> Prince Dusk's Twilight
>  by TheFaceofMercy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Morning Princess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

thump-splat-crash

Spines awoke slowly from her make-shift bed, the loud noises interrupting her dreaming, how many times had she and Dusk talked about the importance of sleep for a baby dragoness? She groaned in annoyance, rubbing her tired eyes lazily. “Damnit, Dusk. Why you have to be so loud?!” she muttered as she rose from her basket, yawning loudly all the way.

She then looked at the bigger bed beside her occupied most of the time by her hectic pony companion. She knew though, from the noise below her, that today was going to be one of THOSE days.

“Hmmm, Dusk must have awoken really early, or he didn’t even go to sleep last night,” the purple dragoness said, doing her morning stretch. “Well, he did say he had an important project to work on, and that colt has less patience than Blitz in… well, Blitz almost anywhere.” 

crash-thump-smack”

Spines sighed, Dusk wasn’t this loud while working in his last experiments, he just tried to keep it relatively low down in the basement. What is he doing this time?

Prince Dusk… she rephrased, she still couldn’t assimilate the fact of his parental figure becoming part of royalty, not even with everything they had gone through. The weeks after Dusk’s coronation were the most hectic days for her and the gang ever. Not only because they had to deal with the aftermath of the Cutie Marks’ swap screw-up, but because of the young alicorn going haywire with his magic. 

Prince Solaris said it was normal for an alicorn to experiment several bursts of magical energy during the first few weeks after his/her ascension. It was valid to clarify that they only had three more alicorns to confirm those theories. It would seem that every alicorn had its own little antics, for young Dusk it wasn’t any different. 

The level of hyperactivity that the newest prince experienced, was compared to Pinkie Pie on multiple energy drinks, and that was shortening it a little. New crazy experiments every day, shocking magical explosions from the library; and from time to time some weird side-effects, that went from a different mane color to changing one’s species. 

Yet Applejack had to admit that he had enjoyed being a griffon for a little while.

Spines drew an exasperated sigh while going downstairs, what kind of madness would be doing his mentor/big brother/father today? She mentally prepared herself to make an acceptable, normal breakfast, that is until she saw the revolting mess that now made up the kitchen of the library.

“What in the world?!” Spines yelled, her mouth agape as she walked towards the mess in the kitchen. The saddest part was that she without a doubt was going to clean it. 

Drawers pulled out from its shelves, tableware dumped haphazardly across the floor, the door of the fridge wide open with various suspicious liquids spilled all over its once shining surface. Who could have done that? A thieve maybe? Eris playing pranks? or… 

“What were you doing last night Dusky?” She wondered out loud, picking up an empty carton of milk from the floor when the slightly open basement door caught her attention.

The purple dragoness cracked the door open, surprised when the usually well-lit room, was shrouded in darkness; she was barely able to see the stairs with the light coming from upstairs. This was getting weirder and weirder, what if Dusk was hurt? What would she do then?

“Dusk?” Spines uncertainly called. “Are you there?” she heard rustling downstairs, followed by a soft thump.

“Spines, i-is that you?” The voice that Spines vaguely recognized as Dusk Shine asked, sounding like a whole different pony than the alicorn she knew and loved.

“Yes, it’s me, What’s going on here?, You want me to light a flame? I can’t see anything here,” she asked, inhaling to blow a flame of her magical fire.

“NO! Don’t do that!” the stallion yelled, his voice a couple of octaves higher than his average tone.

“What happened Dusk? You sound strange, kind of… girly,” The dragoness said, walking cautiously towards the source of the voice while avoiding to crash with the various machinery which Dusk worked with down in the basement.

Spines heard the stallion sigh. “Promise you’re not going to laugh,” he said, his purple eyes barely visible within the dim lights.

“I promise.”

“Pinkie promise!” 

“Cross my heart, hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye,” she answered getting frustrated, “Would you tell me already?!”

“Fine just…  please don’t laugh,” he said, using his magic to light up a candle.

As the golden light illuminated the basement, Spines could finally see the figure of the purple alicorn, she was familiar with. At first sight, something seemed off about him, while the colors were right, the mare in front of her didn’t look anything like Dusk Shine. 

She for once was shorter, her frame was curvier than a stallion’s. Her face was also different, her eyes were bigger with long eyelashes and mane lacking the somewhat messy, yet elegant style of Dusk—hers was instead longer, falling delicately over her shoulders.

“W-who are you?!, Where is Dusk?!, Are you a changeling?, I swear if you’re one of those bug-ponies I’ll—” The mare covered her mouth with a hoof, looking uneasily at the yelling dragoness.

“Spines, I-It’s me Dusk, I-I messed up a potion, and I ended up like this… ” the mare that claimed to be Dusk Shine responded, her voice quivering as Spine’s eyes slowly widened in realization. There was no way in Equestria she couldn’t recognize those purple eyes, after all, she’d grown up seeing them.

“Du-dusk, Is that really you?” 

The purple alicorn nodded.

Spines’ brain was confused, really really, confused it certainly couldn’t work without its morning coffee. Now the aforementioned organ had to deal with a very important choice: whether to burst into a full-fledged cackle or to faint from both shock and exhaustion. With no time to think both thoroughly, Spines did both.   

Dusk Shine could only stare as her little friend, let out a weak chuckle, before falling unconscious, thankfully, his reflexes still worked and he could catch the dragon before she felt to the ground.





“Spines?! Hello, Spines are you alright?!” A faint female voice called in the distance, yet Spines didn’t respond, she was too caught up in her dreamless sleep to care. She vaguely remembered something important happening before falling asleep… Meh, she’d ask Dusk about it when she gathered the force to wake up.

Wait up… 

“Dusk!” the previously stupefied dragoness awoke with a start, her limbs moving uncoordinatedly as she rose from what appeared to be, the library’s couch. Unfortunately for her skull, she didn’t notice the face mere inches from her snout, and in her confusion, she hit it with the force of a startled dragon… Well, a startled baby dragon.

“Ow! Spines! Calm down would you?!” the same voice from before yelled, if possible, Spine’s eyes grew even larger.

“Dusk! Y-you are a mare!” 

The alicorn’s only response to the understatement of the century was an unamused glare.

“You. Are. A mare. A…  mare?”

“Are you telling me that you, Dusk Shine— No! prince Dusk Shine messed up a spell and now is a…  is a…  BWAHAHAHA!” her brain finally catching up with the ramifications of Dusk sudden transformation, these being the fact, the oh-so-glorious fact, that she could finally rub on his/her face this mistake all the times she wanted, and he will stop berating her about all the incidents with… dragonfire.

“Spines! you promised you weren’t going to laugh,” Dusk said indignantly, frowning to the choking dragoness.

“Oh, oh sorry Dusk, is just… You’re a mare and— Oh, I can’t believe it!” Spines retorted, wiping her tears with a claw.

“You done now?” Dusk asked, sitting on his haunches.

“Yep… I think so, my princess!” A pillow to her face and Spine’s regained a serious facade. She could poke the matter later, as a matter of fact, she had plenty of jokes already prepared. “Well…  now that this is sorted out, could you please explain what happened exactly, and why the kitchen looks like the aftermath of one of those Pinkie’s trash metal parties?”

Dusk drew a sigh, “Well, I told you last night that I had to do an experiment about spell matrices and amplifiers, Right?” The purple mare asked Spines who was again containing the urge to laugh of Dusk’s new extremely girly voice.

“That you did,” The purple dragoness affirmed between muffled giggles.

“Argh! Spines, This is serious, we don’t know what consequences would have this silly mess up in my body biology, I could get sick, comatose, or worst!” Dusk said, her muzzle now inches away from Spines’ face, and some hairs of her mane going askew like when she was going into crazy mode.

“Fine, fine, please continue,”

The mare grunted, “I started casting like usual using the potion as a, let’s say, ‘container’ for my magic, after a while the mix suddenly went crazy firing my own magic at random directions, one of those beams hit me, and long story short: it turned me into a mare,” Dusk explained, her voice returning to a calmer non-menacing tone.

“Okay, and what about the kitchen?” Spines asked pointing the door upstairs.

“I was using my last ingredients for the potion, and I thought that maybe we had some of the things that I needed to create a counterspell. Now I see that it was a silly Idea, wherein our kitchen I was going to find fire-tongues of the Everfree?” The alicorn said motioning Spines to go upstairs, she following close behind.

“And what are you going to do?” The small dragoness asked now out of the basement and into the massive wreck of what used to be a kitchen.

“I-I really don’t know, it was a level ten potion I was doing, and Zircon is out of town for a while, so I can’t gather the ingredients for the potion without him, I’m still wary of the Everfree after the cockatrice thing.” The mare replied with a thoughtful expression.

“And what about Solaris? He could really help you right now.” Spines countered as the mare’s eyes widened in abject horror.

“The Prince, are you crazy Spines?!, I just became a Prince...err Princess barely a week ago and I had already made my first royal screw up. I’m not going to tell Solaris, not anytime soon at least,” when Spines raised an eyebrow at her explanation she shakily continued. “Also because I’m sure we can handle this on our own,”

“Fine, but it’s your call, Dusk,” Spines said looking up at Dusk’s still worried face. “And now what are you going to do?”

“I’m going upstairs to read some books that can explain why THIS—” she said pointing herself over, “—happened. Until I figure out something, I think I’ll be in my room,” the mare said walking to the stairs that went to her room.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Spines yelled, grabbing Dusk’s tail and pulling it towards the kitchen, “You’re going to help me clean this mess you made!” the dragoness said handing a broom to the confused mare.

“Now, Let’s get to it!”

Dusk groaned, as she picked the broom in her magic, it was going to be a LONG day.
> Meet Twilight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, that’s more like it,” the dragoness sighed, seeing the now spotless kitchen. As she and Dusk put back the cleaning utensils back where they belonged Spines couldn’t help but notice a very important fact.

“Dusk, When are you going to tell your friends?” Spines asked, looking up to meet her companion’s absent gaze.

Dusk gulped before answering, an uneasy expression setting on her face, “I really don’t know Spines, this is really embarrassing, and now I have a public image to take care of. I’m a prince! I can’t go around causing a mess everywhere I go!” 

Spines pointed at her now long mane her satisfaction clear. Dusk sighed, “Yes Spines, I’m a Princess now! Knock it off would you?!”

The dragoness waved her claws in dismissal. “Sorry Dusky, this is too good to pass up,” the mare groaned in annoyance looking through the bookshelves hoping to find something useful for her situation.

“So, you’re not going to tell them?” Spines pressed the subject, giving Dusk a worried yet firm glare. “They’re our friends Dusk, we’ve gone through like, three or four world-ending catastrophes, this is nothing in comparison,”

The purple alicorn sighed, avoiding visual contact with Spines, “I know Spines, I just… I just don’t want to be a bother… ” The mare responded, her ears drooping slightly as she looked down at the floor, tears slowly but surely leaving her eyes.

