Shifting Melodies

by Thadius0

Chapter 105 - Much Aflutter about nothing

“Oh Ledger~” Chrysalis stalked closer towards the drone. She had been upset that her private time with Ace had been interrupted. But this was shaping up to be just as fun. “Be a sweet little dear and stand still~”

“Not until you tell me why,” he retorted as he held up a shield bubble around himself, not trusting the mare one inch.

“Aw, it’s just a little experiment,” she hummed. “New magic. For science. Something only one other changeling in all of existence has done.”

“Now you have my interest,” the drone said. “Explain, what will you be doing, and why does it require me?”

“Well you see,” Chrysalis purred. “It turns out. That I have the ability to turn Changelings into Flutterponies. Guess what I’ll be doing now?”

“Is it reversible?” the drone asked. “I’d rather not commit to this sort of experiment beforehoof without knowing all the variables…”

“...Probably yes. I don’t know yet, as I have never tested it.”

“Eeeesh,” Ledger muttered. “Well, at least tell me about the perks of being one then. That might help me make up my mind.”

“For one, you won’t need emotive energy to survive, you produce it instead. Your magic is dependant on natural reserves and you won’t have holes in your legs.”

“Hmm...that could make sustaining Scope’s form a lot easier on me,” the drone mused. “Plus she’d be a lot more fed if she didn’t have to compete with me for the emotional energy in the house…”

“On the other hoof, you may lose your ability to shapeshift,” Chrysalis said. “I can do it as I’m a Flutterpony Queen. But… you may wind up being a regular Flutterpony. You may even lose the ability to cast magic entirely.”

“Hey now, those are some pretty serious drawbacks,” Ledger said. “Hmm...however, I am the first nephew of the Silver King, so I’m pretty close to the throne there. If it’s dependant on how noble you are, then I stand a decent shot of coming through it with a few things intact. And it’s not like I was using my shapeshifting much these days. As long as I come through with my magic, I’ll be happy enough.” He nodded a few times. “Okay, fine. We’ll try it, and if we don’t like it, you’ll try to undo it.”

“Well then. Okay…” Chrysalis closed her eyes as her horn shone with an ethereal light. “Now… how did this go again?”

And with that uncertainty placed in his mind, a cocoon of magic begun to wrap around Ledger.

“I’m suddenly not very sure about this,” he spoke up.

“Too late,” Chrysalis grunted as the cocoon glowed ever brighter and Ledger felt his body tingle all over. It was like when he shifted, only… way more intense.

“That’s a little tingly,” the drone said aloud.

Then that tingling turned a little painful as the light intensified. And like a rope being cut, he could no longer sense emotions and his connection to his magic was severed.

“That’s a little concerning,” he said aloud. “If I can’t use magic, how am I supposed to help Scope?”

“Give… it… a minute,” Chrysalis grunted as she finished the spell. As it cut off, Ledger was unceremoniously dumped to the floor.

“Odd,” Chrysalis said as she looked around. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Expecting...what?” Ledger asked as he put a hoof under himself to start picking himself up.

“When you transformed, all your stored magic fled your body. To…” She scanned his form and frowned. “You’re linked with someone?”

“Scope’s pregnant,” Ledger said bluntly. “And maintaining the form she’s currently in takes power, power I could easily and store access thanks to the plethora of mares that love me. I would gladly share all my magic with her if I could, just to keep her stable.”

“Well, you shared alright, any love energy you had was just shunted to her,” Chrysalis said.

“Good, and hopefully she’ll not panic too badly once she feels that,” Ledger said as he looked his new form over. His coat was silver, almost metallic. He still had a dark brownish-black mane and tail, and upon inspection, he could feel something protruding from his…

He… he had antenna.

“Well that’s...a new sensation,” he said, trying to look up at them. Chrysalis brought a mirror over and he looked at himself. Yep, two antenna protruded from his forehead, just above his eyebrows. His eyes were now a rich gold colour and it was then he noticed something.

There was an… aura around Chrysalis. Sort of an aqua-green colour.

“Well that’s interesting,” he said. “I can’t feel emotions around me anymore, but there’s this...aura around you, similar to our emotion-sensing one…Out of curiosity, what are you feeling right now? I’d like to know so that I know what bluish-green relates to.”

“Creative content I guess,” Chrysalis shrugged. “So you have Emotive Sight as well? Interesting, it must be a Flutterpony thing, regardless of gender or type.”

“It would make sense,” Ledger said. “Well this is not altogether unpleasant just yet...Hmm.” He tried to reach for his magic, only to find nothing there. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to my magic all over again, huh?”

“It may take a while for your magic to get used to your new body,” Chrysalis explained.

“Still, I think I could get used to this,” he mused. “It’s certainly interesting. And not altogether unpleasant.”

At that moment, Scope shuffled in, wondering why she’d gotten a huge spike of energy when she saw Ledger…

And…

His mother was also visiting, looking for her wayward sons.

“Hoboy,” the new Flutterpony said. “This is gonna be...interesting…”

“Chrysalis?” Scope asked slowly. “Where is Secret-Hoarder?”

“Right here,” Chrysalis said without any remorse. “I turned him into a Flutterpony.”

“Ledger?” the Madame asked. “You let her do this to you?”

“It’s not all bad so far,” Ledger said with a shrug. “For one, that insatiable need to feed is finally gone. It’ll take me some time to get used to magic again in a new body, but I’m still willing to call this good so far.”

“A thought occurs,” Scope said. “What happens when Midnight finds out?”

“She’ll either accept it, or mock me relentlessly,” Ledger sighed.

“And you’re sure this is what you want?” the Madame asked her son.

“Yeah. I mean, it’s nice so far. The only downside is that it’ll take me time to use my magic to fill out my paperwork again, and...Chrysalis, I’m not noticing any wings…”

“Hmm…” Chrysalis stared at him. “Well, either they’ll come in with your magic… or you don’t get any at all.”

“Isn’t there like, some sort of reflex you can trigger to test it?” Ledger asked.

“Well…” Chrysalis nodded. “We could try and shock your body into producing some.”

“That’d work for me,” he said. “How?”

Chrysalis flashed her horn…

And Ledger saw clouds and a clear blue sky.

A sky he was currently falling hundreds of meters through.

“AAAAAAAH!” he screamed as he did his best to call on his old wings, trying his best to not go splat.

Chrysalis stepped outside and looked up. “Wanna take bets to see if he flies or not?”

“I rather hope you aren’t planning on letting my son hit the ground just for the sake of your experiment,” the Madame said with only a hint of frost to her voice.

“What, no... “ Chrysalis trailed off as she watched. He was starting to get a little close now, and the mare sighed before teleporting him safely to the ground. “Well that didn’t work.”

“Thanks...for the vote of confidence,” Ledger snarked as only now something seemed to flutter on his back. “It’s not like I just got this body or anything.”

“You lived didn’t you?” Chrysalis waved a hoof. “Quit crying about it.”

“Oh sure, let’s just gloss over the fact that I nearly died while trying to access something I may not even have,” Ledger growled as the things came into focus. A pair of wings similar to Chrysalis’ own, fluttering angrily.

“Oh buck up, you got them didn’t you. Don’t worry about the journey, only the destination.” She turned and looked at the Madame. “Maybe I could do you as well…”

As Ledger blinked before turning to look at what she was talking about, the Madame shook her head. “I rather like my position as it stands, dear. Though, I might be able to push through the idea of adding a chair to the council’s room…”

“You want me? On the Changeling council…?” Chrysalis stared for a time, before the corners of her mouth twitched and she started laughing.

“It’s hardly a laughing matter,” the Madame said. “If you are related to us, then you deserve your own seat at that table. It would just be a matter of getting your own following of...flutterponies, you call yourselves? And I rather doubt they’d come in Hives as well...face it, you’re the face of this development.”

Chrysalis only laughed harder, and somewhere amongst the gut-busting giggles, she said that Celestia offered her the same thing.

“I’m being sincere,” the silver ‘ling said. “We can hardly say we have someone like you at that table as it is.”

“Tell me,” Chrysalis gasped, finally calming down. “Give me just one good reason why I should. The majority of the Hives still want me dead for my little invasion. And to tell you the truth dear Silver. Grandfather aside, I hate almost every Noble there is.”

“At least you’re honest about it,” the Madame smiled. “And I can promise you right now that unless you have any designs on the Lands as a whole, that I will not act against you. Plus, who would recognise you now? You could introduce yourself as whoever you wanted to, disguise your voice if you’d like. You don’t even need to give me an answer right now, just think about it.”

“Well… I promise not to promise anything,” Chrysalis replied. “I’m suddenly quite tired. Ledger, if you want to change back, you know where to find me.” And with a magical crack, the mare teleported away.

“Aww, looks like you upset her,” Scope giggled and winced as the baby kicked her.

“I was being quite honest with her,” the Madame said. “If she gathers a large enough following of Flutterponies, then the Council will all but demand she take a seat so that they can talk to her.”

“Still, she’s like a battery for us now. What’s to stop some… adventurous changeling from taking her and any more flutterponies she might make to… well I’m sure you can figure the rest out.”

“I’m sure we could work out a way to make sure that didn’t happen,” the Madame said. “Though perhaps you’re right, and we should have her first few attendances by correspondence instead?”

“Well, again, that’s up to her. But I wouldn’t be holding your breath for it,” Scope said as she winced again. “Ahh! You little… that hurts.”

“The baby’s putting up a fight?” Ledger asked as he finally stopped his self-inspection and walked over to her. “Oh, I meant to ask. You okay from me shifting bodies like this?”

“The energy surge hurt like hell,” she said and then smacked him across the back of the head. “Thanks for consulting me first.”

The newest Flutterpony rubbed the back of his head before chuckling. “Yeah, but look on the bright side,” he said, before fluttering his wings a little. “Now you’re going to be very well fed in the house.”

“...Joy,” Scope asked. “Well, for your sake, I hope Midnight and Cider… and Twi- scratch that. I just hope they are as forgiving when you upped and changed species without consulting them first.”

“A fair point,” the former drone said with a nod. “Well, no time like the present. Middy should still be around, and Twi might be here as well. Time to face the music I suppose.”

“Good luck, try not to die,” Scope waved before the baby kicked again. “Oh come on!!”

---

The new Flutterpony walked through the crystal castle in search of his wives. He didn’t have his old emotion sense to fall back on anymore.

There was, however, a big beacon of violet light right next to a smaller beacon of pink light. Knowing of only one mare who it could possibly be, he did his best to follow his eyes to where he saw these lights coming from.

And when he opened the door…

Dear gods, it was like the Violet Hive all over again. The entire castle was permeated with it. He did his best to shield his eyes while turning away, but to no effect. Midnight was just too powerful.

“Huh? Who are you?” The thestral peered at him as she stepped between him and Starry. The violet light suddenly took a reddish hue.

