Of Feasts and Fantasies
It was a short ride back to the castle proper, as the guards pulling Twilight's chariot were moving quickly down a back street that was sequestered from the public eye. The sounds of celebration were ringing loud in Twilight's ears still, and she could hear them chanting her and Morning Star's name. It occurred to her that maybe that wasn't the smartest move to have made, if she wanted to preserve anonymity like she had in the past. It was a bit late to take it back, she reflected as they approached the castle walls. And to be perfectly honest, she wasn't sure if she wanted to. She was surer than ever now. She loved Morning Star, and he loved her back. And that was enough.
As the chariot passed through the gate, she saw that Morning Star had already arrived, and was talking with her friends. Rainbow and Rarity in particular seemed interested in him, although all of Twilight's friends were pressing in uncomfortably close. Twilight stepped out of the chariot, thanking the guards as she departed, as she had every time since she was a filly. Her friends hardly noticed her until she stepped into the group, standing next to Morning Star. He put an arm around her shoulder, and she relaxed. Rarity had a ridiculous grin on her face. Twilight had a feeling her own expression was similar.
"Twilight, darling! Why didn't you tell us about this?" Rarity asked, indicating the couple.
Twilight smiled. "To be perfectly honest, it was a sort of spur of the moment type of thing." Rainbow Dash snorted. Twilight continued. "Anyway, it never really came up in conversation, I guess. You remember how busy we were over the past couple of days."
Morning Star cut in. "Oh, so it wasn't just me who thought the preparations were a bit fast."
"A bit? I went from the hospital to trying on a dress to a full on ceremony in two days!" Twilight said, laughing.
Morning Star leaned in and kissed her again. "You look great, by the way. Who did the dress?"
Rarity stepped forward. "The dress was a group effort, but I am the one who led the design team, Sir Morning Star." She gave a little curtsy. "I am glad it made an impression. It's one of my better ideas, I think. I must say, I think we are all a little curious to know how you two decided to...become an item? If it's not too forward, that is."
"Please, call me Morning Star. I've been a knight for all of five minutes. Unfortunately, I seem to be lacking names for most of you."
Twilight sprang into action. "Oh, my apologies! Morning Star, this is Rarity, Element of Generosity." She indicated the seamstress, who bowed her head respectfully.
She pointed at Rainbow Dash, who was hovering a few meters off of the ground with an expression of disdain on her face. "This is Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty."
Morning Star smiled. "And one of the best flyers in Equestria, or so I've heard." He offered a hoof, which Rainbow Dash bumped. Silently, she took to the air again, looking a bit more forgiving of the newcomer.
Twilight pointed out Pinkie, who was bouncing excitedly. "This is Pinkie Pie, Element of Laughter. She's the proprietor of Sugarcube Corner as well."
Pinkie Pie gave him and Twilight a quick hug. "I'm soooo glad you two are dating! I thought there might be a new couple around town, but I couldn't find them no matter how hard I tried to look! You go well together, I think we should have a party when you get back! No, wait, two parties, one for the hydra thing and one for the dating thing, and maybe one more just because! We can have cake and cider and some of the sarsaparilla I have lying around and some of the Four Alarm Cupcakes and..."
Applejack gently but firmly placed a hoof over Pinkie's mouth. "Sorry 'bout that, partner," she said apologetically, tipping her hat. "Name's Applejack, but I reckon since y'all are part of our little group you can call me AJ. Pinkie Pie's a bit excitable at times, as you can see. I think I might have seen y'all around town, if you stopped by the apple cart."
Morning Star nodded. "I think so. You have a filly, right? She was sitting on top of the cart bagging apples for you."
Applejack smiled. "Yep. That's Honey Crisp. Stop on by sometime, we'd love to see you again."
Twilight stepped forward, indicating Fluttershy, who was standing warily behind Rarity. "Applejack's Element is Honesty, and Fluttershy's is Kindness. We all live back in Ponyville, ever since we met years ago."
Fluttershy nodded meekly, stepping forward. She offered a hoof, which Morning Star took, bowing low over it. "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Fluttershy." he said softly.
