Fallout: Equestria - Wasteland Bouquet

by Cascadejackal

Chapter 16: Reunion

I shifted on the hard wooden floor, my face buried in what felt like damp sheets, my chest resting on something furry that rose and fell gently as the world came back to me.

Where... oh, right... I was looking for Rose... My wings twitched sleepily and a beak ran through my mane, sending shivers of delight through my body, a matching response through the thick, pulsing thing nestled between my hind legs, near my desperate need. Then there was this green light, and... wait, I don't have wings.

Blinking, I sat up, feeling the utterly alien sensation of my beak, wings, claws and, as I took in the scene before me, something I really hoped wasn't what I thought it was.

As Ibis slowly woke up, though, running his beak through the mane of the white mare laying beneath him, I felt my -his- excitement growing, and there was no way to deny it. I forced myself to my hooves, doing my best to block out the feeling of that thing that was pressing against my -Rose's- backside, and utterly refusing to acknowledge that wonderful feeling and soreness that left absolutely no doubt what they'd been up to.

When Rose started to wake up as well, twisting her head to give the griffin a sleepy, lust-filled kiss (I don't know what was worse, kissing a beak or kissing with a beak!) I started to panic. I could feel everything.

Rose, her horn letting off green sparks, shifted, parting her back legs and inviting Ibis to press himself against her, and I screamed at the horrible, invasive sensation that promised to sooth the hungry heat nestled in my -Rose's!- lower body.

"Don't you fucking dare!"

Ibis' head jerked up, the griffin startled awake by my sudden protest. "Lily?! Where-gah?!" Unfortunately, his feathery head wasn't the only one to move suddenly, my -his!- hindquarters bunching up reflexively and plunging that thing into Rose's damp, welcoming warmth.

I fell over, twitching and completely destroyed by the overload of pure physical pleasure running through my... her... his... their bodies, the lovers' sensations magnified by what, I dimly realised, we were all feeling. It was wonderful, it was amazing, and it was utterly horrific, a violation that left me feeling dirty and confused.

Worst of all, it wasn't just the physical stuff we were sharing. I could feel every little emotion they did, mostly Ibis' obsessive, overwhelming love for Rose, which was overpowering everything else, even Rose's own feelings for him, the griffin's desire and love seeping into me, saturating my being until I started to lose myself... until Rose started moving, and Ibis did the same.

I picked myself up as fast as I could, my/his/her/our/their violently moving bodies totally throwing me off, the panting, heaving breaths, claws wrapped around hooves, lips and beak and tongues and- "TAKE IT OUT!!!" I screamed and loosed a blast of raw magic, not thinking of anything except getting Ibis off.

With an "Oof!" he flew off the bed and hit the floor, leaving my -Rose's- body feeling way too empty and unsatisfied, desperately seeking the thing that had left me -her- without warning.

Panting, I glared at the grey bastard, my -his- thing hanging out, pulsing, as he tried to pick himself up, stumbling at the unfamiliar feeling of being spread out across three bodies.

"The... the fuck..." He looked from Rose, who was splayed out on the bed and nickering as her hooves searched sleepily for her missing lover, to me. "Lily... what's going on?"

"I..." I licked my lips and shuddered as Ibis frowned, running his tongue over the edge of his beak in response. It felt wierd. "I think Rose's magic... went haywire or something..." I glared at him and stomped. "What. Did. You. Do?"

He looked at his claw, then my hoof, and flexed the appendage, frowning. I shuddered again, the horrible bendy things not something I was ever meant to feel like that. "We-"

"Ibis?" With a yawn, Rose sat up, her horn still sparking green, and I fell over again. Ibis all but faceplanted a second after me, his wings flaring in response to her movements. Now that they weren't sexing, me and the griffin got a full hit of what it was like to be her.

How do I put it...

It was like being made out of pure muscle. I'd known Rose was strong, but sweet Celestia that was scary! I felt like I -she- was made out of bundled violence and horny. There was a tightness in my -her- chest that I guessed was the talisman, and this really wierd feeling around it, like there was something spreading from it... the growth the doc had told us about, maybe.

She was still goofy and radiating love for Ibis, but even though it was really strong and enough to almost distract me from wanting to kill him for touching my sister, it paled in comparison to the thick, heavy, drowning emotions he felt for her.

