Waking slowly in the grasp of not one, but two mares caused Cole to freeze as he woke, realizing that he was trapped. Remembering the damage he caused last night, though, he just continued to hug Summer tightly.

Slowly, Summer woke up in his arms, snuggling closer to him.

“You two really would be a great pair to start a herd, you know that? You’d make the most adorable, intelligent, confused babies ever.”

Illicita, of course, had to ruin the moment, and make Summer snort into Cole’s chest.

“Just shut up and help me hug this little one.”

Illicita didn’t reply, simply continued hugging the other two ponies.

For several minutes, the trio just stayed in the bed, snuggled close together. Finally, it was Summer who broke up the cuddle session.

“We need to get ready to go, before my parents check up on me here.”

Illi didn’t respond again, Cole just looked at her.

“Can Illi take a more pleasing form for your parents as we work our way out and look like a herd?”

“That was the idea, it’s why she’s taken the form of an Earth Pony.”

Illicita simply nodded in agreement, her muzzle brushing against the nape of Cole’s neck in the process.

“Ah, didn’t notice that, and I’m sorry for last night Summer, I’m a real bastard.”

Neither mare deigned to respond, Summer instead wriggling out of Cole’s embrace, abandoning him to Illicita as she prepared for travel.

“Oh goody, looks like you’re my gift from her this year.”

Illicita’s warm breath tickled his ears as his eyes opened in terror, and he shot from the bed, grabbing the bag with his clothes and stuff as he went, panicked legs carrying him to the door and Summer’s grinning form.

He hid behind the fiery-colored mare, bag in his jaws. Illicita just laughed at this and rolled onto her back, snorting and chortling all at once, her voice echoing through the estate as she flopped around, flailing her legs in mirth.

“S-Shut up!”

“Oh, silly buck, I’m just messing with you, can’t you take a little humor?”

“Not when it involves rape.”

“It isn’t rape if you’re willing.”

She finished her sentence with a wide grin.

“Lets just go...”

“I’m ready if you are, handsome.”

“Just get out of bed before I drag you out.”

She simply thrashed her tail a bit, then rolled out of bed, sauntering past Cole with a sway in her hips, brushing his face with her fluffy tail as she passed. Cole found himself blushing furiously for some reason, though he was at an utter loss on why.

“Alright, so what do I have to do?”

“Well, first you climb on top of m-”

“Illi, he meant to get ready to leave.”

The demon mare simply pouted at being denied her fun.

“Well, Cole, I guess to get ready... do you have any shoes to protect your hooves?”

Now that she mentioned it, he noted that his hooves were feeling kind of painful after walking on all the marble floors.

“What kind of shoes can I get?”

“Well, I think we could easily get some brass or steel shoes for you, or perhaps some boots... wait, you were wearing a set when you showed up here, along with the other parts of your suit.”

“Wait, I had shoes? Let me check real fast...”

Cole dropped his bag and rummaged through it, finding the four- four? I was wearing two. -sneakers with ease, the black shoes now more like boots, evidently made to fit halfway up his lower legs, the rubber grips now in a horseshoe shape on the bottom.

As he rummaged, he realized that the rest of his clothes, a black set of jeans and a soft white shirt, and his black hoodie, all tailored like it was for a pony all along.

Getting ready to put them, he thought for a moment, and came to the conclusion that he needed either fingers or unicorn magic. Such as from the mare right in front of him...

“Hey, uh, could you help me with all this?”

Cole pointed a hoof to the pile of clothes on the floor. Summer nodded, and they began to dress him, until she snickered and stepped away, the glow around her horn diminishing. Suddenly, a pair of hands helped Cole pull the shirt on, stopping when it was only partly on, and the hands quickly drew his pants over his rear legs, copping a feel of his flank in passing.

Cursing and struggling to get out without ripping his shirt, Cole rolled on the floor, the hands continuing to put his pants on him, until he heard the sound of a button clasping somewhere near his rear, and he just waited, stewing until Illicita finally fixed his shirt, and he glared at her human face, which was beaming happily at him.

