//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: We Shared Our Dreams // Story: All for You // by Stryke //------------------------------// “Cadance, stop!” Princess Celestia cried out. “You don’t want to do this.” Four golden manacles held her down, an iron ring placed upon her horn had locked her magic away, and her wings had been bound tightly against her sides with black leather straps. “Oh, Celly,” Cadance replied, and licked her lips slowly. “Celly, Celly, Celly. I so very much do. Anyway, that’s not my name anymore, remember?” Celestia glanced at the changeling queen, who was lounging around Cadance’s hooves, and looking up at her with rapt adoration. “I don’t know what she’s done to you—” “My beloved?” Cadance laughed, long and hard, and tinged with an utter madness that set Celestia’s stomach quivering with fear. “She had nothing to do with it. I chose this. Me!” “Cadance!” Celestia begged impotently, constrained as she currently was. “Not another word!” she roared, as lightning danced upon her wickedly sharp pink horn. “There can only be one princess in Equestria, and it will be me, Nightmare Siren Song!” The mare that had been Princess Cadance had not chosen the more warlike garb of Nightmare Moon. Instead she had chosen a far more provocative look than Celestia would have expected. It defied labels, being an anarchy of leather straps, gems, fishnet and feathers. The combined effect was enough for any fashion designer to gouge their eyes out rather than to look at it, and for any denizen of a certain area in Flankfurt to shake their head at the obvious try-too-hard. The makeup and styling of her mane was somehow even worse, while the pretty pink ribbons were just confusing her. "Twilight Sparkle will stop you," Celestia promised, her eyes still gleaming with defiance. Siren Song arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really?" She chuckled lightly. "Perhaps not." At an unseen signal multi-coloured lights shone down on a massive stage, which had somehow escaped Celestia's notice up to that point, in her former throneroom. On the stage Twilight and her friends danced to the raucous music that seemed to have been playing all this time, and all of them stared at Siren Song with absolute smitten worship. Another spotlight shone down revealing Nightmare Moon massaging her rump on the statue of Discord's stone claws. For some reason somepony had seen fit to put a t-shirt on the statue displaying the caption 'Team Sombra'. Nightmare Moon stepped forward, and as she did so the corruption was left behind revealing the unadorned form of the princess of the night. She glanced up at the stage and shook her head. "C'mon ‘Tia, you must have known that this was a dream. I know for a fact that Twilight can't dance anywhere near that well." Celestia's eyes widened with sudden realisation, and she rose to her hooves. The chains that had been holding her down offered no more resistance than a notion. "Luna! You promised that you wouldn't do this anymore." Luna smiled back kindly. "You know that I cannot ignore the call of a dreamer truly in need of help. Anyway, I was walking along the Canterlot mountainside with three bridesmaids when you called out to me for help, whether you realised it or not." Celestia composed herself, and as she began to wake, the dreamscape started to fade away entirely. Luna waved a hoof and it froze right back in place. "Wait," she said. "Perhaps you might want to talk about this?" Luna asked, giving the figure of Siren Song a significant look. “I promise not to even mention the word ‘repressed’ this time, however much it might be clearly justified.” The Nightmare’s garb was beginning to blur entirely, as Celestia's conscious mind had returned, and the dream logic had faded. Under her gaze the gaudy costume and garish makeup had entirely melted away, leaving the form of Princess Cadance behind. There was however an unmistakable look of fear that had been left in Cadance's eyes. "Alright," Celestia said, and nodded her head. "I'll play your game, Sister." "So, changelings then?" Luna asked. "Yes," Celestia stated flatly. "Changelings." Luna politely waited for her sister to continue. "One of their queens had ensnared my captain of the royal guard," Celestia eventually started to explain. "She not only managed to foalnap Princess Cadance under my notice, but then when Twilight Sparkle exposed her, she actually managed to beat me with magic fueled by the love that she had stolen." Luna's real body, still scaling the mountain paths with the three other mares tailing behind her, breathed out sharply. "Princess Cadance decided to use her own magic to make Queen Chrysalis fall in love with her," Celestia said, looking down at the changeling queen, still wrapped around Cadance's hooves. "She was forced to do this, while I was trapped and helpless in a cocoon." The last word was hissed out, and Celestia's face scrunched up at the taste of something so bitter.   "Oh, Sister..." Luna blanched at the tone in Celestia's voice. "I can't imagine what that would have been like for you. How is Cadance dealing with this changeling queen being besotted with her?" Luna said cautiously. She could still see the fear that was frozen into Cadance's face.   "It's not just the changeling," Celestia replied. "Cadance is just as much in love with Chrysalis. She even went as far as to place her under her own royal protection when I was going to throw the changeling into the dungeon.” "Oh." "Oh, indeed.” Luna wrinkled her nose, as she thought about this. "Well, that's obviously not ideal, but given this Chrysalis did stand her army down, it does seem that what Princess Cadance did at least worked?" "It's just wonderful," Celestia said, and given that she was currently asleep, allowed her dream self to roll her eyes. "There's hundreds of changelings beneath my city, Shining Armour is traumatised at the very sight of his bride-to-be, and that Chrysalis is probably wrapping Cadance right around her crooked horn right this moment." Celestia stamped her hoof, and then glanced down at the offending limb as if it had acted of its own volition. "Dammit, Luna. You know what they're like." Luna was also staring down at her sister's hoof and then looked up. "A very long time ago, perhaps," she said, appearing to be lost in thought for the moment. "Well, maybe we should arrange a delightful soiree for you and Chrysalis to get acquainted and discuss the hot new fashions sweeping the badlands." "Sarcasm, Sister?" Luna said, giving her a look. "That's not like you at all." Celestia sighed. "I am sorry. That was uncalled for." "It's all right, 'Tia," Luna said, with an airy wave of one of her wings. "She did invade our city. It's more than understandable that you're not in the best of moods." "Thank you," Celestia replied gratefully, and nodded her head once. "Mind letting me wake up now?" "Of course," Luna said, as she was already starting to fade away into the blackness.   ~~~ 'How are you feeling, Twilight?' thought the swarm lord through their new mental connection. A wave of nausea came back down through the link that caused his own vision to blur. 'That good then?' 'I’m still sitting in that corridor waiting for my vision to stop doubling,' Twilight thought back groggily. 'It really would help if you stopped moving, y'know' 'I've been summoned,' he thought back. 'That's a no then I take it?' 'Indeed,' the changeling thought back, as he opened the door leading to his queen's new quarters. Twilight's eyes widened at the sight of her old foalsitter cuddling tightly up against Chrysalis on top of the bed covers. Chrysalis reluctantly extricated herself from Cadance's embrace, and clambered over the bed and onto the floor, until she was standing before her swarm lord. "You may reveal yourself if it would make you more comfortable, my Swarm Lord," Chrysalis said gently. The swarm lord very slightly raised a chitinous eyebrow, and glanced past her to Cadance, who was still lying in the bed. "Is that entirely wise, my Queen?" "Of course it is," Chrysalis said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "There will be no secrets held from my love." Twilight could feel the reluctance from where she was still propped up against the wall. The swarm lord did as he was bid and stood revealed in the ornate armour that denoted his status. "So, what did you require my presence for?" he asked. "Unless you perhaps wished to just show me off?" Chrysalis missed, or just chose to ignore, the rebuke. "Cadance, can you help me with this, please?" Twilight closed her eyes to avoid seeing what came next, but as the swarm lord kept looking steadily ahead, she didn't have much of a choice about it. Cadance and Chrysalis kissed, slowly but passionately, as their lips locked together. It kept on long enough that Twilight was beginning to feel a little flushed herself, or maybe she could just go ahead and die of embarrassment. One of the two, anyway. When they'd finally finished, an intense pink light was wreathing around Chrysalis' horn. With some visible effort, Chrysalis pulled herself away from Cadance. "Take this freely given love, My Swarm Lord," Chrysalis instructed. "You will take it to the rest of the hive in the gem caves below Canterlot and share it with them." "Of course," he replied. “It shall be as you command,” he said, while pointedly looking more at Princess Cadance. ‘You see,’ flashed as an angry thought through Twilight’s head. Twilight wasn’t sure that she did, but the idea that his queen could possibly be under the dominion of another was enough to make their mental connection feel like a raging torrent of emotion. Meanwhile the changeling waited patiently, staying so completely still, he might as well have been a statue. Seeing no sign at all of the inner turmoil boiling inside, Chrysalis bent down, and touched her horn to his. Twilight's mind exploded as the two horns touched. Several moments later she found herself on her back, and staring up at the tiled ceiling. "Wow..." Twilight said out loud to herself.   'Are you alright there, Twilight?' the changeling thought. 'Lost you there for a moment.' 'That was certainly interesting,' Twilight thought back. 