Complicated Relations

Chapters

Expectations
Confessions
Questions
Distractions
Resolutions
Epilogue
Prologue
BONUS - 'Expectations' Extended Ending

Expectations

The knock on the door was answered quickly. Too quickly; almost as if her brother had been eagerly awaiting her arrival.

“Twiley!” he greeted with a beaming smile.

That was all the prompting she needed. The purple unicorn bounded across the threshold and into Shining Armor’s waiting forelegs. Though the stallion boasted impressive size and strength, the weight of his younger sibling was enough to send him stumbling backwards a few steps. Twilight’s saddlebags, packed with supplies for her week-long stay, slipped easily off her back and were forgotten before they even hit the floor.

“I missed you, Shining,” she said, hugging him tightly, her forelegs not quite long enough to fully reach around his broad chest – though certainly making a valiant attempt nevertheless. Her head rubbed into the crook of his neck and she whiffed in his scent. For his part, Shining mirrored her actions, and for several minutes both ponies were content to merely sit there on the floor in one another’s embrace.

At last, they separated, but that only gave them opportunity for another lengthy pause as they stared into each other’s eyes. It felt to Twilight as if her brother were reading something within her, and she wondered if she was being far too obvious about her desires. Their contact so far had been intimate, but in a familial way. She hadn’t given him any signals about her other feelings; at least not consciously. Truth be told, Twilight wasn’t counting on anything of that sort happening.

She wasn’t counting on it... but she was hoping.

“Is... is Cadance here?” she asked, looking behind him, half-expecting the pink alicorn to be standing there.

“No,” he replied, “she’s in some kind of meeting with Princess Celestia. She’ll be gone until tonight. We’re alone.”

He put a bit more emphasis on that last word than he had intended.

Twilight picked up on it easily, but worked to rein in her fantasies. Her scientific mind would not allow her to accept mere suggestions as fact. She had to be absolutely sure that he still felt that way about her, and the only way to accomplish that was to come out and say it. No matter his answer, he would always be her brother, she told herself. She steeled for any possible rejection.

“Shining,” she began nervously, casting her eyes at the floor, “I know you’re married now, and I just want you to know that I’m very happy for you. And I know that probably changes things... between us.” She bit her lip for a fraction of a second. “And I just want to tell you that I understand, and it’s fine, and... and I will always love you, no matter what.”

She felt tears collecting behind her eyes, but none were given a chance to fall. The stallion’s hoof gently lifted her chin, and once more she was looking into her brother’s blue eyes. Those strong, caring, loving eyes.

“Twiley,” he said, barely above a whisper, “I promise you...” He drew himself closer. “...nothing’s changed between us.”

And with no further hesitation, he kissed her. She gladly opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to caress hers, just as it had so many times before. She pushed back lightly, her own tongue working in familiar motions that she had waited far too long to perform again. The purple unicorn was vaguely aware that she was melting; a tension present in her muscles that she hadn’t even been aware of vanished in an indistinct moment, making it difficult to tell how exactly she was managing not to collapse in a heap then and there.

A couple of stayed tears were given license to flow, and she wiped them away quickly as soon as the kiss ended.

“I... I didn’t know...” she started again, this time looking straight at the stallion with a smile of pure joy and relief, “I mean, I wasn’t sure if you’d still...” She paused, searching for the right word. “...want me.”

He shook his head in amused rebuke, as if his sibling had just said something patently silly. “You should know better than that, Twiley. No matter what happens, you’re my little sister. I’ll always want you.”

He gently rubbed his horn against hers, and a light blush on the younger unicorn’s cheeks was the response.

“You know I’m not so little any more!” she protested playfully.

“Oh yeah?” His light smile turned mischievous. “Well then, how come I can still do this?”

Twilight yelped as a translucent pink aura lifted her into the air. Her uncontrolled giggling made it difficult to speak. “You– you can’t do this!” she cried. “I’m too old! I’m too big!”

“Well...” He magically hefted her up and down a few times, causing her to squeal in poorly-concealed delight. “You are getting a little pudgy, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” He turned around, still keeping the smaller pony just in front of him as he carried her up a flight of stairs and then along a short hallway.

“Did you just call me fat?!” she accused with all the fake hatred and disdain she could muster.

“Yeah, but you said it first,” he answered nonchalantly. “At least I didn’t call you old.” He paused, and eyed her carefully. “Wait, are those some grey hairs I see in your mane?”

The purple pony gasped. “How dare you!?” she said, but then burst out in another fit of giggles. She continued this right up to the point where she saw their ultimate destination.

“No! No!” she called out in an emotion that could only be described as a joyous panic. Her hooves flailed wildly in protest at what she knew was about to happen.

“Oh, yes,” he insisted with a decidedly evil smirk.

Making virtually no visible effort – as befitted a unicorn of such high magical prowess – Shining Armor tossed his sister upward, almost to the ceiling. Her breath caught in her throat until she was past the apex and on her way down, and then she screamed. Hopefully the neighbours wouldn’t hear.

She bounced off the mattress once, twice, and then a third time before coming to rest in the mess of sheets and pillows her impact had created. The arrangement was not improved by the force of another pony landing roughly on the bed; his greater mass making up for his lesser speed.

Twilight’s attempts to still her laughter only resulted in an odd, lone hiccup. She gave up her efforts, allowing the prolonged outburst to come to a natural end as her lungs slowly returned to a more relaxed rhythm. She wiped a forehoof across her face and was mildly surprised to see it come back thoroughly wet with her tears. She hadn’t even realised that she’d been crying.

Shining took up a position over her as she lay flat on her back. Gently, he leaned his head down and began running his lips over her cheeks. Carefully and methodically, using something that was halfway between a kiss and a lick, he cleaned away the wetness on her face. Twilight offered no resistance – in fact, her body relaxed once again, and she closed her eyes to allow him to clean around them as well. Several times, he broke from his main task to kiss his sister properly on the lips, and the taste of her own saltiness on his tongue made her smile. His effort wasn’t completely successful – her face wasn’t exactly dry when he was finished – but that hadn’t really been the point.

Once Twilight’s tears were all gone, the two ponies held another long gaze between them. Shining Armor folded in his hind legs, placing some of the weight of his lower body on the smaller unicorn’s hips. The mare’s smile grew larger upon her feeling the hot length of flesh now nestled between their two navels. The stallion made no further move, but his member continued to announce its presence by its regular throbbing and high temperature. Twilight allowed herself to bask in the feeling for a short while as she took in the sight of her brother atop her.

He was, in every respect, the perfect specimen of masculinity. He was large for a stallion, but not freakishly huge. His muscles were impressively toned, but not bulky. His entire frame suggested that both strength and speed were in his possession. His white coat was neat and clean, without looking overly-pampered, and the same could be said for his flowing multi-toned blue mane. But it was his eyes that she focussed on. Those eyes that told her, in a way that words never could, that he loved her completely. That he always would.

Twilight’s parents loved her unconditionally. She knew that. Her friends loved her, too, in the way that friends do. Even Cadance could be said to have loved her, as a caretaker. Yet none of them knew her the way her brother did. From him, she hid nothing and held back nothing. They knew each other more intimately than siblings supposedly had any right to. Ever since they were young they had shared with each other their thoughts, their hopes, their dreams... and their bodies. The love she saw in his eyes wasn’t so much different from any other, but a conjunction of every kind of love she had ever experienced – and more.

Twilight had never had a boyfriend. From what she had read of romance, it was a complicated and messy proposition. What she had with Shining was simple, real, and perfect. More importantly, it was enough. There was no gap; no emptiness in her life that needed to be filled as long as she knew that he loved her – even if it had to be from a distance most of the time. She didn’t think of Shining as her special somepony; he was something else. ‘Brother’, she supposed, was most apt, but that didn’t nearly do justice to the true extent of their relationship. After years of trying to work it out, she had decided that there simply didn’t exist a word to describe all that he was to her. He was her friend, her protector, her confidant, her family, and her flame.

Speaking of flames...

The heat atop Twilight’s belly was being matched by another one slightly lower down. Her marehood was rudely demanding attention, and now, with her doubts allayed, Twilight was happy to oblige. She began moving her hips in tiny, slow motions at first, but gradually worked her way up to longer strokes as her mound rubbed against the underside of Shining’s cock. She was already wet enough so that her motions left a thin sheen of feminine juices on his shaft, allowing the perfect amount of friction between them. Her breaths deepened in response to heavenly sensations radiating from her loins, but she kept them controlled. What was happening wasn’t wild; it was sensual.

Shining was enjoying himself just as much. To a less thoughtful or experienced stallion, the action might have been teasing, but the unicorn had taught himself to enjoy such feelings on their own merits, without demeaning them as mere preludes to more intense followings. His stallionhood twitched with his sister’s every movement. He moaned softly, and confusion entered his mind when the resultant sound wasn’t what he had expected. He laughed on realising that Twilight had released her own moan at the exact same time, and the combined noise had been a mild surprise to them both.

He leaned in for another kiss, which was eagerly returned. For a few minutes, they continued like this; Twilight gently writhing against Shining from underneath, the pattern punctuated by a moan, a gasp, or the locking of lips - or some combination. Eventually, though, it was Twilight that decided to move on to something more aggressive. She hiked up her hips while pressing down on his shoulders so that the tip of his member hovered just over her waiting sex. With a simple look, she let him know that she was ready.

He slid into her with practiced ease. The purple unicorn inhaled, the air filling her lungs in perfect synchronicity with the length of stallion flesh filling her intimate cave. She reacted with the slightest flinch when the medial ridge slid past her lips – an act of pure pleasure. The feeling of her inner walls stretching to accommodate her brother inside her sent fresh waves of anxious pleasure through her entire body. It was profoundly satisfying, yet served to increase her desire faster than it sated it.

He began pumping slowly, burying himself to the hilt on each thrust forward, and leaving about a third of his length inside with every retreat. Twilight’s breathing had gotten heavier, and she started to fidget. Using her magic, she pulled at an uncomfortable knot of bedsheets somewhere underneath her, but even after it had been straightened she scowled slightly in irritation.

“Shining, stop.”

He obeyed instantly, gently pulling out of her and giving a concerned look. Twilight rapidly smoothed the sheets at the edge of the bed and lay herself there, still on her back, shoulders now at the precipice of the mattress. “Sorry,” she apologised for the interruption, “I just wanted to– you know–” The explanation was aborted when she recognised how pointless it would be. With a small nod, she told him that he could continue.

And so he did. His thrusts came just a touch faster now; just a touch harder. Twilight moaned and purred as she let her head hang down over the edge of the bed, the tips of her mane touching the floor. The increased blood flow filled her head with a pleasurable warmth and pressure, and seemed to make each sound she heard less harsh and more... creamy. She was loving it. All the while, the activity between her legs was tantamount to pumping liquid bliss into her bloodstream. Every time the white stallion pulled away, she yearned for his return, and every time he filled her, she wanted to keep him there forever; only the knowledge that the next push would be even more satisfying soothed these naive impulses.

Shining Armor could no longer effectively reach her lips, and instead satisfied them both by planting a series of long and moist kisses on Twilight’s now-very-exposed neck, while a free hoof alternately worked on her side, chest, and around her cutie mark. The feeling of the purple mare’s smooth, warm flesh clenching around his member aroused him more with every moment, while the thought of it doused him with unfathomable joy at the intimacy they so readily shared.

Twilight was content to let her brother take the lead, but refused to be a completely passive participant. She moved her own hips in time with his; her range of motion smaller but her enthusiasm equal. She had two forehooves free, and made use of them by caressing Shining in every place they could reach, earning herself more kisses along her forelegs whenever they ventured near his face. Both ponies breathed in the heady scent of each other’s passion as it began to fill the room.

An errant yet familiar thought flashed in the younger unicorn’s mind: She was having sex with her brother. It was wrong, society said. Filthy, disgusting, harmful. She didn’t believe that; she never had. But this moment, along with so many others like it, she had to hide from the world, as if it were something shameful; a failure or a failing. Nopony knew about this side of their relationship except the two of them, and it would have to remain that way, she thought with a trace of sadness. It was a secret they would probably carry to their graves.

And despite that, she wouldn’t ever willingly give it up or trade it. The feeling of her brother against her, inside her, did not make her feel dirty or ashamed. It made her feel complete. She trusted him without reservation. This stallion would always care for her. He would never harm her. He would do anything he could to make her happy. And she wanted nothing more than to do the same for him. In this moment, both were getting their wish.

Wrong? Nothing in the universe could be more right.

Bathing in pleasure, she stared aimlessly, upside-down, unfocussed on any particular object. All of a sudden her mind registered that something was, indeed, wrong.

There. In the mirror above the dresser.

A pair of violet eyes was looking back at her.

Not her own eyes.

Cadance’s.

With a shriek and almost supernatural speed, she pushed herself backwards and away from Shining Armor. Unfortunately, she had momentarily forgotten her position on the bed, and fell, head-first, into a painful and inelegant heap on the floor.

“Twiley!” her brother shouted in a panic.

She jumped back to her hooves as quickly as she could. Even through the lingering haze of coital euphoria and the shock and pain of her impact, her mind worked blisteringly fast, calculating the angle of the mirror, the sight lines...

Her eyes snapped to the open doorway of the bedroom. She had reacted just quickly enough to see a pink, violet, and yellow tail disappear around the corner of the visible hallway.

“Twilight, what’s wrong?!”

“Cadance!” she replied, panting heavily. “Cadance saw us!”

“Are you sure?” he asked, looking to the now-empty threshold.