Spines couldn’t help but feel pity for the sight in front of her, she hated seeing anyone cry, especially Dusk Shine, he rarely cried, he was always so strong for her, and now seeing mare-Dusk cry was a heart-wrenching experience for her.

“Dusk…? Are you crying?” 

At the statement, the mare quickly wiped her tears with a hoof.“Sorry Spines is just… Ugh! A lot o happened these past weeks, and now THIS—” she said pointing herself over, “It just feels unbearable… And this Solaris’ damned mare hormones! They are making everything so much difficult!” Dusk grunted, making Spines chuckle with the very needed comic relief. 

“Fine, no telling to our friends. And when Zircon arrives? How are you going to talk to him? Is not that you can disguise yourself and say: ‘Hello, I’m Dusk Shine’s twin sister, I’m here to pick up some ultra-difficult potion’s ingredients,’” the dragoness said, faking an extremely annoying high voice, while she pulled herself out of the comforting warmth of their hug.

Dusk hummed deep in thought until her eyes widened with a nearly foal-proof plan.

Spines groaned “You’re kidding… You’re not thinking of actually doing that, right?” The purple dragoness asked, not relaxing in the slightly while seeing the mare dig through the mountain of books she’d picked up.

“Yep! Come on Spines! Is the wisest choice to make, nobody will recognize me if I use a simple illusion spell with myself,” The alicorn responded, eyeing the pages of an old, dusty book.

“And what exactly are you planning? a male-Dusk disguise?”

“Don’t be silly Spines, no illusion spell can change genders. I only have to hide my wings,” she said, as she charged her horn. “That way, I’ll look like a regular old unicorn.”

“Fine, but if something happens this wasn’t my idea” Spines deadpanned, face-clawing. “Well, it was technically my idea, but that’s not the point.”

The mare giggled at the dragoness’ antics, while the purple glow of her magic surrounded her sides. “Now, how do I look?” Dusk said, looking herself over in the nearest mirror, without realizing how it must’ve looked to outside observers. “Perfect! A regular purple unicorn. Now I need a name…”

“What about Sunset Shimm— No, forget it, that sounds just too obvious.” Spines said standing behind the lavender unicorn, looking how the strange scene unfurled.

“Oh! I know! Twilight Sparkle. How does that sound Spines?” Dusk, now Twilight said, turning to see the frowning dragoness.

“Wow, what about Evening Twinkle and we give up with being subtle?!” Spines said, her voice thick with sarcasm while inspecting, the mare’s back looking for any error in the spell-casting.

“You’re spending too much time around Blitz. Besides nobody is going to realize who I am, and if they do, I’ll already be a male,” Dusk said smiling.

“Well, If you say so Dusk” The mare cleared her throat, “I mean… Twilight.”  

“That’s better!”

“Well, what now?” The dragoness said, “Don’t you have a dozen of spellbooks to read?” she asked, as the mare walked upstairs.

“As a matter of fact, Captain Sarcasm, Yes. I’m going to study some books and look for a counterspell. Until that, no visitors, the library is closed, and don’t forget to—”  Dusk was cut short as a loud crash made itself known upstairs.

“What in the wide world of Equestria was that?! Spines yelled, looking up at her mentor whose expression had morphed from an unamused to a terrified one.

“R-rainbow Blitz” The mare stuttered, frantically gazing between Spines and the stairs. “What are we going to do! I’m not ready! If he sees me like this, I’ll—” She stopped her panicking when Spines pulled her head down looking her straight in her eyes.

“Dusk Shine, calm down! You have the illusion spell on, and I sincerely doubt that Blitz of all ponies is going to notice something!” Spines reassured, knocking some sense into the stubborn mare’s head.

“Right, I just have to play cool, I can do that! I’m the coolest! The lavender unicorn said, straightening her mane, a determined expression marking her features.

“Don’t ruin it.”

“Dusk, Hey Duuusk! Are you there? Sorry for the crash, I was practicing my brand new moves,”

Spines shot Dusk Shine a look: ’Be calm’ it said. “Rainbow, downstairs!” she shouted, the sound of approaching hoofsteps closer.

“Heh, Dusk sorry for that! I was doing some cool moves when…” The stallion trailed off as instead of the lavender alicorn stallion he was expecting, he saw a lavender unicorn mare. “You’re not Dusk… ” he stated dumbfounded, examining the mare.

“N-no, I’m Twilight Sparkle, I’m Dusk Shine’s cousin,” the mare said awkwardly, fumbling with words.

“I didn’t know he had a cousin. What gives he didn’t talk about you earlier?” Rainbow said, not quite trusting the terrified mare.

“Umm, I was doing a special… research for Prince Solaris, about… seaponies,” she said meekly,  hoping that Rainbow didn’t see through her lie while she ignored Spines’ face-claw.

“Seaponies, eh? Shoot! I own Harpsy ten bits. Welcome to Ponyville, Twilight, I’m Rainbow Blitz, I’m sure your cousin mentioned me,” he said, extending his hoof in a (for both females’ surprise) polite greeting.

Dusk Shine gave him a blank look. “Awesome Flyer?” he asked confusedly as the mare shooked his hoof. “The fastest pegasi in all Equestria? The only pegasus alive who can perform the legendary Sonic Rainboom?” Once again the ‘unicorn’s’ answer was a negative one.

Rainbow groaned. “Fine. I’ll need to talk your cousin about proper introductions later. Where is he anyway?” The cyan stallion asked, looking around the library.

Dusk gulped, looking uneasily at Spines for help without Blitz noticing. “He left to Canterlot this morning, it was so unexpected that he asked Twilight, who was thankfully visiting, to take care of the library for him,” Spines supplied, drawing Rainbow Blitz’ attention.

“Damn! I was hoping he could help me with his anemo-thing for the trick I’m doing.” Rainbow replied disappointed, but his frown vanished quickly as he saw Dusk’s sigh of relief.

“So, Twilight, can I call you Twi?” The mare nodded absentmindedly. “Right, so Twi, have you already gotten to know Ponyville?” The stallion asked.

“Well, I just arrived this morning, so no I haven’t got the opportunity of seeing Ponyville,” Dusk replied, accompanying Rainbow to the door hoping that he would go away and never come back.

“Well, that won’t do at all, let me show you Ponyville, as in Rainbow Blitz’ awesome tourist guide.” The cyan pegasus said, jumping off the ground extending his wings proudly.

The mare giggled at the stallions proposal, before realizing what he had just said, “Oh, no, no, no! I can’t, I-I have to take care of the library and—”

“Oh come on, Twilight, You gotta go!” Spines said, a conspicuously smile on her face. “You will never get a chance like this”

“Bu-but The library?”

“Oh pish-posh. I've taken care of the library on my own a bunch of times, I’m sure I can do it without you!” the purple dragoness stated, her smile never leaving her lips.

“But I-You… ” Dusk hesitated seeing Rainbow’s hopeful smile, “Fine.” She finally said walking alongside Rainbow to the door, stopping as the stallion opened the door for her.

“Mares first,” He said smiling.

“Have fun!” Spines called as she closed the door behind the pair, she knew she was in trouble, but that didn’t matter. It was totally worth the punishment!
> Dressmaker's Affairs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the pair walked across Ponyville, Rainbow couldn’t help but to constantly steal glances at the gorgeous mare walking beside him, he ought to have a chat with Dusk later about him hooking up with his cousin. Deep down the pegasus knew there was probably some rule about dating a friend’s relative. He shivered at the thought, he knew he wouldn’t last long with an enraged Alicorn prince, and his older —captain of the guard, Princess of the Crystal Empire— sister.

Let’s enjoy it as long as it lasts, Blitz thought, looking over the walking form of the lavender unicorn, who was now gazing at the streets with worry present on her features. “Where are we going first?” The mare asked without taking her eyes off the roadway as Rainbow replied with a chuckle.

“I I think I should introduce you all of Dusk’s friends first, so you won’t feel so lonely if you ever come back here,” Rainbow said, guiding the mare through a crowded alley.

“All of them…” Dusk replied absentmindedly, ignoring Blitz painfully mediocre attempts at flirting in favor of going through every possible scenario in her mind. What if someone recognized her? Her reputation would be ruined, Solaris will be disappointed at her and he will take her wings away and… and then he will banish her to the moon for a thousand years!

Her troubled look caught Rainbow Blitz’ attention who stopped dead in his tracks. “Hey, are you alright? you look like you've seen a ghost..." This mare looks just like Dusk when having a panic attack, I guess it runs in the family…  The pegasus thought, his subconscious juggling with the implications of being with a mare so similar to his friend.

Dusk stepped out of her apocalyptic visions with Rainbow’s remark while she shook her head hastily, “N-No, I’m okay… completely fine. Who are we meeting first again?” She asked, cursing her inability to mask her worry.

Judging by Dusk’s reaction, Rainbow decided to not press the issue and leave the matter to a more capable pony for understanding mares was not under his areas of knowledge. “We’re going to Rarity’s, she is a unicorn and works on Carousel Boutique, close from here.” He responded, the mare’s ears irking at the answer.

“Oh, really… and what does she do?” Dusk asked, faking interest.

“She’s a dressmaker, you’d like her, being a mare and all,” The cyan pegasus said trailing off, as the mare’s cheeks flushed.

“What’s that supposed to mean!?” Dusk yelled suddenly, startling Rainbow.

“Oh, nothing, nothing at all… I mean, you’re a mare and mares like dresses and stuff like that so I thought—”

“Nevermind, I’m sure you didn’t mean it, Where is this Carousel Boutique anyways…” The unicorn said quickly changing the topic, her new mindset kept confusing her ever so slightly.

“Uhh, we’re here,” Rainbow said, stopping in front of the tent-shaped building.

“Wow, nice place,” she remarked, looking over the rose-colored structure, admiring the already known shop for its out of the ordinary architecture compared with Ponyville’s other buildings.

Rainbow knocked on the door, after a few seconds, they heard Rarity's voice from the inside.  As the door opened, the pair could see the figure of the alabaster unicorn greeting them.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magni— Oh hello, Rainbow Blitz, darling! Coming for a new suit I hope?” The white mare said giving the brightest of her smiles at the frowning pegasus.

“What! No way, I already have the suit you gave us for Dusk’s coronation and I’m not planning on wearing another one anytime soon,” The pegasus in question replied, shaking his head repeatedly, he was Rainbow Blitz, he didn’t do formal, unless mares digged formal, in that case… 

“It’s a shame, you know.” Rarity said pouting at Rainbow’s answer as she looked over Rainbow’s side and noticed Dusk Shine trying to hide behind the stallion’s larger frame, “Oh I see you brought company, What kind of hostess I am letting you two here at the outside? Please do come in, make yourselves comfortable.”