After a second, he realized that his wings weren’t actually cramped, and he looked over his shoulder. To his surprise, there was a pair of holes with stitching like the neck of the shirt around them for his wings to stick out of.

He also got a better look at his wings, which were a dark, satiny-looking gray. A floating hoodie was next, the dark wool being slipped into place by Summer this time. By the time that had been completed, Illi had returned to her earth pony form, the cheshire grin never leaving her face.

Finally, Summer helped him put on the boot-like shoes, and even tied them snugly into place, but he’d be able to slip them on and off with a fair effort. Looking him over, Illicita nodded appreciatively.

“I’m a demon who’s a good judge of horseflesh, and you, sweet buck, would be worth top dollar in any breeding stable in the land, oh studly one.”

Not quite sure how to take her praise, Cole simply looks at summer who is blushing and looking at her hooves.

“T-Thank you? And two questions, why is she blushing and why do you keep complimenting me like that, back home I’m average, I’m average here.”

“Well, stud, I have to disagree. I may be extremely biased; you do have genitals, after all. But you are certainly not just average. I have fucked and fucked with some average bucks in my time, and you, cutie, are above average.

“As for why she’s blushing, it’s because she’s having troubles saying she wants you to have your way with her, to ravage her with your-”

“STOP!”

Both Summer and Cole shouted the word at the same time, and even shared similar blushes after the relentless verbal assault from the succubus.

“D-Do I even want to know how I am above average?”

“Exceptional coloration, strong, corded muscles, such a lovely color of eyes, and a nice pair of wings.”

Cole’s mind had backed up for a moment near the end of her sentence, but it restarted when it didn’t go where he had expected it to.

“Oh, I’m just glad you didn’t s-”

“Also, he’s got some nice junk, if my hunk-o-sense is anything to go by. Which it is, he’s hung like an earth pony over there.”

“...Why?!”

“Because I’m beyond tactless when it’s funny. C’mon, lighten up a bit! It’s not like anypony here is jailbait.”

“But why go that far, the next thing I know you’re going to be telling me my measurements!”

“Fourteen and a half by two by two and a third.”

“Huh? What’s that?”

“That’s in inches. I can give how many cups of your blood it hold when it’s up, if you’d like.”

Summer choked on nothing, as Cole face-hoofed.

“Why?! And also, how?!”

“Oh, you’re much easier to work with when asleep. Don’t worry, I like a challenge, so I only measured it.”

Summer just sort of tipped over onto the carpet next to Cole, out cold.

“Why?!”

“Why not? It’s just a length of meat... a really delicious length of meat, but just another organ in the end.”

“ I mean collecting data and all is what scientists do, but how is that relevant to anything?!How did you even manage to do that without waking me?”

“Oh, how to explain this...Ah, here comes inspiration!

When my music meets your science,

they're the biggest of the giants,

Illicita began to sing, her voice clear and melodious as sang, piano music filtering in from nowhere.

and they'll solve all their problems

and throw their troubles away~ay~ay.

Cole found himself smiling and bobbing to the beat.

When you take the math you know,

next to do re me fa so,

you can mix them all around,

and you’ve got some music to play.

Cole felt his soul rise, in response to the music, the world seeming brighter and more comforting.

Tomorrow is a brighter day - if we work together.

Together we can pave the way - it'll last forever.

Just open your heart unlock that prison

deep down in your mind.

Cole felt himself thinking of just the right things to sing in response to the lyrics she sung, beeps and bloops pouring out of the air around him.

“Step up to your console,

make some music and breathe in the good sunshine.

Tomorrow is a brighter day

Cole joined in, finishing the line for her.

/ if we work together.

Together we can pave the way

Cole starts the line this time, and Illicita finishes the line, starting the next after it.

/ it'll last forever.

Ilicita, Cole, and Summer all harmonized for the last lines of the song, singing it together, with beaming smiles and cheer all around.

Just open your heart

unlock that prison deep down in your mind

step up to your console,

make some music and breathe in the good sun~shiiine!

“Wait...Why the hell did that just happen?!”

“Oh, yeah, it’s a pony thing.”

Illicita responded simply, shrugging, as Summer looked back and forth between them.

