Once the debacle of Two-Step’s party died down, it was rather uneventful in Las Pegasus for the following week. Ledger worked, Cider worked, Twilight did princessy things and Midnight sat on her butt.
The manager of the ice-cream parlour wouldn’t let her back in after that little civil war thing.
Which was why the bat was pacing up and down the train station, waiting for the Crystal Express to pull in.
“Come on, come on….” she muttered, tapping a hoof and her wings gave a twitch. She was going to fly out and meet the damned thing in a minute. That was about when she heard the train approaching, though from quite a ways off. Thestral hearing could be a bane and a boon sometimes.
“ARGH!” She turned and paced again. “For crying out loud. I wish Ledger and Twibuns would make that portaly, teleporty thing soon. This. Is. AGONY!!”
And after an eternity… or five minutes, depending on your perspective, the train finally pulled in. The second a familiar unicorn stepped off of the train, her Changeling wife saw a brown blur and her cute unicorn vanished, reappeared a few feet away, smothered under a thestral hug.
“Somepony certainly missed one of us,” Sugar observed aloud.
“You went and got married? And you DIDN’T TELL ME!?” Midnight yelled at her friend. “I swear Moonbutt. You are in so much trouble!”
Moondancer rolled her eyes and booped the bat’s nose before kissing her cheek. “I missed you too Middy.”
Once the thestral was properly reset, Moondancer floated her off and placed her on Sugar’s back as she took their bags. “Here, you carry that for a bit. Seems we have a little catching up to do.”
That was about when Sugar got a message from Ledger via Scope. Namely, of how bad Two-Step’s party was, causing her to groan aloud. “Oh, she didn’t…” the nymph moaned. “You might have to take up some step-mom duties when we get back, Moonie.”
“Oh?” Moondancer asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh yeah, Steppy got arrested, Ledger apparently tore her a new one and it was all pretty nuts,” Midnight nodded. “And the club got shut down by the Guard for like, a day or two.”
“So which do you want to be Moonie? The cool mom or the mom that punishes her? Because I’m of a mind to lock her in her room and not let her latest plaything in as punishment.”
“Alright, guess I’ll play good cop,” Moondancer said. “Was it really that bad?”
“Meh, I think it just got a little out of hoof,” Midnight said. “I dunno. But I missed you guys. How was your honeymoon? Did you like our gift?”
“Cadence was quite welcoming,” Sugar said with a hum. “Managed to help me give Moonie a proper ceremony. Moonie, where are the photos?”
“In this bag. We’ll come by tonight after we’re settled for a little show and tell,” she said and winked at Sugar.
“Oooh, naughty mare,” Sugar purred. “So, did everypony at least enjoy themselves?”
“Seems so,” Midnight said. “We got to tease Twilight an awful lot, and I think one of your nymphs is suffering from severe Scopey-withdrawals, but aside from that and the Guard arresting half the workers and guests… I think it was alright.”
“So how long do you think Two-Step will have to go without her newest friend before it sinks into her head to not throw parties that get so wildly out of control again?” Sugar asked her wife. “I’m thinking a month, myself.”
“Hmm, I give her a week,” Moondancer said. “What are the terms of the bet?”
“Hmm, how about...winner gets to request a night of their choosing of the loser?” Sugar offered.
“Sounds like a deal,” Moondancer nodded and shook on it. She looked at Midnight and smiled. “Wanna tell the others we’ll be back later?”
“Aww, can’t I hang with you guys for a bit?” she said as she hopped down. That was when Moon and Sugar noticed the slight bulge in her belly. “I’ve been sooooo bored lately. I need something to do!”
“Sorry dear, but...hmm, an idea strikes me,” Sugar hummed. “Additional punishment for Two-Step. Once we’re done with her...you can interrogate her ceaselessly about hybrids.”
“Ohh, sounds like fun,” Midnight nodded and looked at Sugar as they walked. “So uh, what’s it like… giving birth I mean. Will it hurt?”
“Oh, undoubtedly,” Sugar replied without missing a beat. “You’ll probably threaten to rip Ledger’s chitin off. And that’s if everything goes well. But I wouldn’t trade that moment of holding my little Two-Step for anything.”
“Fair enough,” Midnight nodded. Sure, she’d been hurt a bunch as a guard. And there’s the time of the invasion…
“Nope, not going there,” she muttered and shook her head. They reached the club and Moondancer held the door open for her wife and friend.
“Thank you,” Sugar said as she walked inside, before leading her wife to her private bedroom. “We’ll unpack first, then call her here and punish her, before we sic Midnight on her.”
“Sounds good,” Moondancer said, the two slipping off before any of the club workers could notice them. Midnight was left standing in the main hall and she looked at the stage… as well as a microphone stand.
Hmm…
As Moonie and Sugar unpacked, they heard music being played from the main room. It wasn’t a Harmony Song, but somepony just singing to a tune.
A rather familiar pony… or thestral in this case. Sugar smiled as she kept unpacking. It seemed like Midnight had found something to do.
“She has a lovely singing voice,” the disguised nymph said. “It’s a shame she’s not an actual worker for me.”
And that gave Moondancer an idea. “You know,” she hummed along with the song. “She did say how bored she was. And she can’t do guard work until after the foal is born…”
“Hmm, and she’s quite capable of holding her own if a customer gets unruly,” Sugar thought. “Do you think she would take a temporary job working for me?”
“Wouldn’t hurt to ask,” Moondancer nodded. “Singer, entertainer and bouncer all in one. And you’d only have to pay her for one job.”
“I’d still pay her well, of course,” the nymph said. “Ah, there we go. I think that’s me unpacked then. What about you?”
Several things floated out of her bag and she nodded. “Yup, all done.”
“Good,” Sugar said before resuming her natural form. With a pulse of her horn, she sent a message to her workers to send Two-Step to her. “And now, we wait.”
