Pound My Pumpkin

1. Awkward

Rarity sighed happily as she got out of her warm bed, shaking her mane as she rose to greet the new day. She turned, smiling, and nuzzled the dragon lying next to her. "Spikey-Wikey...it's morning..."

Spike grumbled, the bulk of his form shifting as he rolled onto his back, his eyes still firmly closed.

Smiling, Rarity leaned forward and planted a raspberry on the spot directly above the armor plates that concealed Spike's dragon members, a spot she'd learned was - while impervious to heavy impact - was very sensitive to light touch.

Snorting, Spike spun, rising to his four claws as he shook his head. Eyes open, he smiled at Rarity. "I've asked you not to do that," he said teasingly.

Rarity giggled. "If you woke up when I told you, I wouldn't have to." Smiling, she headed into the bathroom to prepare for the day. Stepping into the shower, she began her morning ablutions.

It wasn't long before Spike also entered the bathroom, moving to the area remodeled for him. Within moments, Rarity heard the scrape of scale on rock as Spike began tending to his own cleanliness. While he still enjoyed a good bubble bath - especially one shared with her - his growth spurt had hardened his scales to the point where sponges simply weren't enough. As such, rough stone was used to scrape his scales clean. The sound had taken some getting used to for Rarity, but she'd learned to enjoy it...especially when, like now, Spike gave it a specific rhythm, putting a bit of a spring in her step.

As she finished her shower and dried off, she began the lengthy process of styling her mane. She sighed pensively as she stared at her reflection.

"Something bothering you, love?" Spike asked from behind her.

She smiled. While when he had first moved in with her she had been surprised at how silently a dragon of his respectable size could move, she was used to it by now. "Not bothering, precisely." She frowned then. "It's just...Twilight's actions a few days ago are somewhat confusing to me."

She could feel Spike smile. "You're talking about Yaazi, right?"

Rarity nodded. "It's not that I don't trust her judgment on this - I could hear in the poor girl's voice the pain when she spoke of the death of her swarm - but I'm surprised that she'd put her own reputation as a Princess on the line on what can only seem to me to be a whim! I was sure she had better judgment than that."

Spike chuckled. "She does. When she's emotional, she can make hasty decisions, but when she's calmly rational, she thinks through a decision in its entirety before taking action. Of course, since she started taking on more royal duties 8 years back, she's learned to think much faster than she used to, so it sometimes seems like she's acting hasty."

Rarity raised her eyebrow. "Really?"

Spike's grin - showing all his teeth in a way that one who didn't know him would find quite frightening - was visible in the mirror. "What did you expect of the Princess of Books?"

Rarity chuckled. That had been a joke between Spike and Twilight ever since she had reappeared in that flash of light with a set of wings. "So you're saying she does have a good reason for doing this, just a conclusion she reached a lot faster than we could?"

Spike nodded. "Something along those lines, yes." He frowned then, his expression thoughtful.

Rarity paused in her morning ministrations. "You know something."

"...let us say I have my suspicions," he replied quietly. "I don't know what all Twilight learned when she scanned Yaazi, so I won't speak on it further. All I will say is that, when it comes to certain things, there is no limit to what Twilight will do."

Rarity nodded. "I know what you mean." She raised a hoof to her neck, gently tracing the bite scar that was invisible under her coat after 6 years of healing. Spike's claw gently caressed her neck in the same place, a sorrow in his movements.

Spike's eyes narrowed, and he turned his head and belched. A plume of green flame solidified in a scroll wrapped in powder blue silk. "I don't recognize this," he said calmly, slipping the scroll open a little to see who it was for. "It's for Pinkie?"

Rarity smiled. Since their friends had spread out the past few years - Twilight with her Royal Duties, Pinkie on her journey, Rainbow with her Wonderbolt career - Twilight had expanded on the spell that allowed Spike's dragon breath to send and receive letters. Now anyone who knew the spell trigger could toss a letter into an enchanted fire and it would come out Spike’s mouth. "Well, you might as well take it to her," she said calmly. "Whoever it's from, if they sent it this way, it's probably important."

Spike nodded. Leaning in, he kissed her on her cheek. "See you later, love."

Smiling, she returned the kiss on his lips. "Till later, my husband."