“Wait, why did I pass out again?”

“I described the proportions of his junk, and you freaked out.”

“I am still disturbed by the fact that you played with me in my sleep. I need a shower...”

“Oh, please, if I was playing, I would’ve touched it with something other than tendrils of pure darkness and shadow. But I’d be more than willing to help you take that shower, even if you don’t want any help getting those clothes back off you...”

“I’m going to my corner now...”

Cole promptly walked to a corner, sat down, his ears flat back and wings tucked tightly around him. Summer settled in close to him, wrapping a hoof around him in an attempt to cheer him up.

“If it makes you feel any better, you’ve got a really nice singing voice...”

Illicita’s voice called out from behind them.

“But that’s not all he’s got good!”

“I wanna go back to my violent music, but I don’t have headphones...”

Cole was really depressed by this, can’t a sleep rape victim have his music? Summer simply let him lean against her fluffy side.

A nonspecific time for recovery later, they finally get ready to get going. In spite of her lewd commentary, Illicita actually let them sit together and feel better.

“Let’s just go, and from now on I’m sleeping in my own sleeping bag or bed depending on where we are.”

Summer looked at him with big puppy eyes.

“Y-you don’t want to help keep me warm?”

Illicita’s laughter echoed down the hall, drawing Summer and Cole’s angry glares in her direction.

“I think she’ll help you with that for now, after all, we’re just faking a herd, right?”

“Y-yeah, right... Of course.”

“Yeah, so as long as she can hold back he incessant need to fuck my brains out, I think we’ll be fine.”

Summer just nodded, and turned away with a sigh. They finished packing up for the trip, Cole being saddled with carrying the tent, cook set, several bottle of various drinks, presumably either potions or wine. Oddly, it didn’t seem as heavy to him as it probably should have.

“So let’s go before I become a rape victim at the hands of Illicita.”

“Are hooves permitted, then?”

Illicita’s question is given nothing but a glare from Cole as a response.

“Sorry for asking... Anyhow, did we pack everything?”

Summer responded by levitating a list in front of her and going over everything on it.

“I think so.”

“Did you remember the Buttfer?”

“What’s a buttfer?”

Illicita bursts out laughing, barely managing to gasp out a response.

“It’s for pooping, silly!”

Summer just face-hoofs.

“Okay, well just let me go pack one more thing.”

Cole begins to look around the room, but found nothing. Illicita looked at him curiously.

“Whatcha need to pack still?”

“Well I have my clothes, my pouch, my phone, and my iPod, but I seem to have lost my dignity, any idea where it could’ve gone Illicita?”

“Probably in my plot somewhere, wanna go looking for it?”

“Probably better left there, I would sooner walk off a cliff.”

Illicita just guffawed, as Summer just rolled her eyes, and opened the door, allowing a soft, clear light to stream in.

“Let’s just go before I go into anymore thought about it.”

The mares agree, and they step out into the world, cool air drifting past, ruffling Cole’s mane soothingly. High above is a silvery, glowing orb, a cool white light pouring down from it. It was almost literally breathtaking for Cole, and he spent nearly a minute simply gaping up at it, utterly fascinated for some reason.

“That... is really shiny.”

“What is? It’s so dark out right now, I can barely see. It’s really too bad it’s the new moon, I wish I had some moonlight to see by...”

Summer didn’t seem to be able to see the soft glow of the moonlight all around, and calling the full, silvery disc in the sky a ‘new’ moon seemed off. Summer also seemed to be a little scared, and was walking very close to Cole.

“You okay?”

“Y-yeah, it’s just really dark tonight. All I can see are the stars...”

“Thankfully I can see fine, tell me where to go.”

“A-alright, we need to head down the path...”

The two walked together to the edge of the property, following a gravel path. Finally reaching the gate, Cole stops for a moment, trying to figure out where Illicita disappeared to. Right before he could say something, though, her voice rang out from the other side of the gate.

“You guys are pretty slow, you know.”

“Well I’m slow, and she can’t see anything, not a fast moving combo.”

“Doesn’t change the facts... Anyhow, we ready to go?”