They headed out into the main room, just as Midnight finished her song. Several workers had stopped to listen, but bustled back into working when Sugar stepped into the room.
“Ahah… sorry about that,” Midnight said. “Didn’t mean to disrupt things.”
“Nonsense,” Sugar said. “You have a lovely singing voice. I’d be a fool to stop you from using it when you wanted to.”
“Still,” Midnight said, as Two-Step walked into the room, wondering what was up, and once she saw her mother… mothers, she turned abruptly and started heading back the way she came…
Until a pink aura snagged her and floated her over, dangling her in front of Sugar Darling.
“Uhhh… welcome back?” she smiled sheepishly.
“Either tell me honestly, or it’ll go so much worse for you,” Sugar said, her eyes lidded in anger. “How bad. Was it.”
“Uhh,” Sugar gulped and smiled awkwardly. “Define… bad.”
“What were the charges the Guard brought against you, bad,” Sugar said. “Whether or not they managed to stick them to you or not.”
Two-Step sighed and recited what Narrow had told her. “27 counts of public drinking and inebriation. 26 counts of public indecency. 8 counts of resisting arrest. 1 count of assault against an officer and a few counts of underage drinking.” She was still pretty proud of that though.
“...Moonie, I think a month would be letting her off lightly,” Sugar said, both impressed that Two-Step could throw a party like that, and angry that she had let it get so out of control.
“A year, maybe three?” she asked. “Better than the ten to twenty she’d get if those charges actually stuck.”
“Split the difference, call it two years,” Sugar said with a nod. “That long without her latest plaything should certainly send a message to her.”
“N-No way,” Two said. “You… you can’t. Seriously Mom, that’s… way too harsh. You have no idea how good he is! He’s like a catbird version of Midnight!”
“Then somepony shouldn’t have thrown a party that got the Guard involved,” Sugar said with a nod. Now, if Moondancer played her part right, once Two-Step pled for mercy, she’d intervene and assert her authority.
“Well, now that I think about it, that might be a little harsh,” Moondancer said. “Perhaps we should go a little easier on her darling. I mean, at least she didn’t burn the place down.”
“Yeah, I did okay,” Two-Step eagerly nodded.
“One month,” Sugar decreed. “Of no Jonathan in this club at all. And you’re not to leave it until I’m satisfied you’ve learned your lesson. And if you do very well, I might see fit to ending your punishment early.” Before Two-Step could cheer at that, Sugar continued. “Whereas if I’m not satisfied, you will stay longer without him.”
Two gulped and looked at Moondancer. Surely Cool-Mom could get her out of this?
“Sounds fair,” Moondancer nodded. “And good job by the way. I was just gonna lock her wings and teleport her a few thousand feet up. That usually gets most ponies to behave.”
“Before they hit the ground?” Sugar asked. “Now dear, do run along to your room and think about what you did.” With that, she nodded at Moondancer, telling her to release the nymph. The unicorn nodded and released her, the nymph wasting no time in scampering away.
“You two scare me, you know that right?” Midnight said, taking a sip of a mango smoothie. What? They were delicious.
“She needed to be scared straight,” Sugar said. “But you on the other hoof, need something different. How would you like a job here?”
“A… a job?” Midnight blinked and looked at the nymph. “Um, I don’t think Ledger would like that. And… I don’t exactly go for that lifestyle anymore…”
“I wouldn’t ask you to,” Sugar explained. “But your singing? It’s something else. Something we can’t replicate. I would only ask you to come and sing for us if you wanted to, dear.”
“Sing?” Midnight had received many offers to sing professionally. But then, she really didn’t have anything better to do right now… “Well, I guess I could give it a try.”
“Midnight dear, your singing alone could attract all the clients I would need to make up for Two-Step’s little debacle,” Sugar said with a smile. “Trust me. You’re that good. You just need an audience.”
“Well duh, I know I’m good,” Midnight said smugly. “I’m Midnight Song. I’m good at everything!”
“Then would you do me the honor of singing at my club?” Sugar asked with her head bowed, awaiting the thestral’s decision.
“Ahh, no need to be so formal Sugar,” Midnight blushed and waved a hoof. “I can do that. It sounds like fun really.”
“Fantastic!” Sugar said with a beaming smile. “I will of course pay you very well for singing at my club.”
“If you want,” Midnight shrugged as they headed out for her home. “I don’t care one way or the other, but I’m positive Ledger wouldn’t let me work for free. In fact, let’s settle on a price now, before he tries to haggle with you for some ludicrous amount.”
“Hmm, a typical singer at my club would earn at least fifty bits a night. You’re easily worth seventy-five,” Sugar said. “Feel free to name your own price, though. As long as you understand I can reject what I feel to be unfair wages.”
“Hmm, and how many nights a week are we talking here?”
“I’d like to ask for at least five, though that would also be up to you as well,” Sugar said. “I’m not going to force you to come in when you can’t.”
“Five sounds reasonable, but that might cut back as Parasite here gets older,” Midnight said. “Hmm, if my math is right…”
“375,” Moondancer responded almost immediately.
“That’s… almost as good as my Guard pay,” Midnight whistled. “You got yourself a deal there Sugar… no, Boss~”
“Excellent~” Sugar said, offering the thestral a hug. She returned the hug and may have copped a feel of those fine flanks of hers. Moondancer rolled her eyes and smacked the bat’s butt, causing her to yelp.
“Mine,” she said and Midnight just giggled sheepishly.
“Mmm, you’ll need to earn the right to touch these flanks, dear,” Sugar said with a wink. “Now run along and tell Ledger you have a job. I have a wife and daughter to see to before we come over and show you our pictures.”
“Righto,” Midnight said and gave Moondancer a quick nuzzle before she flew off.