“Yes, I saw her! She was right outside and she saw us... together... She saw everything! Oh Celestia!” The unicorn’s voice was breaking and new tears were forming in her eyes.

“It’s okay, Twiley. I’m just going to go talk to her.”

Sheer terror gripped the purple pony. “What if she tells Princess Celestia? I’ll– I won’t be her student any more. And she’ll probably banish me. Or throw me in a dungeon...”

“Twilight.”

Dark thoughts swirled in her head. “Or banish me and throw me in a dungeon in the place she banishes me to!”

“Twilight.”

The thoughts turned darker. “And what if my friends find out? I’ll lose them all!”

“Twilight!”

She was being selfish, she realised, worrying only about herself. “And your marriage, Shining! I’m so sorry!”

“Twilight!”

Tears were rolling down her face now. “And your career! I know it’s so important to you!”

“Twilight!”

“Just tell her that it was all my fault. I seduced you... I– I placed some kind of spell on you and it wasn’t really–”

“Twilight!!!”

The stallion had shouted at the top of his voice; only this way had he managed to finally gain his sister’s attention. Her lips were trembling. The frightened panic on her face turned partly to confusion when she saw that Shining Armor’s countenance was perfectly calm, and a tiny, caring, and almost amused smile was tugging at his mouth.

“It’s okay. I promise it’s okay,” he said with a comforting stroke of her mane. “Cadance already knew about us. I told her.”

The younger pony’s mouth opened wide enough that she could easily swallow one of Pinkie Pie’s famous cakes in a single bite if she wanted. “Wh– what?!”

Their greatest secret, and he had simply told Cadance? Anger, disbelief, and relief battled for dominance in her mind. Shining looked away with a guilty blush. His smile, however, betrayed the emotion as not true contrition, but the proud sort of guilt one might get after being found out as the mastermind of a particularly amusing prank.

“You told her?!” Twilight asked, just to confirm her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. That bump to her head hadn’t exactly been gentle.

“She’s my wife,” Shining explained. “I tell her everything.”

Confessions

“Cadance.”

“Hmm?” The pink alicorn set down the magazine she had been casually reading. “Can’t sleep?” Concern tinted her voice. “I’m not keeping you awake, am I?” She quickly extinguished the light emanating from her horn, leaving the room bathed only in the natural moonglow coming through the window.

“No, it’s not that.” Shining Armor stared idly at the ceiling for a moment. “I just… There’s something important I need to tell you.”

Cadance sat up and stared at him attentively.

He sighed. “You know how we both agreed to that ‘no secrets’ thing?”

She nodded.

“Well, there’s something… a secret… that I guess you should know.” Shining rubbed his hooves nervously. He had practiced this conversation earlier in the day but within three sentences he had already managed to fall completely off the script he had prepared for himself. He frowned in frustration.

“Oh?” The alicorn’s expression was as close to neutral as could be. “This doesn’t have anything to do with that changeling, does it? Because I already told you, you’re in the clear for pretty much anything she made you do.”

“No, it’s…” He halted, trying vainly to recall the organized sequence of information he was supposed to deliver. “You need to promise not to tell anypony what I’m about to tell you, ever.”

It was Cadance’s turn to frown. “You know I can’t make that kind of promise.” She paused, her features softening. “You know I’d never intentionally hurt you, but if you tell me something that’s… dangerous, I might have to act on it.” She shook her head. “I can’t agree to something before I even know what it is.”

“Right.” His mind briefly recalled the wonderfully deep philosophical discussion they had once had on the nature of promises.

“Shining, did you do something… bad?” she asked, concerned.

“Well, I… I–” He sighed again, and once more tried to collect his thoughts. “If this were just about me, I’d have told you everything already. But… this involves another pony, and I don’t want to break the confidence she and I have.”

“She?” Cadance asked. There was a long silence as the stallion failed to come up with a good response. The pink alicorn gently stroked her husband’s cheek. “I can’t promise to keep a secret I don’t even know yet, but… I hope you can trust me – to do the right thing.”

Shining Armor turned his head to look up at her from his pillow. He rallied his resolve. “It’s about Twilight. Me and Twilight.”

The mare waited calmly for him to continue.

“We…” He drew his breath in sharply. This was proving to be much more difficult than he had planned. It was like pulling teeth. His own teeth. “We did things.”

Cadance blinked.

“With each other.” He had to work to force the words out. “Sexual things.”

“Oh.” The tiniest of smiles appeared on her lips, as if he had just said something amusing. “You know, lots of siblings experiment when growing up. They play ‘doctor’ and practice kissing, touching… rubbing. It’s perfectly natural, and nothing to be ashamed of. You should know that.”

“We did a lot more than just touching,” he revealed. “We had sex.” He watched his wife intently for her reaction, but the alicorn’s face had returned to an image of inscrutable neutrality.

“When did this happen?” she asked with perfectly even tone.

“When we were young,” the unicorn confirmed what his wife had already presumed. His jaw worked itself as the weight of the admission he was about to make threatened to suffocate him then and there. Again, he forced the words out. “When Twilight was very young. I think it was just before you started foalsitting her.”

“I see,” Cadance said, her tone unchanged. She looked away for a moment, still unreadable.

Every inch of the stallion’s body was tense. His poor strategy had left him lying on his back instead of in a more defensible sitting position, but he didn’t dare move. The lack of reaction from his wife was torture. His mind churned through all of the possible outcomes; at any second she might explode in anger and outrage, or start weeping uncontrollably, or storm out and report him directly to Celestia.

The most frightening possibility, though, was the one that seemed most likely at that moment: she would calmly hear him out, then simply tell him to leave, and the divorce papers would come in the mail a few days later. He couldn’t bear to lose her. This was so stupid, he decided. No secrets? Everypony kept a few secrets – and it was for the better. Some things were best left hidden.

“It wasn’t just one time, was it?” Cadance asked, breaking him out of his unpleasant rumination.

He felt like he had swum out into the ocean and could no longer see the shore when he looked back. Maybe if he turned back now he could still make it…

“It’s okay,” she said, and the small smile from before returned. She touched his cheek, and only when he felt the contact did he realise his entire face was burning up. “You’re doing fine. I’m not angry,” she comforted him. He released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. At this, she stifled a chuckle. “And I’m not planning to suffocate you in your sleep, so you’re not doing me any favours by trying it yourself.”

Shining Armor felt himself relax, albeit not entirely. The smile, the comforting touch, the joke – they had all been genuine. There was no mistaking it.

“It wasn’t just one time, was it?” she repeated.

The words came easier now, though given how difficult the ordeal had been so far, that wasn’t saying much.

“No. We kept doing it. Not very often, but…” He paused. “Even when we grew up, we kept doing it. Even after she moved to Ponyville, every time she came to visit… we’d… mate.” He was tensing up again.

The pink alicorn nodded gently. “So, you started a sexual relationship with your sister when she was just a child, and kept it up well into your adult years,” she summarised.

“Yeah.” He looked at her uncertainly. “What do you think?”

“What you really want to know,” she deduced, “is whether I think what you did was wrong.”

He gave a slight nod.

“I don’t.” She smiled and leaned in to give the surprised unicorn a quick kiss. “It seems Twilight was good at keeping secrets; she never let slip about what you two were up to.” A soft sigh escaped her lips as she stroked his mane. “But you know, I foalsat a lot of kids. I never met another filly who so obviously adored her sibling as much as Twilight did. As far as big brothers go, you really were one of the best.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “And I think you still are,” she added warmly.

The stallion was stunned. Even the most optimistic prediction he had had for Cadance’s reaction ended with her slowly coming around to an uneasy acceptance. Her simply okaying his actions so easily and unreservedly was perplexing; she hadn’t even heard the details, nor asked about Twilight’s attitude to the whole thing. And yet, he couldn’t deny that this seemed so much more like the mare he knew than any of his inner simulations had been.

“Why are you so laid-back about this?” he asked. “Don’t you believe in rules against incest?”

She smiled introspectively before putting on a countenance that, more than anything, would fit a mother or teacher giving a lesson to an attentive student. “Rules usually exist for a reason, but some ponies can get so caught up in the rules that they forget the reasons – and that sometimes the reasons don’t apply. They put the cart before the horse and invent justifications for the rules instead.” She shook her head. “You know, aunt Celestia said once, ‘There can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions.’ I always thought those were very wise words.”

Shining Armor stared at some nondescript point on the ceiling as his mind processed what he had been told.

“The incest taboo has some good reasons behind it,” Cadance continued after a few moments, “besides the obvious issue of inbreeding, it’s a fact that a sexual relationship complicates emotions; not all ponies can work through the problems it brings. If the romance fails for any reason, it can easily destroy the familial bond as well. When you have… relations with your relations…” A corner of her lips momentarily pulled up. “…it’s so much easier to hurt the one you love.”

She bent down and nuzzled him. “But I don’t think you hurt Twilight,” she told him while caressing the side of his face, “I don’t think I can even imagine it. It’s easy to see how much you love her; how much you care about her.” With a contended sigh, she laid her head down on his chest, allowing the purples and golds of her mane to tickle against his chin. “You’re a good pony, Shining Armor. Much better than you give yourself credit for.”

He moved a foreleg to embrace her, but stopped when something unexpected inside him objected to the whole situation. He had predicted his wife would be apprehensive at the very least, if not outright furious. Although reality was doing wonders to calm him, the anticipation of rejection had not completely faded away, and had turned to a disquieting sort of desire. It was truly bizarre, but a part of himself was now putting forth the disapproval his wife had failed to deliver.

“Cadance, I took my filly sister’s virginity,” he argued.

He felt the weight of the pink alicorn’s head lift from his chest as she sat back up, scrutinizing her husband carefully. “Do you regret doing it?”

“I… I don’t think so,” he began, but the answer had little weight to it as every doubt he had ever had about his illicit bond came flooding into his mind. “Sometimes… I wonder if it was just blind luck that we didn’t end up hurting each other. We were risking so much; if anypony found out…” He wore an almost painful frown. “And what if Twilight would have been better off if we’d just stayed… normal? She told me she wanted it, and it made me feel so close to her, but maybe she was relying on me too much. Maybe without me, she’d have a boyfriend by now. Or even a husband; a family of her own. What if I took all that away from her?”

He sighed loudly. “Maybe I do regret it. I don’t know any more.”

Cadance’s placid expression was marred by a tinge of sorrow as she looked at her distressed lover. It was quickly replaced, however, with yet another one of her small, disarming smiles. “Let me put this another way then.” She looked aside thoughtfully. “If you had a chance to go back in time, knowing everything you know now, do things differently with Twilight…?”

Shining Armor’s eyebrows rose as he took a few short moments to decide on his answer. When he gave it, he spoke softly, but for the first time since this conversation had begun, there was not a hint of doubt or reservation in his voice.

“I wouldn’t change a thing.”

The two ponies’ eyes met, and a smile worked its way onto his face as he looked up at her in understanding; the fog of doubt lifting from his mind. He exhaled deeply, aching tension escaping along with the breath. The alicorn grinned in satisfaction at the sight. Shining, for his part, looked back at her with a mixture of gratitude and amazement.

“How do you do that?” he asked.

“Hel-lo!” she sing-songed playfully as she pointed to her cutie mark, turning slightly sideways to give him a better look. “Special talent, remember?”

They both laughed, sharing a moment of joy that told nothing of the self-torture that Shining Armor had just finished putting himself through. Unfortunately, it didn’t last, and after a few seconds his face fell yet again. Cadance quickly took on the practiced air of neutrality she had been using, keenly aware that her task was not quite finished.

“But… we’re not done yet, are we?” she asked rhetorically. “There’s something else you want to tell me, and none of what you said so far would’ve been so difficult if not for… this thing.”

Mild surprise crossed his face. “Are you sure your special talent isn’t mind-reading?” he joked mirthlessly.

She shook her head lightly. “I know you so much better than you think. Besides, Twilight is coming to visit tomorrow. It’s not hard to figure out,” she offered by way of explanation. After a few seconds of silence, and seeing his reluctance to continue, she prodded gently. “Shining, we both know what you want to ask.”

He remained silent.

“Would you prefer if I said it?”

He frowned. “If we both know what I’m going to say, then does it have to be said?”

“I think you’ll feel better if you do,” she replied.

He slowly nodded in assent, then inhaled a generous lungful of air, steeling against his own words. “I want to have sex with Twilight again!” he blurted out, shut his eyes, and cringed back as if expecting to be hit. He knew Cadance wouldn’t resort to physical assault, but still, he feared the reaction he would get. His wife’s tolerance and understanding so far had surpassed all his expectations, but there had to be a point where his desires would be too extreme to accept, even for her.

Slowly, he opened one eye, then the other. Cadance was examining him curiously, almost academically, seemingly far more interested in his behaviour than in the words that had been spoken.

He finally broke the unnerving silence. “Well?”

“If you’re asking for my permission, you’ve got it.”

His eyebrows quickly gained altitude. “Really?” He stared in disbelief. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” Cadance replied with a casual shrug and a light smile.

Once again Shining Armor found himself arguing against… himself. “You really don’t have a problem with me… doing my own sister?”

“I already told you,” she reminded him gently, “I don’t think you two are hurting each other – especially now that you’re both adults with your own lives and the confidence to make your own choices. As long as Twilight is willing, I don’t see the problem. The love you have for your sister is… unusual, but it’s not wrong.” She looked away dreamily. “True love rarely is.”

“But, we– we’re married!” he argued. “Unless we have some kind of open relationship that I don’t know about, isn’t this just me cheating on you with another mare?”

