Love And Dramas In The Government

Looking through a pair of binoculars, the mayor looked around miles upon miles of pure desert until he spotted the rock formation he was in search of in order to locate himself and make sure he and his group were on the right path.

Letting the binoculars down, letting them hang from his neck, Mark turns back to his companion as he recalls the events that brought him into this situation.

One hour early

"OK since time is of the essence and we need to rescue Pinkie and Fluttershy as fast as we can, our best course of action, is to act quickly and methodically, so here is what we are gonna do"

The mayor leans forward while having everyone's attention. "First we can't let anyone see us leave, as far as the town now, Cadence and I came here for support and because of that me and Twilight lock ourselves while the rest of you, make sure to keep everyone calm and under the impression that their princess is working on a solution to their problem."

The mayor starts pantomiming his plan and using the map in the table as a visual aid

"While you do that, me and Twilight will head to Subquestria and..."

"...Hey wait a minute!" Dash interrupts the mayor and puts her hands against the table leaning forward with some frustration "So your plan is for you and Twilight to do everything while we just sit here and do nothing?" She questions with an accusing finger.

"Ok, I know how that may look like but this isn't exactly dealing with the Nightmare Moon incident, or Discord, or the weed, or...wow you actually did a lot as a team" The mayor stopped and voiced his thoughts out loud before shaking his head and continue

"The point is, this is different. We need to keep things secret from your citizens and if all of you suddenly vanish, everyone would start asking questions and soon after there would be panic" The mayor argues back.

"Well darling I could see how you believe that, but aren't you forgetting a certain dragon that has been helping us since the moment we obtained the elements of harmony?" Rarity reminds him before looking at Spike who blush at the compliment.

"Spikye Wike, we wouldn't give you this task to you if it wasn't important. So while we are gone would you keep an eye on everyone here?"

"You know you can count on me Rarity" Spike nods and punches his chest as he inflates it.

"There, problem solved for that part" Rarity proclaims with a smug smile making the mayor sigh in exhaustion.

"Ok that is one issue, but there are the other issue that you all seem to be forgetting" The mayor stood up and crossed his arms "And that is the notion that I'm only supposed to bring my mates to Subquestria. This is already uncomfortable as it is asking Twilight to play the role but she must in order to get an audience"

He says pointing at the princess "In fact, she has been very calm and understanding of the whole situation and I thank her for not being angry at me for forcing her into this awkward position" the mayor comments with a smile.

"I admit I was a bit startled by the revelation but I understand your logic and I'm a bit flattered that you trust so much on my negotiation skills Mark" Twilight replies calmly as the group looks at her and then looks at Mark with neutral eyes.

"So you don't trust us to be good, at negotiation, partner?" AJ questioned with a cold voice.

"Or just expect us to sit down while our friends are in danger?"

"No, I'm thinking about your feelings and not putting you in an uncomfortable position and risking our friendship" The mayor replied immediately starting to get angry "I already explained why it must be Twilight. Cadence and Spike are already out because I'm not interested in males or in breaking families, and my friends know that"

He then looks at the rest "And I know how much you hate to lie, mushy shows of affection or damp and muddy places, so I was sparing your feelings" He says looking at AJ, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity "Plus you should consider this more as a friendship mission, girls. Trust me, it's better that way"

He lifts his backpack" Plus they will check to see if my mate is really that by checking if she has my smell, that is why I brought a sweaty shirt I used to sleep last night so Twilight can rub it on her body. Another thing I know would be a big no, and would never subject Rarity to do" The mayor says with finality putting the backpack on the table.

