Liquid Pride

“You only have the one week off?” Twilight asked as Shining finished packing his bag.

“I’m sorry Twilie. I had scheduled two weeks off but Princess Celestia recalled me for guard detail for a garden party at the palace. So I’m not going to be able to make it to your birthday this year.” He said, frowning. Twilight looked down at her own bag. Two tickets back to Ponyville. She only needed one now that Shining wasn't coming with her anymore.

“But you promised…” Twilight whimpered with a tear in her eye. “I haven’t seen you for so long and now you’re leaving again.”

“Yeah, well you’ll have to take it up with the Princess, or my commander. Because apparently of all the ponies in the guard, I’m the only one who can oversee this. They must have somepony really important for it or something. Sometimes I just don’t understand how they run things over there.” He said, throwing his bag over his back. “But don’t let that stop you from having a great time with your new Ponyville friends.” He said.

He leaned in to put a hoof around her. She hugged him back for the last time until pony-knows-when she would see him next. Canterlot was the closest city to Ponyville, but they might as well be worlds apart with the way fate seemed to conspire to keep them apart, Twilight thought. Shining made his way downstairs and bid his parents farewell before heading up the street back to the palace. He heard Twilight shout behind him from the second floor window.

“Shining! Say hi to Rarity if you see her! I asked the Princess to accommodate her at the castle while she’ll be in Canterlot this week.”

“Will do.” Shining said. She had shown him a few photos of her friends. He remembered Rarity was the pretty one with white fur like his own and a beautiful indigo mane. He’d recognize her if he saw her.
__________________________________________________________________

Shining flopped out on Cadence’s couch in her palace chamber. It was her little home away from home when she had to stay at Canterlot Castle for extended periods and it wasn't convenient to travel to her villa in the palisades.

“I can’t believe she did this to me again.” Shining huffed, venting to his marefriend. “It’s like she has some kind of personal vendetta against me being happy.” He looked over at Cadence. “I could only imagine what would happen if she knew about us.” He said.

“Why?” Cadence asked. “What do you think my auntie would do to us?”

“Well nothing to you. You’re her niece.” He said.

“Adopted.”

“It doesn’t matter. She wouldn’t do anything to you.”

“Oh? I’m pretty sure she was none too pleased when she came back with her sister that first time and thought I had tried to usurp her throne in her absence.” She said. “I think fraternizing with a guard, even a Captain, pales in comparison to national treason.”

“That’s what I mean. You could get away with it. I can’t”

“Fine, what do you think she would do to you?” Cadence humored him.

“Well, she might throw me in the dungeon. Or banish me to the Everfree forest. Or throw me in a dungeon in the place she banishes me to!”

“Do you really think auntie Tia would do that?” Cadence asked him sincerely.

“Are you sure that she wouldn’t? She banished her own sister to the moon for a thousand years for pony’s sake!”

“Now Shining, that isn’t fair. You know as well as I do that she didn’t resort to that lightly. And she had no other choice. It was for the good of all pony kind.”

“Hmm. Maybe you’re right. Maybe I am just over-reacting. But why is she trying to keep me from being able to see my family?” He asked.

“She’s not. Shining, when you signed on the dotted line, you made a commitment to put your service to Equestria before yourself. And this ‘garden party’ as you deign to call it is a very important event. Some of the most influential ponies in Canterlot are going to be gathered there. Celestia has asked that the very best be assigned to oversee that nothing goes wrong.” Cadence explained. Shining just looked out the window, unsure what to say. Cadence ebbed the silence.

“AND some damn fool accused you of being the best.” Cadence said. Shining looked up from his thoughtful daze. Cadence didn’t curse often, but when she did, it was because she meant it. And that got his full attention. “Why do you think I promoted you to Captain?”

“Because I’m fantastic in bed?” Shining said jokingly. Cadence jabbed him in the ribs.

“AND because I truly believe that you are the exemplary paragon of the guard. So don’t make me question it by coming in here and whining about having to do your job. Got it soldier?”