Most telling of all, though, was that past the gooey warmth Ibis had left in her, under the satisfied soreness that came with a mare's first time, there was a deep, burning need inside her... a need I recognised.

"Ibis... what're you doing on the floor?" Rose crawled to the edge of the bed and blinked at her boyfriend, yawning again, only to turn and face me when I groaned, the events of our journey suddenly making sense as surprise washed over her. "Lily? Where'd you come from?"

"Rose..." I facehoofed. "Magpie was right. You are in heat!"

"No touching!"

"But-"

"No! Now sit!" I shook my hoof and glowered at Rose until she scooted back to her spot, sulking, her horn still throwing off green sparks. The three of us were sitting on the floor, since the bed was... gross.

"So..." Ibis said, fidgeting. My eye twitched, since I really didn't feeling his body like that. At least Rose and I were both unicorns, and girls. Big feathery bastard... he kept glancing over at Rose, and I liked what that did to him even less. "Rose... you got your... thing back?" My sister blinked at him, then me, looked around for a bit and then nodded... before shuffling closer to her lover. I glared at her and she stopped, looking at the ground. Ugh, I could feel her disappointment!

"Is it-"

I cut Ibis off, not needing to see his face to know he didn't appreciate it. I could feel his frustration, and I knew he could feel how grumpy I was. "Is this what it's always like? Like you're everyone, and you, all the time and stuff?"

Rose nodded, and I felt her concentrating. No, I won't explain what that felt like. It was confusing enough at the time. "It used to be just you, Lily... but now I can feel Ibis, too..." Her horn sparked more, then the green glow steadied. I shook my head; her magic felt so different to mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ibis rubbing his forehead and frowning. Magic must've been totally new to him.

When Rose glanced at the grey griffin, I bristled, the needs and wants running through her body not something I enjoyed... no matter how good it felt. "NO. No feeling the griffin."

"But-"

I stomped, accidently bringing up my E.F.S, and stomped again to get rid of it. "No, Rose. No sex." She opened her mouth, so I cut her off, my tone softening. "Not like this, okay? I know you're in heat, but..." I shuddered. "I don't wanna feel you... and him..." I pointed at Ibis, who stuck his tongue out at me, "doing that. Yeagh..." I shuddered again. "I already felt it once..." With a sigh, I shook my head, staring at the floor. "Is that... how it felt when... when I was with Lucky?"

"Uh-huh..." Rose nodded, so I closed the gap between us and hugged her as tightly as I could, trying to ignore the strong, I-just-sexed-a-griffin smell she was covered with, or the sweat that was drying on her coat.

"Sorry, sis... if I'd known..."

"It's alright, Lily..." She hugged me back, a bit of sadness and more than a little happiness washing over me from her. "We're back now, and I'll never go away again."

I peeked at Ibis, who was staring at us curiously. "So, Rose is," He waved his claw at us, "like this, because she's in heat?"

I rolled my eyes and snorted, keeping my grip on Rose. She was comfortable, anyway. "Well, duh. What, you think she's always horny like this? Hell no!"

Ibis shook himself and stared at the white flank that, we both knew, was in dire need of a good seeing to. Rose looked up from where she had her face buried against me, and I tightened my grip in response to how she reacted to seeing her boyfriend. "Rose, no." I looked at the white spire in front of my face; it was still glowing. "And turn off your horn, it's freaking me out."

Part embarrassed, part sulking, she buried her face in my chest again. Her horn was still glowing that wierd green, too. I felt her twist to give Ibis a better view of her flank and bristled, but let it go. As long as he didn't look too closely, I wouldn't say anything. "Lily..." Rose spoke, her voice muffled by my coat. I could feel her curiousity, even past her all-consuming arousal and Ibis' room-filling love for her. "What's being in heat?"

"Uh..." My brain froze up, and I tried to remember what my mum had told me, so many years ago, and how to say it without embarrassing myself and Rose. Awkward questions suck. "It's... it's when you're becoming a mare, and... you start to..."

"Want sex?" Rose said, looking up at me. My cheeks burned, and I nodded.

"Um, yeah. You start looking at boys more... and you want sex..."