As Spike left, she sighed as she finished her morning ministrations. Standing up, she stared at her lithe, trim figure. "To think there would ever be a point in my life where I wished I was putting on weight," she said quietly.

It was her own private mission. She knew, as a dragon, Spike would outlive her - outlive all of them - by a wide margin. Beyond that, there would be times when he would nap for a century or more at a time, missing huge chunks of Equestria's history. Her own personal nightmare was that, one of those times, he would wake up and not know if they had been more than just a dream. That was why she was determined to have Spike's child, that there should be a line of descent born of their love, children who would always know the love - as revolutionary as it had been - that brought them into the world. But, after being married for nearly a decade, she still showed no signs of conception. She was beginning to lose hope that dragons and ponies could even crossbreed, despite the legends of the Kirin.

Hearing a strange whistle in the air, she turned just in time to see a sphere of golden fire slowly expand, before coalescing into a scroll wrapped in silk that dropped to the floor. Curious, she levitated it in her magic and unrolled it, reading the first line.

'Hey big sis!'

Rarity smiled. She hadn't heard from Sweetie Belle in a while, although she was curious how it arrived. She read on.

'Been a while since I wrote last. Sorry about that. Things have been pretty hectic ever since I started my career as a Xenologist-'

Rarity blinked, then remembered. A Xenologist was a pony who studied the cultures of other sapient species. It wasn't a word used frequently. She continued to read.

'-and especially recently. I was trying to study the culture of dragons - thought it was about time, seeing as I have one for a brother-in-law - but I got cornered by a large group of dragons who caught me out. Not knowing what else to do, I started singing. Next thing I know, I'm an honored guest and sitting at the right claw of the Dragon King.'

Rarity sighed, rolling her eyes. Even after finding their Cutie Marks, the CMC still had a penchant for getting into situations way too big for them.

'Anyway, my studies have become a great deal more intense since then, seeing as His Majesty is happy to answer all of my questions about dragons, be they historical, modern, or biological in nature. Sorry if I keep referring to him as His Majesty, but while I can pronounce his name - with difficulty - I have no idea how I would spell it. ...oh! He says I should use the translation, Eternal Flame.

'I've learned so much, Rarity! This is so exciting! I mean, I had no idea that dragon civilization actually predated ponies on the face of the world. You see, it all starts out-'

As much as Rarity enjoyed seeing her sister get published, and even explored her written up studies on other cultures at times, she had been hoping for some more personal news. Letting her eyes skim the letter now, she continued to unroll the scroll - and unroll and unroll - until one sentence caught her eyes.

'-and I've learned quite a bit about dragon physiology, especially their reproductive process, which is rather interesting, even if it doesn't appeal to me. Seriously, nothing cools any possible ardor faster than seeing a penis bigger than your entire body.'

Rarity blinked. Dragon reproduction? Maybe there was something here. She read on avidly.

'Anyway, dragons have two dicks, as I'm sure you know well - seriously, it's why I stopped staying over at your place after Spike moved in. You're LOUD.'

Rarity blushed brightly. She didn't think she made THAT much noise...

'But did you know that dragonesses also have two vaginal openings? Also, each one serves a different purpose. The lower phallus and vaginal opening are only connected to the bladder and a set of scent glands, used for marking a partner. The upper phallus and vaginal opening are connected to the reproductive organs. In point of fact, a dragon males testes are actually stored just above the upper phallus behind a thick armor plate. I've heard dragons referred to as flying tanks, and it fits. Seriously, I can't think of anything - short of another dragon - that could bring real harm to a dragon, given how well armored they are.

'Also, when dragons mate, both the male and the female will wrap their necks around each other and bite a specific neck spine. Apparently, it enhances the copulation somehow, and is also instinctive. A sort of play bite.'

Once more, Rarity gently touched a hoof to the scar on her neck. At least now she understood the why of when that happened. If Twilight hadn't felt what happened through the bonds of the Elements...

Well, she was just in time. And both of them had learned a lesson about keeping control off their lust. Trying to push it from her mind, she read on.

'Also, apparently when dragons mate, both the males and females release a special set of pheromones that trigger heat in any mammalian life form that it reaches. This is because a dragoness needs to consume a certain amount of meat while gestating. Anyway, I'll be heading home soon, and-'

Rarity blinked. The letter just cut off there. At first she was worried, but then she scrolled down and saw it picked back up, but Sweetie's writing was less structured, more relaxed.

