//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven: Spin the Bottle // Story: The Student and the Time Traveler // by Hidden Brony //------------------------------// Disclaimer: I do not own Hasbro, My Little Pony or any characters, places, or events in the extended cannon, although it would be awesome if I did. Chapter Seven Spin the Bottle Change The two ponies stared at each other for a few seconds. Her deep purple eyes gazed into his rich blue orbs, and nothing around them seemed to move, not even Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie. The silence that coated the room was only broken by a single voice after a momentary pause. "Eight, nine, ten!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Man, on the first one, too." The resident judge took that moment to speak up. "Change, can I speak with you for a second?" The mute's eyes widened. I knew it. This is where and how I die. "I won't hurt you, I just want to talk." "Shiny," Twilight warned. "Talk," he said. "Not threaten. I learned my lesson." He walked over to the younger stallion, pulling him up to his hooves. "I won't be more than a few minutes, and the game will continue. Feel free to tease Twily while I'm gone." With that, he drug the stallion into the closet and shut the door. It wasn’t a large room—since, duh, closet—but it was more than large enough for the Guardspony’s needs. He shifted uncomfortably, not accustomed to being without his armor when outside the castle and not happy about the subject matter to be discussed. He sighed, bringing a hoof up to his blue bangs and brushing them out of his eyes. "Look," the Captain of the Guard sighed again, "I know you have a crush on my sister.” Change lifted his hoof in a vain attempt to stop the older stallion. “Don't deny it,” Shining Armor said. He sighed, “Look, I love my sister, but I can't try and control her life. I can almost guarantee it that she likes you back. There goes your worries about this. I won't be mad, and neither will she." Change tilted his head as he looked at the older stallion, locking eyes with his cerulean orbs. Shining Armor kept going, shifting from hoof to hoof as he talked about an awkward topic. "Yes, I’m her brother, but I’m also in charge of making sure this game runs smoothly, so here's what you're going to do: you're going to go back in there and kiss her full on the lips, as the rules say, and you're going to do it with confidence.” He stopped, almost leaving it as it was, but he decided to go the whole nine yards. ”As much as I hate to say it, I will be forced to be upset with you if you don't touch tongues, so you're doing that, too. Understand?" The mute nodded hesitantly. "With confidence," Shining Armor said. The younger stallion nodded again without hesitancy. "Now go in there with that level of confidence." Change pushed open the door and strode out of the closet, followed closely by Shining Armor. Whatever conversation that was going on ended as the two stallions walked up to the group. Change walked with purpose up to Twilight and—in an act that surprised himself as much as the ponies around him—pressed his lips straight against hers. Her eyes widened as he kept pushing into it, slowly pushing her onto her back. His tongue brushed against the barrier of her teeth, and she opened to allow him entry, moaning softly. The rest of the group stared at the two ponies in shock. Rarity was the first to vocalise her thoughts. “Well, I knew she liked him, but this isn’t quite what I was expecting from her.” Rainbow stopped even trying to keep her wings down. “But it’s hot,” she said, grin as wide as her dark pink eyes. “Who knew the egghead had it in her?” “Who knew Change did?” Shining Armor asked. He looked over at the duo, and stopped breathing. Change’s eyes—whatever was visible through the slit between his eyelids—were a bright pink. It wasn’t Change making out with Twilight. The Guard grabbed the stallion by the neck and hauled him up. “We’re talking privately. Now,” he growled, dragging the still pink-eyed stallion downstairs. As soon as Shining Armor made sure he wasn’t followed, he started talking. “Which one of you is this?” he demanded. The mute tilted his head in a good facade of confusion, but Shining Armor wasn’t fooled. Not with his eyes as pink as they were. “Don’t lie to me, I spoke with Braveheart. I know there’s more than one of you in there.” The Change-that-was-not-Change giggled, “Caught me,” the colt said in a very feminine tone. He gazed at the older stallion with half-lidded eyes in a look that made Shining Armor think of his time spent in private with his wife. “Who are you?” Shining Armor asked. “What do you do?” “I call myself Love Bug, but you can call me whatever you like, sugar,” the pink-eyed Change said, winking. “First, I’m married. Second, I don’t swing that way. Third, you shouldn’t offer a body that isn’t yours,” the Guard said. Love Bug frowned. “You’re no fun. I don’t think I’d ever tell your wife about any fun times we have, I also don’t think it matters much what I am on the outside, as long as I’m all mare inside—save the parts of the other stallion, if you know what I mean—and third, while I have this body, I’ll use it for whatever fun I damn well please and put whatever and whoever I want in