"But this is your decision too, so by all means, if any of you really want to tag along, leave New Harmonius defenseless with the most rotten of creatures as your neighbors ready to take over the moment their rulers are gone AND can come up with an idea on how to smell like me, I'm all ears, just know I'm also hating lying to my friends so if you are coming consider this me proposing a date and therefore you are admitting that I woe you in less than a day, marking you as an easy mare which I know none of you are, and will be subjected to act all lovey-dovey to sell the act"

Mark reply with a smirk "And before you reply remember you will be going into a damp muddy place, lying your ass off, and expressing mushy lovey-dovey stuff, are you really willing to do that? Keep in mind, you would be leaving the kingdom exposed if all of you go and I may even have to hug you to sell the idea, not grope of course! I'm not a pervert, but I will have to sell the idea that you agree on at least a date with me"

The mares looked at Mark in surprise before looking at one another, even Cadence was pensive at what the mayor was saying.

One hour later

"Did you manage to locate the rock you were looking for darling? Not to rush you or anything but we have been here for hours now" Rarity asked and complained a little as she put more sunblock on her face while Twilight handed the mayor a bottle of water.

Both of them were wearing a full explorer set outfit with some additions in Rarity's version as she had a scarf, some white mountain globes with a diamond pattern at the end, and some heat and sweat resistance makeup on her face.

"The entrance is just ahead, we are almost home" Mark replies thanking Twilight and taking a big zip pointing ahead of him before looking at Rarity "And you are still in time to turn around and help AJ and Dash in the city, if you have changed your mind" Mark offers handing back the bottle.

"Oh darling, I told you. I'm coming too and that is final, the idea of being undercover more than compensates for the dreadful idea of going into a muddy place. Something I'm still unsure if that is true or you were just trying to scare me away you naughty mayor"

She chuckles and pokes his nose with her finger "Besides, you say it yourself, this was our decision and that is what we agreed on, AJ and Dash take care of New Harmonius while we go in and rescue our friends, it was all part of the promise we all made, we are a team and from now on, at least two of us would be in the same mission, like in our friendship trips, besides, it kind of late to back down now.
With how Cadence was so kind in casting that mild love spell on me and Twilight, making it easier for the two rubbing ourselves against you to capture your essence.

"Yes, that was very nice on her part" The mayor replied with clenched teeth "Please don't remind me" Mark pleaded with a red face and looked away, Twilight not far behind in how she looked away. "I still have a hard time deciding what was the most shocking thing about that, you agreeing, openly rubbing sweat on you, or removing your shirt in front of everyone"

He has to shake his head "I was prepared to face plenty of outcomes when I came here, but the image of you and Twilight having matching black frilly bras burn into my head was definitely not one of those things"

"Never underestimate the power of friendship, and you said we needed to hurry didn't you? So the best thing was to have as much skin contact as possible" She then smirked and giggled "And admit it, part of you loves it, not to brag or anything but I'm very proud of my chest size and softness and Twilight here has developed nicely ever since she became an alicorn"

"Y-Yeah I can't argue with that" Twilight confesses with a nervous chuckle and some heat on her cheeks.

"Oh that reminds me, if we are this close, do you mind if I check my makeup a little bit? I want to give them a nice impression, give me just one-moment" Rarity excused herself and summoned a chair and vanity mirror to work on her make a couple of feet away from Twilight and the mayor.

"For what is worth it, I know this wasn't part of your plan so I'm not holding anything against you" Twilight mentions laying her hand on Mark's shoulder as he sighs.

"Thanks for understanding. Even when Rarity suggested the idea of you two rubbing each other against me and I was too startled to argue back." He confesses with a chuckle and some shame in his voice before sighing again and looking down

"I really was hoping this could be something for just the two of us Twily" The mayor confessed holding her hand "Sure I'm way concerned for Fluttershy and Pinkie's safety and I want to rescue them as well, but I don't know. With how crazy things have gone, I was hoping we somehow, could take advantage of this situation to have some time for ourselves" Mark looks at Twilight in the eyes with longing as she does the same.

"That is very sweet of you, and nothing would make me happier than to do just that, but this kind of surprise happened, and it hasn't been that long anyway. Just be patient my love. I'm sure soon we will have our chance" Twilight brought his chin up with her fingers and they were about to kiss when Rarity interrupted the two.

