Celestia was growing increasingly concerned about Maya.
She’d removed her from the nightclub, teleporting them both all the way back to her penthouse suite at the Gatewater, dispersing the magical effects on the young girl as best she could. That had been easy enough. The problem was, she couldn’t remove her memories of what Maya had felt—a strong echo of Twilight and Phoenix’s lovemaking in her own body—from what she guessed from long experience was the result of Twilight’s magic mixing with her mystic power.
It was the kind of interaction Twilight herself would love to study, but it didn’t do much for the young mystic at that moment, who was curled up in a fetal position on the couch, still sleepless two hours after their arrival and watched over with increasing worry by the sun princess. Then again, Maya would probably not even let her study it; when it came down to it Celestia sensed she still didn’t fully trust Twilight. And after this, she might well have reason not to…
Celestia decided to speak up from beside her, having given up the idea of sleep as well. “I must admit, I haven’t seen so much… sensitivity… to, well… any kind of magical influence before, let alone magic in its entirety. This is one instance where your mystic powers may indeed be less a blessing than a curse.” Maya couldn’t exactly sleep either, so she had no problem listening. Despite this, she chose to remain staring up silently at the ceiling to the room.
The silence might have lasted for about a few seconds or a few minutes. Neither party could tell exactly. The river of time had come up against a dam and it was quite a while before the young mystic finally spoke.
“P-Princess?” She finally called out in a very frightened voice.
“I’m here, Maya,” Celestia told her quickly.
“P-please help me… I-I don’t know what to do…!”
“What’s wrong?” Celestia asked gently, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder only to have her jerk away. “Tell me what you feel.”
With effort, she did so. “I d-don’t know. I feel… lost. It’s hard to describe. My head is spinning… I feel hot and cold shivers… s-something’s not right…” she clutched herself more tightly as Celestia magically pulled up another blanket over her. She thought of tapping her power to try and warm the young girl, but decided against it—magic seemed to be the cause of her distress just then, and she was worried that introducing more, no more how well-meaning, might only make matters worse.
Still, she felt she had do something, feeling at least partially responsible for the young girl’s discomfort. “Is there anything I can help with? Anything you need? I do not like seeing anyone suffer, least of all a new friend.”
Maya responded desperately. “Can you just… please… take away these… these feelings I’ve got?” She kept shuffling her body in awkward, seemingly restless movements that made abundantly clear to the sun princess where their focus was, bringing a blush to her cheeks. “I don’t want them.”
Celestia chose her next words carefully, finally recognizing the exact source of the young mystic’s distress—she had apparently absorbed more than merely a passing echo of Twilight and Phoenix’s pleasure; she’d absorbed some of Twilight’s magically-boosted desires as well. “To do that would merely mask the problem, young Maya… which would then reemerge later. In order to determine the correct course of action, we must first determine how and why this is happening. I’m guessing it’s at least partially due to your spirit medium abilities. This mystical energy of yours seems at least peripherally related to Equestrian magic, making you more sensitive to the latter’s effects.”
“Shouldn’t it have passed by now? Or maybe soon?” The young medium asked hopefully, keeping her eyes fixed on the ceiling.
“Perhaps…” Celestia’s brow furrowed at that, needing more information. And the only way to get it… “Miss Maya. Do you mind if I run a magical… ‘scan’ of sorts on you? I promise it will not hurt or affect you.”
“Sure… if it’ll help,” Maya said neutrally in response, though there was a slight tremor to her voice that suggested to Celestia she very much hoped it would. She really wanted these awkward urges to be gone.
But they weren’t going away. If anything, they were steadily getting worse, even despite Celestia’s earlier interventions. The sun princess had already helped to try and cool her off, practically and magically, but apparently even her powers had limits… or at least, there was only so much she was willing to do. Please… just make it stop… she silently begged the spirits themselves, wishing for her sister or anyone else to do so, only to realize that if the princess herself couldn’t help, nobody could.