it.” “I assume you’re Change’s lust, like Braveheart was his bravery?” the stallion asked. “Oh ho, you’re almost there,” the stallion-that-was-a-mare said. “Braveheart is Change’s protection from death. I’m his helper, not a protector. I help him when he has urges, and I know how to treat a mare.” S/he ran his/her gaze over the older stallion’s body. “Or a stallion. You look like you could be fun.” “I already said no,” Shining Armor said. “Get out of his body.” “Or you’ll what?” Love Bug asked. “Spank me? Oh, please say you’ll spank me if I misbehave.” The Captain sighed. “Let me speak to Braveheart and I’ll think about it.” “You’ll do more than think about it, cutie,” the mare-in-a-stallion’s-body said. “You just don’t know it yet." His/her head drooped, and Change’s eyes were green when he looked up again, signalling the arrival of Braveheart. “What do you want?” he rasped. “I talked to Love Bug,” the physically older stallion said. “I want you to keep her caged up as much as you can.” “This is your fault, you know that right?” Braveheart asked. “If you hadn’t pulled me out, then the others wouldn’t want their time in the sun.” “What are we looking at?” Shining Armor asked. “You’re looking at potentially two dozen ponies wanting to do something after between a few years and a decade of inactivity,” the mentally older stallion said. “Each wants something different. I won’t tell you which wants which, and I won’t help you any more than I have.” “Why not?” the Guard asked. “This is your mess, so you fix it,” Braveheart said. “I will give you one warning, though. If you see bright red eyes, run. Run and take your entire village with you.” “Why?” Shining Armor asked. “Each of us is missing something, crippled in a way,” the stallion rasped. “I am old, even if I’m physically young. Love Bug is missing her common sense, it seems. She tries to seduce anypony around her if she doesn’t already have a target, like you or your sister. She’ll keep popping up until one of you lets her have what she wants, by the way.” “I thought you weren’t helping me?” the mentally-younger stallion said. “With your intellect and inability to tell anypony, you need all the help you can get,” Braveheart said. “She’s sticking around until she sleeps with somepony. It won’t be constant, but it is a blessing compared to Wrath.” “The one with red eyes?” Shining Armor asked. “Precisely. He is missing his equinity. Whatever makes us ponies is missing in that colt,” the mentally-older stallion said. “He wants to kill because he thinks it’s fun. He doesn’t feel bad for the pain caused by him or others. When Wrath gets out, sic the Princesses on him. Killing him would be a mercy if he deteriorated to that point.” “What about his–” the Guard started to ask when Braveheart’s head dropped momentarily. When he looked back up, his eyes were blue again. Shining Armor decided to leave his conversations where they were. “You did good, kid, but you went a little far. Since you don’t need it anymore, why don’t you try and keep your tongue inside your mouth from now on, shall we?” Change nodded, and the duo went upstairs. Twilight was there to greet them. “Shiny, what was that about?” “I was informing him that he was to keep his tongue to himself from now on,” the Guard said, the half-truth flowing off his tongue like sweet honey. “Let’s get back to the game.” Applejack gave him a look, but didn't pursue the issue. She turned to Change. "So, who's spinnin' next?" she asked. He put a hoof up to his mouth and if he could have he would have hummed thoughtfully. After a moment's indecision, he pointed at Rarity. She frowned at him. "You're no fun," she said. He scribbled out a note. It's not my fault you're pretty. I couldn’t resist picking you. The seamstress blushed. "Such a gentlecolt while acting so uncouth," she muttered, giving the bottle a flick with her magic. Change followed the tip of the bottle with his eyes, while Pinkie followed the bottle with her whole head. She made little 'Woo! Woo!' noises as it went. After a few seconds, it made its choice. "You've gotta be kiddin' me," the orange mare at the tip of the bottle deadpanned.. Rarity groaned, and then her eyes widened as she heard Rainbow counting. "Five. . . Six. . . ." The alabaster unicorn lunged across the bottle, slapping her lips onto Applejack's. The two separated instantly and Rarity sat back down at her spot, a blush firmly on her cheeks. "So uncouth," she whined. "Why did I agree to this?" Rainbow grinned. "I like this rule," she said. "Everything is much faster. No delaying." "If you like it so much, maybe you should spin the bottle next?" Rarity said, glaring at the flier. "You don't have to ask me twice," she exclaimed, smacking the bottle with a wing. It spun before settling on Change. "Jackpot," she said with a massive grin. The mute's eyes widened as she flapped her wings, launching herself and tackling him to the ground. After a few seconds she lifted her face, allowing Change to gasp for air. "Mmm," she said, licking her lips. "Vanilla." "What's gotten into you, Rainbow?" Rarity asked. Don't pick Rainbow again. Don't pick Rainbow again. Don't pick Rainbow again. Pinkie replied for the flier. "It's Cloudsdale's heat week," she said. "Most mares from Cloudsdale are going to be extra