Fool's Gold

by Cardinal Dan Productions

Vol 3: Part 12: Breaking Free

***Volume 3***

The table was quiet except for the sounds of muffled chewing and satisfaction. Freshly showered and dressed in their fatigues, the guards settled down in a restaurant in Canterlot, the Solar Royale. Amethyst and Onyx shared a salad, Amber enjoyed a seasoned pasta plate, and Gem watched while sipping from a glass of water.

The gala wouldn't take place until sundown of the following evening, so the Royal Guards of the Crystal Empire were given the night off and let loose into Canterlot to rest, relax, and enjoy themselves. It was their night, Shining had told them. A few other guards were scattered across tables in the restaurant, but most had disappeared into the city and likely wouldn't been seen again until the morning after.

As she set her glass down, after taking a sip, Gem noticed a guard several tables away looking at her. She would catch him looking, and he would quickly look away, turning his attention back to whatever was on his plate in front of him.

“Gem?”

The call of her name startled her. She turned and realized it was Amethyst who was trying to get her attention. The captain had a concerned look on her face. “You look troubled, Gem. Is something wrong? Are you still hungry? We can order more food, if that's what you-”

Gem quickly shook her head, cutting her off. “No… That's alright, Amethyst. I'm fine, really.”

She held a hoof across her stomach. After having consumed so much earlier, nearly making herself sick, Gem didn't have the stomach for another ‘big’ meal. Canterlot had treated her well enough. Everypony had, actually, unlike her first visit to the capital of Equestria.

Gem was deep in thought as memories of the changeling attack resurfaced. She was there, rounding up and subduing the Royal Guards, leaving the innocent ponies defenseless against the onslaught before coming face to face with a wingless Twilight Sparkle and her friends. The battle was a confusing cluster of changelings and ponies. As the changeling army disguised themselves as the mane six to distract them, they ended up screwing themselves over.

Gem figured there was no mystery to their defeat. The leadership of Queen Chrysalis was flawed from the start.

“I'm just surprised at how different this city is to our own empire.” Gem wanted the topic to be away from her. “I mean, it's still grand, in every aspect of the word, but it's a lot less… shiny.”

Amethyst cracked a smile, and a gentle laugh escaped her lips. She looked like she was about to say something in response, but her gaze shifted towards something behind Gem.

“Excuse me…”

The low, gruff voice came from behind her. Assuming it was the waiter, Gem politely shook her head without turning around. “I'm good on water, thank you. I don't need a refill.”

Amethyst pursed her lips and shook her head. “Gem, honey, that's not the…”

Gem turned at last and looked over her shoulder, and her eyes widened. It was the stallion from earlier, the one sitting across from them. He was in his fatigues as well, and by the medals across his uniform, she could see that he was a corporal, just above the rank of a private first class. His hooves shifted nervously as he tried to bring himself to speak, and his eyes darted back and forth between Gem and the table she was sitting at.

Gem was growing impatient of the long silence. “Yes?”

Finally, the corporal swallowed and solidified himself in place, clearing his throat. “I… Uh… Well, the gala is to t-t-tomorrow…”

The entire table was silent, staring up at him.

Amethyst and Onyx were dead silent and Amber held her breath. They knew exactly what was happening, but Gem, being new to the social norms of the pony world, was completely clueless. “Yes, I know.”

The young stallion’s cheeks flushed bright red as he tried to keep his eyes trained on Gem. “Well, I was… I was wondering if… It's a big event, you know, a big party, and I was just wondering… if you'd like to go with…” He swallowed, hard. “… with me.”

The other mares at the table, Amethyst and Amber, were doing everything they could not to jump up and scream with joy. Onyx had to hold his wife-to-be back in her seat to stop her.

Gem, on the other hoof, was still lost in the dark and unaware that she was being asked out by the stallion in front of her. She frowned. “I assumed we were all going together, as guards. What difference does it make if I go with you?”

That last part visibly deflated the corporal. His ears dropped, and his gaze fell. He looked like he was about to turn around and return to his table.

