Evening stared up at the imposing crystal palace as he trotted toward it's entrance, being careful to hold the black cloak around his features. It had been two months since he'd stepped hoof in this place and a lot had changed. His teacher Twilight had been attacked by a former foe, a mare known as Starlight Glimmer, and had apparently befriended her and taken her on as a student as well. This didn't leave her with much time to "examine" him and his magic, but if he was to be honest, he rather enjoyed the "time off" as it were.
As it was, having this time to himself had allowed him to answer a summons he'd gotten just last night. It had a royal seal on it and everything! Which he really hoped didn't mean he was just being brought over here to be ogled by the empire for 'saving their Prince'. Having the majority of the citizens treat him as highly as a royal himself made him all kinds of nervous. Not that he was ungrateful, or was upset he had helped Shining Armor out. He just... wasn't a hero in his mind.
'But I guess in a way I am.' He thought to himself as he slipped silently inside. To think there had been such a horrible incident to befall Shining here. One that he had to endure for three months before he had come along. How strange that by that one act of him following Twilight and her friends here that a three month imprisonment had unfolded in just one night. Really anypony else could have done it. Anypony could have saved him.
But it wasn't just anypony. It was him. He had done it. He had seen the pain in that maid's eyes and just wanted to help. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that'd lead to all this. An honored guest of a Prince and Princess! He... he hoped they were doing well both of them. Hopefully his summoning wasn't to make some speech to the citizens, but he'd take that over... complications. Taking comfort that he was safe inside, he removed his cloak.
"Oy! Is that the 'ansome Evee I see?" A very excited and feminine voice called from down the hall. Evening groaned inwardly. That could only be one mare.
"Well bless me feather duster it is! Answered that summon rather fast haven't ya?" The white mare known as Swiftshine practically sang as she trotted up.
"Oh um, yes. G-good to see you Swiftshine." Evening said while hoping to keep his distance. Every time she saw him, she quickly became waaaaay too friendly.
"It's good to see you too luv!" She replied, pulling him into a hug, her hoof brushing his flank as she let go.
Evening could already feel his face getting hot. The worst part of all of this was he really really wanted to take things much further. She was very attractive, sexy even, but surly that would be very inappropriate.
"Well I best follow you to make sure you git there." Swiftshine said with a giggle. "Know how lost ya get."
"O-Oh no that won't be necessary..." He began, but she waved him off.
"Nonsense, no trouble at all. Right this way 'andsome."
Of course she remained practically pressed against him the entire way.
* * *
Thanks to Swiftshine, he arrived at the bedroom chambers of Shining and Cadance rather quickly. It still bugged him that he couldn't get the layout of this place down for the life of him. Simply going to the bathroom once lead him to getting locked on a balcony. Good thing it had potted plants...
"She's right in there luv. Have fun now!" Swiftshine called as she vanished into another room. That was odd, usually she tried to find what room he was staying in, or offer him some 'private service' in a closet. Something didn't feel right.
"Ah! Sir Evening Storm!" One of the guards said giving him a salute. "Your...summoner is inside. Please go on in." Evening himself gave what was probably an awkward nod and smile as he pushed open the door. It was only when he caught the splash of pink that Swiftshine's words caught up to him.
She's right in there.
Sitting at a small table, sipping some sort of drink was the royal princess of Love, Mi Amore Cadenza.
"Oh! Evening! Y-You're here! Already!" She said with a shaky tone as she seemed to take stock of her appearance. A knot was already forming in Evening's stomach. That off feeling was getting worse. Something wasn't right here. Where was Shining Armor?
"You uh, summoned me Princess? Will Shining be joining us?" Evening hadn't meant for his words to bare any ill will, but perhaps he hadn't kept his voice in check. The look Cadance was giving him was well, down right bizarre.
"Er, yes about that. Um Evening this isn't what it appears to be. Uh, oh how do I put this? Um... you see the thing about Shining is... he's already here..."