Fluttershy blushed. "Likewise." she said, her voice tiny.
A low disturbance of air was heard, followed by another. Soon, the regular concussions grew into distinct wingbeats, and Spike lifted himself over the gates. Coasting downward, he furled his wings, landing gracefully near Twilight. Morning Star blanched a bit, taking a step back. Spike stalked up to him, teeth bared. "You." he growled, drawing himself to his full height. "You took Twilight, the pony I care most about in this world, on a dangerous, reckless expedition into the middle of one of the most dangerous places in Equestria, if not the world. You almost got her killed. Several times. She spent two weeks in the hospital protecting you, and she is still recovering. You did all that to her, and more. I should gut you like a fish for the danger you put her in." He snarled, showing teeth, fire dripping from beneath his fangs. Then, his demeanor changed, as he closed his mouth and spoke more softly. "I was prepared to, as well. But every time you two were in danger, you risked yourself to get her out, when you could have fled. To be honest, I expected you to. You distracted the hydra long enough for Twi to cast her spell, even if she hurt herself doing it. And what I saw out there was the unicorn I love most happier than I have seen her act in years." He held out a claw. "I respect you for how you've treated Twilight. Thank you."
Morning Star took the proffered claw, shaking it solemnly. "Thank you for that, Spike. I'll work hard to show you I'm worthy of it." Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. Morning Star was liked by her friends, and Spike seemed alright with it. That was two crises averted, now the only hurdle left was...
"Twilight!" She cringed. That voice... Sure enough, it was Shining Armor. Twilight groaned. The voice in question was all too familiar. Shining Armor was getting ready to "protect" her. She'd have to convince him of Morning Star's good qualities herself. Morning Star was an unfamiliar factor, and therefore suspicious in her brother's eyes, so he'd be of no use in defending himself. Twilight would have to head Shining Armor off before he built up a head of steam, or else there would be no stopping him. She fixed a grin to her face and turned to meet her brother.
"Shiny!" she cried, using her pet name for him. She ran over, tackling him in a flying hug. He caught her, spinning her around briefly before setting her back down.
"You looked great out there, Twilight." he said, taking her in. They hadn't seen much of each other in the past few years, and Shining Armor was often extremely busy, attending to his duties both as Captain of the Royal Guard and as Consort to Princess Cadence. "And if the stories are to be believed, you managed to take down a hydra all on your own. That's pretty impressive."
Twilight saw her opening. "Well, I did have some help." She gestured to Morning Star, indicating that he should come over. "Shiny, this Morning Star. Morning Star, this is my brother, Shining Armor."
Morning Star bowed in deference. "Sir. It's an honor."
Shining Armor returned the gesture. "Please, no need to stand on ceremony. You're the man of the hour right now. I'm just here as part of the guard." He stared at him, calculating whether or not he was in fact worthy of his little sister. "So, you're dating my sister? How did that happen?" Twilight realized that the conversation was about to take a downward turn. She placed a hoof on Shining Armor's shoulder.
"Shiny, can I talk to you for a moment? In private?" It wasn't a request. Shining Armor begrudgingly followed his sister off to the side, where a fierce conversation was soon taking place in a low mutter.
"Twilight, what are you doing with this guy? He almost got you killed, and you kiss him in front of the entire population of Canterlot? I thought you were smarter than this!" Shining Armor said, scraping at the ground.
"Look. Morning Star saved my life several times, and I saved his. The hydra was just another instance of that. He's one of the best colts I have had the privilege of meeting, and he is an excellent pony if you would just give him a chance." Twilight said, making eye contact with her brother.
"Yes, I heard all about your 'adventures' in the Everfree." Shining Armor retorted, snorting in exasperation. "He wanted to go and risk his own fool neck in the most dangerous place in the world, and he dragged you along as well. Forgive me if I don't immediately start falling all over him, but this idiot scholar had no right charging off into that deathtrap, let alone with you in tow!"