Amethyst couldn't take it any longer. She couldn't sit still and let him get away.

“Gem!” Her voice hissed like any angry snake’s, carrying across the table. “Gem! He's asking you out on a date!”

Gem heard her, and her eyes widened. She looked up at the young stallion, and her cheeks began to turn red. “You… You want to take me on a… a date?”

He blushed and nodded his head, managing a weak smile. “Absolutely, Miss Gem. If you want, I mean…”

The mare was speechless. She couldn't bring herself to respond due to the shock that had overcome her.

Across the table, Amethyst was still trying to whisper directions to her. “Say ‘yes’! Just look at him and say ‘yes’!”

Gem slowly brought her gaze to meet his. She could see a silent plea in his eyes, hoping she would accept. The mare felt her lips beginning to move, forming the words to respond, but everything around her seemed muffled. She couldn't even hear herself think. “Yes… I would like to go… out with you…”

The look of pure joy on the young stallion’s face made her heart swell in her chest. Amber let out a soft ‘squee’, and Amethyst nearly fell back in her chair. For the first time in her life, Gem had a date, and it was the most bizarre thing she had ever felt. This didn't feel like the love she felt for Pyrite and her friends. It felt so… childish and carefree, and she liked it. A smile forced its way along her lips as Onyx welcomed the corporal to the table, help him pull up a chair next to Gem’s.

He smiled at her, extending his hoof. “I'm Nickel, by the way.”

Gem was still feeling the buzz after the surge of love felt. She let him take her hoof into his. “I… I'm Gem…”

Amethyst was still trying to instruct her, mouthing words and making motions with her hooves, but Onyx held her back, wanting to let things play out naturally. Gem found herself giddy with excitement and filly of pure, unfiltered joy.

The moon climbed high into the dark sky as the night grew longer. By that time the following evening, Gem would be on her very first date, and she couldn't wait to get started.

***

The day was still early.

Inside the Crystal Empire’s deepest depths, the deafening silence that covered the lowest dungeons like a shroud was suddenly broken by the loud opening and closing of door leading into the detention block. A guard walked through the door, carefully balancing a tray on his back. The contents on the tray were sealed in small, plastic containers, each with a white label on the side to limit confusion and mistakes. He looked nervously to his left and right, at the dark, stone walls as he walked down the dim corridor until he reached a checkpoint.

Another guard was was waiting for him, sitting at a desk by the wall. “Ah… Good morning, private. You must be new here. Welcome to the only pit deeper than Tartarus.” The private with the tray gulped nervously as the guard at the desk eyed the tray on his back. “So… What's on the menu for today?”

The guard carrying the tray looked over his shoulder. “Uh… For the prisoner, I've got rice, greens, soup, and a brownie, just some leftovers from yesterday’s lunch in the commissary.”

The lieutenant at the desk frowned as he eyed the tray. “She gets chocolate? No way… They don't even let me have chocolate down here. Let me see that.” His horn lit up, and a cloud of magic enveloped the tray, removing it from the young guard’s back. “By Luna’s moon… I can't believe this…”

The private shrugged as he looked back towards the door. He was looking more and more uneasy, like he wanted to bolt at any moment and run for that door. The dungeon was not a place he had ever envision visiting when he signed up to be a guard. “I don't know what to tell you, sir. I'm just bringing her what I was ordered to bring her. Even prisoners have to eat, right?”

The guard picked up the small container holding the brownie. “Psychotic criminals like the golden domina over there don't deserve things this nice.” He pushed the tray back towards the guard before him, keeping the brownie. “Have you heard the stories, private? Have you heard anything about what she did?”

The guard shook his head. “N-N-No, sir…”

The lieutenant let out a sigh and waved his hoof dismissively. “Ah… That's a story for another day. The mare in gold over there is a seductive lass. Move along, private. Give the domina her meal and get out. I'll just hold onto this and leave you with a word of advice… Don't let her say anything to you. Got it?”