"Oh..." She looked over at Ibis, and the sudden surge of emotions from her, mirrored by Ibis, made me fall over. Rose took advantage of the situation and pounced forwards, locking her lips on Ibis' beak. The pair just started making out, right there! Worse, I could feel everything! Their arousal kept growing, feeding off of each other, but Rose was a lot more subdued than Ibis was.

The grey bastard's love and lust for my sister just kept flooding into me, and I found myself eyeing her flanks, her cutie mark... the burning, dripping, desperate place barely hidden by her swishing tail...

"AAAAH!" I smashed my head into the floor as hard as I could, sending the couple reeling apart as my pain spiked through them, clearing any thoughts of how sexy Rose was, or how good her lips and body felt, straight out of my mind.

The three of us were reeling, clutching our heads, when the door clicked and swung open, letting some fresh air disturb the thick reek of griffin-on-mare sex. As one, we all looked over, and it was hard to tell who was feeling the most dread: Me or Ibis. Not Rose, that's for sure.

Magpie stared at us from the entryway, her face carefully blank. "I'll give you a minute." She stepped back into the hall, closing the door behind her and leaving us to stare at each other, rubbing our heads.

I said what was all of our minds. "Fuck."

A few minutes later, we were all gathered in mine and Rose's room (it smelled better) and seated around the table. Not Rose, though; I'd had to pry her off of Ibis with my magic and dump her back into the bathtub to cool her off. She was peeping over the side at us, though, her horn still throwing off green sparks and occasionally glowing green steadily.

"She really is in heat, huh?" Magpie asked, and I nodded. "And you know this because..."

I squirmed. "I... kinda walked in on her... and Ibis... doing it." She stared at me, and I continued. "Rose's horn... went off. Like, everywhere. And now me, her and birdbrain-" I pointed at Ibis, who glared at me and punched the floor. I yelped and shook my hoof, glaring back at him as my/his claw throbbed.

Magpie shook her head, groaning. "Just... what the hell happened this time?"

"We're like Rose now." I summed it up. "We can all feel each other's emotions and bodies and stuff." When the elder griffin stared at me in disbelief, I looked away. "I know it sounds crazy, but that's what happened... wait a second." I stared at Magpie, focusing, then called out to the bathroom. "Rose, why can't I feel Magpie? I thought you could feel everyone's feelings?"

Her head popped over the side of the tub and I felt her shrug. "I dunno. I can feel everyone, just like I used to. Magpie, the ponies downstairs, everypony in the town. Not like I feel you and Ibis, though." She submerged herself again, but not without a final glance at Ibis that got both of them feeling tingly.

Magpie just watched the space Rose's head had been. "Wasn't her magic white before?"

"Huh." I looked back towards the bathroom. "Hey, Ibis, when's the last time Rose used magic?"

The grey griffin frowned. "Not since she... ran away. Why?"

"Because it's green, that's why!" I glared at him. "It used to be white!"

He frowned again, ready to go into the bathroom. "It's... not dangerous, is it?"

I watched Rose surface again, peeping back at us with a bottle of whiskey sitting on her head. "I... don't think so." I shook my head. "That's a long time not to have magic, that's all... maybe it's backed up, or something?"

"Like magic constipation?" Ibis suggested, and I snorted.

"Maybe. I'm sure it'll be fine... right?" I turned to Magpie, who gave me a sceptical look.

"Don't ask me. Your sister is the strangest pony I've ever come across, Lily. Anything to do with her, all bets are off."

I sighed. "Okay, okay... Rose!" She blinked at me. "Keep using your magic, alright? Just, like, levitate stuff until it goes normal again." She blinked at me again and the glow around her horn steadied, a matching glow forming around Ibis.

"Hey!" Ibis squawked, thrashing around as he hung in the air, slowly being pulled towards the bathroom.

"Things you don't want to have sex with!" I shouted, reaching out with my own magic to pull the struggling griffin back. Rose's aura sputtered and faded, not as strong as it used to be, and she glared at me before blowing a rasberry and diving back into the cold water.

I felt a claw tap on my head, and looked to my side. Magpie was standing there, looking exasperated. "Lily, would you mind?" She indicated the indignant Ibis, who was just hanging there, trapped in my telekinesis.