"He is?" Evening asked taking a quick look around the room. Unless Shining was invisible, he didn't know where the stallion could be. He doubted he could be hiding under the bed, or behind any of the furniture. Cadance couldn't have turned him into an inanimate object could she!? No wait, that's silly. Twilight had never really forgiven Cadance for what she had done, and to make sure she couldn't cause problems had fitted her with a magical inhibitor. There it was right on her-
As his eyes drifted to the alicorn's long pink horn he realized the thick black ring that should have been clasped upon it was missing!
"Y-You're horn! This is a trap!" Evening cried as he backed up toward the door. How could this be? Did Lemon Fresh get free and take her place? Had she decided she liked her 'evil' husband better? What was going on?
"No! No! No trap!" She cried in a panic, enveloping Evening in her magic to drag him closer. "Twilight removed the ring! You know only she could!"
"L-Lies! Why would she do that? She'd have told me! Y-You must have cast a persona spell on her!" He cried trying to use his own magic to break free. If he had learned anything from his experience that night, it was his magic could disrupt just about anything else of magic.
"S-she didn't tell you because of what happened! B-because I was afraid of what... of how terrifying... Oh to the abyss with it. Evening. I AM Shining Armor!"
"WHAT!?" Evening cried. She couldn't possibly think he'd fall for that. "If you think I'm going to believe that, then you've got-"
"We never told anypony what I tried to do that night as Peppermint." She began, looking him directly in the eye. Something about her caused him to halt in his struggles. He never talked to her much after the incident, and never before it, but the times he had, she always came off as... guarded, strained. A pony that possibly hated their own very existence.
This was not that mare.
"I-I'm listening..."
Cadance, or possibly Shining in her body, took a deep breath to collect herself as he prepared to speak. The pain that flashed upon her face as the words came tumbling out helped give the weight needed for him to believe her.
"I was told to give you a blow job. T-to do so while still acting as your daughter... It was to likely get you to hate me or worse, get my sister to see us like that t-to..." She shuddered, droplets of tears forming in her eyes. "Thank Celestia it didn't... oh thank Celestia you saw through it..."
No more words were needed. At least none that pertained to that topic.
"S-Shining? But... why? Why are you Cadance? W-why didn't anypony tell me?"
"I've only been her for a few days. I begged Twilight not to tell you. I-I wanted it to be me to be the one to tell you because... I feared, no not feared. I knew it'd come to this..."
"Come to what?" Evening was naturally confused. "Shining what is going on?"
"Not Shining." She said with a shake of her head. "I-I'm Cadance right now. It's best if you just call me that." She shivered again. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be put in my wife's body like this. Or well rather ex-wife's..."
Evening feel his stomach drop. "Ex?"
With a sigh "Cadance" nodded. "I knew it really. Deep down I knew. I think we both did. After what she did. After all that had happened..." she once more met his gaze, the tears flowing freely now. "I really did want it to be fine you know? I lied to myself that we could get through this, pick things back up and move on." A pained laugh escaped her lips. "How foolish of myself! I'd wake up in a cold sweat, having to choke down a scream as I saw her laying next to me. She... she hurt me. She didn't mean to, but she hurt me. I-In a way I can't forgive...
Her voiced dropped to almost a whisper as she turned away to gaze at her reflection in a mirror. "How ironic that now I'll see her visage every time I behold myself like this. Every inch of this body belongs to the one who put me in that prison for three months! I should hate her! Part of me does! So why? Why do I hurt so badly?"
The sobs tore from her now. Without a second thought, he was by her side, a hoof on her back for support. Much to his shock, one of her new wings quickly reached out and pulled him against her as she continued to cry into his chest. There was no way for him to come close to understanding how she felt. The mare she had fallen in love with, had married, had done something so horrible to her. He knew this. He even knew that Cadance had to be punished for her crime, but there was no way he could have given the answer as to how. All he knew is he didn't think it should lead to death.