As they walked inside the shop, they noticed fabric spilled across the room, and the usually organized instruments laying carelessly on the floor, deducing that Rarity was again in what she called her creative streaks, an almost monthly occurrence where fashion knew no boundaries.    

“So very sorry for the mess, I was having one tremendous rush of new ideas until you came here,” the mare answered the unasked question as she tidied up—or at least tried to—the living room 

“We’re not interrupting, are we?” Rainbow said looking over the mannequins that featured Rarity’s newest designs, “We could come over later when you aren’t so busy,” he said motioning Dusk to exit the building before being interrupted by Rarity’s magic.

“Oh nonsense darling, I think I’ve earned a deserved break from all these madness,” she replied getting closer to Dusk’s side. “Now, are you not going to introduce me your companion, Rainbow?” Rarity said, examining Dusk over.

“Companion?”

Rarity face-hooved. “Your friend here,”

“Oh right, well you see she is—”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle, I’m Dusk Shine’s cousin,” Dusk answered, interrupting Rainbow Blitz, “I came to take care of the library since he is out of town.”

“So, you’re little Dusk’s cousin?” She asked frowning slightly at the alicorn-in-disguise’s nervous smile before gasping in excitement. “That’s marvelous, Darling. You see I have tons of new designs made specifically for mare’s with darker coats, and you are the perfect model for all these dresses.”

Dusk breathed a relieved sigh before acknowledging what Rarity had just said. ”Wait, Model?!”

”Could you model those designs for me please, Twilight? You have the most fabulous palette and it is just perfect for my new Canterlot nights collection,” the alabaster unicorn said, looking at Dusk with those sparkling wide eyes that no one could resist. 

“Umm, I don’t know, we were planning to visit all of my… er, Dusk’s friends and—” The lavender unicorn was cut short by Rainbow’s voice.

“Don’t you worry Twi, I’m sure we have time for Rarity’s little modeling session.” He said with a sly smile, he really wanted to see how Dusk looked with a dress on, if without one she looked absolutely appealing, with a dress on she would look extremely hot.

When I turn back, I will have a really serious talk with Rainbow about being such a pig 

“Buuuut, Argh! Fine! I’ll be your model, But one outfit only!” Dusk grumbled, pouting childishly. If she hadn’t been so committed to her complaining, she would have noticed Rarity checking her back from time to time.

“Fantastic. Now be a dear, Rainbow and please leave the room for a while,” Rarity asked, turning to face the confused stallion.

“Bu-I thought—”

“Now now, Rainbow, this is essentially a mares only thing,” she stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world

“Fine…” he mumbled, “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” The pegasi walked to the kitchen, planning to at least steal some food from her fridge as compensation.

“Thank you, Rainbow Blitz,” she called before her magic cast a privacy spell over the room. “Now, Twilight Sparkle, How did you think I wasn’t going to recognize you?” The mare said raising an eyebrow at the dumbfounded unicorn.

“W-what are you talking about… I’m just… Eh, Dusk Shine’s cousin…” The purple mare stammered, trying to comprehend by what means had Rarity discovered her disguise.

“Oh, cut the fake ‘Twilight’, I didn’t become the most successful seamstress in Ponyville without knowing how to spot a simple illusion spell.” Dusk mumbled something about being the only seamstress in Ponyville before Rarity’s murderous eyes stopped her. “Now I want to hear what happened,”

“Uh…” 

“Well?” 

“I-I messed up a potion, and I ended up like a mare. I was going to spend the week inside the library but then Rainbow Blitz burst into my place and I had to cast the illusion spell.” Dusk explained, feeling like a scolded foal.

“You were too embarrassed to tell him the truth, am I right?” Rarity provided as Dusk dejectedly nodded. “For the love of Faust, Dusk! Why didn’t you tell him?! I know he can be a bit thick-headed but—”

“Just a bit?”

“But that’s no reason to not trust your friends.” Rarity said, ignoring Dusk’s comment.  

“I was afraid you know, I am a Princess now, I can’t be creating chaos everywhere I go! There’s already Eris for that!” The purple mare yelled, her voice cracking slightly as the whole weight of her situation fell on her back. “Plus…I was afraid what Solaris might do if he knew I messed up like this,” she cried, falling on her haunches, while Rarity rushed to her side to pull her into a bone-crushing hug.

“Hush, It’s okay, I understand,” Rarity reassured, as the crying mare broke the embrace forcefully.

“And this mare’s hormones, are making me cry for every little thing, I just became a mare today and I needed to be hugged twice!” Dusk said, her crying dying down into mere sniffling.

“Oh come on, You’re exaggerating, how do you think we do it?” Rarity responded while Dusk shot her a look. “Now that the cat is out of the bag, What were you planning to do? You do know you will have to tell the others sooner or later?” The white unicorn said, earning a quick gasp from the other mare.

“No! you can’t do that, I’ll be doomed!” Dusk shouted her eyes widening in fear.

“And I’m the drama queen.” 

“Rarity! Pinkie Promise you’re not going to tell anypony!” Dusk said, staring maniacally directly into Rarity’s sapphire blue eyes.

The ivory unicorn gulped before answering, her voice quivering a little as a strong sense of deja vu invaded her. At least there weren’t any dolls nearby. “Fine, I Pinkie Promise I’m not going to tell anypony. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” she replied thankfully once Dusk finally let go of her.

“Now, You were telling me what were you planning to do, Isn’t that right?” Rarity said her voice recovering from the sudden assault.

“Oh! Umm…I was going to wait for Zircon to arrive from his trip. I need him to help me look for the plants that I need for the antidote,” Dusk answered going full ‘scholar mode’.

“That seems like the best course of action,” Rarity said, moving closer to Dusk’s side, “Now that that’s out of the way, I think we can continue our little modeling session…” A mischievous smile formed at the edge of her lips, while Dusk backed away slowly.

“Th-that was for real?” Admittedly, the prospect of modeling clothes for Rarity was way more terrifying than public humiliation. Though those two fears were probably related.

“Oh not only that, you owe me a big one for making me keep that promise.We are going to do the whole package.” She answered knocking the door of the kitchen.

“You don’t mean— ”

“Rainbow, we’re going to the spa!” Rarity called the pegasus, who shot out the door the moment he heard those dreadful words.

“To the Spa?!” Rainbow asked surprised. “You said you only were to model some dresses!” He flapped his wings in an irritated fashion, not quite understanding his friend thought process.

“That was the idea, but Twilight here decided to join me for a try,” Rarity replied nonchalantly picking up a hat for the sun, motioning Dusk to follow her.

“But we… we were going to visit Applejack…” 

“Oh don’t be like that, you could fly ahead and tell him we are coming,” she said by the threshold as Rainbow Blitz shot off behind her.

“Great idea, Rares. I’ll be off then, Have fun you two!”

“Well Dusk, what are you waiting for?  Allons-y!  Aloe and Lotus are waiting for us!”

Dusk grumbled behind her, “I am not letting you see another chapter of Doctor Whooves again.” 

Rarity’s eyes shot open at the remark, “Why is that Twilight dear? You have to admit that the 10th Doctor is such a gentlecolt.” she smiled at her frowning companion.

“Don’t start again, Rarity— we all know the 4th Doctor is best Doctor. Now let’s go, I want this over soon.” Dusk mumbled walking past Rarity

“Do you even know where the Spa is?” Rarity asked seeing her companion stop and groan annoyedly.

“Oh, joy! A day in the spa, how fun.” The stallion-turned-mare said, appreciating that her sarcasm was the same no matter her gender.

“That’s the spirit!”
> Pretty Purple Pony Prince(ss) Part One
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oh Rarity, this feels soooo gooood!” Dusk exclaimed in bliss, laying in a soft mattress as Aloe massaged her back. “I don’t know why I haven’t done this before!” 

Rarity chuckled at the disguised-alicorn’s antics, relaxing with a couple of cucumber slices on her eyes. “Darling, is unknown by me why colts despise so much spa dates, Is after all, an opportunity to relax and enjoy life.” Of course, gossiping and storytelling were also included in the package.

“I get you…  As soon as I return to normal, I’m going to do this once a week!” Dusk responded rising from her joy induced sleep, when Aloe Or was it Lotus? walked her towards the mud bath at the end of the room.

“Wouldn't surprise me,” Rarity said joining Dusk at the mud-bath.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” the purple mare replied, a scowl already present on her recently massaged face.

“Well, Dear, you always seemed to…how do I phrase this…?” Rarity paused with a thoughtful expression, “Play for the other team as if were.” The unicorn replied unaware of Dusk’s discomfort

“What?! I’m not a coltcuddler!” Dusk shouted, startling Rarity and both Aloe and Lotus.

“Now, calm down ‘Twilight,’ there’s nothing wrong with being a colt-cuddler, love is love after all,”

Dusk was positively infuriated at the moment, her horn ablaze with anger, hardening the mud over the tip of her horn. “I’m NOT a coltcuddler!” She stated, glaring daggers at the giggling mare.

“Of course you’re not, Darling. I was just preparing the ground for the next thing in our agenda,” Rarity said, wiping the few tears that came out from her laughing, as the anger in Twilight’s eyes died down immediately.

“Argh! gossip Rarity? Really?” The purple mare groaned in annoyance, slumping down on the relaxing mud, “You just found out I turned into a mare a few hours ago, and now you’re sharing gossip with me?” 

“You’ll find this one interesting, I’m sure.” Rarity moved closer to Dusk whose ears had perked up in interest. “I am positively sure Rainbow Blitz was ‘hitting on you’” Rarity whispered, smirking at Dusk’s confusion.

“Rainbow Blitz, hitting on ME? I mean, the Rainbow Blitz, the most careless stallion ever to lay a hoof in Equestria? For being the element of loyalty he really doesn’t know how to treat a mare properly. I’ve heard Cloudkicker talking about him, she said he couldn’t even keep a relationship with a rock.” In hindsight, she shouldn’t really chastise Rarity for gossiping, right nowshe was the one doing it after all.

“I’m going to ignore the fact that a real mare would have said that same thing,” Rarity said, raising an eyebrow as Dusk blushed slightly. “Because there are more important things to say.”

“Like what?” Dusk asked, quickly trying to forget her lapse in judgment.

“Didn’t you see the way he looked at you? He even wanted to stay during your modeling, probably to check you out… ” 

“He… he did not—” 

“And I’m the queen of Equestria, you know he did,” 

“And what if he is ‘hitting on me’ I am a ma- stallion and when I change back none of this will matter anyway.” the lavender unicorn huffed, hoping that Rarity hadn’t noticed her slip up.

