Part XX. Recruiting
Friday evening had come and gone, and Luna (after speaking with Celestia about something top secret) had decided that she would like to spend her Saturday in entirety with Fredrick. The latter, naturally, was thrilled at such a proposition, and even better, it made sense since they would be taking off to Ponyville for the day on Sunday. Of course, Fredrick nor Luna needed any sort of reason to spend time with each other. Regardless, Luna did well to sweetly rouse Fredrick from his late slumber—leaving out the fact that she still heard a faint ringing in her ears from the previous evening—and plucked him from an inarguably comfortable bed so they could enjoy lunch.
Showering together was also a bonus; actually showering, mind you.
With their meal consumed and comfortably tucked in their stomachs, the ultimate agenda for the day was: absolutely nothing, and that’s exactly what they did; nothing… to an extent. With a feature-packed week and an undoubtedly busy day on Sunday, the two lovebirds felt it more than necessary to have a day to themselves and themselves only. However, that only lasted until about three in the afternoon, since they ended up getting a bit restless. An hour and a half walk around the castle grounds easily remedied that, their hands a bit clammy from never letting go of each other’s grasp.
A simple dinner together was also nice, but the greatest part of their times together, unequivocally, have always been at night, when the two would lie down and drift off to each other’s heartbeat and breathing. However, it wasn’t always like this. In fact, Fredrick and Luna were known to have stayed up and talked themselves into nothing throughout the night, though under much different circumstances.
“...and that’s pretty much the gist of why Rick Astley will never give you up, let you down, run around, or desert you,” Fredrick finished explaining something to Luna, who was listening intently. They were in their usual cuddle position on Luna’s bed, enjoying the cool air circulating around the room while holding each other, diffusing heat between them.
“Well, it makes intuitive sense,” Luna agreed. “He seems like a nice fellow.”
“Hey, with a voice like his… I’m a straight man but I’d let him love me,” Fredrick joked, and the two laughed together.
“Thank you for spending today with me,” Luna softly spoke, nuzzling her face into Fredrick’s neck with a beaming smile, eyes fluttering closed.
“I’m always happy to spend time with you, Luna,” Fredrick replied with an equal tone, adjusting his grip on her so he could hold her that much more snuggly. The two fell silent again, but Luna had something on her mind that she needed to get out. Namely, it was something that she had wanted to ask him.
“Fred?”
“Hmm?”
“I ummmm…. I was wondering,” Luna began to, shyly, voice what sounded like a big question, though Fredrick could only guess what it might have been. Opening his eyes and looking to her, he grasped her hand and caressed the top of it lovingly with his thumb.
“What’s on your mind, Lulu?” he asked, implicitly urging her onward with the use of her pet name for extra support, which was all the encouragement she needed.
“Would you like to be my escort to the Gala?” she asked timidly, as if she were asking her highschool crush to the prom. However, based on what Fredrick knew about this ‘Gala,’ that very well might have been the case… except for the whole ‘highschool’ part, of course.
“Wait, the ‘Gala?’ As in… the ‘Grand Galloping Gala?’” Fredrick asked for confirmation, to which Luna gave a deep nod. “As in, the one you always complained about and told me about a month ago that you don’t like going because it’s filled with ‘reprehensible cockbadgers spouting worthless drivel?’”
“The one and only,” Luna confirmed with a half-smirk.
“Well, I’d love to go with you!” Fredrick answered, as if there was any doubt amongst the two of them. Regardless, Luna beamed with excitement at his answer. “But, why the sudden change of heart?”
“Other than the reason you just mentioned, it was because I had nopony to go with… and now I do,” Luna replied, rubbing her nose sweetly against his with a teeth-baring smile.
“As good a reason as any I suppose,” Fredrick said happily, more than happy to go with her to such a big event. Truthfully, he was thrilled to go, since this was apparently the biggest formal gathering in all of Equestria. However, it had just hit him that the ball was only about three weeks away; he had never concerned himself with it because, like Luna, he would not have anyone else to go with. That brought on the problem of the Prince’s work not being done before the ball, and ponies seeing Luna and Fredrick together might raise some questions and speculation. However, he had to remember that Blueblood had given him about a two-week time frame when they had last spoke… nearly a week ago. It was getting close to zero hour, so the Gala would fall well after a formal announcement of his and Luna’s relationship.
Crisis hopefully averted.
It could be dealt with in time, though. Fredrick was a bit tired to be thinking of all of this, so he resolved to put the ordeal squarely on the shoulders of Future Fredrick, should the need for panic arise.
Because Present and Past Me are dicks.
“Do you miss your life back on Earth?” Luna piped up after a couple of minutes, garnering Fredrick’s attention while never relinquishing her hold on him.