Twilight's nostrils flared. "Listen to me very closely. I happen to be one of those 'idiot scholars', a fact you seem to have forgotten. It was our vast knowledge of spells that saved our flanks several times in those woods, not brawn. And another thing, you have no right telling me what I can and cannot do with my own time! This trip was just as much for me as for him, and if you want proof, swing by the library sometime in the next five years and I'll show you all of the knowledge I've brought back with me from that 'deathtrap'. Now play nice and get to know him, or by Discord's scaly right hoof I will make sure Cadence knows exactly how poorly you were getting ready to treat a national hero!"
With that she spun away, trotting over to her friends. Shining Armor watched her go, a puzzled look on his face. He had never seen his little Twily get so worked up over a pony without good reason. And Celestia knew she proved to be a better judge of character than he had in the past. He looked over at the colt his sister had clearly fallen head over hooves for. He seemed bright enough, and something about him radiated an open honesty and sincerity. His shoulders looked strong, and his face was pleasant and open, unlike so many of Canterlot's elite. Shining Armor sighed. He owed it to Twilight to at least get to know him before making a judgmental decision, he supposed. He trotted forward, pausing by Morning Star. He held out a hoof. "Thank you for keeping my sister safe, and for making her happy. Celestia knows she deserves both." he said, waiting on Morning Star's reaction.
Morning Star stared for a moment, before extending his own hoof. Silently, they shook hooves. Eye contact was made, and a wealth of information was silently exchanged. Shining Armor was tentatively approving Morning Star's relationship, and would be watching closely to make sure nothing went wrong. In return, Morning Star expressed gratitude at this generous offer, and would gladly accept the consequences if he failed in his duties as Twilight's coltfriend. The hoofshake was broken, and the tension between the two evaporated.
A servant approached the group of ponies. The Pegasus, coal black with a wineglass as a cutie mark, cleared his throat before addressing them. "Attention, those of you invited to the High Table for dinner are to follow me." This concluded the conversation between the friends, as Twilight, her friends, and Morning Star proceeded up the steps to the dining hall. The procession wound through the halls of Canterlot, before halting by a set of double doors. The Pegasus turned to address them again. "You will be announced in the order of your place at the table, two minutes apart. Please step forward and proceed once your name is called. For those of you wielding the Elements, they are all that is required of you in the way of formal attire." He opened a familiar looking box. Each pony stepped forward, fastening their Elements around their necks. So prepared, they lined up.
The Pegasus knocked twice on the wall, and a deep, commanding voice called out. "Now proceeding to the High Table, the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow stuck her chest out, strutting through the doors, which shut behind her. She was greeted with cheers. After a brief wait, the voice called out again. "Now proceeding to the High Table, the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie gave a squeal of excitement, heading for the door, and bursting through to more cheering.
The process repeated itself for each of Twilight's friends, until it was just her and Morning Star. The Pegasus knocked twice on the wall. The voice called out "Now proceeding to the High Table, the hero, Sir Morning Star!" Morning Star winked at Twilight before heading through the doors to thunderous applause and cheering. The doors shut.
The Pegasus turned to Twilight, and began to speak rapidly in low tones. "Lady Twilight, I have been directed to deliver a message by my master. Listen carefully, it is for your ears only and we don't have much time. Your public declaration of love is highly exploitable. You must tread carefully whilst in Canterlot. You have the opportunity to make allies while you are here, but be careful to let no one control you. Not all is as it seems here. Trust no one, and I mean no one. That's all I can say. Good luck." And with that, he flew off down a darkened corridor, blending in perfectly with the shadows. Twilight stood in shock. Who was that Pegasus? She took a step forward, ready to pursue it.
The voice thundered "Now proceeding to the High Table, the Hero and Element of Magic, the Lady Twilight Sparkle!" Frustrated, she turned back to the door, stepping through.