'I've got butterflies in my stomach, my head is spinning, and I'm pretty certain I could fly right now. Current complete lack of wings regardless.' 'Ah, love.' Twilight could feel the changeling’s amusement through the link, and she couldn't help but feel it too. She giggled out loud, still feeling like she was galloping full-tilt on Princess Celestia's sunshine.   'Is there anything else I can call you, by the way?' Twilight thought. 'It seems awkward to keep thinking of you as the swarm lord.' Twilight could feel the puzzlement before she heard the changeling speak in her head. 'But that is my title?' 'Don't you have a name as well?' 'Not like ponies do,' he admitted. 'Still, as I am now part of you, then how about Dusk?' Twilight started for a moment at that phrasing, and then shrugged it off as she was sure he was just talking about the mental link. "Y'know, that does sound pretty good to me, Dusk." ~~~ “He seems nice,” Cadance said pleasantly. “He does his duty,” Chrysalis replied. “More than that honestly. He was the drone that helped me out of the hive when we were attacked. He’s probably the sole reason I survived that day’s events.” Chrysalis waited for a response, but Cadance didn’t say anything back as she looked out at the night sky. “Cadance?” Chrysalis asked, putting a chitinous hoof on her lover’s shoulder. Cadance turned to look at her. “Sorry, I was just thinking about what Princess Celestia told me. I know there was my spell, but I still think I understand why you did what you did even without it, and now I find out your swarm lord is clearly worried about you.” “He forgets his place at times,” Chrysalis said dismissively. Cadance’s lower lip started to tremble slightly. “And yet I can’t get what she said out of my head. Princess Celestia said that when I knew where you and your race came from, I’d never want to touch you again. Yet I can’t imagine anything you can tell me that’d ever make me stop loving you.” “Ah, I think I can guess...” Chrysalis said. “Chrysalis?” “You probably don’t want to know,” Chrysalis said, and shook her head sadly. “I don’t even know how much of what I know is actually true anyway.” “I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” “Are you sure you want to know?” Chrysalis asked. “It happened a very, very long time ago.” Cadance cuddled up closer to the changeling, and looked deep into her eyes. “Please.” Chrysalis sighed, and rested her head against Cadance’s. “Okay, okay, but I want to do something for you at the same time.” “What?” “I’m going to give you a massage,” Chrysalis said. “You’ve been through a very tough experience, and as I don’t think hearing this is going to help in the slightest, so I’m going to do what I can to help.” “You know how to give massages?” Cadance said, raising an eyebrow. Chrysalis placed a dutiful hoof on her chest. “I assure you that I’ve made a very thorough study of alicorn pony anatomy.” Cadance studied her new lover’s expression for any trace of a leer, but upon not finding one, she sighed. “It can’t be worse than what I’d imagine than if you don’t tell me.” “Right, well, how are you on ancient pony history?” Chrysalis asked, as Cadance followed her over to the sturdy dining table. “Specifically the great famine leading to the merging of the three tribes?” “Not great,” Cadance confessed, as she laid herself down. “I know enough that the story we tell every Hearth’s Warming Eve has been embellished a lot along with being cleaned up in the retelling. What they used to call Chancellor Puddinghead wasn’t nearly as appropriate for the foals, I know that.” “Who?” Chrysalis asked, and then flicked her bug-like wings dismissively. “Never mind,” she said, as she clambered on top of the table. “Anyway, this takes place a generation later onwards from the unification of the earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorn nations...” ~~~ Back in those days, the ponies that had survived the famines and the Windigo incursions from the howling north had been reduced to so few numbers that they all lived within a single valley. There were a few small scattered settlements and none of them were much bigger than one of your villages today. All around them the remnants of the three nations were besieged by the hostile creatures surrounding the valley. Dragons, assorted monsters, and other creatures of malign intelligence turned their attention to these interlopers and plotted their downfall. However, not all of the ponies' neighbours of that time were actively hostile. In some way what they represented was something much worse: a salvation that would never be fulfilled due to something as petty as a simple lack of interest. They were the missing fourth tribe of ponies. Of course there are also the bat-like fifth tribe who would become known as the Thestralians, but as they would not emerge from their caves until after the coming of the Nightmare Moon, they’re not relevant to this particular story. Anyway, due to their butterfly-like wings they had taking the fanciful name of the flutter ponies. ~~~ Cadance was unable to help herself as an uncontrollable giggle escaped her lips. “Flutter ponies?” she said, a wide grin forming on