She lay still as Celestia’s ethereal horn glowed and her aura lightly washed over her body. Despite her promise that it would not affect her, the passage of her aura left tingling sensations in its wake and causing her to bite her lip; seemingly every touch, both physical and magical now turned sexual, though her growing urges were at least temporarily alleviated by a sudden gasp of surprise from Celestia that set off alarm bells in her head.
“Princess? Wh-what’s wrong?” she froze as Celestia’s aura withdrew.
“My… most sincere apologies, Miss Maya. I fear I should have anticipated this sooner, considering Twilight’s earlier broadcasting and how her control over her magic isn’t as strong as mine…” Celestia said, speaking as much to herself as to Maya.
“Huh? What?” Maya questioned, not at all liking the tone of voice she heard. “Princess? What’s happening to me?”
There was a hesitation before Celestia spoke. “You…. seem to have absorbed a great deal of Twilight’s mating magic from her earlier broadcasting into your body,” Celestia replied with slight alarm in her voice. “It has found a home within you and is trying to act through you. That is the source of your distress.” I’m so sorry, Miss Maya…
“Mating magic…?” The revelation hit Maya Fey like a ton of bricks, leading to Celestia quickly explaining what she believed to be happening, trying to do so in terms that didn’t involve Canterlot Academy-level magic courses.
“You have absorbed Twilight’s magic, in a manner similar to radiation, into your body. It will do you no physical harm, but could affect you in... various ways,” the sun princess explained carefully. “This is not in itself a bad thing. Just as it does for ponies, borrowed magic can boost your talents and abilities, such as your spirit channeling,” Celestia offered, trying to paint a brighter picture. “However, since this particular magic was meant for mating, it is also boosting that part of you as well…” she trailed off uncertainly. “I fear with regards to that matter, Twilight’s magic has found resonance within you, Miss Maya.”
“Resonance?” she repeated, her eyes darting back and forth. “I… I don’t understand…” she added, trying desperately to focus on the Princess’s words and not her surging desires, her cheeks now badly flushed.
In response, the humanized sun princess gave Maya the first lesson she’d given all her students over the centuries. “Magic is a living force, Miss Maya. It seeks expression, and to fill voids where it does not exist. For just as nature abhors a vacuum, magic flows automatically into places that lack it, seeking suitable hosts for itself. In this case, it found one… in you,” she explained, almost cryptically. “Part of it is likely due to your affinity for these mysterious mystical energies you tap, but part of it…” she trailed off, visibly hesitating.
“Part of it what?” she demanded to know.
Celestia closed her eyes as she spoke her next words, knowing full well they would likely not be taken well. “But the bulk of it… is likely due to the fact that it sensed you had desires of your own in concert with the magic's intended purpose and could wield it to that end, and it was thus attracted to you like a magnet,” she carefully used a more human analogy she knew Maya would understand. “Magic knows its purpose, and the purpose of the magic you gained… was to mate… with Phoenix Wright,” she explained, knowing there was no way to sugarcoat it.
Maya was many things, but she wasn’t dumb. She read between the lines and sensed the full import of Celestia’s words immediately, even if she couldn’t yet accept it. I… want… NICK? was the only dumbfounded thought she immediately had, her own thoughts causing an immediate surge of excitement inside her, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt so desperately needy.
“What… what can I do?” she asked, unwilling to indulge even fantasies of the thoughts that kept trying to suggest themselves. I am NOT interested in screwing NICK! I… am… NOT! she swore to herself again, only to have the reaction of her own body give lie to the statement.
Celestia already knew the answer, but she also knew from long experience that the young mystic was nowhere near ready to hear it. And thus, she decided to buy time instead. “Proper training will help. I can give you lessons in meditation and magical awareness that can teach you to mentally screen out these effects in some ways.
“Once you master them, you will be able to block such unwanted magical influences on your mind and body.” To a point, she didn’t add, knowing that when you were talking about a mage as strong as Twilight, the best she could generally hope for was to take the edge off. “We should probably head away from the city so we can practice in solitude, and to give you some distance in case Twilight broadcasts again. You wouldn’t mind, would you?” she asked. “Burgers are on me if we do!” the sun princess added, almost brightly.
