Chapter Sixteen - Praying Mantis meets Angry Batpony
Midnight stared at the Changeling, her golden eyes staring into hers. “Level?” she said carefully. “Who is this changeling and why is she calling MY cuddlebug her ‘fiancee’?”
“He hasn’t told you?” the yellow ‘ling asked with a frown. “Pity...I could have sworn I left some impression on him.” The nymph looked at Ledger and purred again. “He certainly did for me…”
Midnight looked at her before looking to Ledger. “Ledger, I’m coming to a certain conclusion but I don’t wish to make a rash decision. Is she who I think she is? I need confirmation.”
Ledger had locked up in fear, only saying one phrase over and over, and at such a volume even Midnight would strain to hear it.
“I’m a good drone…”
Midnight turned back to the nymph, and when Scope caught the look in her eyes, she screeched and bolted for her room to hide under her bed for a long while. All warmth drained from the room as the nymph felt Midnight’s emotions vanish.
“Leave.” she hissed in a low tone as she took a step forward. “Leave before I break you!”
“Waitwaitwait!” the nymph said, holding her hooves up in a surrender position. “I’m here for a reason, please don’t eat me!”
“Give me. Just one reason.” Midnight said, stepping closer as her good wing twitched. “Why I shouldn’t tear off your arm and beat you to death with it.”
“You’d be doing me a service if you did,” the nymph pouted. “My parents are trying to put me in an arranged marriage with a middle-class family, and the only way out is for me to bring back someone of a higher rank and marry him instead.”
“I’m sorry. We seemed to miss the part where you raped and tried to murder him.” Midnight’s voice was eerily calm. “So, forgive me if I fail to give any sort of buck about you.” She looked at her quivering stallion. “Ledger? This is your problem. Say the word and I’ll make it go away... permanently~”
“...Let her talk,” He finally said. “No promises.” The nymph was grateful for his leniency, and began to ramble.
“Okay, so I was young, experimenting with pheromone control, and my parents told me not to go sleeping around with males I had under my sway. I didn’t listen, though, and they got me that pamphlet saying if I didn’t stop, they’d let my imagination deal with me.” The yellow nymph sighed and looked down. “I am not proud of what I almost did to him, I panicked and figured that if he was simply...gone, I could avoid those punishments.”
During her ramble, Midnight had retrieved her swords, her lack of emotion meaning the Changeling’s never even noticed she was gone. One moments she was there, the next? She was pressing the blade against the nymphs throat.
“You changelings just take what you want, don’t you?” she smiled unsettlingly. “Hey Level, I think I just came up with a new coping mechanism~”
“It’s how we’re raised!” the nymph shrieked. “We see the nobles and the royals either taking what they want or tricking others into giving it to them, so we try to emulate them! Not everywhere else has such a benevolent sun goddess to serve as a role model!”
“Aw, my heart bleeds for you,” Midnight sang as she pressed the tip of the blade against the nymph’s chest. “Now, lets see what happens when your heart bleeds~”
“Look,” the nymph said before rattling off a series of clicks and noises that sounded identical to when Ledger had introduced himself, “-is my only out! He’s the only noble I even vaguely know that could get me out of my arranged marriage! I show up with him, they’ll call it off!”
Midnight laughed, not the disturbed one like before, but one that seemed... sad almost. “This is just too much,” she said, her emotions returning. “I don’t believe this Ledger. this is the nymph that ruined you, broke you... and yet, she’s so bucking similar to me it’s laughable. I have no idea how to respond to this... absurdity.”
“...She broke me,” Ledger said. “Only fair her life be ruined in return. I say she leaves without me.”
“Oh? You had better believe she is leaving without you!” Midnight snapped. “Only over my dead body is she getting her hooves on you. But still...” She looked at the nymph. “I was in a similar position to you. And yet here I am, doing what I want. There is no reason you cannot do the same. Don’t wanna marry? Then don’t. It’s that simple.”
“...I’m only on a visitor’s visa at the moment,” the nymph said with a sigh. “And mother is the sort to track me down even if I were to go to the dragon lands. She thinks forcing me to settle down with a ‘nice drone’ will stop my freewheeling ways.”
Was this some sort of joke? If it was, then it wasn’t funny. “Well then, go and find yourself one. But Ledger is mine... partly Cider’s, but mostly mine!”
“Ah...yeah, finding a nice male isn’t gonna be easy,” the nymph said as she rubbed the back of her head with one hoof. “Old habits are hard to break on both sides, and the only reason I’m here on even a visitor’s visa is because I paid the price for what I almost did. I’m tempted to look here, but...seriously, where do you mares keep all your stallions?”
This... this was the nymph that tormented Ledger? She seemed so... normal.
“Skewed gender ratio, only one stallion for every four mares or so.” Midnight found herself saying. What was she doing? She should be kicking this nymph’s ass all the way up the Strip, not stating facts and cracking jokes! “Try ‘The Love Shack’ They have some nice Violets that’ll hook you up.”
“Maybe when I manage to get an immigration form through the office,” the nymph said with a sigh. “This...was my last day. Ever since I heard that he’d come here, I visit once a month for a week, looking for him so that I could...try to apologize. Only recently did his information come into the network as to where he’d ended up.”
Ledger shook his head and backed up, his flank hitting the wall. “No no no. Not ready.”
“You heard him,” Midnight said. “I can’t force him to listen and accept, and neither can you. If you really are sorry, then keep trying. I’ll permit a meeting with supervision when you do.”
“...Fine,” the nymph said as she slowly got to her hooves. “I will keep trying though,” she vowed. “Else your name isn’t-” she paused for a moment, sticking her tongue out as she thought. “How would that translate? ‘Duke...Secret-hoarder’?”
Midnight looked at him and shrugged. “Well, good luck with finding a stallion-slash-drone. Goodbye Miss-?”
“Ah, I’m only a regular nymph,” she said, indicating her eyes. “Mine is much simpler to translate. I’m…” here she paused again. “I think it would be ‘Free-Spirit.’”