"I-I'm sorry Evee." She said, using the same nickname Swiftshine always did. It was strange to hear the princess of love address him in such a manner. Even if that was Shining Armor in there. It'd possibly be thrilling if this wasn't all so awkward. "I-I'll be okay. There's just... a lot to digest."
"N-No problem, glad to be a friend."
Cadance smiled at him as she walked back toward the small table to pour herself another cup of tea. He was finally able to catch a bit of the aroma coming from it. If he wasn't mistaken it was a mixture Twilight often used to calm herself, though he swore it was meant for more then just that. Didn't she only use it sparingly? Why was that? Meanwhile Cadance stared at the full cup with an almost longful expression before downing the entire thing in one gulp.
"But... I guess that doesn't answer all of your questions does it?" She said afterward, her gaze transfixed on the empty piece of drink ware. She sat there for a few moments more, Evening too afraid to press her, before speaking again.
"I-I began to realize it wouldn't work when... I noticed how badly Cadance was taking everything. She became... erratic. We thought she had been improving but..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't want to re-live it all right now, but take my word for it that she began to deteriorate. B-both Twilight and I knew if things kept up then the foals... They didn't deserve to be punished for what their mother did. E-even though it's hard for me to see them as my own, I-I couldn't let them get hurt. S-so Twilight and I began to come up with a plan."
"She swapped your minds..." Evening said in disbelief. He and Twilight had both gone over the tomb with the persona spell looking for anyway to counter act said magic in the future. She also wanted him to know of any possible spells in case they were cast again. Something he decided was for the best. He didn't ever want something like what happened to Shining happen to anypony else. Not ever again. In those spells just happened to be one that could swap minds, though he doubted anypony other then Twilight could actually pull if off.
"Y-Yes..."
"W-where is Cadance in your body?" More pain flashed in the new Cadance's eyes.
"Stone. Twilight turned her... him into stone."
"W-what!?" She couldn't! His teacher couldn't!
"We didn't have a choice!" Cadance cried tears flowing freely. "She was going to hurt herself and the foals! I-In my body who knows what she'd, he'd done? We tried to think of something, anything else but we couldn't!" What little control she had melted away as she collapsed upon herself on the floor, her voice wracked with sobs.
"Why did this happen Evee? Why did we have to have that stupid night? Why'd we have to use that stupid spell? I thought it hurt those three months, but this! I don't know how to deal with this!"
"H-Hey shhhh, shhh it's okay." Evening said, finding himself by her side and rubbing her back. Honestly he doubted it really had any effect at all, but it was all he could offer. All he could think to offer anyway. If he could take it all away. If he could somehow heal her wounds he would gladly give all he could.
But this was all he had to offer.
Sniffing, Cadance leaned against him, her muzzle lightly nuzzling him. "I-I'm sorry. That wasn't the reason I asked you here. I-I didn't mean to weigh you down with all this."
"I-It's okay." He found himself nuzzling her back. "I-I'm sorry I can't help more."
Cadance almost laughed. "More? Evening you've done so much for me already. " She sighed, walking away from him, toward one end of the room. He hadn't noticed it coming in, but she was staring longingly at a bed. A bit of an odd thing to have in here. Was this where she was sleeping right now? It... didn't please him, but he supposed that made sense. The room he had shared with Cadance likely had some horrible memories attached to it.
"Which is why I'm so sorry to ask this." She said barely above a whisper. Evening almost didn't catch it.
"Ask what? Shining if there is anything I can do-"
"Cadance." She corrected with a sad smile. "I'm Cadance now. Much as I'd love to take a new name, any new name. The citizens of this empire expect a crystal princess to rule it. So a crystal princess I must become."
It was... staggering the amount of pain this pony before him must have gone through, was still going through. This is why Evening didn't see himself as a hero. Compared to what he did... this was so far beyond that. There was no way he'd be strong enough to endure this. To survive anything she had.
