In a dimly lit room of Canterlot Castle, a group of ponies were at rest. They represented many colors; cyan, lavender, pink, orange, creamy yellow, a tasteful off-white, and a dusky, midnight blue, creating a striking image for observers, had there been any. They all had fallen into a deep slumber, brought on by the fatigue from their exertions the night before. Having no time to bother with cleaning up or finding comfortable places to sleep, they simply collapsed and languished upon the floor, allowing the soothing warmth from each other's bodies to comfort them throughout the night.

Movement disrupted the tranquil scene, a beautiful white mare stirring to wakefulness as an uncontrollable instinct clawed at her stomach. After shifting around a bit, gauging the boundaries of the bodies surrounding her, her eyes began to flutter open. Luckily, the room didn't possess any harshly bright colors or overtones, it was all soft candlelight that only managed to give the room a dim level of illumination, creating an atmosphere full of both relaxation and potential. Still, she refrained from opening her eyes fully for now, and took stock of her other faculties.

Her sense of touch was intact, she felt warmth emanating from the bodies of the slumbering ponies around her as well as the bodies themselves. There was a particularly strong warmth upon her muzzle, and a certain... dampness, as well. Her sense of smell was most definitely intact, as she inhaled the strong scent of lust that still pervaded the room. She licked her lips, testing her ability to taste, and found that she could certainly taste the fluids that coated her muzzle. They tasted almost like... the chill, crisp night air of the early fall, on those nights where you contemplated simply lying down before you got home and camping out under the stars, yet they were warm as well, creating an entirely new taste that Rarity could not say she disliked. Hearing was difficult, since there wasn't much to be heard in the calm, sleepy room. Luckily, an out-of-place noise made itself apparent, and her ears both pointed in its direction.

Rarity finally opened her eyes and found that she was faced with a midnight blue flank, a dripping marehood inches from her.

Images from the previous night came flooding back through her memory. She remembered donning her Element, a relatively foolish move in retrospect. She recalled how it had wrought such wonderful changes to her body, enhancing her and shaping her in new ways that served to cause and consummate desire in equal measure. She remembered how they had begun switching positions, never seeming to get quite enough stimulation from any single action; they always needed just one more orgasm. It was like an addiction.

Rarity thought all this as she rose, luckily not being impeded by any limbs this time, and turned to face the source of the noise her ears had caught earlier.

She was not altogether surprised to find that Celestia was standing there, watching the seven mares as they rested in the aftermath of pure debauchery and bliss. She had expected a piercing gaze; for the Princess to bore down with her eyes in a fashion that evoked guilt for her actions. She felt no such thing. There was only warmth radiating from Celestia, a kindness and serenity that was impossible for a mortal being to match. She seemed content with the turn of events, in some way, and gave a calm, serene smile to Rarity, who couldn't help but smile back. The affection and warmth she radiated permeated the room and enveloped Rarity. She realized, in this moment, how much lust she didn't feel; how much sharper and more focused her mind had become in its absence.

"I trust you have... made progress, My Little Pony?" The sound of Celestia's voice came as a surprise, but Rarity noticed she hadn't moved her lips. She was communicating with her mind via some powerful magic, likely to preserve the other ponies' restful states.

"Err, well..." Even in her mind, Rarity was stumbling. She found it was all too easy to reciprocate her thoughts, the spell must have worked both ways. She thought about what they had done, and how her mind was clearer. She could think critically now, running her thoughts back over the events that had transpired in the past few days, and found she had learned, she simply needed to find out what it was she had learned, exactly. She needed some time to think about it.

The encounter with the Solar Princess turned Rarity's thoughts inward. She remembered why they were here, and how the group had somehow lost sight of that in their quests to sate their ever-growing lusts. They had all feared, if only for a short while, that they wouldn't feel the need to do anything else for the rest of their lives when they could be experiencing so much pleasure at the hands of another anytime they pleased. She remembered what Celestia had said about Chrysalis's forces, how they were using the very things Rarity and her friends were learning to hurt ponies. She supposed that, much like everything else, there was a good and a bad side to sex, and she had gotten a little taste of the dark side for the past couple of days.