Illicita huffed in annoyance.

“I am, but I don’t want Summer to trip over anything.”

Cole spoke, checking in front of her. Trying to guide her around a protruding stump, she nonetheless tripped on it anyways, collapsing into Cole.

“You okay there?”

Cole asked, he was used to getting hurt so this was nothing new.

“Oof, yeah, I’m fine...Ah, would it be alright with you if I, uhm, stuck really close to you?”

“That, or I could try carrying you?”

“Th-that’s alright. You should be working on strengthening your legs, first.”

Summer simply leaned against cole, and he felt her tail wrap around his. It was oddly cozy, but as they walked he noticed some dirt on her face, and he carefully leaned his muzzle over a little to brush the dirt off her cheek. Oddly, this just seemed to make her blush.

“What? You had dirt on you.”

“R-right, of course...”

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing! Nothing at all.”

“Okay then?”

Cole was just confused by her.

“So, what do you know about biology?”

“Well, I know a large amount on the topic, I’ve read everything I could on the subject when I was eight. I kind of grew out of it, though, and moved on to physics. Then, I sort of got back into it with Metabiological Traits in relation to Mythozoology.”

“Nice, I focused on non-magical aquatic life, since magic doesn’t exist for the most part in my world. I would say it doesn’t exist at all, but since Illicita knows of it saying that would be false. What types of animals do you like?”

“Well, I’m a bit of a cat-lover, but-”

“Cats are fucking adorable!”

Summer giggled at this, and pressed herself closer to Cole, her warm coat comforting in the cool night air.

“I also used to keep a Parasprite in a jar, but it got out one time, when I accidentally dropped the jar. My parents were so mad, I was stuck in my room for two months!”

“Ouch, the worst incident I ever had was a large lizard of mine nearly taking my hand.”

Cole said as if it were commonplace, Summer just looking puzzled.

“Oh, right, you used to have hands... say, what was that like?”

“Very convenient, made object manipulation without the use of magic immensely easier and was one of the defining traits that made our species the highest on the food chain.”

“Oh... so if you were on the top of the food chain... then you used to be a predator?”

“Well we evolved from apes who were mostly herbivores, but we became very predatory later in life when we invented firearms. We hunted a few species to extinction, and had enough food to go around most of the time.”

A few moments of quiet later, Summer finally responds.

“To... extinction?”

“Yeah, when one species becomes endangered it becomes rarer, rare things cost more and are sought after, so they ended up getting hunted or captured to be sold to the rich.”

Summer sounded close to tears.

“That- that’s so barbaric!”

“Many things in both our worlds are, but at least we aren’t cruel like they are.”

Cole lightly nuzzled her to try to cheer her up. She just leaned against him more, and sighed.

“Yeah... I suppose so.Let’s find a nicer topic. What do you think of dodo birds? They’re a pretty common pet.”

“I don’t know, never seen a live one, in our world they went extinct after a massive climate shift, they went a better way than most species.”

Cole didn’t mean to lie, unknown to him dodo birds were hunted to extinction, he was lacking in that part of education.

“Oh. Well, then, how much do you know about mythozoology? You seemed much more interested in the fact that you had become a pony than what a pony was. You didn’t even have any particular issues with me using magic, in spite of you saying there was no magic in your world.”

“Well just because I don’t understand something doesn’t mean I should freak out, it just means I need to study it and learn about it, if I feared the unknown then I should have joined a crusade.”

“A what?”

“Nothing, hmmmmm lets talk about you for a bit, tell me about yourself.”

“Uh... like what?”

Illicita made herself known, swooping closer on her little batwings and hovering nearby the two ground-bound ponies. As she came closer, she spoke in a quiet, but happy tone.

“Tell him how good you are in bed! How much you want to jump him! Ooh, tell him about that story you’re writing!”

“Anything really, I just want to get to know the mare I’m traveling with. Feel free to ignore her sugge- wait, you write?”

Cole asked with new interest. Summer blushed and turned away.

“I-it’s not that good... Right now I’m just working on a mythozoology text in the meantime. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to start exploring; I wanted to learn more in the field about the creatures I find so fascinating.”