“Twilight is not ‘just another mare’!” Cadance objected, staring down her husband scornfully. “She’s your sister! The relationship you have with her is special and… well…” She smiled again. “I think special rules should apply. You remember what I said a few minutes ago about making exceptions?”

He nodded, though he was still uncertain. “You won’t get jealous, knowing what we’re doing?”

“Jealous? I have to admit, I can’t be sure until it actually happens but… I doubt it.” She hesitated briefly, thinking through her words now that the focus had turned from her husband’s feelings to her own. “Shining, I’m your wife. Twilight is your sister. We each have our own unique claims to you.” Her forehoof went back to stroking his mane. “I guess I just don’t see Twilight as any sort of competition. I like her. The bond you two have with each other is so beautiful and so strong… I can’t compete with that, and I wouldn’t want to if I could.”

She lay down beside him, and began to relax into the bed, keeping a foreleg outstretched to maintain contact.

“But just so we’re clear,” she said, suddenly very stern, “Twilight is the only exception you get.”

“Right.”

“We are not in an open relationship, and that won’t change unless both of us agree to that kind of thing.”

“Of course.”

“I’ve certainly been faithful to you, and I expect the same in return.”

“Absolutely.”

“Buuut…” her voice turned slightly whimsical, “if one of us were to ever make a mistake, and do something regrettable…” She left the sentence for him to finish.

“…then that pony should immediately tell the other. And then we’ll work it out, because we love each other.”

“Now you’re getting it,” she congratulated him. “Now, go ahead and ask that last question so we can go to sleep.”

“What question?”

“There’s one more question you have. Let’s get it over with.”

He stared incredulously. “Now you’re freaking me out. I mean, you can’t really read minds.” He looked askance toward her. “Can you?”

“Just yours,” she answered, giving him a playful tap on the nose. “You’re an open book to me.” Her eyes were already half-lidded as she wrapped the bedcovers snugly around herself, settling in for a good night’s sleep.

“You’re bluffing,” he decided. “You can’t know what I’m thinking.”

She gave out a soft, annoyed groan. “You want to ask my permission for one more thing, but it’s not nearly as important as what we’ve already talked about so you’re not sure if you should even bring it up.” She had already closed her eyes by this point, and was now speaking half to him and half into her pillow. “The answer’s ‘Yes’, by the way.”

The white unicorn’s mouth was open, and because his face was currently being supported by his own pillow, he didn’t even have the typical excuse of gravity pulling his jaw downward to explain it. “This is impossible… what am I thinking?!” he demanded.

Cadance opened her eyes slightly, only to allow him to see how they rolled in exasperation. “You want to know if you and Twilight can use our bed. You can.”

“Witch!” he exclaimed, eliciting a short snicker from his mate.

“Good night, dear,” she concluded, closing her eyes once more, “Have fun rutting your sister.” With those words, she relaxed again into her pillow, her body language indicating in no uncertain terms that she was going to sleep.

He sighed in response and rolled onto his back. The whole situation had certainly taken an unexpected turn – or several – but he couldn’t deny that the results had been satisfying beyond his greatest hopes. Cadance was full of surprises, but, he thought, that was a good thing. He loved her above measure; discovering new things about each other would only make their bond stronger. She certainly had him at a disadvantage for now, though. As sleep overtook him, he smiled at the thought of some day understanding her intimately enough to be easily able to tell what she was thinking, just like the way she did with him…

Without warning, Shining sat bolt upright, his eyes wide as he turned and stared at his wife in shock.

“Wait a minute... Me and Twilight…”

Cadance was very much awake and grinning devilishly as she propped her head up casually with a foreleg.

“You already knew!”

The pink pony had to stifle her chuckles. “My, my, you’re finally catching on.” She bumped his chest playfully with her hoof. “Good thing I didn’t marry you for your quick wit,” she teased through her giggles.

He let out a groan of frustration and collapsed limply into his pillow. “You knew, and you just let me babble on like that?!”

“Oh, come now, admit it,” she prodded, “it was more rewarding to do it this way.”

A quiet snort escaped his muzzle. “Maybe…” he conceded with a grumble.

“Besides,” Cadance continued, “after that ‘no secrets’ promise, I just had to know how long it would take you to come clean with me.” Her expression soured. “You certainly took your time,” she admonished. “I was getting worried.”

“It– it wasn’t easy.”

“No, but you made it harder than it had to be.” She sighed, and her face turned gentle once more. “Shining, when I said I didn’t want you to hide anything from me, I didn’t do it because I want to control you… I did it because I want to know you. All of you. The good and the bad. I want to share all of myself with you and I want you to do the same.

“I can’t promise that I will always like what you tell me. Not all our conversations will end as well as tonight’s did. I might get angry or sad, and we might even fight. But I want to love you. The real you; not a carefully-crafted illusion you put in my mind. And all the pain and the anger that comes with the truth… I really think it will be worth it in the end. And one thing I can promise you – that I do promise you right now – I will always do my very best to listen and to understand, and to remember that a single mistake should never be allowed to destroy all that we have together.”

The stallion looked into his lover’s eyes. “Ditto,” he said.

This amused the pink alicorn greatly, and her melodious laughter ended only when Shining locked her lips with his own.

As they broke apart, his eyes glistened, and his expression was almost apologetic. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered. “I never did.”

A silence overtook the pair as Cadance struggled to formulate a proper response. He had meant those words. As much as she disagreed, simply contradicting him would lead to a very pointless – though not unfriendly – bit of bickering. After a minute or so, an idea finally came to her. She raised herself onto her haunches, and casually pulled the covers off Shining Armor.

“Come on, sit up,” she commanded.

“Huh? What for?” the white stallion asked, even as he unthinkingly obeyed the instruction.

Cadance looked at him, a smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth as the two ponies faced each other. “I’m going to teach you how to do that ‘freaky’ mind-reading thing.” The smile only grew in response to his nonplussed expression. “It’s really not that hard.”

One of Shining’s eyebrows was arching in a mix of suspicion and intrigue. “Okay. How does this work?”

“Put your hoof on my foreleg. It doesn’t matter which one.”

He did as he was told.

“Now… do you love me?”

The question took him slightly aback, but he answered with confidence. “Yes, of course I do.”

“Good,” she gave a warm smile. “Remember that. Think about it. Focus on it.”

He nodded.

“Do I love you?” she asked.

The previous question had prepared him enough that he was able to hide his surprise at this one. “Yes,” he replied.

“Of course I do,” she assured him tenderly. “Remember that. Think about it. Focus on it.”

The stallion took a deep breath as he did his best to follow the steps he had been given. He found that the hoof he was holding against his lover had begun moving in a slow, gentle rub, and a comforting warmth was running up his foreleg and into his chest.

“Now,” Cadance casually delivered the final instruction, “just look into my eyes, and tell me what you see.”

Shining Armor’s blue irises locked onto Cadance’s violet ones. His head cocked slightly to the side as he gazed at her – through her – into her. The vision was a familiar one to him, and at once he felt all that which had attracted him to this mare; which bound him to her. Kindness. Joy. Caring. Gentleness. All in seemingly endless abundance, radiating from her form, washing over him.

This time, though, he was actively looking for something more.

“Me and Twilight…” he started uncertainly, “together…” A wild grin blossomed on his muzzle as his eyes pulled out the revelation. “Me… having sex with my sister… turns you on!”

Cadance broke the stare and blushed slightly. “Congratulations,” she made an attempt at nonchalance. “Told you it wasn’t so hard.”

He was having none of it. Without warning, he pounced, forcing the alicorn onto her back as he landed on top of her. She yelped happily and turned her rapidly reddening face away. His forehooves pushed hers up and away, leaving her helpless against the nuzzling he began to mercilessly deliver to the supple, pink neck, eliciting multiple squeaks of delight. “I never knew,” he said as he nipped at her ear, “that I was marrying such a naughty and perverted little filly!”

With a swift jerk of her body, she threw him off, expertly rolling over so that their positions were switched. Both now wore fiendish grins. Straddling her love, she whispered in his ear.

“Oh, you knew.”

Questions

Lying atop her brother, Twilight moaned in pleasure. The long shaft of speckled stallion flesh in front of her glistened in the light of the overhead lamp; partly from Shining’s own precum, but mostly from Twilight’s saliva, which now coated every square inch. All the while, the white unicorn’s tongue caressed the smaller pony’s feminine folds, making occasional, and infuriatingly teasing, visits to her clit.

Twilight had had trouble sorting through the veritable spectrum of emotions vying for her attention in the aftermath of Shining’s revelation, but like the studious, reasonable mare she was, she had settled on the most logical one: Lust.

After a very brief chat with Cadance – who, as it turned out, had come home early and simply succumbed to curiosity – Shining had returned to the bedroom and asked Twilight if she wished to continue their “activities”. Typical male, Twilight had thought in response to the offensively brazen request. Yet her own answer had surprised her; despite the incomparable awkwardness of the whole affair, the surge of adrenaline that had shot through her had excited her. Or, perhaps, simply amplified the excitement she had been feeling. She had never considered herself a thrill-seeker before, but her body told her she needed release, and the opportunity was literally right in front of her.

It really was the logical choice.

A part of her was still angry with her brother for revealing their secret, and another for not telling her immediately that he had done so. And yet, she knew that one wasn’t supposed to keep secrets in a marriage; she should have been able to predict that Cadance would, sooner or later, find out. And Shining hadn’t lied to Twilight; he had simply been waiting for an opportune moment to tell her information that, while important, wasn’t urgent. And finally, no harm had come from his actions.

Well, none except the lump on her head, which was still aching a bit. It was a good thing that the other end of her body was providing something far better to focus on.

Logical, truly.

The purple mare also had to admit that she was no bastion of pure blamelessness herself. For all the excuses and justifications she could come up with, the fact remained: she had just tried to have sex with a married stallion behind his wife’s – her friend’s – back. She did not exactly have a moral high ground from which to spout her indignation.

Shining Armor, the blabbermouth. Twilight Sparkle, the homewrecker.

Mi Amore Cadenza, the voyeur.

Cadance puzzled the young unicorn. A typical wife would never permit her husband to have sex with another mare; much less his own sister. Out of anypony in the world, she should have been the most outraged; not to mention disgusted and betrayed. But, instead, Cadance knew and allowed – no; approved – what they were doing now. Shining had said so, and Twilight believed him. The two mares hadn’t directly spoken yet; that was probably rude, but by this point the rules of etiquette had become fuzzier than any of the animals Fluttershy kept.

Twilight wasn’t even sure if Cadance was still in the house. She hadn’t heard the alicorn leave, but then again, she hadn’t heard her come in in the first place.

As Shining’s practised tongue worked its way inside her, Twilight moaned – a lot louder than was necessary.

She was hoping that Cadance could hear her.

She redoubled her efforts against her brother’s cock, shoving as much of his impressive length down her throat as she dared, simultaneously working her hooves on the portions she couldn’t fit, and using her magic to gently massage his scrotum. She slurped, sputtered, and moaned again, lightly grinding her own sex against his mouth; inviting him to go deeper and harder into her heated pussy.

Maybe Cadance could hear her, wherever she was. The living room, perhaps. Or maybe just outside the door. The thought of being listened to – watched – left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

And turned on.

Her relationship with her brother had been a tightly-guarded secret all their lives. That secrecy was a piece of armor she had worn for so long that she had forgotten it was there at all; it had become a part of her. Being stripped of it left her naked in a way she hadn’t thought possible. It was as if the most intimate parts of her soul had been put on display for scrutiny. It was humiliating and naughty and dangerous and offensive and so delicious.

She pulled away from the stallion’s shaft just for a moment, though a tenuous connection remained in the string of spit and precum hanging between her lips and the head of his member. Another moan; this one very strategic: It served to cover up any sound the bedroom door might make as Twilight pushed it open with her magic. She half-expected to see Cadance there again.

She wanted to see Cadance there again.

There was nothing. Just an empty, dull hallway.

She dove back down, positively assaulting Shining’s cock with her tongue, pressing it deeper down her throat, further and further until tears welled up in her eyes. Where reality had failed, her imagination would pick up the slack.

She thought of Cadance standing there, in the doorway. What would the young princess look like? Would she be pleased or disgusted? Calm or angry? Perhaps... titillated? Would she be happy that two ponies she loved were satisfying each other? Or would she be harshly scrutinising them; judging them?

Twilight wanted to be judged.

Her foalsitter, the pony who once had read her bedtime stories and kissed her scraped knees better, would watch the filly she had so diligently cared for, now proudly sucking down a stallion’s throbbing cock. She would stare in awe as that precocious, innocent child writhed in ecstasy, the stench of sex heavy in the air around her, sweat glistening on her coat, her tongue hungrily lapping up primal male essence, her marehood bursting forth its victorious juices as she shamelessly claimed carnal pleasures so obscene that thousand-year-old princesses would blush at the mention of them.

Her brother’s wife; caring, loving, and doting; would see her rightful beau succumb to the will of another mare; her storybook marriage twisted and perverted as that interloper in her bed would make the stallion cry out in ways she never could, stealing him away like a piece of property. Her virtuous husband would give himself over completely to the one who gave him more; deserved him more, forgetting his vows in exchange for the licentious feast that was the younger pony’s body and the heaven that was her covetous mouth.

And Twilight would brazenly look her right in the eye as they both orgasmed, as if to say, “He’s mine. What are you going to do about it?”

It was too much.