The private frowned, but he nodded his head and balanced the tray on his back once more. Clearing the checkpoint, he walked further and further down the dark corridor, passing numerous empty cells. The air seemed to get colder the further he went to the point where he was nearly shivering.

At last, towards the end of the corridor, he arrived at his destination. He stopped in front of Sadri’s cell and tapped the glass with his hoof.

There was no response.

He tapped the glass again, harder and louder. “Um… h-h-hello?”

The mare revealed herself, shifting on her cot as she looked up at the guard. A smile came over her as she stretched her legs high into the air before sliding off of the cot. “Mmm… Hello, indeed…” She approached the glass, and her smile faded as she got a closer look at the trembling private. “I don't believe I've seen you before… and I've met every guard down here. Are you new?”

He nodded his head, beads of sweat trickling down his cheek. “Ye-Yes… Well, sort of… I'm a transfer from…”

He lost his train of thought, and his words quickly followed the train. Sadri’s eyes sparkled like a glittering lake, dazzling the young guard. He even found her to be kind of cute.

“… a transfer… from…”

She forced a sweet smile as she inched closer towards the glass. “Yes?”

A drop of water fell from the ceiling, splashing the guard’s face. He blinked and shook his head and was suddenly aware of the cold, damp air around him. “I… Whoa… I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me. Um… Here’s your eight o'clock chow.”

Sadri frowned, but she accepted the tray as the guard slid it through the appropriate slot in the glass. “Thank you, I suppose…”

Taking the tray in her teeth, she set it down on the floor and sat next to it.

The guard turned to leave, but he stopped. Looking back towards the glass, he pointed towards the tray. “There was a brownie too, but…”

He looked back towards the desk, far up the corridor. Sadri waved her hoof away as she eyed her meal. “It happens all the time around here… Besides, it's not like I deserve anything sweet… I'm only a psychotic criminal, after all.”

The guard winced. “You heard that?”

She smiled sadly as she fumbled with the container of assorted greens. Without her magic, Sadri had to resort to using her hooves, which was far from easy. “I hear everything that goes on down here. The lieutenant takes what he wants every day, and I get the rest…” She gestured to the tray. “Stale… dry… leftovers…”

The guard wanted to leave. The cold was driving him crazy, but the longer he stood there, the harder it felt to move his hooves. “I'm… I'm sorry they treat you this way…”

Sadri’s ears perked up, and she glanced towards the private. “You're sorry? Now, that is an interesting thing to say…” She stood back up and approached the glass, keeping her eyes trained in the guard’s. “Do you have a fillyfriend or wife, Private… um…”

“Diorite…” The guard lifted his helmet and quickly brushed his mane out of his eyes. “I'm… I'm Private Diorite… and no, I don't have a fillyfriend…”

Sadri chuckled softly as she leaned against the glass. “Really? I find that so hard to believe… You aren't lying to me, are you, Diorite?”

The guard shook his head. He was sweating nervously. He didn't know why, but he felt compelled to appease her. “N-N-No, of course not… I would never lie to you.” She had been treated so poorly, and he felt as though he needed to make it up to her.

Sadri beamed at him as she ran a hoof through her silver mane. “That's shocking… It’s not every day that I meet a stallion that has it all… Royal Guard, kind, and excitingly handsome… I find it quite amazing that you're single, Diorite.”

Even though her magic was being suppressed by the cell, the domina’s words poured from her mouth like honey, sweet and enticing. Diorite melted in her hooves, and he found himself being pulled towards her. “You're a nice-looking stallion… I'd bet you'd like to go on a date with me, wouldn't you?”

He never stood a chance against the domina.

“Open the door, Diorite… Then, we can be together…”

Diorite quickly nodded his head, and he reached for the keys. The sound of the opening door alerted the lieutenant at the end of the corridor.

“Private, what's going on down there?”

It was too late.

Sadri smiled at him, so sweetly and so kindly, as she took her first steps out of the cell. Then, she wrapped a hoof around Diorite’s head and pulled him into a sloppy kiss.

“Private!”