Shining rose from the couch, standing at attention putting his hoof to his brow in a salute. “Yes ma’am.” He said putting his hoof back on the ground. But he was still saluting her in a very different way now. Cadence didn’t fail to notice as she got up from behind her desk.

“Hmm, you didn’t bring a concealed weapon into my quarters did you soldier?” Cadence said, smiling coyly. She circled around behind him, locking her door, never taking her eyes off him. Shining remained motionless, save for the rhythmic bobbing of little shiny in time with his pulse. He loved it when she role-played like this.

“Do I have a double agent in my midst? An assassin, come to… stab me with his, hmm hmm, dagger?” Cadence swept her hoof across her desk, knocking her items to the floor. “And me, all alone in my quarters…” She laid bent over on her desk, with her hind legs on the floor. She lifted her tail, flagging him seductively, shaking her flank at him. “… helpless to defend myself.” Shining just stood there, grinning like a horny colt with his first dirty magazine.

“Well what are you waiting for assassin? Take me!” She cooed, looking over her shoulder back at him with come-hither eyes. Shining needed no further persuasion. She always did know how to cheer him up. She moaned beneath him as he mounted her.

Maybe this week wouldn’t be so bad after all.
_______________________________________________________________

A few days later

Shining passed before the line of guards assigned to the garden party detail. They were his to command for the evening. There was nopony there below the rank of sergeant. Their respective subordinates were busy running around the garden arranging the area for the night’s event.

They were undermanned due to their forces being divided to prepare the Gala Hall for a separate event that had been arranged at the last minute by the request of Princess Celestia herself. But as was the way of the guard, one made do with what one had. Half the ponies doing the work just meant working twice as hard and fast.

“Alright gentlecolts. This is it.” Shining started his motivational speech to the formation of guards. “Tonight’s garden party event will be hosted by none other than Fancy Pants. One of the most influential ponies in Canterlot.” He began slowly circling the group. He found it helped to calm his nerves when he spoke.

“Now it is palace policy to have a guard detail for any high profile event on the grounds.” He continued. “But Fancy Pants has requested that our presence be invisible. Therefore, we will be keeping to the shadows and watching from a distance. We will intervene ONLY if there are dire circumstances and a life is at stake. His words.” He circled around back to the front of the group.

“He has the approval of the Princess herself for this tactic and we WILL adhere to it. Make no mistake; this should be a cake walk for us all. Which is why it is all the more important that it go off without a hitch. I have it on good authority that a bonus awaits our success.” A few in the formation grinned, breaking their military bearing. Shining knew when to impose his corrective judgment, and when to hold it. He opted for the path of morale and joined their smile.

“I want that just as much as all of you so don’t screw this up for me.” He said with a smile. The formation chuckled quietly. “Now get to it!”

“HOOAHH!”

Everypony was in position. Shining fell back to the makeshift command and control center assembled in the large garden tool shed across the way. It was the perfect place to observe the event while remaining invisible. He had just sat down in the folding chair at the card table when a voice shouted from the doorway.

“ROOM TENCH HUT!”

All present were on their hooves, before immediately bowing. Princess Celestia walked inside.

“Carry on.” She said in her usual soft voice. She approached Shining’s makeshift desk. He remained on his hooves, saluting her. The others made themselves scarce. “Captain Armor, I have good news for you.”

“Your Highness.”

“It has been brought to my attention that your tasking this evening is in conflict with a… personal matter of yours. Therefore, I am relieving you for the evening for a night of compensation time off.”

“I am relieved to whom?” He asked.

“Lieutenant Sea Cay will oversee tonight’s detail. You are dismissed to attend to your personal matter.”

“Your Majesty, I am already invested in tonight’s event. I feel responsible to-“

“The event will be in able hooves with the Lieutenant. And fear not. Your efforts in preparation for tonight will not go unrewarded. You will still be entitled to your bonus.” She said with a smile.

“Thank you Princess.” Shining said, bowing quickly and taking his leave. He nodded to the Lt. on his way out. “You have the helm tonight Louie.”

Shining looked up at the sun, low in the west. It was still a couple hours until dusk. There was still time for him to make it to Twilight’s birthday party. Celestia departed the area, preparing to set the sun soon. Her absence allowed normal guard operations to resume.