Maya wondered if Celestia added that last one in as some kind of attempt to lighten her mood… as if I have any mood to even RAISE! “I w-wouldn’t mind at all… If your student can’t learn any self-control, I-I’ll need it…” she clutched herself and shivered again, wondering if she could even make it until morning.
Celestia nodded gravely. “Then it’s settled. As for tonight… to help you with your immediate problems, do you wish me to perform a sleeping spell on you, Miss Maya?” she asked gently, trying to keep that side of her at bay.
“Pl-please…” she all but begged, clutching herself more tightly and awaiting at least a momentary escape from her torment that a forced slumber would provide, but not before she had one last worried thought.
If this just happened to me, then what about Nick? What has HE been absorbing all this time? I mean, if Twilight’s been giving these waves off and it affected me at long range… then what on earth is happening to HIM?
If only Celestia had heard that. “Rest, Miss Maya,” she told her, trying to keep the worry from her voice as she cast the spell upon her. What am I going to tell Phoenix Wright about this…? she suddenly wondered, finding no easy answers to the question. Or Twilight? She’ll feel very guilty over it, but in truth… it’s my fault. I assumed the rules that applied to me would also to her, given my greater power, but I neglected the question of control. I should have foreseen this… told Twilight to apply her precautions to both forms… she fretted, feeling helpless except for actions she was not about to take, leaving her unable to do anything more but keep watch on the young girl as she entered a fitful slumber.
To Celestia’s great worry, Maya awoke in even worse shape than she went to sleep, looking barely rested.
For her bleary eyes and flushed cheeks, she might as well not have slept at all; despite the slumber spell she’d been tossing and turning all night, lost in dreams she clearly did not want to have. Not helping was the fact that after nodding off herself, Celestia had awoken to find the young girl snuggled up against her tightly, having moved all the way over from the other side of the King-sized bed she’d left her on. The realization had caused her wings to go aroused and erect in a display that would have mortified any pegasus, but was doubly embarrassing to her; she’d barely been able to disentangle herself and get herself back under control before the young girl had awoken.
“Good morning, Miss Maya. Do you feel any better…?” she asked cautiously even though she knew the answer.
“No…” the young mystic replied after a short pause. “If anything, it’s worse.”
“I see…” At that point, Celestia could think of only one other option, but also knew she was not the one to provide it. “Miss Maya, I need you to channel your sister. I wish to speak with her to discuss your… condition,” was all she would immediately say.
Maya’s eyes went wide. “Oh, my God! I’m dying, aren’t I?!”
Celestia blinked. “No! No. It’s just… I need to discuss certain… options… with her.”
She gave the alicorn an askance look. “Wh-why not with me?”
Because I don’t trust your answers, or my own right now… “Please, Miss Maya. I do this for your sake,” Celestia said placatingly.
“I d-don’t understand, but… o-okay…” she finally acceded, though Celestia guessed it was perhaps only for the chance to escape her growing torment.
It took longer than usual, but ten seconds later, Mia Fey stood where Maya once did and immediately frowned. “Princess?” she recognized Celestia in her alicorn form, then felt the state her borrowed body was in, her cheeks almost instantly flushing. “What the...”
“My sincerest apologies, Mia Fey. I asked Maya to summon you,” Celestia bowed low to the spirit of Maya’s sister as she would before few living creatures.
Despite her state, Mia was instantly suspicious, pinning the sun princess with a stare. “She’s horny as hell. Did you do this to her?”
Despite her great age, her great power and all the battles she fought over her long life, facing down everyone from dragons to gryphon generals to Nightmare Moon herself, Celestia found herself intimidated by the other woman’s withering gaze, wondering how those she had interrogated in court had fared beneath it. Not well, I’m sure… “No. I did not,” she swore, praying the other woman could see the truth of her statement in her eyes. “Twilight did. By accident.”