Twilight had lost control of herself and, with a flick of Shining’s tongue, the pent-up energy within her released in a mind-and-body-wracking climax. She actually screamed. She had never screamed during sex before. If Cadance was somewhere in the house, there was no way she wouldn’t hear that. Electricity surged through every organ and limb in Twilight’s body, and her every muscle tensed and twitched. Her mind could no longer distinguish between right and wrong – nor between apples and quills, for that matter. All thought had left her, and only pure ecstasy remained.

The stallion eagerly drank from the veritable fountain that her pussy had become, spilling not a single drop of the mare’s orgasmic liquid. Lost under the thrashing of his sibling, his own chest was rocking gently in silent laughter.

As Twilight came down from her high, she noted that her brother hadn’t cum along with her. A problem easily solved, she concluded. Before the full force of sexual exhaustion could hit her, she grasped his shaft back in her lips, and threw a few rings of pleasurable magic aura around the base for good measure. He had been close to the edge already, and it took only a precious few seconds for his orgasm to follow. Twilight swallowed all that he gave her, continuing to work her tongue around the head of his cock through his climax. She let the final few spurts land on her tastebuds, allowing her to savour her brother’s ejaculate.

The flavour was sweeter than she remembered. Her academic mind, now returning to a more-or-less normal state, offered up the interesting fact that the taste of semen was highly dependent upon diet. She turned herself around so that the two ponies were lying face-to-face, commingling their exhausted breaths, and resisted the urge to ask Shining what he had been eating recently. Some topics were just too nerdy, after all.

They shared a kiss, tasting themselves on the other’s lips. The white stallion ran a hoof along her cheek, brushing away a lock of her mane, and the two siblings gazed into one another’s eyes.

“So,” he said with a teasing smile, “can you tell that Cadance has been feeding me health food?”

Again, it was too much.

Already spent, Twilight’s body somehow rallied more energy into an explosion of laughter. She could no longer keep track of how many times she had released tears that day. She didn’t mind; most of them had been tears of joy.

“Yeah, I can imagine,” she finally answered. “She’s really a wonderful pony, isn’t she?”

“The best,” Shining replied with a contented smile. After a few seconds he realised what he had just said, and his eyes went wide. “Along with you, I mean!” he covered quickly. “You’re the best sister anypony could have. She’s the best wife. The two best mares in Equestria! You’re both the best, and I’m the luckiest stallion alive to have the two of you, who are the best ponies ever... I mean, if there was ever a contest, you’d both be... I mean, you’re both tied... for best...”

His face had turned crimson by this point. He tried desperately to formulate an escape from Twilight’s scornful glare, and finally settled on a daring and ingenious plan well-befitting a pony of his skill and bravery.

“I love you,” he mumbled sheepishly.

“Hmph,” Twilight turned her nose up, doing a passable job of mimicking Rarity’s ‘offended lady’ affect, “is that why you decided to keep the truth from me and trick me into giving your voyeur of a wife a perverted show?” She hoped he couldn’t see how hard she was struggling not to collapse into laughter again.

“I swear by Celestia I didn’t know Cadance would be here!” he protested. “I really thought we were alone. I was planning for the three of us to talk about everything over dinner tonight.”

“Likely story!” she accused, but no longer had the energy to keep up the façade; she began snickering.

Seeing that the immediate danger had passed, he moved in closer, putting his forehead to hers, crossing their horns in a gesture of tender intimacy.

“I love you, Twiley. So much. And I love Cadance. I really am the luckiest stallion alive and... I don’t think I deserve either of you. I know I didn’t earn it. You have no idea how happy I am that I don’t have to hide myself from either of you.” He sighed blissfully. “You two will get along great. I know it.”

“We already do,” Twilight reminded him, giving a pleasant sigh of her own. “I really like Cadance. And I’m glad I don’t have to lie to her, either.” She scrunched up her nose in thought. “But now that I know that she knows, I’ve been having some... strange thoughts about her. Not bad thoughts, just... strange.”

Shining Armor eyed her curiously.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she warned with a dangerous frown. “Don’t get any ideas.”

The fake halo was almost visible above the stallion as he affected pure angelic innocence.

“She and I have a lot to talk about. Mostly you.” Twilight glowered briefly, then relaxed and looked thoughtfully off to the side. “But we’ll both probably have to start off with some apologies.”

“Dinner’s in two hours,” Shining said simply, looking at a nearby clock.

His sister gave a light chuckle, before her expression turned somber. It was as if dark rainclouds were suddenly collecting to block out the light in her eyes. “When I found out you were marrying her, I...” She choked on her next words. “I didn’t want it to be true.”

The stallion pulled back, surprise and confusion painted on his face. “What are you talking about?”

“I thought that you getting married meant that... that I would lose you. I was jealous. I realise that now.”

“Twiley...” he began, but was silenced by a purple hoof to his mouth.

The mare shook her head, adamant about finally laying her feelings bare. “I didn’t want you to marry her. From the moment I got that invitation, I was looking for any excuse to stop it. Even after I found out you were going to marry Cadance, the best pony I could think of for you... I tried to find fault with everything she did, and I convinced myself that she was evil, even though there was a reasonable explanation for all of her behaviour. I tried to stop the wedding because I thought she was going to take you away from me.”

“But you were right,” Shining Armor said, “that was the changeling queen, and she was evil.”

“But what if it hadn’t been a changeling?!” Twilight’s eyes filled with tears, in what was quickly becoming a running theme that day. “What if it had been the real Cadance from the start, and what if she had just been stressed by the wedding, and using her magic to heal you, and got rid of her bridesmaids because they were being nasty?”

Her brother could only look on, stunned.

“Don’t you understand? I thought that was Cadance. Even if she wasn’t real, my feelings about her were. When I came into that wedding rehearsal, I meant every word I said... and I almost lost you forever. That wasn’t the changeling’s fault; she didn’t make me say those things. It was my fault.” Twilight sobbed. “I was trying so hard to hold onto you that I pushed you away. I was so possessive and selfish... I nearly destroyed our relationship.”

Shining pulled his sister into a tight embrace, and began gently running a hoof down her withers. “Listen to me. You didn’t nearly destroy our relationship. And you definitely didn’t almost lose me.” He nuzzled a purple ear comfortingly as he continued to caress her back. “Twiley, we just had a fight. Brothers and sisters fight all the time.”

“But we never did,” she whispered, still crying.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” he said with a hint of amusement. He pulled away so that he could again look directly at his sibling. His mouth offered a soothing smile. “Do you really think that I would throw away a lifetime of love and friendship because of one argument? I may not be the sharpest sword in the armory, but come on, sis, give me some credit.”

“You told me that you didn’t want me at your wedding.”

His smile died instantly at the reminder. He thought for a few seconds before speaking again. “Sometimes,” he tried uncertainly, “when they’re angry, ponies say things they don’t really mean.”

“Did you mean it?” Twilight asked. Seeing his hesitation, she added, “Don’t lie to me.”

With his eyes, he told her that he wouldn’t. “I was very angry,” he said after a while, “I thought you were hurting Cadance. I guess... I really did mean it... at the time.”

Her tears continued to flow, and much like he had done earlier, her brother kissed them away.

“But no matter what I said or how angry I got,” he continued, “I never stopped loving you. Not for a second. I’m your B.B.B.F.F... and I shouldn’t have to remind you what that last ‘F’ stands for.”

Twilight wept softly into his chest. Shining Armor continued to stroke her gently, his muzzle buried in her mane. Though these final, hidden doubts had pressed against the corners of the younger unicorn’s mind ever since the wedding, she hadn’t known until now just how heavy their festering burden had been. It was as if a thick sludge had been coating her soul and was finally being washed away.

“What would’ve happened,” she asked once a degree of control had returned, “if there had been no changeling? If I had said all those things about the real Cadance?”

The larger pony smiled, lifting his sister’s chin up. “You really want to know?” His voice was filled with sage confidence. “I’ll tell you exactly what would have happened: We would have apologised to each other and made up. And you would have been my best mare, just like it happened in reality.”

Twilight was stunned. The answer was almost artificial in its straightforwardness, and yet it really was just that simple. She knew it was the truth. Mere moments after their spat at the rehearsal, she had been ready and willing to beg for forgiveness, and there was now no doubt in her mind that she would have received it immediately – had a certain insectoid villain not interfered.

Shining Armor would always forgive her. It was written all over him, plain as ink on parchment, and Twilight chastised herself for somehow having failed to see it before. Even if – when – she hurt him, he would not toss her away or forget her. He would always love her.

She had always known that.

Or had she?

It didn’t matter. She knew it now, and the thought of it made her heart soar. She felt happy. Happy and tired. The physical exhaustion of her intense orgasm just minutes before now combined with the resolution of an emotional climax to leave her utterly spent. There was only one logical course of action.

“Two hours?” she asked.

“Huh?” the white unicorn cocked an eyebrow in momentary confusion. “Oh, yes! Just about. Cadance said she’d be making something really tasty for all of us.”

“Mind if I take a nap until then?” she said, snuggling into the larger pony’s chest.

Her brother’s voice answered, but his words never registered in the younger pony’s mind. She was already asleep.

Shining’s own eyes closed soon afterward.

A few minutes later, a soft and warm blanket, carried by a pale blue magic aura, gently covered them both.

Distractions

“What’s wrong, dear?” Cadance’s syrupy voice said. The pink alicorn turned away from examining her wedding gown to face her husband-to-be. “Don’t tell me you’re getting nervous.” She smiled as she approached, and nuzzled him comfortingly. “You don’t have to worry. I promise I won’t leave you standing at the altar.”

Certainly, she had no such intention. She had worked too hard to get this far.

Shining Armor didn’t react to her gesture. His eyes were fastidiously examining the floor, while his jaw was working to chew something that wasn’t there. “I... I was just thinking about Twilight.”

Her smile vanished. “Oh.”

That again.

“She’s never acted like that before. She’s a good pony; you know that.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I can go through with this without Twilight there. It’d be wrong.”

The bride-to-be put as much effort as she could into transforming her glower into a look of sympathetic concern. It was getting very tiring. “I told you; If Twilight has the courage to apologise, then I’ll be more than happy to have her at my wedding. So far, though, it seems she refuses to take responsibility for her actions.” She nuzzled him again. “Face it, she doesn’t want to be there. Let’s not let that ruin our special day.”

Again, he shook his head. “This isn’t right.” He flinched as bolts of pain suddenly drilled into his temples.

“Oh, dear!” the alicorn cried, her tone filled with the perfect amount of worry. “Here, let me help.”

Shining Armor’s head whipped back in response to the green aura enveloping it, eyes rolling freely in their sockets.

It took only a moment to wipe the thoughts of his sister from his mind. The pink mare had done it several times already, but, like stubborn weeds, they would regrow almost as quickly as she could pluck them out. It irritated her, though she had to silently admit a certain degree of respect for the stallion’s deep-seated dedication to his family.

“All better?” she sweetly asked when her ministrations were complete.

He smiled at her. “Thank you. You’re the best.” He kissed her.

“I know,” she purred.

There it was. The love. Such an abundance of it that she had long ago lost track of how much she had consumed. She felt strong, fit, alive. And yet, it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

She thrust her lips to his, and the flow increased. He was certainly tasty – in more ways than one – and she briefly entertained the thought of devouring him physically as well as emotionally. She laughed silently at herself. There would be plenty of time for indulgences once Canterlot was hers.

At last, she released him.

“Better go put on your uniform. There’s barely an hour left before the ceremony starts. We don’t want to keep everypony waiting.”

“Right,” he replied with a determined smile and a nod.

He moved to leave, slowed down, then stopped altogether. His brows furrowed.

“I’m going to ask if anyone’s seen Twilight. I need to talk to her. I’m sure we can still work things out.”

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

“Shining, come over here,” the winged pony said. It was hard to keep her rage hidden, but she was skilled. Her words almost sounded like a request and not a command. Almost.

“What is it?”

“I know how much stress you’ve been under, and we’re so close to the wedding now. Let me use my healing spell again, just to be sure.” She smiled saccharinely at him. “I wouldn’t want you keeling over during the vows.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You’ve been helping me so much. I wouldn’t want you to overexert yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I have plenty of energy.” She ran a hoof gently along his face. “Besides, I’d do anything for you. I love you.”

Her horn lit up again, and once more the unicorn’s head was bathed in her manipulative aura.

She hadn’t wanted to do it this way. Altering a mind like this carried its costs. Not only would his behaviour become more uncharacteristic and suspicious, but the dulled consciousness would not produce emotions as efficiently. He would still love her, of course, but it would be just a little bit more diluted, and it would taste just a little bit sour.

Still, it had to be done. She couldn’t have him going off stirring up trouble by looking for that meddling sister of his.

Once thoughts of all mares other than herself had been well and truly purged from him, she allowed him to recover. She planted one more kiss for good measure. “Now, we really are running out of time. Go and get yourself ready.”

Nodding dumbly, the white unicorn turned to leave, and stumbled. She had to catch him to keep him from falling over. Even with her support, it took a few moments for him to find balance. He was acting as if he were drunk – an unfortunate side-effect of the process she had just put him through.

“I’m...” he spoke slowly, and his words slurred. “I’m feeling... dizzy.”

“You’ll be all right,” she assured him. “Just walk slowly. You do remember the way, right?”

“Yes,” he replied, his voice slowly becoming more coherent, “but...”

She gave him a questioning look. “But what?”

“But I still need... I’m going... to go find Twilight...”

The pink mare’s jaw hung limply, threatening to unhinge itself at any moment and drop to the floor at her hooves. Her eyes twitched as she stared incomprehensibly at her husband-to-be.