Shining scrambled in the barracks. He could not remember a drill sergeant motivating him to move like he was now. His practiced motions were a blur. He put his guard armor away and in order. He bent protocol to the breaking point, sprinting through the palace hallways. The sun kissed the edge of the horizon as he barreled through the Canterlot streets. Twilight’s party was scheduled to start at dusk. He would be late, taking the train to Ponyville, but he’d still make it.

He’d still make it.

His lungs burned from being in a dead sprint for twenty minutes straight. He envied the natural stamina of earth ponies. He could recover on the train ride, he decided. He pressed on. The station was only a few more blocks.

His leg muscles were on fire, his knees threatened to buckle beneath him as he got into line at the ticket counter. He looked up at the clock in the station. He was in luck. His effort got him there just in time to catch the very next train, leaving in a few minutes! Adrenalin kept him vertical just long enough to step up to the counter.

“I- I need.” *huff* “Ticket. Ponyville.” *gasp* “Next train.” *wheeze* “Please.”

“Yes sir. That’ll be-“

“27... bits.” *huff* “I know.” Shining tossed three ten-bit coins on the counter. The clerk was about to hand him his ticket when she ducked behind the counter. Shining was puzzled. He looked through the window. She was bowing behind the counter. Did she recognize him? Even if she did, you don’t bow to the Captain of the Royal Guard. He was about to explain to her exactly that, and get his ticket before he missed the train.

“CAPTAIN ARMOR!” A voice boomed behind him. Princess Luna swooped in out of the sky, landing beside him. “Captain, wait!”

“Your Highness, please, I need to get to Ponyville! I’m going to miss my sister’s birthday!” Shining begged.

“She is not in Ponyville.” Luna said.

“What?”

“Her friend, Miss Rarity. She was unavoidably detained during her stay at the castle on account of her cat. She was unable to make it to Twilight’s birthday party in Ponyville. Twilight petitioned the Princess to move her party to the palace. Princess Cadenza tried to reach thee but thou had departed the grounds. She did beseech us to find thee before thou departed for Ponyville.”

“Twilight is back here? In Canterlot?” Shining asked.

“That is correct, Captain.”

Shining’s face shifted through several emotions in rapid succession. From shock to resolve, and without another word, Shining dropped back into a dead sprint back to the Palace. Luna looked to the west. The sun had long since slipped below the horizon. She had her own duty to attend to, taking to the sky. She flew higher into the night sky, raising the moon with her ascent.

Trained though he may be, conditioned as he was, running flat out across the city twice in succession just wasn't going to happen for him. Twilight had tried showing him how to teleport during her last visit, but he could never seem to grasp it. He could sure use it now. Shining collapsed on the sidewalk, struggling to breathe. He staggered back to his hooves.

“Come on… just one hoof in front of the other. Just… keep moving.” Shining felt his shin bones aching. Then it hit him like a bolt of lightning. He hadn’t even gotten a gift for her!

Shining looked around himself. He moved his head too quickly in his oxygen starved condition. The world spun and his legs gave out from under him again. He stood up again, more carefully this time and surveyed the area. He was near the downtown commercial district. If ever there was a place for him to get her a birthday gift, he was there.

What does Twilight like?

He asked himself that same question over and over as he ran past store after store. Horse shoes? ReBuck, HoofLocker? No no. Dresses? Flowers? Flowers?! This was his sister after all! He pressed on, determined to find something she would love.

“AH HA!” Shining was elated, standing before a Barns And No Bull store. “Books! Twilie loves books!” The clock in the square said it was 7:55 PM. The hours on the door said the store closed in five minutes at 8pm. “GAH!” Shining dove inside, scrambling to think of what book Twilight would like. “Come on, think, think, think!”

Shining trotted past the fiction section. The end-cap featured the latest Daring Doo book. “Twilie loves the Daring Doo series! Jackpot!” He quickly grabbed the book and headed to the checkout to pay. “7:59. I’m good! Hey do you gift wrap?” She looked at him with an ‘are-you-bucking-serious’ look that only a twelve hour shift could conjure. “Uh, never mind.” Shining said, tying the bag into a knot and haphazardly sticking a bow on it.