“Well I do find the compendium interesting, I am more interested in your other work, care to tell me?”

Summer just sort of looked down as she walked, blush still visible on her face. Illicita continued to float along, lounging back on a cloud of darkness as she used her wings like oars. She turned as she floated by, her eyes glowing orange discs of fire in the moonlight.

“C’mon, Solace, speak up! He’s actually interested in your work. Maybe you can start talking now, and get to kissing over the details afterwards! And then, I could join in, and then we would start to roll, and it’d be you, then him, then me, and it’d be so good as I-”

“Illicita! Please, I- just stop, alright?”

Summer snapped at the demoness, who huffed and floated away.

“I really do love her, but she’s such a pain sometimes...”

“Sorry I brought it up.”

Cole felt like this was partially his fault.

“I thought you would actually like to talk about it, I know someone back home who did.”

A lot, actually... He thought to himself as he walked, chuckling internally at the thought of his self-absorbed fan-fiction writer friend.

“W-well, I’ve only got the basics planned out. I’m just starting with the standard formula for an epic: a mare, born to rule a grand estate, is having troubles staying content, so she seeks to travel. Along the way, she meets a band of strangers, who becomes her closest friends, and they find adventure and grand destiny! But, I’m not too good at writing ponies realistically.”

Summer chuckled to herself. She looked embarrassed to have told Cole the story idea.

“Sounds like what we’re doing right now, except we are still in chapter one, ‘The Escape’.”

Cole continued walking, guiding Summer through a bush. His comment sparked a short laugh from her.

“Well, I guess so, but I’m not that interesting, and we’re just going off to learn about nature.”

“I call bullshit, you’re pretty interesting from my point of view, you are friends with a demoness, you want to explore the world and catalog various creatures, and have an adventure along the way, all I did was study from age five to twenty one.”

“Oh, please... I’m just an heiress with a lot of time on her hooves. The relationship with Illicita was an accident. I don’t know if I’d be good on a real adventure.”

“Shall we find out then? Also, your arguement is invalid, you’re adorable.”

“And what would we adventure for? What quest is available to us? And- and I’m not adorable, I’m too skinny.”

“You’re healthy, nothing wrong with that, better shape than I was, I may have been six foot tall, but I was almost two-hundred and thirty pounds.”

“Two- th-thirty?! humans must have some incredibly dense musculature to achieve such weight! Even at six feet, which I assume is about the same as a hoof, that’s amazing!”

“Yeah, we are a little dense, but some humans get to up to eight feet tall, and the world’s fattest man was somewhere around twelve hundred pounds. And the strongest I’ve seen was a guy who could lift one thousand pounds.”

“Twelve hundred pounds?! He must’ve been rich! But, wait, the strongest human you knew could only lift a half-ton? Most earth ponies can lift around that much. And they’re usually only around a hundred and twenty pounds.”

“Yeah, we aren’t the strongest people, we are the smartest, we have cures for most diseases, we have explored outer space, our entire planet, and have an average life span of eighty years now, but we have recently found something in our DNA that could possibly extend our lifespan by up to forty percent.”

Summer stared at Cole for a moment following that. She seemed like she was processing all the information, until something caught and she asked about it.

“Wait, what’s DNA?”

“Deoxyribonucleic Acid, the building blocks for all life, plants, animals, bacteria, etc.”

“What? What are you talking about? All life is made from cells, not acid. Unless, of course, if you’re a slime-pony, then you would be made of a weak acid.”

“Not that kind of acid, although it can dissolve things, DNA is the thing in the nucleus of the cell that tells it how to do everything you need to operate correctly.”

“B-but cells are the base constructions of life, how could there be something smaller living in those? And besides, everypony knows, that it’s magic-induced thaumic resonance that allows cells to form in the first place, it’s well documented. Hence, cloning spells.”

“We actually managed to clone animals without magic, and yes there are smaller things than cells, my species has studied this topic for over two thousand years of research on the subject. I have a text book in file format on my iPod from college that explains this.”

“You have music and books on there?! Incredible!”