'Okay, a few things I need to add about dragons that REALLY caught me off guard.

'First, dragons have three qualities by which they define maturity, and a dragon is considered an adult if they hit any of them. One way is if they expand to large size through hoarding, although such dragons are called 'mindless', and are considered little more than beasts. Second is if a dragon reaches intellectual maturity, capable of thinking like an adult. The third is emotional maturity, if a dragon feels like an adult does.

'Second, if a dragon reaches mental and emotional maturity, physical size actually becomes a matter of personal choice, as a fully mature dragon can apparently change size at will once they know how, as the King just demonstrated for me.

'Third, I now completely understand why you were always so loud with Spike. Seriously, wow. Also, I think I'm technically Dragon Royal Consort now, not sure how that works. ...also, I think I may have accidentally sparked a social sexual revolution amongst dragons by teaching the King a way to have sex that doesn't risk pregnancy. He's calling it Pony Style.

'I'll send this on when I have the strength back. Right now, I'm exhausted.

'Your loving sister,
'Sweetie Belle

'P.S. Looks like I'm sending this sooner than I thought. Flamey's gonna send it for me. Did you know dragons could do magic? I didn't. ...wow...'

Rarity chuckled a bit at what Sweetie Belle had gotten up to. As a grown mare, it was her choice what she got up to and who with. It was certainly a shock that she had landed a King, though, even if-

She stopped, her eyes swinging up to a line as her mind locked onto it.

'...sex that doesn't risk pregnancy. He's calling it Pony Style.'

She stared at that line for a time. "All these years..." she whispered, her voice slowly rising in pitch. "Trying again and again whenever I was in season...and all this time..."

Her voice peaked in a horrendous shout.

"WE WERE DOING IT WRONG?!?"

Rarity stared at the letter, her breathing heavy as she struggled to regain her self-control, noticing the Boutique shake for a moment from the force of her shout. Standing up, she turned towards the kitchen, ready to vent her frustration by smashing some dishes...when she paused. She felt a twinge in her lower abdomen, and a familiar warmth passing through her veins. Slowly, she grinned. She was going into heat.

Turning, she went to her 'special closet' and selected some attire that would look very flattering while she lay on her back, as well as several aromatic candles and a bag of rose petals. This time, they were going to do it right.

Trixie paced pensively as her trailer slowly pulled back into Ponyville proper. It had been more than a decade since she was here last, and her departure had been...less than ideal. While she had buried the hatchet with Twilight Sparkle - the new princess, that was a shocker to learn - more or less after the Alicorn Amulet incident, she still couldn't quite convince herself of the truth of what she'd been told.

Pinkie had forgiven her as well, despite having taken her mouth. Pinkie had said you couldn't hold somepony to blame for what they did under an evil influence, but Trixie still felt guilty. Beyond that, she didn't know if Pinkie's other friends would forgive her. She could only hope for the best, she supposed. With luck, Pinkie had received the letter she had sent her via Spike's fire.

Turning, Trixie stared at some of the pictures that now adorned the walls of her trailer. In her old trailer, the walls had been decorated with pictures of her parents, of images of her childhood, of the day she received the acceptance letter to Celestia's school...happy days before tragedy had robbed her of any semblance of stability, and she had turned her back on all her dreams just to survive. ...those pictures, and all she had left of her parents and original home, were gone now, destroyed by one careless stomp of an Ursa Minor.

The new trailer was internally decorated with pictures of herself at her various shows, the posters she had made to advertise herself...and the more recent images that brought her a smile. Here she was with Pinkie, doing a magic show with Pinkie as her assistant. Over here, an image captured from their debut duet, as they sang and danced together. Here the two of them sitting together at a restaurant. ...she still didn't know how they wound up slurping up the same strand of spaghetti like that, considering they'd been eating pizza. Not that she would ever get answers to how Pinkie did things.

Glancing into a drawer, she saw the box, and what it contained. She had bought it but...she had never given it. She'd known the day would come when Pinkie would want to go home, and she didn't know if she could live in Ponyville. As nice a place as it was, she doubted if she would be welcome.

