationship with Sandbar is the cornerstone for the next phase of our plan." Down in the hidden chamber, Cozy munched on a cookie while drinking from her cup of tea. "We're going to use that to our advantage."

"How do we do that?" asked Gallus. "I don't want to hurt him."

"You shouldn't have to," explained Cozy. "If he's your friend, he'll do what's best for you. If he doesn't support you, he's not a very good friend."

"I don't think he'll see it that way," sighed Gallus. "I think he'll see it as a bad idea and try to talk me out of it because I could end up hurt if the plan fails."

"We can't make a change in the world if we're afraid of being hurt," interjected Starlight. "Change is always hard, and sometimes, you don't live to see the world you helped create. But if you don't try; if you don't keep picking yourself up, you'll not make any changes, and the world will stagnate around you, locking you into a state of complacency."

Gallus sighed. "I'm willing to accept any hurt that comes to me. I have a goal in mind, and I'll fight to my last breath to see it come to fruition. But I cannot condone harm upon those I care for; Sandbar most of all. If it weren't for him, I'd never have stuck with all of this. Hell, I wouldn't have given any of you the time of day if he hadn't convinced me to stay."

"Then we'll simply have to make it so that he stays by your side," offered Sunburst, stepping forward. "When you return to Ponyville, see if you can find directions to Zecora's hut in the Everfree Forest. Go see her, and find out if she can give you anything that can help endear somepony to you. Keep it vague, like you had some kind of fight, and you want him to be amenable to making up."

"Trixie can lead the way," Trixie offered. "She's been there before."

"Then it's settled," smiled Starlight. "That's our first step. We have Zecora help us seduce Sandbar to our side, and we have him help us take down Twilight for good."

Shining growled from the corner of the room.

"What was that, lover?" smirked Cozy, fluttering around to face him.

"Fuck you," he growled, adjusting himself.

"You want to fuck me again?" smiled Cozy. "Well, who am I to say no?"

She approached, and despite his further protests, a spell burst from her horn, striking his face. His struggling instantly ended, and his face went blank. He slowly stood up and lifted one of his back legs to the wall, letting his cock slide smoothly out of its sheathe.

Cozy smiled widely. "Not so fast, my love. First, let's go have a look at your wife. She should see what it is you really want."

Shining nodded and followed Cozy out of the room, the force field blocking the door disappearing as the duo walked through it. "We done?" asked Cozy, poking her head back through. "Good. You know where I'll be."

Chapter the Twenty-Ninth: The Witch of the Everfree

"Right this way," smiled Trixie, leading Gallus through Ponyville. "Already moved in?"

"Better," piped Gallus. "I managed to bunk with Sandbar personally, so we'll be super close this term."

"Oh, good," smiled Trixie. "You know, I was on the committee that decided where everypony would be sleeping. I thought you'd be happier sharing a room with Sandbar, so I put you right next to each other. I'm glad that worked out."

They continued to chat about the upcoming school term as they wove through town, making their way to the edge of the forest. What few ponies heard their conversation would have guessed that it was what it appeared to be; a student talking to a teacher. In fact, much of that was entirely accurate, as Gallus had some legitimate questions about his upcoming education.

As they reached the edge of town, they were stopped by a representative of the Equestrian Education Association, who looked to be a bit grumpy. "Miss Trixie Lulamoon, where are you going? Your assistance is required at the school. Students require aid."

"I am aiding a student," argued Trixie. "This is Gallus Griffin, a gryphon that attends the school. He needs some help with sourcing his medication."

The representative furrowed his brow and raised his hoof. "There's a hospital with real doctors, apothecaries with real pharmacists, and problems with real ponies back in town."

Gallus stepped forward and grabbed the representative by the collar, lifting him up off the ground. "Are you saying my problems don't matter? Or are you saying that I'm not in need of learning how to be friendly to the other races of Equestria? Huh?! Or are you just trying to imply that I don't matter because I'm not a pony?!"

Trixie caught on immediately, gripping Gallus's shoulder. "Put him down..."

Taking shuddering breaths through his nose holes, Gallus lowered the terrified representative back to the ground.

"Gallus, like a lot of gryphons, has some anger management issues," she explained. "There's an herb that helps stabilize them and helps them cope with their emotions. We were going to our local herbalist because it's a lot more subtle to mix the herb directly into his food than it is to be popping pills on campus."

The representative cleared his throat and straightened his outfit. "I'll just say you were helping a student with a personal problem. Hurry back, and don't take any unnecessary steps, or the witch of the woods will tear you limb from limb."

As he walked off, Gallus turned to Trixie. "Witch of the woods?"

"Our very destination," smiled Trixie. "Come on. There's more dangerous things in the forest, but they mostly come out at night. I'd rather keep to the daylight, if we could."

The path was fairly clear going from Ponyville to Zecora's hut. It wound a bit, sticking to the natural landscape rather than just carving out a straight line, but it was easy enough to follow with Trixie's instructions. Before long, they were in view of Zecora's hut.

The zebra was outside, ripping plants out of the ground and chucking them into a backet. The scowl on her face detailed her bad mood very clearly. Something was wrong with her.

"Perhaps we should come back another day?" suggested Trixie. "The last time Trixie saw her like this, she collapsed my entire reign."

"Who's to say she won't be mad next time, too?" reasoned Gallus. "We need her help."

"Fine. But Trixie's going to stay back here where it's safe."

"Suit yourself." Taking a deep breath, Gallus walked up to the clearing in front of her garden and knocked on a tree. "Hello?"

"What do you want now, you petulant growth?" she growled, not looking up from her work. "Did you come back because you realized I wasn't under oath?"

"I think you're confusing me with somepony else..."

Zecora turned around, and her face softened. She still looked angry, but now it was tinged with sorrow. "My apologies, I thought you were he; the stallion that was here earlier, belittling me. That's my fault, I should pay attention to what I do. But enough about me, how can I help you?"

Gallus looked down at her hoof and saw her knife. He was unarmed and without armor, as he was no longer a guard in training, but once more a student, and weapons weren't allowed on school grounds. He swallowed hard and tried to remember the lie.

"My friend, Sandbar, and I had a fight. It was stupid and childish, and now I just want us to be friends again, but he doesn't want to hear what I have to say. I want something that will make him more inclined to listen so we can talk this out. Do you have anything that can help me out?"

Zecora placed the butt of her knife against her chin, tapping it there a few times. "I think I can help you with this task. Come in, I have a few questions I need to ask."

Gallus followed Zecora into her hut. He'd not really known what to expect, other than that she looked like a pony but not. The masks on the walls were kind of cool, and the house had a sort of natural feel to it. Why the representative had called her a witch was beyond him.

"Have a seat at the table, I plea," smiled Zecora, gesturing to a chair. Gallus did as asked, moving casually to the chair and sitting comfortably as Zecora moved about the shelves, setting bottles and jars on the table in front of him. Slowly, his guard dropped until he felt relaxed enough to lean back, which was when Zecora placed the blade of her knife on his shoulder. "Now speak truly, why did you lie to me?"

Gallus froze. "Wh-what do you mean?" he chuckled nervously, eyeing the knife next to his jugular. "I didn't lie."

"Oh no?" she smirked, dragging the flat of the blade against his neck. He could feel how sharp it was, but she did not cut him. "I know that you did. I know because I know the truth that you hid. I do not aid those whose behaviour is callous. Be honest, or you will be removed, young Gallus."

Gallus's eyes shot open. "I never said my name. How'd you know that?"

Zecora chuckled. "A strange question to have at the end of your days. Tell me the truth, and I'll tell you my ways."

Chapter the Thirtieth: The Cure for What Ails You

Zecora leaned back in her seat, sipping at her tea. "I see, you wish for both strength and control. A common, but not very noble goal."

Gallus had, in the vaguest terms he could come up with, told Zecora the truth. He'd fallen in with a group of friends that, while dangerous, had helped him on his personal journey to being recognized as a great and powerful gryphon. Not through the use of shortcuts, but by helping him become what he claimed to be. They would make him more powerful, and then he would be more powerful. He needed the potion to keep Sandbar from trying to pull him away from them, though, because the risks were great. Gallus had no trouble admitting to Zecora that the methods being employed could potentially lead to his death if he wasn't careful, but he was ready for that, and willing to face the consequences for his actions.

"I know it's not the most altruistic course of action, but if I don't take steps to make my dream a reality, they're going to wither away. I don't want to wake up in ten years and find myself a househusband, cooking and cleaning for my lawyer wife and gossiping with my book club about adventures in print. I want to have the adventures that other ponies want to put in print for those book clubs! I want to make something of my life, do something notable, prove to every single one of those arseholes that I'm not..." Gallus swallowed hard. The more he opened up, the more obvious his frustrations became.

"Go ahead," encouraged Zecora, "finish your thought. Tell me what it is that you are not."

Gallus sighed and took a swig of the tea Zecora had poured for him. "I'm not worthless. I'm not a replacement, standing in for when the real hero of Griffinstone will step forward. I want to know that I'm not just a stand-in, and that the work I put in will not just be forgotten when a gryphon with better breeding steps forward. I don't want to be lost to history."

Zecora nodded and set down her cup. "Now we come to the heart of the matter. You don't want your hard work to shatter. While this is still a selfish desire, I can now safely say I understand your ire."

"So you'll help me?" asked Gallus hopefully.

Zecora smiled and nodded. "You were honest with me, so I'll help you find a way to the goal that you have in mind. Before that, however, you must do something for me. I can't just give everyone things for free."

"Of course not," smiled Gallus. "I wouldn't dream of refusing to compensate you. How much?"

Zecora chuckled and stood up. "Most ponies buckle whenever I ask. I don't want your money, I'm giving you a task."

Gallus stood up and placed his claw over his chest. "I'm not afraid to do a bit of work. Whatever it takes."

Zecora beckoned him to follow her. Through a cloth hanging on the back wall that was heavier than it looked, another room appeared. This one had a lot of shelves, filled with bottles and baskets, ceramic pottery and wooden boxes. At the back of the room, a clay stairwell led down below. Zecora grabbed a small, clear tincture from a shelf, then continued down the stairs.

The basement was adorned with twisted roots, and lit by glowing flowers from vines adorning the walls. As they moved further into the room and the natural light grew more and more faint, the white of Zecora's body began to glow blue in the flowerlight.

Through a veil of vines sparkling with buds, they came into a bedroom. Zecora held up the bottle, previously clear but now glowing green. "Drink this now and let us see what it is you can do for me."

Gallus took the bottle and looked to Zecora. As her lips parted to show her smile, her teeth began to glow, as did the whites of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out the stopper, and swallowed the solution in one gulp. It tasted spicy, and as it settled in his stomach, it felt much warmer. That soon spread to his claws and paws, and even his wingtips. "What was that?"

"A special mix. Now look at yourself. There's a mirror against that shelf."

Gallus walked across the room to where the mirror was. His beak was glowing orange, despite being yellow. Most of his feathers had darkened, but certain feathers were tipped with a glowing pattern, almost giving him a scaly look. There was also a bright red cone protruding between his legs, which he closed as he turned to Zecora. "My feathers and beak are glowing." He looked down. "My claws, too. Is this what's going to help me win over Sandbar?"

Zecora shook her head. "You'd look like that with the draught or without. That is not what this is all about. I'll help you achieve and realize your wish, but first, I must have my own tail swish."

Gallus stood silently for a moment. "I don't follow."

Zecora took a few steps closer and put her hoof on his shoulder. "That EEA rep called me a witch, and barred my from the school, that son of a bitch! There are students in there that require my help; my herbs and remedies, and dried leaves of kelp. I wish the best for them, really, I do, but my hooves are now bound, stuck like glue. You can make me feel good about myself today, or you can refuse my help, and just walk away."

"You deserve to feel good about yourself," assured Gallus, wrapping a claw around her wrist and moving her hoof to his chest. "You're willing to help me; just tell me what it is you need me to do."

Zecora leaned forward and kissed him square on the beak. The way her tongue shot into his mouth shocked him. He'd heard tell of it before, but he wasn't expecting it here. "For a good stretching and pounding, my marehood begs. Tell me I'm worthwhile with that thing between your legs." She turned and sauntered over to the bed, lying on her back and spreading her legs as wide as she could, inviting him in with a small glowing trickle running down her labia.

Chapter the Thirty-First: Feathers and Stripes

Gallus approached the splayed-out mare lying on the bed. He'd rehearsed this dozens of times with Cozy, and she had marked him as improving with every session. Now it was time to put it into practice.

He dragged his claws softly along her thighs, letting her feel how dangerous he was, but at the same time, how gentle he could be. The idea was to appear to be a capable protector for her. Next, he placed his tongue in the inside of her thigh and dragged it up to her knee. This showed his desire. Finally, as he lowered his head, he kept his eyes locked with hers. This was about dominance. This was what he was going to do, and he was going to control the pace.

As soon as his tongue slipped into her, she closed her legs. "What do you think you are doing, Gallus?" she scowled down at him. He glanced back and forth, having lost his confidence in what he was doing. He couldn't answer back, as his beak was wedged in her snatch. "Don't eat me out; I wanted your phallus."

She let go of his head, and he licked his beak. "I've, uh... I've never..."

Zecora sat up and leaned forward. "Your foreplay, in comparison, is many steps above, and now you tell me that you've yet to make love?"

Gallus nodded sheepishly. Had she not stopped him and let him start with what he knew and work his way up, he may have had the confidence, but Cozy always stopped him, saying she was saving her cunt for somepony deserving of it. Thankfully, he'd been done with training with her before Shining had become enthralled, so he didn't have to slurp out globules that had been left behind, but he'd always been stopped before he could make it to penetration. He was hoping he'd have found somepony to practise with before making it this far on an actual assignment. Without a guide, he wasn't comfortable just leaping forward.

Zecora grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him on top of her, kissing him deeply. "It seems we both were cast aside. But at least this time, you didn't hide. You have to stay an honest creature. That sets you apart, as a most noble feature."

She reached down and grabbed his cock, rubbing it against her pussy, then pushing the tip into the proper hole. Looking into his eyes, she nodded, indicating that he should do what feels natural. If there were any problems, she would not hesitate to tell him, and forgive him his inexperience.

He began with some very shallow thrusts. He had seen his own penis multiple times and felt it even more often. He knew there were sharp barbs on it that sometimes stung the inside of his sheathe. They would probably sting inside of her, as well. He wanted to be careful, as hurting her was going to damage their plans.

"That you're being so nice means that you're a keeper," smiled Zecora, gyrating her hips to accentuate his movements. "But you can't stay on the surface, you have to go deeper!"

She grabbed his hips and pulled him all the way in. His balls slammed against her arsehole, giving him a pulse of pain. However, that pain came with something else. It felt really good. It hurt, but it was a pleasant hurt; a sort of dull numbness that made his stomach flutter. He was happy, and at the same time, scared. What was this sensation?

He began to pull his hips back, and the sensation in his dick was another new experience. The barbs in his cock all dug into her flesh, scratching up her insides, but pushing his barbs all to his tip at once. It was way better than his claw could ever hope to be. He could only hope that he wasn't hurting her.

As he began to thrust more and more, that thought escaped his mind. All thoughts did. He wasn't thinking about how the plan was going or what his next step would be. He was preoccupied with the feeling of being inside of this zebra and the sensations he was feeling for the first time in his life. This was what he wanted. This was what he needed, and now that he had a taste, he wasn't going to give up until Twilight was his.

He was so caught up in the feeling that he soon came inside of her, unexpectedly. He'd barely lasted five minutes. As his sense of time came back, he looked at her. "Sorry I couldn't last... I'm out of practice."

"I'm surprised you lasted that long," smirked Zecora. "That you held out proves that your stamina's strong."

"Yeah, but you didn't finish," said Gallus. "And now you have to wait for me to work myself back up. It's going to shrink down."

Zecora shook her head. "Think back to that vial I bade you imbibe. It counteracts the condition that you describe. If you wish for Sandbar to find you astounding, then take a deep breath and resume your pounding."

Gallus had all but forgotten why he was here. He needed an in with Sandbar. He'd been so caught up in the moment that he'd lost sight of his goal, completely drowned out by the moment. Now he was prepared.

He picked himself up, hooked his elbows under her knees, and pushed her onto her shoulders, lifting her arse and cunt up to face him. With his heart retuning to him, he pushed his cock back inside of her, driving forward with all of his might.

For the next twenty minutes, he took charge of the situation. He'd now had his first time, and he knew what he was doing, at least to some degree. He wasn't an expert, but he was pretty confident that he could satisfy her, and after a few minutes, he'd picked up on enough of her signals to keep going until finally, she clamped down on him, that moment marking her first of the night, and his third ever.

That turned out to be too much for him, however. The exhaustion, he knew well. He was used to long bouts of energy use; as part of his guard training, he was required to be able to run five kilometers at least twice a month to prove that he was in shape, and he scored well in that class. He wasn't exhausted physically. He was exhausted emotionally and mentally. His brain had been battered by an onslaught of pleasure so powerful and constant that he couldn't think clearly. He passed out on top of Zecora, enraptured in her warm, soft embrace.

Chapter the Thirty-Second: The Most Natural Remedy

Gallus awoke, still in Zecora's bed. She'd walked off, leaving a glowing trail of goo. He had presumably satisfied her conditions, and now it was time for her to help him. He followed the trail to a towel hanging on a hooked tree root. She'd wiped herself off. He would do the same.

No longer dripping, he went upstairs to see if he could find her. She was in the front room, stirring a small cauldron over a small fire sticking out of an oven. "A good evening to you, my gentleman caller. Is your fifth leg still standing a little taller?"

Gallus shook his head. "It went down on its own. How are you?"

Zecora smiled. "I'm glad that you have asked my state. You care about my feelings, and that feels great. I haven't forgotten what that piece of shit said, but now it's not just filling my head. Thank you, truly, for your help in this task. Now I shall help you with what you ask."

"Great," nodded Gallus. He sat down in a chair at her table and waited. He was silent for a few minutes while she worked, stirring ingredients into her hanging pot, tasting it every so often. "Is it safe to be drinking that potion you're brewing? wouldn't that lead to you feeling its effects?"

Zecora chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not making a potion for you. This is my dinner: vegetable stew."

"Oh." Gallus looked around. "Is one of these potions the one I need, or are you going to work on mine after?"

"No potion exists that can change Sandbar's mind. To be one with him, you must be intertwined. Do unto him as you have to me, and your views and desires are what he will see."

Gallus raised his eyebrow. "You know Sandbar's a stallion, right? He doesn't have the same parts as you. Plus, how do I know he's even interested?"

Zecora returned to her stirring after adding what looked to be dill seeds and peppercorns. "He's interested in you; don't ask how I know. Be affectionate with him, but take it slow. Give him a week for his stock to run out, and you'll see what he comes to me about."

Gallus leaned back and folded his claws. "You've been giving him something, haven't you? Something that alters his mind."

""I cannot resist their powerful charms; Yona's warm coat, Gallus's muscular arms. They call to me, and I cannot resist. I need something to calm me down, I insist!" He came to me and pleaded for aid, and when a cure I offered, farewell he bade. No compensation for my act. So, no longer from you I will distract."

Gallus swallowed. "That's it? I just have to wait a week, and he'll jump into my arms and beg to be with me?"

Zecora nodded. "Give him a reason to pick you as his first, and after your cock, you will see him thirst."

Gallus stood up and walked over to the zebra, giving her a hug. "I can't thank you enough for this. If there's ever anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

She hugged back. "You're welcome anytime into my hut. But practice some more, so your stuff you can strut."

Gallus took a deep breath and opened the door. It was time to return to the school and start working on seducing Sandbar. At the very least, he needed to be more appealing than Yona.

As he was walking away from the hut back toward where he had left Trixie, Zecora poked her head out the door. "One last thing before you go!" she called out, prompting Gallus to look back. "Give my warmest regards to Cozy Glow."

As the door swung shut, the colour drained from Gallus's face. He hadn't said anything about Cozy. How could she have guessed? She was smart, sure, but could she read minds? Was she psychic? Had he said something in his sleep?

He shook the thought from his head. Maybe she didn't know. Maybe she was probing him for information, and he just had to act naturally to lead her off the trail. She couldn't know for certain, right?

Trixie led him back through the forest, while he quickly went over everything that had happened inside of Zecora's hut. Trixie was equally concerned, but posited the idea that perhaps Zecora was just trying to make him return regularly to extract more payment from him.

It was late when they returned to the school, and the two split up. Trixie needed to meet up with the faculty to explain where she was and why it had taken so long, while Gallus went to the commissary for a bowl of stew before going to his dorm room.

It was a fairly small room with light blue walls, two raised beds over two desks, a single bowl-style light fixture on the ceiling, a wide dresser with three drawers on either side and a window on the far wall that didn't open. Gallus had already claimed his bed, tossing his duffel bag onto the bed on the right. While he'd been gone, Sandbar had done the same for the bed on the left, only his bag was empty and his desk and half of the dresser were full.

Now was as good a time as any for Gallus to set up his stuff. His supplies went to his desk, his gear into the dresser, and under the far side of his desk went his safe. While there was a door lock keeping everypony out, the safe would add an extra layer of security for all the things he needed to keep extra secure.

As the latch on the safe clicked into place, the door opened and Sandbar walked in. "Hey, Gallus. I saw your name on the door when I came in. Looks like we're going to be rooming together this term."

Gallus looked up at Sandbar. He was holding a drink in a bottle that looked very familiar. It was one of Zecora's, indicating that he had been there for a potion in the past. Could that be the potion that made him act normal? If Gallus disposed of that, could he speed up the process? "What's that you're drinking?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Berry Punch made some berry punch for orientation. Since I was helping out, she gave me some. I'd offer you a sip, but I put some of my medicine in it. I'm supposed to use water, but as long as it's non-alcoholic, it'll be fine." He took a swig. "There's another event tomorrow, if you're not busy. We still need some volunteers."

Gallus walked over and wrapped a claw around his shoulder. "I'd love to help you out, Sandbar. We'll go together."

Chapter the Thirty-Third: Glittering Slopes Championship

Starlight stretched as she rose from bed. She'd grown accustomed to having Trixie by her side in the mornings, but with her gone, there was a certain sadness that washed over her upon waking up. Her bed was cold. There was nopony in it. She needed somepony for the nights when Sunburst couldn't join her. Even when he was around, he sometimes left to go back to his mother, or spend the night with Flurry.

She pulled herself out of bed and went to have some breakfast. There was no sense staying in bed if there was nopony to share it with. Even her fried eggs on toast seemed to be flavourless.

As she crunched her cereal, though, she looked over the newspaper, and her ears perked up. The Glittering Slopes Cross-Country Open had been making its way across Equestria all summer; she knew that just as well as anypony. She was also aware that the final event would be taking place here in the Crystal Empire. She was even aware that she would be presiding over the event with Cadance unable to attend; she'd had the meeting discussing her intended conduct at the event a few days ago.

What she didn't know was that the lead in this competition was somepony she knew. Double Diamond was ahead in the standings by two points. That wasn't enough to call off the competition, as the difference between first and last place was nine points. If he were ten points ahead, the runner-up could smoke the competition and Double Diamond could come in last, and he'd still win. Two points didn't even cover the spread between first and second. If he dropped down to second place in the final race, he'd still come out second overall.

More importantly, seeing his face in the paper so soon after removing Cadance and Flurry's cutie marks, in combination with not having anypony to keep her warm in bed at night filled her head with grim thoughts. She wanted to take his cutie mark away again. She wanted to have full control over him again.

She shook the thought away. She had to keep a low profile. If Twilight caught on, all of the work she'd put into coming here would be undone. She could have him eventually, if she just waited for Gallus to cover the other side. They were working on taking over. She just had to be patient.

Then again, there was nothing wrong with a harmless visit, right? And if that visit should lead to sex, was that really so terrible?

She decided no, but there was a limit to what she could and could not do. She couldn't stop the competition or do anything suspicious, like going down to the locker room and asking for him without a good reason. But she could be in attendance and call him up to her private viewing box. If anypony asked, she knew him from before he became a star athlete, and wanted to congratulate him in private.

The qualifying rounds were today, and to determine the order of the racers and the delay each would be given, they would be jumping off a ski ramp and trying to impress the judges. The better your score, the bigger your lead in the big race. The highest score would start with no time penalty, then half a second for second place, culminating in a four-second delay between the ninth and tenth positions.

She did have a meeting today, but it was an informal one, and she could change the location to be in the royal viewing box during the event. She alerted the guards and Cozy, separately, of course, and sent a message to the other attendee before heading down to the stadium.

The ski jump this year was not the standard one she always thought of when the term was brought up. This was a long, wavy slope that was naturally formed from a hill, and at the bottom was a quarter pipe. The competitors were announced right before her guest showed up.

"I see you received my message," nodded Starlight, looking back. "Good."

"I did," nodded the stallion, placing his briefcase down in front of him. "Why the sudden change in venue?"

"One of my past associates recently resurfaced, and is participating in the competition. I wanted to watch him."

"Is that all?"

She shook her head. "I'm supposed to preside over the race tomorrow, as well as the ceremony announcing the winner. I should probably watch the qualifying round to make sure everything is above board."

"I see. Well, do you mind if we discuss while we watch? I like alpine snowboarding as much as the next pony, but I have a business to run."

"Of course," nodded Starlight, ignoring the very blatant disregard for what sport they were watching. "You wanted a noise permit for your workshop. Tell me why you think you deserve one."

Starlight kept an ear on him while he went over how loud having three air compressors running at once was, as well as mentioning that the walls of his workshop were non-insulated corrugated sheet steel. It was essentially an echo chamber that made enough noise that the neighbors had filed a formal complaint with the guards. She'd actually been the one to sign the order to shut it down, as the measurements from the sound meter were over the limit by almost twenty decibels.

Meanwhile, her eyes were on the competition. Ponies of all varieties were cascading down the hill, sliding up into the air, and doing flips and spins and such. Surprisingly, the pegasi were doing the worst for air time, while the earth ponies and crystal ponies had the best. She wondered why that was.

Then a pegasus launched poorly off of the ramp and had to glide back to safety. The minimum points for each jump was five, being the score given just for jumping. Landing safely, even on the most boring of jumps with nothing added, was at least seven. The best jump she'd seen, though, was a thirty-nine. The pegasus that had missed was given a zero, having opened his wings.

They had drawn straws to see their starting order, then the lowest score would jump first for all subsequent rounds, and Double Diamond was the last to jump as a result. Starlight shushed the meeting to watch as he slid down the slope. A perfect jump at high speed, two and a half spins, a backflip, and landing slightly sideways, but correcting himself, he secured himself forty-six points out of a possible fifty. He was good. The best, even. But there were still four jumps remaining, and a guest who would not be granted the permit he was asking for today.

Chapter the Thirty-Fourth: May the Best Stallion Win

"Welcome, everypony, to the final race of the Glittering Slopes Cross-Country Open!" called the announcer. "Those of you only watching the numbers are well-aware that this race is going to decide the winner. As for the locals who only saw yesterday's performance, you may be shocked to learn that our frontrunner, Double Diamond, is only a few points ahead. While he was tearing it up yesterday on the jumps, outpacing our runner-up by a hefty margin, he scored a big, fat zero on his last two races, out with an injury. Were it not for such a commanding lead, he would no doubt be eliminated from the competition, and given credit for the successes he had. Lucky for us, he opted to come in for one last race. Let's hear it for Double Diamond, everypony!"

Thunderous stomps rang out as Starlight crunched on her dish of nachos. Even though she was the regent, she still had to deal with the mundane problem of having to make the guard who'd brought her snacks go back because he'd forgotten to ask for extra jalapeños. At least he'd remembered her binoculars.

"Launching after him, with a half-second delay, our runner-up, Gourd Crunch! Being new to the sport, Gourdy has been making a name for himself in this competition. His rise through the ranks started off slow, coming in fifth for his first race, and fourth for the next two, but he shot up to second place and held that position throughout, second only to Double Diamond, and advancing to first when he was out. Will he be able to hold onto his win streak? Let's hear it for Gourd Crunch!"

More stomping rang out, almost shaking the stadium. Eight more contestants were announced, each with a greater time penalty and less applause than the last, until the pegasus that had fallen off the track twice yesterday was brought to the starting line. Maybe half of the crowd cheered, and that guess was on the high end.

Once all of the contestants were lined up, the announcer detailed the course. "Once they are set loose from their harnesses, their first downhill launch will give them all the same starting speed, or at least something close to it. From there, they will make their way to the first marker, the gate to the east of the field. From there, they turn and go north. That's a flatter terrain, and it will be on them to gain as much speed as they can, because beyond the north gate, they enter an uphill slalom on their way to the west gate. Power and agility are both important here, as you don't want to come to a stop and slide backward along the course. At the west gate, the slalom ends, and we go into our final straightaway, a mild uphill run where what matters is how fast you go."

The contestants all waved as they were harnessed up correctly. "Are you ready, my little ponies?!" cried the announcer, to a thunderous roar. "Go!"

Double Diamond dropped first, immediately crouching down as Gourd Crunch did the same half a second later. Despite the short span between their times, Double Diamond was already two ski lengths ahead.

Starlight only ever glanced at the rest of the competition when the announcer gave a comment to them. There was apparently some degree of rivalry between fourth and fifth place, as they were fighting with each other, slapping their wings into each other's faces.

The downhill was not so exciting, otherwise. It was essentially a straight line to the gate, with emphasis on how fast they could go. The first turn was, for lack of a better word, a turning point in the action. They had to make a ninety-degree curve without sacrificing all of their speed. Double Diamond achieved this by slamming his left ski pole into the ground, slingshotting himself around the bend with very little loss in velocity. Gourd Crunch swung right and crouched into the turn, losing a bit more velocity and kicking up a large wave of snow that went right into the face of Snowshoe, the third-place contestant, who went face first into a tree as a result of the temporary blindness and was left behind.

The straightaway after the first curve was a little difficult to see, with the evergreen trees blocking part of the path. Even the announcer couldn't tell what was going on, taking the break to talk about the sponsors for this event: Summer Star's Winter Weather Wear, Spiceberry's Fine Ciders and the San Palomino Foundation for Education Through Sports Scholarships.

After the next turn, the trees cleared up and the slalom began. Double Diamond and Gourd Crunch were neck-and-neck for a short while, until gourd Crunch pushed Double Diamond against one of the flags, which the announcer somehow missed, talking about how the pony in third place had missed a flag.

As they turned into the final straightaway, Starlight caught something through her binoculars. Double and Gourd were talking in a heated manner, which would seem normal, but after a particular comment from Gourd, said with a sneer, Double Diamond looked distressed.

He'd had a lead by half the length of his skis, but after that comment, he lowered his head and pulled the back of his skis closer together, pushing with his poles less often and letting them drag a bit. It was subtle, but he was intentionally slowing himself. As a result, Gourd leaped ahead and crossed the finish line just a second and a half before Double Diamond.

"And there we have it, folks!" shouted the announcer. "Gourd Crunch has won the race! And with that, the whole competition! Double Diamond finishes second, putting him in second place overall, then Lucky Strike third, giving him fifth, Sacred Chain is next..."

Something was up. Starlight knew manipulation when she saw it. Something had happened in that race that was not above board, and she was going to find out what it was.

She pushed the door open and pointed to the guard. "Go tell the judges to hold their decision, by order of the regent. There will be no winner until a full examination of the rules and regulations takes place, to be carried out by me."

The guard saluted and ran off. Two more followed Starlight down into the stallions' locker room. She sat down on a bench, across from the door, and waited for the athletes to come in.

Snowshoe was first, his chest covered in scratches and his neck bruised from his collision with the tree. Then Lucky Strike, and Double Diamond walked in with Gourd Crunch.

"Starlight?!"

She smiled. "Hello, boys. A word?"

Chapter the Thirty-Fifth: Rigged

Starlight didn't want to hash things out right there in the locker room, despite having gone directly there. Instead, she dragged the two of them back to her box, and had them sit down in chairs, silently staring at them for several minutes until Gourd Crunch broke the silence. "Did you see the race?"

"I did," answered Starlight immediately. "But why don't you tell me about it, anyway?"

"I won," declared Gourd, pushing out his chest proudly.

"And I'd believe that if I hadn't seen you cheating."

All colour drained from his face and he began sweating. "Ch-cheating? I'd never cheat, I'm an... an honest farm worker. I'd never cheat my customers, nor would I cheat my new fans. The very Idea!"

Starlight stared him down, then took a side glance at Double Diamond. He had curled up, trying to be as small as possible and stay out of the fight.

"Double Diamond, what do you think? Did he cheat?"

Double Diamond looked up at her, then to a scowling Gourd, then back to her. He swallowed hard and shook his head.

"Oh, no? What was it you were talking to him about at the last turn?"

"Tax exemptions!" he blurted out. It was pretty obvious that he was in way over his head, and just ready to say anything to make this go away.

"Tax exemptions, huh?" Starlight clearly wasn't buying it. "What are your write-offs this year?"

Silence.

"Come on, Double Diamond. You were talking to him about tax exemptions. What kind of purchases are you writing off as business expenses?"

He was shaking now, unable to think up an answer when put on the spot.

"His skis," answered Gourd, "and the cost of his medical bills from when they were broken over his back."

"Yeah, those!" agreed Double Diamond. "We were discussing how I have exemptions for my injuries!"

"Oh, dear," said Starlight, lifting her hoof to her mouth. "It's pretty awful that your manager didn't reimburse you for your expenses."

"No, she did," nodded Double Diamond. "She's always watching out for me like that."

"Ah," nodded Starlight. "So you're committing tax fraud."

Silence once again filled the room.

"If you were cheating in the competition, you'd only need to give me a reason, and at worst, you have to redo the race. Instead, since you were only conspiring to commit felony tax evasion, which is particularly egregious because you're also defrauding a charitable organization, that's going to result in your earnings being rescinded, five years each in prison, and a fine up to a hundred thousand bits. A lovely little chat we've had. Guards?"

As the guards stepped forward, Gourd grabbed Starlight's hoof. "Wait!"

The sudden contact resulted in the guards rushing him, grabbing his shoulders, and pinning him to the chair.

Starlight looked down on him. "Something you want to say, dear?"

Gourd swallowed hard. "We had a deal, he and I. He'd throw the race, and I'd give him half the winnings and the key."

"What key?"

"As we rounded the final corner, I reminded him that, if he finished first, I'd break the key that unlocks his chastity cage."

She turned to Double Diamond. "Show me."

Keeping his head low in shame, he lifted his back leg. Sure enough, attached to his genitals was a steel wire cage with spiky nubs pointing inward. It was clamped around his balls, locked in place with a rotating padlock. The only way out without the key would be to either injure himself irreparably, or risk injuring himself irreparably. His whole body shook, unable to cope with either scenario.

She turned back to Gourd. "Where's the key?"

"It's in my locker."

She folded her hooves. "Do you still want to claim your victory?"

He nodded.

"Then here's how you claim it. This guard," she pointed to the one on his right, "Is going to go down to your locker and collect the key. Double Diamond will be unlocked. His half of the winnings, as well as your half, will be given to the San Palomino Foundation for Education Through Sports Scholarships. In addition, all of the money you made through these races combined will be sent to the very same foundation."

"I think I'd rather take the loss."

"Then it's ten years in the dungeon for you, Double Diamond is given the key, and your assets are still given to the foundation. It's what's going to happen, and I'm letting you pick the route. The easy way, or the hard way?"

He took a deep breath. "I guess I won."

"Good boy," she smiled. "There's even a silver lining to this. All that money you're donating is going to give you a very nice... tax exemption." She cackled at her own joke and sat down, waving the guard off to go collect the key.

Ten minutes later, Double Diamond was unlocked and the two were being escorted by the guards to the podiums. Starlight had to go, as well, as she would be the one announcing and giving out the medals.

"In third place, Snowshoe!" She hung the bronze coin around his neck. "Anything to say to the crowd?"

"I never would have made it if it weren't for my family!" He held it aloft. "This one's for you, momma!"

She smiled and moved onto the next podium. "In second place, Double Diamond!" She draped the silver medal around his neck. "Anything to declare?"

"Thank you all for your support! I hope to see you all next year!" As the crowd roared, he leaned down and whispered a quiet "Thank you" into her ear.

"Come see me tonight at the castle," she said back. As she moved onto the final podium, it was Gourd that was the one shaking. Several guards were nearby, keeping him from loudly announcing what had happened in private. "And our first-place winner, Gourd Crunch!" The applause swelled as she draped the medal over his neck. "Any parting words?" She narrowed her eyes.