"Hehe... whoops." I gave an embarrassed grin and released my grip, letting him hit the ground with a thump. He scowled at me as he stood, dusting himself off.

"Idiot."

"Jerk." I shot back.

"Ahem." We both looked to Magpie, who just shook her head, frustrated. "Save it for later, you two. We've got more important things to worry about. Is this," She gestured at both of us, "permanent?"

"Um... maybe?" I shrugged sheepishly.

"I hope not." Ibis shook himself. "This is wierd."

"It's fine for me." I smirked. "Me and Rose are both mares. You're just a boy."

The grey git glared at me, then started stretching, spreading his wings and extending his legs, then wriggled his claws, loosening up all his muscles. "Gaah!" In response to the utterly alien sensations, I hit him with my strongest stunning spell... which only dazed him for about a second. "Stop that!" He shook his head and glared at me, while I yelled "And you! Stop looking at him!"

A snort from the bathroom confirmed that Rose had, indeed, been watching him put on his little show, and judging from how excited she'd been getting I was right to yell at her.

Magpie groaned. "You two keep playing. I have to go give my daughter-in-law The Talk." As she stalked past us and into the bathroom, I looked from her to Ibis in shock.

"Uh, daughter-in-law?" When the bathroom door shut, blocking the piebald griffin and white mare from our view, I stared at the grey griffin in shock. "Ibis, did I miss something? You two are just dating, right?"

"Um, well..." Ibis looked away, tapping his claw on the floorboards nervously.

"Ibis..." My tone was nice and threatening; he wouldn't weasel his way out of this conversation.

"Fine." He fluttered his wings and looked back at me. "Griffins mate for life, Lily."

I stared at him. "What."

"Me and Rose, together forever." He rolled his eyes. "What's so hard to understand?"

"Hey, slow down!" I stomped and my vision was filled with green crap, so I stomped again to get rid of it. Again. Stupid E.F.S. "Ponies don't mate for life! Don't just jump to conclusions like that! I mean, Rose likes you and all, but-"

"Lily." He glared at me, and I felt his frustration bubble. "Rose loves me almost as much as I love her. I felt it, and I know you felt it too."

"Yeah, but-" He raised his claw to interrupt my weak protest.

"We're together, and there's nothing you can say to change it. Understand?"

"You... she... I... gah." I growled, but there was no debating it. Rose might not have been as obsessed as Ibis, so overwhelmingly in love as he was, but there was no way she'd leave him. "Fine." I sighed. "I guess I'm stuck with you, then." I glared at him. "There's no way I'm letting you take my sister away, though."

He smirked. "Fine. Just don't walk in on us again."

I stomped (using my other hoof this time)and snarled at him. "If you touch her again, I'll pluck you, you overgrown chicken!"

He laughed and made for the door. "You couldn't manage it if I was asleep, Lily." He ducked the empty bottle I sent flying at his head and headed for his room, leaving me fuming.

I jumped onto my bed, trying to ignore the feelings coming from him and Rose. "Jerk."

I actually managed to block most of it out... until Rose started getting really excited, and Ibis reacted to it, our link making everything way too obvious. "Magpie!" I yelled. "What are you telling my sister in there?"

Her reply was muffled by the door. "I'm explaining sex to her."

I groaned and buried my face in my pillow, praying to Luna and Celestia above that our link wasn't permanent. If this kept up, I'd probably end up chasing after Rose myself, with the way that grey bastard's feelings for her kept flooding into me. At least Rose kept herself to, well, herself.

An hour later, the empathic connection had faded. I won't lie; while I was relieved to finally be rid of it, I felt... lonely. Like I'd been a part of something, like Rose and Ibis would always be there with me... I knew they would anyway, but there was something reassuring about being connected like that.

Not that I wanted to go through it again, though. Ugh, no way!

Not long after that, Magpie emerged from the bathroom with Rose in tow, her horn finally having stopped sparking. "Do you understand now?"

Rose nodded. "Uh-huh. Being in heat means I'm growing up, and that my body is changing, and that even though I really, really, really want sex with Ibis, I should only do it when we're alone."

Magpie nodded. "And?"