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Twilight was greeted by a standing ovation. Ponies of rank stood everywhere, and the dining hall was done up in deep purple and shimmering gold. Twilight spotted her friends, already seated at the table, and Morning Star settling into his seat. Her seat was right next to his, in between him and Princess Celestia. Princess Luna sat at her sister's right hoof, Twilight at her left. She could see her brother sitting at his designated place, at the head of the Royal Guards' table. He waved at her good-naturedly. Princess Cadence was nowhere to be seen, her normal place at the head of the Houses' table empty. Twilight gracefully stepped forward, exchanging pleasantries with the ponies around her. Each wanted to congratulate her, or invite her to an event, or speak with her in some way. Twilight graciously turned down the offers, making her way to the High Table, where she finally reached her seat and the side of the Princess. She reached up to remove her Element, but Celestia stopped her. "Keep your Element on, my faithful student. It is part of the ceremony." Twilight dubiously obeyed.
Celestia turned to face the hall. Every eye was trained on her. "Let the dinner begin!" she called. Doors along both sides of the walls opened wide, and servants came pouring out in perfect files, each of them carrying a tray laden with food. As one, they set the dishes down on the tables, removing the covers, pirouetting neatly and retreating through the same doors. More servants came out, bearing pitchers of cider, wine, and heady mead for refreshment. Twilight accepted a small glass of red wine, and waited for the others at her table to be served. She had been at similar ceremonies before, though they had never been for her personally, or for such events as the killing of a hydra. She waited, and looked to her Princess. Celestia rose from her chair, her horn glimmering with magic. "Hail, Equestria!" she cried.
"Hail, Equestria!" the guests roared, draining their glasses in a toast. Twilight mimicked them. The wine was good, warm and fruity. Twilight recoiled a little bit at the aftertaste, a bitter and nutty finish to the flavor. It quickly faded, however, and Twilight's glass was refilled. Celestia took her seat, the rest of the hall following suit. Ponies began to take food from the platters in front of them. Twilight looked down the table, groaning a bit. This was a formal event, and Pinkie and Rainbow appeared to be in the middle of an eating contest, plates piled high with food. Rarity was handling herself well, of course, and Fluttershy was eating in small amounts, taking demure bites. Even Applejack appeared to have retained enough of her "proper etiquette" from her days in Manehatten to handle herself well. She turned the other way. Celestia and Luna had each taken a small amount of food and drink, enough to satisfy common courtesy.
The Alicorn Sisters rarely needed to eat, and Twilight suspected that they only did eat for the pleasure of it. She knew that Celestia had quite a sweet tooth, and that Princess Luna had a love for spicy foods that would leave other ponies gasping for water. She turned her attention to her own plate. If she remembered correctly, this sort of gathering called for a seven course meal. The first course was usually an appetizer. Twilight turned her own attention towards a white-ish cheese, and a small bunch of red grapes. She laid these on her plate, along with a small round loaf of rye bread and butter. Feeling her stomach rumble a bit, she dug in.
The cheese was excellent, and the grapes were good as well, if a bit sour. The bread was still warm and the butter was sweet. Twilight sipped at her wine, noticing that the bitter aftertaste was still present, but not as noticeable. She left some food on her plate, as was proper. She turned to Morning Star, who looked utterly lost. "Leave some food left over, and don't eat a lot. Seven courses pile up quickly." she whispered.
"Thanks." he muttered, setting some of his sliced pear back on the plate. He took a sip of mead. "Seven courses? That seems a bit excessive, don't you think?" he asked, surveying the crowd.
Twilight nodded, leaning in closer. She was aware of the eyes on them both. "The Princesses employ the best cooks in Equestria. It's not often they get to show off like this, so when they do, they go big." She looked over at the Sisters. "I think for them it's more about recognizing talent than hiring on staff to attend to their needs."
A bell was rung, and the servants burst forth from the doors again. They moved with clockwork efficiency, clearing places for new dishes while removing the old. Bowls were set forth, and a variety of soups were set onto the tables, their colors ranging from creamy whites to soothing greens and cheerful yellows. Twilight spotted a large pot of soup being set upon the table near Princess Luna. Its contents were a dangerous red, and the steam rising from the top seemed to fight with itself, coiling and striking at the air like a snake. Twilight got a whiff of the substance, and immediately her eyes began watering. Morning Star did as well, and immediately reached for his mead.