The kiss was broken by the firing of a magical bolt. It missed, hitting the wall next to them. Sadri turned on the charging lieutenant and raised her horn. Outside of her cell, her horn ignited, and she lifted the guard into the air. “Well… Hello, my dear warden…” Sadri bared her teeth as she brought him closer to her face. “I've dreamed of this moment for a long time…”

The lieutenant was trembling. “P-P-Please don't hu-hurt me! I have a family! I have two foals, one beautiful little filly, and a-”

“SHUT UP!” She threw the lieutenant into the open cell, sending him crashing down on top of the tray.

Sadri closed the cell, locking him inside, before storming up the corridor towards the exit with Diorite following her closely behind. “Wa-Wait! What about me?! What about… us?! What about our… our date?” He looked like he was about to break down into tears any moment. “Don't leave me, please…”

Sadri smiled sadly at him and raised a hoof to caress his cheek. “I’m sorry, my lovely stallion… You've been a wonderful help, but my heart already belongs to another…”

Then, she lowered her horn and blasted the guard back down the corridor. He hit the wall and fell unconscious instantly. With no pony left in her way, Sadri let out a ferocious cry and with her magic, she tore the door from its hinges. She threw the door behind her, sending it crashing into the desk by the wall. Something fell from the desk, and Sadri reached out for it with her magic.

It was the brownie, half eaten.

Savoring the rest of the treat, she began to ascend the towering case of stairs. “I’m coming, Twilight Sparkle… Your wife is coming home…”

***

Sadri stumbled out into the streets of the Crystal Empire, and she took in a deep breath of fresh air.

The sun was creeping above the horizon, slowly but surely lighting up the dark sky. Dawn would be arriving soon.

The golden mare shielded her eyes from the blinding light coming from nearby street lamps. After being secluded in a dark dungeon for over a year, it would take her eyes some time to readjust to the light. Then, there was the cold. Winter from the Frozen North had arrived not to long ago, and a thick layer of snow already covered the ground.

Sadri was out in the winter cold with nothing but her own fur.

Alarms began to blare behind her. The guards had discovered her escape. Sadri needed to make herself scarce and fast. She looked up and down the bustling street, at the dozens of crystal ponies going about their business as they prepared for the day ahead. Then, she began to walk.

Looking over her shoulder, Sadri could see several guards running down the steps of the palace. The hunt had begun, and she didn't have a good head start. Sadri stopped to take a moment to observe herself, and she cursed silently.

Her golden fur would giver her away pretty quickly in a crowd of crystal ponies. What she would give for a changeling’s transforming abilities… Thinking quickly, she eyed a mare standing at the corner of the street. The mare wore a long coat that covered most of her body, leaving only her hooves and traces of her mane and tail exposed.

Sadri smiled and approached the mare. “G-G-Good morning!”

The mare shot Sadri a strange glance. “Uh… Yes, hello… Can I help you?”

Sadri nodded her head, and her eyes began to glow, ever so slightly. “You can, actually… Your coat is very lovely… May I, uh… May I have it?”

The mare held a hoof across her chest like she was clinging onto her coat. “I beg your pardon?”

She looked less than willing to give it away.

Sadri took a step closer and raised a hoof to her cheek, caressing her gently. “I insist that you give me your coat…”

The cold was starting to get to her, making her sound more and more agitated. Despite her best attempts to persuade the mare, she was still reluctant to give up her clothing. “Yo-You must be out of your mind…”

Sadri frowned and retracted her hoof. She had never failed to seduce a pony before.

*Have I lost my touch?*

Maybe she was out of practice, or she couldn't concentrate in the cold, but the guards were closing in, and she needed a place to hide. The only thing she could think of now was to offer the mare ‘favors’ in exchange for a warm place to stay. “I can be fair… Please, help me this one time, and I can make it worth your while…”

Sadri’s red eyes burned into hers, and this time, she noticed a definite change in the mare’s expression. The mare’s gaze softened, and she began removing her coat. “That's not necessary… Take it.”

