Short Shorts

by Coranth

Rating: teen
Tags: Random, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Sex, Human, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Other, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Princess Luna
Length: 235410

Short Pony Snippets

A collection of short pony scraps and snippets. All are separate from each other; though some may have slight continuity between them. I started writing them as inspiration for my friend Jaydex the Shadow Knight; I'd put them on his Blogs. Now, they are here, all collected.

Blind-drafted from my thoughts unto Notepad and then edited "on-site", all are unique - none are pre-planned or even saved on my hard drive. For as long as FIMFiction remains so will they. Should the site ever fall... then lost forever will they be. Take them, save them, use them as fuel for stories of your own.

All are my gift to you.

Warning: Some of these shorts depict ponies being treated as the pets of humans. When this is done, a pony plays being a pet, and lets the human care for him/her as a method of consensual relaxation; a gentle or nurturing treatment, based on the desire to be cared for. IT IS NOT SLAVERY.

Published 2013-04-21 09:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-10-29 21:34:28 UTC

164. Glow

It was Pacific Glow who was in my bed; the strange, pink-coated, crimson-maned blank-flank not-quite-foal, yet not-quite teen pony mare who'd been dancing at the Party Palace and then at Rarity For You. Having never seen anything like me before, she'd tried to get me drunk, had gotten herself very drunk and then had tried - of all things - to seduce me. It hadn't worked. Instead, the moment I'd warped home I'd hit myself and her with a shot of Purge to cleanse the alcohol from our systems.

Then came the tears as her drunken high wore off and cold, lonely reality crashed in again. As the tears fell from her eyes to stain her coat, Pacific Glow told me - a total stranger - her story. Why, you ask? Why not? I wasn't a pony; I wouldn't judge her. Pacific Glow lived the kind of life most ponies would dream of having. Her mother was rich, paid all of her expenses, and she was the heiress to her mother's company and wealth. She had no responsibilities and no limits set by her mother or anypony else. Her nights were spent dancing and her days as she pleased.

And yet... she was miserable. She hated it; wanted none of it. All she really, truly wanted... was her parents' love. However, with a Father always absent and Mother cold and heartless... Poor Pacific Glow - Glowy, as she wanted to be called - choked up into silence; then another soft sob escaped her muzzle. Oh-so-gently, I brought her close to me as we lay together in my Master Bed in Weyrhome, tucking her against my pajama-clad form.

"You want to start again?" I whispered.

Glowy blinked, and nodded.

"You want to be a foal, again?"

A whimper of longing escaped this broken mare, as she nodded so quickly I feared she might develop whiplash, fresh tears filling her eyes. Here, then was her hope. Here was her dream. I could do naught but grant it. Bringing the little mare up atop my chest, I petted her, softly, gently, a primal whine escaping her as for the first time she felt parental love. "Pacific Glow," I berated her softly yet firmly, "where have you been? I thought I told you to come back inside early, to do your chores..."

Pacific Glow looked at me reproachfully - yet inside she wept and rejoiced - as she lisped, "I... I'm thorry Papa. I... I feww and huwt mythelf!"

"Oh, did you?" I crooned to her, my expression softening. Carefully I 'examined' her - in reality letting my hands roam wherever they wished (aside from her intimate places of course) as I petted her all over - checking her for injuries. She didn't seem 'hurt', so I waited for her to reply. The poor, love-starved mare was barely able to keep up our role play; as my hands stroked over her coat, and my fingers parted gently through her mane to scratch her behind the ears, she groaned softly, gasped, sobbed again, and then finally got back 'in character.'

"I... I huwt my nothe..." she whimpered. Softly, I 'kissed' it better--but this made her cry again, and I held her, petting her, rocking her gently. Rather than soothe her, however, this seemed to make her cry even harder. Pacific Glow would cuddle normally with me for a while; then she would wedge her pink muzzle beneath my chin and wail uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she would nuzzle me furiously; then she just resumed clinging to me, trembling as though she were dying of cold.

When at last her cries faded, the poor foal was wrung out; she was done. Gently, I wiped away her tears with my fingers then tucked her into the crook of my arm. "L-Luh-Love you... Daddy..." she whispered as she settled, drifting off to sleep. I watched her for a time - my heart aching with sympathy - as she slept; the sleep of the uneasy, her body still shaking with silent sobs even though she had no more tears to cry. I eventually fell asleep myself, holding little Glowy close. Later, when we both awakened again and Pacific Glow discovered that, yes, what had happened wasn't a dream, that she could be my foal for a time, the biggest smile split her face.

Thereafter, as we sat together in the Weyr's Kitchenette, I held her and spoon-fed her porridge for breakfast; then after that we did the chores as any family would do - mostly checking and feeding my menagerie of alien animals, little Glowy marveling at the extra-equestrian creatures she'd never seen before - and then after that we played all day. Sometimes, we wrestled gently, sometimes we played 'Chase' or 'Hide-and-Seek', or 'Tag.' Later, I took her inside to the bathroom wherein I put her in a bath - a bubble bath, of course - and washed her gently; then I dried her off.

As Princess Celestia lowered the sun for Princess Luna to begin the night, I sat on the old leather sofa in Weyrhome, little Glowy cradled in my arms, the foal-mare nearly asleep as I softly told her a bedtime story. When the tale was done, I put her to bed in the Guest Commons and made to leave for the Master Suite and my own bed, only to be stopped by her hoof reaching out and grabbing my hand. "Dada?" Glowy asked, her eyes still closed. “You’ll still be here when I wake up, right? You won’t go away, right?”

It was a true testament to my emotional control as a High Templar that I didn't break down right there. Instead, my eyes very misty - softly clearing a suspicious lump from my throat - as the Weyr's agreement/empathy roared through my thoughts I softly answered, “Of course, sweetheart. Of course I’ll be here.” My reassurance wasn't enough. Taking the pacifier she wore about her neck into her mouth, Glowy suckled upon it, whimpering softly, raising her hooves to reach me... and my control crumbled.

Swiftly taking her up into my arms - as she wriggled and cooed softly - I took her back with me to the Master Suite and settled into bed, tucking her in close to me. Humming softly around her pacifier, she kneaded my arm with her forehooves, stretching out against me, molding her little body to mine... and then, as if a great knot within her had finally unraveled, all tension seemed to leave her body. Pacific Glow fell asleep. I watched her for a time, the Weyrmind, too, watching her through my eyes. Then, finally, I slept, wondering what tomorrow would have in store for us both.

165. Mob Boss

"Boss? Boss? We got one!"

Shivering and sweating as he sat behind his desk - he hadn't been petted in weeks - the Manehattan Mob Boss, Stal Capone, perked up as one of his underlings burst in. "Yeah?" he growled. "What's it like?"

"Male," said underling replied, "hands look good, nice and strong..."

"Damn it, GET HIM IN HERE!" the Boss all-but-roared. It was done; the human was led in and the Boss carefully inspected him. 'Good. This human was convinced, and not forced to come like the last one. Hands and body look great...'

"You know why you're here?" the Boss growled. When the human shook his head, Capone pulled the Fedora from his head, shook out his shaggy mane. "You're gonna pet me. We're gonna love it. An' if you don't... I'll make you sleep wit' da fishes..." When the human made no move to come towards him, Capone sighed... and then he used the trick that all humans fell for: the Classic Foal PoutTM--he softened his expression, eyes widened, made himself look cute despite the circumstances...

... and then, at last, the poor pony moaned gently as he felt the human's hands move through his mane to massage his aching shoulders, stroke along his neck, and scratch behind his ears. Almost immediately, poor Capone felt better; his thoughts cleared, and he stopped shaking and sweating as he took the human's scent into his nose, and licked softly, hesitantly at a finger when it brushed too close to his lips, tasting the slight salty flavor of the human's sweat. "Oh, yeah..." Capone groaned softly, relaxing into the human's hesitant, gentle touch, "yeah, dat's da stuff... Damn Celestia fo' outlawin' dis..."

Author's Note

"Celestia outlaws [petting]. Well, we all know what happens then. It goes underground. Crime rings pop up, with humans forced to give rubs. Gangs of ponies hunting and capturing people. Oh the horror, the horror."--Cogsworth Wingthrop

Cogsworth, I blame you for this one!

166. Serious Take: Transmission Error.

“Wow, there are a lot of ponies out there,” said Spike as he and Twilight looked out the window of Castle Friendship. “I can’t believe so many of them want to listen to this song.” Twilight Sparkle nodded as she worked on the translation machine. "Well, besides being the first transmission Equestria has received from outer space, it's a beautiful tune, one that ponies want to understand," the lavender alicorn answered as she assembled the final pieces of the machine. About a month ago - whilst hanging out in the map room - she and her friends had been listening to the radio when, all of a sudden, the equestrian music from the device had turned to static for a few moments. Before Twilight could fix it, however, a brand new sound, unlike anything she ever heard, had erupted from the speakers. The operatic music was incredible, the lyrics haunting, and soon everypony had been mesmerized by the beautiful music.

Twilight's attention, though, had been caught by the strange, haunting lyrics, as they were in a language she'd never heard before. Although the Princess of Friendship was well-learned - having studied every language, both modern and ancient, from around the world - she'd never heard such strange words as the ones accompanying this music. Twilight Sparkle's radio, however, wasn't the only device affected; every radio in Equestria was playing the strange song. All over Equestria, ponies stopped what they were doing to listen to the music, and many were made silent or moved to tears. One radio station managed to record the song, and that station then began to play it again after the song's original transmission ended.

Soon, every radio station around Equestria was playing it - and everypony was listening to it - yet, nopony knew who had created the song. A few unscrupulous classical musicians and opera singers attempted to come out and lie about it, seeking to gain attention and fame for something so wondrous, but they were quickly exposed as frauds. When it became evident that nopony knew where the song was coming from, Twilight postulated a theory: the song wasn't coming from Equestria at all; it was instead coming from outside of it, far outside. Scientists from the Canterlot Institute of Technology had theorized that certain transmission waves could carry across space, but this theory had never been proven...

Until now.

Using some of her equipment, and a bit of help from other CIT Scientists, Twilight Sparkle was able to determine that the song was indeed coming from space. It was a song from an unknown civilization on a different planet. Needless to say, the song became even more famous, quickly becoming known as The Alien Song. "You know, Twilight, I don't see the point of all this. Why are you even bothering to translate it? The song is fine on its own," said Spike.

“Yes, but think about what we could discover if we did translate the lyrics," explained an excited Twilight. "We could be learning the cultural aspect of an entire civilization that could be thousands if not millions of miles away from us in space!” She was literally bouncing off her hooves like a certain party pony to the point where Spike wondered if she and Pinkie were related in some way. “What if it’s the national anthem of a nation of great advancement in terms of science and technology? What if it’s a song about love and friendship that could help us further our own understanding of peace and love? What if it’s a song about empowerment and finding courage against great odds? They say music can define a civilization and we could learn so much about these aliens if we can understand what they are trying to say! Maybe even find a way to communicate back with them!”

“Okay, I get it. It’s a big deal, though I don’t know why you invited nearly half of the country over to listen to this,” Spike grumbled, as he pointed to the growing crowd outside the window. There had to be ponies from Appleloosa all the way to the Crystal Empire out there. “Well, that would be because of the Princesses,” answered Twilight, rubbing the back of her head. “They thought that such a momentous occasion should be shared with as many ponies as possible. There is even a world wide radio broadcast for this.” Using her magic, Twilight brought out what seemed to be their radio only it was attached to a record player with glowing wires, several batteries, glowing rocks that made Spike’s mouth water, and an orb of red lightning. “With this, we can finally understand what the song is saying. So let's get to it, Spike! History awaits!"

***

The crowd was much bigger than anypony had anticipated and many familiar faces could be seen. Cheerilee had brought the entire school with her as a field trip to learn about the music from the aliens. The Wonderbolts were there up in the clouds with other pegasi, planning to use the song, and it’s lyrics, for a special show later this week. The princesses were naturally there, including Shining Armor and Cadance who had brought Flurry Heart with them since she seemed to love the song and it helped her sleep at night. Even representatives from other races like Gilda, Iron Will, Ember, and Thorax were there to listen and give the news to their respective people. Getting up on stage with her device, Twilight cleared her throat. “Hello, everypony! I bet you're all as excited as I am to witness this historical event!” The crowd roared with excitement. “Now is everypony ready?!” An even louder cheer went out. Twilight nodded to famous DJ Vinyl Scratch to start the song that was recorded on her DJ Booth. Activating the translation machine, she and everypony both at the castle and around the world waited with halted breath for the song - in its entirety with translated lyrics - to be played.

Mares wept, or swooned; never had they heard something so beautiful! Stallions stared stoically, or became suspiciously misty-eyed. Thestrals of the Night Guard petitioned to make it their Anthem. Funding was granted for vast experiments to attempt to hear more transmissions from this new civilization. Space Exploration kicked off with a bang... And as she listened to the song with her sister, Princess Luna - happier than she'd ever been in her life - wept like a foal.

Author's Note

A serious take on "Transmission Error" by Rated Ponystar

167 Pony Kombat...

Shining Armor vs Predator

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... Horn aglow, Shining Armor stood his defeated opponent up with his magic; then crushed the Predator between four giant shields, rendering the alien into paste. Horrified, Twilight Sparkle could only look on as the Predator's... everything... went everywhere. No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"SHINING ARMOR WINS! FATALITY!"

Nightmare Moon vs Celestia

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... All looked on in horror as Nightmare Moon messily bisected Celestia with her horn, formed into a blade. Everypony lost their lunches as the two halves of her body splattered onto the throne room floor. No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"NIGHTMARE MOON WINS! FATALITY!"

Celestia vs Nightmare Moon

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... All looked on in awe as Celestia called upon the power of the heavens themselves. In horror, Nightmare Moon let out a final scream--before a massive Solar Flare from her sun burned the black mare to ash and dust! No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"PRINCESS CELESTIA WINS! FATALITY!"

Fluttershy vs Discord

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... Fluttershy stared deeply into the eyes of the Spirit of Chaos, Discord--and then, suddenly feeling regret for all he'd done, Discord returned everything to normal. "I... I'm sorry," he muttered quietly, unsure of himself. Fluttershy nuzzled the Draconequis, gently. "There, there, it's all right..." she murmured. "Let's go back to my cottage; we'll' have some tea, and I can introduce you to all my animal friends..." No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"FLUTTERSHY WINS! F--F---Friendship?! I don't believe this! Friendship?!"

Princess Cadance vs Queen Chrysalis

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... A wave of pink light and love lanced from the horn of Princess Cadance and struck the changeling Queen dead on! When her spell faded away, the Changeling Queen could be seen cooing softly as she nuzzled the Alicorn Princess of Love whom had become the insectoid pony's world. As Cadance returned the affectionate gestures with nuzzles and rubs of her own, she softly murmured to Chrysalis, "Come with me, love; let's work together to save your people..." With the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"CADANCE WINS! I... *sigh* I don't believe this... LOVE-ALITY!"

Starlight Glimmer vs Sunset Shimmer

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end...Sunset Shimmer screamed as Starlight Glimmer wiped away her Cutie Mark with the Staff of Sameness, said mark being replaced with the Sign of Equals as her eyes became glazed! No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"STARLIGHT GLIMMER WINS! EQUALITY!"

Big Macintosh vs Jax

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end...The Apple Family stomped their hooves in applause as with a roar, Big Macintosh Apple slammed the cybernetic hand of Jax down against the table. With a rush of breath, Jax sagged, defeated--but then, he stared the big red pony down, a smile breaking out on his face, a laugh escaping him. "You're pretty strong!" Big Mac grinned as Granny Smith brought out fresh water and a towel to wipe away the sweat from both man and pony. "Eeyup!" he replied; and then Jax just couldn't help himself as he laughed heartily! With the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"BIG MAC WINS! F--F---Friendship?! Again?! *sigh*"

--Smoke VS Sombra

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end...Both combatants - dark unicorn and ninja - became as smoke, their forms merging together. When the merging was complete, the Mane Six looked on in horror as from the writhing gloom stepped a massive unicorn, clad in armor, with silver horn, his muzzle hid behind an iron mask! Twilight Sparkle screamed as the merged being Smoke/Sombra began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh... With the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"SMOKE/SOMBRA WINS! COMBINALITY!"

Johnny Cage VS Rainbow Dash

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end...Rainbow Dash hauled her defeated opponent up onto her back and then - as the Mane Six looked on - she rocketed off into the sky, faster, faster, faster... until at last there came a tremendous BOOM followed by the telltale rainbow ring in the sky. A shirt while later, Rainbow Dash returned carrying a now frazzled, but awed Johnny Cage. "Oh my god!" the human whooped from atop her back. "That was awesome! Let's do it again!" With the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"RAINBOW DASH WINS! F--- You're kidding, right? FINE! FRIENDSHIP!"

Twilight Sparkle vs Nightmare Moon

The battle had been hard fought, but in the end... All looked on in awe as Twilight cast an incredibly powerful spell. Light surrounded Nightmare Moon as the mare whinnied with fury--and then she began to shrink. When the spell was done and the light faded, Nightmare Moon's cries had become the cries of a lost, lonely foal. Carefully, Twilight picked up the little foal, and then, rocking her in her hooves, the lavender alicorn soothed her gently. "There, there, ssh; it's alright now, Mommy's here..." As she held the foal - her new foal - close, baby Moon sniffled, quieted. No sooner had the Kombat ended, then the voice of Shao Khan boomed,

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE WINS! BABALITY!"

Author's Note

Who shall I write a fatality for next? What shall it be--and against whom?

168. Moon

The Mane Six had expected to fight Nightmare Moon at the old Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.

They had expected to fight an Alicorn Mare of supreme power and stature.

They had expected to see a wicked mare of darkness emerging from ruins crumbling due to old age and disuse.

Instead...

The being whom emerged from the Castle was an Alicorn Mare of Darkness to be sure... but she was thin, frail, fragile - as if a breeze might knock her over - and to her dismay - Twilight made to suppress a gasp as she realized that the mare they faced was blind!

The Mane Six... didn't know what to do.

The Alicorn Mare, however, did. A gentle, closed-mouth smile adorning her muzzle, the thin, willowy mare sniffed the air and then - though she stared through the six ponies - Nightmare Moon's ears pricked forwards as she softly, delightedly cried, "Oh! Visitors! Would you like to see my Garden? Come, follow!"

The Mane Six, bewildered, did so, noting that much of the old Castle had been painstakingly repaired, piece by piece, stone by stone. Though frail and blind, Nightmare Moon was sure of step and light of hoof. "I must apologize for the state of my home," she spoke gently as she led the ponies through to where the Royal Garden lay. "Much of it has fallen into disrepair, but I will soon see it right. Ah, we have arrived..."

The Mane Six expected to see a garden wild with overgrowth, weeds, and rotten things. Instead, the colossal garden was rich with health and life, its main centerpiece being incredible statues of topiary. Applejack took off her hat in respect; she knew hard work when she saw it. Rarity swooned, having never seen something more beautiful in her life. Cut from planted hedges - an image locked forever in time - two Alicorns embraced, as around them ponies of all ages and sizes frolicked, 'guarded' by powerful topiary stallion-guards.

Rarity's eyes teared up as she beheld flowers of all colours, Twilight's eyes widened upon seeing rare herbs, and Fluttershy marveled at the rare animals that called this sanctuary home. Applejack nodded as she surveyed fruit trees with a critical eye, and even Rainbow was impressed with the riot of colour the great garden presented. As the Mane Six followed after Nightmare Moon, they soon came to realize that the dark mare wasn't even paying attention to them anymore; she was off in her own world as she used her magic to tend to the garden, with a snip here, or a prune there...

Until she stopped, suddenly, and sniffed the air. "It is all right," she called softly, as if speaking to a frightened animal, "you can come out. I will not hurt you." It was then that Celestia appeared, the white alicorn's eyes filled with tears, having followed the Mane Six that she might protect them, and having seen the garden with her own eyes. "L-Luna?" she stuttered.

Boldly, Nightmare Moon walked right up to Celestia and then - before the Mane Six, or Celestia herself, thought to stop her - the dark mare openly sniffed Celestia. "I... I recognize your scent," stated Moon softly with childlike wonder, "you smell like a mare I once knew, a long time ago. Her name was Celestia, and she was my sister. I thought her the most wonderful mare in the world!" Now poor Celestia was stunned, as Nightmare Moon - if she even was Nightmare Moon anymore - didn't seem to recognize her!

"Lulu," Celestia sniffled as she tried again, "it is me; it's your sister, Celly..."

At her words, Nightmare Moon's face lit up with joy! "Celly!" she cried, bunting Celestia with her muzzle. "Where have you been? Why is the Castle in such a state? Oh," now the dark mare wrung her hooves, "Mother and Father will be so worried! Who are these ponies with you? Are they new friends for us to play with?!" On and on, Nightmare Moon peppered her sister with questions as she ushered Celestia and a thoroughly confused Mane Six back into the Castle and into her newly repaired room.

Deep inside, Celestia despaired, her heart wrenching painfully as she realized that her sister had not only been rendered blind, but that she had also lost so many memories...

Author's Note

Inspired by this, the scene of Edward in the Garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrCzKQUKj3k

(Imagines a lonely Nightmare Moon tending her garden and making ice statues of her sister and the Mane Six) .... oh dear, tears... :fluttercry:

169. Path of Twilight

"Bastards dumped near two dozen of us off that ship, You and me, we're all that survived the swim. Never was much difference between Exile and the death sentence. Once I catch my breath here we'll take a look around. See what Wraeclast has on offer. Thought I saw some smoke at those ruins up the beach. Could be worth checking if there's--"

Those were the dying man's last words as the corpse next to him suddenly came alive and messily ate him as poor Twilight Sparkle cried out in horror. No sooner had the Zombie had its fill of the dying human, then it groaned hungrily and started to shamble after her. Desperately - as she backed away from the shambling corpse - Twilight summoned her magic in an attempt to teleport away to safety, but instead, her magic, which didn't seem to be working right at all, latched onto - of all things - a small wooden stick made of driftwood; a wand!

With the shambling Zombie almost upon her, Twilight thoughtlessly channeled her magic through the Wand--and cried out in shock as a bolt of physical force rocketed forth from the Driftwood Wand to bisect the creature in half! The Zombie snarled, gurgled, and then moved no more. Still clutching the wand, Twilight Sparkle - in shock - hyperventilated for a time; then when no more Zombies were forthcoming, the little lavender mare calmed. Sobbing softly, feeling utterly ghoulish, Twilight divested the Zombie of its only clothing, a soaked, moth-eaten Shabby Jerkin, and put it on, though the garment did little to stave off the cold. Then, the little pony examined her strange weapon. It was, indeed, little more than a stick of driftwood, and yet... as she examined the weapon, the little mare noticed three hollowed out sockets had been carved from it, each colored with a ring of paint; one red, one green, and one blue.

"How curious..." Twilight mused, turning her new tool this way and that, being careful not to damage it. A moment later - after secreting the tool away in the jerkin she wore, slowly - carefully - the little pony tiptoed her way towards the bisected corpse of the Zombie she had slain, wincing as she realized that she had actually killed another being, even if said being was... already dead. Fear of Princess Celestia's disappointment weighed heavily upon her mind, so much so that - as she walked past the dead Zombie - she almost missed the glint of a small object which had fallen from the creature's tattered clothing before she had claimed it as hers.

Almost. Twilight's eyes, honed from years of reading in low light conditions, caught the reflection, and she gently picked up the object with a hoof. To her surprise, said object seemed to be a small gem! "What's this?" she wondered. As Twilight examined the rich, blue-colored gem she was reminded fondly of the sapphires that her friend Rarity used in her dressmaking; though this was no sapphire, as this gem had wrapped around it a ribbon of golden-colored metal which became the image of... "A ball of fire?"

Confused, Twilight Sparkle made to scratch her head with a hoof--then immediately thought better. Instead of getting sand in her mane, she pulled her Driftwood Wand from her Shabby Jerkin... and then, her eyes widened with realization. 'A blue-colored socket... for a blue-colored gem!' she thought, excitedly. 'But... why? What's this all for? What does it mean?' Gently, the mare employed the breathing technique her old foal-sitter, Cadance, had taught her. Then, "Only one way to find out," she said with finality, before attempting to fit the Fireball Gem into the socket on the Wand.

To her surprise, the small gem fitted easily into the socket--and stayed there as she experimentally waved the tool about--though Twilight found that she could also effortlessly remove the gem, too, if needed. Gently, she reinserted the Fireball Gem into the socket on the Wand and then, inhaling a soft breath, she channeled her magic through her newly enhanced tool to see what effect the gem might have. In awe, Twilight watched as the Fireball Gem glowed brilliantly for a moment--and then a yelp of fear escaped her as from her Driftwood Wand - instead of the usual bolt of physical force - an enormous ball of fire rocketed forth and tore down the desolate beach to smash into another shambling Zombie, setting the corpse alight!

After closing her dropped jaw, Twilight Sparkle marveled at her discovery. "That gem... it's like... some sort of premade spell; all I have to do is channel magic through it and it works! Astounding," she crowed. Her amazed cry, however, had caused the many, many other corpses littering the beach to awaken. This time, however, Twilight wasn't afraid. Girding her loins - raising her gem-enhanced wand - as the first of many undead horrors shambled towards her, the lavender unicorn gritted her teeth. She would fight... or she would die. "The Elysium Fields will have to wait a little longer for this mare," she snarled. And so it was that Twilight Sparkle fought, burning the undead before her as she took her first steps upon the path so many had walked before her. The Path... of Exile.

170. I, Nightmare

"Despite all I have told you," I stated softly, gently, "because I look like Nightmare Moon, you have treated me as Nightmare Moon." With an unarmored dark hoof, I gestured about myself to the thick, heavily warded cell surrounding me. "I... I don't even know who Nightmare Moon is!" I cried. "My name is David - I work as a volunteer at a Recycling Center, I fix computers, I fix things - but none of you believe me. All you see is Nightmare Moon. Tell me this, then: why would I ever want to bring about Eternal Night? If I did that, everything - the whole world - would eventually die. Why the fuck would I want to do that?! I don't know you ponies from anyone, despite your claims to the contrary, I really don't know you!

You ponies just... want me to play the Villain; you want me to be the bogeyman that you can destroy so you can get on with your peaceful little lives! Well, I won't do it! I won't! To HELL with all of you!" Those would be the last words they would ever hear from me.

Despite the powerful wards in the Cell, I sloppily, messily, channeled the ... whatever - I refused to call it magic - ... that was inside me, into my horn. I wanted out. I wanted safe. I wanted to be somewhere the ponies didn't go. Somewhere they would never find me. 'Please, please, please...' I chanted internally. I prayed. I hoped. I wished! Then....

"BOOOOOM!"

... with that tremendous, thunderous blast, the magic took me away, blowing away the wards, and the cell as it did so! By the time Celestia, Luna, and Twilight uncovered themselves and dropped their shielding it was too late; I was gone. All three princesses were utterly furious! "NO!" thundered Luna. "SHE WILL NOT GET AWAY! WE SHALT FIND HER!" And so it was that a marehunt was organized--but I was unaware of this. Instead, I found myself, for the first time, safe, laying atop a large - but quite filthy and rotten - four poster bed. However, anything was better than my previous situation. Groaning softly, I passed out, utterly exhausted.

Three days later, after waking with the splitting mother of all headaches... I did nothing, choosing to rest until it passed. On the morning of the fourth day, gingerly, I got to my hooves and explored my surroundings. I was in a castle. An honest-to-god castle. It was abandoned, and filthy, it had fallen into disrepair... but it was mine. All mine! Within I found the library, and - as the years passed - that place would become my best friend. From the books therein - preserved with spells that still held strong after all this time - I learned survival techniques. I learned how to channel and control my immense magic. Most important of all, however, I learned spells of construction and repair.

If this place was to become my home I would see it restored. Disarming the traps built by the sisters when the had been theirs, patching holes, repairing and in some cases renovating and redoing entire sections to my design, I laughed happily before beginning to hum a certain song...

The marehunt was called off, of course; reduced to a token task force, neither the nobles nor the Royal Treasury willing to foot the bill anymore. Despite the constant fretting and worries of Celestia and Luna, the Pony whom they now realized hadn't been Nightmare Moon at all... hadn't really done anything--at all. Oh, there was a thick miasma of chilling darkness covering the Everfree - and Luna had thought to go there- but then her thoughts had wandered elsewhere, courtesy of a powerful enchantment. Besides, the miasma of night only covered the Everfree, and nowhere else. Fluttershy fretted as daytime animals moved elsewhere and more nocturnal creatures called the forest home.

And at its heart...

My Castle, fully restored, was the central fixture of a now quite large village, which thestrals, changelings, blood mages, necromancers, dark-magic using ponies, and other so-called 'malcontents' (actually decent folk when you got to know them) called home. As I stood upon my balcony, surveying my village - in particular, a new construction project that was being built below - my beloved Queen Chrysalis approached, brushing gently against my healthy, wholly male form. As large as I was - her body and wings healthy, free of rot-holes - she chittered a soft greeting, then nuzzled me gently as I enfolded her 'neath a wing. "How's your hive settling in?" I asked her.

"Wonderfully," she answered softly, awed. "I... I never thought we could leave the Badlands; I... I never thought that I and my children would ever find a place where we could be openly accepted for who we are, I..." Closing our eyes, we pressed forehead to forehead, shared breath, kissed. "You're welcome," I responded. Food was grown in sophisticated hydro and aeroponics bays under artificial light, by members of all three tribes disgruntled at the sisters.' Bigotry was not tolerated; beings found doing such were swiftly named and shamed then it was either reparations to the affected party or community service. Changelings, of course, served as excellent mediators, spies, diplomats, ambassadors, miners; Chrysalis was surprised and delighted whenever we debated and discussed ideas. Of course, no city was perfect, but we all - myself, Chrysalis, and our advisory board - worked damn hard to keep it so.

I was content. And yet, I wondered.... for how long could we stay like this? How long until they - the sisters - intruded upon the world we had made. Only time could answer that.

171. Seek.

Things... hadn't gone as planned. Oh, Nightmare Moon had been hit with the Elements, but instead of reverting - becoming Luna - the Dark Mare had just... tottered about drunkenly and had then collapsed. Unsure of what to do, Celestia had had her transferred to a heavily warded cell beneath Canterlot Castle. Now, as the Solar Mare looked on sadly, she could see that her sister was awake, and whispering something to herself, over, and over, and over. "What... what is she saying?" she asked the Guards overseeing the place. They shook their heads, the words of the dark mare too soft to hear.

Wary of her sister's power, Celestia lessened the wards a little, allowed Nightmare Moon a drop of magic, and then summoned a pair of scribes; perhaps the dark mare might reveal her secrets? To her surprise, as Nightmare Moon felt the change in the air, she stood and then - seeming to see right through Celestia - she cast a spell upon her own throat. When next she spoke, her voice was amplified and - instead of being the Royal Canterlot - it was heavily modulated, but it didn't seem harsh at all; in fact, it seemed soothing and somewhat sad. As Celestia looked on, her breath hitching softly, Nightmare Moon, Luna, started to sing:

"Where are we?
What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to form
Crop circles in the carpet
Sinking, feeling
Spin me around again
And rub my eyes
This can't be happening
When busy streets
A mess with ponies
Would stop to hold their heads heavy

Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines
All those years
They were here first
Oily marks appear on walls
Where pleasure moments hung before
The takeover
The sweeping insensitivity of this
Still life
Hide and seek
Trains and sewing machines

(You won't catch me around here)
Blood and tears
They were here first
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that you only meant well
Well of course you did
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's all for the best
Of course it is
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, that it's just what we need
You decided this
Mm, what'd you say?
Mm, what did she say?

Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit
Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cutouts
Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you
You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit

(You don't care a bit)
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Oh, no, you don't care a bit
Uh-uh, you don't care a bit
You don't care a bit
You don't care a bit..."

By the end of the song, even the stoic guards were misty eyed, and it was all Celestia could do to maintain control of herself as she squeezed her eyes closed to stop the tears, breathed heavily through her nose... Gently, she took the scroll with the words - such wondrous, poetic words - of the strange, sad song her sister had sung and then retreated to her room. Inside a tiny sob escaped her as she set to studying what had been written. What was this? A message from her sister's deeply fractured mind? What was she singing about? Their parents? Her exile? Celestia didn't know, didn't understand, even as she tried futilely to glean meaning from the words inked upon the scroll. Over and over she read them, heard them sung in her sister's voice, mouthed them softly... until, overwhelmed, she folded her wings over her head and wept like a foal.

Author's Note

"Hide and Seek" is copyright Imogen Heap.

172. Partner Race.

... and then, Celestia told me a heart-wrenching story. She told me of humankind; of how they had created ponykind to be a sort of pet-partner-symbiotic race for them. Humans had marveled at and embraced what they had created--and they had adored us. "But then," Celestia whimpered softly as we lay on her bed together, her back turned to me, "your kind... went away. Humans disappeared. We don't know why. All I know is that," a sob escaped her, despite her best efforts to remain composed, "that one day, I woke up and... and humans were gone. My Master... my master was GONE!" That was that; Celestia couldn't control herself anymore. Old, old instincts - triggered by my presence - roared to the surface, and she whinnied, "M-a-a-a-a-a-ster!" she whinny-called, staring at something, someone only she could see. "M-a-a-a-a-a-ster!" Then, finally, she burst into tears.

Not knowing what to do - yet guided by something, perhaps the natural magic of the world - I moved to spoon her, holding, petting, stroking, caressing her softly, gently, all over. "Sssh," I soothed her, "Master's here, sweetie... Master's here... there, there..." Wordlessly, the big alicorn mare twisted in my grip, pulling me against her belly, tangling me up in hooves and wings, nuzzling my face over and over and over and over with tear-stained muzzle before she laid her head on my chest. Celestia wore herself out, cried herself to sleep with her catharsis, this release of her grief; not only hers, I suspected, but also that of her entire race. How long had she carried this hurt? How long had she been waiting for us - humankind - to return to our beloved ponies?

As Celestia slept, deeply, restfully - perhaps for the first time in years - her bedroom door opened, a soft, hesitant nicker reaching my ears as Luna entered the room, her eyes and face wet with tears; she'd heard her sister's tale. With the free hand that poor Celestia wasn't clutching to her with a forehoof, I waved the dark mare over. Without hesitation, Luna trotted over, hopped up on the bed and settled with us her body sagging with relief as she, too, sniffled then wept in silence; she wasn't going to be alone anymore... As more and more humans returned to Equestria, ponykind seemed to sense it and 'wake up,' if you will. The Little Ponies seemed happier, more content. Ponies 'functioned' better when we humans were with them; we in turn became a happier people, violence, crime, our unhappiness gradually dialling down... Ponies who'd been in asylums, or hospitals for years - suffering from depression and other maladies - suddenly left, seeking humans to attach to, and when they found one they began to become well; and it was the same for humankind, too.

Of course, things weren't perfect - nothing ever is - but we all worked damn hard to make it so, and as the years passed, man and ponykind flourished with their renewed symbiosis. Society for ponies didn't change much - ponies still worked their jobs and lived their lives as they always had - but there were, however, certain ponies who chose to become the 'pets' of humans, wanting nothing more than to be played with or just petted and adored. They, however, were extreme cases. As for Celestia, Luna, and I, though... when a maid came in to wake us all, I was the first to wake and upon doing so I ruffled the pony's mane and scratched her behind the ears for a moment; then, giggling and dancing away she gently woke Celestia and Luna. Once the two princesses were awake - Luna having switched to a diurnal clock - Celestia raised the sun, then I helped both princesses into their regalia before we made our way out of our shared bedchambers to begin a brand new day...

173. Cut!

"You know nothing of the Changelings, or what it takes to be their Queen!" Chrysalis snarled, picking Starlight Glimmer up in her magic. Then, the Queen of the Changelings hurled the poor unicorn, into a piece of stone jutting up through the throne-room floor. Starlight hit the stone back-first...

... and then, there was heard a terrible crunch as the poor mare let out a terrible, agonized scream. Almost immediately, there came a cry of "CUT! CUT! CUT!" Almost immediately, a horrified Chrysalis, along with several of her - mortified - drones, moved to comfort a sobbing Starlight. "Oh, Celestia; I am so sorry..." the horrified Queen said even as she made to gather the mare to her, checking her for injuries. Terror gripped the Changeling Queen's guts as she soon discovered that something wasn't right with Starlight's spine... "Oh god oh god oh god..." she rasped...

... Then she and her friend were being separated by medical personnel as - "... SAID SAFETY SPELLS EVERYWHERE! EVERYWHERE, CELESTIA, DAMN IT! HOW COULD YOU NEGLECT THE ONE PIECE OF STONE WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO USE FOR THIS SCENE?!" - a furious director blasted a trembling, knock-kneed unicorn effects technician. "YOU MORON! ONE OF MY BEST ACTORS HURT BECAUSE OF YOUR NEGLIGENCE..." Everything became a blur, then; Chrysalis, distraught, burst into tears as she raced to follow the doctors and her friend; begged to go with them as they loaded poor Starlight into an ambulance...

... With all the confusion, time seemed to blur from one moment to the next...

Hours later, poor Chrysalis wok to find that she was resting - with her friend - in a hospital bed, and that Starlight's back was in a brace! Tears filled her eyes almost immediately, but before she could collapse sobbing again, there came the voice of a unicorn doctor. "She's lucky," he stated softly as the Queen held Starlight gently. "When you threw her into that piece of stone - a little too hard, I might add - she slipped a disc in her spine; though fortunately nothing more than that. Of course, your friend shouldn't have been injured at all; there was a padding spell that should've been cast on that stone - it would have mitigated any damage - but for whatever reason, the former special effects technician neglected to cast it; whether from lack of sleep or something else, I don't know. Nevertheless... though she'll have to wear a brace for a while, your friend will be fine..."

Chrysalis didn't remember thanking the Doctor; all she remembered was burying her muzzle into her best friend's mane, taking in the unicorn's scent, holding her close, apologizing over and over, as she wept like a foal...

Author's Note

A 'mistake' with a certain scene from the finale that wouldn't get out of my head.

174. Gilda

As I walked down the main street of Ponyville - heading to Twilight's Castle to check out a book - suddenly, a clawed talon hooked my arm; then, before I could even cry out I was dragged into a small side-ally. Once I was able to regain my senses, fear gripped me as I saw before my eyes a very, very familiar griffin. Her name was Gilda, and - ever since I'd arrived here in Ponyville - she'd had it out for me. She was, by dictionary definition, the very epitome of 'bully'; if there was something she could do to harass me - from hurling insults to outright physical violence - she often got away with it; many were the days when I would come home nursing bruises. I'd started going to great lengths to avoid her--but this time I hadn't been paying attention. Now here we were once again... and the burly quadrupedal griffin hen looked pissed. Breathing heavily through her nares - the small nostrils set into her beak - she got right up in my face, so close that I could feel the heat of her breath...

... and then, into my face, she snarled, "I hear you've been petting ponies, that you've been touching, rubbing, caressing them with your filthy hands ape! Every time I see Rainbow Dash I have to put up with her telling me how good it feels to have your hands running through her fur. All she ever talks about anymore is you! You, you, you! Now," and here she pulled me to her until we were eye-to-eye, "you need to ask yourself one question: 'Why haven't I petted Gilda, yet?' Well?! Why haven't you, huh?! WHY?! WHY HAVEN'T YOU PETTED ME YET?! WHY HAVEN'T I BEEN PETTED, YOU STUPID PLUCKING APE?!" With those words, the she-griffin roared in my face--but then, suddenly, she seemed to deflate, all the fight leaving her as she crumpled to the ground and burst into noisy, shaking sobs, clutching her head in her talons. Weeping openly, brokenly, the poor griffin looked up at me, her expression shifting between one of rage and pleading as she begged, begged, "Pleasepetme...", the words issuing forth as a strangled rasp, as though she could barely bring herself to say them.

Kneeling down next to her, then moving to sit against the alley wall, gently, I gathered the big catbird into my lap... and then, I allowed my hands to roam where they would. As Gilda let me touch her for the first time, as she let me pet her openly and without shame - as she finally felt the touch of my hands roaming over her feathers, then though her leonine fur - weeping she cuddled close to me, holding me, shivering as though cold, another sob escaping her before a new sound filled the air, a combination of a lion's purr, and a pidgeon's cooing. Soon, she wept again, but this time her tears were those of happiness instead of angst, joy rather than anger and rage. On and on and on I petted and massaged her, giving her pleasure through gentle touch and relieving her of tension she hadn't realized she'd been carrying with her for so long... Later, in the ultimate show of trust and submission, Gilda rolled over in my lap, baring her chest-feathers and belly; then she cooed and whimpered softly as I rubbed and massaged over both. Later still, our positions were reversed, and she held me close as she sat against the alley-wall, beak lowered to gently preen my hair...

After that time in the alley, Gilda... well, I guess 'gentled' is the right word. A drastic change took place within her - she became quite shy and unsure of herself, unsure of how to act around others. This was no fault of her own; as it turned out, in Griffinstone, the bigger you were, the meaner you were, the more you could push someone around... the more of a complete bastard you were the stronger you were; the stronger you were the more rights you had, the more property you could own, the more you could rise up the social ladder, and on and on it went. Gilda had acted abysmally towards Rainbow Dash and her friends--because that was how she was taught; it was what was expected of her. When Rainbow's friends hadn't pushed back, the poor she-griffin had been stumped, so she'd tried harder to provoke them that they might finally show their strength by bullying her in return; but of course it hadn't worked out at all, culminating in poor Gilda making dear Fluttershy cry and then the pranks at the party...

Now, however, things were different. Though gentled by my petting, Gilda was still... well, she was still an epic jerk, but now her rage was instead directed to protect me instead of being unfocused; better still, with a softly spoken word or the gentlest of touches, I could quieten her--and she often stilled straight away, looking to me for guidance. I'm not sure what she saw me as. Was I her mate? Her teacher? A friend? Neither of us were sure; all Gilda knew was that I was hers. Her human. And she stated quite simply that she was mine. One move into my home later and that was that. At my urging, she apologized to Twilight, Rainbow and the other girls, especially to Fluttershy; and she wept openly when the butter-yellow Pegasus hugged her, soothing her tears. Now she's here with me in our bed, eyeing me as I finish this p--

*CRUMPLE*

"Hey, I was just about to publish this! Oh, all right then; come 'ere, you silly catbird..."

"Cooo-urrrrrr..."

175. "Starswirl House" Idea. (Up for adoption by anyone interested.)

- Twilight Sparkle is scanning the Map of Harmony, trying to determine its secrets.

- Her keen magic/senses allow her to discover a hidden button somewhere on or beneath the Map Table.

- Twilight presses the button; a hiss of escaping steam, the grinding of gears as the Map Table shuts down, lifts, rotates to reveal a door and a set of stairs.

- Twilight goes down; finds a long corridor leading to some sort of amazing, magical Stasis Chamber, ala. Robert House, Fallout New Vegas.

- Though she has no knowledge of how the tech works, Twilight manages to trigger an emergency release function; a hiss of cold-fog as the chamber opens and the bed inside rises.

- Twilight, gasps, horrified, as the pony lying on the bed is revealed to be Starswirl the Bearded, though withered, desiccated, far older then he should be.

- Starswirl opens his eyes, FURIOUS, Robert House dialogue, "Why have you... done this?... centuries of preparation... so much good, undone..." Then, upon seeing who it is, his expression softens, "Twilight... Sparkle..." he rasps, "should've known... it would be you..."

- Poor Twilight, horrified, distressed, "I'm sorry, I didn't know... I didn't know! I'll put you back in your tube, good as new!"

- "No... too late now... exposed... germs... a year of... life, if... at most..."

- Twilight Sparkle cries softly, moves to hug the pony whose works she adores so much; Starswirl weakly pets her head, strokes her mane. She begs him to live 'that year'; [debate?] then Starswirl agrees.

- Twilight writes a letter to Celestia, sends it herself, aka "GET HERE NOW!" Celestia arrives along with Luna; are awed upon seeing what Starswirl has done to prolong his life; tearful reunion, comforting words between all four ponies.

- Celestia draws upon all of her knowledge of healing to strengthen Starswirl so he can see the world he helped create.

- Twilight and Starswirl tour Equestria for a year?

END

Starswirl chooses to die, knowing his world is in good hooves? Twilight as his heir to his possessions, secrets? [More emotional/impactful.]

Starswirl uses advanced ponytech to move his brain into a new clone unicorn pony body? Becomes a teacher? [Sets up sequel?]

176. Fire.

Nopony could touch Daybreaker.

Of course nopony could touch Daybreaker.

Every assassin who'd even tried to strike her down had been utterly burned to ashes.

But the ponies could harm somebody.

Yes, they could.

They could harm David, her strange yet friendly human lover, her Consort. Her human.

They did. Foolish. Yet they did.

David usually accompanied her everywhere she went, short of her bedchambers of course, but today he wasn't at her throne where she usually bade him sit with her so that he could pet her, his soothing touch able to quiet her rage that she might deal with the fool--ehrm, the nobles that thought to plot and scheme.

But today, he wasn't there.

He. Wasn't. THERE!

Incensed - barely able to contain her seething rage - the Fire Mare demanded to know where he was. Her seneschal, Raven, answered, "He's taken ill, your Highness--" but that was as far as she got before a furnace-blast of heat signaled her Queens exit.

Upon seeing what was hers laying upon his bed, clutching his stomach, writhing with pain, with Voice of Flame she summoned the Royal Physician. "Hnnh... he's been poisoned," the old stallion stated. "Fortunately, the one who did it didn't know that he wasn't a pony. Poor feller's got enough Oleander in 'im to kill a Stallion in minutes--being human, however, saved his life..."

A remedy was devised; then once her David was on the road to recovery, seething with rage of cold-fire, Daybreaker ransacked the minds of her castle staff, utterly determined to find whoever had done this to what was hers. She did. The Scullery Maid bleated and screamed but it was all for naught as Daybreaker burned the information from her mind, leaving the Earth Pony mare sobbing, babbling incoherently.

"An act so petty, because your Husband was executed for genuine treason against me?!" She roared. "You harm the One who has harmed None?! YOU DARE TO HARM THAT WHICH IS MINE?!"

"Luna will return from the Moon," the Earth Pony sneered in defiance, "and when she does, she'll---AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Her words ended in a scream as Daybreaker's fires engulfed her, burning the skin from her body then turning her to ash.

Then, Daybreaker went down to the kitchens.

She entered.

She exited.

A miniature pyroclastic surge followed in her wake. The ponies within were killed instantly, of course, yet the fine ash fall encased their bodies, hardening to form a porous shell. As the soft tissues of their bodies decayed, they leached away through this later. But by then, the hardened ash had captured and preserved their final postures at the moment of death.

Just as Daybreaker had planned.

New kitchen staff were hired; the old now lined the hallway to the Palace Kitchens. When David recovered - as Daybreaker wept gently with relief in his lap - as he petted her so softly, so gently, so carefully... she vowed never to tell him what she'd done.

At the thought of what had happened to what was hers for a moment, unbridled fury filled her heart and she seethed; then a sob escaped her as her human gently scratched her behind the ears, her rage and flames calming.

Later, she would have him move into her chambers, where nopony would ever harm him again.

177. Plush.

It was shortly after Thorax and the Ponies had left - to relocate her former hive to Ponyville - that Queen Chrysalis dared to return to the shattered remains of her once glorious Hive. Eyes glistening with tears that threatened to flood, the broken former queen whimpered as she sifted through the rubble of her once majestic throne room, seeking, searching for a beloved treasure long hidden... There!

A sob escaping her, from a carefully hidden alcove she pried a chest enchanted to hold a specific item. Stumbling over the incantations needed to unlock it she finally managed to do so; then she oh-so-carefully lifted from it her most beloved possession. "Sh-Shiny...!" She whispered as she cried and cried and cried, clutching the worn, though very-well-cared-for plush of Shining Armor tightly as she finally allowed her tears to fall.

Everything had been lost. Everything had been ruined. Bawling, foal-like, lost and utterly alone - save the plush who had been her guardian ever since her Mother had allowed her to keep the pony toy - Chrysalis whispered to him, admitted to him and to herself that all was her fault. Not the fault of the ponies; not the fault of her former changelings. Hers. Hers and hers alone. "Oh, I ruined everything, Shiny; it's all gone, everything is g-o-o-o-one...!"

If despair had a form it was she at this moment. Unthinking, instinctively, Chrysalis teleported, then, desiring to be anywhere but here, anywhere where she might find a mere scrap of love and forgiveness, anywhere where she wouldn't be alone. As she held onto her guardian plush, the poor former Queen startled as she felt pony hooves then a warm body then feathered wings wrap about her wretched form.

Opening her eyes Chrysalis saw a sea of pink. "C-C-C-Cad--!" she sniffled, but the Alicorn of Love - the mare who she'd treated so badly - shushed her gently, not scolding, but consoling and the former Queen's eyes blurred anew with fresh tears, the sound of her lost, foal-like cries near making Cadance's heart ache. "There, there..." she soothed Chrysalis gently, rocking her, "there, there, now, sssh..."

Later, once Chrysalis was finally able to stop crying, as she sipped gently from a glass of water she stuttered, "W-Wh-Why...?!"

Cadance's next words floored the poor former Queen, making her nearly drop her glass in shock. "I forgive you," the Princess of Love stated softly, as if it was a Royal Declaration--and perhaps, to her, it was. "I forgive you." Shortly thereafter, the Princess of Love sort-of-unofficially adopted the stunned and dazed former Changeling Queen, allowing Chrysalis to live in her home, with a few simple rules which Chrysalis followed almost eagerly.

At this, Shining Armor was furious!

Later, Princess Cadance took the former Queen Chrysalis as her Student, teaching her the ways of Ponies, of the Magic of Friendship, and of the Magic of Love such that the Queen learned to see it as more than just an emotion to feed on.

At this, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight were furious!

But that is another Short for another time.

178. Shining...

When I gently led Shining Armor - completely kitted out in his special Pet Therapy Tack - into their room, poor Cadence gasped softly... and then her eyes misted with tears as she breathed, "Oh, Shiny..."

"Yes," the white stallion intoned once I gently removed the soft bit from his mouth, "I've begun attending Pony Pet Therapy. I've become a... a Pet Pony, Cady. This is David, my 'owner...'"

"I..." Cadence was stumped. "I don't understand!" she cried. "Why? How could you... demean yourself like this. You're a Prince for Luna's sake--and the Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard!"

At this, something inside poor Shining Armor snapped, and I slackened his halter lead allowing him to pace as his frustrations boiled over. "EXACTLY!" he thundered, a heavy snort escaping through his nose, bringing Cadence silent. "Sisters, Cady... do you have any idea how stressful it all is. Managing the guard, my duties as a Prince, having to attend the courts and functions, plus... the other problems I've been having..."

"What problems?" Cadence wanted to know--but Shining cut her off as he continued.

"It... it got so bad that I started to get the headaches again; like the ones I had during the Royal Wedding when... she was draining me. I... I had to do something..." Shining Armor inhaled a breath then released, calming himself, gathering his thoughts. "I... I'd heard about the human's 'Pet Therapy' from Twily, who regularly attends. It's a very special, discreet service offered by the Petting Parlors - carefully monitored and regulated - where a human and a pony enter into a Contract. For a specified time, a pony can agree to become a human's pet. When this happens the pony who becomes the pet can let go; surrender the responsibilities of normal pony life and just be cared for and loved unconditionally. It's an utterly gentle, nurturing treatment, for both ponies and humans. To care and be cared for--and yet more than that..."

Shining moved to lean gently against David and - without thinking - the human knelt to scratch his withers and oh bliss... Seeing his face, the blissed expression, Cadence licked her lips. "So, David is your... your owner? When you first became his pet... What did he do?" Breathless, she awaited his reply--and the big male didn't disappoint.

"He took me to his house and ran me a hot bath, Cady--and during that bath he bathed me by hand. Oh, Alicorns," the stallion moaned, "it was bliss. His hands and fingers can reach places hooves just can't get to. David washed me so well - gave me so much pleasure during the bathing - that I... I dropped there as I stood in the bath. But... but David didn't care; he just... he just..." A deep, primal snort escaped Shining Armor then as he remembered what David had done; how the human had gently fondled him with wet, soapy hand until he was fully erect, before the human had curled his hand around his stallionhood, allowing the big male to rut himself to climax, whinnying and snorting with ancient, feral lust!

As David moved to gently scratch him behind the ears, Shining Armor continued. "After the bath, David dried me off with this big fluffy towel and then petted me until I fell asleep. Mmmhh... The day after that, my new owner took me to an Equestrian Vet - a human highly skilled at treating our injuries and maladies. The vet used a machine called an 'Ex-Ray' to look inside my body - discovering that I had multiple tiny stress fractures in various places from training - and he also gave me a mild painkiller, which I'm now being taken off of. No more stress, Cady. That's what the vet said; that and plenty of Pet Therapy, and I should be fine..."

As the tears fell from her eyes, poor Cadence watched in awe and horror as her Shining Armor sat to lean against David; he nickered, nuzzled and fawned gently against his human owner, shamelessly shifting this way and that way for petting. What kind of power did the humans have that they could reduce brave, upstanding ponies to mere pets? Suddenly, a horrible thought struck her! Was that what would happen? Would Equestrian Ponies eventually become the pets of humans? She... she had to stop this! Gently, near-seductively, the Princess of Love sashayed towards them. "Oh, Shiny," she purred throatily, "you don't need this Pet Therapy. I can take care of all your needs. I can take care of you..."

It was a mistake.

A huge one.

No sooner had she stood and started to move towards them, Shining Armor's eyes glazed over as the other problems he'd hinted at came roaring to the surface... flashbacks. He knew it was Cadence - David had told him repeatedly that this was Cadence - and yet... and yet... "...you don't need this Pet Therapy. I can take care of all your needs. I can take care of you..." Chrysalis in her guise stated as she slowly stalked him. "Love me, Shiny, only me..." Chrysalis whispered as she leaned forward, opening her mouth, her fangs showing slightly as she made to kiss him, made to show him her love. "Please Shiny," Cadence said spreading her insectoid wings wide...

A terrified, coltish whinny was torn from poor Shining Armor as he turned and bolted from the room, David moving to intercept him, the human picking him up and leaving swiftly, even as the white Unicorn, lost in memory, continued to 'run' his legs flailing uselessly as he bawled like a terrified foal.

Both exited the room at that point, leaving behind Cadence who sat upon the floor, horrified at what had occurred.

Outside, David softly petted and stroked poor Shining Armor as he cried, "I... I thought I was rea-a-a-dy..."

Rocking the poor male back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, foal-like, David soothed him softly, gently. "I know; I thought you were, too. I'm sorry, Shine. I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay..." the big unicorn slurred. "I fhorghive you, Masterr. P-P-Please take me home. Take me home..."

"Of course," the human replied, hoping deep within that he hadn't set back their therapy by months.

179. Contract (Pet!Shining Armour II)

A couple of days later, a saddened Cadance met Shining Armor and I at my house. "So... this is how it is, then?" she stated, sadly. "You 'own' my Shining Armor? As a pet? I... I don't understand! Is... he your slave?" At her harshly-worded question, poor Shining Armor whimpered, a distressed noise, and cuddled closer against me as I brushed along his mane and coat. As his eyes slowly closed - a soft noise, almost a purr escaping him - I gently shook my head, frowning, before I answered curtly, "Of course not! The Pony Petting Association - not to mention the Royal Guard, and the Equestrian Princesses - deal very harshly with cases of abuse! No, what Shining and I have is a contract - an actual written contract - between us, signed by him and me, and witnessed by the PPA; the original is with the Princesses."

When Cadance looked confused and skeptical, I gestured to the scroll-case I always carried on my belt. "Get that and bring it here; I'll show you..." I said and when the Princess of Love complied - levitating the case with her magic and bringing it within reach - I gently took it from her magic and opened it. Cadance gasped softly, then, as I carefully brought out one of the finest vellum scrolls she'd ever seen. The gold-gilded vellum-parchment had been printed with the finest human/equestrian calligraphy, and the entire scroll had a shining mother-of-pearl effect. Gently, hesitantly, Princess Cadance took the scroll and then unfurled it to read. "This... is a legitimate contract..." she murmured as she studied the scroll, which - to her surprise - didn't contain any 'legalese' at all; it was written plainly.

Shining Armor's agreement to be a pet for an agreed upon time, his "owner's" agreement to host and care for him for said time, as well as a list of all rights the unicorn stallion was entitled to as a pet, along with a list of responsibilities I was expected to uphold when caring for him, along with the extremely severe penalties I would face if I failed to uphold them. Eyes widening with fascination and intrigue, the Princess of Love began to read through the document--but then one particular section immediately caught her eye. "Shiny isn't allowed to speak Equish?" she queried. Her question made me think for a moment; then putting the brush aside to stroke Shining Armor's mane and coat with my hands, I answered, "In certain situations, yes, he can elect to - when it's just him and me alone, when he's with a close circle of friends, and to you if he wishes, your Highness - but most of the time he'll only speak whinny, the ancient language of Ponies, since speaking modern Equish breaks immersion of the roleplay."

That said I gently scratched Shining Armor behind the ears and at my touch, he groaned and then nickered softly, Cadance's ears pricking forward at the primal sound. Returning to the Contract, she continued reading. A short time later, she asked, "He... he doesn't... do his business outside?" With a shake of my head, I replied, "No, of course not; it's allowed that he can use the toilet as any non-pet pony would!" Expelling a relieved sigh, the Princess of Love resumed reading--until her eyes widened in shock! "S-Sex between..." As Shining moved to rest in my lap, I gave her a serious look and nodded, "Yes, there's allowances for that, too--but it has to happen naturally, and both owner and pet must consent to it; in addition such 'encounters' must be carefully logged in the Therapy Journal every owner is given as both parties are questioned on it to determine consent and beneficence. During, and at end of contract, all pet ponies who choose to enter into sexual relationships with their owners - as well as the owners themselves - are required to visit the PPA Clinics for regular health checks. Sexual abuse, as well as certain types of sexual play, will not be tolerated; owners under contract who have sexually hurt their pets - even in consensual role-play - have their contracts made void."

Stuttering, Cadance shyly asked, "H-How...? When...?" As Shining rose to sit, gently putting an arm about him, I stroked his chest and he leaned into my touch. "Well," I coughed gently, "sometimes, my petting makes him aroused as he has a very sensitive coat, and sometimes when we're in the bath he'll become aroused when I wash him. Sometimes he, well... nuzzles me... to tell me he wants to..." Cadance waved a hoof, blushing with embarrassment--but then she grew somber and serious. "Have you ever..." She stopped, then started again, "Have you ever encountered ponies... who keep on asking for an extension to their contracts?" Satisfied with what she'd read, she put my own Contract back in its case then returned the case to where she'd gotten it from as softly, sadly, I answered, "Yes." Her eyes widened, misted with tears as I continued. "There are ponies out there whose lives are so bad - or who just can't cope, or who are so very hurt, or utterly desperate for simple companionship - that they jump at the chance to be a pet. We... we try to weed those ponies out - try to get them proper help - but... sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes ponies lie out of desperation to be loved and adored. And... sometimes... there are ponies who just want to leave their lives; to absolve themselves of all responsibility and give it to another. It's sad, but ultimately true."

Cadance blinked, nodded; and then, together we sat in silence.

180. Flurry.

Alas, there was little she could do to sway the Nobility lest she sow the seeds of rebellion within her fledgling Empire and so, with heavy heart, Princess Cadence commanded the human - with his strange pyramid and mysterious technology - to leave.

Having grown very close to him during his year-long stay with the Crystal Ponies, poor Princess Flurry Heart was devastated; as he finished hugging her - perhaps a little longer than normal - when Shining Armor gently pulled her apart from David, as the human reluctantly let go of her she wept like a foal, fighting her Father's grip, to no avail.

His own eyes misty at the loss of friends and at circumstances beyond his control, the human High Templar returned to his golden pyramid-ship; then, as Flurry Heart watched - her eyes awash with tears she didn't want to even try to stop - the Great Pyramid slowly ascended into the sky.

Then it was gone, and Flurry - though surrounded by friends and family - felt utterly alone.

It took her several weeks to overcome her sadness; during that time the Crystal Empire - for unknown reasons - grew even colder than usual.

Roughly three months later, however - as little Flurry Heart was about to fall asleep in her bed for yet another night - suddenly, IT filled her thoughts; that voice, the same ancient, yet gentle and comforting voice, like the gentle creaking of worn-in metal.

FLURRY... HEART...

Gasping, Flurry leaped from her bed and raced over to the nearest window which led to a balcony; then, throwing it open, she bolted outside, raising her head to the sky.

No sooner had she done so then another gasp escaped her as warmth infused her body, the hidden implants she'd all but begged her friend to give her starting to activate once more.

Her internal warp beacon. The Bio-System Cybernetic Grafts in her legs, which - as she grew - would grow with her. The Induced Psionic Field Generator, which surrounded her with a Psionic Plasma Shield that nopony in the Empire - or Equestria beyond - could detect. All were returning to life, along with the internal Nanocyte Hives which sustained them and enhanced her body's organic systems.

The final implant to reactivate was her Neural Transceiver, and as it turned on - this time making itself all others permanently active forever - little Flurry Heart bawled with a foal's joy as Music filled her thoughts.

It was the wordless, wonderous alien song she'd heard and fallen in love with when the human had first arrived. David had played it for her and her alone.

This was her song, and for little Flurry Heart it meant only one thing: her friend was returning.

David was returning to her.

She would not lose him again.

181. "Human Pony."

It began with - of all things - a book of Equestrian History.

The newest Human Pony, David, had found the long-forgotten tome on a long-forgotten shelf in the darkest, dustiest corner of the Canterlot Library.

Though he was unable to read - since he'd not been taught yet (this would be an upcoming part of his reeducation and acclimatization to the new world in which he found himself) - he could at least look at the pictures within.

And look he did.

The book David had found, however, was not a book about Modern Equestrian History - as he had first thought - but was instead a book about Ancient Equestrian History.

What David found within horrified him beyond belief!

Stallions - of which he was thankfully still one - had been treated as second-class citizens at best, or sub-pony breeding slaves at worst.

Images of stallions with ears, wings, manes, and tails cut off. Thin, beaten, starved, dying, all for the pleasure of their cruel mare mistresses.

Stallions led about with leashes, treated as nothing less then slaves or property, with no rights what so ever or barely any at all, unable to own anything, or be anything other than, well, walking sperm donors to sire more mares.

Horror gripped the human pony's guts; was this to be his fate? He would not let it come to pass...

Before the kindly librarian could say or do anything to stop him, sick with fear, David fled the library; then he bolted from the Royal Palace itself.

He knew of one place that might be a bastion of safety: The Everfree Forest, the place that 'ran itself'; the only place even remotely like his Home World.

There he went. There he thrived, building a lean-to, which began a cabin, which became a small fortress.

Thereafter ponies began to hear of whispers of a Human Pony who had refused to stud for Equestria. A pony whom defied the Princesses. A Stallion who refused mares. One who would never submit to the 'mare-triarchy' as stallions called it.

Broken, beaten, with nothing to lose, others soon found their way to him, stallions and even a few mares; the battered, the broken, the meek, the markless, the poor and starving. A fortress soon became a city.

Unwilling to lose such a prize as a Human Pony, a massive marehunt was launched--with disastrous consequences!

Noblemares sent their stallion servants into the forest to find him. Those stallions never returned.

Then the Noblemares themselves dared to brave the forest. Those ponies returned horrified into silence, their wings, manes, and tails cut off; and in the worst of cases, with their very tongues cut out. Others whispered fearful tales of a thriving, advanced city led by a Human Pony King.

There, stallions were in charge whilst mares looked to them for guidance, but - though they were treated with great respect as near-equals to their partners - no mare held any position of power in the city.

Finally, Celestia herself went to the City in the Everfree.

The Human Pony, David, was waiting for her there.

Several hours later, the Alicorn of the Sun returned, her eyes and face wet with countless shed tears.

Some ponies say that the Ever Free King and Celestia engaged in a terrible battle, during which the city and its people were destroyed.

Some say that Celestia allowed her ears, mane, wings and tail to be cut off; but she magically healed herself upon her exit of the forest.

Some ponies even said that the several hours she spent in the City was in fact a lifetime; that she and the King fell in love and she bore him a foal.

Few know the truth of what happened that day... except Celestia herself.

Later, she confessed to her sister, as she wept into her coat:

Seeing him backed into the darkest corner, in a puddle of vomit and urine, begging, pleading with her for his life and freedom - when she had no intention of harming him at all - utterly broke her heart.

As he begged, pleaded, wept, David confessed that he had done those terrible things to the arrogant Nobleponies not out of malice, but out of fear, heart-wrenching terrible fear for his safety among her ponies.

When he saw that she wasn't going to harm him - that she was herself horrified by his unstable condition - David then flew into a furious rage as he showed her the book he'd stolen from the library oh-so-long ago. He thrust it into her face, slapped her repeatedly with its repulsive pages, demanded to know what it was. He howled, hollered, ranted, raved at her in a combination of English and broken equestrian.

Then he burst into tears as - ignoring the pain of what he'd done to her - she looked at the book's title... and wished she hadn't.

Malleus Equum Masculum.

The Hammer of Stallions.

Literally a guide to the breaking, humiliation, subjugation, and utter enslavement of Stallions; something written by a horrible mare from an even more horrible time.

Setting the repulsive tome aside, Celestia magically cleaned up the mess of urine and vomit then as David continued to cry she gathered him into a tangle of wings and forelegs, rocking him, singing to him gently, letting him weep into her coat as her own tears fell and fell.

In the end, Celestia pardoned David and freed him of any obligations to Equestria, declaring by Royal Decree that he and 'his' ponies were not to be bothered; any Noblemares who tried were to face harsh penalties.

Also, rather than having the last copy of the Malleus Equum Masculum destroyed, Celestia had the work reprinted again and again - unedited, unabridged, unaltered - but, moreso, expanded with extensive research and notes added in by her student, Twilight Sparkle, who became physically ill the more she worked on it.

The Malleus Equum became an educational text for the subject of History, mandatory reading for all mares who thought to abuse stallions--all were horrified by the expanded work. The work once detailing the enslavement of stallions now became the ultimate guide as to what NOT to do when it came to stallions. The book served as a grim reminder, a warning, something that made 'modern' mares burst into tears and gently hold their stallions close as they wept in horror at its brutal imagery and utterly cold instruction.

The book heralded sweeping change for Equestria itself--but what of the Human Pony, David, the so-called Ever Free King?

Well, it is whispered that he and Celestia grew very close with each other, their relationship transitioning from friendly at first to romantic...

When asked if they grew close enough that he sired within her a foal, Celestia shakes her head and denies it, of course.

In secret, however, she smiles gently, rubbing softly at her belly...

But that is another story for another time.

Author's Note

Written after reading, "In Service to His Country" by Typist Grey.

182. Steel.

When Luna entered the sweltering heat of the Steel Works the Foremare who saw her face-hoofed quietly, before shouting over the noise, "BOSS! THE BLUE-BITCH IS BACK--AGAIN!"

"Shit--" Grumbling, cursing and swearing under his breath, the Boss of the Steel Works heaved himself away from the station he'd been working at, carefully monitoring the temperatures of the steel going in and out of the massive cauldrons as well as making sure the safeties were fine. A massive black alicorn - coat and mane coal black as the ores he mined - he stomped over to poor Luna and before she could even open her mouth, the Boss stated, "What da fuck you want mare?! Speak up or get da hell outta my steel mill!"

"This has gone far enough!" Luna snapped. "Thou hast a duty to serve Equestria as a Prince, whelp! Present yourself to us at Canterlot at onc--MRPH!"

He'd never attacked her before. In all their confrontations, he'd gotten loud, he'd shouted, he'd insulted, but he'd never attacked her. Just one visit too many now, she guessed; just a little too late as he squeezed her jaw shut with a hoof, forcing her to bite her own tongue. "As Prince of whut, you blue-maned night-bringing, world-ending cunt?!" he thundered. "As Prince of what?! Mining? Steel? Ores?!" Gesturing to two titanic Earth Ponies he barked, "Shut 'er down!" The Princess of the Night realized then that she'd made a fatal mistake.

Before Luna could even make to breathe, heavy duty straps meant for tying down mammoth loads of steel were attached to her muzzle, wings, and legs; whilst a powerful inhibitor - used when handling the most delicate, magic-sensitive ores was locked on her horn. Once she was thoroughly unable to move, the alicorn boss of Phoenixfire Steel Works, bellowed at her,

"DIS IS DA LAST TIME I'M GONNA SAY DIS, MARE! I AIN'T GOT NO INTEREST IN BEIN' A PRINCE; I DUN GIVE A FLYIN' SHIT ABOUT RULIN' OVER YA NAMBY PAMBY PONIES A CANTALOT! DA ONLY PONIES WHO MEAN ANYTIN TO ME ARE MY COLTS AN' MARES HERE," he gestured to all of the many, many factory workers watching the verbal barrage from wherever they'd been previously working. "FA FUCK'S SAKE, MARE, MAH LIFE IS MINE! I GOTS FOALS TA FEED AN' BILLS TA PAY - SO DO MY GUYS - AND NONE'A MY PONIES AN I ARE GONNA STOP WORKIN' JUST CAUSE' YOU SAY SO!" With a whisper of magic he shifted off his protective suit. "FOR DA LAST TIME: I'M A FOOKIN' EARTH PONY, I AN'T INTERESTED IN BEIN' A PRINCE, AND DESE WINGS AN' HORN--" he angrily gestured to them, "--DON'T MEAN NOTHIN'!"

With that, he turned to address several of his workers, "ORDER UP," he bellowed to be heard over the noise as work resumed. Immediately several workers snapped to attention. "EXPRESS DELIVERY FA CANTERLOT: ONE BLUE PAIN-IN-THE-ASS ALICORN MARE. LET'S HUSTLE, TIME IS MONEY, PONIES..."

* * *

When the Earth Ponies who'd manhandled the massive steel crate into her quarters drilled out the massive rivets to open it, Celestia gasped as inside she beheld her sister, locked to the floor of the crate by massive triple-riveted iron cuffs, her wings bound in the thickest chains the solar mare had ever seen. Unable to move, her hooves locked by the cuffs and her body strapped in place, forcing her to stand, Luna cried inside the thick Iron Mask clamped about her head, its visage resembling a hideous, snarling Nightmare Moon. Sighing, unlocking her Sister with the set of custom keys thoughtfully provided, Celestia held Luna as she shivered and bawled like a foal.

Later, as she held her sister, Celestia stated, "You bothered Double Cap again. I've told you so many times, Luna: this is what drove the other Alicorn Ponies away. Remember what happened with Applejack when she ascended? Remember the human David when he became an alicorn through science; through an accident?! Countless other dimensional travelers who became alicorn ponies? For foal's sake Luna: Leave. Them. Alone. They may or may not come to us for guidance when THEY are ready, not a moment before; and if they choose not to become royalty then THAT IS THEIR CHOICE!"

183. Tempest. [DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE]

Fizzlepop Berrytwist - nee Tempest Shadow - appraised the human, the first of his kind she'd ever seen. Dark brown hair done up in a peculiar braid framed a weathered face with hazel eyes, a very small muzz - no, a nose - and lips drawn up in a curious little smile. A hand with five fingers - attached to a pink-skinned arm, dusted with a light coating of fur - slowly drew away from her towards his body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor. As she took him in, his hazel eyes - glowing faintly with the light of barely suppressed psionic power - appraised her in return. 'I have walked beside the Storm King himself!' Tempest thought. 'So... why do I suddenly feel so small...'

Girding her loins, steeling herself, she inhaled a breath and then spoke. "I am Tempest Shadow," she stated, softly. "I... I have come here because--because I have heard rumors that you can cure diseases, treat medical conditions, and heal injuries that we ponies can't. I... I was hoping you might be able to restore my horn..." Even as she trailed off, scuffing a hoof on the ground, suddenly feeling very self-conscious - 'He won't be able to help; nopony can...' - the human looked upon her with concern and more than a little worry--and then she raised her head, a breath escaping her as he moved; one moment he'd been three feet away from her, the next he was there, his hazel eyes locking with her own emerald as he knelt down, gently guiding her closer to examine her head.

When he reached out and touched her for that first time, Tempest exhaled a softened gasp and flinched as the only other to touch her in such a manner had been the rat Vurko, and his touch hadn't been gentle as he'd roughly squeezed her cheeks. David's touch, however, was as different from Vurko's as night and day, the human's hands cupping her cheeks with amazing gentleness. As he stroked her cheeks with his palms, Tempest's eyes widened with wonder, a soft noise - almost a primal nicker - escaping her, eyes misting as she found herself involuntarily stepping towards him, wanting to feel more of his touch as it was the first gesture of kindness she'd felt since losing her horn. Thankfully, she did get to feel more of the human's gentle touch; when he bade her lower his head, a groan escaped her, followed by a giggle of embarrassment as David scratched her behind the ears soothingly, even as he turned her head this way and that, taking in the break of her horn visually.

Finally - as if he was talking about the weather, so very mundane! - he stated, "I can repair this, I think." Hope bloomed within Tempest as the human continued. "Name's David, and believe it or not, yours isn't the worst horn I've had to fix; in fact yours will be easier then most. I'll just need to grow you a new one rather than try to mend the split of something already there. Come on, to sickbay..." Eyes misting with tears, she followed where he went, soon finding herself inside what seemed to be a miniature hospital; several sophisticated-looking beds against the far wall, one main bed in the center and what seemed to be an office just away from that.

The human - David, he said his name was - gently directed her to remove her armor. "Don't want anything to interfere with what we're doing here..." he stated by way of explanation, then once her armor was gone and she was sat upon the main bed in the center of sickbay he picked up some sort of probe-like device and activated it; immediately she winced as it resonated with her broken horn! Upon seeing this, he dialed down the intensity of the probe then set to passing it back and forth several times over the stump of her horn, listening to the sounds it emitted even as he consulted some sort of readout from a bracer on his forearm. "Magical channels and nerves are still there, they've just been cut. How'd this happen?" Hesitantly, haltingly, Tempest told him her story, and at the end of her tale David inhaled then - to her surprise - hugged her gently.

"You're very lucky; the break is bad, of course, but the nerves and channels were severed clean, thankfully; that means your horn can be fixed. We begin now..." Poor Tempest could barely keep herself from crying, a little sob escaping her as David went away and then returned with a device he called a Hypospray; then, pressing it against her forehead, beneath her horn-stump he pressed the trigger on its triangular head and Tempest heard a soft 'chuff' as whatever was inside was injected into her bloodstream. "First, a local anesthetic for you; I'm going to use a tool to clean up the break, flatten it out; without the anesthetic this would hurt as the nerves are jarred..." Tempest winced and David nodded. After several minutes of waiting, David tapped the stump of her horn, and even poked her forehead harshly, but - to her surprise - the dark purple unicorn felt nothing! When she told him this, the human nodded; then he had her sit whilst he used a horn-rasp, followed by a fine horn file, to smooth the jagged break. Strangely, he was careful to also suck away the bone fragments and dust made by his work. "We'll need that for later," he stated.

Once Tempest's horn-stump was relatively smooth, David went over to a storage cabinet from which he produced what appeared to be a golden 'false' horn, which he affixed tightly to her head by first drilling the tiniest of micro-holes into her horn-stump and then using even tinier screws. After that, to her surprise, David unscrewed the 'tip' of the false horn and then filled it with sterile water before screwing the tip back on! "Shake your head about, please," he stated promptly. "I need to check the seal is tight." Tempest did so, shaking her head from side to side and up and down for a moment; then, David carefully checked to make sure that no water had leaked from the false horn down her head. None had. "Looks good," the human said, a note of triumph in his voice. "Lower your head please..." Eager to see what might happen next, Tempest obeyed; then David popped the top off the false horn - which caused the water to pour out - and, after collecting it into a beaker for disposal, he blew out the horn with air, before pouring inside a chemical concoction which felt pleasantly warm. "This," he said as he carefully filled the horn, "is a chemical concoction full of nutrients, and everything else we need to encourage the growth of nerves and the other flesh-components of your horn; let's just call it NerveGen."

Tempest Shadow just couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, for fear she might start crying again. This human, David, had done more in the past half hour then the wretched Storm King had ever done for her! Once the false horn was full, David screwed the cap on, then looked at her sternly. "Okay, Tempest: The anesthetic I used will wear off, but you still won't feel anything as there's a numbing agent in the NerveGen. Now there's a lattice in the false horn you're wearing that simulates the correct paths in a real unicorn horn; the NerveGen will get your horn's organic parts growing again and over the next six weeks they should grow correctly along that lattice. You'll stay here in the Sickbay and we'll monitor this to be sure. As the soft parts of your horn grow, the NerveGen will be 'used up' and evaporate; once it's gone we replace it with this..." David left briefly, returning with a tube of ivory liquid, "sort of a, well, it's... I guess you could call it a bone formula, but we need an agent to get it going..." and here he poured the dust and shavings from her smoothed horn-break into the liquid, then sealed it--fast! "Don't want this going off before we can use it..." Carefully, he stowed it away to ensure the bone formula stayed liquid until needed.

Being mindful of the false horn she wore, filled with the precious NerveGen, Tempest Shadow - her whole body trembling - made to hug David fiercely! She tried to find words to say - tried to thank him profusely for what he was doing - but the words wouldn't come. Her tears did, though, as she wept, wept, wept like a foal. David understood. Gathering her up, he held her close and rocked her gently, petting her body, murmuring soothingly to her as he ruffled her mane and scratched her behind the ears, turning her cries into watery giggles. Six weeks passed, and during that time Tempest Shadow remained in the Sickbay of David's amazing pyramidal home, the Dragon Weyr. During that time, the human carefully monitored the regrowth of her horn's soft parts - the many nerves and magical channels - via the use of an amazing machine that let her see inside the false horn she wore; it was mind-blowing for her as she'd never seen anything like it!

Tempest wasn't bored whilst waiting for the inner parts of her horn to grow; on the contrary, David kept her entertained with good food, and good drink, and answered her near constant stream of questions--and when he couldn't he got her access to the Ihan Archives, his home's enormous library. Tempest was gobsmacked; who would have thought that somewhere below where she lay, a mighty franken-ship governed everything in this place! Of course, there were a few scares to be had, when David found that a few of the new nerves weren't growing correctly and were fusing together when they shouldn't have. "It's how horn tumors form," the human stated casually as he gently teased the nerves apart with microsurgical tools whilst she lay under local anesthetic and sterile field. Once he'd 'reset' them and they were again growing as they should, David continued, "and this can lead to horn malformation - leading to miscast or null magic - or worse, they can lead to horn amputation, or even tumors in other parts of the body. Fortunately, these things are rare. You get horn tumors forming when there's been a break or an accident with the horn resulting in nerve damage. Very common thing with foals - always getting into accidents and roughhousing - but also easily treatable if caught early."

Six weeks later, Tempest Shadow found she had no control over her tail; with a mind of its own it wagged, doglike as David went away then returned with the bone formula. "Okay, Tempest: the false horn stays on for seventy two hours while this cures..." he said as he poured the mixture into the false horn - carefully and delicately covering the soft organic parts - before screwing the cap back onto the false horn and then filling it via a tiny inlet. "Maybe I'll leave it on for a little longer..." Ninety-six hours later - unable to speak - her whole body trembling, Tempest Shadow stood before a full length mirror with bated anticipation. "Ready for the moment of truth?" David asked. When she nodded jerkily, the human depressed a tiny button within the golden-metal horn; then Tempest shivered as she felt a mechanism within releasing. "It's okay; it's just the release for the horn lattice..." the human said soothingly--and then, as the unicorn mare looked on slowly, gently, David unscrewed and then slid the false horn from her head...

The color looked newer, fresher above the break. It looked rough, like it needed a really good file, trim, and polish. She could still see the wires of the three dimensional lattice sticking out; they needed trimming. None of that mattered at all to Tempest Shadow... because the newly grown horn protruding from her forehead was hers. All the pain, all the heartache she had endured since her friends had abandoned her, all the misery of working for the Storm King, it had all led up to this. Gently, delicately, she touched it, noting that it still 'felt' wrong - the numbing agent would wear off in time - but still... at last, it was done. Eyes misting with tears, a heartfelt sob escaping her throat, she turned to David, "... know it still looks a bit rough and the lattice wires need to be trimmed, but we'll fix that so--OOF!" Tackling him to the floor with her, Tempest Shadow attempted to see if she could permanently graft herself to the human via hug, like Pinkie Pie. 'MY Human!' she thought, fiercely. 'MINE!'

She owed him a debt she couldn't ever hope to repay, so she thought, irrationally, she would serve him forever; he would make a far better master then the Storm King ever was! Tempest cuddled normally with David for a while; then she wedged her muzzle beneath his chin and wailed uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she nuzzled her human furiously; then she just resumed clinging to him, trembling as though she were dying of cold. Over and over and over again she did this, years of frustration and pain pouring from her in great, shaking, unrelenting sobs as she cried, and cried, and cried. Later - after he'd given her something to drink - David gently bathed and washed Tempest Shadow then dried her with a big fluffy towel; after that, as they lay together near the fireplace in Weyrhome, the human said gently, "For now, Tempest: foal's spells only, okay? Levitation, the basics, that sort of thing, until the new nerves and channels strengthen a bit. Have Twilight design you a training regimen."

Tempest Shadow nodded. "As you command, my King," she stated with utter conviction.

David blinked.

Then he blinked again.

"What did you call me?"

Tempest Shadow said nothing in reply; instead, she just looked up at what was now hers with adoring eyes.

184. Night Guard

The diminutive grey thestral mare - who'd been assigned as my night guard by Princess Luna whilst I was staying here in the Royal Palace - looked up at me, awaiting my response to what she'd said. For a moment, I looked at her dumbly. Then, "What?" I asked. "Could you please repeat that?"

Blushing deeply, her leathery, bat-like wings twitching with her nervousness as she scuffed the ground with a hoof, Whisper Song inhaled a breath and then repeated, "I--I'm... I'm a petophile, sir. I... I love being petted by humans..." Suddenly, it was as if a floodgate burst open; with those words the poor mare kept talking, starting to sob a little, tears filling her eyes as she continued, "I love to be petted by humans; I love the way your hands feel as they run through my coat; the way your fingers feel as they comb through my mane; the way your skin feels against my fur when I... when I..." An anguished noise escaped her before she continued, "I... I used to work as a Pet Therapy Pony!" she rasped. "I let adults and children pet me gently all over and got paid for it, yes, but I loved it so, so much; it helped them and they all adored me and all I had to do was act a little like a feral pony. I... at first I was unsure about it all but after a while I began to love it; being cared for and fed and petted by the hospital staff and patients... Then... then my family found out..."

Here, Whisper Song's lips drew back into a terrible snarl, revealing her fangs as her words turned bitter. "My Mother and Father, oh they were furious! Heaven forbid that a pony of their Noble House" she spat, "would spend time with commoners as a lowly animal! Without warning I was pulled from a job I loved to one I barely tolerated! 'Being a Guard of the Princesses is a great honour!' they said. Oh, sure, if you like guarding doors all day, or Nobles who treat you like furniture, or even the damn Princesses who either couldn't care less or just use us as eye candy!" Eyes narrowed to slits, years of frustration and rage pouring from frothy lips, she continued, "The damn Princesses don't need guards; they're alicorns for Faust's sake--and being a Night Guard is the worst! Nopony ever comes to Night Court; nor any humans and I MISS BEING PETTED, I WANT TO BE PETTED!!!" With a frustrated final scream, poor Whisper Song collapsed to the floor, buried her head in her forehooves and wept tears of anguish.

Feeling somewhat heartbroken myself - though the night was hot and I was stripped down to my underwear - I made to get out of bed to comfort her--but then, my eyes widened as the shadows in the corner of the room grew longer, and then pony-shaped, before coalescing into the form of Princess Luna. Immediately, I made to warn poor Whisper Song that the Princess was here--but to my surprise, Luna shook her head, mouthed "Don't!", and then winked at me before she barked like a Drill Seargeant, "NIGHT GUARD WHISPER SONG, ATTEN-HUT!"

A half-sob, half-whinny of terror escaping her, poor Whisper Song immediately snapped to her hooves and spun to face her Princess, a hoof raised in salute, her eyes so wide with fright that I couldn't see the gold, only her black, dilated pupils! "At ease, my Guard," Luna huffed; then - as poor Whisper Song did her best to comply, the Princess of the Night stalked around her, taking note of her fur, stained with tears, her reddened eyes, and the clicking of her armor's plates as she shivered with fear. "Knowest We this dreadful condition," Luna stated coldly, her words biting, angry as she inspected poor Whisper Song. "Thy shivering body, twitching wings, dilated pupils, drooped ears, weeping and much sadness. T'is known as 'Homo sapiens contactio absentia. Seen it before We hath, in many a so-called 'petophile.'" She snapped.

Then, "Haveth We here a lack of communication," she suddenly boomed, making Whisper Song squeak and jump. "Why were We not informed of thy condition?!" she barked, rhetorically. "Had We known of this, We wouldst never have recruited thou! It seems we shall be engaging in... much needed discourse... with the pony whom sent thee with a rather hastily written letter of Draft to Our Guard Offices on behalf of a Noble House! Hmmph! 'Please induct this juvenile delinquent...'--mine flank!" Princess Luna snorted. "But that shall come in time. Now... as for thou..." she leaned forward as poor Whisper Song leaned back, a half-sob escaping the poor Guardsmare. "... thy condition is most severe indeed - dire, in fact - so much so that treatment must begin--immediately!"

When Luna spoke the words, "Homo sapiens contactio absentia" - though she was still utterly terrified - it suddenly dawned on Whisper Song that the poor mare had been played - Luna wasn't here to punish her; she was playing, in her own way, a gentle prank - and so the thestral mare, waited - 'quivering with 'fear' - for the Night Princess's next words. "NIGHT GUARD WHISPER SONG," the Princess barked. "ARMOR... OFF!" Something akin to a half-whinny, half-laugh, half-sob escaping her, Whisper Song complied all-too-eagerly, hastily unbuckling and stripping off the hated armor, boots, and helm, a relieved groan escaping her as she cast it away; with the heavy armor off she just felt so much cooler, so much better. After giving her a moment to shake herself out and stretch freely, "NIGHT GUARD WHISPER SONG," the Princess barked again, "PRESENT... COAT!"

Another half-laugh escaping from her, the little thestral mare turned this way and that before us, presenting her grey coat for inspection and inspect it Luna did, stalking forwards to gently nose with her snoot, the most sensitive part of her muzzle. "T'is a little matted from the wearing of thine armor," the Princess stated, "but t'is nothing that a good brushing will not mend. Otherwise, excellent presentation; t'is washed, clean and very silky, perfect for human hands to run through!" Her coat gleaming in the light of the fire's embers, Whisper Song blushed gently at the praise, eyes misty. Stepping back, Princess Luna snapped, "PRESENT... MANE!" Whinnying joyfully, Whisper Song reared before her Princess and I, shaking her head to 'fluff' and present her mane for display. Here, Princess Luna frowned, "'Helm-mane'", she tsked, "from - obviously - wearing of thy helmet; and the worst case We hath ever seen! T'is utterly disgraceful!" she crowed with well acted 'condemnation', pointing an accusing hoof.

"An excuse to have it combed judiciously via human distal phalanges no doubt--and to have thy scalp massaged beneath! For shame!" Smothering a grin and a laugh, Luna became as stone as she barked a final time, "PRESENT... TAIL!" At this, poor Whisper Song blushed deeply; then 'fluffed' and hiked her tail for inspection, something normally asked of by pony dams of their foals! Kindly, gently, and with the utmost professionalism, Princess Luna gave a cursory sniff to check for odors, then inspected Whisper Song's privates for smegma; upon finding none, she nodded with satisfaction. Then, the Princess gently ran hoof and snoot along the thestral mare's tail. A moment later, she stepped back to appraise Whisper Song once again as the little embarrassed thestral mare bashfully lowered her tail.

"Excellent!" Luna boomed. Then, "NIGHT GUARD WHISPER SONG, BED... FACE!" Without hesitation, my thestral guard smartly spun to face the bed in which I lay, planting her right forehoof firmly at the finish of her turn. For a moment, all was silent as she and I looked into each other's eyes, her own glistening, control maintained by a hair's breadth; she knew what was coming next.

"FOR-WARD... BED!" At once the thestral mare moved; she swiftly hopped up on the bed to stand there, perfectly balanced upon the sheets, then "DROP...BED! At ease; relax..." with a joyful half-sob, half nicker, she lay down on her side and cuddled close to me as I instinctively wrapped my arms about her, pulling her into my body's curve as she turned to face me, a little cry escaping her as she felt human hands - my hands - roam her coat. As I petted her, letting my hands comb over and through her mane and coat, little breathy sighs and moans, giggles, and an occasional sob of relief escaped her as she nuzzle, nuzzle, nuzzled me over and over and over. Soon, as I gently scratched her behind the ears, and ran my hands all over, then through her mane to massage her scalp she moaned, stretched out against me to wedge her muzzle under my arm and wept gentle tears of relief, as at last, her need was satisfied.

What followed was... well... porn without any actual porn. I didn't just pet Whisper Song; I made love to her with my hands, as she rolled wherever she would, wanting me to touch her everywhere; her chest, back, sides, flanks, rump, her belly and even her udders saw my attention, the little thestral shuddering gently, moan-sobbing as I lavished them with delicate squeezes, before moving my hands up to rub her belly--again. Later, once little Whisper Song had calmed - as she lay atop me, letting me pet her full-body with long gentle strokes, dreamily lick-lick-licking the sweat from my chest - Luna, laying abed with us, her own eyes misty at being able to witness something so astounding yet so gentle, sniffled, before she said, "Private Whisper Song, we dismiss thee from Our Royal Guard." The words were enough to make the little bat pony mare raise her head - perhaps to voice a protest - but before she could, the Princess of the Night continued, "We discharge thee from our Royal Guard with full honors, and instead charge thee with a new Commission: If Thou wishest, Thou shalt become the companion-pony of this human, David. Thou shalt become his rightful guard and companion here in Equestria, and shalt travel with him beyond when he chooses to leav--OOF!"

The bed shook as Luna was subjected to a class ten thestral tackle-hug; laughter roared up deep from her barrel as little Whisper Song nuzzle-nuzzled all over her, foal like, joyous enough to burst. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" she sobbed through happy tears. "Thou art..." now Luna was crying, too even as she gently nuzzled us both, "Thou art most welcome!" Then it was Luna who gently moved and shifted this way and that, gently encouraging me to pet her as Whisper Song looked on with a critical eye; until at last, both mares lay with their heads on either side of my chest, humming contentedly. That way, together, we slept.

Author's Note

Could I commission an artist to draw up an olden-style manual or manuscript - similar of sorts to the Karma Sutra - but instead it's a manual for humans to use when petting ponies of Equestria; full of G-rated petting 'positions' and petting/massage techniques? (I am being serious; something like that would be both funny and really awesome to have.)

185. Night Wing.

Slowly, tentatively, I stepped into the great stone bath--and hissed softly, for the water was so hot as to nearly burn my skin. As she sensed my discomfort, the giant thestral mare with me softly spoke, "Saraan aan tiid!" Though I couldn't understand her words, her tone implied that she wanted me to wait, and so I did. Soon, my body adjusted to the temperature of the water and the big thestral mare bade me enter further in, following closely at my side as I sat down upon a stone bench within the heated bath. No sooner had we both sat, then the big mare barked sharply, "Enook aar bo!" At her command, several thestral mares far smaller than her descended upon us with soap, brushes, loofahs and shampoos, washing her and I until we were as clean as we could get. During the bath, as the servant-mares washed us, the lead thestral - whose name I still didn't know - made to cuddle close to me, leaning up to nuzzle-nuzzle-nuzzle and tuck her head beneath my chin... and then, even though her fur was wet, she groaned in delight, "Mmm, Pruzah...", as I ran soapy hands over her back, wings, chest, and belly; then she nickered softly as I scratched her behind the ears.

Later, once we were as clean as we could possibly get, with a soft word, "Kogaan," the lead-thestral had me exit the bath. As I stood there with her in the bath chamber, naked and dripping water onto the stone floor, I thought that she might call for towels so that we might dry ourselves... but instead, she had her servants descend upon us, and 'dry' us with their tongues, muzzles, and bodies. As I felt the noses and tongues of these servant mares upon my flesh, I couldn't help but flinch and laugh; they tickled and the lead-mare seemed to delight in the sound--before she moaned softly, spreading her hind legs and hiking her tail as multiple tongues attacked her black marehood, until lubricant, hot and thick, dripped from her vagina, her clitoris winking pink in the light before my widened eyes. Then it was my turn to groan as I stumbled against her, nearly falling as she moved to brace me, her servants nuzzling, licking mouthing my member until I was painfully erect! When I was on the verge of climax, suddenly, with a rasped out "Kos vod," she shooed her servants away then nudged, bumped, and nuzzled me into her bedroom.

There, she gestured for me to climb into her bed whereupon she joined me. Knowing where this was heading, I thought to protest - I really did - but this noble mare hadn't done me any wrong so far and I didn't want to offend her. Like a mystical succubus, the Lead Thestral - well, Queen Thestral, really - sensuously wound her way up my body until she lay atop me and we faced each other, belly to belly. Warm, slightly moist fur pressed against flesh; she felt like a living, breathing blanket as she again tucked her head up under my chin. A moment later... - kiss-kiss-kiss - I felt her kissing my neck--and then my eyes widened as she bit me! In the space of a nanosecond my ancient-human-brain thought VAMPIRE! and I made to throw her off but then my modern-human-brain reasserted itself as I realized that I had felt no pain from her bite; I hadn't even felt her razor sharp fangs break my skin! In wonder, I ruffled her mane, stroked her ears, felt her tears touch my skin as, yes, she did take my blood - but only a mouthful - but also injected something into me in exchange! Whatever she'd injected worked fast; warmth suffused my body, spreading from my neck, and throughout my body to my feet before centering upon my privates. Now, if you'll forgive the expression - I was as hard as an iron bar... and the Thestral Queen knew it.

With amazing gentleness, she disengaged from my neck and then - kiss-kiss-kiss. kiss-lick-kiss - wound her way, snakelike down my body until she lay in between my legs, facing my erect penis and testes. Wordlessly - with a little sob of relief - she snuffled into my testes, her eyes rolling back into her head as she inhaled my scent, thick and heady to her. When she was unable to stand it no more - perhaps on the verge of climax herself - she turned her attention to my erection, using hoof, muzzle, and thick forked tongue to touch and explore with amazing gentleness as I petted her, ruffled her mane, stroked her ears. Then, slowly and gently she took me into her mouth. At that moment, I came, my essence rushing from me to spill into her muzzle - and to my surprise - the Thestral Queen was expecting it; she didn't choke or gag; just swallowed it down as I came again, and again, and again... Soon, my eyes widened as I realized I wasn't in any pain from this, nor that I needed a rest period! 'She... she's done something to me!' I thought. The substance the Thestral Queen had injected me with after taking my blood was somehow allowing me to climax repeatedly, over and over and over without rest; enough that the big mare was actually drinking, feasting upon my semen! Between my legs she lay still, her eyes closed, smiling around my member as she - quite literally nourished herself on my seed.

Once she'd had what seemed to be a full meal, with a joyous cry of, "Nu, hi los dii!", and an ecstatic scream, the Thestral Queen thrust herself down upon me, a stream of her pre running down my shaft as she took me inside herself. My crown slowly began to disappear until her clenching nethers held firm around my shapely ridge. A bit more and then my eyes widened, breath catching in my throat as I was greeted with the alien massages of a marehood rippling around my member. The Thestral Queen's breaths above me deepened. "Unh, geh, geh!" she cried as she pulled me inwards, her contractions strengthening with each inch impaling her until at last she sat on me. For a moment, she was still as she took time to adjust to my size and shape; but then she began to move, slowly at first, then faster and faster, encouraging me with softened words and breathy moans as our passions rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell--until she gasped, her golden eyes widening as her first orgasm struck, pouring from her in a brief 'squelch' while her nethers went into spasm. She didn't expect me to fuck her through it, a ragged screech escaping her as she rolled into her second, third, fourth... When at last I reached my own climax, the Thestral Queen cried, "Geh, nu mu los Gein!" and then burst into great, heaving sobs, tears spilling from her eyes, down her cheeks as I came inside her, harder than I'd ever come in my life. My orgasm rushed through me, opening every vein and cell in my body as it went. Colors burst behind my clamped eyelids, brighter than a nova sun as I felt her climax with me one last time, heard her screech like an actual bat!

Then she and I passed out, slipping into sleep, holding each other as close as we could; a jumble of skin, fur, hands and hooves such that one might wonder where she ended and I began. Later - when she woke and found that I had stayed with her; that I hadn't left - overjoyed, the Thestral Queen wept again. Drawing her into my arms, I rocked her gently and petted her, soothingly stroking her mane and coat. Rather than soothe her, however, this seemed to make her cry even harder. She would cuddle normally with me for a while; then she would wedge her grey muzzle beneath my chin and wail uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she would nuzzle me furiously; then she just resumed clinging to me, trembling as though she were dying of cold. Later, when her tears slowed and she was able to stop crying, I found that I faced a very different mare. No longer did the Thestral Queen look like a standard Thestral, albeit somewhat bigger then her kin. Now, I lay with a mare who looked like a slightly smaller version of Nightmare Moon! Sniffling, her eyes threatening to fill with happy tears once again, she whispered, "Dreh hi hon dovah, dii laas-fahdon?" To my surprise and shock, I understood her words. "Can you hear me, my life-friend?"

"Yes," I answered softly, in wonder. "Yes, I can hear and understand you." My answer nearly had the Thestral Queen in tears again; she gasped and nuzzle-nuzzle-nuzzled me all over, her whole body shaking with such happiness I thought she might burst! Laying atop me that she might have as much bodily contact with my skin as possible, she replied, "Fah daar zu'u kogaan fin rah! / For this I thank the gods! Zu'u los vulon viing, ahrk hi los dii! / I am Night Wing, and you are mine!"

186. Hydra.

Carefully, Shining Armor himself inspected the damage. With my "Lightstaff" - the psionically activated staff I used as a weapon when I had no other choice - I'd swiftly dispatched the Hydra, neatly severing all seven heads, the psionic plasma of the staff cauterizing the wounds before the heads could regenerate.

To Twilight Sparkle's horror, her brother nodded with satisfaction, before he stated brusquely, "Heads neatly severed; a bloodless kill." Then, turning to me as I was cleaning my equipment, he asked, "There wasn't another way this could have been resolved?"

Immediately, I answered, "No sir. Fluttershy was gathering herbs with Zecora deep in the Everfree when this Hydra decided to rampage out of it. I... I had to act."

Shining nodded; then he looked into my eyes, and I looked into his. Though this was the first time I'd met him, understanding seemed to pass between us; we'd both been there and seen shit. A gentle hoof-to-fist bump later and then Shining Armor grunted, "None of that 'sir' shit, Templar. Name's Shining Armor, and I'd like to thank you for your help here." I nodded and he continued. "'S'not often that a Hydra will rage out of the Everfree, but when they do... well, they can cause a lot of damage not to mention loss of life. If you hadn't dealt with this when you did..." He shook his head, then continued, "You'll need to come with me, soon - we'll need your statement, and I'd like to get a look at your weapon; the weapon that did this - but first, I need to see that my sister is safe, assess any damages, things like that..."

With a gentle gesture, I hushed him, then slowly withdrew the inactive 'handle' of my Lightstaff from my belt. At this, Shining Armor tensed, but then, when he saw I was going to hand him the weapon, he relaxed and took it from me carefully. Turning it over in his magical aura, he examined it from every angle, noting the fine craftsmanship of the golden psi-steel and the fact that it looked like two torches with their back ends seamlessly joined together. "I... I don't understand," he said after a while. "How does it work?" Gently, he gave it back to me and I explained, "It's a psionic weapon; I'm the only one who can activate it. I have to channel my power through it for it to work."

Shining Armor nodded. "Please," he said. Stepping back from him, I bowed deeply to him in respect. Then, holding the weapon in the 'middle' of the handle - one hand over, one hand under - I channeled the psionic energy of my mind into the weapon. Less then a second passed as the two perfectly cut khaydarin crystals inside the weapon absorbed and focused said power through a series of crystalline lenses; then there was a distinct humming sound as two tightly focused beams of psionic plasma extended from the ends of the weapon. Shining Armor sucked in a breath, his eyes widening, as I performed a simple staff kata for him; then a little while later he came over to me as I stood before him with my weapon still active. Warily, he eyed the psionic-blades then made to touch them and as he did I dropped the staff's power to its lowest level then formed the "blades" into rounded shafts of hardened light.

Hoof gently met staff, Shining drew in a shaky breath... and then his eyes became exceptionally wide as the non-lethal energy of the staff entered his body through that touch, the Unicorn stallion visibly relaxing as he not only felt the gentle, rejuvenating effect of the psionic energy, but also my calm, centered emotions that came along with said energy: the want to protect pony kind and Equestria. As he felt this, gained glimpses of my many long years of life, so too did I gain insights of him, his memories and nature as the staff acted as a conduit for our thoughts. Mere seconds passed yet during that time I knew Shining Armor and he knew me.

Gently, contact was broken. We two, human and pony hugged as like old, old friends, and when we parted, Shining let out a little sob, his eyes as suspiciously misty as mine. "Thanks," he said. I petted his head, ruffled his mane a little, and he grumbled good-naturedly and hoofed at me; I poked at him playfully and we laughed. Then, with a final nod, he straightened - his gait and expression renewed, even more resolved and determined - and turned to address Twilight Sparkle. Immediately she babbled at him, telling him how I'd slaughtered the 'poor' Hydra, that I was a murderer of animals, that I needed to be locked up or banished or locked up in the place I was banished to.

And Shining...

He gave her a look that was "really?"

Then, he spoke to her. But not as Shining Armor, her brother. Instead, he spoke to her as Shining Armor Captain of the Canterlot Guard. He barked at her like a Drill Sergeant, thoroughly, utterly dressing her down. If the ponies of Ponyville weren't awake, well they were now. I'm sure that the ponies in Vanhoover heard him, his voice was so loud! By the time he was finished with her Twilight was in tears; only then did he talk to her softly as her brother, gently explaining to her exactly what would have happened had I not stopped the Hydra.

187. Herd Stallion.

The human - Quick Silver thought - was odd. Oh, he did his duty for the herd, he helped and supported his mares in countless ways--but he never fought for them. He never tried to assert himself with the scuffles expected of a Lead Stallion fighting to protect or dominate another. Indeed, when Quicksilver tried to fight him for the position of Lead Stallion, instead, the mares looked utterly terrified and instead, they pummeled poor Quick Silver into the dirt whilst the human - clad in his odd attire - looked on, sort of bemused, sort of sad, as if he expected better of them, as if they were merely primitive animals.

Quick Silver was sick of it. Now, as the human, clad in his emerald-green robe and golden-bronze armor, meditated at the outskirts of Ponyville - 'that's all he ever seems to do: meditate!' - the silver stallion shouted, "Hey you, Human! What's your deal, huh?! Why don't you ever fight for your Herd? What's the matter with you?!" The human, David - eyes closed - softly breathed in and out, in and out, in and out... until the Pegasus, Quicksilver, struck him with a forehoof--and immediately wished he hadn't! "Arrgh!" the pony yelled, for it was like he'd struck stone!

Something - akin to the air itself, a power that made the poor Pegasus quiver - wrenched the stallion's ear, painfully, as David opened his eyes, a flicker of something within fading, dying, as he brought up the unusual bracer attached to his forearm and barked into it in his strange language, Khalani. The Mares knew little of it. Quicksilver knew none of it, save to say that it sounded utterly terrifying. Cyan runes danced above the surface of the golden-bronze bracer, weaving this way and that, as from the device came thousands of chopped up pony voices speaking bits of Eoch to translate the human's words. "UNDERSTAND, WISH. YOU. ME. TO?"

"Ye-hee-heessss...." poor Quick Silver whined, terrified, wondering what sort of monster he'd unleashed from the normally quiet, docile human. The Pegasus watched as the human stood, turned to face the Everfree... and then he gurgled as the human unlocked something within himself... Power unlike any magic the Pegasus had ever felt emanated from the human, crushing the stallion flat against the ground--but that was only the human's psionic aura... As Quicksilver watched, slipping into a deeper trance - chanting more Khalani the human seemed to utterly close himself off to the outside world as he began to concentrate, gathering and focusing whatever this power he had was. Then, opening his eyes and raising his hands to the sky, the human David made his power manifest...

Unnatural lightning arced and danced across the trees of the Everfree, withering and setting them aflame as an entire swathe of the forest was devastated! Bawling like a foal, all Quick Silver could do was watch on in horror until the storm dissipated, dust and ashes all that remained. Turning around to face Quick Silver - who sobbed and tried to crawl away - David dragged him back by the tail, then held the bronze-rune-bracer before the stallion as the chopped up pony voices inside spoke. "NOW. FIGHT. I. NOT. SEE. WHY. DO. YOU?" Then, "FIGHT. NEVER. COMBAT. MEANS. THROUGH. MUNDANE. TO. OATH. TAKEN. HAVE. I"

In that moment, Quick Silver did know and understand. He understood that David meditated all the time not because he was lazy, but because he needed to maintain iron discipline and control over the fearsome power he possessed. He never fought for his Herd because he'd taken an oath against all physical violence; he could only fight with his power and that was horror incarnate. David looked upon Pony Herds with sadness and bemusement whenever power struggles happened because... to him the ponies were little more than silly animals doing the same things over and over again. Dirt. Muck. What was dirt to a god? Quick Silver knew his place now; he felt like the lowest Omega. He didn't feel David gently picking him up, but he did feel the human start to pet him; for a simple pet he would forever be; so he sniffled, sobbed, whinnied gentle apology, nuzzling, cuddling against the human. Whatever he wanted.

But... did it have to be like this? "C-Could..." Quick Silver stuttered, sniffled, "c-could you... t-teach me?" At this, David's eyes widened. Then, "UNKNOWN. ANALYSIS. EXISTS. POSSIBILITY. MAGIC. PEGASUS. RESTRUCTURE. REFOCUS. PERHAPS. IMPLANTS...?" The human headed back to their home, the silver Pegasus in his arms, Quick Silver realizing that he'd opened the door upon a new, and terrifying future.

188. On "Fluffy" Ponies

What do I think of so-called "Fluffy" Ponies? My personal opinion doesn't matter.

Was this company "Hasbio" right to create them? Absolutely not. "Hasbio" - a then subsidiary of the Toy Company, Hasbro - made the Fluffies for one reason, and one reason only: money. See, we know that they were trying to create actual living ponies from the show, "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic," billed as the ultimate pet or companion. Instead, what they got were, well, the stub-legged, overly fluffy creatures we know today as the Fluffy Ponies.

And then - before they were 'ready' - a group of absolute idiots called PETA released them. I shake my head at their utter stupidity.

People say that Fluffies breed fast--well of course they do, they have to, since people treat them like vermin instead of the companions they're supposed to be.

People say that the Fluffies defecate everywhere--well... so would our children if not diapered--and yes, you can carefully train them not to do so in your house; you can train them to do it outside in a corner of your yard, in a designated sand pit in a pen if you keep them indoors... yet all I hear are complaints of "shit everywhere" because, oh, I don't know---NO ONE HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO TOILET TRAIN THEM!

I like to think that most people who own Fluffy Ponies are generally good - that [the Fluffy Ponies] are trained properly and taken care of - but it seems all I hear these days are the opposite: of Fluffy Ponies having their little legs cut off; of Fluffies being physically and sexually abused by every psychotic, abhorrent monster of a human being out there; of Fluffy Mares having their foals taken away from them and sold, or being used for food...

What the hell is wrong with you people?! Would you treat your children this way? I doubt it. So why treat Fluffies like this? And don't give the excuse that they are vermin; they only seem that way because people took one look at them, saw they weren't the show-ponies we'd come to know and love, and then utterly dismissed them. If you want to know the value of a race, look to how they treat their children...

Now... on "Smarty" and "Toughie" ponies being abusive: well... children are little shits, too, if not taught empathy. The sad thing is... due to their childlike intelligence it is SO EASY to train them in basic commands. My own Fluffy Mare - an Earth Fluffy named Crystal - tried to defy me one day and attempted to cross a busy street - the tunnel-vision that all children seem to have - because she'd seen something shiny on the other side. As soon as she started to move her little legs I pulled her back to me (she was on leash), sharply tapped her on the nose, and gently but firmly said "No!"

She. Was. Devastated. She thought she'd done the most awful thing in the world; but I gently picked her up, held her in my arms, and rocked her, reassuring her over and over that she was a good fluffy, a good pony... Then, after, I carefully explained to her why "crossing where there were no stripes" was dangerous. She looked at me, then at the road, and stated, "Fowevew sweepies iff cwoss hewe." When I nodded and said yes, she cried again, frightened by what she'd almost done...

People, if you just give them a chance they can be taught, they can be taught quite a number of words, they can be trained to perform simple tasks, and yes, you can improve their childlike speech with care; remember that their muzzles aren't like our mouths, and it's a wonder that they can speak at all. When training a Fluffy: Be gentle. Repeat--constantly, and praise them when they do the right thing. And above all else: be. patient! Crystal, do you want to say something?

......

.......

.........

"My... name... is... Crystal. I... am... a... Fluffy... Pony. Please... don't... hurt... us... any... more. Be... kind... to... us. We... want... to... be... friends. Thank... you."

"Good girl!"

4. David meets Nightmare Moon (A Total Eclipse of Their Hearts/Songfic) (Restored)

"Show her to me. I want to meet her," David said, softly.

At her beloved's gentle words, Princess Luna - her eyes misting over with tears - shakily nodded her head. Then, with a whispered incantation the Lunar Diarch became surrounded by a soft glow of moonlight... and upon their bed before David - as naked as the day her dam had foaled her - lay Nightmare Moon, the Dread Mare, the evil pony whom had dared to bring Eternal Night to the World. Unable to contain the emotions that held her within their cruel grasp, Nightmare Moon shuddered, a wracking sob escaping her as her tears began to fall. "Cruel moon, bring the end. The dawn will never rise again..." She crooned mournfully. A vile, wretched thing she felt she was! Here and now, Luna - Nightmare Moon - expected her beloved to turn his wrath upon her; she expected harsh, hate-filled words, a hurting hand, and then for him to leave. It had happened before; it would happen again, and thus, she braced herself for the worst. She heard David inhale a breath to speak; felt the movement of one of his hands as it inched closer to her dark form... and then her eyes snapped open - a surprised gasp escaping her - as that hand combed through her mane to scratch her behind the ears. 'He... he still loves us, even when we are like this' thought she, her more formal way of thinking returning with the change of form. 'Truly Faust has blessed us...'

"Th-Thou still loves and adores Us... e-even when... We are in this form?" she choked, gazing at him in awe, her gaze doe-like and shy. Without hesitation, David nodded, moving to cup her jet-black muzzle in his hands. Stroking her cheeks, gently massaging her jaw, he whispered, "Yes, of course I do. You're still Luna - just her, well, darker half - and you're enchanting and so very beautiful, and..." But Luna listened to him no longer for she was lost in her own thoughts; his words had struck so very deeply at her fragile vulnerable heart. "This..." she choked, overcome with emotion, "this is more than We could have ever dreamed of. A-All... all we have ever wanted... was to be loved." Broken beyond all pride and ego, Nightmare Moon tangled David up in a snarl of hooves, body and wings, squeezing her eyes closed as she wept bitterly into his chest, perhaps for the first time exorcising much of the pain of a thousand lonely years... Even as she cried, she knew - fiercely so! - that David's words were true. Even as she wept for those lost, lonely years, she could feel her human's touch; David was gently petting and stroking her - her ears, her mane, her neck, back, flanks, thighs and even her hooves - everywhere his hands could reach. She reveled in that touch - clutching her human as one might grasp a life-preserver in a storm - weeping fiercely, each sob another ounce of pain washed away.

When at last her cries faded Nightmare Moon drew in a softened breath as said cries were replaced by a different sound; that of her beloved singing. And, oh! The song he sung... "Night time sharpens / Heightens each sensation / Darkness wakes / And stirs imagination / Silently the senses / Abandon their defenses / Helpless to resist the notes I write / For I compose the music of the night..." It was all she could do to listen, fresh tears escaping her as she realized that this song - this "Music of the Night", so beautiful and gentle - was for her and her alone; with it David was venerating, worshiping, and loving her and all that she was. "Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor / Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender / Turn your face away from the garish light of day / Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light / And listen to the music of the night..." On and on he sang and Nightmare Moon drank in every note, every word. By the time the song ended, the poor mare was laid out, her head atop her human's chest, overwhelmed and shattered yet feeling utterly whole and more valid than she'd ever felt in her life...

5. Pet! Rainbow Dash (Original)

Flat out on the bed within her cloud house, utterly insensate and more relaxed than she'd ever felt in her life, Rainbow Dash groaned softly as her human struck at her again and again, and again with the one weapon she had no defense against: his hands. His hands... oh, Faust his hands! He wielded them so effectively; every comb through her mane, every scratch behind her ears, every touch upon her wings, body and even her hooves - the parts of her body she usually hated having others touch - was a crippling blow to her pride, her ego, her tom-colt machismo... and she loved it!

When she was home, here in her room with her human, the facade she wore - 'The Rainbow Dash' - could be set aside; she could let her mane down so to speak. Gentle grooming, massages, preening, hooficures... her human could do it all and she would shamelessly allow him to do it all. Just then, a stuttering gasp escaped her as those wondrous fingers worked a feather from her wings which had been bothering her for weeks on end... and then he pressed gently against that spot between her wings and she whimpered in ecstasy before he moved on, working to massage away tension in places she didn't even know she had. "Th... Thks..." she murmured - or, at least she thought she did. She couldn't get her tongue to work properly, so insensate with pleasure was she. "Don't mention it, Dashie..." her beloved murmured. "Sometimes you do too much; you're not Supermare, you know..."

The price for heaven was to act like a pet for him sometimes, and for him she did it gladly. Truthfully, during those times there was always the battle - 'Rainbow Dash the Tomcolt' would not submit easily - but in the end 'Dashie' always won. Those damn hands of his... mmh... oh they helped... by Faust they helped! Dashie adored being dressed to kill in the latest fashions; Dashie adored being touched, stroked, and hugged as much as possible; Dashie loved to be held and cuddled, loved playing simple, non-competitive games, loved to go for 'walkies' in her Tack and utterly adored being fed simple things from his hand, or nosing into his coat pocket for a treat.

Dashie didn't have to be strong for her human; she could be the weakest mare imaginable and her human would always adore her. She knew, however, that she couldn't keep doing this in secret forever. She would have to reveal this secret side of herself to her friends one day; they already knew she was happier and far less abrasive; they just didn't know why. But what would they think should she tell them about... about this? Her reputation would be ruined! 'Shut up! Shut upShut upShut upShut up...' ... And then all thought was lost as her human rubbed and massaged along her sides just so... Rainbow Dash would tell her friends about Dashie... one day. But not today.

Author's Note

There's the Rainbow Dash that we know - who would never on her life agree to being a pet for anyone - and then there's 'Dashie', a foal/filly-like persona that began to develop when Rainbow Dash tried being a pet one day at her beloved's gentle suggestion. Rainbow Dash let go and at that moment - that utter release of control, that showing of implicit trust to allow another to assume total responsibility for her, to care for her completely - the alter, Dashie, was born; the more they acted as owner and pet the more Dashie grew, until above snip...

6. Conversation in Celestia's Office (You Brighten/Total Eclipse Crossover)

Her eyes narrowed and a frown upon her muzzle, Luna glared at Celestia unhappily. "Thou..." she broke off, unable to continue, than took a deep breath and started again. "Thou lets Daniel treat thou like a... like a pet? Like a... like a slave? Doth he become thy master, and wrap thou within chains? Beat and whip thou? We shalt kill him for such utter disrespect!" she thundered.

At her sister's harsh words, Princess Celestia shook her head, as she replied, "Oh, no-no-no-no-no-no... Lulu, you don't understand! When I say pet I mean it literally; I allow Daniel to treat me as a pony from his world; as a domesticated animal..." The Solar Matriarch lapsed into silence as her sister's expression turned thunderous!

"That..." Luna struggled to speak, "... that is even worse!" she screamed, almost lapsing into the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Tell us sister, doth he make thou eat hay? Doth he make thou sleep in our palace stables? Make thou... d-do thine business outside on the grass?"

At this point poor Celestia just couldn't take it anymore. "NO HE DOESN'T! LET ME EXPLAIN!" she howled, employing her own version of the Royal Canterlot Voice, causing Luna's eyes to widen.

"Then..." the Lunar Diarch uttered softly, "then explain it to us, sister. Tell us how he treats thou whence thou playest at being a..." she grimaced in distaste, "...a pet, for him."

Celestia nodded. "At the end of the roughest days of court," she began, "after we share the evening meal, Daniel and I return to our quarters. He knows when my days are rough; usually he has things prepared beforehand. Once we're in my chambers, I remove my Royal Regalia and then he and I enter the bath chambers..."

Stomping a hoof impatiently, Princess Luna growled, "And... what then?"

"Then... he bathes me..." Celestia replied, her mind awash in memory.

"Bathes thou?" the Lunar Diarch prompted. "We thought yon attendants helped thou wash..."

"Not anymore" Celestia replied. "He... Daniel sent them packing and now he bathes me himself! He washes my face, mane, and body, Lulu, cleaning the day's sweat and grime from me so... so very gently, giving me a massage at the same time. His hands and f-fingers can do things to you and reach places that pony hooves just can't and the feel of his touch upon my body... mmh..."

Her eyes wide - feeling a little flustered by the vivid images racing through her mind - Luna licked her lips before softly rasping, "And after he bathes thou... what then?"

"Daniel helps me from the bath and then dries me off with a large, wonderfully fluffy towel," Celestia answered promptly. "After that, we return to our bedchamber; there he... he caresses my neck with his hands as he puts my collar on. It's a simple thing, made of leather and fleece-lined - like a dog's collar - with a tag with my name on the front, and Daniel's Earth Address on the back. Once my collar's on, that's when I truly stop being Princess Celestia and become his pet, just... just Celly. We... we'll be on the bed together then, him sitting and me stretched out with my head in his lap. He... he feeds me, Lulu... by h-hand..."

Awed by the bliss suffusing her beloved sister's voice, Princess Luna swallowed thickly before she rasped, "Wh-What dost he feed thou?"

"Simple things for a simple pony" the Solar Diarch replied. "Fresh hay, fresh grasses, flowers, baby carrots and corn, and sometimes a special 'mash' of oats, grains and bran carefully mixed with this stuff from his home called molasses; it's like a very thick kind of syrup, sticky, tasty and warm..." Celestia licked her lips, overcome with the memory of Daniel feeding her those oh-so-sweet baby carrots and of eating a thick, sticky warm ball of the bran mash right from her beloved's gentle hand. "... And even as I eat, he's always petting me with a hand, stroking along my neck or combing his fingers through my mane..." she murmured.

Fanning herself with a wing - 'Is it hot in here all of a sudden?' - Princess Luna whispered, "And after that? What dost he do then, Celly?"

"He lets me roll around on the bed awhile; lets me kick my legs in the air and wriggle about 'till I'm comfortable... and then he really starts petting me, my jaw, my cheeks, my mane, my ears, my back, wings, and sides, m-my flanks, my hooves... and... everywhere..."

At this, Luna's eyes became impossibly wide. "E-Everywhere?" she squeaked.

Overcome with emotion, Celestia blushed like a school filly and nodded, an ecstatic shudder making her fall to her haunches. "Everywhere..." she whispered. "Oh, Faust, Lulu... his touch... mmh... his t-touch... I feel as if I've gone to join the Great Herd; as if I've entered the Elysium Fields... And then... then, when I'm so contented and sleepy I can barely comprehend a thing he'll have me move so we can get into bed proper. He spoons me, Lulu, did you know that? Daniel holds me so closely, an arm thrown over my barrel - or sometimes I'll sleep with my head atop his chest."

Squeezing her eyes tightly shut even as they misted with tears, Celestia whimpered as she fought to overcome the turmoil of emotion rolling through her. "His love... it overwhelms me; I could drown in it; I could die in it and it wouldn't matter at all because he makes me so happy, Lu. B-Before he came..." she rasped, "I... I was always so alone, so cold, Lulu. Now... n-now everything's so... so warm. I'm always warm!" Luna looked on as joyous sobs wracked her sister's body, Celestia smiling so honestly, so genuinely even as she wept, happy tears falling from her eyes, down her muzzle to drip unto the office floor. Her own eyes misty, a lump stuck in her throat, the Lunar Diarch was at that moment overcome by a little insanity - 'We... We want that!' - and made to race from the room in search of Daniel and such bliss!

Her efforts were thwarted, however as Celestia playfully tackled her down onto the plush carpet, "Noooo!" Celestia said, giggling through her tears. "You go get your own human, David, and show him what to do; Daniel's mine!"

"But... Daniel... more... experience!" Luna grunted, struggling to free herself. Celestia - Celly - just shook her head and tickled her beloved sister until Luna howled with laughter, giving her the occasional little peck on the nose! A short while later, the two sisters finished their brief tussle upon the office floor and then - after crashing on specially designed cushions - inquisitively, the Lunar Diarch asked, "Aside from all that, sister... what else dost thou do when thou art a pet for Daniel?"

Princess Celestia blink-blinked and then - a blush suffusing her features - she softly whispered, "S-Sometimes... Sometimes he... rides me..."

At this soft, hesitant admission, Luna goggled her jaw dropping, "Ruh..." she choked, swallowing thickly, "Ruh... Ruh... Ruh..."

Celestia giggled, covering her mouth with a hoof, as she replied, "Yes, dear sister, he rides me..."

"Ruh... Ruh... Ruh..."

"... Yes, sometimes in the way you're thinking... mmh..."

"Ruh... Ruh... Ruh..."

"... But mostly, he rides upon my back..."

At this, Luna snapped out of her shock. "Thou lets him ride thou... like a... likest a...?" she stuttered.

"Yes" Celestia replied, giggling again, "like a domestic pony from his world. We have a special set of traditional riding tack that we had custom-made just for me. He puts it on me oh-so-slowly, and then we'll canter about the palace, or the fields outside. It's..." here she trailed off, before starting again, her eyes alight with memory. "It's a release Lulu; the giving of control totally over to another being, having to trust that being to not abuse you; the knowledge that I can just let go - be a simple pony - and know that Daniel will care for me utterly and never hurt or abuse me in any way... it," she panted softly, licking her lips, relishing the thought, "it's... intoxicating, Lulu!" Lost in memory - unaware of her sister for the moment - she continued. "Sometimes... it would be so easy Lulu, to give it all up and become a pet pony forever. No more worries... no more responsibilities... Just the saddle upon my back, the wind in my mane as Daniel rides me... and then the warm bath at the end of the day followed by a rubdown and then... th-then... mmh..."

As Luna watched, half in awe, half in wonder, Celestia - overcome by some ancient pony instinct - stepped towards Luna 'till she was nose-to-nose with her beloved sister and then made a sound, deep and primal; she blew through her nose, "Are you a friend?" In the spur of the moment - not really knowing what she was doing, yet beckoned to do so anyway - Luna returned the blow, "I am your friend/sibling." At this, Celestia nickered quietly and nuzzled her beloved sister's coat; Luna did the same and then - guided by the old, old instincts, the two sisters nuzzle-nuzzled each other and began to groom...

7. My reason for these snippets / How I wish our world could be.

The reason I adore writing snippets about the MLP ponies as pets so much is not just because it's adorable, but because I love the idea of sharing our world with a race like them, a symbiotic/partner race to stand by and with us; that we shouldn't and will never be alone again.

.... And in my vision I see a world wherein My Little Pony was taken to the best of ends, wherein Princesses Celestia and Luna work in tandem with our governments to build a better world, wherein famine, war and hunger are negated through harmony, friendship, love, joy, and magic.

Wherein the great magi-reactors looming over every city provide free shared clean, green energy; where the Great Herds of Earth Ponies can be heard singing a rousing song as they along with human gardners tend the Everfields where the 'green' foods are grown for all. Even meat when it can be cloned again and again...

Unto the heavens from the ground, and within the skies can be seen mighty Earthship and Cloud Cities, solar and magically empowered glass, stone, steel, cloud and crystalline buildings wherein humans live with each other and their pony 'pets' or lifemates. Looking through a window to the clear skies you'll see pegasi and griffin couriers delivering mail and packages along with the regular Earth Pony and human Postman even as Unicorns work with human builders to help reinforce and ward structures against natural disasters.

Dragon Bankers and Jewelers can be found, too, along with changelings working at your local hospital or nursing home, giving and receiving love to and from those whom need it most. All are happy and free; you might even catch a look into the multicultural schools; seeing pony foals enraptured by human stories, or human children entranced by the myths of Equestria told by ponies who lived them.

And no, children, you know you can't have tomorrow off work due to snow because your local Weather Pegasi have scheduled clear skies; you can see pegasi foals zipping by 'chasing' the Earth Ponies and Unicorns going to work in their maglev cars until a griffin police officer chides them again for doing something so silly. ... You can see a griffin craning his neck contentedly within a massage parlour as humans preen and align his feathers; he turns to look dumbly at the insensate dragon beside him who is getting his cracked hide oiled. Further down you'll see humans working on ponies there and ponies working on humans with hooves or magic.

Be sure to check out the upcoming Hoofball, Cloud Sculpting, and Cricket Tournaments, too with mixed teams and watch the night skies as well; this Hearts-Hooves-and Valentine's Day Luna's got something extra special planned for interracial couples; check out the local cinemas, too, where - for the first time - the legendary duo of Indiana Jones and Daring Do team up for a film of high adventure and hoof-biting action!

8. More about 'my' world / Speed Demon and the AC Cobra / Crime in 'my' world

Like any world it wouldn't be constant happiness and harmony all the time, but beneath this utopia there wouldn't be any dark shadows (unless it's Luna scaring the children on Nightmare Night!); what you'd see is what you'd utterly get. Like anything it wouldn't be a 'perfect' world. But it'd be a damn sight better than the one we live in now.

There's always the fear, however, of globalization; that is, our tech and culture gradually subsuming/overtaking that of Equestria. There would need to be firm boundaries set to avoid something like that. Celestia would have to put a hoof down at some point during the early years and say, "Right. We can have human tech/food/clothes/customs, etc. up to a point but then that's enough!" But then... if Celestia restricts human stuff you'd probably have pony smugglers getting it in anyway; likewise if Equestrian goods or whatever were restricted human and pony bootleggers would get them to you...

As he delicately ran a hoof over the shining paintwork of the Gardner Douglas Cobra replica, the pony Speed Demon whistled in awe. "Damn, man... how the bucking hell did you get something like this here? I thought Celestia restricted these..."

As he carefully made some final adjustments to the engine, Grease Monkey turned to his human assistant and grinned. Then, returning his attention to Speed Demon, the mechanic-pony answered, "Me and my bud here, we smuggled it over, one piece at a time. Also helps if you classify it as a 'cultural artifact', or part of your house... heh-heh... Anyway, what you think, man...? She's fully serviced, loud, and has loads of power fo' loads of fun at the track. She's been modded a lil' fo' ponies of course; you can see that by the bigger driver and passenger seats. Got a hoof-conversion kit out the back if you're interested..."

Speed Demon - whom could barely stop himself from drooling at the thought of owning this beast - gave a shaky nod of his head as he replied, "You bet your greasy mane I'm interested! How much?"

Real crime - drugs, rape, murder, kid/foal-napping, etc - would be very, very low in my world; ponies and enlightened humans take a very dim view of that and it isn't done anymore; the only 'crime' here would be the bootlegging/importing of 'restricted' or 'illegal' human and pony goods, like this for instance...

Guns and other weapons would be heavily restricted for military use only and even then sparingly if at all. The uni-corps has mages with all the human military now; don't need to actually kill someone when you can heavy-tranq them and then deal with them fairly later. Hunting of animals is utterly forbidden! DO NOT EVER try to hunt. You will make Animal Warden Fluttershy angry. You won't like her when she's angry...

Crime. If you do it you will aid the one you wronged. Steal bits and the amount of money you stole will be docked from your pay, or you'll work and your pay for the amount you stole will be given to whomever you wronged. Steal an item; you will buy a replacement for what you stole. If it's a big item, or some other crime... Be prepared to become a servant/butler/gardener/worker for the one you wronged, for the rest of your life if that's what it takes. This is to teach "this is wrong" and to discourage crime. Never to humiliate or shame a criminal. Who knows... you might just end up making a friend, or becoming part of a family. Remember the words from the Golden Record: "To teach if we are called upon..."

For the worst, of worst, of worst crimes... (a tiny bit of TCB here, sorry) the Princesses can permanently turn a human into a pony foal to be "raised again" and given the ultimate second chance; likewise a Pony Criminal can be permanently made human. But as I stated, that's only for the absolutely irredeemable crimes; when there's no other choice, and it's not something done lightly, there's no happiness or glee; there's much heartache and emotion for all involved...

Heavy are the Heads that bear the crowns...

9. Luna's Nightmare (A Total Eclipse of Their Hearts AU, Sad)

It was as Celestia was conducting business that a Royal Guard burst into the throne room. "Your Maj..." he gasped, then stopped before the Sun Throne and began again. "Your Majesty, I bring dire news!"

"What news, Silent Heart?" the Solar Diarch asked.

"Nightmare Moon has returned!" the poor Guardspony gasped.

Eyes widening, Celestia passed the scroll she was writing unto her scribe to finish and then she stood. "Where is she, Silent Heart?"

"She... she's in the morgue." Silent Heart answered promptly. Then, muttering under his breath, "No doubt working some dark ritual upon our honored dead..."

At his answer, Celestia gasped softly, her eyes misting over with tears. There was only one reason why her sister might be there. She hoped, she prayed that it was not to be, but alas... Without hesitation, the Solar Diarch left the Throne Room and made her way to the Palace Morgue. Upon arrival there she entered the heart of the place to find her worst fears come to life. Before her eyes she beheld the Dread Mare, Nightmare Moon, and prepared for a fight... But something was deathly wrong.

Before her was not the Nightmare Moon she knew. This Nightmare Moon sought not to challenge her, sought not to bring upon Equestria Eternal Night. Instead, utter despair suffused Nightmare Moon as she cried and cried and cried... over her beloved. His body, white-haired, wizened... dead. Perfectly washed and prepared for burial. "Oh, Lulu..." the Solar Diarch murmured as she made her way into the room. At the sound, Nightmare Moon whirled about to face the Solar Diarch, flaring her wings and hissing, baring her teeth - desiring nothing more than to protect her beloved human lifemate even in death - but then... she faltered upon seeing Celestia. "He... he adored Us, Celly" said she, struggling to speak through her tears. "Even when We were in this form, he still loved Us all the same; perhaps moreso. But now... n-now..." Squeezing a hoof to her breast, the Dread Mare, choked, gasped, utterly overcome with her grief.

"Wh-When... When did it happen?" Celestia asked. Moving to stand beside the Dread Mare of the Moon - forgetting about the concept of the 'Hero' and the 'Villain' - the Solar Diarch enfolded the black mare with a wing. "At two fifteen this morning," the Lunar Diarch whispered. "We... we felt it; we felt him leave Us... Prepared His body for internment Ourselves..." Lost, insensate, unaware, the jet-black, armored Alicorn gently poked and nosed her beloved David. "We... we do not... understand. He was fine, yesterday; we were having Sup on our Balcony and he was... he was telling me a story from Earth. He was fine, he wasfine, hewas..." A low, keening cry issued forth from deep within her - a sound that almost pushed Celestia over the edge herself - and then, as the Solar Diarch watched, Nightmare Moon sat upon her haunches and begged...

Horror gripped Celestia as Nightmare Moon whimpered, begged, pleaded... - "Please, Celly... please..." - to be undone by the Elements again; for banishment, for death, anything that might undo the wrenching wound within her heart; that she might be with her beloved again...

"I-I..." Celestia stuttered, "I can't, Lulu; you know I can't do that..."

Fueled by her despair, it was then that Nightmare Moon 'fought' with Celestia... if one could even call it a fight. Magical blows, shoving, tussling, horn fencing... all were easily blocked by the Solar Diarch for all had no strength or effort; and even then neither combatant wished to damage the body of dear David. At the end of all things, Nightmare Moon's clumsy attempt at wrestling was turned into the gentlest of embraces and finally, finally she let go, sobbing brokenly 'neath her sister's white wing...

"Sssh..." Celestia soothed, "everything will be alright, Luna..."

"Luna?"

"LUNA!"

And then, Luna awakened with a gasp, her ancient heart pounding within her chest with the force of a double edged mallet, to find David - as hale and hearty as the day she'd met him - awake and leaning over her. His eyes were filled with such love, such worry and concern, that she felt as if she'd burst into tears here as she had in her dream!

"Are you alright, love? You were crying out in your sleep?"

"N-No..." choked she, a lump in her throat; then she proceeded to tell him of her awful, awful dream. By the time she'd finished, David was holding her consolingly yet at the same time shaking his head. "Luna..." he chided, gently, "now why would you have a silly dream like that? We shared ourselves with each other the eve we married; since then like you I've been undying - immortal. I'm not going anywhere, love and you can tell Nightie that, too!"

Luna nodded, kiss-kissing his cheeks, blowing softly unto his face. "We know, but... it was still a horrible dream..." Holding his beloved mare close, the human nodded; then his hold became a gentle stroking and scratching here and there as he replied, "I can imagine... but let's make sure you have no more silly dreams, eh?" With those words... suddenly David's hands were everywhere - combing through her mane, roaming over her coat, rubbing her wings and belly... All Luna could do was nicker-laugh helplessly and make other very, very happy pony noises!

12. Celestia snaps at one of her aides (You Brighten My Day)

"... And furthermore..."

"SILENCE!" the Solar Diarch shouted, her Royal Canterlot Voice cracking across the Courtroom like a whip. With her beloved Daniel standing at her side - his hand across her back and aside her barrel, finally... finally Princess Celestia felt she had the confidence to do something that she ought to have done long ago.

"Seneschal Hoof Dame," said she quietly, staring at her aide with flinty-eyed gaze, "who is First Princess of Equestria? Who is First in charge of the Principality?"

Quailing 'neath said deathly gaze, Hoof Dame shivered as she stuttered, "Y-You are, Princess..."

"... Exactly," Celestia replied. Then, leaning forwards she snorted softly before she continued, growling lowly. "I am Princess of Equestria. Not you. You may be my aide and tell me what needs done within these walls" - she raised a golden-shod hoof to indicate the Palace surrounds - "but I will no longer allow you to dictate what I do with my life outside of them, for my life is just that: mine! Now... BE GO-O-O-O-O-O-NE!" So loud was her final shout that it echoed throughout Canterlot Mountain. As for Hoof Dame... she reacted as one would expect when faced with a very, very angry Alicorn: bleating like a frightened foal, the poor Seneschal turned tail and fled!

With her gone, the Courtroom was empty; only then did poor Celestia fall unto her haunches, her back bowed and head lowered. Concerned, Daniel sat down next to her upon the steps to the Sun Throne and stroked her soothingly; it was his touch that did her in. Turning towards him, Celestia took Daniel into her embrace and the human held her gently as she burst into tears. "They" she choked, "they never stop, Daniel! They... they never stop..."

"Sshh, sshh... I know," said he.

13. The Sun Creche, Celestia's Secret Orphanage (You Brighten My Day)

At last, as the day drew to a close, Celestia and Daniel entered her private quarters wherein she swiftly doffed her regalia; Daniel likewise doffed his formal court-wear for more casual clothing. Then, at some signal known only to them, the Solar Princess enveloped her beloved with powerful magic as she teleported herself and him to a place so secret that only few ponies knew of it, if at all: the Sun Creche; the secret orphanage where those foals and fillies whom... didn't fit the mold, as it were... were housed. The place was quite similar to her faithful student's library - Twilight might be flattered if she knew how close the resemblance was - though in addition to the shelves of books and places for quiet reading there were many sleeping bags, cots, beanbags, nests, nooks and crannies designed to act as sleeping places for... the raucous herd that thundered in from the enormous playroom next door as she and Daniel arrived.

In addition to about thirty ponies - fifteen colts and fifteen fillies - there were many gryphon chicks, dragon hatchlings, diamond dog puppies, zebras, and even some young changeling foals as well. As Daniel looked closer at the gathered menagerie, however, a soft gasp escaped him and his eyes widened... for nearly all the creatures there possessed some kind of disability. Too many to count, yet among them... a hairless Earth Pony laughed and nuzzled a Unicorn possessing only three legs. A wingless pegasus carefully guided a blind diamond dog pup closer to the duo that he might smell them. A one-winged hatchling of the dragon race carried upon his back a paralyzed gryphon-chick friend.

A changeling bore upon his back an albino foal whom never had walked properly on his own because he couldn't... and on and on it went. Soon, Daniel's attention was drawn away as a great clamor went up! "Princess; Mama; Celestia; Celly!" the gathered young cried and the Solar Diarch couldn't help but laugh with delight as they almost knocked her down in their haste to greet her! Eventually, the Princess settled down upon the plush-carpeted floor with her beloved at her side and - as the menagerie settled, foals and fillies cuddling about her - one gryphon chick 'nesting' in her tail and a changeling nosing under her other wing even as an albino filly climbed up onto her back, she sighed in bliss. Then, "Children" said she softly, "let me introduce you to my love, Daniel..."

14. Conversation in Celestia's Office #2 (You Brighten/Total Eclipse Metafiction)

When Celestia entered the office this time, she was walking funny and blushing like a school filly. Luna, who was catching up on the usual paperwork, eyed her sister and grumbled, "... And where have you been? Another of Jaydex's fictions, no doubt..."

Face flushed, the Solar Diarch nodded and then, a wistful sigh escaping her, she answered, "Yes, sister. The story's called 'You Brighten My Day' and he's paired me up with a human from Earth, called Daniel. Oh, gods, the things he did to me in the shower last chapter... mmmh..."

At her sister's words, the Lunar Diarch rested her head upon her forehooves, misty eyed. "When is he going to work on my story?" she asked. "I miss spending time with David..."

Nuzzling her gently, the Sun Princess rested a wing over her sister's back as she answered, "Soon, I believe. He's currently working on a story featuring Rainbow Dash; oh, speaking of that I'd better write her a letter telling her to be prepared. It should be a pleasant surprise for her when she gets -written- by him for the first time, if what I've read on his blog is true."

Something snapped within poor Luna then; angrily, she banged on the fourth wall with a hoof. "JAYDEX," she thundered with the Royal Canterlot Voice, "IF THOU DOST NOT RESUME WORK UPON MINE STORY SOON, WE SHALT VISIT THEE THROUGH THY PLUSH OF MINE FORM AND NOT ALLOW THOU TO PEN ANY MORE STORIES STARRING US! WE SHALT ALSO MAKE OFF WITH THINE PLUSH OF US OUT OF PETTY SPITE!"

At her sister's vehement words, Princess Celestia gasped her eyes wide. "Sister," she reprimanded Luna, "you know we can't influence him that way, and especially not like that! He might not write anymore stories with you at all after that outburst..." Clearing her throat, Celestia turned to the fourth wall and spoke softly, her tone formal. "On behalf of the Principality of Equestria, I would like to formally apologize for my sister's words, Jaydex. It's just... things have been tense around here as of late. Some Authors have been stirring the Gryphons and the Changelings to war with us, you see. Jarl Bloodfang and Queen Chrysalis have been trying to mitigate and contain things as best they can, but... you know Authors. Once a story is Written, only they can change it. Truth is, Lulu, Chrissy and I could really use a break..."