“Like I said, we are a smart people, we don’t use brute force, we use tools and inventions to do the work.”

Summer just begins to beg to see the device.

“Can I borrow it? Please? I just want to see what you’re talking about. A whole new species’ text book! Oh, if there’s anything new in there, I could be heralded as a visionary!”

“And I would be alright with you taking credit for it, I really don’t like being the center of attention.”

“Oh, please, nopony would believe a male could come up with that anyways, whether you did or not.”

“On second thought I think I’ll show you later, because me being a male I am too stupid to even work my own technology.”

“I didn’t say that! I just said it wouldn’t be credited as possible if submitted by a buck! Nopony else would accept it, unless a mare publishes it!”

“Then the world will never know I guess, if the gender of the publisher effects how it is received then this world isn’t ready for it.”

Summer just looked at Cole with gigantic puppy-dog eyes, her face a perfect visage of utter sadness and devastation, tears beginning to well up in them. The moment was utterly ruined by a burst of laughter behind Cole, and he turned to see that Illicita was pointing and practically busting a gut.

“Oh, man, Solace, you’re such a ham! Such a drama king! Oh, jeeze, that’s hilarious!”

“Sorry Summer, this world doesn’t deserve a freebie.”

Summer just pouts and huffs, drawing away from Cole’s side, the cool night air almost freezing against the now unprotected coat and skin.

“If it makes you feel any better I will let you read something non-educational, a popular fantasy book series.”

“Oh, alright.”

Summer perks up slightly at the offer, and grudgingly shuffles closer.

“Just don’t read anything marked ‘Do Not Read’, I got paid to write some things I don’t think you should read.”

Summer nodded at the request, and Cole poked her side.

“So... can I borrow it, then?”

“Yes you can, but not right now, it only has a few hours left and you won’t be able to finish more than a few chapters, can you think of anyway to charge it? If you’re clever as you are cute then it should be no problem.

“Well, most magical devices that can be charged simply need to have a raw mana dump, and that will charge it, with a minor tuning for the elemental frequency. But, since I don’t know how well that will work, with the differences in specifics, then it’d be best if you had something else for me to test it on first.”

“Then feel free to practice on the phone I have, it’s in my back right pocket.”

Cole immediately feels a tugging and pulling at his flank, and turns to see Illicitaa trying to remove the phone with her teeth. A second mouth opens in her chest so she can speak.

“What? I’m just being helpful.”

Summer just face-hoofs at the comment, and pulls the phone from Illicita’s grasp telekinetically.

“You can form new mouths? That’s new, and pretty cool.”

“As a demonic being, I can do a lot with my substance. As a succubus, though, I’m limited on what magic I can cast, how many forms I maintain, and what I feed on. In my case, lust, sex, love, and related emotions/actions.”

Illicita seemed awfully proud of herself for being able to rattle off the information on the spot.

“So, what else can you form? Multiple appendages?”

“Well, if I’m not trying for a specific type of creature, then yeah. Mostly, I just to utility things, you know, tentacles, hands, tongues, penises, vaginas, whatever. Usually on as mobile a base as possible, so clouds and the like are easy and common. Most succubi have access to three to five specific creatures they mimic, in addition to the ‘demonic’ version of the dominant species template.”

“Can you turn into Summer?”

Summer looked up from her phone she was looking over.

“Wait, what?”

Illicita found this funny, and began laughing and rolling in mid-air.

“Ooh, you want her so bad you want me to look like her too! Oh, man, that’s great! We should totally do that, Solace.”

“You take it the wrong way, I’m just wondering if you could and how far would it go in terms of details, would you merely fool someone at a distance or would you be-”

Illicita interrupts by growing a horn, losing her wings, and her colors shifting to mimic Summer’s perfectly. She even had the shy, yet confident expression. Speaking in summer’s voice, Illicita responded.

“Well, I suppose it depends on how much I know them. Just appearance is easy, and pretty much instinctual, but mannerisms need at least a little while nearby them to pick up. I’m no changeling, I can’t simply ‘remember’ through my form how to act like them, but I’m a very quick study.”