Sadri’s chest swelled with joy as she held the coat in her hooves. Without wasting another second, she threw it on, letting it drape over her entire body. In an instant, she felt warm and concealed.

She watched from behind the mare as the Royal Guards charged by on the opposite side of the street. Sadri had avoided recapture, for the time being. She glanced towards the now shivering mare, and her joy she felt quickly faded.

“I don't know why you're hiding from the guards, and I don't wish to be involved…” The pony let out an icy breath. “Take my coat, if you must… Just leave me out of whatever crime you've committed…”

Sadri briefly considered the idea. It would be easy to take the coat and run. She could cast a spell on the mare to make her forget she ever saw her, but Sadri couldn't bring herself to steal, not from a pony that had helped her in her hour of need, even though that ‘help’ was out of fear. The golden mare let out a long sigh as she removed the coat, returning it to the shivering mare. “Thank you, but I won't be needing this any longer. I don't believe I asked you for your name…”

The mare looked down at the coat in her hooves and managed a weak smile. “I'm Gypsum…”

Sadri cracked a smile and leaned forward, planting a quick kiss on the mare’s cheek. “Thank you, Miss Gypsum…”

Then, she took off down the street, leaving the mare dazed and a little confused, rubbing a hoof against her cheek where she had just been kissed.

Her eyes tried to follow Sadri through the crowd, but she had already disappeared. “You're… welcome…”

***

A chilling wind fell over the city of Canterlot, but nothing more. Unlike the Crystal Empire, already buried in snow from the Frozen North, Canterlot and the rest of Equestria had not yet received winter at its fullest. As the sun rose over the mountain tops, its light burned away the mist and dew.

Amethyst watched the arrival of the morning from a balcony jutting out from her room. She leaned against the carved railing and closed her eyes as the light from the rising sun hit her face. The day she had been looking forward to for so long had finally arrived. Later the following evening, she would be attending the greatest of all Equestrian parties, the Grand Galloping Gala.

She could hardly contain her excitement just thinking about the dancing, eating, and drinking with her closest friends. Nothing would be able to stop her from enjoying herself, not even the loss of her leg.

Again…

She looked down at her mutilated stump and let out a sad sigh. Her prosthetic leg, the one Shining spent weeks developing for her, was lost. It was somewhere in the valleys miles below the train tracks, deep in the mountains north of Canterlot where it fell. Perhaps a squirrel or some other creature made a home out of it. The thought of her prosthetic leg in some tree amused Amethyst, and she managed to crack a smile.

“What's so funny?”

She spun around, startled by the sudden break in the quiet.

It was only Onyx. The stallion stood in the doorway leading inside, smiling back at her. When Amethyst didn't answer his question, he stepped forward, meeting her by the railing. “You weren't thinking about that lame joke I told at dinner last night, were you?”

Amethyst smirked at him and rolled her eyes. “Ha! You have the audacity to call that a joke? I could court martial you for that. I should, in fact.” She waved her flanks in his direction, catching his gaze. “… but, you did pretty well after dinner, when we got back to our room. I had never felt so full, and I'm not talking about the food…”

Onyx’s cheeks turned bright red as he realize he was staring at her rear, but it was what she wanted.

Amethyst opened her mouth and laughed, gently swatting her tail against his face. “I meant that as a compliment, honey. You're always so sensitive… What happened to the gruff, stoic stallion that would yell at me during morning drills?”

Onyx turned his head and shrugged. “You happened…”

That made Amethyst grin.

Onyx took his place by the captain’s side, and she leaned against him, resting most of her weight on him. Together, they stood in silence, watching the sun climb higher and higher into the sky. It was hard to believe that one alicorn princess could posses the power to move such a celestial object.

To them, it almost seemed unreal.

Onyx subtly cleared his throat. “I suppose everypony has the capacity to change.” He glanced towards her. “You became a leader, Amethyst. Amber grew more mature. Then, there's Emerald and Gem. A year ago, I never could have imagined working with them, let alone calling them ‘friends’.”