He swallowed hard. "I could not be here were it not for my education. That's why..." He took a deep breath. "That's why all of my winnings, not just for this race, but for all of my races this season, are going to the San Palomino... Foundation for Education Through Sports Scholarships."

The crowd gasped, then shouted out with joy at the massive donation. It was huge. It was obvious, however, that his manager was not very happy, turning and storming out of the stadium. Much was about to change, and only a select few knew why.

Chapter the Thirty-Sixth: Out of the Frying Pan

Double Diamond approached the palace nervously. Starlight had told him to come visit her here, and he was aware that she was the acting regent, but could he really just walk right in?

There were guards at the door, watching him as he came up to them. They looked angry. "Can we help you?" one growled.

"I've been asked to see the Lady Regent, Starlight Glimmer," he said, his heart pounding. "I'm Double Diamond, if that helps. Can I come in?"

"The palace is closed to visitors at this hour, unless otherwise specified." The guard reached into the gatehouse and pulled out a clipboard. "Double Diamond, you said?"

He nodded. "She asked me to come by, tonight. It wasn't a formal invitation, just a verbal communication. I don't know if I'm going to be on the list. I can leave if you--"

"Double Diamond," interrupted the guard. "You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. An informal meeting in the Regent's suite. We will have to pat you down, and for some reason, there's a special order on here that we have to inspect your testicles."

The other guard crinkled his nose. "What's wrong with your testicles?"

"Nothing..." replied Diamond. "They're not damaged or diseased or anything. They're perfectly normal. Do you have to inspect them?"

"If you want to go in," answered the guard with the clipboard. "Put your hooves on the wall and spread your back legs."

Double Diamond placed himself against the stone wall and let the guards check him. They were a little rough, but that was okay. It was when they came to his balls that he let his feelings be known, squealing and wriggling as they patted, squeezed and tugged. He couldn't help it; his tip began to poke out of his sheathe.

"You're clean," said the guard, giving his rump a firm pat. "You might want to put away that erection, though. You don't want to arrive only to be thrown out for indecent exposure."

"I'm sure it'll go down by then," assured Double Diamond. "Where are we going?"

The guard led him up the stairs to the suites, specifically to the one where Starlight was waiting for him. She looked up from her book as they entered and smiled. Turning to the guard, she nodded, and he left the room, returning to the gate.

"You're late."

"You didn't specify a time, mistre-- Lady Regent."

She chuckled. "So I didn't. At least you made it, and I didn't have to have you brought in."

"Is there a reason you told them to check my testicles, ma'am?"

Starlight waved him over and lifted his leg, inspecting them herself. "I wanted to make sure that cheater didn't wrestle you to the ground and force you into another chastity cage."

"Oh. Yeah, he left right after turning over his funds. He was really pissed about being found out, especially since he'd been using his winnings to bribe the others, and none of them were content with giving the bribes back and staying quiet about his cheating, so he's desperate to put the money together to pay off his debts. You hit him really hard with that."

"I did, yes. Victory must be earned through hard work, with a small element of luck. He wanted to buy his victory, so I told him the market price for winning. He couldn't afford it."

Double Diamond nodded. "You know, you're a lot different than how you used to be, mistr-- Miss Starlight."

"You can call me mistress, if it makes you feel better," smirked Starlight.

"Thank you, Mistress."

"Is there a reason why you want to refer to me as such?"

He blushed. "I've thought about you a lot since we split up. I know I seemed to rush after you with that whole thing, but... There was a part of me that liked having you in control."

Starlight raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah. It wasn't active at first, and then, as you issued your commands, it grew and grew until it covered up everything else that was me. When Twilight set us free, the rest of me was so starved that it took over as those aspects of my personality gobbled up the attention ravenously, but after a few weeks, I began to crave orders again. At least, when I was in your cult, it felt like I was contributing to something bigger. I just..." He trailed off. "Sorry. I don't mean to bring that up. It's probably still a sore subject."

It was a very sore subject for Starlight. She was going after that same subject matter now, wanting a town to rule over where nopony could say no to her. She was almost there, she just had to accomplish her secondary goal of rubbing Twilight's big, fat nose in it.

Still, she smiled. There was a glimmer of hope in his words. "So, did you find anything to fulfil that need?"

He swallowed. "I hate to say it, but..."

"What?"

His face was beet-red. "I kinda liked the chastity cage... kinda..."

Starlight's eyes opened wide. "You... liked that?"

"I said "kinda.""

She pulled it out of the box she'd put it in. She was going to keep it to use as some form of punishment, like locking up Shining Armor if Cozy was straying from the plan. Of course, they had to wait for Trixie to report back before they could plan further, but having something to focus Cozy Glow on taking down Twilight was good for throughput.

"So, you're telling me that if I were to lock you in here and keep the key, so that you have to come to me in order to have sex, you'd enjoy that?"

He didn't answer but for a slap as his cock hardened so fast at the very thought of it that it had struck his belly.

"I'll take that as a yes..."

"There's actually a, umm..." he paused, then shook his head. "Nevermind."

"No, no, go ahead."

He swallowed hard. "Would it be too much trouble, mistress... I mean, would it stir up unpleasant memories... How would you feel if I said..."

He was clearly uncomfortable with asking, so Starlight hazarded a guess. "Do you want me to take away your cutie mark agai--"

"Yes!" He cleared his throat and nodded, having jumped forward. "Y-yes, mistress. If it's not too much trouble, that is..."

Chapter the Thirty-Seventh: Domination

Double Diamond crawled up onto the bed and rolled onto his back, his front legs begging and his back closed for now. "Are you ready?" called Starlight. "Things are going to be different this time around."

"I'm ready," he smiled. It was the same big smile he'd always had before.

Starlight glowed up her horn and pointed it at his flank. There was no lightning this time, just a beam of green light as his cutie mark was pulled away and placed in a jar. In its place was not an equal sign, but something else.

"Why is there an arrow pointing at my butt?"

Starlight chuckled. "I told you it would be different this time. I'm done claiming that all of us are equal. That's old news. You already know that I crave power over you. Without your cutie mark, you are not equal to me. You are less than me."

Having Sunburst look over the spell and make alterations had prompted her to go back and look it over, herself, and she'd found that, rather than compounding it with a lie, she would just tell Double Diamond the truth. Not the whole truth, but just enough to keep him around. Any extra could create trouble.

"Now, let's see what it is you're hiding from me." She grabbed his ankles and pushed his legs apart. He was already sporting a thunderous erection, and his balls were twitching. "You really are excited by this, aren't you?"

"Yes, mistress," he cooed, trembling with anticipation. "How would you like to command your servant, mistress?"

Starlight grinned. This was way better than she had anticipated. "Let's start with this." She reached her hoof forward and grabbed his cock. "What's this?"

"That's my penis, mistress."

Starlight shook her head and squeezed it to an uncomfortable tightness. "Wrong. You belong to me, right?"

"Yes, mistress!"

"And that means that, by the transitive property, everything that belongs to you is also mine, yes?"

"Y-yes, mistress!"

"So, whose penis is in my hoof?"

"Y-yours?"

"Mine, what?"

"Yours, mistress!"

"Good boy." She relaxed her grip and started jerking him off. "And what are these?"

"Your testicles, mistress," he answered, smiling. "They owe their existence to you. Thank you for saving them, mistress!"

Starlight chuckled. "It's very rewarding, being my plaything," she smirked. "I don't let other ponies damage my belongings. You could not ask for a better mistress."

"I wouldn't dare, mistress! I live to be your toy!"

Starlight shook her head. She liked the power play, but that line was perhaps a bit too cheesy. It was time to put his mouth to better use.

She jumped up on top of him, squatting over his face. "Now, let's see if you have a working knowledge of how to please your mistress. Show me."

He immediately wrapped his front hooves around her hips and pulled her down as he pushed his face up, forcing the two of them together. He was sloppy, but enthusiastic, driving his tongue in deep and wriggling it around in wide movements. He was drooling all over the place, and it was running down her thighs. Still, it was pleasurable, though not as precise and measured as with Sunburst or Trixie. He was new, and would have to be trained up.

"You're pathetic," she chided, turning around. "I doubt you have any stamina. You're not allowed to cum until I say. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mistress!"

She positioned herself over his cock and slid down. She had to give him credit; the large amount of slippery saliva made this all very easy. Down she went in one fell swoop.

"This thing's tiny," she lied. He was a little smaller than Sunburst, and a fair amount smaller than Shining Armor, but with a few more stallions to compare him to, he was just slightly above average.

She began to ride him, and his facial expression told her that he was loving every second. It also told her that he didn't have to worry about firing off too fast. He was well-trained in maintaining his stamina, both as a professional athlete and as somepony who enjoyed the lifestyle of somepony who was a professional athlete. He could last as long as he wanted, and the amount of time he wanted was whatever Starlight told him.

Meanwhile, Starlight was trying everything she could to make him cum prematurely. She wanted to be able to smack him around a bit. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't going that route. He was there to please his mistress, not piss her off.

When she could take no more, she gave the order, making him cum inside of her. It took him a few more pumps, but he did as commanded, filling her up with a load that had been brewing for almost a month. It was huge, and leaked out of her on the first blast, soaking the sheets more than they already were.

"Thank you, mistress," he huffed. "I needed that."

"So did I," she chuckled. "You should stay here, tonight."

"Fine by me. I was going to stay in my hotel room, and since I was coming here, I opted out of having guests tonight."

"Then it's settled."

There was a pause. "So, are you going to tell me what room I'm headed to, or..."

"This one," she laughed, rolling on top of him and pinning him down. "You can't walk around without your cutie mark like that. Twilight would have me removed from office if the guards told her that. She'd think I was up to my old tricks again, and you literally asked for this."

"Yeah. Don't worry, I won't tell anypony."

"Good." She rolled off of him. "Where are you based?"

He snorted. "I have a place in San Palomino, but we never really go there. It's more of a... a place to go when I retire someday. For now, it's just fixing it up and maintaining it. I'll probably spend the next month there, then it's back up here for training, for two months and touring for the next nine."

"You could skip that, you know," offered Starlight. "I need somepony to sleep in my bed with me. We can also do this whole thing over and over, mix it up sometimes... What do you say?"

"What do I say?" He rolled over and looked at her. "I say, where do I sign?"

Chapter the Thirty-Eighth: Desperation

Gallus packed up his books and notes and shuffled off. He was here to learn how to be a better royal guard. Equestrian Literature and poetry was not going to help, but he had to pass in order to earn his certification. He needed a literature credit, and he had heard that this one was easy.

"Hey, Gallus, have you seen Sandbar today?" asked Ocellus. "You're rooming with him this year, right?"

Gallus nodded. "He was hogging the bathroom all morning. He said he was fine."

"And you bought that?" smirked Smolder, coming up behind them. "Clearly, he was trying to blow you off."

"I'm well aware," answered Gallus. "He seemed as though he needed space. I opted to give him some time to overcome his issue on his own, and if he couldn't by the time I came back, I was going to intervene. I'll try to make sure he comes to dinner, but if we're not out by then, you can come in and help, okay?"

Ocellus pouted. "We only want to make sure our friend is okay. Let us help!"

Gallus shook his head. "What kind of friend would I be if I let something that was bothering him bother everyone here? What I should do is try not to air his dirty laundry."

Yona stepped forward. "Yeah, but we care about him. If something's wrong, we should go help him, right?"

Gallus nodded. "True, but he cares about you, and doesn't want you to know what's bothering him. I promise, Yona, I will do my best to help him. He and I have a rapport that will encourage him to let me in. If I can't handle it, come in and bail me out when it's time to eat."

Each with a heavy sigh, they all nodded. "Five-thirty," said Yona. "If you're not out by five-thirty, we're breaking down the door."

"I'll leave it unlocked," scowled Gallus. "Just use the knob."

They all split away from Gallus to go to their own dormitories and put away their books, do homework, the whole thing. Finally alone, Gallus went to his own room and opened the door as quietly as possible. He wanted to know what Sandbar was doing before alerting him to his presence.

It was always infuriating the way Sandbar slept. His pillows were placed pointing to the door, and he slept on his side, facing the wall. It was as though Sandbar wanted some intruder to sneak up on him. Today, that was what was going to happen.

As Gallus silently closed the door, he could hear heavy breathing and soft groaning coming from Sandbar's bed. A twinge of guilt ran through him. Sandbar might actually be sick, and by ignoring him, Gallus could have made it worse. That all went away as soon as he poked his head up over the railing.

Sandbar wasn't sick. Not in a tangible way, at any rate. He had Gallus's used bath towel pressed to his nose and was sniffing it while jerking off. Judging by the spatter covering his chest, he'd been here all day, just rubbing himself over and over to Gallus's scent.

Over the last week and a half, Sandbar had progressively turned more and more nervous when Gallus was around, just as Zecora had indicated. It took a bit longer than she had warned, but with Trixie barring the students from going into the forest and the EEA barring Zecora from coming to the school, he would have a hard time going out to refresh his stock, and Zecora had mentioned no longer supplying him.

With a particularly feminine grunt, Sandbar crunched his abs and pushed his hips into his hoof, firing off the next load directly onto Gallus's face. He fell back to the bed, panting. "Gallus," he moaned, reaching down below his balls, "Fuck me again..."

"If that'll fix the problem you have," said Gallus, having not wiped his face.

Sandbar jumped at the sound of his voice and scurried across the bed, his tail hole squeezing out the dildo he had been using. "G-Gallus! I... This isn't what it looks like!"

Gallus fluttered up onto the bed. "Oh, no?" With a single claw, he scraped a glob of cum off on half of his face. "Then your dick squirts out whipped cream?" He licked his claw. "It sure tastes like what it looks like."

Sandbar's face had gone completely red and he was shaking. "I, uh... I should go. I'll send somepony for my things..."

As he scooted toward the edge of the bed, Gallus placed a claw on his chest and pushed him back. "I'm not letting you run off. Every single one of... Almost every single one of our friend group came up to me to ask where you were today. I told them you were under the weather."

Sandbar looked away. "Everyone but me?"

"Silverstream's class schedule has her on the other side of the school, and today, she volunteered for KP in Pinkie's class on the history of savory pies. She'll probably make you something for dinner when Smolder tells her."

Sandbar looked at the towel he'd been sniffing. "I guess I am sick..." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. I'm really sorry to have hit you in the face. And I should have told you sooner before all of this spun out of my control."

Gallus nodded. "I'll take two of those three apologies."

"Wait, which two?"

Gallus crossed his claws. "I was quite miffed about being shot in the face, but I can forgive you for that. Then you say you should have told me sooner; you should have. I can't forgive your inconveniencing me because that never happened. I was going to check on you whether the others were worried or not. I was worried about you. And that was a dirty towel, anyway. I was already planning on washing it."

"Well, I'm still sorry."

Gallus nodded. "So, here's how I think we should proceed: You make it up to me for hitting me in the face and keeping secrets, and I'll make it up to you for leaving you to deal with this alone and for sneaking up on you."

Sandbar smiled and bowed. "If there's ever anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Gallus scooted forward and booped Sandbar's nose with the tip of his cock.

Sandbar looked up. "What are you doing?"

"Before you knew I was here, you wanted me to fuck you. I'm going to make your wish come true."

Sandbar blushed. "I was expecting just a declaration of friendship, or something; a promise to be better."

Gallus chuckled. "Actions speak louder than words. Let me apologize with my dick."

Chapter the Thirty-Ninth: Cure for Loneliness

Sandbar took a deep breath. Gallus's balls were much headier when they were fresh. This was loads better than huffing his towel. His eyes twitched, he began to salivate, and it took no time at all to regain his erection. "Gallus..."

"If this is what will keep your condition under control, I gladly offer it to you."

Sandbar tilted his head back and kissed the underside of the shaft, touching his tongue to each individual barb. "It's different than I thought it would be."

"And just what was it you were expecting?" asked Gallus, enjoying the attention.

"I always thought it would be longer, wider, less sharp. Kind of like mine."

Gallus sat down and pressed their dicks together. "They're different, sure, but mine is the one you want."

"Well, yeah, but at this reveal, I don't want to hurt you."

Gallus scoffed. "How could you hurt me?"

"The guy with the bigger dick is always the one dominating. That's how it works, right?" Sandbar pulled his hooves up to his face, blocking them. "That's why I always wanted you to have a bigger dick, so you could be the one on top."

Gallus narrowed his eyes. "Where did you ever learn that?"

Sandbar rolled over and stuck his hoof under the mattress, pulling out some dirty magazines. They were contraband, and Gallus was supposed to confiscate them, but he could pretend he didn't see them, claiming it was unethical to go through Sandbar's things. He knew all of the loopholes.

"I wanted to educate myself on the urges I was feeling, so I purchased these and brought them in with my luggage." He flipped through several pages of images with small stallions with small penises, some locked in chastity cages under their dresses and panties, and always, a big, muscular stallion was standing nearby, their big, floppy cocks being admired. The further in they went, the more the small stallions would worship the bigger ones until their tiny arseholes were being stretched by the monstrous shafts.

"And you wanted me to have a huge dick so I could stretch you like these sissies?"

Sandbar nodded. "And now, we can't, because you're smaller than me. It's not fair!"

"It's not," agreed Gallus. He put his claw on Sandbar's chest and pushed him onto his back. "Good thing it's not true."

Sandbar's eyes widened. "It's not?"

"If it were true, I'd be screwed," smirked Gallus. "I'm short. Silverstream's tall, so she'd never be allowed to have children, either. No matter how close we ever became, even if she and I were to marry, by your logic, I could never mount her. It's not the size that counts, but how you use it." He pressed his tip against Sandbar's anus, then popped open a small bottle he'd been given by Cozy, dribbling the slick fluid onto the connection. "Let me show you."

Gently, he pushed his way in, stopping after just the tip. Sandbar's pucker was squeezing him already. "I ta-take it back!" he gasped, wrapping his hooves around Gallus's neck and shoulders. "It feels so much bigger than it looks!"

"This is nothing. Wait until you feel the halfway point."

He pushed a little further, and Sandbar let out a high-pitched moan, squealing a bit.

"You like that?"

"It hurts, but it also feels amazing!"

Gallus smiled. He grabbed Sandbar's ankles and pushed his legs further apart. "This should make it hurt less."

"Okay," he panted. "I trust you."

Gallus pressed their foreheads together, looking Sandbar in the eyes. "It's not going to stop hurting, it's just going to hurt less."

Sandbar bit his lip and nodded. As Gallus pushed the rest of the way in, he clenched his eyes shut. He could swear that he was being split in half, but Gallus's beak on his lips assured him that everything would be alright.

"How's that feel?" asked Gallus. "Everything you thought it would be?"

"M-more," panted Sandbar. "Thank you for everything you've done. I really appreciate it. Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

His naive smile brought out a chuckle from Gallus. "We've only just begun. Let's see how you feel about this."

As gallus pulled his hips back, his barbs pushed out. While this was a far more effective strategy against Zecora's pussy, it had a very unique reaction to Sandbar's arse. While his anus was untouched, the barbs flicked back and forth inside his colon with every thrust. Despite Gallus's less-than-impressive size, the outward force of the barbs pushed and stretched Sandbar's inner walls.

His head fell to the side, panting, moaning and drooling as he reached down and pushed his dick forward. Gallus's soft underbelly was rubbing against his balls and, barring any complaint, would rub against his shaft.

Gallus didn't mind, of course. His whole purpose in this had been to take control of Sandbar. He was going to make him feel good. Perhaps even great. The fact that he was having his dick sucked in by Sandbar's ponut was just the very tasty gravy on top. If this was all he needed to make Sandbar do his bidding, he was more than willing to go through this ritual every morning; he was happy to do so.

Gradually, they sped up. Sandbar began to grow accustomed to the feeling and started to relax, which gave Gallus the go-ahead to push harder and more frequently. Gallus even let go of Sandbar's leg to instead grab his dick and jerk it off at the same speed as he was thrusting.

It wasn't long before Sandbar came, harder than he had all day. The volume was pitiful, of course, as it was his sixth, but the force of it spattered the wall with a relatively high amount of force. A few minutes later, he could feel his arse being filled with a much bigger load of Gryphon cum than he was expecting. While sandbar had spent the whole day emptying his balls, Gallus had spent almost two weeks unable to finish himself by claw alone.

Gallus pulled out, to a soft yelp from Sandbar. "How was your first time?"

"Sho... sho ghood..." panted Sandbar, lost in his pleasure.

Gallus chuckled. "I think you need some rest. Why don't you take a quick nap?"

"But he'll miss dinner!"

Sandbar and Gallus jumped and looked at the doorway. Smolder and Silverstream's claws, as well as Ocellus's hoof, were all covering Yona's mouth as they peeked inside of the room.

Chapter the Fortieth: Remedial Sex Ed

Trixie set down her picnic basket on Gallus and Sandbar's dresser. She opened one side, pulled out an apple, and put it in her mouth, biting down on it. From the other side, she pulled a large book. "Trixie wasn't expecting to be the one to give you all this class," she said, taking a large bite out of the apple, "Especially during dinner time."

"We weren't expecting Gallus to be so insistent that you be the one to teach us," replied Ocellus.

"Yeah," agreed Silverstream. "He seemed really excited when I suggested that headmare Twilight should teach us about sex."

Gallus shrugged and forced a smile. "I spent a lot of time with Trixie and Starlight over the break. I know she has firsthoof experience in this field."

He had wanted Twilight to teach them. He wanted her to teach them with practical aid. He wanted her to teach him with practical aid. He wanted to mount her and ride her until it was time to go to class tomorrow morning. But then he heard Cozy's voice in his head, telling him it was not yet time. How long would it take?

Trixie took another bite of her apple. "Are we all sitting comfortably, here in Gallus and Sandbar's bedroom? We can't really do this in any of the classrooms, yet."

"It's a little cramped," admitted Yona. "Are you sure we'll have enough room, Ms. Trixie?"

Trixie nodded. "It might be a bit cramped at first, but once we come into the swing of things, Trixie is certain that you'll all be much more comfortable. Now, who can tell Trixie what this book is?"

No hooves or claws went into the air, with the exception of Gallus, who had already seen the book in Trixie's things while moving from the Crystal Empire. It was Cozy's.

"Since most of you are unaware, Trixie will just tell you. This is the Kamasutra; the Book of Love."

Ocellus's mouth began to water a bit. "There's a book for that? I thought that before the reformation, we could only feast on other creatures. I didn't know there was a vegan option."

Trixie shook her head. "This is not a book filled with love. This is a book that shows you how to make love."

Ocellus's jaw dropped "You can make it?!"

Trixie smiled and nodded. "After applying the techniques detailed in this book, the excess love will fill the recipients, causing good feelings between them, though its effects are untested among most of your kind, so a lot of this will be experimental."

Silverstream clasped her claws together giddily. "We're going to learn something no other research team knows!" She clapped and giggled excitedly. "When can we start?!"

Trixie turned to Gallus and gave him the book. "Gallus, why don't you find the position you took with Sandbar, first? There are plenty of pictures, so it should be easy to identify. The rest of you, if you would please share with each other any special mating habits of your species? It will aid in understanding each other better."

Yona stood up. "As far as I'm aware, which isn't exactly the most comprehensive guide, yak mating begins when the male mounts the female. He sticks his thingy into hers, and after a few minutes of rocking back and forth, they separate. And that makes calves."

Sandbar nodded along. "The same is true for ponies, but instead of calves, we make foals. But what does mating have to do with this?"

"I'll tell you in a minute," nodded Trixie. "Silverstream?"

"I only know the seapony form," she admitted. "The female lays her eggs in a male, and then he deposits them in a milt sac, which he then carries around until the little seaponies hatch!"

"Wait, the male carries the babies?" asked Yona. "That's weird. With yaks, it's the female."

"The same with ponies," agreed Sandbar.

"Who cares who carries the eggs?" cut in Smolder. "As long as they make it safely to the next nest, what does it matter which parent carries the eggs?"

Yona shuffled in her seat. "Well, Yaks don't lay eggs."

Smolder folded her arms. "Now, that's weird."

"Ponies don't lay eggs, either," interjected Sandbar.

"Gryphons do," said Gallus. "We hatch, and then discard our shells."

"We wear ours when we hatch," chimed Ocellus. "We can't really take them off." She knocked on her carapace.

"We don't have shells," added Silverstream. "We're all soft and squishy when we hatch."

"You're all weirdos," smirked Smolder. "Except perhaps Gallus, there." She bumped her claw against his. "Dragon mating rituals start with a fierce battle. The winner then climbs on top of the loser and makes all the decisions. His wang comes out of its slit, and fills her up, then she lays the eggs. It's very important to win that fight, because it determines the outcome of every disagreement until the offspring is grown up enough to go off on their own."

"That's barbaric," trembled Ocellus.

"That's pretty normal, actually," argued Gallus. "My parents didn't even keep me that long, whoever they were."

"We all know who our mother was," sighed Ocellus. "Changelings reproduce in batches from the queen, though without a queen, it's unclear how we will advance. That said, we females have ovipositors, so I think that might play into it."

"Found it!" said Gallus, giving the book back to Trixie. "It's called "Mating Press: Anal Variant.""

Trixie smiled. "Trixie may not need to tell you why I brought up the subject of mating at all." She turned the book so every creature in the room could see. The ponies in the picture, a stallion and a mare, were in a very similar position as Gallus and Sandbar, but not quite. "As you can see, it's a perfectly natural process between a stallion and a mare."

"But they're both male," blurted out Silverstream. "Neither of them is a mare. Is it still natural then?"

Trixie nodded. "There has been some debate, but without the goal of creating offspring, there's little issue with it. As long as the two participants are both consenting adults, it's perfectly harmless."

"But we're not quite adults yet," noted Ocellus. "Does that mean we're not allowed?"

Trixie shook her head. "Under current law, you're not allowed to have sex yet. Gallus and Sandbar did make a mistake in that. But the generous and benevolent Trixie is not going to send them to the dungeons for that. Instead, she's going to teach you, all of you, all about sex. That way, you know better, and you'll be better prepared when you reach adulthood. This isn't really sex, after all. It's just practising."

Chapter the Forty-Second: Trading Places

Sandbar shook with terror. Or was it joy? He couldn't tell. It was something difficult to explain, of that he was sure.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sandbar?" asked Yona, shifting her bag around. "You look like you're uncomfortable with me being here."

He shook his head, unable to form words.

"Maybe I should go..."

"No!"

His sudden outburst caused Yona to jump. Seeing her mild distress, he pushed his mane back with his hoof and took a deep breath.

"You don't need to leave. I'm not angry that you're here, Yona. I'm not against having you here; I want you to stay. I'm just nervous, is all."

Yona smiled and stepped up next to him. "It's okay. We're all a bit shocked by all of this. Between you and me, I'm not super into all of this stuff. I just don't want to be left behind, you know?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry to have dragged you into this. I should have kept my big mouth shut."

"No, you just did what you thought was right. You didn't know. And if this assignment from Trixie is going to keep making you nervous, I'll not force you to do it. Hug?"

They shared a hug and then sat down, leaning against Sandbar's desk. "It's not that I don't want to do it. I really do. As long as the conversation stays between you and me, I've..." he trailed off, reaching up and scratching the back of his neck.

"Go on," ushered Yona. "I promise not to judge."

He blushed. "I've had feelings for you and Gallus in particular for a long time."

A long, awkward silence followed. Yona was surprised, to say the least. She drew her hoof up to her lips and tried to stifle a chuckle, but it turned into laughter before too long. Sandbar turned away, hurt, but she pulled him back, embracing him.

"I'm sorry for laughing. I was afraid that I was going to make it worse for you, but this is way better!"

"How is this way better?"

She giggled as she climbed up into his bed. "I thought you and Gallus were already an item. In fact, seeing the two of you together made me very jealous. I liked you, Sandbar. But for the longest time, I thought you didn't like me the same way. The main reason I was against doing this was to avoid splitting you two up. Now, I'm thinking of something else."

Sandbar looked up at her. "What's that?"

"You, on top of me."

"Are you sure? you wouldn't prefer somepony more confident, like Gallus?"

"Gallus, on top of you."

"Wait, wha--"

"You, sandwiched between myself and Gallus, the bed creaking beneath us. What do you say?"

Sandbar couldn't say anything. His jaw had dropped to the ground. He'd considered starting a relationship with Yona. He'd fantasized about Gallus. The idea that he could have them both was too much for him to handle. He was frozen.

Yona giggled. "Come on up, Sandbar. Now that I know you aren't turned off by me, my hangups about this are gone. I didn't want to hurt you, and now I know I won't."

Sandbar climbed up into his bed. "I'm still a little bit nervous. Today was my first time. I've never been with a mare before, let alone a yak as lovely as you."

"You're so sweet. Let's start with just growing a bit more familiar, huh?"

Sandbar nodded.

Yona pushed forward to see his crotch a little bit clearer. "Show me around."

"W-well, uhhh..." He blushed. Having Yona stare so intently, while invigorating, was intimidating. "These are my testicles."

Yona poked at them a bit. "I always thought they were hairier. Is this a normal amount?"

"I guess? I don't make it a habit of closely inspecting other stallions' junk."

"Just Gallus?"

"Just Gallus."

"They're heavier than they look." She bounced them up and down in her hoof, and gave them a sniff. "They smell oddly nice, too."

Sandbar winced and moaned as she dragged her tongue along the underside. "Very salty, but, something else?" She took one into her mouth and ran her tongue all around it, tasting every square centimetre. "A little sour, like sweat. What else?"

"Maybe some kind of earthy flavour? I don't know, I can't taste them."

"Right, let me fix that."

She thrust herself forward, kissing him in a way he had never been before, rubbing her tongue against his. Once the surprise wore off, he reciprocated, rubbing his tongue against the inside of her mouth.

When they separated, she smiled at him, licking her lips. "What do you think?"

"Delicious," he gasped. His head was swimming.

"I mean, that doesn't help narrow it down," snorted Yona.

"Narrow what?" As Sandbar's lucidity returned, he blushed again. "Sorry. I guess I messed that up."

"It's okay. I should have known. You admitted that you liked me, so I guess that wasn't going to work out. Plus, how could you differentiate between the taste of your balls and my mouth? You've never tasted either."

Sandbar slowly nodded. "Do you want to try again?" he asked hopefully.

"Maybe later. What's this thing?"

Sandbar followed her hoof. "That's my penis."

Yona scoffed. "Between your back legs? That's a weird place for it to come out."

"Where does a yak have his?"

Yona circled her hoof on Sandbar's abdomen. "It has to be, so that when he mounts, it's high enough to go in. Here, try it." She tried to stand up, but since it was a high bunk, she hit the ceiling. Instead, she moved to the floor and lifted her tail. "Try to put it in. Because yours is located so far back, it'll be way too low."

Sandbar jumped down and tried to mount her. "Is this the right place?"

"Yeah. See? I told you it was too lo-- Oh!!"

Sandbar pushed his hips forward, plumbing her depths in a way neither of them had ever felt before. Utter bliss washed over them both.

"How-- how did you...?" Yona looked back as Sandbar began to thrust, a goofy look on his face. He may not have been attached in the same place as a yak, but his longer back legs gave him the extra height he needed to align himself.

While she did have the ability to kick him away, she didn't even feel like complaining about his stopping her from studying. He felt too good. She'd seen her own fair share of dirty magazines, and Sandbar outclassed the yaks she'd seen before. He may have been attached lower, but the extra length and girth were well worth it.

Chapter the Forty-Third: Parts Unknown

"Thanks for coming back, Trixie," smiled Ocellus. "We really needed your help."

"Trixie is happy to help you find your hooves, but I must insist that you make all of the big discoveries for yourselves."

Silverstream leaned back and twiddled her thumbs. "It's just, neither of us really knows what we're doing. Neither of us has ever mated with anypony, so we're kind of... lost."

"We don't need to be better than anyone," added Ocellus. "We're fine with receiving low marks at the beginning, as long as we go somewhere. We just don't know where to start. Silverstream says she's unfamiliar with the way hippogriffs mate outside of the water, and I can't hold my breath that long."

"And the changelings were all hatched from the eggs of a queen," finished Silverstream.

Trixie nodded. "And both of you are far outside of your element. Very well. Which of you wants to look first?"

"Ooh! I want to look!" shouted Silverstream. "If Ocellus is okay with that."

"I'm fine," smiled Ocellus. "I'm not sure what you need me to do, though."

Trixie patted the bed, and Ocellus hopped up. "Now, Silverstream, if you would please look between her legs? Trixie will be off to the side over here to keep Ocellus from thinking this is a performance. It's an intimate act, meant to take place only by two ponies, or pony-adjacent creatures, who have a very close and positive relationship."

Ocellus had been fine until Trixie mentioned the performance. Suddenly, she was feeling very nervous. She liked Silverstream, and wanted her friend to do well, but the thought of having to expose her most intimate parts caused her whole body to shake.

"I can't see what's there," answered Silverstream. "Her legs are closed."

"Ocellus, you have to open your legs," called Trixie from behind the desk. "It's just Silverstream. Nopony else. You can trust Silverstream, right?"

Quivering, Ocellus opened her legs. She did trust Silverstream. She trusted all of her friends. Sandbar, Yona, Gallus and even Smolder. They wouldn't hurt her. Not intentionally, anyway.

"That's different."

Ocellus looked down at Silverstream's face, which was pressed up against her genitals to the point where she could feel every breath. "What is?"

"The colour. You're pretty much arctic blue throughout, but this thing's red. It's very clear that this part is different from, say, your chest."

"It's not... weird, is it?"

"Actually, it's pretty similar to mine, from when I was still a seapony. My new one is what's weird."

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing too terrible."

"You said you had an ovipositor earlier. Can I see it?"

Slowly, Ocellus pushed out a long tube from her vagina. It had a triangular tip to aid in egg-laying, and was very pliable.

"We had flat tips. Then again, we laid our eggs into our partners. What about you?"

Ocellus shrugged. "I was never told where to lay mine. I have no idea how we're going to advance as a species."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out," chuckled Silverstream. "Hey, this might even help you figure it out! You could be a pioneer of changeling reproduction!"

"R-really?"

"Really! And I could be a pioneer of hippogriff reproduction!"

"Can you show me your ovipositor, now?"

Silverstream blushed. "I don't have one, anymore. It disappeared with my seapony form. It comes back, but it's not available this far above sea level."

"We're not that far above sea level..."

"Yeah, but being above the water makes me no longer a seapony. And being no longer a seapony means no ovipositor."

"Well, what do you have in its place? It's probably similar to what the others have, actually. It'll probabLY--!!" Ocellus jumped as Silverstream ran her claw along her ovipositor tube.

"Did I hurt you?!" gasped Silverstream, jumping forward. "I just wanted to feel how similar it was to mine!"

Ocellus shivered, then looked Silverstream in the eye. "Do it again?"

With a curt nod, Silverstream reached down and rubbed it, a little more gently. Once the initial shock wore off, Ocellus started breathing heavier, almost moaning.

"I used to love this feeling when I was under the sea. Do you like it, too?"

"Mmm-hmm," nodded Ocellus. "Don't stop."

"I'm gonna stop," smirked Silverstream, moving her face back down.

"What? Why?!"

"Because there's something I've always wanted to try." Starting at the base, Silverstream dragged her tongue up to the tip of Ocellus's ovipositor. "Any reaction?"

Ocellus squirmed and wiggled like a little worm. That was enough to convince Silverstream to keep going.

After a few minutes, a sudden pressure built up in Ocellus's gut. "Wait! Stop!"

Silverstream looked up. "Ocellus? What's wrong?"

"I... I don't know. Something's happening. It feels like I ate a bunch of worms and forgot to chew, and they're all wiggling around in my stomach!"

"Why would you eat worms?"

"I didn't! I try to keep vegetarian! But it feels all weird!"

"Like some kind of pressure?"

"Yeah!"

Silverstream chuckled. "I think I know what it is. Watch this!"

Wrapping her claw around Ocellus's ovipositor, she squeezed and rubbed until a large globule started making its way up the shaft, popping out of the tip as a solid, if gelatinous, blob.

Four more followed, each separated by a splash of fluid. When they finally stopped coming out, Ocellus was panting and gasping, with a bunch of them on her chest.

"These eggs are way bigger than mine," admitted Silverstream. "But far less numerous."

"Does this make me a mom?" asked Ocellus, pulling the eggs closer to her.

"No," answered Trixie plainly, standing up from behind the desk. The girls had been so involved in each other that they'd forgotten that she was there. "In order to hatch, they'd need to be fertilized by a male before they came out."

"That's not the way seaponies work," argued Silverstream. "If she were a seapony, this would be the point where a male would fertilize them."