The fashionista just sighed in frustration. “I’m just saying, you should tell the others before this escalates,” she said getting out of the tub, cleaning herself up with a towel.

“Don’t jinx it, Rares. Nothing is going to happen, you just have to follow my lead, and everything is going to be fine” Dusk said as she followed Rarity’s motions.

“You know the last time you said that I ended up managing the weather right?”

“You’re being overdramatic… Where are we going after this?” Dusk asked, changing the subject. She definitely didn’t want to remember that day

“Oh! We are going to visit Applejack, of course, Rainbow was pretty clear about his ‘tour’.”

“I hope Applejack don’t notice who I am,” Dusk said worriedly. “He is the Element of Honesty after all.”

“I would be worried about him hitting on you,” Rarity teased, giggling as Dusk’s cheeks heated up again. “We wouldn’t want more suitors knocking at your doors would we?” 

“Rarity, are you shipping again? Because I swear if I find another Apple-Blitz story I’m going to tell Silver Belle to organize your boutique… again!” Dusk said menacingly, Rarity’s imagination couldn’t keep going on like this.
The aforementioned mare promptly ignored Dusk’s threat knowing that Silver was away and so her boutique was completely safe.  “I would have thought that someone like you appreciated good literature.”

“ ‘Oh, Applejack, mount me with the strength which you buck those apples…’” Now it was Rarity’s turn to blush with Dusk’s impersonation of Rainbow’s voice. “That is not good literature, Rarity, that’s just nightmare fuel.”  

“Let us never speak of it again,” she said, walking past Dusk at a quick pace.

“And the grammar! My Solaris your grammar—”

“LET US NEVER SPEAK OF IT AGAIN!”

“Heh, I won.”  





“So, you’re tellin’ me that, a new mare just showed up at Dusk’s place, and you’re already droolin’ over her?” Applejack said while he walked towards the barn with a basket full of apples in his back, looking up at Rainbow’s lovestruck grin.

“I know right? This Twilight Sparkle is absolutely perfect, you wouldn’t believe it. I mean her flank is just—” 

“I’m goin’ to stop ya right there, partner,” Applejack said, rolling his eyes, at his friend’s antics “And you’re tellin’ me this ‘cause…”

“I’m telling you this because I already called dibs for her, and If I called dibs for her first you can’t have her,” Rainbow replied matter-of-factly, landing in front of the confused stallion.

“You’re only tellin’ me this ‘cause ya called dibs?” Applejack said chuckling, “Blitz, that’s the single most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” He laughed while Rainbow Blitz frowned, stomping the ground with his hoof.

“Applejack this is serious, You’re not gonna steal that mare away from me!” He said approaching menacingly towards the laughing stallion.

“Bros before horses, Blitz, ever heard of it?” Applejack said waving a hoof dismissively, “And even if I were goin’ to do it.  I’ll tell Dusk first, before tryin’ to hook up with his cousin,” The orange stallion said, leaving the picked apples inside the barn as the pegasus smiled nervously.

“I-I was planning to tell him when he arrives… but that’s not important right now.” 

“I reckon you didn’t come here just to tell me to stay out of your way, did ya?” Applejack asked raising an eyebrow at his companion.

“Nope, that was it. She’s coming here right now so I want your hooves to yourself.”

“You’re kidding aren’t ya?” Applejack asked, partially frustrated that Rainbow was not in fact kidding.

“So, you will? That’s great, I didn’t want to kick my best bro’s butt,” Rainbow said smiling widely, while he hovered over Applejack in a relaxed stance.

“Ya kicking my butt? We wouldn’t want a repeat of the last time would we?” He said, smirking when Rainbow suddenly flinched.

“That was like, totally not fair…” 

“Yeah, and ya better know it! Anyways, about this mare, you’re tellin’ me that she is new in town and Pinkie hadn’t thrown her a party yet? Talk about weird,” Applejack asked, walking towards the Apple family’s house, opening the door until the proverbial Pink blur slammed him over.

“Throw a party to whom?” The pink menace asked casually sitting over Applejack’s chest, while Rainbow Blitz burst into a fit of laughter.

“Argh, Pinkie, you’re, crushin’ me,” The farmer said, pushing Pinkie from the awkward position they were in. The orchard wasn’t the place for doing that kind of things.

“Sorry, Applejack. I just happened to be ‘round this parts when I heard you talk about a new pony in town, a NEW pony I hadn’t give a party yet! Which is really weird ‘cause my Pinkie sense usually tells me when a new pony arrives in town, and it hadn’t told me anything since this morning… except for that thing with the oven. Oh! Mr. and Mrs. Cake can be so silly sometimes, although—” Pinkie’s rambling was cut short by Rainbow Blitz hoof on her mouth. “Ah tashted the Wainbow.” 

“Pinkie you’re licking my hoof!” Blitz said shaking his head, as he pulled his hoof out. “And if you wanted to know, we were talking about Dusk Shine’s cousin, Twilight Sparkle, and I already called dibs for her.”

Applejack just face-hooved for perhaps the fourth time during his exchange with the daredevil. “Really? She’s a mare, Rainbow.”

Ignoring the stallions, or perhaps distracted by the sudden rush of ideas, Pinkie yelled excitedly “Dusk Shine’s cousin?! That’s great! I hope she isn’t a grumpy pants like Dusk at his first party.” The pink mare gasped. “Maybe she IS a grumpy pants! What am I going to do?!” 

“Um… Applejack?” Pinkie’s concerns were thankfully forgotten by the arrival of Fluttershy to the farm-house. Patches of mud covered her face and several shallow scratches marked her hooves.
“Fluttershy! Thanks Solaris you’re here, did those raccoons gave you any trouble?” Applejack asked, carefully helping her to dislodge the dried up mud from her mane.

The shy pegasus shook her head, while she reluctantly accepted Applejack’s help. “Oh no, they were the sweetest dears…” 

Rainbow rolled his eyes and pointed at her hooves. “Were they, really?  

“Once I got to know them, that is,” 

“Well, ‘Shy, thank you kindly. Those raccoons were messin’ with the harvest, I’m glad ya took care of them.” 

“Oh, it wasn’t a big deal, really…” Fluttershy said, blushing at the praise. “Um, did I interrupt something? I’m really sorry if I did, I heard you talking and—”

“Don’t worry Flutter-Butter, We were talking about Dusk’s cousin, Twilight. Oh! And Rainbow already called dibs for her,” Pinkie intervened, winking at the aforementioned pegasus.

“Dibs? What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked an almost undetectable edge to her voice now. She’d been trying to catch the stallion’s attention for over a month since she sorted out her feelings for the pegasus who was almost like a brother for her, and now some unknown mare comes to steal his heart? She wasn’t going to give up now, that mare didn’t know who she was dealing with.

Not noticing Fluttershy’s shift in demeanor, Rainbow smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s nothing Flutters, just a new mare in town, you know how it is—”

On the other hoof, Applejack seemed to be the only one paying attention to how the mare’s expression darkened as Rainbow kept talking. “—Heh heh, right… Fluttershy, why don’t you go upstairs and wash, you already know where the bath is.” Thankfully for him, Fluttershy nodded slowly and walked up to the farm-house.

Once Fluttershy was out of earshot, Applejack gave Rainbow a slap on the back of his head. Hard.

“Hey! What was that for?” He said, nursing the sore spot on his head. 

The earth pony huffed as he glared at the clueless expression on Rainbow’s face. “That’s for being a thick-headed idiot!” 
“Huh?” 

“You’re impossible, Rainbow.” He mumbled, face-hoofing, turning to Pinkie Pie he said. “C’mon, Pinkie, that Twilight mare is comin’ soon,” 

“Yay! A ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party! ” Pinkie said, oblivious at her friends’ fight as somehow confetti burst from her mane.   

“Wait up you silly mare, I didn’t say anythin’ ‘bout a party here. I was planning something ‘round the lines of a ‘welcome lunch’.”

“Uh… Yay?” 

Rainbow looked confused at the turn of events, as his gaze traveled between his friends.“Hey! What about me? I know how to cook!” 

“Yeah right, boiled water doesn’t count.” 

The pegasus couldn’t think of a proper rebuttal, so he turned to the trusted phrase that had been useful for him in plenty of dire situations. “Buck off, Applejack.” 

“Gladly,” Applejack replied, making use of his great reserves of patience. “But you’re still not goin’ to cook,” 

“Bleh, I didn’t even want to,”

“You know Rainbow, some mares like a stallion who knows how to cook,” Pinkie said, giving Applejack a conspicuous smile.

“They do? Aww man!”
> Pretty Purple Pony Prince(ss) Part Two
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two recently groomed mares walked towards Sweet Apple Acres, both talking and laughing quite loudly. As they approached the gateway of the farm, the white mare whispered to her companion, “Be careful with Rainbow, he is totally into with you,” Rarity said to the confused mare, who huffed in annoyance.

“For the eleventh time Rarity, he is not flirting with me, he is just being friendly,” Dusk Shine answered uncertainly, “Unusually friendly.”

Dusk walked towards the farmhouse with a quick trot, not wanting Rarity to continue with her prodding, unfortunately, she wasn’t one to give up easily. “I’m just saying, you don’t know what to expect from that colt,” the white mare retorted looking over the Apple’s house where a pink mare was waving her hoof excitedly. “Oh look, Pinkie is here too. Wasn’t she supposed to be working today?” She said, earning a shrug from Dusk’s side.

Judging by the aforementioned mare response—or lack of one— Rarity asked, pausing her trotting, “You are still worried, aren’t you? Really, Darling? I don’t know why you just don’t tell them, we are your friends, after all, we won’t judge you.”

“Yeah silly, we won’t judge you,” Pinkie Pie, having just appeared in front of Rarity yelled frantically startling the white unicorn, and for extension Dusk too.

“Heavens Pinkie Pie, you scared me!” Rarity yelled picking herself from the ground while cleaning the dust from her immaculate coat.

“Sorry, Rares, I just heard you talking and you walked sooo slow, so I decided to come and say hi!” Pinkie chirped happily.

“It’s okay Pinkie, just don’t do it again,” Dusk Shine said with a strained smile, it was perhaps the 132nd time she had done exactly just that. Well, Pinkie only wanted to make ponies smile. There’s nothing wrong with it, is it? It was, in Dusk’s opinion, actually pretty cute.

Pinkie widened her eyes in a comical way as she listened to Dusk’s remark, “You already knew me!?” she said before face-hooving, “Of course you know me, Dusk must have talked about me, didn’t he? Anyways, nice to meet you, Twilight! I’m sure we’ll be the bestest best of friends.”

Dusk smiled dreamily at the mare, she couldn’t  be mad at Pinkie, annoyed? Yes, mad? Not really, she was just too sweet.