His fatigued body wouldn't let him sprint again. He tried to maintain a brisk trot. He could at least get there before nine. He could still make it.

He could still make it.
~~~~~

“… And I think the dress you made for your friend is lovely. I dare say every mare in Canterlot will be wanting one.” Fancy Pants said, praising Twilight’s plain dress that Rarity had made.

“Ooh, I'd like to place my order right now!”
“I think you should get two!”

“Uh, yes, now then, how about you introduce me to your friends?" Fancy Pants said.

"With pleasure." Rarity replied.

"Yes well, everypony, It’s getting quite late. Thank you all for coming. I bid you all a good night.” Fancy Pants said, leaving for his carriage. The rest of the party dispersed. Twilight’s friends stayed back a bit to wish her another happy birthday before they too headed home. Only Twilight and Rarity remained.

“Twilight dear, will you not be joining the others going home to Ponyville?” Rarity asked.

“No, I’m going to be staying with my parents tonight at home- er, their house.”

“All right then. Well I’m going to head back to my suite at the castle. Are you sure you’re going to be all right heading home at this hour?”

“Yes, the Princess will have a guard escort me.” Twilight assured her.

“Oh, Twilight, just one last thing.” Rarity said, turning on her heel. She gave Twilight an envelope. “I wanted you to have this, but I didn't want to give it to you in front of everypony else.”

“Oh Rarity, you already made me this wonderful dress, you don’t have to get me anything else.” Twilight said.

“Oh it’s nothing really. I just didn't want you to get embarrassed is all.” Rarity said, passing the card to her with a wink. “Go ahead and open it later.” Rarity gave her one last hug and headed upstairs to her castle suite. Twilight waited a moment, pondering whether or not to open the envelope there and then. She put it in her bag with her other gifts, throwing the bag over her shoulder. She headed back inside the Gala Ball Room to find her assigned escort.

A flurry of activity behind her gained her attention. Pony guards appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, and immediately began cleaning the mess in the garden from the party.

BOOM

Twilight turned back to the main entrance at the far end of the ball room. The great doors had been kicked open. A ragged, white stallion practically fell inside the room.

“- Twilie-” He barely managed.

“Shining?”

“I said- *gasp* - I’d make it.” He groaned, rolling onto his back. “Sorry I’m late kiddo.” He laid on the floor, sweat poured from him. "Happy belated birthday."

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” She rushed to his side.

*cough* “Yeah, never better.” He wheezed.

“What happened to you?” She asked, bringing a glass of punch over to him. The ice had long since melted and left it very watered down. Shining sipped at it until his mouth no longer felt like a desert. He took the second glass under his own power, drinking it more quickly.

“Oh, you know, I just-” *cough* “just ran out to get you a little something.” He said, handing her the plastic bag with a bow on it.

“Oh Shiny, you didn't have to.” She said. He sat up slowly, smiling. She sat down on the floor beside him, pulling the bow off the bag, sticking the adhesive side of the bow to Shining’s forehead, just like they used to do when they were foals. They both laughed at the situation and the fond memory.

She untied the knot in the bag. It was a book. That much she was sure of by the shape and weight. That by itself had her excited. She pulled it from the bag. “Daring Doo and the Griffon’s Goblet.” She read aloud. She smiled at him. He pulled the bow from off his forehead. He could tell it was a fake smile.

“What is it?” He asked.

“It's nothing. I just- I… kinda already have this one.” She said apologetically. “Sorry.”

“UGH.” Shining groaned, falling back on the floor. “I suck.”

“No no no! It was very thoughtful of you. You know how much I love Daring Doo!” She leaned over and hugged his head. “I’m just glad you were able to make it.” He wrapped a hoof around her waist, hugging her back. Rarity's card fell from her bag as she leaned in.

"What's this?" Shining asked, picking up the envelope, rising to his hooves and handing it back to Twilight.

"Rarity gave it to me earlier. I suppose I could open it now." Twilight answered. She pulled back on the sealed flap, tearing open the envelope. She pulled out the card and opened it.

Twilight darling, here's hoping you have a 'fun' time for your birthday. -Rarity

A gift card fell out. Twilight picked it up.