“Well then Miss Free Spirit. Until next time,” Midnight all but shoved her out of the door and slammed it shut, clicking the lock and looking at Ledger. “Well now, Little Duke. Happy I didn’t turn her inside out?”
“...Part of me is, yes,” Ledger said, putting one hoof to his chest. “Part of me says we should have drawn and quartered her, though.”
“So... that was rather disturbing for me, and I think I might be having a small internal crisis over your choice in mares,” Midnight said, placing her blades on the kitchen table. “You okay there?”
“I didn’t choose her,” Ledger retorted as he shakily made his way to the couch. “I’m...I’m going to have nightmares for a week. I had hoped she would never track me down again.”
“Well I’ll be here to cuddle you and I could call Cider for extra snuggles if you want,” Midnight said. She glanced at her blades, then towards the nymph that might still be sitting outside. “It’d be easy...” she muttered under her breath. “Poof, no more problem...”
“I’d still have to report you, the same way you’d have to report me if I did it,” Ledger said. “Technically, she’s here legally. So it’s technically a crime if she disappears into the desert.” He slowly eased himself into the couch and sighed. “And now every time I look at Scope, I’m going to see yellow for a split second...it’s just one thing after another.”
“I’ll ask Scope to remain disguised around you.” Midnight said, not noticing the nymph slip out of the door. “It’ll be okay Ledger, and if I had to add anything, she did seem genuine.”
“...Not sure if that helps, to be honest,” Ledger said as he lay down on the couch. “But...thanks. And yeah, maybe you could drop by my office and tell them I need to take a personal day? I...need to process this. I need to process quite a few things, actually.”
“I will, and I’ll pick you up some lunch while I’m out,” Midnight said, giving him a kiss on his forehead. “And when I come back, you can tell me all about what she meant by ‘Secret-Hoarder’.”
“It...doesn’t mean anything,” Ledger said, studiously looking away. “It’s just what my name in Changeish translates to in Pony.”
“Sooo, your name is Secret Hoarder?” Midnight mulled that name over in her head and said it aloud a few times. “Doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it?”
“We tend to earn our names,” Ledger said. “We aren’t just given them back in the Lands. I might tell you when you come back…” He didn’t really want to be alone right now, but it wasn’t like she could do anything while staying here.
“I have half a mind to drag you with me, just to keep you in my sight,” Midnight hummed. She walked over to the table and took one of her wingblades, laying it near the couch. “Keep that near you... just in case. I have a bum wing, so I can’t use both.”
“Yeah, just take care out there,” Ledger said as he scooted the thing a little closer with one hoof. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she left. “...And only if Cider doesn’t mind should you call her over. She has that greenhouse to put up today, after all.”
“Then we’ll see about spending another night if it doesn’t inconvenience her.” She motioned to the door and nodded. “Only open it if it’s me, and trust me, you’ll know it’s me. Use your Sexy Sense.”
“On that note, I think Scope slipped out, so track her down as well, please?” Ledger asked. “Bad enough that she’s out there, but having an unregistered ‘ling out and about as well will only spell trouble once she’s caught. Assuming she is.”
“Right,” Midnight nodded. Just what was her assistant up to?
Scope Lens wasn’t an idiot, she recognised trouble when she let that nymph in, but she was curious as to what kind. She was more surprised that the Mistress let her off without a severe beating or some sexy punishment. So she did what she did best.
Gather information.
She waited a few moments, then stalked the nymph identified as Free Spirit. If she was up to no good, then Scope Lens would find out. Despite their issues, she owed Midnight a great deal and she wouldn’t let some upstart Yellow cause her Mistress trouble. The yellow ‘ling had adopted a pegasus disguise and started winging her way to the government sector of Las Pegasus the second she left the door.
Scope followed her, determined to see what she was up to.
Meanwhile, Midnight also left the apartment and first headed for Ledger’s office. Or was that Secret now? She’d have to ask which name he preferred. Either way, she flew off and left a quick note with his second, saying that he was feeling under the weather and didn’t want to risk giving it to the others. Having bought that load of horseapples, well, he could transfer emotions, so what if he leaked his fear and depression?
Anyway, she took off for Fredricks, panting lightly since she had to run. Being unable to fly sucked.
At the apartment, somepony knocked on the door lightly.
“It’s me, Scope Lens!” the nymph said through the door. “Don’t bother, because I don’t expect you to answer. But I’m currently tracking that Yellow. She’s doing something in the Government Center, my guess is getting an extension on her visa, or preparing to depart for the Homelands. I’ll keep at it and report back to the Mistress later.” And with that, she was gone again.
“...I would have even accepted her company at this point,” Ledger mused aloud. “Well, assuming she was tolerable company anyways.”
The familiar bell tinkled as Midnight stepped inside the restaurant. For some reason, she was feeling a little nervous. What if Fredrick was mad at her odd behaviour yesterday? He could just kick her out and never let her back in again.
“I’m so stupid sometimes,” she muttered.
“Ah, hello m’lady!” Fredrick greeted cheerfully from behind the podium. “What brings you here today?”
She squeaked and swore in Thestrali when he scared her like that. “Oh, ah... need to talk to you actually... if you want to that is?”
“I am always willing to lend an ear,” Fredrick said honestly as he got from behind the podium and motioned to a nearby table. “Should we sit down, or will this not take that long?”
Midnight nodded and took a seat, glad to be off of her hooves for a moment. “Ahh, better.” she sighed and looked at him. “Well, I want to start with an apology for yesterday. I shouldn’t have used you like that for such a stupid thing. I made you uncomfortable and I truly am sorry Fredrick.”
“I am an honorable griffon, first and foremost,” Fredrick said as he took the seat opposite her. “I did not know exactly what the situation was, if you were involved with Ledger still or were pursuing other options with that mare, but I knew you had a relationship, and that was more than enough for me to not return your kiss.”
“It was stupid and I fell back on my old ways... not as much as I did after, but still...” She unfurled her sprained wing to rub it. “The truth is, seeing as you’ll find out eventually, that Ledger slept with another mare. The one we had lunch with yesterday.”