Mia crossed her arms. “Explain,” she ordered in the same sharp tone of voice she once reserved for the courtroom.
The sun princess did, quite quickly, detailing their earlier dinner and visit to the nightclub, followed by the wave of magic that had overtaken and settled in Maya.
When the story was complete, Mia walked over to the window and looked out it, her arms still crossed and tapping her forearm with a finger. “Your student really needs to learn some self-control,” she said simply, echoing Maya’s own words. “I can feel what this did to her. And I have half a mind to march over there and show her why she needs it…”
Celestia felt compelled to speak up for said student. “She has control. She just didn’t realize she had to use it in human form.” And neither did I… Celestia shook her head, wondering why she’d never had that issue herself. “I told her afterwards, and there’s been no further episodes since. But… I fear that doesn’t help Maya now.”
“Then what does?” Mia demanded to know, concerned for her sister. “Surely for all your power you can help her, Princess?”
Celestia’s hesitation did not bode well. “The nature of magic is such that it knows its purpose and seeks a target or host to wield it for that purpose. In Maya’s case, the magic she absorbed… was meant to be used for sensual purposes. Thus she ended up in this… state.” she closed her eyes as she said her last words, knowing well how it would sound.
Lawyer that she was, Mia instantly spotted the problem with that statement, pointing an accusing finger at Celestia. “Then why wasn’t anyone else affected like that? Why just Maya? And why is it hitting her so hard?”
“For two reasons…” Celestia answered carefully, suddenly feeling like she was witness being cross-examined in court—a very odd turn of events, given she sometimes presided as judge over important cases herself. “First—and this is just a guess—her mystical power gives her an affinity for magic. As a Kurain practitioner, she seems predisposed to be able to wield it, unlike most. Magic tends to gravitate to hosts that can best wield it, like your sister. And second…” she gathered herself carefully, knowing how her next words would likely be taken.
“I believe in this case, the magic sought her because it found a certain… resonance… with its intended purpose within her. As the spell upon her was originally cast to help Twilight mate with Phoenix, it was attracted to her because it recognized that she had the same internal desire… and thus, the will to express and use it. And please understand… I cannot take that away from her. Not without doing severe damage to her psyche.”
Mia stared at her for a moment. “So… what are you saying? That she has to have sex with Phoenix? That would cause severe damage to both their psyches!”
“I agree. But no, that is not necessary. What is necessary is that she grant that magic… expression. Accept it and fulfill its purpose. And that in turn means…” she couldn’t go on, her cheeks flushing. There was a time I wouldn’t even have hesitated…
Mia gave the sun princess a deadpan stare. “And that means, that she has to find release somehow…?” The exact means were left unspoken.
“It means she has to accept and express those feelings, via self-pleasure or otherwise, yes.” She couldn’t say it any way but bluntly. “That would in effect complete the spell’s work, and its effects would then leave her.”
“I see…” Mia stared out the window again. “Unfortunately, I know my sister. She’d have a very hard time acknowledging any feelings for Phoenix, let alone fantasizing about him. And in truth, whether or not she is interested in him, I don’t believe she’s ready to be. And certainly, he wouldn’t be either,” she mused, her mind turning, leaving Celestia at least somewhat relieved that she now understood her sister’s predicament and had lost her ire.
“Could you write her a letter?” Celestia suggested. “Or I could record you giving a speech, then play it back to her? My magic can do that, at least.”
“She still wouldn’t believe it,” Mia shook her head in some disgust. “Trust me. That girl is even more stubborn than me when it comes down to it. The only way she’ll listen is if I talk to her directly.”
“Should we send for young Pearly, then, so she can channel you instead?” Celestia asked.
“Unless you can teleport her, it’ll take her half the day to get here,” Mia pointed out, not surprised when the sun princess shook her head, explaining that even as an alicorn, the low magic levels of earth meant she could only teleport twenty miles, not two hundred. “Didn’t think so. And it feels like she’s going to melt if she waits any longer…” She shook her head, then looked back up at Celestia. “Would it help if I relieved her tension while in her body…?”