“Hey Middy,” Ledger said by way of introduction. “Chrysalis gave me a makeover.”

“L-Ledger?” Midnight took a step back, the violet shifting to a yellowish tone of confusion. “Is this… some new form you’ve made?”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “Chrysalis turned me into a Flutterpony like her.”

“She…” That yellow tone… suddenly turned a deep ebony. “SHE WHAT!?” Well, now he knew what she looked like when somepony was about to die… brutally.

“WAIT!” he said, holding up a hoof. “It wasn’t all her. Do you think I couldn’t have teleported away if I didn’t want to?”

“But…” The aura died down to a deep purpley red. “Why? Why would you just up and… and not be the stallion I married!?”

“Do you really think I stopped being me, just because I changed species?” Ledger asked with a raised eyebrow. “Or was your attraction purely for my body?”

“W-Well… I liked your shiny shell,” Midnight replied. “But… I just…” She sat down very suddenly.

“...I can tell you’re conflicted,” Ledger sighed as he sat down as well. “Take all the time you need.”

Twilight stepped into the room as Midnight tried to get her scrambled thoughts in order. “Ledger?” the alicorn blinked. “Did Chrys actually…?”

“Yup,” Ledger said as he waved Twilight over. “You’re looking at the first male Flutterpony.”

He saw the gleam in her eyes. And her book and quills she just summoned to her side…

“Down mare,” Ledger chuckled. “Not everypony is as eager about my changes as you are.” He indicated Midnight for emphasis.

“He’s not my cuddlebug anymore…” Midnight sniffed. “He’s too fabulous to cuddle now…”

“Aww, we can still cuddle,” Ledger said, before turning to Twilight. “Quick, cuddle me!”

“Seriously?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. She gave him a brief hug, but Midnight didn’t seem all that amused. She reached into the crib to hug Starry instead.

“Your body, your decision I guess,” she replied flatly.

Ledger sighed and did his best to access his old shapeshifting magic so that he could try and take his old form for her. But his magic hadn’t reconnected yet.

“I’ll get used to it, I guess,” Midnight said. “Just another one of your forms I suppose…” Then a thought occured. She placed Starry back in the cot as the room exploded with a violet hue. “I guess I’ll just have to test the limitations of this body~”

“Ack!” Ledger said as he shielded his eyes. “Y’know how I joked before that you were a star of lust? Every time you get a lusty idea, I can see it now. The whole room turns Violet.”

“You can see emotion?” Twilight gasped as she wrote that down. “Middy, hold him down. I have a few experiments to run.”

“I have a few myself,” the bat grinned, stepping forward. Ledger took a step back, instinctively going through the motions of a teleport, trying his best to get away from the mares…

The mares leapt at him, only to crash into one another as he vanished.

“Cheater!” Midnight yelled out. She was going to really let him have it later…

---

When Ledger re-appeared, his location uncontrolled due to his hasty teleport…

He was in the lap of one Miss Rarity.

“Well now,” she said, blushing slightly. “Handsome stallions falling from the sky? It appears that this is my lucky day.”

Whyyyy was the first thing to pop into his head the scenario Midnight played with a while back? The one with Twilight’s friends watching as he screwed the alicorn silly…

“Sorry,” Ledger said as he got up. “Uncontrolled teleport, you know how it is. Only just managed it before a worse fate befell me.”

Oh it could get so much worse. Twilight teleported in with Midnight as they witnessed Ledger getting up from straddling Rarity.

“Now…” Twilight started. “I’m not going to jump to conclusions here… but if you’ve done what I think you’ve done. We’re going to need a new Element of Generosity.”

Rarity sat very, very still. Alicorns tracked by movement…

“That’s hardly very friendly of you, to assume that your friend and your husband would do something like that in the two seconds that one had once he left your sight,” Ledger pointed out.

“It was a joke,” Twilight said. “Or are you acting on Middy’s suggestion?”

The thestral’s eyes gleamed. “Hey Rarity, you and the girls wanna come for a sleepover this weekend. I promise it will be...enlightening~”

“Middy,” Ledger sighed. “Ignore her, Rarity, she’s just being herself.”

“Of course, though I am curious as to the context of this conversation,” the mare chuckled. “And that strapping form of yours. It is simply divine~”

“A gift from Chrysalis,” Ledger said with a dip of his head. “We’re testing the limits of it right now as a matter of fact.”

Rarity nodded and her eyes widened. “Iiideeaaa~” Her body erupted with emerald creativity and silvery inspiration as she raced around her sewing room… Ledger had somehow teleported here of all places. “Stand back. I’m about to get fabulous!”

Ledger wisely did so, his antenna glowing all the while in case he needed to teleport again. It worked the first time…

“I am in the zone… do come back later alright?” and with that, Rarity had pushed them out of her store. Twilight and Midnight blinked before turning to Ledger.

“Now… where were we?” Midnight purred and licked her lips.

“Elsewhere,” the former drone said, before vanishing with another crack of magic. Midnight and Twilight frowned as the alicorn prepared a tracing spell…

Only to find it pointing distinctly upwards.

“Oh dear,” Twilight frowned. “Let’s go Middy.”

When Ledger opened his eyes.

He was graced with a scene that was burned into his memory.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Entwined.

And they hadn’t noticed his arrival…

Well, the Flutterpony thought to himself. This is certainly a thing. I...should probably go before they notice me. Judging by the violet pervading the room and all... With another soft glow of his antenna, the former changeling vanished again…

Just as Twilight teleported in. “Sorry Dash, I was wondering if— HOLY CELESTIA!”

---

Well, Twilight appeared to be off of his tail for a while. And he’d poured quite a bit of magic into this teleport to put some distance between him and his crazy mares.

That was when he noticed a pair of chitinous hooves wrapped around his form.

“Well now,” Sugar Darling purred into his ear as she hugged him tighter. “You came to me after all. Better late than never I suppose~”

“Nope!” Ledger said as he did his best to break free with both magic and hooves. “Nope nope nope! I told you no months ago, I’m telling you no now!”

“And yet, here you are,” Sugar said as she nibbled his ear. His magic had burned out from the long-distance teleport, and the Noble nymph was bigger than him right now. “Ever heard the saying, don’t knock it til you try it~?”

“I am not interested!” Ledger all but screamed at her. “I have enough crazy mare problems as it is! I don’t need yours added onto them!”

“Ledger. Calm down.” Sugar said and tapped his nose with a hoof. “If you actually looked, you’d notice I’m only messing with you. And yes, I have spent a good deal of time with Chrysalis so I know what Flutterponies are capable of. Besides, I wanted you to have a foal, but Moondancer filled that role better than you probably ever could.”

“I would take offense to that, but I’m more relieved that you’re not being serious,” the stallion sighed. “My magic’s spent from teleporting here. I need to walk back to the farm, get Cider’s view on my new body.”

“Ooh, can I come?” the nymph asked. “I don’t have a Flutterpony section in my book yet~”

The stallion’s deadpan stare was the only response she got.

“Oh come on! I am not going to stop being me, just because you don’t want to learn a few things about your Violet heritage. Besides… Chrysalis already told me no.”

“Then ask one of your own to volunteer for the process,” Ledger said. “I’m sure you can learn all about it then.”

“...” Her face broke into a wide smile as she tapped her hoof and a violet nymph appeared in her doorway.

“Get ready dear,” Sugar purred as she dropped Ledger. “We’re going to pay a little visit to Chrysalis and you’re getting a delicious make-over.”

“Thank you for finally letting me go,” Ledger sighed as he started to leave.

“Relax, a little hug isn’t going to kill you,” she said. “Your antenna are adorable by the way.”

“Thanks,” the Flutterpony snarked as he finally made his way to the door and started to leave Sugar’s abode.

“He’ll lighten up… one day,” Sugar chuckled. “Ledger, I suggest a shorter stick. You won’t walk as funny then.”

“Har de har har,” the stallion laughed. “I’ve already learned that not all of my mares are happy with my decision, so forgive me if I’m no mood to play your games.” With that, he was gone.

“Oh dear, I may have pushed him a little far that time.” Sugar pondered on just how she’d make it up to him…

---

When Ledger reached the farm, he saw no sight of Cider. But he did see Bludgeon bucking a few trees. The large stallion still slightly unnerved him, but he’d make do. He decided to make his way into the farmhouse. Maybe Cider was in there. And if not, he could wait for her here.

And that was when he heard a loud ‘BANG’ and he saw a metal container blast through the roof of her distillery, landing a few hundred meters away.

On the bright side, now he knew where she was.

On the other hoof, she might need him now. He hurried to her distillery, in case she was injured.

When he got there, he opened the door to see an apple-scented foam covering everything as his mare lay on the floor nearby, in front of the equipment that had clearly detonated.

“Cider!” he said, rushing to her. “Are you okay?”

She didn’t appear to have any serious injuries, though a few jagged pieces of metal embedded in the wall showed how close she came.

“But Momma,” she moaned. “It was Fritter that ate all the cookies…”

“Okay, Cider, if you can answer how many hooves I’m holding up, I won’t take you to the hospital,” Ledger said as he held up one hoof in front of her face.

“Ooh fairy pony~” she giggled and waved at him before blinking and shaking her head. “Wait… whut? Whut in the hay happened?”

“Your still exploded,” the stallion said. “What in the world were you doing to make it do that?”

Cider groaned as she sat up. “Ah was…” she rubbed her head. “Trying to make a new cider, but… ah was dumb, fergot to release the pressure valve.” She sighed and looked at her destroyed equipment. “Ah can’t afford to replace all of this…”

“Consider it done already,” Ledger said with a shake of his head. “I can spare the bits, barely. But if it means helping you do what you love, I’d gladly part with them.”

“This is mah own stupid fault…” she sighed and saw the metal in the wall as her eyes widened. “Ah… ah almost…” She wobbled on her hooves. Ledger was there to support her, nuzzling her slightly.

“Maybe you should do what I do before you start brewing again, and double, maybe even triple check that all the things that you need to do are done?” he asked. “I’d rather you not blow yourself up again.”

“Yeah…” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Nice form, ah take it that Chrys finally got her hooves on ya?”

“Yeah,” the stallion said. “It’s interesting, to be honest, and not entirely unpleasant. What do you think of it?”

“It’s not bad ah guess. It’s not whut ah married… but it’s still you. Jus’ take some gettin’ used to is all.”

“Thank you,” Ledger said before kissing her. “At least you aren’t going crazy over the new body.”

“Ah’m the normal one remember?” she giggled. “S’why you married me ah think. Balance out the crazy.”

“Look where that got me,” Ledger said before kissing her again. “Three crazy mares, two foals, and I even changed species. Next thing you know, one of them will find me again…”

They waited, but nopony showed up.

Weird.

“So… y’all like that forever now?” she asked as he helped her back to the house.

“Dunno, but I like the form. I mean, like this, I’m a battery to Scope and other ‘lings. They can draw power from me and I don’t get drained from it. Help sustain her Noble body for...well, ever, in theory.”