Too damn sexy as well, just look at that sun-blessed flank…

No brain, we can’t think about Pinkie like that, she’s our friend! Furthermore—

Furthermore nothing! We haven’t had a date since forever![/color

“Ehh… Twilight?”

Well there was… Moondancer…

“Twilight, dear, you’re scaring us,”

That was ages ago! Now get back there! They’re staring at you!

Did my own brain just yell at me?

Damn right I did! Not daring to wonder why her subconscious was acting up, or why she shouldn’t be concerned about future therapy, Dusk Shine turned to the couple of mares staring at them expectantly

“Um, Twilight you okay there? You are a bit…crimson,” Rarity asked, placing her hoof on the unicorn’s cheek.

The aforementioned unicorn blinked owlishly, stepping out of her mental conversation.“I-I’m alright Rarity, I was just thinking about… ” Dusk answered, shaking her blush off. She awkwardly coughed a few times before changing the subject.

“So,” she started, drawing the pink mare’s attention “This is Sweet Apple Acres then, it’s really nice,” Dusk said, walking alongside Pinkie and Rarity, the first bouncing excitedly meanwhile the latter looked rather uneasily.

“And you haven’t even met the Apple family yet, they’re even nicer!” Pinkie said, walking towards a yellow pegasus with a pink mane organizing the table beside the barn door not noticing the bouncing pink mare approaching her from behind, “FLUTTERSHY!” she yelled, scaring the mare who jumped from her spot on the ground.

Fluttershy recovering quickly from the sudden assault greeted her friend “H-Hello Pinkie, you scared me a little, Rainbow said you were going to organize the table, but I decided to do it myself, you’re not mad are you?” Fluttershy asked quietly flying to the table’s other end.

Pinkie waved her hoof dismissively. “Don’t worry Flutters, thank you for helping me with that, I was busy greeting the new arrival,” She said, motioning Dusk to come closer. “This here is Twilight Sparkle, Dusky’s cousin, she is staying in town for a few days ‘til Dusk arrives from his visit to Canterlot.” Pinkie explained hugging Dusk by her side.

Fluttershy’s demeanor changed from calm to angry in a matter of seconds as she looked at Dusk, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Twilight, I’m sure we’ll get along nicely,” she spat her face turning red as she examined the mare in front of her.

“Umm, Nice to meet you too Fluttershy,” Dusk said, wondering why Fluttershy wasn’t her usual self, it was a little unsettling, to be honest, a mad Fluttershy was someone to be wary of.

On the other hoof, Fluttershy was trying her best to not strangle the unicorn right on the spot. She could do it, years of massaging Harry the bear had left her with a good quantity of muscle in her arms. A quick movement of her neck and she was done.

“You know, Twilight. I really want to get to know you better, Rainbow talked a lot about you. Why don’t you girls go along with the boys, and I stay here with Twilight?” They will never find the body.

“Uh, sure darling, we’ll go and fetch the boys, just try to… behave,” Rarity answered, shooting Dusk a look while she walked alongside Pinkie inside the barn.

This is how I go, isn’t it?

We’re gonna die, and I haven’t got laaaaaaaid! Dusk thought, staring at everywhere but Fluttershy’s eyes, while she ignored her brain’s comment. It was a surprise when suddenly the usually demure mare jumped from her spot, grabbed Dusk from her sides and shot off to the sky.

Dusk completely stunned by the shock, flailed her hooves uselessly in the sky, while Fluttershy stared at her with a look that could melt steel, she could clearly see Tartarus inside the timid mare’s eyes, and it wasn’t pretty.

While the lavender mare trashed and squirmed in the pegasus embrace, Fluttershy cleared her throat, drawing the scared mare attention.

“Flu-Fluttershy, why—”

“Don’t play innocent with me you stallion-robber whore. I know what you’re trying to do with Rainbow Blitz, but that will never work, He. IS. MINE!” Fluttershy yelled, her muzzle just inches away from Dusk, who was now having a mental breakdown, she didn’t know what made less sense, that one of her best friends was accusing her of being a slut, or Fluttershy confessing her feelings for Blitz.

“You know, there’s a fine spot underneath my cottage, it’s specially made for you… for you and dead bunnies but that’s not important right now,”

Now that made absolutely no sense. In the midst of confusion and fear, Dusk flapped her hidden wings as hard as she could taking Fluttershy by surprise as the supposed unicorn started to ascend with her. As the pegasus’ anger faded and was replaced by sheer confusion she let Dusk Shine go making the illusion spell in her wings fade due to the sudden disturbance.

“Uhh Dusk, Yo-You, How?” Fluttershy stammered, her eyes becoming heavier, the reality of the situation dawning on her. Her mind couldn’t just take it anymore and it took the most appropriate course of action: fall unconscious in the middle of the air.

Unlucky for Fluttershy, her companion, was too in the middle of a complete mental breakdown, partly because of the stress of her arrival and also because of the sudden assault from the yellow pegasus, so now both unconscious mares were waiting for the impending doom falling rapidly to the ground.

Fortunately for them, a certain blue pegasus had heard all the commotion, and without wasting any second, shot off to the sky grabbing both mares in his arms, flying with them towards the ground safely.

“Applejack!” Rainbow called to his friend, setting the mares in the floor unharmed, “Come here, I think they need help!”

Applejack beside his partner with a slack-jawed expression looked at the purple mare in disbelief, “Is this really Dusk?”

“I think so unless you happen to know another purple Alicorn by chance!” The cyan pegasus replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Bu-But he ain’t a ma—” Applejack was cut short by Rainbow’s slightly angry glance, while he picked up the Alicorn in his back.

“It doesn’t matter AJ, they’re hurt, we need to take them to a hospital!” Rainbow replied, walking past his friend who begrudgingly picked up Fluttershy and hurried to Ponyville’s general hospital, leaving two scared mares behind them.

Pinkie looked at Rarity’s concerned expression. “Don’t worry, Rares, they are going to be okay. I haven’t had any twitchy-itchy thingies on my tail, so they’re fine.” She said, drawing the ivory unicorn’s attention, who smiled weakly at her friend’s question, she needed reassurance that her friends were alright, but she was more worried about Rainbow and Applejack’s reaction towards Dusk predicament.

“Thank you, Pinkie.”

“You already knew right?” Pinkie asked suddenly, startling her friend.

“Knew what?”

“That Dusk was a mare,” Pinkie replied, her knowing tone embarrassing Rarity. “Don’t worry Rares, I’m not mad at you I just want to know why he didn’t tell us,” Pinkie said gazing at the slightly uneasy expression in Rarity’s face.

“Thanks, Pinkie, I’m glad that you’re not angry,” She then sighed proceeding to explain Pinkie all that happened with Dusk’s transformation.





Rainbow paced back to forth the in the waiting room, pondering in his own thoughts, I can’t believe that Dusk had turned himself into a mare, and he didn’t tell us anything! He knew that it wasn’t the real reason he was mad, but he didn’t want to touch the subject, he had almost flirted with his best friend, and he didn’t want anypony else to know that.

“Rainbow Blitz, calm yerself!” Applejack said, standing in front the thoughtful stallion, “The Doctor said they’ll be just fine.”

“I know what the Doctor said AJ, that’s not what worries me anyway,” He retorted walking past Applejack, resuming his endless pacing.

The orange stallion groaned in annoyance sitting in one of the room’s chair, “I know what you’re worried about, and fairly it ain’t much of a big deal for me,” Applejack said, resting his head in the back of the chair, his eyes closing slightly until the crazed stallion shook him from his shoulders.

“Not a big deal! What is the matter with you?! I was hitting on Dusk, HITTING ON DUSK! What is he going to think of me after this?!” Rainbow yelled, staring directly into Applejacks eyes.

The other stallion chuckled, hitting Rainbow in the back of her head. “That’s for being a thick-headed idiot,” Applejack stated, putting a comforting hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Plus, it’s not a big deal, I don’ think he’ll even know you were flirting. You know how that colt can be for some things.”

“I guess you might be right…” Rainbow said ignoring the throbbing pain in his head until a nearby nurse called both stallions to the reception desk.

“You’re here to see Prince—” The mare checked her clipboard again “—Princess Dusk and Miss Fluttershy, right?” She asked as both stallions nodded. “Sign here and I’ll take you to their room,”

After a quick signature by Applejack, both ponies were taken through a set of doors, and lead to a sterile white room with a big number five stamped on the door. “Here we are, please do not make noise, some of our patients are resting,” The nurse ordered, opening the door for the stallions.

Inside the room two mares were laying in their respective beds, staring in an awkward silence at the ceiling above them.

“So,” Fluttershy said weakly trying for the first time ever to break the silence, “Twilight Sparkle…Dusk Shine, You’re a mare, That’s… new,” she said turning to face the unresponsive mare, who just nodded in recognition.

“I-I’m sorry I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that,” The pegasus apologized, remembering the harsh way she had treated her friend and everything she had told her.

“Don’t be Fluttershy, I should have told you what happened,” She said exhaling deeply, as she covered her head with the sheets. “Now I’m in real trouble.”

Fluttershy gasped at the mention of troubles, she hoped it wasn’t nothing serious, “Troubles? Why?” she asked watching the other bed stir a little “That is if you don’t mind me asking,”

Besides that one of my friends has a secret rabbit burial ground under her house, nothing, nothing at all, “Solaris is going to banish me for this,” The lump of the bed stated darkly, choosing to answer with the truth instead of the sweet sarcasm. “I just became a Princess, and I’ve already screwed up something, I’m not fit to be a leader!”

“Don’t ever say that again Dusk!” Fluttershy yelled, startling Dusk whose sheet felt to the ground, “You’re more worthy than anyone, you’re the most honest, loyal, generous and kind sta-mare I’ve ever seen, and a little setback isn’t meant to bother you in the slightest,” She said rising from her bed and walking towards her friend, sitting on her bed.

“You really think so Flutters?” The purple mare asked, a few tears leaking from her eyes while the other mare hugged her easing her concerns.

“Of course I do,” Fluttershy’s simple answer was the only thing Dusk needed right now—besides a dandelion sandwich— they cherished the moment between them until the door creaked open, and two familiar stallions walked inside the room.

“We’re not interrupting anythin’, are we?” Applejack asked smiling warmly as the scene unfurled and both mares greeted at the newcomers.

“Oh, Applejack is nice to see you,” Fluttershy said still sitting beside Dusk Shine, who shivered a at the stallion’s presence.

“Yeah, Um, hi Applejack,” the alicorn said uneasily, looking at the floor, avoiding the stallion’s gaze.

“Well, Hello to you too princess” Applejack said teasingly, walking towards the bed, while Rainbow stayed cautiously behind.