Though tempted to say yes, Celestia was forced to explain that since the inherited magic did not now belong to her, it would not work. “It might grant her some momentary relief, but that’s all it would be. It would come back just as strong if not stronger afterwards,” she shook her head. “So she needs someone she trusts to listen to, someone who can be in the same place with her and talk with her… who can be there with her to help her through this. But who…”
Abruptly, they looked up at each other, realizing the answer instantly.
The arrangements were made swiftly. Celestia sent a message to Spike via her magic, asking him to immediately find and retrieve Vinyl Scratch.
A brief explanation she hoped was safe for his young ears resulted in another exchange of messages that included a small red crystal and accompanying instructions. The princess was very surprised to learn about the new mirror spells that Rarity had developed in until she tried it herself and was shocked to realize they could be used to talk through mirrors instantly even across different dimensions, finding herself staring directly at Spike and a retrieved Vinyl in Twilight’s basement lab.
The ramifications of it aside—it could well be one of the most monumental inventions in Equestrian history for what it would do for communication!—she was grateful for it, as it made her instructions much more easily delivered.
“Whoa! Princess?” Vinyl was a little bleary-eyed and messy-haired after a late night, staring in some surprise into the mirror before remembering to bow. “Spike says you asked for me. What’cha need?”
Celestia would have found her informality refreshing if it the situation wasn’t so serious. “We need your help, Ms. Scratch,” she responded simply, stepping aside slightly to allow Mia to enter the picture. “Or more appropriately, Miss Maya does…”
“Huh?” Vinyl blinked at the unfamiliar human, flicking up her glasses to stare. Even Celestia had trouble looking at her deep red eyes, wondering not for the first time if given her coat and eye colors, the unicorn mare was actually an albino. “Whoa… don’t know who you are, lady, but you’re wearing Maya’s clothes, and I swear you look just like an older version of her…” she studied the older human from head to toe, taking some time to admire her more mature human curves.
Mia smiled wanly, crossing her arms in front of the mirror and lowering her head. “That’s because in some ways, I am, Miss Scratch. I’m Mia Fey, Maya’s older sister. She’s channeling me right now.”
Vinyl blinked again, hard, her slightly sluggish mind a second or two slow in grasping the implications. “Whoa. Channeling? So you mean you’re a channeled spirit?” She gaped for a moment, then grinned. “That is so cool!”
“Yes well…” Mia shared a glance with Celestia. “I understand that you and my sister became rather… close… during her stay in Equestria.”
Vinyl’s smile dropped fractionally. “Well, uh… yeah, we did, if not entirely voluntarily…” she glanced back and forth between the two, suddenly wide awake and wondering… “Am I in trouble?”
“No. But Miss Maya is…” Celestia spoke up and proceeded to quickly explain what had happened… and what was needed.
“Wow…” was all the pony DJ could immediately think to say as she processed it all. “So you need me to…?” She gave the mirror an askance look.
The pair looked at each other again. “We need you to help her accept what she feels and… express it, so she can free herself of the magic that now grips her,” Mia explained, leaving Celestia infinitely glad that she hadn’t had to say those words herself. “She trusts you and I’m asking you to talk to her and do whatever is necessary to help her,” she added, then pinned the unicorn mare with a glare. “That said, Ms. Scratch… you are to remember at all times that she is my sister, that she is very vulnerable right now, and I understand from the Princess that you have a bit of a… reputation. Whatever you do, I will be watching. So tread very carefully.” She leaned in close to the mirror and pinned the mare with a glare as she spoke.
Vinyl actually took on an offended air, pulling herself up straighter. “Hey now, sister. Maya’s your sibling, but she’s my friend. Dunno how much you know about us ponies, but friendship means everything to us. I’d never hurt her,” she promised, raising her hoof to her chest and flicking up her glasses again, meeting the human woman’s probing gaze evenly.