"What in Equestria is that?" he asked fearfully.
Twilight took a sip of her wine. "That is Princess Luna's favorite dish," she said, watching the Alicorn ladle some into her bowl with a smile. "It's a broth made from tomatoes as a base, with Nova peppers inside. They're the hottest in Equestria, and the gardens that grow them are sealed inside glass domes to prevent the fumes from escaping. They are planted, grown, moved, stored, and prepared with full protective gear, and can actually be corrosive in large amounts. Shining Armor said he once watched a Gryphonian dignitary try some of that soup at a banquet, and he actually passed out after the first two spoonfulls." Luna drained the bowl happily, licking her lips. "I'm not sure how she does it. I think she enjoys watching the expressions on ponies' faces when she finishes off a pot."
Twilight turned to a light orange soup in front of her, and ladled some of it into her bowl. "This is a pumpkin soup with cream and saffron. It's my favorite." she said, picking up her spoon.
"I'm glad you like it, Twilight." Celestia said, smiling at her. "And I think you might be right about Luna, she does enjoy that horrible soup more than is healthy."
Twilight almost dropped her spoon, realizing that if Celestia had heard that, then Luna had certainly heard it as well.
"Forgive me, Princess. I meant no offense." she said, bowing her head in deference to Luna.
Luna's face was split by a mischievous grin. "None taken, Twilight Sparkle. However, I feel that you could benefit from a bowl of this as well." With that, she took another bowl, filling it with the soup and sending it over. "I was actually just discussing my taste in soup with my dear sister. I am of the opinion that my sister could not finish a bowl on her own, as her palate runs towards the bland."
"You know full well that I could, Luna. I simply would prefer not to. That stuff is horrid." Celestia sniffed, turning to her own barley broth.
"Then perhaps your 'champion' could finish it for you, seeing as it's clearly more mild than I am led to believe. Or do you think that Twilight could not cope with a little heat?" Luna queried, raising an eyebrow.
Celestia's eye obtained a wicked gleam. "A wager, little sister? How about we make this interesting?"
Twilight cut in. "Do I get a say in this? At all?"
She was ignored. "If your student fails to finish the bowl, you will finish this entire pot, Celestia. By yourself, no water or bread. Just soup." Luna proclaimed, locked in a stare with her sister.
Celestia nodded. "And if she does, you will be eating a full bunch of Nova peppers, plain and undried, with no water or bread. Hopefully that will cure you of your inane obsession with spicy food." she retorted, meeting her gaze. She turned to Twilight. "Twilight, eat your soup." Her tone brooked no argument.
Twilight stared at the red monstrosity in front of her. It hissed and spat angrily. She knew that she would be allowed nothing until the dish was finished, or until the soup had rendered her comatose. Sighing, she picked up her spoon, dipping it into the liquid. She raised it up to her lips. She was acutely aware of the hall. It had fallen silent, and everyone, from her brother to her friends to her monarchs, were watching with a mixture of horror and morbid curiosity. Steeling herself, she placed the spoon in her mouth, swallowing the soup.
Oh, sweet Celestia, that was hot! Immediately, her throat closed up, the heat shooting into her sinuses and causing her eyes to water. Her tongue tingled threateningly, and she felt her face flush. There was an awed sigh from the crowd. Forcing herself to dip the spoon in again, she raised it to her lips, tipping it back and swallowing the soup again. Her head started to pound, and she began to weep involuntarily. She picked it up again. She swallowed soup. And again. And again. And again. She stared at the bowl. The soup was more than half gone. The crowd watched in amazement as she picked the bowl up in both hooves and tipped it back. The liquid was molten metal, sliding down her throat and nestling in her belly. Her vision actually began to dim, and she could no longer feel her face. Groaning, she lowered the bowl. She had done it. Meeting Luna's eyes defiantly, she tipped the bowl upside down. Not a drop spilled out. She slammed it onto the table, and pushed her wineglass away. Sitting back, she reached for her soup, and began to spoon it into her mouth as if nothing had happened.