“Have ya asked her if she wants that?” Cider asked him as she sat down on the couch. “Cause, it sounds an awful lot like y’all are doin’ this jus’ fer her.”

“And the foal, and we don’t even know if Star will need to draw emotional energy to live off of,” Ledger pointed out. “Probably not, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Plus...well, when you’re a ‘ling, there’s this gnawing, insatiable hunger for emotional energy that just doesn’t go away. You just learn to live with it.” He sighed blissfully. “This is the first time in ever I felt like what I imagine it is to be a normal pony. No constant need to drain somepony for your own ends.”

“Ah guess,” Cider said and put a hoof on his leg. “Look sugarcube. If y’all wanna stay like that, then that’s yer decision t’make. Just… try and see our point of view as well. What if Middy turned around an’ suddenly became an Earth Pony?”

“I...yeah, I see your point,” Ledger sighed. “Two things I want to point out, though. We don’t know that the change is reversible yet. And even if it was, I’m not sure I’d go back. This just feels like...like a piece of myself that I didn’t even know was missing has been returned to me. Oh! Idea! What if I can get a Cutie Mark now? A real one?”

A cold chill swept down his spine, as three little fillies in Ponyville suddenly felt like they had a new mission in life.

“Well, ah’m not sure what a snarking Cutie Mark would look like,” Cider giggled.

“Still, this feels so much better,” he sighed. “Imagine if you couldn’t grow a thing, and then one tree grew out of all of your attempts. You’d do everything you could to make sure you learned why that one tree grew, and do your best to replicate that result. And you’d feel so good about growing more and more…”

“Ah… think ah get whut you mean?” Cider scratched her head. Maybe she was still concussed. “Look, if yall wanna stay like that, then we’ll jus’ have to adapt ah guess. One small thing though…”

“What is it?” the stallion asked.

“Didn’t you an’ Twi have a plan fer her foal? Sumthin’ that involved an alicorn transformation?”

“I’m pretty sure I can still use magic,” Ledger said. “As I teleported around. It might just be a matter of learning how to transform again.” Experimentally, he tried once more to assume his old form of a changeling.

There was an odd sound, as his body shifted to change into that form. Okay, polymorph spells… kinda hurt. He could feel his bones and skin shifting and changing. It felt really friggen weird. Still, at least the nerve endings also shifted around, so most of the feeling was deadened. It might be agonizing otherwise. “Okay,” he said. “That...was odd.”

“That… looked odd,” Cider gulped. “Never ever do that in front of anypony. Scope would have given birth jus’ watchin’ that.”

“Well then, look away, because I’m not holding this,” Ledger said.

Cider did just that as he reverted back to normal. Note to self, learn proper polymorph magic from Twilight.

“Well,” Cider sighed as she twitched every time she heard his bones pop back into place. “Like ah said, if y’all wanna keep that form, that’s fine. But… don’t expect us all t’get used to it right away.”

“Of course not,” the stallion agreed once he was done. “This is a big change, and expecting you all to just go with it would be silly. Though, Twi at least was all but tripping over herself trying to get up close and personal with my new body.”

“Oh?” Cider licked her lips. “Won’t she be upset when she finds out she gets the sloppy seconds then~”

“Uhoh,” Ledger said.

“Mm? You don't want to have a little fun with your sweet mare?” she cooed as she stood up. “And it's been so long…”

“I sorta ran away from Middy trying to do the same thing,” Ledger said as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Ooh, she’s not gonna take that well,” Cider mused. She was holding a book, and Ledger recognized it as the one that powered their portal.

“So you want me all to yourself, eh?” he questioned.

“Whatever gave ya that idea?” Cider chuckled as she turned and straddled him on the couch. “Now, let's see what this cute little body of yours can do~”

---

Midnight and Twilight arrived sometime later, having come a long way around since Cider forgot to reactivate the portal. Chrysalis was also with them, wanting to see the results of her spell…

What they didn’t expect was Ledger lying on the couch with a bloated stomach, groaning as Cider lay his head in her lap, rubbing his head.

“Ah can’t believe ya ate all of it. Who do y’all think ya are? Twilight?”

“But it was so tasty,” the flutterpony moaned. “I couldn’t leave it.”

“Oh Ledger~” he heard Midnight call out from the doorway. “I found you~”

“Oh buck,” the stallion said as he sighed, not being able to move from his spot. Midnight walked over to him, pausing as she sniffed the air and then looked at Cider.

“Et tu, Apple bride of mine?”

“Ya jus’ gotta know which buttons ta press,” she giggled and bat her eyes. “You mad Middy~?”

“Nah, kudos for breaking him in,” the thestral smiled as she placed Starry on the Flutterpony’s belly. “Look, it’s your silly daddy in a new suit~”

“Hey there silly filly,” the stallion said as he used one hoof to gently rub her head. “How’re you doing?”

“Bah!” She looked at him curiously, as he heard a gurgle come from her stomach…

“Uhoh,” he said. “Some silly filly is having tummy troubles?”

She gurgled again… before pitching forward slightly and Ledger was re-introduced to her breakfast… all over his coat.

Midnight and Chrysalis stifled their giggles and even Twilight covered her mouth with a wing.

“Grand,” Ledger sighed as he used his magic to hover the filly off of him and in front of Midnight. “I’ll go take another shower. Alone. I’d like to actually get clean this time.” Midnight just poked out her tongue as Cider wore a slight blush.

“Hah! You should have seen the time little Rick did that to Fredrick,” Chrysalis chortled. “I thought his feathers were going to stay pink after that.”

“And now I have to feed you again, don’t I?” Midnight sighed as she held Star. “Alright little filly. But if you puke on Mommy… oh my revenge will be told for ages to come.”

“Just wait until she starts drinking,” Ledger said as he ambled upstairs. “I’m sure you’ll come up with something by then.”

“Mommy Cider is gonna teach you all about holding yer liquor,” the apple mare said. “Unlike these lightweights.”

“Hey, I can hold my own,” Midnight retorted. “Twilight gets shippy when she’s drunk, and Ledger keeps wanting more wives.”

By this point, Ledger had all but vanished again, the sound of running water belaying where he’d gone. Twilight counted down from ten, then vanished with a magical ‘pop’. Ledger’s surprised yelp signalling where she’d gone.

“Damn it, I’m going to be the last one to test drive Ledger aren’t I?” Midnight sighed.

“That would depend on when that nymph of yours shows up,” Chrysalis said. “Also, you should probably fix that portal. I’m pretty sure you’d rather not take the long way back to your other home again.”

“Oh, right,” Cider grabbed the book from the table and headed upstairs. Midnight rolled her eyes as she moved to sit on the couch, before some unknown nymph burst into the room, causing Midnight to flick a nearby butterknife so hard, it embedded in the hardwood walls next to the changeling’s head.

“I...I…” the nymph stammered as she looked at the knife. Midnight gasped and hugged Starry closer.

“I’m sorry, you really startled me,” she apologised.

“I-It’s alright,” the blue nymph said quietly. “Mistress Scope told me to expect as much… I don’t get paid enough for this…”

“Tell me why I should care,” Chrysalis said with a roll of her eyes.

“Well...I…” the nymph trembled in Chrysalis’ presence. Rumours were floating around, some were… probably outlandish, like that she’d consumed pony souls to obtain her new form.

“Stop scaring her Chryssy,” Midnight poked her tongue out in cheek. She turned to the nymph and smiled. “So who are you cutie?”

Aw crap, and the changeling hunter was here as well? She was so bucked beyond bucked. She just started crying…

“We haven’t even done anything yet and she’s breaking down,” the flutterpony sighed. “And now you know what I don’t try to get out more. This happens.”

“Your reputation can be fearsome,” a second nymph appeared, a Yellow one this time. “And this one is young… and rather stupid.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault that I got stuck delivering a message to the Huntress and the Devourer of Souls!”

Chrysalis blinked. “Apparently I acquired a title without having done anything,” she said to Midnight. “Is that normal?”

“In this city? Yeah.” The thestral sighed and petted her child. “So, can we please get your names and your reason for being here?”

“Of course,” the Yellow nodded. “I am Gilded-Coin-” She jerked her head towards the Blue. “-And this moron is Blue-Ren. We’re here to pass along the message that Mistress Scope Lens is in Ponyville General Hospital, as her water broke not a hour ago…”

“Well, you’re all boned,” the flutterpony cackled. “Enjoy doubling the foal population around here!”

Then something tore across Scope’s Hivemind link. One she’d attached Chrysalis to as well.

“I swear that Ledger will fear nymphs again once I’m through with him!!”

“Correction, he’s boned,” Chrysalis shuddered. “I’m not sure if you should go to her or wait for her to be done first. I guess it’d depend on if you liked living.”

“I’m going,” Midnight said, already heading upstairs. “Thanks for the message ladies.” She paused, before trotting over to them and giving them a chaste kiss on the lips, infusing a little love into them. “That should be a suitable tip. Later.”

Both nymphs just sat there as the thestral vanished, putting a hoof to their lips as they felt more energised than they had in weeks.

“And I have my own to help take care of,” Chrysalis said as she vanished with a crack of magic.

“I don’t know if I love this place, or should be terrified Ma’am,” Blue-Ren said slowly.

“I don’t know either…” Coin replied. “Let’s go to Sugar’s place and get a drink… and maybe a drone or three~”

By the time Ledger emerged from the bathroom, Twilight sighing happily as she was draped across his back, he was greeted with an empty house.

“What’d I miss?” he asked aloud.

Then he got a message through the Link.

“Ponyville. NOW!”

“Whelp,” the flutterpony said as he made sure the portal was working. “No idea what’s going on, but apparently I’m needed elsewhere. Hope you don’t mind making the trip, Twi.”

Twilight just sighed happily again and nuzzled his cheek. Ledger stepped through the portal before daring to question why he was doing so. “Okay, I’m here-”

“If you do not get to the hospital-” Scope gave a pained shout. “J-Just… get here! This kid isn’t waiting around for your slow ass!”

“Oh,” he said numbly. “Twi, we’re about to be parents again.”

“Yay?” she questioned, coming back down to Equestria.

“LEDGER!!”

“I’m on my way, I have a Twilight on my back!” he shot back.

Twilight’s horn flashed and Ledger had to skid to a stop as she teleported them right in front of the hospital. Rainbow spent enough time here to warrant her memorising it as a location.

The air displaced next to them as his mother and father arrived as well.

“Ah, hello,” the flutterpony said with a smile. “I take it you heard?”

“Very hard not to,” the Madame said. “She’s powerful in the ways of the Hive Link, that one.”

His father stared at the flutterpony, his eyes open is disbelief. “My son… is a fairy?”

“Soak it in,” Ledger said. “I believe we have a child to welcome into the world, though.”