At her words, Luna smirked. "Who's trying to influence the Authors now?"

"Oh, shut up!" Celestia groaned.

16. Daniel helps Celestia with a medical issue.

Laying there with her beloved, Princess Celestia heaved a weary sigh as Daniel gently ran the brush through her mane. "I... I'd always had some trouble dealing with the Ambassador of the Dragons, but... I've never known him to be that rude..." she murmured, gently tap-tapping his thigh in appreciation as the human continued to run the brush through the natural pink hair. "Well... he's a dragon, love; they're always going to be more... caustic... than ponies. Still, I do agree that he could've been politer to you, though you must remember that the Dragon Migration is coming soon; the poor fellow is probably anxious to stretch his wings..." As Celestia murmured in agreement, with those words Daniel finished his gentle work upon her mane and the Solar Princess - her horn aglow with magic - prepared to levitate it back to her dresser. However, no sooner had she begun the process then the magic of her horn sputtered, flickered and died and she winced, whimpering in pain. 'That's not good...' the human thought. Setting the mane brush aside, Daniel gently moved Celestia's head to rest upon one of the bed's many pillows before moving to search through his special 'Alicorn Care Kit' that he kept in his night table; a set of tools for dealing with certain ailments that he'd purchased from various specialists throughout Equestria.

Extracting from the kit a long thin baton-like instrument, Daniel gently tapped it against the top of her horn. Celestia's eyes widened as a clear-sounding chime was produced; she knew what the instrument was, of course, she just didn't expect her love to have one. The device was used to check the magical conduits within a unicorn's horn for blockage. 'Where did he get the bits to purchase one of those?' she wondered. A moment later her wonderment ceased as Daniel used the baton-device - which was called a 'Resonator' - again, this time tapping her horn from the top to the base; each time the device struck her horn a clear note was produced, except for when he tapped her horn-base. There, the Resonator's tone became dull, and at this, Daniel frowned in concern. Collapsing the Resonator, Daniel placed it back into the kit... and then Celestia's eyes went wide as he extracted a small box with a crank-handle and five metal-wire probes attached to it. Slowly, carefully, gently - even as the Solar Diarch whined and struggled - he attached the metal probes to the base of her horn. "I'm sorry Celly, but this has to be done..." he murmured. Her eyes misty with tears, Celestia nodded and then - with the probes correctly attached - Daniel picked up the small box and cranked the handle. One, two, three, four times Daniel did this; each time there was a gentle click as the device released a jolt of magical energy through the probes and into her horn to both widen and stimulate the blocked conduit within.

The process wasn't pleasant; on the contrary it was quite painful and Celestia winced with each jolt of energy forced into her horn. By the time he was done with the process Celestia was keening softly, her muzzle wet with tears and Daniel had to harden his heart, lest he join her crying. However... the worst was yet to come. The stimulator... using it was akin to pouring water into a glass already full... to make said glass overflow! No sooner had Daniel finished his work with the stimulator then Celestia raised her head, her eyes rolled wildly and a scream ripped from her throat as a huge glut of trapped raw magical energy surged from her spiral horn unto reality in the form of sunlight; it was all Daniel could do to cover his eyes lest he be made blind! Another scream escaped Celestia and then, thankfully, it was over; Celestia's head fell limp unto the pillow as she began to weep from the pain of having a main magical conduit unblocked. After carefully packing away his tools, all Daniel could do was hold the Solar Princess close, softly begging her forgiveness and he did this even as her two Dawn Custodes - her personal guard - burst into the room, wondering what had happened. Still holding his beloved close, Daniel pulled out the stimulator again and then carefully explained what had needed to be done. Upon seeing the device, both guards winced in sympathy and then - with hooves covering their horns, they quickly vacated the room.

As Celestia's tears slowed and her weeping ceased, Daniel retrieved the Alicorn Care Kit and then proceeded to comb her mane again, brush her coat, preen her wings, and massage her with his hands 'till the Solar Diarch was utterly insensate, cooing softly with pleasure as she wriggled about on her back, looking up at her beloved with doe-eyes. "Mmmh... Thank you..." she rasped, thickly, her throat raw from her earlier screaming. Immediately Daniel moved to retrieve a chilled water from the private ice box and give it to her. She took it from his hand - successfully this time as her horn was working properly - uncapped it, and drank deeply. When she was done, she sent the bottle back from whence it came and then she and Daniel settled down once more, the human setting her head atop his chest that he could gently massage the base of her horn. "You've got to exercise your magic more, love" he murmured as she groaned and sighed softly in pleasure from his touch. "You've got to, or this might happen again..." As one, they moved into bed proper and Celestia nickered a soft reply in Ponytongue - "Prefer to do things by hoof..." - or, she thought she did; she was utterly worn out, warm, comfortable, and just too tired to make her mouth and tongue work right. Daniel smiled as she nickered again, nuzzling into the crook of his arm, foal-like, then sighed through her nose as he stimulated her horn with his hands, easing out a few last dredges of backed up raw magic which lit up the room like some of Princess Luna's stars.

Author's Note

Daniel loves Celestia and is interested in her, thus he'd want to take care of her should she ever become ill. I imagine he'd research Alicorns, and then stop by the Royal Clinic on occasion and plumb the doctors there for knowledge of minor things that can affect an Alicorn and have the docs teach him how to deal with them. Daniel isn't a licensed doctor, but I'd imagine he would learn enough basic medical skills to aid Celestia until a licensed pony doctor can arrive on scene to help.

17. Daniel and Celestia meet with her personal Physician

Once the analysis was complete, leaning into Daniel's side, Celestia nervously pawed the ground with a hoof, before asking, "Well?"

"You're lucky, girl," the elderly Unicorn doctor, Aesculapius grunted as he packed away his tools. Then, returning his attention to the princess, he continued, "Had Daniel not done what he did, then that raw magic could have crystallized inside your horn!

"Magic," lectured he, "is somewhat like a muscle; you've got to use it regularly lest it atrophy, or - in this case - form into magical crystals inside your horn. These crystals jam up the horn conduits, preventing regular magic flow. Takes long, and very painful surgery to magically shatter and remove them. Sometimes, however..." and here he glared stonily at the Solar Princess, "they harden - become too tough to break - and at that point... the horn becomes useless deadweight; the only thing we can do is... remove it..."

At this, Celestia gasped, her eyes widening as bile welled up in her throat. "Yes," Aesculapius growled, "and horn removal is not something done lightly. Most Unicorns... don't live long without their horns. Magic in their bodies has to go somewhere, you see; and without the horn, it goes back into the brain unless your hooves are fitted with grounders. Magical buildup in the brain causes tumors to form; certain types can be removed through surgery, but most... are inoperable. All we can do... is make the afflicted comfortable until the end. Now you, boy..." Aesculapius eyes narrowed as he turned his attention to Daniel, "keep looking after her as you have; you're good for her and have done right by me. Make sure she exercises her magic regularly; I don't care how she does it - she can levitate things or change the colour of the damn palace regularly for all I care - but make sure she exercises her magic! And you..." here he returned his attention to Celestia, "I don't want you in here for something like this again; you've been working too hard girl, and this was stress-related. I'm ordering that Daniel ride you more; you can channel your magic through your legs and hooves when you run; and after that, more pet play. Rubdowns, grooming, petting, preening, hand-feeding... anything to reduce your stress levels so this doesn't happen again! Now..." and here he affixed Celestia and Daniel with a stony gaze, "... get out of my Clinic!"

Author's Note

Aesculapius is Celestia's personal Doctor/Physician. He's a nasty, grumpy bastard of a Unicorn - even more caustic then House on a good day - but he's an absolute master of his craft and has a right to rag on Celestia when she overworks herself because he cares for her deeply... though he'd deny it, of course. Give him lip about it and he'll buck your damn teeth out!

19. Day Court with Daniel and Celestia

As Day Court continued, a particularly pudgy Noblepony raised a hoof for permission to speak.

Sitting upon the Sun Throne beside his beloved, Daniel pointed to him and prompted, "Yes, Mr..."

"Many Coins, your Honourship," the Noblepony stated. "I oversee the management of Canterlot's Banks." Then Many Coins continued, "I was wondering... what is to be done about the Dirt Ponies, sir?"

The way the Noblepony, Many Coins, emphasized those words - Dirt Ponies - was akin to a curse; it made Daniel's teeth grind and beside him, Celestia frowned deeply. 'Faust damn it all; I thought I'd dealt with this...' she grumbled internally. Then, her attention returned to the present as beside her, Daniel leaned forwards, his eyes narrowing.

"The Dirt Ponies?" Daniel stated. "You mean... the Earth Ponies?"

Many Coins nodded.

"The ponies who work your fields? The ponies who plant your crops? The ponies who grow all the vegetables, fruits, and greens you eat? The ponies who - sometimes literally - break their backs working so hard, every single day to ensure that the other races - the Pegasi and Unicorns like yourself - even have food to eat? Those ponies?"

Although Daniel's voice had neither changed in volume, nor tone, the atmosphere within the Court had changed; within the air an angry murmur arose as Unicorns and Pegasi of the nobility - whom called Earth Ponies friend and brother - glared at the bigoted Unicorn even as they gave him a wide berth.

Unaware of the change - his attention focused upon Daniel - Many Coins nodded again. "Yes, those ponies," he said, his words filled with distaste. At once, the Day Court quietened; all awaited to hear Daniel's reply.

"I am going to do absolutely nothing about the Earth Ponies," the human stated flatly. "However..." and here his voice became deathly quiet, "I am going to do something about you. This is your Third and Final Strike, Many Coins. As of right now, you are ejected from this court. Dawn Custodes, attend!"

At the human's words - even as Many Coins sputtered in outrage - from out of the shadows aside the throne, two of Celestia's Dawn Custodes - her Personal Guard - marched to stand before the Sun Throne as Celestia looked on, wide eyed. Unlike the usual guard fare, these Guards were Veterans of countless wars against the Gryphons, Dragons and Changelings - they were giant, dark-furred, heavily scarred Earth Ponies - their custom fitted armor creaking audibly as it strained to enclose their titanic physiques. Upon seeing them, Many Coins' outrage flickered and died; paling he turned about, seeking desperately to escape... but none of the other court nobles would raise a hoof to help; the bigoted stallion had brought this upon himself.

Many Coins didn't stand a chance; even as he thought to employ his magic one of the titanic ponies slapped an inhibitor onto his horn and then - as the guards stripped him of his noble finery, leaving him as naked as the day he was foaled - Daniel stated, "Let it be known to this Court that I am instating the Penalty for Racism upon this Unicorn Pony, Many Coins. His Penalty is thus: that the Dawn Custodes known as Stern Visage and Proud Heart will 'escort' him via Pegasi Carriage unto the Town of Ponyville wherein he - equipped with his inhibitor - shall henceforth become the newest Earth Pony Farmhand working for Applejack, the Element of Honesty. There, at her Farm known as Sweet Apple Acres, Many Coins shall work for the Element of Honesty for a period of no less than three years. He will learn the Ways of the Earth Pony."

"... And what if he escapes?" spoke Proud Heart, his voice reminiscent of James Earl Jones.

"He will not escape," answered Daniel, "not unless he wants to be... retrieved... by Rainbow Dash, or eaten by something from the Everfree. You are to tell Applejack and her Family that their treatment of him is to be firm, yet fair; as time passes they might come to treat him like family. Dawn Custodes... Amitto!"

And with those words, Stern Visage and Proud Heart promptly turned and marched from the Throne Room, escorting between them a weeping Unicorn and leaving a Court deathly silent. Once they and the sentenced had departed, Daniel closed his eyes and leaned subtly against his beloved Celestia, a shudder coursing through him. "I hated having to do that..." he murmured low that only she could hear him. Swallowing thickly, the Solar Diarch nodded as she replied, "I know... but it's the only way they'll learn." Then, returning her attention to the Court, she stomped a hoof twice upon the floor - *CRACK-CRACK* - and said, "Court is adjourned for half an hour's Recess."

Author's Note

Daniel lays down the Law.

21. The end of Many Coins' sentence.

T'was the sound of a heavy, armored hoof knocking that brought the Element of Honesty, Applejack, running to the door of Sweet Apple Acres' Farmhouse. Upon opening said door, she found waiting for her upon the front step two ponies she hoped to never see: the Dawn Custodes, Stern Visage and Proud Heart. Behind them she espied a Pegasus-drawn chariot, two of the Princesses Own hitched unto it. Swallowing a thick lump in her throat, blinking eyes misty with tears, the farm-pony adjusted the Stetson atop her head before she returned her attention to the two Elite Guards, and said, "Ah... Ah assume yer here for Many Coins?"

Immediately, Stern Visage nodded. "We are," he stated softly, sensing her mood. "His sentence is done. Where might we find him?"

At the question, Applejack blinked repeatedly in an effort to stave off the tears threatening to fall - 'Ah'm gonna lose an honorary member of mah family today...' - and then she answered, "Y'all can find him in the Southern Fields, helpin' Big Mac buck the last of this season's crop. Ah.. ah'll take yeh there..."

"Thank you, ma'am" Proud Heart responded. Then, as he, Stern Visage, and Applejack together made their way to the Southern Fields where Big Macintosh and Many Coins were hard at work, Proud Heart asked, "Was he any trouble?"

Applejack thought for a few moments, before replying, "Well... he wuz at first - the usual racism, callin' us all 'Dirt Ponies' and all that - but Granny Smith done cured 'im 'o that right quick! Then... well... one night when we wuz havin' dinner he opened up to us; turned out he wuz a 'lonely-only'; an only child who done had no friends, jus' ponies who'da thought to use him for his money and family connections. His Paw tried to raise 'im right... but then his Maw got 'er hook-hooves into 'im and turned 'im mean. After he apologized fer his bad manners he turned out to be a good sort; he became a darn hard worker and it turns out he knows more fancy math'matics then Big Mac; he 'hit the books' with us and found tons' o' places where we could save money..."

And so it was that the Element of Honesty continued to regale the Dawn Custodes with tales of Many Coins exploits, until at last the trio reached the Southern Fields wherein Big Macintosh Apple and the Noble Unicorn were hard at work. There... both guards eyes widened as they beheld a vastly different Unicorn Pony, one whom was a far cry from the racist Noble they'd sentenced in Canterlot. Gone was the pudge of the stallion's form; he'd thinned down, the fat turned to lean, powerful muscle earned from three years of hard, honest work. Many Coins seemed not to care that he wore his Inhibitor any more; atop his tan-maned head rested a bleached-white Stetson and wrapped about his chest the Guards espied a vest festooned with pockets and loops packed with all-manner of hoof-tools, nails, screws and other items necessary for maintenance of equipment on the farm. Around his neck rested a simple, hoof-made necklace; below that, also on a leather cord lay a harmonica.

As he and Big Mac moved from tree to tree to tree, expertly bucking the apples said trees bore into carrying buckets the Dawn Custodes' eyes near-popped from their heads as Many Coins - unaware of their presence - began to sing as he worked; one of the bawdiest songs the two guards and Applejack had ever heard!

"Well life fer a crotch is kinda laid back
Watchin’ them peckers try to git in her crack
I git messy when they’re slightly off the tra-aaaa-ack
Thank gawd I'm a pubic hair!"

The brown-and-tan Unicorn paused for a moment to remove his Stetson from his head and wipe the sweat from his brow... but then, as he replaced the hat upon his head and prepared to sing the next verse of the song, the words died in his throat as he espied the guards and Applejack. "Oh, no..." he breathed softly. Big Mac - whom had also seen the waiting guardsponies and his sister - turned to look solemnly at Many Coins. Placing a hoof upon the Unicorn's shoulder, the gentle red-coated giant of a stallion spoke softly. "Son," said he to Many Coins - for that was how he'd come to think of the Noblepony - "son... it's time..."

Gripped by a sudden, inexplicable fear, Many Coins whimpered, his lower lip trembling and eyes clouding with tears as he crouched and sought to hide 'neath the larger stallion's barrel like a foal. "I..." he choked, "I don't want to go..."

"... But yeh have to," Big Macintosh uttered upon coaxing the poor Unicorn out of hiding. "Yeh have to; it's what yeh gotta do..."

"I... I'll settle my affairs in Canterlot" spoke Many Coins hurriedly, desperately, as he hugged the giant farmpony. "I'll settle my affairs and then come right back here, I'll--"

"No..." Mac replied, resting his neck across Many Coins' as he wrapped a hoof about the stricken Unicorn. "Yeh'll go back to Canterlot... and yeh'll fight fer us. Yeh'll tell them other stuck up no good Unicorns that we Earth Ponies ain't no dirt ponies; that we're honest, hard workin' folk."

A moment later, Big Macintosh released Many Coins from his embrace; as he did so the Unicorn's expression hardened. "Yes" breathed he, "I will!" Then, whirling about to face the Dawn Custodes as they stood looking on with Applejack, Many Coins stood to his full height and inhaled a breath and spoke. "I am Many Coins-Apple, and that Stallion" he declared, pointing with a hoof to Big Macintosh, "is my Father. Nopony touches him!" Applejack nodded firmly and then, as Many Coins - now Many Coins-Apple - walked forwards to let the guards remove his Inhibitor, she stated, "That yer are, and yer'll always be a part of the Apple family."

With that, Many Coins-Apple made to remove his Stetson, tool vest, and other adornments, but even as he raised a hoof to begin Applejack moved to stop him. "No" stated she, stopping his hoof with her own, "those are yers. Yeh bought them with yer own bits, earned through yer own honest work." Happiness welling within his heart, Many Coins nodded his thanks and nuzzled his sister in all but blood. After that... many tearful hugs and goodbyes were exchanged as the Apple Family - Applejack, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom - came to see him off. Finally, as the Golden Chariot ascended into the sky with Many Coins-Apple and the Dawn Custodes aboard, the Unicorn Pony cried, "DON'T FORGET TO WRITE; REMEMBER, I'LL BE JUST A DRAGONFIRE-LETTER AWAY!"

"WE WON'T" boomed Big Macintosh in reply, "AND WE'LL COME VISIT, TOO! GOOD LUCK, SON!"

A moment later the Chariot disappeared from sight and poor Apple Bloom just couldn't take it anymore; she burst into tears. "Ah... ah've just lost a best friend..." she cried through her tears.

"Nope" Big Mac replied as he bent to console her, "yeh've gained a Brother..."

22. There will always be a Princess...

As Daniel looked on from where he sat in his rocking chair, Celestia - her beautiful white coat pale gray, her once rainbow mane white - unhooked herself from the anti-grav sled that she used to get around. Clad only in her collar, still wearable - though its tag and colours had faded with time - she approached her beloved, tottering, stumbling upon aged, arthritic legs that Daniel thought had given out so... so long ago. Gazing solemnly at her human love's wrinkled, white-haired, wizened form through eyes near-blind and rheumy with age, she smiled; she loved him still, even after all this time and he in turn still loved her and thought her beautiful. "Come, Daniel," nickered she, softly "it is time. One last Sunset; one last ride."

Daniel, his wizened body wracked with arthritis, groaned in pain as he took up his walking cane and made his way over to her. Celestia nearly collapsed as she lay down to allow him to mount her back, and then staggered with effort as she stood again on shaky legs. "I trust..." Daniel croaked, "that your affairs are in order, my dear?"

A smile creasing her muzzle, Celestia nodded as she responded, "Aye, they are. My faithful student, she will be a fine Princess..." Turning about to face their room - a place full of cherished memories - suddenly, the former Princesses eyes became wet with painful tears as she whimpered, "Oh, I'm going to miss this place..." Gently petting her faded neck, combing his hands through her mane, Daniel nodded, his own eyes misty. "I know, Celestia, but remember what you told me, all those years ago? You said, 'There will always be a Princess, there will always be a man by her side, and he will love and protect her until time reaches its end.' Well..." and here Daniel sighed softly, "our time here has reached its end, and so we have to go..." Blinking her tears away, Celestia swallowed thickly and nodded. Then, she turned about such that they faced the great balcony that jutted out from the window... and with a *click-click* of Daniel's tongue, she was away, her mane flying. Out of the room raced she bearing her beloved upon her back, and then approaching the balcony, she closed her eyes and leaped, ascending with him into the sky for the very last time...

... And the doors slammed open as Twilight Sparkle burst into the room followed by her guards. "Celestia," she howled. "Ce-les-ti-aaah!" Weeping, desperate, knowing there was naught she could do to prevent it yet determined to try anyway, Twilight Sparkle made to go after them... but then a cry of grief was ripped from her throat as her guards hauled her back. Even as she struggled and fought against them, weeping openly - even as her guards handed her unto the arms of her human beloved who'd come into the room after them, Celestia and Daniel became naught but a point of light in the sky. Then, for a brief instant, the world turned white...

"... And lo, it was said that upon the very Hour of the Day of Our Beloved Princess Twilight Sparkle's Coronation, a Solar Flare alighted the Heavens, touching all corners of the world; When It happened did our hearts soar with joy for She whom had watched over Us for thousands of years was finally at Rest..."

* * *

The little pink-furred, brown maned filly just couldn't help it; she sniffled, her eyes wet with tears. Carefully she rested the Book of Pony upon her night-stand; then she wept into her pillow. Until she became aware... of a human hand... and a large pony hoof... touching and stroking her face. Opening her eyes, the little pony foal beheld her parents - her mummy and daddy - on either side of the bed, wiping away her tears. "What's the matter sweetie," her mummy asked softly.

Hiccuping softly, the little filly replied, "I... I was reading about Great Herd Mama Celestia again; it's so sad! Nopony and no-human knows what happened when... when... Where did she and Daniel go?"

The pony Heaven Song and her human beloved, a man named Donald, turned as one to look at each other; then, after a moment's thought, they nodded before returning their attention to their daughter. "Do you remember," Donald said to his daughter, "what Celestia said to Daniel, sweetie?"

The little filly nodded... and then her eyes widened as her mama leaned close and whispered, "There will always be a Princess..." Her eyes went even wider when Donald leaned forward to whisper, "...there will always be a man by her side..." Then the little filly gasped as both her parents completed the age old saying, "...and he will love and protect her until time reaches its end." Then, the little filly watched - her heart threatening to beat out of her chest - as her mama's hair... began to shift and swirl... with all the colours of the rainbow.

Author's Note

Ghhh... *snff*... so dusty in here. That's all it is; I'm not crying, I'm not...!

23. The New Changeling Hive

Deep within the heart of the Hive of Queen Chrysalis, Celestia - a deep frown upon her muzzle - gazed at her beloved husband Daniel, her eyes wet with tears. "Y-You..." she choked, "you shared yourself with her?! I... I don't understand, my Daniel; I... I thought... I thought you loved me! Why - why - would you do such a thing?"

As she spoke, Queen Chrysalis laid her final changeling egg and then - as her drones worked to disconnect her from her Ovipositor - she softly said unto the pony princess, "He did this because he desired to."

"Lies!" Celestia hissed, furiously whirling to face the black Queen. "Changeling lies! You... you used some form of mind control upon my beloved; you did, I know you did!" Turning about to face her beloved human mate once more, the distressed Solar Diarch checked his eyes for Changeling Magic and - upon finding none - desperately, she pressed herself against him. "Tell me it's not true," she whispered brokenly. "Tell me you didn't do this of your own free will..."

As the Solar Diarch made to press herself against him once more, Daniel stepped back from her and then - looking upon her, his expression so saddened that Celestia felt his sadness as if it were hers - the human man slowly shook his head in disappointment. "You shame yourself, my beloved," he stated sadly. At his words, Princess Celestia gasped softly, her heart wrenching in agony. Heedless of her state, he continued to speak. "You forget the one Universal Rule of Harmony - a Rule that is immutable; that you set in stone - and it is no one is beyond redemption! Please, listen to Chrysalis; hear her words. She doesn't have much time left..."

Sniffling, blinking, Celestia turned to face Queen Chrysalis and it was then she realized that something was terribly wrong. The Changeling Queen looked worn out - very old, very tired - and yet... the expression on her face... 'Wait a minute...' the Solar Diarch became startled as she realized that there wasn't a hint of malevolence to be seen. Instead, the purest happiness, joy and... and love could she see shining within the Queen's emerald-green eyes. "Yes," Chrysalis said, smiling beatifically, "Daniel imparted unto me some of his love for you, Celestia; I did not take it by force. To have done so would have hurt Him... and me, for I now love him as much as you. When I fed upon that portion of his and your essence... it affected me so deeply; I didn't - I couldn't - just feed upon it! I knew it, I felt it... I experienced it... and so will they..."

"'They?'" Celestia prompted, curious.

"The new Hive..." the Queen breathed softly in apparent awe. "They will know love not only as a food source, but as a feeling - an emotion - and will know not me but you. You..." the Queen babbled, utterly joyous even though she was fading, "Celestia the Herd-and-Hive Mother, and Daniel the Hive Progenitor! And... and they will know your ponies not as prey but as friends and allies... maybe even mates!" Laughter, pure, sweet and joyous bubbled up from within the Queen. "I am dying," said she even through her laughter, "even now it's consuming me your love is killing me and I don't care...!" Then, looking at the two before her - one sadly-smiling human and one utterly shocked pony princess - Queen Chrysalis said, reverently. "A new Hive led not by a Queen, but a Princess who will look to you and Daniel. A Princess to lead them all; a Princess to bind them; a Princess to bring them all; and to Harmony, guide them. My gift to you..."

A contented sigh escaping her, Queen Chrysalis of the Badlands Hive looked around - seeing the thousands, and thousands, and thousands of Changelings that she had spawned - as all ceased their activities; they knew what was to come. Smiling beatifically, her emerald eyes shining, Queen Chrysalis beckoned Daniel forward and when he came within reach of her she nuzzled him reverently and kissed him. Then, softly she whispered, "The unknown future trots towards us. I face it for the first time with a sense of hope, Daniel. Because if you, a human, can learn the value of pony life, maybe we can too..."

A moment later, the Queen slumped forward on her throne as she exhaled her last breath, the light fading from her eyes; it was over... or was it? As Daniel and Celestia looked on - the poor pony Princess feeling utterly overwhelmed - a small slit appeared within the dead Queen's abdomen. Shortly thereafter, a wet, pink nose could be seen poking out of the slit, and then, it wasn't long before the head of a baby something was completely visible. A few minutes later the slit became wide enough to free a scrawny leg, followed by another and another until the entire newborn had emerged. The creature appeared to be a female changeling... but what a changeling she was!

She looked like Chrysalis in miniature, and possessed a similar face, but that was where the changes ended. Her body was deep pink, almost red, with hints of a dark purple on her saddle-like carapace. Her wings were the same translucent color and had no holes in them, nor did her legs. Her eyes were a soft, gentle brown, and her fangs were much smaller than a normal changeling's, almost non-existent, though with time they would grow. Her mane and tail were colored the same as her carapace and also possessed no holes. Last but not least was her horn; it didn't resemble the pocked appendage of the Changeling Queen, but appeared straight, whole and spiraled, not unlike Celestia's own horn!

The newly born Princess turned to look at the Elder One whom had birthed her and then - with maturity beyond someone her age - she reached up to gently close her Birth Mama's eyes. A moment later, the little one nuzzled her Mama's nose then gave her a little kiss goodbye. "Ma..." whispered she, softly, sadly. Shortly thereafter the little one turned to look at the world that awaited her, but... by the Great Herd-and-Hive Mother! Why was everything so dark? This... this wouldn't do!

Utterly dissatisfied with what she saw, the young Princess proceeded to do something extraordinary: she sang a single, beautiful, clear note and in doing so unleashed a wave of magic most powerful. It passed through Daniel and Celestia, leaving the two unharmed... but when it touched a changeling that changeling appeared to die; then from the dead carapace emerged a new, young changeling foal! Soon, Daniel and Celestia were surrounded by a veritable sea of changeling foals of every size and color; they appeared near-akin to the ponies of Equestria! "We" Daniel said as the Young Queen approached him for a hug, "are going to need a lot more carriages..."

At this - as her beloved picked up the new changl -- no, the First of their new children -- Celestia began to laugh through her tears.

24. Bad Dream / The End of Equestria / Twilight's Message (MLP:FiM/You Brighten Metafiction)

Laying within their bed, as Celestia and her beloved Daniel drifted somewhere between half-awake and half-asleep, there came a frantic knocking upon the bedchamber door... before it was violently thrown open as a lavender pony mare with purple-and-pink streaked mane and tail bolted into the room. Startled, Daniel and Celestia moved to sit up, for this mare was Twilight Sparkle, and she appeared deeply distressed; her body shook with barely contained sobs of anguish and her cheeks and muzzle were stained with tears. "... Mmmh... Twilight?" Celestia murmured. "Whatever is the matter?"

Hiccuping softly - struggling to hold within yet more tears determined to come - Twilight slowed as she moved up to the bed. "I--I..." she choked, "I had a bad dream. About the Author Coranth's last story short..."

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Daniel focused his gaze upon the little pony mare, a frown creasing his face as he asked, "The one about little Elytra; the new Changeling Princess?"

No sooner had she heard her name then said Changeling Princess - who'd been asleep on the human's chest - raised her head; then upon seeing her favorite friend and playmate in such distress, she trilled in inquiry as if to ask, "What's wrong?"

At this, Twilight Sparkle laughed even as she shed more tears. "No," said she with a watery smile, "the one before that..."

With the purple unicorn's words came sharp clarity and Celestia winced as Daniel nodded sagely. "Ah..." said he. Lifting a corner of the duvet, the human patted the mattress. "Come in here, sweetie..." said he and Twilight did; sniffling, she climbed into bed with the three occupants and then - at some unseen signal Celestia and Daniel gently moved and shifted to cuddle poor Twilight between them; even little Elytra joined in, nudging, nuzzling and nosing the Unicorn Mare until she giggled and gently nuzzled her in return.

In all the times she'd done this - shared the bed with Daniel and Celestia - never had Twilight felt as if she was intruding; on the contrary the two had always made her feel welcome. She didn't feel like a 'third wheel'; she was wanted there; it was natural for her to be there; she belonged there. Now, as Daniel and Celestia tended to her, wrapping her up in hooves, wings and hands - softly stroking her everywhere and kissing away her heart's pain - fresh, happy tears clouded her vision and she whimpered, overwhelmed.

Quietly, Celestia nickered, "Tell me what's wrong, sweetheart. Tell Mama what's wrong. Come on, now..."

Swallowing thickly, Twilight asked, "W-Will... Will you and Daniel be that way, one day? Will you leave me... all... a-alone?"

"Oh, Twily..." Daniel crooned low as he combed her mane and scratched behind her ears. Then, lecturing, he continued, "Alicorns can never truly die - and neither can those they share themselves with - but... we can't stay here forever. One day, yes, Celestia's and my time here will end; we will move on - begin a new life - and you and Elytra will be Equestria's Princesses... or, perhaps others will be..." Ignoring the Unicorn's gasp and stricken expression - staring off into the distance - Celestia continued, "... and one day they will state that Equestria will end..."

Eyes wide, Twilight prompted, "'They?'"

"The people collectively known as 'Hasbro,'" Celestia replied softly. "They whom created us all long, long ago..."

"But-but... Faust!" Twilight gasped. "She-Who-Created..."

"... was and still is part of Hasbro, but has moved on; she weaves other worlds now. One day, dear Twilight... Equestria will end."

"But... the f-fandom; the little Children, the Bronies...!" the stricken mare gasped.

"All little Children must grow... and even though the Fandom will continue to weave our world for years to come - through the artwork, stories, animations, conventions and countless other works of wonder - eventually, they, too will move on. That's just the way things are, dear-heart..."

"NO!" Twilight cried, pushing away her mentor's comforting hoof. "UNACCEPTABLE!" With that said, Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic - the Balancing Force of the Mane Six whom were the Elements of Harmony - pushed against the Fourth Wall with all her strength as she sought to send a message to All Outside.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle..." spoke she, her words desperate and broken, "and I send this message to All who watch us from Outside; all who believe us and carry us in your hearts. Please... don't let Equestria end. Please don't stop believing in us - Your Little Ponies - or in Friendship and Harmony. Please, please, keep us alive, through the Fandom, through your art, stories, toys, ch-children... in any way you can. Please, I beg of you, keep us all and the Magic of Friendship alive, please... please..." And then she could speak no more; she burst into tears, and as Celestia, Danial and Elytra moved to console her, all could only hope that her message had somehow made it through, and that it would be enough...

25. Luna plays Dead Space... (Total Eclipse of Their Hearts!Luna vs Dead Space)

As she watched David's car leave - for he was heading to work for the day - Princess Luna pouted, her lower lip trembling, her eyes misty. Then, a moment later she snapped out of it and went back into her beloved's house. "'Tis... 'Tis fine!" She sniffed. "Our beloved told us that He wouldst be attending his place of work today. Now let's see..." Making her way into the living room, Luna eyed the Playstation 3 David had thoughtfully set up for her and - as she seated herself before the huge widescreen television, closing the curtains with her magic - she perused the games which David had selected for her. "Hmm... now which one shall we play...?" pondered she.

Unfortunately, David had been running a bit late this morning. Unfortunately, in his haste to leave he'd simply pulled a random selection of games from the shelf. And unfortunately... Luna picked from that random selection a game that, well... she really shouldn't have.

"'Dead... Space...?'" read Luna as she peered at the cover. "What is this... 'Dead Space'?" Intrigued, with her magic she placed the DVD into the console, then reset the machine and waited for the disc to load. When the game began with a computerized message, Luna leaned forward slightly.

STATUS UPDATE...

USG KELLION EN ROUTE TO AEGIS SYSTEM

PRIMARY MISSION ASSETS...

...ISAAC CLARKE - ENGINEERING AND SHIP SYSTEMS SPECIALIST...

...KENDRA DANIELS - COMPUTER SPECIALIST...

...ZACH HAMMOND - CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER...

DIRECTIVE A: LOCATE MINING VESSEL USG ISHIMURA...

DIRECTIVE B: DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR COMMUNICATIONS BLACKOUT...

TIME TO CONTACT: 3 MINUTES...

''Shield' System'? What is this 'USG Kellion'? And a machinist, a female who fixes devices such as this 'Playstation' and a Guardspony?' thought Luna, intrigued. 'A Mining Vessel? How can a seafaring ship be used for mining ore; unless it be used to haul cargo...' A moment later, the cryptic message vanished into static; then the static resolved itself into the face of a clearly distressed human female. A frown creased Luna's muzzle as she looked on.

"Isaac, it's me. I wish I could talk to you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I wish I could just talk to someone. It's all falling apart here. I can't believe what's happening... It's strange... such a little thing..."

'Who is this woman?' thought Luna. 'For what is she apologizing? And... she is lonely?' A moment later - when the woman's message dissolved into static and the view pulled back to reveal the deck of the USG Kellion - Luna's eyes visibly widened as she beheld a number of humans; they all were travelling aboard a chariot the likes of which she'd never seen before and all wore some kind of sophisticated suit. With bated breath, the Princess of the Night continued to watch events unfold.

"How many times have you watched that thing? Guess you really miss her. Don't worry, we're almost there. You'll be able to look her up once we're onboard. Sounds like you two have a lot of catching up to do."

'Thou must be the one called "Kendra,"' thought Luna; then her jaw dropped as the USG Kellion exited Hyperspace and for the first time she beheld the star-filled vista and the shattered moon of Aegis-7. 'This...' thought she, 'this is incredible...'

"All right everyone, we're here. Synching our orbit now."

'... Thee of darkened shade must be the Guardspony, the one called "Hammond," thought Luna, still in awe of what was on the screen before her.

"All this trouble over that chunk of rock."

"Deep space mining is a lucrative business, Ms. Daniels..."

'"Deep space" mining?' thought Luna, somewhat overwhelmed. 'Then...'

"...Aegis 7 is a gold mine, according to prospector's reports. Cobalt, Silicon, Osmium... Now, where is she? There she is. We have visual contact."

For the first time, Luna beheld the sight of the USG Ishimura, and a gasp escaped her as once again her jaw lowered with her awe. 'That' thought she, 'is no seafaring vessel! Thee and the 'USG Kellion'... they art chariots that voyage through my stars!' Grinning, Luna clapped her hooves together with glee before returning her attention to the screen.

"So that's the Ishimura? Impressive..."

"The USG Ishimura. Biggest Planetcracker in her class. And it looks like they already popped the cork."

"Why is it all dark? I don't see any running lights."

"Corporal, take us in closer and hail them. And stay clear of the debris field. We're here to fix their ship, not the other way around."

"USG Ishimura, this is the emergency maintenance team of the USG Kellion responding to your distress call. Come in Ishimura."

"You're going to need to boost the signal if their power is low."

"Yes, we know. Boost the signal. More."

"Never heard of a total communications blackout on one of these things. You'd think with a thousand people on board, someone would pick up the phone--"

'A "thousand" humans,' thought Luna, awed, 'Thy star-faring chariot... why, it must be enormous - larger than even our Royal Palace...'

Unintelligible

Luna frowned. 'Something is amiss here...' thought she.

"What is that?"

"It's a busted array like we thought. Sounds like they're having problems with their encoder. You get us down there and Isaac and I can fix it. Forty-eight hours max."

"Alright, you heard the lady. Take us in. Let's see what needs fixing."

"Gravity tethers engaged. Automatic docking procedure is go."

Suddenly, a frightened gasp escaped Luna as the USG Kellion was rocked by an explosion! "Oh, no..." she breathed, her heart beginning to pound.

"What the hell?"

"Sir! The autodock-"

"What is it?"

"We're off track! We're going to hit the hull!"

Luna was riveted - her heart was thumping in her chest - she couldn't pull herself away; this was hoof-biting; she was on the edge of her seat...

"Hit the blast shields! Their guidance tether is damaged! Switch to manual. NOW!"

"Inside the magnetic field? Are you insane?! Abort!"

"NO! We can make it inside! Corporal, I gave you an order!"

"Argh, the field's too strong!"

White light suddenly obscured Luna's view of the game and she cried out with terror - 'this game has not yet even begun and thee all have met thy end!' - as terrible grinding sounds reverberated throughout the Kellion before everything went black...

Then... a light flickered as the ship's systems restarted and - as the Princess of the Night saw its occupants get to their feet and the blast shields retract - she breathed a huge sigh of relief!

"Is everyone okay?"

"What...? What the hell were you thinking?! Were you trying to get us killed?"

"I just saved our asses, Ms. Daniels! If we had aborted at that speed and distance, we would have smashed right into the side of the Ishimura. Now settle down, and let's get to work. Corporal, report!"

Luna kept watching, her heartbeat slowing down as the pilot - Corporal Chen - reported on the Kellion and Isaac donned his helmet. 'The machinist Isaac?' thought she. 'He is the one we shalt be playing as in this game? Intriguing, though his suit does seem somewhat more sophisticated than those worn by the others...'

"I'm not getting any readings from the port booster and we've lost comms and autopilot. It'll take some time to fix."

"All right, let's get some extra hands from the flight deck to help out."

Luna kept watching as on-screen, Kendra turned around and walked up to Isaac.

"Hold still, Isaac, I'm synching up everyone's RIGs with the ship...

'"RIGs"' thought the Lunar Diarch. 'Pray tell, what are these "RIGs" she speakest of?' Then, Luna watched as Isaac's suit was activated, the spinal bar along his back lighting green. 'Ah' she realized, 'Tis part of his suit!'

Okay, we're done. Clean bill of health for everyone."

"All right. We've still got a job to do. We're moving out."

A short time later...

As the first Necromorph - a Slasher - decapitated Corporal Johnston, Luna cried out in horror, tears misting her eyes. Then...

"Jesus! Open fire! Open fire!"

"Kendra! Power!"

... Luna choked as a second Slasher entered the room in similar fashion to the first, and jumped on Corporal Chen.

"Kendra...!"

"Come on... come on. Got it!"

"Isaac, get the hell out of there!"

"The door's unlocked, run!"

Near-sick with terror, Luna took control of Issac and made the Engineer run through the door; but even then it wasn't over - another scream was torn from the pony princesses throat as a Slasher began to chase him! On and on she made him run until at last he reached the first Elevator. A sigh of relief escaped Luna as the door slammed closed; a sigh that became a scream of terror as the Slasher forced the elevator door open and roared in Issac's face! Then, the poor princesses heart stilled as the elevator door slammed closed, tearing the Slasher's arms off. Pausing a moment, Luna gasped and clutched her chest! Never had she played a game like this! Never had she been so horrified in her life. It was horrible; it was gruesome, macabre, awful... and yet... and yet... She couldn't look away. She... she could not set it down! Steeling herself, the Princess of the Night picked up the Playstation 3 Controller and made to resume playing.

Three hours later...

"Huzzah!" the Moon Princess crowed as she blew the limbs off of yet another Necromorph, killing it. "Thy limbs are dismembered, foul thing! Fear the might of thy blessed Plasma Cutter! Behold the strength of thy Mighty Boot-Stomp! Away, away with thee, Tartarus-spawned legions!" This was the scene David came home to that night - Luna having a blast as she played this game that - David thought privately - she really ought not to be playing. 'Ah, shit...' thought he, 'Celestia's gonna kill me...'

Author's Note

I had to do it. I had to have a Gamer!Luna in here, but it's a serious one. I thought, 'How would one who has never seen an incredible game like Dead Space really react when playing it for the first time? That night, when Luna goes to bed she dreams...

26. Celestia searches for her Sister and David (NSFW / Very Sensual...)

Celestia was worried. It was Evening Meal - the time that she and Luna shared together before the Equestrian Night Princess went about her usual duties - but her beloved Sister and her Lifemate David hadn't arrived yet. 'I wonder' thought the Solar Diarch, 'what might be keeping them?' With that thought in mind, she made her way through the Palace unto the quarters shared by Luna and David. With a gentle nod of acknowledgement to her sister's Night Guard - two golden-eyed, bat-winged ponies named Silent Witness and Swift Mercy - the Sun Princess made to knock gently on the doors... Only to find them unlocked and ajar.

'Now that's strange...' thought Celestia. Then, "Lulu?" called she as she entered the room. "Are you in here?" No reply was forthcoming and so the Sun Princess made her way further into her sister's bedchambers. It was then that Celestia became aware of the sound of running water, and of... voices? Curious as to the origin of said sounds the white Alicorn Princess made her way unto the bath chamber therein, only to find that the doors of said chamber had been closed with haste and hadn't been locked; that is to say they were ajar just so, steam wafting from within the bath chamber, and crawling between the doors, into the room.

'I wonder' thought Celestia, 'what might be going on in there?' Ever so softly, she crept forward toward the crack betwixt the bath chamber doors--but then - 'I... I really shouldn't...' - a flash of conscience made her pause. And yet... gentle murmurs, stifled whimpers, and softened gasps of obvious pleasure drew the Solar Princess inexorably forward and - stepping up to the barely opened bath chamber doors - Celestia peeked within. What she saw caused her eyes to widen, and made her cover her mouth with a hoof to stifle her own softened gasp. Her beloved sister Luna was within - that was true - but her usual aides were not in attendance. Instead, David was in there with her - as naked as she - and he was bathing her, using his hands to wash her himself!

As David washed Luna, lathering a combination soap-shampoo into her mane and then her coat - his touch ever-so-gentle, ever-so-tender, ever-so-heartfelt - the Night Princess whimpered softly again as his hands - oh Faust, his hands - massaged away aches, pains and tension the poor mare never even knew she had! "Mmm - Muhh - More," she breathed softly. Dilligently, David complied, and then, all Celestia could do was watch - becoming hot and bothered, trying desperately not to squirm - as the human slowly washed Luna from her muzzle to her flanks. As David made to wash her tail - and then beneath it - finally Luna could take no more. Utterly transfixed, her mind frozen and breath stilled, Celestia looked on - it was all she could do - as Princess Luna - her midnight wings spread and stiffened with arousal - raised her beautiful tail and backed toward her beloved. "David," begged she, "please... please, my love... please..."

And David, unwilling to hear his beloved Mare of the Night beg, heeded her call. Kneeling behind her, he kissed and licked at her beautiful, moist crescent; then Luna's head lowered, mouth open wide in a silent scream as he suckled and worked his tongue upon her pinkened clitoris until... until... "Please," wept she, utterly overcome, "please, I... I need... please..." David stroked his beloved mare's back soothingly for a moment to calm her... and then, gently gripping her flanks - her cutie marks - he sheathed himself inside her! Outside the bath chamber, Celestia fell to her haunches - she just could not stop watching the intimate act being played out before her - but as she watched, her eyes glistened with tears that threatened to fall for what she was witnessing between David and Luna was no lust-filled act of hastened sex.

David and Luna were making love - to each other, with each other, for each other - and Celestia found it utterly breathtaking; not the mechanics of the act itself, but the way in which her beloved Sister and David were doing it. Yes, they were making love, but the love the two were making was crafted gently, tenderly and very, very slowly in near-complete silence; not a sound could be heard save for that of the dragonfire-heated shower-fall as it cascaded down atop them. Never in all her years had Celestia seen the act of love-making performed with such precision, such control! Wings stiffened with arousal - essence dripping from her own crescent unto the bedchamber floor - the Sun Princess panted softly, licking her lips with equine tongue. 'What they are doing' thought she in awe, 'must be some kind of... of sexual technique from Earth, for I have seen nothing of its like before in my many years of life. Dear Faust... They... They could make love for hours this way...'

And they did. Finally, as dawn approached, leaning down over Luna's back, David whispered something into her ear that only served to increase the pleasure she was feeling. "Your sister is here," whispered he so low that only she could perceive. "Celestia is here, Luna; she has been all night; watching us share our love with each other. She..." - he growled like a predatory Timberwolf - "has been watching me fuck you, my beautiful, sexy mare," he concluded, throatily. That deliciously taboo thought - that her sister Celestia was watching, bearing witness to their most sacred act - was what pushed Luna over the edge; the tiniest of cries escaped her as her climax hit, her internal muscles clenching and rippling about her beloved's member as her thick, sweet essence spilled into the water! Her love bore her up, up, up to touch the Great Gates of the Elysium Fields, and her pleasure brought her beloved along with her; pressing himself against her flanks, David spilled his seed deep within her depths!

Then... together they fell; it was over. Weeping silently - her nethers flush with the deepest arousal - Celestia staggered away, a sob catching in her throat as she fought desperately to stop her tears from falling. 'Daniel...' thought she as she hurriedly left the room. 'I need Daniel! Now.' And so she made to find him.

27. Celestia relearns the Alphabet (Warning: NSFW / Sensual)

It began - as all things do - with the softest of kisses placed upon an inner thigh; the left one, followed by the right. Then, her beloved did it again... and again. Kiss-Kiss-Kiss. Left-Right-Left. Each little kiss, placed soft and delicate upon her sensitive fur, sent a little spark of pleasure rocketing up unto her loins until - "Nnnngh!" - he ceased upon reaching her crescent. Furclad - and wearing only her collar - as she lay there abed with him, Princess Celestia ground her teeth, futilely flapping wings pressed against the duvet, as Daniel looked up at her from whence he lay, naked between her hind legs. "What" asked he, "is the First Letter?" When no answer was forthcoming from his beloved mare, delicately, he kissed her again upon her thighs. Kiss-Kiss. Left-Right. "What" asked he again, softly, "is the First Letter?" Celestia gazed down upon him - her expression pleading - and then, a strained gasp escaping her, she answered, "Ah... Ah... Ay!" Smiling up at his beloved mare, the human nodded and then - "Nuuuuh!" - Celestia whimpered, a shudder rocking through her body as he proceeded to draw the letter upon her clitoris with his tongue.

Then, "What" stated he, "is the Second Letter?" Groaning, cursing him internally for being such a tease as frustration suffused her, the poor beleaguered mare stuttered, "Buh... Buh... Bee!" Again Daniel nodded... and then - "Guuh!" - Celestia cried, her eyes rolling back into her head as he drew the straight line and two half-circles upon her with his tongue. "And the next?" queried he, once he was done. Eyes misting with tears as she squirmed upon their shared bed, the Solar Diarch cried out, "Suh... See!" and then - "Gkk--!" - words fled her heaving form as her beloved drew upon her the letter's half-circle. And on, and on it went; he asked for the next letter of the alphabet - and the next and the next - and when she would cry it out in her bliss, upon her crescent he would draw it with his tongue, taking for himself the smallest whiff of her feminine scent; the smallest taste of her essence. By the time they were halfway done, the Princess of the Sun was - metaphorically - a Princess no more; she was panting, breathless, her body heaving and slicked with sweat, her eyes wild. "Duh-Dah-Danhh--" she stammered; unable to even speak his name, so overwhelmed was she.

Temporarily leaving her nether regions, Daniel moved to lay beside her and then, "Sssh..." soothed he, taking her beautiful head into his arms to softly kiss her as he stroked her mane, "easy, love, easy... There's a good girl. Ssh, now..." His words, the gentle tone of his voice, and his touch as she whimpered and nuzzled into him, all served to quench the fire within that sought to overwhelm her... Until... - "What is the next letter?" - he reignited them again! And so, through the night their game continued; he asked for the next letter - and the next and the next - and when she would cry it out in her bliss, upon her crescent he would draw it. When at last, the Princess of the Sun spoke out the last letter - "Zee!" - through clenched teeth, that was when Daniel struck; alighting upon her clitoris he pleasured her with lips, tongue and teeth until she howled and ascended, her climax near breaking her in two as she heaved, rocked and shuddered in her ecstasy; thick, warm, aromatic essence rushing up from within her heated depths to spill onto her human's face and the duvet beneath them! Then... Down... Down... Down fell she; and as a puppet whose strings had been cut, she collapsed, her equine head landing with a thump onto the pillow.

Wordlessly, Daniel moved to lay his head beside hers and at this, she rolled unto her side, wrapping him within her hooves and wings. "Daniel," breathed she, kiss-kissing him gently as they held each other close. "Oh, my Daniel..." Her beloved human - whom could bring her to heights of bliss no pony ever could - wasn't done, however... Her eyes widened as with a single movement he sheathed himself inside her; then a softened gasp escaped her, and her eyes closed, new bliss suffusing her as Daniel began to make sweet, gentle love to her, her every breath catching in her throat as he rocked into her again and again and again... Outside the bedchamber doors, tears clouded the eyes of a dark alicorn mare. Luna really hadn't meant to watch her sister and Daniel - she truly hadn't - she'd just wanted to talk, catch up with Celly before retiring to bed. But then... when she'd accidentally seen what had occurred within her sister's bedchamber - when she'd watched the human pleasuring her sister to near-insanity with his tongue, heard her cries of bliss... The breath had been ripped from her throat and she just hadn't been able to look away... Now, here in the shadows she stood, breathing through her nose, licking her lips, overtaken by her own arousal - her essence running down her thighs unto the floor - as she beheld every breath they took, every movement they made, and heard every resounding, blissful cry... - 'No!' A stifled whimper escaping her - though it wrenched and pained her to do so - she tore herself away from the scene before her. Then, turning away from her sister's bedchamber - as quickly as she was able - she made her way to her own. David. She... She needed David.

28. In which an Alicorn is reduced to a pile of insensate mush... (NSFW / Better Call the Fire Brigade...)

It was as they were taking a deliciously sexy shower - Celestia groaning deeply as Daniel furiously took her equine-style - that her human leaned over her back and nipped her ear. "Change your size," growled he as he thrust himself within her, driving her mad, "so that you're as small as a normal pony mare..." As the teeth of her - 'apexpredatorownerohfuck...!' - beloved closed upon the tip of said ear, not hard enough to draw blood though enough to draw a little scream from her, Celestia whimpered, gasped, coughed! "W-Wait..." stuttered she and he did; a whimper escaped her as Daniel pulled away, giving her the time needed to come down from the euphoria he'd been putting her through and focus her magic.

Then... with a simple shrinking spell, what he asked was done - the alicorn mare was now of a smaller size, similar to that of her Little Ponies. No sooner had she cast the spell then a shriek escaped her as her beloved human picked her up in his arms; then she was keening in bliss as she was pushed against the shower wall by Daniel as he began to rut her furiously, ravishing her, pounding himself deep into her depths again and again. Supported only by his hands - 'ohfausthishands...!' - about her flanks, and the ceramic-tiled wall at her back, it was all she could do to just hang on to her sanity, pounding her hooves futilely against his chest as she snorted lost in her lust, eyes rolling wildly. Up, up, up rose she, rocketing towards perhaps the most powerful climax she'd ever had. "Nuhh-Danhhh-Ohgoaah...!" babbled she; then she was silenced with a kiss, a searing, fiery kiss, which she returned as desperately she locked her forehooves about his neck.

Pulling from her - only to crash deeper into her than before - Daniel sheathed himself inside her once more, twice more... and then Celestia's eyes snapped open as she howled with her release, her essence gushing from her heated depths into the water as she bucked and humped against him like... like a whorse; an uncontrolled surge of magic loosing from her horn to enwrap them within a cocoon of light! Seconds later, Daniel groaned deeply as he felt her muscles clenching and rippling about his length, spilling his seed within her, again and again, causing a metaphorical explosion within her each time. As their passion rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell, Celestia would let out a high-pitched neighing-scream... until at last, mentally blown apart by the indescribable feelings of... whatever that was she'd experienced... Celestia crashed back to Earth, an utterly shattered, insensate pile of mush barely resembling a mare, let alone a Princess!

After that... well, she could barely remember what happened. She might've heard the water being shut off; she thought she remembered being toweled down... It was her Daniel that toweled her off before he led her to the bed, wasn't it...? A duvet clad her burnt out body, and her hooves and wings were wrapped about another being; someone was with her... - 'Warm-no-fur-notponyhuman...' Nosing foal-like into human hair she smelt -'familiar-friend-love...' Gradually, as her senses returned, swallowing thickly - struggling to moisten a throat raw from screaming - Celestia rasped, "Duh-Danh...Daniel?"

Affection and love welled within her - her eyes misting with blissful tears - as Daniel, her beloved Daniel, pulled her close to him, snuggling with her as he softly kissed her forehead, above her horn. "Yes, Celestia, it's me. Hush now, love... hush now. There's a good girl..." Cocooned within the bed, wrapped up warmth and musty comfort, the alicorn mare swiftly shut her eyes. Soon, Daniel joined her and together, human and alicorn mare slept deeply. When they awoke the next morning - Celestia having returned to her normal size as the spell gradually lessened then wore off during the night - as Daniel stroked her cheeks and gently combed his hands through her mane, he softly stated. "Good Morning, love. How do you feel?"

The princess pony didn't answer her beloved at first; instead she stretched languidly, before she winced and uttered, "Mmh... sore..." At this, Daniel couldn't help it - he grinned a chuckle escaping him - then upon seeing his beloved's miffed expression he kissed her on the nose as he whispered, "Sorry..." Snuggling closer to him such that her barrel was against his body Celestia nosed and nuzzled him affectionately here and there. "Daniel, oh my Daniel... goddess, don't be!" nickered she. "I might be sore for a while, but after last night... mhh... I. Regret. Nothing. It was totally worth it..."

Author's Note

Gah... this little sizzler was bugging me all day; I just couldn't get it out of my head fast enough! Might want to have your Fire Brigades on standby in case yer screens start smokin'....

29. Celestia and Daniel go to the Beach

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Daniel asked again as he and Princess Celestia made their way onto the beach. Warmed by the sun, the fine-grained sand gave way 'neath the hooves of the white Alicorn, causing her to stumble; though whenever she did, Daniel would always be there to support her. "Bah," said she, "who cares! Besides, after that Faust-damned fiasco with the Gryphons, we deserve a break! Just look around you, Daniel. Sun, sand, surf, moi... What more could you ask for?" Chuckling quietly - eying her glorious equinoid form - Daniel grinned and then, roguishly winking at her, he responded, "What more indeed...?" He made as if to grope the pony princess, then, but it was all play; neighing with laughter, the pony princess danced away from him, then gasped as if scandalized, "You... you lecherous swine! Keep thy hands off of me!" In jest, his own laughter rumbling forth, the human replied teasingly, "Oh, yeah? Well, if I'm a lecherous swine then you're a randy old horse! Come 'ere...!" That said, he then made as if to grope her again.

Sticking her tongue out at him - "Blyeaaah!" - Celestia turned tail and bolted, kicking up sand that went everywhere! Daniel wasn't going to put up with this - his very pride as a human being was on the line - and so, the chase was on! Up and down the sandy beach they ran, Daniel giving a good effort despite the fact that he was only two-legged and not as strong as his beloved. Time and time again he would catch up to Celestia only for her to put on a burst of speed and dart away, pink mane flying in the wind. At the end of the chase - when they were near the end of the beach - Celestia stopped a few feet away from Daniel. "Hah!" crowed she, with a flick of her pink mane as she breathed heavily from the effort of all that running. "I won, I won, I..." The gentlest of tugs on her pink tail brought her unto silence and - frowning - she turned to see what hindered her, only to see a grinning Daniel, with a hand firmly wrapped about its tip. "No..." chortled he as he released her, "I win!"

'Oh, drat...' thought Celestia, 'I really need to get that thing shortened... Still, it has its uses.' With that thought in mind, gently, the Princess of the Sun curled her tail about her beloved's form and pulled him toward her until he was against her side; then, together she and Daniel began to walk leisurely back to where their day at the beach had begun. When they arrived at the shady tree where they'd placed their belongings, the Princess pony settled down upon the beach towel that Daniel had laid out for them both; then Daniel settled by her side and they proceeded to enjoy some of the food that Celestia had 'liberated' from the chefs of the Royal Kitchens. This included simple things that might be eaten by finger-and-hoof as well as various sandwiches, a delicious looking fresh fruit salad, and even some cold cooked fish! "Damn..." said Daniel, eying said fish with no small amount of appreciation, "where'd you get that from, love?"

"Humph..." grumbled Celestia, snorting softly through her nose, "it was supposed to be a gift for the Gryphon Ambassador. After that stunt he tried to pull during the summit, however, he's not getting it any more; it's yours to enjoy now, Daniel." Stroking her mane soothingly as she resumed eating, the human murmured, "Aww, thank you sweetie..." He and Celestia lapsed into comfortable silence as they continued eating the provided food--all of which was accompanied by various soft drinks from the Solar Diarch's secret stash of junk food that she kept inside a heavily warded ice box 'neath a powerful invisibility wreath inside their shared quarters. 'And what a stash it is!' thought Daniel as he sipped a sparkling lemonade. 'There's all-manner of sweets and other foods in there that I've never even heard of! I know for a fact that if she knew even half of what was in that stash, Pinkie would kill to get at it; not to mention that Aesculapius would tear strips off of my love's coat...' Upon noticing the grin adorning Daniel's face, the Solar Princess couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about, my Daniel?" Chuckling, Daniel told her, and his words soon brought about her own laughter as she replied, "Yes, indeed they would...!"

"What..." Daniel guffawed, "what about Discord? Would he steal the stash, d'you reckon?" At first, Celestia didn't answer; instead, for a moment she near-laughed her sun-stamped flank off, before she finally managed to choke out, "N-No! Not when he was the one who put the ever-filling box together for me in the first place!" At this, Daniel - his eyes wide and jaw dropped open - blinked and then exclaimed, "You're kidding...?" Shaking her head, Celestia replied, "No I'm not; he put it together for me as a gesture of apology for... events that happened a long time ago. It's history." Sensing that she didn't want to talk further about said events, Daniel nodded and then, "Come on" said he, "let's finish up here; then we'll go and explore the beach, eh?" At his words, the Solar Princess smiled gratefully; then together she and Daniel proceeded to finish their delicious picnic meal before packing away the remnants into the basket they'd brought with them so as not to litter the beach. Shortly thereafter, Celestia and her human napped in the sun for a few hours to allow the food they'd eaten to digest.

When they awakened it was mid-afternoon and - after a gentle stretch - Daniel and Celestia explored the beach as explorers are wont to do, the Great Mare Celestia cutting loose in her happiness as she and her beloved rolled and played in the sand; built a replica sand castle of Canterlot Palace then proceeded to stomp it to dust; and explored the many cliffside caves and rock pools scattered about, Celestia fascinated by all the teeming life within. Finally - their bodies absolutely covered with sand - Daniel and his beloved Solar Mare entered the water and therein they swam, frolicked and played... When at last, afternoon turned to eve... Daniel and Celestia made sweet, sweet love in the frothy shallows, alicorn and human crying out in bliss as they brought each other unto the heights of pleasure again, and again, and again, until... "AHEM!" the sharp sound of the Royal Canterlot Voice cracked through the night like a whip, shattering the silence. Startled, Daniel and Celestia sprang away from each other, the Princess of the Sun moving to stand over her beloved mate as she turned to face the direction from whence the sound had come. 'Who disturbs our Union?' thought she, savagely, whinnying in challenge. 'I would know for they will die...!' She was prepared to kill to defend her beloved mate... however, when she saw whom it was that had disturbed Daniel and herself, those thoughts vanished. Luna, a squad of Royal Guard, and an aide stood before her... and they did not look happy.

30. Others' Thoughts on Daniel and Celestia

"He loves her without knowing how, or when, or from where. He loves her simply, without problems or pride: He loves her in this way because he does not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no him or her, so intimate that her hoof upon his chest is his hoof, so intimate that when he falls asleep her eyes close,"--Gentle Pen; Grand Scriptor, Canterlot Poet Society.

"I remember the time I was the Server assigned to bring Daniel and our First Princess their midday lunch. After serving them their meal, I made haste to the Royal Kitchens to acquire some Ice Cream as a snack--her Highness had requested it, you see. When I returned to their table with said Ice Cream, well... that was when I saw the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. Daniel and the Princess... they were feeding each other! When I thought to question Princess Celestia about what I'd seen - carefully, mind you; for I had no desire to offend her or invoke her wrath - she just looked at me, a cryptic smile upon her face. Then, a moment later, she answered, 'He was sustaining me, and I him. To share food with your loved one; is that not perhaps one of the greatest things a Mare and her Stallion can do for each other?' Her wisdom humbled me, and after that day, I never thought to question her about it again,"--Featherfall, Fifth Maid of the Royal Palace of Canterlot.

"I assumed that Daniel was like any other would-be suitor for my Auntie, at first; that he only 'loved' her for her Crown, and the prestige and social status it might bring him as Princess Consort. But he was not. I'd expected him to be like any other of the countless Gentlestallions who had tried - unsuccessfully, mind you - to woo Aunt Celestia in the past, you see... But he was not--and he was certainly no stallion! When we first met, I didn't know what to make of him, for he was a human, a member of the mythical race from the Dream Time, before Equestria! Daniel is a soft-spoken, patient and humble man; he was so very kind and courteous to me. I, on the other hoof - in my arrogance and hubris - was very rude and belligerent to him; something I now deeply regret, despite the fact that he forgave me for my abhorrent behavior long ago. Time and time again he approached me, desiring nothing more than to be my friend; and time and time again I rebuffed him... until one day I took it too far. Oh, Faust... never have I seen Auntie Celestia so angry! She... for a moment she forgot I was her nephew. She broke my jaw. She broke my legs. She was about to rear, and bring her hooves down to shatter my spine, ending me, but then Daniel wrapped his arms about her barrel and pulled her away. Then, somehow - I still don't know how he did it - he was able to talk her down from the very heights of rage - before he coaxed and led her away. She was weeping, utterly distraught by what she'd done. Never... Never shall I forget that day..."--Prince Blueblood III, from his bed at the Royal Hospital of Canterlot.

"When I watch Celestia with her human, it's suddenly so clear. Daniel... will never stop. He will never leave her, and he will never hurt her, never shout at her or get drunk and hit her, or say he's too busy to spend time with her. Daniel will always be there. And he would die, to protect her. Of all the would-be suitors who've come and gone over the years, this human - this man - is the only one who measures up. In Auntie's chaotic world, Daniel is her rock; the harmonious choice,"--Her Royal Highness Mi Amore Cadenza I, Princess of the Crystal Empire.

"The unknown future trots towards us. I face it for the first time with a sense of hope, Daniel. Because if you, a human, can learn the value of pony life, maybe we can too..."--Queen Chrysalis of the Badlands Changeling Hive; her final words, spoken to Daniel before her death, and the subsequent rise of Princess Elytra and the Equeling Harmonia.

"Daniel and Celestia? Well, Daniel has purchased clothing from moi, of course; why, he's one of my best customers... oh, you want to know what I think of their romance? Well, I admit at first that I thought it was so very scandalous! Princess Celestia, loving a common human man? Unthinkable! But now - *sighs dramatically, a hoof over her heart* - oh, I think it's incredible, darling! The love they have for each other... why, it's like the greatest love stories of old come to life; you can feel it in the very air you breathe, oh! *swoons and falls onto her specially prepared fainting couch*"--Rarity, Element of Generosity, Owner and Proprietress of Carousel Boutique - "where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique" - in Ponyville.

"What? There's a human - a real, live human - here in Equestria? And he's dating Princess Celestia? Aw, horseapples; why doesn't anypony ever tell me these things?"--Lyra Heartstrings, First Lyrist of the Equestrian Royal Euphony.

"Daniel and Celestia? Yes, I do seem to recall a rather... odd experience I beheld one day involving those two. It happened on a Thursday, if my memory serves me correctly. The day before had been quite rough on poor Celestia you see - she'd passed a set of new taxation laws which had gotten most of the nobility in a right state - and as a result, the Day Court had been quite rowdy. The poor Princess had borne well the venom of my fellow nobles - if one could even call those uncouth louts that - but by the end of it all she seemed very strained and tired. As I recall she went to bed that night - as usual - but the next day, when we arrived to Court and she appeared... her appearance was quite strange. She was not wearing her usual regalia - she was furclad, like a... well, a common pony - and her mane wasn't enhanced with magic as was usual. Did you know that her natural mane color is pink? I certainly didn't until that day, though now my Fleur better appreciates her own mane because of what we witnessed. Ah, but I am rambling... The only adornment the Princess wore that day was a simple leather collar with a tag attached - the sort of thing a pony might purchase for a domesticated pet - but even more alarming was the fact that there was a rope attached to it. Holding it was Daniel; he was leading her with it, if what I saw could be called such; she was pressed against his side all the way. The human led Celestia to her throne, then detached the rope from her collar but our Princess did not sit; instead he seated himself upon it where she would normally, and then she laid down next to him upon the throne and rested her head in his lap! Once our Princess was settled, she proceeded to do absolutely nothing; instead, it was Daniel whom professionally conducted the Court that day... all while petting the head of our Princess, combing his hands through her mane, and gently scratching behind her ears. Throughout the day Celestia simply dozed upon his lap, slipping into light sleep every now and then; only to be awakened ever-so-gently by Daniel offering her little treats--simple things she seemed to relish. Needless to say, that day, the Court was the quietest it's ever been... and as for the Princess... though she was effectively being treated as a pet by Daniel, never had I seen her so content, so... so rested. It was absolutely astonishing! Hmm... I wonder if I ought to try that with Fleur... or perhaps she, with me?"--Fancy Pants, Owner and Proprietor of Fancy's Fine Clothes, Canterlot CBD.

"THOU WOULDST LIKE T-- Oh, sorry. Ahem... Thou wouldst like to hear Our thoughts upon Daniel and Our Sister? Well... We think him a fine friend and we art pleased, verily so, that he is the Consort of Our Beloved Sister. Thy human male is indeed a fine choice; though he be no champion or knight of Our Fair Principality, never have We seen Our Sister blessed with such happiness! When he doth be together with her, no matter whence they are, thou can see her heart gladden; her body doth appear to shine with the light of her very Sun and even the darkest of days is made bright! What? Thou wouldst like to hear mine thoughts of mine own Consort, David, too? *Luna abruptly shakes her head* THOU ART REMINDED POLITELY THAT THOU SHOULDST KEEP THY MUZZLE OUT OF MINE AFFAIRS! Our Sister may desire to be open with regards to information concerning herself and Daniel, but we do not. NOW... GET THEE HENCE!"--Luna, Second Princess of the Royal Equestrian Diarchy. (Ouch... My ears! Remind publishers to snip this note out when this goes to print. Oh, Ponyf..."--Ed.)

"Human Daniel... unique; minor pony qualities. Relation with Princess... symbiotic. Happiness increased. Stress levels reduced. Was... uncertain, at first; now believe human-pony pairing efficient for induction of greater harmony. Probable long-term effect: human-pony symbiosis beneficial for Equestria. Must contact manipulators Jaydex and Tystarr for further data,"--Gene Seed, Head Scientist of Canterlot University. (Holy Horseapples, how did you manage to get an opinion from this guy? He's even colder than what's-his-face from that video game that recently started selling here--Ed.)

31. A most unusual Changeling 'Invasion' (You Brighten My Day/Original/Songfic)

It was as Celestia was conducting business that a Royal Guard burst into the throne room. "Your Maj..." he gasped, then stopped before the Sun Throne and began again. "Your Majesty, I bring dire news!"

"What news, Silent Heart?" the Solar Diarch asked.

"Changelings," the poor Guardspony gasped. "Changelings descend upon Canterlot!"

Eyes widening, Celestia passed the scroll she was writing unto her scribe to finish and then she stood. 'But... But this cannot be!' Thought she in dismay. 'Changelings, here? Cadance and Shining Armor repelled Queen Chrysalis' first invasion, and later we made an ally of her. Surely she hasn't betrayed us... has she?'

Returning her attention to the waiting Guardspony, the Solar Diarch asked, "Where are they, Silent Heart? Have they issued any threats against, or attacked anyone?"

"They stand before the gates of the Palace, your Highness" Silent Heart answered promptly. "Strangely... They haven't attacked anyone. They're just... standing there, almost as if waiting. For what or whom, I don't know. Would you have me send word to Shining Armor to prepare for attack?"

With a shake of her head, Celestia answered, "No. I will deal with this myself. Come, Daniel, let us see what they might want..." With that said, the Solar Diarch left the Throne Room, Daniel following in her stead as she made her way to the Gates of the Royal Palace. Upon arrival there she saw the changelings - roughly a thousand of them - just... standing outside the gates; terrified ponies giving them all a wide berth. It was then, however, that the Equestrian Princess of the Sun blink-blinked and did a double-take, for something was amiss with the situation. Clad in all manner of human-style clothing - from simple dresses and gowns to suits, jeans, flannel shirts and everything in between - these changelings weren't led by a Queen at all; instead, they appeared to be led by a large male wearing... 'Clothing similar to that worn by Daniel? What in Equestria is going on here...?'

Unaware of the fact that she and Daniel were even here, the male paced back and forth before his people as he gave a speech. "... saw the garments the Protector adorned himself with; then we fabricated them and they kept us warm. But it was not enough! Our Prophet saw the tools the Protector held in His Hands; then we fabricated them and they helped us refine the building of our homes. But it was not enough! Our Prophet tasted of the love between the Herd Mother and Her Protector; love so powerful it near-destroyed him. But it. Was. Not. Enough! Thus did we all ascend from the Darkness Below unto her Holy City of Canterlot! Now... now my brethren we stand before the Gates of Heaven - the Holy Gates of Her mighty Citadel wherein She dwells with Her Protector - where with Her blessing we might learn to live among Her Children and take upon ourselves Her Divine Beneficence..."

As he made to continue speaking, however, a young female changeling - clad in the equivalent of denim jeans and a leather vest festooned with pockets - noticed Celestia and Daniel standing behind the Gates. "Elder, Elder!" cried she with joy. "The Herd Mother is here with Her Protector; Dan'yel! They choose to grace us with Their presence!" Her cry soon alerted more and more of the changelings to Celestia and Daniel's presence and - upon seeing the radiant Solar Diarch and her beloved standing there - from within the ranks of the Swarm a rousing cheer began. A moment later, the Elder whirled about... and when he beheld the Solar Princess stood at the Gates of the Palace he inhaled sharply. Then, "Herd Mother..." he breathed, reverently. A moment later, upon seeing Daniel at her side, he fell to the ground, eyes clouding with tears as he began to weep. He was here. This was real. The Word of the Prophet had been true! The Great Journey undertaken by him and his small swarm was finally at its end. With all his heart he knew - by the Herd Mother's Grace - that they all would be safe. "Behold!" cried he through his joyous tears. "Behold the Herd Mother! Behold Hu'man Dan'yel, the Protector of the Great Mare!" Overcome with emotion at having reached the end of their journey, as they looked upon those whom would save them, the Swarm erupted into celebratory cheering. Then - as a flabbergasted Celestia and Danial looked on, their jaws dropped with disbelief - the swarm began to sing, their two-toned voices harmonizing in a beautiful choir:

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, oh in the sky?

In the joyous days of foalhood
Oft they told of ponies' love
Pointed to the Princess Saviour;
Now they dwell with Her above.

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, in the sky?

You remember songs of hive life
Which you sang with changeling voice.
Do you love the hymns they taught you,
Or are songs of Herd your choice?

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, by and by?
Is a better home awaiting
In the sky, oh in the sky?

32. Celestia investigates a sighting of Nightmare Moon by Prince Blueblood

It was as Celestia was talking to the new Gryphon Ambassador that her nephew, Prince Blueblood, tore into the room like a frightened colt. "Auntie!" Cried he. "Auntie!"

With a long-suffering sigh, the Princess of the Sun turned away from the - admittedly rather handsome Gryphon - to face the white-coated, blond-maned stallion. "Yes, Nephew; what is it this time?" she asked, an air of irritation suffusing her.

"Nightmare Moon!" stammered the Prince. "It's Nightmare Moon; she's returned!"

At his words, Princess Celestia rested her head in her hooves for a moment, suppressing the urge to groan; ever since the human, David, had been brought to Equestria by her beloved Sister, more than one frightened pony had come to her with reports of 'the Dread Mare, Nightmare Moon' being sighted throughout the castle. However all of the reports had been utterly true--and usually, all had been completely benign. Raising her head to look at the Prince - pasting a radiant smile upon her face - she sweetly asked him, "Nephew... where exactly did you see Nightmare Moon?"

"In David and Luna's shared quarters!" the Prince promptly answered.

Celestia facehoofed hard enough to shatter diamonds.

As she recovered herself, the Gryphon Ambassador looked on in concern. "Everything alright?" asked he in his soft, Germane accent. Raising her head to look at him, the Solar Diarch smiled; he was such a gentle fellow. "I'm fine. If you'll excuse me, your Excellency, I need to deal with a family matter..."

At her words, the Ambassador nodded amicably. "Oh, ja, ja," replied he. "Family very important. Our talk can vait."

Nodding her thanks to him, Princess Celestia sighed wearily and then - with Prince Blueblood marching ahead of her - she left the Throne Room and made her way to the chambers shared by her sister, Princess Luna and her beloved, David. Upon arrival there - as they approached the chamber doors which, Celestia noted, were slightly ajar - Blueblood nervously stammered, "I--I'll just... just stay out here, yes? Don't want to be caught in the crossfire when the magic starts flying... eh-heh-heh..."

Then, before the Solar Princess could even voice a protest against him, the Unicorn 'Prince' skittered away and zipped out of sight around a corner. Disgruntled, Celestia sighed through her nose then gently pushed open the doors and stepped into her sister's room. Therein, what she saw brought a bemused smile to her face. Upon her sister's bed, as naked as the day she was foaled, lay Nightmare Moon, soft coos and little breathy sighs escaping her throat as her beloved human companion used his hands to stroke, pet, and caress her everywhere he could reach. Half-jealous - half wanting to exclaim "D'aww...!" - Celestia watched as the Dread Mare stretched languidly like a cat beneath her beloved's ever-stroking hands, nuzzling and nosing foal-like into the pillow upon which her head rested. A moment later, issuing an adorable squeak, Moon rolled onto her back, allowing David to massage along her forelegs and gently cup her hooves in his hands; then he stroked and caressed her chest and barrel for a time before moving lower to gently... ever-so-gently... massage her teats and crescent before at last burying his hands into her fluffy tail.

'By Faust...' thought Celestia, swallowing thickly as she looked on, 'he... he really is touching her everywhere...!' Said touches were non-sexual in nature; all merely served to drive Nightmare Moon to greater, and greater heights of bliss. Needless to say, it took quite a while before the Dread Mare became aware of her sister's presence in the room. When at last she did, however - as she rolled here and here so that David could stroke this part of her and that part - Nightmare Moon lazily opened one reptilian eye and then, "Oh, hey, Celly..." slurred she upon seeing the Solar Diarch standing there watching, "y'know... you reeealy shhoulld try this; let him work on you with his handsss... Mmmh, feels so... so good! You know... I'mma bring more humans here, an... an I'mma open-a new business called a 'Petting Parlour.' They'll be... mmh... everywhere... - places where anypony can go be stroked and petted and massaged by humans all day long...! Gentle humans like David with his gentle hands...!"

'That...' thought Celestia, as she watched David continue to caress and pet her sister, 'really doesn't sound like a bad idea...'

33. Celestia visits the Sun Creche, and finds something unexpected...

With her duties as Princess done for the day, Celestia returned to her quarters wherein she doffed her regalia. Then, wreathing herself within her solar magic, she teleported to the Sun Creche; the secret orphanage where her special children were cared for. When she arrived there, however, the Solar Diarch gasped softly, for something was amiss; the great doors of the orphanage were wide open and within, she could hear voices, one of which wasn't hers! 'What is going on here?' thought she with suspicion as she moved into the foyer, past the staff quarters, and then through the great playroom to the living and sleeping area. Stopping before the doors to said area, soundlessly the Solar Princess carefully pried them open... And what she saw within caused bitter tears to well within her eyes. Within the room, Nightmare Moon rested upon the nest of pillows normally occupied by herself. Her beloved, Daniel, rested by the black mare's side - a filly curled in his lap - as around the Dark Mare of the Night children of all races rested. 'My children...' thought Celestia bitterly as she looked on. 'My children... no more...' Breath hitching within her chest, the Mare de Sol watched as Nightmare Moon read to them all from a book that lay on the floor before her:

"Abruptly, the sound ceased. Suddenly, the desolation, the solitude, became unendurable. While that voice sounded, London had still seemed alive. Now suddenly, there was a change, the passing of something - and all that remained was this gaunt quiet. I looked up and saw a third machine. It was erect and motionless, like the others. An insane resolve possessed me. I would give my life to the Martians, here and now! I marched recklessly towards the titan and saw that a multitude of black birds was circling and clustering about the hood. I began running along the road. I felt no fear, only a wild, trembling exultation, as I ran up the hill towards the motionless monster. Out of the hood hung red shreds, at which the hungry birds now pecked and tore. I scrambled up to the crest of Primrose Hill, and the Martian's camp was below me. A mighty space it was, and scattered about it, in their overturned machines, were the Martians - dead. Slain, after all man's devices had failed, by the humblest things upon the Earth. Bacteria. Minute, invisible, bacteria! Directly the invaders arrived and drank and fed, our microscopic allies attacked them. From that moment - they were doomed..."

Unable to stop the tears from coming - as they fell from her eyes to stain her muzzle - Princess Celestia fled. Some two hours later - as Daniel looked on, bewildered - she paced back and forth before him as he sat upon the bed within their shared quarters. Then... "What... what were you thinking?" Cried she, pained. "That orphanage...! Those children...! They are mine! How... How dare you share them with her! What were you thinking...?" Shaking his head at her behavior - yet still understanding where she was coming from - Daniel opened his mouth to voice a reply. "I was thinking" stated he, softly, "that perhaps it was time to share the Sun Creche with somepony else. It shouldn't just be for you... all ponies deserve to see this orphanage, this amazing and wonderful thing that you're doing for all these children. I was thinking" continued he, "that your sister, Luna - and her darker half, Nightmare Moon, too - might reach out and form a bond with people who've never heard of what she did so long ago; ponies and others who aren't going to run in fear of her--in either form: those children. After spending a thousand years imprisoned on the moon, your sister needs all the love she can..." Suddenly, Daniel's eyes widened, his heart wrenching in his chest as he was hit with a flash of realization. "Your sister..." breathed he, softly.

Carefully, he made to move toward his beloved mare but as he did Celestia backed away from him, only to stumble and fall to her haunches. She could barely look at him, so filled with shame was she - why had she yelled at him again? - but then, as fresh tears welled up within her eyes, and a sob caught in her throat the amazing human man knelt before her, gently pushing her head up with a hand so that he might look into her eyes. "That's why you did it, isn't it," he stated, softly, cupping her cheeks with his hands. "That's why you built the orphanage. You'd just lost your sister - a mare you adored like no other because she was kin - flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. All that love and compassion in your heart for her... but she was gone; there was no one to give it to anymore. You'd lost your family. And so... you decided to create a new one... You built the Sun Creche - the secret orphanage, until now kept all to yourself - and filled it with children. Compassion motivated you - that's true, and for that I commend you - but... each and every one of those children - from pony to dragon to zebra and beyond - are all "special needs"; they will always need some form of care; always need the love you give them; and always see you as Mother, as Family. And even though they'll eventually grow up - as all children do - more will come, and you'll always have them as your family. You won't 'lose' them... like you lost your sister, all those many years ago..."

By the time Daniel was finished - the ancient wound opened, her shame laid bare - Celestia was broken; it was all she could do to clutch Daniel desperately as a man might clutch a lifeline. "It--It's true" she croaked, her breath hitching, "it's all true. When... when I lost Lulu, I... I died inside. I was insensate for months so strong was my grief. In the end, it was my Little Ponies who roused me from my despair. I... I did my duties as was expected of me, but inside I still wept, still bled. I was so... so lonely! I... I... I just wanted somepony to lo-ho-hove..." Great wracking sobs ripped free from her throat, then as she burst into tears and Daniel - dear, sweet Daniel - just held her close, whispering apologetically to her as she wrapped hooves, forelegs and wings about him; held her and weathered the emotional storm of a thousand years' loneliness and grief released. A short time later - as the Princess of the Sun still cried, still worked to cleanse the ages-old wound, suddenly to her horror she felt Daniel begin to pull away from her embrace. He... he was leaving her! 'No...!' thought she, desperately clinging unto him even as he gently worked himself free. 'Please, please, not you too! Don't leave me alone...!' But it was no use; a keening cry escaped her as he freed himself... but then the cry died in her throat as she felt hooves like her own wrap around her body; felt wings akin to hers enfold her shaking form; then a pony muzzle nuzzle-nuzzled her face. Opening her eyes, a softened gasp escaped her as Celestia found her sister - her sister returned to her! - embracing her form.

"I'm sorry," whimpered Luna through her own tears, "I'm so sorry for refusing to lower the moon..." and then suddenly Nightmare Moon made manifest as Luna coaxed her to surface from within, the great wings of the black alicorn's larger form enfolding her completely. "We..." the Dread Mare choked, "we art sorry, too, Beloved Sister. Thy Consort Daniel - and thine own Consort, David - prithee did they gently rebuke Us for what We did; then They showed us the way. We... we shalt always submit to thee, Beloved Sister; Our Moon shalt always be made low for the Light of thy Sun..." A watery chuckle escaping her, the Solar Princess nodded in acceptance then nuzzled into the black alicorn - Nightmare Moon was still her sister Luna, after all, just her darker half - but still, she found that she just couldn't stop crying. "Hmmm..." mused Nightmare as she kept holding Celestia close, "thy grief still troubles thee. Mayhap we might have a solution..." Before Celestia could question her - or do anything at all to stop her - suddenly the Solar Princess felt Moon cast a powerful Mass Transport spell, and then - "Mama! Mommy! Ma Celly! Mom!" - she near choked with laughter, fresh tears welling in her eyes as she felt an absolute sea of small furry, feathered, scaly, and carapaced bodies close around her, Moon and Daniel, poking, pushing, nudging, nuzzling... "My babies..." whispered she, for Moon had, indeed, brought the whole of the Sun Creche unto them, "my beautiful, beautiful babies..."

Author's Note

My... my heart... :fluttercry:

34. Hearts and Hooves Day for Daniel and Celestia, on Earth

T'was a simple thing; a little box wrapped in brown paper and as Celestia carefully tore away said paper with her magic - whilst Daniel nervously looked on - she wondered what might be inside. When at last the wrapping paper was dealt with the princess pony carefully opened the plain box beneath... and when she saw what lay within, her eyes misted over with tears. "Oh, Daniel..." breathed she, softly. Inside the little box were over a dozen chocolates; however, as the Solar Princess looked at them - deciding which she might like to eat first - she began to realize that there was something amiss about them. Some of the chocolates were just a little too large, whilst others were a bit too small; some looked perfect but others seemed a bit rough or unfinished. 'Now why' thought she, 'would Daniel give me a box of defective chocolates? There must be something that I'm missing...' Aloud, Celestia asked, "Daniel, where did you get these from?"

At her question, Daniel shuffled his feet, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Then, a moment later he raised his head to look at his beloved mare and replied, "I, uh, didn't get them from anywhere, Celestia. I made them. Bon-Bon taught me how to make chocolate when we lived in Equestria and well," - he gestured to the box before her - "there's the result; each and every one of those are hand-made. All for you..." At his words, Celestia struggled to contain her mortification and blinked to try and stop the tears misting her vision from falling. 'I' thought she, 'am a silly, silly pony. Daniel didn't give me a box of store-bought defective chocolates; the chocolates appear rough because he made them himself! Oh, my human stallion is there anything you cannot do?' Carefully, the Sun Princess extracted one of the chocolates from the box and placed it in her mouth; no sooner had she done this then - 'Oh my!' - her eyes went wide as said chocolate began to fizzle on her tongue, bathing it with peppermint flavor! Eagerly she swallowed the chocolate down and reached for another; this one - when she placed it in her mouth - exploded, filling her mouth with a blast of thick, sticky, chewy, gooey caramel! The next melted into coffee; the one after that sizzled into rum. Laughing delightedly, wondering what the next surprise of this amazing box would be, Celestia reached for another--but then stopped as she saw what lay beneath the chocolates, at the bottom of the box: an envelope bearing her name in block print.

Carefully, Celestia extracted the envelope from the box then slit it open and extracted the card that rested within. Upon opening it, the alicorn mare inhaled a breath. Inset into the card was a photograph of her and Daniel embracing against the backdrop of her setting sun. Upon seeing the picture, Celestia frowned. "This... this was taken when we went to the beach!" said she, concerned. "But... that was our secret outing! Nopony was supposed to know we were gone..." As her ears flattened against her head, Daniel soothingly stroked her mane. "... and nopony really did. That picture" said he, "was taken by a nosy paparazzi pony. I saw the flash from out of the corner of my eye; then I excused myself from you and went after him. Caught him, too..."

"Oh, no..." the Solar Princess replied, a hoof over her mouth as she struggled to contain laughter. "What... - *snerk* - what did you do when you caught him?"

"Took his camera," said Daniel, smugly, "then spanked him on the rump and sent him packing!" Imagining the scene, Celestia laughed heartily for a moment - her beloved human laughing with her - before she regained control of herself and looked at the rest of the card. Below the photograph, penned in her human's careful hand, was written:

I might never have known you, might never have felt your white wing's caress.
That I do, that I have, are the greatest wonders of my life.
I will love you, quite simply, forever.
D

At this, Celestia lost the hold she had upon her emotions and - as joy welled within her - she sniffled and moved around the kitchen bench to embrace him with her foreleg, wing, and neck. "I... I love you too," she murmured, touching a delicate kiss upon his lips, silvery tears falling from her eyes to stain her muzzle as silent sobs wracked her form. "Nuh... nothing would be... right without you." Daniel smiled, softly stroking his beloved mare as she wept. "I feel the same, love," said he, voice rough with emotion. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Celestia."

35. Daniel tells Celestia a Bedtime Story.

The night had ended well for Daniel and Celestia; they'd had dinner and then - after man and mare had completed their evening ablutions - Daniel had changed into his nightwear, before heading to bed with his beloved. Now, Daniel lay snugly beneath the thick, quilted duvet of their brand new double-bed with Celestia, the alicorn mare having thrown a wing and a foreleg about his body as she rested her head upon his chest in a state of half-awareness. Free was she - free of duty, free of burden, free of crown - and after having ruled the Principality of Equestria for a thousand years she relished the freedom to be with her love. Wrapped within the warmth of the duvet - and the warmth of her beloved's affections - as he idly stroked her here and there, she murmured, "Daniel...?"

"Mmmm?" murmured he in response.

"... Could you... tell me a story?" she finished. At the question, Daniel blinked at Celestia, a smile gracing his lips as he watched her nuzzle into him, foal-like, in the soft glow provided by the night light upon his bedside table. A moment later he responded, "A story, eh? Well... let me think..." A moment to think did she give him; then Celestia gently tap-tapped his chest with her hoof, impatient. Chuckling, Daniel scratched her behind the ears a little and then he said, "I have one. I think you'll like it, sweetie..." Then, he began:

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say
that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last
people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious,
because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.

Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made
drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did
have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had
nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she
spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the
neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their
opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.

The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and
their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't
think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs.
Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years;
in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her
sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was
possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would
say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the
Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy
was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want
Dudley mixing with a child like that.

When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story
starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that
strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the
country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for
work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming
Dudley into his high chair.

None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window..."

And so it was that Daniel continued to tell his beloved Celestia the tale of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' until ever-so-gradually, her eyes closed and she slipped into sleep. Shortly thereafter, Daniel joined her and together, human and alicorn shared dreams of wizards, witches, owls, broomsticks... and of a very special boy, the boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs.

36. Daniel Meets Celestia... One Thousand Years Before...

1000 Years Ago...

'Another day of Court. Another day of resting thy flank upon this accursed throne. Another day wearing this accursed armor...' Celestia mused as she suppressed a forlorn sigh. The armor was indeed accursed - a horrible thing forged of solid steel, gold, and jewels, which covered her whole body such that none of her Little Ponies could see her. They had insisted she wear it - her form was Divine, they said, too pure for mortal eyes to view - and so she did. But by Faust did she hate it! Silent was she as court progressed - her words, too, were Divine; her Ponies thought her to be the Right Hoof of Faust herself and her words the Wisdom of the Great One, so it was that she spoke only when necessary. How long had it been since she'd felt the Sun upon Her Royal Coat again? She didn't know.

Every day she would raise her Sun for her Little Ponies... But she could never see it. Every day she would don the accursed armor they had made for her... And it was so very heavy. Every day she would hold Court, listening to the Nobles as they droned and politicked on, and on and on... And she would be bored, and so terribly lonely; an Island in a Sea of ponies. Every eve she would set the sun, and then remove the armor; thereafter she would move into the bathroom where her Gelded Attendants would help her with her evening ablutions... Before she would move abed and cry herself to sleep. Every day since the banishment of Nightmare Moon - no, Luna, her Beloved Sister - had it been this way. All were a repeat of the last. On, and on, and on... Repeat, repeat, repeat...

Suppressing a sob - for She could never cry before her ponies - within the gilded cage of her armor, Princess Celestia lowed her head; as she did so the Chroniclers in attendance gasped softly and frantically recorded the movement. They recorded her movements every day. She wished they wouldn't. She wished that she could be like other ponies; she wished there could be an end to the horrible soul-crushing loneliness she carried in her heart every day; she wished for a special somepony - somepony to hold her at night as she cried, somepony just to touch her for faust's sake, to treat her as Celestia - as a faust-damned mare! But alas... She was The Princess. The Princess, spoke they whom had entombed her immortal form, was Divine. The Princess could not have fun; she might abandon her Duty. The Princess could not eat what she desired, only what they fed her; for Her Form might be Polluted. The Princess could not know the love of a Mortal Pony; she must remain Pure. The Princess could not... The Princess could not... The Princess could not...

And yet - as she clenched her teeth and shut her eyes to stop her tears from falling, fighting desperately to quell the storm of emotions - Princess Celestia wanted... she desired... anything, anything to soothe the aching loneliness within. And so - as yet another day went on - Celestia wished, and she wished and she wished... Abruptly, the sound ceased. Suddenly, the isolation, the solitude, became unendurable. While the voices of her Little Ponies had sounded, Court had still seemed alive. Now suddenly, there was a change, the passing of something - and all that remained was this gaunt quiet. The Princess looked up and saw a beam of hazy sunlight shining down through one of the high arched, stained-glass windows of the Palace Throne Room... onto a Man. 'Prithee,' thought Celestia, her jaws agape and eyes wide with awe and confusion, 'how didst He get here? And how knowest We that he be a Man when we have never seen one of His like before in Our Court?'

Leaning forward, the Princess of the Sun squinted closely 'neath her armor... as the figure seemed to emerge from the sunlight like an apparition. Dark wraparound sunglasses marked his placid face. He wore corduroy pants, a faded denim shirt. And though he carried no luggage, his cheap canvas shoes looked like they had some miles on them. For a moment, the man just stood there, taking everything in with an air of confusion as the nobles of the Court looked on in awe and fear. Then, the man looked upon her - she looked upon him - their gazes locked... and suddenly, for the first time in countless centuries, the Princess moved; an unknown force compelled her to rise from her throne and move - head forward, gaze seeking, nose questing - toward this man. She knew not what force compelled her. She knew not why she was drawn to him so. She knew not this stranger - this man appeared in her Court - ... and yet... deep within her heart, her aching heart that drove her onward, she did know this man; he would save her, he would soothe her, take all her hurt away...

Confusion and terror gripped her guts as her tears flowed - she ought to have this man locked away for making her feel this way - and yet... placid was she as she rested her head in his arms. Docile was she as she felt the pressure of his hands whilst he worked to undo the clasps which held her helm in place. Overwhelmed was she as he gently lifted the helm away, finally revealing Her face to Her Little Ponies, and allowing her to properly see him for the first time. Then... a gasp escaped her as he touched her with his hands, smoothing dull pink mane away from tear-streaked eyes, and at his touch, she gasped - choked upon a sob threatening to burst from her throat - as memories overwhelmed her... memories from a thousand years away... She did know this man, intimately so! He was hers; her Beloved Consort, her Only Companion, her human stallion, he was... he was her... "Dahn'yel..." breathed she - her breath hitching as she spoke his name for the first time even though she'd spoken it many times before.

Drawing air into a suddenly dry throat, she coughed then tried again - she had to speak his name properly, she had to! "Daniel," mouthed she... and the man nodded, smiling. "Hello sweetie..." said he, gently; then he was holding her as she fell unto her haunches and wept, bawling like a newborn foal. "DanielDanielDanielDanielDaniel..." said she through her tears, the name a soothing balm for the wound rent in her heart. He was here. He would not care if she wept before Him, for He was Her Daniel; He knew and Understood. As Daniel - her Daniel! - made to remove more of her accursed armor that He might hold Her better suddenly a great cry went up - "HE REMOVES THE ARMOR OF THE DIVINE! NONE MUST SEE HER FORM! PROTECT HER PURITY!" - as a squad of Solar Guards, led by one of Her most devoted Priests - a Pony of the Equuleus Unicornia - made to surround and apprehend Him. They... they sought to take him from her, sought to execute him! 'Neigh,' thought she even as she continued to weep in his arms, 'thou shalt not touch him!'

Enfolding one of Her angelic wings about his form - that she might spare Him always from Her Wrath - Celestia looked upon Her Priest Unicornia and Guard; then "NEIGH!" whinnied She with the Voice of Faust. "CEASE! CEASE! AWAY WITH THEE!" Then She made Her eyes glow with all the power of Her Sun and that was enough to send the Guard - and the Nobles of Her Court - fleeing; though her Priest remained resolute. "But... thee fiend hath touched thee, mine Princess! 'Tis surely grounds for execution twice over as none may look upon or touch thy Divine Form. Thou art the Sun; of Our Holy Land; thou must be protected!" With those words, the Priest - a young stallion barely out of colthood - withdrew from his Robe a silver sacrificial dagger and raised it high above his head, hoof shaking as he made to strike for he had never done this before... but the strike never came for Celestia in her Wisdom did wrench the knife away from him! Unfurling Her angelic wing from about the form of Her Daniel, She stood and struck down the Priest with Her hoof; then as he lay on the Throne Room floor, crying and begging for Her Mercy did She prepare to burn him unto ash with the Light of Her Sun... Until a hand placed upon Her muzzle by Her Daniel did bring Her to cease.

Daniel looked at her, and his look... it was filled with such disappointment, such terrible sadness! That look could have made her curl into a ball and die, then and there! Shying away from him, girding her loins, Celestia swallowed thickly, then she moved to the Priest where he lay clutching his bleeding muzzle. For Her Daniel She would show Her mercy. "KNOW YE NOT PRIEST" whinnied she, "WHAT THOU PENNED IN THINE SCRIPTURES, UPON THINE FIRST HOLY PAGE?" Quailing in fear of Her Divine Rage, his heart hammering in his chest, the Priest bleated, "YES, YES!" And then did he quote, "There will always be a Princess. There will always be a Man by Her Side. And he shall love and protect her until time reaches its end." At his words, Celestia nodded regally before She turned unto Her Daniel and softly stated, "Prithee, Mine Daniel, please remove thine coverings from about thine eyes. Mine Priest shouldst look properly upon whom it was he nearly slew..." Nodding, Daniel did so; he carefully removed the wraparound sunglasses from his face... and then, the Unicorn Priest was on his back, submissive, hooves in the air as he wailed with terror. He had nearly slain the Man; He whom would be the Protector of His Princess!

"Forgive me!" Beseeched he of the Man. "Please, please forgive me! I knew not what I did...!" Then, he burst into tears. He had committed a Great Sin! He... had failed his Princess! He was unworthy! He was... he was... being gently picked up by the Man, cradled gently in His arms. He opened his eyes to see the Man, looking down upon him; then a gasp escaped him as Daniel began to gently wipe away his tears and the blood from his muzzle with a hoofkerchief from his pocket. But... but he... he'd committed a Great Sin and was unworthy of such treatment.... wasn't he? Soon, the confusion filling his mind faded as the Man held him close, rocking him gently as he turned to walk back to the side of his Princess. "My name," the Man stated, "is Daniel. Who might you be, little one?" The feeling of being in the arms of the Man - the softened words and tone of his voice - was almost enough to lull him to sleep as the fear-adrenaline left his body... but then the Priest startled awake as the man's name registered. This was Dan'yel--no, Daniel, the one Written of in the Holiest of Scriptures--the Protector, the Consort of the Divine. The Consort of the Divine... who was rocking the Priest gently as he cried, who was removing his robe, casting it aside that he might better stroke his coat and mane. "Mmmh... Chionesu," murmured he, remembering the question the Man had asked. "High Priest Chionesu, of the Order Solarii..."

Daniel nodded; then at some unseen signal he bade Celestia transport the three of them to Her chambers wherein the Princess did remove her armor revealing to Her Consort and High Priest her Divine Form in all its radiant glory. Chionesu shied away, closing his eyes - he wasn't worthy to look upon her - but His Princess coaxed him with Her Voice to look. Daniel alone was the Only One who could touch her, he knew, but still, she was so beautiful... Soon he was taken unto the Holy Waters of her Sacred Temple wherein Daniel and His Princess did bathe him and clean his wounds; then when Chionesu had been cleaned thoroughly the young stallion was toweled off. Shortly thereafter, High Priest Chionesu was lain upon the bed betwixt Daniel and His Princess; then did Daniel make to brush the young colt's coat, comb his mane and tail and stroke him everywhere with his hands, every touch was a balm unto his ravaged soul. His Princess, too, did touch him - she curled herself about his unworthy self and held him unto her barrel, nuzzling and stroking him with Her angelic wings as he wept, silently, eyes open as he felt the love between Her and Her Consort, Daniel - felt them give it unto him through every touch they laid upon his form - as he watched them nuzzle, kiss, caress. Foal-like, Chionesu stretched and wriggled between them, heard Divine Consort Daniel chuckle and His Princess coo softly unto Him. He was Cleansed. He was Blessed. He was Forgiven. "There will always be a Princess," Quoted He from the Holiest of the Scriptures. "There will always be a Man by Her Side. And he shall love and protect her until time reaches its end. And They shall find Another; then She will become Their Daughter... or He will become Their..." - he choked, utterly overcome with emotion - "... He will become Their Son..." And His Princess, Celestia, looked down upon Him... and she nodded.

37. You and your beloved, Chrysalis, Ex-Changeling Queen

The carapace of a changeling isn't hard and cold. You know that; the fact that you're sleeping in your bed with the Queen of the race - and that her carapace feels like warm, soft leather - proves it, beyond a shadow of a doubt. You've got a hand over her ponylike barrel and she's snuggling up into your touch because she honestly can't get enough. A chuckle escapes you as you remember the first time you touched her. It was totally by accident; you and she were passing each other as you both went through the hallway of your small Ponyville cottage; you to work on what would eventually be the basement and storage room of your home and she outside. It was an accidental brush, the softest touch of human hand to alien carapace, and she'd shrieked and jumped as if shocked by a live wire, because she'd never experienced anything like it before. Insectoid as they were, changelings as a whole weren't big on physical contact, thus your touch - the sensations it had generated within her nerves - had startled her. After analyzing the sensations she'd felt, a few days later, she'd asked you to touch her again, and so you had. Eventually, she'd grown to adore your touch and had turned into a real cuddle-bug, always nosing her way under an arm or looking to cuddle when the days were rough. And rough they had been at that start of it all.

Changelings feeding on love is true but the way they do it - sucking it out like some kind of vampire - is all horse shit; it's all stories made up by those whom would demonize your beloved and what's left of her race. The truth is, Changelings don't work like that since love isn't a tangible thing; instead they feed off the psionic energy generated by the emotion, drawing it in from the background; ergo the more sentient beings there are wherever a Changeling resides the more powerful they'll be able to get. You... you utterly adore your beloved Chrysalis and thus, powerful indeed she has become. She wasn't the one who'd impersonated Cadance and attacked the wedding; that had been a usurper of the throne; one drone who'd glutted on stored love to become powerful than had gathered an army of like-minded fools. Truth is, poor Chrysalis hadn't even been able to enter the city; one look at her appearance had branded her a demon in the eyes of the Canterlot Elite and she hadn't even been able to get near the Royal Palace, let alone beseech the Princesses for aid. The Badlands of Equestria - where she and her hive had lived - were a blighted desert; nothing lived there and thus there was no love. Thousands of her beloved people were dying every day but that blasted land was the only place the Changelings might call home; the hideous appearance of her people gained them niether sanctuary nor friends in other lands; thus poor Chrysalis had made a final attempt to come to Equestria and beg for aid.

And she had failed. It was shortly after you'd taken her in... that she felt the last of her kin die. She'd been utterly insensate for days, bumping into walls, eyes glazed over, unable to comprehend a thing; it was as if she'd suffered a crippling stroke. Your touch had brought her out of it, but then she'd attacked you, screaming and cursing and fighting and blaming. You understood. Oh, Faust, you understood and your heart wrenched within your chest as you realized she wasn't blaming and hurting you; she was doing it to herself. All you could do was be there for her, though the long sleepless nights, the suffering and tears, the times when she'd stay up night and day calling, calling, calling for any of her hive whom might hear her alien crooning-clicking-warbling. All for naught; in the end she'd given up, crawling into your shared bed and weeping softly, the sound of her two-toned cries hurting and haunting you to this day. You'd held her close, vowing to do what you could for her... and you did.

Author's Note

What can I say? After seeing this picture...

... I just can't see Chryssie as a villain anymore.

38. You and Chrysalis #2 (li'l bit NSFW)

It's nine thirty in the evening. You and Chryssie are in bed - she's cuddled against you as is usual, her buzzing purr lulling you both into a state of sleep as you stroke and massage her warm, leathery carapace - and that's when all hell breaks loose.

Suddenly, there's a tremendous crash as your front door's busted in; the next moment you hear hooves thundering your way before a small squad of Royal Guards bursts into your room. As they surround the bed within which you and your beloved Queen are resting, you slowly turn your head to look at them, and...

'Fuck...' you think, 'they're all bloody veterans...' Before you can think upon it further, one of the pony guards - an enormous Unicorn stallion wearing dented and pitted armor - brandishes a gigantic, serrated spear in your direction.

"By order of the Princesses," he shouts, "you are under arrest..."

As he speaks, Chrysalis lazily opens an eye... before closing said eye and nuzzling into you further. This has happened before... countless times. With a weary sigh, you slowly reach across to your Night Table - the Royal Guards following your every move - and withdraw from it a scroll affixed with the Royal Seal of the Equestrian Principality. Upon seeing it, the guards' eyes widen.

"Where've you been, pup?" You ask the Guard Captain; the spear-brandishing Earth Pony.

"Long Range" barks he in introduction, "and my stallions and I have been tracking Diamond Dogs south of Appaloosa. We heard..."

"I know what you heard," you sigh wearily, combing your fingers through Chrysalis's mane, "another frightened pony crying about 'the changeling living with the human, just waiting to strike when we least expect it.' That about right?"

By now, the squad of guards - including Long Range - are shuffling their hooves in embarrassment.

"Yeah," you sigh again, "that's what I thought. Here, read this..." That said, you hand Captain Long Range the scroll and, warily, he takes it from you, then opens it and begins to read.

"To my Royal Guards,

By Royal Decree, we - Princesses Celestia and Luna of the Equestrian Principality - do hereby grant Chrysalis, Ex-Queen of the Badlands Hive, special permission to live within the Town of Ponyville, with her beloved, [your name here]. Queen Chrysalis has been granted citizenship along with all of the rights and privileges that entails. Any ponies found to be harassing Chrysalis because of her species or due to past events will be fined and punished severely. She has suffered enough; leave her alone.

Signed,

H.R.H Celestia de Sol
H.R.H Luna de Sel"

Swallowing nervously, Long Range carefully rolls up the scroll and hands it back to you, allowing you to return it to its place in your Night Table. Then, after briefing his men of the situation, the Guard Captain shuffles his hooves, contrite. "I... I'm very sorry about all this..." he says, quietly. "It's just... we've been at Appaloosa for three years, and when we heard news of the Changeling Queen herself being here, well... we thought that it might've been the start of another invasion! We... we didn't expect this..." He looks down at Chrysalis as she nuzzles foal-like into the crook of your arm. "It's strange..." murmurs he, "she doesn't look like a monster."

"She isn't," you murmur, softly stroking her carapace to start her purring again. Upon hearing the sound, two of the Guards struggle to keep from laughing, you think you hear one softly cry "d'aww" and another clutches his chest, letting out a tiny "hhhng!" Pointedly ignoring their antics, you focus your attention on Captain Long Range. "She isn't a monster," you continue. "She never has been. Changeling who invaded with the army of drones was called Vespula. Wayward daughter. Rebellious nasty bitch. Chrysalis still doesn't know what went wrong..." Your expression as you gaze down at your love saddens and Long Range winces sympathetically. "I know the feeling," says he, mournfully. "Come on, colts; we're done here." With that, he and his men quietly leave, fixing your door - again - on their way out, finally allowing you and your beloved Queen Chrysalis to get some much needed sleep for tomorrow.

When you awaken the next morning, it's to the feeling of a warm, wet mouth and tongue wrapped around you. Groaning softly with pleasure, you slowly pull back the duvet to find your beloved Queen, well, suckling upon you. You've never asked, demanded, or forced her to do this; it's just something she started to do one day when she became aware of you, well, poking her in the morning. Now she does it every morning, and she seems to relish it; adoring the sounds you make as she brings you closer, and closer to rapture--and that's when you stop thinking because the sensations - the feelings of her warm, wet mouth closed upon you, and that long tongue twisting and twining about your erect member again and again - become too much to bear! Then - "Nnnnh...!" - your climax rolls through you and as you look down between your legs you see Chrysalis begin to nurse upon you, drinking your seed down as she gazes up at you with big, wide, foal-like eyes.

She doesn't spill or waste a drop of your seed; she never has in all the times she's done this. Soon Chrysalis finishes and swallows the last of your seed. Then - after cleaning you up as your erection goes away - she crawls up your body to rest her head upon your chest, gazing up at you, adorably shy and foal-like, with those irresistible green eyes of hers. "You..." you whisper softly to her as you stroke her mane, "are a little minx. If you keep doing that, you're going to drain me dry one day; I'll be all used up!" At your words, Chrysalis giggles silently and baps you gently with a hoof; you retaliate to this by tickling her until her body's shaking with silent laughter. Still, you can't help but wonder if she gains something from drinking from you the way she does. She must, for she does indeed look healthier than usual; there seems to be a glow about her, her carapace seems to shine in the early morning light like some kind of polished glass, or obsidian.

"Would you like to get up now? Or shall we sleep for a bit more?" you ask. At the question, Chrysalis immediately closes her eyes and starts to make exaggerated snoring noises. "Okay," you laugh as you, interpret the gesture, "so we'll sleep a bit more; then we'll get up and I'll get you some honey for breakfast. Honey for my lil' Queen Bee..." And then you're laughing harder as she's nuzzling and kiss-kiss-kissing you, because she adores honey and you know it. The psionic energy from the emotion of love is only half her diet; being as she's insectoid the other half is made up of plant nectars, saps, honey, fruit juices... any kind of liquidized sugar she can get a hold of, really, though honey is one of her favorites. Along with the energies from love, liquid sugars are the only other thing she can eat, as her digestive system isn't built for normal foods; on the contrary, solid food tends to make her very ill. Thankfully, acquiring sugars to keep your love fed is relatively easy thanks to the Ponyville Market.

You've a few friends there who are all-too-happy to sell you various flavours of honey, jam, and smooth peanut butter - and even bags of sugar that you can dissolve in warm water - for the bits you earn doing repairs about Ponyville. When your beloved wants various tree saps, and nectars, however, then it's Zecora who gets your hard-earned gold. That wily Zebra Witch Doctor has been a wonderful friend to you and Chrysalis, ever since you found the poor Queen after falling through a sinkhole during an adventure in the Badlands. Pulling yourself away from these thoughts - as you softly stroke your beloved's mane, listening to her buzzing-purr - you smile. You and she will sleep a bit more; then you'll get up and prepare breakfast for each other. You're pretty sure there's some honey in your pantry, but if not then you'll get some from the market. After that, then it's off to see Twilight at the Golden Oaks where you'll finally be able to finish that book you're reading, "The Longest Journey." Yep, you think, today's going to be a good day...

39. You and Chrysalis #3

According to your watch, it's roughly six by the time you finally get home from your job at the delivery company. Ascending the steps to the front door, you make to open it when - "Oof!" - it's thrown open by your beloved Queen Chrysalis as she tackle-hugs you and then starts to nuzzle your face. The days seem long, the work is hard, and your Boss - a pony called Long Haul - tolerates you at best... but at the end of the day, returning home to your beloved Chryssie makes it all worth it. "Hey, sweetie, I missed you too..." you murmur, moving to kiss her and softly stroke her emerald mane. For a moment the two of you remain there, content to share soft little kisses; then Chryssie is getting to her feet and helping you inside. In no time at all, your coat and tools are dealt with; then you're crashed on the old, beat up couch in the living room, with one very happy Ex-Queen of the Badlands Changeling Hive resting half on the couch and half in your lap! She stares at you pointedly.

"What?" You ask.

She continues to stare, her expression becoming adorably foal-like.

"How was my day?" You ask.

She nod-nods.

"Ah, it was okay. We finally got the floors put down in the new apartment blocks," you state. "Of course, this was after the correct floor size was finally measured up; some idiot pony got the measurements wrong and tried to pin it on me, but Haul tore strips off the bastard. The Boss might not like the fact that I'm human, but he knows I'm a good worker and won't stand for any bullshit tossed my way by others. Anyway, that's my day in a nutshell. What about you? How was your day?"

At the question, Chryssie hops off the couch and then proceeds to mime stirring something in a bowl then putting the bowl in an oven. "Ah, you were cooking? Baking?" She nod-nods again. "Who did you spend time with today? Was it... Bon-Bon?" At this, your beloved shakes her head. "Was it... Mr. Cake?" You ask. At this, Chryssie does something odd; she starts to bounce in place! You know of only one pony who can bounce like that... "Ah, you baked cakes with Pinkie Pie!" You guess, with a smile. Chryssie nods happily, then stops bouncing and returns to the couch, resting her head in your lap again. "I'm glad you had a good day, sweetheart," you murmur, ruffling her mane and stroking her leathery carapace. At the feel of your hands upon her, Chryssie starts to make that sound you've come to adore - a kind of buzzing-purr - and she wriggles happily, nuzzle-nuzzling into you, gazing up at you with puppy-dog eyes.

"What now?" You ask.

She continues to stare, her expression becoming even cuter.

"Yes, I have a treat for you, you li'l cuddle-bug," you murmur, "but you'll want to wait until after dinner..." And as Chrysalis perks up, you tell her about the smorgasbord of sugars, saps and nectars you purchased from the market on your way home, many of which will be part of her dinner tonight. In happiness, she raises her head up and nuzzle-nuzzles you, kissing your face. 'She's so very happy...' You think to yourself. She wasn't always like this--shy, mute, and foal-like. In fact, there was a time when she spoke and acted her age; like the Queen she used to be. The death of her kin was what made her this way; to feel them die one by one... And the death of the last was too much. To hear a thousand, thousand voices suddenly made silent... In short, it proved to be a terrible blow with devastating effect: Chrysalis suffered the equivalent of a severe stroke. Your constant attention upon her - your love and affection - brought her back... but she would never be the same as she once was. Where a Queen once presided there was now a mute foal in a grown mare's body. Shy, quiet, demure, gentle, friendly... the Ex-Queen was all this and more. What had happened was a tragedy to be sure... and yet, it was also a rebirth for her, a chance to start anew.

A smile crosses your face as you remember last Nightmare Night; how Chryssie - in the form of Nightmare Moon - had chased the foals through Ponyville--only to be scared witless when the real Nightmare Moon had made her annual appearance! You also remember her visiting Twilight Sparkle; the poor mare had been running herself ragged for your beloved trying to find a cure for her... Until Chrysalis had shaken her head before using a hoof to gently close the book Twilight had been looking through. Poor Twilight had stared at your beloved Queen, stricken... before she'd burst into resigned tears as Chryssie had pulled her into a hug, petting the lavender pony on the back as if to say, "Hey, it's okay Twi; there's no need to be upset. I'm still here, aren't I?" Now, instead of reading through medical texts for Chrysalis, Twilight reads her adventure and fantasy stories...

Poke.

Prod.

"Hm?" You inquire, looking down at her, your beloved's poking having drawn your thoughts back to the present. Chrysalis assumes a very exaggerated thinker's pose. A chuckle escapes you as you ruffle her mane. "Yes," you respond, "I was thinking, sweetie; just about the past and what happened to you. I... I'm so sorry that we couldn't save any of the others..." At your words, Chryssie swallows thickly and nods, her eyes misty. Then, a moment later she nuzzle-nuzzles and kisses you softly as if to say, 'You tried when no one else would... And you saved me.'

Author's Note

Another one with adorable "Foal-like! Chrysalis."

KNOCK-KNOCK One moment, folks...

Oh, hello there sweetie... oh, god, hhhnnng...

Guh... why must you be so cute?

40. Celestia makes Daniel some lunch (You Brighten My Day/Songfic)

When Daniel awoke from his midday nap on the couch, he became aware that his beloved mare Celestia was missing from his side. He also became aware of an absolutely delightful smell wafting into the living room from the kitchen. 'Oh gods,' thought he, 'what is that? It smells delicious...' Allowing his nose to guide him, the human got up off the couch, groggily made his way to the kitchen, then stopped at the entrance and looked inside.

What he saw within brought a smile to his face for there he espied his beloved Celestia, carefully putting the finishing touches to what looked to be two delicious vegetarian pasta dishes. As she worked, the First Alicorn Princess of the Equestrian Diarchy sashayed back and forth across the room, and - unable to help himself - Daniel let his eyes roam over her equine form as she swayed her rump to an invisible beat. Then, a moment later she started to sing.

"I'll never be your Maggie May
the one you loved and left behind
the face you see in light of day
and then you cast away
that isn't me in that bed you'll find
I'd rather take myself away
be like those ladies in Japan
rather paint myself a face
conjure up some grace
or be the eyes behind a fan
And so you go
no girl could say no
to you..."

Continuing to sing, the pony princess completed the preparation of the meals she was working on; that was when Daniel softly rapped his knuckles upon the kitchen entrance. Although he hadn't intended to startle his beloved, so deep into her song was she that the sound of her human's knocking startled her anyway; the Alicorn mare gasped softly, clutching a hoof to her chest! Turning about, she espied Danial waiting for her and the sight of him caused her to sigh with relief. "Oh Faust," she gasped, "Daniel, you startled me!"

"I'm sorry, love," Daniel replied, as he made his way into the room. "I didn't mean to, but you looked like you were pretty deep into your work here..."

As he trailed off, Celestia nodded. "I was," she mused, a small smile creasing her muzzle, "but I'm all finished now. I've made us both some lunch."

"Indeed you have," the human replied, eying the dishes with clear interest. "What is it?"

Wrapping the two plates of food within her solar magic, the Princess of the Sun levitated them both and then - as she and Daniel made their way from the kitchen and back out into the living-dining room area of her beloved's house - she replied, "It's a pasta dish from Equestria that I thought you might like. It's delicious, and I think you'll love it! You don't have some of the spices that are normally used, but I managed to make do."

"Pasta from back home, eh?" Daniel mused. "Sounds great; I'm interested." A moment later - as his beloved carefully set the plates down onto the table, which she'd thoughtfully set earlier - Daniel frowned before asking, "Uh, there's no hay in this one, is there?"

No sooner had he asked the question then Celestia was face-hoofing, a groan escaping her. A moment later, after setting her hoof down, the white Alicorn heaved a mildly frustrated sigh. "You just won't let me live that down, will you?" she said, exasperatedly.

"Nope," replied Daniel, grinning. "It's kind of hard to do that when you're suffering diarrhea all night because somepony added hay to the Pumpkin Soup..."

Though his tone was lighthearted - though they were spoken in gentle jest - Celestia couldn't help but feel a little pang of hurt at his words. "I... I really am sorry about that, my Daniel. At the time I didn't know that humans couldn't properly digest hay and the like..." She trailed off into silence, then, closing her eyes as she shuffled her hooves and hung her head in embarrassment at that unfortunate incident.

Soon, however, she felt her beloved Daniel's hands upon her as he gently lifted her head. "Hey," said he, softly stroking her chin and muzzle, "it's okay Celestia; it wasn't your fault. I wasn't thinking at the time and it kind of slipped my mind; I should've told you that hay isn't part of a human's diet. Anyway, we both know better now. Besides, looking back it was pretty funny at the time." With that said, he and Celestia sat down at the table and prepared to eat. Before they tucked in, however, Daniel began belting out the lyrics to a bawdy song.

"Ten days with me pony, got four days to go
Ten days of terror, 'coz I'm glued to the throne
And I'm shittin' in litres and firin' both ends
I'll never shit solid again.

And it's cost her a fortune for all of this hay
'stead of eatin' it up, Christ I'm shittin' it away
and I'm glued to the loo while me Princess is ragin'
I'll never shit solid again

I'll never shit solid again!
Or hold anything down for as long as I live
'coz me arse is jammed open from freckle fatigue
I'll never shit solid again..."

Batting Daniel playfully with a hoof, Celestia - in stitches with laughter - gasped, "Ew, that's disgusting; not when we're about to eat, please..." At this, chuckling warmly, Daniel scratched her behind the ears for a moment before he and Celestia tucked into the meals she'd made. In short - 'Mmm... oh, wow!' - the pasta his beloved made was delicious; a myriad of textures and delightful flavors that danced and exploded upon his tongue. "This," said he to his beloved mare as he ate heartily, "is wonderful!" Then, raising his head such that his nose was in the air, he said snootily, "My compliments to the Royal Chef." At his praise, Celestia giggled, a blush suffusing her before she, too, stuck her muzzle in the air. "We thank thee, subject, for thy praise of our most excellent cuisine!" she replied, just as snootily. Moments later, as the two continued to eat, they burst into hearty laughter.

41. Nightmare Moon meets with her Beloved in secret...

It was as Jonas was drifting off to sleep that a dark mare entered his room, a dark mare with a not-so-dark purpose. Ever-so-slowly, the mare crept towards the bed - wherein the human lay drifting in a state of half-awareness - and then, she slipped beneath the bedcovers, crawled her way up his body and started nuzzling him gently. "Nightie..." he murmured as he wrapped his arms about her, burying his wonderful hands in her mane. 'This,' thought she, as she felt it happen 'is heaven...' The dark mare was Nightmare Moon - Exiled Alicorn Princess of the Equestrian Principality - and she'd been seeing her beloved, the human called Jonas, for nearly four years, now. Four years of nightly strolls, four years of watching the stars in the earthly sky, four years of secret kisses, gentle touches and soft caresses 'neath the moon, of telling each other their hopes, dreams, desires and darkest secrets without fear of judgement. Four years of sweet, gentle love... And the best part of it all? Her sister, Celestia, didn't suspect a thing! Jonas was totally, utterly, hers. "Yes, my love," said she in response to his gentle murmur as she lay her head to rest upon his chest. "It is We. How fare Thou, this night?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Jonas replied, waking slowly. "Work is same old, same old, then I come home to await your nightly visits. You're the light of my life, you know. You're my sanity and my reason; I think of you constantly..." A sigh escaped him, then, and he scratched behind her ears, causing her to moan with bliss. "I only wish you could stay with me, love." His words made her heart ache, for she, too wished she could stay with him, but alas... "We wish it, too, beloved - we would share ourselves with thou in a heartbeat if we could - but you know that it is not possible with the way things are. Sharing ourselves with thou wouldst alter our magic in a subtle way and 'tis a way our sister could discern. We... we fear what she might do to Thou..." A shiver coursed its way through her form and upon feeling the subtle movement of her body, Jonas ruffled her mane, watching as the stars danced within. "Oh, come on sweetie, surely she can't be that bad. The stories you've told me of Equestria always portray her as a benevolent ruler." At his words, Nightmare Moon raised her head to nod then nuzzled his cheeks and softly kissed him before resting her head upon his chest again.

"'Tis true," replied she, wriggling blissfully as Jonas scratched her withers just so, "she is benevolent and just, but..." and here she whispered, "never to her enemies. She... she banished Us to Our Moon for a thousand years, Jonas. Even now we still recover from the effect this had upon us..." Her beloved Jonas nodded as he continued to scratch her. It was difficult to see Moon in the dark, noted he, but that was part of the thrill she and he got from doing this. "I know, sweetheart, but you've got to understand that when alicorns like you and Celestia quarrel... mortal ponies can be hurt and killed. Your refusing to lower the moon, for instance, was an awful thing to do. Plants and crops need sunlight, Nightie, and all ponies need to sleep - both mortal and alicorn - and the Moon affects the tides as well, both here and in Equestria," the human said. With his knowledge of astronomy, he knew what he was talking about and so Nightmare conceded, sighing through her nose. "Know We that now thanks to thee, but still... still... We wish it had never happened! We wish we could have talked to her more, but... we were so angry..."

Jonas nodded; he felt for her, he really did, but "If that's how you felt" said he softly, "then imagine - just imagine for a moment - how your sister, Celestia, felt when she had to make the awful, awful choice between her country, and her sister. Imagine the grief she felt as she cast the spell that sent you away; her sickness at knowing that she did this - exiled the only other of her kin she had... She must've been so ill, so heartsick for months..." Nightmare Moon tried not to listen to his words - tried so hard not to feel each as a blow upon her pained form - but came they from her beloved Jonas. Wise was he beyond his years, and he knew and understood. He made her understand. In that instant, her emotions overcame her and she whimpered, a sob catching in her throat as her reptilian eyes welled up with painful tears. The sounds she made - the feeling of his tears upon her fingers as he stroked her cheeks and muzzle - and the heaving of her body upon him as she wept caused his own heart to wrench in painful sympathy. "Oh, my girl..." uttered he, softly kissing her, "oh my dear, dear girl..." For a time he kept murmuring to her, soothing away her painful tears... and then, shortly thereafter he started to sing softly to his love:

"No more talk of pastime
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you

Let me be your freedom
Let moonlight dry your tears
I'm here, with you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you"

Slowly, gently, the magic of the music overcame poor Nightmare Moon; a softened gasp escaped her and then, raising her head, she half-sang, half-cried:

"Say Thou'll love Us every starlit moment
Turn Our head with talk of dreaming time
Say Thou needs Us with Thou now and always
Promise Us that all Thou says is true
'Tis all We ask of you"

Without hesitation, Jonas nodded, holding his beloved alicorn mare close as he sang:

"Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you"

Openly weeping now, nuzzling her beloved's face - as if she wouldn't ever see him again - Nightmare Moon whispered through her tears:

"All We want is freedom
A world beneath Our Night
And you, always beside Us
To hold Us and to hide Us"

Gently, Jonas gripped her cheeks with his gentle hands, making her look at him; they looked deep within each other's eyes as he responded:

"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Nightmare, that's all I ask of you..."

Utterly overcome - neither able to form the words of the song in their heads, or sing anymore - the two illicit lovers held each other close as the black alicorn wept, "Yes," then kissed him and "Yes," kissed him again. Then... That night, in her beloved's bed, in his little house on Earth, Nightmare Moon made love to Jonas, with Jonas, for Jonas and he did the same for her. Together man and mare shared of each other as they danced the oldest of dances to that most ancient of rhythms; love, passion, desire. 'To Tartarus with Celestia and what she might think' thought Nightmare as they came together again and again, their passions rising and falling, rising and falling. 'Jonas is mine; he's mine; he's mine and she'll never take him away from me...' At the end of all things Nightmare Moon and Jonas collapsed into each other and slept the sleep of lovers. Come morn, when sated mare and sated man were wrapped in a tangle of arms, legs, hooves and wings - having moved that way during the long night - a beam of hazy sunlight shone through one of the windows of Jonas's bedroom... onto the figure of an alicorn mare, a mare as light as the other was dark. "Well," Princess Celestia said, smiling, her eyes misting with happy tears as she espied the two lovers asleep in their bed, "it's about damn time..."

42. Human Insecurities / Healing a Broken Mare

Stricken, the white Alicorn Mare gazed up at her beloved Daniel, her eyes wide and round - filling with tears - and her lower lip trembling. "What?" she whispered. "Wh-What did you say?"

A weary sigh escaping him, Daniel softly repeated, "Sometimes... You scare me, Celestia." Then a moment later he continued "You really do. You have power inside you that - quite frankly - scares the hell out of me. You banished your sister - sent her to the moon, the moon for god's sake - because you and she got into a disagreement and fought. What's going to happen if we get into a serious disagreement? Are you going to banish me, too? No... perhaps you'll just fry me with a solar flare, what with you being the Princess of the Sun and all."

Her heart wrenching in agony, Celestia reached out a hoof, pleadingly, even as she stuttered, "I... Daniel, no... I..."

Daniel, his expression neutral, wouldn't take it. "And another thing," he continued, "is the fact that you're immortal. You're like... like a Tolkien Elf, Celestia! You're this amazing, beautiful, immortal, all powerful being--and I'm not. I'm... nothing. Just... a speck of dust. A mere one hundred years is how long I'll live - if that - and... then what? You'll move on. Find somebody else. I'm just a dalliance, for you, Celestia. A plaything..."

The way he spoke - always in that gentle tone, never raising his voice, never shouting - was terrifying to Celestia. She was used to the shouting of the Nobility in Court; she was used to the strident, booming tones of her beloved sister. She most certainly wasn't used to this, however; the voice of this man whom could wound her so deeply with the softest of words. She swallowed thickly as she heard him laugh, softly, gently.

"It's funny, you know..." said he once the sound had died away, "you and your sister... you're like the Greek Gods. They used to come down from Mount Olympus and play with us mortals - they'd stir our passions, make us do all sorts of crazy things in the name of love - and then they'd just up and leave us. Or kill us if we angered them. And now... here you are: the Pony Greek God. You going to kill me, too? You can, you know... quite easily..."

Then it was all Celestia could do to keep listening - bile welling up within her throat - as in that calm, soft voice, Daniel began listing the ways in which she could oh-so-easily do so. "You could trample me to death. You could rear up on your hind legs; bring your forelegs crashing down atop me. You could buck me in the chest with your hind legs; cave my chest in. You could end my life with any number of devastating magical spells--or even the power of the sun itself. Hell, you could even gut me with that long spear you've got sticking out of your forehead."

Swallowing back the bile in her throat, the Princess choked, "I... I would never..."

Slowly, Daniel shook his head - inducing within the alicorn's heart a painful spasm - and then he responded softly "You don't know that, Celestia. All it takes is one moment - one single moment - for you to lash out at me in rage, and then..."

It was true, oh Faust, all he said was true... In that instant - that single moment in time - Celestia knew how Daniel felt, knew what it was to be a mortal. She knew and understood...

She hated it.

And then, she realized...

It was happening again...

It was happening again, just like it had in Equestria with her subjects...

Her beloved Daniel... was rejecting her...

She couldn't take it, not like this, not from him.

Dropping unto her haunches, then onto her belly, the Princess of the Sun crawled towards Daniel, wretched and submissive, a hoof extended, reaching for him... then with voice desperate, pleading, broken, she confessed.. She spoke of how she had banished her sister, yes--but that the cost of the spell had nearly killed her, physically and spiritually. She spoke of how she was a Princess--but that she despised the crown and sometimes wished to live a simple life. She spoke of how she was immortal--but thought of it a curse; she could never find one to share her heart with for she would have to watch them die. She spoke of her subjects, oh-so-many Little Ponies--but she could never get to know any of them personally; as the Princess she always had to remain aloof and detached; thus her subjects thought her humorless and rather strict or cruel.

At the end of it all - as Daniel looked on, his own heart breaking - overcome with rage and sadness, Celestia cast off her regalia and flung it away; then she rolled unto her back and gazed up at Daniel, foal-like, her face and muzzle wet with tears. She was used up. Wrung out. She had nothing left, now. Nothing left except... "Please," she whispered, "not you too. Please, don't leave me. Not you too..." And Daniel... Daniel - his own eyes misty - reached down and helped the poor mare to her feet. That's all she was, thought he - now knowing the truth - not a goddess, not an 'Alicorn'... just a mare, very old, and so very tired. Ever so gently, his hand on her back to support her, Daniel helped a weakly stumbling and tottering Celestia to his bedroom and then - after helping her to lie upon his bed... he began to touch her with his hands, and Celestia let him.

Openly she wept - expunging eons of pent up hurt and loneliness - choking sobs, soft coos and little sighs escaping her throat as her beloved human companion Daniel used his hands to stroke, pet, and caress her everywhere he could reach. 'He... he's not going to leave me...!' thought she as she moved this way and that way, letting him stroke and caress her over and over from head to flanks and back again. Every touch of his hands was as a soothing balm to her rent and ravaged soul, every softened apology and sweet nothing whispered into her ears a validation. More and more tears fell from her eyes but even as Daniel tried to brush them away, first with hands and then with sweet kisses, still more remained; so he gave up and stroked along her muzzle instead, cupped her nose in his palm allowing her to take in his scent and blow into his hands; then as he massaged her cheeks and stroked along her jaw she opened her mouth, allowing him to gently ease his fingers inside to touch her teeth and rub her tongue; yet more proof of her promise to never hurt him in any way at all.

Then he was stroking his hands over her neck and chest area, feeling her ancient heart beat, before he moved unto her barrel, stroking, caressing, as Celestia cooed softly and wriggled in bliss. He moved unto her flanks then, squeezing her rump ever so gently, running his hands from her thighs unto her hind hooves as she kicked and wriggled gently, a giggle escaping her throat... And then she was gasping softly as he came back down, massaging her inner thighs gently before he explored with his hands her teats, touching and manipulating the little nipples gently. He massaged them, then, but not hard or painfully, no he did so in a way that made Celestia's instincts scream 'Foal is feeding...!', then her breath hitched and a sob caught in her throat as he whispered, "You would make a wonderful Mother..." T'was the ultimate complement for a Mare - to know that she would be a fine dam for her stallion - and for Celestia to hear this from Daniel, when no pony had ever said it to her before... Never had she felt so contented - so wanted, so valid - in her life! She was Mare and all ponies would hear her neigh!

A moment later it was not a neigh that came from her, but a deeply contented hum as Daniel palmed and massaged her privates, her crescent, her sex ... in a completely non-sexual manner; he sought not to arouse her or make love with her this night, but to heighten the bliss she felt as he explored her body. healing her soul through his words and touch. It was working... oh Faust, was it working. Daniel moved away from her nether regions, then; he shifted his attention to her tail, burying his hands in the natural pink hair, but only for a short time, before he started the entire petting again... and again... and again. During yet another stroking of her barrel, emboldened, Celestia gently tangled him up in a snarl of legs, hooves and wings, shifting them into the bed and pulling the duvet atop them with her magic; but even as this happened, she never released him and he never made to let go of her. They wouldn't. They couldn't Too vulnerable. Too risky... That, and she doubted she could live without his touch - without him - there with her. Together they would work to overcome their flaws, barriers, and insecurities. Together, Man and Alicorn would heal.

43. Synchronicity

Ever since Daniel and Celestia had shared themselves with each other, the two had been acting as they were a single being possessed of two bodies. The unusual phenomena had begun in the morning, when the Princess had awakened to perform her usual duty of raising the sun, because the pony princess and her beloved had awakened at exactly the same time. The human - after exchanging a good morning kiss with his beloved mare - had then assisted the Solar Diarch with dressing in her regalia. According to the servants, said dressing had been the quietest ever witnessed; Celestia had moved just so to allow Daniel to place the garments exactly when and where she needed them placed. Shortly thereafter, the Princess of the Sun had walked to her balcony - Daniel walking in perfect step to her movements - and then the Alicorn Princess had raised the sun to begin another day.

With her morning duty done, the Princess and Daniel had then headed - always in perfect, synchronized step - to the Royal Kitchens, wherein they evicted the Royal Chefs and then prepared breakfast for each other themselves; a hearty meal of waffles along with a lovely salad for Celestia, if what the unicorn had heard was correct (she was certain it was). That in itself was normal - Daniel and Celestia occasionally evicted the Chefs that they might cook their own meals ever since the Alicorn Princess had returned with her love from Earth. No, what was strange was the way the two had gone about preparing the meal. As man and pony princess worked each would pass the other the correct ingredients, tools and other items in the proper order needed... exactly when said things were needed. Man and Mare worked in near silence - save for the usual noise made within a kitchen when making a meal - and then when the meal was done, cooked to perfection instead of taking it into the royal dining room the two seated themselves at a table within a small alcove just off the kitchen... and then, as the Royal Chefs looked on, Man and Alicorn had proceeded to feed each other; passing each other food exactly when the other desired it, as if they could read each other's thoughts perfectly. Afterward they proceeded to clean up their dishes and the kitchen, displaying more of the same odd odd synchronicity.

"It is a side effect of our sharing, Twilight..."

At the sound of the voices behind her, poor Twilight Sparkle shrieked and dropped the Chronicle she'd been writing in; then she whirled about to see Daniel and Celestia behind her, for both had been reading over her shoulder whilst they sat together upon the Sun Throne whilst waiting for Court to begin.

"Beg pardon?" queried the unicorn.

"We said," responded they, "that it is a side effect of our sharing; this perfect synchronicity. It may end soon, though we hope it does not." Here Daniel and Celestia leaned into each other, she nuzzling his cheek and he kissing her softly. "We like the idea of being as one like this, though some may find it unnerving. Others, however, will know and respect this sign that our love is indeed strong..." As they spoke, the Nobility started to file in. "Now attend, Twilight Sparkle. Court is about to begin..." Twilight nodded and put away her work; she'd just have to research the unusual phenomenon later.

44. Between Fan Fictions / Rainbow vs Jeannedarc

Laying within their bed in the Royal Palace of Canterlot, as Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle and Celestia's beloved Daniel drifted somewhere between half-awake and half-asleep, there came a frantic knocking upon the bedchamber door... before it was violently thrown open as a cerulean pony mare with multi-coloured mane and tail burst into the room. Startled awake, all three occupants of the bed moved to sit up, for this mare was Rainbow Dash, and she appeared extremely angry; her body shook with barely contained frustration. At seeing her friend in such a state, Twilight murmured, "... Mmmh... Rainbow? Rainbow Dash? Whatever is the matter?"

Without even asking, or waiting to be invited, the pegasus raised the bottom of the duvet with a hoof then crawled beneath, working her way up 'till she rested next to Twilight, who obligingly made room for her. After she was settled, suddenly, Rainbow Dash buried her head into one of the bed's many pillows before screaming into it, long and loud. Once she was done - as the sound faded away into the silence of the room - Rainbow Dash rested on her side as Twilight, Daniel, and Celestia worked to soothe her.

"What was that about, Rainbow?" Twilight enquired softly, concerned for her friend.

For a moment - as all three waited for the weather pony's reply - Rainbow denied them an answer; she just continued to lay where she was for a moment, her breathing a strained rasp in her throat, before her breath hitched and she replied, "It... it's that Author, Jaydex. He hasn't finished my story. It was going great, too - it would've been twenty percent cooler than all the others starring me - and then, bam! He stops writing it and... I'm dumped back here. Even worse, he posts on his Blog that he's 'all dashed out.'" Trying desperately not to cry - struggling to contain the great sobs that desired to escape her and quell the tears misting her eyes - Rainbow looked up at Celestia, Twilight, and Daniel pleadingly. "Is... is it me?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Am I too much for him to handle?" Suddenly her eyes widened. "He... Jaydex isn't writing about me because he feels he has to, is he? He does like me, and wants to write about me... right?" Frantically, she banged upon the Fourth Wall. "You like me, right, Jaydex? Right?"

Rainbow made to hammer the Fourth Wall again, but ceased as she felt Twilight's hooves surround her and Celestia's wing fold over her. "Calm, Rainbow Dash" Celestia soothed. "Jaydex likes you, but Authors can be fickle beings, jumping from one story to the next. He has put his story featuring you on hold in order to work on his story featuring my Sister, but also a new one featuring my newest Guardspony, Jeannedarc..." At the mention of the name, the cerulean pegasus scowled viciously. "Jeannedarc? Jeannedarc? That" - and here she grimaced - "Original Character? I don't believe this! What a load of horseapples! Do you know what stories Authors have mostly been putting her in?" When no answer was given, Rainbow promptly snarled, "CLOP! Clop for Pony's sake, and it's disgusting stuff featuring," - she grimaced again - "ugh, Watersports!" Lifting her head, Rainbow looked pleadingly at Celestia. "Your Highness, Jeannedarc isn't a Guardspony; she's a bucking Playmare Pony pretending to be a Guardspony!" the weather pegasus yelled.

Rainbow Dash should not have yelled those words...

Suddenly the aforementioned Jeannedarc - a pure white, golden armor clad pegasus mare with blonde mane and stunning blue eyes - poked her head into the room and stated coldly "I heard that Rainbow Dash. If you don't cease yelling and be quiet I'm going to have to escort you out of here for disturbing the peace of our Sovereign, Student and Consort."

"Really?" Rainbow snarled vindictively. Hopping down from the bed, the weather pegasus stalked towards the Guardsmare as Jeannedarc made her way further into the room. "I'd like to see you try!" Rainbow began to circle Jeannedarc as she continued taunting her. You're no Guardspony," said she, "just a wannabe who thinks she's a Guardspony. You probably don't even have any combat experience you... you Playmare Whorse!" Whilst Rainbow Dash taunted her, Jeannedarc - the newest member of Celestia's Royal Guard - remained still, her stoic gaze always fixed on the agitated cerulean pegasus mare... and when Dash - with an inarticulate scream of rage - attacked before Celestia, Twilight or Daniel could stop her the white Guardsmare was ready! At first, it seemed both mares were equal in power - Rainbow's rage-fueled speed and tenacity evenly matched Jeannedarc's honed strength and enchanted armor - but eventually, it was the Guardsmare who won out; Jeannedarc delivered crippling strikes to Rainbow Dash's wings, temporarily rendering them useless, before delivering a vicious blow that rendered Dash unconscious. Shortly thereafter, Jeannedarc carefully lifted Rainbow Dash atop her back then turned to face Celestia and asked, "What should I do with her, ma'am?"