Dusk groaned at the tease, “Is not funny Applejack, I’m not in the mood for that kind of jokes,” She responded glaring daggers at the chuckling stallion.

“Why, heat arrived early this year?” The stallion joked, earning a glare from both mares in the room, and a muffled laugh from the cyan pegasus.

“Applejack, That isn’t really nice,” Fluttershy scolded as both stallions took a sit in the bed in front of them.

“Okay, okay, jokes aside, I think you owe us an explanation Miss Twilight” He said, pointing the aforementioned mare for emphasis.

“I know guys, I really do, but can we wait until the rest of the gang and the Prince arrives, I’m not oi the mood to tell the story twice,” Dusk said fixing her mane as a reflect act.

Rainbow looked confused for a moment, “The Prince, What for?” He asked as Dusk looked at him for the first time since he entered the room.

“Umm, yes, he is meant to come sooner or later,” The mare said matter-of-factly, seeing that nobody understood her she explained. “I mean, the newest Princess of Equestria just messed up a spell and is in the hospital, Solaris would want to know how his former student is faring.” Dusk slumped a little at her own statement.

“Don’t think like that sugarcube, I’m sure he’s gonna help you,” Applejack said reassuringly, but silently noticed how Dusk referred to himself.

“Yeah, Don’t worry Twi-Dusk, everything is going to be fine,” Rainbow said hoping that nobody had noticed his slip, sadly for him Dusk looked at him with a slightly sad expression.

“Blitz, are you okay?” The purple mare asked, raising an eyebrow, Blitz had acted pretty weirdly when he entered, she silently hoped that Rarity had been lying about him trying to hook up with her, things would get pretty awkward if that was the case.

“O-Of course I’m okay, Why do you ask?”

“Nothing, you seemed rather off,” Dusk said, blushing a light shade of crimson.

After a couple of minutes, the group of ponies were interrupted by a white unicorn and a pink earth pony walking into the room, both looking a little unnerved.

“Oh Rarity, Pinkie, I’m glad that you came,” Fluttershy said, smiling at the new arrivals.

Both mares looked at each other before Rarity cleared her throat, “Well, Umm, You see, there’s someone wanting to see Dusk here.” she said, walking towards the aforementioned mare.

“Someone? It’s not who I’m thinking, is it?” Dusk asked, looking at the door opening and a tall,  white alicorn entered the small room, his orange and red mane shimmering in an unseen breeze while his magenta eyes scanning thoroughly the crowd of ponies in the room stopping in his fellow alicorn.

“Hello, My faithful student,” The Alicorn said, his deep voice sending shivers through Dusk’s spine.

The mare gulped, “I told you so,” she said looking up to meet her mentor’s gaze.

She was screwed.
> Royal Explanations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dusk Shine swallowed her embarrassment as she looked up at her mentor, panicked violet eyes meeting calm magenta ones. “Hello Prince,” she said meekly, her voice barely audible.

Prince Solaris raised an eyebrow as he cleared his throat, “Dusk Shine, we’ve already talked about this, we are equals now, just Solaris will suffice,” he said feigning annoyance while Dusk gasped loudly at the remark.

“Oh, Right! Sorry… Solaris.” The mare responded looking at the ground avoiding even her friends’ gaze.

“It’s alright my faithful student,” the Prince reassured, walking towards the depressed mare raising her chin with his hooves. “Now, I would rather talk about certain developments, you can imagine my surprise when they told me that princess Dusk Shine was at the hospital,” he said, smiling gently at the mare who despite her embarrassment smiled back.

“I’m sorry, I should have told you, but I didn’t want to be a bother and this was a pretty embarrassing mistake,” Dusk explained, before Rarity cleared her throat loudly, rolling her eyes afterward, making the former stallion blush loudly. “And I was also scared that you would punish me for this,” she said, as Rarity smiled broadly.

Solaris chuckled at his pupil dismay “My dearest student, where did you get that ridiculous idea? I won’t punish you for a mistake that I once committed too,” He said, sitting beside his fellow alicorn in the bed, his large frame sinking the bed slightly, wrapping his wing around her afterward.

Dusk’s cheeks heated up once again, but this time for the prince’s proximity, of course, they had shared a lot of tender moments during the years, but this one, for some strange reason felt different. Was it the height difference? Maybe the bed wasn’t comfortable enough, or maybe it was the fact that it was the first time she had seen Solaris sharing a very emotional moment with a mare that wasn’t his sister.

She coughed in discomfort, looking uneasily at the clueless prince, who raised an eyebrow in question “Are you alright Dusk Shine?” Solaris asked, tightening the grip on his wing, making the embarrassed mare shiver at the soft touch “Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“N-No, I’m okay, is just a little hot in here, isn’t it?” she said, fidgeting in the bed as everyone else looked at her confusedly.

Fortunately for the mare, Rarity seemed to have picked up her hints, clearing her throat loudly she attracted the attention of the other ponies in the room. “Well then, now that we have all sorted up, why we don’t discuss ways to fix Dusk’s little problem?” she said, pulling the princess out of the embrace forcefully.

“Indeed, as far as I know— ” directing the attention back to himself “ — this small mishap of yours happened because of a mistake in your potion making. Am I right Dusk Shine?” The prince asked, seeing how the mentioned mare straightened herself up, ignoring the stressed pronunciation of her name.

“Actually that wasn’t exactly what happened,” she corrected, becoming what her friends called as ‘Teacher Dusk’ that fused her academic knowledge with Pinkie’s ability to ramble aimlessly.

“I was trying to use the potion inherent magical properties as a matrix to amplify my output, sadly, I must have used too much of one ingredient, I don’t know which yet, thus destabilizing the equilibrium between my own spell and the potion passive magic field.” as she finished everyone but Solaris and strangely enough Pinkie Pie was looking at her with expressions that varied from downright confusion to amazement.

Dusk blushed at her friend’s faces “I-I was just trying to fuse my own magic with a potion to make it stronger while casting spells,” she simplified, breathing in relief as everyone else gave an ‘Ohh’ as a response.

“You could’ve just said that sugar cube, instead of that fancy-schmancy magic talk,” Applejack said chuckling at the mare’s blush.

“Sorry.” 

“No need for that my faithful student, I understood perfectly,” Solaris said, furrowing his brows in concentration.

“Sadly I do not have anything that could help you at the moment, but maybe if we collect a sample of the potion we could isolate the compound that caused your transformation in the castle’s lab, and then we could synthesize an antidote for your predicament,” He explained, earning an excited squeal from the alicorn mare.

“Really! That’s amazing! I’m sure you’ll get the cure in no time,” she said gleefully, jumping from her spot on the bed to stand directly in front of the Prince, who stopped the impromptu presentation of her trademark victory dance, raising a hoof.

“There’s another thing I’m going to ask you, and I’m sure you won’t like it,” Solaris said seriously.

“Oh, you’re going to banish me aren’t you?” Dusk asked, backing slowly from the prince’s larger frame.

The alicorn stallion rolled his eyes at his student remark “Of course I’m not going to banish you, where did that even came from? I only wanted to ask you to come with me to Canterlot. Your sister and brother in law are already there, and Gleaming Shield got a little worried when I received the letter,” Dusk’s eyes widened in fear, her left ear flickering in response to her stress level suddenly skyrocketing.

“M-my sister is there? What is she doing in Canterlot?! The last time she wrote, she said that she couldn’t visit because of some border disputes with the Deer’s kingdom,”  Dusk said, visibly agitated.

“Oh yes, King Hert… A very stubborn leader if you ask me, fortunately for them his wife is a wonderful negotiator and the dispute ended rather quickly. Gleaming and Eros went to Canterlot to discuss with me and Luna the terms of the new agreement,” Solaris explained the mare, who was slowly pondering her options.

I can’t go to Canterlot like this! Gleaming is going to freak out as soon as she sees me! the purple mare thought, But if I go, I have the opportunity of overseeing the antidote formula…  they’ll be able to make it faster. 

Seeing that Dusk wasn’t going to answer anytime soon, Pinkie decided to peep in poking the aforementioned mare playfully with her hoof, “Oh come on Dusky, your sis will be super happy to see you, and now that you’re a mare you’ll do all sort of mare stuff together,” Pinkie said cheerfully, pulling Dusk out of her crashing train of thoughts.  

“That’s the deal Pinkie!” Dusk yelled, pacing around the room nervously. “Gleaming always teased me about wanting a little sister! I don’t know what would she do if she saw me like this,”

“My faithful student, Your sister had been supportive of everything that had happened to you, what makes you think this time is going to be different?, you two are family after all,” Solaris intervened, putting his hoof on Dusk’s shoulder for comfort, “And we might find the cure faster if you are there,” 

Dusk huffed in annoyance but conceded with the Prince’s decision. “Fine, I’ll go but on cover, I don’t want everypony in Equestria to think that they have a new princess,” 

“Fair enough,” Solaris said, “Now If we may go to your library to retrieve our sample?” he asked.

“Sure, I’ll ask Spines to take it.” 

“But…  she is a baby dragon."

“Pshh, Don’t worry about her, dragons are very resilient to magic,” she disregarded Fluttershy’s worries turning away from the yellow mare. “After all she owns me one with that stunt of hers this morning,” 

“Fine by me. Let’s get going, I hate hospitals,” Rainbow said flying away.





Teleportation would have been much better…

But noo, being a prince—princess, whatever— meant she couldn’t just blink in or out of any place as she wanted. No, she had to follow the proper protocol and decorum whenever traveling somewhere. They were only six of them! It didn’t even require a smidge of her resources.

Yet, she had been forced to wait the loathed ten minutes ride from Ponyville to the capital alongside her teacher and four of her friends, seeing that Applejack and Fluttershy had to stay both for things related to their respective jobs… or so they said; Dusk couldn’t be so sure anymore.

Anyways, trying to explain such a… compromising situation to her mentor wasn’t an easy feat, in fact, she still didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk about it.

She would rather spend the day with Eris… But hey! At least she had science!

“— And with both matrices sharing the same frequency, while the caster’s output isn’t significantly increased, the efficiency which it casts is thoroughly improved.”

“Impressive. But how did you compensate for the inherent loss of potential while the matrices remained active?”

“It was hard, but I found the answer in the Stark-Bolt laws of resonance, with a little tweak though so— “

“Dusk, I know you’re excited and all, but all this magical talk is making me sick.” Though he was blunt, Rainbow’s sentiment was shared by most of the carriage’s occupants; that, strangely enough, included the pegasi crew. 

Solaris chuckled acknowledging the pegasus stallion’s plight while the mare in question groaned, her features marked by a light blush. 

Having the Prince focused on the theory behind her experiment was the only thing keeping her from the increasingly disturbing thoughts regarding the solar alicorn’s proximity. As a stallion, Dusk always found Solaris' presence imposing, strong, royal with the tiniest hint of paternal care behind his chiseled features; now, though, the firm muscles under his coat and his warm golden eyes seemed to be screaming something completely different and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.