her face. “I remember being read to about them when I was just a foal. Next you’ll be telling me they met some grundles, or maybe even a zoat.” “Do you mind?” Chrysalis said, as she worked a hoof a bit harder than was necessary into a muscle cluster. “My mother told me this story, and while I’m not sure how much of it might have been lost as it was passed down from each changeling queen to her daughter over so many generations, on the existence of the flutter ponies she was absolutely certain.” “There’s a spell for that I’m sure,” Cadance said, moving a hoof to rub it against her chin slowly. “I suppose there could have been a lost tribe of unicorns that were powerful enough for them all to be able to cast the spell to give them butterfly wings.” “Possibly, yes,” Chrysalis conceded. “Right, so the flutter ponies...” ~~~ When the ponies of the valley tried to establish relations, they were shunned by the arrogant flutter ponies, who preferred the company of monstrous bee creatures that guarded their borders of the land they called Paradise. The flutter ponies had a queen called Rosedust who refused even to acknowledge the existence of anything, pony or otherwise, that lived without butterfly wings on their backs. Without allies to be found the numbers of the ponies in the unified tribes dropped even further as they were lost to the depredations of those that sought their annihilation, corruption or enslavement. When their ultimate defeat seemed inevitable, a new queen came to power. She was Queen Majesty, and she was almost certainly the most magical unicorn that has ever lived. It’s possible Majesty was in command of even greater ability with unicorn magic than that possessed by the two alicorn sisters that live on to this day. Such was her power that she was able to create an enchanted mirror that could create fully grown ponies. These were not some fanciful illusion, or half-witted simulacrum, but true living ponies with their own cutie marks forming as they stepped through the mirror and into reality. ~~~ “That’s impossible!” Cadance protested, as she squirmed somewhat under Chrysalis’ tender ministrations. “Anyway, I used to foalsit for Twilight Sparkle, and she especially loved the stories about the more famous and infamous magical unicorns of history like the Dread Mare from the Discordian Age, the otherworldly Fey Trade, and the father of organized unicorn magic that was Star Swirl the Bearded, and none of them could do anything remotely like that. I’ve never even heard of this Queen Majesty.”   “It was a very long time ago, remember.” Chysalis said patiently. “How many ponies can you name off the top of your head anyway prior to the coming of Discord anyway?” “Well, there’s the ones from the first Hearth’s Warming Eve, and...” Cadance’s brow creased as she tried to think. The heady smell of incense drifting about her wasn’t particularly helping with that. “Then there’s Star Swirl obviously... Okay, I get your point,” she said dreamily. “Where’s that lovely incense coming from anyway?” “Maaa-gic,” Chrysalis drawled slowly, with some amusement, before continuing with her tale. ~~~ Under Queen Majesty’s protection, and with their numbers swelled by those born from the mirror, the ponies of the valley began to experience a new age of prosperity. Majesty was not satisfied though with a mere steadying of the situation; her ambitions were far grander than that. While she was powerful, she was also prideful, and while she was clever, she was also ruthless, even perhaps what ponies today would call cruel to those that would dare intrude into her dominion. Most of all, she had grown to despise the queen of the flutter ponies. Majesty was sure that with their powers combined, the ponies would never have to fear anything ever again, but still the land of Paradise remained closed to her and those that she ruled. It is possible she could have forced the issue with her magic, but with the valley constantly beset as it was, even a unicorn as powerful as her was simply forced to prioritise.   Had the situation continued, things might have turned out differently. Queen Majesty had more than enough power to keep her lands safe, and great heroes arose to do her bidding whose names have now been lost to history. The enemies of the ponies were multitude, and some possessed great malicious cunning, but sooner or later Queen Majesty and her agents would surely have prevailed against them all. Then came the smothering ooze. Never has there been such a blight on the land as this abomination against the very concept of life. I do not know of where it came from, and it is possible that when it was born it was barely the size of a puddle, but when it reached Paradise the smothering ooze stretched across the horizon. Everything it touched was consumed and so it grew. At Paradise though it was halted. The flutter ponies’ command of magic was such that they held it at bay with ease and so their lands were safe. The valley, on the other hoof, had no such protection... Queen Majesty might have been able to accomplish something similar, but she was away at the time running down a