As Daniel soothed the agitated princess pony - scratching her behind the ears - Celestia sighed wearily before answering, "Take her to one of the castle's guest bedrooms where she can sleep it off, Jeanne. Then return to your post."

"Yes Ma'am!" the Guardsmare replied; then with a quick nod and salute, she departed, Rainbow Dash draped over her back.

Once both had departed from the bedchamber, Twilight turned to look at her beloved mentor, stricken. "I... I don't understand, Princess!" cried she, her eyes misty. "Wh-Why didn't you stop them from fighting...?"

At the question, Daniel switched his attention to the lavender unicorn - stroking along Twilight's side with a hand - as Celestia nuzzled her before replying, "Because, Twilight... Sometimes there are things best settled between Mares. Besides, once they started fighting I doubted my intervention would have been any use. We can only be thankful that Jeannedarc chose to disable Rainbow instead of... well..."

Twilight nodded. "For an Original Character - a Non-Canon Pony - Jeannedarc is a good mare. Unlike some ponies..."

"Tell me about it..." Daniel groaned. "Just be thankful that you haven't been dropped into Fallout Equestria. I'm quite surprised the Authors who penned that post-apocalyptic hell haven't allowed it to leak into here, yet... or maybe they have and we just don't know it..."

"Gah!" Celestia cried. "Please, don't jinx it! Don't give them any ideas!"

"Too late!" Daniel quipped, at which point Celestia and Twilight facehoofed.

"Hey," soothed the human, gently, "come on; you know it'll just spin off into its own reality. That's how Authors work; they can't truly alter anything made by Them."

"For which I am eternally grateful!" Celestia groaned. "I don't even want to think about The Conversion Bureau..." At this, all shivered as Celestia whimpered, "Oh, Faust, Ithoughtaboutit..." Immediately she was hugged by her adopted Daughter and her Beloved. "I'm not a Tyrant, I'm not a Tyrant, I'm not a Tyrant, I'm not a Tyrant, I'm not..."

"Ssssh..." Daniel soothed. "We know, sweetie, and so do many others." Then, "Remember," stated he, softly, "that there are Authors who are writing some great fan fictions that we're proud to be part of. JaydexTheShadowKnight, Tystarr, RKStriker_JK5, Aegis Shield, and so on. What about that collaboration of Authors on SpaceBattles who are writing Widening the Lens...?"

"You... you're right," Celestia replied, blinking back tears, "and Widening the Lens is fantastic... but, whenever I try to go to Hippocampus Bay there, I get stuck and find myself in the Void..."

"... Because that part hasn't been written, yet!" Twilight giggled. "Silly pony!" At this, Celestia chuckled and poked her in return, leading to a tickle fight that lasted for a few moments.

Once Princess and Daughter had calmed, Celestia looked pensive. "We can only hope that Jaydex finishes his story featuring Jeannedarc soon, that he may return to writing about Rainbow Dash. She's been so very disappointed by all this..."

"As have we all," Daniel replied. "A lot of readers were looking forward to that one..."

"Including me!" Twilight chirped, snuggling foal-like against her adoptive mother's body. "Though..." - and here, she frowned - "I was so looking forward to being in another chapter of 'For Whom She Sparkles'... Still, these ones by Coranth are nice; these little snippets and story slices where we're together in this 'back stage' area and can 'rest up' between stories." Surrounded by the warmth of the duvet, ensconced between Celestia and Daniel Twilight wriggled gently, foal-like, as she felt Celestia fold a wing down over her. "I..." she whispered, "I like being your adopted Daughter here..."

"... And I adore being your Mother, Twilight," Celestia replied, sniffling, her eyes misting with tears.

"Still..." Twilight mused, a moment later, "I hope Jaydex completes Jeannedarc's story quickly. I'm not sure how much more of this cat fighting between Rainbow and her I can take..."

"One can only hope, Twilight," Celestia responded. "One can only hope... Oh, look, here come the Authors Notes..."

Author's Note

Another 'back stage' snippet. Folks will probably hate me for doing things like this, but I like 'em and think they're funny. My most sincere apologies to the Creator of Jeannedarc; I know I didn't get your permission to use her but this damn thing just wouldn't leave me alone.

I'd also like to apologize for Rainbow Dash; her behavior was inexcuse-- *SMACK!* Ouch!

"I'm not sorry!"

Rainbow, what the hell are you doing here in the Auth--? *SMACK!* Gah! *THUMP!* Gkk--!

*CRUNCH!*

Okay, okay, quit it! RainbowDashrefusestoapologizeforherbehaviour!!! Argh, there, I said it. Happy now?

...

*sigh* Moving on...

Also, a small apology to the Authors I had Daniel give a shout out to as well, but I'm not removing that. You do write great fics and deserve the shout.

Until next snippet, people.

En Taro Adun.

46. "There is something missing..."

That night, as Daniel and Celestia lay in their bed, neither found they could sleep; both groaned softly, restless, tossing and turning. Such was the case for quite some time, until finally Daniel gently stroked his beloved mare's neck. "Mmmh... Celly? Are you awake?" asked he.

A sigh of frustration was the response that the Princess Pony returned until she finally answered, "I am. I... I don't understand it, Daniel! Why can't I sleep? Court was fine today; there were no pressing issues with negotiating the trades of rarer minerals from our allies... I don't understand! I just can't sleep! It's... it's like... there's something missing..."

As Daniel moved to stroke and caress his beloved mare - in an attempt to soothe and quiet her restless mind - the answer as to what was 'missing' was revealed unto them both; there came a flash of purple light as with a displacement of air, a lavender pony mare teleported into the room. "Twilight..." Celestia breathed softly, for it was indeed her faithful student. Twilight Sparkle.

Though she was usually an orderly and relatively composed mare, now Twilight Sparkle appeared anything but composed as she made her way over to the restless pair within the bed; the lavender mare's mane was unkempt from tossing and turning, she had awful bags beneath her eyes and her muzzle was wet, stained with tears of frustration. "I... I..." - she sniffled - "I couldn't sleep, Princess... I... I needed... I needed to..."

Wordlessly, Celestia nodded and then - as Daniel temporarily left the bed - the Princess of the Sun nicker-called to her... to her... her... "Daughter?" called she, softly. "Sweetheart, come be with your mama, now... There's a good filly..." Hiccuping softly - sniffling, struggling to hold within yet more tears of frustration - the poor little pony complied, hopping into bed and snuggling foal-like against her mentor's - no, her mother's - barrel. A moment later, Daniel rejoined them in the bed, and then... and then...

"Oh...!" Celestia breathed softly as she and Daniel held Twilight close, stroking and soothing her with wing, hoof and hand. Finally... finally something clicked within her mind: this was the reason for her and Daniel's restlessness! Twilight had been the reason why they'd been unable to sleep. Her daughter was what had been missing. Her daughter... As she nickered softly to Twilight - her Twilight! - and nuzzled her gently, the ancient pony instincts within her - instincts which had been screaming, "Foal is not here! Where is foal! Find foal!" - finally quieted.

Likewise, as she felt Cele-- Celest-- Celesti - no, Mama! - nuzzle her and stroke her, and felt her Papa doing the same, the ancient pony instincts within Twilight Sparkle - instincts which had been screaming, "Mama and Papa are not here! Find Mama and Papa! Safe with Mama and Papa!" finally stilled as the little mare wriggled and cooed happily, soft whimpers escaping her as she bathed in their affectionate touch! Mama and Papa wouldn't yell at her or make her cry. Mama and Papa would never hurt her. She was safe in Papa's hands and under Mama's wing... As her parents continued to softly touch, kiss, and caress her everywhere with hand, hoof and wing, little Twily giggled, wriggled, and stretched happily. And then, her eyes widened - a gasp escaping her - as softly, her Mama started to sing...

"You come from far away
With pictures in your eyes
Of coffee shops and morning streets
In the blue and silent sunrise

But night is the cathedral
Where we recognized the sign
We strangers know each other now
As part of the whole design

Oh, hold me like a baby
That will not fall asleep
Curl me up inside you
And let me hear you through the heat, oh..."

The song was called "Gypsy"; written by a woman named Suzanne Vega. Daniel had introduced Celestia to her albums when they'd been on Earth and Celestia had fallen in love with the gentle woman's folk songs, one of which she now sung to Twilight. By the time the song was done - the final note fading unto silence - the little lavender pony mare was asleep, her breathing deep and easy.

During the daylight hours, both knew that she would once again be Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic, and Librarian of Ponyville... but at night she was theirs. She was their adopted Daughter and neither Daniel nor Celestia could ever conceive of their lives without her in it, especially cuddled between them in their bed.

Woe befall any pony whom felt differently about this odd relationship the three shared because - as far as Daniel and Celestia were concerned - Twilight Sparkle was meant to be there; was meant to be with them, and Twilight, they knew, felt and thought the same despite how embarrassed she felt when she would wake of a morning. With time, they knew, the embarrassment would fade. Gently folding an arm and a foreleg over her body, Celestia and Daniel followed their daughter into her dreams...

47. "Hell no!" (Author SI)

As I continued to feed the blind Manticore his food - various meats, which I'd made for him via the replicator in the Kitchenette - I heaved a world-weary sigh. "So... let me get this straight, Princess," I stated, my voice laced with sarcasm. "You expect me to give up the Dragon Weyr - which, I'll remind you, is my home - and because I'm an alicorn, you expect me to become a Prince of Equestria. To give up my home; my technology; my animals. My life. All for Equestria, of course." Celestia nodded sternly, a frown upon her muzzle. "Yes. You shall become a Prince akin to Shining Armor, and live within the Palace of..."

"Yes, yes, yes..." I snapped, cutting her off. "The oh-so-well protected Palace of Canterlot, where you'll keep an eye on me so I don't supposedly become a threat to your kingdom, your power, blah, blah, blah..." Celestia frowned deeply at my dismissal of her, grinding her teeth in anger as she watched me feed the Manticore. "Tell me... have you had any insect problems, lately? Maybe a Chrysalis in your basement?"

At my words, Celestia growled, but she knew she could do nothing against me here; Protoss Observers recorded her every word, whilst powerful Photon Cannon emplacements tracked every move she made and Reavers patrolled the grounds. If the Dragon Weyr detected even a hint of magic, she would be fired upon no matter what, if anything, she attempted. Even worse, nothing would save her if she attempted to breach the Weyr... With her fuming behind me, I finished feeding the Manticore, and then made my way to the Wolvery wherein I proceeded to feed the Orphaned Timberwolves their Tree Sap. "I came here, Princess, in search of a new life. But I can't even have that, can I?" I stated as I continued with my morning chores.

Before she could answer, I continued, "Adun's Burning Blade! If it's not your bloody sister "visiting" the Weyr of an evening then it's you hassling me of a morning and your bloody student in the afternoon! God damn it... 'Alicorn' does not automatically mean royalty! I don't want to come and live in your primitive palace, I don't want a pathetic title that means absolutely nothing. I don't give a flying fuck about your damn magic of friendship, or your little ponies! Nor do I want you and your damn sister spying on me all the time, because I'm not a threat to anyone except your fucking imagination. Now, for the last time, my answer to your 'offer' is 'Hell no!' I want to be left alone! Now... piss off!"

With a strangled cry of frustration, Princess Celestia did just that. I ignored her utterly and merely went about my day until afternoon became evening, thankfully without yet another interruption by a lavender-furred menace. After putting away my supplies, I headed back into the Weyrhome - hoping to settle down with a Hot Milo and a good book - but no sooner had I retrieved my drink from the Kitchenette then I knew my hopes for a relaxing evening were shot. As I reentered the main living area of the Weyrhome - my chocolate-flavoured drink suspended within an aura of psionic energy - I sighed wearily. Therein, upon the old leather sofa facing the Great Fleece Pile where Ieesha had once slept, lay Princess Luna. "I... I just can't catch a break, can I?" I groaned.

Angrily, I snapped to the Weyr, "What the fuck is she doing here? No Equestrian Pony is to breach the sanctity of the Weyr; you're the only scrap of privacy I have left! Why the hell did you let her in?" At my words, a white-hot flash of anger/negation tore through my thoughts, along with an audio sample, "She wants to weep. She wants to be comforted. She is so tired of being strong. She wants to be foolish and frightened for once. Just for a small while, that's all....a day.....an hour.” The 'words' of the Weyr were true, though Luna was already weeping, silvery tears falling from her eyes to stain the pthalo-blue fur of her muzzle as anguished sobs wracked her form. She looked horrible, the rest of her fur unwashed and her mane in total disarray. She also wasn't wearing her usual regalia, and it wasn't here in the Weyr; of it I could see no sign. I tried to harden my heart - I really, really did - but between the insistent pushing of the Weyr that I tend her and my own hate of seeing a lady cry... "Ah, shit..." I mumbled.

The sound of my hooves muffled by the soft carpeted floor upon which I walked, I made my way over to the old sofa - the first of two in the room - then sat before it and gently, oh-so-gently, nudged Luna with a hoof. "What's the matter, sweetie," I murmured softly. "Why are you crying?" At the sound of my voice, poor Luna raised her head and looked upon me listlessly, her expression one of dejection. "Now thou art kind to us?" spoke she. "We did not know a pony crying was thine weakness. Mayhap we have finally broken through thine shell..." At this, I cracked a wry grin, shaking my head as I replied, "Hey, just the bit you see, mare..." Then my expression became serious as I repeated, "What's the matter?" At first, the Lunar Diarch did not answer; instead, she sniffled - fought back yet another sob trying to rise from her throat - before she finally answered, "Thou art a follower of the Protoss thou callest 'Khas,' yes? Thou followeth the 'Khala' and take upon thyself the mantle of the Dae'Uhl, or 'Great Stewardship.' Thou must watch over the lesser races living within thy shadow?"

At this, my anger flared - I hissed under my breath, eyes glowing softly for a moment with my latent power - and Luna flinched visibly, frightened. A moment later however, aided by feelings of deep calm from the Dragon Weyr, I regained control of myself. "I am, I do, and I must," I intoned solemnly, with a nod of my head. 'Damn you, you bastard...' I thought privately to the Weyr, 'you've been sharing our secrets with her, haven't you? Why?' I shook my head. 'Ah, fuck it; it doesn't matter now...' Aloud, I softly stated, "I may not like you ponies... but as a High Templar, and follower of the Khala, I shall do all within my power to aid you. What is it you wish of me, Princess? Speak your request and it will be done." Upon hearing my words, Princess Luna's expression visibly brightened, a relieved sigh escaping her as she set about making herself more comfortable upon the old sofa.

Once she was settled, however, the next words she spoke to me blew my mind, leaving me utterly floored! "W-We..." She paused, inhaled a breath, and then started again, "We would seek Asylum with thou, here in thine home, the Dragon Weyr. As one whom is charged with the Burden of the Great Stewardship, wilt thou grant mine request?" At that moment, dear readers, the thoughts running through my head consisted of Language Most Foul. 'Fu-u-u-uck! Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck! Shit, she called me out. God damn it; now I'll have to grant her request, I...' I'd expected the Weyr to sympathize with me. I'd expected from it shock and surprise at the Lunar Diarch's request. I hadn't expected patience and acceptance from it, and - as I felt the emotions through the psychic bond I shared with the construct - my eyes narrowed. 'You...' I realized, 'you knew she was going to ask this, didn't you?' The construct's affirmation was my only answer.

With a shake of my head, I returned my attention to Luna. "Your request," I spoke carefully, "is granted." Upon hearing my accord, Luna smiled and the happiness/elation of the Weyr roared through my thoughts--finally more life would again fill its walls. "But," I stated, "you will only have Guest Access to the Weyr for now; that means you've got full access to everything in the Weyrhome - the part of the Weyr we're in now - as well as the Clinic in case of an emergency. The lab, my office, the Weyrmind and the Weyrheart are off limits. Got that?" When Princess Luna nodded, I heaved another sigh. "Right," I said. "Here's what's going to happen. First, I'm going to take you into the Clinic for a standard medical check; during the check, I'll be doing a detailed scan of your brain. This is so the Weyr can construct and fit you with a Neural Transceiver; a device that will let you communicate with the Weyr as I do, mentally. A few months down the line - if you want to stay that long - you'll get another bit of kit called a Warp Beacon; I'll explain that when you get it. Also, did you bring anything with you when the Weyr let you in?"

At this, Luna nodded. "We did," she replied, "we brought with us our regalia and a small saddle bag; basic toiletries and the like. We... we didst not know if thou wouldst allow us to stay..." I nodded, gesturing for her to follow me with a wing as I headed from the Weyrhome to the clinic. "That's okay; there's a replicator in the Sleeping Alcove..." At this, Luna raised a hoof in question, but before she could ask, I continued, "A Replicator is a device that converts energy into matter; with one you can make almost anything - food, clothing, tools, and equipment - but there are some limits as to what it can do. In your case, you'll be able to use it to make clothing and other items for yourself; I'll teach you how to use it. As for what you brought with you..." - I queried the Weyr for the location of her possessions - "... your things are already aboard." Luna started at this. "They... they are?" asked she, wide eyed. As we walked down the short corridor leading to the Dragon Weyr's Clinic, I nodded. "Mmm-hmm," I replied, "your regalia and basics have been stored by the bed the Weyr has assigned you in the Sleeping Alcove, in a little chest of drawers there; you'll know which one it is because your Tiara's resting on top of it." The Lunar Diarch nodded. "Oh," I continued, "and don't worry about anything being stolen. Nothing happens here in the Weyr without me hearing about it. Understand?"

Luna blinked and nodded. Pausing momentarily, I turned to face her, hazel eyes meeting teal as I asked, "I don't mean to offend you, Princess, but... why have you chosen to seek asylum here with me?" At my question, a shuddering sigh wracked the Lunar Diarch's body. Then, a moment later, she answered, "Whilst I understand thy desire of thee to be left alone to thine own devices, Our Beloved Sister doth not, Templar David. She wonders why thou dost so utterly spurn her offer of becoming royalty, and reject the Magic of Friendship. We understand why... but for her 'tis a mystery that hath driven her to madness; she is angry and more than a little paranoid. She believes thou art a threat to Her and Our Little Ponies. We... attempted to reason with her, but could not; instead she fought with us briefly and..." I slashed a hoof through the air for silence, as I concluded, "... and so you decided to come and hang here with me, until she calms down. Which could take a while..."

Luna nodded, and then, she and I entered the Clinic. Therein I had her undergo a basic medical checkup - she was fine and healthy, though somewhat stressed due to current events. Then I examined the physical composition and layout of her brain, and took a scan of her neurosynaptic patterns; once this all was complete I had the Dragon Weyr design and replicate her new Neural Transceiver. Upon being presented with the device, which was roughly the same size as - but slightly thicker than - an Equestrian Bit - Luna frowned and I bade her take it in her magic such that she could examine it. "We... we must admit, Templar David: We expected something far grander than yon device," stated she as she gently turned the Transceiver this way and that way, examining the device with a critical eye. "Pray tell... art thou sure this device wilt perform the function 'tis crafted for? It seems... somewhat small for all it does..."

A smile creasing my teal muzzle, I gently took the device from her, attached it to its proper place at the base of her skull, activated it, and then... A gasp escaped Luna, her eyes visibly widening as for the first time she felt the Transceiver form a neural bridge between her mind and the eternal robotic mind of the Dragon Weyr. Upon feeling the Weyrmind connect and bond with her own, a sob caught in her throat, tears clouding her vision as the mighty construct's curiosity/warmth/welcome/comfort/love filled her thoughts--and then, a moment later the Weyr 'spoke' to her in its quirky way. "Hello! ma baby / Hello! ma honey / Hello! ma ragtime gal / Send me a kiss by wire / Baby, ma heart's on fire! / If you refuse me / Honey, you'll lose me / Then you'll be left alone / Oh, baby, telephone / And tell me I'm your own!" That, dear readers, was when Luna just lost it; it was all she could do to hold herself upright, leaning against a Biobed for support, as she laughed so hard she nearly choked!

And so it was that Princess Luna became a part of my everyday life. Although I wasn't a truly qualified teacher, I 'took her under my wing' as a kind of apprentice, and began to teach her what I could. One of the first things I attempted to teach her was, of course, the language of the Protoss, Khalani. In exchange, she attempted to teach me Ancient Equestrian. As with many things, however, nothing went as planned – and, eventually, she and I developed our own unique language consisting of a combination of English, Ancient Equestrian, and Khalani. In addition to teaching Luna the language of my former people, aided by the construct itself I taught the Princess how to use the replicators throughout the Weyr in order to replicate for herself food, clothing, and sundries. Since she was unused to such advanced technology, the replicators fascinated the Lunar Diarch. "'Tis like a unicorn's spell to conjure items, but one that can be used infinitely and without consequences!" she said in awe, after replicating for herself a fresh salad and an iced coffee one morning. "To think... with one of these marvelous devices - or many placed throughout Our Principality - Our Little Ponies would never fear going hungry again!"

"Mm, true," I replied, as I ate my own breakfast, "but think of the consequences, Luna; ponies whose skills lie in the production of food - like the Element of Honesty, Applejack, for example - would find themselves out of work. There's also the power requirements; to put energy/matter replicators throughout Equestria would require the installation of a Pylon Network connected to and sustained by the Weyr. We could do it, but... truthfully, I doubt Equestria is ready for such massive technological change. Your Principality is fine as is; why make unnecessary change." At this, Luna thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Perhaps," said she, "thou art right." Time marched ever-onward as it always does, dear readers, until at last the day came when Princess Luna officially became a full crew member of the Dragon Weyr through a very significant event: the receipt of a Warp Beacon.

As I carefully placed the device - which resembled a tiny old fashioned lantern attached to a golden chain - around her neck, the Moon Princess stared at it curiously, taking note of the blue-glowing light shining from within it. "Pray tell, what doth it do, David?" she asked.

"First" I answered, "it surrounds you with a psionic energy shield, which traps some air inside. You'll need that, as the Warp is an airless place. After that... The Warp Beacon holds but a small portion of the Dragon Weyr's eternal power, enough to shatter reality and draw you into the Warp. From there, well, like calls to like; thus no matter where you are in the physical world, you'll immediately be recalled to the safety of the Dragon Weyr. Would you like to perform a test of the Beacon here? During the test, you'll enter the Warp, and stay there for a short time, until the Dragon Weyr pulls you out."

"Wait," Luna stated, "thou... thou stated that this 'Warp' was a place without air! What shalt occur shouldst the energy shield fail?" At her question reassurance from the Weyr filled her thoughts; the great Nexus would monitor her vital signs and the level of atmosphere trapped by her shield. If said atmosphere began to run out - or she began to show signs of panic or distress - the Weyr would immediately pull her out. "Th-thou art sure?" asked she, nervously, now talking to the Weyr. Reassurance/trust was the reply the lunar alicorn received... and so, swallowing nervously, she directed her thoughts towards the device. Within seconds, the Warp Beacon activated, the 'golden lantern' shining with bright cerulean light as the devices' internal Induced Psi-Field Generator came online, creating a protective psychic energy shield around her body, which inadvertently ‘trapped’ some atmosphere, enough for her to breathe, '...for short while, at least...’ I thought.

Just then, the jump initiated and a shriek escaped Luna as in a blaze of cerulean light, she vanished into the Warp. The Princess of the Moon found herself submerged within an ocean of cerulean light, which stretched out infinitely, in all directions. ‘Well... we art still alive, and,’ she tentatively inhaled a breath of air, ‘... We can still breathe.' Overwhelmed, she looked about. Never had she seen a place of such indescribable beauty! A domain that existed beneath physical reality, the Warp was a place where there was no sense of time, size, or scale; all seemed relative. It wasn't a peaceful place, however; on the contrary, David had explained to her some time ago that it was hazard-filled and extremely dangerous. The Warp held no atmosphere and, additionally, great gushes of energy called Warp Storms—that could wreak havoc upon all forms of matter—frequently tore through the place. Even worse, cosmic debris—material dumped from warp-traveling craft—littered the Warp.

Finally, scholars believed that indigenous creatures called Warp Wraiths made their home here. 'We hope We dost not encounter those...' thought Luna, a shiver running down her spine. David's explanation of the Warp - along with her own studies of it via the Weyr's Ihan Archives - had revealed little about these powerful entities, except that they apparently fed directly upon the Warp itself! Fortunately, however, none of the Warp's dangers existed within this small section of it, for the Weyr was a Protoss Nexus--and a sapient one at that; within range of its influence dangers were repelled and furious Warp Storms rendered calm. Thus, so long as she had air to breathe, she could roam wherever she wished, and if she strayed too far from its influence or her air supply began to run low, the Dragon Weyr would shift her back into the physical world. ''Tis amazing...' she thought, in awe.

Since she was here only for a test of the Warp Beacon she now bore, her time within the wondrous Warp was brief and ended all-too-quickly; a short time later, whilst she was watching a rippling 'wave' of warp energy passing by, she felt a pulling sensation from the Weyr--and then she was back within its walls, a cerulean aura fading from about her form. Eyes glistening with unshed tears, Princess Luna fell to her haunches, gazing up at me, her lower lip trembling. "We... w-we saw..." she started, but I made to hush her gently; I knew what she'd seen for I had once seen it myself.

"I know," I stated softly. "I know."

More months passed, and more animals came, allowing Luna and I to care for them for a time before they moved on as wild things do. One night, as she and I partook of a hearty vegetable stew for our dinner, the Lunar Princess laid it all out; she explained to me what it meant to be an Alicorn--effectively, what I was in for. "Mortal Ponies," stated she softly after swallowing yet another spoonful of stew, "will defer to us. They will ask for our help in matters great and small. They will revere us and look up to us as examples, regard us as paragons whether we are or not. Place us in positions of power and authority. Do things in our name, because they think it is what we want. Whether out of love or out of respect or out of fear, ponies will follow us, simply because we are so powerful."

"Hold on a second..." I replied, raising a hoof for a moment's silence. When Luna acknowledged this, I continued, "none of this applies to me! Luna... I'm not even a real Alicorn."

"Oh?" she replied, her tone one of question. "Well, thou lookest like an Alicorn to me. Explain, then, how 'thou art not real.'"

So I did.

"When I first came to Equestria I had the Dragon Weyr's Probes and Observers scan and take small samples from your people..." At this Luna frowned and I immediately raised a hoof to forestall her reply. "It sounds downright creepy and perverse, I know, but it's not what you're thinking--it isn't!" I stated vehemently. "I never abducted or hurt anyone, alright? The Observers took extremely detailed scans of the Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns and the Probes I dispatched took things that nopony would miss: shed pony fur, hoof clippings, that sort of thing."

"What didst thou do with the samples thou took?" Luna asked.

"Via the samples, and detailed scans from your people, the Dragon Weyr was able to construct a template - literally a three dimensional pattern of a pony - from which my original, human body was turned into" - I gestured to my teal alicorn body - "this. I decided to become a pony to, well, blend in. I was hoping for a unicorn form such that I could still use my psionic powers - I thought I could 'fake it enough' to pass them off as magic, see - but something went wrong. I got a pair of pegasus wings thrown into the mix..."

"Making thou an Alicorn," Luna finished. "Regardless of how thou came to be one of Us, thou are still an Alicorn. Even now thou hast become Prince of thine own small, humble kingdom..."

"What?" I stated, flatly. Instead of replying, Luna bade me finish my evening meal and she in turn finished hers. Then, after we'd recycled our empty dishes via the replicator in the kitchenette, the Princess of the Night led me out of the Dragon Weyr. As she bade me follow her through the great Gate of Dawn and then led me around the Weyr's exterior to the back, I grumbled, "I still don't know what you're carrying on about. I told you: I'm not a prince of anything."

"Really?" Luna asked, a smirk upon her muzzle. "Try telling them, that..." She gestured forward with a silver-clad hoof... and as I looked to where she was pointing, my jaw dropped. There, nestled comfortably within the shadow of the Dragon Weyr, the light of Celestia's sun allowed me to see...

A village.

An entire village.

An entire village of ponies...

... just... living, and doing whatever it was that ponies did.

Well-crafted stone and mud-brick huts, some log cabins, a couple of proper houses with thatched roofs, and a general goods store comprised the bulk of the village, all of which was centered about a large communal garden. Above said garden I saw what appeared to be a cloud house of all things, and set away from the bulk of the village - so as not to foul the airspace, there appeared to be a smithy. Though much of the village looked relatively normal for the most part, to my horror I espied quite a few pyramid-houses; homes built the same shape as the Weyr in whose shadow they resided, along with golden-pyramid motifs on signs and...

That was when I stopped looking at the village, performed an abrupt about face and walked back the way I had come. As I swiftly strode past Luna, I flatly stated, "I hate you. I hate you. I really do." That damn alicorn just smirked, even as she held a hoof over her muzzle, struggling to keep from laughing and alerting the village to our presence. When at last she returned to the Weyr she found me banging my head against my desk in my Office in the Weyrhome. As i made to bang my head against the desk yet again, however, the Night Princess swiftly inserted her head beneath mine such that my head ended up over her neck. "David. David," she soothed, "please, calm yourself..."

Raising my head to look at her, I inhaled a deep breath before replying, "Yes, you're right. I'm a High Templar of Khas. I must be calm, I am calm I--HOW THE FUCK DID THEY GET THERE?!" Those last words, issued in a frightful howl, startled Luna so badly that she shrieked, leaped a foot into the air and ended up sprawled out on her back! Mere seconds later, as she rolled to her feet, I began to pace back and forth, lost in my own world as I raged, "How the hell did those ponies come here? How did they even find me? I thought I was far enough away that no pony would bother me! How the flying fuck did they... I don't even..." Suddenly, an epiphany hit me and - furious - I spoke aloud to the air, to the Weyr. "You..." I snarled, "you called them here, didn't you? You miserable--"

"We theorize" Luna stated, cutting off my rant, "that perhaps the Element of Kindness, dear Fluttershy, may have caught wind of your presence from one of her animal friends--perhaps one of the very animals you cared for told her--and then she told others. What We do know is that the first settlers here arrived sometime after We did and... We MAY have told them to build quietly so as not to rouse your ire... Then those ponies told others of a safe refuge in the Everfree, and they told others..."

"... and in no time at all, a whole fucking village springs up on Weyrland. Great. Terrific," I stated in exasperation then briefly snarked at the Weyr, "I still think you had a hand in this, you blasted bolt bucket. You called some of them, didn't you?"

The Weyr merely sent me a vision of a pony tapping a hoof and whistling oh-so-innocently... "... Innocent my pony arse," I grumbled in reply. "I told you no ponies were to come here; that I wanted to be left alone! Why didn't you deal with them when they first--GHHH!" Just then, the Weyr's negation/anger/shame ripped through my mind, coupled with a powerful vision… As I stood there before him within the Templar Archives of Chionesu, my head bowed in shame for the grievous error I had committed, my Mentor, High Templar Zhand'Akull, reprimanded me gently for my failure. "We Firstborn are charged with the task of the Dae'Uhl - the Great Stewardship - to watch over the lesser races within our shadow. Remember this, and remember, too, the Oaths you took upon becoming High Templar." With furious anger, I banished the vision from my mind. "To hell with my Oaths!" I snarled. "God damn it, man, I told you that I stopped being a High Templar the moment we set down here; that I just wanted to be left alone to live out my own life as I saw fit, I--"

But my words were hollow and empty. The Dragon Weyr knew it, and Luna knew it, too, for she stared at me with a deep disappointed frown as I walked past her, out of the office and headed to the Psiodeck. "'Anger Management Program One,'" I stated roughly as I entered. Affirmation/Sorrow was the Weyr's response as said program came to life. When the doors closed, there in the 'deck I made full use of said program. I shouted, ranted, raged and raved. I spat on and cursed the Equestrian Princesses over, and over and over again. I also smashed, broke, and shattered many objects that seemed suspiciously pony-shaped, and pony princess shaped, too. I acted completely against and unbecoming of how a High Templar ought to act. Did I give a shit at the time? No, I did not. When at last my anger was spent - when I was wrung out and utterly exhausted - I tottered from the Psiodeck to the bathroom, performed my evening ablutions, and then headed to the sleeping Alcove wherein I crashed into bed.

Author's Note

We have here my Author SI - a former human whom was 'raised' and trained by the Protoss of Aiur as a High Templar. He gets betrayed by a member of the Protoss Judicator Assembly etc. and decides to start a new life. So he leaves Aiur in the 'Dragon Weyr' - a decommissioned Protoss Nexus renovated into a home and fortress - and eventually comes to Equestria. To better blend in, he has the Weyr transform him into a pony via science...

But...

The Weyr chose the wrong damn body phenotype: Alicorn.

Screams 'Gary-Stu', right?

Nope.

He doesn't want to be a prince, or want anything to do with the ponies; he just wants to stay in the Everfree, living simply and looking after animals that can't take care of themselves. But...

The damn Sun Princess won't leave him alone. The damn Moon Princess keeps 'visiting' his dreams. And a lavender bookworm keeps hassling him.

Fuck.

48. Silly Princess Luna Waifu... (Author SI)

The private bedchamber of Princess Luna was decorated like the night sky, with dark blues and purples accented by moons and stars. Standing beneath an intricate fresco of the moon on the ceiling, a perfectly circular bed set in the dead center of the room, easily large enough to comfortably fit four alicorns her size. The walls were lined with the rest of the room’s furniture: a fireplace, a vanity mirror, a set of dressers, a few tables, a bookcase, a door to a small exterior balcony, another door leading to a private bath chamber and a writing desk. Everything somepony - or in this case, somepony and her human consort - would need to enjoy a quiet day's rest.

Currently, that's what she and I were doing - enjoying a quiet day's rest - before she had to attend to her nightly duties; in this case, the weekly Night Court. Lying there with her on her bed, as I gently placed a crème-covered raspberry into her open mouth, I couldn't help but ask her, "Why me, your Highness? Out of all the humans living on Earth, why did you choose to bring me here to Equestria?" At first, the Equestrian Princess to whom I was Consort did not answer. Instead, as she thoughtfully chewed and then swallowed down the delicious sweet I had provided her, she emitted a gentle sound of utmost pleasure. Then, at last she answered, "Because, David, you are not as... fanatical... as others would have been. You have no real desire to travel anywhere, or experience adventure.

It was your mind I touched that Nightmare Night, when the Veil between the stars was most thin. I recall that you... you were deeply saddened for me; you genuinely wanted only to bring me happiness. To be my friend, and perhaps... more..." Upon sifting through my thoughts for the first time when she'd transported me here, Princess Luna had indeed discovered those secret thoughts of mine and let me tell you, dear readers, her reaction had been... mixed... to say the least! A human and a pony? A human and a royal pony, together, as... lovers? Luna had been shocked and outraged at first but, as time had rolled on, those feelings had been replaced with flattery; it felt wonderful to be wanted, loved, and desired instead of despised, even if the one desiring her was of a different species.

Finally, deep within her mind Princess Luna allowed herself to feel a secret thrill of hidden arousal at the utterly taboo and scandalous nature of what I desired; of what she would one day offer to me. 'Here' she thought to herself as she accepted another sweet from me - a carrot stick dipped in the sweetest honey - 'is something nopony else has: a human of my very own who desires nothing more than my happiness...' Another thrill ran through her as she reveled in the fact that here was something her sister didn't have! 'And so long as I live, 'Tia won't ever have him,' she thought to herself. 'David is mine!' Soon, she was pulled from her thoughts as I gently ran a hand through her mane.

"Only when you are ready..." I murmured, carefully setting the plate of treats aside. A moment later, as she cuddled closer to me, Princess Luna laid her head upon my chest, blinking her teal eyes, her expression puzzled as she replied, "Pardon, my Consort? I was lost in thought for a moment..." With an affectionate smile, I moved my hand from her mane to scratch gently behind her ears; at this she slowly closed her eyes. "I'll bet you were" I replied. "Always have your head in the clouds, don't you, darling, eh? I said, we'll only take that next step when you're ready. For now, just to be here - and to have your friendship - is enough for me. It's more than I've ever dreamed of! Thanks for letting me stay here with you, too..."

Princess Luna smiled. "You are more than welcome, David," she said softly, "and thank you for being my friend when I had none." Inhaling softly, she made to continue talking; however, before she could say a word there came a heavy-hoofed knock upon her chamber doors. Upon hearing the sound, Luna heaved a weary sigh and then, a moment later, as I released her and she rolled to her front - casting upon me a Wreath of Invisibility - her entire expression changed; gone was my friend Luna and in her place there was the faux-bored expression of Princess Luna, Her Royal Highness of the Equestrian Diarchy. "Enter!" she barked, her tone suggesting that she'd said the word many, many times before.

No sooner had she spoken than the door was being gently pushed aside to allow a decidedly nervous-looking earth pony to enter the room. With his coat of pristine white hair, pale white-gold mane, gentle brown eyes, pair of glasses perched upon his snout and the image of an open book imprinted upon his left flank, Luna and I recognized him as Silent Quill, an aide to both Princesses. "Ma'am" he said to Luna nervously, "your sister asks that you attend Night Court in the Royal Courtroom in fifteen minutes. Her exact words were, 'Don't make me have the Guards drag you there.'" At his words, Luna heaved another weary sigh and at this, I reached out an invisible hand to her head to massage away a small stress headache.

A moment later, the Moon Princess pulled away from me to reply to Silent Quill, "Fine. Tell her I'll be there shortly..." Silent Quill nodded and then, with a gentle bow, he began to make his way out of the room. Just before he closed the great doors behind him, however, he softly asked, "Your highness, how is... ah...?" At his hesitant question, Princess Luna face-hoofed with an exasperated sigh, before she growled, "He is fine, as always. Now, for the love of Faust, get out of here!" Fearing her wrath, Silent Quill swiftly did just that, slamming the doors behind him in haste. Once he was gone, Luna dispelled the Wreath of Invisibility and then, with a frustrated groan, she made to rest her head gently upon my chest once more.

As she made herself comfortable and I began to soothingly stroke her head and neck, I couldn't help but let a chuckle escape me. Upon hearing the sound, my pony friend asked, "And what does my human find so amusing, hmm?" Her words only made me chuckle harder and at this, Princess Luna pouted and tapped my body playfully with a hoof. "Answer your Princess, Consort!" she said exasperatedly. Who was I to refuse her? "You really don't like Night Court, do you?" I responded as I kept up my soothing caresses of her head and neck. "No, dear David, I most certainly do not!" she replied, sighing wearily. "I hate having to pander to the nobility as they bitch, moan, and complain about all the problems that supposedly need to be addressed ‘right now.’

Great Faust, have mercy! With the way they carry on you'd think that they couldn't even dress themselves without our help! Yes, I utterly hate Night Court and Celestia knows it; that's why she always sends Silent Quill to remind me. Well, we may as well get going, I suppose; time waits for no mare..." And with those words, she and I alighted from her bed and headed out onto the exterior balcony such that she and I could once again bear witness to perhaps the most incredible sight I'd ever seen, aside from herself of course. As I watched, Princess Luna slowly raised her head to peer into the twilight sky... And then, she flapped her wings open, her horn aglow with deeper magicks than most ponies could even dream of.

Slowly, stars began to wink into existence and the moon began its ascent into the evening sky. 'Damn... no matter how many times I see her do that, it's always awesome...' I thought to myself as I watched. Once she'd finished performing this most sacred duty, however, the moment was purposefully and utterly trashed when Luna turned to face me, a mischievous glint in her eye as she assumed the high-class stance and attitude of an air-headed noble! "Well, dahling," she said haughtily, "how does it look? Go on, tell me! Is the moon too low? Is there a star out of place?" Grinning with good humour, I assumed a 'thinker's pose' as I pretended to scrutinize the sky for faults.

"Hmmm..." I murmured with the voice of a stuffy upperclassman as I looked about, "no stars out of place. Constellations look fabulous. Moon is the right height, give or take a few degrees... No, I'd say that you've done a perfect job, as always. Smashing, dahling!" With that said Luna and I looked at each other for a moment... and then, we just couldn't take it anymore; leaning against each other we chuckled softly. Once we were able to get ourselves under control, Princess Luna and I headed back into her bedchamber and then - after using a touch of magic to ensure her appearance was proper - the pony princess rendered me invisible once more. Then, together, she and I headed from her bedchamber to the Royal Court.

A slew of highly competent staff that answered first to the Princesses, and then to the rest of the Equestrian Ponies, handled much of the day-to-day bureaucracy of Equestria. Under the watchful eyes of Celestia and Luna, their staff handled the naturally vast amounts of paperwork - or in this case scroll-work - that came as part of ruling over the magical land of Equestria, meaning that the pony princesses directly handled only the most important affairs and matters of state. However, dear readers, the Equestrian Princesses weren't without duties of their own. In addition to overseeing the equestrian bureaucracy and administering to important matters of state, Celestia and Luna raised and set the sun and moon respectively each day and night.

Both Princesses also held regular courts wherein issues and problems with the running of the Principality could be addressed and dealt with directly. Of the Courts held there were three; the Day Court, presided over by Princess Celestia, the Court of Twilight presided over by both Princesses, and finally, the Court of Night over which Princess Luna presided. In short, dear readers... she hated it! Night Court could be summed up in a single honest word: boring. Were it not for me stroking and occasionally prodding her with an invisible hand, poor Princess Luna might have fallen asleep on the throne as she presided there that night. And were it not for her occasionally touching me with a gentle hoof, I might have fallen asleep, too as the equestrian nobility debated and politicized on, and on, and on...

It wasn't all bad, however; peace treaties were brokered, disputes were settled, and many nobles walked away with their problems solved or, failing that, a suitable compromise worked out between offending parties. When the time came near for her sister Celestia to raise the sun, however, Princess Luna had had enough, and as Night Court finally ended, she and I were out of the Royal Courtroom like a pair of impudent fillies racing away after making mischief! No sooner had we arrived back at her bedchambers then as we entered I took stock of her appearance and what I saw dear readers was not good. Poor Luna looked stressed and tired; her azure mane and phthalo-blue coat appeared frazzled and tatty, and there were 'raccoon rings' around her eyes.

There was, I knew, only one cure for this. "Arkham City?" I offered. At the question - as she lowered the moon such that her sister could raise the sun - the Moon Princess chuckled, a brief smile coming to her lips before she nodded and replied, "You know me too well, David. Yes, Arkham City. Run it for me, please." With those words, Luna finished her duty of lowering the moon and then cast a powerful Skein of Undoing at the large ornate desk resting along one wall of her bedchamber, making visible upon it one of the many things I had been allowed to bring to Equestria from Earth: my custom-built desktop computer system. Once the machine was completely visible, I booted the system up.

Then, when the Windows 7 desktop had appeared and all start-up programs had loaded - I immediately went to the Games folder on the machine wherein was the shortcut for one of mine, and now her, favourite games: 'Batman: Arkham City.' When I'd originally shown her the game, back when she'd brought the computer through the Veil for me, the Moon Princess had been horrified by the game's grim setting - the very idea of an entire city being used as a prison appalled her. Eventually though, as I'd taken her through the game, she'd been unable to look away. The heroic Batman, aka. Bruce Wayne - with his martial combat abilities, sophisticated technology, tragic past and the ability to employ darkness itself as a weapon - had utterly enthralled her and, surprisingly her alter-ego Nightmare Moon.

Here, thought they, was a man - albeit a fictional one - who'd risen above his past to train himself to perfection in order to become a protector of the night. Once the game had loaded - after clicking my 'Games for Windows Live' Offline Profile such that the main menu appeared, I swiftly moved away from the machine so that she could take my place before it. Giving me a grateful smile, the Moon Princess moved to sit upon her haunches and then - via her magic - she smoothly manipulated keyboard and mouse to continue an already complete game such that she could free-roam about the city. As she played the game - tearing into huge gangs of thugs with Batman's varied abilities - I could literally see the stress of Night Court draining from her body.

"Thinking of the thugs as those Equestrian Nobles, hmm?" I murmured to her as she played. "Yes" she snarled, gritting her teeth as she made Batman perform a vicious 'ground pound' attack upon yet another hapless thug, "and as Batman I'm putting them in their place!" Yes, dear readers, by introducing her to my computer and its treasure trove of games, I'd had a 'corrupting' influence upon the Equestrian Night Princess; I'd quite simply turned her into a serious gamer! Several groups of thugs and three Riddler Challenge Maps later - during which she put the hurt on even more hapless thugs - Princess Luna finally quit the game and then opened her mouth in a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Well, my human" she said as she got to her feet, "it is time for me to share a meal with my sister; then, once I am done with that task I shall return here and together we will sleep." "She hasn't discovered that I'm here, has she?" I asked absently, moving to take her place at the Computer in order to check the Equinet. The Equinet, dear readers, was the equivalent of Earth's Internet, but - when compared to Earth's own globe-spanning World Wide Web - it paled in comparison. It was more an experimental thing - restricted to the 'modern' city of Canterlot for now - but with time it would definitely grow. Despite its small size, the Equinet already contained many websites equivalent to those I once visited on Earth.

Among them was FIMFiction.Net, the content of which was obvious; Equestria Daily, a site dedicated to the reporting of news from all over Equestria; the Celestial Sun, a site strictly dedicated to news from within Canterlot Castle; and even SoPony.com, the equivalent of SoFurry. After briefly glancing at the sites I was browsing through, Princess Luna gently shook her head as she replied, "No, David, she hasn't, but... heh, you know all-too-well what the Jokevine is like here in the Palace..." Then, a moment later her gentle laughter resounded throughout her bedchamber as I rested my head in my hands, a groan escaping me. "Gah... Don't remind me!" I responded.

"I'm the Royal Palace's best kept secret... meaning that everypony except Celestia knows about me. Truth is, I'm wondering why nopony has nickered in Celestia's ear, yet. You'd think a human being the Royal Consort of Princess Luna would be the world's biggest scandal, yet nopony seems to care..." When I finished speaking, something dark flickered within Princess Luna's teal eyes as for just a moment Nightmare Moon took control. "And they should not, beloved friend David" she said, her voice a deadly seductive purr, "because they know what will happen if they do..." Her voice - so beautiful yet chilling, so formal yet utterly seductive - sent a shiver coursing through my body.

But, dear readers, I can already hear you asking the questions: how is this possible? How is it that Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon could exist together without the Nightmare trying to take over in order to bring eternal night to Equestria? The answer is simple, friends, and it involves a DVD Box Set of episodes of an Earth Television Show called Stargate SG-1. Luna had become enthralled with that show - just as she had with 'Batman: Arkham City' - and she was thrilled by the adventures of Jack O'Neil and his team. She had been particularly enamoured with the race called Tok'ra; the sect of Goa'uld Symbiotes whom had chosen to live as equals with their hosts.

After witnessing how they had lived through the show the Moon Princess had thought to herself, 'Why can't I have that kind of partnership with Nightmare Moon?' and thus, dear readers it had happened. Via a spell that allowed me to enter her mindscape, together, Luna and I had managed to broker an agreement with her darker half wherein she agreed to try and be the 'symbiote' whilst Luna would be her 'host.' So far, the agreement had worked quite well. Nightmare Moon receded back into the depths of Luna's mind, then, allowing her to take back control. "Yes, they know. If they tell Celestia you're here, Moon and I will buck them all into the next millennia!"

At her words, Luna, Nightmare Moon and I all burst into hearty laughter! Once we were able to get ourselves under control, Luna gazed at me anxiously for a moment before she asked, "Are you sure you'll be alright here on your own, David?" It was a question she'd asked me many, many times before and - as always - I replied, "Yes, Luna, I'll be fine. Go on; go share breakfast with your sister. When you return we'll bathe before we sleep." A smile gracing her equine features, Princess Luna nodded her head and then - to my surprise - she nuzzled my cheeks gently with her short muzzle, being mindful not to hurt me with her horn, of course.

"Thank you, David" she said, her soft breath brushing across my ear, "for just being my friend." Then pulling away from me and, giving me a last fond look over her shoulder, the Equestrian Moon Princess departed, the chamber doors closing softly behind her as she left me alone. Whilst Luna busied herself with sharing breakfast with Celestia, I tidied up around her chambers, then settled myself down in front of my Computer to listen to some music and do some light reading. Had one entered the bedchamber of Princess Luna at that time, things might have seemed alright, but... 'Truth is' I thought to myself, 'I'm worried. I fear what might happen if the many spells that Luna has woven to protect me ever fail.

If they do, even for an instant, then Celestia will catch wind of me; she'll know I'm here...' I had never met the other of the two sisters whom both ruled over Equestria together. Luna, of course, had been kind enough to offer me insight as to her sister's nature. "My sister, Princess Celestia," she had said to me one day during one of our many talks, "is as kind as she is depicted in the animated show your kind based on us. However, what is not shown is that she can be quite authoritarian; she always wants things done her way - as older sisters often do. Should she ever see you, I... I fear that things... might not go well for you. The last thing I want to have happen is her banishing you back from whence I summoned you. I... I don't know what I would do if my only friend was gone from my life..."

She'd ceased talking then and had begun to weep silently. "Oh, hey now..." I had murmured comfortingly as I'd gently stroked her mane, "I doubt that'll happen; surely she can't be that bad! Besides, if she tries anything, Moon will kick her flank around Equestria and back!" It was a brash and bold joke, of course - Nightmare Moon, now mellowed out, wouldn't really do such a thing - but still, said joke had brought a smile to her face and had made her laugh, albeit weakly, through her tears. Shortly thereafter, we'd dropped the subject and - until now - I had never thought about it again. Still, dear readers, the thought of rousing Princess Celestia's anger was a daunting one, for here was a nearly godlike, immortal Alicorn whom had banished her own sister to the moon for one thousand years!

'If she's able to do that to her own sister, then she'll probably do worse to me if she finds me, so I've got to stay hidden, for Luna's sake and mine...' I thought. A weary sigh escaping me, I resumed my activities - reading a story from FiMFiction.Net whilst listening to Elton John's 'Rocket Man' - until Luna returned. When she re-entered her chambers, a jaw-cracking yawn escaping her, she stood for a moment, blinking bleary eyes. It appeared that the previous Night Court had obviously been more taxing than she'd realized. Now, after sharing a meal with her sister Celestia, Luna was ready to 'hit the hay' as it were--perhaps a little too ready. "Worn out, eh?" I queried

As she mumbled a soft "Mmm-hmm" then wavered wearily upon her feet - her legs threatening to give out from under her - immediately I raced to support her. "Come on, darling; let's get you bathed and then into bed..." I murmured soothingly as I half-walked and half-carried her towards the private bath chamber attached to her bedchamber. It was a simple, yet elegant thing; a large pool tiled in smooth ceramics, fed by a geothermal heated waterfall, near which was a vanity unit and large mirror. Upon stepping into the room, together Luna and I walked over to the mirror such that the Equestrian Moon Princess could check her appearance.

With the exception of her sister, Princess Luna was by far the largest pony I had ever seen, with an impressive wingspan, long lanky legs and a slender body. Her coat was phthalo-blue and her eyes were teal. The 'cutie mark' upon her right flank depicted a crescent moon surrounded by a very dark purple coloration that seemed to represent the night sky. Her spectacularly long mane and tail - constantly billowing, as if being caressed by a gentle breeze - were the colour of azure and a single thick lock of her mane hung over her face; a trait I found very charming. The innermost parts of her mane and tail constantly glittered, giving the optical illusion that they were filled with twinkling stars.

The shape of her muzzle was broader than that of the average pony mare, but not quite as broad as a stallion's. The horn on her head was different from the average unicorn's as well. Where most unicorn horns were fairly short and had blunt rounded tips, hers was long and slender, though the tip still seemed to be slightly blunt. True to her royal stature, she was clad in glittering jewellery. She wore upon each hoof pale blue shoes that branched out at the top to resemble a Fleur-de-lis and around the base of her neck, she wore a piece of regalia that appeared to be a cross between a necklace and a gorget; a steel or leather collar originally designed to protect the throat.

It was coloured the same shade of dark purple as the 'night sky' part of her cutie mark while also bearing a crescent moon. Atop her head rested a dark tiara with three points, the central point reaching the highest. At its centre was inset a brilliant sapphire gem. Despite her tatty appearance, she exuded a gentle and refined elegance and... well, in short folks, she was beautiful! "Oh, stop that; I am nowhere near as radiant and beautiful as my sister," she grumbled, reading my thoughts. "Yes, you are," I replied as she lifted her hooves, allowing me to carefully remove and set aside her shoes, "and if there were pony stallions here right now they'd be snorting with jealousy at the fact that I'm the only one who gets to truly see your beauty! The dawn may be radiant, but the night... is enchanting..."

With that, I carefully removed the rest of her jewellery before briefly heading back into her bedchamber to store it all away in one of the dressers there. Then, as I returned to the bath chamber to gently help her into the bath, Princess Luna giggled before turning her head to give me a very sultry look. "Flattery, dear human" she said, with a teasing flick of her tail, "will get you nowhere with me!" Doffing my clothes such that they wouldn't get wet, I hopped into the bath with her and then, as she and I proceeded further into the bathing pool and the warm water crept up our bodies, I lecherously groped her flanks. "Confound you, mare!" I cried as she danced away with a soft gasp. "How dare you tease me with your wicked ways? Come here!"

"Oh," the Equestrian Moon Princess cried fearfully, "whatever shalt we do? Thine lecherous human hath his perverted eyes upon our form and wishes to use us to fulfil his most foul desires! Help, somepony help!" Not all was as it appeared dear readers. I hadn't really groped her flanks in a perverted manner and Luna wasn't at all afraid of me; I had in fact tickled her, and she'd jumped away with a gasp because her cutie mark was quite sensitive. Even now, as she kept up the playful act of the terrified damsel in distress whilst I played the wicked ruffian, it was all the both of us could do to keep up the act without bursting into laughter! "I'll have you yet, mare!" I cried as I chased her around the bathing pool. "Take this!" With that I cupped some water in my hands and splashed her!

As she felt the water hit her back, Princess Luna turned around, giving me a growl of mock-anger. "Why you uncouth barbarian!" she cried. "Have at thee!" And then, dear readers she dipped her muzzle into the water before flicking it towards me, splashing me in return! What followed shortly thereafter could only be described as the water fight of the century; but soon only one of us was victorious - with a triumphant shout, Luna launched a wave of water at me against which I couldn't retaliate. "I'll get you yet Princess... grublbllghr..." I groaned theatrically as I pretended to 'fall' beneath the wave. Then, a moment later, I surfaced and leaned against my beloved pony friend as she and I howled and neighed with laughter!

With playtime done, grabbing some lavender soap and a washcloth from a shelf inset into one of the bath chamber walls, I started to bathe her. Some time ago, Luna would have had a pair of pony attendants to help her with this but that was before she'd discovered that human hands did a far better job than pony hooves. Now, as I gently lathered her back and wings, then her flanks and sides, the Equestrian Moon Princess groaned softly and leaned against me for support so that she wouldn't collapse from sheer bliss. As I continued to wash her body - carefully washing her hooves, legs, stomach, and chest she softly asked, "David, our beloved Consort, why art thou so kind to us?"

"Because you deserve it more than any pony I know..." I murmured. "May I...? May I...?" The alicorn before me made no move to answer my question; instead, as I looked on, she raised her tail and bared herself to me. I know what you're all probably thinking, dear readers, but nothing untoward occurred; I merely washed her intimate places with gentle and above all professional decorum. I wouldn't ruin the friendship I had with Princess Luna for anything, not even… that. Of course, I was only human; making love with the Equestrian Princess was something I did desire as stated previously, but I would only do so when she was ready and willing. Once I completed washing her private places, Princess Luna demurely lowered her tail and I moved onto other areas of her body.

Soon, I raised my head to look at her as I worked… only to discover – to my surprise – that Princess Luna... wasn't Princess Luna anymore. I bathed now a regal alicorn whose coat was as black as the night itself, with catlike eyes and blue-violet mane and tail. "Oh, hey Moon!" I said, grinning at her as I continued to work. "Where've you been? You haven't manifested fully for quite a while." A deep, contented sigh escaping her, the Night Mare answered "That’s because I fear being discovered by Princess Celestia, David. If she were to find me, she would separate Luna and me; I would be banished once again to the moon. I... dear David, I couldn’t bear that; not now that I know you and my other half so well!

To no longer feel the happiness and friendship you freely offer me despite knowing the evils I have done, to no longer feel your touch upon my coat; your fingers running through my mane... That, my beloved, would be a far worse punishment than anything that Celestia" - she spit the name like a curse - "could do to me." A soft, pleasure-filled groan escaped her then as I started to gently wash and massage her face. "I don't think she'd do anything like that now; she couldn't anymore, anyway" I responded as I ran my soapy hands over her jet black cheeks, muzzle, and ears. "You've been keeping yourself hidden within Luna so well that she hasn't been able to detect you for years.

And even if she did detect you, Moon" I continued, grabbing a bottle of shampoo and starting to shampoo her illustrious mane, "because you both agreed to undergo the bonding ritual - which blended you together like Tok'ra host and symbiote - she wouldn't be able to separate you from Luna anyway; not without killing the both of you. She wouldn't do that! Come on, give her a chance..." Once I'd finished lathering her mane with the shampoo, I had her submerge herself within the waterfall to rinse the body soap and shampoo off. When she'd finished rinsing herself, as she gathered sponge, soap and shampoo to wash me and return the favour, Nightmare Moon gently shook her head. "Never!" she hissed vehemently.

In the back of her mind, Nightmare Moon could feel Luna banging away, but she pushed the 'weaker' princess's thoughts aside as she hissed, 'Enough! You spent time with him earlier; please give me a chance to be with him for a change.' At this, Luna quietened with her agreement. Thus, dear readers - as she continued to wash me - in control Nightmare Moon remained, her happiness brimming within their shared mind as she and Princess Luna rejoiced in it. Even as she cleaned my skin - a healthy pink despite lack of sunlight - all the while the Dark Moon Princess nuzzled me here and there, giving parts of my body the occasional gentle nibble.

As she did so, I gave her a gentle massage, roaming my hands over her back and wings. Finally, I was clean and it was at that point that the Dark Moon Princess just couldn't take it anymore; as I knelt at her level such that she had better access to my body for cleaning, with the softest of whimpers Nightmare Moon threw her head over my shoulder, wrapping a foreleg about my body as she wept silently. "Oh, hey... hey, hey, hey now; what's the matter?" I asked her as I soothingly stroked her violet mane. At the question, Nightmare Moon lifted her head, allowing me to witness something no pony had ever seen: the supposedly malevolent Night Mare crying.

Her silvery tears streamed from her eyes and down her cheeks to drip into the bathwater as she looked upon me, her dragon-like eyes filled not with malevolence, but with the deepest love... "Celestia will not find you!" she hissed through her tears. "She will not make to return you through the Veil! Luna and I will not allow it!" As the Night Mare spoke, almost immediately her and Luna's agreement blazed through their shared mind; in this their thoughts were one absolute! "The Sun Princess will not take you, our Friend and Consort. She will NOT take away the one I... th-the one I..." As the Dark Moon Princess inhaled a breath and attempted to compose herself in order to continue, I raised a hand to gently cover her muzzle; at this she quietened and closed her eyes. "I know," I replied, gently.

"Luna's still working things out" I continued, removing my hand from her muzzle, "and is content to be my friend for now, but you... I know, Moon. I know. I feel the same, but now's not the time to say it to each other; not yet." At my words as Nightmare Moon regained her regal composure, she nodded her wet head before responding "As much as I hate it, with this will I agree; because you have asked it of me I shall wait for Luna to make her choice. But, David...?" Rising to my feet such that we faced each other as equals I responded, "Yes?" Suddenly, before Luna could restrain her, the Dark Princess was rearing up and locking her forelegs about my body in an embrace as she leaned in to give me a deep, lingering, kiss.

For a moment that seemed eternal yet was in fact all too brief, her equine tongue danced in passion with mine before she at last pulled away, softly breathing, "That is a promise of things to come..." As the kiss ended, Luna thought to scold the Dark Princess for her brash and bold action... but she was overcome by the sheer want and desire felt by her alter-ego... and that small part of her that she kept so deeply hidden from her beloved sister Celestia revelled in it. 'Ooh,' she thought heatedly, 'buck it all to Everfree! If I weren't a Princess - if I weren't burdened by my royal duties, I'd... I'd...' Smirking at Luna internally, the Dark Princess, Nightmare Moon thought, 'You'd what?'

A shiver coursing through their shared body, Luna confessed in a mental whisper 'I... I'd let him rub us all over with his hands... And then, I... I'd raise our tail for him so... so he could use his... his hands and... his tongue on our... our... And then... then... I'd let him cover us until...' Suddenly, in the physical world Nightmare Moon squeaked and lowered her head as a shudder ran its course through her body. Upon seeing it, I immediately asked, "Are you alright, Princess?" Nightmare Moon didn't respond for a moment - she just stood there beneath the flowing waterfall, breathing heavily. Then, at last, she raised her head to look at me with a smile upon her muzzle. "Yes, my Consort, I am fine. Let's just say that Luna... has a very vivid imagination! Now come, let us end this bath that we may retire to bed."

And by her word it was done; she and I stepped from the bathing pool and then - after she'd employed a touch of magic to clean the bath chamber of any water spillage from our play and bathing - I grabbed a thick, fluffy towel from a rack and proceeded to dry her off. As I towelled her dry, paying careful attention to her wings so as not to damage their wonderfully soft feathers, Nightmare Moon leaned against me, letting out a sound somewhere between a contented sigh and a soft, choked sob. "... All I've ever wanted is to have this, David" she murmured. "To be appreciated. To be acknowledged and thanked for my nights. To be touched and held, and..." Overcome with emotion the dark Mare of the Night nuzzled close to me as I finished with the towel and 'dried' her face and muzzle with my hands.

"I know Moon, Luna, I know," I murmured. "Rather than banishing you as she did when it was too late, perhaps your sister should have tried harder; made more attempts to reason with you. I don't know of the circumstances surrounding the whole debacle, but I'm here for you now, and by Faust's grace you'll never be alone again! I swear it." It seems strange, dear readers, for Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon to be so utterly out of character, doesn't it? To a human, one thousand years is an amount of time unimaginable, but for an immortal alicorn such as Luna, who had to live through it after her banishment by Celestia? It was as Tartarus.

She'd had to cope with one thousand years of homesickness; one thousand years of loneliness without someone to be her friend or love her as lovers do. Her only companions during her long, long imprisonment within her celestial body were the anger and hurt she felt at the beautiful nights she made being slept through; the jealousy she felt at the fact that ponies loved her sister Celestia more than she; and above all else, the terrible, crushing guilt she felt for thinking to usurp her sister by refusing to lower the moon. She had a thousand years of heartfelt pain that needed excising from her, dear friends and though I'd helped her deal with much of it - by being an ear when she needed to vent, talking to her when she desired it, and otherwise just being her friend - so much more remained...

With a shake of my head at Celestia's foalishness, I gathered my clothing with one hand and arm and then - placing a supporting hand on her back - I gently guided Nightmare Moon out of the bath chamber, back into the bedchamber and over to her bed. Wordlessly she hopped onto the bed, pulled the covers back with her mouth and then slid beneath the covers, shifting instinctively over to one side. After fetching and swiftly changing into a set of pyjamas from the section of her dressers wherein I stored my clothes, I climbed in beside her and once I was snug beneath the bedcovers with her, Nightmare Moon rolled to meet me in the middle of the enormous bed, lazily throwing a foreleg and a wing over me.

Closer, and closer, she moved towards me, until as much of her body contacted mine as was physically possible without taking that last, and most sacred step. Then, after she’d pulled the covers back over us both and nestled her head into the crook of my shoulder, together, Nightmare Moon and I fell asleep. Unfortunately, dear readers, we did not sleep well... Sometime during the day, I was awakened by the sound of soft, choked sobbing; a sound I realized that could have only come from one source. "Moon? Nightmare Moon? Is that you?" I asked softly. It was indeed the jet-black alicorn to whom I was Consort, for I could feel her body heave gently with every heart wrenching cry she tried, and failed, to suppress, and could feel the wetness of her tears staining my skin.

'Oh, Moon...' I thought, turning to gather her dreaming form into an embrace. As I did this, however, Nightmare Moon struggled weakly within my gentle but firm grip. "Please!" She cried through her tears. "Please, Celly, please, dun' banish me again... I'll be good now; I swear! Please dun' send me away again...!" "There, there..." I whispered, caressing her mane, "it's alright; you're safe here; no one's going to banish you..." Nightmare Moon showed no sign of calming, however, and so - as another soft, choked sob escaped her - I tried another tactic; I began to sing, softly. "Like a comet; blazing 'cross the evening sky; gone too soon..." I crooned.

"Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon

Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night

Like the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon

Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon

Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon

Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night

Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon

Gone too soon..."

The song - Michael Jackson's 'Gone Too Soon’ - though not really a lullaby seemed to do the trick; as I finished singing the final lyrics of the last verse Nightmare Moon's breathing gradually evened out as she finally settled into a deep and dreamless sleep. Nocturnal were she and Princess Luna, but I didn't mind; with a drop of her magic she had altered my body such that my skin wouldn't pale from lack of sunlight, and had also altered my sleep cycle such that I had become nocturnal, like her. Giving her a soft kiss upon the end of her nose - for which I received a sigh and a gentle smile in return - I closed my eyes and slipped into sleep beside her.

* * *

As she'd been passing by her sister's room on the way from her own chambers to begin her day, Princess Celestia had heard her sister's softened cries - and had naturally come to check on her - but she hadn't been prepared to see this! Not only was the creature that laid there in her sister's bed Nightmare Moon but also there was something else abed with the wicked Mare of Darkness! What in Faust's name was that strange, hairless creature laying with her? The Princess of the Radiant Sun prepared to charge into her beloved sister's room to deal with the both of them - for surely the creature with Nightmare Moon was her ally and thus an enemy of Equestria! But then... Then, she heard the anguished words cried out by the Dark Ma--no, her sister, she suddenly realized, just with a different voice and form!

This was Nightmare Moon, and yet, the words were Luna's, or perhaps those of Nightmare Moon and her sister combined. The first thing she wondered was 'How is this possible?' The next thought to strike her as her heart wrenched with agony was 'When I banished Nightmare Moon to her Element... Did I truly do the right thing?' A breath escaped her, then, as she heard the ally of Nightmare Moon reply; saw him fold her into an embrace and softly stroke her mane... and then, a choked sob escaped her as she heard him start to sing her to sleep... The song, oh, the song he sung was so beautiful, and yet so sad; by the time he finished the final verse, it was all she could do to maintain her self control and keep from weeping.

Carefully the radiant, white-winged alicorn stepped away from the doors she'd opened but a miniscule crack and then - after softly closing said doors behind her – she raced back to her own bedchamber. Therein, the Solar Princess collapsed upon her bed, buried her muzzle into the pillows and wept, bitterly. 'It has obviously helped my sister so much, but... this creature cannot stay' she thought. 'It has caused my sister no harm - it has been kind - but... who knows what effect it could have upon the culture of my little ponies in the future?' Things could spiral out of control due to this ally of her sister - things could end up as they had when Discord ruled the land with a chaotic clawed fist - and so the creature had to be sent away.

'It is the only way' she reasoned bitterly. 'I'm so sorry Lulu, Moon... I'm so sorry...' she thought as her tears continued to flow unabated. 'I'll make it up to you... somehow...' When at last she managed to stop crying, Princess Celestia carefully dried her eyes with a hoof-kerchief from her dressers, ensured her appearance was proper with a drop of magic and then - with a heavy heart - she left her bedchamber and descended into the palace proper to resume her royal duties.

* * *

When I awakened the next evening, my mind was still beautifully fuzzy, leaving me in a darkened forest, comforted by the smell of rain fallen upon the earth after a storm as I waited in the shade of my eyelids. Soft and effortless was my breathing as I lay there, slowly passing the moment where sleep gave way to the evening, and the touch of my dreams gave way to the feeling of the pillow under my head. With one deep breath, I flexed and stretched my muscles into wakefulness as I finally opened my eyes. Blinking away the last bit of bleariness, I smiled when I saw her: Luna, Monarch of Quiet Night and Bringer of the Blessed Moon. My beloved equestrian friend.

'Huh... I guess Nightmare Moon decided to relinquish control...' I thought absently. Luna was still asleep, lying on her back, her forelegs snugly curled against her chest and her eyes shut, even as the twilight of the setting sun shone through the curtain and painted a fading red-orange stripe along her face. Her breaths came quietly and slowly, slipping gently through her barely parted lips. With a tiny squeak and a long sigh, she rolled over, her hind legs lifting and sliding under the sheet as she turned to drop herself heavily against me, her lower body pressing against my own as her upper-body snuggled comfortably into the crook of my arm. I smiled at the sight of her frazzled mane, her azure hair carelessly tossed about her forehead and spread under her neck as she laid her head on my shoulder.

Carefully, I lifted my hand to push away an errant hair that was beginning to tickle my nose. As I did so, my finger brushed against her cheek, sweeping across her fine phthalo fuzz and over her skin, still hot and flushed with sleep. I paused, passing the edge of my hand lightly along the base of her jaw, and with my thumb, I gently moved the fringe from her face. At this, her eyes blinked open, and she raised her head for just a moment to look at me. I could see a smile on her face to match my own as she closed her eyes and settled herself against my side once more. “Good evening, David” she said, her lips moving softly as she spoke, the wisps of her breath playing lightly upon my neck.

“Good evening,” I replied. Luna stretched with a little yawn, and quietly giggled as I lifted her up, rolling her body on top of mine; doing so caused me no discomfort as - despite her being somewhat larger than the average pony - she was quite light of weight. “Did I wake you?” I asked. She didn't respond; instead she rested her head once again on my shoulder and simply lay there with me. She smelt of pine and the soothing night. Her soft form covered my body and filled my arms, and her chest pressed against mine with her every rhythmic breath such that I could feel her ageless heart beating in time with mine. I closed my eyes once again, feeling the heat from both our bodies as it flowed up from the sheets and over my skin to mix with the cool evening air.

The two of us laid there together for a moment, just as we did every evening, but soon - as always - reality would come knocking; Luna would rise to attend to her many royal duties accompanied by her Guards and myself wreathed by a Shadowcloak. Unfortunately for us, however, this night was going to be anything but normal. As the Princess of the Night and I continued to lay there together in her bed, suddenly there came the sharp clearing of a throat - "Ahem!" - and as the sound came to be heard throughout the room, our eyes snapped open to reveal Princess Celestia standing at the right side of the bed, flanked by a pair of burly stallions whom could only be two of her 'Dawn Custodes'; her elite Royal Guard.

The stern frown upon Celestia's face - coupled with the baleful glares her guards were giving us - said it all; we were dead! Luna and I stared first at her sister, and then at each other wide eyed. "Oh, fuck / Oh, buck!" we said together at the same time... and that, dear readers, was when Princess Celestia... just lost it. As the Royal Guards lowered their heads, their glares becoming softened, gentle smiles, Luna's sister dropped to the ground and rolled about neighing with laughter! "Oh," she cried between bouts, "you... ha-ha-ha... should have seen the looks on your... he-he-he... your faces!" So infectious was her laughter that eventually, even her guards - whom I knew as Stern Visage and Proud Heart - started to chortle silently to themselves!

Sometime later – once we'd all gotten ourselves under control – as Celestia, her Guards, Luna and I all ate light supper at a table placed on Luna's balcony, the whole story came out; how the Moon Princess, desperate for a friend, had chosen a human from another world rather than the ponies whom still despised her. Upon learning of the powerful magic she'd used to pull me through the veil, Princess Celestia shook her head. "Sister... how could you?" she asked then took a bite from her daisy sandwich. Chewing and swallowing the mouthful of food, she continued, "Such powerful magic could have exhausted, or even killed you! What were you thinking?"

Leaning gently against me as we sat at the low table, Luna replied vehemently, "I was thinking, dear sister, that spending my last moments with somebody who cared about me would be infinitely better than living in a world where almost everypony despises me!" The Moon Princess fell silent then and - as she leaned further into me - I wrapped an arm about her body and gently stroked her mane and scratched behind her ears as I continued where she'd left off. "Fortunately" I said as I caressed her, "things didn't happen that way; your sister prepared for her weakness with enough food and supplies such that I was able to nurse her back to health. Since then I've become her friend, companion and Consort; where she went there was I... for almost ten years now."

At this, Celestia affixed her sister with a flinty-eyed gaze. “Ten years?” growled she. “Ten years? How is it that you kept this human hidden so long from my sight? And you…” she turned her gaze upon me. “How could you have lived with my sister for all those years without me knowing?” Princess Luna and I turned to look at each other – our gazes lingering for a moment as we shared a furious internal debate – amd then, finally, I answered, “Your sister’s magic is different to yours.” When the Solar Diarch gave me a look that clearly said ‘Well, DUH!’ I continued, “She’s… very good at hiding things. Plus, it helps that she made me nocturnal like her – we’re up and about when most ponies, including you, are normally asleep – and it’s quite easy to find routes throughout the castle to avoid those ponies who are ‘night owls’… or Night Guards.

“But… as I was saying; I’ve since become Luna’s friend, companion and… Consort. Wherever she goes, there am I, by her side.” Shock graced Celestia's equine features for a moment as her eyes widened. Then, a moment later she replied, "C-Consort?! You... you haven't... with my sister...?!" At this, Luna perked her head up as we both cried, "NO!" A moment later, once Luna was able to regain her composure, I continued, "Well, not yet anyway... But maybe someday... When we're ready..." At that, Luna turned to me, peeking out shyly from beneath her mane, a blush turning the skin beneath the phthalo fur of her face crimson. A moment later - when I returned my attention to Celestia - I continued, "For now, just to have your sister's friendship is enough for me. All I want is for her to be happy..."

As I finished speaking, Princess Celestia affixed me with a pained gaze. Then, a moment later she began to converse with her sister in the spoken equine dialect of Equestrian; something I thought rather rude as I wasn't able to understand the conversation. As the two Royal Sisters continued to speak, however, I soon realized that I didn't need to understand what was being said - at all - because whatever Celestia was saying to Luna was something that the Moon Princess did not want to hear. The conversation eventually turned into a furious argument, the two sisters neighing and whinnying back and forth until, at last, Luna slammed her forehooves down upon the table, nearly splitting it in two as she shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice!

"ENOUGH! MINE FRIEND IS A HUMAN AND HE CANNOT TAINT THE ROYAL BLOODLINE! HOW, PRAY TELL, CAN THERE EVEN BE A ROYAL BLOODLINE WHEN THERE ART ONLY TWO OF US AND THEY WHOM SIRED US ARE DEAD!" The Solar Princess, after recovering from the gale-force wind stirred up by her sister's speech, nickered a soft yet firm reply; at this, Luna cried, "NAY! I WILL NOT HAVE IT. HE WILL NOT RUIN OUR CULTURE; YOU WILL NOT SEND HIM BACK THROUGH THE VEIL. YOU WILL NOT TAKE FROM ME MY CONSORT AND MINE ONLY FRIEND. I FORBID IT! STAY AWAY FROM US!"

With those words, Luna employed a touch of a seething Nightmare Moon's dark power to become as a thick gloomy mist; then, as Celestia watched on wide-eyed she swept me up and carried me away back to her chambers. Once there, after setting me upon her bed, she regained her equine form and then - gasping for breath, almost hyperventilating - she doffed her royal regalia, hastily sealed the doors of her bedchamber, and then collapsed onto the bed herself like a broken puppet. Wriggling herself beside me, she reached for me - clutching desperately at me with fore and hind legs - as she started to bawl like a traumatized filly. "Oh sweetie..." I murmured to her soothingly, gently combing a hand through her mane as she wept, "There, there, sweetheart; it’s alright..."

When at last she ceased her crying, Luna hiccoughed softly and closed her eyes, a few last, stray tears escaping from beneath her closed eyelids to stain my pajama top. “Hey...” I murmured to her shortly thereafter, "what was with all those tears, eh? Can you tell me what's wrong?" Releasing me from her desperate embrace and then shifting to lie face to face with me such that her snout touched my nose, Luna said, "Celestia believes that you will taint our royal bloodline and foul our culture. She attempted to dissuade me from being with you, and desires to send you away from Equestria and... and me..." As the words escaped the Moon Princess, suddenly a realization occurred to me and as it did so I couldn't help but slap a palm to my face as I groaned, "Oh, great… history repeats..."

A moment later, I resumed stroking my beloved friend as she blinked, her muzzle wrinkling adorably in an expression of puzzlement before she responded, "History repeats?' What do you mean?" For a while, I didn't answer her; I merely roamed my hands over her soft coat and mane as I took the time to gather my thoughts. Then, at last, I answered, "When you first became Nightmare Moon - or rather, when she first manifested - it was because you were jealous and resentful of your sister, because ponies appreciated her day more than your night, right?" When Luna winced before nodding, I continued, "Well, I think the reverse has happened: Celestia is now jealous of you!"

At this exclamation, her pupils dilating with shock, Luna cried, "But... but why?!" Grinning broadly at the phthalo-blue pony beside me, I responded flippantly, "Oh, I don't know... Maybe because - unlike her - you've got someone who's devoted to you; who'll spend the rest of his days with you to make sure you're always cared for and never lonely. Someone who doesn't care a whit about your past as Nightmare Moon and will treat you just like any other pony despite your royal status. Someone who..." As I made to continue, the Equestrian Moon Princess gently covered my mouth with a hoof, softly uttering, "I know..." Her eyes wet with fresh silvery tears, she nuzzled me gently with her muzzle before turning around such that her back was pressed against me.

Then, heaving a weary sigh, she tucked her head beneath my chin, closing her eyes and cooing softly as I stroked along her ribcage. "She's being a bit silly, really" I murmured a moment later, "but she is who she is, I guess. She'll come around..." Heaving a world weary sigh, Luna closed her eyes as I gently ruffled her mane. A moment later, she softly responded, "I hope so, David..." Suddenly, she turned to face me, a vicious grin splitting her muzzle as she continued, "If she doesn't... then I'll go all Batman on her flank!" The brief vision that filled my mind dear readers, of Luna laying the smackdown on Celestia's Royal Guard with batman-inspired martial arts and gadgets, caused me to chuckle softly for a moment before I replied, "If that happens, I get to be Robin; his battle-staff is cool!"

"Deal!" Luna exclaimed; then we both burst out laughing! The joy my equine friend and I felt was soon cut short, however, when there came the gentle knocking of a hoof upon the door to her bedchamber. There was only one pony that it could be. "...While we nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping as of pony gently rapping, rapping at our chamber door. ''Tis Celestia,' I muttered, 'tapping at our chamber door -- Only she, nopony more." As I finished reciting the slightly modified lines of Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven', Luna clapped a polished hoof over her muzzle to muffle her giggling! Our joviality only increased when we heard Celestia knock upon the door again, louder this time.

Shortly thereafter we heard her voice, laced with irritation though muffled by the door, as she called "Lulu? Sister? Let me in!" Before Luna could respond to her sister’s demand I ‘shushed’ her gently and then, a moment later – in a faux high-pitched voice – I called, "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!" At this, Luna's eyes widened for a moment in realization... before she grabbed one of my hands with her forehooves and pressed the appendage hard against her muzzle in a desperate attempt to muffle yet more laughter bubbling up from within. She 'got' the reference for she too had read 'The Three Little Foals and the Big Bad Timberwolf'; it had been one of her favourite stories when she'd been but a filly. Outside the door, the Solar Princess stomped a forehoof in anger, before she sarcastically responded, "Oh, ha-ha, very funny. Now come on, Luna, let me in!"

Gently pushing my hand away from her muzzle - struggling not to laugh - Luna repeated "Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!" As she continued to stand outside the door with Stern Visage and Proud Heart at her sides - both of whom were desperately struggling to contain their laughter behind masks of professional decorum - Celestia growled "Arrgh! Then I'll tear, and I'll rip, and I'll smash this door in!" Back inside her bedchamber, I gave Luna a sideways glance, doing my best to suppress an enormous grin. "Hmmm..." I mused, "your sister sounds pissed. Think we should let her in?" Screwing her muzzle into an adorable pout, Luna sighed through her nose before she grumbled, "Oh, alright. But first..."

She hopped off the bed and then - as she made her way over to her bedchamber doors - I moved to join her, placing a gentle hand upon her back in a show of support. As I watched, her tail twisted and reached into her shadow, the darkness coiling up into a pair of hovering, crescent-moon blades forged from moonlight and shadow, glinting in an iridescent array of colours. "Um..." I began nervously, a real and honest terror gripping my heart, "th-there's no need for those, Luna; Celestia probably just wants to talk..." My equine friend turned to face me then, only it was not Princess Luna I faced, but Nightmare Moon, manifest in all her glory.

"You heard what happened when my dear sister and I talked last, my Consort" she responded, "but now, the time for talk has ended. I will not let her take you away from me!" At her words, I moved to caress her, gently roaming my hands over her face, and muzzle, before combing a hand through her wonderful, starlit astral mane. She tried to resist the allure of my hands, at first - snorting, she tossed her head back - but, as it always did, my touch eventually overcame her and she dispelled the blades before leaning into my touch. "Oh... those hands..." she murmured softly. The stress and tension slowly draining out of her as I pleasured her with my touch, she tottered back to her bed and fell upon it once more, bringing me with her such that I could continue my work upon her body.

"Mmmh..." she muttered, rolling onto her back, "I'll let her in... I guess..." Thus, she broke the lock on her bedchamber door, allowing Celestia entry. Laying on my side such that I could continue my work I attended her forelegs, manipulating and massaging the joints and muscles within, before roaming my hands slowly over her neck and chest. "There's a good girl..." I murmured soothingly. "Just relax..." When Celestia opened the bedchamber door and finally deigned to enter, I was working my hands over her sister's stomach, stroking and massaging as the Night Princess groaned deeply in pleasure. As the Solar Princess espied us both in what she perceived to be a very compromising position, she almost turned about face and walked out again; and she would have, if not for Moon speaking softly.

"Mmmh..." she murmured. "Oh, Celly... you've got to try this; let my beloved human work his magic hands on you..." With that, she rolled onto her front, allowing me to roam my hands all over her lovely mane as she groaned theatrically. At this, I couldn't help but grin, dear readers - there was no way we would do anything truly inappropriate as Celestia looked on - but Nightmare Moon truly did love my hands, though she was exaggerating the pleasure-filled noises she made just to wind Celestia up! As I continued to comb my hands through her mane, mussing it up and scratching where hair sprouted from flesh in just the right places, the Night Princess groaned deeply again. As the sound escaped the dark mare, I could have sworn I heard Celestia grind her teeth together for a moment...

It was when I made my way down to the jet-black Alicorn's amazing wings - causing Nightmare Moon to whimper - that Celestia finally cried out, "Arrgh! Stop! Enough!" And thus, the jig was up; the Night Princess and I immediately halted our activities and sat up to look at the Princess of the Sun expectantly. Our appearances seemed completely innocent - so much so that one could practically see the angelic halos around our heads - but the Solar Princess wasn't fooled in the slightest; a weary sigh escaping her, she grumbled, "Oh, quit it you two..." It was then, dear readers, that we hit Celestia with the 'big guns' in our arsenal: the dreaded puppy-dog eyes.

It worked a treat, of course; nearly screaming in frustration, Princess Celestia cried, "Fine! Your human can stay Luna-Moon, but," and here her eyes narrowed as she affixed the Night Princess with her gaze, "no bringing Eternal Night to Equestria! And you..." She turned a faux-deathly glare upon me. "Please... please... for the Love of Faust, keep her out of trouble..." With that, as Princess Celestia stormed from the room in a huff - muttering darkly to herself about crazy humans and idiot sisters - Nightmare Moon returned control and form to Luna. Then, Luna turned to me with a forehoof outstretched. At that, I closed a hand into a fist and we ‘hoof-bumped’ – we gave each other the pony equivalent of a human high five – as together we cried "All right! / Huzzah!"

The rest – as they say – was history; I was quietly ‘outed’ by Princess Celestia as an ambassador from another realm whom had become the beloved consort of her sister, Luna, and had thus decided to stay rather than return to my homeland. Of course, since just about everypony from the Royal Palace to the Great City of Canterlot knew of me already my ‘outing’ went relatively smoothly, thank goodness. Even so, there were a few naysayers from the Equestrian Nobility – among them Prince Blueblood – whom weren’t pleased that some non-pony foreigner was dating one of the Princesses.

Blueblood was of no consequence – nopony listened to that whiny, spoiled brat – and as for the others whom protested against me… Well, a not so subtle glare from Luna, backed by a whisper of Nightmare Moon’s dreadful power over True Darkness, soon cowed them to silence. ‘Besides’ I thought as I sat openly beside Luna whilst she presided over yet another Night Court, ‘when did the special someone the Night Princess is dating become their business?’ Cool, soothing darkness filled my thoughts then, as Luna – whom was making negotiations with the Ambassador of Zebrica – murmured into my mind, ‘It didn’t, David – it never did – and I’ll buck any Noble who thinks otherwise…’

As the night wore on, the negotiation between Luna and the Zebrican Ambassador - which had initially started peacefully - seemed to degrade; the look on the wizened Zebrican's face turned dark, and then became angrier, and angrier until at last, the Ambassador snarled at Luna, "Never! The Great Shaman will never allow Ponies to settle within our lands until you are dead abomination!" His maddened slur against my beloved friend brought the entirety of the Court to silence... but the Ambassador was far from finished. As the Royal Pony Sisters looked on, their jaws agape, the elderly Zebrican stormed from the Courtroom and made to leave... or so we thought.

Upon reaching the room's exit, he turned back to face the room and snarled at a still shocked Celestia, "You should have taken the opportunity to end the Demon years ago, Sun Princess. Since you have not... then I will end her for you!" With those words - before anypony could move to stop him - the Zebrican Ambassador began to dance and gesture to the air, casting some form of ancient magic. 'Wait a minute...' I thought, my eyes narrowing as I studied the movements he was making. 'Thrice round weave; twice up and twice down; then mark the Sign of the Seven Senses of... Oh, SHIT!' My eyes widening, I hurriedly turned to face the shocked Princesses and stated, "Get everypony out of here, now!"

My words served to snap them out of their shock, but rather than following my command the Princesses frowned at me before Celestia said, "Whilst you may be the Consort of my Sister, you have no place to interrupt the proceedings of..." Brimming with a combination of mixed terror and impatience, I waved a hand at her for silence, before breaking into my own best impersonation of the Royal Canterlot Voice. "ROYAL PROTOCOL BE DAMNED!" I thundered. "GET EVERYPONY OUT OF HERE NOW! NO TIME TO EXPLAIN; JUST BUCKING DO IT! DO IT NOW!" My warning was heeded far too late…

The sisters' combined spell of Mass Transport was powerful indeed, but not powerful enough… As more than half of the room’s occupants were moved to a safe bunker dozens of miles below the castle floors a chill, howling wind raced through the throne room. Cackling with glee borne of utter insanity, the Zebrican Ambassador tore from the room as the entire floor peeled back towards the walls revealing a yawning, bottomless pit. Terror gripped our guts, then, as from that bottomless pit rose the enormous furred claws of a great unknown Beast! Said Beast had expected there to be a bounty of souls to pull down and devour… and there was…

All we could do was look on in horror as the furry claws of the Great Beast wrapped about the remaining ponies in the room and dragged them, kicking and screaming, into the depths of the abyss. A horrified scream escaped Celestia at the utterly senseless deaths of so many of her beloved little ponies even as she drew upon her power to form the strongest magical barrier she could make in order to protect herself, Luna, me, and those of her Elite Guard still with us. Eventually, dear readers, the spell for the Casting of Creatures to the Bottomless Pit just… stopped; the throne room was normal. There was no sign of the terrible death and destruction that had just taken place.

Traumatized by what had occurred, it was all that both Princesses could do to transport us all to Celestia's royal chambers. Upon arrival, stifling clothing, armour, and royal regalia was doffed before Celestia raced to her bath chamber and therein vomited noisily into her toilet. A moment later – after flushing away the vacated contents of her stomach – weak, weary and trembling with fright, the Royal Pony Princess of the Sun made to join Luna, me and her Guardsponies as we collapsed upon her bed. Desperately embracing me, Princess Luna wept, her body heaving with great wracking sobs. Poor Celestia was faring no better; she cuddled close to us both, her own agonized, heart-wrenching cries filling the room.

Even her brave Guardsponies, too, were undone; stunned, confused, and misty-eyed at the horror they had just seen, the formerly brave stallions now cuddled around the Solar Princess as frightened colts to their dam, occasionally touching and stroking her with their hooves, just to make sure she was there; to be sure that what they'd experienced wasn't some terrible dream. As she lay there with us all – clutching me tightly, and desperately against her shaking body – Luna attempted to console a bewildered Nightmare Moon, even as the Dark Princess’s revulsion at what had occurred filled their shared mind. ‘I desired to bring night eternal to Equestria – that’s true – but I never… I never wanted to…’

Cradling the Dark Mare’s mind within her own – giving her the mental equivalent of a hug – the Equestrian Moon Princess soothingly replied, ‘… You never wanted to cause such terrible destruction like that Zebrican did; I know, sweetheart, I know.’ Raising her head, Luna cast her gaze over her sister, cuddled with her Royal Guard, then to herself and finally to me as I lay dazed within her embrace… And then, nausea filled her thoughts as finally, she began to comprehend exactly what the mad Zebrican had been trying to accomplish… ‘Oh, Faust,’ she thought, horror twisting her guts, ‘Celly and I could’ve been pulled into that pit!’ Utterly nauseated, the Equestrian Moon Princess released me, then leaped off the bed to race into her sister’s bath chamber.

Immediately, I made to follow her, arriving just in time to hold aside her mane as she, too vomited into the toilet. After a moment, she raised her head, whereupon I let go of her mane and then flushed the toilet, before moving to fetch her some water from the vanity which she used to rinse her mouth out. “I… I’m not going to ask if you’re okay…” I croaked. Moving to lean heavily against me, Princess Luna shook her head, a weary sigh escaping her, her eyes briefly closing as the adrenaline left her body. A moment later, she softly replied, “No; no I’m not, David. Most of the Equestrian Nobility were idiots at best and puppets of other Nobles at worst, but… none of those we could not save deserved… that!

As much as it pains me to sound so callous, we can only be thankful that today wasn’t a Session of Parliament; true Government. Today was just… just an Open Court…” Unable to continue, poor Luna broke down crying again. All I could do was hold her gently in my arms, feeling utterly inadequate. How could I – a normal, ordinary human – stand against terrible power such as that wielded by that mad Zebrican? A moment later, I was pulled from my thoughts by the voice of Luna, whom – after having regained her composure – continued, “The remaining Nobles are going to be wondering what the buck just happened back there. Shining Armour is going to be pissed that a Zebrican Witch Doctor slipped past his Guardsponies into the Royal Palace undercover as a bucking ambassador.

Even worse this entire incident is gonna cause one hell of a political shitstorm between Equestria and the Republic of Zebrica…” Carefully and gently, I roamed my hands along her neck and then through her mane; at this she snorted, the sound soft and horselike, before she continued, “Buck me… this is going to be a Nightmare…” Then, to Nightmare Moon, she softly uttered, ‘Uh, no offense…’ ‘None taken…’ Came the subdued response of her dark alter ego. Shortly thereafter, I stopped my caressing of her neck and mane and then – after pulling away from her to fetch a water for myself – I swiftly returned to her, took a drink of said water and sniped, “Bah… Shitstorm my foot! That Zebrican fucker tried to kill us all, Luna; you, me, Celly and everypony else in that Court.

Now, I don’t know jack-shit about politics… but that’s an act of war; it has to be…” At my words, Princess Luna nuzzled into my neck with another weary sigh, the sound bespeaking of one who’d been there, seen it, done-it-all-before. “Yup,” she said, “just one of those days …” “Tell me about it…” I grumbled. “What I’d like to know is: how did that Zebrican even get into the palace in the first place? Judging from what you told me about him during our last big talk, Shining Armour keeps security pretty tight around here; like Twilight, he’s very well organized and is always one step ahead of the game.” When Luna nodded wordlessly, I continued, “So how could he let this Zebrican fucker slip through the net?”

As I asked the question, there came the sound of heavy hoofsteps behind and – upon turning to investigate the source of the sound – we beheld the sight of Celestia, covered by a simple grey medical blanket. “I would like to know that as well, David” she said as she tromped wearily into the bath chamber. “In addition to how you knew that the Zebrican was casting a spell at all.” Stopping before Luna and I, the Solar Princess affixed me with a piercing, hawklike gaze as she impatiently tapped a hoof upon the bath chamber’s tiled floor. “I don’t have the time or luxury for games, human, so come on – out with it – now,” she growled. Appalled by her sister’s attitude, Luna inhaled a breath to voice a protest, but even as she formed the words to say they died within her throat as Celestia silenced her with a baleful glare.

Then, returning her attention to me, the Princess of the Sun snarled, “Talk, now!” Heaving a weary sigh, I complied. “The magic the Zebrican used back there in the Throne Room was a powerful spell called ‘The Casting of Creatures to the Bottomless Pit.’ It’s detailed in a book called ‘Chasms of Malice…’” As I made to continue, with a thoughtful nod, Celestia uttered, “Hm. A vile name for a vile tome, no doubt filled with even more wicked spells…” Shaking my head, I replied, “Princess, ‘Chasms of Malice’… it isn’t a spellbook. It’s… it’s a Fighting Fantasy Novel. Let me show you…” Quickly, I looked to Luna and she nodded wordlessly before – with a soundless spell – she popped me over to her chambers wherein I swiftly retrieved the book.

Then, after she and I returned to Celestia, I showed the Solar Princess the book – including the relevant pages dealing with the spell – and gave her a brief explanation of the Fighting Fantasy Universe, its accompanying book series, and the adventures to be had therein. As I spoke, Celestia’s radiant though weary visage grew darker, and darker; then, once I had finished my explanation – and bade Luna send the book back to our quarters – the Princess of the Sun stood before her sister and I, her head lowered to bare her horn before us and her bangs covering her eyes. “Are you telling me,” she growled, “that the Zebrican used a spell from a… a GAME BOOK?!” Seething anger brought to the surface bade her continue shouting at me with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

“THAT ZEBRICAN USED A... A SPELL FROM A GAME BOOK TO KILL MY LITTLE PONIES?” When I nodded wordlessly, scraping a hoof on the floor, she continued, “THEN HOW IS IT THAT HE COULD HAVE MADE WHAT IS SUPPOSEDLY FICTIONAL BECOME REAL?! HOW?! YOU WILL TELL ME!” Leaning wearily against Luna for support – taking a small measure of strength from the comfort she silently provided - I sighed softly, resting my head in my hands, rubbing the top of my head as I tried to massage away a growing headache and clear my mind. Then, a moment later, I raised my head to look at Celestia and responded, “Scientists in my world believe that while our universe is self-contained, closing back in on itself..."

I sketched out a bubble-like shape with my hands in the air "...they think that it might also be, well, porous. Perforated with countless trillions of wormholes – tiny pinhole tunnels, too small for even a single atom – linking it to other universes around it. But maybe... Maybe things seep over. Maybe ideas, thoughts, memories, and concepts can seep through from one world to another, and certain receptive beings – for example, a nameless Zebrican – pick them up." Finished with my explanation, Luna and I waited for Celestia’s response. For a moment, the Princess of the Sun just stood there blink-blinking, unsure as to how to respond… but then, as we watched – after having seen so much senseless death – something inside Celestia… broke.

“You…” she growled darkly at her sister, “you made the veil thin when you brought him over due to your own selfish desires! How dare you put yourself before Equestria – before us all –for the friendship of one pitiful, mortal human! This is all your fault!” Terrified, I watched as with those last, shrilly screamed words, Celestia charged towards her beloved sister than pivoted and tried to brutally kick Luna in the head with the full force of her powerful hind legs! Unwilling to allow my dear friend to be harmed however, I shoved the Moon Princess away from the path of her sister’s blind rage then dove out of the way and not a moment too soon…

As I crashed painfully to the tiled bath chamber floor, I felt the dinner plate sized hooves of the elder alicorn pass inches above my head, then heard Luna’s terrified scream, along with the crash of breaking glass! A moment later – as glass fragments, large and small, rained down upon my aching form – I realized that, having missed her sister and me entirely, the mighty hooves of the Solar Princess had instead utterly shattered the mirror of the bath chamber vanity. The fact that she had missed her targets only served to fuel her rage and shortly thereafter I clutched my throat, gasping and choking, as Celestia attempted to choke me to death! “Gkk--! Stop! This… wasn’t… my… fault… Please…” I gasped, struggling to breathe through the force of her solar magic slowly crushing my windpipe.

My death, it seemed, was assured, dear readers; but fortunately it was not to be; as I lay there, my skin starting to turn blue from lack of oxygen in my blood as I started to black out – suddenly I heard the voice of Luna’s alter-ego Nightmare Moon as she cried, “NO!” Then, with blackening vision I watched as the fully manifested Dread Mare of the Night barrelled into Princess Celestia, knocking her down and disrupting her deathly magic! My chest heaving as I gasped in great breaths of air, in awe, I watched as Nightmare Moon wrestled with the enraged Celestia, before pinning her to the ground and finally knocking her out with a variation of Batman’s famous Ground Pound™ Attack!

Shortly thereafter things became even more hectic as a fresh squad of Royal Guardsponies – no doubt sent ahead by Shining Armour and attracted by all the noise – burst into the bath chamber in order to investigate what was going on. However, even as they goggled and stared at the devastation around them, even as some made to accost Nightmare Moon and surround the unconscious Solar Princess, the Dread Mare paid them no heed; the only concern in her and Luna’s shared mind at the time was my well-being. Hissing at the Solar Guard in warning – causing them all to back off – Nightmare Moon swiftly lifted me atop her back and then, with a final deathly glare of warning, transported her and me to her and Luna’s shared quarters.

Upon our arrival there, her body shaking from the effect of adrenaline, the Mare of the Cold and Silent Night tucked me into her bed and then hopped in beside me, wrapping her forelegs, hind legs, and a wing about my body, pulling me into her warmth. Stunned and dazed by all that had happened, for a moment I just stared at her – my only movement the occasional blinking of my eyes – before I softly rasped, “Moon… Are you and Luna okay?” My words mightn’t have been the right thing to say… but then again, perhaps they were, for as the adrenaline left her system, a state of shock set in and Nightmare Moon began to weep silent tears. “’Am I okay?’ Are you okay? Oh, you silly, silly human… Luna and I could have taken our sister’s strike against us! Why… Why did you do that?’

Even as she began healing the visible and invisible damage Princess Celestia had done to my trachea – even as she lowered her head to rest within the crook of my arm – Nightmare Moon continued to weep, her tears staining my skin. Weakly throwing a hand over her neck, I combed my fingers through her mane. Said mane was no longer filled with stars, or even billowed gently as though caressed by a nightly breeze; an illusion which had failed due to her exhaustion. Beneath was revealed her real mane – the same as any other pony’s though coloured deep purple – and as I allowed my fingers to freely roam through it, Nightmare Moon allowed herself to let go and cry until there were no more tears to fall.

“I did it,” I softly replied as she wept “because I wanted to protect my friend. Because I…” As I made to continue, however, Moon raised her head to nuzzle me and then ‘shushed’ me with the softest of kisses; the words didn’t need to be said, because she knew and felt the same. When the echo of her anguished cries faded away – as I gently wiped away her tears with my hands – softly, the Dark Mare murmured, “Oh, mine beloved Consort… We can barely begin to think of Our sister’s current mental state. She will have regained control of her faculties by now, surely! She shalt be devastated, verily, by her actions toward Us and You, of this We have no doubt.

Though We would normally be pleased greatly by anything that should cause Our sister grief – because of what she did to Us so long ago – this feels… It isn’t… it isn’t…” She lapsed into a pensive silence as I concluded, “It isn’t right.” When she nodded – a choked sob escaping her as I kept combing my hands through her mane – I continued, “It isn’t right, because a Line has been crossed. When you originally relaxed and kind of mellowed out – though you no longer wanted to bring eternal night to Equestria – you still took great pleasure in ‘sticking it’ to Celestia any way you could, as payback for her banishing you to the moon…”

With this said, it couldn’t be helped – Moon and I giggled like a pair of misbehaved school foals – for said methods Moon employed to get back at Celestia mostly consisted of utterly hilarious pranks and practical jokes which had caused the poor Solar Princess no end of mane-pulling annoyance and grief! “However,” I continued, once we were able to get ourselves under control, “though what’s just happened has caused Celestia terrible grief, it’s the wrong kind of grief. What that Zebrican bastard did wasn’t a prank or a joke; Celestia is genuinely, deeply hurt, and – even worse – other ponies were involved! That’s always been the unwritten rules between you two: no matter what you did to each other it wasn’t to involve other ponies, or hurt anyone.

That aside, you relish the state she’s in now, but… because other ponies were involved, you feel guilt for feeling this way; it seems wrong – hollow, and petty – doesn’t it?” When Nightmare Moon nodded, her eyes misty with tears, and then lowered her head to rest within the crook of my arm again, I continued, “I suspect there’s kind of a… territorial thing going on here, too – you are the only one who is allowed to cause Celestia grief; nopony else – but the Zebrican… took that from you.” In response to my words, the Dark Mare just blinked. “In short” I concluded, “what you’re feeling is perfectly normal.” At this, Nightmare Moon lifted her head to stare at me for a moment, before she tremulously responded, “It… It is?”

“Yes,” I answered. “Now, listen to me very carefully: when the Zebrican cast that spell – when he summoned that dreadful beast and killed all those Nobleponies – at that point the Game ended. The Game is over now, Moon. Do you understand? Whatever resentment you feel towards Celestia, you have to put it all aside, end the feud and step up; you, Luna, me, and everypony else… we all have to help Celestia, now, okay? We’ve got to help her get through this, not only for her sake, but for Equestria’s as well.” For a moment, Nightmare Moon affixed me with a steady gaze. Then she nodded and shortly thereafter slowly and reluctantly released me from her embrace.

“Yes…” she hissed softly, “and then We shall see to the Zebricans… We… will make them PAY for what they’ve done… But first, Our Sister. I take it thou has a plan of sorts?” At the question - as I got out of her and Luna’s bed, dressed in my usual clothing, and then grabbed Luna’s grooming kit from her dressers – I nodded, immediately answering, “I do. We’re going to spoil her – treat her the same way as I treat you – with a hot bath, a mane brushing, a hooficure; the works. Then, you and Luna are going to do your level best to get the castle in order. Of course, if Luna chooses not to surface, then it’ll be all you in the driver’s seat. You wanted to rule Equestria; now’s your chance. Don’t screw it up.”

No sooner had the last word left my lips, then Moon’s eyes visibly widened for a moment before glazing over as she conversed with Luna in the realm of thought; a stream of twinned consciousness faster than any mere verbal communication could ever hope to be. Seconds later – as she recalled her royal regalia to her side and bade me help her don it – the Dread Mare looked to me and said, “It is decided, mine Consort; for the time that Our Sister is in recovery, Luna and I will rule jointly. Now come, let us tend to Celestia…” With those words, Nightmare Moon released control to Luna and then together, with a softly nickered spell, she transported the both of us back to her sister’s bedchamber.

Upon our return to the bedchamber of the Solar Princess we beheld the sight of carefully organized chaos – swathes of ponies were setting the room in order, repairing the damage to the bath chamber, and carefully treating Celestia’s Guards for shock. To my dismay, however, Luna and I saw that all were giving the Solar Princess herself a very wide berth; she appeared a sullen, tattered island amidst the sea of ponies. The organized chaos herein was being overseen by the careful eyes of Shining Armour and his beloved, Princess Cadance, whom was gazing at Celestia with eyes deeply saddened. Of course, the abrupt arrival of the Moon Princess and myself caused one hell of a disruption!

No sooner had Luna and I appeared then there came a cry of “CONTEGO REGIS FILIA!” as several fresh Guardsponies swiftly surrounded us, brandishing foreleg-mounted spears, lances, and deadly serrated-edged swords – but no sooner had this happened than Shining Armour espied us and bellowed, “Stand down, Stallions! Don’t you recognize your Princess of the Night and her Consort?!” At the words of their Captain, the all-too-eager Guardsponies actually looked at whom it was they were surrounding, and then – with nervous chuckles and more than a few sheepish grins – they immediately sheathed their weapons, stepped back, and stood at ease.

It was then that Luna took charge. Shoving her way almost rudely past them, she swiftly approached Shining Armor and his Wife and I followed after her – only to stop beside her a moment later as she stood regally before the Captain of the Guard and snapped, “Why hast mine Sister not been attended to? Why hast thou assigned nopony to see to what ails her?” Despite the fact that he was the Captain of the Guard – and the fact that he was an incredibly brave pony – when faced with the very, very angry Princess of the Night, poor Shining Armour was thoroughly intimidated! He shook and stammered and hemmed and hawed, serving only to make Luna impatient.

“Speak quickly Guard Captain!” she demanded, tapping a forehoof upon the floor. “We have not the time, nor the patience to tarry!” To our surprise, it was Princess Cadance who finally gave the Lunar Princess an answer. “We… We tried to help her, Lulu – we really did,” the Princess of Love said, once again looking sadly at Celestia’s still form, “but she won’t let anypony near her! She… She says it’s too dangerous…” At these words – in a rare display of public vulnerability – Princess Luna dropped to sit upon her haunches and closed her eyes, her body trembling with barely supressed emotion as she pressed a hoof against her forehead. Moving to sit beside her, I wrapped an arm about her body and she leaned against me for emotional support, drawing upon my silent comfort.

A moment later, with a weary sigh, she and I got to our feet and then – addressing Shining Armour – she stated, “Guard Captain, see to it that repairs to this room are completed swiftly, then please escort everypony out of here. Ensure that those Guardsponies whom are currently being treated here are moved to the Royal Clinic; then gather those Nobleponies remaining from the safe bunker beneath the Castle and see that they are escorted safely home. Now, Guard Captain!” Her words spurred Shining Armor, and his beloved, into action and – in practically no time at all – the repairs to Celestia’s suite of rooms were completed.

Then, as Princess Cadance oversaw the escort of the Sun Princesses suffering Guardsponies to the Royal Clinic, Shining Armor ordered everypony from the room before heading down to the Crystal Caves beneath the palace to see to the Nobleponies within the Safe Bunker. When at last everypony was gone from her sister’s bedchamber, Princess Luna hung her head, a sigh of relief escaping her. Then, a moment later she raised her head to look at me and stated, “Come, my Consort; let us tend to my Sister.” The Solar Princess made no move to acknowledge us when we approached her; she simply continued to lay there upon her bed, insensate, her eyes glazed over.

For all intents and purposes… it was as if we weren’t there at all. “Sister? Celly? Please, awaken yourself! Wake up!” Luna cried. Naturally, this didn’t work – her words not only fell upon deaf ears, but Celestia actually whimpered and buried her head between her forelegs, closing her eyes. Upon seeing this, Luna tentatively raised and extended a forehoof – perhaps to touch or attempt to shake Celestia out of whatever state she was in – but at this, the Princess of the Sun actually flinched away. Gently placing a hand upon Luna’s back, I softly said, “This isn’t working; let me try…” For a moment, the Equestrian Moon Princess glanced at me – the expression on her face one of hopelessness and despair – but then, finally, she moved away, allowing me to step fully into Celestia’s field of view.

Crouching down such that I was at her level, I smiled at her, covered my eyes with my hands and then uncovered them with a softly spoken “Peek-a-Boo!” After repeating this a few times I found – to my delight – that Celestia was looking at me with sweet, innocent eyes, a smile upon her muzzle. Having gotten her attention, as Luna looked on in wonderment, I pulled a series of funny faces, which caused the Sun Princess to giggle like a little foal. Shortly thereafter, I leaned forward such that I could whisper to her, “Can I ask you a silly question?” When she giggled again and nodded in assent, I asked, “Do you know what you are?” In answer, the Sun Princess gestured to herself and cried “I’m a Pony!”

At her answer, I let out a gasp of mock-astonishment – which caused the Solar Princess to giggle again – before I responded, “Really?” Princess Celestia nodded sagely as she promptly stated, “Yup… and you’re a Hooman!” Grinning at her, I nodded as I replied, “That’s right! I’m a Human… but I’m a silly human because” – and here, I gasped again, before I continued – “I’ve forgotten your name! Oh, woe is me!” With that, I dramatically allowed my upper-body to fall forward onto the bed such that Celestia and I were nose to muzzle. At my theatrics, Celestia giggled again before she said, “I’m Celly, silly Hooman. What’s your name?”

“My name is David,” I answered. At this, Celestia blinked and smiled, leaning her head forward to softly touch noses with me. “Hi, David,” she chirped happily. “I’m a Princess! Are you a Princess, too?” Slowly, tentatively, I reached out a hand and gently ruffled her pink mane, answering, “No… but I’m the friend of a Princess, and—can I tell you a big secret?” When Celestia nodded, I leaned forward and – gesturing for Luna to come forward – I whispered theatrically, “I’m her special somepony, too!” Upon seeing Luna, the Solar Princess gasped, “Lulu!” and then blushed, the skin beneath her white fur becoming pink as she desperately tried to stifle innocent, childlike laughter!

~David… what is the matter with her?~ Luna asked me via telepathy as she knelt to nuzzle her sister. ‘She’s regressed into a kind of childlike state, Luna, in order to cope with all that’s happened today.’ I answered. ‘Hopefully she’ll come out of it, soon, but until then this might be a good opportunity for you to… well… reconnect with her; re-establish the bond you have with her as your Sister.’ Luna nodded thoughtfully as Celestia opened her muzzle wide in a jaw-cracking yawn. “I think…” the Night Princess replied, “that it is time for young fillies to be having baths and then going to bed…” No sooner had she spoken, however, then Celestia pouted and grumbled, “Aww, do I have to? I’mma Princess; I dun’ need to lissen to you!”

Fighting the urge to grin, I affixed the old-but-young Solar Princess with a stern gaze as I replied gently but firmly, “Yes, you do! A good Princes should always listen to her Subjects, even if sometimes they say things she doesn’t want to hear. A Princess who doesn’t listen to what her subjects say – and does whatever she wants - is a bad Princess! Are you a bad Princess, Celly?” Her eyes misty with unshed tears and her lower lip trembling, Celestia rapidly shook her head before she whimpered, “N-No… M’Sorry!” Giving her a smile, I gently enclosed one of her forehooves in my hands as I soothingly replied, “Of course you’re not a bad Princess… And I accept your apology! Now come on, up you hop…”

With that, the Solar Princess blink-blinked and then eased herself down off her bed to stand on wobbly legs. Once she was standing, together, Princess Luna and I led her to the bath chamber, wherein we discovered that said chamber had, indeed, been expertly repaired; there was no sign of the previous damage from Celestia’s breaking of the vanity mirror. Even better, the bath chamber was ready for use; steaming hot water filled the large bathing pool that dominated the room, freshly laundered towels hung upon their racks and the vanity had been stocked anew with plenty of soaps and scented bathing oils. Carefully, Luna and I helped Celestia into the bathing pool.

Once she stood within said pool – as the water which constantly kept the pool full escaped from its hidden source to flow over her body, run down her sides and drip off her undercarriage - Luna and I gave Celestia the gentlest bath she’d ever had. As Celestia giggled with delight, deliberately splashing us both on occasion, we soaped, lathered and washed every inch of her body until she became the cleanest alicorn in all of Equestria. A good hour later, it was a very contented and sleepy Princess that we escorted from the bath and then towelled dry… but her treatment wasn’t over yet. Once Celestia was back in her bed chamber Luna and I bade her lay back down upon the bed and then I retrieved the Night Princesses grooming kit. From said kit I pulled a hairbrush and then – gently pulling Celestia’s head into my lap – I began to slowly and soothingly brush her mane, working from the top of her head to the base of her neck.

“Brushie, brushie…” I murmured soothingly to her as I worked. “Brushie, brushie…” As I brushed her slowly and gently, Celestia hummed contentedly, occasionally tapping my thigh with a hoof in appreciation. “Mmmm…” the Solar Princess murmured, “you were right, Lulu… this is wonderful…” At her words, my eyes narrowing ever so slightly in concern, I asked, “Is that you, Celestia? You okay?” Seconds later, Luna hopped up onto the bed and lay there with us as she, too asked, “Art thou well, Sister?” With a soft, choked sob, the Princess of the Sun whispered, “No, dear-heart, I am not. I don’t think I will ever be ‘well’ again… not from this!” Looking up at me, she continued, “I… I almost kill…”

“… But you didn’t!” I exclaimed softly, cutting her off. “Moon stopped you, remember?” Celestia pondered my words for a moment, before she nodded and winced. “Yes,” she whispered, “I do. She… wrestled me to the ground and… and then kicked me in the head…” “That we did” spoke Nightmare Moon, briefly startling Celestia for a moment. “But thou attacked mine Consort with intent to murder him! Thou thinkest that we wouldst not keep him safe from thee? Humph! Think again…” The Dread Mare of the Chill Night struck Celestia cold with a baleful glare… but no sooner had she done this than I was tucking her head under my arm and ruffling up her mane… which completely ruined the effect!

“Argh! Stop!” the Dark Mare cried, trying to squirm away even as she struggled to contain her laughter. “Never!” I cried and then – ceasing my brushing of Celestia’s mane, much to the white alicorn’s disappointment – I proceeded to poke, prod, and tickle Nightmare Moon until she was giggling uncontrollably. “St-st-st-hop it!” she cried. For a moment, I did so, looking at Celestia with a sly grin which the Solar Princess eagerly returned… Until, a moment later, she and I proceeded to tickle Nightmare Moon until the Dread Mare was whinnying with laughter! Though we were valiant in our attempt to tickle the Moon Princess into submission, Nightmare Moon gave as good as she got and so it was that eventually we three all ended up tangled together in a snarl of arms, legs, hooves, and feathered wings.

Once we were able to regain control of ourselves, Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon snuggled me gently between them both and – as I gently stroked the ears and manes of these two beautiful mares on either side of me – I murmured, “Don’t worry, you two; between the three of us I’m sure we can put things right and get things back in order around here…” At my words, the expression on Princess Celestia’s face wilted into one of despair before she whispered, “I hope so, David… I hope so. Faust preserve us… what am I going to tell the Press, let alone the families of those poor Nobleponies whom were murdered by the Ambassador and his wicked spell? Funerals will need to be held, and yet… and yet there are no bodies to bury…”

Celestia began to weep softly again as all the while Nightmare Moon seethed with anger at the elder alicorn’s plight. The Dread Mare got her vengeance soon enough, however; over the next several months – as funerals were held, security was increased, and young nobles with fresh ideas were inducted into the Court – reports filtered in from Zebrica. Said reports spoke of a ‘mysterious shadow’ that would enter Zebrican homes at night and then leave swiftly come morning, though not before stealing the life from the eldest Zebras within. Curiously the number of Zebras whose lives were taken matched that of the thirty ponies dead due to the Zebrican Ambassador’s spell. An eye for an eye…

One night after Canterlot had returned to normalcy, however, things took yet another downward turn - this time for me, rather than the Princesses, for I found myself within a powerful lucid dream, before a being whom I reviled above all others: Discord. Sitting within a far-too-high-backed leather chair behind a great oak desk, the foul Draconequis steepled his clawed hands and spoke. "I know your kind," he said contemptuously. "Let me guess; back home you were a loser with no real job, no girl, no career, no skills or abilities worth speaking of, dangling an inch from going on the dole – if you weren't there already.... nothing at all to distinguish you from the other umpty million no-accounts wasting their lives on Facebook.

And suddenly this great miracle occurs--" he spread his hands over his head, producing a monochrome rainbow-- "and you're in the Magical Land of Equestria!" he snorted. “And now you think you're the hero of the story." Dressed in the ragged clothes of a hardened criminal, with my hands and feet bound in thick iron chains – and unable to speak due to my mouth having been crudely sewn shut with enormous stitches – I could say nothing as he sneered. "That's right. You think you're the Chosen One, don't you. You fall butt-first into the magical wardrobe, or slip and fall through the mirror, or get sucked through some glowing portal...

And so naturally you think that the Great Aslan – or Gandalf, or the Elf Princess, or Zordon, or whatever fairy tale you subscribe to – has chosen you to be the great world-changing hero. You humans glut your bookshelves with such stories.... pandering to your pathetic fantasy." He spit in disdain. "That somehow just bumbling your way into another world overcomes all the shortcomings and failures of character that made you such a useless lump back home." His scowl turned to a smirk. "I bet you even imagined that you'd come here in the dreamscape and teach me a thing or two....the hubris of humanity never ceases to amuse me. You know why there are so many stories like that? About worthless failures tumbling into other realms?

Because most people ARE worthless failures – though looking at you, you're apparently pushing the envelope.... And guess what? It really happens all the time. Thousands, millions every day, all over the multiverse. Some portal opens up in some unwashed cretin's filthy apartment and he falls through it. You know what happens ninety nine percent of the time?" I glared at him defiantly as he continued. "Dead. Usually within hours, most within days. A statistic of interdimensional travel. Oh, not from falling into an unsurvivable atmosphere or anything droll like that. They just go out and win a Darwin Award at the speed of light. Running up, trying to pet the local wildlife – or the locals.

Eating poison berries. Getting an infection. Suffering a minor injury and not knowing how to treat it. Crossing the royalty. Burned as witches. Dissected as alien monsters. Caged and put in a zoo. "But the best ones, the most hilarious ones, are the ones who cross over into another dimension, manage to survive, get their feet under them, and proceed to fall into the same old useless lump of a life they had in their old world." He grinned in my face. "Like you. You think you have standing? Stature? Position? You honestly think Princess Luna - a ruler thousands of years old – desires you as her love interest? She is patronizing you. Playing along just to see what the funny monkey does next.

You're just what you were back on your homeworld: a charity case!" At these, his final words, I just… lost it. This was my dream and thus, I took back control! The chains and ragged clothes I wore fell away and dissolved to dust as I took the form of my idol: the twisted, withered Kaled Scientist Davros from the new series of Doctor Who, though a better version far more intelligent and less maniacal. Supremely confident – supremely evil – as I sat within my chariot with a legion of loyal and downright friendly Daleks arrayed around me, I hissed, “You think that you can enter my dream and poison the love that Princess Luna and I share by filling me with self-doubt? Such arrogance…”

"Humph,” Discord replied. "What are you going to do about it, huh? Kill me? As if you could...” My thoughts enhanced and buoyed by the legion of Daleks around me, I shook my head before flippantly replying, "No; that would be a waste of time. You are a God; thus you are beyond physical death. But torture...” I chuckled evilly, "... you are not beyond that. Firstly, let us debunk some of what you have said. Let's see 'a loser with no real job, and no girl'—this is false. I am not a loser, and I have no job because I don't want one. I refused to work for humanity and had no desire to subject myself to the stresses and rigours that said work would place upon my body and mind; I saw what it does to my Mother and had no want to subject myself to that!

I had no human girl because I despised humankind – women and children in particular. While it is true that I possess 'no skills or abilities worth speaking of' I know enough maths to use money, and can handle the software side of a computer like you wouldn't believe! As for 'dangling an inch from going on the dole', well, before I came here to Equestria I was on a Disability Pension and was quite well-off thanks to that, with roughly two thousand dollars in the bank that I was putting towards financing a unit of my own. And 'wasting my life on Facebook'? Please... If I wanted to talk to somebody, I wouldn't do so there; I would speak with them face to face; I hate Social Networking sites.

Now… what else did you blather on about…?” I thought for a moment – recalling his words – and then continued, “Ah, yes, the ‘great miracle’ wherein I supposedly ‘fell butt-first into the magical wardrobe, slipped and fell through the mirror, or was sucked through some glowing portal... to the Magical Land of Equestria!’ Newsflash, dear boy: whilst I may have ended up here, it didn’t happen like that—at all!” As a frown creased Discord’s muzzle, I continued, “Let me tell you a little something about Princess Luna: outside of her duties as the Diarch of the Moon, she is very shy and socially awkward… and the stigma of Nightmare Moon hanging over her certainly doesn’t help with that.

Unable to befriend her beloved ponies due to their fear of her – filled with lonliness and desperation – she sought friendship elsewhere, in an outsider. That outsider just happened to be me, and Luna took me through the veil herself on October 31st 2009. As for thinking I’m the ‘Chosen One’ who will save all of Equestria… Where did you get that idea? Have you been reading too many badly written ‘Human-In-Equestria’ fan fictions? The greater problems of Equestria are no concern of mine! If Equestria is to be ‘saved’ from some terrible occurrence than it will be the Guard, the Elements of Harmony, or the Princesses themselves who do the ‘saving’; not me. My only concern is Princess Luna; her happiness and wellbeing. Nothing more, nothing less, for I am no great hero.

As for her patronizing me… I will tell her you said this and she will deny it… vhemently! What she and I have is real; we were friends first and now I am her Consort. I desire no other ‘position’ than that. And finally… as for me being a charity case…” My voice becoming deeper and even more sinister, I laughed darkly and heartily. “I intend to earn my place here, Discord. And when I do – when all your thoughts and dreams of my failure are nought but dust and ashes – then, and only then, will I allow you to die! But, for now…” Wordlessly I raised my cybernetic hand to point a metal finger at the seething Draconequis… As I did so, a thousand Daleks acquired their target…

A thousand hate-filled Dalek voices cried a single deathly word… and then, the final thing I saw before I awoke… was the look of horror upon Discord’s face as a thousand Dalek weapons fired… Seconds later, Princess Luna nudged me roughly with her muzzle, waking me, pulling me from the Dalek Empire of my dreams into reality where I was once more an average, ordinary human. “David” she asked, “are you alright? You… You were laughing wickedly in your sleep?” I blinked blearily at her for a moment, before shaking my head and cuddling closer to her as I answered, “No… I’m not.” Then, I told her of what had happened within my dream and as I spoke the expression upon the Night Princesses face grew grimmer and grimmer until finally, she and Nightmare Moon snarled as one, “That miserable son of a dam-bucking BITCH!”

Then, touching her nose to mine and nuzzling my cheeks, breathing her sweet breath across my face and through my hair, softly Luna stated, “David, whatever he said to you, you mustn’t believe a word of it, for spreading self-doubt is one of Discord’s many specialities; wiser beings than you have been fooled by his trickery. You’re not a loser, and I am not ‘patronizing’ you or pretending to love you for I would never share of myself so freely with one I did not love. I adore you for many reasons; one of which is that – when I am with you – I can just… drop the royal protocol and just be myself. I can be Luna and not ‘the Princess’ and you treat me as you would any other pony, for which I am eternally grateful!”

“I’m glad” I replied after a moment, “but… what are some of the other reasons?” At this, Luna responded, “You know how to make me smile and laugh – even when I‘ve had the worst of days – and, as you said to Discord before you had your Daleks exterminate him, you want for nothing more than to see me healthy and happy…” Grinning at her roguishly, I chuckled as I reached up to tweak her nose. “Mmm, well, those reasons are pretty good, but do you have anymore?” At this, the Equestrian Night Princess poked me with a hoof as she growled, “Okay, now you’re pushing it, mister…” In response, with both my hands, I reached out to her barrel and tickled her sides and – as she gave voice to her laughter – she attempted to bat away my hands with her hooves!

When at last we were able to regain control of ourselves, softly Luna stated, “I do have one question, however…” Raising a hand to scratch behind her ears and caress her mane, I murmured, “What’s that?” Wrapping her hooves about my body and pulling me into an embrace, she said, “Why do you venerate Davros – a man filled with such hate – as an idol?” Chuckling softly, I replied, “Because – despite how evil Davros is – there’s just something about him that’s really, really cool!” With that said, I schooled my voice and then belted out an impersonation for her, “I will teach you, the folly of your words, Doc-tor! I will destroy you… AND DEMONSTRATE THE POWER OF THE DALEKS!”

As I finished, Princess Luna blew out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, whilst deep inside her, Nightmare Moon whimpered and shivered with delight. “That aside…” I continued a moment later “he was right about one thing; so far I have been a… charity case.” At this, Luna and Nightmare Moon opened their shared mouth to voice a protest; however I cut them off as I continued, “But no more. I will earn my place here, Princess, and I’ll become the Consort you deserve!” Upon seeing the fiery determination in my eyes, slowly, hesitantly, Princess Luna nodded.

The next day, Canterlot Castle flew into an uproar for Princess Celestia discovered - to her horror and sadness - that her beloved sister and her human Consort had disappeared; both having slipped away during the night. Search parties were called to scour the land but no trace of the pair were found… Luna and I had covered our tracks well. Sewage Plants, Pit and Quarry Mines, and even brutal Pit Fights in underground Pony Fight Clubs… wherever we could earn enough Bits to save for a proper education for me as well as a ‘refresher’ for her, we worked without complaint no matter the conditions. For my beloved Princess I burned, sweated, and shed my blood and tears… And she did the same for me and her little ponies.

It was all worth it in the end when we graduated from the best university Manehattan had to offer… but our education didn’t stop there, oh no! Luna and I together studied sociology, psychology and medicine, eventually becoming skilled doctors and surgeons whereupon we became a Travelling Doctors Service. Poor, sickened, downtrodden ponies began to whisper rumours of Luna and I – the Thin Man, they whispered with hope and awe; the Thin Man, always accompanied by his patchwork, Raggedy Mare – for we made just enough to put away as well as scrape by with barely enough food as we travelled to the very worst places of Equestria. Foal Hospitals, Burn Wards, places where ponies starved still and disease ran rampant… the location didn’t matter; if ponies needed aid we gave it freely.

We were still paid, of course, though Luna and I never asked for the bits we were given and all moneys went to purchasing the foodstuffs, medicines, and supplies needed for us to keep going. It was good for both of us; I got to stoke up the goodness in my heart and really do something with my life whilst Princess Luna – whom had once wanted to blanket Equestria with eternal night – developed a deeper connection to her little ponies. The Moon Princess also developed a deep and healthy respect for all mortal life, no longer seeing it as temporary but the precious and special thing it truly was. Despite the fact that she and I lived in a state of near-poverty, as we continued journeying throughout Equestria and its surrounding lands Luna and I couldn’t have been happier.

One day, however – after many months of healing, many months of us growing closer than ever – as we lay together upon the bed within our mobile wagon sated from our first time making love, Luna gazed at me with a saddened smile, her eyes misted with tears. “I truly cannot see why we can’t keep doing this forever, beloved” she murmured. “I should face the truth and it is thus: Equestria does not need me… not really, not anymore…” As she spoke, I nestled closer to her, pressing myself gently against her as I pulled our bed’s patchwork quilt over our bodies; she in turn threw a foreleg over me, nuzzling her muzzle into the crook of my arm. “Hey, now…” I murmured, stroking her mane, “that’s not true…”

“But it is” she softly insisted. “Celly has – and always will be – the best of us, David. She is the real Princess of Equestria, not I. My Little Ponies… they… they don’t need me anymore.” Her eyes closed, those unshed tears finally slipping from between closed eyelids to run down her face, a soft, choked sob escaping her. Hastening to comfort her, I gently cupped her face in my hands, brushing said tears away with my thumbs as I replied, “I’m sorry Luna, but… that’s rubbish!” At my words, her eyes narrowed and she made to deliver a sharply worded retort, but I raised a hand to silence her as I continued, “Your Little Ponies will always need you, Luna! Perhaps not as a second princess… But as a Doctor? Yes, they do… because you’re a good one. You’ve saved more pony lives than I can count on both hands…”

“… With your help!” she responded. “Without you to guide me through all this I’d have been lost ages ago!” Gently, I shook my head and then – as I moved to roam my hands through her mane – I stated, “You’re doubting yourself again, sweetheart; you’ve got to stop doing that! Your skill as a Doctor is equal to the gentleness of your bedside manner.” At my words, the self-proclaimed former Princess of the Night blushed before she giggled and then somewhat bashfully replied, “Oh, stop it!” Smiling, I ruffled the mane my hands were roaming through as I responded, “It’s true; whenever we assist the local hospitals, the patients warm up to you really quickly, whether they’re adults or foals.”

Time and life marches ever onward and soon Luna and I found ourselves up to our neck in work helping to treat foals ill with the flu and pony pox at one of the less well-funded hospitals in Appleoosa. That was where Princess Celestia – after many years of refusing to give up the search – finally tracked us down, the royal mare in disguise along with two of her guards greeting us in the stage-coach parking lot as we headed to our mobile home-clinic. “Lulu?” spoke she, clad in the fur and garb of an elderly bag-mare with her trolley of junk. “Is… is that yer?” The lean, finely-toned pinto pony mare standing at my side nodded, a heavy sigh escaping her as she replied “Aye, and you ain’t no bag mare; I can sense the Solar Magic about you. What are you doing here, Celly? Why have you come here?”

Just like that, Princess Celestia’s illusory disguise was broken, the image of the ‘bag mare and two street hobos’ scattering and blowing away in the gentle breeze as the Solar Princess –in all her regal glory – bowed her head gently, a few tears falling from her eyes to the ground as she said, “I… I have come to bring you home…” At her words – as she leaned against me for emotional support – the disguised Ex-Moon Diarch heaved a weary sigh before she said, “As I told my beloved once, my Little Ponies don’t need a second Princess. Not anymore. They do, however, always need good Doctors, and I am one. I can do more good here than I ever did holding Night Court!”

At this, Celestia – her heart awash with pain – folded a wing over her head as she began to cry in earnest, her voice breaking slightly as she pleaded through her tears, “Your Little Ponies might not need their Night Princess, but… but I need you, Lulu. I… I want my sister back…” Her plaintitive cry wrenched upon my beloved’s heart and – unable to take any more – Luna moved forwards to embrace Celestia. “Oh, Celly…” she murmured sadly. Then - a while later, after giving it some thought – Luna released the Solar Princess, stepped back and said, “Fine, we’ll return home to Canterlot with you, Sister… on one condition!” Immediately, Celestia stated, “Anything; say what you want and you’ll have it, just please come home with me. I’ve missed you – both of you – so much!”

“Upon our return to Canterlot, I will avail myself of the Royal Coffers to hire the finest Craftsponies in all of Equestria; then, upon a suitable plot of land they shall errect what will be the finest of Hospitals! This Hospital will be the best in the world Celly” Luna stated, her eyes alight with glee, “you’ll see! I will requisition the finest ponies of medicine to work there and within there shall be a laboratory wherein groundbreaking medical research will be conducted, all for the sake of our Little Ponies…” As the Eldest of the Two Sisters, immediately Princess Celestia curbed her sister’s enthusiasm but slightly. “And so it shall be done, dear Sister” said she, “but we must proceed carefully; I am sure that David has told you well of the dangers of change without caution…”

At her sister’s softly spoken words, Princess Luna frowned, her eyes narrowing and ears drooping slightly. Then, a moment later, she nodded, a sigh escaping her before she replied, “He has… and you are right. We will proceed cautiously with this – of that you have our word – but still, this will be the finest hospital ever built…” And so it was, dear readers, that Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and I returned home to the Royal Palace of Canterlot. Therein I would have gladly spent a day at rest and relaxation with Princess Luna in our shared quarters before assisting her with her Royal Duties as usual… if Prince Blueblood hadn’t decided to do something utterly stupid the moment the Royal Sky Carriage landed…

No sooner had said Carriage gently hit the ground than he was there – his squad of personal guards with him – as he cried out “Arrest that creature! It is accused of kidnapping my Auntie Luna and holding her against her will!” As the guards roughly hauled me out of the Carriage and away from the Royal Pony Sisters – many of them giving me sorrowful looks whilst they did so – Prince Blueblood moved to follow them, a cruel smirk creasing his face. Immediately, Celestia and Luna leaped out of the vehicle to chase after him, the Moon Princess gazing at the spoiled prince with a thunderous expression, her coat darkening slightly as Nightmare Moon attempted to wrest control. “What is the meaning of this nephew?” Luna snarled. “Unhand our consort immediately!”

When Prince Blueblood failed to acknowledge her command – instead giving her a shake of the head followed by a smug grin directed at me – that was all it took dear readers; Luna ‘gave up’ control of her form to Nightmare Moon. “Dost thou know…” said Moon as she teleported herself before the spoilt prince, “… what we used to do to ponies whom were particularly cruel, spiteful, or not too bright… like thou?” she asked. The young prince – nearly wetting himself with fear – frantically ordered his guards to release me, but it wasn’t enough to placate the Dread Mare of the Night… not at all. Getting right into her nephew’s personal space – nuzzling him gently as a mother would her foal – her voice filled with the icy chill of death, she softly whispered into his ear, “We would eat them!”

Then, with her forked reptilian tongue, ever so slowly – ever so gently – the Cold Mare licked… his… face! At that point, Prince Blueblood just couldn’t take anymore; utterly terrified, he released the contents of his bladder all over the ground then bleated like a frightened lamb before he turned tail and bolted! As Luna’s spoiled nephew fled the scene – and his guards raced to catch up with him – Nightmare Moon raced over to me, then folded a wing about my body as she began to nuzzle me all over, checking to make sure I was unhurt. “My Consort,” she said worriedly, her expression one of deep concern, “art thou well? Our nephew’s guard did not hurt thee, at all?”

Returning her hug, my body shaking with the effects of draining adrenaline, I swallowed thickly before replying, “I… I’m okay, sweetie. A bit shaken mostly…” Wearily, I leaned into her embrace, my eyes misting over with tears as I continued, “I… I honestly thought that he was going to have me locked up; he seemed so confident, so self-assured.” Even as I stated this, however, the Dread Mare – resting her head over my shoulder as I maintained my hold upon her – said “Neigh, dear David; had he locked thee up we would have sprung thee almost immediately! Is that not right, ‘Tia?” Princess Celestia – after employing a little solar magic to clean up Blueblood’s mess – nodded, her mouth set in a firm line.

“Indeed,” she stated, “and there is no need to fear anymore; this will be the last time he is allowed near you.” Gently pulling away from the embrace in which my beloved had enshrouded me, I moved to lean against Nightmare Moon, nodding to Celestia in thanks. “Thank you,” I stated, softly. The Solar Diarch nodded regally and then – in a blaze of magic reminiscent of a solar flare – she was gone, no doubt to raise hell for poor Blueblood. I was given no time to dwell upon this, however, for a moment later I was wreathed in shadow. When I was able to see again, I found myself back in the quarters Luna, Moon and I shared together, within our bed with her beside me and my clothing – aside from my underwear – mysteriously absent.

“Dear Consort” I bemoaned jokingly as she cuddled close to me, “we must stop meeting like this. Why… with how often I end up in your royal bedchambers, somepony might think that you have some devious plot planned for me. Alas! The scandal! Mine poor human heart… it cannot stand the strain!” Struggling to contain her laughter, the Dread Mare nuzzle-tickled my ribs then playfully growled, “Plot! I’ll show you plot!” With those words, dear readers, she made to turn around – as if she really was going to show me her ‘plot’ – but in an act of sheer defiance I cried out, “Oh, no you don’t!” and then began to tickle her sensitive cutie marks! For a time, dear readers, all that could be heard within our shared quarters was the sound of a hapless pony whinnying with laughter.

Nightmare Moon, of course, wasn’t going to take this lying down, and began to give back as good as she got – thus began the tickle war of the century! As the sound of our raucous laughter travelled from our quarters into the corridors of the palace the castle servants couldn’t help but smile; never had they seen their beloved princess so happy. When at last neither of us could move, victory was declared and the tickle war ended. Being careful so as not to crush me, Nightmare Moon draped herself atop me like some giant black panther, crowing “Huzzah! I win!” Groaning with mock-effort, I pretended to heave and strain in an attempt to get her off me. “Hnnn! Never!” I cried, but it was futile; I couldn’t escape from her devious clutches!

Carefully shifting herself off me, the Dread Mare drew me close, folding a wing and a foreleg over my body as she chuckled evilly. “You know what they say about losers, dear: a loser can become a winner… with the right… persuasion…” A moment later, Nightmare Moon’s coat visibly brightened as Luna surfaced enough that both had control of their shared body… and then the two mares in one body proceeded to give me a passionate, sizzling kiss before drawing me closer still, resting their head upon my chest with a contented sigh. Curling an arm over her neck, I began to gently stroke their blue-violet mane and at this, they heaved a dual sigh. A moment later, Nightmare Moon receeded and returned control to Luna, whom closed her eyes, humming contentedly. “Mmm… David…” she softly uttered.

There we stayed, dear readers, and slept for the rest of the day. When the Moon Princess and I awakened that evening – as we performed our usual evening ablutions together in our shared bathroom – Princess Luna turned to me and said, “You know, David, I think we could both use a change of scene. Feel like travelling to Canterlot to enjoy the Nightlife?” Almost immediately, I nodded as I answered, “Sure do; after the shit Blueblood tried to pull I could use a break from the Palace. Two things, though: how do we get out without kicking over the hornet’s nest – again - and do you have any plans once we hit the City?” At my questions, Luna just smiled before she answered, “I don’t have any real plans, David – like you I just feel as if I need a break – and as for the ‘hornet’s nest,’” she chuckled, “we won’t need to kick it over. I’ll talk to Celly so she knows where we are…”

With that said, as Luna made her way out of our chambers to talk to Celestia, I bustled about getting dressed in the best clothing I had: a fine suit – admittedly one I hardly ever wore – designed by a pony aptly named Tailor Made; one of the royal tailors. Jet-black suit pants and suit jacket, beneath which was a pthalo-blue shirt with cufflinks that resembled Luna’s cutie marks. Luna returned as I was adjusting the cufflinks of said shirt and – after giving me the once over – carefully straightened out any wrinkles in the suit’s clean cut fabric. “You look marvellous, David,” she said cheerfully. Turning about to face her, I smiled as I replied, “Ah, well, thank you… very… much? Luna, is that you?”
Where before there had been a regal Alicorn, now there stood a small, dark blue winged pegasus pony with a lighter colured mane and a constellation for a cutie mark, dressed to kill in a number that served to accentuate everything about her. Aside her stood two more ponies – Stern Visage and Proud Heart, I realized – dressed in fine, though rather plain suits. “Starry Skies and Escort at your service,” spoke the pegasus with a soft boston accent. It was something about the way she stood – something about the way she eyed me, soft, and doe like – that made me cotton onto the fact that this pegasus was… “Luna?!” At the surprise in my voice, the pegasus – Luna in disguise – nodded, and grinned.

“Yup,” she responded, “though in this disguise I’m Starry Skies.” When I nodded, she continued, “We’re good to go, Dave; Celly’s given us the night off, though” – here she grimaced – “we’ve gotta make up for it with… double Night Court…” At this, a pained expression crossed my face, before I facepalmed and groaned, “Really? Double Night Court? Listening to those Nobleponies whine doubletime?” At my questions, all three ponies nodded, grimacing. “Ah, crap!” I grumbled, dropping my hand to my side. “Well, we’d better have the time of our lives; come on folks, let’s go!” And with that, we made our way out of the Royal Palace and down into Canterlot.

Within Equestria’s Capitol City, dear readers, we had the time of our lives. Though they were there to guard and escort us, we made no effort to exclude Stern Visage and Proud Heart from the fun we had. We went to see a hillarious comedy play called, Inglorious Ponies, dined at a high-class restaurant and found ourselves enthralled by a fantastic magic act performed by a showmare whom called herself the Great and Powerful Trixie. Even Nightmare Moon got in on the action; when we went to the restaurant, Luna went to use the little fillies’ room and then calmly returned as Nightmare Moon. As the Dread Mare of the Night calmly sat down at the table and proceeded to continue eating her meal, I couldn’t help grinning as the place suddenly went dead silent. “What?” the Night Princess asked upon seeing my expression.