“You were telling the truth?” he said to his wife as they followed Ledger and Twilight.

“I was,” the nymph said. “I have little reason to lie to you.”

“I think you have any reason to unsettles me,” he sighed. Still, if she ever withheld on him, he had ways to make her talk~

“Gah!” they rounded a corner to see Midnight tossed out on her butt by a white mare with a pink mane and tail.

“I said only authorised personnel,” Nurse Redheart snapped. “Now stay out here while we do our jobs.”

“Fiiiiine,” Midnight pouted as the door closed. She turned her head and saw the group heading towards her. “Oh, heya guys.”

“Hey Middy,” Ledger greeted her. “So how’s it going?”

“She’s already dilated and the baby’s on it’s way,” Midnight explained as she took a seat, nuzzling little Starry as she took her from Pinkie’s hooves. “It should be too long now actually.” She saw Wishful and smiled. “Oh hey! It’s Grandpa! Look Starry.”

The little filly smiled widely as she wiggled her hooves at him. The drone sighed at the sight.

“Remember when Ledger was that small?” he asked the Madame.

“Yes. He got into my library constantly.”

Midnight had brought Star over and put her in Wish’s hooves. “I think she likes you Pops.”

“Well I like her too,” the drone said as he tickled her with one hoof. The filly giggled and gummed his hoof as Midnight smiled.

“You know…” she moved up next to the Madame. “You’re still young, your house is down two kids already… and I doubt the Trio will stick around for much longer…”

“I’m perfectly happy with the amount of children I have, thank you,” she said with a shake of her head. “Maybe in the future, but not now. I’d prefer it if the Trio and Joyful weren’t around to give any future offspring any ideas.”

“Silly Silver-Mom, that’s my job~” Midnight giggled. “I’m the cool aunt that lets them do all the fun stuff.”

“Of course you are,” she sighed. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Because I’m me, and you’re used to that already,” Midnight nodded.

“Just ignore the bat,” Twilight chuckled as she took a seat. “So, who wants to take bets on what Colour this nymph or drone will be?” That got her thinking. “Actually… does anyone even know Scope’s heritage?”

“I know she’s a Blue on her mother’s side,” Ledger said. “Though I would not be surprised if it was some new color for the Hive of Snark.”

“So, Blue on her side, at least for her mother,” Twilight hummed. “And Silver and Violet for the father’s side… Or will her father’s side make an unexpected appearance?”

“No idea,” the flutterpony said. “We’d have to question one of the prisoners in Canterlot’s dungeon to find out that.”

“Is her mother still there?” Midnight asked.

“No,” Twilight shook her head. “She was transferred back to the Changeling Lands about a month ago.”

“Where she was put on the front lines of the Yellow’s penal squad,” the Madame said. “I’m afraid their survival rate is not the highest. They’re the ones ordered to pick up the wounded, if there are any, during any engagement.”

“I hope she’s alright,” Midnight said. “I mean, sure, she tried to invade Equestria and frame Chrysalis for it. But… she’s still her Mom…”

“Perhaps if her daughter entered a plea on her behalf, she might have her sentence reduced,” the silver ‘ling said. “I highly doubt it though.”

“I think Scope’s still plenty mad at her,” Cider agreed as she trotted up to them. “It’d be nice if one of her own family aside from us coulda been here.”

“That would require nothing short of a miracle,” the Madame replied.

“While rare, I do believe that miracles can happen,” Midnight nodded as Wishful hoofed Starry back over. “Don’t dismiss the idea so readily.”

“Her mother is in the Yellow Hive serving time until she either dies or makes up for what she did, which was nothing short of treason, and her father is unknown,” the Madame said with a raised eyebrow. “Pray tell, how would any of her family attend?”

“I don’t know!” Midnight snapped and sighed as Star started to cry from the sudden shout. “I just… I want her to be happy, just like everypony else…”

“Then be there for her,” Wishful said softly.

“You say that like I’m not already,” the bat replied as she nuzzled Starry.

The group fell into an awkward silence after that, but Twilight eventually started up some smalltalk. Two hours passed, taking both an eternity and a blink of the eye.

And then the door opened as several doctors stepped out, and Nurse Redheart looked around. “Where is the father?” she asked.

Ledger raised his hoof. The nurse beckoned for him to follow and once he was inside the room, she closed the door behind him. And once he was inside, he could feel the magic permeating the room.

“There was a… complication,” Redheart said slowly.

“What was it?” Ledger asked softly.

“During delivery… she, Surged. The wards kept it contained… but she let loose a lot of magic, far more than we thought she had.”

“Did this affect the delivery in a negative fashion?” the flutterpony asked.

“Until we check the child, we can’t be certain. But I’m no expert in Changeling biology, nopony here is. Miss Scope assured us she wasn’t that different to a pony…”

“In most respects, we- they, aren’t,” Ledger said before sighing. “Still getting used to that…”

“From what we can tell,” Redheart said. “The changeling foal was delivered safely, and there doesn’t seem to be any adverse effects… expect it’s colour doesn’t match up with the mother. Is that normal?”

“Sometimes,” the stallion shrugged. “It’s dependant on what the foal feeds on during its development. You can get a lot of colors in one family.”

“I see, how interesting,” Redheart mused. “I need to go and get the Thaumometer. To make sure the foal wasn’t saturated with too much magic. In any case, you can go in and see her.”

“Thank you,” Ledger said as he went to the door and carefully pushed it open. When he entered the room, Scope was laying on the bed, though she was back in her normal body now. It was an adorable sight as she nuzzled her foal.

Her Noble, Yellow foal…

“Hey there,” he whispered from the door.

Scope looked up and he could see that her normal, sapphire eyes had clouded over.

“S’that you Ledger?” she asked quietly. “Sorry… kinda can’t see a hoof past my muzzle right now. Surge kinda blinded me for a while…”

“Yes, it’s me,” the drone said. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I just gave birth,” the mare snarked in a deadpan tone. “Now, get over here and say hello to your new daughter… and your son.” She shifted as Ledger saw what she meant, as she cradled two foals. A Yellow filly and a Silver colt.

“Oh my,” the flutterpony said as he drew closer. “Well, somepony was working overtime.”

“I’d quote what you said when we were making them, but young ears are now present.” Scope groaned as she hugged them. “My everything hurts and I’m tired as hell…”

“I can only imagine the others are very proud of you,” the stallion said before giving her a kiss.

“They’d friggen better be,” Scope replied. “So… do we name these little grubs? Or just let them do it when they’re old enough?”

“Up to you,” Ledger said. “I didn’t think up any names beforehoof.”

“To be honest, I had no idea I was having a Silver and… why the heck is she Yellow?” Scope blinked. “I don’t have any Yellow in my heritage… that I know of… unless my dad’s one.”

“Could be,” the stallion said with a shrug. “Alternatively, she could just be a Yellow because of what she fed on. Who knows?”

“I was hoping you would, you always have the answers.” Scope groaned as her head hit the pillow. “Could you… take them before I drop them. I can barely move.”

“Sure thing,” Ledger said as he situated himself in one of the chairs and gently floated the little nymph and drone over to himself with his magic, holding them close to his chest. “Hi there, little ones,” he cooed to them. “I’m your dad.”

The Silver replied by staring at him curiously, as the Yellow jammed her hoof in his nose.

“Barely in this world, and you have about as much respect for me as your mother,” Ledger chuckled as he gently removed the hoof by drawing his head back. “I can tell you’ll be fun to raise.”

“First the Trio… then the Twins,” Scope giggled and rolled over. She mumbled something else, but that was soon replaced by soft snores. The stallion sighed as he held his progeny close, waiting for when the nurse would show up to test them.

It didn’t take too long, though his other mares did poke their heads in one at a time, all of them surprised that she’d had twins. Seems Scope had kept that secret well under wraps.

“Okay,” Redheart entered the room with something on her back. It looked like a set of scales, with a small dial attached to a rod. “Are they ready?”

“Well they’ve stopped poking me at least,” Ledger said with a smirk. “I don’t think they’ll be more ready than now.”

Redheart nodded as she took the filly and placed her on the scale. The device gave a soft hum as the dial lit up. Redheart stared at it, rubbed her eyes and stared again.

“That… that can’t be right,” she said and swapped out foals. She read the device once more and Ledger could swear that a lock of her mane sprung out of place. “How is this… is-is it broken?”

“To be fair,” the stallion said. “All the love energy I had been hoarding was basically shunted across our connection at the time of my transformation. And then we have the fact that Flutterponies are basically living batteries to Changelings, so…”

“But… does that explain why these newborn foals have the magical reserves of a full-grown adult unicorn?” Nurse Redheart asked, desperately hoping he had an answer.

“Oh,” Ledger said. “Well the only explanation I can come up with is that they were born with their magic reserves filled to the brim. They are Nobles, after all. They’re inherently better than most ‘lings.”

“This is just better?” Redheart needed a stiff drink after this. “I will never understand you lot.”

“Ask the Orange Hive for their studies, it might help,” the stallion said. “So basically, expect a lot of high-powered magical mischief from them?”

“At best, expect an early Surge from them, I’d say that’d be if a changeling Surged, but your wife already proved that.” Redheart rubbed her forehead. “Asking Princess Twilight would be your best best. I only have the basics they taught us at med school.”

“Not a problem, they’ll occupy a different room of the castle from little Starry,” the stallion said before gathering up both foals again and smirking at her. “Oh, did I fail to introduce myself? Level Ledger. From that whole ‘herd marriage’ thing a while back.”

“I’m aware, as is the rest of Ponyville,” the mare replied and offered her hoof. “Honestly, I’ve already seen to your brothers a half-dozen times. Morso to others as a result of their actions...”

“Yeah, the Trio are…” Ledger hummed for a moment. “Well, there’s a reason we don’t like letting them go around unsupervised. We don’t even let them sleep next to each other. They’re almost always destroying something.”

“Well, that’s hardly anything new for this town,” Redheart sighed. “Still, back to the matter at hoof. Aside from an abnormally high magical ability, your foals appear fine. I’d like to run a few more tests, but that might take a day or two for the equipment to become available. Plus your wife needs to be checked out as well. Is she still awake?”

The former drone merely turned to where Scope lay, letting her snoring do the answering for him. “Will you want us to return here for the testing, or are they not even allowed to leave yet?” he asked the nurse.

“It would be best to keep them here for observation,” Redheart replied. “I’ll get enough beds ready for you and yours, so you don’t have to leave if you want.”

“Why don’t I ask them as they come in to see the newborns?” the flutterpony asked the mare.

“You can do that,” Redheart nodded. “We just need to watch out for-”

At that, Ledger’s saddlebag shook, and the flap opened as Pinkie poked her head out.

“New babies!” she giggled.

“Pinkie,” Ledger said warningly. “You can see them when everypony else can. I want the others to be first. So you just go right back where you came from and plan a nice, calm little welcoming party for them.”