“How?!” she whispered to herself, her bafflement temporarily drowning out all other conscious thought.

She had just dosed him with more mind-control magic than she had ever applied to any creature. By all rights, he should have been willing to sell his own parents into slavery just to be able to buy her a bowl of ice cream. Yet, somehow, he was still resisting.

Somehow, he was still thinking of Twilight.

She didn’t wait this time.

She didn’t ask.

She didn’t warn.

With a strength utterly unjustified by her supple frame, she slammed the unicorn against the wall, pinning him there like an insect in a collector’s case. Her eyes burned with emerald fury as she hit the struggling pony with an overpowering blast of sickly green magic.

His mouth hung open, a weak wail escaping from somewhere deep in his throat. His face contorted in agony, every muscle pulling the stallion’s once dignified expression into one resembling an anguished foal’s. His struggles soon turned to ineffectual flailing, and finally to an uncontrolled shuddering. Rivulets of tears streamed down both his cheeks.

He was in pain. He was in pain and she was glad. She no longer cared if he ended up a lobotomised husk. He would not defy her again.

She stripped him bare this time, tearing away every bit of consciousness he had, and slathering on layer after layer of her control and influence. His eyes took on a green tint as she became the only thing he was capable of perceiving.

At last, she released him.

She let his body drop to the floor like a sack of potatoes, allowing herself a moment of satisfaction before putting on her practiced countenance of loving care. “Oh, there’s no need to cry, darling,” she cooed as she levitated a cloth to tenderly wipe his face, “I know how emotional this is for you. Your wedding day! The most important day of your life. Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon. We’ll be married, and you’ll be all mine.”

There was no need for the pretense at this point. She could drop her disguise right there in front of him and he wouldn’t question it – or even notice. But she wanted to get back in the act. She still had a lot of ponies to fool. Luckily, so close to the ceremony, she could use ‘nerves’ as an excuse for any of the stallion’s odd behaviour. They would believe it. These ponies had certainly proven to be very gullible.

All except one – and she wouldn’t be a problem now.

The pink mare smiled, genuinely this time. Despite a few minor complications, everything was still going very well.

This day was going to be perfect.

Resolutions

Twilight walked through the streets of Canterlot with a spring in her step. The sun shone brightly; there wasn’t a cloud in the sky to mar the brilliance of the day. Not that it mattered, of course. Even a deluge accompanied by howling wind would not have been able to extinguish the brightness in her eyes. During her visit to the palace, Celestia had remarked how unusually chipper Twilight seemed. Twilight had admitted the truth – or at least the relevant parts of it: that she and Shining Armor had worked through some relationship issues related to his marriage to Cadance.

Soon after that, a pleased Celestia had been called away on royal business, thus cutting short their meeting. As Twilight now lifted her hoof to knock on the door, she recalled how the same thing had happened to Cadance the day before, and just what it had led to.

Her hoof paused.

Did she really have to knock? This was her brother’s home, and she was staying as his guest. Surely it wouldn’t be inappropriate to just walk in, would it?

She pushed the door open. It wasn’t locked, to no surprise of hers; hardly anypony locked their homes here. Crime in this area of Canterlot was unheard of. She stepped inside, taking care to close the entry as silently as possible. A part of her – a childish, mischievous part which she normally kept just under her scholarly surface – hoped that she could catch her brother and his wife having sex.

It was a silly idea. What were the chances that Shining Armor and Cadance would be having intimate relations just at that moment? It was the middle of the day. There had to be hundreds of other things holding a better claim to their precious time. And besides, since when had Twilight, of all ponies, become the voyeur? Spying on her brother in the midst of coitus would be creepy and perverted.

Then again, probably not much more than actually having sex with him.

Twilight’s ears twitched, but failed to capture any informative sounds. She wasn’t even sure if there was anypony other than herself in the home. She moved soundlessly up the staircase and to the bedroom, the rascal filly within refusing to accept the explanations of the educated mare telling her that she was being utterly ridiculous. Gently, her magic aura pulled the door of the sleeping quarters open just slightly. Everything was still quiet.

Really, it would be a surprise if either pony was even in there. There was, for all intents and purposes, no chance that Cadance and Shining Armor were having sex on the bed.

Cadance and Shining Armor were having sex on the bed.

Twilight gaped. The image was unreal, yet she was positive that this was no dream.

Shining was flat on his back, his stare fixed intently on Cadance’s hips. She was straddling him, arching herself back and exposing her belly to him in a manner that was almost lewd in itself. Her own gaze was lost somewhere in the ceiling above as she delicately pumped herself up and down along the stallion’s shaft.

Two things of note immediately received Twilight’s attention. The first was that the couple’s actions were almost completely silent. It was truly impressive, and she even made a quick check for a noise-cancellation spell, only to find none. With focus, she was able to discern the soft sounds of fur-brushing-against-fur, and fur-brushing-against-bedsheets.

The second was how slowly the pair was moving. Every stroke was being taken with torturous patience and meticulousness. The stallion and mare were in no rush; quite the opposite. They had all the time in the world, and were taking every advantage of that fact. Each thrust, rather than being a forgettable and indistinguishable stone on the path to climax, was instead allowed to tell its own story. Several seconds lingered between each one, during which both ponies bathed in the sensations coursing through their bodies. Twilight could see her brother’s shaft disappear tantalizingly inside Cadance, abide a while as the two revelled in completeness, and slowly exit, covered with a refreshed sheen of her juices.

The technique needed no particularly advanced skill, but it did require significant self-control. The natural instinct to work harder and faster was ever-present, and only increased as arousal built up with time. It was all too easy to give up and devolve into frenzied rutting as the body begged for a quick release. Yet, with the right amount of discipline and the right attitude, such slow-motion lovemaking could sustain a prolonged and extremely pleasurable aura of physical and emotional intimacy, and ultimately reward the pair with the most intense, mind-blowing orgasms. Twilight knew that the two could go on like this for hours.

She knew it because she had been the one to teach Shining this particular technique, after having discovered it (of course) in a book. For a long time, her brother had been her instructor in the art of sex, and the day she finally started educating him – as tactlessly and academically as she had – was a day she was still secretly proud of. Twilight wondered if the current activity was something that the stallion had taught his wife; a gift from his sister that he had passed on.

She found she liked the idea.

More likely, though, Cadance’s special talent had made this skill a natural and obvious one for her. Still, it meant that she didn’t have to teach her husband; he had already been effectively trained under a different tutor.

Twilight liked that idea as well.

And that was the heart of the matter, she realised. Watching those two, she felt none of the jealousy that had clouded her mind before. She could only feel joy at their pleasure, and sincerely hoped that everything she had shared with her sibling would serve in some way to intensify his bond with Cadance. They really were beautiful together. She resolved to leave the two lovers to each other’s care.

Her legs didn’t respond. She told herself that she had seen enough, but her body disagreed. A familiar heat was building up just above her thighs, as well as on her face, as she recognised the obvious signs of her own arousal. Watching her brother mate was turning her on.

Watching Cadance mate was turning her on.

On some level, she had known this would happen. Curiosity alone had not commanded her to explore the house like this; she had been seeking excitement. Now faced with it, she fought with herself about what to do next. It was already wrong to be spying on the couple, but then, Cadance had done the same to her. And then apologised later.

So, to get truly even, Twilight could take the opportunity to watch them now, and, in turn, apologise later – she reasoned, badly.

The specious bit of logic was quickly dismissed. Things didn’t work that way. The correct thing to do was to leave immediately. Her body obeyed her now, as she lifted a forehoof...

...and brought it between her hind legs.

She had lost track of how long she had been standing there, but it had been enough to make her thoroughly wet. She began to knead her swollen sex in time with Cadance’s painfully slow strokes. The alicorn had leaned down to kiss her lover and was now back upright, eyes closed in sensual contentment. Shining had taken over the role of examining the ceiling, and his powerful chest rose and fell with each deep, lengthy breath. An occasional flick of the pair’s entwined tails created an almost imperceptible rustle against the sheets.

Twilight worked to control her own breathing, so as to not give away her presence. All notions of propriety had evaporated from her mind, her libido having overruled the more sensible portions of her psyche. Like the pair she was watching, she determined to take her time. With three of her legs locked in place, she gently rubbed over her engorged labia and swollen clitoris. Her own liquid provided more-than-ample lubrication for her masturbatory motions: Up and away with a teasing flick whenever Cadance lifted herself off Shining, and back and down toward her wanting nub whenever Cadance took Shining inside.

The couple sped up, just ever-so-slightly; Twilight kept perfect pace. When they kissed, she drew her slick hoof to her lips. She felt aroused, yes... but also safe, contented, and satisfied, as if she were witnessing the happy ending of a fairy tale. The scene before her was not salacious, but amorous, and she smiled dreamily.

It really was beautiful. Even if they did go on like this for hours, she would stay and watch.

After all, she had an excellent view, and basic geometry had turned out to be her ally. There was virtually no chance that she would be spotted.

And then she was spotted.

In a perfect twist of poetic justice, Cadance had idly looked into that same troublesome dresser mirror, and one pair of violet eyes locked with another. The pink pony’s head whipped to the half-open door, and a quick application of magic opened it all the way.

Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. She thought of making a run for it, but that idea was quickly rejected. Instead, she tried to give her best impression of having just arrived on the scene, and having innocently caught the couple at the wrong moment. Unfortunately, her pathetic attempt at a look of surprise came off more like a perverted ogling – ironic, under the circumstances.

“Twilight?” Cadance asked softly, though in the deafening silence her voice sounded like thunder.

Shining Armor followed his wife’s gaze and slowly absorbed the situation. His face retained a neutral expression, as if he couldn’t immediately decide what emotion he should be feeling.

“I’m... sorry?” Twilight stammered. “I... I was just...”

“Enjoying yourself?” Cadance finished, as a smile slowly grew on her lips. She was looking slightly downward, where, on the polished hardwood between Twilight’s hind legs, a few droplets of damning evidence were glistening in the light.

The young pony blushed fiercely.

“You know...” the alicorn said with a chuckle, “if you like what you see, you can come and watch from up close.”

Twilight stared dumbly. Was she really being... invited to observe her brother and sister-in-law having sex? She couldn’t detect any sarcasm in the offer. There was no hint of anger or annoyance either; just a gentle playfulness. The whole setting had a growing unreality about it, and the unicorn now half-expected to simply wake up in her bed at any moment.

“It’s fine, Twilight, really. Remember what I said yesterday?” Cadance encouraged after a few seconds passed without response.

“I... I thought...” The smaller pony turned aside bashfully. “That was just a joke...”

“Well, I’m not joking now,” the alicorn stated welcomingly, and turned to the still-blank-faced Shining Armor. “What do you think, Shine? Are you willing to perform in front of your sister?” She made a slight jerk with her hips, stimulating the organ still inside her.

It was now the stallion who blushed. He looked to his sibling, produced a shy smile, looked back to his wife, gave an approximation of a shrug, and finally nodded.

Cadance grinned.

The purple unicorn shifted her weight nervously as she made a few half-hearted attempts at eye contact with the pair. If these had been any other ponies, she would have long ago turned tail and ran. But these weren’t just any ponies; they were her closest childhood friends, and her family. Both of them, now. She trusted them, and apparently, they trusted her; enough to be willing to share their most intimate moment with her. As embarrassed as she was, she couldn’t help also feeling honoured at the offer.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Twilight,” came the young princess’ comforting voice, reinforcing the atmosphere of safety and trust. “If you just want to leave and never mention it again, that’s fine.” She cast her gaze downward in barely-discernible disappointment.

After a few additional seconds of hesitance, Twilight entered the room and carefully made her way to the side of the bed. She stared the larger mare straight in the eyes, scrunching up her face in thought.

“Cadance,” she asked calmly, “did you just try to use reverse psychology on me?”

“Well,” the alicorn replied with equal composure, “it always worked when you were a little filly.”

On each mare’s face, a tiny smile slowly expanded into an ear-to-ear face-splitting grin. Both burst out laughing, and all the tension in the room was suddenly gone, as if it had never been there to begin with.

“Are you really sure about this?” Twilight asked when the reality of the situation began to reassert itself.

In response, Cadance completed a full stroke on Shining’s cock, causing the smaller pony to blush again – though not nearly to the extent she had previously.

“Nopony’s ever watched us doing it before,” she explained. “I think it might be interesting to see what it feels like. Don’t you agree, honey?” she questioned the stallion.

Shining nodded, and looked again at his sister. “You’re not just gonna stand there the whole time, are you?” he asked.

The two mares gave him a confused look.

“What I meant,” he clarified with a smug grin and a roll of his eyes, “was that there’s plenty of space on the bed.”

With an exchange of meaningful glances, Twilight cautiously climbed onto the mattress and did her best to make herself comfortable, taking up a position on her side, with a forehoof supporting her head. Her other forehoof hesitated briefly in the air before laying itself innocently on her hip. The action did not go unnoticed.

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” Cadance whispered as she resumed her slow-motion coition, “it’s okay to have fun with this. In fact,” she giggled softly, “it’ll probably be more awkward if you don’t.”

The unicorn bit her lip, considering this. After a few moments, she decided her sister-in-law was right, and, casting aside a further layer of inhibition, resumed her earlier masturbating. As before, she matched her own strokes to the couple’s. She watched as Cadance and Shining connected over and over again – and not just with their hips. Perhaps because of the fact that they now had an audience, the amount of nuzzling, kissing, and petting increased significantly. Yet, they weren’t engaged in some choreographed presentation; their intimacy was fully genuine. They had simply chosen to share it with another.