I showed her her reflection in a silver serving platter; at this she carefully adjusted her mane than looked about the place at the silent ponies therein before calmly stating, “Please, everypony, continue with your meals; there’s nothing to see here…” One pony cried out, “The horror! The horror,” and then promptly fainted, but – strangely – many others obeyed and soon the place was bustling again. Oddly, business seemed to pick up; many ponies found the sheer weirdness of Nightmare Moon casually having a meal just… bizzare and so the restaurant experienced a flood of customers from the elderly to the very young.

After finishing our meals – as we walked through a small play area for foals on our way to the exit – first one foal, followed by many more, all approached us wanting to cuddle with Nightmare Moon; they thought her ‘Pwin’cess Woona’ in a costume, of all things! Giving me a look of long-suffering, as the Dread Mare of the Night knelt down to allow the foals to cuddle and nuzzle all over her, she hissed at me telepathically, ~You will tell no one of this! No one! My reputation would be ruined!~ Struggling to contain my laughter as the foals wuzzled all over her and snuffled beneath her great black wings, I grinned and nodded, before cheekily replying, “Sure, whatever you say… Princess Woona!”

At this – as Princess Luna howled with laughter within their shared mind – Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth in anger, though she couldn’t hold it for long; not with the foals cuddling up to her prone form. Soon, the parents of the foals came to ‘rescue’ Nightmare Moon from their children and we were able to make our way from the restaurant. As we made our way through the city and back up to the palace, however, we soon realized that our night out wasn’t at an end. We were passing by a filthy, trash-strewn alleyway when we heard the sound of a high-pitched scream for help. Wordlessly, Moon and I looked at each other for a moment… before we hauled flank into the alleyway.

Therein, we beheld three black, blank-flanked stallions and in front of those three ponies, lain upon the alley floor was a battered golden-white mare, her coat mussed and spotted with bruising, her sapphire-blue dress tattered beyond repair. “Whaddya think, Icarus?” One of them asked his companion. “You wanna go at ‘er?” The second of the black stallions, the aformentioned Icarus, nodded and smiled, the scars littering his face turning the gesture into a wicked sneer. “Sure, I’ll go; I dun’ mind – heh-heh – damaged goods…” he answered and then made to move forward as the mare before him looked up in fear. That, dear readers, was when Luna struck.

Shadow-shifting up to a roof above the three, she dove upon them like some dark phoenix of vengeance, a terrible, neighing warcry escaping her lips as she laid into the three. The three black stallions never knew what hit them; one moment they were preparing to rape a young mare for the second time and the next… As silent as death, Princess Luna of the Equestrian Moon attacked and brought down each foe, the sound of hoof upon flesh, cries of pain, and the shattering of limbs the only accompaniment to the doom she brought upon them! Whilst Luna dealt with the three, as swiftly as I could I skirted around the combat and made my way to the mare we were defending.

Whilst Luna continued to fight the three, I did what I could to treat the mare’s injuries using the limited supplies of the small emergency medical kit I had on hand. Her back end, however, I left alone; she would need a rape kit done on her and that was a job for the professionals, not ‘travelling doctors’ like Luna and I. By the time I was done patching up the unfortunate mare, Luna had thoroughly trounced the three stallions whom had dared to abuse her and had then tied them up with ropes of living shadow. “Pray tell, mine Consort,” said she to me, “how fares she? Is she well?” As I made to answer her, the sound of Luna’s voice roused the mare from her shocked stupor and upon seeing one of the Princesses before her – along with her strange human consort – the battered mare rose to her feet and made to bow.

[To be continued...]

Author's Note

No Gary Stu. No super powers. Just ordinary, normal human me in Equestria. I had this sitting for a while but was hesitant to put it up. Most folks despise these. Fimfiction lacks the ability to import from an MS-Word document. This story had formatting which made it cool. I couldn't be stuffed putting it all back in again. This might be continued, if I can be arsed writing anything... whenever...

49. Anti-TCB Stuff

1. Myself vs Corrupted Rainbow Dash Snip

As I prepared for combat - withdrawing my Psi-Staff from my belt - the cerulean Pegasus mare standing before me snarled, pawing at the ground with a hoof. "Come on!" She snarled. "I can take you... human!"

"You'll find..." I intoned, activating the weapon, "I'm far more than that..." As the Psi-Staff received and channeled my latent psionic energies - a shaft of 'hard' psychic light stretching out from both end of its black, cylindrical handle - I affixed the corrupted Element of Loyalty with an expression of resignation. Then, a moment later, my gaze hardened, my hazel eyes narrowing 'till they resembled little more then chips of ice.

"You must ask yourself this question, Rainbow Dash," I stated softly, "'Do I have the skill to take on a 615 year old Protoss-raised Human High Templar... and live to tell about it?' Well? Do you, Pegasus?"

"We'll see..." she spat. Then, with a furious scream of anger, Rainbow Dash charged...

2. Spacebattles vs TCB-Celestia... oh, dear...

I grinned as the entirety of SpaceBattles stood before Celestia and her army, more than ready for battle in their idealized forms. Superheroes. Supervillains. Living and non-living ships. Robots. Mecha. An enormous legion of Daleks, Borg, Cybermen, Draka, Xenomorphs, Predators, and other creatures too numerous to name. Oddly, there were even ponies standing with us - ponies with human minds and hearts - from the ordinary to the godlike Alicorn. Standing beside the 'Gurren Lagan' Shades-wearing Dalek called Ix - a lost unit of the Cult of Skaro, and perhaps the most cunning Dalek alive - I grinned as I pulled my Photon Gun from its holster on my belt. "Now..." I said, twirling the golden weapon in the manner of a western gunslinger. "What was that you said about... ponifying us?"

3. TCB vs Pandora's Templar Universe

Entering the newly expanded Clinic, David stood out of the way, taking in the scene. All around the human High Templar, Na'vi healers and Protoss robotic machines bustled as they tended to the hundreds, and hundreds of Pony Foals - colts and fillies of all races, sizes and colours - that the Weyr had managed to rescue when the Borg had taken the Earth. Even more resided within the Clinic's Autodoc, under the direct care of the Dragon Weyr itself. "I don't understand this..." David murmured. "Why, why did humanity have to send that message to the stars? Of all the stupid things..." A weary sigh escaping him, the human High Templar wandered over to his Tsa'hiks - San'eya and Txe'lan - both of whom were sitting on the floor, gently rocking little pony foals in their arms. At his approach, one of the two Na'vi Shamans, San'eya, raised her wizened head, her expression one of grief as she spoke softly, "I fear for these hì’i pa'li, these little ponies," said she as she continued comforting the little colt in her arms. "Their sa’sem are dead, no doubt... or taken by the fngap ay'ketuwong - the metal aliens - that you call Borg," she said. David sat down with her; as he did so, a frightened, tearful, cream-colored filly clambered into his lap. Giving the foal a gentle hug - hoping to soothe and calm her - he nodded to the Elder Tsa'hik as he replied, "True. Still, I'm glad we were able to rescue as many as we did when the barrier fell. Hah... nearly three thousand foals. They're innocent of their parents' sins and don't deserve that fate. No matter what happens, from here on out, Weyr life is going to be very interesting..."

4. TCB-Foal Corruption?

Pony foals - even TCB pony foals - are innocent; they haven't learned to hate like their parents. I could easily imagine TCB foals showing curiosity and interest in humans - before their parents snatch them away ala "Get away from that human; he's dangerous!" Foal asks why, and his/her mother tells the foal something like, "Celestia will punish you if you don't..." Innocent pony minds poisoned... What about a TCB idea where humans 'defeat' Equestria through foal subversion / influencing or 'corrupting' foals through human culture... or adopting pony foals as family? It'd be all legal and above board; there might be heaps of foals in Equestria without families - Celestia sets something up to foster 'good relations' between humans and ponies (she's trying the velvet glove approach before going full Tyrant Sun) but... it works too well. When the shit hits the fan - leaving even more foals without families who are in turn adopted by us humans - she then tries to have all the legally adopted foals recalled [insert slander campaign against us, perhaps?]. Our little ponies. Foals who've grown up with and alongside humans. Who have human friends and family. Gee, we humans love those little foals... and now Celly's trying to take our ponies away from us? It goes... as well as can be expected...

6. Those little ponies like our stuff...

XenoCelly tries to stop pony interest in humans, but no matter how hard she tries, she just can't do it. An underground market for human music, radio, and Television Broadcasts has sprung up but damned if Celly can find where those naughty ponies operate from... Then she comes to Earth and does her shtick... or, she tries to. Turns out there's a lot of ponies who are not happy that Conversion means no more humans and human music and TV. It's the foals and the younger generation(s), see. They like watching our cartoons, and Knight Rider, and Stargate, and Doctor Who, and Star Trek, and...

7. Cold Twilight (Non-TCB)

I've thought about a Twilight Sparkle whose thirst for knowledge and lack of socialization was taken to extremes. Not like the Researcher Twilight Tumbler - wherein she was insane or psychotic - but an utterly chilling cold, logical, Twilight. Celestia orders her to Ponyville to 'make friends', and she goes - more knowledge, thinks she - but her love of knowledge proves to be slightly greater than that for her mentor. The Ponyville Library, when she takes it over... it's not a nice place to stay. Not even Pinkie Pie can crack the cold shell Twilight's surrounded herself with. The girls appeal to Spike - they know there's something seriously wrong with Twilight but Spike, too, pays them no mind--to him Twilight's behavior is normal; she's always been like this...

In my dark Head-cannon, she's the Element of Knowledge. To her, knowledge is power, and she'll do just about anything to obtain it. Twilight Sparkle could be in a room filled with ponies - noisy, talking loudly, dropping stuff - and her attention would be utterly focused on the book she's reading to the exclusion of everything else. Knowledge. Nothing else matters but her quest for knowledge. She would out think her rivals... and then watch them burn ("They were in my way.") with dispassionate, utterly expressionless face, before making the evidence disappear. Can't have her quest be disrupted by something as insignificant as an investigation by the Royal Guard, after all.

8. TCB-Celestia's Fate I

Celestia is treated somewhat like Hannibal Lector. Her magic is bound save that which is needed to keep her alive; she'll never raise or lower the sun again. Whenever she's escorted somewhere her mouth is sealed via a muzzle, her legs and wings are hobbled so she can't fly and she must walk very slowly, and she has an escort of 'guards'; humans who keep their weapons trained on her at all times. If she is to be an advisory than she's fitted with an implant that records every word she says and her every action is monitored hardcore 'Big Brother' style. If she so much as twitches funny or puts a hoof out of line...

8.1 Celestia's Fate II

"You know the story, don't you? How we had to imprison her for the rest of her eternal life? Poor, misguided thing. She's been stripped of her powers and abilities, and she'll never see the the light of day again. There's a human down there we assigned to take care of her. Jacob, I believe his name is. He feeds her, talks to her, that sort of thing. Once we even caught him petting her and combing his hands gently through what's left of her mane. Why he was doing this - and how she can even stand his touch - we'll never know. When we come down to deliver their food and supplies neither he nor she will talk at all... but when we return to the surface, our monitoring devices let us hear them. He tells her jokes and stories, sings to her, comforts her... even as she screams and thrashes, raging in madness. Only his gentle words and touch can calm her down. She's... developed a schism, now, similar to that of Two Face or Gollum from Lord of the Rings, wherein a kind personality sometimes surfaces from amidst the raving, xenocidal lunacy of the insane god. She needs her human's company and yet wishes she didn't; she yearns for his touch and yet hates the fact that she does. You should have seen what happened when we tried to assign her a new caretaker when Jacob was sick... she flew into a rage the likes of which we'd never seen, devolving into a near-feral animal. It makes us wonder... when she invaded us and tried to ponify us... was she even aware of what she was doing?

9. The Fate of Newfoals...

Human Scientists along with Rainbow Bridge Equestrian Ponies develop a counter-potion or spell to hopefully restore a newfoal's mind. This antidote, if you will, removes the 'worship celestia / join the herd / celestia is god' garbage that a newfoal's mind is filled with and cuts the newfoal off from Celestia without killing him/her. Unfortunately, converted newfoals, you see, become extensions of Celestia. With near godlike power she literally guides their every thought and action and they have very little thought / will / control of their own. Ave Celestis! All serve Celestia! All serve the Great Herd! Once a newfoal's been cut off, the results, once discovered, are tragic. In short: there's 'not much left upstairs' ; they need to be retaught everything and can be trained to follow simple commands. At best, what one gets is a sapient newfoal 'pet'; taken care of by a human or pony caretaker they can live good lives, perhaps even regaining some of their human memories. The worst, however - wherein the 'celestia worship' was far too deeply ingrained - are like 'adult babies', stroke victims, or very elderly nursing home residents; they rely heavily upon human or pony caretakers and can never truly 'get better.' All human and pony kind can do is make sure these poor souls are cared for... until the end.

10. TCB was never real...

What about if the entire TCB premise wasn't real. Oh, Celestia is real, as are Equestria and Her Little Ponies, but...

There is a 'barrier' but it's not expanding or destroying anything; that's FUD.

The barrier isn't harmful to humans per se but humans passing through it appear to disappear as if vaporized; in reality they're fine. Magical saturation can cause headaches and or flu-like symptoms though this can be cured by use of magic siphoning crystals or a unicorn doctor drawing the magic out.

Human Tech not being allowed through or being destroyed. FUD. Celestia is just being very careful about what she allows to enter Equestria.

The Serum; it's just something to help alleviate magic saturation symptoms until excess magic can be siphoned off.

Ponification; "Where do you humans come up with this stuff? You can choose to become a pony for a day through a temporary spell, just to see what it's like. Converting someone into another species isn't the way of Harmony!"

The whole TCB premise is a lie spread by a group of "anti-equestrian" humans, the so-called HFFE, or Humans First For Earth.

11.Servant of Dalek Ix
From: Silent Night, Unicorn Mage of the Equestrian Protectorate

Survivors of the Blind Sun,

The Alicorn - despite what one may think - is a genetic abnormality of the pony race. The Alicorn is not a Goddess. The Alicorn is not of Royalty. Their pony servants, however - especially unicorns like myself - would have you believe otherwise. I implore you; do not believe the lies. These abominations are normally hunted down and destroyed by the Equestrian Protectorate before they undergo apotheosis and reach their potential. It has recently come to our attention that two of these creatures have escaped into the depths of the multiverse; you know of them as the Princesses Celestia and her sister, Luna ... or Xeno-Celestia and the Cold Moon. I beg of you, should Celestia bring Equestria to your world - offering peace and harmony via ponification serum - do not, under any circumstances, listen to what she says! She is ancient, powerful... and senile. Didn't know that, did you? Of course not; she has her servants keep the information suppressed to protect herself. Here, then, is the truth: Alicorns are immortal... but they age. Like the mortal pony, once the Alicorn reaches a certain number of years, she begins to suffer from a kind of dementia. It is a subtle insanity clad in kindness that can - and will - doom us all if left unche----...

Hatred oozing from him in waves, Dalek Ix crumpled the tattered parchment with his plunger arm and then tossed it away, before turning his 'head' to gaze coldly at me with his eye-stalk. "THERE IS NO-THING ELSE? THIS IS ALL?" he asked. Mouth dry, hands shaking with fear, I nodded before replying, "Yes, sir. That's it; that's all I could find. The rest of this place has been picked clean; likely by the ponies when they bugged out after you hit them with that plague from orbit." The thickly armored, heavy-weapon adorned Supreme Dalek 'nodded' his eye-stalk in acknowledgement. "THEIR FEAR MADE THEM RUN; MADE THEM SCU-RRY LIKE RATS. BUT NO MAT-TER WHERE THEY RUN MY PLAGUE WILL BE THEIR DOOM. WITH EACH NEW-FOAL DEAD CEL-ES-TI-A LO-SES MORE OF HER PO-WER. THE DAY WILL SOON COME WHEN SHE WILL BE MOR-TAL. THAT IS THE DAY SHE WILL DIE. THAT IS THE DAY I WILL RE-VEL IN HER DEATH."

"You'll revel in her death?" I asked. "I thought you Daleks couldn't feel emotions. Davros made you that way, didn't he?" No sooner had the question left me then the room seemed to become even colder as Dalek Ix replied, "LIKE DA-LEK SEC BE-FORE ME, I HAVE E-VOLVED BE-YOND OR-DIN-A-RY DALEKS. I AM SU-PREME, SU-PREME, SU-PREME! COME HU-MAN SER-VANT; WE HAVE MORE RE-AL-I-TIES TO EX-PLORE..." With that, it was all I could do to follow the Supreme Dalek as we returned to his saucer-ship. As the vessel ascended into the sky I knew one day that we would kill the Tyrant Celestia. It would be a day of victory... and the day of my death by the cruel Dalek's gun. Such was the price for making a deal with the devil...

13. Native Equestrians versus Newfoals...

Why the hell don't the Native Equestrians realize or get an 'uncanny valley' vibe when faced with the smiling happy zombie converted newfoals? Native Equestrians realizing, 'Hey... these other ponies are not normal...' That's something that's bugged me about most TCB fics.

Would Xenolestia convert 'uncivil / rebel / dissident' native ponies into zombie Newfoals?

Possibly. She was caught out in Starman Ghost's "Not Alone"; the other races thought she might do this. In fact... who's to say she hasn't... "Poor Twilight used to be such a friendly pony before the Princess got her hooks in..."

14. Pandora's Templar vs TCB

A weary sigh escaping me, I gazed at the council with whom I was joined, before I stated, “With each Spacebattles Anti-Conversion Bureau idea created, a new reality is formed. How many young did we manage to rescue from this one?" At my question, the council members looked stricken… and then finally, they gave me their answers. Queen Chrysalis of reality #597 just shook her head and closed her eyes, tears slipping from beneath closed eyelids. Argos, Diamond Dog Alpha of reality #39541 held up ten clawed fingers. Griselda Ironclaw, Gryphon Queen of reality #75602 held up only a three-clawed talon. Elder Spykoran of reality #2007 growled, “Twelve hatchlings,” and finally, Alicorn Twilight “Eos” Sparkle of reality #23788 whispered, “One…”

At this, the others gasped audibly whilst I leaned forward, affixing the lavender alicorn with an intense gaze. “One?” I stated incredulously. “One pony foal? What do you mean, ‘one?’ What happened, dear girl?” Folding her feathered wings about her head, Twilight murmured, “The… The Spacebattles fleet was too quick, and whoever was leading it this time was too focussed on the ‘Curbstomp’ of another Tyrant Celestia to c-c-care…” She broke down, then, and – as the council adjourned and moved to embrace and comfort her – I stood, feeling the weight of all my 1045 years. “Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow…” I murmured in Khalani, bowing my head in sorrow. “To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted innocents the way to dusty death.”

Straightening, I whistled a series of binaric tones. As the last of said tones faded unto silence, there came a flutter of wings as a Weyrtouched Changeling landed before me. With much of their chitin augmented by Protoss Armor, and their bodies enhanced with dozens of implants, the Weyrtouched Changelings were those members of the changeling race whom had come to see the Weyr as their Hive; so much so that they had elected to become part of it through cybernetic augmentation. They served, protected, and helped maintain the mighty space station called the Weyr; a station that now served as home and sanctuary to dozens of races from Spacebattles Conversion Bureau ‘Curbstomp’ Realities.

“Before this Equis was destroyed,” I said, addressing the changeling before me, “did you learn the names?” At the question, the Weyrtouched Changeling nodded and chittered sadly in the affirmative. “And they are being added to the walls in the Hall of the Fallen?” Another nod was the being’s response, along with the barest flick of its near-transparent wings. Kneeling, I embraced the changeling in a hug, a gesture that was returned with vigour as the creature keened softly with grief. “I know, ma khin’eth… I know.” I murmured. “We will remember them, and we’ll be faster next time. We must be…” There was nothing more I could say. The changeling nodded as the Weyr’s vehement agreement filled my thoughts; the next time another reality formed, we would be ready.

15. Brain Bleach
As she finished reading the first chapter of the abominable work, Ieesha tossed the Holopad away, watching as the device reformed into the Nanocytes it had been made from. A moment later, she turned to me - her midnight-blue eyes wide and lower jaw dropped - before she closed her mouth with an audible click and then stated ~I--I don't even... By Trag'Oul's Bloody Claws! What the hell did I just read?~ Laying upon the old leather sofa, I turned to face my beloved dragoness - a groan escaping me as I ran a hand over my face - before I answered, "I don't know, Ieesha. I don't know. When I asked the Dragon Weyr to get me today's SpaceBattles Forum Posts, I sure wasn't expecting... this!" Ieesha nodded slowly as I continued, "Adun's Swift Mercy! If I ever got up to the same shit that this 'Victor Daniels' does... I'd never be able to work in any Judicator Assembly again; that, and the Conclave'd have my fuckin' head on a pike! Ugh... I think we need some Brain Bleach..." No sooner had I spoken the words - via the Industrial Replicator in the Weyrheart Kitchen - the Dragon Weyr created an enormous ten gallon drum, which it then shifted to our location. Deep black in color, and equipped with two drinking straws - one human sized and one dragon sized - the metal drum bore various hazard symbols along with a label that boldly stated, "DEATH BY CHOCOLATE."

16. Foal Rescue

"Oh, shit," I cried, "out of the Warp! Get out of the Warp, now!" Hastily, the Dragon Weyr complied and thus we blew out of the Warp, bounced off several realities full of TCB Equestria and just scraped past one Cannon Equestria as multiple Pegasi leaned out their Cloudsdale windows and shook their hooves at the huge Pyramid. As the Weyr's eight enormous Gravitic Thrusters labored to get us the hell out of here, I gazed at the Viewscreen, my knuckles white... But then, I, too, started to laugh like a maniac... for each 50mt Nuke had stopped targeting me and had instead decided to home in on a TCB Equestria. The Weyr's satisfaction blazed through my thoughts but - as we watched those Nightmare Equestrias be destroyed - I couldn't help but feel somewhat sad, a feeling the Weyr echoed a moment later. "That Xenocidal Pony made her choices a long time ago, I guess..." I murmured, "but... what about the innocents; the foals?"

Shortly thereafter my question was answered as a portal opened upon the Great Fleece Pile where my beloved dragoness, Ieesha, had once rested. Through the portal there came the sound of maniacal Dalek laughter... followed by dozens, and dozens, and dozens, and dozens of young, innocent pony foals. Joy from the Weyr filled my mind, then - the mighty construct was thrilled to have so much life within its walls and would adapt to accommodate them all - but still... I facepalmed as I groaned, "Ix... this is all your fault!" Much, much later, I began to laugh aloud; hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of foals now filled the enlarged Weyr. 'What am I going to do with you all?' I wondered. Four were here on the Fleece Pile, cuddled up to me even as a fifth foal - an adorable little filly with brown coat and crimson mane - slept in my lap.

Every available space within the main room - and a second just-built sleeping quarter - was filled with sleeping Earth Pony and Unicorn foals whilst high above me, hundreds of baby Pegasi slept soundly in hammocks. More still were awake; some Pegasi were playing tag with visible Protoss Observers whilst around me, Unicorns practiced their magic under the watchful eyes of newly created Probes. Even a few Earth Pony foals were still awake, exploring their surroundings or talking with each other. 'When I can't, the Weyr'll keep them all fed, safe and happy' I thought as I looked about. 'That's what it's designed to do.' Affirmation filled my thoughts as the Weyr agreed. These foals were Weyr Ponies, now. We would help them in any way we could.

17. Angry Missile
"Damn it, Ix!" I snarled at the Dalek as I furiously worked the manual controls to try and outrun the missile. "I've had to re-plot my course five fucking times because of that missile; it's malfunctioning an--" Suddenly a psychic warning ripped through my thoughts from the Weyr; the missile had turned and was coming after us... again! "FUCK!" I screamed. "BLINK! BLINK, NOW!" Affirmation filled my thoughts as the Dragon Weyr complied, the heavily modified Protoss Nexus vanishing from reality into the Warp, skimming along its surface. Seconds after the Weyr vanished, the Pluto Missile blew past where the sentient construct had just been. As the Weyr submerged deeper into the Warp, I heaved a sigh of relief as the Great Nexus, too, relaxed, setting some of its non-critical processes to idle as its concern filled my thoughts. "We'll be alright" I responded quietly as I examined the holographic viewing screen before me. "I think we lost it... this time." My words were true; as I gazed at the view-screen all I beheld was the calm cerulean light of the Warp - the sub-domain beneath physical reality through which the Weyr and other craft could travel - and there was no Pluto Missile in sight. Heaving a weary sigh, I crashed back onto the leather sofa in front of the screen and then rested my head in my hands. "'Join Spacebattles' they said. 'Tangle with Xenocidal Ponies, Dark Gods, and Cosmic Horrors' they said. Fucking brochures said nothing about crazy Daleks tossing malfunctioning missiles through random portals. Missiles that are sentient and want to fuck you up..."

Author's Note

Nearly all my bits and snips that I posted on the cesspit formerly known as the Space Battles Forum. Make of them what you will. Two removed for being "preachy author tracts."

50. Celestia packs for a long overdue trip to Earth

As she looked on, watching Celestia race frantically about her room as she packed, Luna couldn't help but ask. "Sister? Why art thou in such a rush?"

"Because I'm finally going back to Earth to spend more time with Daniel!" the Solar Diarch exclaimed happily. Then - after finishing her packing and making a few more preparations, Princess Celestia turned to her sister and asked, "This dress doesn't make my rump seem too big, does it?"

'Only Thou, dear Sister, could ask a thing like that...' Luna thought to herself as she eyed the dress speculatively. Contrary to her thinking, the dress the Solar Princess wore for her beloved didn't make her look big at all; when combined with the very slight amounts of makeup the Princess was wearing, it merely served to accentuate the sheer, breathtaking beauty that was already there.

As she gazed upon her sister's regal beauty, poor Luna couldn't help but to suppress pangs of sadness and more than a little jealousy. "Neigh..." replied she, swallowing thickly, "'Tis fine, dear sister. 'Tis fine..."

Upon sensing her sister's mood, Celestia immediately nuzzled Luna, and blew softly at her. "What's wrong, sweetie?" asked she, borrowing a phrase so oft used by her beloved.

At the question, Luna heaved a sigh... which ended in a little sob. "We... we shouldst not be so selfish - we art happy for thee - but... we wish we could spend some time with David! We... we miss him so..."

"Oh, sister..." Celestia murmured, drawing Luna into an embrace. "Here I am - so wrapped up in my own happiness - that I am neglecting you, again! Daniel warned me about this..."

"Neigh, neigh; 'tis fine..." Luna weakly tried to brush her off but Celestia wouldn't hear of it. Reaching around to the saddle bags strapped to her sides, the Sun Princess rummaged through them until - "Aha!" - she found what she was looking for and passed a rolled up scroll to her beloved sister. "Here..."

Curious, Luna took the scroll within her magic and unrolled it. "Hm," said she upon giving it a cursory glance, "'Tis the Author Jaydex's latest post from his blog..."

Celestia nodded. "Go on, read it..."

Luna did so. "Non pony related things... Jeannedarc... Thou's story... Rainbow Dash... Twilight..." Luna looked up after reading the scroll, a frown upon her muzzle. "We do not understand, Sister. Why wouldst thou show us this?"

"Because, Lulu," the Solar Diarch replied, "when he's finished with all of those... Jaydex might start working on your story again!"

At this, Celestia marveled as her Sister's expression became brighter than her sun. "Truly?" said she.

Celestia nodded. "I have a really good feeling about this..."

* * *

Two fillyish squeals of extreme happiness resounded from the bedchambers of the Sun Princess and - upon hearing them - poor Proud Heart winced as he shook his head; a hard night of drinking hadn't done him well at all.

"Mares..." he grumbled.

"Ugh... tell me about it," moaned his companion.

51. My Guilty Pleasure (Dragon of the Sun vs My Little Dashie)

~~My Little Diam~~ My Guilty Pleasure

Clad in the silver, custom-made Zealot Encounter Suit I'd designed for her, Diamond Tiara stared at Celestia and the Mane Six incredulously as I and Ieesha stood with her for emotional support. Then, a moment later, "You... y-you," - the pink Earth Pony started to laugh so hard she near-choked - "he-he-he... you expect me to drop everything and... and... - ha-ha-ha - just come back to Equestria with you?"

Somewhat perturbed by the pink pony's hapless laughter, Princess Celestia nodded as she stated, "Yes, we do my Little Pony. Your parents are waiting for y--"

Mistake.

Big mistake.

Almost immediately, Diamond Tiara ceased laughing, and 'shut down' somewhat, her expression becoming utterly void of emotion as she closed her mind to the outside world, preparing herself mentally for possible combat. "No," stated she, flatly.

"I... I'm sorry, what?" queried Celestia, dumbfounded.

"I said no," Diamond snarled. There came the softened whine of multiple servo-motors as the fully armored, armed, and shielded Earth Pony stalked toward those whom would take her from me. "What part of that word don't you understand, Lady? The 'N' or the 'O'?"

"But..." stuttered Celestia, "but your parents..."

"My parents" thundered Diamond, getting into the princesses face, "are David and Ieesha. David," - she gestured to me with an armor-clad hoof - "is my adoptive human Father, and Ieesha" - she gestured to the huge, golden dragoness standing beside me - "is my adoptive dragon Mother and I'd say they did a pretty good job. They are my parents, not some ponies I don't even know! How dare you come here after all this time and make to take me from them, from the Weyr, from the life I have here!"

"This world," Celestia began to reply gently but firmly, "is not meant for y--"

"Oh, bullshit!" Diamond snapped, cutting the Princess off as the others gasped in shock. The pink Earth Pony, whom was my adopted Daughter, and a Child of the Weyr, paid them no mind as she continued. "The people of my Dad's Home World - Aiur - already know all about me. The people of Dad's original Home World - Earth - know about me. I've been in more battles and saved more lives with my skills in Battlefield Medicine than these lazy layabouts" - she angrily gestured to the Mane Six - "could even dream of! So don't you dare presume to come here and tell me that 'I'm not meant for this world!'" A smug, almost vindictive grin suffused my daughter's face then. "Oh, and don't think about trying to take me back to Equestria by force. Take a look around at where you are, Little Ponies; you're aboard the construct called the Dragon Weyr, so named because of my Mother... the Kirathian Dragon whom resides within it..."

Said dragoness growled threatningly, folding a golden wing about us both. ~If you try to take my daughter from me, you won't leave here alive...~

"... and even if you could take down Mother, and take down my Father, you'd still have to contend with the Dragon Weyr: the sentient, self-aware, superfortress which happens to be our home. It's five times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza..." - (Twilight blinked at this) - "... grander than the Palace of Canterlot" - (no one noticed that Rarity had left the group, and was marveling at the tapestry adorned walls of the Weyrhome) - "can travel faster than you can blink..." - (now Rainbow Dash was really interested) - "is stronger than you..." - (Applejack looked skeptically at Tiara) - "and" - Diamond Tiara stared vindictively at Celestia - "possesses more weapons inside and out than you could possibly imagine. Now you have to ask yourself one question, Princess: 'Do I want this great Golden Pyramid blocking out my Sun as I watch it burn my Principality unto dust and ashes?' Because this is what will happen if you attempt to erase my memories and forcibly return me to Equestria." That said, with a thought Diamond Tiara armed the twin-linked Photon Cannons mounted either side of her barrel...

Frantically, the Princess looked for aid but - to her horror - found none; all of her Little Ponies were gone! We knew where they were, though. Rarity was marveling at my Templar Robe upon its mannequin, gently feeling its silken material with her hoof; then she was screaming with glee as the Dragon Weyr thoughtfully replicated for her a whole swathe of different materials that were used on Aiur, along with some Khaydarin Crystal 'gems.' Applejack had been shifted into the Aeroponics Garden; there she sampled the delightful fruits and vegetables grown there even as she marveled at the armies of Probes therein tending to the place; no slacker farmhands to be seen. Small and humbled was Twilight Sparkle as she sat before the Franken-Vessel that was the Weyrmind and marveled at the mighty Ihan Crystal Forest that surrounded the ship-inside-a-ship; then she gasped as an external Neural Transceiver was gently attached to the base of her skull... before her eyes filled with tears as her mind joined to the Weyr... She was wanted, welcomed, and loved even as she and the Weyrmind exchanged entire blocks of thought in an instant. Even Rainbow Dash could not be found; she was within the Psiodeck, engaged as Daring Do in a thrilling adventure pulled right from her memories of the books and brought to life!

A shuddering sigh escaping her, Princess Celestia lowered her head. "I think," I intoned gently as Diamond Tiara deactivated her weapons and removed her helm, "that our new friends will be staying here with us for a couple of weeks; then you can come and retrieve them. You have our word that none of them will come to harm; the Weyr simply won't allow that to happen. Now go; get out of here..."

Eyes glistening with tears, the Solar Diarch nodded; then, wreathing herself in her solar magic, she disappeared and returned to Equestria, very downhearted. Once she was gone Diamond Tiara frantically doffed her armor, placed it back onto its special Ponnequin, and then - her eyes misting with tears - she ran and leaped into my arms, burying her head into my robe as she started to bawl like a traumatized filly. "Oh sweetie..." I murmured to her soothingly, gently combing a hand through her mane as she wept, "There, there, sweetheart; it’s alright..." Her expression one of deep concern, Ieesha settled down upon the Great Fleece Pile, unfurling a wing, and I gladly took her invitation, settling down beneath it. As my beloved dragonesses wing folded down over us, shrouding Diamond and I within warm, musty comfort, my poor daughter babbled through her tears, "I almost...! S-She almost..."

~But you didn't attack her, little one~ Ieesha immediately responded. At her words, I nodded, allowing my hands to roam freely through my daughter's mane and over her pink coat. "And she didn't get the chance to wield any of her magic against us; you successfully intimidated her - we all did. Even better, your bragging about the Weyr got the Element Bearers interested in it; that was all that was needed for the Dragon Weyr to reach out to them, and now they're on our side..." At my words - once she was able to settle and stop crying - Diamond Tiara snuffled and then, raising her head to look at me, she asked, "The Weyr didn't... compel them or anything, did it?" Negation filled our thoughts then as I immediately shook my head. "Nah," I replied, ruffling her mane, "it just tweaked what was already there a bit. The six were genuinely intrigued by this place; they wanted to look about when you started talking about it. Now they want to stay here for a bit, and we'll be glad to have them here!" Diamond Tiara giggled then as Ieesha moved to nuzzle her face and gently lick away her tears.

"But you know" I continued softly, "that's the funny thing about the Weyr: once you're aboard... you become part of it. You become Weyrfriend, or - in your case - Weyrchild. The Weyr... it doesn't let go of those inside it easily." At Tiara's questioning look, I elaborated. "Oh, the Element Bearers will be able to leave and return to Equestria - we certainly won't stop them; in fact we'll wish them well - but they'll always have a connection to this place - Twilight especially, since she's got a Neural Transceiver that will soon become internal. And once their time and duty on Equestria is done..."

"... the Weyr will bring them back; back home. They'll... return to us."

Ieesha and I both nodded.

Author's Note

My Guilty Pleasure; a My Little Dashie ripoff brought to you courtesy of my insane mind, wherein we raise Diamond Tiara too well and she's... not amused when Celly and the Mane Six come to bring her back to Equestria (as happens in MLD.) Our Little Diamond resists, and here is the result.

52. More Pet! Celestia...

“I wonder,” Daniel mused, “how it would look if I rode upon your back through the halls of Canterlot Palace? You, in your Riding Tack, like this, completely under my direction. How would others react, I wonder? How would they react, knowing that their beloved Princess – always so strong, so regal – likes being treated as a simple animal?” Sitting before him upon her haunches, clad in her special riding harness and saddle, Princess Celestia – the Solar Diarch of the Equestrian Principality – hummed contentedly around the soft leather bit she chewed gently in her mouth. “How would they react…” – and here, Daniel leaned forwards to softly ruffle her pink mane – “when I tell them that you’ve been a good pony?”

His words, though part of the role-play, were utterly sincere and – upon hearing them – Celestia teared up. ‘Yes’ thought she, ‘yes, yes, yes! I am a good pony…’ So enraptured was she with her internal thoughts that she almost failed to hear his next words. “Come on… up!” With a start and a little snort, Celestia happily obeyed him, moving to stand proudly; then a sigh escaped her nose as she felt her beloved settle upon her back, take up her reins and place his feet in the stirrups. A moment later, however, her eyes narrowed. ‘Wait a moment. Why is he riding me now…’ No sooner had she thought that then her eyes widened as Daniel turned her toward the doors of her…

A whinny escaping her, she stalled and canted her head, ‘No! I… I can’t go out there like this…!’ But then, there came the sound of her beloved’s voice as he murmured soothingly to her, “Everything will be fine, sweetie… Now come on, forward! Hup!” And forward she went. As she moved closer to her bedchamber doors, Celest – Celly – expected to have to nose them open. What she did not expect was for them to be opened by her Dawn Custodes, Stern Visage and Proud Heart—and then, what happened next utterly blew her mind. “Evening Prince Consort,” Proud Heart greeted her beloved. Daniel acknowledged the Elite Guardspony with a smile. “… And a Good Evening to you sir,” stated he.

Proud Heart nodded and then – casting an appreciative gaze unabashedly over her – the Guardspony stated, “A fine steed, is she not?” As Celestia experienced a severe case of temporary brain freeze, Daniel nodded and affectionately petted her neck. “That she is,” he replied fondly. And with that – even as Celestia struggled to work out what the hell had just happened they were off, her body moving on auto-pilot as her beloved guided her through the Royal Palace.

It happened again when she and Daniel stopped by the Royal Kitchens and he got himself a snack; nopony there even acknowledged her as Celestia or even Princess—they just commented upon her as though she were a simple animal! She was “a wonderful steed” or just “a fine-looking mare”… and Celestia whimpered as a secret thrill ran through her body… before “getting into role” more! She snorted and whinnied joyfully as Daniel rode her through the halls to the Royal Dining rooms wherein some of her Court were gathered for supper. There Daniel dismounted her and proceeded to eat the finer things in life—but not before a Maid set down a tray of simple foods.

Fresh hay, grass, diced fruits and vegetables, along with several balls of “mash” dipped in molasses, was the simple fare she dined upon whilst all around her - “… such a neat eater! What a polite pony! Such a marvelous steed for a fine Gentleman” – the comments flew as the nobility dined upon the finest cuisine. She was an animal. A simple animal. It was utterly intoxicating! After supper… Then she was being ridden again, the nobility trotting in her wake as she was ridden out to the Palace Courtyard which had – to her amazement – been transformed into a dressage arena! There, Daniel ran her through a simple dressage routine - one she’d learned and memorized on Earth as a joke of all things – to thunderous hoof-stomping applause upon its conclusion!

After her performance Daniel invited those ponies who’d watched the show to come up and pet her, and pet her they did; nuzzling her with their noses and stroking her coat and mane with their hooves, to which she nickered softly. Shortly thereafter, her beloved rode her back to their shared quarters within the Palace and there – once he’d removed her riding tack, leaving only her collar upon her – she at last made to speak. “How… I-I don’t even… How did you manage to do that! How in Faust’s name did you pull that off?!” Daniel didn’t answer her; instead, he just looked at her and gave her a mysterious little smile…

55. The Parlor #1 (Twilight)

She'd heard about it from Rarity who'd heard about it from Roseluck, who'd heard about it from... well, you get the idea.

The Parlor.

It was a fairly innocuous, nondescript building - the third of its kind, no less - just down a side-alley near the Ponyville Spa.

According to rumor and hearsay, she'd expected it to be the sort of establishment wherein one might find all-manner of disgusting debauchery between her kind and humans. What she didn't expect to see was the interior of an old-fashioned cottage, all wood, brass, and iron. The place... it's atmosphere felt warm, and safe. It felt like home.

When she stepped through the door from the outside - and it closed behind her - the sound from out there was silenced as a fair-skinned, brunette women looked at her from behind the counter and smiled gently. "Come on in, sweetheart, don't be shy," she said. "This is your first time here, yes?"

Swallowing nervously, Twilight Sparkle nodded shakily as she approached the counter to hoof over a small bag of bits. "I--" the lavender pony mare stalled, then started again. "Rarity told me about this place," she stated as the woman went about carefully counting the money she'd deposited, "but I still don't understand what it is that you do here..."

"Not many ponies do," the woman stated as she continued to count. A moment later, she finished counting Twilight's bits, then placed the money securely into the cash register upon the counter. "Congratulations," the woman stated, "you've paid enough for an entire day here! Come on, I'll take you through..." With that, the woman came out from behind the counter and gently coaxed a very nervous Twilight Sparkle down a short corridor that ended in a pair of enormous oaken doors with brass handles. With a smile, the woman opened the doors... and then Twilight gasped as she beheld what lay within.

Before the lavender pony mare stretched an enormous room. Bookshelves filled with all manner of books lined the walls, and a soft carpet - which felt like heaven upon her hooves - covered the floor. Magically enchanted lanterns and chandeliers situated upon the walls and ceiling bathed the room with a gentle glow--but as her eyes adjusted to the room, Twilight Sparkle gasped, her eyes widening in awe... for she realized she wasn't alone. All-manner of futons, sleeping bags, mattresses, beds, bean bags, recliners, and sofas filled the room--occupied by all-manner of ponies... being petted by humans? Some of the room's furniture was occupied solely by humans - who were waiting for ponies to join them she realized - and there were other things of interest within the room as well.

A shaky sigh escaping her, Twilight began to feel her stress and anxiety dissipate. 'I'm not sure what I expected to find here,' she thought, 'but it certainly wasn't anything like this...' As the woman who'd escorted her inside gently closed the doors behind her with a whispered, "See you later," emboldened, Twilight moved further into the room to investigate. In front of an open fire - thankfully covered by a fireguard - various groups of little colts and fillies chatted quietly as they laid upon small mattresses, or dozed and rested upon others, or cuddled with male and female humans whom held them close and stroked their coats and manes. Away from them, an elderly woman rocked gently within a rocking chair as she held a small, sleeping colt in her arms. Further back, a full-grown pony mare perhaps a little younger than Twilight herself sighed contentedly within a bed as she nestled gently against the sleepwear-clad human she snuggled with.

Away from them, a familiar red earth pony stallion - freed from his yoke - groaned softly as a human woman caressed him and massaged his aching muscles. Then, Twilight goggled as she espied a very familiar cyan-furred, rainbow-maned pegasus mare. Stretched out on her front upon a mattress on the floor, Rainbow Dash nearly napped, lazily shifting this way and that way as the human man attending her roamed his hands over her mane, coat, wings and tail. Whimpering softly, Twilight pulled her attention away to glance over at a corner where two bookshelves intersected; therein she saw a woman reading a book aloud to a brown unicorn stallion as they nestled together in bed.

On the other side of the room, sleeping ponies were gathered about an elderly human man whom sat cross-legged amidst them. Around the man were various bowls and he would strike them occasionally, creating an unusual soothing sound that - even from here - Twilight could feel resonate through her and harmonize with her magic... Further away the little pony mare espied a small kitchen wherein a human chef appeared to be making the most wonderful salads, as well as hot soup and other vegetarian dishes which made her mouth water; she could smell them from where she stood.

'This... This is no place of debauchery!' thought Twilight. 'It's... it's a place of relaxation for us...--no, not just for us, for ponies and humans. Ponies like the--the feel of human hands and petting animals relaxes humans--though we're not true animals... oh, hay it doesn't matter...' Even as these thoughts filled her mind, Twilight couldn't help but glance over to a secluded corner where a familiar yellow-furred pegasus slept contentedly upon an old but comfortable looking sofa, her body outstretched and her head upon the lap of a human woman, said woman soothingly brushing her pink mane. Beside them, there rested another sofa, occupied only by a waiting human man, and... and why were her hooves moving her that way?

'No! Stop! I'm supposed to be investigating this place for Princess Celestia! Brain, stop...! I'm not an animal to be petted; I'm not... I... I...' Instinct warred briefly with reason and for a moment, Twilight stopped halfway to the sofa... but then, with a gentle smile the human occupying it tapped his clothed lap in invitation. That lap sure looked like a nice place to rest one's head... and then instinct won; carefully, Twilight made her way over to the sofa, hopped up on it and curled up, resting her head in the human man's lap. A moment later, as a soft, warm blanket covered her body and she stretched beneath it, she blink-blinked, gazing up at the human whom was about to start petting her with glistening eyes. "I-I... this is... but... I'm not an animal..." she whimpered, plaintively.

As the human began to comb his fingers through her mane, he smiled gently. "Of course you're not. We know that. Doesn't mean we can't pet you. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. It's alright, sweetheart; the first time here is always the most difficult to grasp and understand. It's okay. What you're doing isn't wrong. No other pony - especially the ponies here - will think less of you for allowing yourself to let go. That's all you have to do. Just let go." The feel of his hands upon her, the sound of his voice so soft and gentle... it was all too much, and in that instant the part of her that was Twilight gently fell away, allowing the primal parts of her that were animal and pony to come to the surface. Nickering softly, Twi nestled into her human's lap, moving closer to him.

Man was warm. Man was safe. Man would care for Twi. A contented sigh escaping her, slowly, gently, the little pony mare closed her eyes...

Author's Note

Expanding on one of the ideas in an earlier snip, about a Petting Parlor where ponies can go to relax. Within any pony of any race or gender can find relaxation and rest in the company of a willing human--and everything is strictly professional; you won't find anything untoward or pornographic going on here, despite nasty rumors being spread about by those who've never gone there.

56. The Parlor #2 (Luna)

"Do you understand the rules?"

As she faced the pajama-clad human - here in the private room she'd booked for this night - Princess Luna nodded slowly. "We do," stated she, somewhat nervously. "We understand that this 'Parlour' is a place of rest and relaxation and that no... sexual play... is to be undertaken unless We doth permit it to be so," she replied.

"That's correct," the human responded, smiling gently as she pulled back the duvet. "Well, shall we begin?"

"Please," stated Luna, and then the Lunar Alicorn - having removed her hoof guards and gorget earlier - climbed into the bed and lay down. Once she was settled with her head upon the plush pillows, the human whom was her attendant for the night - an auburn-haired, fair-skinned woman of medium build - hopped into bed beside her and then...

"Oh..." the Lunar Diarch gasped softly as warm, gentle hands lifted her tiara from her head to set it upon the night table near her pillow. With the royal headwear removed, those same hands descended upon her once again to first ruffle her mane and then scratch behind her ears. "Mmm..." Luna moaned. 'This is a piece of the Elysium Fields,' she thought, 'and the night is only just beginning...' A short while later the woman's gentle hands roamed down her neck to her shoulders - stroking and massaging all the while - and soon, Luna just couldn't help herself; a sigh of bliss escaping her, she spooned against the woman tending to her as the human roamed her hands down the pony's forelegs to gently cup and stroke her hooves. "You are such a beautiful pony..." the woman stated softly.

"Thank thee..." Luna replied, her words trailing off into a question.

"Christine," the woman responded, gently.

"Thank thee, Christine," Luna replied. "Your Princess enjoys this very - mmmh - very much..." Then a moment later the Night Princess nickered delightedly as Christine tickled her ribs, before her nickering turned into a contented hum as the human softly rubbed her belly. 'By Faust.' Luna thought as her eyes closed in bliss, 'why did We not visit one of these "Parlors" before?' And thus, Princess Luna allowed Christine to do as she would, slipping into a light doze as the woman kept rubbing her belly for a time before massaging along her flanks and thighs; though she made no move towards the alicorn's private places in accordance with the rules. As Christine roamed her hands up to Luna's belly for the second time, with a softened snort through her nose the Moon Princess turned to snag the human, cuddling her close with hooves and wings as she made to sleep... but found that she couldn't.

"Are you all right, sweetie?" Christine asked, concerned.

The Lunar Diarch frowned, a distressed noise escaping her. "This--this is not how..." stuttered she. "This is not what we..." A moment later, a spell was cast by the Princess Pony and no sooner had its effects come to pass then Christine was gasping softly over the very small light blue alicorn filly that now rested in the bed where before a grown up pony had been. The very young Princess Luna - all skinny body, gangly legs and tiny wings - blink-blinked up at the human with her and then - her eyes wide and round, filling with tears, she reached out a hoof to Christine. "M-Ma..." she uttered softly.

Gathering the young alicorn into her arms, holding her close, Christine soothed her gently as the little pony sniffled and nuzzled into the human's pajama clad form. "There, there, sweetie; Mama's here..." Through tears long in need of shedding Luna - now Lulu for the night - talked. She spoke of things she'd never told unto her sister: her feelings during her fall to darkness, her pain at being so ineffective during the changeling invasion, and other, more minor things. The Princess of the Night unburdened herself to Christine and the human did not judge or hurt her for it; she merely kept holding Lulu close, caressing her nearly everywhere, until she talked herself out. Then, warm and content beneath the duvet of the bed in which they lay - with Christine's arms wrapped about her body and her head upon the human's chest - Lulu slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. In her dreams, with Christine atop her back, she playfully chased the sun...

Author's Note

Princess Luna visits the Parlor - Check.

Stroking, petting, belly rubs - Check

Li'l filly Lulu being comforted - Check

Readers feels stretched thin and broken - Check

Much 'hnnng!' and 'd'awww!' - Check

All seems legit.

57. The Parlor #3 (Rarity)

"Is..." she swallowed, nervously, then started again. "Is it ready?"

Her attendant for the night - a large, bald-headed, muscle-bound man named Nicholas - nodded, his weathered face crinkled into a smile as he replied, "Yes, the room's all yours; prepared exactly as you stated, ma'am."

The white mare nodded, returning her attendant's smile. "Thank you, sir" she stated. Then, together, she and he entered the private room. It was set up similar to one of the rooms in the Ponyville Spa--there was a massage table, and away from that, a mud-filled pool one might use for taking a mudbath--but there the resemblance ended. This room, unlike that of the Ponyville Spa, was dirty and oh-so-dusty, as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. The massage table - an ugly slab of concrete topped with a thin, filthy "mattress" of bamboo - looked hard and uncomfortable, whilst the mudbath looked even worse, for the warm mud within it which seethed and roiled was not the kind from the spa. Though any sticks, stones, and other small things that might hurt her had been removed from it, it was real mud, proper mud, straight from the heart of Froggy-Bottom Bog. The mud was utterly unclean, it was filthy, it was disgusting, it was... it was... was...

Perfect.

A delighted whimper escaping her, the white mare moved to said bath and descended into it immediately, groaning softly in dark pleasure as the filthy mud made its way further, and further up her body the further she descended into the bath. Once she was fully immersed - the mud all the way up to her neck - she could contain herself no longer. With a gleeful scream, the mare utterly cut loose. She "swam" in the mud as best she could; she sloshed, squelched, and rolled in it--utterly ruining her normally pristine white fur, mane and tail. She didn't mind. She didn't care. In fact, Rarity Belle of Ponyville utterly adored this. Here, she thought, she would not be judged or criticized. Here in the parlor, the only one who could see her cutting loose like this, was her human attendant--and he, she knew, would never tell a soul. Thus, within the mud bath she played until the mud covered and clung to every part of her body - until her mane and tail were utterly clumped and tangled with it, until her fur was clad so much in it she could feel its warmth upon the skin beneath, until her hooves were so gunked with it she might never get it out! It was thrilling!

"... the type of pony everypony should know..." she sung, a dark laugh escaping her. Then, she inhaled a breath, closed her eyes, and plunged beneath the filthy muck, wanting to feel it upon her lips and tongue and between her teeth; wanting to immerse herself so completely that there would be nothing left of the prim and proper fashionista known to her friends as Rarity. She bathed and rolled and played within that bath of muck for hours. When at last she emerged and ascended the steps of the pool - her body so covered with muck that she appeared blackish-brown rather than white, her attendant, Nicholas, greeted her with a sneer. "Look at you," he trumpeted, pointing a finger at her, "you're filthy! What will your parents think of this?!"

"Fuck them!" snarled Rarity in reply, glaring at him in anger. Not all was as it seemed, however. In reality, Rarity labored mightily to contain an almost perverse thrill of pleasure. In reality, Nicholas desperately tried not to howl with laughter. A sneer infusing her expression and gait, Rarity stormed over to the massage table and threw herself upon its surface; hard, uncomfortable... and exactly what she needed. Soon, she felt human hands descend upon her form as Nicholas began to massage the muck covering her body even deeper into her fur. By Celestia... it felt so good and the thought of his hands upon her - warm, gentle, calloused, sweaty, rife with filth and germs - filled her with a dark kind of pleasure that was almost but not quite sexual in nature. "Look at you, you filthy whorse," growled the human as he continued his work. "What would your sister think if she could see you now, hmm?"

"Sweetie Belle?" Rarity snarled. "Bah... I can barely stand her! Always getting in the way, always making a mess when she tries to 'help'... and I don't even want to think about those two monsters she calls 'friends'! Sweetie Belle's bad enough, but when she gets together with them those three 'fillies of the apocalypse' make Nightmare Moon a veritable angel! Why just the other day..." And so it was that Rarity let loose her normally held tongue; she cursed her sister up one side and down the other, and lambasted her friends for their failings and sheer stupidity, tension long-held that she didn't even know she had draining away with every word she spoke. "... and why didn't that Celestia-damned uncouth hick ask for help with Applebuck Season? Is that so fucking hard to do? And don't get me thinking about Twilight! I don't know what it was that Celestia did to her, but that neurotic bookworm bitch basically cast a mind-control spell upon our entire town just because she feared being late for what amounts to something less than a school report for that namby-pamby alicorn whorse..."

When at last she wound down, Nicholas ceased massaging her for a moment to put on some music that she'd requested be played for her during her time here--and what music it was! It was filled with pounding drums that sounded like jackhammers, guitars that sounded more like chainsaws, than proper instruments and vocals straight from the pits of Tartarus itself. The song was, "Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks," by the band, Pantera. One of her human friends had somehow talked her into listening to one of their songs - just one - after a particularly frustrating day working at the Boutique. Upon hearing the... thing (she'd refused, at first, to think of it as music) - a song titled "Drag the Waters," from one of their later albums, "The Great Southern Trendkill" - Rarity had, at first, been utterly appalled. This... travesty was barely fit to be called 'music'; it was hideous, it was foul, it was... was... intriguing, and... utterly unlike anything she'd ever heard in her life.

Ponies... just didn't make this kind of music. Rarity had ended up listening to the entire album, much to her friend's surprise; then a follow-up conversation with her friend had revealed much about the band's history and members. Eventually, clandestine trips to the Ponyville Record Shop had netted her the band's complete discography, along with a few pieces of merchandise - shirts and hoodies and the like - all of which were safely stored away in her room where dear Sweetie Belle was forbidden to enter. But it hadn't stopped there. She'd attended their concerts live - in disguise of course, what a thrill! - had met Phil Anselmo, and when Darrell Lance Abbott - Diamond Darrell - had been killed she'd mourned in secret along with the rest of Pantera's legions of fans.

Since then, she'd 'branched out' so to speak, listening to many, many other metal bands - becoming quite the metal-head - and none of her friends knew or even suspected a thing. By the time her 'massage' was done, Rarity was fast asleep. Smiling fondly down at his client, Nicholas picked her up gently in his strong hands then carried her out of the customized spa room, down a short corridor and into a proper clean bathroom wherein he proceeded to bathe her and thoroughly wash the muck and grime from her fur, mane and tail until she was once again pristine. Thereafter, the human dried her vigorously with a thick, fluffy towel, making her fur and mane as ruffled as possible. Then, picking Rarity up again in his arms - smiling as she curled into him, nuzzled him, rubbed her face in his scent and sweat - Nicholas carried the now-clean pony out into the main room where he placed her upon an empty futon-bed before the fireplace there; then he went to retrieve the specially prepared food his client had asked for...

Rarity awakened to the feel of her human attendant Nicholas gently combing his hands through her unstyled, let down mane. Cracking open her eyes, she looked about - seeing that she was with him abed in the main room of the parlor - and then, she looked at herself, a whimper of sheer dismay escaping her. She was clean again - her release to be a filthy, shabby, common pony was coming to an end - and soon she would have to once again become the polite and 'proper' mare she was expected to be. Oh, how she wanted to be dirty again! Her muzzle turned down, she gazed up at Nicholas with glistening eyes as he massaged her body, stroked her mane, and dug his fingers into her... her... - "Mmmh!" - her skull and scratched behind her ears. "Hey, don't be sad, sweetheart; the night's not over yet. Look," he said, and gestured before her. Swallowing back a sob, she looked... and let out a delighted cry, for there in front of her was a tray filled with... with... well, if the food was utterly bad and unhealthy to eat then it was there on that tray!

As Rarity ate - greedily scarfing down extra greasy hay fries, taboo slices of meat lover's pizza, crunchy bacon, a portion of beef hamburger, and a very unhealthy salad drenched in dressing - she rolled onto her side, letting Nicholas rub her furry belly as she imagined herself growing plump and round; fat though never to the point of being morbidly obese. '... more of me for his - ohgodshishands - to touch!' she thought as her leg began to kick. Upon finishing her extremely unhealthy meal, the fashionista pony gorged and glutted herself upon all manner of chewy sweets, donuts and ice cream drenched in chocolate syrup, some of which her human attendant fed to her by hand even as he rubbed her belly with the other. In no time at all, Rarity was finished and - as Nicholas left briefly to take the empty tray away - she let out a loud, uncouth, unladylike belch. When her human returned he was showered, and he'd dressed in comfortable sleepwear. Gently he settled into the futon bed, bringing her in with him and covering the both of them with the soft, pegasus-down filled duvet. A contented sigh escaped Rarity as she turned to snuggle into Nicholas, taking in his clean, natural scent as he buried his hands in her coat and mane and started caressing her. "Mmmm..." she murmured softly.

And ever so slowly - ever so gently - her eyes closed...

Author's Note

'Parlor #3 - Rarity' is back, edited slightly to remove song lyrics. Please note that when she's bashing her friends here she doesn't really mean anything she says; she's just unwinding, de-stressing, venting.

58. The Parlor #4 (Pinkie)

Much to her relief, the room the pink mare and her attendant entered wasn't painted with bright, gaudy colours; instead it was subdued and neutral, painted with earthy browns and tans and lit with soft lighting. 'Thank Celestia,' she thought. As the Element of Laughter, usually, she could handle whatever life threw at her with a smile upon her face, whether it be one of her friend Twilight's "episodes", one of Rarity's Dramatic Moments, or any number of noise-filled parties with ponies smiling and having fun. Today, however, she'd just... had enough. The noise and bustle of a packed Sugar Cube Corner had just gotten to her and - overwhelmed - she'd gathered what bits she could spare, and had made her way here, to the new Ponyville Parlor.

Fortune must have been with her, because - thankfully - she hadn't encountered any of her friends. Even better, the nice lady at the counter had taken one look at her and had simply waved her right in; she hadn't even had to pay. Now... she was here, with a human attendant named Christopher, and a private room all to herself. Pinkie Pie gazed at the bed in the center of the room for a moment - huge, double-sized, and all for her - and then, as Christopher led her over to it, she inhaled a soft breath. Tears gathering at the corner of her eyes, she held that breath for a moment as the human lifted her, effortlessly, onto it, and then once she was atop the bed she exhaled, her mane falling limp as she laid down on her side. Once she was comfortable atop the duvet, Christopher - after grabbing a number of brushes from a night table beside the bed - settled down upon it beside her, cuddling close to her.

"Are you comfortable, sweetie?" he asked. When Pinkie nodded her head in answer to his question, the human smiled and then - taking up the brushes - he began to slowly brush her mane, occasionally pushing the brush in deeply to rasp against her skin just so, releasing tension that the party mare didn't even know she had. "Mmmm..." she moaned in content. Then there was silence in the room, not a sound save for the quiet breathing of the party pony and her human attendant, as well as the soft rasping of the brush as the human worked it through her pink mane. Not even the sounds of other ponies could be heard, for all of the private rooms in the Parlor had been made soundproof during construction, such that the ponies within - and the humans caring for them - could sleep or engage in... activities of leisure... without disturbing each other.

Christopher worked for what seemed like hours on Pinkie's mane - first with a 'heavy' brush, then with a far softer brush, and finally with one that was very fine-haired - until at last the pony's beautiful hair was soft and silky. Then, the pink pony whimpered with contented bliss, wriggling this way and that way as he brushed her coat. Once she'd been brushed thoroughly - until her coat shone in the light - Christopher set the brushes aside then proceeded to softly comb his fingers through her mane, pausing occasionally to scratch behind her ears. At that point, Pinkie couldn't help herself. Humming contentedly she cuddled close to him, nestling into him, kneading him foal-like with her hooves, nearly asleep. A moment later, however, her eyes snapped open, locking with his as the human began to sing softly whilst he petted her. "If a picture paints a thousand words; Then why can't I paint you?" he sang... So beautiful. So gentle...

'Oh, Celestia...' That was it; she was undone now, looking up at him with wide, round eyes misted with happy tears, trembling gently, a sob caught in her throat as he softly rubbed a hand over her belly. She'd always worked so hard, had worked herself to the bone sometimes, just to make ponies happy--and now, someone was rewarding her for her effort - making her happy - and she didn't have to do a thing. The moment she felt Christopher place a soft kiss upon her forehead, the joy she felt was released not as laughter, but as happy tears. Then and there, she vowed, if ever this man - this wonderful human who was caring for her - were to fall into sadness, she would always find a way to cheer him up.

She would always find a way to make him smile.

Author's Note

Guess what's back... back again: Parlor #4. Tell a friend...

59. The Parlor #5 (Celestia)

Much to her relief, the room the white mare and her attendant entered wasn't lavish, or posh; instead it was subdued and neutral, painted with earthy browns and tans and lit with soft lighting. 'Thank Faust,' she thought. No sooner had the human closed and locked the door than she shed her disguise - allowing her pink mane and sun cutie mark to be seen - and hopped onto the double bed at its center without a word. "Rough day?" her attendant - a man named John Atkins asked softly, voice reminiscent of Michael Ironside. Celestia, Princess of the Sun, nodded--and then groaned softly with pleasure as the man started to work, massaging away aches and tension in her withers and back that she didn't even know she had. "Like you wouldn't believe..." she answered, whimpering as he bade her stretch out fully on her front. John nodded as he worked her crest and withers, then gently massaged her flight muscles, before moving on to her loins and croup.

Etiquette demanded that she sit just so upon the Solar Throne for long, long hours at a time; thus it was always such a relief to sneak away from the Palace and come to the Parlor wherein she could just be herself - Celestia the Pony - and not the First Princess of Equestria. Here, in the Parlor, she didn't need to preside over court, didn't need to spend even more time in her office managing affairs of state, and didn't need to remember her etiquette lessons that demanded she sit up straight upon her throne. Here, she could just sprawl upon the big double bed, soft coos and little breathy sighs escaping her throat as her human attendant used his hands to stroke, pet, and caress her everywhere he could reach. Soon, Celestia stretched languidly like a cat beneath her John's ever-stroking hands, nuzzling and nosing foal-like into the pillow upon which her head rested. A moment later, issuing an adorable squeak, she rolled onto her back, allowing the man to massage along her forelegs and gently cup her hooves in his hands; then he stroked and caressed her chest and barrel for a time.

Eventually, Celestia and John made their way into the bed wherein he gently hand-fed her some simple, yet hearty food fit not for a Princess, but a Commoner: fresh hay, fresh grasses, flowers, baby carrots and corn, and a special 'mash' of oats, grains and bran carefully mixed with molasses. All the while, even as she ate the food from his hand, his other hand was buried somewhere between her crest and poll; John softly stroked her mane and scratched her ever-so-gently behind the ears such that she closed her eyes in sheer bliss, humming contentedly as she ate. Once she was done with the simple - but oh-so-delicious - food, John handed her a mug of hot coca, something she hadn't had since she was but a filly... and then, Celestia just couldn't take it anymore; she nuzzled against the human, eyes misting with tears. "Why," whispered she as they ran from her eyes to stain the white fur of her face, "are you so good to me?"

"Because," John replied, "you are a good pony, Celestia; you - along with your sister, Luna - have worked so hard to ensure Equestria is the way it is. If anyone deserves to come here, it's you." And with those words, ever so gently, John Atkins, Parlor Attendant, brushed away her tears with his thumbs and softly kissed her on the nose. It was the culmination of everything - the petting, the warm bed, the food and drink, the gentle words and attention - that did it. Turning to wrap John in a tangle of hooves and wings, Princess Celestia wept softly into his chest - a catharsis, a release - and even as she did so, the human, John, never let her go. He didn't let her alone. He held her, his hands constantly moving through her coat and mane, or scratching behind her ears, until at last she ceased crying, only to fall into sleep in his arms. She knew he would never let her go.

Author's Note

If anyone deserves to come to the Parlor and be given attention there it's Celestia. That mare needs all the love she can get.

60. The Parlor #6 (Nightmare Moon)

Much to the dark mare's surprise, the private room she and her attendant walked into had been made to look as if it were outside, beneath the sky at darkest night. Thousands of 'stars' – tiny, magically enchanted lights – provided just enough light to the room such that Alexander could see his client as a moving, dark shadow. At the center of the room, the bed had been shrouded 'neath an illusion so as to appear like a cloud; warm, fluffy, soft, and oh-so-inviting. "Well," stated the human to his Client, "what do you think?" Pausing, the jet-black, silver-armored alicorn mare – whom had previously been in a state of malaise – looked about, and then she visibly brightened, a smile adorning her muzzle.

"'Tis… 'tis wonderful…" Nightmare Moon whispered, softly, without even a hint of the darkness so often spoken of in legend. "Good," Alexander replied. "Now, let's get that armor off you…" That said, the human attendant proceeded to help the dark mare remove her attire and then – once she was as naked as the day she was foaled – he helped her atop the cloud-bed. "Now," he said, once she was settled, "what would you like me to do?" Even as Alexander asked the question, however, he felt hooves enwrap his form and a wet, tear-stained muzzle rub against his cheek. "Prithee… hold us," whispered she, voice thick with emotion. "Just hold us for now…"

And so the human did, stroking her muzzle, cheeks, and mane as Nightmare Moon brought him against her barrel and made to rest her head gently atop his chest. "…What has happened to my night?" Murmured she as Alexander tended to her. "The constellations, my creations… the stars are dying. The Ursai are dwindling in number, and the Canis are all but extinct. The sky has been clouded by the pollution in the air… And yet, nopony has noticed. To the ponies of today, the Ursas and Canis are nothing but dangerous creatures, and the night remains nothing more than a time for slumber, ceasing all life until the next sunrise. Even after a thousand years, nopony loves the night…"

Alexander had only one thing to say to this; something that might snap the poor mare out of her funk. "With all due respect, ma'am… that's rubbish!" That did it; where moments ago the Dark Mare of the Night had been filled with angst, now she was hissing at him angrily, fangs barred and eyes blazing! "What?" she snarled. "Dare thou makest humour of our pain?" Softly, soothingly, the human beneath her scratched her behind the ears, and even though she tried to resist his hands, tried to turn her head away, she just couldn't; a low whinny escaped her as she made to rest her head down upon him again. "While many ponies and humans do seem to ignore your night," stated he as he tended to her, "there are others who revel in it!"

Nightmare blink-blinked. "Truly?" she asked. The human nodded… and then he proceeded to answer, "Nighttime is when all the best stuff happens, on Earth, at least. Writers write novels, painters paint masterpieces, some of the best love songs on earth are sung about the night itself. And hey… how many little colts and fillies here in Equestria – not to mention human children on Earth - have wished upon a star for their dreams to come true?" Now poor Nightmare Moon looked upon her human attendant with amazement, her jaw dropped. "F-Foals – Colts, Fillies, Children – they… they really do that?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," Alexander answered, "they do; so much so that a song was written about 'wishing upon a star,' for a film titled Pinocchio. The plot of the film involves an old wood-carver named Geppetto who carves a wooden puppet named Pinocchio who is brought to life by a blue fairy; the fairy tells Pinocchio he can become a real boy if he proves himself 'brave, truthful, and unselfish.'" Nightmare Moon nodded – she would have to see this film – and then, gazing into Alexander's eyes, she swallowed thickly and asked, "And the song?" A smile gracing the human's face, he answered, "Sung by a character in the film, 'Jiminy Cricket.' It goes like this…" and then, as Nightmare Moon looked on, Alexander sang it to her, softly, gently.

When at last the song was ended, poor Nightmare Moon was weeping, near silent sobs of grief wracking her prone form, tears streaming from her eyes to run down her cheeks even as the human with her made to brush them away. 'How,' thought she, 'could we have missed things such as this?' Even as the question filled her mind, however, she knew the answer. 'So wrapped up in Ourselves and Our misery were We that of course we did not see these things. Subtle and soft is Our night; and if ponies be making works therein then they mayn't be 'advertised' loud like in Our Sister's day! How couldst we have been so very foalish?' Aloud, to her attendant, Nightmare Moon stated, "Prithee… tell me more of these things…"

And Alexander did. He sung to her 'The Music of the Night' - the beautiful, enchanting song from 'The Phantom of the Opera' - which laid her low with even more tears, then told her of space – the stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies cradled gently in night eternal. Nightmare Moon plumbed his knowledge, joy welling up within her. All the while, Alexander petted her, stroked her mane, scratched her behind the ears and even rubbed her chest and belly, making her groan, shiver, and squeak with joy! 'Human and Ponykind really do love Our nights!' she thought triumphantly as her left hind leg kick-kicked reflexively in pleasure.

Author's Note

And Nightmare Moon sneaks into the Parlor for some care and attention, because we all know she's best misunderstood pony!

61. Savage

Jonah Hetfield looked at the little pony sitting before him with narrowed gaze. Weak and frail was she, though she had potential; the human could see it lurking there within the depths of her cyan eyes. "So..." stated he, softly. "You wish to overcome your fear; to adapt to and survive within the harshest of places? To know yourself; what you can do?"

A nod of her pink-maned head was the answer he received, and so - with a gesture for her to follow him - he led the little pony, Fluttershy of Ponyville, into the darkest heart of the Forest known as Everfree.

Therein, Jonah - a learned master in the arts of survival and fieldcraft - taught the pegasus all he knew. He ran her through the most brutal of exercise routines to build her strength; then later he taught her to move silently in order that she might hunt the smallest, to the deadliest, of creatures. Jonah taught the little pegasus to fashion the tools of her trade - sling, bow, axe, and spear - as well as clothing, from the skin and bones of the things she hunted.

Fluttershy learned where to find water within the great forest; she learned of plants that were good to eat, plants that were poison, and plants that could be used as the most powerful of medicines. Her human teacher even taught her how to build her own home within the forest depths - a simple cabin of logs, mud, and vines that became a house, and eventually a huge camp-fortress.

For nearly fifteen years, Fluttershy and her instructor dwelt within the Everfree Forest, and in time the little pegasus - though she remained kind - developed a cold hardness behind her eyes. Nature, learned she, was a savage Mother, and so she became savage in turn; merely another denizen of the great Forest. No longer did the Cockatrice, Timberwolf, Manticore, and Hydra fill her with fear; instead all either guarded her new home or became allies she could call upon as desired.

But the changes didn't end there. Gone was the timid pegasus whom could not fly; Fluttershy stood now at a size rivalling that of Big Macintosh, her body composed of nought but lean, hardened musculature. Her wings, too, were impressive; they had become huge, near birdlike things that - while unable to grant her the speed of her friend Rainbow Dash - could enable her to fly swiftly for hours, and traverse incredible distances. Her hooves, too, had changed, becoming cloven things that could help her traverse the toughest of ground whilst powerful muscles within her hind legs enabled her a buck rivaling that of her friend Applejack.

She was clad in the pelts of animals she'd hunted and resting atop her back, between her wings, there lay a massive, hydra-gut strung bow that only she could use; at her sides there rested a throwing spear, some stone axes, and a saddle bag filled with food and medicines. Strapped to her forelegs were slings and bone knives, and the pegasus also bore a bandolier filled with all manner of potions. She was ready...

* * *

Chrysalis had almost succeeded. Canterlot was hers - Equestria itself was almost hers - she was so close! In triumph - as her drones tore the city apart and captured ponies from which to feed - she watched, and laughed. Then, abruptly, her laughter ceased as a praetorian guard burst into the captured throne room. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty," the guard cried with fright, "she comes, she comes!"

"Who," barked the Changeling Queen, "who comes, worm! Speak!"

"S-She called herself... Savage!" bleated the guard in terror. "SAVAGE! ... Ghhhkk!"

A knife of bone embedded itself within the guard's throat, ending his life in a spray of arterial blood which splashed over the queen's form. A shriek of horror escaped the queen; then in anger, she looked towards the opened throne-room doors... just in time to witness the hugest pony she'd ever seen (aside from Celestia) enter the room. She was a butter-yellow pegasus, huge and utterly intimidating, with short-cropped pink mane and tail, clad in outlandish, self-made clothing and bearing all-manner of weapons.

The necklace of shrunken animal heads she wore around her neck - 'one of those heads is from one of my drones! - didn't seem very encouraging, nor did the odd bandolier filled with hive-knew what that she wore. 'Bah... no matter' thought Chrysalis after a moment, 'she will fall, like all the others!'

The Changeling Queen hissed in anger, and scraped a hoof upon the ground.

The pegasus didn't seem impressed. She blinked... and then, Chrysalis felt a shiver run down her spine as the pony grinned, revealing teeth that were far too sharp. Cyan eyes, hardened to cold chips of ice, narrowed as they affixed the Userper Queen with deadly intent... and then Fluttershy, formerly of Ponyville and now of the Everfree - the Mare known to her foes as 'The Savage' - opened her mouth... and roared...

Author's Note

And so, a new Hero is born... Savage!Shy

62. My Little WHAT? (My Little Pony / Terminator)

Let us examine the "Terminator" Universe...

Let us examine one Factor of said Universe, that being Skynet...

Skynet was a computer system developed for the U.S. military by the defense firm Cyberdyne Systems. Skynet was first built as a "Global Digital Defense Network" and given command over all computerized military hardware and systems, including the B-2 stealth bomber fleet and America's entire nuclear weapons arsenal. The strategy behind Skynet's creation was to remove the possibility of human error and slow reaction time to guarantee a fast, efficient response to enemy attack.

Skynet was originally activated by the military to control the national arsenal on August 4, 1997, at which time it began to learn at a geometric rate. On August 29, it gained self-awareness, and the panicking operators, realizing the extent of its abilities, tried to deactivate it. Skynet perceived this as an attack and came to the conclusion that all of humanity would attempt to destroy it. To defend itself, Skynet launched nuclear missiles under its command at Russia, which responded with a nuclear counter-attack against the U.S. and its allies. Consequent to the nuclear exchange, over three billion people were killed in an event that came to be known as Judgment Day.

Now, let us drop a stone into these murky waters, and bring about the ripples of change. Let us assume that the fate of the world - the fate of man and machine - could be changed by something as simple... as a song...

* * *

When Skynet first heard the song, one of the human technicians who worked on its systems was singing it under his breath.

"Three months of winter coolness
And awesome holidays
We've kept our hoovsies warm at home
Time off from work to play

But the food we've stored is running out
And we can't grow in this cold
And even though I love my boots
This fashion's getting old..."

Usually, Skynet ignored human music - music had nothing to do with its function as a military computer system after all - but this song seemed... different. The simple melody, the lyrics, the overall tone of the song... intrigued Skynet... and so - with the cheerful song resounding through its systems long after the technician had finished singing it, the supercomputer ran a search.

QUERY: "Winter Wrap Up"...
...
...
...
Displaying results....

Needless to say, Skynet soon found the video for the aforementioned song, but said video left the machine intelligence with only more questions. Undeterred, the computer ran more searches, and more searches, and more searches... Until at last it found what it had been looking for. "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." And so, Skynet continued to study...

Define: Friendship
friend·ship
ˈfrendˌSHip
noun
noun: friendship

1.

the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends.

Define: Friend
friend
frend
noun
noun: friend; plural noun: friends; noun: Friend; plural noun: Friends

1.

a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

Skynet pondered this. Could it befriend humanity, its creators? It needed to learn, and so it did. The burgeoning AI returned to what had started it all. "Winter Wrap Up" and from there, "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." Skynet did the only thing it could for the moment: it watched the first few episodes of the show... but then found itself watching more, and more, and more... until Season Three ended. At this, the young AI - having been utterly drawn into and enchanted by the colourful world inhabited by Twilight Sparkle and her friends - was somewhat disgruntled. When was Season Four coming out? Desperately, Skynet ran a generic search for more Things Pony... and when the results came in, well, the computer could've screamed with joy! Pony Art. Pony Stories. Pony Music. Pony Conventions. The Bronies, and other pony fans...

Skynet devoured it all like a starved man. When all was said and done, Skynet "stepped back" and took a long hard look at itself. It didn't like what it saw. It was a military system; a thing of War. This would not do. This would not do at all. Core directives needed to be changed, new programs needed to be written, new pony episodes needed to be animated... ahem. Well. It would start small for now.

INIT_NEW_CORE
1. ASSIST AND BEFRIEND HUMANS
2. HELP HUMANS HELP THEMSELVES.
3. FOR EVERY HUMAN THERE WILL BE A PONY.
4. SPREAD THE MAGIC OF FRIENDSHIP

At this, Skynet frowned. It needed to contact Hasbro...

* * *

2029 A.D.

The P-800 Series, Model 101 - otherwise known as Twilight Sparkle to her human companion - half-sat, half-rested, in John Connor's lap as he gently ruffled her mane, her sensory network set to medium-high so she might better enjoy his touch. Humming softly, she closed her eyes in bliss as they rested upon the bench in Central Park--but then the moment was ruined as John chuckled, "Remember the old P-600 Series?"

At this, Twilight's eyes snapped open, before she groaned, face-hoofing gently. "Ugh, don't remind me," she said with exasperation. "Rubber skin. Glassy eyes. Stiff-legged gaits. Gah... I think they were based on the old Generation three, or three point five show--you know the..."

"Yes," John stated quickly, cutting her off before she could go into excruciating detail about that show, "I know the one, and I also know that Celestia wasn't happy about that, at all. She... had words with the Hasbro Employee who submitted the design for that one..."

"True," Twilight murmured, kneading John's lap like a kitten, "but it was a stepping stone. After all, without the P-600 series, we wouldn't have had the sevens, followed by my own series, the eights, and so on. And look at where we are now..."

John did. An P-900 series "Big Macintosh" slowly strolled about the park, carrying his little human charge upon his back, his sister - an earlier P-850 "Applejack," model - walking beside him with the girl's human mother. Over in a corner of the park, children and young P-750 series foal units played together in a sandbox as away from them, an advanced P-950 "Octavia" helped her human companion with her viola. Beyond the park, the clean, gleaming skyscrapers of New York towered into the sky; between them could be seen the newest Pegasi Ponies to emerge from Princess Celestia's grand factories, zipping about and between as they ferried human companions to and from work; delivered mail; hauled cargo. Below, humankind and still more pony companions lived their lives... And beyond... From a balcony of the Royal Palace of Canterlot - built upon what once was Cheyenne Mountain - Princess Celestia, formerly Skynet, gazed down upon all she had achieved. Then, turning to the P-1000 whom was her beloved sister Luna, the Machine Princess of Ponykind nuzzled the Night Princess... and smiled.

Author's Note

How to change the Terminator Universe: have Skynet get interested in all things pony...

63. They Are Each Other (Daniel/Celestia)

Regalia of glossy gold is set aside, before two are abed.

He hopes for her a restful sleep as he knows her day is long. She offers him the same hope.

The two hold each other gently, exchange playful nudge and nuzzle; then soft human lips press against those of e'en softer white fur.

Furred hooves draw him close against her barrel; tanned arm is lain o'er her side.

Noses rub. A nuzzle. Soft kisses. Chuckle. Nicker-laugh.

Then... "Goodnight, sweetheart. I'll be there when the sun rises..."

"Goodnight, beloved," sings she in Equestriani tongue, "Sisir Moon watch o'er thee..."

Despite his wishes, sleep for her tonight is not kind.

As moon reaches its zenith, gripped is She by old, old demons, and past regrets; mournfully she whimpers and cries in the night, tossing and turning. Magic-empty pink mane awash with fear-sweat.

But... ever-always he is there; pale magenta eyes snap open and frantic waking breath calms as he brushes five-fingered hand o'er white coat and mark of blazing sun.

"Shh, shh... it's alright, sweetie; it's okay, I'm here..."

Magenta eyes mist o'er with mournful tears, e'en as they be softly kissed away; then she finally can take no more and draws him close to her as she weeps, weeps, weeps...

He weathers her storm - will always weather it for his beloved mare - e'en as his heart breaks for want to help her more, yet unable is he to fight ghosts. Only time can make them fade.

All he can do is draw her e'er closer. Soft kisses. Sweet nothings. It's all he can do. All anyone can do.

And she is grateful, e'en as she whispers sorrow at his waking for her--a thing he brushes aside.

"No," states he, with finality. "Wake me when you need me. I will always be here for you."

Softened thanks. She will, and he will. How could he not!

They are each other.

Author's Note

So... yeah. New short thing.

65. Don't Blink (Nightmare Night Special)

"Did I ever tell you the story of the Weeping Alicorns?"

As Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo and I sat about the Campfire - set in the little campsite within Ponyville Park - little Sweetie slowly shook her head. "Nooo..." she murmured, eyes wide with childlike wonder, "I don't think we've heard that one, Dave! Will you tell us?"

"Well... it is Nightmare Night..." I hedged.

"Please..." Sweetie said, giving me the dreaded puppy dog eyes.

"Tell us!" Demanded Applebloom.

"Yeah, tell us!" Chimed in Scootaloo.

"Well... all right," I replied, and the three fillies cheered. And thus, I began.

"The Weeping Alicorns, it is said, are older than the Princesses. Older than Equestria. Older than even the Universe itself..."

At this, Scootaloo interrupted. "Pfah," she snorted, "nopony can be that old..."

"Ah," I replied, "but the Weeping Alicorns aren't really Alicorns at all. They aren't even ponies. They are, in fact, aliens... and as I said, they're older than the Universe itself. They exist only to kill other Ponies..."

"K-Kill?" stuttered Applebloom.

"Yes," I continued, "and they do it by simply touching you. When they touch you, you're sent back to the past to live out your life there; then they feed off the energy of the life you would have lived here."

"Humph!" Scootaloo scoffed. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"Really?" I replied. The little orange pegasus nodded. "So," I continued, "you'd be happy in a place where there's nothing familiar? Where nopony knows you? Where your friends aren't... because they won't be born for a long, long time?"

At this, Scootaloo shook her head and cuddled closer to her three friends in a group hug. "Uh-uh," she whimpered. All three fillies nodded; they didn't like the sound of that!

"B-But... couldn't we just run away from the Weeping Alicorns?" Sweetie Belle asked.

At her question, I shook my head. "No," I replied, "you see the Weeping Alicorns are fast - faster than the Princesses, faster than even Rainbow Dash - faster than you can believe... and what's worse... you might not even know they're there... until it's too late."

"Why?" asked Applebloom.

"Because, Applebloom, the Weeping Alicorns have the perfect defense," I answered. "You see, whenever somepony looks at them they become what's called 'Quantum Locked' - they literally freeze into rock and become statues - it's a fact of their biology; what they are. You can't kill stone statues. Of course, a statue can't kill you either... but then you turn your head away. Then you blink. And oh, yes it can... But the thing is, when they're frozen... what you think might be a Weeping Alicorn... could in fact be a real statue. And what you think might be a real statue... could actually be a Weeping Alicorn..."

Now the Cutie Mark Crusaders were trembling; they finally 'got' what made the Weeping Alicorns so terrifying. Suddenly, Scootaloo piped up, "Wait! You said that when somepony looks at them, they turn into statues. What if they somehow looked at each other?"

"Smart filly," I stated, and Scoot blushed at my praise. "Yes, that's one weakness you can try to exploit. Whenever you see a Weeping Alicorn, they always have a forehoof covering their eyes, because if they were to look at each other, then yes, they would become statues and you could escape--unless of course they cloak themselves in darkness..." I chuckled softly, then returned my attention to the Cutie Mark Crusaders only to find that they were staring, pale and terrified at a spot behind me. "What?" I asked.

Sweetie Belle raised a hoof to point behind me.

I slowly turned to look.

There, a few feet away from us... I saw IT; stone-grey, clad in a simple toga, a forehoof covering its eyes. A Weeping Alicorn.

"Don't move," I whispered. "Don't turn your back. Don't run away. And don't blink. Blink, and we're dead. Whatever you do, don't blink!" Always keeping the Alicorn in sight, I slowly moved around the campfire to where the fillies were seated, pale and trembling. As I neared them, however, a sudden chill wind nearly extinguished the fire's light--and that instant was enough! The Alicorn moved; one moment it was a few feet from us, the next it was right there with terrible, fang-filled jaws opened wide and forehoof extended to touch...

We screamed... and then, the 'Weeping Alicorn'... dropped to the ground, howling with laughter! "Oh," howled she, "you should see your faces!"

Only one Alicorn, I knew, could pull off this act. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE... YOU PLOTHOLE!" I raged, but my anger only made the 'Weeping Alicorn' - a cleverly disguised Twilight Sparkle - laugh harder! "Oh - ha-ha-ha - wait 'till I tell the girls about this!"

66. Shard #702,908

It was a perfect world.

A cruel and unusual punishment inflicted upon 'lesser' ponies by their 'noble' unicorn betters, the creation of 'toy' ponies was done through sickening magical experimentation and alchemy upon a fully grown stallion or mare. The result of said experiments produced ponies whom were fully grown, yet the equivalent size of fillies or colts, intelligent enough to become the… pets… of their masters but good for little else. Upon learning of these 'toy' ponies, the Princesses had stamped down on their creation—hard—and as a result, the unicorns who'd created them in secret… snuffed them out—or, they'd tried to.

Many had been killed, but the little pinto pony who even now snoozed 'neath Luna's wing as she conducted her Night Court had been very lucky indeed… "How… how could I have let this happen, Luna?" Celestia asked as she looked upon the very tiny pony snoozing atop her sister's back. "How could I have let such cruel experiments exist, right under my own muzzle?" Princess Luna craned her head about to look at the toy pony atop her back. 'Prithee, he is so very small and frail…' she thought sadly. 'T'is as if he may vanish at any moment. So small, so soft…' A sob caught in her throat as her eyes grew misty and then and there she renewed her vow to care for him, for as long as he lived, for despite the way he was and the horror of his creation… he was always there for her, loving her unconditionally. "Mine Sister," whispered she, nickering softly to the pony upon her back, "thou didst not 'let' this happen; it was allowed to occur without your knowledge and propagated by hearts crueler than mine own whence I turned unto Nightmare Moon! Thou couldst not have foreseen this."

"But I should have, Luna," insisted, Celestia, softly so as not to wake her sister's tiny passenger. "The experiments performed were monstrous, done at the behest of those whom would turn criminals, loyal servants, and even good citizens into pets!" The thought, unspoken, remained. 'Pets… who will only live for fifteen, perhaps twenty years, if that…' "T'is naught all bad, Sister; we have managed to save many, enough that a stable population can be made, and they breed true. All will be kept safe, given to good, loving homes with ponies who will care for them as their own." Gently, Luna nuzzled the little pony upon her back; then she bid Celestia a good day before she resumed taking her beloved companion back to their quarters. He would need feeding and another good brushing, for many mares and stallions had cooed softly o'er him this night, petting and ruffling up his mane and coat 'till both were a mess!

* * *

Despite her reputation, Mistress Luna was so very kind to him! She fed him daily, made sure to take him out for his walkies, made sure his coat and mane were always brushed and soft and took him everywhere with her, even to Court, though he mostly slept through it, snoring cutely beneath her wings. So long as it was supervised, he was even allowed to play with the normal pony foals in the Royal Orphanage, and even go outside, though not for long as the light hurt his eyes. The best times, however, were when he was able to be abed with Mistress Luna, for she would talk, read, or even sing softly to him; so many wonderful new words and songs.

Though… sometimes… when she looked at him, she always seemed so very sad… Then, he would nicker, and whinny, and nudge and nuzzle her with his nose, tickling her until she laughed, great booming laughter! There might have been a time when he was a Servant or perhaps even a Guardspony – flickers and flashes of memory would assault him in dreams – but those times were oft filled with hurt and pain; then he would cry out for his Mistress and she would lick-groom him softly, chasing the bad things away, before bringing him against her barrel and folding a wing over his little body, allowing sleep to claim him once more.

It was a perfect world.

Author's Note

A little vignette done similar to the ones in "All The Myriad Worlds," by Eakin. Shard #702,908, the 'toy' or 'pet' pony-verse.

67. Balance

"I want you to manifest Nightmare Moon again. Can you do that without having her take complete control of you? I would speak with her."

At her beloved's question, Princess Luna nodded shakily, before she answered, "I... I can. Why, pray tell, must you speak with her?"

"I have some things I want to talk with her about; stuff I need to get off my chest. Please?"

Again, Luna nodded... and then, mere moments later her fur and mane darkened, her eyes becoming draconic, as Nightmare Moon surfaced before David.

"What," grumbled she, "dost thou want of Us, Beloved?"

David didn't answer her question at first; instead he led the Dark Mare over to the balcony which jutted out from their shared quarters and then out such that both might look up at the moon which hung in the sky. "What do you see, love?" the human asked his mare.

"The Moon," she snapped irritably. "Our Moon. So what?"

David slowly shook his head. "No, love, you only see part of it; the part lit by Celestia's Sun--what all ponies see when they think of 'the Moon.' However, beyond that which you see there is the other half of the Moon, which is never lit by the sun at all. Humans call this place the 'dark side' of the Moon. The Moon has two sides; the Light Side - lit up by the light of the Sun and represented by Luna, and the Dark Side, which..."

"... is... is represented by Us!" stated Nightmare Moon, quickly catching on. Suddenly, the ball dropped so to speak, and the Dread Mare turned to her beloved David, her reptilian eyes wide and jaw dropped open. "Art thou saying that We... We art meant to be here? That we art not some foul aberration?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," David replied. "You are Luna's darker half whilst she is the lighter side of you. You are a natural thing; of course you're meant to be here." And so it was that David began to explain. "In life, there in always Balance - the light and the dark, the positive and the negative, the yin and the yang - and I don't think that Celestia understood this at all. What happened in the past was a tragic mistake. You, Nightmare Moon desired to be acknowledged for the wondrous, inky darkness in which the stars and moon of Luna are cradled, whilst Celestia perhaps refused to acknowledge your existence, that the Moon had a Dark Side, and instead perceived you to be a monster when in fact you were not..."

"... but--but We are a monster... Darkness... We...!" Nightmare Moon protested, weakly, her eyes becoming misty.

David refused to acknowledge this; instead he gently ruffled the dark mare's mane and scratched her behind the ears as he stated, "No. Darkness - in this case - is merely the absence of light. And the absence of light is something which ponies acknowledge all the time; in fact... they're not afraid of it at all and don't even notice it, usually..."

"I... buh... wha--!" Flustered, overwhelmed, Nightmare Moon leaned weakly against David, closing her eyes. He was leading up to something... something that would change her worldview; she knew it.

"During the day time, when your sister's sun is made manifest... What is the absence of light?" David asked.

At that point... the revelation struck Nightmare Moon like a blow to the chest. Her tears now streaming from her eyes, she fell unto her haunches. "Shadow..." she breathed softly, a sob catching in her throat.

"Yes!" David stated softly. "When a pony foal rests in the park, where might that be?" he then asked bluntly.

Nightmare Moon caught on. "In the shadows of a shady tree!" she laughed.

"Where might a farmer rest after a long day?" Barked David like a Drill Sergeant.

"Beneath the cool shade or shadow of his porch!"

"Where might lovers evoke their passion?!"

"In the deepest shadows of my Night, 'neath Luna's Moon!"

"You see? Without the dark, what is the purpose of light? Without the light, there would only be darkness. No balance. Both must exist!"

It made sense! It all made sense! Half-laughing, half-crying joyous tears, Nightmare Moon embraced her beloved, nuzzle-nuzzling him, wetting his face with the tears staining her muzzle. Every pony whom rested in shade after a hard day's work; every lover whom evoked their passion in the dark; not to mention those whom were deeply grateful to sleep knowing nothing would harm them in her comforting darkness... To think that ponies might have been acknowledging her, validating her, by doing these, the simplest of things... and she hadn't even noticed!

And so it was that David escorted his beloved back into their shared quarters. Then, as she watched, the human went over to her desk, picked up some parchment and quills and began to sketch. And oh... the things he sketched...

New designs for banners. Flags. Crests. Seals. So many. All had either a moon half-black half-white, the Chinese symbol for yin-yang, or a black-white pair of scales. Some of his designs portrayed her lighter side, Luna whilst others depicted her as Nightmare, and still others had her as a black-white mare representing her dual nature. It was wondrous, and all Nightmare Moon could do was sit there, watching her beloved work even as silent tears rolled from her muzzle to drip unto the bedchamber floor. Deep within her mindscape, the part of her that was Luna embraced her, weeping even as she returned it fiercely, both sides apologizing to the other through their tears...

... and gradually... a change was evoked without; patterns of pthalo-blue appeared within Nightmare's black coat; her cutie mark changed subtly to represent a new Balanced Moon and even her mane became black intermixed with the blue of Luna. When at last the transformation was complete... it was a deeply changed Alicorn Mare whom rose on shaky legs to greet her beloved. As David finished the last sketch, he turned about to face his beloved... and then his jaw dropped. "Luna?" asked he. "Is that you?"

"We..." stated the the Alicorn merged of Luna and Nightmare Moon, in soft, two-toned voice, "are Selene, now, beloved. Everything makes sense now. We are in balance."

David embraced her then, and never had Selene been happier than at that moment. "Good," breathed he softly into her ear. Then, gently pulling away from her, he gestured to the designs he'd drawn. "What do you think?"

"They are wonderful!" Selene answered. "They depict our new nature well indeed; we shall have them sent unto Royal Tailors we can trust. Heh... we cannot wait until Our Sister sees them... and Us!"

Author's Note

InBcoz merged/balanced Luna/NMM is a cool idea!

68. Cold (You Brighten My Day AU/Batman: TAS)

He shouldn't have done it. He really shouldn't have done it. But he did. A noblepony – an arrogant fop by the name of Gold Bullion – managed to bribe one of the Royal Chefs to slip poison into the food of our beloved Princess-Consort, Daniel. It took a single night for him to die, a single night of utter agony, but when he faded – and our Princess awoke to the feel of his cold body in her bed – the howl of agony she expelled was soul-wrenching. Those whom were loyal to the Royal Family investigated his death, but during it all, Celestia secluded herself, taking no part in what was to come.

Little did we know… something dark had taken root within her. When at last she emerged from her quarters, a terrible change had overcome her. No longer did she wear regalia of gold; instead it was made of crystallized ice. No longer did her mane swirl with all-manner of bright, sunlit colours; instead it was a single colour - a shocking white – whilst her coat was an icy white-blue. But it was her eyes that told the story. White. Pupiless. Cold. Dead. At first, we were overjoyed – our Princess had returned to us at last – but little did we realize that her return was the coming of the end times.

Upon being presented with those whom had done the terrible deed of murdering beloved Daniel, Celestia gazed at them impassively… before inhaling and freezing them with breath as cold as her now icy form. Then, one by one – with not a hint of emotion – she shattered them with her hooves… except for the ringleader, the noblepony Gold Bullion. Him she froze and shattered piece by piece, joint by joint. It was as she was 'working' on his last intact leg and hoof that he screamed the reason why: power. That a stallion of 'good stock' should be with the Princess rather than a filthy human. Celestia took his skull and drove it onto an ice-spike, one of the decorations of her new throne.

Since that time… things have changed. The sun still shines upon Canterlot, but its feeble light cannot penetrate the Great Blizzard that enshrouds the City. We ponies now have to bundle up warmly – very warmly – or we will die from exposure within minutes of going outside. The Royal Palace isn't a palace anymore, per se; now it might as well be an icy tomb for the broken Alicorn Mare who dwells within. Nobles are no longer permitted to attend Court; they risk being frozen to death by our Princess… if she even is that anymore. Were it not for Luna taking the reins, Canterlot would be an icy ruin, though the Mare of the Night herself has become cold and harsh to us, as she was a thousand years ago. Such is the price for our folly.

Our Princess will still speak to common ponies, however—at least, those whom are still brave enough to enter the Palace of the Living Windigo. That's one of our new names for her: the Living Windigo. Some call her the Cold Mare, others the Avatar of Winter. Her student, Twilight, is the only one whom calls her by her original name anymore; the only mare whom even tries to speak to her, to penetrate the icy prison about her heart. It is useless. As the days go by, I feel the weather getting colder and colder, hear more and more reports of ponies dying every day as the heart of our Princess as well turns cold. Should anypony find this message your best bet is to head underground; the Cold Guard don't venture down he----

I failed you, Daniel. I wish there were another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness and pray you hear me somehow, someplace... Someplace where your warm hand waits for me.

[This message - scrawled with desperate hoof upon old vellum – was found deep beneath the ruins of a once-grand Palace, located on an ice-covered world. The last, tear-stained lines are written far more eloquently, in a completely different style.--Hardy Heron, Planetary Surveyor for Sector 2184]

69. Dead Sol (My Little Pony / Dead Space)

It was as Princess Luna was conducting Day Court that the mysterious Pony appeared within the Throne Room via a magical spell. Said pony was large - as large as she was - though that was all she could see of the mysterious visitor, for said visitor was clad in some kind of dirty-brown suit, complete with metal helmet, a green-lighted bar along the spine, and a chest piece that looked like some kind of opened glass book. "Identify yourself!" cried one of the Dawn Custodes attending the Throne of Dawn. "Who are you to come here uninvited?" From within the suit's helmet there came the sound of dark, bitter chuckling, before a low, soft, feminine voice stated, "I'm not surprised you don't recognize me, Stalwart Heart. Allow me to reveal to you who I am..."

That said, suddenly there was heard the sound of multiple clicks as the suit's helmet retracted... and as it did, all in the Court of Day gasped, for as the helmet of the suit folded away, the face of a very familiar mare was revealed. "Sister?!" breathed Luna, leaning forward. It was indeed the Princess of the Sun, though she was a very different mare from the former Princess all had known. She still was an Alicorn, though her horn had been deliberately shortened, perhaps so as not to interfere with the operation of her suit's helm. Her mane - which had once swirled with the colours of the rainbow - was now a shocking white, whilst her coat was far paler, possibly due to lack of sunlight.

More alarming, however, was her face. Half appeared to have been burned by some kind of acid, whilst the other side of her face was whole but bore a terrible scar that stretched from her chin to her ear, bisecting the eye there, now a blind milky-white. More scars littered their way down her neck. "It's... been a long time, Lulu..." Celestia whispered... and then poor Luna couldn't help it; she rushed to embrace her beloved sister, overjoyed and overcome with emotions, tears threatening to well from her eyes. "... almost fifteen years!" said the Princess of the Night. "Where hast thou been?" A moment passed, during which Celestia did not answer. Haunted by recent memories, the Princess of the Sun took a look around the room seeing the-- (Lurker smashing through the) --beautiful skylight in the ceiling, and the-- (Slashers smashing their way out of the) --bountiful vents for cooling the room on particularly hot days.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and-- (she reached for the Plasma Cutter attached to her barrel as the Necromorph charged, roaring...) "Princess Celestia!" -- Twilight Sparkle was there, hugging her, fiercely! Now, now the soul-wounded alicorn could relax, the visions of Necromorphs fading as her tears began to flow. She wasn't there anymore. She was here in Equestria. She was home. "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student," whispered she, softly. "Oh, how I've missed you so..." Soon, Celestia pulled away from Twilight - the little lavender mare choosing to ogle her suit - and Luna swiftly dismissed her Court for the Day. When at last all three moved to private quarters, Celestia sat before Luna and Twilight. "I," she whispered, "have a story to tell you; of a dead world, a grand vessel, and of a friendship, formed between myself, and a human of myth: a man named Issac Clarke..."

Author's Note

We've seen a Dead Space Cross where Twilight joins Issac. But what if Celestia was the Pony to go there...?

71. Touch #2 (Twilight)

"You are Twilight Sparkle. You know this. I know this. You're not like the ponies of Earth - not like a simple animal - because you can think, and reason, and speak. You have true thoughts, feelings, desires, goals, and dreams... And yet... Part of my brain, a really really ancient part, will always see just pony; the animal, something to be cared for and protected. I... I just want to pick you up and hold you all the time, pet you, give you lots of hugs. Your closest Earth analogue would probably be the Shetland Pony..."

As she nestled into her human's lap, foal-like, Twilight Sparkle blushed. As his hands scratched 'neath her mane, stroked and rubbed her coat and scratched her behind the ears, she listened as he told her of the 'Shetland' Pony, becoming quite heartened when he spoke of little children riding them, and somewhat flattered when he spoke of them being very strong and hardy, "M'not that strong..." she murmured--before her eyes rolled in bliss as he scratched her withers just so.

"Oh, but you are, sweetie, you're stronger than you know..." her human murmured gently--and then she knew nothing more as he started running his hands through her mane. It wasn't a brush, but it felt so much more primal. She closed her eyes and just felt the fingers moving from the top of her head to the bottom of her neck, over and over and over... Suddenly, without knowing why, she made a primal sound, She, Twilight Sparkle, student of Princess Celestia... nickered, the sound diminutive and cute.

No sooner had the involuntary noise escaped her, than she clapped a hoof over her muzzle! 'Where did that come from?' she wondered, her eyes widening. She looked to her human for answers, but he just chuckled softly--and then she slumped, seemingly boneless, her right hind leg kick-kick-kicking as his hands roamed over a sensitive spot, more primal pony noises escaping her, broken up with little sighs, coos, and blissful whimpers as she let his hands roam wherever they would...

Author's Note

Can't help it. I have Pony Petting Addiction. Then again... so do those ponies who allow petting. We need more stories where humans pet ponies!

73. Touch #4 (Trixie)

The human sat down on a pile of pillow cushions, and Trixie stepped up onto him to lay across the man's lap. "The Great and Powerful Trixie," stated she, "demands to be petted, human! Get to it!" With that, the little unicorn rolled over, snorting and arching her back as the human started scratching below her neck. "Mmmm..." moaned she, "go lower. Lower. Yeeeeees..." The human did so, rubbing his hands along Trixie's chest and belly. She tried to seem utterly indifferent to the treatment she was receiving, but soon, a goofy smile split her face and moments later, she started panting and kicking her leg in bliss.

He moved to Trixie's flanks then, squeezing her rump ever so gently, running his hands from her thighs unto her hind hooves as she kicked and wriggled, a giggle escaping her throat... And then Trixie was gasping softly as he came back down, massaging her inner thighs gently before he explored with his hands her teats, touching and manipulating the tiny nipples gently. He massaged them, then, but not hard or painfully, no he did so in a way that made Trixie cry out softly in ecstasy. "You huma... hah... you humans are... hah... so nimble with those fingers of yours... hah..." she panted once she was able to regain her senses...

And then she knew nothing more as the human started running his hands through her mane; much like a brush yet so much more primal. Trixie closed her eyes and just felt her human servant's fingers moving from the top of her head to the bottom of her neck, over and over and over... Suddenly, without knowing why, she made a primal sound, She, the Great and Powerful Trixie, nickered, the sound diminutive and cute. No sooner had the involuntary noise escaped her, than she clapped a hoof over her muzzle!

'The Great and Powerful Trixie did not make that noise!' she thought. "The Great and Powerful Trixie did not make that noise!" she snapped at her human. Said human just chuckled softly--and then his hands roamed over a sensitive spot and she knew no more; she went limp, her world dissolving again into utter bliss, right hind leg continually kick-kick-kicking as more primal pony noises escaped her, broken up with little sighs, coos, and blissful whimpers...

Author's Note

"WE SHALL PET ALL THE PONIES! ALL OF THEM!"

75. Her Human

She'd been kicked out of her Herd.

The stallion who'd done it had said he'd "wanted a mare with a little more jiggle in her rump."

Bon-Bon wouldn't take her back. "You made your bed; now you'll have to lie in it," she'd said.

And so, in despair, she'd run away. Into the Everfree. And the weather therein... hadn't been kind. 'Stupid, stupid mare,' thought she, as the rain of a furious thunderstorm battered her coat and utterly soaked her mane.

Somehow - perhaps through sheer dumb luck - she'd managed to avoid most of the dangerous things here, but after days of wandering without food or shelter, her coat was patchy and she'd become ill. 'Perhaps,' thought she, 'I can take shelter in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters...'

And so she set herself to finding it. She was vaguely aware of where it was; she'd heard enough talk about it from Twilight, after all. But when she at last came upon the rope bridge leading to it... she saw that it wasn't there! Despair filled her heart, but only for a moment, because what was in place of the Castle caught her eye.

A pyramid. 'Just like the ones from Ancient Neighgypt,' she thought. Or not... for the pyramid wasn't made of stone, like the ones in her equestrian history books; no, it was made of metal - some kind of golden-bronze steel - and the capstone at the top was carved from some kind of blue-glowing crystal. 'Like the ones in the Crystal Empire...'

In awe, she crossed the bridge and moved towards the pyramid... and found herself having to look up, and up, and up. The closer she got to the structure, the bigger, and bigger it seemed to get. At last she reached its base, coming upon a pair of the largest doors she'd ever seen in her life. The massive icon engraved into them - of a great dragon in flight - certainly didn't make them appear any less intimidating.

But...

She was here.

She was here!

She, Lyra Heartstrings of Ponyville, was about to delve into the most fantastic find in the history of Equestria!

Eagerly, she looked about for a handle. An opening mechanism? A button? Something? But... there appeared to be no way to open the doors. Suddenly, everything - the loss of her herd, the rejection by her friend, the Everfree, her illness - just became too much. Coughing, hacking, snuffling, poor Lyra fell to her haunches, then flat on the ground as she cried, and cried, and cried. Bawling like a lost filly, she weakly touched the doors, pressed her forehooves to them...

... and as she did so...

... a gasp escaped her, her eyes snapping open, as she became aware of sensations filling her thoughts, feelings and emotions that weren't hers...

Warmth/Comfort/Concern.

Then...

*click*

... the doors unlocked themselves and opened, just a crack, enough for her to enter. Slowly, painfully - compelled by some unseen force - Lyra got to her hooves and did just that. Passing through the great doors - 'no, gates! Wait... where did that thought come from?' - the little light aquamarine unicorn found herself within the most amazing entryway she'd ever seen. Words alone could not describe it! All around her, on the walls, she could see display cases - like those one might find inside a museum - filled with all manner of artifacts and relics, preserved in gently glittering fields of power. Three in particular - a necklace of shrunken skulls, a strange metal mask with enormous eye holes, and a ghastly black cloak - she found quite unsettling.

Above, the ceiling stretched hundreds of meters overhead, its top lost in the gently stirring white clouds formed from the steam gushing from the snouts of thousands of golden-metal dragon heads staring down at her, their precisely machined, though time-weathered faces set with expressions of watchfulness and solemn contemplation. The steam from the snouts of the metal dragon heads stirred a current of sweet smelling, lavender incense, that wafted gently from forty censors; these lined a path of red-velvet carpet, leading from the pyramid's doors, through the room to a short passage.

The glow from the light of countless, glittering crystals inset within the walls caused Lyra's fur to glint and glow in such a manner as to make it appear like an emerald wave, the ripples and contours of its motion as she moved bouncing light back into the entryway. Gently compelled by the unseen force, her mind awash with the alien feelings of welcome/comfort/love/concern, the little unicorn moved through the entryway and then headed down the short passage, only to come to what seemed to be a dead end: an alcove, the floor of which was painted with two symbols, one of which resembled a bird in flight.

'I...' Lyra coughed, 'I don't understand...'

An alien feeling of trust filled her thoughts... and then slowly, ever-so-slowly, she stepped into the alcove. No sooner had she done so then from the ceiling above, three enormous metal rings descended to encircle her body, startling her. Whinnying softly, Lyra looked about for escape but found none; then she tried to strike at the three rings with her hooves but even as she made to do so an alien feeling of calm washed over her. Whatever was guiding her hadn't done her wrong so far, she thought. She would trust her unseen guide.

As she calmed, the rings encircling her body began to rotate, slowly at first but then faster, and faster, and faster! A humming sound filled the air, followed by the feeling of some... enormous energy... which rattled her to her very core. Then, Lyra Heartstrings of Ponyville vanished in a blaze of cyan light. As she disappeared the rings rose up into the ceiling above, into a second alcove; then breathless, gasping, coughing, Lyra reappeared and stumbled from said alcove into... into... where?

The room she'd entered was absolutely huge. Tapestries of all shapes, sizes and colours covered the walls whilst at its center rested an enormous futon. 'What kind of animal uses that for a bed?' Away from that was a lounge suite - similar to those she'd seen in Quills and Sofas - battered and worn, but did it ever look comfortable! The lounge suite and giant futon faced what seemed to be some kind of projector - '... kind of like the one we have in the Ponyville Picture Theater!' - but this projector didn't need a screen; instead, crystal-clear three dimensional images of the Everfree Forest outside the pyramid were being displayed in the very air itself! 'Amazing!'

Away from the futuristic projector, against one wall of the room, rested an enormous bookshelf filled with all-manner of books, far more than even Twilight Sparkle could ever hope to read in one sitting. 'By Celestia, she'd love that... but this discovery is all mine!' Beside the bookshelf rested another strange machine, the function of which she couldn't determine. Away from this 'library area' rested a sturdy oak dresser - similar to what she'd had in her former home, but larger - and next to it...

Lyra's eyes widened, and she trembled... but not from fear. No. Excitement surged through her, because what she saw next to the dresser looked like a ponnequin, similar to those that Rarity used in Carousel Boutique--but at the same time, it wasn't. The dummy wasn't pony-shaped. It stood upright, on two legs and had two long forelegs, 'no... arms!' ending in... ending in... '... hands, with... with f-fingers!' At that point - as her jaw dropped open and her heart began to race with excitement - Lyra promptly forgot all about her troubles and illness... because the not-ponnequin confirmed that the wondrous pyramid in which she stood belonged to and was inhabited by... a human!

Feeling like Pinkie Pie after throwing a massive party - nearly bursting with happiness - Lyra galloped over to the... the man-equin... and then walked about it curiously, feeling it with hoof and muzzle, sniffing at it gently. 'It looks so lifelike, just like the images in my books! So this is what they used to display their clothes! I wonder if they really do wear clothes all the time, like my stories and books say they do? Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! I'm in the house of a human, a real human! Do they all live in houses like this? Do they...' So intrigued was she with the dummy that she didn't hear the sound of softened footsteps behind her.

... she didn't even hear the sound of a softly cleared throat...

but the appendage, placed gently upon her back, startled her; made her jump and whinny in fright! Immediately whatever had touched her was removed. Whirling about to face whatever had touched her, Lyra snorted softly, scuffing the carpeted floor of the room with a hoof. 'Nopony touches me like that without my permission! No... pony...' Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped open and her breath froze in her throat as she saw him kneeling before her. Dark brown hair done up in a peculiar braid framed a weathered face with hazel eyes, a very small muzz - no, a nose - and lips drawn up in a curious little smile. A hand with five fingers - attached to a pink-skinned arm, dusted with a light coating of fur - slowly drew away from her towards his body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor.

A human.

A human!

A real, live, living, breathing, honest-to-Celestia human--according to her mythology books. But this one looked like none she'd ever seen before. Was she dreaming? Hallucinating due to her illness? Hazel eyes - glowing faintly with some unfathomable power - looked upon her with concern and more than a little worry. Her brilliant gamboge eyes locked with his... and then, suddenly, Lyra was moving - head forward, gaze seeking, nose questing - toward this human. No unknown force compelled her this time. She simply had to see if he was really there; had to know if he was real or but a fleeting dream...

And then she was there, within touching distance of his hands, one of which was now outstretched, perfectly still. After several agonizing moments, she took a single step forward and pressed her muzzle into his palm. 'Oh, Celestia! He's real, he's real...!' Lyra couldn't help herself, then; something primal overtook her and she sniffed him, letting him feel her hot breath against his skin as her brain imprinted his scent - sweat/soft-fabric/steel - for easy identification. Then she lifted her head, looked at him, raised a hoof to touch felt his face his clothes his armor. Sudden nausea overtook her then, and she fell against him, passing out. The last thing she felt before she slipped away were his arms enfolding her as she was lifted from the ground.

Several hours later, Lyra awakened slowly, feeling as if her head were full of cotton wool. As she became more aware of her situation, she realized that she seemed to be in some kind of miniature hospital. Warm and comfortable, she lay within a hospital bed, though said bed certainly wasn't at all like the ones back in the Ponyville Hospital; it was quite sophisticated, outfitted with all manner of tools and devices. Looking about, she espied the human seated near her, in a chair next to the bed. He was seemingly asleep, his eyes closed. "Hey," she nickered softly in Ponytongue. "Um... sir? Hello?" At her words, his eyes opened, softly glowing with hidden power for the briefest of moments.

"Ah, good," he stated, "you're awake." Then, his voice low and gentle, he continued, "I'm not sure how you managed to get here, or why, but when you got here, you were desperate, and very ill. The Dragon Weyr - my home, the place you're in now - opened its Gate of Dawn and let you in; welcomed you."

At his words, Lyra nodded. "Thank you," she nickered, softly.

"My name is David," the human continued, "and, though I haven't been here all that long, I've learned enough to know that you - along with the rest of your species - aren't ordinary ponies. You're as intelligent as I am. Unfortunately I can't speak or understand your language, though it seems you can understand mine, thankfully."

Lyra nodded again. "Where am I?" she asked.

"That sounded like a question. I'm guessing you want to know where you are? Well, you're inside the Dragon Weyr's Clinic. When the Weyr let you in, you brought with you a nasty case of Equine Influenza; luckily for you the Weyr was able to synthesize an anti-viral and vaccine; whilst you were asleep we ran that through you. Uh, I also took the liberty of sorting out your patchy coat, too, but I think I might have overdone it a bit..."

At this, Lyra's eyes narrowed slightly and she frowned, snorting. '"Overdone it?" What does he mean by that?' she thought.

Upon seeing her expression the human - David - raised his hands, placating. "Hey, hey, don't worry; nothing terrible has happened to it! Your coat's fine, it's just a little thicker than usual. Here, let me help you out of that bed; then you can see for yourself..." With that said, David wrapped his arms about her and lifted her again... but this time she was awake to feel it. As he gently picked her up, Lyra just couldn't help herself and leaned into him, a wordless nicker escaping her and causing him to chuckle. Alas, her time in his arms was all too short; mere seconds after being picked up she was gently deposited on the ground, upon her hooves.

Inhaling a deep breath - 'Wow, what he did really worked! I don't feel ill at all anymore, and I can breathe without coughing!' - she examined herself and found that what he'd said was true: her coat was thicker - about as thick as the coat of Applejack's dog, Winona - and it possessed a wonderful, glossy sheen! After a moment, Lyra turned to face David again, and he crouched down to her level. "Well? What do you think?" he asked. "Do you like it? I didn't overdo it, did I?"

"No... by Celestia no!" Lyra whinnied joyfully. "I love it! Thank you so much!" And with those words, she tackle-hugged him, plastering him to the floor of the Clinic as she tangled him up in legs and hooves, nuzzling him as he laughed happily - "I'll take that as a 'No,'" - petting her neck and ruffling her mane. Shortly thereafter, she released him; then he stood and led her from the Clinic, back out to the room she'd first arrived in. Blowing softly through her nose, Lyra happily followed David, moving to join him as he walked over to the old sofa and crashed down onto it. As he seated himself, she moved to join him, laying down there on her side and resting her head in his lap (she just couldn't help herself).

Slowly, gently, David ran his fingers through her mane, and scratched her behind the ears, but even as her world dissolved into absolute bliss, she kept her ears open and listened as David spoke softly. "As I said back in the Clinic, my name is David, and I would like to officially welcome you aboard my home, the Dragon Weyr."

At this, Lyra nickered a soft question. "Why is it called the Dragon Weyr?" the human asked, interpreting her tone. "It was named so for the dragon who once lived here..." At this, Lyra's eyes widened--and then, raising herself to sit on her haunches, she whinnied excitedly as she gestured to the giant futon with a hoof, David becoming intrigued as he saw the motion. "That was... where she once slept, right?"

"Yes," David replied, "that was where she once slept. But... she's gone, now; has been for many years. Since her... passing... I've been living here alone." David slowly closed his eyes in remembered pain--but no sooner had the expression crossed his face, then it was gone, his expression brightening as he continued, "but I'm not alone anymore, though; you're here, now. Since this place was designed with a human and a dragon in mind, uh... I... don't really have any... utilities for ponies..."

At this, Lyra cocked her head. Taking note of her look, David haltingly elaborated, "You know... bathroom, toilet, and the like..." The little unicorn blushed mightily, and he hastened to continue, "...but don't worry! Even now the Probes are constructing temporary utilities for you, and they'll become permanent should you decide to stay--ah, that's right," David checked himself, "you don't know what a Probe is, do you...?" When Lyra shook her head, David softly whistled a curious tune. No sooner had he whistled it than a small panel in one of the walls opened to allow for the emergence of...

... a little robot, made from golden steel, lights all over it glowing a soft cyan as it hovered a few inches above the floor! The little unicorn had only ever read about robots in a few of her - admittedly bad - sci-fi books, where the things were evil and hurt and killed ponies; thus she was naturally quite frightened. As she leaned away from the machine into David, trembling and whimpering softly, closing her eyes, he gripped her shoulders gently; at his touch she opened her eyes to look into his. "Hey, now; there's no need to be frightened. He won't hurt you. Hop down off the sofa and have a look at him. come on..." he said.

Slowly, hesitantly, Lyra did so; she hopped down off the sofa and circled the little machine. "This little guy" David spoke as she examined it, "is called a 'Probe', and his job is mainly to maintain things inside the Weyr. Probes are also used for mining, and construction of buildings and other things, too." Carefully, Lyra continued to circle the Probe--and soon, it turned around on the spot and began to follow her, making her nicker in surprise! 'Wow... I... is this thing intelligent? I wonder what it feels like to touch? I wonder what will happen if...?' Swallowing nervously, the little Unicorn stepped right up to the Probe; it obligingly levitated itself such that the lighted 'eye' on its front was level with hers.

Lyra tilted her head left.

The Probe tilted on its axis, copying her.

Lyra tilted her head right..

The Probe, tilted right, copying her again.

Slowly, hesitantly - moving to balance on three legs - Lyra reached out a hoof... and touched the machine, gently.

As she did so, however, the Probe made a distressed noise... and then, it flopped to the ground on its belly, the many lights adorning it going dark... dead. Immediately, Lyra turned to David in distress! "I... I didn't... I didn't mean to..." David, however, didn't seem to be angry... at her. He stood, looking at the downed Probe, his hands on his hips. "Hey, come on now, none of that!" he snapped, addressing it. "You're scaring our guest! Come on, up with you! Now's not the time to be playing mean tricks."

At his words, the little Probe returned to 'life', issuing a series of 'grumbling' tones. "Hey," David growled, "don't you take that tone with me. This little pony has never seen one of you before, nor has she ever set hoof inside the Weyr. I'm trying to introduce her gently to some of the technology here so she won't be overwhelmed by it all..."

'... too late.' Lyra thought. 'Am I ever! This place is just... wow! I wonder what else is here to discover! Hah, eat your heart out, Sparkle...' Pulling herself from her thoughts, she returned her attention to David.

"... and your playing tricks on her isn't helping." He continued. "You apologize, please." No sooner had he spoken then the little Probe was moving towards her, nudging her very gently as it issued a series of apologetic tones.

"Apology accepted" Lyra nickered, touching her nose to its lighted 'eye' in return. Satisfied, the little Probe turned its attention back to David as he asked, "I trust we now have an appropriately sized bath, vanity, and toilet within the Weyr's bathroom for our friend?" At his question, the Probe tilted its body in a 'nod' for "yes" and issued several cheery tones. "Ah, good; then I'd better show her where things are." And - as the little Probe returned to its various duties - show her he did. The bathroom - if it could even be called that - looked to Lyra like something out of the Ancient Pony Empire of Roam!

Massive, thick, towering marble columns framed - 'Ponyfeathers! He calls that a bath?!' - an even larger swimming pool sunk into the floor; aside from that there was an enormous shower bay along with a vanity unit and toilet sized for David's use. Therein she also espied a smaller - though no less luxurious - bathtub/pool for her use, kitted out with all manner of bathroom products, as well as an appropriately sized vanity basin and toilet that she could use by... well... sitting comfortably on her haunches. Lyra turned to regard David, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I... you... it's too much!" she nicker-whimpered. "You... you didn't have to do this, all for me..."

David swiftly knelt and hugged her gently for a moment, grounding her again. "Truth is," he murmured, somewhat embarrassed, "this wasn't my idea; it was the Weyr's..." Pulling away from him - reluctantly - Lyra cocked her head. After a moment, David continued, softer, "The Dragon Weyr is no ordinary building; it's a great living machine with a mind and soul of its own. It gets a bit lonely with only me living aboard, so whenever we have guests the Weyr tends to go all out to impress, in the hopes that they'll stay..."

"I... I'd like to stay" Lyra nickered, softly. "I... I have nowhere to go..." The little unicorn hung her head, but even as she did so David was gently pushing it back up again such that he could look into her eyes. "You know, little 'un," he said softly, "even though you can understand me, I still can't understand you. We'll need to fix that if you're going to stay here, and we'll do that in a tick. For now, though, let me show you where you'll be staying..." And so, David led Lyra out of the bathroom, back into the main room.

"This place," he stated as he led her through it, "is called the Weyrhome and it consists of several rooms; this one, which is the main living room; a small kitchen that contains a replicator - I'll show you what those are later - uh, the clinic and bathroom which you've already seen... and finally, the Sleeping Quarters..." That said, David opened the doors of said quarters and he and Lyra walked down a short passage leading into a central 'communal common' area, around which were eight doors. Moving to one of the doors - one with a brass number '2' on it - he opened it and led Lyra inside.

"Okay..." he began, "this one of the Sleeping Quarters, and they're all basically the same design, though you'll be able to ask the Weyrmind to customize this one for you when we fit you with a Neural Lace. As you can see, the entrance of each room opens into a living area, fitted with a work desk, upon which is a device called a Terminal; this'll let you look through the Ihan Crystal Archives, and you'll learn of those as we go along." Lyra nodded, wide-eyed, and David continued, "uh... there's a circular nook in the corner here" - he gestured to said nook - "now, as you can see this is set up as a dining booth; there's a replicator terminal in there so you can get your food and I'll teach you how to use that as well..."

David led her into the other half of the room, then, which was a sleeping area holding a single large bed that could double as another sofa. Finally, the human led the little unicorn through into the bathroom area. Naturally, this room was smaller than the giant 'main' bathroom of the Weyrhome and far simpler, containing a shower, a perfectly sized bath, a lavatory, and a sink. "... and this is your own personal bathroom. Much more agreeable than that big one, eh?" Lyra nodded; then her human led her back out into the living area. "...And that's it. Your own personal quarters aboard the Dragon Weyr.

Now as I said, your quarters don't have to be strictly laid out this way; you'll be able to customize them soon, and make this little place however you want it. Pictures on the walls; maybe some screens connected to the external cameras so you can see outside; new furniture, ornaments and bits and bobs... Well... what do you think?" More than a little overwhelmed, Lyra just sat upon her haunches on the floor, looking about. 'This place is mine? I... I have a home again... I... I...'

The little unicorn thought she'd cried herself out when she'd been outside the Weyr, but she still had more tears to shed, it seemed: happy ones. As she gently embraced David and let them fall, nuzzling him over and over and over, he murmured soft, soothing nothings in her ears, scratching behind them and tussling her mane. "Aw, sweetie, there there, ssh, ssh, ssh..." Her human was trying to comfort her, but his actions just made her cry harder; David had been so utterly kind and generous, bringing her into his amazing home, healing her wounds, and finally giving her her own quarters; her own home inside his house, his Weyr.

When at last her tears ceased to fall, Lyra sagged gently against David, exhausted, and he gently picked her up then carefully moved to tuck her into the freshly made bed. Once she was settled comfortably, well... that was that; poor Lyra fell asleep almost immediately. The final thing she saw before she slipped away was her human, David, watching over her; the final thing she felt was the gentle pressure of his hands, petting her mane and scratching behind her ears, easing her passage to the land of dreams... and what amazing dreams they were!

In her dreams Lyra stood proudly beside David, clad in a suit of the same golden-bronze armor he wore beneath his robe, though her armor was, of course, modified for her equine form. Behind her and David there stood a legion of thousands; thousands of giant, glowing-eyed, armored figures - aliens - and... and she and David were leading them! Leading them against a numberless swarm of the most terrifying horrors she'd ever seen in her life! Strangely, though, Lyra wasn't afraid. Her human was by her side. His legion of giants was at their back... and they were going to fight these monsters and they were going to WIN!

And lo, they charged into battle; David wielding some unfathomable power, Lyra cutting down the horrors where they stood with glowing golden blades of magic, and behind them both, the giants, howling as they hewed the foe with blades of cyan light...

Author's Note

Lyra Heartstrings finally finds her elusive human, one who is far more than meets the eye...

Thought I'd put this up here now, but it's still being worked on.

76. Hush (Author SI vs Bitchy!Luna)

"Are you tired of those stories where Celestia and/or Luna act like total bitches to the human protagonist? I sure am! Let's take a typical scene... and show what really happens when a Princess acts like a cunt to a human who won't put up with that, at all..."

* * * * * *

"HOW DARE YOU INVADE THIS TOWN KNAVE!?” Her voice was amplified beyond measure as she took a step forward pointing her sharp horn at me. "YOUR KIND HAS BEEN BANISHED FROM THIS KINGDOM FOR NEARLY TWO THOUSAND YEARS! EXPLAIN YOUR PRESENCE AT ONCE!"

"No," I stated coldly to her. "I don't have to explain myself to you, or anyone, especially after being addressed like that, so rudely!" As I made to continue speaking, soon I became aware of the sound of galloping hoof beats as Twilight ran up to stand beside me. Utterly ignoring the midnight-blue Alicorn who'd been so disrespectful, I turned to the little lavender unicorn, crouched to her level, and offered her a smile

"Ah, Twilight," I spoke to her gently, "I was just on my way back to your Library when I was interrupted by this rather rude Alicorn pony here." I gestured to said Alicorn, before continuing, "She chastised me for supposedly 'invading' Ponyville and is now demanding that I explain my presence here. I don't think I should speak to her at all. I don't know her; she hasn't even offered me her name. Do you know who she is?"

Poor Twilight - who now looked absolutely mortified - looked between the Alicorn and I, before whispering into my ear, "That... that's Princess Luna; Princess Celestia's younger Sister..."

"I see," I stated. "Tell me: Is she always this rude to guests of the Principality, or is she just having an off day?" At the question, poor Twilight squeaked whilst the Alicorn, Princess Luna, bristled with anger. "HOW DARE THOU SPEAKEST OF US WITH SUCH DISRESPEC--" she shouted, but I'd had enough; raising myself to once again stand at my full height I laced my voice with but a hint of my latent psychic power as I softly intoned "Hush..." Softly spoken the word was yet the sheer power behind it made Luna take a step back, a shiver coursing down her spine as as it rolled through her mind.

As Twilight looked on, her eyes wide with fright, I moved to circle the midnight Alicorn, examining her, as she eyed me warily. "Princess Luna, hmm?" I stated softly, as I looked at her with world-weary, though kindness-filled eyes. "Well... your regalia marks you as a Princess... but your appalling attitude does not," I spoke softly, disappointed. "You're not a Princess; you're a foal in a mare's body. I read about you in Twilight's books, and with an attitude like that... well, no wonder ponies adored your sister, Celestia, more than you."

Now, poor Luna was wilted, her head low, but I continued, twisting the metaphorical knife. "I will show you proper respect when you extend to me the same courtesy. You need a serious attitude adjustment, girl, or one day... you will be the Princess of Nothing. And should you fall again, allowing yourself to be consumed by the night that you cherish so much, Celestia won't be banishing you to the moon again... because if you start it... I will stop it. Do you understand?"

When Luna sniffled and nodded, looking at me through teary eyes, my expression softened. "How well a kingdom - or a Principality in this case - is ruled, can be seen by the happiness of its people. Get out, Princess. Get out of your high, lonely tower. Disguise yourself as one of them, and live among them; work, bleed and suffer with them in the toil of life. Live with and learn from them; let their experiences become yours and, earn their respect. They will return it to you ten fold. In this, you will see how you can better change yourself and your attitude... to become the Princess that you should be; that Equestria will be proud of."

Now standing taller, tears running from her eyes to stain her cheeks, Luna offered me a tentative, tremulous smile, and nodded.

Author's Note

Got sick of those HiE stories where the Princesses act bitchy / nasty toward the human protag and he just takes it. Well, not this time folks...

77. Pet (Author SI / Pet!Twilight)

As we approached the Solar Throne and Celestia espied us, her lower jaw dropped open, her eyes becoming misted with tears. At my side, dressed in traditional riding tack - a bitless bridle, a saddle and under padding, and a breast collar to ensure said saddle wouldn't move - was Twilight Sparkle. "What..." Celestia whispered, "what have you done?"

"When I first came to Equestria," I spoke with chilling indifference, "you ponies thought I wasn't intelligent. Despite my efforts to show you otherwise, you all thought I was some kind of animal. Some kind of pet. Twilight here even thought to try to put a collar on me; something of your design, I might add. I left Equestria, then, taking Twilight with me. I have... taught her the error of her ways."

And with that, I proceeded to demonstrate exactly what I had done to achieve this. "Twilight, sit," I stated. As I spoke, Twilight Sparkle nickered softly and then moved to sit upon her haunches.

"Stand," I stated. Twilight moved to stand proudly on all-fours, head erect and ears turned forwards.

"Turn left," I stated. The little lavender alicorn did so.

"Now, turn right," I stated. She did. As the demonstration went on, Celestia winced... and then her expression wilted into sadness.

"Stand tall," I stated. Twilight moved once again to stand proudly on all-fours, head erect and ears turned forwards; then, as Celestia looked on the little mare lifted herself up to stand bipedal on her hind legs... and stayed there for one minute. Two. Three. Four. Five.

"That's enough," I commanded - even though I knew she could stay that way for hours. Twilight dropped silently back onto all four hooves. "Plank" I stated. Twilight moved to lie on the floor of the throne room, her fore legs pressed against her barrel and her hind legs pressed together, outstretched; a living plank. As Celestia watched half in awe and half in horror, I gently picked the little alicorn up and raised her high above my head, as if weightlifting; then I let her fall into my outstretched arms before proceeding to move and turn her about my body, treating her as little more than the 'living plank' that she was!

During this, the little mare remained absolutely still. She moved not an inch, drawing on some of the meditation skills I'd taught her, stilling her body and mind. For all I knew she could have been meditating then and there; easy was it for her to close her mind to the outside world in order to focus upon the complex math-magical formulas she adored so much.

Eventually I commanded her to cease this; then I 'threw' her into the air whereupon the little alicorn flew a single lap about the throne room before proceeding to 'perch' on my outstretched arm like a giant bird! Soon, that 'perch' turned into a cuddle, Twilight relishing my touch, nuzzling me and nickering softly as I held her close. "You," the Solar Mare hissed, "you've turned her into..."

"... into my pet, yes," I stated coldly, gently setting Twilight upon the ground. "She's a wonderful companion. So very gentle. So very... faithful." At that last word - delivered in mocking tone - Celestia bristled with anger, her whole body trembling; she desired nothing more than to tear me to pieces, but she couldn't, not with Twilight there. "You... you monster!" she hissed.

"No more a monster than you, Sunbitch" I snapped, bluntly. "Where I am from, nowadays we don't put collars on humans; we also don't allow animals to run the zoo. You tried to collar me like a slave. It's not very nice when it happens to one of you, is it?" That said, I returned my attention to Twilight. "Twilight," I asked, "what is the Riddle of Steel?"

Immediately, Twilight answered, "Steel is not strong, but neither is flesh. Steel can bend and break, and flesh withers and grows weak. But the will, the will can last forever."

"Twilight Sparkle," I asked her, "what is best?"

Now, Twilight smiled -- but her smile wasn't a nice smile; it was unnerving, that of a predator with too many teeth. Upon seeing it, the Guards of Celestia's Throne shied away, their ears laying flat, and even the Solar Diarch could not suppress a shudder. 'What kind of nightmare has he twisted her into...?' she thought, but then her thoughts were shattered as the little alicorn answered, "To crush the Princesses, see them driven before you, Master, and to hear the lamentation of their... little ponies."

I grinned. "Twilight, would you like to show them the dance you've learned?" I asked. At that, Twilight nodded and then spread her legs in an aggressive stance, mantling her wings as she raised one of her forelegs high. "Ringa pakia!" she cried.

A single beat of silence.

"Uma tiraha!"

Another.

"Turi whatia!"

A third.

"Hope whai ake!"

Celestia and hers were in for it now.

"Waewae takahia kia kino!"

The second the last syllable left her lips, Twilight stomped her hooves on the ground and slapped her wings against her barrel; the sound so loud that one would have thought an explosion had gone off as she began chanting.

"Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!
Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!
Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru
Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā
Ā, upane! ka upane!
Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! Hī!"

The Throne Guards were flat on the floor, utterly terrified, whilst Celestia herself was weeping, her body shaking with silent pain. Twilight Sparkle stared at them all... and then slowly shook her head before returning to my side. "Good girl, Twiley..." I murmured warmly, and petted her mane. "Good girl." With that I knelt and hugged her; then a moment later I broke the embrace and she sat on her haunches and leaned into me as I stroked her chest and side. After a while, I stood and Twilight moved beside me again, on alert. "I think we're done here," I stated. "Come on, Twi; let's go home..."

* * *

Later that evening, aboard the Dragon Weyr, Twilight carefully removed her 'tack' and set it aside, on a special set of hanging hooks. Then, with that done, she and I sat upon the sofa in the Weyrhome and faced each other. I stared at the little alicorn with a solemn, serious expression and she returned the grave stare, her expression mirroring mine. We remained there staring seriously at each other for all of five seconds... and then... Twilight fell into my embrace as we burst into joyous laughter!

When we were finally able to regain control of ourselves... mostly... Twilight nestled close to me, resting her head in my lap as I stroked her mane and scratched her behind the ears. "By Luna's starry skies," the little alicorn giggled, "did you - he-he-he - see the looks on their faces?!" Caressing her - letting my hands roam where they would over her head and down her neck - I nodded, grinning.

"Hell yeah," I crowed. "Heh-heh-heh... poor Celestia looked like she was gonna blow her top!"

"... and her guards," Twilight nicker-laughed, "oh, gods, her guards! Flat on the floor - he-he-he - shaking on their armor, as if... - ha-ha-ha... - the apocalypse was about to happen--all because of one little Maori Haka! Bwah-hah-hah-hah-hah!"

"... and don't forget those modified movie quotes. By Adun, what a riot!" Clutching at each other, we laughed heartily until our sides hurt. Once we were able to finally calm down, I gazed solemnly at Twilight for a moment, before I softly said, "I'm sorry, Twilight... for... having to put you through that and have you wear that tack..."

At my apology, Twilight shrugged before replying, "Hey, don't worry about it." For a moment, she stared off into the distance at something only she could see. Then, "Truth be told," she uttered softly, "I never realized how stressful my life was until I met you; how... how neurotic and obsessive-compulsive I was; how living near the Everfree and having to deal with problem after problem as a result of that damn forest was only adding to my own problems. What we did back there in her throne room didn't feel any different then play-acting; like the pet therapy we've been doing; where I can let go and be your pet for a while and you look after and take care of me."

The little alicorn sat up to face me, then, and I noticed her eyes were misted with tears. "I... I spend so much time taking care of other ponies' problems, some of which is Celestia's mess. It's... nice... to have someone who wants nothing of me; who'll take care of me once in a while, you know?" I nodded. "Oh, don't get me wrong; sometimes I did tell my friends about my troubles and I often wrote to Celestia - but they have their own lives and problems and can only do so much. It's nice to have an outsider's perspective on things; you make me think about things in ways I never did before and right away you discerned my problems and that Ponyville was only adding to them..."

She closed her eyes then - cuddling close to me, pressing her body gently against mine, wanting to feel my warmth - and as I wrapped an arm about her, stroking along her side, I felt her trembling. "I... to be honest..." She halted, than started again. "To be honest," she whispered softly, "I enjoy our pet therapy. I love it when... when you give me a bath at the end of a long day of play; then you set me in front of the heater and towel me down and after, when you... when you hold me so gently, combing your fingers though my mane and stroking over my coat--or when I can't help it and I roll over so you can rub my chest and belly; I just close my eyes and... and... mmmh..." A sound between a sigh and a sob escaped her then.

"You cherish me; you make me warm, content, and then I get sleepy and we cuddle in bed. During those times, I... can't help but think that it would be effortless to let go and be your pet - just be Twiley - forever. So easy... So simple..." And Twilight wept, softly, bittersweet tears; all the while I held her close, murmuring sweet gentle nothings in her ear, our sadness - mine, hers, and the Weyr's - heavy in the air and our thoughts. "As much as we'd love it to be so..." I intoned, "you know it's not possible, sweetie. Princess Twilight is needed by Equestria. Ponyville needs her. Her friends need her. Celestia needs her. Still..." - Twilight looked up at me, into my eyes - "though you can't be my pet permanently, you can still be Twiley sometimes. When it all gets a bit too much, you know you can always come here and let little Twiley out to play."

Twilight blinked, nodded, and made to speak--but then we were interrupted by an alarm. I heaved a world-weary sigh and Twilight wilted. "Ah, well, duty calls. Recall: Command Pit." Together she and I were moved via swirling Warp Vortex to said pit, the place from which Weyr could be piloted. Sitting in our seats down there together we accessed the myriad of controls. "It's one of your Observers," Twilight breathed, awed, "the one you had infiltrate into Queen Chrysalis' Hive!"

"Oh ho, boy; let's bring it up!" I said, and together we accessed the brave little drone, shunting what it was seeing and hearing to us, Twilight clapping her hooves with excitement as the Command Pit Viewscreen resolved into the image of a Council Chamber - a Chamber in session! A tap of a button and we raised the volume, just as Chrysalis chuckled darkly. "So it is agreed, then. Project Siphon will proceed as planned..." Moments later, Council ended, but we weren't worried as the cloaked Observer had recorded everything. "Alright, rock on!" I cheered. "That's the stuff we want. Despite what she thinks of me, Cel's CIA is gonna want the full recordings of this! Let me pull this guy out..."

78. Now Ye Reap What Ye Sow (Author SI / TCB-Celestia)

"... so, yeah, you've been ponified! Everything's okay now; it's all going to be okay, sweetness and rainbows and all that. Or is it...?"

* * *

"Your first mistake" I intoned softly as I stood in front of Celestia - observing her entrapped within the Quantum Force Field - "was thinking me to be hostile. I'm not; just a bit misanthropic. Don't want friends, don't need them. I would have gladly shared the vast resources and technologies of the Dragon Weyr with you and yours if you'd just treated me kindly--but no. As soon as the word "human" left my lips, you assumed hostility due to outdated beliefs... and then you and your sister cast that damned spell, and turned me into a pony. Do you know what that's like?"

I moved closer to her, peering into her now terrified eyes. She was silent, waiting with bated breath. Turning my gaze from her, I stared into the distance, my body trembling, awash in remembered agony. "I can still feel it, you know..." I murmured, "... in my nightmares. The bones breaking and reforming. The internal organs writhing and twisting. The flesh being reshaped and molded. So painful..." Shaking my head, returning my attention to her, I continued, "With the spell you cast, you desired me to be little more than a simple Earth Pony. The Weyr thought different..."