“...I assume he has been chastised for his lapse in honor, then?” Fredrick said, idly examining one set of claws.
“Actually,” Midnight giggled. “We maaay have started a relationship with her as well. We have ourselves a cute little herd now~”
Fredrick blinked a few times at the idea before slowly lowering his claw. “This is not an...unknown practice,” he said slowly. “But you are claiming it exists outside of the realm of fiction?”
“It does now,” Midnight nodded. “They used to about a century ago and the laws regarding them were never outlawed, just altered so foals and fights over land and such were fixed.” Midnight shuddered at the thoughts of ponies bringing ‘foal-brides’ into their herds. Or marrying rich ponies, only to steal all their wealth and titles. “Nowadays, each pony is entitled to their own possessions. Only if a legal document allowing sharing is signed, can another have access to those possessions and wealth.”
“Well, I look forward to watching you three re-open the practice and figure out where all the flaws in it are,” Fredrick teased. “Knowing Ledger, he’ll have some sort of document drawn up in a week to try and avert all the one’s he’s seen.”
“A week, I’ll give him two days,” Midnight chuckled. It was then she noticed something odd, mostly, small marks on Fredrick’s neck, just under his feathers. “Hmm, seems I haven’t been the only busy one~”
“I don’t even know where Narrow learned where a griffon’s sensitive points are,” the half-bird said as one claw idly brushed along the marks. “Or how she can bite that hard.”
“So, it was just Narrow huh?” Midnight mused. Seems she still hadn’t used that ‘trick’ yet. Was she still practising? “You seem quite taken with her. More so than other... conquests?”
“She is not bad in bed at all, and a most intriguing mare,” the griffon said with a smirk. “Still, I have access to Ledger’s information about pony anatomy.” Then the bird winked at her. “I even wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget. I intend to pull out a new trick myself next time.”
“We mares are wily things, we might just surprise you,” Midnight smirked back. She bit her tongue as a question niggled at her mind. “Can I... ask you something personal?”
“You may ask, but I may reserve the right to answer,” the griffon answered honestly.
“Was it purely your honour that held you back?” Midnight asked. “Or was my kiss that bad? Ledger just says that everything I do is good, as have my other paramours. I know it’s stupid and vain, but it’s been bugging me.”
“Indeed it was,” Fredrick said with a nod. “If I had attempted to make a pass at you, and you were involved with Ledger…” Fredrick shuddered then. “The things he knows about anatomy? I heard about the attempted mugging. I kept thinking it could be myself in that poor Pegasus’ place. Better to have him as a friend than an enemy. And I know a little about you little Guards-mare. Were my advances unwanted, I might find myself even more broken. My honor has saved me from many such situations, and I will continue to listen to it.”
“I understand that, I feel super bad about putting you in that position,” Midnight nodded, taking one of his talons with her hoof. “But you didn’t answer my question Fredrick~”
“You are not unattractive, m’lady,” Fredrick said with a small smile. “But I could not in good conscious make a move on you when I just saw you kissing another pony not half-an-hour ago. As well, I think our dear captain is starting to get a little serious about me, so out of respect to her, I am also toning back my activities. If she does grow tired or bored with me, then I will resume them should we break it off...but she deserves my attention when she gives me hers.”
Midnight nodded, then blinked. “Wait, kiss? I wasn’t... Oh my gosh! You thought I was? When Cider? Ahhahahaha! Oh Freddy~ I wasn’t kissing her. She fainted so I was reviving her.”
“...Fair enough, but my honor still comes into play regarding you and Ledger from around that time,” the griffon said. “I do hope you will all be positive influences on each other. I think of Ledger as a dear friend, Miss Song, and I know somewhere in his heart, he may return the feeling.”
“I know he does,” Midnight said, smiling softly. “And Cider’s sweet as well, so I feel like I have more love than I should ever deserve.” Her eyes caught something behind Fredrick and she smiled. “Speaking of love, that does not look like a pony that’s ‘growing bored’ as you put it.”
Fredrick craned his neck to see Narrow Gaze, aka, his beloved Peach Flower, standing in the doorway. Her armour glistened in the sunlight, having been freshly polished, and unicorn aside, her mane and tail were styled and her eyes had a slight amount of eyeshadow on them. Silver studs were placed in her ears and she smiled when she laid eyes on the griffon.
“Early days yet,” Fredrick said with a smile as he looked at the mare that seemed to, for some reason, be interested in him. “Most either become clingy, or find coltfriends...or marefriends. I find this development interesting, but not unwanted.”
“Take this from a bat who knows better,’ Midnight said, giving his cheek another kiss and winking at Narrow. “That is the look of a mare in love. Open up a little, and she might surprise you.” She stepped down from the table and gave her Captain a salute, who returned the gesture.
“Midnight, loverbird, how are you both?”
Fredrick responded by drawing the mare close to him with one wing and peppering her with tiny kisses. “I was doing well. Now I’m doing amazingly well,” the griffon said into the unicorn’s ear.
Midnight cooed as Narrow just blushed and put a hoof to his chest. “Not in front of the underlings” she pouted. “Make me look like I’m not a hardassed Captain.”
“Aw, I know you’re a sweetheart,” Midnight smiled. “And technically I’m not an underling. I outrank you actually.”
“Pah, you’re still a hotheaded rookie!” Narrow said. “Princess or no Princess, I haven’t said you could step up yet.”
“Yes Ma’am,” Midnight sing-songed.
“Was there another reason behind either of your visits?” Fredrick asked as he kept hugging Narrow close with one wing.
“Well, I require sustenance for Levvy and I,” Midnight replied. “And maybe for Scopey as well.”
“I too, require your culinary expertise,” Narrow nodded. “Something mana rich, I burned myself out this morning in practise.”
“Well, my waitstaff is experimenting with a certain bread recipe today,” Fredrick said with a grin. “I myself have two fresh loaves, you can each take one with you...for a price, of course. Seeing as you are both friends, at the very least, ten bits per loaf is reasonable, yes?”