"But that is the way changelings work," argued Trixie back. "Or worked, at any rate."

"Is that why they're not green?" asked Ocellus. "I'm pretty sure they're supposed to be green."

"I'm not sure," answered Trixie shaking her head. "In any case, you now understand your assignment well enough to continue without Trixie's guidance, so... I'll see you both tomorrow."

Chapter the Forty-Fourth: Sharing

Trixie walked into Gallus and Sandbar's room to find that all of her students were already there. "Oh, good. I trust you're all ready to begin?"

Every one of the six students nodded.

"Excellent." Trixie summoned a dry-erase board and locked the door so that they would not be disturbed. "Which of you wants to go first?"

The only answer was a scattering of blushes. To actually do the studying was one thing, but to present their findings was something else.

"If you don't volunteer, Trixie will be forced to call you down, one-by one."

"Let's do that," answered Smolder, to the nods of her peers.

"Very well," smirked Trixie. "You're first, Smolder. Come, show Trixie what you've learned."

Smolder snorted. She had hoped it would be randomized, but speaking up had singled her out. "Fine."

She hopped down from Sandbar's bed and approached the board. With a dry-erase marker, she drew from memory an image of Gallus's dick.

"I thought the barbs were shorter," interjected Yona.

"They're facing the wrong way," added Sandbar.

"Come on, I'm not that short," pouted Gallus.

"All of you, hush!" growled Smolder. "Let me give my presentation, then you can complain about it!"

The room fell quiet as Smolder finished drawing his balls. "This is what Gallus's cock and balls look like. These barbs like to shift and bend depending on where they move. Going in, they flatten out, and coming back, they flare dramatically. They also scratch, so if you're particularly sore, refrain from choosing him as a partner."

"I'm particularly sore," grumbled Gallus, rubbing his balls. "Keeping me up all night..."

"I did some research in the library, and apparently, this is to scrape out the sperm of other potential males."

"Anything else?" asked Trixie.

Smolder shook her head. "I don't know what else to say."

"Well, that's good enough for now. Gallus, you're next."

Smolder and Gallus swapped places, with Gallus starting by lengthening the drawing of his penis before drawing Smolder's cloaca. "Dissimilar to gryphons and ponies and zebras and such, Smolder has only one hole. This does split into different tubes once inside, but from the outside, it's difficult to see what you're doing. I recommend either going in with a claw or your tongue or something to find out what's where before anything else. Also, it's, really, really hot. Kind of soothing when she's sleeping on top of you, but in the heat of the moment, it kind of burns."

"Oh, like you're comfortable to sleep on," snorted Smolder. "Felt like you were going to collapse the whole time with how soft and pillowy your chest was. And your wings like blankets..." she blushed and shifted in her seat, clearly hot and bothered at the thought.

"I yield the remainder of my time," smiled Gallus, flapping up behind her and pulling her in close.

Trixie nodded. "Silverstream, tell us about Ocellus."

Silverstream fluttered down and wiped the board clean. "We were really lost when we started last night, but with a little bit of a kickstart, we were able to figure out a lot about Ocellus's ovipositor. It's a different shape than mine was, for example." She drew both on the board and labeled them. "We also saw her push out some unfertilized eggs, which she'd never done before. She described the process as a sort of stinging sensation, and judging by the size, I can't say I blame her. Despite that, she said that the feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant, and she could potentially learn to enjoy it if she tried. Then she makes this cute little noise when she cums, like a squeak but fluttery."

Silverstream actually had a lot more information and technical knowledge that any of the others expected, so much that Trixie was kind of shocked at how thorough her examination was, down to how many centimetres deep Ocellus's vagina went.

"Wow. Trixie was not expecting all of that..."

"We had the whole night," beamed Silverstream. "We were exhausted when the sun came up, but it was so great to explore!"

"Right..." Trixie cleared her throat. "Ocellus, I trust you have an equally detailed report?"

Ocellus scooted back and shook her head.

"But Silverstream just said you were up all night," questioned Yona. "Surely, you learned something?"

"That's my fault," admitted Silverstream. "I was so very into helping her figure herself out that we completely skipped over exploring my body." She turned to Trixie. "Can I give her my full marks since I'm the reason she can't turn in her homework?"

Trixie shook her head. "The point was to explore each others' bodies. I can't give her your credit."

Ocellus lowered her head.

"Instead, you're both sharing the grade because you very clearly both learned something, even if it wasn't what I said to do."

"Yay!" Silverstream zoomed over to Ocellus and gave her a hug similar to Gallus and Smolder's.

"Yona, would you care to go next?"

Yona stood up and walked to the board, drawing a larger version of Sandbar's dick. "Despite its placement, Sandbar's dick is huge. That thing very nearly split me in half, so I can't recommend any others taking it. It's probably too much for all of you, because it's just that powerful."

"It's not that big," blushed Sandbar.

"You need to be really sturdy to have sex with him, because he's really something else. The pleasures that he showed me would utterly break the mind of all but the most skilled lovers."

Sandbar pulled his hooves up over his face, looking away as his cheeks grew red.

"Perhaps he shares that sentiment?" suggested Trixie. "Let's have him come up and see if he thinks the same."

As Yona sat down, Sandbar wiped the board and held up the marker. But as he was about to draw the picture, he froze. after taking a few deep breaths, he shook his head. "I can't do this..."

"Sure you can," smiled Yona.

"We believe in you," added Ocellus.

"Everyone else did, and we're fine," affirmed Gallus. "You'll do okay."

Sandbar shook his head, turning back to look Yona in the eye. "I can't draw a picture. Any cheap imitation I draw with a crummy marker on a whiteboard would insult the serene and delicate beauty that is Yona's body."

It was Yona's turn to blush.

"I can't even describe it with words. I could say it's beautiful, but even that would be an insult. How dare I compare it to a sunset when it's clearly more romantic? I don't know what I did to deserve a single night with her, but whatever I did, I must do it again, that I can join with her once more."

Trixie smirked. "That's certainly one way of going about it. At any rate, you've proven that you're willing to explore, and to watch out for each other. Now, I'm going away for the weekend, and during that time, I want you all to explore with new partners to see how well you all work together. Be gentle, though, as I won't be around to aid you if things go wrong."

Gallus raised his claw. "I'm also leaving for the weekend."

Trixie nodded and tucked away the dry-erase board. "Right, you said something about that yesterday." She looked at the others. "I guess, either decide between yourselves whether you want someone sitting out, or if you want to attempt a threesome."

Chapter the Forty-Fifth: Reconvening

When Trixie arrived at the train station, Gallus was already waiting. "Are you also going to the Crystal Empire?" he smirked.

"Starlight is there," answered Trixie. "Trixie needs to talk to Starlight about this separation. We shall save the details for later."

Gallus snorted and helped her with her bags as the train arrived at the station. He only had a small travel pack, after all.

Unbeknownst to both of them, among the crowd, two completely separate and independent entities were following them. Trixie showed no reaction to their presence, but Gallus could feel their eyes on him. He didn't know from where, but the discomfort he felt was going to make this a long train ride.

"We're being watched," he whispered to Trixie after ten minutes into the ride, pointing out the window.

Trixie followed his claw. "I don't see anything," she whispered back. "Are they behind the mountains?"

"Somewhere on the train. They hopped on at the same time as us. I don't know who or where, but they've been watching us this whole time."

Trixie furrowed her brow. "Why aren't you looking for them?"

"Because they're watching. They'll see me coming. So, here's the plan: you go right to Starlight. I'll stop off at Stellar's place and find out whether they're following me, you, or both. I'll join you tonight."

Trixie nodded and turned around to sit normally in her seat. "Now, you were telling Trixie about your studies in proper lock design?" she asked in her normal speaking voice.

Gallus stayed in Stellar Flare's living room for a few hours, listening to the mare gushing about how great her son was. On request, she said nothing of Cozy Glow, but after ten minutes, Gallus was pretty tired of hearing how great Sunburst was.

"Even now, he's staying here in town and teaching several students."

Gallus yawned. "Yeah, I heard they come in beige now..." He really didn't care, he just needed to vaguely pretend that he was taking part in the conversation as he looked out the window.

"Why, there he is now!"

As indicated, Sunburst was walking up the street. Gallus perked up, glad to see that Starlight had sent somepony to collect him.

To their surprise, though, he stopped at a corner and poked his head in. He looked like he was talking to somepony.

"I wonder who that could be that stopped him," commented Stellar. "A student of his, perhaps?"

With a laugh, Sunburst grabbed the hidden pony and pulled him into a hug.

"Sandbar?!"

"Oh, you know him, too?"

Gallus growled. "He's supposed to be in Ponyville, studying..."

Wrapping his hoof around Sandbar's shoulder, Sunburst pulled him up to the house and walked in. "Hey, Gallus, look who I just ran into!"

Sandbar blushed and tried to hide his face.

Gallus folded his claws. "Sandbar. Did you follow me all the way out here?"

Sandbar nodded slowly. "It was decided between everyone in our study group that, since we don't want a, um... "team of three" without teacher supervision, that I would be excluded from the group, seeing as you and I had some prior experience."

"So, you followed me."

"I kept meaning to tell you, but you weren't ever alone."

"You could have asked me to step aside."

"I'm not very good at this "being in a relationship" stuff. I didn't want to distract you, so I was waiting for a time when you didn't look busy."

"Well, you're in luck!" beamed Stellar Flare. "My son is the best teacher you could hope for. In fact, he trained royalty. He spent the whole summer tutoring Princess Flurry!"

"Mom!" scolded Sunburst. "I'm sure their teacher is just fine. I'm not about to interrupt their studies, that could be confusing."

Gallus sighed. "I suppose there's nothing for it. You can join me tonight for dinner, and I'll help you study. But no more sneaking up on me, okay? If you need to say something to me, just walk right up and say it. Or, if you want to keep it private, ask me to step away for a moment. Okay?"

Sandbar nodded.

"See?" smirked Sunburst. "They didn't even need my help."

Wrapping his claw around Sandbar's shoulders, Gallus escorted his friend to the palace. Having special permission from Starlight, they joined her for dinner, after which they adjourned to Gallus's suite. "You have your own room here at the palace?" asked Sandbar, looking around.

"I did a lot of close work with Starlight over the break," he explained. "Originally, I was working in Canterlot, but then I was transferred up here. Not long after, Starlight took control, and since she was already familiar with me, and there was a lot of trust between us, she brought me right up to the top. Having a reputation for being very protective really paid off."

"So you're going to be coming up here more often?"

"Probably. We should follow up on our studies, though."

A panting mess, Sandbar collapsed on the bed. He and Gallus had tried a few new things, with Gallus trying very hard not to exhaust himself. "Why don't you have a nap?" he insisted, tucking Sandbar into the bed. "I have to go to my meeting, now."

Sandbar nodded, soon passing out. As soon as Gallus was sure he was asleep, he took the secret passage down into the dungeon.

Cadance greeted him with a big, dumb smile. "Welcome, Gallus. Right this way!"

He didn't need a guide, but having Cadance guide him was enjoyable. She'd had her tail cut short, and there were red lines across her flank, indicating where she had been whipped. A jeweled plug sat firmly squeezed between her arse cheeks, and she kept winking at him. If he hadn't just drained his balls twice into Sandbar, he'd have been really bothered by it.

"There he is," groaned Cozy when he came in. She was sitting on top of Shining's head, jumping off as soon as Gallus walked in. "What took you so long?"

"I was distracted," answered Gallus. "I can't very well come down here if Sandbar's following me. I had to wait for him to pass out, first. I'm here, now. Sandbar and our other friends are coming along nicely. Trixie and I are preparing them for the plan. Now, what's the next step?"

Chapter the Forty-Sixth: Interruption

Despite Gallus's lateness, it was Sunburst who arrived last, having been next door with Flurry. The two of them came in and sat down, with Flurry sitting on his lap at the table.

Despite having her cutie mark removed, Flurry still looked to be a normal filly. She even seemed to still be happy. With Sunburst being around all the time as her window into the outside world, and also shielding her from Cozy, she had little need to be afraid.

Next to them sat Double Diamond, wearing the same big, dumb grin as Cadance, but without as much of his mental faculties missing. He seemed to be completely aware of his surroundings, and happy to be where Starlight was. Around his neck was a collar, acting as a necklace when nothing was attached.

In this instance, there was a leash attached, and at the other end of that leash was Starlight Glimmer, holding it in her hoof. Around her neck was a small bottle that contained Double Diamond's cutie mark.

Next to her sat Trixie, looking significantly less stressed than she had been for the last two weeks. With as tightly as she was clinging to Starlight's hoof, they'd already had a round of lovemaking tonight before coming to the meeting.

Cozy was next, sitting on Shining Armor's face. His horn disappeared inside of her, his face completely blank aside from the green swirls in his eyes. He was completely under her control.

Next was Stellar Flare, looking dreamily at her son, and finally, Gallus.

"We're all here now," said Gallus, looking around the room. "Can we start the meeting now?"

"We can," answered Cozy. "Trixie, how much control do we have over the school?"

"It's only been two weeks," answered Trixie. "We can't expect a lot of progress, but a particular group of students have taken a few steps down our new path, by obvious means. We're working on a way to assist them toward driving themselves forward of their own accord, but convincing everypony else to follow them is going to be a lot trickier. As for the faculty, there's one that understands the concept, but is unwilling to go all the way."

"What about Zecora?" asked Sunburst. "You said she seemed ready to help, and even mentioned giving her warmest regards to Cozy. Surely, she'd offer some kind of aid?"

Starlight shook her head. "Too risky. She's been a huge asset to Twilight, and I doubt she'd turn on her so fast, no matter what the EEA thinks of her. She could be a double-agent, working for us while feeding that information back to Twilight. Whether that's because she truly believes in Twilight or is specifically trying to build us up against each other only to warmonger us both is anypony's guess, but I have my doubts."

"We all have doubts," sighed Gallus.

"I don't!" smiled Double Diamond. "Mistress is very smart. She knows what she's doing. I believe in her!"

Gallus rolled his eyes. "All of us that aren't brainwashed have doubts. After all, we're each guilty of treason if we fail. But we can't advance if we have trepidation. We may have to step around Zecora for the time being, but if Trixie is willing to keep the others busy, I will personally go talk to her and try to find her stance. We've built a bit of a rapport."

"If you think you can handle it," nodded Cozy.

"Welcome!"

All heads immediately whipped to the door at Cadance's salutation. Every member of their group was here. Who could she be talking to? Even more important, they needed to be stopped, before they could breathe a word of this to the outside.

Cozy and Gallus bolted to the doors and threw them open, while Sunburst and Stellar grabbed Flurry and Starlight and hid in Flurry's room, Double Diamond and Trixie following close behind for their own safety.

When Gallus burst into the hallway brandishing a giant fuck-off knife, He was greeted by a sight he truly hadn't expected. Not just Sandbar, but all four of their friends were standing there, shocked at seeing Princess Cadance. Their awe only grew as Cozy showed up, putting a force field over the exit.

"Gallus?" questioned Ocellus.

"Cozy?!" gasped Smolder.

"Princess Cadance?!" squeaked Yona.

"Sandbar?!" shouted Silverstream.

"I came down here with you!" answered Sandbar.

"Oh, yeah..."

"What are you all doing here?!" demanded Gallus.

"We could ask you the same thing!" replied Sandbar.

"You could," snarled Gallus. "But I asked you first, and this is a restricted area."

There was a brief pause before Ocellus spoke up. "We felt kind of bad about excluding Sandbar from our assignment," she explained. "So, we followed him up here, and we all picked up visitor passes at the gate. When we found him, he said that you had gone to a security meeting, so we opted to wait for your return. Yona wanted to look at a book called... um..."

"Learn to Trust the Needle Again: From Crippling Addiction to Coronation," answered Yona. "I tried to pull it out, and the whole bookcase came with it. We followed the hidden passage, and here we are."

"Now, you owe us an explanation," spat Smolder. "A few, actually. "Why is Cozy Glow here, why is the missing Princess Cadance here with her tail shaved off, and why are you involved in any of this?"

"Also, why is Cozy an Alicorn?" asked Ocellus.

The gaze of the other students shifted from Gallus to Cozy, who was looking to be very thoughtful about her situation. When Gallus looked up, he could tell that she was absolutely pissed, and as she glanced down at him, he felt absolute terror in his heart. She had the power to seal him away. A few well-placed words from Starlight, and he could be shouldering all of the blame for the disappearance of the royal family, and any attempt he made to fight back would be fruitless. All of his effort to achieve his dream would be wasted. He swallowed hard, feeling his life draining away.

"Gallus," she said, snapping him back to attention.

"Yes, mistress?"

"Take our guests into the conference room. We have much to discuss."

He nodded and put his knife away. "This way, all of you."

Chapter the Forty-Seventh: Expansion

"So, let me see if I understand your plan," sighed Smolder, rubbing her brow with her thumb and foreclaw. "You plan to take over Equestria just so you can bang headmare Twilight?"

"Not just for that reason," pouted Gallus. "Here, let me go over it again."

Silverstream tossed her head back and let out an exasperated grunt. "We've gone over it five times already!"

"Even I understand it at this point," groaned Yona. "Let's just go on. Maybe she'll figure it out if we just move forward."

Gallus nodded. "Okay, so, we all have reasons for wanting Equestria to change. While there have been some advancements in recent years, it's not enough. It's not nearly enough. Twilight Sparkle's School of Friendship may be the only place where all of us are welcome at once. That's what we're here to change."

Cozy Glow moved to the center of the table. "Gallus is right. Take, for example, Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. It's one of the most prestigious schools in all of Equestria." She clicked her heels together and turned. "None of you are welcome, despite Ocellus and Smolder both being adept spellcasters. Your education there would be over before it begins. You cannot obtain that level of prestige.

"How about the Wonderbolt Academy? While it's true that they're known for their flying prowess, one of the greatest coaches they ever had was an earth pony. He couldn't fly, but his knowledge of flight was so unparalleled that he could direct pegasi in ways they couldn't even dream of. Do you think they would ever let Yona amend their uniforms into something better? No. It doesn't matter if she'd be great at it. She can't fly, so she's not welcome.

"Starlight Glimmer called on my expertise because I have the knowledge required to remake Equestria into something where the limitations of your body do not stop you from achieving your goals. Under my reign, the only thing that will stop you from living your dreams is your drive to pursue them. Only through equal opportunities can we truly show the world what we're made of."

Slowly, starting with Ocellus, a gentle applause began to spread around the room.

"I guess the system is a little more broken than we thought," admits Silverstream. "Still, Twilight has helped bring us together. She's trying. That has to count for something, right?"

"I agree," nodded Gallus. "None of this would have been possible without Twilight. That's why, even though the original plan was to be rid of her, I changed it to where she can stay with me. That's way better than just tossing her out with the bathwater."

"Why are you throwing out your bathwater?" asked Silverstream. "Doesn't your tub have a drain?"

"It's an expression," sighed Gallus. "Look, we have the support of Starlight, Sunburst, Trixie and Cozy. All of them are very smart ponies, which none of you will deny. They all think this is a good idea. That means that it must have some merit. So, what do you think? Are you in or out?"

Yona was the first to speak up. "I've been to Canterlot. The nobility treat earth ponies like they're all idiots. Their opinion of Sandbar is pretty obviously low. But it's even lower for yaks. The clerk at the fabric store was amazed that I could even talk. I will join in, if it means we can join in harmony within my lifetime."

Sandbar stood up. "I'll join in, too. I don't want my friends being excluded."

"You're just joining in because you're in love with Gallus and Yona," snorted Smolder.

"I know what it's like to be hated by Equestria," sniffled Ocellus. "It's better than it was, but I still can't be myself. Not without condemnations, anyway. I'm in."

"It's no fun when you're being excluded," added Silverstream, gripping Ocellus's hoof. "I'll join you."

"You're all weirdos," snorted Smolder, leaning back. "You're treating this as if it's the first time you've ever been ostracised. There's a reason they want us to stay out."

Gallus scowled. "So, you're not joining us?"

"I never said that." She stood up and pointed at Cozy. "You locked us up. You tried to take down Twilight and her friends before, and you locked us in a bubble with Starlight. How can you expect us to trust you over Twilight? How do we know you won't just betray us again?"

Cozy smiled. "The magic of friendship is a powerful thing. As is, of course, harmony, which feeds it. But not all can harmonize. Not everypony can work toward the same goal. There are some ponies who cannot be the same as everypony around them. I've seen unicorn parents abandon their children because they were born an earth pony, only to try suing the adoptive parents when it turned out the child was actually a unicorn with a bent horn hidden by their mane. I've seen pegasi that cannot fly. Friendship is remarkably powerful. But there's something far more powerful that I plan to claim for myself. And when I'm in charge, that power will bring together all of your races and more. No longer will you be cast out because of the body you were born with."

"The Wonderbolts don't allow dragons," added Gallus.

Smolder shook her head. "You're right. We should be just as worthy."

"If you put in the effort," corrected Cozy.

"Right. Fuck it, I'm in."

Cozy smiled and cast a spell around each of their hooves and claws. "This spell binds you all together. If one of you should break your word, all of your closest friends shall pay the price."

"Is this some kind of freaky punishment, or something?!" demanded Smolder.

"For Gallus, yes. For the rest of you, it's assurance. If any of you should speak of this with somepony not of our organization, you doom your friends. Any harm you should inflict on our organization shall be doubled back upon your closest confidants."

"That doesn't seem fair," pouted Ocellus. "It just sounds like we're going to be punished for mistakes we didn't make."

"Then might I suggest that you all work as a team?" smirked Cozy. "You won't be hurt by this unless one of you betrays the others, and that's going to hurt, anyway. You're supposed to be best friends. Act like it." She took a deep breath. "This has been an unexpected turn. Gallus, take them all back upstairs. The rest of us need to discuss the plan. Trixie will give you your orders from now on."

As they returned to the secret passage, Ocellus spoke up from the back of the group. "We're not going to have to hurt anypony, are we?"

"Only if absolutely necessary," answered Gallus. "If we can avoid it, which it looks like we can, we just need them out of the way. Actually harming them is different from just moving them out of the picture."

As they reached the end of the passage and opened the bookcase door, Gallus was once again greeted by a face he did not expect. "Shame on you, for making me wait," she chuckled. "Can I say hello to Cozy, or is it too late?"

Chapter the Forty-Eighth: Shuffling

"Are you sure about this?" asked Ocellus. "If we don't do it right, we could end up destroying our friends."

"Well, you should have thought about that before signing up for it," scolded Smolder. "It's too late to back out now. We've already called them here, we have all of the equipment, and if we run off, all of our friends will suffer the consequences."

The doors opened, and some chuckling was heard out in the hallway. Ocellus swallowed hard, nervous about what they were about to do. "We can reschedule. We can just say we forgot something and try again another day," pleaded Ocellus. "We aren't really backing out, just doing it later."

Smolder shook her head. "Calm down, Ocellus. We're as prepared as we can be, and this isn't going to hurt them, or anypony. Everything's going to be fine. Zecora promised."

Ocellus let out a few uncomfortable whines as the door opened the rest of the way, and two ponies walked in.

"Oh, good, you're here already," smiled Rainbow Dash. "Saves us the time of waiting for you to show up. Let's go right into it, then."

"Hold on," said Fluttershy. "Shouldn't we start with a few pleasantries, first? Ocellus looks absolutely mortified."

"She'll be fine," waved Smolder. "She's just nervous about this whole thing. Who wouldn't be?"

"You," smirked Rainbow. "Me. Anypony with a backbone."

"Well, obviously," smirked Smolder right back. "But sure, let's dispense with the pleasantries. Rainbow, you look cool today."

"I look cool every day," snorted Rainbow. "Did you shine your scales this morning?"

"Are you kidding? I wake up looking this good."

"You're both being very disrespectful to Ocellus right now," scolded Fluttershy, hugging her. "Discounting her nerves like you've never had performance anxiety." She turned to the changeling and looked her in the eyes. "You can do this, Ocellus. We're not going to judge you."

"They called us here to judge something," corrected Rainbow. "They want us to tell them what's wrong with it. The sooner they show us, the faster we can give them a review, and the sooner they can work on fixing it."

"Well, we can't give a review until they're ready to show us what they have, can we?"

Rainbow grunted. "Fine..."

With Fluttershy directing her and trying to make her feel better, something that was only reinforcing her doubts, Ocellus took several deep breaths. "Okay. The reason we called you in here today is regarding this year's buckball league."

"Awesome," nodded Rainbow. "You're joining the team this year, right?" she asked, elbowing Smolder.

"I don't plan to," snorted Smolder. "Maybe if this doesn't work out."

"So, something that we overlooked last year, amidst the gameplay and cheerleading, was the lack of refreshments. Both for the athletes and for the spectators." Ocellus pulled the cover off of a wagon she'd brought with six coolers with spigots.

"We were chatting with Silverstream, and she suggested that we work on drinks while she tries some snacks with Pinkie Pie," explained Smolder. "We brought four drinks to serve to the fans, and two to keep the team hydrated. We want to know your opinions, as both athletes and fans alike."

"Fair point, fair point," nodded Rainbow. "Walk us through it."

Smolder took a glance at the window as she grabbed two tasting cups. Gallus was not yet in position to step in, so she had to stall for a bit. Luckily, she had five tastings that she could go through. "This first one is a pineapple and lime punch."

Rainbow and Fluttershy took a sip. "It's a little bit tart," noted Fluttershy. "I think it would be okay, if you sweetened it up a bit more."

"Lots of electrolytes, though," noted Rainbow. "Perfect for a sports drink."

"That's for the fans, actually," mumbled Ocellus. "Try this. It's a honey and ginger lemonade."

Rainbow scrunched up her nose after a sip. "This is a really weird one."

"I think it's delicious," argued Fluttershy, "but perhaps not the best idea for a buckball event. Chess team, maybe?"

Smolder looked up again. Still no Gallus. "Okay, so the next one we've prepared is more... seasonal. For the winter matches. Buckball is serious business. We don't let trivial things like weather stand in the way of a good time."

"That we do not," smiled Rainbow. "What do you have for us?"

"This was inspired by Applejack," smiled Ocellus. "She has this awesome caramel apple cider."

"The best," agreed Rainbow.

"This is butterscotch apple cider."

Rainbow chugged it down excitedly, and while Fluttershy was more inclined to sip, she couldn't help but smile. "This is delightful."

"More like amazing!" gushed Rainbow. "This stuff's going to sell out before halftime!"

"So that's a definite yes!" smiled Ocellus. Contrary to the plan, she genuinely did want to improve the concessions for the buckball league.

As Smolder turned around one more time, she spotted Gallus in the window. He gave her a thumbs up, and she returned a nod. It was time for the final drink, even though there were three jugs left.

"This next one is a calming herbal tea." She poured two cups from the only jug with a red spigot. "This is one we were going to give to the team."

Rainbow blew a raspberry. "That's a horrible idea!"

Even though this was inherently a trap, Ocellus had actually thought that a calming tea would be good for the team. It would help them quiet their thoughts and focus on the game, marking an increase in performance. While it was good to take care of the players' bodies, she thought it might be just as good an idea to take care of their minds. To hear Rainbow say that the idea was horrible, even if that wasn't what they were really drinking, made her want to cry.

"Rainbow Dash!" scolded Fluttershy. "That's not very sporting of you! Surely, I don't need to remind you about the end of your first season of buckball."

"That I scored the winning goal?" snorted Rainbow. "No, you don't need to remind me."

Fluttershy scowled, a rare sight, then softened her face as she hugged Ocellus. "You see, Rainbow had to make the winning shot because she'd blown an eight point lead."

Rainbow turned around "What?!"

"She'd been focusing so hard on making goals that she'd ended up turned around and scoring points for the other team because it was always a clearer shot."

Rainbow dashed over to Fluttershy and stared her down. "Don't tell them that!"

Fluttershy was unmoved. "If Rainbow had calmed her nerves with a mug of calming tea, she wouldn't have had to make up all of the extra goals she'd made for the other side." She smirked, knowing that if Rainbow denied it, there was written evidence of the screw-up.

"Fine," grunted Rainbow. "It's not a bad idea..."

"So, you'll try some?" sniffled Ocellus.

"Yeah, sure..."

Chapter the Forty-Ninth: Snag

Ocellus thought back to what Zecora had said when they picked up the potion. It was a variant on the love poison that had taken over Big Macintosh and Cheerilee several years ago. Of course, she hadn't been around for that, but she'd heard stories. What made this one different was that it did not work on its own. They wouldn't fall on love immediately upon seeing each other, nor would they even be attracted to each other. They needed somepony to drink the potion in conjunction with another to spark the effect, and everypony that had taken just the potion on its own would immediately be attracted to the one who'd drank the catalyst.

Of course, Gallus was the one carrying the catalyst. He was going to come in, drink the potion with the two teachers, then swallow down the catalyst. That would make them fall deeply in love with him, and he would move them out of the way. Trixie would help fill in the gaps for why they disappeared suddenly, or if things went slightly wrong, would start working on a cure that would take a long time to put together, possibly with Zecora's help.

Or at least, that was the plan. Just as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash brought their cups to their lips, the door opened and in walked the fly in their ointment.

"Flutterbutter! Dashie Do! How it is, my two favourite mares?"

Rainbow let out an exasperated grunt, while Fluttershy turned to look at the intruder. "Zephyr, what are you doing here?"

Zephyr Breeze pulled her in for a hug she was not willing to reciprocate. "Do I really need a reason to drop in on the mares who love to see me the most?"

"No, you don't," said Rainbow. "Why don't you go find them? They're not in here."

"Deny all you want, sweet Dashie. Keep acting tough, but I know you want some lovin' from the Breeze."

As Rainbow made a gagging motion, he grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. At first, Rainbow was trying not to spill her potion, but with the hug lasting more than a few seconds, she very clearly and intentionally dumped it over Zephyr's head. "Oh, no," she said, completely deadpan. "You made me spill my delicious sports drink all over you!" She pulled her legs free and started pushing him out of the room. "Looks like you need a shower. Make sure to scrub really hard and use lots of soap, and remember to soak for at least a few hours, or it'll stain your coat, and we couldn't want that, would we?"

Zephyr rolled out of the push and shook his mane, spattering Rainbow with the drink. "All fixed up!" He turned to Rainbow. "I see the mental image of me being in the shower has you all riled up and sweaty," he chuckled.

"Zephyr, school grounds are for students and staff only," said Fluttershy, stepping between him and Rainbow before she turned violent. "You're disrupting a private student-teacher conference with your interruption. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"No can do, Flutterbutter." He flashed a day pass that was hanging from a lanyard around his neck. "I've been brought in to do my own job as an outside aide. Three students and a teacher need their manes done up for tonight's performance of... Well, I can't remember the name of the play, but it's the one with the nun and the assassin that fall in love with each other."

"Then perhaps you should go take care of that, and let us do our own jobs?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed. "The play doesn't start until nightfall!" He pushed past her toward Smolder and Ocellus, who were stricken with confusion and unsure how to proceed. "What do you have here?"

"Drinks to serve at buckball events?" answered Ocellus, shrinking down.

"And we were doing a very good job until you showed up," added Rainbow. "So, if you wouldn't mind leaving, we can finish."

"Ha! You're looking at one of the best buckball players in Equestria!"

Rainbow turned to Fluttershy. "Yeah, there's a real buckball MVP in here, alright..."

Fluttershy sighed. "If you promise to stop distracting everypony, you can help try the different beverages. We have other things we need to do today, and we can't spend the whole day babysitting you."

Suddenly, Gallus burst through the door, rushing up to the wagon. "Sorry I'm late. Somepony locked the main door, and we had to go find the groundskeeper to unlock it."

"That's okay," smiled Smolder. "We were distracted by this guy. We were about to drink that tea. Care for some?"

"Gladly," smiled Gallus, stepping forward.

A new cup was poured for Rainbow and then two more for Zephyr and Gallus. Zephyr wasn't on their list, but moving him out of the way was Gallus's job, and by allowing him to drink the potion, Gallus was complicit in having Zephyr be dealt with in this way.

"It has a very earthy flavour," noted Fluttershy. "It might help increase focus as promised, but I wonder if the players are going to like it."

"I certainly wouldn't," admitted Rainbow bluntly. "You should put in some kind of sweetener. Honey and lemon, or something."

"Yeah, it's kind of crap," sneered Zephyr. "You two are terrible at mixing lemonade."

"I hate to say it, girls," sighed Gallus, "but I don't think this is what the players should be drinking."

Gallus was intended to say he didn't like it, no matter what was said otherwise. This would give him an excuse to pull out a small bottle with the catalyst to "cleanse his palate."

"Thanks, little buddy, I needed that."

Before he could object, Zephyr had grabbed Gallus's potion and chugged it down. As he pulled it away from his lips, all four drinkers were suddenly overcome with the effects of the potion. Fluttershy began to lust after her brother. Rainbow Dash, while still hating him, couldn't help but to find him very alluring. Gallus began to wonder what his cock tasted like. Zephyr, having taken the catalyst, was able to feel to attraction, but also capable of resisting it if he wanted. But why would he want to?

"We're done here, right girls?" panted Fluttershy, unable to take her eyes off her brother. "We tried your different drinks, and they're all fine..."

"Great!" Exclaimed Rainbow, grabbing Zephyr's hoof. "I need to take this one to my office for a... quick discussion!"

"I'm coming, too," shouted Gallus, following them. "He's my manedresser!"

"Family first!" squeaked Fluttershy, flying after them.

Smolder and Ocellus looked at each other. That was not how this was supposed to work out.

Chapter the Fiftieth: Saving Gallus

Gallus and Fluttershy chased after Rainbow Dash and Zephyr Breeze, not wanting to be apart from the stallion they'd fallen for, and intent to not let Rainbow have all the fun. Rainbow's office was not very far away, but it took both Fluttershy and Gallus pushing together to pry the door open after Rainbow tried to close it on them.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash," said Fluttershy as soon as they were inside. "Sharing is caring."

"I was gonna share," snorted Rainbow. "Eventually..."

"But he's my brother!" retorted Fluttershy. "Our relationship is already a special one."

"Which is why I should go first," said Gallus, pinning Zephyr's hooves to the wall and kissing him. "You both already had a lot of time with him!"

"He was coming after me!" shouted Rainbow, trying to pry Gallus away.

"Ladies, please," huffed Zephyr. "There's plenty of me to go around. Why don't you all go at once, hm?"

Glancing back and forth between the three of them, Rainbow was the first to go down between his legs, licking and nuzzling his testicles. As soon as his shaft began to slide out of its sheathe, she pulled away to wrap her lips around it, only for Fluttershy to beat her to it.

"Hey, that was mine!"

"Then you won't mind if I take these," snorted Gallus, grabbing Zephyr's balls in his claws and sniffing them.

Zephyr waved Rainbow up and offered his lips. As she dug her tongue into them, he reached down between her legs and began to play with her pussy.

Smolder landed in front of Zecora's hut and threw the door open. The zebra was standing over a bubbling pot, and as soon as Smolder burst in, she looked up and opened her mouth.

"No time for pleasantries!" shouted Smolder. "The plan went awry, and now Gallus is under the effects of the potion because Zephyr drank the catalyst! We need the antidote!"

Zecora rubbed her hoof under her chin. "The cure to that draught is quite easy to start. For an hour, you must keep them apart."

"And just how are we supposed to do that?! Gallus is stronger than we are, and everypony else in that room is fully-grown. Plus, you said this stuff was extra-strength! We can't keep them apart for an hour!"

Zecora pondered for a moment, then flipped quickly through a book. "Perhaps the logic needs to be more refined." She offered a small bottle of liquid. "This tonic will render Zephyr and Gallus temporarily blind. The effects should wear off after two-hours' time, with Fluttershy and Rainbow still working just fine."

Smolder inspected the bottle. "Seriously?"

"As long as they don't see into each others' eyes, they won't be effected, or so I surmise."

"What do you mean "you surmise?!" Have you just been guessing?!"

"It's not just a guess, but a hypothesis. This may not solve the problem, but try, I insist!"

Smolder rubbed her free claw against the bridge of her snout. "Fine, fine. I assume we have both of them drink half?"

Zecora shook her head. "That would cause their stomachs' contents to displace. To make it work right, just splash it on their face."

Smolder held up the bottle and took a deep breath. "I hope this works..."

Gallus was loving his new position. Zephyr had pushed everything off the desk and was lying on his back, his cock drilling up into Fluttershy's pussy. Gallus was sitting on Ranbow's back, and as she tasted Zephyr's arsehole, he was licking up all of the fluid running down his lover's cock.