“Well, that was a rather interesting greeting for getting home,” Moondancer said. “At least we’ll have the Empire…”
“True~” Sugar said before walking over to nuzzle Moonie. “Hmm...get settled in, or get settled in?” she asked her wife.
“We have an engagement, so it would have to be a quickie… which it never is with us, so you’re just going to have to wait,” Moondancer said, booping her nose. “Now I have some research to gather and send off. Be back soon.” With that, plus a very ‘not subtle’ flick of her tail, she trotted from the room, that flank of hers wiggling the whole time. Sugar sighed in defeat before she teleported herself to their room and started looking for all their photos, to make it easier for the coming meeting.
“And so I have a job now,” Midnight said happily. “I get to sing in Sugar’s club for her. And yes Ledger, only singing.”
“I wasn’t going to ask,” Ledger said as he nuzzled the mare. “I know you better than that.”
“Good,” Midnight nodded and stretched. “So Twi is still out with Princessy stuff? It’s been three days.”
“We knew that there would be days like this when she joined,” Ledger said, sighing. “We can only trust she’ll finish up with whatever it is soon and come back to us.”
“Aww, I actually like her,” Scope pouted from her nest. “Unlike you lot, she’s actually fun.”
“Oh, harsh Scopey,” Midnight said.
“I guess we’re just not cool enough for her,” Ledger said before turning to Midnight. “Run away with me, my love. Let us leave them all behind!”
"Oh? So you’d like to raise our foal on our own then?” she replied with a sly smirk. “Secret. This is a foal. A combination of you, a snarky, constantly-scheming Silver Noble. And me, the greatest thestral to ever live. Sexiest mare alive and one who can kick anyone’s flank six ways to Sunday. Is that really something you want to tackle alone?”
“It was worth a shot,” Ledger said with a shrug.
“Oh, don’t forget that we’re going on a little vacation tomorrow as well,” Midnight said. “I think we were supposed to go today, but I told them I wouldn’t leave until Moonie and Sugar got back.”
“Oh?” Ledger said as he went back to just cuddling the mare. “Refresh my memory. Where are we going?”
“Visit some of my normal family in Hollow Shades remember? I want to show you Thestral culture that doesn’t want to kidnap me.”
“That exists?” Ledger asked with mock shock. “Kidding. Yeah, I remember now. So is it just us going?”
“Well if Starbutt doesn’t show up between now and tomorrow morning,” Midnight said. “Besides, could she really afford to take a few days off?”
“Ah know ah can’t,” Cider said. “This cold weather is playin’ havoc with the greenhouses temperature controls. Ah gotta get ‘em recalibrated.”
“I’ll send a message to the company that made them, let them know to come around and make sure they’re all working right,” Ledger said. “They shouldn’t be acting up.”
“Looks like y’all got a bum deal then,” Cider said. “They’re running a few degrees higher than ah need ‘em too. But if ah turn em down, they get too cold cause the weather starts to ice ‘em up.” She sighed and rubbed her head. “Maybe this Crystal berry thing is more trouble than it’s worth…”
“We just need the fine controls to be more fine,” Ledger said. “I can check that out myself as well, just to be sure that it’s actually working, if you’d like.”
“Y’all can do that?” Cider asked. “Well, if ya think y’all can fix it, be mah guest.”
“Ledgie to the rescue,” Midnight giggled and nuzzled him.
“I can certainly try,” Ledger said with a nod. “Just, maybe after dinner.”
There was a knock at the door and Midnight raced towards it. Scope chuckled as she opened the door with her magic, and two yelps could be heard as the bat pounced their unwitting guests with a trilling cry.
“Is she always like this?” Sugar asked.
“Pretty much,” Moondancer groaned from under the pony pile. “Midnight… get off.”
“Ohh, but you used to get me off all the time~” Midnight cooed softly and giggled.
“...I walked into that one,” Moon groaned.
“You didn’t have to walk far,” Sugar giggled.
“You both suck,” Moondancer sighed, then facehooved.
“We could if you want us to~” Midnight said, her tone dripped like honey. She yelped when Cider picked her up with one hoof and slung her over her back.
“Apologies fer that, ah think we need a shorter leash fer our little bat.”
“Oooh, leashing the bat sounds like fun,” Sugar purred.
“It kinda does,” Cider agreed and licked her lips. “Still, we got guests. Come in, and ah’ll make sure she behaves herself.”
“Promises promises,” Sugar said as she helped her wife up. “I doubt anything could make that pony behave.”
“Midnight, if y’all don’t behave,” Cider warned her. “Then ah won’t do that thing you like…”
“I’ll be good,” she called back and took a seat on the couch.
“Sugar!” Ledger said as the pair walked in. “How was the Empire?”
The nymph hummed for a moment. “Sparkly,” she eventually settled on.
“...That’s it?” Midnight deadpanned from the couch. “I was… kind of expecting more.”
“Oh it was terribly romantic as well,” Sugar added. “Moonie and I got a nice, proper ceremony done up there. Cadance was very accommodating.” She giggled a little at a memory, putting one hoof to her mouth to hide her smile.
“Mhmm,” Moondancer giggled. “That she was. Whether she knew about it or not~” The Lust in her tone was kind of hard to miss for Scope and Ledger.
“You two did something up there, didn’t you,” Ledger deadpanned.
“Maaaaybe?” Moondancer giggled. “My little wifey showed me something fun, I showed her something really fun.”
“Details?” Midnight asked and Moondancer shook her head. “Aw poop.”
“Though I will say this,” Sugar said. “I think I’ve come up with a new drink for us to brew at the club. I think I’ll call it...The Bold Move.”
“That sounds… ominous,” Scope said. “As long as that perverted hug-crazy nymph doesn’t have any. She’s bold enough.”
“Nope, but the captain up there did, and I think Cadence appreciated it,” Sugar giggled.