Whatever Mia saw in them, she nodded, satisfied. “I do know. And I will hold you to that,” she announced, then without further word, departed Maya’s body, leaving the teenaged mystic behind and shivering again. “Wait… what?” She found herself looking through a portal directly into Equestria. “V-Vinyl?”
“Hey Maya,” she called out, putting her hoof against the surface of the mirror. “I’m gonna come over and help you, okay?”
“Come over… how… how can you…” was all she could immediately say, her mind having trouble processing everything.
“So how do I cross over?” The unicorn DJ asked Celestia.
“Leave that to me,” the sun princess replied, closing her large eyes and concentrating her magic on the mirror. Whatever she did took the better part of a minute, turning the mirror into a shimmering oval portal wreathed in orange glow. “That should do it. Just step through,” she instructed, keeping the full force of her magic on it. “Quickly!” she added with surprising urgency when Vinyl didn’t move immediately, her voice sounding strained, and though surprised, the unicorn mare obeyed immediately, passing through with no resistance and suddenly finding herself in Celestia’s hotel room.
“Wow, cool…” was all the pony DJ said, taking in her new and very opulent human surroundings fully, then watching the mirror behind her fade back to her own reflection. “Wait, what…?”
Celestia looked uncharacteristically tired as her beam cut off and the mirror glow faded, her eyelids drooping and head falling onto her chest, even her flowing mane seemed more limp and still. “Apologies. Opening a two-way mirror portal between dimensions severely taxes even my abilities, and it can’t stay open for long. I fear I am rather drained now…” she realized, some part of her noting her state wasn’t helped by the fact she’d barely slept as well. “I leave this in your hooves, Ms. Scratch. Please remember Mia Fey’s words.” She allowed the barest hint of admonishment into her voice.
“No prob, Princess. I got this.” Vinyl promised, testing her aura and realizing that unlike her previous visit she did keep some of her magic in her unicorn form, allowing her to cast at least some minor spells, even in the magic-poor environment of Maya’s world. She waited until Celestia had departed to the other room and closed the door behind her, sensing a magical barrier go up on the other side—a privacy screen.
Huh. Wonder if Celly’s doing it for us, or for her? Vinyl briefly wondered, but put the question aside for later. Not wanting to make Maya uncomfortable with her presence, she slid a chair across the floor with her aura and hopped on it, keeping a respectful distance from her human friend as Maya sat on the edge of the bed, wringing her hands and shivering.
The pony DJ frowned at what she saw, taking off her shades and setting them aside on a nearby table. “By the moon, filly, you really are in bad shape!” she instantly realized, feeling the heat coming off her friend’s body. “So what’s the problem? Why you just stewing like this? Why haven’t you relieved it?” she asked earnestly. If it was me, I’d be pouncing the first stallion or mare I SAW!
“I… I don’t wanna relieve it! I just want it to stop!” Maya gritted her teeth.
The corner of Vinyl’s mouth crooked up briefly. “Maya, getting it to stop is easy. The way you’re feeling right now is just like being a mare in heat. You want relief, all you have to do… is indulge it. Doesn’t have to be with him; you can just get yourself off. I’ll even help if you want!” She offered eagerly.
“Vinyl!” Maya shouted, clamping her hands over her ears. “I can’t do it with you! And certainly not to… to thoughts of him!” She shifted to clutching her head.
Vinyl looked honestly puzzled. “Uh… why not? Not like we didn’t before!” She reminded her.
Maya recoiled slightly, finding for the first time that flashes of memory of that night were starting to return to her, memories of making out and… more. “But… but… that was just the party! The music and that drink and… I wasn’t me…” She insisted, desperately resisting the temptation to loosen her kimono to try to cool herself off, a thin sheen of sweat now covering her.
Vinyl raised an eyeridge, suppressing a smile. She knew Maya wouldn’t appreciate it, but she was just so adorable like that. “Wasn’t you, huh? Could’ve fooled me, Maya. From what I remember, you were having a blast. I mean, between the music, the punch, getting to DJ and seeing how much everypony liked your songs… and now you’re saying you weren’t enjoying yourself?” she challenged. “If you’re gonna say no, then I’m calling horseapples on you, fillyfriend. You were having the time of your life that night, and us ending up in the sack together was part of that. So what did we do that was so bad?”