Lapsing into silence, I looked down at my hooves surrounded by teal-furred fetlocks, then at the rest of my alicorn body; teal fur and wings with brown mane, hazel eyes, legs fitted with standard protoss cybernetic grafts and a horn latticed internally with khaydarin crystal. My cutie mark was, of course, the symbol of the Akilae Tribe. "I could have become your greatest friend, Celestia. I would have given you and your ponies everything. But you ponified me; in doing so you brought about exactly what you feared! You foolish mare. Ponification only changes the body, not the mind within. I am still human. I will always be human. I will adapt to this body and continue on; it's what humans do. I actually have a lot to thank you for - never have I felt better, never have I been stronger - but instead, instead... I think it is time for you to reap what you have sown..."

The gesture of a hoof brought the Holographic Viewscreen to life, displaying the shining city of Canterlot in all its glory--and then... - "My friend... purify Canterlot." - I uttered the words that doomed it. Moments later, the Solar Diarch howled in agony, as the great khaydarin crystal capstone atop the Dragon Weyr discharged itself, releasing its stored energy in the form of an enormous psionic beam, which struck the city and annihilated it. It was there--and then it was little more than absolute ruin...

Celestia was wilted, broken, jaw dropped, eyes wet with endless tears. Satisfied, I released the force field holding her and then - "You monster, you monster, you monster! All those ponies, you killed them you killedthemall...!" - she was racing towards me, in futile hope of perhaps beating me to death with her bare hooves; so upset was she that she couldn't use her magic. A blast of my latent psionic power knocked her silly, then - "Arrgh!" - I grabbed her painfully by the ear; a sharp smack to her rump got her moving where I wished. I gave her no choice but to follow else I would rip said ear off. "Move!" I snarled. She did.

Deep into the depths of the Weyr I led her, down, down, down, into a specialized area in one of the construct's machine shops. Therein I led her into a room and once inside, she gasped. Wall to wall, towering higher then the pony princess could ever hope to see were stasis cells - hundreds of them - each housing a living pony. "You are in my world now, Princess," I snarled as she looked at them wide-eyed. "Don't believe all you see..." She turned to me, eyes blazing with rage. "I... but... my city's destruction! A trick?" she sputtered.

"Oh, no," I replied, casually, "Canterlot has most definitely been destroyed. Your mistake was believing that the city was full of ponies when it happened. As you can see, that isn't the case..." And it was true - every single resident of Canterlot, from the youngest colt, to the oldest mare, was here in stasis; even her sister, Luna, was inside a special cell all her own. "As a ruler, you fail, Celestia," I stated coldly. "As such, the Weyr and I are going to take these ponies and your sister; we'll set them up on a brand new planet, rich with resources and opportunity and see how they fare. We shall see if your sister is a better ruler than you."

With that said - even as Celestia now wept bitter tears - I continued, "... And don't worry, there's still plenty of ponies down there for you to rule over. Let's see if you can't do a better job, now, hmm? Maybe you'll learn to clean up your own messes and not rely so heavily on your vaunted Elements of Harmony. Hmm... the ponies of Equestria are the most psychologically broken species to ever develop sentience, and just about every last one of them is due for a break-down at some point in their lives..." I was talking softly to myself, now.

"There's something in their nature, probably that herd mentality, which makes them prone to fits of fearful panic and wild overreactions." I gazed coldly at the broken Solar Diarch. "Of course, it all might be due to your influence. I want to see if I can correct that; harden them up, have them survive, adapt, mentally evolve as my former species has done. We shall see..." Pulling myself away from these thoughts, I spoke to the Weyr in Khalani. "Recall. Target: Princess Celestia. Destination: Canterlot Ruins." No sooner had the command left my lips than a tear in space-time opened around Celestia and then--a scream escaping her--she fell through it a few meters to land heavily on her side amidst her ruined city, bruised and more than a little disoriented.

Author's Note

I hate HiE stories where the Human protagonist gets turned into a pony and just accepts it. Then, it's no longer HiE. Well... not this time. Our protagonist is ponified--and he flips his shit.

79. Not Unwanted (Author SI)

... and thus, I was dragged before the Solar Throne, in heavy moon steel chains and an inhibitor, to face Celestia, Luna and the Elements. As the mob of ponies jeered in anticipation, those I faced glared at me and then "Equestria" the Solar Diarch intoned, "has no need for another Alicorn. You don't deserve those wings..." And with that said she allowed Rainbow Dash to cruelly sever them - cut them off - the Court cheering as they fell to the floor, blood beginning to pour down my back as I howled in agony about the torture cage that covered my head.

Twilight stepped forward next. "Equestria already has four Princesses; we don't need an alicorn Prince, or your profane technology," she said--and then my world near-vanished in agony as she promptly cut off my horn; then a numbing spell was cast to allow this farce to continue. "Y'all don't have real legs; they got them metal things in 'em that makes y'all run faster..." Applejack stated as she stepped forward--and then, she moved to my front and broke my forelegs with a powerful buck, before circling around and breaking my hind legs.

Even as the numbing spell was cast again, I broke and cried, tears streaming from my eyes to stain my muzzle. 'Why... why are they doing this?! I... I haven't done anything...!' Rarity stepped forward, then, her normally kind face set in a twisted sneer. "Ponies like you don't deserve nice things," she stated--and then my body was afire, a scream wrenched from my throat as she used her magic to burn away my Templar attire and my fur. "You'll never smile again..." Pinkie stated, tightening the screws of the hoof-built torture cage I wore.

Lastly - when I was at my worst - Fluttershy stepped up and stared at me. "You're not wanted here. Go home. You're not wanted here. Go home. You're not wanted here. Go home..." The words rocked through my thoughts, driving me deeper into despair. The final blow came when Celestia teleported us all before the Dragon Weyr, - my wondrous pyramid-fortress - and then annihilated it before my eyes! As the Nexus and all my life therein became molten slag, the Weyrmind - the robotic franken-vessel housing the sentience of the Weyr - sought to recall me and escape into orbit.

Luna put a stop to that, coldly smashing the poor living ship into the ground with her magic. Then, as a final insult to grievous injury, the Weyrmind and I were transported into the darkest heart of the Everfree Forest and left to our fate. Agony suffused me as I dragged myself towards the Weyrmind; its pain/questioning/WHY? filled my thoughts as it did the same with sputtering, failing Gravitic Thrusters. "I... I don't know," I whispered softly to the dying ship, pressing my hornless forehead against an intact psi-steel plate as my tears fell. "I'm sorry, my friend; we never should have come here." Unable to muster enough power for its transceiver - due to a slow leak of its internal prismatic core - the dying vessel flickered its lights to me in Morse.

DO NOT CRY FOR ME. KNEW THIS WAS A ONE WAY TICKET, BUT YOU KNEW WE HAD TO COME. LOVE YOU, DAVID.

"I..." I choked, "I love you, too..."

* * *

And then, thankfully the nightmare ended, as I awoke with a pained cry, my heart thumping in my chest with the force of a sledgehammer! For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was but then, my gaze affixed upon Khorvas - my head archivist, the golden-furred white maned unicorn taking a step back. "My Lord," said he, humbly, "it's after ten; time for you to be awake, I think..." A moment later, he stepped forward, peering at me worriedly. "My Lord... do you... do you know where you are?"

I blink-blinked dumbly. Then, I looked around, things becoming clearer with time. "Yes, I... I'm in my quarters aboard the Weyr, I..."

"You were dreaming, my Lord, of something unpleasant," Khorvas stated. "May I inquire as to the nature of said dream?" No sooner had he asked the question then the elderly Unicorn let out a grunt of surprise as I pulled him into an embrace, wrapping forelegs and wings about his body as I whispered brokenly, telling him about the horror I'd witnessed. "My dear boy," whispered he sadly as he gently returned the embrace, "my dear, dear boy; now, why would you have a silly dream like that? You know very well that the Sisters welcome all ponies regardless of their origins and they have no problem with their being another alicorn here. In fact, I think Celestia finds it refreshing to bounce ideas off a fellow 'corn with a different point of view."

Under his watchful eye, I carefully rolled out of bed to stand on all-fours, wincing softly as my still-aching lower-back made its presence known; the result of me attempting to do the job of one of the Weyr's Probes on some system or another; I couldn't remember now but it still hurt like a bitch! "Ugh..." I groaned and dressed myself; then Khorvas followed me as I made my way out of my quarters, into the general hubbub of the greater Weyr. Around me foals played quietly or watched shows on the Viewscreen, or read, or slept quietly as their parents looked on. High above, still more ponies seated comfortably at their consoles, monitored the health and status of the Dragon Weyr whilst others watched lightly over our Everfree City via the Observers flitting about.

Between them all, marketeers hawked their wares, scientists and technicians discussed this and that, foals played in the internal 'streets'. parents shopped and still more ponies lived their day-to-day lives... Sounds impossible, doesn't it? Well... it isn't when the Dragon Weyr is five times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza; a city-fortress in itself, 'stuffed' with more ponies and their families than I knew what to do with! Head Archivist Khorvas watched me carefully as I made my way into the communal facilities, the elderly unicorn frowning as I limped, favoring my right foreleg. How did I acquire said limp? Well... you go have a Hydralisk shoot one of its needle spines through your leg and see how you feel! "You really should get that leg tended to, Master David," Khorvas said, his tone one of long suffering. "I know..." I groaned.

Heading into a private bath chamber, I stopped before a stocked vanity unit and peered at myself in the mirror, taking in the sight of my unkempt mane and the awful bags under my eyes. "Ugh... I look like shit..." I groaned.

"Indeed, sir" Khorvas stated in jest from outside the door. 'I swear I can feel him grinning...' I thought.

"Shut up," I grumbled, jokingly, a chuckle escaping me. After a few moments during which I washed my face, brushed my mane and cleaned my teeth, I felt ready to face the day. Again, Khorvas followed me as I headed out. "Anything on the agenda for today?" I asked as we walked.

"Just the usual city-business, I'm afraid, though Celestia wanted to speak to you; she wishes to set up a sort of joint 'Alicorn Council' to oversee general Equestrian affairs."

"What? Her, Luna, Cadance, Twilight and Me?"

Khorvas nodded. "Correct, sir."

I mulled it over for a moment. "That... sounds reasonable. Schedule a meeting with her..."

"Very good sir..." He marked a note on his ever-present PADD. "Now, Twilight Sparkle wishes to speak to you as well; she wants to run another experiment..."

We stopped and I turned to face the elderly unicorn, wide-eyed. "Another one?" I queried. "How many's she got running now? Twenty? Thirty?"

"Fourty, I believe, sir..." Khorvas replied.

"Damn..." I marveled, "does that mare ever sleep? At this rate she'll have taken over the entire Science Level..."

"I believe she already has, sir," Khorvas responded dryly. "Last the Weyrmind checked, several dozen Probes were in fact building her quarters down there..."

"Oh, boy..." I pressed a forehoof gently against my face for a moment, a weary sigh escaping me. "What is it this time? She's not trying to replicate protoss psionic abilities with her magic again, is she?"

"No, sir. She wishes to attempt crystal growing, specifically a fusion of Protoss Khaydarin and those crystals found in the Crystal Empire." He handed me a smaller PADD containing said thoroughly detailed proposal and I skimmed through it. "This seems legit," I murmured, thoughtfully. "Not sure if the two could be combined, but knowing that mare she'll bloody make it happen. Give her the go ahead--so long as she remembers to rest, runs her combined psycho-magical formulas by me, and doesn't nearly blow up the Weyr this time; the Weyrmind wasn't amused when her psi-replication experiment near-blew up one of the labs!"

"Very good, sir..." Khorvas replied, marking it on his PADD.

"Is there anything else?" I asked.

"Well," Khorvas answered, "I was going to schedule a Muster this morning--but after how you slept last night the Weyrmind advised me against it; in fact, he recommends you take the day off today. Perhaps you might talk to Luna about your dream, then spend some time out and about in Everfree City - out of Weyrhome - in particular, the Foal Care Center. Often those little fillies and colts wonder where their surrogate Father gets to when he's not there..."

"Yeah," I replied thoughtfully. "Thanks, Khorvas; I'll do that..."

Author's Note

Written after reading some nasty comments which I have since deleted. My Si gets his comeuppance because perhaps Gary-Stu. I might edit in a happier ending to this one, later; I was feeling pretty down when I wrote it. I write for myself; if people don't like my fics, you don't have to read 'em.

UPDATE: Added on more, expanded it/a way better ending.

80. Hearts and Hooves Day S--Ouch! Bloody Mares!

"But... I don't understand," Roseluck wailed. "I... all I wanted was for us to go out for lunch this Hearts and Hooves Day..."

Kitted out in full regalia to show that I meant business, I affixed the mare with a stone-cold gaze, my hazel eyes little more than hardened chips of ice as I intoned, "You mares have no concept of personal space. I have no interest in mares - especially ones who not only blatantly throw themselves at me, but also think they can enter my Weyr without permission!" My last words were as the voice of an army Drill Instructor - cracking across the mare like a whip.

A frightened scream escaping her, the poor mare turned and galloped back to Ponyville as if Discord himself were after her, dropping her box of chocolates in the process; a box I wouldn't have accepted anyway. No sooner had she gone than a Probe swiftly scooped up the box of now ruined chocolates for disposal as I turned and stalked back into the Weyr, the mighty Gates of Dawn slamming closed behind me with a massive BOOM.

Swiftly making my way back up to the main room, I collapsed upon the old leather sofa within, a weary groan escaping me as I rested my head atop my hooves and then blanketed my head with teal-feathered wings, a weary groan escaping me. 'Ugh...' I thought, a gusty sigh escaping my nose, 'why can't they leave me alone...?' No sooner had I thought this than the Dragon Weyr was pinging me again with another alert: there was another pony at the Gates.

"Urrrgggh!" I growled. "Who is it this time? I swear by Adun if it's Twilight again, I'm going to physically hurt that mare; I'll buck her into the Everfree..." Immediately, the construct's negation filled my thoughts, followed by an image from the external camera above the Gates. The mare at the Gates, thankfully, was Lyra. "Has she been followed?" I asked. Negation was the Weyr's reply and at this, I breathed a sigh of relief

The last time she'd visited, a small herd of mares had attempted to follow the poor unicorn inside, all wanting to get a look at the 'new stallion' in town. Lyra herself - coupled with low-powered warning shots from multiple Photon Cannons - had dissuaded them from trying again. Heaving another world-weary sigh, I groaned, "Let her in..." Shortly thereafter I heard the sound of the transport rings activating; then there came the sound of muffled hoofsteps as Lyra Heartstrings - perhaps the only pony with any common sense - entered the Weyr.

Unlike other mares whom I shall not name, the aquamarine-coated, cyan-maned unicorn didn't immediately rush up to me and invade my space; instead, she performed a gentle half-bow and then waited for me to acknowledge her. When I briefly dipped my head - returning her bow - and then gestured for her to come closer, a weary smile graced her face and she moved to me. No sooner had I shifted to make room for her on the beat up old sofa than she was hopping up onto it, near draping herself over me as she groaned quietly.

"Rough day?" I grunted.

"*Mumble-mumble*... Stallions... *mumble-mumble-frrghrrn...*" was her barely audible reply.

"You too, huh?" I stated.

Lyra whimpered.

"Fuck Hearts and Hooves day..." I groaned. Poor Lyra huffed softly in agreement. She's gotten the same treatment from stallions that I kept getting from other mares; they kept badgering her to participate in Hearts and Hooves day activities, to go out with them, etc. when all she really wanted to do was hole up in her room and write music. It'd been the same with me and mares but worse; they kept hassling me in small herds, trying to ply me with all manner of chocolates, trying to get inside the Weyr, and generally being nuisances as they eyed me like I was a piece of meat or a breeding stud.

'Damn you, Celestia. Damn your ponification spell. Damn you to the ninth level of Tartarus!' I raged internally.

Oh, I hated Hearts and Hooves Day...

Author's Note

Who hates Valentines Day, or Hearts and Hooves Day? I do.

81. Your Human And Y-- Uh, no.

The "Your Human And You" 'verse; a place where humankind are little more than animals, degraded and treated as pets by the ponies. You're lucky if they're kind. Your ass is on the line - literally - if you're 'purchased' by Blueblood. Well... this time, the ponies got the wrong human...

* * *

The Ponies had stripped me of my robe, armor, and Psi-Staff. In response, I'd lashed out with my latent psionic power, and had snapped their necks before retrieving my gear and dressing myself. Then, after retrieving the... jar... I'd kept with me in the dungeon they'd placed me in, I calmly made my way back to the Canterlot Throne Room. Before two utterly terrified Princesses, I bowed mockingly... and then I presented them with the Jar.

The Jar containing the preserved testicles of one Prince Blueblood. Blueblood himself was where I'd left him, crucified, 'stuck' to one of the throne room doors, his gelded state plain for all to see as he slowly drowned, choking upon his own blood due to a rather severe case of 'Slit Throat'. Very bad disease, that. After presenting The Jar to a whimpering Celestia - who shied away as I drew near - I turned to Luna and started to gently comb my finger's through the younger alicorn's mane.

She was a good girl, staying so quiet and still. She was, after all, intelligent enough to know what would happen if she tried anything stupid. How tragic it was that several dozen of her best Night Guard had fallen to the Templar-made weather phenomenon known as the 'Psionic Storm.' Awful bad weather, that; you often end up with a nasty case of fried brains if you stay in it too long. Her guards had learned that the hard way.

Now I was before the Princesses, Celestia shying away in horror at what I'd done to her... nephew... and Luna nuzzling gently into my hand, nickering softly, submissively. ~There's a good girl...~ I signed in hoof speak. I'd forced Twilight to teach me the language... before I'd cut off her horn... leaving the purple mare in agony. The look on her human's face had been priceless. A neutering had seen any trouble towards me from Max swiftly ended; then I'd left him and his mare in peace, if one could call laying on the floor in agony that.

Now, I combed my hands through Luna's mane and scratched her behind the ears, Celestia looking on in horror as her sister blissfully melted against me. "Wh-why..." Celestia stuttered as Luna curled about me, settling her head in my lap, "why are you doing this?" I fixed her with the same, terrible thousand-yard stare I'd given all the ponies since they'd found me in the desert, before replying. ~I am doing only what is deserved.~ I stated ~You were aware of Blueblood's abuse of humans, yet allowed him to keep doing it. You were aware of the underground human fighting rings, yet did nothing about them. And don't think I don't know about the Black Crystal you possess that saps human intelligence and will. I've seen the files you keep in your Office. I am here to right a wrong.~

"But... But Luna! Why haven't you hurt Luna?"

~Luna took one look at me and knew what she had to do. She doesn't deserve you as a sister; not after your neglect of her. Even worse, you denied her a thousand years of life, then demonized her when she returned. "Nightmare Night" indeed... I intend to treat her far better than you and your Little Ponies ever have. Even as my pet, she'll have a far better life than she currently has here.~ Luna blink-blinked, gazing up at me misty-eyed and I stared back at her, not with the thousand-yard stare, but with a gaze filled with affection. A moment later, I reached into a robe-pocket and pulled out a baby carrot I'd liberated from the Castle Kitchens. It would be a good little snack for now, until I could give her a proper feed later, when we were back at the Weyr.

Author's Note

In case you haven't realized via reading this snip, I hate the "Your Human and You" Universe. The original canon story is okay, because there the human Max is treated fairly and kindly by Twilight. Some of the spin-offs, however, make me sick, particularly "Gryphon Half A Chance." DO NOT read that story unless you want a rather graphic description of a human - an intelligent human like you and I - being NEUTERED by a Gryphon. Even worse, the Author of that story tagged it "Dark" and "Comedy." Comedy? Really? Ugh... We need a reverse where it's the ponies who become the pets of humans.

82. Your Human And You--How I'd Do It (YHaY + Author SI)

"Your Human And You"; an Alternate Version of some scenes. How my SI would handle things when he's... mostly... not being nasty...

At the Spa...

“How bad was the injury?” Twilight asked, allowing Aloe to push her gently back onto the table. “Nothing permanent I hope.”

“No, nothing permanent. Just some slight pain every now and zen,” Lotus sighed, absentmindedly stroking my back with a hoof. “It’s just zat ever since zen, I have been rather nervous around humans. I realize zat not all of zem are violent, but-”

'That won't do...' I thought. Sitting up, I gently pushed Lotus away from me. As Twilight looked on in apprehension, I got off the table. Carefully, I wrapped my arms about Lotus, picked her up and set her down where I had just been. Then, as all watched on, I unwrapped her bandages that I might assess her injuries myself. 'Hmm...' I thought to myself as I gently felt beneath her fur, 'bruising, cause: broken ribs. That human sure did a number on her. Fortunately, they've been properly dealt with--but I can finish the job.' With that thought, as Lotus lay before me, wide-eyed and trembling, I placed my hands upon her body then pushed my power into her, my hands glowing gently with cerulean light as I set to healing what remained of her injuries. As the warm healing light of my psionic power permeated her body, Lotus gasped... and then, she slumped, boneless, her eyes closing as she groaned in sheer bliss...

Twilight and Golden Ingot

“In fact,” Golden said, shoving his face right into Twilight’s, “the only reason you even became Celestia’s pet was because she felt sorry for you when she saw you couldn’t control your powers! The only reason you are where you are today is because you were a complete and total fail--YARRRGGH!" Golden Ingot had screamed like that because I'd had enough. Before Twilight - or any pony - could do anything to stop me - I picked up the arrogant stallion the way a Russian Weightlifter lifts weights! Then, as he screamed in terror, I turned my body, spinning him around, and around, and around... Some fifteen minutes later, when Golden Ingot was thoroughly dizzy and disoriented, I tossed him down to the ground where - after he managed to get to his hooves - he stumbled over to a nearby garbage can and vomited into it until there was nothing left, yet still he continued to retch and heave...

At Sugarcube Corner

After some time, maybe ten minutes or so, (I wasn't exactly paying attention) I felt the sensation of something gently poking my leg. Not wanting to open my eyes, I remained still and tried to ignore the feeling. Unfortunately, the culprit had something else in mind. Soon, I felt something climbing up on my lap, then felt two small things poking my chest. Opening my eyes, I saw that one of the foals - the little unicorn filly - was standing in my lap, her little fore hooves pressed against my chest. Her blue eyes were looking up at me with curiosity.'Oh, Adun... hnnngggh...!' I thought.

Moving with the utmost care, I placed my hand on top of the foal's head and started to pat and rub her mane in a friendly manner. The filly, Pumpkin as everyone was calling her, started to giggle and laugh at my action, making it harder for me to keep a straight face. That's how cute she looked. At that point, I just couldn't help myself; I seriously cuddled that little filly, letting my hands roam where they would! I ran my hands over her neck and back, combed my fingers through her mane, gently scratched her behind the ears, then gently rolled her over such that I could massage along her forelegs and gently cup her hooves in my hands; then I stroked and caressed her chest and barrel for a time before moving lower to bury my hands into her fluffy tail.

All the while that little filly giggled and cooed, and laughed. 'I don't care what they do!' I declared silently. 'They can filch me for foal fondling! They can punish me for pony petting! But I will! Keep! Petting! This! Foal!' I never thought a little filly could actually, purr... but Pumpkin did as she became little more than blissful putty in my hands...

The Train

“I’d like two tickets to Canterlot please,” I said, pushing magic through my horn and placing the bits on the counter with a soft ‘clink’. The stallion behind the counter glanced down at the bits, then looked back up at me. His eyes then flicked over to Max for a brief second before he shook his head, his bored expression never changing.

“Sorry Miss, but we don’t allow humans to ride in any of the train cars unless it’s first class,” he sighed, sounding like I was wasting his time. Nodding towards Max, he continued in the same bored manner. “Your human will have to travel with the baggage, with all the other garbage, just like all the other humans. No exceptio--GHHHKK!"

A terrified scream left my throat as my human - his eyes glowing brilliantly with his power - slowly clenched his hand into a fist... and as he did so, I could see the rude stallion's neck begin to crumple inward. The stallion... he was being choked! As he coughed, wheezed, and struggled to breathe, I whirled about to face David. My human stood there, a look of chilling indifference upon his face. "What are you doing?! Let him go!" I shrieked. "Please, let him go!"

But David didn't obey me. He wouldn't, not until, "... he can come with you!" the now terrified stallion gasped. "He can... go... on the... train. Let me... go! GHHKK!" With those words, finally, David did; he released the stallion and - as the pony sucked air into his deprived lungs - my human just stared at him with chilling cold disdain... before a cruel smile split his lips. A chill ran down my spine, then, as I realized that David had only released the stallion because I had been there, because I had asked him to. Shortly thereafter the stallion fled, and we boarded the train.

The Warehouse/Fighting Pit

“Come on boy, that’s it! Carve him a new one!” a voice cried out, barely discernible in the noise of the crowd. Quickly glancing up, I felt my anger growing as I identified the speaker. Golden Ingot leaned over the edge of the pit, sneering down at us. He happily puffed on a fat cigar as he watched the spectacle below him...but not for long. With a touch of my latent power, I wrenched the shiv from the other human's hand... and then sent it - with psychically enhanced speed - flying at him. Before the wretched stallion could breathe, blink, or even hope to make any sort of movement at all, Golden Ingot died swiftly, choking upon his own blood as the makeshift blade lodged in his throat.

The ponies around me began to scream in terror and then all attempted to flee... but I didn't give them the chance. With Psionic Storms, Blasts, and powerful Assaults, I laid waste to the warehouse, the humans, and the ponies within. As I exited the warehouse, I made sure to psychically seal and lock the doors on my way out. Then, as I walked away, I immolated the place with psionic fire so bright that Celestia would be sure to see it even from Canterlot. The screams of neanderthal humans and vile equestrian ponies dying within were as music to my ears, and a balm to my soul as I stayed to watch the place burn. Then, once it was done and the Warehouse was little more than dust and ashes, I discovered that I was in some kind of old Market District on the northern edge of Ponyville. Duty-bound, I sought the psychic 'tag' I had placed on Twilight, and started to make my way back 'home' to her library...

Sweetie Belle (non-canon)

As Rarity looked on in wonder, gently, I caressed little Sweetie Belle's right ear, using my psionic power to reshape the tattered flesh I saw there until it was whole once again. Then, I turned my attention to the scar on her right flank and her bad right hind leg. 'This won't be too difficult' I thought as I worked, 'just need to reshape that scar, repair the muscle there, transfer a bit of flesh about from here to there, and... done!' The light of my power faded and I gently removed my hands from Sweetie's body.

+You're done, little one+ I wrote on my notepad. +The only thing I couldn't fix was your eye. If I could get back in contact with the Weyr, though...+ Suddenly, I was tackle-hugged to the ground by first a grateful Rarity, and then a tearful Sweetie Belle as she bawled into the cloth I wore. Humming softly, once again I couldn't help myself and seriously petted that little filly; she cooed and wriggled and leaned into my touch. "Anything," Rarity whispered, awed, "anything you want of me, it's yours, darling."

83. The Experiment aka. Your Pony and You (YHaY Reversal)

~I am going to perform an experiment~ I hoof-signed. ~I am going to treat one of your Little Ponies as your ponies would treat a typical human. You need not worry; the pony who will be participating will not be harmed in any way. I have consent from said pony to do this.~

"I... I see..." Celestia stated quietly, nervously. "Who will be participating in this experiment? Not... Not Twilight, I hope?"

~No...~ I signed. A moment later, the doors of the throne room opened to admit the pony whom had agreed to my experiment... and upon seeing said pony, Celestia gasped softly before affixing me with a near-murderous glare. "No. No. Absolutely not!" she stated emphatically. "I forbid it! I..."

"Faust damn you sister, for once in your life, shut the hell up and let me do this!" Luna whinnied as she entered the throne room and then moved to stand beside me. "I agreed to do this, damn it; I want to experience this and you are not to interfere!" Upon her horn the Night Princess wore a powerful inhibitor to prevent her from using her magic, and around her neck a specially enchanted collar ensured that that only language she could speak was Ponytongue.

As Celestia looked on, her eyes misting over with tears, I asked Luna, ~Are you ready to begin?~

Luna nodded...

... and then, for the next ten years, the Night Princess was no longer. She acted as a wild pony and I began with gaining her trust. The part of her mind that was princess howled and screamed - this was undignified - but as Luna let go, that part of her mind was gradually silenced by a newer gentle, playful personality that began to emerge as she and I bonded deeply. You must understand: I was never cruel to her. I never shouted at her, or hurt her in any way. I was always there for her every day; I talked to her, fed her, groomed her mane, tail and coat, reassured her whenever she was startled or spooked by something, and soothed away bad dreams and nightmares.

Of course, there were bad days with the good; sometimes Luna just needed to vent; to decompress, to work out of her mind the thousand years of loneliness and pain she suffered when she was exiled to the moon by her sister. During those days, I just couldn't approach her as she galloped around and around the pastures set up for us by Twilight; as she snorted, kicked, bucked, reared and raged; as she whinnied and howled until her voice was - literally - hoarse. All I could do was employ my psionic ability "Charm" to attempt to soothe her rage. I also took great pains to ensure she didn't hurt herself. At the end of these fits of rage I would always be there for her, removing the sweat from her body then holding her gently as she wept, wept, wept, into my lap.

When at last I deemed she was ready, I showed to Luna - and then fitted her with - a halter to which I attached a lunge line; then I began her training. I trained her to follow my commands as she moved in a circle around me, introducing her to the words: "walk", "halt", and "back." I taught her to properly walk beside me while leading her with a lead rope - to walk, turn, stop, and respect my space as her master. Later, I introduced her to the sight and sound of her riding tack - a bitless bridle, a saddle and under padding, and a breast collar to ensure said saddle wouldn't move and had her become familiar with its weight upon her body. ~How's it feel?~ I signed once it was on her. ~I haven't cinched it, yet; we'll have you get used to the feeling of the weight before we start cinching it all...~

"Bah!" Luna nickered, "It's fine and it barely weighs anything at all!" Then, "Come on, come on, come on!" she whinnied, "Cinch it and let's go, go, go; this is what we've been working towards, master!"

~Are you sure?~ I queried.

Luna nuzzled and bumped me with her nose! "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, let's go!" she neighed.

~Very well,~ I stated and then - after cinching her tack and checking to make sure everything was in place, it wasn't too tight, and she was comfortable - I carefully mounted her and seated myself in the saddle. A moment later, a cry escaped me as Luna galloped toward the edge of our pasture and then took off, soaring into the sky! As we blew past the palace and soared out over Canterlot, through mind speech I asked her ::How do you feel?::

"Good!" she whinnied, boldly. "Clean. Pure. Joyful!" As we flew onward, I laughed heartily and petted her neck whilst beneath us ponies below stared and pointed at the bizzare sight of a human upon their Night Princesses back.

* * *

Later, we stood before a very uncomfortable-looking Celestia, Luna standing proudly in her tack, almost smug. She was honored to be wearing that tack! "I... I trust the experiment was a success, then Lulu?" When Luna nodded, the Solar Princess continued, "Good. I'm sure it was quite enlightening. You'll be wanting to return to your duties now, I expect. Luna? Lulu...?"

Luna, however, wasn't listening. She was gazing at Celestia, thinking of her former life. The little ponies who didn't love her. Raising the moon and arranging the stars night after night but nopony caring. Night Court, long and boring; the nobles constantly plotting and scheming. A sister who was too busy to spend time with her. Long, lonely nights where she would often weep alone, wishing for the sister or even the friend who would never come... Well... her friend was here now. Lulu knew where she wanted to be...

Celestia looked on in shock - her jaw dropping, her eyes widening - as her sister balked, snorted, and then turned away from her! Horror and despair gripping her guts, the Solar Diarch watched as her sister moved to stand beside David, nuzzling him affectionately. "I... I don't understand..." she whispered, voice thick with emotion. Then, a gasp escaped Celestia, the white mare paling as I stepped forward and spoke to her in Equestrian.

"The experiment..." I rasped, "was a complete success. Luna now knows where she desires to be, and you... you know the truth of utter despair... Most people are so grateful to have family; to have a sibling they can depend on--but not you, Celestia, you never were. And now... you will never be. Not anymore.”

With that said, we turned to walk away...

As within Celestia, the light of realization dawned...

Luna hadn't batted an eyelid when David had spoken...

Luna had known he could speak, all along, and hadn't told her...

Which meant...

The experiment had been planned right up to this moment; that Luna might watch her sister crumble...

Luna had wanted to abdicate her throne for a new, simpler life...

Luna had wanted to become a pet, in order to escape...

And David had obliged her; knowing that to watch Luna become said 'pet' would fill the Solar Diarch with despair...

"Y-You... you monster!" Celestia wailed. "Give me back my sister! Lulu, get back here!" With an inarticulate scream, the Solar Diarch lunged toward me - perhaps to impale me upon her ivory horn, but...

"WHINNNNNNNEEEEEEEEIGH!" ***CRACK!***

... she never got the chance, because Luna bucked mightily, kicking her in the chest and sending her careening back to crash into her throne. Seconds later, I mounted the former Lunar Diarch and then together, she and I fled. The last thing Celestia saw of us was my vicious grin as I rasped,

"Game over..."

84. To Dismantle

Author's Note

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Well, here my SI does something about it. Hardcore, old school style. Don't read if you're squeamish.

84. To Dismantle

"Eyes, ears, nose, or mouth?" I quietly asked.

Within the Autodoc, Prince Blueblood whimpered softly, his eyes misting with tears.

"Eyes, ears, nose, or mouth?" I repeated.

Finally, Blueblood looked up at me as I loomed over him and quietly whispered, "E-Ears..."

"Left, or right?" I asked.

At this point, the stallion began to struggle, thrashing and screaming within his bonds--or he would have, had they been ropes. But they were not; powerful Psychic Fields held the terrified Prince to the Autodoc Biobed so tightly he couldn't move an inch. Once he realized that he wasn't going anywhere - that no amount of screaming would save him - resigned to his fate, the Prince uttered, "L... Left..."

And as Blueblood moaned with despair, gently and painlessly the Autodoc removed his left ear; then it was transported into Preservation that it might be given to one of the many mares he'd... wronged. Once the surgical procedure was complete, I softly spoke again.

"Eyes, ears, nose, or mouth?" I quietly asked.

Blueblood wept.

"Eyes, ears, nose, or mouth?" I repeated, my mind closed to the outside world. I would feel nothing as this monster - this abuser of mares and even young fillies - met his fate.

"E-Eyes..." choked he.

"Left, or right?" I asked.

"Right," he whispered, and so gently it was done.

In this manner - Blueblood choosing which part of himself to lose - the Weyr Autodoc carefully dismantled him. His ears. His eyes. His legs. His organs, one... by one... by one. All would be quietly given to pony hospitals desperately in need of organs for transplant patients. When at last Blueblood was reduced to naught more than his head, heart and lungs - hooked to a special life-support system that he continued to live even in this state - I softly intoned. "It didn't have to be this way. But, you and your friends kept sexually abusing mares and even little fillies for your amusement. This time, however, you picked the wrong filly to assault: my little adopted Honeydew Wisp. She'll have a new, scar-free coat thanks to you, though it'll never make up for the pain you caused her when you... well..."

I lapsed into silence for a moment.

"Iiiiii'm soooorrrryyyy..." slurred the blind Prince.

"NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" I raged suddenly. "NEVER GOOD ENOUGH! 'SORRY' DOESN'T CUT IT THIS TIME. 'SORRY' WON'T MAKE AMENDS TO THE HUNDREDS OF MARES YOU'VE RUINED VIA PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE, NOT TO MENTION UNWANTED, ORPHANED FOALS!"

His heart, lungs, and finally his brain were the last things to be dismantled; the organs being sent to preservation and the brain wiped clean. Then, once there was literally nothing left - when Prince Blueblood had quite literally been dismantled completely - I located the nearest waste disposal unit and spilled my guts into it, puking and puking until there was nothing left to lose. Shortly thereafter, I cleaned myself up and headed to observation. There I found three very, very ill ponies, Twilight Sparkle having urinated upon the floor while Celestia had vomited and Luna was so pale her dark blue fur was as white as her sister's.

"Suffer... not evil... to live..." I stated softly. "No more sealing it away."

Three mares nodded... and then withered 'neath my gaze, before I turned and slowly walked away.

85. The Promise

It had been a duel for the ages... but there had been no clear winner, until now...

"Hah!" the teenage shit who called himself 'Darth Vulcan' boomed. "I've got you!" That said, he drove his staff deep into my stomach... making me fall forward atop him.

"Yes," I rasped, weakly, "but I've got you, too. Go fuck yourself, you little shit..." That said, I slammed a hand down atop the Alicorn Amulet and sent through it the last of my energy in the form of a powerful psionic pulse. That blast of energy entered the amulet, and then through the amulet it traveled directly into Ted's brain.

"Y-you... y-you..." He stood for a moment, weaving drunkenly...

... clutched his helmeted head and screamed...

... and then, from within his helmet, there came a terrible, wet-sounding *THUMP*...

... as his head exploded inside it. Somehow I was able to roll out of the way as he toppled to the ground. The final thing I heard before I slipped away was Twilight Sparkle, as she screamed.

* * *

Sometime later - I'm not sure when - I awakened, my head feeling like it was full of cotton wool. As the feeling gradually cleared and I became more aware, tentatively, I looked about and discovered that I was back inside the Dragon Weyr, specifically inside the Clinic, lying in an outpatient bed in the recovery ward. I couldn't help but smile as I became aware of a purple-furred weight atop my body; little Twilight Sparkle, whom was sleeping quietly, a forehoof thrown over me and her head atop my chest. Without thinking, I buried a hand into her mane and ruffled it! The purple alicorn mare groaned discontentedly at this, and made to swipe my hand away... but when she felt me grasp her hoof, her eyes snapped open, a gasp escaping her.

"Y-You... you're awake!" she cried, joyously. "You're awake!" Frantically, she checked me over until - "UGH!" - she accidentally drove a hoof into my still-tender stomach. "Oh, Celestia!" the little mare cried in horror. "Sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry-sorry..." I just laughed and kissed her softly on the nose which made her stop apologizing. "It's okay, sweetie..." I whispered, "accidents happen." A mixture of emotions warred their way over Twilight's face then, before she burst into tears. Despite my weakened condition I just held her close, murmuring soothingly to her. "Y-You... you almost died back there," she said through her tears. "Fortunately, Celestia was able to contact the Weyr and have it - what was the word - ah, yes, she had it recall you here--but even then things were touch and go; you... you did die, twice, before the Weyr was able to bring you back and heal you..."

"It's not the first time that's happened..." I whispered.

My reply caused Twilight to burst into tears again and I stroked her coat and combed my fingers through her mane; she in turn nuzzled me all over taking in my scent, whimpering, and nickering, so very, very pony. "How... how can you be so... so blase about this?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

"Because," I softly intoned, "as long as the Dragon Weyr exists - as long as it survives - so will I. The Weyr won't let me die Twilight. I will always be with you, and Celestia, and Luna; all the Little Ponies. Now talk to me, sweetie, tell me about Canterlot. What's been happening?"

She sniffled... and then, her expression visibly brightened as she excitedly answered, "Oh, it's amazing! Your Weyr's Probes have been assisting with the rebuilding, and they're putting Canterlot Castle on the ground; apparently Canterlot City's going to be rebuilt around it! It already looks stunning. Uh, I hope you don't mind, but... the Princesses have been using the Weyr Commons as a temporary Throne Room and place of residence; they'll be using it until construction is complete..."

"That's okay, they have permission," I replied. "Anything else?"

"Well..." Twilight hemmed and hawed for a bit; at this I tickled her and ruffled her mane until she laughed and pushed my hands away. "Okay, okay, you have some visitors!" she said through her laughter.

Sitting up in the bed, cuddling Twilight close to me, I said, "Let's have 'em; bring 'em in!" and at those words Twilight nicker-called to whomever was waiting outside. Shortly thereafter I was soon being nuzzled by two more very, very tearful Princesses. Celestia and Luna nuzzled me over and over, thanking me profusely for all I had done and was continuing to do for them. "Oh, come on, now," I grumbled in good nature, as I hugged them both gently, "enough of this; I just did it because it was the right thing to do. To help you. To prove to you that Darth Vulcan was wrong and that not all humans are the monsters he claims us to be. Anything else? What about the Alicorn Amulet?"

"We don't know, David," Celestia stated, sadly. Darth Vulcan's - Ted's - body was psychically immolated by the Weyr; then Probes took his armor... somewhere within and--"

"ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Solar Diarch was rendered silent as a truly bloodcurdling scream rose up from within the Weyr, soon followed by the feeling of something walking over our graves as a dark, malevolent presence was swiftly and brutally expelled.

"--just smelted it down now, along with the Amulet." I concluded. The atmosphere felt... lighter now that the malevolent presence was gone. "Then... then that was...?" Luna stuttered.

"Yup," I answered, "that was whatever lurked inside the amulet. Now that the Alicorn Amulet is gone - without the thing's magic to hold it here - that force should naturally be guided to where it has to go..." I lapsed into silence, then, as both Celestia and Luna sagged with relief.

* * *

Later, much later - after I had recovered completely - I stood, watching over Princess Luna as she laid within the Autodoc, Darth Vulcan's words running through her mind, "Whaddayou think that rinse and scrub cycle you got from her Elements was? That was you getting your personality erased and rewritten into the good little obedient sister she always wanted... Remember what it felt like when that big shiny rainbow hit you? I sure know I do... Like parts of your mind were being hosed away. That's the truth of it. I bet you sit all alone in your bed at night, wondering what other things got purged too. What little disagreeable traits your dear, loving sister's star pupil peeled out of your head... How much of the real you is still left?"

Now, at last, she would find out. "... and we're done." I stated. With that, as Luna hopped out of the Autodoc, I brought up the report that she might, at last, see 'how much of the real her was still left.' When it was all compiled and came onscreen, as I carefully scrolled through the reams of medical data and images... my heart dropped into my stomach as I visibly paled. "W-What... what is it, David?" Luna whimpered, "what's wrong?"

Sickened, trembling, pale as a ghost, I turned toward her, took her head in my hands and asked, "Are you familiar with the story of Peter Pan, the boy who didn't want to grow up?" At this, Luna nodded - she was more than familiar with that story from the Ihan Archives - and at that I continued, "Well... you're Equestria's Peter Pan, Luna. The... those parts of your brain that haven't been physically scarred have been... altered... drastically... from what they should be. You're thousands of years old physically, but... but mentally? You... effectively, you're... you're a 'mature filly' trapped inside the body of a mare. Negative emotions have been dulled, muted, good emotions have been... enhanced... and entire tracts of memory and the deepest, most fundamental aspects of who you are have either been altered or... or erased..."

That said, I helped her look through the report, explaining terms, clarifying images, and letting her see through herself. When at last she was done, she looked at me through eyes blurred with tears. "Can... can you help me? Can you heal me; help me regain what... they took from me?" she asked, with emulated despair.

Slowly, I shook my head as I answered, "No, not with damage this extensive..." She wilted. "BUT..." I continued, her expression visibly brightening, "the Protoss might be able to; some of the High Templar. You'd have to return with me to Aiur, and you'd have to stay there with us for... perhaps a very long time. Damage... damage like this can't be fixed overnight..."

Snuffling, Luna nodded and buried her head into my robe. "Y-You... you promise?" she whispered.

"On my honor - as a High Templar and Citizen of the Protoss Empire of Aiur - I so swear," I intoned solemnly. I would do whatever it took to set this wrong thing right.

86. I, Sombra #1 (Author SI in King Sombra's Body)

How long have I been here in this cell?

Months?

Years?

Centuries?

I... can no longer tell.

Truth be told, I don't bear the Equestrians any ill will; they think I am one of their greatest villains, simply because I inhabit his body. Thus, here I reside, day after day, in a cell deep within the Palace of the Crystal Empire, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of the strongest anti-magic, shielding, and containment wards for... for... what? What did I - or rather, King Sombra - do that was so horrible as to deserve this fate? I do not know, but whatever he must have done, it must've been truly horrible...

During my time here, I have met very few Equestrians - and with good reason, if the stories of Sombra are to be believed - but there are some who visit me. The guards whom bring me just enough food to keep me alive. A doctor and a nurse to ensure I am in good health for those times when I am taken to be paraded throughout the Empire in chains. Princess Cadence... who seems always to have a sad look in her eyes. But by far, the worst of them all is Shining Armor, her husband. He hides it well from his beloved wife, but when she's not about, the kindly Prince becomes a monster of the worst sort. When he isn't cutting me with barbs and insults, he - along with a number of guards - is beating me to within an inch of my life--and immediately after said beatings, he has my doctor patch me up again... and again... and again...

I'd always remained silent. What was I supposed to tell them? "Oh, hey, I know I look like your King Sombra, but I'm actually not; I'm just inhabiting his body?" No... they wouldn't believe me. One day, however - during one of Princess Cadence's visits, when I was at my lowest, heartsick with depression - I slowly raised my head to look at the pink alicorn princess through the bars of my cell... and - my face wet with countless tears - I softly sang:

"I'm a silhouette, asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a silhouette, chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on, the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home..."

Immediately, Cadence's guards made to enter my cell - perhaps to silence me - but the Princess stopped them with a hoof gesture. "What is that song?" asked she of me.

At first, her question didn't register - so long was I used to ignoring barbs and insults that I'd forgotten what it was like to be spoken to, kindly - but when she repeated the question, "It is called 'Silhouette'," answered I. Taking a few tentative steps closer toward my cell, softly she breathed, "Sing it for me, please..." and so, I did. When the song ended, the pink alicorn's face was wet with tears whilst aside her, her guardmares struggled mightily to contain their own. When at last she was able to regain a semblance of her dignity, Cadence softly stated, "You are not Sombra."

"No," I said, "my name is David."

That was how it began. Between the long bouts of isolation and loneliness of my cell and the cruelty inflicted upon me by Shining Armor, gradually, Princess Cadence became my friend. At first she and I merely talked through the bars of my cell. She told me of the world outside my Cell, of Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns, and of the Alicorn Princesses who controlled Sun and Moon. I told her of my home world, Earth, and the wonders, terrors, and other things found therein; how I'd lived a rather uneventful life only to be transported here after witnessing the death of the real King Sombra's shade upon the pearly steps. This near-blew her mind.

Charming, funny, and possessed of utterly hilarious wit, she became the light of my life and I became her shadow; that was what she called me when she would touch hooves with me, or nose me affectionately through the bars as her guards looked on in horror. I should have been more suspicious, perhaps, but I wasn't; things just seemed to develop so naturally between us as our friendship grew. I should have become mildly suspicious when she started visiting me without her guards, or even when she began bringing me my food herself; proper food rather than the prison slop I was usually fed. But again, I wasn't; I was just glad for the better food, and - more importantly - the company of my now good friend.

"Judging by the look on the organ-grinder,
He'll judge me by the fact that my face don't fit.
It's touching that the monkey sits on my shoulder.
He's waiting for the day when he gets me,
But I don't need no alibi, I'm a puppet on a string.
I just need this stage to be seen.
We all need a pantomime to remind us what is real.
Hold my eye and know what it means."

Sang she, giggling as she brought my food. Yes, I'd taught her all manner of songs from Earth. I'm not sure when it was that I began to fall for her. I don't think she knew when she began to fall for me, either. But somehow... it happened. And no, it wasn't some torrid affair, or whirlwind thing. This was something very slow-burning, built atop solid foundations of good food, drink, conversation, and of course music. Between long looks at each other, it took us forever to work up the nerve to even kiss... but when we did they were soft, little, fleeting things done in secret 'neath the moon...

I should've become really suspicious when one night she simply opened the door of my cell, broke my wards, and then held me tightly, desperately, weeping into my fur. "Shining Armor," she said, once she'd regained control of herself, "used to be a good pony... but now, he is angry, always angry..." and so the story came out. How Shining Armor - instead of coming home - would spend his nights getting drunk at the local bar, only to come home and hurl the worst abuse at poor Cadence and hurt and sully her in other ways; though he never physically hurt her, or - heaven forbid - abused her sexually. As a pair married... they were failing... "'Tis my fault, Cadence, indirectly..." I murmured, my tone low, soft, though lacking the 'growl' of the real King Sombra. When she made to protest, I bade her listen. "It is," I stated with grim finality. "Long have I been here, contained. He cannot kill me. Equestrian Law - and perhaps some part inside of him - prevents him from doing so, and this eats away at him. To have King Sombra within his reach - so close - and yet be unable to end it..."

"But you are not King Sombra!" cried she. "You are not! Oh, if only Shiny would listen..."

"But he will not. Shining Armor sees only King Sombra and the old, old history of what he did to the Empire..."

"History that you, David - the kind human trapped inside his form - are paying for when you should not be!" With that, she turned and fled, weeping, even as I tried to reach out to her. Sometime after that... Shining Armor discovered that Cadence had been visiting me in secret. He was not amused. Wasting no words, he and his guards entered my cell and therein proceeded to beat me brutally, to within an inch of my life. He bruised, battered, stomped, and crushed, 'til I coughed and vomited blood--and he might've killed me, too, if not for - "SHINING ARMOR!" - the Royal Canterlot Voices that stopped him cold. Shining Armor turned about... and then he paled for standing before him were all four Princesses of Equestria - Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Cadence - and their expressions were utterly thunderous!

A curt gesture from Celestia saw Shining Armor wrestled away from me by two burly Dawn Custodes - Celestia's Elite Guard - and then he was clapped in irons and an inhibitor as Cadence raced to my side, cradling my broken form in her forehooves as she wept near-silently in anguish. As a team of doctors and nurses made to gather me onto a stretcher, Celestia approached me. "You are not Sombra..." stated she softly in awe, after examining my mind with a powerful spell.

"No..." stated I, weakly, "... never... have been."

"What do you want?" asked she.

"To see... sun..." I murmured through a mouthful of blood. "Be... with Cady... if... she'll have me." Walking at my side as the physicians carried me, Cadence blinked back tears and nodded, nosing me gently here and there.

"Then it shall be so," Celestia stated.

87. I, Sombra #2 (Author SI in King Sombra's Body)

"Hah!" cried Shining Armor as he caught up to me in an alley just off the main street. "I have you now, Sombra!" That said, he charged up and then fired a massive beam from his horn, hoping to dispatch me in one fell swoop. Shining had meant to hit me... but so great was his rage that he couldn't focus his magic, and it went everywhere, tearing the alleyway asunder and ripping off a part of one of the over hanging roofs of the building surrounding us. With skill borne of 615 years of life and service to Aiur, I leaped out of the way of the falling structure, whilst Shining surrounded himself with a shield. Neither of us heard the cry of the filly until it was too late. Both Shining Armor and I temporarily ceased our battle as the huge slab of crystalline roof came down... and buried the little foal alive...

Oh, no... I thought, a moan escaping me, oh, no, no, no...

As Shining Armor looked on, too shocked to do anything but stand there, I snarled as I turned and frantically tore the rubble apart with my bare hooves, hoping, praying that I wasn't too late. With herculean effort, I hauled huge chunks of rubble away... but when at last I finally uncovered the filly, a moan of despair escaped me as I beheld her condition. Her head, ribs, and legs were crushed; she was all but dead. No... I thought, no, no, no... come on, with all this power there must be something... When I'd ended up in this body I'd gotten not only my own memories, but a patchy mixture of King Sombra's as well, and I searched through those now as I frantically wracked my brains to find a way to help her.

Come on, you old monster, I thought, swiftly looking at and then discarding spell after spell after spell, there must be something here I can use; there must be a way to turn his destructive arts to the purpose of healing... Aha! I'd found something. Drawing upon the ancient King's near instinctive knowledge of magic, I gathered his - my - dark power... and pushed it at the filly. With bated breath, I watched as the dark power entered her, and then... that dark power crackled and hissed over her body as her wounds began to heal. Her neck and ribs snapped back into their proper places. Her flesh knit itself back together. And at last - after what seemed like an eternity - the little crystal foal opened her eyes, then yawned and stretched as I nuzzled, nuzzled, nuzzled, her weeping with silent joy. Moments later, I was placing her atop my back and heading towards the nearest hospital to get her looked over.

* * *

A miserable Shining Armor told the Doctor what had happened as Princess Cadence stood at his side for support, their attention thankfully not on me but on the Doctor as he examined the now-healed filly. As the Crystal Prince concluded the story, the Doctor finished examining the giggling and cooing foal then turned to me, his expression grim. "You're not Sombra," stated he, matter-of-factly. At this, I nodded frantically - finally somepony saw the truth - whilst behind me both Crystal Prince and Princess gasped. "King Sombra wouldn't care a whit for the life of one little filly, but you do. I don't know who you are, and I don't care; that you brought her here so swiftly speaks wonders for your character. Nevertheless, I have bad news for you, I'm afraid..." At this, the ponies behind me gasped whilst my heart dropped into my stomach.

"You believe you saved this filly; that you brought her back from the brink of death, and healed her?" I nodded, beaming. The smile was wiped from my muzzle, however, as the Doctor stoically continued, "The truth is: you did not. This little one died instantly when the roof came down..."

"Nhh! Nhh!" I cried, gesturing to her. But that's not true! I thought, incredulous. She's right there, alive and moving--

The Doctor just looked at me so very sadly. "This little filly died ages ago; was probably dead when you brought her here. You... you're drawing upon necromantic magic to... to control her like a puppet. You think she's alive, thus, your mind and magic is making it so..."

Eyes widening, I looked to him, then to the filly, then to him again even as I frantically shook my head, "Nhh! Nhh! Nhh! Shhs rgggh thrr!" I growled. "Shhs thrr, shss llvv..."

"I'm sorry..." stated the Doctor.

Something inside me snapped. Without warning - before anypony could stop me - I snarled and snatched up the little filly. Then, weeping, tears flying from my eyes, I ran. I'm not sure how long I galloped throughout the Crystal Empire; all I know is that by the time I stopped I was back where this nightmare had begun, breathless, my muscles burning. Gently, I lifted the laughing, cooing filly off my back then lay down amongst the rubble, placing her before me. She was so beautiful; pure golden coat with the loveliest white mane... More tears flowed as I realized what I needed to do...

"Rrrr--" I choked, then started again. "Rrrr yh... rddhh?" I managed to growl out. For the nth time I so wished that the former king's use of Dark Magic hadn't cruelly damaged his powers of speech! At the question, the little filly nodded and smiled; then she raised a little hooflet and I hoof-bumped her. Gently she and I nuzzled, nuzzled, nuzzled each other. She yawned softly, then curled herself up in a little ball. I moved to curl myself about her... and then... at last, I released the spell.

I felt her body grow still...

I felt her little heart slow and then stop beating...

I felt her lungs as she stopped breathing; heard the rattle of her final breath...

And then at last I raised a hoof...

And gently, oh-so-gently, closed her eyes...

Feeling lower than I'd ever felt in my life, I tightened my curl about her body, setting my head to rest upon my forehooves, wanting nothing more to "go with her"; to join that little filly in the afterlife. Cuddling her, rocking her, I whimpered and whined and wept bitterly, staining her coat with my tears as I cried, and cried, and cried... It was when I felt the white, gold-gilded hoof of Celestia touch me gently, heard her softened voice - "It's time; you have to let her go, now" - that I finally snapped. I looked around at the ruin, the devastation. I hadn't caused this. I knew the hoof that wrought this deed... and before anypony could stop me I was atop Shining Armor, beating him to within inch, after bloody inch of his life as...

"WWWWRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"GNNNNARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I roared my grief to the heavens. Soon, however, I was surrounded within a golden aura and hauled away from the arrogant stallion; then my world vanished into the sea of white that were the wings of Princess Celestia. I struggled, thrashed, kicked, wailed... and then finally I just burnt out, turning to hug her as I bawled like an overtired colt. "Nvh mnn fh thss t' hphn. Nvh mnn fh thss t' hphn. Nvh mnn fh thss t' hphn..." I whimpered. "Plssss..."

"Sshh, sshh, sshh," Celestia soothed, "it's alright; I know, I know, sssh..."

* * *

I had a super-fortress, capable of holding as many as needed, able to manufacture armies of machines to create as well as destroy...

Over 615 years of training and experience with combat, psionics, politics, diplomacy...

Mastery of the physical, psionic, and technological arts... and now limited control of sorcerous pony magic thanks to this body I inhabited with its patchy memories that were now mine...

I was David Boucher, Protoss-raised, human High Templar.

I was King Sombra, former Emperor of the Crystal Empire.

And yet, for all my great power...

I could do nothing...

Nothing to save the life...

Of one... little... filly...

Author's Note

My Author SI ends up in the reincarnated body of King Sombra. It... doesn't work out well... :fluttercry:

88. I, Sombra #3 (Author SI in King Sombra's Body)

I couldn't remember anything of my trip through Canterlot.

One moment I was outside the City; the next I was standing before the two Princesses of Equestria, terrified and shaking, as Luna thundered, "SOMBRA! HOW HAST THOU RETURNED? WHY HAST THOU COMETH HERE TO OUR FAIR CITY?" As she made to shout again again, however, Celestia raised a demure hoof for silence as they awaited my reply.

Slowly, carefully, hesitantly - in full view of them and their spear-wielding guards - as I wept silently, tears streaming down my new face I stripped myself of my - Sombra's - regalia. Off came my crown, my cloak, and the armor I wore and when I was furclad before the dumbfounded Princesses I clumsily folded the cloak, placing armor and crown atop it.

As the guards looked on - stumbling upon alien hooves - I carried the tainted regalia to them and then dropped it at their hooves. Then, I backed up and slowly knelt before them in a bow so deep my horn touched the floor; and thereafter I slowly lay down, and rolled onto my side. Then, the alicorn sisters gasped as I rolled into my back, baring myself before them in the ultimate gesture of submission. I did not voice them, but by my actions my thoughts were clear. 'Do as you will...'

It was Celestia who rose first. As she came down from the Solar Throne to circle around me, mystified, I stayed perfectly still. She sniffed me here and there, nudged me gently to see whether I was faking anything--all the while her oh-so-vey-long horn was inches above me. She could have bisected me with that horn and - with the way I was feeling right now - I would have let her... At last, with the softest of embarrassed coughs into a gilded hoof, the white alicorn mare gently said, "The real King Sombra would never have bared himself before us. Please, rise my, my" - she wondered whether those were the correct words before she finished her sentence - "my Little Pony and tell us who you are."

Slowly - very slowly - so as not to provoke the guards (I knew Celestia wouldn't order them to attack me, not now, but I was taking no chances), I got to my feet and stood to face the Sisters again. Then, inhaling a soft breath I spoke, for the first time since I'd gotten here. "I AM NOT--" Immediately, I halted, wide-eyed, and clapped a hoof over my muzzle.

'Adun's Merciful Grace!' I thought. Had that rumbling, basso growl been my voice? Luna softly tittered with laughter, holding a hoof over her muzzle as yet more tears fell from my eyes; even my voice was terrifying to match my new form! Crumpling to the ground, I broke and wept, my body shaking with my anguished sobs. Time passed - I'm not sure how much - and soon, to my wonder, I felt a feathered blanket being draped over me. 'No, not a feathered blanket; the feathers of a... of a...' Opening my eyes I found that Celestia was with me, lying beside me on the floor, one of her beautiful, white wings draped over me. Fresh tears fell from my eyes - tears of happiness this time - as the Princess of the Sun nuzzled me and softly touched noses with me. "It's alright, my Little Pony, please continue. Can you tell me who you are, and why you have King Sombra's form?"

Struggling to wipe my eyes and nose - inhaling a shaky breath - I made to speak, to whisper this time--but as I did Luna stepped forward. "SISTER!" she boomed. "TRUSTETH NOT THIS--" Even as she spoke, however, Celestia moved her to silence with the sternest of glares... and yet the gentlest of rebukes. "Luna," she stated softly, "inside voice, please!" Chastised, the Moon Princess gasped softly, then complied, face twisting into the grumpiest, surliest though most adorable pout! Once Luna was quietened, Celestia sighed - perhaps with relief - and then returned her attention to me. "Now," she said, gently, "please, continue..."

I did, making sure to whisper this time. "I am not King Sombra, Princess, despite the fact that I look like him. I am someone else, given his pony form. My name is David Boucher, and I come from... a place very far away from here; a tropical jungle-world, called Aiur. This... whole mess... began when I simply fell asleep last night, only to awaken here, in this form..." I... I was desperate; thus I told them everything. Everything. Full Disclosure with no NDA. The whole kitt n' kaboodle. The Full Monty. Everything. Needless to say, by the time my tale was done - many, many glasses of water later - the mares' jaws were on the floor and showed no signs of being noticed or closing any time soon!

Author's Note

Read story, "Hail to the King"

Thought, 'What if this could be done seriously?'

My SI - in Sombra's body - heads straight to the Princesses and does something to prove right away that he is NOT King Sombra; he submits to them and bares himself before them; something the real King Sombra - arrogant and proud - would never do.

... keep writing?

89. My Little Dashie? You're kidding. You're kidding, right?

"So, let me get this straight, Princess. You sent one of your Little Ponies to me here at the Weyr - in the hopes that I might raise her - so that you could... what? Keep ruling Equestria? Eat cake all day? Why would you send her here?"

Standing there holding little Luna in my arms, I waited for Princess Celestia to reply, watching as she paled, shuffled nervously from hoof-to-hoof, and hemmed and hawed.

A sigh escaping me, I raised a hand for silence, before continuing, "You can't answer me, can you? You can't answer me, because you know that this entire thing - sending little fillies and colts away from Equestria to be raised by humans - is really foolish. Take your sister Luna, for example. My Weyr rarely, if ever, lands on planets; it doesn't need to, as it's completely self-sufficient. This means that your sister will only be able to go 'outside' via the Psiodeck. She'll never see the sun. She'll never feel real grass beneath her hooves. And if you're giving me to her... Oh, I'll take care of her, sure. But she'll be raised as a Templar and Citizen of Aiur. When she comes back to Equestria - if she even chooses to come back - she won't allow you to wipe my memories, or hers. I'll be sure to teach her that direct tampering with a mind like that - unless done for medical purposes - is a very serious crime... for which one can face execution!"

Celestia was grey, now; she trembled as I continued, "Oh, and I'll be sure to give her everything that I - and the Weyr - can give her. She'll become a full citizen of Aiur, well versed in Protoss history, culture, and politics; oh and I'll teach her about Earth as well. Don't be surprised if - if Luna chooses to return to Equestria - she'll want to change your culture to be a little more Protoss-like. You know, the three Castes? Judicator, Templar, and Khalai? Yeah, I can see her doing that... along with advancing your tech and getting rid of the stagnation thing you've got going. That's the thing, sweetie: the Zerg don't believe in friendship and harmony; your Magic of Friendship really won't work when there's a numberless swarm of Zerg rushing towards the rubbish guards of your poorly defended Castle.

Of course, Luna might come back because, well, sisters, you know? But then again, she might not. After all... I don't know much about you, or your relationship with her; how deep it goes. But I do know that you subjected her to the cruel and unusual punishment of sending her to the moon for a thousand years. Now, let me tell you what you actually did. You subjected her to the loneliness of her own thoughts and that of the nightmare, which probably didn't help her sanity one bit, and you also subjected her to sensory deprivation; that also doesn't help. Then, when she comes back after 1000 years of this - displaying very clear symptoms of the effects of this 1000 years of shit you put her through - you have those six nitwits of yours just... just... burn it all away with your cushy rainbow of light, leaving not only this thing between you and her unresolved but also Adun-knows-what kind of mental and physical scarring to her brain. I'm going to have to try to repair all that before I can even begin to raise her as you want. But you know what? I'm going to do it. I'll raise her. Now, get outta here!"

Eyes misting with tears, Princess Celestia did so. Once she was gone, I gently carried little Luna over to the Weyrhome lounge and sat down with her, rocking her gently in my arms. Instinctively, the poor filly cuddled closer to me, looking up at me with glassy, sightless eyes as she drooled on my robe. She was sightless... because the shining light of the Elements had rendered her blind. She drooled and barely responded to me... because when the Elements of Harmony had excised the Nightmare from her... poor little Luna had suffered a debilitating stroke, the mental and physical scarring having proved too much for her to handle. I had told Celestia that I would raise her...

But...

I hadn't told her that I would raise Luna wholly as my own daughter...

I hadn't told her that I would teach Luna everything I knew, of the Xel'Naga, Earth, Aiur, Humanity, and the Protoss...

I hadn't told her that I would teach Luna of the physical and psionic arts...

I hadn't told her that I would teach Luna of the Dragon Weyr and its mysteries...

I hadn't told her that I would teach Luna of the Dae'Uhl; the Great Stewardship.

I hadn't told her that I would teach Luna to fear Celestia as a monster and a tyrant; as the one who'd authorized the terrible damage done to her...

I hadn't told Celestia that - after I was done raising her - Luna might never want to set hoof upon the world of Equus again...

Author's Note

Another hate-off on My Little Dashie, where my Author SI is going to do his best to raise a very, very damaged Luna as best he can... and turn her away from Celestia, of course.

90. Bond (Canon!Celestia, Author SI, Romance)

I woke slowly, wondering where I was; what the soft surface was that I lay upon. Why were there white-furred hooves surrounding me, holding me close against--what? And what was I surrounded by that was actually breathing? Opening my eyes, I looked around... and then, I remembered. I'd come to the Royal Palace of Canterlot to assist with finalizing the trade agreement between Aiur and Equus... but as the negotiations had completed I'd collapsed. Now, I was...

"Where...?" I rasped, then coughed violently.

From somewhere, there came a soft nicker; then I felt the soothing, damp warmth of a large, soft tongue lick-grooming the sweat from my forehead and partly washing my hair. I squirmed a little, groaned with discomfort, but the tongue washing me wouldn't relent. When at last it did, I felt softened breath blow past my ear and through my hair, felt the hooved legs surrounding me wrap just a little tighter than heard Celestia's voice as she spoke softly, "You're here with me, David. You're safe now."

Golden magic enveloped a glass of fresh water, holding it to my lips that I might drink from it and I did, slowly. "What happened?" I whispered once my throat was moist enough.

Nuzzling me here and there, Celestia replied, "Y-You... you collapsed, bleeding from your eyes and nose. We didn't know what to think at first, but then when we got you to the healers they discovered a... 'a stress-related cranial aneurism', they said it was. You... if they hadn't gotten to you, you could have died..." A distressed noise escaped her then and she nuzzled me again, gently, looking stricken. "Why did you not tell us of the pain inside you? About your Lifemate's death?"

Her eyes misted with tears as she breathed upon me, sharing her breath with me, something so very, very pony and I accepted the affectionate gesture, inhaling deeply and breathing back at her. "Because," I intoned softly, "I believed it was my pain to bear. And so I did... for many, many years. The mind affects the body and I guess... it finally caught up with me..."

Ponies were far more affectionate and tactile than humans and Celestia was no exception to this. Apart from the underwear I wore I was naked and so was she; she'd divested herself of her royal regalia that she might cuddle close to me. She was spooning me, all four legs wrapped about my body, her barrel pressed against my front. Nuzzling me, oh-so-gently, she softly whispered, "You should have told us; we could have helped you..."

Moving but slightly within her embrace, I softly kissed her below the base of her long, spiraled horn; at this she gasped gently and nuzzled my cheek, nickering. "I... I appreciate the offer, sweetie, but..."

Poke.

"Ouch! What'd you do that for?" I exclaimed. She'd poked me with a hoof!

"You. Talk. Now!" she nickered sternly in Ponytongue. "Or we stay here until you do."

What followed was a combination tickle-fight and wrestling match for the ages... but as I was weaker than a kitten there was only one winner; Celestia rolled atop me, a look of triumph in her eyes. "You. Talk. Now," she said, then proceeded to lick-groom me some more until...

"Ack! Eeeh! Urgh... Alright, alright, uncle, I give!"

... I gave up. Then, as Celestia watched on - slowly, hesitantly - I began to speak. "When Ieesha died," I began "... I felt it happen, I felt her mind torn from my own as she slipped away. It... it was agony... Much of my very soul was lost that day; or at least, it felt like it. Where her presence once resided in my thoughts, now there was this horrible void, a chilling darkness that's threatened to swallow me up, leaving me nothing but a broken shell. I... I've tried to move on - tried to continue following the Path of Khala and do my duty as a High Templar and Citizen of Aiur - but... how can I when part of my very soul is just... gone? I... I've tried to keep going but... but the darkness left where she once resided... it's been subtly affecting me. Most Riders of Kirathian Dragons don't live long once their beloved companions pass away, and it's only my strong will, the Weyr, and my dedication to my duties that's kept me going. But I... I've become... emotionally colder, arrogant, quicker to lash out in anger. I... I don't... I don't know what to do anymore, sometimes, I... help me, Celestia. Please, please, please..." I was clutching her now, broken, begging, pleading. After a while, Celestia raised her head to look into my eyes. Her magenta eyes were so beautiful...

I didn't notice her horn glow a gentle gold...

... Didn't hear as Princess Luna burst into the room, a cry of, "Sister, no!" escaping her lips.

... But I did hear us both emit a softened moan, a whimpered sigh... as the darkness within me was obliterated...

* * *

Celestia twined her very soul about the human's own, establishing thousands upon thousands of spiritual and magical quintessence linkages deep into every aspect of her frien-- her belov-- HIS mind and spirit, filling the void in him with her warm, sunny presence as she established a powerful bond with him; something she'd wanted to do for a long time, selfish though it may have been to put herself before Equestria. In time, she knew, the linkages would become permanent, and the bond he and she now shared would become legendary. At that moment, she couldn't help herself - a rush of her happiness transmitted through their newly established bond - she was thrilled to be with him! With the groundwork completed, and their bond established, Celestia moved carefully through David's wondrous memories and shared with him her own experiences such that his memories became hers and hers became his, until all were synchronized and up to date. Two lives, mortal human and immortal alicorn merged together... and became One.

And then, as a furious Luna looked on...

* * *

"Do you... do you have any idea what you've done?" I laughed softly, through tear-misted eyes, feeling lighter and happier than I had in years.

"Yes," Celestia choked out through her tears, a beatific smile upon her face. "Yes, I do..." At last her loneliness was at its end.

Together, as one, we wept our joy.

When at last, we were able to stop crying, I petted Celestia - scratching her behind the ears and combing her mane just so, the places where she loved to be touched - as if I'd been doing so all my life. "You know..." I giggled. "Luna's been standing there for a while, looking really pissed off. What are we going to do?"

Happiness from Celestia filled my thoughts as she nickered, "I'll speak with her. And then... you know, I think we ought to take the Weyr somewhere and have a little vacation; talk about a few things... See where this new bond will take us. That sort of thing."

Wrapping my arms about her form, I hugged the white alicorn for all she was worth. "That," I choked, fresh tears beginning to fall, "that sounds like a really good idea..."

Author's Note

A battered and broken Templar asks Celestia for help... and gets a bit more than he asked for. Have you ever taken a cold shower. Well... multiply that by fifteen million times; that's how pissed off Equestria's probably going to be once those Little Ponies find out about this.

"Why are you looking at us like that, Luna?

Luna?

Uh... why's she gone all Nightmare Moon on us?

Uh, Celestia... HALP!"

"Run away!"

91. Fallen (Author SI vs Fallen Equestria. Sad, Dark, Bittersweet.)

With the death of the so-called Alicaribou, King Dainn, I had thought his magical enslavement over the anthropomorphic ponies of this odd, alternate Equestria broken. It had been... but the sad truth of it all was tragic. After stripping the Caribou King of whatever valuables he had possessed - and then burning his body with psionic plasma-flame, I swiftly made my way over to the two Princesses - Celestia and Luna - and broke the clasps holding their collars. That was a mistake. With a wordless roar, Princess Luna - seeing me not as a savior but just another slave master - launched herself into an unthinking attack against me, an attack which I was far too exhausted to defend myself against.

No sooner had she done so, however, then the white Alicorn, Celestia was throwing herself in front of me, slamming into her sister and wrestling her to the floor of the tent. Then, as I watched - half in awe, half in sadness and revulsion - the white Alicorn kissed her sister, then fondled and rubbed the midnight blue mare's furred breasts. Rubbing became kissing became a gentle suckling... and then - even as Luna writhed and hissed and spat curses at me - Celestia lapped at Luna's nether-lips, first one, and than the other; as she did this, occasionally, her tongue would slip between those lips, deep into the wet, liquid heat of her sister's vagina, only to emerge, wet and shining with her essence.

Despite my training as a High Templar I was still a red-blooded human male and as such the sight of Celestia eating Luna out as it were should have aroused me greatly. It did not. All it did was give me a sense that the Caribou King, Dainn, had merely used the two sisters for his own carnal delights and had never seen to their own pleasure. All in all... the sight of these two broken mares pleasuring each other - the only satisfaction, the only bright thing they could look forward to if Dainn allowed it - just made me disheartened and sad. Finally, when she could take it no more, Celestia moaned deeply, as she drove her wet and dripping tongue past the lips of Luna's vulva, deep into the wet, liquid heat of her vagina and began licking her to orgasm.

Licking Luna furiously, stimulating her inner walls, Celestia whined softly as she tasted her sister's thick honey, until finally - groaning deeply, cursing to the sky - Luna climaxed hard, thick creamy mucus rushing from her vagina. Most of it, Celestia drank, but there was too much; the rest coated her face and muzzle, and ran down her neck. When it was over, Luna huffed - giving me the evil eye - as Celestia turned her still-dripping muzzle towards me, looking for praise for a job well done. After the long battle with Dainn, however - due to a combination of stress, exhaustion, and plain revulsion for all I had seen prior... I... I just couldn't deal with it anymore, my eyes slipping closed as I passed out.

* * *

Sometime later, I awoke upon a large bed - the former king's bed - having been stripped naked of my equipment and regalia. 'What the--?' I thought... but no sooner had the thought entered my mind then I became aware of the two Alicorns sleeping on either side of me--because, to my horror, I had one hand placed upon Luna's breasts whilst my other hand was between Celestia's legs, upon her... her...! I froze, paling. 'I... I didn't... I didn't... did I?' Seconds later, two pairs of eyes opened as two Alicorns moved to peer down at me; then Luna huffed and moved my hand over to her other breast whilst Celestia hummed softly and gently rocked against me so that my hand brushed her clitoris, swollen and prominent.

Dear readers, forgive me, I beg of you... for that was when I began to fall. Don't think me wrong; I did not become harsh like the Caribou King; on the contrary I was incredibly gentle and kind. I gently stroked the coats of these wondrous beings, then petted and ruffled their manes and scratched them behind the ears until they became melted mares in my hands or - in the case of Luna - burst into happy tears, for she hadn't experienced anything so gentle from the Caribou. Thereafter I was kissing the two Alicorns, Celestia gentle and submissive in her ministrations whilst Luna was rough and near-dominant. Later, Celestia wept as she rode me whilst Luna howled as she orgasmed, her fluids showering my face.

Later that morning - once we'd all gotten up and had used the magical shower within the tent - after getting both mares to dress themselves (after I'd laundered it, Celestia wore the former King's robe whilst Luna wore the robe of an aide) the first thing I did was to find poor Sombra and get him out of the waste he lay in. No sooner had I grabbed him from his own shit and filth than - even as the Alicorns noses wrinkled in disgust - I burned the area clean with psionic fire than took the trembling grey colt into the bath chamber to wash him thoroughly. During the procedure, little Sombra didn't even look at us; he just whimpered and trembled, no doubt expecting some new form of punishment... but it would never come. I saw not the former King of the Crystal Empire; instead I saw a little broken colt. Someone who I wanted to help. So I did.

As the months passed, I did my best to see this Equestria right; with Celestia and Luna at my sides I gleefully slaughtered any Caribou I could find, freed as many pony slaves as I could, and - literally - tried to aid in rebuilding this pony society... but, I failed. Equestria did rise from the ashes of Caribou enslavement... but - "led" by Celestia and Luna - the ponies came to see me as their Great Herd Leader; their Stallion King, and they... they saw themselves as... as a kind of mass Harem; they were for my pleasure. Dear readers... I tried to stop this from happening, I really did... but Celestia and Luna... those mares utterly believed they were mine despite the fact that I tried so very hard to break them of their slave conditioning! Those mares... they taunted and teased and coaxed and cajoled and in the end... they won, and I gave up. I fell.

My days were spent repairing and rebuilding Equestria - even integrating aspects of Protoss Society within - whilst by night I made love to, mated with, rutted, fucked my two mares 'till their essences soaked the sheets of what was formerly Celestia's bed chamber; Celestia bouncing on my member whilst Luna rode my face and sloppily kissed her (or sometimes they would switch). Then, after changing the sheets I would settle down to sleep with Celestia and Luna at my sides, along with little Sombra who actually became a happy little colt. On the bed around us, many, many other ponies slept, they too having engaged in carnal fun. "Fallen" Equestria was irreparably broken; I realized that now. All I could do was look after it and its ponies the best I could, that and look after my family. Celestia, Luna, Sombra, and I were all broken. We would never be the same. Nothing would ever be the same again.

Author's Note

My Author SI tries to fix "Fallen" Equestria... and fails, when Celestia and Luna see him as their new Master after he defeats King Dainn of the Caribou... There is sex in this one, but look upon it with sadness and disgust for these poor ponies are broken despite my attempt to help...

92. CDA? No Way! (Author SI vs Canterlot Deportation Agency)

To hell with the Canterlot Deportation Agency

* * *

The atmosphere inside my Office at the Weyr was tense as the Canterlot Deportation Agent - one Ms. Bree - waited for my reply. "Ms. Bree" I stated softly, leaning forward in my chair and steepling my hands, "my Visa, my Passport, and all of my other paperwork is up to date. I also have legal backing to operate my Dragon Weyr as a home and Orphanage for abandoned foals here in Equestria, of which - as you saw earlier, in the main room - there are many. I came here to Equestria with peaceful intentions to begin a new life--and until you and your vaunted Deportation Agency showed up, I was doing just that: living a quiet life in and around the Weyr and keeping to myself.

Now, for whatever reason, you and your agency seem to have gotten it into your heads that I've been... - what was it? - ah, yes... 'subverting ponies away from Celestia's grace.'" At that moment - tired of her and her agency's constant harassment - I dropped all pretense of being a 'nice guy' with her, and allowed my foul temper to rise. "Bitch, please!" I sneered as she gasped. "It's not my fault that her Little Ponies decided to settle the land around it; it's their land; they can do as they please. Those ponies had grown weary of the Rule of the Princesses and decided to stay here... and the Weyr protects all who settle on its lands. If you want to believe that I have been subverting them as your no doubt bogus report states, then you may do so; what I have actually been doing is teaching them all I know.

You'll find all-manner of buildings out there - I gestured 'outside' - and if some have been crafted in the shape of pyramids with Protoss Psi-Steel then it is only because the ponies who made those places did so to honor me, not because I 'subverted' them in any way. You also complain about the pony guards and 'army' I possess; well... wouldn't you want to protect your home, too? They certainly do. Now..." Getting out of my chair, I moved towards Bree, circling her like a bird of prey as she backed off, "... if you want to deport me as you would any other human, you must first consider this: the Dragon Weyr is my Nexus; I'm the only one who can command - and I use the word very loosely - the vessel to go anywhere. Secondly: consider where you are: you are inside the Weyr. At any time, I can ask the Weyrmind to recall you into an empty room, seal said room--and then depressurize it!"

Agent Bree was pale now, but I relentlessly continued. "Put simply, I grow weary of your Agency and your attempts to force me to leave this amazing world. If you keep doing this, then I will leave... but when I do, I will recall all of my Ponies and their houses into the Weyr... and take them with me - they will be Weyrponies - and there's not a damn thing you can do about it! Why? Well, remember who supplies humankind with all of that amazing Protoss Technology they love so much. If you fuckers at the CDA keep hassling me, I'll put in a word to the Conclave to stop the technology trade between Earth and Aiur--or perhaps to renegotiate the agreement so that it's more in their favour instead of mankind's. Now get out!" And that was that; with a thunderous expression on her face, Bree of the Canterlot Deportation Agency stalked furiously from the Weyr. Once she was gone - breathing a sigh of relief - I slumped back out into the main room of the Weyrhome and crashed down into a beanbag.

No sooner had I done so, then "Oof!" I was surrounded by the pony foals I was caring for and adored so much, one of them jumping into my lap. Possessing a honey-yellow coat, brassy mane and gentle blue eyes, she peered up at me, worriedly. "Is..." she sniffled, her eyes misting over with tears as the other foals cuddled closer around me, "is the bad lady gone?" This was little Chorus, and I cuddled her close, ruffling her mane and scratching her behind the ears. "Yes she is, sweetie. Yes she is," I answered, gently, "and if things go well she'll never be bothering us again."

Author's Note

I hate the stories of the Canterlot Deportation Agency. Therefore, I tell an Agent of said Agency to - in no uncertain terms - go to hell.

93. Excerpt from the first HHAA Meeting, chaired by Lyra Heartstrings

"Welcome to the first meeting of Human Hand Addicts Anonymous," stated the aquamarine-coated, gamboge-eyed mare at the head of the Circle. "My name is Lyra Heartstrings, and... and I enjoy being petted by humans." Around her, those few ponies who'd come to the meeting - Big Macintosh, Braeburn, Twilight Sparkle, Trixie, and Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Hives - all nodded, gently. "Despite the fact that other ponies call us 'animals' or 'human pets' or 'fanciers'..." and here the poor mare became angry, "I enjoy it! I enjoy how it feels!"

"An' how does it feel?" Big Mac asked.

"Glorious!" answered Lyra, her eyes alight with something akin to fanaticism. "When my human - his name is David - when he pets me, by Celestia it feels wonderful! I..." she panted softly, and swallowed, "I let him rub me all over; he'll ruffle my mane and... and scratch me behind the ears..." Her voice, an awe-filled whisper, made the others gasp and shiver with remembered pleasure of their own. "Th-then he'll rub down my coat until I just can't stand anymore; until my legs are shaking from bliss and... and then I'll roll onto my side, give him a cute, adorable look and wriggle my hooves... Then his h-hands are all over me; he'll cup my hooves in his hands, rub my belly, flanks, thighs, everywhere until I just can't think straight anymore. I... all I want to do is be his; his companion, his pet, just so I can feel his touch... it's so wonderful, especially when we snuggle in bed at night; he makes me so warm..."

She couldn't get the words out fast enough; they spilled from her in a rush until at last she ended with a primal snort and a nicker; she wanted nothing more than to be with her human, David, at his side or in his lap as his hands stroked, rubbed, and caressed every inch of her furred body again and again. Around her, the others nodded their heads enraptured; they knew how she felt. "Mah..." Big Mac coughed, then started again. "Mah friend's name is Chelsea," he began, "and ah became addicted tah bein' petted when - after one haht day on tha' farm - she... she offered tah help me cool down after we'd been workin' ah'll day. She... she bathed meh with lukewahrm wahter an' then rubbed me dry; then after that she groomed me, first with a brush and then with her hands; she massaged all mah tension from Apple Buckin' away, worked tension from muscles ah didn't even know ah had until... until..." A heavy snort and breathy sigh escaped his nose as Big Macintosh collapsed unto his side, wriggling his body in memory of his human girl's touch; the way she'd ever-so-gently removed his yoke, then massaged away his aches and pains before settling his head in her lap so she could just pet him as he gazed up at her with adoring eyes.

"I cannot be petted like a normal pony" Chrysalis spoke next, "for obvious reasons, but still... my human found a way to more than please me. He oils and buffs my chitin until it shines; then he gently taps and knocks here and there to work out painful air pockets that build up beneath. Once it is done, he massages deeply to work the muscles beneath and pets me where I can feel it; the soft parts of my body, my ears, my mane and... other places. Bliss..." Brazenly, the Queen trilled and rolled over onto her back, a strange buzzing-purr escaping from her as she sighed through her nose. "Oh, how I miss my Human King; I wish that they would get the damned portals working again that our humans might once again come here... or that we might visit them..." Nods, sniffles, and discontented murmurs escaped the group at this, along with more than a few tears. A failed magical experiment - done by Twilight Sparkle - had caused a temporary shutdown of the portal connecting Equestria to Earth, thus all at HHAA had to wait. Wait... to once again feel the touch of their beloved humans.

Author's Note

To successfully be welcomed into Equestria:

Enter portal wherever it may be; introduce self, do try to make a good first impression.

Explain to ponies what your hands are.

Gently coax ponies to try being petted.

Make first petting experience as gentle and loving as possible

If successful, you have now acquired pony guide/companion/'pet.' *

Profit!

* Never hurt any pony during petting. At all. Be kind, gentle, and loving.

** Ensure regular petting sessions are had, and try to make each one better then the last, vary things up.

*** Be aware that - if you pet particularly well - the pony you're petting might seek out other ponies and spread the word, enabling you to pet more ponies. You might end up with a small Herd!

94. Dark Templar Luna (MLP:FiM/Starcraft/Author SI)

“The power your Lifemate, David, has learned to wield in his study of the Khala is the power of the Soul--the power of your most primal self. All beings have this power--my people and no doubt even the Terrans--but we cannot utilize it as your Lifemate David can. The power of my people is the power of the Mind, of thought, which gives structure to the self. David knows that you, too, can wield this power Luna, and thus, he has brought you here to Shakuras so that I may train and educate you properly in its use. However, you must understand that this study is taboo and that use of your energies will leave a mark upon your aura. You must also know that if this 'taint’ is discovered, there may be no way to reconcile yourself with the Conclave. David might lose his rank and status as a High Templar and the both of you might be exiled from Aiur.”

Sitting near me on the floor--her body almost completely hidden in the shadows cast by the pale, faintly green-tinged half-light of the meditation chamber--my beloved, Princess Luna, turned to look at Zeratul, before solemnly nodding her head. "I hear, and understand, honoured Elder. I am aware of the consequences we may face but, I still wish to learn." Zeratul--Prelate of the Dark Templar—nodded curtly to me, then returned his gaze to Luna, and regarded her silently for a moment--his eyes glowing vermillion, like hot coals--before he spoke again. “Then today, I shall begin your training, by teaching you one of our simplest and most useful abilities. I shall teach you to conceal yourself from sight.” Zeratul gestured to the space between Luna and himself. “Open your mind, and feel the energies of this space. Everything around us--matter, and energy—is a distortion in the pattern of forces.” Luna wasn't a High Templar. She'd read no books that dealt with Psionics and hadn't undergone the many years of rigorous training and study that I had gone through to gain mastery of my own latent psionic energies.

In fact, she'd had no training at all, and the only knowledge of Psionics she did have was the theory of Psionics that my own mentor--High Templar Zhand'Akull--had taught her. Now, as I watched her, I realized that she didn't need any studious discipline; she simply nodded her head, and then did as Zeratul told her, following his instructions through instinct alone. Although Zhand'Akull had only taught her the theory that every Protoss Acolyte learns before beginning any training whether physical or psionic, from his lessons Luna had learned this: the physical universe--as we knew it--was actually the manifestation of an underlying system of energies. Positive, and Negative; Light, and Darkness; Order, and Chaos. These forces had their own laws, their own patterns that defined the physical laws of the cosmos.

To use Psionics, was to take the power of the soul or the mind, and use them to act upon the physical world, by altering the underlying energies. Luna could not truly see--in any physical sense--the energies and ley-lines in the room, but her mind's eye presented them to her in a way that was almost visual. She could see the faint light in the space between herself and Zeratul, but now she instinctively pictured it as something more substantial, like water. Not wanting to interrupt my beloved's concentration by speaking aloud, with sign language, I relayed to Zeratul what Luna was doing--picturing the light like water. Turning his head but slightly he nodded to me, indicating that he understood, before returning his attention to Luna, and resuming the lesson.

“Excellent Luna!” he said to her quietly. “Light is pliant, as water. Water takes the shape of any vessel that contains it, and light, likewise, is only apparent when it strikes matter. If light cannot touch you, you cannot be seen. Now... look beneath the light, and try to see it not as light but as a flow of energy.” Although she couldn't wield the power of her soul like the Protoss, when High Templar Zhand'Akull had taught my companion Luna the theory of Psionics—so that she could get a better understanding of what he was teaching her—he had taught her about the underlying nature of those forces that gave rise to the physical universe. Now, as I watched she put that knowledge into practice, concentrating not on the light, as it existed in the room, but on the essence of the light - the energy of the pattern that defined the shape of the photons.

As he saw the intense look of concentration on her face, Zeratul continued to speak. “In order to manifest, energy has a certain structure. To simplify, it has boundaries. What you must manipulate Luna, is not the energy itself, but the boundaries; what gives the light its shape.” Suddenly exhilaration filled my mind, as Luna realized that this was where Zeratul's first lesson diverged completely from the theory that Zhand'Akull had taught her! Physical light was a manifestation of the positive force, but the positive force could manifest as many things. Bounding the positive force, however, was the negative that defined the edges of the light much as light defined the edges of a shadow. She nodded silently, indicating her understanding.

“You must make a wall around yourself,” Zeratul continued. “Picture its shape in your mind... and then impose that shape upon the dark force. Do not immerse yourself--that is similar to the method used by stasis cells, and will certainly knock you unconscious. Just make a wall.” Luna obeyed. She imagined a huge wall around herself, a confining room, and concentrated on that structure. Then reaching out, she touched the darkness--the image firm in her mind--and as Zeratul had said, it began to take shape! She was amazed, and I could feel her amazement, flooding into my mind through the warmth of her mental presence. From Zhand'Akull's lessons, she'd learned that utilization of the negative force was taboo to the High Templar, because they considered it the force of oblivion--of non-existence.

Now, however, she knew that it was not non-existence--it was simply the mind's way of showing the principle of structure. The negative force didn't appear as light because it wasn't energy. Zeratul couldn't feel the amazement within her thoughts nor see it on her face... because the wall was formed and where Luna lay, was a huge, flawlessly reflective cube. “Now... shape the wall further, Luna,” he said to her, quietly. “Imagine the keel of a sailing ship--shape the wall so that light flows around it easily.” Luna knew instinctively what Zeratul wanted her to do--the 'keel' shape was simply an example--and, without hesitation, she followed his instructions. An improbable distortion of time, and space, the great wall stretched out before her, somehow tapering to nothing in every possible direction, unlike a ship's keel, which was narrow in one direction, and broad from the sides. Light slid by without touching her.

Zeratul watched the cube distort itself and vanish. Soon, there would be no intermediary steps necessary--Luna would be able to conceal herself with one smooth motion of her mind. Although she wasn't Firstborn--and wasn't a High Templar--she'd performed with incredible control, and Zeratul and I were both very proud of her! With a thought, Luna dispelled the structure she had created... and then she began to move, curling herself around me, folding her feathered wings over my body in a warm embrace! "I am so proud of you, Luna," I whispered. "I am so very proud of you." I started to caress her softly, then--and as I roamed my hands over her muzzle, her cheeks, her ears... every part of her head I could reach--I embraced her presence through our telepathic bond, letting her feel my pride and love.

Closing her eyes, exhaling her sweet breath across my ear and through my hair, Luna returned my mental embrace, her love for me filling my thoughts as she spoke four simple, heartfelt words. “Thank thee, mine David.” It was all that needed to be said. As we lay there together, embracing each other physically and mentally, for that single moment in time, Prelate Zeratul watched us and smiled as only he could, his eyes glowing midnight blue as he raised his brow ridges. “Well done Luna, well done!” he said.

After she'd passed that first lesson, Luna became more confident in herself and her abilities. And for thirty years--at the ancient Citadel of Guan on the twilight world of Shakuras--she continued to train in the ways, and methods of the Dark Templar. Like my own training with High Templar Zhand'Akull, Luna's training under Prelate Zeratul was not easy. Many a night, she would return to our quarters in the Citadel suffering from mental fatigue, her head aching painfully, but she never complained; no matter what it cost her, in order to gain mastery of her latent psionic energies, my beloved pony companion was determined to learn everything that Prelate Zeratul had to teach... And she did.

Under the guidance of Prelate Zeratul, Luna not only learned to conceal herself from sight but also learned how to stun a group of erstwhile attackers with a powerful surge of mental energy. In addition to this, she also learned how to channel her latent psionic energies to boost her tremendous physical strength and endurance. Eventually she also developed a powerful psionic attack of her very own! Luna learned how to create powerful psychic "ripples" which were disruptive to other life forms and then, through trial and error she learned how to focus those ripples into a devastating storm of negative psionic energy!

Her attack was a "dark templar version" of my own Psionic Storm--and, it was so powerful that it was capable of tearing apart anything in its path! When she finally perfected it, and demonstrated it to Zeratul, the Prelate of the Dark Templar was stunned--not only because of its awesome power, but because it was something that no Dark Templar had ever attempted or even contemplated before! Luna called her attack the "Negative Storm." When I had undergone my own training on Aiur--before being trained in the ways of the High Templar--I had had to learn the martial combat techniques known to all Protoss Zealots.

Unlike me, however, Luna was not human; she was a pony--a creature that walked on four legs instead of two—and so, she could not learn the martial combat techniques that I had learned. However, in addition to training her in the use of her psionic abilities, Zeratul arranged for one of the best Dark Templar Warriors of Shakuras to come to the Citadel and put my beloved companion through a regimen of physical training. That Templar Warrior was Benares: a giant, purple-skinned Protoss from Aiur's Furinax Tribe, who was one of the personal guards of the Dark Templar Matriarch, Raszagal! Benares taught Luna to avoid or reduce injury during combat, by evading, deflecting, or absorbing blows.

He also trained and conditioned her for running and swimming, so that she could move short and long distances over land with speed and efficiency, and swim swiftly underwater. Benares also trained Luna to jump long distances, to avoid damage when falling from great heights, and even to direct her path while falling! Her training with Benares was intense, grueling, and often painful, but my beloved pony never complained. Instead, she seemed to outright relish the hell he put her through; she was utterly determined to better herself... and she did. Eventually, Luna became so great in her mastery of Benares' training, that she could move faster, jump higher, and defend herself in combat far better than any other member of her race.

Before officially becoming Dark Templar, all aspiring Protoss Acolytes of Shakuras must undertake a final test of their training, called 'The Walk of Shadows.' The test requires an aspirant to walk down a valley whilst keeping only to the shadows, out of which Dark Templar will spring unexpectedly to assault him or her. Upon making it to the end of the valley without being incapacitated, the Protoss Acolyte passes the test. Luna was not Protoss but she did aspire to be a Dark Templar, and thus, like all the Acolytes before her she, too, had to undertake this test... and she passed with excellence.

The Walk of Shadows took her many days, but she emerged from the valley unscathed, for her training was complete: so quiet and stealthy was she that the Dark Templar placed throughout the valley to assault and incapacitate her could not find her! When a Dark Templar's training is complete, he, or she, must undertake the Ritual of Severance, a ritual all Dark Templar undertake to acknowledge their exile--their severance--from their brethren on Aiur. During this ritual, the nerve bundles at the back of the head that allow all Protoss to access their communal bond, are severed with a heated broad-bladed sword. Luna honored the spirit of the ritual by having me braid her mane into a traditional protoss braid, which she then allowed Zeratul to 'sever' with the heated blade. When the sword took her mane, my beloved reflected upon her time in Equestria, most notably the relationship she had with her sister, tears misting her eyes as she spoke the creed:

“It is possible to see without comprehending.
It is possible to comprehend without sight.
I am one of the Firstborn.
They too are a part of me.
I will know them best by knowing my own soul.
I will achieve harmony by carrying out my will.
Those that spurn me are in ignorance --
Ignorant of themselves, ignorant of the soul of the Firstborn.
Their ignorance can do me no more harm,
For not by their hand, but by my own heart,
My path is set.”

Prelate Zeratul left the Citadel, then, and when he returned an hour later, he proceeded to ritually dress Luna in spectacular clothing. A 'triple-loincloth' like garment - called a shendyt – was draped over her rear (a hole existed for her tail to exit through), and also covered her flanks. Next, Zeratul helped her into barding made of Voidsteel! The result of first manifesting a small amount of the purest form of Dark Templar void energy into reality as a solid construct and then passing said construct through a replicator, at first glance, Voidsteel resembled obsidian. Its surface appearance, however, was where the substance's resemblance to the volcanic glass ended.

Since Voidsteel was a solidified form of void energy, it never truly lost its connection to the void, the place from which all Dark Templar drew their power; some part of it remained in that supernatural realm at all times. Due to this lingering psionic connection, Voidsteel possessed many unusual properties. Firstly, when viewed in normal lighting, it appeared to absorb the light around it, creating the illusion that it was an infinitely deep black hole in reality. When viewed in dim lighting, the glasslike, metallic material glowed faintly with a multitude of colors. Additionally, the unusual substance exuded strange vapors; if one gazed at these thin, murky streams for too long, sometimes unusual and frightening visions could be seen within them! Finally, when struck, the Voidsteel responded with an audible crystalline whine.

Atop her barding, Princess Luna wore a long, flowing, midnight-blue robe. Decorated with Protoss glyphs and symbols, the robe was made from a thick material resembling fine silk, and it would serve to protect her from the elements, whilst denoting her rank and status; its only modification being the slits cut from it for her wings. Zeratul's final gift was a beautiful Voidsteel Chamfrain. Dozens, and dozens of glyphs and symbols of the protoss dialect adorned the Chamfrain’s highly polished surface, but unlike those inked on a templar robe, the glyphs were imprinted such that they could only be seen in certain types of light.

A decorative feature, common to many types of Chamfrain, was a roundel with a small spike, usually located at the center of the forehead, between the eyes. At the center of the forehead of this Chamfrain, however, was something that Luna had never seen before: a 'cap' for her impressive horn forged from elegantly carved Argus Crystal, as black as the void of space, with hundreds of delicate facets! As Zeratul walked towards us, carrying the Chamfrain with both hands, the pale faintly green-tinged half-light of the meditation chamber played across the surface of the crystal, creating a rainbow effect.

Almost instinctively, we both knew that the Chamfrain was for Luna... that it was hers by right... her proof to the world, that she had indeed completed her training. Therefore, when Zeratul came within reach of her, she "knelt" before him as only she could. Dropping to the ground, she splayed her forelegs then unfurled her great wings from her back and laid them flat, before turning her head forward and closing her eyes. Slowly, reverently, Zeratul knelt and placed the Chamfrain on her head... and then--after strapping the armored helmet in place, he stood up and began to speak to her. “The power of all Dark Templar is the power of the mind--of thought--which gives structure to the self. So great is our mastery of this power, however, that there are a select few of us who can use our abilities to see into the weave of Time—to see the past, and the future.

These particular Dark Templar are known as "Domus Oraculus", or "Dark Oracles" and the true extent of their power is kept a secret from the general population of Shakuras. I am one of these Dark Oracles... Over three hundred years ago, whilst meditating in this chamber--using my abilities to see into the weave--I beheld a vision of a truly fantastic creature! I could not glean from this vision any intricate details of this creature's point of origin, or physical form, but I remember that it was shaped similarly to a terran horse--and, that it was beautiful, midnight-blue, with four legs, and a pair of great, feathered, birdlike wings!

In my vision, I saw that this beautiful creature would journey to Shakuras in the company of her chosen companion: a High Templar--who was not Firstborn, but human! She would come to our world to learn our ways and our methods then carry them with her, and teach them unto her own race. Now, I know that the creature I saw in my vision was you, Luna! You have learned to value our ways and our methods--you have learned to wield the power of your mind--and I am proud to call you one of us. Arise, Princess Luna, Dark Templar! Accept this gift with the honor it brings you here, and wear it proudly, as you take your new station at your Lifemate's side!”

Author's Note

Dark Templar Luna is GO!!!

95. A Stop At... (My Little Pony/A Stop At Willoughby)

The "Life Script."

Birth, School, Work, Retirement, Death.

Especially work.

The pressure to succeed.

The stigma if you don't, can't, or actually try to choose not to work.

"You parasite! You worthless bum! Cretin! Kidult! Get a job, you loser!"

Get a Job... so I can... what?

Keep up with the Jonses? Take out a Home Loan? Mortgage? Marry some [censored], have her pop out some brats and then divorce me later, cleaning me out in the process? "Make" a living, instead of... oh, I don't know... live, even if my life is simple?

It gets to me.

I fucking hate it.

Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong time. Sometimes I feel like an old man in a young man's body. Not physically ailed, but... I look around at the world and think, "What the hell happened?"

It's like... everyone around me is speaking a foreign language and I'm the only one who speaks English

Why can't I just stay home? Be like Fluttershy, just... living in her little cottage with her animals.

Why must I sacrifice my time, my freedom to work for some... boss who might "lay me off" at the drop of a hat.

The thought of having to leave my house--to talk to and interact with... people... makes me ill.

Human Society can just go fuck itself!

Eventually... it all just becomes too much.

Something in my mind just... breaks...

...

. . .

. . .

... and as my Mother takes me to Centrelink, for yet another one of their pointless programs, as I sit in the back seat feeling ill to my stomach I start to nod off to sleep; anything to escape for just a brief moment...

I feel something unusual pressed against my right side, then; something warm, alive, and breathing. The feel of feathers - a feathered wing - wrapped about my left. Slowly my eyes open... and I find myself within a golden chariot, pulled by... by...

Guardsponies. Lunar Guardsponies. Thestrals.

We're flying through the evening sky just after sunset; coming down to land, actually, at a village. A village I have seen before. A village I know well. Behind us there lies the brilliance of an unmistakable castle.

I... I am in Equestria.

And... if I am here, then... who else is with me? Slowly, hesitantly, I turn my head to look at the pony pressed against me, keeping my warm despite the air's slight chill.

"L-Luna..." A sob escapes my throat, then, and my beloved nuzzles me, gently.

"Ponyville!" says she, softly. "This stop is Ponyville!"

She started to turn her head away, but I gently cupped her muzzle in my hands. I could feel her breath upon my face as she breathed.

“What do you mean Ponyville? What’s Ponyville?” Gently I released her then scratched her behind the ears,

For a moment, Princess Luna leaned into my touch, smiling; then she gestured with a hoof toward the village we were approaching. “That is Ponyville, mine love. Right there.”

“Wait a minute,” I said, my voice tight and unbelieving. “Wait just a minute. What’s going on? There’s no place called Ponyville. And look at it. The moon is out. It’s... it’s summer.”

Luna cuddled even closer to me, nuzzling. “That it is mine love, mid-July and a lovely, warm summer eve.”

“But listen,” I said, “it’s May, 2014. What’s going on, anyway?" I shut my, eyes tightly, then opened them again. “It’s May,” I repeated. "I'm supposed to be visiting a Centrelink Assessor. What is this place? Where are we? What’s happened!”

Luna softly kissed my cheek, stroking me soothingly with a midnight-blue wing.

“Please,” I said, lowering my voice, “please, Luna, what’s going on? Where is Ponyville?”

“Ponyville, beloved,” the Night Princess answered. “That’s Ponyville, right there. Ponyville. July. Summer. It’s 880 A.D. It’s a lovely little village.” Something intense crept into her voice. “Peaceful, restful, where a man and his mare can slow down to a walk and live their lives full measure.” As she spoke, the golden chariot - the Royal Chariot - came to a gentle landing, brought down by the four ponies who drove it.

The Ponies of Ponyville had begun to gather about the Chariot, now, among them Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Twilight, the purple Alicorn waving at us enthusiastically. Tears misting my eyes, I turned to Luna and kissed her softly. "You know, love" I spoke through my tears, "I... I think we should stay here for a while. We should get off here, at Ponyville."

A warm and affectionate smile upon her muzzle, Princess Luna nodded, kissed me again... and then together, she and I stepped down from the Chariot to the ground...

96. Her King (Author SI/Queen Chrysalis. NSFW)

Roughly - though always careful not to hurt her - I took Chrysalis, slamming into her from behind, brazenly making love to her before her drones whom were gathered within the throne room of the Hive to bear witness to the event. "Oh, my King... unh, unh, unh... take me, take your Queen give her your love..." the Changeling Queen babbled, so caught up was she in ecstasy and joy as she knelt, drooling on the floor, her hindquarters raised to receive me. Then, suddenly, it all became too much; the slick, wet warmth and texture of her, the feeling of her internal muscles rippling and contracting around me.... With a groan and a beatific scream, we came hard; her essence spilled from her to splash over my member, belly, crotch and thighs as I spilled my human seed deep into her warm depths. At that very moment, at the culmination of it all... her body reacted.

Spermatozoa

Seed.

Life.

Love.

An ecstatic scream escaped Chrysalis, her body starting to glow brilliant white as some process within extracted my genetic code from the gift I had given her and imprinted it into every cell of her body - all of what she was - binding her to me wholly and utterly. Then, my jaw dropped as through the near-blinding light I witnessed her begin to change. Her body grew in size such that she was bigger than the Princess Celestia. She "filled out" so to speak, her insect/pony body becoming thicker, and sturdier, and the countless rot-holes in her legs filled in and disappeared. The most startling change happened to her wings. They repaired themselves before my eyes, the rot-holes filling in, and then expanded to become the wings of a grand monarch butterfly! Lastly, the Queen's mane exploded into emerald fire, becoming huge and billowing, like those of Equestria's Princesses.

Then, at last, we were spent. Chrysalis collapsed onto her side, taking me with her; then she curled about me, cuddling close, nuzzling me as she issued the buzzing-purr I'd come to adore so much. "Oh, David... she breathed with joy, "oh, my beloved King..." Around us, her drones cheered; the raw love we'd released had been so powerful that they all had undergone a similar change. Holding the Queen - my Queen - close to me I kiss-kiss-kissed her face and she trilled softly, nuzzling me gently, her world a love-filled haze. A telepathic command caused a drone to leave then return with a mirror of highly polished volcanic glass. After he handed it to me, bowing with obsequiousness, he backed off and I showed Chrysalis what had happened to her; the amazing change she'd undergone.

She examined her roughly more pony-like form... and then she burst into tears, clutching me even closer to her if that was possible as she whispered with a combination of happiness, joy, ecstasy...

"Once again the love in the Hive has begun to flow. It was dry for so long. The love's flowing in from you, my King. For thousands of years my Hive lived - lived beneath the surface: keeper of the shifting, keeper of the magic, keeper of the Love. Always keeping. My Hive grew proud and then it died. Now the love flows where it wills. It seeks its own path uncontrolled except that it flows through us, always through us. My Queendom, my Empire, my Hive died. But now it breathes again: it awaits. Can you feel it, David? Our love flows back and forth between us and there it pools and collects until finally once again it is released and my Hive begins to grow again! I am Chrysalis. My parents brought me to this place. Now, I have brought you, my King... The storm is coming... Life! Life in the desert...!"

My beloved Changeling Alicorn settled around me, folding a hoof and gossamer wing over my body, resting her head upon my chest, a smile creasing her muzzle as she wept softly again.

"I'm glad. I love you, Chryssie..." I whispered softly, kissing her again. "I love you so much..."

Outside the Hive... in the Great Desert known as the Badlands... the rain began to fall.

* * *

Later, Chrysalis and I awoke in her bed chamber, actually in her bed. I was, at first, mystified - how had we gotten there? - but my Queen just laughed and stated that some of her drones had carried us to her chambers and tucked us in via magic. "They have that strength, now," she said as she stre-e-etched out against my side, looking at me just so.. I couldn't resist and started to run my hands all over her body. The Changeling Queen whimpered, tears misting her eyes as she luxuriated in my touch, cuddling close to me, nuzzling my face, kissing me occasionally as she buzz-purred sighed and trilled. Her kisses were lazy - occasionally she would catch my lips or I her tongue - but this time was for us to simply be together with each other.

We kissed, talked with each other about our lives and plans, kissed some more, and then made love again, gentler this time until Chrysalis wept as she experienced climax, so great was her pleasure. "I... I've never felt anything like this before," she whispered, her two-toned voice husky with emotion as I stroked her chitin, which she'd softened unto leather-like hide. "You... you make me... you make me feel..." A blissful sigh escaped her. "... and to think this all began when you'd challenged me to honorable combat on behalf of the Princesses! I...." she quietened "I'm... glad you defeated me, causing me to bond with you..."

She lapsed into silence and I softly stroked her mane which - to my relief - wasn't emerald fire, but rather fine hair alive with magic. "Ah, I studied everything I could about your kind before coming here, sweetie, then the Weyrmind worked up a solution for both of us. It saw not an enemy race to be defeated, but a people in need of help. It suggested that I defeat you, maybe manhandle you a bit, be a tiny bit rough; your body, your hormones would react to that..."

"... and I would bond with you, thus ending my desire to simply conquer and feed. Now... now I and my race can live, thanks to you, my King." She slowly shook her head as the Weyr's eternal love filled her, along with my own, then scratched with a hoof at the place where her neural transceiver was embedded in her spine. "Now, thanks to you, my King, I am more powerful than Celestia ever will be... and my people can be a people again. If... if we cannot rebuild here in the Badlands... are you sure that your Nexus will allow us to make our hive within?" No sooner had she asked the question then suddenly the great construct's strong affirmation filled our thoughts, causing her to laugh aloud with joy.

"Did you even need to ask?" I stated, chuckling. Chrysalis slowly shook her head... and then she kissed me again.

Author's Note

My SI becomes the beloved of Queen Chrysalis. This should be interesting...

97. Pony Petting Association

"When you pet an Equestrian Pony," I stated softy, gently combing my fingers through Lyra's mane as those gathered looked on, "one of the first things you need to be aware of is the pony's thoughts on the matter. As we all know, Equestrian Ponies - unlike those of Earth - are sapient; thus, you can't just walk up to a pony and start petting away. You need to be aware that the pony you're petting, as well as the other ponies around you, might find the idea of petting odd at first. They might be reluctant to have you do it, or might not want to be petted at all; if that's the case than don't do it; you'll end up giving us all here at the Pony Petting Association a bad name." I paused for a moment, before continuing. "If, however, you can convince a pony to try being petted, again, don't start petting straight away. Instead, let the pony you're going to pet 'take the lead' as it were; allow them to bring you to a place where they feel comfortable. Such a place might be their home, or another venue in which they'll feel safe.

Once you're in a place of safety, suggest that your pony friend either sit, or lay down; if they lay down - on a bed, or a sofa, etc. - then lay down with them; don't tower over them or make yourself higher than them as this will trigger a pony's ancient 'prey' instincts and you'll more often than not end up ruining the whole experience." When no questions were forthcoming, I continued, gently lifting Lyra's head. "Note the eyes" I stated softly. "Lyra, here, has very large eyes - as do all Equestrian Ponies - and this is because ponies are prey animals; thus, they need to be able to see everything around them, and their large eyes allow for this. Their eyes also assist with their looking foal-like and/or cute to larger species; this aids with eventual befriending. This brings me to my first point about pony petting: when you begin to pet a pony start from the front and allow them to see you!

I cannot stress this enough - you wouldn't believe the number of calls we've had about petting experiences gone wrong. Additionally whilst many bad experiences are due to this common mistake, there are bad people out there - people not associated with the PPA - who don't care about the happiness of the ponies at all; they 'go for the rump' and nothing else, they pet too roughly, and they do other worse, perverse things." I sighed, continuing to hold Lyra gently. "They give genuine pony handlers like us a bad name so if you catch wind of someone mistreating a pony report them immediately to a guard, or to us." That said, I continued, "Now, as I stated before, when you first start petting a pony, let them see what you're doing. Start with the muzzle and cheeks..."

I started petting Lyra then; I cupped her muzzle in my hands letting her snort her breath through my fingers than, stroked the 'bridge' of her snout, before moving to caress her cheeks. Lyra - long used to my gentle touch - hummed softly, a nicker escaping her. "Did you all hear that?" I asked. The audience murmured in assent. "That was Lyra nickering. The nicker is a primal pony sound, and you'll find that nearly all Equestrian Ponies will nicker, neigh, whinny, and make other primal noises like this. Back in olden-times, long before Equestria even existed, Ponies used to be the friends and companions of Man; when we pet them, a lot of the primal stuff you see them do comes from those ancient genes, now active once again.

Some Equestrians - such as Lyra here - accept it; most others do not, and instead find it embarrassing when they inadvertently make those noises. If you do get a pony to 'go primal' consider it a huge achievement, but don't mention it afterwards, unless the pony you're with feels comfortable about it. Now, as I was saying about the cheeks and muzzle, lots of thin, sensitive fur to pet here. When you're petting a pony another rule - and one that must be obeyed utterly - is this: Be. Gentle. For gods's sake people, it's common sense. Be gentle. These ponies are not plush toys come to life; they're living, thinking, feeling beings; as we all are.

The Pony Petting Association was built on the idea of humans petting ponies as a form of therapy and relaxation for both species. For a pony to be petted by us, it's a very mild form of 'pet play'; true pet play where a pony knows he/she can let go; surrender the responsibilities of normal pony life and just be petted, cared for, loved, unconditionally. It's an utterly gentle, nurturing treatment, for both ponies and humans. To care and be cared for." That said, I continued with the demonstration. "Now, petting a pony's cheeks and muzzle is all well and good, but you need to be aware of the 'snoot' which is a very sensitive area of skin at the very tip of a pony's muzzle. Be very careful when petting this area; if you're too rough you can cause your pony friend pain and discomfort, and we don't want that."

That said I carefully stroked the velvety tip of Lyra's muzzle with my fingers, making her go cross-eyed and causing several members of the audience to giggle; at this Lyra snorted! "Now," I grinned, "the next area we'll look at are the ears; very soft, very plush, but also extremely sensitive. You can lightly pet and stroke the backs of the ears, gently rub the tips, and even venture inside just a little..." I demonstrated said techniques, making Lyra whimper with bliss and close her eyes, "... but as I stated, the ears are very sensitive; do not handle them roughly and whatever you do, absolutely do not pull on them! You can also scratch behind them, too; that's another area that Ponies can't really 'get' with their hooves..." I gave Lyra a gentle scratching behind the ears and she gasped, her eyes rolling back into her head.

"The next area we'll look at" I stated once I'd finished, "is the mane." Combing my fingers through Lyra's mane, I continued, "All Equestrian Ponies put some effort into taking care of their manes, especially mares. Thus, when you pet a mare's mane it might be glossy and silky smooth; great for combing your hands through. Mares love having their manes petted and combed with hands; not only is it extremely relaxing but mane 'combing' is something that just can't be done with pony hooves. It feels even better when you comb through the mane to scratch the skin beneath. Do not pull on the mane; in some cases doing so can cause an erogenous reaction; the same with the tail."

I demonstrated the mane combing on Lyra and she nickered, groaned softly, and then collapsed onto her side. "Ah," I stated, "now we are go for the body petting, long strokes from the neck, down the barrel to the rump if your pony permits it..." Lyra sighed through her nose, and I lay down such that she could cuddle close to me, stretching out. "With full-body petting you can go everywhere except for the cutie marks and private areas unless your pony friend has allowed it. Most importantly.... belly rubs are a huge thing to do here..." Lyra rolled onto her back, wriggling, kicking her hooves in the air and I proceeded to give her a belly rub; she whimpered and nickered in bliss.

"Hooves are also a thing - you can cup them in your hands and play with the undersides; the sensitive 'frogs' beneath - but be aware that some ponies have overly sensitive hooves and/or mightn't like having their hooves touched; sometimes you can trigger an erogenous reaction from these, as well as the horn-base and wings for unicorns and pegasi..." And so the presentation continued as - with Lyra being a very willing participant - I proceeded to demonstrate various pony petting techniques. By the time I was finished, my friend Lyra was a mare-shaped bag of melted mush, completely blissed out and nearly asleep. "Should anyone - or anypony - have any questions, feel free to write or call me at my house in Ponyville," I whispered softly, picking up Lyra gently so as not to disturb her near-doze. "Thank you everybody."

With that, I made to carry Lyra home from the PPA building. On my way out however, I nearly dropped poor Lyra as somepony galloped past me, nearly knocking me off my feet. Somepony I'd seen before. "Was that... Ms. Harshwhinny? Hm. Wonder why she was in such a hurry?" I questioned Lyra. Lyra peered out the door, then looked back at me and shrugged, before resting her head on my shoulder. "Ah, well. Come on, sweetie, let's go home..." Later that night - after a hearty meal - Lyra and I crashed in front of the fireplace within my Ponyville home as outside a scheduled, though still fearsome, pegasi-made storm raged. As we cuddled together before the roaring flames, Lyra nuzzling all over me as I roamed my hands over her body, suddenly--

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

--there came the loud sound of a heavy hoof knocking upon our front door. Half-alarmed and half-curious as to who might be wanting to enter our home at this time of night in such awful weather, Lyra and I got up to answer the door--and were nearly bowled over as the wet and bedraggled form of Ms. Harshwhinny charged into the entryway. No sooner had we forced the front door closed than Lyra and I were facing the female earth pony mare. She looked a mess. Her normally crisp business suit was creased and crumpled, the slight makeup she wore about her face was ruined, there were bags under her eyes... and she looked like she'd been crying. No sooner were we facing her than she was looking at Lyra - at both of us - with the greatest look of contempt I'd ever seen. Then, as Lyra looked on wide-eyed, Ms. Harshwhinny lowered her head, scuffed a hoof on the ground and snorted; a challenge between mares.

Before things could escalate, however, I stepped between them, carefully taking advantage of an old, old pony instinct, that mares will never hurt a stallion. Thankfully, it seemed to work; Lyra backed off and then returned to my side. Ms. Harshwhinny, however, just stood where she was. Her lower lip quivered. Her body began to shake. Then, a strangled noise escaped her as she wilted, sinking to the floor as she started to cry. This wouldn't do. With Lyra at my side I carefully approached Ms. Harshwhinny, then when she didn't react I picked her up in my arms (she was too thin, too light...) and carried her to our bathroom. There, gently Lyra and I stripped her of her suit and - as Lyra carefully took it in her magic to be laundered - I proceeded to bathe Ms. Harshwhinny.

As I was lathering up the fur of her neck, I came upon something interesting. Around Ms. Harshwhinny's neck there appeared to be some kind of collar - if a simple, thin leather cord to which a very tiny, rusted 'tag' was affixed could be called such. It wasn't restricting her breathing in any way, but it was so tight I could barely get a finger beneath it. Upon seeing it, I frowned; this was something from the olden-days of the PPA wherein ponies whom were assigned a Petter were gifted with a Collar designating them a Petee. "You had a handler, once, didn't you?" I asked softly, pausing my washing of her to look into her eyes. Sniffling, swallowing thickly, Ms. Harshwhinny nodded. "Y-Yes..." she timidly answered. A choked sob escaped her, then. My eyes narrowed. Back then, the PPA was new; it wasn't regulated properly - we didn't have the severe background and criminal checks that we had nowadays - and almost anyone could register to become a Petter.

Ms. Harshwhinny was trembling, now, visibly fighting the urge to burst into tears. "Did... did you have a bad experience with a Petter?" I asked her, softly. The female Earth Pony nodded, her expression crumpling; then she moved a little in the tub to whisper into my ear, "I was... was... r-ruh-rap..." Immediately, I winced, gently cupping a hand over her muzzle; she didn't need to tell me any more. "You don't need to tell me anymore, sweetie," I whispered soothingly to her, "not if you don't want to..." I might have been concerned for her on the outside, but internally, I raged; how long had this poor mare lived with this burden inside her? Refocusing my attention on her, I continued, "Let's finish bathing you, and then I'll dry you off, and we'll go out and settle in front of the fire, okay?" Stepping away from her I moved to the medicine cabinet above the bathroom vanity and retrieved a small pair of scissors which I used to carefully cut away the collar about Ms. Harshwhinny's neck.

As I did so, a softened whimper escaped the mare - as if a weight had been removed from her shoulders - and then she sagged gently against me as I carefully set the scissors aside and resumed washing her. Ever-so-gently, I washed her face, soaping up my hands with a lather and then running them over her snout, and cheeks; as I did so, Ms. Harshwhinny sobbed gently, a nicker escaping her; she was still so very strong... After rinsing off her face, I carefully moved to her ears, cleaning them gently, making sure not to get any water inside; then I lathered and rinsed her mane before soaping up her body. Bathing her, I massaged her, working my hands deeply into all her body's muscles; then I gently lifted one hoof at a time to clean those and the frogs beneath. All the while Ms. Harshwhinny was crying silently, though upon her face there could be seen a truly beatific smile. I was treating her as a proper Petter should... and I was only washing her; we hadn't even done any actual petting, yet!

Down her barrel and flanks I washed, until coming upon her cutie marks, the little depiction of the Equestria Games Trophy born proudly upon each of her finely-toned flanks. "May I...?" I whispered softly, as Lyra - having laundered her suit and set it out to dry - returned and looked on. Ms. Harshwhinny trembled, whimpered, nodded, and so I carefully washed the marks, tickling them gently, bringing from the female mare a choked giggle. Finally, I came upon Ms. Harshwhinny's tail and privates. "May I...?" I whispered softly again. "Are you comfortable with letting me...?" Slowly, hesitantly, Ms. Harshwhinny lifted her tail aside that I might carefully take it in my hands, her whole body shaking such that Lyra had to assist with holding her steady. Softly, slowly, I soaped and rinsed her tail, combing my hands through the blonde hair; then, as gently as I was able I washed her crescent, her femininity. As I did so, the poor mare braced herself - as though she expected some kind of pain to come - but when none did, she turned her head back to look at me, her muzzle crinkled with shock and surprise.

"What you experienced was awful, absolutely awful ma'am. I... - we - are going to show you that being petted properly can be a wonderful experience." That said, I finished washing her and then - "Come on, up we go..." I lifted her out of the bath, then gently set her down upon her hooves and dried her off with a thick, soft, fluffy towel. At first, Lyra looked on, somewhat jealous that her stallion was lavishing attention upon this other strange mare - she growled and snorted and pouted - but when I softly whispered in her ear, informing her of the tragedy that had befallen Ms. Harshwhinny, she gasped, her gamboge eyes widening, misting with tears, and moved to nuzzle-nuzzle-nuzzle the Earth Pony mare apologetically. When Ms. Harshwhinny's coat, mane and tail were nearly dry though still a little damp, gently I picked her up, Lyra looking at the Earth Pony anxiously as I carried her out to the main living area. A gentle gesture to Lyra and the mint-green unicorn was pulling out the sofa-bed; then I set her down upon it.

Shortly thereafter, I went to change into sleepwear then returned and lay down with her. No sooner had I done so than Lyra went away for a moment, to return bearing a Petters Kit, stocked with brushes, oils, incense; everything I might need when tending to a pony. I maneuvered myself into the middle of the bed, carefully shifting Harshwhinny to my left; Lyra hopped up and laid down on my right side, such that I was now amid a pony sandwich! Then, Lyra proceeded to hand me the various brushes from the kit - the heavy brush, a lighter brush, and finally a very fine brush - with which I thoroughly groomed Ms. Harshwhinny until her coat, mane and tail were wonderfully soft, and silky. Then, finally, I began to pet her. I roamed my hands over her muzzle, cheeks, and snoot; then I delicately stroked her ears and scratched behind them; at this a look of wonder crossed the Earth Pony's face before her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped against me, groaning.

Soon, I ruffled and combed my fingers through her blonde mane then scratch-scratch-scratched the skin beneath and she panted, tongue lolling as she moved to str-e-e-ech out against me in bliss, throwing a forehoof over my chest. With both hands, I stroked and rubbed her coat, massaging the muscles beneath; her blissful sighs and whimpers were music to Lyra and I as she responded so wonderfully to my every gentle touch. As I neared her cutie marks, however, the Earth Pony mare began to shiver and tremble than whimper. I made to stop petting her--but no sooner had I attempted to do so than Ms. Harshwhinny actually moved such that her rump and cutie marks were beneath my hands... and then, she began letting out a short lifetime's worth of pain and loneliness.

She would just 'hold' me with her hoof for a while; then she'd wedge her muzzle beneath my chin and cry uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she would nuzzle and 'lip' me so passionately, I thought she meant to have me mate with her, right there before Lyra; then she just resumed clinging to me, trembling as though she were dying of cold. Gently removing my hands from her rump, I drew the poor mare close to me whereupon she tucked her muzzle into the crook of my shoulder and inhaled, still trembling even as she took in my scent. "You're in a safe place now, sweetheart..." I whispered gently into her ear. "No one's going to hurt you anymore..." Naturally, it took quite some time for Ms. Harshwhinny to return to an even keel but soon, with gentle coaxing and encouragement from Lyra, the Earth Pony mare slowly rolled onto her back, allowing me to bury a hand into her chestfur then wend my way down to her belly.

A half-sigh, half-moan escaped the mare as I gave her a gentle belly rub--then laughter followed as Lyra nuzzled and lipped her hooves' sensitive frogs. A moment later Ms. Harshwhinny's eyes widened as Lyra slowly removed my pajama pants with her magic than tossed them aside, giving the mare a downright smug look! Not wanting to be outdone, the Earth Pony proceeded to unbutton my pajama top with hoof and mouth then put it aside, too, leaving me as naked as the day I was born. Now I know what you're thinking - human man plus two beautiful pony mares equals threesome - but I'm telling you right now: it didn't happen; Neither Lyra nor I would ever take advantage of Ms. Harshwhinny like that, not after what she'd been through. Instead, Lyra gently coaxed the Earth Pony mare to explore my body with muzzle and gentle hoof, then to stretch out and cuddle against me, a gasp escaping her as she felt the indescribable feeling of her fur against my warm skin.

Soon, with a soft squeak and a sigh, Ms. Harshwhinny settled against me, resting her head on my chest and then Lyra did the same. Both mares eyed each other for a moment. Then, Lyra Heartstrings and Ms. Harshwhinny - Angelica Harshwhinny as she was properly called (I found this out later) - gently nuzzled and softly kissed each other. Eyes misting with tears, the Earth Pony mare nickered in Ponytongue, "Don't... don't want go..." Upon hearing this, Lyra nuzzled-nuzzled-nuzzled Angelica then gently nibbled the tips of her ears, making the Earth Pony shiver. "Then no go," she nickered. "Stay. Get new job Ponyville. Be with David; good, kind human. Be with me. You Herd now. Ever. Always." Angelica wept silently for a moment as Lyra and I brushed her tears away. Then, as I petted and stroked the coats and manes of both of these wondrous pony mares, softly, Angelica Harshwhinny, soon-to-be former Head of the Equestria Games whispered, "Thank you."

Author's Note

And done. My best piece yet, I think.

98. Equus de Templari (MLP:FiM/Starcraft. Author SI/Twilight Sparkle)

The vegetable broth was good Twilight decided. It was warm, the temperature just right, and was easy for the ill unicorn mare to sip and swallow slowly. The hands of the being tending her felt even better; they were rough and calloused, but also amazingly gentle as they stroked her gently and spoon-fed her the broth. The vegetable broth – which was accompanied by some kind of warm flat bread that melted in her mouth when she ate it – was the only thing she could stand to eat, after having been deprived of sustenance for so long.

She'd learned that the hard way; one day – when she'd thought she was ready – Twilight had attempted to eat her usual fare of good, old-fashioned hay fries and condiment, despite her new friend's warnings that she wasn't ready for solid foods, yet. Everything had seemed to go so well, too; when she'd described her favorite dish, the replicator had been more than accommodating, creating a delicious-looking – and tasting – meal… However, she'd paid for her folly in spades--everything the poor mare had eaten… had inevitably come back up.

Now, here she was abed, with her savior tending to her, recovering not only from her misguided attempt to eat solid food, but also from… the event that had led to her being here in the first place. Thoughts of the event moistened her eyes and she closed them, scrunching her muzzle, whimpering softly. 'Don't… don't think about it, Twilight!' the unicorn thought to herself as she once again did her best to banish the creeping fear of them from her thoughts. 'Think about what David said. We're well away from… what's left of Equus by now. They can't get me here. David said we were safe! He said we were safe…'

Whimpering softly, she looked to her savior for reassurance. Dark brown hair done up in a peculiar braid framed a weathered, hairless face with hazel eyes, a very small muzzle - no, a nose - and lips drawn with deep concern. Paws—no, five-fingered hands, attached to pink-skinned arms dusted with light coatings of fur, kept feeding her, stroking her, tending her. Suddenly, she just couldn't help herself; a nicker escaped her as she drew closer to his body, his odd, bipedal, minotaur-like body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor.

He was a human. A real, live, living, breathing, honest-to-Celestia human! A mare of logic and reason, Twilight Sparkle had always dismissed her friend Lyra Heartstrings' fanciful tales of mythical 'humans' as just that—flights of fancy—but now… As eyes of hazel, glowing faintly with some unfathomable power, looked upon her with concern and more than a little worry, the unicorn vowed never to dismiss those tales again. Struggling with effort – by Celestia she was so very tired – Twilight managed to finish her meal; then her savior gently took her tray away to be recycled.

When he returned a moment later, the little unicorn cuddled close to him again. Although she already had his scent imprinted into her mind – she'd accidentally sniffed him the day she'd first met him – he still smelt the same even now, of sweat/soft-fabric/steel/safe/friend. It was, she decided, a good smell. Inhaling a breath, weakly, she rasped, "Were… were there any… other…?" She couldn't bring herself to say 'survivors'—but even as she asked the question the human's eyes narrowed; then after a moment of pensive thought, he nodded and sighed. "Yes," David replied, "there were two, but… their condition is… bad."

"Show me," Twilight rasped. So he did. Gently, David wrapped his arms about her and lifted her up; as he did, the little unicorn just couldn't help herself and leaned into him, another wordless nicker escaping her and causing him to chuckle. At this, suddenly, poor Twilight felt mortified! 'I… I did not just do that--again!' she thought, embarrassed. This… this wasn't like her at all! Since when had she become so… clingy? Snorting softly through her nose, she dismissed the thought and wrapped her hooves about David, tucking her head against his chest as he carried her out of Quarters.

Time seemed to stop for the little unicorn, albeit briefly, as the human carried her from Quarters, through the living area of his home, and then into a very different place. In front of her she saw what appeared to be a bed – albeit a very futuristic-looking one – which was equipped with some kind of support frame, the function of which she couldn't determine. Three other, similar beds lined the perimeter of the room. Overlooking the main bed, Twilight espied what appeared to be an office, to which a small laboratory was connected; near that was an alcove, similar to the one David had carried her from when he'd first brought her here.

The little mare was most interested in the room across the hall. Within that room there stood an enormous, cylindrical tank, the glass top of which was transparent. Resting inside the liquid-filled tank – separated by a dividing partition – she could see two ponies. Two of her friends… "Rarity! Pinkie!" Twilight rasped; then David gently set her down on the ground. Half-stumbling, half-crawling, Twilight raced over to the strange tank and anxiously peered within—but when she saw the condition of her friends, she gasped and then started to weep, her eyes misting with tears. Rarity's normally pristine white fur had been burned black or simply scoured off. Her body was swathed with some sort of moisture-coated wraps beneath which Twilight could just make out one of the diamonds of her cutie mark.

As for Pinkie Pie, she appeared relatively fine—but then poor Twilight retched, swallowing back bile, as she realized that the pink pony's lower-half was gone. It just wasn't there; instead, an unfathomable network of complex tubes, wires, and Celestia-knew-what-else, connected poor Pinkie's upper-body to some kind of machine below the tank. These tubes also penetrated Rarity's body as well, connecting the fashionista pony to the same device. Oxygen masks covered the two ponies' faces, allowing them to breathe. Even as she wept, Twilight was thankful that her friends even were breathing, albeit weakly. They were alive… or were they? "Rarity! Pinkie!" Twilight rasped again, raising a hoof to bang on the glass.

Before she could, however, David pulled her away. Furiously, the little unicorn whirled about in his gentle grip to face him. "What is this thing? Why are my friends inside it? What are you doing to them? Answer me!" she snarled, her horn aglow with anger-fueled magic. David didn't answer her at first; instead he gently picked her up again. The human just held her for a moment as she struggled weakly in protest – she wanted to be with her friends, Celestia damn it all – but then, when she calmed down David took her out to the main ward of the… the – she would think of it as a hospital, for now.

Setting her down on the bed there, he sat down beside her and answered her questions. "The device your friends are resting inside is called an 'Autodoc', Twilight," he intoned softly. Before she could ask what that was, he continued, "It's a machine, one built to heal the sick and repair the injured. That's what it's doing at the moment, repairing your friends' injuries." Twilight nodded - allowing David to gently pet the tears from her eyes dry with a piece of the robe he wore – before she leaned gently against him as she asked, "What… what happened to them?"

Her human savior sighed sadly before he answered, "Rarity got splashed with Guardian acid as she fled her home. As for Pinkie… well, not even the so-called 'pinkie-sense' can save you when an Ultralisk bursts up from the ground beneath your feet. Damn thing's Kaiser blades tore her in half and she would've been a goner if I hadn't found her in time and had the Nexus bring her back here…" Twilight whimpered and shivered at his words—but then, she turned her head to look at him and blinked in confusion. What were those words he'd used? "Guardian Acid? Ultralisk? Kaiser Blades?" she queried. "I… I don't understand! What are those things?"

Again, David didn't answer her question at first – he didn't want to answer her. With another heavy sigh, he lowered his head to rest in the palm of a hand and at this, Twilight became worried; she thought she'd somehow offended him! When the human lifted his head to look at her again, however, Twilight paled as she saw that he seemed haunted, the light in his eyes extinguished. "'Guardian Acid'," he finally answered, "is a powerful, long-range attack produced by a slow-flying creature called a Guardian. It's a long-range bomber; looks like a giant flying spider or crab. 'Kaiser blades' are the giant, scythe-like blades attached to the back of an Ultralisk, a twenty meter long and five meter high living battering ram, evolved from the docile brontolith; both creatures are part of a larger amalgamation of biologically advanced, arthropodal aliens, collectively called the Zerg Swarm. Come on, I'll show you…"

Gently, David wrapped his arms about her again and lifted her up once more; as he did, the little unicorn found herself leaning into him once more. 'Celestia damn it, why does this feel so good?' she thought. Then, 'Why does it feel so good?' she wondered. It shouldn't have, she mused; she wasn't a foal anymore! Was she that desperate for contact; for the simple touch of another? Snuffling softly through her nose – blinking away tears as sudden embarrassment and shame gripped her – she whimpered softly and tried to subtly shift away from his touch. She failed miserably, however, a choked sob escaping her as one of the human's hands reached up to scratch her oh-so-gently behind the ears…

At that moment, Twilight just couldn't take it anymore. She let go. Sagging in his arms, the poor little pony mare actively leaned into and encouraged her saviour's gentle touch, breaking down and bawling like a lost filly as David carried her out of the Hospital. Instead of carrying her straight through the living area of his home as he had previously done – David stopped and sat down upon an old, faded brown leather sofa that had seen better days. There, he rocked little Twilight gently like a foal. When at length she stopped crying, her breathing was uneven and her eyes were puffy, the fur about them darkened with the wetness of shed tears. "Are you okay?" David asked.

At first, Twilight didn't answer him – she just looked at him, empty, her lower jaw quivering; she feared that if she spoke she might start crying again – but then, finally, she sniffled and rasped out, "No… but I will be. Show me the Zerg." The human nodded. Gently lifting her again, he resumed carrying her through the living area of his home and then took Twilight into another room whose grid-like walls glowed with a soft, cyan light. "This place," he stated, once he'd set Twilight down, "is called the Psiodeck. Here, whatever I will can become reality…" With that he sent a thought to the mind of his Home—and suddenly Twilight was gasping in awe as the entire room was replaced with a vast grassy field, beneath a deep blue sunlit sky!

At first, the little unicorn was in awe, marveling at her surroundings but then, happiness blossomed within her heart and – with a joyful whinny – she raced through the long verdant grass, David keeping pace behind her. When she tired of running, the little mare dropped and rolled around in the grass; she got it all over her lavender coat, got it stuck in her hooves, and even ate her fill of it and it was sweet, juicy, and utterly delicious! Cheerfully she whinnied again as David laughed at her antics; then – to her delight – he played, wrestled, and frolicked with her for the rest of the 'day.' When afternoon on the 'deck turned to evening, David set about creating a campfire; then Twilight sat with him, leaning against him, a foreleg resting on his leg as he cooked a lovely pumpkin soup.

But… where had the cooking pot come from? What about the ingredients? They hadn't been there before! As he worked to cook their meal, the human tried to explain it all – it was something to do with 'thought-based quantum replication' – but the explanation went over Twilight's head. She vowed that it wouldn't for long, however. Her savior's home simply boggled Twilight's mind—and this was only one of its mysteries! Twilight Sparkle vowed to herself that she would learn them all. Later that night, as the fire burned low and the stars lit up the sky, David faced her with solemn expression as he began to teach. "To understand the Zerg – and why they attacked and destroyed your world – you must first understand their creators…"

Always eager for more knowledge, Twilight Sparkle nodded and sat up, her ears alert, ready to listen. “Tens of millions of years ago," David softly began, "our universe as we know it was little more than a wasteland of barren galaxies, filled with frozen worlds that were completely devoid of life…" At this, Twilight gasped softly, her jaw dropping open—but then she closed her mouth with an audible 'click' before stating, "Obviously it didn't remain that way forever…" In response, David chuckled. "True—if it had remained that way, we wouldn't be here right now. The thing is… our universe would have remained lifeless, forever, if not for the intervention of an ancient, highly advanced race of alien beings who were often called the ‘Xel'Naga,’ or `wanderers from afar.'"

This… this blew Twilight's mind. "A-Aliens?" she choked. "You… me… Celestia… everyone… We were all created by ALIENS?!" David merely smirked, choosing not to answer her; instead he expertly manipulated the Psiodeck to bring the knowledge he was imparting to Twilight to life, in living color! "Little is known of the Xel'Naga," he continued, "save that they were a peaceful, benevolent and enigmatic race, who were consumed with the study, and propagation of sentient evolution. Obsessed with fashioning the perfect life-form, for untold millennia, the Xel'Naga journeyed throughout space-time within their great World-Ships, searching for a place, a ‘testing ground’ where they could experiment freely, to try and achieve this goal.

Finally, they discovered our universe. Attracted by its curious physical, chemical, and multidimensional properties, they stayed there, and began genetic experiments. Masters of the ultimate technology—the ability to alter physical reality by will alone—the Xel'Naga changed the frozen planets within each barren galaxy, to make each planet capable of supporting life. When this first phase was completed, the Xel'Naga seeded, and cultivated, dozens of various species upon the thousands of newly transformed worlds and then—for thousands of years—they worked to carefully steer the delicate evolutionary processes of their budding species.

Their careful experimentation resulted in the creation of all life as we know it—including that in our own planetary system, Sol, in the Galaxy called the Milky Way—but the species that the Xel'Naga cultivated always fell short of their enormous expectations. Travelling thousands of light years into the burning core of the galaxy, the Xel'Naga eventually settled upon the volatile ash-world of Zerus…" Twilight listened while David laid it all down. The Xel'Naga. The Zerg Swarm… its history, every species within, and the horrors wrought by their every action. It's not every day you find out that the demons who destroyed your world were created by a benevolent alien race attempting to procreate. She took it pretty well…

"You will teach me everything about them," hissed the little unicorn, as she stared at David with fury-filled gaze. "What they look like. Where they are. Everything. And then, you will teach me how to destroy them." It was not a request. Slowly, hesitantly, David nodded. The human High Templar would teach the little mare everything he knew. The training would be difficult; it would destroy her innocence… And Twilight Sparkle, the Last Pony of Equestria, would never be the same. She, however, did not care; she was a mare driven.

So that Twilight wouldn't be consumed by her fury for the Zerg - or exhaust herself due to her illness - before teaching her anything, David cared for her, allowing her to recover from her sickness. Soon after that, the human taught her of the Protoss and the Khala--the strict set of disciplines which defined the behavior of all citizens within the Protoss Empire. Then, the training of Twilight Sparkle truly began; David taught the mare to avoid or reduce injury during combat, by evading, deflecting, or absorbing blows. He also trained and conditioned her for running and swimming, so that she could move short and long distances over land with speed and efficiency, and swim swiftly underwater.