The hall erupted into cheers and exclamations. Celestia patted her on the back, and Twilight looked up to her and smiled. "Well done, Twilight. That was very brave." she said, gesturing for a server to refill her glass.
Twilight took the wine gratefully, drinking deep. "Thank you, Princess. Please never make me do that ever again." she replied, blinking away tears and giving her mentor a good natured grin.
________________________________________
The meal progressed normally afterwards, though Twilight consumed far more wine than she should have after that bowl of soup. She did switch to water after a while, hoping to counteract the effects of the alcohol. She worked her way through the salad, and managed to cool her mouth and palate with the sorbet served as course four. Course five was a very heavy pasta dish, which sat in Twilight's stomach fairly well. The sixth course was some fairly savory potato dish, with a dark and sweet sauce ladled on top. At this point, Twilight felt herself slowing down. Pinkie and Rainbow had long ago realized that eating as much as they could from each course was not a good idea, but it was a bit too late for that, and they were sprawled in their chairs, in a blissful state of fullness. The seventh course, dessert, was wonderful. Princess Celestia was currently enjoying a bowl of custard, topped with chocolate and cream. Princess Luna had excused herself in the middle of course three after she had finished her extraordinarily large bunch of peppers, and had only now returned to the table, looking somewhat ill. Twilight finished her cream roll, setting it to the side.
The last of the servitors stepped forward with coffee, tea, and liquor, and Twilight took a large cup of unsweetened black coffee from one. She noticed that most of the Royal Guard at the table had long since fallen asleep. She looked out of the windows along one side of the hall. They had started the feast when the sun was low in the sky, but if Twilight was correct, then they had been eating for five hours. It was fast approaching midnight. Princess Celestia looked ready to retire for the evening. Twilight nudged Morning Star, who was finishing his coffee as well. He sat up a bit straighter. Sure enough, the Princess rose from her throne. The hall once again fell silent, and she addressed the entire crowd.
"Thank you for attending this gathering, held to honor two of Equestria's greatest heroes. The hour is late, and the meal is finished. Those of you who wish to stay in the castle tonight are of course welcome to do so. As for the rest of you, I wish you safe travels and may you find your own beds warm and ready for you. Good night." she said, and she stepped from her throne, exiting the hall. A cleanup crew moved in to the hall, beginning to clear dishes from the tables and refuse from the floor. The Guards began to rouse themselves, staggering off to their barracks. Twilight descended from the table, walking over to her brother, who was blinking sleepily.
"Shiny, I wanted to talk to you." she said, as he rose to greet her.
He smiled. "Sure thing, Twilight. What was it you wanted to say? Use small words, I'm a bit drunk."
Twilight giggled a bit. "Me, too. I just wanted to apologize for the way I spoke to you earlier. There was no reason for me to treat you that way, you're just looking out for me. I shouldn't snap at you for doing that."
Shining Armor held up a hoof. "Twilight. You were right about the way I was acting. If he makes you happy, and you trust him, then that's good enough for me." He considered that for a moment. "Well, maybe not good enough, but it'll do for now." he said, staggering a bit.
Twilight hugged her brother. "Thanks, BBBFF. I love you." she said, burying her face in his shoulder.
He returned the gesture, laying one hoof along her back. "I love you too, sis. Sleep well, ok? And come see me in the parade tomorrow, I'll be at the front." With that, he disengaged from her, herding his soldiers towards the door.
Twilight noticed her friends staggering off towards their rooms as well, overwhelmed by a combination of food, weariness, and alcohol. They each raised a hoof in farewell. Fluttershy tried to flap her wings, tipping over. Applejack, who could handle her liquor, slung her over her back, carrying her up the stairs towards the tower they'd be occupying. Morning Star was waiting for her. She walked back over to him, avoiding the bustling servants, and stood by his side. “I need to head back to the dormitories." He said, pulling his cloak around his shoulders tightly. "I'll meet you back here at ten tomorrow. We should be able to make it to the parade by then. Deal?" he asked, fastening the pin.