“Oh, so now I have to pay money to nibble your...big loaf?” Narrow whispered into his ear, running a hoof down his neck and along his back. Fredrick shivered and gave Narrow a sultry gaze of his own.
“Ah, well, if that was what you were after, all you had to do was ask,” Fredrick said. “You don’t need to do much to get a rise out of me.”
“Well, maybe we should get a room so I can knead your dough?” she said back. Midnight for her part, was fighting to keep her good wing down. A small blush on her face as she opened her mouth on reflex.
“Can I watch?”
Fredrick turned to Midnight, all joviality bleeding away. “That would be most uncouth,” he said. “Watching your Captain in the bedroom. Besides which, I thought I made things perfectly clear that I’m not going to pursue you.”
Narrow stepped forward as she looked into Midnight’s eyes. “Oh? And here I was think I could learn a thing or two from such a cute. Little. Mare~” she traced small circles along her good wing and Midnight shuddered.
“Yeahthatbreadsoundsgreat!” She said hurriedly and crossed to the other side of the room, blushing heavily. Narrow chuckled and looked at Fredrick’s expression.
“What?”
“I’m not sure which of you is worse anymore,” Fredrick said, tossing his claws in the air in mock-frustration. “Anyways, just an order of bread for the pair of you? Or am I selling my special recipe to Midnight and thoroughly rutting Narrow instead?”
“The bread and some soup for me please,” Midnight called from the other side of the room. Narrow’s heart was racing from that little performance they’d planned a few days ago. How in the hell did Midnight act like that all the time?
“While I am on duty,” Narrow said. “I get off later this evening and I have the day off tomorrow. Perhaps I could... stay the night if you’ll have me?”
“Of course I’ll have you,” Fredrick said with a wink. “And it’s a shame you don’t get off right now, otherwise you’d be getting off a lot.”
Narrow shuddered as she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply. Oh this had better bloody work tonight, or Celestia will be missing a sister. “You say that now,” she said after breaking the kiss. “But remember that bet you made with me? I intend to fulfill it tonight~”
“Looking forward to your attempt as always, m’lady,” Fredrick replied as he ran a claw down her spine. The griffon eventually broke free from the grasp of the unicorn and looked at the thestral mare. “What sort of soup would you like?”
“Hmm, something warming.” She pondered the menu on the podium next to her. “The potato and leek sounds yummy. Two servings of that please?”
“Easily done,” The griffon said as he vanished into the kitchen...but not before his tail flicked aside a bit too much to be a coincidence or accidental. Narrow saw that and she gulped a little.
“Having second thoughts?” Midnight said from beside her suddenly. Narrow flinched as she watched him leave.
“Well, only if I screw up the spell,” she said. “I tried this morning, have been for the last few days. But all I can manage is one that only lasts about ten minutes or so.”
“Don’t worry,” Midnight said, bumping Narrow’s flank with her own. “You’ll do fine. I have faith that the awesome Captain Narrow Gaze will claim her beloved birdy tonight~”
“Heh, thanks Midnight,” Narrow said. “But I gotta ask, how do you act like that all the time? It’s so embarrassing.”
“Aw, is the prim and proper Narrow all embarrassed about a little harmless flirting~? Midnight cooed. “It was worse for me, I actually had to buy that cringe-worthy performance.”
“It wasn’t that bad was it?”
“Eh... I give you a C for the act itself but an A for effort.” Midnight giggled. The two friends chatted for a bit more until Fredrick returned with Midnight’s order. The thestral sniffed the air and hummed.
“Ohh, that smells divine~”
“Baked the potatoes like Ledger does, and fried the leeks with a little olive oil before using both as stock for the soup,” the griffon said before passing her the loaf of bread and the two sealed bowls. “That’ll be sixteen bits.”
She hoofed over the money and placed the bag of food on her back, the soup pleasantly warming her fur. “Thanks Fred. And good luck Cap, I know you’ll blow his little birdy mind~” With a final giggle, she left the establishment, leaving Narrow to groan and apply a hoof to her face.
It wasn’t so bad, Ledger mused to himself as he lay on the couch. His magic was still plenty strong, and he had an anti-magic sword if he needed it.
...Such tools were powerless against crushing boredom or isolation, though. And he really needed a pony to cuddle right about now. It was then that there was a knock on the door. Judging by the emotions, it was most likely Midnight. Still…
“Who is it?” Ledger called out from the couch.
“It’s Princess Celestia!” Midnight called out. “Let me in and worship my sunbutt!”
“Not bloody likely,” Ledger said as he unlocked the door from afar with a bit of magic. “Still, did you find Scope? She popped by not long after you left, said something about tailing...her to the government section of town.”
“I knew I forgot something,” Midnight replied. “I called by your office, gave a half-assed excuse about you being sick, then paid a visit to Fred’s.” She placed the food on the table and opened the bag, letting the smells do the rest.
“Oooh, that smells like his bread and one of his soups,” the changeling drone observed, mouth already watering. “How’d you get your hooves on his bread?”
“Apologised for being stupid,” Midnight replied. “Told him the truth about Cider... he may have words with you for that, and we talked about Narrow a little.” She poured the soup into two bowls and tore the bread in half, before making her way to the couch. “Want some company?”
“Hives yes,” Ledger said as he scooted to the back of the couch. “Being alone after she came by...probably the worst thing. Buck, I might have accepted Scope as company if she stayed for longer than a second.”
“Wow, now I feel bad I left,” Midnight said to him as she placed her soup on the coffee table and hugged him. “Don’t worry, I’m here now kay?”
“Don’t leave me,” Ledger begged as he hugged her. “Please don’t leave me.”
“Of course I won’t,” Midnight replied, kissing his nose. “You’re hopeless without me. And I appear to have gotten attached to you as well.”
Ledger didn’t say anything for a moment, just holding her close and enjoying cuddling the mare. A familiar muttering could almost be heard from Ledger. An old mantra that his rapist turning up had reawoken.
“Hey, enough of that!” Midnight said, calm, but sternly. “She can’t touch you, not now and not ever. You are not a good drone, you are a great stallion and a wonderful lover. We have each other and Cider as well, nopony can take that away. Okay?”