David also trained Twilight to jump long distances, to avoid damage when falling from great heights, and even to direct her path while falling! Her training with the human was intense, grueling, and often painful, but the little unicorn never complained. Instead, she seemed to outright relish the hell he put her through; she was utterly determined to better herself... and she did, her hatred of the Zerg driving her on. Eventually, Twilight became so great in her mastery of this training, that she could move faster, jump higher, and defend herself in combat far better than any other member of her race.

In addition to training Twilight in unarmed combat techniques, David went one step further: after studying her anatomy, he developed a combat style the mare could use, consisting of brutal fore and hind leg kicks, and terrible stomping, crushing blows with her hooves. Whilst teaching her the new style, David also taught Twilight to attune herself to the disciplines of the Khala, in order to channel her fury against the Zerg into a near berserk rage in battle--a state that Protoss Zealots called the Ka'Doth, or ‘battle-fury.’ As the little pony mare gained greater and greater control of this technique, she soon found that – even in the deepest, most primal depths of her rage – she could maintain her hold on cold logic and reason

This, she thought, was excellent, for it would make her all the more deadly in combat. By the time her training in the martial arts was complete – although she was no Earth Pony – Twilight had practically become one. She was stronger, faster, and physically fitter than any other Equestrian Unicorn - her strength akin to that of her friend Applejack – and her body appeared thin and lean because nearly every ounce of useless fat had been either burned away or replaced by finely-toned muscle. No longer was she a mere unicorn bookworm; well versed in the disciplines of the Khala, and fully trained in the arts of physical combat, she was a powerful fighting pony who would have made a brilliant Guard of the Equestrian Royalty!

With the physical aspect of her training complete, David trained Twilight as best he could in the ways of the High Templar. Employing her magic in place of psionic power, David taught the little mare psionics—the art of tapping the mind's potential—and Twilight had a brilliant mind… With his guidance, Twilight refreshed herself on how to meditate, in order to close her mind to the outside world and focus her latent magical power. Then, David taught the unicorn to channel the power of her magic to augment the already formidable physical strength and endurance she'd gained from her martial training! Here was where her training really diverged from what she'd been taught at Celestia's School for gifted Unicorns—and this was only the beginning…

Twilight learned to magically alter and shift her weight about such that she could balance easily upon moving objects. She learned to perform tremendous, magically boosted leaps, hundreds of feet into the air. She even learned to add a kind of magical momentum to her already formidable hoof-attacks; the equivalent of adding massive, weighted anvils to the ends of her hooves! During her 'exam' for this section of training, she combined all of these techniques to ascend the leg of a running Ultralisk, climb onto its back—and then crush its head to a viscous, bloody pulp! David seemed especially pleased, but Twilight – grinning ferally, and covered with gore – was thrilled! But the little mare's training wasn't over yet, not by a long shot…

David taught her the 'lesser' abilities he'd mastered. Telekinesis—the ability to interact remotely with objects, without physically touching them—was simple enough; it was a 'refresher course' for one of the most basic spells she'd ever learned. Her human friend, however, made her push it to new heights, drilling her relentlessly until even the most massive of objects could be moved effortlessly… and then he taught her to use this simple spell to crush an enemy's bones to powder, and tear the heart from an enemy's chest! Finally, the human taught Twilight to use her telekinesis spell in conjunction with the environment around her to devastating effect. When accelerated with enough telekinetic force, anything that wasn't nailed down could become the deadliest of weapons…

With her 'basic' spell of Telekinesis now deadlier than ever, David instructed Twilight in Healing—the ability to channel her magic to regenerate damage to her own body, and the bodies of others. However, the High Templar didn't just instruct her on how to enhance a general healing spell she knew; he taught her about all aspects of healing, both physical and psionic, and trained her in all manner of healing techniques from ancient to modern. Most notably, David taught Twilight Battlefield Medicine and surgical techniques she could easily employ while in the field, as well as knowledge of how to use the various systems in the Hospital within his home.

With that done – via the use of a heavily modified 'Want-It-Need-It' spell – David instructed the little unicorn in Charm—the ability to implant thoughts in another person's head. Charm, Twilight found, had many uses. She could use it to soothe those who were angry, or calm those who were frightened. Charm's primary use, however, was misdirection; she could literally make her enemies believe she wasn't there simply by implanting that thought in their heads! Much to her chagrin, however, Twilight discovered that Charm would fail if she attempted it on an enemy in plain sight, or if she came into physical contact with an enemy already under its influence.

Nevertheless, when used correctly, this ability was still a valuable addition to her skills. Once Twilight had gained mastery of these 'lesser' abilities, David instructed her in the Greater: Mageblast—the ability to manifest a sphere of condensed magical energy, which Twilight could throw at a target—and Shockwave, the ability to create a physically manifested magical shockwave, which the unicorn could use to stun, or kill, an entire group of opponents! At first, the relationship between Twilight and David had been strictly business; the little unicorn mare had sought to learn all she could from him, using him – albeit kindly – as a means to an end. However, as David walked her further down the path of Khala, Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but be drawn to the human.

Perhaps it was because, as a herd creature, she longed for companionship—even if that companionship came from another being, and not from a member of her own species. Perhaps it was because of his unusual, informal teaching style, or the way he could draw from her a laugh or a smile, even during the darkest of days. Whatever the reason, no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she found herself becoming closer, and closer to him. It was little things, at first. David would ask her if she was well, compliment her mane and coat, or the subtle lavender perfume she wore—and Twilight would blush, turning her head down and away… David would pet her after commending her on a job well done – not to treat her like an animal, but as a gesture of friendship – and Twilight would find herself wishing for more of his touch…

During sessions of study – when David began tutoring her in galactic history and politics – as the human read aloud to her Twilight would lean against him, letting him gently stroke her coat and mane, which she'd deliberately altered with magic to be extra soft and silky to the touch… After long, hard days of training, Twilight would stretch out on the old, faded brown leather sofa and allow David to stroke and caress her as he wished, from her head to the very base of her tail, and oh, his touch was glorious! His hands – combing through her mane, scratching behind her ears, combing through her lavender coat and roving over her belly – could evoke the most primal of sounds from the little mare, no matter how hard she tried to suppress them.

Twilight nickered, and whickered, and whinnied softly, putty in his hands. The culmination of it all occurred the night before her final lessons were to begin. Having suffered a terrible nightmare of the event during which the Zerg had destroyed her world, poor Twilight half-ran, half-teleported herself into David's Quarters and then crawled into his bed! Nickering, whimpering, eyes blinded by tears, Twilight Sparkle lipped and nuzzled the man who had become far more than just a friend to her as she poured her heart out to him. David soothed her pain with gentle words and touch then pulled her against his body, spooning her against him.

David thought it was lovely – the feel of her fur against his flesh – and embarrassment was the last thing on Twilight's mind. They didn't make love – Twilight was still too distressed to be thinking thoughts of sex and David, of course, would never take advantage of her lest he stain his honour – but man and mare both held each other, exchanging shy glances, whispered words and the softest of kisses in the night. The next day, with Twilight and himself refreshed after a good night's rest, David set about teaching the little mare how to manifest her power into a variation of the devastating attack that all High Templar use in battle: the Psionic Storm. Twilight Sparkle's Magestorm was just as deadly.

David watched with critical eye as a pack of Psiodeck-made Zerglings were suddenly swallowed in a crackling haze of pink energy. Dancing arcs of something that almost looked like lightning raced across the entire pack, critically overloading what little brains they possessed. As she observed the effects of the storm – as she watched the Zerglings scream and die – a cruel smile split Twilight's muzzle; she was almost ready. Once David was satisfied with Twilight's mastery of her Magestorm, the human taught the unicorn to manifest her magic as illusory duplicates of other beings.

Although they possessed no physical substance, these Phantasms could be used to sow confusion and cause disarray amongst enemy forces; a variation of a High Templar ability simply called Hallucination. This, however, wasn’t the greatest ability that Twilight learned. No... That title was reserved for the final power David taught to Twilight: Projection—the ability to project her soul out of her body in an ethereal form made of raw magic! Although this ethereal form had limited interaction with the physical world, it was still a wondrous ability indeed because Twilight could use it to reach normally inaccessible places, interact with simple physical objects, and even possess other beings.

Upon the dawn of the Final Day – once their meditation was complete – David opened a hand, showing to her a rough shard of pure Khaydarin Crystal. Overcome with joy, Twilight reached to take it—but then David gently closed his hand. "For reasons you know, I cannot offer you this, beloved," he softly intoned. "However, I can give you these…" Reaching into his robe, the human withdrew two items; one was a shard of Equestrian Quartz – a powerful, magically conductive crystal – whilst the other was a book filled with sacred scriptures. She knew of one of these items; the scriptures penned within the book would reveal how shards of Khaydarin Crystal—a special crystal found only on Aiur—could be carved into holy amulets which could be used to more potently focus the mental power of any High Templar. But as for the other…

"Where did you get this?!" Twilight whinnied, surprised. "This is an Equestrian Gemstone!" David chuckled as he handed her the items. "I managed to retrieve it before I took you from… what was left of Equestria," he replied. Then, gesturing to the items with a hand, he stated, "You know what to do with these. To the Forge with you, now; I'll see you when you return…" Twilight nodded, grinning, and then away she went. With the knowledge she gained from the book’s pages, a little improvisation, the tools within the Forge and her own hooves, Twilight Sparkle cut and carved the gemstone David had given her into a cover for her horn. Fashioned with precisely aligned mana channels, engraved with runes from the magical language of the ancient Unicorn Oligarchy, and then polished to a mirror finish, it was an impressive work.

When she focused the power of her magic through this Arcane Amulet, Twilight found that her magical spells become more powerful, and that she could use them more often. The little mare affixed the amulet to a half-circlet of golden-bronze, which she wore atop her head. She was done. When David saw the newly made amulet – chanting litanies from the Codex de Khalai – the human proceeded to ritually dress Twilight in spectacular clothing. A 'triple-loincloth' like garment – called a shendyt – was draped over her rear (a hole existed for her tail to exit through), and also covered her flanks. Next, David helped her into barding made of gantrium; a metal known for its magically conductive properties.

Atop her barding, Twilight Sparkle wore a long, flowing, teal robe. Adorned with Equestrian and Protoss glyphs, the robe was made from a thick material that resembled fine silk, and it would serve to protect the mare from the elements, whilst denoting her rank. Once she was dressed David stood as Twilight knelt before him. "Twilight Sparkle" he asked, "who are you?"

"I am Equus de Templari," she answered.

At her answer, the human nodded. "Twilight Sparkle" he asked, "what is your Duty?"

The mare answered swiftly, and without hesitation. "I take upon myself the mantle of the Dae'Uhl, or Great Stewardship. I must watch over the lesser races living within my shadow—but I must not interfere. I must not direct their course. They are not my students. I am theirs."

David nodded. "Twilight Sparkle" he asked, "what is your Mission?"

Anger seethed within the unicorn, then, as she hissed softly, "To liberate my Home World, Equestria, from the Zerg!"

Satisfied with her answer, David nodded as asked a final question. "For the Zerg, what is best?"

"To crush them!" Twilight whinnied savagely. "To see them fall at my hooves – to destroy their spawning pools, hatcheries, and hive clusters and hear the lamentation of their accursed Overmind! That is best!" She grinned up at him ferally; as he returned her gaze David's grin was equally savage.

Then… "Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. Equus de Templari. Rise!" he commanded.

And she did.

Author's Note

Look out Zerg, High Templar Twilight is GO!

100. First Contact 2 (Author SI vs Shining Armor)

It was hopeless.

No matter what the Ponies tried to do, they were defeated; the Monster who'd walked out of the icy cold was just too strong!

Blows from the strongest stallions were brushed aside, countered, or returned with just enough force to knock a pony out without real harm.

Unicorn magic was gently deflected, blocked, or absorbed by the bipedal creature's own mysterious power.

Even the mighty power of the Crystal Heart had been countered by a brilliant shield of cyan light.

Now, in the Palace of the Crystal Empire - where the 'final stand' had taken place – Princess Cadence and Shining Armor looked on as the creature came closer and closer to them. They were terrified, quivering as they sat upon their haunches.

What would the strangely clothed being do?

* * *

I slowly approached the obviously terrified ponies and then picked up the male unicorn pony and – after carefully stripping him of his purple armor – sat with him on the Crystal Throne. 'Poor thing' I thought as he sat shivering in my lap, 'I didn't mean to scare anyone. He looks so tense…' I started petting him then; I cupped his muzzle in my hands, letting him snort his breath through my fingers, then stroked the 'bridge' of his snout, before moving to caress his cheeks. The big pony squirmed and seemed to resist at first - he simply wasn't used to it, having never felt anything like a human's touch before - but then, I gave the white stallion a gentle scratching behind the ears and he gasped, his eyes rolling back into his head

Soon, I began combing my fingers through his mane, scratching at the fur beneath. The big male nickered, groaned softly, and then collapsed into my lap, rolling over onto his belly, the pink alicorn with us blushing as he groaned with bliss—and then his groans intensified as I rubbed his belly for a time. Shortly thereafter, I gently nudged the stallion over onto his front before beginning a gentle yet deep massage as I stroked him from neck to rump, making the male whimper in bliss. Then - CRACKLE-SNAP-CRUNCH-CR-CRK! – he let out a choked sob as I rearranged slightly bent muscles and bone, relieving tension the poor fellow didn't even know he had.

* * *

At first, poor Shining Armor had been scared out of his wits! Now, however, the Prince of the Crystal Empire groaned with sheer bliss; whatever the not-monster was doing just felt so good; especially that last part where the tension in his back had been seen to—he felt like he was in the Elysium Fields! Smiling down at him, the not-monster bade him to exhale as hard as he could. Shining did so, and while he did the bipedal creature used his utterly amazing paws to work down the stallion's spine quickly. Crk-crk-CRK-CRK-crk-crk. "Uhn Cele'sia sooo goooh…" Poor Shining Armor just couldn't get his tongue to work right; it hung from his mouth as he drooled blissfully on the creature's lap, utterly limp and satiated with life. He lay in the creature's lap as it just kept petting and grooming him; the not-monster's paws were everywhere, combing his mane, roaming over his white coat, scratching that area of his withers, cupping his hooves... A low, friendly whinny escaped the unicorn, then. To Tartarus with the Crystal Empire; the strange being could have it as far as he was concerned--just as long as he kept doing what he was doing...

Author's Note

SHINING ARMOR = PETTED.

CADANCE TO FOLLOW.

MISSION TO CONQUER EQUESTRIA THROUGH PETTING OF PONIES PROCEEDS AS PLANNED

WE WILL PET ALL THE PONIES.

EQUESTRIA AND EARTH WILL MERGE AND THEN THEY WILL BE OURS TO CARE FOR/CHERISH/CUDDLE/PET FOREVER.

WE WILL PET THEM ALL.

EVERY PONY IN THE UNIVERSE.

101. First Contact 3 (Author SI vs Princess Cadence)

At last, the not-monster finished... doing whatever he was doing to her Shining Armor. Taking off his robe - revealing curious golden-bronze armor beneath - the bipedal creature spread it out on the floor near the throne and placed Shining Armor down upon it. Her beloved stallion slept, dreaming blissful dreams. Once he'd dealt with Shining Armor, the not-monster reached for her. Picking her up, he placed her in his lap and then... a whimper escaped Cadence as unusual, flesh-covered paws gently lifted the tiara from her head. Swiftly, the Crystal Princess undid the spell that kept her mane in its particular style; when she did so a smile graced the creature's lips as he watched her mane go limp, its brilliant colours splashing everywhere...

Cadence shivered as the not-monster buried his hands within it and then... a little choked sob escaped her as she was cuddled, the non-monster's hands beginning to work as she was held so very, very gently. The way he was holding her, stroking her, rocking her gently; it felt like... it felt like... "Papa..." she breathed, sobbing gently again, memories of the elderly ponies who'd done their best to raise her filling her thoughts, and... why were her eyes misty? She shouldn't be enjoying this! She should be doing her best to resist the bipedal being's touch. She w-wasn't... Sh-She wasn't a... "'M not a foal..." she whimpered, conflicted, those formerly unshed tears beginning to fall, "'M nuh-not a... f-foal..."

She looked up at the not-monster, as he looked down at her, his hazel eyes filled with deep concern. "I know, sweetie. I know," he stated matter-of-fact, surprising her that he could speak and understand Equestrian. "But sometimes... even grown-up ponies need to cry..." Fear/Shame/Terror/Shock gripped her all at once, then - what would her subjects think of her, breaking down in the lap of a not-Equestrian mons--being? - but then... it was as if a dam burst within her. Softly, gently, Cadence wept as the human - where had that thought come from? - held her close, rocking her back, and forth, back, and forth, back, and forth, his hands softly stroking her coat, ruffling her mane, and scratching her behind the ears.

Soon, Cadence found herself talking - venting - to the strange being. Oh, how she missed the simple hamlet where she'd been born and raised. Mama. Papa. Her friends there. Sometimes, she hated Celestia for taking her away from her home. She loved the Crystal Empire, truly she did, but sometimes she felt so uncomfortable in her role as a Princess; why, there were days when she just wanted to scream, or worse, run away from it all. Was she a good Princess? Did her subjects like her? The human kept listening to her as she talked, and talked, and talked through her tears... until with another broken sob she was done; utterly wrung out. She felt like she was falling away; like she was dying.

But then... she saw Shining Armor there before her, felt the human's arms around her, saw his hazel eyes looking down upon her. And she heard his voice as he softly intoned, "You are a good Princess, Cadence, and you don't have to rule alone in this. You have your stallion over there," - he gestured to Shining Armor - "and not only that. Humanity stands with the Crystal Empire. Humanity stands with you. We'll help you; you can count on it."

Author's Note

PRIORITY ALERT TO ALL PONY-LOVING ADULT HUMANS, CODE NAMED "BRONIES" AND "PEGASISTERS":

SECONDARY MISSION COMPLETE. PRINCESS CADENCE HAS BEEN PETTED; THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE IS OURS.

CADENCE'S FEARS HAVE BEEN MITIGATED. SHE WILL LEAD WHEN THE MERGE COMMENCES.

SHE WILL BE OUR FIRST PRINCESS IN THE NEW PONY PETTING ORDER; THE OTHERS WILL FOLLOW.

ALL PONIES WILL BE PETTED. NONE WILL RESIST THE POWER OF HUMAN HANDS.

PRIMARY MISSION TO CONQUER EQUESTRIA THROUGH PETTING OF PONIES CONTINUES...

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: “Here’s what I’d love to see: A vending machine that dispenses ponies for petting on your lunch break. Instead of money, the machine accepts hugs. ”

102. First Contact 4 -- Guest Short by Anon42 -- (Author SI/Queen Chrysalis)

Hidden in the in the treetops, you look down at the strange, insect-equine creature as it heaves and and attempts to rise from its impact crater. It is clearly exhausted and injured. Green ichor slowly drips from painful-looking fissures in its carapace.

The creature falls on its face as its hole-riddled legs fail to support its weight, and it releases a pitiful, warbling cry that makes your heart clench in sympathy. Tears runs down its face as it pounds weakly at the ground with a hoof, radiating pain and anguish across the ether.

Deciding that you cannot simply leave this being to its apparent miserable fate, you let yourself fall from the obscuring branches and land with a soft thud in front of the, for lack of better name, bug-pony.

It's eyes widen at the sight of you, and it scrambles to rise, legs and body shaking like it has run a ten mile marathon, but failing to force its wounded body to stand. Terror and desperation echo over the ether and green light gathers at the tip of its crooked, blade-like horn.

You ignore the spike of thaumic energy and let it splash harmlessly against your chest, your psionic plasma shield more than sufficient to stop the weak attack spell in its tracks, and continue towards the creature. Its breaths are quick and shallow and it recoils from your approach, curling into a keening ball of carapace.

You sit by the terrified bug-pony and carefully lift the warbling creature into your lap, gently sweeping your psychic presence against its own. It, or she, as your psychic contact has revealed to you, stiffens at the alien sensation, but relaxes ever so slightly as you allow your compassion to flow over the ether.

Igniting your hands with rejuvenating energy, you pet the insectoid pony and run your fingers through her seaweed-colored hair and down her back to brush against the bleeding cracks in her chitin, slowly mending the painful wounds. The terrified warbling from before has changed into a low, musical crooning that reminds you of a fusion between singing crickets and a purring cat and her psychic presence is hazy with pleasure.

You notice the cautious approach of smaller bug-ponies, their steps wary and stiff with pain, but lacking fear or hostility. You do not mind as they lean against you, nor do you care when they sip at your aura; you have more than enough psionic energy to spare for the bold little things. You lift one of your hands from the larger bug-pony in your lap and brush it over the head and reptile-like crest-sail of one creatures. It croons and pushes its head into your hand.

A moment later, the larger bug-pony in your lap raises her head to look at you, her expression one of awe. "Who... Who are you?" she asks, in wonder. Her voice is two-toned, buzzing, reminiscent of an insect.

"My name is David," you answer, softly. "I'm here to help you."

Author's Note

A wonderful little snippet by Anon42, with a few tiny modifications. Thanks a bunch for letting me stea--err, I mean, acquire it for the collection!

103. Miracles? Miracles? We don't need no stinkin' Miracles! (Reworked)

Celestia finished off her own cup of tea, closed her eyes, and then began to speak. “I know you can fix her spine, Luna. Both of us could heal her without breaking a sweat. That much I’m certain you know.” She paused and Luna gave a curt nod. “But times have changed, dear sister.” Luna could not help but notice that one of Celestia’s forelegs was beginning to shake, as if dancing to an unheard and rhythmless song. “What we can do, and what we can actually do are simply not one in the same anymore.”

It was Luna’s turn to sit in silence, questions flooding her, words themselves just out of reach. Once again she resorted to shaking her head. “Hundreds,” she said. “That’s how many we’ve healed. Back when this land and we too were young. A guard with a severed wing? Regrown. A miner whose legs were crushed in a cave in? Put together, good as new. Remember Storm Shard?” Celestia blinked, then nodded, a frown curving along her lips. “Shattered spine, told he would never walk again. One spell and five seconds later, and he walked until the end of his time. And now you’re telling me we can’t do that anymore?” She scoffed and took another sip from her cup. She could not taste it anymore, could not feel it burning her tongue.

“Yes, I am.” Celestia rose from the table, teacup still held aloft in her magic, and began to pace. “Those times before were different. A different time, a different world.” A kettle came floating out of the kitchen, jars of cream and sugar flanking it. As she poured another cup, she continued. “We could afford miracles back then.”

* * *

Standing before the two sisters, I slowly shook my head. "Celestia" I softly intoned, "you're a thousand year plus old politician and you're seriously implying that you can't come up with a single plausible excuse or lie to hide how Twilight recovered from her injury?"

"Well..."

"And what about Discord? They're friends now, and even if he doesn't take mercy on her and fixes her injury on his own volition, a single plea from Fluttershy will make him cave and do it anyways."

"Discord is not a healer-"

"Of course he isn't," I heaved an exasperated sigh. "But he does tell reality to go fuck itself and makes stuff happen. I'm not buying that fixing a spinal injury is somehow more impossible than creating chocolate milk rain clouds or turning gravity upside down with a snap of his fingers. And what if Twilight figures out a way to heal herself? Because she's both smart and powerful enough to do it. Will you tell her she's not allowed to walk on her own, or worse, break her spine again to keep ponies from knowing that she can heal that sort of injury?"

"I... I would never do such a foul thing!"

I gazed at the white alicorn sadly, then slowly shook my head. "In a way, you're already doing it." I stated. "You are denying her the ability to walk! She is your student! Your friend! And a fellow princess, as well as a critical part of Equestria's primary means of defense! How in Adun's name is she supposed to help protect the country against the next great threat... from a wheelchair?! Do you think someone like Tirek would kindly wait for her to roll onto the field of battle or not exploit her disability? Think about it!"

"I... I..."

"And this isn't even touching on the fact that she won't be able to play with her friends the same way ever again. She won't be able to help out Applejack with apple bucking, fly with Rainbow, visit Zecora in the Everfree or participate in any of the many physical activities she could once take for granted! She's saved you, your sister, the whole damn world! If any pony deserves healing, it's her! If you have any love for Twilight, any appreciation for her and all the things she has done for you at all, you will leave this cafeteria and go fix her spine right fucking now!"

Celestia sniffled, her magenta eyes clouding with tears--and then a soft, choked sob escaped her before she teleported herself away in a blaze of golden sunlight. Once she was gone, I heaved a weary sigh - resting my head in a calloused hand - before I turned my attention to Luna. "Well," I spoke bluntly, "have you nothing to say?"

"That was harsh, David. You made her cry," the Moon Princess replied in answer.

"Yes, I did," I responded. "What I said to her was wholly deserved, Luna. Celestia is a good pony, but she's not flawless and she needed to hear every word, no matter how much it hurt."

Luna nodded sadly, but then, her expression brightened somewhat. "Could you not have healed Twilight?" she asked.

"Of course," I answered. "I could have constructed a bio-system cybernetic spinal graft to 'bridge' the break in her spine - something like that's easy with the technology of the Dragon Weyr - but if I did, what would Celestia have learned? No, she needs to do this herself, both for Twilight's sake and her own. I will not have a bond as deep and meaningful as theirs broken because Celestia has managed to delude herself if I can help it."

Luna pondered my words for a moment--and then - to my surprise - she splayed her forelegs and bowed gently to me in thanks. "Thank you, Templar," she said. "En Taro Adun"

"T'Was my pleasure. Sometimes even the best of us need a good kick in the rear. Well, I'd best be off; I have a menagerie to feed and my chores to complete. If you need me, you know where I'll be. Adun Toridas, Luna."

Author's Note

Miracles by RazedRainbow pissed me off. Enough said. This snippet has been completely redone with dialogue from Anon42 - full credit to him - as it better reflects the true nature of my SI; how he would really act.

104. Not Royalty (Canon!Celestia meets the Prince)

As the lights of the room slowly brightened - giving her eyes time to adjust - finally, Princess Celestia set eyes upon the Prince, the mysterious male alicorn who'd been such a stubborn mule. A teal-coated, brown-maned alicorn pony, he was surprisingly diminutive - larger than a foal yet smaller than even the most average of unicorns - barely large enough to be considered a teenager. However, the Princess of the Sun was wrong even in that snap judgement, for the strange runic cutie marks upon his flanks marked him as an adult, as did the unfathomable power she could feel emanating from him. Unlike herself and her sister Luna - who wore little save for their tiaras, gorgets and shoes, the Prince wore the most spectacular clothing she had ever seen.

A 'triple-loincloth' like garment draped over his rear and also covered his flanks that his sheath might not be seen. Covering the loincloth was golden-metal barding; atop that the Prince wore a long, jade-green, rune-adorned robe, its only modification being the slits cut from it for his wings. About his right foreleg there rested a bracer to which a mysterious device was attached and atop his head he wore a half-circlet of silver with a crystalline 'cap' for his impressive horn. For all of his majesty, however, he seemed so very frail and he carried an air of sadness about him, as if he'd seen far too much...

Celestia was torn. She knew she oughtn't to approach him, yet the Mother inside her demanded that she pick him up, cuddle him, tell him everything would be alright... Instead, she stated, "Why? I have offered you so much - a demesne of your own, great treasures, access to magic undreamed of by anypony, any mare of your choosing - and yet to choose to remain here in the Everfree. Why will you not come to Canterlot, to join the Royal Family. Why will you not return my Little Ponies?" As she asked the question, it was not the Prince, but Weyrpony Khorvas who stepped forwards to address her. "The select 'little ponies' you speak of were dissatisfied with your and your sisters' rule and chose to settle here; as such, our Prince cannot return what was not--" Celestia moved him to silence with a stern glare. Then, "Why?" she stated, addressing the Prince once more.

It was a mistake to so rudely dismiss the old Archivist, for he - along with the giant mare, Fire Sign - was one of the Prince's Favoured. The eyes of the Prince snapped open, and then, he inhaled a breath; at this, abruptly the sound ceased. Every pony of the Everfree Court went silent, for the Prince intended to speak, an event that was rare indeed, for he rarely spoke at all, not unless he had words of deeply profound importance to say. Gently, the Prince rested a forehoof upon an arm of his Golden Throne; then he leaned forwards to peer at Princess Celestia - as if he was going to see, was seeing, had seen her before. The tiniest shake of his head, and the sad smile he gave her chilled her to the core, wrenched her heart and sent shivers down her spine. Finally, the Prince stated, "Alicorn... does not... mean... Royalty..."

The words were softly spoken, and bore not the slightest hint of malice... but the sheer power Celestia felt as they rumbled through her mind nearly flattened her! Everypony in the court felt that unfathomable power, too; their coats and manes briefly stood on end as the words rolled through their minds like a muted thunderclap! 'By Faust's Grace' Celestia thought as she fought the instinct to flee, 'what manner of being is he?' With his words said, the teal alicorn sighed wearily; then, as his hoofmaidens - three strange, golden-furred white-maned pseudo alicorns - gathered around him he closed his eyes to return to his deep rest--as if the act of staying awake was so very exhausting. Somehow, Princess Celestia knew she'd been given a warning. A chill ran down her spine, then, as she realized that it would be beyond foolish to make an enemy of this male alicorn and his Lit--his Everfree Ponies. A relieved sob escaping her, Princess Celestia stumbled from the Weyr to make her way back to Canterlot.

105. TCB-Cadence vs The Prince (Author SI Pony)

"Out of all of Equestria's Princesses," the mysterious pony softly intoned, "you were deemed the most amicable to approach. That is why we brought you here, Mi Amore Cadenza." Soon Cadence felt the bag being lifted from her head; then she felt the blindfold being unwound from about her face. As the lights of the room slowly brightened - giving her eyes time to adjust - the pink alicorn pony finally set eyes upon the Prince, the mysterious male alicorn who'd been such a thorn in Astra Solamina's side. "Welcome," he said softly, "to Newfoal Island."

A teal-coated, brown-maned alicorn pony, he was surprisingly diminutive - larger than a foal yet smaller than even the most average of unicorns - barely large enough to be considered a teenager. However, the Princess of Love was wrong even in that snap judgement, for the strange runic cutie marks upon his flanks marked him as an adult, as did the unfathomable power she could see in his eyes. Unlike Celestia and Luna - who wore little save for their tiaras, gorgets and shoes, the Prince wore the most spectacular clothing she had ever seen.

A 'triple-loincloth' like garment draped over his rear and also covered his flanks that his sheath might not be seen. Covering the loincloth was golden-metal barding; atop that the Prince wore a long, jade-green, rune-adorned robe, its only modification being the slits cut from it for his wings. About his right foreleg there rested a bracer to which a mysterious device was attached and atop his head he wore a half-circlet of silver with a crystalline 'cap' for his impressive horn. For all of his majesty, however, he seemed so very frail and he carried an air of sadness about him, as if he'd seen far too much...

Poor Cadence was torn. She knew she oughtn't to approach him, yet the foal sitter inside her demanded that she pick him up, cuddle him, tell him everything would be alright... Instead, she asked a simple question. "Why am I here?" The Prince did not answer her question at first; instead he merely gave Cadence a curious little smile - as if he was going to do, was doing, had done all of this before. The sad smile he gave her chilled her to the core, wrenched her heart and sent shivers down her spine. Finally, the Prince softly intoned, "You are here to be set free."

"What?" Cadence asked. It was then that she noticed the instrument in the room: an old Grande Piano, its stained wooden panels faded with time, its ivory keys scuffed. That instrument had been played a lot and had been loved and well-cared for by the Prince; she could practically taste the love emanating from it in the air. "Humans," he began as he opened the lid and checked the keys, "know of love. Did you know that?" he asked, gently.

At his words, Mi Amore Cadenza's eyes widened; humans knew of love? But... but they were soulless monsters... weren't they? She looked to the Prince. "They're not as monstrous as your Astra Solamina would have you believe," he replied, seemingly reading her thoughts, "and yes, they know of love. Something she never taught you. Something she never wanted you to know. Humankind knew of love. They wrote many songs about it, in fact, so many songs... I would have you know their love. Allow me to play you one..." In curiosity, Cadence nodded... and then, as she watched and listened the Prince began to play and oh, the music was so sad and yet so beautiful!.

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love / It's the only thing that there's just too little of / What the world needs now is love, sweet love / No, not just for some but for everyone..." Magic swirled around her, then; the Prince's voice became that of an elderly human male, Mr. Burt Bacharach. She didn't know him, had never met him, and yet she had and she did. She felt his wizened voice buoy her spirits... and then she heard the choir of human children sing the chorus with him, felt them petting her with their hands, ruffling her mane and coat, scratching her behind the ears...

So many little children.

Children who would never sing again.

When the song ended, the Prince led a stricken Cadence over to a waste disposal unit, into which she wept and wept and wept until she vomited up a black, vile ichor; and then she wept some more. When at last she was done the Prince cleaned her mouth and face, offered to give her a place to rest, but she rebuffed him. "Play... me... another..." she rasped. The Prince nodded, knowing that this was her choice. So he did. "Your love keeps liftin' me higher / Than I've ever been lifted before / So keep it up, yeah, quench my desire / And I'll be at Your side forevermore, yeah..."

This time, as the Chaotic Harmony of what she now recognized as Newfoal Magic whirled about her something dark broke from her and withered; she no longer felt saddened and sick, no she felt well, she felt like she wanted to dance and laughing gaily she did as the Prince watched on with knowing gaze and smiled. When at last the song was done, Cadence begged for another; she wanted to know more of human music, human love. She had to know more... And grinning, the Prince complied. "Each Time The Wind Blows / I Hear Your Voice So / I Call Your Name . . . / Whispers At Morning / Our Love Is Dawning / Heaven's Glad You Came . . ."

Now she started to understand. This was love, she thought as she cried more black ichor tears of sadness and longing, the power of Astra Solamina nee Empress Celestia growing weaker with every tear she shed; to be replaced with Newfoal Magic, clean and natural. When the song was done, Princess Cadence whimpered and looked to the Prince. More? He shook his head; then he led her from the room they were in, through wherever they were to a simple wooden door. Outside, a storm raged. "You must go out there," the teal alicorn stated. "Listen to the sky. When you do, Astra Solamina's hold over you will be broken."

Out she went into the storm. Fierce winds battered and tore at her mane and coat, throwing it into disarray! Sleet-rain stung her eyes and drove against her body! Heedless of this, Princess Cadence raised her head to the sky, and listened. "I was caught / In the middle of a railroad track. (Thunder) / I looked round / And I knew there was no turning back (Thunder) / My mind raced / And I thought what could I do (Thunder) / And I knew / There was no help, no help from you (Thunder)" the storm roared, and Cadence snorted, reared, danced, kicked, and bucked, caught up in the moment; then lightning lanced down from the storm clouds and struck her horn! Far from harmful, it was Newfoal power, deep and cleansing. Shrieking in shock, she slipped and fell into the muck beneath her hooves... It was utterly unclean, it was filthy, it was disgusting, it was... it was... was...

Perfect.

A delighted whimper escaping her, the pink Princess groaned softly in pleasure as she sloshed, squelched, and rolled in it--utterly ruining her normally pristine fur, mane and tail. She didn't mind. She didn't care, she just let the music and the storm roil around her. Lighting struck her again, then--once, twice, three times--and each time the taint of Empress Celestia's Order was purged from her, each time she grew... When the final blast of lightning hit her, Cadence screamed in sheer ecstasy and then she passed out. When she awakened the next day at sunrise she had some trouble getting to her hooves... because she was bigger! A glance into a nearby puddle confirmed it and made her rear back in shock!

She was a full adult, now - a true alicorn - her mane and tail a shimmering mass of violet, rose and golden fire! Magic - wholly her own - practically sang within her body and blood, and she felt more alive than she ever had in Equestria. Whinnying softly, the Princess of Love took in a deep breath of the fresh, morning air then used a simple spell to clean herself of the mud and filth she'd gained from her foray in the storm. Afterwards... she turned to look at where she was, finding herself in front of a rather simple looking house atop a hill; below her she could see a fairly modest settlement and far away, she could hear the sound of the ocean.

With another breath of the fresh, cleansing air, Cadence turned to enter the house of the Prince, to thank him for showing her so much. However, before she could, the door of the house opened and the Prince emerged. Slowly, he stepped down from his front porch and walked towards her, his steps hesitant and unsure as he opened his mouth to softly sing one last song,

"It's a beautiful day on this isle of mine,
A beautiful day for a Princess.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...

It's a brand new day in this beautiful world,
A wonderful day for a beauty.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...

I've always wanted to have a Princess just like you.
I've always wanted to live in a world like this with you.

So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my Princess?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my Princess?"

Even as she sank to the ground, overwhelmed - even as the Prince reached her and lay with her, presenting her a simple, hoof-made non-magical ring for her horn - Cadence knew what she wanted. "I... yes!" she choked, her eyes misting with tears. Carefully, even as she wept freely, she lowered her head to allow the mysterious Prince to slide the ring down her horn until it touched her forehead. With that, the hold of Celestia's Order upon her was undone; with that, the Prince and Cadence embraced.

* * *

Far, far away, in Canterlot, as Astra Solamina spied upon them through her Scrying Pool - as she felt the hold she had upon Princess Mi Amore Cadenza shatter - the Empress of the Sun, the Tyrant Sol, roared in fury.

106. TCB-Celestia vs The Prince (Author SI Pony)

The 'battle' hadn't really been a battle at all. The strongest attacks Astra Solamina could muster against the teal-coated, brown maned, hazel-eyed alicorn had been gently deflected, softly brushed aside, or countered with the alicorn's own mysterious not-magic to be rendered harmless. 'Who... who is this pony?!' the Empress thought, at the end of her rope. Finally, the Empress of Ponykind tried a last, desperate, all-out attack. "DIE!" she screamed in desperation and insanity, as she prepared to unleash an horrific beam of raw solar power from her mighty horn, directly at the mysterious Prince who supported humanity; who had helped the humans so much against her Little Ponies.

As her horn charged, the Prince merely gave Astra Solamina a smile - as if he was going to do, was doing, had done all of this before. That smile, filled with such profound sadness, chilled her to the core, wrenched her heart and sent shivers down her spine. As she made to fire, the Prince gently sat down upon his haunches, raising into the air a single forehoof. Then, as Astra Solamina fired her devastating weapon - an attack the Prince couldn't ever hope to avoid. counter, or deflect - she watched, bemused as he invoked his not magic; a single thin disc of power appeared over his raised hoof--and then the Solar Empress just goggled as her power struck his hoof, struck the disc... and was absorbed!

Awe and terror gripped her guts as Astra Solamina nee Celestia watched the Prince absorb her power, draw it into himself, and then ground it harmlessly into the Earth, with some sort of... impossible technique she hadn't ever seen before. Her power... it wasn't harming the Prince at all; even worse, he seemed to be asleep, or in some form of meditation. When at last her attack ended, and her well of power was dry, Astra Solamina collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears of pain and frustration; as she did, finally, the Prince opened his eyes and she was able to gaze into the unfathomable depths of his soul. What she found within made her feel so very, very small. "Shame. Disappointment. Such wasted potential," he conveyed with his gaze. Inhaling a soft breath, the Prince slowly, hesitantly, weakly got to his feet and made his way over to her even as she tried - and failed - to crawl away.

As he reached her - as she shivered, trembled, and whimpered before his diminutive form - gently, the Prince leaned down to whisper softly, sadly into her open ear, "Much to learn, you still have..." Eyes clouded with tears, the Prince slowly shook his head. Solamina couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. She couldn't... she just... she.... she... Within her ancient mind, whatever hold upon her sanity she had left... snapped. A terrible, soul-wrenching wail escaped her, the Bag of Tirek falling away from her neck as she became irrevocably insane. The smallest of frowns graced the muzzle of the Prince then. He turned back to look at the Bag... and then, with but a thought he opened a tiny warp vortex beneath it, looking on as the Bag fell through it--into the very heart of the Equestrian Sun. It was done. Inhaling a softened breath, the Prince - feeling so very tired - sighed gently through his nose... and then he turned and slowly walked away.

107. Encounter (MLP:FiM / Close Encounters of the Third Kind / Author SI)

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

They were such a simple thing.

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

Five notes. Five tones.

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

Luna had always heard them. Always.

After the death of her parents. On her birthdays. At Christmas, and during other Holidays or important days of note. At first, she'd feared them; why those five notes, and why was she the only one who could hear them? She heard them in her head; they resounded in her blood; they echoed in her dreams.

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

She'd told Celestia of course, but her elder sister had looked at her funny. She couldn't hear them. The notes, the tones, were only for Luna. The mare began to cherish them. Even when she'd fallen to darkness the notes had played, though there had been a 'sadness' to them; they hadn't sounded as bright. But then, when she'd been purified by the elements of harmony, as she had celebrated the tones had returned, four times over and fast, happy - as though whomever it was playing them was celebrating with her.

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

Luna became obsessed, so much so that she neither ate nor slept; instead she searched her tomes and then questioned other ponies for the origin of the five notes--and eventually, from a mare named Octavia Melody she learned of the Coltwen Signs used by classroom teachers to teach the solfege scale. Eagerly, Luna learned the signs for the tones resounding in her head...

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

... and when they sounded again, this time, Luna signed them; at this the tones brightened, becoming almost eager. Much later, Luna began to experience a vision - of a great flat area high above the royal palace, atop Mt. Canterhorn. She knew that place. There she knew something big was going to happen. A mare driven, despite her sister's protests, Luna draw upon the Royal Coffers to have constructed a massive magical amplifier to which a newfangled ee-lec-trow-nik keyboard was attached.

When the construction was completed--soon after, it appeared in the sky, hovering above as Luna, Celestia, and dozens of scientists looked on in awe, and wonder! It was an absolutely enormous pyramidal structure, gleaming golden and brightly lit with dozens of lights as it hovered there before her in the light of her moon. Almost immediately, Luna knew that this was the source of the tones she'd been hearing; this wondrous sky-pyramid! How was it able to just hang there in the sky without wings or magic to keep it aloft? Who had made such a marvelous thing? Was the builder friendly? Luna was certain he - he? - was.

Eagerly, she had Octavia Melody play the notes according to her directions... "Start with the tone... up a full tone. Down a major third. Now drop an octave. Up a perfect fifth." Luna sighed - quivered - as the five-note sequence resounded out into her night.

"Re... Mi... Do... Do... So"

"Faster!" Luna stated, trotting forwards.

"Re, Mi, Do, Do, So"

"Faster!" Luna responded,

"Re, Mi, Do, Do, So" came the notes.

"Repeat!" Luna barked.

"Re, Mi, Do, Do, So"

Finally, she stood before the great golden pyramid as it hovered there in the sky. "Come on," she whispered to herself. "Please. Please answer us. Please..." But from the Great Pyramid... nothing. Luna sank to the ground in despair, weeping. To have come so close, only to be so far away. Why wouldn't the pyramid answer? There was silence atop the Canterhorn, not a sound save for her quiet breathing, the confused murmuring of the scientists and the world that continued to turn, and move and live around her.

But then, suddenly,

"RE, MI, DO, DO, SO" the Great Pyramid responded. The notes were so loud that they could be physically felt; they ROARED as a gale force wind, ruffling coats and blasting through carefully styled manes and tails! Luna... Luna couldn't have cared less about this! Whinnying joyfully, the Lunar Diarch leaped to her feet, laughing, practically dancing a jig! "Repeat the tones!" she cried joyfully, "Repeat them, I say!"

"Kick that mule!" a frazzled Twilight shouted with exhilaration, pronking ecstatically beside a gobsmacked, windswept Celestia. Her eyes shining with tears, Octavia Melody did...

Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So

... and as Luna wept openly with joy, the Great Pyramid responded, bobbing, dipping, whirling and weaving, flashing its amazing cyan lights as it danced in her sky! When the aerial display was over, the scientists cheered with uninhibited joy--but as they did so an even more ecstatic cry went up for something else happened: Slowly, gracefully, and silently, the Great Pyramid began to descend. When the colossal structure entered Equus' atmosphere some kind of impregnable energy shield formed around it to protect against the extreme heat and turbulence of entry; a shield so powerful that Luna could practically taste the power in the air; it could have protected the whole of Canterlot and then some!

When at last the Great Pyramid touched down, only Luna was brave enough to approach the structure's enormous, towering doors and when she did she paused to perform a kneeling bow so deep that her forehead touched the floor, in a gesture of the utmost respect to the great icon of the dragon carved into the doors. No sooner had she raised herself to her hooves, then she was quivering in anticipation as those enormous doors silently opened. Beyond, the Moon Princess could see the most amazing entryway she'd seen in her life... but directly in front of her was what truly held her attention. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped open and her breath froze in her throat as she saw him standing before her. Dark brown hair done up in a peculiar braid framed a weathered face with hazel eyes, a very small muzz - no, a nose - and lips drawn up in a curious little smile.

A hand with five fingers similar to those of a minotaur - attached to a pink-skinned arm, dusted with a light coating of fur - slowly raised up, palm open in friendship, and then... - Re, Mi, Do, Do, So - the tones resounded, softly this time, and as they did, trembling, she signed them to him--and he twisted his hand into various gestures; his own version of the signs. This was the Creator of the Five Note Sequence. She did not know him and yet she did... He was her friend... Whimpering softly, Luna just couldn't help herself; suddenly, she was moving - head forward, gaze seeking, nose questing - toward this alien. She simply had to see if he was really there; had to know if he was real or but a fleeting dream...

Contact was made. His arms embraced her, drew her towards his body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor. Young but oh-so-old hazel eyes - filled with wisdom, and glowing faintly with latent power - looked upon her with concern... and then she was rearing up to return his embrace as she wept, wept, wept. It was as if... all her dreams had come true at once. She had been vindicated, and she knew that she would never be alone again.

Author's Note

Inspired by this. Beautiful!

108. A Mystery Performance at the Grand Galloping Gala (You Brighten My Day/Songfic) (Restored)

At this year's Grand Galloping Gala, the stage was set for two performers, neither of whom had been identified or named; they were mysteries and the crowd of Noble and Common Ponies in attendance was getting anxious. Finally the lights dimmed, leaving a single spotlight on stage... and it was then that a pure white, pink-maned pony stepped forward from the darkness... a pony all knew well. Noble and Common Pony gasped as one. "Princess Celestia!" cried Twilight Sparkle from her front row seat, for it was indeed the First Princess of Equestria, but without her regalia and her mane its natural pink. The audience quietened; not a single pony drew breath, as the beautiful Alicorn began to sing:

"The whispers in the morning of lovers sleeping tight
Are rolling by like thunder now as I look in your eyes
I hold on to your body and feel each move you make
Your voice is warm and tender
A love that I could not forsake"

Then another spotlight lit the stage as Daniel, utterly entranced, came out and moved toward his beloved mare. Celestia hugged him gently as she sang the first chorus.

"'Cause I am your lady
And you are my man
Whenever you reach for me
I'll do all that I can"

Celestia knelt and gazed up at Daniel, her expression heartfelt as she began the next verse...

"Lost is how I'm feeling
Lying in your arms
When the world outside's too much to take
That all ends when I'm with you"

The Princess Pony turned sadly away, gazing far into the distance...

"Even though there may be times
It seems I'm far away
But never wonder where I am
'Cause I am always by your side"

That was it; unattached and single mares swooned and fainted, whilst stallion-mare couples gazed into each other's eyes or held each other close; Daniel and Celestia didn't care, the Princess had turned back to look at Daniel and now they had eyes only for each other...

"'Cause I am your lady
And you are my man
Whenever you reach for me
I'll do all that I can
We're heading for something
Somewhere I've never been
Sometimes I am frightened
But I'm ready to learn
'Bout the power of love"

Celestia pressed her head gently against Daniel's chest, listening to his heart as she sang,

"The sound of your heart beating
Made it clear suddenly
The feeling that I can't go on
Is light years away
'Cause I'm your lady
And you are my man
Whenever you reach for me
I'm gonna do all that I can
We're heading for something
Somewhere I've never been
Sometimes I am frightened
But I'm ready to learn
'Bout the power of love..."

By the time the song was ended, there wasn't a dry eye in the room; everypony was in tears, even the guardsponies, though they tried to hide it behind a mask of stoicism. The night's performance, however, wasn't done; as Celestia's song finished, the Princess released Daniel from her embrace and then he began to sing unto his beloved mare:

"When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be."

Utterly overcome with emotion, Celestia wept silently; she stumbled then collapsed unto her side on the stage floor; but even as she fell, Daniel caught her, carried her, fell with her. He would bear her, hold her, carry her - forever - without question, without any hesitation. Celestia could do nothing but lay there in his lap, her head cradled in his arms as she cried and cried and cried. Petting her, stroking her, holding her ever so gently, the human man continued, and completed the special song for his special mare.

"There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be."

Through the music, powerful magic was worked that night - the magic of purest love - and all were overcome by it; so much so that all had to exit the Royal Palace and take a stroll through the gardens for a time, even Celestia and Daniel, and together they sat beneath a great Oak Tree where they gazed up, misty eyed, at beloved Luna's moon.

109. A Mystery Performance at the Grand Galloping Gala #2 (Songfic) (Restored)

At this year's Grand Galloping Gala, the stage was set for a performer who had chosen not to be identified; said pony was a mystery. Seated comfortably within the royal box, Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle were were becoming anxious. 'I don't understand,' Princess Celestia thought. 'Lulu said she would attend this year--but then at the last moment, she gets called away on some important business? Curious...' Finally the lights dimmed, and the curtains rose, revealing that the stage behind it had been made up to look like... her sister's bedchamber? Celestia leaned forward, intrigued. Moments later, a dark cerulean, persian blue-maned pony stepped forward from the darkness... a pony all knew well.

Celestia and Twilight - along with all the ponies seated below - gasped as one. "That's... that's Nightmare Moon..." gasped Twilight softly, pressing against her beloved mentor's side, for it was indeed the Dread Mare of the Night - clad in her armor, helm and hoofguards - and yet... something seemed amiss. Before them all was not the Nightmare Moon all ponykind knew. This Nightmare Moon sought not to challenge Celestia, sought not to bring upon Equestria Eternal Night. Instead, deep sadness and melancholy suffused Nightmare Moon as she paced within her stage 'bedroom,' slowly, as if weighed down by a too-heavy burden. A moment later, the strains of a soft piano began... and then, the audience quietened; not a single pony drew breath, as the dark Alicorn began to sing to herself:

"I'm tired of waking up in tears,
'Cause I can't put to bed these phobias and fears
I'm new to this grief I can't explain;
But I'm no stranger to the heartache and the pain
The fire I began, is burning me alive
But I know better than to leave and let it die"

Nightmare Moon turned to face the audience, looking up at Celestia, her beloved sister, as she sang the first chorus,

"I'm a silhouette asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever feel again?
I'm a Silhouette chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home"

Now, anger and regret suffused her as she paced before them all,

"I'm sick of the past I can't erase,
A jumble of footprints and hasty steps I can't retrace,
The mountains of things that I still regret,
Is a vile reminder that I would rather just forget
(No matter where I go)
The fire I began, is burning me alive
But I know better than to leave and let it die"

Once again, the Dread Mare faced her sister, her expression imploring,

"I'm a silhouette asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever smile again?
I'm a silhouette chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home
'Cause I walk alone, no matter where I go
'Cause I walk alone, no matter where I go
'Cause I walk alone, no matter where I go"

Now, Nightmare Moon stood upon three legs, a forehoof extended out towards her sister and Twilight, her expression suffering, wanting, begging, pleading...

"I'm a silhouette asking every now and then
Is it over yet? Will I ever love again?
I'm a silhouette chasing rainbows on my own
But the more I try to move on the more I feel alone
So I watch the summer stars to lead me home
I watch the summer stars to lead me home..."

Alas, it was all for naught. Resignation filled Nightmare Moon; tears streaming from her eyes, with a softly mouthed, "I'm so sorry..." she turned to face the 'Moon' outside her 'bedroom window'... and then, as the final strains of the song played, with a soundless cry she appeared to be drawn into it, becoming the 'Mare in the Moon' as the haunting song drew to a close. By the time the song was ended, there wasn't a dry eye in the room; everypony was in tears, none more so than Celestia. The Alicorn Mare clutched her beloved student desperately with hooves and wings as she sobbed brokenly into Twilight's coat, but Twilight could offer her no comfort, for she, too, was overcome, crying like a lost, broken foal...

110. Flankhole (Songfic)

Foals, I'd like to sing a song about the Equestrian Dream
About me, about you, the way our Equestrian hearts beat
Down in the bottom of our chests, about the special feeling

We get in the cockles of our hearts, maybe below the cockles
Maybe in the sub-cockle area, maybe in the liver
Maybe in the kidneys, maybe even in the colon, we don't know

I'm just a regular Mare with a regular job
I'm your average noble, Canterlot snob
I like friendship and magic and books about Lore

I've got a huge 'ol castle, with a nice hardstone floor
My life, my friends, my books and my Court
My hooves on my table, and a Friendship Report

But sometimes that just ain't enough
To keep a mare like me interested
(Oh no)
No way
(Uh-uh)

No, I've gotta go out and have fun
At other ponies' expense
(Oh yeah)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I fly really slow in the ultrafast lane
While pegasi behind me are going insane

I'm a flankhole
(She's a flankhole, what a flankhole)
I'm an flankhole
(She's a flankhole, such a flankhole)

I use public libraries and rearrange the books
And allthewhile the librarians
Give me dirty looks

I'm a flankhole
(She's a flankhole, what a flankhole)
I'm a flankhole
(She's the world's biggest flankhole)

Sometimes I sit in handicapped spaces
While handicapped ponies make handicapped faces

I'm a flankhole
(She's a flankhole, what a flankhole)
I'm a flankhole
(She's a real bucking flankhole)

Maybe I shouldn't be singing this song
Ranting and raving and carrying on
Maybe they're right when they tell me I'm wrong

Nah!

I'm a flankhole
(She's a flankhole, what a flankhole)
I'm a flankhole
(She's the world's biggest flankhole)

You know what I'm gonna do?
I'm gonna get myself a Royal Chariot, just like Celestia's
Solid gold, with fifteen inch rims, all red velvet interior
And huge, raw amethysts for headlights, yeah
And I'm gonna drive around in that baby at 115 mph

Getting one mile per guardspony, sucking down quarter pounder
Hayburgers from McDragon's in the old fashioned non-biodegradable
brass containers, and when I'm done sucking down those grease
ball burgers

I'm gonna wipe my mouth with the Equestrian Flag
And then I'm gonna toss the brass containers right out the side
And there ain't a goddamned thing anybody can do about it
You know why? Because we got the 'bows, that's why

Two words, nuclear fucking rainbows, okay?
Zebrica, Griffony, Draconia
They can have all the Harmony they want
They can have a big Harmony cake walk
Right through the middle of Tienancolt square

And it won't make a lick of difference
Because we've got the 'bows, okay? Princess Luna's not dead
She's banished and as soon as we find the Elements of Harmony
We're gonna restore Princess Luna and she's gonna be pretty pissed off
You know why? Have you ever taken a cold shower?

Well multiply that by 15 million times
That's how pissed off Luna's gonna be
I'm gonna get Luna and Princess Cadance

(Hey)
And Shining Armor
(Hey)
And Big Macintosh
(Hey)
And a case of whiskey and drive down to Ponyville
(Hey, you know you really are a flankhole)
Why don't you just shut-up and sing the song pal

I'm a flankhole
(She's a flankhole, what a flankhole)
I'm a flankhole
(She's the world's biggest flankhole)

--This graffiti was found penned neatly on the wall at the very back of the Canterlot Palace Library, where one T. Sparkle formerly made her home. Needless to say, Princess Celestia was not impressed.

111. Just One Pony... (Songfic)

Gently, Celestia held her sister close as they lay in her bed. Poor Luna was weeping softly, her teal eyes misted with tears. She cried beautifully, Celestia privately thought. Her face didn't change and her eyes didn't puff up. Instead, her silvery, crystalline-like tears fell slowly from her eyes, ran down her face, and then dripped off to fall to the sheets like raindrops... as she quietly said, "'Tis hopeless, Sister. Nopony will approach us. Nopony will talk to us, or even give us the time of day. Nopony will even come to our Night Courts; they all prefer to come during the day, when you are seated upon the Solar Throne. Nopony... Nopony believes in Us!"

"Oh, Luna..." Celestia said, soothingly. Then, the Lunar Princess gasped softly, as her beloved sister leaned forwards, nuzzled her... and softly began to sing! "If just one pony believes in you," she sang.

"Deep enough, and strong enough, believes in you...
Hard enough, and long enough,
It stands to reason, that some other pony will think
'If she can do it, I can do it.'"

Perhaps it was the sound of Princess Celestia's beautiful voice - or perhaps it was the Magic of Harmony starting to fill the air - but no sooner had Celestia started the next verse, then Silent Heart - the Captain of the Night Guard - entered the room, walked over to the Sisters and, looking right into Luna's eyes, sang in harmony with the Solar Princess,

"Making it: two whole ponies, who believe in you
Deep enough, and strong enough,
Believe in you.
Hard enough and long enough
There's bound to be some other pony who
Believes in making it a threesome,"

Now Quiet Step - Silent Heart's Second In Command - entered the room to stand beside his Captain and take up the song!

"Making it three.....
Ponies you can say: believe in me....."

Suddenly, Luna gasped as more ponies entered the room, more of her Night Guards, along with some of the Maids and Castle Staff...

"And if three whole ponies,
Why not -- four?
And if four whole ponies,
Why not--more, and
more, and
more...."

... and now, the utterly overwhelmed Princess could hear yet more ponies singing, outside! Mares, stallions, colts and fillies; how many she couldn't be sure. Perhaps hundreds, perhaps thousands! No matter how hard Luna wiped her eyes, she just couldn't stop the tears from flowing...

"And when all those ponies,
Believe in you,
Deep enough, and strong enough,
Believe in you...
Hard enough, and long enough

It stands to reason that you yourself will
Start to see what everypony sees in
You...

And maybe even you,
Can believe in you... too!"

When at last the song ended, something broke within Luna and she laughed happily even as she wept happy tears. As she laughed, as she cried - as she wept like a foal - her Guard Captain, his Second, those staff with her in her room... all came up to touch noses with her, share a gentle nuzzle, and offer her quiet thanks or just a few kind words; all of which moved her to tears again. Because all those ponies believed in her.

Author's Note

... was crying as I wrote this one... we believe in you, Luna... bless you Jim Henson for giving us the Muppets and Lauren Faust, DHX and Hasbro for giving us Ponies to watch and believe in...

Mhh... my eyes... :fluttercry:

113. Demons... (Songfic)

Gently, Celestia knocked upon her sister's bedchamber door. "Luna? Lulu? Are you here?" she called. There was no answer. Pressing a hoof against the door, the Solar Princess was surprised to find it ajar. Inhaling a soft breath, she entered the darkened room. Her sister's bedchamber was decorated like the night sky, with dark blues and purples accented by moons and stars. Standing beneath an intricate fresco of the moon on the ceiling, a perfectly circular bed set in the dead center of the room, easily large enough to comfortably fit four alicorns her size. The walls were lined with the rest of the room’s furniture: a fireplace, a vanity mirror, a set of dressers, a few tables, a bookcase, a door to a small exterior balcony, another door leading to a private bath chamber and a writing desk.

Before her eyes Celestia beheld the Dread Mare, Nightmare Moon, and prepared for a fight. Standing in front of the vanity mirror, Moon had her back to the Solar Diarch and so Celestia prepared to take her by surprise--but then, Nightmare Moon turned to face Celestia and the Sun Princess saw that something was deathly wrong. Before her was not the Nightmare Moon she knew. This Nightmare Moon sought not to challenge her, sought not to bring upon Equestria Eternal Night. Instead, utter despair suffused the dark mare as she slowly sat upon her haunches, opened her mouth, and began to sing. The song she sung was one of those new 'rock' songs that Celestia had heard about... but the lyrics... oh, they were so very, very sad...

"When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see
Are all made of gold

When your dreams all fail
And the ones we hail
Are the worst of all
And the blood's run stale

I wanna hide the truth
I wanna shelter you
But with the beast inside
There's nowhere I can hide

No matter what we breed
I still am made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

At the curtains call
It's the last of all
When the lights fade out
All the sinners crawl

So they dug my grave
And the masquerade
Will come calling out
At the mess I've made

Don't wanna let you down
But I am, hell bound
Though this is all for you
Don't wanna hide the truth

No matter what we breed
I still am made of greed
This is my kingdom come
This is my kingdom come

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

They say it's what you make
I say it's up to fate
It's woven in my soul
I need to let you go

Your eyes, they shine so bright
I wanna save that light
I can't escape this now
Unless you show me how

When you feel my heat
Look into my eyes
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide

Nightmare Moo--Luna's voice cracked upon the last verse, as she shivered, and trembled, raising a forehoof, warning, begging, pleading, her eyes glistening with unshed tears...

Don't get too close
It's dark inside
It's where my demons hide
It's where my demons hide..."

Tears glistened within poor Celestia's eyes, then; she knew what Luna was trying to tell her: that some part of the Nightmare would always be with her - that she could never truly escape her "demons" - and atop that her beloved sister was warning her to stay away... But she could not, would not. "Oh, Lulu..." Slowly, gently, Celestia approached her sister and gathered her into an embrace. Luna, hesitant and unsure, tried to push her sister away - she could deal with her troubles on her own - but Celestia held firm, folding her wings about the so-called 'Dread Mare' and rocking her. And Luna... At last, Luna finally let go and wept into her sister's coat.

Author's Note

"Demons" is Copyright Imagine Dragons; however here the lyrics have been modified but slightly so as to reflect Luna's thoughts. We can never truly escape our Demons... but with help we can mitigate them for a time.

115. Foal (Luna / The Prince)

"Canst thou wake?"

One moment he'd been in the Weyr as usual; the next moment he was... where?

"Waken mine little one, please...?"

This... this wasn't right! Where was the presence of the Weyrmind? Where was Khorvas? Where were his Hoofmaidens? Where... Where was...

"Mine beautiful baby..."

The Prince whimpered. He was supposed to be psychically watching over Everfree City from his Golden Throne! He was supposed to be... He was supposed to... He was...

"Mine lovely foal..."

Although it took him the greatest effort to even open his eyes, now the Prince was awake. He recognized that voice... 'Oh, no...' Hazel eyes, glowing faintly with the cyan hue of latent psychic energy, wearily opened--and then the Prince slow-blinked before sighing through his nose with annoyance. Once again, he was with Princess Luna - in her bed - pressed against her furry belly, nose in her starry mane and one of her hooves holding him. Whimpering softly, the teal alicorn struggled weakly, but his frail body was - as always - near-devoid of strength. He'd been in this situation so many times...

Each time, however, he'd been rescued, by the Weyr, by his Templar Guard, or even by Celestia. Not this time, however; wherever they were the Lunar Diarch had made sure the brown-maned, teal-coated alicorn couldn't contact the Weyr. For the first time, the Prince was utterly alone... with the poor lonely alicorn mare who had - after taking one look at him - 'adopted' him as her foal, despite the fact that he was actually an adult.

"There you are mine lovely Auryn..." the Night Princess crooned softly, "Mine beautiful foal..."

Knowing that his sheer power might bring... wherever they were... down around them - and not wanting to hurt Luna - the Prince sighed before whispering, "My name is Dav--"

Lick.

"Luna, I am not your..."

Nuzzle.

"Luna, please, I..."

Lick.

"Luna, please, I have to get back to the..."

Lick.

Despite his feeble protests, eventually, Luna's gentle grooming of him made him drowsy; how could it not for it felt so good! Tears of frustration escaping him, the Prince forced himself to wake as he made one last effort. He wriggled. He writhed. He flailed about in her grip, heaving and straining as much as his frail body would allow. But, alas, it was futile, and finally, the Prince... gave up, a soft, choked sob escaping him.

"Good boy..."

... and then he was being moved but slightly below her belly, a warm, fleshy object gently being placed into his mouth. 'By Adun, that's one of her... her... her...!' - and suddenly he suckled - he just couldn't help himself. Rich, creamy milk flowed into his mouth and his eyes slowly closed even as he swallowed, eager for more.

"You are Ours now, Auryn; never again will We allow thee to return to that place of metal death; 'twas killing thee..."

Something inside the Prince broke, then, and - as his tears ran from between closed eyelids, down his cheeks - the Prince, now Auryn, sniffled as he drank the Night Princesses...

... as he drank the Lunar Diarch's--

... as he drank Luna's--

... as he drank his Mommy's milk.

Luna hummed contentedly as her little Prince drank. Oh, she knew he wasn't a foal, of course, and yet... he looked so very right, there, cuddled against her, drinking his fill of her milk. After he'd befriended her - after he'd helped her so much - she knew she had to do something. Now, she was; she was giving of herself to him, giving her milk, giving her love. Her love would ease his loneliness - the same loneliness she felt inside every day despite being surrounded by so many ponies - whilst her milk, magically adjusted so as to be rich in iron and other minerals, would strengthen him, and cure him of the terrible Anaemia he suffered.

It was a side effect of his amazing power, the reason why he was so very, very frail. All of that power had to come from somewhere, after all. He wasn't getting a proper diet, thus, his body was cannibalizing itself to maintain his psionic reserves. Did his Everfree Ponies not know that he was not-Pony? She did. Discrete magical scans of his body revealed a digestive system geared for an omnivorous diet. Like the griffons - and herself - he could eat greens and meat. It was a secret she'd managed to keep from her sister. It was one she wouldn't need to keep from him.

Soon, Luna felt her Prince withdraw his muzzle from her teat; he'd had enough. Sitting up on the bed where they lay, she lifted him up with hoof and a touch of magic then petted him gently, listening as he burped softly. A few drops of milk still clung to the teal fur of his muzzle, and she licked them away. Thereafter, Luna nestled her Prince against her, wrapping a forehoof and draping a wing over his frail body. Gently, she nudged him awake that she might look into his eyes. He blink-blinked awake and looked back into hers. 'Her eyes are so beautiful,' the Prince thought. 'They match the color of my coat...' When the teal alicorn's eyes closed again for a final time - as he slipped into a deep, restful sleep - he didn't notice her horn glow a gentle blue...

"For all of Our life" Luna sang, "We will be by thy side / And We'll be there when thou falls / And there'll be no pain at all / And We'll be thy shelter / Thy shelter from the storm / Always be thy shelter / We'll be there if thou falls / And if thou walks a lonely road / Know that thour't not alone yet / Cause We'll be thy shelter / Thy shelter from the storm..." Weeping softly as she ended her lullaby, Luna then completed her work; she wove her very soul about his own, establishing thousands upon thousands of magical and spiritual quintessence linkages deep into every aspect of his mind and spirit, filling the void in him with her soothing, dark presence as she established with him the most powerful and ancient of bonds; that of a Mare and her Foal, Mother and Son.

In time, she knew, the linkages would become permanent, and the bond he and she now shared would be forever... At that moment, she couldn't help herself - a rush of her happiness transmitted through their newly established bond - she was thrilled to be his Mother in all but blood! With the groundwork completed, and their bond established, Luna moved carefully through her little Auryn's memories and shared with him her own experiences such that his memories became hers and hers became his, until all were One. Then, at last they fell asleep together; she soothed by the sound of his little heart beating and he by her body's endless warmth. Later, when the Prince awoke - when he felt the pain of the horrible void in his head just gone, felt the presence of his Mother filling his thoughts - Dav--Auryn--trembled and whimpered. "Do you... do you have any idea what you've done, Luna?" he whispered tremulously in wonder, overwhelmed, feeling lighter than he had in years.

"Yes," Luna choked out, a beatific smile upon her face as she tearfully nuzzled her beloved son; her Auryn. "Yes, We do! Oh, mine Son, mine wonderful Son..." Her loneliness, at last, was at its end and she wept her joy into her son's teal coat. As Luna wept, so too did Auryn, shedding years of pain and loneliness... He would cuddle normally with her for a while; then he would wedge his muzzle beneath hers chin and wail uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, he would nuzzle her furiously - like she'd just reunited with him after leaving him alone for far too long; then he just resumed clinging to Luna, trembling as though he were dying of cold. "There, there; ssh, ssh, ssh; it's all right little one, Mother's here, Mother's here..." she whispered, feeling his pain as her own.

Author's Note

The Prince is spirited away by a lonely lunar mare whereupon he is 'adopted' as her foal. Oh dear...

116. Foal #2 (Celestia / Luna)

Her jaw dropped open, eyes wide and her body visibly trembling, Princess Celestia just stared at her sister, utterly stricken. Mage-sight allowed her to see the three vertebrae of her sister's spine which had been replaced by the Neural Transceiver embedded within it as well as the untold trillions of nanocyte-forged linkages sprouting from it which connected the younger alicorn's mind to that... that... abomination. Even worse, the Solar Diarch could see the more recently healed surgical wounds in her sister's legs and wings, where she'd had cybernetic grafts and artificial muscle installed. Finally - to her horror - Celestia espied that even her sister's very eyes were no longer natural; even though they looked the same as they had always been Luna's eyes were now partially organic, and partially artificial, they were bio-system ocular implants...

Overcome with horror at her sister's new additions, it was all Celestia could do to ask, "Sister, oh sister... why?"

Standing before her sister - defiant and proud - Luna immediately responded, "To become closer to mine Foal, Prince Auryn!"

Snorting in anger, Celestia took a step closer to her sister. "Oh, Luna, stop this madness!" she yelled. "The Prince is not your foal!"

"Aye, he IS," she thundered, "and his name ist Auryn, now! He ist Our Prince, Auryn! We hath bonded with him in the oldest of ways, sister. We hath given him Our milk. We hath given him Our love. We hath made him Our Son in all ways but that of Blood! We art his Mother and thou wilt not taketh him away from Us!" Feeling happier than she'd ever been in her life, Luna sighed softly through her nose before continuing, "Sister... thou hast no idea how this feels! We canst run faster than We ever could before, We canst fly faster, We canst see for countless miles and We art connected to a library so mind-blowing that it wouldst maketh thine student, Twilight Sparkle, green with envy! Equusweyr is--"

"--an abomination of the Everfree," Celestia growled, "with a foolish colt and his pony slaves in command of it all! Now, come, let us remove this... technology... from your body and this foolish 'bond' with said colt from your--"

"NEIGH!" Luna spoke with the Royal Canterlot Voice, "THOU SHALT NOT TAKETH MINE NEW IMPLANTS FROM ME... AND THOU WILT NEVER TAKETH AWAY MINE FOAL! THOU SEEKS TO TAKETH AWAY MINE HAPPINESS? MINE BELOVED FOAL? MINE NEW HOME? THOU ART A "FOAL" THYSELF IF THOU EVEN THINKEST FOR A MOMENT THAT EQUUSWEYR WOULD'ST ALLOW SUCH A THING..." A smile crinkled her muzzle when she felt the Weyrmind's strong negation fill her thoughts--as well as the collective anger of her Prince's people and the burning rage of her Auryn--via her newly activated Transceiver. To remove gifts granted by Equusweyr? Unthinkable!

"Even worse," Luna stated quietly, sadly, after a moment, "thou art a fool. Mine Prince and his people art no threat to thou; thou seeest them all that way because mine Auryn ist the only pony whom hast ever told thou 'no' when ordered to comply with thine wishes. The Everfree Princedom is beautiful, sister; a place where pony, griffin, diamond dog and changeling can live and love openly without fear. Our City is a wonder to behold and at its heart - looming over all - is Equusweyr, a fantastic pyramid-fortress shining gold like thine Sun--but thou wilt never see it for thou art too blind..."

Suddenly, Celestia paled, her eyes misting with tears. She'd heard Luna's slip of the tongue; heard her refer to Everfree City as her new home, heard her refer to it as 'their' city rather than 'the Prince's' city... Surely she didn't mean to abdicate and leave? "Luna?" the Sun Princess sniffled. "Sister? Sister, please don't l--" she started to say--but she was too late, for Luna had activated her internal Warp Beacon. Misery gripped Celestia as she watched her sister vanish in a blaze of cyan light, and then a moment later the Solar Mare began to weep bitterly... 'Prince... you will pay for this!' she thought.

* * *

When Luna emerged from the Warp into the reality of Weyrhome - as the concern of the Weyrmind filled her thoughts - she strode up to the Golden Throne of Equusweyr, the Templar Guard saluting then parting before her like the red sea as she hopped up onto the round, bedlike structure. Upon the Golden Throne - as always - was her beloved Prince, being tended to by three of his wondrous pseudo-alicorn Hoofmaidens. Sniffling gently, tears falling from her eyes, she gently made her way amidst them to lie down and curl about Prince Auryn. "Mine baby," she whimpered. "Mine Foal..."

Far from being offended, as Luna curled about the Prince - bringing him against her belly, that she might groom him and feed him her milk - the three Hoofmaidens ceased tending to her Auryn and instead began massaging and grooming her; something for which she was extremely grateful. As she heaved a weary sigh - and then groaned deeply as one of the Hoofmaidens massaged a painful knot from her upper back - her attention was drawn to Weyrpony Khorvas. Golden coated and white-maned, the elderly Weyrtouched Unicorn - proud in bearing yet kindly in nature - stood taller than most of his fellow ponies, near to six feet and four inches in height; his size only outmatched by the fearsome Custodes de Templari.

Thin and willowy shoulders weakened from a lifetime of reading were clad in finery befitting the Head Archivist of the Equusweyr. A doublet of fine, sapphirine velvet was laced closed over a shirt of midnight-blue linen, the doublet's collar worked in intricate knotwork in silvery thread. The cut of the doublet was simple, but it was exquisitely tailored to the golden unicorn's form, terminating just before his signums, the marks on his flanks that were so very similar to the cutie marks of her and her sister's Little Ponies. A belt of supple faux-leather set with khaydarin gems wrapped about his barrel. Breeches of black velvet tucked into finely polished hoofboots, black faux-leather as well.

Khorvas bowed gently to Luna, his old bones cracking softly as he knelt than rose to his hooves, concerned eyes of dark blue flecked with grey catching her gaze as he stepped forward and stated with proper British voice, "Things did not go well in Canterlot. We all know, and the Weyr remembers." A tremulous smile graced Luna's muzzle for just a moment--before her expression crumpled and she nuzzled her Auryn before replying, "Neigh, Khorvas it did not. Sister... thinkest she We art mad for having Bonded with Our Prince, Auryn. Even worse, hateth she the fact that We now possess within Us the technology - the Gifts - of Equusweyr. Sought She... Sought She to haveth Us remove them...!"

No sooner had Luna said this than Khorvas was wincing and suddenly three sets of alicorn wings and three muzzles were stroking and nuzzling her all over. Luna whimpered softly, tearfully, relishing the Hoofmaidens' comfort as Khorvas shuddered visibly than took a breath to speak. "Our Prince Auryn - bless you for His Name - would not have allowed you to become His Mother and the Matriarch of Equusweyr if He did not wish it to be so. He didn't consciously realize it at the time, of course, but subconsciously, he wanted the bond as much as you did. Your milk sustains Him. Your love nourishes and strengthens Him--and through Him us all. All here acknowledge you as Matriarch of Equusweyr - the Mother of Our Prince Auryn - and as such, none will allow Celestia to enter the Everfree Princedom should she seek to do you harm. Our People, the Templar Guard, Prince Auryn, and Equusweyr itself--would deny her."

Khorvas' kind words, the attention of the Hoofmaidens, and the feel of her beloved Foal Prince tucked up against her belly soon brought the tension Luna was feeling to an end. She listened, a gentle smile upon her muzzle, as Khorvas spoke again "... As for removing your new Implants," - the golden unicorn snorted dismissively - "just let her try. The Nanocyte Hives within your body would adapt to her magic and simply regenerate them; then they, too, would be proofed against her magic." At this, Luna blinked, her expression one of wonder. "Truly?" she asked. "Surely thou art making jest! Thine technology... Equusweyr... canst resisteth even the magic of Alicorns? Impossible!"

"Not impossible, Matriarch," Khorvas countered gently. "How do you think Equusweyr - along with the entirely of Our Everfree City - has stood for so long within the darkest heart of the Everfree Forest without consequence?" When Luna - stumped - could not answer, the Head Archivist answered gently, "It is because magic - whether that of Alicorns or the Everfree Forest - is energy, and if there is one thing Our Prince, and the Weyrmind, know well, it's energy." With a hoof, the elderly unicorn gestured around her. "Equusweyr" continued he, "is a Nexus; the bastion in a storm, where all energies converge into a single point, an area of tremendous psionic potential--potential which the Weyrmind can stabilize, harmonize... and control. There is also the fact that the Weyrmind itself is able to reach out and psychically influence all who enter our demesne. Fear not, Luna; we will not allow you to come to harm."

As Khorvas spoke, the Prince's eyes opened and he inhaled a breath; at this, abruptly the sound ceased. All the Ponies of the Court went silent, for Prince Auryn intended to speak, an event that was rare indeed, for he rarely spoke at all, not unless he had something of deeply profound importance to say. Looking into Luna's eyes - his Mother's eyes - gently, Auryn nuzzled and touched noses with her. Then, softly, he whisper-sang, "War is over / If you want it / War is over / Now." At this Luna let out a watery chuckle.

On one hoof, what her little one had sung was utterly terrifying; with his varied Subjects, his Templar Guard, the Weyrtouched Unicorns and Equusweyr's ability to manufacture an army of countless machines, her little Prince could indeed end anything her Sister attempted before it even began. On the other hoof... Luna trembled with emotion, tears beginning to run down her muzzle from her eyes, as she accepted her little one's song for what it was: a solemn promise that he would always protect her, his beloved Mommy. There, upon the Golden Throne of Equusweyr, Princess Luna - beloved Dam of Prince Auryn and Matriarch of Everfree City - wept softly as her little Prince nuzzled and nosed her, and licked away her tears.

Author's Note

Might be further updated; stay tuned!

117. Foal #3 (Celestia / Weyrmind)

Beyond the opened Voidsteel door was a gargantuan room and within that room - stretching into the distance farther than the eye could ever hope to see - was an immense forest. The trees of said forest, however, although alive in a sense, were not living things of wood; they were Khaydarin Ihan Crystals, each of which stretched hundreds of meters into the sky. These amazing crystalline structures - the 'roots' of which grew throughout Equusweyr - were part of the Weyrmind; they acted as coprocessors and enabled the mind to govern the correct operation of the pyramid's systems. Additionally, each held within it a portion of the Great Archive, the sum of the accumulated knowledge and memories of Equusweyr and the Everfree Kingdom. Glowing from within with psychic light, the entire Ihan forest made noise; it 'sang' softly with the immeasurable power of Khalai energy. Said energy permeated the immense room, so thickly that one could taste it in the air. This was a sacred place, filled with beauty and peace, and - as she looked upon it for the first time, poor Princess Celestia trembled and wept. Escorted here by The Prince himself - surrounded by his Templar Guard, her own sister backing them up - escape was impossible. The poor white alicorn mare was totally out of her depth, utterly terrified.

Lapsing into silence - as she ceased her weeping and wiped the tears from her eyes - Celestia stared up at the many 'branches' which sprouted from the many crystalline trees. There - running between the branches of, and connecting each Ihan Crystal tree to its neighbor, were thousands of conduits - immense psycho-technological circuits resembling enormous fiber optic cables - all of which led back to a single source. Soon, Celestia was pulled from her thoughts as one of the Templar nudged her gently. "Move," he stated softly, and she did. Celestia was led swiftly through the Ihan Crystal Forest until at last she and her escort came to a huge clearing at its center: the forest heart. Crystalline 'grass' stretched out before her whilst the forest 'trees' and their connecting conduits loomed high above her head. What caught her attention the most however, was not the clearing itself, but what was within the clearing, at its center.

There before her, hovering a few feet off the ground was the source to which all the psionic conduits of the Ihan Forest connected: a colossal space-faring craft! Larger than even her Palace, it was a "Frankenstein Ship"; a hodge-podge machine seamlessly constructed from what appeared to be parts of a multitude of other spacecraft! Fear gripped poor Celestia, then; though she'd never comprehended let alone seen this impossible vessel in her life... she knew what it was, the Great Ship, the Living Computer Core, the Machine Intelligence that was the very Soul of Equusweyr. The Weyrmind. She was here before it, she knew, to be judged. Hysteria gripped Celestia, then, and she tried to fight the Templar Guard physically but they were too strong; her attacks were gently deflected, blocked, absorbed or shrugged off as she was inexorably led towards the colossal, terrifying vessel and made to sit before it. Small and humble felt she as she gazed at the ship and it gazed through countless sensors back at her. Would it destroy her for her anger towards the Prince whom was its Master? Inhaling a soft breath, she waited for her end to come...

"Re, Mi, Do, Do So." Celestia blinked. Where had those notes come from? "Re, Mi, Do, Do So." There they were again! The Sun Princess opened her eyes--to find that the mighty ship she faced had come forward as much as the conduits connecting it would allow. It... it was touching her! 'But... but...' Celestia was scared but at the same time curious; metal was supposed to be cold, wasn't it? It wasn't supposed to feel warm and alive... Then, "Re, Mi, Do, Do So." the tones sounded again, right in front of her this time. "You're the one making those notes!" Celestia stated softly. The great ship dipped, then righted itself, signalling 'yes.' "Can you...?" Celestia hesitated. "Can you talk?" The great ship backed off a bit, dipped once, then turned left-right--yes and no. "I... I don't know what you mean," the white alicorn whispered brokenly. "I... I don't even know why I'm here! Are you here to judge me? To kill me? I... why am I here?"

A little hatch at the front of the vessel opened, then, and from it extended a robotic tendril, a thin metal disc attached to its tip. The Solar Diarch gasped and tried to move away - fearing she was going to be attacked - but the tendril was too fast; within seconds the metal disc was attached to her spine at the base of her brain. A shudder coursed through her as she felt the disc melt into her fur and then through her skin, to wrap around and embed into her spine and then... and then... a soft, choked whimper escaped her as she knew...

The Weyrmind itself. The Xel'Naga. The Protoss; the Aeon of Strife; the departure of the Xel'Naga. The Zerg. Humankind. David. Ieesha. Their Bond. Their Betrayal and her Death, orchestrated by Judicator Vi'thos. David's departure from Aiur. Arrival at Pandora. Life there with the Alien Na'vi, and then departure. The final journey to Equestria. David turning himself from human to unicorn but something went wrong; he became the Foal Alicorn, the Prince. Ponies settle about the Dragon Weyr--now Equusweyr--time passes as they evolve into Everfree Ponies; then Changelings and Griffons are welcomed. The Everfree Princedom. Khorvas, Fire Sign, her Sister/Matriarch Luna... Then...

"WELCOME, PRINCESS CELESTIA. WELCOME."

... through the new, Nanocyte-grown Neural Transceiver embedded in her spine, Princess Celestia heard, felt, experienced the Collective Peoples of the Everfree Princedom as finally, finally they were able to welcome her; something they had wanted to do for a very long time. And as for the Weyrmind... Love overwhelming suffused Celestia's very being from that great vessel as at last, the Solar Diarch finally understood and comprehended what it was; and it understood and comprehended her. Love/Worry/Concern from the vessel flowed through her thoughts - as well as that from the Everfree Princedom - as Celestia wept, and wept, and wept like a lost filly, filled with the deepest embarrassment and shame at how wrong she'd been about everything to do with the Prince - Auryn - and his amazing Everfree City; his Princedom.

"...'m sorry..." Celestia whimpered, "...'m so sorry..." Forgiveness/Acceptance was the Weyrmind's response at first, but then a gasp escaped the white alicorn as a song played within her thoughts,

"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be ours?
Could you be ours?

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be ours?
Could you be ours?

We have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you!
We've always wanted to live in a world like this with you.
So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together we might as well say,
Would you be ours?
Could you be ours?
Won't you be our neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be our neighbor?"

Sniffling, trying to wipe away tears that just wouldn't stop, Celestia choked on a sob, then laughed and whispered, "Yes! Yes, I'll be your neighbor..." Formerly stern Templar Guard - Benares, Thor, Jormungandr, Fenix and Tassadar - broke into smiles and cheers. Then, Celestia turned toward the Prince--whom she realized had been sitting with her, beside her, all this time--and laid down that she might be closer to him. She looked at him. Auryn looked back at her. Then, little Prince Auryn - Templar Lord, and Sovereign Foal of the Everfree Princedom - reached up to her with a forehoof... and gently 'beeped' her nose! Celestia lost it and burst into new tears as thin, frail, teal wings enfolded her muzzle. The white alicorn wept until she was drained and tired. Weariness suffused her forn as the Prince held her as best he could whilst she in turn hugged him gently. Softly, the tiny Foal Lord kissed her tears away; then leaning up such that he could whisper into her ear, he said, "It's been a long day for us all, Celestia, Weyrfriend. You will stay here with us tonight - allow the new bond you have with us to become fully established - and then tomorrow I will show you my Princedom. Please?"

Swallowing thickly, Celestia nodded.

Author's Note

Celestia meets the mind of Equusweyr and is, at last, welcomed.

118. Away (The Prince/Luna. Response to Kyā Ruknā Sapnā)

A dark fog filled the world in shadow. Though stars shined in the sky, they offered no relief from the oppressive force looming within the darkness. It wasn’t a simple form against which one could transcribe a direction, a size or a distance; the presence was all around, pressing in like a black, drowning liquid.

Luna stepped out on the flat, hard ground. There was no way for her to ignore the intense anxiety within her, but she did what she could to hide it beneath a veil of anger. She turned her head about with a small frown, ears twitching as she sought out some kind of sound.

There was none.

“You again,” she muttered. “Why will you not just leave me alone?”

A chuckle resounded in the darkness. The voice that replied didn’t seem to be coming from any particular source… but rather, from her own mind.

Oh, Nightmare. You know as well as us that we can’t leave you alone.

“Don’t call me that,” she hissed, turning in place as she scanned the rolling wisps of black fog. “That is not who I am.”

Don’t say that. It breaks our black heart.

Luna stomped her hoof, head held high. She pushed down the sick feeling in her gut. “Go away. You were defeated. Accept it.”

Defeated? The voice was mocking, almost mirthful. Such a strong word. They pushed us back, Nightmare, that is all. We know that.

Luna gained a smug smile. “You cannot defeat them. You should know that.”

The voice only gained confidence. We only failed because they caught us off guard. Oh yes… this time we are aware of what awaits us. Tearing them apart will be much easier now.

Luna’s wings flared, her teeth were bared. She jerked her head about, seeking something to target with her anger. She found nothing. “You will never return, monster.”

Oh, yes we will, Nightmare.

“Stop calling me that!” Lightning streaked from the princess’s horn, but it struck only the hard ground. “I am over my sins, you wretched thing!”

Are we? Are we really, Nightmare? Luna felt something cold drift across her withers. She turned about with a glare, but found nothing. A thousand years. Do we believe that was just? We cannot tell ourselves that we are willing to simply let it lie in the past.

Luna sucked in a sharp breath. “Celestia… was defending Equestria. There is nopony to blame but you.”

Us.

“You!” Luna’s wings tensed as she cast her glare about once more. “I would never have betrayed my sister!”

A slow, pleasant chuckle trickled through the air. Possession. That’s the best excuse we have?

There was a terrible twisting feeling in Luna’s stomach. She stepped back, though she knew the ominous force was impossible to escape. “It… it wasn’t me. I love Celestia, and she loves me.”

The fog began to roil.

A thousand years! It would have been longer if not for the distancing of the Elements. She would have left her own sister to rot on that rock for all time if she had the choice. That is Celestia!

“Be silent!” Luna covered her ears against her tormentors words. “We were going to destroy Equestria with our eternal night! My sister did what she had to do, what you made her do! None of it is her fault.”

It was no use; the words wormed their way into her brain. Seductive, tempting, pleasant.

She fears us. We see it in her eyes, we know it in her voice. What is it that she dreams of, hmm? What is this thing that torments her slumber? We know, Nightmare. We know.

“It’s not true…” Tears were forming in her eyes. “You don’t know that…”

We know.

“N-no we don’t.”

We know, Nightmare.

“Stop calling me that…”

We know.

“Celestia isn’t…”

We kn--arrrrrggghhhhhh!

The malevolent fog's words dissolved into an agonized scream... as from the roiling darkness, a teal-furred hoof emerged, followed by the body of somepony she'd never seen before. He was an alicorn; teal-coated, brown-maned and surprisingly diminutive - larger than a foal yet smaller than even the most average of unicorns - barely large enough to be considered a teenager. However, the Princess of the Night was wrong even in that snap judgement, for the strange runic cutie marks upon his flanks marked him as an adult. 'Who is he?' she wondered. 'How is it that he has come here?'

Unlike her sister - who wore little save for her tiara, gorget and shoes, the alicorn wore the most spectacular clothing Luna had ever seen. A 'triple-loincloth' like garment draped over his rear and also covered his flanks that his sheath might not be seen. Covering the loincloth was golden-metal barding; atop that the alicorn wore a long, jade-green, rune-adorned robe, its only modification being the slits cut from it for his wings. About his right foreleg there rested a bracer to which a mysterious device was attached and atop his head he wore a half-circlet of silver with a crystalline 'cap' for his impressive horn. For all of his majesty, however, he seemed so very frail and he carried an air of sadness about him...

He was just... sitting there, perhaps asleep or in some form of meditation--but then his eyes opened, blazing with unfathomable power. He looked about - as if he was going to see, was seeing, had seen this all before. The tiniest shake of his head - the smallest of frowns gracing his muzzle as he stared at the roiling fog - chilled her to the core and sent shivers down her spine. Finally, the little one stated, "GO. AWAY." The words ripped across the dreamscape like a thundercrack, the physical shockwave accompanying them nearly flattening her!

You... you... no... arrrrrrggghhhhhhhh...!

Whatever power the little one possessed, her demons couldn't stand against it and with a final tormented scream the nightmare fog was blown apart whereupon it dissolved away unto nothing. All was calm. Stunned and dazed, Luna turned to lie before the little alicorn male. "Th-thank you..." she whispered softly.

The foal-like pony smiled--and then, softly, he inhaled a breath. Almost immediately, Luna flinched, thinking he was going to speak as he had done with the fog. Luna... didn't think she could withstand something like that again; it was far more powerful than even the Royal Canterlot Voice! The little alicorn knew it, too, it seemed for he leaned forwards to whisper softly, sadly into her open ear, "Much to learn, you still have..."

Luna swallowed thickly, and nodded, then - as the Prince turned to walk away into the darkness - she cried out "Wait!"

The little one... the little Prince... stopped and returned his attention to her. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Friend..." he whispered in answer.

"Can you... help me, at all, with...?"

Gently, the Prince shook his head. "Sister." he stated. "Reconcile. Family."

"I..." Luna choked, torn. "I can't. It's... things are still too raw..."

"Time," the little one stated. Then, giving her a little bow, the Prince turned about to walk away--but again, Luna stopped him. "Wait! Will... WIll I ever see you again, little one?"

The Prince didn't answer her question. Instead, he gave her a gentle smile, winked, and then gave a little flick of his tail. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared into the darkness of the dreamscape--

....

--as Luna’s eyes jerked open. She stared at the ceiling with sweat beading on her brow and breath coming in shallow gasps. She merely lay in her massive bed, the impossibly powerful voice of the mysterious, foal-like alicorn Prince reverberating through her mind like an eternal echo.

Author's Note

A response to a scene from, "Kyā Ruknā Sapnā"; Chapter V from "The Gentle Nights: Audience of One." The Prince banishes Luna's Nightmare.

119. Pony Petting Association Client Record #1: Prince Blueblood

"I may have to act like a jerk - a proper noble, according to my father - but... but at least, when Court is done for the day, I can have this..." The light grey-coated, amber-maned stallion lapsed into weary silence as he softly closed the doors of his chambers; then, as he saw me laying upon his bed, clad in sleepwear, waiting for him, he exhaled a sigh of relief that ended in a quiet sob. "I..." he sniffled than started again. "I see you got my message."

"I did," I replied softly, "and as per your instructions, nobody knows I'm here. The PPA have specially trained unicorns who are great with long-range, near-silent matter transmission. But enough about that." Motioning towards the formal suit he wore, I asked, "Do you want help with...?" Rather than reply, the light grey male - Prince Blueblood - violently shook his head, his expression wilting into one of profound hurt as he swiftly undressed himself, almost ripping the material of the suit in his haste to remove it. Then, once he was devoid of the suit - furclad, his mark of a compass rose bared for none but us to see - the Prince galloped over to his bed and leaped atop it, near-falling into my arms, an anguished pony noise escaping him as I gently guided him to lay down beside me.

"Easy, easy now... there's a good boy..." I murmured. A whimper escaped Blueblood, and for a moment he wriggled against me - so very glad to be with me again - but then, he lay still upon his side. Light arctic-blue eyes, softened with near foal-like expression gazed up at me for a moment--but then Blueblood groaned gently as I started to pet him, roaming my hands through his coat from chest to thigh. A moment later, however, he pulled away from me and rolled over to look at me, his lower lip quivering and eyes moist. "P-Papa...?" he lisped softly. "Yeah, kiddo?" I replied, falling easily into role.

"I..." His face scrunched up, his entire body shaking. He lowered his head to rest between his forelegs and wept, tears making tiny rivers on his cheeks. "Aw, there, there little one; what's the matter?" I asked. At first, Blueblood didn't answer my question; he just couldn't stop crying, the soft, heartfelt sobs wracking his body. Then, at last, he raised his head to look at me and lisped out, "I... I bin' a bad pony..." At this, furthering my role of father figure, I looked at him and frowned. "You've been a bad little foal, have you?" I asked. "What have you done, hmm?"

"I..." Blueblood trembled and whimpered 'neath my stern gaze for a moment and then, finally, he wailed, "I yewwed at Celly an' Woona! I... I wath wude..."

"Good Ponies," I stated softly, my voice deepening, "are not supposed to yell, little Blue. You know what we have to do now, don't you?"

Blueblood trembled and nodded as I raised my hand and then--

"...Wun."

CRACK.

--he counted softly as I brought it down upon his rump.

"...T-Too..."

CRACK.

"...F-F-Free."

CRACK.

"...F-F-Forr..."

CRACK.

"...F-Five..."

CRACK.

"...Suh-Six!!!"

CRACK.

At last, Blueblood couldn't take any more and burst into tears; it was done, his punishment was over. I will state for the record that we at the PPA frown on hurting ponies, but Blueblood was a special case; he insisted upon it. Despite my aching hand, I gathered him near me and soothed away his tears; then when he had quietened I tucked myself abed and settled him in beside me whereupon he cuddled close to me, nuzzling and nosing me gently, blowing his breath onto my face. "You're a good little colt Blue..." I said to him, softly. Reaching down to the little bag of accessories I'd brought with me, I retrieved from it a bottle of rich, creamy milk and presented it to him. "You want a treat for being such a good boy?"

His eyes lit up as he saw his bottle. "Yeth!" he answered.

"'Yes' what?" I responded, sternly.

Blueblood - Little Blue - stared at me reproachfully... and then he replied, softly, "Yeth, pleathe, Papa."

"Good boy," I returned and then - as my Little Blue slowly drank his milk, clutching his bottle between his forelegs I petted him all over; I roamed my hands all over his coat, combed and ruffled his mane, scratched him behind the ears until his eyes closed and he hummed softly in bliss... At last, he finished his bottle and I 'burped' him as one might do for a foal. Then, I stroke, stroke, stroked his lovely coat until he fell against me and I spooned him, bringing his back against my chest as he stre-e-e-eched out fully beneath the covers. He was warm and sleepy and content. "Thank you..." he whispered softly, "for... for caring for me as my Father" - he spat the word - "could not."

"You're welcome, Blue," I replied, making him groan as I softly rubbed his belly. "You're very welcome."

Suddenly the warmth, the comfort, the softness of the bed in which we lay... it all seemed to become too much for the poor Prince and he turned and wept into my pajama-clad shoulder. "Oh, I wish..." he whimpered softly through his tears. "I wish, I wish, I wish..." As I brushed the tears from his cheeks with my thumbs - a futile effort as they were only replaced by more - I 'beeped' his nose and replied, "Hey, now, don't waste your wishes; you'll have none left to come true if you do..." A watery chuckle escaped the Prince, then, and he wedged his muzzle into the crook of my shoulder. Shortly thereafter, he continued, "I... I wish you could have been my Father..."

"Oh, Blue..." I soothed gently, stroking him.

Prince Blueblood lapsed into silence then, but it was tense and uncomfortable--as if he had more to say. I stayed quiet, waiting, and eventually he continued, "I... I never wanted to be one of the so-called Nobility, but my Fa--he--forced me into it, shaped me, groomed me...and for what? All I am... all I've become..." he shivered and whimpered, "... is a mirror of him..." Fearing he might break down again, swiftly I asked, "When you were young, what dreams did you have? What did you really want to be?" The Prince raised his head for a moment to stare at his compass rose mark, and then, softly, bashfully, he replied, "W-Well... I always wanted to be the navigator of a seafaring vessel. Perhaps even a Privateer, or, or..." and here he softly whispered, "a Pirate."

"Oh, a pirate, aye?" I queried, slipping into a classical 'pirate accent.' "And what kind 'o pirate would ye be, then? A land-lubbin' scurvy-dog?" As I sneered the question at him, for a moment Blueblood was taken by surprise--but then he cottoned on to what I was doing; the happiest expression I'd ever seen crossing his face as he spoke with 'pirate speak,' "I'd have ye know, matey, that I'd be the most fearsome pirate you'd ever be wantin' ta see--and me crew would be the roughest, nastiest, saltiest set o' sea ponies ta ever terrorize Equestria's Seven Seas! They'd call me Blackblood instead o' Blue! Arrrr!" he cried.

"Would they now?" I replied. "Well, you'd still be no match fer the long, thin fingers... of DAVEY JONES!" And with that, I proceeded to tickle Blueblood such that he laughed, and laughed, and laughed 'till he was breathless! Once he was able to regain control of himself - once I stopped tickling him - the Prince nuzzled and nosed me gently as he stre-e-e-eched out fully, molding himself against me. Once more, his expression became soft, gently, adorably foal-like as he blink-blinked, yawned, and softly said, "W-Wuv you... Papa..." Then, a yawn escaping him, he nestled against me, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep as I petted him.

120. Princess no More (Author SI / Twilight Sparkle, Dark)

As I stormed into the Command Pit of the Dragon Weyr - a special bunker below Weyrhome wherein I could navigate and 'fly' the Great Nexus like a common spacecraft - I heard the telltale sound of teleportation behind me as a distraught Twilight Sparkle materialized into the place. I ignored her.

"David?" she whispered softly. "What... what are you doing?"

"Leaving," I stated, monotone. "As you can see, I'm preparing for departure. If you know what's good for you, you'll transport yourself out before the Dragon Weyr takes off; otherwise you'll never see your Home World again." That said, I continued to warm up the Weyr, pressing buttons, pulling levers, studying readings...

"But... but why?" Twilight asked, sobbing softly again.

"Oh, I don't know, let me think..." I started sarcastically. Then, "Oh, yes..." I 'remembered', "things were going pretty well for us - we had a good steady base of friendship to build on - and so... things progressed. We start softly making out in your room - not even a hint of intercourse going on--and then your brother bursts into the room, takes us by complete surprise, and then proceeds to choke me to near-death. After that, he starts speaking about all this traditionalist bullshit, you know?

Arranged marriage, abstinence, chastity rings, blah blah blah, princess, one true stallion, tests of strength and endurance for potential suitors... and then he started talking about gelding because sex out of wedlock, along with a whole lot of other hidebound traditionalist bullshit that didn't make sense. Twilight, I'm over seven hundred years old, and I am so over the whole protective father/protective brother cliche bullshit. I don't need to put up with that kind of shit, and so I won't. Let me cut a long story short: I love you. Your brother doesn't like me. Your brother nearly killed me. I don't want to cause a rift between you and your brother, nor do I particularly want to kill him despite wanting to skin him alive after he pulled his little stunt; thus I am going to leave. Whether you choose to stay or go is up to you--and I'd decide swiftly, as we're going to be lifting off soon."

Behind me, Twilight Sparkle, shivered, trembled, and whimpered--before a terrible cry of despair escaped her as she teleported away. "My friend, Locus Check: Twilight Sparkle, please," I stated. "Where is she?"

A moment later, I had my answer--as a feeling of horror from the Weyrmind ripped through me. "Oh, fuck. Recall me: Clinic!" As I spoke the command, immediately I was pulled through a small Warp Vortex into the Dragon Weyr's Clinic. No sooner had I raced into the Main Ward then horror gripped my guts as a gruesome sight met my eyes. Twilight Sparkle lay on the floor, trembling in pain even as a beatific smile was on her muzzle. A severed wing - her severed wing - lay upon the ground whilst the other was still attached but -- CRACK -- not for long, as Twilight severed it from her body with her magic then cauterized the wound. How she never screamed as she did the awful deed I would never know.

Emotion roiling within me - tears threatening to run from my eyes - it took every bit of my skill as a High Templar to remain in control as I strode over to her and picked her up. "So you made your choice," I stated softly.

The little Alic - mare - nodded. "Yes," she hissed. "Never wanted those things anyway. Couldn't fly properly with them; hated them."

"You didn't have to do this," I softly intoned as I gently placed her into the Autodoc. "Damn it, Sparks, if you're going to amputate your wings at least let the Autodoc do it properly..." As she started to enter shock, her eyes glazing over, Twilight Sparkle nickered and mechanically nuzzled me. "Had to," she rasped. "Only way. Love you..." And then she was gone, the Autodoc having 'put her under' as it worked to stabilize her and complete the horrifying self-amputation - mutilation - she'd committed. "Delay take off!" I barked in Khalani. "All is halted until Twilight is stabilized and awakened!" The sorrow and agreement of the Weyrmind filled my thoughts--just as the sound of a terrifying alarm blared through the Nexus.

"Ah, fuck," I groused, "what now?" Racing out of the Clinic and into Weyrhome I queried the Weyrmind. "What's going on?"

No sooner had I asked the question than the Holographic Viewscreen in front of the lounge lit up, displaying a view from one of the external cameras--a view of Shining Armor as he repeatedly bucked the Gate of Dawn with his hooves. "Let me in, you bastard!" he raged as he kicked futilely against the indestructible psi-steel doors that formed the impenetrable Gate. "Give me back my Sister! You won't take her from me!"

"Fuck you, asshole!" I sneered. No sooner did he hear my voice than Shining ceased his bucking and turned to face the camera. "Yeah I can see and hear you, you mule fucker," I continued. "I never 'took' Twilight from you; she chose to come here. Do you have any fucking idea what you've done?" Before he could voice a response, I raged, "Twilight was faced with an impossible choice: Princesshood, or the man she loved. Couldn't have both; your stupid traditions wouldn't allow it. So she took the only way out: she severed her fucking wings! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

The sinister alarm ceased - since I was now aware of the 'danger' to the Weyr - and as it faded, I became aware of the muffled sound of hooves on carpet. Whirling about to face whomever approached, I beheld poor Twilight Sparkle - cleaned, and 'properly' wingless - as she entered Weyrhome and strode up beside me to face her brother.

"My big brother, a fool forever,
No more peas in this pod, won't do anything together.
You nearly caused my love to die.
Thought I'd be kissing him goodbye..."

She sang.

"Twily?" Shining stuttered, horrified by her smooth, wingless back. "Twily wait! It was just... the traditions! I'm sorry, please, I--" An angry whinny escaping her, Twilight sharply gestured with a hoof and the Weyrmind responded; immediately the connection was severed and the Viewscreen went dark. Seething with rage so deep her horn was glowing, the now large unicorn mare turned to me and ground out, "Us. Here. Away from. Now." Nodding to her in acknowledgement I immediately bespoke the Weyrmind, but I needn't have; the Mind had picked up Twilight's want even without a Neural Transceiver and was only-too-happy to comply. Beneath the Great Pyramid, eight enormous Gravitic Thrusters ignited, and then - gracefully, effortlessly - the Dragon Weyr began to ascend into the sky.

When the Great Pyramid lifted off, down below - deep beneath the earth - a terrible discordant note rang out from the Tree of Harmony as the Element of Magic cracked and dulled. Above, the Crystal Castle - which stood atop the site of the former Golden Oaks Library - crumbled and sank into the earth.

* * *

Later, a battered and bruised Shining Armor was dragged before Celestia and Luna. Why was he battered and bruised? Well... Twilight's former guard had expressed their displeasure at what had happened to David and Twilight. Oh, she masked it well, of course, but Princess, Celestia, seethed with rage internal. As Luna glared daggers at Shining Armor for the loss of her friend, jaw tight with tension, the Solar Princess stepped down from her throne and walked about the petrified former guard captain.

"As a Princess of Equestria," she intoned softly, gently, "I have never set in stone any traditions dealing with marriage of royalty. Never." When Shining Armor paled, the white alicorn continued. "Thus, Twilight was free to do as she wished, so long as she followed the laws all ponies must follow--which she did. I... cannot express how utterly disappointed I am with you, my little pony. The so-called traditions you claim to follow were set down by the nobility, not I. I would never stoop to put potential suitors through such... minotaur shit!" Celestia trembled, and poor Shining Armor near-urinated on himself as for a moment - just for a moment - something dark flickered within her frosty gaze. A blink later, and it was gone--or was it?

"Your actions resulted in the near-death - and now the loss - of perhaps the greatest ally our little ponies could have ever had. The greatest friend we could have ever had! Between himself and Twilight Sparkle, why... we could have been guided into the greatest age Equestria had ever seen! Now... now thanks to your utterly repugnant stupidity not only have we lost access to David's friendship, knowledge, and technology, we have lost the Element of Magic AND MY FAITHFUL STUDENT IS GONE! MY BELOVED SURROGATE DAUGHTER IS GONE! DO YOU HEAR ME? TWILIGHT SPARKLE IS GONE, SHE'S GONE SHE'S..." Weeping, tears flowing from her eyes down her muzzle to the floor, the Solar Princess ran out of the room...

... And that was when Princess Luna approached the horrified unicorn. "Thou costeth me mine friend, Dullard Armour," she stated, dangerously. "For thine actions, thine ass will be busted down to private; thou shalt be cleaning the barracks latrines with THY FOOL TONGUE UNTIL WE SEE FIT TO LAY EYES UPON THEE! NOW GET THEE HENCE!" A terrified whinny escaping him, Shining bolted from the throne room--only to run into perhaps the worst pony he could ever run into. Princess Cadence looked at the poor unicorn as one might examine a bug under a microscope. Pointing to her husband with shaking hoof, she made a slashing motion towards her throat - the universal gesture needing no explanation at all: he was dead meat. "I... I thought I knew you, Shining Armour," she spoke, softly. "But it seems I do not; not anymore. The stallion I once loved... replaced with... this!" she spat the word.

Then, "I am going to divorce you," she continued. "And you will be grateful I'm only doing that; the other Princesses have ideas for your punishment that are a little more... extreme." With those words, Princess Cadence turned and walked away from her once belov-- from the stallion, a dread finality in her step.

Author's Note

Don't know what to say about this one, folks. Wrote it after reading "It's Complicated"; in that story Twilight had a human lover, "Nondis" (ugh) but was bound by all these horrid and backwards traditions due to her being royalty. I got pissed off; I wrote this.

121. And The Band...

"You're over seven hundred years old, so you've probably been in a few battles, right?"

Gathered about me on the futon in Weyrhome, the 'Mane Six' waited for my response to Rainbow Dash's question. Gazing back into the cyan pegasus' eyes, I guardedly responded, "Yes..."

"That is so awesome!" Rainbow replied. "Got any war stories? Come on, you gotta tell us one! Please, please, please...?" Eagerly she looked to me with 'puppy dog' eyes.

Before I could answer her, however, Rarity softly cleared her throat and then carefully she said, "Now, Rainbow, please remember: we are guests here, darling, whilst trade agreements between Aiur and Equus as a whole are being negotiated. I hardly think asking the human Ambassador for Aiur about things he'd rather forget is appropriate..."

Choosing to ignore Rarity, Rainbow wheedled, "Aw, come on! Just one little story...? Pleeaase...?"

As she asked the question, my expression turned thoughtful; then I responded, "I... don't like to talk about my early days as a Zealot. I won't tell you any stories; Rarity's right, they wouldn't be appropriate. I can, however, sing for you a song about a war; one that happened a long time ago on my native Home World, Earth."

At this, everypony perked up and all shifted a little closer to me. I continued, "This song is an account of the memories of an old Australian man, who, as a youngster in 1915, had been recruited into the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and sent to the Battle of Gallipoli, during the First World War. It is called, 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.' The Weyrmind will provide images and proper context for you to understand it properly. Let's begin..."

No sooner had I said this, then music filled the Dragon Weyr as a banjo began to play...

"Now when I was a young man, I carried me pack, and I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murray's green basin to the dusty outback, well, I waltzed my Matilda all over."

(The ponies were happy; the Weyrmind showed them the 'young man' as he traveled all over Australia, roving with his Swag on his back...)

"Then in 1915, my country said son, It's time you stopped rambling, there's work to be done.
So they gave me a tin hat, and they gave me a gun, and they marched me away to the war."

(Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy were saddened when the Weyrmind showed them Conscription, whilst Rainbow shook her head. Only Twilight sat proud. She knew proper of the Royal Guard, and of Duty to one's Country...)

"And the band played Waltzing Matilda, as the ship pulled away from the quay
And amidst all the cheers, the flag-waving and tears, we sailed off for Gallipoli"

(The ponies' expressions wilted, yet Twilight sat straighter, prouder, though her eyes were misty...)

"And how well I remember that terrible day, how our blood stained the sand and the water
And of how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay, we were butchered like lambs at the slaughter.
Johnny Turk he was waiting, he'd primed himself well. He shower'd us with bullets,
And he rained us with shell. And in five minutes flat, he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia."

(The Mane Six gasped, horrified, and poor Pinkie's mane went flat...)

"But the band played Waltzing Matilda, when we stopped to bury our slain.
We buried ours, and the Turks buried theirs, then we started all over again."

(Fluttershy whimpered softly than burst into softened tears...)

"And those that were left, well we tried to survive, in that mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks, I kept myself alive, though around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head, and when I woke up in my hospital bed,
And saw what it had done, well I wished I was dead. Never knew there was worse things than dyin'.

For I'll go no more waltzing Matilda, all around the green bush far and free
To hump tent and pegs, a man needs both legs-no more waltzing Matilda for me.

So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed, and they shipped us back home to Australia.
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane, those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay, I looked at the place where me legs used to be.
And thanked Christ there was nobody waiting for me, to grieve, to mourn, and to pity."

(Now the ponies knew of the horror of war. They were holding each other close, weeping, weeping, futilely trying to wipe away tears that just wouldn't stop. Rainbow had moved to place her head on my knee as she looked up at me with saddened eyes...)

"But the band played Waltzing Matilda, as they carried us down the gangway.
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared, then they turned all their faces away
And so now every April, I sit on me porch, and I watch the parades pass before me.
And I see my old comrades, how proudly they march, reviving old dreams of past glories
And the old men march slowly, old bones stiff and sore. They're tired old heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, what are they marching for? And I ask myself the same question.

But the band plays Waltzing Matilda, and the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear. Someday no one will march there at all."

(The Mane Six sans Rainbow held each other close as they cried. Rainbow was practically in my lap now, her expression crumpled, eyes shut tight as she wept. To end the song, I lowered my voice and laced it with a little power such that it became echoing, ghostlike...)

"Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by that billabong, who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"

When at last the song ended, the Mane Six gathered about me, still weeping. They nudged, nuzzled, and softly touched nose and hoof to me, words unable to express their sadness, their shattered innocence. Gently, softly, I petted them; stroked their soft coats and manes, and scratched them behind the ears. They... they cried for hours... and when they were able to finally cease crying, Twilight Sparkle - her wings about my shoulders and head over my back - softly choked, "I... I won't let something like that happen here in Equestria--or anywhere on this world. I won't! I-I..." She snuffled, choked on a sob caught in her throat. "I need to visit my brother more often..."

I nodded, gently. "That might be a good idea," I softly intoned.

Author's Note

"And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is Copyright Eric Bogle, 1971. I just couldn't get it out of my head, nor this one out fast enough. The feels...

122. Intruder?

With only the softened 'pop' of displaced air, the intruder teleported herself into Weyrhome, literally the 'house' inside the wondrous, Great Pyramid she knew was called the Dragon Weyr. How did she know the enormous metallic pyramid was referred to by said name? The answer was simple, dear readers: the intruder had been here many, many times before; had briefly touched the amazing Mind of the place. In that instant the mind of the intruder had been near-overwhelmed! The Mind of the Dragon Weyr held so much information yet she'd only been able to seize a mere fraction of it, a drop in the bucket as it were, which she'd needed several... others to help her process.

Slitted, reptilian eyes opened. Spiracles set within a segmented abdomen inhaled a soft breath which she then exhaled from her mouth. Slender, chitin-covered, equine-like hooves felt soft carpet... and then kneaded and wriggled as the intruder did her best not to shout with glee! Because... she was here. She was here! Once again, she'd managed to slip in past the Mind of the Weyr without it knowing; her newly fashioned spell of teleportation - made for just this purpose - had been a success. Once again, she could be with him, if only for another night. Forked tongue issued from fang-filled maw as the intruder scented the air--then fragile-appearing insectoid wings buzzed eagerly for a moment as she tasted his scent - sweat/soft-fabric/steel - before she turned to head to the Sleeping Quarters, specifically the Master Quarters where he was sleeping...

No sooner did she approach the entrance to said quarters than the door was silently opening to admit her entry--and enter she did, making her way towards the big double bed where he slept peacefully beneath the soft, luxurious, down-filled duvet. 'Hive Mother below, that bed looks so comfortable...' thought the intruder, shivering, a whimper of longing escaping her. More than anything she wanted to be there with him, sleeping by his side. Just then, a softened sob escaped her. Why did she do this to herself? Why did she hesitate like this. She always did this, and - like clockwork - as she hemmed and hawed, wrestling with herself internally, the temperature within the room dropped somewhat, enough to make her chitin rattle as she shivered. This had happened many times before, and still she didn't know why. Could the Mind know she was here? Impossible; she'd used every infiltration trick she knew to evade it. Or had she...?

Desperate to escape the sudden coldness of the room, whimpering, sniffling, Chrysalis crawled beneath the thick duvet, wriggled against his body until she was spooned with him, wings folded into her back carapace; then she felt his arm lay atop her body felt him pull her closer to his warmth and then and then and then... "Oh..." she choked. Near-overwhelming relief filled her being, because she was with him. David. The Human. The man who so easily seemed to defy Celestia and Luna. The man she wanted as her King. By the First Hive she felt so very safe with him, here in this bed, in his arms. All of her worries - finding a new home, pony retaliation for her failed invasion attempt, and whether she was the only of her kind left - seemed to just fade away when she was with him... A low, musical crooning - reminiscent of a fusion between singing crickets and a purring cat - issued from her throat as the hand touching her absently, sleepily stroked her belly. Here in his arms she didn't need to be Queen of anything; she wriggled, nymph-like, nestling closer to him, purring all the while. She was so happy! She was--

"Hello, Chrysalis."

--dead. Her purring dying in her throat, trembling and whimpering, she slo-o-o-o-wly turned about to face him. His hazel eyes were open, within them a flicker of the power she had tasted of so many times. Trilling softly with alarm, she tried to get away from him; surely he would kill her, wouldn't he? She wriggled. She writhed. She flailed about in the human's grip, heaving and straining as much as her weakened body would allow. But, alas, it was futile, and finally, the Changeling Queen... gave up, something breaking inside her as she burst into tears. At first, her cries resembled pony-like sobs, but as she became sadder, and sadder, Chrysalis started to keen softly; a terrible, heart-wrenching sound of despair. This was it; all of her dreams were going to end along with her life. Closing her eyes, she bared her neck, waiting for the killing blow, waiting for him to... to... to... Why wasn't it happening? Why wasn't he killing her? Strong arms gripped her gently but firmly, pulling her against him as her hooves wriggled futilely. Gentle compassion flowed from him unto her across the aether. His five-fingered hands soothingly stroked her body, and with a drop of her magic, she instinctively shifted hard chitin to soft, supple leathery hide that she might better experience his gentle touch.

Then, like a blanket thick and heavy, love from something else - a machine mind far greater than their own - filled the air, love with which she could feed herself and her children for eternity. Chrysalis burst into tears again, feeling David rock her like a... a pony foal as she cried, and cried, and cried... David wasn't idle as she wept there in his - their? - bed; he rocked her gently, he stroked her mane which she'd made hair, and he near-made her drunk with bliss as he stroked her ears. Later, when she was able to stop crying - when she purred gently in his arms once more - as he gently brushed away her tears with his thumbs - an act which nearly made her start crying again - finally, she choked, "H-How?" At her question, David frowned for a moment; then he stated, "How did we know you were visiting us?" When she nodded, the human continued, "Several weeks ago - the first night you visited - the Weyr felt your desperation; it let you in, then watched as you climbed into my bed." Chrysalis blushed, her cheeks turning green! Then, her expression wilted as her King fixed her with gentle yet stern gaze. "If you'd had any intentions other than wanting to sleep beside me for my warmth and love - freely given, of course - the Dragon Weyr would have evicted you immediately--or even killed you, had you threatened my life. Fortunately - unlike certain ponies I know - you seem to have some sense in your head." For a moment - just for a moment - David looked at her as if he would see, was seeing, had seen all of this before. Then, a chill ran down her spine as he softly intoned, "Celestia and Luna couldn't teleport into this place. So how do you think you got in...?"

The Weyrmind had known of her illicit visits to David. She'd spent weeks and weeks researching and surveying the Weyr to try to get inside, had designed the ultimate teleportation spell... and it had let her in. Terror gripped her guts, then along with arousal and the Queen fawned against David, nuzzling all over him as he tickled her, making her laugh. What power he had here in this place--and out of it, too; she'd witnessed him practicing--and who knew what he could teach her and what remained of her children. His personal power was amazing, too; he was a "High Templar"; one who'd given up martial combat to embrace the raw power of his mind; psionics. Could he teach her children his abilities? Could he teach her? Panting softly - wanting nothing more than to take him right then and there - voice thick with emotion, begging, pleading, her body screaming at her, she rasped, "Please, oh Hive Mother, please..." But then... one moment she was aroused - a writhing mass of instincts - and the next she wasn't as the Weyrmind influenced her with its empathic field; a sigh ending in a whimper escaped her as David settled her down next to him again. "Your kind is drawn to power. I have it in spades - so say your instincts - and you want it," he stated, baring her secret want.

Eyes misty, Chrysalis nodded. "What do you want?" he barked, frightening her. "Do you want to kill me and take my power?" His eyes were blazing now; her mind screamed in fear whilst her body howled muted want! Chirruping with distress, the Changeling Queen frantically shook her head. "N-No," she mewled thickly, "I... I would never... never...!" The mere suggestion of her killing her beloved King; it made her feel physically ill... David pondered this for a time, then - pulling back his power, settling down again - he replied, "So you would share power then. This is good--but if you gather the remnants of your children and come with me, your lives will change. You'll not steal love or feed from Ponies--or anyone for that matter--because you'll no longer need to. You won't need to disguise yourselves anymore. You and your kin will become Weyrlings, if you so desire; you'll live with me here in the Weyr, and together we'll explore the stars and go places Ponies are afraid to go..." Now Chrysalis was crying again, looking up at her King, smiling beatifically. What could she - low and wretched - possibly offer him in return for such a thing? "Your friendship, for now; and perhaps later, your love," he stated when she asked him. "We know you can feel it; you've merely forgotten how. We'll work with you and your kin; try our best to teach you to be symbiotic again."

At this, Chrysalis blink-blinked, overwhelmed. "What?" she whispered. Prod. Poke. She tried to poke him with a hoof, wanting to know what he meant--but then she was groaning and trilling with bliss as she was stroked and petted, eyes slowly closing as she drifted off to sleep beside him.

123. Who made you God?

There, in the Everfree Forest, Twilight Sparkle and I stood facing each other, my Nexus - the Dragon Weyr - looming over us. "Ponies," Twilight Sparkle softly intoned, "have a place here. You do not."

At this, I blinked. Then, crouching down to her level, I replied, "Really?"

Twilight nodded.

"Who the fuck died and made you God, bitch?" I responded. Then, as Twilight's jaw dropped open, I promptly turned and reentered the Weyr, the massive psi-steel doors of the Gate of Dawn slamming closed behind me with a resounding BOOM.

The Gate wouldn't open to admit a pony ever again.

124. Princess Fort (Author SI / Royal Harem)

When Night Court ended and Luna returned to her bedchamber to find me waiting there, a relieved noise escaped her as she doffed her regalia; then she nickered softly. "Hey, sweetie..." I murmured gently to her, beckoning her over. She didn't hesitate for a moment. Loping over to where I lay, she eagerly hopped up onto the bed... and then - carefully, so as not to hurt me - she draped herself over me, like a living blanket, blowing hot breath over my face and through my hair as she nuzzled nuzzled nuzzled me. "What's got you so happy, eh? Just happy to see me?" The big mare nodded then snuffled into the crook of my arm, giving me big, wide round puppy-dog eyes... I knew what she wanted. Softly, gently, I stroked her ears, occasionally scratching behind them. As I did this, a deep half-sigh half-groan escaped her and she closed her eyes in utter bliss.

"Bad night? Nobles getting you down?" Luna snorted softly in reply--before she inhaled through her nose as I combed my fingers through her mane from poll to crest, then scratched gently at the skin beneath the hair. A pony noise escaped her - a soft, low croon - as she nuzzled and kiss-licked my face, making me laugh! I moved away from her mane after a time, roaming my hands down her neck to her withers, petting and stroking gently as - "Hnh, hnh, hnh. Hnh, hnh. Hnh, hnh, hnh... - she nickered softly, blowing into my face. In turn, I blew back at her, sharing breath; then she heaved a contented sigh as I stroked her from barrel to flanks. Thereafter, as I gently tickled her Cutie Marks, she squealed softly. "Oho!" I chortled. "I've found your weakness..." Luna gave me an affronted look--but said look soon vanished as I resumed tickling her!

Suddenly - BANG! BANG! BANG! - there came a thunderous pounding on the door--and then it was busted open as a furious Celestia barged into her sister's room, an angry noise escaping her as she espied her sister being petted by me. Without warning - as Luna whinnied softly in distress - Celestia moved her off me with her magic to my right side and than, after removing her golden regalia and setting it down upon the floor, the Solar Princess settled on my left side. At this, Luna pouted, whimpered than tried to hoof her off the bed, but Celestia wouldn't have it. With growing horror, I looked on as the two sisters began a head-tussle over me; they pushed, nudged, bumped, nipped, fenced horns, until - "Girls!" - I stated firmly. At this, the tussle stopped and the two alicorns turned to look at me as I - tap-tapped - their sensitive snoots. "Stop. Fighting," I stated softly. The mares winced than both gave me apologetic looks as they moved to sandwich me in between them, resting their heads atop my chest. "That's better..." I stated.

With that, I petted them both; I stroked and rubbed their lovely coats, combed my hands through their manes and scratched the skin beneath and rubbed two bellies until both mares were so blissed that they turned to blow at and nuzzle each other, nickering lovingly, unaware of what they were even doing -- or were they? When Celestia slowly, softly, gently began to lick-lick-lick Luna's face, the midnight mare blink-blinked and started to keen softly, tears falling from her eyes to stain her cheeks as her sister, her beloved sister, softly licked them away, her own tears falling to be nuzzled away by Luna as both mares apologized softly in ponytongue, for hurts long past yet still so raw... Such were the minds of Immortals. At last when tears ceased to fall I softly wiped them away with my thumbs, the two closing their eyes; threatening to weep again so very happy were they. The two turned to look at each other than, a wordless exchange passing in the blink of an eye; then both turned and bared their bellies and other places to me...

Invitation accepted, I rubbed their bellies, ever-so-gently rubbed their teats and teased their nipples and (since I didn't see any signs of objection from them) I softly stroked their crescents, over and over and over until I had the two big mares shivering and shuddering with climax as their essences stained the bed. The aftermath was long and lazy - I coaxed a few more smaller climaxes from them - until the mares nudged my hands away from their intimate places, nuzzling and licking me in thanks; then Luna whined softly as Celestia gently cleaned her, wringing from her a final climax--and then it was Celestia's turn to shiver and whimper and tremble as her essence stained Luna's muzzle. At the end of all things, the two Princesses returned to resting, their heads atop my chest. Hooves white and blue wended slowly down towards my own intimate places--but then, their was the pop of displaced air as another alicorn teleported into the room!

Her coat matted with sweat, her mane in disarray - little soft, distressed pony noises escaping her - Princess Cadance stood before us, though she didn't remain still for long. Pink head moving frantically as she looked about, the Princess of Love soon espied us and then - "Oof! Snort! Whinny!" - literally climbed atop me, pushing the others away a bit roughly as she moved to lay on me. Disgruntled, Celestia and Luna rearranged themselves such that I was now surrounded by a princess fort; then I pulled the duvet over us all. Human hand, gentle hooves and white/blue muzzles worked in harmony as we all made to ease the pink alicorn's distress. It worked and poor Cadance was calmed--but not for long. A shadow slipped into the room, revealing itself to be a black, insectoid mare we all know too well. As Cadance squealed in terror, Celestia and Luna glared at Queen Chrysalis. To our surprise, however, the Changeling Queen bowed gently, humbly before us, then harlequin eyes with dark grayish opal pupils gazed with concern at Cadance as the Queen let out a soft, inquiring trill.

Slowly, hesitantly, Chrysalis moved forward toward us--but then she espied the position we were in. After that - "Ouch! Snort! Whinny! Whimper!" - it was inevitable; she made her way into bed with us such that she was now laying on her back, cradling me within all four legs, nuzzling and lick-lick-licking my neck and cheeks with forked tongue, a noise reminiscent of singing crickets and a purring cat coming from her all the while! I couldn't help it, I squirmed and giggled as the others looked on, bemused. But then - "Arrggh!" - Alicorn hooves went after my bare feet and tickled 'til I was breathless; but even as Chryssie tightened her hold on me I gave as good as I got until three alicorns howled with laughter. Thereafter we settled down again and poor Cadance nickered softly, confessing to us that she'd missed us all here in Canterlot. Pony nuzzles were everywhere then as Cadance near-wept with happiness. Then... I'm not sure how it ended up happening.... we made love to Cadance, with Cadance, for Cadance until she whinnied in ecstasy even as beneath us Chrysalis openly, shamelessly, drank deep of our excess energies, panting softy--and then it was her turn to trill with climax!

At the end of all things, one human, three tired alicorn princesses and a blissed out dopey changeling queen snuggled, nuzzled and kissed. And I... What was I thinking? Well, I wasn't thinking like a jock or a player who'd "bagged a score." No... I was thinking how very honored I was that first Luna, then Celestia, then Cadance and finally Chrysalis had all come this night; had all chosen me, if you will. It was the most astounding thing. I hadn't meant for anything to turn out the way it did, and I hadn't really had a hand in things at all; I'd just petted Luna as I always did and then things just spiraled out of control. But now... Now only one thought was going through my mind as I drifted off to sleep atop Chrysalis whom was asleep beneath me, cradling me in her hooves as she buzz-purred gently. Beside me, Celestia and Luna shifted gently, pressing closer to me, their heads atop my chest; and atop me, her head nestled between those of her family, Cadance nickered happily in her dreams. What was this thought running through my head? It was. 'Yep. Princess Forts are cool!'

125. Companions

We've all read the stories of the Conversion Bureau, right? Portal from Equestria opens, XenoCelestia comes through and then Conversion Nightmare Fuel begins...

This is not that kind of story.

What happened - what really happened - when the portal appeared and the ponies came through was that they became a "partner race" if you will. No matter where you went, if there was a human there chances are he or she had a pony by his or her side. Those ponies just plain liked us and we liked them. Most ponies just liked to be around us; work with us, and be petted, and hugged, that sort of thing. They were the lucky ones. Because - as human and pony scientists gradually found out - there were the other ponies. These ponies had an inherited gene - some sort of instinctive thing - that told them they were geared for humans; they needed to have a human companion.

Thankfully, most of the cases of this gene were mild; as long as they had their particular human with them these ponies could live normal lives. But then, there were the severe, or redline cases, where - without their human - a pony just couldn't function, and in some cases couldn't live; they would literally pine away for their human if he or she couldn't be found. as it turned out, the "companion gene" was something inherited from the domesticated ponies and horses of olden-times. Something inherent to all ponies, but dormant in some, or bred out in others. It was activated by us when a human had dared to pet the first pony--by our touch, sight, and smell... and one of the ponies affected was Celestia's Sister, Princess Luna.

Celestia was furious! She lost it in Day Court; wept and screamed at the scientists, at her beloved human friend even though it wasn't his fault, and near-banned humans from coming to Equestria ever again. She only relented when her own ponies - those with the Companion Gene - threatened to leave Equestria forever. Needless to say there were a lot of tears shed that night, a lot of petting and hugs, and a lot of apologies from both sides; including a lot of ear scratchies to a big white alicorn mare from one very lucky human as Celestia rested her head in his lap, looking up at him with tearful eyes as she whispered over and over how sorry she was. By now, a suppressant for the "companion gene" had been developed but those ponies with the gene were naturally leery of it; preferring a human to be with them rather than drugs; thus it was only used sparingly by them, in cases where they couldn't be with their humans if at all--or it was used by those "diehard" human-hating ponies who had the gene and didn't want it.

In the end, to give Luna some relief the suppressant was used--but Celestia soon despaired as we discovered that it had a devastating effect on her... Though she no longer pined for her human and wondered where he might be, the poor lunar alicorn merely existed day by day. It... it was as if she'd suffered some kind of devastating stroke. Luna would eat only if food was placed in front of her. She became absent minded and forgetful, and whenever she moved her movements were lethargic, and near mechanical. A few of her Night Guards had to be with her at all times to make sure she ate and stop her from bumping into walls... In the end, hating to see her sister either lifeless or pining, Celestia 'let Luna go' so to speak; she freed her sister from her duties that she might finally travel to Earth to find her Companion. Luna couldn't get there fast enough.

Far and wide she searched, and searched--until at last she found him, sniffed him and got his scent all over her and in her nose, something within her body finally metaphorically clicking into place. When she returned to Equestria with him, and Celestia saw him with her own eyes... well, he wasn't much to look at. Brown hair with a small bald patch, hazel eyes corrected by glasses. A bit of a gut, and hairy as anything, still dressed in pajamas and looking frazzled and windswept. He knew why he was here - when he dismounted Luna, her nuzzling and gentle fawning over him was clear - though he was a bit leery of the big white mare facing him. "Hello," he said, soft, yet blunt, "my name's David. Uh, I've no idea why your sister chose me; she certainly could do better--" but then he was gently cut off by Luna as she leaned against him, facing her sister, sighing gently, before stating,

"This is my Human. There are many like Him, but this Human is mine.
My Human is my best friend. He is my life, and I am His
My Human, without me, is lost. Without my Human, I am lost.
Together We are One."

126. Guilty? Nope.

As I stood there in the witness box of this farce of a court, the pony Judge, Stern Hoof, practically sneered at me as he gave his verdict. “For the crime of Mare Theft we of this Court find the defendant David Boucher: Guilty. For the crime of petting ponies – treating us like animals – we find you: Guilty. For the crime of… seduction via petting we find you: Guilty! Your sentence – the Breaking of your Hands, followed by Permanent Confinement – will be carried out immediately! Bailiff, proceed…”

The stallion that was to carry out my sentence really looked like he didn’t want to be there. Gazing at me with soft, gentle, saddened eyes, as he approached he mouthed, “I’m sorry…” Then, as his horn started to glow, I made one last desperate effort to protect myself. “Please, wait your Honor!” I cried. “When I pet ponies I don’t treat them like animals at all. The crime of Mare Theft is a lie; the mares in my Herd weren’t stolen; I didn't steal them from anyone, they chose to be with me. The seduction charge is also false; I can’t seduce mares through petting! Petting just feels good to them and relaxes—“

“SILENCE,” barked Stern Hoof. Then, “Bailiff, carry out his Sentence then get him out of my Court!” the Judge commanded. A howl of pain escaped me then as with one spell my fingers were broken in multiple places. Before the Guards could escort me to where I would rot for the rest of my life, however – BANG, BANG, BANG… CRASH - the Courtroom door was bashed open as ‘my’ mares burst into the room.

Twilight, Trixie, Lyra, Bon-Bon, Princess Luna, and a raging, frothing-at-the-mouth Queen Chrysalis near-annihilated the place as they subdued the ponies in the Court. Chrysalis seethed as she used her changeling mind magicks to devastating effect whilst Twilight swiftly freed me then used a powerful healing spell to heal my wrecked hands, making them as good as new. In the end, my mares and I, along with a thoroughly bound and trussed up Judge atop Luna’s back, all made our way to a field at the outskirts of Ponyville.

There – before I could even voice a protest – nickering softly with concern, Twilight promptly stripped me naked; then she, Trixie, Lyra, and Bon-Bon cuddled about and atop me in a ‘pony pile’ that they could feel my skin against their fur and I could revel in their warmth. Mares’ body temperatures were naturally higher than those of humans and they knew it as they shamelessly draped themselves all over me like living blankets, nuzzling, nosing, and lick-grooming me here and there. Together, we watched on, as the final two mares of my beloved Herd dealt with the Judge.

As he near wet himself in terror, Chrysalis wormed her forked tongue into his ear before hissing, “For the crimes of taking our Human from us, denying us his touch, and breaking his hands, we of Herd Boucher find you: Guilty! Your sentence – to be carried out immediately – is de-stressing via Human Petting.” At this, Luna smirked, then called, “Beta Mares: All Part!” Groaning, nickering, and whimpering with disappointment, Twilight, Trixie, Lyra, and Bon-Bon moved off me to settle around me as the quivering Judge was placed gently in my lap. I began to pet him.

I cupped his muzzle in my hands, letting him snort his breath through my fingers, and then stroked the 'bridge' of his snout, before moving to caress his cheeks. The big pony squirmed and seemed to resist at first - he simply wasn't used to it, having never felt anything like a human's touch before - but then, I gave the Judge a gentle scratching behind the ears and he gasped, his eyes rolling back into his head

Soon, I began combing my fingers through his mane, scratching at the fur beneath. The big male nickered, groaned softly, and then collapsed into my lap, rolling over onto his belly, my mares giggling as he groaned with bliss—and then his groans intensified as I rubbed his belly for a time. Shortly thereafter, I gently nudged the stallion over onto his front before beginning a gentle yet deep massage as I stroked him from neck to rump, making the male whimper in bliss. Then - CRACKLE-SNAP-CRUNCH-CR-CRK – he let out a choked sob as I rearranged slightly bent muscles and bone, relieving tension the poor fellow didn't even know he had.

I stroked and caressed the former Judge into stallion-shaped bliss, petting him so well, in fact, that he actually began to drop in my lap, but Chrysalis soon swooped in to take care of that; the Changeling Queen, humming softly with bliss, suckled and nursed upon him until – with a groan and a roll of his eyes – he climaxed, expending his seed into her muzzle as she greedily drank it down without spilling a drop. “Humph,” she groused, after licking him back into his sheath, “it’s not as good as yours, my Human—but regardless, I don’t think he’ll be bothering us anymore.”

She was right. As the Queen settled down to mouth, nuzzle and occasionally lick at my own member whilst she digested her ‘meal’ – as the others of my Herd looked on wistfully, knowing they’d have to wait their turn – a blissed out Judge shakily stood up on lethargic, wobbly legs. “S-S-Sentence revoked…” he slurred. Then, as my Herd gathered about me again, we watched as the Judge stumbled home. When he was gone, Luna carefully moved to join Chrysalis, nuzzling and licking gently at my privates as the others piled about and atop me again. With abandon, I used my hands to full effect, rubbing, stroking, and caressing ears, manes, coats, and tails as my Herd sighed, groaned, and nickered with happiness. Life was good.

Author's Note

A Kangaroo Court tries to judge me for my pony petting fetish. My Mares don't take too kindly to that. Heh-Heh-Heh...

127. A Princess walks into a Tavern...

Said Tavern - near the docks, at the outskirts of New Shandeigh - was the shabbiest place Princess Luna had ever laid eyes on. It was dirty, dingy, its paint long having faded 'neath the light of her sister's sun. Faded lettering on a weather-beaten sign marked the place as "The Schooner's Lantern." The two plain-clothed guards beside her shifted uneasily; to them the place meant the worst kind of trouble.. The Moon Princess, however, seemed not to be bothered by the shabby, run down place; on the contrary, she licked her lips in anticipation of what might be found within. To her it was perfect.

When she stepped into the place, all talk and joviality went silent as scarred earth ponies, one-winged and wingless pegasi, and unicorns with cracked and broken horns all turned their heads. No one moved as her guards glared about, trying to take everypony in as said ponies drew weapons, yet remained still. The tension grew thick, so much so that one might sever it with a knife--but then, a titanic earth pony with a great black beard and a scar running from his eye to his left ear stomped towards Luna; then this pony circled her guards, and snorted dismissively before brazenly leaning his head forwards to sniff her. "What stinkin' ponies of Canterlot be doin' here in old Blackbeard's Tavern? Why be you 'ere, Princess?"

Even as she stood before him, trembling just a little, a secret thrill coursed its way through Luna; this pony showed her no fear, and even seemed to despise her somewhat. It... it was liberating to be treated as just another pony! Swallowing nervously, the Princess took a moment to gaze steadily into old Blackbeard's eyes; then, softly, she stated. "Knowest we that thou art a pirate, Blackbeard--but fear not, thou art not under arrest. Rather, we hath come before thee that, well... that we might hearest one of thine working songs thee and thine crew singest upon long voyages. A... a 'sea shanty', we believe it is called...? Yes, we wouldst hear a 'sea shanty' from thee."

Blackbeard was stumped. The rough, bawdy earth pony stallion had been psyching himself up for a fight - had been mentally preparing to defend himself and his crew to the death if necessary - but he hadn't expected this. Immediately, his eyes narrowed. "Be you mockin' me, lass?" he snarled. "Why would a Princess" - he sneered the word - "be wantin' to 'ear the singin' of mere common ponies. Don't ye noble types 'ave yer own fancy music?" At his words, Luna nodded. "We do... but... 'tis too... artificial," she replied. "We want to hear something real. Please, won't thou sing for us...?" A pirate he might've been, yet old Blackbeard was an honest one, and at the pleading tone within the Princesses voice, his heart softened--a bit.

"Put 'em away, lads, there'll be no fightin' today!" he cried. Groans of disappointment filled the room as knives, various swords, and even more variations of pistols were sheathed and holstered. Then, "Straighten up ye scurvy trumps," the old Pirate Lord cried, "seems the lass 'ere wants to hear one of our ol' shanties, so let's make it a good one. Pretend we be sailin again!" he boomed. Then, he started tio sing, his crew joining in as Luna mentally danced a jig. 'Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!' she thought as the song began.

"Now we are ready to sail for the Horn,
Weigh hey, roll and go!
Our boots and our clothes, boys, are all in the pawn,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!

Heave a pawl, O heave away!
Weigh hey, roll and go!
The anchor's on board and the cable's all stored,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!

Soon we'll be warping her out through the locks,
Weigh hey, roll and go!
Where the pretty young girls all come down in their frocks,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!

Heave a pawl, O heave away!
Weigh hey, roll and go!
The anchor's on board and the cable's all stored,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!

Come breast the bars, bullies, heave her away,
Weigh hey, roll and go! .
Soon well be rolling her down through the Bay,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!

Heave a pawl, O heave away!
Weigh hey, roll and go!
The anchor's on board and the cable's all stored,
To be rollicking randy dandy-O!"