malignant lava spirit with some of her heroes, and so the valley was utterly defenseless under the onslaught of the smothering ooze. Three whole villages were consumed, and still it inexorably advanced. In the end it was the miraculous work of two foals, who tapped into unknown magics not seen since the time of the first hearth’s warming eve, to not only push back the ooze, but banish it entirely. When Majesty returned to find what had become of her kingdom her rage was such that it cracked the very bedrock of the earth itself. She did not know if the flutter ponies' actions had been due to malice, apathy, or even if they had just not thought of her ponies at all, but she frankly did not care either way. She tore apart the defences of Paradise until she stood over the beaten body of Rosedust. Then she gave her judgement. As you preferred the company of insects to those like you, then like the begotten insects you shall be. As you shunned our pleas, you shall not even be able to speak. And as you cared not for the suffering of others, only the love of ponies will stave off the suffering of what you have wrought here. ~~~ “She cursed them?” Cadance asked, turning her head so she could look up at her lover. “I thought curses were something out of stories, and not something that a pony could actually do.” Chrysalis made an elaborate show of inspecting her entire body. “Apparently so.” Then she shrugged. “I don’t know if it was a curse, or just a particularly powerful transformation spell, but I can’t argue with the results. Way I heard it from my mother was that the change into what we are now took several tortuous centuries.” “So what happened to Queen Majesty afterwards?” “I don’t know,” Chrysalis said back frankly. “My mother said that there were several different theories that have been passed down the ages. Some say that she used her own life to fuel the spell and in the process killed herself. One queen claimed she found evidence Majesty fell under the influence of disharmony, and the story of her fall and eventual defeat was so dark that history itself has conspired to keep it hidden. Others say she simply saw out the years of the rest of her natural life. Drained perhaps, but never less than a queen. The version that I prefered was that, unable to stay where she felt she had failed so badly, she left our reality behind entirely and found a whole new world. One where an old friend had long been waiting for her.” Cadance’s brow furrowed as she thought about the story. “That’s not good, of course, of the flutter ponies standing aside when others are suffering, but I’m still not sure why Princess Celestia reacted the way she did. Even if I do assume that those two sisters were her and Luna when they were young.” “Well, the story doesn’t entirely end there,” Chrysalis admitted. “Those first few centuries were hard for the new changeling race. We don’t die from starvation like a pony would deprived of sustenance. Instead we suffer until we find reprieve. It is not a constant ache either that one could grow used to; it is a varying suffering that ranges from a dull pang, to pain that would drive you utterly insane completely without warning. The new changelings fled to the wastes and badlands and hid themselves away from the world. When Discord arose, I hear all he bothered to do to us, was to appear in one of the hives and kill himself laughing for a while before returning to torment the other races.” She smiled. “Then things started to get better. Changeling queens began to arise with the cunning and strength to lead and found that they were not so limited as the drones. Hives moved closer and closer to pony lands. They learned how to finally satisfy the hunger, and then the queens made a terrible mistake.” Chrysalis stopped her massage for a moment. “Ever hear tell of a unicorn king called Sombra?” “No... I can’t say that I have,” Cadance admitted. “I must admit I’ve never really read up about the deposed unicorn lineage. Then that it ultimately resulted in that idiot Blueblood might have something to do with it.” “Oh, he wasn’t truly a king—least not as far as I know—he took over a city of earth ponies in the far north. He did terrible things to them, as he enslaved the entire frozen lands that would become the Crystal Empire.” “What’s that got to do with the changelings though?” “He approached our queens,” Chrysalis explained. “Offered some of his slaves in exchange for certain services that seemed harmless enough. Like fools they accepted, much too eager to get their hooves on an easy source of love rather than thinking the consequences through.” “Ah,” Cadance said, “I think I can see where this is going.” She then squeaked as Chrysalis' entire body weight rested on her back. She idly wondered where Chrysalis was going with this. Chrysalis nodded. “Indeed. The royal sisters came for him and broke his power. Somehow he managed to take his entire kingdom with him when they destroyed him forever. Then they discovered where some of the slaves had gone to and they turned their attention toward the changeling race.” “He took his entire kingdom with him?” she