> My Best Friend, Luna > by Flammenwerfer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Part I. Gesture > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part I: Gesture He was not entirely sure why he kept dwelling on it, as nothing would ever solve that mystery. After all, if the Princesses, the most powerful ponies he knew of, could not explain how he had gotten to Equestria in the first place, then it was futile to even grant a single thought to his return. Still, even though he had been a legal resident for almost a year, slow days did not stop his mind from wandering, and often wondering of his previous life, his former world continuing on without him. It did not matter in the end, though. Duty called. Can remember everything about my world perfectly... Shame. It was a tale he was told many, many times. After he had recovered medically, Princess Celestia had personally apologized for the universal and magical mishap, and granted him residency in the castle for his troubles... well, at least that was the short version of it all. While very generous, Fred's pride refused to let him just take up space. Understanding the sentiment completely, Celestia had also taken him on as a full time Administrative Assistant not long after, so he essentially got to tail her through her duties and help her out with the insurmountable paperwork that found its way to her office. In the end, he could not complain. It allowed him to remain useful, while earning a nice income and feeling better about his existence. It truly was not as bad as it appeared on the surface, for a number of reasons. Namely, a certain two alicorns (and one royal guard). Fred forced his thoughts to clear out and set himself back in reality, running his right hand through his short, parted hair before gazing at the clock that was located above the office door: 8 o'clock in the evening. All the infernal contraption did was remind him that today was an extra long day, and the incessant and invasive 'ticking' from the second-hand did little calm his meandering mind. It was not anything to be worried about for the human, though; his mind would wander far, on occasion. At least time works the same here... I'll never not be thankful for that. "Sorry for keeping you this late, Fredrick," the smooth voice of the Solar Princess addressed as she sat at her own desk. Fred's desk was orthogonal to hers yet much more to Celestia's right, like the top and left sides of a rectangle. Based on the influx of bills from the Parliament around this time of the year, Celestia was absolutely swamped. Fred truly had no idea how much his work was appreciated. "Ehh, it's what you pay me for, Princess. Besides, it's the least I could do for letting me stay here essentially for free," he replied back, picking up and dipping his quill into the inkwell before taking some more notes on whatever proposition he was delegated. Other than a comfortable fire burning in the fireplace, the only sound that  pervaded throughout the expansive study was of both of their quills busily scribbling away. Celestia adjusted her work-suit, which Fred had to silently agree with himself that it complemented her figure perfectly. It did take about a month to get used to the colored coats rather than just skin, as well as the wings and horns but it made no difference to him at this point in terms of affinity or attraction. "True, but that 'incident' was our fault anyway," Celestia replied while her white-coated hand rubbed fatigue out of her eyes. She never enjoyed bringing up that incident out of respect for Fred. "Nevertheless, I'm sure Luna will not be pleased." He chuckled a bit while he continued writing. "She can wait, she knows I'm actually being productive... By the way we have a proposition for R&D funding for enhanced agricultural physical capital." "Sign off on it, you have the royal stamp of approval. Any development in cultivation techniques is welcome... Still, I have to comment on how close you two have grown as of late. I must say, it's nice to see her in high spirits," Celestia commented with subtle glee. Fred signed off on the document and stamped with the seal of approval of the crown. He then quickly stretched his back out, the sleeves of his white dress shirt riding up his arms a tad. While he was definitely mentally tired, Fred had to admit, working late with Celestia was not bad at all in the slightest. "Have we? I know we're good friends but sometimes it's hard to read her body language and demeanor as a whole. She's comfortable and I've grown on her… a lot, but I’m not entirely sure how close of a friend I actually am to her," he admitted. As educated and informed as one may be, males were never competent at capitalizing on body language. He and Celestia were definitely decent friends with each other after these many months, but honestly he was not exactly sure about where he stood with Luna. He had a good idea, but he did not know for sure, and he was not a fan of assuming things, nor could he find the right words to ask her about the subject.   "Other than the Elements, you're her only friend. You were really the only one to reach out to her," Celestia continued talking as she scribbled on a new parchment. She had to admit to herself that having an assistant that was not afraid to address her on account of her royal status certainly passed the time. As well, she had almost forgotten what it was like to have just a normal "friend." A gentle grin crept its way onto Fredrick's face as Celestia said the words "reach out," as he remembered that particular day very well. Little did he know that such a simple gesture would mean so much to both parties and affect nearly everybody in the castle (and beyond) in the long run. Ten Months Prior... Fredrick had just been discharged from the medical wing after a complete recovery, and the first order of business was to consult with Princess Celestia, who had been expecting him the moment he left the infirmary. It was a rather brief conversation, as she knew that he was more than eager to just continue resting, so, she merely reiterated her stance on his ability to remain in the castle and as to where his room was. Currently, it was about eight o’clock in the evening, so it was clear that she was working late. “So, I shan’t keep you here any longer as I know you’d rather just pass out. However, feel free to explore the castle, as everypony has been briefed of your presence,” the Solar Alicorn said tiredly after giving him directions to several important places and points of interest within and around the castle. She was still clad in her regalia and a dress used for court, one which hugged her body perfectly. Fred had to ensure he did not stare longer than appropriate. "Thanks, Princess... and uh, thank you for everything," Fred replied meekly, though extremely grateful nonetheless as he locked eyes with her. One thing he did have to get used to was the fact that Celestia was several inches taller than him. He being about five feet, eleven inches as a human male was somewhat above average, and that statistic seemed to hold from what he had seen so far amongst the ponies. "Please, Fredrick, it is the bare minimum we can do for you given the circumstances. Now, we'll talk more tomorrow about anything and everything necessary, so go on ahead to your room and get some rest on a real bed," she reassured with a gentle smile. Fred, ever since he had formally met her, had always felt at ease by her very presence. He concluded that she must be very well admired and loved by her subjects. "Well, I won't say no to that if you're insisting. Goodnight, Princess." He gave a respectful bow. "Goodnight, Fredrick." The two parted ways and Fred immediately started down the corridor towards the Lunar Quadrant, which was where his room was purported to be. Still, he had a bit of energy left in him and a bit of exploring would probably prove to be beneficial, especially if it was of a place one would be living in indefinitely. He was able to easily, by way of some directions lining the walls to locate essential places such as the dining hall and kitchen, the throne room, the Guard command center, as well as the Solar Quadrant should he need to see Celestia. What piqued his interest was the courtyard, however. The Guards did not seem to mind his presence, so he went for it. Once Fred exited into the courtyard, he was greeted by hedge beyond hedge of gorgeous flowers and shrubbery, tactically placed marble busts and fountains, as well as what took the cake for him: the night sky. Now, he remembered everything back on Earth, and being a resident of a city suburb, he never really got a chance to see anything but a few clusters of stars here and there, especially when light pollution was at a minimum. But this... this was something else entirely. Looking up at the early evening sky, Fred's eyes were greeted with a stunning display of stars. Unique clusters formed constellations that he had never seen before, all on a backdrop of what looked like the entire galaxy easily viewable, due to the lack of light pollution... or what he thought was the lack of light pollution. He knew for a fact that Equestria had electricity, but he still had not grasped the true workings of magic, so that perhaps had something to do with it. Canterlot was a large city, afterall. Ruffling his hair a bit with his right hand, he chose to step out fully, down the stairs, and to sit at the only bench that overlooked the central fountain. It also afforded an awesome view of the night sky above, without having to arch his neck up uncomfortably. So, there Fred sat for a while, hands to his side and staring up at the sky in blissful silence, contemplating his very existence on this alternate world that he magically fell into against his will. That was, of course, before he heard steps behind him. Turning around out of instinct, Fred's eyes gazed upon a gorgeous spectacle easily surpassing that of the night sky: the alicorn was midnight-blue in coat, clad in what was distinguishable as a plain, sleeveless dress of a shade of blue slightly lighter than her coat. This was complemented with a veil that gave partial shroud to her upper chest, working in tandem with her dress to perfectly conceal a nicely sized and proportional bosom. Her hair was ethereal much like her older sister's save in the form of the twinkling sky not unlike what was above him this very night and adorned with a tiara matching the color of her coat. Finally, her teal-blue eyes, in conjunction with her face, put forth an emotion of surprise. His thoughts immediately jumped to a single conclusion: Wow... She's hot. "Oh... I umm, did not expect anypony out here, let alone you," she spoke with a mix of trepidation and curiosity, which layered over the natural authoritative tone she normally spoke with. "Umm... yeah, uh..." Fredrick immediately jumped to his feet, having been spied by the second co-ruler of the nation, and gave a hasty but courteous bow. "F-Forgive me, Your Highness. I'll take my leave then," he spoke and motioned to leave. From how her tone sounded, it appeared that he was not welcome where he stood. "No no no, I did not mean it like that!" Princess Luna attempted to correct her previous remark, having just realized that she sounded condescending and contemptuous. She inwardly cursed herself as Fredrick stopped in his tracks. "Ahem... I was merely relaying my surprise to find not only somepony in the courtyard this time of night, but our newest resident." "Ahh. Well, I just got out of the infirmary, so some fresh air was needed," he replied, becoming more at ease. Granted, he was standing in front of royalty in a plain-white T-shirt and some loose-fitting pants, courtesy of the medical ward. He shifted his legs a bit in perceived awkwardness but the equal-in-height alicorn did not seem to mind in the slightest. "Freshly relinquished from the captivity of the medical wing?" she clarified, closing a little bit of the distance between them and coming more into the light of the moon. Fred found her formal language oddities oddly cute... and that scared him a tad. "Yeah, I uh... never really liked hospitals or clinics, to be honest," he felt the need to scratch the back of his head for some reason. The princess gave the subtlest of grins. "I as well, know the horrors of the inside of a hospital. After my return I was essentially an invalid for well over a month." She seemed to carry herself rather well, but truth be told, she was somewhat terrified. The experiences of her subjects turning and running in fear at her very presence were still quite fresh in her mind. She did not want to scare this one off as well... but that was when she remembered, he was not from this world! To her knowledge, this young stallion had no idea of her past. "Oh? If I may ask, where did you come back from? And what happened to you?" Fred asked out of genuine curiosity. She visibly flinched at that, having, again, not thought before she spoke. Fredrick took this as a sign of offense. "D-Did I say something wrong?" "No, no you did not. But it is a story that is much too long and I would rather not bore you with it. At any rate, I normally come out to the courtyard every night at around this time," Luna explained. "Was I encroaching on your space?" "Certainly not. In fact, I am normally here alone, and would not mind the company if you find it within your schedule to engage in conversation with an alicorn, not as a princess, but as a pony?" Luna offered, feeling she was coming off too brash and seemingly desperate. Truth of the matter was, she was that lonely, plain and simple, no odd twists or definitions. Aside from her sister and an occasional visit from Twilight Sparkle, Luna had been hard-pressed to find anypony else that she could call a true 'friend.' Combined with the fact that reintegration had taken an enormous toll on her already battered self-esteem, she was starting to feel more alone than when she was in banishment. On Fred's end, he was completely beside himself. This was the first time truly meeting the Princess of the Night and he really did not know what to expect. He was completely beside himself with the fact that royalty was seemingly so outgoing and friendly with someone not even of this world. Still, she seemed like she was being completely sincere... why would she have reason to be otherwise? As well, it was not like there was anyone else that he could talk to anyway. Plus, she was gorgeous, and he would need to start interacting again. Alright, don't fuck up in front of royalty. "I'd love to," he said with conviction. Honestly, the subtle look of joy on the princess's face made it all worthwhile. "Very well, let us take a seat... oh, and where are my manners. I'm Luna, by the way.”  She was certain he already knew who she was, but there was no substitute for being personable. She held her hand out gingerly. "Fredrick. Pleasure to formally meet you, Princess Luna," he replied as he took her hand into his and gave a firm but gentle shake. He was pleasantly surprised to find a firm grip awaiting his own, on top of her hands being extraordinarily soft. Definitely the coat. “Likewise, Fredrick.” They both took a seat on the same bench he was sitting on prior and the conversation began anew. It was one of those times where you first meet someone, but you have a near infinite amount of subjects to cover due to shared interests being aligned so well. It all started off with Luna noticing his admiration of her night sky, which, of course, garnered gratitude on a much more emotional level than Fred could really understand. From then on, all words just fell from their mouths, as if they had just been reunited with best friends. After at least two hours of nonstop talking, sarcasm, and jesting did they realize what time it actually was. “By the stars, it is nearly two hours before midnight!” Luna exclaimed as she looked at the moon’s position for confirmation. She was still recovering from a giggling fit, so she had a light blush on her face that was clearly visible in the moonlight. “Really?!” he also exclaimed, having dropped quite a few formalities with her. “Indeed, as much as I’d rather stay, I should get back to Night Court,” the Princess affirmed as she stood up, adjusting and flattening out her clothes. Fred followed suit. “Oops, are you allowed to be away this long?” She looked at him with a joking, incredulous gaze. “Please, I am Princess of the Night. I may do what I please. Nevertheless, I do have obligations to fill. But even so, it’s not like anypony comes to Night Court, hence, the reason I come here,” she gestured to the courtyard, speaking her second sentence with gentle dejection. Fredrick could see it in her eyes as well. While she was unquestioningly a supreme, powerful mare, her eyes were a stainless window through which he could see some sense of sadness. “Well… I could always keep you company if you want?” he offered, not really sure how else to keep the conversation going. He really would though, if she wanted to. She gave him a warm grin. “Thank you, Fredrick, but no. You shall go to your chambers and obtain plenty of rest, as you have kept me plenty of company for tonight.” “Well, I was happy to. It was really nice to get to know you, at least in part, as more than just the ‘Princess of the Night,’” he replied with equal friendliness. It would be a shame, however, if it all had to end this evening. With the potential to make his first friend as one of the Princesses, no sense in squandering the opportunity. He had nothing to lose: “...but I would not object to doing something like this again. I-If you find yourself in need of company, of course,” he added the addendum, lest he sound like he was coming on to such a high ranking figure and gorgeous mare. Princess Luna was sure not to show it on the outside this time, but she was quite gleeful and squealing internally. Had she found her first friend on her own? “I would greatly enjoy that, yes…” Luna said with her ever present trepidation, albeit with much more confidence than before. A mare wielding so much power, politically and magically, being so afraid of social interaction was downright laughable and was something she had actively been working at. Things had been slowly improving since the Nightmare Night event in Ponyville a little less than a year ago. For Fred, he felt fully accomplished. Perhaps, he too, made his first friend in this strange world. Nice! “So, perchance do we part not as strangers, but as… friends?” Luna had to confirm. She needed explicit assurance. For Fred, hearing the surprisingly hopeful inflection in her voice, it had all but confirmed the best. “Of course! Honestly, I’d have it no other way.” “OH JOYOUS OCCASION!” Luna bounced on her feet and cried out in glee in what Fredrick would describe as pure, unadulterated “ear rape” due to the Princess engaging her Royal Voice. She immediately ceased her actions and covered her mouth in embarrassment once she spied Fred cringing and covering both of his ears. His mind could not help but be flooded with the word “cutie” at the sight of her blushing like mad from her actions. She was inwardly ridiculing herself for her lapse in judgement. “M-My apologies, Fredrick. The curtailing of my voice is still a work in progress.” “No worries, Princess,” Fred replied, waving his hand dismissively. “If it makes you feel comfortable, I shan’t stop you, but you are more than able to drop the regal title, and refer to me solely as ‘Luna,’” she assured him. He knew that she would like him to drop the title, and he could not say no to those teal orbs of hers. “Very well, Luna,” he said in a reassuring tone, to which she appreciated greatly. “I shall see you later then… probably tomorrow?” “Of course, tomorrow!” Present Time "...Fred?" Celestia called out a third time. Only then did he wake from his reminiscing spell, recalling more specifically how he met the Lunar Princess rather than the ensuing conversation. "Wahh.. Hmm?" he looked up and found the Solar Ruler staring at him with a humorous expression. "I had said that you've done enough for today, you're free to leave." “Are you sure? I really don’t mind staying…” he offered. While he’d like to leave, he truly had no qualms with staying to help Celestia. “I’m positive. I’m more than capable of cleaning up here. Besides, there was no way we were going to finish all of these tonight, so it’s quite alright,” Celestia reassured, stacking papers together and organizing her desk for the next day of administrative duties. “Well, if you insist…” Fred began his sentence while standing up and stretching oh so comfortably. “...I know what can happen if I continue to politely refuse your insistence, so I’ll take my leave. Goodnight, Celestia!” he bid her farewell as he picked up his coat, quickly organized his desk, and headed for the door. “Goodnight Fredrick! Enjoy your weekend and I’ll probably see you sometime tomorrow,” she responded in kind, waving at him with a friendly smile. He returned the gesture and showed himself out. His next stop was Luna’s chambers. Since the initiation of their friendship, the two had grown extraordinarily close to each other, even if he could not see it in its entire scope, others around the castle noticed. What had also improved things around the castle was the fact that Luna had synchronized her sleep schedule with that of Celestia’s, so they could, together, hold a Combined Court rather than distinct Day and Night courts. Attendance was up, and Luna had the ability to participate more and feel more ‘useful,’ as she would put it. Her mastery of dreamwalking spells meant the she could literally patrol her subject’s dreams in her sleep. Raising and lowering the moon was not an issue either, as Celestia and she would already perform the actions together anyway. With his thoughts straight again, Fred started for her chambers, where the two, depending upon how tired they were, would do sometimes as little as just lay in bed and rest. They did not mind each other's company in such close and personal proximity anymore, as they both mutually agreed that it let them bond more. Of course, nothing romantic was involved, despite how much admiration they held for each other, even if one party could not quantify the other’s emotion. What the two did not say in words, they demonstrated with actions. Luna was quite comfortable with simple displays of affection such as hugs and silly hand play, especially when no one else was around to judge, but after a mistake on Fred’s part due to reflex, the two had gotten quite comfortable with an advancement in those physicalities: minor cuddling. Judging by the current time, Luna would probably just want to lay down and talk a little, and he was alright with that, because that almost certainly meant cuddle-time was imminent. Did he have any thoughts that wandered during his closeness with the Princess of the Night? Certainly! She was a gorgeous mare and often had to adjust to ensure propriety. Honestly, how he could not see that they were essentially great friends, he was dumbfounded. With such a mare as uptight (about some things) as Luna giving in to close, physical contact with him, it was certainly the case that she felt the same. It could be safely said that their friendship was indeed progressing beyond the aforementioned stage, but to what, he was not sure. However, he was more than content to let things happen as they did, though he honestly did not mind if they took certain routes over others. Fredrick smiled as he began to make eager haste towards his destination. > Part II. Tension > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part II: Tension The usual ten-minute stroll--that Fredrick could take with his eyes closed--had him end up within the Lunar Quadrant of the castle, directly in front of Princess Luna’s bedchambers. As always, two Guards stood by its side, looking as stoic and intimidating as always… and sometimes Fred could swear they were statues by how still they were standing. Still, they did not have the intimidation factor that the double-doors they were guarding had, especially during the first time he ever found himself in front of them. There were no elaborate designs of the stars and the moon, nor any discernable nameplate that identified Luna’s personal residence… just large, simple, and ebony doors with steel handles; the only barrier between him and one of the two powerful Heads of State. Said intimidation effect, of course, wore off completely over time, and the door was just an obstacle between him and his best friend in the world. Still, Fredrick could vividly recall the first day that he was literally ‘invited up to her room,’ so to speak. When Luna voiced the proposition over a pleasant lunch, Fred almost choked on his fork, and he had to remember that slang and implications on Earth no longer applied; that it indeed was a friendly, platonic request. Of course, he still felt the need to ask Luna for clarification, causing a stammering and blushing fit in return. The five minutes of awkward silence eventually subsided, and none were worse for wear, continuing their meals as if nothing happened. The Guards paid him no mind as he approached, completely used to his presence, and Fredrick simply went straight for the handle and opened the behemoth doors. Indeed, that was not always the case. The first time, following through with Luna's request, the Guards gave him a particularly hard time, as she apparently forgot to let them know that she was expecting a guest. Chuckling internally at the memory, Fred reminisced how they nearly drew their swords on him... that was before Luna opened her door, smiled gleefully, clutched him by the shirt, and dragged him inside with her enormous strength in an instant before slamming the door closed, leaving the Guards stunned and confused. They resumed their posts like nothing happened, and Fred could only assume that Luna gave them a stern talking-to the day after. Fred's hand kept a firm hold on the door-handle as he gently creeped inside, opening the left-side of the chamber doors only to what he needed for his form. Once fully inside the dark, precision-cooled room, he gingerly closed the door and turned to face the room in its entirety. Everything was as it should have been: curtains completely drawn on all windows save for the balcony; an (disconcertingly realistic) illusion spell covering the ceiling which displayed an ever so slowly rotating spiral galaxy; the king-sized bed that rested on the right side of the room. All just as he expected. “You’re late,” a femininely smooth yet commanding voice sounded from the darkness. Half a year ago, Fredrick would have to fight the urge to jump and stand at attention. Now, he knew that behind that voice was an inviting tone disguised as sarcasm… a language he was proud to be fluent in. “Well excuuuuse me, Princess. At least I was doing something,” Fred threw an equally sarcastic tone back at the co-ruler of Equestria before casually walking towards her. Though the darkness of the room did not allow him to see much, he could vaguely pick up a silhouette on the bed rustle under the covers and reposition itself. “Hilarious. Now, are you going to get up here or am I going to have to remove myself from this comfortable cloud-bed and drag you up here?” Princess Luna’s tone turned demanding and threatening. “Alright, alright… sheesh,” Fred replied with fake reluctance as he kicked off his shoes, threw his belt off, and climbed into the unbelievably soft bed before scooting toward the center. He always found himself commenting on the fact that no mattress on Earth, memory-foam or what not, could compete with what they called cloud-beds in Equestria… Best sleep of his life the first time he ever experienced one outside of the hospital, he’d swear by it. Once Fredrick finally moved his form towards the other mass in the bed, he turned and looked down, letting his eyes focus what little light there was on the teal-blue orbs staring back at him with the intensity of a thousand moons. He, as well, locked eyes with her and initiated a stoic staring contest for about thirty seconds. Immediately, Luna’s gaze softened and an audible giggle could be heard before she snuggled her side into his, Fredrick reacting to her contagious twitter with one of his own. Fred’s eyes were able to get used to the darkness and could now clearly see his company: the Lunar Princess donned a large, simple long-sleeved shirt ideal for sleeping… and the large collar gave a tiny bit of a show to him as it acted like a makeshift v-neck, framing her breasts perfectly with her position allowing a modest amount of cleavage to show. Her hair, normally ethereal and similar to the galaxy above, was its lifeless, mid-back length blue-color, a few shades lighter than her coat. As typical with even girls back on Earth, it was up in a loose and messy bun for sleeping purposes. Still, Fred had voiced several times to Luna that her hair looked better, in his opinion, down and lifeless. Luna tended to disagree but sometimes she wore it like that merely because (to his knowledge at least) she “felt like it.” “Good evening,” Luna said in a much more friendly tone once their eyes locked again after he was staring just a tad longer than what would be in the bounds of propriety. Fredrick huffed partially in amusement, partially in embarrassment, as he was sure that she had noticed. “Hello to you too,” he replied, after which he laid back fully on the pillow next to Luna’s and opened his right side to her. She accepted the invitation without hesitation (albeit with some giddiness internally) and snuggled into his side, wrapping her right arm around his abdomen and laying her head on his chest with a comfortable smile on her face… such was a typical position for them once they had gotten used to the ‘snuggle-cuddle’ idea. There, the two laid in silence for an undetermined amount of time, their forms embraced comfortably and their eyes resting. The only noise that resounded throughout the room was the cyclic rhythm of Fred’s and Luna’s synchronized breathing: Slow, calm, elongated, and nominal. They had no intention of falling asleep anytime soon, but after their respective days, some rest was in order. As the months droned on from the beginning of this new step, they took no problem in having silent moments of relaxation and shut-eye. While at the beginning of their fledgeling friendship, awkward moments/silences were quite commonplace due to the mutual fear of offending the other party, once their senses of humors and thought processes clicked in full, it was nothing but smooth sailing. From then on, they reveled in the silences and enjoyed the fact that they could gain just as much utility with each other doing nothing as with eating, working out, or even joking around. There was no such thing as an “awkward silence” after that. “Mmmm, you’re warm…” Luna commented, barely above a whisper but easily audible to Fredrick. She punctuated her remark by pulling herself a bit more snuggly against him, her boobs pressing into his side and stomach (not an unwelcome externality from his perspective) and her face riding up his chest a bit. He could now easily smell the shampoo she had used recently, as the minuscule follicles of her coat (which honestly felt like bare skin anyways) on her face grazed his neck. It was a bit odd the first time feeling the elongated face due to the Ponies’ anthropomorphic nature, as well as ensuring she didn’t stab him in the jugular with her spear-like horn. Like everything else, it was now second nature, as her face was angled perfectly to allow her horn to pass and just barely graze the side of Fredrick’s head. “And you’re ice cold… like your heart,” Fred quipped, reciprocating her gesture by holding her just that much snugger, his hand resting just between the right side of her midriff and lower back, since she laid mostly on her left. Luna let out an appreciative sigh, and then immediately a chortle at his remark. “I was on the Moon a thousand years, Fred. It takes a little while to heat back up,” she replied with good humor. Fred sighed comfortably and adjusted his body… while discreetly making other adjustments elsewhere with his free, right hand. “How was your day?” he asked, continuing the conversation, both their eyes still comfortably resting. “Long. It is that time of year again where the nobility likes to, as you say, ‘bitch and moan’ incessantly. Thousands of years in dealing with them are invaluable in ensuring I don’t ‘accidentally’ murder a few of them. Some things never change over time.” “I bet. I’ve had a few run-ins with the nobles and not all of them are really… noble. I can’t imagine what you have to go through every day,” Fredrick added. Luna peaked an eye open. “Is the nobility still harassing you? I bet it’s Blueblood again… I shall cram my horn down his throat if he is,” Luna inferred. Fred always found it humorous and somewhat sexy how Luna could threaten violence so nonchalantly. He laughed gently. “No, no, he’s not. In fact I’ve actually had the fortune of not seeing him in about three weeks. We’ll see how long that continues.” “How was your day?” Luna asked in return, rubbing the side of her face against his chest, causing him to almost stumble with his words. Almost. “Like yours, long. While you get to deal with hell-spawns, I get to deal with the bill-influx overflow. Got a bit of overtime in though, and it’s not like Celestia is terrible to work with,” he replied genuinely. It was Luna’s turn to gently giggle. “She can be though. You merely have to work with her. I have had to live with her.” Luna began moving her right hand on his chest, caressing from his upper abdomen back to his chest with her palm and repeating… her fingertips barely grazing his neck. For the first time, Fred’s eyes opened up with a bout of surprise and a hitch in his breath. That’s new. But not necessarily unwelcome. Kicking his mind back into gear (and giving up on his less than cooperative lower half), he decided on a mostly safe approach of reciprocation. Fred closed his eyes once more and began running his fingertips up and down her side, with a bit more pressure than what would be normally needed on account of her shirt. Much to his relief, Luna cooed softly. “Have you been exercising?” Luna inquired, still running her hand up and down his shirt on his chest. While Fred was more than used to random questions popping out of the blue, this seemed different. Her voice sounded as soft as normal during these times but laced with… something he could not put his finger on. As a result, he started becoming increasingly uncertain, but willing to play it out thus far. “Ummm… yeah, when I find the time. You’re even there with me sometimes,” he responded, attempting to figure this mare out. She cooed yet again when his hand wandered a little higher up her side than he meant to. “It shows,” she mentioned, and her next action completely took him out of his calm state: Luna unbuttoned a single button in the middle of his shirt and slid her hand inside and onto his chest, beginning to continue her actions that she had above the fabric. The sudden contact of her amazingly soft hands on his bare skin made Fred shoot his eyes open and suddenly intake air. What really made him question things was when simultaneously, she swung her right leg over both of his, ensuring her entire body length was pressed into him in all its glory. While, as a male who was certainly attracted to the other party in the room, this was more than welcome, but as a friend, this was becoming increasingly out of character. Ooookay this is getting a bit odd. “Okay Luna, what’s going on,” Fred prodded as he adjusted himself, moving their positions so he could look at her. The innocent expression on her face, one meant for a stoic hardass, could melt the hardest of ice.     “W-Why? Do you not like my actions?” she asked with trepidation and attempting to veil her emotions. “Of course I enjoy your actions, Luna… I’m just not used to that level of cuddling yet, so you took me by surprise. What's up?” he asked again, but with a tone of genuine inquiry rather than demanding. He could see in her teal-blue eyes that she was debating something in her head. Finally, after several moments, she conceded with a sigh. “I… I have a confession to make,” the Princess of the Night, ever powerful, sounded incredibly meek at the moment. Fredrick turned his entire body towards her to give her his full attention. By her wandering eyes, which found the bedsheets much more interesting than usual, he could tell she was unsure of herself. Resting on both of her forearms, Fred was given a nigh perfect view down her shirt. Yonder valley was nothing short of mesmerizing, and he pried his eyes away as quickly as they glued themselves.   “It’s okay. You should know you can tell me anything,” he urged her as nonchalantly as possible. She took another sigh and steeled her resolve. “I am… sort of… in heat.” If there was a way to completely wipe all RAM from one’s mind, that certainly did the trick. “...Huh?” Fred asked for clarification, to ensure that he indeed heard perfectly. It was not like he was ignorant of what a ‘heat’ was or what it meant in this world. He was more than educated on the topic within his first month in Equestria, and this was why sometimes he saw neither Celestia nor Luna for more than short glances once in a while. It wasn’t like he kept a schedule. Now that would be weird. “You heard correctly, Fred. Normally I ensure to keep my distance when it onsets, but it was such a long day today and I just wanted some company. Believe me, I have perfect self control for the most part but once in a while… something slips,” Luna began explaining, gesturing with her hand at her most recent actions in referencing an example. “I see…” Fred urged her to continue. “I was hoping it would not come to this, lest you believe I see you as nothing but an oversized pillow to touch as I please. That is why, regretfully, I withheld information from you…” Luna looked down for a bit, but then locked eyes with Fred once more. He could plainly see that she was regretful of her actions. “I’m sorry, Fredrick… I just,” she sighed once more and caught her breath. “I just did not want you to think any less of me if I told you and invited you to my room. I was hoping that any abnormal actions that would be the cause of any form of lapse in judgement would be subtle enough, and to think you would not notice… you probably think I thought of you as stupid enough to not catch on to anything…” Luna began rambling and her emotions were starting to mesh into one. The normally in-control mare was starting to lose her thoughts with absolutely no help thanks to the hormones afforded by her heat. Fred needed to do damage control and do it immediately. Moving by reflex and not by thought, he pulled her into his embrace, as he had done many times in the past, and let her head rest against his chest as she had been so keen on doing. The effect was immediate and she calmed down considerably. “Look, Luna… while I would have appreciated some advanced warning, I do understand why you withheld such information. Your fears were justified, though unfounded. I guarantee you, a ‘heat’ would be pretty far back on the list of things to drive me away,” he reassured her, pulling back to lock eyes with her again, showing her that he was indeed genuine with his words. He took her silent acceptance as a cue to continue: “And it’s clear that you have the self control of a madmare… I’ve seen what heat does to mares.” He made a visible shudder at certain memories. “After all, you haven’t completely jumped me yet… though I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to that,” he joked to lighten up the situation. Luna could not help but blush and hit him in the shoulder playfully, following up with her trademarked look of incredulity. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, Fred.” “Now, come on. Let’s rest. If it makes you feel any better, now that I’ve been exposed to that…” It was time to choose his words carefully. “I don’t really, umm… mind if you want to continue what was going on.” Yeah, totally could’ve phrased that better. Luna gave an audible chortle. “I am most certain you would not mind, huh, my little pervert?” she quipped, both of them lying down again and resuming their usual positions. “Says the one who’s been feeling me up in the first place,” Fred playfully threw words back at her. Luna placed her hand on his chest before, again, slipping it under the button-line of his shirt. “Implying you were not feeling me up in return.” Fred placed his hand back on her side. “Hey, it’s socially acceptable for you to touch my chest. That’s not fair at all. Plus you have a semi-pass because of your heat,” he pointed out. Luna hummed a bit in thought. “Then why do we not even the playing field?” she rhetorically asked before lifting the side of her shirt a bit, exposing the side of her underlying, toned midriff and placing Fred’s hand on her bare coat, thin enough where he could easily feel the smooth skin. “... I’m okay with this,” he plainly admitted with a chuckle, which garnered an equal reaction from his best friend. “I figured you would be, my dearest friend,” she replied endearingly, nuzzling her face into his neck, causing him to involuntarily get a shiver down his spine. As she ran her palm over his chest, he ran his fingertips up and down her side, though he barely needed a fraction of the pressure due to the only obstruction being out of the way. There they laid in comfortable silence once more, both of them feeling like they became just that much closer… somehow. The only sounds this time were their cyclic breathing and the occasional coo from Luna when Fred ran his fingers over her side just right. After what seemed like an hour or two, Fred spoke up with barely a whisper, as he could tell that both of them were getting more tired by the minute. “Shall I stay the night?” he asked. This was not an unusual question for her, nor was it one he brought up every time he visited. Once in a while, he could tell that she just wanted his company and he was more than happy to give it. He enjoyed every moment with Luna and the fact that, after so many months, that she trusted him enough to even let him lay in the same bed, let alone sleep alongside her, said wonders about their friendship… and again, he wondered how he could not see their closeness from the get-go. Luna answered immediately by nodding her head into his chest. She held onto him that much tighter. “Okay. Let’s get some sleep then.” “Goodnight, Fred… and thank you.” “For what?” he asked softly. They were both quickly losing their grip with consciousness. “For being there when nopony else would be,” she whispered even softer. “Anything for my best friend in the world. Goodnight, Princess,” he added just the right amount of inflection on the last word, knowing she hated it when he called her by regal title. He could still feel her smile against his chest and to him, that was the greatest thing he could’ve felt before they both were lost to the grips of slumber. Just another day. [The Next Day…] When Fredrick did proverbially ‘sleep over’ with Luna, there was no issue of them both exiting out of her room and rousing suspicion, as they both got up at the same time for work and Luna would easily teleport him back to his own room to freshen up. Despite the small oddities that were easily worked through that night, Fred was more than content with how everything was going, though he would be sure to give Luna just enough extra space so she could ride out her heat properly. There was no Court on the weekends so both Princesses would retire to their offices to catch up on the never-ending paperwork… although today was surprisingly a light day, relatively speaking. It was light enough where Fred and Celestia could enjoy a proper lunch break. “You seem somewhat conflicted,” Celestia abruptly voiced during a lull in their conversation, biting into her sandwich. Fredrick was about to do the same but stopped mid-bite at her revelation. “What makes you say that?” he asked, finishing the aforementioned bite into his fish sandwich. One of the largest culture shocks to Fred when he had to inevitably adapt was the fact that the propensity to consume meat was virtually nonexistent in Equestria, save for meat-eating species such as Griffons or Diamond Dogs. Even then, they were a minority and fresh meat was hard enough to come by, let alone to get cooking staff to actually prepare the product. Fish was considered okay though, and the fact that his diet turned almost entirely vegetarian overnight ensured that whatever bit of fat was on his body was virtually obliterated, thus allowing him to gain muscle a bit easier when he actually paid attention to working out. Tradeoffs are love. Tradeoffs are life. Celestia looked at him incredulously, not saying a word until he locked eyes with her. “Oh, right. I forgot you’re good at that.” “So. Spill.” Fredrick looked conflicted at first but knew that what he would say wouldn’t be bad or damaging really, and he could trust Celestia to keep a little confidentiality in conversation. After all, he trusted her with his life. She was a good friend too! “You didn’t hear this from me… but Luna was acting really odd last night.” “Oh? Pray tell?” she asked a bit too giddy in demeanor, as if so eager to get dirt on her little sister. Some things certainly did not change from planet to planet, dimension to dimension. “She was acting really touchy-feely… like way out of character for her, even between us, which is saying something. After coaxing her into telling me what was up, apparently she’s in heat,” Fred explained. Celestia looked like she was about to lose her shit but then suddenly stopped as she remembered something very important. Then her demeanor turned into one of questioning as she rested her chin in her left hand, looking up towards the corner of the room. “Huh… that’s really weird.” “How come?” Fred asked. “Oooooooh…. yeah she wasn’t in heat, Fredrick,” Celestia affirmed with the confidence of a ruler. Fred blinked his eyes a few times in confusion. “Huh?” “Ever notice that when we, meaning she and I, went into heat, that we’d both disappear for a while?” she let that sink into his head for a bit before continuing. “Fred, our heat cycles are synchronized, and I know with one-hundred percent certainty that I’m not due for exactly another two weeks and six days. She was not in heat.” Fred lifted his head so that he was facing straight forward, not gazing upon anything in particular. “...What?!” And just like that, the situation in his mind and reality became that much more complicated. > Part III. Action > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part III: Action Celestia strode down the castle corridor with a purpose once the workday ended at five, making her way to Luna’s room and not even bothering to return the greetings she was given by passing staff, much unlike her. Despite the conversation that transpired as soon as she revealed a very important detail over lunch, Fredrick, internally, became very nervous and distraught rather than angry… though she could only assume that anger would come later. He wished to return to his room to think things through, and when Celestia offered to have a few words with Luna discreetly on the matter, he refused without hesitation. He wanted to be the one to confront her about this incident, but ultimately, what he did not know would not hurt him. Celestia needed to have a few words with her younger sister, and this would constitute their ‘girl-time’ of the evening. Passing right by the Guards, she entered Luna’s room and slammed the door, startling the dark alicorn at her desk next to her balcony. “Celestia?! What is the meaning of—” “Are you stupid?” Celestia cut her off curtly. “Excuse me?” “You heard me. Are you stupid?” Celestia reiterated, crossing her arms under her chest. “So are you going to continue speaking to me vaguely or are you actually going to make sense of your words?” Luna replied as she pushed her chair back and stood up, facing her older sister.   “You’re ‘in heat?’” Celestia uttered three words that made Luna’s face pale. “When did this start happening? Hmmm?” “What did he tell you?! And what did you tell him??” Luna asked, raising her voice. Celestia immediately waved her off. “Oh don’t even try to deflect the question as you’ve always done when backed into a corner. For somepony who is known for being straight and to the point, you’re really not pleading your case, Lu. And please, he’s an intelligent stal—man. I did not tell him anything, he merely put two and two together.” “Well… to answer your question, yes I know I’m stupid for doing that. Moreover, I don’t believe this is any of your business,” Luna countered with a much lower tone this time around. Celestia scoffed incredulously. “You’re the most analytical pony I know but god you’re so dense. You’re so fucking dense, light bends around your head!” Celestia punctuated with hand-imagery. What was also worth noting was that Celestia very rarely uttered profanity (that others could hear). “Yes, what goes on exclusively between you and Fredrick is indeed none of my business. He, however, is my friend too! And, unfortunately, the three of us are close enough where whatever happens between two of us is going to affect all of us; and since that is the case, I will intervene if necessary to obtain information. Now, would you care to explain why you’re blatantly lying to our dear friend?” she asked, her voice never raising beyond a stern level. “Quite frankly, Celestia, I do not feel obligated to inform you of my reasoning. I am already ashamed of my choice of action as it is and I do not need you reinforcing that!” Luna shot back, quickly becoming irritated. “Do you think I’m really doing this for my own benefit? I’m asking and borderline demanding because I want to help you!” “Pffft. Yeah, okay Celly.” “Luna!” Celestia barked. “Fine! I fibbed! I did not even do that much but he questioned me! I could’ve told him the truth and deal with the consequences immediately, or that I was in heat and hopefully he would wave it off and life would continue as normal! I chose the latter and I regret it entirely. Are you happy?” Luna snapped, admitting nearly everything. She silently cursed her sister at how well she was able to extract information out of other ponies. “Okay so you didn’t want to lie to him, it just ‘happened.’ I can live with that. Why?” Celestia punctuated her observations with another question. “I need not explain myself to you!!!” Luna raised her voice further, bordering her Royal Voice. Celestia remained as stern as always, though her hands shifted to the sides of her hips. “You’ve come this far, might as well spill the rest!” Celestia reasoned. She could easily tell that whatever this was stemming from was weighing in on Luna’s mind horrendously, just by how she was reacting. As her older sister, the Solar Alicorn had found out throughout their long lives that Luna would not always give up important info central to her own mental health willingly through talk, at least with her. So, using the cleverness of a leader, Celestia figured out the easiest way to get information and get Luna to open up for her own good was to antagonize it out of her. Luna’s eye twitched. “Get out! Get out of my room, now!” she ordered, pointed to the door aggressively. “What is with you?! This really should not be as big of a deal as you’re making out to be, holy Tartarus!” “I said GET OUT!!” Luna used her Royal Voice, blowing Celestia’s hair back, though the latter remained unphased. The dark alicorn balled her fists, bared her teeth, and her eyes flared bright teal as her horn lit up. Celestia’s facial expression turned dark as she closed the distance between them. Now it was her turn. “I advise you to stay your tone and disperse your magic, sister. You need to let this out of your system for your own good and I will not tolerate your threats. I’m only trying to help you but if I need to physically knock sense into you because you refuse to not simmer down over what seems to be a miscommunication, then please… I dare you try something. You may be the better fighter fist-to-hoof, with a sword, or with a gun, but I have a thousand years of magic over you,” Celestia threw her threat right back at Luna, nearly looking down completely on her. She took Luna’s silence, and lack of a stance change, to continue: “I’ll knock you on your goddamn ass!” Celestia punctuated by pointing her index finger to the floor behind Luna. After several tense seconds Luna’s eyes flared brighter and she lunged.   From the outside of the castle, the Lunar Princess was seen being magically thrown out her window, over her balcony, and screaming in terror the entire way down as she fell into the castle moat with a loud and quite visible splash. Celestia exited onto her sister’s balcony and leaned over the railings, supporting herself with her hands as Luna resurfaced, breathing deeply and recovering from the shock of what had just happened. The latter was panting as her eyes focused on her surroundings, taking in her own actions and the consequences of them. Instead of furor and confusion, the only emotion that her eyes harbored was regret. “Feeling better?” Celestia called down, having to necessarily raise her voice on account of the distance. Luna sighed and pushed her now lifeless hair out of her face face. “Very much so,” she called back up dejectedly but honestly. She really did feel so much better. Though unorthodox, Celestia always had a new way to make her see reason. Luna conceded that she definitely still had a lot of work to do with controlling her temper. The Solar Princess crossed her forearms and pressed her chest into them to comfortably lean. “You really like him, don’t you?” Celestia put the question out there, deciding to meet her sister half-way figuratively. Luna gently paddled her hooves and hands to keep afloat in the moving water. “More than you know…” Luna finally admitted, to which she internally admitted to herself that it felt good to say that.   Silence evolved between them, Celestia smiling endearingly as her sister’s rather obvious revelation came to light. There were no Guards around so no one else could hear but them. "Fred cares about you. A lot, as you do him. I sincerely doubt that Fredrick will hold a grudge against you for a last-ditch lie like that, when under all the layers of your twattery was simple miscommunication. Either way, you two are going to have a lot to talk about and I support whatever decision you two come to amicably… And you should know that I’m always here to help you should you find yourself in need of advice. I know you’re new at this." "Did... Did he put you up to this?" Luna asked, taking her sister's words in. "No. In fact he asked me not to come and talk to you when I offered, as he wanted to do it himself. But to ensure the least amount of fallout, I felt it in best interest to see you anyway. Now, you two obviously have some important things to talk about but you’ll figure it out. You two work well together.” “Thank you Celly… and I’m sorry…” “Things happen, Luna. I think of you no differently nor do I love you any less. We’ve had fights much worse than this, not including the Nightmare Incident,” Celestia pointed out with a gentle smile. Indeed the two had innumerable fights throughout the years before Luna’s banishment. Most of them were shouting matches with their own royal voices but once in a great while, it was documented that a few arguments actually came to trading blows. Deep in the royal archives, there was actually a history book that detailed what was called the “Thirty-Minute War,” which listed the belligerents as “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria,” the outcome as “Nothing of value,” and the combined casualty figures as: “Two sprained hooves, one broken finger, one broken wing, two bruised horns, 2131 bits in property damage, Celestia’s favorite suit, Luna’s Pride, and thirty minutes of time.” That monetary figure was never corrected for inflation. As was the life of two sisters who love each other. “Am I a foal for overreacting so grossly?” Luna asked, nearly pleading for reassurance. “We come from a family of overreactors. I have my moments as well… although they’re for different aspects of life. I can’t keep this calm and motherly façade every waking minute!” Celestia pointed out. Luna gave a gentle laugh. “Well, thank you again for knocking sense into me. I think I shall go find Fredrick before he finds me,” Luna resolved. Celestia’s eyes were drawn elsewhere before moving back to her sister in the water. “Well you may be a bit out of luck on that one, Luna. Just be honest with each other and good luck!” Celestia called down, waving and exiting back into her sister’s room. Luna was stunned at her sudden exit and was about to call out to her when a certain human, clad in dark-green T-shirt and black shorts, had come back towards the castle after cresting a small hill overlooking the moat. He was known to go on walks outside and around castle grounds when he needed fresh air. Fredrick was as surprised to see her there as she was to see him so a small silence pervaded before the alicorn spoke first: “H-Hi Fredrick!” Luna waved and called out to her friend nervously. “Hey Luna… umm, going swimming?” he asked somewhat awkwardly, partly due to the central situation, but the rest due to being the first time he’s ever seen Luna swimming in her casual, sleeveless dress. “Indeed! It was just so hot I felt I needed to cool off! Certainly did the trick I might add!” Luna called back, still bobbing in the water casually. Fred could not help but see the humor in the situation. “But you’re in a dress…?” “Wait, you do not jump in the moat with your clothes on?” Luna asked with a look of disbelief completely covering her face, like he was the weird one. Fred shrugged. “I guess.” Fred was going to say more but Luna cut him off: “Fredrick, we really need to talk. May we?” “I was actually about to say and ask you the same thing. You should probably get out of the moat though,” he pointed out. Luna looked down and giggled at the ridiculousness of the situation before swimming to the edge. Fred carefully walked to meet her at the edge and help her out. As Luna got settled on solid ground once more, Fred could not help but forget the original situation at hand because he was too busy occupying his mind with the fact that Luna’s dress clung perfectly to her slim body, greatly pronouncing her breasts through the fabric. He was able to get away with eyeing her up as long as he did due to Luna wringing out her hair and setting it back to its ethereal state. “I shall teleport us back into my chambers. I need to dry off first and change my attire,” she commented, charging her horn. “Of course,” Fredrick readily agreed, and they immediately found themselves back in her room. He took a seat on her bed and Luna immediately beelined for the bathroom straight across, clean clothes in hand. When she went to close the door, however, it did not entirely click shut before she started undressing. From where he was sitting, that innocent crack between the door and the frame afforded Fred with a tiny bit of a show. He did not even have to adjust his position, but he was able to clearly see his best friend undress fully, though mostly veiled through the crack. He did catch a glimpse of one thing of his affections, and as much as he wanted to turn away out of respect for her, he could not summon the willpower to do so. That ass though… While Fredrick would readily admit that he was a “boob-guy,” he knew to give the booty the respect it deserved. The firm, succulently-curved posterior that Luna clearly possessed was more than enough eye-candy to supply his late night fantasies for about a week. While he would not complain in any case, given the choice, he’d easily choose the perfectly sized breasts (certainly sized in the human high D-cup range by his estimates) that were beholden to her. This really isn’t gonna make this conversation easier. After Luna had slipped on undergarments and her typical baggy long-sleeve, she exited the bathroom and found Fredrick gazing up at the spinning galaxy in her room, though leaning very oddly. Pitching a tent was not the greatest way to initiate a heart-to-heart. “So…” Luna initiated, sitting on the bed next to Fredrick who turned to face her; his raging hard-on finally gone through extraordinary willpower. As a result, he thought he might as well get straight to the point. From the way that she was speaking and how dejected she looked, Fred could only assume that she knew what he was going to ask. “Why did you lie about your heat?” “I did not do it intentionally, for it just sort of… happened. When you questioned me about my slightly more physical actions, I panicked, and that was the first thing on my mind, so I blurted it out, hoping the entire situation blew over,” Luna spoke from the heart. “That did not answer the question though… why did you feel the need to lie? Why were you panicking?” Because she likes you? Fredrick had the habit of not giving his inner thoughts and conscience more credit for their insight. That seemed like the only plausible solution but he did not like assuming things, lest he get the wrong idea and drive her away. “B-because… I am…” Luna was struggling to articulate more out of possible fallout from her words. It was now or never though. “Interested in you,” she immediately averted her gaze elsewhere, finding her floor pattern intricate and complex. On Fredrick’s side, however, he was processing those words: Told you, dumbass. Now, time to take it slow and choose your words wisely... “Well, it was bound to happen sometime…” he responded with a thousand thoughts in his head at once, scratching his neck nervously. The dejection in Luna’s eyes showed even clearer. Smoooooooooooooooth Criminal, Fred. Try again. “No! That’s not what I meant! I know what you’re thinking and that’s not what I meant at all! It’s just…” he took a breath and gathered his words. “What I meant to say was that… I feel the same. I like you too; I really like you actually, but I did not anticipate in my wildest dreams that we were on the same level, because I knew we would get there eventually. That’s what I meant, Luna,” he corrected himself completely, placing his hand over hers. Luna’s face was awash with relief and her cheeks colored at the gesture. “Y-You really feel the same?” she asked for clarification. Like when they first met, she needed the explicit words straight to her face. Her conviction only fueled his own: “Yes. A million times yes as long as you also feel the same,” he affirmed. “That means the same thing, Fred,” Luna said with a meek but joking tone. Fredrick realized that he indeed circled the implicit question back around. “Oh right… heh, my bad.” Luna giggled, the mood finally lightening at the short but direct conversation. Fred picked up the reins again: “So yeah… you didn’t have to lie to me, Luna. You should know through all of our mistakes that I’m open to getting closer, and well, you kinda know now,” he pointed out. Luna’s face visibly brightened and she scooted closer to him. “I’ll be sure to remember that,” she said with a genuine Luna-smile on her face. With the pleasantries and obvious findings out of the way, now came the real questions that would determine innumerable things in the future. “So, what happens now?” Fredrick asked. Were they together? Boyfriend/girlfriend? Boyfriend/Marefriend? What? “That… is the hardest question, actually,” Luna began pensively. “What I’m about to say right now may sound horrifically insensitive but there is reasoning behind it… mainly political.” “Go on…” Luna sighed and steeled her resolve for any negative reaction on Fredrick’s part. “Traditionally it is those of noble blood that can seek our hands in the courting process, though it is not an explicit law or requirement. Nevertheless if anypony outside of Celestia got wind of a relationship between us, especially since you’re not of this world, the press and the nobility would be in an uproar. Normally I could not, as you say, ‘give a single slow-roasted, jack-toasted fuck’ about the press, nor the nobility… as you have stood against my endless contemptuous rants about them both. As well, you know well that said nobility is quite vain and petty. This could cause serious fallout… but I could not care less about that. I could shrug it off… but, the nobility especially, would see to it that your life is miserable. Because of certain checks and balances, on top of government influence, Celestia and I do not have the power to silence them. Even if we could, by equal protections, they would have little incentive to obey. It is not fair to you, Fred, and I refuse to let that happen,” Luna admitted, her eyes displaying a window of sadness in her soul. So close, yet so far. “We could forego title? At least for public relations purposes,” Fredrick suggested. Luna almost looked offended by that remark. “Never. Fredrick, as my best friend, I care about you more than you truly know… if we were to officially take the next step I would not wish to hide like some coward. I would want to shout it to all of Equestria! The title in any relationship is the future-proof coating. Even if we went that route, one of us would be bound to say something outside of our bedrooms that we should not have… and it would all go downhill from there. Living like that would be horrible,” Luna rebutted. The two fell silent as they thought this entire scenario though. However, no other alternative was forthcoming, at least at that moment.   “I need to raise the moon. Would you mind waiting here for me?” Luna asked, standing up and moving to grab some pants. “Naturally. I’ll be here when you return,” Fred affirmed with a gentle grin, which she returned gratefully. The two held their eyes locked for about ten seconds before Luna had to leave for a little while. Alone, he exhaled a breath that he did not know he was holding and flopped back onto the bed, a somewhat peaceful smile on his face. After all, it had been confirmed: they both really like each other. This is awesome. Even so, he was still worried about the title situation. He too, had little idea where to go from here if the scenario Luna painted was indeed true, and from how passionate she spoke, it most certainly was… as well, his own personal experiences with the nobility would validate her story completely. “We’ll think of something. We always do,” he reassured himself as he stared into the spiral galaxy above, and there he laid until Luna’s eventual return and the onset of the night. The two had decided that after the day’s events, that they would keep each other company the rest of the night. The odd pair had assumed their usual ‘cuddle-stations’ with Luna’s head and right hand on his chest with body flush against his own, and Fred’s right hand running up and down her side. This time, however, the difference was that instead of comfortably resting, both sets of eyes were wide open and staring off into nothingness. They had remained this way for over two hours… just thinking. “Are you awake?” Luna asked softly. “Oh yeah.” “I do not suppose you have any ideas…?” Luna asked, hoping at least one of them could suggest somewhere to go from this point on. It was all just so confusing for the two friends. Luna snuggled closer into him, placing her face in his neck. Truth be told, however, both of them knew the best course of action at this point in time… in fact there were really only two ways to go. One was clearly unacceptable due to outside forces, and the other was perfectly clear as a result. “We’re going to have to remain just friends, huh?” Fred finally addressed the elephant in the room. Luna sighed, again, dejectedly. “Best friends. And so it would seem,” she nuzzled into his neck comfortably, though her action made his breath hitch just a little bit, especially when he could feel her rhythmic breathing against his skin. He helped pull her into him that much tighter. The two really did not know what else to say at this point… what was there to say? Any dialogue pertinent to the “conversation” at hand would only be an affirmation of what they already knew. She wanted to cry at the revelations, truly. Politics had to potentially ruin everything… but before she could allow herself to, she decided to change something up. The mood was depressing, and quite frankly, Luna could not take it anymore. Even if it meant only temporary relief, she decided to rely on the one method that instantly brightened spirits between she and Fredrick: She poked his stomach. Mainly out of reflex, Fred poked her side. The small gestures were nothing more than silly hand play but to them it was some sort of calming gesture between the two. Luna countered with a poke to his left pec. “We’re seriously doing this now?” Fredrick asked, curling his right hand around and poking the side of her stomach. “We are seriously doing this now, unless you concede defeat!” Luna exclaimed, poking his thigh. Fred poked her cheek, eliciting a giggle from the mare. She adjusted her position on her side and poked right where his belly-button was. He gave out some weird hitch at the odd feeling. “Button!” Fred refused to let that slide and he scooted over quickly, giving him full access to her from and poked hers in return, to which she gave the tiniest of shrieks. “Button.” The poking and counter poking continued for about thirty seconds and it increasingly became faster paced. For just this little bit of time, their original thoughts disappeared into a veil of glee. Luna decided to up the ante… one which Fredrick always hated. She poked exactly where his nipple would be. “Nipple!” Fred thought for a split second, but suddenly, his inner mind made the decision for him: Do it, fucker. “Oh! Know what?” Fredrick disregarded everything and poked Luna’s right breast through her shirt. Though the underlying bra got in the way he knew with some degree of accuracy where his target was. Luna squealed and pulled back in complete shock, clutching said breast with her hand, Fred with a smug look on his face. “Nipple.” “You dare touch the royal breasts?!” Luna yelled with fake anger. “I dare touch the royal breasts. What’cha gonna do? What. YOU. GONNA. DO?” Luna, without hesitation and with a determined grin, grabbed and squeezed his left inner thigh, which she found out in the past was his second most ticklish spot. The reaction was immediate as he lurched his upper body upward with a less than masculine shriek of surprise and laughter. He responded by latching his right hand onto her left side, which was one of her sensitive ticklish spots, eliciting a similar reaction. Soon, the poking fight devolved into a tickle fight until the two were in a jumbled heap of limbs. With their preliminary energy finally expended, the two giggled the rest away and laid back down. This time, however, they took slightly less-usual position, which was spooning. Luna snuggled her back into his warmth as much as she could and his draped arm fell on her semi-exposed stomach, gently tracing lines. Such positions would be counter to what the common opinion of Luna was: one who led justly yet with an iron fist. She was the definition of a fierce leader… not one who was the little spoon nor enjoyed being coddled. But that was just it: Luna loved her subjects, but she enjoyed the feeling of being cared for in return… and being pampered once in a while was never a bad thing in the slightest. “Sorry for touching your boobs…” Fred bluntly spoke out, causing Luna to nearly bust out laughing. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I antagonized it out of you and you finally took the initiative. I’m quite impressed.” “Wait, you actually didn’t mind?” Fredrick asked, completely mindblown. Luna rolled her eyes and instead of responding with words, she responded with actions. She took Fred’s left hand which was on her stomach and moved it straight onto her left breast. He froze up immediately. “No, I don’t mind because it was you who performed such an action,” Luna added with a smug grin, one which he could not see on account of their positioning. “Well, umm… okay,” he uttered all he could. At that point, he was attempting to make himself not look like an ass, and just ended up awkwardly cupping it, much to Luna’s humor. “Seriously, Fredrick, if you’re going to go for it, commit to it. Don’t half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing!” Fred had the complete green light, so he just needed to instantly check with his subconscious: Do it or you’re gay. Right then, he truly groped her by every definition and synonym of the word. The sudden shift caused an involuntary coo out of the Lunar Princess. “T-There you go… was that so difficult?” she asked sarcastically, shameless enjoying the attention her ‘girl’ was receiving. “Kinda hard when your best friend is the hottest mare in Equestria,” Fred replied bluntly, his inhibitions lowered by the entire situation… quite honestly both sets of inhibitions were quickly diminishing as time progressed. Luna giggled a very girly giggle… one that he had never heard before. “Doubtful, but something is certainly ‘kinda hard,’ currently,” Luna alluded, feeling a bulge near her ass that she did not notice was there before. Fred’s turn to roll his eyes. “That was the most cliche sounding allusion I’ve heard in my life.” “Shut it!” Luna replied and flexed her gluteal muscles, entrenching Fred’s clothed length, eliciting a strained groan from the poor fellow. “Damn how often do you work out!?” he asked, completely floored by the powerful grip she was able to summon with essentially her ass-cheeks and a modest pair of panties. “Enough for you to enjoy yourself, am I correct?” Luna asked coyly, peeking over her shoulder with an equally coy grin. She punctuated her words by wiggling her butt… just a bit. Another pleasure-filled groan. “I hate you… so much,” Fredrick uttered out half-heartedly. “Nay, that did not sound convinc—ooohh...” Luna’s teasing was cut off when Fred slipped his other arm under her body and gripped her other, neglected breast, squeezing them together. “You were saying?” he added with his own coy tone of voice, beginning to actively knead the perfect orbs through her bra. Luna bit her lower lip gently at the nice, stimulating feeling of her sensitive chest getting toyed with. Her heart was racing and her breathing was a bit more erratic than normal, but it was expected given the circumstances. On Fred’s end, he was faring no better. His member was pulsating painfully in the pleasureful prison in which it was held. Luna responded to his actions by pressing her ass tighter into his crotch. “I hate you as well…” Luna continued to grind her ass into Fred’s crotch while the latter refused to let up on fondling her boobs in return. Soon, however, he became a bit more adventurous and slipped his hands under both her shirt and bra, feeling the perfect orbs that he fantasized over night upon night in entirety. They felt nothing short of heavenly… perfect enough to cup with one hand each but still overflow his grips just a little. “Mmmmm… my, my, you have become quite the adventurer…” Luna commented, eating up all the attention and nearly forgetting to continue her own reciprocations. “Implying you aren’t enjoying yourself,” Fred quipped in return. Luna moved his hands away and did something that he could not decipher… at least until Luna pulled her bra out from under her shirt and tossed it into the darkness. She looked back over and gave him a purely lust-filled grin. He had full access now. Naturally, he took complete advantage of that. The two friends continued their actions incessantly; Luna working and gyrating her hips onto Fred’s impossibly hard member while she enjoyed feeling of her sensitive boobs getting preferential treatment by his hands, especially when his fingers lightly pinched or brushed over her nipples. Eventually, however, Luna just could not take it anymore and needed to do something… something she wanted to do for a long, long time: She turned completely around, faced the now questioning Fred, and then smashed her muzzle against his face, their lips locking instantly in a fiery kiss that soon turned into an open-mouthed make-out with the Princess on top. Luna giggled as her larger tongue easily overpowered his own. They separated momentarily to catch much needed, life-giving air. “Your tongue-game is weak,” Luna commented jokingly before she dove back in for seconds, grabbing his shirt and balling her hands up into fists. He scoffed while she continued her oral assault on his own mouth, before breaking away for the same purpose. “Be sure to say that to me when I’m kissing your other lips,” Fredrick threw sarcasm back at her and pulled her back down to meet his mouth. She laughed hard before being occupied yet again. Yet a third time, they broke apart. “Not tonight… I want to enjoy this!” Luna replied and threw her tongue back into the fray of their two connected mouths. The room was full of subtle groans, pants, and the smacking sound of relentless kisses of varying degrees of lust and intensity. It was clear that this was long overdue for the both of them. Soon enough though, they lost their energy, and though painfully aroused, knew that a line had to be drawn. “Best friends, huh?” Fredrick asked sarcastically as they resumed the positions they were in when they first laid down, gentle pants escaping both of their battered mouths. Both even had a mark or two on their necks. “I feel I’ve been convinced enough to not see an immediate, pressing issue with such status,” Luna replied, resting her eyes, a dopey grin on her face. Though both were completely satisfied for the night, however, one question remained: “I um… so was this a one-time thing?” Fred asked. “Did you really want it to be?” Luna asked half-heartedly. “N-Not really, actually.” She laughed knowingly. “I did not think so, and I too wish to continue our ‘friendly adventures,’ as time goes on. You are the only one I would consider such an endeavor with at any rate, Fredrick,” Luna admitted endearingly with a smile. Both were in agreement that this did not have to necessarily end due to the situation they were in. If that were the case, then, staying “best friends” really did not seem all that bad. Fred tried to find some moral wrong with the situation but he really could not. Both of them were consenting adults, both trusted and cared for each other, and they saw each other as necessary parts of each other’s lives and not just for attraction purposes… so the fear of a ‘friends with benefits’ quagmire was looking increasingly unlikely, much to his relief. “Likewise, Luna. Likewise.” Luna smiled and nuzzled the side of his face with her own before resting on him once more. After one more open-mouthed goodnight kiss, the two wordlessly let themselves fall into sleep’s grasp completely satisfied that disaster had, so far, been staved off. Best friends they remained for the day, but they mutually unlocked the fire-filled passion within them that would be guaranteed to ignite new possibilities and adventures. Fredrick nor Luna could really wait until the next day… > Part IV. Closer > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part IV: Closer There was no grand opening as the sun rose the next day... it was nothing out of the ordinary in all honesty. The atmosphere around the castle was the status quo and the freshly risen sun was not shining its light in celebration... in fact, it was actually raining. Princess Luna had quietly snuck out of her room, so as to not disturb Fredrick, so she could lower the moon. Both she and Celestia were a bit groggy, so the latter did not notice anything different, which was good, because Luna was not keen on announcing the new pep in her step. The teasing from her sister would be relentless. Instead, the two quickly performed what they needed to do and retired back to their chambers to sleep in... as was the beauty of a Sunday morning. With that task complete, Luna crept back into her room and snuggled back up with Fredrick, who happened to have rolled onto his side. This time, she played the big spoon and fell asleep with her chest pressed against his back and her arms wrapped around his midsection. Luna never really understood the term "sleeping-in" until she actually switched her schedule to that of a normal pony... then she truly understood how gratifying the feeling was, especially on days like this particular Sunday. Rainy weather was perfect sleeping and cuddling atmosphere, and from what the forecast detailed, there would be a steady downpour until the evening. Perfect. About four hours later, just slightly after ten in the morning, Fred was still fast asleep... the best sleep of his life after the previous night's events. He was unfortunately roused when unknown sounds pervaded his dream, and upon waking slightly, he realized he was being talked to: "Freeeeeeeed..." Luna's voice softly cooed in his ear. He loved his friend with all of his life and heart but she could wait, goddammit. Sleep called. So, he attempted to fall back asleep. Luna, quantifiably much more stubborn than Fredrick could ever hope to be, was unphased. "Freddieee..." she continued, this time using his pet name, which he was not particularly fond of. He was the exact opposite of most people who had a longer, slightly more obscure name. He preferred the full "Fredrick," though he never truly cared if Celestia or Luna called him Fred. Luna began rubbing one of her hands up and down his chest and abdomen to help rouse him. She was refusing to let him fall back into dreamland. This bitch is relentless. Fred groaned but Luna would still have none of it. She pulled his side down so he rested on his back and she straddled him, her knees on either side of his hips. She bent down again and continued her whispering onslaught: "Come on, Fredrick... wake up. Wake up, wake up wake up," she bounced slightly. She was certainly spry today.  He sarcastically wondered why that was. Fred continued to treat this like any minor problem in his life: if he ignored it, it would eventually go away. The problem was that Luna would not back down from this little 'challenge.' She decided to resort to extreme measures. Luna pressed her face into his neck and began nuzzling and kissing him teasingly, before moving up to his face and planting her lips right on his, giving a gentle moan. She knew exactly what she was doing. FINE! Finally, Fredrick groggily opened his eyes to see his best friend's lips upon his own, so he reciprocated just a bit to let her know that he was indeed stirring. She pulled back with a victorious gaze. "Huzzah! He lives!" "I thought the point of Sundays was to sleep in," he grumbled, scooting his back up against the headboard. Luna moved herself so he could do so, but immediately replaced herself upon his now sitting form and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing the edge of her horn on his forehead and looking into his eyes endearingly, before pulling him into a soft kiss. However, it quickly became more than that when she began tugging his lower lip with her teeth, giggling. Clearly, Luna was ignoring his words entirely. "Well good morning to you too," Fredrick sarcastically greeted, noticing how giddy and bubbly she was... a trait usually not associated with the Lunar Princess in such large amounts. "A good morning indeed," Luna replied before diving in again and parting his lips with her tongue. However, after a few seconds, Fred pulled back, fake-gagging and clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "Ugh, you've got morning breath," he commented. Luna, not offended in the slightest, stared back with one eyebrow raised. "You do not give a shit," she uttered confidently and smugly. Fredrick looked way thoughtfully. "No, I guess I don't." Luna giggled and the two went at it for a few more seconds before separating. This time, Fredrick was not content on letting his friend do all the work. He suddenly reversed their positions, flipping Luna onto her back and laying down on her. The latter laughed with delight and was more than comfortable in the new, ‘submissive’ position with Fredrick looking down on her. The human smiled down upon his greatest friend in the world and she returned the gesture in full with one of her own. Both of their eyes, locked together and subtly communicating with each other, revealed a certain sense of relief and happiness of where they were now. So different were these two… one being a ruler and the other being a completely different species entirely… yet so kindred where they fit perfectly in equilibrium. They wouldn’t have it any other way. “Pray tell, what is on your mind??” Luna asked as she ran the fingers of her left hand through Fredrick’s hair. Her right held onto his shoulder, and they never broke eye contact. “You,” he answered honestly and with a grin. The Lunar Princess, as much of a hard-ass she could be, could not help but viciously blush at that comment. In fact, she attempted to look away and cover her face but instead settled on wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his face into her chest in a tight, gleeful hug. While Fredrick would normally not be one to complain about getting his face smothered in Luna’s fabric-covered cleavage, he’d rather do so when he was not being deprived of air due to his best friend’s alicorn strength. “Awww! Why do you insist on being so sweet and making me blush!” Luna ‘protested’ jubilantly. She was getting curious as to why he was not responding to her jesting, like he normally did… that was until she realized that Fredrick was frantically ‘tapping out’ on the pillow. Luna finally released him and he breathed deeply. “Let’s… try that again later… with different context,” he joked subtly through his breaths. Regardless, even being deprived of air and with the obstruction of a shirt, the sensation was quite pleasurable. He then laid down next to her. “What do you mean about…” Then Luna understood immediately. “Ooooooooooooohh.” She punctuated her understanding with another uncharacteristically feminine giggle. Once that little spell subsided she looked to her right and shot him a mischievous gaze. “Technically it is later…” Luna mused as she gripped the bottom of her shirt and in one fluid motion, took it off completely. Fredrick’s eyes grew to the figurative size of dinner plates due partially to the very forward action, but mostly due to Luna being left in nothing but an indigo-colored bra and matching panties. “I… umm… Wow. Is..?” He was fumbling over his words and Luna raised her right brow. “You seem displeased…” “Not at all! It’s just that you’re being so forward now… I’m just not used to it since we’ve slowly worked our way to where we are now.” “Are you implying that I am being ‘easy?’” Luna again asked, with noticeable irritation rising in her voice. “NO! That’s absolutely NOT what I meant at all, Luna… you know as well as I that… well it’s just that we’re…” Fred looked up and found Luna trying to hold back her laughter through pursed lips. “Goddammit, Luna.” The mare in question immediately busted out with a mighty guffaw, the poor fellow rolling his eyes and laying down while she continued to laugh hysterically. “God I hate you,” Fred put out half-heartedly. “I do apologize, my dearest… but you are simply adorable when flustered,” Luna said with a few residual chuckles before leaning over the grumpy human and planting a sweet kiss on his lips. Fredrick was moving to deepen the action but Luna pulled away and (with some purposeful sway in her hips) strut towards her liquor closet. From Fred’s perspective, all grievances were forgiven when he got treated to an eyeful of 'indigo panties riding up that perfect ass.' Her cutie marks were perfectly framed. “Gin?” Luna offered, holding a familiar handle of the liquor that the two had drinken from on many occasions in the past. She held the bottle in her right hand and two glasses of ice in her left, the orientation of her arms pressing her breasts together. Fred blinked a few times in confusion and to clear his thoughts.   “It’s barely after ten in the morning,” he pointed out incredulously. “And…?” Luna begged the question, as if, again, he was the weird one for asking. “Hell yeah I want gin.” Luna nodded and poured them both a fourth of a glass and added in just the right amount of “Green Apple Tonic.” Vivid, pleasant memories flashed through the Lunar Princess’s mind as she mixed the two concoctions, namely the first time she and Fredrick drank together. It was about two and a half months into their friendship and on a typical night in her room, she decided to open the liquor cabinet and bring out a bottle of wine. The two then shared the entire bottle on Luna’s balcony under the night sky, and with some inhibitions lowered due to alcohol, they were able to find out more about each other. In fact, that was the night that Fredrick was treated to Luna’s history of her banishment and the ‘Nightmare’ incident, unabridged. The two became even closer after that night. Luna returned to reality and brought the two freshly made drinks over to Fred, handing him one before she took her place sitting on his lap. “To a bright future,” Fredrick initiated a toast. Luna giggled and clinked her glass against his own. “To a bright future.” The two took a couple modest sips and recoiled a bit at the aftertaste as the drink slid down their gullets. After enjoying a few more sips in each other’s intimate embrace, Luna decided to bring up an important question: “Do you feel we are progressing too fast?” she asked seriously. Fredrick took a few moments to collect his thoughts and actually think about the question. Luna was patient as he turned his head away pensively before turning back to her a few moments later. “Do you feel we are?” he threw the question back at her. He felt that he knew the right answer… but he felt ashamed to admit it, so he thought it would be best to take the coward’s way out and have her give her opinion before he gave his own. This time, it was her turn to become thoughtful. “Honestly… with everything you and I have been through and how well we just ‘click,’ I might sort of feel that we have just a bit of… catching up to do,” Luna admitted, much to Fredrick’s surprise. This also explained, mostly, her more forward behavior and quite frankly, he took little issue with her response, as he had intended to say something similar. Perhaps as a man, he was more than thrilled to hear such words, because it opened up a realm of new possibilities. As her friend, again, he tried to find some moral wrong, but came up empty-handed. With some basic soul searching, he concluded that he had little problem in being where she wanted to be. After all, without any limitations, the two would be officially ‘together.’ “I’m okay with that,” Fredrick affirmed. “More than okay, actually. I guess we think alike,” he punctuated with a genuine grin. He knew he made the right choice… the warmth that radiated through his heart upon seeing Luna’s face light up with pure happiness could not possibly have lied to him. It was then that he realized how much he truly cared for the stunning mare sitting on his lap, said mare pulling herself closer and nuzzling her cheek against his affectionately. Running out of things to say, which did not bother her in the slightest, she pecked his cheek and the two finished their drinks in soothing silence. “So, what do you wanna do on this temperate, rainy day?” Fredrick asked, the glasses having been put aside. Luna resumed her position on his lap, her left hand wrapped around his neck. “Hmmm… nothing really strikes my thoughts. Then it shall be so! We shall do nothing!” Luna proclaimed in a very ‘royal’ tone, sticking her right hand out like a royal decree. She looked ridiculous, given her current attire… ridiculously cute, that is. “So… then that means you woke me up to do absolutely nothing?” Fred jokingly asked her. “I would rather do nothing with someone else than do nothing by myself, is that so much to ask for?” “Where have you been all my life?” he asked, disbelievingly. Her plan sounded amazing to be honest. “Right in front of your nose, simply waiting for you to make a damn move,” Luna replied, poking the tip of his nose with her finger. “Seriously? You seriously expected me to make a move… on a Head of State?” “You are from a dimension and world in which the male tends to initiate the courting process, while here it is the exact opposite. Truth be told I felt it would make you more comfortable if you were left to make the move… so I dropped as many hints as I could, until they were blatantly obvious. And then yesterday happened, I had to take the initiative, and now here we are!” Luna explained. “That… actually makes a lot of sense.” “I figured it would, Fredrick. Now, let us get started on doing nothing, hmmm?” she proposed. As a result, the two found themselves in their usual snuggle spots, with Luna tracing lines on his chest and stomach, while his hand rested comfortably, this time, on her butt. The two comfortably rested their eyes or stared off into space as the pattering of the rain against the balcony door provided soothing white noise. No words were exchanged, only little bits of affections such as a stolen kiss or a sensual rub. this went on for an undetermined amount of time until Fredrick decided to be a little more adventurous by giving Luna’s butt a nice firm squeeze. His fingers sunk into the flesh of her right cheek and he could feel the exquisitely toned muscles under the smallest layer of fat that gave the object of his affections the perfect curvature. Luna squeaked lightly and giggled, satisfied that Fred seemed to be losing his fear of touching her a bit more intimately. She did have to give credit where credit was due… he was not going straight for the kill, in a manner of speaking, like most stallions would with any mare given the opportunity. No, he was savoring every inch of ground that he took and ensuring that it was okay with her. Luna honestly could not be more grateful. Spurred on by her reaction, he began kneading his friend’s ass, his thumb providing most of the pressure as he worked the muscle underneath like a very sensual massage. The Lunar Princess could not help but shudder in small bouts of pleasure as he worked his fingers perfectly. “Mmmmm, that feels nice…” Luna cooed, closing her eyes and merely savoring his touch. In return, her hand moved down toward the hem of his shirt and slid under it. Against his bare skin, her hand returned to its position on his chest, running her palm rhythmically over his stomach and pecs. He went a little further and ever so slightly yanked on the base of her tail, eliciting an adorable cross between a squeak and a moan. “I can safely say this now: you have the most perfect ass, Luna.” she smiled against his chest as he continued his work. “Squats do a mare wonders. I thank you for the compliment but you know as well as I that you harbor affinity for other ‘assets,’” she alluded. This was quickly becoming hotter and heavier, and neither of their minds wished for its ending. “Hmmmm, maybe you’re right,” Fredrick jokingly mused. He kneaded both cheeks of her toned rear a few more times before giving her a little smack. A much heartier giggle was the result. “Oh, I know I’m correct,” she affirmed, releasing herself from their embrace so she could sit up. Once he turned to see what she was up to, Luna cupped both of her bra-clad breasts and squeezed them together, looking down upon her own assets with feigned interest. She knew perfectly well he could not look away, nor would he want to look away. She wanted him to stare… to drink up her entire body with his eyes and imagine every terrible thing he wanted to do to her at this very moment. “It’s interesting,” she continued, kneading her own breasts through her slowly but steadily increasing arousal. “You have already been able to touch them… yet you have not even been able to see them. Perhaps we should remedy that,” she proposed innocently as she locked her eyes… those lustful teal-blue orbs… with his own and let her fingers force the left bra-strap down her shoulder. On his end, his mind was already well and gone in the throes of lust. With an impossibly hard bulge-tent hybrid forming through his shorts, Fredrick was eagerly awaiting the next couple of moments… he could finally see the objects which had caused him so many wet dreams and ‘late-night escapades.’ “But look at this, Fredrick. Here I am in my undergarments and you are still in all of your clothing. Perhaps we should ‘level the playing field’ once more,” Luna hinted as she crawled over him and began helping him move his shirt up his torso. “I like the sound of that,” he replied while simultaneously getting his shirt off and having it tossed aside. Then, Luna was able to press both of her hands onto his chest (though not straddling him again) and run them all over, memorizing every little curve and mapping his body in her head. Going further and without much more convincing, he unbuttoned his shorts and swiftly took them off and tossed them aside in one movement, leaving him merely in his boxer shorts. “And so the field has been leveled,” Fredrick decreed. Luna was immediately drawn to the disturbance down south. “Leveled indeed… but it appears we have our fulcrum,” she eyed the tent hungrily while Fred rolled his eyes. “Christ, Luna... These innuendos are terrible,” Fred joked. Luna attempted to look angry but could not. She had an extreme amount of difficulty in being any way miffed at the human. “Indeed, they are fairly terrible are they not?” she readily agreed. The two then locked eyes again and Luna leaned over him, initiating an open-mouthed kiss. She fell upon him, her body completely flush atop of his own, and he was free to roam her backside as he saw fit. Naturally, his hands clasped to both sides of her ass, returning to his old job of massaging yonder posterior before he slid them up and down her back. Once his hand reached the clasp of her bra, Luna’s own hand fell atop of his. She broke the kiss and smiled deviously down at Fred before she helped him undo the clasp with a single movement. With that out of the way, she sat back up again and supported her bra by cupping her breasts teasingly, biting her lip for extra effect which Fredrick found unbelievably sexy. Believing she had teased him enough, and nearly begging for his reaction, she nudged the straps off with a few shoulder movements and finally let the cups fall. Fredrick let out an enormous breath as he finally gazed upon her bare boobs in all their glory. Luna tossed the bra aside and allowed him to just take in their sight: round and perky, perfectly supported and with the small nipples that were just a shade darker than her skin/coat. His stunned silence and literal jaw dropping were all the assurance she needed. “Well, you are not limited to just looking at them,” Luna implied, and Fredrick immediately sat up and placed both of his hands on his prizes. The Princess sighed out contentedly as she felt his fingers immediately begin working her two sizeable orbs and his mouth connect with hers. He never let up on his touch as their tongues comfortably battled for domination of their shared mouths… kneading her breasts with all five fingers, squeezing them together and apart, and ensuring her sensitive nipples were not in the slightest neglected by pinching them between his digits. Every movement change elicited a different sound from the Lunar Princess… his Lunar Princess. Every squeeze drew out a curt but high-pitched moan into his mouth, while a pinch elicited a short little squeak. The right amount of kneading would force Luna to separate and sigh out pleasurably before intaking air. This time, Luna decided to up the ante. Her hand lowered towards his boxers and, without hesitation, palmed Fredrick’s tent, ensuring her palm was flush against his length. The reaction was immediate and he ended up squeezing her boobs together a bit harder, forming a wondrous valley of cleavage, which also had Luna moan more heavily into his mouth. Fredrick himself could barely contain the gruff sighs of pleasure that escaped into Luna’s maw as she began running her palm up and down his covered length. The two separated for some much needed air, though that did not call for the ceasing of their other workings. “God… these are absolutely perfect,” Fredrick felt the need to comment, grabbing two handfuls of titflesh. “Mmmm… they’re all yours, Fredrick,” she replied hungrily. Something about the way she said those words drove the man wild, and he ended up pushing her back onto the bed with him on top. She giggled in arousal as he lowered his body flush against hers, much like she did with him, and continued cupping her breasts. His weight felt quite comfortable on her and if he wanted to do the work, she was most certainly not going to argue at this point… especially when he took her right nipple into his mouth. She involuntarily gasped and shuddered as she exhaled, a soft, yet long moan escaping her mouth. There was little she could do to reciprocate so she settled on running her hands up and down his back for encouragement. Time continued on and Fredrick did not let up; in fact, he became gradually firmer as he alternated between both of her boobs, ensuring they received equal attention from his mouth and tongue while the ‘temporarily neglected’ one was constantly kneaded and toyed with. Luna so desperately wanted to rub herself as he continued but their positioning would make that quite an awkward experience… and she dared not ask him to reposition, at least not yet. She was enjoying this way too much. On Fred’s side, he was having the time of his life… oh how he had dreamed of doing this to his best friend and now here he was. It was so much better than his imagination could ever hope to conjure… the feel of her perfect breasts, the ever-so-slightly salty yet not unpleasant (in the slightest) taste of her skin as he swirled his tongue over her nipple, and the feeling of Luna writhing and moaning beneath him every time he kneaded, licked, or sucked. He personally did not feel that he would get so much pleasure and so much arousal out of performing a one-sided sexual act but then again, perhaps there was a lurking variable that attributed to that. Fredrick was in no mood to question that and continued his onslaught. Things changed, however, when he could detect the gentle bucking of Luna’s hips. Fredrick decided to try something. The idea seemed to work in his head and he was certainly flexible enough to do so. After releasing her left nipple from his mouth, he levitated his body a little bit off of her and brought his right knee up between her legs, never breaking eye-contact. While he had to bend down a bit more awkwardly, he was more than willing to make the sacrifice. Once his hard knee pressed up against Luna’s covered (and soaked) slit, a wash of pleasurable relief crossed her features. Shooting the man above her a naughty grin, she began slowly grinding herself against his appendage as he attempted to continue his previous actions. He found it a bit more difficult than anticipated due to their positioning, so in the end he could only resort to toying with her boobs, but he made up for some of the loss by pressing his lips to Luna’s once more. Luna ground her needy mound against his steady knee while their tongues wrestled and his hands worked her boobs, but Luna then realized that he was in a perfect position for reciprocation. She brought her right hand up and gripped his shaft through his boxer shorts and began pumping him in a perfect, synchronous rhythm with her grinding. It was his turn to let out a few moans at that point, and he desperately wanted to say something… something sexy. However, he had enough judgement to know that, while dirty talk could enhance the experience, it could also completely shatter the mood if the wrong meaning was conveyed. The feeling of Luna speeding up her rhythmic grinding shattered those thoughts and he was content on the only sounds pervading the room being their sounds of ecstasy. Eventually, however, he had to use one of his hands to support himself in that position. Can’t win them all. His knee was as soaked as her slit and her panties were an entire shade darker as a result… his boxers were not spared either if the enormous dark-spot was evidence enough. Both of their once perfect rhythms became slowly more erratic and pleasure-filled moans more frequent and higher in pitch. Luna’s brain was pure mush right now. So close… so CLOSE… Of all the times she rubbed herself off to his image, this was incomprehensible in comparison. This would certainly be her greatest orgasm in several thousand years and it was not even noon yet. To her, it also seemed like Fredrick was going to burst. She was on the edge… a few more movements and she’d be lost to the deepest circles of euphoria. In her last bit of rational thought that remained, she moved to remove his shaft from the confines of his boxers… *KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK* The loud knocks interrupted everything and all movement ceased. Their minds both cleared up instantaneously and they both looked at each other, startled. “Princess Luna?” a Guard called from the outside. You’re kidding… You’re kidding right? Luna thought as her former pleasure was being converted into anger. Fredrick’s thoughts were fairly similar: I wonder what the maximum sentence for murder is in Equestria? “Princess??” The fairly-young sounding Guard called again. Luna praised herself for not forgetting to lock her door. “What is it, Soldier?” Luna attempted to reply ‘normally,’ taking enormous strain to not lace her words with malice. “Princess Celestia is summoning you to her study. There’s an urgent diplomatic matter to tend to.” Luna deadpanned and her eye twitched. Fredrick got off of her and looked at her worriedly, as she looked like she was going to go on a rampage. To do list: 1. Punch Celestia in the crotch. 2. Declare war on whomever caused a diplomatic matter. “Very well. Tell her I shall arrive in ten minutes.” “Yes Princess!” he called back and he presumably walked off to deliver the message. Luna, however, was devastated and pissed off beyond belief. If it was any other matter, she could refuse and go back to enjoying her future orgasm in peace. However, diplomatic matters that required both Princesses to be there… it must be important. Duty called. “I… am so sorry, Fredrick,” she said with a pleading tone, pulling him into a kiss and an embrace. “It’s okay, Luna. I figured your job would cockblock us in the future… just not so soon. Hey, you are a Princess after all,” Fredrick replied, equally annoyed but very understanding. This was nonnegotiable. “I am eternally grateful for your understanding, my dearest… and ‘cockblock?’” she questioned the phrase. “I do not believe that fits my individual purpose…” “Cuntstunted?” he suggested. Luna snapped and pointed to him with enlightenment. “That works!” she exclaimed, removing herself from his grasp and off the bed to change and get decent. If this matter was urgent, she was not going to shower. They could all rot in Tartarus for all she cared. “I promise we shall continue this later… the day is still young, after all,” Luna alluded with a wink and biting her lip. That was some consolation for the quickly-becoming blue-balled Fredrick. His mind began wandering. “Mmmm I look forward to tonight then,” he replied, embracing Luna once more before she inevitably teleported him back to his room. “Likewise, my stud.” She pecked his lips once and he got one last view of her nearly-nude body as he felt the instantaneous sensation of magic being acted upon him. In a blink of an eye, he found himself alone in his room, which was much cooler in temperature for obvious reasons. Alone and with proper soundproofing, he only let out one word laced with as much irritation a blueballed man could muster: “FUCK!” > Part V. Relief > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part V. Relief: After cussing out the overseers of the universe in every linear combination of every profane word he knew, Fredrick had to end up taking care of the biggest problem at hand: his raging hard-on that was on the verge of sweet, sweet relief due to the efforts of whom he deemed as the sexiest mare alive. While the case of blue-balls the previous night was manageable (especially when he had to remove himself from the bed's comfort to drain his bladder; he ended up draining his loins as well for good measure), this particular case was completely nonnegotiable. Three minutes in the bathroom was all Fred needed to drop one of the largest loads he had in years... still unsatisfying since it was his own hand rather than the mare of his affection's. Once the deed had been taken care of completely, now came the hard (but certainly not the hardest) part: actually figuring out what to do to occupy his time for the rest of the day. Clearly, his first choice of bugging Luna was out of the question; he was not asked to return to his post so actual 'job work' could also be excluded... so possibly... "Maybe I should work out," he thought out loud to himself. He honestly had nothing better to do on his mind, and after grabbing an early lunch from the dining hall, he might as well make some productive use of his time... productivity which fed directly back into his own body. After all, he sort of, though unofficially, had a mare to please. He remembered her clearly stating that whatever time he had managed to devote to exercising had paid off to at least some noticeable degree, and she got a kick out of it. Why not? Who knows what he could potentially accomplish if he devoted enough time to even a meager schedule. Alright, I guess it's time to stop being lazy then... After a most pleasant shower and another relief-session because quite frankly, he felt like it, he dressed himself modestly in some loose-fitting pants and a casual shirt. Fred had to settle just a tad since, upon inspection, he realized that his clothes were not gathered and teleported with him. It did not matter in the slightest, as he could always retrieve them later. All preparation work finished, he strode down the hall with another bout of new-found confidence, being sure to acknowledge the occasional guard or maid that he crossed paths with on the way to the dining hall. "Hope Luna was able to solve whatever problem came about..." [Celestia's Office: Conference Room] "So, allow me to clarify the situation, Celly," Luna's voice permeated the study after their guests had left, irritation and incredulity lacing every word that had the honor of leaving her maw. "You had to drag me from the comfort of my room on a day off due to what was supposed to be an 'urgent matter of diplomacy.' Forgive me, but I do not believe 'emergency exploration rights' fits my personal definition of an URGENT MATTER," Luna raised her voice as she rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger. "I'm sorry, Luna... but the Griffon Kingdom, which is our ally, needed permission to continue exploring certain mineral deposits when said deposits were also in our borders. Speculators had accidentally crossed our border and to prevent an incident, they contacted us to warn us of the error and to simultaneously ask if they could continue exploration. Unfortunately that requires both of our approvals," Celestia explained. Luna could not really argue with that unfortunately, but that did not mean that she had to like it. Her older sister took a whiff of the air. "Lu, I understand that due to the 'urgency' of the situation, you did not necessarily have time to make yourself fully presentable but you smell like death-incarnate mixed with sweat and something else I can't place my finger on... what in Tartarus were you doing at eleven in the morning in your room??" she asked, her vernacular becoming much more informal now that they were alone. Now, this was interesting. While Luna knew she could come perfectly clean with Celestia (with minor teasing of course), she did not particularly feel like revealing details. "I was exercising in the comfort of my room," she lied. Celestia raised her right eyebrow. "When do you ever exercise in your room? You always go to the castle weight room. I even join you a fair amount of the time and so does Fredrick," the Solar Alicorn countered. Luna had to think fast, and in her fast thinking, recalled something that infuriated everypony: "Bastards curling in the goddamn squat racks!” Luna blurted out impulsively. Celestia’s face donned a weirded-out expression, due to the unexpectedly spry outburst. “Luna, you know full well that I implemented a policy where curling in the squat racks is punishable by a year in prison. No one does it anymore because there’s no cure for being an ass. What you could tell me, though, is that you and Fredrick were getting it on and were rudely interrupted when my messenger came to get you, unaware of the situation,” Celestia so accurately replied. If a smug look could kill ponies, Celestia’s face would have committed genocide. “H-HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS?!” Luna asked, completely dumbfounded, her hand motions conveying the utmost frustration. “I lied about not being able to place that last smell, just as you lied to me just now. You’re glowing. Also, you reek of arousal and I’m not entirely sure whether or not our Griffon guests could pick it up… Tartarus I sincerely hope they could not.” “I am more concerned with the fact that you know what my arousal smells like, Celly,” Luna came back, a disturbed complexion adorning her features. The white alicorn rolled her eyes. “Mostly because upon your return, when you rediscovered self-pleasure you had the habit of not washing your damn hands every now and then, Luna.” “AND YOU DID NOT TELL ME THIS?!” Luna asked, completely flabbergasted and embarrassed. “Really, because I’m sure you’d have reacted well if I told you ‘Hey Lu, if you frig yourself and don’t wash your hands, other ponies could potentially smell something.’ That would’ve done wonders for your confidence, huh?” Celestia’s sarcasm went through the roof. Luna threw up her hands in exasperation and leaned back into her chair. “T’was not my fault I was always needed at the most inopportune times… SUCH AS TODAY,” she pointed out the parallels. Today was just great so far… and it was not helpful that she was still sexually frustrated beyond belief. All her thoughts ran back to her human friend: My job may not be negotiable, but Fredrick shall have a job tonight that will certainly be nonnegotiable… Indeed, Princess Luna was going to ensure getting up for work tomorrow would be a laborious task. Due to her being buried in her thoughts, she did not entirely notice that Celestia was resting her chin on her hand, staring smugly at her. “So I take it you two found… common ground?” Celestia began alluding. With the truth revealed—though not by Luna’s doing—the teasing had officially begun. “Aaaand here we go…” Luna braced herself, rubbing her eyes with her fingers again. “So, what went down? Or should I ask, who went down?” “Very well, get it out of your system already.” [Fredrick’s Room. Seven o’clock in the evening.] “Yeah… that wasn’t a good idea,” Fred muttered out in pain as he laid face-down on his bed. On top of him, straddling his lower back was the Lunar Princess applying her hands to his upper back, massaging him tenderly. Her hands (with very light doses of painkiller magic) worked at his upper-back and neck diligently, doing the best that she could to soothe his pulled muscles. Fred, despite the pain, was in heaven: a gorgeous mare, clad in sweat pants and a loose shirt, was expertly massaging him… and it felt absolutely incredible. Few could truly ask for more in such a situation. “You are still an idiot,” Luna deadpanned, though she really did enjoy soothing his pain and bringing him pleasure. After a while though, she resolved to lightly wrap her arms around his neck and lay down on his back. She nuzzled her face into the back of his neck and on Fredrick’s end, he was quite comfortable. After the meeting had finally adjourned, Luna had decided herself to catch a much needed shower and to catch up on some paperwork. Once that was done, she went off in search of the human… her human. That was when she found him in the castle weight room, and she was lucky to have arrived at that time. Fredrick messed up his form attempting a back exercise, thus, straining his muscles. “Thank you, my dear,” Fred spoke up after a while, the two just resting on each other. “Anytime,” Luna comfortably replied back. Fred then rolled over onto his back to allow Luna to rest on his front. After the relatively simple maneuver and the repositioning of arms, her chest was pressed against his own and the two locked eyes, both pairs holding untold amounts of admiration, respect, and ultimately love for the other. Of course, Fred’s eyes were tested a bit since Luna’s shirt rode down her chest a bit. Her boobs were pressed tightly against his chest, creating a magnificent display of cleavage. Even so, however, her teal-blue eyes were wonders of their own, and in fact, were the first attribute that piqued his interest all those months ago. He placed his hands on her butt, right where her cutie marks would be. “You do realize that I do not mind if you stare, Fredrick,” Luna pointed out, witnessing his struggle. “It would be rude to break eye contact in a moment like this,” Fred replied, leaning up and nuzzling his nose with hers. She returned the sweet gesture in kind with a smile on her face. Unable to help himself by how cute he deemed she was acting, Fredrick placed one of his hands behind her head and pulled her down to him, letting their lips lock together. Luna cooed gently into his mouth as she pushed back with equal kissing-force. Joined at the mouth, the two’s lips worked together for a while before Luna’s tongue prodded—no—demanded entrance into his mouth. Having no intention to deny her, he opened up and there began a gentle duel of tongues as they continued making out. Fredrick’s hands found their way back down to Luna’s ass and began the kneading process that she seemed to enjoy so much. Soon enough, however, their lips separated with a rather sexy-sounding ‘smack’ and Luna leaned in to whisper into his ear: “I trust we’re going to continue where we left off?” she eagerly voiced… perhaps a bit too eagerly. She even punctuated her statement with a light lick on the perimeter of his ear. “Eager, are we?” he joked, though truth be told he was just as, if not more, eager as she. Luna did not answer with words, but with actions, as she started kissing and nipping at his neck. Although not particularly sensitive for Fredrick, the anticipation of what would come next was what sent shivers down his spine. Reciprocating, he became a bit more daring by moving his right hand between his and Luna’s bodies, between her legs, and palming her firmly. The effect was instantaneous as Luna’s breath hitched. A ‘shuddered-moan’ worked its way out of her throat as she finally felt his firm hands on her aching slit. Fredrick, honestly, was getting off on her reactions. So before she could do anything else, he began firmly rubbing her back and forth, clearly able to feel the structure of her swollen lips as they begged to be tended to. On Luna’s end, she had to stop her little ministrations as she was being overwhelmed with pleasure and anticipation. Both were denied a magnificent release earlier and nothing was going to stop them now. What was really getting Fred going was the fact that Luna was clearly soaked through her sweatpants. “God Luna, you’re really wet,” Fredrick voiced, trying to sound as sexy as possible… though also that was really the only thing he could think of at that point. Much to his relief, Luna ate it up. “Mhmm…” Luna affirmed with her eyes closed, lower lip bitten, and muzzle still in Fredrick’s neck. She concentrated all her feeling on her lower lips and reflexively began to grind her hips into his hand…which was slowly getting wet and sticky as well. However, this would never do. Fredrick’s current position was not conducive for pleasing her. So, with a bit of exertion, he flipped their positions, much to the glee of the dark alicorn. Before they went on, however, he was sure to plant another kiss onto her lips… which turned into another make-out that both parties were reluctant to break. They had to, however, on account of air. “I trust there’ll be no dutiful interruptions this time?” Fred joked, looking down upon the mare that brought him so much joy. “I would ensure nopony would miss them,” she quipped in return, locking her lustful eyes with his own. She pulled him down for another kiss which was all well and good, but this time, Fredrick took the initiative and began palming her again with his right hand. That was, until he decided to slide his hand down her sweat pants. His hand was immediately drenched but that did not deter him from exploring every little bit of her needy slit. Luna was perfectly okay with that, since she was finally able to feel her best friend’s fingers on her most sensitive part. “Holy shit you really are wet…” Fred commented with genuine surprise, not to merely state the obvious. Luna had had enough, and she was even more turned on by the fact that he was clearly pitching a tent into her thigh. “Fredrick… if you do not put something inside me right now, there will be enormous consequences,” she threatened, pure lust and irritation lacing every word. “Hmmm I like the sound of that,” he replied before he literally took the plunge, sinking his middle and ring finger into her waiting pussy with a subtle ‘squelch.’ The feeling for both was quite indescribable, but obviously more substantial on Luna’s end, who reacted with only an elongated hybrid of a sigh and a moan… almost as if a figurative weight was lifted off of her shoulders. But no, in this sense, she was filled, if only partially. Upon opening her eyes once more, Luna gaze was filled with want, if her bit lip was anything to go by… that look was enough to drive Fredrick absolutely insane. What drove him even more insane was when she quickly removed her shirt and in a second movement, her bra, leaving her upper body completely bare. “I know you have indeed been thinking of them all day,” she commented, cupping both of her boobs while she began grinding softly onto his fingers. He was definitely getting the message, even as he stared down those perfect tits of hers. So, he began thrusting his fingers at a slow pace, plunging them completely into her throbbing hole before removing them almost entirely… and then repeating the process. Fredrick decided to get himself into a better position, supported by his knees and left hand. “I have… as well as this,” he emphasized by pressing the bottoms of his fingers flush against her upper wall, forcing some sort of a strained, pleasure-filled whine out of her. “I swear if you stop right now…” Luna cooed out, warningly. “Wasn’t planning on it… but now that you mentioned it…” he ceased his movements, merely leaving his fingertips embedded. Even in the most intimate moments their banter would not end. “FREDRICK!” He replied by again plunging his fingers as far as they would go… up to his knuckles, but this time, he curled them upward. “OOooohh… yes!” Luna called back, a full smile gracing her face as she let her head fall back onto the pillow. She clutched both of her breasts in her hands and brushed her nipples with her thumbs for added effect. “I guess you’ve wanted this for a while, huh?” Fredrick questioned playfully as his fingers continued thrusting, curling up with each inward motion towards that special, extra-sensitive place inside her. She released one of her hands to the bed and balled her fist, grasping fistfuls of the sheets while keeping her legs spread as wide as possible with the constraint of her sweat-pants still being on. She dared not stop Fred to take them off, nor did she have the will to override her pleasure to do it herself. “Tartarus… yes…” she finally replied shakily. Fredrick increased his movement in terms of speed and power but this time, used his thumb to part the top of her folds. After a few seconds of idle probing, he found her clit and began running his opposable digit in circles around it. “FUCK!” she cried out with immediate effect, one of the few times Fredrick had ever heard her scream any sort of profanity. The throbbing of the walls around his fingers was quickly becoming more intense and as a result, he was second-guessing whether he wanted to drag this out on account of her. Never removing his gaze from her writhing form below, he could see in her eyes and movements that she was getting desperate to finish… all her pent up arousal from earlier was resurfacing full-force. Quickening his pace even more, he thrust into her faster, deeper, and much harder. Switching things up again, he began gingerly flicking Luna’s clit up and down with the tip of his thumb… to which she began bucking her hips almost uncontrollably. Her face was deeply colored with heat, her mouth opened slightly and to which her lustful moans emanated from, her perfect boobs being toyed with to her liking, her eyes opening and closing at random intervals,… it was all perfect. Fredrick ensured he burned this image into his brain. However, he desperately wanted to see it. Just exploring every little slit and fold down there gave him plenty of imagery, but it did not fully satiate him. Using what leverage he could muster from his left hand, he was able to slide her sweat-pants down completely to her calves. Through her currently clouded mind, Luna was still able to get the message and she gladly kicked the garment off her feet, thus leaving her completely nude for Fredrick to gawk at. He could finally see the perfect muff that he was fingering into oblivion and, more turned on than he had been in his entire life, resumed his actions full force, eliciting an even higher pitched moan from the writhing mare beneath him. Fredrick already had a simple end-goal in mind: Make Luna cum. Hard. To facilitate this process, he decided to position himself to her side and use his free hand to fondle her chest while he continued his relentless assault on her drenched pussy. Only the sounds of strained moans and rapid-squelches could be heard through the room as Luna enjoyed every millisecond of her experience, especially since, like last time when they were so rudely interrupted, she was nearing her end. “Fred-RICK!” God this is so fucking hot. I should say something… she’s so close, Fredrick, say something sexy. “It’s okay, Luna… finish for me. Mmmm you know you want to,” he replied back, attempting to not sound too crass nor romanticized. It’s something! Luna opened her eyes just a little bit to lock them onto those of her best friend above her. Her moans and whines never stopped but nevertheless, the two ensured that they never broke eye contact as Fredrick inserted a third finger into her and began pressing her clit like a button. Her world was immediately rocked, indicated by a shrill, close-mouthed moan, though her mind spoke rather than her mouth: Oh Stars, yes… YES!! Fredrick felt her walls clench around his fingers and suddenly become much, much wetter. She arched her back and after another moan and inhale, he was sure that this was it, and judging by her reactions, the next sound out of her mouth might be very, very loud. “Aaaah… AAHH!” But none of that happened. After a final higher pitched cry of pleasure, a couple of grinding motions on her part and one final clench of her walls, Luna’s breath hitched, her eyes slammed shut, and nothing sounded out of her open mouth as her back bowed upward. She finally exhaled a few moments later, shuddering as she rode out her euphoria, and Fredrick stopped his movements to ensure she could properly enjoy her orgasm. He buried his face in her neck and gave lustful kisses and nips as she rode through the release that she had been denied for so long. Soon after, he removed his fingers from her currently satisfied slit (with yet another squelch) and pressed his lips to hers. Luna wrapped her arms around him and pulled him deeper into her mouth, letting their tongues fight it out. When they finally separated, Luna looked at him again with her lower lip bit… the same look that drove him insane. “And yet again… all your clothes and no release. We must level the playing field once more,” she began tracing lines on his chest. The sweet little touches and gestures soon became orders, however: “Remove your shirt. I wish to remove your shorts,” she cooed to him, a satisfied yet lustfully mischievous smile spread across her mug. He did not need to be told twice. As Fredrick was yanking his shirt off with haste, Luna was already snaking her way down his body, leaving kisses the entire way down. When she finally made it between his legs, she laid down and began nuzzling her face around the tent in his shorts, giggling at his reactions to her own teasing. On Fredrick’s end, looking down his body, he was greeted with Luna pulling his last garments, both shorts and underpants, down together with both hands, never breaking eye-contact yet again. Her eyes became even more seductively lidded as the last bit of fabric was torn away posthaste. And finally it was free. The object that Luna had longed to see for quite some time now was at full attention literally right under her nose. Despite all he had accomplished so far, Fredrick’s mind decided that now was the perfect time to become self-conscious about his ‘anatomy,’ causing him to avert his gaze awkwardly, wondering what he could say to possibly excuse himself if he came up short in “human resources department.” Shit man, she’s just staring at it… but of course I could never measure up to a stallion, I mean, come on that’s pure biology. On Luna’s end, she was internally salivating: Somewhat smaller than a stallion’s… but I shall be damned if this phallus never enters me in the near future… All of Fredrick’s thoughts were suddenly washed away as soon as they arrived. “Whoa…” He had to contain himself when Luna resumed her nuzzling, letting her muzzle and cheeks rub the side of his engorged penis with a closed-eyed smile of glee on her face. She was humming and giggling to herself as she was finally able to gaze and feel his throbbing spire. “Luna…” Fredrick whined, steeling himself against her teasing lest he blow early. Let’s face it, it had been quite a while since he had been with anyone, even back on Earth. “Oh and when the teasing returns back to you, you complain?” she asked coyly, completely getting off on his reactions and finally taking her right hand to his shaft. Resurrecting his ‘cool,’ Fredrick dared to look back down and found his best friend gazing back up at him, eyes screaming ‘sex,’ delicate hand wrapped around his throbbing member, lip bit, and a view of her D-cups squished against the bed, creating bountiful cleavage. It was a wonder he did not lose himself to the throes of orgasm right then and there. He definitely had to take a few breaths to regain his focus. “Who said I was complaining?” he replied with equal coyness. “Hmmm… even so, I am a Princess, so I must rule with a just…” Luna’s thumb jutted upward and rubbed side-to-side. “…yet firm...” She squeezed… just a bit. “…hand.” She ended her sentence with the sexiest wink she could muster before leaning in and applying the gentlest kiss to the head of his dick. Fredrick had to take an equally deep breath, which conflicted with a moan he failed to stifle. She then began to ever-so-slowly move her hand up and down his length. When Fredrick worked her over, she did not even need to express words for him to know that she wanted him to make her euphoric as quickly as possible… yet he managed to make it extra special for her… her lower lips pulsing with a mixture of ‘post-coital’ aches and returning arousal was proof. Hell, the fact that it was he who was making her reach those figurative heights was special enough. She was going to ensure that this was equally if not more special for him. “Fredrick, you have little idea how many nights, when I have been able to dream, I have dreamt about all of the most sexual acts with you. I too, have snooped on your dreams of similar material… especially those featuring me…” she alluded, ceasing her motions at the top of his length so her thumb could caress the head gingerly. Copious amounts of precum soaked her finger almost immediately and Fred had to concentrate on his breathing yet again, his fists balling up. “I wish for you to enjoy this as much as I enjoyed what you gave me…” “Sh-Shit… I’ll enjoy anything you do to me, Luna…” Fredrick strained out after her thumb contacted the sensitive underside of his head. “I shall ensure it,” she cooed out hungrily, applying more pressure with her grip and pumping her hand at a much more moderate pace on his shaft. As she let him relish in that, Luna decided to put her left hand to work, moving to cup his balls and gently fondle them. Fredrick was in the middle of letting a pleasurable sigh escape his lips when that second sensation befell him, instead forcing him to elicit a rather vocal, shuddered moan. “Fuck, Luna you’re really good at this…” “Heh, you would be surprised how little in the way of sexuality has changed over millennia, Fredrick.” She began twisting her grip like a screwdriver while she pumped him at a faster, more forceful pace, as if to accentuate a point in her statement. “Nevertheless, it brings me great arousal to explore what makes you tick… just as you explored me, no?” she asked rhetorically, looking up at him again and becoming even more turned on by how much he was enjoying her actions… it brought another sense of accomplishment that she could make him feel this way. Luna could not deny it at this point: she was aching with arousal yet again. So, she removed her left hand from his balls and snaked it down between her legs. The movement was a bit awkward since she was lying down against the bed but she could care little as her hand reached its intended target, becoming drenched in her own fluids which were surely staining the bed sheets. To make up for the loss of her left hand, she doubled her efforts with her right as well as adding a little something extra: she leaned in a bit more and applied a few kisses to his throbbing head before letting her tongue snake out, its tip drawing circles around the aforementioned head of his dick. “OHH… Wow!” Fredrick had little control of what fell from his mouth at this point as the new sensation was applied. The only thought that graced his mind was that next time around, he was gonna pay her back three-fold. Luna let out a sultry giggle as she looked up at her friend, ensuring he was watching her tongue work his tip while her hand furiously massaged his shaft. By his lower body reflexively beginning to buck and the strained, pleasure-filled expressions of his face, he would not last much longer. As such, she continued her pace while simultaneously rubbing her clit with her left hand, her own self-pleasure helping drive her on. “Luna…” “Mmmm…” she replied, humming as her tongue and hand still worked. Her pace remained the same as there was no use in speeding up… this was going to end soon. “That’s… fuck, Luna…” he called again, confirming her suspicions. She ceased her oral actions so she could quickly speak: “As princess… I get what I desire…” she firmly locked eyes with him as Fred’s last defenses began to crumble. “and I desire your huge release. I demand all of it, Fredrick.” Yes, she was certainly much more skilled in the talking department on the subject of sexuality. He would most certainly have to take note and practice that. In the meantime, however, all he concentrated on was the building pressure within his loins and Luna’s unbelievably sexy banter. “You’re gonna get it…” “Give me all of it!” she sexily ordered, a determined, sultry smile plastered on her face as she never stopped watching him. If his own moans were anything to go by, Luna predicted the time when he would surely be mere seconds from bursting. When that time came not even ten seconds later, she suddenly leaned in more and took his head into her mouth, her hand still pumping him at the pace he was enjoying so much. “LUNA!” was all Fredrick’s mind projected onto his voice before he completely exploded into her mouth. The vibrations from her forthcoming moans and her tongue lapping greedily at his buried tip helped facilitate the firing of several more hot jets of his cum. The Lunar Princess giggled in accomplishment as she rhythmically swallowed all that was given to her until he was completely spent, his entire shaft softening somewhat and becoming much more sensitive. Fredrick was breathing deeply; sweat lining his brow and other parts of his body, as Luna removed his marginally flaccid cock from her mouth with an exaggerated ‘pop.’ She finished by licking up anything that could possibly have been left behind on his organ and concluding with another soft kiss to the head, never, again, removing her gaze from his own. “Luna… that was indescribably amazing…” Fredrick managed to breathe out; completely spent from the special treatment she gave. “T’was indescribable yet you described my actions as amazing?” she jokingly questioned. Fredrick responded with a good-natured, deadpanned stare. Before Fredrick could properly reply, Luna’s expression turned devious. “Mmmm… give me a kiss, Fredrick!” She began crawling sexily up his body. “Y-Yeah maybe not just yet…” he replied, considering his seed had coated her entire mouth not even a minute ago. “Oh I beseech you, Freddie… I desire a tender kiss from my best friend,” she continued, licking her lips and making lip-smacking kissy faces at him. “Oh hell no!” he replied quickly, scurrying out from under her, garnering a jubilant laugh. He was able to find refuge in his bathroom with Luna goading him the entire time from outside the door for several minutes. The two shared playful banter with each other but Luna eventually did cleanse her mouth before they shared a chaster, tender moment on his partially ruined bed, communicating their gratitude and satisfaction not with words, but with actions such as their usual snuggling and nuzzling. Eventually, however, Luna did have to retire to her chambers in order to rise early for business as usual for the next day… Monday’s. How lame. It did not bother Fredrick that much, considering what they were both treated to. He would see her tomorrow first thing. Even so, post-‘coital’ fatigue was beginning to make its presence known, and Fred resolved to retire to bed early… though he did ask himself if he should have changed his sheets: Fuck it. I’m an adult. And so he drifted to sleep with a goofy grin on his face, much like Luna did not more than a few rooms down the quadrant hall. It was not smooth and continuous as Fredrick’s rather pleasant dreams were disturbed when he swore he heard a knock at the door. A second wave of cacophonous bangs ensured he was roused from his slumber. Checking the time on the wall-clock yielded “11:31.” Yet another wave of knocks prompted Fredrick to finally answer the door, even if he was less than decent and completely groggy. Upon opening said door, he found a Guard at attention. He appeared to be a messenger at first glance. “Sir Fredrick,” the grey Night Guard saluted in greeting. The human raised one of his brows. “I-I’ts just Fredrick. Can I help you?” “Yes sir. I’ve been asked to bring you with me to the Courtyard.” “Ummm, at this hour? And by whom?” Fred questioned. Stuff like this only happened in movies. The Guard rubbed the back of his head. “I’m afraid that by direct orders, I am not at liberty to tell you. However, this is listed as high priority and it is suggested that you accompany me,” he noted. Fred was highly suspicious, but then again, he doubted something terrible would befall him. As well, it was not like he had anything else to do. “Let me get decent,” Fred replied. The messenger nodded and the human closed his door, quickly throwing on some pants and a shirt… nothing special. Within two minutes, he opened his door once more and stepped outside. “Lead on.” And like that, the two of them were off throughout the maze-like castle, though Fred knew completely the path they were taking. Nopony could be found within the dimly lit corridors save for the pairs of Guards taking up random positions on walls and doors. The Guard did not seem to be in any rush, so Fred was quite content on taking their time, though he still had nagging questions in the back of his head: “Hey between you and me… am I gonna be killed?” he asked his Guard guide softly and halfheartedly, garnering a small chuckle. “I’d highly doubt that, sir. Any physical harm brought to you would incur the combined wrath of both Princesses… a fate worse than death itself. I believe you’ll be just fine,” he confidently replied. That seemed pretty logical to Fredrick. After all, if what transpired not too long ago in his room was any indication, Luna held him near and dear, as did Celestia. He took some sick sense of satisfaction that the two Princesses would probably torture anyone who dared try anything. Through his musing, however, he failed to see that they arrived at their destination: the very Courtyard that held such sentimental value to him. “We’re here, sir. Just take a seat and you’ll be tended to in due time. Goodnight, sir,” the Guard curtly instructed before taking his leave, before Fred could even get a word in. “Well… okay then.” At least it was a comfortable temperature outside. Regardless, Fredrick did not find himself waiting very long. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure moving towards him. Turning in the general direction and despite the lack of light, he could tell that this entity was rather well dressed and carried themselves well. Once they stepped fully into the moonlight and out of the shadows, however, Fred’s curiosity turned into a mix of indifference, irritation, and curiosity. “Good evening, Fredrick,” the very familiar, slightly-posh voice greeted in a rather business-like tone. The stallion’s blonde mane was combed perfectly to allow his horn through and his arms were linked behind his back, creating a rather erect and powerful posture. Fredrick responded with a rather humorously disbelieving huff. “Blueblood.” > Part VI. Game > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part VI. Game “Well, that ends the three week run,” Fredrick thought as Blueblood came completely into the light. As always, he was opulently dressed in a suit that was perfectly tailored to his body, his mane combed neatly and wearing a face that was one of business… a face that Fredrick had to admit that he had never had the pleasure (or displeasure) of seeing, considering he was used to the smug, arrogant, and downright contemptful features that adorned his muzzle. Deep down, something told Fred that this would not be like one of the usual meetings with Blueblood… although in all fairness, ‘meeting’ was a rather grandiose term for ‘unwilling exposure.’   “Fancy meeting you out here. I take it you were the one that ordered me brought here?” Fredrick inferred, wondering where this was all headed. “Naturally, as I usually am not out at this time of night. However, there are more important things that merit some unusual activities in my daily schedule, this being one of them. Walk with me, Fredrick,” Blueblood beckoned, an odd sense of seriousness lacing his words, absent of the characteristic scorn. Fredrick internally shrugged to himself as he fell into step, feeling grossly underdressed next to the Prince. The two strolled at a comfortable pace into the Castle Labyrinth, a walk that Fredrick had taken many, many times. Blueblood, however, was being unusually quiet. Whenever he entered the rooms he tended to ensure that everypony knew of his presence. “So… may I ask why I’m here?” Fredrick finally broke the silence as the two continued on through the maze. “You may hear of me as one who is arrogant and self-serving… narcissistic, spiteful and hostile,” Blueblood began answering, his hands moving as he spoke but he himself did not look over towards Fredrick. “And am I going to be lead to believe that those words are false?” Fredrick inferred sarcastically. The Prince finally turned towards the human and raised a humored eyebrow. “Oh by the stars of course they’re true. I was merely using them to help advance the subject at hand,” he replied completely unphased. Fredrick had to resist the urge to laugh at how honest he was being. The two turned a corner in the maze. Credit where credit is due. “As I was saying, you may have heard all of these things which are completely true… but often you may hear something which is completely false. I may be self-absorbed, but I’m certainly not blind, nor am I stupid,” Blueblood clarified. Fred took his pause to get a few words in. “Alright, then where’s this headed?” “Simply put, you and Aunt Luna are not so subtle with each other. I, as well as many of even simple castle staff are assaulted with the sheer emotions you two radiate towards each other... It’s almost sickening.” Big deal, it’s common knowledge we’re good friends and care dearly for each other. “That, and it’s quite easy to deduce that you two have had intimate contact, though I’m not entirely sure how much or how far you have gone. Either way, most out of the ordinary for self-proclaimed ‘best friends,’ would you not agree?” he asked. Now, here’s where things undoubtedly became more interesting. While common knowledge that the two were nigh inseparable, it was certainly not common knowledge that the two had engaged in anything sexual in nature. Perhaps they overlooked the fact that ‘post-coital glow’ was somewhat easy to spot if one was looking for it. He had not been out and about since his little pseudo-romp with the mare of his affections… but Luna had.   “I have no comment on the matter.” “Oh do not play coy with me, Human,” Blueblood replied humorously, not believing a single word. “It is well known that Her Highness does not delve into the realm of royal consorts nor has she given any potential suitors the time of day. Speaking truthfully, she really only trusts you, Aunt Celestia, and the Council of Military Advisors.” “I honestly do not see where this is headed. Can she not simply be in a good mood?” Fredrick reasoned, really not wanting to get into this at the moment, let alone with Blueblood. “Unicorns and Alicorns have a much more noticeable ‘glow’ after intimate activities due to magical ability. It is still subtle, but much more easily noticeable. I happened to be passing through the Lunar Quadrant this evening when Aunt Luna exited her room and quite literally ran into me. Instead of the usual quips or contemptuous sneers she actually apologized, bid me a good night, and gave me a small grin. Most unlike her towards me,” he continued to explain. “Gee I wonder why,” Fredrick looked to him with incredulity. Though in his head, this explained how he could have any inkling of what was going on without literally stalking his every move. The Prince gave a lopsided grin. “You’re a sarcastic, cheeky little shit I’ll give you that. I can see why she would be enamored with you,” Blueblood responded to Fred’s quip in decent nature and with a subtle one of his own. “I still did not have my question answered: where is this headed?” the Human repeated. Blueblood gave a little huff. “Technically it was a statement, not a question… but I shall humor you. You can deny it all you want but it is completely clear, from a Unicorn completely familiar on this subject, that you two are enamored with each other enough where you two are proceeding with a physical relationship.” “And? Is this your way of attempting to blackmail me?” Fredrick was becoming irritated, but his words elicited a jaunty laugh from the Prince. “Do not flatter yourself, Fredrick. I only use information to my advantage when the potentially affected pony has something to offer me. I’m sorry to dash your hopes but there is really nothing of value you could offer me.” “Then quit beating around the bush and tell me what the point of all of this is!” Fredrick had had enough. Right then, Blueblood decided to stop in his tracks, to which the Human imitated; the two turned towards each other. “You may think I don’t like you… and you’d be right. However, I’ll have you know I hold much less contempt for you than in the past,” the Prince began explaining once more. “Whoa I feel special!” Fredrick sarcastically remarked, a quip Blueblood chose to ignore. “The reason being is that, even though you are a Human, to which I feel you little special over a hairless ape, you have somehow won Aunt Luna’s friendship… and it’s crystal clear that you have won her heart rather quickly. I may be self-serving but she and Aunt Celestia are still family. As such there’s little merit in my objections to what they see in you.” “...Okay,” Fred spoke with some measure of confusion, urging Blueblood on with his explanation regardless of the less-than-veiled insults thrown at him. “Of course, the press and general nobility would be in an uproar if you two were to engage in a public relationship… something I am most sure Princess Luna would settle for no less. Politics would serve to make both of your lives miserable.” “Again, where is this all going?” Fredrick asked for the upteenth time, knowing that there had to be some catch to this talk. “What I’m trying to say is that I can help… help persuade certain key figures that would cause problems in your vomit-inducing quest for happiness and freedom of being together. It is a game of politics in which I’m proud to say I’m quite fluent in,” he added smugly, tooting his own horn. “And of course your willful aid in such endeavors would come at a steep price?” Fredrick again inferred somewhat sarcastically. Blueblood rolled his eyes. “As I said before, there is nothing the likes of you could offer me of value. However, being in the good graces of both Aunt Celestia and Luna in light of recent events and previous… incidences… could only serve to benefit me. The only reason I’m consulting you is because Aunt Luna, despite her jubilant behavior today, harbors little in the way of trust in me. As such, she taking my words seriously would be dubious at best.” “Implying I trust you, Blueblood?” “Have you a reason not to?” the Prince cleverly rebutted, right eyebrow raised. On the outside and initially, that sounded like, hands down, the stupidest question that Fredrick could have ever been asked. But as he managed to piece together a rebuttal of his own, it appeared the situation was indeed more complicated than he gave credit for. Aside from snideful and contemptuous looks and comments, Blueblood made absolutely no attempt to swindle him, lead him astray, blackmail him, nor use him as a means to an end in the entire ten months he had been a resident. By technicality, there was absolutely no reason he shouldn’t trust him. As much as he hated to admit it, Fredrick had to concede that Blueblood did indeed make a point of playing a figurative game of Chess with ponies’ lives only if there was something they could offer him. This was corroborated by his limited observations as well as what other (more amicable) nobles, Celestia, and Luna have spoken of. Summing it all up, Blueblood was a dick…. a complete penis; One of Equestria’s many schlongs that wanted to wave about in circles vying for the most attention in what one could consider a national cock-comparison spanning generations. Yet there was little reason to distrust him. “Don’t worry, Fredrick. I can wait,” the Prince crossed his arms, knowing that he had won. After a while of just glaring daggers at him, Fred finally conceded with a sigh. “Alright, so you want to do this. Where do I come into all of this?” he asked, not really sure of his role in this whole scheme. “I want you to be a mediator between myself and Aunt Luna and Celestia, at least for right now. Due to the aforementioned ‘incidences’ I am one of the last ponies they would willingly see at present time. Help get me an audience with them, or at least Aunt Luna, and we shall plan from there. I would also need your help in convincing them to let me have free reign on my ability to ‘work’ so to speak,” Blueblood explained, happy that he could get down to business with the human… well, as content as he could be in working with the human he held questionable regard for. That, and the fact that Fredrick was, as far as he knew, banging his aunt was a somewhat unsettling theme. “Alright, but may I ask why you’re being somewhat particular about this?” Fredrick asked for clarification. It was late and he was exhausted because of reasons. “I’ll need a ‘technical’ blessing from them to work. If they bar me from doing certain ‘things and stuff,’ I legally cannot act and all of this will be for naught.” “Can’t you just be discreet? They don’t necessarily have to know,” Fredrick reasoned, but Blueblood’s gaze turned into one of incredulity. “Indeed? Then pray tell how will I get in their good graces if they never know what I did?” the Prince rebutted sarcastically with a hint of annoyance. He did have a point there… as odd and inappropriate as the situation sounded, Fredrick was having trouble finding a demarcating line of moral low ground. “Fair point. But okay, I’ll see what I can do. I wasn’t aware of the entire extent of their irritation at you, but now that I know, I’ll approach the situation with some more appropriate discretion,” Fredrick explicitly agreed to the task. Blueblood gave one of his characteristic grins when something finally went his way. “Splendid. In that case, there is little more for us to discuss at the moment. When the deed is done, find one of the castle staff or a runner and pen a simple message letting me know of the essential details. They’ll know where to find me, but be discreet with how you proposition them. With Parliament meeting soon, the Castle and its surroundings will be bustling with more Legislature, Senate, and standard Noble activity than normal, and as such, it is best we are not seen with each other,” Blueblood instructed curtly, adjusting his suit-coat a tad. Fredrick nodded in acknowledgement. “Alright. Expect to hear from me soon, then.” “I expected no less. Have a splendid evening, Fredrick,” the Prince bade the human goodbye before turning on his heels and walking down a dead-end path of the labyrinth. Once he reached the end, magic instantly enveloped his form and he teleported out, leaving Fredrick to himself, though he knew exactly where he was in the maze. Fredrick still did not entirely know what to feel about the situation. What Blueblood offered, much unlike him, was a way out of a potential stagnation of Luna’s and Fredrick’s relationship. Essentially, they could have a solid chance at being ‘officially’ together, though he was sure that there would be more to this whole story later on. Nevertheless, he would do as requested and hopefully something good would come out of this whole experience. Regardless, he intended to enjoy every minute he could with this mare. First things first: it was time to get back to his room. [Fredrick’s Room. Time: 12:48 AM] Fredrick opened his door and dropped all of his clothes where he stood, kicking said door back closed and just wanting to drop into bed. The talk with Blueblood did not take that long… but finding his way out of the damn maze still took a while even if he knew exactly where he was going. At the present moment, he also knew where he was going: The fuck to sleep. But of course, in the wonderful land of Equestria, few things go as planned (though not necessarily in a bad way). In the current sense, Fred stopped in his tracks when he found another mass lying in his bed. However, the mare taking up space on his sanctum was far from unwelcome, but even so, the candlelight combined with the moonlight from the outside painted a nice picture: the Lunar Princess was on his bed, arms behind her head and legs crossed. Her eyes were closed but she was not completely asleep, as evident by the gentle bobbing of her muzzle. The reason for that was that her ears were plugged with quite familiar-looking earphones which were connected to a painfully familiar device. When Fredrick was ripped from his own world and dropped in this one, he still had everything that he had on him at the time, including his cell phone, or his smartphone to be more specific. It was not destroyed in the process and still retained battery life but was, by and large, useless. However, there was one thing of value left on it: his entire music collection. With two simple spells, the phone and earphones were kept safe from decay and destruction while the phone itself was able to have nearly infinite battery life. As Luna’s and Fredrick’s friendship strengthened, he introduced her to his music collection… and to say that she fell in love would be an understatement. While Equestria had wonderful styles of music not dissimilar to Earth, said styles just sounded different, though in a good way. Luna ended up taking to the Human genres of Rock and Metal quite nicely while enjoying the subtle contrasts of Classical and Swing between her species and his. As such, she often ‘requisitioned’ his phone for her own use and he was all too happy to comply. He had a golden opportunity at the moment and despite just wanting to pass out, he would not let said moment go to waste. He could deal with why she was here (but certainly not unwelcome in any case) after the possible consequences of the actions he was about to perform. Even though he knew that Luna liked her music loud, Fred still felt the need to be cautious with his movements and creep over to the right side of the bed where she lay, a devious smile on his face. Sneaking around the foot of the bed towards her bare hooves, he lifted his hands up and wiggled his fingers. By now, his fingertips were barely an inch away from Luna’s hooves. Hmmm, could this possibly backfire in any way? He hesitated for a moment before another thought entered his head: Lol I’m gonna tickle the shit out of these hooves. The fact that he actually pronounced ‘lol’ in his head should have been indicative of not thinking properly, but nevertheless he went for it. Right when his fingertips made contact with her hooves and began intensely tickling them. “AAAAAAHAHA!!!” Luna screamed in a terrified laugh as her legs, by instinct, retracted… however also by reflex, she kicked her legs forward, one of her hooves connecting audibly and squarely with Fredrick’s forehead. Lights out. “Fredrick!!” Luna fearfully exclaimed once she finally gained a bearing on her surroundings. She hopped off the bed and went to his prone form where she hunched over him, dreading that she accidentally killed him; alicorns and their earth-pony strength and what not. “No no no no no… Fred??” she repeated the mantra while cupping his face, his forehead quickly bruising exactly where her hoof made contact. A quick check showed that he was indeed breathing… but regardless, she knocked him the fuck out. Luna sighed audibly in relief and picked him up off the ground, laying him in bed and quickly snuggling next to him. To make news even better though, he began coming to not even a couple of minutes later. “H-Holy fuck…” he uttered out, Fredrick’s right hand going straight to his head. He hissed out in pain when his palm made contact with the affected area. Once Luna knew he was back in reality, she slapped his chest hard, the effect being him yelping out and doubling over. “I stand by what I said earlier: you’re an idiot.” “Hey, you’ve surprise-attacked me in the past. This isn’t any different, but there was a consequence I should’ve considered.” Luna ignored his comment but instead straddled him so she could give him a once over. Fredrick was clearly developing quite the lump on his forehead but that was the least of her worries. She wanted to make sure there was no visible bleeding in his eyes as well as how severe, if any, of a concussion he had. After a couple of minutes of her checking him out and applying some localized healing magic (with little objection from Fredrick as he got a nice view down her shirt), she finally spoke: “Well… maybe there is a problem,” she stated seriously, her face forming into one of sternness. “...What?” “Indeed. It appears you shall become a unicorn if this lump of yours continues to get larger. I’m sorry, but it is terminal,” Luna joked, pursing her lips and stifling her giggling fit that threatened to spill over. Fredrick only wore a deadpanned expression and that was all it took to incite Luna’s full-blown laughter. While she was distracted, however, is when he struck. Fredrick’s left hand went straight to her neck and tickled relentlessly, Luna recoiling with a shriek of laughter and attempting to squeeze his hand between her jaw and shoulder. “NO NO!!! HAHAHA!” And so it began… the greatest tickle war of our time. Fredrick forced Luna off of him and attempted to pin her to the bed by tickling her neck and using his right hand to tickle her sides. She squirmed and writhed involuntarily as she squealed and guffawed under his hands’ torture techniques. “You will break, alicorn!” Fredrick proclaimed with a ‘powerful’ and exaggerated voice (praise be to soundproofing), continuing his onslaught but switching the roles of both of his hands. He straddled her two legs but Luna countered in kind, reaching for his neck and his equally ticklish sides. “Nay, THOU!”  And just like that, their positions were once again switched after they rolled over each other, fighting for dominance and laughing the entire way through. However, it did not end there! After surviving Luna’s relentless counterassault to which he was subjected for nearly two minutes, Fredrick went all out and wrapped his arms around her torso, quickly pinning her to the bed in a surprise bout of strength. He pinned both of her legs to the bed with is own while quickly pinning her arms above her head with his hands. There they stood still for a few moments, catching their breath and letting a few more giggles escape their lips as they stared each other down. Said stare quickly turned from competitive determination to reassuring smiles. The sight of Luna’s pearly whites was never lost upon Fredrick, who eagerly returned the gesture as their heart rates finally calmed down and their eyes never leaving each other’s. Personally, they did not mind the position they were in, and Luna, clearly submissive in being pinned, lowered her eyelids just a tad as she shot her best friend above her a sultry gaze. Fredrick released her arms and Luna held them out and open, silently beckoning him, to which he immediately obliged by falling into her embrace. Lifting his trunk just a bit, her breasts pressed invitingly against his own chest, he stared down at the unquestionably gorgeous mare below him, and Luna stared back in kind. Her arms were snugly wrapped around his upper back, their faces having closed some distance to barely an inch apart from each other. Luna decided to close the remaining distance and rub her nose against Fred’s, the human eagerly returning the favor but also closing the distance entirely and pressing his lips to hers. “Mmmmm…” Luna moaned sweetly once she deepened the kiss. Her fingers gently traced lines up and down his back while his hands softly stroked her face. Their lips moved in perfect tandem with each other, working together and separating for only fractions of a second when air was required… the soft, sexy sounding ‘smack’ of said separation driving them both wild for each other. Their kiss continued for who-cared-how-long until Fredrick separated himself and dove for her neck. “Oooh…” the Lunar Princess cooed, leaning her head to the right and allowing him better access to her sensitive neck, where Fredrick continued to plant gentle kisses, nips, and the occasional lick which would follow a particularly rough nip. “I was having trouble sleeping tonight, so I came back to find you,” Luna began speaking, eyes closed and fully enjoying the attention her neck was receiving. Fredrick did not cease his actions and her gentle hums of approval urged him onward. “I’m glad you came back,” he replied, ever so gingerly sinking some of his teeth into her neck, not enough to leave a mark by any means but enough to send a shiver down her spine. “Hehe… Where were you, if I may ask?” Luna asked, leaning her head left so Fred could tend to the neglected right side of her neck. “I was called for an impromptu meeting,” he answered, kissing her jawline from her chin down to her collarbone. Luna sighed out blissfully. “Oh? At this hour?” “Indeed, and in fact it concerns both of us, as well as Celestia.” Fredrick became just a tad more adventurous and gave her left breast a gentle cupping, aligning his hand with the bra underneath. For Luna, the gesture was surprisingly forward but not unwelcome in the slightest. “Remind me tomorrow to tell you about it, there’s something I want to talk to you and Celestia about, and don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.” “Mmmm… okay Fredrick,” Luna replied, eyes still closed and a goofy smile etched on her face. Separating momentarily to gaze down upon her, Fredrick was taken aback by how gorgeous she looked under him, and it got him going even more at how much pleasure he was bringing her from just simple little acts. As much as he wanted to slide his hand all over her perfect D-cup tits, down her toned stomach and between her legs, the unexpected expenditure of the last bits of energy he had on the tickle war were starting to take effect on him… both of them actually if Luna’s gleefully tired expression was anything to go by. As the adrenaline reabsorbed back into their bodies, he could think of nothing better than snuggling up to this mare and falling asleep. As if reading his mind, Luna tightened the hold around his back and pulled him onto her fully before rolling enough where they were laying side by side, like a typical cuddle fest they had become so accustomed to the past few months. And as such, they were in their usual, favorite positions, with Luna on top, face in his neck, while his right arm was wrapped completely around her, holding her close. With a little bit of magic, Luna put out the candle-light completely, shrouding them in darkness and making for a much more conducive sleeping experience. “Freddie?” Luna half-whispered. “Hmmmm?” There was a pause, as if the alicorn was trying to gather her words, but Fredrick did not need to wait too long. “You are my best friend…” she muttered, her words dripping with gratitude, respect, and love. But of course, deep down, Fredrick knew what she was trying to say; the real meaning behind those words that had been shared between them many, many times. I know that tone. “You’re mine too, Lulu,” Fredrick replied with equal endearment and emotion, using her pet name, to which he could feel her grin. God this is so sweet and sappy I probably have diabetes. … and I love it. The two fell asleep unceremoniously in each other’s usual embrace. > Part VII. Order > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part VII. Order Fredrick would always jokingly ask himself why he would seem to sleep several-times better when he was with Luna than when he was on his own, and he knew for a fact that it was not just the cloud beds working their figurative—and quite possibly literal—magic. Whatever the obvious reason was, a normal Monday such as today felt immeasurably better for the human, which was saying something because, like back on Earth, he hated Mondays with a passion and he was somewhat disappointed to figure out that it was little different in Equestria. Even so, it was always nice to wake up next to that mare he had been calling his closest friend for several months. As comfortable as he was in his bed right at this moment, Fred took little issue in the sweet, endearing and downright lovable voice that Luna would use to wake him up when they literally spent the night together: “Get your posterior orthogonal, it is time to run a nation!” Oh how he adored hearing Luna’s words shatter his dreams, so much so that he just felt so compelled to reply just as groggily endearingly: “Ehhhh… nah.” He turned over and buried himself further under the covers. Foolish human. With a simple charging of her horn and wave of her hand, Fredrick was suddenly wrapped up in all the blankets and suspended over the bed, a loud yelp of surprise emanating from the floating heap. “Both of us have a job to tend to. Where is your enthusiasm for the greater good, my little human?” Luna asked, dangling her friend in the air by his covers. Actions like these were quite commonplace and the Lunar Princess ultimately enjoyed garnering rather hilarious reactions and banter. Fredrick, on the other hand, did not quite mind as much as he might show. “Bend over and I’ll show you…” Luna rolled her eyes and dropped him onto the bed, his form bouncing a couple of times before Fredrick untangled himself from the heap of fabric. His dazed gaze met a rather amused one from the regal-clad Princess. “Perhaps I shall take you up on that sometime in the future, but for right now, I must be off to my office to prepare some notes before court. We’ve got a particularly enthralling case as it is that time to consider from an economic standpoint whether or not to change the interest rate and if so, to what?” Luna placed her tiara on her head and in a flash of magic, her hair was ethereal and floating in a non existent wind. “Oh, I completely forgot, you said last night that you had something you wanted to discuss, Fredrick?” Luna asked, remembering Fred’s words when he was showering her with affection. “Uhhh… Let’s talk over lunch? I don’t think there’s enough time right now, especially since you’re so work oriented at the moment,” Fredrick replied, his memory finally returning to him after the post-wake-up disorientation dissipated. Luna was content with that. “Very well. Then we shall convene at lunch and as for now, I’m off to my study,” Luna said, walking over to the bed and planting a kiss on Fredrick’s lips. He could taste her fresh, cold, and minty breath due to freshly brushed teeth and it did wonders in clearing up his own less-than-desirable morning breath. They separated and after sharing one last endearing look, the Lunar Alicorn teleported back to her own room as to not arouse suspicion. Once she was gone, Fredrick decided to sit on the now messy bed in some silence and ponder to himself while he woke up in entirety… though he quickly found little more than Luna’s nude body occupying his thoughts. Yeah I should take a shower… After freshening up (including having a lovely session with himself to his best friend’s image) and dressing in a blue dress-shirt and black slacks, Fredrick made his way to Celestia’s office where they made quick preparations for court, as well as had breakfast together before the inevitably rivetting session ahead. Over said breakfast, however, he did manage to sneak in the tidbit about Blueblood wanting an audience with them all. Fred had expected some resistance due to whatever these ‘recent events’ happened to be, but Celestia offered none, merely a friendly smile and an ‘of course,’ pointing out that regardless, Blueblood was still her nephew. With that, the two headed to court, which Fredrick had to admit was not as boring as he thought it would be this time around, since he and Luna would subtly communicate funny or sweet faces and gestures back-and-forth. During a twenty minute intermission half-way through the first session was when he decided to drop the question to the Lunar Alicorn… who nearly vehemently declined to have anything to do with the ‘incomprehensible shitfuck;’ Fredrick did take pride that some of his vocabulary was beginning to rub off on her. “Your love for him shines like Celestia’s sun, but I really believe this could help us! Your sister is on board too!” he continued to reason. The two stood in a random hallway that Luna had teleported them to so they could have a conversation away from other prying eyes and listening ears, and it worked perfectly save for the occasional castle staff that passed by the ends of the capillary transit hall. Still, they felt the need to keep their voices down, as all of this was still sensitive and strictly confidential subject matter. “You have not had to live with him as long as I have, nor as long as my sister has!” she exclaimed through a stern whisper, communicating her emotions with her hands and forcing her index finger straight at Fredrick’s face for extra emphasis. “You have little idea what he is capable of and cannot hope to wrap your head around his motives!” Fredrick threw his hands up in frustration. “I get it, Luna! He’s a twat-weasel, but he may just be the type of twat-weasel we need. Look, I’m not asking either of you to agree to anything he says— hell, I don’t even know what he’s gonna say to be honest—but just to humor him; listen to what he says and give it some serious consideration!” Luna, however, did not look entirely convinced, as she stared down her human friend with narrowed eyes. Fredrick took this as his cue to continue pleading his case. “As I implied earlier, I’m in little rush and I want to make sure that things end up perfect and right… not awkward and wrong.” Truth be told, Luna was less irritated at having to potentially grace her ‘nephew’ with her presence as opposed to said ‘nephew’ being much more observant than she gave him credit for. After a few-seconds silence, Luna’s stern and stoic face sported an inkling of a grin, and she ‘booped’ him on the nose, to which he wrinkled it at the unexpectedly odd feeling. Clearly, she had made her decision. “For you, I shall. However, you are indebted to me for agreeing to have an audience with the worm,” Luna acquiesced, this time with the joking smile and lidded eyes that Fredrick had become so accustomed to as of late. “Oh?” he replied with false incredulity. “And what would be an acceptable form of comeuppance for such a grueling task to perform at my behest?” Fredrick added dramatically, playfully mocking her hybrid modern-archaic speech patterns that he found so inexplicably adorable. Luna let out one of her rare, feminine ‘mare-y mare’ giggles in response, but quickly found that she could spin this to her… advantage. After the ‘adventures’ of the previous day, Luna was, unsurprisingly yet silently, left wanting more from Fredrick; and she was certain he felt the same. However, in her defense, being on a dry spell for well over a thousand years warranted a fair amount of figurative make-up and catching up to do. Even so, her remaining reservations around the human that she so dearly cared for would ultimately prevent her from begging him at this very instant to rut her into the stone wall. Luna’s old-yet-recently-tread-in-retrospect fears of looking desperate and crazed began to surface once more. “Well, I am able to think of one of many things,” Luna alluded not so subtly. Who says mares cannot enjoy activities of the sexual nature as much as stallions? On Fredrick’s end, he could clearly identify the tone of voice she was using and coupled with the fact that Luna let the fingers of her right hand drop dangerously close to her cleavage was more than enough indicator for him that whatever more ‘convincing’ she needed would not be in the least bit painful on his behalf. Even so, he decided to not think on his words as he uttered his next sentence: “Anything for the Princess of the Night,” he added with an exaggerated bow. Once those words left his mouth and entered into Luna’s ears with the sincerity he conveyed, her eyes lit up brightly and a giddy smile plastered itself on her muzzle. Fredrick, however, became a bit concerned for his well-being once he realized the gravity of his words. Did I just agree to some kinky alicorn fantasy? “If you indeed reason that way… I see little issue with the matter at hand. However, it is time to return to the court; Intermission is nearly through. We shall speak of this later,” Luna added with a final wink and bite of her lower lip before giving Fredrick a kiss on the cheek and teleporting them both back to public sight. [Luna’s Study | Lunch Hour] “Well that went as well as it could’ve gone… I think?” Fredrick spoke first as they opened the  door into Luna’s office. Court had adjourned for a one-hour lunch period and making good on what was agreed upon early in the morning, the two friends decided to spend lunch together. “T’is monetary policy. It can only become so exciting in the end,” Luna stated, though secretly, monetary and tax policy were quite riveting in her opinion. Celestia always had to give Luna credit that the latter’s ability to stick out the boring and mundane were lightyears ahead of her own. Luna removed her coat and placed it on the back of her chair, allowing Fredrick to get a nice look at her backside in that tight dress of hers. Perfect… “The longer you keep staring, the less time we have to nourish ourselves,” Luna commented without looking back, still bent over and fishing both of their lunches out of a small refrigerator. She could clearly feel Fred’s eyes sizing her up and she honestly had little problem with that, though time was not a luxury afforded at the present moment. At least, that was what Luna wished to have Fredrick believe. As she moved to grab Fred’s meal in its tupperware, she stopped her hand mid-motion once a devilishly brilliant (according to her) thought crossed her mind. Satisfied with the mental turn of events, Luna fished only her meal out of the fridge and stood back up, placing said carton on her desk and looking back towards her friend with remorse. “Well, it appears in today’s rush to assure preparedness, I seem to have forgotten to request a packed lunch for you from the dining hall.” Right as Fredrick was about to respond, Luna’s horn flashed for a fraction of a second, the result being the door being locked from across the room and Fredrick looking at her with an inquiring gaze. Luna crossed her legs and sat on the edge of her desk, locking her fingers together as if she was about to go on one of her lectures. “So… I believe I have figured out a much more suitable alternative.” With that, she uncrossed her legs, leaned back with support from her arms, and revealed her panties peeking out from between her legs. Fredrick’s eyes widened and his jaw ever-so-slightly dropped, not being able to take his eyes off the spectacle in front of him. As per usual, his mind/physical being and conscience were on two different planes of reality: Whoa… this girl is a keeper! “Ummm…” he was struggling to find words. “Like, I’m okay with this but, uhhh… now? Like, right now?” Fredrick questioned merely on the thought of them being late back to court and the fact that Luna was seemingly not caring in the slightest; much unlike her. “Does this look like the face of mercy to you?” Luna pointed to her stoic muzzle, legs still spread invitingly atop of her desk. “W-What?? That didn’t even make sense! What about court?” “I strictly remember a certain human stating ‘Anything for a Princess.’” “But—” “Fredrick,” Luna began calmly and lovingly with an invitingly seductive smile on her face. “If you do not get over here, get on your knees, and take care of my court, I swear by the moon that I shall—” “Alright, alright… goddamn,” Fredrick continued their banter as he made his way over to his best friend and, somewhat awkwardly, got onto his knees right in front of Luna’s spread legs. He ogled his prize a bit, which was concealed by light-blue panties, and slightly thanked fate that this was not some weird alicorn fantasy that he had feared earlier. Luna, though much enjoying the sight of her greatest friend between her legs, was quickly growing impatient. Impatiently horny! “As I said not even a few minutes ago, the longer you stare, the less time we have for nourishment,” Luna pointed out with her usual authoritative tone that was associated with the Lunar Princess. “I hardly consider this nourishment,” Fredrick added with his own bout of sarcasm, placing his hands on both of Luna’s legs and sliding them up to her inner thighs under her dress, coming straight to the hems of her underwear. Luna instinctively bit her lower lip a bit as she looked down at Fredrick finally removing her panties and exposing her quickly moistening slit. Luna had no weird bondage fantasies or odd kinks despite her over a millenia of not getting any… however, one thing she did miss was a stallion of her choice going down and to town on her. Of course, in this case, the ‘stallion of choice’ was of course Fredrick, and his tools would be his fingers and tongue. “You are terrible at fibbing, Fredrick. I know for a fact that you will most likely enjoy this as much as I,” Luna retorted, running the fingers of her left hand through Fred’s hair as he moved the hem of her dress up to get a better look at his prize. While he was reluctant at first, his lust finally overcame his reservations and with Luna’s own coaxing, he could easily, and happily, do this. Fredrick took his right hand and used two of his fingers to trace up and down her lower lips, his fingertips barely parting them and allowing a little more of her juices to seep out. Luna’s grip on her desk tightened and she angled her head back, exhaling in a satisfied manner. Still, he had fingered her the night before… she wanted more. So, without any words, the hand that rested on Fredrick’s head slowly applied pressure to pull his face inward. Of course, he obliged. With his mouth barely away from her moistening slit, he could literally feel the heat radiating off of it and wasted no time in probing with his tongue the same path of his fingers up and down in the crevice of the labia, using said fingers to spread them a tad. “Mmmm there we go…” Luna cooed, looking down on him with lidded eyes and moving her left hand from his head to her left breast, cupping and rolling it through the fabric of her dress and attempting to pinch her nipple through the bra-cup. Luna gave out very cyclic moans that were not overly loud but definitely sexy for the human doing the work, sexy enough to spur him on and go farther. Using his fingers to part her lower lips farther, he prodded his tongue completely inside, stabbing her hole in and out, attempting to literally tongue-fuck her. The move required him to go deeper, which made the tip of his nose press into her clit, and the dual-sensation drove the Lunar Alicorn absolutely wild, making her replace her hand on his head and pull him in extremely tight… so much so where he actually couldn’t breathe.   Fredrick continued to grind his tongue onto her needy hole until he could not hold in his breath and had to separate, Luna’s fluids completely coating his lips and chin as he took much needed breaths. Luna was in the throes of pleasure-land and was quite miffed that the flow of said pleasure had suddenly ceased. “W-Why did you stop?” “Kinda have to breathe, Luna, Jesus,” Fredrick replied, still catching his breath and about to dive in.   “Who is this ‘Jesus’ you speak of?” Luna asked in her cloudy state, remember all the times Fredrick had huffed out this phrase in times of frustration or disbelief. “He was… he was some  dude and… it’s a figure of speech alright?” Fredrick answered shortly, toying her clit with one of his thumbs. “An individual is a figure of speech?” Luna asked, though with a much higher tone of voice on account of the pleasure her clit was supplying to her brain. “I can explain idiomatic expressions from the human world or I can continue. Which would you prefer?” he asked, continuing their sarcastic banter, which Luna answered by pressing his face straight into her throbbing pussy. “Shut… up,” the Princess said with a moan as she shut him up. Fredrick went right back to work grinding his tongue as deep into her as he could, curling it against her upper wall and exploring the contour and texture of her inner-slit. Her taste was not bad in the slightest… bitter but not unpleasant. He hummed into her, sending vibrations to her very core which made her emit a long, guttural moan each time. Even chuckling at her reactions sent such vibrations into her and repeat the process. His nose still tickled her clit as he literally ate her out and Luna could not help but lay back on her desk completely and slip her hands under her dress, massaging her breasts together with her nipples between two fingers. “Right there, Fredrick… RIGHT THERE!” Since Luna was now laying on her back with her legs spread out nice and far, Fred had much more room to work with. Using both of his thumbs, he massaged her outer lips as he parted them, allowing his tongue to continue its onslaught on her upper walls (or anything he could lick in general, but concentrating there) as well as sucking her clit when his tongue needed a rest. Truth be told, he had to maintain enough self control to prevent him from dropping his pants and performing a human-pony stress test on Luna’s desk. After one more switch from dripping pussy to clit, Luna held him there. “Ooooh… Do not cease! AHHH! Right there, please do not stop!” That was all the inspiration he needed to keep massaging her little button with his tongue in as many ways as he could imagine while sucking it at intervals as he would her boobs. To make up for the loss in work slightly down below, Fredrick inserted his middle finger straight into her and pumped it as best as he could, ensuring he did not uppercut himself. Humming the entire time for the extra pleasure for her, Fredrick quickened his movements and hardened his intensity until Luna was finally pushed over the edge with a definitely noisier orgasm than the previous night. Her walls tightened around his finger and she used her hands to firmly hold his head in place as she rode out the waves of her release, her moans gradually decreasing in intensity and longevity until she was giddy and limp on her desk. Her juices pooled on the wood below her as she rested with her arms out. Fredrick got to his feet and crudely wiped his lips with the back of his hand before finding a couple of napkins on top of Luna’s lunch tupperware and using them to properly wipe his face off. Once that was done, he turned and looked down over the face of his best friend, lustful smiles exchanged between the two. “How was that, Princess?” “You make valid arguments and demonstrate your points nicely. V-Very well… You have convinced me. I shall meet willingly with Blueblood,” Luna conceded with a final post-orgasmic twitch that rippled up her spine, she being in various states of satisfaction. Court continued on after their escapade and Luna had to work hard to hide that dopey, post-sex grin during the rather serious economic meeting. Fredrick himself had little trouble doing so since he was not on the receiving end, but he still ended up having to wash his face and rinse out his mouth several beyond several times. Nopony was the wiser… save for Celestia who, upon looking at both of them at their return, nearly burst out into complete guffaw. With that development, all three of them had to keep their composure during the remaining hours of the meeting: Luna with her slight embarrassment and glowing happiness, Fredrick attempting to not fall asleep, and Celestia doing her best to not laugh her flank off every time she so much as looked at Luna. Not soon enough, court finally ended with the decision to keep the cost of borrowing the same, meaning that Fredrick could excuse himself to find the nearest maid or other staff to take a message to Blueblood. Still, regardless of the inevitable torment of teasing that Celestia would impart on both Luna and Fredrick, the latter was pleased that this whole plan could be tentatively set in motion, notwithstanding the Princess’s acceptance of the final plan, whatever it might happen to be. Fred truly did hope this could all work out. As much as he was enjoying a pseudo ‘best friends with benefits’ relationship that the two had so successfully progressed to, he conceded that he would thoroughly enjoy if he could treat Luna like a girlfriend, or whatever a Head of State in a relationship with Castle Staff would entail with title. Either way, the thought of taking her on a true date or outing without concealing themselves warmed him in many ways. And fucking her. Definitely nailing her to the bed, figuratively, not literally. Sexually. Fredrick ran his hands through his combed hair as he sighed, eager to just pen off a message so he could get back to work and the onslaught of jokes that Celestia would throw at him once he entered her office. He could tell that she knew absolutely everything… the way she would gaze at Luna and have to purse her lips or feign coughing. Boy was he in for it. Turning a hallway, fate smiled upon him as Fred found a castle maid leaning against the wall and looking at something in a notepad. The distinctive, if cliché attire of black and white maid uniform was enough indication and thus, motivation to jog right up to her. “Excuse me, Miss?” Fredrick addressed the golden-coated, red-haired maid. She turned her attention to the human beckoning her attention and quickly righted herself, straightening up in apparent embarrassment at potentially slacking on the job. “Hi, Mr. Himmelreich!” the young mare addressed very formally, as if he was an extension of royalty. One thing he did notice and mentally voice was that the castle seemed to employ rather attractive staff… this common maid was no different. That, or average-looking in Equestria is genuinely hot as hell. Jesus Christ. “There’s little need to address me like that, as I’m castle staff just like you,” Fred kindly dismissed the formality. “Fredrick is just fine. OH, where are my manners… Fredrick.” He extended his hand to formally meet the maid, even though he was already notorious around the castle. Fredrick made a mental note to be more personable with other staff as the mare shook his hand. “Of course, Fredrick. I’m Crystal. Nice to meet you,” she replied with a giggle. Normally, Fredrick would not have thought much of it but something was inherently… off about the way she giggled. “Likewise. I’m sorry to bother you on your break or your duties, but I have a small favor to ask you. This may sound like a chore when I say the name… but I need you to take a message for me.” “Sure thing! I’ve got time, who’s it for?” she asked, pulling her notepad back out and pulling a pencil seemingly out of nowhere. “Prince Blueblood.” “Ohhhhh…” “Yeah… please don’t hate me too much,” Fredrick joked. Clearing his nose a bit with a sharp inhale, he caught a whiff of a stench that seemed awfully familiar to him. It wasn’t unpleasant but definitely off-putting and ‘different.’ Crystal giggled again, the same exact way. Moreover, her stance changed almost immediately from one of duty to one much more sensual as she pronounced her chest and overall form much more when she leaned back against the wall. “Oh please, I could never get mad at youuuu,” she replied with a not-so-subtle wink and a visible boldening of her smile. Getting flirted with by some of the castle staff (mares and stallions alike) was not an unheard of event for him once he was much more integrated with society… but this was way too obvious and overly dramatic. Moreover, this mare was being serious about it; and it was sounding off alarms in his brain. Somethin’ ain’t right with this mare I’ll tell you what. “Yeah… anyway, just make the message read ‘It’s done.’” The mare nodded and she scribbled the words quickly, showing him the result while obviously pronouncing her bust with her arms. Fredrick was beginning to find this ridiculous… even if her breasts were beyond perfect handfuls in a good way. “Yeah, just like that. And could you sign my name at the bottom right there? Perfect!” he praised. “Now, just take that to his office and slide it under his door… or stick it in his ass; I don’t know how he normally receives messages,” Fredrick stated mirthfully, ever eager to finally be done with this task. However, what should have been an easy send-off quickly took a turn for the worst, though ‘worse’ would be subjective in this case. “I could do that… maybe if you do a little something for me…” Crystal alluded with little to the imagination, pulling the same ‘fingers in the cleavage’ act that seemed to be common knowledge to all girls on Earth and Equestria. “Yeah… look, if you don’t want to or can’t do this, that’s perfectly fine and I’ll seek out somepony else who—” Fred was cut off when Crystal pulled him against her with her earth-pony strength, a certain lustful fire absent of any other spark of emotion shown through her amber eyes. Gazing upon them opened a whole can of repressed memories from about a month after he arrived. Oh god no… please no… With quick burst of strength, Fredrick freed himself from her grasp. “Crystal, what the hell is with you?” he exclaimed, needing to get full confirmation before he ascertained a point of needing to deal with the situation another way. The curvacious mare advanced on him slowly as he tread backwards. “Not you, that’s what’s with me… and that can be fixed by me dropping this outfit, you dropping your pants, and you rutting an indentation of my back into the wall,” she stated, the same emotion (or lack thereof) in her eyes. She attempted to grab his leg with her tail. SHIT! SHE’S IN HEAT! Fredrick was quick enough to ensure his ankle didn’t get ensnared by Crystal’s tail and he bolted down the hallway, the mare hot on his figurative tail. He needed to get to Celestia’s office immediately. > Part VIII. Process > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part VIII. Process [Luna’s Chambers | Time: Seven Months Prior] Ever since the first incident where he almost got shanked by two Lunar Guards at the same time, Fredrick had been still somewhat on edge every time he made the trek to Luna’s room after the typical workday. Of course, it was somewhat irrational, as Princess Luna and Celestia both issued stern statements after the fact about Fredrick’s future treatment and the consequences should he come to unnecessary or maliciously intended harm. Naturally, the Guards, both Solar and Lunar complied and treatment of him was much more amicable from then on; Fredrick even found a couple of friends among the Guard Force as a result. Nevertheless, getting two pieces pointed at your stomach and dick simultaneously tend to leave a few mental marks that would heal a little slower than ideally. The left knob on Luna's door turned with a 'click' and the massive piece of highly furnished wood opened, revealing Equestria's token Human, clad in a blue dress-shirt and black slacks. His hair was a tad longer than he would have liked at the time but he was being what (to him) was considered 'adventurous.' He knocked a couple of times behind the now-ajar door. "Yes, do come in, Fredrick," Luna announced without looking, still finishing the last bits of paperwork for the day at her desk. She already knew it was him, because Luna only explicitly granted him permission to open her door without waiting for her to do it herself. Celestia also had the ability to just walk right in but she never knocked, even at the most inappropriate times, so she knew for a fact that it was her friend. Fredrick entered completely and he closed the behemoth doors behind him. "S-Sorry, am I interrupting anything?" he asked cautiously, moving to her work station as Luna was scribbling some last notes as well as applying her signature on an official document. She stopped what she was doing and looked back to him, the half of her face that he was able to see expressing a look of incredulity. "We have been friends for nearly three months and yet you still feel that you bother me in any way, shape, or form... I shall repeat, you do not interrupt nor bother me. In fact, I welcome any distraction you may bring me," Luna finished, applying her signature in one more place before placing the document in her 'out' box. That's when she fully turned her chair around to meet his gaze above, opting to rest her head on one of her hands as she looked up to him with a grin and a raised eyebrow. Fredrick stared down at his friend and one of two Heads of State, her admittedly gorgeous teal eyes gazing straight into his own. The majority of his tenseness around her was the act of actually being so casual and 'close' to one so powerful, but he was slowly but surely working on that. He knew there was nothing to be afraid of ever since meeting her that fateful night, and the two were as close as they could be right now. The other portion of his tenseness and awkwardness revolved around the fact that she, undeniably, was hot as hell; especially since she was wearing the same dress that she wore when they first met. The height he had on her due to her sitting allowed him to sneak a glance at her veiled cleavage, if only partially. "Heh, sorry. Old habits and thoughts die hard," Fred conceded. Luna rolled her eyes and stood up, them being essentially equal in height, though her horn gave her an inch or two on him. "Well, hi there!" Luna decided to actually greet him, holding her arms out expectantly. "Hello to you too!" Fredrick replied, reciprocating the gesture and pulling the alicorn into a hug. Luna closed her eyes and smiled gleefully at the gesture, wrapping her arms tightly around his upper back and neck. Once they separated after a few seconds and glanced at each other for about another two, Luna moved to her liquor cabinet. "Would you care for a drink?" she called over her shoulder, opening the vast armoire and scouring over what she had available. Fredrick looked on from her desk where she had left him. "Uhhh... sure!" "Any preference?" "Surprise me." Luna nodded and continued scouring, having to bend over sometimes and Fredrick eyeing up her backside, though he clearly knew he shouldn't be doing so. But that ass is just so... god! His mind mentally cupped those glorious cheeks and hips as it thought what he knew he should not say. What he did not know, however, was that Luna knew perfectly well that he was staring, but of course, she would never let him know that she knew that. That is precisely why she took just a tad longer in 'searching' for a glass, even though they were staring her in the face. "Oh, do make yourself comfortable. I shall have surprise alcohol ready shortly," she commented, startling Fredrick out of his quite lovely space-out session involving his hands and her succulent rear. He righted himself and adjusted to ensure that there was no 'evidence' of his perverse thought process. "You got it," he affirmed, loosening his belt a bit and placing an unknown object on Luna's dresser with an audible 'tap' of what sounded like metal hitting wood. Luna curiously looked over as she finally cradled two glasses and a bottle of rum, spying what looked like a slab of metal and some wires adorning it. Fredrick had turned around towards her bed and was stretching his back, this time letting Luna catch a glimpse at his own backside. Hmmmmm... She turned her attention back to the original object of her curiosity as Fredrick turned on his feet towards her. "What is that?" she asked, adding ice to the glasses. "Huh?" he then looked to where she pointed. "Oh this?" he confirmed, picking up his phone and earphones. "Indeed. What is that and where did you get that contraption?" "This is one of the things that survived from my world. It's my phone... well, 'smartphone' technically," he answered, looking over the device himself. "While I have no idea what it is, it begs the question: does it work here in Equestria?" she asked curiously, pouring identical amounts of rum into each of the two glasses before setting it aside and grabbing a bottle of cola. "Not to its full potential in the slightest. It would not work normally either, but Celestia was able to give it a magical charge to power it and prevent against degradation," he answered as Luna moved to him with two drinks in her hands. She set them aside and looked at the device he cradled in his hands: it was rounded-rectangular in shape with a length about as long as his extended hand, a width of about half that, and an extraordinarily slim girth. "May I?" she asked, holding out her right hand, eager to see such technology from a world beyond her own. "Of course!"  He placed the device in her hands screen-side up and Luna felt the cool metal touch her palm. She instinctively curled her fingers around its width and used her other hand to drag her fingers across the certainly-glass screen. Fredrick could not help but smile at the impossibly adorable spectacle of Luna overly-intrigued at something. She looked murderously-cute. "Hmmm..." she hummed, turning over the 'smartphone' and running her thumb up and down the brushed aluminum back, her appendage instantly gravitating to the engraved letters. "H-T-C... is this a firm from your world?" she asked, her fingers now tracing the embossing of the buttons but careful not to press them. She also took careful note to not touch the circular lenses to which she was not entirely sure the purpose. "Yup! One of many that manufacture such devices, actually," he affirmed with a nod, still enjoying watching her examine the object. "Most interesting... but what in Tartarus does it do?" Luna inquired, holding the phone carefully in her grasp as she grabbed her drink with the other hand, Fredrick doing the same. She motioned them outside onto her balcony where two chairs waited in the warm evening-air. Fredrick answered as they began moving to their intended destination: "The question probably should be 'what can't it do?' However, the main function is communication, often instantaneous." "Between individuals?" Luna continued asking questions, the two taking a seat overlooking the side of the mountain and Ponyville below, with Canterlot proper below and to the right. "Naturally! And by many methods as well, but the primary communication function is voice communication," Fredrick explained, taking a sip of the expertly crafted 'Rum and Cola' though he opted to refer to it as the standard 'Rum and Coke.' "So you mean to tell me that I can speak into this device, that is not bound by any tether or wire, and instantaneously transmit my voice to another pony whom may respond in kind? We can actually hold normal conversations?" she asked disbelievingly. "Like radio?" "Certainly! And in a sense... but somewhat different. As well there are other ways to communicate, often less instantaneous but equally as convenient: text based communication is an option as well." The two continued to drink, and Luna was beginning to feel that she needed more alcohol to really take in what was being told to her. Adjusting to a new modernity after a thousand years of being away was certainly challenging, but this device, little larger than the size of her hand, was throwing all realities (even with the existence of magic) that she thought possible for a loop. "Astounding... It is safe to assume then, that since there exists no such device here, it is unusable in that regard?" "Unfortunately so. However, that's the beauty of smartphones: they can perform other functions awesomely even if their primary function is shut down. For example, the cameras still work," Fredrick stated. Luna perked up disbelievingly. "This device contains a camera?!" Fredrick could not help but chuckle at her reaction. "It contains two actually. There are three lenses, but two work in tandem for the main camera and there's a front facing camera for personal pictures." Fred then took back the phone and pressed the lock button, navigating his way to the camera application. "Observe," he gestured and showed Luna the camera feed of Canterlot below. With one tap of the screen, the image was saved and displayed as a review shot, to which he handed the phone back to Luna so she could observe the picture he took. "Unbelievable..." she commented, holding the phone horizontally and noticing the orientation of the photo changing. She did this a couple of times and figured out that orientation of display could be controlled. As well, prodding around with her finger, Fredrick was impressed to see her figure out the 'pinch to zoom' function. He always knew Luna was impressively intelligent... more so than him, but even so, this was unheard of technology and she was taking to it decently well. The two continued to drink, Luna bringing out the bottles of coveted liquids to them magically. "As well, the front-facing camera has its wonderful uses," Fred mentioned, taking control of the phone again, switching to portrait orientation, and activating the front camera. Luna was shocked to be greeted with a real-time feed of her and Fredrick. "What?? How is..." "Smile for the camera, Luna!" Fredrick exclaimed, moving closer to her. Luna reacted with a shrug and leaned into him as well, their cheeks touching and both smiling genuinely at the phone. Fredrick pressed the action button on-screen and snapped the picture before handing the phone to Luna to review it. Staring back at her was a perfect picture of her and her best friend smiling gleefully. Luna said nothing as she continued to look at the picture but that's when she realized something: How happy she was. If there was any proof of Fredrick's doing in the overall improvement in her life, it was literally staring at her. Celestia had even commented on numerous occasions that Luna had seemed much more elated these past months, and now she could see it for herself. "Perfect..." she thought out loud, though in a completely different context of the picture. "Yeah, that came out really well," he added, looking over the photo himself, responding to the exclamation that he thought was standard conversation. "There is no way to get a physical copy of that photograph, is there?" Luna asked, though she was certain she knew the answer. "Unfortunately not now or in the foreseeable future." Luna huffed in disappointment, as she would absolutely adore having a physical copy to frame and place on her dresser or her nightstand. She could probably commission an artist to paint the photo, given the original. "But, I won't be deleting this ever; and also..." Fredrick did some manipulation and opened another application, applying the photo as his lockscreen. "Now I can see it everytime I power it on. You can too, if you like." "Well, what else can it do?" Luna asked, finishing off her drink and definitely not hating the fact that they were physically closer due to the picture they just took. "My favorite thing: it contains and plays my entire music collection," he proudly said, opening up the music application and moving to the 'artists' page. Luna refilled their drinks and perked up yet again. "Human music, hmmm? Now this I shall thoroughly enjoy," Luna replied, she and Fred taking another swig as he began going through the genres he had on his extensive collection. The two then just listened to music together on the balcony for a great portion of the evening, neither stopping talking nor listening as different yet equally awesome tunes permeated their night air. They did not even notice that they started leaning their bodies into each other. [Canterlot Castle | Present Time] Repressed memories were flooding through Fred’s head like a river as he wasn’t necessarily running for his life as much as he was running for the bone-integrity of his pelvis. He had lived a moment like this the very month he arrived in Equestria and that was the day he learned the difference between the fantasy of being forced to the ground by a sexually needy girl, and having it actually happen. Were it not for the intervention of a female Guard, he would have been another statistic in heat-related assaults. “GET OUTTA THE WAY!!!” Fredrick yelled out frantically as some administrative staff were crossing the hallway he was barreling down. At this point, he cared not for anypony else’s life other than his own and he would have gladly run them down if they did not move at the last second. He used a fragile-looking mare as a figurative springboard to push off of and get farther ahead of Crystal, who just crashed right through the group. “Freeeeedrick! I promise I don’t bite… hard!” Crystal called out from the heap of writhing bodies, starting her chase anew. Fred glanced back and fearfully gasped as she was gaining on him yet again. Okay, okay… ummm Celestia’s office is in Solar Quadrant… SHIT that’s the other side of the castle! Fredrick slid on his shoes as he made a sudden left turn, to which she knew Crystal would not be more than a few seconds behind him. He came face-to-face with a Guard casually strolling in his direction. There was the answer! He could protect him! “Guard! Please, help me!!” he came up to him, panting hard and a pleading tone in his words. “What’s the trouble??” “There’s a mare in—” “THERE you are, Fredrick....” Crystal said seductively, having found him and leaning against the wall. The Guard knew the situation immediately. “Oh fuck that!” the soldier exclaimed and turned on his hooves, sprinting down the hall and making a right, abandoning Fredrick to his fate. ... Seriously? Couldn’t even leave me his sword? Fred faced Crystal, who slowly advanced on him while he tread backwards, getting ready to sprint for his life again. “Go ahead and run, Freddie… your resistance only makes me wetter,” the busty mare lustfully pointed out, licking her lips hungrily. That was the cue for him to run the hell away once more, which he did, putting all of his power and energy into his legs. “There are…*pant*...much better looking… *pant*... stallions than me, Crystal!!!” Fredrick yelled behind him between his labored breaths, attempting to reason with her as his legs ran as fast as they could carry him. He made another left into one of the main arteries of the castle. Taking this straight down and then a right all the way down lead to the Solar Quadrant. A few passing staff and other ponies looked on at the spectacle as the duo sprinted by. “But you’re… *pant*... the ONLY human! And… *pant*... that makes you… *pant* hotter than you may… *pant* already be!” she replied through her own breaths, enjoying the chase both literally and figuratively. “So you want to… *pant* essentially rape me… *pant*... because… *pant*... you think I’m cute and… *pant*... human?! That’s… *pant*... and odd form of… *pant*... speciesism!” Fredrick yelled back, continuing the odd conversation as he was still being chased down. He noticed that any male Guard that moved to investigate the situation immediately knew of Crystal’s ‘condition’ and ‘NOPE’d’ out of there. There appeared to be no female guards to save him from his fate this time. “It’s not… *pant*... rape if… *pant*... you like it!” Crystal retorted, to which Fred found that utterly ridiculous. “Get fucked!” he yelled over his shoulder, coming up on the right turn he had to make. She was ever gaining on him despite his attempts to evade her through natural obstacles and handing her off to other potentially unfortunate stallions. “That’s the plan!” “Oh SHUT UP!” he continued to reply to her witty yet potentially-true-in-the-future remarks. He did not know why he was continuing to egg her on. “Fredieeee! *pant*... I do anal!” “Go to hell!” Fredrick made the right turn just in time as Crystal was about to snatch him in her arms and drag him off to her underground sex dungeon or wherever mares in heat took their unfortunate victims. The dress shoes he was wearing were not conducive to the activity of continued sprints and he could feel the soles coming loose. He could spy the exact arch of where he would enter the office, but with Crystal not even a few feet behind him, he could only hope his legs would carry him to his destination before she tackled him. Either way, Fredrick awaited his unknown fate. [Princess Celestia’s Office] “Everything considered, I have to say that I’m pleased with the decision that was made today,” Celestia voiced, reclining in her chair and running her right hand through her multi-colored mane. Princess Luna nodded in agreement. “Indeed. Based on the data that I personally reviewed I also feel the correct call was made, at least in terms of the next year or so but we can examine that a bit closer at a later date,” Luna replied, tapping her quill passively against a small stack of papers she held in her grasp. “Though I must say, the ministers that are currently up for reelection are behaving much rowdier in financial matters than before, Jesus Christ,” she added, not noticing her own use of Fredrick’s phrase of irritability. Celestia raised her eyebrow in inquiry. “What does that mean?” “What does what mean?” “You just exclaimed ‘Jesus Christ.’ Fredrick says that all the time. What does that mean?” Celestia asked with a smug grin, knowing full well that Luna was subtly taking on Fredrick’s own vocabulary merely by being around him so much. The Lunar Princess rolled her eyes but as she was about to respond, she blinked a few times and looked towards the door, a serious demeanor crossing her features. “Lu, are you alright?” Celestia asked concernedly. “There’s trouble,” Luna stated resolutely, getting up from the chair across from Celestia’s desk and moving to the door. Upon exiting out into the Solar Quadrant hall, she was fairly surprised, to say the least, to spy Fredrick sprinting towards her with an unidentifiable maid-mare right behind him with the intention of snatching him. A quick gaze at the mare in question confirmed to Luna what was happening and she moved to action. Charging her horn, Luna would attempt to erect a barrier between Fredrick and Crystal. She would impact the magical barrier and it would snap her out of her state. Then, Luna could properly reprimand her. The problem, was that Crystal was so close to him that she would have to be extraordinarily precise in her placement. Nevertheless, judging their speed and the distance between each other, Luna cast the spell and made her strategic decision on where to place the force field: Fredrick’s body was halted as he slammed with all of his might into an unseen force, crumpling like a rag-doll against an invisible wall. K.O. Crystal also ran into it right behind Fredrick and crumpled on top of him. Luna visibly recoiled at her error in placement and erroneously making the shield much too dense. SHIT! Celestia came out right after Luna to assess what was going on, as well as a few guards and other staff to observe the spectacle, and they found Fredrick unconscious and a writhing, moaning Crystal. The latter sat up and placed a palm painfully on her forehead, her eyes having returned to normal and holding confusion instead of lust. “W-What happened?” she asked, pain evident in her voice. She locked eyes with Princess Luna, who held her stoic gaze and demanded an explanation. Celestia, however, intervened on the situation before Luna could get more irritated than she was. “Crystal, dear, are you in heat?” she asked calmly. The mare in question’s eyes wandered to the ground and she sighed. “Yes, Your Highness.” “Why did you come to work, then?” “I made an error on my calendar and I discovered it about twenty minutes ago. At the time, I hoped to get through the day without an issue since it was only the first of my actual cycle, but Fredrick found me and asked me for a quick favor… I didn’t want to turn him away because I didn’t want to seem rude and…” She sighed again. “Apparently I’m much more susceptible than I thought,” Crystal finished, looking downtrodden and downright remorseful. Fredrick remained blissfully knocked out. Celestia nodded understandingly, moving to help Crystal off the floor. “So it would seem. Very well, it was an honest mistake and you did not want to lose out on a day’s work, I understand. However, with your current state you can’t be out as per the rules.” “Yes, Your Majesty,” Crystal agreed, silently thanking the sun and stars that she was not fired on the spot. “Now, go on home. Thank you for your honesty, and you’ll be paid for the remainder of the day,” Celestia announced. Crystal immediately perked up. “Really? Are you sure, Princess?” “I am. It shan’t be deducted from your heat-leave. Now go on home and take a really cold shower.” At that moment, a few Guard reinforcements arrived just in case they had to contain a fight or whatever was causing the previously unknown pandamonium. Among them were two mares. Celestia turned to Crystal once more and whispered. “Are you bisexual?” Crystal looked a bit weirded out at the sudden question but answered regardless. “Ummm… well there was this one time in high school…” “Are. You. Bisexual?” “No! Heh… no, Your Majesty.” Assured of no more potential problems, Celestia then pointed to the two female Guards. “You two, escort her to the Staff Quadrant to collect anything she might need. Ensure she gets home safely and without incident,” she decreed, and the two Guards moved immediately with her command. Luna knelt over the downed Fredrick, passively listening to her sister’s handling of the situation while tending to her best friend. Preliminary scans with magic showed that he suffered no internal damage, though he was *this* close to having a mild concussion. Two in such a relatively short span of time would not be healthy in the slightest, and Luna applied a residual sleeping spell on him to ensure he got proper rest. She then hefted him into her arms bridal style. “Sister, I am going to take Fredrick to my chambers so he may rest undisturbed. I’ll have one of the doctors look at him as well but as of right now, he is alright,” Luna commented. Celestia nodded. “Very well. Do give him my well wishes and apologies for what happened... and to come see me when he’s able.” Luna nodded back and with a brief lighting of her horn, she and the unconscious human disappeared in a teleportation spell. [Prince Blueblood’s Chambers | Time: Nine o’clock in the Evening] Due to some Parliamentary meetings, Blueblood, much to his chagrin, was retiring to his chambers much later than he would have liked, but t’is the season with elections coming up at the local levels. He was not concerned about his political position possibly being shaken up; as a Prince he held clout no matter what. What he was watching with a keen eye was how potential shakeups in electees could impact his business ventures. As a result, the normally arrogantly outspoken stallion kept his mouth shut and just listened to those around him; how they viewed the world would be important. Indeed, contrary to what the public might believe, Blueblood did not just exaggerate his title and merely exist (though he certainly did the former), for he was also the executive officer of his family company: Bloodline Corporation. While it is true that he did inherit the title there as well, under his leadership the company had expanded into other markets and were taking in profits unheard of since long, long ago. As iterated before, he was uncertain how new legislators could impact the process of solidifying his hold in new and current markets, but he knew that if he got into the good graces of the Princesses, especially Princess Luna (who largely oversaw business affairs), history demonstrated that companies that got the royal blessings for any particular project were nigh invulnerable, competitively speaking. So, when the Prince stepped into his chambers and found a scribbled note on the ground, he only had to read the  “All set,” and the signature “F” to know that the first step in his larger scheme was solidified. Once he cleared any potential legal and ‘moral’ hurdles with the Princesses, then he could truly commence operations. Even so, Blueblood felt that would be of little concern, since he liked to think that there was best intentions and mutually beneficial outcomes for both parties, though the true endgame for him would not be revealed to the Princesses until necessary. With that, he nodded to himself, tossed the note away, and began sifting through a list of names as he drew up plans for a sort of ‘political upheaval,’ where the country’s resident human could gain support to publicly court one of the Princesses. And the process begins… > Part IX. Carnal > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part IX. Carnal “Uuuuuuuuuuugh….” Fredrick groaned as his mind filtered back into the realm of consciousness, his eyes fluttering and eventually opening up to a dimly lit room. However, due to his last known situation, his senses went into a hyper-sensitive mode as he immediately slammed both of his hands down beside him, eyes shooting open,  gripping what appeared to be bed sheets strongly and ready to run once more. However, a gentle hand was placed on his chest and eased him back down into the bed. He quickly recognized the unsettlingly real spiral galaxy spinning above him. “Shhh—Shh—Shhhh… Lay back down, Fredrick,” Luna’s calming voice gently commanded, easing him back down and calming his nerves instantly. He sighed out in relief and gazed over to his right, finding the Lunar Princess resting on her left side with her torso propped up and supported by her left elbow. He was also quick to realize that there was no natural light coming from the balcony doors, leading him to easily infer that it was night time. “Ugh… What time is it?” he asked, palming both of his eyelids with his hands as he rubbed them simultaneously. It was readily apparent that he had been out for quite some time. The last thing he remembered was running straight for Luna, who had her horn charged… then nothing. “Twelve forty-one in the morning. You were out for quite a while, as I am sure you now know,” she answered, continuing to gently stroke his chest. He had also noticed that he was not in his work clothes anymore, rather in the fuzzy button-up pajamas that he always loved to use. Giving some thought, Fred decided that he would rather not question why he was in a completely different set of clothes, but he was sure he could guess how it happened. One thing that he did want to know, however, is the cause of him waking up nearly nine hours later. His head was still pounding somewhat. “W-What happened?” Luna did not answer immediately, but opted to scoot closer to him so she could check his head and what not. Her soft and smooth hands gingerly ran over the contours of his face as she examined him. “I ummm…” Luna was debating the words to use. “I sensed that there was trouble and upon investigating outside of Celestia’s study, I found you being chased by one of the maids, who apparently was overcome by her heat. I attempted to separate you two by dropping a shield but I miscalculated its placement and density, so you happened to be the one to run into it and knock yourself unconscious,” she explained, albeit quite sheepishly. While Luna looked somewhat ashamed of her blunder, Fredrick had to stifle a giggle, as the whole scenario sounded like something out of a slapstick comedy. Luna did not seem to take kindly to that, though. “This is no laughing matter, Fredrick, I could have seriously hurt you! You nearly had a second concussion in the span of twenty-four hours!” “True, but the fact that I’m not in a hospital right now and in the comfort of your room means that my condition is just fine. Besides, I have a beautiful mare taking amazing care of me,” he commented, smiling and winking up at her. Luna could not help but blush and give a tiny smile. Damn, when did you become so smooth? “How is your head?” she asked, moving to cup his cheek and run her thumb over his forehead. “Still throbbing a bit, somewhat painfully but I can manage,” he answered honestly. Of course, Luna would not accept that. So, she placed her hand over his forehead and filtered some of her magic through, her open palm lighting up in bright teal-blue as some pain-killer magic diffused through his aching head. Gradually, Fredrick felt the throbbing sensation cease and the pain was significantly reduced, only noticing it if he moved his head sharply. “Better?” Luna asked, leaning over him. “Much. Thank you,” he replied gratefully, shooting her another grin. Then again, Fredrick continually found himself unable to frown in Luna’s presence. He quite liked this development, even more so when she closed the distance between their faces and gave him a sweet, gentle kiss on his lips. He moved to deepen the gesture without hesitation, eliciting a small moan from her as their tongue-tips amicably played with each other. Instinctively, his hands went to her butt and he placed both of them right near her cutie marks, giving both cheeks a firm squeeze. Luna gave a gentle giggle, tugging on his upper lip lightly before separating. That is when she took her place next to the human, laying flush against his side and placing her right hand onto his chest, the sleeve of her usual white sleep-shirt riding up a bit and exposing more of her forearm. Fredrick grasped her there with his right hand but soon, the two found themselves holding hands, their combined palms laying comfortably on his chest as silence continued uninterrupted for a decent amount of time while they rested their eyes. "Hey Luna?" Fredrick finally spoke up, eyes open and staring intently at the animated spiral galaxy above. "Yes, Fredrick?" the Princess replied, eyes still closed and muzzle just under his neck. He absolutely adored the feeling of her warm breath on his neck. "Remember the night we met?" Luna opened her eyes, a deadpanned expression immediately adorning her feature. "No, not at all, Fredrick. I absolutely have no recollection of the night I met my greatest friend in the world... of course not; the night that changed my life for the better in so many ways? You cannot expect me to remember that at all, a whole ten months ago!" she began on a sarcastic rant. Fredrick rolled his eyes, understanding the stupidity of his question. The problem was, Luna took sarcastic rants to the extreme. Aaaaand here we go... "In fact, who in Tartarus are you? Get out of my bed, at once!" Luna fake-ordered, pointing to the door but not relinquishing her position atop of him. Fred could not help but chuckle. "Okay, okay, Jesus fuck..." he remarked. Luna became confused. "There is another individual named 'Jesus Fuck?' What a terrible name..." she mused. "No no no it's another expression." "Of irritation?" she asked. "Pretty much, it's like 'Jesus Christ.'" "So you are implying that you are irritated at me?" she asked somewhat seriously, though Fredrick was learning to see through the faux-irritation. She had been torturing him with that ever since they met, riling him up for her own amusement, yet he had gotten better at calling her bluff as time went on. She was probably testing the waters again since she was able to 'get' him the previous day. Making others feel that you have offended them, if played right, can produce hilarious results, after all. "Luna, no. Shut the hell up, that's not gonna work," Fredrick resolutely stated, though in a joking manner. No one in their right mind would ever speak to her that way except for Celestia or Fredrick, a testament to how close he truly was to her. She looked up in confusion. "What ever do you mean? I was merely asking about..." "You're so talking out your ass, you're not gonna rile me up anymore!" Fredrick chuckled out the words, pushing his back up against the headboard so he could look at her. "I literally have no idea what you are talking about, Fredrick! You said it was an expression of irritation and I am commenting and inquiring on that!" Luna pointed out, raising her voice as seriously as she could. However, Fredrick caught a glance of the sides of her lip curling up in an attempt to stifle a grin. "Look at you! You're talking so much shit! ADMIT IT!” Fred continued to point out, attempting to ‘counter-rile’ her up. His voice raised several octaves as he could not control his laughter while Luna began pouting in defeat before she too began giggling. In the grand scheme of things, to an outside observer, the whole situation would not really seem that humorous. However, anyone with a close best friend would know that it is not entirely uncommon for them to find an exaggerated amount of humor in... essentially anything. The two finally calmed down, sitting up on the bed and pressing into each other in an attempt to absorb more of each other’s warmth. Their hands never separated. Fredrick and Luna shared another gaze, locking eyes while expending any remaining chuckles and giggles. She then blew him a raspberry and he returned one in kind. “I hate you,” Luna said nonchalantly. “And I hate you,” he replied with equal emotion, or lack thereof. Fredrick leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, both closing their eyes during the short, three-second kiss. They separated with a gentle ‘smacking’ sound. “Wait… what were we talking about?” the human asked, looking off in another direction curiously in an attempt to jog his memory. “You asked about the night we met,” Luna clarified. “Oh right!” he exclaimed, opening his mouth to continue with his inquiry… only to realize that he had nothing to say. “Shit, I don’t remember what I was gonna ask you…” the Princess guffawed for a good second. “Really, all that hype and buildup for nothing? You are indeed jesting with your phallus, Fredrick,” Luna joked, though Fred had to blink a few times to understand what she meant. “Cockteasing, Luna. I believe the word you want is ‘cockteasing.’ I thought you of all ponies would know that word, considering you’re a huge one!” Fred jested in return. Luna gasped and brought her hand to her chest in feigned insult. “Me? A cocktease??” “Yeah. You. A rooster joke.” Luna’s deadpanned expression returned and she presented him with the middle finger of her right hand: another gesture she picked up from Fredrick. The latter laughed through his nose. “Please, Fredrick… you have seen nothing yet. You have little idea what a true cocktease I can be. As well, I would stay my accusations if I were you. Especially to the mare who has seen all the terrible things you dream about her,” Luna cryptically alluded with a smug smile on her face. Fredrick did his best to not show it, but with that revelation, he was internally screaming. As with a typical person, when distressed, he began arguing with himself: Shit, I don’t even remember all of my dreams! I hope my mind didn’t conjure some poo fantasy out of the blue… No, you don’t have a scat fetish, asshole… though technically it would be ‘out of the brown’ hehe. Oh fuck off. The truth was, he could be humiliated like a normal person. But honestly, who was gonna judge? Luna herself certainly would not, and in fact, she had probably expected him to dream about her in such a lewd light, considering where they were now. So, thinking about it, Fredrick had one of two options: One, he could stammer and stutter while possibly trying to apologize for seeing her in such a sexy way… or Two, play it off and throw it back in her face like any good friend would. “Y-Yeah, but don’t try talking out your ass again; I bet you liked what you saw, huh?” Fred resolved to throw her words back at her, in a manner of speaking. The effect was immediate as she began to color a bit on her cheeks and she began to sink into her posture just a tad. However, one has to remember that Luna is, as previously stated, quantifiably much more stubborn than Fredrick could ever hope to be. She would be damned if she would be outdone. As such, she sat up straight and met him face-to-face: “Perhaps I did? Perhaps I loved everything I saw over the months as well?” Both of their cheeks began to redden and the heat in the room seemed to suddenly rise substantially. Fredrick gulped a bit, but neither were particularly phased by the results of the undeniable presence of sexual tension. In fact, the sudden out-setting of feelings, whether initially for purposes of tomfoolery or not, began to embolden them both. Who would end up feeling embarrassed first? “I bet you did, Luna. I bet you really enjoyed my dreams,” he alluded with a few hand movements to hammer the message home. She then pressed her chest into him. “Well, what if I told you that I would frequently pleasure myself to the image of you quite literally mind-fucking me? Hoping that, by some odd alignment of my stars, you would burst through my door and use me in every conceivable way you could imagine? What do you say to that, Mister ‘Rooster Joke?’” Luna fired back with a devious smirk.  Fredrick moved his face closer to hers, their noses essentially pressing together. “I’d say that just maybe I should! Considering you had absolutely no qualms with me devouring your slit until you were a quivering mess right on your desk, I just might!” That did it. The two simultaneously lunged at each other, ensnaring the other in their arms as they quickly became locked in an aggressive, open-mouthed kiss, tongues easily visible as they wrestled each other. Heavy breathing and moaning from both parties pervaded the sexually humid atmosphere as they melted into one another, hands roaming everywhere they could as Fredrick and Luna simply could not bear to not be touching one another. Luna harshly gripped Fred’s button up. “Get this off now, or so help me I shall rip it off,” she ordered gruffly, an incredibly sexy rasp lacing her voice which betrayed as to how worked up she was. Fredrick fared no better. “So long as this comes off too,” he responded in kind, quickly lifting Luna’s shirt above her midriff and over her head as the latter undid all the buttons on his shirt as fast as she possibly could. Within seconds, both were bare from the waist up, with Luna only wearing bra plus panties and Fredrick still in his pajama pants. Luna could not even act upon his lower clothes as he dove in, pressing his face straight into her cleavage, immediately kissing, nipping, and licking what he could of what he considered sacred flesh. Luna gasped at the sensation and by instinct, both of her hands held his face there. In her moment of weakness, she allowed herself to be pinned to the bed as he continued to caress her girls so perfectly, but she gained her bearings once more when he moved to pull the cups of her bra down. “No!” Luna exclaimed as she immediately reversed their positions, pinning Fredrick below her under her entire weight. He did not particularly mind in the slightest, with supported D-cup tits in his face and all.   “It is your turn…” she added seductively, leaning in and taking a long lick from his collarbone up to his earlobe. He shuddered pleasurably at the sensation but still harbored some sense of curiosity. “My ‘turn?’ For what?” “You finished me today in my office, yes?” Luna pointed out. “I thought that was for agreeing to meet with Blueblood, the resident tampon?” “Oh, you actually believed that? I would have met with him anyway, only because you asked and convinced me,” Luna shrugged indifferently before resuming her ravenous gaze towards him. He returned one in kind once he got the gist of what she was getting at. “Well… okay!” was all Fredrick could really say as his rational mind shut down and his carnal one took over. He became filled to the brim with anticipation, since Luna would undoubtedly treat him to something special. “I presumed you would see things my way…” she mused, lighting up her horn. With a simple burst of magic, Fredrick felt all of his clothes fly off his bottom half, leaving him completely bare and as such, standing at attention down below. Deciding to ‘test the waters,’ Luna leaned her haunches back, the head of his spire pressing into her unbelievably soaked panties, right where her nether-lips would be. Both shuddered at the contact. Luna bit her lower lip and lowered her eyelids at her best friend below. “Since you mentioned it before, there was one particular dream of yours that I remember quite vividly; you may or may not.” Her eyes never left his own as she began slinking down his body agonizingly slow, leaning flush into him and dragging her covered breasts all the way down his torso. Fredrick felt like he would make a good pregnant woman at the moment, considering he would have to learn how to breathe properly to compensate for the mass exodus of blood from his brain. “O-Oh? And just what might that be…?” he struggled to get out as the firmness of her bra reached his pubic area. With another mischievous look of pure lust, Luna dragged her entire body down just a bit more, allowing his member to hook under her bra. Her hands were planted firmly on his lower stomach. “Ohhh… fuck...” Fredrick was overwhelmed by the sensation of two large, firm, yet soft pillows enveloping his shaft, her bra doing well to hold them in place around him.   “Huh, would you look at that…” Luna spoke curiously, fancying a look down and finding the tip of his dick staring back at her through her cleavage. “It appears I have a visitor!” Fredrick had to admit, Luna was excellent, in his opinion, at the innocent yet sexy talking. At the risk of potentially ruining the moment, since he was made to enjoy this, he decided to just concentrate solely on making sure he did not blow prematurely. Good answer, Fred. “And you know me well… I am a gracious host. As such, I do well to ensure my visitors are… comfortable,” she alluded, and began slowly lurching her body forward and back, her mounds pressed firmly, yet not tightly, around him; just enough pressure and momentum to tease him and keep him on edge. As a testament to her ministrations, Luna was awarded with a small bead of precum that quickly stained her skin and extremely thin coat. Fredrick was on a completely different plane of reality… it was as if his cock was wrapped in the firmest, smoothest velvet that money could buy. Heavy breathing and a few scattered, low moans were elicited from the human, just what Luna wanted - no, needed - to hear. She briefly stopped her movements, letting his member rest ensnared in her breasts. Honestly, they were more than perfect size for this. “A perfect fit, is it not?” Luna asked rhetorically, shifting weight to her elbows and lower back, allowing her to utilize her hands and press her tits together a bit tighter. The firmer sensation sent new waves of pleasure into him, having to shut his eyes and mentally bat away the urge to move… any extra movement would have a rather explosive and messy result. As if reading his mind, Luna allowed him to regain his fortitude for just a few seconds before declaring it safe to act, using her body movement as well as her hands to expertly massage his dick in her titflesh. Fredrick, again, had to resist the urge to buck his hips, as he wanted to enjoy this as much and as long as he could. Easier said than done, as his pre-ejaculate was literally leaking out of him like an annoyingly broken sink, naturally lubricating her cleavage more and more.  Despite this being somewhat one-sided, Luna was seriously enjoying herself. When she first saw this in his dreamscape, she found it rather… different, at first. Now, actually taking part in the act formally known as ‘mammary intercourse,’ she had to admit, her preconceived notions were shattered. She had forgotten to factor in that her breasts were rather sensitive to touch. As such, feeling her best friend’s leaking, throbbing length occupy her cleavage was an incredible sensation for her! If this went farther, her panties might actually start leaking, considering they were probably reaching their absorption limit of the fabric. She wanted more stimulation for her, and Fredrick was not exactly in a position to provide that, nor did she want him to. This was for him, just as this past afternoon—technically the previous day’s afternoon—was for her. So, she resolved to cease her motions and reach one of her hands back towards the clasp of her bra. “I believe this garment has run its due course…” she again, mused out loud. With a flick of two fingers, the original firm hold on Fredrick’s shaft ceased to exist as the support fell away. Luna tossed her now useless bra over her shoulder and immediately replaced her left hand back on her left breast, making up for the loss in support by squeezing both her boobs even tighter around him. “Fuck! Luna…” he moaned out, nearly losing it right then. The mare in question giggled hornily at his pleasurable torment. “I told you I was going to make you feel amazing…” she said smugly as she began slowly alternating her breasts up and down, massaging them inward so they came out on top of each other and shifted his dick back and forth like a pendulum, gradually increasing her speed. Fredrick moaned yet again and had to collect his thoughts and breath.  “Y-You actually didn’t—shit!—say that…” he pointed out. It was truly amazing… no matter what the two were doing, whether it be sitting in silence, working, eating, or in this case, Fredrick getting titfucked by the Princess of the Night, the two of them always found time to hilariously argue technicalities and semantics. Naturally, sarcasm always wiggled its way in as well.   “Did I really have to, Fred?” Luna asked, holding her tits firmly around him and ceasing the alternation movement, opting to continue lurching her body forward in conjunction with moving her breasts up and down at a faster rate. “Oh my fuck! If you’re going to… s-say that you said something—god your tits are perfect—you need to have said what you said that you said!” he was finally able to get out. Just as he thought he might have again lost his battle to a premature climax, Luna stopped her movements, leaning her muzzle down and taking a few licks at the head of his cock as it stared her in the face. Her tongue lapped up and savored the taste of his precum, noting the slightly salty yet not unpleasant taste. She wondered if her ‘flavor’ had a similar effect on Fredrick? A change of position was needed, though. Luna’s lower back was taking most of the burden and as such, she reluctantly released her hold on Fredrick, having him swing his legs over the side of her bed so she could comfortably get on her knees in front of him. Wordlessly and not even a few seconds later, Fred’s dick was once again buried in Luna’s cleavage, this time, both of them were allowed to lock eyes comfortably with each other. “Just shut up and enjoy, Fredrick,” Luna added in one of the sexiest, most innocent-sounding voices he had ever heard. It was clear that she did not want to continue their banter, and he would gladly oblige if it meant continuing her actions. On cue, her hands tightened the passageway of her cleavage for him and resumed her vertical motions. Her fingers brushed against her nipples, pinching them between her digits as she continued to massage his dick between her boobs, sending more pleasurable vibes into her. She would not be surprised if she was starting to drip onto the floor. Her inner breasts and cleavage were completely matted and slick with precum, allowing for plenty of extra lubrication for her to speed up her movements. She added back the alternating motion of her tits as her torso continued to bounce up and down. Fredrick was completely lost to the world, allowing instinct to fully take over. As such, he began bucking his hips involuntarily, running his length through her cleavage every time her tits came down on his base, and vice versa. “Mmmmm… That’s it, Fredrick… keep going!” Luna urged him on, loving the feeling of him literally fucking her breasts. Again, she had to admit that this was rather enjoyable for her, and seeing Fred’s body and face contort in such pleasurable manners was worth it alone. Nevertheless, she would have to repeat this sometime in the future, that was for sure. The ‘schlicking’ sound of his dick sliding through her cleavage at an ever faster rate was the sexiest sound in the room, though the human’s moaning and Luna’s sexy words of encouragement tied for second place. “Finish for me, Fredrick… you know you want to…” “Luna…” She ceased the alternating motion and focused slowly on the vertical massaging, bouncing her boobs on his dick, supported by her torso motions. “I want you to! Please, Fredrick…” Luna convincingly pleaded, adding what little speed and firmness she could. Clearly, she wanted him to let go completely. “Luna, I’m gonna fucking explode if—” “Then pray tell, what is stopping you?” she asked, locking eyes with yet another innocently sexy face of hers. As with how this whole scenario was born, there was that one straw that figuratively broke the camel’s back. In this case the camel’s back was already broken; that was the straw that severed the camel into two clean halves. With one last heavy moan from Fredrick which bordered on a growl, his dick erupted into her cleavage. Luna never stopped and she resolved from the beginning that she would not stop until he was completely spent. Nearly four waves of his hot seed coated her cleavage and neck, much to Luna’s delight if her giggling and gentle shrieks of feigned surprise were anything to go by. On Fredrick’s end, the feeling was absolutely indescribable by every definition and synonym of the word. He could have sworn through his shut eyes that he saw colors… hell, he could probably taste colors for all he knew. Fredrick was never a religious man, but he now firmly believed that if he found salvation in Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Cthulhu, and Shrek the Ogrelord simultaneously, this is exactly what it would feel like. Balls finally drained, Fredrick could only breath in labored breaths, being able to hear Luna do the same. He could still feel her breasts wrapped around him… though with a distinctly warm and quite sticky feeling to go along with it. Fancying a look down, he caught sight of Princess Luna, his best friend, coated in ropes of his cum that matted her coat from her neck down to her collarbone and below, with the grand majority of the spillage in the valley of her cleavage and the top of her tits. She looked up at him with a satisfied yet lust-filled smile, finally separating from him. A small tingle went up his spine when her boobs still brushed against his now impossibly sensitive spire. She looked down curiously and fingered the warm, viscous substance on her sternum, surveying the ‘damage.’ “A fantasy fulfilled!” Luna proclaimed, placing her finger in her mouth to taste him. Fredrick’s breathing had finally calmed down to manageable levels. “Y-Yeah, so it seems. I never thought that—well, thank you, Luna,” Fredrick resolved to just thank her for the experience, not really willing to question the whole scenario. A wise decision, if he did say so himself. Luna smiled up at him, her cheeks completely flushed from the whole experience. “You are most welcome, Fredrick… anytime, I might add.” she replied, standing up and adding a little bit of humor to the situation. He chuckled a bit at her remark and leaned back into the bed while Luna moved to her bathroom to clean off. Before she stepped in, though, she looked over her shoulder back towards the human sizing up her backside: “Also, t’was a little something to convey my apologies for knocking you unconscious… again.” She then stepped out of view into her bathroom. Silence comfortably reigned as Fredrick heard the shower running and Luna humming to herself happily. What was better news, was that his residual headache was completely gone. He jokingly wondered why that was. This allowed him to turn some attention to his thoughts, now that the sexual tension had been diminished greatly due to reasons. As of recently, Fredrick had been getting a bit antsy… he wanted to get out of the castle for the day and go do something. Perhaps Luna could come with him? “Hey Luna?” Fredrick called towards the bathroom. “What’sup??” she happily called back. He grinned and gave a huff of amusement at yet another slang word Luna had added to her vernacular with his influence. “I wanna do something this weekend… outside of the castle.” “With me?” she asked for clarification, steam filtering out of the open bathroom door as the shower was still audibly running. “No, Blueblood. Yes you!” Fredrick replied sarcastically. “You know it is, unfortunately, best not to be seen together in public on such amicable terms. We would not be able to act normally without raising many questions,” she pointed out. “True…” he acknowledged. “I would not be opposed to venturing out of the castle walls, but together, we would have one of two options: One, you would have to be an administrative assistant to me, and thus, act quite formally around me… or Two, I go out in a magical disguise which alters my appearance into somepony more ‘normal.’ That I have done on multiple occasions.” “Then it looks like the clearest choice is going incognito. As long as it’s out of the castle and with you, I’m game, honestly,” Fredrick affirmed, considering both cases and easily concluding that this was the easiest and probably most fun way to go about an outing. “Then it is settled! We shall venture off this coming Saturday. If you do not think of anything beforehand, there are a few activities I like to partake in once in a while in Ponyville…” “Let’s do that then, since you so kindly suggested something.” “Very well then. I shan’t tell you what activities yet, as I am sure you shall have fun. However, prepare to make a new friend and possibly more, because this will be a perfect opportunity to introduce you to Twilight Sparkle!” Luna excitedly remarked. “Technically I have met her, but it was more in passing about seven months ago. I met all the Element Bearers actually… though that’s kind of a generous term for ‘exposure.’” “Then it is time to formally meet them in an informal setting… well, at least Twilight. You two would get along nicely,” Luna remarked. “There’s hope in it!” Fredrick eagerly replied, already not not being able to wait for the coming weekend. “I shall be out momentarily… you made quite a mess of me, you whelp!” “You have no one to blame but yourself, Luna!” [Tuesday Morning | Blueblood’s Chambers] The meeting had gone splendidly, and all parties were in and out within fifteen minutes. Going over the situation between the four of them, Celestia, Luna, and Fredrick agreed to let Blueblood handle the initial planning and execution of this whole ‘upheaval’ operation. The necessary blessings had been given, under assurances that nopony would get killed and what not. Blueblood was able to honestly and smoothly assuage all concerns and truthfully pass on his motives for doing so… partially. While he was not swindling Fredrick nor the Princesses in any way, he did not know how ‘doing something to get into good graces’ would be seen by the Royal Sisters at the present time. As a result, he felt that there was still a line between lying and withholding information… he performing the latter, of course. Naturally, all would be revealed in due time but more important things had to be taken care of since elections were just around the corner. Blueblood admired himself in the mirror as he placed the final finishing touches on one of his finest suits for the day. Today would be the first of many days of internal campaigning in the Equestrian Upper House of government, and as such, operations would be a go. Making final adjustments, the Prince moved to exit his room. Time to go to work. > Part X. Target > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part X. Target The rest of the week—which was pretty much the entire week―could not have conceivably gone by any slower, but that was to be expected since Fredrick and Luna had planned somewhat of an outing that coming weekend. Elections starting the following week ensured that both princesses and the castle administration were up to their respective tits and nutsacks in endless paperwork, though a select few individuals would argue that they preferred it that way. After-all, paperwork fetishes probably existed. However, it was not entirely drab. After Monday evening (technically Tuesday morning in which Fredrick spent some time of the intimate variety with Luna’s ‘girls’), the two felt closer than ever, as impossible as it sounded. Whenever he was not working with Celestia, the two were together as normal, but the interesting thing was that they were not constantly making googly eyes or flirtatious passes at each other… though of course, there were plenty of those to be had. No, in the grand scheme of their interactions, they were behaving as normal: close friends who complemented each other, much to the common knowledge of the everyday folks in the castle. But throwing any kind of sexual contact into the mix was definitely a big deal, though how big depended on who you asked. Change would be unmistakably forthcoming, but the two silently agreed that it should not change the core of who they were together, nor mar their roots. Easier said than done, of course, but the two were giving it their best shot, and ultimately they were happy where they stood… so far. It was just after lunchtime on Friday and Fredrick was keen on finishing as much of his work as he could so the he’d have less to worry about come the next week, though really he just wanted to get out. Celestia and him were working quite diligently, she also being quite encouraged by the impending weekend come the end of the workday. “So I heard you and Luna have some plans this weekend?” Celestia asked, breaking a small bout of silence between the two. Being reminded of the plans only brought a more encouraged grin to Fredrick’s features as he kept writing.   “Sure do! We’re going to Ponyville tomorrow morning.” “Ah! She’s going disguised, right?” Celestia asked knowingly, apparently familiar with her younger sister taking breaks outside of the castle rather incognito. Fredrick looked over to the Solar Alicorn. “Actually, yeah. She brought up the point of it drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves and the inevitable onslaught of questions it would bring. Plus, we wouldn’t be able to act like ourselves if she went as is.” “Very true,” Celestia commented, acknowledging the fact that now was not the time to beg any questions that could cause speculation. “She has this weird preconceived notion that being seen as herself having fun is somewhat improper. Once things are sorted out, I may ask you to help her see the light.” Fredrick chuckled sensibly. “I’ll see what I can do, Princess,” he affirmed. Princess Celestia let out a couple ‘tsks’ of mock disapproval. “Still dropping the occasional title I see. You do realize that outside of a formal meeting, you really don’t have to address me as such, right? I mean, even though you work for me… and I’m a head of state… and an immortal representative projection of the celestial sun… you’re as much of a friend to me as you are to Luna,” she explained, though this was, naturally, not the first time such conversations arose. Fredrick nodded, not looking away from his work. “I know that very well, Celestia, and I really do count myself honored and blessed that you two feel that way about me. It’s more of a formal recognition of respect… I do the same thing to Luna too, though she tends to hate it more than you. It prevents my mind from invalidating your crowns, so to speak,” he admitted. Celestia could not help but smile warmly at him, though Fred could not see on the account of him not facing her. “What about you?” he asked, facing her once more. “What are you up to this weekend?” “Nothing really. Just going to relax, I suppose.” “You could probably join us if you wanted to. I certainly don’t mind and I don’t think Luna would, either,” Fredrick offered. The shapely Solar Alicorn smiled but shook her head. “Thank you for wanting to include me, but you two planned this around yourselves. Besides, it will give me an opportunity to catch up on some overdue paperwork that refuses to leave my inbox,” Celestia remarked, politely declining his offer as she dipped her quill into the inkwell. Fred continued to look at her, a coy smirk developing on his face. “Yeah you’d like things in your inbox, wouldn’t you?” he rhetorically asked nonchalantly, arms crossed and waiting for her reaction. She immediately stopped writing and looked at him with a deadpanned expression before reluctantly letting out a less than dignified giggle. “You address me formally a minute ago, and then you crack a dirty joke. I hope you enjoy the coveted position you’re in, Fredrick,” she remarked, chuckling a little bit more. “And ‘unlikely position’ I might add,” he pointedly added, rolling up a scroll and placing it to his left. “Oh? Why is it so unlikely?” Celestia asked, legitimately curious as to his word usage. “Well… I mean, ‘good friends with the Royal Alicorn Sisters’ almost sounds like some contrived fantasy. It’s like something out of a movie, really. Not knocking it at all because I absolutely love it; but it’s just so surreal at times.” “Understandable, I suppose. But as I’ve said before, in the end, we’re just ponies. We all need friends in our life, and for the record, I love having you as a friend,” she admitted, hoping to dispel some of his residual insecurities about the situation. The two gazed at each other and grinned, sharing a small moment before Celestia perked up, as if remembering something. “Oh, by the way, have you ever seen Luna mad at me?” she asked. He raised his right eyebrow in inquiry. “That’s kind of a random question but no, I actually haven’t seen her mad at you. I’ve heard some stories but no first-hand experience here. Why?” “Because you’re gonna witness it in about forty-five seconds,” she proclaimed, almost giddily, running her fingers hastily through her hair and rubbing her palms together. Fredrick was even more lost. That only creates more questions! “You sound almost happy about that…” “Luna is the smartest pony I know… probably smarter than me, and she has many, many talents. The only thing she really has trouble with, though she refuses to admit it, is that she has little in the way of anger management skills. I rile her up every now and then just to release some of the pent up irritation so she doesn’t blow up inadvertently on anypony; usually by pranking her at the most inopportune times,” Celestia explained, talking vibrantly with her two hands. Again, more questions on Fredrick’s end. “You… prank Luna?” he asked.   “We prank each other actually! It relieves the stress and lightens the mood, though once in a while we’ll both go just a tad too far. Usually it’s me who does that, though. As I said, I have my reasons for doing that. Oh, and she should be here right about…. Now!” Perfectly on cue, three aggressive knocks sounded from the door to the study. “Celestia!” Luna’s voice penetrated through the thick wood, though heavily muffled. Fredrick quickly looked to the Solar Alicorn, who had a smug smile on her face and motioned for him to observe. “CELESTIA!” Luna yelled louder before forcing her way inside and slamming the door behind her. The beautiful-as-ever Night Princess donned a navy-blue suit, complete with a matching blouse, tie, and long skirt (as opposed to slacks). Fredrick never saw Luna in a work-suit as much as Celestia, but he wished she wore the attire a bit more as she looked absolutely stunning, especially since said attire was perfectly tailored to her well-proportioned body. Huh… she has really nice legs. “Hi Fredrick!” Luna sweetly greeted with a little wave before returning her gaze to that of pure irritation, facing her sister accusatively. “Hello, Luna! What can I do for you?” “I know it was you! Do not dare play coy with me nor deny it!” Luna shouted at her sister, while the latter seemed to take it in stride. Fredrick watched the unfolding exchange intently. Celestia only chuckled and feigned ignorance: “Lulu, you’re going to have to refresh my memory because I truly don’t know what you—” “Oh quit trotting around it you fat-flanked trollop!” Luna immediately dismissed her sister with the appropriate hand gestures. Fredrick’s jaw dropped in disbelief as those words left her mouth and gazing over at her sister revealed that she gave the exact equivalent of ‘zero fucks.’ She cleared her throat and responded quite calmly: “Luna, I cannot confirm nor deny the charge you’re levying against me without knowing what it is or any supporting evidence potentially incriminating me,” she pointed out, mockingly using more formal language with the intent of riling her younger sister up even more. Luna growled and her eyes flared bright teal. “The only charge that shall be levied is when I charge my horn and puncture both of your oversized mammaries!” Luna threatened, balling her fists and reverting to her much more archaic lexicon as she tended to do when angered. On Fredrick’s end, he had to restrain himself from evacuating his lungs from laughter at her words. She never gave Celestia a chance to continue: “So, are you able to offer any explanation as to why this mystically fell from under my skirt as I was addressing the Council of Business Affairs?!” Luna demanded, reaching into her suit-coat’s inner pocket and producing an easily recognizable, floppy, midnight-blue, nine-inch dildo resembling a stallion’s phallus. Upon the object’s reveal, two things happened simultaneously: Fredrick had to cover his mouth and fight with all his might to prevent from doubling over in guffaw lest he incur the wrath of his best friend, but Celestia offered no such restraint and immediately busted out laughing. “Oh? You believe this is a laughing matter?!” Luna exclaimed rhetorically before moving to Celestia’s desk and nearly pressing her muzzle against her sister’s, who was trying her very best to calm down. “Mark my words, sister, when we return from our weekend, my retaliation will be enormous and disproportionate!” With that, Luna stomped towards the door and teleported out, not even bothering to exit normally. Fredrick watched her go but Celestia was still unphased. She casually looked to the human while finding her fingernails very interesting. “You know, what’s funny is that she kept the dildo,” the Princess pointed out, and Fredrick gave a sensible chuckle at the continued ridiculousness of the whole situation, shaking his head as he returned to his work. “Jeez, sometimes I really do feel like I’m in a friggin’ romantic comedy series.” Celestia ignored the comment when she found a few papers that reminded her of something at that moment. “Oh, actually, I did have some stuff to give to Luna that needs both of our signatures. Would you like to take it to her? She obviously doesn’t wish to talk to me at the moment and if I teleport it to her, she’ll probably ignore it for the day,” she asked, aligning the necessary documents and placing them in a folder. Fredrick shrugged and stood up. “Sure. She’ll talk to me at least, and who knows… just maybe she’ll share with me what she has planned for you,” he agreed, adding a jesting suspense accompanied with a wiggling of his eyebrows. Celestia handed him the documents and looked to him with a stoic expression before narrowing her eyes.   “If you insert yourself into our prank war, you run the risk of becoming a target, Fredrick,” she warned, the human in question holding the folder against his side and making for the door. He looked over his left shoulder with a grin as he grasped the handle. “Duly noted. I’ll return in a bit.” [Equestrian Parliament | Upper House Conference Room 1 | 10:17] Prince Blueblood took one last look at his watch before he entered into the expansive conference room. Said briefing rooms would often be used to convene and discuss strategy between Lords in the Upper House, as well as to rally domestic support from their respective political parties. Ponies in the position of Blueblood, for example, were highly sought after, as Princes, Dukes, and other individuals with permanent positions held extra clout, and pledging support for a particular representative could turn the tide in an election. Thus, he could use his own political weight to his advantage… among a few other trump cards that he had at his disposal. Eying the crowd of suited-up politicians like a predator searching for his prey, he finally found his target and wasted no time in clearing a path through the mass of ponies to get to him. The Prince had prepared a list of known individuals who would prove to be quite problematic once Princess Luna decided to make the ‘situation’ public, so these were the names on his ‘shit list;’ it just so happened that this particular pegasus business-pony, a known ‘speciesist’ was first on said list. “Lord Stratus,” Blueblood called out, garnering the attention of the pony in question and having him turn around to face the newcomer. The older, grey-coated pegasus’s expression lit up upon confirming the Prince’s identity. “Prince Blueblood! Such a pleasure to see you again!” he greeted, the two sharing a firm handshake. “How is election season treating you?” Blueblood asked, feigning interest in what Stratus would ultimately have to say. Buttering him up a bit would make his job a bit easier. “Oh, splendidly! Retaining my post should not be an issue whatsoever. Of course, I can still count on your support, yes?” he asked like he was joking. Blueblood indulged in his attempt at humor before becoming much more serious. “Indeed… well, there have been some... complications,” the Prince started off cryptically. Lord Stratus’s gleeful complexion was immediately knocked down a few notches. The possibility that he might not have royal backing for his continued incumbency was beginning to call his future victory into question. “W-Whatever do you mean? What ‘complications?’” “Here, can we speak privately?” Blueblood asked, beckoning the Minister and leading him to a more secluded room attached to the conference sector. Before Stratus could ask any more questions, Blueblood spoke up once more: “Did you know that Princess Luna is going to, sometime in the future, publicly announce her courting of the human, Fredrick?” “She what?!” Stratus immediately questioned with a disgusted tone. And just like that, Blueblood had him right where he wanted him. “Indeed! But now, realize, that you are the only pony whom I’ve told this to. It is still strictly confidential. Therefore, if there is any sort of leak to the press or to other ministers, I’ll immediately know that it will have come from you, Lord Stratus!” the Prince smugly replied, pointing to him to emphasize his point before speaking again: “As well, the best part is, when Her Highness does go public, you are going to fully support her! You shall not raise any objection and in fact, you shall praise her fully!” Stratus looked like Blueblood had taken a dump on his mother. “It sounds like you are threatening me, Your Highness…” “No, I’m not pretending to threaten you, I’m actually threatening you,” Blueblood replied matter-of-factly, his tone and expression instantly much more stern as he crossed his arms. Stratus huffed in amusement as he too, crossed his arms, his turn to adorn a smug facial expression. “A figurehead of royalty strong-arming government officials is just shy of a felony harassment and corruption charge. Unless you wish for the Court to hear about this, I suggest you—” “Do you hear that?” Blublood cut in, looking elsewhere and attempting to locate a phantom noise. “...Hear what?” “That  sorrowful sound... listen to it! it’s tragic, actually,” the Prince began, his voice becoming much more confidently sinister as he cupped his hand around his ear, feigning listening to something.  “It sounds like the saddest song ever played by an orchestra while a massive bomb is going off in the distance… all the while, two thousand pigs are taking perpetual, violent shits on your face; and it’s the greatest shit they’ve had in their lives, mind you. That is exactly the sound that you will hear for the rest of your miserable twat-life if you do not cooperate.” “Oh, really now? And just how do you hope to achieve that?” Stratus asked, completely unconvinced. Of course, Blueblood was an expert in the theory of ‘credible threats’ for a reason. “Well, it just so happens that Bloodline Corporation does a noteworthy amount of banking at Cirrostratus Mutual, you know, your company that my father helped supply initial startup capital to. You see, you made one critical blunder which is in poor, essentially illegal practice and gives me the upper hand with you: several of your branches ignored the Required Reserve Ratio. All I have to do is give the order to Bloodline and all of its subsidiaries to pull out our funds and help engineer a bank run. It’s relatively easy to call in some favors and get other partnering companies to go along with me. All your branches will become insolvent in hours. It appears you’ve forgotten to take that into account when you threatened me, hmmm?”   The look that Lord Stratus was giving to Blueblood was priceless: a perfect mix of fear and fury. His fists were balled up and his breathing had deepened, knowing that he had been cleanly done up the shitter. There was so much that he wished to say, but he physically and mentally could not string together proper syntax. Eventually, the best he could come up with was: “Y-You cannot be serious!?” “My demands are simple: You shall not incite trouble when the time comes, and you will praise our Lunar Princess when she makes the formal announcement, on top of getting your most loyal allies as ‘on board’ with you as possible. Do this, and I shan’t ruin your life, and I’ll endorse you!” Blueblood listed, knowing that he had thoroughly ‘convinced’ his first target. He moved to exit back into the conference room before he stopped to continue: “Oh, and… if you breathe a single word about anything I have told you here…” he cryptically began his threat, pointing to his face once more. “Violins, bombs, and pig shit. Remember that. Good luck in the election!” Blueblood concluded, waving over his shoulder as he disappeared back into the main room and through crowd. As he was leaving the conference room, the Prince took a small piece of paper and pencil out of his coat-pocket. He drew a thick line through the first name on his list. [Princess Luna’s Study | Present Time] After a quick trek to Lunar Quadrant of the Castle and waving to specific guards and maids, Fredrick found himself in front of the door to Luna’s office. It was identical in every way to Celestia’s save for the pristine-finished ebony-wood door and her stained-glass cutie mark embedded in its center. With no reason to admire the door itself, Fred gave four firm knocks, just to ensure that Luna wasn’t meeting somepony at the moment. “If that is you, Celestia, you can go fellate a duck.” Fredrick took that as permission to enter. Upon closing the door behind him, Luna looked up from what she was writing, a gleeful smile instantly gracing her face at the sight of her best friend. “I don’t know, Luna… I much prefer a ‘fellate’ of fish,” Fred joked, playing on her words, to which she rolled her eyes at how horrible that pun truly was, yet beckoned him with open arms from her chair. He quickly closed the distance between them, tossing the folder onto her desk before he made to hug her. “Your puns continue to be weak,” she noted before the two embraced each other tightly and with wide smiles. After a few seconds, they separated, Luna holding onto Fredrick by his biceps and looking up at him endearingly. The two grinned at each other for a bit before the human pointed towards the file resting on her desk. “It was obvious that you didn’t want to talk to Celestia at all, so she had me bring that to you. Some important documents I guess,” he said, Luna turning again in her chair to open said folder and thumb through the papers inside. He watched her skim passages, numbers, and other information from above… though he was almost disappointed that there was no cleavage to look down upon this time. Almost. After a few more seconds, she closed the folder and looked up at him once more. “Necessary documents indeed. Thank you for bringing them to me. Do you need to get back to my sister?” Luna asked, desperately wishing for a distraction at the present time in light of more recent events. “Nah, I’m not in a rush.” “Then, stay a while?” “Is that even a question?” he replied incredulously, her face instantly lighting up. Being truthful to himself, seeing her instantly become happy like that made his day. Luna decided to stand up, planting a small kiss on Fred’s right cheek before they engaged in another tight hug. The Lunar Princess buried her muzzle into his neck, her arms around his upper back and his around her waist. Silence reigned for about thirty seconds, the two locked in a chaste embrace and gently swaying back and forth. Luna opted to rest her eyes just for a moment, as she was completely exhausted from this morning as well as the entire week in general. With a less-than-desired prank from Celestia, Fredrick was the only individual whom Luna wanted to be with at the moment. Fredrick moved his hands up her back and once he got farther up towards her wings, Luna flinched in apparent pain. “Are you alright?” he asked, withdrawing his hands from her back and separating so he could better look at her. Luna stretched her arms backwards with a small grimace. “Yes, my left wing is just giving me problems. I stretched too harshly this morning when I woke up and it has been a literal pain all day,” she commented, the pain-killing magic she had cast earlier not having as much of an effect as she would have liked. Fredrick, however, knew that he could help her out, possibly. He just needed internal coaxing: Do it, you pussy. “How ‘bout a massage?” he said, throwing out the option somewhat awkwardly. Considering that Luna was his best friend, he's kissed her on a near daily basis, and earlier in the week his manhood went hard through her hills, he was not really sure why he was shy to provide a simple massage. Luna, however, immediately jumped at the opportunity to get relief for her sore appendage. “That actually sounds splendid,” she affirmed, shedding her suit-coat and sitting on the edge of her desk, her gorgeous midnight-blue wings being revealed. They were allowed to come through her dress-shirt via small slits on the fabric which seemed oddly small given Luna’s impressive wingspan. Then again, when she folded them and had them flush on her back, they were actually quite compact, almost unnoticeable under baggier clothing. Fredrick wasted no time in getting to work, gingerly but firmly gripping both bases of her wings for purposes of symmetry. “Ahhh!” Luna moaned out involuntarily as Fredrick immediately set to work on kneading her overstretched appendages. The human knew exactly what the effect was, in some sense. Luna had explained to him months ago about pegasi and their wings being sensitive erogenous zones, and it was no different for alicorns. He had to be gentle yet firm and precise in his actions, lest he cause undue pain or sexually rile her up unnecessarily. Still, the latter may very well have been unavoidable if the extent of the pleasure felt by wing stimulation was not exaggerated. Fredrick might as well have been squeezing her tits. I’d say that’s a better alternative… “How’s that?” he asked as he continued to work up and down her wing muscles and out towards the edges. Luna gave a few more shudders and sighs of relief. “Wo~onderful. Your skill with your hands is quite diverse,” Luna jokingly alluded, looking back at him with a sly smile. Fredrick chuckled as he diligently continued working, being very deliberate with his actions at very specific places on her wing bases. He was quickly learning which areas made her tick in all the right ways, and he’d be sure to employ these in later escapades with his closest friend. “So you’ve told me. You like my hands quite a bit,” he retorted, feeding the suggestive atmosphere. “And you seem to be enjoying my wings!” Luna pointed out after a particularly seductive-sounding coo. “Although… you love other parts of me moreso…” Luna continued, her eyelids dropping just a bit as she worked to excite her human friend. This is escalating quickly. “You could say that I suppose…” “You are infatuated with my breasts, yes?” Luna asked coyly, cupping both of them through her shirt. He met her face with a deadpanned expression but her attempts to get him going were succeeding greatly. “Are you seriously asking me that?” “I already know the answer… I just like hearing you say it. But you love them, yes?” she pressed on, the sensual rubbing of her wings easily identifiable as the catalyst to this whole hot-and-heavy atmosphere multiplying on itself. He never ceased his ministrations on her wings and in fact, became much more sexual with his touches. It was remarkable how their words went from crude joking to ‘impending sexual intent.’ “Yes…” “And placing your throbbing member between them, yes?” she continued, going straight for the kill, figuratively speaking. “Luna, one day under pressure from all your teasing, I’m going to just clear your desk and fuck you into the wood,” Fredrick replied, not holding back any punches either. As he finished uttering his words, he leaned in and planted lustful kisses on the side of Luna’s neck, again, never ceasing his massaging. Luna instinctively leaned her head over to give him better access, his lips and teeth sending the ‘tingly-electricity’ straight into her stomach and was quickly intensifying her arousal. She softly moaned.   “Mmmmm… Fredrick… and maybe you should. Perhaps I am not opposed to you rutting me senseless in my own office and making me scream,” Luna said, not wanting to be outdone. Fredrick continued to assault both her neck and her wings, and she became even more sexually stimulated when Fred freed his right hand and reached around, gripping her right breast from behind. “I would right now, Luna,” he continued, both of their breaths becoming labored, heavy pants with the continually building sexual tension. “But it’s business hours, so it would be almost certain that —” *knock**knock**knock* Both immediately ceased their actions as they shot their glances to the door. Less-than-desirable memories began to flood into their minds from their second time being at all intimate with each other. “Princess Luna?” A guard called out from behind the door. “Your two o’clock appointment has arrived.” “Very well. I shall be right out!” Luna replied, retrieving her suit jacket, folding her wings against her back, and slipping it on. She looked to Fredrick who looked like he was ready to bust out in hysterics. She rolled her eyes, both of their cheeks still flushed with arousal, and it was a shame that she did not have enough time to change panties. She certainly needed it. Luna checked herself over to make sure nothing ‘bled’ through, this time both of them being ‘blue-balled.’ “You just had to open your damn mouth!” > Part XI. Evaluation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XI. Evaluation Friday's workday finally ended and gave way to a gorgeous Saturday morning, a very specific Saturday morning that a certain alicorn and resident human were most looking forward to: their planned trip to Ponyville. Much to Fredrick’s slight dismay, Luna refused to let him in on the exact plans for the day but assured him that all would be well nonetheless. One thing that was for certain, though, was that he was going to formally meet Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s protege and Luna’s best friend second to Fred himself… a distant second by this point, of course. By eight in the morning, all the necessities for their weekend-long outing had been packed and the deal was that both would meet each other and walk to the train. Naturally, as princesses, they were afforded the option to travel via a royal chariot and Fredrick being with Luna would be no different, but for purposes of being incognito, taking the standard train to and from Ponyville would be a necessity. Fredrick sat on the edge of his bed, slipping on his shoes, which would be the last thing before he was completely ready to depart. One large suitcase containing his clothes and assorted toiletries laid on his bed, ready to pick up when they were ready to depart. All that was left to do was wait for Luna to meet him. Until then, Fred studied his appearance in the mirror. He was cleanly shaven, neatly combed, and he wore a regular, emerald dress shirt and black slacks. Nothing too formal nor informal in his eyes, and he’d like to look his best since he’d be meeting one of the most important ponies in all of Equestria. “I must say you look rather nice,” Luna’s voice pierced the silence, making Fredrick jump slightly with a high-pitched yelp of surprise. Turning on his heels he found Luna, clad in business jeans and a black, standard-neck t-shirt. Her wings rested against her back, her arms were crossed under her chest, and a mischievous smile was glued to her face. This was far from the first time that Luna employed a magical spell known as ‘silent teleportation.’ “Jeez, you should wear a bell or something,” Fred jokingly spat, absolutely hating being snuck up on. Luna raised her right eyebrow as she closed the distance between them. Her figure filled out the relatively casual attire perfectly, “Indeed? Have I stumbled upon a pet fetish?” Luna inquired, never losing any pleasure in rustling her human best friend after all this time. “Says the demi-goddess Princess with a massive submissive side,” Fredrick riposted with yet another edge of humor. “You’re hilarious, do you know that?” Luna rhetorically asked in monotone, wrapping her arms around Fredrick’s neck and pulling him in for a hug. Instinctively, his hands fell on her lower back, holding her against him. The two closed their eyes and involuntary smiles graced their features, embracing each other’s company literally and figuratively. Fredrick felt the softness yet firmness of her chest pressing into his own while feeling the arousingly toned muscles of her lower back, gently lifting up the hem of her shirt and running his fingertips along her back dimples. Luna let out a feminine giggle before nuzzling her face into his neck. “Completely,” he replied anyway. “I would advise against being too adventurous, or we may never leave this room…” the Lunar Alicorn lewdly implied. Fredrick chuckled breathily before gently nibbling on the tip of her right ear. “Who needs a weekend out when you look this hot,” Fred admitted completely. There were very few times where Luna wore truly casual clothes as it simply was not her style, but for purposes of going unrecognized to the general public, she would have to dress more ‘normal’ as one of the first steps. Luna’s cheeks heated up somewhat but she pulled away from him right there lest he continue ‘being himself’ and she pounce him. “While the implication sounds quite… ravishing, we are unfortunately already committed. Twilight Sparkle has already, kindly, made accommodations for us and as such, she is expecting us on her doorstep in a couple of hours,” Luna explained. She moved towards her duffel bag that she brought with her and slung it over her shoulder, the strap pulled tightly against her and resting between her breasts invitingly. Fredrick had to forcefully pry his gaze from the lewd idea-inducing sight. God I’m the luckiest dude on Earth and Equestria... Luna caught him staring and again, raised a brow. “Pray tell, see something that you like?” “I see everything I like,” Fredrick retorted. This time it was Luna’s turn to roll her eyes, magically lifting his suitcase off the bed and placing it in front of him. “Enough of this, there will be plenty of time for the usual banter later. For now, we must get to the train station,” Luna stated. “So you’re going to be in disguise… who might said alter-ego be, then?” Fredrick asked curiously as Luna, with a flare of her horn, removed the magic from her hair and left it lifeless. “Observe…” Luna began, dropping the duffel bag and lighting her horn once more, her magical aura completely eclipsing her form. After a few seconds of a low-grade light show, the alicorn re-emerged but apparently an alicorn no longer. Instantly noticeable was the distinct lack of her wings, as well as her horn having been shortened to a much more ‘normal’ length of an average unicorn mare. Gone was her midnight/navy-blue coat/skin, it having lightened to a teal color identical to her magical aura. Moreover, her eyes darkened to a striking sapphire color while her hair and tail became perfectly straight and, much like her shirt, jet-black. Luna ran her hands through her new hair, straightening it out and revealing that overall (much to Fredrick’s pleasant surprise), her body proportions were exactly the same. That’s a relief. The imposing unicorn locked eyes with the slack-jawed human, the latter staring at an extremely gorgeous mare that was quite different in appearance. “Hi Fredrick!” ‘Luna’ finally spoke, though even her voice had changed. It appeared to have risen one or two octaves. “I’m Lumina! Pleasure to meet you… quite the pleasure,” she purred, eyeing Fred’s body up and down hungrily and attempting, yet again, to rile him up. It was a bit different though… the illusion seemed so real, that if he did not just witness Luna apply the spell, he would have sworn that a new mare forced herself into the room and started hitting on him. “Okay this is gonna take just a little bit of getting used to…” he admitted, taking the liberty in scanning her body over. She giggled and giddily gave Fredrick a little twirl. Dat ass is definitely still there… Hi, my name is Fredrick Himmelreich and I approve of this transformation. “Oh?” she asked rhetorically, bounding over to him and smashing her lips against his own, not even asking for permission to assault his mouth with a strong and precision insertion of her tongue. His eyes widened at the odd feeling, though it felt absolutely no different than spontaneously playing tonsil-hockey with Luna… because he was spontaneously playing tonsil-hockey with Luna. She hastily separated and sauntered back over to her belongings. “Mull on that to help you ‘get used to it,’” she stated curtly, slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder again. Not waiting for him to follow, she made for the door and exited out, leaving the human stunned as to what had just happened. Fredrick quickly shook himself out of the stupor and hefted up his suitcase. “I guess!” he huffed out and moved to catch up with the Princess-in-disguise, closing and locking the door to his room behind him. Venturing out of the castle was not a big ordeal in the slightest, attributable this time entirely to ‘Lumina.’ The general public had been made aware of Fredrick’s presence so he did not draw a massive crowd, though every time he had gone out, he would attract a few stares. This effect was gradually reduced over time and even more so with Luna’s current alter-ego, making it seem as if the human was much more approachable and ‘integrated’ with the presence of a beautiful, friendly mare. As such, a few more ponies decided to stare at Lumina rather than Fredrick, because being completely realistic, she was easily the hottest one of the two. Not even a question. “So, we are in public together!” Lumina pointed out as the two walked in perfect step down Canterlot’s Mane Street. Other than getting a passing glance at the human, nopony paid much mind, which Fredrick was more than fine with. He was never one to draw attention to himself in the first place, even back on Earth. “So we are,” he replied contentedly, taking a good look around him as they walked, but his glance ultimately fell on Lumina, the Night Princess in disguise. Naturally, to keep up the act, he would have to start referring to her by her assumed name when in ‘incognito mode.’ When their gazes met, Lumina tangled her arm with his and pressed her side into him, both continuing to head towards their destination. Speaking and acting as they always would but not having to hold their tongues on account for listeners (within reason, of course), the two arrived at the train station with no issues. The appropriate train was boarded without a hitch and their assigned car and seats were found. Getting settled in, both were thankful for the fact that their car was not crowded at all; a few ponies up in the front but other than that, they had the entire rear to themselves… not that it really mattered anyhow, as all they did was catch a nap for the duration of the ride. The travel time was approximately two hours from Canterlot to Ponyville, but Fredrick woke up about halfway in, he leaning against the window and Lumina snuggled up against his arm, sleeping peacefully. While the scenery coming down the mountain was nothing short of breathtaking, Fredrick personally felt that the view right next to him eclipsed the beauty of the aforementioned. Gazing down at the sleeping princess in disguise, Fred felt nothing but respect and the deepest form of caring towards her. He grinned and stroked some of Lumina’s hair out of her face while gently running his thumb back and forth on her cheek. You love her. That single sentence echoed throughout his mind… one that used to terrify him beyond belief. It may have terrified Fredrick for any number of reasons, but that did not change the fact that it was true. Indeed, he was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he did love Luna, but in exactly what way? At first, he acknowledged that since she was his best friend and he’d do anything for her, he clearly loved her. But yet… that was not entirely truthful, as it was a different kind of love. He certainly loved her in that way, but attempting to reassure himself of that revealed that this brand of love did not quite cover the entirety of what he felt towards this mare. The butterflies he would get in his stomach every single time he saw her over the last ten, going on eleven months, genuinely laughing at anything and everything together, the sheer electricity of when they would touch each other intimately, and even just the way they talked and looked at each other... all pointing to the signs of him truly loving this girl, and probably she reciprocating those feelings completely. It all renewed his drive and sincere hope that this entire ordeal would work itself out ideally. Fredrick planted a small kiss on her forehead and wrapped his left arm around her, pulling the sleeping mare into his side before he closed his eyes once more. A smile adorned both of their tired faces. A little over an hour later, the train arrived at Ponyville Station. The duo found themselves standing on the platform and ensuring that all their belongings were accounted for before starting off to wherever they were going… Fredrick still had little idea of their destination. Lumina took a deep breath and exhaled, a jovial complexion tattooed to her face. “Ahhhh… it is most wonderful to be back in Ponyville,” she mused out loud. “Seems like a homely place… I’m not hating it,” Fredrick added, Lumina looking over to him incredulously, eyebrow raised and everything. “Really? You are not ‘hating it?’” “Well it’s technically true. You, for one, always praised me for my honesty,” the human quipped, eliciting an eye-roll and a humored huff from the disguised princess. “Very well, let us move on then,” she stated, ensuring her duffel bag was strapped to her comfortably. Fredrick quickly fell into step, gesturing her to lead the way. The two fell into a comfortable silence as both were taking in the scenery, though it was more powerful for Fredrick as he had never been here before. He appeared to draw a few more stares than normal from the locals but that was to be expected due to the previous reason. “So, I heard that you and Celestia have some sort of prank war going…” Fred broke the silence, remembering Luna’s little outburst yesterday. Said incognito princess furrowed her brow at the memory. “Indeed… though Celestia has a point of pranking me at the worst of times, case in point: dildo in the skirt during an important meeting,” she confirmed, recalling the less than desirable incident. Fredrick could not help but chortle at the very idea.   “I’m sorry… but that does sound pretty damn hilarious,” Fred apologized in attempt to save face. Lumina waved it off though. “Think nothing of it. It was well within the parameters of our little war but nevertheless, I could not have looked more like a twat than if I arrived dressed as Nightmare Moon shouting ‘the next recession shall last forever!’” she finished her words theatrically with an exaggerated sweep of her arm. Fredrick laughed out loud at that thought. “Yeah you would look pretty twat-ish,” he readily agreed. “But if I may ask, do you have any plans for retaliation?” “Oh you best believe I do… why do you ask? Are you a spy?!” Lumina jokingly accused, literally getting in his face and pretending to scrutinize his very existence. He merely gave a gentle peck to the tip of her nose, forcing her to recoil and blush at the unexpected action. “On the contrary. This seems fun, and Celestia warned me that I might become a target if I inserted myself… so maybe before that happens,” Fredrick began alluding. “We could sort of team up and stick it to her.” Lumina remained silent for several moments, continuing to lead the way. They rounded one more corner and the Golden Oaks Library was in plain view as they approached. “Perhaps I do have some use for you… though I must agree with my sister. I’ll allow us to team up on her and deliver a prank that will shake her to her bones, but then you shall be fair game. There shall be no do-overs once you commit,” she cautioned the human one last time. The two approached the front door of the Library. “Let’s do it. It sounds like fun, honestly,” Fredrick spoke honestly, shifting his gaze forward at the door once he realized that they had apparently arrived. Lumina gave three knocks to said door. “It is… until you are pranked for the very first time,” Lumina added darkly with a sinister chuckle. Right at that moment, the door to the Library opened inward with no one to greet them, which Fredrick found somewhat off-putting. Even so, Lumina beckoned him to follow her inside, and once both were inside what appeared to be the common room, Lumina magically dropped the disguise, becoming Luna once more, and almost got tackled by an embrace from a lavender-coated mare. “Luna!” the new mare shouted in delight as Luna heartily returned the gesture, giggling as well. “Twilight Sparkle! It is wonderful to see you again on such casual circumstances… and I cannot thank you enough for allowing us to intrude for the weekend,” Luna spoke, the two mares separating to get better looks at each other. Fredrick opted to keep silent and let the two have their greeting moment, glad to have at least one of his questions answered. Guess we’re staying here then… “Please, Luna, it’s no trouble at all, especially since we get to see each other again, it’s been too long!” Twilight exclaimed. Now that the mares separated, Fredrick was able to get a better look at the very familiar unicorn. She was a few inches shorter than Luna and her lavender coat was complemented perfectly with her perfectly straight, indigo mane with a single yet distinctive pink stripe going up one of her bangs. Body-wise, she was petite, but that did not detract from her beauty at all. Fredrick had to admit that she was definitely beautiful. Her attire of black denim pants and a plain-purple short-sleeved shirt complemented her figure just right. And he would neither confirm nor deny that she had a nice butt. “And you must be the famous Fredrick,” Twilight inferred, turning her attention to the human in the room and moving to greet him properly, her deep purple eyes boring into his own emerald ones. “I’ve heard a great many things about you.” “Famous, not infamous, right?” he quipped, helping to close the distance between them. Twilight offered him her hand and he took it in his, giving a gentle but firm shake. “Ehhh, maybe a little of both,” she shot right back. “Twilight Sparkle. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” “Fredrick. The pleasure is all mine, Twilight,” Fredrick jovially replied. “Where is Spike, that little one?” Luna asked, looking around to see if she could spy him anywhere. “He’s in Trottingham with Rarity to help her out with a fashion show… or I think it was a lineup? I’m sure she was more specific when she told me but either way, he might be back by the time you two leave Sunday evening,” Twilight proposed. Fredrick had little idea who Spike was but figured he’d get his question answered at a later time. Luna shrugged. “I certainly hope so. It would be nice to say hi to him as well.” “Well, you two have come all this way and are probably hungry. Whatd’ya say we go out to lunch?” Twilight suggested, clapping her hands together eagerly at spending some time with Luna as well as getting to know this ‘human.’ Fredrick and Luna shared a glance and agreed instantly. “I’m down,” he affirmed. “Quite. I certainly did not eat the most hearty of breakfasts,” Luna commented before enveloping herself in her magic, once more taking on the identity of Lumina. Their bags were placed by the door and the three headed back into Ponyville proper. After some idle chit-chat and nearly getting assaulted by Pinkie Pie (with whom they chatted with upon Fredrick formally introducing himself) when she claimed to have detected ‘two new ponies’ in Ponyville, the trio arrived at a nice café, opting to sit outside and enjoy the pleasant but not overbearing sunshine. "So Fredrick..." Twilight began taking the reigns of conversation once more. "If it's not too touchy of a subject, may I ask what you did for a living back on your world?" Lumina looked at Twilight oddly for going straight for some information like that but then again, it was to be expected of her... wanting to examine and evaluate this human to the best of her ability. Her quest for knowledge was surely insatiable. Fredrick waved his hand dismissively as he was finishing taking a sip of water. "It's fine, I've already done my grieving and coping. To answer your question, Twilight, I had finished college about two and a half years prior and was working as an econometrician¹ for an economic consulting firm," he answered. Twilight gave an appreciative and impressed nod while Lumina looked at him curiously. "You never told me you were an econometrician, Fredrick." "Well, you never asked specifically, heh. You only asked way back when where I worked," he added with a joking inflection. Realistically he knew that he probably mentioned his profession sometime in passing, though the Princess probably did not quite remember. Lumina stared back with a deadpanned expression. "Well gee, thank you for the information!" she began replying sarcastically. Twilight giggled at the little exchange. "It is kind of important because depending on your experience and what you know, I could have used you on my Economic Council!" "Wait... really?" Fredrick asked for clarification, completely dumbfounded that she’d consider him at all for an Economic Council of an entire nation. "Princess Luna... erm, Lumina is in charge of business and economic affairs of Equestria," Twilight cut in with specifics. Lumina nodded and the trio quieted down momentarily as their waiter set down their salad appetizers. “Well I knew that,” Fredrick said. "Indeed. What was your specialty and experience?" Lumina pressed while mixing her salad around. "My company operated both domestically and internationally, and I worked specifically in the macroeconomics department. It was a bit above entry level but I had a couple years’ experience… the benefits of getting a job right out of college," Fredrick answered nonchalantly as he began eating. Lumina was thinking deeply about... something. "I shall get back to you on that at a later date, but for now, let us continue enjoying ourselves," she decreed, not hesitating to dig into her salad, the other two following suit. Fredrick always felt the need to internally remark how produce tasted so much better in Equestrian than on Earth. Being one who did not fancy vegetables or fruits as much as he should have, something about them, possibly in Equestria made said produce seem several times more edible to him. By the time the main course arrived, Fredrick and Twilight continued talking about the random intricacies of his world, ones that he did not mind sharing with the ever inquisitive mare. Luna was right, though, the two had quite a lot in common especially in terms of work ethic and academics, and ended up hitting it off fairly well overall. Twilight was already speaking to him and treating him like she had known him for months which happened to be a common experience for the human even when meeting new castle staff or guards: Ponies in general just seemed more outgoing and friendly. It was something he had to get used to and, dare he say, it was one of the more challenging aspects to adapt to in his new life. And he was perfectly okay with that. Conversation never seemed to lull, even as they were stuffing their faces, but one thing Fredrick had come to notice was that Twilight was doing nearly all the talking while Lumina took a much more passive stance, quietly eating her food and listening while interjecting at appropriate times. Moreover, she did not seem to mind this in the slightest, and in fact, she appeared to subtly encourage it. Fredrick developed a few theories as to why that was but ultimately chalked it up to the disguised princess allowing two of her good friends to hit it off for the first time. Lunch finished off without a hitch and that left the group of three to find something to do for the remainder of the day. Fredrick recalled that Luna did have plans but refused to let him in on them, though that was apparently saved for the next day, thus, leaving this gorgeous Saturday free to mingle as they would. Hanging out and speaking about life in the park, the trio was met by the ever confident and brash Rainbow Dash, marking the third Element Bearer that Fredrick had the pleasure of meeting. She also went for a less than casual greeting with Lumina, which was fine by her, as nopony else but Twilight was supposed to know of her true identity during her visit. It was not that Rainbow Dash nor the other Elements (except maybe Rarity) could not keep from gossipping, but by disseminating a secret amongst more ponies, one multiplies the chances of something actually slipping from a mouth that should not have slipped. Fredrick was able to get a front-row seat of the prospective Wonderbolt practicing her physics-defying, jaw-dropping moves, and Rainbow Dash was always willing to put on a show for newcomers. Fred had to admit that the prismatic-maned mare, though extremely tomboyish, definitely held an innate beauty, especially while she was figuratively in her element. While she did not possess a more curvy body that stallions and admittedly Fredrick preferred, the perfect amount of muscle definition in all the right places (easily visible with her current attire of a sports top and short leggings) definitely drew lewd stares… hell, they drew his! Even Lumina appeared to agree, nudging him in the side with a jesting smirk plastered on her muzzle when she caught him staring for what was deemed longer than appropriate. Another awe-inspiring show of airborne dexterity and an early dinner date with three beautiful mares later, all decided to call it early for the night so Lumina and Fredrick could catch up on some sleep that was lost from the day’s travel. Apparently, it was also advisable to be well rested for the next day’s activities, which, big surprise, were still not revealed to the human. As such, the group fractured, with Rainbow Dash exclaiming that she, Fredrick, and Lumina needed to hang out again in the future. Luna and Fredrick were staying in Twilight’s guest bedroom which was quite sizeable for a ‘guest’ room, by Fred’s standards at least. Luna had left a moment prior to freshen up for bed, leaving the human alone in the room. Shortly after, there were a few knocks at the door. “Yes?” “It’s Twilight, may I come in?” answered a familiar, muffled voice behind the door. “Of course!” he responded eagerly, sitting on the edge of the bed as the unicorn entered. “So… there’s something I wanted to confirm, and it’s been eating at me all day,” Twilight began, looking over her shoulder and speaking somewhat softly. Fredrick raised his eyebrow but waited for whatever inevitable, possibly loaded question was to come. "Yeah? What might that be?" "You love her, don't you?" she asked knowingly, and he did not need to answer that for her to confirm her almost painful suspicions... all she needed was the look on his face. He tried to hide it somewhat, but his initial surprise at the forwardness of the question and a knack for starting to listen to his conscience betrayed him entirely. "Is it that obvious?" he asked just as softly, feeling almost vulnerable. Almost by cliché, Luna chose to return at that moment but heard the two having a conversation. Feeling it would be rude to intrude on what sounded like a private talk, she opted to move elsewhere until it was deemed safe... though the more immature part of her wanted to listen in just a little bit. Eavesdropping on Celestia in order to dig up pranking material and blackmail an innumerable amount of times came with a few habits that were hard to break. She giggled to herself and stacked up next to the slightly ajar door. What dark secrets might Fredrick or Twilight reveal that she could use to her advantage later? It would be most humorous if Fredrick came out as homosexual… "Maybe not that obvious but observing you the entire day, it's perfectly clear that you do," Twilight stated almost analytically but with a sweet smile on her face. "O-Observing me?" Fredrick questioned, finding her choice of words a bit odd. Twilight 'tsked' and rolled her eyes. "Oh you know what I meant! But seriously, the way you talk to her, talk about her, even the way you just look at her tells me all I need to know. I must confess, I initially had my doubts about you, but I could not have been happier to be proven wrong," she expressed with with a little, amused huff. Fredrick feigned offense and placed his right hand over his heart while jokingly recoiling. "You had your doubts about me? The only human in existence on the planet magically brought to this place by unknown means? Twilight... how could you!" Twilight giggled at his little display yet rolled her eyes again. "I can see exactly why she likes you. But in all seriousness, ever since you arrived by whatever mishap, I've heard a lot about you from both Princess Celestia and Luna, though moreso from Luna. You didn't hear this from me... but as time went on, the way she talked about you was more than indicative of her emotions and feelings towards you, and there was little error involved as she is not necessarily the best at obscuring her feelings. As much as she may be a princess, she is still one of my friends, so naturally I was somewhat concerned when I could tell she was slowly but surely becoming closer to you, the alien whom I never met," Twilight lectured. Fredrick could see the point entirely, though, and did not take offense at all in reality. "Yeah I can see where you're coming from... hell, I probably would've done the same exact thing now that you mention it," he conceded. She nodded appreciatively. "This was a social meeting, not a mere evaluation as I'm sure Princess Celestia would've intervened if things went wrong... but I just had to see for myself, and you so desperately wanting to get out of the castle, unlike me a couple of years ago, provided the perfect window of opportunity. “Just know that you're a good stallion, Fredrick, and anything I can do to help with these political barrier horsefeathers, please let me know. I do have a tiny bit of clout with my status under Celestia, among other contacts," Twilight offered. Fred smirked gratefully. "Thanks Twilight, it means a lot, and I know it will mean the world to Luna. Ultimately, I just want her to be happy. After all she’s done for me, she deserves every bit of it... and as cliche and sappy as it sounds, if she's happy, I'm happy. I’d love nothing more than to be ‘official,’ with her," Fred stated resolutely. Twilight jokingly gagged while pointing at the back of her mouth and the two laughed heartily together. However, among the little joke, Luna had still been listening in... she was completely touched and a blush had adorned her entire face. She thought deeply about her best friend’s words and about her own feelings, feelings that she had not completely revealed to him yet. These strong thoughts though… the ones he inadvertently revealed to her and that she held herself, were awakening something in her... "Dear Celestia... I'm sorry about that. It felt like we were in a romance novel, not a conversation." "Oh shut up,” Fredrick jokingly scolded, the two of them devolving into comfortable giggling again. Once they calmed down, Twilight wiped under her eyes a bit. “Well, Fredrick, it was a pleasure meeting and getting to know you better, and I look forward to hanging out tomorrow as well,” the unicorn expressed, moving to give Fredrick a friendly hug, which he proudly returned. “Likewise, Twilight. Thanks for the talk,” he responded warmly. Twilight flashed him another jovial smile and a nod in kind once they separated. “Goodnight, Fredrick.” “Goodnight, Twilight.” The lavender unicorn took her leave, closing the door behind her as she left the guestroom. Luna quickly shrouded herself with a powerful invisibility spell, one that even Twilight with all of her prowess could not detect as she passed by. After Luna ascertained that it was safe to go back in and ensuring her surroundings were clear, she released her magical veil and casually let herself into the room. Fredrick was examining in the mirror what appeared to be the beginnings of a blemish on his face, thus was too preoccupied to hear Luna come in, donning her typical long-sleeved sleeping shirt and panties. It was no matter, though. The Lunar Princess closed the door completely, garnering the attention of her human friend. “Oh, hey Luna. By the way, I’ve been thinking about a potential prank for...” Fred’s casual greeting trailed off as he noticed a very peculiar expression adorning his best friend’s face. He really could not describe it, but his attention was drawn to his surroundings when all the walls brightly flashed teal at once, sealing the room in a telltale soundproofing spell. For Luna, what started as a severe case of stomach butterflies became an unbridled fire of emotion which diffused into her whole body, especially her loins. Her mix of feelings quickly morphed into pure lust, which became evident by a change in her facial expression the moment she closed the distance and quite literally jumped Fredrick. “Hello~!” Fred exclaimed, reflexively supporting Luna under her butt as she jumped into him, but he barely had time to even utter that word as she began lasciviously assaulting his mouth with her own. Eyes shut tight, she gutturally moaned as her tongue completely broke through Fred’s mouth’s defenses with ease. Fredrick quickly gave into the sudden display of lustful affection, kissing and wrestling her tongue back with his own but it was of no use, as Luna had already wrested complete dominance of his own mouth with her much more powerful and capable muscle. The kinetic force in which she slammed into him with pushed Fredrick to sit back down on the edge of the bed as they continued their tongue-taste-testing, but Luna began rhythmically grinding her crotch into his own, stiffening length in a controlled, sexy manner. Overcome with the new sensation, Fredrick intended to make it last, gripping her ass by both of her cutie marks and pulling her crotch tightly against his own in response to each of her movements. Eventually, they separated, both breathing heavily as if they had run several miles in merely a few minutes. However, it did not stop Luna from attacking his neck with her own nips, wet kisses, and licks. She could not bear to not touch him at this moment. Fredrick’s deep breaths became much more shuddered as a result. “F-Fredrick…?” “Hmmm?” he begged her question, reversing their actions and aiming for her neck with his mouth, a soft, high-pitched yet ever arousing moan falling from her lips in intervals as he licked up the length of her entire neck. Her next question… though it was well within the realm of more possible questions to ask in such an arousingly pleading manner, still somewhat caught Fredrick off guard on how to proceed. “Rut me… Hard?” ¹An Econometrician is essentially an economist that comes up with objective answers and helps explain economic phenomena with real-world data by heavy use of statistics and mathematics. Think of a hardcore statistician/mathematician applying his/her skill directly to economic matters. Cue the jokes about statisticians being better lol. > Part XII. Consummation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XII. Consummation [Castle Infirmary | ~Ten Months Prior] “How is our patient doing, Nurse?” Princess Celestia’s voice softly resonated through the quiet hospital room, directed at the designated night nurse who was overseeing the strange creature that had been ripped from another dimension several days prior. With expert reaction on Celestia’s part since the ‘incident,’ the unknown ‘hairless stallion’ was stabilized and in a medically induced coma, seemingly quite healthy and no worse for wear. A lone oxygen mask was placed on his face and he was garbed in traditional hospital gowns. Once Day Court ended, Celestia had been coming in to check on him periodically. “Perfectly stable, Princess. His vitals are strong and any sign of the magical burns he received are completely gone. In fact, he should be waking up anytime between now and tomorrow!” the slightly middle-aged castle nurse stated excitedly. Celestia nodded, smoothing out the wrinkles in her flowing white dress. The cyclic sound of the heart monitor along with the oxygen dispenser were what kept the room from being completely void of sound. “That… I fear may be the most difficult part of this process,” Celestia thought out loud, casually observing the incapacitated, bipedal creature with a tuft of unkempt, brown hair on his head. She silently wondered what the color of his eyes were though she had little idea why. “A creature forcibly ripped from his dimension won’t take kindly to awakening in another with beings much unlike his own.” The night nurse was about to respond when more hoofsteps were heard down the hallway. Turning to meet the newcomer, Princess Luna, clad in a formal, navy-blue dress of her own, casually strode into the hospital room with her typical stoic demeanor engraved on her muzzle. “Greetings, Celestia,” she bid her sister good evening before acknowledging and nodding towards the nurse. “Nurse Nightcross.” “Good evening, Your Highness,” the latter responded with a modest curtsy. “Hello, Luna. Heading to start Night Court soon?” Celestia asked after giving a little hug to her sister, which the Lunar Princess gladly returned. “As always. I have a few minutes to spare, so I merely came to see how our newest ‘addition’ has been faring,” Princess Luna replied authoritatively, straightening her posture and crossing her arms under her chest while she held her head high, looking down upon the bed. “Is he well?” “Very much so, Your Majesty. As I just explained to Princess Celestia here, his vitals are perfect,” the nurse answered, to which Luna nodded appreciatively. Nurse Nightcross held a special place in Luna’s thoughts as she had been the main medical staffer to tend to her when said Lunar Diarch returned from banishment, ensuring she was nursed back to full health and then some. As such, Luna had done well to silently ensure that all of the nurse’s needs would be seen to. “Nurse Nightcross tells us that he’s expected to wake up anytime between now and tomorrow,” Celestia also added. “Oh? Then the most arduous part of the process will be upon us soon,” Luna pondered out loud. Celestia nodded in agreement. “We’re definitely in agreement there. I’m hoping at least one of us will be here when that time comes.” “Hm. In all honestly, Celestia, I hope it’s you,” Luna admitted, looking over to her sister with a semi-joking smirk. The Solar Princess chuckled lightheartedly. “You know… I do too.” Celestia bumped Luna’s shoulder with her own, Luna bumping Celestia’s in return. “Very well, it appears all is as it should be. As such, I shall move to get Court started with all of the ponies lining up to seek my judgement and advice,” Luna stated as she moved to exit the room, though the last sentence was easily sarcastic in nature. “Oh Luna… you know ponies will come around eventually. It’s only been a few months after all,” Celestia reassured her sister, Luna stopping in her tracks and looking over her shoulder with an unconvinced expression drawn on her face. “Please, Sister, if you keep telling me that I may actually believe it one day,” Luna replied with no loss of sarcasm, sauntering down the hall and out of the infirmary completely, her metallic hoofsteps trailing her and eventually fading into silence. A few moments went by before anypony spoke up again.   “Forgive me, Your Highness, but it appears Princess Luna seems rather… bitter,” Nurse Nightcross commented, gazing at where Luna had once stood. Celestia huffed in amusement. “She is just impatient, is all… always has been. But, between you and me, Nurse, she could really use a good ru—” A small spike in the heart monitor as well as a few pained groans interrupted the small conversation, Celestia donning a much more concerned look as Nurse Nightcross examined the patient much more closely. “It looks like you’re about to get your wish, Princess… he’s stirring!” That meant that Celestia only had a few moments to make a crucial first impression otherwise things would be much more difficult to deal with. She quickly composed herself with her most nurturing, motherly expression and awaited the inevitable. The creature’s eyes fluttered and after another ‘waking groan,’ its ran its fingers through its brown hair and said eyes fluttered open. Nurse Nightcross backed off to stand next to Celestia for the moment. Green eyes. Hmmm. “W-What the hell…?” he spoke weakly, pawing and grabbing at the oxygen mask over his face. “Hospital? But…” He speaks the same language… what are the odds… Then he spotted the two mares, and his eyes widened with complete, unbridled fear. “What the fuck?!” he breathed out shakily, scooting himself over to the other side of the bed, nearly falling off the other side. “This isn’t funny! Where the hell am I?! Jonathan! Sierra! Where the hell are you?! Is that you in the costumes??” he called out angrily in another direction before his eyes settled on Celestia once more, the latter attempting to literally reach out to him. “This may be a little bit of a shock to you…” Celestia began gently, the bipedal creature stiffening up completely in fear. “...but you are not in your world anymore.” The creature kept shaking his head. “Nope. This isn’t funny anymore. Do you hear me?! This isn’t fucking funny anymore! You know how I feel about hospitals and I know this was YOUR IDEA SIERRA! GET OUT OF THE COSTUMES AND GET ME OUT OF HERE!” “This is to be expected… but I need you to calm yourself,” Celestia spoke again, never losing her motherly tone. To help aid her, she lifted her hand and lit her horn, allowing a little bit of magic to ebb out and help ease the creature back onto the bed. Feeling the force nudging him and seeing the magical aura surround him made his skin go pale immediately. “W-W-What the fuck?! What the fuck????” he breathed out heavily, beginning to hyperventilate at what he was seeing. “Sierra?! JONATHAN!” “What’s your name?” Celestia asked, the creature still shaking its head in disbelief at what he was seeing. “No. NO. What is this?! This can’t be happening! Where am I? WHERE AM I!?” he screamed out again. His upper body then collapsed as he fainted back onto his pillow. Celestia and Nurse Nightcross just stared at him for a few moments before the former turned to the latter. “Well in hindsight, that could have gone much much worse.” [Twilight’s Library | Present Time] “Rut me…” Luna repeated herself, shaking Fredrick out of his somewhat stunned stupor. Throughout the past week, Fred had been somewhat used to Luna pouncing him for spontaneous tongue-wrestling sessions but it had not gone beyond that… he was starting to think that this was the reason why she had not wanted to advance any of those sessions. Was it possible that she wanted to get him all hot, bothered, and ready for something like this? Could this have been part of the ‘plan’ that Luna had refused to let him in on? “Lulu… you realize we’re in Twilight’s Library, right?” Fredrick pointed out with use of her pet name, still holding on to her ass while she sat on his lap, facing him. His eyes gazed up to hers with lust yet a large amount of uncertainty, but all that stared back was a pair of eyes that were a clear window into nothing but sexual longing. Luna’s pearly whites bit her lower lip seemingly painfully while her eyes seemed to be halfway lidded perpetually. It was not that he did not want to use her body roughly… in fact he welcomed that idea and potential reality with open arms, especially since Luna’s heaving, mouth-watering, dong-expanding cleavage was directly in front of him. Luna frustratingly groaned, grinding her crotch straight down into his. “Please… ask me how much I care,” she stated rhetorically, really wanting to just rip his clothes off. Her hands continuously slid up and down his back, over his chest, up his neck, everywhere she could touch him. As long as her hands were on him somewhere, it was a decent start. Fredrick buried his face in her neck again and continued teasing her for the sake of teasing her… that, and it was just incredibly arousing to see her squirm. “Okay… how much do you care?” he asked anyway, not being able to resist their usual rhetoric. Fredrick bit down on a particularly sensitive spot on her neck while moving one of his hands between her wings, massaging that glorious spot through the fabric of her loose shirt. “That was not meant for you—mmmm right there—to actually answer,” Luna replied shakily, moaning softly at his pleasurable touch. She knew exactly what he was doing. “I asked anyway…” “I absolutely—MMM!!—do not care in the—ahhhh!—slightest,” the vulnerable princess managed to get out underneath Fred’s toying, fighting her moans the entire time. He had pressed hard into her wing muscles and moved his other hand to her right breast, slipping it under the shirt and bra cup, pinching her nipple. She ground harder into him. “Give me a quantifiable number…” Fredrick huskily demanded, biting the opposite side of her neck and kissing down to her collarbone. “Zero,” she breathed out, her eyes completely shut now as her attempts to rile up the human were backfiring on her completely. He was in complete control now, and quite frankly, she was okay with that. The tingling in her loins only worsened (in the best of ways) and her warm wetness pouring from within was quickly rendering her panties sticky and unnecessary. Moreover, her skin was covered in goosebumps, her nipples were rigid and hard, and she just needed to get out of her clothes at that very instant. Thus, she pulled her shirt up and over, tossing it aside. “Zero what? Units are important,” Fredrick stated matter-of-factly, burying his face straight into her pushed-up cleavage. She absolutely loved feeling him there. However, she immediately pulled him from the comfortable confines of her mammary pillows and looked him dead in the eye, gripping both sides of his face. “It’s a compound unit: Zero ‘semblances of a shit I give’ by ‘if you do not rut me into the bed I shall try you for war crimes,’” the horny Lunar Princess asserted with enough confidence and tone to warrant the surrender of a rogue nation. “Good enough for me!” Fredrick exclaimed before pressing his lips aggressively against hers, their mouths quickly opening and their tongues fighting it out yet again. Moans were traded between them, as were reciprocating touches and rubs, both not wanting to ever let go of each other. In a haze of lustful emotions, the two found themselves completely nude, all articles of clothing having been haphazardly discarded around them. Before they could even resume their positions, Luna shoved him onto his back, knelt down, and quite literally engulfed his entire rigid length in her mouth. “Fuck!” Fredrick cried out in reaction to suddenly feeling his entire dick surrounded by his best friend’s warm, wet, pulsing mouth. Now, control had shifted completely back to Luna. Her tongue expertly slithered around his spire as she bobbed her head up and down, her hands gripping his thighs harshly. Luna did not even look at him, concerned only with feeling every throbbing inch of his erection within the confines of her mouth and throat. She sucked with complete abandon as time seemed to dilate for Fredrick. It was about her at that moment. Luna hilted him completely in her mouth for several seconds before releasing him completely, a couple strands of saliva-plus-precum connecting her lips with the head of his cock. She quickly caught her breath, locked her lustful eyes with Fredrick’s own hazy gaze, and began sloppily running her tongue in every conceivable way on his length, never once giving the poor guy any reprieve. It was as if she wanted him to cum as fast as she could get him to. That actually was her plan, though. “Luna! Slow the fuck down!” Fredrick voiced his concerns but was immediately silenced when she again hilted him completely, forcing another expletive-filled groan out of his mouth. Feeling that he indeed was close to release, she unsheathed a modest portion of his length from her mouth but continued to suck while employing her right hand to stroke him nice and fast. Her tongue lapped at the head all the while and before either of them knew it, Fredrick was completely emptying his balls into her mouth, her tongue attempting to catch heach hot jet of his cum and swallowing what she could. Fredrick was breathing heavily, sweat having formed on his brow while Luna was cleaning him up. Looking down though, the Princess decided to gaze back up at him with a lidded gaze and open up, revealing the milky, messy contents of her mouth before swallowing completely with an exaggerated, audible gulp. The very sight made Fredrick remain almost painfully hard… as it would any other rational, straight male. Again, just as Luna planned. “Luna… I tried to stop. W-Why did you finish me so soon?” Fredrick asked as Luna snaked her way up his body and nuzzled his neck with a giggle. “Because I don’t want you to finish so soon,” she admitted as she took up quite a seductive position: she was on her forearms and knees, ass lifted invitingly into the air with her tail to the left side, exposing her leaking, dripping sex completely to the human. Fredrick burned the sight onto his brain, complemented perfectly with Luna biting down on her lip and gazing back at him with anticipation, giving her hips a gentle sway as if Fredrick needed any more convincing. All second guessings having been lost to the grasp of sexual ardor, Fredrick, panting heavily in perfect synchronization with Luna, scooted behind her and lined his shaft up with her soaked pussy, running his head up and down the length of her slit and forcing a groaning-shudder out of her mouth. Luna’s gaze bore some irritation. “Fredrick just shove it in me, please!! I have little patience for your shittery!” she objected, nearly losing it while pressing back into his crotch, so over being teased and just needing that painful itch scratched. Of course, by ‘painful itch’ she meant her sex and by ‘scratched’ she meant ‘fucked.’ With his dick. “Don’t you want me to lubricate myself? Or would you prefer to bite the pillow and me go in dry,” Fredrick riposted, any sexual encounter the two have never being free of their usual best-friend banter. “Oh, forgive me... I guess me sucking you off and you still being coated in my saliva and your remnants were not enough!” Oh right… duh! Thus without any warning, Fredrick gripped both sides of her ass and thrust forward, gradually hilting himself completely inside of her. Luna gutturally moaned as every inch of him sank into her quickly-filling passage. Once he was completely embedded in her, Luna took her gaze back to her human friend behind her, his own eyes locking with hers. Both faces were colored and held indescribable amounts of pleasure, lust, and ultimately love for each other. Both parties shared a slightly open-mouthed smile as they got used to the ethereal feeling of being connected so closely on an alternate level. Connected. Luna bit her lower lip again before getting ready to speak, Fredrick only imagining what sexy words his amazingly gorgeous best friend could muster at a time like this: “W-Wrong hole, Fredrick…” “What?!” He looked down again but indeed was in the right hole. Luna giggled maniacally. “I was only kidding… now…” Luna punctuated her sentence by pressing her ass straight into Fredrick’s crotch, forcing him just that much deeper inside of her. Fredrick got the message and began thrusting in and out of her at a reasonable pace, sliding his hands up and down her toned back before resting them on her cutie marks. He gripped and massaged her ass as he pulled her towards him each time he bucked his hips forward. The way her tunnel seemingly squeezed Fred’s length each time he buried himself into Luna was just beyond words, though his concentration on the pleasure he was receiving was soon slightly broken when Luna gazed back at him, cheeks completely colored and rivaling his own. “Mmmm… mmmm… heh… hah…” Luna gave out little moans each time he plunged into her and as Fredrick picked up his pace, they got increasingly more forceful and louder. The princess grabbed ahold of her right breast and squeezed it roughly, pinching her nipple between two of her knuckles as Fredrick began essentially slamming into her, he breathing much more deeply and rapidly. “Fred!... ah!... aim it lower!” “Heh… like this?” he asked, responding to her communication by spearing himself lower and grinding his member onto her upper wall. The reaction was nearly immediate. “AAH! Yes!! Just like that Fred… ah!!.. Just like that!” she urged on as he continued to pound into her, she never took her gaze off of him even when her neck started to tense up just a little bit from being in the awkward position. The heat in the room had risen dramatically and both of their groans, moans, and sexy talk mixed harmonically with the slapping of flesh and the rhythmic squelching of joined nethers. Fredrick altered his mechanic and opted for hard and deep thrusts into Luna rather than pure speed, ensuring that his head hit that one perfect spot inside her when he speared down onto her wall. Each time he did, Luna let out an adorable yet incredibly arousing moan that was higher in pitch. In return, the pleasure coursing into her caused her to clench down on Fredrick’s length periodically. “Mmph… Luna…” “No not just… ah!... yet Fredrick… please don’t sTOP! Fuck me!” Luna pleaded, letting her arms collapse and her upper body fall into the bed. She still kept at least one eye trained on him the entire time and her trunk falling to the bed gave him a much better angle to pound down into her. Luna had to admit, she did not think she’s be this much of a mess under Fredrick’s less-than-tender dicking, especially due to size disparities between a human and a stallion… but this only proved to her that the amazing feelings she had towards her friend served to enhance the entire experience beyond what she thought possible. It all felt so incredible… every pulsation and penetration into her was better than the last. The wordlessly-pleasureful electricity given off each time he scratched that annoying itch inside of her radiated over Luna’s entire being… even more so when Fredrick grabbed ahold of the base of her tail and pulled every time he pistoned into her. The disgustingly sexy squelch that accompanied each time Fredrick’s spire pierced her overflowing pussy was like a symphony to her ears. Her swollen clit was begging to be touched and Luna obliged herself, snaking her right hand down her stomach and fingering her little button as Fredrick continued his hard but controlled conquering of her needy vagina. His apparent lack of speed was a clear indicator of him trying to rein in his pleasure somewhat. Luna lurched forward, intentionally forcing his cock out of her with yet another squelch, though this time both parties were disappointed, one from a lack of filling and the other from a lack of being filled. The transition would provide Fredrick with some solace, Luna forcing Fredrick into a sitting position as she straddled his waist. Both locked eyes yet again and wore sweaty yet equally ravenous expressions. They shared an open-mouthed kiss as Luna helped line Fred’s shaft with her winking entrance. “Lu…” Fredrick began speaking as they separated from their little makeout, Luna gyrating her hips teasingly as his tip parted her outer folds. “I really don’t think I can last that much longer even with what you did before…” he admitted with some difficulty in concentration as the mare grinded her folds onto him. “It’s okay, Fredrick…” Luna responded as she sank onto him, impaling herself completely on his standing rod. “AHH!! There we go…” Luna cooed, settling into being satisfyingly full once more. With her reassurances, she wasted no time in beginning to rock her hips on him, gradually increasing her speed but at a much faster rate than Fred did before, eager to get them back to the pleasureful plateau they were once at. Luna, arms around Fred’s neck, leaned back just a bit so she could fully relish in the pleasure shooting through her body. That, however, gave Fredrick an opening to latch onto her left nipple with his mouth, using his right hand to squeeze and massage the other breast. “Hah!... uhnnn!!” Luna struggled to even moan as she began getting ‘attacked’ on two fronts. In silent collusion, the two divided up work with Luna spearing herself on his dick and Fredrick sucking and lightly tugging on her nipples as he ravished her boobs. As much of a needed rest the transition between positions afforded, the damage had already been done to the clearly worn defenses from orgasm. Fredrick’s breathing and own groaning increased as he did his best to buck his hips upward each time Luna hilted herself on him. On Luna’s part, her moans, synchronous with her rockings, gradually rose in octave. “MMM!! Fredrick!” “Luna…!” “Freddie I-I’m… unhnn!... gonna explode!” Luna warned, her pleasure intensified by feeling her still painfully swollen clit grinding into Fred’s pubic area. In response, her neglected pussy was doing its due diligence to cyclically clamp down on Fredrick’s shaft every time he entered into her. “Fuck… me too Luna. Uh! Inside?” he confirmed, having enough residual control of his more rational thought (the part not lost to carnal lust) to ask. To Luna, that was not even a question. “AH YES! Fuck… right now Fredrick...” “Right now??” “Right NOW! AHHHNNH!!” Luna’s warning barely made it out of her mouth as Fredrick moved himself inside of her, stabbing that one magical place and forcing her over the edge completely. Coincidentally, her pussy did not even have to clamp down on him as he was already unloading himself into her, two voices damn near screaming out through two sets of clenched but bared teeth. There was little movement through those last, final few moments as Luna’s marehood painfully throbbed and pulsed while Fredrick felt as if he could not stop shooting into her. Too soon, the peak ended for both of them and the immediately observable, ‘tangible’ results were two bodies drenched in sweat pressed tightly together, and a slit completely full of cum. Foreheads pressed together, both did their best to catch their breaths, their breathing not even synchronized. They felt each other’s hot breath on each other’s sweaty faces and both pairs of eyes were completely shut as they rode out what little pleasure remained, continuing to be joined at the privates. Harsh breaths turned into soft moans as each little movement sent sharp shockwaves of residual pleasure into their bodies from their now super-sensitive genitals. Still, Luna’s boobs remained pressed into Fredrick's pecs and their arms held each other as firmly as ever. The duo finally opened their eyes simultaneously and both basked in the afterglow, seeing each other in an almost entirely new light. Fredrick’s green eyes could not let go of the sight of Luna’s gorgeous blues, and it was as if there was another spark in them that existed solely for him. Fredrick and Luna giggled just a little bit at what had transpired but despite many lingering questions, one of which was ‘where to go from here,’ Luna had to lay confirmation to her own feelings. “I love you too, Fredrick!” Luna exclaimed giddily, her energy seeming to replenish from nowhere and causing the human to look at her in a puzzled manner. “Too?” But then, it immediately clicked what her implications were. “Ohhh… I’m guessing you heard that, huh?” He did not even have time to convey his surprise when Luna’s lips crashed into his once more accompanied with a deep moan into his mouth, she forcing him flush onto the bed and magically flicking the lights off. > Part XIII. Aftermath > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XIII. Aftermath [Canterlot Castle | ~Ten Months Prior] “Thank you… but you really didn’t have to show me all around the castle, Stella,” Fredrick shyly stated to the batpony guardsmare walking next to him. After his more-than-riveting first conversation with the Princess of the Night, he was running on a slight high due to the fact that he had made his first friend, especially one in royalty. However, in heading back to his room, he got slightly lost and asked the nearest guard for directions. That guard happened to be Stella: a beautiful, gray-coated batpony mare who was about a hair shorter than Fredrick but had an overall demeanor that made her several feet taller in effect. “No trouble at all, Fredrick,” Stella replied with what Fredrick would say was identical to a Scottish accent. “My night was rather boring until you came along so I should be thanking you actually.” “You’re surprisingly friendly after meeting an alien for the first time, y’know that?” Fredrick commented as the two continued a comfortable walk. The guardsmare giggled. “You have little idea how many different species exist in this world. It doesn’t matter if you came from a different universe, really… you might as well be somepony from an exotic country!” “Fair enough I suppose. Still, again, thanks for the grand tour of the castle at this time of night. I know not everyone… excuse me, everypony will be as welcoming as you,” Fredrick admitted apprehensively, still nervous about the whole ordeal in general, but Stella waved him off dismissively. “Don’t let it get to your head too much. The Ponies are a welcoming and ultimately forgiving race. The magic of friendship is a very real entity that you’ll find out about in your stay here… and I’m sure that by the end of the month—” “Oh hey, Stella!” another guard called as the duo rounded a corner. “Ouch… got stuck on leash duty with it I see,” he observed with ignorance rather than malice. Fredrick rolled his eyes as he knew this would have to start sooner or later but before he could even say or do anything, Stella cut him off. “Oi! SHUT IT knob-for-brains!” she scolded loudly and contemptuously, startling both Fredrick and the offending guard. “Unless you want UTI treatment with my sword you’ll show Fredrick some goddamn respect ya fuckin’ savage!” Stella threatened as she quickly closed the distance between her and the other batpony guard, more than willing to make good on said threat, or so it seemed. From Fredrick’s point of view, from how the guard reacted by backing up hastily and throwing both hands up defensively, it only corroborated for the human that Stella’s threat may have been more than credible. "I-I-I’m sorry, Stella…” “AND Fredrick!” “I’m s-sorry Fredrick and Stella…” “That’s Corporal to you, Private! Don’t try to get chummy with me. You’re giving Ponies a bad name in front of our guest, now mind your post, arseclown!” Stella ordered, staring the young guard down as he cautiously moved back to his original position, standing at attention. Fredrick, for his part stared on with a perpetually astonished gaze adorning his features. “Y-Yes Ma’am.” Stella nodded sternly and rejoined Fredrick’s side, beckoning him along down the Lunar Corridor. With the lapse in conversation due to what had just transpired, Fredrick only had one thought occupy his mind: Jesus Christ don’t ever get her mad… “As I was saying…” Stella finally resumed conversation in her adorable—yet equally terrifying in the previous situation—accent. Her overall complexion resumed the status quo, as if she did not even scare the piss out of a fellow guard. “The Ponies are a welcoming and forgiving race.” “Indeed, definitely forgiving I can see,” Fredrick replied with a raised eyebrow and a half-smirk. “Getting sarcastic with me already? Ooookay, human,” Stella riposted with equal humor, rolling her eyes with a grin on her face. However, despite what he had just witnessed, Fredrick had to admit that there was seemingly some truth to what Stella was saying. In the end, he really did not feel too uncomfortable in his current position outside of the whole ‘being ripped from his world and having no apparent hope of ever seeing his friends and family ever again’ thing. Yeah that was definitely a hurdle that he would have to climb himself over but currently, it was something that he just had to accept. His father, with whom he did not always have the greatest relationship, had always told him to ‘make do with less’ and ‘learn to play with the cards you’re dealt.’ Through his initial grieving stages, Fred mulled on the fact that fate had a cruel and unforgiving way of forcing him to apply those principles. Such is life, though. “So, based on the information you gave me…” Stella began speaking again as she was paying particular attention to the rooms within the Residence Hall of the Lunar Quadrant. “Your quarters should be riiiiight… here,” she pointed, the duo stopping in front of a set of beautifully polished, ebony-wood double doors that were as plain as they were intimidating in size. At first glance, Fredrick was not entirely sure how Stella was able to state with any certainty that this was his room considering each of the other sets of doors in this seemingly endless expanse of corridor. “How do you know?” he asked, giving it another once-over just in case he missed something. “Why don’t ya try the key if you don’t trust me,” Stella replied humorously. “I-It’s not that at all it’s just…” the human ceased his embarrassed explanation when he found the guardsmare attempting to stifle her laughter. “Wow… know what? Fine,” he conceded, inserting the key he was given into the lock and turning. Lo and behold, a satisfying feeling and the sound of the mechanism unlatching resulted and the right-side door opened ever so slightly. Fredrick looked back at the mare with a deadpanned expression, to which she reciprocated with a smug one. “Seriously though, how did you know?” “Because I’m just that good?” "Mhmm..." Fredrick nodded with a less-than-convinced expression, though of course he meant it in jest, because Stella actually was awesome. “Either way though, thanks for showing me around. Again, you really didn’t have to give me the grand tour, but thank you anyway.” “Hey, I was bored and I had fuck-all else to do. Besides, you’re cool anyway, I can see why the Princesses, especially Luna, would like you already,” the armored mare replied genuinely. “Heh, thanks Stella,” Fredrick thanked again somewhat awkwardly. She gave a gentle nod as she stood tall and proud as any guard would. “Well, I’ll let you get to sleep… and I do have to mind my own post as well. But don’t be a stranger! If ya ever wanna shoot the breeze or catch a pint after shift you can probably find me in the Castle’s tavern on most evenings.” “Y’know, I think I might take you up on that really soon,” Fredrick replied with a tired, gentle smirk without even mulling on it. If he was going to have to start a new life fresh in this new place, having to play with the cards he was unfortunately dealt, he’d have to make the best of it… and that started with having to make some new friends. “Goodnight, Stella.” The bat-pony mare snapped to attention and gave him a full salute with a friendly smile as the human moved to seal himself in his new room for the first time. “Goodnight, Fredrick.” [Twilight’s Library | Present Time] It was probably one of the better decisions Princess Luna made, in hindsight, to have Celestia cover her moon raising and lowering duties for the weekend, as she would not have had any energy nor will to do so herself. As well, she forsook her dream-walking abilities for that night alone so she could rest and dream herself… she would need it direly after the night’s events. Unbeknownst to anypony else but themselves, Luna and Fredrick, after the ‘first round’ went at it like rabbits hopped up on aphrodisiacs. The results: completely unkempt hair (and in Luna’s case, coat as well), dried fluids… dried fluids everywhere including on each other, horrifying scratch-marks on Fredrick’s back, approximately three love-bites on Luna’s neck, all articles of bed dressing rendered completely and utterly unusable, and each and every one of their muscles aching like hell. On a slightly cuter note, the two best friends were snuggled up tightly but not in their usual position: both had their arms wrapped around each other, fronts pressed together with Luna’s muzzle buried in Fredrick’s neck. Luna was the first to stir, her eyes fluttering open as the annoying sun cast its rays upon the two cuddle-bugs. Her annoyance immediately died when she saw the position she was in with Fredrick, being snuggled in his arms. She internally ‘squee’d’ and pulled the human tighter against her, the memories of everything that happened last night flooding back into her mind… all the positions, the carnal lust, the multiple orgasms, the sheer amount of bodily fluids produced (and probably consumed, now that she thought about it)… absolutely, sexily wonderful. She was so sore down there, but quite frankly, Luna did not mind at all. And of course, there were the rather meaningful words that the two had exchanged, and mulling on that particular thought sent Luna’s heart into a flutter, her cheeks coloring adorably and she averting her gaze from Fredrick’s sleeping one as if he would wake to poke fun at her embarrassment. Still… returning her gaze back to her best friend, it only affirmed how much truth Luna knew to be in those words. From the day the two met that fateful evening to where they were now after a wild night of lust, the Princess of the Night always knew that this human was special. Thinking through it all, she began to feel the magnitude of how special she considered herself to be. This man, not even from her own world, braved the unknown and showed Luna the kindness and friendship that she so craved before and after she returned from banishment. It was not even a question, now, of what these feelings were before she admitted them fully… She loved Fredrick. And he loved her. Luna leaned in and gently rubbed her nose against his, then planting a tender kiss on Fred’s sleeping lips. “I love you…” “Hmmm…?” Fredrick began to stir, moving and stretching a bit as his own eyes began to open. As the blurriness cleared, he was greeted with the beautiful teal eyes of Luna, as well as a gleeful smirk on her face. “Well good morning…” Fredrick said groggily, a smile coming to his face as he too remembered the events of the previous night. Luna grinned and snuggled close, pressing her still nude body against his own and pulling the covers tighter on them. “Tis not morning anymore, Fredrick,” Luna replied, resting her eyes as she laid against him. The human looked behind him and found the clock, indeed confirming that it was just before noon. “Huh… guess you’re right.” When Fredrick rolled back over to face her, Luna surprised him with a kiss. Said kiss quickly deepened as they pulled each other even tighter against one another, as if that was even physically possible at the moment. From their seemingly usual progressions, it would look like another steamy sexual encounter was just around the corner. The moment Fredrick grabbed the Lunar Princess’ ass, however, there were a few knocks at the door to their room. Luna and Fredrick both separated their mouths and ceased their actions immediately. Even their hearts seemed to stop. “Princess Luna? Fredrick?” Twilight’s voice sounded softly from the other side of the door. “Is anypony awake in there?” she asked. Fredrick and Luna looked at each other frantically, mouthing and motioning with their hands incoherently. “Yes Twilight, we were just stirring… apologies for sleeping in so late,” Princess Luna called back, lest Twilight overreact and attempt to peek in, thus seeing all the ‘carnage.’ Looking around at their current predicament, Fredrick and Luna realized that the bed-area should clearly be quarantined for hazardous materials. The two sat up and continued mouthing to each other incoherently while pointing at the door. Fredrick gazed down at Luna’s tits and she decked him in the shoulder. “Oh okay! I didn’t mean to disturb you but I just didn’t expect you both to sleep so late. I got a bunch of pastries from Sugarcube Corner for breakfast but they’re still nice and fresh!” Twilight said through door, apparently not going to enter without Luna’s permission, which was perfectly okay by the latter. “Sounds lovely, Twilight! We’re just freshening up and will be out momentarily!” Luna affirmed, Fredrick quietly scurrying out of the bed and gathering up their clothes. “Take your time! I’ll be out here reading when you come out,” the lavender unicorn replied before walking off. Ascertaining that their host was sufficiently far away, the two decided to raise their voices in order to speak properly. “Jesus look at the bed,” Fredrick pointed out, finally spying all of the stains of sweat and other fluids. In hindsight, he was somewhat disgusted that they slept in that. He tossed Luna her night clothes that were terribly wrinkled. “Oh please, they could be in much worse condition. I’m actually quite surprised that there are no rips in the fabric,” Luna retorted, Fredrick rolling his eyes. “Yeah, you’re washing the sheets if Twilight complains.” “I beg your pardon?” Luna huffed out. “What? Like Twilight wouldn’t find out eventually? Were we going to just let her wash these sheets I mean come on… look at them!” Fredrick reasoned as he gestured to the plain beige bed-ware that had enough genetic material on it to sustain life. Fredrick had a point though… the evidence of their rough, bed-mauling sex was quite evident. Luna really did not want to have to go through the embarrassment of explaining to Twilight why she would (most likely) be buying her a new, much better bed set. “Fair point, but do not act like you are holier than me. You were just as much a part of contributing to this unrecognizable landscape as I was.” “You were the one who kinda jumped me…” Fredrick pointed out as he put on his boxers. “Oh and you did not want to have sex? Considering the fact that you ravaged my marehood in every which way into oblivion and that you have been eye-rutting me for as long as we have known each other… you’re talking absolute shit,” Luna riposted as she hooked her bra and slid her panties on. Fredrick bobbed his head with a concessionary expression. “Touché.” “By the damn stars this room probably reeks something repulsive,” Luna thought out loud, realizing that they had all gotten used to the musk that probably surrounded their senses, but one who was not used to it, say Twilight or a returning Spike, might possibly die. “Does that window open?” Fredrick asked, pointing to the sizeable window where light was being let through. “I certainly hope so!” “Success!” he stated happily, getting fresh air into the room and allowing whatever funk that fermented throughout the night to slowly seep out. Luna also helped out by casting a small ‘air freshening’ spell and the noticeable difference in the air quality was like night and day. With their clothes gathered up, they being somewhat presentable to Twilight, and the potential sense-destroying smell subsiding, the question now was what to do about the bedset. “Fredrick, we’ll go out and say hi to Twilight but insist on freshening up before we eat. I shall let her know of why I’m compensating her,” Luna instructed. The human nodded and witnessed Luna completely strip the bed of everything, leaving only the mattress on its mount. Then she piled up all of the fabric and immolated it in a teal-blue magical fire, much to Fredrick’s astonishment. Luna gazed up from the display and found Fredrick with a slightly weirded-out complexion. “It must be purged in fire.” “No arguments here.” As Luna finished magically burning the fabric, her horn suddenly started lighting up, pulsing like a beacon. “Uhhh Luna?” Fredrick asked questioningly. “Ugh! What now?!” Luna nearly shouted in irritation as she held her hand out expectantly, a scroll suddenly coming into existence and dropping in her hand. She unraveled it and began skimming the words which were clearly from Celestia, and as she read, her gaze turned from one of irritation to shock, her pupils shrinking. “Oh Tartarus… w-we need to cut our visit short and head back to Canterlot after lunch,” Luna spoke with urgency, slightly worrying Fredrick. “Why? What happened?” “There was an incident on the Equestrian-Zebranican border down south. Two Equestrian and three Zebranican troops were killed in a joint exercise when a cannon misfired and hit an armored chariot,” Luna spoke pitifully, running her hand over her face dejectedly. “Ohhh shit…” Fredrick mirrored the sentiment. “Indeed, and I need to meet with Celestia and military officers from both of our nations to ensure that this was an accident and no misunderstandings surface.” “Okay,” Fredrick nodded understandingly. “We should probably tell Twilight then.” “Yes, but we should be able to reschedule to next weekend,” Luna agreed, sighing heavily. “T’would be a shame if our outing would have to go to waste regardless. We shall merely defer it, schedules permitting.” “Sounds good to me, Lu.” Thus after ensuring they were somewhat presentable, the duo emerged from the guest bedroom, Fredrick bolting to the bathroom to quickly shower once they said hi to a reading Twilight. “Hi Luna!” Twilight spoke gleefully but upon closing the distance, realized how disheveled and matted Luna’s coat was. Before she could even comment on that, Luna held her hand up. “Hello Twilight. There’s a couple of things you must be made aware of. Firstly, we, unfortunately, must cut our visit short and reschedule our plans for today. I shall freshen up first, but we shall be departing after lunch. There was… a border incident south by Zebranica and there were casualties.” “Oh my Celestia! Is everything okay?!” Twilight asked, hand over her mouth. “Rest assured things are well, Celestia and I just need to make sure that this does not needlessly escalate. Secondly, however, I’m compensating you for another bed set in the guest room,” Luna continued, willing a sack of three hundred bits into existence and placing them into the hands of a confused Twilight Sparkle. "Ummm... for what reason?” Twilight asked unsurely. “Princess… what’s that dried stuff all over your hands, forearm, and… your chin?” “T’is not important. I would not recommend going into the guest room for about an hour or so. Before you ask, there are some things that are better left unknown, my dear Twilight,” the Lunar Princess explained cryptically, only creating even more questions for the lavender unicorn. “Ummm… okay?” “Now, would you be willing and able to reschedule what we had planned for today for next weekend?” Luna asked. Twilight nodded enthusiastically, though still not losing her semi-bemused expression. “Of course, Luna. Next Sunday then?” “Next Sunday.” [Canterlot Castle | Fredrick’s Room | 3:34 PM] The return to Canterlot was largely uneventful, Fredrick and ‘Lumina’ getting a little bit more rest on the train ride up. Once they arrived back in the Castle, the Princess resumed her normal form and walked (with urgency) alongside Fredrick to his room, which was on the way to Luna’s office. She wanted to say a proper goodbye and apologize for things being cut short, but the human would have none of it. He urged Luna to go do what she had to do, wishing her luck that all would turn out well… which they would anyway. He just wanted her to have as good of a day as she could, and that was the thought that counted. After a chaste kiss, Luna teleported to her room and Fredrick entered his, hoisting his luggage past the unnecessarily massive double doors before he closed them behind him. Placing his palms on his temples, Fred breathed a heavy but satisfied sigh at all that had happened over the weekend, and despite the absolutely wonderful time he had, among other things, he was still thankful to be back in his usual room and all of its normal splendor. That would constitute to enough ‘getting out’ for a while. He noticed that his left shoe was lacking a bit of friction on the ground and upon investigating, found a small note folded in half. He could only imagine what it was as he picked it up and opened it up. Things are progressing smoothly. Meet me in three days, at midnight, within the Castle Labyrinth. I’ll have more information for you then. -BB “Damn… he moves quickly,” Fredrick commented out loud as he crumpled the note up, ensuring to engrain the date and time into his mind. He moved to fix himself a drink but was interrupted when there was a knock at his door. He knew for a fact it was not Luna so it might have been Celestia or a messenger of some sorts. Upon opening the door, he was greeted with a pleasant surprise. “It’s been a month since you’ve last dropped by to say hi, Fredrick. The first thing I told you when we first met was to not be a stranger ya human twat,” the iconic Scottish-sounding drawl of a certain batpony entered his ears. “Stella!” Fredrick exclaimed in pleasant surprise, the plain-clothes batpony guardsmare jumped him with a friendly hug. “See what ya make me do? Now I have to find you when it’s not even my shift. The things I do for friends.” “Things have been so hectic as of lately, you have no idea. Come in! Make yourself comfortable,” Fredrick replied, beckoning the mare in and she nodding. He closed the door once she fully stepped in. “Oh I think I have some idea…” Stella alluded almost knowingly. In better lighting and without her armor, Fredrick could clearly see that Stella’s navy-blue mane was up in a ponytail and her piercing golden eyes clashed nicely with her purple t-shirt and black pants which, in turn, complemented her grey coat exquisitely. Fredrick had been guilty of looking early on well before the time of he and Luna: Stella was yet another example of Equestrian beauty and the first time he bore witness to her out of her armor, he immediately noticed that she had that ass. Of course, her figure necessarily was that of a well-trained guard ready to give their life for the Princess… and even though she was noticeably less endowed chest-wise than say, Luna or even many of the maids, she was definitely no shirker. But that ass was present. Oh lord by all that was considered holy did she have it. “Oh really now? Anything I should be concerned about?” Fredrick remarked curiously as he moved to grab himself that drink. Stella flopped herself on the bed. “Well… word around the regiment is that you and Her Highness are getting rather close… closer than what has been normally observed,” Stella answered, supporting her head with her palms under her chin as she laid on her front. Fredrick huffed in amusement and gestured to the alcohol he had, offering Stella a drink. She shook her head no. “Really? No drink? Trying to curb your alcoholism?” he joked, earning rolled eyes from the mare. “Oh fuck off you know I can’t drink before my shift,” she retorted with a friendly insult, as was customary with her. Fredrick pulled up a chair and sat next to the foot of the bed with a drink in his hand. “Well, to answer your previous question, maybe we’ve gotten a bit closer. We’re best friends, after all,” he answered. Stella, however, was seemingly staring into his soul and attempting to scrutinize his very being. That’s when she lit up and attempted to stifle a guffaw. “By the stars have you been boning her?” Fredrick nearly choked as he was taking a sip. “Ummm… what?” “All the unicorn guards are laughing their flanks off because she’s been glowing this past week and a half. She’s clearly gotten some… and the only one whom she’d not eviscerate, stuff, and hang in her office for eying her up would be you,” Stella explained, pointing at Fredrick’s face as a shit-eating grin wormed its way on her own muzzle. Fredrick knew he was caught at that moment, and averted his gaze. “No comment.” Stella could not hold back her contagious, uproarious laughter, rolling onto her back and covering her face as she evacuated her lungs with glee. “Oh my… BAHAHAHAHAHA that’s fucking priceless! You’re pounding the royal plot!” “Not necessarily, but it sounds like I’m detecting a hint of jealousy…” Fredrick fired back. Stella rolled back onto her stomach. “Maybe just a little,” she admitted honestly. “I’d bet two week’s pay that you won’t find a single straight or bisexual guard who would not rut either of the Princesses willingly.” “I suppose you’re right.” “Word also has it that you two are absolutely obsessed with each other… and don’t give me the ‘best friends’ shite, the way you two look at each other is so goddamn sappy,” Stella added. Fredrick was about to say something, most likely in defense, when Stella cut him off again. “Don’t even try to deny that because I’ve seen it with my own eyes! It was so goddamn cute I had to kick a superior officer in the cunt to feel like myself, y’know!” “Wait… seriously?” Fredrick looked at her curiously and with the slightest hint of joking fear. Stella huffed in irritation. “A joke; it’s a fucking joke,” the mare playfully slapped him on the back of the head. “Would I really do that?!” “Well… yeah actually. You’re a damn firecracker,” Fredrick replied with his own shit-eating grin, clearly pushing her buttons. Stella narrowed her gaze. “You’re hilarious, you know that?” “So Luna tells me.” “Well, have ya formally courted her?” the guardsmare asked, leaning her head on her right arm as Fredrick stretched out, finishing his drink. “Not yet. That’s a whole political barrier that’s getting worked on as we speak. I do want to prepare for when I actually can, though,” he admitted, truthfully wanting to make sure that, when he was able, he could truly ‘ask out’ his best friend and the mare of his dreams. There was no question as to whether she would agree or not, but he wanted to make the effort regardless. “Well I can help ya with that!” Stella exclaimed happily, rolling onto her back once more and placing her arms comfortably behind her head. “What did ya have in mind?” “Well, when the time comes I honestly just want to take her out to dinner like I could any girlfriend, or as you all say here, marefriend,” Fredrick voiced and Stella nodded thoughtfully. “That’s good. Princess Luna wants any form of normalcy in her life so that’s actually a good idea. Don’t take her to a fancy restaurant though, do something simple. Key word with Her Highness: Normalcy,” Stella pointed out helpfully. Fredrick definitely would take that to heart, and although he knew Luna liked the simpler things in life, he did want to take her somewhere nice. He’d make a compromise when the time came. “The kicker will be how I’m actually going to tell her. Believe me, the moment I’m given the all clear is when I’m going to break down her office door and ask her to be my girlfriend… but wording is still important. I’d rather it be a sweet memory than hilariously embarrassing. Hilariously sweet, maybe…” Fredrick continued. He was mentally kicking himself as to why he never picked Stella’s brain on this material. She was a batpony guard and naturally knew the Night Princess personally, and she was a mare so she’d know other mares better than a stallion most likely would. “Okay… any initial ideas?” “Well, like you had mentioned correctly, I was thinking just a simple approach… something like: ‘Luna! It’s done! Let’s go out to dinner tomorrow night, just you and me, no disguises,’” he answered, Stella covered her mouth and stifled a giggle. “Oh what?” Fredrick asked with feigned annoyance, curious as to what she could be finding wrong with his whole approach. “Nothing, but it just sucks.” “It does not suck, it just needs some work!” he protested, but Stella shook her head, rolling onto her stomach and facing him once more. “Oh it sucks. It sucks cock,” she added. Fredrick never lost his deadpanned expression as she locked eyes with him. “In fact, that idea sucks so much cock, it needs to get its stomach pumped… and I say that as a friend, mind you.” “Could’ve fooled me,” he retorted with a half-smirk. “Oh quit complainin’ ya big cunt I’m gonna help you. I’ve got about an hour before I have to armor up, let’s talk ideas. We’re going to make a Princess swoon.” > Part XIV. Focus > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XIV. Focus   By the time Stella ended up having to leave for her Guard shift, she had imparted some valuable knowledge on Fredrick in terms of formally courting/asking out Luna. As well, the two had formed a tentative plan to make the whole event much more… special. That time would come when it did, and technically, Fredrick would not have to court Luna, as Luna wanted to announce that she was courting him. It was some weird business, but either way, he wanted to also ask her out… so in effect, they would be asking to be each other’s special someone.   The whole situation was already giving him a headache.   But, that could be worried about when the time drew closer to ‘appropriate.’ For that particular moment, though, Fredrick only wanted to catch up on sleep. He got a paltry amount the previous night for obvious reasons and he still did wish to be rested for the next day’s work day. Checking over his schedule before he retired early, other than his normal job, he was meeting with Blueblood in the Labyrinth on Wednesday night and that was the only outstanding appointment that he had, meaning that the next week would go by nice and fast… at least, that was the hope.   Fredrick’s decision to turn in early was actually quite a nice one, as his energy absolutely swelled come Monday morning. That, and he was still ‘glowing’ from the aftermath of Saturday evening’s activities and Celestia was all too observant when Fredrick sat down at his desk. He already knew it was going to be an interesting day when Celestia, right hand supporting her muzzle, greeted him with a shit-eating grin and continued to stare at him likewise for the entire duration of him getting ready. After a few minutes of setting up and his friend/boss not tearing her smug face away from him, he sighed and resigned to just get the whole experience over with.   “Good morning, Celestia,” Fredrick greeted with as professional of a voice as he could. The Solar Princess’ expression never changed.   “Good morning, Fredrick. How was your weekend?” she greeted and asked in kind, though with a knowing tone of voice.   "It was nice while it lasted. Luna and I were able to go out in public without incident with her little disguise but that wasn’t a problem at all. Also, I met Twilight Sparkle; awesome mare,” Fredrick began detailing, the Princess nodding appropriately. “Too bad it had to get cut short because of that incident. Luna didn’t swing by to say goodnight so I assumed it was a bit hectic to deal with. How’d that go, by the way?”   “It’s always unfortunate to investigate an accident such as this, but the worst part is writing back to the families. Fortunately, no relations have been damaged and the investigation continues, though both sides are confident that there was nothing nefarious at play,” Celestia replied a bit somberly, her eyes drifting somewhat to the floor, but her expression quickly bounced back to its original smugness and she resumed staring Fredrick down.   “I cannot help but wonder though… was Luna out of practice?”   Fredrick rolled his eyes as he was turned away from the Princess, laying his coat on the back of his chair.   “Were things… too tight?”   Fredrick finally turned around and faced her with a look of great impatience.   “Just do it already! Get it out of your system!”   Celestia could not stifle her maniacal laughter any longer, and the human only sat on the edge of his desk as he watched the diarch completely lose her composure.   “So…” she finally was able to get out after calming down just a tad, running her fingers through her mane. “I see you diddled my little sister.”   Fred looked at her with a disgusted complexion.   “Diddled? Really? That makes me sound like a pdf-file,” he commented on her choice of words. She, however, responded with confusion.   “A pdf-file?”   “Nothing,” he waved her off. “Either way though, taking age into account, if anything, Luna was the one who diddled me.”   “So you did diddle dearest darling little sister…”   “Hah, nice alliteration. But since you seem so insistent on hearing it come from my mouth, yes. I had sexual relations with your next of kin,” Fredrick admitted, much to Celestia’s humor at his choice of words. “It’s funny though… as an older sibling, you seem to be taking this in quite a stride.”   “Older siblings will always worry for their younger ones, but in this case, I’m not too concerned. There is really nopony else I’d rather my sister choose to be intimate with, because I know for a fact that she is in perfect hands,” Celestia stated resolutely, making Fredrick feel somewhat fuzzy inside that he had Celestia’s blessing.   Then again, he never was worried about Celestia’s blessing. Chances are, she blessed him before he even knew what was happening.   “Well, now that that’s out of the way, what do we have planned today?” Fredrick asked, more than willing to get the day started so he did not have to start talking in depth about he and Luna’s ‘relations.’ He did not put it past Celestia that she would ask. On that mention, though, Celestia perked up as if she recalled something, and pulled an envelope from her inbox.   “Well, first things first, I’m delighted to say that you have a second assignment; courtesy of Luna,” she said, handing him the aforementioned envelope.   “Assignment? And Luna didn’t mention anything,” Fredrick questioned the word usage as he took the envelope, examining it and only finding Luna’s official seal.   “Yup! Think of it as a second, part-time job. Lulu wants you shadowing the Economic Council when they hold their meetings, Mr. Econometrician,” the Princess teased with a wink. Fredrick angled his head and gazed at her with mock-irritation, having opened the envelope and read the brief within.   “Sounds exciting. What do I do with this?”   “Take it to Luna, she should be in her office expecting you, actually. You just need to run over the details and for formality’s sake, sign a few forms. Worry not, though, you’re still my full-time slave assistant,” Celestia explained, adding the last bit with a full-toothed smile.   “Oh boy, oh boy! Slave to the Sun Princess, my favorite!” Fredrick replied with jokingly fake excitement, curling his arm in front of him for emphasis as he drifted to the door. “I’ll be back in a bit.”   “I’ll keep the bed warm for you,” Celestia called out as she was drafting a letter.   “You’re hilarious, you know that?” Fredrick added sarcastically, waving and closing the door upon his exit, leaving Celestia to herself; she giggled as she continued writing.     [Luna’s Office]     It was a typical Monday, but Princess Luna was not too terribly bored. She was in the middle of responding to an advisor’s input via letter but her writing had slowly begun to drop off as she started to daydream. Soon enough, her quill rested on the parchment while her head rested in her left hand. Luna’s eyelids hung lazily half-way as her mind drifted about, a small but very noticeable smile on her face.   “Hmmmm…” she hummed out contently, relishing in the fuzzy feelings inside from merely gracing her thoughts with the recollections of this past weekend. She was still ‘with it’ enough to know that today would most likely not be a productive day… and she was okay with that. She just could not get her mind off of her human… her handsome, caring, hilarious, and downright sexy human.   Stupid… Sexy… Fredrick   If one could read Luna’s thoughts, it would be laughable as to how bad she had it for Fredrick. She had known this for a while though… and the events leading up to and including this past weekend had only confirmed it for her: she loved him. She loved everything about him and very few things could compare with the feeling of knowing that Fredrick loved her too.   They were still self-proclaimed best friends… but that title was slowly beginning to be ushered into the foundation of something with much more weight to it. In particular, Fredrick would be her coltfriend, and for him, she would be his marefriend or girlfriend, whichever he preferred. The formal, if archaic title would be ‘the Royal Consort’ but, as conservative as Luna was, even she admitted that that title was drab and had absolutely no ring to it. She had no issues in sticking to an informal title, but that would all be decided when the time came.   What was more important, for Luna at least, would be officially (with each other) taking that next step and then proclaiming him as such to the public as to avoid any confusion and annoying tabloid articles. That, and if Blueblood could make do on his word, it would pave the way for a seamless, dare she say almost normal relationship… something she had not had in quite a long time.   Four firm knocks brought her out of her little daydream, but Luna did not alter her positioning.   “Yes?”   The door opened and upon flicking her eyes up to the new entrant, she spied Fredrick letting himself in. She immediately perked up and straightened out her dress.   “Good morning, Princess,” he said with a genuine smile as he made his way over, rolling up his sleeves as Luna moved to meet him halfway.   “Good morning to you as well,” Luna replied with an equal tone, meeting him halfway and pulling him into a tight, loving embrace. Luna wrapped her arms around his neck while Fredrick’s were around her lower back, Luna burying her muzzle into his neck. After a single, chaste kiss, the two separated.   “So, I can’t help but wonder about this,” Fred said, gesturing to the envelope that he held in his hands containing his ‘assignment.’   "Ah, yes!” Luna affirmed, gliding back to her desk and pulling a couple of forms from her inbox. “You’re going to be shadowing the Economic Council and me when we hold our fortnightly meetings. Feel free to take notes and if you’re asked, give your opinion on the subject at hand. I just need you to fill these two documents out completely; basic non-disclosure agreements and legal stuffs.”   “This is the Economic Council of the entire nation, you sure I can just walk right into this?” Fredrick asked with uncertainty, taking the forms that Luna provided and folding them in his hand.   “Of course! You’re merely shadowing, as I said, and are not formally part of the Council itself. However, if you show enough promise, I could see you possibly being inducted as a Junior,” Luna teased, leaving the future open to question as she shrugged. “And this, I feel, will be more tailored to your tastes. Your experience in macroeconomics and the underlying econometrics will serve you well.”   “Why suddenly place me on the—erm—next to the Council?” he questioned, leaning on Luna’s desk as she took a seat and reclined, placing her arms behind her head.   “Because I would like to give you the opportunity to pick up your career where you left off. Since you cannot return to your world by our error, might as well have you continue with a hopefully suitable equivalent,” Luna reasoned as she relaxed. “That and because you’re talented and I love you. Need I require more reasoning?”   The Lunar Princess’ coy smile brooked no counter-argument. Fredrick could only return her cocky smirk with a playful one of his own. Even so, the three powerful words that Luna spoke towards the end of her last sentence had a warming effect on him, causing him to color and jumble his words. To Luna, he could not possibly have gotten more adorable.   “Well, t-thank you, Luna… and I ummm…” he scratched the back of his head and neck as he reinitiated eye-contact. “…I love you too.”   Luna giggled and lowered her eyelids, shooting him a much sultrier gaze as her right index finger began tracing a figure-eight right above the top of her cleavage.   “Do I receive a kiss?” she asked, pressing her advantage. With the briefest of flashes of her horn and a flick of her finger, her office door was locked.   “Why don’t you stand up and find out?” Fredrick gladly played along. Luna did as she asked, giggling maniacally the entire time and relishing in her victory. Fred took her into his arms and wasted no time in gingerly pressing his lips against hers, both pairs of eyes closing as they lost themselves to touch. Fredrick maneuvered his hands back down to where Luna’s back dimples would be while the Princess’ hands gently gripped the back of his head.   Fredrick began running his hands up and down Luna’s slender, toned back, tracing vertical lines through the fabric of her dress and she responded by deepening their kiss. Luna returned the initiative and eased her tongue forward, barely touching his lips and silently begging for him to let her enter… a request that Fredrick had absolutely no intention of denying. With a gentle smack from a temporary separation, their two tongues met in a wet embrace of their own, not vying for dominance, but rather, cuddling each other; a wanton expression of desire and love, even more so when Luna pulled led them back into her desk so she could sit, wrapping her legs around Fredrick’s waist and allowing their crotches to press firmly together.   The two separated their lips just so they could breathe, but Fredrick pressed forward and tugged at the alicorn’s lower lip, coaxing a feminine yet throaty giggle out of her. Embracing being a little more adventurous, Fredrick began planting little kisses and nips along Luna’s jawline, she gasping faintly at each careful, deliberate nibble.   “Mmmmph… Fredrick…” Luna quietly moaned, her hands having slid down his back and found their way to his rump, gripping him through his trousers.   “Ahem…”   Fredrick jumped and promptly separated from Luna, but the latter was not startled, but by how slowly and deliberately (with a look that could incinerate) she turned her head to face the new individual in the room, she was clearly done with their shit.   “Am I interrupting something?” Princess Celestia asked coyly, raising her right brow with her arms crossed under her chest.   “Oh no, not at all! Despite you overriding protective magic on a locked door and most likely just standing there for who knows how long, why would you ever feel you were interrupting anything?” Luna asked, lacing her words with lethal amounts of sarcasm. Fredrick had no place in this conversation and opted to watch it unfold as he recovered from their titillating make-out session.   “About two minutes, actually… and I’m glad I wasn’t! Which brings me to why I’m here. Firstly, pencil in a joint meeting with Zebranican military leaders on Wednesday, they wish to share their findings with us. Secondly…” Celestia pulled a manila envelope from the inside of her suit coat, handing it to Luna.   “…a bill from the Upper House that falls under both of our purviews; a joint signature is needed. Thirdly, I need my administrative assistant here, back.”   “Very well. Firstly, thank you for letting me know. Secondly, the bill will be returned to your desk by the day’s end. Thirdly, I need to go over one more item on one of the forms I gave him, so I shall return Fredrick to you shortly. Until then, as the adolescents say, kindly make like a tree and fuck off,” Luna responded in kind and gestured to her door.   Celestia gave a mock, half-assed bow and promptly disappeared in the flash of a teleportation spell. Upon ensuring she was gone, Luna turned to Fredrick, looking rather miffed.   “Are you still willing to partake in a joint pranking venture?”   “Yup! And after that interruption I think I’m ready to get caught up in this little prank war you two have,” Fredrick admitted, a bit irked that they had to abruptly cease their session. Luna smirked determinedly.   “Most excellent. I’ve been mentally crafting what we could do in response but I think I finally figured out the most humorous yet practical approach…” Luna commented, sitting on the edge of her desk with a pensive look on her muzzle, resting her face in the crook of her thumb and forefinger.   “What’d’ya figure?” Fred urged on, taking a seat next to her.   “Wednesday night. I shall provide the appropriate dress but we shall pose as intruders. Before the day is done, we shall sneak into Celestia’s quarters and cloak ourselves in the restroom. When she is most off her guard, we shall expose ourselves as contract killers sent to apprehend her.”   “Whoa… WHOA! You wanna pose as assassins or hit-men that are attempting to kidnap her?? That can’t possibly backfire in any conceivable way,” Fredrick reacted sarcastically, stunned at how far Luna was willing to go.   Prank... jeez that's borderline fucking insane.   “She wishes to ‘play hardball,’ then she shall receive hardball. As for potential, unforeseen consequences, I know some temporary spells that will disable magical ability in a unicorn; the effect is somewhat minimized on an alicorn. However, I’m in possession of a few ‘extraneous wearables’ that will disable magical prowess for an indefinite amount of time, dependent on me,” Luna elaborated. Fredrick’s right brow was raised quite high at this revelation and why Luna would be in possession of such items was somewhat questionable.   “None of my business. I’m still in, though.”   “Wonderful!”   “I do need to meet with someone at midnight, though, namely a certain Princely figure,” Fredrick stated. Luna nodded in acknowledgement but she was still not concerned.   “That shall not negatively affect our plans in the slightest. In fact, that’s actually more perfect. It will allow us a more opportune striking time. With certain events on our calendar that day, Celestia will wish to work late, thus she’ll be much more fatigued and ‘out of it.’”   “Fine by me. I’ll meet you at your room when I’m done?” Fredrick confirmed.   “That would be lovely.”     [Castle Labyrinth | Wednesday | 11:49 PM]     The rest of Monday and all of Tuesday had passed by uneventfully, though Luna and Fredrick were secretly looking forward to Wednesday night, and that eagerness was what got them through the days in between. Before the two could sortie out on the planned prank, there was one last order of business to take care of: a progress update from Blueblood. Fredrick figured this meeting would not take very long, and the lengthiest part of the whole ordeal would probably be treading through the labyrinth itself.   Dressed in some loose pants, a t-shirt, and a jacket, Fredrick was about to exit the castle proper and enter into the Royal Gardens when he spotted a nice, familiar face having been posted by the archway. Upon turning the corner, the human found Stella armored up and standing at attention with a stoic expression… that was until she noticed him, flashing him a smirk.     “Oh, hey Stella! On garden watch I see,” Fredrick greeted with a wave as he continued sauntering onward.   “The hell are you doing gallivanting at this time of night? And headed to the gardens no less,” the guardsmare inquired in her usual, adorable yet aggressive accent.     “Your mom, heh,” Fredrick replied without missing a beat as he continued closing the distance between them. He did not have much time to stop and talk, unfortunately, so they would hold conversation for the short time until he passed into the garden. Her eyes narrowed.   “Me mum’s dead, ya cocklord,” Stella shot back passively, though Fredrick knew for a fact that that wasn’t true. He heard the batpony mention her parents in passing many months ago.   “I know. That’s why I brought extra lube… I like ‘em dry and dusty to start with. It’s gonna be a mess, let me tell ya,” Fred added, clearly on a roll and accentuating his humor by pointing at the mare as he passed by.   “Hah! Fuck you, Fredrick. Let’s have a pint this weekend.”   “Sure thing, just remind me! See ya later!”   After waving goodbye to Stella as he stepped into the garden, Fredrick entered the labyrinth and casually made his way to the center using the route that he had taken many, many times over the months. It was a lazy stroll, he being able to doze off and still know exactly where he was at any given time, and when he rounded that last corner into the center, he found Blueblood already waiting for him. The Prince was dressed formally as always, and with his arms crossed over his pecs, his posture exuded ‘business.’   “You remembered our appointment. It appears being Aunt Celestia’s assistant has instilled some decent habits in you,” Blueblood remarked, though Fred was not sure if there was sarcasm involved at all. The stallion unfolded his arms as he walked to meet Fredrick.   “Hello to you too, Blueblood. Always nice to have a trademarked dose of your welcoming demeanor. I believe you summoned me, though?” Fredrick replied, though with enough sarcasm for the both of them. He only wanted to get this all over with so he and Luna could (hopefully) scare the living shit out of Celestia.   “Indeed, though just a progress update; we shan’t be here more than a few minutes. I’m about three quarters of the way through a list of known, would-be nuisances and with how things are progressing, I’m hoping to hammer out the final dissenters within about… two weeks or so,” Blueblood began, immediately cutting to the chase.   “Great to hear. No one is in any rush so take as much time as you need,” Fredrick acknowledged, but the Prince shook his head.   “You and Aunt Luna should be in such a rush when the time draws closer. Like a planetary alignment, once all of the opposition voices have been whipped neatly into a line, there will only be so much time before ponies start dissenting yet again… seeing if my threats are credible and what not. It’s time to focus on the more important aspects of the greater plan at hoof.”   “Alright, what do you propose we do?” Fred asked, realizing that this was indeed good information for the future.   “Ideally, by the time I convince the last one on my list, Auntie should make a formal announcement. If you have any barbaric human courting routines that you’d like to do on your own, I suggest you start thinking about that now and putting those plans into motion immediately,” Blueblood answered, never losing his serious edge. In fact, Fredrick thought he could make out an ever so slightly fatigued complexion through the darkness. Perhaps the Prince had been working some overtime.   Whatever the potential, future returns of this endeavor were must certainly be worth it.   “I’ve been giving it a great deal of thought, so I’m way ahead of you there. I’ll relay the message to Luna about the formal announcement.”   “Excellent. Oh, and by the way, just for your information, one of the last members on this list I have happens to be a prominent member of the Economic Council which you’ll be shadowing. I’m curious if you may be able to identify them,” Blueblood remarked with not-entirely-playful derision , his words throwing Fred for a loop in a few ways.   “Wait… how did you know that?” he asked, not sure how he got that information as he had only spoken with Luna and Celestia about his new, future assignment. Blueblood only chuckled to himself as he strolled past Fredrick into one of the dead ends.   “I have my ways of finding out many things, Fredrick. Heed my words, and we shall be in touch very soon,” the Prince cautioned, bundling a bidding of farewell with those words as he disappeared in a flash of magic. Once again, Fredrick was left alone in the labyrinth but he decided not to mull on Blueblood’s words as much as last time, opting to instead jog his way out of the enormous maze. He’d relay the message to Luna most likely in transit to carry out their indisputably over-the-top prank on the Solar Princess, so his mind was more focused on just that.   It was time to prank the shit out of Celestia. > Part XV. Ambiguity > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XV. Ambiguity   Hearing all he needed to hear from Blueblood, the time was upon Fredrick to return to Luna’s chambers and prepare for the alleged ‘prank of the century.’ After sharing a friendly middle finger with Stella (to whom he taught the meaning of such a gesture) a few minutes was all that was needed to jog back to the Lunar Quadrant of the castle. As per usual, guards paid him no heed as he bolted on by, eventually finding himself in front of the pristine, ebony double-doors of Luna’s room. Before he could even knock, the alicorn quickly opened the left side and yanked him in. To the two guards stationed outside, it looked almost cartoonish, but the pair had quickly learned to not question the oddity of events that jointly concerned Princess Luna and Fredrick.   “About time you showed up! Here, put these on,” Luna lightly scolded before shoving a neatly-folded stack of completely black clothes in his face, which Fredrick promptly took hold of. As for the Princess herself, she was garbed in a form-fitting black long-sleeved shirt along with identically-colored combat pants which hugged her legs aerodynamically. Her waistline was adorned with a utility belt and her hair was its lifeless form.   “Wow… you really weren’t joking,” Fredrick commented on the attire, realizing that Luna did indeed wish to ‘go all out.’ He changed clothes and slipped on the assigned outfit, which was essentially the same as Luna’s though more tailored to his human form. What stood out the most, though, were two identical articles that were lying on the bed; Fredrick’s curiosity got the better of him. He picked them up and looked to Luna disbelievingly.   “Balaclavas? Really??”   Luna turned to him stoically, but with an expression that said ‘come on, now.’   “Using your words, Fredrick, she needs to get ‘rekt,’” Luna responded as she took one of the garments from Fredrick’s hand and pulled the balaclava over her head, leaving only her eyes showing and her horn protruding.   “You know, I’m starting to think that I’m having too much of a bad influence on you,” Fredrick mused, pulling his own, fitted balaclava over his head. Both of them now looked like actual criminals.   “Oh? I prefer ‘expanding horizons and vocabulary’ over ‘bad influence,’ if I may be so bold,” Luna countered, moving to the other side of her bed and fishing something that she had left there. “Here, to complete the look.”   Fredrick instinctively caught the large, long object that she threw, finding it to be something else that astonished him for the third time in ten minutes.   “T-This is a rifle…” he commented with a slack jaw, though it was not like any modern firearm that he was used to back on Earth. In fact, it looked much more like a musket, though it curiously had a bolt-action. Fredrick had never inquired about firearms in the Equestrian nation and never felt the need to ask, but clearly they existed. How effective they were would be another question for later.   “So it is,” Luna said, shrugging as she sheathed a knife to her belt. “We must look threatening if we are to seem realistic, yes? And worry not, it’s not loaded at all; ammunition is not necessary. And as well, I did warn her that my retaliation would be massively disproportionate.”   “You say that as if ammunition would be necessary given a certain set of circumstances…”   “Well, technically that would be the case, wouldn’t it?” Luna questioned in return, rejoining with Fredrick who giggled at her response.   “Yeah I guess you’re right. Okay, are we ready?”   “Indeed, it looks like we’re all set. Now, allow me to go over the entire plan,” Luna began, Fredrick shifting his weight to his other leg as he began listening intently. “I’m going to teleport us into her bathroom and we shall lie in wait there. As expected, Celestia is working extra late tonight and I’ve already taken the liberty of soundproofing her room an extra layer than what already exists.”   “Alright…”   “If everything goes according to her normal regimen, she shall enter and go straight to sleep, as she often does when she works late. We will then allow about fifteen minutes for her to tread deeper into slumber before we sneak out of her bathroom; I shall have us cloaked so on the off chance she still stirs, she shan’t sense our presence. The first order of business is disabling her magic… for that, I have this,” Luna explained before fishing a small item from her pocket: it looked like a somewhat oversized ring.   “That goes on the horn?” Fredrick guessed, Luna nodding in response.   “Yes, it will stifle her magic immediately. That shall jolt her awake and that’s when we start barking orders and screaming at her. I’ll hold the knife to her face and you’ll aim at her with the rifle. Once she’s truly petrified, we’ll tie her up, place a bag over her head, and then maybe ‘transport’ her elsewhere, where we shall reveal ourselves,” Luna said, finishing laying out the details of the plan itself, and Fredrick did not hide the fact that he found this borderline mental.   “You do realize that this will probably make Celestia hate me until I’m dead, and you for at least a few centuries, right?” Fredrick pointed out. Luna merely shrugged indifferently.   “She’s held grudges for longer and we have done worse to each other, honestly. As for your predicament, the journey of life requires sacrifices. Her eternal ire will just be something you must learn to accept,” Luna countered jokingly, adjusting her balaclava as Fredrick internally scowled. “Well then, are we ready?”   Fredrick cradled the rifle in his hands, shrugging and resigning himself to his fate.   “As ready as I’ll ever be I guess…”   “Excellent,” Luna said as her horn lit up. “Stand by for teleportation…”     In a sudden flash of magical light, Fredrick and Luna reappeared in the darkness of Celestia’s bathroom. Like Luna’s, it was quite expansive and definitely ‘royal’ in décor… what was able to be seen by a tiny little light that Luna generated with her horn. Other than the color scheme, for all intents and purposes, it was identical to Luna’s in actuality.   “Very good… we’re in,” she whispered, dimming her horn to a much more appropriate level as she opened the bathroom door, leaving it inconspicuously ajar and allowing the two of them to see into Celestia’s room itself. The two peeked and found it empty, as expected.   “When’s she coming back?” Fredrick asked, gently laying the rifle he was carrying against one of the walls.   “Hopefully soon… shouldn’t be more than a few minutes from now. I checked before you arrived and she was just about finished with her work for the evening. She then walks back rather than teleports so she should be entering rather soon,” Luna answered, leading Fredrick to the appropriate places by the door so they could observe without running into each other: Fredrick standing while Luna on one knee.   “Alright. I understand the whole game plan, but do you have some signal you wanna give me before we burst in?” Fredrick asked, his heart rate already increasing rapidly as he wondered how this would all play out. His face was also starting to get a bit warm due to the balaclava.   “We will not burst in. Recall, I said we will sneak in once she is asleep. As for a signal, once I stand up from my position, it shall be time… then, just follow my lead. Sound good?” Luna softly elaborated, still being cognizant of the faux-tranquility they set up for her older sister.   “Yeah, waiting on you th—” Fredrick’s answer was cut off when both of them heard the bedroom door suddenly open. Luna’s ears perked up and she held her index finger to her mouth, calling for silence from here on out. Fredrick nodded and they began the process of spying on their target: the Solar Princess herself.   Princess Celestia finally came into view, wearing the usual flowing white dress that she wore on-and-off along with her suit. She was absolutely beautiful as always but it did not take a genius to see that she was fatigued. She sighed to herself and ran both of her hands over her face and through her ethereal, flowing mane. Pursing her lips and gazing around lazily, she removed the magic from her hair and left it lifeless and with its natural, pink color.   Fredrick recoiled ever so slightly, having never, in all of his time here, seen Celestia without the ethereal component of her mane. Thus, having it reduced to a rather bright-pink without the magic was a bit jarring for him, but nevertheless, Celestia wore it well. Luna and Fredrick shared a glance and nodded at each other, continuing to observe their prey. In such a state, Celestia almost looked innocent… tired and defenseless, and as such, Fredrick almost felt bad for what was going to transpire. But, he quickly remembered that Celestia was, in fact, playful and absolutely relentless in her jibes. That, and he was already committed to Luna with such a prank, so he’d follow through. He just hoped that in the end, this would provide ample laughter.   The two continued to watch like vultures waiting to strike… and Celestia was definitely taking her sweet time. She sat on the edge of her bed (giving the two a full frontal view of her) and began prying the shoes off of her hooves, as well as removing her tiara and other regalia. The Solar Princess then stood up once more… but both sets of observing eyes quickly widened as Celestia turned around, faced her full-body mirror, and in one fell swoop, unzipped and dropped her dress off her body.   Fredrick and Luna got quite the view of Celestia’s backside and Fredrick was nigh frozen in place. He was able to pry his eyes away and look down to Luna with a questioning gaze. Luna replied with her eyes, conveying a sense of not having planned for this, shrugging but ordering him to stand by. Fredrick knew for a fact that he should just back out from his position and let Luna do the spying at this point, but when his eyes became affixed once more to the alabaster alicorn, he simply could not look away, especially with a toned (not as much as Luna’s), perfectly curved ass staring him in the face.   Then, Celestia turned around.   Fredrick always knew that Celestia was much more well-endowed than Luna… anypony with a modicum of rational thought could merely observe that as fact. Still, it was one thing to know and take for granted… and another thing to find out and prove beyond any reasonable doubt to oneself. There was no denying it: like Luna’s, Celestia’s breasts were absolutely perfect (in their own ways)… like beautiful porcelain-colored teardrops with small, light-gray nipples. Celestia had a somewhat larger body than Luna and as such, her assets were proportioned appropriately, though they were a bit more… ‘plump.’ It fit the older princess’ body perfectly though, and regardless, she was still in amazing shape with a clearly toned stomach as well as an overall arousing, defined musculature.   Fredrick was convinced now that both alicorns were sculpted from the mold—no—the very concept of perfection.   Luna, on her part, was just as shocked as Fredrick and she mentally berated herself for not considering the fact that Celestia would most likely have at least changed her clothes under the impression that she’d be, naturally, alone. Thus, when seeing that Fredrick was indeed helping himself to a nice, oversized serving of eye candy, she did not really fault him or mind. In fact, she internally chuckled that he was frozen in place. The awkwardness of it being her sister that they were viewing was overridden by the fact that he was most likely blushing and sweating like hell.   She also noticed another small—yet quickly lengthening—detail as Celestia moved towards her bed once more. This was easily visible by the amount of light being let in combined with her current positioning.   By the stars… Fredrick is aroused! Haha! I shall never let him live this down…   Celestia finally entered into her bed and covering herself… though that did not last at all. Fredrick breathed a sigh of relief at first, but at that point, he too realized that he was indeed hard. Looking down, Luna carried a shit-eating grin under her balaclava, shaking her head at him. He knew for a fact that he was going to be in for the teasing of a lifetime when this was all over. He reiterated his gratefulness of the original awkward situation ending.   Well, at least that’s over…   All that remained was for Celestia to fall asleep and it would be show time.   “Well…” Celestia spoke to herself, earning the attention of both observers. “I think I’ve earned a little… quality time after today.”   Lying down and holding out her hand, she magically willed an easily recognizable, phallic object into her hand (again, much to the astonishment of the two hidden ‘assailants’) but unlike what she used to prank Luna with, this particular dildo was a dark, yet translucent red color and what was even more surprising was what it looked like… a fact that stopped Fredrick’s entire thought process as he went pale with the implications.   It was distinctly human-looking, rather than resembling a stallion’s penis.   WHAT?! How the…   Luna herself became increasingly weirded out and surprised. She knew her sister had special toys like that… she did too! But what was most interesting was how perfectly it resembled a human penis (Luna would know in detail, after all). She was not even mad, she was just weirded out yet curious at the same time as to how her sister could acquire such a toy that replicated things so on-point. There was no reason to stop the prank now, and the appropriate questions could be asked later (this could actually add to the pranking material). In fact, Luna was more worried about Fredrick… who was still slack-jawed yet seemed to look almost fearful under his balaclava.   Even so, Fredrick could not seem to look away… and he had the same ‘problem’ as before, even more so when Celestia took the tip of the dildo to her mouth and began softly suckling. Celestia closed her eyes as she caressed the tip of her toy with her tongue, sucking gently and running her free hand up and down the length of the shaft.   It was well established that Fredrick, again, had his eyes glued to the unexpected scene for a number of reasons. Luna did not particularly have a desire to watch her sister pleasure herself, but what she could not deny was the fact that due to the bulge in Fredrick’s pants, she was starting to see the situation through figurative ‘rose-colored glasses.’ Her own blush was starting to deepen at the sick sense of watching Fredrick getting aroused from her sister’s lewd, personal actions… and she was not entirely sure how she felt about that.   Fredrick gulped as the two observed Celestia take the dildo deeper into her mouth and muzzle, eyes still comfortably closed as she was clearly enjoying her own ministrations. Her tongue continued to lap at the entire surface area of what she could fit in her mouth, using her free had to this time grope and massage her left breast. Celestia pinched her nipple between her index and middle finger as she attempted to squeeze her entire breast (Fred guessed their size anywhere from a high double D to a low E-cup). A soft gasp and a moan emanated deep from her throat as a result.   There was no denying it at this point: Fredrick was completely aroused. However, there were just so many conflicting emotions as a result of this. Firstly, he had not thought about Celestia in a lewd manner for a long, long time (working with two gorgeous alicorn sisters, both of which are friends, affords a certain amount of meandering thoughts)… and seeing her, the powerful ruler of the day and projection of the Sun itself, beginning the process losing herself to the grasps of carnal pleasures almost seemed wrong.   Then he felt something firm palming him.   Pulling his attention away from the ‘show,’ he found Luna looking up at him (only her eyes visible of course) with a lidded gaze while her right hand continued to palm and massage the throbbing length within his pants. His breath hitched and he shuddered out, doing his best to stifle a groan as Luna continued to caress him.   Turning back towards the room, Celestia had removed the toy from her mouth and began running the tip of it over her breasts, particularly her nipples which were clearly hard. Pressing the dildo into her right breast, she snaked her left hand down between her legs and began rubbing her already-slick lips, using her three middle fingers to rub herself while paying extra attention to her swelling clit. Celestia nestled the dildo tightly in her cleavage, opting to use both of her hands to play with herself as her groans, shudders, and moans became much more prominent. Her fingers were already drenched in her natural honey, her left fingers rubbing and pinching her clit while she did the best to finger herself with her right middle fingers.   “Mmmmph! Uhn!” Celestia groaned extra loud as she hit a particularly sensitive spot, her lower back arching and pushing her beautifully sculpted stomach into the air. In the midst of watching this unfold even more, Fredrick felt Luna stealthily undo his pants and pull his painfully hard erection out, gripping and stroking his entire length. She continued to look up at him as Fred enjoyed the dual onslaught of the show and Luna’s actions.   Luna’s strokes became much more firm and fast as precum began coating her un-gloved hand as well as his entire shaft. Both of their lips were bit and Fredrick locked eyes with Luna below him as she continued to masturbate him. His ears were then alerted as Celestia brought herself to the brink of orgasm but edged herself off. Almost immediately though, she pulled the dildo from the fleshy prison of her bosom and began running the tip up and down her slit, crying out at her sensitivity before shoving it completely inside of her. Her mouth was hanging open and Fredrick continued to be awash with emotions as he watched his other good friend and regal alicorn go to town on her pussy.   The moment Celestia impaled herself, Luna lifted her balaclava over her muzzle and pulled Fred’s dick into her mouth, beginning to caress her tongue over the sensitive underside of his length much like Celestia did with the dildo. Luna attempted to make it so each time she bobbed her head, Celestia shoved her toy inside her love tunnel. Luna silently told Fredrick to keep his eyes on Celestia as she worked his cock over, and as the Solar Alicorn continued to fuck herself with a human phallus-shaped dildo, he subconsciously began bucking his hips. Luna and Fredrick did their best to keep their heavy breathing and moans at bay and were it not for Celestia’s own moans and squeaks of pleasure, the duo would have surely been heard by now.   Celestia gyrated the dildo inside her, stretching all of her walls much to her literal pleasure. She cried out again but curtailed her moans as much as possible, biting her lower lip as she continued to piston the dildo completely inside her. She shoved the entire length into her slit and started rapidly mashing it inside of her before she yanked it out entirely, switching tactics and thrusting the length completely in and out of her.   “HAH! Gahhnuh! Yes!” she groaned out, Fredrick finding it extraordinarily hot to see such a powerful alicorn reduced to putty in her own hands. He had a similar, if much more profound experience with Luna during their early days of ‘experimentation.’ Luna had hollowed out her cheeks and it seemed as if she was trying to suck his soul out through his cock as she refused to relent her southern assault.   Clutching her left breast and pinching her nipple as before, Celestia angled the dildo upwards and plunged it into her, being sure to hit that special spot inside that drove her absolutely wild with incredibly sexy cries of “YES! Right there… yes!”   Fredrick and Luna could tell that she was nearing her end, and Luna was determined to finish off her human at the exact same time. Stabilizing herself on her knees, she was more than content with letting Fredrick essentially fuck her face while she provided the sucking and other stimulating motions. All Fredrick had to do was gaze at Celestia begin to lose herself to the clutches of orgasm.   "Mmmm… MMPH! Right there, RIGHT THERE!” Celestia nearly screamed out as she jammed her toy deep into her pussy. She employed her other hand to rub her clit, toying her little button in conjunction before the sudden, overwhelming tidal wave of pleasure peaked and overtook her, sending her back arching even higher as she came around the fake phallus. A noiseless scream emanated from her open mouth as she clenched around the dildo, her juices flowing freely out of her slit and staining her sheets, though she could honestly care less as her mind was jelly at the moment.   At the same time in the bathroom, Fredrick had been bucking his hips and fucking Luna’s mouth with the same rhythm that Celestia had displayed, and the moment she came, he too could not hold back as he silently shoved his cock in entirety into Luna’s mouth, cumming and unloading himself directly into her throat. Luna closed her eyes as she felt his hot, gooey, milky seed cover the back of her tongue and her entire throat as it was directly injected into her stomach. She gave the smallest of moans and hums onto his now sensitive cock as she swallowed all that was given to her. Fredrick shuddered and did his best to control his breathing as his legs nearly gave out.   Celestia had calmed down from her own orgasm, though she left the dildo inside of her the entire time she lay on her bed massaging her tits. Gentle groans continued to emanate from her now closed mouth as she adjusted to the high as well as the hands of sleep tugging at her mind. With her remaining energy spent, she used the last bit of her consciousness to pull the dildo from her now-abused pussy and will it out of existence, continuing to breathe heavily and let out gentle moans over longer and longer frequencies.   At the same time, Luna cleaned Fredrick’s member off with her tongue and gingerly placed it back in his pants, zipping him up and buckling his belt back up with a seductive wink. She then pulled the balaclava down over her muzzle once more and turned her attention to her spent sister, who was now completely lost to slumber.   The Lunar Princess placed her hand on Fredrick’s thigh as he himself was recovering, letting him know that the time was almost upon them to move into action. Fred nodded as he composed himself, and he was thankful for this prank all of a sudden, because now that the lust on all parties had cleared out, there was definitely a myriad of things to discuss… with the extra ‘activities’ completely draining the residual energy from Celestia, Luna was certain, after a few minutes of waiting, that she was already in a deep enough sleep to move ahead with their plans.   Sharing one final glance, Luna nodded; it was time.   She gingerly opened pulled the door open and with a few hand movements, Luna instructed Fredrick to grab the rifle and fall in line behind her. Luna drew the knife from her belt, the anti-magic horn ring, and what looked like a burlap sack of sorts as they cautiously stepped their way over to the less-than-innocent bed. The extra time needed to reach the right side of the bed was a small price to pay for generating nearly no noise as well as allowing Celestia to fall even deeper into sleep. With no other obstacles though, the duo finally reached the side of the bed and Luna silently instructed Fredrick to hold his position where he was and aim the rifle at Celestia; he’d play a more passive role in this prank but a vital one nonetheless. Luna made a few last-minute, mental alterations; this would not last long at all.   Luna leaned over Celestia’s naked, sleeping form as best as she could and gave Fredrick a final countdown from three.   Three…   Two…   One..   Now!   Luna shoved the anti-magic ring directly onto Celestia’s horn and slid it all the way to its base. The sudden loss of magic combined with the firm, harsh contact of such a sensitive appendage startled Celestia awake. Before she could get more than just a glimpse at her assailants, Luna also forcefully slid the burlap sack over Celestia’s head and face.   “AAAAH! WHAT IN THE—”   “SHUT UP, PRINCESS!” Luna spoke with a magically altered voice, making it much deeper and almost masculine-sounding; wholly unrecognizable. She quickly applied a similar spell to Fredrick when he eventually decided to speak. “You’re coming with us!”   “W-WHAT?! WHAT IS THIS YOU CAN’T DO—” Celestia was again cut off when she felt the blunt edge of a knife against her cheek through the sack, as well as binding magic holding her hands and legs together.   “Open your mouth again and Equestria will find itself without a Princess… and do not bother screaming. The guards and your pitiful sister have already been subdued,” Luna threatened very convincingly.   Fredrick also had to admit, while this was pure, unadulterated cruelty in terms of a prank, he was having a bit of a giggle.   “This is what happens when you don’t pay Javier for his signature Black Tar…” Fredrick cryptically spoke, and he almost laughed at that, especially when Luna looked to him with an eyebrow raised and body language that was asking him what the fuck he just said.   “I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!”   “You talk too much,” Luna said, hoisting her naked sister (wrapped in her bedsheet) onto her hooves and leading her towards her balcony, kicking open the balcony-doors and letting in the chilly night air. Leading her sister by the wrapped bedsheet, she pressed her against the balcony as the ‘captured’ alicorn was attempting to compose herself and ascertain what the hell was going on. “The Overseer wished you either dead or alive… I guess this shall be easier for all of us.”   Luna forced Celestia onto her knees and held her by the horn through the sack on her head.   “Oh, and one more thing before we finish with you,” Luna began, suddenly dropping any and all enchantments that altered her and Fredrick’s voices. She then yanked the sack off her head, exposing a much more composed but terrified Celestia. The Solar Princess was able to gaze at two black-clad intruders, one with a knife and the other with a rifle aimed at her.   That’s when Luna revealed herself, removing her balaclava.   “That’s for the dildo in my suit!” she declared, Fredrick also removing his balaclava. A moment of silence ensued as Celestia calmed down, words failing her completely as she glanced at both Luna and Fredrick, back and forth. Luna, however, was quickly losing her composure.   “Chhh…BAAAAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!” she finally busted out in guffaw. “I told you it would be disproportionate! But you did not believe me, huh!”   Luna continued to laugh and even Fredrick began giggling as a result of how hard Luna was laughing, but also how Celestia’s face quickly contorted from fear, to irate, to downright deadpan. She was definitely taking this much better than he ever could have imagined.   Celestia buried her muzzle in her hands and sighed, getting her breathing under control.   “Get… the FUCK out of my room…” she ordered, pointing towards the door. Luna, still giggling maniacally dragged Fredrick by the arm towards the exit. However, as they were about to leave entirely, Luna decided to say something extra:   “By the way, nice dildo of your own!”   If Celestia could become any paler, she definitely crossed that threshold. Fredrick knew not to say anything right then… especially after that remark. Apparently, Luna did not know that would cause even more problems for the three of them outside of the fallout of their prank. Luna continued to drag Fredrick along (with Celestia and he looking at each other rather oddly and stoically), laughing her lungs out the entire time; even when they were out the door, Luna poked her head back in for one final laugh before disappearing down the hall.   There, Celestia was left alone, recovering from a retaliatory prank which she knew would come eventually… though she had to give credit: she did not necessarily expect this level of a response. However, mulling on Luna’s last remark, the Solar Alicorn figured that her tarnished dignity as a result of the prank would be the least of the sources of potential problems that were to come.   Independently, Fredrick and Celestia concluded that tomorrow was going to be very awkward. > Part XVI. Awkward > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XVI. Awkward [Luna’s Chambers | ~Four Months Prior] “… and this was the first picture I ever took after my return,” Luna pointed out, handing Fredrick the photograph in question. Said picture showed Luna, who looked like barely a pubescent teenager, standing tall, though somewhat uneasily, next to her much prouder older sister in the Castle’s throne room. The latter had a beaming smile and both wore formal dresses which matched their coats. Fredrick could barely stifle his giggles as he could actually read the shyness and awkwardness on Luna as if those words were actually written on her. “Hehehe… it’s like you’re her daughter,” Fred remarked as he let a few wayward giggles escape his pursed lips. He reclined back into the support of his hands as they pressed into the ever-impossibly soft bed. Luna, however, merely furrowed her brow and shot the human an unconvincing glare. “Indeed, laugh it out of your system,” she muttered with mock-derision. “Because I’m most certain you shan’t be laughing at this.” Fishing another picture from the pile in between them at the culmination of her words, Luna presented Fredrick a picture that Celestia had taken of her… a photo of Luna in a perfectly-fitting one-piece swimsuit. Luna, to her credit, looked somewhat more confident but nevertheless still held her bashful, if demure expression, though she shed the adolescent image and looked much like the fully grown alicorn mare that sat across from Fredrick. The moment he laid eyes on the photo, he felt a massive wave of heat rise to his face as he glanced away. Luna had a much more playful look slapped on her muzzle as she had Fredrick right where she wanted him. She leaned forward and pressed the photo into Fred’s clearly embarrassed face, keeping her legs in a lotus position and inadvertently giving him an eyeful of cleavage through her usual lounge-wear. “Oh?” she commented sarcastically on his ‘curious’ silence. “The court jester has nothing amusing to say this time?” “W-What am I supposed to say to that?” Fredrick asked, gesturing to the picture… Luna looked absolutely amazing in the cyan swimsuit, at least by his standards. Then again, Luna looked wonderful in whatever she wore. “Say that you like it…” Luna continued mocking him, pressing the picture into his face even though he refused to make eye contact with it. Luna’s shirt rode up her lower back as she leaned forward more and her contagious, teasing smile never faltered. “It’s a n-nice picture yes,” Fredrick admitted, finding the lack of pattern in Luna’s bed comforter quite interesting at the moment. The Princess let out a short series of adorable giggles. “Nay! Say that you like it,” Luna pressed, refusing to relent in her teasing, fluttering her eyelashes all the while. It was always a treat to get Fredrick riled up; she adored her friend. “Alright, I like it, yes!” Fredrick acquiesced, realizing that it did not physically pain him to make such an admission in her presence. Luna knew perfectly well that Fredrick thought she was beautiful, but she liked to force it out of him. She leaned back and sat up straight, a victorious grin plastered on her muzzle. “What do you like about it?” Luna suddenly asked. “Oh come on!” Fredrick huffed out, throwing his hands up and eliciting a good laugh from the Lunar Princess. “Oh very well… here’s a different picture, taken a few months before the swimsuit one,” Luna said, handing him another, this time larger, photograph. Taking it into his hand, he saw Luna and Celestia both saluting troops of Solar and Lunar Guards, though what was most prominent was the fact that both of them were dressed in ceremonial military suits, complete with the visor-cap and medals. Celestia’s suit was white while Luna’s was navy blue, and combined with their much more stoic complexions, the two certainly wore the look of high-ranking generals. “Wow… I’ve never seen you wear that,” Fredrick mentioned, eyeing how the Princesses’ uniforms hugged both their bodies perfectly, making them look attractive even in their clearly professional stances; there was an odd sense of allure to them both. “It is not often, but we do wear our military uniforms once in a while for special events or summits with other leaders.” “Damn… I’m gonna need to see you in that one day, though,” Fredrick said with a hopeful edge to his tone, punctuating with a sly smirk. Luna stretched her arms upward with a yawn, her shirt riding up her midriff just a tad. “Heh, perhaps at a later date. For now, though, I wish to lie down,” Luna added, flopping onto her back and splaying her arms wide. Fredrick took the liberty of relaxing as well, lying down while Luna willed away the pile of pictures with a touch of magic. Parallel to each other, Luna glanced to the left towards Fredrick who, in turn, looked to Luna when he felt he was being watched. “Yes?” he asked playfully, earning another giggle from Luna. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “I am merely enjoying your company. Thank you for putting up with my shenanigans.” Fredrick could not curtail his own chuckling at Luna’s choice of words. That had always been one of his favorite things about her. “What shenanigans? We’re having a good time.” “Indeed, but even so. I do not have many friends and you were one of my first… which is why I still cherish every moment with you and do my best to never squander you as a stallion,” Luna confessed, adding a sweet smile to the mix. Fredrick was touched and he felt essentially the same way about the Lunar Alicorn lying on the parallel side of the bed. “Well… heh,” Fredrick began uneasily as a familiar, very welcome heat was distributed to his face and chest. A gentle fluttering could be felt in his stomach as well. “I always enjoy hanging out with you, Luna. It’s been six, almost seven months already and I still never get tired of it; quite frankly, I don’t think I will either,” he admitted in kind, finally able to gather his words. Neither party was put off by the sudden change in atmosphere from fun and hilarious, to heartfelt; both parties had a kindred understanding that close friendship, in all of its glory, required a certain amount of sappiness. A nice little reminder that the other individual still mattered to you. Luna did not have to respond to Fred’s words with anything but a simple smile. She did, however, scoot closer to him and lay her body right up against him, their sides molding together perfectly as they had done before. Luna rested her cheek against his shoulder but this time Fredrick, by reflex, accidentally wrapped his right arm around her; quite a bit more intimate than just lying close together. A sudden rush of hot and cold air hit his face as his eyes shot open, wondering if he, stupidly, overstepped his boundaries or took liberties he should not have. Thankfully, though, his ministrations were met with Luna turning on her left side and laying her head on his chest, allowing his hand and arm to rest against her side and back respectively in much more comfortable and natural positions. “This is certainly new… but I may very well get used to this,” Luna cooed, shutting her eyes and subconsciously synchronizing her breathing cycle with the rhythmic rise and fall of Fredrick’s chest. He, however, breathed an internal sigh of relief. Who knew you had any game? [Present Time] The trek back to Luna’s chambers was not glorious by any means, at least on Fredrick’s part. Luna, naturally, was still having a severe amount of trouble in controlling her laughter, tears having profusely spilled down her cheeks as she failed at all attempts to stifle her maniacal side-splitting. For Fredrick, it was quite the opposite as his mind was awash with new thoughts, feelings, questions, and knowledge that he definitely could have gone without for the rest of his life. While Luna babbled nigh incoherently, Fredrick was much more stoic and in fact, quite a bit miffed at one thing in particular: Luna’s final comment. Why would she do that? He was not upset that she had commented on Celestia’s dildo in passing. In fact, he would probably have joined in on the laughter were it not for one tiny but still very significant detail: it was a replica of a human penis. To his knowledge, there were no other humans in Equestria, and he felt confident in that assertion because if there were, Celestia and Luna would most likely have mentioned something to him. So, he was the only human… and Celestia had a human dildo custom made. If his previous assumption held, that would mean that Celestia most likely harbored some interesting, sexual feelings towards him, especially since she could have very easily just used a standard stallion-shaped, phallic toy. What was also worrying Fredrick, was that he had been thinking about dildo dynamics for well over ten minutes. There goes my gay-moment ration for the week. “And did you see the look on her fa—AAHAHAHAHAHA!” Luna tried to recall for fun, but could not contain her laughter for yet another time. Fredrick, however, was unmoved, and his thoughts were still swimming in a massive mish-mash of revelations and other thoughts that he was neither too keen on nor comfortable with having. His posture was much more slouched, his face stoic, and his lips pursed, the latter being something he did habitually when he was in a pensive mood. Moreover, his footsteps were heavier and lazier, his walk becoming much more akin to a reluctant trudge. Eventually, the two made it back to the Lunar Quadrant of the Castle and Princess Luna, still giggling to her heart's content, opened the door to her chambers and let both of them inside. The Princess moved into the bathroom to change into more comfortable, appropriate sleep-wear—still snickering and humming to herself—and Fredrick did not bother to change at all, opting to sit on the edge of Luna’s bed. He spaced out comfortably (or uncomfortably depending on how one looked at it), and did not see Luna exit her bathroom, dressed in her usual panties and baggy, white, long-sleeve shirt. Her hair was its lifeless blue a shade lighter than her coat, as expected. She had calmed down enough to realize that Fredrick was not sharing in the ‘victory’ with her, and his visual stoicism was now clearly evident to her. “Fredrick…?” Luna called out apprehensively. He turned and focused his gaze on her. “Why did you comment on the dildo?” “Ummm… it added to the prank, did it not?” Luna asked, a bemused expression befalling her face. Fredrick shook his head and looked down again, burying his face in his hands. “Under normal circumstances it would have… but in case you didn’t notice, that toy looked distinctly human. I may be wrong but I’m pretty sure I’m the only human here.” “Okay. And?” “‘And??’ Do you have any idea how awkward tomorrow morning is going to be? Based on this it’s clear she holds some different sentiment towards me… clearly something we weren’t supposed to know about,” Fredrick thought out loud, getting to his feet and beginning to pace. “Fredrick, please, you’re overreacting,” Luna urged, giggling and reaching out to him with her hands, meeting him and wrapping her arms around him from behind. “Our entire friendship was littered with awkward moments in the beginning.” Fredrick took a deep breath as Luna nuzzled his neck comfortingly, her arms wrapped around his midsection and tracing his abdomen. “Yeah… but we were just trying to get to know each other then, not talking about dildos. And it’s not even that. This is gonna have to be talked about in the very near future, and I see Celestia first thing in the morning, as do you when you lower the moon. What the hell do I even say to her??” Fredrick asked, raising his voice as he was mulling over the implications of everything. He was in no position nor had any desire to be caught in any form of a love-triangle. He didn’t even feel for Celestia in that way. He felt Luna sigh against him. “Truth be told, Fredrick… I’ve had my suspicions about Celestia for well over a couple of months,” Luna admitted, holding him somewhat tighter against her. Fredrick’s right eyelid twitched. “Really now? How so?” he asked curiously… at least he wasn’t having some weird delusions of grandeur in thinking that Celestia had at least some marginal interest in him, though with what he saw, it did not take much of a genius to ascertain, at least from his point of view. But, if Luna had an inkling of an idea, then why would she try to prod the embers with a final, snarky comment? “Then why would you—” “I… was not thinking, alright? Now I know why you would be reacting this way, in hindsight… as well, despite my foreknowledge, it is rather curious as to how she acquired such a custom toy,” Luna mused, also taking into account other factors. She realized her blunder now that the adrenaline and laughter from the whole prank had died down. “Well, I’m pretty sure she didn’t examine me while I was nude, and I know for a fact that she was never in the room with me when I was undressing so really I’m not sure what else could…” Then something clicked in Fredrick’s head; nothing necessarily bad but it was the only way certain details could be revealed about his anatomy without outright invasion of privacy. “Luna? After our… you know… experience, did you happen to speak with Celestia in private at any point between then and today?” Fredrick felt Luna’s breathing hitch, and a deafening silence echoed throughout the room. The human rolled his eyes and he let out his own sigh of annoyance; he definitely got his answer to that question and Luna did not even have to utter a single word. “Luna…” “…Maybe…” “What did you tell her?” Fredrick asked calmly, but in the manner that a parent asks their child ‘what happened.’ “…are you mad?” Luna asked tremulously, pulling his body even flusher against her own. “No I’m not mad, we all need to talk to at least one person about things like that, it’s natural… but I’m more curious as to what you actually told her, because that may shed light on a few things.” “Well… maybe during some ‘bonding’ time I may have told her in an undetermined amount of detail how good you made me feel as well as the cartography of your… member,” Luna voiced meekly. Fredrick sighed and facepalmed. “Okay, so that answers our question perfectly. She replicated its look based on what you told her,” Fredrick reasoned. Luna nodded and accepted that as fact, though she was more relieved that Fredrick held no indignation towards her. However, with Luna’s analytical brain beginning to come back online from the shroud of emotional uncertainty, she began wondering if it was wise to jump to such conclusions that have surfaced about Celestia’s alleged feelings. Her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips. “While it is possible, perhaps she does not hold feelings towards you…” Luna muttered pensively, releasing Fredrick from her grasp as she righted her posture, crossing her arms under her chest and resting her chin in the crook of her right index finger and thumb. Fredrick turned on his heels and faced the deep-in-thought Princess. “What’s an alternative?” he questioned with a hopeful inflection, silently praying that whatever Luna had to say would in fact be the case. If there was an alternative to his conclusion, it would be a much more ideal scenario, because at this point, his mind was muddled with too much conflict. As such, he was only seeing the worst possible endings of these sudden, quite unexpected turn of events. “I told her what the experience was like as well as the general physical makeup of your member,” Luna explained so matter-of-factly, speaking about Fredrick’s penis as if it was a passage lifted from a scholarly database. “I know for a fact that both of us have certain… toys for pleasurable company when a third party cannot sate us. This is—now—common knowledge.” “Have I ever told you that I love the way you speak about the most intimate and private things? So nonchalant,” Fredrick interjected with joking admiration. “Perhaps she merely wanted to try something different?” Luna proposed, ignoring Fredrick’s cheeky comment. “Now that I recall, she did seem quite interested in that subject.” “Okay, so what you’re saying…” Fredrick began reiterating Luna’s words for a better understanding, talking with both of his hands. “…is that we’re not caught in a potential love triangle of fuckery?” “That’s the hope, at least. Either way, it will be imperative that we speak with Celestia,” Luna noted, reminding the both of them that regardless of what the actual truth of the matter was, they would have to navigate a lush, dense forest of awkwardness… a forest filled with ‘why do you have a fucktoy oddly reminiscent of my dick?’ flora and ‘this probably is gonna change some form of dynamic between us, goddammit,’ fauna. Fredrick sighed once more, running his left hand through his hair and pinching the bridge of his nose. His posture sunk a few inches. “But, you also said that you ‘had your suspicions.’ What did you mean by that?” Fredrick recalled Luna’s older words, still giving credence to the idea that Celestia harbored interest in him. Luna nodded in reminiscence. “Indeed. Over the months of speaking so highly about you, she too had her own words. As time went on, there were just some ways she said things about you; certain mannerisms she actioned when mentioning something specific yet relevant to you.” “Such as?” Fredrick urged on, rolling his hand in accompanying gesture. “It is difficult to precisely explain, but as a small example, about two months ago, she mentioned to me how you gave her some small words of encouragement in passing. It was nothing major, but it apparently made her day… the way her eyes lit up at your mention, it was enough for me to notice but I passed it off as possibly as a figurative trick of the light. It was almost… what’s the word… dreamy.” “Oh… yeah that could be a bit ambiguous,” Fredrick conceded. Now there seemed to be an equal weight in what was actually going on, though it was more likely, with Luna’s new information, that Celestia probably did like him to some extent greater than as a friend. “Yes, but either way, we can only know for sure if we actually talk to her,” Luna reasserted. “Looks like there’s no getting around that, huh?” Fredrick asked rhetorically. “All three of us must, as you say, face the music on this. I do not believe that we can successfully ‘not address’ this.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I’m definitely not looking forward to the morning,” Fredrick groaned. Luna, however, wrapped him up in her embrace once more, and this time he reciprocated the gesture. The Princess’ smile turned up and her eyes became lidded as she leaned in, her mouth right next to Fredrick’s ear. “I understand that this is a less-than-ideal circumstance for you… for all of us. I put us here in a lapse of judgement and I apologize… truly. Perhaps I can help make it up. I know you had fun in her bathroom… perhaps we may have a bit more fun in tomorrow’s preparation,” she proposed coyly. Fredrick suddenly donned an identical expression and he glanced at her face, their own sultry gazes meeting before the human pushed Luna onto her back on the bed, eliciting a rather aroused-sounding cackle from her at his sudden display of dominance. Their eyes never left each other and after a simultaneous lip-bite, Fredrick set straight to work at undressing both of them. He made sure to collect proper comeuppance (or cumuppance) from Luna for putting them in such an unfavorable position, and Luna was more than happy to ‘pay up.’ [The Following Morning] “Alright…” Fredrick whispered to himself, beginning a small, self-directed pep-talk. “Remember, it’s only as awkward as you make it. Everything will be just fine…” he steeled himself as he reached for the golden handle of Celestia’s office door. Dressed for a typical work day in a navy button-up dress shirt and black slacks with his coat slung over his shoulder, he took one more deep breath and turned the handle. An unsatisfying click and no resistance to his force meant that the door was unlocked and beckoning him in, as it should… though Fredrick silently wished that Celestia spontaneously decided not to show up for her morning administrative duties. As expected, upon entering fully, Fredrick spied Celestia at her desk and dressed in her conservative suit… but he could almost feel the difference in figurative atmospheric conditions. Celestia kept her arms close to her body as she rigidly scribbled on paper. Upon Fredrick’s entrance, she glanced up but immediately looked back down to her work. “Good morning,” Celestia muttered, not making eye contact in the slightest. “Morning…” Fredrick greeted in return, bee-lining for his desk and dropping his coat. Sitting down, he quickly got to work in pulling out the notes from his inbox, beginning the process of drawing up appropriate annotations to official documents for Celestia to look at later. Celestia and Fred were no strangers to silent work days, and they often reveled in them as they were comfortable and rejuvenating… this was not one of the typical, silent work days. This time, the silence was so maddeningly awkward, it was borderline torturous; it gradually got worse each passing minute. I’m so fucked. The sound of both individuals writing was much more defined, loud, and crisp than either of them remembered, and the subtle, background ticking of the grandfather clock on the side of the room opposite of Fredrick only added to the chorus of white noise. This all continued to bloat the inelegant and stiff atmosphere, all made worse with the occasional cough or clearing of a throat. Someone would have to say something sooner or later… and Fredrick was starting to think that it may be he that would break first, as he was not entirely sure how much more he could take. His stomach seemed to cartwheel and he kept combating urges to fidget in place; the rigidity of the ambiance was quite literally inflicting physical discomfort on him. “So…” Celestia spoke up, garnering his attention suddenly, though the Solar Alicorn never so much as looked at him. “Anything that requires my immediate attention?” “Ummm…” Fredrick searched through the stack of parchments he was given. “Not at the moment. Everything’s low priority today, thankfully.” “Oh… okay then,” Celestia conceded, nodding as she went back to work. This was not okay, because if Celestia was going to lapse back into silence once more, Fredrick did not believe he would be able to bear it without having to step out for an extended period of time for fresh air. Now or never, dude… time to take initiative. “Celestia…” Fredrick began with a very specific tone in his voice that the alicorn in question picked up immediately; a tone that screamed ‘we need to talk.’ “I know, Fredrick… All three of us need to talk, and there’s some things I wish to say in front of both of you rather than just one of you at a time,” Celestia spoke softly though with some relief that the awkwardness was finally being addressed. The subtle shakiness in her normally confident and motherly tone suggested that she was quite unsure of what to say at certain parts but was still more than willing to speak on the subject. She placed her quill down and pushed her papers forward, folding her arms on her desk and finally meeting her eyes with Fredrick’s for the first time that day. They certainly did not hold their usual happiness and fortitude; but rather doubt, worry, and shred of ambivalence. “Okay… but can we start now?” Fredrick asked. “I suppose so, but if you ask or allude to something specific, I may ask to defer it to our group conversation, is that okay?” “Of course,” Fredrick affirmed, nodding eagerly at the prospect of getting some for-sure answers from the source. “Very well,” Celestia began, taking a deep breath and exhaling as if it may have been her last. “Go right ahead.” “Am I the only human in Equestria?” Fredrick started from the beginning, wishing to trace his theory out as much as possible. “Yes, yes you are.” “And it wasn’t the case that humans actually existed and are extinct or something?” “What? No, not at all. You’re from an entirely different planet and dimension at that. There are and were no other bipedal creatures that matched up with you, ever,” Celestia stated resolutely. Fredrick was confident in this answer, because even as a Head of State needing the skills to wheel-and-deal, he knew for a fact that as a friend, Celestia would have no reason to twist the truth or lie to him. “Alright. If that’s the case…” Fredrick began, knowing the next question he had to ask, but was not entirely sure if there was a more elegant way of phrasing it. “Know what? I’m gonna be cliché and say that there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m gonna just say it: how did you procure a ‘toy’ that happens to look quite on-point to a human penis?” Celestia stared at him with the same, unfaltering gaze as if attempting to compile her words properly. “Before I answer that, I must ask: has Luna spoken to you about she telling me ‘things?’” “Mhmm. She’s told me about how you two hang out like normal sisters and just talk. In Luna’s case, she’s divulged telling you about our ‘escapades,’” Fredrick answered promptly. Celestia nodded. “Very well, then to answer your question, after you returned from your weekend outing, anypony could blatantly see how much she was glowing. So, I confronted her about it and we had a rather vivid chat once I was able to get her comfortable. She described, in quite amazing, verbal detail, your penis and drew accurate comparisons and contrasts between yours and that of a stallion’s,” Celestia explained thoroughly, her tone conforming to one of business. “So, my guess is that you, from that information, had a custom toy built?” Fredrick inferred and Celestia gave one, deep nod, almost looking ashamed. “Okay… and one last question, I promise,” Fredrick began anew, though Celestia dismissed his concerns. “It’s quite alright… answers must be forthcoming at this point anyway.” “Do you h… umm…” Fredrick suddenly lost his words as he was confronted with asking the biggest question of them all. From the events the previous night, the idea of Celestia having feelings for him was the greatest possible implication resulting from the presence of a humanoid dildo. “Do I…?” “Do you… have an interest…” Fredrick began dragging out the separate parts of his sentence in an attempt to keep his will steady, as well as to not look like a presumptuous asshole as much as possible. “…in me?” Celestia was silent once more, and likewise, her demeanor never changed. The two held their eyes glued to each other for what seemed like an hour but in the end, Celestia found her words… and her ears flattened against her head as she sunk lower. “I’m not confirming nor denying anything… but I would much rather answer that in front of Luna as well, because she has the same question.” “How do you know?” Fredrick asked, curious at the developments at hand. This heart-to-heart may not have been the most ideal, but the awkward ambiance had certainly subsided, if only marginally. “We, naturally, see each other when we alter the positioning of the Sun and Moon in the sky. We had a similar but much briefer conversation and I told her the same: I’d rather speak with you both on certain matters, together, like the adults we are,” she said, though with more confidence this time around. Fredrick was more than okay with having an immediate answer for two out of his three questions, and was content with waiting for the final answer at a later date. Before he could say anything further, Celestia spoke up once more: “I’ve arranged with Luna to speak with her on this matter tomorrow evening, sometime around eight, and she asked that I relay that proposition to you. Does that suit your schedule?” “Oh yeah, that’s perfect,” Fredrick answered again, nodding vehemently. However, one thing remained and it bothered him to no end. “Thanks for being patient with me and… whatever happens I just don’t want it to ruin any of our relationships. Please, I just don’t want to ever have things be this awkward between us ever again and I’m sorry for participating in that prank, just in case you’re mad at me for that,” Fredrick spilled his own feelings on the matter, realizing it was it was time to stop interrogating Celestia. It was his turn to offer some of his thoughts. Celestia, unexpectedly got up from her desk and quickly sauntered her way over to him. Fredrick stood up as she did but was surprised to feel himself enveloped in a hug, one that made him feel that no dynamic between them had changed so far, and was confident that whatever was revealed later would be of no consequence to their relationship either. He eagerly reciprocated the gesture and buried his cheek into Celestia’s neck. “Despite this, it was a genuine ‘Luna-esque’ prank that you took part in. We have done much worse to each other and I won’t have you moping around about it, okay?” Celestia consoled, holding him that much tighter. He didn’t even care that her perfect bust was pressing into his chest for once. Only their friendship mattered at this moment. “Alright… thanks, Celestia.” “All is well Fredrick… though it’s a shame that you did not heed my warning. You are officially a legitimate target in our ongoing prank war,” the alicorn declared, and at that moment, Fredrick’s eyes shot open as his pupils shrank. “Oh…” “Oh yes… Once we square this away, I would recommend being on your guard,” Celestia cautioned, a distinct sense of foreboding seeping through her much lighter-hearted words. Well, I’ll really be fucked now. Despite the rather ominous warning that Celestia issued, both of them separated and shared genuine smiles, happy to get back to work. The two silently agreed to address any other concerns the following evening and resolved to not let such matters get in the way of their normally productive cooperation and overall dynamic. Even though he knew things would be just fine, Fredrick still could not help but worry about the potential implications of a specific answer to that ultimate question. If it was a yes, what would change? If it was a no… would things still be the same? At least, for right now, things seemed no worse for wear, and no matter what, Fredrick truly hoped that the status quo would be realized and reestablished. [Later That Evening...] “Excuse me good sir,” Fredrick got the attention of a guard he approached outside his room. “Is Stella on duty tonight?” “Yes, sir. She’s by the archway entrance to the Castle Gardens,” the seemingly young guard replied, gesturing down the corridor. “Ah so she’s still there. Thanks!” Fredrick punctuated his gratitude with a friendly wave as he took off down the hall, choosing an appropriate path through the castle that he had taken numerous times in the past. The entire layout of the castle was essentially sewn into his brain by this point from all the errands he had to run on Celestia’s behalf. While he always admired the décor and overall ambiance that the castle exuded, Fredrick paid his surroundings little mind as he power-walked to his destination, one which he came to after only a few minutes. Near the exit to the Gardens like the previous night, he spied Stella standing tall and garbed in her armor, though this time, there was another guard on the right side of the arch. “Fredrick??” Stella called out, surprised to see him in the same area two nights in a row. Moreover, his posture and initial demeanor seemed off from what she was used to, leading her to conclude that something seemed wrong before he could even flag her down. “The hell’s wrong with you? You look like you’ve shat out your own twin.” “Eh, things are a little weird right now, which is why I came to see you. I just need to vent a bit if you don’t mind,” Fredrick admitted as he approached the guardsmare, his hand in his coat pockets. Stella nodded curtly and turned to her comrade by the other side of the arch. “Mystic, I’m taking an early break. Watch my post,” she declared, removing her helmet and holding it under her left arm. Fredrick did not understand the absence of helmet hair on her, as her mane bounced back to its well-maintained form. “My name’s not Mystic, it’s Radiance,” the other guard replied, irritated. “Oh, I apologize,” Stella asserted. “I’ll be sure to remember that for the future. Mystic, watch my post.” “Why?” Radiance asked incredulously, rolling her eyes at Stella’s blatant snubbing. “Ordering me won’t work, we’re the same rank.” Stella glared at her for a few moments, her expression not changing from its stoic complexion at all, but Fredrick knew better. “You watch my goddamn post for half an hour or I’ll give you a fuckin’ spine-ectomy.” Radiance rolled her eyes and resumed her attentive, rigid posture once more, silently relenting to Stella’s words. The latter felt no need to follow up and looked to Fredrick. “Let’s take a walk…” she voiced, beckoning him out towards the garden with a tilt of her head. The two immediately fell into step at the close of her sentence. “Now, why don’t you tell Stella what has your panties all up in your anus.” > Part XVII. Forward > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XVII. Forward   “Now, why don’t you tell Stella what has your panties all up in your anus,” Stella began, urging Fredrick to speak his mind as they exited into the Castle Garden in comfortable step. Fredrick fancied a look up at the ever beautiful night that Equestria afforded everypony, and the crisp yet comfortable night air filled his lungs as he took one deep breath, organizing his thoughts.   “So, there was an interesting development last night,” Fred started off vaguely, the duo taking a left turn towards the fountain.   “Oh yeah? Other than developing a hard-on for Princess Luna, what happened?” Stella asked, continuing the conversation with a usual, snarky remark along with a trademark toothy (fanged) grin. The thestral mare also threw an eyebrow waggle into the mix to spice things up a bit. Fredrick, on his part, only shot her a deadpanned look, though in reality, he’d be quite suspicious if she did not playfully chide him or utter anything sarcastic when he spoke to her about any of his problems. Despite her often hands-on and overly aggressive approach to life in general, Stella was a mare of order and precision; she was a Royal Guard, after all. Fredrick deduced that she had a strict frequency of one snarky or sarcastic remark every three or so minutes, and that was just on her idle time. Nevertheless, though, Stella had always been there, like Luna, to listen to him whenever he wanted to talk, and through her often hilariously intense personality, he frequently found solid advice.   “Yup. I know your time’s limited so I won’t get into nitty-gritty details but this is how it went down… On Monday, I offered to join Luna in a prank on Celestia,” Fredrick said, beginning his glorious tale anew, but already elicited adorable laughter from the mare next to him.   “You brought the prank war to your shores, Fredrick… I hope you know you’re going to get catapulted into a mound of griffon shite,” Stella commented, giggling maniacally at the sheer volume of possible pranks both regal sisters could pull on this poor sap. She made a mental note to ensure that she would be the first to know of any unfortunate yet hilarious fate that befell her friend. “But at any rate, continue,” she urged on, motioning with her right hand to continue his tale.   The two rounded one quadrant of the fountain and wandered towards the garden proper.   “The prank was fucking horrifying in all honesty… we dressed up as assassins with weapons and stuff,” he continued, though Fred was interrupted by a snort from his left, Stella having to cover her muzzle at the brilliance of such a prank. It was incredibly horrible and knowing Princess Luna, she played the part flawlessly.   “We hid in her bathroom and waited for her to come back from working late. The plan was to wait for her to pass out as, according to Luna, she always did, and that was fine. But, before we could actually get the prank underway… and we did execute it, mind you, Celestia did something that we didn’t entirely plan for,” Fredrick alluded sarcastically, recalling the images that were burned onto his retinas; not entirely and unwelcome circumstance in hindsight.   “Oh for fucks sake, Fred, quit cockteasing and get to the good part already! I’m already wet from anticipation!” Stella urged him on, dying to know exactly how this story went. Fred’s face did little to not betray a weirded-out expression, though he shook it off and faced forward, continuing to talk as the two of them passed through a path of beautiful Nightroses.   “Well… turns out she decided to strip down completely and have some fun with a dildo,” Fredrick said, cutting right to the chase. Stella stopped in her tracks completely and, without missing a beat, busted out in a powerful guffaw, head held to the sky and everything. Fredrick knew that this would happen; almost exactly the way he envisioned it, actually. However, what he did not expect was Stella’s laughter to die down so quickly. She wiped a wayward tear from under her right eye with her knuckle, turning back to her human friend… though she held a distinctly uncharacteristic expression: incredulity.   “Wait… are you fucking serious?!” she asked for clarification, believing that Fredrick led her on into a joke and was prepared to tell her the ‘real’ story. The lack of a change in his stoicism only alerted her to the fact that he was not screwing around with her this time. He only nodded in response to her overt sense of disbelief.   “Oh… Okay, okay, okay, let me get this straight,” Stella began anew, shaking her head a bit as if it would help her clear her thoughts. “You, Fredrick Himmelreich of another dimension and planet altogether, who is currently mounting Princess Luna, have recently watched a nude Princess Celestia dildo herself?”   “So far that’s about right. Pretty ‘interesting,’ huh?” Fredrick asked rhetorically. Stella huffed humorously.   “I’ll say! More like ‘unfair!’” she objected jokingly. “You’re not even from here and already have more perks and benefits than any of us, who were here well before you. I mean, putting your cock in Princess Luna and watching Princess Celestia do herself? Hell, the best I’ve gotten in my years here is stuffing my tail up my arse having a wank in the armory.”   “Now you’re screwing with me,” Fredrick replied, definitely sickened yet curious.   “About the tail up my arse, yes. About the wank in the armory, no,” Stella clarified so matter-of-factly. Fredrick stared at her for what seemed like several moments, the same look of ‘that’s absolutely revolting but the desire to know more burns intensely within me.’ He then shook his head and continued along the path.   “Jesus Christ…” he muttered. Stella quickly caught up with him.   “Hey, you’re the one who wanted clarification,” she reminded, completely absolving herself from anything to do with his discomfort. The left side of Fredrick’s lips curled up in a half-smirk.   “Never change, Stella. Ever. At any rate though, I haven’t finished yet,” Fredrick continued, clearing his throat. “The devil’s in the dildo: it was distinctly human in shape.”   “Wait… as in like, a ‘human’ penis?” Stella asked. Fredrick nodded. Their pace had slowed to barely a walk through the garden, Fred’s hands buried in his pockets.   “Eeyup. Which, naturally, brought on a whole list of questions as to what that actually means.”   “Can I see it?” Stella suddenly asked after a small bout of silence. Fredrick blinked a few times as his walking pace immediately ceased.   “Wait… what?” he asked, completely confused, as he turned to Stella who had quite the inquisitive look on her face. She looked down towards his crotch and pointed.   “I can’t accurately give you my thoughts on this if I don’t have first-hand experience. So, can I see your cock?” the thestral mare reiterated fairly bluntly, though clearly lying about her stipulation. Fredrick widely shrugged and shook his head, easily conveying his obvious bemusement in tandem with his completely puzzled facial complexion.   “Wh-what?? Fucking, no. I’m being serious right now,” Fredrick protested.   “As am I. Drop your trousers, laddie!” Stella nearly ordered with the vocal intensity of her last statement, pointing to his crotch. Fredrick rolled his eyes and took his stand.   “No. Shut up.”   “I’ll show you my ass…”   “FUCKING NO.”   “Damn, thought that would’ve worked,” Stella mused, backing down and reining in her assertiveness. “But okay, so she has a fucktoy that clearly looks like yours for some weird reason. By my own logic, I would guess she wanted to feel what it would be like to have some human dick just penetrating her over and over again; making her scream!” Stella became more serious about the subject, though with her own personal touches to spice it all up. Thus, she drew her own conclusion as to what the whole situation meant, at least to her. Fredrick glanced away and nodded.   “Alright, that’s definitely one of my thoughts, especially since Luna was the one who reminded me of that very real possibility,” he commented. He took a seat on a marble bench that overlooked a few patches of gorgeous, multicolored flowers that glistened in the natural moonlight, though he had absolutely no idea what their names were. Stella sat right next to him, her armor clinking and grinding on itself.   “Personally, I really don’t think  it means anything else. What were you getting out of this?” Stella wondered.   “That Celestia potentially has romantic feelings towards me.”   “Well look at you all up in your high castle,” she playfully rebuked him.   “Oh shut. Up,” Fredrick huffed out with an accompanying giggle. Now that he had more sense about him, he had to admit that it was rather presumptuous of him to automatically assume that Celestia had feelings for him. After all, his first-hand source was a deep, translucent red, vagina spear.   “But… I guess that isn’t so far out there. I mean, you got one princess to like you, and although they are different in a myriad of ways, the two share more than a few similarities under the skin,” Stella reasoned. Fredrick noticed that ponies seemed keen on talking with their hands. “So, as an exercise of prediction, let’s suppose that Her Highness Princess Celestia has feelings for you that go beyond just your knob. I don’t quite see the problem here; you’re living in every straight colt’s and gay mare’s wet dream if that’s actually the case.”   “It’s… actually quite the problem. I don’t want to ever hurt Celestia and if it does play out that she actually feels for me, it may very well end that way,” Fredrick replied. This time, it was Stella’s turn to not grasp the theme at hand.   “Why do you assume it would have to end that way? Though it doesn’t happen constantly, herds are still common in Equestria. Therefore, not a problem,” Stella remarked, drawing attention to a specific, important detail of Equestrian culture and society. Fredrick looked to her, his stoicism resurfacing in full.   “Humans, generally speaking, are strictly monogamous; ergo, polyamory is out of the question. I myself am included here.”   “That is a problem,” Stella immediately rescinded her statement. “B-But still, my earlier opinion stands: I don’t think Celestia feels that way about you. But, you will have to tell them that you don’t do herds for whatever reason… because that certainly will come up. You’re talking to them about this, right?”   “Oh of course; tomorrow night, actually. That’s why I came to see you, to vent and get your opinion on this.”   “And do you feel talking about it helped?” Stella asked, the two facing each other now.   “So far, yeah. Ultimately I just don’t want things to get bad or… whatever,” Fred replied, stumbling over his words as he sifted through his thoughts. “Thanks for listening to me ramble though, your reassurances are helping to put me more at ease… really.”   Stella scooted flush against his side and pulled him into a strong, yet secure, armored, one-armed embrace.   “Hey, don’t be getting sappy on me now,” Stella half-heartedly warned with a toothy smile. She pressed her cheek against his in a show of friendship and trust, a gesture that Fredrick had to get used to but found oddly comforting over the months. “You may be a twat but you’re my twat,” she stated endearingly. With a tilt of her head, she beckoned the both of them back towards the castle and they set back off at a much brisker pace.   “Stella, the thestral with two twats… sounds like an interesting attraction. I’d pay to see that,” he joked right back, definitely feeling surer of himself. Stella gave a light yet throaty laugh.   “It’d cost a goddamn pretty bit too,” she replied, playing along and placing her helmet back on her head.   “Says the mare that was willing to show me her ass for free,” Fredrick sarcastically and pointedly refuted, earning a huff out of the batpony.   “Like Tartarus it was for free! All you had to do was pay the low price of ‘flash me your cock and balls’ and you could’ve had a visual helping to the sacred thestral haunches,” Stella corrected, giving a gentle, purposeful shake of her butt to accentuate her point. “The offer still stands indefinitely, though.”   The two exited the garden proper and made their way back around the fountain.   “Seriously?” Fredrick asked, raising his right eyebrow at the mare. She tilted her face towards him and her captivating, golden eyes shone pure disbelief.   “When am I not serious, Fredrick?”   “All the time,” he admitted honestly. The duo was about to reenter the archway out of the Royal Garden and back into the Castle.   “Well, I’ll have you know that—Oh!” Stella cut herself off when her sword and sheath fell off of her belt and onto the ground. “Let me grab this,” she muttered as she turned around and bent over, moving her tail to the side and giving Fredrick an unobstructed view of her armor underlay-clad buttocks, the nigh two perfect ‘scoops of ice cream’ accentuated beautifully under the armor skirt. Fredrick, clearly annoyed at her obvious antics, still did not hesitate to stare, though he held onto his deadpanned expression.   Stella finally righted her posture and reattached her weapon, facing Fredrick and affording him a smug look.   “Now that was for free,” she remarked with a knowing smirk. Fredrick gave a half-grin and shook his head as they finally entered back into the castle, rejoining Radiance back where she stood.   “As I said before, never change, Stella. Thanks again,” he repeated his gratitude, this time pulling his friend into a full hug which was not as comfortable due to Stella’s armor plating but it was nice nonetheless. The two separated after a couple of seconds.   “Yeah, yeah, yeah there you go with the sappy bollocks again. Still down for a pint this weekend?”   “Of course! Assuming I don’t die for whatever reason,” Fredrick affirmed, knowing that Stella loved yet groaned at his morbid sense of humor.   “Well then, don’t fuckin’ die! Because if you ever drop dead I’ll have nopony fun to drink with anymore,” she protested.   “What about other thestrals or your comrades in general. I’m sure you have other friends right?”   “Well, yeah! But most of my best friends are all back in the Northern Mountains, where some batponies come from. And none of my comrades can hold any alcohol or are any fun at all for that matter… so if you’re gone the only one qualified might as well be my fuckin’ right tit with a smiley-face drawn on it,” she explained, gesturing to her right breast for good measure and earning a hearty laugh out of Fredrick.   “Alright alright, I’ll keep that in mind, then.” “And please, Fredrick, when the time comes for this talk between you three, don’t overthink it! Just say what you have to and everything will be okay, alright?” Stella added in suddenly, reminding him as to why he had any doubts and attempting to quell them right then and there with some parting advice. Fredrick lightly grinned and nodded. “You got it. Thanks again.”   “Very good, now fuck off I have a post to tend to,” Stella stated, along with pointing Fredrick down the hall with her left thumb. Fredrick gave another chuckle and turned on his heels, starting down the aforementioned corridor towards his room.   “Love you too, Stella,” Fredrick added jokingly as a parting phrase.   [Parliament Building | Near the Lavatories | Earlier that day…]     “… I’m losing a lot of respect for you, Blueblood,” the suited-up, beige-coated unicorn stallion remarked contemptuously as he was cornered by the Prince near the deserted restrooms.   “Perfectly fine by me, considering I never had any for you, Steel,” the equally-dressed Blueblood quipped in return. Of all the ministers that worked in the parliament, Blueblood absolutely abhorred Steel Works. “Nevertheless, it does not change the fact that I’m asking you nicely to not be your usual, grotesque self when Her Highness Princess Luna eventually announces the human as a consort or ‘courtee.’ Though… that might be a stretch for you. Every time somepony looks at you, a child dies in Zebranica.”   “While I enjoy your flattery and humbling compliments, I, surprisingly, still don’t see the benefit in playing your game, Your Highness. Are you in love with the human now?” Steel inquired. “I’m starting to believe that you do not even want the best for the princesses if you’re willing to let one of them throw their reputation out the window in an act of bestiality. If I were in charge, I’d arrest you for treason.”   In a bold, completely unseen display of force, Prince Blueblood shoved Steel Works against the wall and grabbed his horn with his left hand, angling the stallion’s face with his right.   “The opinion of the human Fredrick is and will always remain lower than that of any pony… but you of all ponies should know that racism, speciesism, and any form of intentional discrimination is absolutely detrimental to business.”  Blueblood spoke softly, tightening his grip on his colleague’s horn, whose eyes were tearing at the sharp pain. “Don’t you ever question my loyalty to my country nor my princesses ever. Again,” he seethed.   “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Blueblood continued, forcing Steel to look at him. “Princess Luna is going to make a public announcement within the next two to three weeks at most… and you’re going to do absolutely nothing but smile and wave,” he ordered. Steel fought through some pain and looked like he was about to say something in defiance but Blueblood shut him up by dragging his fingernails harshly down the unicorn’s horn.   “I’m not even asking you to praise it… I’m asking you to abstain from being the usual reprehensible shitlord you are. Do this, and I won’t publish the myriad of financial statements that show you at Canterlot’s most prominent house of ill repute… and before you question, yes, one of my subsidiary companies owns the establishment.”   Steel’s eyes went wide and his pupils shrank as his coat seemed to stand rigid on his skin. However, before he could voice any protest, Blueblood’s face became much more ‘dreamy’ looking and he pressed their cheeks together, looking in the same direction.   “Think about it…” Blueblood said dreamily. “Your family herd finding out that you’ve spent a noticeable portion of your disposable income exchanging economic goods and services at a whorehouse. You have a beautiful family, full of gorgeous mares and lovely children; I’ve met them. I’m just so excited to let them know that you can’t fulfill your desires with any of your mares, and you have to do it behind their backs,” he ‘tsked,’ shaking his head at the prospect and faking shame at revealing such documents. “I can already hear the explosion of your entire marriage.”   “Y-You won’t get away with this, Blueblood…”   “Oh but I will! And that’s the wonderful part!” Blueblood responded excitedly. “You see, one of the keys to my success is that I keep my ‘personal opinions’ of others to myself when doing business… something you and many of your colleagues have yet to learn. Oh, and naturally, if you breathe a word of this to anypony I’ll release the documents anyway,” he concluded, releasing his coworker from his grasp. Before he moved to leave though, Blueblood fake-lunged at him and made Steel harshly flinch.   The Prince smiled evilly at his colleague before taking his watch out of his coat pocket and exiting the lavatory area as if nothing happened. > Part XVIII. Comeuppance > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XVIII. Comeuppance   Wednesday’s workday had come and gone without any interesting flair, as, for all intents and purposes, it was a normal day. Taking into account that, later that evening, both princesses and the human would be in Luna’s room discussing all matters central to their very relationships, the day went by rather flawlessly. Still, that did not prevent Fredrick from allowing his mind to wander to the evening in the very near future. Deep down, he knew well that things would turn out just fine… after all, Luna, Celestia, and even Stella expressed their respective certainties that, despite things unsaid that definitely needed to be said, the holy trinity of friendships would remain intact and would most likely come out stronger than ever!   Even so, Fredrick was a professional worrier.   In fact, he did not even care about the whole ‘dildo incident’ anymore; the status quo was more important to him at the moment. He had enough on his plate to devote his mind to when it came to his and Luna’s fledgling romantic relationship… the absolute last thing he needed was an inanimate schlong to quite literally and figuratively fuck it all up with Celestia, his future girlfriend’s sister and equally a great friend of his. But that’s what this heart-to-heart conversation was supposed to be, right? It was the very purpose of it, and once it was all over, everyone would look back on this incident and laugh heartily at it… maybe even endearingly reminisce about it as ‘the time the odd couple caught the sun princess diddling herself.’   The possibilities were endless.   Regardless of what Fredrick knew would most likely happen, come his eight o’clock ‘reservation’ at Luna’s room, his confidence began to seep away when he stood in front of the now-imposing ebony double doors. He dusted off his clothes (if only to kill any amount of time possible and stave off the inevitable), straightening out his shorts and stretching his t-shirt around his waist before he actually grabbed one of the doorknobs and turned it. Pushing the door into the room, his eyes were immediately drawn to the bed, where Luna and Celestia were casually sitting and idly chatting, undoubtedly awaiting Fredrick’s arrival.   The two turned to him once they heard the door creak open.   “Good evening, Fredrick,” Luna greeted with a gentle smile, beckoning him inside with her hand as the human closed the door behind him.   “Hi, Fredrick,” Celestia greeted and waved in kind.   Like Fred, the two were in casual clothing, with Luna opting for some standard-gray sweats and her usual white, long-sleeved sleeping shirt. As for Celestia, casual clothing constituted a loose-fitting, yellow t-shirt and a pair of sweats not unlike Luna’s. Celestia herself preferred sleeping in a proper nightgown though for obvious reasons, she did not wear such attire to their little meeting. Both princesses’ manes were barren of magic and let down, allowing the natural colors and shapes of their hair to manifest…   …manifest beautifully, at that.   “Hey, you two,” he offered his own words as he made his way over to the bed, taking the non-verbal invitation to climb on and make himself comfortable. Kicking off his shoes and sitting in a lotus position in front of the two alicorns, Fred silently reminisced how this whole setup brought him back to the days of sleepovers with friends, all crowding around on the bed to spread the latest gossip going around school or to tell scary stories. Fredrick, however, had to bring himself back to the present, as nopony else was deciding to speak up. The three of them looked to each other hesitantly, subtly clearing their throats, making fleeting eye-contact, or swallowing the smallest bit of saliva in their mouths as if it would alleviate any form of the awkwardness clearly pervading the atmosphere, one which should normally be relaxed and carefree.   This would clearly be much harder than the trio was willing to admit beforehand.   “Very well,” Luna broke the silence, feeling compelled to do so since this was all taking place in her abode. “Since everypony is here, let us begin.”   “Alright,” Celestia agreed, nodding. “Well, in light of… recent events, you two have made it clear that you have some questions for me, questions I did not wish to answer without both of you present. So…” she continued, mimicking the same lotus position that Fredrick currently employed and bending her torso forward to comfortably rest her elbows on her thighs. “…ask away.”   Fredrick and Luna shared a glance at each other, silently communicating who would ask the pivotal question. In reality, there was really only one major bit of information that the two of them wanted to know… and with two nods to each other which were loaded with meaning, Fredrick took the reins.   “Uh… a lot of things need to be said here and cleared up so no weirdness persists beyond tonight. Please know that this isn’t meant to put you on the spot, Celly,” Fredrick began, shooting her a pleading look; one she returned with a caring and understanding smile.   “I understand completely, Fredrick, don’t worry… though I agree completely with you,” she affirmed, waiting for him to continue. Fredrick smirked in return and took the invitation to do just that.   “Celestia… do you have feelings for me?” Fredrick asked, completely straight-forward. He had expended his uncertainty when he asked her in private during the previous workday, so he figured he would just spit out the question this time around. He and Luna shared another brief glance, locking eyes for a split second before focusing their attention on the solar alicorn once more.   Celestia flicked her attention from Fredrick to Luna, back and forth as she gathered her words, parsing every word in her mind to ensure that there would be absolutely no ambiguity from here on out. After several moments, the princess took a deep breath and pursed her lips, breathing a shaky sigh as she turned her gaze downward towards the bed comforter, shaking her head gently.   “No.”   Fredrick and Luna stared at her after processing that answer… if that was the case, then this was a misunderstanding! The incident merely revolved around curiosity and desire to spice things up a bit! The lunar alicorn and human were beginning to formulate their own responses until Celestia uttered two more words that only left them with more questions than answers, drying up their mouths and their words with them:   “Not anymore.”   That explained why, after her first reveal, that Celestia still appeared to have some measure of uncertainty and dare they say, shame. Celestia figured that if she was going to tell, she was going to tell all. While Fredrick was clearly stunned, eyes having widened considerably and breathing having become more erratic, Luna appeared to be the most affected, having the greatest desire to know more.   “C-Celestia?” she replied softly, urging her sister to elaborate further on what she meant. Celestia took another breath and faced her sister and her good friend, pushing a few wayward strands of her pink hair behind her ear.   “When you, Fredrick, began working for me directly and opening up to me more and more, I just…” she began, but quickly lost track of where she was going with her words, taking a moment to regain her bearings. “You saw me as a princess, yes, but after a while, despite you mentioning my title once in a while, you still treated me like a normal pony; like a friend.”   Luna nor Fredrick wanted to say anything as they began processing what Celestia was telling them, and they could easily infer that this tale would be a fairly intricate one.   “It was such a simple act of yours, and I soon began seeing the benefits of having friends of my own once more. I have wonderful acquaintances and an amazing pupil… but the many friends that I have made have, unfortunately, been lost to time,” she recalled before taking a breath. “Though you were cautious and hesitant, seeing your drive to make the most of your situation as well as being so readily dismissive and forgiving of my apologies for your circumstances only made me want to know you better. So, I reciprocated in kind, more than willing to be your friend as you were so willing to be mine, not just an employee.   “But… as the months went on, I started seeing more in you. I still do not know entirely why… maybe because you were different and I was ultimately curious… but I began mentally toying with the idea of advancing past the ‘friendship’ tier. Being completely honest, I personally felt you were and still are handsome… and combined with how much you had warmed up to me, there did not appear to be anything that would inhibit me propositioning you other than your own, inevitable hesitancies and second-guessings,” Celestia continued her tale, tossing in a subtle but endearing jibe at Fredrick with her last sentence.   “Then…” Celestia breathed out, sighing once more. “I began witnessing your dynamic with Luna in full.”   “Seeing you two together doing nothing more than eating lunch… it was then that I knew Luna had already fallen for you, Fredrick. She did not even know it at the time, but she was falling hard.”   Fredrick actively listened to Celestia’s continued lecture, but his face had become more stoic despite the massive influx of surprise… but Luna’s mind, however, was being sent into pure turmoil, clearly evident by she covering her muzzle with her hand and gazing elsewhere, her eyes rather wide. If her sense of logic was not failing her, then the implications of Celestia’s words were downright horrifying to her.   “What was I supposed to do when I saw that?” Celestia weakly fielded the rhetorical question, though her tone of voice dropped to barely above a whisper.   “What do you mean by that?” Luna asked with a similar tonal inflection.   “Becoming so close to Fredrick was making your confidence surge to levels I hadn’t seen since well-before your banishment…” Celestia answered painfully. “Regardless of what Fredrick might have said had I propositioned him—perhaps he would have said no. Would I really want to take that chance? Would I want to potentially squash my struggling sister’s battered self-esteem with the very source of her sudden upturn in happiness?” she confessed by fielding even more semi-rhetorical questions. Fredrick, on his part, looked away and found the bedspread rather interesting at the moment. He knew full well what Celestia was trying to convey, and was content to let her and Luna talk it out.   “Sister…” Luna uttered shakily after a few moments, adjusting her position so she was closer to Celestia, who seemed even more distressed and anxious, evident by closing off her posture even more. “Are… are you saying that…”   “Yes, Luna. I backed off,” Celestia confessed. “And before you say anything, no, it really was not hard at all to do so. I was only toying with the thought of asking Fredrick, and seeing how happy you were together, I know you well enough where it was only a matter of time before you two began to explore your relationship even more… lo and behold, here we are,” she said, gesturing to Luna and Fredrick at having proved her prediction.   Fredrick remained in his aforementioned position, having really nothing to say; what was there to say on his part? Of his relationship with Celestia, he did not remember or stumble upon any of the ‘signs,’ though that was most likely due to his own obliviousness. Hell, he had trouble discerning how much of a friend he was to Luna… how could he possibly have picked up on something that, according to Celestia herself, was just beginning to fester?   As an exercise of alternate history, he wondered if he would have accepted if Celestia did proposition him?   “Celestia…” Luna began to whisper, overcome with a whole myriad of emotional combinations. “You should not have to give up your interests for my sake…”   “It was a very small price to pay to see you as happy as you are, Lu. All the times you’ve come to me and told me how Fredrick here always makes you feel so special and important… it was completely worth it, in my opinion. Ultimately, that’s what led to this whole incident. I got curious, is all,” Celestia riposted, not having any of these ‘what ifs’ and wanting to squash any potential, bastardized variant of guilt that Luna might experience.   “And you could not think of an arrangement that could, hypothetically, make all parties happy? Consider the concept of a herd, Celestia!” Luna reasoned with her, already beginning to feel terrible even though deep down, she knew that this was Celestia’s shadowy decision, ergo held no bearing on her own being. Still, this did not prevent Luna from feeling that she was somehow responsible, in a rather abstract way, for this odd form of opportunity cost.   As Celestia shook her head in response, it was the perfect time for Fredrick to butt in.   “Humans, from my own society and culture, are strictly monogamous. I would take part in no such thing,” he remarked, shooting down the herd idea immediately and causing Luna’s remaining words to die in her throat, her dejected look returning in full. Being true to himself, he loved Luna… that as a given. As for Celestia, she was another amazing, dare he say best friend of his after Luna herself and most comparable to Stella, if not a bit higher ranking. All things considered in his and the solar alicorn’s relationship, he cared very strongly for her. Such feelings, however, met insurmountable resistance in the form of his values and convictions: Fredrick did not feel confident in the slightest that he could pursue a successful, polyamorous relationship with two girls and give them both what they deserve.   Not only did he find it taboo, Fredrick felt it simply was not physically possible for him.   “Even if you were, Fredrick, I still would have made the same decision,” Celestia added confidently. “…at least, until a bit later, when I would have approached you about this, had that assumption been correct. As Fredrick just pointed out, such an arrangement would not work at all.”   The group devolved into silence, and at that point, it seemed that everything that had to be said, had been said. Words were no longer as forthcoming as the answer that Fredrick and less-so Luna had been concerned with, was delivered in painstaking detail. Even as the three awkwardly glanced at each other in their little trinity of a seating arrangement, Luna’s mind was still rife with thoughts of more-so equity rather than guilt, though given new information that directly affected her, she was hoping to come to some mutually beneficial agreement of sorts. It was crystal clear that she and Fredrick were exclusive, and being honest with herself, she preferred it that way, even if she was willing (and Fred was on board with it!) to essentially share him with her sister. After all, Celestia had made it abundantly clear that she did not possess feelings for Fredrick any longer, even though the two’s relationship had been strengthened considerably over the duration of his stay.   Silence continued, and by this time, it looked like Luna would be leaving the room with some information that made her feel somewhat sick in knowing… and no way to remedy it or possibly pay back Celestia’s ‘investment.’ But then, Luna’s ears visibly perked and she raised her head.   She got an idea.   It was a terrible idea… one so ludicrous that there was very little probability that Fredrick and Celestia, two of the most rational minds that Luna knew, would accept. Doing some soul-searching within, Luna did not have a problem with what she was about to propose, most likely due to Equestria’s much more laid back attitude about relationships and the herd concept. If anything, she expected the most resistance out of Fredrick. Such an idea, if successful, would not only, undoubtedly satisfy all parties, but Luna herself would feel much better about all of this info.   “Celly, Fredrick,” Luna addressed both of them uneasily, knowing that what she had to say would be treading some fine lines and emotions. Nevertheless, she pressed forward and knew to choose her words carefully. “Perhaps there is something we can accomplish so we may rest easy.”   “Go on…” Celestia replied, not entirely sure what Luna was getting at. Fredrick, similarly, was curious as to what Luna was bringing up and why.   “Celestia, I know you stated previously that you no longer harbor any form of romantic feelings towards Fredrick. However, though my eternal gratitude of what you did, I still feel bad that you had to sacrifice a potentially wonderful relationship because you had my best interests in mind,” Luna began elaborating with a bit of an introduction. Celestia was quick to try and cut off any feelings of guilt and reached out to her sister.   “Luna, no, please I told you that nothing about this was painful…there’s nothing to apologize for.”   “I know, and I understand… but you stated that you were curious, which is what led to this whole incident anyway. So, I was thinking—and of course, everypony here would have to agree to this—that perhaps… you two, kind of…” Luna’s words trailed off as she began making inscrutable hand gestures. Fredrick and Celly were looking to her, both quite puzzled as to what she was getting at.   “…have intercourse,” Luna finally spoke her mind honestly.   ‘Stunned’ would be a massive understatement in regards to the expressions on Fred’s and Celestia’s faces. The corresponding silence was figuratively also quite deafening.   “WHAT?!” the two of them reacted at the exact same time.   “Okay, perhaps I could have phrased that in a better way…” Luna pondered, retreating slightly at the backlash.   “Where the hell did you come up with that one?!” Fredrick demanded, pressing for an answer with clear inflection as to how blindsided he was by the suggestion.   “Apparently you’re not grasping the idea of ‘I don’t have feelings for Fredrick,’ Luna,” Celestia rebutted, annoyed at Luna’s continued insistence on apparent repayment. Before Luna could even speak, Fredrick spoke up once more.   “And what the heck would that accomplish, really? Like… what??”   “Will you both shut up and let me speak?!” Luna commanded, quickly losing her temper at the closest individuals in her life. “Celestia, that was a poor attempt at deflection, as I said nothing of the sort about any romantic feelings… you have already clarified your position! I, reiterating, was talking about your curiosity which you admitted to and is still clearly there, as evident by your special toy.   “And you,” Luna directed her ire towards Fredrick. “Do not even attempt to discount anything I have said in regards to your view of Celestia, because need I remind you that I sucked you off while you could not peel your eyes away from her self-pleasure session?!” Luna candidly placed everything else on the figurative table. Naturally, that shut both Celestia and Fredrick up, and as their faces quickly colored, they could not find it in their hearts to look at each other at that moment.   “Now,” Luna began anew once all the ruckus had been silenced. “Now that I have both of your attentions, entertain my words for merely a few moments, yes?”   Nopony said anything else, Fredrick and Celestia finally glancing at each other before turning their attention fully to Luna.   “What I was attempting to get across, was this: Celestia, it is clear that, regardless of your personally held feelings towards Fredrick here,” she began, gesturing to Fred. “It’s clear that you still hold a ‘curiosity’ of sorts… of the sexual kind, if I may be so blunt. What I’m proposing is that you sate this curiosity, Fredrick willing, of course. However, based on what actually happened the night of our prank… I do not believe that he would be entirely opposed to the idea of helping you satisfy such a curiosity.”   Luna opened her arms and gestured to both other parties in the room as she paused to take a breath.   “However, this is a decision that must be made by the both of you… I refuse to force you two to do something that you may not ultimately be comfortable with, but I will say… that I firmly believe that this will improve the dynamic between the three of us. Fredrick, you may not understand what, or how, I may mean by that due to cultural disparities, but I only ask that you place your faith in me if you are entertaining such an idea in return.”   It was time to make a decision… Luna ended up hitting the nail perfectly on the head, though both of the individuals in question would never verbally admit to it. Instead, they opted to steal sideways glances at each other, silently communicating the same thing: ‘only if you’re okay with it.’ Truthfully, Celestia was quite interested in what the ‘real thing’ felt like, and even thinking about that in the presence of Fredrick only made her feel very uncomfortable in the heat afforded by her own coat and full-body blush.   As for Fredrick… well, the aforementioned actions in Celestia’s bathroom spoke entirely for themselves. Likewise, he thought Celestia was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. While, of course, Luna was the light of his life, he had absolutely nothing against Celestia in both her personality and her physique. While Luna was actively campaigning for the two of them to (furiously) copulate, he would most likely have the hardest time ensuring it was okay with himself. Cheating is bad on all counts and one should feel bad if they do… but as previously stated, Luna was pushing them together in this instance, and from her earlier wording, it appeared that this would be a one-time thing, something that Fred could swallow much more easily. He knew for a fact that he would not be comfortable in a herd-like relationship and that had already been established… so, if all lights were green for him, Celestia, and Luna…   Fuck it.   “Well…” Fredrick finally spoke, garnering the attention of everypony else. “Seems like this is a one-time thing so, sure!” he concluded with conviction. He loved Luna more than anything, but after that little emotional pilgrimage, he would have little trouble boning Celestia, all other factors constant. “But, only if you’re okay with it, Celestia,” he added. Luna’s smile swelled at his agreement, and she knew for a fact that Celestia would need much less convincing than he.   “O-Oh?” Celestia asked, much more timidly than anyone was used to. Her obvious coloring of her face never ceased. “Well, my only condition was that all parties be okay with such an… outlandish idea. I’ll admit that I’m not entirely opposed, though it does feel odd to say that. Then… I guess I’ll be all for it.”   But as Celestia finished her sentence, all three looked at each other, not a single one of them making any form of movement to realize their agreement. No one wanted to move first, and were clearly conflicted with how to go about beginning something like this. The sheer awkwardness could be grasped in the air once more.   “Oh for… Must I really get this started?” Luna complained, mumbling to herself as she reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head and revealing her indigo bra to the room. However, much to Fredrick’s pleasant surprise, said tit-holder was one of the pushup variety, ergo the generous amount of cleavage that he took no shame in eyeing up.   Wait… she wore a pushup bra to our talk?   “L-Luna!” Celestia protested, demonstrating that her blush from embarrassment and most likely arousal at the whole situation, could definitely get deeper. “What are you doing?”   “Do you really think I shall stand by while you two have fun??” Luna asked in disbelief as she stood off the side of her bed, beginning to shimmy out of her panties. Celestia’s jaw dropped as Luna stripped down… what the hell happened to her incredibly shy, formal little sister.   “Well? Come on then!” Luna urged, refusing to be the only one completely nude while Fredrick and Celestia were still clothed. Seeing his best friend completely naked and hilariously taking the lead was enough motivation for Fred, allowing himself to be lost to his quickly-building arousal. So, he got up on his knees and began lifting his own shirt up, sparing a glance at Celestia who had a look of wondering what she got herself into, her face framed by her hands while she continued to gawk at both Luna and Fredrick. It was readily apparent that she needed some more… ‘encouragement.’   Wordlessly, Luna teleported right behind Celestia and jerked the front of her shirt up, revealing her black bra-clad breasts to Fredrick in all their glory.   “Holy fuck…” he uttered involuntarily as his eyes drank in the sight of her perfect, larger orbs. He had seen them in full not even two days ago yet it still felt like the first time. Celestia, however, did not share the same enthusiasm.   “Luna, what the hell?!”   “Enough with your complaining, sister,” Luna responded before getting in between Celestia and Fredrick, magically forcing their bodies to scoot into each other before speaking in a tone must uncharacteristic of her: “You two are on level ground… now kiiiiiiiiiiss.”   Both chose to ignore the discomfort that Luna was forcing upon them, but the ultimate catalyst was when, being forced together, Celestia’s and Fredrick’s faces rubbed together. The two separated only a couple of inches in order to get a better look at each other in the highly awkward, unexpected, and new environment they found themselves.   Then, Celestia gave him ‘the look.’   If there was at all any doubt that she was related to Luna, the sheer volume of resemblance at this point would surely quell dissent. It was a look that Fredrick was quite familiar with relating to Luna, and such a facial expression and bodily aura preceded an intimate encounter. A gaze of festering lust… of ravenous feelings slowly worming their way to the surface of one’s ethereal self. Fredrick would have to be forcibly committed to a mental institution if he were to even attempt to deny that Celestia was sexy. Celestia always had a sexy aura to her… but this in front of him… no, this was not the motherly figurehead of a nation. This was an anthropomorphic mare who radiated ‘sex’ at this moment.   And Fredrick wanted to consume all of her.   Taking Luna’s last spoken words to heart, Fredrick leaned in and, much to his surprise, met rather firm, yet wet resistance much sooner than he anticipated when his and Celestia’s lips fused together. The feeling of an identical yet completely different pair of velvety lips on his own spurred him forward, though Fredrick was not the only one who had ideas of pressing their advantage. Celestia wrapped both of her arms around his upper back and pulled him flush against her, squishing her supported breasts right into his pecs, their surface area spreading out and encompassing quite literally his entire chest.   “Huzzah! T’was about time, if I do say so myself! Now, let us get this out of the way…” Luna thought out loud as she undid the clasp of Celestia’s bra with a flick of magic and slid it from between the two. Fredrick and Celestia never bothered to cease their ministrations and continued going at it, even increasing the intensity of their now-full-blown makeout session. From Luna’s perspective, Fredrick seemed to be enjoying himself, which was part of the point. However, Celestia, on the other hand, was completely lost to the actions if her fluttering eyelids and adorable little moans were anything to go by.     Fredrick rested one of his hands on Celestia’s cheek, with the other on her collarbone by the base of her neck. Luna, somehow, found her way in sitting behind Celestia, making sure she was right next to all the intimate action. Luna’s hands snaked around Celestia’s waist and up her soft, slim stomach, coming to rest on both of her breasts as she cupped them both in her hands. Such an action, while inherently erotic, also came with a set of questions for Fredrick.   “L-Luna?” he asked hesitantly after separating from Celestia and getting over the light-headedness of the previous makeout. “What are you doing…?” he finished his question. Luna only looked to him coyly, Celestia still lost in blissful post-makeout wonderland (she had not been kissed like that in a long time).   “In all our years that we have been alive, do you truly believe that we have not ever experimented with each other, hmmm?” she asked rhetorically, turning to her sister’s ear and breathing seductively into it as she continued grabbing consecutive handfuls of her tits. Celestia herself had only recently ‘come back’ to the real world and gazed up at Fredrick, not seeming to mind in the slightest that she was being passively fondled by her sister. As the human and solar alicorn never broke eye contact, Celestia’s face shone with faux-innocence and uncertainty… though her eyes were windows that laid forth a perfect view of wanton desire. If she was uncertain before, she was absolutely sure of herself now: she wanted—no, needed—this.   Fredrick’s rhetorical question and his own hesitancies died upon viewing these wondrous sights.   “Oh, for the record,” Luna began speaking again, interrupting what would’ve been some form of utterance from Celestia. “she loves attention on her neck and her breasts are much more sensitive than my own…” she hinted with a wink and punctuated her words with firmer grasps of Celestia’s boobs, which elicited somewhat of a pent-up, struggled whine out of her.   “F-Fredrick… this isn’t just—ooooOOOHH!” Celestia’s own words and potential protest died immediately when Fredrick dove for the left side of her neck. Luna only giggled heartily as she witnessed her sister be subjected to one of the very things that she absolutely loved from Fredrick. Though she was keen on letting them have their fun, Luna would, in no way ‘cuck herself,’ as she heard Fredrick say once or twice. No, she had plans for him later on.   Celestia reflexively craned her head to the right to allow Fredrick maximum access… an invitation Fredrick was more than happy to accept. He pressed his lips repeatedly onto Celestia’s unbelievably soft neck and laid kisses from the underside of her muzzle all the way to her collarbone, being sure to leave the occasional ‘tongue trail’ or gentle nibble. If Celestia firmly pressing her fingers into Fredrick’s back and tracing lines up and down were anything to go by, then the solar diarch certainly approved of his ministrations.   Fredrick became much more daring and cupped Celestia’s left breast as he continued working her neck over. One thing he could not get over was how wonderful she smelled. Obvious pheromones that were sending him into overdrive aside, her skin and coat smelled perfectly of vanilla… so much so that he even took a rather forward, test-lick of her neck… one that sent a sudden shiver up Celestia’s spine and an unprovoked moan out of her mouth. Fredrick continued to caress Celestia’s breast but his hand quickly came into contact with Luna’s, who was ‘helping’ to hold them. He instinctively grabbed ahold of her hand and the two curled their fingers around each other, holding their hands together and rubbing each other lovingly with their fingers before simultaneously releasing one another.   “Celestia, are you…?” Fredrick began to ask, making sure that Celestia was still not having any second thoughts. However, he was tersely cut off with a forceful yet pleading whine:   “Don’t. Stop. Please…”   Scooting down a bit and laying his body gently on Celestia’s, Fredrick kissed and licked his way down her body… from her collarbone, down between her breasts, to just above her navel, before settling his face right back at ‘breast level.’ Using his elbows for support, Fredrick grasped both of Celestia’s breasts in his hands and squeezed them together, forming massive, sexually hunger-inducing cleavage. Much like with Luna’s, he could not stop himself from almost literally salivating at the prospect of devouring the two perfect orbs.   Something he was more than keen on realizing.   This expands the dong.   Wordlessly, he buried his face into Celestia’s expansive cleavage before removing himself and taking her right nipple straight into his mouth. Treating her to everything he loved to do to Luna, Fredrick did his due diligence to suck, swirl his tongue, and gently tug, alternating between both of her breasts and switching up his technique based on how Celestia reacted; she thoroughly enjoyed a good, old-fashioned sucking of her tits, that was for sure.   “Mmmm, Luna was right about you and breasts…” Celestia managed to say seductively, running her fingers through Fredrick’s hair as he enjoyed himself. She was absolutely relishing in the attention he was showing her sensitive chest but regardless, that comment made him separate from her left nipple with a rather sexy-sounding ‘smack.’   “What did she tell you?” he asked in a deadpanned expression, not at all mad. Celestia and Luna both giggled together before the latter spoke up:   “Everything.”   “Well then…”   “Speaking of which,” Celestia added in. “You feel cramped down there,” she alluded to his shorts, where she could feel his painfully hard erection doing its best to set itself free.   “Maybe, but I’m content where I am now,” Fredrick retorted as he kissed lower and lower down her stomach, past her navel and towards her sweat pants… which had a distinct dampness to them. Before he could take them off though, Luna intervened.   “Let me help you with that, Fredrick…” she spoke with another flick of her fingers, Celestia’s last remaining layers of clothing fading away and leaving her completely bare to him. Face to face with her soaking marehood, Fredrick was completely captivated by the same, much more concentrated smell of vanilla. The fact that, much like Luna’s, Celestia’s lower lips were perfectly shaped and appetizing only made him want to begin his work anew… so he did.   Spreading her legs as much as he could, Fredrick leaned in and took yet another whiff of her scent, the aroma of perverted vanilla that he was becoming so fond of. Taking his first tentative lick, however, he confirmed that she did not, in fact, taste like vanilla… but her taste was so much more satisfying on alternative levels.   “Oh!” Celestia gasped at first contact of his tongue on her most sensitive and vulnerable of areas. Luna only nipped her ear playfully in response before whispering into the same appendage:   “Sister, you are in for a wonderful treat…”   Utilizing his fingers to his aid, Fredrick parted her lips and began taking licks with conviction, adjusting his position so he could enjoy and do the best job at ‘eating her pussy.’ Part of his nose buried straight into her throbbing clit while he worked his tongue and lips on and into her equally throbbing love-tunnel. Moaning sexily through clenched teeth, Celestia’s left hand shot directly to the back of Fredrick’s head, gripping his short but ‘grip-able’ hair and ensuring his mouth never left its post. Her free, right hand instantly went to massaging her breasts while Luna enjoyed the view from her vantage point, resolving to merely nip at her sister’s ear and continue holding her breasts. She herself was absolutely soaking and throbbing, nipples painfully hard and undoubtedly stabbing Celestia’s back and wings… it took all she could muster to not jump Fredrick and ride him into the bed like she would her stallion.   Fredrick soldiered on for the next couple of minutes, continuously upping the ante and his tongue’s intensity as he licked her out. Soon enough, though, he switched to Celestia’s clit and gave it his sole attention, though not without slipping his right middle finger into her needy slit and earning an extra-loud moan.   “YES! Don’t stop that please don’t…” Celestia cried out and uttered rapidly, clenching her eyes shut and allowing herself to only feel. Pony tongues were much larger and as such, had greater surface area but as a human, his was smaller and much more precise… he was hitting her in all the right places and coupled with the actions of a lone finger, she was complete putty in his hands (and mouth). Add into the mix that Celestia had not been touched by another in quite a long while, she already felt that she was getting to that special point of no return… the event horizon to a magical orgasm that was light-years ahead of what she could reproduce on her lonesome.   “Fredrick stop…”   “Huh?” he asked suddenly, registering the word ‘stop’ and ceasing his actions at once. Celestia was not hurt or disapproving in any way… but merely wanted to take things further, sitting him up and pushing him onto his back.   “Enough with the foreplay, Fredrick… we both know why we’re here,” Celestia remarked in the sexiest voice she could… and by Cthulhu was it fucking sexy, especially when she stared at him with that look. Celestia crawled over to him and attempted to get his shorts off, but, Luna ensured to make the process as seamless as possible, disposing of his clothes magically with another flick of her fingers. In all of its glory stood his shaft, which sprung to full attention upon the disappearance of its garment prison.     “Hmmm… exactly as I imagined, but it’s nice to hold the real thing…” Celestia alluded with a wink, grabbing a hold of his cock and taking a long, drawn-out lick from base to tip, flicking his head upon her action’s culmination. Luna only looked on with a sultry complexion as she rested on her stomach and forearms, not even a few inches away from the center of action. As well, it gave Fredrick an extra pair of tits to gawk at.   What he thought was going to be a blowjob of sorts as per the teasing lick that Celestia imparted on him was actually not the case… in fact Celestia wasted no time in crawling over him and delivering a sloppy kiss unto his overworked lips. She straddled his waist and did well to grind her even needier slit onto his rigid spire, earning a dual groan from both of them whenever the head of his dick managed to press into her clit.   Their tongues wrestled for what seemed like hours, neither of them too fond of breaking their makeout session, especially Fredrick, who was getting two handfuls of titflesh or succulent ass… even a combination of the two! Celestia finally pulled back when Fredrick gave her a nice little swat on her butt, as well as tugging on the base of her tail to elicit some sort of reaction… hopefully a good one like his experiences with Luna.   After a satisfied, if startled gasp from Celestia at his actions, she immediately reaffixed her ravenous, lustful gaze onto him as she began pressing her lower lips purposefully onto his tip.   “Now, I wonder if the real thing will feel better inside…” Celestia mused jokingly as she began agonizingly slowly sinking down, gradually impaling herself onto his pole and letting a pleasure-filled groan flow unbidden from her lungs. Finally, she bottomed out completely and rested her crotch connected to his, Fredrick’s entire length buried inside her tight, throbbing recess.   “As I said earlier,” Luna piped up, also seductively crawling towards Fredrick. “You two shan’t be having all the fun,” she concluded as she straddled Fredrick’s face, facing away from Celestia. As Luna lowered her own neglected slit onto Fred’s mouth, Celestia began taking liberties and moving her hips back and forth. The moment Luna’s nethers made contact with Fred’s mouth, he began licking and sucking to his heart’s content.   Easy, gradual moans emanated from both alicorns as they quite literally used Fred as their personal play thing. Celestia placed both of her palms on Fred’s chest and stomach for support as she continued to impale herself repeatedly onto his dick, making sure that her aching pussy was speared as deep as possible each time and hitting that perfect spot inside of her. Her eyes were closed and her breasts bounced freely as her mouth went slightly slack. Her groans of pleasure continued to flow from the deepest parts of her lungs, letting Fredrick hear just how much Celestia was enjoying herself. Luna was in the midst of a similar experience herself, though she was allowed much more freedom to gyrate and grind her hips directly onto Fredrick’s mouth and working tongue, making sure he licked and sucked specific parts of her nethers that she wanted at any given time. She and her sister competed for sound, and the room was filled with the beautiful, erotic, sonorous mix of desynchronized moaning, schlicking of bodily fluids, and slapping of skin.   Fredrick was, no pun intended, eating the whole situation up. Being assaulted on two different fronts was an incredible experience for him. Celestia’s tight pussy in conjunction with her wetness pouring from inside her was indescribable, especially when coupled with the fact that their heartbeats seemed to synchronize. He too was moaning from the feeling of his dick inside a saturated, fleshy prison, but instead of it being as vocal as his partners in crime, his moans went straight into Luna’s slit in the form of vibrations, which stimulated her clit wonderfully. The whole scene was too good to be true, and he feared that he would wake up at any moment… but regardless, reality dictated that he was going to inevitably burst within the next minute or two. However, he had little way to notify Luna or Celestia, and did not even consider moving Luna off of him. He was a man, and he would fight with every fiber of his being to ensure that his friends were satisfied…   …in theory.   Fortune seemed to smile upon him, however, when Luna began grinding herself onto his mouth much more harshly… and then suddenly tensed up and shuddered with an accompanying cry. His thoughts were confirmed when he felt a little extra ‘runoff’ enter his mouth, and Luna in fact did cum quite decently. Luna did not alter her position even as she was regaining her bearings and controlling her breathing, but she afforded Fredrick enough room to breathe in more deeply and actually speak.   “Celestia…”   “Hah! Uhn! Just… inside me! MMPH!... Please I wanna feel it… Hah! Hah!... Fill me up, Fredrick!” Celestia pleaded, burying Fred’s dick into her at a much faster pace, slamming her pussy onto his pelvis with abandon. Focusing on her moaning and how much pleasure she was getting just on using him as a mere fuckstick was enough to set him off. With uneven, unrestrained grunts, Fredrick began pumping Celestia full of his hot load, filling her up just as she had requested… and such a feeling of hot, gooey seed inside of her was the final straw for Celestia. One last impaling ensured that she was the final individual in the room to cum, though her accompanying cry was significantly louder than the others’.   She did not stop moaning for well over ten seconds, and her slit was completely overflowing and draining itself onto Fredrick and the sheets below, not that anyone cared.   The aftermath was evident: Fredrick was sore on both ends, and he felt his tongue and lips were nearly raw somehow. His pelvis ached like no other from the beating Celestia’s crotch gave him. Luna’s clit was so swollen and sensitive after her orgasm that she finally had to get off of Fredrick and lie next to him, gradually slowing her deep breathing to a simple pant. Celestia arguably, had it worse off (or better, depending on how one looked at it): her vagina was completely used and abused, full, and still swollen and overflowing. Her breasts had taken a beating from her own hands when she could not help but touch and grab herself, and after a few moments, she too, decided to slide off of Fredrick (with a residual shudder as his semi-flaccid dick seamlessly slipped from her grasp) and lay on the side opposite of Luna.   The sounds of sex were quickly replaced with a chorus of pants and gentle breaths, even as Luna cuddled into Fredrick and allowed herself to settle down. Celestia also decided to get in on the cuddle party, cozying up to Fredrick’s other side and laying her head on his chest while Luna opted for her usual position of burying her face in the crook of his neck.   Fredrick, trapped in the middle, had a neutral yet dopey smirk on his face, his eyes half-lidded from the onset of post-coital fatigue.   “So, Celestia,” Luna called out softly. “Was he like the toy?”   “Immeasurably better…” Celestia uttered out as her eyes begged to close.   “Fredrick?” Luna turned her attention to him. “Any late objections?”   “Y’know,” he replied after a few moments. “I don’t think I have any problems… and maybe you were right. Maybe this was something we all needed.”   “Perhaps… I for one am happy the way this turned out,” Celestia admitted softly, her eyes now closed and a rhythmic, comfortable breathing pattern established.   “So… see you two at work tomorrow?” Fredrick joked, earning a few light-hearted chuckles… then full-fledged laughter from both mares.   “Perhaps the administrative staff won’t particularly mind us coming in an hour or two later than normal,” Celestia mused.   No one decided to say anything more, and before they knew it, all three of them drifted off to sleep with smiles on their faces and renewed vigor in their hearts. All that had been sought had been accomplished: Questions had been answered, misunderstandings were put behind them, any guilt or concerns were assuaged, and curiosity had been satisfied. Things would hopefully return to normal and that somewhat worried Fredrick, because he now had to worry about potential retaliation in the form of a devastating prank.   That would be for ‘Future Fredrick’ to deal with, though. His final thought before his internal light turned off for the night was rather simple…   Well, that happened. > Part XIX. War > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XIX. War   The events that transpired Wednesday evening in Luna’s chambers were certainly a new, unconventional way forward. As Luna had indeed predicted, the immediate air surrounding their interconnected relationships seemed to clear immediately upon a trinity of climaxes. It would remain to be seen if things would return to the status quo, but Luna quickly abated any residual uncertainty and put any doubt to rest. Ever the strategist, Luna had rarely been wrong in ideas and courses of action that she had utmost confidence in… she had the track record to prove it.   Damn her foresight.   Still, things appeared to finally settle themselves. After the three had enjoyed a wonderful night’s sleep together, Celestia and Luna opted to teleport Fredrick back to his room in the morning so the two of them could freshen up for the workday and discuss a few things in private, and while Fredrick did not mind at first, only the moment he rematerialized back in his room did he realize just how truly in deep shit he was. Normally, Fredrick had no reason to give a second thought, or really any business in doing so, if Celestia and Luna wanted to have a private chat. They did so all the time, and would ask that he politely excuse himself… though admittedly, the two were nude, this time around. Regardless, the act was innocuous in nature… but Fredrick was immediately brought back to the reality that he would certainly be the next target of a prank.   And that fucking terrified him.   Ruffling his dark-brown hair, which reminded him that it was getting a tad long for his liking, Fredrick exhaled and came to terms with the idea of him being more defensive in nature in the future, preparing for a possible strike from nowhere… and formulating a possible counterattack if necessary.   Sitting on the edge of his bed, Fredrick knew that he would need help… though nothing direct. He would need discreet advice and if necessary, to get his hands on ‘certain materials’ should he need them. However, there was only one pony he could effectively go to right now without tipping off the enemy. Thus, he penned a quick note to Stella to let her know that he’d be free on Friday night for her initially requested drink in the Castle tavern. Once Fredrick showered and dressed himself for work, he remembered to place said note in his pocket and drop it off at the Guard Headquarters.   Once that had been taken care of, Fredrick knew that the true test of the weight of Luna’s predictions would be how the general dynamic between he and Celestia would come together once all the hormones had died down. Arriving at the door to Celestia’s study with his mind completely cleared, Fredrick took a deep, relaxing breath and opened the door. Greeting him was Celestia, naturally, at her desk, but this time, she was positively glowing. Fredrick could not possibly help returning the full, powerful smile that Celestia beamed in his direction upon his entry.   “Good morning again, Fredrick!” Celestia enthusiastically greeted, immediately delving back into her paperwork.   “Hey, Celestia! You’re certainly in a wonderful mood,” he commented on his observations as he got himself settled at his desk.   “All because of you, I might add,” Celestia proclaimed gleefully. “…and Luna’s interesting thought process, of course.”   “Heh… well, I’m really glad you feel that way,” Fredrick replied warmly, and even a slight reminder of what went down last night caused a somewhat detectable blush to be shared between the two. However, one major difference both of them simultaneously noticed was that there seemed to be no bad air between them. No awkwardness, no uncertainty, nothing. Hilariously enough, Celestia appeared much more energetic, Fredrick noticing her speeding through her paperwork with marvelous efficiency and precision, all with a grin plastered on her mug.   “So,” Fredrick began anew, grabbing a stack of documents that were sitting on his desk. “What’s the agenda for today?”   “Doesn’t look like anything too terrible. A few propositions that remained at the bottom of Parliament’s pipeline, which means that we can catch up on anything backed up,” Celestia proposed.   “Awesome, so what’re we looking at right now?” Fredrick asked, gliding over to Celestia’s desk when she beckoned him over to look.   “It looks like there’s been a lot of good coming out of a law Parliament proposed a year and a half ago. Look here… this particular clause means that…” Celestia continued to explain some intricate policy, Fredrick listening attentively and grabbing paper to take notes. All that had happened the previous week seemed to melt away under the soothing monotony of work. At that moment, everything felt no different than when the two would work ordinarily: comfortably paced and in great spirits and humor. What’s more, there was absolutely no allusion towards their actions of the previous night. Indeed, it had been a wild night of passion and releasing pent up emotions, but as he became more engrossed in the work for the day Fredrick could not have been happier to know that things were just perfect between he and Celestia.   He and Luna were perfectly fine, and the two could focus on their relationship in entirety, but the initial goal of clearing the air with Celestia was completed in full. However, upon completion of the workday, Fredrick was quickly reminded as to why he should be fearful for his future.   “Alright, today was definitely productive,” Fredrick claimed, slipping into his jacket after stretching his arms to the side.   “I’ll say! Thanks again for all your help. It means a lot, really,” Celestia thanked him graciously, stacking her papers for the following morning before standing up. She too, stretched out by throwing her hands over her head and groaning as she felt her back pop. After a sigh of relief, her eyes fluttered open once more. Her light-purple eyes soon locked onto Fredrick’s greens.   “Please, as I’ve said before, it’s what you pay me to do. Besides, today was fun,” he admitted happily, nodding to his employer and friend for extra reassurance.   “Oh come here, you,” Celestia relented, closing the distance between the two and initiating a friendly yet endearing hug. The two wrapped their arms around each other and rested their chins on opposite shoulders, enjoying the simple act of holding each other. No words had to be exchanged at all, as both knew that they were ‘cool’ with each other… but really, were they ever ‘not cool?’   “Fredrick…” Celestia whispered in his ear as the two embraced each other, breaking the comfortable silence of their moment. “Do not think I’ve forgotten about your involvement in the prank against me…”   He gulped audibly as the two simultaneously released each other.   “See you tomorrow!”     [Friday Night | Castle Tavern]     “Oi! Over here!” Stella called out and waved from across the dimly-lit tavern, garnering Fredrick’s attention the moment he entered into the establishment. Nodding and pointing to acknowledge her, Fredrick started towards his friend, quickly finding her booth amongst the moderately-populated bar and eatery.   “Hey,” Fredrick greeted, sliding into the booth, opposite side of Stella, and setting his coat on the remainder of the seat.   “The fuck took you so long?” the civilian-clothed Stella asked, running one of her hands through her mane and folding her wings behind her back once she stretched them. She wore a simple, blue V-neck t-shirt and black, denim pants, while her aforementioned mane was styled in its usual ponytail fashion. Through the dimly lit ambiance, the most prominent feature (and quite frankly, her best feature, according to Fredrick) was her golden eyes   “Sorry, I had to go over a few things with Luna for this coming Monday; meeting with the Economic Council and what not,” Fredrick explained, earning an incredulous gaze from the mare across from him, Stella angling her head towards him disbelievingly.   “Right. ‘Going over,’ Princess Luna,” Stella alluded with air quotes.   “No, actually we did have to review the topics we’d be discussing,” Fredrick rebutted.   “‘Reviewing.’” Stella air-quoted again. Fredrick rolled his eyes.   “Alright, I get it. You can stop now.”   “‘Economic Council.’”   Fredrick let out an exaggerated sigh of exasperation. “Exactly.”   Stella covered her muzzle as she giggled heartily, though both turned their attention to one of the waitresses as she stopped in front of their table, a spry unicorn mare turquois to the coat. Stella and Fredrick had had her as their server many times in the past.   “Aqua!” the human and batpony greeted simultaneously and energetically.   “Hey, you two! What can I get’cha?”   “Yeah, I’ll have a glass of Crystal Standard… and keep ‘em coming. Oh! Also, keep bringing the chips and the house salsa; fuckers are like drugs to me,” Stella ordered in a way most befitting of her personality before gesturing towards Fred. “And get this cockwomble whatever he wants. Tab’s on me tonight.”   “Ummm, how ‘bout no? Considering you paid last time as well,” Fredrick protested immediately. “Just hand me the bill when we’re done. Pretend the bitch across from me doesn’t exist,” he fake-whispered to Aqua, who was already struggling to keep from laughing at their dynamic. Stella, however, donned a much more stoic expression.   “Lay a hand on the bill, I dare you.”   “Or what?”   “I’ll cram it so far down your throat, it’ll be the cost of your next shit, mate.”   The two initiated a friendly staring contest right as Aqua’s sides entered the upper atmosphere, she bending over in guffaw.   “Heh-whoa… you two need to come in more if you keep making me laugh like this. You’re hilarious, you guys. Anyway, what did you want, Fredrick? I’ll let you guys decide on the tab later.”   “Ehhh… I’ll do Zebranica Gold,” he decided, his words punctuated by a stifled, throaty laugh from the opposite end of the table.   “You got it, guys. I’ll get those right out for ya,” Aqua announced, bounding away towards the bar and kitchen.   “Zebranica Gold?” Stella asked humorously. “Are you absolutely sure that Princess Luna doesn’t mind the whole ‘you having a vagina’ thing?”   “Heh, screw you, Stella, you know I’m still somewhat of a lightweight… And really? This coming from the same mare that was bartering with me to see my dick in the Castle Gardens? Good thing our beers are coming because you may wanna quench that thirst,” Fredrick quipped in kind with a smug grin on his face. Stella snorted at the witty rebut.   “Oh ho ho! Somepony’s on a roll tonight. What’s got you in such high spirits?” At that moment, Aqua returned with their drinks as well as the chips and dip in her magical grasp. The two thanked her and she went off to tend to the other patrons.   “Well, for starters, everything between Celestia, Luna, and I has been settled completely,” Fredrick elaborated as he took a sip of his beer. “So, things have just been perfect these last couple of days.”   “Told ya!” Stella said as she took a drink and a couple chips in her grasp. “As I said, you really were overreacting. I couldn’t see anything going wrong. I mean, you banged Celestia, right?”   Fredrick choked on his beer as he was taking a sip, coughing and doing his best to regain a normal breathing rate.   “Dude, what?? Where the hell did you get that fr—”   “Oh answer the question ya fuckin’ twat,” Stella cut him off, dismissing any form of counter that he could muster.   “Okay, no, I didn’t have sex with Celestia. The three of us just sat and talked like adults,” Fredrick explained. Part of that sentence was technically true.   “You’re a terrible liar, Fredrick. Especially since Celestia’s Solar Guard unicorns say otherwise. She was glowing so brightly, half her troop had to get replaced because they developed fuckin’ cataracts! Wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it!” Stella replied, presenting new evidence.   “Fucking... keep it down!” Fredrick lightly scolded, not wanting anything of the sort to fall upon anypony else’s ears. He should’ve known better than to be able to sneak past Stella. She had eyes and ears everywhere. “Fine. Fine. Just maybe some other things happened…”   “AHAHAHA! Holy shit are you actually serious?!” Stella asked shakily after her entire form was wracked with laughter. Fredrick, naturally, was a bit confused.   “Wait… what do you mean? Didn’t you just…”   “HAHAHA no! I really didn’t think that would actually work!” Stella was able to mutter in an attempt to control her own laughter. “I lied. You know, like a liar.”   “God-fucking-dammit Stella…” Fredrick cursed his friend’s name, slamming his head down onto his arms on the table. It was too late and he didn’t even realize that he had fallen into her trap… though in retrospect, he probably should have at least considered the possibility. Having all the confirmation of the unlikely situation, the batpony mare refused to abate her laughter any longer and giggled maniacally.   “Seriously though, you walked right into that. Regardless, I’m impressed. You boned not one but both heads of state… you may very well be the luckiest pony in Equestria, and you’re not even a fuckin’ pony, ya dick,” Stella said, bestowing Fredrick with her usual, endearing, yet underhanded praise.   “Again, am I detecting a hint of jealousy?” Fredrick asked with a teasing edge.   “Hell yes, you are! I’d give both of my tits to even be anywhere near your position,” Stella responded honestly.   “No you wouldn’t,” Fredrick pointed out confidently.   “Okay maybe I wouldn’t. I love my tits,” Stella retracted. Fredrick nodded along whimsically.   “I’m sure you do. But this reminds me… I’m gonna be an imminent target of a prank. I really have no idea what to expect,” Fredrick revealed, garnering an evil smirk from Stella.   “I knew this would happen eventually. As I said, you brought the war home. There’s little advice I can offer, unfortunately. You’re just going to have to wait until something happens,” Stella replied, chugging the rest of her beer, to which Aqua immediately came by and replaced it with another.   “Well that’s fucking reassuring,” Fredrick said sarcastically as he finished his own drink, gingerly pushing the glass forward. “I don’t know why, but I’m fearing for my physical and mental health.”   “Ahh you don’t have to go that far!” Stella dismissed his typical overreaction. “Sure, you might have to dig your way out of a mix of pony excrement and alligator spunk, but it’s not so bad! In my tenure here, any pranks are usually hilarious in nature, especially once the shock value of it wears off. I mean, come on!” Stella reasoned. “You and Her Highness nearly committed an act of domestic terrorism against another head of state and are probably laughing it off now, you can’t really get much worse than that.”   “Fair enough I guess,” Fredrick conceded, punctuating his words with a chomp of the chip he had in his hand.   “All I can really say is ‘let it happen.’ There’s really no use in trying to expect the prank, unless it’s, of course, right in your face and impossible to miss. Just go about your life and if you happen to get a rat stuffed up your arse while you sleep, just live with it! Laugh about it later,” Stella added pointedly, chugging her beer completely and slamming the glass on the table. “Ahhh, that’s good.”   “Gee, thanks.”   “Happy to help!”   The two continued to talk about normal things after that point, such as work life, family life, and all of the necessary topics. However things turned a bit interesting come the love life talk.   “Well,” Fredrick began anew, placing his second beer down on the table. “You know I’m with Luna. How about you? Any mare or stallion brave enough to handle the famous Stella?”   “Ehhh, not really. Nopony’s really caught my eye recently. I did have a few flings here and there but they never went anywhere,” Stella replied, already on her sixth beer.   “Bang ‘em and hang ‘em?”   “You fuckin’ know it, mate,” the batpony affirmed with a chuckle.   “Never took you as one to be so… promiscuous,” Fredrick admitted with a humorous edge, earning a challenging, incredulous gaze from his friend.   “Hey, I’ve had no shortage of stallions and mares lining up. Thestrals are almost coveted in Equestrian society because we’re much fewer in number and tend to have more exotic, ‘desirable features.’ But none of ‘em have any fuckin’ substance,” Stella complained. “There’ve been plenty of stallions and mares whom I feel are hot, but fuck me I could put googly eyes on their cocks and tits and have a better conversation.”   “Hahaha oh yeah? How’ve we not had this talk before?” Fredrick wondered out loud, urging Stella onward.   “But, a mare has urges. Thestral heats are much more brutal than a normal Equestrian mare’s cycle, so when a mare has urges…” she alluded.   “Right. One night stands.”   “Indeed, but sometimes that’s not possible. So, I always have my trusty coltfriend,” Stella added while raising her right hand, earning a chuckle from Fredrick. “AND, if I feel like something different, I cheat on him with him,” she raised her left hand. “EVEN FURTHER, if I’m feeling extra naughty, I’ll have these two hunks of stallions spit roast me.”   “Good fucking god Stella,” Fredrick uttered through his harsh giggles, facepalming and shaking his head as he laughed at the hilariously horrifying image. The two continued to speak about the subject for a little while longer, but it was a long Friday, and Fredrick wanted to catch up on some sleep before the busy weekend, since they’d be visiting Twilight again.   “Stella, this has been fun as hell, but I need to get to bed. I think I’m gonna fall asleep really soon,” he admitted. The batpony mare nodded in understanding and dropped the appropriate amount of bits on the table, right on top of the bill. Naturally, Stella won the right to pay by a threat of ‘chopping his dick off, stuffing it, and donating it to an army veteran’s association.’   “Yeah, yeah. Come on then. Let’s get out of here. I should probably do something productive to prepare for tomorrow… I have a long night with two consecutive shifts,” Stella agreed, sliding out of her booth and falling into step next to Fredrick towards the exit. The two waved goodbye to Aqua on the way.   “Well, I just hope that their prank comes after the weekend. I’d like to relish in a bit of peace at first,” Fredrick hoped out loud, earning an eye-roll from Stella.   “You need to fuckin’ relax, ya cunt. Have I ever steered you wrong so far?” she asked seriously as Fredrick held the door open for her.   “True, but then again, you like those cookies that have cheese on them; you’re practically an idiot,” he playfully chastised, having the final word. Stella’s accompanying laughter was cut off as the door closed behind both of them.       [Princess Luna’s Chambers]     A perfect end to a perfect week. Luna could not have been happier that things had worked out the way they did, and with no other obligations for the coming weekend, she and Fredrick intended to make good on their promise to Twilight to return that Sunday. What Luna wished to do at the moment, however, was relax and drift to sleep with the aid of music being played through Fredrick’s phone. Luna felt that this little device was a blessing, especially on nights where she could not sleep.   Dressed as she normally would be for sleep and having just lay down for the night, Luna placed the earphones into her ears and unlocked the phone, navigating to the music app and settling on a personal favorite that she stumbled across: “Out of Touch” by Hall and Oates. She knew it must have been a hit back on Fredrick’s world, as he complimented her for her ‘taste’ in music when letting him know of her opinion. Either way, Luna set it on repeat and let the wonderful tune slowly drag her into slumber.   However, sleep seemed to be a tad less forthcoming than she would’ve liked.   It was not that she had a lot on her mind, but it just appeared to be one of those nights where her brain was a bit more active. No matter, she had a device filled with interesting things on it… perhaps she’d go ‘exploring.’   Luna, with the music still playing, pressed the home button and navigated to the videos app. She and Fredrick had visited this location before, especially when he would show her videos that he took back on his world. Passing through the large quantity of video files that she saw, one name struck her as… odd.   ‘The_Duck_Song.ntn…’ what could this possibly be?   Pausing the music, her curiosity got the better of her and she pressed the file, loading up the video player and turning up the volume. Shifting the phone horizontally, she held the device over her as the video began to play.   “Tell me the duck story…” a seemingly little boy or girl said, and a little jingle began to play, followed by a narrated musical story.   “A duck walked up to a lemonade stand, and he said to the man running the stand…”   As she watched the accompanying animation, Luna felt a little smile come about, but regardless of the fact of her thinking this little video was cute, it only raised questions.   Why would he have such a childish video on his device?   Despite her question, she continued watching.   “…Can I get you a glass? The duck said AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA!!!!—”   “AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!” Luna screamed and howled in pain as her ears were assaulted, eardrums being molested by a cacophonous, speaker-shattering jingle. While the phone now played snapshots and video clips of a shirtless muscular man engaging in ritualistic aggression against others of his kind, Luna was painfully contorting and screaming through bared teeth, her hands desperately trying to claw the earphones out of her ears. Such a task proved difficult while her brain was getting physically attacked by sound. After a frantic couple of seconds as this was transpiring, Luna instinctively chucked the infernal contraption across the room, the phone disconnecting from the earphones and ceasing making sound… at the cost of slamming against the far wall.   “SHIT!” she exclaimed, bounding out of bed and running immediately to the downed object on the floor. She prayed to any higher power that existed before her time that the anti-degradation spell that Celestia had cast on it also protected it from damage.   “Please no… please no, please no…” Luna muttered softly as she picked up the phone… and to her immediate relief, there was no physical damage in the slightest. Waking up the device and unlocking it, the operating system responded as it should, and all seemed well.   After she let out a deeply held breath, Luna could not help but huff in irritation. Her ears were still ringing, and she only wondered why Fredrick would have such a video file that was meant to clearly cause harm to another. However, in her moment of irritation, an idea arose. Glancing back at the device in her hand, Luna wondered if she had a viable idea.   She glanced her eyes upward pensively, pursing her lips, before settling on something mentally. Her brow furrowed determinedly and an evil smirk forcefully etched its way onto her muzzle.   > Part XX. Recruiting > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XX. Recruiting Friday evening had come and gone, and Luna (after speaking with Celestia about something top secret) had decided that she would like to spend her Saturday in entirety with Fredrick. The latter, naturally, was thrilled at such a proposition, and even better, it made sense since they would be taking off to Ponyville for the day on Sunday. Of course, Fredrick nor Luna needed any sort of reason to spend time with each other. Regardless, Luna did well to sweetly rouse Fredrick from his late slumber—leaving out the fact that she still heard a faint ringing in her ears from the previous evening—and plucked him from an inarguably comfortable bed so they could enjoy lunch. Showering together was also a bonus; actually showering, mind you. With their meal consumed and comfortably tucked in their stomachs, the ultimate agenda for the day was: absolutely nothing, and that’s exactly what they did; nothing… to an extent. With a feature-packed week and an undoubtedly busy day on Sunday, the two lovebirds felt it more than necessary to have a day to themselves and themselves only. However, that only lasted until about three in the afternoon, since they ended up getting a bit restless. An hour and a half walk around the castle grounds easily remedied that, their hands a bit clammy from never letting go of each other’s grasp. A simple dinner together was also nice, but the greatest part of their times together, unequivocally, have always been at night, when the two would lie down and drift off to each other’s heartbeat and breathing. However, it wasn’t always like this. In fact, Fredrick and Luna were known to have stayed up and talked themselves into nothing throughout the night, though under much different circumstances. “...and that’s pretty much the gist of why Rick Astley will never give you up, let you down, run around, or desert you,” Fredrick finished explaining something to Luna, who was listening intently. They were in their usual cuddle position on Luna’s bed, enjoying the cool air circulating around the room while holding each other, diffusing heat between them. “Well, it makes intuitive sense,” Luna agreed. “He seems like a nice fellow.” “Hey, with a voice like his… I’m a straight man but I’d let him love me,” Fredrick joked, and the two laughed together. “Thank you for spending today with me,” Luna softly spoke, nuzzling her face into Fredrick’s neck with a beaming smile, eyes fluttering closed. “I’m always happy to spend time with you, Luna,” Fredrick replied with an equal tone, adjusting his grip on her so he could hold her that much more snuggly. The two fell silent again, but Luna had something on her mind that she needed to get out. Namely, it was something that she had wanted to ask him. “Fred?” “Hmm?” “I ummmm…. I was wondering,” Luna began to, shyly, voice what sounded like a big question, though Fredrick could only guess what it might have been. Opening his eyes and looking to her, he grasped her hand and caressed the top of it lovingly with his thumb. “What’s on your mind, Lulu?” he asked, implicitly urging her onward with the use of her pet name for extra support, which was all the encouragement she needed. “Would you like to be my escort to the Gala?” she asked timidly, as if she were asking her highschool crush to the prom. However, based on what Fredrick knew about this ‘Gala,’ that very well might have been the case… except for the whole ‘highschool’ part, of course. “Wait, the ‘Gala?’ As in… the ‘Grand Galloping Gala?’” Fredrick asked for confirmation, to which Luna gave a deep nod. “As in, the one you always complained about and told me about a month ago that you don’t like going because it’s filled with ‘reprehensible cockbadgers spouting worthless drivel?’” “The one and only,” Luna confirmed with a half-smirk. “Well, I’d love to go with you!” Fredrick answered, as if there was any doubt amongst the two of them. Regardless, Luna beamed with excitement at his answer. “But, why the sudden change of heart?” “Other than the reason you just mentioned, it was because I had nopony to go with… and now I do,” Luna replied, rubbing her nose sweetly against his with a teeth-baring smile. “As good a reason as any I suppose,” Fredrick said happily, more than happy to go with her to such a big event. Truthfully, he was thrilled to go, since this was apparently the biggest formal gathering in all of Equestria. However, it had just hit him that the ball was only about three weeks away; he had never concerned himself with it because, like Luna, he would not have anyone else to go with. That brought on the problem of the Prince’s work not being done before the ball, and ponies seeing Luna and Fredrick together might raise some questions and speculation. However, he had to remember that Blueblood had given him about a two-week time frame when they had last spoke… nearly a week ago. It was getting close to zero hour, so the Gala would fall well after a formal announcement of his and Luna’s relationship. Crisis hopefully averted. It could be dealt with in time, though. Fredrick was a bit tired to be thinking of all of this, so he resolved to put the ordeal squarely on the shoulders of Future Fredrick, should the need for panic arise.   Because Present and Past Me are dicks. “Do you miss your life back on Earth?” Luna piped up after a couple of minutes, garnering Fredrick’s attention while never relinquishing her hold on him. “Of course I do, at least specific parts. My family, my best friends, all of that,” Fred answered honestly, running his fingers up and down the side of Luna’s arm, remembering everything that made her tick in a good way. As expected, she responded warmly and with a gentle hum of approval. “I’m not sure if I ever asked this… but if you had a chance to go back, would you?” Luna questioned, not trying to put him on the spot, but legitimately curious. Fredrick, to his credit, didn’t wither under the question, but was certainly having a hard time on an answer if his lack of response for well over a few seconds was any indication. “Honestly, I’m not too sure. Yeah, I miss a lot of people I can’t see ever again…” Fredrick finally began speaking, but ensuring his words were carefully orchestrated since he felt he was playing a game of Minesweeper at the moment. “...but if I had the chance, I don’t think I’d want to go back permanently.” Luna adjusted herself so she was resting on her elbows to Fredrick’s side, looking down upon him with those gorgeous eyes that he loved getting lost in. “Oh?” “I have a life here; a wonderful, fulfilling one at that. I mean… I’d like to visit and say say a true goodbye to those I was ripped from, but I wouldn’t want to leave what I have here by any means. I especially wouldn’t want to leave you,” he answered quite smoothly. Luna felt a familiar, pleasant heat rise to her cheeks as she instinctively retreated behind a few strands of her hair. She was touched, that was for certain, and it only did well to reinforce how much she knew Fredrick cared for her. “Would you care for some wine with that ‘cheese?’” she asked humorously, breaking the heavy atmosphere and causing Fred to throw up his arms in faux-frustration. Luna burst into laughter while Fredrick pulled her into his chest and delivered a noogie, eliciting another delighted squeal. Not one to be outdone in their ‘physical altercations,’ Luna fought back with tickles and another wrestling match began. A chorus of laughter, squeals, cries, and threats made in good humor were heard as the two rolled all over the bed in an attempt to outdo the other. When the two stopped to catch their breath, they realized the position they were left in: Fredrick on top of Luna and their crotches pressed firmly together, the former somehow having found his way between Luna’s legs. Fredrick was going to dislodge himself but Luna wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him securely in place. Before he could react (even positively), Luna’s hands found their way to his face and pulled him down, their lips comfortably locking together in a wet embrace. While the two did move their tongues to the forefront, they didn’t initiate a battle of mouths as per usual, opting to let the tips of their muscles touch as they sweetly kissed. Luna hummed blissfully into Fredrick’s mouth, who responded similarly while he gently lowered himself on top of his mare. Chests pressed together and with his weight resting pleasantly upon Luna, the two eventually broke apart with the softest of smacks, letting their noses rub together. Luna could already feel Fred’s arousal poking her down there, and she still took enormous pride in knowing that she was the cause of it all. Without words, she had Fredrick sit upright while she deliberately removed her shirt slowly, leaving her in an indigo-colored bra, opting for a similarly paced movement in removing that garment as well. Heeding the wordless invitation, Fredrick lowered himself and cupped both of her breasts, pressing them together and running his cheeks through her cleavage, eliciting a beaming smile from the Princess, whose eyes fluttered shut at the pleasant feeling. Gently, Fredrick then took her right nipple into his mouth, suckling softly as he worked his tongue around the hard little button. He circled it and pressed it in with his fleshy muscle, all while ensuring that he kept some sort of sucking sensation going on. “Mmmm… that feels nice…” Luna cooed, running her fingers through his hair and down his back as he enjoyed himself. As always, Fredrick ensured that the breast that was being neglected by his mouth was constantly tended to by his free hand; massaged, squeezed, caressed, and of course, playing with and lightly pinching her nipple between his fingers. While there was certainly sexual hunger present between the two, this was a bit different. There wasn’t a ravenous need to fuck the other’s brains out this time around. No, this was nice and slow, something a bit different and both parties were enjoying it wonderfully. Luna urged him on for several more minutes, relishing in the wonderful, constant pleasure that Fredrick could bring her, but soon, she pried him away from her bosom. “Can we go slow and gentle tonight…?” Luna asked softly, biting her lip in arousal while her eyes maintained an image of innocence. “Yeah,” Fredrick whispered with a smile, both of them able to feel their hot breaths graze their faces. Never breaking eye contact, Fredrick moved off of Luna so he could get undressed, while Luna quickly slid her panties off. Resuming their position, Luna felt Fred’s hard member slide up against her upper slit and right on her clit, forcing a staggered moan out of her, one which was silenced when Fredrick planted his lips on her once more. The two made out, letting their tongues softly caress one another as they began grinding into each other… nice and slowly. Luna could feel every inch, every contour of the underside of Fred’s cock as it slid against her lower lips, which were quickly becoming wet with her natural lubrication. When they separated their lips once more, Fredrick pulled his hips back and angled his rod straight towards her aching slit, pressing his head against them and barely penetrating her. Luna shuddered, as did Fredrick, and the two resumed eye contact as he began to sink himself inside of her. Soon enough, he was completely buried in her, and after remaining connected and sharing another kiss for a couple of minutes, Fredrick began to retract and thrust. It was a gentle rhythm, harmonic and gradual. Fredrick would remove nearly his entire length save for the tip, and then thrust back into her, the gentle force in which he did so forcing her breasts to bounce slightly. Luna and Fredrick shared gentle groans with each other, the former cupping her breasts and holding them for the latter to see while he impaled her throbbing pussy. “Hah… Mmmm… just like that…” Luna cooed approvingly, spurring Fredrick onward and allowing him to increase his speed just a little bit. She pulled his face back down as much as possible and linked their mouths once more, letting their tongues eagerly go at it as he fucked into her. Luna’s legs did well to hold him tightly between them, refusing to let him go until he gave her what she craved; until he emptied his warm, creamy essence into her. She didn’t have to wait long either. Something was inherently different about this time together, and instead of focusing on merely the feeling of fucking each other, the drop in pace allowed the two of them to focus on each other in entirety. Their eyes saying everything that needed to be said, the heat from their bodies warming each other to the very core, and the spark of the very essence of love that flowed electrically through them unbidden… all added to the indescribable pleasure that quickly took both of them over the edge, much to both of their surprises.   With louder cries of ecstasy, both of them came at essentially the same time, Fredrick emptying his balls into Luna’s depths while her love-tunnel attempted to hold his dick squarely buried within her. Their moans of pleasure quickly morphed into gentle coos and pants, the two of them quick to hold each other tightly and remain connected at the nethers for as long as possible. And neither could resist stealing another deep kiss from each other. “I love you so much, Fredrick…” Luna felt compelled to remark, burying her muzzle into his neck and taking a deep breath of his scent. “And I love you, Luna,” Fred replied in earnest, quick to angle her face back to his so he could kiss her again, content to leave their lips locked until they fell off from overuse or until they fell asleep in each other’s embrace, whichever happened first. [Later That Night…] The work life of a Lunar Guard was, like their Solar counterparts, not always the most exciting. Despite Stella’s headstrong attitude and desire for really anything out of the ordinary, the thestral mare had an odd allure towards monotony. She rarely had any problems standing at her post for hours on end, and her ability to take orders (yet dish them out and not take shit from anypony) quickly ensured that she had leeway and notoriety with command, usually in a good way. Surprisingly, Stella had no infractions on her record, though she claimed the reason for that was that ‘nopony had the balls to take her to a higher-up.’ Tonight, the foul-mouthed guardsmare was on patrol duty, marching a predetermined path throughout the castle, which was one of her favorite assignments… mainly because she did not get along with a fair amount of her comrades and was afforded the ability to move around constantly. Either way, Stella was patrolling through a main artery that connected the Solar and Lunar sections of the castle, but despite her heightened attention to detail, she did not pick up a presence that lurked in the shadows. Stella was a hard mare, that was for sure. She never came from a life of privilege, and admirably, worked for everything that she had. Over the last few years, she had hammered out a comfortable existence as a soldier; she joined the army when she came of age and initially hoped to get a higher education in Political Science, applying herself as a combat soldier in an infantry division for about ten months before getting rotated to a coveted Royal Guard position, though on a trial basis. Turned out, Stella loved a soldier’s life so much, especially being a guard, that when Princess Luna handpicked her for the Lunar Guard (which was desperate for excellent candidates), she accepted immediately, along with all the benefits including a promotion and a nice reenlistment bonus. She was also on track for promotion to Sergeant very soon, and had hopes of making Captain of the Lunar Guard one day. Her fiery attitude and generally foul, borderline-revolting lexicon was born out of her life in the massive cave networks of the Northern Mountains, where competition amongst batpony clans was often cutthroat. This was a lingering side effect of Luna’s banishment, as she happened to be their unifying figure, the one who brought them out of the darkness and squalor, and into prosperity (and hence, thestrals’ propensity to demonstrate an undying, almost fanatical loyalty to the Night Princess). Stella’s family never let her forget the dark times before Luna returned, and ensured that she knew what it meant and what it felt like to forcefully etch out a name and existence for herself. This also led into why she never particularly cared for many of her thestral comrades: they took their new, ‘re-found’ opportunities for granted. Stella’s ear twitched once she sensed the presence behind her. Fancying a glance while her hand instinctively fell to her sword’s grip, she found nothing following her, or anything considered out of the ordinary. Narrowing her gaze while shifting her eyes, she huffed in irritation yet continued onward. Stella continued her patrol, though understandably a bit more aware of her surroundings, now. She did not have to wait long for her stalker to make itself known, especially when she heard metallic hoofsteps behind her. She quickly grasped her sword’s grip and spun on her hooves. “Alright, who the fuck goes th—” Her words were halted immediately upon finding none other than Princess Luna in her royal regalia. “Y-Your Highness…” Stella scaled back her tone and immediately lowered herself to one knee. “Forgive me, I did not know it was you.” “Rise, Corporal Sabre...” Princess Luna muttered her name as she closed the distance between them, knowing exactly who the thestral was since Luna handpicked her guard. The iconic aura of authority and stoicism surrounded her form and Stella felt compelled to snap to attention with a full salute. “Ma’am!” “At ease, soldier. We shall be informal tonight, if that’s alright with you,” Luna replied genuinely, wanting her guard to get comfortable. “Alright, Princess. I can do that,” Stella affirmed gently with a nod and a smirk, much more in her element. “Very well. Walk with me, Stella,” Luna beckoned as she began a leisurely stroll down the corridor, and the batpony immediately fell into step with her. “I have a proposition for you, and you are under no obligation to accept but I feel you are the best candidate for the job." “What makes you say that, Princess?” Stella asked, curious as to where this was going. “Because you are Fredrick’s greatest friend behind myself and Celestia. In fact, I’m almost certain he’s confided in you over the fact that he’s going to get pranked hilariously,” Luna revealed, giggling a bit. Stella smirked. “Indeed…” she answered, urging Luna onward. “Celestia and I already have drawn up some basic framework as of today, but we needed a little extra ‘material’ to ensure maximum effectiveness. That’s when I thought… what better way to do that than to recruit Fredrick’s other good friend?” “Wait… wait…” Stella replied. “You want me to help prank Fredrick???” “Due to the nature and intensity of the prank war that Celestia and I wage, I can understand completely if you do not wish to have any involvement,” Luna explained, more than ready to accept a no for an answer. “May I speak completely freely, Princess?” “Certainly!” “Nothing would give me greater fucking pleasure than to watch Fredrick squirm,” Stella admitted with implicit acceptance. Luna giggled heartily at her words. “Huzzah! Then it is done. A couple of things, however… firstly, I shall compensate you for your services rendered to our master plan,” Luna replied eagerly. “Princess, in all honestly, I would do it just for the laughs,” Stela confessed. “Nonsense! You deserve something for your efforts, especially since Fredrick may hate us for the foreseeable future afterwards. From now on, aside from your normal shifts, you shall be assigned to my honor guard when I move around officially. Does that sound fair?” Luna offered, and in turning back towards Stella, she found the thestral mare seemingly having a seizure in place. “H-H-Honor Guard???” Stella frothed at the mouth in disbelief. Being a Royal Honor Guard was no joke, and it came with a whole slew of extra benefits and prestige. “Indeed!” Luna confirmed. “As you may know, Oracle is taking an extended leave of absence to help care for his newborn foal, so I needed a qualified replacement, anyway. Well? What say thee?” Luna asked with a comforting, knowing smile, eager to hear Stella’s response. “Yes! A million times yes, I accept! Thank you, Princess! Thank you!” the batpony nearly shouted, almost jumping for joy at the opportunity. “Splendid!” Luna agreed, glad that she found a great replacement in record time. “Now, one last thing. To ensure maximum effectiveness, there’s some… ‘attire’ that we shall need you to wear on the night of the prank. If you do not feel comfortable wearing such garments in front of Fredrick, I understand completely, and we can work something else out,” Luna cautioned with another stipulation. Stella was, so far, undeterred. “What’s the outfit, if I may ask?” Luna encased her hand in magic and willed a set of neatly folded clothes into existence, floating them towards Stella for her to look at. “This.” Holding the now-discernable single-piece of clothing, Stella’s jaw dropped when she found that it was a very skimpy two-piece, reminiscent of a swimsuit. The leathery clothing itself was onyx-black, and the top was connected to the bottom by a series of silver links on either side. The oblong triangle cups which would be used to cover her breasts would barely leave anything to the imagination based on how Stella knew this would fit her. The bottom was essentially a thong, and right on the crotch area, a full moon was sewn in. “Whoa…” “Is this a bit too risqué?” Luna asked, thinking that Stella was immediately having second thoughts, but to her surprise, she began busting out laughing. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me wearing this… Let’s do it!” the batpony agreed wholeheartedly, punctuating her words with an eager nod. “Very good! You may keep that for now, but we may make some adjustments before the time comes. Try it on when you get a chance, see how it fits. I shall keep you posted on the master plan, so standby. We shall be in contact,” Luna foreshadowed with an evil grin, one that Stella mirrored. She snapped to attention. “Yes, Ma’am!” > Part XXI. Moment > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XXI. Moment [Castle Barracks | Later that night…] Other than her spontaneous conscription into a diabolical plan to prank Fredrick, Stella’s patrol shift ended without much flair… though she had another outfit in tow to show for her once in a lifetime opportunity. For once, she could not wait for her shift to end so she could try on said outfit… something that she never thought she would think in her life. As one could infer, Stella was not one to go on lavish shopping sprees nor spend hours trying on clothes and makeup. She was a mare, of course, and enjoyed dolling herself up every once in a while, but clothing never took precedence in her life, which is what made this situation all the much more different. Being relieved of her duty early, Stella quickly entered into the Lunar section of the barracks and found her room. Since Lunar Guards were fewer in number than their Solar counterparts, they were often afforded more living space. One such example was that rooms only housed pairs of soldiers rather than quadruples, simply on account of numerical disparities. There were tradeoffs, of course, such as Lunar Guards having to take on much longer shifts than their Solar comrades, but regardless, nopony was complaining. Unlocking her room, she entered into the dimly lit, spartan abode… quite reminiscent of the Northern Cave networks, including the color of the walls as well as a few stone amenity emplacements. Inside the comfortable living space were two beds side by side, though ‘bunks’ would be more of an apt term. With nopony else to share the room with, Command allowed them to separate the bunk bed into two separate beds, so no one had to take ‘top’ or ‘bottom.’ Stella’s bed was perfectly made, the comforter massively emblazoned with her cutie mark: a full moon with two falchions intersecting orthogonally a layer above. There was a footlocker at the foot of her bed which held a platinum nameplate with her full name; ‘Stella Sabre.’ The irony of her last name in relation to her cutie mark was not lost on her, nor anypony who saw it; she chalked it up as another manifestation of her personality. She was a bit more hasty in removing her armor and armaments, laying them out on the bed and resolving to put them away later… for now, she had something better to do. Stripping herself of her armor and underlayers, Stella was clad in a rather dull set of bra and panties which were the color of her dark-grey coat, nothing particularly exciting nor arousing, but, as was guard duty. Thankfully, her roommate was off for the night and out about Canterlot, which meant that Stella had freedom to try on her new outfit without being bothered… though her roommate, another batpony named Emeralda, surprisingly, was not bothersome; mainly because she rarely said anything at all and did her own thing.   Between the beds and on the wall opposite of them rested a full-body mirror which would be perfect for her needs. Removing her final garments and leaving her bare to nopony but her, Stella reached for the new outfit and, with a little bit of care in avoiding the tassels, links, and other extras, she managed to slip into the skimpy two-piece with relative ease. “Fuckin’ hell…” she commented once everything was properly ‘adjusted.’ Taking a good look at herself in the mirror, her suspicions were right in that this outfit would fit her… just barely. At first glance, the most noticeable feature was that her breasts were squeezed almost too-tightly together, creating more cleavage than Stella had ever thought was possible with her size (and that she had ever seen on herself, ever); add to the fact that they weren’t covered in full. Dragging her gaze downward and posing a bit to accentuate certain areas, her arms and stomach were quite sexily and muscularly defined, a testament to a life in the cave networks, army, and Royal Guard. Her triceps, especially, were on the larger side for what was normally seen in a mare, and a tight stomach with a vaguely defined six-pack could be seen through her coat, serving to frame her navel in the most arousing way possible. The silver links between the two pieces were held taut against her stomach and added extra frame and flair, quite lovely at that. Twirling around, the bottoms were essentially a thong, and the entirety of her ass was pretty much on display; not even her cutie marks were cut off. Her tail fit through a designated slit and it only added more allure to the innate attraction of her perfectly curved and toned backside. Stella ran her left hand down the curvature of her butt and down her leg before striking several other poses: one where she set her legs shoulder-width apart and placed her hands on her hips, another where she bit her lower lip and bent forward so her back was parallel with the ground, giving the mirror an inviting view of her bloated cleavage, another where she turned around and planted both her hands on her ass, giving the mirror a half-lidded stare… and one more where she cocked her right hip out and placed her right hand on it, accentuating her hips. She then decided to just sway her ass back and forth for a moment. By the stars, I look hot. “Damn, Stella.” The moment she heard a foreign voice pierce the silence of her vanity, Stella jumped about a foot in the air and screamed in a rather feminine tone, quickly covering herself up as much as she could with her hands… which wasn’t much. Immediately checking the door, she found Emeralda with a generally stoic gaze, but the left side of her mouth was turned up in a half-smirk. “God...DAMMIT, Emeralda, I thought you left for the night!” Stella nearly shouted, reining in her tone just a bit when she saw it was who she deemed a ‘friendly.’ “I did, but I forgot my badge. I’d like to get back into the barracks at some point,” Emeralda replied, brushing past Stella and paying her little mind as she picked up her essential item off the headboard. “Wait wait wait…” Stella quickly intercepted her bunkmate before she could head back out the door. “If you breathe a fuckin’ word to anypony... I’ll wear your fuckin’ sphincter as a fuckin’ bracelet,” she threatened, but it was token, almost reactionary. She knew that she didn’t need to worry about Emeralda saying anything to anypony, but habits are habits. Her fellow soldier’s gaze never wavered from stoic. “I never saw anything, Stella,” she replied in her usual, semi-monotone, brushing past the scantily-clad Stella and heading back out the door. Before she left entirely, though, she looked over her shoulder. “Still, that looks awesome on you… If I wasn’t straight…” she alluded with a mischievous grin. “Oh fuck off,” Stella replied, ushering Emeralda out with a brush of her hand, and with that, the latter took off for good, leaving Stella alone once more. She sighed blissfully and glanced at herself in the mirror, not being able to wait until the prank could be put into motion, because Fredrick would most likely shit himself seeing her in this attire. And she had an inexplicable stirring in her loins. Ahhh fuck… well, if it’s a wank the body wants, it’s a wank the body gets. Glancing back at herself in the mirror, Stella, moving forward from here, decided to pretend that the reflecting surface was somepony she was giving a show to. So, putting extra sway into her hips once more, she began stripping out of her newly acquired outfit. Biting her lip the entire time and giving her ‘recipient’ the sexiest look she could muster (which, all things considered, was pretty goddamn sexy), she shimmied out of the bottoms once she disconnected the links that held the two pieces together. Using merely two of her fingers, she slid the hem over the curve of her ass and threading her tail out. Her ass was on full display, not veiled by any token measure of clothing this time around, and when she bent down to ensure the bottoms slid off cleanly, the slightest hint of her lower lips could be seen through her tail. Next was the top, and Stella opted to just slide the straps off of her shoulders with the brush of her fingers. Lidding her gaze that much more, with one fluid motion, she peeled the garment off of her chest, leaving her completely nude with her backside facing the mirror. But, she had other things to do than sensually move in front of a mirror… and truth be told, it was starting to get pretty weird by that point. Stella may have been eccentric, but she was not about to jill off to her own reflection. Who does that? Leaving the mirror behind, Stella wasted no time in flopping on the bed (after haphazardly moving her armor away), almost giddy with excitement at the realization that she hadn’t touched herself in well over two weeks. Barely able to contain a toothy grin, she spread her legs nice and wide, letting the cool air of her room finally waft over her quickly moistening folds and sending the tiniest of jitters through her body. However, she wanted this to be at least a ‘halfway decent toss,’ so she decided to tease herself… just a little bit. “Mmmmm…” Stella hummed softly, allowing her eyes to gently shut as she dragged her hands up her body, feeling herself up the entire time before settling her palms right on both of her tits. The feeling of her fingertips having traced columns up her torso only served to excite her even more. “Haven’t given the girls much attention lately…” Her hooves curled a bit into the bed as she began tenderly massaging her breasts. What she told Fredrick at the tavern was true: she loved her boobs, and even though they were ‘only’ a C-cup, they were sensitive enough where she love playing with them—and having them played with. Stella cooed to herself as her fingers kneaded into the soft yet firm titflesh, her hands pressing her two orbs together and allowing her small, pert, darker-gray nipples to catch between her digits. She then moved to firmly squeeze her right breast while pinching and rolling the nipple of the left, having little desire to stifle a set of shuddered moans that wormed its way out of her muzzle. She alternated the same gestures between both of her breasts, goosebumps quickly forming from the combination of the pleasure shooting through her, her heat rising, and the atmosphere attempting to cool her off. Her nipples were already swollen and hard, begging to be sucked on by anypony, but alas, no one was around to perform the arduous, gruelling task of sucking on Stella’s tits. Pity. While she enjoyed boob-play on herself, the pleasurable actions were only serving to force more blood down south. Her marehood was almost painfully throbbing and winking, absolutely demanding to be touched and ravished. Reluctantly prying herself away from her boobs, Stella slid her hand downward, tracing the muscle contours of her abdomen before reaching her inner thighs, massaging herself there and serving to make herself leak like a worn faucet. That was one of Stella’s little ‘things’ about her. While she was not some overly-sensitive pony down by her clit and pussy in general, when she got horny, her panties would turn into an ocean. ‘Getting wet’ did not serve her justice. While it provided ample lubrication, it would sometimes be more of a liability than an asset, especially if arousal was unintentional.   Stella shuddered when the three middle fingers of her right hand made contact with her aching lips, but she immediately felt her entire hand seem to get soaked by the brief contact. I love you, vagina, but ya can’t keep doin’ that, come on… Undeterred, Stella pressed her fingers of both her hands flush against her pussy, paying little heed to the juices that quickly soaked them all. Pressing firmly against her lips, she slid both of her hands agonizingly-slowly to the top of her slit, where she pulled back the hood of her clit and let two of her fingers drum against it. “Ahh! Mmph…” Her little button reacted quite well to the attention, sending staggered waves of pleasure through her entire body. Her pussy seemed to quiver internally, and she shuddered at the feeling… all it meant was that it begged for more attention. With how horny Stella was feeling, she did not know how long she would ultimately last, especially if she was reacting to the simplest of touches in this way. Only one way to find out… Holding her slit from the top, Stella dragged her middle finger down its curvature before unceremoniously sinking the digit inside of her, her pussy hungrily swallowing it up to her knuckle. A cute little moan forced its way from her throat, but was replaced with one of much higher volume when she sunk her ring-finger in and wasted no time in pumping herself. “Fuck… Yeah!” she cried as she began fingerfucking herself, utilizing her left hand to rub her clit as much as possible all the while. “Fuck me… fuck me HARD!” she moaned, imagining a hunk of her fantasies penetrating her over and over again. Her eyes were shut tight and she bit her lip between bouts of moans… hard enough where she drew the tiniest amount of blood. “Please…” she whined to nopony in particular, inserting a third finger into her needy slit and going to town. She began pinching and rolling her clit, almost to the point where it hurt. “I wanna cum so badly… I wanna cum... UHN!!...all over your hard fuckin’... AHH!... cock!” she moaned ravenously through clenched teeth, followed by a sharp gasp as she hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her. Stella furiously rubbed her clit with abandon, stabbing her fingers inside of her and making sure to hit the spot she knew would bring her to her end. Her lower body was now out of her control, her hips already rising up off the bed as her pussy became that much tighter around her invading fingers. The onslaught of dirty words never left her mouth; she always got off on dirty talking, with or without somepony else present. “FUCK! Right there!” Stella whimpered after she cried out in dirty glee. “I’m so fuckin’ close… then shoot that… GAH! Ahh! AHH!... hot cum all over me!” she pleaded with her imaginary lover. “COVER ME IN IT!” She cried out one last time before giving her clit one last flick, which sent her completely over the edge. With one last vocal, guttural cry of unadulterated, feminine ecstasy, her pussy and entire lower body seemed to spasm in an orgasm of cataclysmic proportions. Her series of moans never ceased as she rode out her high, grinding her now-clenching pussy against her hands for good measure. Her abs were flexed tightly, attempting to hold onto the euphoria for as long as possible. The fruits of her labor were readily visible… actually, squirted all over her comforter to be precise. Deep, rapid breaths soon took over for her moans as Stella came down from her peak, her body soaked in sweat and her eyes still tightly shut. When she was able to calm down enough, she opened her golden orbs to the dimly-lit room, allowing a ‘beautifully sexed-up’ smile to adorn her pretty face. “Celestia I needed that! Fuck me… literally.” It was about that time that she realized that the comforter below the waist was absolutely soaked in her fluids, fully understanding the gravity of the fact that she squirt. Hard. She didn’t even have the energy to curse at that fact… she was just happy to get a much-needed release. However a bit of curiosity wormed its way to her mind, and she brought her thoroughly used and still-moist hand up to her mouth. She stuck the tips of her fingers in her mouth and slurped. She then cocked a confused eyebrow as she removed the digits from her maw. “Pineapple?? The fuck?! [Everfree Forest Outside Ponyville | Sunday Afternoon] The trip to Ponyville was as normal as ever, and like the last time, Luna had to adopt her ‘Lumina’ persona to avoid needless attention being drawn to them. As for the plan for the day, Fredrick was in for a complete surprise. With Twilight agreeing wholeheartedly, the unicorn and alicorn in disguise introduced them to a rather popular pastime: Magicka Shot. For all intents and purposes, it was identical to ‘Paintball’ but instead of balls of paint, it was charged, hard-magic. The result: much more realistic and intense, but quite a bit more painful. Lumina aimed her rifle out, leading with barrel as she looked for any sign of the enemy… once clear, she beckoned Fredrick and Twilight to follow close. Fredrick now had conclusive evidence that Equestria’s (and most likely the world’s) technology level in terms of military was somewhere akin to the First World War-era back on Earth. This was supported by the several-feet long, bolt action rifles they were carrying (despite being cumbersome due to the environment), on top of the full-face masks, steel helmets, and light-infantry uniforms. They went all out in terms of gear with the sport. Fredrick was impressed. He also had to respect how much the magicka rounds hurt… it wasn’t just the kinetic impact (which could definitely be felt), but they also diffused a mild electrical charge for added effect. “Where the hell did they go??” Fredrick asked as the three crept forward. The rest of their team was dispersed throughout the forest in a general front line. “You saw the enemy retreat back into the forest towards their headquarters, most likely attempting to rally a final defense,” Lumina replied, never drawing her eye from her rifle’s sights. Fredrick shrugged and accepted the words, but what was still fresh on his mind was the fact that Twilight was an active participant in something like this. “Still surprised you were so willing to join us, Twilight,” Fredrick commented as the three continued to move quietly between trees. “Hey, I may be boring, but I’m up for something different once in a while, when Equestria doesn’t require saving,” the unicorn admitted, though no facial expression could be discerned due to the masks. Since the masks were designed for ponies, Fred had to get used to the literal extra breathing room, as there was no other mask available that could accommodate his human face. Everypony continued onward in silence, save for the white noise that the forest produced. Not even the rest of the team was making any noise outside of occasional whispers. “Well,” Fredrick whispered. “If this is like any war movie I’ve ever seen back on Earth, I’d say we’re about to walk right into an am—” A shot rang out and a red-colored magical round found its mark in the chest of an anonymous teammate that had decided on the poor choice of taking point. “Ambush! To cover, NOW!” Lumina ordered, and thankfully, there were three small trees that afforded the three teammates enough cover for the coming firefight. After the first shot had been fired, over a dozen red-team infantry poured out of their emplacements with a collective warcry, finding their own sets of opposing cover as they moved to check the advance of blue-team. Red and blue bolts of hard magic were suddenly being traded back and forth at massive volumes. “Two at one o’clock, one at ten, Fredrick! I’m reloading!” Lumina cautioned, returning fire from around the tree before pulling the bolt back and inserting another magical core. Fred was no stranger to guns back home, and thankfully, the ever reliable bolt-action rifle worked just as well as it did there, though slightly differently. Working the bolt didn’t expend a cartridge or load another, but acted as a sort of manual cooling system for the weaponized magical magazine. So much for World War 1 tech… “I see ‘em!” Fredrick acknowledged, poking out of cover and firing two blue rounds towards the enemy. He scored a hit in an enemy’s left shoulder as they poked out. “You alright over there, Twi??” he called out as he cycled the bolt behind cover, finding Twilight much too apprehensive to level her rifle out and take aim, as she was only peeking from around cover. Her eyes widened as a red round slammed into the bark a few inches away, forcing her back into full protective cover. “I’m okay!” She finally called back, clutching her weapon closer to her body. “Starting to wonder why I agreed to this!” Fredrick found another potential target but Lumina was quick to dispatch them with a single round to the stomach, the enemy doubling over in agony as the stun round hit them full force in the gut. “Target neutralized! We must advance!” Lumina commanded, not waiting for any of her teammate’s confirmation before charging forward out of cover. Fred quickly followed behind her and Twilight, with some extra internal motivation, was able to find the courage to advance forward with her friends. “Watch it! There’s two behind those trees!” Fredrick warned, seeing an enemy fireteam in cover just a little bit ahead, and they quickly began shooting at the advancing trio. “AAAH!” Twilight cried out agonizingly as an enemy round found its mark in her right thigh, forcing her to lurch forward and plant into the ground. “TWILIGHT!” Lumina reacted, quick to dispatch her assailant with a nasty round that found its mark in their neck. “I’m… I’m okay…” she muttered weakly, Fredrick being able to drag her into cover. The rules of the game were that, as long as you did not get knocked out from the stun round, you were still in. Twilight barely held on when she got shot but was quickly recovering. “FUCK that hurt!” she yelled indignantly, partially at the irony of her being targeted and shot. Fredrick had to admit that she took the hit like a champ, and found some humor in the fact that that was the first time he had ever heard her utter profanity. “You’re still in this one, Twilight!” Fred reassured her, handing her the weapon that she dropped. Upon taking it into her grasp, she immediately got to her feet and aimed out from cover to fire at the enemy. Apparently, getting shot was enough to catalyze her aggressiveness. “Watch yourself, Lumina… they’re flanking!” Twilight called out two aggressors sprinting around to the faux-unicorn’s left flank. With a bit of careful aiming between the trees and steadying her breath, Twilight pulled the trigger and sent a round straight into an enemy combatant’s side, dropping her where she stood… and they knew it was a ‘she’ by the recognizably-feminine scream that flew unbidden from behind the mask upon being struck. “Excellent shot, Twilight!” Lumina complimented, finishing off the second aggressor that had decided to test their flank. She cycled the bolt of her rifle. “We’re barely a couple hundred feet from the victory line. If we cross it, our team wins automatically!” she reminded her two teammates, as well as any other team members that happened to be nearby. “Right!” Twilight acknowledged, firing towards any flashes of red light in the dense forest. “You got it, Lumina! We’ll follow your lead!” Fredrick yelled back over the sounds of battle in response, nodding to her for reassurance that he’d be on her tail. Lumina nodded curtly in return and steeled herself. “Very well! CHARGE!” she ordered, tearing from her cover and, as if her will compelled everypony else, her team quickly followed with an even mightier warcry. Fredrick and Twilight were all too eager to join in, aiming their rifles out as they left their cover behind to storm the final enemy defensive line. As for Fredrick, the sound of battle quickly cut out by a deafening metallic clink of his helmet, and all he remembered was his upper body lurching backwards before everything went completely dark. . . . . . . Fredrick groaned, feeling as if he had just woken up from the deepest sleep in the world. What was different about a would-be sleep situation, was that he had a massive headache. “Luna, he’s up!” Fredrick was able to discern Twilight’s voice softly speaking. He was able to shake some of the grogginess off and was able to figure out that he was lying down… and his head was resting peacefully on Luna’s thighs, the latter on her knees. She didn’t respond to Twilight’s alert, but lovingly stroked the side of Fredrick’s helmetless and maskless face. And curiously in her natural state, rather than her disguise. “W-What the shit happened?” Fredrick finally was able to ask, having gained enough sense about him to realize that he was at least safe. The lack of any gunfire or yelling was indicative of the match no longer going on, though, a quick survey of his surroundings revealed that they had not left the Everfree Forest yet. Luna giggled. “You took a direct headshot, my love,” Luna informed with stifled laughter. “Twilight and I saw you collapse immediately on your back.” “Not gonna lie,” Twilight interjected with a series of her own giggles. “It was pretty hilarious. We won, though!” Soon enough, both mares were in complete stitches at the memory of Fredrick’s body collapsing like a lifeless ragdoll. “Hilarious,” Fredrick replied stoically, but in good humor nonetheless. “Why are you out of disguise, Lu?” “There is nopony else around, and I wanted you to see something most familiar when you awoke. You were not out for very long, so do not worry, Fredrick,” Luna answered, leaning down to kiss her friend on the forehead… right where the magical round would have struck him. He gladly returned the sweet gesture. “Goddamn… that must’ve been some hit though. Too bad I didn’t do a flip from how hard it hit me. I genuinely don’t remember anything!” Fred exclaimed, in much better spirits now that the grogginess was wearing off, as was the headache, though the latter was due to Luna diffusing some painkilling magic through her hand. Everyone giggled nonetheless. “Come. Let us get back to Twilight’s. I believe an early dinner is in order before we return for the evening.” [One Week Later | Blueblood’s Chambers] It was the end of the following weekend, and Blueblood was relaxing before bed, reading up on some missed mail before he turned in for the night, ready to begin his ventures anew come the next week. He was this close to ensuring one hundred percent support from potentially dissenting members of parliament… but something caught his eye and drew him from his musings. A paper that was much darker than the rest, indicating an urgent status to it. Blueblood brushed aside the other parchments and decided to read this letter that was sent to him earlier this day. His eyes scrutinized every word, but his expression visibly shifted from that of pleasant stoicism, to displeased scowl. According to one of his ‘feelers,’ there was solid evidence that somepony had tried to test the credibility of his threat, and may have leaked details of Princess Luna’s courting plans to a press outlet. “When I find them... I certainly hope they’ll enjoy their personal realm in Tartarus!” he cursed to the empty room. ‘Furious’ would be an understatement… Blueblood would be sure to use all the resources available to him to physically and psychologically crush whoever, allegedly, decided to stupidly go against his will. But for now, there was something more important to do at hand. Flaring his nostrils in anger, Blueblood grabbed a blank piece of parchment and a quill, hastily penning an urgent letter to Princess Luna and Celestia. The Lunar Princess would have to call a Parliamentary meeting immediately and make the pivotal announcement. > Part XXII. Public > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XXII. Public [Outside of Parliament | The Following Tuesday…]     A cloudy day in Canterlot-town did not inhibit the sea of press that hounded the line of ministers and royal assistants filtering into Parliament’s massive doors. On either side, reporters from every newspaper all over the nation attempted to crowd in while a few well-placed guards did their due diligence in keeping the peace and everypony else bay. A cacophonous mesh of voices constantly sounded, all barely discernible individually, as reporters barked their questions to anypony who might lend even a hint of a listening ear. A few ministers would answer vaguely, though details were scarce as the Princesses did well to ensure that the true reasoning for the emergency session being called was thickly veiled.   