Amethyst nodded her head, keeping her eyes fixed on the horizon. “Yeah… Gem is somethin’ special. After everything that's happened, she needs close friends to support her.” She turned her gaze at last, meeting Onyx’s eyes. “That reminds me… How is she doing, anyway? I mean, what is she doing with Corporal Nickel?”

Onyx looked puzzled by her question. “Doing? I don't know if they are really ‘doing’ anything. They only met last night. After dinner, they went off alone to have a few drinks, and that's the last I saw of them.”

He could see the gears turning in Amethyst's mind. Even without her morning coffee, her inner thoughts were coming together to form ideas about what her friend was up to, and she could only draw one conclusion. “Onyx…” She spoke in a hushed tone, as though she was afraid of being overheard by somepony that wasn't even there.

Excited by her tone and intrigued, he leaned in. “Yeah? What is it, Amy?”

Amethyst looked towards the door and into the room inside, confirming once and for all that they were alone. “What if…” She paused. “… they had se-”

Onyx rolled his eyes and let out a long sigh. “I'm gonna stop you right there, Amy. You're obviously not thinking straight. I'm going to find you some coffee.”

Amethyst’s jaw fell as she watched him walk back inside. “Don't… Don't you walk away from me, mister! I am thinking straight, and I don't need coffee!”

Then, her gaze fell. “I mean… I want coffee…” Her glare resumed, and she faced Onyx again. “… but I don't need it!”

Onyx was already preparing two mugs, filling both with a steaming, black liquid from a pot that had been cooking since the sun rose. “Here, sweetie.”

He passed her a mug, which she took unhappily before taking a long sip, no added cream of sugar, just the black coffee. Onyx chuckled as a disgusted look came over her face, but she kept drinking, determined to prove to her fiancé that she was capable of thinking rationally. When she finished the mug, Amethyst set it down next to the brewer that made the stuff. “I’m serious, Onyx, and you know that I could be right.”

Onyx took his coffee slow. After adding a little sugar, he sipped on the scalding hot beverage carefully.

“You said it yourself. The last time either of us heard from Gem, she had wandered off with Nickel. Who knows what they did together!”

Onyx smirked and shook his head. “Amy, they just met. I don't know Nickel all that well, but I don't think he would be so quick to jump on a mare like that. Plus, this is Gem we're talking about. She can hardly stand a simple hug, let alone kissing or… whatever you're implying.”

Amethyst looked cross. “I seem to remember her kissing you. She seemed like she was pretty into it.”

Onyx remembered too, and his cheeks flushed red. “That was different. I was in a trance, and she wanted to use me before eating me.”

Amethyst tilted her head, but she didn't look eased by his explanation.

“If anything at all…” Onyx continued as he rubbed the back of his head. “… I'm more worried about Nickel. Gem’s a tough mare, and if anypony did try to make a move on her, they'd regret it.”

They stood there in silence for several moments. It ended when Amethyst exhaled a long sigh, closing her eyes and expelling a frosty breath. “You're right, Onyx… I might be overthinking things. They only met last night, and Gem would never do something so irrational.”

Onyx smiled. “See? Once you wake up and get a little caffeine in your system, it's easy to make well thought out and calculated assessments.”

Amethyst fired him a sly grin. “I said I'm ‘awake’, babe. That doesn't mean I've had enough coffee to deal with you or your smart words.”

The lovers shared a brief embrace, holding each other tightly and letting out soft moans.

***

The lovers shared a brief embrace, holding each other tightly and letting out soft moans.

When Gem opened her eyes, she found herself face to face with a stallion. His eyes were still closed, and his chest rose and fell slowly. She could tell he was still asleep. Each breath that came out of his nostrils brushed against the fur on her neck. It tickled a little, but she didn't mind.

It was strange.

That's the perfect word she would use to describe it all. She was warm and comfortable, which was not something she was used to. Then, there was the stallion spooning her. Part of her wanted to push him away to regain her personal space, and the other part wanted to remain in his hooves. She quietly decided that staying where she was would satisfy her.