managed to say. Chrysalis had secreted some oily ichor all over herself and was now sliding herself on top of her. Cadance was sure normally that she’d be freaked about this as Chrysalis slowly rubbed her entire body back and forth, but something that felt this good couldn’t be too wrong. Her pink fur was quickly becoming matted, her tail was twitching uncontrollably, the slippery secretions were getting absolutely everywhere, and yet Cadance really couldn’t bring herself to care. “All disappeared apparently,” Chrysalis said, as she rubbed her body sensually against the alicorn underneath her. “Being robbed of their victory like that, I can only imagine contributed to what happened next. Princess Celestia unleashed the Nightmare Moon and an army that marched out from Equestria. It took centuries for the changeling race to recover from that campaign.” Cadance was struggling for conscious thought from how good she was feeling anyway, and that particular revelation had sent the rest of her mind tumbling over the idea that Celestia would order such a thing. It was only after they’d had a very pleasant shower together, that she said, “Thank you for telling me, Chrysalis. And for the massage too, I needed that.” “Oh,” said Chrysalis, with the expression of having just remembered something. “By the way, I don’t know this for certain either, as there weren’t exactly many changelings left around to confirm it. I believe the timing is right for it though.” “What is it?” “When Princess Luna returned home after her campaign,” Chrysalis said, watching Cadance carefully. “That was when her resentment finally boiled over enough, that it caused her to become Nightmare Moon for real, and then promptly tried to bring about eternal night before being banished.” Cadance felt her jaw drop open at that last titbit. No wonder Celestia disliked the changelings if she held them at least partially responsible for causing the rift between herself and her sister that led to a thousand years of the mare-in-the-moon. And she had just offered Chrysalis and her hive protection... She was going to need to speak to Princess Celestia as soon as possible, but there was another pony that she really did have to see first. ~~~ Trixie had been lulled off to sleep by the gentle motion of the chariot ride, and when she woke up feeling all the better for it, she had been sat upright on a chair. The room was dark, apart from a single candle that was burning on the table. On the other side of the table sat two cloaked figures. With only one source of light, the room was dark enough that she couldn’t even make out the fur colour of the two ponies with the way they were completely shrouded in shadows underneath their hoods. “You have been summoned, Trixie Lulamoon,” the one on the left intoned somberly. Trixie could tell the pony was a mare, but the clearly assumed voice she was putting on meant that Trixie couldn’t tell if it was somepony she recognised. “What do you want from me?” she asked cautiously, her eyes flicking from one figure back to the other. A newspaper was tossed onto the table. A black and white photo of Shining Armour dominated the front page with the caption alongside in bold loudly proclaiming ‘PRINCESS TO WED CAPTAIN OF HER HEART?! Details of which one on pages 3-9, 11-16, and 19 along with special commemorative pullout inside!’ “If you wanted me to perform at the wedding,” said Trixie, glancing over the page, “then there’s certainly easier ways of going about it.” “We want him as a mare.” Trixie was glad she’d got some sleep on the chariot, as she wasn’t sure how she’d have processed that one otherwise. “Not for Shining Armour to become a mare himself, but we do require a spell cast on a willing target to transform that pony to look like him as a mare,” the figure continued. “It doesn’t need to be permanent, and it would indeed be preferable if it could be removed.” “Uh huh,” she said noncommittally. “So, why’d you come to Trixie for this?” “Because you do not appear to have any trace of moral character whatsoever,” said the hooded figure who had done all the talking so far. “Safe to say, we will pay you a great deal of bits to accomplish this.” “Uh huh,” Trixie said again, as her horn glowed. “I think that’s quite enough of that.” She seized the back of both hoods with her magic and yanked. “You!” she said sharply as Rarity blinked in the candle light. “You’re one of those rude hecklers that I showed up back in Ponyville. You were pretending to be a guard back at the rock farm! Is this some kind of elaborate revenge scheme on Trixie?” She turned to Fluttershy who was doing a not half-bad attempt at hiding under the lock of her mane. “And you’re...” There was a long silence before Trixie coughed lightly as she realised she was staring. “Sorry, Trixie has no idea who you are.” “Fluttershy,” she answered, in a voice that was barely above a squeak. “You were the other guard,” Trixie said, in a significantly less accusatory tone. “I suppose Trixie should thank you for the restful flight.” “Oh, it was nothing,” Fluttershy said, blushing slightly at the praise. “Pulling hot air balloons is