"Deal. Princess Celestia said that we have a private box with her for the ceremony tomorrow, and that there was no need for formal attire." Twilight replied, leaning in close.
Morning Star kissed her. "Good. This outfit looks nice, but it itches." He turned to leave. "Good night, Twilight. I love you."
Twilight realized that was the first time he had actually said it. "I love you, too." she responded.
He strode out of the door, catching one of the last chariots and pulling away. Twilight turned and walked up the stairs, headed to her room, where Spike was surely waiting. As she walked, she felt her eyes grown heavy, and she stumbled around a few corners. Twilight realized that she had probably drunk far too much. Her hooves dragged, and it felt like she was moving through soft, warm mud. She realized that she was in front of her room. She fumbled with the knob, letting herself in. She lurched to the bed, and barely managed to strip off her dress and set the Element on the bedside table. Her head spun, and blackness ate at the corners of her vision. She collapsed onto the bed, gazing up at the stars on her ceiling. The seemed to be spinning, faster and faster still. She faded from consciousness quickly, and the last thing she recalled as she slipped into a heavy sleep was the bitter taste of nuts.
________________________________________
Twilight shot awake, feeling around in the dark. Her door was still open, spilling light from the corridor into her room. Grumbling, she went to close it. From the hallway came a whisper. "Twilight..." She looked around, searching for the pony who had called her name. Seeing a light at one end of the hallway, Twilight followed it. It retreated around one corner, calling her name again. "Twilight..." She rounded the corner. It vanished into a room, the door closing behind it. Cautiously, she crept towards the door. Once more, she heard her name. "Twilight..." The voice sounded familiar, masculine. She cracked open the door. There, inside, was a bathing room. Twilight, without realizing it, walked forward, stopping at the edge. The water was warm and steaming, and smelled of fresh pine and some other, headier scent. Twilight slipped into the water, luxuriating in the feeling of warmth on her body. The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the warm glow of a few flickering candles. Twilight felt her muscles relax, and she let herself float aimlessly in the pool. She drifted, safe and secure and without fear. The water was hot, almost unbearably so. She felt herself flushing from the heat, and the steam made it hard to breathe.
She heard a splash from behind, and realized that she was not alone in the pool. She felt as if she should turn around, and see who it was, but the water and the heat and the scent overwhelmed her, and she simply lay there. She felt a presence behind her, and suddenly, another pony had drawn her into a powerful, protective embrace. She stared at the candles, feeling the hooves (his hooves, she was sure it was male) knead into her back. She groaned, relaxing even further. Sweat ran from her body in rivulets, mixing her own scent with that of the water. She inhaled, the steam and her scent and his scent mixing into one. An eternity later, he drew her back into his embrace, and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she opened herself to him and they were together in the water, mixing and mingling and moving as one. And the voice whispered in her ear all the while, undeniable in its masculinity and each word drove into her like a knife and made her bleed in ecstasy. And she listened, and she obeyed...
________________________________________
Celestia watched, and nodded at the results. It had taken some doing, getting Twilight to consume as much of the drug as she had while not alerting the servants to the slow drugging of their hero, but she had done it. And the results were excellent, far better than she could have imagined. She watched with clinical detachment as her student writhed in her sleep, and she pushed the Catalysts harder, ensuring their influence over Twilight would grow. With that accomplished, she settled into sleep, allowing herself some much-deserved rest. Tomorrow was a big day...
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Well, this is about as "erotic" as it gets. I'm trying to keep it PG-13 for now, so if you're here to complain about any "rampant use of cloppery", then simmer down and bear with me. For the rest of you, enjoy!
Another excellent chapter. It's gonna really hurt when Twilight learns the truth.
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I'm gonna bring the whole corrupt system down around Celestia's head...it's gonna be biblical.
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Can't wait to see that
bitchprincess get what she deserves for messing with my favorite pony.Getting intense. Maintaining interest. Can't wait to see the plot unfold...further. I await the bringdown of biblical proportions.