With every passing moment, the remnants of Twilight’s apprehension crumbled to dust. The expectation that this would feel naughty or kinky turned out to be completely hollow. Witnessing these two ponies mating felt, above all, profoundly natural and right. She wasn’t an interloper or third wheel; she felt like she belonged right there, next to them.

Emboldened, she began moving on the spacious bed, examining the pair from various angles. They certainly didn’t mind, and nopony shied away when eye contact was made. Twilight scrutinised every plunge and every caress, and wordlessly indicated her approval. As the coupling continued in near-implausible silence, the velvety sounds of pony-against-pony-against-fabric were all the more precious because of their rarity.

A very light, wholly inoffensive flowery scent – something like roses – was detectable in the air. Twilight concluded that it had to be Cadance’s perfume. It mixed with the hint of familiar stallion musk coming from Shining Armor, and the combination played in the air on a not-unsavoury note.

Now fully enraptured in the ambiance, the young unicorn’s actions turned bolder still, and she reached out with a foreleg to brush away a lock of mane that had fallen over Shining’s face. In the process, her brother’s lips caught her hoof, and she allowed it to linger there for a split-second. Not wanting to leave the kiss unreturned, she opted to go full-on and pressed her muzzle to his, even as Cadance continued to ride him.

As her tongue met her sibling’s, she felt Cadance nuzzle her mane from behind. It was a nostalgically familiar sensation to the unicorn; her foalsitter had often comforted her like this when she had been a little filly, though it had never had any sort of sexual accompaniment. Now she was doing it while in the midst of intercourse; a once-innocent gesture turned salacious...

...except that it wasn’t. It still carried all the care and gentleness it once did. Twilight fell back onto her side, now fully at ease as she shamelessly pleasured herself to the sight of the erotic display taking place beside her.

Without a word, Cadance lifted off her partner, and moved lower. His stallionhood stood lewdly at attention, and she briefly suckled on the tip, before thrusting an impressive length of it down her throat. Shining Armor reacted to the change of pace by shoving his head against the bed and shutting his eyes in bliss, while his hooves dug into the mattress. The pink mare worked his shaft expertly, using not only her lips and tongue, but twisting and bobbing her entire head to provide him with varied stimulation. With her eyes closed, she appeared entirely immersed in her task.

Twilight took in the new arrangement; Cadance no longer needed to put effort into moving her entire body up and down – likely why she had made the change – but now wasn’t being stimulated herself. All her efforts were being focussed on the stallion’s pleasure, and as much as the mare’s selflessness was worthy of admiration, it just... didn’t seem fair.

Like a hawk stalking its prey, the younger mare circled behind her. The alicorn’s rump stood out invitingly, her excited marehood presenting itself like a moist, tantalizing dessert underneath her swishing tail. It bobbed in time with her gulps of Shining’s cock, as if demanding somepony’s attention. Cadance had to be doing this on purpose, Twilight’s dopamine-soaked brain concluded; it couldn’t be anything other than a clear invitation, only lacking a written sign stating so.

The unicorn had never done this with a mare before, but she had already gone so much farther than she had thought possible. Now seemed like no time to get cold hooves. Holding her nose just a couple of inches from the sweet-smelling folds, she made the fateful decision.

She stuck out her tongue, and licked.

Cadance let out a muffled shriek and pulled away in a panic. “Twi–!” she exclaimed as she released Shining from her mouth and turned around to face her surprise assailant.

This was not the reaction Twilight had anticipated. Terrified, she backed up to the edge of the bed, just barely managing to avoid falling off for the second time in two days. “I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’m sorry Cadance! I– I just thought... you wanted...” Tears pooled in her eyes. How could she have been so foalish? They had trusted her, and with one thoughtless action she had betrayed that trust. “I– I’m sorry.”

The alicorn quickly collected herself, and gave a calming smile to the frightened unicorn. “It’s okay, Twilight. I just... I honestly didn’t think you’d be into that...” She chuckled softly. “You just surprised me, that’s all. I’m not mad.”

Her smile had had the intended effect, and Twilight was breathing easier now. “You’re not?” she asked. “Really?”

“Really,” the winged mare answered. “Just... warn me next time you do that. And not just for my sake.” She glanced at the stallion beside her. “I did sort of have something in my mouth...”

As her words sank in, Shining Armor’s pupils shrank to pinpricks, and his snow-white face somehow turned even paler. The stare he gave his sister told her more than words ever could.

“Oh.” Twilight’s eyes went wide. “S– sorry, Shining.”

Cadance laughed in earnest now. “Well, no harm done. And I definitely get points for putting your well-being ahead of my own,” she told her husband, who nodded in response. “You want to keep going?”

Another nod.

She took up her previous position, once more waving her posterior in Twilight’s face, though this time also throwing back a seductive look prior to taking in the stallion’s shaft. “So, Twilight, is there anything you want to ask me?”

“Um...”

“Better just straight-up tell her what you want, Twiley,” Shining Armor stated, smirking. “Trust me on that one.”

Once more, the younger unicorn was blushing, her ears plastered meekly to her head. She watched as Cadance began licking her brother’s cock, which had impressively managed to stay fully erect despite the blood-chilling scare the stallion had just experienced.

“Uh... Cadance, may I...” She coughed nervously. “...engage in some... uh... cunnilingus... with you?”

Shining actually threw a foreleg over his mouth to hide his laughter. The older mare did a far better job of maintaining her composure, and answered with a simple, sultry, “You may.”

Twilight re-approached hesitantly. This time, she was determined to do it right, and put Cadance’s needs first. When she got near enough, she took a whiff of the sweet, rosy scent. Instead of simply diving in as before, she tenderly placed her forehooves on either side of the princess pony’s radiant sex. Carefully, she spread the intimate folds apart, revealing a bit of pale pink flesh within.

“Uh... tell me if you want me to stop. I’ve never done this before,” she warned.

Cadance hummed out some kind of assent through her occupied mouth, though, after a moment, decided to give a proper response. “I’ve never done this with another girl before,” she admitted, “so it’s a first for me, too. There’s no need to be nervous. Let’s just have fun.”

Twilight softly pressed her lips into the waiting cunny, and allowed her tongue to tentatively explore the first half-inch of the tunnel beyond. The reaction was immediate; a shiver rolled through Cadance’s body, but she did not pull away as before. Instead, she let out a barely-audible yet unmistakably satisfied groan. The purple pony took the encouragement and began to move her tongue more freely against and into the nectarous flesh. She had no first-hoof experience with pleasing mares this way, though she did have the innate advantage of being a mare herself; it was logical to assume that what Twilight liked, Cadance would like as well.

The unicorn continued with what was, in truth, nothing but a sensual kiss against the larger pony’s nethers. Cadance’s clit beckoned for attention, but Twilight only deigned to occasionally brush it with her nose, letting the alicorn’s desire build ever-so-slowly. With her tongue doing the penetration, she used her lips to lightly fondle the mare’s labial folds, twisting her head this way and that to gain more purchase against her target. Her every movement was gentle and controlled. The theme for today was definitely tender, loving care; not wild, frenzied screwing.

Shining Armor became aware that something had changed. The pink alicorn’s ministrations to his stallionhood were rapidly becoming tinted with irregularities – little shudders and jolts that proved to be an entirely welcome addition to her already-skilled sucking. He looked down at his wife though a euphoric haze.

“Enjoying yourself?” he asked.

Cadance released him momentarily to whisper her answer. “Shine... this is... so hot.”

The white unicorn beamed. “Hey Twiley, I think she likes it!”

Twilight was about to find out just how much.

Encouraged by the effect she was having, she made the mistake of giving Cadance’s clitoris a quick and casual suckle. Much to her surprise, this instantly sent the long-pent-up princess over the edge. Twilight had only a fraction of a second of warning, in the form of every muscle in the alicorn’s body suddenly tensing up, before her mouth received a gush of the mare’s orgasmic liquid. She adapted quickly, however, and happily drank in the fruits of her labours. It was all she could do not to clop her hooves together in joy at her accomplishment in bringing a female to orgasm for the first time.

As her beneficiary descended from climax, Twilight considered her options. Communication was key, she had found out, and there was a piece of information she needed before she could decide what to do next.

“Cadance?” she solicited the mare’s attention. Upon receiving it, she followed with the crucial, hopeful question: “...More?”

Cadance smiled and breathed out a desirous “Yes.”

That was settled then. Twilight could easily continue as she had before, but seeing the mare in front of her in ecstasy had reminded her that while Cadance’s needs were now being taken care of, her own had been left unfulfilled. Her original role as mere observer now lay somewhere in the mists of forgotten prehistory; she was undoubtedly a full participant in this threesome; her first threesome, she thought giddily.

She would put all her skills to use and do what she did best:

Organise.

With a pat on the sheets beside her, she indicated for the alicorn to lie down, while Twilight herself moved nearer to her brother. As the two mares switched places, they ran straight into one another. It wasn’t altogether intentional, but it wasn’t an accident, either. Both had simply chosen not to alter their course, even as they saw they were headed for a collision. And, just like that, as if it were the most obvious and natural thing in the world, they kissed.

It was long, slow, and sensual, in keeping with the day’s activities. Of course, Twilight and Cadance had kissed before, many times. As a foalsitter, the young princess had never shied away from close physical contact with her charges, and Twilight had been her favourite. Loving smooches on the cheek and forehead had been commonplace, and, yes, even a playful, innocent peck on the lips was not unheard of. What they were doing now was, in a sense, very reminiscent of those times, but it was also so very much more than that.

“Little Twilight Sparkle, all grown up,” the pink pony commented as they finally separated. “Who knew you’d make such a good lover?”

“I... I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Twilight admitted, looking away in embarrassment. “I was sloppy.”

“Nonsense. You were passionate and creative. Which is more than I can say for Shiny here.”

“What?” said the stallion.

The younger mare nodded in agreement. “I know what you mean. I have to constantly keep reminding him that he can do more with his lips than just suck.”

“Hey!”

“Oh, totally! And the way you used your nose... I don’t think he’d manage that if I gave him written instructions.”

“I don’t believe this!”

“And he seems to forget that the tongue can move along any axis. After a minute or two, it’s like he’s churning butter.”

“Lies!”

“You know what?” The alicorn lowered her eyelids and stroked the back of the purple pony’s neck, their muzzles almost touching. “Who needs him? We have all we need... just the two of us.”

“I can please you in ways that only a mare can,” Twilight said in her sexiest voice.

“And I can show you love unlike anything a crass stallion could ever manage.”

“Oh Cadance!” the young unicorn cooed, “Leave him! He’s no good for you. Run away with me!”

“I’ve made a terrible mistake!” the alicorn cried. “I should’ve married you and made you my princess! Can you ever forgive me, Twilight?”

“Always, Mi Amore! I will treat you with the care and kindness you deserve!”

Shining Armor glared at them, his forelegs crossed over his chest. “I take offense to this entire display,” he deadpanned, causing the two girls to explode into a fit of laughter. He painfully bit down on his tongue to hold back the urge to join them.

“Honey,” his wife said after she calmed down somewhat, “it doesn’t help your case that you’ve just been lying there the whole time. I have been doing all the work.”

“Which is why I’ve come up with a plan!” Twilight declared proudly. “Cadance, you lie down over there...” she directed with all the authority of an All-Team Organiser.

The princess, clearly intrigued, complied and laid herself, belly-up and legs-apart, at the edge of the bed.

“Now, I’m going to be here...” The unicorn positioned between Cadance’s hind legs, muzzle within easy reach of her exposed petals. “And big brother... your free ride is over.” She looked back to him with hungry eyes, making him actually gulp at the intensity of the stare. “Mount me!” she commanded.

He all but jumped up at the invitation. His penis had been receiving some gentle magic massage to keep it erect, but after having already been in the warm embraces of his wife’s vagina and mouth, it was crying out for more. He nuzzled his sister’s mane – mimicking Cadance’s action from before – and enthusiastically entered her.

“Oooohhhh...” Twilight exhaled deeply as her body welcomed the familiar visitor. Content with the speed and strength of the stallion’s thrusts, she directed her attention to the flower before her.

For all the compliments Cadance had given her, she knew that she had been inexperienced and sloppy. The only reason the alicorn had reached orgasm so quickly was because of how riled up she had been from her earlier fornication with Shining Armor. Providing a second climax would not be so easy.

Twilight liked a challenge.

Passion and creativity. So be it. She began by running her tongue inside the supple, pink thigh, making a beeline for the princess’ wanting slit. Once she reached the perimeter, though, she detoured northward and made for an as-yet-untouched nipple, which she suckled lovingly. Cadance’s shudder told her she had done well. She repeated the actions on the other side, and was again rewarded with a gasp and a shiver from the larger mare.

She moved down to the waiting sex, nosing the labia while blowing out a soft stream of warm air. This made the recipient giggle; not exactly the desired result, but still good. Twilight proceeded up to the pony’s engorged clitoris. She played her nose against it, stimulating it with soft rubs and more air. Cadance had explicitly called this out as something she liked, and she hadn’t been lying; Twilight was barely touching her, but the sensations were driving the princess wild. Her hooves gripped at the sheets and cute little moans were escaping her lips.

Twilight’s focus was drifting, however. Shining Armor was moving in and out of her, but their earlier ribbing seemed to have gotten to him and he was determined to keep things interesting on his end as well. While his thrusts were measured, he would make a little jerk at the apex of each one, making his scrotum slap lightly against his sister’s clit as her insides hugged him tightly. At the same time, he was using his mouth to nibble on her ear, and a free forehoof was stroking all along the smaller pony’s neck and side. Twilight badly wanted to lose herself completely in the moment, but she knew she needed to concentrate.