“I…” Ledger shuddered a bit. “...She was what I was going to talk to you about, eventually,” he admitted. “I just didn’t expect it to be so...soon. Something like what she did...it never fades. If it had been one or the other, I might have been able to cope...but she not only took my virginity, she tried to kill me right after. I...I never expected it, and then I never let any nymph or female get close ever again.” He hugged Midnight a little closer afterwards, sobbing softly. “She ruined me and found me again…”
“So what will you do?” she said. “It was just this morning that you said that I wouldn’t be able to run from my problems forever. That I should talk and face them head on. And now yours have found you. So Level Ledger, or Secret Hoarder. What. Will. You do?”
Ledger took a deep breath as he considered the question. “The immature response would be to lock you and her in a soundproof room for fifteen minutes, then walk away and never look back. But...I think the next time she tries to apologize...I’ll listen to her, and if she actually sounds genuine, then the worst I’ll do is get a restraining order against whatever alias she’s living under. That’d be the right thing to do.”
“Ledger, I read about what you did to that Pegasus... trust me, you could do far worse to her than a restraining order.” Midnight took a spoonful of soup and blew on it gently, before holding it to his mouth. “Let’s forget it for now, and deal with it if she shows up again.”
Ledger softly sipped at the soup, and in moments the spoonful was gone. After he gulped, he shook his head. “It doesn’t sit right with me, the idea of killing her or seriously harming her if she’s genuinely sorry,” the drone said. “...That being said, I would not say no if she was the victim of a series of horrible pranks that scare her out of her shell. All things might deserve a second chance, but she should understand just how she made me feel before she gets hers.”
“So you want to sink to her level? Just to prove a point?” Midnight mused as she tried her own soup. “That’s the great Level Ledger’s big plan?”
“Forgive me for operating solely on terror at the moment,” Ledger said while rolling his eyes. “She represents the lowest point in my life pre-Equestria, and one of the reasons I came to Equestria. To hear that she’s both here and sorry is kinda bucking with my worldview.”
“I imagine so,” Midnight nodded as she fed him more soup. “Hmm, well, I have an idea... but, you’re gonna hate it.”
“I’m,” Ledger said before sipping the soup and swallowing the latest serving. “Listening,” he finished after ingesting the delicious stuff.
“We get you used to nymphs again. Start with Scopey, and work our way up,” Midnight explained. “I’m sure that she wouldn’t mind helping you. And if you wanna face Spirit again, then you need to be able to stand on your own hooves.”
“...I was somewhat used to nymphs before,” Ledger said. “The Violets are relentless in trying to help drones, and it didn’t hurt that Scope had been brought into our lives broken. But then…”
“Oh no, this will be immersion therapy. I will have Scope shift into a Yellow.” Midnight explained. Ledger blinked a little before looking at Midnight with a bit more serious expression.
“I’ll have you know that substituting one’s colors for those of another Hive is both looked down on and not exactly easy,” Ledger said. “Most can’t hold the transformation for very long. Something about trying to alter our natural biology on such a level making a conflict that eventually forces us to drop it. I doubt one of Loyalty could masquerade as one of Courage for very long.”
“Still worth a shot,” Midnight said. “I’m trying to help Ledger, or shall I just go and fetch Free Spirit instead?”
“No no no, that’s fine,” Ledger said hastily, shaking his head. “I’m just warning you that Scope might not be amicable to the idea...and might get a headache if she does try.”
“Well, that’s my decision,” Scope said from the doorway. “So I have to help your whiny ass out? Sounds like a pain, but if my Mistress orders it, then I guess I have no choice.”
“Midnight, I’m regretting this idea already and she hasn’t even done anything yet,” Ledger deadpanned. Midnight chuckled and shook her head.
“Don’t worry Levvy.. Secret... GAH! What do I call you now!!”
“While Level Ledger is the name of my alias, it’s one I’ve grown quite fond of,” Ledger said. “Besides, my Changeish name is only important to other ‘lings. And really only matters in my home Hive.” He looked to Scope and quickly rattled off his name again and waited for a reaction, to prove his point.
Her eyes widened and she chuckled, a low buzz in her voice. “Well, that explains quite a few things. No wonder you’re so popular.” She crossed the room and looked at him, her blue eyes looking into his own silver ones. “May I do something you might consider strange?”
“...I reserve the right to retaliate if I find it too strange,” Ledger said, but nodded all the same. Scope nodded as she reverted to her true form and looked at Midnight.
“Mistress, should I not survive, it has been... interesting,” she said with a nod, before she leaned forward and embraced Ledger.
“I would apologise... on behalf of all nymphs...”
Ledger didn’t, couldn’t respond for a moment as his brain just shut down.
A previously unreasonable nymph…
Had apologized…
To him.
Yeah, Ledger’s brain checked out. The drone just sat there and looked at the far wall, blinking occasionally as his body ran on autopilot.
Midnight looked at him, a curious look on her face. Scope Lens pulled back and shook her head. “W-Well, that’s that,” she blushed slightly. “Don’t go thinking we’re friends or anything now.”
“And Scopey’s back,” Midnight giggled. She poked her lover and tilted her head. “You still there Levvy?”
“...This is worse than when Celestia apologized,” he absently commented as bits of rational thought started to eke back in. “I...I think I need to lay down. Wake me if Cider shows up.” With that, the drone lay his head down and closed his eyes.
“But... soup?” Midnight huffed. “Great, you broke him Scopey.”
“I didn’t mean to!” she cried back. She squeaked when Midnight grabbed her and pulled her onto the couch. “W-W-What are you doing Mistress. Please don’t punish me again. My body isn’t ready!”
“I’m not,” Midnight sighed as she started to feed her soup. “I was having fun until you broke him. Now you are my replacement cuddlebug.”
“I...am surprisingly okay with this,” she smiled as she nibbled at the soup.
“Nymphs apologizing,” Ledger muttered aloud. “What next? Will Fredrick go steady? I’m sure that’s a sign of the end times as well.”