Noticing Dusk’s eyes widen a fraction Rarity decided to intervene."So… Darling, What are you planning to do once we arrive? Aside from your experiment, that is.” The little question would keep her mind busy until Rarity could correctly inquire about her friend's well being.

Dusk Shine sighed, uneasily fidgeting in her seat."I don't know, I wouldn't like to go o-out of the castle that's for sure but— “

“Oh, c’mon Dusky! Your sister is in town you gotta do something together!" Dusk opened her mouth to retort yet the abrupt turn of the carriage signaling their arrival convinced her otherwise. The Prince found the gesture amusing, Dusk— mare or stallion— didn’t do well in high-pressure circumstances; he had a tendency towards overreaction something probably brewed in his years under Solaris’ wing, or perhaps even further than that.

“Your majesty, we will arriving shortly,” a guard said. The message was received with both joy and panic by the distressed princess. Joy of course as the ending of the tortuous journey, and panic because she was only a couple of feet away from a social suicide.

What would Gleaming Shield think? Spines playfully joked around, the sheer ridiculousness of the situation too funny for the baby dragoness… Gleaming on the other hoof, she was bound to take this to the next level.

She must’ve been already trembling from anticipation because she didn’t even register Pinkie’s tender hoof patting her back until her voice snapped her out of the frightening results of her overwhelmed imagination. “Just relax Dusky, everything is gonna be just fine.”

Facing Pinkie’s overconfidence with a smile, Dusk thanked the sun she was facing this alongside her friends; having them by her side made this experience a little more bearable.

As the chariot touched ground and Dusk’s heart rate intensified to an impossible speed, hushed voices discussed something outside, weird because— 

“SURPRISE!” Of course, they had to do something like that.

When the door opened, two of the ponies Dusk definitely didn’t want to face right now, yelled at top of their lungs; they were accompanied by a small platoon of royal guards, whose serious facade was slowly falling at the sight of two monarchs indulging themselves in such silly antics.

Prince Solaris, having recovered first from the sudden if somehow expected welcome, greeted the couple with his tranquil, warm smile while the remaining passengers exited the carriage.

“Prince Eros, Princess Gleaming Shield, what a pleasant surprise; we weren’t expecting such a committee!”

“Well, Uncle, we just wanted to make sure Dusk was okay. You left in such a hurry this morning we got worried and— “

“Dusk?! Is that you?!” Gleaming’s shriek cut Eros short, as the couple’s eyes traveled to the last pony who reluctantly made its way out of the contraption. Their eyes widened for the petite purple alicorn could not be the same Dusk Shine they knew and loved.

The mare looked around for a moment, before lowering her head while pawing shyly at the ground. “H-hi, sis,” she said in a Fluttershy-esque squeal.

The pair’s dumbstruck expression would have been hilarious, had the circumstances been different. Right now it served only to make the awkward silence worst. ‘If that was possible’ 

“I’ll explain inside,” The sun prince sighed as if these shenanigans were a common occurrence in his daily routine. 

While making their way inside, Princess Dusk Shine raised an eyebrow at the sudden serious frowns of the guards in the platform. She dared to think the soldiers had finally realized the importance of the situation and were (for once) being as professional as they could.

Sadly, her guesses weren’t always correct.

Howling laughter promptly burst from the squad as soon as the castle’s doors were confirmed closed. Soon the barracks would be joking about the wonder-colt of Equestria turning into wonder-filly, in a couple of hours half of the castle won’t be able to hold a straight face around the new princess. Give it a day and the Canterlot’s newspapers would be full of columns speculating every little detail of the royal’s lives. 

Wasn’t life awesome?





“So… “ trailed off Prince Eros after the complexity of Dusk’s predicament had been explained in what was known as the second most excruciating experience of the purple alicorn’s young life.

“A mare… your experiment turned you into a mare— “

“By accident,”

“... By accident,”

“...”

“You sure you didn’t want this?”

“Ugh!”

“You know me and Gleaming would accept you with whatever you choose, right?”

“Kill me please…”

“It’s completely normal for colts, uh, fillies to, erm… feel uncomfortable with— “

“OH COME ON!” 

“Alright, alright, I think you’ve teased him— her enough,” Gleaming Shield said, wrapping a hoof around the traumatized alicorn, she was wearing a smile that screamed mischief, an evil grin that every older sibling in the world could relate to; and if Eros didn’t know better he’d said it looked a little frightening.

They sat down at an ample table, at the castle’s library. Prince Solaris had taken the potion’s sample to the lab while trying to inform his sister of Dusk’s current state.

On her part, Dusk was having the time of her life at mercy of her older sister and brother-in-law who were taking advantage of the situation at hoof as much as they deemed necessary. Her friends weren’t any help for her anyways. But she couldn’t find the will on herself to blame them… it was just too good to pass by.

“Guys! You shouldn’t even be laughing at this!” Dusk groaned, almost whined; a sound that apparently was becoming too frequent. 

“Sorry, Dusk, they are just great doing that,” Blitz chuckled, along with Pinkie, Spines, and surprisingly enough, Rarity! ‘Traitors’ Dusk thought, then rolling her eyes she sighed ‘you’d do the same thing, though’ 

“Yes, we’ve known little Dusky-poo since he was a little foal, we know how to push his buttons,” 

Dusk banged her head against the table, cursing alicorn’s resilience. It wouldn’t concede her the sweet sleep of unconsciousness.

“Pfft, Dusky-poo?!” The pink (traitor) mare almost cried with the ridiculous nickname. It certainly had been a while since Dusk had heard that cursed name.

“That’s how mother dear used to call him, isn’t it sweet?! I’m curious why she hadn’t told you that yet,” Gleaming said, faking innocence, caressing slowly her sister’s cheek.

The aforementioned mare retaliated with a glare of her own once the laughter and giggles had quieted down. “I guess you already told Eros how mom used to call you,” she said, the fire of revenge burning in her eyes.

A nervous laugh from Gleaming and five sets of curious eyes answered her jab. Finally, she had something to bargain with.

“Hehehe… Let’s not do something we’ll regret.”

“Your call, Gleaming,” The unicorn mare gulped at the sight of all the expectant faces gazing in her direction, especially her husband’s, and reluctantly for the sake of her own honor nodded slowly.

“Alright, alright, you win kiddo,” she said, ignoring the groans of disappointment of Dusk’s friends plus Eros (who was certainly going to be sleeping outside tonight).

“So,” Eros started, ignoring his wife’s glare. “You got any plans for the week? The Wonderbolts are doing a show and I thought— “

“The Wonderbolts?! Oh, please tell me there are still tickets left!” Rainbow Blitz asked, almost jumping from his seat in excitement.

Eros nodded nonchalantly, his wife rolling her eyes at the spectacle. “As a matter of fact… I happen to own eight tickets for tomorrow’s show,”

Before Rainbow could let out the manliest squee ever heard by ponykind, Dusk interrupted him with her eyebrow raised. “I didn’t know you were a Wonderbolt’s fan, Eros,” 

“I’m not actually, I was planning to invite you and your friends before we had to go back to the Empire, but well… this thing happened, why not make the best out of it?” 

“Oh please! Can we go? It’ll be awesome! Maybe Spitfire will actually notice me and let me show her my awesome moves… If you know what— “

“Eww, I sincerely doubt it, Blitz. Plus no mare would fall for that.”

“Really? You can tell now?”

“Oh shut up!” 

“Joy-killer,” Rainbow said, dismissing her statement waving his hoof.

“Darling, please, you surely can take a couple of hours to spend with your friends, can’t you?” Rarity whine—asked,  resorted to the unavoidable trump card: ‘Prince of Friendship’ to get him out of his shell.

“And… well,” Dusk’s sister started, fumbling with words while awkwardly playing with her hooves in a not-so-Gleaming fashion. “I was wondering if we could spend, erm… some sibling bonding time— ?”

“—Sister’s afternoon!” Eros supplied, earning him a couple of deadly glares from both siblings.

Focusing her attention once again in Dusk’s uncertain purple eyes, “Maybe a walk through the town? You know it’s been a while since I’ve been here in Canterlot and—”

“But Gleam’, a sister’s afternoon, really? What, are we going shopping and then spend the day at the spa?”

“No, no, no! Nothing like that! You know I’m not that kind of mare. It’s just— Ugh!” Gleaming stuttered, blushing heavily not quite finding the word to describe her… feelings. She was a tough mare, not used to expressing herself if it wasn’t for Eros she’d hide behind a stone facade at all times. But as he would say, she was learning how to take off her mask around her family and friends.

“Dusk,” she said, confusing the alicorn with her sudden change from frustration to melancholy. “I’ve never had a little sister… and don’t get me wrong, having a little brother is awesome, but it’s not the same. Couldn’t you just bear with me a couple of hours… please?”

“Awww— “

“Ugh! Fine!” Dusk said, ignoring her friends’ bickering. “But if you make me do something girly you’ll pay,”

“Yay! This will be the best day ever!” 

“Yeah… fun… “
> Girls Day Out
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Today was admittedly not one of Dusk Shine’s best moments. Everything was going great, Gleaming seemed to be fulfilling her part of the deal, her friends were behaving and the Wonderbolts were amazing as always. Everything was awesome… right until it wasn’t.

“Go away you creep or I’ll blast you to the moon!” Dusk yelled, backing away from the stallion that was eyeing her like Pinkie Pie eyed cupcakes. It was probably the fourth time she had to put up with stallions treating her like that and the number of inebriated ponies didn’t help either. Dusk simply couldn’t possibly understand why they were behaving so oddly around her.

According to Rainbow Blitz,  most mares did not dig the whole nerdiness deal on a male while on stallions apparently, it was an appealing character trait… or a turn on as Rainbow Blitz so disgustingly phrased it, the pegasus also mentioned something along the lines of ‘playing hard to get’ which was giving Dusk a real hard time while trying to buy snacks for the show.

The stallion apparently couldn’t understand what ‘stay away’ meant and continued in his drunken advances towards Dusk. “Wha’ever you say, sweetheart, I’m just tryin’ to give ya a good time, why don’ you—”

“Why don’t you get your filthy hooves off my little sister!” A very angry and familiar voice bellowed behind her.

Dusk breathed a sigh of relief once the disguised figure of Gleaming Shield wrapped a hoof protectively over her back, she didn’t usually cherish physical contact with her sister but this was a special circumstance.  “Gleam’ you won’t believe how glad I am for—”

“And if you ever even look at her like that again, I will punch you so hard that you’ll be able to smell your own ass.” Some habits die hard, and the ability to curse like a sailor was Gleaming Shield’s favorite habit. That was Royal Guard material right there, making a pony shiver by words alone.