“Oh boy…” Midnight shook her head. “Can I uh, enlighten you Sugar? You see, Chryssie sorta brainwashed him, made him love her… and then you gave him a drink that altered his emotional state… and didn’t ask him first.”
“Oooh, that might explain the dirty stares for the rest of our stay there,” Sugar hummed. “...Still totally shipping some Mood Setter up to the palace for Cadence.”
“Aaaand she doesn’t listen,” Midnight sighed as Moondancer shrugged. “Wanna show the piccies dear? Then we can move on to… other things?”
“Oooh, I can do that!” Sugar said as she pulled out a photo album from her saddlebags.
Everyone gathered around the table to take a look. Midnight took one look of a picture of Moondancer in her wedding dress and her heart gave a painful twinge. Why? Why wasn’t she over this yet? It wasn’t fair.
“Wow, you actually look pretty,” Scope said to Sugar. “Who knew?”
“And just wait until it’s your turn, dear,” Sugar said. “It was so wonderful. Standing up there, watching her come down the aisle…”
“I’ll bet,” Midnight said with a little more bite than she had meant. Crap! Hopefully nopony heard that.
“Oh dear,” Ledger said as he looked at the pictures of the dance. “Well, I’m surprised you didn’t show her how changelings dance...and also relieved.”
“I was tempted to,” Sugar said with a giggle. “But I didn’t think she had the fortitude for so many mid-air dance moves.”
“How do Changelings dance?” Midnight asked. Scope shrugged, dancing wasn’t really on her list of things she was taught.
“Show us?” Moondancer said to Sugar and Ledger.
“We’d need to use the outside, this place doesn’t have high enough ceilings,” Ledger demurred. Cider nodded as Scope opened the back door.
“Well, let’s see how y’all have a hoedown,” the earth mare smiled as she trotted outside.
“This ought to be interesting,” Scope said and shot a glare at Sugar. “Just remember who he belongs to!”
Sugar just smiled as she and Ledger walked outside. They took up opposite positions to one another and Ledger sighed. “Okay, so, traditional changeling dances,” he said. “I was always taught to start off with a ballroom dance…”
“Not needed, but a good bit of courtesy,” Sugar said.
“And then,” he said as he began leading the Violet Noble in a dance. “Once the first dip is done,” he said, doing so. “We would take to the air.” Ledger dropped his disguise as both sets of wings fluttered into activity.
From there, the dance became something that darted all over the place. Ledger kept leading the dance, and the motions were intricate, mostly so that neither ‘ling damaged the other’s wings. After a few minutes of dancing in the air, the pair of them landed in front of the ponies again and took a small bow.
“That… was it?” Cider blinked. “Y’all looked like moths attracted to a light. Ah couldn’t follow any of that?”
“I could… that was kind of interesting,” Midnight nodded. “Kind of impossible for a non-changeling since pegasi and thestrals can’t shift their axis like that in the air.”
“Plus, there are about a hundred different nuances to the flight and how you act at one stage can either end up sending a message of indifference to your wife, or telling a good friend you really want to bang them,” Ledger said.
“Yes, and you should be happy to know he didn’t bite on any of my lures,” Sugar said with a small pout.
“...Darling,” Moondancer said slowly. “If you are going to flirt with somepony, do it in a way I understand okay?”
“Aww,” Sugar said. “Fine, I suppose I can stick to verbal communication you can understand.” With that, she turned to Ledger and let out a grunt. “Me want you,” she said in bad Equish.
“Hilarious,” Moondancer deadpanned.
“At least she’s sticking to her own intelligence level now,” Scope said offhandedly. Sugar grunted and walked over to Scope before raising a hoof.
“Me crush puny nymph,” she said, still talking like a cavepony.
A blaze of azure flames and an attractive adolescent dragoness stood over her. “Puny huh?’ she smirked. “Care to reiterate that?”
“Okay, fine, I’ve had my fun,” Sugar said, giggling slightly. “But yes, your drone is quite loyal to you all. He firmly turned me down.”
“Because if I didn’t, they’d kill me,” Ledger deadpanned.
All the mare’s looked at one another and then to him, Midnight being elected spokespony. “And that’s stopped you in the past because…?”
“At first it was an accident, but it just grew out of control from there,” Ledger said, pausing for a beat. “And I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
“Ah have no idea how ah became so… receptive to the whole ‘herding’ thing,” Cider shrugged. “At least ah ain’t lonely no more.”
“Mmm, and I’ve always had a rather… loose definition of a relationship,” Midnight agreed. “Heck, it probably wouldn’t have even happened if me and Levvy actually worked things out sooner.”
“Still, like I said, I wouldn’t change this for anything,” Ledger said. “I love all you mares. I don’t know what I’d do without any of you.”
“Probably cry a lot,” Midnight said. “Or flip out and take over the world.”
“...Seriously?” Moondancer groaned again.
“I might be able to do it too,” Ledger shrugged. “But it would be a lot of work.”
“Still working on renting the world out?” Sugar teased.
“I’ll figure it out one day,” the drone grumbled.
“Oooohkay?” Moondancer said. Changelings freaked her out sometimes. “So, didn’t you want to ask these fine ponies something else dear? Something interesting?”
“It’s a bit early to ask them that,” Sugar pointed out. “They’re not even married yet!”
“Buuut, it would give them time to think about it,” Moondancer giggled. Okay, so maybe she was enjoying watching Sugar squirm a little. She was surprisingly cute when she was embarrassed.
“I’d rather wait for them to at least get back from their honeymoon,” the nymph demurred.
“Well, okay then,” Moon giggled, kissing her cheek as Midnight leaned over to Ledger.
“So what do you think that’s all about?” she whispered.
“I don’t want to know,” he whispered back.
“So, what’s for dinner?” Sugar asked.