While sex had certainly brought the six friends closer together than ever before, the disproportionate lust imposed upon them by the Elements had begun to devolve their relationship into unproductive debauchery. She supposed it had gotten in the way that day after the first time, even. She had called Pinkie Pie over under false pretenses, and it was just so she could get into her pants, to experience even more of that pleasure for herself. Later that day, on the train, it was Rarity who had started that orgy. Even though it was a public place, and they very nearly embarrassed themselves irrevocably at Canterlot station, they still did it, all to satisfy the raging torrent of lust.

She remembered their encounter with the assistant mare who they had passed by on the way to Luna's study. She was very beautiful, there was no doubt about that, and they had certainly noticed. They had stared at her like she was some sort of prize, and she was sure she could speak for her friends that they all had the same thoughts running through their heads at that time. Her tight body, nude, sweaty, and horny as they descended on her, lapping at her cunt and caressing her supple curves. In that moment, a pony had been rendered into an object.

She was beginning to see how even something so wonderful could be used for malicious purposes.

On the other hand, lust was truly a beautiful thing at times. That magical night, when all six of them were so hot and bothered, having fun in the coziness of Twilight's library, and deepening their friendships by opening themselves to both give and receive that most ultimate of pleasures. There is no doubt that it had been a boon from the Lunar Princess to re-awaken such an emotion, it simply made them more Equine at heart.

She understood, now, why Celestia and Luna were even debating bringing something like this back, and why it was so important for the Element Bearers to teach the rest of Equestria in its wondrous ways. They couldn't be sure how the ponies would use such a gift if left unchecked, so a powerful and experienced hand would be needed to guide them.

"Yes, Princess, I believe we are well on our way, and Princess Luna is an excellent teacher." Rarity replied with confidence. The Princess had waited patiently for her response, likely being used to seeing her subjects spend time to think of a particularly important revelation.

"I'm so proud of you, dear Rarity. I can't be the one to help you, but always know that you and your friends carry my blessing."

In a soft flash of golden light, Celestia was gone.

Rarity stood, feeling the air against her bare skin. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, what with the heavy musk that permeated the room, but she also felt the need to cover herself a bit. She stopped at this thought, she wanted to put something on? She hadn't been able to stop taking her clothes off before! Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be anything for her to wear. She recalled how her clothes had been destroyed during the transformation, and she wasn't about to steal her friends' clothes, so she contented herself with sitting down on a cushion to think, a fist resting under her chin.

She thought back to her behavior over the past few days, and found a haze of lust that guided her to entice others, promising them pleasure in return if they would simply open up to her.

Now, with a clearer mind, she could see that the Elements had been acting upon her since the first morning after the six friends made love for the first time. Even after all that pleasure and release, she had still wanted more, and her body was in prime condition to accept it. In fact, she became more eligible for sex as she had it. She was aroused more easily, her flirting was more effective, her clothing had gotten progressively less and less comfortable. Every time she experienced orgasm her lust had only come back stronger, her body more ready to give and receive pleasure. She even recalled how, beginning yesterday morning, she had felt that her top was tighter than normal. Even then, the Elements were exerting their influence over her body in a physical way, making her look sexier to seduce more ponies to partake of the 'pleasures of the flesh'. She could see now, in her memories, that her friend's bodies looked even more inviting than the night before when they left for the lesson. It must have been happening to all of them!

They were, in essence, being groomed into sex-machines.

Semi-panicked, Rarity looked down at herself, checking for any signs of difference in her own body. Luckily, she had spent hours gazing at herself, and knew every contour in minute detail, so this task was easy. She couldn't see any changes on her body, in fact, she looked like she did the evening she set out for Twilight's party. While she prided herself on her beauty, and appreciated it in all its forms, the transformation had crossed a line. She had become, for the past night, a being that lived and breathed sex, its entire existence was sex, and its body was designed to create more sex. That's not what she wanted for herself.