However, after parting, she had realized why she had always journeyed, what she had been running from, what she had briefly escaped while travelling with Pinkie Pie. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

Took, took-took took, took...TOOK TOOK.

Trixie smiled. Only one pony knocked on a door with 'Shave and a Mane Cut' rhythm with a hollow sounding head. However, just to be sure, she broke into song.

"When chasing this dream,
More than skill you must know"

A familiar voice responded from the other side of the door.

"To open the right doors,
It's about who you will blow."

Grinning, Trixie threw the door open wide and sang with her beloved,

"That's showbiz!"

Grinning, she fell into the extended pink embrace, wrapping her forelegs around her neck and nuzzling at the bubble gum pony. Pulling back, she grinned at Pinkie. "There's my slice of pie," she said happily.

Pinkie grinned right back at her. "There's my star in the sky!" she said happily. Leaning forward, she captured Trixie's lips with her own.

Trixie closed her eyes, reveling in the reunion with her special pony...until she heard a cough. Pulling back, she blinked as Pinkie let her head fall back against her back, her neck shaping a u-bend.

Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy all stood there a short distance away, staring at them in a mix of shock and confusion. Spike was the one who had coughed, looking back and forth between the happy couple and the shocked friends. "Awkward..." he said quietly, stretching the word out. A shout suddenly echoed across Ponyville.

"WE WERE DOING IT WRONG?!?"

In the distance, Carousel Boutique flew into the air, flipping a full 360 degrees before landing back as it was.

"Rarity!" Spike cried in shock and a bit of fear, racing back towards the Boutique.

Pinkie got back to her hooves, leaning against Trixie as she turned to her friends. "Girls, you remember how I mentioned I met my special somepony on the road and hoped for the chance to introduce you all and that I really really hoped you'd welcome her? Well..." She gestured to Trixie. "Ta da?"

Trixie gulped nervously. It all boiled down to this moment, and-

"Up!"

Trixie looked down. A tiny filly sat there, almost identical in appearance to Fluttershy...except her eyes were red and yellow and she had one antler and one goat horn growing from her head within her mane. The filly - barely more than a newborn - spread her tiny wings and held her forehooves up to Trixie. "Up!" she said again, more insistently.

Sitting down, Trixie lifted the infant up in her forehooves.

"Nom!"

Trixie stared cross-eyed as the tiny filly locked her mouth onto the tip of Trixie's horn. She wasn't sure how to handle this, but the giggles that came from the other mares told her that, hopefully, she'd done something right.

Yaazi stared at the mixing bowls she'd set out. Pound was out hanging with his stormball team today, and Pumpkin was out buying ingredients for some of her fancier baking dishes. This left Yaazi alone at Sugar Cube Corner, and she had decided to give baking a try with the simplest recipe available.

"Let's see," she mumbled to herself. "How did it go?" She grabbed a few things with her magic, smiling as she felt how much stronger she was now, being with the twins. "Cup of flour...add to the mix..." She added the flour to the bowl. "Something sweet, not sour...pretty sure that means sugar...and a bit of salt, just a pinch..." She added what she hoped was the right amount of sugar, then paused as she held up the salt, turning from the container to her hoof. "How much is a pinch?"

Sighing she added the amount she thought was right. "Alright...this is supposed to be a cinch...teaspoon of vanilla..." She added the vanilla. "Alright...1...2...3...4..." She blinked at the mixing bowl that was nearly completely full of just dry ingredients plus the vanilla. "Umm...isn't this supposed to make...batter? Not a sandbox?" She sighed. "Guess I'll need a cookbook after all." She opened a nearby cookbook. "Let's see...cupcakes, cupcakes...here it is. Oh, eggs and milk." She added the eggs and milk and mixed it up. "That looks more like it." She ladled the batter into the cupcake paper in the tin, then put it into the oven.

While she waited, she thought to herself. "I feel like I've forgotten something..." She stared into the oven at the shaping cupcakes. "The icing!" Turning, she began to mix up a rich cream cheese icing to spread over the cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes were out and cooled, she paused. "Now...how am I supposed to ice them?" She looked at the images in the cookbook. "I can't find the frosting bag...duh!" She lifted the icing out of the bowl in a sphere of her magic. "This will work!" Shrinking the sphere until there was only icing in it, she opened a small hole and held it over the cupcakes, shrinking the sphere to make the pressure to squeeze out the icing in a controlled manner. When she finished icing the cupcakes, she smiled. "Perfect." She looked up at the sphere, and the large amount of frosting still held. "I think I made too much..."