“Of course I do, at least specific parts. My family, my best friends, all of that,” Fred answered honestly, running his fingers up and down the side of Luna’s arm, remembering everything that made her tick in a good way. As expected, she responded warmly and with a gentle hum of approval.
“I’m not sure if I ever asked this… but if you had a chance to go back, would you?” Luna questioned, not trying to put him on the spot, but legitimately curious. Fredrick, to his credit, didn’t wither under the question, but was certainly having a hard time on an answer if his lack of response for well over a few seconds was any indication.
“Honestly, I’m not too sure. Yeah, I miss a lot of people I can’t see ever again…” Fredrick finally began speaking, but ensuring his words were carefully orchestrated since he felt he was playing a game of Minesweeper at the moment. “...but if I had the chance, I don’t think I’d want to go back permanently.”
Luna adjusted herself so she was resting on her elbows to Fredrick’s side, looking down upon him with those gorgeous eyes that he loved getting lost in.
“Oh?”
“I have a life here; a wonderful, fulfilling one at that. I mean… I’d like to visit and say say a true goodbye to those I was ripped from, but I wouldn’t want to leave what I have here by any means. I especially wouldn’t want to leave you,” he answered quite smoothly. Luna felt a familiar, pleasant heat rise to her cheeks as she instinctively retreated behind a few strands of her hair. She was touched, that was for certain, and it only did well to reinforce how much she knew Fredrick cared for her.
“Would you care for some wine with that ‘cheese?’” she asked humorously, breaking the heavy atmosphere and causing Fred to throw up his arms in faux-frustration. Luna burst into laughter while Fredrick pulled her into his chest and delivered a noogie, eliciting another delighted squeal. Not one to be outdone in their ‘physical altercations,’ Luna fought back with tickles and another wrestling match began. A chorus of laughter, squeals, cries, and threats made in good humor were heard as the two rolled all over the bed in an attempt to outdo the other.
When the two stopped to catch their breath, they realized the position they were left in: Fredrick on top of Luna and their crotches pressed firmly together, the former somehow having found his way between Luna’s legs.
Fredrick was going to dislodge himself but Luna wrapped her legs around his waist, holding him securely in place. Before he could react (even positively), Luna’s hands found their way to his face and pulled him down, their lips comfortably locking together in a wet embrace. While the two did move their tongues to the forefront, they didn’t initiate a battle of mouths as per usual, opting to let the tips of their muscles touch as they sweetly kissed. Luna hummed blissfully into Fredrick’s mouth, who responded similarly while he gently lowered himself on top of his mare.
Chests pressed together and with his weight resting pleasantly upon Luna, the two eventually broke apart with the softest of smacks, letting their noses rub together. Luna could already feel Fred’s arousal poking her down there, and she still took enormous pride in knowing that she was the cause of it all. Without words, she had Fredrick sit upright while she deliberately removed her shirt slowly, leaving her in an indigo-colored bra, opting for a similarly paced movement in removing that garment as well. Heeding the wordless invitation, Fredrick lowered himself and cupped both of her breasts, pressing them together and running his cheeks through her cleavage, eliciting a beaming smile from the Princess, whose eyes fluttered shut at the pleasant feeling.
Gently, Fredrick then took her right nipple into his mouth, suckling softly as he worked his tongue around the hard little button. He circled it and pressed it in with his fleshy muscle, all while ensuring that he kept some sort of sucking sensation going on.
“Mmmm… that feels nice…” Luna cooed, running her fingers through his hair and down his back as he enjoyed himself. As always, Fredrick ensured that the breast that was being neglected by his mouth was constantly tended to by his free hand; massaged, squeezed, caressed, and of course, playing with and lightly pinching her nipple between his fingers. While there was certainly sexual hunger present between the two, this was a bit different. There wasn’t a ravenous need to fuck the other’s brains out this time around. No, this was nice and slow, something a bit different and both parties were enjoying it wonderfully.
Luna urged him on for several more minutes, relishing in the wonderful, constant pleasure that Fredrick could bring her, but soon, she pried him away from her bosom.
“Can we go slow and gentle tonight…?” Luna asked softly, biting her lip in arousal while her eyes maintained an image of innocence.
“Yeah,” Fredrick whispered with a smile, both of them able to feel their hot breaths graze their faces. Never breaking eye contact, Fredrick moved off of Luna so he could get undressed, while Luna quickly slid her panties off. Resuming their position, Luna felt Fred’s hard member slide up against her upper slit and right on her clit, forcing a staggered moan out of her, one which was silenced when Fredrick planted his lips on her once more. The two made out, letting their tongues softly caress one another as they began grinding into each other… nice and slowly. Luna could feel every inch, every contour of the underside of Fred’s cock as it slid against her lower lips, which were quickly becoming wet with her natural lubrication.