"A fifty bit gift card to a shop called 'The Crop'?" Twilight read aloud off the gift card.

"Wow! Fifty bits! She really is the spirit of generosity." Shining said.

"What's 'The Crop'?" Twilight asked him.

"I have no idea, but the address of the shop is on the gift card." He said looking at it. "It's just a few blocks away. We should go see what it is."

"Okay. Sounds fun." Twilight said. The pair left the palace together into the city. The evening was still young.
___________________________________________________________________________

They arrived at their destination. It was at the very edge of the commercial district, tucked away on a side street off the main drag. It was a small, unassuming little hole-in-the-wall of a shop. They had nearly walked right past it. The wooden sign had a picture of a bushel of wheat on it. It read 'The Crop: Canterlot's best kept secret'.

Judging from the bushel, Twilight figured it must be some kind of a small farmer's market or maybe even an apothecary shop. The one window had an opaque curtain drawn across the inside of it, occluding any outside observer from seeing what was inside. But the sign said the store was open until midnight, and the door was unlocked.

"I guess this is the place." She said. Twilight and her brother pushed the door open and stepped inside. It became immediately clear that the title of the store referred to an entirely different kind of 'crop'. A lilac-furred attendant with a pink mane greeted them.

"Oh, hello. You must be new! My name is Velvet. Welcome to 'The Crop'. How may I help you?" She said.

Twilight looked around the shop nervously. It was a clothing boutique, like Rarity's. But the similarity stopped there. To say that the outfits on display were provocative would have been a massive understatement. The various garments were a wide assortment of lingerie and what could only be described as full-body bridles. The walls were adorned with all manner of restraints such as fuzzy hoof cuffs, vinyl strapping, ball gags, whips, chains and yes, even the namesake riding crops. Some things were beyond her description. Twilight could not even begin to guess as to their design or intended purpose.

Velvet recognized the all-too-familiar shell-shocked look on a new customer's face. She tried Shining Armor instead. "Are you looking for something to spice up things in the bedroom with your marefriend?" Shining was shaken from his lost daze.

"Wha? Oh, no, she's not my marefriend. She's just my-" Shining's mind worked at a blinding speed. He quickly worked out in his head how weird it would look showing up in a sex shop with his sister. "...just my friend." He said. Velvet could understand the hesitance in a new customer. But there was no disguising the nature of the relationship of a couple that came here. She didn't understand why he felt like he needed to hide the fact. But she decided not to press the issue.

"My friend Rarity gave me this gift card." Twilight said, presenting the card.

"Oh, you're friends with Miss Rarity? You must be Twilight." Velvet said excitedly. She felt a bit more comfortable dealing with the friend of a loyal customer. Rarity had always been something of an inspiration for Velvet's fashion pursuits. "She told me that you might be coming by this evening. I didn't think you'd be bringing your... friend. But hey, the more the merrier." She chimed. "Feel free to look around, and just let me know if there is anything you're interested in or if you have any questions."

Velvet gave the pair some space, returning to her workstation putting together an new outfit she was working on. Twilight and Shining exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"Well. This is..." Twilight started.

"Weird." Shining finished.

"Yeah." Twilight said. Shining scratched his mane a bit, waiting for her cue for them to leave. "Well... since we're here." Twilight started. Shining looked surprised. "And she kinda was expecting us. I don't want to be rude. Beside, we have a gift card." She said.

"Hey, you have a gift card. Don't roll me into this." He said defensively.

"What? It could be..." Twilight picked up a pair of pink, fuzzy hoof cuffs, inspecting them closer before immediately setting them back down. "...fun." Shining put a hoof up in surrender.

"Hey, it's your birthday. We'll do what you want." He said. Twilight walked around the display room looking at the various garments and items. She held up a sheer corset with frill and lace against herself.

"What do you think?" She asked him. He glanced quickly at her, and again averted his eyes.