“A party!?” Pinkie hummed as she slowly sank back into his bag. And when he peered inside, the mare was gone… along with his Book.

“Oh for- PINKIE! You give that back!” he shouted. “I don’t go stealing your things!”

“But… how am I supposed to know how Changelings party?” she called out from the hallway.

“Ask later! Book now! Or else I’ll sic Middy on you!”

There was a thump, followed by a muffled yelp before Midnight poked her head in, the book in her mouth as Ledger’s noticed a tied up Pinkie Pie behind her… that ropework… should not be seen by foals.

“Thank you,” he said, making sure the twins weren’t seeing anything in the hall as he took back the book and stuck it in the bag. “C’mon in and meet them.”

Midnight nodded as Twilight studied the ropework… as was Wishful, before shooting a thoughtful glance at the Madame…

“No,” she said simply.

“But it’d be so fun~” he whined.

“For you. I like being able to move.”

The drone sighed before taking his place in line to see his newest grandchildren. Note to self. Teach the other drones how to tie a knot~

Midnight cooed as she looked at the twins. “Aww, they’re almost as cute as Starry~”

“And apparently as powerful as a unicorn as they are now,” Ledger said. “I can only imagine what they’ll be able to do when they grow up some.”

“Oh boy… and one’s a Silver, so that should be fun,” Midnight giggled and nuzzled him as the foals hugged her face and giggled. “So cute~”

“The nymph is going to be wonderful to deal with as well,” the flutterpony sighed. “Yellow is courage. You thought the Trio were bad? If they learn they have a niece with untold destructive potential…”

“We keep her away from the Everfree,” Midnight said and looked at her. “Oh, but then, I can’t wait to train you~”

“My youngest sister still has a pet Timberwolf, you know,” Ledger said. “I shudder to imagine what this one will do.”

“If it’s anything less than an Ursa, I’ll not be impressed,” Midnight nodded and booped the filly’s nose. “Well, I’ll get out of your mane. It’s time to feed Starry anyway. Anypony in particular you want in next?”

“Cider or Twi...actually, Twi. She’ll need to know about the foals and their magical potential as soon as possible.”

Midnight nodded and trotted over to the bed, giving Scope a kiss on the head.

“I’m so proud of you Scopey,” she hummed. “Take care of her Ledgy.”

“Of course,” the stallion said with a nod as he adjusted the foals slightly so that they were comfy. Midnight nodded and left the room to make way for Twilight.

“Heya,” the alicorn said and then paused. “What… happened in here. The magic is so thick, it feels like somepony Surged.”

“Scope did,” Ledger said as he nuzzled his progeny. “Resulting in these two, and a very interesting dilemma with how much magic they currently possess…”

Twilight scanned them and gasped. “My word, they have so much potential. Almost as much as I did after my entrance exam…”

“And to think, they’re newborns,” Ledger said. “The nurse says to expect a magical surge soon, though. And it’d be great if they didn’t sleep with Starry. Think you could whip up an insulated room in that castle of yours for them? So that we don’t have to worry about their surges getting out of control?”

“I can do that. It shouldn’t take me too long to add some wards and barriers,” Twilight nodded. “I’ll get on it once I get home.” She looked at the two, then to Scope. “So… do they have names?”

“Not as of yet, and mom’s a little out of it from pushing the both of them out,” Ledger said. “Plus I didn’t think up any names myself. I can already tell, though, they’re going to be trouble.”

“They’re your kids, so that’s a given,” Twilight giggled as she nuzzled Scope. “Alright, the sooner I get these wards done, the sooner you can come home. I might need Moondancer’s help as well.”

“And to think,” Ledger said as she turned to leave. “This is a Silver born by Scope with this much magical potential. I shudder to think what we’d create.”

“Note, see if there are wards against snark,” Twilight chuckled as she teleported away. Cider soon entered and one by one, everypony present was introduced to the newborns…

---

Late that night, Scope was sleeping peacefully, her two little ones in a crib next to her bed. Then, a yellow flash filled the room for just a second, as a tall Yellow drone stood next to her bed.

“By the Makers…” he whispered. “It really is you…”

“No. Sudden. Moves.” Ledger hadn’t been sleeping to begin with. Somepony had to watch the foals, and he’d brought plenty of coffee. “I see anything I don’t like, I’m holding you down and calling a Princess to deal with you.”

“Well, I see you have your mother’s fire,” the drone replied as he slowly turned around. The moon’s light filled the room and Ledger saw whom he was dealing with.

The Yellow King himself.

“And this is my wife and foals we’re talking about,” the former drone returned. “I’ve got a good handle on TK in this body now. Though I never did test to see how much pressure our chitin can take. Or what it takes to pry it off.”

“Your threats are reasonable, but unneeded,” he said as he cast a sideways glance at Scope Lens. “After all… I think I’ve hurt my daughter enough don’t you?”

“That would explain quite a lot,” the stallion mused. “You’ll be happy to know, your granddaughter takes after you. And the both of them are some of the more magically-powerful newborns I’ve ever seen.”

“Seen a lot of newborns have you?” the drone chuckled. “You needn’t worry. I’ll not stay long. But when word got to me that my… helpers, had found my daughter’s location. I just had to see for myself.”

“Well, you’ve seen,” Ledger said. “Though I rather think that her spending so much time as the Discarded One disqualifies you from being her dad.” The Yellow King flinched when Ledger said that name. Had… she truly named herself that?

“I know…” Ledger’s new sight gave him an interesting new perspective on Changelings. It turns out that even they couldn’t hide their aura from him, as a wave of regret and sadness rolled off of the king. “She was… born from a false love. Her mother… I thought, that she loved me. But then one day, she vanished. It wasn’t until several years later that I had discovered she had been with child… I have searched ever since.”

“A little late to be reconnecting,” the Flutterpony observed. “Though I suppose I could run the idea by her.”

“No,” the drone said. “It’s too late for that. She doesn’t even know me, and I couldn’t intrude on her life like that. Knowing… knowing that she’s safe and happy. That’s enough for me.”

“That she is,” Ledger agreed with a nod. “And at least you came.”

“When I heard… how could I not? On second thought, don’t answer that.” He looked at Scope, but dared not make a move while Ledger pointed his antenna at him.

“I’m glad to know it’s you, out of all the drones that could be her father,” the flutterpony said.

“Father isn’t a term I’d apply to myself,” he said with a sigh. He gave his daughter and grandfoals another look. “If… they ever need anything. Ask.”

“Between Twilight’s connection to the crown, my own savings, mom’s connections, and now you offering your help,” the stallion said with a chuckle, “I’m starting to think any foals I have with any of the mares will not want for much.”

“Well, the offer is there,” he said. He looked at the stallion and smiled. “Please, continue to make her happy.”

“It’ll be hard to tell when she is under all the snark and dealing with the foals she’ll be doing in the future, but I will try,” Ledger said. “And maybe, one day, I’ll tell her who her father is. No promises.”

“Do as you will,” he said and with a yellow flash, he teleported from the room.

It wasn’t until after he left and Ledger blinked away the spots in his eyes… that he saw Scope shaking under the blanket…

“Guessing you heard that then,” he sighed.

“Why…” she said, so quietly that Ledger had to lean closer to hear. “Why now? Why did he have to show up now…”

“Because he cared,” the stallion said. “He cared about you, but couldn’t find you. I’m guessing it took sending your mother back home to him before he was able to find out anything about you.”

“I hope they both get eaten by a Scorpio.” She hugged herself and shook. “I hate them!”

“Aww, come here,” he said, coming closer to the bed and nuzzling her. “He tried his best, he really did. But your mother was a bit of a...what’s the appropriate word?”

“A lying, manipulative, self-obsessed whore with no redeeming qualities whatsoever?” Scope filled in the blanks.

“That’s the one,” the stallion said. “Your dad is trying to have some connection to you and them, to try and make up for circumstances beyond his control. He’s not asking for all to be forgiven or forgotten, but maybe you could consider sending him pictures every now and then?”

“Why should I?” the nymph pouted. “He can just go fu-”

“And if I had thought that way when we first met?” the flutterpony asked her. “If I had thought that you weren’t worth the effort?”

“That’s…” Scope bit her lip and looked away. “That’s not fair.”

“You are my beloved Secret-Treasure,” Ledger said softly. “I know that if you look into your heart, you’ll realize he doesn’t deserve your anger for things he couldn’t control, and does deserve a chance to connect with his grandchildren. You don’t have to let him into your life, but they deserve a chance for him to be a part of theirs, if they want it.”

Scope frowned, she was still plenty pissed. She was confused as well, but it was easier to be angry right now. “Yeah well… what if Midnight ran off with Star?”

“Then I would stop at nothing to find her,” Ledger said. “Just so I could ask why she’d do that to this family. Like your father did just now, showing up here to see you.”

“Yeah, well he’s fucking late isn’t he?” Scope frowned, even as her eyes shimmered. “Why…” she said in a cracked voice. “Why was I abandoned…”

“Scope,” Ledger said with a sigh. “Your mother was a power-hungry bitch who laid with a Noble Yellow in the hopes of having a Noble child to take after her. When it was clear you weren’t, she cast you aside. Don’t be like her. Don’t cast aside your father for your comfort.”

“I AM NOTHING LIKE HER!” Scope roared, which only served to wake her babies and they started wailing. Scope just groaned and leaned over, pulling them both into a hug. “Shh, there there, Mommy didn’t mean to yell. Daddy’s just being daddy again.”

“Somebody has to be a voice of reason, and Twi’s off insulating a room of her castle,” Ledger riposted. “If you’re seriously nothing like her, you’ll at least consider reaching out to him.”

“I promise to try… one day,” she said.

“That works,” Ledger said as he sat nearby. “So did you come up with any names, or are we going the traditional Changeling route?”

“I don’t know…” Scope sighed. “I don’t have that ‘Naming Sense’ that ponies do, so all I’d be doing is pulling out random words.”

“And it’s not like we have a pony to call on either,” the stallion mused as he looked at his children.

“Don’t get smart,” she said, tapping the side of his face with a hoof. “Well fine then. We’ll let Twilight and Cider name them then.”

“Let’s hope they come up with good ones, then,” the stallion said before kissing her muzzle. The nymph hummed, sighing once he broke it.

“They should, as long as Twilight’s isn’t too dorky.” She lifted the twin up with her magic and placed them back in their cot. “I never thought I would have been in this position you know. They way my life used to be, I expected to die on some mission… And Midnight came awful close to fulfilling that when we first met.”

“And now here you are, with a family of your own, being loved and cared for,” the flutterpony said. “Plus you’ll get to help us figure out just how my being a battery for you works out.”

“You’re saying we don't drain you dry as is?” Scope chuckled dryly. “Well whatever, it wasn’t like I was starving for love. But I suppose these little ones would benefit from it.”

“Plus you still have all of my reserves,” the stallion pointed out. “I don’t think you’ll need to feed for a while yet.”