“Well, wait, y’all are staying fer dinner?” Cider blinked. “Uh, I haven’t done any shopping, so ah don’t have enough ingredients…”
“Well, let’s eat out,” Midnight said. “I wouldn’t mind singing tonight and we need to celebrate their wedding as well. What do you think?”
“Fredrick’s?” Ledger asked.
“That or the Chop Shop,” Midnight shrugged. “Haven’t been there in a while, and that Wendy griffoness is cute.”
“Eh, I’ve been meaning to check on Fredrick, and he can cater to large parties better,” Ledger said with a shrug. “Unless our guests don’t like looking at stallions.”
“We have noooo problems with that,” Scope nodded and shared a hoof bump with Sugar. Moondancer just poked her tongue out and Cider was indifferent. Scope chuckled and looked at the other nymph. “Wanna see how badly we can fluster them without getting kicked out?”
“Oooh, I like the sound of toying with stallions,” Sugar said as she walked over to Moondancer and gave her a hug. And a kiss. A deep kiss. Midnight looked away, and leaned up against Ledger.
“So, we’re going to Fredrick’s for food and fun?” Ledger asked as he nuzzled his mare.
“Looks like it,” Cider said as she locked up the house, but not before they left a note for Twilight in case she came back while they were gone. “Alrighty, let’s go…”
As they sat in the restaurant, Scope and Sugar figured they should take turns. When the first colt approached, Scope bat her eyes at him and smiled.
“Well now, I do hope the food is half as delicious as you~” she purred. “Or can I order you to go instead~”
The colt didn’t even last past giving them their menus and telling them a waiter would be out shortly to take their orders. Scope giggled as he left, a small wobble in his step.
“Aww, that was too easy,” she hummed.
“My turn for the next one,” Sugar said as she went over her menu. Hmm...that shrimp dish looked good.
“Yes, yes,” Scope shrugged as a waiter came over. A rather handsome earth pony stallion. Cider and Moondancer just sighed as Midnight continued to cuddle up to Ledger. She hadn’t left his side since they left.
“Not that I’m complaining - Shrimp rigatoni,” he ordered. “But dare I ask why my bat is so cuddly?”
“I just am,” she muttered and looked at the waiter. “Pasta and salad please, with a soda for the drink.”
“Ah’ll have the apple salad,” Cider nodded. Moondancer looked at the menu and blinked.
“Fish?” she inquired. She’d never had that before. “Can ponies actually digest that?”
“It’s mainly for pegasi, changelings, and griffons, though we’ve had no complaints from others that have tried it,” the colt said. “Even I’ve had a dish or two. They’re really quite good.”
“Hmm, well, try anything at least once,” she said, not realising how Sugar would take that statement. “I’ll have an order of that and some hayfries then.”
“I’ll have the same,” Scope nodded, “but give me a salad instead of fries. Oh, and I’ll take an iced-tea for my drink.”
“Cider for me,” the earth mare added and Moondancer agreed.
Sugar hummed as she looked the menu over. “The spaghetti in the red sauce sounds inviting,” she said. “I’ll take an order of that, and your address as well.”
“I’m...sorry?” the colt said, not quite processing that properly.
“You’re cute,” Sugar said with a giggle. “I wanna know where you live, so I can look you up and take you out to dinner...then take you home and do all sorts of things~” The way she said that left very little to the imagination.
“SoI’llberightbackwithyourorders!” the colt said as he vanished.
“Ooh, nice work,” Scope mused, clapping her hooves. She’d taken an older-looking transformation, since Ledger was one of the few ponies around with a lolita complex. “I wonder if he’ll be back, or will we wind up going through all their servers?”
“You’ll just have to wait and find out,” Ledger said, knowing how this would play out next, deciding to nuzzle his bat instead of partaking in their games.
“Bleh, I wanna play, but everypony is immune to me here,” the thestral muttered. “I mean, seriously, I could get half of Canterlot to stand at attention with just a look. But Las Pegasus… nooo!”
“You’re a very good competitor, dear,” Sugar complimented the batpony. “We’ve just had time and lots of exposure to, well, my girls.”
“Not fair,” she pouted and crossed her forelegs. “I want a level playing field.”
“Hmm,” Sugar hummed. “Somewhere that’s heard of neither of us, so that we can have a sexy-off?”
“Oh you can’t be serious?” Cider said. “Wait, fergot who ah was talkin’ to.”
“Yup, I could totally beat you, hooves and wings down,” Midnight nodded. Sugar stuck a hoof out to Midnight, to let them shake on it. Midnight struck the deal and Cider and Moondancer facehooved.
“This won’t end well,” Scope said as she looked around for her next victim.
“It’ll probably end very well,” Sugar purred. “For us at least.”
“Mhmm,” Midnight giggled. “And better yet, give me ten more months and I’ll get Milf status~”
“Do I want to know?” Ledger asked. Midnight looked at him and tilted her head.
“You don’t know that that means?” she asked.
“Eenope,” Cider shrugged and Scope nodded, she didn’t know either.
“Well, it means ‘Mother I’d like to f—” She was paused as Moondancer zipped her lip with her magic.
“At least keep some level of decorum here,” she sighed. Ledger blushed to begin with...before leaning over to Midnight and whispering in her ear.
“You act like that’s not how I see you already,” he said huskily. She moaned a little, due to being unable to speak thanks to Moonie. Ledger snickered before nodding at Moondancer, trying to tell her to let the bat go. Moondancer shrugged and released her spell, and Midnight wasted no time in giving Ledger a passionate kiss, a rather lewd and sensual sounding kiss.
“Well, I can see they’re secure in their love-life,” Sugar said as she just sat back and drank in their emotions. At this rate, she’d be full before dinner arrived.