frisky." The group looked over at Fluttershy. She blushed. "Most," she squeaked out, "not all." "Who's next, Rainbow?" Shining Armor asked, getting the party back on track. She stepped away from her position straddling the stallion. "Hmmm," she hummed. "Spike." The group turned to look at the forgotten dragon sitting next to the mute stallion, who shrugged and spun the bottle. It whirled around four times before settling on Pinkie. He shrugged as he walked up to the pink mare and kissed her. He sat back down, and Rainbow frowned. "I was hoping for something more fun than that, but that works. Who's next?" "Fluttershy," he said, pointing at the mare in question. The shy mare gulped and got the bottle started. She looked around with nervousness as she waited for her fate to be decided. Rainbow frowned before saying, "Ten second rule doesn't apply to Flutters." “Seems fair,” Shining Armor said, giving the nervous yellow pegasus a reassuring nod. It was probably not helpful. The bottle slowed before pointing at Change. Me again. Why me again? The Shy mare walked up to the mute before sitting down in front of him. She shuffled her hooves nervously. “I, uh, don’t think I can just. . . kiss him,” she said. “Take your time,” Twilight said with a smile. “We’ll continue without you.” Fluttershy sighed in relief before her friend continued, causing her to groan. “If the bottle points to your spot, we’ll have it be you.” “Who is next, Flutters?” Pinkie asked. “Uh, Change again,” Fluttershy said. “That worked well last time.” Twilight and Change blushed bright red as their thoughts were drug back to the first spin. That did work well last time. Just hoping it doesn’t land on Spike this time. Change reached a hoof out and spun the bottle hard, giving it the most spin of any bottle so far. Not Rainbow or Spike. Not Rainbow or Spike. Not Rainbow or Spike. The bottle settled right back onto the lavender unicorn. Rainbow groaned. “We already saw this!” she exclaimed, smacking the bottle again. “Respin!” “Rainbow, that isn’t in the rules!” Twilight exclaimed, then immediately clamped a hoof over her mouth, eyes widening at her outburst. “If you want to make out with your coltfriend, just go and do it,” Rainbow said with a smirk and a twinkle in her eyes. “You don’t need our permission.” “It, uh, stopped spinning,” Fluttershy said, drawing everypony’s eyes to the now-still bottle in the center of the circle of ponies. It was pointed directly at himself. Now that won’t work. Rainbow scoffed. “Somepony else spin that thing.” Shining Armor stepped forward and spun it. “That introduces a new rule, I guess,” he said. “If your spin lands on somepony it already landed on, you respin.” “But there is a difference between who spins and who is picked,” Rainbow mentioned. “If Change’s spin were to land on me, it wouldn’t be a repeat.” “Why is that?” Rarity asked. “Because there’s a difference between me kissing him,” the flier said, eyeing the slowing bottle as if she was willing who she wanted it to land on, “and him kissing me. I don’t think he’ll be the one on his back in the latter case. Especially if average is only half of what Twilight got.” The duo blushed again, glancing away from each other, much to the amusement of the ponies around them. Rainbow flared her wings and refolded them twice as the bottle slowed to a stop. Rainbow groaned as it faced the stallion himself again. “You suck at spinning, Shining Armor,” she said, ignoring the fact that both of her spins landed on the same pony. “Lemme try again. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just have him french Twi again.” The unicorn in question squeaked and blushed harder. Her face was flushed to the point that her brother was worried about her passing out from all the blood. He was happy to see as much blood in the face of the mute, because that meant it wasn’t other places. The bottle wobbled a little bit as it stopped one last time. This was the final decision. No more redos. He followed the bottle, having to suppress a grin at the blushing mare at the end of the bottle. “Three,” Rainbow said. “Four.” Change hopped to his feet, giving a small bow to Rarity. “Five,” the cyan flier said. “Six.” “Change,” the seamstress whined. “You better not be waiting until the ten seconds are up. If you are, I will be very upset with you. “Seven,” the counting continued. “Eight.” “Change,” Twilight said, frowning. “Nine,” Rainbow said with a huge grin. “Te—” The mute lunged forward at the last possible second and sealed Rarity’s muzzle with his own. Her light blue eyes widened as he pressed lightly into her mouth, before the lids lowered slowly. The stallion wasn’t there longer than a second, but she was panting when he retracted his mouth from hers. He lifted up Rarity’s hoof and gave it a light kiss before sitting back down. He passed Rainbow a note. Fun enough? The cyan mare grinned in response. “Who’s next?” Pinkie asked. Change looked around at the mares, looking at who needed it the most. Rainbow was fidgety, but that was expected from a mare in heat. Pinkie was sitting fairly still, boring her blue eyes into his own blue ones. He tore his eyes away from the commanding gaze of the pink one to look at Rarity. She couldn’t meet his gaze, much to his disappointment—she had