“Actually… my Surge drained most of that,” Scope replied and closed her eyes. “Tonight has been weird. I think I'll go back to sleep.”

“Sweet dreams,” the stallion said before kissing her on the forehead. “I’ll watch over the little ones while you recover from birthing them.”

“Sure… steal… the easy job,” she murmured before drifting off to sleep. The twins were just babbling away in their cots, apparently having a riveting conversation with one another. The stallion sat nearby and watched his offspring with a soft smile on his face.

---

A few months later…

It was the crack of dawn, Celestia always seemed to shine her sun in just a way that it hit Ledger in the eyes… Every. Damned. Time.

So here he was, sitting at the dining table, feeding young Starry. She stared up at him with her two-tone eyes and beamed widely.

“Just so you know,” the stallion said as he sat next to her with a spoon in his magical grip. “You give me too much trouble, I’ll have no problems cutting your dessert.”

She just blinked and tilted her head cutely. “Bah?”

“Let’s see how this goes,” Ledger said, before scooping up a bit of her dinner and presenting it to her to eat. She stared at it and then bit down on the spoon, gurgling happily. The stallion smiled and drew the spoon back from her mouth.

“There we go. That actually went really well,” he said, waiting for her to finish with her mouthful before scooping up another one.

She swallowed the mango puree and giggled before looking at Ledger. “Dada!”

“...Well, that’s new,” the stallion observed. “Yes, I’m your Dada. Can you say mommy?” he asked, another spoonful ready and waiting nearby.

“Mmmm… Batbat!”

“Close,” Ledger said as he gave her the second spoon of mango. A reward for good effort. She giggled and took it happily. She swallowed and then hiccuped.

And her mane colour changed.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” he teased as he scooped up the next bit of mango. “One more try for daddy, please. Try saying Mommy for your mommies?”

“What’s going on?” Midnight said as she shuffled out of the kitchen. Starry’s eyes lit up and she waved her hooves.

“Mama!”

Ledger would mark this day as the day his tiny bat broke the Little Bat.

“Aww, aren’t you just the most adorable hybrid?” he cooed, offering the mango to her. She burbled an agreement and took the mango, and part of his hoof. He gently drew his hoof and the spoon back so that only the mango was left, still giving her a kiss for being such a good girl.

Star burbled again, then slammed the table with her hoof. It clipped the bowl and flipped it, before the goopy mango puree landed square on Ledger’s head. Starry stared before breaking out into giggles.

“Yup, you’re a troublemaker,” the flutterpony sighed. “Middy?”

Midnight Song was stalking towards him, her tail swishing from side to side as she licked her lips.

“Ohh, you flavoured Daddy,” Midnight cooed. “Maybe I should… clean him up~?”

“Maaaaybe you should show the others what words our adorable little foal knows?” Ledger said. “I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”

“Hmm,” Midnight tilted and head and then inhaled. “CIDEY? Starry said her first words!!”

There was a clamour, followed by three blurs as Twilight, Cider and Scope surrounded the table.

“She did?” Cider asked.

“Mama!” Star giggled again.

“D’aawwwww~” the mares cooed. Ledger managed to ease his way in and held the foal close to himself, giving her a tummy rub while he held her. He was hoping she would say her other first word…

“Papa! Papa Googoo!” she babbled and rubbed her hooves in the mango.

“Yup, and it’s all your fault,” the stallion said, before passing the adorable filly off to Midnight. “Your turn, I’m going to go clean up.”

Midnight watched him walk off before she passed the filly to Twilight. “Your turn. Imma go and… help him~”

“Wait, wha?” Twilight went to respond before she got a facefull of filly. Midnight giggled and stalked off. Ledger was so much more fun now that he couldn’t sense emotions anymore~

The stallion had just managed to get in the shower and turn it on, standing under the hot spray and sighing contently… Right before he felt a tongue lick some of the mango from the side of his head.

“Yeek!” he said, startling a little. “Midnight! Don’t do that to me!”

“Aww, was the little bugpone scared?” she cooed, still standing on the ceiling as she slurped up her tongue. “You really are more fun to mess with now~”

“If I’d had my eyes open, I’d have seen you coming from a mile away,” the stallion countered.

“Well, guess you’ll think twice about closing your eyes around me,” she giggled as she dropped down next to him and started nibbling his ear. “Mmmm, tasty~”

“When have you not said that about me?” he asked.

“Hmm, when you worked all that overtime and forgot to shower. That was nasty.” The thestral shuddered at that. “Hmm, but I think you need help cleaning.”

“Oh?” the flutterpony asked. “One might think you had ulterior motives for offering, you know.”

“Ulterior motives?” Midnight replied. “No. I’m not hiding anything. I admit that I fully intend to rut you into the floor my love.”

“I see,” the stallion mused. “You had so much fun having Starry, that you intend to add to our little family already.”

“Nah, I’m on top of my potions and it’s waaay out of our season,” the thestral replied, even as her hoof caressed his flank and her fangs nipped at his neck. The stallion shuddered a little before kissing her.

“Shame,” he murred. “Still, I’m pretty sure if you did end up having another, I’d not survive whatever you’d do to me in response.”

“Probably not. I’ve just gotten my gorgeous figure back, you aren’t ruining that again anytime soon. Besides… isn’t it Twilight’s turn?”

“She’d have to make the offer,” the stallion countered. “And she’s a bit more concerned with how having a foal would affect her ability to be a Princess than she should...After all, she’s got her friends and us to fall back on.”

“True,” Midnight nodded. “Want me to water down her potions~?”

“Sabotage is hardly the way to go,” Ledger sighed.

“But it is a fun way,” Midnight retorted. “Fine, I won’t mess with Little Princess Bookhorse.” There was a ‘boom’ as the room rattled. Midnight flinched from the loud noise before they heard Scope call out.

“S’all good. Starburst blew up her mobile again.”

“What is that, the third one this week?” Ledger sighed. “We’re on a first-name basis with the baby store in town thanks to all her surges…”

There was a ‘pop’ and Flashfire, the other twin appeared on Ledger’s head, grabbing one of his ears before he fell off.

“And you are too curious about adult matters,” the stallion said before picking up the silver drone. “Sorry Middy, fun in the shower has been cut short by infant intervention.”

“Dang it,” the thestral sighed and poked the drone’s belly. “Also the third time this week, that I have been effectively ‘blocked’ by you.”

Flash just thought this was hilarious and giggled.

“I so reserve the right to give you lot ‘The Talk’ when you're old enough,” Midnight smiled unsettlingly.

“I swear Middy, if you scar them…”

“Hey, Starry is half-Silver and half-Pink,” Midnight said. “I can’t have her turn out like me. So I’ll scare her until she’s old enough… like 30 or something.”

“That’s all well and good in theory,” Ledger said. “I can just bet, though, she’ll bring a coltfriend home one day, then it’ll be my job to scare him.”

“Ohh, that’s gonna be fun… if you were still scary, my cute little fairy-prince.”

“I still run a shipping company,” Ledger pointed out. “If I wanted to, I could have any suitor I didn’t like shipped to the far corners of Equestria overnight.”

“No, because that would turn you into Toll,” Midnight said. She mulled over that name. It was one that hadn’t been mentioned in a very long time…

“True,” Ledger sighed as the last of the baby food finally washed off himself. “I still reserve the right to be intimidating, though. Nopony said I had to make good on my threats…”

“Hmm, but I get the feeling you would,” Midnight giggled as she took Flashfire in her hooves and made him zoom around in the air. “If you really wanna scare them. Just put them in the same room as Joyful and a bag of sugar and coffee.”

“Then there wouldn’t be a room. Or a house. Or a city.” Ledger gave her a kiss before he stepped out to dry himself off. Midnight gave a raspberry onto Flash’s tummy before he giggled and wound up teleporting…

Right into Twilight’s breakfast from the sound of it.

She giggled again and stepped out of the shower, shaking herself off and drenching Ledger again in the process. The former drone sighed as he started drying himself off once again…

Downstairs, Scope had finally wrangled her children and Twilight set up a new layer of glyphs to contain any sudden surges. Ledger re-appeared, along with Midnight a few minutes later, the latter in full armour.

“Take care out there,” the stallion said, kissing her cheek.

“Pfft, it’s Ponyville,” Midnight scoffed as she headed for the portal. “What’s the worst that could happen?” And with that statement, she was gone.

“Five, four, three…” Ledger counted down.

Midnight poked her head back through the portal. “Ledgie… What do I do when your little sister, Pinkie and Discord team up for a pranking spree?”

“Pray,” he said seriously.

“Okay,” she replied. “Oh… and for some reason, they thought it would be funny to do this to me.” She stepped through… and Ledger got to see Filly Midnight for the very first time…

“...Middy, I am having a hard time not cuddling you,” he said with only a slight squee to his voice.

“I feel as though I should run,” the filly said to herself before disappearing through the portal again. She’d take her chances with Discord.

“Well, I don’t know about you,” the stallion said to the room at large. “But Discord engaging in a prank war on Ponyville sounds like a Princess of Friendship problem to me.”

“Nope,” Twilight shook her head. “Unless it’s malicious, it sounds more like a day off to me.”

“Argh! Now I smell like sugar!” they heard Midnight yell from the other side. “Get back here!!”

“And that just screams ‘bait,’” Ledger said. “Either Discord or the both of them are trying to get me over there. Nope.” He firmly turned away from the portal. Only to realise he was staring at it from the other side…

And Joyful was holding a hooffull of water balloons…

“...Those better be filled with water,” he threatened. “Otherwise I’ll treat you like my children and punish you for this.”

Joy merely pointed at Twilight’s potion cabinet… a now empty potion cabinet. Then motioned for him to start running. Instead, the stallion smirked as his antenna glowed, a bubble shield covering his form.

“Brother.” Joyful started as she held one up. “Remember what I am? Do you really think that’s gonna stop me?”

“I studied the spells mom sent me about how to ‘reinforce reality’ once she saw my child was half-pink,” Leder smirked. “She said they worked well on you when you were her age.”

Joyful walked over to him and placed a hoof on his shield. “Mm, not bad. But…”

His antenna glowed as the shield pulsed, another wave of that chaos-repellant magic infusing it a little more.

Then she dragged her hoof down the shield and it made a sound like a zipper as she opened a hole in it.

“Well buck,” the stallion said before he vanished. So long as he was here, he would make it a mission to find and rescue Midnight. Maybe he could get her back through the portal and they could wait out the madness on the other side.

A balloon whizzed past his head and struck Rainbow Dash as she flew past.

The result.

Rainbow turned to Ledger and smiled, her normally messy mane now curled and primped. “Well, hello Darling~” she gasped. “It’s ever so good to see you here.”

“Nnnnope!” the drone said as he vanished again. He really needed a moment to look around, then he’d be able to find Middy easily.