They had changed position every fifteen minutes or so. Gallus had gone from fondling his balls to sucking his cock to being fucked in the arse to having his toes sucked. Anything to pleasure his new master.

There was a loud knock on the door. "Go away," shouted Gallus, "we're busy!"

"I have something important to drop off!" called Smolder from the other side of the door. "I'll be really quick about it!"

"Fuck off!" repeated Gallus.

Who did she think she was? Trying to come in here and separate him from the love of his life? He didn't need her anymore. He didn't need anypony, except Zephyr Breeze. With Zephyr in front of him and happy, he didn't need anything else.

No more sound came from the door. Apparently, Smolder had learned how dumb she was for interrupting his very important meeting with the very important stallion, and given up. Dragons were greedy, after all. She probably wanted him for herself! He wouldn't let her have him! It was bad enough trying to share him with two mares, but a dragoness? There'd be no time for him!

There was a clatter up above, and the pressboard ceiling tile it originated from came crashing to the floor in three pieces. In flew Smolder, tackling Gallus and then splashing something in his face. The world went black in a matter of seconds, and then came a yelp from Zephyr.

"My love?!" shouted Gallus. "Where are you?"

"Over here!" he called back.

Standing up, Gallus felt around until he found a cock. It was the only one in the room that wasn't his. It tasted exactly like Zephyr, a claim he could back up with experience.

It was about time to switch positions again, and Gallus climbed up on top of his lover and rode his cock like a bronco, being bucked silly. Who cared if he couldn't see him? Just feeling Zephyr inside of him was enough to make him happy again. He didn't care who saw him, heard him, or talked to him. He just wanted that thick pegasus cock.

He spent the next half hour bouncing on that cock. He was overcome with the desire to look into Zephyr's eyes, but unable to see his eyes, his love was growing more desperate. But it was to no avail. He would never again see into his love's eyes. It would have to be enough to feel his touch from inside of him.

He was eating out Zephyr's arsehole when he suddenly realized how little he actually wanted to be doing that. With clarity returning to his mind, he backed away. He could still hear the mares sloppily moaning in front of him, but he was at a loss for what to do.

Then a claw on either of his shoulders hoisted him into the air, carrying him away from the scene. "You owe me big for that," came Smolder's voice. "Telling me to fuck off like that really made me question whether or not I wanted to save you."

"I'm sorry," replied Gallus. "I wasn't myself."

"No shit."

Chapter the Fifty-First: Recuperation

When Gallus regained his sight, he was in his dorm room with all of his friends and Trixie standing over him. "It's gone," he said, wiping his eyes. "I can see again."

"Good," snorted Smolder, punching him in the shoulder. "That's for making me worry about you."

Sandbar moved in and hugged him. "I'm glad you're okay."

Gallus looked around at the others, who were unmoving. "Look, this isn't a very special episode. If you're waiting your turn, skip it. I can handle a group hug."

As they all piled onto him, with the exception of Smolder and Trixie, he quickly realized that he couldn't handle a group hug. Most of them, sure, but Yona was very zealous about it, and hugged perhaps a bit too tight. He hugged back, of course; his arms weren't broken.

Ocellus pulled away. "We called Trixie in here, too, so we can discuss how to proceed."

"What's to discuss?" grunted Gallus, now trying to separate from the group hug. "We have the next stage of the plan set up for when we finish this one."

"Well, that's just it," growled Smolder. "How do we finish this one? We obviously fucked up the plan and had to bail you out of trouble. That's the whole reason we had to blind you in the first place, to make the potion no longer work on you."

Now free, Gallus sat down with Sandbar cuddling up to him. "And I'm very grateful for that. Really, I am. But there's not really going to be a huge change in the plan. We just go on as we were supposed to."

"How?!" demanded Smolder. "You're supposed to escort them back to Fluttershy's cottage for a wild night of passion and then come back on the daily to make sure they eat and bathe and don't die! How are you supposed to do that if they aren't bound to your every whim?!"

Gallus glanced around the room and smirked. "Are you serious?"

Ocellus grabbed his claw. "Are we going to have to give them the antidote, too, and try again from the beginning?"

Gallus shook his head. "Guys, the only thing different from the plan is that now we have somepony to occupy Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's time. Who cares if it's me or a manedresser? The fact of the matter is, they're out of the way and unharmed."

"What if they end up pregnant?" sneers Smolder.

"I'm pregnant," interjects Trixie. "And I'm going to be just fine. Ponies are birthed every day without issue. They'll be fine."

"Yeah, but you signed up for it. They didn't!"

"Are you sure?" chuckled Trixie. "Trixie can go ask them right now."

"They can't answer," growled Smolder. "Their mouths are full of stallion cock!"

"And will be for the foreseeable future," nodded Gallus. "That frees up my time, and allows me to be here at the school, which is less suspicious. It's a better plan than what we had. All we have to do is go tell them that there's a great big bed at Fluttershy's cottage that's going to be way easier to have sex on than Rainbow Dash's desk."

"He has a point," nodded Trixie. "We don't have to reinvent the plan, just shift it a little bit. We can even have a deliverypony drop off food for them daily, so we don't have to do it all ourselves."

After a bit of shrugging around the room, everyone was in agreement. "We'll wait for nightfall, when everypony's going into the auditorium, then sneak them out the other side of the school," smiled Gallus. "Nopony will suspect a thing."

Silverstream clapped her claws. "By the by, Pinkie loved the idea of serving corn cakes to the crowd, and she's spent the last two hours baking up a batch to try selling to the theatre crowd as a sort of test audience! How'd the beverage tasting go?"

"Terrible," answered Ocellus. "They only tried half the drinks, and only liked one before they ran off to go do something else."

"They ran off to have sex," clarified Smolder. "The whole thing was a good idea, and the drinks were good, we just couldn't serve all of them in time. We were approved on the cider, at least, and if we can convince Pinkie to sign a paper that says it's good enough, Twilight will allow it. Bonus points if we can have Applejack backing her up."

"So we're all set for the buckball game this weekend!" clapped Silverstream. "Woo!"

"And then my dad shot her; it was weird."

"Trixie?"

Trixie looked up from her conversation with the critic. "Headmare Twilight. Trixie was just talking about the play with this lovely young stallion from the newspaper."

Twilight approached them. "Excuse me, sir, but would it be too much trouble to borrow her for a moment? It won't take too long, I just need to ask her something."

"By all means," shrugged the critic. "I'll just go grab another drink. Ladies?"

As he shuffled off, Twilight pulled Trixie aside. "Have you seen Fluttershy anywhere? Her brother was supposed to help with the outfits, but he never showed up, and neither did she."

Trixie shook her head. "The last I'd heard, she was tasting drinks with Rainbow, made by some of Pinkie's students."

"Which ones? They might know where they disappeared to."

"Smolder, Ocellus and Gallus. Actually, Gallus chased after them until they locked themselves in Rainbow's office. We think they disappeared out the window because when I went by later, the door was locked and the window was open. Also, they made a mess of that room."

Twilight laughed. "Rainbow's office is always a mess."

"What'd you think of the show, by the way? I know Rarity had to rush through the mane styling with the manedresser flaking like that. Did they ever find him?" Before Twilight could answer, she clapped her hooves, then pointed to Twilight. "I bet Fluttershy and her brother went out to find that manedresser than never showed up."

Twilight shook her head. "Fluttershy's brother was the manedresser we called on. They would know where he was!"

"Oh." Trixie shrugged. "No idea, then."

Twilight sighed. "Thanks, anyway. I'll try to find ponies to stand in for them. In the meantime, if you see them around, would you ask them to come talk to me?"

"Sure."

Chapter the Fifty-Second: Diving In

"And once again, make sure your bobbins are the same colour as your spool, or you'll end up clashing."

The bell rang out, signalling the end of class, and the students began to put away their dresses and file out of the room.

"Don't forget, darlings, there's a practical examination in two weeks, so make sure you know your stitches!"

Yona was intentionally moving slowly. She was in charge of Rarity and Pinkie, and Sandbar was supposed to help her, but they weren't exactly sure how to proceed.

When the room was empty, save for the two of them, Yona approached. "Miss Rarity?"

Rarity turned and smiled. "Yes, miss Yona? How are you today?"

"Good, good," she fidgeted. "So, ummm... I was wondering, well, we all were, I guess, how you and the others made it to Aquestria and met the seaponies?"

Rarity waved her hoof. "Oh, it wasn't so difficult. We had Princess Twilight's magic to help us turn into seaponies ourselves, temporarily. It gave us a charming little tail, too. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Silverstream was telling us about where she used to live, and wanted to know if we could visit, so I figured, why not ask somepony who's been there if they could help us out?"

"Oh, a splendid idea," grinned Rarity. "After all, there's no way better to learn about somepony important to you than to accept an invitation into their home. You will, of course, have to wait for the next big break, so you can spend any amount of time down there. It's a bit of a long trip, not the kind of place you can just go overnight."

"So, do you think Twilight could turn me into a seapony if I asked?"

The smile faded from Rarity's face. "Well, um..." She took a deep breath. "I think she'd be happy to if she had the time, but she's a little bit overworked right now. I mean, we all are, really. What with Starlight unable to return to teaching, Sunburst teaching from a distance, and Rainbow and Fluttershy missing, we're all stretched a little bit too thin." She gently caressed Yona's cheek. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

Yona nodded. "I understand. It's a lot to ask, and I'd never be able to make it down there under normal circumstances. They don't even make diving suits for yaks."

Rarity pulled her head back, her face contorting into a series of different pouts as her eyes darted around the room. After rubbing her chin, she grinned. "I have an idea, deary. Wait here for just a moment."

She rushed over to her desk and pulled out a sketch pad and charcoal. "Turn toward the blackboard and hold that position?"

Yona did exactly as Rarity asked, having modeled for her before. Rarity, being particularly good with a charcoal pencil, managed to quickly put together her idea and then rip the page out of the pad. "It may be a bit of a hefty venture, but I think we can organize something that can allow you to dive down there. What do you think?"

It was just a black and white pencil drawing sketched out in less than a minute, but Rarity's approximation was absolutely beautiful. "What is it?"

"This," beamed Rarity, "Is a truly spectacular idea. It's a rubberized dive suit meant specifically for yaks. It keeps your expertly coiffed hair bundled up close to you for warmth, as it's very cold when you're that far down, and provides you with flippers and an air helmet to be able to move and breathe down there. You could probably even put together outfits for the rest of your friends, too. I have faith in you, Yona."

Yona blushed. "But I don't know how to sew with rubber. What if I mess it up?"

Rarity chuckled. "I'll admit, it's quite an advanced technique. After all, if you poke a hole in linen nopony will notice, but if you poke a hole in this, it'll pull right apart. I'm going to help you through this with some after-class special lessons. How's that sound?"

Yona lunged forward and wrapped her hooves around Rarity's shoulders. "Thank you so much, miss Rarity!"

Rarity grunted, being hugged too tightly, but gently rubbed Yona's shoulders, regardless. "It's not a big deal, darling. I'd do it for anypony."

"But I'm a yak!"

"Anycreature, sorry. I'm still having some issues with that..."

"So when should I stop by?" asked Yona excitedly.

"I'll have to order in the materials, first. When they arrive, I'll let you know, and we can start then. It's a good thing we have a lot of time before your next break, so there's plenty of time to learn from your mistakes."

The bell rang again, and Rarity looked up at the clock.

"Oh, my. I'm so dreadfully sorry, Yona. I've gone and made you late for your next class. Come, now, dear. I'll escort you to your next lesson and tell your instructor that I bear a fair amount of the blame. Who's your next instructor today?"

Yona shuffled her hooves. "...Miss Fluttershy."

Rarity grunted uncomfortably. "Well... I take it that your class with her has gone to independent study?"

Yona nodded. "Unless Twilight found a new teacher to fill in."

"Well, let's go find out, shall we?"

Rarity followed Yona to her next class, chatting about how the disappearance of the teacher had changed the direction the class was going. When they arrived, while a small portion of the class was as studious and loyal as Yona described, many of the students had adopted the mindset of "if there is no teacher, then we need not do the work."

Yona immediately rushed over to her table to see how her group was faring. They were growing yarrow in their plot, with other groups doing borage and eelgrass. The other five groups had abandoned their projects without direction.

Not having a class during this time, Rarity had planned to catch up on her own personal work, but seeing how hard some of the students were working, she opted to let it fall away in favour of teaching Fluttershy's class. After all, when she came back, she didn't want Fluttershy to be too terribly disappointed.

"Settle down, please!" she called out. "If all of you could settle down now, we can begin with a quick introduction. Everyone?"

A few of the students, Yona's group and the borage group next to them, turned to face the front of the room. The eelgrass group was focused on their assignment, and could be forgiven for ignoring Rarity, but the rest of them were still chatting, and not about botany.

Furrowing her brow, Rarity grabbed a cultivator and scratched it against the chalkboard. The ear-splitting noise was enough to draw everyone's attention. "If you could find your seats, we can begin."

Chapter the Fifty-Third: Cooking Up a Plan

"You put the whole thing in the oven, set the timer for an hour,
and that's how you make your banana bread with power!"

After her rap was finished, Pinkie bounced around the room, watching over the students as they fixed up their baked goods as intended. Sandbar had been paying close attention, but had missed the call for sodium bicarbonate, and was thus baking a brick today. As he popped it into the oven, Pinkie bounced up to him. "How ya doin', Sandbar?"

"Oh, I'm doin'..." he chuckled. "Had a bit of a stress scare recently, but everything worked out okay."

"What happened? Can I help by singing a song?"

"No, that's fine. Gallus had a bottle of some chemical spill on him that hurt his eyes, but we washed it out. He's fine now."

"Can I sing a song, anyway?"

Sandbar rubbed the back of his neck. "I... guess so?"

As Pinkie started beatboxing, Sandbar set the timer on his oven for just under an hour to make up for the time he'd spent talking with Pinkie.

"Hey, Miss Pinkie Pie, can I ask you something?"

"Well, you certainly can, my friend, Sandbar.
I hope you won't find it too bizarre,
if I answer all of your thoughts with rhyme;
in fact I hope you find it an enjoyable time!"

As she slipped back into her beatboxing, Sandbar cleared his throat and started bobbing his head.

"Well, teach, I hope you don't mind if I begin,
by telling you I wanna spend time with my friends.
We're takin' a vacation in a couple of weeks,
and we... ummm..."

There was some murmuring as Pinkie continued to beatbox, waiting for him to finish, hoping he'd stick to the rhyme scheme. If he floundered, that was okay; she wouldn't totally roast him if he dropped the ball.

"And he don't want it to reek!" shouted a mare at the next table over.

"And I don't want it to reek." nodded Sandbar.

Pinkie picked up right where he left off.

"Well, tell me 'bout your plans, and I hope they're not too long,
'cause I'd hate for you to come back sayin' everything went wrong.
Time spent with friends should be met with lots of smiles,
rather than a string of sadness that drags on for miles and miles.
To help you pass the time, I suggest a travel game,
to keep you occupied if the transportation's lame."

There was a bit of clapping from the rest of the class, and even some cheering.

"We're going to Aquestria with our friend, Silverstream,
to see her home town for which her eyes gleam.
We're starting on a train from right here in Ponyville,
and going to Manehattan, where we're gonna... gonna..."

"Take a spill?" suggested a gryphon.

"Eat your fill!" called a dragon.

"Hang out and chill!" said a yak.

"We're gonna hang out and chill," accepted Sandbar.

Pinkie nodded and smiled.

"Well, if you're going to Aquestria, you're gonna need some help.
Sure, they have food you can eat, like seaweed and kelp,
but any baked goods will be dissolving in the water,
and to keep the fish away, you are gonna need a spotter.
Much more than that, you're gonna need some gills,
or you'll completely miss your chance to enjoy all the thrills,
'cause ya can't relax and ya can't calm down,
if the whole time that you're there, you're tryin' not to drown."

"Well, that's just it, I can't breathe under the sea.
Do you have a way of helping me?"

"Ya wanna take to water like a duck?
Pinkie Pie can help you; you're in luck!
I know of the ingredients to a special cake,
and it's an easy recipe; just mix and bake!"

Sandbar's eyes shot open, and he had to take a step back. He'd never heard of such a thing.

"Are you tellin' me that there's a baked good
that can let me swim around her neighborhood?
I thought for sure that I was gonna need some air,
to keep me from succumbing to the... water?"

"Pressure down there!" called the crowd.

"Right, that..."

Pinkie furrowed her brow, but did not stop beatboxing.

"Well, this cake doesn't assist you in breathing,
it's more of a workaround to keep you achieving.
It makes you swim faster, smoother, stronger,
but it won't help you stay underwater longer.
It'll help you surface, though, and that's a big relief,
'cause Silverstream was raised near the top of the reef.
You can and should surface with regularity,
unless you have diving suits from my mare, Rarity."

"I think my friend Yona's asking her for assistance."

"Then I doubt Rarity's gonna put up a resistance."

"Is there any other help you can offer us, Pinkie?"

"Let me see, now, Sandbar," she answered, tapping her forehead. "Thinky, thinky, thinky...
Yes, I can help her in showing off the suits,
from the diving helmet down to the diving boots.
That way you know what every feature is,
and you can drop down there, knowing all the biz!"

"You're a lifesaver, Pinkie Pie, really, you are."

"Lifesavers are a type of candy, silly Sandbar!"

With that, Pinkie stopped beatboxing, and the whole room cheered for her and Sandbar's duet, though mostly for Pinkie's parts. She was clearly well-versed in verse, and had paid several billz with her skillz. Sandbar, on the other hoof, was very much out of his element, and had been doing his best to keep up, though he had needed some audience participation to keep going.

As Pinkie bounced around the room to check on how the other tables were doing with their banana bread, Sandbar brought his dirty dishes back to the sink. Having Pinkie ready to help out with the diving suits was a good thing. With what they needed to do to her and Rarity, they had a unique need to be able to cover them in some kind of shroud, and if they could fit in the diving suits, that would make them unidentifiable.

There was still a lot they had to figure out, like how to convince them to take Zecora's potion, but they had created an opening. That, more than anything, was the point of today.

Chapter the Fifty-Fourth: Measure Twice

For the past week, Rarity had been running herself ragged, with Yona and Sandbar operating as her aides. For Sandbar, this meant an opportunity to close in on Rarity, and for Yona, it meant extra credit in her design class and extra lessons after insect studies. It turned out that Rarity had started teaching Fluttershy's class that she thought was about gardening, but was actually about insects. The plants they were taking care of were supposed to, and did, attract a whole swarm of dragonflies. A small one, as many of the students had let their projects fall to pieces, but a swarm, nonetheless.

After her initial screaming fit, she had taken note of the patterns on their wings and the delicate structures of their bodies, and even their big, adorable eyes, and had taken a liking to their likenesses, designing a dragonfly-inspired hair pin, which she gave to Yona for all of her help.

It was after this long week of stretching herself thin that the neoprene finally arrived. Rarity called Yona into her office after a long day of handling the workload of two ponies. She'd recently taken to wearing her mane in a bun to keep it out of the way.

"Now, Yona, we have the materials available to construct the suits you wanted to make. I know we were focusing on basic design and simple stitching techniques, so this is going to be the steepest rise in difficulty you'll ever have in my classes. In fact, your final assignment for this semester is probably going to be easier than this, but you know better than any of the other students how difficult this last week has been."

Yona nodded along. She'd been grading the other students' paperwork during this time to ingratiate herself to Rarity. This was not only true of the fashion class, but also for insect studies.

"Did you manage to take measurements of your friends as I asked?"

Yona reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook. Six pages had crude drawings of her friends, as she wasn't exactly great at replicating them, along with accurate measurements.

Rarity looked over them, nodding along. "Well, first of all, we're not going to need a suit for Silverstream. It is her home, after all, and she can take the form of a seapony to alleviate all of the issues with diving below the sea. As sweet as it is to make sure she's not left out, we're already making several others simply as utilitarian. If we still have time and materials, we'll have hers done last. While it is generous to make sure your friends are all included in your gifts, it's generous enough that you opted to make it possible to spend the necessary time together."

"Right, sorry..."

"Don't be. Your heart's in the right place." She moved through the next few. "Did you tell your friends that they would need to keep their wings tucked in for this venture?"

"I did."

Rarity turned around the design. "Smolder has her wings out for this one."

"Yeah, but the measurements written down are with her wings tucked in. I just couldn't convince her to stand still on the ground long enough to sketch her wings closed."

"Mhmm... I used to have the same problem with Rainbow Dash. Right, then." Rarity left her drawings on the table and went over to the cabinet to pull out the material. "Now, I was able to come away with three colours of the material: tangelo, raven, and azure. Can you believe they tried to sell me persimmon and ultramarine for this?"

"Well, I don't think persimmon would be a horrible choice. It's a bit closer to Smolder's scale tone."

"Yes, but dear, then it looks like she's not wearing anything from a certain distance. You really want to strike a balance with your colours, rather than letting them blend together. For example, other colours my provider has are oceanic blue, coral orange, and kelp green. While they are indeed very much in tune with the concept, if your friends were caught in a bed of coral, an oceanic current, or a tangle of kelp, they'd blend right in. In those situations, their very lives could depend on you being able to spot them from a distance, so we want bright, vivacious hues." She patted Yona's head. "It's all for safety, dear. Remember how we were talking about visibility a few days ago?"

Yona nodded. "Where do we start?"

"Best to do Sandbar, first, dear." Rarity pulled out a dress form in the shape of a pony. "Because I already have something in his body plan and size. I'll need to prepare builds for the rest of your friends."

"Right. Walk me through it."

Despite being stretched thin already, Rarity found her vigor in making the outfit. She was tired when they began, but an hour of hard work had her pumped up and feeling alive again. Having Yona help, even with her skill level being lower than Rarity's, had sped up the process significantly, and it wasn't long at all before they had the first suit in orange and black all stitched up and ready to go.

"Oh, my word," huffed Rarity, slumping down in a chair. "That was truly exciting. I haven't put this much effort into an outfit in quite some time. Normally, there would be countless revisions leading to long nights at the sewing machine, but... Oh, I think I shall enjoy working on the others' with you."

Yona blushed. "I had a good teacher."

"Normally, I'd decline such praise, but your work sings for you."

"You mean, it speaks for itself?"

"No. Better. Beyond the buttressed balcony, this beautiful banding bellows "Yona Yak!" I daresay, everypony will want something so divine!"

"Oh, it's nothing, really..."

"Nothing?! Look at that fabulous shoulder joint! That is a beautiful shoulder, and you should be proud! Most of my more advanced students have trouble with shoulders! Truly, if you perform this well at the final exam, you'll be a shoo-in for the next course!"

"Th-thank you, Miss Rarity."

"Now, then, we're almost finished. We just have to apply a coat of liquid sealant to make sure that the seams are waterproof. This stuff is basically liquid rubber and smells terrible, plus the fumes can be quite the irritant. Would you mind going to open a few windows while I mix it up?"

"And once it's dry, he can try it on, right?"

Rarity smiled broadly and nodded, trying and failing to hide her excitement.

Chapter the Fifty-Fifth: Rubber Fashion Show

The lights flashed twice, then dimmed. The display was about to begin, and the students, minus Yona, rushed to their seats. Yona was in the back, helping Pinkie into her suit.

"You have to suck in that gut, Pinkie," scolded Rarity. "What in Equestria were you thinking?"

"I was imagining what it's like to be Fluttershy, and so very afraid of the stage, so I did when I always do when I'm afraid of the stage and ate some corn cakes, but that made me feel fat, and I knew that everyone was going to comment on how bloated I was, and how that would ruin your fashion show and that made me nervous, so I ate even more corn cakes and then I ran out of corn cakes, and I was worried that I'd eaten the whole school's supply of corn cakes so I made two dozen more and--"

"Pinkie, take a breath!"

Pinkie took a deep breath in, then out. As she exhaled, Yona squeezed in her gut a bit while Rarity pulled up the zipper. "Thanks, girls," she wheezed.

"Honestly, you could have picked a less obtrusive way of dealing with your stress. Couldn't you have just taken a bubble bath, or something?"

"Great idea, Rarity! I'll go do that now!"

Before Pinkie could bounce off, Rarity closed the door. "There's no time, now. You're on in less than five minutes!"

Pinkie turned to Yona. "Hug for luck?"

As Yona stretched out her hooves, Rarity secured the dive mask. "No! No hugs! You'll smudge the makeup!"

Pinkie's hair flopped down dejectedly. "Okay..."

"You can hug after the show," sighed Rarity. "Just not right now."

As the music started playing, Yona grabbed Pinkie's hoof, reinflating her mane and ushering her out onto the stage. As Pinkie continued, Rarity stayed behind the curtain, and Yona stepped off to the side to read her cue cards.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the star of our show, Miss Pinkie Pie!"

"It's a one-pony show," whispered Gallus. "And she only has the one outfit. Can this really be called a show?"

"We're all going to be trying on our own outfits after the show," answered Sandbar. "Except me and Silverstream, because Pinkie's wearing mine, and Silverstream neither needs nor wants a dive suit."

"Yeah, but she can turn into a seapony," argued Gallus. "She has a less restrictive outfit already. That's like trying to disguise yourself as somecreature that needs to go to prison, and she happens to already have a guard outfit. Why would she even consider wearing hoofcuffs?"

"SHH!!" growled Smolder, turning around and baring her fangs behind her claw. "Some of us are trying to watch!"

As Pinkie swapped between poses, Yona went over the material and its properties. Some of the stances Pinkie was taking were ridiculous. First was standing up straight, followed by bouncing as if about to dive, then covering her nose and shimmying to the floor as if sinking. Those were fine poses, but other poses she took were far from typical. Sure, suspending herself in the air and swimming in place were sufficiently Pinkie, but Parcheesi? That was not a common underwater activity. Nor was playing hopscotch. And who could have guessed that she had a marshmallow on a stick hidden just offstage to pantomime roasting over a fire. How would they even light a fire underwater?

"Pinkie will now demonstrate the accessories that come with this set," continued Yona. "The dive mask is very important to the outfit, as that's what allows the wearer to avoid drowning. First, the goggles. The water in Aquestria is saltwater, and thus can sting your eyes if you aren't used to it. These goggles provide a clean hermetic seal around your eyes that will keep them dry, unless you begin to cry, in which case goggles will not help. But they are durable, and made of a scratch-resistant material, to keep your vision unclouded and clear."

As Yona spoke, Pinkie pointed out the different sections of the goggles, and even wiped a pretend tear from her eye.

"Covering your mouth and nose is a mask. The tubes leading in and out of that mask supply you with oxygen. At the other end of the tube is an oxygen tank, which you will wear on your back. The tanks Pinkie is wearing are empty right now to account for their weight, something you are more likely to notice on land than you will under the water."

Pinkie turned the knobs on her tanks, finding that one was not quite empty as it jetted her back behind the curtain.

Yona hastily flipped through a few more cards until she found the one to read when Pinkie made her exit. "And that's how the flippers work. Any questions?"

After the show, Everyone except Yona and Silverstream had slipped into their suits to make sure they fit properly. Yona's wasn't complete because they had run out of the black material. At one point, Yona pointed out that they had the black neoprene, but Rarity was quick to point out that the colours they had in stock right then were onyx, jet and pitch, not raven.

"These fit pretty nice," congratulated Sandbar, wearing the suit that Pinkie had just removed. "Very nicely done, Yona."

"She did a wonderful job, didn't she?" smiled Rarity. "Truly, a well-educated student. I certainly have a future competitor to look out for."

"It's a little snug in the tail," complained Gallus. "If I were to lean too far forward, I fear I would rip it."

"Afraid of a dive suit, Gallus?" teased Smolder, elbowing his ribs.

"That's by design," interjected Rarity. "You'll hardly notice it at all when you're in the water. Your back legs will be behind you, much like when you fly. You've noticed the same thing on flight suits, correct?"

"That's the way it is on the Wonderbolt's outfit," agreed Smolder. "Of course, I stand upright, so I hardly notice."

"I just thought it was an oversight," said Ocellus. "I shrank down my hindquarters to make sure I fit."

"Well, we wanted to thank you both, anyway," smiled Sandbar, pulling out a box with two cupcakes. "I mean this honestly; we could not have done any of this without both of your help. On behalf of all of us, we'd like to offer you this small token of our appreciation. It doesn't accurately represent our gratitude, but we would like you to know how much we care."

Pinkie eyed the cupcakes hungrily. "Are those triple-layer banana cream cheese and fudge?! I'm starving!"

"You just ate three dozen corn cakes!" scolded Rarity. "Right before the show!"

"Yeah, but I have a hollow leg just for cupcakes!"

Rarity approached. "They do look marvelous. Oh, why not?"

Chapter the Fifty-Sixth: Cleaning Up

There was a knock at the door.

"I can't come to the door right now," called Gallus. "Who is it?"

"It's me," answered Yona. "Trixie's here, too. Can we come in?"

"If you must."

The door opened, and Trixie and Yona entered to find Gallus sitting at his desk, pouring over his book of classical sculpting. "We're here to collect Sandbar," smiled Yona. "Is he nearby?"

"Very close now," breathed Gallus, scratching his head. "He'll be with you shortly."

"Great, well, it's time to go now," huffed Trixie, tapping her hoof. "There's a rather clear time limit. We have to finish by morning, or it's all over."

"It's not going to take me long to finish," grunted Gallus. "I'll help you in just a minute..."

Trixie cocked her head to the side. "You're joining us? You look pretty engrossed in that book."

"I'm coming," groaned Gallus, holding his breath for a few seconds, then flopping back in his chair, panting. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath, he scooted back, and passed his hoofkerchief under the desk. Sandbar came out with a cum-splattered mouth, wiping it away the cloth.

"Is it time already?" asked Sandbar, wobbling as he stood up. He'd been stuck under the desk for the past half hour and was kind of stiff. "I guess that took longer than I was expecting. He's starting to last longer."

"I don't always want to last less than two minutes," puffed Gallus. "We've been practising."

"Nonstop," smiled Sandbar.

"Well, it's time to go," huffed Trixie, holding out a key.

Yona and Sandbar moved as smoothly down the hall as they could. They tried not to make a lot of noise, but they also weren't trying to make everything silent. They were speaking in hushed tones, but not whispering. If anypony came across them, they wouldn't be thinking that they were sneaking around, merely that they were walking the corridors leading to the teachers' bedrooms, which would only be suspicious after finding Pinkie and Rarity either morphed or missing.

"So, you've been practising a lot with Gallus?" whispered Yona. "Rather than switching around with the rest of us?"

"I've been swapping," whispered Sandbar back. "Gallus is just really insistent that we train often. He wants to be at the top of his game, and I really want him to succeed in that."

"Well, I'm glad, but I'd really like to spend some alone time with you, too. He has a reason he wants to be the best, and I respect that, but I feel like I'm being cast to the side, you know?"

Sandbar lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I do love you, Yona. The only reason I've been so gung-ho with Gallus is that he's so available, always being in my room. I promise, I'll make time for you soon."

Yona smiled and blushed. "Thanks, Sandbar. I love you, too."

They stopped in front of Rarity's door. A fast, rhythmic thumping was heard behind the door. Sandbar turned to Yona and swallowed hard. "Are you sure she's done? It sounds like she's still working in there."

"She should be done. Maybe that sound is something else?" Yona pushed the key into the lock and gave it a turn. When they heard the latch click, she pushed the door open.

Rarity was sitting at her desk, the sewing machine thumping along and eating up her thread. The sheets of fabric she had been binding were sitting on the floor in front of her desk, bound exactly as they were meant to be. Rarity sat perfectly still, her body made of rubber and her hoof compressing the pedal that operated the machine.

"She's going to be okay, right?" asked Yona. "She's not dead, is she?"

"Zecora said the potion would put her into a state of being life-like rubber," said Sandbar, poking at her shoulder. "She should be fine when we give her the antidote."

Yona picked her up, stopping the machine from running. She carried Rarity over to the bed and placed her on her back. "She's supposed to be posable, right? Adjust her so that she can be slipped into the suit."

As Yona went off to the closet to find something to dress her in that would completely cover her tail and face, Sandbar was left to pose her. He started by moving her head into position, finding that her jaw was hinged. Her mouth was very easy to open, and yet it held its position perfectly. He shifted her front hooves down a little bit, as they were already set up to go into an outfit.

Her back hooves were a bit more of an issue. Not that they were difficult to move, but Sandbar had not finished himself off with Gallus, and Rarity was now on full display for him to see. He wondered if she was still penetrable, a question better answered before her legs came down.

He started by pulling apart her flanks. Both holes opened wide as he stretched them. He slipped his hoof into her pussy just a few centimetres, and found it to be very pleasant. She was still warm, and her muscles gripped him tightly.

Hearing Yona approaching, he pulled out his hoof and went back to bending her legs into position.

"Good news," smiled Yona. "Rarity was working on a stealth outfit that tucks away the tail and mane and hides the face. The rest of her can be referred to as an equinequin, explaining the dress. Everypony knows I'm taking her class and doing extra credit work for her, so no one will question why I have an equinequin and extra fabric. I'm making a dress, obviously."

"Right, of course," nodded Sandbar, finishing Rarity's legs. "Do you think we need baby powder? It was kind of difficult to slip into those suits you two made, and her skin feels just like it."

Yona shrugged. "Maybe? Let's try without, first. I don't want to have to clean it up."

Fortunately, they didn't need to take a lot of time fitting her into the outfit, as the stretchy material went on pretty smoothly, and when they were done, Rarity looked like a navy blue equinequin, without the pole holding her aloft. They moved her into position, then mounted her on Sandbar's back while Yona carried some fabric to make it look like he was helping her carry school supplies. They weren't spotted on their way back to Sandbar's room, but at least they had a plan in case they were.

Chapter the Fifty-Seventh: Lockdown

After the sudden disappearance of Pinkie and Rarity, who had been curled up into small boxes and sent to Zecora's hut for temporary storage, both of them seeping with seed, Applejack had instituted a call for much higher security. Guards stood at every entrance and patrolled the halls. While this was meant to not interfere with the education of the students, it absolutely did, slowing down passageways through doors as the guards checked their saddlebags, random stops in the hallways, and regular dorm inspections to make sure nothing was going on.

Gallus especially had to keep his beak clean. Applejack had noticed him being present when Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had disappeared, he'd been at the last extracurricular function that Rarity and Pinkie had attended, and he'd been in the Crystal Palace when the royal family disappeared. Applejack had a strong suspicion that he was involved, and when he came to Twilight asking to help with the guard duty as part of his OJT, Applejack ensured that he would do no such thing.

Trixie wrote to Starlight, telling her about the situation, a letter that Applejack insisted on reading before it could leave, being suspicious of her, as well. Noting the increase in security, Starlight sent her response to Fluttershy's cottage, which was collected by Silverstream when she went to check on the lovers. As she instructed, they were to meet her first in Starlight's manor to discuss the plan, then Trixie would return to the school. Soon, Starlight could drop in to look over what had gone down.

Both mares brought a guest each to the meeting. "Cozy Glow, at last we meet," smiled Zecora. "Your return was no mean feat."

Cozy nodded. "It wasn't easy, either. I'm curious; how did you find out about that?"

Starlight cleared her throat. "Girls, the mission?"

Cozy raised her hoof to Zecora. "We'll talk later."

They all sat down at the table. Starlight and Trixie joined hooves across the table and smiled at each other before quickly returning to the meeting.

"Applejack is causing a problem at the school," said Trixie. "Trixie is concerned that it may end up outing us all as she turns up the pressure. Somepony's going to break, and I think it might be Gallus."

"That would indeed be quite a shame," sighed Zecora. "He's imperative to our little game."

"It's worse, actually," admitted Cozy. "I placed a curse on him that will force the other five into suffering if he's outed, so losing him means they all go, as well."

Starlight scowled "Why would you do that?"

"It's a matter of loyalty," answered Cozy. "They have to all work together or go down together. If one of them had cold hooves, or claws, or whatever, backing out of the contract would cause them to be surrounded by the wails of those that they betrayed." She turned to Trixie. "So have the other five relieve him of some of that pressure."

"Excuse me for being terse," puffed Zecora, "but why not just remove the curse? If Gallus should fall, the others go free, more able to help, if full of ennui."

"Then one of the others could just give themselves up, and then give up the locations where we're hiding the bodies we've absconded with. Their poisons can be counteracted, and we have to start the whole thing over from two steps ago, this time one player down and with the opposition being very defensive. We can't risk a backstep. We'll just have to take Applejack out of the equation."

Trixie nodded. "Cozy's right. We need to remove Applejack from power. She's going to break somepony eventually. So, how do we do that?"