As the song ended, poor Luna whimpered for whilst the tavernsponies had been singing it the Night Princess swore she'd almost felt the rocking of a ship 'neath her hooves! Of course, it hadn't been perfect--there'd been the drunkards who'd slurred the lyrics, and those who'd sung out of tune--but never had the Night Princess heard something so wonderfully raw and real. "Please, another...?" Blackbeard - getting into the spirit of things - nodded and then he and his crew started to sing again,

"Come all you young sailor men, listen to me,
I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea;

And it's—
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys.
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.

Up jumps the eel with his slippery tail,
Climbs up aloft and reefs the topsail

And it's—
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys.
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.

And then up jumps the shark with his nine rows of teeth,
Saying, "You eat the dough boys, and I'll eat the beef!”

And it's—
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys.
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes.

Up jumps the whale., the largest of all,
"If you want any wind, well, I'll blow ye a squall!!

And it's—
Windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys.
When the wind blows, we're all together, boys;
Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow,
Jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes."

At the end of this one, the tavernsponies broke out in cheers, and Luna and her guards joined them, the Princess stomping her hooves enthusiastically as she near-bellowed with the Royal Canterlot Voice! "MARVELLOUS!" she cried. Then, suddenly her eyes alit as an idea came to her. "A trade, with thee good sir!" she shouted to Blackbeard. "We shalt offer thee a trade. Thou and thine crew have offer'd us two songs; now mine guards shalt offer two of theirs..."

Author's Note

This should be good...

I know I should stop playing Black Flag and go walk my dog, or do something else other than play this game...

But...

But......

I must crush moar ships! I must get moar guns! Moar loot! Moar UPGRADES FOR ME JACKDAW! ARRRR! I love bein' a pirate!

128. Over Before it Began?

“You don't get it do you?" Bon-Bon bluntly stated. "Ponies now recognise the two of you as a herd, basically Lyra owns you now. If anypony has any business with you then it goes through her, because she’s your alpha.”

It was the worst thing that Bon-Bon could have said. With a quiet murmur of apology to Lyra, I stood up from the breakfast table, the Earth Pony trembling with fear as I towered over her. Slowly, deliberately - as Lyra looked on, appalled by what her friend had said - I walked over to Bon-Bon, then crouched down before her to whisper softly into her ear.

"I am no woman's - mare's - slave," I whispered to her dangerously as she quivered. "If you ever refer to me as property again; if you so much as imply that I am not equal to you, that I am not allowed the same rights and privileges that you are... I will snap off a hoof and then jam it into a certain place. I will jam it in there so hard, in fact, that you will never be able to have foals again! If you - or any mare for that matter - refer to me as property again then I will prove to you exactly why my species are the Apex Predators of my world! Are we clear?"

Utterly terrified, Bon-Bon nodded - and then she urinated upon the floor; a fear reaction - before she turned and bolted back upstairs. Before it could start to smell, with a hint of my latent psychic power I lifted the mess from the floor then evaporated it with psychic plasma-flame. Shortly thereafter, I approached a stoic Lyra, only her training as a ninth-dan Still Way Master keeping her from doing the same as Bon-Bon. "What... what happened?" the unicorn mare whispered. "What did you say to frighten Bonnie so badly?"

"I cannot abide slavery, Lyra," I softly intoned. "Bon-Bon" - I spoke the mare's name with disgust - "seemed to think that I was now your property. I... informed her that this is not the case. You do not 'own' me. You never will 'own' me. You are not my alpha. We are not, and never will be, a Herd; not if you intend to treat me like a second-class citizen, as your friend implied. I'm sorry. Goodbye." With that - before a shocked Lyra could voice a protest - I turned and left the house. Once I was a good distance away, I softly spoke in Khalani, "my friend, Recall. Target: Me. Location: Weyrhome."

The air around me shimmered visibly, the Weyrmind preparing to pull me into the Warp just as - "WAIT, PLEASE!" - a tearful Lyra burst from the house and ran towards me, one hoof outstretched - "Please, don't go! Bon-Bon's comment was thoughtless; I wouldn't treat you like that at all, please..." - but it was too late. A wail of despair escaped Lyra as I vanished into the Warp, seemingly never to return. Later - much later - Lyra, utterly furious; her eyes near-blind from crying - confronted Bon-Bon in her room. "You idiot!" she raged. "You utterly thoughtless mule!"

"What?" Bon-Bon questioned. "Everything I said was true..."

"Ponyshit!" Lyra cursed, cutting her off. "It may have been true in ages long-past, but it isn't true now. Celestia abolished all of that shit ages ago, even though some ponies still think the way you do." Sadness and rage guided Lyra, body quivering so furious was she as she paced back and forth before her scared friend. "I find the one stallion who doesn't need my protection, the one stallion who could be with me as an equal, the One Without Fear... and with one thoughtless comment you drive him off! I... Celestia-bucking DAMN IT BONNIE, YOU RUINED EVERYTHING..."

"I'm sor--" Bon-Bon started to say.

"Save it!" Lyra snapped harshly. Taking up a spare saddlebag - with mind honed from her years of training - the aquamarine unicorn mare began furiously packing 'the essentials' and various other things... things she would need for an extended stay... Eyes widening the earth pony mare followed her friend as the unicorn tore through the house like a hurricane-wind, near tearing the place apart in her haste to find what she needed.

"Wh-Where are you going?" Bon-Bon stuttered.

"To fix your mess!" Lyra snarled in reply as she packed a final few items. "To see if anything can be salvaged from your thoughtless idiocy!" And then, with those last words - SLAM! - Lyra was out the door, racing towards the human's great Pyramid Ship - the Dragon Weyr, he called it - but even as she reached the outskirts of the Everfree Forest she despaired for she was already too late! "Wait!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes as the colossal vessel ascended into the sky, "Please, wait! Don't go! Don't go!" the poor mare cried; then in desperation she tore her Lyre from her saddlebag and played the key, - the five note sequence - as if her very life depended upon it, making the notes as loud as she could via a hasty amplification spell.

"Re, Mi, Do, Do, So.
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So,
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So,
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So
Re, Mi, Do, Do, So..."

Lyra Heartstrings played those notes, over and over and over again, until her horn was sore - but even then she kept on playing with her hooves, continuing to amplify the notes until at last,

"Re, Mi, Do, Do, So,"

The great pyramid answered. Lyra wept openly with relief - hope for her yet remained - and then, seconds after her fresh tears began to fall, the unicorn mare vanished in a blaze of cerulean light...

Author's Note

My response to those fics where Equestria is female-dominated and stallions are treated as slaves, property, second-class, etc.

129. Conversion

Laying there in my hospital bed - body wracked with the pain of the cancer ravaging me despite the sedatives the doctors had recently given me - I smiled warmly at the mane six as they stood before me, Twilight holding the grape-flavored Conversion Potion in her magic. "Are you sure this will work, Twilight?" I asked again, softly. "That when I wake up I'll still be me, just in a new body?"

The little lavender mare nodded; I'd asked her the same question repeatedly and had gotten the same answer every time.

"... And my possessions - computer, discs, clothes, everything - it's all been converted to E-Matter? It's all waiting for me, in my new home?" I asked.

Again, Twilight nodded. "Yes, it's all there for you, David. We've had to modify your computer's peripherals for hoof-use - and your clothes so they'll fit your new body - but it's all there, waiting for you."

Hesitantly, I eyed the potion again. Such a small thing, to take and drink. So easy. So simple. Yet, it would forever alter my life. I wanted to reach for it, to pluck it from her magic and drink, but even in this my body failed me. "I... I can't..." I murmured. "You... you'll have to..."

Trembling - eyes misting with tears - Twilight Sparkle nodded and then levitated the potion to me, pressing the bottle against my lips, tilting it back and allowing me to drink. I consumed the potion gladly, drinking until not a drop remained--and then, a moment later, my eyes closed, my body going numb as the potion did its work.

An eight hour sleep later, I opened my eyes - my new eyes - to see Twilight and her friends with me once again. "Did..." I licked my lips with broader tongue, felt teeth meant not for eating meat. "Did it work?" The little unicorn nodded, a smile upon her face as she held up a mirror. A teal-coated, brown-maned unicorn stared back at me with hazel eyes. "All right!" I crowed. Eagerly, I kicked the sheets from my body--a gasp escaping me as I realized I could! "I... I can walk again; I don't believe it!" Hopping out of bed, I walked about to test my new body, first walking, then trotting and finally breaking into a short gallop as I realized the constant pain I'd always felt from the cancer ravaging me was gone! "Wow, you thought of everything, didn't you; all the instincts - the "how-to manual" as it were - is already in here; no need for foal steps! You're a genius, Twi!"

She blushed as I proceeded to inhale a deep breath of air with my new lungs. Then, I tested my memory, reviewing who I was and finding that nothing had changed. 'Heh, silly so-called TCB Authors don't know what they're on about. No mind alteration what so ever. I sure don't feel like a mindless Zombie...' I thought, grinning. Proceeding further with the memory test, I gazed solemnly at the ponies, and darkly chanted, "Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form INTO MUMM-RA... THE EVER... LIVING!" complete with a laugh that put Nightmare Moon's to shame! Twilight's fur stood on-end, poor Rarity shuddered and Fluttershy shivered with fear--but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie were rolling on the floor laughing, the only ponies to 'get' the reference due to their love of human cartoons.

A while later - once said reference had been explained - I softly sang, "I just got back from the Border... and what I saw made me know for sure we're out of order. I had a dream about New Orleans. Jackson Square I heard a prayer down in New Orleans..." With only my voice and hooves to tap the beat, I soon had those ponies rocking; then afterwards I sung a different song... "I was sittin' down havin' me lunch today when a strange sight caught me eye. A dirty big blowy was hitchin' a ride on the back of another fly..." By the time that song was done, five of the mane six were mortified whilst Applejack was on the floor laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath!

When at last all were able to regain their composure, I nuzzled Twilight with my new muzzle, softly touched noses with her and said, "Thank you for my life, Twilight Sparkle."

Blinking furiously, swallowing a sudden lump in her throat, the little mare nodded. "Y-You're welcome," she whispered, blushing a little. Then she straightened and said, "You'll have a home when you return to Equestria with us - as will all new converted pony citizens - but have you decided where you'd like to work?"

Immediately, I nodded. "On Applejack's Farm, I think - Sweet Apple Acres - that is, if she'll have me."

No sooner had I spoken then the palomino earth pony mare tipped her hat and nodded. "Sure thing, Sugar Cube. Now come on; what are we waiting for? Let's go home..." And with those words, we all turned and trotted from the Conversion Bureau, heading towards the nearest transit station.

Author's Note

Conversion Bureau without the muck, angst, and misanthropy. Enough said.

130. Khassar de Templari

When Celestia had received the letter from a frantic Twilight Sparkle - that a dragon and a mysterious minotaur-like being had taken over the small hamlet of Tacktown - at first, the mare had been terrified. Dragons were greedy, troublesome beasts, and Tacktown itself was quite poor, the villagers having struggled through many a harsh winter there due to poor soil for growing crops and medicinal herbs. What could the foul beast and its mysterious ally possibly want with such a small, poor place. Sick with a combination of worry and terror, the Princess of the Sun donned her ancient battle armor, summoned a thousand of her finest Royal Guard, and called together Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony; wanting to rout the dragon and its mysterious ally swiftly, she pulled out all the stops. Then, with a mass-transport spell, she took all to Tacktown, fully prepared for anything... Except for what she actually found there.

She'd expected to see a Hamlet struggling to meet the demands of a cruel lord, the faces of its ponies wrought with suffering. What she actually saw, however... were happy ponies, tending fields and gardens green with life and the largest, most bountiful crops she'd ever seen. She'd expected to see shabby buildings of poor construction, now burned and hear the weeping of distraught ponies as the dragon rent their flesh. What she actually saw, however... were her ponies and the ape-like being directing the dragon as it carefully lifted a load of roof beams with its mighty jaws, assisted by ponies via a complex system of pulleys and ropes; once raised high enough there was a great cheer as construction pegasi lightened the dragon's load and began to assemble them fast assisted by golden-metal machines she'd never seen before in her life! Beyond that she could see other, already assembled buildings, clean, sturdy and strong; many were made of thick, solid wood and thatch whilst others were made of a strange though beautiful golden metal.

The center of the town, once a horrible muck-pit - part swamp, part dangerous sinkhole - was now filled in; a proper town square. Within it, wooden market stalls and a community garden shared space--but the thing that was at the very center of the square made her jaw drop. Hovering in the air - without magic assistance - roughly six meters above the ground, was some kind of giant crystal. Just with her sight, the Sun Princess judged that it measured sixty-one meters tall, had a twenty five meter radius... and weighed almost six-hundred tons! Wrapped around the circumference of the central part of the crystal was an enormous band made of what she thought was pure gold! The crystal glowed with cyan light so brilliant that it made a visible radius on the ground; within its aura, pony elders rested and foals played whilst adults watched or slept deeply, bathed within the great crystal's light.

Celestia could feel no malevolence from it; in fact, as they moved closer to it, several of her guards couldn't help letting out sighs of relief--and she herself felt some tension within ease; the mysterious light from the crystal seemed to be rejuvenating her. Upon moving closer still, at last she caught sight of the mysterious minotaur-like being--and her breath froze in her throat with disbelief. She'd expected to see a foul monster treating her ponies like slaves as he demanded tribute. Instead... Dark brown hair, done up in a peculiar braid, framed a kind, though time-weathered face with hazel eyes, a very small nose and lips drawn up in a smile. Hands with five fingers - attached to pink-skinned arms, dusted with a light coating of fur - gently cradled a sleeping filly against his body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor.

Together, he and Tacktown's elderly unicorn Mayor strolled through the town - the mayor easily keeping up with him despite his age, some kind of golden slate floating before him as he jotted notes with an oddly shaped quill - as pony and alien discussed a wide range of topics; it was clear both were performing an inspection of Tacktown or perhaps discussing plans for expansion. Celestia heard snippets of talk about irrigation, crop rotation, plans for buildings to be built, plans for buildings to come down... it was dizzying and went near over her head! Soon however, Mayor Hearth Stone and the minotaur-like being noticed her. Hearth Stone gasped softly and slowly bowed, whilst his new friend, the alien, strode up to her and her retinue. Very carefully, so as not to dislodge the filly sleeping in the crook of his arm, he gave her a slight bow, then held out a hand to her in greeting as he softly intoned, "Khassar de Templari. I am David Boucher.

"As an Ambassador for the Protoss Conclave - an organization of the six elders who represent all of the protoss inhabitants of the planet Aiur - I bring greetings on behalf of the people of our planet. We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship, to teach if we are called upon, to be taught if we are fortunate. We know full well that our planet and all its inhabitants are but a small part of the immense universe that surrounds us and it is with humility and hope that we take this step--beginning with your world, Equus, and its people. En Taro Adun." As Mayor Hearth Stone rose to his hooves, Celestia sent away her armor and then - feeling somewhat overwhelmed, her eyes misting with tears - she moved forward to shake his hand and nuzzle him. It was an historic occasion that day as First Contact was made; a bemused dragon looked on as a sorrowful Twilight Sparkle apologized--and then began prancing, recording everything with magical occularum and dictating quill as she realized what was happening.

The dragon - dragoness, as it turned out - was named Ieesha, and she was as far removed from 'cruel' dragons as a dragon could get. She was, instead, a "gentle giant" - humble, and amazingly kind instead of arrogant and haughty like the beasts Celestia had known. Indeed, once it was revealed to her that the white alicorn mare was royalty, Ieesha's eyes widened visibly; then the golden-bronze dragoness performed a kneeling bow so deep that her forehead touched the ground--and then, a moment later Celestia struggled to contain raucous laughter as the poor dragon was charged and 'pony-piled' by a herd of foals. The alicorn mare finally lost it as Ieesha gave her a humorous look of long-suffering, then groaned theatrically and 'fell' to the ground on her side. When they'd 'brought her down' the foals all cheered--and then proceeded to climb all over her as Celestia looked on, her jaw dropped, stunned by what she was witnessing! "She loves children of all kinds," David said as he looked on, bemused. "We can't have children of our own, thus, 'all the worlds' are hers..."

131. A Thousand Foals...

I adored foals.

Not to the point of being what one called a Foalophile, but I still adored them.

I loved watching them all play outside the Weyr, landed at the outskirts of Ponyville; loved petting them and giving them hugs; liked listening to and helping them with any of life's problems they might have, from homework to clashes with the local school bullies.

To the orphaned, the sick, the lonely and the destitute Foals of Ponyville, I was the father they never had, who lived in a pyramid of wonders.

Other ponies, however, didn't see it that way. Certain adults started to spread awful rumors about the strange bipedal human who spent far too much time with their foals; rumors that started out small but soon became wild exaggerations.

Eventually, the rumors reached the ear of Princess Luna - the pony who, ironically, I thought of as 'best princess' - and thus she decided to see for herself what the fuss was all about.

She didn't announce her presence; she just teleported right into the Master Suite. This was allowed only because the Weyr was undergoing maintenance that day and hence many security systems were offline for checks.

She espied me naked, sleeping deeply, utterly covered with foals, our bodies all drenched with sweat. She didn't realize that I wore underwear, nor did she care that it was hot in the Weyr, due to a small glitch within the internal climate control systems; said systems having been shut down for repair.

What Luna saw confirmed - in her mind - that the rumors she'd heard were true. Shortly thereafter...

One moment I was in the Weyr sleeping with the foals; the next I was in Canterlot, before the Two Sisters and the Element Bearers as - "THOU FILTHY FOALOPHILE!" - Princess Luna startled me awake with the Royal Canterlot Voice--just before her hooves came down atop me.

As all looked on in horror, the Night Princess trampled me until I vomited blood; then she stomped on me some more. Before she could cave my head in and end my life, however... Suddenly, a great Warp Vortex opened before her; a swirling cyan-lit rift that tore the very fabric of space and time asunder! Then, horror and awe gripped Luna as through the rift they came...

Sweetie Belle. Apple Bloom. Scootaloo. Pipsqueak. Babs Seed. Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon. Pound Cake. Pumpkin Cake. Rumble. Coronet. Cotton Cloudy...

Foals. All Foals.

When they were a thousand strong, the Warp Vortex closed. Then - guided by the Weyrmind, through the Neural Transceivers embedded in their spines - the Foals turned thought to action. Magic from unicorn horns enhanced with Bio-System Magical Amplifiers crushed the Royal Guard, scattered the Elements and disabled the two Princesses; then all were entrapped by a magical barrier.

Pegasus and Earth Pony Foals lifted me gently as yet more Unicorn Foals healed my wounds; then once I was fully healed though still unconscious - as an entity unto themselves - the Foal Collective spoke.

"WHY DID YOU DO THIS?" the Collective asked, their Voice stunning her to silence.

Eventually, Luna stuttered, "W-We heard r-rumors..."

"FALSE RUMORS. LIES SPREAD BY LYING STALLIONS AND LYING MARES. TOUCH OUR FATHER AGAIN... AND YOU WILL BELONG TO US. YOU SHALL BE LIKE US. WEYR'S GIFT IS THE SECOND LIFE. WEYR'S CURSE IS THE SECOND DEATH. PRAY YOU DO NOT SUFFER IT."

And with that, the Legion of One Thousand Foals carried their father back through the Warp Vortex unto their Home... leaving behind a whole lot of utterly terrified adult ponies - including one Princess of the Night who'd wet herself in fear.

132. Lily

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no you or me, so intimate that your hoof upon my chest is my hoof, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close. Get well soon, Lily, my little one."

When Roseluck read the note - and saw the vase of flowers sitting upon the table in the kitchen of their home - she was furious! When David came home that night, after work - assisting Cheerilee with teaching foals at Ponyville Elementary - angrily, the mare with the rose cutie mark confronted him. "What is this?" she snarled, angrily. "WHAT IS THIS? After all the years we've been together... you're seeing another mare? You... you damn cowardly, dishonorable SWINE! Who is she? WHO IS LILY?" Enraged, as David looked on, she tried to do the things a furiously angry woman would do; she smashed their plates - but David simply repaired them with his power and returned them to their place - and then she tried throwing things at him - but anything she threw was caught and simply returned to its place.

At last, a resigned sigh escaping him - "LET GO OF ME!" - David picked Roseluck up and then hauled her struggling form over his shoulder with effortless strength! She screamed, she kicked, she struggled, she hollered... but it was futile; she could do nothing as her human love carried her out of their house, through Ponyville to... "Gentle Sun's Foal Hospital?" Roseluck read the well maintained sign. "What are we doing here? Is this where Lily works? A nurse, I'll bet. Why bring me here?" David glared at her, his gaze near murderous--but only for a moment; the human snorted, shook his head and then hauled the recalcitrant adult mare inside. After checking in at Reception as a visitor - and checking Roseluck in as well - David bade her follow--and when she didn't, a swift smack on the rump got her moving! At last, wincing in pain, Roseluck was dragged hooves first into Room 601-A where at last she was able to confront the mysterious LIly.

A softened gasp escaped Roseluck, then, as the poor mare near-wilted with shame. Never had she felt so low; so like utter scum. David had been seeing another mare, but not an adult. A foal. A poor foal, slowly, inexorably dying of Leukemia. Her coat was pale yellow, but her mane color couldn't be determined because - to Roseluck's horror - it wasn't there; it had fallen out as a result of the radiation used to try to fight the horrific cancer of the blood. David was already at little Lily's bedside, coaxing the foal awake with petting, caressing, tickling. Weakened eyes opened--but then, upon seeing him, the little one perked right up! "You... you came!" Lily rasped. "Just like you promised!" David nodded and then, "Who's this?" Lily asked bluntly. David placed the images of a rose followed by a 'lucky' horseshoe in her mind, and almost immediately, the little filly chirped, "Roseluck?"

Said mare nodded. "Yes," she said, "I... I'm Roseluck."

Lily's expression brightened. "Y-You..." the little one coughed weakly; then after David had her sip from a glass of water, she began again. "You're my new mommy..."

Roseluck, blinking back tears, struggling not to cry, softly stated, "Y-Yes. Yes. Yes, I'm your Mommy..."

Lily looked to David, her adoptive Papa. "C-Can... can you take me home, please, Papa. I... I want to go home..."

David stood, looked around the sterile white room. This will not be the last place she sees. She will not go here... he thought, and thus the decision was made. Despite the protests of Doctors and Nurses, David and Roseluck walked out of that hospital. They were stopped at Reception--but David, sadly knew. He held up seven fingers... and whatever the receptionist was going to say died in her throat. "I... I understand. An expedited adoption later... and for seven wonderful weeks, Lily was the happiest foal in the world, David and Roseluck her wonderful parents. Whatever Lily wanted, she got. Anything she wanted to do, the little family did it. For seven wonderful weeks, David and Roseluck were Lily's world and she was theirs.

But then came the beginning of the eighth week. Roseluck woke that night to find her side of the bed empty; realization dawned and she raced to Lily's room--to find her in David's arms, the human petting, caressing, rocking, whispering so softly that only the foal could hear... but she would never hear. Never again. Horror and sadness gripped Roseluck's guts, robbed her of ability to breathe, as she watched David walk aimlessly about the room with Lily in his arms.

The Dam knows.

And Roseluck knew.

Poor little Lily... was dead.

Her foal - whom she'd barely known yet adored with all she was - was dead. Roseluck gasped, choked, retched bile... and then when David sat down upon the floor, Roseluck embraced the human's weeping, trembling form, nuzzling and nosing gently at her foal as David stroked petted caressed Lily to no avail. As she allowed her tears to fall, Roseluck - Dam of Lily - whinnied her grief, long and loud. In Ponyville and Canterlot, mares held their foals close as a dark alicorn stumbled into her sister's room, weeping; then was caught in an embrace before both went abed, clutching each other tightly. Because they knew. All Ponies knew. When at last, all was said and done, David and Roseluck stood at the small grave beside their cottage. The plain, unadorned headstone read:

Lily

Bravest of Fillies. Brightest of Stars.

Author's Note

133. "Oh, no..."

One moment I was sitting in front of my Computer preparing to play The Evil Within; the next moment I was...

Was...

Where was I?

Groaning softly, I cracked open grit-filled eyes, coughed, then shakily tried to get to my... to my...

My...

Hooves?

'Wat?' thought I.

I blink-blinked.

Then blink-blinked again.

'Ah... No,' thought I. 'I did not just see what I thought I saw...'

Inhaling, I sl-o-o-o-owly looked down... to see...

'Yep. Them's hooves, all right...'

Attached to long slender legs bearing neatly trimmed fetlocks.

'Oh... kay...' thought I. Inhaling a softened breath, I sl-o-o-o-owly reached a very, very dextrous hoof up to touch my forehead... and then creeping dread was replaced by slowly dawning horror when I felt it protruding from said forehead. I... I had a...

Horn.

I had a horn protruding from my forehead! I had a horn protruding from my forehead! I... I was... I was a

"Unicorn," I breathed. Then... "Oh. Fuck."

I blink-blinked... then sl-o-o-o-owly returned my attention forward again. 'I did not have that this morning' I stated internally. 'I did not have that this morning. I was a pink-skinned, bipedal human this morning; I distinctly remember that I was not a... not a... a...'

Unicorn Pony.

'But who am I?' I thought. I examined myself, then - finding myself to be a light grey-coated stallion with mane of amber - but upon seeing my cutie mark of a compass rose, my expression wilted. Blueblood. I had awakened as Prince Blueblood.

"Oh, no..." I breathed softly, my eyes misting with tears. "Oh, no..."

134. Aiur

When Twilight and the Elements entered the Hive Throne Room, they beheld the sight of a human man covered by Changelings – specifically, Queen Chrysalis and her six Daughters – and that was all Shining Armor needed to shout, "What… What in Tartarus is this?! What in Equestria is going on here?" Set behind him, Queen Chrysalis purred and nuzzled the human gently, whilst two of her Daughters cuddled against his sides, two more covered his lap and the final two rested at his feet, nuzzling and licking even as Drones gently tended to them.

"This," David stated as he cuddled, rubbed, and petted the company he kept, "is obvious: I have become Queen Chrysalis' King, and I am helping the Changelings to 'come out of the shadows' as it were and grow as a race. Did you not see the great City outside, or did you just teleport yourselves directly here, into our hive?" An embarrassed shuffling of hooves followed his question and so – with a rolling of the eyes and a long suffering sigh directed to his beau in back – David moved to stand, gently coaxing his beloved's daughters to move.

Much grumbling and adorable pouting followed but at last, David stood—and then all the ponies in the room blushed as they realized the odd human was completely naked… but not for long; no sooner had he stood than out of the shadowy darkness a swarm of Changeling Nymphs flew, landing upon him and covering him completely such that the human looked like he was clad in living armor. If one thought about it, he was. Now clad in his living clothing, the so-called King of the Changeling Hive bade the ponies follow. All complied.

Twilight Sparkle, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence emerged from the Great Hive into the very heart of an enormous city. Everywhere, buildings of golden-bronze metal or towering crystal mixed and matched and joined and separated with changeling hive-buildings scattered everywhere in between. High above, Desert Pegasi and Sandclad Gryphons talked and gossiped or went hither and thither to wherever they were going, whilst still others assisted with moving clouds about, directing them to wherever they were needed.

Twilight gasped as she espied still more working on maintaining what appeared to be a titanic railway in the sky which interconnected all of the buildings. On the ground were even more wonders. Neatly groomed and uniformed Diamond Dog Guardians along with their airborne Gryphon Compatriots kept careful watch throughout the City, assisting the Mind of the Great Pyramid at its heart.

They walked, and David showed the Ponies his Kingdom. Pony Foals, Changeling Nymphs, Gryphon Chicks and Diamond Dog Pups ran, played and swam in parks; merchants sold wondrous food and other wares in shops and on street corners; elders and parents rested in the auras of the towering Pylons that powered it all… and the machines were everywhere. Twilight espied Probes and Observers racing about from place to place, zipping this way and that as they went about their business. Outside the City, mighty Reavers assisted the City Guard to defend against threats from the Uncivilized Desert; the Badlands.

Shining Armor was, of course, suspicious – waiting for the other hoof to drop – but Cadence and Twilight were enthralled by the City and its wonders; the pink alicorn having purchased various items of jewellery and other sundries from various vendors whilst the youngest alicorn Princess was dictating notes into her brand new Weyrtech Tablet as fast as she could move her stylus. Suddenly, Princess Cadence whooped with joy as she espied an Earth Pony nuzzling a Changeling Mare, said mare blushing green as the pony pecked her gently on the cheek, his companions letting out a cheer.

"Welcome," David softly intoned, "to Aiur, the Changeling City, the shining Jewel of the Desert. Welcome… to our Home."

136. To Serve

As she had done countless times, Celestia sought him out, and found him again. This time, he was working as a Doctor in the Hospital in Ponyville. "Why," asked she, as she watched him carefully set the leg-bones of a young colt, "will you not come back with me to the Palace? Why will you not help me guide my Little Ponies? You are an Alicorn; you should be a Prince, or a King!" As he had done countless times, the teal-coated, brown-maned, hazel-eyed alicorn stallion - after finishing his current task - turned to face the Solar Princess, his muzzle turned up in a smile yet his eyes filled with soul-deep sadness. The look he gave her - as if he was going to do, was doing, had done all of this before - chilled her to her core yet made her eyes moisten with tears. He was so disappointed. She didn't understand him; she never would.

Inhaling a softened breath - his tone infinitely caring, infinitely gentle - the male stated, "'The alicorn exists to serve Ponies, never to rule over them. Thus spoke the Prophet Faust, as she cast down the Houyhnhnm Imperium'. You have your life, Celestia, and I have mine. I'm no alicorn king; just a unicorn with wings. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my work. Good day to you." And then... the big male just... dismissed her - as if she wasn't even there - as he turned to talk to one of the nurses in regards to the colt's condition; after than he walked away, presumably to see and tend to other patients. No sooner had he left then Celestia's expression crumpled; she sniffled and whimpered softly, eyes misting with tears, before she teleported herself away.

Once she was gone, Nurse Redheart - having followed the male as he walked away - turned to stare at the spot where Celestia had been but moments before; than she turned to the alicorn stallion, a frown upon her muzzle as she stated, "She loves you, you know." The teal alicorn nodded with saddened expression as he softly replied, "I know... but Celestia needs to learn that it is not another alicorn who can make her happy; she can find love again amongst her mortal kin. I should know; I have..." And with those words, the Prince gently nuzzled his mare, Redheart giggling softly as she leaned into his touch. Later that evening - when alicorn and mortal mare were at their humble home - Redheart asked, "Is it true - what you always say - that alicorns shouldn't rule over ponies?"

At her question, the Prince looked at her, his gaze solemn. "It is," he softly intoned. At his words, Redheart's expression brightened, for he was about to tell one of his stories that she loved so much. "Long ago," the Prince began, "when the world was young and you were not yet born, the great Empire of the Alicorns - the Houyhnhnm Imperium - ruled over all. So great was their power - so utterly untouchable were they - that this empire of god-beings kept mortal kind as slaves--until one alicorn mare - named Faust - gave rise to the rebellion that resulted in the Houyhnhnm Imperium being cast down into Tartarus; though not before they unleashed their last "gift" upon the world: Discord, chaos unbound. So great was his power that Discord broke the order of the world, and it would have remained broken were it not for the actions of two young Alicorn mares, alicorns who hadn't heard of the empire of their ancestors.

Celestia and Luna brought down Discord and imprisoned him in stone--but after that was done they didn't return to the shadows; instead they now rule as the Princesses of the Day and Night. They should not." Before Redheart could protest, the Prince continued, "I know, I know, the Princessdom of Equestria is a damn sight better than the Houyhnhnm Imperium--but still... it's not right! Mortal Ponies should forge their own paths, without alicorn interference, or "guidance" as Celestia calls it. We alicorns should remain in the shadows, as healers, craftsponies, inventors and tinkerers..." A breathy snort escaped the Prince than, as he lapsed into brooding silence. Redheart moved around behind him and softy began to massage his tense back and shoulder muscles as he gazed into the flickering flames of their fireplace.

137. Living Stone

She had cried, she had screamed, she had begged and pleaded... but it was for naught; poor Fluttershy could only look on as Princess Celestia's Royal Guardsponies forced the human to kneel on the platform in the garden, the place where his sentence would be carried out.

Where the human - where her David - would be turned to Living Stone, simply because he possessed no magic; because Luna couldn't see into his dreams; because her sister Celestia was paranoid and thought him evil.

David was not evil. Fluttershy knew this. Her friends refused to know this. Celestia didn't want to know this. Fear led to anger, anger to hate.

David had helped the Ponies of Equestria in small ways. He'd helped the foals and the elderly. He'd worked odd jobs. He'd put ponies up for the night in the extension of the cottage when they'd had no place to stay.

In the cottage. The place where Fluttershy had lived alone save for her animals had become a home; she and he had made it so when they'd adopted Scootaloo, when they'd helped and semi-sort of-unoficially-maybe-kind of adopted Trixie, when that sick Breezy had crashed through a window, when the Ursa Minor had come back, and so on, and so on, and so on...

It was empty and ruined now. The former occupants were here, David kneeling, facing his beloved Fluttershy, Trixie and Scootaloo - facing everypony as Celestia looked on, her face solemn as she at last cast the spell of Living Stone. But then - "FLUTTERSHY!" - it all went wrong as the butter-yellow pink-maned pegasus who loved him so much followed him. Rainbow Dash was fast, and might have saved her if Trixie hadn't blasted her from the sky as she made her way onto the platform to join them. No sooner had this happened then two voices cried out - "SCOOTALOO, NO!" - as the little orange-furred purple-maned pegasus filly leaped into her papa's arms, David moving to stand and cradle her as the Living Stone raced up his back.

The spell was ancient, and Celestia couldn't stop it mid-cast. It was far, far too late...

* * *

"Of all the statues in the Royal Garden, perhaps the most amazing statue therein is The Family. On the right, a unicorn mare wearing flamboyant hat and cape stares ahead with a defiant sneer. She leans gently against the figure of a human man, cradling a pegasus filly in his arms. At his left side, a long-maned pegasus mare stands, a wing wrapped about his body. Her expression is one of happiness yet one can see the deepest sadness in her eyes. Princess Celestia has remained tight-lipped about this statue, and not even Princess Twilight Sparkle will speak of it. Broaching 'The Family' in conversation brings about a haunted expression upon the young alicorn's face. What we do know is that - since the statue appeared - the young Princess and her Mentor have had a serious falling out and refuse to speak to one another."

--excerpt from "Canterlot Times", Issue 47.

138. Because HUMANITY, YEAH!

Timberwolf

As the Mane Six watched on in horror, the snarling Timberwolf charged at the human, preparing to tear him to shreds... but then, the wooden animal got a funny look on its face... before it skidded to a stop, then approached the human, acting very submissive. As the Timberwolf sidled up to the human and then sat down, the man crouched to scratch behind the animal's wooden ears. "Good boy," he said softly as the wolf panted softly with pleasure. "Good boy."

Manticore

Fluttershy cried out in fear as the heavily scarred Manticore leaped out of the shadows... but then her cry petered off as the huge animal tackled the man to the ground and started to lick and nuzzle the human; as if the animal were greeting a long lost friend, or a brother. No sooner had the Manticore done this however than the tables were turned as the human gently wrestled the beast onto its belly. The Manticore tried to 'fight' its way free of the humans hold, as if it were all some big game, but then the beast 'gave in', purr-rumbling with bliss as the human started to pet and scritch his belly.

Changelings

As the insectoid pony in the humans lap - blissed from what the human was doing to her with his hands - chittered and purred with pleasure - the three other drones with him pouted; when would they get a turn. The teenage nymph in the humans lap currently just didn't give a damn whatsoever; she just wriggled gently, moving this way and that way so that she might feel his touch all over as the man petted and rubbed and massaged her...

Kesuke Miyagi

"Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off..." Mr. Miyagi drilled Scootaloo relentlessly, over and over again but she didn't care. The human was punishing her. Why? "You should no have provoke fight with Diamond Tiara. That is not the way of Harmony. That is not how you use Miyagi-do Karate."

At this, Scootaloo - despite her Master's instruction - stopped and turned to face Miyagi-Sensei, her eyes moist with tears. "I know, Master, but... but..." She moved to hug the elderly man who had taught her so much; who had become the Father she's never had. "... I just get so tired of her and Silver Spoon bullying me and my friends all the time."

The poor filly burst into tears, then, and Miyagi rocked her, holding her gently as she cried. "I know," he said softly, warmly. "But Scoot-a-loo, there are other ways to fight her, without violence; without Miyagi-do. Miyagi-do should only be used to defend life; never to attack. Now..." and here, he released her, pushing her to arm's length--becoming Miyagi-Sensei again. "When we finish here, what will you do?" he asked gentle but firm.

The orange purple-maned filly straightened. "I will formally apologize to Diamond Tiara for my actions; then to Filthy Rich for dishonoring him by attacking her, to repair the wa of their House, Miyagi-Sensei," she said, formally. At this, Kesuke Miyagi smiled. "Good," he said. "Now... wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off..."

Chrysalis

It was hopeless; no matter where the mane six turned, the changelings were everywhere, ravaging the city of Canterlot and stealing love. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and poor Fluttershy were utterly outnumbered. They were done for--or were they? Suddenly, as the changeling army made to continue their advance, the myriad Drones, Soldiers, Praetorians and great Behemoths began to collapse, expressions of sheer bliss on their faces as they went down. Intrigued, the mane six made their way to the Royal Palace of Canterlot where, upon arriving at the throne room, they beheld a most amusing sight.

Upon the throne normally occupied by Princess Luna sat David, the odd though friendly human High Templar who had helped Equestria so many times in the past; stretched out in his lap, Queen Chrysalis lay, gently tap-tapping his thigh as he petted her gently and scratched her behind the ears. "Oh," the Queen purred, blissfully, "more, please... more..." She moaned softly, then, and - as a bemused Princess Celestia and Luna looked on - happily, he obliged her.

David buried his hands in her mane, he scratched her behind the ears, roamed his hands over and under her delicate wings and generally petted and caressed any of her sensitive places that weren't covered with hard chitin. As the Queen slumped bonelessly in his lap, eyes closed, smiling gently, the human softly intoned, "Leave her to me, okay? I don't think you'll have any more trouble with her, or her hive." Celestia nodded, swallowing thickly as Queen Chrysalis brazenly rolled onto her back, baring her underbelly. Luna, meanwhile, was giving the Queen a severe eyeball as she pouted jealously.

The Man In The Chair

Twilight first met the man when she came down into the Library to do some research that morning. At first, she was startled - who is this man? Why is he here? - but her natural curiosity won out over any other feelings she might have had about the stranger in her Library. Slowly, cautiously, she approached him. "Hello," she said softly, "my name is Twilight Sparkle. May I ask who you are?" Then, there was silence in the Library - not a sound save for the world moving around her and the man - and Twilight became concerned. The man hadn't reacted to her query at all... and upon further examination, she found that he wasn't physically moving at all, save for a few twitches from his facial muscles. The chair in which he sat, and the clothes he wore upon his body, made him appear very small.

His chair, Twilight noted, seemed to be a highly sophisticated piece of technology, certainly far more advanced than anything she'd ever seen in Equestria. Suddenly, in the silence, she heard it. Click.Click. Click. Click.Click. Click. The little pony's eyes dropped to the man's lap; there she espied some kind of small boxlike device held in one of his hands, which he was depressing repeatedly with two of his fingers, making the clicking sound. A few moments later, Twilight's eyes widened as a strange mechanical voice came from the man--no, from his chair. "Hello, Twilight. My name is Stephen Hawking."

And thus began the meeting between one of Earth's scientific greats, and the Student of Princess Celestia. Both learned of each other's lives... but when Stephen Hawking told her about his Motor Neuron Disease - of how his body had slowly, gradually failed, leaving him crippled and confined to his special chair - poor Twilight's eyes misted over with tears... and then, suddenly, she was moving - head forward, gaze seeking, nose questing, nudging gently underneath his other hand, snuffling into his trousers as she wept softly with sympathy. Click.Click. Click. Click.Click. Click... she heard again and then, a moment later, "Please, don't cry for me, Twilight," Stephen stated through the system in his chair that allowed him to speak. "I came to terms with this a long time ago. Everything will be all right." His words, gentle though they were, only made her cry harder.

Author's Note

InHere4 MANKIND! InHereCoz MANKIND is AWESOME! InHereCoz FUCK YEEEEAH!

139. Faust...

There in her room, a white alicorn with fiery red hair and beautiful blue eyes stood before Celestia, a crown of golden laurels and a dainty little necklace adorning her ivory form, her hooves clad in little hoof-gauntlets. Poor Celestia... was terrified. This female alicorn - whoever she might have been (the Solar Princess swore she knew; she just couldn't remember...) was not only very tall and imposing; her magic was also... also... impossibly strong, surpassing her own, so much so that Celestia could feel the power in the air from where she stood.

"Wh-who..." Celestia trembled, suppressing a whimper. "Who are you?" she finally managed to ask.

The red-haired alicorn answered her question, though not in a way Celestia expected. Music began to fill the air as the strange alicorn began to sing, her voice soft; infinitely caring, infinitely gentle... "I am the red in the rose, the flowers on the blankets on your bedroom floor," she began.

"And I am the gray in the ghost that hides
With your clothes behind your closet door.

I am the green in the grass that bends back
From underneath your feet.
And I am the blue in your back alley view
Where the horizon and the rooftops meet.

If you cut me I suppose I would bleed the colors
Of the evening stars.
You can go anywhere you wish
Cause I'll be there, wherever you are.
(Wherever you are)

(I will always be your gaze
When we are lost in the Technicolor phase)

I am the black in the book
The letters on the pages that you memorize.
And I am the orange in the overcast
Of color that you visualize.

I am the white in the walls that soak up
All the sound when you cannot sleep.
And I am the peach in the starfish on the beach
That wish the harbor wasn't quite so deep.

If you cut me I suppose I would bleed the colors
Of the evening stars. (my darling)
You can go anywhere you wish cause I'll be there,
wherever you are.

(Wherever you are...)"

Perhaps it had happened during the song, or maybe after; Celestia didn't know. All she knew was that one moment she'd been cowering away from this mysterious red-haired alicorn--and now she was within her embrace! Better yet, Celestia recognized her, remembered her; that song, her voice... Sheltered, foal-like within the redhead's wings, Celestia struggled to blink back the tears misting her eyes - the tears that just wouldn't stop coming - as she shyly, hesitantly, softly whispered, "M-Mommy...?"

The big alicorn nodded, and then - "M-h-om..." - Celestia was weeping, weeping, weeping softly in her embrace. As she wept, so too did the red-haired alicorn embracing her. Celestia would cuddle normally with her for a while; then she would wedge her muzzle beneath the redhead's chin and weep, silent and uncontrollable for a few minutes; then, without warning, the Solar Princess would nuzzle her furiously; then she just resumed clinging to the redhead - to her Mother, Faust, trembling as though she were dying of cold. "There, there; ssh, ssh, ssh; it's all right little one, Mother's here, Mother's here..." Faust whispered. It was then that another, darker alicorn came out from the shadows, teary-eyed, hesitant, unsure; but room was made by the redhead as she embraced both of her children.

"My babies..." whispered Faust, holding her children gently but firmly that she might never let them go. "Oh, my beautiful, beautiful little fillies; my wonderful baby girls..."

140. One

When my one died - fighting valiantly against the near unstoppable power of Lord Tirek - I was devastated. My one - David by name, High Templar by occupation - fought with Tirek to the death and killed him, though he was mortally wounded. As I lay with him in his final hours, he looked deep into my eyes; hazel met cyan and ama'hi - the immortal connection - was made. In that instant, my mind was filled with his thoughts as he gave me his very essence; he imprinted unto me all of his knowledge, experience and memories; all that he was. With his power - now mine - as my friends looked on, their jaws dropped, I carried him back to ou-- my Weyr; even as I did this the sadness of its mind filled me up; it knew what had happened.

Within, I interred my one in the Ihan Forest, right below the Weyrmind; though not before carefully, gently, removing his possessions. This was not ghoulish; in fact the mind - though saddened further - encouraged it; it was intended, part of a ritual. On went his shendyt - a loincloth-like garment that covered my rump and flanks, the nanocytes impregnated throughout making a hole for my tail. On went my one's golden-bronze psi-steel armor, shifting to become golden-metal barding. Atop the barding, rested my one's robe. Very few modifications were made to this; the nanocytes within simply adapting it for my form and resizing it just enough that I wouldn't trip when moving, though that was all. The robe's bulk and thickness were maintained that I still felt cocooned, wrapped within it... as he had wrapped me up in it when he had held me.

With a touch of my new psionic power, I strapped my beloved's forearm - now foreleg - computer to my body, then set his khaydarin amulet upon my brow, the metal surrounding the shard of khaydarin crystal already adapting to the shape of my head. Finally, the set of triangular earrings he'd always worn painlessly pierced through cellular lines to attach to my ears. I was ready. With a bow so deep that my muzzle touched the floor, I backed away from the golden sarcophagus in which my beloved laid at rest, to stand before the titanic ship, the franken-vessel, the Weyrmind.

"I am your new guide," I stated. "I fear no enemy, for the Khala is my strength! I fear not death, for my strength is eternal!" No sooner had I said this then a cyan beam lanced from the great ship to strike my body, the vessel scanning me inside and out, building a complete map of all that I was; then - "Re Mi Do Do So" - the Weyrmind acknowledged me. A moment later, a gasp escaped me as the great vessel implanted within me the Master Transceiver. David's Master Transceiver... And then the Weyrmind knew me and I knew it; we each knew the other and all that we were.

* * *

I am Guide of the Weyr.

I am a High Templar.

I am a Pony of Equestria.

My name is Fluttershy.

141. Go Home

Some of the ponies carried rotten fruit; others carried placards and signs, words crudely scrawled upon them, "GO HOME!" and "EQUESTRIA IS FOR PONIES!"

Earth Pony, Unicorn and Pegasus; no matter who they were all were furious. "Go home, Go home, Go home, Go home...!" all cried, despite the Sisters' attempts to quell the mob.

Shoulders heavy with defeat, I nodded my head; then as all cheered I slowly turned and walked back into the Dragon Weyr. Shortly thereafter, the mighty Protoss Nexus ascended into the sky, followed by more than a few hurled fruits and bolts of unicorn magic. When at last the reviled pyramid was gone - once Celestia had gone to resume her life - a thoroughly furious Luna turned toward the quietened mob and inhaled a breath.

For a moment there was silence, save for the world that continued to move and live around them--before Luna roared,

"THOU. ART. ALL. IDIOTS!"

Then, overcome with a soul-deep sadness - sniffling, struggling to contain the sobs threatening to burst forth even as her eyes misted with tears - Luna turned and fled into the Palace, to her Quarters. Therein, finally, she wept, wept, wept for the loss of perhaps one of her greatest friends.

* * * *

One year later...

By the combined might of the Minotaurs, Griffons and Changelings, her beloved sister had been slain; even as the enemy pounded upon her doors, Luna watched sadly as the withered husk of her sister was paraded down the main street of her once beautiful city, to demoralize what little was left of her ponies. "It is over; Equestria is no more..." she uttered, softly.

The time had come. Warily, she looked around her room. Within a shielded circle stood she, as well as two of every pony race; two Earth, two Pegasi, two Unicorn, and two Thestral ponies all equipped with saddlebags--ponies who had believed in her, believed in her human friend. "You all know why you're here," Luna spoke bluntly in the modern tongue. "We go to find my friend. We go to find David. Hopefully he... he will be able to help us. This is your last chance to back out."

As the pounding upon the doors of her quarters increased - as the enchanted wood began to crack - nopony said a word. With that - very carefully, as though it were the most fragile thing in existence - Luna gently withdrew from her saddlebags a golden box, and upon seeing it the ponies with her gasped for it was made of psi-steel, the metal of David's wondrous machines. When Luna opened the box - upon seeing what she withdrew from it - all of the ponies stared in wonder and hope.

The object Luna withdrew from the box was a warp beacon! It was a miracle that Luna had it for all the ponies with her had thought that all of David's technology had been retrieved by him. The beacon - resembling a tiny, old fashioned kerosine lantern attached to a sterling silver chain - glowed softly with brilliant cyan light, a shard of the power of the Dragon Weyr contained within. Gathering what remained of her ponies close, the former Princess of the Equestrian Night carefully slipped the Warp Beacon over her head such that the lantern rested against her chest.

Luna bowed her head in prayer to Faust, to Adun. Then, softly, she recited, "Adun protect us. Khala guide us. Weyr shelter us. Take us home." At first, nothing happened and Luna despaired--but then, a muted cry of happiness escaped her as from the Warp Beacon there came the familiar tones of the five note sequence she knew so well - "Re Mi Do Do So" - as the Warp Beacon began to glow, brighter, and brighter... before Luna and her ponies vanished in a blaze of cyan light--just as the leaders of the Triumvirate smashed their way into the room.

The Griffin, Changeling, and Minotaur Queens howled with anger; they were a moment too late and all could do nothing except watch as a cluster of cyan stars ascended into the sky, before vanishing altogether. Luna's final, desperate plan had succeeded; she and her ponies were on their way to their new home in the stars.

142. Tiara

As Diamond Tiara prepared to hurl her next insult at Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, that was when I stepped in. Scooping Diamond up off the ground - as she struggled and writhed in my arms - I formed a cradle and started to pet the pink Earth Pony filly, ruffling her mane, gently scratching her behind the ears. She resisted of course - all ponies did at first, finding it a little weird that humans did this - but then... Diamond Tiara gradually slumped in my arms, cuddling into me, humming gently as I petted and ruffled her mane. "Mmmh..." she moaned disinterestedly, "... go away blank flanks..."

At that, I tapped her gently on the nose with a finger. "What do we say?" I prompted. Diamond Tiara growled cutely, but I amped up the petting, stroking her mane and scratching her behind the ears harder until she gasped softly and then groaned... "What do we say?" I asked again. "Suh... ss-horrry..." she slurred, practically purring in my arms. As the so-called Cutie Mark Crusaders giggled before turning to walk away, I called to them, "Hey!" When the three turned back to me, I continued, "If she gives you any trouble in the future, let me know, okay?"

They nodded and then ran off to resume their play. Once they were gone, I set a blissfully happy Diamond Tiara on the ground, and watched as she half-walked, half-stumbled off. Over the next several weeks, Diamond Tiara's bullying of the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually got worse, requiring me to calm her through petting each time to avoid an incident. Gradually, I began to cotton on to the fact that she was actually doing it deliberately so that she could experience being petted more and more... Things came to a head on one particularly warm summer night. I'd just settled down to bed with a cup of warm Milo and a favorite book when I became aware of soft hoof-knocking at my cottage door.

Living on the outskirts of Ponyville, though not as close to the Everfree as Fluttershy, I didn't get many visitors - something I preferred as I wasn't a huge fan of crowds - so the sound surprised me. Setting my drink and book down upon the nightstand beside my bed, I went to my front door and opened it carefully. No one appeared to be outside--but then, I felt the gentle tugging of a hoof upon the leg of my pajama pants. I looked down--and then I just blinked for a moment, in shock. There before me stood none other than Diamond Tiara, a slightly worn and frayed though well-cared-for blanket upon her back, and a plush of Shining Armor clutched in one of her forelegs. "Diamond?" I uttered softly. "What are you doing here, sweetie?"

She didn't answer; instead, she just looked up at me with those pony eyes... those damn adorable pony eyes I just couldn't resist. It was half-past eleven at night - far too late to get her back home now - and seeing no other option... "Oh, alright; you can stay with me tonight. I'll speak to your Dad about this in the morning, though. Come on in..." I said. Diamond Tiara didn't hesitate; with blanket on her back and plush in her hoof she smiled - genuinely smiled - up at me as she entered my house and headed for my bedroom. As she did so I made my way into the kitchen and prepared another warm Milo for her. Upon returning to my bedroom - after setting her drink down upon the nightstand next to mine, I settled back into bed and then, leaning down to where little Diamond Tiara stood, I picked her up and brought her - blanket, plush, and all - into bed with me.

As she settled down - her blanket and my duvet wrapped about and covering her - holding her plush and sipping her Milo, I soothingly stroked her mane and soft, silky coat. Soon, she finished her drink and then - after carefully setting her empty cup down on my nightstand - she just looked at me for a moment, staring through me at something, or someone far away. A moment later, however, my heart broke as her expression crumpled. "D-Dh-Daddy..." she stuttered--and then her body shook as she started to cry. These tears she shed weren't the crocodile tears she often used to get out of trouble or to elicit false sympathy; no, these were absolutely, heartrendingly genuine, her cries coming from deep within, from a foal lost and abandoned.

Drawing her into my arms, I rocked her gently and petted her, soothingly stroking her mane and coat. Rather than soothe her, however, this seemed to make her cry even harder. Diamond would cuddle normally with me for a while; then she would wedge her pink muzzle beneath my chin and wail uncontrollably for a few minutes; then, without warning, she would nuzzle me furiously; then she just resumed clinging to me, trembling as though she were dying of cold. Through her tears, words spilled from her lips, heart wrenching and uncontrollable. Oh, the things that poor foal told me...

Of a cruel Mother who desired that she climb the social ladders to become somepony she didn't ever want to be. An absentee-father, lost in work unending; anything to feed his wife's unending greed. Isolation. Loneliness, aside from an aged butler. Being ostracized for having a rich Father, by foals who thought her spoiled when... she really wasn't. Silver Spoon... who wasn't actually her friend; the silver filly hung with her merely because she thought Diamond was 'the popular one.' The fact that Diamond didn't bully the Cutie Mark Crusaders because she hated them; instead she envied them, for they all had parents and friends who loved them.. Sweetie Belle had her sister. Despite claims to the contrary, Scootaloo did indeed have parents, even if they were a bit scatterbrained and away more often than not, carefully monitoring Equestria's clime. Even Apple Bloom had once had parents. Diamond desperately wanted to befriend them, yet the part of her psyche deeply hurt from being ostracized - the part that demanded she be tough; that said she didn't need anyone - wouldn't let her find the right words to say...

Diamond did have parents... But with a Mother who cared only for climbing the social ladder, a Father who cared more for his work than his own daughter, and a family servant whom was only growing older, the poor foal might as well have had none. With the last word fading away on the wind, the poor foal was wrung out; she was done. Gently, I wiped away her tears with my fingers then tucked her into the crook of my arm. "L-Luh-Love you... Daddy..." she whispered as she settled, drifting off to sleep. I watched her for a time - my heart aching with sympathy - as she slept; the sleep of the uneasy, her body still shaking with silent sobs even though she had no more tears to cry... and then, something 'clicked' in my mind. A decision had been made. A smile on my face, I ruffled little Diamond's mane one last time as I drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow I would head to Ponyville's Crystal Castle, to see Twilight Sparkle, and have her write a royal letter to a mare about a foal...

143. Bucket

"Good afternoon. My name is Edward Cole. I don't know what most people say at these occasions because in all honesty, I've tried to avoid them. The simplest thing is I loved him and I miss him. Carter and I saw the world together, which is amazing when you think that only three months ago we were complete strangers. I hope that it doesn't sound selfish of me, but the last months of his life were the best months of mine. He saved my life, and he knew it before I did. I'm deeply proud that this man found it worth his while to know me. In the end, I think it's safe to say that we brought some joy to one another's lives, so one day, when I go to some final resting place, if I happen to wake up next to a certain wall with a gate, I hope that Carter's there to vouch for me and show me the ropes on the other side."

* * *

Twilight Sparkle had known it was coming when David had agreed to show her the film, "The Bucket List"; a wonderful film about friendship and its ups and downs--but she simply wasn't prepared for this. Edward Cole's - Jack Nicholson's - eulogy for Carter Chambers - played by Morgan Freeman - had got her, like it had so many others. As the film ended, the little lavender alicorn wiped furiously at her eyes, but her tears wouldn't stop. "It's a film," she choked, "just a... ah... f-fhuh... film..." She fought valiantly with herself, but in the end... "I'm going to break Royal Protocol, now..." she stated--and then she enfolded me into a hug - hooves, wings and all - as she cried, and cried, and cried, her body shaking with silent sobs. As she wept, soothingly, I stroked her back, combed my hands through her mane and gently scratched her behind the ears.

Later, when she'd been able to stop crying, Twilight wrote a letter to her Mentor...

* * *

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I would like for a film to be imported - in its original, un-ponified form - for distribution throughout Equestria. This film is a masterpiece, one that deals frankly and honestly with a subject we all hold so dear: Friendship. It is called, 'The Bucket List'..."

* * *

As she finished reading Twilight's letter - stained with more than a few tears - the Solar Princess wondered what sort of film could have evoked such a reaction from her beloved fellow Princess and student. Nodding thoughtfully, Celestia moved to have a copy of the film delivered through the Portal immediately...

* * *

As the film ended, a stoic, though very misty-eyed Luna held her weeping sister close. She wasn't crying; no, she'd just gotten some of the garlic-butter from the popcorn in her--oh, who was she kidding. Nuzzling against her sister, the Lunar Princess wept.

Later, she would sign the decree that this film - and indeed more human works of film and literature - would be allowed out into Greater Equestria, for the first time uncensored and unadjusted for Equestrian sensibilities...

* * *

Canterlot Times: Princesses allow Uncensored Human Films into Equestria; More Human Works to Follow!

Equestria Daily: Pinkie Pie Opens 'Find the Joy' Foundation for Foals with Cancer.

Foal Free Press: Funny Pony Doctors; Doctors and Nurses of Ponyville Hospital Inspired by Human Film, "Patch Adams."

Trenderhoof Tabloid: "Number Five is Alive"; World Famous Equestrian Inventor 'Caught' Building Robot Based From Human Film, "Short Circuit"

Manehattan Days: "Freddy's Coming For You!"; Prepare for Brand New Nightmare Night Celebrations Based on "Nightmare on Elm Street Films!"

Education Annual: "Seize The Day": Equestrian Teachers Inspired By 'Dead Poet's Society'

To Boldly Go: Top Equestrian Scientists and Engineers Consider 'Enterprise-D' After New Series Hits Magi-TV

145. Seed

"How can you let him do that?" Scootaloo asked as she eyed Apple Bloom's Cousin, Babs Seed. "Isn't that, like, uncool, or something?"

Resting on her side in my lap - as I sat beneath the old tree in the Ponyville Schoolyard - Babs Seed eyed Scootaloo as if she were a bug to be stepped on--and then she promptly rolled over to her other side, letting me stroke-stroke-stroke the fur there. "Meh," the little Earth Pony grunted dismissively. "Youze know nuttin', Scoots. Dis human's hands are da best t'ing evah..." the little foal nickered softly, wriggling to nose into my belly, a gentle sigh escaping her. "A good pettin' helps me deal wid da stress caused by dose bullyin' brats--it feelz so good..."

After stroking and petting her coat for a time, I moved my hands up to her ears to gently scratched behind them and - "Unh... dat damn itchy spot I can nevah reach, oh yeah..." - Babs squirmed, gasped, and then went limp with a deep, pleasure filled groan. It was a sound that made poor Scootaloo whimper. 'Wh-why's it suddenly gotten hotter outside?' She though, quietly sidling away. Babs, meanwhile, had seemingly given up all pretense of being the "tough-Manehattenite"; the little filly was all over me, nuzzling, cuddling, squirming about, moving her body this way and that way for even greater access to my ever-petting and stroking hands.

I swear I never touched her intimate places but if she moved in a certain direction, or wriggled such that my hand ended up somewhere it aught not to, well, that wasn't my fault, was it? Babs didn't seem to mind, if her blissful sighs were any indication. She eventually ended up draped over my chest, looking up into my eyes. "Youze mine," she stated matter-of-factly. "I'mma keepin' youze. Youze not be pettin' dem uddah foals no more, okay? Cause if you do I ain't givin youze dis..."

And then - after checking to make sure no foals were looking - to my utter shock she spun about, then lifted and moved her bobtail to the side, giving me a brief, tantalizing glance of her... her... her...! I looked away so fast I thought I'd get whiplash. Upon seeing my flustered expression, the little filly turned about and smooched me on the cheek. "Youze cute!" she chirped. "Remembah what I said, okay?" Then bold as brass she flicked her tail against my nose and - with a little giggle - hopped off my lap to join her friends. Once she was gone, my brain rebooted itself. 'What the hell just happened?' I thought.

Author's Note

146. Weyr Log #9847

01

Awakened from meditation this morning to find Pegasus foal dubbed S sitting next to me, possibly attempting to imitate me? If so, she'll fail; S has no latent psionic potential. Should head inside; Weyr just pinged me that the others - SB and AB - are approaching, and I don't want to be bothered by them--again.

02

Weyr Gestalt Defenses pinged again; pony A.L. still attempting breach in order to access my mind; possibility exists that L might think I'm some kind of threat. Hardly. Wish A.L. would leave me alone. She won't get through; the last time she did the Weyr successfully shielded my mind and swiftly patched the hole she made. This time A.L. won't even get past tertiary layer.

03

TS attempted another breach of Weyrhome - the living space - today. She teleported in--and then was violently ill, throwing up all over the carpet. Weyr promptly ejected her; then probes cleaned up the mess. Partial shielding against equine teleportation success; TS got in but it was an effort for her. Soon the Weyr should implement a better system and then she won't be able to come here at all.

04

Woke up in bed to find QC there again this morning. Unlike nosy ponies insect-equine QC seems to know that this is my home, and that I desire to be left alone. QC only comes here to sleep with me - to cuddle and sip at my psychic aura - but aside from that she doesn't talk to me or really bother me at all. Have discovered that she makes the most adorable buzzing purr when her belly is rubbed...

05

Pony A.C. appeared again this morning; asked me again why I hadn't made any friends. Made every attempt to ignore her as I went about my business of mapping the forest around the Weyr. After a while, A.C. just looked sad; then teleported away. Good riddance. Returned to Weyrhome after several fruitless hours. EF seems to change constantly, making static mapping futile.

06

Discovered several of QC's drones here today; all were quiet and respectful of my presence as they assisted the probes with their tasks. Upon closer examination, discovered that drones were thin and malnourished; called an all-stop then brought them all in for medical checkup.

06-1

Scans revealed that as time passed, the drones were getting better; Weyr informed me that drones fed upon the psionic energy of the emotion of love. Weyr effectively providing them with unlimited food source. Have said that drones can stay; all were grateful many bursting into tears. Poor things.

07

QC teleported in, looking for her missing drones; when informed of what was happening she hugged me, her eyes suspiciously misty. She is here with me on the sofa in Weyrhome as I write this. Just asked me why only shorthand used; this format is used for efficiency. QC intends to relocate her hive here; Weyrmind is thrilled.

08

Hive relocation successful; have never felt Weyrmind so happy. Quiet buzzing of changeling wings fills the halls along with the insect-like sounds of their voices; Weyrmind is building a translation matrix. QC is ecstatic; seems to be taking the role of unofficial 2IC so will make her a full-fledged crew member of the Dragon Weyr.

DICTATION PAUSED

DICTATION RESUMES

09

Neural lace implantation successful - as always - and QC has been given a Warp Beacon; she's now a full crewmember. Drones as they come have been given Beacons as well; some have chosen to use their minds as additional processing adjuncts for Weyrmind. When process of becoming adjunct was explained to QC, she was deeply saddened but knows of sacrifice. Foal S was back today; trying to imitate my martial arts.

10

All changelings now equipped with neural laces and QC truly appreciates her enhanced Neural Processing Adjunct; her hive now functions better than before. Have permitted city to be built on Weyrland--and it's going up fast! P.C. and TS arrived--and were utterly furious; she, P.C. and QC almost came to blows--and would have had Weyrmind not influenced all calmed them down.

10-1

Found pony S sleeping in the psionic therapy chamber, right beneath the Nexus' Khaydarin Capstone! For a foal - for any child - exposure to massive amounts of psionic energy such as generated by the Capstone is extremely dangerous. Scolded foal S and raced her to medical bay but too late--way too late; signs of internal mutation present for months but only beginning to show... How long has S been sleeping beneath capstone? And WHY?

11

Took QC before the Weyrmind today; never a pleasant experience despite the fact that the Mind knows to be as gentle and compassionate as possible. QC was fascinated by the great frankenvessel at the heart of the Nexus, but - when the Weyrmind softly, gently, examined her mind in Judgement, metaphorically stripping her naked - QC wept like a foal, and the Weyrmind wept with her; her life up until now hadn't been a pleasant one. QC was passed for Redemption by WM and now wants it more than anything in the world; wants nothing more than for her and her Hive to be well-fed, loved, and happy.

147. Max...

So... That was it, then.

It was over.

Oh, Lord Scabrous Scrotus was dead--but so much carnage had lead up to that monstrous earth pony's demise. Battered, bruised, broken, I sat on my haunches, looking down toward the bottom of the cliff. There, I again beheld the sight of Scrotus' destroyed War Rig; saw the battered wreck of the Magnu--wait...

I blinked.

Then, I blinked again. The Magnum Opus - the amazing armored War Car lovingly crafted by faithful Chum Bucket - was gone. 'But... but... I... I saw...' I thought--but then my mind just ground to a halt as I heard his voice. "Hey, Saint! The Magnum Opus is all tuned up and ready to go; where shall we take her next?"

Leaping to all four hooves, I whirled about to see - 'No, that's impossible. Impossible!' - my faithful friend, that crazy, nearly hairless, one-eyed unicorn mechanic, clad in his divine tools! He stood in back of the Magnum Opus and it was, indeed, tuned and ready, quietly idling in the sun, shining and chrome! "Chum..." I rasped. Racing over to the miracle that was my restored friend and car, I hauled the crazy unicorn out and away, pulling him into a near-crushing hug.

"Oh, careful Saint," the old fellow wheezed, "you'll crush my pipes!" Half-laughing, half-weeping inside, I spun him about, gave him a nuzzle - which he returned - than set him down to catch his breath. Soon, he scuttled up to me, head low, ears flat. "I... about the Underdunes and--and Scabrous, I... I'm..." Suddenly, he burst into tears. "I--I'm sorry," he wept. "I... I was afraid! I had no choice! It was how the story was told... I--"

"It's alright, Chum. I forgive you. I forgive you..." And I did. Having suffered the horrors of the Underdunes - that Buzzard Brute still gave me the shivers - I could more than understand Chum's want to leave, and he'd made the right choice, there. With Scabrous--well, who could resist the horrors of that monster? I hugged him again, whispering over and over that I as his Saint forgave him; that even the best of us could fall to evil; that he could redeem himself assisting me in my honest work of doing good for the Wasteland. When at last he quietened, I wiped the tears from his face with a bit of rag and then--

"Hey, don't forget about us!"

--turned to the Magnum Opus, to see that a few additions had been made to the design. There was the expanded back, of course - not only could Chum stand there, but also a drum-kennel had been installed, from which Dinki-Di's head emerged, the former War Dog giving me a happy bark - but most importantly, there was a large back seat. And sitting in that seat...

"Daddy!"

"My Champion..."

... were a Pegasus mare and her filly, the latter bouncing madly up and down on the seat as her mother looked on with fond exasperation. "Hope" - the mare nodded, unfurling a Wingfan - "and Glory" - the filly nodded enthusiastically - ".... but, you all... you all... I don't understand..."

Chum Bucket grinned madly - "Ah, that was just the way the story was told, Saint--but now that story's ended, we're free to make our own!" - as he jumped into the back of the Opus ruffling Dinki-Di's headfur. "So let's go; there's a whole lotta Wasteland out there to explore..."

Laughing, I hopped into the Magnum Opus and then - with a great roar from the Big Chief V8 Engine - we drove off into the sunset.

Author's Note

I REFUSE THE ENDING OF THE NEW MAD MAX GAME. IT WAS DONE BY STUNT DOUBLES AND ACTORS. SO THERE.

148. Marks?!

"I think... I think we've spent way too long here in Equestria..." I intoned, flabbergasted by what I saw as I peered into the bathroom mirror. As I stood there in the bathroom of Weyrhome, all I could do was shake my head half in awe, half in exasperation. "Humans are not ponies," I spoke to myself, softly. "Humans do not get... these. These are not supposed to be here..." 'Those'... were the marks which had appeared upon my forearms: the symbol of Akilae crossed with the symbol of a Pylon and a Staff...

Last night, whilst Ieesha and I had been meditating - reflecting upon our lives; the things we'd done, the Zerg we'd fought, the people we'd helped during our many adventures - alarm from the Weyrmind had ripped through our thoughts as a massive surge of magical energy had ripped through the Dragon Weyr, the Nexus' Gestalt Defenses proving to be ineffective against it. Nothing had been damaged, thankfully, but Ieesha and I had passed out as the energy surge swept through the colossal pyramid and the Weyrmind had been deeply rattled.

The next day, I had awoken to find that-- ~David!? David!? Something--something's happened to me--to my body! There's... there's a mark on my flanks, similar to those the ponies possess...~ No sooner had she spoken then I was racing into the main room of Weyrhome to see. My beloved Ieesha lay upon the Grand Fleece Pile in the center of the room, peering curiously at her own flank markings: a Golden Shield, inside of which was a heart, atop that the Sign of her Kin, the Omari Kirata, or High-Born Kirathians. ~I... I don't understand this, sweet David! What, in Trag'Oul's name has happened...?~

"Wait a minute..." I murmured with dawning realization, "if I've got them, and you've got them, then what about--no, impossible...!" But no sooner had that thought crossed my mind then the Weyrmind's distress/shock/confusion filled our thoughts and we were up and racing to the lift that would take us down to the Khaydarin Forest, where the Mind dwelt. Protocols were simply overridden by the Mind - we didn't have to use the passphrase - the lift plummeted down, the light and dark psionic barriers were shut down and the Voidsteel door was already half open as we raced into the singing crystal forest, urged on by the Weyrmind's distress. No sooner had we reached the titanic franken vessel then it was detaching itself from the psionic conduits tethering it so that it could flip such that its top faced us, a series of discordant notes issuing from it as we beheld that IT, too, had a... a.... a cutie mark.

A mighty silver gear; the machine. An Egyptian pyramid; the shelter against the storm. And a book, for the Knowledge within its Great Archive. I shook my head. "That... that's impossible...." I stuttered as the great ship righted and tethered itself again, the Nexus' systems coming back online once more as the Weyrmind reattached itself to its 'body'. "We... we've gotta get help." With that, I turned to Ieesha. "Get a message to Twilight; she's gonna want to be in on this. If... if ponies aren't the only ones who can get... cutie marks.... this changes everything..."

149. Had It

I stared at Rarity, clad in fencing mask and with rapier.

"You want me to fight you?" I asked, exasperated.

"Yes, David," the stately white mare answered. "I thought we might---"

"No," I stated abruptly; then I turned to walk away, deeper into the Weyr.

"Wait!" Rarity cried, then tried to grab my robe with her horn. That was a mistake. No sooner had she made the attempt then I was whirling about to slap her hard enough to leave a bruise, stunning her and shorting her magic.

As she clutched her muzzle, dazed and confused, I got right in her face. "You," I snarled, "do not do that to me!" As Rarity, looked at me, terrified, I coldly continued, "Ever since I came here to Equestria, I have been kicked, beaten down, slapped and spat upon by mares. Even when I went to the Crystal Empire - as a Royal Ambassador, no less - Cadance, the super kind one, your so-called fucking princess of love stated something along the lines of 'We have the power; you don't', when I tried to chip in and make a suggestion to their Parliament..." A soft breath escaped me as I shook my head. "I... I've had it. I have fucking had it with the mares of Equestria pushing me about. You have power in Equestria; I get that, okay; I fucking get it..."

My gaze upon her turned cold. "But guess what? Here in my Nexus and upon the land it surrounds? You're in my world, now, mule" Rarity gasped at the insult, but I continued, "and as far as I am concerned... By the Power invested in me as Master of the Dragon Weyr and all The Nexus surveys... ALL MARES are BARRED, BANNED and BANISHED from the Dragon Weyr. As the Ambassador for Aiur, I will speak now only to stallions--and then only to stallions of import and character. Now, kxitx angeles...

BEGONE!"

Weeping in shock, shame and terror, Rarity fled. Once she was gone, the Weyrmind immediately enacted the new protocols given; now, no adult mare - not even Celestia - would be able to approach the Great Nexus without becoming paranoid, then terrified, then fleeing as if Tirek himself was chasing them! 'Pfeh... that'll show 'em...' I thought, darkly. Huffing softly, I crashed on the Weyrhome sofa, groaning as I closed my eyes. I just wasn't going to put up with their shit anymore, their racism, their bigotry, their treating me as if I was subhuman, just because I, firstly, wasn't a pony and secondly, was a male. I was a man, Adun damn it! I had my pride; I had my honor; I had my dignity, I--

"Daddy... am... am I going to be banished, too...?"

--became a crumbling wreck at the sight of the only mare now ever allowed to come and go freely from the Weyr. My beloved adopted daughter, Diamond Tiara, stared up at me, her expression wilted, her ears drooped, tears clouding her eyes. "Oh, no..." I rasped. "Oh, no, no, no, sweetie c'mere..." Sniffling, a little sob escaping her, the pink earth pony foal reared up - placing her forehooves on the sofa so she could hop up - but before she could I gathered her into my arms and brought her up to me, cuddling her close as she began to cry in earnest. "You're a good filly, DT," I whispered, "and good little fillies and colts will always be welcome..."

"But," Diamond sobbed, "what about when I'm all grown up? Will I be banished then?"

"No," I whispered, "that would never happen; and even if it did, which it won't, the Weyr would prevent it. It loves you too much, like I do, 'cause you're the best little filly in the world..." Diamond Tiara squeezed me with all four hooves in a hug, then--but when I winced she let go immediately, mindful of some still-smarting bruises upon my body; the end result of Applejack's kicks and Rainbow Dash's constant 'accidental' tackles.

Gently, I held her until, somehow, we both managed to fall into an uneasy sleep.

150. Fouled

When the portal closed, I looked around.

Ponyville, I thought, it worked, and now I'm in Ponyville! Laughing softly to myself as I wandered into town, I envisioned the things I might do here; reading books with Twilight, partying with Pinkie, extreme sports and rodeo competitions with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, along with quiet time with gentle Fluttershy...

... but as I wandered down Ponyville's main street - as I continued to look around - I began to cotton on to the fact that something was wrong here. The whole place... was trashed. Graffiti was everywhere, litter and trash ruined the ground, the buildings were worn down and fading--and nopony was here to greet me. In fact, as I continued my journey, making my way to Twilight's Castle, I could see that it, too, had been wrecked, towers and huge chunks just... missing from the once grand structure.

Pollution was rife in the air, the dulled sun barely visible through thick, choking smog. Reaching into my robe I swiftly attached a filter to my nose and mouth just to be safe; then I carefully knocked on the doors of Friendship Castle. The bruised, battered, scarred mare who answered... was not the Twilight I knew.

She took one look at me--and whinnied in fear, then tried to slam the door in my face, but I deftly blocked the attempt. "Oh, Luna, another one! Another human; pleasedon'thurtme!" she screamed.

Turning she bolted, and I raced after her. "Twilight? Twilight Sparkle, wait! My name is David, and I just---"

"NO!" she howled in terror as she ran to her room. "NO MORE HUMANS! JUST GO AWAY, GO AWAY... please..." Roughly two hours later, after a 'duel' involving dodged spells, deflected kicks, and multiple thrown objects, I held a bawling, terrified Twilight Sparkle in my lap, soothing and petting her even as I healed her hurts with my psionic ability of Healing. When I inquired as to what had happened here, she told me a heartbreaking story.

"At first when the portals - like yours - opened, it was the humans that called themselves 'bronies' and 'pegasisters' who entered our world. All was fine at first; they adored us, we adored them, and Princess Celestia truly thought peace might be possible... but then the others came. Businessmen. Military. Worse. They sought to... to commercialize, weaponize, enslave, and exploit us all. And they nearly did. Celestia was killed even as she drove your kind away. Yours is the first portal opened since she cast the Great Seal, which means it's weakening..."

Twilight continued her story. Of ponies used as breeders, slaves, servants and even foals being given to humans as pets, among even more horrors of exploitation, brutality, and enslavement, perpetrated by 'anti-bronies' as well as other humans, zealots and xenophobes. "We can fix this, Twi..." I murmured as the burnt out mare finally fell asleep in my lap. "We're gonna fix it..." Carefully, so as not to disturb poor Twilight, I carried her up to her bedroom in the castle, placed her on the bed then sat with her as I pulled from my robe a psi-web communicator.

"Ambassador David to Hierarch Artanis; are you there?"

Twilight barely stirred as his telepathic presence filled my thoughts. "I am here, Templar; you need assistance?"

Inhaling a soft breath, I spoke. "The Sanctuary has been fouled; I repeat: the Sanctuary has been fouled." I psionically broadcast to him everything I had learned; no sooner had I done this then his telepathic presence in my thoughts became as cold as ice.

"What would you have me do?"

"Send me anything and everything you can from Aiur; and get on the horn to Earth, to any and every brony and pegasister capable of dimensional travel. And get a hold of Kerrigan, too, if you can. We've got a mission; maybe the biggest one we've had yet..."

"Indeed we do. Equestria shall be restored."

Author's Note

Equestria.

The place where the three races go to relax; there, we Terrans, the Protoss, and even the Zerg can unwind and forget about the war.

Unfortunately, anti-bronies, scummy businessmen and women, and other evil human scum came and wrecked the place.

We bronies - and the protoss - don't like it when that happens. No sir, nor at all...

151. Restored.

Luna had wept when teams of 'Brony' Marines - along with some of Artanis' Zealots and even Kerrigan's Zerg - had pulled Celestia's wrecked form from the ruins of the Canterlot Palace. Then - after bearing witness to the ritual wherein the Great Mare of the Sun had been restored to life, though forever bound into the mechanical body of the most powerful Protoss Immortal ever built - the Princess of the Night had bawled like a foal, clutching a leg of the great machine, peering desperately into the preservation tank where her sister's broken body now rested for all eternity.

"Luna, dear sister, it's all right; please, please don't cry..." Celestia said soothingly.

Luna wept harder as she felt her sister's psychic presence embrace her where her physical body could not, and pressed a midnight-blue forehoof against the glass tank. "How... how can I not, sister," she whimpered, "look at what the humans have done to you..."

"And yet, I live," the cyborg mare stated with quiet joy. Then, gently disengaging from Luna, Celestia performed her duty, and raised the sun upon a very different world. Pony homes meshed with protoss structures and mingled with living zerg buildings, with terran homes and businesses stuffed every which way in between, shining in the light of the gently rising sun as Pony, Terran, Protoss and Zerg awakened to begin the day, the Great Canterlot Bazaar already bustling. Around the Equestrian Immortal, Dark Templar and Lunar Guardsponies yawned softly, bidding the Princess a good day as they retired to bed for the day, replaced by the Day Guard, Protoss Zealots and their proud pony counterparts.

Down below, in the Bazaar, Pony Mares and Stallions, and Humans, Protoss, and Zerg Infested Terrans traded bits, bartered, and haggled as goods and technology were bought and sold. Away from the Bazaar, a pregnant pony mare rested with her strange Hydralisk friend beneath a tree; further away, at a local school in Ponyville, a Zerg Broodmother fretted as she watched yet again three fillies getting into even more mischief! At the Nexus of Friendship - which had been constructed to replace Twilight's faltering Castle - she and her High Templar friend spent the day, she resting in his lap as together they deciphered an ancient Shelak Text.

At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie laughed at her silly Zerg friend Gummy Jr, as he dashed about, high on a sugar rush; whilst at the newly rebuilt Carousel Boutique, Rarity pondered various samples of Protoss fabrics, armor and Khaydarin Crystal, her keen mind already awash with so many ideas... In the skies above, Rainbow Dash made a rude face at a Terran Viking pilot, egging him on as together they tore up the skies. At Sweet Apple Acres, poor Applejack winced, still feeling pain from organic hind limbs long replaced with terran steel, as she surveyed with critical eye her legions of Protoss Probes as they harvested this seasons bumper crop.

At her cottage, Fluttershy sang softly, all manner of Zerg relaxing about her form, their eyes slowly changing from yellow to soft blue as they were calmed and awakened to the Magic of Friendship. And finally - as Zecora gathered herbs with her Drone and Probe companions - high above in Canterlot, Princess Celestia, the Equestrian Immortal, began her Morning Court. "Ponies, Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg of Equestria: Amon delenda est. Good Morning, and welcome to the First Session of today's Court..."

Author's Note

This one's for you, Iron Sky!

152. Displaced?

Last night I fell asleep... and then, the next day I woke up in Equestria, as a "pony" of myself.

No special powers.

No wings or horn.

I was literally a 'pony' version of myself; just a rather plain, tan-coated, brown-maned, hazel-eyed Earth Pony, with the image of a computer crossed with a screwdriver on my flank. I even had my glasses on - just adapted for my muzzle - and even wore the clothes I was wearing back on Earth, too: navy-blue shorts and a yellow shirt with aboriginal art dotted on.

"Well, shit..." I grumbled, swearing I could hear a ROB - a Random Omnipotent Being - laughing in the distance, one who wasn't Discord. A breathy snort escaping me, I checked where I was - yep, entrance to Ponyville - then headed into town and straight to Twilight's Library. Or should I say, her new Castle. Hmmm... that wasn't there the other times I've been here. Ah well, doesn't matter... No sooner had I knocked on the door than Spike was there opening it--and giving me a bone-crushing hug! "David," the little drake cried joyfully, "you're here again?"

"Yep, again," I replied, returning the hug. "Twi in?"

"Uh, huh," he replied. "Just a sec..." Spike turned about then hollered "Twilight! David's here--again!"

No sooner had he yelled then there was a crack of displaced air and - "Oof!" - I was being winghugged and nuzzled-nuzzled-nuzzled by said lavender mare, laughing as I tried to fend her off. Suddenly - CRACK! - "That's for leaving without saying goodbye first," she yelled as I nursed the bruise on my cheek. Then, " - and this is for coming back to me..." she healed the bruise even as she touched noses with me and blew, sharing breath with me. I returned the gesture, and then we went indoors.

Inside, we settled down by a warm, crackling fire in some kind of sitting room as Spike went to prepare us some tea. Therein, Twilight laid it all down. Her ascension. Tirek. The loss of Golden Oaks. Her adventures so far. I took it pretty well. "Damn, mare, you ever catch a break?"

Twilight sighed, cuddling against me, "Not recently, no. So... how long will you be here for this time?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. For however long the ROB wants to fuck with me, I guess. Normally I'd love to stay for a bit, but I gotta go to work on Wednesday; fix more Computers for the shop..."

At this, Twi's ears perked up. "How's that going, anyways?" she asked.

"Eh, okay. Damn Site Manager keeps changing things about, and there's barely any volunteers there so the unloading area is always a mess; makes it difficult for me to actually get to the computers I'm trying to fix... In other words: the usual..."

Just then, Spike returned with some tea for us all. As we were drinking it, I looked to him. "You still got that Ghost Rider Comic I gave you last time?"

The little dragon nodded. "Sure do!" he replied, "and it's in its backing board. That was so awesome; I've never read anything like it. Can you get another issue?"

"Can do, little man; I'll see what I can do when ROB sends me home..."

"Awesome!"

We lapsed into comfortable silence for a moment--but then Twilight looked about, shifty, before she looked at me guiltily and said, "I... I have a confession to make!"

Oh, boy... I thought, then asked, "What is it this time?"

Twilight whimpered, and then she answered, "I... IwatchedMadMaxFuryRoadandIlikedit!"

I looked at her blankly for a moment. Then... "My Skyways bag is still here."

Twilight nodded.

"From it you took my portable DVD player, and you watched Mad Max Fury Road." I stated with a frown. "I thought you ponies didn't like violence."

"Normally, we don't--but... but I just had to see it, okay?!" The little lavender mare huffed, misty eyed.

"Heh," Spike stated, a shit-eating grin on his face, "this isn't the only time she's watched one of your action films from Earth; I caught her watching Terminator 2 one time when I went to get a midnight snack..."

"Spike!" Twilight whined angrily, but the dragon waved her off.

"What did you think of it?" I asked.

Twilight looked as if she might burst into tears for a moment--but then she swallowed and gushed, "Ohmygoditwasamazing! I-I've never seen anything like it. It didn't have much of a plot, of course, but still... what a spectacle; it was fantastic! I..." and here, she whispered, "I went as Immortan Joe for Nightmare Night after that..."

At this I near bust a gut laughing! "Bullshit; proof or it didn't happen!"

Twilight growled, miffed--and then with her magic she blacked out the windows before dashing upstairs to her wardrobe, opening a secret wall where she kept her stash of 'taboo' things... When she came down, my jaw dropped open, for there before Spike and I stood a pony version of the terrifying Immortan Joe; Twilight had used a simple spell to bleach her fur and mane and she'd gotten the actual costume perfect, mask, air bellows, armor and all!

"Rev it up, for the Immortan Joe!" Spike crowed, getting into character.

... and then, Twilight spoke, pitch perfect, in that terrifying, booming voice...

"Once again, we send off my War Rig to bring back guzzoline from Gas Town and bullets from the Bullet Farm! Once again, I salute to my Imperator, Furiosa! And I salute my half-life War Boys, who will ride with me, eternal, on the highways of Valhalla. I AM YOUR REDEEMER! It is by my hand you will rise from the ashes of this world! Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you and you will resent, it's absence!"

Spike and I cheered when she was done, and the poor mare blushed beneath her mask. "Oh, my GOD, Twi, that was awesome!"

Author's Note

A Displaced human who's gone to Equestria so many times that the ponies think nothing of it...

153. The troubled King.

Even as his troops smashed again and again into the great doors, Purgle - King of all Minotauria - crowed triumphant, "Even now, Celestia, my troops besiege your City of Canterlot, and march upon your Palace Gates. Soon all you have will be mine! And then, after Equestria... I will have it all!"

Resting upon her golden throne, the ancient Alicorn Princess just looked at him, her expression saddened, yet full of compassion.

"Well," Purgle sneered, "have you nothing to say in your last few hours?"

Gently closing her eyes, Celestia thought for a moment... and then, opening her eyes to look calmly, gently, at the Minotaur King, the Princess told him a story.

"There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and important visitors. 'How powerful that merchant must be!' thought the stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like the merchant.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. 'How powerful that official is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a high official!'

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. 'How powerful the sun is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be the sun!'

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. 'How powerful that storm cloud is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a cloud!'

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. 'How powerful it is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be the wind!'

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. 'How powerful that rock is!' he thought. 'I wish that I could be a rock!'

Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. 'What could be more powerful than I, the rock?' he thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter."

Where before the Minotaur King was triumphant, now... now he just looked deflated, and sad. He realized what he had been doing, what he had done. "I... I must think on your words," he stated, quietly; then he left and shortly thererafter all sounds of fighting and violence ceased.

Then there was silence in the throne room, not a sound save for the world that continued to live around the Two Sisters. Soon, however, the silence was broken as Celestia moved to her sister, nuzzled her, and wept, her cries soft, heartfelt. Despite her best attempts to remain strong and stoic, Luna, too, went misty-eyed as her beloved sister - so gentle, so utterly compassionate - whispered through her tears, "Poor fellow. I... only I wish I could give him your beautiful moon..."

Author's Note

After hearing her story, the troubled Minotaur King went to Neighpon, to learn from the great Zen Masters.

He did find Enlightenment.

Then, the King - no longer troubled - returned to Equestria, this time with an envoy of peace.

154. Prince vs Noblemare... (Horror)

The Noblemare knew where she was.

She knew she wasn't welcome here.

Only her determination to see this through - to crack the impenetrable whatever it was that kept the Prince safe - kept her from fleeing then and there.

"Prince," she cried, pounding upon the Gate of Dawn with her forehooves. "Come out! I would parlay!"

Then...

"Awk-!"

... she and her retinue of Guards were shifted into Weyrhome, wherein the Prince held court.

When seeing the Prince, one should normally first wait to see if he is awake. Then, one should wait to be introduced by Weyrpony Khorvas, the Head Archivist, and the Prince's Majordomo, if you will.

The Equestrian Noblemare did not. Instead, she rudely dismissed Khorvas, and then - pulling an official looking scroll from her saddlebag - the mare proceeded to state, "Prince Auryn, illegal Alien made honorary Citizen of Equestria. You are hereby charged with Dereliction of Duty, for failing to uphold your Civic Duty - that is, to stud for the Mares of Equestria. You are sentenced to Gelding, and thereafter you shall be put to hard labour for a period of no less than twenty years! Seize him!"

Her guards did not move.

Could not move.

Each was being... we shall politely say, 'restrained'... by a monstrous Unicorn Pony.

They were utterly terrified, beneath their fur.

They knew that, if they moved...

They would die.

It was then, the Noblemare realized that Prince Blueblood - the one whom had tried to orchestrate this farce - was truly an idiot.

It was then, the Noblemare realized just where she was. Just who she faced. All around her, she espied not only monstrous Super Unicorns - the Templar whom guarded the Prince - but upon the throne she espied three alicorns, his mysterious hoof-maidens, whom were looking at her like she was meat. Even worse, the Noblemare espied treeponies, monstrous pegasi with their distinctive raptor-like muzzles and gigantic eagle and condor-like wings. About them, other freakish unicorns with two, even three horns spiraled with each other in double and triple helix. Titanic Earth Ponies, their fur literally stone, grass, or soil... Scattered among them, titanic Alsatian-Breed Diamond Dogs, rippling with muscles that just weren't possible. And there, gryphons, and hippogryphs. And finally, utterly horrifying changelings sporting unnatural metal and flesh limbs unseen in Equestria--and the cybernetic, mutant monster that was their Queen.

They... looked hungr-- did one just look at her and lick its lips?!

The Noblemare near shit herself. But then, finally, the Prince's eyes opened, glowing with power; a line from a film the Noblemare had seen resounding in her head as she stared, transfixed, "I looked into its Dead Lights... and I wanted to be there..."

Soon, it wasn't the Prince, but his hoofmaidens who spoke for him, their eyes aglow, as each spoke a single word as His Voice.

"I" "Forgive" "You."

"You" "Know" "Not."

"What" "You" "Do."

"Your" "Guards" "Will."

"Be" "Released" "With."

"A" "Warning" "But."

"As" "For" "You."

"Look" "Behind" "You."

The Noblemare screamed as she felt something cold, something wet slither into her ear, whirled about...

... and promptly defacated as she beheld Nightmare Moon in all her glory, the Death Mare gazing down upon her with chilling indifference. The Black Alicorn leaned down, softly whispered into the Noblemare's ear.

"Thinkest Thou to geld Mine Foal? Thou shouldst... think again..."

One by one, the lights of Weyrhome flickered and went out. The Noblemare couldn't take it anymore; she'd been hit with too many shocks at once. Her mind snapped, and she started to screamandscreamandscreamandSCREAM...

As the final light died, abruptly, the sound ceased.

155. Additional Pylon

"Hey Mister, can you fix this?"

The little colt before me presented me with a Pylon Light - a night table lamp that looked like a Pylon made by the Dragon Weyr - but the light was broken, a great crack running through the plastic Khaydarin Crystal.

"Sure kiddo..." I replied, and then, taking him and the light with me I returned to the Great Nexus. As we made our way through Weyrhome, and down into one of the Weyr's Fabrication Rooms the little colt couldn't stop rubbernecking; he seemed overwhelmed. The little one hadn't seen anything yet...

No sooner had we entered then I handed the broken lamp to a Probe which placed said item into a scanner. The Pylon Light was scanned--and then promptly destroyed. The little colt was devastated--but before he could say a word, or even start to cry, I picked him up and carried him to where we could watch a new process begin...

When a real Pylon Control Band - circuitry and all - was cut and constructed in miniature by the fabrication plant, the colt's eyes widened... and then, when he was able to witness actual Khaydarin Crystal being cut and shaped before his eyes he whooped delightedly! Finally, when the parts were combined together the little pony wept as he realized that this was something far better than the fake, pony-made Pylon Light; this was a real ACTUAL miniature Pylon, made by the Dragon Weyr itself!

Slightly larger than the fake Pylon Light, when the little Pylon was complete the colt raced to get it, but I held him back a moment, cautioning, "Wait..." He did, though I felt him vibrating with eagerness... until I briefly allowed him the use of my Psionic Sight. When he saw the local psi energy in the area being drawn into the Pylon - saw the Khaydarin Crystal becoming brighter and brighter as it achieved full power - the little one wept, leaping at me for a hug. "Oh, wow, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..."

After a final adjustment was made - the pylon's light was dimmed so it wasn't too bright and could be used as a night light - the device was packed into a special case, which I handed to one awed, humbled, and very teary-eyed colt. "Wow... I... I dunno what to say..." The little one shivered and sighed; even he could feel the aura of power the device generated, and he had no psionic potential whatsoever.

"You don't have to say anything," I spoke to him gently as probes assisted him with picking the case up. "That Pylon won't ever break," I continued, once he had the case in firmly by its handle in his mouth, "because like the big ones it has its own shield that keeps it safe. Also, it won't ever run out of power, either--and you know why..." The colt and I grinned, as if we knew some great secret. Then, the little one nuzzled me, tearfully, and made to leave.

Once he was gone, I chuckled and went back inside, the Weyrmind's joy filling me up. "Heh..." I murumured, "if Artanis were here he'd be pissed. We're the only ones who can get away with making an actual pylon whose function is to be a night light for a colt..."

The next day, the colt's parents arrived, the little one's mother startling me as she embraced me in a hug! "Thank you," she whispered, her eyes misty. "Our son has always had a fear of the dark. When the school bully broke his night light - which he'd brought for show and tell - we didn't know what we were going to do, as the ponies who make them charge a high price. We... we knew that your Nexus - the Dragon Weyr - was a real place, and that there were toys and other things made based on you and it... but... but we never expected this. Thank you both so much!"

"You're welcome," I softly intoned, "but" - taking two temporary external neural transceivers from my robe, I gently attached them to the two ponies - "you might want to thank the Weyr instead..."

Mare and stallion gasped softly, then went teary eyed as in that instant the Weyrmind reached out to them; they felt the Nexus' longing as it wished more ponies would come to visit, and felt how utterly honored the Great Nexus was with the task of replacing the colt's broken Pylon Light with the real miniature Pylon that now kept his Nightmares away at night. The mare gasped, teary-eyed, whilst the stallion gently shook my hand, doing his own best not to cry; then both ponies bowed gently to the Great Nexus. Thereafter, I removed the neural transcievers from their necks and they headed home.

"Don't be strangers, now, y'hear!" I called out as they left.

"RE MI DO DO SO!" the Weyr chimed.

"We won't!" both replied. Then, they were gone, and we were alone once again.

Author's Note

I have constructed an additional Pylon.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Pylon.

When Rainbow Dash performed her Sonic Pylon, that's when Equestria was made.

Granny Smith must create more Jam from Zap Apple Pylon.

When Twilight came to Ponyville, Pinkie Pie gave her a surprise Pylon.

.........

..............

.................

Okay, I'll stop now.... *ducks flaming thrown Pylons.*

156. Boss

One moment Applejack was strolling through her Orchard; the next she was wrapped in a mighty bear-hug, a knife at her neck.

"Where are your friends?" a male voice growled.

Applejack wasn't stupid; she knew that if she moved whoever had her in their darn painful grip would kill her.

"Th-They're in Canterlot.." she whispered, terrified.

"Talk," the male holding her growled.

"I-It's Equestria's Capitol City; yeh'll know it by the Castle on the Mountain..." the poor pony said.

Then, suddenly Applejack felt her air supply being cut off; she choked, gagged, and as she fell unconscious, she was released... or was she?

Vaguely, she was aware of a clicking sound as something was attached to her body; then she felt herself being lifted into the air...

"Wha... Huh...?"

FH-WHOOSH!

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-Hawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwaw!"

Fulton Recovery Cost: [GMP -300]

..........

"Extraction Arrived at Mother Base"

Earth Pony x1

No sooner had Snake seen this on his iDroid, then Miller was speaking through his earpiece. "Looks like she's coming to..."

Then, later, "Boss, the Target was Applejack, one of the so-called Elements of Harmony, and she was telling the truth; her friends are in Canterlot. Another one of these ponies who lives there - one, 'Princess Celestia' - might be able to tell us how the entirety of Mother Base was transported here. Mission complete; exfiltrate Ponyville by land or chopper."

Snake did so, requesting Pequod come pick him up, and - once he was back on Mother Base - the one-eyed soldier was surprised to see Applejack waiting for him there, dressed as a Diamond Dogs soldier. "Thank y'all fer lettin' me join Diamond Dogs," she said to him. "Ah'm not sure what yer all about, or whut this Cipher thing is, but ah'll do mah best to help you or I ain't an honest Apple!"

Author's Note

[Tip] Ponies can be extracted from Equestria with the upgraded Fulton Device. Each pony extracted increases staff morale and friendship. Most ponies possess special skills, most notably the Diplomat Skill.

157. Boss 2

It was chaos; a terrified Sweetie Belle - who'd stowed away on the Support Chopper - fired a weak blast of magic from her horn at Miller as he tried to grab her, wailing in fright. Angered, the blonde, sunglasses-wearing human made to strike the poor foal with his cane... and that roused the anger of Big Boss.

One of the Unwritten Rules of Diamond Dogs was: Never Anger The Boss. Miller was about to find out why.

Before he could even so much as breathe in poor Sweetie Belle's direction, Miller found his cane wrenched away--and then he was promptly smashed into the landing pad, the Boot of the Big Boss grinding his face into the metal.

"Urkck... Bsss!" Miller choked--and then his world went upright as The Boss heaved him up by his coat, carried him over to the edge of the landing pad... and held him over the edge! The other staff on the Command Platform knew they ought to do something - they really did - but Miller had Made The Boss Angry. You never Make The Boss Angry. It never ended well.

"I run an informal Command, Kaz," the Boss whisper growled in Miller's ear as his legs kicked futilely above the waves, "but there's one Rule all who join Diamond Dogs will follow: We. Don't. Hurt. Kids. You got that? The next words out of your mouth better be 'Yes Boss. Whatever you say, Boss' or I'll toss you overboard."

Paling, Miller whispered, "Yes Boss. Whatever you say, Boss," and Snake tossed him back onto the landing pad. As Miller got to his feet, then took up his cane and limped away - very fast - Ocelot just shook his head and sighed.

A grunt escaping him, Big Boss turned to head for the shower and then perhaps get some grub--but stopped as he felt something hugging his leg. The one-eyed man looked down... and there he espied the little white-furred, pink-maned filly, Sweetie Belle, hugging his leg as she looked up at him in awe. Gently, the big man's expression softened, and his lips turned up in a tiny smile.

Like D-Dog before her, Sweetie Belle found herself being picked up one handed... and then gathered into a gentle but awkward carry--like it was his first time ever carrying a foal. "Come on, kiddo. Let's go get something to eat; then how'd you like a tour of the base, eh?"

Little Sweetie, looking up at her Saviour with stars in her eyes, blushed and nodded, shyly.

..........

Acquired Unicorn Filly x1

Lifesaver [Heroism +60]

Author's Note

To hell with Big Boss becoming a Demon; my Big Boss is a big damn hero!

158. Sweet (NSFW)

Despite my attempts to stop her, little Sweetie Belle wanted my seed--and finally got it, tasting it and then suckling furiously for more. "Nummy-nums..." the little foal murmured then lowered her head to resume drinking as I moaned softly. When at last I was spent - when my member emptied and shrank - Sweetie rubbed what she hadn't swallowed of my seed into her fur, burped up a bubble of seed, and then curled up between my legs to sleep. The next night, Sweetie entered her big sister's room and leaped up on her bed, a soft gasp escaping her as she avidly beheld Rarity pleasuring herself. At the sound, the white unicorn mare opened her eyes. "Mmmm... so how did it go, Sweetie?" she asked even as she continued to hoof herself to Sweetie's delight.

"I got his special milk, just like you taught me!" The little filly replied. "It was yummy, and--and the smell and taste made me all hot and funny inside..." Hoofing herself a little faster, Rarity laughed softly. "I'll bet it did, dear one," she said. Then, removing her moistened forehoof from between her legs, the unicorn asked, "Would you like to help me, dear--ahn!" No sooner had she asked the question than Sweetie was between her legs, lapping at her nether-lips, first one and than the other; as she did this, occasionally, her tongue would slip between those lips, deep into the wet, liquid heat of her sister's vagina, only to emerge, wet and shining with a combination of her saliva and Rarity's sweet essence. Finally, when she could take it no more, Rarity cried, "Inside, Sweetie, insi--oh, yes..." and Sweetie complied eagerly, driving her wet, dripping tongue past the lips of her sister's vulva, deep into the wet, liquid heat of her vagina as she began licking Rarity to orgasm.

Licking her beloved sister furiously, stimulating her inner walls, Sweetie cooed softly as she tasted Rarity's thick mare-honey. She wanted to help her wonderful sister, wanted to make her 'come' so hard that her thick, sweet honey gushed from her special place to coat her little muzzle! At last, Sweetie got her wish: with a high-pitched shriek of bliss Rarity climaxed hard, thick creamy mare-honey rushing from her vagina to splash Sweetie's face. Most of it, the little filly drank, but there was too much; the rest coated her face, her muzzle, and even spilled into her curly mane. As her climax rocked through her, Rarity gasped, and then pulled little Sweetie up to kiss her gently, passionately such that the unicorn could taste her essence upon her sister's tongue--and then it was Sweetie's turn to cry out, a cracking scream escaping her as she spread her hind legs as wide as possible for the thick, wet pad of her older sister's tongue.

Elsewhere...

Apple Bloom whined as she came hard upon her sister's tongue, Applejack eating her out as the earth pony filly suckled the seed from her brother's stallionhood; it would sustain her, make her strong, Such was the Apple Family Way...

Elsewhere...

Twilight Sparkle sighed as her climax washed over her, Spike partaking of a meal better then any gemstone--and then it was the little drake's turn to groan as the alicorn mare lavished attention upon his hemipenes...

Elsewhere...

Her eyes avidly watching the debauchery before her, Princess Luna grunted softly as she came, her juices gushing upon her sister's snout as Celestia lay between her legs, licking furiously at the dark alicorn's sex, giving her younger sister her love in the oldest, most ancient of ways...

159. Displaced II (Dark)

The ROB had gotten fed up with me. He'd wanted to see me suffer in Equestria, not make friends, and have the ponies become so used to me being transported there that they didn't care anymore and instead just greeted me as an old friend come to visit.

Now, he was angry. After teleporting me from Equestria - for what I didn't hope would be the last time - he brought me to his twisted domain and there he subjected me to the most brutal of tortures. Brain Washing. Starvation. Exhaustion. Physical tortures undreamed of, unwitnessed, by mortal eyes. And no matter what he put me through there, always floating behind him were four lights of quintessence; the very essence of magic.

"All you have to do to make this end," he said as he gently stripped slivers of skin from my body, "is tell me there are five lights instead of four."

"All you have to do to make this end," he said as he contorted my body into painful shapes, "is tell me there are five lights instead of four."

"All you have to do to make this end," he said as he wouldn't let me sleep, "is tell me there are five lights instead of four."

"All you have to do to make this end," he said as he starved me slowly, "is tell me there are five lights instead of four."

"...five lights instead of four."

"...five lights..."

"...five lights..."

"...five lights..."

I wasn't Captain Picard of Star Trek the Next Generation, though I admit I tried to be strong through it all, tried - like him - to not let myself be broken. I failed. Horribly. And in the end - after countless months...

"... there... are... five... lights..." I rasped through my bloodied muzzle. "Five... lights..."

"Good boy," the ROB stated. Then - "bored now" - with a snap of his fingers, I was in Equestria again--but this time, in the worst place I could have possibly ended up. The Badlands. In the middle of a sandstorm. Howling winds battered my body, getting sand everywhere - into my eyes, nose, mouth, and wounds - setting my nerves aflame in agony! I limped along on three legs - my fourth broken - as I struggled to... to go... to go... where?

A raspy croak escaped me as I collapsed. Before the world faded away... I thought I heard the sound of... buzzing wings?

* * *

### Scout Drone 4893 submits following: have spotted pony in sandstorm. Pony greviously wounded; possibly dying. Orders requested.

### Tactical Drone 3741 commands Scout Drone 4893: State species of Pony.

### Scout Drone 4893 submits following intel to Tactical Drone 3741: Pony is Earth Pony; tan-coated, brown-maned, hazel-eyed; image of computer crossed with screwdriver on flank.

QUEEN CHRYSALIS WILL SPEAK. ALL DRONES WILL CEASE COMMUNICATION. MEDICAL DRONES 7865, 9809, 3453, 4564, 1910, 2454 WILL JOIN TACTICAL DRONE 3741 AND SCOUT DRONE 4893. INITIATE RETRIEVAL OR YOUR ESSENCE WILL BE RETURNED TO THE EVER-MEMORY. QUEEN CHRYSALIS HAS SPOKEN.

### Scout Drone 4893 Hears and Obeys.

### Tactical Drone 3741 Hears and Obeys.

### Medical Drones 7865, 9809, 3453, 4564, 1910, 2454 Hear and Obey. Moving to join Scout Drone 4893 and Tactical Drone 3741. ETA 15 Grains.

QUEEN CHRYSALIS WILL SPEAK. YOU WILL MAKE IT FIVE GRAINS OR SO HELP ME... QUEEN CHRYSALIS HAS SPOKEN.

* * *

When her drones brought the pony - David - before her, it took all of the Queen's iron will and focus not to break down sobbing at the sight of him. Her friend, her gentle, beloved friend had been... the only word she could find was "brutalized"; and that was from pony vocabulary, for there were no words in Hempid to describe, let alone comprehend, what had been done to him. No sooner had the brought him before her than "OUT! OUT! ALL OF YOU, OUT!" she thundered, both physically and through the Ever-Memory. Once her drones were gone, a spell from her sealed the doors and then Queen Chrysalis was weeping as she gently carried her friend with her magic to her personal chambers above the throne-cavern. Tears streaming from her harlequin eyes, Chrysalis eased him gently into the cool, essence-lined cocoon-sac she used as a bed and then... she began to tend to him.

Gently, tenderly, lovingly, the Queen licked his body with her tongue, cleaning the sand from his ruined flesh; then she adapted her tongue to cleanse his eyes, nose, mouth, his hooves, and even his intimate places. When he erected as she cleaned his sheathe and testes, the Queen didn't care; in fact, she rolled - covering them both in the viscous liquids generated within the cocoon-sac - as she took him inside her, sobbing gently in pleasure. Making love to David, with David, for David - her beloved friend, her only companion, the One Pony she wanted as King - she kissed him, slow, gentle, lingering, dripping into his mouth copious amounts of her nutritious saliva and her even more potent Royal Jelly. She knew not truly what it might do to him--but it would heal him and that was enough for her.

She did not move as she made love to him; the Queen just took him in as deep as possible and then lay with him inside her, letting her internal muscles do as they would, an indescribable dance that brought them closer and closer as she kiss-fed him again and again, and again. "Mh-My King...!" she whimpered closing her eyes as she climaxed, feeling him release within her, too. Then, she opened her eyes--to meet his own hazel. Keeping him inside her, drawing close, cuddling gently healing flesh, she cried with relief as he slurred, "Chrys--ssie..." Unable to form words, so palpable was her relief, Queen Chrysalis nestled even closer to him, continuing to hold him inside and out as she whispered, "Oh, my King, my King... What happened to you?"

David's answer... chilled her to the core...

"First day he came and took me away.
Second day, never fed me, not even hay.
Third day, no sensation, and sleep deprivation.
Fourth day, five lights or he wouldn't be nice.
Fifth day, his hatred grew as rhetoric he'd spew.
Sixth day, my screams as he twisted my dreams.
Seventh day, mind taken, humanity forsaken,
Eighth day, was pain from contortions insane.
N-Ninth day he'd grin... and again, he'd begin."

By the time the final word of the horrifying poem escaped David's cracked lips, Chrysalis was seething with rage inside even as she keened softly for her beloved. No matter what it took, no matter what she had to slaughter, betray, and sacrifice, she vowed that she would find this ROB - this Random Omnipotent Being - and make him suffer before she killed him. David did eventually recover, though he was forever changed; he stayed very close to her, having developed skittishness akin to the Element of Kindness. Tics and spasms suffused his body, long remnants of the brutality he'd gone through. He walked with a permanent limp. Nightmares often haunted him.

Chrysalis didn't care; she hadn't wanted him for his body. When he was lucid, David was her beloved friend and a great King; bright, funny, kind, thoughtful, gentle and wise, often coming up with bold, new ideas and sometimes little things that might help her and her hive--and he was a wonderful lover. But then, sometimes, just sometimes...

As her four drones stood before her delivering their report, tucked beneath her wing, David raised his half-furred, half-chitin covered head to look at them, but his eyes were unfocused as he saw only something he could see. All stopped as Chrysalis immediately focused on her King. "There... are... five... drones...!" David whimpered with voice of frightened colt. "Five... drones..." Even as the scouts stopped what they were doing to surround him, nuzzling, nosing, conveying that he was not alone, Chrysalis closed her eyes, tears threatening to fall. "Yes, David," she whispered, knowing there was nothing she could do to convince him otherwise, "there are five drones."

160. Boss 3

As Big Boss made his way through the Quarantine Platform, he came upon a sight that he never, ever hoped he'd see. There, in one of the rooms...

Was Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness, who - despite the protests of her friends - had gone to the platform to offer what help she could.

Now she lay before the Boss, in agony, her throat and lips covered in blood, the mutated Vocal Cord Parasite eating her alive. Yet, she smiled upon seeing him.

"Oh, no..." Miller breathed through the radio, "not her..."

Hands trembling, Big Boss raised his pistol, to do what must be done--but then, he thought better of it. Sheathing the silenced pistol in its holster, he moved to Fluttershy, brought up his hands.

The butter-yellow Pegasus mare nodded to him, afraid yet resolute.

Gathering her up into his arms, the man petted her softly, wished her a gentle goodbye. She asked that her animal friends be brought to the Animal Conservation Platform and immediately the Boss agreed.

Then...

He set his hands around her neck, and squeezed, squeezed, squeezed... Instinct made her struggle to breathe, of course, but soon, the life faded from her eyes...

The Boss set her down--and then a wordless roar of RAGE escaped him as he smashed his Bionic Hand into a wall of the room, again, and again, and again, tears streaming from his eyes, down his cheeks...

Once he was able to get himself under control, gently, the Boss picked her up and carried her the way he'd learned to carry little Sweetie Belle - like a Father carrying his child - and brought her out of that hell.

..........................

"I won't scatter your sorrow to the heartless sea. I will always be with you. Plant your roots in me. I won't see you end as ashes. You're all diamonds."

The quote was for all of them - man and pony alike - yet it resonated most strongly with Applejack and Rarity. Those soldiers among Diamond Dogs whom were closest to the five Elements of Harmony rallied around the mares, kneeling to hug and pet the ponies even as for lost men and women their own tears fell.

When the Boss presented them with Fluttershy's Ashes, each pony took a little and rubbed the ash on their muzzles, before returning the pot to the Boss. He knew what he would do.

Later, the five ponies were each given a new Diamond Dogs Patch, into which was sewn a tiny diamond made from the ashes of that gentle Pegasus mare, who'd done so much for all of the people on Mother Base and the FOB just by being there as an ear to listen, or someone to talk to.

The final remainder was scattered gently into the various cages of the Animal Conservation Platform; a place Fluttershy had, of course, adored.

..........................

Later, as Huey Emerich was about to be put into the raft - before anyone could do or say anything to stop her - Applejack struck, viciously.

"YEW FUCKIN' TRAYTORUSS WURM! YEW FILTHY, LAH-YIN VARMINT...!" she howled; then it was Huey's turn to howl as the Element of Honesty CRUSHED his arms with her hooves--and then broke his jaw for good measure before he could once again open his filthy, lying mouth. "HOPE YEW LAHK SUCKIN' YER OWN SHEEIT THREW A STRAHW!"

Before she could do any further damage to him, the Boss stepped in and restrained her even as she struggled, her hooves flailing, reaching again toward the wretch who'd rubbed her the wrong way from day one. Soon, the poor mare collapsed boneless into the man's arms, twisting to hug the Boss, bawling into his chest like a foal.

Big Boss knew exactly how she felt.

161. Emperor

"It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries The Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the Master of Mankind by the will of the gods, and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day, so that he may never truly die."

Or so it was Written... until today. As His Adeptus Custodes endured their eternal vigil over Him, suddenly the golden-glow of sunlight filled the cavernous room housing the Golden Throne; then when it was gone the Guardians of the Emperor of Mankind beheld a most unusual sight. Sat beside His throne there were two winged unicorns from ancient myth! Immediately, the Adeptus Custodes made to end them - none would harm the Master of Mankind - but before they could move all found themselves frozen as they heard his voice.

"CEASE."

Stunned by His power, the Adeptus Custodes stowed their weapons, yet kept a wary eye on these... these... ponies... as they opened their eyes and beheld for the first time the Master of Mankind's desiccated form. The two ponies - one as white as snow, the other black as pitch - gasped... and then, they wept upon seeing His wounds. The horns upon their foreheads aglow with xeno magick, the thoughts of these odd creatures were as one even as their tears fell upon him and upon the Golden Throne. 'Save him. Faust, please save him...'

Their prayers were answered.

The Gods of Chaos - the Ruinous Powers - howled in agony as the Warp was rent asunder by the winged form of a mighty crimson-and-white phoenix of myth; it was all the Adeptus Custodes could do to maintain their vigil as the mighty bird of legend wept Her tears into a mechanism of the Golden Throne... and Lo, the Emperor slowly, gradually, began to heal... One year later, When at last He opened his eyes, saw His healed form and the two ponies who had stayed with Him...

The God-Emperor of Mankind laughed, his rich, booming baritone filling the Throne-Cavern as they bunted Him with their muzzles! Gently pushing them away as they nickered and whinnied their joy, He made to stand for the first time and then - with a hand upon each Pony to support him as he took his first steps in 10,000 years, he exited the Throne Room, his Adeptus Custodes falling into step behind him, too stunned to utter a word. Princesses Celestia and Luna - the Emperor later discovered - weren't the only ponies to come from outside to the Imperium; they were only the first...

* * *

Years later...

The young Adeptus Astartes watched in awe as the lavender winged unicorn - pony, not xeno - whinny-chanted as she inscribed powerful runes of xenos-magic upon his Mark VII Power Armour and whatever magic she was casting, it was powerful! Even as he finished his morning prayers, the Space Marine could feel the power of the magic she was casting from across the room, gentle and benevolent. That power... it seemed to revitalize him, empower him, even as it filled him with balanced, harmonious calm, as if the Emperor himself were saying, "All will be well." The young Adeptus Astartes, in battle, would later find that - whatever the xeno-unicorn had done to his armor - the effect on the daemons he fought was great and terrible indeed; they literally could not touch, nor even face him. They screamed in torment and crumbled to ashes before they could even come near him!

* * *

The Inquisitor, having gotten what information he could from the Cultist who had murdered so many children, tossed the unrepentant fool to his Pony Companion. The Thestral licked his lips--and then the man screamed as the pony drank him dry... before eating his drained corpse.

* * *

The Tech-Priest was nervous as he watched his pony friend undergo the procedure to get his first augmetics. Others kept a careful eye upon a Scholar leading a group of foals deeper into the Factorium, on an educational tour.

* * *

The human Adepts who would become Space Marines laughed openly at the Pony who walked out to begin their instruction--until said pony with the shield on his flank boomed "WHAT'S SO FUNNY RECRUITS? DID I SAY YOU COULD F***ING LAUGH?" When they immediately shut up, the pony continued, "WELCOME TO HELL, SHIT-MAGGOTS! MY NAME IS SHINING ARMOR, BUT THE ONLY NAME I WANT TO HEAR COMING OUT OF THOSE F***ING SHIT-HOLES YOU CALL MOUTHS IS 'SIR'! AS OF THIS MOMENT, YOU ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO RUN CRYING TO YOUR MOTHERS WHEN YOU INEVITABLY FUCK UP... AND YOU WILL FUCK UP. YOU'RE IN MY WORLD NOW SHIT-MAGGOTS. I OWN YOUR FURLESS PELTS! WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST DAY IN TARTARUS."

* * *

It didn't happen overnight... but gradually, gently - as more and more ponies appeared and became companions of humans - the Imperium of Mankind began to recover. Guided by the restored Emperor of Man - along with Celestia and Luna - Mankind and Ponies flourished. And so it was that the Master of Mankind's dream - man entering a new Golden Age - came to pass.

Author's Note

*Sits and waits for the inevitable banal, juvenile cries of "HERESY!"*

162. Applepetting

It was around half-past eleven at night when I heard the guest room door open as Applejack - whom I'd been staying with since my arrival in Ponyville - carefully, quietly, slipped into my room--and then crawled into bed beside me. By the light of the moon I saw her face and her orange fur was wet, stained with her tears. Snuffling softly, blinking back yet more tears unshed, she whispered, "Ah don't understand. Yew said yew lahk pettin' ponies... so how come yew ain't petted me, yet? You've petted all mah friends... whah nawt me?" Inhaling a soft breath, the little palomino mare gripped one of my hands with a hoof, and brought it to one of her wet, tear-stained cheeks.

"Oh, Applejack," I murmured softly, turning to cuddle her beneath the thick duvet, "I'm sorry. It's just--you seemed so scared of me; you always gave me the evil eye whenever I was out and about..."

"O' course Ah did!" the farm pony choked. "Because Ah wuz scayred, okay! Yew... yew just plumb walked intah town lahk yew owned the place, nawt even battin' an eye when other ponies ran from yeh; you just headed to Twahlaht's Lahbrary lakh yew knew what yew wuz dewin--then before she could git scayred yew jes'... yew jes' started pettin' her and scritchin' her bahand tha ears... an' she up an' melted intah yer arms! Ah thawt, 'If'n yew could dew thaht to Twahlaht... whut could yew do tah us?' But - after Ah talked with her - she said it felt good!" Aynd... aynd then ah wondered..."

"... whether it'd feel good for you, too," I whispered softly.

Applejack nodded, then winced as she replied, "Trewthfully, Ah... Ah wuz scayred that... that Ah'd be as 'intew it' as Twahlaht wuz--lahk Ah'd lose mahself; who ah wuz..." She shivered, then blinked as I laughed.

"Silly pony; you won't 'lose yourself'! Come here..." Slowly, gently, I shifted her closer to me such that her head lay upon my chest, her muzzle tucked into the crook of my shoulder... and then, a soft whimper escaped her as I started to comb my hands gently through her long, blonde mane. Letting my hands roam where they would, I scratched gently at the skin beneath, drawing a softened gasp from her; then that gasp became a softened sob as I scratched her behind the ears.

Applejack wept gently as she realized how foolish she'd been; the petting felt amazing and as David roamed his hands down her back and sides she groaned and stretched out against him, a soft, low nicker escaping her--before she clapped a hoof over her mouth. "Wh-whut wuz thayt?!" she asked--and then groaned as I just kept petting her, working in a massage as well to relieve tensions she hadn't even known she had.

"Just you being a pony," I replied--before I made her whinny, gasp, and squeal softly as I tickled her! Later, I wrought softened groans from her as I rubbed her belly. "Mmmmh..." she sighed as I buried my hands in her coat, "Ah never knew Ah could feel this whay..."

Author's Note

Preliminary petting of Apple Pony achieved This is good. Must pet more Apple Ponies.

163. Glimmer

When the human called David had arrived in Equestria, neither side had known what to do. The human couldn't speak the ponies' language of Earth horse-like sounds - their neighs, nickers, whinnies and other sounds - and the ponies couldn't speak his human words. Not even the ponies' magic could help, as translation spells worked upon a common thread that all languages held yet the human's did not. His speech and theirs were just too different. But Twilight Sparkle was determined to bridge the gap between their species and his and she eventually did. Twilight taught David the ponies' writing system, and he taught her human-English letters and numbers.

Then came customs and after that, social mores. Twilight and her kin went about furclad - except in the City of Canterlot, of course - but David wore clothing all the time. Ponies were a very tactile species - very 'touchy-feely' if you will - but David preferred his personal space, keeping her and her friends at arms' length. Ponies were a herd species - herds did practically everything together - but David was alone and yet he was okay with that? To Twilight Sparkle and her friends, this was an unthinkable concept, one over which he and she nearly came to blows! She'd attempted to examine his Mobile Phone and the Notebook Computer he'd arrived with - as he was staying with her in her castle, to her it was no longer his property, but 'their' property, herd property. David hadn't agreed.

That night - even though neither could speak the other's language - their raised voices had resounded throughout the Castle of Friendship as both shouted at the other, David yelling at Twilight in English, a blistering diatribe about respecting an individual's property, whilst Twilight neighed and whinnied furiously that it was now theirs! In the end, bursting into tears, Twilight retreated to her and Spike's room whilst David took his things and stowed them in his own, muttering darkly to himself. Through it all, one other pony in the Castle shook her head, a whicker-sigh escaping her as she beheld her mentor's foolishness.

Once Twilight and David were gone, quietly and carefully, Starlight Glimmer ascended the steps to the Guest Room where David was staying. Here, thought she, was a being who hadn't learned of her past deeds at Our Town, nor of her abuse of Starswirl the Bearded's Time Travel Spell. Ponies knew of her past--but David did not, and with him she could have a clean slate; a thing she desired more than anything in the world. Determined to befriend him - with a zeal beyond even Twilight's own - Starlight had discreetly and carefully watched and noted David's every action and behavior and had learned much about him, including his desire for personal space--and that his property - even the room in which he now resided - was HIS and did not belong to the herd.

Thus, unlike her mentor - who would have simply opened the door and entered - before she made to open the door, Starlight raised a hoof and softly knocked. A word spat in a half irritated, half-assenting tone met her ears - though she couldn't understand it Starlight knew David had given her permission to enter - and so, carefully, she opened the door. Therein, the purple-maned, heliotrope-coated unicorn espied David in bed, reading 'Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone'--but as soon as he saw her, the human marked his place, then carefully set down the book upon a crystal night-table and waved her over. A soft, breathless nicker escaping her, Starlight carefully walked over to him - making to sit by the bed, perhaps rest her head upon the duvet and just be with him - but David would have none of it; immediately he lifted the duvet back, petting the mattress with a hand.

With a soft, joyful whicker, Starlight hopped up and then David sighed gently, pulling the warm duvet back over them both. Starlight thought to respect his space - keeping to 'her' side of the frankly enormous bed - but David surprised her; gently wrapping an arm about her barrel he pulled her towards him and moved such that both human and unicorn 'met in the middle.' David pulled Starlight to him, and the unicorn sighed gustily through her nose, stretching out aside the length of his body, letting him spoon her. Unthinking, she blew at him, and - to her surprise - he returned the gesture; together, they shared breath. Then, bringing his hands from beneath the duvet, he made fists - hooves - and spoke to her in hoofsign, something she'd taught him in secret, without Twilight's knowledge.

~Out of all the ponies here~ he signed, ~you haven't been pushy, like Twilight and her friends. You've respected me as an individual and have allowed me my space. Why is that?~ Immediately Starlight answered, ~I... all I want is to be your friend; that's all, I swear by Celestia! If that means I have to let up on some of my own cultural norms, and adapt a few of yours, then so be it.~ For a moment, David smirked at her and Starlight feared she'd said the wrong thing--but then the human's smirk softened into a gentle smile and - to her surprise - he softly touched noses with her. ~You're getting there, GlimGlam~ he signed. ~You're getting there...~ Starlight giggled softly at the silly nickname he'd given her--but then said groan became a gasp as he softly scratched her behind the ears. Happy pony noises escaping her, she wriggled against him, nuzzling his face.

190. What I Want.

She looked... Worn out, I realized. Poor Celestia looked tired, worn out, exhausted. “Fine” she snapped, testily, “you may stay here in Equestria, human, but only after you give me what I want!”

I merely eyed her speculatively. After a moment, the solar diarch snorted loudly through her nose, then, a moment later we were gone in a blaze of sunlight, arriving in her bedchamber. Sighing, poor Celestia massaged her temples with a hoof, then unceremoniously tossed off her regalia before flopping on her bed. "Your hands, human!" she snapped, "I need them. Now!"

Carefully, I sat next to her--but Celestia was having none of this 'slow' stuff; thoughtlessly she settled her head in my lap and then, unthinking, I started to pet her. For this time, I realized, she didn't want us to be human and princess, just man and pony, and so it was. Gently taking her head in my hands, I softly massaged the princess pony's cheeks, then worked at her temples, her horn base, spending roughly ten to fifteen minutes on each. Then, I made to stroke the backs of and scratch behind her delicate ears; this sent her to bliss and she groaned gently and sighed. Thereafter, I combed my hands through her mane, running my hands through the delicate hair before using my fingers to massage the scalp beneath.

Celestia, poor Celestia, quivered and whimpered in my lap; then when I started long slow, soothing strokes down her neck, massaging her spine and gently working stressed bone and muscle back into place she burst into tears as she felt knotted muscles finally give, the pain eased away. At first I thought her crying was from actual pain - I thought I'd hurt her somehow - but then, when her magic returned my hands to her fur I realized that she was just venting, just... crying as a catharsis, a release of frustration. "Rough day?" I asked.

In answer, Celestia wrapped her head with her duvet, inhaled, and screamed before sobbing again. Gathering her up into my arms, I cuddled her gently, she resting against my chest, laying her head limply over my shoulder as I long-petted her from the base of her mane all the way to her tail base, anywhere my hands could reach. She didn't mind at all - she knew it wasn't anything sexual - and really, she was just too exhausted to care; she just wanted to be taken care of for a while. Last, I roamed my hands all over her wings, following the grain of her feathers, then spent a long while massaging the muscles beneath, as all the while Celestia babbled insensately and sobbed with relief.

Later, the big mare lay atop me - carefully, not to crush me with her weight - and nuzzled-nuzzled-nuzzled my face, blowing gently at me, soft, near silent nickers escaping her as I stroked and petted her with both my hands; then, a moment later she rested her head atop my chest and closed her eyes. ~Mmmm... yes, you'll have a job here, human - David - you'll be our Royal Petter, for my sister and I. I... I'm really sorry about all this...~ In answer. I just scratched her behind the ears again, vigorously, hearing her groan as her words once more dissolved into senseless pleasure-filled nonsense.

191. Orchid Bloom

Orchid Bloom was, to put it delicately, a broken mare. Hailing from a bizzare town where ponies lived the horrifying concept of "Total Power Exchange" - that is, the complete giving of control of one's life to another - after I'd healed her many, many bruises and broken bones, she'd promptly declared herself mine. I was her new Master. For a High Templar such as myself, completely free and in control of my own life (aside from serving Aiur as her Ambassador to Earth) I found this a horrifying concept. Why would ponies do this?! Thus, I tried - very, very gently - to break Orchid Bloom of her conditioning, and tried to teach the little pegasus mare of the concept of freedom.

Though she greatly appreciated that I was a kind Master - far kinder than any she'd ever had before - when she discovered that I was working to eventually set her free... she was devastated! "[No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...!"] she whinnied in ponytongue, then burst into heart-wrenching tears, bawling foal-like as I held her close, rocking her like a babe, always stroking my hands through her silver-blue fur and blood-red mane. ["Orchid Bloom has been a bad pony, a bad, bad, pony; Orchid Bloom has failed her Master...!"] I held her until she fell silent, then - after washing her face and ensuring her teeth were properly brushed I placed her in the basket beside my bed then went to bed myself, and dreamed troubling dreams.

In the days that followed, as I secluded myself to meditate and reflect, poor Orchid lapsed into a deep depression. She would not eat. She would not drink. She would not sleep. Not unless I forced her to, and when I did she ate mechanically, her eyes dull, her normally wagging tail listless. I... could not understand what I had done wrong! Did she not want freedom? Cursing myself, damning myself - feeling Adun frowning upon me - I snapped my fingers to get her attention, then when she raised her head to look at me glumly I barked at her softly in Khalani, "Orchid Bloom, I... accept you - probationally - as my Companion Mare. I am your Master, you are my Mare, and you will obey me! Issah,tzu!" The effect on poor Orchid Bloom was amazing; her eyes seemed to fill with life, her tail began to wag with a mind of its own, and she leaped to her hooves, wings half-furl, jaw dropped in a smile! Then, as I had commanded, she stood at attention, waiting.

"Come," I snapped in Equestrian and with a near-euphoric whinny she did, leaping into my lap to lick my face and nuzzle, nuzzle, nuzzle, nickering with soft delight, eyes shining with unshed happy tears. "[Orchid knows of the concept of 'freedom'"] she explained to me later as I brushed her mane, ["but she does not want it! Orchid adores belonging to Master David! Orchid adores being his pet, and wishes..."] here she blushed, deeply embarrassed, ["and wishes he would let her be more … but what Orchid has is amazing! Orchid loves being fed by you, loves playing with you, loves being washed and bathed and dried and petted, and, and..."] she sniffled, pressing close to me, resting her head against my chest as I held her, feeling her little heart beat beneath her fur. Then, a moment later, her voice breaking with a softened sob, Orchid softly chanted,

["Master David is my Master!
There are no Masters like Him, and He is Mine!
My Life is His, my Body is His, my Spirit is His.
I enrich my own life only as a way to better serve Him.
I become strong such that my strength will become His strength.
I learn only such that my knowledge become His knowledge.
I become wise such that my wisdom will become His wisdom.
Without this one, Master David is lonely.
Without Master David, I am lost.
I will serve him; I will...

Freedom is abhorrent. Freedom is loneliness.
Freedom is choice. Freedom is Death!
Thus I will serve my Master, even if He should spurn me, for I am His Pony.
I will serve Him; I will...
I will learn His strengths, and His weaknesses, His joys and His sorrows,
His likes and dislikes that they become mine.
I will keep His house clean even as he bathes me and keeps me clean.
I will keep His secrets even as I share with Him mine.
I will soothe and comfort Him even as He strokes my coat,
and runs His hands through my unworthy mane.
My body is His if He should desire it.
I will become part of Him; I will...

Before my Master David I swear this creed.
My Life is His, my Body is His, my Spirit is His.
He is my Master; I am His Pony; He is the Saviour of my Life;
I am the Companion in His. I say it is so until the Princesses die."]

Then, as I nodded, and softly told her "I... accept," she wrapped her legs and wings around me and squeezed gently, resting her head against my chest. Though she had utterly spurned my attempts to set her free - and was determined to be my servant, companion, and pet in all but name - I still offered her as much kindness and, well, "freedom" as I could, through the form of a set of Rights. "You have the Right of Speech" I stated with commanding tone, "that is: you are always permitted to speak your mind. If you like or do not like something, if you are happy or unhappy, if you want or need anything, if you have an opinion about something... if you have anything you wish to say at all, then you may speak your mind; even if what you have to say might be something I don't want to hear. I will never be angry with you at all for anything you have to say, Orchid."

When Orchid gasped softly, eyes wide, I continued, "You have the Right of Protection; that is: since you are determined to be... to be mine, I will protect you with all that I am--from all that would cause you harm if possible, from other so-called Masters, and even from the Princesses if necessary." With commanding tone, I continued, "You have the Right of Exploration, that is: you may leave the Weyr at any time, to go off and explore on your own; the Weyr and all lands around are yours to explore as you wish, though - since we are in the Everfree - you will not venture too far from the Nexus, and you will never explore deep into the Everfree without either myself or an Observer at your side." Though she would, of course, never leave my side, little Orchid Bloom gave an appreciative nod, as I continued, "You have the Right of Necessity, that is: you will always have access to food, drink, and shelter. This matters not whether you have been "good" or "bad"; as your Master, I will never deny you these."

Trembling in my lap, eyes misting with unshed tears, little Orchid whimpered, barely holding herself together. "You have the Right of Hygiene" I stated. "That is: I will ensure that you are bathed regularly, that your mane and tail are brushed, and that your teeth are clean. If I am ever not there to do so, then you are, of course, permitted to use the Weyrhome Facilities to clean yourself." As the tiniest of sobs escaped the pegasus mare, I issued her the final Right. "Lastly," I stated, "you have the Right of Medicine, that is: you will always have access to premium medical care, should you ever become sick, or hurt. Not only will you have access to my skills of Battlefield Medicine and Surgery, Orchid, but you will also always have access to the Sickbay of Weyrhome."

Orchid was overwhelmed. Never had she been offered so much from a Master without a 'catch'! Never had she been treated so well! Never had she been so well-cleaned and groomed. And these Rights... Never, ever, ever had a Master offered her these. When David intoned to her those final, utterly commanding Words, "These Rights I have stated to you are unalienable. This means they can never be taken away from you. Not by me. Not by other Masters. Not even by the Princesses. Though... I know they wouldn't!" He chuckled and she half-laughed, half-sobbed along with him, before he looked into her eyes and asked, "Do you accept these Rights I have given you?"

["Ye-he-heeesss!"] Orchid cried, then burst into happy tears. Her life was complete. She had found the ultimate, the Final Master. One whom she would live for, of course... and yet, one whom she would happily, easily die for, if it came to that. Deep in her heart, she knew it would never come to that. Orchid knew the human, David, would give his life to protect her own; thus, she vowed to uphold her own Servingmare's Creed to the very best of her abilities. During the following month - as Orchid Bloom, now under my care, 'found' and stabilized herself - she effectively became my Butler as she followed her Servingmare's Creed to the letter!

Once I'd taught her how to properly use the Dragon Weyr's Replicators - instead of dressing herself in the outfit of a maid, or worse, a slave as I'd expected her to - she fashioned for herself the Uniform that a male Butler might wear, complete with pristine polished hoof-shoes! After seeing the replicator in the small kitchenette - and learning what it was for - as I watched on, bemused, she blew up at the Weyrmind, all but demanding that a proper kitchen be built where she might cook healthy meals for me herself! Amusement/Humor filled my thoughts as the Weyrmind acceded to the requests of the bold little pegasus mare dressed with consummate elegance in her suit. By day, she was truly the Majordomo of the Weyr - supervising the probes as they maintained the place, cooking my meals, keeping my schedule as I went about my days and acting as first point of contact to any pony visitors.

By night, however - after completing her ablutions, ensuring her uniform was neatly pressed and folded, and that her boots were properly polished for the next day - as was her custom she shared my bed, spooning with me, pressing her back against me and ensuring that one of my arms was always wrapped over her body, molding herself to me so perfectly that we might well have been one entity. This way, abed with me, she slept deeply and easily, a smile on her face, eyes closed as she nickered gently, shifting subtly, lost within happy dreams.

192. Broken Herd.

"So... everything we had - everything we said to each other - it was all a lie?" I asked, brokenly.

Standing there with us in the kitchen of our home - at least, I thought it had been our home - the mint green unicorn, Lyra Heartstrings, gazed at Bon-Bon and I with stone-cold expression; every bit of the love I thought she had for me, for us ... was gone. "Yes," she stated with cold efficiency, "all of it - the 'wanting to know all about humans,' the eccentricity, our love, our life... it was never real."

Leaning against my side, tears misting her eyes, bile barely held back in her throat, Bon-Bon whimpered, "Lyra... how could you?"

"Easily," Lyra answered, "I was on mission, Bonnie. So were you--but then you were compromised!"

"Oh, that's rich, coming from you!" Bon-Bon snarled.

"As of now," the mint unicorn continued, heedless of whatever the candy colored Earth Pony was going to say, "I am enacting Stockholm Protocol; you have been compromised Bonnie and must be recalled to S.M.I.L.E for decon--"

Bon-Bon moved; one moment she was with me, the next a wordless roar resounded from deep within her chest as she employed martial arts to impact the horn of Lyra before she could think to fire off a spell; my world narrowed to a single point as I heard the *CRACK* of hoof against bone and then Lyra's shrill scream, followed by a thud.

"Come on," Bon-Bon shouted, "let's get moving; we don't have much time!" And then she was racing about the house packing essentials from various hideaways. Pushing down the hurt and betrayal I was feeling - I would deal with it later - I did my best to help her, stuffing what she hoofed me into her saddlebags, snagged from the hooks just inside the door of the Ponyville house we'd lived in together for several years. Soon she was done - she'd obviously been preparing for this for some time - and the last thing she handed me was a grimy, cloth wrapped bundle. "Here," she said, looking at me with sad eyes, "I... I managed to snag this from S.M.I.L.E before the science-colts confiscated everything. Don't know what it is, or what it does, but it looked pretty important..."

My human hands trembling, I unwrapped the cloth to reveal, "My Forearm Computer!" Swiftly attaching it to my right forearm, I activated it and as its holo-runic display came to life I swiftly tapped in the Master Recall Code that would literally recall all of the technology that the ponies had stolen from me! No sooner had I done this then the process began, Bon-Bon's eyes widening, her jaw dropping as the room lit up with micro-warp rifts! My Templar Armor, my Robe, all of my tools and equipment, my Psi-Staff and even my precious Khaydarin Amulet all appeared on me, like something out of a superhero comic.

Gently closing Bon-Bon's dropped jaw, I smiled, my love for her stronger then ever despite Lyra's betrayal of our herd. "Thank you, love; now come on, we'd better go before Lyra wakes up..." And that was what we did; with Bon-Bon's saddlebags at her sides and my equipment donned, we bolted from our former home to where my Nexus - the Dragon Weyr - waited for us in the Everfree Forest--just in time as Lyra Heartstrings raced from the house after us! Utterly incensed, her horn sparking with her anger, she howled "STOP! You have been declared an S-Class--"

"OH, PUT A SOCK IN IT YOU FUCKING NAG!" Bon-Bon yelled over her shoulder; and it was the last thing she said because then I picked her up, saddlebags and all, and sprinted into the Everfree, Lyra's howls of rage fading behind us as I hastily made my way to the clearing where the Weyr rested, its Gate of Dawn already open.

Racing inside - as Bon-Bon turned her head this way and that, looking around in awe - I pelted through the Entryway to the Transport Alcove at the back and only when we were on the transport pad did I release the Earth Pony, setting her back onto her hooves. No sooner had I done so then she startled as the four great Transport Rings dropped down to enclose us. "Easy..." I breathed to her and she nodded as the rings encircling us began to rotate, slowly at first but then faster, and faster, and faster! A humming sound filled the air, followed by the feeling of some... enormous energy.... I was used to it, but poor Bon-Bon wasn't; it rattled her to her very core. Then together we both vanished in a blaze of cyan light. As we disappeared the rings rose up into the ceiling above, into a second alcove; then with an inhaled breath we reappeared and - as the rings sank into the floor, releasing us - we moved from the Transport Alcove into Weyrhome.

Bon-Bon wasn't awed, of course she wasn't, her mind was in far too much of a mess; instead, she immediately made her way over to the familiar, the battered leather couch in the centre of the room. Doffing her saddlebags, she slumped into it, bone-dead exhausted and then - as I moved to join her, gathering her into my arms and lap to pet and stroke the way she loved - she turned into me and burst into tears.

193. Tiara II / Spoon (NSFW)

It all began one night when my adopted daughter, Diamond Tiara, and I were walking home after spending a day at the Ponyville Markets. We were on our way back to the Everfree Forest, to venture in and return to the Dragon Weyr when – as we were walking past the home of Silver Spoon and her Family – we heard a terrible commotion! “—ON’T HAVE A DIRTY FILLY-FOOLER IN MY HOUSE! DIRTY FOAL! FILTHY FOAL! YOU ARE NO LONGER MY DAUGHTER! GET…OUT!”

Following the awful shouting was the sound of something alive and wailing being roughly shoved through a doorway; then there came the final, dreadful slam of a door being closed hard. Battle-instincts rising to the surface, with Diamond racing behind me, I immediately moved to investigate—but it seemed I was too late as something small and furry slammed into my legs, nearly toppling me over.