He didn’t have to look far, a tiny batpony filly zipping around cotton candy clouds flew past, sparing him a look before stopping.

“Middy, c’mere,” he said. “Then we can get outta this madness and close it off until the pranking stops.”

“Ohoho No!” she grinned manically. “I am going to prank them good! You see… I have a plan!”

“That’s all well and good,” the stallion said. “How do you plan to outdo the master of chaos at pranking?”

“Call the parents,” Midnight smirked as Spike finally caught up with her. She wrote two quick notes and Spike breathed on them. One to the Madame… and one to Fluttershy.

Discord and Amy appeared, just as a voice rang out over the chaos.

“Discord! What have I told you about town-wide pranking sprees!?” A butter-yellow pegasus hovered above them, her forelegs folded as she gave the chaos god a disapproving stare.

“Uh… wear a helmet?” he asked, donning a yellow hardhat.

And then there was the sound every foal fears.

The sound of a mother expressing their disappointment in their offspring.

The dreaded three names.

“Boundless Joyful Heart!” the Madame all but screamed to all of Ponyville. “When I get my hooves on you!”

“Uhoh,” Joyful said as she appeared on Amy’s back. “She’s using my first name. This isn’t good.”

“Don’t look at me kiddo-”

“AMETHYST CREAM!!” Chrysalis’s voice rang out.

“I spoke too soon,” the Pink replied. “Middy. How could you do this to us? I thought we were friends?”

“I’m sorry, only grown up Midnight is friends…” Then it dawned on her. Filly Midnight was within hugging distance of Amy…

The Pink was beaten to it, though, as Ledger winked over and scooped the adorable thestral up. “Mine,” he said, nuzzling her. “You’re so adorable like this!”

“I know I am,” Midnight nodded. “But I can’t do my job like this. Turn me back!!”

“I can’t,” Discord shrugged. “That was one of Sparklebutts potions. Who knows how long it will last, if it will even wear off at all…”

“......” Midnight suddenly had a deep sinking feeling she’d have to live through a second foalhood.

“Twilight’s not the sort to make permanent potions like that,” Ledger said. “At least, not without an antidote. So we either wait for it to wear off, or…”

“We can ask her,” Midnight nodded.

And that was when the Madame and Chrysalis showed up.

“Uhoh,” Amy and Joy echoed. Joy didn’t get very far before the Madame pointed her horn at her wayward daughter and lifted her up, encasing her in a bubble shield that wouldn’t let her get away, no matter how hard she tried.

A second bubbled soon joined her, with the other Pink trapped inside.

“Just for this,” Chrysalis said as she eyed her wife. “No dessert for three days!”

“I was thinking a week, myself. Maybe even a month,” the silver nymph mused. Chrysalis chuckled and licked her lips, some of her old persona bleeding through.

“Ohh, you are deliciously devious. I like the way you think.”

“Maybe two,” the Madame said. “I still don’t want to know how you made more trouble than the Trio do when we fail to watch them for an afternoon. Do I have to put a ward on the door to stop you from going through it?”

“Mom,” Joyful sniffed, giving her the maximum cute look. “I’m sowwy.”

It would have worked on any other day.

“No, I rather think you will be punished,” the Madame said before looking at Discord. “And you. You should have known better than to encourage her.”

“But she’s fun,” Discord pouted. “And she’s taken oh so well to the Chaos magic that I have taught her…” He suddenly zipped his lip as Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.

“That explains so much,” the Madame said. “No, I rather think the chaos lessons will stop, until I inform the Princesses of what you’ve been doing, and they can decide if you two may continue this madness. Hopefully they won’t, but if they do decide to let you continue, it should only be under proper supervision.”

“Chaos cannot flourish in a ‘controlled’ environment,” Discord said. “Fine then, I’ll stop teaching her something she’s talented at… until she’s older anyway~”

“Please Mister Discord, don’t stop!” Joyful begged from inside her prison. “I like having fun with you!”

“As am I, but as long as your mother disapproves as well as the ever lovely, even when she’s mad, Fluttershy.”

Discord now wore a white shirt with a ruffled collar, and Joyful was somehow wearing a flowing white dress as cherry blossom petals scattered in the wind.

“Our friendship simply cannot be., so…” Discord puta cigar in his mouth as the scenery turned black and white. “Here’s lookin’ at you kid.”

“Like I said,” the Madame said. “I’m telling the Princesses about this. They can decide if they want your little lessons to continue.” There was a pause, and then there was...a spark of mischief in her eyes. “However, do keep in mind that whatever they decide, only extends to their borders, and you do have a handy doorway in town to outside of them…I would hardly deny my daughter the pleasure of learning something new that she enjoys, as long as she promises to use it responsibly.”

The grins on Discord’s and Joyful’s faces could not be any wider…

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy sighed as she tugged on Discord’s tail. “Let’s go Mister. You’re still in plenty of trouble.”

“Aw nuts,” Discord frowned as Fluttershy pulled his floating body along like a balloon. “Bye…”

Joyful waved as the Madame took her back to the house she’d purchased, and the doorway therein, leaving only Chryssy and Amy in the palace…

“One week. No dessert,” Chrysalis nodded. “And that includes the feathery and furry kind as well little lady.”

“But but but,” Amy said. “That means you get him all to yourself for a week, and I don’t get to have any fun!”

“Hmm, is that so?” the mare hummed as she carried her off. “Well, maybe if you're good, I’ll let you watch.”

The wail that came from the pink ‘ling was quite despondent, and now it was only Ledger cuddling the adorable filly Middy.

“Well… that was… a thing… that happened,” Midnight blinked. She remained silent for a moment. “You aren’t going to stop hugging me are you?”

“You’re so adorable,” he said. “Why would I want to?”

Midnight sighed. “Well, as long as nopony else sees me like this…”

Ledger merely nuzzled her again before speaking up. “You realize that’s an unlikely scenario, right? We’ll have to tell Twilight about this at least.”

“At least Twilight will be responsible,” Midnight sighed. “Could you imagine if Scope or Sugar got their hooves on me…” Her aura shifted, and Ledger had already learned this colour. It was one that hinted at mischief.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said. “We’re gonna cuddle a little more, then I’m gonna go tell Twilight that her stock of potions was messed with and you got hit with one, before letting her see the problem. You can hardly help raise our filly when you’re one yourself.”

Midnight stared up at him with her massive eyes. “B-But Daddy… I wanna play with my friends.”

“Nice try,” he said, beeping her nose. “I don’t think we need Starry getting confused, do you?”

“Aww…” Midnight sniffled and pouted. “I-I’m not.. cute?”

“You are, but you’re dealing with the eldest of six children here,” he chuckled. “I was exposed to ‘cute’ faces a lot. They hardly work on me anymore.” He still held her close, though. “Just another few moments of this, then I’m getting Twi.”

“Just a few moments?” Midnight giggled.

“What can I say, you’re adorable like this,” he replied.

“Well duh,” Midnight replied and kissed his cheek. “Though, this does mean you’re married to a foal~”

“Only until the potion wears off,” the flutterpony said. “Or Twi reverses it.” He gently put Middy down and got up, stretching a little as he did. “Speaking of, I’m gonna go look for her now, let her know it’s all clear to come through and undo what’s been done.”

“If you say so,” Midnight replied and the second Ledger turned, Midnight was gone. The stallion walked through the portal to Las Pegasus and looked for Twilight, so that he could sound the all clear and tell her about the situation. Once he found her, it didn’t take long for her to restore order in the town… and yet…

“So, where did you say Midnight was?” the alicorn asked.

“I left her in the palace,” Ledger said. “Trust her to not stick around when she needs you to undo the effects of one of your potions.”

“Well, if it’s the potion I’m thinking of, it should wear off any minute now…” Twilight replied.

---

In Las Pegasus.

Midnight had slipped through the portal and decided to have some fun.

Her first stop?

The Love Shack.

It was easy enough to slip inside if you knew how. And now the little filly wandered about the club…

It wasn’t long, though, before one of the ladies of the club spotted her and walked up. “What are you doing in here, little filly?” she asked. “Let’s get you home before you see something you shouldn’t…”

“Where’s Mommy Moondancer?” she asked cutely.

“Oh, she’s just through here,” the nymph said, leading her to the back rooms of the club. “You take care back here, okay? Don’t go wandering without an adult anymore.”

“Kay!” she cheered and walked into the room. She saw Moondancer talking with Sugar and grinned. She flexed her wings and then pounced, landing on Moondancer’s back.

“Mommy~ I found you~” she giggled and nuzzled her mane.

“Moony, you appear to have acquired a small, Midnight-shaped parasite,” Sugar observed.

“W-What?” Moondancer looked around to see the little thestral filly. “I, um… I think you have the wrong pony?” the mare stammered and blushed.

“Nu-uh,” she giggled. “You’re so silly Mommy Moonie. I dunno where Mommy Middy is, so I found you~”

“W-Whhaaaaat?” Moondancer only blushed harder as she flailed around.

“And I thought you were supposed to be intelligent, dear,” Sugar said as she observed.

“B-But! I never had a filly with Midnight!” Moondancer wailed, tears in her eyes. “You gotta believe meeeee~”

“I do,” Sugar said as she sipped her drink. “I also noticed how the filly has Midnight’s general color scheme. And cutie mark.”

Midnight looked at her flank to see her cutie mark sitting there. “Ahh, I knew I forgot something,” she muttered. “Heehehe, you’re still so easy Moonie~”

“I am going to murder you!” Moondancer growled.

“No murdering the filly under my roof,” Sugar said. “Or at all, really.”

“Yay~ Immunity!” Midnight giggled and moved so Moondancer could see her. “Sooo, am I cute or what?”

“I think I have to ask… why?” Moondancer replied.

“Potion of Twilight’s got thrown in my face by Amy. This happened.”

“I do hope it’s not a permanent thing,” Sugar said. “I would hate to have to raise a filly while being one.”

“I dunno, I trust that Twily can do it,” Midnight shrugged.

“Oh look Sugar,” Moondancer suddenly smirked widely. “A little filly has wandered in here. It’s a real shame nopony is hugging her right now.”

“Uhoh,” Midnight gulped.

“You’re quite right,” Sugar said with a grin. “And such an adorable filly as well…” The door suddenly swung shut and locked.

“Double uhoh,” Midnight said, already looking for a way out.

“Why don’t you be a good little filly and come here~” Sugar purred.

“Nopenopenopenope!” Midnight bailed for the door, deciding to just go through it, only to be snared by Moondancer’s magic.

“Cheater!” Midnight wailed adorably.

“Aww,” Sugar pouted. “I wanted to snuggle her too~”

And that was when the unicorn floated the bat over to the nymph. “There ya go honey. She’s aaaaall yours.”

“All. My. Hate!” Midnight yelled. Sugar cooed and nuzzled her, holding the adorable thestral close.

“You came to us,” she pointed out. “You must have expected something like this would happen.”