Starlight leaned back. "Maybe we just let it happen?"

Cozy scowled. "Have you completely lost your mind?! What did I just say?! If Applejack breaks one of them, she breaks the rest of them!"

Starlight shook her head. "We don't let her break them all the way. We let her push them all to the breaking point. We make Applejack drive up the security to the point where the students are acting out, then let Twilight see what's become of her students. If Silverstream leaves Applejack's office with a bruise, Twilight will be so pissed that she'll turn her back on Applejack, relieving her of duty as Twilight's guardian, a role that will be filled by Gallus."

Zecora leaned back in her seat. "Are you sure that the students can handle the blow? They're not quite as durable as Cozy Glow."

"Oh, they'll manage," assured Starlight. "They'll have Trixie tending to them."

Trixie put her hoof to her chest. "You trust me with something this important?"

"With my very life," answered Starlight, leaning over the table and giving her a kiss.

"It may very well cost you that," snorted Cozy. "If you fuck this up, Twilight will send you both to the dungeons, where you'd best hope that I forget you. I'm not so forgiving of failure."

Zecora tapped her hoof on the table. "What's to be done with Applejack? We need to prevent her from coming right back. I don't think it'll work, going the same route as the others; turned into fleshlights and fucking their brothers."

Cozy nodded. "Zecora's right. Whether we vanish her or have her banished, we still need to hide the body somewhere. If we put her in Fluttershy's cottage, we'll be drawing too much attention. We're already drawing more attention there than I would like, what with the fuck-up. I'm not sure how big Zecora's bedroom is, but Gallus said it was small, and having three ponies in there already means it's likely already crowded. Plus, that's going to busy her too much."

"They're rubber dolls with working twats," chuckled Zecora. "They spend their whole day standing in the same spots. They aren't much trouble to me as they are quite still. But additional presence would test my maneuvering skill."

"So, what do we do with her?" asked Trixie. "Trixie doesn't care what it is. If we have to lock her in a dungeon or something, Trixie is fine with that, just pick something, already!"

Starlight grabbed her hoof again. "Calm yourself, my pet," she smiled. "We'll come up with something before we leave." Her smile spread from one of gentle calmness to one of menace. "In fact, I just have..."

Chapter the Fifty-Eighth: Gallus Turns Himself In

With shaking claws, Gallus stepped into the hallway. He'd just finished having sex with Silverstream, and while she had rolled over and went to sleep, he had other things he needed to be doing. He swallowed hard and started down the hallway.

He'd taken to wearing his helmet lately. After the lockdown was announced, he'd started carrying a knife, and being a trusted security buff, he'd been swarmed by students looking for his protection. Applejack had put a stop to that, making him remove the knife from school grounds. Now he carried a claw file, instead. It wasn't a weapon, but he could stab somepony with it if he needed to.

The point of doing so was twofold. If Applejack found out what was going on, he needed protection. If she didn't, it would make the other students feel paranoid. Gallus always knew when there was a fight coming. If he saw one approaching, then it was time to seek shelter. Many of the students believed that they were next.

He walked down the halls, trying to hide his apprehension. There would be no shame in turning around and waiting for another night. Nopony would know but him. He could go back to Silverstream's room and climb up into her bed, resting and waiting for tomorrow.

He shook his head. Waiting until tomorrow would only make him want to wait until the next day, and then the next. Putting things off only worked if you knew that better conditions were coming. Things would only become more tense from this point until something forced his claw. Best to do this now, when he still had a choice in the matter.

Of course, Headmare Twilight's bedroom was guarded at this hour. She was in there, after all. As he approached the guards, he put his claws in the air, then against the far wall. "I need to talk to Headmare Twilight. If you wouldn't mind searching me, we can move this along."

The guards looked at each other. "You... want a full cavity search?"

"My ideal is the safety of Headmare Twilight. If you want me to tell her that you let somepony in who was hiding a dagger up their arse, I ca--"

Gallus shut up as one of the guards began searching him very thoroughly, even going so far as to shove a gloved hoof up his arse. Gallus had left his file behind, knowing that they'd be reluctant to let him in if he had been carrying a makeshift weapon. He'd actually worked with both of them previously.

When they were satisfied, one of them rapped on the door for him. Applejack pulled the door open. "What do you want, Gallus?" she growled.

"I need to talk to Headmare Twilight," said Gallus. "It's a matter concerning her safety."

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "You'd best be tellin' the truth," she growled. "Search 'im."

"We did," said one of the guards. "He's clean."

"Search 'im again," insisted Applejack. "Ah wanna make sure ya do it right."

Gallus shrugged and placed his claws against the wall again. Once more, he was searched thoroughly, and after Applejack inspected his eyes closely to ensure that he wasn't a rogue changeling, she begrudgingly let him come in, but left the door open. "One word from me, an' the guards'll be on you like a coyote on a cadaver," Applejack warned.

Twilight sighed, clearly already frustrated by the increased security. "Such a macabre analogy." She picked herself up and becalmed her face for Gallus. "What is it you need, Gallus? If you're ready to submit to a cavity search twice, it must be pretty important."

"It most certainly is," he nodded. "I'd once again like to offer my services for your protection."

"No!" groused Applejack.

Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. "Listen, Gallus, I appreciate the offer, and I recognise that you really want to help. Trust me, if I had more say in the matter, I'd want you by my side throughout. But right now, there's an increased pressure on security within the security forces. You're too young for me to send you though the standards required to guard me."

Gallus took a deep breath. "I've uncovered a plot," he said plainly. "Cozy Glow is back, and she's trying to take you out of the picture."

"We know she's back," sneered Applejack. "An' it don't take a genius ta figure out that she's slowly encroachin' on Twilight. Attackin' her family, attackin' her friends... This ain't exactly a news flash."

He turned to Applejack. "You're next in line, Applejack. She's going to take you down and then go after Twilight."

"How'd you come by this information?" asked Twilight. "What makes you so sure?"

Gallus reached into his helmet, which had not been checked, and pulled out a ripped-open envelope that said "Open when you're alone" on the front in Cozy's hoofwriting. "I found this under a bush in the masonry section of the gardens as I was leaving class."

Applejack tried to snatch it, but Twilight grabbed it instead with her magic, quickly scanning over it. "It even smells like Cozy's preferred brand of perfume," she noted. "She congratulates the recipient for a job well done kidnapping Pinkie and Rarity by turning them to stone and dragging them out to the gardens to hide among the other statues. She goes on to say that the bodies have since been..." she choked up a bit, "disposed of..."

Applejack glares at Gallus for bringing this news, but he continues to stand stone-faced.

"She then goes on to say that there are poison darts in the clock tower, and a clear like of sight between your office window and the tower, and that they should strike after class when you're grading papers." Twilight covered her mouth like she was going to be sick. After a hard swallow, she turned to Applejack. "I told you something felt unsafe about your office this afternoon!"

Applejack looked like she'd been shaken by this revelation. Having Twilight's safety at the forefront of her mind, she was okay with taking a hit. Now that she was the target, that changed things.

Or did it? Gallus could have forged it to make it seem as if she were the target so they would have a clear shot at Twilight. "Ya can't seriously believe this, right, Twilight?"

Twilight took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. "Thank you for bringing this, Gallus. It seems I was a bit hasty in my decision to disallow you joining the security force."

Gallus held his head high. "I promise, I will not leave your side."

"No," corrected Twilight. "You will. You will not leave Applejack's side."

Applejack's jaw dropped. "Have you spit your bit?!"

Twilight shook her head. "Applejack, you wanted to keep a closer eye on him. I said no. Now that we know that somepony's coming after you, you can watch him, and he'll watch you. And, it keeps him out of the struggle going on in internal affairs."

Applejack groaned. "Fine..."

Chapter the Fifty-Ninth: Truth and Justice

Gallus sat in front of the door in Applejack's office. The shades had been drawn, the windows had been closed, and a guard had been posted at the entrance to the tower that looked into the office. The area had been searched, and finding a poison dart and a dart gun, Twilight's trust in Gallus had been fortified. He was considered a trusted friend.

Not quite so much in Applejack's eyes. Despite the fact that he was often just standing off to the side and checking every doorway, window and tapestry for hidden threats, he was a huge distraction to her. Every thirty seconds, she'd glance at him to make sure he wasn't doing anything untoward.

There had been five instances where she'd tried to leave him behind, all toilet-related. Twice, she'd tried sneak out the window where he could not go, and he'd taken to cuffing her to another mare whenever she went to the lavatory after that. Three times, he'd needed to pee, and she'd run off, leading to him carrying around a bottle, something she found utterly disgusting. The past week had been hell for them both because of this. They were always butting heads, with him wanting to make Twilight proud by protecting Applejack, and her treating him as if he were openly committing treason.

The only time Gallus wasn't with her was when they both were sleeping, and a rotation of guards stayed outside of her bedroom for that. As a result, Gallus was feeling very pent up. From two or three times daily to not at all was a pretty drastic change, but any time spent in his dorm was spent sleeping. He needed it, after spending the whole day fighting with Applejack.

"At least we know your food is safe," he said one day while they were having dinner. "Having your own brother bring it means the likelihood that it's poisoned is ridiculously low."

Applejack looked up from her dinner. "And jus' what are you accusin' mah brother of doin'?" she growled.

"Nothing," shrugged Gallus. "That was my whole point. If you had somepony else bringing it, I'd have to test everything to make sure it was safe, but your brother probably won't poison you."

"Whad'd'ya mean, "probably?" Mah brother is more trustworthy than you'd ever be. Ah trust him with mah life. A wouldn't trust you ta deliver choc'late bunnies."

Gallus shook his head. "What do I have to do to clear my name? I'm not responsible for the deaths of any of your friends."

"Ya didn't protect 'em, neither. An' yer not even protectin' me. Ain't nopony comin' after me, an' you know it. That letter ya gave Twilight is a fake. Ah jus' don't know how to prove it, an' Ah can't figure it out with you loomin' over mah shoulder."

Gallus placed a claw against his chest. "That hurts, Applejack."

"Miss Applejack."

Gallus shook his head and rewrapped his egg salad sandwich. "Now you've gone and spoiled my appetite. I don't understand why you detest me so."

"It's because Ah know you're behind all of this."

"Why do you think that?"

"Ah don't think it, Ah know it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Ah know a liar when Ah see one."

Gallus sighed and folded his claws. "Fine. You don't have to believe me. You don't have to do anything. It's me that's being restricted, here."

"Not restricted enough, if ya ask me."

"This isn't ideal for me, either. While I harbor no animosity towards you, I'd much rather be protecting Twilight."

"That's what Ah'm doin'."

Not wanting to argue anymore, Gallus just sighed and leaned back. He glanced at the windows, then the door, and resumed his stoic stance. He had to remind himself why he was putting up with this. He was acting as Applejack's bodyguard, intentionally making her angry so that she would raise a complaint to Twilight, or perhaps do something that would force Twilight's hoof. He really didn't like arguing with her, but he absolutely knew that he should push her harder.

"What's it going to take?" he asked. "If, perchance, you'd been the one to disappear with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy would have little effort trusting me. Rainbow Dash would be working with me, Rarity would be appreciative, and Pinkie... Well, who knows how Pinkie would react? They would be far less abrasive, I think. Why are you fighting me on this?"

"Ya don't listen very good, do ya?" snorted Applejack. "Ah know you're involved. Ah feel it in mah gut. Ah smell it in the air around you. But Ah have nothin' ta back me up."

"Twilight trusts me," reasoned Gallus. "You don't have to trust me outright. Put your trust in her. Let her decision on who can and cannot be trusted put you at ease."

"She ain't always right," sighed Applejack. "She's wrong about you, for example."

"Surely, the fact that the two of you disagree is evidence that one of you is wrong. Surely, this is a call for a third opinion? Perhaps Starlight, or Trixie, or Sunburst?"

"Or how about your other co-conspirators, like Zephyr Breeze?"

Gallus snorted. "If you know where he is, why not ask him what happened to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?"

"Just because they all disappeared at once does not mean they're all together."

"You think they're not?"

"Ah think you know exactly where they are."

Gallus held his claw in the air. "Applejack, I swear to you, I have not seen them since the day they disappeared. I don't know what else I can tell you."

"How 'bout the truth?"

"I just told you the truth. The last time I saw them, they were here at the school, locking themselves in Rainbow Dash's office. I went back to my dorm with Smolder and Ocellus when we separated from them. You can ask them; they were there. I have an alibi for that night."

"Ah've read their statements. Ah believe that you were with them. Ah even believe that you were injured that night by chemicals that splashed in yer eyes. Ah'd even considered askin' ya why there were chemicals in yer eyes in the first place. But if Ah don't believe yer claims of not bein' involved in their disappearances, why in Equestria would I believe anythin' else ya have ta say?"

Gallus shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you."

Chapter the Sixtieth: Starlight's Return

Starlight was worried. Ever since she'd freed Cozy Glow, the filly's range of movement had been contained to a single building, or she'd been in disguise or in a container. Now she was out and about, flying free with no restrictions. While this was the end goal, she had hoped to have Twilight out of the picture before letting this happen.

Trixie put a hoof on her knee. "It'll be alright, my love," she smiled. "Twilight calling for your aid is a good thing. It means she's reaching out to those she trusts, and you're on that list. There can be no better place for you than at the front of her mind."

Starlight nodded and put her hoof on Trixie's belly. "You're beginning to show."

"So are you," smiled Trixie. "We need to hurry along our plans, or we'll be too distracted to finish them."

Gripping each others' hooves tightly, they took some deep breaths as their carriage rode into Ponyville. Cozy was to hide nearby and watch, and everything Starlight could hear went right into Cozy's ears via the spells she'd placed there. Cozy had the dart gun and half a dozen darts, all supplied by Zecora. While the darts and gun could be purchased from any creature catcher depot, meaning anypony could pick them up, the contents were Zecora's own brew.

The carriage stopped at the gates to the school of friendship, and Starlight stepped out, followed by Trixie. They were, of course, searched, though not particularly thoroughly. Their cavities were left alone, and special care was paid to their baby bumps.

When they were let through, Twilight rushed over to them and hugged them. "I'm so glad to see you're alright," she breathed, relieved. "I can't tell you how scared I was that you'd be targeted by whoever's killing my friends."

"Don't worry about me, Twilight," she smiled, hugging back. "I'll be right behind you until the very end. Now, let's go to your office. We never know who might be listening."

Cozy knew who might be listening. It was her.

After flying out of Starlight's carriage between Whinnyapolis and Ponyville, she'd braved the Everfree forest, and was now sitting just outside of town, hiding in a tree branch. Her part of the plan was simple; shoot Applejack with a poison dart. She just had to wait for the perfect time, which Starlight would help create.

"Take a few steps to look around the school," instructed Cozy. "Don't just go straight to Applejack. Ask about security issues."

Starlight cleared her throat. "So, have you had any incidents since the increase in security?"

"A few," answered Twilight. "Nothing serious, thankfully. Nopony's gone missing, there's less fighting between the students and teachers, but there's been a collective lashing at security. We've had more guards hit in the face with water balloons at this school in the past month than the rest of Equestria combined in the last ten years."

"Wow. How many water balloons?"

"Five! Five guard have been hit with water balloons! I know it's not harmful yet, but I fear that it soon will be, and I don't want to see that happen!"

Starlight put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Calm down. That's exactly what we don't need. No more panicking, okay?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Good. Now, you say that the students and teachers are fighting less often. Why do you think that is?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "I imagine they're scared, for one. The teachers are afraid that a student is eliminating them, so they're being nicer. The students think a teacher is trying to eliminate the others to take up all the glory for themselves. Both sides are afraid of involving the guards in their petty squabbles, but having no way to vent these frustrations, they turn them on the dominant force, that being the guards. It's disrespectful at worst, but I'm reluctant to punish, because this really should be something we can deescalate."

"Sounds perfectly reasonable to me," nodded Starlight. "Do the rest of the teachers agree?"

Twilight bobbed her head from side to side. "Some of them. Applejack thinks we should increase the pressure from the guards. She seems to think that doing so will catch the culprit behind this faster so the rest of us can go back to living happy, peaceful lives. I'm worried that doing so will cause more problems than it solves. After all, we're adding weight to completely innocent students."

"How is Applejack, by the by? Is she holding up okay?"

Twilight swallowed hard. "I think I've made a mistake with Applejack, actually..."

"Oh? How so?"

"She was so absolutely sure that Gallus was the one causing everypony to go missing. She was practically begging me to let her take him back to her barn and interrogate him. I wasn't about to subject him to that, in case he was innocent, but given any amount of tangible, non-circumstantial evidence, I would have let her pry a bit more. Then Gallus comes in saying he's found a threat against her life, and wants to join the guard forces. I thought it best to assign him to guard her."

"Why would that be a mistake?" chuckled Starlight. "It sounds like a fair compromise. He can act in defense of Applejack, and Applejack can keep an eye on him. It seems reasonable."

"It does, doesn't it?" groused Twilight. "But it seems to have just made everything worse. Now Applejack is complaining that always having him around is making it so that he can cover up or distract from evidence, and is preventing him from actually doing anything that would generate evidence."

"But isn't that a good thing?" asked Starlight. "If he were involved, and I'm not saying he is, wouldn't him not being able to advance his plans to kill her be a good thing?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't know. I thought so, but now I'm not so sure. It's just aggravating her, and I think it's turning him away from wanting to protect her."

"Don't be ridiculous, Twilight," chuckled Starlight. "He knows how to deal with ornery charges. Neither of them is going to break. They're both too stubborn."

Twilight sighed with relief. "You're right, of course. Come on, let's go see how they're doing."

Chapter the Sixty-First: Applejack Falls

When the mares arrived in Applejack's office, they were greeted to a staring contest. Applejack's eyes had not left Gallus's face for several minutes, glaring at him. All the while, he'd stayed as expressionless as he could, trying to bait her into lunging across her desk at him. He'd really been laying it on thick today, questioning Apple Bloom's parentage, noting that somepony should be at home making sure Granny Smith was alright, and mentioning that Big Macintosh was surprisingly strong for how rotund he was. The final straw was when he mentioned that the most widely-consumed fruit in the world, and therefore the best, was the banana.

Neither one moved as the door opened. There was a lot of tension in the room, and Gallus wanted it to stay that way until Twilight was there to see it all break at once.

"What's going on here?" asked Twilight, filing into the room with Starlight in tow. "What are you doing?"

"Tell her," growled Applejack. "Tell her what you said."

Without averting his eyes, Gallus reached down and opened his lunch pail, pulling out a banana. "I was just telling Applejack what my favourite fruit is and why." Slowly, he peeled the banana and gave it a good sniff. "They're very soft and easy to eat, so you can feed them to children and the elderly, whether they have teeth or not. The seeds are completely harmless, so you can feed them to your dog with no need for a knife, and they come in great big bundles, so picking them is easy. Just one cut, and you can feed a hundred ponies two each." He took a bite, chewing slowly.

Applejack's hooves were digging into the desk to keep from shaking. "Ah want him gone, Twilight."

Twilight sighed. "Applejack, you can't have him reassigned just because of his choice of food. That's not a good reason to leave you exposed."

"Ah don't care!" shouted Applejack. "Remove him form mah office, the school, and Ponyville! He ain't welcome so long as Ah'm here!"

"Applejack, you're being unreasonable. Please, just calm down so we can talk about this!"

"Either he goes, or Ah go. Which is it, Twilight?"

Twilight was almost in tears. "Applejack..."

Applejack stood up and walked out of the room. Gallus immediately tried to chase after her, as was his duty, but she grabbed him by the wrist and secured him to the door with the same cuffs he'd used to make sure she couldn't ditch him in the bathroom anymore.

"Applejack, wait!" called Twilight as Applejack ran off. She was about to chase after her, but Starlight put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Let me go after her," Starlight said. "She probably feels hurt that you took Gallus's side, so a perceived neutral party will have more luck convincing her."

"I wasn't taking Gallus's side!" insisted Twilight. "They were both acting like jerks! She just didn't let me finish!

"Still," insisted Starlight, "It looked like you were. I'll have a word with her. You stay and correct Gallus's behaviour."

As Starlight took off after Applejack, Twilight turned to Gallus. "Why did you provoke her? You know she was on edge."

"I wanted her to hit me," answered Gallus. "She's been so stressed out recently that I thought it would be best if she had some kind of punching bag. I didn't want it to be somepony who couldn't handle it, so I've been trying to redirect her anger onto me."

"You know that wouldn't stop her animosity, right? She'd still think you were guilty."

"True, but I saw her frustrations coming to head. She almost kicked one of the students yesterday, and I have just as much of a call to protect them from her as to protect her from... well, anypony. I'd rather it was me than somepony who didn't deserve it."

Twilight snorted. "Does that mean you did deserve it?"

"Well, today, at least."

"Where's the key to this thing?" asked Twilight, holding up his cuffed claw. "I can only presume that the reason you haven't tried to unlock yourself from the cuffs you keep with you is because you don't have the key readily available."

Gallus gestured into the office. "It's in my lunch pail."

When Starlight caught up to Applejack, she was already outside. So far outside that she was off of the school grounds. She was actually not too far from Fluttershy's cottage.

"Applejack, hold there for a minute!"

Applejack, frustrated, started off again.

"Come on, I'm pregnant! I can't run like you do! I just want to talk!"

That slowed her down. She turned and sat down on the side of the road, waiting for Starlight to catch up. "Well, Ah've gone an' made a arse of mahself..."

"Yep."

"Yer s'posed ta tell me that it ain't so bad as all that."

"It's your lie," shrugged Starlight. "You tell it however you please."

Applejack chuckled. "Maybe Ah did go a mite overboard."

"Nah. Gallus can be a little prick sometimes. He's just frustrated. From what I understand, you didn't exactly make it easy for him to guard you."

Applejack sighed. "Ah can't do it. Ah couldn't even let 'im stand behind me. He can't be trusted. He knows that, an' 'e still tries to act like he can."

"Perhaps he's trying to build trust?" Starlight began rubbing Applejack's shoulder. "You have to give him at least a little bit of breathing room. After all, he guarded me successfully for over a month. The day he left, somepony tried to break down my bedroom door."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I don't want Twilight to worry, though, so keep that all very hush-hush. She has enough to be afraid of as it is."

"On that, we can agree." Applejack took a deep breath. "What am Ah s'posed to do now?"

"Well, Twilight trusts in your opinion. She trusts you to make sure that her decisions are sound, and that they are based in facts and logic, rather than gut feelings. You're her anchor."

Applejack nodded. "Ah should apologise to 'er."

"I think you should take the shot."

Applejack nodded. "Ah will."

"Take the shot."

"Ah'll go back to 'er right now."

"Take the shot!"

"Ya don't have ta--"

Feeling a sudden pinprick in her back, Applejack's head began to spin. She fell back to her haunches as the world around her turned blurry and faded away.

"Why weren't you ready?!" scolded Starlight as Cozy approached.

"Oh, shut up! There was a snake on my branch, and I had to remove it!"

"How long until she wakes up?"

"About half an hour, I think. Plenty of time to take her back to the school."

Chapter the Sixty-Third: Twilight Time

The school was locked down now more than ever. The whole town was absolutely crawling with guards. A fair few of the students, almost a hundred of them, had either been brought home by their loved ones or left of their own accord, thinking that the school was no longer safe.

Every single hippogriff student with the exception of Silverstream had left. While Silverstream had been told to leave, she'd opted to hold fast to Ocellus and Yona, and after a big fight, had been left behind. Twilight thanked her for the vote of confidence, but had still asked Silverstream to consider leaving an option to keep her from becoming outcast by her own society. Twilight was okay with her leaving, if doing so meant her safety, and saving her relationship with her family. Still, Silverstream stayed, not wanting to leave Ocellus here alone, as none of the changelings were being called back home.

In fact, Thorax had encouraged the changeling students to stay and use their abilities to seek out any strong source of hatred to combat whoever was causing such harm. Starlight had left right away, as her services of mediating between Twilight and Applejack were no longer necessary, and she wanted to make sure her child was absolutely safe in the Crystal Palace. That left the biggest source of anger and spite in the whole school as Applejack, pacing around in her cage under constant guard.

Applejack wasn't always angry, of course. When Big Mac came to see her, she was in joyful spirits, licking his hoof as he rubbed her shoulders, trying to cheer him up. The same could not be said of Twilight's first few visits. After three days, Twilight opted to come in alone, and that made Applejack happy. She still hated Gallus, though.

Speaking of, this was the only time he ever left Twilight's side for the first week. She knew that he would have taken the shot for Applejack if given the chance, or at least would have kept her from being so exposed. At the very least, she wouldn't have been alone at that moment if Gallus had gone with her. To that end, he was not to leave Twilight's side, ever, with the exception of this one room, as he upset Applejack.

Gallus was still becoming more and more pent up, unable to relieve himself due to lack of privacy with his friends. Sandbar had Yona, at least, but Gallus had been on his own since he started protecting Applejack. It had been almost a month since he'd been allowed to spend time with his friends outside of the view of his charge.

He even slept in Twilight's room. There were guards posted outside the door and the windows were replaced with tempered, laminated glass to prevent anything coming through, but she still had him sleeping on Spike's bed while he was away with Ember. He should have been back last week, but she'd bidden him stay to keep him safe.

They were having lunch in Twilight's office one day when it all hit her at once. "Is your sandwich too spicy?" asked Gallus, looking up at her grimace. "You can take my milk carton."

She shook her head, then hid her face in her hooves. "It's all gone wrong, hasn't it?"

"What has?"

She gestured all around her. "My dream. This school. The magic of friendship. It's all crumbling around me, and I don't know what to do..."

As a tear rolled down her cheek, Gallus put down his lunch and walked over to her, giving her a big hug. "The magic of friendship isn't crumbling. It's not even weakening. It's stronger than this." As he looked over her shoulder, a smile came to his face. "Come here a second, take a look at this."

He escorted her over to the window and looked down into the courtyard. "Tell me, what do you see?"

Twilight looked around. "Clusters of students separated from each other. They're not interacting, and they're distancing themselves from each other."

Gallus shook his head. "Don't concentrate on the whole forest, look at the individual trees." He pointed to his own friend group, eating lunch separate from most of the other students. "I see Silverstream making sure that Ocellus doesn't eat alone, and inviting Yona to sit with them. Yona, of course, brought tea and Sandbar, and none of them need fear when Smolder's watching them from the tree branch. Even amidst this terrible fear, there are smiles on their faces, because they're together. Something that could not happen without you. You gave them the protection that is the magic of friendship."

Twilight knew what he was doing, but she wasn't buying it. "My friendship couldn't protect my friends. That they came to protect me made it so that they were killed, or forever changed. Now I'm afraid to let Spike anywhere near me because I'm afraid of what will happen to him. I don't think I could live with myself if he were to suffer the same fate as Rarity and Pinkie Pie."

Gallus snorted. "What are you talking about? You're still protecting him. You're just doing it from afar. It's a long-distance relationship."

"It still feels bad, shutting him out of my life like this."

"It does, doesn't it? But don't worry yourself too much. He'd want you to smile. And you can smile, knowing he's unharmed."

That brought a smile to her face. "Thanks, Gallus." she hugged him in return. "You're a good friend."

Everypony else in Gallus's position would have balked at that. To be considered a friend would have pissed off an older stallion that was trying to sleep with her. To be a friend would set a precedent, making him incapable of reaching the status of a boyfriend.

Luckily, Gallus knew better. He even had evidence to back up his claim. He had been good friends with Sandbar. He'd been close friends with Smolder. He'd been friends with Yona, Silverstream and Ocellus. And while he'd been building up for the past month away from them, they had crossed that uncrossable barrier. He had done the impossible before with a little bit of help.

He had set himself up for it this time, as well. And now he was ingratiating himself to the headmare. She would come to rely on him, and he would be there when she needed him. If he had to go another month to make that happen, then so be it.

Chapter the Sixty-Fourth: Closeness

Over the course of the next week, Gallus had been talking with Twilight at every opportunity she gave him. He'd confessed his personal admiration for her, making her aware that coming to this school had vastly improved his life, and he wouldn't trade his experience for anything. In turn, she confided in him her fear that having so many ponies between Cozy and herself was causing her more fear than if she were facing Cozy directly. If Cozy just had her, she thought, nopony else would have to come to harm. Of course, she wasn't about to give herself over, and Gallus had promised that he would not let Cozy touch her.

They had generated a decent amount of rapport over time, much faster than he had done with Applejack. Twilight didn't fight him, even giving him permission to stand guard while she was in the bathroom. She'd even called him in once, shouting for him as somepony was rattling the door, but it had just been a student who'd been holding it for too long and was desperate to access a toilet. She'd even gone into the lavatories with him when it was late at night and she didn't want to be left alone.

One night, as they were having dinner, she looked over to his plate. They were having bean burgers, and Gallus had brought a sealed bottle of wine. "Is meat good?" she asked. "I know it's not for ponies, but you eat it all the time. I have to wonder what it's like."

Gallus looked up from his plate. She looked to be genuinely curious. "I suppose. I mean, I could live without it, given another source of protein, but... It's kind of a controversial subject back in Griffinstone. Some gryphons have stated that, since we are now allied with Equestria, we should cut down on our meat intake because it upsets our friends. Others claim that Equestria's acceptance of us neither forces nor encourages us not to eat meat, and we can just do as we please."

"And where do you fall on that argument?"

Gallus smirked. "If Applejack had asked me that question, I'd think for sure she was trying to start a fight." He took a deep breath. "If I'm being completely honest, I can go either way. I like meat, but if you asked me not to eat it, I can be okay with these black bean burgers, at least for a while."

Twilight's skin crawled a bit. Her opinion and intent were very different sometimes, and she had been seriously considering having some meat items added to the menu exclusively for the more predatory creatures. There had been a call for it with the dragons and gryphons, but alternatives had been provided with Fluttershy's concerns and Applejack's urging. With them out of the picture, while Twilight wasn't wanting to step on their hooves, she wondered if perhaps there was something missing for the remaining students.

"I know some of the students have left the school to hunt," she acknowledged. "I'm remiss to reprimand them for it unless they actually cause damages to somepony's livelihoods, which, to my knowledge, they haven't, but I'm wondering if that's because they're not being treated properly."

Gallus nodded along. "I used to be one of those students before this fiasco. Every second Saturday, pop out to the Everfree Forest. Some nice, heavy stoats out there, if you know where to look. Go to the local firepit by the lake where most ponies roast marshmallows and just cook it up. It's a little bit of a gamble, and not exactly the safest thing for students to be doing, but with a bit of salt, it's not half bad."

"Is it not safe?"

Gallus chuckled, turned around, and exposed the back of his thigh. He exposed a lot more, too, fluttering the tip of his wing to push his musk toward her. "This scar, here, is from being harpooned two years ago."

"I remember the bandage you wore. You were limping all over the place."

Gallus nodded and kept his furry balls on full display. "I tackled a rabbit with my claws at the exact same time that a different student launched a spear at it. I was angry at first, but they had me patched up and we had a good laugh about it later."

"You're not..." Twilight trailed off, the scent of him washing over her mind. "You're not too upset with them, are you?"

Gallus returned to his seat and shook his head. "It was an accident, and it was years ago. I still see them around from time to time. They're not a bad dragon, merely a bad shot."

"I smell," nodded Twilight. "See! I meant see! I see!"

Gallus smiled as she blushed. She was cute when she was flustered.

"At any rate, do you think we should offer it as a menu item?" she asked, taking a sip of her wine.

"Well, not yet, anyway. If you're going to serve it, you need to source it, and I'm not sure if there are any local meat farms.

Twilight nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"But if you can source some hunters from the dragons and gryphons, I'm sure they could help. For compensation, of course. We're both kind of greedy."

Twilight chuckled. "It's something, anyway..."

Gallus stepped out of the shower and shook himself most of the way dry. He had told Twilight that the purpose of doing so was to reduce the need for a towel, but the truth was that it made her personal bathroom smell like him. He'd been doing stuff like that all week long; making things smell like him. He was imbuing her with the thought that, if he was nearby, she was safe.

He knew he was close to convincing her to let him in, too. Not only had she taken the potion he'd given her during dinner, cleverly sealed in a bottle of wine that he promised would help her relax, but she'd peeked on him during his shower. He'd heard her heavy breathing.

Twilight's bathroom was already equipped with his-and-hers-style towels, one for her and one for Spike, and they were washed regularly, but Gallus had been wiping his balls on hers while drying the rest of himself with Spike's, to prove that he was using it.

When he returned to the bedroom, he saw Twilight lying in bed, writhing a bit and moaning softly. He knew what she was doing, but he wanted to spook her a bit. He breathed into his claw silently to warm it up, moved gently and quietly over to her, and grabbed her shoulder.

The shock caused her to bolt upright and grab the covers, putting her sopping hoof on display. He gently placed his claw underneath it and lifted it, as if he were about to kiss it. "Thinking of somepony important to you, Headmare?"

Twilight nodded, her face turning red.

Gallus pulled her hoof to his face and gave it a soft lick. "He's thinking of you, too."

Chapter the Sixty-Fifth: Passion Rising

Gallus had to wonder if he even needed the potion to make this happen. He could not read minds, and didn't know how close she was to allowing this to happen, but with how much she was leaning into him tonight, he could only assume that she was just as pent up as he was. That wasn't surprising, given that she was under constant guard, but she'd had more opportunity than he did.

She had initiated the kissing, but as she pulled away, apologising that the feeling had suddenly overtaken her, he charged in to resume. Knowing that he felt the same, she was emboldened, darting her tongue into his beak to show him how much she wanted him.

As they separated, he grabbed her shoulder and knee, gently moving her into a reclined position, with him on top of her. Almost panting, she put a hoof on his chest. "Gallus, wait..."

He paused. It took a lot of effort for him to do so. She was right there beneath him. All he had to do was take her. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She looked up at her horn, then down at the tips of her wings. "We need to go over some things, first. Like a checklist."

"What sort of things?" He was already hard and set to go. There was almost no turning back now.

"Well, I want this to be a pleasant experience."

"And it will be."

"Well, yeah, but I want it to be really pleasant, you know?" She turned and reached into the drawer of her nightstand. "All of this added security wouldn't be necessary if Cozy wasn't trying to take away all of my power as a princess."

She opened her hoof to show a ring similar to the ones used to block Cadance, Flurry and Shining's magic. He'd not brought one because he'd thought it impossible to bring it through the heightened security, but there were two in his dorm safe.

"Even if it's just for tonight, I'd prefer it if I could be somepony that's not the princess, you know? Nopony coming after me, no big fight on the way, and all I have to worry about is what's in the same room as me."

Gallus took the ring, but as he was about to place it on her horn, his instincts kicked in, forcing the words out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "What if you're beset by a foe while wearing it?"

He immediately cursed himself. Here she was, begging to be his prisoner, and he was worried about her safety. He needed her to have her magic either drained or blocked, and he had planned to do that over time with the trust built up. He was now actively standing in the way of the plan.

"Then I'll have you."

As Twilight kissed him again, he was calmed, and he lowered the ring onto her horn, securing it tightly. He then took a moment to tie back her wings with some bondage equipment. He had to be gentle, as wings were delicate, but he also had to be firm to keep her from escaping her bonds.

"The safeword is "hammer."" said Twilight, returning to her back.

Gallus chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's not."

"What do you mean?"

Gallus took a deep breath. "Safety words are there so you can say "ouch" and "no, stop, that's my ear" without stopping. It's what allows one to hurt their partner a little bit to accentuate the pleasure. Otherwise, how would we know how much spanking is too much spanking?"

Twilight blushed. "I suppose you're right..."

"Besides, "hammer" is a terrible safeword."

"Wait, what? Rainbow Dash said it was hers."

"And has Rainbow Dash ever had a stallion quit on her when she told him to "jackhammer her pussy?""

Twilight's blush grew to cover half of her face. "Jackhammer is a different word, though."

"Close enough. Pick something terrifying, like "spiders." That'll turn anypony off."

"Not an arachnologist," Twilight corrected. "He'd want to see the spider."

"And would stop having sex to witness something more important."

Twilight chuckled. He hadn't even penetrated her, and already she felt better. "Okay, Gallus. You win. The safeword is "spiders" now."

"We won't be needing it." He lunged forward and grabbed her neck in his beak, giving her a simultaneous sense of being prey, and a strong lust for being in his embrace. From this moment on, until she could no longer be around him, she was his. He was her hunter, and she was his snack. The rush immediately took her out of her reality and into a world of her own making.

She could feel his claws running down her body. They were so sharp, capable of tearing her skin to shreds and slicing up her flesh, and yet gentle enough that she knew he wouldn't. Her heart was beating so fast, both from excitement and fear, and her chest was heaving just from having his body pressed against her.