Maya wasn’t any more ready to talk about that than she was about Phoenix. “I don’t know what we did! I don’t remember!” She exclaimed a little harder than she meant to, half-frantically, afraid of losing a friend—perhaps the only friend she had at that moment. “But… whatever it was, I wouldn’t have done it unless it was for all that. Whatever we did… I w-wasn’t ready for it… and I’m not… n-not into p-ponies or girls…” She told her Equestrian friend, her voice wavering repeatedly.
“No buts, Maya,” Vinyl waggled a hoof at her. “We spent a lotta time together, made each other’s music better, had fun together, and had a roll in the hay for all of it! As AJ would say, ‘there ain’t nothin’ more natural than that!’” She pulled off a decent impression of the country mare’s voice. “Truth be told, I don’t remember it all either, but that’s the only thing I regret about it. And if it’s the girl or species thing that’s gettin’ ya, my answer to that is real simple, and something I figured out a long time ago for myself—you’re like me, Maya. You’re not into girls, you’re into people—” she just caught herself before she said ponies ”—and that’s your orientation. You like people you make connections with. And girl, we did connect that night!”
Either due to her aroused state or lack of sleep, Maya was having a hard time thinking of ways to refute her arguments. Or is that because she’s RIGHT? “But… but… you’re a pony!” She could only offer weakly before wincing, worried how it sounded.
Far from being offended, Vinyl’s grin got broader. “And you’re a hairless ape who walks upright and can’t use magic. So what?” For the first time, the pony DJ chanced leaning forward and putting a hoof on her knee. “You know, the last time I got that line was from a griffon, so I’ll tell you the same thing I told him—we’re friends, Maya. And one of the things I learned a long time ago was that friendship doesn’t respect species or gender boundaries, and neither do the things that may spring from it. We got swept up in the moment, yeah. But if ya ask me, that’s what those moments are for, and it still takes two to tango, filly,” she took on a knowing grin. “Drink or no, we had the connection. Drink or no, deep down, we chose to….” she told her with surety, “And whether Sparks’ magic got you or not, it’s pretty clear you’ve got a connection with The Phoenix there too.”
Maya was speechless for a moment, processing everything her friend had said. It all rang true to her, even if she still wasn’t ready to accept it. “I… I didn’t mean to offend you, sorry.” Tears welled in her eyes, not wanting to lose her best—and at that moment, only—friend. “It’s just… really hard for me to accept… being with you… or the idea I’d want to be with him.”
Vinyl tilted her head to the side. “I don’t follow. Why would any of that be so bad?” Vinyl asked, moving a bit closer. “Me, I’ve fantasized about everything from dragons to Celly herself. Doesn’t mean I’d ever act on it, but it’s there. And I can see perfectly well why you might be interested in ‘Nick’. He’s a good guy and you’ve been through some real rough times together. And if you think it’s weird because of age difference or outlook or whatever, remind me to tell you how me and Octy met sometime.” She grinned and closed her eyes at the memories.
“But it’s different here…” Maya balled up her hands into fists again, Vinyl’s words increasingly having an effect on her, starting to at least half-convince her that she was right and thinking about Nick in such a way was okay. “Nick’s not my boyfriend or lover! He’s my… my…” she suddenly was at a loss for words.
“Your what?” Vinyl cocked her head, still keeping a respectful distance.
“My… goofy big brother. And my friend.” She shook her head hard to not speak the other words that were trying to suggest themselves. “I don’t want him to be any more than that! I’m not interested in him like that! Or at least, I wouldn’t be except for this freaky magic Sparkle put into me!” She tried to insist again.