When they separated their lips once more, Fredrick pulled his hips back and angled his rod straight towards her aching slit, pressing his head against them and barely penetrating her. Luna shuddered, as did Fredrick, and the two resumed eye contact as he began to sink himself inside of her. Soon enough, he was completely buried in her, and after remaining connected and sharing another kiss for a couple of minutes, Fredrick began to retract and thrust.
It was a gentle rhythm, harmonic and gradual. Fredrick would remove nearly his entire length save for the tip, and then thrust back into her, the gentle force in which he did so forcing her breasts to bounce slightly. Luna and Fredrick shared gentle groans with each other, the former cupping her breasts and holding them for the latter to see while he impaled her throbbing pussy.
“Hah… Mmmm… just like that…” Luna cooed approvingly, spurring Fredrick onward and allowing him to increase his speed just a little bit. She pulled his face back down as much as possible and linked their mouths once more, letting their tongues eagerly go at it as he fucked into her. Luna’s legs did well to hold him tightly between them, refusing to let him go until he gave her what she craved; until he emptied his warm, creamy essence into her.
She didn’t have to wait long either. Something was inherently different about this time together, and instead of focusing on merely the feeling of fucking each other, the drop in pace allowed the two of them to focus on each other in entirety. Their eyes saying everything that needed to be said, the heat from their bodies warming each other to the very core, and the spark of the very essence of love that flowed electrically through them unbidden… all added to the indescribable pleasure that quickly took both of them over the edge, much to both of their surprises.
With louder cries of ecstasy, both of them came at essentially the same time, Fredrick emptying his balls into Luna’s depths while her love-tunnel attempted to hold his dick squarely buried within her. Their moans of pleasure quickly morphed into gentle coos and pants, the two of them quick to hold each other tightly and remain connected at the nethers for as long as possible.
And neither could resist stealing another deep kiss from each other.
“I love you so much, Fredrick…” Luna felt compelled to remark, burying her muzzle into his neck and taking a deep breath of his scent.
“And I love you, Luna,” Fred replied in earnest, quick to angle her face back to his so he could kiss her again, content to leave their lips locked until they fell off from overuse or until they fell asleep in each other’s embrace, whichever happened first.
[Later That Night…]
The work life of a Lunar Guard was, like their Solar counterparts, not always the most exciting. Despite Stella’s headstrong attitude and desire for really anything out of the ordinary, the thestral mare had an odd allure towards monotony. She rarely had any problems standing at her post for hours on end, and her ability to take orders (yet dish them out and not take shit from anypony) quickly ensured that she had leeway and notoriety with command, usually in a good way. Surprisingly, Stella had no infractions on her record, though she claimed the reason for that was that ‘nopony had the balls to take her to a higher-up.’
Tonight, the foul-mouthed guardsmare was on patrol duty, marching a predetermined path throughout the castle, which was one of her favorite assignments… mainly because she did not get along with a fair amount of her comrades and was afforded the ability to move around constantly. Either way, Stella was patrolling through a main artery that connected the Solar and Lunar sections of the castle, but despite her heightened attention to detail, she did not pick up a presence that lurked in the shadows.
Stella was a hard mare, that was for sure. She never came from a life of privilege, and admirably, worked for everything that she had. Over the last few years, she had hammered out a comfortable existence as a soldier; she joined the army when she came of age and initially hoped to get a higher education in Political Science, applying herself as a combat soldier in an infantry division for about ten months before getting rotated to a coveted Royal Guard position, though on a trial basis. Turned out, Stella loved a soldier’s life so much, especially being a guard, that when Princess Luna handpicked her for the Lunar Guard (which was desperate for excellent candidates), she accepted immediately, along with all the benefits including a promotion and a nice reenlistment bonus.
She was also on track for promotion to Sergeant very soon, and had hopes of making Captain of the Lunar Guard one day.
Her fiery attitude and generally foul, borderline-revolting lexicon was born out of her life in the massive cave networks of the Northern Mountains, where competition amongst batpony clans was often cutthroat. This was a lingering side effect of Luna’s banishment, as she happened to be their unifying figure, the one who brought them out of the darkness and squalor, and into prosperity (and hence, thestrals’ propensity to demonstrate an undying, almost fanatical loyalty to the Night Princess). Stella’s family never let her forget the dark times before Luna returned, and ensured that she knew what it meant and what it felt like to forcefully etch out a name and existence for herself. This also led into why she never particularly cared for many of her thestral comrades: they took their new, ‘re-found’ opportunities for granted.
Stella’s ear twitched once she sensed the presence behind her. Fancying a glance while her hand instinctively fell to her sword’s grip, she found nothing following her, or anything considered out of the ordinary. Narrowing her gaze while shifting her eyes, she huffed in irritation yet continued onward.