She found that she could work more easily by synchronising her actions to his, using the pleasurable pulses in her loins as a kind of metronome. She lapped at Cadance’a swollen marehood, entering her and tasting the powerful heat within, circling around and around in time with the rhythm Shining Armor had set. She could feel the pink pony’s cunt squeezing and pulling at her, pleading her to go deeper. Her tongue could never substitute a stallion’s instrument in size, but more than made up for it in dexterity. Every millimeter of the large pony’s love received the attention it deserved, as the unicorn undertook to hit every pleasurable nerve Cadance possessed, committing to memory those that had the greatest effect.

The room filled with the aroma of sex, Shining’s and Twilight’s and Cadance’s odours mixing into an intoxicating concoction that increased their arousal in a self-reinforcing loop of indulgence. The temperature kept climbing as three bodies worked against each other with ever-increasing speed and effort. Shining, to his credit, continued to resist the urge to hump into his sister with wild abandon; both siblings had been building up to their orgasms for so long that such a lapse in discipline would end them both then and there. Cadance needed to catch up first. Judging from her ecstatic moans, it wouldn’t take very long now.

Twilight pushed forward, reacting as best she could to the demands of the pony in front of her.

Twilight pushed back, making her own wordless demands of the stallion atop her.

Her mind swam. All concept of time had evaporated; she didn’t know if the three of them had been at this for two minutes or two days. She didn’t need to plan any more; somehow she had tuned in to Cadance’s needs perfectly, moving effortlessly in, out, around, to her breasts, and back, all the while kneading her thighs and rump. Her brother’s grunts of primal pleasure told her all she needed to know, and a delectable fire was burning in her chest and between her legs. Her heart thudded in joy at the pleasure she was receiving and giving, the radiant heat from the ponies on top and underneath wrapping around her like a sun-warmed blanket.

Could she actually feel it? Or was it just an illusion? Did it even matter?

Cadance’s heartbeat, there, on her tongue. Shining Armor’s heartbeat, buried deep within her. Her own heartbeat.

All three in perfect sync.

The perfect moment.

She thought of her brother. Growing up. Sharing secrets. Practising basic magic. Practising advanced shield spells. Sharing meals. Building book forts. Learning to fly a kite. Running, racing, and him letting her win. Running, racing, and him teaching her that she can’t win every time. Making their parents mad. Making their parents laugh. Pony-back rides. Fun games, outside in the daytime. Secret, naughty games, inside at night. Hugging. Kissing. Touching. Sex.

She thought of her foalsitter. Walks in the park. Games in the playground. Songs and rhymes. Bedtime stories. Staying up late, and never telling the parents. Extra servings of ice cream, and never telling the parents. Walks around Canterlot. Shopping. Decorating each other’s manes. Talking about school. Talking about boys. Bathtimes. Sleepovers. Pony-back flights. Scrapes and bruises and tears. Hugs and kisses and laughs. Learning about romance. Learning about estrus.

The two ponies she cared for the most. Her oldest friends. She was so close to them now. This was exactly where she belonged. There were no barriers between them. All the walls had crumbled. She trusted them absolutely. There were no more secrets and no shame and no more holding back. There was only joy and pleasure and melting bodies and sharing everything. She felt good and safe and warm and happy and wanted and sexy and loved, loved, loved.

They were all at the edge now. The heat could not get more intense. Twilight felt like she was burning up; a phoenix ready for rebirth. Deep within her, she felt her brother’s cock flare, and she knew that, for him, there was no going back. Without a second thought, she gladly followed him off the precipice.

Shining Armor exploded inside her, positively gushing forth his hot seed, filling every crevice and void within his sibling that his stallionhood had somehow failed to touch. Twilight could not have stopped her response if she had tried. She didn’t try; instead she surrendered herself to the crashing wave of red-hot bliss, gladly drowning in it. Her cunt squeezed and milked the stallion for all he was worth as she spasmed and writhed under him.

Her last coherent action was to suckle on Cadance’s clit, as she had before, but she lost awareness of what happened after that. Had her faculties not abandoned her, she might have drawn the correct conclusion from the spray of liquid suddenly filling her mouth; as it was, she was only aware on the most instinctive level that she was drinking something sweet and warm, and hearing a female voice screaming her name.

It took an eternity, but the thought did eventually form: She had received something precious from her brother, and passed in onto Cadance. She was their connection; they had communicated through her, and it was so appropriate. They had met because of her; fallen in love because of her. She was their link, both conceptually, and in this moment of passion, physically.

And she could not be happier.

Her consciousness rebuilt itself. Twilight noticed that she still had her mouth pressed against Cadance’s spent sex. She took a few licks to clean up the overflow, and laid her head on the alicorn’s belly, where she could easily perceive her heavy breathing. Shining Armor had collapsed beside them, and one of his forelegs was draped over his sister’s back and one of his wife’s hind legs. His eyes were closed, but he was apparently not asleep; he reached out with his muzzle and kissed the closest thing to him – which happened to be Cadance’s cutie mark. She sighed dreamily.

Twilight was the first to speak. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” her brother replied.

Both looked up to the pink pony princess. There was a pause where nothing that could be said seemed appropriate. Twilight frowned, and scooched up to face the alicorn at-level. Shining followed, spooning her from behind. Cadance rolled onto her side, and embraced the purple unicorn. For a long time, the three ponies lay there, cooling off from their exertion.

The silence was interrupted by the voices of two mares speaking in unison.

“I love you, Twilight,” said Cadance.

“I love you, Cadance,” said Twilight.

For a few seconds, all was again quiet.

Shining Armor frowned. “What am I? Diced tomatoes?”

Epilogue

Twilight Sparkle looked over the small guest bedroom. For the fifth time, she scanned the space to ensure that no belongings of hers remained. For the sixth time, she sorted through the contents of her saddlebags to make certain that every item that had made the journey from Ponyville with her would make the journey back. She had a checklist to help her.

Yes, she was definitely packed and ready to go. She moved to exit, and stole one more glance as she did so, her eyes falling on one particular piece of furniture.

The bed, immaculately made, and nominally hers during her week-long stay.

She had not lain in it even once.

She smiled. It had been seven days well-spent.

Well, technically, five-and-a-half. Wednesday and part of Friday she had been busy defending Equestria from unspeakable ancient evils, with some help from Cadance and Shining Armor. Typical assignments from Celestia; nothing to write home about.

“Got everything you need?” Cadance asked when Twilight entered the living room.

Her husband snorted. “Did you forget who you’re talking to? Twiley probably made a checklist and went through everything three times.”

The purple unicorn nervously rubbed the back of her neck. “Uh, yeah...” She chuckled guiltily. “I mean, I have everything packed.”

Her brother approached. He wore a bittersweet smile. “It was great spending time with you, sis. We’re gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too,” she replied, mirroring his expression. They touched horns.

“We need to get together more often,” Cadance said as she joined the two siblings. “How about the next time Shining and I have a vacation, we stop by Ponyville? I’d love to meet your friends again.”

“I’d like that.” Twilight nodded enthusiastically. “The library’s always open for you.”

Cadance suddenly drew a hoof to her mouth and gasped. “I almost forgot!” She galloped off, leaving a confused unicorn looking to Shining Armor for an explanation. He just shrugged knowingly.

The princess quickly returned, smiling, and holding a little envelope. “This is for you.”

As the object passed from Cadance’s aura to Twilight’s, she could feel that a small, weighty item was contained within.

“A present?” the younger mare questioned.

“Not exactly,” her brother answered. “Just something you should have.”

A moment passed.

“Uh, you can open it now,” Shining added with a smile. He whispered to his wife, “Why did we even bother with the envelope?”

Twilight’s eyes widened when she retrieved the item, and widened further still when she grasped its significance.

“That’s why,” Cadance answered, grinning victoriously.

It was a key. Silver, gleaming, and perfectly-cut, it almost seemed fine enough to be a piece of jewellery, though it contained no superfluous gems or other ostentatious additions, remaining true to its utilitarian essence. On the bow were engraved three small, yet meticulously detailed images: Shining Armor’s cutie mark, Cadance’s cutie mark... and Twilight Sparkle’s cutie mark.

“It’s...” the young mare was having a hard time forming words. “It’s...”

“The key to the house,” Shining finished casually. “We figured you should have one.”

Twilight doubted she would ever use it. In this area of Canterlot, hardly anyone ever locked their doors; a Royal Guardspony stood almost literally on every street corner, and the crime statistic was reported not as a ratio, but as an absolute total, countable with a single pony’s hooves. Even faced with a locked door, Twilight knew enough magic – ranging from simple unlocking spells, through known-location teleportation, up to and including material phasing – to make the very idea of a door lock a purely academic concept.

All told, the key she had been given had next to zero practical use.

Its meaning, however, was unmistakable.

She would never be a guest in this house. She required no invitation and no reason to be here. She belonged, unconditionally. This was her home as much as theirs, and she would always be a part of it. She would always be a part of their lives.

And she finally had the answer to her silent question from six days ago:

No. She didn’t need to knock. Not ever.

She threw herself at the larger mare, hugging tight. “Thank you!” She perceived moisture collecting under her eyelids, but the feel of Cadance against her was having a calming effect, and she was able to hold back from bursting into tears.

She was about to release the alicorn and turn her attention to Shining Armor, but quickly realised how silly she was being. They weren’t in public, after all.

She planted a deep, passionate kiss on Cadance’s lips. A kiss that was immediately and eagerly returned. Twilight didn’t want it to end; not knowing when she would be able to do this again. She felt closer to this pony than she ever had before. Her wonderful, loving, beautiful sister-in-law.

No, there was no need for the qualifier.

Her sister.

At last the two mares broke apart, both their faces flushed and light pants escaping their muzzles.

Shining Armor had been watching them with a grin. He waited patiently, seemingly unconcerned about being ignored. He couldn’t keep up the façade, though, and closed half the distance himself when his sibling moved in his direction.

Their mouths locked together, and the stallion tasted his wife on his sister’s tongue. It was a flavour he had grown to like very much.

Twilight tended to lose track of time in moments like these, and it had to be Cadance who snapped brother and sister out of their impromptu makeout session.

“Um, Twilight? Doesn’t your train leave in... like...?”

“Twelve minutes!” the purple unicorn suddenly gasped. “I have to go or I won’t make it!” She placed her gift back in its envelope and into one of her saddlebags, then made for the front door at speed. She stopped at the last moment.

The words weren’t necessary. Still, it would feel wrong to leave without saying them.

“Goodbye. I love you Shining. I love you, Cadance.”

“Love ya, Twiley,” the two replied together.

And then Twilight was running.

As it turned out, she did make it. The train ride back to Ponyville was uneventful, and the unicorn spent most of the time reading a book about multisynchronous spellcasting techniques. To her surprise, her mind didn’t wander; her studious focus having apparently been only sharpened and rejuvenated by her vacation. Only a few pages of the tome remained when the conductor announced their arrival.

“Welcome home, darling,” a smiling Rarity greeted her as soon as she stepped onto the Ponyville station platform.

“Hey Twi, good to have you back!” said Rainbow Dash.

“Thanks! It’s good to be back.” Twilight beamed. “You know, you guys didn’t have to come all this way to meet me...”

“Oh, it was no trouble at all!” the white unicorn insisted. “I have been working on rush orders nonstop for the last two days and I managed to get them all done just in time. A relaxing stroll was exactly what I needed. I invited Fluttershy here to join me, and we ran into Rainbow along the way.”

“Hello Twilight,” the butter-yellow pegasus added her greeting somewhat late, “I hope you enjoyed your stay in Canterlot.”

“I most definitely did,” the purple mare replied as the group of four began a leisurely walk toward Golden Oaks Library.

“And it shows,” her unicorn friend noted. “My dear Twilight, you look like a new mare. The way you carry yourself, your smile... You are positively radiant!”

Rainbow Dash snickered.

“And just what is so funny?”

The prismatic pegasus was staring at Twilight with half-lidded eyes and a grin a mile wide. “I know that look. You got laid.”

Fluttershy squeaked. Rarity gasped. “Rainbow Dash!” she admonished.

The target of Rainbow’s comment, however, grinned right back at her. “I did,” she stated proudly.

“Wahahaha! I knew it!” The cyan mare quickly looped in the air. “Way to go, Twi!” She gave her purple friend a high-hoof. “How many times?” she demanded to know.

Fluttershy had turned beet-red by this point.

Twilight answered with a soft frown. “Now, Rainbow Dash, that’s enough. Some things are private.”

“Quite,” Rarity agreed. “And we are in public. This is no place to discuss such matters. Not another word, Rainbow,” she said just as the pegasus was about to object.

The cyan pony grumbled under her breath. For a while, the four mares walked in silence.

“So, Twilight,” Rarity started up again, “I take it you had the opportunity to visit your... ahem... mystery friend? Hmm?”

Dash facehoofed at the blatant display of hypocrisy.

“I did,” Twilight calmly confirmed, “but I’m still not saying who it is. Sorry.”

“Oh, there’s no need to apologise. Everypony keeps a few secrets, I suppose. If it is truly that important to you, I shan’t pry. And neither will anypony else, right?” The white unicorn was looking rather ominously at Dash, who was determinedly refusing to grant her any sort of reply.

“Well, now we know that Twilight’s friend still lives in Canterlot,” said Fluttershy’s voice.