"I'm ready!" She exclaim in a cheerful tune, startling the two who separated as fast they could with blushing faces and looking away.

"Oh my, did I interrupt something?" Rarity asks the two with a smirk
"Nope, nothing at all, we were just talking" Mark quickly replied "Anyway better not dilly dally, we have friends to rescue and..."

"Awww, Twilight isn't he cute when he is shy?" Rarity asks shocking the mayor by bringing him into a hug or rather bringing his face into her chest and nuzzling the top of his head, Twilight's whole body tenses in both jealousy and surprise by Rarity's boldness.

"You don't need to be so stiff with us darling, remember we are one happy herd here. In fact, if it helps you relax, feel free to grope just a bit ok?"

Once more Mark's face turned red as Rarity let him go and go ahead "But that can wait, come along darling, lead the way" Rarity proclaimed approaching the rock formation in the distance as Mark was left startled.

"Twily are you sure, Cadence give you a love spell and not a lust spell?"

"I'm starting to question that myself now, sweetie. And just to be sure" Twilight grabs his arm with her own in a semi-possessive matter "I better stay close, just in case"

The mayor couldn't help but find his mare jealousy cute, but he decided to keep his thoughts to himself, thinking it wasn't the right time as the two advanced to catch up to Rarity, once she saw how Twilight was holding Mark she decided to grab his other arm.

And so the 3 reached the rock formation where the mayor asked his arms back and went ahead rubbing his palm on the base of say rocks, before looking back at the mares.

"You may want to take a step back, this would shake the earth a little bit" He warns them, and once the two mares nod the mayor looks back at the rock, startling the mares when he starts to make a series of hisses.

Some were short, some longer and some cut in between sounds. Twilight was about to ask Mark if he was okay until the rock started to hiss back starling the two once more and then scare them when a giant eye opened up and the rock texture changed color and shape to resemble that of a cobra waking up and lifting its head.

Just as the mayor warns them say cobra rises up shaking the ground and revealing a secret passage underneath its body with a door frame at the bottom showing dirt inside. The walls of passage as well as the door frame were covered to the brim in all sorts of crystals creating a beautiful array of rainbow lights, enough to make Rarity drool and approach the mayor.

"Mark you naughty boy! you never told me this place was so radiant?!" She exclaims in astonishment.

"What? The entrance?" Mark asks with honest confusion pointing at the entrance. "This is nothing, there is way more impressive art using this kind of gem"

The comment paralyzes Rarity who grabs hold of Mark's cheek "Marky dear, sweetie, love, please don't take this the wrong way but please MARRY ME!"

"Ok Rarity, calm down" Twilight grabbed hold of Rarity's shoulders and pulled her back to release the mayor's face who was still startled by the impromptu proposal.

"The scaleless one returns home" Everyone is tense when two child-like voices eco from the entrance and they look at it in time to see two small white and black snakes whose scales shine as if they were diamonds as well, appearing and flying toward them from the door frame as if they were ghosts, moving in a spiral, creating a stela of light behind and surrounding Mark who groans at the tittle.

"I had forgotten that title/name, hi Ivory, Ebony, it has been a while hasn't it? I miss you two" Mark greets and pets both snakes who hiss in contentment and wrap themselves around his arms.

"We miss you as well, scaleless one, since last we saw, you have grown taller and wiser" They keep talking at the same time creating a small eco.

"Je thanks and I see you two still have that habit of speaking at the same time"

"We do" The snakes reply without shame as the 3 share one small chuckle. Twilight and Rarity look at the scene and don't dare interrupt, both consider it to be too adorable to do so. To their luck, it doesn't take long for Ivory and Ebony to spot them and fly to their faces in mere seconds.

"We have been looking to meet you as well, mates of the scaleless" They start before circling around the two "But we were told that it would only be one" Their tones become more neutral all of a sudden "If there was supposed to be only one, then why there are two?"