so much harder.” “So, if this isn’t a revenge scheme,” Trixie asked, her tone still deeply sceptical on that concept, “then why in the wide world of Equestria do you want me to magic up a mare for you?” Fluttershy and Rarity turned to look at each other. “It’s kind of... complicated,” Fluttershy admitted. ~~~ Earlier in the day, as Gleaming Shield slowly strutted towards Cadance, Rarity was distracted from her intense inspection by a familiar voice whispering her name in her ear. Managing to tear her eyes away she saw that it was Fluttershy that had distracted her. “Rarity,” Fluttershy repeated under her breath, and gave her a pleading look. She followed her friend over to a quieter corner of the throne room. “What is it, Fluttershy?” Rarity asked quietly. “I had an idea,” Fluttershy said, an adorable pink blush forming on her cheeks. “It's a bit... naughty," she added in an even quieter whisper that Rarity had to strain herself to hear. “Well, we are still technically bridesmaids I suppose, even if the wedding looks like it might be off,” Rarity said, a wide grin forming on her face. “I think it’s expected to get up to a certain amount of naughtiness.” “Okay!” she said quickly. “Well, don’t you think that Shining Armour looks so good like that?” “Fluttershy!” Rarity said, a bit louder than she’d meant to. She looked around, but the transformed Gleaming Shield was still commanding every other ponies' attention in the room. “Not only is that a bit on the fast side, but I didn’t think you liked stallions... that way?” “I don’t,” Fluttershy said, with a little giggle. “I thought we could do something about that,” she added, casting a significant look towards where Cadance and Gleaming Shield were nuzzling. “Not to Shining Armour himself after what he’s just been through, but if changelings can turn into other ponies, then there’s got to be some way to do it by magic. I know it’s somewhat wrong; I’ve just never felt like this towards another mare before. Rarity, I want her. At least for a while.” Rarity was struggling for breath after that last comment, but managed to weakly say, “I do know what you mean.” Fluttershy smiled in a way that Rarity hadn’t seen on her since Discord had been around. “Well, y’know how Rainbow Dash and Applejack have their competitions to see who's better; maybe we could have a little iron pony contest of our own.” Rarity marefully struggled not to choke noisily. “Are you sure it was a good idea keeping in contact with that monster—” Seeing Fluttershy’s flash of annoyance she swiftly corrected herself. “Sorry, that minotaur Iron Will.” “I’m not acting too like new Fluttershy, am I?” she asked nervously. “He’s helping me out free of charge with my assertiveness until I’m entirely satisfied, but it’s so hard finding the correct middle ground between old Fluttershy and new.” “No,” Rarity said, “You just surprised me is all. Are you really sure you’re alright? This does seem like it’s moving awfully fast?” Fluttershy’s lower lip started to quiver. “I’m fine really! It’s just what happened back there, in that hall. I just feel like I want to scream, but that would be much too loud and would disturb other ponies... Please, Rarity. I need this.” Rarity had been trying very hard not to think of that moment when those double doors had swung open revealing that unstoppable horde. When they’d charged forward... The feeling of helplessness was turning out to be a very hard one to shake off, so she could more than understand what Fluttershy was feeling right now. “It’s okay, I’ll help you out if you really want to do this.” “I did see the way you were looking at her too, Rarity,” she said softly. “I don’t want you to be unhappy due to never getting a chance at her yourself.” “Oh no no no!” Rarity insisted, waving her forehooves in front of her. “I honestly do prefer stallions, really.” Fluttershy smiled. “I do pay some attention, Rarity. I haven’t seen you look at a stallion that way since the awful business at the Gala.” “Well...” Rarity said, her resolve crumbling. “And how many times have you been upstairs at the spa now anyway?” Fluttershy asked slyly under hooded eyes. Rarity flushed scarlet. “You win. A contest it will be,” she said meekly. ”So, how are we going to do this?” ~~~ After hearing a somewhat edited version, Trixie said, “So, let me get this right, you were so attracted to a changeling pretending to be this stallion as a mare, that you decided that after making somepony into him as a her to have a competition to try and win her affections, but you need Trixie to sort that out for you?” “I suppose it does sound silly when you put it like that,” Rarity said lightly. “Still, we’re prepared to offer you a thousand bits if you can pull it off.” Trixie sat up a lot straighter in her seat. It certainly wasn’t any great sum of funds, but it would be more than enough for her to get a new caravan built, and she’d finally be able to go back on tour again. Sure, her reputation might be utterly shot as the Great and Powerful Trixie, as the Mysterious Lulamoon perhaps... She’d have to get a new cape and maybe a fancy mask, it could well work now