“Well, if Narrow pulls it off tonight, she’ll be a great step closer,” Midnight giggled, rubbing Scope’s belly. The changeling nymph giggled a little at the sensation, before her normal expression started fighting for control again.
“M-Mistress, please stop,” the nymph managed to ask.
“Nope, that was cute," Midnight smiled. “But we have to discuss something Scopey. Namely what happens with you now that you’re all better.”
“Idea,” Ledger managed to get out. “Get her a job with Cider. That way somepony we can trust is watching her, and she’ll be able to afford her own share, maybe her own place.”
“You know she’s my assistant and that I’ve been paying her, right?” Midnight said. Ledger snorted a bit at that.
“What use does a ‘ling have for money beyond blending in?” Ledger questioned aloud. “Money doesn’t buy love.”
“No, but it does buy a place to live and pay the bills for said place. It also pays for the inpony amount of sugar a certain someone consumes.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ledger said with mock-innocence. “Besides which, now that you’ve mentioned it to her, just watch Scope get curious about where the sugar is.”
“We have sugar here?” she inquired. She leaned in close to Ledger, her adorable blue eyes shining at him. “Please sir! I am ever so sorry, where is the sugar?”
“Mine,” Ledger all but growled. “Plus we’re still deciding what to do with you at the moment.” With a shift, the drone was looking at Midnight. “I assume you want to call in your father to handle her paperwork as well?”
“Yeah, I’ll send a letter tomorrow with her details, and he can handle the rest.” Celestia only knows what would happen if he showed up again. “Also, the sugar is in the top cupboard.”
With a cry of victory, Scope darted off the couch and into the kitchen, looking for the store of the delicious white powder. Ledger just sighed and looked at Midnight.
“You can clean up the mess from her sugar-binge,” Ledger informed the mare.
“Eh, you got to clean up Ciders,” Midnight shrugged and smirked at him. The sounds of happy nomnoming noises could be heard.
“And I don’t regret it in the least,” Ledger said with a sultry smile as his tongue licked his lips. “Nor did you last night, as I recall~”
“Who knew that a sugar pony was so tasty,” Midnight hummed thoughtfully. There was a crash from the kitchen before Scope stumbled out into the living room, still in her true form. Her blue eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
“I...can see....forevverrrrrr!” she said in an awed tone.
“And that’s why I said you can clean it up,” Ledger said with a mischievous smile. “I can still recall my introduction to sugar...took me another day to put the apartment back in order.”
Midnight was about to respond, when Scope was right there, staring into their souls.
“Guys! Hey! Listen!” she bounced. “I bet.... I bet I could even do magic!”
Midnight just facehooved. Ledger snickered and got up from the couch, already intent on ambling away into the bedroom to minimize the damage he might suffer.
“Have fun~” he sing-songed to Midnight. The Thestral made a grab for the nymph, and a loud ‘POP’ followed by the smell of singed ozone filled the air. Scope had actually teleported, now reclining on Ledger’s back.
“Mmm, comfy couch~”
Ledger paused for a moment, one hoof hung in the air. “Midnight,” he said in an even voice. “Will I like what I see if I look behind me?”
“A sugar-crazed nymph that just discovered that she can teleport?” Midnight replied. “Hypothetically, how do you feel about those?”
“...Hypothetically, if such a nymph were on my back, she would know to get off very quickly before I started attempting to buck her off,” Ledger said aloud.
Another pop, and Midnight was chasing a mad nymph around the apartment. Furniture was overturned, cupboards emptied and bedsheets strewn about. The changeling kept chaining her teleports until she appeared right in front of Ledger. She raised one hoof and booped his nose, giggling madly, before she gasped and suddenly passed out, a victim of the biggest sugar crash in Equestrian history.
“She...finally...stopped...” Midnight panted, looking over the ruined apartment.
“Yup, and I’m putting her to bed and going to bed myself. You have fun cleaning and trying to make sure two changelings don’t eat you out of funds now that both of us know where the sugar is,” Ledger said, before suiting action to word. It took him only a small application of magic to re-make the nymph’s bed and put her in it.
As for their own bed, he didn’t even bother all that much until he was snug under the covers. Once he was settled, he made sure the rest of the bed at least looked presentable and lay himself down fully, his magic hitting the light switch. For some reason, just watching that nymph doing crazy things had been exhausting!
Midnight sat alone in the carnage, her mane sticking out as she looked at the sun that had barely set.
“Are you bucking kidding me...” she stated. “I’m so out.” She smirked as a plan came together and she opened a window, taking flight into the orange-hued sky.
It had been a long day, and Fredrick wasn’t getting any younger. One of his former students had come by today, bragging about making love to the Princess of the Night herself.
Fredrick wasn’t sure if he could believe it or not. A sound from upstairs grabbed his attention however. Someone was in his bedroom...
He rushed upstairs, his claws at the ready for the unknown intruder.
The intruder turned out to be a rather fetching member of the Royal Guard, sprawled across his bed wearing some very nice lingerie. Narrow Gaze gave the bird a wink and patted the bed.
“Hello Fredrick~” she purred in a sultry tone, her come-hither gaze staring straight at him. “How about you come over here and I help you...unwind?”
“...Well this is a pleasant surprise,” Fredrick said with a smile. “Though, I do have a few questions. Namely, how did you get in through the window, and why did you not come in through the front door?”
“Well, the short answer is that I wasn’t always a Guard,” Narrow chuckled. “I had a...colourful foalhood. And I wanted to surprise you. Now come over here and I’ll give you a nice backrub~”
“Let me just tell the others to handle closing without me, and certainly,” Fredrick said as he turned around.
“Better hurry~” Narrow called out. “It’s not the only surprise I have!”
The griffon departed and went downstairs to see what few colts had the job of helping him clean up doing remarkably well. “Excellent,” the half-avian praised them. “Do you think you could lock up as you leave as well? An unexpected parcel has arrived upstairs that I must tend to.”
The trio of colts exchanged a look, and one of them nodded. “Yeah, I know how,” the unicorn said. “It’s not all that hard...and boss?”