"A-are you going to be okay?" It was a stupid question, but at times like this you always found yourself asking it.
Cadance took in a deep long breath and sighed. "I don't know. I honestly don't know. I hope so." She bit her lip. "That brings me back to why you are here. A-A lot of my being able to get through this is going to depend on your help..."
"M-My help?" He shivered. Something about all this... it didn't put him off exactly but it was making him rather anxious.
"I-I don't know what I can do, but if you really think I can help. It's yours."
The smile she gave him didn't calm him down. It wasn't malicious by any means, but hid something... dangerous.
"Thank you Evee." She said, trotting up to him. "J-Just please don't abandon me..."
Evening's eyebrow's raised. "What? Shi-Cadance I would never- MMFF!"
With a seeming hunger, Cadance pressed her lips against his in a kiss, her tongue eagerly probing his mouth, begging for his own to return the favor. Instead he found his body backing away.
"W-what!? What did you do!?"
"I kissed you Evee. I figured you'd realize what that was." She replied with the barest hint of a playful smile. Evening was still trying to get his brain to process.
"I-I what?"
"It's simple really." Cadance said, turning herself around. Before he knew what was happening the princess of love, currently inhabited by Shining's mind, was raising her tail and showing him a very... wet little pussy. A pussy that was winking like crazy, her juices already spilling out from it.
"I need you Evee. I-I want you." She blushed at that as she flicked her tail. Despite his confusion, his body had no such reservations as his dick slowly began to poke out of it's sheath.
"Y-You what!? Shining-"
"Cadance." She corrected again.
"Cadance!" Evening cried in exasperation. "What do you mean you need me? W-Want me? I... you're a stallion! I-I was treating you as my daughter once!"
"I-I know it's a bit strange." She admitted quietly, her gaze staring at her hooves. "But a stallion?" Her head raised again. "Evee do I look like a stallion to you? Do you think I've felt like a stallion for the last several months?"
She took a step forward, moving to his left side. On instinct he once more stepped away, allowing himself to be guided toward a certain area of the room. By the time he realized she was herding him toward the bed, it was too late as he felt his back hooves come in contact with it's mattress.
"I'm a mare Evee." She said in a husky voice while giving him the most seductive 'bedroom eyes' he'd ever seen from a mare. She was serious! S-she wanted them to... How could he do this!?
"Y-You can't be serious!" His eyes were darting in every which direction except at her. He had to find an exit! Some sort of escape!
"Evening, I'm very serious." With that she pushed a hoof against his chest, causing him to fall backward onto the bed. While it was awkward, he tried his best to crawl away, but all that let her do was crawl upon the bed herself, slowly coming toward him.
The way she looked... the way she was licking her lips as she stared at him like a piece of meat. He knew who was in that body. He knew how outright bizarre this all was, but still. Cadance's body was not unattractive. Everything about her simply oozed sex appeal, and the way she was currently carrying herself... Under any other circumstance this might have been a dream come true.
"Don't forget all the training I received to be a sexy needy little mare." She breathed, inching toward the dick he was having a very hard time convincing not to poke out. That battle was lost completely the moment she began to nudge and lick at it.
"W-wait s-stop!" He moaned out. She knew what she was doing. Teasing it just right with her tongue. Slowly drawing the rough texture of it up his shaft. First one side, then the other, the entire time watching him with those beautiful lust filled eyes.
"C-Cadance..."
She began to twitch, her wings slowly spreading out in excitement. With a start he realize just how... aroused she was. Her entire body was begging to take him, and yet she held her ground, teasing his now nearly throbbing rock hard dick with her tongue. He should stop her, but his body refused to move, electric shocks of fear and bliss zapping through his body.
"For a unicorn you have a rather nice rod." She said, having taking a break from her licking to give it a few rubs with her hoof. It wasn't as big as the one she had as a stallion, but it'd do. It'd do rather nicely. Licking her lips she still couldn't believe how easy this was. This was a stallion she had called 'daddy' not to long ago, and yet... after all she had done, been forced to do... Perhaps it had made her a mare inside and out. She certainly didn't feel like the stallion called Shining Armor.