As his claws pulled up her legs, his head pressed hard against the headboard, she could feel him dripping. She immediately reached over and grabbed a condom from the nightstand from an otherwise neglected box. "For safety," she panted, pushing it on him.

While this was counter to what Gallus wanted, he slipped it on. What Twilight wanted would be irrelevant soon, and he would have her one way or the other. If she wanted to wear a shield tonight, that was okay. It would not be up for long.

With safety in place, he pushed his cock right into her, hilting himself in a single thrust. She was so ridiculously aroused and his length was so miniscule that it was almost effortless to bury his entire rod. Twilight, much like some of his other partners, was initially disappointed, but as he pulled back to thrust again, she very nearly came right then and there as the barbs flared outward. She gasped, losing her breath as her head rolled back onto the pillow and her eyes struggled to stay in place.

The room swiftly filled with the sound of wet slapping and heavy moans. With both of them so desperate for release, the first round didn't even last a minute. Luckily, Gallus was not about to soften. He was going to last all night if he had to see a doctor the next morning for his priapism. He would not be taken out this soon.

Chapter the Sixty-Sixth: Culmination

As they both panted in the cloud of post-coital bliss, they both knew the night was far from over. They stared into each other's eyes, almost waiting for the other to make the first move. Gallus wanted Twilight to beg him to take her again, harder this time. Twilight wanted Gallus to take her again, harder this time. None of this was communicated, but they both understood.

Twilight set the ball in motion, uttering a soft "Please," before being cut off by Gallus's beak grabbing her lips and sucking her tongue up into his mouth.

It was too early to go in raw just yet, so at Twilight's urging, he slipped into a fresh condom and thrust his way back in. The barbs on his penis, while sharp, were not enough to puncture the rubber sides of the prophylactic, for which Twilight was very thankful.

The guards outside the door, as well as Trixie as she passed by, could hear everything going on in that room. Every slap, every moan, every breath where Twilight's mouth was free to say "Fuck me, Gallus! Harder!" While the guards were desensitised to the sound, and just glad to know that their princess was enjoying herself, Trixie saw it for what it was; Gallus had initiated the final part of the plan. It was time to take Twilight out, once and for all.

As she moved past the guards, she cast a spell on the door, merely a bit of prestidigitation as she actually cast a spell to redirect the sound away from their ears. "There's no need to fill up the school with that sound," she explained to them. "Let's give the lovebirds their privacy."

Gallus heard Trixie's words, and knew that she was off. This wasn't just about the sex anymore. Had he failed to gather Trixie's attention and aid, he would have just fucked Twilight into a stupor and called it a night. With the two now working together, he needed to last at least until Cozy showed up.

"I want to try something," he said, grabbing her by the shoulder. She nodded, and he pulled out, flipped her over onto her chest, mashing her face into the pillows as he drove his shaft back into her from behind. He kept his claws on the side of her chest, scraping against her ribs.

She reached back and held onto his wrists, keeping him close. "You're not going to leave me after this, are you?"

Gallus moved his claws from her chest to her wrists, pulling her shoulders back and elevating her. "You and I will be together for a very long time. I'm not leaving you."

The way she was being held aloft, with her front legs behind her and shoulders back, but otherwise standing completely upright, was not comfortable, but comforting. She was in a quite precarious position, though being on top of a mattress meant there were no stakes, with the only thing keeping her body from collapsing onto the bed being Gallus's claws. He was holding her up, and not letting her fall. The confidence that built in her was a wonderful feeling, and as he began to thrust once more, she came again, this time on her own.

Gallus was holding back his pleasure, using his fear. Being afraid that he would fail to last actually made it easier for him to tone himself down. If he felt his climax approaching, he just thought of being out of energy when Cozy came to collect them, and that pushed him away from the pleasure. It wasn't a hard push, and it wouldn't cause him to shrivel up, but it would keep him from firing off.

Twilight was absolutely astounded by his stamina. She had expected him to fire off once and go right to sleep, like a lot of her previous partners, but he was better than they were. In fact, he'd lasted longer on his second bout than she had.

He wouldn't last much longer, though, soon driving his entire length into her and pulling her shoulders back. This second load was bigger than the first, and while it was not enough to fill her, it was certainly bigger than his first, premature burst.

To Twilight's surprise, he didn't even drop her, holding her tightly as he just started going again. There was no pause, as there had been the first time. He just started right back up again.

He gently lowered her back down to the bed as he climbed on top of her, slapping his balls against her clitoris. Rather than holding her aloft, he was completely covering her, his chest between her wings, his open beak drooling down her neck. His right claw held tightly her hoof, with his left massaging her breast.

She didn't even care that he was drooling all over her. She was drooling just as much, if not more. She'd had a good dicking in the past, but nothing quite like this.

It wasn't long at all before she came a third time. Feeling that she had reached her limit, she began to pull away. "That was good," she gasped, "but I think we need to slow down a bit..."

Gallus heard her request, but he wasn't done with her just yet. Grabbing her hips he pulled her back onto his cock, resuming right where they had left off.

"Gallus, please, we have to stop and rest. We can do this again tomorrow."

But Gallus wasn't interested in resting. Not that he would say so, but tonight, he would have her in as many ways as possible. He pulled her back, and even secured her hooves behind her back with his cuffs.

"Fine," sighed Twilight. "One more." She began to gyrate her hips in perfect rhythm. "But I'm disappointed in you."

Gallus smirked. She could be as disappointed as she liked, as long as she worshipped his cock and balls, and that's what he was there to make her do.

He managed to postpone it for a few minutes, but eventually, he could hold it off no longer, and he pumped his load into the condom once again.

However, something happened this time around that Twilight had glossed over. Condoms have always been intended for a single use, and here she had let him use one twice. The rubber being rubbed and pressed against solid mass was one thing, but to have the liquid under pressure caused it to weaken and spill all over, and the extra rubbing had caused the barbs to finally puncture the latex.

"It broke," said Twilight, horrified. "Do you know what this means?"

"It means it's time we tried anal," answered Gallus.

Chapter the Sixty-Seventh: Duskfall

Trixie returned to the school half an hour before Cozy began her march. While having Cozy nearby would protect her from the royal guards and the princesses, the knowledge that she was involved would put Starlight in danger, so that had to stay silent for the time being. Besides, keeping the students from waking up was imperative, so sound-proofing every door was a must.

When Cozy walked out into town, the guards immediately blew their whistles and swarmed around her. Taking a page from Trixie's history, she summoned a large glass dome to cover the town. This needed not last forever, or even a particularly long time. It only needed to stay up until Twilight submitted to her. Even then, the only thing she needed it to do was keep the guards from alerting Celestia and Luna.

Cozy had been studying and practising her spellwork. Though much of her time was spent riding Shining Armor's cock, she had made time to study. She had some training from Starlight and Sunburst, of course, but she'd picked up a few other tricks, as well, having seen how they were done by others. She may not have been the most powerful alicorn, but she was cunning and driven, and she would find a way to make it work.

Pegasi guards were shot out of the night sky, their wings glued together with changeling-based goo, taken from Chrysalis. Earth ponies who galloped at her would be knocked aside by black crystals firing out of the ground, a thought stolen from Sombra's book of spells. As for the unicorns, every spell they cast was absorbed by her ruminations on what was left of Tirek. She may have been walking with nopony beside her, but she was far from alone.

As she approached the school, the guards were lined up and waiting for her. The moment she was past the gate, a line of spears charged at her.

"What a lovely parade of stallions," she chuckled, stopping them all in their path. "You all look so tasty. It's a wonder you can keep your hooves off of each other."

She released them, and with a little help from a now enthusiastic Princess Cadance, they all collapsed into two piles of orgy, one to the left and the other to the right of the path.

She kicked down the door and was relieved to see that not a single student or teacher was in the way, with the exception of the guard instructors. This turned out to be even easier than the first round, as the hallways of the school limited both the direction the guards could come from, as well as how many could strike ineffectually at once. The most difficulty she faced was when she had stuck too many guards to the walls, ceiling and floor in a single hallway, making it impassable. She had been hoisted by her own petard, and thus had to take the long way around.

When she arrived in front of Twilight's door, she found Trixie had hogtied, gagged, and blindfolded them, and was dragging one off. "Cozy?" she gasped, actually shocked. "Trixie thought you would be a few more minutes, and he was just... I mean..."

Cozy held up her hoof. "Just take him back to your room and ride his cock. You deserve a reward for your hard work."

"Thank you, mistress!" Trixie didn't need to be told twice. She dragged that stallion off to enjoy the rest of her night.

Cozy, meanwhile, grabbed the handle to Twilight's room. It was locked. She chuckled and shook her head. She rapped on the door once, then twice, and on the third knock, she blew it clean off its hinges.

Twilight looked up from the bed. "Gallus, she's here!" she shouted. "Cozy's here!!"

"That's right, Gallus," smirked Cozy. "I'm here. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to protect her? I dispatched with all of the guards outside, and the curse I put on you is still in effect. So what are you going to do, Gallus?"

Gallus picked up speed, and finally came inside of Twilight's arse. As he pulled out, he sat back on the bed. "That depends. How are you planning to take her with you? Carriage?"

"I was just going to teleport, actually," chuckled Cozy. "I don't have the magic to do so right this moment, but I should soon. If I fail, though, yeah, carriage."

"Gallus!" shouted Twilight.

"Oh, yeah, thanks for reminding me. I told her you wouldn't touch her, so... magic only. And don't be too rough."

"Gallus?!" Twilight's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. She could not feel more betrayed. "I trusted you!!"

Gallus gave her flank a squeeze. "And you will again, when you find out what part I played in this."

"That's true," nodded Cozy. "Once I take away your cutie mark and alicorn powers, I was planning to just kill you. Gallus wanted me to keep you alive and in his care. And because he did most of the work to make this happen, despite having been stopped at nearly every turn, I'd say he deserves a reward. Hold her still, Gallus."

Gallus grabbed Twilight and pulled her onto his lap. She struggled, but with her horn and wings locked up, all she had was her physical capabilities, against which Gallus had the advantage. She could feel Cozy's magic on her flank, and as her cutie mark was peeled away, she noticed that it was with very little pain, if any. Really, Gallus's claws hurt more than Cozy's spell did.

Cozy placed the cutie mark right on her flank. She had four now, and the magic to match. Just like last time, she swelled with the energy, feeling its limits. Unlike last time, though, she did not pass out. She remained awake and aware of her surroundings, though her focus was a bit off. She wouldn't immediately be able to teleport them back to the Crystal Palace, but she could tomorrow. Tonight, she could go to the Castle of the two sisters. Tomorrow, she would take them all to the Crystal Dungeons.

Chapter the Sixty-Eighth: The End of the Road

Twilight awoke the next morning, her wings and horn still bound. Her hooves were undone, but she could neither cast spells nor fly. Her flank was sore, and she remembered the feeling of having her cutie mark removed. She immediately thought back to the time Starlight had done this to her, and how she could help.

She felt something move against her leg and immediately kicked at the body behind her, thinking it was Gallus. She would not abide his betrayal, despite the fact that he had ensured her safety. The grunt of pain, however, was not the one she expected.

She rolled over. "Cadance?!"

"Good morning, Twilight," she groaned, holding her stomach where Twilight had kicked her. "Sleep well?"

Twilight immediately hugged her, crying. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"

"Is there something you need?" asked Cadance. "Tea? Breakfast?"

"That would be lovely," sniffled Twilight. "You have no idea how glad I am that you're alive."

"I have no idea," smiled Cadance.

"Listen," said Twilight, pulling Cadance close. "Cozy Glow is back, and she's using Starlight's magic. She's taking away ponies' cutie marks and magic. She's a monster, and she must be stopped."

"Oh, I don't know if I'd call myself a monster," chuckled Cozy.

Twilight sat up and looked around. She was in some kind of cave. Looking up, she could see through the ceiling the underside of the Crystal Palace. Ponies were walking around as happy as could be under Starlight's rule and the Crystal Heart shone brightly on its pedestal. All seemed right. But it couldn't be.

She was lying on a fold-out cot against one wall. Cozy sat at the other side of the room in a high-backed throne, swirling a glass of red wine. Cadance, much like herself, was sporting a grey arrow on her flank, and had the big, empty smile that Starlight had given to her village.

"A "less than" symbol?" scowled Twilight. "Really?"

Cozy took a sip of her wine. "Starlight's plan was good, but not what I wanted. I'm not planning to make everypony the same. There is no façade this time around. You are marked as being less than me because that is your new role."

Twilight stood up and prepared to charge. "You killed my friends!"

Cozy laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that! Your friends are fine. Let's have a look, shall we?" Casting a spell at the wall, Cozy opened up a viewpoint into what had become of the others.

"As you can see, Applejack is free of the cage you locked her in, you monster." She was back at Sweet Apple Acres, playing with Winona and Apple Bloom. She even nuzzled Apple Bloom's cheek, showing that she was very much safe, in good health, and happy.

"Fluttershy is spending some quality time with her family," continued Cozy, flipping to the cum-coated pegasi in the bath. Silverstream was in there, too, scrubbing them as Zephyr shoved his cock down Rainbow's throat. "As you can see, Rainbow Dash is supporting her, and they even have friends to keep them company."

"That's Fluttershy's bathroom," gasped Twilight.

"I know," smiled Cozy. "Isn't it odd that you never sent anypony to check if she had simply gone home?" She chuckled. "Of course, if you had, we would have just moved them again. All three of them. After all, we don't want to break up the little family they have going there."

The image changed again, and now they had returned to the school. In one of the dorm rooms, four students at a time were plowing Pinkie and Rarity from both ends. "These two were not turned to stone and shattered," clarified Cozy. "What kind of sadistic fiend do you think I am?"

Twilight took the opportunity to charge while Cozy was distracted. As she approached, she was repelled by a force field.

"Are you really that stupid?" scolded Cozy, "Or do you just think I am? Sit and watch, or you'll not find out what's really going on here. Don't you like learning?"

Twilight rubbed her nose as she turned back to the screen.

"That's better. As you can see, their flesh is stretchy-stretchy. Even if you did hit them with a hammer, they'd be completely unharmed. You'd need to expose them to extreme temperatures. And I mean really extreme temperatures. They are completely aware of their surroundings, of course, and can feel what's rubbing against them, but they are not under any kind of agony. I may even give them some of their freedoms back when I feel the time is right, but for now, it's not like they have the time to go about their business."

Cozy turned back just as the door opened, and Double Diamond walked in with a cart full of tasty treats and a big teapot. He was sporting the same arrow cutie mark.

"You've enslaved him, too?!" shouted Twilight.

"He's here by choice, actually," smirked Cozy. "Some ponies do not see eye-to-eye with your interpretation of friendship, Twilight. Believe it or not, there are stallions out there that like being controlled. It may not be the most common thing, but it is a thing that happens. It's a trust exercise. They place their lives in the hooves of somepony they trust, and that pony makes them happy."

"I don't believe you," sneered Twilight. "Give him back his cutie mark!"

"I don't have it," smirked Cozy, finishing her wine. "But I'll talk to the mare who has it, and see what she thinks. Ciao!" Disappearing her chair, she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Twilight knew she couldn't just walk out. There was no way Cozy would allow that. She could probably open the door, but there would likely be a force field, or some guards or some other means of keeping her there.

"Come have breakfast, Twilight," smiled Cadance with that empty grin. "We have lemon curd."

With a sigh, Twilight sat down near the cart. If Cozy was planning on killing her, she already would have, rather than giving her food. The fact that she was putting any amount of effort into feeding Twilight meant that she was supposed to stay alive, at least for now. She couldn't trust everything that Cozy said, but she didn't seem to be false.

"I'm going to find a way out of this," Twilight assured Cadance. "We'll find a way, I promise."

Chapter the Seventieth: Reunited

Twilight was sitting at the far wall the following morning, just running her hoof over the stone. Cozy had left images of her friends on the wall while she slept, letting it all play out as it did. Applejack, thinking she was a dog, had started sleeping in Big Mac's bed. Fluttershy and Rainbow joined Zephyr in Fluttershy's bed, the framework for which had been removed, leaving just a box spring and mattress. It wasn't really gone, just stuck in the corner. Neither Rarity nor Pinkie Pie slept, not needing to.

Just having images made her feel better. Even being a dog, Applejack had leaped to her defense against Gallus and Starlight. Even if she hadn't yet seen Starlight, the facts that Cozy was living right beneath her, the father of her child was down here and Cozy was using her spells gave it away that she was involved in this somehow.

The door opened and Gallus walked in. She could hear his claws on the floor. He was also moving a cart with a squeaky wheel. She didn't turn around; she just turned her face to the floor. "I've come to a decision," she said bluntly. "It's not one that I make lightly; I have some conditions I want to go over."

"You're not really in a position to bargain with us," came Gallus's answer. "We can reject your plea and just make you a slave."

"But then you lose my creativity," answered Twilight. "As a mindless slave, I can only do what you say. As a free mare, I can do things for you that you hadn't even considered. Let me at least state my conditions before you dismiss them."

"I'll tell you what I'll do," nodded Gallus. "If you sit in my lap throughout breakfast, I'll hear you out."

"Gallus..."

"Nothing sexual yet. Just sit on my lap. Whether as a free mare bound to me or as a mindless slave, you'll be made to do far worse. Can you not just sit with me and talk?"

Twilight sighed. "No funny business, okay? I need you to take this seriously."

Gallus pulled over a large chair, big enough and sturdy enough for the both of them, and sat down next to the cart. "Come and sit down."

"I want your word."

"Twilight, you're going to need to learn to trust me again. That means showing a little bit of faith."

Twilight stood up and made her way across the room, finally sitting in Gallus's lap.

"Was that so terrible?" Gallus picked up a plate of strawberries and held it in front of her, lifting one up with his claw to feed her. As she chewed, he smiled. "Now, what are your conditions?"

As he took a bite, Twilight swallowed. "I want my friends set free. My life for theirs."

"That's really a demand you make before you're captured," chuckled Gallus. "We already have you."

"But I'll go willingly if I know they're able to see freedom again."

So they can set you free with the power of friendship?" smirked Cozy from the doorway. "I don't think so."

"You were willing to let me walk around in public after this fiasco is over," replied Twilight. "Give them the same courtesy, and I'll submit to whatever you say."

Cozy shook her head. "Not full freedoms, but I'll give them leave to move about. After all, we don't want them fighting us."

"That's fine," answered Twilight. "I'm not saying you need to give them every tool they need to break me out of here, I just want them to no longer be confined to their current prisons!"

Gallus bumped his knee, alerting Twilight to his presence. Looking into his face, she took a deep breath.

"Let Pinkie and Rarity move again. Let them walk around, talk and interact, and make their own decisions. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash need more than just sex. Look at them; they're clearly malnourished! And Applejack should at least be able to talk."

Cozy considered her offer. "If I give them all that opportunity, you'll be a good little filly?"

Twilight nodded. "I'll do whatever you ask."

"This does mean that if you break your promise, you know I'm going to make their situations worse, right?"

Twilight swallowed. "I'll not let that happen."

Gallus could feel her trembling in his arms. He was sure she would do as she claimed.

"Let's test that, shall we?" chuckled Cozy. "Climb down from that chair."

"That's impossible," said Twilight. "I'm already following the order from Gallus to sit in his lap throughout breakfast. If I hop down, he'll stop considering my conditions."

"Smart arse..." snorted Cozy. "My orders supersede Gallus's. As we go on, my orders should become less frequent, but they will always be more important."

Gallus nodded down to the floor in front of her, placing his claw against the small of her back. With his blessing, she climbed down to the floor and stood in front of Cozy.

"Turn and face your master."

Twilight turned to Gallus, who was adjusting his chair to face her.

"Press your chest to the floor, keep your flank up, and move your tail out of the way."

Twilight did so, her pussy now on full display. It was humiliating, but it was nothing compared to what would befall her friends.

"Hold that position," commanded Cozy. Twilight could hear her moving, and then the hoofsteps of somepony else. She didn't turn and look behind her, as Cozy had told her to face toward Gallus.

She felt the weight of the stallion that mounted her. He was a big one, but well-lubricated to fit into her arse. He wasted no time, plowing her rhythmically. All the while, Gallus was smiling, touching himself, and watching. While Twilight was a bit disgusted, at least he wasn't the one enforcing it. After all, he'd said he would do nothing sexual to her just yet.

"Twily..."

She knew that voice. She had suspected that he was down here, and craning her neck, she could see his blank, lifeless eyes. Shining Armor had little to no thought in his head. And yet, he had recognition of her. It was clearly not powerful enough to stop him from fucking her arse, but there was something in him that was still his. That was a relief.

Feeling her nose being booped, her attention went back to Gallus's hind paw, which now pressed against her lips. Guessing at what he wanted, she stuck out her tongue, licked his pads, and sucked his toes into her mouth. It was humiliating, but at least it wasn't nearly as bad as Cozy had done.

Chapter the Seventy-First: Coming to Terms

Over the next week, Twilight grew accustomed to her new life. It wasn't meant to last, as she would be granted more freedoms soon, but for the time being, she followed Gallus's commands, and was rewarded for her compliance. At first, it was just following his commands, no matter how silly or outlandish. She would be made to beg like a dog, present her pussy, and kiss his claws. That earned her the right to go upstairs to an actual suite and decide what she wanted to eat. It was humiliating, but if it was going to help her see her friends again, and Gallus said that it would, it was worth the discomfort.

Then came the opportunity to sleep in a bed, rather than on a tiny cot. The caveat here was that she had to sleep with Gallus wrapped around her. The first night, it was just a cuddle. But on the second night, he groped her, and on the third, he rested his dick between her thighs. The third night was particularly odd, as he called Sandbar in over the weekend and she had to share Gallus's chest with another pony, and a stallion, at that.

Other than that, her days actually seemed almost pleasant. It was like she'd been kidnapped from her job and made to go on a pleasure cruise, but exclusively with ponies she didn't like, sleeping in crowded bunks, and she still had to do some odd jobs that weren't physically taxing. Hells, she even found time to play shuffleboard with Flurry.

Speaking of, Sunburst was watching her a lot of the time. Both he and Gallus were regularly called in to repeat meetings with Cozy, leaving Twilight and Flurry under the watch of whoever was in charge. Gallus was stricter, but would still play with them, whereas Sunburst was more lax, but still protective. All in all, they weren't bad role models, per se. At least they weren't directly put under Cozy's hoof.

After having been there for eight days, she finally had the suite to herself, as Gallus had been called to a meeting. She tried for a bit to fall asleep, but after half an hour, she found herself craving Gallus's touch. She'd already grown accustomed to the warmth he provided, and the softness of his feathers. She was relieved when the bookcase opened and he walked in.

"What are all these meetings for?" she asked, pulling back the covers and inviting him in. "Surely you don't need this many. What are you planning out?"

Gallus climbed into the bed and brought his arm around Twilight's shoulders. "Would you like to attend the next one? Come face-to-face with Cozy Glow?"

Twilight thought for a moment and shook her head. "I don't want to attend the meeting; I just want to know what's going on. Can you just tell me?"

Gallus shook his head. "Not everything, but the general gist of it's pretty simple. We haven't really stated this yet, but our entire goal was to be rid of you. Cadance, Flurry and Shining Armor were disposed of only because they'd come to your aid in a heartbeat, as were your closest friends. Following Cozy's release, she opted to do what we asked, in exchange for your brother. So, he's going to stay in her care for the foreseeable future. It was by luck and sheer force of will that we were able to grab all of them in one night, as opposed to our original plan, which was to just snag Flurry and then Cadance, with Shining Armor being last."

"How'd you know I would appoint Starlight to watch over the empire, though?"

"We actually didn't," chuckled Gallus. "That was just a coincidence. We weren't planning on that, it just made it all the more fitting."

"I see..."

"Oh, don't be glum. It eliminated a possible enemy and gave us a sturdier point to launch from. It made it so we had to fight fewer ponies to attain our goals."

"I suppose that is a plus."

"Then we needed your friends out of the way. The original plan was to have Rabow and Fluttershy fawning over me, and we had a special potion brewed for that, but Zephyr Breeze kind of fucked that up. Which was fine by me, as that meant I could stay at the school and help with the other stuff. Rarity was easy enough, and we were going to do the two of them separately, but Pinkie volunteered, and we just had to proceed quicker than anticipated."

"What about Applejack?"

"For Applejack, we just had to separate her from everypony else. We're not going to be able to trick her into something because she can sniff out a liar with ease. I really had to be careful with my words to provoke her without looking like I was trying to."

"You failed at that."

"Very much so. I couldn't even fool you. But it's not necessary that everything goes according to the details, as long as we fell within the right parameters."

Twilight looked up at him. "Is that what all these meetings are about? Helping you stick to the plan?"

"No, no, no... I was just going over the many things that we had to do to reach you in order to bring up what it is we're going to do next. See if you can guess?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "You kidnapped Cadance, Flurry and Shining because you thought they'd try to rescue me right away, and because Cozy has a thing for my brother. They would try, too. Then you removed my friends because you thought they would try to rescue me."

"And as they become more powerless to do so, they can have some of their freedoms back," nodded Gallus.

"So, if the whole point was to capture me, then your next step would be to make sure nopony releases me from your bonds. That's either Spike, or..."

As realization dawned on her, she lowered herself into Gallus's embrace. She was suddenly very afraid of what Cozy was planning.

"There's a good chance they won't be harmed," assured Gallus, rubbing her back. "What we're trying to do is come up with a way of going to just the two of them. No collateral damage if we can avoid it."

"Are you sure? What if it doesn't work?"

Gallus smiled. "That's why we're having so many meetings. Cozy has a plan."

Chapter the Seventy-Second: A Glow from the Shadows

Cozy took a deep breath. Today would be the day. On this day in the history books, ponies would write of Cozy's sudden and unexpected rise to the throne. She had a lot of difficulty going to sleep last night because of how excited she was, and now here she was, awake bright and early. The sun had not even begun to rise, yet.

She sat up, taking in more of Shining's cock as she did. He had been her sleep aid, tiring her out so she could finally fall into slumber. She climbed off of him, his flare slipping free with an audible pop as she jumped down to the floor. Wiping herself to look presentable, she strode over to her vanity. After all, if she was to win the upcoming battle, she may as well look the part. This would be the first time anypony outside of her inner circle would have seen her since before taking the Crystal palace, and even then, she'd been in disguise. Today, all would see her as she rose above them. She had to look her best.

With her mane, tail and coat now properly styled, clean and bright, she stepped out into the hallway. "Wake up," she commanded, drawing the attention of the guards. "It's time to go."

As the guards charged at her, she repelled them with simple blasts from her horn. She allowed one to come close, who she grabbed by the neck and pushed against the wall. "There's a new regime starting today," she told him, a smile on her face. "If you want your men to live long enough to see it, tell them to clear a path."

Her horn glowed with white lightning, and the guard nodded, running down the hallway away from her, shouting "Stand down!"

The doors all opened, and most of the crew filed into the halls. Even a few of the prisoners came, with Twilight following Gallus and Flurry riding on Sunburst's neck and shoulders. Even Double Diamond followed Starlight out.

"Friends and lovers," started Cozy, "today, we march on Canterlot, to take the throne. We do need to make a stop along the way, and there will be guards waiting for us, and the princesses will know we're coming before we even leave the Crystal Empire. But don't let that discourage you. We have enough of an advantage that we won't be needing the element of surprise."

"You're kidding, right?" groaned Twilight. "You could just sneak in and take them down quietly, but you've opted to just walk right up to their front door? Maybe I should have been at your meetings."

"Twilight's objections aside, I will need all of you, plus a few more, in order to pull this off. Luckily, it's just a single stop. Everyone, we're going to Ponyville. To the train station!"

"One second," interrupted Double Diamond. He took a few steps back, licked up the inside of Starlight's leg, and returned to position next to her, a glob of cum on his nose. "Mistress was not presentable. She was dripping."

"She can clean up on the train," Cozy nodded. "Just prepare for the trip."

"We're ready," said Gallus, holding Twilight's leash.

"Do we have to take Flurry into battle?" asked Sunburst. "Can't she and I stay here where it's safe?"

"No," answered Cozy. "You know why you have to come, Sunburst."

"Well, Flurry can stay here on her own, right?"

"She's coming. Everypony is coming. Board the train, or I will separate you and come up with something horrible to do to her. And I'll make you watch."

"Train station, check," whimpered Sunburst, galloping off in that direction.

Gallus just stood there, waiting for Cozy to take the lead. He was going to stay with her.

As soon as Starlight had her things, they all departed, walking or hovering briskly to the train platform. Sunburst was already there, surrounded by guards with his hooves in the air. Flurry was arguing with the senior officer among them, trying and oddly failing to convince them that Sunburst isn't the one who kidnapped her, but was trying to keep her safe.

As the captain reached for Flurry to grab her, Cozy shot his hoof away. It wasn't a damaging blast, merely one that stung. "Drop your weapons," she commanded. "As you can see, we have the princesses Twilight and Flurry, along with your regent. Did you not hear the order to stand down?"

"What order?" spat the guard.

"Stand down!" echoed in the following silence as the guard Cozy had sent ran through the streets. He clearly hadn't arrived here yet.

"That one," answered Cozy. "If you'll excuse us, Princess Twilight here needs to take this train to Ponyville."

"But this train's going to Whinnyapolis," said the conductor, poking his head out.

"Well, it's going to Ponyville now," answered Cozy.

The conductor looked at his chart. "I can't just--"

"You can, and you will," interrupted Cozy. "And after a quick stop, you're going to take it to Canterlot."

"Please," added Twilight. "I don't want this argument to continue. I'll file the emergency detour paperwork if you want, just take us there before she decides to hurt somepony."

The conductor looked from his clipboard to Cozy, then his pocket watch. "All aboard for Ponyville!" he shrugged, stepping back onto the train. "Make sure you have your tickets!"

At Cozy's command, the compartment they entered cleared, with all of the other passengers moving up a car or two. Several guards followed them on to ensure there was no funny business, but they stayed back from Cozy. For the most part, they stayed near Flurry and Starlight. They weren't a threat with Cozy around, just a bit of extra baggage.

The train was not rushing, nor was it moving slower than normal. It was just chugging along at the standard speed. This gave Starlight time to be made up and pampered by Double Diamond, who was rewarded by having his ears rubbed. At the same time, Gallus was brushing out Twilight's mane and tail. He'd had her bathe last night with him, so she wasn't as dirty as Starlight. Still, her mane was a little ruffled, and the fact that he was cleaning her up before handling himself was at least noteworthy. Even Sunburst had lowered Flurry into her lap and was curling and styling her mane.

Cozy smiled at the sight. All would be well in her new kingdom. The new Equestria would thrive.

Chapter the Seventy-Third: Ponyville Trembles

When the train stopped in Ponyville, almost everypony stepped off. Many of them were actually headed to Whinnyapolis, and had to reroute their course, whereas others just didn't want to be around Cozy Glow. Several dozen guards took their place, having previously been Cozy's victims, now peeled from the academy walls where they'd been stuck. They were unable to breach the compartment, however, as Cozy's magic repelled them. She did, however, clear a path for the conductor to come through.

"We've arrived in Ponyville," he said. "Would you please disembark my train? I'd like to go back to work, now."

"I will," nodded Cozy, "but I'm coming right back. We're bound for Canterlot, we just needed to stop here in Ponyville to pick up a few passengers."

The conductor looked around. "These guards?"

"No, they're not with us, but we don't mind them tagging along." Cozy stood up. "Hold the train. We'll be back as soon as our party is assembled." She turned and walked off the train, with Gallus and Twilight behind her.

"Who are we picking up?" asked Twilight, leaning up and whispering in Gallus's ear.

"We have seven agents in the area, but I'm feeling generous," smiled Cozy. While Twilight had asked Gallus, Cozy was always listening. "So, pick one of your friends, Twilight. We'll bring just that one with us."

Twilight hadn't thought about that. She couldn't pick one over the others normally. Having to pick one in this situation was too much. Still, having one friend was better than none. "The others won't be harmed?"

"Not at all," smiled Cozy. "They will be as safe after your decision as they are right at this very moment."

Twilight considered her options. Rarity and Pinkie Pie would be glad to be able to move again, but would Cozy give them full control, or just bring them along? A rubber doll would not be very comforting. A dog would, so she could bring Applejack, but she harbored animosity toward Starlight and Gallus. That would just cause an extra fight that could see Applejack put down in front of her. That would be a bad idea. And as there would be another pony that would start a fight on that train, there was only one option remaining.

"I would like Fluttershy to come with me. But I'd like Rainbow to stay here with Zephyr."

"Making extra demands, are we?" chuckled Cozy. "Oh, very well. Gallus, this is where we part ways. Collect Trixie and your motley crew, and meet us back at the train."

As Gallus turned and escorted Twilight to the school, Cozy made her way into the Everfree forest, making her way to Zecora's hut. Some of the guards stopped following her at the edge of the forest, some began whispering as they walked, and others just kept going. She was kind of fond of the latter group. They were either intelligent enough to know where she was headed, brave enough to follow her despite the rumours, or dumb enough to not be paying attention to where they were going.

She didn't go far into the forest. Zecora's hut was perhaps a five-minute walk, and she was outside with her basket of herbs. "You have come to visit me? And you've brought along some guards, I see..."

"It's time, Zecora," said Cozy. "You're coming with us."

"Indeed, I am." Zecora stood up. "Just give me a chance to stow away these herbs and plants."

She disappeared into her hut, and ten minutes later, came back. She was partially armored, wearing a wooden cuirass and battle mask, but not carrying a weapon.

"You know, I could just cast a protective spell over you. Even then, I doubt the princesses would attack you directly when it's clear that this little coup was my idea."

"One can never take too much care," answered Zecora. "This is not the time to be laissez-faire."

"Fair enough," shrugged Cozy. "Come, we need to pick up Fluttershy before we go."

Zecora began walking back toward Ponyville with Cozy joining her. "And what is the purpose of this impromptu visit? This isn't just to stroke your ego, is it?"

"Hardly. We're going to grant Fluttershy temporary freedom from her bond. Twilight needs to know that her good behaviour will be rewarded, and she has been well-behaved."

They came up to the front door and pried it open. Fluttershy was on the couch, holding Rainbow down so she didn't slip off from Zephyr's powerful thrusts. Despite how focused they had been in their activities and how little they were eating, with the exception of what came out of the others, Zephyr was looking great. Any fat he'd had was gone now, and had been replaced with muscle. He had clearly-defined abs now, and Fluttershy's thighs has never looked leaner. The girls both had pregnant bellies, though they weren't completely full just yet.

With the glow of Cozy's horn surrounding Fluttershy's head, the mare nearly collapsed. She had been fully aware the entire time, but unable to control herself. Even now, she still wanted to ride Zephyr's cock, but found that she could at least resist its pull.

"Stand up," commanded Cozy. "You've made bail."

"What bail?" panted Fluttershy. "I didn't do anything!"

"You were simply in the way," answered Cozy. "You're not in the way anymore, and Twilight Sparkle has requested your presence. If you'd rather go back to the trance, I can put you back and just tell Twilight that you don't want to see her."

"No!" answered Fluttershy. "I'll go." She turned back to the other two. "Are they going to be okay?"

"As they can be," answered Cozy. "Come."

"I think I've done that too many times, lately," joked Fluttershy. Nevertheless, she followed Cozy out of the cottage and down the street to the train station. She was covered in her brother's semen, and it was dripping from almost every orifice, but the streets were empty, with most of the doors barred and shutters shut. Nopony wanted to end up caught up in Cozy's web, lest they suffer at the hooves of the princesses for their transgressions. That meant that the only ponies to see Fluttershy like this were the guards, and they had seen her before she could possibly hide or clean herself, so she wasn't overly concerned about them.

When they reboarded the train, Cozy banished most of the guards to the next carriage to make room for the main group, plus Fluttershy, Twilight and Flurry. Twilight immediately ran up and hugged Fluttershy, instantly regretting it as she was covered in sticky cum. Despite that, she didn't let go, holding fast to her friend. She was almost afraid to let go.

Chapter the Seventy-Fourth: March on Canterlot

At Starlight's command, Double Diamond began to clean Fluttershy as the train came back to life. He used a damp rag and a bucket, both of which had been brought from the Crystal Palace as Starlight's grooming equipment. The bucket had originally been dry, just holding her brushes and things, but they'd filled it with water while stopped at Ponyville. They could just dump it off the back of the train when they were done, as it was mostly filled with semen, sweat and water. It was nothing that would cause harm to the gravel under the tracks, nor the soil beneath that.