Fredrick paused, not liking the tone. “Yes?”
The colt grinned wildly. “You take care with that package.”
All three of the adolescent ponies started to snicker at that, and the griffon rolled his eyes before returning upstairs to his bedroom. Narrow hadn’t moved, but the moment he entered the room, her horn lit up and levitated him over to the bed, her hooves already kneading at the knots in his back.
“Hmm, you know, you make me feel amazing,” she said. “Everytime we’re together, I just feel so special and loved. So tonight, I’m going to show you something, a little example of how much you mean to me.”
“While not the first time this has happened, it has only happened rarely enough for this to be a welcome change of pace,” the griffon groaned, then moaned as her hooves worked out a particularly stubborn knot between his wings. “Oooh, yes, I don’t exercise them nearly well enough...Morning flying sessions aren’t really good enough for something like proper wing care…”
“I learned a cloudwalking spell,” she said softly. “You should take me flying sometime.” Her horn had a gentle glow to it as she started on another spell, building up power.
“Perhaps I will,” Fredrick said. “Though, we would really need to go on a trip to do so. It’d be less expensive to go somewhere with regular cloud coverage than to try and import long-lasting clouds to Las Pegasus.”
“I hear that Cloudsdale will be in our airspace in about a week,” she said, her horn glowing brighter. “Now, close your eyes. I don’t want to blind you by accident.”
Fredrick closed his eyes but not his beak. “I do hope that this spell, whatever it is, works. I’ve heard of some of Ledger’s more dramatic backfires. Took him three days to get his spell he uses to do paperwork to work right. And in the meantime, he had to deal with random quills striking him, ink stains in his coat, and a small horde of papercuts.”
“As amusing as that is,” Narrow grunted slightly as light peeked under Fredricks eyelids. What ever she was doing, it was using an enormous amount of power. “This is... a little more complex... AH!” there was a small pop, followed by something landing on the bed. Something heavy. “Ahhh, phew.” She wrapped her hooves around his neck, hugging him. “Are you ready for this?” she purred into one ear.
“I don’t think he is,” a second voice said into his other.
“But he’ll enjoy it all the same,” a third said.
“...Something tells me that if I open my eyes, I am going to enjoy what I see,” Fredrick said, a grin slowly growing on his beak.
“We’ve been practising this for days.” The three equal voices said in unison. “You’d best enjoy it. We insist on it actually.”
Fredrick slowly opened his eyes and saw Narrow Gaze in front of him. His gaze drifted to the left, where Narrow Gaze was also there. Another quick glance to his right revealed a third Narrow Gaze. Slowly taking in the situation, Fredrick started to grin even more.
“I must say, while you are no Twilight Sparkle, you are among the more talented unicorn mares I have had the pleasure to know,” Fredrick said as his eyes danced from one Narrow to another. “How long does this last?”
“At first, I could only get one to last a few minutes.” Narrow said as the other two started to massage his flanks. “Now I can have two last about two hours, or a single one for about six.”
“Hrmm,” the griffon said, enjoying the massage. “And is this some sort of puppet-system, or are they their own beings based off of you?”
“It’s...difficult to explain,” she said. “They’re me, but they’re not me. We’re linked, so I feel what they feel and vice versa. Luna didn’t really give me all the details, just on how to cast it.”
“So if I were to do this,” Fredrick said as he trailed one claw down one clone’s spine. All three mare’s shivered in response.
“That happens,” she sighed softly. “So Fredrick, whatever will you do with three cute mares~?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Fredrick said with a happy smile. “At most I’ve bedded two at the same time before. This is a new experience for me.”
“Oh really?” she smiled innocently. Before that smile turned into a hungry one. “Well isn’t that interesting. Okay ladies, shall we?”
“We get to play?”
“Oh yes...”
Narrow smirked at him. “Let the service begin~”
It had been a long day for Apple Cider. Her and her kin had done a great deal to construct her new greenhouse, and now she was exhausted. After bidding goodnight to her sister and her other family, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, heading inside and locking the door.
There was a scuffling sound, as her ear flicked.
And then something pounced from the ceiling. She went to shriek, but something pressed against her lips and muffled it, before something warm and wet slipped inside, and Apple Cider found herself the victim of a very passionate kiss.
Once her attacker pulled back, she good a good look at her face, and the golden, cat-slitted eyes of the Thestral.
“Hello Applebutt~” Midnight giggled.
“Ah...hello, Midnight,” the Earth Pony said with a bit of a daze. “Ledger...not with yah?”
“He went to bed without me and left me to clean our house all by myself.” Midnight pouted, sticking out her bottom lip. “I got lonely, but luckily there is this cute little mare that I can’t get enough of just a short flight away~”
“...Why’d he go and do that?” Apple Cider asked. “He don’t seem like the type to do things without a good reason…”
“You have much to learn about Ledger,” Midnight chuckled, nuzzling the Apple mare’s chest, taking in the earthy scent. “Buuuut, he may have been a little mad about our roommate trashing the place, which was my fault by proxy.”
“That makes a lick more sense,” Apple Cider said with a nod. “...Y’all...did clean up after yer roommate, right?”
“....” Midnight stopped. “No. No I did not.”
The Earth Pony sighed. “Fine. First thing tomorrow, you and ah are goin’ over there to put that place back in some sorta order.” Apple Cider then smirked and hugged the thestral mare. “But tonight, you can stay while we...get to know one another better.”
“My plans exactly,” the Thestral smiled, nipping her ears. “I’ve had this insatiable craving for apples. Perhaps you could help me out?”
“Perhaps ah could,” Apple Cider said, breaking free of the hug and flicking the mare’s muzzle with her tail as she turned to the bed. “Y’all comin’?”