"That's not a problem," Pound said from the door.

"GAH!" Yaazi jumped, losing her focus. The levitated frosting dropped all over her, getting in her mane, her coat, and on her face and horn. She turned to glare at Pound. "You did that on purpose!" she accused.

Pumpkin giggled from behind her twin. "That wasn't very nice, Pound," she scolded playfully. "You shouldn't go making a mess..." Walking forward, she stopped next to Yaazi and licked some frosting off her withers.

"Pumpkin!" Yaazi said, shocked.

Pumpkin smirked at Pound. "Unless you're going to help clean up." She turned to lick more frosting off Yaazi's body.

Yaazi shuddered at the pleasant sensation. "...not in the kitchen..." she whined, though without much conviction.

Pound walked up to her, smiling. "May I?" he asked.

That was a major difference she'd noticed in how the twins approached intimacy. While both seemed to be in agreement that the best thing they could do for Yaazi to help her overcome her intimacy issues was to give her as many pleasant intimate moments as possible, they took different approaches. Now that Pumpkin was fully aware of sexual intimacy, she threw herself into it with the enthusiasm of innocent abandon, pouncing Yaazi to cuddle - or something less innocent - without warning or, on occasion, thought. Pound, on the other hoof, did nothing more than cuddle unless he was specifically requested to, or if he received specific permission. Also, after the first time, he had not sought to encourage penetration, the one act that still frightened Yaazi, due to her past experiences. He seemed content to find gratification for all involved without intercourse.

She nodded to Pound, and he leaned in, beginning to lick icing off her face, trailing his tongue around her lips. Yaazi moaned softly, trying not to enjoy this too much. That wouldn't be very hygienic, even if this sort of thing was technically food for her.

As she reveled in the closeness, feeling her own pleasure echoed in the minds of the twins, she thought for a moment she heard a bell, but she couldn't be sure.

"Kids! We're home-" The matronly voice made them all jump and turn. Yaazi easily recognized Cup Cake at the doorway to the kitchen, with Carrot Cake staring over her shoulder at them.

'What do we do?' she thought into their link. 'What do we do?'

'I don't know!' Pound thought back. 'I forgot they were coming back today. I don't have a plan!'

'I'm going for broke,' Pumpkin thought at them both.

'Huh?' they asked silently simultaneously.

Pumpkin smiled up at Cup and Carrot. "Hi Mom! Hi Dad!" Turning, she licked another bit of frosting off of Yaazi's coat. "This is Yaazi, our marefriend. Not exactly how we'd meant to introduce you, but..." She shrugged her shoulders. "Well, there we are."

Pound stared at Pumpkin in disbelief. Yaazi stared at Pumpkin in shock. Cup stared at Pumpkin looking somewhat broken.

Carrot glanced between everyone, then took charge. "Yaazi, I think you should head on up to the bathroom and wash up. Pound, Pumpkin, you two go wait in your room. Your mother and I need to talk for a time." He glanced at the counter. "Pumpkin, did you bake these?"

Yaazi spoke up. "I did. It's my first attempt."

"Really?" Lifting one up, he took a bite. "Quite good. Now go on with you, you three."

Yaazi saw Pound and Pumpkin heading to their room. She went up to the bathroom to shower, but she left a bit of her magic on the door. Her paranoia from being hunted most of her life wasn't completely gone, and she wanted to know what was said. As she washed, she listened.

Carrot spoke first. "Are you alright, honey bunches?"

Cup was quiet for a time. "Did...did we really just walk in on our kids..."

"Having quality intimate time with their shared special somepony, yes."

"So..." Yaazi heard Cup gulp. "So they weren't being intimate with each other?"

"Nope. I told you you were worrying over nothing. Pound's a good colt, he wouldn't do that to his own sister."

There was silence again. "But, I was so sure those looks he kept giving her..."

"Cup, Pound's a growing colt, almost a stallion. He was probably just picturing that Yaazi filly every time his wings flared like that." Carrot tapped his hoof against something. "Gotta wonder how come we've never met her before, thought."