The stallion gave her a sly smile that in his drunken state looked more like he was about to throw up. “Ya like it rough don’ ya?”

At the comment, Gleaming’s usually ivory face turned red from sheer loathing. “I’m MARRIED! That’s it I’m going to—”

“Gleam’,” Dusk intervened, looking with pleading eyes between her sister and the forming crowd, she didn’t want to make a fuss… again. “Can we leave now? it isn’t worth it.”

The unicorn sighed apparently giving in. Until the inevitable drunken response came.

“I don’ mind sharin’... you don’ look half bad y’know…” And that was the last word the stallion ever said to a mare.





“…your mother was a hamster and your father smelled like elderberries!” Gleaming shouted at the retreating stallion, she had a tired yet proud smile etched on her face.

“What does that even mean?” Dusk asked once the confrontation ended. Well, confrontation meant both parties were in equal chance to win, whereas in this case, Gleaming Shield was the only one fighting while the poor stallion received the mare’s hatred.

“Shush, Dusky. I know what I’m doing.”

Annoyed at her sister’s overconfidence Dusk pressed on. “Did you really had to break his muzzle like that?”

“Yep,” Gleaming replied, a proud smile marking her features. Almost a year since ruling the empire and she hadn’t lost her street fighting skills, who said that princess couldn’t fight?

“And that freezing spell seemed a bit too much… I mean—”

“I didn’t want him to run away, I hate chasing stragglers.” Gleaming Shield replied, holding back a chuckle.

“B-but, he was drunk, he couldn’t even walk straight!” Dusk yelled, getting even more frustrated at Gleaming’s satisfied grin.

“Someday you’ll understand that are perfectly reasonable excuses to hit someone, lil’ sis.” As if that explained everything, the unicorn walked past her at the coliseum V.I.P box where Eros’ waved them over.

“Couldn’t Eros pick a more creative disguise? I mean yours… I don’t know how on earth he made you wear pink, but his… Well, I’m no Rarity but a black-maned, white coated pegasus is a bit… dull,” Dusk mentioned, a quick change of topic to forget from Gleaming’s short temper.

“Trust me, you don’t want to see his first choice, I’ll only tell you it involved red, green and brown.”

Gleaming shuddered, the mere mental image bringing shivers down her spine, she paused for a second, turning to Dusk with a naughty smirk. “He still looks hot, doesn’t he?”

“For the love of Faust! Gleaming Shield, shut up!” Dusk said, her face turning a familiar shade of red.

“Hehe, got you!” The older unicorn said, sticking her tongue out in a foalish manner.

Dusk Shine sighed as she trying to make the red disappear from her face while she sat down behind Eros and Gleaming who shared a quick kiss for a greeting. She huffed in annoyance at the display of affection, she wasn’t jealous or anything, but the whole situation left her thinking.

“What took you girls so long?” Eros asked cheerfully, noticing Dusk’s mood and trying to put an end to her sulking.

“Yeah! Where are my nachos?!” Asked Pinkie Pie, jumping beside the couple.

Dusk shot Gleaming Shield a pleading glance, she didn’t want her friends knowing another reason to tease her if being turned into a mare by accident and trying to hide it was ever going to get old.

“If you want to know…” Gleaming started, winking at her flustered sister. “Some creep was hitting on Dusky and I had to beat the crap out of him,” she explained as if beating someone was a normal occurrence for the Crystal Princess.

Eros widened his eyes in surprise. “Wait, someone was flirting with Dusk?”

“I wouldn’t call drunkenly saying ‘You’re hot’ flirting, but yeah,”

“And… you beat the guy didn’t you?” Eros replied, amused at his wife’s antics.

“Well, duh… Nobody messes with my little bro, er… sis.”

Eros gave a last satisfied sigh before pulling Gleaming in for a kiss, “Atta girl.”

“What?! You’re actually approving of her… behavior?” Dusk yelled, ignoring the fact that even after their wedding, seeing Eros and Gleaming kiss still felt gross. She had to put up with it since she was a little colt, it was a traumatic experience!

“First of all, I’ve seen that look on your face before, grow up Dusky; second, what else did you expect me to do?!” Gleaming said snuggling deeper in Eros’ now white wing.

“Well… not seriously injure a partially innocent stallion?” Dusk said hesitantly

“Pfft, you’re no fun, Dusky,”

Eros shot his wife a mildly disapproving glance before turning to the frustrated mare with practiced calm. “She is right you know, I would have done the same thing, and it’s painfully obvious you’re not mad about that.”

Damn you Eros and your foalsitter instincts! Dusk Shine cursed internally, turning to Rarity who was amusedly watching the whole exchange beside her.  “Am I really that easy to read?”

The unicorn just chuckled politely as she soothingly patted her back. “Sometimes, Darling, sometimes, but be honest with us, what has got you in such distress?”

“Yeah, why the long face?” Pinkie asked, ignoring the various face-hooves around her.

“It’s nothing guys. Why don’t we—”

“Oh no, you’re not pulling that card again,” Spines said from behind Pinkie, a half-eaten hayburger in her claws.

Dusk glared daggers at her assistant. “You’re lucky slavery is illegal, Spines,” deciding against asking that question the dragoness motioned her to continue. “Ugh, well… I mean, I just wasn’t expecting ponies to be interested in me … As male mares weren’t swooning for me—”

“What about Trixie?”

“—like stallions do now, and well… I’m not that attractive am I?” Dusk said speaking over Pinkie’s—totally wrong— remark, instead choosing to focus on the disbelieving looks of her companions.

“We really need to work on your self-esteem someday,” Eros spoke up, raising an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Rarity cleared her throat while she toyed with Dusk’s mane in contemplation. “Well, you’re not what I would call a ‘sex-bomb’ but you obviously have some sort of charm, is more than anything your being…”

“An adorkable genius?” Spines provided grinning.

“Exactly,”

“W-what?! That’s not even a word!” Dusk yelled, her blush going from an innocent rose to the deep scarlet of embarrassment.

“Of course it is a word,” Pinkie said, pulling a dictionary out of her mane. “Look: ‘Adorkable, adjective: see Dusk Shine’.”

Debating whether to assume why the book did, in fact, have a picture of her male-self with reading glasses on or why Pinkie had a Maream Webster in her mane, Dusk groaned instead cursing her stupid alicorn magic for the umpteenth time. Why did it have to be a mare?! I should’ve turned into a sun-damned breezie!

“Now, now, I’m not saying that it would actually work… Perhaps with the right manestyle, curling your locks a bit— Oh! And the right dress, something along the midnight blue, making those eyes of yours shine and—”

“Don’t even get started, Rarity! We already did that!”

Rarity pouted, giving her the best puppy-dog eyes she could. “We only went to the spa!”

Gleaming grinned mischievously from her spot under Eros’ wing. “Pfft… You went to the spa?”

If looks could kill Gleaming would have been buried by now. “You shut your mouth, Gleaming Andromeda Shield!”

“Calm down, Dusky, I’m just saying if you already did that there’s no reason to say no to… whatever Rarity is implying,”

Dusk Shine huffed, though her eyes betrayed her insecurity. “I swear, I’m not going to the salon with you. I mean the spa was cool: the mud bath, the massages. But that’s the only thing I’m willing to do.”

“Don’t be like that, Dusk. Even I go to the salon regularly.” Eros intervened, earning both confused and amazed glances from the mares present.

“Do you really?” Dusk asked, face-hooving.

“How else do you think he maintains his mane like this,” Gleaming said, brushing a hoof through Eros’ mane. “It feels like silk.”

The purple mare frowned, unconsciously brushing her own mane.“I thought it was an alicorns’ thing,”

“Does your mane looks like that?” Rarity asked, raising her eyebrow.

Dusk looked down, slightly embarrassed. “No but…”

“But nothing. Dusk, the point is that  indulging once in awhile in this kind of antics is healthy, plus, you’ll be doing it with your friends!” Rarity explained, backed up by Pinkie’s confident smile and Gleaming’s teasing grin.

Dusk buried her head in her hooves, anger wasn’t enough to hold her ground against her friends. “Argh… You’re not getting a no for an answer are you?”

“You know me, Darling, am I?”

“Fine. But on one condition.”

“What is it, Dusky?” Gleaming asked, her mind already full of ideas to tease her sister with. Perhaps style her mane? or making her wear a  dress? What about—

“You, Miss Captain of the Guard, are coming with me!” Dusk stated triumphantly, pulling her sister into a hug from behind. “Oh! And no disguises, everybody will know who we are!”

Gleaming Shield huffed, pushing her sister away while nuzzling deeper into her husband’s fur. “Pfft, no way in Tartarus I’m going to do that.”

“Actually, honey. I think it’d be nice if you did,” Eros said, hiding his grin on Gleaming’s mane before she turned around, pouting childishly.

“You can’t be serious, I haven’t even gone to the Empire’s stylist!”

“Think about it Gleam’, a real Sister’s afternoon.” Dusk said, glad that for once she was wearing the mischievous smile.

“I-I… Okay…” Gleaming conceded, not quite comprehending how her plan had backfired so horribly. Turning to Dusk she added, “You know ponies are going to see you too, right?”

“It’s worth it, Glimmy.”

“Did she just said… Glimmy?” Eros said, a goofy smile spreading over his features.

“YOU TRAITOR!” The older unicorn yelled, jumping over her sibling.

Teleporting away, Dusk turned tail and ran as fast as she could away from her enraged sister. “HELP ME! SHE’S TRYING TO KILL ME!”

Ignoring the commotion, Spines continued, “… Anyways, it’s settled, are we going back to the castle?”

“No, dear, I know a better place her in Canterlot, It’s actually nearby, you see.” Rarity said, turning at the Wonderbolts’ outstanding performance, she wasn’t a proper fan but she could appreciate the intricacies of their flying prowess. Talking about flying…  “Has anyone seen Rainbow Blitz? He was here just a second ago.”
“Actually, he told me he was…”

As on cue, the sleek figure of the athletic pegasus appeared by the bleachers, flanked by a couple of burly earth ponies wearing not-so-friendly expressions.

“Um, d-does anybody here have… Um, a couple… extra bits?” Rainbow said, scratching the back of his neck.

Eros groaned, face-hoofing as the mares stared curiously at the new development. “You lost a bet, didn’t you?”

“Uh… Kind of…?”

“Called it.” The alicorn in disguise said, begrudgingly turning to face the amused trio of females. “You… you all move along, I’ll take care of this.”

The girls nodded and went to find Gleaming and Dusk Shine, leaving the pair of stallions behind.

“So… How much did you lose?”

“Two… thousand…ish bits?”

“Two thousand!”

“…ish…”