that she thought about it. “It’s tempting,” Trixie said, shifting slightly. “And while of course I do possess great magical powers.” She pressed on; ignoring the doubtful looks she was getting. “That level of magic just might be beyond me.” “We know,” Fluttershy said kindly. “So, why bring me here then?” Trixie asked. “You might be a fake,” Rarity said, ignoring the intense red that was flamed up on Trixie’s cheeks. “I’m sure you still know more about magic than I do, and I’m sure we can get you into the Star Swirl the Bearded wing of the royal archives which should take care of the rest.” “The Star Swirl the Bearded wing...” Trixie breathed. “Our friend Pinkie Pie told us all about it,” Rarity said. “Apparently it’s really not as hard as you’d think to get in.” If Trixie had possessed a pair of wings in that moment she would have currently been bumping her head against the ceiling. She shook her head, as she tried to think about this properly, and not be distracted by thoughts of the spells contained in those books that could catapult her dead career into the stratosphere. She gave the two mares a look. “Hope you don’t mind Trixie asking, but neither of you have actually dated within your gender before, right?” Fluttershy ran her hooves around the lock of her mane and looked downwards. Rarity shook her head. “Is that really relevant?” “No,” Trixie said, and then grinned. “Just explains a lot.” Seeing Rarity grimace at that was suitable payback for that fake comment and the jibe against her moral character. As if a rude heckler was any better after all. Then again, she pondered to herself. She’d heard a few stallions complain that all the mares were into mares these days. Given the gender numbers disparity it wasn’t too surprising that option, along with polyamory, was supposedly so popular in Equestria really. Then, being on the road as long as Trixie had she’d never found another suitable mare that shared her inclinations that wasn’t already in a committed relationship. lt had just been typical, she’d reckoned, that when she’d started working at the rock farm, that Mr Pie’s three daughters had all long since flown the nest. Here, however, were two very much unattached mares. Fluttershy was frankly model levels of gorgeousness, and Rarity was certainly not unattractive either, and at least one of them was going to still be single however this ended up. Trixie still wasn’t keen on a pony that would be so needlessly rude to somepony just trying to make a living, but winning her affections would be a pretty nice way of proving that she was wrong. For some reason the image of Twilight Sparkle came to mind along with a bunch of conflicting emotions, but Trixie shook them off. Just because some ponies from Ponyville were here in Canterlot, it certainly didn’t mean that Twilight would be, and she probably wouldn’t have been interested in a mare like Trixie anyway. She’d be a fool to let an opportunity like this pass her by for some unattainable daydream. Maybe Mr. Pie was right, and this really was the big break that she’d been waiting for. A pony like Fluttershy was more than worthy of the effort, and along with a relaunch of her career thanks to the bits. Now, Trixie very much liked the sound of that. “I really should ask,” Trixie said reluctantly. “But wouldn’t it be easier to just ask this queen to loan you a changeling for this?” All the warmth in the room promptly disappeared as both the mares sitting opposite to her stiffened in place. Trixie found that she could no longer meet Fluttershy’s eyes as they blazed with sudden rage. “Okay, okay, bad idea apparently,” Trixie said, somewhat flustered. “So, who were you thinking for the transformation?” Rarity and Fluttershy visibly relaxed as they shared another look. “We hadn’t quite worked that part out yet,” Rarity admitted. “We were possibly thinking about hiring...” Fluttershy squeaked quietly, and then managed to just about get out the words, “an escort.” “I could cast it on myself,” Trixie blurted out before she realised what she was doing. Rarity’s face scrunched up. “I’m not sure—” “Okay,” Fluttershy said quickly, cutting her off. “Fluttershy, I’m really not sure about this,” Rarity said hesitantly. “Rarity,” Fluttershy said, giving her friend a pleading look. “I know her time in Ponyville didn’t go too well...” Rarity let out a cynical laugh, but let her continue. “But she does seem willing, and I think that we should give her a chance.” Rarity groaned, and then shook her head with the clear expression of somepony who knows that she’s going to regret what she says next. “So, Trixie. Will you do it?” Trixie smiled to herself. Hang the mask idea, if she was transformed into another mare, then her former reputation wouldn’t matter one jot. Then at the height of her fame, she could reveal that it had been the Great and Powerful Trixie all this time, and that really would show them all! For once things could just be coming up Trixie. It had certainly taken long enough for it to come round. “You ladies have got yourselves a deal,” Trixie said. “After all, was there really ever any doubt?” she added cockily.