"And so the Great Spicy Soup Bet would be passed down in common talks, making a legend of Miss Sparkle with the iron stomach. Though gossip mangling and the telephone game would transform the Nova pepper soup into a pot of lava, thus increasing Miss Sparkle's valor and strength tenfold."
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"Her stamina and skill were largely attributed to her part dragon, part Alicorn heritage. It was rumored that after she had finished off the entire pot, she had proceeded to laugh and violently beat Princess Luna over the head with it, while proclaiming herself 'Queen of the Cosmos'."
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"And then, she further proved her valor by ejecting into the open night, screaming her proclamation to the skies above. And the legend of Miss Sparkle would live on."
Ah, what fun.
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Indeed. I bid you a pleasant evening, my good brony. The hour is late and my battery runs low.
Bitter nuts? I'm assuming what Celestia spiked Twilight's food with was arsenic.
It's like a death sentence!
I feel anger and possible rage at this portrayal of Celestia. I have never much liked her canon or not but this one is really rubbing me fir the wrong direction. If only the story wasn't so captivating
I have rarely read stories like this, but I really enjoy an evil Celestia. Not like she is under spell or cursed but pure raw evil Celestia. It makes for great story telling
Can't wait until I get to the part where Twilight finds out that she's being played like a pipe.
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poor twlight having to eat that soup.
shite will get real when twi discovers celestia's been playing her all along
i can sense it
Princess Celestia must die!
nuts, bloody fucking hell are you crazy Celestia, Bloody fucking cyanide, you used cyanide on her! what is wrong with you Celestia!
Unless Celestia has some great hurry; she seems to be pushing this far harder then she would need to. By now she could step back and let nature take its course unless something far stranger is ahoof here.
What are you scheming, Celestia?
When celestia says eatz you eat.
god damn I actually hate this story... I'm sorry but I need to cut this relationship off...it's not you nor me...it's that psycho bitch princess who won't stop calling me and always tried to set people up on dates they never wanted...
(in all seriousness though, great story)
Tyrant Trollestia is best Princess
"Twilight cut in. "Do I get a say in this? At all?"
She was ignored. "If your student fails to finish the bowl, you will finish this entire pot, Celestia. By yourself, no water or bread. Just soup." Luna proclaimed, locked in a stare with her sister.
Celestia nodded. "And if she does, you will be eating a full bunch of Nova peppers, plain and undried, with no water or bread. Hopefully that will cure you of your inane obsession with spicy food." she retorted, meeting her gaze. She turned to Twilight. "Twilight, eat your soup." Her tone brooked no argument."
My two elder cousins pulled this with with a habanero pepper.
"If she can eat that, I'll eat two. If she can't, you eat two, Luke."
I ate it, punched him in the face, drank a half gallon of water and a gallon of milk, then videotaped him eating his peppers. T-T
What in the hell was in Twilight's drink?
Similarly, she should be unconscious or experiencing great nausea and abdominal pain from that fiery soup, and at the princess's orders no less. One does not consumes that much toxic capsaicin so easily. Celestia can go eat 100 Carolina Reapers; she sure deserves it.
Should probably be "stallion" of the hour.
Seeing Celestia force feed twilight that soup made me the angriest I've been during this story so far
1291223, 2734147, and 4800850:
Rohypnol.
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Capsican isn't as toxic as you might think. Also, they're ponies; their constitution handles such things better than ours does. As far as it goes, I'm more pissed off about the drug; what in Hades is Celestia playing at? Drugging her student? Orchestrating a seduction? I see a foreshadowing of something sinister, with Celestia at the heart.
I really enjoyed this story ... I know I'm like 4 years late but better late then never.
I was like
I suspect that Morning Star is tailored by you as only a tool in Celestia plans but I really like him, and hope he will have some bigger role as a character.
None the less I really enjoy your writing.
Oh. I am not exactly sure by now, whether it is you so transparent, or if I just already hate your Celestia enough to predict her actions.
Well, it's increasingly looking like someone needs to make sure the Sun never rises in the morning as this Celestia is a prime example of why light is not always good.