“Hey, they’re mine, so no eating their emotions,” Scope said as Midnight broke their kiss and smiled happily. A new waiter came over, several plates balanced on his wings as he expertly dodged tables and customers. Oh yes, Midnight was going to test her luck now.
Ohh, this one looked like fun. Scope hoped he was made of sterner stuff than the last two. She would at least wait until he put down their food first. The waiter eventually arrived at their table and began calling out orders. Once they were dished out, before Scope could even get a word out, Midnight had slid up next to him and her breath could be felt in his ear.
“Tell me,” she whispered huskily. “Does your establishment offer a feeding service~?” She opened her maw, as her long tongue flickered out, an expectant look in her eyes. The stallion squeaked before making his exit as rapidly as he could, not wanting to be around a thestral mare that had her eyes set on him.
He’d heard stories.
“Good job,” Scope said flatly as she pulled her plate closer. “I think you terrified him more than you seduced him.”
“Are you bucking kidding me!?” Midnight groaned and thunked her head on the table. “Stupid fangs…”
That was about when Ledger leaned over and nibbled on Midnight with his fangs. She didn’t really respond though, she was feeling a little bummed right about now.
“So… does that count?” Scope asked Sugar. “She excited him, just… not in that way.”
“Oh no, she did,” Sugar said. “It was buried under his fear, but he was aroused by the way she approached him. I daresay he was turned on by most of that.”
“You’re just saying that,” Midnight muttered. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to wake up beside a pony you took home, only to have them scream in your face because they were too drunk to notice what you really looked like. She paused and looked at Ledger, who already had his mouth open. “And you be quiet.”
Ledger just closed his mouth and smirked, while Sugar shook her head. “Dear, he was turned on by most of what you did. I don’t know where the fear came from, but if he hadn’t been afraid, I’d be calling that as a point in your favor.”
Midnight frowned… “Those… bucking, books!” she muttered and sighed. “Seriously, was there a sale on them here or something?”
“Oh, have you heard that they’re making a movie about them?” Scope said. Midnight just groaned and buried her face in her hooves.
“They’re sort of a sore point with her,” Ledger said.
“Got it, shutting up now,” Sugar replied as she returned to her pasta.
“Well, she and I found a way to enjoy them,” Cider blushed as Moondancer took a tentative nibble of her fish. Mmmm, this wasn’t bad. Not bad at all.
A while later, Fredrick himself came over, seeing as how his serving colts had complained about some teasing, and that last one was taking an extended bathroom break.
“Good evening troublemakers,” the griffon nodded.
“Trouble is more an unfortunate side-effect of what we do, not the main purpose of our gatherings,” Ledger pointed out as he dabbed at his muzzle with a napkin.
“Speak for yourself,” Scope nodded. “I always have fun causing trouble.” she looked at Sugar, since it was technically her turn. Or would she forfeit the game now that Fredrick was here.
“Getting into and out of trouble is so...exhilarating,” Sugar said, batting her eyes at Fredrick. The griffon paid her no heed beyond a simple roll of his eyes as he filled Midnight’s glass with a refill of sparkling cider.
“Aww, you used to be so fun,” the nymph pouted.
“Oh, I’m still fun, that fun is just aimed in one specific direction,” he said. “Though I hear that my brother is making good use of your services.”
“Shame to say he’ll not be allowed to see my daughter for some time,” Sugar said idly. “She needs to learn how to not throw parties that get the guard involved.”
“Wonderful, so I can look forward to him being insufferable for the near future… well, more so than usual.” He refilled Ledger’s drink and shrugged. “And sorry to ruin your little game. How about I send a fresh colt out with your check so you can solve the tie-breaker. Because Miss Midnight certainly did a number on that last one.”
“Yeah, by scaring him half to death,” she muttered, sipping her soda.
“By scaring you mean, he’s taking an extended bathroom break to… eh, rub out a small problem he’s currently having, then yes. If anything, you have a slight lead on these two.” He looked at Sugar and Scope, smiling slyly. “Better pick up your game ladies~” and with a jaunty whistle, he left them be.
“Well, that’s a thing,” Sugar observed. “I didn’t expect to be beaten by Midnight...though I really should have seen it coming.”
“Midnight, what are you when you’re doing something?” Ledger idly questioned.
Midnight smiled as she leaned across the table to cup Sugar’s cheek with a hoof, Lust practically gushing from her. “Oh, I am so very, very good~” she purred in a tone that had several nearby stallions wishing the tablecloths were a tad longer.
“And that’s why we love you,” Ledger said as Sugar just gulped.
“And suddenly I regret not asking them,” she observed.
“Told you,” Moondancer smiled knowingly. She loved Sugar with all her heart. But once you went Midnight, well, you always wanted more~
Soon, a young stallion returned with their check and some complimentary breadsticks. He had heard that this table was… difficult to serve for some reason, but none of the others would tell him why. He was a cute little unicorn, with a tan coat and a chocolate coloured mane and tail, and one of the best deep-fryers that Fred had.
“Oh look,” Sugar said, purring as she caught sight of the colt and blatantly eyeing him up. “Fresh meat.”
The colt gulped, but stood his ground as he placed the check on the table. Scope had moved next to him, one of her wings fluttered and while it didn’t touch him, it almost felt like she had.
“Such a cute little thing, and we haven’t had dessert yet~’
“Maybe he could… Fill. Us. Up~?” Midnight purred, that wicked tongue of hers licking her lips. He swallowed hard again and stammered.
“Y-Y-Your c-check,” he said in a small voice.
“Oooh, I’d love to check some things about you,” Sugar said. “Why don’t you come back with me tonight, cutie?~”
Moondancer made a show of clearing her throat and staring at the mare with a raised eyebrow. Midnight giggled and waved a hoof at her.
“Don’t worry Moonie, I’m sure she’ll let you watch.”
“Well,” the unicorn replied and sat back in her seat. “That’s alright then.”