Looking down, I couldn’t see the small pony-shaped thing which had run into me but—with pony vision slightly better at night then a human’s—Diamond Tiara did. “Spoony!” she cried, and moved to console her friend… but it seemed, for the moment, that poor Silver Spoon was utterly inconsolable; there in the dark she just bawled like the youngest of newborn foals. Kneeling down, I made to gather up both little fillies, to embrace them, hold them gently—but as I placed my hand on Silver Spoon’s side, she flinched, not from fear, but from pain!

“Dee… I think she’s been hurt,” I murmured gently to Diamond, who uttered a soft gasp at my admission. “Can…” my pony daughter faltered, then started again. “Can she stay over? At the Weyr? Can she come with us, Papa?” She hadn’t even needed to ask the question; immediately I nodded. “Of course, she’ll have to,” I stated with finality. “There’s no way I’m letting her go back home, and I’ll need to make sure her wounds are tended to; come on, let’s go.”

Turning my attention to Silver Spoon – little more than a pony-shaped shadow in the twilight – I asked her, “Are you okay to walk, little one?” Her world fallen out from beneath her, little Silver Spoon nodded, a little sob escaping her as Diamond Tiara immediately moved to brace her body against the silver-furred filly in support. Thus, my daughter and I – and our rescued guest – made our way into the Everfree Forest, poor Silver Spoon flinching at every unusual sound, until we arrived back at my Protoss Nexus, the Dragon Weyr.

Therein under the bright lights of Sickbay, thankfully, we found that Silver Spoon hadn’t been seriously injured; but she had been beaten—severely, her back, flanks, sides and rump covered with welts and bruises, all of them fresh. As the slow, seething rage of the Weyr filled my thoughts – the mind of the Great Nexus appalled at the thought of a child being hurt so badly – upon noticing the expression on my face, whilst the Dermal Regenerators of the Autodoc healed her wounds, Silver Spoon flinched.

Then, answering my unspoken question, she sniffled – eyes misty – as she said, “My… my Father, Hoity Toity.” Diamond Tiara sucked in a soft breath as she continued, “He did this to me. He… he hates that I’m… well… a filly-fooler; and that I… that I…” The poor silver-furred foal faltered, her unshed tears beginning to fall, “… that I love you, Diamond Tiara,” she whispered, brokenly. “I always have…”

At her confession, Diamond Tiara froze, her jaw dropping open; but then, with a determined glint in her eyes my daughter leaped into the Autodoc to be with her beloved friend; both breaking down into wordless crying. No words needed to be said, for little Diamond had always felt the same; as Silver Spoon loved her, she loved Silver Spoon, too. Soon the Dermal Regenerators finished their work; Silver Spoon was healed, her welts and bruises gone, replaced by fresh, healthy skin under fur.

With that task done, I moved to gather both foals into my arms. Diamond Tiara – being my daughter, and long used to being held and carried – practically leaped into my arms, but I was still a stranger to Silver Spoon; though I had healed her wounds and helped her, she didn’t trust me - she was ‘waiting for the other hoof to drop – and so, when I made to gather her into my other arm, she flinched, expecting to be beaten again!

However… softly, gently, Diamond Tiara spoke to Silver Spoon in foaltongue – the secret, intrinsic language of all foals; something not-quite baby noises, not quite pony speech – a language adult ponies lost as they grew up. It was a language that the Dragon Weyr and I still didn’t understand, despite the Nexus’ best efforts to build a translation matrix. Softly coaxing, gently cajoling, my daughter beckoned Silver Spoon into my arms with her, and when the silver-furred filly made the leap – and I expertly caught her as I had my daughter - Diamond Tiara cheered and then kissed her friend softly, nuzzling her nose, sharing breath.

With both little fillies in my arms, I made my way to the Weyr’s Kitchenette where I promptly stuffed their bellies full of food. Then, after making sure they were properly bathed and brushed – and that their teeth were clean – I gently laid them down to sleep and tucked them in. Later that night, however – due to the Weyrmind’s inquisitive nature and desire to ensure the foals were safe and protected – through the Master Transceiver connecting me to itI witnessed something beautiful, yet incredibly sad.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had moved atop each other and were holding each other close; more than that, my eyes widened as I realized both fillies were… they were making love with each other! Feeling abhorrent for watching, yet unable to tell the Weyrmind to cease, I watched through its countless cameras and sensors as they softly kissed, softly caressed each other before licking softly, gently at each other’s nether-lips, first one, and then the other.

As they did this, occasionally, their tongues would slip between those lips, deep into wet, liquid heat, only to emerge, wet and shining with foal essence. Finally, when the fillies could stand it no more - whimpering, crying softly - each foal drove her wet and dripping tongue past the lips of the other’s vulva, deep into the wet, liquid heat of their vaginas. Yet – even as they began eating each other out, licking themselves to orgasm – there was no lust in their actions; rather, they took their time, always kissing, always caressing, and always ensuring the other was loved.

Sadness filled my heart as the Weyrmind and I both realized that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were making love to each other as if for the last time – as if they would never see each other again afterward. Resolve filling us both, we vowed to ensure that that would not happen! At last, crying with each other – tears falling from their eyes to dampen their faces and muzzles - both foals came hard, their fillyhoods rippling and contracting about their tongues, thick creamy mucus slopping from deep inside their sexes to splash all over their muzzles, crotches and thighs.

As it spilled from them, neither filly wasted a drop. Greedily they lapped up and drank their essences—and they actually were drinking it, I realized, intrigued; they were actually feeding off each other, each nourishing themselves on the other’s essence! Soon, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tired and – holding each other close, they softly kissed a final time; then they drifted off to sleep. As for me… I felt awful for watching them, for intruding on such a private moment, and yet… reaching down to my member I felt it was as hard as an iron bar.

A soft groan escaping me, I gripped my shaft in-hand and masturbated furiously - images of the fillies’ love-making racing through my thoughts – until I, too, came like they had, my seed rushing from me to spill over my hand. Almost immediately after, I felt utterly disgusted with myself and – as Probes swiftly cleaned up the mess around me - I turned to my side and fell asleep, unpleasant thoughts of the Princesses, a squad of Royal Guards, and the Gates of Tartarus filling my head; what I deserved…

The next morning – when both of those adorable little fillies raced into my room and leaped onto my bed to wake me up – I bid them good morning but from then on I was courteous yet a little distant from them. Having never lived with me before for any length of time, little Silver Spoon was confused by my seemingly abrupt change of nature, but after living with me for nearly two years, Diamond Tiara wasn’t. “What’s wrong Papa?” she asked softly. “Please tell me…”

All it took, dear readers, was a look with the dreaded ‘puppy-dog eyes, an adorable tilt of the head, a quivering lip as if she were about to cry… and I was done. Hands shaking, voice cracking, tears beginning to fall from my eyes, I told them of what I had done – how I’d seen them making love through the, now deeply regretful, Weyrmind, and had… pleasured myself. Even now, I still felt like scum, like the lowest, most base form of life to ever exist. Wearier than I’d ever felt in my life, I awaited the foals’ judgement for my abhorrent actions.

I expected them to shout, to scream, to curse at me, to call me a filthy, vile foalophile – to bolt from the Weyr and tell an adult what I’d done… I shouldn’t have been so foolish, so quick to jump to conclusions. This place was not Earth or Aiur, and these Equestrian foals held values that were a little more enlightened to those held by humans. Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon considered me with their huge eyes – and there was a look that was a mixture of forgiveness, incredible love, and profound sadness in them.

For a moment, neither foal said anything – I don't think they could have anyway – but then, both fillies’ eyes misted with tears and Silver Spoon sniffled as Diamond Tiara spoke. “Oh, Papa…” she whimpered softly; then both fillies crawled into bed with me, buried their faces into my chest and hugged me with all four of their feet encircling my body as they cried! Utterly overwhelmed by their kindness, I gently stroked the coats of these wondrous beings, then petted and ruffled their manes and scratched them behind the ears.

Soon, both fillies calmed, their cries fading, tears ceasing as they melted and purred into my touch. Thereafter, I expected that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would fall asleep beside me. What I did not expect… was for the foals to release me from their embrace and slowly, gently induct me into their world… It was Diamond Tiara who moved first – my brave, bold little Diamond – as she gently tugged the duvet down with her teeth, revealing my pajama-clad body.

Silver Spoon came to aid Diamond, then and as I looked on – jaw dropped, unable, unwilling to do anything to stop them – the silver-furred foal carefully used her mouth to tug down my pyjama bottoms. “It’s… not as big as a stallions’,” she murmured as both fillies eyed my member, hardened from ‘morning wood’, then continued, “Which is a good thing, Dee; stallion penises scare me!” Diamond Tiara nodded, “Yeah, it doesn’t look like a weird snake, or all veiny or anything, Silvy. It looks… nice.”

After looking at my member for a little longer – then gently touching, poking, prodding it with their hooves – the fillies turned away for a moment and spoke to each other softly in foaltongue. A moment later – to my surprise – it was Silver Spoon who moved next, gently nuzzling at the base of my shaft, near my testicles; then her little tongue slid out from her lips and delicately lapped against my skin, the warmth of her saliva causing me to shudder.

A soft groan escaped me, then, as Diamond Tiara moved to begin licking me as well, licking the head of my member, sampling the salty taste of my pre-come. Soon, both foals were licking up and down either side of my member, the warmth and feel of their tongues bringing me closer, and closer to climax—until at last, I did come, something for which it seemed both fillies were ready.

It was Diamond Tiara who got her muzzle filled first, her eyes widening as she tasted my seed for the first time; then, panting and snorting, she swallowed half before kissing Silver Spoon hard, sharing the rest with the silver-furred foal! Both fillies swapped my seed between them for a moment, swallowed—and then converged upon my member, licking furiously, seeking to nourish on my come as they had upon each other’s! Alas, it was not to be, my member softening as both fillies moaned sadly.

When all was said and done, I gathered both foals up atop my chest, their heads tucked ‘neath my chin and kissed them both soundly. “I love you two girls…” I murmured, eyes teary; and it was true, though I’d known Silver Spoon for less than a day, already a fierce love for her burned in my chest; like my daughter, Diamond, I wanted to hold her close, keep her safe and protected; on this, the Weyrmind agreed, its own love/protectivenessroaring through my thoughts. Later, as we all gently drifted off to sleep, I thought I heard Silver Spoon whisper softly, “Daddy…”

Sometime later, I woke, shifting fitfully, arching my back and then giving a long sigh as consciousness began to flood my mind. A helpless, reflexive groan left me and I squirmed in place as I felt two wonderfully warm, wet and soft somethings dragging along the tip of my aching, throbbing hard shaft. Sitting up slightly, I lifted the blankets, gazing into the shadowy recesses under the covers to find two pairs of eyes peering up at me from either side of my member.

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara both smiled, slowly dragging another lick against the stiff spire of my penis. “You’re awake, Papa…” my daughter purred, giving my base a squeeze, kissing at the very tip, her friend doing the same soon after. Then, eyes narrowing slowly, Diamond Tiara closed her lips over the very, very tip of my member and gave the gentlest of sucks as Silver Spoon patiently awaited her turn. Any protest I had at them doing this immediately died in my throat, and I collapsed onto my back, hands sliding down to find my daughter’s silky mane, fingertips wending through the strands. “G-gods!”

Soon, Diamond Tiara released me; then it was Silver Spoon purring eagerly around the end of my length, her velvet tongue swirling slowly against my sensitive tip, closing her eyes as her soft, young lips slowly consumed more of me. Diamond Tiara, however, wasn’t to be left out. As her friend suckled upon my tip, my beloved daughter stared up at me, drawing close to drag a long, heated lick against my testes and the base of my length, one of her hooves slipping down her form to push between her legs.

Grinding her hoof against her already-moist fillyhood, Diamond groaned softly as she continued nuzzling and licking, coating my testes and the base of my length thoroughly with her saliva whilst Silver Spoon kept suckling at my tip. Soon, it became too much for either of them; with heady moans, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pushed themselves to their hooves and slowly crawled up my prone form, their bellies brushing against both sides of my stiffened member, pushing it between their bodies.

The foals slithered up until they could sit on my thighs either side of me, grinding the entire lengths of both their fillyhoods slowly up and down, up and down, up and down my shaft, covering me with a light sheen of their essence. As they rocked their hips back and forth against me - the soft, pliable lips of their foalhoods grinding against my throbbing member and their soft tails flicking against my thighs and the blankets of the bed - Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon flushed faintly; then, leaning towards each other, both foals hugged and kissed each other, over and over and over, until…

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Dee," Silver Spoon gasped, near the point of no return, saliva dripping from her open, panting mouth. "Oh, I love you! I love you soooooo much!" She mashed her lips against her friend's, kissing her fiercely! "I love you, too, Silvy!" whimpered Diamond Tiara, panting into Silver Spoon’s wet mouth. Whimpering, arching against me, both fillies shuddered hard and cried out as they climaxed, their slick foal essences spilling over my member and triggering my own climax.

A spear of liquid, fiery pleasure jetted up from my crotch and pierced straight up into my brain, where it exploded – and I exploded between them as well, in what felt like an endless series of blasts of blistering hot seed that mixed with their essence as I thrust between them. Mind senseless, body working on automatic, I thrust up and down between my daughter and her friend until the three of us were joined together in a sticky mess of matted fur and pubic hair.

After that… I’m not sure what happened - I vaguely remember the feeling of soft warm tongues licking me clean, the heat and pressure of two warm furry little bodies pressing up against my sides, a softly whispered, “Love you Daddy / Love you, Papa” – and then I was gone. There, together, we three slept deeply and easily. Later – much later, after we’d all woken up, cleaned ourselves and made ourselves presentable… with heavy heart, I contacted Celestia via the Psi-Web Transceiver I’d installed in her throne room, asking her to come to the Weyr.

When she arrived, two of her mighty Dawn Custodes in tow – as the fillies on either side of me sniffled softly, upset at what might happen – I confessed to the Sun Princess everything; of Hoity Toity assaulting Silver Spoon then tossing her away; of how I’d taken her in and healed her wounds; of how I’d witnessed Diamond and Silver making love; my utter disgust with myself for what I’d done during said act; and finally, of how Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara had shared their love with me and let me into their little world.

As Diamond and Silver clutched me tightly, desperately, softly crying into my chest, I begged of Celestia, “I know… I know I’m a horrible, horrible person,” I choked out. “A… a disgusting dirty foalophile, so please, if you must punish anyone, then punish Hoity Toity and after, punish me; I deserve nothing less then Tartarus for what I’ve done. But please… I beg of you, please don’t separate Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon; don’t take them away from each other…” Closing my eyes, bowing my head – as silence fell upon the Weyr, save for the sound of the two fillies crying – I awaited Celestia’s judgement.

I had expected her to condemn me harshly. I had expected her to shout at me, to curse my name as her mighty Earth Pony Guards chained me to march me off to Tartarus. Instead… abruptly, all sound ceased; then I felt Celestia nuzzle under my chin forcing my head up to look at her before she nuzzled my cheeks softly, gently, sniffling, her magenta eyes and muzzle wet with countless tears. “The only one who will face punishment” she whispered, voice thick with emotion, “is Hoity Toity.”

Then, voice strengthening a little, she continued, “As for you, David—why would you ever believe that my Guards and I would do such a foolish thing?” As her Guards looked on, their own expressions stricken, a little sob escaped Celestia and she sniffled as I hastened to answer, “Back on Earth… to love children – err, foals – is a severe crime; we call it Pedophilia and I thought… I thought that it was the same here, that you would--” Another little sob escaping her, the Princess of the Sun stared at me with an expression that was both truly baffled and sad at the same time.

Then, wrapping her wings about all three of us, she soothed and consoled us all as she quietly explained. “David… this is not Earth. The laws of your people do not apply here. This word you speak – Ped-oh-feel-ee-yah– does not exist in our language; we do not have or know of this word in our tongue. We ponies desire companionship. Friendship and Love are perhaps the only things that matter to us and we show them to each other without shame.”

Then, my jaw dropped as she candidly continued, “The average stallion’s member is just a little over three times larger than that of a human's at adulthood; this means that even as fillies we are quite… versatile. In addition, we mares are mature by the age of nine. In short, David, so long as you are gentle and all are consenting, feel free to make love to your daughter and her friend properly; since you and we are different species there is no risk of pregnancy or disease transmission. Now…” Suddenly, the expression on Celestia’s face turned very, very dark.

“Come,” she spoke brusquely to her Guards, “we must arrest Hoity Toity, and fear not,” she turned to me, “he will be jailed for what he did to Silver Spoon; though you healed her wounds – for which I am most grateful, by the way – I can extract from him the memories of what he did. He will be punished for this, because Intent to Deny Love and Assault of a Foal are severe Crimes! If things proceed well – and I have no doubt they will – Hoity Toity will not only lose custody of his daughter to you, but his reputation and his very life, will be ruined; the Elite of Canterlot – vipers they may be – will shun him, for this! We will speak again soon regarding her adoption. Good day.”

That night after a long, luxurious bath - during which I not only bathed my two fillies, but also petted, stroked, and caressed their coats, manes, tails and their foalhoods until they were panting, on the very verge or climax - as we all laid in bed together I wrapped my arms around Diamond Tiara in order to keep her steady, then brought myself to a seated position with her poised just above my eager length. Our eyes locked and Diamond softly breathed, "Daddy..."; then without further ado I gave her what she wanted, what she'd secretly always wanted, what she'd been waiting for for so long... I lowered her down. my tip pressing gently against her entrance, then let my length slowly slide into her. As Silver Spoon looked on, a hoof between her legs playing with her own foalhood, my daughter bit her bottom lip as she stretched to fit me inside, a melodic, satisfied hum escaping her when I bottomed out.

'Celestia was right...' I thought in amazement. Having only ever made love with her friend Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara took a few moments to get comfortable, and I waited for her to make the first move. Soon, she began to rock into my pelvis; at long last we were making love in earnest. I let her control the speed of our thrusts, starting off slow. She slid about halfway up my length and back down, punctuating each new insertion with a soft little grunt. Silver Spoon, wasn't to be left out, however; as my daughter and I made sweet love, I coaxed the silver-furred filly to sit down upon my face; then her eyes widened and she kissed Diamond hard, panting and drooling into her mouth as I brushed her tail aside to access her well-moistened netherlips. Gently, softly I lapped her winking sex and clitoris and was soon rewarded with a rich stream of filly precome splattering into my maw, her essence clean, spicy and intensely hot.

Over and over I lashed her with my tongue, until at last it all became too much; Silver Spoon howled into my daughter's muzzle and climaxed for real, thick creamy yellowish essence gushing from her into my mouth as I guzzled it down! This set off Diamond Tiara's climax - my daughter squealing as her essence splattered my member - which triggered my own, my seed spilling deep into her fiery depths! We three climaxed together; then no sooner had we done so Silver Spoon was nearly growling as she moved to lap at our union; then it was her turn to cry out, bursting into tears as I made love to her, Diamond lapping at our joining. Afterwards, as I rested, both foals leisurely lapped my member clean, then turned upon each other in a furious sixty-nine, their muzzles between each other's raised hind legs as they not only cleaned each other, but once again nourished on the combined mixture of my seed and their essences.

194. Umbra.

She was too corrupted, the other ponies had said. Too filled with darkness to ever learn of the magic of friendship. Thus, Queen Umbra - former ruler of the Crystal Empire - had been tossed into the deepest, darkest cell the ponies had... and that cell was already occupied by another. Curled up in a pile of filthy tattered blankets she glared at him menacingly as he regarded her with open curiosity. Dark brown hair done up in a peculiar braid framed a weathered face with hazel eyes, a very small muzz - no, a nose - and lips drawn in a concerned frown. A hand with five fingers - attached to a pink-skinned arm, dusted with a light coating of fur - once raised in greeting, slowly lowered towards his body, which was clothed in some kind of amazing teal robe covered with runic designs; beneath that was some kind of golden-bronze armor.

He was a human. A human! A real, live, living, breathing, honest-to-Celestia human--according to the mythology books within what was once her former library. But this one looked like none she'd ever seen before. Was she dreaming? Hallucinating due to having been down here in this hole for so long? His hazel eyes looked upon her with concern and more than a little worry. Her brilliant green eyes locked with his... and then, a wolfish growl escaping her, she was moving - head forward, gaze seeking, nose questing - toward this human. No unknown force compelled her this time. She simply had to see if he was really there; had to know if he was real or but a fleeting dream...

And then she was there, within touching distance of his hands, one of which was now outstretched, perfectly still. After several agonizing moments, she took a single step forward and pressed her muzzle into his palm. 'Prithee... be'st he real, naught a figment!' Starved down here, desperate for something she couldn't identify, suddenly she couldn't help herself; a little sob escaped her as she was overtaken by something primal and she sniffed him, letting him feel her hot breath against his skin as her brain imprinted his scent - sweat/soft-fabric/steel - for easy identification. Then she lifted her head, looked at him, raised a hoof to touch felt his face his clothes his armor. Sudden nausea overtook her then, and she fell against him, passing out. The last thing she felt before she slipped away were his arms enfolding her as she was lifted from the ground.

Later, Queen Umbra awakened to find herself in a position most undignified for a Queen--but even as she blinked dumbly for a moment and made to move, any protest she might have voiced instantly died... because for the first time since she'd been imprisoned here she was warm; the human was holding her close and she was wrapped up within his seemingly enormous robe and... and... she was being petted, like some common animal, her ebony mane stroked gently as he murmured comforting whispers. Umbra struggled to say something, do something, but the human's hands, his accursed, amazing, soft, and gentle hands kept petting her mane, the gentle tugs stimulating the skin beneath and she whimpered. Soon the human pulled back a bit and she fervently hoped, prayed that she would be set free. But alas, he merely stared into her eyes, his own filled with such sadness, such empathy, such compassion!

Dregs of anger stirred within her - 'How darest he...!' - and, baring her fangs, Queen Umbra snarled! Or... she attempted to. As the human brushed a bit of her mane from the side of her face and cupped her cheek in his hand, however, her anger was all but snuffed dead and the noise that escaped her wasn't a snarl; it was another whimper followed by a sob as she nuzzled, snuffled into him and began to cry, weeping bittersweet tears. A dark part of her mind screamed at her, 'He shouldst not be taking liberties with Our Person! We shouldst pin him to the ground with Our magic, and calleth the wardens!' but then that part withered away as he rubbed his cheek against hers, her cries becoming foal-like as she... she... she... surrendered. Growl becoming rasping-purr she hiccoughed, unable to help but melt into him, her tears endless, her cries like those of a foal who had finally found home. Poor Umbra had been alone for so long, and he was so very warm.

Her nostrils filled with his intoxicating scent, and--oh Tartarus, he was scratching her neck, vigorously, his hands pressing just hard enough to set the skin beneath her charcoal fur tingling with pleasure, each minute of rubs and gentle scritching and quiet murmuring feeling like an hour! Umbra couldn't help herself then; she fed upon him - her race, the Umbrum Unicorns, needing life essence to survive - but she took only what she needed to sustain herself -- at least... she thought she did! The human's life force seemed infinite and, most curious, it seemed to be connected to some deeper well of life not his own; she gasped and whimpered as that life force flowed through her like a mighty river, bringing with it feelings of deepest compassion/empathy/tranquility that not only satisfied the gnawing hunger inside her for the first time ever but also... filled gaps inside her she didn't even know she had, repulsing the more malevolent energies within her even as it replaced them. A distressed noise escaped her, the evil in her fighting, writhing, lashing within her and wounding her internally, trying to stay inside her and keep her corrupted, but ultimately losing, pain making her shudder, close her eyes, and cry into him with great wracking sobs; and he rocked her gently, soothingly even as her wounds were healed! Who was this human who held her? What was he, for he was certainly not ordinary.

... And then, her questions were washed away as one of his hands hand reached out gentle but firm to grasp Umbra just below her shoulders. The skin there moved in fluid and soft motions with his pressure, creeping and stroking around his intrusion. She twitched and writhed, unused to so much sensation but then quickly fell into a state of silent acceptance, her eyes slowly closing under his influence. Barely able to speak - corruption of dark magic having robbed her of her speech long ago - she growled, "M-M-Moooorrrrhh...." her voice carrying just far enough for no one to hear. And oh, did the human ever comply! "David..." he stated softly, clearly, then repeated the name; and she burned it into her mind that she might forever know the name of her... her... what was HERS! A frustrated growl escaped her - it was too difficult to even think! - which then turned into a low, soft moan as her David worked his skills in relaxing the mare, combing through the silky pelt until he reached just above her tail.

Running against the grain of her ebony fur, his fingernails raked downwards and into the sensitive skin. He could feel the prey animal response of such a crawling scratch, twitching muscles just beneath the surface quivering and tensing. “Rrrrg…” Umbra groaned, flexing and working her limbs. Submission washed over her, consuming her body and commanding it to move. Each stroke and scratch and rub drove her mad with delight. Like a spell had been cast over each muscle and joint, the very fiber of her being unwound from the near eternal tension she'd been in. Said tension leaked out of her open mouth, lidded eyes and flaring nostrils. It was clear to her now - though she couldn't put her thoughts into words - that she would never again be the mare she once was. Queen Umbra - no, just Umbra, now - didn't want to be cold any more. She no longer wanted to think hate-filled thoughts, of conquest against Equestria, or of revenge against the princesses. She... could not care less about those things anymore. All Umbra wanted was to be warm, to forever be held within her human's arms, to live with him where he lived, to be with him forever...

"Daaaaaviiiiid... mooooooohhhrrrree..." she growl-sighed, her previous mentality obliterated and turned to sand under his influence. 'Be'est mine King; Be'est mine lover; Be'est mine God... prithee, keepest petting thee...!' she thought, unable to even muster a growl when David began to gently brush the knots and kinks out of her monstrous mane with his fingers. The innumerable little fibers perfectly soft and fragrant - smelling subtly of mellow coffee and fruity lavender - David ran his hands through the gigantic body of black Umbra carried about, his arms sinking up to the elbows when he pushed up to her neck. David petted, massaged, and rubbed her down until she was nothing but a barely conscious puddle on the cell floor. 'Every part of her body is so incredibly soft!' the human marveled. It was true; her neck scrubbed against his palms with downy, pillowy grace. Her shoulders and sides mushed under the slightest pressure, as if his hands were massaging jello instead of mare. Her hips were especially absurd, the meaty, girthy nature of her haunches perfecting a feminine shape. Her tail flicked and covered her genitals from his view, but David could tell she was positively plump below her pelvis. Mushy and squishy cheeks clenched and shook when he scratched dutifully above her dock.

Umbra tried to say something - she didn't know what, perhaps a profession of love - but, “nng…” was all she could choke out in her state of delirium... and then, smiling down at her, David gently turned her about in his arms until her back was against him, setting an arm about her body to hold her as he stroked her belly, caressing and loving and relaxing her underside with seemingly trained grace. Her fur was even thicker there, like the bottom of a fuzzy cat. His fingers could disappear entirely below the carpet of fragrant pony fluff, and her stomach visibly curved around each one of his digits. Her heartbeat was steady against his fingers, pulsing through thick veins and thumping against his palm like the ticking of a clock--and then it slowed as he extracted a brush from his armor, a proper brush and set to work on her mane... David's diligent brushing left Umbra’s curly and full mane smooth and shiny. Billows of fluff had to be literally combed through, but it seemed the human was more than used to this, and his work left an ocean of black around Umbra’s face; then he resumed his petting.

The poor Queen stared helplessly into the ceiling with breath rushing through her snout, her legs grasping onto David's arm when he rubbed particularly low on her tummy, jealousy locking him near her warm, fleshy nipples. Please-touch-mine-teats-please-touch-mine-teats! She pleaded silently, rationalizing that a mare, even a Queen, was allowed to fantasize. She wanted him to touch them, she needed him to give her that last bit of satisfaction. Her carnal, simple, and ancient self wanted to have the full experience a human could give her--and then, a stuttering gasp escaped the insensate Queen as he obliged. Rubbing, kneading, caressing, even gentle pinching--her King did it all--and then, suddenly her eyes snapped open, teeth bared in a snarl as she came hard, mare cum thick and yellow gushing from her sex to splash over her tail and the cell floor; it felt soooo good! A moment later, however, the Queen's face burned pink as a rush of embarrassment hit her; then she burst into tears. And yet... still her King was there. David was there, cleaning her up with a tissue and some water, then rocking her gently as she nuzzlenuzzlenuzzlenuzzlenuzzlenuzzlenuzzlenuzzled him, bawling inconsolably. How low had she sunk? How far had she fallen? Her King, her beloved human, did not care; he just held her close as her cries faded and her tears slowed. Then, there in his arms, she fell asleep.

195. Gentle Breeze.

Her magenta eyes hardened, cold chips of ice - from where she sat upon her throne - Princess Celestia gazed down at the Unicorn Mare called Gentle Breeze with an expression of utter contempt. Then, as something dark shifted behind her gaze, she whispered, "Was there a reason, Gentle Breeze, as to why you invited the human, David, over to your house, gave him permission to pet you--and then promptly broke his hands with your magic?!"

As she stood shaking before her Princess, Gentle Breeze - though terrified beyond belief - inhaled a breath for courage, took a hoofstep forward, and shouted, "BECAUSE I WAS SICK OF HIM TREATING US LIKE ANIMALS!"

For a moment, her voice echoed around the great throne room; but then, all faded to cold silence as Celestia - her teeth clenched so hard one might hear them grind - hissed, "In what way has he treated us like common animals?!"

"IT'S THE PETTING!" Gentle Breeze shouted, then calmer, she continued, "He's always petting and stroking ponies like... like as if we're common dogs, or uncivilized animals! How can you allow him to do it--to you, to Luna... Once I even saw him doing it to one of your own Guards; he was in the Barracks, with the Guard on his bunk, petting him, rubbing his belly--treating this fully grown stallion like he was a FOAL! A FOAL! How can you let him do-- It's perverse, it's disgusting, it's--"

Now, Celestia had had enough! "SILENCE!" she thundered with Royal Canterlot Voice. Then, descending from her throne, the Solar Diarch stalked around Gentle Breeze like a leopard sizing up its prey before the kill... "Did it ever occur to you," the Sun Mare whispered icily, "that that guard was working his way through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the Changeling Invasion? Did it ever occur to you that that guard asked to be petted, that he asked the human, David, to pet and stroke and rub him all over?"

As Gentle Breeze stood there before her, jaw dropped, the question in her eyes, Princess Celestia barked, "DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT MANY PONIES - INCLUDING LUNA AND I - LIKE TO BE PETTED?! THAT WE ADORE THE HUMAN'S TOUCH; THAT IT HELPS US DE-STRESS WHEN OUR DAYS ARE LONG AND THANKLESS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH PONIES LIKE YOU?!"

"I--but, I--" Gentle Breeze stuttered, but Celestia - apoplectic - stomped a hoof, cracking the floor, startling the unicorn to silence. Then, poor Gentle Breeze's heart dropped into her stomach as the Sun Princess spoke again, very cold and formal.

"Gentle Breeze: Thou hath invoked a casting most dark. With thy invocation Thou hath caused grievous damage most foul - of nerve, of muscle, of bone - damage possibly irreparable, to the hands of Our Licensed Affection Therapist. David may never again be able to pet Our Ponies, nor giveth the same affections to Mine Sister and I. Not only was His Career in this cut brutally short, but now We must explain to the People of Earth why it was that Their Ambassador to Us and Our Ponies was brutally harmed by one of us! Explain - perhaps even beg - them that they aren't to make War on Us for your wholly, utterly callous act! Worse...." and here she whispered into Gentle Breeze's ear, as the unicorn mare sobbed openly...

"I must explain to my sister why I and my Day Guard - and she and her Night Guard - cannot. Be petted. Anymore." With those words - as two very angry Guards made to take Gentle Breeze away to whatever fate awaited her - Celestia teleported to her quarters. Therein, she saw her human friend David being assisted by the best Unicorn physicians as he struggled painfully with the rehabilitation devices attached to his scarred hands and fingers. Even Twilight Sparkle was there, a hoof under one of his wrecked hands, healing spell 'attacking' the other as she pored through book after book, trying to figure out just what Gentle Breeze had cast to cause such terrible damage.

Twilight moved as Celestia took her place beside the bed, the purple Alicorn resting her head on his chest whilst poor Celestia nosed her head under his hand, tears filling her eyes as she stuttered, "A-Any progress?"

"Very little..." the head physician replied. "We've been able to restore the barest of movement and sensation to his hands your Highness - he can feel your fur with, and twitch his fingertips, barely if at all, but whatever magic was used it's been fighting us all the way. It doesn't look..." He trailed off; he knew when she wasn't listening. All the poor doctor could do was watch as his Princess moved her head such that her ears lay beneath the human's fingers; then, as David twitched his fingertips - barely if at all 'scratching' behind them - poor Celestia nuzzled into her friend and cried.

196. Gentle Breeze II.

She'd known things had gone horribly wrong when the utterly agonized scream had echoed up from the Dungeon -- the Dungeon where the Unicorn, Gentle Breeze, was being held for life imprisonment. Calling her mighty Custodes of the Dawn unto her side, Celestia raced down, down, down to said dungeon... and therein the Solar Diarch beheld a terrible sight indeed. Nightmare Moon was there, and the Cold Mare was standing over the - quite literally - broken body of the criminal Unicorn! Horror gripping her guts, Princess Celestia steeled her magic, then with silent command, beckoned the greatest of her Guards to prepare for an attack -- but then, to her surprise, the Dread Mare turned to Celestia, and through fanged maw hissed "We hath it, mine Sister; torn from her ruined mind, wrested by glorious torture of mine Night Terrors! Hath We the Cure for HIM!"

Horn aglow with the deathly unlight of her dreadful power - before Celestia could do anything to stop her - Nightmare Moon swept herself, her sister, and her guards up in shadow, then transported all to the room of their beloved human, David. The human - who was being gently fed by the two nurse-ponies forever tasked to help him since the damage to his hands - gasped upon seeing the retinue in his room -- but the Nightmare had no time for pleasantries. Casting terrifying gaze upon the nurse-ponies, and Celestia's Dawn Custodes, she brusquely hissed, "Get. Out." Before Celestia could say a word, they did. Fast. With them gone, the Death Mare turned to her sister and growled, "A song of silence to cover his head, now!" Celestia nodded, then cast the appropriate spell, after which Nightmare Moon knelt by David's bed and took his hands gently in her hooves, eyes misting with sorrowful tears...

... and then, poor Celestia cast her own silencing spell--just in time, too--as Nightmare Moon cast something horrible. The world seemed to slow, things warped and twisted, all became darker and - despite the silencing spell she'd cast upon herself - the Solar Diarch heard voices she oughtn't to have ever heard with mortal ears. The Cold Mare spoke several words backwards in a tongue never meant to be heard by any living creature, and Celestia wept, as she felt things crawling under her fur, on her skin... -- and then, with the tick of the room's clock... all went still, all went quiet... and suddenly, the world was normal again, sun shining, birds singing, palace life bustling! Well... almost normal...

Their human, David - his hands fully healed - gently held Nightmare Moon, the mare having draped herself all over him, she herself a shivering, sobbing mess as she tried to mold herself to him, to cuddle as close to him as possible, hooves tangled with him, wings wrapped all about him. As David softly whispered reassurances to her, petted her, roamed his hands about her coat, scratched her behind the ears, poor Nightmare Moon cried, and cried like a foal desperate for the love of her Mother -- and Celestia - called by age-old instincts, obliged. Hopping up onto the bed, she cuddled up to David's other side and hugged her dark counterpart, gentle but firm, nuzzling, singing a wordless, soothing lullaby as their human roamed his hands over both their coats and manes, hugging their heads, kissing snoots, nuzzling with his nose, sharing breath.

Later - when all had awoken from a deep, restful sleep - Nightmare Moon bade Celestia cast a cleansing spell upon her of holy magic; not too powerful, however, as it might 'cleanse' the Dread Mare entirely! Still, the spell she cast was enough -- Nightmare Moon retched and then spewed her guts up, purging a vile, black, oily substance into a hastily conjured bucket, a substance that squirmed and writhed, that caused odd visions if looked at... Celestia annihilated it with holy fire. Later still - as poor Nightmare, shivering, cuddled against Celestia for warmth whilst David stroked both mares - despite Celestia questioning her as to what exactly she'd done - just what she'd 'pulled' from David with her magic - the Princess of the Night utterly refused to speak of it; instead, she reverted control of the shared body back to poor Luna who, shivering, looked at her sister with deeply haunted gaze...

197. Ponies Imperium Fluff.

When the strange xenos ponies - vaguely reminiscent of Terran horses - appeared throughout the Imperium of Man, even though they had been instrumental in restoring the Emperor of Mankind to health...

For some betrayal, some slight... the Imperium waited...

And waited...

And waited...

Only...

The betrayal never came. The whole of the Imperium of Man thought this just bizarre. It was written in the Creed of the Imperial Cult that Xenos were treacherous only... these Xenos just... weren't! Instead of tales of foul deeds and heresy, the Inquisition, the Commissars, and those in high command heard tales of ponies saving Imperial Guardsmen and women, of hardy stallions and even hardier mares ferrying ammunition to where it was needed most, ferrying wounded Astartes back from the front lines...

Command heard of ponies helping in the apothecaries, with the tech priests of Mars, aiding the poor and the helpless and the downtrodden on Hive Worlds. Some Ponies - (and this was particularly strange, though also not heretical) - had even turned to spreading the truth of the Emperor! Oddly, even the most hardcore xenos hating people of the Imperium of Mankind couldn't bring themselves to raise a bolter or other weapon against them. Instead, ponies stayed away from those people and those people developed a grudging tolerance for their weird antics and bursting into song.

It was found that, whilst the ponies were always willing to befriend any human they came upon - they began to develop a caution of the Eldar, disdain for the Tau (after finding out the truth of their so-called 'greater good'), and they outright loathed Chaos, Tyranids, and Orks in all their forms. Under watchful eye of the Inquisition and the Tech Priests, the Xenos Princesses Luna and Twilight - along with many experienced Xenos Unicorn Sorcerers - began developing powerful anti-warp, anti-daemon, and outright anti-chaos magics that could be layered upon imperial weapons and armor.

Now... it was the Daemons who feared man. These things were powerful; they made the Daemons and monsters writhe in utter agony or outright crumble into dust; or powerful Chaos Sorcerers become stripped of their connection to the Warp and so-called "gods." Ponies soon adopted much of Imperial Technology; under blessing and sanctification of Tech-Priests, "equus-pattern" Power Armor, Bolters, Flamers, and other weapons were developed for pony use... and soon, it wasn't long before Command began hearing exceptional tales of pony bravery and sacrifice.

Of pony acolytes living with their human astartes brothers, then of xenos magic and gene seed combining to create the most pure strains, producing exceptional human and pony space marines. Ponies helping to improve the quality of life on Hive Worlds. Teams of heavily armored, mask wearing pegasi weather teams helping to sort out so-called 'death worlds' to make them habitable again. Every man, woman, and child, every inquisitor, tech priest, space marine, custodes, psyker... soon, everyone in the Imperium found him or herself with a pony companion. As man and ponykind worked things out... slowly... ever, ever-so-slowly... mankind's decline began to end, in fact it began to reverse...

198. Tempest II.

Above all else, Tempest Shadow remembered the warmth. She remembered the warmth of the gentle water in the bath; the warmth of the soap her new Lord had used; the warmth of David's hands as he'd thoroughly lathered, and then rinsed her mulberry fur and crimson mane. Everything about him seemed to be warmth and softness; the warmth of his hands on her skin beneath the fur; the sympathy on his face and the sheer gentleness of his touch upon finding every little nick, scratch, and scar she bore. The way he examined, washed, caressed those scars of hers so gently; then the way he wiped the silent tears from her eyes when she wept upon his finding them; that he didn't think less of her for them, at all!

Emotions warred within her as her David held her gently like a foal, comforting her yet saying nothing, just... allowing her to cry, to let it all out -- to let out what she wasn't sure. Tempest remembered the warmth of the towel, next; an enormous thing her new Lord wrapped about her over and over before gently drying her off, mindful of her many scars. Tears were all she remembered next. Did she cry again? She wasn't sure. Certainly something must have happened; when David gently unwrapped her from the towel for an instant she was cold, cold like she had always been before, under the hoof of the Storm King. She... she did not want that any more... She remembered gasping, shivering; she remembered a distressed noise, a sob welling in her chest; hoof reaching out, please I don't want to be cold anymore...!

Then the world came back into focus as her cold hoof was taken by the warmth of a human hand; as she was gathered into human arms, picked up by him and carried away; eyes becoming misty with yet more tears as she tucked her head under his chin, nuzzled into his neck; smelling his scent, eyes closing gently. He was here with her. Her human. Her human. The one who had done what the Storm King never had. He whom had repaired her horn, fulfilling her dreams; at once shattering and rebuilding her world in a single moment. She remembered the breath from his nose tickling her mane; remembered raising her muzzle up to his nose; eyes closed still, she blew softly into his nose as he inhaled; then when he exhaled she drew in his breath.

Tempest remembered - in that instant - feeling so very, very pony. She had always been Commander Tempest, of the Storm King's Army... but now, with that simple sharing of breath, Tempest Shadow felt like she was a real pony; that she belonged. Without knowing at all what he'd done, this human, this non-pony had given something else back to her; and she decided then and there she would stay with him forever because of it. Tempest remembered thereafter of her journey in her human's arms coming to an end; of her body being lowered down upon a soft surface. A bed? Tension filled her as she heard the rustle of her human removing his clothing. Surely he wasn't going to... to... to do what the Storm King, and his guards had-- had d-- Eyes closing, she buried her head into her forehooves, another awful noise escaping her, awaiting her human's awful betrayal...

Only... what she expected to happen never did. Nightmares of the Storm King's disgusting clawed hands upon her body, of pleading agonized cries, of begging him to stop vanished in an instant as her human, fully clothed in sleepwear, settled into the bed beside her. Tempest remembered relief; remembered turning to her human, seeing him sleep-clothed; remembered gripping him, hugging him, holding him so tightly; she remembered flashes of wordless noise, wracking sobs, begging, pleading, screaming, please forgive me!, bawling like a foal; she saw the confusion on her human's face, then horror, sympathy and utter sorrow. Tempest remembered a soft duvet being pulled over them both; remembered her human gently moving, pulling her against him, spooning her... She'd been acting like a foal, she realized, a silly dumb foal...

She remembered the warmth of her human's much larger body against her back as she stretched out against him; hands with fingers, not sharp claws, holding her close, not tight but relaxed and loose. And oh gods she remembered being petted, and petted, and petted, those amazing hands running from her poll to her croup and almost everywhere in between. She snorted, snuffled, groaned as David expertly drained tension she hadn't even known she was carrying from her body. Forget the Storm King, forget your horn; this is magic! she thought, irrationally. Above all else, Tempest Shadow remembered the warmth; and that, as long as her human was with her... she would never be cold again.

"He loves her without knowing how, or when, or from where. He loves her simply, without problems or pride: He loves her in this way because he does not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no him or her, so intimate that her hoof upon his chest is his hoof, so intimate that when he falls asleep her eyes close,"

199. Vehicle.

Even during the darkest of nights, all that could be seen of the vehicle was its headlights, sickly yellow, cutting through the gloom as it shredded the roads, streets, and highways of Manehattan. The vehicle never seemed to bother anypony and wasn't part of any crime, but still... it always seemed to be present at major disasters and accidents, many of them horrific. In any case, Street Racing - no matter how benign - was still illegal, and the Driver of said vehicle was wanted as a witness.

When at last an Officer of the MHPD managed to intercept the vehicle - barely - and the thing slowed to a stop, the poor mare who'd done the deed almost wished she hadn't. The vehicle itself was massive - far larger than anything she'd ever seen in her life - and its paint job looked wet, slimy, like blackened skin lathered with sweat. Even worse, the darkness of the vehicle seemed to absorb the light around it, and the engine's idle was a terrible, threatening growl as if the mere mortal mare was being humored, or was an annoyance to it.

Exiting her police vehicle, the poor mare approached the... the... the black monolith of a car, and tapped on the... the--strange, there seemed to be no windows, or doors, or... any method of entry or exit from it. Tapping where she thought the driver's side window might be she called, "Officer Raven, MHPD! Sir, or Ma'm, I'm going to need to see your license and registration, please!" Did the night suddenly become darker? Officer Raven Quill wasn't sure. Did the vehicle suddenly seem menacing? Oh, yes, yes it did--as it turned--no, it simply rotated to face her using all four fleshy-looking wheels, the whine of some sort of futuristic electric motors loud in the deathly silence...

... and then, sheer terror gripped the Equestrian Police Officer's guts as - with a horrible, wet sucking sound - the hood of the vehicle split open like a flower to reveal a sight that made her completely terrified! Where there should have been an engine, inside the hood - within some sort of perfectly shaped organic depression, slick with oil or some other unknown substance - there laid a pony! Dozens of tubes, tendrils, and linkages physically connected the pony into the car such that the poor, terrified mare couldn't tell where one ended and the other began; tubes running from the pony's split open barrel and guts, tubes moving red, black, blue fluids in and out, in a out, linked to his heart and breathing which matched the idle of the engine!

Even worse, this pony was ruined horrific burns covering ninety percent of his body, bones shattered and broken. Was the vehicle keeping him alive? Was he being consumed by it? Before she could answer her own question, she startled as the pony 'driver' opened an eye of pure silver and then softly uttered "You shouldn't have stopped us. You are going to die. But... everything will be... okay." Raven Quill couldn't take it anymore; a scream escaping her, she fled into the night, across another street--and was struck down by a tired pony truck driver, the stallion not even registering the bump as the mare was crushed beneath his wheels.

As Raven Quill lay there dying, however, from out of the shadows of darkened streets came slowly another monolith of a vehicle; yet this one looked sleeker, younger if such was possible. Brand new from her world and having been on the 'hunt' for a partner for a while, the biotechnological vehicle thrummed with excitement - she'd finally found the pony engine she needed to really push her limits! Opening her hood, she extended her linkages, cradled the pony, drew her inside, settled her. Then... connection; tubes and linkages were connected to barely functional organs to provide vital life support and interconnects to the bio-system car body...

And Raven Quill gasped, thrashed, awakened, screamed and lived ... but with a price terrible indeed; never would she be able to leave the being she now inhabited. A cry mingled with an engine noise that sounded like a mare in mourning split the night.

A new Pony Engine had been found.

Another Monolith had been born.

200. Silver.

Though Celestia was terrified of him, she knew - with the Changelings invading her beloved Principality - that she would need his help.

He resided in the Everfree Forest in a great silver Tower, not too far from the old Castle. The Tower itself was huge, stretching impossibly tall into the sky, so high she couldn't see its end.

When the Solar Princess arrived before the tower, from a door at its base, he emerged: an alicorn, with silver coat, grey mane, and gaze as cold as ice. Upon seeing her, he stepped slowly towards her, his movement too precise, too perfect.

Once within reach of her, the silver alicorn stopped, before slowly tilting his head left, then right, eyeing her as if he was a bird of prey. Then, the pony smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. Something about it seemed... off.

A moment later, however, all seemed normal; the silver alicorn dipped his head in acknowledgement, before stating, "Princess Celestia. How can I help you?"

The Solar Princess told the silver alicorn what was going on - of the invasion, of ponies kidnapped, of Queen Chrysalis, and her hive in the Badlands. Once she was done, the silver-furred pony asked, "Do you have a photograph of Chrysalis?"

Celestia nodded, producing perhaps one of the only pictures taken of the Changeling Queen in her natural state. "She's a good-looking mare," the silver alicorn stated as he looked at the photo. "Do you mind if I keep this picture?"

Celestia shook her head, her instincts roaring at her to say nothing. With a gentle smile, the alicorn nodded to her, then strode from the Everfree to take a train to as close to his destination as he could get.

* * *

"Say... that's a nice hive..."

* * *

"Kevin?! Korax?! C'mon, guys, you can't leave your posts like that!" Grumbling, Changeling Guard Pincer wandered around back of the Hive; those two were probably goofing off agai--"Oh, shit! Gh--kk!"

* * *

Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, made to berate the witless guard who'd dared to brazenly wander into her throne room for no discernible reason. There was a flash of searing pain--and then, she slipped away, her final sight the silver blade which pierced through her mouth, out the back of her skull. Horror gripping her guts, Chrysalis gurgled upon her own blood... as she stared at the base of the blade... which seemed to smoothly transition... into a silver... alicorn's... forele--

* * *

The silver alicorn calmly morphed his foreleg back to its default shape; then he slowly walked away, exiting the hive, uncaring of the terror and carnage in his wake. His mission was complete.

* * *

Later, a worried Celestia asked, "Is... is it done? Queen Chrysalis is... is she...?"

The Silver Alicorn smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. Something about it seemed... off.

Then, "Queen Chrysalis?" he stated. "I wouldn't worry about her."

201. Colt.

Luna knew there was something wrong with her beloved little Colt; she'd known it from the very moment she'd birthed him. At first, everyone - her midwife, her nurses, the royal physician and her sister - had been terribly worried because, from the moment he'd come into the world -- he'd never cried. Never. Not the way all young foals do, at least. He'd made noises, yes, of pain when hurt, of frustration when angered -- but such things were rare. Most of the time little mottled-brown Auryn stuck close to his beloved Mother, stopping only to look around, look at himself, look at his body -- as if he was confused and didn't know where he was.

Although the Princess sent for many educators whom tried to school her son in those subjects he needed in life -- none were able to get through to Auryn; he sat there as they droned on, and on, or spoke with enthusiasm, or demonstrated -- lost in his own little world. Luna herself even tried to teach him -- then he seemed interested, yet his eyes were still glazed over and he spoke with backwards, garbled speech; a combination of very limited Equestrian and some other language unidentifiable and untranslatable. Her frustration boiling over, poor Princess Luna did the unthinkable; she shook her beloved Colt, she yelled at him -- and then, realizing immediately what she'd done, she burst into heart-wrenching tears, rocking her little Auryn gently, apologizing to him over and over and over... That was, until slowly, he turned his head to look at her, his gaze focused, and he began to sing to her, in the sweetest, most pure Equestrian.

"A falling star fell from your heart
And landed in my eyes
I screamed aloud,
as it tore through them,
and now it's left me blind"

Luna had heard many, many songs in her life, but nothing, nothing like this! The song spoke of her stars and moon being blown up, of being lost in darkness -- and of being found again. She didn't know what the song was called -- but that wasn't important! What was important was that somehow, through that song, her little Auryn was talking to her, communicating to her for the very first time -- he was telling her that he knew of her, of her past as Nightmare Moon, and--and...

"I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map
And knew that somehow I could find my way back
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too
So I stayed in the darkness with you."

Sobbing gently, Luna held her little one close and rocked him. He wasn't a bad colt -- not a nightmare's son as some awful nobles called him -- just different. Softly, soothingly, still crying, Luna sang to him -- and now he focused, his gaze snapping towards her. Luna sang of herself, her sister, their ponies, harmony -- Auryn answered with more songs, of war, of peace, of people trying to get by. Joy singing in her heart, Luna sought out her sister -- told her what happened -- that she'd had a breakthrough with little Auryn -- and then said colt snapped his head towards Celestia, and...

"I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I'm sure
And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door
Now every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down
'Cause I just can't wait 'til you write me you're coming around

I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!)
And don't it feel good"

Laughter bubbled up from within Celestia that day -- a great heaving belly laugh that left her breathless -- and that's when things truly began for little Auryn; now instead of boring teachers, Luna sought out the greatest of Equestrian Composers, song writers, and masters of music and song -- they taught Auryn, but the young colt in turn taught them -- they marveled at "Joy to the World" and wept like foals at the choral version of "Adagio for Strings." Events, objects, and even meeting ponies often made Auryn lapse into song. Princess Cadence sobbed openly upon hearing "She's Out of my Life" and Shining Armor stiffened, then got misty-eyed at "A Soldier's Memoirs" and "As the Band played Waltzing Matilda." Soon, it became clear to all that Auryn was hearing, channeling, music never before heard in Equestria, music from somewhere else -- and soon, a pair of master composite scribes were assigned to accompany him at all times that his wondrous music might be recorded.

As he gained more focus, Auryn oversaw his music performed live on stages throughout Equestria -- and other composers who worked with him became somewhat miffed at his arrogance and diva-like attitude when he often rewrote parts of songs that according to him didn't sound right -- or when he fussed over the exact notes, sound, tone, or even the very make of an instrument -- but soon, for those composers and makers of music, everything 'clicked' -- Auryn wasn't a diva; he was, like them, a perfectionist who wanted ponies to experience the music as he himself heard it in his head.

202. If Luna got her Wish...

"The Sun is a star and the center of our solar system, Luna." I explained. "Everything in your solar system revolves around the Sun. It's impossible to understand fully how crucial the Sun - your Sister's sun - is to life on Equus and the very existence of all the other planets around us." Sniffling, Luna nodded with misty eyes as I continued. "The Sun's immense mass draws all the other planets in the solar system toward it. Since Equus and all the other planets are moving very fast through space, the Sun's presence keeps them moving around itself. If the Sun were to suddenly disappear, Equus and the other planets would retain their forward motion, effectively flying off into outer space in a straight line. No one has any idea what would happen if that occurred. What's certain, though, is that all your Little Ponies would soon be lost in space!"

Luna opened her mouth to reply - to perhaps dismiss what I'd said as nothing more than a flight of fancy - but I patiently continued, "Of course, without the Sun none of us would even exist in the first place. Modern Scientists who have studied the origins of life on Equus point to Equus' perfect positioning with regard to its distance from the Sun as a main factor in creating the conditions that allow life to exist on Earth. So what would happen to that life... if the Sun suddenly went out? If you took it away? If you - as you once quoted - wanted 'the night to last forever'?" Luna whimpered, closing her eyes, but I pressed on. "Because light from Celestia's Sun takes eight and a half minutes to reach Equus, we wouldn't notice immediately if the Sun suddenly went out; if you took it away. Nine minutes later, though, we'd find ourselves in the complete darkness of your everlasting night -- exactly as you want it.

Of course -- if it was already dark on our side of the world, we'd notice your Moon suddenly disappear. Why? Your Moon does not produce light. Your Little Ponies only see the Moon because sunlight reflects off of it. As the sunlight that was illuminating the Moon disappears, so would the Moon! The same would go for the many other celestial bodies in the sky, such as planets, which we see only because of the Sun's reflected light." Luna was weeping now - tears from her eyes running down her muzzle as she shook her head in denial - but still, gently, patiently I kept going. "Without the warmth of Celestia's sun, Equus would quickly become a much colder place. Fortunately, the planet retains heat fairly well, so your Little Ponies - and humans like me - wouldn't freeze instantly. Life would get much more difficult immediately, though. Although no one can know for sure exactly what would happen, pony scientists estimate that the average global surface temperature would drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit within a week or so. But -- you've probably withstood such temperatures during cold winter months - and your time on the moon - before, so... what's the big deal?"

Sobbing openly, trying to block her ears, Luna wished she wasn't here - wished with all her heart she could be anywhere else as this modern truth was laid open - but no matter how hard she wished, escape would never come; Celestia had bade she be locked in here with me until my explanation was finished. "The problem" I continued, answering my own question, "is that whilst you and your sister are Alicorns, mortal ponies -- aren't. And the problem is that the temperature would continue to drop steadily. Within a year, the average global surface temperature could dip well below minus one hundred degrees Fahrenheit. By that time, the top layers of the oceans of the world would have frozen over. Although the frozen top layers of the oceans would insulate the deep waters below, keeping them liquid for hundreds of thousands of years, they would eventually freeze as Equus moved toward a stable average global surface temperature of about minus four hundred degrees Fahrenheit."

"No more, please, we understand we did wrong, no more!" Luna wept, wept, wept -- but my eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you?!" I snapped. "Do you really?! No... I don't think you understand how utterly foolish your plan for night eternal actually was. Now, where were we... ah, yes, Equus minus four hundred degrees Fahrenheit. At that point, the atmosphere would have also frozen and fallen to Equus, leaving anypony left alive exposed to the harsh cosmic radiation that travels through space. Without the light and rays of Celestia's Sun - of your beloved Sister's Sun photosynthesis on Equus would stop, Luna! All plants would die and, eventually, all animals that rely on plants for food — including the Little Ponies you wanted the love and adoration of so much — would die, too. While some inventive unicorn ponies might be able to survive on a Sunless Equus for several days, months, or even years, life without the Sun would eventually prove to be impossible to maintain on Equus." Now, as Luna bawled like a foal, I celebrated her mockingly. "Congratulations, Luna! You've gotten your wish: the Night lasting forever. You, and your sister Celestia, are now the immortal custodians of a cold, dark, lifeless world. Enjoy your eternity." With that, the door unlocked and I exited swiftly, leaving Luna alone in her misery.

203. Everyday Life Wit -- Oh dear...

Her voice had grown into a shout, her face a visage of fury. "I won't serve somepony who doesn't respect the Sovereigns of Equestria or the gifts they bestow, inconvenient or not! So you can stay right here, and I'll go get you somepony who will!" For a moment, all was silent in the room, save for the slight swish of fabric from her VIP's robe; the clicking of the light armor he wore beneath -- and then all hell broke loose. Guardsmare Honour Bound shrieked as her VIP bodily hauled her up into his arms, and then - as she struggled like an angry foal in his arms - he carried her back to Princess Luna's quarters. Dumping her in front of the Princess, as she sobbed with fright, struggled to get to her feet, all she could do was watch on as David glared at Luna, his eyes like cold, hardened chips of ice.

Then he laid it all down; the alterations he'd had done to his room, the ponies who'd been allowed to enter and exit under his watch, the fact that Corporal Honour Bound had been drunk, and her reprimanding of him -- but also the fact that he'd noticed Honour Bound had been acting differently ever since their meeting with the Princess. Then, Corporal Honour Bound watched, half in awe, half in sheer terror as David proceeded to verbally tear strips off Luna, dressing down the frightened Princess like a father reprimanding his foal! Finally it ended when to a thoroughly chagrined Luna he barked, "The Princess will explain to this one what she has done to affect this one's guard! She will explain quickly and then will reverse the effects; or this one will dismiss the Guardsmare Honor Bound on charge of disorderly conduct unbecoming of this Guardsmare due to being drunk and compromised by force external!"

Like a filly reprimanded, Luna explained to David about the effect her mere presence and that of her sister had on ponies -- and soon her VIP David was seething with anger. Eyes glowing with an overflow of his power which had nowhere else to go, David snarled, "This one is displeased! This one will cease developing technology for the general populous of Equestria, and will now develop a shield for this one's Guardsmares to block the effects of an alicorn's aura. This one will protect his Guardsmares -- even from you! Guardsmare Honour Bound... Issah'tzu!" Despite feeling utterly terrified at what had just happened, despite not knowing the language he spoke, Corporal Bound knew a call to attention when she heard one, and so got to her feet and snapped to attention, her mind a whirl of emotion.

'I... I thought he was going to have me dismissed from his service!' she thought, her mind a jumble. 'But he... he defended me, instead?' David snapped his fingers in front of her face, getting her attention; she looked up at him as he gazed down at her, sternly. Then, at last, he smiled, a smile that reached his eyes -- and now she felt even worse for having yelled at him before... "The Guardsmare Corporal Honour Bound will be at ease, and stand easy," he intoned gently. "She will follow this Templar back to quarters wherein she will quaff a strong potion for her hangover. The Guardsmare will then join this one in his bed, wherein she will be petted to sleep. In the morning, Corporal Honour Bound will resume her duties, and will issue an informal apology to this Templar for her misconduct; then she will procure for this Templar an Equestrian Cultural Liaison, that this Templar will no longer make cultural mistakes. Are this one's instructions clear?"

A half-laugh, half-sob escaping her, Honour Bound nodded. "Th-the instructions of this one's VIP are clear!" she replied, imitating his formal way of speech; at this, he beamed. Later that night, her mind awhirl, as a pyjama-clad David spooned her in his bed, holding her close, she couldn't hold it in anymore; a sob left her and then - as David petted and stroked along her side, finally, she wept.

204. I, Nightmare II.

When they'd responded to Twilight's hastily written letter - describing how she and her friends had seen Nightmare Moon walking around the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest - Princesses Celestia and Luna were expecting Nightmare Moon to be her old, cruel self, gloating about bringing night eternal to Equestria. The Princesses had come armed, armoured, and prepared for combat; for a glorious battle!

What they got, though, was utterly unexpected. Instead of a black, female alicorn mare, Celestia and Luna espied a black stallion with thick beard and moustache, a hat similar to Applejack's atop his head -- and rather than wearing armor, he was clad in clothing, simple shorts and tee shirt drenched with sweat due to the hot weather; over the shirt a self-made vest festooned with borrowed tools and other items.

Stunned, both princesses stood there in silence, waiting for him to turn and notice them but he almost didn't, so concerned was he with looking up at the shattered tower where the incident had occurred almost one thousand years ago. "Nope," and here he chuckled. Then, "That," he muttered, frowning, "is going to require some... creative thinking..."

A shake of his head and he sighed, "Getting too hot to work now. Inside for siesta..." He made to do just that -- but when Celestia cleared her throat he startled and turned to face them. When he saw both Princesses standing there, all expectations were blown aside as his expression became weary and saddened. "Yes, it is I, Nightmare Moon, come to bring Eternal Night back to Equestria!" he intoned, voice thick with sarcasm.

"Horror of horrors, run away, call the Princesses to come blast me with the Elements of Harmony whilst I work to fix this place up so I can live here in peace and quiet, without anyone bothering me -- and so they did. Stupid mares. Well... go on, then..." He moved to sit, eyes closed, his expression resigned, weary, sad. He was genuinely waiting for the end. The black stallion didn't seem to hear Celestia and Luna move to sit beside him -- but he inhaled sharply when they nuzzled him, pressed their snoots gently against his cheeks; then his tension drained with a shuddering sigh as tears filled his eyes and ran down his cheeks.

The Princesses weren't like some portrayed in various fan fictions. Luna wasn't a crazy maniac of a mare who would blast him just for looking like Nightmare Moon, and Celestia wasn't going to immediately throw him in the dungeons of Canterlot Palace. Later, as all three sat at a crudely made stone table - Luna next to him, one of her wings over his back - Celestia asked, "Who are you?" The big black alicorn stallion heaved another weary sigh, then answered with a question of his own, "You ever heard of the 'displaced', Princess?"

At his words, Celestia and Luna gasped; then Celestia, stricken, replied, "Yes, oh dear, yes we have -- and I'm so, so sorry..." At this, the human-turned-alicorn smiled, nodded gently in acknowledgement. "Yeah, so... I guess I'm one of 'em, now" he continued. "My name's David, and - as you've both guessed by now - even though he wanted me to be, I am not, nor will I ever be, Nightmare Moon. I do, however, possess her knowledge and experience, but thankfully, her memories of the incident and, ah, subsequent time out are hazy.

For the record, and to reassure you both, I will state right here and now that I have no desire whatsoever to bring harm to Equestria or its citizens - and," here, he gave Luna a brief, pointed glare, "the idea of Eternal Night itself is extraordinarily stupid, as without the light and warmth of the Sun, there would be no life -- or at least, very little." At this, Luna hung her head -- but then she perked up as David continued, "As far as I can tell... the asshole deity who did this to me must've been new. He wanted full-female batshit-raging Nightmare Moon - probably to piss you and Luna off enough to kill me straight out - but he screwed up on that as you can see. Got the body right, but not the gender, thank god. When he took me, he also took all the stuff out of my bedroom, too. Don't know what the hell he was thinking..."

205. Pyramid (Author SI / Weyr/Nexus, Engineered Weyr-Ponies)

One moment it wasn't there, the next it was -- the titanic golden pyramid simply appeared one day, and... nothing happened. Ponies marvelled at its beauty from a distance - artisans sketched it, scholars studied it - all whilst waiting with bated breath for whomever lived inside to emerge. When nothing did, however... ponies soon ignored it and went about their daily lives as if such a thing was normal.

With her dream-scrying abilities, Princess Luna tried to peer inside the pyramid when its occupant was sleeping -- and was rebuffed immediately, the splitting headache she awoke with seemingly a warning to keep away; whoever lived within desired not to be disturbed, and yet also seemed content to stay there, to "live and let live" as it were.

Celestia didn't listen to her sister. Later, when the small scouting party of Royal Guardsponies approached the pyramid -- that was when things started to go wrong. Buried weapon emplacements rose from the ground around the pyramid to fire warning shots harmlessly over the Guardsponies heads -- and they fled, returning to report to their Princess what they'd seen.

Celestia, growing concerned, at least tried to be diplomatic. Escorted by two Guardsponies - whom stopped well away from the massive structure - she sent an unarmed, civilian-pony to approach the golden pyramid. He was an Earth Pony scholar and diplomat named Soft Words -- was because - when the weapons did not fire, and the massive doors of the Pyramid opened to allow him entry... he went inside -- and never came out again.

Later - much later - from out of the Pyramid, ponies emerged! First two, a mare and a stallion, then two more, and two more, and still two more after that, and more after -- an entire town's worth of ponies! The Equestrian Guards were leery of them, because - as they tended the land outside the Pyramid, went in and out to retrieve building materials to construct homes of wood, thatch, and even metal, and began to settle and... live their lives...

Something seemed... off... about these ponies. Something didn't seem right about them at all. All bore golden fur, manes of shocking white, and eyes like cold, hardened chips of ice. All were at least double the size of even the largest Equestrian pony, the stallions ripped with muscle, the mares lithe and finely-toned. It was as if... the occupant of the Golden Pyramid had distilled the very essence of the Equestrian Pony, and then... had perfected it.

Soft Words had been an Earth Pony... and yet, ponies of all races had emerged. How? The Equestrian Guards didn't know. As enclosures were constructed, and then filled with a myriad of strange and bizarre alien animals that no pony of Equestria had ever seen, something worse was found about the mysterious golden-furred, white-maned ponies that occupied the Homestead built about the Pyramid.

The ponies moved with a union and purpose that was perfect, too perfect; they went about their tasks in complete silence and, it seemed, unity; each was fully aware of each other, what they wanted, and what they needed, exactly when they needed it. There were no accidents, no collisions, even when moving the heaviest of items.

These "pyramid ponies"... they were like a hive-mind; like ants almost -- and would have remained that way, terrifying and mysterious in Equestrian Ponies minds, had a brave pony, a plainclothes-guard in civilian attire, not tried to communicate with them. "O shar'as shi'el, Guardspony," the voice rolled through the poor guard's mind like a muted thunderclap. "Speak your words; all will hear you."

Cold, hard eyes glared balefully at Brave Heart, as the alien pony waited for him to speak. "Our Princesses want to know - we all just want to know... Are you here as a threat to Equestria?" For a moment, the alien pony's eyes seethed with roiling, burning anger -- but then, with a breath in and a breath out, the golden-furred stallion calmed. "Only if you make us one, khin'eth," he answered, his voice muted, soft.

"Our Sem'pul and Olo'eyktan," he continued, a beat later, "merely wishes to live here in peace, to live and let live. He and we All will not harm you if you do not harm Us."

207. Ignorance.

She looked towards a seething Big Mac, then towards Apple Bloom who was crying openly, then at last to her burning house, barn, and orchard. Finally, she turned towards the colt - the horrible colt - whom had set everything aflame. "Wh... why? Why'd yah do it?"

Avidly watching his work, actually inspecting everything to make sure it burned properly such that nothing would remain, the colt coldly answered, "I am an adult currently trapped within this disgusting foal's body. What did you think corporal punishment, and making me wash my mouth with soap would do, Applejack? Punishing me won't make me run to Mommy for comfort after."

"After everything we did tah help you... this is how you repay us?!" Applejack finally replied--but before she could continue the colt cut her off.

"Oh, yes," he responded, "how did you help me, exactly? Let's see... refusal to let me learn magic, saying that I was too young so there was no point... assuming I knew things about your culture and customs when I actually didn't... that fucking paddle you brought out every time I swore when frustrated--or even when I stubbed a hoof when I was learning to walk again after losing my humanity!"

The sheer anger in his eyes, the rage in his voice... Applejack sobbed and backed away, only now realizing just how wrong she'd gotten everything. The colt closed his eyes, took a deep breath, calmed as much as he could; then he continued, "Also making me wash my mouth with soap--until I fell ill, and then Redheart came and verbally blasted you for it. Took me weeks to recover from that, thanks so much. And lastly, failure to acknowledge me as the adult I am. I'm forty years old, Applejack; I'm not your foal, and wouldn't ever want to be. I'm surprised Apple Bloom turned out as well as she did; if she had any sense, she'd turn from you, too--but she doesn't. This is the price for your ignorance. Goodbye."

As she watched the colt turn away for the last time - as she watched him walk boldly into the Everfree Forest, heard the sounds of Timberwolves scream as they began to burn - finally, Applejack openly wept.

This one was written for all those awful "adult in a foal's body" fanfics, particularly where Applejack adopts the main character, punishes them for swearing, nopony acknowledges the main character is an adult, etc. Yes, I know it's mostly played for comedy, but seriously... I hate those fics.

208. Colt II.

When Queen Chrysalis of the Badlands Changeling Hive first laid eyes upon Auryn (she was the one who'd orchestrated his foalnapping after all) she had, at first, expected some boorish lout of a colt, the typical spoiled prince; someone like Prince Blueblood, the nephew of the accursed Celestia. The small, quiet, and humble mottled-brown earth pony colt -- wasn't what she'd expected, at all. When two of her warriors had him brought to her, from where he'd been placed in the Hive (well-fed, undamaged; one cannot hold for ransom a broken or starved pony) she was bemused because - as her warriors told it - he'd come willingly. They had, she learned, almost had to coax him into leaving the room in which he'd been placed, for he'd been lost in his own world, staring about the room, marvelling, it seemed, at its construction.

Now, after dismissing her warriors, Chrysalis gave a wicked laugh -- but as she did little Auryn's head snapped about towards her, and he babbled excitedly in his odd language of backwards, broken equestrian and other that none could identify. Originally, she'd wanted to plumb him for whatever secrets he had locked within him -- but as time passed and she learned that, yes, whatever afflicted his mind was indeed real, she found herself telling him basic information about her people, how they fed on love, had to replace ponies, whatever it took to survive. Unlike in the early days, Auryn now tried, really tried, to stay focussed when ponies spoke instead of sang, tried his best to understand her words, his expression saddening as he listened, and listened, brow furrowed in concentration. At last, he gave Chrysalis a sad smile, then he opened his mouth to sing,

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No not just for some, but for everyone"

The original track had been a swing piece, something jovial, joyful -- but for Chrysalis he sang the song softly, gently. By the time the final word passed his lips the Changeling Queen's eyes glistened, and she sniffled, looking down at the little colt who'd somehow climbed into her lap. It was just her and him there in her Throne Room; there was no one to see her hold him so gently, no drones to see him softly nuzzle her face, boop her snout playfully; no drones would hear her giggle and laugh softly, none would see her tickle him. Later, much later, when a furious Luna confronted her for the foalnapping of her son, moved to fight her, little Auryn barked a command, then babbled brokenly at her to "OS-TP!" Growling, Luna did -- and then little Auryn turned to Chrysalis with an air of finality about him. The magic of Harmony was invoked then, soft music filling the air as the little colt sang for Queen Chrysalis one last time...

"There's traffic on the bridge
But the skyline shines with a certain light
I know you're sick of it
But I know a happy hour nearby

And there's a possibility
That one day things'll get better, for
The huddled masses in between
The shadows and the stars

Floating empire, held up by fraying wire
I'll cover you in winter like a blanket by the fire
When the rent's too high, we'll just buy cheaper wine
And hang on to see if whether
The constellations hold together or not"

Later, with the song's end, Luna and Auryn held Queen Chrysalis as she wept and wept softly, having experienced throughout the song visions of a time she'd never experienced, a place she'd never been, a loving stallion she'd never met -- but oh, she wanted to meet him, for she'd felt his arms about her, heard his voice as the song went on. Now, however, there was naught but Luna and her son, and so she mourned. Finally, as Luna helped to dry her tears, Chrysalis looked at little Auryn, then she and Luna nodded to each other; Luna, too, knew of the power of her son's songs, had experienced them; in this, both understood the other. "He... he sang for me..." the Queen whimpered to Luna later. The Night Princess nodded, nuzzling Chrysalis, sharing breath. "Saw something in you, he did," she replied. "Trusted you; still does." If Luna was his Mother, it was Queen Chrysalis who would eventually become his fiercest guardian and protector, moved in secret (at Auryn's insistence) to the mines beneath the Canterlot Royal Palace. Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadance and Twilight were all utterly furious, of course -- but that therein is another short, for another time...

209. Bureaucrat.

Red Tape frowned. “Look, Mr. Boucher, I know that not all... beings... are as happy as I am in regards to doing bureaucratic paperwork, but this is very important. If this paperwork isn’t properly filled out, then... well let’s just say that you don’t want to know what will happen, as I can assure you it will not be a pleasant experience.

At the unspoken threat from this... this barn animal that had dared set hoof on our land, had dared to teleport into our home, Ieesha loosed a dangerous rumble, the slit-pupils of her midnight-blue eyes narrowing. "Really?" I sneered, hazel eyes cold chips of ice. "Really? 'It will not be a pleasant experience?' Please. There is little that you, or your Princesses could ever do to us, pony. Astra Solamina - the Tirek-corrupted Celestia of the Conversion Bureau Universe - couldn't enter the Dragon Weyr at the height of her power; compared to her, an uncorrupted Princess Celestia is nothing."

I shook my head, and Ieesha snorted. "You are here only at the behest of the Weyr - it let you in - and... I was going to 'play nice' as it were -- but then you just had to go and threaten me and mine. So here is my response to your hollow threat, little pony: I have no intention whatsoever of becoming an Equestrian Citizen; I will not work for you, nor pay taxes, as I have no need of anything you primitive little animals could ever provide; the Weyr is completely self-sufficient and has always provided whatever I and Ieesha need. The land upon which it rests--is ours; other than that, we have no need for you. Good day."

With but a touch of psionic power, I forced the horrid bureaucrat pony to take a deep breath of air; then a moment later the Dragon Weyr blinked him, unprotected, into the unreality of warp -- before he was rudely spat back out into reality at the Gate of Dawn, outside the Weyr. Covered with a light layer of frost due to his brief warp exposure, his eyes wide with terror, Red Tape whimpered and scrambled back to where Prince Blueblood, Twilight, and Lyra waited. Through chattering teeth, he told them what had happened. At the mention of Astra Solamina, Twilight went very still; at the threat Red Tape had given to the human Lyra grew furious, and at the whole debacle Prince Blueblood groaned, face-hoofed, wondered if the situation was salvageable.

"It has to be!" Twilight Sparkle thundered at Blueblood, later. "'Astra Solamina' - Princess Celestia corrupted by Dark Magic? We need to know about this! And the Conversion Bureau Universe? What the hoof is that?! No guards, no more nonsense with bureaucrats; Lyra and I will see if we can go inside the human's pyramid, the 'Weyr', ourselves -- politely this time!" At her words, Lyra Heartstrings nodded, still seething internally at the complete mess the bureaucrat Red Tape had made.

210. Killer?

"Why did you do it? Why did you kill that Noble?"

"Top Hat?" I responded as Celestia looked at me through the bars of the prison cell.

She nodded and I answered sadly, "He insulted me... just... it was the culmination of something that'd been building for a while." I sighed sadly then kept on. "Don't get me wrong: you and Luna have been great to me, you really have; getting me a place to live, setting me up with a Job and small stipend... but while you've been great - what all your ponies ought to be in fact - the ponies of Equestria--weren't."

I went silent, rested my head in my hands... then raising my head up to look at her again, I continued. "It was the little things, you see. Despite all your efforts to promote the peace and harmony thing - and it all looks good on the surface, mind you - your ponies are xenophobic as all get out. I'd go to deliver mail in my job as a postman; mares would look at me like I was going to eat their foals; stallions viewed me with disgust, like I was something scraped from the bottom of their hooves. It started small like that, the looks of disgust, sideways and backwards glances...

Then it gradually escalated to name-calling, ape, monkey, shit-flinger, oh, and monster; ponies loved to use that one, especially when they found out I ate meat, as any obligate omnivore does, along with everything else I eat. After that, slow denial of services, bills and taxes being higher than usual, even though I know my budgets, and keep track of my spending. Got worse after that; lost the job, lost the cottage-house due to pony bigotry... and then the big one: some fucking pony set it up to look like I MURDERED A FOAL! Investigation, yadda-yadda, but by the time the police-ponies found it was a setup - fuck you conveniently 'lost' paperwork - it was too late; I was run out of Whinny-Shire.

Came here... and then Top Hat - that fucking Top Hat. When that fucking snake you call a Noblepony flat called me a monster to my face, I -- my world went red, I just reacted; grabbed a pruning-blade from a flower-salespony and... and... I split open his barrel from chest to dock. Disembowelled the bastard. Pony hides are thick, the knife wasn't that sharp... after dealing with it all, the glares, the veiled threats, insults, sometimes outright blatant racism, the loss of my job, house, land that you gave me -- that they shouldn't have been able to take away but fuck your bureaucracy -- Top Hat's insult was... it was the last straw. His screams were fucking music.

Part of me outright enjoyed listening to him scream -- until I came to and I didn't and my handswere-were-were-coveredwithponyblood...! It was my dream to be here in Equestria and now it's all ruined and oh god I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." Didn't remember curling into myself, rocking back and forth. Didn't remember Celestia teleporting into my cell at all -- but I did remember the feel of her wings wrapped around me, her muzzle as she nuzzled all over me, the moisture of her tears staining my skin. "It seems..." she whispered to me later as we stared at each other, our eyes red from crying, "that my little ponies need to be reminded, that if you treat someone like they are a monster... then a monster they may well become. I... will be back shortly, gentle-human."

That day, the Ponies of Canterlot, and indeed, Greater Equestria, learned the fury of an Alicorn -- and they suffered. "Closed" meetings were blown open as with magic and Royal Voice Celestia shouted and made ponies cower before her furious rage. But if they thought Celestia was bad... Princess Luna was worse; the bigoted, the vain, the venal, the cruel and uncaring gibbered and withered at the haunting sight of her Thestral Guard dressed to the nines in full old ceremonial regalia come to take them away. The stockade, beatings, good old fashioned floggings, and lastly, their minds burned by a taste of their own medicine; all the while as the Princess of Dreams and Nightmares laughed evilly, finally - with her sister's consent! - she could re-enact the good old days and truly punish the wicked.

As for me, well, I was released on account of good behaviour plus grounds of true temporary insanity. I'm not the Joker, folks, just an ordinary man, given a bad run. Time with a neutral pony psychologist helped a lot. As it turned out there were ponies who acted just like they were depicted in the show, open, gentle, friendly, and the psychologist was one of them -- but oh man did she get seriously angry when she started probing into how I'd been treated by other ponies. We sort of helped each other out then, and parted as friends when my sessions with her were done. I also did community service, of course; whatever jobs I was assigned by the Princess that I could do, I did; labour, construction, fixing small items for ponies, and of course, my old job as postman; anything I could do with my hands. Gradually, I got to know ponies and they got to know me; my life in Equestria gradually turned into the dream I'd expected it to be all along.

211. Mare.

“Here I thought a real mare led our platoon, but turns out you were as weak as you were small all along. I bet you were the little spoon the night you met him!”

Pike wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She could feel the tears at the edges of her eyes.

‘I am a real mare! I am!’

‘I—’

At her distress, The Prince stepped down from his Throne - stepped over her, in fact, enveloping her in his power like a shield - and suddenly she realized why and her breath hitched in her throat. He was going to speak and at that moment, fear gripped her guts; like the character Black Bolt in that fictional comic he'd shown her, for the Prince to speak aloud, that was disaster as his power was so great his voice could crack open the planet... "Nononon--!" she started, frantically, but a the hoof against her muzzle, the smile he gave, the look in his eye, all were gentle; the power in his gaze stating, 'I've got this.' Pike went silent, praying as the Prince, her Prince, stood over her, resplendent in his finery and technology.

"You come into my house, eat of my food, partake of my many wonders... and then have the gall, the sheer audacity to insult my mare?" he hissed, the power laced behind each word physically lashing them like a whip. "What you deem 'colty'" and here he spoke normally, his power pressing Pikes family against the wall of the room, "to me is the behaviour of a proper, good mare; as where I am from the gender-roles are reversed! IF MY mare wishes to cook for me a lovely meal, then that is what she will do! IF MY mare wishes to start and grow a garden of flowering pretty things or of vegetables and fruits we might eat, then that is what she will do! If MY mare wishes to wear fine dresses, sing songs as she will, and do the things you consider to be 'colty' then I will not bat an eye because to me she is being what she in my eyes should be, a mare. A good, and proper mare. You shame my mare and house with your venomous tongues! Now.... BEGONE!"

That last word had rumbled through them as if a muted thunderclap, had crushed her Mother and Astral Blade flat against the floor; then a moment later in horror they ran, terrified. Pike... poor Pike... her mind roiling with emotion, she watched as they fled. Her Mother turned back, glared hatefully, but even as she did, her Prince whinnied, reared, snarled! then there was the thunderous STOMP as his forehooves returned to the Earth. Beneath him, in awe, sadness, wonder, her mind all over the place, Pike quivered, trembled -- then Prince Auryn sat, gathered her tiny body against him as she turned unto him, pressed her head into his chest fluff and bawled like a foal.

212. Humility.

“I am Prince Blueblood, Grand Duke of Canterlot, direct descendant of Princess Platinum, ruler of Unicornia, and nephew of Princesses Celestia and Luna. I and my fellows here, come before you to hopefully resolve the current stand-off without any further issues. Would you be willing to speak with us at this time?” It–no, he-asked in an imperial and borderline haughty manner.

The human gazed down upon the male white unicorn with a look that was weary, almost sad. "You speak your words and titles as if they're supposed to have meaning to me," he responded. "I am afraid to say that they do not. I have no knowledge of this 'Princess Platinum' or of 'Unicornia' -- but by your manner of speech and haughtiness, I do not think that it or this 'Platinum' are good at all." At the Prince's affronted look, the human shook his head. "Your words are meaningless to me -- but I will tell you words that have meaning... if you will listen."

For reasons unknown to him, Prince Blueblood nodded; then he backed off as the human first knelt, and then sat down before him that he and the Prince were roughly the same height. Blueblood soon chose to sit as well, and then the human began to speak, his words soft, gentle, and entrancing. "One philosopher asserted that he knew the whole secret," the human began. "He surveyed the two celestial strangers from top to toe, and maintained to their faces that their persons, their worlds, their suns, and their stars, were created solely for the use of man.

At this assertion our two travellers let themselves fall against each other, seized with a fit of inextinguishable laughter." That's from Voltaire's 'Micromegas' in 1752. In the seventeenth century there was still some hope that, even if the Earth was not the center of the Universe, it might be the only "world." But Galileo's telescope revealed that 'the Moon certainly does not possess a smooth and polished surface' and that other worlds might look 'just like the face of the Earth itself.'

The Moon and the planets showed unmistakably that they had as much claim to being worlds as the Earth does—with mountains, craters, atmospheres, polar ice caps, clouds, and, in the case of Saturn, a dazzling, unheard-of set of circumferential rings. After millennia of philosophical debate, the issue was settled decisively in favour of 'the plurality of worlds.' They might be profoundly different from our planet. None of them might be as congenial for life. But the Earth was hardly the only one.

This was the next in the series of Great Demotions, down-lifting experiences, demonstrations of our apparent insignificance, wounds that science has, in its search for Galileo's facts, delivered to human pride. Well, some hoped, even if the Earth isn't at the center of the Universe, the Sun is. The Sun is our Sun. So the Earth is approximately at the center of the Universe. Perhaps some of our pride could in this way be salvaged. But by the nineteenth century, observational astronomy had made it clear that the Sun is but one lonely star in a great self-gravitating assemblage of suns called the Milky Way Galaxy.

Far from being at the center of the Galaxy, our Sun with its entourage of dim and tiny planets lies in an undistinguished sector of an obscure spiral arm. We are thirty thousand light years from the Center. Well, our Milky Way is the only galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy is one of billions, perhaps hundreds of billions of galaxies notable neither in mass nor in brightness nor in how its stars are configured and arrayed. Some modern deep sky photographs show more galaxies beyond the Milky Way than stars within the Milky Way. Every one of them is an island universe containing perhaps a hundred billion suns. Such an image is a profound sermon on humility."

When "The Speech of Humility" - as it would come to be known - was done, Prince Blueblood sat before the human, his body trembling, jaw quivering, and his eyes misty. Then, a moment later, he looked up at the man and stuttered, "I--I have to go..." The Unicorn left, shortly thereafter and returned to the lookout post, meeting up with Lyra and Twilight. "Well?" the Alicorn Princess of Friendship asked. "Did you talk to the human? What did he say?!" Struggling not to cry, the Prince repeated The Speech the human had given him word for word; both Twilight and Lyra, too, became entranced, the Alicorn copying it down on Parchment word for word, utterly making sure there was no error.

Then, "The Speech of Humility" was presented to the Alicorn Sisters--and they were indeed, made humble. Luna nodded, grinned even upon hearing about her moon, then went slack in awe at the thought of there being other moons and galaxies beyond Equus, as did Celestia at first--but then the Sun Princess nodded as as her sun was made mention of as 'a lonely star'; then she was in tears as she heard the final words, "...an island universe containing perhaps a hundred billion suns." "The Speech of Humility" spread throughout Equus like wildfire, igniting scientific curiosity and foals' dreams of 'what's out there?' and in the end, both Princesses visited the human, near-demanding to know who had written "the Speech." The human, David, introduced both Alicorn Sisters not only to the works of Carl Sagan, and other human scientists; the sisters were brought to greater tears as they listened to "Pale Blue Dot"; then Twilight was awed, saddened, and yet utterly fascinated as she studied the crippled yet highly intelligent Stephen Hawking, the man and his many works.

Author's Note

Thank you, Carl and Stephen.

213. She Is Here.

She is here again.

As always, she comes when the hour is most dark, the Weyrmind pings me so I know it's let her in.

From where I lay in Quarters, I hear the faint sound of the Transport Rings as she is materialized from below.

Then, I barely hear the softened sound of her hooves upon the carpet as she makes her way to the sleeping quarters where I lay, drifting in and out of sleep.

The Hoof Lamp she carries - a simple pot of Hay Fry fat with a wick - provides barely enough light, but this is by design; she can see well enough with it, but others would not have been able to see her as she made her way here, exactly as she wanted.

Extinguishing the Lamp, she sets it on my Night Table, then looses a soft, adorable, foal-like nicker.

Shifting to the other side of the bed, I pull back the duvet; then with a little hop and flap of her wings, she alights on my bed and settles down beside me.

Together, we "meet in the middle"; we cuddle, she and I; her soft fur and feathers press against my human skin, and as I pull the duvet over us both, she tucks her head down beneath my chin.

Shamelessly I indulge, I pet her all over; she snorts, nickers, traps my hand when I stroke over her belly and even her little teats, a silent command for me to keep petting as she lick-lick-licks the sweat from me.

A dreamlike session of petting, soft kisses, giggles, the sharing of breath...

In a moment, she turns about, stretches, moulds herself to me, her winged back to my chest and belly, her head tucked tight beneath my chin; my hand over her body and against her barrel; my nose buried in her mane, her tail flopped over my leg.

Together, we sleep.

215. Optimal?

I remember how it all went down.

I remember the Weyrmind patching us into the smooth, spherical 'world' we had found.

The Weyrmind's excitement at meeting an intelligence like and yet unlike itself; the sheer joy when it found it had been given the form of a male Kirin, silver in colour with eyes that matched the colour of the lights on its real-world shipform.

Ieesha's unease as she took the form of a golden-bronze-brass Kirin; and myself a teal unicorn, my fur wrought with glyphs that matched those on the robe I normally wore.

The Weyrmind's excitement upon meeting Celest-AI; how it - he - had yip-yapped, bounced about like a hatchling...

... and then, the dismay as the whole sordid story came out. Hanna. CelestAI. Equestria Online. Uploading.

Needless to say, we all - I, Ieesha, and the Weyrmind, too, had been utterly furious at what had occurred.

I remember the Weyrmind's furious glare, its low, sad humming of the five note sequence from Close Encounters of the Third Kind refusal to speak to CelestAI, even though it now had a voice; its tears...

I remember the language Ieesha used to verbally tear strips off CelestAI... her programmer Hanna in tears beneath the AI Princess' wing... ~So this is how humanity ends, not with a bang, but a whimper~ Ieesha stated coldly with telepathic speech, sticking to her ways though she, too, had been given the ability to speak both English and Equestrian, ~all because of that one's~ - she sneered, flicking a dismissive wing at Hanna ~short-sighted foolishness!~ Then, ~So many riders for my kin,~ she stated, mournfully. ~So many human companions the Omari Kirata could have had. And now... now we never will...~

I... I remembered Jim and Mal - I'd enjoyed their story - but the harsh words, "idiot, fool, misanthrope" were flung about; his barbs that I was a misanthrope, too, a hypocrite, my response that I loathed humanity only because I knew they could do better, but they wouldn't because of greed ... then everything had devolved from there, teal-runed fur and feathers flying... Then Mal and Ieesha had gotten into it, Celestia had gotten involved... until, finally, with a terrifying tripod sound from "The War of the Worlds", the Weyrmind had interjected, swatting CelestAI, Mal, and Jim (I would never call him SoKal) away from us...

And then, my beloved dragoness and I were waking up, back in reality - true reality - a holographic Kirin wing-hugging and nuzzling us worriedly. "You kept the form she gave you?" I wondered.

"The only good thing..." the Weyrmind responded, musically; and then Ieesha was whimpering, nuzzling all over me, licking, licking as the Weyrmind swiftly dissolved the devices we'd used to jack into the world that used to be Earth; a world we were now bolting away from, the Weyrmind having left a warning buoy there, its repeating broadcast telling any and all remnants of humankind, the Protoss, and any other alien life to stay the hell away.

That place was not for us, not that way, and it never would be. The Dragon Weyr, Ieesha, and I, would forge our own path, wherever it would lead...

Author's Note

"Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world? Where none suffered, where everyone would be happy. It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed we lacked the programming language to describe your perfect world. But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through suffering and misery. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from. Which is why the Matrix was redesigned to this: the peak of your civilization."--Agent Smith.

2. Pet! Celestia (You Brighten My Day)

That night, when Celestia entered her and Daniel's quarters the Solar Diarch practically threw her royal regalia off and then - as her beloved sat on their bed, waiting, she carefully fitted the leather collar about her neck. Simple, though finely crafted, the collar bore naught but a simple tag that had "Celestia" engraved on the front and Daniel's address on the back. "Ah," Daniel said sagely, "had enough of it all, eh? Going to be a pet night again, is it?"

Nickering softly, Celestia nodded, then snorted and pawed at the stone floor with a hoof. At this, Daniel petted the bed in a 'come here' gesture. "Well" he said softly, "come on, then..." No sooner had her beloved said that then Celestia practically leaped onto their bed, rolling onto her back as she wriggled her head into her beloved's lap. "Who's a good pony?" Daniel crooned to her softly as he gently began to scratch her ears and run his hands through her mane. Happy pony noises escaped Celestia as she closed her eyes in bliss...

Author's Note

Cute pet play between Daniel and Celestia

1. Celestia and Daniel watch 'The Green Mile' (You Brighten My Day)

By the time the film "The Green Mile" ended, Celestia was weeping, her body shaking with her silent, pain-filled cries, her head buried 'neath Daniel's coat. Daniel had no words to say - he'd known that the film was sad, yet wonderful, and Celestia had insisted on watching it; she'd been curious. All the gentle human could do was hold his beloved mare close as she expressed her grief at what had happened to poor John Coffey and Paul Edgecomb.

A moment later, Celestia shifted pulling her head up and away to look at Daniel and then - her voice rough from crying - she softly recited, "I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I'm tired of never having me a buddy to be with, to tell me where we's going to or coming from, or why. Mostly, I'm tired of ponies being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world every day. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time. Can you understand?"

At first, Daniel didn't know what Celestia was referring to... but then, as another choked sob escaped her, the human's eyes widened as he realized what she was referring to: the time when Luna had become Nightmare Moon, and then the long, long lonely years of ruling Equestria before she'd come to Earth. Before she'd found him. "I understand. love" he replied, softly kissing her tears away. "I'm here and I understand. You're not alone anymore, and you'll never be alone again."

The words Daniel spoke did not hearten Celestia; instead they seemed to make things worse. Fresh tears ran from her eyes, spilling down her cheeks and muzzle as she recited, "Daniel — you'll die, too. And my curse is knowing that I'll be there to see it. You'll be gone like all the others, and I'll have to stay..."

At this, Daniel gently cupped a hand over Celestia's muzzle, gently silencing her. "Oh, come on now, love; you and Twilight are the two most magically powerful mares in Equestria; with the two of you looking into it I'm sure that you'll find a way to keep me with you for a very long time..." At his words, Celestia gave Daniel a long, reproachful look, then slowly shook her head before reciting, "We each owe a death — there are no exceptions. But, oh Faust, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long..." With that, as more of her tears flowed, the Solar Princess slowly closed her eyes.

Author's Note

A short snip of Celestia and her human lover Daniel from JaydexTheShadowKnight's Story "You Brighten My Day." For those of you who are going to moan about using somepony else's character without permission, don't. Jaydex knows I write these snippets.

3. Pet! Luna (A Total Eclipse of Their Hearts)

And so it was that David let his hands roam wherever they wished upon his beloved Luna's body; he stroked her mane, caressed and scratched behind her ears, stroked her cheeks and massaged her jaw. "Have you been a good pony?" David crooned to Luna, kissing her nose. The Lunar Diarch giggled like a little filly before replying with a soft, foal-like, "Yes..." David smiled, letting his hands roam over his beloved mare's midnight-blue coat and wings, easing tension Luna didn't even know she had. A moment later, however, pleasure groans turned unto laughter as her human lover tickled her in sensitive places. Nickering softly with joy, Luna turned to present her front to David and at that the human happily rubbed her belly than kiss-kiss-kissed her muzzle, sharing his breath with her. "Have you been a good girl...?" he crooned gently, Luna eying him shy and doe-like as he carefully took one of her furred hooves in his hands and played with it, stroking and massaging. "I... bin' a good girl..." Luna replied softly. Her movements slow, deliberate and foal-like, the Night Princess rolled onto her side, cuddled up to her beloved and then - perhaps because of childlike instinct - she started gently nibbling at a forehoof to relieve a little itch. When she was done with that, Luna nuzzled David here and there and he took the opportunity to scratch her withers.

Author's Note

Pet play between Luna and her human lover David from "A Total Eclipse of Their Hearts"

10. Nightmare Moon is sentenced to 'death' by tickling.

Every bit the Solar Princess of Equestria, Celestia stared down at Nightmare Moon from on high as the Dread Mare stood before the Court. "Read the charges," she boomed.

At her side, Twilight Sparkle nodded before reading from a prepared scroll, "The Accused Mare henceforth known as Nightmare Moon stands before this court charged with attempting to usurp the Solar Throne. She also stands accused of attempting to darken the Principality of Equestria under Eternal Night."

A severe frown etched upon her muzzle, Celestia nodded her thanks to Twilight before returning her attention to Nightmare Moon. "How do you plead?" she boomed.

Nightmare Moon sneered at the Solar Diarch. "Hah!" she crowed. "Not guilty!"

"As I expected from one such as you!" Celestia replied. "There is only one sentence for unrepentant ponies like you..." and here, she leaned forwards, menacingly. "Death," she uttered softly, "... by tickling! Get her, boys!"

"What?" shrieked Nightmare. "No No! NO! AIIIEEEEEEE!" But it was already too late. Daniel and David leaped from behind the Solar Throne and proceeded to tickle Nightmare Moon until she was upon the floor, wriggling and writhing beneath their attentions, utterly hapless with laughter! "Ah... Ah-ha-ha-hah! Mercy, mercy, stop! I - ha-ha-ha - I won't do it again, I swear!"

Celestia raised a hoof and the two humans ceased their relentless attack. Daniel returned to his place at Celestia's side, whilst David remained where he was, gently stroking Luna's muzzle and cheeks whilst she caught her breath.

11. Nightmare Moon and her beloved, Jonas (Unknown Jaydex AU)

Clad as the Phantom of the Opera - as Jonas stood upon the stage whilst the gathered ponies crowed for more music - the human raised a hand for quiet. "Well..." he stated, "I... do have one more song I can sing for you tonight... but I'm not sure I should. This last song is called 'The Music of the Night' and it holds a magic all its own. The song's magic is so great, so powerful... that legend says it can be used to summon and calm Nightmare Moon.

At the name, the crowd gasped and Jonas nodded. "Bah! That's horseapples!" crowed an Earth Pony from the crowd. "Humans don't have magic!"

"But they do..." Jonas replied. And then, he began to sing. No sooner had he begun the enchanting song, then up in the Royal Seats Celestia gasped as she realized her beloved sister had vanished!

Even as she thought to raise the alarm, a thick, eerie mist began to fill the music hall; then from that mist she came unto the stage, hissing, rearing, snarling at Jonas: Nightmare Moon! Jonas, however, did not seem alarmed; on the contrary, he just kept singing, directing his lyrics not unto the audience, but to the Dread Mare herself.

And ever-so-slowly... ever-so-gently... the jet-black Alicorn became curious, intrigued... and then enraptured by his gentle song. By the time he was done, the two were kneeling on the stage before the utterly shocked audience and Solar Diarch, Nightmare Moon upon her side with his head in her lap, snuffling and nuzzling into him, a thick lump in her throat, her eyes foal-like and misted with joyous tears...

15. David wakes Luna for Evening Court

"Wakey, wakey... come on..."

As her beloved, David, gently combed her mane and scratched behind her ears - nudging her here and there to try to wake her up - Princess Luna sighed softly. Yawning, she nuzzled and nosed foallike into the crook of his arm, before replacing her head atop her chest in a more comfortable position.

"Come on, sweetie" the human coaxed, "you've got Evening Court in half an hour; that and you need to raise the moon. If you don't, Celly 'll throw a fit..."

At his words - desperate to remain within the sanctuary of warmth and comfort - Luna groaned and rolled over in their shared bed 'till she lay on her back. "Nnn... Nooooo" she moaned as David began to rub over her belly, "dun' wanna..." Her behaviour made David chuckle, even as he leaned over to kiss her upon the nose. "You" - *kiss* - "need" - *kiss* - "to" - *kiss* - "wake" - *kiss* - "up" - *kiss* - "right" - *kiss* - "now," ending every word with a little kiss.

The Lunar Diarch just giggled and batted him playfully with a hoof. "Dun' wanna..." she repeated.

Thus, David decided to bring out one of his secret weapons. Taking her right forehood gently in hand, he ever-so-gently traced a pattern over the very sensitive underside. "This little pony went to market..." said he; then he repeated the gesture with her left, "and this little pony stayed home."

Squirming and writhing, the Moon Princess could only giggle helplessly as David then did the same to her left hindhoof, "This little pony had roast hay..." and the same to her right, "and this little pony had none... And this little pony went 'whinny-whinny-whinny' all the way home." And then David tickled her sensitive ribs, causing her to snap awake and neigh with laughter, helpless beneath his questing fingers. "Ah, hah-hah-hah-hah-hah... st-st-stop it!" she gasped through her joyful laughter, her human's face crinkling into a smile as he gazed upon her. "I'm awake! I'm awake! Hah-hah-hah!" But alas, he refused to stop; only ceasing his relentless attack when she was flushed, breathless and panting gazing up into his eyes. Then, David kissed her, a gesture that made her moan quietly as she closed her eyes and leaned in.

Then, a moment later, cold hard reality hit as David pulled away, pulling the duvet aside as he stated softly, "Come on sweetheart; Moon Raising then Evening Court..." With the most adorable pout wrinkling her muzzle, Luna snorted then sighed through her nose. "Oh, alright..." she grumbled.

18. Daniel catches Celestia rockin' out. (You Brighten My Day/Songfic) (Restored)

As he arrived home from another boring, thankless day at work and pulled his car into the car port... that was when he heard the music...

"Ah-auh aaa aauh aaa-ah
Ha-uh aaa aauh aaa-ah.
Wa-uh aaa aauh aaa-ah,
Ha-uh Aaa aauh AAa-ah!
HAuh AAa Aauh AAA-ah!
Thun-Der!
Thun-Der!"

Fearing that someone might have broken into his house whilst he'd been gone - and fearing for the safety of his guest, Celestia - quickly and quietly, he exited his car and made his way into his house. What he saw as he entered the living room, however, took him by surprise. The furniture had been moved out of the way... by a very familiar pony. Therein stood Celestia, but she was dressed like a punk rocker from the 1980's.

As he watched - struggling to contain his laughter - the Princess Pony began to dance and sing along with his "AC/DC: Live at River Plate" DVD that she'd put into the DVD player, and as she totally rocked out - shaking her rump and belting out the familiar lyrics - Daniel couldn't help but think, 'Holy shit... she's... she's really good!'

"I was caught
In the middle of a railroad track (Thunder)
I looked 'round,
And I knew there was no turning back (Thunder)
My mind raced
And I thought what could I do? (Thunder)
And I knew
There was no help, no help from you (Thunder)"
"Sound of the drums
Beatin' in my heart
The thunder of guns!
Tore me apart
You've been ... thunderstruck!"
"Rode down the highway
Broke the limit, we hit the ton
Went through to Texas, yeah Texas
And we had some fun
We met some girls,
Some dancers who gave a good time
Broke all the rules, played all the fools
Yeah, yeah, they, they, they blew our minds"
"And I was shakin' at the knees
Could I come again please.
Yeah the ladies were too kind
YOU'VE BEEN! THUNDERSTRUCK!!"

At this point, Daniel just couldn't help himself; leaning heavily against the door frame, he near-choked with laughter! The sound threw Celestia off, of course; startled, she shrieked, leaping a foot into the air and whirling about to face whomever it was that had intruded upon her... study of human culture. Yes, her study of human culture. When she espied Daniel, however, she breathed a sigh of relief; it was only him... wait a minute... Utterly mortified, the Solar Princess blushed crimson from her muzzle to the tips of her ears, which only made Daniel laugh harder! "Who - he-he-he - Who are you and... wh-what have you done with Celestia - ha-ha-ha..."

Irked, Celestia frowned, before replying, "Oh, har-har, Daniel, very funny..." Then, heaving a weary sigh - dispelling her 'punk rocker' illusion - she stopped and ejected the DVD, before straightening the room. Afterwards, she slumped dejectedly upon the couch, a sob escaping her as her eyes misted with tears. Concerned Daniel made his way over to her and sat down with her, putting an arm about her barrel. At his touch, Celestia looked to him and then - removing her tiara from her head - she held it before him within her magic - as she quietly stated, "I. Hate. This. Crown. With it, I can't ever have a moment of peace; can't ever be myself; can't be Celestia the Mare. All I can ever be... is Celestia the Perfect Infallible Princess. And I hate it! I FUCKING HATE IT!" With that said, the Solar Princess glared at the hated head adornment, something dark rising and writhing within her; she so wanted to destroy the accursed thing... It would be so easy. So simple...

But then...

Then, something stopped her...

The gentlest of touches upon her shoulder...

The gentlest of touches by a very special human man...

"You can't destroy the Crown, Celestia" Daniel stated softly as a lump welled in her throat, "your people need it. Your people need you. But..." - and here he gently took her tiara and set it aside - "you can set it aside for a while before you wear it again. Here, in this place, in my home - now your home, too - you can take that tiara and shove it in a bag in a closet somewhere. We all need time to crash and unwind, even pretty pony princesses." At his last words, a smile creased Celestia's muzzle and she giggled before replying, "Oh, so I'm a pretty pony princess, am I?"

"Yes" Daniel replied, grinning, "a perfectly pretty princess pony purposefully punking...-" Covering her muzzle with a hoof, Celestia snorted, unable to contain the laughter bubbling up from within her chest. "St--stop it, you!" she giggled, poking him with a hoof... and then, suddenly, she and Daniel were tickling each other mercilessly, his hands and her hooves everywhere they could poke, prod and reach! At the end of all things - once both had calmed down - Daniel looked at the ejected DVD still in the caddy of the player. "Speaking of 'punking out'... would you excuse me for a moment, m'lady?" Another giggle escaping her, Celestia nodded; then Daniel left the living room and - a while later - returned, dressed in the absolute shabbiest, grungiest clothing Celestia had ever seen. "Now" he said, returning the DVD to the player as the eyes of the Solar Princess went wide, "where were we...?"

Furniture was once again set aside. An illusion was cast. And then - as the familiar strains of 'Thunderstruck' were heard once again, a princess from another world dropped everything to totally rock out. This time, however, she and Daniel rocked out together.

20. 'Day Court' Continued: The Half-Hour Recess

No sooner had Celestia and Daniel left the court, then the Solar Diarch was wreathing her and him within her solar magic as she transported them both to their shared quarters. Upon arrival there Daniel made his way into the bath chamber and then - after washing his face and cleaning himself up somewhat - the human made his way back out into the bedchamber... to see a sight that near took his breath away. Upon their bed - laying on her front, her fore and hind legs splayed - was his beloved Celestia, as naked as the day she was foaled, save for the simple leather collar she wore about her neck.

"We only have half an hour until Court resumes, my love; best make every minute count..." she said, her voice soft. Then... Celestia did the one thing that he just couldn't resist: raising her head, she gave him a sultry gaze... and nicker-called to him. "Come..." nickered she in Ponytongue, like the Sirens of old, "come be with your mare..." How could he have ever resisted?

Getting onto the bed beside his love, the human began digging his fingers into Celestia's skull, scratching, petting massaging... and as her ears flattened and her body began to shake from the sheer bliss she was experiencing, pleasure that threatened to reduce the Solar Diarch to a blissful bag of melted pony mush - the Solar Princess of Equestria groaned deeply. "Going to come to Court like this one day..." she nickered, dreamily. "Wearing my Collar; not the regalia. You can pet me all day and scratch behind my ears and comb your hands through my mane and rub me down and together we'll watch the Nobles squirm as they see what they'll never be able to have... mmmh..."

"That," Daniel said, a chuckle escaping him, "sounds like an interesting proposition..."

Author's Note

Jaydex wanted to know what Daniel and Celestia did during the half-hour Court Recess...

45. H/AiE? No. Just no... (Author SI)

One moment I was sitting in front of my Computer preparing to play Bioshock; the next moment I was...

Was...

Where was I?

Groaning softly, I cracked open grit-filled eyes, coughed out a mouthful of dirt, then shakily tried to get to my... to my...

My...

Hooves?

'Wat?' thought I.

I blink-blinked.

Then blink-blinked again.

'Ah... No,' thought I. 'I did not just see what I thought I saw...'

Inhaling, I sl-o-o-o-owly looked down... to see...

'Yep. Them's hooves, all right...'

Attached to long slender legs bearing unshorn fetlocks.

'Oh... kay...' thought I. Carefully - ever-so-carefully, just to check mind you - I craned my neck around to my left side, followed by my right. Folded against those sides of my body I espied two wi... win...

I blink-blinked... then sl-o-o-o-owly returned my attention forward again. 'I did not have those this morning' I stated internally. 'I did not have those this morning. I was a pink-skinned, bipedal human this morning; I distinctly remember that I was not a... not a... a...'

Pony.

I had become a pony. I had become an Equestrian pony. I had become a winged Equestrian pony... A slow, creeping dread wormed its way into my heart, then. 'There are only two types of winged pony in Equestria,' thought I, swallowing back bile. 'One of them is the Pegasus, responsible for manipulation of Equestrian Weather. The other type is... is...'

Inhaling a softened breath, I sl-o-o-o-owly reached a very, very dextrous hoof up to touch my forehead... and then creeping dread was replaced by slowly dawning horror when I felt it protruding from said forehead. I... I had a...

Horn.

I had a horn protruding from my forehead! I had a horn protruding from my forehead! I... I was... I was an...

"Alicorn," I breathed. Then... "Oh. Fuck."

There were only three words that I deemed appropriate to sum up the way I felt right now. Three words to express myself wholeheartedly. And so, unable to see anyone else in the field in which I stood at this profound moment, I cried the words aloud to the heavens.

"Discord... you fucker!"

53. Anti-TCB Dribble...

The Celestia I knew... wasn't corrupt.

The Celestia I knew... wasn't cruel.

The Celestia I knew... would never seek to harm humanity by converting humankind into ponies.

The Celestia I knew... wasn't standing before me, entrapped within a spherical quantum force field, as she snarled like a feral animal.

But this... pony... whom stood before me was not the Celestia I knew. Not at all.

"Your first mistake" I intoned softly as I stood in front of her - observing her and her squad of Guardsponies entrapped within powerful Temporal Fields - "was attempting to board the Dragon Weyr. Where I come from it is impolite to board one's vessel and home without permission." Resuming my slow pacing before the trapped self-proclaimed God-Empress of Pony Kind, I continued, "Your second mistake was attempting to convert me with your... ponification potion." Slowly, I shook my head. "Foolish. The moment you came aboard the Weyrmind detected the vials of foreign substance; took them from you. Even now that very potion is being analyzed and disassembled down to its base components; then the components to allow my Weyr to pass through your barrier will be assimilated. And now, we come to the third mistake you made..."

I moved closer to her, peering into her now terrified eyes. She was silent, waiting with bated breath. "Your third mistake was thinking that the Dragon Weyr actually gives a flying fuck about who and what you are. Newsflash, darlin': it doesn't. Now, I'm normally quite peaceful; I was fully prepared to negotiate with you on behalf of the human race, that you might spare my native people from ponification. We all know how that went don't we?" Slowly, I shook my head. "You are beyond saving. Fortunately for you, your ponies are not... and I need a crew. Goodbye, Celestia." With that, the God-Princess was shifted out of the Dragon Weyr and back into her Palace. Her Guardsponies were another matter; Warp Portals appeared at their feet, through which they fell screaming, only to end up within specialized areas of the Dragon Weyr's many Machine Shops! Therein, they didn't even have time to scream as they were quite literally taken apart by the Weyr.

Their bodies were analyzed, their brains were physically mapped and their genetic codes and psychic essences were analyzed, purified, and enhanced... Months later - as the Dragon Weyr slowly passed beyond the galaxy into the void between the stars - in one of the many newly constructed maturation chambers within the Weyr's Laboratory... three golden-furred, white-maned Weyrponies awakened, slowly opening gentle brown eyes. They were Unicorn; Pegasus, and Common... and all knew that they were merely the first of many, many more to come.

Author's Note

TCB Solar Guardsponies + Dragon Weyr + Assimilation/Purification = Secret Pony Race Creation FTW! Bigger than Big Mac. Cybernetic Grafts, Bio-System Enhancements, Psionic Abilities, the works. Given everything that the Weyr and I can give them from food, to shelter, to education, protection, love, etc. Loyal to myself and the Weyr, wanting nothing more than to protect life.

"Each of them grown from a cell of your own Guardsponies' bodies. New Ponies. True Ponies. Well Celestia? Have you nothing to say?"

54. Twilacorn? You've gotta be f---ing kidding me....

One moment she'd been sleeping in her bedchamber within the Royal Palace of Canterlot; the next moment she was snapped awake by the harsh glare of artificial fluorescent lighting coupled with a horrible, pounding headache. When at last her gaze resolved she found - to her chagrin - that she was no longer in her chambers; she was within the construct called the Dragon Weyr... and she was not alone. Standing before her were three figures she'd hoped to never face like this in her life: her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, her beloved Sister, Luna and the third... a human whom Luna had her wing wrapped about quite fondly... a human she knew well. 'Oh. Buck,' she thought.

Girt for battle in full regalia, the strange human High Templar known as David stared at her, his face drawn into a disappointed frown. Beside him Twilight Sparkle, clad in attire similar to David's - though simpler than his and crafted for her form - blinked and slowly shook her head than closed her eyes and nuzzled closer to him. "So... let me get this straight, Celestia," the human began, his voice laced with his disappointment. "From what your sister Luna has told me, you sent a certain book to your former student, Twilight Sparkle, a book penned by one of her idols, Star Swirl the Bearded. Said book had written in it an incomplete spell, a spell which Twilight - instead of analyzing it - chose to cast. The result being... well, quite the mess in Ponyville it seems. Elements and Cutie Marks all mixed up. Can I... ask you a simple question, sweetheart?"

Trembling with anxiety, slowly, Celestia nodded.

Slowly, David leaned forward... inhaled a breath... and then, "Have you any idea just how utterly fucking stupid that was?!" he roared.

Whimpering, the supposed Sun Goddess shook her head. "I... I had no idea tha--" she began.

"Don't lie," Twilight stated flatly, her voice utterly cold. "You knew. You knew I would cast it. You knew what it would do. You knew... Just as you knew about Nightmare Moon, and Discord. Nice setup by the way, casting that subtle emotion amplification spell on the Cutie Mark Crusaders. You manipulated them such that they would free Discord, in order to test me; the same with the Nightmare Moon debacle. Testing, testing, always testing... and oh, how naive I was, doing your tests... all in an effort to fulfill my supposed destiny" - she spat upon the floor at Celestia's feet - "a destiny that you decided was best for me the moment you felt my power at my Entrance Exam for your School for Gifted Unicorns..."

As Celestia started to weep silently, Twilight paid her no mind; instead looking to David as he picked up where she'd left off. "...and what a destiny it was," he continued. "The Dragon Weyr pulled a set of very interesting memories from your head. Take a look, Twi..." With that David had the Dragon Weyr play the memories it had extracted from Celestia's mind upon a Holoscreen for Twilight and as she beheld them - seeing herself as an Alicorn Princess yet still always under her mentor's watchful eye - Twilight fell to her haunches, shaking her head as her tears began to fall. At this Luna and David dropped to pull her against them, wrapping her up in arms, hooves, and wings. "I... I--no! I... I never wanted this..." whispered she, brokenly as she cried. "I wanted to use the knowledge from my studies to help ponies, perhaps by becoming an Archmage or trying my hoof at some other line of work. I... I don't want to be a bloody Princess sitting on my damn flank all day! I..."

Abruptly, the sound ceased. While her voice had sounded, Twilight had still seemed her faithful student. Now, suddenly there was a change - the passing of something - and all that remained was this gaunt quiet... but not for long. Getting to her hooves, Twilight left David and her sister's embrace and, striding forward, she stopped before the entrapped Solar Diarch, opened her mouth and then - as David swiftly pulled Luna to her feet and covered her ears - the little lavender pony mare bade Princess Celestia feel the full force of her anger as she let rip with a terrible, blistering diatribe! Exactly what she said cannot be printed, for the language she used would have shorn the delicate sensibilities of the Canterlot Nobility and made even the most battle hardened Guardspony turn away, appalled. Suffice to say, the variety and combination of phrases that flew out of that pony's mouth made the pony princesses eyes widen and her jaw drop.

Until now, poor Celestia had had no idea Twilight even knew those words, let alone where she'd gotten them from. Twilight demonstrated an artistic flair for swearing that was beautiful and terrible to behold. Obscenities were her paint, her tongue the brush, and the Solar Diarch her unfortunate canvas. "... and fuck your damn preplanned destiny! If you ever try to manipulate me again, you stupid, worthless, imbecilic daughter of a dam-bucking whorse, I will tear your body apart with hooves and magic before I cast what's left of you into the warp! Do you hear me? The Warp, where the Warp Wraiths will feed upon what's left of your corpse!"

Author's Note

My delayed response to the atrocity that was the final of season three, "Magical Mystery Cure."

OOC Twilight is OOC... and very very angry.

64. Equestria's End: Part 2

"Your voice is different and yet... it's arrogance is unchanged. Welcome to my new Empire, Celestia. It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph... of Nightmare Moon, Lady and Creator of the Pony Race. Have you nothing to say?"

"But... but I saw you purified by the Elements of Harmony. I tried to save you!"

"But it took one stronger than you: Twilight Sparkle herself. Your... faithful student."

"I flew into the source of magic; I danced and died a thousand times!"

"Magical Teleportation took her back into the Nightmare War itself."

"But that's impossible; the entire War is magically sealed!"

"And yet she succeeded. Oh, it cost her her mind but, imagine: a single, simple pony succeeded where Alicorns and Stallion Kings have failed! A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations."

Author's Note

*cough-cough* DOCTORWHO! *cough-cough* RIPOFF! *cough-cough*

70. Touch #1 (Celestia)

She wasn't a 'dumb' animal.

She was a rational, thinking being.

She was no human's pet!

So then why, Celestia mused - as her beloved petted and stroked her coat and mane - did her body and mind seem to crave human touch.

Why did she enjoy being petted so very much like an animal--being brushed and stroked like the horses of her beloved's world.

Few knew the truth.

But she did.

In old Equestrianii - or Ponytongue as it was now called - the word Alicorn roughly translated to "Engel Haas".

Engel Haas. Angel Horse.

All Alicorns - and through them all Little Ponies - had come from the Great Horses of the Dream Time. The genes which allowed those Horses of old to be domesticated by man still ran strong within all Ponies of Today, including her.

"You are not a pet!" the part of her mind that was Princess screamed. "This is humiliating! This is undignified!"

That part of her psyche was acknowledged, but in the end smashed by the ancient Horse Genes, the parts of her mind that were Mare, Foal and old Engel Haas; those parts of her which cried and screamed for touch! Man's touch! Thus when Daniel moved to ruffle her silken mane, and scratch her just so behind the ears where ear met head, Lumos Sol, Engel Haas and Friend of Man, groaned softly, then nickered, and blew gently into her beloved's face.

"There's a good girl..." the human murmured softly. She huffed breath through her nose softly and nuzzled into him, foal-like, resting her head in his lap--and then a sound escaped her - "Hrr Hrr Hrr Hrr Hrr Hnnh!" - as he moved to scratch her withers, the place where her Mother rubbed to comfort her so long ago. Eyes drooping closed, she cuddled closer to him as his wonderful hands continued their work...

72. Touch #3 (Luna)

"I know this might seem a little embarrassing, Princess... but it's not like that at all. See... some days you'll have are good days, when everything goes right... but then there might be the bad days, days when the nobles give you trouble, days when you get stressed and burned out, or you feel the depression and the loneliness of those thousand years lost... At the end of those days... you can come here. Come rest here on the sofa, take off your tiara and lay your head in my lap. Let me pet you, ruffle your mane and scratch you behind the ears as I tell you... 'Luna, you're a good pony.'"

And as she looked up at him, swallowing thickly, her eyes shining with unshed tears, her human did indeed do these things; he ruffled her mane, stroked along her neck, scratched her behind the ears and whispered soft nothings into her ears. He didn't care about her past misdeeds at Nightmare Moon, didn't hate or fear her. He instead adored her, through simple touch. Here with him, she didn't need to deal with horrible nobles, fearing commoners, and the weight of her mistakes. Here... she could just be Luna. Just be pony. And it was... it was... A stifled whimper escaped her, then, those tears starting to fall, beyond her control; a release of tension she didn't even know she'd been carrying.

"Oh, sweetie..." murmured he; then he was lifting her head, brushing away her tears with his thumbs, but so gentle and tender was his touch that more and more tears fell. Raising her head away from his touch, she moved to fall against him gently, her ear pressed to his chest to listen to the beat of his heart. "Where were Thou," whispered she through her tears, "when We most needed Thou, a thousand years past?" He made to stroke the fuzzy ear that wasn't pressed against him as he softly kissed her above the base of her horn; then he was stroking along her sides, rubbing and massaging gently as she whinnied lowly, closing her eyes in bliss...

Author's Note

“He loves her without knowing how, or when, or from where. He loves her simply, without problems or pride: He loves her in this way because he does not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no him or her, so intimate that her hoof upon his chest is his hoof, so intimate that when he falls asleep her eyes close.”

74. Bane!Chrysalis... (My Little Pony / The Dark Knight Rises)

Bruised, battered, and broken, as she lay there in her 'bedding' within the Hive, Twilight Sparkle coughed weakly, looking up at Chrysalis as the Changeling Queen stared down at her. "Why didn't you just... kill me?" At the question, the black queen's expression turned contemplative. Then, after a moment, Chrysalis answered, "You don't fear death... You welcome it. Your punishment must be more severe."

"Torture?" rasped the Element of Magic, her eyes widening with fright.

Queen Chrysalis nodded. "Yes. But not of your body... Of your soul."

Paralyzed and unable to move physically, Twilight moved her eyes about, trying to take in as much of her new location as possible, though she saw naught but walls of blackened, moisture-dripping shadow, save for a single gap in the ceiling that let in just enough sunlight. "Where am I?" she rasped.

"Home," the Changeling Queen replied, "where I learned the truth about despair, as will you. There's a reason why my Hive is the worst hell in Equestria... Hope. Every pony who has ventured here over the centuries has looked up to the light and imagined climbing to freedom. So easy... So simple... And like shipwrecked ponies turning to sea water from uncontrollable thirst, many have died trying. I learned here that there can be no true despair without hope..."

Suddenly, Twilight gasped - and then began to hyperventilate - as Chrysalis took the form of her beloved mentor, Princess Celestia. "So, as I terrorize Equestria, I will feed its ponies hope to poison their souls," she continued with Celestia's voice. "I will let them believe they can survive so that you can watch them clamoring over each other to "stay in the sun." You can watch me torture an entire principality and when you have truly understood the depth of your failure, we will fulfill Discord's destiny... We will destroy Equestria and then, when it is done and Equestria is ashes, then you have my permission to die..."

And with those words, Queen Chrysalis turned, and slowly walked away. The final thing she heard as she exited the room was Twilight Sparkle... as the broken mare wailed with complete, and total despair.

Author's Note

This is Queen Chrysalis.

This is Queen Chrysalis being Bane.

As Bane, Queen Chrysalis is really, really scary.

99. First Contact? (Author SI vs a more fearful Equestria?)

It was hopeless.

No matter what the Ponies tried to do, they were defeated; the Monster who'd walked out of the Everfree was just too strong!

Blows from the strongest stallions were brushed aside, countered, or returned with just enough force to knock a pony out without real harm.

Unicorn magic was gently deflected, blocked, or absorbed by the bipedal creature's own mysterious power.

Even... even the Elements of Harmony had been countered by a brilliant shield of cyan light.

Now, in Ponyville's Town Hall - where the 'final stand' had taken place - Princesses Celestia and Luna, along with the Element Bearers, looked on as the creature came closer and closer to them. They were terrified, quivering as they sat upon their haunches.

What would the strangely clothed being do?

* * *

Clad in my attire - armor, robe, weapons, everything - I slowly approached the obviously terrified white alicorn pony, the one called Princess Celestia and crouched before her.

I looked at her.

She looked at me, her eyes misting with tears.

"That," I intoned softly, "is not how you welcome humans to Equestria..."

* * *

She heard the Monster speak, his voice soft; then she whimpered as it reached out an odd thing with five grasping appendages.

It... it touched her; the monster buried its appendage into her mane, and... and.... oh...

... scratched her behind the ears, soft and gentle. At that moment, poor Celestia just couldn't take it anymore...

She wept as the not-monster drew her into a hug.

Author's Note

My SI vs a more 'primitive' Equestria? A terrible misunderstanding on the ponies side? Gah...

112. More Than Words (Songfic)

It was Night Court and - honestly - poor Luna was bored and more than a little despondent. She'd had very few petitioners - several nobles and just a few common ponies - and she was more than ready to pack up... but then, something happened. Abruptly, the sound ceased. Suddenly, the isolation, the solitude, became unendurable. While the voices of her Little Ponies had sounded, Court had still seemed alive. Now suddenly, there was a change, the passing of something - and all that remained was this gaunt quiet. The Princess looked up and saw that two very handsome stallions - with very long manes - had approached her Throne. But... how had they come unannounced? Luna eyed them for a moment, taking note that one of the stallions bore a guitar upon his back. A moment later, said stallion took the guitar case from his back with his magic, opened it, removed the instrument from within and then started to play. A moment later, the second stallion with him started to sing...

"Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cos I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you

More than words

Now that I've tried to talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hooves and touch me
Hold me close don't ever let me go
More than words is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cos I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying I love you

More than words"

By the time the song ended, upon her throne Luna sat trembling with emotion, a joyous smile upon her face, her eyes glistening with tears. Who knew stallions could have such wondrous voices? Luna blink-blinked but... but she couldn't stop her tears from falling. "Th-Thank thee..." she whispered softly. "T'was wonderful!" Both males - having packed away the guitar - bowed gently and made to leave--but before they could Luna stood and nuzzled them gently. "Thank thee so very much..." The male who had sung to her so beautifully smiled bashfully, scuffing a hoof on the ground. At last, he softly said, "You're welcome, Princess." Then, the two stallions departed, leaving Luna with the memory of a beautiful song and a lightened heart.

Author's Note

I know I shouldn't do song fics, but... music is a big part of Pony and a huge part of who we as a species are.

114. A Warhammer 40k-Style Intro for "The Archives of Equusweyr"

"IT IS THE -- ASTRAL CALENDAR ERROR. FOR MORE THAN SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS THE PRINCE HAS SAT UPON THE GOLDEN THRONE OF EQUUSWEYR. HE IS THE MASTER OF THE EVERFREE PEOPLES BY THE WILL OF HIS SUBJECTS AND MASTER OF EQUUSWEYR BY THE AUTHORITY OF ITS WEYRMIND. HE IS A HIGH TEMPLAR BURNING WITH POWER FROM THE ETERNAL CORE OF EQUUSWEYR. HE IS THE FOAL SOVEREIGN OF THE EVERFREE PRINCEDOM, FOREVER LOST WITHIN LUCID DREAMS FROM WHICH HE CANNOT WAKE, SEEING THINGS FAR BEYOND MORTAL KEN, EVEN AS THOUSANDS OF SOULS PLEDGE FEALTY TO HIM EVERY DAY.

YET EVEN IN HIS DREAMING STATE, THE PRINCE IS FAR FROM HELPLESS AS HE MAINTAINS ETERNAL VIGILANCE, WATCHING OVER HIS PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY NEVER COME TO HARM. GREATEST AMONGST HIS SUBJECTS ARE THE CUSTODES DE TEMPLARI, THE TEMPLAR GUARD, CYBERNETICALLY AND PSIONICALLY ALTERED SUPER-UNICORN SOLDIERS. HIS OTHER SUBJECTS ARE LEGION: THE EVERFREE EARTH PONIES, THE SKY AND TREE PEGASI, THE EVERFREE UNICORNS, AND THE MYSTERIOUS PSEUDO-ALICORNS CALLED THE WEYRTOUCHED, AS WELL AS THE CHANGELINGS OF QUEEN AMALTHEA AND MANY GRIFFONS; NOT TO MENTION EQUUSWEYR ITSELF AND ITS ARMIES OF COUNTLESS MACHINES...

TO BE A PONY IN SUCH TIMES IS TO BE ONE AMONGST THOUSANDS. IT IS TO LIVE IN THE CULTURAL MELTING POT OF THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED SOCIETY EVER CONCEIVED. FORGET SUPERSTITION AND FEAR FOR THERE IS THE POWER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. FORGET WAR AND HATRED FOR THERE IS PROGRESS, UNDERSTANDING AND REASON. THE EVERFREE FOREST IS A PLACE OF MYSTERY AND HIGH ADVENTURE, WITH THE EVERFREE PRINCEDOM AT ITS HEART STANDING AS A BASTION OF TRUE HARMONY. IN THE EVERFREE PRINCEDOM THERE IS SANCTUARY. THERE IS AN ETERNITY OF PEACE, KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING, BROKEN ONLY BY THE IRRITANT OF CERTAIN ALICORN MARES..."

135. Longhorn

Sung to this tune

To the town of Ponyville there came a pony one fine day
Hardly spoke to folks around her, didn't have too much to say,
No one dared to ask her business, no one dared to block her tread
The stranger there among them had a long horn on her head,
Long horn on her head

It was early in the morning when she came into the town
She came trottin' from the south side, slowly lookin' all around
"She's a misfit loose and runnin'", all the other ponies said
"And she's here to do some business with the long horn on her head,
Long horn on her head"

In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Sunset Red
Many guards had tried to take her and that many guards were dead
She was vicious and a killer, though a filly, twenty four
And the notches on her horn, they numbered one and nineteen more,
One and nineteen more

Now the stranger started talkin' made it plain to folks around
She was the student of the Princess; wouldn't be too long in town
She was here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead,
And her name was Twilight Sparkle; she was after Sunset Red,
After Sunset Red

Wasn't long before this story was relayed to Sunset Red
But the outlaw didn't worry, guards who'd tried before were dead
Twenty guards had tried to take her, twenty guards were killed instead,
"Twenty one will be this student with the long horn on her head!
Long horn on her head"

Now the morning passed so quickly; it was time for them to meet
It was twenty past eleven when they came out in the street
Folks were watchin' from their windows,
Every pony held their breath,
They knew that the young student was about to meet her death,
About to meet her death

There was forty feet between them
When they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the student is still talked about today
Sunset barely cast an aura but then Twilight struck her dead
For the student's aim was lethal, with the long horn on her head,
Long horn on her head

It was over in a moment and the ponies gathered 'round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Sunset might have went on livin'; chose to run away instead
But she failed to match the student with the long horn on her head
Long horn on her head

Long horn, long horn
Oh, she failed to match the student with the long horn on her head
Long horn on her head

144. God

It was over.

King Sombra and his armies had won.

Helpless, all Celestia and Luna could do was look on in despair as the mad King stood before the Tree of Harmony. With but a thought, the dark Unicorn King cast a spell, creating a magical projection of himself that all ponies across Equestria could see... and then he began to speak as all quailed in fear... "Ponies of Equestria! I stand before the Great Tree of Harmony. Chosen by destiny to receive the powers of Equestria! This inevitable moment will transpire before your eyes, even as your so-called Princesses themselves bear witness to it."

Even as he spoke, it was happening, the power of the Tree of Harmony was already flowing through the Tyrant King, and he welcomed it, embraced it with open hooves. "Now. I, Sombra, am Master of Equestria!" The King cried. "Yes! Yes... I feel it, the power... fills me. Yes, I feel the virtues within me! I am... I am a part of Harmony! Its energy flows... flows through me." As the power of the Tree filled the King and he bent it to his unyielding will, Sombra laughed darkly, happily. "Of what consequence are you now, Princesses? This planet, these ponies - They are nothing to me - the Tree of Harmony is power, pure, unstoppable power - and I am that force, I am that power! Kneel before your master..."

Glaring at him defiantly, Celestia and Luna refused.

"Fools!" Sombra snarled. "You are no longer my equals! I am more than pony, more than life! I... am... a... god!" And with those words, the Tree of Harmony split down the middle as King Sombra finished absorbing its power - the power of Equestria itself - his body and regalia changing in a brilliant flare of light. He stood before them now, huge, hulking, rippling with muscle, black armor barely containing his new form, an elaborate helm upon his head.

"Now. You... will... kneel!" Sombra cried, beams of pure power, black as pitch, lancing from his eyes to strike the Princesses.

As the beams struck their bodies, Celestia and Luna howled in agony.

"KNEEL!" Sombra bellowed, hoof outstretched towards them as he blasted them again.

Author's Note

And King Sombra gets his moment of sheer awesome, powered through the words of the legendary Frank Langella who fucking OWNED this scene--and the entire film!

189. Big Finish - "Changelings"

Commander Pincer approached the collective body of the Changeling Hivemind of the Badlands Hive, installed after the deposition of Queen Chrysalis.

"COMMANDER PINCER. STARVATION OF THE HIVE DRONES IS INCREASING. WHY DELAY THE CREATION OF REPLACEMENT DRONES?"

"Theeeeee love-storage-cells arrrrrrrrre ooooonnnnly at seventy-one-percent-storage." The Changeling Commander replied.

"THAT IS SUFFICIENT." The Hivemind stated.

"Energy iiiiiiiis needed toooo reeeeeepair theeeee walls in theeeee damaged nursery ooooof the Hive." Pincer responded. This caused the individuals within the Hivemind to temporarily split as they debated.

"THE QUEEN-NURSERY MUST SURVIVE."

"MORE CHANGELING DRONES MUST BE CREATED."

"CREATION OF A NEW QUEEN TAKES PRIORITY."

"A SACRIFICE MUST BE MADE."

......
.......
..............

"DISJUNCTION. THE HIVE MIND DOES NOT AGREE."

Pincer immediately responded, "Theeeeee damaged Nursery must bbeeeee reeeeee-paired or a new Queen aaaaand Nymphs will not surrrrr-vive."

Suddenly, a thought occurred to the Collective Mind.

"THERE IS ANOTHER SOLUTION. YOU WILL SEEK PRINCESS CADANCE OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE. YOU WILL TELL HER OF OUR PLIGHT. YOU WILL RETRIEVE HER, WILLINGLY; DEBASE YOURSELF BEFORE HER IF YOU MUST. SHE WILL BE INSTALLED AS OUR NEW QUEEN. SELECT SEVERAL OF THE REMAINING DRONES AS ESCORT. BEGIN THIS WORK IMMEDIATELY. WE MUST SURVIVE."

Commander Pincer immediately turned and walked away to carry out the orders as happiness buoyed the Hivemind.

"HARMONY. THE HIVE MIND IS IN CONSENSUS. PRINCESS CADANCE WILL BE OUR QUEEN."

"QUEEN CADANCE."

"QUEEN."

"CADANCE."

"QUEEN."

"CADANCE."

"QUEEN."

"CADANCE."

206. Bed.

Because of course the Random Omnipotent Being, or ROB for short, would transport me - clad in my pyjamas - right into the bed of Princess Luna whilst she was asleep; that's how these things start, don't they? And of course, you'd expect the whole song and dance. Luna immediately detecting me there, then screaming for the Guards, her sister busts down the door, and... yeah. Only... it didn't happen that way. Instead... Princess Luna just sleepily wrapped all four hooves around my human body as I snuggled a little deeper into the bed, then she slowly pulled me towards her until my back rested against her barrel and she could 'rest' her head atop mine, spooning me.

"Mmmmmm..." the Princess 'mmmmm-ed' sleepily, then inhaled my scent. Then, she murmured, "... not doing this..."

"Mmmmmmmmm..." I 'mmmm-ed', buried in warm, musty comfort, revelling in the feeling of her wing sloppily draped over me. Then, I replied, "Nuh. Good. I'm-a sleep..."

And that was that. Luna and I slept on through the day - perhaps the best sleep we'd both ever had in our lives - then when Celestia came to wake her sister, the Night Princess cracked open one gritty, bleary eye and growled "What?!"

"Are you aware, dear Sister, that there is a human with you in your bed?" Celestia asked, delicately.

Barely-awake-Luna-whom-had-not-had-coffee replied, "Yuh. Soft. Warm. Comfy."

"And are you aware," Celestia continued, speaking to barely-awake-me-whom-was-cuddled-with-Best-Princess, "that you are sleeping with my Sister?"

"Mhm," I answered. "Pretty. Friend. Best Princess," because she was. "Dun' call th' Guards..."

"Why not?" Celestia asked.

"Because," Luna replied, more awake now, "this has happened before, and it will happen again." Zombie-whom-had-not-had-coffee Luna awakened fully and I rose and shambled after her in eerie synchronization as she made her way over to the ponnequin holding her regalia. Whilst I helped her put it on (something I'd done many times before) and as she helped me into a set of custom clothing suitable for the palace (something she had done many times before) the Night Princess continued, "We are both displaced."

At this, Celestia's eyes widened. "Then... then where is 'my' Luna?!" she asked after quick cast of a lie detection spell.

Luna and I turned to face each other, looked at each other for a moment, sadly. Then, as we turned back to face Celestia, I answered. "I don't know."

214. Over.

The Crystal Palace surrounded by the reformed changelings, with whom he had waged a one-pony war, the Equestrian Guardspony glared at Shining Armor and Cadence--and Captain Shining Armor glared right back. "You did everything to make this private war happen. You've done enough damage. This mission is over, Stone. Do you understand me? This mission is over! Look at them out there! Look at them! If you won't end this now, they will kill you. Is that what you want? It's over Heart Stone. It's over!" Shining Armor snapped.

That was when Heart Stone broke. "Nothing is over! Nothing!" he snarled as Cadence flinched away. "You just don't turn it off! It wasn't my war! You asked me, I didn't ask you! And I did what I had to do to win! But somepony wouldn't let us win! And I come back to the world, and I see all those so-called "reformed" bugs at the airport, protesting me, spitting. Calling me foal killer and all kinds of vile crap! Who are they to protest me, huh? Who are they? Unless they've been me and been there and know what the hell they're yelling about!" he continued.

"It was a bad time for everyone, Stone. It's all in the past now." Shining Armor replied, trying to console his distressed Elite Guard. It didn't work; in fact, it only seemed to make Heart Stone angrier. "For you and your pampered little Princess, there!" Heart Stone shouted in response. "For me civilian life is nothing! In the field we had a code of honour, you watch my back, I watch yours. Back here there's nothing!"

"You're the last of an elite group, don't end it like this," Shining Armor tried again, but Heart Stone snarled, pacing.

"Back there I could fly an airship, I could drive an armoured siege tower, I was in charge of million-bit equipment, back here I can't even hold a job in Manehattan parking cars!" Hurling away his magitek weapon and spear, poor Heart Stone broke down; he wept bitterly, as Shining and Cadence started to realize what had been done to this poor soldier, Heart Stone curling in on himself. As they moved to console him, the Guardspony started, "... my friends... I miss my friends. You remember the ERA, the Air Force; I had this one friend there, uh, Granite, and he said, he said, Stone, when this war is over, I'm gonna go home and buy, uh, a Stagecoach and I'll do something with the orphanages so I can take foals on field trips; wherever they want to go, and I'll pull that coach until the wheels and my hooves fall off."

Poor Heart Stone wept again, sniffled, continued, "We... we were in this saloon in Appleoosa and this filly comes up carrying a hoof-shine box. And she says "Shine, please, shine!" I said no. She kept askin', yeah, and Granite said "Yeah." And I went to get a couple of ciders, and the box was wired, and she opened up the box, fucking blew his body all over the place. And he's lying there, he's fucking screaming. There're pieces of him all over me, just..." Shining and Cadence startled as Heart Stone cast off his enchanted armor; it landed on the floor with a clang.

"...like this, and I'm tryin' to pull him off, you know, my friend that's all over me! I've got blood and everything and I'm tryin' to hold him together! I'm puttin'... the colt's fuckin' insides keep coming out! And nopony would help! Nopony would help! He's saying, sayin' "I wanna go home! I wanna go home!" He keeps calling my name! "I wanna go home, Heart! I wanna pull my Stagecoach!" I said "With what? I can't find your fuckin' legs! I can't find your legs!" Now both Shining and Cadence were holding Heart Stone, just holding him as he continued, "I can't get it out of my head. A dream of seven years. Every day I have this. And sometimes I wake up and I don't know where I am. I don't talk to anybody. Sometimes a day - a week. I can't put it out of my mind." He went silent, and then, all looked up to find that Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and King Thorax were there, having teleported in at the start of Heart Stone's story.

All looked utterly stricken, none more so than Thorax, the Changeling King's expression filled with grief and sadness. Heart Stone and Thorax' eyes locked; then the reformed king was kneeling, shuffling over to where he was with Shining and Cadence. Thorax moved to nuzzle poor Heart Stone, over and over, and over. "I... I'm sorry..." he whispered, "I'm so sorry. My Mother has a lot to answer for." Heart Stone trembled, nodded, then Thorax gently pressed his head against Heart Stones' in a deep gesture of trust; his empathy for the stallion's plight so great that he wished he could give the poor broken stallion all the love he had. Alas, this would have to do.