"With how scared she acted when she saw us, she's probably really shy," Cup replied. "But Carrot, are you sure twins sharing a special somepony is...normal?"

"Why not?" Carrot asked calmly. "Just look at Flitter and Cloudchaser. They're twins, and they frequently share stallions." He chuckled. "Hay, sometimes they swap stallions...without telling the stallions beforehand."

"But Flitter and Cloudchaser are both mares..."

"And why should there be a double standard for twins of different genders?" Carrot let out a bark of laughter. "I'm sure that Flitter and Cloudchaser don't get intimate with each other that way, and no more would Pound and Pumpkin."

Cup was quiet for a time. "I guess you're right..."

Carrot chuckled. "Besides, in that regard they're only following in their parents footsteps."

Cup was quiet. "You think we should tell them? That they have a third parent that was involved in their conception?"

A sudden shout rocked Ponyville.

"WE WERE DOING IT WRONG?!?"

'What was that?' Yaazi thought in confusion.

After a time, the conversation in the kitchen continued. "No," Carrot said calmly. "They, like everypony else believes the cover story of recessive genetics. Besides, with how busy she is, they'd never get a chance to really know her, anyway."

"You're right," Cup replied quietly. "Besides, as much as all three of us enjoyed our time together, Celestia really can't afford the scandal."

Yaazi blinked as the water continued to cascade over her. Did...did she hear that right?

'Yaazi?' Pound thought to her. 'Does that mean...Celestia's our second Mom?'

'How does that even work?' Pumpkin thought back in confusion.

'There was probably an augmentation of some sort involved,' Yaazi whispered in her mind. All three were silent as Yaazi ended the listening spell. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle this new knowledge, but at least Cup and Carrot had accepted her. For now, it was enough to know that.

Twilight walked slowly through the halls of Canterlot Castle, heading for her meeting with her former teacher, Princess Celestia. 'Alright,' she thought to herself, 'how do I explain this to Celestia? She heard - heck, she FELT - me take a personal student with enough magic in play to shake the Castle. Admittedly, that was a rather visible sign that she was mine, under my protection, but maybe I overdid it. Well, let's see, if I'm going to come up with a cover story, it needs to be all truth with just some left out, and let Celestia fill in the blanks.

'...well, I can mention that I sensed a great deal of potential in her, which is true. She's half Changeling, so her magic strength is proportionate to the love she receives, and now she's getting a dedicated supply from Pound and Pumpkin...and from me. Then there's the pony side of the heritage. ...won't bring that up yet. I don't want to risk word spreading before an in person meeting. That could destroy any hope Yaazi could have. So, great potential. That's a good first part.

'...her traumatic past. I have no idea what happened to her, but when I was healing her injuries I could feel the emotional agony she's living with, the old pain. Well, she is the last of her race and - from what I can guess - likely actively persecuted most of her life. And...I wish I didn't know how to recognize the signs of...that sort of victim.' She shook her head to dislodge these thoughts. 'Alright. So I've got lots of potential and a traumatic past, a filly who needs nurturing then.

'That doesn't quite feel like enough. After all, I could just as easily have suggested Celestia take her on, since Celestia did such a good job with me. I would need a reason why I would want to take in a filly who needed...a mother.' She smiled to herself. 'That's why I chose to take her under my own wing. Because I want to show how good a job Celestia did teaching me by becoming a teacher myself, and because I want to try my hoof at mothering. Rainbow and I have been talking about either adopting or pursuing a magic option...'

She was interrupted out of her musings at the sight of a unicorn colt. He looked to be about five years old, and was nearly identical in appearance to Prince Blueblood. However, where Blueblood's face showed arrogance and disdain, this colt's face was filled with an enthusiastic compassion and a welcoming smile. As the colt spotted her, he ran towards her grinning widely. "AUNT TWILEY!" he shouted happily.

Kneeling, Twilight wrapped a wing around the colt. "Heart Throb!" she said happily, hugging her nephew tightly. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. What brings you?"

Heart Throb hugged her happily. "Mom says she felt you take a student! Mom and Dad want details!"

Twilight's eyes widened. "Shining's here, too?"

Heart Throb nodded happily. "They're this way!" Turning he raced happily down the hall. "One side, Geezer!" he shouted as he raced past Blueblood who was entering the hall from another direction.