Twilight explained to Fluttershy what was going on as best she could. Gallus wasn't paying that close of attention, as his focus had shifted to Smolder and Silverstream. He still held her leash, and she wasn't about to run off, but if she really wanted to pull away, she had the option. She didn't though, just holding Fluttershy's hoof for the whole ride.

When they finally arrived in Canterlot, they were met with nothing more than guards. As soon as the train had come to a stop, the Engineers and the conductor jumped off the train and were promptly detained.

"We have you utterly surrounded!" shouted the guard leader. "Come out with your hooves up! All of you!"

"I suppose we'll have to deal with this little annoyance," sighed Cozy. "I can't say I didn't see this coming." She turned to the rest of the car, looking around. "While most of you are unnecessary for this battle, only the one after, we should at least try to push through this. So here's the plan, for those of you that don't know: Sunburst will be in the center. He will protect you from harm. If you have not been given a role, stay close to him. Starlight will be on the left, providing an extra defense against the magic-users among the guard, Gallus to the right holding back their swords with his own. I will be leading and coordinating. Are we ready?"

"What if they come from above?" asked Fluttershy. "Or what if there are spears on the left and mages on the right?"

"I will coordinate," repeated Cozy. "If I have to move my sides around, I shall. But for the immediate future, Starlight shall be my shield and Gallus my sword. Trixie will cover the rear."

Gallus gave Twilight's leash to Sunburst, and he gave it to Flurry, who gripped it tightly. Fluttershy didn't want to leave Twilight's side, and if it was true that Sunburst was going to be shielding them from harm, she wanted to stay as close to him as possible. She didn't want to be in the fight, she wanted to hide behind the protective barrier.

Cozy walked out first.

"Hooves in the air!" shouted the guard. "Put your hooves up! Up!"

"Certainly," smirked Cozy. She flapped her wings and took to the skies. "Is this far enough up?"

"Come back down this instant and put your hooves over your head!"

Cozy did as commanded. "Do you feel safer, now?"

An arrow was loosed from the roof of a nearby building, coming to a stop right in front of Cozy's chest. She glanced between it and the guard in charge, and then to the archer who had fired it. "Between you and the archer, which one is more important for the defense of Canterlot, Lieutenant?"

"I'm a major!" he shouted back.

"So you're imperative to the defense of the city?"

"You could say that," he sneered.

"Good." With a flash of her horn, the arrow, which had merely frozen without losing its momentum, was turned around and fired back, hitting the pony who'd fired it. "Then he can spend a week in the infirmary, and the city will not fall."

That set the rest of the guards on her, which she repelled with her magic, blasting them all back in pulses.

"Come along, bedfellows," said Cozy, turning back to the train. "We have a castle to storm."

Sunburst came out with the bulk of the group, shields up. Gallus followed zealously, having taken the spear and armor from one of the guards that had flooded into the car from behind. Said guard was now unconscious on the floor. Trixie came next, and as Starlight came out backward, she released her force field that had kept the guards out of the room, turning it around and blocking off the incoming guards.

The guards kept charging at Cozy, Starlight and Gallus, rather than at anypony else. Gallus tried not to kill or seriously injure any of them, partially because it was distasteful, partially because he'd promised to minimize harm as much as he could, and partially at Cozy's command. When she was in charge, any defenses that were still intact could be used in her new regime.

Starlight just kept blasting. Her horn was beginning to turn red from the sheer volume of magic flowing through it. She was fatigued by the time they reached the central square.

Gallus was faring little better. He had been made to take to the skies and slash away at some pegasi. He did his best to bat them away from the huddled-up crowd.

"Gallus," called Cozy as they approached the castle. "Open that gate!"

With a salute, Gallus rushed ahead, dodging the rest of the guards, as it was faster to dive out of their way than it was to fight them. He flew over the wall and up the stairwell. When he arrived, he did have to knock aside the guards that were holding the gate closed. They had wedged the lever that held the winch closed and thrust at him with their swords.

It was not easy for Gallus to take them on. His spear was long and their swords were short. They had the advantage of movement in these tighter spaces. They also had the advantage of numbers. Luckily for him, they were gatehouse guards. They were not as well-versed in combat as he was, nor in as good a physical condition as he was. One was even a little bit fat. His biggest advantage, though, was that he didn't need to dispose of them, at all. He merely had to knock out the block on the winch and twist the wheel. The counterweights did the rest.

The portcullis was raised just long enough for the group to pass through, and Gallus closed it again by cutting the counterweights free. This locked out two-thirds of the guards, less the pegasi that could fly over the gatehouse. Gallus rejoined Cozy's group, as it was time to face Celestia and Luna.

Chapter the Seventy-Fifth: Battle of the Sun and Moon

Once they were inside the castle, Cozy was bored of repelling guards, and began sticking the more zealous ones to walls. The ones that were exhausted already didn't take a lot of convincing to play dead. They knew they couldn't beat Cozy with their numbers beginning to dwindle, and were happy to take the out. Others gave up the fight to try and free their trapped comrades or go back and try to open the gatehouse again. It was no matter anymore.

"Here we are," smirked Cozy, walking up to the throne room doors. "No doubt, they've prepared an ambush for us. Shields up, everypony."

As Gallus pulled the door open, no beams were fired at them. In fact, they were allowed to just walk right in, with the door closing behind them. Celestia and Luna were standing next to the throne, glowering at Cozy's smirk as she approached.

"Here to bow to your new ruler?" chuckled Cozy. "I knew you had some sense in you."

"Your reign of terror stops here, Cozy," snarled Luna. "Turn yourself over to us, and we'll go easy on your companions."

Twilight lowered her head. She was ashamed to even be here.

"A stone statue is too lenient a prison for the likes of you," growled Celestia. "What you deserve is nothing short of death. Come quietly, and I may rethink my decision."

"Hmmm... No, I think I'll just take your throne."

A blast from Luna's horn was deflected by Starlight. Having Trixie by her side now that the rear needed no cover, Starlight was steeled in her resolve, and no longer weary of battle.

"Now, that was an unfriendly thing to do, Luna," scolded Cozy, shaking her head. "Very unbecoming of the princess of the night."

"Then allow me," growled Celestia.

As Celestia's horn beam sped toward her, Cozy fired her own back. It was more powerful than that of the princess, and began to overtake her.

"Sister!" shouted Luna. She rushed to Celestia's side and pushed back against Cozy with her own magic.

Cozy was in a real bind, here, against both of them, she could not stand. While it was true that she had more power than they did, they had more practice putting it to use. They had been fighting this way for thousands of years before she had even been born. She hadn't even had a year, so the fact that she was barely able to stand her ground was impressive.

"It's a good thing you both are attacking from the same direction!" shouted Cozy as the magic ripped itself apart. "I don't think I could split my attention between both of you!"

Suddenly, their collective beam faltered, and Cozy managed to overpower Celestia. Luna was reeling, having been struck by the butt of Gallus's spear.

"Gallus, what are you doing?!" shouted Twilight. "You can't fight with Luna!"

"I'm proving Cozy's point," he answered back, having locked eyes with the lunar princess. "If she wants to divide her attention, then let this be a two-on-two."

"Stand down," commanded Luna. "I harbor no animosity toward you, Gallus. I am willing to forgive your treachery."

"And I harbor none towards you, Luna," he smirked back. "Bow to Cozy, and nopony will be harmed."

"If you join with her, you will leave me no choice."

"I already have no choice!" Gallus turned his spear around.

Luna sighed, summoned a sabre to her hoof, and lunged at Gallus. Their weapons crossed and clattered as they battered each other.

Cozy, meanwhile, kept her focus on Celestia, who was now kiting Cozy around the rafters. Celestia, having flown around these rafters multiple times, was doing so backward, keeping her eyes on Cozy and taking the occasional opportunity to fire spells. Cozy, chasing her, had to pay attention to where she was going, as well as what Celestia was doing. Cozy was not returning fire, but instead, preparing something a bit more complex.

While Gallus was more skilled than Luna in martial combat, he was no match for her when it came to magic. As a result, he was very much losing the fight, both from his unwillingness to strike a potentially fatal blow and his inability to repel her spells. She had him on the ropes, and with one final blast, shot him out of the sky.

Until, that is, Flurry flew up to catch him. She only served to slow his descent, however, as her fying ability was diminished. Even so, Gallus did not hit the ground. Yona carried him back to the safety of Sunburst's barrier as Smolder and Ocellus took his place.

Then came the very opening Cozy was looking for. She darted low, and one of Celestia's bolts followed her. Not a second after it left her horn, however, she noted its trajectory, and before she could shout to her sister, Celestia's wrath knocked into Luna's shoulders, knocking her out of the fight.

Enraged, Celestia charged at Cozy, but Cozy just turned to face her. "You've lost, Celestia! Give up, and I'll heal your sister!"

Celestia looked down at Luna, groaning in agony on the floor. Starlight walked over to the fallen princess and put a hoof on her shoulder, holding her down with very little effort. She looked to Cozy. "She would give her very life to protect Equestria."

Cozy smirked. "Would you give her life, then? Would you sentence her to death so you can continue this losing fight?"

"The elements," wheezed Luna. "Gather the elements."

"The elements of harmony serve me," interrupted Cozy. She turned around the room.

"Trixie and Double Diamond." A red aura surrounded them. "Their loyalty to Starlight is impregnable. They will stand beside her forever.

"Gallus and Starlight." They began to glow orange. "Even in the face of overwhelming odds, they have stayed true to their course. Their integrity is unquestionable.

"Gallus's friends," continued Cozy as a blue glow surrounded Smolder, Silverstream, Ocellus, Sandbar and Yona. "They are always happy to see each other, to be reunited. They represent the joy that friendship provides.

"Zecora," the zebra began to emit a purple glow, "with almost no benefit to herself, offered to aid us in our cause, simply because she had been repeatedly mistreated. She offered her services out of the goodness of her own heart, in the hopes that she may yet inspire the good in ours. I can think of nothing more generous than that.

"And let's not forget Sunburst." He wasn't paying attention, as he was trying to tend to Gallus's wounds, but he turned pink, regardless. "It is through his kindness that many of our group is unharmed, including Twilight and Flurry. Were he not around, I may not be inclined to let you live.

"Finally, there is call for a spark to bring about the sixth. I have no sparks, as they have already erupted into a mighty flame of passion." Tiaras appeared on all of their heads, including Cozy's. "Friendship is Magic, and it is fallacious to let it belong to any one creature."

The room was lit up by a mighty blast of rainbow energy, aimed at Celestia, but held back. "You can throw down your crown and be brought to heel with Twilight, or you can die with your sister." Cozy narrowed her eyes. "Make your choice, Celestia."

After a few seconds of thought, staring into the magic of such a powerful friendship, Celestia closed her eyes. "All of Equestria must be kept safe," she said.

"And it will be," smiled Cozy. "Safe and sound in our hooves and claws."

Celestia lowered her head, and with a flick of her ears, let her crown hit the marble floor. The battle was over.

Chapter the Seventy-Sixth: Cozy's Inauguration

Over the next few days, the citizens of Canterlot returned to their homes. News spread quickly of Celestia's defeat, coupled with her good health. A few of the publications even managed to put out that Luna was unharmed, as well, though that wasn't as widely circulated.

In the meantime, Celestia and Luna had been bound in both wing and horn. Their cutie marks had been removed and gifted to Starlight and Gallus, respectively, boosting their own power significantly. Gallus had grown two short, blunt horns out of the back of his head, and Starlight had grown a pair of wings. They weren't impressive, especially as this was Gallus's first cutie mark and foray into magic, and Starlight's wings were barely able to keep her aloft, but they helped the citizens to recognize them as being very important. The guards, at Celestia's command, transferred from trying to hunt Cozy down to protecting her.

The last few days had set Celestia and Luna's minds at ease. With Twilight, Cadance and Flurry speaking of their experiences, the royal sisters were much more willing to listen to Cozy's plan as to how to govern the ponies of Equestria. To their surprise, Cozy wasn't actually going to change very much. It was true that some things would be changed, including opening up an economic door that had been previously closed off for being too uncomfortable. Likewise, a few educational policies would be changed, to better benefit the students, but would cause a fair bit of outrage. While a lot of small things would change, a lot of Equestrian life would not.

The day after everypony returned, there was a speech to be held as Celestia stepped down from the throne, leaving it in the hooves of Cozy Glow. Ponies gathered in droves to hear this speech, as having a change this large was unheard of. Much like Celestia and Luna, they wanted to know what fate had in store for them from the hooves of Cozy Glow.

Celestia walked out first, to scattered applause. A lot of ponies whispered about her missing crown, enough that Celestia would hear their general murmuring. She held up a hoof to silence them, and when a hush fell over the crowd, she began.

"My little ponies, in recent times, we have seen our fair share of adversity in the form of several issues arising across our bountiful countryside. I would first like to state my relief that almost everypony was unharmed by this, and the worst thing to come of these events was fear.

"I also have some happy announcements. Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and Princess Flurry heart are no longer missing. They have been found, and have been seen to be in good health. In addition, the teachers that were going missing at Princess Twilight Sparkle's School of Friendship have been found, and cures for their conditions are to be administered soon. For these cures, we have somepony to thank.

"It is that very pony that I now abdicate my place as Ruler of Equestria. I will still be around, and in the event that you need to speak to me or Luna personally, we will be made available. However, for the leadership of Equestria, there is nopony I can offer the throne to except for her. Please welcome Queen Cozy Glow."

As Celestia stepped back and Cozy came forward, there was no applause. There was only the dull roar of almost four thousand ponies muttering amongst each other. She wasn't expecting to be accepted right away, but at least a single clap from the crowd would be appreciated.

"My little ponies, I wish you well on this fine day. I have called you all here to announce that there will be some changes to how Equestria operates."

She was met with booing from a few members of the crowd. It was no matter to her.

"Most of you will notice very little of what changes I will be making. If you wish to go about your lives completely ignoring the changes, you may do so. However, for those of you that have been feeling that you have been stopped at every turn; those of you that have suffered at the previous regime; those of you that have been turned away from your dreams because Equestrian society frowns on what it is you want to do, listen well, because it is for those that are suffering that I make these changes.

"First and foremost, for those of you that have ever been with an inexperienced lover, fear no longer, as sexual education will now be a mandatory course in all schools. That's true not just for public schools, but for schools funded by private functions, as well. Too many ponies are confused about their sexuality."

There was some murmuring throughout the crowd, and a few scattered claps, and some visible movement as a few mothers ushered their children away.

"The same is true for students who are homeschooled, as a General Educational Development test will require this knowledge, as well, so if you're thinking of teaching your children yourself, the impetus is on you to educate them."

The movement stopped.

"If you still want to try that route, incestuous relationships are no longer outlawed. The love between a brother and sister does not need to be snuffed out and detested. Instead, let the love blossom and shine as a bright, burning beacon. After all, if you can't trust your family, who can you trust?"

Some mild applause followed that, but it wasn't that much.

"And now, I'd like to announce that there is a brand-new job opportunity opening up. Except, it's not new. It is, in fact, the oldest job in existence. There are already ponies performing and managing this particular job, but now, it's being legalized. That means that the guards providing protection are the same ones that patrol your streets. That means a better cut for those serving. That means lower prices for the customers, because it also means less risk for those already managing the business. Unless, of course, the managers decide to put the money back into the business and build up a stronger, more powerful environment in which to operate. Fillies and Gentlecolts, the brothels are opening. And the first one will be right here in Canterlot."

That brought some more applause. It still wasn't as much as she wanted, but it was almost as much as Celestia had received at the beginning.

"Now, you may be wondering why I spoke of prostitution and sexual education back-to-back. I have a reason for doing so. It is now the rights of your children to decide when their own age of consent will be. It is going to be required that they pass their sexual education course before they can participate at all, but a child with full knowledge of what they are doing makes for a better partner than a stallion who can't even figure out where his uterus is."

There was a slight chuckle, followed by a round of applause that Cozy could be a little bit proud of. Perhaps they were clapping at her joke, or perhaps they truly did like the consent laws being opened up, but they applauded. Perhaps a third of them were actually okay with this, but as Cozy left a few closing remarks, she could see that she was beginning to win them over.

"That was a good speech, Cozy," sighed Celestia.

"It was," she nodded. "Aren't they all glad I opted not to put you in a stone prison?"

Epilogue the First: Personal Matters

As with almost every morning, Twilight was awake mere moments after Gallus. He would awaken, and then immediately move, and his claws were always on her butt. She had always thought that a rather crude way of waking up, but over the last eight months, she'd grown accustomed to it, and would always have trouble sleeping when he wasn't around.

"Morning," he breathed into her neck. "Sleep well?"

"I guess," answered Twilight. "No better than any other night."

"Yeah. You wanna fool around?"

He asked that every morning. And every morning, whether she felt like it or not, she always had the same response. "Sure."

She scooted down the bed and found his morning wood. It never mattered how she decided to do it, whether vaginally, anally, or orally, he was always pleased, as long as she stayed pregnant. She was pretty far along right now, too. She was scheduled for a few weeks from now, and during that time, she was against having him or anypony enter her vaginally.

After sucking him off and licking him clean, she slipped out of bed. "You have a meeting with the zoning board today," she reminded, walking to their private bathroom. "Make sure to be nice, or we won't be able to build that new wing." She stepped into the shower and began to scrub up. While her day was not to be as busy as Gallus's, she still had some things to do today.

After her shower, she walked down the hallways. She was greeted by some of the students, smiles on their faces and happy to see her. One of them even stopped her with a question. "Headmare Twilight, my coltfriend and I are thinking of having a baby, but I don't want it to interfere with my studies. What should I do?"

Twilight just put a hoof on her shoulder. "The school will not fault you for needing to take some time off for maternity. We actually started a program for that two months ago. Go talk to the nurse for the details."

"Thanks, Headmare Twilight."

As the changeling ran off, Twilight turned into Pinkie's classroom. Pinkie was setting up for her first class of the day. "Twilight! Over here!"

"Hey Pinkie. How's it going?"

"It's going great! I should have been rubberized years ago! And Cozy even made me out of temperature-resilient silicone, so I'm safe from both being tossed in the oven and being locked in the freezer. In fact, check this out!" She pulled a frozen yogurt pop out of her mane. "I slept in the freezer last night!"

Twilight took the yogurt pop. "You know you still have a bed, right?"

"Yup! Just seeing what fun things I can do. I can bounce higher, now, and I don't even have to worry about landing wrong! Whee!"

"Okay. Have fun in class."

Twilight continued down to Rarity, who had also remained rubberized, but had swollen up to twice her size, all in the belly. "Good evening, Twilight," she said, just barely glancing up from her work. "Feeling well?"

"Well enough. Already seeing company today?"

"Hm?" Rarity glanced up at the clock. "Oh. I must have lost track of time. Hurry up back there!"

A stallion had ahold of her backside and was using her as a rubber toy. "I'm... close," he wheezed.

"Inside, please," insisted Rarity. "There are a lot of expensive fabrics here, and I don't want you ruining them."

He held her hips down as he dumped his load with all of the others.

As soon as he was done, Rarity's hips retracted. "Go wash up in the bathroom and then go to class," instructed Rarity. "You're already running late."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, disappearing into Rarity's private bathroom.

"And so am I if I don't hurry along," continued Rarity. "As soon as he's done, I need to hose myself out and make my own move. Was there something you needed, dear?"

Twilight shook her head. "Just checking in, making sure it's all going well. Thank you for making time."

"Just ask when you need it, darling."

The school bell rang as Twilight continued onward. Her next stop was Fluttershy and Rainbow's classroom.

"And as you can see, it's designed to fit snugly. It's not meant to be so tight that you have to tear something, nor so loose as to slip out easily." To demonstrate, she slid down onto Zephyr's cock, her clitoris resting just above his balls.

"This is the ideal resting position during a threesome," explained Rainbow. "As from here, you can lick his balls while rubbing your nose against her clitoris. And I want to once again stress that you don't have to like the guy to have sex with him. That only makes it easier."

As Rainbow turned to demonstrate, she happened to glance toward the door. "Twilight?"

"Just making sure you're alright," said Twilight. "You did both give birth recently, and I wanted to know that you're both okay coming back to work."

"Don't worry about us, Twilight," smiled Rainbow. "The kids are with their grandparents today, and we're going home at lunch to check up on them. Besides, I don't mind coming in today as long as Fluttershy keeps her brother from being to unbearable."

"My testicles are going unlicked," interrupted Zephyr. "If they grow too cold, we have to start over from the beginning."

"Sorry, Twilight. We'll have to catch up later," sighed Rainbow, going down on Zephyr's balls.

"No problem," smiled Twilight, closing the door.

There was but one more stop she wanted to make before leaving Ponyville for the day, and it was off the school grounds. She passed by and greeted Zecora, who was here to see some students that needed her wares, and headed out to Sweet Apple Acres to check up on Applejack.

Surprisingly, neither Applejack nor Big Macintosh were out in the fields today. Apple Bloom was at school and Granny Smith was napping, so neither of them could weigh in.

Then she saw the peanut butter. A few drips, and then a hoofprint on the barn door. She pulled it open just a crack, and saw Big Macintosh rubbing it on his dick while Applejack licked it off. It was not illegal for them to do this anymore, so why the secrecy? Shame, perhaps?

At any rate, it didn't matter. She could talk to them later, and not bring up what she'd seen. It was enough for now just knowing that Applejack was safe and healthy, and with somepony that cared about her.

Epilogue the Second: Royal Affairs

The train ride to Canterlot was a pleasant one. Nothing much had changed about taking the train, aside from the fact that there was a stallion in the next booth giving head to his coltfriend. It was kind of hot, she had to admit, but very distracting from the scenery.

They arrived in Canterlot, and just as Cozy had promised, there was a brothel near the train station. It was a well-established and classy place, too. She'd been inside with Gallus a few times to taste the pleasures it housed within. She wasn't blown away by it, but it was a nice evening. They even served dinner, because what would put ponies in the mood better than a candle-lit dinner for two in a private room? Of course, Twilight and Gallus had been in separate rooms, seeing different ponies, and it had been a paid job by Cozy Glow to see how effective the place was, but that didn't make it a bad evening.

She passed three more on the way to the castle, each of varying quality. Of course, the one Cozy had installed was the best one, and displayed proudly near the entrances to the town. Still, there were two that were okay. There was one down an alleyway that was very discount, just barely within the licensing codes Cozy had put in place. If the first one was a restaurant, the other two would be cafes, leaving this as cup noodles sold out of the back of a cart.

She would not be stopping at any of them today, even though she had full reign to do so. Gallus had demanded that she be fully licensed as an inspector for these establishments, as her school would be training other inspectors, employees, business owners and security guards for them. She had to admit, there was more to it than she expected, but if there was one thing Twilight did better than most, it was study. It wasn't a huge stretch for her to teach it, either, and with a healthy knowledge of sexual education, some of her students were already making great strides in the field of prostitution.

But that's not what she was here for today. No, she was going to see a whore or two before the day was out, but not for business. First, she was going to check up on her niece. It'd been about a month, and she had come down from the Crystal Empire to take her test that would allow her to be sexually active. Flurry had been denied access to the test multiple times, not because her knowledge was insufficient, but as a deterrent. Twilight would have to administer the test, and she didn't want her niece to go through that. As a result, she'd increased the requirements for the test, lied about how many students could take the test at one time, rescheduled test dates and all manner of other things to ensure that Flurry never took the test.

Now she had no choice. Cozy had demanded that Twilight let Flurry take the test and prove her readiness to become a mare. Flurry knew more about cocks than the average urologist, and Cozy knew that. Sunburst was a skilled and well-read teacher and had prepared Flurry more than Twilight prepared her own students. Flurry was more than ready for the test, and now there was nothing Twilight could do to stop it.

She knocked on Flurry's door, then let herself in. Flurry and Sunburst were lying on the bed.

Twilight cleared her throat. "Good morning."

Flurry stirred and picked herself up off of Sunburst's chest. He was still asleep. "Shhh... He's still napping," she whispered.

"It's time to wake up," replied Twilight. "You should have been up hours ago."

"We were," answered Flurry, still trying to convince Twilight to lower her voice. "And then while waiting for you, we opted to take a nap."

Twilight shook her head. "Fine. If you can pull yourself together without waking him, then you can let him sleep. But your test starts in less than five minutes. You need to brush your mane, gather your pens and pencils, and make your way down to the room we'll be testing in."

Flurry nodded and pulled back the covers, groaning as she pulled herself off of Sunburst's cock. Thankfully, she had made him wear protection, but Twilight was mortified. "How long have you been doing this?!"

"Since before your capture," answered Flurry casually. "He told me we had to tone it down when you were around, but yeah, we've been sleeping together ever since he woke up to me fellating him... Or actually, a little before that, he just didn't know. But it's improved since then." She very quickly brushed her mane and grabbed her gear, but before she left the room, she pulled off the condom and drank the contents. "Protein supplement," she said in passing. "Waiting on you, now."

Exactly as expected, the test was over long before the timer went off, as Flurry knew all of the information by heart at this point. She even filled in information on trick questions with facts and figures rather than what could be stated at a surface examination. If the test was looking for a general state, she could give specific details that were far more accurate. She had the clinical knowledge and practical experience to attain a perfect score. And of course, as soon as Twilight begrudgingly read out the results, Flurry ran right back to Sunburst.

Twilight took the opportunity to go talk to Cozy. She was in Canterlot, so she may as well see her brother.

She made her way to the throne room, where Cozy waved her over. She was being pounded by Shining's cock. "Give your big brother a kiss," she panted.

Twilight leaned up and planted her lips against her brother's. "How is he?"

"He's great," grunted Cozy, her face very clearly showing her honesty. "Doctor said he was healthy as a horse! And you can wash laundry on his abs!"

"That's good to hear."

Cozy's face contorted as Shining plunged deep into her. They had just cum together, and Shining backed away as Luna and Celestia came to lick up the mess. As they sucked the cum off of Cozy's hooves and thighs, Cozy gestured to her stallion toy. "Why don't you take him for a ride? I'm done for the next hour or two, and he said your name during sex last night. I think he misses you."

With a sigh and a nod, Twilight walked up to her brother, turned around, and lifted her tail for him.

Epilogue the Third: The Crystal Throne

After sampling Cozy's hospitality and being licked clean by Celestia and Luna, Twilight rejoined Flurry in her guest room, where she was celebrating with Sunburst.

"I don't understand," sighed Twilight, sitting down near the bed. "If you were already doing this all the time, why did you take the test?"

"Can't have sex on the train without a license," smirked Flurry. "Plus, Sunburst insisted on wearing protection until I was legal."

Sunburst pushed his hips up one final time, holding Flurry's hips down and pumping his seed into her. She'd already taken two, and while they were far from done for the day, it was almost time to go to the train station.

Once aboard the train, Flurry lay across Sunburst's lap and sucked him off while he reached down between her legs and massaged her pussy. Twilight sat across from them and watched.

"Do you want to try it out for yourself?" offered Sunburst. "I'm led to believe that it's a very desirable specimen."

Twilight shook her head. "It's not that."

"You want to flag down one of the other stallions? I can bring one in for you. Or a mare, if you prefer. I'm sure I could find somepony that wants to have sex with you."

"No, that's not necessary." Twilight took a deep breath. "I want to know how she does... that."

What Twilight was referring to in this case was the way Flurry Heart, despite being still a filly, was able to deepthroat the entirety of Sunburst's cock. Right now, she had her nose buried between his balls, and his medial ring was leaving a notable bulge in her throat.

"Practice, of course. Don't you practice positions with Gallus?"

"Well, yeah, but he's..." Twilight blushed. "I don't know how to put it nicely."

"So don't," shrugged Sunburst. "Just come out and say it. Gallus has a tiny little shrimp dick. Everypony knows it. That's why he's always compensating."

"Well yeah, but he shows me off to his friends, shares me around, and a couple of them have been complaining that I keep choking on them, and he responds that he doesn't have that problem."

"It's not that hard to figure out why."

"Yeah, but I..." Twilight rubbed her forehead. "I don't want to make him feel inferior. He's essentially guaranteed that I'm going to have exclusively his children, and he's talking about us being wed. Now, I know I don't really have a choice in that, as I signed that away, but if I'm going to be spending the rest of my life with him, I don't want him to always be thinking he has a tiny dick."

"The problem isn't with you, Twilight," assured Sunburst. "Isn't that right, Flurry?"

In one motion, Flurry came all the way up with an audible pop. In its full length, it would end up at the base of her sternum, and she was taking the whole thing without needing to come up for air. "Any mare in your position could not be blamed for being unable to take cock the way I do. Why don't you show me, and I'll give you some tips from a pro."

"Well, I mean, there's nopony around right now, so..."

Flurry grabbed the base of Sunburst's erection and pushed it forward. "Then what do you call this?"

They arrived at the Crystal Empire station and stepped off the train. "Remember, Aunt Twilight, deep breaths and stretching. Practice with some other stallions, okay?"

Twilight nodded. She'd practiced on Sunburst while Flurry occupied herself with a passing stallion, showing off her versatility and flexibility. "I'll try to remember that."

"Sunburst and I are going to go pick up the kids. Why don't you head on up to the palace?"

"Okay, sure."

Flurry and Sunburst made their way back to Sunburst's old place, where his mother currently lived. Flurry had mentioned on the train Sunbursts fertility, in that he managed to fertilize his own mother's barren womb. Twilight knew that wasn't true, as she had been there when Cozy Glow had cast the spell that made Stellar Flare fertile again, as a reward for her hard work. She was now carrying Sunburst's triplets, and taking care of his children.

Twilight, meanwhile, went on to the palace. She had planned to just see Flurry home, but after her talk with Flurry and Sunburst, she had found out that Starlight was the one who had helped train Flurry to take it so deep, with practical knowledge and a small amount of pushing. With Starlight being that well-versed in fellatio, Twilight had to ask for her advice, as well.

Starlight was in the palace spa. It was an open room, always with an attendant ready, where the royalty and their guests could have a good soak. She had specifically called for a specialist today, and he was on top of her, giving her shoulders a rubdown.

"Twilight. Good to see you. Deep tissue massage?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine."

"To what do I owe the pleasure, then?"

"I hear you're pretty good as sucking cock."

Starlight chuckled. "Trying to plan for Gallus's next birthday already, or just wanting me to show him what it's actually supposed to feel like?"

"Neither, actually. I want you to teach me how to control my gag reflex."

"Are you sure you don't want a deep tissue massage? I have him for the next hour or so."

"I'm sure. Just help me out, please?"

Starlight sighed. She reached back and smacked her masseur's thigh. "I need to stand up."

As he lifted himself off of her, his massive cock slipped out of her arse. It was absolutely covered in cum.

"I'm sorry," whimpered Twilight. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I didn't know you were--"

"In order for a deep tissue massage to be effective, he has to be able to reach the deep tissues. That requires a long probe." Starlight folded her forelegs. "Why should I teach you this?"

Twilight bowed her head to the floor. "I ask because you're better than I am, and I need help beyond my experience."

A grin spread across Starlight's face. "Beg."

Twilight crawled forward and kissed her hoof. "Please, Starlight. You're better than I am, and I need your help."

That's all she needed to hear. "Great. Show me what you can do." She grabbed Twilight by the mane and put her between the stallion's knees. "Let me see what you're doing wrong."

Twilight swallowed. "But, he was just in your..."

"And?"

With a deep breath, Twilight leaned forward, opened her mouth and tried to remember what Flurry taught her.

Epilogue the Fourth: Return to Ponyville

"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty."

At the count of twenty, Starlight released Twilight's head, and she flung herself off, coughing and retching.

"Come on, Twilight," urged Starlight. "Back on your knees and try again. I've been going easy on you so far. I've been helping to hold you down, I've been letting you only go for twenty seconds when you really should be trying for thirty... Come on, this isn't going to suddenly be easier if you stop trying."

"I am trying!" insisted Twilight. "He's huge!"

"If he was tiny, it'd be too easy." Starlight grabbed Twilight's mane and pushed her back onto the cock. "One, two, three..."

The masseur had met his time limit eight minutes ago. He was free to leave and go home. However, he was being paid time and a half to sit here and have his cock sucked, so he wasn't leaving anytime soon. Sure, Twilight wasn't great at it, but her throat was very tight and warm.

"Eighteen, nineteen, twenty."

Twilight came up with a gasp and coughed up a gob of mucous.

"See him throbbing?" said Starlight, directing Twilight's attention to the pulsing member. "This is the last time I'll push you down there, and this time, no counting. You'll stay down there until his balls are drained. Do I make myself clear?"

Twilight nodded and took a deep breath as the monstrous length was rammed down her throat. Starlight had one hoof on the back of Twilight's head and one on her throat, feeling for the pulses running through his urethra. At first, there was nothing, but after a few seconds of ball fondling, the stallion opted to pump his load down into her stomach. Twilight tried to cry out, but it was to no avail. She couldn't make a noise. Even if she could, nopony would come to her aid until she passed out. She just had to sit there and wait for him to finish before she could breathe again.

When she did come back up for air, she almost immediately collapsed. She'd been holding her breath for nearly forty-five seconds, feeling like she was choking the whole time. She just lay there on the floor, her chest heaving in a puddle of cummy drool.

"You're not done yet," said Starlight, picking her up.

"But he just came!" wheezed Twilight.

"That's true," nodded Starlight. "And he's not going to be ready to go again for at least half an hour, with how hard we've been riding him. But he helped you practice. What do we say when somepony helps us?"

Twilight swallowed to clear her mouth. "Thank you, sir."

"You're very welcome," he smiled.

"Thank him properly," insisted Starlight. "Lick him clean so he can go home."

Twilight took a deep breath as the train started toward Ponyville. After licking the masseur clean, swallowing every sticky drop from his balls, she walked him home. He was even nice enough to give her a towel to wipe her face clean before sending her on her way.

Today had been exhausting, and right now, she just wanted to go home and go to bed. Gallus was probably wondering where she was. At any rate, she was on her way back to Ponyville now.

There was a brief stop in Whinnyapolis, and Silverstream sat down next to her. "Having a nice day, Headmare?"

"About as well as I can expect," chuckled Twilight. She pointed toward Silverstream's swollen belly. "You're coming along nicely."

"Thanks. She's either Gallus's or Sandbar's; I'm not sure which."

"I know mine is Gallus's," smiled Twilight. "I know for certain."

"He does like to dominate," Silverstream chuckled.

"So, what have you been up to lately?"

Silverstream shrugged. "Keeping your sister-in-law busy."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, the five of us have been sharing her of late. She's really good at following orders. She keeps our beds nice and warm, too."

"I see. And she just moves from room to room?"

"That's right."

"And she's okay, health-wise?"

"She seems to be. Why?"

Twilight shook her head. "I haven't seen her for a few months, that's all. I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

Silverstream gave Twilight a tight hug. "Don't worry, Headmare Twilight. Cadance is in good claws. We're all taking very good care of her."

They continued to chat until the train came to a stop. Silverstream needed to return to her group for the project; they were waiting for her at one of the local cafes. Twilight, on the other hoof, was going right back to the school. She made her way back to her bedroom and took another shower to ensure that she was clean, and when she came out, Gallus was sitting on the bed, waiting for her.

"We were approved," he smiled, gesturing for her to sit down beside him. "Exactly as requested."

"I knew you had it in you," smiled Twilight, sauntering over and snuggling up to him.

"I never had any doubts," he chuckled. "How was your day?"

"Well, it was a day," sighed Twilight. "A bit longer than I was expecting, to be honest. I was just going to go administer Flurry's sexual education test, but I ended up riding the train back to the Crystal Empire with her, and after hearing what she said, I had to go talk to Starlight. In the end, I'm just glad I wasn't gone all night."

"So am I," smiled Gallus. He reached around her and started fondling her breasts. They'd grown a lot during her pregnancy. "So, listen... I was talking to some of the boys lately. They were wondering when the next orgy is going to be."

"Not until I give birth," answered Twilight. "They're going to insist on having me gagged and questioning my consent. They always do that, and I don't want them interfering with my pregnancy. I'm due soon. Can't they at least wait another month? It's only been two weeks."

"Yeah, but they love the look of your pregnant mound. Call it a fetish if you want, but that's what they like to see."

"I will call it a fetish," answered Twilight, "because that's exactly what it is. I'm too far along and too attached now to risk something happening to my first foal. Just give me some time to give birth, recover, and then we can start all over again, okay?"

"Okay."

Gallus lifted her up and rolled over into bed, wrapping them both in the blanket. Flicking off the lights, he grabbed her by the arse, and before long, they were both asleep.