Even louder noise erupted once everypony caught sight of Princess Luna and Fredrick, both garbed in formal regalia and jet-black suit respectively. Celestia was already inside the Parliament building, and the guests of honor decided to bring up the rear of the pony-caravan. Voice recorders and microphones were shoved in their faces, though, of course, guards did their very best to keep the excitable press behind an arbitrarily drawn line (with mostly success). None was more diligent about this than Princess Luna’s newest honor guard, Stella.   Clad in shiny new, onyx-black armor and adorned with bright-blue ceremonial decorations as per custom (with both a sword on her hip and a rifle slung on her back), the batpony mare quickly had to adjust to daytime life as she ensured nopony got within a certain diameter of Luna and Fredrick. She took the side closest to Luna while another honor guard named Windfire did well to see that Fredrick was undisturbed, though the two would alternate positions seamlessly.   “Jesus Christ that’s a lot of press…” Fredrick commented as he angled his mouth towards Luna’s ear.   “Pay them no mind, Fred. All their questions will be answered in due time; allow Stella to keep them in check,” Luna remarked in kind. She had given Stella full authority to ensure she and especially Fredrick were not hounded. The much crankier (due to adjusting for daytime) thestral would gladly make good on that. And boy, was she excellent at it.   “PRINCESS! OVER HERE, PRINCESS!”   “PRINCESS! IS IT TRUE THAT…”   “YOUR HIGHNESS, ARE YOU GOING TO…!”   “FREDRICK! JUST A MINUTE OVER HERE, FREDRICK!”   “PRINCESS, IS IT TRUE YOU’RE GOING TO ANNOUNCE FREDRICK AS YOUR ROYAL CONSORT!”   “There will be no questions at this time!” Stella shouted in her iconic drawl at a couple of rowdy reporters and journalists that got a little too close into the guard-line. “All questions are to be directed to Her Highness’ press officers after the hearing!”   Stella quickly made her way over to disperse the crowding ponies back into their ranks, nudging them along harshly.   “Alright! Let’s go, LET’S GO! Yeah, that means you too, ya knob! Get your ass out before I throw your ass out!” she ordered a particularly aggressive photographer back, but the beige pony quickly swatted her hand away.   “Hey! Don’t fucking touch me, I know my rights!” he yelled back angrily.   Stella was not amused, clearly evident by her gaze darkening and baring her teeth.     “LISTEN HERE, CUNT!” she suddenly screamed with maximum aggression. She shoved him back harshly, planting her armored palm under his chin and angling his body sharply away from her friend and Princess. “The only right you’re afforded is my right hoof crushing your right fuckin’ bollock if ya don’t shut yer gob and FUCK OFF!” Stella punctuated by hurling him back beyond the initial security line. She then began pointing at another particular pony in the crowd. “AND you, ya hackit twat! Have another go at me and I’ll cut your cock off, mate!”   The rest of that particular section became much more quiet and amiable upon witnessing that display of force; even the other royal guards gave her a bit of extra space out of concern for their own physical well-being.   “Jesus, you couldn’t have picked a better-qualified pony for an honor guard,” Fredrick added, wholly impressed at what he just witnessed and having to fight off his laughter. Luna, however, made no such attempt to stifle her giggling.   “I agree. I feel I made a wise decision. Her assignment was only supposed to be long-term temporary, but I think I’ll keep her on full time...” she replied, telling a half-truth of sorts. Stella had the job for as long as she wanted, due to her readily agreeing to be in cahoots with the Princesses. Of course, Luna could not exactly let Fredrick in on that.     The continuum of press had thinned out somewhat towards the doors of the Parliament building—in no small part due to Stella’s efforts—and the two were able to easily get inside… but not without either of them chortling at hearing a glorious “HEY! PISS OFF, CUNT!” in the distance before the massive doors were closed behind them.   The two both breathed a gentle sigh. It was time to get things going.   “Ready?” Fredrick asked sweetly, glancing over at his beautifully dressed up best friend. Her beauty was as striking as the first time he ever laid eyes on her, further reinforced when her hypnotizing teal orbs made contact with his own gaze. Fredrick had also conceded that, for all intents and purposes, she was his girlfriend.   It was just time to make it official. He had plans for that, as well.   “Verily. I have been planning for a good while now,” she replied, the confident aura that Luna exuded naturally in business situations ever present. It was one of the many qualities Luna possessed that drew Fredrick to her in the first place, among other things, of course.   She flashed him an endearing smile and pulled him against her, nuzzling his cheek.   “No matter how things turn out today, and I’m near certain we have absolutely nothing to worry about, our dynamic shall not change in the slightest. Am I clear on that?”   Fredrick nodded, reciprocating an identical smile, his green eyes absolutely filled with unbridled love for the alicorn mare in front of him. It had only been a few short weeks, and he took just a moment to appreciate everything they had been through and how much, and at the same time, how little had changed between them.   “I had no doubt in my mind. Still, it would be nice if everyone else was on our side, eh?”   “True, it would make future events that much simpler, I suppose. Regardless, I have no intention of letting potential negativity nor naysayers weigh in on my personal life and our relationship. You should not either,” Luna added, sweetly kissing the underside of Fredrick’s jaw. Suddenly, the door to the Parliament Building swung open partially.   “—and twist the ballsack until ya puke!” Stella underscored the end of a threat to somepony as she closed the door behind her. Once the door slammed shut, she breathed out a massive sigh, turning to the amused Luna and Fredrick, both individuals’ lips pursed in held-back laughter.   “I hate the press… with a burning passion.”   “Then you and I are in agreement once more,” Luna replied with a chuckle. Stella smiled toothily and took her place behind and to the left of Fredrick before Luna spoke again. “Now, it is about time to get this session started. Celestia and myself will do most of the talking. You get to take your usual seat to my right and listen to what transpires. I honestly don’t anticipate this being longer than ten minutes.”   “Got it,” Fredrick responded confidently and seriously. No smiles this time.   “I need not remind you how much I value your opinions and input, but I would advise you, this time around, against speaking up unless you are directly called upon to speak. Okay?” Luna cautioned him, something she felt necessary to say since he would essentially be on display in front of the whole of Parliament. While Luna knew firsthand how intelligent Fredrick was, as well as his impeccable sense of when to be serious versus lighthearted, she did not want to risk him saying anything offhanded that could potentially jeopardize their case. Fredrick often presented Luna with new ways to look at things in life, and many of their late-night conversations often delved into the realms of the deep and thought provoking… but he was also a specialist at making a complete ass out of himself, even inadvertently.   The awkwardness that permeated their early relationship was a testament to that. It did not matter in the end, though… right? However, Fredrick had a point in saying that it would make things quite a bit easier if everypony was on their side.   “You got it, Luna. I’d rather listen than speak right now anyway, if I’m being completely honest,” Fredrick admitted, adjusting his suit jacket around his tie.   Here’s hoping that Blueblood came through well enough.   “Your Highness,” Stella politely interrupted their exchange. “They’re waiting for you both in the chamber.” Luna angled her head gratefully at her newest honor guard before looking to Fredrick once more.   “Very well, then. Let us get this over with so we may have more time to relax with each other tonight,” Luna beckoned him onward, placing her arm around his waist and gesturing him forward.   “Oh trust me,” Fredrick replied, shooting a fleeting glance back at Stella. “I’m more than looking forward to tonight,” he said, doing well to ensure his tone of voice did not betray his internal knowing.   Fredrick angled his left fist backward and Stella quietly bumped it in a show of understanding, the two holding identical, playfully conniving smirks. Their little plan of a couple weeks prior was about to come to fruition, and the thestral mare had every bit of confidence that it would work flawlessly in Fredrick’s favor. In fact, said plan was already being put into action as they worked. Stella called in a few favors (and extortions) to get the whole setup ready while they were all in Parliament, a cadre of guards and other castle staff carrying out her orders. With the underlying theme of simplicity, she it would ensure ease of action, ease of success, and ease of eventual cleanup.   The sound of the idle chatter of a couple hundred members of Parliament echoed throughout the conference chamber, and while Fredrick was no stranger to being the center of attention, especially in Equestria, he took a tiny bit of an issue with being on display for all the country’s nobility and legislators, ones who would be instrumental in ensuring a comfortable, or not-so-comfortable existence going forward.   Then again, Fredrick had recalled many times that he had met with much of the nobility, and a fair amount of them were quite nice ponies, in his experience. Thus, he felt today could go solidly, assuming Blueblood made good on his words.   “Relax, Fredrick,” Luna cooed into his right ear as they approached the royal seating arrangements, having crossed the massive, circular floor. “All will be well.”   Fredrick responded with a warm smile and nodding in agreement, her words of encouragement helping to dispel much of his remnant apprehensiveness. As he ascended the small steps to their seats, he made eye-contact with a dress-clad Princess Celestia and the two shared friendly smirks and a couple of waves. What surprised him, though, was the pony sitting right on Celestia’s left: Twilight.   The unicorn smiled brightly and waved at the human, Fred reciprocating the gesture fully before he, too, took his seat on Luna’s right. Running a hand through his neatly-combed hair along the left parting line, he did one last ritual smoothing out of his suit before ensuring he was comfortable in his seat.   The shutting of the chamber doors by Stella and another royal guard signaled that all who had entered would be present. The batpony shot Fredrick an encouraging salute and a wink accross the floor while she took her position next to the entrance, immediately snapping to attention and donning a stoic, hardened gaze, much like a statue.   The entire chamber quieted down when Celestia raised her right hand, calling for silence. She then stood up tall and proudly.     “Good morning to all members who were able to make it… and it appears essentially all of you were,” Celestia greeted loudly and observed, directing her gaze around to gauge the turnout. “As you all know, this was an unplanned meeting of high importance which was called by none other than Princess Luna of Equestria. This session shall be relatively short, so without further ado, I hand the floor to my sister,” she gestured to Luna, promptly re-taking her seat as the midnight-blue alicorn stood on her hooves. A regal, stoic complexion donned her features, much as she was known for. Fredrick focused his attention on her, but could not help but let his eyes wander her shapely form within that gorgeous dress of hers.   Fredrick, now’s not the time to use that.   “Noble members of the Equestrian Parliament…” Luna began, using a low-grade of her royal voice to help project herself, letting her voice diffuse throughout the massive chamber in such a way that commanded reverence. “…I have called you all here to make an important announcement… for me, at least. It is an announcement I have little desire to make, however, pursuant to Article 23-2c of Regal Law under Equestrian Unification, I am encouraged to announce that I have taken a suitor.”   A few surprised whispers and mutterings suddenly broke out, and while a select few of the Parliament members seemed to know what was going on, most were quite confused… and the remaining were ecstatic to hear of the one who had taken the heart of Princess Luna. As for Fredrick, he did his best to keep a stoic face, facing forward and casually paying attention to the declaiming alicorn.   “As such, without wasting a single moment, I wish to announce to you and to all of Equestria that I am taking…” Luna then gestured her right hand over to Fred, and he had to ensure he kept his posture and composure when all eyes suddenly fell on him. “…Fredrick Himmelreich, my closest friend since my return, as my suitor. Actually, nay… as my coltfriend,” she punctuated to a chorus of gasps that sounded from seemingly the entire building. However, she was undeterred, and affixed Fred with a radiant yet equally warm smile, one that held naught but love. Her eyes and slightly relaxed posture conveyed the fact that she was relieved to have said her peace publically. Luna was happy not hide that anymore and, like she had said all those weeks ago, shout it to all of Equestria, regardless of who approved and who did not. In fact, the potential reactions she would receive concerned her very little.   Fred mirrored an equivalent sentiment, with a loving smile to boot, and the two were seemingly deaf to the commotion dying down entirely to the point of complete silence; nary a whisper to be heard.   “Ahem! If I may say something in response…” a rather old, white-haired unicorn stallion with what Fred would consider a generic ‘old man voice’ spoke up, breaking the silence’s stranglehold. He carefully smoothed out his suit as Luna and all others focused their attention on him. “… I say bra-vo! And it is about time!”   “Indeed!” A relatively young pegasus mare said and stood up with an approving grin. “I, for one, saw this coming as well, and was wondering when the inevitable would happen. Oh, I could not be happier for Her Highness!” she declared with giddiness.   “So the rumors were true…” a familiar Fancypants mused loudly as he, too, stood up tall. “I must admit I’m a little disappointed... that it took this long, Princess. But nevertheless, it is wonderful that somepony, even if he may not be of this country or even this world, has captured your heart so strongly. I wish nothing but the best for you,” he punctuated with a respectful bow.   Prince Blueblood stood up and cleared his throat.   “On behalf of myself and Lord Stratus who… is indisposed and not able to be here today, I applaud the decision wholeheartedly. Mister Himmelreich is a fine candidate for a royal coltfriend,” he praised genuinely, aiming a prideful glance at Fredrick in addition to an approving nod, though Fredrick knew that there was still (granted, barely noticeable) trademark contempt packaged with such a gesture.   “Lord Stratus would have wished me to convey his full support for such a declaration,” Blueblood added.   “You deserve nothing but the best for all you have done for Equestria!” Lord Cumulous added, though a tad stoically.   “AND he sure is a handsome one! Good on you, Princess!”   “Oh that old law? Rubbish. Date with whomever you wish, Your Highness!”   More and more members of the government began standing up and voicing unequivocal support for their relationship, and the beautiful feelings that welled up inside Luna could barely be contained. The smile that engraved itself onto her features, she could not hide, and she had to fight back the slightest mist in her eyes when suddenly, everypony in the room rose in rapturous applause.   This was certainly not how Luna, nor Fredrick, nor Celestia expected this to go. Hell, Twilight was absolutely floored at the reception. She knew well that not all the nobility nor high-ranking government officials were insufferable asshats, but she sure as hell expected some sort of opposition to materialize, given what Luna and Fredrick had conveyed to her in their concerns.   In the eyes of Fredrick, Luna, and Celestia, Blueblood had done an impeccable job, though the absence of a rather prominent figure of Parliament raised a few questions that they had no desire to find an answer for. Deep down, however, there was some degree of knowing. They just chose to ignore it.   “And in the wake of that announcement,” Celestia raised her voice to capture everypony’s attention once more; silence reigned again. “One of the ministers raised a wonderful point: that ancient law is just that: ancient. Archaic. Thus, to add to this wondrous moment for my sister, I wish to add one last thing… something that should have been done months ago, in my opinion.”   Celestia stood up fully and clapped her hands together excitedly while Luna, Fredrick, Twilight, and the others raised a collective eyebrow in anticipation.   “By royal, executive edict, I hereby decree that Article 23-2c is nullified. Any member of the royal family may consort with whomever they so desire without having to whisper a single detail to Parliament, nor anypony else! It is their business, and their business alone, as it should be for anypony in Equestria!”   “YES!” Twilight suddenly cried out gleefully, shattering her (normally) collected character to pieces. Luna and Fredrick were to follow, the former jumping the latter with a tight hug while the applause suddenly picked up. In the shadows of it all, Stella herself did not keep herself from participating, contributing to the thunderous clapping with a knowing smirk.   “Good on ya.”   There was then a series of careful knocks on the door that the batpony recognized immediately, and she creaked the door open, only to have her ear whispered into. She nodded appropriately.   “Now, if you all would kindly excuse me,” Luna said in her royal voice, shushing the noise. “I intend to finish my work for the day so I may spend time with my coltfriend. This meeting is dismissed!” she proclaimed before eagerly yanking Fredrick from his seat and dragging him towards the Parliament doors. She did stop, however, to shake a few hands of the more liberal ministers that hand intercepted her and, in that moment, Stella was able to grab Fred’s head and angle her muzzle towards his ear.   “Everything’s set up. Go get ‘er, mate.”   “You’re the best, Stella. I owe you big time,” Fredrick replied hastily yet gratefully, his hand and body still being dragged along by Luna.   “Aye. You fucking know it, cunt,” she added with a wink before releasing him to Luna’s clutches entirely, waving him off as he was dragged out of the Parliament building and back towards the castle.     [Castle | One Hour Later…]     The Lunar Princess glided along the castle corridors towards her office, her mind free from any care in the world after the short yet ultimately fulfilling meeting in the Parliament building. In hindsight, she realized there was absolutely nothing to worry about, and Blueblood, in the end pulled through marvelously. However, she was still shocked at how progressive and ultimately liberal some of the members were… but she had no reason to dwell on these things now.   Humming a happy tune, Luna greeted all passing castle staff as she made her way to her study. There were a few more princess-ly orders of business to take care of before Fredrick was to come by and meet her. The ultimate plan was to—once she finished a few reports and responded to a few joint-requests from Celestia—retire to her bedchambers and cuddle with Fredrick the rest of the evening. She had parted with her human significant other so he could change into more comfortable attire, and Luna herself could not banish the pleasant thought of getting out of her tight dress and into her baggy sleepwear… then refuse to let Fred out from her grasp. Once her actual work was done, of course. Fredrick, as well, had to finish a few matters of archiving with Celestia.   Perhaps, even, some celebratory sex is in order…   Luna’s internal musings were interrupted when, upon entering the Lunar section of the castle, she found the oddest sight on the floor.   “Hmmm…?” she questioned as she stooped down to one knee, observing what looked like a bunch of flower petals in the middle of the wide corridor. Picking up one of the silky objects and examining it closer, she immediately recognized the deep, striking, blue gradient petal as belonging to the Night Lily, one of her absolute favorite flowers. Luna raised the right side of her mouth in a gentle smirk but her bemused expression returned when she saw that this was not an isolated ‘accident’; a trail of Night Lily petals led down the corridor.   “Peculiar…” she mumbled to herself. Luna stood up and glanced around her, seeing that there were, in fact, no guards nor anypony else of interest that could answer her questions. Sensing no ill intentions and having her own suspicions as to their origin, she opted to follow the trail of petals down the curiously abandoned hall, adopting a more formal posture with her hands behind her back.   The small trail laid out before her suddenly widened once she hung a left turn, finding the entire width of the large hallway littered with immaculate and properly-placed Night Lily petals. Again, there appeared to be nopony, not even a guard, here to witness this odd spectacle.   As if it was put together entirely for Luna.   The Princess continued to followed the mysterious trail-turned-floor of flower petals, but such a large spread soon began to trickle back into a small line… leading right to her office door and under it.   Somepony broke into my office. If this does not lead to something pleasantly surprising, that shall be a felony charge.   With a barely noticeable flick of her right index finger, Princess Luna magically unlocked her office door and cautiously opened it, allowing the light that naturally filled the room through little slits in the ceilings (acting as miniature skylights) to greet her entry. As expected, the trail of Night Lily petals continued on, but stopped right in front of her desk. Luna cocked her head and slowly advanced on her workspace with the slightest hint of trepidation in her steps, her metallic hoof-falls being the only sound that entered her perked ears.   At a first glance, her polished, ebony-wooden desk looked no different than it ordinarily was; the rigid order of her workspace an inanimate reflection of her personality. As Luna got closer, though, she was able to clearly make out something that was not there when she left this morning: a picture frame. Since her desk faced the door, it was facing away from her, obscuring its contents. That was easily remedied when Luna gingerly reached out and picked it up, turning the frame to face her.   Her eyes widened slightly and a faint gasp escaped from her lips when she saw the picture the aforementioned frame held.   Luna’s posture relaxed and she smirked widely, letting a gentle but pleasant warmth radiate from her chest to her entire body upon seeing the very photo Fredrick had taken of them both with his phone; the one from that particular night about three or four months prior on her balcony. Luna ran her thumb over the edges of the frame as she reminisced on that night, recalling how happy she felt to have someone like him as a friend (and now as a publically official coltfriend).   The sounds of distinct footsteps garnered Luna’s attention and she turned back towards the doorway, her complexion brightening even more when she found Fredrick, dressed a bit more casually (still immaculate) with his brown hair neatly combed as ever. What grabbed her attention the most, however, was the fact that the smiling human was holding a beautiful bouquet of intact Night Lilies.   “Fredrick?” Luna asked, barely above a whisper. Her wide, jovial complexion never left her as she gestured to the floor and out the door. “Was this all your doing?”   “I had a little help from a friend,” he confessed whimsically, closing the distance between them and presenting her the bouquet. Wordlessly, she accepted it and took a nice, deep whiff of the floral aroma she loved so much.   “They’re beautiful, Fredrick… even if you slaughtered hundreds of them just to give these to me,” Luna pointed out semi-sarcastically as she gesticulated to the massive amount of petals adorning her office floor and the corridor outside. Fredrick snorted and the two devolved into laughter, Luna placing the bouquet on her desk while they melded into each other’s embrace. Green eyes locked onto blues and their noses pressed cutely together.   “So… if you have time tonight, how does dinner sound? Just you and me. No disguises, nothing fancy. Just us in our element,” Fredrick so smoothly propositioned, running one of his hands through Luna’s ethereal mane and tracing lines on her scalp, enjoying the odd tingly feeling that bathed his skin whenever he did so.   “Dinner you say?” Luna coyly asked in return, holding her human that much closer. “I may have to shift a few things around but I think I can fit that in my schedule, coltfriend,” she playfully added, addressing him by his ‘official title.’ At that moment, Fredrick could not resist anymore; he absolutely had to kiss her.   So he did. He pressed his lips softly against hers, initiating a kiss that was chaste yet loaded with so much meaning and emotion. No longer did they have to censor any of their relationship without fear of any of their lives being made difficult, and the two unlikely lovers intended to take full advantage of that. Their lips melded together and faint, wet smacks were all that filtered into their ears… on top of a few, gentle moans and gasps for air, of course.   If only for the purpose of breathing, Luna and Fredrick separated, the tiniest strand of saliva continuing to connect their mouths.   “Retrieve me at five from my chambers?” Luna asked, tokenly confirming their outing. “Awesome! I’ll pick you up then.” > Part XXIII. Together > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XXIII. Together “Here you go, you two! One monster dark chocolate milkshake for Her Highness...” the spry server of one of Canterlot’s most well-known diners, The Blue Jay exclaimed giddily while setting Princess Luna’s epically-portioned treat. “...and one cookies and cream malt for the lucky stallion,” she also said, placing Fred’s drink in front of him. Both parties were dressed casually, with Luna opting for an indigo v-neck short-sleeved shirt along with black denim pants, while foregoing any regalia. As for Fredrick, an emerald-green t-shirt and black cargo shorts suited his fancy just fine. “Thank you most kindly. T’as been a while since I have enjoyed a proper milkshake from a proper diner,” Luna replied, immediately dunking her straw into the thick goodness and taking a hearty sip, her features conveying nothing but pure happiness. “Same for me. Thanks!” Fredrick also replied properly, stirring the whipped cream a bit with his straw. “Awesome! Again, I’m so sorry if I’m a little nervous… i-it’s not very often that a Princess comes in, especially with her new coltfriend,” the cute waitress, named Sunlight, added with an anxious giggle, running her hand through her hair and making sure all was in order. Luna waved her hand dismissively. “Not at all, Sunlight. I am a normal pony tonight, for once. Please, treat me as you would any one of your other customers,” Luna encouraged with a calming smile, which seemed to have the intended effect. “Indeed… and don’t mind me,” Fredrick pointed out. “I’m just her weird human.” “Heh okay!” Sunlight righted her posture, giggling a bit before producing her little notepad from her pocket. “What can I get you two?” Fredrick gestured softly towards Luna with the subtlest of smirks, giving her the go ahead to order first. “I would like the…” Luna hung on her last few words as she traced the menu with her finger, finding exactly what she laid her eyes upon a few minutes before. “...triple hay burger. Everything on it is all well and good… and steak fries, please,” she ordered, closing the menu and placing it aside. Fredrick looked rather impressed at the hefty meal being ordered by the high-esteemed Princess. “Alright! And for you, sir?” “I’ll do the exact same thing, but no tomatoes please. Also, I forget, you don’t happen to have sourdough buns, do you?” he inquired, glancing up from the menu with a curious expression. “We actually do! And not just two slices of bread either!” Sunlight confirmed happily. “It’s my personal favorite!” “Your word is all I need! I’ll do just that,” Fredrick affirmed with a gentle nod, his words drawing a slight cocking of Luna’s right eyebrow, along with her affixing him with a trademark smugness as Sunlight pranced away. Fredrick, turning back to her, finally caught notice of her gaze; the alicorn had her head resting in her palm, supported by her arm. “...What?” “Pray tell, when did you become so fluent in smooth talk? Had you not been with me, she would currently be fawning all over you,” Luna joked with a half-smirk, which quickly devolved into a chuckle when Fredrick colored noticeably. “Well, I figured I had to stop being a beta piece of shit once we got together,” Fred remarked casually, taking a sip of his malt. “...A what?” Luna questioned, having never heard Fredrick use that term, and she silently inferred that it was some sort of slang from his world. “Ehhh… nevermind about my choice of words. Essentially, being around you and eventually us becoming an item helped my confidence. You helped that along, you’ll remember,” he slightly deflected, subtly referencing a few choice events on their little journey together. Luna nodded pensively, donning a bit of a coy smirk at his allusions. “True,” she said. “Even so, I still savor the times when the shy Fredrick shines through… he’s adorable,” Luna added, punctuating with a brief fluttering of her eyelashes and earning an exaggerated eye-roll from Fredrick. “On an unrelated note, I must say, when you said ‘casual’ I did not entirely expect our arrangements for the evening to be exactly this casual,” Luna admitted, gesturing to their surroundings in the diner. On such an odd day of the week, it was not particularly crowded so there were not many ponies gawking at them, which was nice. “Do-Do you not like it?” Fredrick asked, the tiniest hint of tremulousness showing through… but Luna’s reaction changed immediately when she saw his facial expression. “AWWW there’s the shy Fredrick!” she pointed out giddily, to which Fredrick reacted by pursing his lips, customary when Luna would lightheartedly tease him. “...but I do like it. In fact, I love it so far! Truthfully, I have always wanted to come here, but I never found the time, nor the will to ford potential mobbing and sneer from the nobility… Of course, I don’t particularly care anymore, and in retrospect, I probably should not have cared anyway,” Luna explained before taking a massive gulp of her shake. “Why not come here in disguise?” Fredrick, asked, smoothing out his hair on the back of his head. “I’m sure ‘Lumina’ wouldn’t have been the target of any harassment,” Fredrick proposed. Luna only shook her head, scrunching the left side of her face in thoughtful disapproval. “Ehhh, no. I never felt like assuming my disguise. In fact, I usually detest when I have to, because I would much rather go as my own self and use my magic for more important things than keeping up a mere disguise. In short, I just felt it was not worth it,” she explained. “As good of a reason as any, in my opinion,” Fredrick readily agreed. It was a simple version of the elegant and succinct answer to any ‘why’ question: ‘because of reasons.’ “And, you’re technically wrong in me not getting harassed as my alter-ego,” Luna corrected upon gulping down another generous helping of her shake, which was now halfway depleted. “Oh?” “You have little idea how many times I have gotten propositioned and ultimately hit on… which is especially more dramatic considering how seldom I assume my disguise,” the Princess recalled, which earned a chortle out of her coltfriend. “That’s not so surprising,” Fredrick said. “After all, Lumina is very attractive,” he jokingly admitted, but he was speaking the truth: Luna’s disguise was ever as gorgeous as her, but in its own right. Luna, however, responded with an inquisitive eyebrow. “Really now?” she asked, almost rhetorically, but Fredrick nodded deeply anyway as if it was one of the most obvious things in the world; it was. “Well… I may have to bear that in mind for the future,” Luna alluded so expertly, which earned a curious, if slightly fearful, gaze from Fredrick. “I...I have several questions,” Fred said pointedly while holding up his index finger emphatically. “Namely, you intend to torture me, huh?” he asked, knowing full well that Luna was a master tease, even worse now that they were officially together. “Maaaaybeeee~,” Luna replied mysteriously and with a coy smile to match. “Why?” “Because of reasons.” Fredrick pursed his lips and threw his hands up in defeat, eliciting an adorably maniacal giggle from the Lunar Princess. However, it was Fredrick’s turn to (attempt) to stifle his laughter when he caught sight of Luna’s snout having a bit of whipped cream left on it. “What?” she asked, confused at the sudden change in his demeanor. “You got a little something…” Fredrick pointed at her face. “Oh!” she exclaimed as she noticed, wiping it off with her finger and licking it off quickly, shooting Fred a little smile. “There ya go.” “I must say, today’s event went off, surprisingly, without a hitch,” Luna commented, bringing the both of them back to today’s Parliamentary meeting, the one that had been so pivotal for the last couple of months or so. “You know… I have to agree,” Fredrick said. “It almost seemed too good to be true. From the way you, Celestia, and others made it sound, and coupled with my own experiences, I was led to believe that Parliament and the general nobility was a lot more conservative.” “It was certainly a shock to me… I expected at least a handful of dissenting voices. The nobility is especially not shy in voicing their often disdainful opinions of matters and ponies deemed beneath them; one of many characteristics from the days of olden Equestria that simply refuses to die out completely.” “Perhaps we assumed wrong?” Fredrick proposed, to which Luna nodded thoughtfully. “That, or Blueblood really did well to silence the potential opposition.” “Perhaps so. Despite what you may think you know of him, Blueblood is incredibly efficient to work with,” Luna elaborated. “Oh yeah?” Fredrick asked, continuing the conversation and adjusting his sitting position. “Mhmm.” Luna nodded resolutely as she sipped her drink. “You have heard my rants about him in the past, especially when he sneered in your direction. He has a questionable character and morals, but I will not deny the fact that he is brutally efficient and oriented when it comes to political matters. I certainly may not enjoy his presence most of the time in the slightest, but he gets things done,” she explained. “Yeah, I’ll be the first to admit that he’s a massive dick,” Fredrick said, placing his thoughts out in the open. “But I guess he’s a dick that came through for us, perhaps even right on time when he informed you about having to make an announcement. The cock struck noon, eh?” Luna chortled and nearly choked at the comment. “That was a terrible joke and you should feel poorly about that,” Luna playfully rebuked. “But yes, he may be a reprehensible cock at times, but I know for a fact that he helped ensure the best outcome to the best of his ability. He shan’t be unrewarded.” “Alright I know for a fact that he didn’t do this out of the goodness of his heart, but he didn’t specify what he wanted in return, either.” “Indeed. I asked him the same thing and he did not wish for anything tangible… or anything at all for that matter,” Luna replied. “But knowing Celestia, she’ll figure something else out. If all he wanted was our good graces, he certainly has them.” A pleasant silence fell upon the couple, and despite the sounds of the environment, the two quickly became lost in each other, holding eye contact even as they sipped their respective milkshake and malt. These looks were not uncommon between the two of them, naturally, but at the same time, they were inherently different. It was as if, little by little, the reality of the situation was comfortably breaking on them, like tiny waves upon the collective beach of their minds. Fredrick reached across the table and took Luna’s hand in his own, interlocking his fingers with hers while he smiled warmly at her, a gesture she was more than happy to reciprocate. There, repeating the same with their other hands, they held each other in a small but ever meaningful embrace. The warmth and love they felt for each other diffused into both of them, radiating its indescribable feeling of belonging and security to every extremity of their bodies. “You look beautiful, Luna…” Fredrick felt compelled to say, having traced his eyes over her entire visible form. Such a complement had been bestowed upon her many, many times, but Luna felt it had much more weight to it. As a consequence, she blushed heavily. “Th-Thank you, my dear,” she replied sweetly. They massaged each other’s hands with their thumbs, and before Luna could say something she really wanted to say, Sunlight returned with a large platter, startling Fredrick and Luna out of their love-drunken stupors. “Alriiiight! I’ve got two triple hay burgers for the awesome cou—OH!” Sunlight suddenly stopped herself when she noticed the two’s orientation. “...I’m so sorry was I interrupting something?” Fredrick and Luna only glanced at each other knowingly, and the latter shook her head. “Not at all, Sunlight,” she confirmed. “I’m starving anyway!” Fredrick mirrored a similar sentiment. [One Hour Later…] Fredrick and Luna consumed their meals heartily, talking the entire time and just more than happy to be themselves in a more public, and fun setting. The food was every bit as good as Luna hoped, and what had surprised Fredrick was the fact that she ate the ENTIRE thing. Further, not only did she eat her entire, massive meal, she finished about twenty minutes before Fredrick, and the human had to be reminded that Alicorns had larger appetites with the higher amount of power they were capable of. It made sense to him, though, being a man from America back on his world, being ‘out-eaten’ by your incredibly hot girlfriend was both a source of pride and insecurity for him, so it balanced out in the end. Arms and hands linked tightly together, the two were seemingly skipping (though realistically just walking) along the quiet roads of Canterlot, laughing joyfully at each other’s words as they made their way back to the castle. Their sides were huddled together as they spoke about absolutely nothing important, faces colored by their constant giggling and with sore abs as an extra result. “Heh… wow, Fredrick,” Luna spoke, inhaling the temperate, evening air and wiping some moisture from the bottom of her eyes. “That was incredible. She really did that without any regard for the consequences?!” “Yeah… Sierra was a sweet girl, but goddamn she was absolutely insane. The amount of times I had to visit her in the hospital; it might as well have been her home,” Fredrick added, giggling at the memory of the story he told Luna. “Well, she seems like a wonderful mare with upstanding character nonetheless, despite her penchant to get herself and possibly those around her injured,” Luna added with a tiny chortle at the end. “I had a similar friend like that once.” “Oh yeah?” Fredrick asked as they began crossing the bridge which led to the castle’s entrance. Luna nodded and the guards saluted her as she walked past, snuggled closely with Fredrick. “Indeed. A wonderful friend he was but, he too, was quite the spontaneous one. He has been lost to time, however. It has been many a millennia since I have seen him last.” The conversation continued as they walked to Luna’s room, but that last sentence of Luna’s highlighted a massive concept for Fred: Luna’s lifespan. For all intents and purposes, she was immortal… in reality, she and Celestia would not live forever, but in terms of Alicorn lifespans, Luna was about to exit adolescence, while Celestia was technically a young adult. In either case, both princesses would outlive him by an uncountable number of lifetimes. And despite their happiness high, that made him a bit sad. However this was quickly pushed aside in his mind when the two of them arrived at Luna’s chamber doors. Luna turned to her guards and she dismissed them for the evening, a gesture they were more than happy and grateful to accept. Once they left, Luna faced Fredrick and placed a hand on one of his pecs while looking him in the eyes. “I had a wonderful time tonight, Fredrick… thank you. Such a simple date but it meant more to me than you will ever know,” she said, smiling brightly at him. Fredrick wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her close. “It was my pleasure, and I had a lot of fun as well. We need to do that more often,” he replied with equal eagerness. No more words needed to be said, and Luna placed her hands behind Fred’s head as she pulled him even closer, pressing her lips to his for a chaste kiss. Fredrick gladly leaned into it, letting the warm feeling of butterflies spread from his stomach all the way around his body. Both pairs of eyes fluttered shut as they held the kiss for what seemed like a small eternity, separating only for air and with a prominent ‘smack.’ “Would you like to… come inside, Fredrick?” Luna asked with extra emphasis on the pause, lidding her eyes just a bit to convey the obvious message. The right side of Fred’s lips curled up in a sly smile, nodding to her wordlessly as Luna led them into her room, shutting the door behind the both of them. Once the door shut, the two of them were on each other in an instant, hands planted on each other’s bodies as their lips smashed together. Luna ran her fingers all over the back of Fred’s head and neck while the human’s hands roamed all over Luna’s lower back and butt. Tongues had no inhibitions and were immediately pushed to the forefront, initiating a battle for dominance for both of their mouths as moans were aplenty. Their combined wetness against each other’s mouths only served to add to the moment, lips refusing to sever their vital connection to each other while Luna began leading them to her bed. However, this was easier said than done, as the outright refusal to open their eyes and remove themselves from each other ensured that bumping into furniture was commonplace. After a few cries of sudden pain and giggles as a result from smashing their hips and sides into wardrobes and armoir, Luna led them to the side of her bed, but their journey stalled when the kiss became that much hotter. Fredrick moved his hands to the back of Luna’s head, grabbing a fistful of her hair and keeping her right where she was. Luna licked Fred’s lips, retreating her tongue from his mouth and tasting a little bit more of him before renewing her offensive, one which Fred was more than happy to counter with an attack of his own. Luna’s hands fell from Fred’s face, however, when she began hastily removing her pants, sliding them down her form as best as she could while her human held her mouth in place. She also took the liberty of undoing Fred’s shorts and disposing of them. Their lips became sore from the ravenous makeout session, and the two finally separated when the need to remove their shirts arose. All remaining clothes were magically removed and the two resumed making out for a few moments before Fred pushed Luna back on her bed. “Oh!” she exclaimed gleefully, laying back and completely nude. Her breasts bounced arousingly as she hit the fabric, arms splayed and her legs draped over the side. She looked up at Fredrick expectantly, but her gaze was instantly drawn to his throbbing manhood, the subtle moonlight sneaking into the room highlighting it for her as if it was her prize. Fredrick locked his gaze onto her form lustfully, and Luna’s view of Fred’s length was obscured when he laid himself on top of her. Instead, she felt it, especially when his head pressed right up against her quickly moistening labia. Luna moaned softly at the sensitive touch, and her open mouth was silenced when Fredrick kissed her again, his hands massaging her ears. However, he broke off after a few moments and slid himself down, putting him at eye-level with her chest. Luna knew exactly what to expect, and Fredrick delivered beautifully when he squeezed both of her tits together, pressing his face into her addictive cleavage before taking her left nipple into his mouth. “Mmmmmm…” Luna hummed blissfully, enjoying the subtle electric feeling that sent the softest tingles through her body each time he ran his tongue over her sensitive nipple. With a blushed face and bit lip, she laid her head back and just enjoyed the treatment Fredrick was lavishing her with. His hands massaged both her soft, firm orbs so perfectly, making sure to treat the neglected breast with extra care while the other one was getting orally assaulted. Fred alternated between both of his favorite toys, sucking as if it was the last time he would ever feel them on his mouth. As well, he dragged his tongue all around her chest, especially her cleavage before going back to smothering himself between her pillows, a feeling that Luna loved (and would always giggle at). By now, with how often Fredrick had run his tongue over her boobs, Luna was certain that his tongue had memorized her chest entirely. “Ahh!” Luna squeaked out when Fredrick pinched both of her nipples between his knuckles, and that pleasurable feeling was enough to pull her out of her lethargic, blissful state to push him away before he really got carried away with her breasts. She resolved to let him fuck them later, but his shaft constantly grinding up and down her slit, sliding right on her clit was enough to send her netherlips throbbing with pent up arousal. Luna needed that thing stuffed into her right then. Fredrick donned the look of longing, wondering why Luna would do something so terrible as drag him away from her perfect tits but his psuedo-depravity was quickly abated when Luna rolled onto her right side and spread her legs, beckoning him between them. “Here, like this,” Luna huskily instructed, using a bit of her magic to help guide him into position. She fed her right leg between his legs and opened her legs wider, letting her left leg drape over his shoulder while his cock lined up with her folds just right. All that was left for Fredrick to do was press forward. “Like this?” he asked, ready to spear his dick into her, but wanted to make sure she was comfortable where she was. Luna bit her lip invitingly, nodding wordlessly. Receiving all the confirmation he needed, Fredrick eagerly pressed forward, hilting himself in her completely, much to both of their pleasures. Luna moaned out gutturally and Fredrick bared his teeth as he, too, moaned. Gripping her left leg against his chest for extra leverage, he began thrusting into her, using deep strokes at first to hit those special spots deep within her, the ones which would help bring about the euphoria she so desired. Each thrust elicited a soft hybrid of a moan and grunt from Luna, barely eclipsing the sound of his dick parting her soaked lips and the arousing, schlicking sound they produced as a result. Luna’s unreal flexibility and the positioning allowed Fred unobstructed view of every inch of her body, from her pussy which was engulfing his length each time he bucked his hips, to her breasts which jiggled between her arms due to their movements, up to the blushed, pleading face of his girlfriend, best friend, and lover. “MMPH! Ah! Keep going, Fredrick… just like that…” Luna groaned out when Fredrick made eye contact with her. Gripping Luna’s leg tighter, Fredrick picked up speed and began sacrificing a tiny bit of depth for speed and intensity, continuing to impale Luna’s needy slit with his cock and alter its direction inside her as much as he could. It was having the effect he desired, especially when her moans increased proportionally to his technique and her love tunnel seemed to, somehow, become tighter around him. He nearly lost it when he felt Luna constrict a little bit around him, but, regaining self control, he renewed his vigorous fucking. “Like that?” He asked, facilitating more talk between them. “That’s how you...mmph!... like me fucking you?” “Yes! Please Fre—AH!—drick! Don’t stop!” Not one to deny a desperate request from his girlfriend, Fredrick beat into her as fast as he could, judging from Luna’s moans exactly where he was making her tick the most when he buried his throbbing spire inside her depths. The messy, sloppy sounds of sex were more than overtaken by their combined chorus of moans, Luna’s eyes would often widen each time Fred attacked an extra sensitive spot inside of her, and she had no shame with letting her tongue loll out of her mouth. “AHH! AHH!... UHN!! Fred!!” Luna cried out at rhythmic and cyclic intervals. Seeing and hearing her in such a state gave Fredrick all the extra confidence he needed, and as such, he planted one of his hands on her ass and fucked into her with abandon, doing his best to cast his nearing climax aside in favor of Luna’s. “I’m gonna… FUCK!... make you cum… mmph!... so fucking hard, Luna…” Fredrick proclaimed, vocalizing his goal so he would not get distracted at his own, overbearing desire to shoot his load. “JUST...AHHGH! LIke that! Fuck me, Fredrick!! MMMHH!! UNNH!! FUCK ME!” Luna nearly demanded, making shameless use of profanity in conveying her deepest, lustfully clouded desires of her coltfriend. Luna contorted her upper body as much as she could so she could massage both of her heaving, neglected breasts. The dirty talk was traded incessantly back and forth between them, and Luna made sure Fredrick knew just how much she was enjoying the deep, hard dicking he was giving her. Fredrick, too, informed Luna how hot she looked and how tight her slit was around him, but his goal still rang strong in his mind: get her to cum, hard. A moment of clarity dawned on Fred through the lustful haze of passionate intercourse: Luna’s clit was on full display due to her position. Fredrick decided to act upon that, sliding his left hand down her leg and palming her pubic region. Before Luna could react to anything, Fred pressed his thumb straight into her little nub and massaged it in counterclockwise motions. “FREDRICK!” Luna cried out immediately, and Fred continuing to plow her pussy like it was his job (it was) only added to the sensation, her moans becoming much more staggered and higher pitched, not to mention louder. Getting into a stable, final rhythm, Fred’s hips slammed straight into her pussy each time he thrust forward, effectively hilting into Luna each time, which drove her absolutely insane. She clutched her tits to the point where she was leaving visible marks, and soon enough, her pussy contracted hard around Fred’s dick. One final, powerful groan of unadulterated ecstasy was the telltale harbinger of Luna’s explosive climax. The human, however, was unfazed. With the confirmation that Luna had come, his primal urges shifted to his own climax, and with that, he kept thrusting himself into her as best as he could given the sudden tightness. Luna’s eyes widened and being extra sensitive while she rode out her orgasm ensured that she nearly screamed out involuntarily in pleasure, saying Fred’s name over and over again in a mix of pleading to continue and begging to stop. Her tight little pussy was being used and abused to every sexy definition of the word, and it was not much longer before Fredrick’s moves became much more jerky, signaling the beginning of the end for him. “Gah!! Luna, I’m gonna cum too!” he quickly warned, and at that instant, Luna pushed him away, got off the bed, and sank to her knees all within the span of a couple seconds. Grasping his shaft, Luna began vehemently stroking him while aiming his dick straight into her open mouth, her eyes completely misted and clouded over with ‘sex,’ and making sure he was watching everything she was doing… and what was about to transpire. Not even letting her know of the final moment, Fredrick moaned as his dick erupted, spewing the first volley of his creamy essence right onto the center of Luna’s tongue, much to her absolute delight. She dared not swallow until every single drop of his cum landed squarely in her mouth, and even when that did happen, she refused to swallow it all until Fredrick saw the results of his handiwork. Finally coming off of his high, he gazed down to bestow his love upon Luna, only to find her on her knees, breasts squeezed together and framed by her arms, mouth open, and filled with his milky white contents. Her eyes never left his as she manipulated his seed with her tongue before swallowing it entirely, smacking her lips together and punctuating the gesture with an exaggerated ‘ahhh!’ A few seconds of that image burned onto his retina was all that was necessary for him to keep that for most likely the rest of his life. “H-Holy fuck, Luna…” Fredrick commented, the sudden loss of orgasmic adrenaline making his knees weak and his arms feel somewhat heavy from exertion. Though there was no mom’s spaghetti to be found, he opted to sit on the edge of the bed to catch his breath from their session. Luna joined him and snuggled up to him, kissing his neck and cheek lovingly as she, too, caught her breath from being fucked silly. “Fredrick…” she softly moaned into his neck in a tone that conveyed all her emotions through fatigue. All their remaining, pent up stress from the entire situation surrounding their relationship was expended on each other in a glorious fuck, and they quickly lost any semblance of coherence as their minds seemed to demand sleep at that very moment. Wordlessly, the two led each other to the pillows and under the covers, Luna covering them both as she and Fredrick snuggled up in their usual cuddle positions. Their eyes fluttered closed and they allowed slumber to extend its soothing grasp over them both. Luna and Fredrick were quickly pulled into the realm of dreams with noticeable, blissful smiles on their faces. However, a split moment before all was lost to the throes of sleep, Fredrick was able to muster one last, barely discernable sentence. “I love you…” Prince Blueblood opened the door to his office and sighed heavily, haphazardly tossing a few papers he was carrying over his desk while he set his coat down momentarily. It had been a gruelling day in speaking with a bunch of members of Parliament after Luna’s big announcement, especially in private when he had to strongarm a few select individuals so they would not cause any potential problems. It was an easy concept, but just time consuming… though what took most of his effort was pretending to be interested in what others had to say about the subject matter. To him, there were better things to use mental resources on than empathy. Regardless, Blueblood felt that after a day like today, some rest was well-deserved. All he had to do was pick up some mail that was delivered to his office before he retired to his chambers for the night, but as he was doing that, something else caught his eye: a neatly, deliberately placed envelope right on the center of his desk. Strange… Curiosity naturally taking over, he stepped over to his workspace and examined the envelope, noting the stationery being sealed with a small, royal seal of Celestia’s Sun. Of course, he recognized it immediately but its contents were still a mystery to him. Employing the use of a letter opener, Blueblood neatly took care of the envelope and removed a single document. His eyes widened as he read on, recognizing it as a request for permission to build some operation’s plants in Equestria’s crystal fields to help with mineral extraction. It was a formal request that he had submitted quite some time ago, and in fact, with everything going on, he had completely forgotten about it. At the very bottom of the document, however, there was a royal stamp of approval, along with Princess Celestia’s signature (actually signed, and not stamped). Moreover, there was another note attached to the paper, which detailed an extra grant of one hundred and fifty thousand bits. Blueblood’s mouth opened ever so slightly, surprised that he received overwhelming support for such a venture, even more so because he never requested such a grant. Further fiddling with the extra note, there was a tiny, handwritten message underneath it” “You did well, my nephew.” The five words brought a warm smile to Blueblood’s face and, after pondering everything for a few moments, he neatly folded up the paper, put his coat on, and placed said paper in his coat pocket before he strolled out of his office, ready to jump into his bed and call in sick the next day. [Ten Days Later…] With all the social and political obstacles Fredrick and Luna had to deal with over the past weeks, things had finally started to settle down for the couple, and the two quickly got back into the normal scheme of things… but that did not last long, as the stress quickly picked back up once the Grand Galloping Gala was upon them. Indeed, it was time, and Fredrick was going to attend his first Gala that evening as Princess Luna’s hot date. It was not that he was nervous, but he certainly wanted to make a good impression with everypony, especially the Elements of Harmony. Fredrick, of course, had already met a few of them, including Twilight (whom he was quite familiar with), Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, but meeting all of them at once and actually introducing himself as Luna’s coltfriend was a slightly different animal. He still worried about leaving a good impression with everypony else, nonetheless. All these thoughts raced through his mind incessantly as he made sure his tuxedo fit him just right. A jet-black coat, slacks, and shoes along with a white, fitted button-up shirt were tailored perfectly to his measurements, and Fredrick was trying it on for the umpteenth time to ensure he still looked good in it. Tying the bowtie, Fred added the last touch as he gazed into the full-length mirror in his room, studying every curve of his outfit and making sure there were no wrinkles or imperfections. He wanted to look his absolute best tonight. While he scrutinized his appearance, Luna quietly entered his room… well, Fredrick knew it was Luna because the only one who entered into his abode without knocking was the Lunar Princess herself. Hearing the door close once more was his cue to turn around, finding his beautiful marefriend in a long, massively poofy, navy-blue robe which covered everything but her head. Her mane also held its iconic ethereal component which gave her that extra sense of allure, even when she was not dressed for any occasion. “Hey you!” he finally said happily, quickly meeting her in the center of his room and kissing her sweetly. “Good afternoon, my dear,” Luna responded once their lips separated. “It appears you are stressing out even more than I am.” “Ehh, well,” Fred began to say, running his hand over the back of his neck and averting his gaze slightly. “I wanna make a good impression on everypony, especially since this is our first Gala together and my first Gala, period,” he admitted. “You simply must relax, Fredrick,” Luna declared with a giggle, pressing herself against him and nuzzling his neck. “I shall be by your side for most of the Gala, and I know for a fact that it will be a magnificent time with you there. I’m sure everypony else will agree wholeheartedly,” she elaborated, doing her absolute best to allay any of his fears. Fredrick could only nod, but Luna was right; there was nothing to be afraid of. In fact, all of the worst stuff had already passed, and if all he had to do was get over a bit of social awkwardness, then so be it. Keeping that confidence would be the key, though, when the event ultimately came a few hours later. Luna would be arriving later, a bit after the formal event started, and Fredrick would thus have to fend for himself for a while, though in the end it wasn’t so bad. First entering into the massive ballroom, Fred was awed at the changes that were made from the previous days. The decour distinctly reminded him of Luna, with the gargantuan curtains over the windows being navy-blue in color. Incredible patterns of streamers and other things that he could not name interwove in each direction, and there seemed to be a passive, magical aura that gave the entire venue a sense of friendly ominousness to it… everything in Luna’s favorite colors of dark blues, black, indigo, and dark grey. Before he could accurately process the makeup of the venue, his attention was dragged away by two things much more pleasing to look at. Fred was taken into the company of Princess Celestia and Twilight, who both looked stunning in their getups. Princess Celestia decided to do something that she thought was a bit different, by making her dress a vibrant pink, much like her natural hair color. Said dress was metallic, glittering in every angle of light. Sleeveless and falling to about her calfs, her dress was completely solid from her neck down, not a hint of cleavage or anything else to be seen. It was simple yet captivating at the same time, and to top it all off, Celestia wore some extra eyeliner and she applied the lightest pink color as eyeshadow. Fredrick had to admit that Celestia was not just ‘stunning’ as he had thought earlier, she was hot. Twilight had a similar outfit in terms of practicality, though hers was a bit bland and on the yellow side. It was form-fitting, tailored to Twilight’s petite physique, but it fit the lavender unicorn’s body nicely and in all honesty, Fredrick had to agree that she was beautiful, especially with the extra eyeliner and violet eyeshadow. His subconscious weighed in with a few more choice words, though. Oh, lord knows I’d smash. “It’s time to start greeting the guests, Twilight,” Celestia notified, and Twilight brightened visibly, especially since all of her friends would be here soon. “Right! Fredrick, you need to meet the rest of my friends!” she exclaimed, and she dragged the human along as she and her mentor glided towards the entrance. “Quite so. Those you haven’t met have been eager to meet the one captured Lulu’s heart so well,” Celestia added with a giddy chuckle. “Nevermind, it looks like they already made it inside,” Twilight pointed out, gesturing towards the front door at the other five Elements of Harmony and one strapping-looking drake, whom Fredrick assumed was Spike. “There they are!” Pinkie screamed out and the six of them all crowded close to Twilight and Fredrick while Celestia excused herself to go begin the more formal greeting process. Twilight would join up with her later after introductions. “Lookin’ good, Fredrick! Nice to see you again!” Rainbow Dash greeted the human first, presenting her fist for Fredrick to bump, which he did with a smile. “You too, Dash!” “Guys,” Twilight quickly interceded. “Rainbow and Pinkie have met him, but to the rest of you, this is Fredrick, Princess Luna’s coltfriend,” Twilight introduced him, proudly gesticulating to him as if she was presenting him scientifically. “Gotta say, it’s not every day one gets to meet all six Elements plus Spike at the same time,” Fred admitted cautiously. “But yes, I’m Fredrick. It’s truly an honor to meet you all.” “Psh, we should be sayin’ the same ‘bout you!” the orange-coated mare with a bright green dress that fit her strong, equally sexy build perfectly. “Ah’m Applejack, and I’ve been dyin’ to shake the hand of the one who swooned Princess Luna. Put’er there, pal!” Applejack greeted, grasping Fredrick’s outstretched hand and nearly crushing it before he could, awkwardly, add more firmness to his handshake. He chuckled nervously as he attempted to suppress the early onset of arthritis from the crushing handshake. It was more than made up for the fact that Fredrick had a soft side for a ‘southern gal’s drawl.’ “Heh, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Applejack, that’s for sure.” “You’ve already met me, but HI AGAIN FREDRICK!” Pinkie made herself known, throwing her arms around the human and squeezing tightly, though the kinetic force in which she literally threw herself at him nearly made them both tumble to the ground. Still, the embrace was much more manageable, as he was subjected to much worse with Luna. “Awesome to see you again, Pinkie!” Fred finally voiced with genuine happiness at her contagious personality, placing the girl back on her feet. The party mare’s dress was ever as high-octane as her personality, but she still looked gorgeous in it nonetheless. “I’m Rarity,” the gorgeous, alabaster unicorn stepped forward, offering her hand which Fredrick shook confidently, though he could not help but stare at the beautiful mare. In a lavender dress that made her near-perfect, busty physique pop out elegantly, Fredrick needed to make sure he averted his eyes appropriately. “You certainly must be an interesting stallion to take the heart of Princess Luna!” “One can hope, right?” Fred joked, earning a couple giggles from the girls. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rarity.” “Oh believe me, darling… the pleasure is all mine,” Rarity added with a characteristic fluttering of her eyelashes. W-Was she just flirting with me? “Jeez Rarity, can’t help but flirt with him either?” Rainbow Dash playfully rebuked, seeming to catch onto Fredrick’s inner suspicions and earning more giggles from the crowd. Rarity went red in the face and gave a harsh upturn of her face in response. “I certainly was not, I was merely being friendly to the royal coltfriend!” A beautiful, cream-colored mare was urged forward in her conservative green dress, and she adorably hid behind the majority of her hair. “I’m Fluttershy…” she softly spoke, and Fredrick almost didn’t hear her over the natural ambiance of the party atmosphere. “N-Nice to meet you… if you’re okay with that…” She offered her hand weakly, and Fred made sure he squeezed reassuringly, recognizing the full effects of nigh-crippling shyness. “And it’s nice to meet you as well!” Fred responded with a softer tone of voice, and in his experience, he decided upon tacking on a small compliment. “And you look really nice in your dress, by the way.” Fluttershy visibly colored at that and and shied away behind her hair again, the rest of her friends smiling but rolling their eyes endearingly at her. “My turn!” a male voice made itself known, belonging to that of Spike the dragon. For Fredrick, this was the first time seeing an anthropomorphic dragon, though he seemed to have a bit of a baby-face about him, and Fred inferred his age as a result. “I’m Spike, Twilight’s best friend and assistant. Sorry I couldn’t meet you the last two times you came to Ponyville,” he introduced himself, shaking Fredrick’s hand vigorously, rivaling Applejack’s grip. “Nice to finally meet you, too!” Fredrick replied graciously. He had heard wonderful things about Spike, and in a world of seemingly only being surrounded by mares, he was excited to meet another like-minded (or so he heard) male. “Gotta say, I’ve been eager to see the weird creature that Princess Moonbutt’s obsessed with,” Spike added as a joke, earning a hearty chuckle out of Fredrick. “Spiiike!” Twilight scolded, but Fred played it off dismissively. “Oh don’t worry about it. I get more than my fair share of banter from the Princess herself.” “Where is she, anyway?” Twilight asked, unsuccessfully being able to locate the Lunar Princess while gazing around exaggeratedly. “Yeah, Luna said she would be arriving a bit later but I didn’t think she’d be this late,” Fred commented. Everypony he was talking to, however, leaned over to look past him, and were nearly floored by what they saw, and pointed out as such. “Well, you may wanna turn around, partner,” Applejack commented, and upon heeding her words, Fredrick lost control of his jaw, which he was certain disconnected from his skull and shattered on the ground into a million pieces. Indeed, Princess Luna had made her entrance from the rear of the ballroom, much to everypony’s surprise. Fredrick tuned out everything upon laying eyes upon his girlfriend, and his eyes drank in the alluring sight as much as they could while Luna walked forward to meet him. The first thing he noticed, naturally, was Luna’s face. Holding a confident, sexy complexion, Fredrick saw that she too did not forego the use of eyeliner and shadow, the latter being teal-blue and truly making her coat and eyes pop. She seemed to also have a random piece of glitter here and there, uniformly distributed over her face and giving her that extra twinkle at odd angles of light. Her dress, like her personality, was practical but a bit more revealing than her sister’s, which was an oddity in and of itself. Said dress, a shade slightly darker and higher intensity than the color of her coat, had a gradient pattern as it flowed down to her knees, and there was a slight dip in the chest area, revealing an appropriate amount of cleavage which was accentuated just enough with a push-up bra. Her rhythm of walking and how her dress swayed with her was hypnotizing, and Fred was quickly lost in the striking looks of the Lunar Princess. His Princess. Quite a few different ponies tried to personally greet Luna but she brushed past them, only focused on Fredrick and his opinion of her, though if he was as captivated as he looked, she need not worry in the slightest. The girls and Spike giggled as Luna had to physically force Fredrick’s mouth closed once she was in front of him, and that snapped him out of his trance. “H-Hi Luna…” he said, finally able to force some manner of coherent wordage out of his mouth, and he was worried that he may have been frothing at Luna’s sheer beauty. Luna giggled and stroked the side of his face lovingly, neither of them seeming to care that all eyes were upon them. “Hello again, my love,” she greeted before pulling him into a kiss, one he gladly deepened despite their audience. Said audience did not appear to mind either, considering the girls, Spike, and then everypony else who bore witness to the intimate embrace of the human and alicorn began cheering for them. Applause and whistles of approval echoed throughout the ballroom, and it was only when the lovers separated that they realized what they truly did, simultaneously blushing something fierce as a result. “Guys,” Twilight interjected suddenly. “Let’s leave these two alone, I think they wanna celebrate with each other,” she added while herding all of her friends away, each of them with bright smiles on their faces as they melded into the crowd of ponies that was quickly growing. Fredrick and Luna watched them go for a few moments before turning back to each other, then grasping each other’s hands. “You’re…” Fredrick began to say, but suddenly his mouth felt dry upon laying eyes on Luna again. “Y-You’re...fuck. You’re gorgeous…” “Really? You like it?” Luna asked, gesturing to her whole getup. Apparently she had dressed up like this just for him. At this point, Fred knew for a fact that Celestia, Twilight, and the others had absolutely nothing on Luna in front of him. She took the cake in terms of looks, personal bias aside. “I absolutely love it, Luna,” he affirmed with a beaming smile, much to her delight. Luna pulled him closer and they shared yet another, chaste kiss, but it was interrupted when music suddenly began to play, signalling the true start of the Gala. The couple looked around and instantly found couples (and groups) making for the de facto dance floor, quickly falling into their own rhythms of dance. “I guess we’re getting right into it. W-Would you like to dance, Fredrick?” Luna asked, having an edge to her words as if she was afraid Fred would decline her, which was hilarious. “I’d love to! Just be warned though, I fucking suck at dancing,” he confessed, taking a firmer, more loving hold of her hands. Luna dismissed his claims. “Fear not; I shall lead!” she proclaimed, but before she could drag Fredrick to the middle of the dance floor, another couple made themselves known to them. “You two just make sure to enjoy yerselves,” an iconic Scottish sounding accent declared, and turning to the newcomer revealed Stella. Clad in a plain, sleeveless, strapless black dress which squeezed her breasts together just enough to appropriately entice, Stella also sported some golden eyeshadow but forewent any other makeup or blush. At that cue, Windfire, the second honor guard that accompanied Stella, took his place next to her in his own tuxedo. “Windfire and I are here to ensure nothing happens to annoy either of you. Don’t you worry, we’ll always be watching.” “Heh, thanks Stella. Again, you’re the damn best,” Fredrick said, sharing a friendly fistbump with the gorgeous batpony. Luna also produced a deep nod of gratitude to her newest, most becoming honor guard. “Hell yeah I am!” Stella replied. “An honor guard’s job is never done, anyway. Since you two are gonna dance, I think we’ll join you, out of sight, out of mind,” she mused out loud, linking her arm with Windfire’s. Of course, the two weren’t together, but they had to put up the facade, as they were essentially Princess Luna’s (and Celestia’s, if necessary) secret service for the evening. Windfire sighed dejectedly. “Do we have to? I’ll just stand on the side and you go have fun.” Stella crushed his hand in her grasp, making him groan most hilariously before cupping his face and making him face her scowl. “Listen here ya schlong-aholic, when a hot lassie asks you tae dance, you fuckin’ dance ya fiery-maned twat!” she scolded, dragging her partner forcefully onto the dance floor and leaving both Fredrick and Luna in near hysterics. On that note though, Luna led her human to the floor as well, and the two, awkwardly, got into position as the next song started up. It happened to be Equestrian swing much like the last one (though slower in rhythm for a bit more intimate dancing experience), and Fredrick was somewhat thankful that Equestrian music was every bit as good as it was back on earth, especially the jazz and swing music. Being completely honest with themselves, it was horrendously awkward and borderline cringey trying to fall into a steady rhythm with each other. Neither of them had danced with the other beforehand, nor had they attempted to try, so this was their first time. Luna did her best to lead, but Fredrick’s clumsiness with his feet was the culprit of most of their inelegant movements. “Shit, sorry!” Fredrick huffed out as he stepped on Luna’s hoof for the hundredth time, doing his best to keep his arms in their proper positions on her body… and that was the problem. “It’s fine, Fredrick… but you do not have to hold me in one place like we’re ballroom dancing,” Luna reminded. “It’s swing! I should be the last pony telling you to ‘let loose’ and swing with me!” she jovially demanded as the song changed into something much more fast-paced and fun. “Didn’t I ‘swing’ you enough in the shower two nights ago?” Fred tried to joke, doing his best to drop his inhibitions and mirror Luna’s movements, resulting in a bit more fluid number between them. Luna giggled as she took Fred’s hand again, using it as a focal point for their flashy movements before pulling him back into her. “Nay. I had to lead yet again, much like I am now,” she quipped with a lidded gaze, Fredrick donning a fake look of pain at the stinging remark. “Now, in your words, my love, ‘shut your cockhole’ and dance with me!” Fredrick laughed uproariously as the two became lost in each other and the beat. Both of them, true to Luna’s words, shut up and focused on only each other. Luna lead beautifully once Fredrick wasn’t worried about crushing her hooves into mush. At one point, Luna spun him several times in a row and ejected him from their personal circle. He was able to get a glimpse of Stella and Windfire, the former shooting Fredrick a knowing wink before Luna beckoned Fred back in, the two falling into their cadence once more come the change in pace of the song. Once the song changed its rhythm yet again, Fredrick decided to try and be a little adventurous, wordlessly conveying to Luna that he wanted to try and lead at certain parts. She graciously allowed, and to her surprise, Fredrick had gotten better in that short amount of time… nowhere near her ability by any means (by this time, Fred knew with absolute certainty that Luna could truly ‘dance’ by every definition of the word) but definitely passable. Song after song passed, and Fredrick nor Luna needed to speak to each other to know that they were having an immense amount of fun with each other. Their smiles, blushes, and laughter was all that was needed to fuel their dancing, song after song. Both completely lost track of time and by the time the live band got a chance to take a break, the two had determined that a good hour and a half had passed with them being completely lost to the world. Breathing heavily and blushed from all the physical exertion, the two never let go of each other, even when the dancing stopped, if temporarily. “That is something... else we must do... more often,” Luna spoke up between breaths, her energy scaling back gradually as they caught their breaths. “You kidding? That was incredible! You need to teach me to dance properly on my own… I don’t think I’ll always have you by my side when I wanna just groove it once in a while,” Fredrick remarked happily. “Who says you cannot just summon me whenever that need arises?” she asked rhetorically, waggling her eyebrows. Her attention was magically drawn towards another section of the ballroom, where Celestia mouthed to her and beckoned her over. Luna realized then that, even though she wanted to spend every moment with Fredrick, she still owed it to everypony else who attended to socialize, at least a little bit. “Fredrick, I’m afraid I must take a small break and socialize with others, as my sister and I are technically the hosts. Will you be alright being with me?” Luna asked cautiously. “Sure thing! Mind if I get a drink and just take a small breather? I’ll join up with you over by Celestia,” Fred replied confidently. With the amount of fun he just had, and will probably continue to have through the evening, he felt he earned a drink. “Of course!” Luna answered happily, pecking him on the lips. “Did you want anything?” “Sure! I’ll have whatever you decide upon when you join me. See you soon,” Luna replied, running her fingers over Fredrick’s arm and shoulder as she separated from him for the first time that evening. He watched her go towards her sister, his eyes glued firmly to her hips and butt swaying almost metronomically. Luna knew he was staring, and she winked at him over her shoulder, a signal of possibly more ‘festivities’ to come later that evening once the Gala officially ended. Still regaining a bit of a normal breathing rate, Fredrick strolled out onto one of the balconies for fresh air, surprised to find that nopony else was out there with him. Chances are they were all trying to talk to Luna, and that was fine. He’d reconvene with her in a little while, or whenever she was done with her quota of ‘being social.’ Fred leaned against the railing, gazing up at the beautiful sky above him, cloudless and full of stars. That’s also why Luna was most likely a bit late, having to ensure that the night sky was more captivating than it normally was… though that was saying something, because an average night sky in Equestria was miles better than one back on Earth. Fredrick attempted to find any familiar constellations, tracing his eyes in random lines over the twinkling stars above when he heard the balcony door swing open again. Glancing over his shoulder, Fredrick found an unlikely pony that took their place right next to him.   “Good evening, Fredrick,” Blueblood greeted as he, too, began staring up at the sky, leaning on his folded arms for support against the balcony. “Oh, hey Blueblood,” Fredrick replied in a friendly manner. After everything that’s happened, Fred had little reason to have any hostility towards him, and that was perfectly alright. The two slipped into silence for a few moments before the Prince fished something out of his coat pocket: a cigar holder. Opening it, he offered it to Fredrick. “You smoke?” he asked. Fredrick shook his head and held his hand up. “Nah. Bit of an asthmatic, thanks though.” “Mind if I do?” Blueblood asked. “Kinda,” Fredrick admitted. Blueblood only shrugged and pulled out a cigar, lighting it anyway and taking a few puffs. Fred rolled his eyes and shook his head humorously, not really sure what he expected from the Prince. Blueblood puffed a few more times, exhaling audibly as he let the smoke exit his mouth. “Been an interesting past few weeks, huh?” “Heh, you can say that again,” Fredrick readily agreed, nodding emphatically as he spoke. “Was it hard for you?” “Hmm?” “Was it difficult for you to orchestrate all the obedience, and assurances that nopony would cause trouble?” Fredrick asked, admitting to himself that he was somewhat curious of Blueblood’s methods. “Honestly,” the Prince began to speak. “Not really. Just time consuming and meticulous. Other than that, much of the nobility is weaker-willed than most other ponies I’ve had business dealings with. Neither are they subtle with any transgressions, either, which makes it all the more easier. They think they’re infallible and that nopony will challenge them for anything… heh,” Blueblood elaborated, chuckling a bit to himself. “It’s made my job that much easier over the years.” “Well, with how well you did in ensuring Luna and I had no problems, I know not to get you pissed off,” Fredrick added in jest. “Though, it may be a bit late for that.” “Don’t flatter yourself, Fredrick,” Blueblood remarked before continuing to smoke the cigar. “You have never had the honor nor pleasure of being placed on my shit list. I was under the impression you were smart enough to know this.” “Heh, could’ve fooled me, Blueblood.” “You’re an odd creature, Fredrick… and I mean that in both literal and figurative senses,” Blueblood said. “We may get along better than when we first met, but know that I have absolutely no desire to be your friend. Even so, you’ve never irritated me to the point where I’ve wanted to do something about it… for many reasons.” He took another puff and exhaled the oddly good-smelling smoke of the Equestrian cigar. “I don’t like you; I tolerate you. But…” Blueblood paused, as if for dramatic effect. “...you’re alright.” “I guess I can say the exact same thing about you, Blueblood,” Fredrick replied, glancing to his right and meeting the simultaneous gaze of the Prince. He smirked. “Then, keep treating Aunt Luna as you are, and we shall get along just fine,” he concluded resolutely, taking one last puff of the cigar, dousing it magically, and flicking it off the side of the balcony. With a final nod, he moved to reenter the Gala proper and rejoin the festivities. “Blueblood,” Fredrick called out, stopping the Prince in his tracks before he could turn the handle of the balcony door. “Yes?” he asked calmly. “Regardless of what we just said… thanks. Thank you for making it all that much easier,” Fredrick said, feeling compelled to thank the well-dressed unicorn for his services, whatever his motives. The human felt he earned that much, and he threw in another friendly grin as a small show of camaraderie. As for Blueblood, his normal reaction would be to roll his eyes and rebuke Fredrick for even potentially thinking in the slightest that his actions were out of the goodness of his heart. However, something stopped him, and despite his internal protests, two unexpected words fell from his lips: “You’re welcome.” The two shared one final nod of understanding before Blueblood took his proper leave, leaving Fredrick alone once more with his thoughts and Luna’s night sky. Fred easily found Luna’s moon, large and reigning supreme amongst the stars that dotted the black and blue gradient void above… and all he could do was smile. Everything had changed so fast in the past month or so, and despite it being jarring to no end, Fredrick realized that this… all of this was perfect. This was his life now, in Equestria on this planet in possibly even a different universe altogether, and he would honestly have it no other way. Like Luna’s moon and the smile that formed unbidden on Fredrick’s face, the future was most certainly bright. > Part XXIV. Retaliation > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part XXIV. Retaliation [One Month Later…] It had only taken about a week for things to start dying down, and soon enough, Fredrick, Luna, and everypony else fell into a general sense of monotony as things returned to the ‘status quo.’ Life carried on as normal for everypony, the only thing having changed being some measures of the dynamic between Fredrick and Luna since they were an official couple. No longer needing to hide any of their displays of affection any longer, it was not uncommon to find the odd pair holding hands, sharing a chaste kiss, or even, as one maid stumbled upon, making out in a secluded corridor. That only happened once, and if the two needed to ever sneak off for a little bit of mouth-sucking action, they did well to make sure they were more discreet in their choice of spot. Of course, after that fateful day, a myriad of articles were written about the “Princess and her Human Coltfriend.” From what the two were able to see, none seemed overly disparaging, although to those that held snide attitudes within, Luna nor Fredrick really cared all that much. If anything, it provided hilarious reading material for the two while lying in bed or on break time during work hours. On the subject of work, Fredrick continued to happily work alongside Celestia, though Luna would occasionally ask him for his help. Further, Fred was happy to admit that he had been learning so much with his position on Luna’s Economic Council. Once he got into the swing of things, Luna and the other members gladly helped (and continued to help) him hone his intermediate skills, seeing that he indeed had potential. Luna also insisted that he be paid extra for holding such a position, and Fred quickly acquiesced, realizing he had little choice in that matter. Fred’s friendship with Stella trotted along in earnest, and it seemed to considerably strengthen in the short month. By experience, if Fred was not to be found with either Luna or Celestia, he was nearly guaranteed to be found with the thestral guard. Further, in the last week, Fred hung a picture in his room of the two of them with Stella, uncharacteristically, having her arms wrapped sweetly around Fred’s neck and leaning her head into his, though sporting her usual, cocky smile and complexion. Even Luna commented that it was one of the best pictures of the human and the batpony. Yes, all seemed well and good with everyone’s dynamic, and an atmosphere of calm returned to the castle. Fredrick, however, was still on edge when it came to the imminent retaliatory prank. Luna, as cunning as she was, decided to lure him into a false sense of security by encasing all of his belongings in his room in a small, invisible field of magic that delivered a nasty static shock when it was touched. Fredrick, naturally, was annoyed at this development, as literally EVERYTHING shocked him for the next day, but he felt that was the true retaliation after nothing else was forthcoming. Enlisting some help from Stella, Fred hit back mildly by replacing every single document and picture in Luna’s study with hardcore gay pornography. He played right into their hands. On a night like any other, Fredrick and Luna were laying in bed like normal, spending the evening together to commemorate the end of the work-week and usher in a pleasant weekend ahead. With a small fire going in Fred’s room’s built-in fireplace, the two comfortably drifted off to sleep whispering sweet little nothings to each other. Garbed in their usual pajamas, the two fell into the velvety grasp of slumber in each other’s embrace after exchanging the last kisses and ‘I love you’s’ of the night. However, with Princess Luna, it was only a ruse. Taking only a light nap herself, when she stirred, she ensured Fred’s breathing was steady and his heartbeat was slow enough to signify that he was indeed asleep. Opening both her eyes, Luna donned a much more naughty smirk before her entire body became enveloped in a magical sheen. In an instant, her form coalesced into a magical ‘mist’ of sorts (Fred’s hand falling to the bed with nothing to support it on) and hurriedly snaked out the door, scurrying back to her room. Fred had no idea how long he was asleep, but that was quickly answered by the clock in his room when his eyes tiredly fluttered open. It had been about an hour and a half, and the lack of warmth from where his marefriend was supposed to be lying beside and on him caused the man to stir in confusion. “Huh?” he asked huskily, still in a semi-dreamy state and looking around for any sign of Luna. He could still smell her sweet, intoxicating scent on his shirt and skin, but with her gone, he suddenly felt for a split second as if he wasn’t ‘full’... like he was missing something. Also, the room felt  much colder than when he had gone to sleep. “Luna?” Fredrick called out, sitting up in his bed fully and scanning the room for his better half, blinking away the remnant sleep from his eyes. As if to answer his question, there was an ominous creaking sound, like a massive, old door was opening agonizingly slowly… and that’s because it was exactly that. Turning his attention to the entrance of his room, he found his door somewhat ajar, and a split second later, an unseen force shut it instantly. Fred’s body jumped at the sudden action, and naturally, what had just transpired put him on some measure of edge. Still, he was suspicious, and cocking a single eyebrow, he swung his legs over the side of his bed and got to his feet. Fred looked over himself once, ensuring he was somewhat decent in his sleepwear, and cautiously approached his door. Turning the handle and angling his body so he could have a peek outside, he found… Nothing…? “Hmmm...” Fredrick voiced out loud when his mind exhausted the only question at the time. All seemed peaceful, and the other side of the stony corridor stared back at him with its cool, dark edifice. Venturing a closer look, he slipped into the entrance and peeked down both halls, again, finding nothing that struck him as odd, as there was nothing there. Wait a minute… That, in and of itself, was quite perplexing… because normally there was a small team of guards either stationed or patrolling; there was nopony at all. “Hello…?” Fred called out, but, as he expected, he received no answer. The oddity of the situation was overshadowed by Fred’s original goal: find out where Luna went. It was not uncommon for her to go back to her room after staying the night, but she always woke him up with a little kiss to let him know, or something similar when they were not dating. The fact that this did not happen struck a concerned chord with Fredrick, and with his protective edge coming out on behalf of his girlfriend, he felt obliged to see if she was okay. The easiest choice to start looking would be, of course, her room. With the destination in mind, Fredrick spared a precursory glance before entering the corridor in full, closing his door behind him and marching with intent to Luna’s chambers. A stoic demeanor radiated from his very being… but that confidence soon waned when he rounded the first corner, and found those guards whose absence he was so questioning. They were slumped against the wall in various fashions. “W-What the hell…?!” Fredrick exclaimed breathily to no one in particular, his eyes darting around as if he was expecting the same fate to befall him at any moment. Alas, the corridor was barren and there appeared to be no sign of a struggle. Every instinct in him screamed to turn back and barricade himself in his room, or better yet, go find Celestia… or Stella… or somepony! Fred was keen on doing exactly that, but again, as if by divine intervention, something stopped him. “Freeeeeedriiiiiiick…” a feminine, ethereal sounding voice permeated the noiseless atmosphere, echoing from every surface yet nowhere at the same time. Hairs standing on edge, Fredrick hunkered down, staying low and attempting to find the source of his name… a voice that sounded so familiar, but, through retrieval failure, he could not place where he knew it from. “Freeeedriiick…” the same voice called out, and this time, Fred’s pupils constricted as he locked onto an anthropomorphic figure right down the hall, barely visible through the natural moonlight shining into the corridor. Focusing, the figure appeared to reveal herself for a split second… but then sauntered down the hall and disappeared amongst the shadows. Even so, that brief viewing was all Fredrick needed to know exactly who it was. “Lumina…?” he asked, but then quickly realized that Lumina was, indeed, Luna. “Luna!” he yelled, but no response nor reaction was garnered. Only the shadows greeted his words with nothing in return. Regardless, that spurred him on, and he began his cautious trek down the corridor anew. Due to his walking speed, Fredrick was able to spy scruitible notes that were hung from the necks of the downed guards, guards that he did not know if they were dead or not, nor did he have the courage to check that fact. “I served a false Princess.” the note on the first guard’s body read, which, for some reason, awoke a nameless fear in Fredrick’s heart. He had no idea what said feeling meant as he passed the body, but his emotions were torn on whether or not he truly wanted to find out. “I prostituted my life to the Solar Traitor.” were the words written on the second note hung on the second guard’s body. The declaration certainly did not allay any of Fredrick’s fears, but yet, he pressed onward. Whatever happened here, in his mind, could have happened to Luna. He had to know that she was safe! Fredrick’s dread suddenly morphed into a feeling of utter bemusement when the third guard’s note became legible: “Magical fuel cannot melt castle arches.” “Wait… what the fuck?” Fred questioned, actually stopping in his tracks to read that over again, cocking his head to the left as he processed the out-of-place statement. Before he could even take this to heart, he heard his name called yet again, which made him forget entirely what he had just witnessed. The voice, as mystical-sounding as it was before, seemed farther away this time, and it beckoned Fredrick forward. “Luna! Ugh, dammit!” he cursed, running as fast as his bare feet could carry him. The night air was crisp and it helped to fuel his senses as he neared his destination. The entire time, his name was being called at random intervals, as if Luna wanted him to follow her. Fredrick knew that this entire ‘thing’ seemed suspicious, but his ultimate concern for Luna’s well-being drew him to her chamber doors regardless of the potential risk. “Luna?!” Fredrick called through the familiar ebony-wood doors, rapping on them cacophonously with his fists. There was no response from inside, and that was not good, because Fredrick knew that Luna would keep her door locked if she was not expecting him or anypony else. He knew he would not be able to break down the doors, and the bodies of the guards curiously lacked their weaponry. Thus, there was only one thing he could try. Fred reached for the doorknob and, with a face of determination and pleading, his exertion met little resistance. The door was unlocked, evident by the unlatching of the bolt and one of the doors swivelling inward. “Luna…?” the human hailed his girlfriend with trepidation, peeking inside the normally-dim room and finding nothing out of the ordinary. Glancing behind him, and seeing that he was not being followed or watched, Fredrick entered Luna’s chambers completely and closed the door behind him. Other than the temperature being colder than what would be considered normal (for him, at least), everything was where it should have been… ...everything except for Luna herself. Fredrick stepped towards the center of the massive bedchambers and was suddenly awash with an electric, fearful sense that shot up his spine. If he was not being watched, he felt with absolute certainty that he was now. With every single hair on his body seeming to erect at an instant, Fredrick bared his teeth and darted his head around, attempting to see where the intruder was. Something did not belong in this room at all and glancing over his shoulder at the bed itself, the lack of light did not let him make out any form. The curtains were drawn over the window pane to the balcony, so only a sliver of moonlight showed through… not enough to aid Fredrick in his endeavors to ascertain exactly what was going on. “Who’s there?!” Fredrick demanded to know, though his command, laced with obvious anxiety, only echoed off the walls with an artificially amplified effect, creating an even more ominous sense of foreboding. His words were not replied to, and after a few moments of tense listening of his environment, Fredrick uneasily turned back towards the bed. He was not able to take even a tentative step, as his ears picked up subtle movement from behind him… movement which quickly became more prominent and gradually melted into what Fredrick could easily recognize as hoof-falls… but much heavier steps than what he was used to, accompanied by the telltale clanging of armor pieces grinding against themselves. The muscles in his back seemed to painfully tense as the feeling of a presence behind him was overwhelming, only getting worse as the stepping was unmistakeable. Finally, he mustered the courage to turn around. Fred’s eyes widened in true fear, at least at first, when he spotted a pair of teal-blue, glowing eyes (distinctly cat-like) through the shadowy veil. The armored steps continued and the owner of those piercing eyes stepped into the sliver of moonlight, revealing a literal nightmare out of history that Fredrick only heard stories of. Suited up in shiny, silver armor plates that covered her entire form… though oddly form-fitting and risque to be practical… Nightmare Moon revealed her form to Fredrick in entirety, her stature being taller and more muscular than that of Princess Luna herself. The aforementioned armor scheme was seemingly more apt for seduction and intimidation rather than practicality, considering cleavage was on display and her black-coated, bare arms had no plating on them whatsoever. The armor was so fitted that the abdominal plates moved with each breath she took, giving the illusion that it was a part of her. Magically, the darkened lights brightened just a little bit. “So… the human finally graces my presence…” Nightmare mused out loud in her authoritative tone, looking down upon the human and scanning his body. “I must admit, I’m a little disappointed.” Fredrick, however, started connecting dots that he was seeing, and his posture gradually became more relaxed until he was standing up straight and staring at Nightmare Moon curiously… then, he began eyeing her form up and down, as if he was admiring her physical appearance. Then, a small giggle quickly turned into full-blown laughter; gut-holding, ab-destroying guffaw. “Jesus Christ, Luna… all this just for a retaliatory prank?” Fredrick asked when he calmed down enough to be coherent. “God, you scared the shit out of me! You didn’t actually maim or kill those guards out there, right?” he continued to question as if he was talking to his girlfriend. Nightmare Moon, however, remained unmoved, her expression having never changed since she revealed herself. In fact, she cocked her head, confused, if slightly vexed. “‘Luna’ is a name I have not gone by in well over a thousand years. You would be wise never to refer to me as such,” she warned, beginning to pace around the human predatorily, sizing him up like a shark would its prey. “Hmmm… either incredibly brave or stupid to address me so informally. I can see why they would like you.” “Alright, yeah you can cut the act now, Luna. You really pulled all the stops with this prank, huh?” Fredrick continued to field his questions, facing the Nightmare with an unafraid stance. Again, her demeanor did not change at all. “Prank? Hmhmhm… well, I’m delighted to be the bearer of bad news: this is no such prank.” “...what?” Fredrick asked after blinking his eyes a few times, as if he could not fathom what he just heard; that was ridiculous, of course this was a prank! “Oh you sweet summer child…” Nightmare Moon condescended, stepping closer to Fredrick (who was at least half a foot shorter than her) and cupping his cheek. Her hands were ice cold, and lacked any form of intimate warmth that he was used to with Luna, and that set off an incalculable number of warning bells in his mind. “If it is ‘Luna’ you seek, you will find that she is not among us, anymore… she is a non factor, as she should be. You may see for yourself…” Nightmare Moon gestured to Luna’s bed, and Fredrick followed the movement. Only glancing back uneasily at Nightmare did she give him an urgent nod to go ahead and do as she suggested. Cocking an eyebrow at her over his shoulder, Fred continued on and reached the side of the bed, being able to spot what looked like Luna comfortably sleeping on her side away from him. The moment he saw that lump, Fredrick’s stomach seemed to do flips on itself, pleading with him not to go any further as something was terribly wrong. Gulping hard and not even bothering to glance behind him, Fredrick shakily reached out and touched Luna’s shoulder; ice cold. Pulling her body onto her back, his entire face paled in an instant, breaking out into cold sweats and hyperventilation when he laid eyes upon essentially a mummified carcass of his marefriend, in her usual sleepwear, eyes and mouth open and devoid of any life and warmth. “No… No!!! Luna!!” Fredrick called out helplessly, only to be mocked by Nightmare Moon as she magically yanked him from the bed and placed him right in front of her. “She was… noncompliant,” Nightmare expressed nonchalantly, flicking the back of her hand dismissively towards the cadaver. “After a somewhat vexing struggle, I had to put her down. So, there she lies, should you wish to say your final parting words. Though, I suppose that notion has passed, hmm?” There was one thing Fredrick had been known for, and that was for being expressive. He had few problems with showing emotion, nor displaying his mood to the world. Thus, the sheer enormity of the tidal wave of emotion breaking within him was the onset of a massive panic attack. The past few moments wiped the very notion of a prank from his mind; this was the real deal… and the unmitigated fear, sadness, and anger amalgamated into such a powerful sentiment, that Fredrick did something he never did during his entire stay in Equestria. “You… fucking… CUNT!” Fredrick exploded in pure, unadulterated rage and in a tone that threatened to unleash hellfire. Attempting to lunge (damn-near suicidally) at the Queen of Darkness, he was stayed by a magical field which enveloped his torso, forcing his arms to his sides. “Fuck you! FUUUCK YOUU!” Elsewhere, a pleasurable shiver ran up a certain somepony’s spine at the beautiful, fury-induced utterance of those special words. “So he does have fight within him… quite the lot, actually…” Nightmare purred, pacing around the bound human as he struggled with all his might against his restraints. She sickeningly, seductively, slurped her tongue and licked her lips lasciviously. “Perhaps you indeed are worthy of being by my side, just as you were by Luna’s…” “Aghhh! You’d have to kill me, first!” Fredrick spat out viciously as he never ceased his struggle, meaning every single word that he said. “Verily?” Nightmare asked rhetorically, closing the distance between them and sashaying her hips quite exaggeratedly, pressing her armored chest into Fredrick’s as she looked down upon him with a lidded gaze. Only by the sudden contact was Fred forced to glance downward into Nightmare’s deep valley between her plated breasts, and that earned an evil giggle out of the corrupted alicorn. “You stallions are all the same… you just need some convincing.” Fredrick said nothing… what was there to say? He only locked his gaze firmly onto hers, his eyes very nearly having the power to kill by the intensity of his abhorrent stare. He followed her movements squarely, which took his vision towards the bathroom as Nightmare sauntered over. “There are many… benefits to life under my rule, especially to the royal consort, which would be your title, of course,” she called over her shoulder. With a flick of her fingers, her magic was cast elsewhere, but before Fred was released from his hold completely, his hands seemed to be bound at the wrist by an invisible force, same with his feet. Steadying himself, Fred never lost visual of Nightmare, who disappeared into the bathroom and quickly returned, hoisting another familiar individual in her grasp. “On your knees, sister,” Nightmare seethed, tossing a haggard-looking Celestia to the ground. Her eyes looked bloodshot from crying, her mane was an absolute mess in its natural pink color, and she appeared to be wearing a torn bedsheet of sorts, barely making her descent with her body figure. She grunted in pain as her knees slammed into the floor, barely having time to catch herself. With that position, Fred could clearly see how her hands and ankles were bound, and she had an anti-magic ring placed firmly at the base of her horn, depriving her of her only hope of effective resistance. “Celestia…” Fredrick cursed under his breath, horrified. She, too, had befallen the same fate as him, though it appeared much worse, if the marks on her face and body were anything to go by. “I-I’m sorry, Fredrick!” Celestia called out hopelessly, tears unbidden. “I tried to stop her—UNF!” “Silence!” Nightmare ordered aggressively, pushing her hoof harshly against Celestia’s back and forcing her to lurch forward, nearly face-planting on the ground. The twisted alicorn then turned back to Fredrick, gesturing towards the captured solar alicorn. “It has been a dream of many stallions all over Equestria to lie with Celestia in bed… to use her as you would. Who would not, after all?” Nightmare pointed out, looking down at her former prey. “Gorgeous lips… large breasts and posterior… and a slim torso. Sculpted from the creators, no?” she listed and rhetorically asked Fredrick his opinion. When none was forthcoming save for the same stare of unbridled hatred, she took that as her cue to continue. “She would be at your disposal whenever you choose for any of your desires…” Nightmare tempted, lidding her gaze in any attempt to draw him in. Fredrick did not even realize the tears falling freely from his eyes. “Go to hell…” “Hmmm… you are not convinced I see. Well, I shall make one more attempt before I take over the reins of government permanently.” She stepped next to the bathroom door and casually held her arms crossed behind her back, a stance which thrust her chest outward. Fredrick watched curiously, waiting with less than enthusiastic, yet bated breath at her next move. Nightmare then angled her head towards the open bathroom door. “You may enter, slave…” she commanded, and immediately, the sounds of metallic horseshoes clopping against the tile floor completely overtook any other sound in the room. After what seemed like an eternity of fearful anticipation, and despite thinking it was already impossible in the first place, his heart sank even lower when a familiar drawl graced his ears. “Yes, Master…” the distinct rasp of adorable, feminine Scottish accent was accompanied by Stella herself entering into view… but what she was wearing was what made Fredrick’s jaw drop. In any other circumstance, he would have eaten it up, but with the given context, he felt like he was going to vomit. The gorgeous batpony was garbed in an incredibly skimpy two-piece, onyx-black and barely covering anything on her. Her breasts looked almost painfully squished together, cleavage bloated while her bottoms covered only the essentials. Both pieces were linked together by tiny, silver chains which framed her toned stomach. Her mane was neatly groomed in its usual ponytail fashion, but her tail appeared to be curled more for aesthetic purposes. Most notably though, her normally prominent eyes were obscured completely by a bright, magical veil; both of her eyes lit up bright-white and hid any of the natural color they held. Stella stepped into the center of everypony and faced Fredrick, striking a few passive poses, subtly accentuating every curve and muscle on her body. “Not you too, Stella…” Fredrick weakly spoke, his head sinking forlornly at the sight of his last closest friend in a clearly brainwashed state. At this point, he sincerely felt that all was lost. “Perhaps you would prefer somepony a bit more personable and informal? Your size, in effect?” Nightmare asked. “Go on, Stella… perhaps you may convince him to join us yet…” “Of course, My Queen,” Stella replied in a sickeningly enthusiastic tone, commencing what Fredrick would describe as a exaggeratedly sexual dance. Swaying her hips and running her hands over her entire body as if for her own pleasure, she complemented her precise, captivating movements by curling her tail over and through her legs like a faux-streamer of sorts. Normally, this would be hypnotic for the watcher... Stella was actually fairly proficient in the art of dance, ergo, knew exactly how to get a rise out of anypony she deemed her target. This wasn’t one of those times. Biting her lip, she turned around and gave Fredrick a unobstructed view of her perfect rear, and though Fredrick was reeling inside from everything that happened, he could not tear his leaking eyes away from the spectacle. Sensing his eyes on her, Stella glanced at him over her shoulder and planted both her hands on her ass. She dug her fingers firmly into the flesh as she continued gyrating her hips for him, knowing full-well that if he continued to watch her, his eyes would be glued to her ass.   She twirled in place and ran her hands over her face and mane, throwing them over her head before ending her little motions by shoving an index finger into her mouth. A cute little snaggletooth stuck out below her lips as she loudly slurped her finger. Then, much to Fredrick’s horror, she got to her knees and lewdly crawled over to him. With a bit of magical ‘encouragement,’ Nightmare forced Fredrick to sit against the side of the bed the moment Stella was upon him. She loomed over his form, her face exuding a hunger that Fredrick could not bear to look at. He curled almost in a fetal position, doing his best to get away from every bit of contact that she could bestow upon him. “I’ll be your personal little slave, Fredrick… your wish is my command only if you join us…” Stella leaned in and flicked the tip of Fred’s left ear with her tongue, the contact making him shudder violently. The human only opened his eyes and shot his gaze upward when he felt another shadow hovering over him. Nightmare, arms crossed, peered down upon him with a knowing smirk and laughing softly to herself.   In a slight moment of clarity among his mental distress, Fredrick realized he was not magically bound anymore. “There is no use fighting it anymore, Fredrick… join me willingly; be by my side, and all of what you’ve seen here can be—” With one continuous, lightning-fast movement, Fredrick instantaneously shot up from sitting to standing and audibly connected his right fist with Nightmare’s left eye-socket where the helmet did not cover. He planted his knuckles into her with all his might and the ‘clack’ it produced brought everypony out of their artificial characters. “AAAHH!!” Nightmare, her voice oddly sounding like Luna’s, yelped out in certain pain, stumbling over her hoofwork and taking a knee as she clutched the left side of her face. Fredrick was just about to follow up when he was physically restrained by Stella, who happened to be yelling for him to stop. “Fred! Stop! It’s a prank, mate! It’s a fucking prank!” she kept repeating into his ear like a mantra while holding him back by the torso. Just like that, the entire facade came crashing down. The lights brightened to their full potential, Stella’s eyes had returned to normal, and, shifting his glance back toward Nightmare, he instead found… “L-Luna…?!” “Ah... Fuck! I can’t believe you’ve done this…” she hissed to nopony, pained, and still clutching her eye with both hands. The manner of speaking had not changed, but the voice was definitely Luna. Moreover, the frightening build of Nightmare Moon had disappeared, leaving a familiar midnight-blue alicorn with oversized armor in its wake. She shakily got to her feet and faced Fredrick, refusing to remove her left hand from her injured face. “Well, that certainly ended in a way most unanticipated... OW.” Fredrick only stared wide-eyed for several moments as the reality of it hit him, and the full point of realization was when he heard stifled snickering from Celestia… which quickly devolved into full, howling laughter. Clearly unharmed and free of her own restraints, the solar alicorn fell to her back in hysterics. “He decked you in the face I just can’t… BAHAHAHAHA!” any semblance of control she had over her laughter receded as quickly as it came. Stella was also trying to contain her own but was faring much better than Celestia. The entire predicament collapsed when Fredrick quickly turned to view the corpse he had turned over on the bed… and it was nowhere to be found, having magically evaporated as it was only a false, magical manifestation. “Wh-how… WHAT THE ACTUAL SHITFUCK?!” Fredrick demanded to know, a different kind of anger returning to him full force while his body shook emphatically. Celestia was still laughing her heart out, which meant that Luna and Stella were the only ones left to do the explaining. "No, seriously!!! WHAT THE FUCK GUYS!" “Well, initially…” Luna began, having finally dropped her hand from her face to reveal a quickly-swelling cheek and semi-black eye. “...if you had endured for about a minute longer, we were to employ the use of the human named John Cena—whom I discovered on your phone—in the name of a prank. Of course, that is not what just happened.” Fredrick shook his head, sighing out a portion of his soul in relief while he buried his face in his palms. “GODDAMMIT! I actually thought you died, Luna… and the rest of you were just… Seriously, you all can get fucked so hard,” Fred declared with all the sincerity he could muster. He was spilling a few tears in relief, taking a seat on his bed to further catch his breath. "Oh my god..." Luna and Stella looked worriedly to each other, and Celestia finally joined the trio. Perhaps they went a bit too far? “Y’know,” the human spoke up again, sniffling away any residual congestion before anypony else had the chance to say anything. “I technically don’t have a right to complain, considering we committed domestic terrorism by staging a kidnapping and nearly faked an execution on you, Celestia,” he remarked. His heart was still racing and he was struggling, but succeeding, to bring his breathing under control. “But seriously… I will be the first to say, while perfectly legal, that was seriously fucked up. IMMEASURABLY. Thanks for the PTSD, I guess,” Fred bitterly added. Internally, he was a bit conflicted, as there were several ways he could react to this whole situation. Logically, in terms of fairness, everypony was well within their rights to prank him, however horrible the prank was, considering this was probably how Celestia felt when he and Luna pranked her. Luna and Celestia promptly took seats on either side of him, while Stella wasted no time in getting onto the bed and sat behind him. “I’m… I’m sorry, Fredrick… perhaps we did get carried away,” Luna said morosely if awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say at this point. She cuddled into his side and held him tightly against her, as if he would shun her from here on out for her orchestration of such a brutal practical joke. “You think? Ehhh…no it’s fine,” Fredrick quickly conceded after raising his voice, though he did not sound particularly enthusiastic about it due to feeling super tired and weak at the moment. Still, he leaned back into Luna. Celestia did well to scooch against him too, while Stella got in on the cuddle fest and, sympathetically, wrapped her arms around the human’s neck from behind. “Again, while that was incredibly genius, I will still reiterate: that was fucked up. I’ll be having nightmares for a good while. "I will personally make sure that does not happen," Luna noted; Fred had suffered enough and it was the least she could do. “I REALLY want to hate all three of you so much right now for ever making me believe that I lost my only anchors in this world… expect to hear this often for the next few weeks: I hope you all get AIDS.” “Huh?” “Nothing.” “Well, you punched Luna in the face out of instinct… so I think you two are about even if you equate physical and psychological pain,” Celestia weighed in, which earned a deadpanned stare from Fredrick, though Stella had to, again, stave off her own laughter. “Sorry… not helping?” “Nah, you’re right. And you seeing me in mental anguish probably makes up for you thinking you were going to die when we pranked you,” Fred replied, smiling weakly to convey the message that they were still close friends. However, Celestia had reminded him of what he inadvertently did to Luna, and he turned his attention back to her. “Sorry ‘bout that, babe,” he said, cupping her face lovingly and angling it so he could get a look at his handiwork. He really did a number on her with that one punch. “All is well, my love… ACH! But now I know not to prank you like that ever again.” She flinched when Fredrick ran his thumb over her purple, swollen cheek and eye. "Or anypony like that, for that matter," she added, directing that comment towards Celestia. “So, answer me this… did you knock out your guards?” Fredrick asked. He had to know if they were playing along or if they were unaware. With a comical purse of her lips, she nodded her head. “You’re joking…” “I am not! But I did not ‘knock them out…’ I only utilized an easy sleeping spell and the rest sorted itself out,” she explained to some snickering. “And their weapons?” “Back in the armory. They’ll wake up not knowing where they are nor what happened, so they’ll have to retrieve them again.” “Luna I love you; I’ll always love you no matter what and that will never change… but you are fucking twisted and I fucking love it,” he said with good humor, perking up finally now that his adrenaline had returned to normal levels. That comment garnered giggles from everyone, but hearing Stella’s distinctive laughter reminded him that she was still there. “Nice outfit,” Fred commented, giving her sitting form a once-over. “Drink it in while you can; you’ll never see it again,” she teased, but she was serious about it. There was no reason to ever wear that garment ever again but for her own pleasure, really. That, or she’d don it for some lucky stallion or mare she was interested in, but that did not happen to be Fredrick, naturally. At least, not anymore. “But… you involved yourself, which means that you’re now a target,” Fredrick astutely pointed out, shooting Stella a dark, mischievous look, and for for the first time in his life, he saw her nearly recoil in fear. “Don’t you even dare…” “He’s right, Stella,” Luna agreed, nodding her head in approval. “While you did agree to assist the two of us, it would not be fair if you were to be excluded from any further pranking activities…” “You may have to be a little careful from now on,” Celestia added, the three of them peering knowingly at the suddenly-anxious batpony, though Stella tried to play it off by averting her gaze. “For what it’s worth though,” Fred spoke up again, giving a friendly point to Stella’s outfit. “...that looks really nice on you.” “Fuck off, Fredrick.” The other three devolved into more laughter, though Fredrick's was much louder and shakier for obvious reasons. “Just, one thing…” Fredrick began, ignoring Stella’s words and addressing everypony at once. “PLEASE no more pranks of that magnitude, okay? Besides, I don’t even think we can top that. Let's keep it below the threshold of irreparable psychological damage, okay?” “Agreed.” The first mistake was Fredrick thinking this would blow over and would not be too much of a problem. The mind is certainly a funny thing. > Part XXV. Future > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Please read the Author's Note at the end of the chapter for more information. Also, I stole a line and retooled it a bit. 1 Internet point if you can tell me where it's from! Part XXV. Future [Two Years Later…] Fredrick awoke with a start, inhaling sharply as he fought to grasp something tangible around him. At an instant, he found himself in his bed as he should have been, though matted in a cold sweat. Adrenaline still surging through his body, his heart raced and his breathing was staggered, he himself hesitant to declare his nightmare was truly over. Fortunately, everything was where he left it before he fell asleep; the window to the cool night air was left slightly ajar, letting the curtains gently flutter with every little change in the wind, the pictures on the wall which were visible with what little light entered into the room... ...And of course, Luna sleeping peacefully next to him. Breathing a massive sigh of relief, Fredrick lay back down and curled himself up behind his marefriend, wrapping his arms around her stomach and spooning her lovingly. He then pressed his forehead against her back and began the arduous process of falling back asleep… but a damper was put on that when Luna was roused by the firmness in which he was holding her, and she shifted and turned to face him. Their eyes were suddenly level with each other, and the sliver of moonlight that entered into the room reflected both concern and regret. No one said anything for awhile, and Fredrick allowed himself to be lost in the teal blue orbs that captivated him from the first time they met. Already, he could feel his anxiety begin to recede. “Did I let one get by?” she asked in a whisper, cupping his cheek and stroking him. Luna’s heart nearly broke when Fredrick averted his gaze shamefully, and he didn’t have to say anything for her to know the answer to her question. Luna sighed out and pulled him snuggly against her, his face nestling just above her bosom while their bare legs became intertwined. Despite Fredrick’s seemingly fine rebound from that truly over-the-top prank, it became clear as the days passed that he was, indeed, not okay. “I’m sorry, Luna…” he sighed out, and those words were met with an equal measure of love and sternness. “You have nothing to be sorry for, my love… t’was our faults. We are sorry.” Fredrick relaxed in her embrace and rested his eyes once more. He let the gentle stroking of Luna’s hand across the back of his head lull him into a much more relaxed, trance-like state. If one were to ask him if he’d be suffering from anything in his future, ‘anxiety’ and ‘some form of minor, actual legit PTSD’ would be the last thing on his mind. It’s funny how that works… though considering the sheer realism that Luna, Celestia, and Stella were able to produce in such a prank, perhaps a sense of enduring trauma was not all that astonishing. The first symptom was the sudden onset of incredibly grotesque and vivid nightmares involving the very subject that Fredrick dare not touch upon: Luna’s death. Later symptoms manifested in sudden skittishness (usually when he did not know where Luna was within twenty-four hours), and an overwhelming urge to head to Luna’s room at any point in time. It was just a prank, bro… But telling himself that over and over again never allayed that fear in his mind; his dreams didn’t help him either. He didn’t think it would be this bad… actual anxiety and trauma was something he had only seen in movies or that his friends back on Earth—having come from much harder and ‘fucked-up’ upbringings—had, or were at least entitled to. “Still,” Fred whispered. “I just… you know how I feel about this already,” he sighed out again, defeated and unable to muster the appropriate words to marshal his thoughts. He hated feeling like this, like a child that needed coddling to feel secure in his mother’s embrace, though in this particular case, it was in Luna’s hold. His head against her boobs, though, was definitely helping him calm down faster. It did little to to nullify the feelings of shame he still harbored, however. “Shhhh…” Luna calmed him, running her fingers through his hair while she held him flush. The alicorn then allowed her eyes to drift shut and she nuzzled her face down into his, conveying the close intimacy the two had shared for so long. Feeling her warm breath fall and break upon his face was yet another sign that the vanquished nightmare was no longer in control of his perception of reality. “Just relax, Fredrick. I will be here, and I shall always be here for you… by your side for the continuous future, as you are for me.” It was always little words like so, that made Fredrick’s heart flutter just shy of a cuteness-induced heart attack. His feelings of pseudo demasculation from his ‘incidents’ melted away if just for a fleeting moment, and he acted upon the urge to kiss his mare right then and there. Fred planted that chaste, gentle kiss on Luna’s lips, and it was her turn to melt this time around. Fredrick always found a way to make her ‘melt,’ though, in more ways than one, of course. Nevertheless, Luna had little qualm with being the big spoon or being the anchor of support whenever Fredrick happened to need it… it was a small price to pay for all Fred had done to better her life. Silence monopolized the atmosphere for the next few minutes, which gave the human much needed time to quell his residual anxiety. “I love you, Luna…” Fred finally outed, relaxing back into his favorite mammary-variety pillows of them all. “And I love you, my stallion…” the groggy princess replied in earnest, planting another kiss on his forehead before laying back and settling her head just atop of his. “...my sweet, amazing stallion…” “Hmmm… I’m really starting to like these extra little names,” Fred admitted, his whispers gradually becoming softer and harder to decipher, a clear symptom of sleepiness reclaiming lost territory, if any. Luna felt the exact same way, and it had been a little while (two whole days) since they last fell asleep in an intimate embrace such as this. Both were more than okay with that prospect. “Well, get used to them, Fredrick,” she teased, returning her hand to his cheek and running her thumb over his damp, clammy face. She wiped some of the residual sweat and grime; and on an unrelated note, these sheets would need to be changed, as a result. “But, try to get some sleep,” she cautioned, separating and rejoining their legs in a slightly different position, which allowed previously untouched skin to cooly rest on each other; a comfortable tingle wormed its way up both their spines from the pleasurable feeling. There was little substitute for sleeping on a cool pillow or bed when one was warm, and the same held true with another’s body, in some sense. “It is a big day, tomorrow.” “I know,” Fredrick nodded, barely holding onto consciousness and eager to slip back into his dreamscape where Luna’s ethereal form would watch over him vigilantly. “And I can hardly wait.” With one last response in the form of a blissful sigh out of Luna, the two were once again claimed by slumber… and Fred couldn’t have felt better rested in the morning, in his opinion at least. Like Luna had mentioned, it was a big day for the two of them, and the entirety of this day needed to be devoted to getting ready and ensuring all preparations were as perfect as possible. For Fredrick personally, it was not an overly taxing process, considering he had about five hours to do so. Shower, shave, and generally make sure he looked modestly presentable outside of his tuxedo were on his agenda before he actually moved on to grooming himself properly. It would defeat the whole purpose if he looked like he took two drunken binges across the country. To his credit, he rarely looked as such, but there were times where Luna wasn’t entirely sure… Stella was an often ‘interesting’ influence on him. As incredible of a Royal and Honor Guard as she was, even the Princess had to admit that she was incredibly high-octane. Fred hadn’t seen Luna since they woke up, but that was to be expected, given the circumstances. Standing alone in his room and in front of the body-length mirror that lay in one of its corners, Fredrick finished buttoning up his pristine, white shirt to the collar. With that done, it was a simple matter of tucking his shirt into his midnight-blue slacks before securing those as well. A shiny new, onyx-black belt held the two together, and identically-colored, brand-new shoes helped to complement the incomplete getup. Fred curled the edge of his lips down and nodded to himself in the mirror. He also noted how he managed to style his hair just right. “Not bad, Himmelreich! Now for the finishing touches.” One of the few skills that Fredrick always kept from his mom was how to tie a tie, both a standard and a bowtie. As customary with a tuxedo, the latter would be used, and, naturally it would be matching the color of his slacks and the eventual coat. Suppressing some of the anxious butterflies in his stomach in anticipation for what was to transpire in a mere hour, Fredrick set to work, sliding the untied bowtie under his shirt collar and took his time with (in his eyes) the meticulous process. After a minute or so, he pulled the edges out and smoothed the accent over. “Awesome…” Stretching out his back and ensuring that his shirt still stretched and fit his body, he swiped the jacket off of its coat-hanger and gingerly slid both of his arms into their proper places… along with giggling at the thought of ‘fisting both holes.’ Once it was secure, Fred adjusted the body and smoothed out the lapels, making sure his shirt collar wasn’t scrunched by that of the jacket. With the entire outfit complete, Fred took a little bit of time to study himself in the mirror. What stared back at him was a man who had definitely been through a lot of ‘wacky stuff,’ putting it lightly. He had lost a bit of weight, and some of the baby fat that had stubbornly refused to dissipate from his face had mostly vanished over the last three years, leaving behind a more defined, angular jaw and cheekbones… though just enough remained to retain his signature dimples when he smiled. Luna loved them, so his opinion of them gradually changed. Likewise, his cleft-chin remained intact. His body had gotten leaner, though that was due to the lack of meat in his diet; he still indulged once in awhile when he happened on some Griffon vendors in Canterlot proper, but nevertheless, he liked where he was right now in terms of (visible) weight to muscle ratio. His light-green eyes gave another once over to his form, and he himself had to remark that he looked suave. “Perfect…” Fred remarked to no one, a lopsided smirk shamelessly forming as he glanced at himself from different angles. He made a mental note to buy Rarity a nice bottle of wine as an extra token of his gratitude. His internal ramblings were shaken up when three uniform, firm knocks emanated from just outside of his door. “Come in!” he called over his shoulder while still smoothing out his coat for good measure, picking away little pieces of dust that might have accumulated. He heard the handle of the door turn and a gentle creak sounded as it swung open. “I’ll come in yer mouth, cunt,” a lewd play on his words was spoken by a trademark Scottish accent with the subtlest tinge of a rhasp. He could hear her hoof-falls, much more pronounced due to nicer shoes, and Fredrick giggled as he turned to face the entering thestral mare. “Ah, Stella! My best stallio—mare… excuse me,” he jokingly corrected himself, though he knew exactly what he was quipping at. Stella huffed in amusement and stopped just a few feet in front of him to get a good look, which allowed the human’s eyes to wander over her in kind… though Fred had already been pleasantly taken aback by what she was sporting; ‘rocking’ would be a more apt term. Stella was never one to dress up in anything extravagant, as she favored function over form, but there were clear-cut exceptions to this rule. With the same midnight-blue color, her outfit consisted of a metallic-sheened dress that fell to just below her knees and proudly displayed her toned, muscular legs. Fashionable, classy slits allowed for a sneak glance at the sides of her equally enticing mid-thigh at the right angles. She was bare from the neck to just above her breasts, though they were covered expertly by the dress, which only exposed the tiniest part of the top of her cleavage; enough to be inviting without the whole risqué factor. Like most of her more ‘formal’ (putting it nicely) wear, it was sleeveless and strapless, and her entire outfit was supplemented by a gorgeous necklace with a crystal pendant that hung just below her collarbone. On the whole, her dress clung to her body in all the right places… and for Fredrick, there was little doubt in the power she had over anypony she wanted, just based on how she looked. Her face, however, was what took the cake. Her eye-shadow matched the blue color theme, and her golden gaze was highlighted more so with precision-applied eye-liner. Fredrick could not tell if it was the light or his mind playing tricks on him… but he could’ve sworn that she was wearing the faintest hint of lighter-grey blush on her cheeks. Her mane was in its usual ponytail style, but it appeared to have some distinct shine to it at a few angles, and moreover, two thick, symmetric locks drooped below her hairline and framed her face exquisitely. The right corner of her lip upturned in a half-smirk at Fred’s gawking. “Keep lookin’ at me all oafy like that and ye might have to call the wedding off,” she joked, taking the extra two steps to close the distance between them and smooth off Fred’s suit out of habit. “Wait… I’m getting married?” Fred asked innocently, doing his best to put on genuine surprise, which elicited a full toothy smile from the batpony. “Fuck off,” Stella rebutted with a giggle. She smoothed out his jacket and made sure that the collar and lapels of his suit were folded on themselves just right. “Gotta say though… yer lookin’ pretty fuckin’ dapper over here,” she complimented, stepping back a bit once she determined that Fredrick looked just fine. Her words weren’t just for encouragement; she found Fred to be handsome by her standards, even when in more casual clothes. “Well, thank you.” Fred tilted his head down just a bit in a show of gratitude. “You’re lookin’ pretty nice, yourself… got that classy look about you.” “Cheers, mate,” she replied, nodding with an extra beam to her smile. “It was either this or my ceremonial army uniform.” Fredrick cocked an eyebrow towards her. “You’d really wear that?” “I can change if you like…” “No no, that’ll do just fine,” Fredrick played along, and after a few moments of silence, the two wrapped their arms around each other, Stella’s around Fred’s waist and Fred’s around her upper back. Even from just that contact, he could feel the strong muscles in her lats. On a more metaphysical level, however, he could feel how strong their friendship had become. “You were just a doaty cunt wanderin’ about in the castle… and now you’re marrying Princess Luna,” Stella mused, sighing pleasurably and earning a good chuckle out of the human. He would never get tired of her word choice for any situation, no matter what. The two separated and, still side-by-side, they peered into the mirror and observed the two different figures staring back at them. “Time flies, huh?” “Time didn’t fuckin’ fly, twat… you’ve been here a whole three years!” she countered sarcastically, her face scrunching up in mock-irritation which only made Fredrick laugh that much harder. It was true, when she put it all into perspective; it only took him three years to go from a meandering mess to the future husband of a head of state. “I’m mad, though,” Stella added, pausing for dramatic effect. “Why’s that?” “Because when you go on your honeymoon… I’m gonna be bored as fuck for a month!” Stella protested. “Wanking off on duty is only so much fun after the thirty-sixth time, y’know,” she informed. Fredrick’s expression scrunched inward this time, and the slight revulsion that made itself known was somewhat unwarranted, considering how open Stella was with Fredrick about everything. Seriously, everything. “That’s an oddly specific number,” he remarked. “I have oddly specific needs,” she riposted with equal emotion, or lack thereof. The two had themselves a giggle but it was at that moment that Stella laid eyes on Fredrick’s bowtie, having missed it the first time. Immediately, her complexion dropped from her usual, snarky equilibrium to downright disgusted. “That...” she pointed to the center of his uneven bowtie, and Fredrick glanced down out of reflex. “...is a shit-tied bowtie.” “Hey! It’s not tied with shit,” Fredrick defended himself, lifting his hands to the sides and using the literality of her words to further annoy her. “Nae! It looks like you tried to hang yerself with a fuckin’ umbilical cord!” she asserted. “Give it here.” she quickly moved in to untie it but Fred quickly swatted her hand away. “It’s fine, Stella!” he said, stubbornly proud of his ability to still tie the bowtie even if it might not have been the greatest result. With her hand still outstretched, Stella’s complexion darkened, and Fredrick could directly observe the complexional continuum from playful disgust to her iconic ‘bollocking face.’ Her brow furrowed and the right corner of her mouth downturned in a soundless snarl. “I…” Stella paused for exaggerated, dramatic effect. “...am not letting you marry my Princess with a cocked up bowtie,” she warned. “Hand it over and let me tie it properly, or so help me, I’ll fuckin’ liquidate ye.” Fred recoiled bemusedly and opened his mouth to reply. Stella, however, quickly cut him off and opened her hands to him to help convey her next sentence. “I’ll be ‘real’ with you, Fred… I don’t know what that word means; I’m not as educated as you, after all. But I’ll start with ripping your prick off and go from there,” she followed up pointedly. Fredrick pursed his lips in annoyance, but acquiesced peacefully. Rolling his eyes, he undid the bowtie and handed it to the mare, whose expression immediately bounced back to the status quo. Stella donned a beaming smile once more. “Watch…” she said, stretching out the garment and wrapping it under Fred’s collar as she set about correcting the error of his ways. Fred glanced down as Stella talked him through each and every step of the perfect bowtie, and even though he knew the aforementioned basics because of his mom’s efforts, he was pleasantly enlightened on a few more tips that the batpony could offer him. Her fingers moved at such a speed and precision that only one with experience could reproduce. “...and pull,” Stella said, pulling the two ends of the bowtie out, culminating with a perfect, symmetric knot. She wiped it off with her thumbs and stepped back, gesticulating to Fred’s entire form. “Perfect!” Fred turned to the mirror and sized himself up again… indeed, the knot was much better done, and it seemed to affect his entire presentation. Perhaps she was right… Stella is always right. “Okay I’ll admit it… it looks a lot better,” he confessed, chuckling as he gave himself one last once-over. Suddenly, Fredrick stiffened up as if he forgot something, and reached to the nearby dresser for exactly what he was looking for: the head of a Night Lily to clip onto his lapel. That was probably where it didn’t belong at all, but he liked it that way, and in the past, Luna always loved it. “So, is that all there is?” Stella asked, crossing her arms under her chest and cocking her hips. “It looks like it,” Fred replied, admiring himself at different angles. It just looked like he might pull this off with all the necessary flair. “I’m all set.” Stella smiled again, flashing him her pristine, pearly whites with those fangs Fred always found so cute. “Good. That leaves us with just enough time to make it to the throne room and get in positions.” Fred shuffled inside his jacket and ensured it still clung to his torso nicely. The two simultaneously turned towards the door and made their way. “It’s that time already, huh?” he asked rhetorically, a cheeky smile gracing his face that he directed towards his batpony friend; Stella quickly fell into step with him. The two exited out of his door and began the fateful walk towards the throne room. Fred was not gonna lie, though; he was eager, albeit quite anxious at what was to transpire. In fact, he had little idea that he’d be just so willing to jump into something like this with Luna… but in thinking back on it, he would have it no other way. Fredrick loved Luna with all his heart, and had already (silently) resolved that he would most likely spend the rest of his life with her. What better way to seal the deal than with a good old-fashioned marriage? “Alright, let’s do this!” “Keep your vows close and yer manners closer, mate,” Stella cautioned. “Don’t fuckin’ embarrass yerself, and by extension, embarrass me in front of my Princess, okay?” she joked, the two of them picking up their strides. Royal Guards were stationed much more frequently, and although most of the decorations and flair were saved for the throne room itself, there were a few bits of sporadic, decorative tapestries hung on the walls and streamers lining the tops of the corridors; nothing over the top, though. “You mean like that time the three of us went out and I stuck the sausage down your shirt?” Fredrick recalled, shooting Stella an impish, lopsided grin. She pouted in response, letting that one fang of hers snaggle outside her lip. “Chorizo titjob amirite?” he nudged her. “Yeah, ya still don’t fuckin’ deserve to live for that!” [One Hour Later…] Everything was set up just as requested; the guests were all seated, filled with mainly nobles and the friends of both Celestia, Luna, and Fredrick. Of course, the Mane Six plus Spike all had front-row seats with the exception of Twilight, who was selected as Luna’s best mare. Also, a few select reporters were allowed to cover the event; a Princess was getting married, after all. As for the throne room, the usual decor and style in which the Princesses would orchestrate court and issue their unbiased judgements was completely revamped, and Fred could almost not recognize the room when he stepped into it for the first time today. All the native tapestries had been removed and replaced with profile shots of both Luna and Fredrick… and what made it odd was that Fredrick did not remember ever taking some of those pictures, so how they got him to pose so perfectly was a mystery. There were also a few pictures of the two of them together, holding each other while smiling brightly at the camera. Great pictures, overall. The monolithic curtains which fluttered with the gentlest breeze allowed in had also been replaced with one more in tune with the Princess’ color scheme, namely a gradient from midnight/navy blue at the top to teal blue at the bottom. Streamers drew the perimeter around the throne room and magical fires were set up to seemingly burn in place without any support, adding the shadows of dancing fire to the mix of an already impressive list of decorations. Other than the usual flowers and other small little additions which were customary for a wedding (at least in Equestria), most of the changes were under-the-hood, and in the end, Luna nor Fredrick wanted an ‘all out’ ceremony; that would’ve been just exhausting. This, however, was just right. At the altar, Celestia stood right in the center behind a podium that was clearly too small for her, garbed in a pristine-white dress unlike what she would normally wear to court… with a few key differences, of course. While still sleeveless, it retained its over-the-shoulder straps but also had a very subtle pink gradient wrapping around the form-fitting torso… so much so that if Fred were to look at it, the gradient would disappear and reappear elsewhere. She wore her normal regalia, as Celestia volunteered quite eagerly to be the one to officiate the ceremony; she always had dreams of ‘giving her sister’ to some lucky suitor and conducting the festivities as a result… Fredrick couldn’t have been more right to give Luna to. Just in front of the altar stood Fredrick, pacing in a loosely defined line back and forth awaiting the ceremony to begin. It couldn’t, of course, on account for Luna being absent and most likely readying herself for the impending marriage. Fred wished he could’ve seen her to potentially calm any apprehensive nerves she might’ve had, but of course, that was bad luck where he came from, and it was apparently still bad luck here in Equestria. The guests chatted amongst each other at a respectable level, which afforded Fredrick a little bit of white noise to help filter out his mind. Stella, who stood to Fred’s immediate right of the altar, however, was getting annoyed at his constant pacing. “Oi, can ya stop pacing?” she asked. From the opposite side of the altar, Twilight giggled into her palm. “She’s right, Fred. Relax!” she encouraged, placing her hands on her hips. Taking another look at Twilight, Fred was always surprised at how gorgeous the Ponyville Librarian was. While doubtlessly petite, her form-fitting dress highlighted a cute butt and an average bust. In his opinion—other than her face—Fred felt her best feature was her legs, which were beautifully smooth in an alluring figure to just under her dress. Keeping in concert with the color theme, her dress was not all that different from Stella’s, though she opted for straps that fell stylishly below her shoulders, as well as a few personal color touches of her own, mostly magenta which tactically accented certain areas of her body. Fredrick chuckled at both of their ‘polite’ ways of asking him to stop being annoying. “You’re right girls… I’m cool,” he lifted his hands and returned to his assigned position. He nodded to both of them. “I’m cool.” “Everything’ll be fine, Fredrick…” Stella reiterated, but her glance was involuntarily dragged towards the rear of the throne room, and coincidentally, everypony in the audience seemed to quiet down. “Though, you may wanna take a look,” she pointed. Fred turned his head to the back and, what he saw towards the rear of the room made him instantly forget about all of his worries. He knew it was Luna in that gorgeous dress he couldn’t make out just yet… but still he never took his eyes away as she advanced forward to the sudden tune of what he assumed was an Equestrian wedding march. A pleasant heat diffused throughout his entire body, and he was glad he had no heart problems running in his family, because at how fast that special muscle in his chest was beating, he felt he would’ve had a heart attack by now at the unadulterated beauty that his Princess radiated. He had to restrain a ‘cuteness giggle’ when Luna almost tripped on herself. Through the veil, their eyes locked onto each other as she drew closer, and that also allowed Fredrick to gaze upon exactly what she was wearing for their special day. Fred was no expert on wedding dresses, so to him, the general anatomy of it seemed relatively the same as any he had seen in a movie or at weddings he had actually been to. Most notably, however, her dress was a shade darker than her coat, holding to the color scheme as expected. Probably for nopony but Fredrick, the sleeveless and strapless dress’ conforming nature highlighted and pushed up her breasts to just on the divide of tastefulness. She sashayed her hips in a choreographed manner and held a bright, brimming smile under the a traditional veil and headdress. Like Twilight, there were select areas of her dress with tactical accents, though in the teal-blue color that matched her eyes. The most interesting parts of the dress were the rear of both the proper outfit and the veil, which appeared to be in some magical or interdimensional flux. To Fredrick, those parts seemed to evaporate in a magical fire yet coalesce back into their solid forms at an equal rate, which only added to her ever striking appearance. Fred still sometimes couldn’t believe that she was his mare… and this was starting to feel like one of those times. After what seemed like an eternity, Luna finally made her last step up to the altar, taking her place right by Fredrick’s side. “W-Wow… You look stunning, babe…” Fredrick confessed, unveiling Luna’s face and all the work that truly let her natural beauty explode outward, making his heart flutter erratically. What made Luna color at that instant, however, was Fredrick’s use of that little pet name. They weren’t common between each other, but when they were exchanged, it made them that much more special. “Speak for yourself, my love,” Luna replied genuinely, and the two exchanged a gentle nuzzle, a gesture that Fredrick had gotten much used to actively returning over the years. Still, both were thinking the exact same thing: each other’s clothes would probably look better strewn about the floor. “Ahem,” Celestia cleared her throat loudly when silence fell upon the room, tearing Luna’s and Fredrick’s attention from each other and bidding everypony else to lend their ears. It was time. “By the Harmony of the Sun and Moon...” she began, utilizing a much less-intense version of her royal voice. “...we gather today at the heart of our nation to bear witness to the union of my younger sister, Princess Luna of Equestria, and her greatest friend, Fredrick Himmelreich.” The two individuals in question shared a sideways, knowing glance, and the happiness they exuded was contagious, easily infecting both Twilight and Stella. “Now, this is where we diverge from a more traditional wedding,” Celestia spoke once again. “In keeping with my sister’s personality, we shall forego the extra flair and pleasantries in place of more practical, meaningful gestures. As such, for this momentous occasion in our nation’s history, we shall proceed with the part that means the most to both of our to-be-wed individuals: the exchanging of the vows. Fredrick,” the Solar Alicorn gestured with her left hand to the human. He nodded up to her and faced Luna in full, taking her hands in his and massaging the tops with his thumbs. Fred took a few moments to steady his shaky breath and drumming heart. “L-Luna…” he began, and an even wider smile broke across Luna’s muzzle in anticipation as to what he was about to say. “When I was brought to this world against my will, I didn’t believe that I’d survive very long on my own, let alone find love in someone as amazingly perfect as you.” Luna pursed her lips but nodded, bidding him to continue. His confidence soared. “The first time I laid my eyes on you, I couldn’t help but comment to myself how gorgeous you were when you seemed to shimmer and glow in the light of your own moon. To my surprise, you were the second Princess I had heard so much about, and I was struck by how humble you were, even as a member of royalty; it was never like that where I came from. I never believed I would form the strongest friendship of my life with you, Luna… but I would never want it any other way. Everything that’s happened between us, the good and the not so good, has been a blessing in its own right, and if given the chance… if somehow I was presented with the choice to go back to my Earth or relive these precious moments with you, I’d chose the latter over and over again until time itself ceased to exist,” Fredrick so powerfully declared. Luna was smiling brightly, and she didn’t even feel the lone tear falling down her cheek. She nodded in understanding. “I love you from the bottom of my heart, my Princess… and if you’ll have me, I wish to spend the rest of my mortal life on this beautiful planet with you, and stand by your side continuing to watch you grow into the ruler that this nation wants, needs, and reveres.” At a certain word cue, a young foal who was selected to bear the rings made his presence known. Fredrick selected the larger of the two, a sapphire-studded ring made of  rare, pure ‘Lunar Alloy.’ The crowd murmured at its sight, as it was that beautiful glimmering in the rooms natural ambiance. Wordlessly, Luna bowed her head and presented her horn to Fredrick, who cupped her face lovingly and slid the ring down to the base; a perfect fit. There were definitely a few ‘awwws’ from the crowd, especially from the other five of the Elemental Bearers, but upon the close of the audience’s reaction, it was Luna’s turn. “Luna,” Celestia said, giving her the go ahead. “Fredrick, when I returned from my banishment, I was more worried about fitting into a contemporary society where all I knew was the past,” Luna recalled. “My speech was different, my mannerisms were all outdated, and I had little concept of the idea of friendship anymore; all my previous friends were long dead.” She straightened her posture and and looked Fred in the eyes with the same conviction which she co-led the nation, and Fredrick loved that look on her. “With the help of you, Celestia, and Twilight Sparkle here, I was well on the path to being happy again… but it was you, Fredrick, who was the springboard to the elation I feel every day when I wake up in the morning,” Luna poured her heart out, holding Fred’s hands that much tighter. “Few have ever shown me the kindness and intimacy that I craved in my time of need, and you put up with my antics on a daily basis. You knew what came with a relationship with a head of state, and yet you never shied away. You have always supported and worked with me… and the understanding you possess is unparalleled. “Fredrick, the vocabulary I have amassed over my entire life thus far would not hold enough words to accurately describe how much you mean to me, so I will have to settle for the closest approximation: I love you with my entire body and ethereal soul. Every moment we share together is something I wish to cherish for as long as I live, and if you shall have me, I wish to share my life with you so I may cherish it all in entirety.” Many were struck hard by those words and Fredrick’s eyes reflected pure love back at his mare; there were misty eyes aplenty within the crowd. Still, Fred had enough sense left in him to present his right hand, and Luna slid the practical ‘Lunar Alloy’ ring onto the appropriate finger. Said ring had an engraving in ancient Equestrian that directly translated as: “Mortal Love Remains Eternal.” When that final ring was exchanged, the crowd expressed their due approval with a round of applause… though Celestia quickly silenced it with a raising of her hand; there would be plenty of time for that in the very near future. “And so it shall be!” Celestia declared. She decided to follow a bit more traditional procedure in the most untraditional ways. “But… to make things that much more official. Let us reiterate: Fredrick Himmelreich, do you take this mare to be your lawfully wedded wife; to love, to hold, and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?” Fredrick didn’t even need to pause for dramatic effect. “I do!” “And Luna, do you take this stallion to be your lawfully wedded husband; to love, to hold, and to cherish for as long as you both shall live?” Celestia asked the same question to her sister, a one-sided grin present on her muzzle. Luna returned the exact same look, and once again, their relation to each other shined through like a luminous sun. “I do!” “It is unanimous! Then, by the power vested in me…” Celestia declaimed, arms spread wide as she addressed everypony. “...I deem these two husband and wife!” The applause began immediately, even before Celestia could finish her last sentence, to which she glanced at her sister “Luna, you may kiss the stallion!” “What?” Fredrick asked, startled, but he had no time to react to Luna sweeping him up in her grasp, leaning him nearly parallel to the ground and planting her muzzle on his in the most meaningful kiss of their lives… one which he laughed hysterically while returning it full force. Both arms were wrapped around each other and they were deaf to the world, but the sudden action caused everypony to enter into rapturous applause and laughter. Stella completely lost her shit and doubled over in guffaw. When Luna and Fredrick separated, they joined each other’s sides and wrapped their arms around each other, while Luna pumped her fist in the air and threw her unassuming bouquet into the crowd. They didn’t even care who caught it, as they were caught up in just holding each other through the universal praise. Even Blueblood, who had a front row seat on the end, stood up with a cigar in his mouth and joined in on the ovation. There was only a small afterparty planned, but ultimately the moment the two stepped out of the castle tonight, they’d be on their honeymoon in a place that Luna picked… but guaranteed that Fredrick would love. He had every reason to trust her, of course. So, with beaming smiles and surging love for one another, the two strode hand in hand with the maidens of honor and Celestia at their sides towards the exit. They received immeasurable praise and attempted to return the gestures with gratitude as much as possible… but their only goal was to get out and enjoy their month-long honeymoon with nopony but each other. Celestia would keep things running smoothly at home, despite Luna being more than willing to still receive official, governmental documents but the Solar Alicorn would have none of it. They earned that much. [Zebranica | That Same Night…] The affluent Zebranican resort planned to the last crossed ‘t’ and dotted ‘i’ to ensure that everything would surpass perfection for the arrival of Princess Luna of Equestria and her new husband. The expansive, essentially gargantuan ‘Imperial Suite’ met every possible request the new couple could have, and garnished the entire room with all the extra necessities, including bedsheets that matched the Lunar Princess’ color scheme on the king-sized bed, and even the selection of the finest wines and drinking water. The afforded view was what cost the pretty bit, but resort administration wanted to ensure the maximum intimacy factor for their month-long stay. None of it was appreciated, at least on that first night. The double doors to the suite magically burst open with a mighty crash, revealing a still-tuxed up Fredrick hefting a wedding dress-garbed Luna bridal style, though the most noticeable thing was that they seemed to be completely fused at the mouth. Their lips were not engaging in ‘kissing’ so much as they were ‘eating’ each other’s mouth off. Their tongues furiously went about it, fighting for dominance through the intimate touches and gratuitous, shameless moans but Luna’s larger muscle soon established dominance. A brief separation was in order, however, to quickly strip off all of their early-day garments, and within twenty seconds, both parties were nude to nopony but each other, and they almost instantly found themselves intertwined in their respective grasps one more. Fredrick’s hands immediately zeroed in on her perfect ass and clamped down hard, while Luna fought to keep a hold on Fredrick’s head right where he was. Moaning into each other’s mouths, their faces worked each other over for all they were worth; there would most certainly be bruises and chafing the next day if they did this right. And boy, they intended to. They led each other towards the immaculately-made bed without a care in the world for anyone but each other, and Fredrick’s hands diligently sunk their fingers into Luna’s perfectly curved rear, massaging the muscle deep within and eliciting stronger whines of desperation out of her. The hours-long ride to Zebranica could not have taken any longer, and Luna almost unzipped his pants right in the carriage and sucked his cock right then and there… ...but of course, not only was that un-princessly-like, it was illegal. The two finally separated for air after an enormous makeout session, their breathing ragged and labored. Their eyes were lidded and reflected naught but lust, love, and sheer wanton desire to consume each other’s entire bodies. The fact that Fredrick’s length—already at full, raging mast—was so neatly wedged between their lower bodies only added to the moment. Luna’s already-drenched slit was not faring any better. To her knowledge, she already stained the carpet beneath them. The Princess bit her lower lip and, impossibly, lidded her eyes further before letting loose what sounded to Fredrick like a primal growl, she grabbing a fistful of his hair and smashing her lips against his one last time. Suddenly he felt his body enveloped in a uniformly distributed, pleasant heat of sorts… a key symptom of magical manipulation. He was then tossed over to the bed where he bounced once or twice, his legs draped over the sides of the massive sleeping arrangement. Getting his bearings and propping himself up with his elbows, his eyes widened comically at the nude Luna sauntering her way over to him, a predatory demeanor radiating outward from her salacious smile. His cock twitched painfully where it stood. “You’re mine, Fredrick…” she declared with a husky voice, hoisting herself up and crawling over the ‘helpless’ human. Fred never tore his gaze from Luna’s, especially with how she was peering down at him hungrily… he hadn’t seen Luna this sexually ‘alive’ ever, and he was gonna savor all of this. When it looked like she was going to drop her head down for another kiss, she only licked her lips and sultrily winked once… then turned around and presented him with the source of the greatest-tasting honey in all of Equestria. And Luna, in turn, was presented with the throbbing spire that she so craved the entire flight over. Neither wasted time in descending upon each other’s crotches, Luna instantly engulfing Fred’s entire length into her greedy muzzle and started lapping around his head while Fred pulled her ass down so he could bury his mouth into her soaked pussy. Reactions were immediate, and the chorus of moans began in earnest, which only fueled each other’s growing lust as those vibrations were sent straight into each other. Luna stroked and slurped lasciviously at Fredrick’s cock like her favorite lollipop, sucking away any bit of precum he so graciously gave her for her efforts. Moaning at every little taste she took as it overwhelmed her senses. His musk drove her to the limits of insanity and she only wanted to consume anything he would give her. As for Fredrick, he reciprocated by drinking up any juices that Luna provided him, her sweet-tasting nectar being instantly replaced the moment he consumed it, like a sexual buffet of sorts. Slurping her pussy and spreading her lips with his fingers as best as he could, he made sure to worm his tongue around and inside her to sample each and every petal and inner wall that he had memorized over the years. Of course, he never failed to neglect her little clit which was swollen, throbbing, and begging for attention. Swirling his tongue into her button elicited a sharp whine from the Princess, which was muffled well by his rod being nestled tightly in her mouth. He also yanked on her tail for added effect, which was one of her favorite things when they engaged in rougher sex. The two continued to sixty-nine for what seemed like half an hour, and knowing well each other’s signs of impending climax, it was a battle of edging each other to the cliff of euphoria and then back down. After freeing Fred’s length from her mouth and lathering him in another coat of her saliva with the help of her tongue, Luna decided that it was enough foreplay. Removing herself from Fred, much to his readily apparent disappointment, Luna only took a long lick up the side of his cheek and backed away from him… towards the balcony. “L-Luna? What’re you…?” Fredrick asked as she unlatched the doors and opened them, letting the sudden ingress of cool Zebranican night air chill their already heated bodies. Luna’s wings were splayed out to both sides and nippples stood at even greater attention than before, beckoning Fredrick out with her. He needed little convincing to follow. Intense sexual hunger came with tunnel vision, and Fredrick only saw Luna leaning against the sturdy balcony railings leading to the valley beneath them, though they couldn’t see it on account of the time of day. To them it was nothing more than silhouettes against the partially-cloudy night sky and sporadic lights down below. Luna stared back at Fredrick with a bit lip, squeezing her breasts between her arms as she presented her ass to him, winking sex begging to be stuffed by rigid dick. Luna only whined when Fredrick was just staring at her. “Please… are you not eager to claim your Princess as your wife?” she urged on, giving her butt a gentle wiggle to entice Fred further. Her essence was dripping down between her legs and when the human shimmied up behind her (not even caring that they were outside for any to hear), her wetness was corroborated as he pressed the head of his swollen cock against her netherlips, feeling himself become instantly drenched. “Fuck, Luna you’re soaked…” he commented pleasantly, running his head vertically against her quivering pussy. Luna shuddered at the feeling, and did her due diligence to press herself back into Fredrick’s crotch in hopes that he would finally penetrate her. Of course, Fred enjoyed when she squirmed, and denied her that pleasure. “Mmph! Fredrick, please!!” she protested, trying to grind herself into him, but the human quickly realigned his cock away from her entrance, and instead decided to lay it between her asscheeks and envelop himself, hotdogging his girl just as he enjoyed in the past. “Nah, I think I’m okay where I am now,” he jokingly mused, running his leaking phallus through the quickly slickening cleavage of her ass. Out of instinct, she gave her butt that much extra wiggle, but she continued to whine and moan, desperate for the attention that would scratch the impossibly insatiable itch within her. “FRED!” she wailed. “I’ll let you do that every day for our honeymoon if you just fuck me right now!” Luna so eloquently put it, bargaining with her body if he would just relieve the tension within her. Fredrick was about to say something else when Luna cut him off again with a much more enticing incentive. “I’ll let you finish on my chest! You love doing that!” she blurted out over her shoulder, and Fred allowed his dick to slip from her asscheeks back down to alignment with her begging entrance. He pressed into her, and allowed his head to push past her outer lips, which earned a slightly relieved sigh out of her… naturally, it wasn’t enough. “I like that idea… but I want you to tell me exactly what you want me to do, Luna…” Fred added. “W-What?” Luna asked, face flushed and pressing herself back into him without relinquishing her hold on the balcony railing. She magically reinforced it for what was to come… just in case. “Tell me what you want… right now,” Fred commanded, running his hands up her stomach and cupping both of her heaving breasts, squeezing her nipples between his index and middle fingers as he squashed the two orbs together more than they already were. “This is how you wish to treat your new wife?” “SAY IT!” “Fredrick, please baby!” Luna cried out to the darkness-shrouded scenery below. “Claim my marehood as your own and fuck me until my legs buckle! Use your wife’s body until you cum on my tits!” she finally relented, rattling off her current desires to her human husband, who wordlessly sunk his entire rod into her; her response was an arousing, guttural moan that, surprisingly, did not produce an echo. “Ahhh,” Fredrick sighed, finally being buried within Luna’s depths. “This is what you wanted, huh?” he asked, being much more assertive and bucking his hips emphatically. He retracted himself entirely before slamming himself back into Luna, never failing to garner a high-pitched moan that would hitch in her throat every time her body lurched forward from the ‘impact.’ Luna’s eyes were lidded and her tongue was already lolling out of her mouth, her inner walls massaging and attempting to milk Fredrick’s spire for all it was worth. “To fuck you until you’re a mumbling, quivering mess?” He hammered his dick into her as deep as he could, and Luna had to cover her mouth lest she unleash a torrent of cries to all who may hear them and possibly investigate. “Mhmmm!” she moaned and nodded, her wings fluttering eagerly at the thought. Fredrick wasn’t entirely sure how to follow up to that, so he figured actions would speak louder. Shifting his hands to her ass for use as a hand-hold, Fredrick fell into a steady rhythm of pistoning his cock into Luna. The squelching sound of each time he sunk himself into the depths of her tunnel was all he focused on, quickly trumped by each of Luna’s moans that voiced her approval of his actions. His stamina had increased over the years, and he decided to angle himself differently within her to test her response… though angling himself downward always produced the best result in terms of her essentially screaming out his name. “Fred! Ahh!” she cried out through bared teeth when he grinded against that particularly sensitive spot inside her. “Just like that, fuck me just like that!” “Right… there?” he asked, bucking into her at the same time he uttered his last word, and he knew he had his answer when her moaning warped into a maniacal cry of glee. “YEESSS my love! Right there! Right. There!” Fredrick went straight back to work, and Luna met him halfway by pressing her rear into his thrusts. Both sang out a symphony of moans and dirty talk, something that they had replaced their banter with much more often. Fredrick was always impressed at the catalogue of words and encouragement that Luna could muster at a moment’s notice, that he would end up finishing early just from her words. “Mmm, Freddie… fuck me like this every day…” Luna said, almost pleadingly. Her triceps flexed as she gripped the railing of the balcony, doing her best to direct her moaning back at Fred rather than to anypony else down into the valley. “Fuck!! Every day?” he asked for confirmation, slapping both of his hands to her ass and receiving yet another whine of pleasure from his mare. She nodded vehemently. “Yes! AAhhh!... I want you inside me every day!...MMMPH!!...Your seed is all mine!” Luna replied, staking her claim in the lewdest of ways. Spurred on, Fredrick slammed himself into her as fast as he could muster, massaging her ass through her cutie marks before dipping his right hand lower between her legs to find her clit. From how many times he’d done something like this, it was not difficult this time around. “FUCK!” Luna arched her back and cried out, barely stemming the tide of her orgasm just in time. Fredrick parting her inner walls faster and faster was not helping her at all, but she didn’t care. She wanted to cum hard, for the first time, over her husband’s raging erection. Her breasts bounced and swayed each and every time Fred hilted himself into her, and Luna’s breathing was quickly becoming more and more erratic. Her tipping point was fast approaching, along with the promised euphoria that accompanied each and every time Fredrick brought her to the heights of heaven itself. The electric jolts that he sent into her when his dick pierced her most vulnerable tunnel were building up to unleash a tidal wave of pleasure. “Luna…” Fred quickly noted, realizing that, in his quest to make Luna cum hard and fast, he neglected to keep track of his own rapidly rising level of sexual hunger; his peak was also upon him. “MAHH!! Hold on for me… FredRICK!” Luna pleaded. “I’m...MMMM!...so close!” When she said that, Fred knew exactly what to do to send her careening over that edge that she desperately wished to tumble off of. Continuing to hold his own explosion of bliss (which took enormous effort on his part), Fredrick wordlessly snaked his hand back in between her legs and gave her clit a nice firm but ginger flick with his middle finger, all while muttering a simple command: “Cum for me…” Luna’s depths clamped down upon Fred’s cock with such force that he had to quickly retract himself lest he blow inside her. The Lunar Princess only had the coherence to voice her orgasmic high with a deep, yet powerful moan that did in fact echo from the shrouded valley below. She didn’t care in the slightest, and that howl of ecstasy was shamelessly followed up by several smaller, rapid groans of sexual satisfaction which, coincidentally, coincided each time her walls clenched down on Fred’s now-absent cock. Her lust-clouded mind was cleared enough when Fredrick, barely holding on, forced her off the barrier and to her knees. Out of reflex (though still in a groaning, quivering haze), she cupped her tits and pushed them upward, forming a valley of cleavage that would certainly rival what was just outside the balcony. Needing no further invitation, Fredrick cried out and unloaded himself directly on his target, firing volley after volley of his pent up seed and decorating Luna’s perfect breasts with his own ‘personal touch.’ After what seemed like too short of time, both of their intense highs began to recede, and Fredrick was able to gaze upon the handiwork of their somewhat short but indescribable fucking: Luna’s eyes were still lidded but bore a far off stare, her cheeks were colored brightly and she still held her boobs tightly against her chest. Most prominently, though, they were splattered and matted with Fred’s cum, having formed rivulets deep into her expansive cleavage and her chest. A small bead of his thick batter held firm on one of her nipples… until it broke and fell upon Luna’s thigh. Fred was pretty sure he emptied twice the capacity of his balls onto Luna’s heaving chest, and as the adrenaline and dopamine began to get reabsorbed, his legs became shakier, and he had to sit down in a chair that couldn’t have been more perfectly placed. Luna released her deathgrip on her breasts and let them bounce freely; Fred’s markings still held firm if they did not already get absorbed into her thin coat. Taking in deeper breaths, she (also shakily) got to her hooves and straddled Fred’s lap, placing her lips tenderly onto his and working them in a way they both loved; one of their perfect past times when relaxing between ‘rounds.’ And if any story that Fredrick read, or any movie that he saw could be taken at face value, there would be many rounds tonight. “My husband…” Luna remarked weakly when they separated for air, though this, of course, was temporary. She would bounce back momentarily. She delicately cupped the sides of Fred’s face. “Yes, my wife?” he replied with an equal tone of voice, humoring her though clearly enjoying the sappiness that came with post-coital relations. He was expecting a tender ‘I love you,’ but was not complaining about what he heard instead. “I wish to suck your cock again…?” Some men just have it made in the shade. 11 May, Year 4 Combined Rule It’s a little funny… Fredrick scribbled in a tiny, bound journal. Six years ago, I graduated college and was ready to really start my life. With a bit of dumb luck, I landed a comfortable job in economic consulting and I knew things could only go up from there… but I guess ‘up’ is relative to where you are. The story’s been told over and over again. My two best friends at the time and I got caught in some freak thunderstorm that happened upon us while we were walking on the beach. Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed surrounded by these weird, anthropomorphic creatures. Turns out I wasn’t even on Earth anymore… and to make matters worse, I was stuck. The pang in my heart at being ripped away from all I knew was crippling, but I knew there was no use in just moping about and wasting away in my own sadness. Attempting to make the best of what I had, I ended up making some new, amazing friends that helped me through this dark time and sudden transition; ‘sudden’ is putting it lightly, though. These friends never replaced those that I lost, and nothing will. My family will always have a special chunk of my heart reserved for them; the pang has never truly gone away. It has been eased, though by a few certain individuals in this crazy new world. I never bought into the idea that one person… or pony, rather,  could have such an effect on my life, more so than anyone I’ve ever met; I was wrong, and her name happens to be Luna. It didn’t even matter that she was royalty and essentially a demi-goddess. These were all things new to me, I might add. Still, I had never connected with someone so fiercely, laughed so hard with anyone, nor experienced as close of an intimacy with anyone as with her. While I intend to keep the memories of Earth deep within me, safe and secure, I can no longer deny the influence this alicorn has had on my life, and I can now categorically say that my life here is better than what I had on Earth. I never asked for this, but now, if I had the impossible chance to return, unless it was just to say goodbye, I would flat-out reject it. There have definitely been ups and downs, tremendous happiness and deep fear and sorrow, but it’s been an amazing life for me here, and I never want it to end. The great thing, is that with the aforementioned alicorn’s power and general ‘demi-goddess-ness,’ I, technically, will never have to live a day without her. She’ll outlive me by a near infinite number of lifetimes, and when I think about it, it’s like a pervy old man’s dream. The joke is that ‘highschool girls are wonderful; no matter how old I get, they always stay the same age.’ Well, I can say that about Luna, essentially. My new life began when I met her, and I’ll never forget the immediate feelings of warmth and security I felt when locking eyes with her for the first time. Those feelings have only grown stronger since we became best friends, and after yesterday, I can only hope that I provide the same for her… even if she may not need it. As long as I can love her with all my heart, I’ll have done my job, and done it well. Because in the end, I didn’t just marry an alicorn, or royalty, or one of the most powerful individuals in the world both physically and aetherically… Fredrick tapped the pencil against his chin in thought, but soon a proud grin spread across his face, his cheeks blushing at the thought. ...I got hitched with somepony even better than that. Like when I graduated college (but of course, infinitely better), a new journey in my life starts, one that I can’t wait to continue its steps. “Freeedrick~,” Luna called to him from the balcony where the hot tub lay, breaking his concentration. He was sitting on the side of the bed with his journal in his lap. “You coming, my dear?” “Yup!” he called back. “Coming out right now!” And it all started when I married my best friend, Luna. With those last words, he smiled widely and placed the pencil on the nightstand. He then closed the book delicately and set it level with the edge of the furnishing. Standing up and stretching his back out, his plain-white t-shirt rode up his stomach a bit, but he quickly disposed of the garment, leaving him in nothing but a jet-black bathing suit which held Luna’s cutie marks tactfully tatooed to the buttcheeks. Crossing the room and flinging open the balcony double-doors the entire way, he was greeted with an awe-inspiring view of the Zebranican Fertile Valley. Their private resort was nestled on the northern end of the valley, so the view afforded to them was one of seemingly endless lushness below. Depressing his gaze gave him a striking view of the combination of forest and some farmland, while a river cut through the very heart of the natural wonder; not one bit of drab color could be seen. Clouds hung low above, so close that Fred felt he could reach up and grab them, and they shrouded the entire valley while letting loose a gentle rain (the balcony provided a massive, sturdy awning, protecting them from the precipitation). Said clouds seemed to slowly meander about like an atmospheric current of sorts, cutting swaths through the mountaintops while they dumped their modest payloads onto the forested lands below. In conjunction with the mild temperature of about just over seventy degrees, in his opinion, this was a sight he wished to burn into his memory. “Ahem,” Luna cleared her throat, garnering the human’s attention. Turning to his right to see her, Fredrick found his new wife sitting on the edge of the hot tub in that navy-blue one-piece swimsuit that he loved so much, especially since it hugged her curves in all the right places. Kicking her legs in the water, she flashed him a smile over her shoulder that held so much meaning. “There you are! Finally ready to join me?” Luna asked knowingly, biting her lip at him and winking invitingly. There was absolutely no way that Fredrick could muster any ability to say ‘no.’ “You know it!” Fred replied, nodding as he quickly took his place on Luna’s left, sitting on the edge of the pool as he scooched his side into hers. Simultaneously, the two sank into the tub, which was at the very edge of the balcony, and the two could watch to their hearts content the natural wonders of nature putting on a show seemingly just for them. Fred draped his right arm over Luna’s shoulders, and she leaned her head against him, being mindful of her horn, of course. They both breathed a loaded sigh at the combined feeling of the hot tub and mild air clashing for dominance at the deterministic effect of their body temperatures. “This is seriously the greatest place right now. Just you, me, and the rain,” Fredrick felt compelled to comment, planting a kiss on the side of Luna’s head, which never failed to make her blush. As well, Fred felt he would always enjoy seeing that beautiful ring around Luna’s horn, glimmering from the light reflections off the water. “I’d have it no other way, Fredrick,” Luna replied dreamily, placing her left arm around Fred’s lower back. “I love you, Luna.” “And I love you, Fredrick… forever and ever,” the Princess added. Needing no other beckoning, the two fused their lips together once again in a chaste yet powerful kiss, one which would be far from the last they would ever share. Upon separating, they turned back to the alluring valley in front of them and sunk into their respective positions even more. Having a world to no one but each other, it truly put things in perspective for Fredrick, and like Luna said not even a minute before, he too would have it no other way. I’m home. > Optional Bonus: Small Character AMA > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight, how did you react to your sheets after Luna and Fred's brief visit? Twilight sat in her favorite chair in her Library, legs crossed and pondering the question that was asked of her. Still, she looked a bit bemused for what should’ve been something simple to answer. “I’m still not entirely sure what happened that necessitated Luna having to burn and give me money for a new pair of bedshee—” Her pupils constricted to pinpricks as some synapses finally connected in her head. “They FUCKED in my guest bed?!” Twilight suddenly blurted out her revelation. “They did NOT!” she added incredulously. She suddenly got to her feet. “Spike?? Spike!! Take a damn letter!” “Umm… Twi?” “TAKE A GODDAMN LETTER!” Fredrick: Assuming some spell could be engineered to bridge the species gap, what is your position on having foals/kids with Luna? Fred sat in his office chair behind his desk, dressed in his usual button-up dress shirt and slacks while leaning his elbows on the tabletop. He pursed his lips but his lips quickly upturned in a humorous smile. “I’ve spoken with Luna about this and we’re still debating. Such a spell technically does exist but it’s a bit magic intensive,” he explained, reclining in his chair. “From what I’m told, the foal would take on some characteristics of mine… by genetics, of course… that won’t affect their physical development, so perhaps my eye color or some personality traits. Chances are, if Luna and I were to have a child, they’d look very much like her. “Personally, though, I never found the appeal in kids,” he confessed, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “Kids strained my parents’ relationship, and maybe I’m just too young right now, but I never enjoyed the idea of having to take care of a little disease-ball while losing sleep. That, and Luna’s vagina would be widened for the forseeable future, maybe. Don’t tell her I said any of that, though...” He chuckled. “Sorry, not sorry! “Besides, I’d probably be a terrible father at the moment; I think I need to mature a little bit before we even consider crossing that threshold. I mean, if my kid started screaming I’d probably scream louder in reaction. But with Luna having to rule a government, the onus would fall on me to spend more time with the child, and as much as I’d have no problem with that. I’m just not ready for it, y’know?” Haw, Stella, yon accent ae yours is aboot as real as a twa quid note. Cin I suggest that ye quit usin' it, an' instead switch tae an accent that wid actually suit ye... like a wee chavvy Geordie or Scouse accent, f'r example? Huvin' said a' that, I still 'hink ye're well fit f'r a crazy lass. Stella sat on her bed in the barracks, her lips locked with a handle of imported Griffon vodka… and she was gulping it down like water. A couple bottles of beer lay strew about on her bed but that wasn’t enough. When half the bottle was consumed, she promptly capped it and set it aside. She stared back and her eyes were unevenly lidded. She belched and held one finger up pointedly, her mouth open. “Oi! Nae, who th’fuck are you tah tell me that mah accent is bollocks mate? And wha in Luna’s Moon ish dis ‘Geordie’ or ‘Scouse’ bullshite?! Sounds poofy if ya ask me!” She stood up threateningly but nearly lost her balance. “Make like a tree an’ go fuck yerself ya scabby scrote!... or I’ll fuckin’...” Stella had to cover her mouth and stifle a belch that she trusted a bit too much. “...fuckin’ nail yer knob to mah wall ya fuckin’ cunt, ye!" She balled her hands up. "Fite me, ye cheeky dickhole!" She suddenly tripped on an errant beer bottle and fell to one knee, but the sudden movement caused her to vomit up what she just drank… all over her floor and leg. At that moment, she chose to remember the last part of the ‘question.’ “Cheers, mate…” she weakly added with a smile. Blueblood, would you ever consider a "guy's night out" with you, Shining Armor, and Fred?  If so, what would you do? Blueblood was busy drafting notes in his study, sitting at his desk and diligently working to prepare for the next day of politics. He only spared a glance upward. “No.” Yo, Twilight. We have approximately 129,864,880 books on Earth, give or take a few thousand. What are your thoughts? Spike burst into Ponyville hospital with a nonresponsive Twilight Sparkle on his back, who seemed to be drooling with a dazed look on her face. “I NEED A DOCTOR, NOW!” He called out, alerting all medical staff in the area, who immediately came to their aid. “What happened?!” they asked. “I don’t know!!” Spike replied, handing the mare’s body off. “It’s like she had a stroke or something; she just seized up! Keeps mumbling occasionally about ‘a hundred and thirty million!’” “Get her to a room, now!” Fred, Luna: What was the biggest change you noticed about yourselves after you two became an item? What most excites you about the other? Also, what is your significant other's best asset (wink wink)? Fredrick and Luna sat together on the edge of Luna’s bed in her chambers, dressed as they normally would be and intertwining the fingers of their left and right hands respectively. They both averted their gazes downward as they thought about the question at hand. “Well, for myself,” Luna started. “...it was the sudden change in my overall, default demeanor. I felt just immeasurably happier, even if it was unofficial at the time.” “Same here, actually,” Fred added. “I had this extra pep in my step that let me forget my stresses and take on the world, pretty much,” he said with a smile. The two shared a ‘look’ and nudged each other playfully. “As for… ahem… ‘assets,’” Luna took the reins of conversation again. “Well, other than Fred’s most obvious, useable asset, I like his shoulders,” she alluded, wrapping her arms around him and feeling up his deltoids. “They’re firm and broad; I like that!” “As for her assets, well…” Fred shrugged knowingly, and Luna only cupped and pressed up her breasts once for emphasis. “Yup!” Stella. What do you have that you enjoy having as an asset or advantage? In one of her favorite taverns, Stella (in casual attire) sat alone at a table with a tulip pint of her favorite ale in her hand. A basket of fresh fruit and some fried potatoes sat to the side, and she finished chewing what she had in her mouth whilst thinking of how to answer the question. “Well, I’m going to assume you don’t mean anything sexual because… if that was the case, this ass is irrefutable,” she began, and gave a proper tap to her hip for emphasis. She lifted a finger pointedly. “But if ya mean something a bit less tangible… it’s the ability to not give a proper shite,” she remarked, leaning back in her chair and taking a hefty sip of her drink. “Think about it, life’s a lot more fun when you’re not whingin’ about the ‘consequences’ of yer actions. As long as yer not not a massive cunt every day, it helps to get ponies on your side, y’know? “Because, mate, it all boils down to ‘confidence.’ Ya don’t have’ta think yer hot shit tah get yer way… but ya just have tah act like it! It’s how I was raised in the Northern Mountains; imagine the Manehattan ponies but like… fifty times worse in attitude. Ya learn not to fuck around, aye?” She cocked her head and shrugged, taking another sip and popping a strawberry into her mouth. Chewed with a smile on her face. “Also, going back to ‘not giving a shit,’ it makes you credible in your threats. They don’t have to even be physical… but if ya have the chops but don’t have the sack to back up your words with actions, what’s the whole fuckin’ point? Then yer just talkin’ shite, y’know?” Celestia: Honey, you need a hug. Is there anything you would like to say? Realize that everyone deserves love, don't forget about yourself! Princess Celestia slid on the jacket of her work suit, getting ready for a typical day in her study while staring herself in the mirror. She giggled at the comment and question. “Thank you, my dear… but while I appreciate the concern, everything is just fine over here. Luna’s happy and Fredrick’s happy; therefore, I’m happy,” she said. “And like I told them over two years ago, I hadn’t felt anything for Fredrick or really anypony for some time, so it’s no big deal right now.” She did up one of the buttons on her jacked and turned from the mirror. “I will say one thing, though. I’m neither confirming nor denying that I may have found somepony that has taken my interest… though… he’ll probably react ‘interestingly’ when he finds out that I’m not actually an accountant from Manehattan,” she remarked, smiling brightly and winking. Stella: Celestia needs a good roll in the hay. Are you up for it, or who are you gonna send to do the honor? Also, how drunk do you need to be to sing karaoke? “Are you shitting me, mate?” Stella asked, dumbfounded, as she armored up for her shift. “You wouldn’t even have to pay me! Have you seen the tits on that mare?” She strapped her sword to her hip. “I would destroy that minge with everything on me! I’d see if a Solar Alicorn can have a ‘coronal ejection’ if ya know what I mean,” Stella added, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. “I’d make sure she couldn’t raise the Sun in the mornin’! Celestia is hotter than the Sun in my opinion! “As for your next question, that’s the great part: I don’t have to be! I fuckin’ love karaoke. My sister an’ I rock the stage when we’re sober!” she threw her arms into the air. “I’ll admit that she’s a better singer… I’m a better dancer though,” she saluted.