"What?" Blueblood shouted. "How dare he-"

"Considering that, as heir apparent to the Crystal Throne and beloved great nephew of both Equestrian Diarchs and my own nephew, he outranks you by a fair margin..." Twilight couldn't help but grin at the pompous pony's perplexity. "I'd suggest you go get a cane." She then walked past Blueblood, enjoying finally having the opportunity to see him put in his place.

'Well, they're here,' Twilight thought to herself as she followed her nephew. 'That could make things much simpler or much more complex. I can only hope the former.'

Heart Throb ran into the throne room. "Mommy! Daddy!" He leapt up to hug Shining Armor and Cadance, no hesitation or self-consciousness in him. Cadance wrapped her wings around him, her smile beaming. Shining rubbed Heart Throb's mane playfully.

Shining Armor then looked up. "Twiley! There you are!"

Twilight decided if she was going to do this, she had to do it now. "Say BBBFF, can I talk to you for a bit...in private?"

He tilted his head. "Umm...okay?"

Celestia cleared her throat from the throne. "Twilight, there is something we need to discuss."

"Can it wait, Celestia?" Twilight asked calmly. "This is really important...and somewhat related."

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "Very well. Don't take too long."

After hugging both Celestia and Cadance, Twilight led Shining into a private chamber. "Shining...there's something really important I need to talk with you about, and...you probably won't like to hear about it."

Shining looked at her, confused. "What does this have to do with you taking a personal student?"

Twilight sighed. "Shining...this is going to be hard for you to accept, and I'm not sure how to explain it...but I'll try." She gathered her thoughts. "First, something you might like hearing. I can confirm the death of Queen Chrysalis."

Shining's head shot up. "What? Really? Shouldn't you be telling Celestia about this?"

Twilight shook her head. "I will, but not yet. You need to know first."

Shining stared at her. "...why? How did you learn about this."

"Because my personal student is Chrysalis' daughter, and the last of her kind." As Shining stared, Twilight raised a hoof. "This isn't a story she gave me. I scanned her as I healed her injuries, and confirmed both her genetic code...and her memory of the voice of every Changeling in existence but her going silent." Twilight lowered her head, trying not to cry. She had felt what Yaazi felt as the last Changeling voice in her head went silent, that absolute agony of inescapable loneliness...and Yaazi hadn't even been a whole year old.

Shining was quiet. Finally, he spoke. "Why did you feel I needed to hear this before Celestia?"

Twilight looked up. "Because I knew from the other half of her genetic code - the half that is pony - that she's my niece."

Shining stared at her. "...what?"

"Big Brother, I know you won't like hearing this...but my student is your daughter by Chrysalis, from when she was pretending to be Cadance."

Shining was quiet for a long time. Twilight winced internally, afraid of what he would say. When she looked up, however, she saw he was smiling. "Big Brother?"

"So what you're saying is...Yaazi was born of my love for Cadance? That Heart Throb has an older sister?"

Twilight stared at him. "And...it's that easy?"

He shook his head. "No, not really. What happened between me and Chrysalis...that's still something I'm dealing with. I don't know if I'll ever really be past it. But...I'm not going to hold Yaazi responsible for the actions of her mother. 'The sins of the dam are not the sins of the foal,' after all."

Twilight smiled. That was actually some very old religious text that predated Celestia and Luna. No one was quite sure about where it came from, but it was part of the teachings passed down from the dawn of pony society. Then she blinked, a thought occurring to her. "How did you know her name is Yaazi?"

Shining coughed, turning side on towards Twilight. "We...may have had a nighttime visit from Princess Luna."

"...we?"

The door opened and Cadance and Heart Throb stepped in.

"I'm getting a big sister?" Heart Throb asked happily.

"I hear I have a step daughter?" Cadance asked calmly.

Celestia followed in, curiously. "Is there something I should know?"

Twilight let out a breath. Then she breathed in deep. "Shining Armor and Chrysalis had a half pony, half Changeling daughter who's now the last of her kind and I just made her my personal student three days back," she said in one breath.

From off in the distance, a shout echoed.

"WE WERE DOING IT WRONG?!?"

Twilight blinked. "That sounded like Rarity."

Celestia fainted.