His eyes opened at last, and a smile formed along his face as he saw her. “Good morning…”

Gem saw his smile and couldn't help smiling back at him. “Indeed…” She rolled over so she could fully face him. “I can't say I can remember a time when I've had so much fun, Nickel.”

Her compliment was honest, which made the stallion’s chest swell. Gem noticed and pursed her lips. “Hmm… Don't let it get to your head, though. You were good enough to meet my needs.”

Nickel smiled and rolled on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he laughed. “You're welcome, Gemini, anytime.” On his back still, his eyes met hers. “You were pretty good yourself.” His eyes fell, drifting over her body briefly before landing on a wall ornament. “I didn't think this would happen, but I’m glad it did.”

Gem scoffed as she slid closer towards him in the bed. “I don't believe that for a second. You're a stallion, and you knew exactly what you wanted.” His gaze shifted again, and their eyes met. “What I want to know is what you intend to do right now…”

Nickel fell silent and hoisted himself upright so he sat with his back against the headboard. “I suppose we could talk a little. After all, we didn't get much of a chance last night before you kissed me.”

Gem rolled her eyes once more but wore a silly grin. “You kissed me first, idiot.”

Nickel shook his head. “No… I seem to remember you kissing me first. You had finished a few drinks already, so you were a little buzzed.” He recalled the details accurately, like the picture was still clear in his head. “It was almost ten o'clock, we were leaving the tavern, and you pulled me aside as soon as we walked out the door. You held my cheeks with your hooves and…”

His voice trailed off, and Gem could see why. He had the widest smile on his face she had ever seen. At last, she let out a defeated sigh and snuggled up next to him, wrapping her hooves around his body. “You have an impeccable memory, stud… Perhaps I did have a few drinks too many.”

She held a hoof to her head, like she was trying to suppress a minor headache. Then, she looked up at him, batting her eyes in a seductive manner. Still holding onto him, she nuzzled his chest, breathing deeply into his fur. “Why don't you exact your revenge? Do to me what I did to you. Punish me, if you must…”

Nickel’s body twitched with excitement at her words. He knew what she was asking for, and he was happy to oblige her. “Oh, I will, believe me...”

Looking down and meeting her eyes, their mouths drifted closer and closer until their lips connected at last. Nickel pressed his lips against hers tenderly again and again, and as the seconds passed into minutes, the kisses grew deeper and more passionate. Saliva and spittle passed back and forth between their mouths as they shared lips and tongues. After a while of kissing, both ponies needed a break to catch their breath.

Gem breathed heavily as she wiped the saliva from her mouth and chin. “What… ever happened to wanting to ‘talk’?” She wore a sly grin as she eyed his twitching excitement beneath the covers.

Nickel shrugged happily as he fell back into the bed, resting up against the mare. “I'm fine with this too, honestly.” Then, he looked at her. “Besides, you asked for it.”

Gem snarled, climbing on top of him as she bared her teeth. For a second, Nickel didn't know whether he should be afraid, aroused, or both. “I did ask for it, and you delivered, my dear stallion, but now that I have you in a position I can control you from, we can use the time we have to learn a little more about each other…” She sighed deeply. “You did me a great service last night, so I suppose I could share my secret with you…”

Gem looked towards the door.

She knew it was locked, but part of her wanted to make sure that there was no chance of anypony walking in at the worst possible moment. There was no putting it off any longer. Nickel was a nice pony, from what she had seen so far, and not telling him who she really was would feel like lying, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt the stallion.

Still straddling him, Gem bit her lower lip as she tried to formulate the right words. “Though I'm a guard of the Crystal Empire, I'm also a-”

“Changeling?”

Silence filled the room. Gem’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Nickel. The stallion beneath her shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently. “Yeah, I know… The other Canterlot guards and I have heard about you.”

Gem’s look of anger fell apart, and she began to blush. “Indeed… I have been called a ‘hero’ more than once, even by the princess of death.”

That last part made Nickel frown.

“Wait, what?”