The poor pegasus cowered almost into nonexistence as she was assaulted by the shocked stares of her three companions. She squeaked out something unintelligible, but which was most likely a terrified apology.

“Uh, yeah,” the purple mare chuckled in an attempt to ease her friend out of her pit of terror. “I guess I let that part slip. Congratulations, Fluttershy. You just displayed excellent deductive reasoning. Come on, let’s go... Seriously... ponies are starting to stare.”

Rainbow facehoofed again. “Ugh, not helping, Twilight!”

After some more coaxing, the trio succeeded in getting the yellow pony moving again.

“Fluttershy’s right, though,” Dash risked poking at the topic again. “Kinda makes me wonder if visiting your brother was the real reason you decided to spend your vacation there.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, ignoring Rarity’s murderous stare.

“I can honestly say that it was, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied, calmly but firmly.

“Um...” the yellow pegasus tried, and failed, to rejoin the conversation.

“Oh, please, Fluttershy, say what’s on your mind!” Rarity implored. “I’m certain that whatever you have to say will be preferable to Rainbow’s crude commentary.”

“I... I was just thinking... it’s nice that Twilight was able to find time to spend with her brother and with this pony that she... um... likes.” The shy mare offered a small smile.

“I doubt it was a problem,” Rarity said. “Twilight has excellent organisational skills. I’m sure she was able to divide her time properly between the two.”

The purple unicorn smiled. “It was easier than you might think.”

“Ooooh, of course! Now I get it!” Rainbow announced. “All this time, Twilight's been doing her brother!"

Prologue

The door to the darkened library opened, allowing the dull-yellowish-orange glow of the streetlamps outside to invade the space briefly, before it was banished by the flick of a light switch and a hind hoof slamming the door shut.

Three mares walked a slightly irregular path across the main floor of the tree. The one in the middle was giggling fiercely. The ones on either side of her, only slightly less so.

“Is he in the Royal Guard, then?” Rarity asked, her face flushed and her naughtily half-lidded eyes scrutinising the pony leaning against her.

Twilight snorted, and pressed harder into her unicorn friend. “Mmmmaybe...” she slurred, then hiccupped, then resumed giggling.

“That’s gotta be a yes,” Rainbow Dash opined, and, despite not being altogether steady on her own hooves, managed to catch the purple unicorn when her weight shifted dangerously away from her current source of support. “Is he at least a Lieutenant? Commander, maybe?”

Twilight sloppily lifted a hoof to rub the cyan mare’s head. “Not gunna work, Dashie-washie... t–told you it’s a s– sssecret.” Then she stumbled right back against Rarity.

“‘Dashie-washie’?! Twilight, you are completely wasted. Hey, Rares, how much cider did she have, anyway?”

“As I recall, Rainbow Dash, you were the one who kept refilling her cup,” Rarity pointed out wryly. “You of all ponies should have the best estimate.”

“Hey, I was just trying to loosen her up!”

“Well, you certainly did a fine job of that.” The white mare, who was by far the most stable of the three, took a moment to realign herself against Twilight’s frame. “The poor thing can barely even stand up, and I shudder to think of what she’ll be feeling like come tomorrow morning.”

“Well,” Dash chuckled, “at least now we know she’s a very happy drunk.”

The trio finally reached the set of stairs on the far side.

“Come on, Twi, almost there, just gotta put your– uff, no– you just– ow! Darn! Augh! ...Owww... I meant to do that.”

Rarity stared at the two faceplanted ponies beside her. “Oh, the things I put up with because of you, Rainbow Dash!”

“Rainbow Crash,” Twilight corrected from the lowest step of the staircase, her good humour having abated not in the slightest despite her fall, as evidenced by the ludicrous grin she still wore.

“Hey!”

“Let us try this again,” Rarity calmly insisted before any spat could break out. She helped the other unicorn to her hooves – while allowing the pegasus to fend for herself in the quest for upright balance. “Are we ready now? Twilight, Rainbow? Good. Now, front right hoof up... that’s it, now front left... good, front right again, and your back left, perfect! See, stairs aren’t so daunting after all!”

“So, a Royal Guardspony,” the cyan mare returned to speculating, “Lieutenant or better?”

Twilight only smiled dumbly, giving no hint.

“Well,” Rarity rejoined the discussion, “if you ask me, the reason why Twilight is refusing to divulge the identity of her paramour is that their relationship was not entirely proper by the standards of polite society. A taboo union, if you will...”

The purple mare’s smile partly collapsed, but the event escaped the notice of her two companions.

“A fling with a guardspony simply doesn’t qualify. Given all the evidence at our disposal, I would surmise that it was one of Twilight’s professors at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. A teacher at such an august institution becoming romantically involved with a student would be positively scandalous. Dear Twilight here is keeping the affair secret to protect his career and reputation.”

“I gotta admit,” Rainbow stated after taking a few moments to think over the matter, “that makes a lotta sense.”

Having finally reached the loft that served as Twilight’s bedroom, the two less-drunken mares manoeuvred the tipsy unicorn toward the promise of a good night’s rest.

“I still can’t believe this egghead got her cherry popped before any of us! How do we know she isn’t making the whole thing up?”

“And why, pray tell, would Twilight lie about something like this? Not everypony feels the need to inflate their accomplishments to soothe their ego, unlike a certain pegasus presently in this room.”

Dash’s objection was cut short as Twilight, in an attempt to lower herself onto her bed, pulled the cyan mare along for the ride and was now seemingly confusing the rainbow-maned head for one of her pillows as she lay on top of it.

“Besides,” Rarity took the opportunity to continue uninterrupted, “it took quite the impressive amount of persuasion – and more hard cider than I’ve ever seen one pony consume – just to get her to reveal this much to us.”

Dash at last extricated her muzzle from underneath her purple friend, and gasped for the air she had been momentarily denied. “Okay, this has gone on long enough! Who is it, Twi? We’re your friends; you can trust us! We’ll Pinkie Promise not to tell anypony.”

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, it’s a secret.” Her eyes were closed, and it was clear that only a precious few seconds of consciousness remained in her.

“So you keep saying. My dear, I do hope you are not protecting somepony who was... well, abusive of his position towards you?”

Twilight’s head shaking turned more vehement. “Nononononono... not abusive! He’s the best! Sweetest, wonderful...”

Dash and Rarity listened with rapt attention, but their faces fell when it became obvious that Twilight’s description would not continue beyond these vague qualifications.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Darling, I must agree with Rainbow. We are your friends. You can tell us anything. Even if this youthful fling of yours involved some impropriety, it won’t make us think any less of you. And we will keep your secret.”

More head shaking. “Nuh-uh.”

“Come on! Was it somepony famous? One of the Wonderbolts? Or that Hoity Toity guy? Was it... Princess Celestia magically transformed into a stallion?”

A high-pitched snicker was the only response from the heavily drunken purple unicorn, but the mildly drunken white one gasped and widened her eyes in shock at the suggestion. Rainbow stared at her amusedly, before gaining an inspired grin.

“Was it Rarity’s dad?”

“Rainbow Dash!”

Twilight rolled in her bed, laughing uncontrollably. “G–good one Dashie!” She briefly locked eyes with the mortified Rarity, punctuating the stare with another hiccup. “Mmmmaybe...” she added, causing the white mare to gasp, then gasp again, then make a haughty and dramatic exit from the room.

The quasi-sober unicorn made a point of stamping her hooves to provide the auditory illusion of her leaving, but remained just out of sight, listening intently to the remaining conversation.

“Okay, Twi, Rarity’s gone.” The pegasus gently prodded the nearly-asleep mare. “It’ll be just between you and me,” she whispered conspiratorially, “I’m down with anything, you know that. Even if it’s five kinds of illegal, you can tell me. I represent Loyalty, and that means I’d help you bury a body if you needed me to. I think I can handle a little secret.”

Twilight looked up dreamily at Rainbow. “I love you Dashie...” she said, making the cyan pony shift her eyes uncomfortably.

Then she devolved once again into giggles. “But sorry. Not telling.”

Dash sighed as her final chance to sate her curiosity slipped out of her hooves and was buried under the powerful snores of her sloshed friend.

She didn’t seem surprised to see Rarity waiting for her downstairs, and as the two left the library, the unicorn started up. “I was counting, actually. It was nine. Nine of those monstrously large mugs of cider.”

Dash whistled. “Wow. I don’t think I could drink that much.”

Rarity nodded. “One must admire her perseverance, though. After all that, she still won’t reveal the secret. It does have me concerned... especially since, if I am hearing between the lines correctly, she was practically a child when it happened.”

The pegasus shrugged. “Nothin’ wrong with it as long as nopony gets hurt. You saw her when she talked about it. Her eyes don’t get that sparkly and misty unless she’s looking at a brand-new encyclopedia or something. Whoever it was and whenever it was, her first time was awesome. Wish I could be that lucky.”

The white mare nodded. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, and her vision focussed on something in her mind’s eye.

Her companion made it a few additional steps before noticing. “Hello!” Dash waved a hoof in the unicorn’s face. “Equestria to Rarity!”

“Oh! I’m fine,” she responded as she began moving again. “I just realised, part of what I’ve been feeling hasn’t been concern; it was jealousy.”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “Really? You’re jealous of Twilight’s first time?”

“Indeed. My own was... well, let’s just say, less than enchanting. As you said; I wish I could’ve been as lucky as Twilight. Clearly, her mystery stallion treated her as she deserved.” A look of determination crossed Rarity’s face. “And I will be happy for her. This is a lesson I’ve learned once before, and I will not force myself to repeat it. Few things are as poisonous to a relationship as that green-eyed monster.”

Rainbow Dash scratched her head in confusion. “Who, Spike?”

Rarity groaned. “No, I was talking about the feeling of jealousy.”

“Oh.”

“If one truly cares for another pony, then one should humbly share in their joy; not resent them for obtaining it in the first place.”

“Sounds like a good letter to Princess Celestia.”

“I suppose it could be. Though I doubt the Princess would find it appropriate for me to describe to her my first sexual experience vis-à-vis that of her prize pupil.”

“Hey,” Dash grinned, “you never know...”

BONUS - 'Expectations' Extended Ending

“She’s my wife,” Shining explained. “I tell her everything.”

The purple pony’s lower jaw had apparently filed for divorce from its upper half. “You mean ‘everything’ as in...?”

“I told her that you and I have been having sex for years.”

It certainly appeared to be a permanent separation. “...and...?”

“She said that our relationship is unusual, but as long as it’s loving and respectful, it’s not wrong.”

“And... now that you’re married...?”

“She said that what we have is beautiful and worth holding onto for as long as we both want it. She doesn’t see you as competition or a threat. She thinks that the sexual aspect of our relationship makes our bond special, and she would feel terrible if we were forced to give it up on her account. It would go against what she truly wants, which is for both of us to love each other and be happy.”

The two halves of Twilight’s jaw slowly reconciled. “Actually...” she said, staring intensely at the floor in front of her hooves, “that does sound a lot like Cadance.”

Suddenly her features knotted in anger.

“Then explain what she was doing peeping at us!”

The white unicorn took on a milder version of his sister’s frown. “That’s what I’m going to find out.” He moved to the doorway, and looked back. “You want to come with me? Talk to her yourself?”

Twilight blinked several times. Her brain had decided it was a particularly good time for Reshelving Day.

“I’ll... take that as a ‘no’. I’ll be right back.”

The stallion left the room, and after a few moments the sound of a distant conversation could be heard. The young pony’s ears perked up at this. She strained, but though she recognised the voices as those of Cadance and Shining Armor, their words weren’t clear enough to make out. She took a few steps closer to the exit, and turned her head sideways.

It was just enough.

“...sure to tell Twilight that I’m sorry,” the alicorn’s voice said, and was followed by a sigh. “But there is one good thing that came out of me seeing you two like that.”

“Oh?” Shining Armor’s voice inquired.

“Now I can be sure... I’m not jealous.” There was a smile audible in her tone.

A pause. Theoretically, one long enough for a kiss and a meaningful stare.

“Now get back to her!”

Shining re-entered the bedroom to see his sister standing exactly where he had left her, staring blankly straight ahead and rubbing the quickly rising bump on her head.

“Celestia got called away on some kind of urgent business and sent Cadance home early,” the stallion explained, gaining a skeptical look from his sibling. “She came in, heard something going on in the bedroom, and got... well... curious.”

Twilight switched the eyebrow she was arching from right to left.

“She says she’s sorry,” he offered.

“Hmm,” Twilight countered eloquently.

“So... do you want to keep going?”

“...What.”

“Well, our... activities got interrupted.” Shining smiled hopefully. “I was thinking you might want to finish what we started.”

Twilight’s jaw was having some marital problems again. “You can’t be serious.”

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine.” The white pony rubbed his neck, the smile still on his face. “Just, you know, if you’re feeling up for it... there’s nothing stopping us.”

“I can’t believe this!” she all-but-shouted as she began to advance on him, “You tell Cadance our biggest secret that we’ve kept for years, you don’t bother to mention to me that you told her, you scare me half to death making me think my life is over, you make me hit my head which is probably going to hurt for days, you act like the whole thing’s a big joke, and you expect that I’ll want to get back in bed with you?!”

She had backed the courageous Captain of the Royal Guard into a corner by this point, and his tail was quite literally between his legs.

“Well,” he said with a chuckle that did a halfway-passable job of hiding the terror in his voice, “do you want to?”

Five minutes later, lying atop her brother, Twilight moaned in pleasure.