“I thought I’d have enough time to get away!” Midnight struggled.

“Silly filly~” the nymph cooed. “There is no escape from us~”

Midnight turned her head and her tongue shot out, licking Moondancer’s glowing horn. She dropped the filly with a half-squeak, half-moan and the bat raced for the door once more.

Only to remember that it had been locked, and now Sugar was the one pulling her closer with magic…

“Nnnoooooo!” Midnight pawed at the rug as she was dragged across it.

“Yes,” Sugar cackled. “Resistance is futile! Come and be snuggled!”

“Nevaahh!!!!” Midnight shouted.

The nymph merely cackled again as the foal neared her outstretched forelegs…

“Moonie! Save meeee~”

“Nope, you brought this on yourself,” Moondancer replied.

“Now you are mine,” Sugar intoned as she started to cuddle the foal. Midnight pouted and crossed her legs as she was snuggled.

And Sugar discovered something interesting.

Thestral foals had really soft fur.

“Aww,” she said. “You’re so cuddleable~”

“Great… now I’m gonna have to find a way to turn into a Thestral stallion,” Moondancer said with a dry chuckle. “Just to give my queen her bat baby.”

“Only if you want to,” Sugar said. “I’m quite happy with the one I have at the moment.”

“As am I,” Midnight replied. “I’m still surprised you did that. After your own—” Her hooves shot to her mouth, as Moondancer used her magic to insert said hoof there.

“I would ask, but I know better than to pry if you’re not willing to share,” the nymph said.

Moondancer sighed. “N-No… It’s okay I guess. It’s just…” She floated Midnight over to hug her. “My… my own father… used to abuse my Mom and me when I was a foal…”

“I see,” Sugar said. “Well I promise that I will never do that to you or our foal, Moonie.”

“I know you wouldn’t… but… you’ve seen my temper…”

“I trust you,” the nymph said. “I know you can control yourself and help our child not be quite so angry.”

“I hope so,” Moondancer sighed. Midnight patted her leg and smiled.

“You’ll be a great Daddy-Mommy. I know it Moonie.”

“I agree,” Sugar said before smiling at her wife. “You’ll be an excellent partner to raise your foal with. So loving, and wise, and kind.”

“Yeah yeah,” Moondancer blushed as Midnight slipped out of her grasp.

“Well ladies, it’s been fun. Buuut I really should be going…”

“But Middy,” Sugar purred. “I haven’t snuggled you enough yet~”

“Ack!” Midnight turned and bolted for the door once more. The still locked door. “Celestia fuck me sunfire,” she swore. Sugar pulled her back into her embrace, and the filly pouted.

Then…

Sugar found herself cuddling a full-grown thestral.

“Aw darn,” she sighed, before letting the mare go and unlocking the door. “And you were so cuddly and adorable as a filly~”

“Wait, I’m just as cuddly as a mare!” Midnight huffed and pouted. “Tell her Moonie!”

“The bat does have a point, she is quite huggable,” Moondancer noted.

“I thought she was trying to leave,” Sugar observed.

“Bye!” Midnight said and bolted through the door as Moondancer sighed.

“Just ruin all my fun why don’t you?” she pouted.

“We’ve no right to hold her against her wishes, love,” Sugar said. “Though I will agree with you, she was quite cuddly.”

Moondancer crossed the room and pounced on her wife, pinning her to the bed. “Mmm, so are you~”

“Somepony’s feeling frisky~” Sugar teased. Moondancer smirked and her horn lit up.

“You know what, I’m feeling generous and so I’ve decided to teach you a few things~”

“Consider class in session, then,” Sugar purred. “And I always had my eyes on this teacher~”

“Then pay attention now,” she smirked as she floated a potion over. It was a clear, crystal blue as she added something to the bottle. It changed to a rich gold as she popped the cork again and pressed it to her lips.

“This is gonna hurt,” she muttered and downed the liquid. Sugar just watched to see what this liquid would do to her lovely wife.

Moondancer wiped her lips and then her eyes shot open. She held her stomach as she made a few retching sounds as she rolled off of the bed and out of sight as Sugar heard several skin-crawling popping sounds.

Sugar, to her credit, didn’t look. It was a near thing, though. She knew that there were some things she would be better off not seeing, and this sounded like one of them.

After a moment, a hoof appeared on the bed as she heard Moondancer pant.

“Well that was seven shades of unpleasant,” she said as she pulled herself up. While her colouring was… similar, this wasn’t a unicorn.

Fluffy ears, ruby-coloured slitted eyes and leathery bat wings adorned the new Moondancer.

“Oooh, don’t you look fluffy now~” Sugar said. “Come, let us snuggle together while you shake off the unpleasantness from your shapeshifting potion.”

She looked down, checking herself. “Huh? It worked?” She smiled and jumped to her hooves, giggling. And that was when Sugar sensed familiar magic coming from her.

Changeling magic.

“Somepony is quite ingenious, to mimic changeling magic with a potion,” Sugar praised her wife. “We can celebrate in a bit, for now, I demand cuddles!”

Comments

[Hiirome]

Long chapter is long. But that's how i love them.
So... well, we have in this crazy family :
- An Alicorn
- A batpony
- A Blue Bugpone
- A Silver Flutterpone
- An Earth Pony
- A mini Yellow Noble Bugpone
- A mini Silver Noble Bugpone
- A mini COMBO BICOLOR BATBUGPONE !

...Yeah, i had to do this. XD
...And dammit, Midnight, you tempted fate, and you caused the pinkpocalypse ! XD

And also, is Scope's Foals are so powerfull, How it will be with Twilight's foal ! XD

[Kenshinryuu]

Yay, more foals!!!! Pinkie is going to enjoy this time of year from now on with four foals she's close to having their birthdays all at once.

[Evilhumour]

So sweet!

[PizzaBoi]

“My son… is a fairy?”

Funny second-hand story irl involving this quote and my best friend/brother:
Apparently, when he was younger, his sister gave him a Barbie doll as a Christmas gift, and when he opened it and looked happy, his dad said "Good god, my son's a fairy..." Cue my friend immediately smiling and saying "Boobies!", and his dad simply smirked and said "That's my boy."

[footto]

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

its ponyvile. discord is a regular. ursa minors, the unholy swarms of building eating parasprites, poison joke. PINKIE.
so ya. whats the worst that can happen? a pink-and-discord rampage?

Midnight poked her head back through the portal. “Ledgie… What do I do when your little sister, Pinkie and Discord team up for a pranking spree?”

i quit..

"and here comes the Chaos Copter. and there it goes... ok you know its bad when the Chaos Copter goes to tartarus on its own."

[Knowing Warrior]

I wonder if this story will ever end...Or will it be done in a sense of 1 story = 1 generation's lives?

[footto]

7337182 well to be fair, she did get pumped full of magic that a noble had while with foal. but still... twi's the element of magic, and a alicorn.

[Razzy]

Hah, Ledger now looks faaaaaaaaaaaaaabulous!

Oh god, these two supercharged changelings will be hell to raise.

I kinda hope that Scopey reunites with her father, it really wasn't his fault.

Huh, so Chryssie might have a chance at actually having her own hive equivalent. Nice.

[Booster Spice]

Fun time in the hospital and day care centre.

Thinking about Ciders still, instead of going for boiling and 40%, why not go for freezing and getting 95%? Im sure some mechanical genius would love to work on a steam powered freezer unit. Of course, the mass production of liquid air would be a waste product.

[Jacktank10]

Can we get an alicorn changeling hybrid or new color for Twilights kid that would be fun.

[Skye Mist]

I have no words but... RIP Equestria and beyond. We shall miss you.

[Morphy]

Interesting! Changeling in a bottle. That's a fun potion I could see happening.

[Born-From-Black-Lightnin]

7337307 Well it might look like that I don't know. Supposedly the authors of this story have already pre written this whole story. That's why this story and it's sister side story are updated like once a day in alternating days of course. But then again who says they can't add more to it.
-----------------------------
Over all I really enjoyed this whole chapter. Although I guess it will take me time to get used to the Flutter-pony Ledger. I kinda wanted him to stay a changeling. I'd at least like to know if the process is reversible. But he seems to be okay with it and it seems his wives are okay with it as well so while my personal opinion wants he to be a changeling again. If his wives are okay with it I am, I just need to get used to it.
Edit: Also can anyone remind me what Scope's yellow child is named? I know the silver one is Flashfire. I just can't seemned find her name being mentioned.
-BFBL

[Iracondus]

Not quite sure how I feel about Flutter Ledger.... Everything else is awesomesauce to the max

[Mythic Night]

I kinda hope we get to see them all visit the human world as a family, see the reactions of the humane 6 to Twilight being part of this crazy herd, AND see what flutterpony Ledger looks like as a human.

[harts fire]

[Curtis LeMay]

7337645

Not quite sure how I feel about Flutter Ledger...

I know how I feel about Flutter Ledger and it isn't good.

[The7thElement]

Flutter Ledger. Mixed feelings about this. Very mixed feelings.

But anyway two chapters in two days. Brilliant work my friend. Brilliant work.

[Amethyst Blade]

7337624 Starburst

[Born-From-Black-Lightnin]

7338075 thanks I just could not seem to refind it. I durpped hard on that one.

[tsaukpaetra]

We know the chapters were pre-written, but it they weren't, we would have suggested Forward challenge and future thinker.
Keep going! ;)

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Not a fan of Flutter Ledger.

[erictheblue]

There was a thump, followed by a muffled yelp before Midnight poked her head in, the book in her mouth as Ledger’s noticed a tied up Pinkie Pie behind her… that ropework… should not be seen by foals.

oh, that made me think of this picture:
http://vavacung.deviantart.com/art/Guest-Picture-Rope-Binding-648657638

[erictheblue]

“Hmm, but I get the feeling you would,” Midnight giggled as she took Flashfire in her hooves and made him zoom around in the air. “If you really wanna scare them. Just put them in the same room as Joyful and a bag of sugar and coffee.”

that made me think of this silly story:
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/356092/the-horrifically-horrible-kidnapping-of-princess-flurry-heart

[Black--Soul]

“Well, ah’m not sure what a snarking Cutie Mark would look like,” Cider giggled.

That made me laugh out loud... Holy shit...
That echo in my bathroom probably was hear in the hole house 👍...

Dawww... Best Bug got unbugged... That bugs me...

[Black--Soul]

Filly Midnight is to die for

That former Silver got the most exiting and ever changing live ever ♡

[Black--Soul]

“Ooh, can I come?” the nymph asked. “I don’t have a Flutterpony section in my book yet~”

👍

“At best, expect an early Surge from them, I’d say that’d be if a changeling Surged, but your wife already proved that.” Redheart rubbed her forehead. “Asking Princess Twilight would be your best best. I only have the basics they taught us at med school.”

bet

Magnificent story, always worth a re-reading 👍