"I-It's strange you know?" She stopped her teasing to look him in the eyes. Poor Evee. He looked so confused, so conflicted. She felt bad for dragging him into this, she really did. But there was no other way.
"The moment I had these teats again, this needy tight little pussy." She moaned at the mere thought of having the dick before her shoved inside her. She wanted it, needed to feel his seed flow inside, stuffing her full. "I began to realize just how much I missed having them. It's so much better being a mare who can choose who she lays with."
Silence. Then words.
"But... why me?"
"I-It had to be you." She couldn't meet his eyes. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Instead she continued to stare at his protruding member. "E-Evee, I'm pregnant. I'm not only pregnant, but I'm Cadance." She put as much extra emphasis on the word as she could. "The princess of love Evee. The rumors of her... sexual appetite are not entirely wrong."
She groaned, feeling the burning heat in her neithers. Burning heat the tea form earlier barely made a scratch upon.
"Even now I just feel so bucking hot! S-so needy!" She began to pant, her body getting worked up just from discussing this form. "And being pregnant? Her, my hormones are out of wack! I can't believe she used to put up with this all the time! I've tried everything I can think of! Special teas, special herbs, magic spells. T-there is only one thing that's going to stave me for any length of time Evee. I need a dick. A real dick, not some toy." With that she suddenly swallowed his member into her mouth, her tongue swirling around it before she began to deep throat him like a champ. The sudden assault caused him to lose it, his back arching as he prepared to fire an early load.
Only to feel the cool aura of magic engulf his penis, preventing it from releasing. At first he only felt pain, but eventually that calmed as he did.
Trying hard to catch his breath, he just managed to look her in the eye again as he asked one simple question.
"But why mine?"
"B-Because... like I told you it has to be you Evee..." She shivered, shutting her eyes. Painful memories attempting to claw themselves to the forefront of her mind. Memories she fought desperately to keep at bay.
"W-when I was her..." She said, unable to say the name, but Evening knew all too well who she meant. "The things I was made to do Evee. The many guards who thought I was a slut. All the sexual commands I was given, some unaware they were doing anything wrong. While some... some relished in my pain." She shook her head, steeling herself to continue.
"I thought about it. I thought about it the moment I realized I was going to need a stallion, but... any of the guards, any random citizen. Those memories come flooding back. The hungry, terrifying looks some stallions would give me. The looks he gave me..." The tears were back.
"I'm scared. I'm too scared to let them near me. L-Let them touch me. I-I know there are likely those who would never wish me harm, but the mere thought. " She shuddered.
"And then... I thought of you." She met his gaze of her own free will this time. Her smile genuine. "I thought of you and then it clicked. You, the stallion that went through so much to save me. To protect me. The stallion that not once had any thoughts of using me for anything." She began to inch toward his muzzle again. "The kind, brave stallion who only wanted to save me. I realized that out of all the stallions I knew. Of all the stallions I could possibly consider sharing this or any other bed with. You didn't scare me. You'd never hurt me. You'd treat me like a mare, like your equal, no matter what body I might be in. You are the one Stallion I know I can trust... and then it happened. I realized I wanted you. I wanted you to take me. To make me feel safe once more."
Once more her lips met his, her tongue attempting to wrestle, and this time... This time he let his own return the favor as he gently but hungrily sucked her lips. It was still messed up, but he couldn't deny the effect her body was having on him. The effect her words had managed.
"I.. I don't know if I'll be any good..."
She giggled at that. An actual genuine giggle.
"Don't worry." She said with a wink as she aligned her pussy against the head of his dick. With slow deliberate movements, she teased it with her lower lips, letting out little coos of pleasure as she did so.
"I'll teach you all you need to know."
She plunged herself downward, sending Evening into overload.