Stella continued her patrol, though understandably a bit more aware of her surroundings, now. She did not have to wait long for her stalker to make itself known, especially when she heard metallic hoofsteps behind her. She quickly grasped her sword’s grip and spun on her hooves.
“Alright, who the fuck goes th—”
Her words were halted immediately upon finding none other than Princess Luna in her royal regalia.
“Y-Your Highness…” Stella scaled back her tone and immediately lowered herself to one knee. “Forgive me, I did not know it was you.”
“Rise, Corporal Sabre...” Princess Luna muttered her name as she closed the distance between them, knowing exactly who the thestral was since Luna handpicked her guard. The iconic aura of authority and stoicism surrounded her form and Stella felt compelled to snap to attention with a full salute.
“Ma’am!”
“At ease, soldier. We shall be informal tonight, if that’s alright with you,” Luna replied genuinely, wanting her guard to get comfortable.
“Alright, Princess. I can do that,” Stella affirmed gently with a nod and a smirk, much more in her element.
“Very well. Walk with me, Stella,” Luna beckoned as she began a leisurely stroll down the corridor, and the batpony immediately fell into step with her. “I have a proposition for you, and you are under no obligation to accept but I feel you are the best candidate for the job."
“What makes you say that, Princess?” Stella asked, curious as to where this was going.
“Because you are Fredrick’s greatest friend behind myself and Celestia. In fact, I’m almost certain he’s confided in you over the fact that he’s going to get pranked hilariously,” Luna revealed, giggling a bit. Stella smirked.
“Indeed…” she answered, urging Luna onward.
“Celestia and I already have drawn up some basic framework as of today, but we needed a little extra ‘material’ to ensure maximum effectiveness. That’s when I thought… what better way to do that than to recruit Fredrick’s other good friend?”
“Wait… wait…” Stella replied. “You want me to help prank Fredrick???”
“Due to the nature and intensity of the prank war that Celestia and I wage, I can understand completely if you do not wish to have any involvement,” Luna explained, more than ready to accept a no for an answer.
“May I speak completely freely, Princess?”
“Certainly!”
“Nothing would give me greater fucking pleasure than to watch Fredrick squirm,” Stella admitted with implicit acceptance. Luna giggled heartily at her words.
“Huzzah! Then it is done. A couple of things, however… firstly, I shall compensate you for your services rendered to our master plan,” Luna replied eagerly.
“Princess, in all honestly, I would do it just for the laughs,” Stela confessed.
“Nonsense! You deserve something for your efforts, especially since Fredrick may hate us for the foreseeable future afterwards. From now on, aside from your normal shifts, you shall be assigned to my honor guard when I move around officially. Does that sound fair?” Luna offered, and in turning back towards Stella, she found the thestral mare seemingly having a seizure in place.
“H-H-Honor Guard???” Stella frothed at the mouth in disbelief. Being a Royal Honor Guard was no joke, and it came with a whole slew of extra benefits and prestige.
“Indeed!” Luna confirmed. “As you may know, Oracle is taking an extended leave of absence to help care for his newborn foal, so I needed a qualified replacement, anyway. Well? What say thee?” Luna asked with a comforting, knowing smile, eager to hear Stella’s response.
“Yes! A million times yes, I accept! Thank you, Princess! Thank you!” the batpony nearly shouted, almost jumping for joy at the opportunity.
“Splendid!” Luna agreed, glad that she found a great replacement in record time. “Now, one last thing. To ensure maximum effectiveness, there’s some… ‘attire’ that we shall need you to wear on the night of the prank. If you do not feel comfortable wearing such garments in front of Fredrick, I understand completely, and we can work something else out,” Luna cautioned with another stipulation. Stella was, so far, undeterred.
“What’s the outfit, if I may ask?”
Luna encased her hand in magic and willed a set of neatly folded clothes into existence, floating them towards Stella for her to look at.
“This.”
Holding the now-discernable single-piece of clothing, Stella’s jaw dropped when she found that it was a very skimpy two-piece, reminiscent of a swimsuit. The leathery clothing itself was onyx-black, and the top was connected to the bottom by a series of silver links on either side. The oblong triangle cups which would be used to cover her breasts would barely leave anything to the imagination based on how Stella knew this would fit her. The bottom was essentially a thong, and right on the crotch area, a full moon was sewn in.
“Whoa…”
“Is this a bit too risqué?” Luna asked, thinking that Stella was immediately having second thoughts, but to her surprise, she began busting out laughing.
“I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me wearing this… Let’s do it!” the batpony agreed wholeheartedly, punctuating her words with an eager nod.
“Very good! You may keep that for now, but we may make some adjustments before the time comes. Try it on when you get a chance, see how it fits. I shall keep you posted on the master plan, so standby. We shall be in contact,” Luna foreshadowed with an evil grin, one that Stella mirrored. She snapped to attention.
“Yes, Ma’am!”