"Play nice you two" Mark quickly intervened and got in between the snakes and the mares "Yes Queen Vipral was brief on Twilight, I wanted to introduce each other, as there is plenty to discuss, but Rarity she...she insisted, wanting to see our home, to see its wonders, and you know me. I'm a sucker for puppy eyes"

He then looks at the still confused mares, "Rarity, Twilight meet, Ebony and Ivory, the guardians of the entrance to Subquestria, and their friends Roxxus" He mentions pointing at the giant cobra on top of them.

He then looks at the snakes "Girls, meet my mates, Twilight and Rarity. I know you don't like surprises, but come on, it's hard for me to say no to a cute set of puppy eyes, and you are guilty of that too, so don't deny it"

The snakes fly to Mark and levitate at eye level with an expressionless face "We do know you indeed, as well for your weakness for cute faces. Even if not as cute as ours, we hope" They tell and move their bodies as if they were crossing their arms.

"No of course, not you are still the cutest astral snakes in the world" Mark quickly defended himself, as Ebony and Ivory remained quiet.

"We are the only ones you know" They quickly reply.

"It still does not make it any less true" Mark adds with a smirk making the snake sigh and return their attention to Rarity.

"Is what the scaleless says the truth? You wish to know more about the beauty of Subquestria?"

"Are you kidding?! If that is the entrance I'm honestly considering moving here! O please, please, please, let me in too" Rarity plead giving the snakes her own puppy eyes and making them chuckle.

"The scaleless speaks the truth, you do have an adorable puppy eye. And you smell like him, so it is clear you are also his mate"

"I would like to add something" Twilight voiced her opinion "On behalf of New Harmonius, I want to apologize for any damage I caused to your kingdom, I give you my word as a princess that I was unaware of who lived below us and now that I do I wish for the two of us to reach an understanding"

The snakes look at one another for a moment before flying back to the entrance of the passage. "Fair enough, the scaleless is one of us, and our trust he has never broken, if he vouches for you, then a chance we will grant but head our warning as it will only be spoken once. Betray his trust and you betray us all, betray us all and you will be no more"

They announce before circling around and biting each other tails creating a circle the door frame circle limits as they spin faster and faster. Soon they became blurs of lights and the entrance transformed into a black-and-white portal for them to pass through

"This is it girls," Mark says extending his hand for the two to grab "One advice, close your eyes when we enter and open slowly, it can be a bit too bright at first"

They nod and start descending. Once they enter and pass the portal. The giant rock snake rests on the sand once more and returns to look like an ordinary rock.

In the next couple of seconds, Twilight and Rarity almost lost their balance as they were sucked into a tube made of light trashing left and right until they found themselves standing on solid ground again. Mark acts as a support to prevent them from falling.

"You could have warned us about the light tube too," Twilight tells Mark with some irritation as she separates and wobbles a little before being rendered speechless by the image in front of her. Rarity is not too far away.

The 3 were now at the top of a group of stairs leading downwards into a city full of life with lamia, snakes, and bipedal reptilian and amphibia creatures in their day-to-day life, reminding them of Ponyville.

The buildings were made of diamonds, and rocks, gems in the center plaza and light posts acted as a source of light, and the walls every were were covered in all sorts of gems, not to mention that everyone seemed to be wearing a very luxurious and beautiful arrangement of silk and fabrics, adding even more beauty to the city, and to top it all off, there was an imposing castle with an Arabic cylindrical rooftops and incrusted with diamonds at the far distance of all surrounded by two massive underworld waterfall who refract the lights and give it a pleasant rainbow aura on it.

"Yeah the same happened to me when I first came here, drink it girls. Welcome to Subquestria" Mark announced in pride as he looked around before looking back at the mares.

"So, what do you think of it so far?" The mayor asks in expectation
Rarity is the first to recover as she looks back at Mark pretending to cough and speak in a more monotone and collective tone "Darling, not that I want to sound like a broken record but I repeat, would you marry me?"