Gem quickly shook her head, dismissing her previous words and quickly moving on. “Don't worry about that, my sweet.” Then, her causal, sly grin returned. “Now, if you are so ‘at ease’ with my true identity…”

A green fire engulfed her body, causing Nickel to cower and wince under the sheets beneath her. The fire felt hot, but it didn't burn him or set the bed ablaze. It seemed to cling only to her body as it burned away her fur and mane, slowly revealing her true form. Cicada smiled sheepishly from above, baring her razor-sharp teeth.

“Do you still feel the same way?”

Once Nickel was sure she wasn't going to hurt him, he began to relax. “Ye-Yeah…” He cleared his throat before meeting her eyes again. “Yes.” Speaking more confidently this time, he placed his hoof on hers, gently grazing over one of the many holes that riddled her legs. “I do.”

Nickel caught a glimpse of her back.

She had only one wing. Where the other should have been, an ugly scar took its place. “I didn't ask you out because of your appearance. I found your bravery and dedication to your friends to be… charming, I guess.” He held a hoof to his head. “I'm sorry, I'm terrible at this.”

Cicada beamed and shook her head, ever so slowly grinding her body against his through the sheets. “I disagree… Keep going, please…”

Nickel managed a weak smile as he stared into her pale eyes. It was difficult to concentrate on anything other than what she was doing to him. “I… I just saw you last night, at the restaurant…” He gasped as her legs wrapped around his waist, forcing her lower body against his. “I couldn't help myself… All I wanted… was… a chance to talk to you…”

Cicada bit her lower lip as she continued to grind the stallion. “Oh, Nickel, I'm so glad you did… I've never been so happy…”

There was a brief moment of silence between them as they stared at each other. Both were thinking the same thing.

“So…” Nickel’s eyes drifted south, along her neck and down her body. “Do you want to go again?”

Cicada made a face like she was considering his offer. “Now, that is a wild idea.” She leaned forward, gliding across the top of his body until her mouth was only a breath away from his. “I might be interested, if you think you can handle me… Us changelings are known for our stamina.”

Nickel managed a light-hearted laugh as he nodded his head. “Show me what you've got.”

***

Amethyst and Onyx sat at a table in the kitchen. The coffee was gone, and now, it was a race to the shower. Onyx was on his hooves in an instant, but Amethyst was ready too. Her horn ignited, and her magic grabbed a hold of his legs. Onyx let out a shrill cry as he fell to the floor, landing on his side with a hard ‘thud’.

Amethyst laughed as she ran past him, hobbling along on her three legs. She seemed to move almost effortlessly. The stallion on the floor was amazed by her display of agility, despite her missing leg. She reached the door to the bathroom, but Onyx was beaten yet. After collecting himself off of the floor, he reached for the bathroom door, using the magic from his horn. He closed the door, locking it and holding it shut.

Amethyst let out an angry snarl as she pounded her hoof against the door. “Damnit, Onyx! Let me in!”

She spun around to face him and lowered her horn. What came out was a harmless bolt of magic, but it packed enough of a punch to send Onyx flying back across the room, towards the kitchen area. His connection to the door had broken, allowing Amethyst to enter the bathroom. “Thank you, sweetie! I'll be sure to leave you some hot water.”

Onyx nodded his head slowly as he sat up, dazed and stunned. She closed the door behind her, and the sound of running water began. Steam could be seen seeping through the cracks of the door. After a few seconds, the door opened again, releasing a thick cloud of steam into the room.

Amethyst, slightly wet already, poked her head through the door and gave Onyx a ‘get over here’ look. “Oh, come on, you big hunk.” She wore a huge grin and fired him a subtle wink. “You know I don't mind if we share…”

Onyx beamed and shot to his hooves. He definitely liked the sound of that, mostly because he knew that showering together usually meant very little focus first on cleaning themselves and more focus on physical intimacy.

***Up Next: Fitting In***

Comments

[ChakatRedstripe]

Definatly loving this story

[Zack Catcher]

i
9240304
indeed