She noticed the Element still hanging around her neck, it's intense glow having subsided. It seemed that... ahem... using them actually did vent the excess energy. Without a second thought, She unhooked the jewelry from her neck and tossed it across the room. Luckily, the changes seemed to have reversed themselves, and the Elements no longer held their power, at least for now.

There was, however, a positive side to all this. They had experienced a great deal more of this new sensation with the help of the Elements than they would have without it. Celestia and Luna seemed to be pleased with their rapid progress, and if the Princesses endorsed it then it couldn't be completely bad. They had conferred amazing power, enhancing not only their sexuality but also their physical strength and magical abilities. She couldn't teleport on her own, and never had, but recalled effortlessly doing so to surprise Luna with a passionate kiss the night before, just after her transformation had occurred. She was sure the same benefits had been enjoyed by her friends, and that there was likely more to their power that they hadn't experienced. She reasoned that they must have simply increased all of the six's attributes, and that included their sexual ones. They had simply succumbed to the sexual side for that night.

Clearly a balance needed to be struck, and the Elements of Harmony existed to do just that. They were exuding disproportionate levels of lust because that's what they needed right now. It was up to them, however, to use this energy responsibly, in a way that would aid their endeavors and right the wrongs the Elements sensed in the world. It could serve as a sort of panacea to the loneliness so many felt. Even a single night feeling the touch of another would be sure to lift anypony's spirits.

Was it right to want to give this emotion out freely? Did everypony deserve it, would they use it responsibly, would they even really want it? Rarity didn't have the answers to these questions, but the only way to find the answers was to try.

Rarity's ruminations were ceased when she heard a yawn and saw a stir of motion from the pony pile still present in the center of the room.

A glorious Applejack rose from the pile, stretching her arms out as she yawned her morning tiredness away. Rarity exercised her new freedom of thought with caution. She appraised Applejack's body, like she always had looked at mares before when she wanted to design an outfit for a new body type. She noticed the way her legs, currently folded under her, bulged slightly with muscle from working on the farm, but managed to remain inviting looking as legs gave way to hips, and then tapered into a hardened waist. Eventually, a six-pack gave way to bulging breasts as her eyes trailed upwards, then a thick neck and pretty face completed the ensemble. She was almost an exaggeration of desirable traits for both genders already, she shuddered to think of the power Applejack would hold over the minds of others in her transformed state.

Interestingly enough, the lust she would normally have felt while under the influence of the Elements had subsided, and was replaced with an affection for her friend. She was proud to be so well acquainted with such a beautiful mare, and in fact, with so many beautiful and wonderful mares that helped ponies in need and saved Equestria on occasion. While she couldn't deny that the farm pony's incredible body was having an effect on her, it was mostly relegated to adoration and warmth as opposed to wanton displays of seduction and lust. Maybe she would have sex with her later, maybe she wouldn't, and it's not like she would be refused. Even if she was, Rarity was sure Applejack would have a good reason for it.

There was no rush.

The others began to rise as well, tangled limbs getting in the way as they attempted to stretch and yawn. Rarity watched them with an almost curious eye, like she was observing a rare creature in its natural habitat for the first time, preparing to document its behavior. Their coats were still matted with sweat and other fluids from the night before, and cum lay in obscene pools throughout the room, but none of them could help but to simply look at each other and smile. It almost felt like that first time again. Instead of the incredible liberation of having a raging lust finally be sated, there was a soft warmth and a sort of clarity that pervaded their minds, causing all of them to re-examine friendship and what it truly meant to them.

Sex had brought out the best of them, in moments like these, but also the worst, in moments like Rarity's wanton seduction of Luna when she walked in on her coming out of the shower, or even earlier when she dragged Pinkie Pie back to her boutique just to get off again.

"I daresay thou hast made quite a great bit of progress in the arts of the flesh, but you need more focus and control. Luckily, using the Elements like that, even though the method was... rather unorthodox... seems to have reduced their power levels to a manageable state for now, and returned you to normal, so I assume teaching you will be much easier from here onward." Luna said, "Time to get to business."

"And just what kind of 'business' would this be?" Applejack was the first to reply.