"And that griffins mate for life, but it doesn't matter 'cause I love Ibis and I'll stay with him forever anyway."

I rolled my eyes, but Magpie just smiled, proud of my sister. "That's right. Now, run along. I know you want to see my son again."

Rose trotted towards the door, but paused before leaving to look at me. "Um, Lily..."

I sighed and waved my hoof. "It's fine, Rose. I can't feel you or him any more, so go on."

She smiled at me and trotted out of view. I watched her flank as she left, admiring the view... then smacked myself across the face. AAAGH! Bad Lily! No ogling Rose!

"Do I want to know?" Magpie looked at me, one eyebrow raised in curiosity at what I'd just done.

I looked away from her. "Stupid Ibis and his stupid griffin feelings... I think I've still got some of him inside me..."

There was a sound of something breaking in the next room then some thudding and, as Magpie and I looked at each other in realisation, the thuds were joined by loud moans. "So," Magpie said hurriedly, "that pipbuck, it's got a radio, right?"

"Yep!" I nodded frantically as I bashed the button to turn it on and cranked the volume to full so we wouldn't have to listen to Rose and Ibis going at it. "See? Nice and loud!"

It wasn't nearly loud enough. Funny, I never would have taken Rose for a whinnier.

A few days later, my parents finally arrived. Rose had moved into Ibis' room, and I'd spent most of my time out and about, or sleeping with my pipbuck's earbud in. It's not like they had sex constantly, but it sure seemed like it. She came out of her heat the day before my parents showed up, thankfully. The last thing I wanted was to be riding in the back of the wagon with them when Rose was desperate for sex. Bleagh.

We spent most of the reunion relating our adventures. Well, me, Magpie and Ibis did. My mum took Rose to one side for The Talk, even though Magpie had already given it to her. The Pony Edition of The Talk, I guess. Just in case griffins were different.

"Now, Lily, your mother and I have some important news." Dad said, giving me a serious look.

I went pale. "Oh, Celestia, don't tell me mum's pregnant!"

"Oh, no." Dad chuckled as I breathed a sigh of relief. "Our contact here's got a delivery he wants made, out to a new settlement. They aren't part of the regular routes yet, and they need some supplies."

"What's the pay?"

"Five hundred caps. About a week, round trip. Thing is, your mother and I can't take the time off of our rounds, so..." He eyed me carefully, waiting for me to get what he was hinting at.

"Oh!" It took a bit, but it clicked. I grinned, eager to get back to our old life. "And you want us to make the run, right?"

Dad nodded. "You got it, sweetheart. We'll even get you a wagon, too."

"YEAH!" I cheered. My very own wagon!

"My very own wagon..." I let out a satisfied sigh, sitting back and setting the little brush and can of paint down. It really was a masterpiece. A genuine Highwaymare, with the loading ramp and everything! It even had the original paint! Well, spots of it, anyway. The freshly painted name shone on the side, the black paint still wet.

"The Serenity?" I jumped in fright, hurling the brush and tin at the voice. Ibis just ducked and rolled his eyes at me.

I glared at him. "Jerk."

"Idiot." He stepped up beside me to examine my handiwork. "So, why Serenity?"

"Oh, come on! You never heard about the Serenity?" He shook his head and I snorted. "Mal, Washtub, Corncobb, River? The rest of the crew?" He shook his head again. "They were like the greatest caravaneers ever! How could you not know the stories?!"

"If I asked you about griffin heroes, would you know about them?" He gave me a smug look., and I snorted again.

"Point taken. C'mon, let's get Rose so we can head out."

We headed over to where Rose was talking to our assorted parents. My mum was talking to her. "And you won't go anywhere alone?"

"No, auntie. I'll stay with Lily or Ibis."

"No running off?"

"No running off."

"That's my girl." They hugged, making me smile. It was good to have the family back together again and, when we parted this time, it would only be for a week.

"We'll see you in a week!"

We all shouted our farewells and goodbyes, setting off in different directions outside of the town. My parents and Magpie on the old route, while me, Rose and Ibis went on our first solo delivery. The Serenity was full of cargo, our hearts were full of joy and, as our brahmin brayed and tugged our wagon along, I knew it was the start of a new chapter in our lives.