“W-What?” the colt blinked. Why did he feel like a chicken surrounded by Timberwolves?
“I would never dream of forcing you to partake...or excluding you Moonie,” Sugar said, before turning back to the colt. “Whaddya say, stud? Feel like putting on a show tonight?”
“I...uh… think I have to ask my manager,” he said slowly, looking towards the kitchen, only to see Fredrick give him a thumbs up. Oh great, fat load of help he was!
“Oooh, is that the signal for ‘they get you for the night?’” Sugar asked as she caught sight of the griffon performing his signal. “I could go for that~”
“...Yay?” he surrendered and Scope rolled her eyes. It wasn’t fair when Sugar still had that option available to her. She could win every time, all because her and Midnight would never take that…
“You know,” Scope said. “I have an idea. Double or nothing!”
“Oh?” Sugar asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You have to try and get Ledger flustered,” she said with a smug smile. “A Noble of your… skills, should be able to do something as simple as that yes?”
“I already tried for quite a while,” Sugar said with a sigh. “I’m starting to think he’s just immune to nymphs that aren’t you.”
Scope looked at Ledger and the drone realised that this might be very bad for him now. “Alright then, how about this. I’ll tell you how to do it, and if it works, you have to concede defeat to me.”
“And if it doesn’t?” Sugar asked, causing Ledger to wonder what in the world he’d gotten into.
“Then I’ll admit that while I still have Ledger, you are a...ergh, superior nymph.” Scope shuddered at that. “Unless you have a better idea?”
“Deal,” Sugar said with a smile, scooting a little closer to the smaller nymph. She leaned over and whispered into her ear, Midnight’s flicked and she grinned.
Something about a ‘Twilight Sandwich’.
“Oooh,” Sugar said with a smile. “It’s such a shame I have...other business to attend to tonight.” She gave the colt a long, slow stroke of his mane as emphasis. “Otherwise I would love to try and fluster your stallion right now with that information.”
The Scope realised she’d been had. “Oh you sneaky little bit—”
“And that’s quite enough of that,” Cider said as a family walked inside, including a few small foals. “Now, didn’t we have something else to do? Like admire a certain Songbat?”
“Eehhhh,” Midnight blushed lightly. Now she felt all embarrassed for some reason.
“I can admire her just fine, thank you,” Ledger said as he nuzzled Midnight. “And I think we’re interfering on Moondancer and Sugar’s little after-dinner fun.”
“Not yet, not as long as the colt sticks around,” Sugar said, giving him a small kiss. He turned a bright shade of red and looked away as Moondancer sighed.
“Seriously, less than a day, and you’re already picking up strays? I hope you know that they’re a lot of responsibility to look after.”
“I prefer to catch and release myself,” Sugar said. “Otherwise I’d be a crazy cat pony. But with actual ponies.”
“Well, aren’t you kind of like that already?” her wife giggled. “All those nymphs running around? You have to keep them watered and fed, and they seem to go stir crazy when you’re not around.”
“Something which I will be sure to punish them for, in due time,” Sugar said. “But that’s tomorrow’s problem. Tonight is all about this colt~”
“Well, you could always let Midnight at them again,” Scope chuckled as she got a few confused looks, well, from everyone except Ledger and Midnight. “Ooh, that’s right, you were out that day. Do your nymphs have a thing where you might have returned to a club reeking of Lust and rooms full of stuffed nymphs?”
Sugar slowly turned to look at Midnight. Not believing that one pony could have been responsible for that.
“I said I was sorry!” Midnight pouted. “So I got a little carried away okay? Sue me.”
“...And suddenly I am glad that I don’t have to put up with her on a daily basis,” Sugar observed. “How are you two not dead yet?”
“How could we live without her?” Ledger countered.
“Well in any case,” Moondancer said with a small nod. “It’s getting late and I want to sleep sometime before the sun rises,” she gave off a small yawn, though she doubted she’d be getting any sleep soon. “Don’t forget your toy Darling.”
“Of course not,” Sugar said as she picked the colt up with her magic and carried him along after her. “Come along now, dear. You have duties to attend to~”
He cast a futile glance back to get Fredrick to help, but that feathered jerk just waved and smiled.
Moondancer rolled her eyes, being carted around like that was rather embarrassing… Oh well, not her problem. She gave the others a wave and left enough money to pay for the meal before she left as well.
“Please tell me our marriage won’t be that weird?” Cider remarked.
“Why? Did you want to go into restaurants and pick up strange stallions to pick up the slack?” Ledger asked.
“Can we?” Scope asked.
“Not once we’re married,” Ledger said. “Sort of implies that we’ll be together and faithful to each other.”
“Apparently not everypony thinks that way,” Cider said, looking at the pair that had just left. She was a little bit of a traditionalist at heart, despite her own… unique relationship. “Well, t’each their own I guess.”
“Let’s go home,” Midnight said and got up. “I’m in the mood to snuggle… or we can make a late night raid on Ponyville and kidnap a princess.”
“Or just take over her castle,” Ledger pointed out. “I might go do that anyways, I’ve only been there once.”
“So we’re going Castle Crashing?” Scope asked, her tail wagging. “Sounds fun!”
“Aye, and with Princess Twilight as the prize!” Ledger said as he gave Midnight a kiss. “Who’s with me?”
“Sounds like a fine plan matey!” Midnight cackled. She even had a hat for this at home. “Now let’s go and get us some booty!”
“...Oh dear,” Cider replied, following the crazy trio out of the restaurant. She looked up at the stars and smiled. “Sorry in advance for this Twilight.”
Twilight walked the empty halls of her crystal palace. She idly thought of hiring a few maids, maybe some guards… somepony to actually say hello to in passing or something. Spike was at a sleepover with the Crusaders and a few of their friends, the foals curious about his little growth spurt.