Vinyl stared at her. Guess denial ain’t just a river in Steedgypt… she could only shake her head. “Maya, I’m sorry, but… magic doesn’t work that way. It’s like that party punch of Pinkie’s—it can make you excited, maybe loosen you up a bit or cause temporary feelings of infatuation, sure, but it can’t ultimately change who you are or what you desire. The princess is right—what happened is ‘cause you do have feelings for him deep down, real strong ones at that. That magic of Twi’s wouldn’t have latched onto you like this unless you do. And unless you admit to those feelings and give them voice…it’s just gonna get worse.”
“I… I can’t…” she clutched herself and shivered harder.
“Can’t what?” she cocked her head again.
She spelled it out. “I… can’t… sleep with him!”
“Nopony’s saying ya have to!” Vinyl threw up her hooves, feeling at least some small measure of exasperation. “Just enjoy the fantasy is all you gotta do, fillyfriend. Get yourself off to it. I’ll even help if ya need!” she suggested again, though made no move towards her, awaiting Maya’s word and very conscious of the fact that not only was Celestia in the other room but somehow, somewhere, Maya’s big sister was watching her from the great beyond. But hay, no pressure, right…? “Least I can do for a friend.”
Despite her fears, Maya was now wavering hard. “Th-that’s a bit more than just being a friend, V-jay.” She used her nickname for her.
Vinyl shrugged. “Maybe it is. But that ain’t an issue for most ponies. In Equestria, it’s not at all uncommon for mares to help each other out with stuff like this. Though in this case, I’ll admit I really wanna help you and would love to be with you again. I like you, Maya, and I hate seeing you suffer like this. Especially when you don’t have to, and especially when I can help,” she offered again. “The choice is yours. I’ll leave or I’ll stay, and it’s all your call.”
As frightening as the thought was to Maya of having Vinyl there to witness what she increasingly accepted she had to do, it was somehow even more scary for her not to be. If… if I do this, I sure as hell don’t want to be by myself after… she realized, dreading the thought of being alone with the knowledge of her act the most.
“Here…” Sensing she was wavering, Vinyl brought out a green crystal. “This is one of my new music gems—the one you gave me the idea for?” she reminded her human friend, then zapped it once with her aura, causing it to start glowing and playing. “And that’s one of the songs we worked on together, remember…?” Vinyl grinned, not mentioning the fact it was playing at the party when they started making out for the first time.
She didn’t have to, however, as Maya recognized that fact instantly, her cheeks flushing further as more memories started to stream back to her at the sound of the melody. “Th-that’s…”
“See? You do remember…” Vinyl grinned, gratified, starting to get back some additional recollections of her own. “And was it really so bad…?”
This time, Maya’s denial stuck in her throat as she recalled her friend’s embrace, the touch of her magic, and the moment itself, all enhanced by the music. “N-no…” she finally acknowledged. “I… I liked it…” she all but squeaked even as she went downcast, feeling her body and will slide ever closer to the edge with her admission. She just… wants… to help me… and I should let her... part of her insisted.
Vinyl’s grin got more pronounced as she finally heard her friend’s confession, one she’d wanted to hear for a very long time. “There. Now was that so hard?” The pony DJ asked, gently but happily. One confession down, one to go… “Well, for the record… I liked it too. And I’d love to do it again, especially if it means helping you… but it’s gotta be your choice, fillyfriend. Ask me to leave, and I will,” she promised.
Maya’s eyes went wide. “No! Don’t leave!” She begged, grasping her hoof hard. “I can’t… I need…” she was fumbling for words again.
“I’m right here, Maya.” Vinyl didn’t move, awaiting her friend’s next words, recognizing the struggle it was for her to say them. Been there myself, years ago… she reminded herself, gratified she was finally going to be able to return the favor of that long-ago day by helping another young mare through the same emotional ordeal. Come on, Maya… you’re a strong girl and I know you can do this… she silently urged.
Gathering all her courage, Maya raised her brown eyes to friend’s larger red ones, and said the final, fateful words. “V-jay… please… help me…” tears welling in her eyes as she made the request, surrendering herself to her friend.
That’s my girl! “All you ever had do was ask...” she said, finally allowing her mating aura to ignite.