"Well, my fellow mares, I don't know about you," Luna said, stretching her arms over her head. "But I need a shower." There was now a huge grin on her face.

All of her friends were busy milling around, those who still had clothes gathering them up and heading into the study's bathroom. It turned out this must have been Luna's special Princess Study or something similar, because the bathroom was enormous. The shower could easily house two of each of them. Luna turned several heads on with her magic that began to spurt steaming, cleansing water immediately. The mane six sighed in satisfaction as they felt the fluids crusting on their coats and in their manes begin to dissolve. It felt like the final step towards the purity they felt they needed to balance the sheer depravity of the past few days.

They understood what Luna was doing. While they did need to clean up, this was also to be an exercise in restraint. While they wanted to open up a little, they were too afraid of succumbing to any uncontrollable feelings that might crop up, so they averted their gazes from one another and simply washed themselves in silence, careful to avoid any sensuousness in the simple act of cleaning their bodies. Luna took notice, and assumed a disapproving frown.

"No, no, no, My Little Ponies. I said control, not fear. Thou must find thy centers and master thy selves. You should not be slaves to your bodies, but not to your minds either. There must be balance. There must be focus. There must be purpose and deliberateness with the correct dosage of natural emotions for guidance."

This struck a real chord with Rarity. She recalled how, back when she seduced Pinkie Pie into playing "dress-up", she had been so concerned with re-creating the atmosphere of Twilight's slumber party that it became an impediment towards the very thing she was trying to accomplish. As soon as her lust gained a small foothold, she re-captured the magic, and sex came quite easily afterwards, if she might say so herself. There was no need to live in fear of one's urges, but one must also be the master of those urges. They are powerful tools to be wielded, not lifestyles to lead nor forbidden things to be shunned. Rarity was determined now.

She slowly edged up to the mare nearest to her.

"Pinkie Pie, of course" Rarity thought with a hint of irony. She took the bar of soap she was using to wash herself with and began to rub it into her hands, then gently lathered Pinkie's back with the foamy substance, making sure to get down into her fur and wash out all the deep stains she was sure they all had. Pinkie cooed faintly at the feel of soft hands running across her back like a gentle massage. Pinkie pulled her mane out of the way to allow Rarity better access to her upper back, and let out a soft "mmmm" as she got to the area between her shoulder blades. Rarity continued to wash out the stains from the fur of her friend's back, kneading deeper as she went.

Then, all too soon, it was over. Rarity took her hands away from Pinkie's back and allowed her to turn in expectancy.

"Awww, Rarity, Why'd you stop?" Pinkie pouted.

"Actually... I was hoping you would get my back as well." Rarity answered. At this, she turned around and lifted her mane out of the way, presenting her white, carefully crafted backside to Pinkie.

She treated it like a miniature playground for her hands, getting the soap in all manner of hard-to-reach spots deep in Rarity's coat by making games out of it, making her gasp on occasion as Pinkie surprised her with some new technique that was seemingly applied at random, but was always effective.

Watching this, the rest of the showering mares began to open up to one another, welcoming another friend to help them clean up rather than fearing their sexual advances. Stiff movements segued into smooth caresses as the mane six calculatedly but affectionately helped each other wash. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were already moving on from their backs, now getting each other's arms and legs, faces and manes, and finally even the breasts, maybe squeezing a little in playfulness, but it didn't carry any extra weight with it the other pony didn't want to feel.

"My my, you learn quickly. I never imagined you would have so much control over your emotions, but I supposed I should have anticipated such mastery from the Elements of Harmony. This is practically your speciality." Luna praised.

The others smiled, long since having cleaned off, and simply basking in the combined warmth of the water flowing from the silver shower heads above and the natural heat radiating from the body of the pony they were gently caressing.

They could do anything they wanted; specific actions didn't need to tie with specific emotions. The fact that they were friends was enough to know that anything they did was with each other's best interests in mind.

Well, maybe they were a bit more than friends.

Author's Note

I blame Ardensfax's tendency to write epic introspection for this chapter!

Honestly, this was always the direction I wanted to take it. Guess I couldn't see the story for the clop, eh?