"I uh, I'm trying not to." He said, blushing worse. Twilight realized the strangeness of asking him how she would look in such a get up. She put it back on the rack. Perhaps something that wasn't lingerie. She reached the saddles, picking one up in her hooves, feeling the texture. The price tag said it was way beyond her budget. But it was so beautiful just to look at and hold and-

"EEK!" She dropped the saddle as though it had transformed into a hideous spider. Velvet rushed over, followed by Shining.

"Miss Twilight, is something wrong?" She asked.

"The tag says its made of leath- leather!" She cringed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot to mention, all our 'leather' products are synthetic. Real leather is illegal in Equestria after all. I'm sorry for the scare." Velvet apologized.

Twilight composed herself. "Oh. I'm sorry I dropped it. It actually is very pretty." Twilight said, levitating it back onto its stand.

"That's quite alright. All our products are very rugged and durable." Velvet boasted proudly. "Some of our 'clients' enjoy pretending with the naughty idea of leather. The idea of something being taboo can make the experience all the more pleasurable." She explained. Shining tried to keep his gulp from being audible. Twilight continued her circuit around the room. At the back, there was a doorway with a curtain across it.

"What's in here?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, that's our back-room. Go ahead and help yourself to a look." Velvet said, waving her in. Twilight stepped through the curtain, exploring inside. Shining meanwhile, remained out in the lobby, inexplicably fascinated with staring down at his own hooves while she shopped. But after several minutes of Twilight not coming out of the back room, curiosity got the better of him. He didn't want to be in here with her another minute longer than he had to. He had to see what was taking her so long.

Shining stepped inside the curtain. The back room was round, and a bit smaller, housing the shop's much more explicit items. The walls were lined with shelves and shelves of various phallic replicas of all different shapes, sizes and colors. The center island had some synthetic mare torsos with a textured hole in a very obvious place, clearly marketed to stallions. From the ceiling, there was suspended what he could only describe as a swing with restraints in key locations. His imagination could fill in the blanks as to the compromising position in which it would put a mare.

Beyond the swing, he saw Twilight checking out one of the synthetic stallion staffs. She had her neck bent at a weird angle, holding up one of them, looking at it closely.

"What? Ain't you never seen one before?" Shining said. He immediately wanted to jam a hoof in his mouth. Firstly it was something you just don't ask your sister. Secondly, he knew damn well the answer was 'yes, she had seen one before'. His!

Twilight jumped at the sound of his voice, dropping the dildo. She quickly picked it up and put it back on the shelf, embarrassed to have been caught with it.

"I was just- I was just-" Twilight stammered.

"Looking? That's fine. Here, I'll look too. See? It's fine." Shining said, trying to diffuse the situation. He pretended to look at the stallionhoods on display. Twilight moved on, walking around the room. Shining followed slowly, trying to keep to the opposite side of the round room, giving her space. They were of varying prices based on the size, quality, and features. Some were ridiculously colorful. Others had a strange array of beaded ridges. Others were more realistic looking, with a veiny surface. Some were only twenty bits. Others were fancy, vibrating, and over a hundred bits. He got to the one he had caught her looking at. It was white, mottled with blue and dark grey spots. It looked dangerously similar to his own. It was forty nine bits.

"Um, hey listen." Shining said, heading for the exit. "I'm gonna just head outside. All of these... are making me feel a little weird. But go ahead and take as long as you like. I'll be right outside." He said excusing himself. Shining stepped out of the shop into the cool air of the Canterlot night, calming himself in the dull quiet of the evening.

He didn't have to wait long. He heard the ding of the door open beside him a few moments later. Twilight had a bag in tote. It was a plain, unmarked paper bag.

"There. The bill came out perfectly!" Twilight said.

"Oh? You found something you liked that was exactly fifty bits?" Shining asked.

"Well, I had to spend one bit on batteries." She said, blushing. The box bulging at the bottom of her bag was suspiciously oblong.

Forty nine bits

He had a pretty good idea of exactly what it was.