“That is actually pretty cool, and why would I want two Summers? We only need one.”

Summer and Illicita look at each other, a disturbingly well-mirrored smile appearing on both. They step forward, and begin circling him.

“Well, what do you think most Succubi are tasked with doing by hormone-drenched young summoners-

“-If not replicating someone they have a deep yearning for, but no way to attain?”

The two had started finishing each other sentences, confusing the hell out of Cole.

“I know that, but why two Summers? Having two just makes things confusing.”

The two identical mares pressed up on either side of him, and nuzzled him. A sudden, uncontrolled blush rose to his cheeks, and he felt his brain blow a fuse for a moment. As his jaw dropped, the one on the right giggled, exactly like Summer, while the one on his left began to laugh uncontrollably at his expression. moments later, she had returned to looking like Illicita’s base coloration, and was still laughing at his locked-up expression.

“Wait, before I forget, can you turn into me? I want to see what I look like.”

Illicita just kept laughing, rolling back and forth. Summer merely giggled again, and spoke to Cole in her place.

“Succubi, all of them, have a hard time doing anything if you can make them laugh for real. Most, as a result, have only a single thing they find funny, but Illicita has an almost healthy sense of humor.”

“But what did I do exactly? Not my fault I was being flanked on both sides by adorableness.”

“I think it was the cute expression on your face, you looked about ready explode.”

“So how long will she be in a laughing fit? Do we have time for you to help me pitch a tent?”

Summer just stared at him with a slightly shocked look on her face, and Illicita’s laughter doubled in volume. a slight blush accompanied the expression to Summer’s face, and settled in happily on her cheeks.

“What? Aren’t we camping? Did you not bring a tent?”

“Ah, oh- right, yeah, I- ah, did. Bring a tent, that is. Uhm.”

“You thought I wanted you to help me some other way didn’t you?”

Cole playfully jabbed her in the side as Illicita continued her laughing fit in front of them.

“Ah- no! no, not at all! because, uhm. that- that would be inappropriate for me to insinuate. To you. And, uhm, I would- uhm, wouldn’t do that. To you. I wouldn’t do that to you!”

“Glad to know you wouldn’t do anything bad to me, I can’t say the same.”

Summer’s blush moves in its family, and her face practically glows like Rudolph’s nose. Frankly, she looked a bit like a radioactive tomato for a moment, glowing and redder than a tamale.

“Why so quiet Summer? Don’t you like pranks?”

“Ah- uhm, oh, uhm... uhh... y- yes! Yes! Pranks. I love them. A lot. I like pranks.”

If her eyes got any wider he’d be able to serve banquets with them.

“Any reason you are so embarrassed? Did you just think of a prank Illicita did or something?”

“A-absolutely! That’s exactly it. A prank. That, you know, Illicita did. To me. Or, uhm, not me! Somepony else!”

“What’d she do to you?”

“She didn’t, it was entirely me! Or, not me, she did it!”

“Summer, just tell me what did Illicita, where did she touch you?”

Summer’s blush had invited its extended family up for a stay, and it was bordering on worrisome how red she’d gone. In fact, it was likely visible from a distance away, say orbit.

“Did she touch you here?”

Cole poked her flank immediately after saying that, surprisingly soft. Summer just sputtered and looked incredibly adorable and cute from the blush on her cheeks.

“Ah- bu, she- ju...”

Summer dropped sideways, into a dead faint, and Illicita continued her laugh, not an intook breath to be heard as her activity slowly waned, leaving her, smile literally wide enough to reach from ear to ear, on the ground, asleep.

“Well, looks like we’re sleeping here tonight.”

Cole unpacked the tent, and for thirty frustrating minutes he tried to assemble it, he eventually figured it out, he moved both mares inside and fell asleep snuggled up to them. Soon after he was comfortable, and about to fall asleep... the tent falls inwards with a loud Fwump!

Sighing in frustration, he just snuggles in and falls asleep.

Author's Note

Yes, the songs will come for each of them, and it will not let them go.

BOW TO OUR NEW AUDIBLE OVERLORDS!

I should probably stop typing these notes while sleep-deprived.