Chapter the First: Pulling the Sword form the Stone

The Canterlot gardens were a beautiful place. All day, citizens could be granted a pass from the head gardener to look around, smell the flora, discuss botany and learn. That last one was an addition from Princess Twilight, herself. Several classes had come here since her coronation, whether to study arrangements, biology, or masonry. But the two figures stepping into the hedge maze this evening were not interested in learning how to best care for their tulips or what kind of chisel would keep them from damaging their marble. They were after something else.

"Are you sure nopony's going to know about this?" asked Gallus. "Seems awfully risky..."

Starlight stopped and turned around. "Let me tell you something about risk, Gallus. If you were to turn around right now and head back inside, the guard would ask you if you found your library book. Since you don't have one to show him, he'd let you go and come out here himself and find me. You would immediately be under suspicion, especially because a whole team of guards would scour the gardens looking for your little lost book, which we all know is made up. You can fold now if you wish, but all of your chips are already on the table. You will lose everything."

Gallus scratched the back of his neck. "It's just, we're right under the princesses' collective noses. Shouldn't we, you know, try to move the statue somewhere else first?"

Starlight shook her head. "That's too suspicious. They'll start asking why, and if we can keep our cards close to our chest, we can hold out until the river."

"Enough with the poker references!" grunted Gallus. "I will fly right up to Luna's balcony and tell her what you're doing."

"Princess Luna is not here. That's why I told you to come out here tonight."

Their destination was deep in the center of the hedge maze, inside of a locked glass dome. Gallus, having performed his tasks of being a model student, had taken some elective classes in the field of personal security, meaning it was not at all odd when he started looking into lock design. Unfortunately, knowing how to make a lock work made it all too easy to figure out how to make it not work, and Gallus was a clever student. It was no trouble at all to pick his way through with a hardened paper clip and an aluminum can, once he knew how.

The door swung open and the two walked in. Many beautiful statues lined the path, many the works of aspiring students and others the work of great masters. But neither Starlight nor Gallus cared about any of them. There was something far more important at the center of the building.

"I'd almost forgotten what she looked like," said Gallus, running his claw along the statue's cheek.

"That one's Tirek, dumbass," spat Starlight. "We're not here for him." Her horn lit up, lightly illuminating the stone trio. It had been a dark blob in the shadow of the structural beams, but now it was clearly marked who was who.

"Okay, we found them," nodded Gallus. "Now what?"

"Now? We hope that the spell I learned from Twilight works."

"Hope? Shouldn't you know already? This is all too far along for just a hope. What testing have you done?"

"I tested it on a rabbit once. Not as good a field test as I was hoping for, and this is a far different mechanism, so I hope that this is enough to do what we need. Now shush, I need to concentrate."

As Starlight's horn began to charge with different magicks, Gallus sat down on the plinth between Chrysalis's outstretched legs. "Where'd you even learn that spell? Wouldn't the princesses keep a spell like that under tight scrutiny?"

"Normally, yes," agreed Starlight. "I actually don't know if this will work, because it's a homebrew from a lesser spell that's meant to do the same thing."

"Wait, really?"

Starlight stopped. "Are you going to keep distracting me? I need to concentrate."

Gallus folded his arms. "This is a spell that can free the greatest threats to Equestria. With it, you can free Tirek, Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, and previously, Discord. It just seems really odd to me that something that has such potential to damage the world so completely would be something you can just make up."

A tiny bolt fired from Starlight's horn and turned Gallus's beak to stone. "That's because it's not, Gallus. Not for the normal pony, of course. I have unique means and will." Her horn fired again, and the beak turned back. "Now it's been tested on both bunny and birdie."

"Just tell me how, and I'll stop asking."

Starlight nodded. "Two years ago, Fluttershy was having trouble with a cockatrice. She wanted Twilight's help, but thankfully, she was busy. So, I volunteered. Twilight was happy to teach me a spell to turn cockatrice victims back from stone."

Gallus scowled. "That's it?"

"Not at all. It was merely a template. Don't ever forget that I'm one of the cleverest, most versatile mages in all of Equestria. It was a challenge putting this spell together backwards, but I did it. I've had it in my back pocket for quite some time, too, but I can't just ask Celestia and Luna to start turning ponies to stone so I can figure out how to break them out."

"Then how come no one else ever figured it out?"

"Somepony probably could," agreed Starlight, "but they didn't want to use it that way. Think of it this way. If Applejack wanted to, she has all of the components required to build an explosive powerful enough to cause a landslide that would wipe Canterlot off the side of this mountain. Why doesn't she blow it up? Hm?"

Gallus slowly nodded. "Good point."

Starlight's horn began to glow again as she filtered her will through it. "Here goes nothing," she said as the bolt launched from her horn into Cozy's frozen chest.

For a minute, the room was still. "I guess that really was nothing," teased Gallus. "Oh, well. It was wo--"

He was cut off as Cozy began to glow. Her stony hide rumbled and cracked, finally shattering away in a small explosion, leaving bits of broken stone shell everywhere. At the center of it all, Cozy lay unconscious.

"Perfect," smiled Starlight giddily. She turned to Gallus and gave him a hammer. "Smash some of the statues," she commanded as she hoisted Cozy onto her back. "Make sure you break your own."

"Are you crazy?" he growled. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to carve that?"

"Be a victim, and you can avoid blame," answered Starlight. "That's something I learned from Cozy Glow. Draw attention away from us, and onto somepony else. Somepony who might be trying to move ahead, if you know one who's just begging for attention."

"Why don't you do it?"

Starlight chuckled. "I have to take her somewhere safe. I'll be back soon with further instructions, just smashy smashy."

With a flash, she was gone, and Gallus was left holding a hammer. With a deep breath and a sigh, he began to break apart the stone creations. He wasn't that mad about it, as the statue he was carving wasn't going to win an award, anyway, but if it was destroyed, maybe he' be given a consolation B instead of the D he was expecting.

Chapter the Ninth: Opening Doors

"Do you really think this will work?" asked Starlight. "I know we're already married to the plan, but how successful do you think we'll be, really?"

"Trust in Trixie," Trixie smiled. "We're simply going to try again with a new approach. We have the same goal, with most of the same strategy, but with a cinch at the end and twice as many ears to catch something before it can slip by. We're way more prepared. Trixie even brought her own tea set."

Starlight nodded. "Come on, his house is this way."

The duo walked down the street, this time dressed for the weather. They also walked close to each other. While it was still a bit early in their relationship to make their status public knowledge, they still wanted to show each other their affections. They could make an announcement later, assuming that nothing went wrong by then.

They arrived at his front door to find that he wasn't in. The door was probably unlocked, as he lived in a nice neighborhood, but he wasn't answering the door. That would only make sense, as he was supposed to still be with Flurry at this particular moment in time, but he had made it clear yesterday that he often finished early.

"Starlight Glimmer. I thought that was you."

Starlight turned around. Standing behind them was a mare she had not seen in a few years, now. "Stellar Flare. Here to see your son? He's not in right now."

"We shall see about that," she huffed, walking up to the door. Sure enough, the handle turned and the door opened, allowing her to just walk in. "Sunburst! Mother has come for a visit!"

Trixie leaned in and whispered "This wasn't part of the plan. What do we do now?"

Starlight paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "We change the plan. Just watch for now, and see if you can learn anything I miss."

Trixie nodded and followed Starlight and Stellar into the house. It was practically unchanged from the day before, with only some minor differences in what books were laid out and what was put away. There was also a cardboard frozen dinner box poking out of the top of the recycling bin.

Stellar poked her head back into the hallway. "Where is he?"

"Probably still at the palace," answered Starlight. "He's tutoring Princess Flurry Heart over the summer."

"And you're here to tell him that the baby is healthy?"

Trixie shook her head. "Baby?"

Starlight took a deep breath. "Sunburst and I are not in a romantic relationship at this time. I'm not carrying his child at this moment. We're both a little busy to start dating, and we don't even live that close to each other. I can't make this trip every day, either. If we ever decide we'll be having children, you will be one of the first to know."

Stellar crossed her front legs and pushed out her lower jaw. "You're not going to be young and fertile forever, Starlight. There's a window for you to have kids, and it isn't going to open any wider than it is right now."

"Actually, it runs on a cycle, and will be more open in two weeks."

Stellar sneered. "That's gross, don't talk about stuff like that out in the open!"

"You were the one that brought up my ovulation. I thought you wanted to discuss it."

"No!"

"Then perhaps it's best to leave that to me and worry about yourself, instead."

"I am worried about myself! Despite how young and vibrant I look, I'm not growing any younger. My son needs children. I need grandchildren, and in my lifetime! You and I both know he's never going to work his way around to it on his own, so you need to jump on him and milk one out, or I'm never going to see them!"

The tension was so tight in the room that it seemed that anything could set it off. Despite that, Trixie thought it was good idea to interfere. "Starlight, can you take me to the little Filly's room?"

Starlight seethed. "Yeah, this way."

Once they were in the room, Trixie locked the door. "Soundproof us," she whispered.

Starlight's horn lit up around the door. "Something wrong with your stomach?"

"No, but I think I might know a way to convert Sunburst to our cause, and also make his mother stop nagging you about pushing out grandkids for her. How old is she, by the way?"

"Forty-eight, I think."

"She's not even that old yet. Plenty of time to have grandkids."

"The plan, Trixie?" groaned Starlight.

"Okay, what crawled up your arse?"

"She did!" After a moment, Starlight sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry at you, just angry in general right now because of this whole argument. I'll probably calm down when this stops being a problem. She just keeps digging into me, you know?"

Trixie nodded. "Well, this plan will help with that. What if we open up the doors for her? Give her what she wants?"

Starlight put her hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "Look, I know that part of the plan today was to come here and have a threesome with Sunburst, but that's part of a much larger plan that I can't do while pregnant. If I did end up with her grandkid in me, she'd be all over me every minute of every day, making sure that I do what's best for the child, even at my own expense."

"So we give her a different mare."

Starlight blinked several times. "I don't follow."

"Hear me out: We convince her to join our side. With Twilight in our clutches, Sunburst can not only produce a child, but a royal child! And we'll probably have Cadance and Flurry, too!"

"Flurry's a little young to be rearing children, don't you think?"

Trixie pulled back. "You ate out Cozy Glow, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I didn't make her pregnant."

"My point is, he'll have his pick of the gold standard of mothers for his kids, and he can have as many as he wants! In fact, Cozy would probably let him have multiple partners, which means even more buck for each bang!"

Starlight furrowed her brow. "Bad joke."

Trixie chuckled. "Sorry. Trixie couldn't help herself. So, what do you think?"

Starlight considered it for a moment, then nodded. "I'm in."

Chapter the Eleventh: Stellar Review

Stellar Flare looked over Starlight's manor. "This is where you want to raise my grandchild?"

"What's wrong with it?" demanded Starlight, letting Trixie rush in to inform Cozy of the sudden change in plans and prepare the room. "It's large, well-stocked, and safe."

"It's so far from everypony else," she complained. "How will he have friends if he's all cooped up in here?"

"He can still have friends. He can still go into town. But in this way, I can push for him only having good friends. I can make sure they don't take advantage of him and make sure that he's as prepared as ever for his first year of Magic Kindergarten."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea? There are few things more powerful than friendship."

"Very few, indeed," nodded Starlight. "They do exist, however..."

Starlight saw the shadow in the second floor window and nodded, knowing that Cozy Glow was watching. She was definitely in hot water now, and she would need some help to make this work. She was willing to submit to whatever punishment Cozy would give her, as long as she pulled her out of this mess she'd created for all of them.

"Come in, I'll have some tea prepared."

Stellar Flare followed Starlight through the foyer and into the kitchen. The two were silent as Starlight made the tea, but Stellar judged her every step of the way with her facial expressions.

Starlight poured them both a cup of tea, as well as one for Trixie, who had only just returned. "Sorry," she smiled. "Indecent things were happening."

Stellar sipped at her cup. "You still have to show me the baby's room."

"Right," nodded Trixie. "It's upstairs."

After a few minutes of Starlight and Trixie sipping at their tea, much to Stellar's ire, they set their cups down and escorted her upstairs, with Trixie selecting the room that she had just set up. She opened the door and escorted the party inside. Most of the room was barren, with the furniture all pushed off to one side and hastily disassembled.

"You call this a nursery?"

Starlight sat down on the couch. "What part of "just found out today" did you not understand?"

"The part where you can't raise a baby in this room. There's no crib, even!"

"We have time," assured Starlight. "The baby's not due for months, yet."

Stellar sat down and folded her front hooves. "How long ago was the conception? How many months do I have to turn this place around for my grandson?"

Starlight looked to the door, and for a brief moment, her horn lit up before going dark again. She took a deep breath. "Ah, yes, the time of conception. That has yet to be decided, as well as who the mother will be."

Stellar sneered. "I should have known this was too good to be true."

"Who says it's not true?" asked Trixie, her own horn flashing for a brief few seconds. Sunburst will have a child, and it will be in your lifetime. In fact, you might even have some say in the matter. It could even be a princess."

"Or two," added Starlight.

"Or three," continued Trixie. "What we have is a method of elevating him to be, at the very least, as important and influential as any of the princesses. Perhaps even more so."

Stellar Flare narrowed her eyes. "I'm listening."

"Your son, as well as his offspring, could all be tied for the second most important ponies in all of Equestria."

"Why not the most important?"

Trixie shrugged. "It's for his own protection. If something goes wrong, he can claim that he was following orders."

"Following orders?"

"Yes," smiled Starlight. "Whatever goes wrong, it can't be his fault."

Stellar took a deep breath, considering her options. Given the offer that had just been extended, she could refuse, but the reward for compliance was exceptionally good. Throwing it away was not good for her son. "What is this plan?"

Starlight leaned back and tented her hooves. "Love is a curious thing. Sometimes, it does not make sense. And yet, it can happen to anypony. In most cases, this is fine, but in some, not so much. Think Montague and Capulet, as that is the case for this particular tale, but on a much simpler scale. Out of all of the various countries we know about, how often does it happen that a peasant marries into royalty?"

"Quite often."

"In a non-fictional setting?"

Stellar retracted her statement.

"The reason for this is that we don't want just anypony running the country. That's why Cadance was allowed to marry Shining Armor, after all. His family is nobility, he was a captain in Celestia's royal guard, and his sister was heir apparent to Equestria. If even one of those happened to not be true, it's unlikely that he would have been given the opportunity to stand beside the latest ruler of the Crystal Empire. In a fair world, the same position could have belonged to a homeless stallion who was cast aside by society.

"I will grant this, however. A change is coming soon. This change will make effort and merit far more valuable. It will be a world where it doesn't matter if you were born into a noble house or a poor one; If you're the boss's sister or some mare who just started her first minimum wage job. This system will be based on hard work and merit. Those who try harder will be granted more value. What is needed will not be status, but passion."

"And this helps my son how?"

"Sunburst tries harder than most other stallions. It's taken years for him to claw his way up to his current status, and yet, he deserves more."

"I agree."

"There is one problem with this, though."

"What's that?"

Starlight leaned forward and furrowed her eyebrows. Cozy was talking into her ear from outside of the room, explaining how the plan needed to go, and while Starlight agreed, she had to find the right words to restate what Cozy meant without upsetting Stellar Flare to the point that she would storm out of the room.

"Your son has no passion for creating children. He is in need of assistance on that front."

Chapter the Twenty-Fifth: Homecoming

Trixie and Gallus descended the stairs into the basement of Starlight's manor. "I feel like we haven't talked much since we started this whole thing," Trixie sighed.

"That's because we haven't," answered Gallus. "I've been either in training or operating in the Crystal Empire. We haven't really spent time together outside of work for the past month. And we're under such scrutiny at the palace. It's driving a wedge between us."

"Starlight says it should all be over soon."

"So does Mistress. I trust them both."

The vault door opened and Cozy stepped out with an empty plate. "Finally! Where were you two half an hour ago?"

"Still en route," answered Gallus flatly. "We're here now, and this time, you're not going to be left alone dealing with the prisoners."

Cozy smirked and looked back at them. Flurry and Cadance were tied up in their own cells, blindfolded and gagged, while Shining was given a much larger cell, unable to see the other two though a partition, but less tied up and with several lipstick marks on his chest and neck. "Oh, I could keep one of them..."

"You're keeping all three," said Trixie, walking into the vault and picking up Flurry. "Starlight has called for her big project to be moved into her new place. Twilight approved it, so long as she continues to run the Crystal Empire effectively. You're going to live in the palace!"

"The palace, huh?" Cozy rubbed her chin as Gallus picked up Cadance, now with the strap-on removed. "I had a loftier chair in mind, but I suppose it'll do for now."

"Oh, you still can't sit on the throne," interjected Trixie. "We still need to keep your location quiet for now. She found a place for you in the basement, and had me create a secret entrance or three."

Cozy frowned. "Do you know how much time I've spent in the basement over the last two weeks? Too much!"

"Not for much longer," smiled Gallus. "Look here." He rubbed his claw seductively over Cadance's flank, squeezing and pinching. "This will soon be all yours."

Cozy rolled her eyes. "I already had access to her arse! That's why it feels so tender. You don't find a chunk of meat that soft without some good, old-fashioned paddling."

Trixie reached over and rubbed Cadance's butt, squeezing it in her hoof. "You're right, it's super soft and cushiony. And look how wet she is, too."

"She likes the abuse," smirked Cozy. "I hope you don't mind if I don't carry the stud. He's a little too heavy for me."

They made their way upstairs and deposited the princesses into the wagon they'd used to bring them to the manor. They'd already been sprayed down with the hose today, which was about as close to a bath as they were to receive in captivity like this. Shining had not, as Cozy liked his musk, and was more reluctant to wash it away, at least until she had the opportunity to lick it off, first.

Gallus was tasked with cleaning him up this time, meaning Shining was given more than just a simple hose-down. He was scrubbed in the areas not covered by bondage equipment with a rough brush. Unlike Cadance and Flurry, he was given soap with his shower. It was unscented, but it cleaned him of all lipstick marks.

Once dried with a towel, he too was shoved into the hidden compartment in the wagon, which had been fitted with wooden separators to keep the family apart. With the door closed, they began piling in other things, more mundane and important-looking things in crates and steamer trunks. Anypony that looked inside would guess that it belonged to a pony of Starlight's stature, sans regency.

The last thing to go in was Cozy herself, who opted to share her space with Shining Armor, rubbing against him for the whole ride.

The trip back to the empire, much like the trip to the manor, was phenomenally boring. Trixie and Gallus just shuffled along silently, not really talking to each other. They wanted to discuss the plan, but despite this being the open road with nopony around, it was still a public place. All it took was one earth pony napping behind a tree to call down Twilight's attention, and that was not a good idea.

Starlight had asked Trixie to prepare a secret entrance, and while Gallus and a couple of guards unloaded the main body of the wagon, Trixie and Starlight were under the carriage, pulling their captives into an underground passage that led to an otherwise empty room adjacent to the one the Crystal Heart was being stored in, along with Cozy.

"Lovely to see you again, Mistress," bowed Starlight. "I trust your journey was a pleasant one?"

"Not at all," pouted Cozy. "My seat experienced erectile disfunction halfway through, and I couldn't make him stand at attention for the rest of the ride."

Starlight scowled at Shining, who scowled right back. "That will soon change, if he knows what's good for him."

He grunted and struggled, but to no avail.

"I've accelerated a few of my plans," reported Starlight, turning to Cozy Glow. "I have a few last-minute items to move on my list before we can begin, but those should only take the rest of the day. We can start tonight."

"Good," smiled Cozy. She turned and walked over to Cadance and removed her gag. "How do you feel about your chances, Princess?" she chuckled. "That title's not going to be yours for much longer."

Cadance said nothing, just glaring between Cozy, the mastermind, and Starlight, the betrayer. She had nothing to say to them at this point. When her gaze fell on Trixie, however, she had something. Three little words, plus a fourth that did not fit that description.

"I'm disappointed in you."

The message did as intended, striking Trixie like a knife to the chest. Immediately, her face flushed with regret and fear, as she saw the path she had taken to come here unravelling before her. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, and her resolve weakened.

Starlight immediately wrapped her hooves around Trixie's shoulders and pulled her in close, rubbing her back and gently swaying. "Why don't you head upstairs, love? I'll join you in a minute."

Trixie nodded, in tears as she left the room. She didn't know why it hurt so much, but it had, and she didn't know what to do. At least she had Starlight to comfort her.

Starlight marched right back over to Cadance and smacked her, hard. Grabbing the princess by the jaw and pulling her back to attention, she glared into her eyes. "I love that mare. I will not let you harm her. If you hurt her again, I won't stop myself. Do we understand each other?"

Cadance smirked. "Do we?"

Chapter the Forty-First: Shuffling Rooms

"This is a really weird assignment..." scowled Smolder. "I mean, why can't we just stick with our original pairings and still be able to complete it?"

"That's probably our fault," snorted Gallus, dropping his overnight bag in front of Yona's desk. "Sandbar and I having a headstart would create an unfair advantage."

Smolder shrugged. "I mean, I guess so, but who cares? As long as you learned something, what does it matter when?"

"It matters the amount of effort to which you need to put into it. My presentation with you should be about the same as Sandbar and Yona's presentation. If I were the one with Sandbar, we'd clearly be able to go over more with ours."

"So? We're all learning the same stuff."

"Yeah, but what if you and Yona worked really hard and your efforts weren't even comparable to mine and Sandbar's?"

"I wouldn't care."

"Yona would."

"Yeah, but Yona wants to be a shining beacon to attract everyone to her."

"Well, I'd rather not upset her by upstaging her unfairly. If we're going to upstage her, I'd rather it be because we worked for it."

Smolder smirked. "Do you want to upstage her?"

Gallus cracked his neck, shoulders and claws, a grin spreading across his beak. "Where do you want to start?"

Smolder held up her notebook. "Top of the list? I have to explain your cock and balls to everyone else. I still want full marks, even if my thorough analysis leaves you with nothing to report. Up on the bed and spread 'em."

"Hm, nice try." Gallus leaped at her, knocking her onto her back and pinning her to her own bed in a surprise attack. He then turned around and dangled his balls over her face. "I'm not going to have the weakest grade because you want to know everything about my testicles. We go together!"

Smolder snorted. "Okay, first question. Why are they on the outside like this?" She grabbed his balls in her claw and tugged on them, weakening his legs as he retreated. "They're so exposed and open to damage. Why don't you store them inside your body where they're safe?"

"It's a display," he winced. "The lower they hang, the more virile the male. Stop pulling on them!"

"Well, bring them down so I can see them better!"

Gallus lowered himself. As long as she had him by the balls, he was reluctant to push the issue of exploring her. As his balls and her face came together, it was much easier to relax.

"Well, I can place some of that smell," she grunted. "Sandbar's arse. I know the stench of colon, and then the sweat. But there's something else in there. I can't quite place it."

"It's my natural musk," explained Gallus. "Drives the ladies, and Sandbar, wild."

"Does it actually work? I ha-- Ah!" She was cut off as Gallus's claws pulled open her cloaca. She was already soaked.

Gallus licked his claw. "Tastes like it works just fine."

"N-not fair! That's a very sensitive area!"

"Sensitive and wet." Gallus leaned down and dragged his tongue along the slit. "Smells sweet to entice you in, but tastes savoury, as if telling you it's healthy and nutritious. My first instinct is to keep eating."

"You'd better not--" she was once again struck by the overwhelming wave of arousal his touch brought. Every movement of his claw sent her to depths never before plumbed. But her competitive side would not let him beat her. If he knew what she tasted like, it was imperative that she knew the same of him.

She wrapped her tongue not just around his balls, but his dick, too, pulling the whole package into her mouth. It was foul at first, but after a few seconds, she was through the sticky outer layer and into the skin. The barbs were similar to something she'd seen in anatomical models when taking a more dragon-centric interest in males. She hadn't known that gryphons possessed the same trait.

"You're leaking, too," she said, letting go of him. "Anything to shay for yourshelf?"

"You're slurring," answered Gallus. "Admit it, you want to jump ahead on the list!"

She grabbed him by the hips and pushed him to the side, rolling on top of him. "Forget the damn list!" She spun around and sat on top of him, directing his cock up into her. Her instincts took over, and her body shifted around to accept his organ with little input from her. "Show me what you did with Sandbar! I want to feel every centimetre!"

Gallus grabbed her ankles, pushing her onto her back. "Well, first, I was the one on top. As for what we did, it was this!"

As he began to pump, he immediately noticed that it felt different. Different from Sandbar, surely, but this was even a distance from Zecora. As her claws dug into his shoulders, he felt invigorated. His hips slapped against her arse harder and deeper than any of his previous partners, and the look of pure pleasure on her face told her that he should not be afraid to fuck her harder and harder. She was sturdy enough, she could handle it.

Gallus and Smolder's room was filled with the sound of flesh slapping and moaning. It wasn't a long list, but this was the roughest, ball-slappingest, most passionate sex Gallus had ever had, and it was Smolder's first time.

After twenty minutes, Gallus drilled his entire shaft into Smolder's cloaca, flooding it with his seed. So enamored was she, filled to the brim with hot gryphon spunk that she grabbed his head and shoved her tongue into his mouth. She didn't know what she was doing or why, it just felt right.

Panting and gasping, Gallus rolled over. "That... was... amazing."

"You're tellin' me," chuckled Smolder. "Ugh, it hurts to laugh..."

"I'm exhausted," sighed Gallus, fluttering over to Yona's bed. "I'm definitely going to remember this. We'll write it all down in the morning."

Smolder jumped on top of him from across the room. "Nice try. I don't care if you're exhausted. I'm not letting you go to bed until that list of sexual positions is exhausted!"

Chapter the Sixty-Second: The Final Defender

Applejack was still unconscious when Starlight hobbled up to the school's gates. The guards, immediately recognising the situation, skipped protocol and just picked up the tranquil mare from Starlight's back. By this time, somepony had run off to Sweet Apple Acres to tell Big Mac, and as he came barreling toward the gates, the guards were carrying Applejack inside.

"AJ!" he shouted out, just barely being blockaded by the guards.

"I found her on the edge of the Everfree forest," informed Starlight. "This was sticking out of her thigh."

Big Mac looked at the dart, noting that it was empty. His contemptuous gaze could bore a hole into Starlight's skull.

"I'm not sure what was in it, but I don't think it was lethal. Her heart was still beating thirty seconds ago, and she seemed to be breathing just fine. I think it was a tranquilizer of some kind, not a poison."

Big Mac turned and looked worriedly at the building that housed his sister's unmoving body.

"In a way, she was wrong. Gallus couldn't have done this. He was chained to the door when I left, and that was just before I found her." She turned to Big Mac. "Can you fetch a doctor, or something?"

"Eeyup." Rearing up, Big Mac bolted back into town.

After being processed once more by the gate guards, Starlight entered the school and went to the infirmary, where Applejack had been brought. While the school nurse was most accustomed to tummyaches, the common cold and chapped lips, she was a trained nurse, and had set Applejack up with a cot and a pulse oximeter. Other than a mild fever, she seemed to be okay on her vitals, with the tranquilizer slowing her pulse and lowering her blood pressure.

Twilight and Gallus were already there, with Twilight holding Applejack's hoof and Gallus standing at a respectable distance, his face not dissimilar to stone.

"Big Mac is bringing a doctor," she said. "Perhaps they'll be able to tell us what she was hit with."

Twilight sighed. "I love Applejack. We all do. Why does she have to be so stubborn all the time?"

Starlight put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "We're going to find her," she said. "We know she's close, and she must be pretty desperate, if she's coming directly here to face you on her own."

Twilight shook her head. "She has an accomplice here at the school. We have a note sent to them. But we know that this accomplice was not the one who shot her with a poison dart. Nopony left the school, with the exception of you and Applejack, and I know for a fact that you weren't around when Fluttershy and Rainbow disappeared; I was with you." She pulled both hooves up to her face and rubbed it. "I don't know what to do anymore."

The door opened and Big Mac came in with the doctor. The nurse immediately rushed to the doctor's side while Big Mac went to the other side of the cot and grabbed the same hoof Twilight had been holding a moment prior.

"Vitals are stable; pulse seventy-eight, BP is one twenty-eight over seventy-four, temperature ninety-nine point seven."

"Any biopsy yet?"

"We don't have the equipment for that here."

The doctor nodded. "Where's the wound?"

The nurse pointed out the tiny puncture in the skin, which the doctor acknowledged. "Do we know where the needle came from?"

Starlight held it up. "A dart gun, we think."

The doctor took the needle and examined it. "Not enough fluid in there to test its compounds. We'll have to draw some blood and test that. I can take that now, and I'll arrange for transport to the hospital so we can keep a closer eye on her if her condition doesn't improve."

As the doctor pulled out a vacuum vial from his bag, as well as a sterile needle. He collected a small sample, about a hundred millilitres, and the nurse immediately placed a tiny band-aid over the hole. The doctor placed the sample in his beg and started toward the door. "Let me know if there's any changes in her condition."

Not a minute after he left, Applejack began to stir. Twilight immediately joined with Big Mac in grabbing her hoof, wanting to be by her side when she came to. "Applejack? Can you hear me?"

"Urf..."

Being familiar with that sound, the nurse grabbed a bucket, one that had seen so many teachers and students vomiting into it and could absolutely take another helping.

"Applejack? Are you alright?"

"Ruff."

"You're feeling rough?" Twilight helped the nurse position the bucket. "Do you need something to settle your stomach?"

"Arf! Ruff, ruff, arf!"

Applejack picked herself up, scratched behind her ear with her back hoof, and shook herself like a dog. Seeing Big Mac, she grabbed him by the shoulders and licked his face."

Twilight was shocked. "Applejack?"

Applejack barked and turned to Twilight, licking her face, as well.

"She's turned into a dog!" she gasped.

"Eeyup."

Starlight took a deep breath. "I should go tell the doctor."

As she turned to leave, Applejack jumped on her. Growling, she tackled Starlight to the ground and bit her twice, hard enough to draw blood.

She was going for a third bite, but by then, Gallus had tackled her and was doing everything he could to keep Applejack from biting again.

"Applejack, calm down!" shouted Twilight. "You're going to be okay! I promise, we're going to do everything we can to fix this!"

Applejack wasn't listening, trying to twist her body enough to bite and kick Gallus, who was already sporting a bruised thigh and was bleeding from his shin, but still holding Applejack's front hooves behind her back.

It took Big Macintosh and three guards to move her into a cage that they could keep her in for the time being. Surrounded by the rest of the ponies that had been there and Gallus, she paced back and forth, barking and growling as the nurse tended to their injuries.

Twilight sighed and turned to Big Mac. "When she woke up as a dog, I thought to send her home with you, to be with her family." She gripped his hoof. "Given her current state, though, I don't want her hurting Granny Smith or Apple Bloom. We can't really turn her over to the hospital, either. It's not safe." She took a deep breath. "Big Mac, do I have your blessing in keeping her here under lock and key until we figure this out?"

Big Mac turned to his sister, who was glaring and growling at Starlight, who was insisting that the nurse make sure her baby was okay. Whatever was wrong with Applejack, he was sure that his family could handle it. But if she stayed with Twilight, she was most likely to be cured faster. He squeezed her hoof, wanting her to know just how important it was that his sister be cured.

"Eeyup."

Chapter the Sixty-Ninth: Breaking Twilight

Twilight had been given the morning and the afternoon to rest, recover, and acclimate to her situation. The whole time, Cadance had been trying to convince her to just give in, and she, too, would be wearing a great big smile. Twilight tried not to listen, but felt that she had to. If there was any part of Cadance still in there, she wanted to hear it, so she could call out to her.

Just before sunset, Gallus walked into the room. "Headmare Twilight Sparkle," he smiled. "Settling in okay?"

Twilight scowled. "You're either really brave or really stupid to show your face here today," she growled, staring him down as he crossed the room.

"Please understand that I wanted only the best for you."

"If you wanted the best for me, you'd prove it by setting me free," spat Twilight.

"Let's say I did," nodded Gallus. "I untie your wings, remove the ring from your horn, and walk you out of here. Then what?"

"Then I go to Celestia and Luna, and we--"

"Die," interrupted Gallus. "Do you think we don't have protections in place for that? You'll have an arrow through your back and I'd be hanging from a noose before you even board the train. Try again."

"I'll just fly," answered twilight, flapping her folded wings. "No big deal."

"And Cozy won't catch you with her stronger wings, more powerful magic and army of brainwashed guards. Brilliant."

"Okay, wise-arse," growled Twilight. "How would you go about escaping?"

Gallus shook his head. "I'd bargain my way out. Make myself more useful than detrimental. Make it so that I'm more of an asset if I'm free to move around than if I'm caged up."

"And how is that supposed to help me?"

"It doesn't," shrugged Gallus. "Right now, your best option, and I mean this earnestly, is to be released into just my custody."

"Just yours?" sneered Twilight. "That's not a good time."

Gallus leaned back. "Think back over the last several days," he said. "All the time we spent together. We could have that again, but this time, nopony is trying to harm you. It's just you and me, together."

"With the knowledge that you betrayed me."

"Yeah."

"Yeah, no thank you."

Gallus raised his eyebrow. "I'm giving you the opportunity to eventually walk around in public, see and spend time with your friends, and sleep in a bed in a nice room. All you have to do is put up with me and not fight against the system that we're putting in place. Be like Flurry, not like Cadance."

Twilight looked up. "Where's Flurry? Tell me where she is!"

Gallus raised his claw. "Shall we go see her?"

"Right now!" barked Twilight.

Gallus nodded and tossed her a collar at the end of a leash. He held the other end. "This leash is enchanted. As long as you wear it, you can leave the room. strap on that collar, and we'll go see her."

Twilight strapped it on, and Gallus locked it in place so she couldn't take it off. She rolled her eyes at that. She wasn't going to take it off. not until she at least saw Flurry.

Gallus opened the door. "Take a right down the hall, and it's the second door down."

Twilight walked down the hall, looking into the first room and seeing Cozy talking to Stellar Flare, Yona and Sandbar. She took a deep breath and continued, walking into Flurry's room.

"So, the simplified version would be A2+2AB+B2." said Flurry.

"Exactly right," smiled Sunburst.

Twilight looked around. The room was almost as nice as the suites in the Crystal Palace. Flurry had a bunch of stuffed animals, some toys, games, books, and all manner of other amenities. There was even a nice, big bed.

"Aunt Twilight!" Flurry rushed over to Twilight and gave her a big hug. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Flurry," kissed Twilight. "Are you hurt?"

Flurry shook her head. "Sunburst takes very good care of me. He feeds me, plays with me, and teaches me stuff!"

Twilight looked down at Flurry's cutie mark and saw the arrow. "Flurry, I'm so sorry..."

"Oh, who cares," waved Flurry. "It's just a cutie mark. It doesn't define who I am as a pony. With or without one, I'll still be your niece, I'll still be Sunburst's favourite student, and I'll still have a fondness for grapes." As evidence, she popped one in her mouth. "You want one?"

Twilight shook her head. "I'm not really hungry right now. I was worried about you."

"Don't be," smiled Flurry. "After the initiations were over, we were all mostly fine. Mommy acts a little weird, and daddy's always wearing that blank stare, but they didn't hurt me at all."

"I was firm, but very gentle," confirmed Sunburst. "I'm as protective of her as I would be for my own daughter."

Twilight scowled at him. "I can't believe you're part of this, too!"

He shrugged. "I was going to stay out of it, actually," he said. "I wanted to warn you. But then I saw what they were going to do to Flurry. If I told you, they would torture her. I can't..." he looked away. "I will not let her come to harm. I suppose that makes me a coward."

Flurry stood in front of Sunburst and held out her hooves, as if blocking Twilight. "Don't blame him. He's a good pony. It's just a bad situation, is all."

"You see, Twilight?" smiled Gallus, leaning in and petting her shoulders. "Flurry Heart has been well-behaved and rewarded for her actions. Soon, she'll be allowed to go back outside and meet with her friends again, and she has herself to thank for that. Don't you want to go up with her? We could always just keep you with her mother, instead..."

"Please, Aunt Twilight?" begged Flurry. "I want to have at least some of my family intact."

Twilight was silent. Could it really be that easy? If she just gave up, could she be done with all of the fighting, all of the discomfort and all of the loneliness? She could be living a happy life with her friends and her niece. She was currently powerless to stop them, and even if she tried, they could do to her what they'd done to Cadance.

"I need some time to think," she eventually sighed. "This is a lot to process."

"I'll take you back to Cadance's room," smiled Gallus, tugging on her leash. "We'll see how you feel in the morning."