such pretty eyes—so he moved on. Applejack was looking at Shining Armor and had seemed to have lost interest in the game at some point. Fluttershy was still next to— Fluttershy was attached to his muzzle. What. The shy mare lit up like Coronation Day fireworks and leaped backwards with an adorable “eep!” She stared at him in horror, leading him to hypothesize that it was not intentional. “Wow, I didn’t know you had it in you, Flutters,” Rainbow said, letting out a low whistle. “I didn’t mean to!” the shy pegasus exclaimed quietly. “I went to kiss him on the cheek and he turned his head!” “Well, it worked,” Rarity said. “Come and sit down, darling. I’ll take your next turn, if you want.” Fluttershy gave her friend a demure smile. “Thanks, Rarity.” “With that out of the way,” the judge interjected as the shy mare walked back to her spot, “who is spinning next?” Change grinned and pointed at Twilight. She sighed, but twisted her magic around and spun the bottle. Everypony watched the spin with interest as it whirled in a twisting dance of fate. Half the group wanted to see what would happen if it landed on Change, and the other half already knew what would happen if it landed on him and wanted it to happen. Guess which group Twilight and Change fell into? The bottle stopped with its neck pointing at the spinner. Rainbow groaned and slammed her face onto the floor in exasperation. “. . . Ow,” she groaned. Twilight rolled her eyes and spun the bottle in the other direction. She tensed when it looked like it was going to land on Spike—that would have been awkward for both of them—and sighed as it passed the baby dragon. She noticed his own sigh of relief, making her feel a little less bad for her reaction. She looked at the pony sitting next to Spike with an unrestrained smile. The studious unicorn paced over to the mute stallion. Everypony was expecting some kind of passionate makeout session like their last one, but she surprised everypony with a small, tender kiss on the lips. She pressed her mouth to his for a few seconds—not asking for more nor giving it—before releasing him, looking him in the eyes, smiling, and heading back to her spot. “Last spin!” Pinkie announced, “then we move on to the other games.” “I think the last spin should go to Change,” Twilight said. Rainbow nodded. “I agree with that. Maybe we should just have him kiss us one by one?” “You aren’t getting another one that way,” Shining Armor said, much to the flier’s disappointment. The mute gave the last spin of the bottle, hoping that he wouldn’t get Spike—due to the awkwardness of their shared gender—or Rainbow—do do her being scary as hell and in heat. He held his breath as it spun, and released it when it landed on Fluttershy. “Looks like that’s me again,” Rarity sighed. “No,” the shy mare said, blushing. “You already kissed him, so you can’t do it again unless you spin him.” Rarity raised an eyebrow at her companion, but backed off. Change walked up to the butterscotch pegasus. He sat down in front of her, giving him access to her furiously blushing face. He planted one kiss on her left cheek, followed by one on her right. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned forward again and licked her nose before returning to his spot. Shining Armor narrowed his eyes. He could have sworn that he saw a flash of pink in the mute stallion's eyes before he licked Fluttershy. “That was. . . .“ Rarity started. “Hot!” Rainbow interjected into the pause left by the fashionista. “Odd,” Rarity corrected. “That was odd.” She turned to Pinkie. “What’s next on the list?” Twilight’s ears perked up at the word ‘list’. Pinkie grinned. “Good news everypony! We won’t need this bottle anymore!” she exclaimed, grabbing the bottle and tossing it onto a nearby table. “Bad news, we’re using this one instead!” She pulled a bottle out of hammerspace that was filled with a strange white liquid, and eight glasses to go with it. “What is it?” Shining Armor asked. “Truth detector,” Pinkie said. “Bought it from Zecora. It works by detecting if a pony tells a lie while some of it is in them.” “So we drink the mystery potion—” Twilight started. “Lie detector,” Pinkie said. “So we drink the lie detector, and then what? It hurts us if we tell a lie?” the studious unicorn asked. “Of course not, silly,” the pink mare said. “If somepony that drank from it tells a lie, the rest of it glows red and gets all warm in your tummy. It’s perfectly safe as long as you don’t drink too much of it. ‘Too much’ being more than a mouthful. Zecora promised.” Twilight eyed the liquid with curiosity as Pinkie deftly poured it into the glasses. The party pony passed out the lie detector to the ponies around her, and each of them drank it when they received it. Pinkie placed the bottle on its side in the middle of the group in the spot the other container had previously occupied. “So what was the point of that?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I can see how this could be useful, especially to the Guard, but why did we drink it?” “Silly Twilight,” Pinkie sighed. “That’s because of our next game.” Shining Armor sat down in the circle between Spike and Change. “And what would that be?” he inquired. “It’s simple!” the pink party pony exclaimed. “We’re playing truth or dare!”