She let out a sigh that seemed to echo throughout the hall, before turning and entering the map room, giving it a small stare.
“You know, you could try sending me somewhere every now and then,” she muttered. “You’ve been awful sweet on Rarity lately. I’m beginning to wonder if you’re a magical construct version of Spike.”
In the kitchen, Midnight hovered there silently, wearing an eyepatch, her training wingblades and a large brimmed hat with a feather in it.
“Well First Officer Ledger, how goes the resupply?”
“I appear to have found the cake stash, Captain Midnight!” Ledger said as he pulled two cakes out from the pantry, quickly following it up with a third.
“That… is a lot of cake,” Midnight whistled. Now she wished that she had an alicorn’s metabolism.
“I found the whipped cream!” Scope cheered, pulling out a pressurized can of fluffy goodness.
“And ah got the apples!’ Cider said happily before everypony looked at her. “Whut?”
“That’s...not exactly what we’re here for,” Ledger pointed out, before ducking into the fridge. “Oooh, now this...Captain Midnight~” Ledger sang before he floated a mango out of the device.
“Mmm, the mango of a Princess,” Midnight drooled as her long tongue lashed out like a whip, snagging the fruit and pulling into her mouth. A second later, a dried up husk hit the floor near Ledger’s hooves as Midnight rubbed her belly happily.
“She appears to have a small bag full, Captain,” Ledger said, pulling the fruit out. “I think she might have been planning on a visit from you.”
“The sweet nectar is delicious,” Midnight said and then smiled wickedly. “But it’s oh so sweeter when licked from the body of a Princess~”
“Right, I’ll put them off to the side then,” Ledger said. “Oh! Found the chocolate!”
“Weren’t we here fer Twilight?” Cider asked, standing to one side. Midnight wave a hoof and tsk’d tsk’d at her.
“Look Cidey, we have to procure supplies first. Everypony knows that a pirate must plunder as much as possible.”
“She’s totally right you know,” Pinkie said as she leaned against Ledger’s back, snacking on an apple. “That’s pirate basics.”
Ledger started for a moment, before his Pink-reflex kicked in. “Hello Pinkie,” he said. “Do you ever not do that?”
“Do what?” she blinked cutely. “Ooh, should I go tell TwiTwi you're here? She’s been kiiiinda mopey lately.”
“Private Pinkie, feel free to inform the landlubber her pantry is being plundered,” Ledger said with a smile.
“Okie Doki Loki!” she said and bounced away. Midnight watched her go and looked at Ledger.
“Whyyyy did you give away our secret?”
“So we can plunder the other booty we came here for,” Ledger said with a snicker.
Mountains crashed and toppled, towns and villages burned as the Great Beast stomped across Equestria!
And, only one mare could stop it. Princess Twilight Sparkle!
She zoomed across the land using her super speed, the shadows of darkness tried to stop her, but her awesome magic was too much to handle. And when she finally reached the monster?
“HIYA!” it chirped in a high-pitched voice.
Twilight frowned. No, it was supposed to roar, she’d get to say her badflank one-liner then…
“AAH!” she screamed and fell back off of the table, her illusions she was playing with faded as Pinkie stared her in the face.
“Heehee, silly Twi, tables aren’t for sitting,” she giggled. “Also, there’s pirates raiding your pantry. Just fyi.”
Twilight blushed a deep crimson that she’d been caught, but by the time she looked up, Pinkie was gone.
“...Pirates?” she blinked. “What the…”
A short while later, she was walking towards the kitchen. No, she was not seeing if pirates were raiding her pantry, she was hungry.
And bored… so very, very bored. She flicked on the light and winced slightly at the chance… before she just stared blankly.
…..Aaaaand there’s pirates raiding her pantry.
“...Wat?”
“Aha!” Ledger said before pouncing on Twilight and holding her still. “I have the Princess, Captain Midnight!”
“Ahh, good work First Mate Level,” she cooed, stepping forward.
Twilight just stared flatly at them. “...What are you doing?” she asked.
“Ah, tis but a trifling matter,” Midnight said. “Me and me pirate crew are lookin fer a little fun! And you fit that bill quite nicely lass.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Twilight replied flatly.
“Pirates never kid,” Ledger said. “She doesn’t look all that fun though, Cap’n. We might be better off just takin’ her prisoner and usin’ her for labor.”
“An interestin’ thought there,” Midnight said, rubbing her chin. “An’ wot sort of labor be ye thinkin’ of?”
“Hard labor, Cap’n. Unless she can prove she’s fun to be around,” Ledger said, before copping a feel of Twilight’s flank. The alicorn yelped and looked at the drone.
Then her eyes widened a little. Ohh, so that’s what this was all about.
“Oh no,” she cried dramatically. It was a really hammy performance. “I’ve been captured by the Dread Captain Midnight and her crew. Please don’t do anything to me~”
“That’s a tad over the top don’t you think?” Scope said and Midnight shrugged.
“Well, I see we could use her as a hostage,” Midnight said and looked at the food. “First Mate Ledger! See to it that our guest is made… comfortable while I finish up here!”
“Aye aye cap’n!” Ledger said, before sticking Twilight on his back with magic. “Hmm...where be the bedrooms in this sparkly castle of yours, lass?” he asked the lavender alicorn.
Twilight gasped, struggling in his grasp. "You'll not get away with this, you villainous fiends!"
“We’ll see about that,” Ledger said as he began walking to where he thought Twilight’s bedroom was. Or, a bedroom anyways.
After some subtle hints from Twilight every time he headed towards a wrong room, he found the princess's bedroom. It was larger than his whole apartment and had more books than a library.
“Aha, here we be,” Ledger said before ‘roughly’ tossing the mare onto the bed. “And now we’ll see what yer fate will be, lassie.”
~*~*~