Midnight waited until she was on the bed, before spreading her bat-like wings and gliding silently over to the bed, the moonlight catching her just right, so her fangs glinted. “Hrrrm, I’m so...hungry~” She leaned in close, her fangs combing the fur on Cider’s neck. “And you smell delicious~”
“Must be all the apples ah work with,” Apple Cider said, barely suppressing a moan at the feeling of fangs on her neck. “And eat, and brew, and…”
Midnight cut her off with another kiss. “Mmm, so yummy,” she said, her belly pressing against Cider’s. “But you talk too much. Perhaps that tongue could be put to better use.” The Thestral dragged her tongue along the pony’s neck, giving her small kisses and bites as she did. “Such a naughty girl. You like this don’t you~?”
“Ah might,” Cider said, keeping the moans out of her voice, but not the shivers running through her body. Oooh, she was gonna pop Ledger one for making that dare one of these days!
“Hmm, somepony isn’t being honest,” Midnight hummed. “I guess I’ll ask your body directly then~” Her fangs suddenly bit down, not hard enough to draw blood, but still giving her the sensation of pleasurable pain.
Cider couldn’t help it, she let out a squeak of fear...and pain, of course, followed by a moan as she felt exactly what Midnight was doing. After she got her head back on her shoulders, the Earth Pony realized what she had done and felt herself blush profusely.
“Wow,” Midnight mused. “Somepony really likes this whole vampony thing huh?” She snicked she licked the spot she just bit. “While I may hate those books more than anything. For you? I’ll be your Mistress of the Night~”
“Ah...Ah might like that idea,” Cider softly said. “Jus’...not right now. Maybe later on down the line? Ah’m still getting used to this crazy turn mah life has taken.”
“Fair enough, love time now, kinky roleplay later~” Midnight pulled the mare into a gentle hug, as she kissed her, not with hungry passion this time, but a gentle, caressing sort. Her lips barely touched her, as her tongue teased the edge of the apple mare’s lips. The earth pony returned the kiss, at first hesitantly, but soon hungrily. With a quick hug, Cider held Midnight close...and began rolling, trying to put the batpony on the bottom.
Well this was unexpected. Midnight decided to see where this would go, also because as embarrassing as it was, Cider was a lot stronger than her as well. She leaned into the roll, pulling the earth pony on top of her.
“Oh dear, I seemed to be pinned. Do be gentle~” Midnight replied, looking cute while doing so.
“Ah make no promises,” Cider said with a wide grin. “Last night was fun an’ all, but it was mostly Ledger doin’ us. Ah didn’t get to spend much time with you, and it’s been a while since I last bucked a mare.”
“Ooh, well then I have a few tricks for you then~” Midnight giggled. “Let’s see what you got Applebutt!”
The rest of the night would be home to the most wonderful of sounds and sights...and it was a pity there were no Violets nearby, otherwise they’d be even more fed off of what Midnight had been up to in the city.
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Gotta say that Free Spirit was a lot nicer (apparently) than expected. Scope getting a sugar crash and Narrow being lovey dovey with Frederick was adorable. Seems like Lost Stanzas will have two interesting chapters with Frederic and Midnight ( I rather see MidnightXApple Cider)
... You couldn't give us the satisfaction of seeing someone that has gone on record as raping and attempting to murder a protagonist be swiftly and decidedly either killed or left to deal with the grave she dug herself? I may not be the writer, but I've seen nothing from LL's character to indicate he would be willing to hear her out, nor a reason why Midnight should care that the nymph is sympathetic.
For the record? The scars and trauma caused by the kind of shit Level has gone through on humans sometimes do not ever heal and no decent court on earth would ever allow the rapist anywhere near the victim again unless in a very carefully controlled setting and was initiated by said victim, and this would be for a very good reason.
I've enjoyed the story up until this point but no amount of writing can make this seem reasonable, or make her a sympathetic character in this story in my view.
That is to say in her own story, sure. I'll buy it was something she regrets, but not in this one.
So blues are loyalty and yellows are courage? Interesting...
6386406 I'm in slight agreement with this, but not as much, since it sounds like the event happened during the equivalent of teenage years. It's rather difficult to overlay human morality on a society that seems to be quite differently minded.
I'm not, however, interested at all with battling the issue out in comments, I've seen it happen on many Fics and wish to take no part in it.
It's interesting that disguising as another color is both difficult and unnerving to the caster, but I suppose it makes sense if this AU 's changelings use physical transformations heavier than illusion.
Keep going! ;)
6386406 He's been unreasonably forgiving before.
...and yes, she should not be around him any more ever. Even his forgiveness was lowering the default reaction of 'murder her and hide her body in the desert' to 'restraining order'.
There is something that I notice... There is no news about the kidnapped foals.
Someone like me would like to know what happened to them.
6405504 Fairly certain it was mentioned a while back that the guard rescued them, granted they probably have a lot of physical and mental recovery ahead of them
prior to reading this chapter: I assume that in this story sugar is to changelings as cocaine is to people.
wow... that assumption was a lot more accurate than I thought it would be...
Hahahaha!!!!! Scope + sugar =
Hmm, Spirit was nicer than expected. On the other hand, she was kinda shoved into such life by her parents and she didn't know better back then.
Scope on sugar.
38.media.tumblr.com/30b408356a72e9895822f14a7a469dde/tumblr_inline_ngkawj8Tv91sjvuez.gif
I have to say I never quite know what to expect in these chapters, and Scope high off sugar was NOT something I saw coming!! <3
6885960
lets just hope she dont get crack mixed with suger... that would be the end of existance.
The first words out of the yellow's mouth were all the hint I needed. Evil, plain and simple. Bitch needs to die, painfully.
that made me think of a funny scene in the story, "the king is dead, long live the emperor", where a pony chain-teleported all across the Crystal Empire...
"PoofPoofPoofPoofPoof..."
Is this story going anywhere? It's cute and all, but I'd rather not read another 50+ chapters of just innuendoes.
oh, now i've got that old song stuck in my head...
Note to self, hide the sugar and mangoes..
Most interessting chapter.
Really hope that Yellow bitch get the boot...
Juicey end ~♡
All the love and lust... Nice
Yup, he will.
Sugar Rush
Fun
Fun
Fun
Fun
Magnificent re-reading ♡
One thing stands out. Midnight has a sprained and sore wing, so flying out the window from the apartment, then gliding at Cider's would be painful.