> Maid to Please 2: Loopholes
>  by videomaster21XX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> One act of kindness...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Cadance!” Twilight cried in astonishment, earning a confused look from the pink princess. They were both seated in the dining room of the Crystal Empire. Twilight and her friends were over to visit Cadance and Shining Armor, Spike having been left in Canterlot to assist Princess Celestia and Luna. Mere moments ago, Cadance had announced she was expecting, when the lone maid serving them wine had frozen in place with a look of horror before running out with a cry. Cadance’s response had to been to pay her no mind, stating she was only a maid.

        “Yes?” Cadance replied meekly at Twilight’s glare. It was funny that despite having her own kingdom, and having been Twilight’s own foal sitter while growing up, one disapproving look from the lavender mare was enough to humble her every time.

        “Look, I know things are different here,” Twilight began. Cadance shivered. She had never heard Twilight sound so serious before. “I also understand that the maids are about a thousand years behind, and behave differently than the ones in Canterlot. Believe me, I’ve tried to keep that in mind while visiting, but just a maid? How can you just dismiss her like that? That’s not the Cadance I know!”

        “Twily, you don’t understand.” Shining began.

        “Quiet Shining! You’re not pardoned from this either! How could both of you treat your staff like that? Why with what you just said it’s like she wasn’t even a pony!”

        “Oh Twilight.” Cadance replied with a sigh, “I’ve told you how the maids and staff of the castle seem to fret about every little ol’ thing. I’ve tried to calm them down, but they always go on about how they aren’t good enough for ‘the crystal princess’” With a roll of her eyes she placed the fork she had been using back down on the plate. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had a maid freak out over spilling something in front of me. Honestly I’ve gotten so tired of it that I’ve just let them be. I’m sure in time she’ll calm down.”

        “Yeah Twi, leave em alone.” Rainbow Dash piped up, taking another swig of the wine. “Ugh, does this mean we have to pour it ourselves now?”

        “I think you’ve had enough as it is Dash.” Twilight scolded, though Rainbow just blew it off. Twilight hated it when her friend got like this. It happened anytime she drank anything with an alcoholic consistency to it. Thankfully, being Princess Celestia’s personal student, she herself had enough experience with such things like wine that she was much clearer headed.

        “Regardless Cadance, I saw her face, that didn’t look like something small to me. ‘Just a maid’ doesn’t cut it.” Cadance took another look at the door the maid had exited from. Maybe Twilight was right, what if it was something serious this time? Had she really gotten so caught up with being royalty and doing a good job as a Princess that she had been neglecting her subjects? Replaying those words in her head, she realized just how heartless they sounded. Thinking about it made her mind wander back to the time she snuck into the servant’s quarters to steal a maid uniform.

        Once more the desire to upgrade the out of date commendations floated up in her mind. When she had first become Princess, they wouldn’t even let her near that area of the castle. Fretting about how it was not proper for a Princess to have to subject herself to such a place. At the time she had simply complied with their request, but after finally seeing it first hoof! She should have snuck in to see it long ago. How did they ever enjoy such poor commendations?

Yet whenever she brought it up to Noblebroom, he’d insist that while some upgrades were likely needed, what they had would do for the time being, and that change had to happen gradually.  She had been princess of this place for almost a year now! How much longer did change need for it to happen? He had told her he’d work on the problem in time, but had he? Perhaps it was time to simply charge in there and demand progress. What was he going to do? She was in charge here! Not him!

        “Ugh, Twilight I think you’re right. I got so caught up in being what they expected from me that I’ve lost track of what it really means to be a princess.” She chuckled. “Leave it to you to remind me of that. For the newest Princess, you sure seem to be doing a better job than me.” Twilight blushed at the compliment, trying to hide it by taking another sip of wine.

        “Oh you know me, just trying to be the best Princess of Friendship I can!” She added with a nervous laugh. “Speaking of which, I should go talk to her.”

        “No no, don’t trouble yourself Twily.” Her brother said getting up. “As you said, the blame isn’t completely on Cadance. I’m the Prince of this kingdom. I need to take a more active interest in my se-subjects well being.”

        Inwardly he sneered. To think he had almost said servants, that would have been a red flag. Curse that stupid ‘sister’ of his. He spent a good deal of time keeping Cadance focused on courtly duties and trade routes so she didn’t think too much about what was happening in their own palace. Now he’d have to play damage control with an over eager Princess just longing to upgrade that Tartarus pit that was the servant quarters. Why waste their time or bits? It’s not like he had to sleep there anymore. Let it stay as it was.

It had been a wonderful, yet very cautious road he had been traveling since that fateful day Cadance had mistaken his old form for Shining Armor. How lucky he had been that Cadance’s little kink had resulted in the real Shining Armor being turned into an earth pony mare that could have almost been her twin. If Cadance hadn’t been so quick to fix her ‘husband’ she might have realized she had grabbed the wrong pony. Worry was a wonderful thing was it not? Course there was no chance of her figuring it out now. He had made certain the new maid “Lowly servant” would remain as she was for all eternity.

        “Are you sure?” Cadance asked, getting ready to make the trip herself. “It was me who was speaking when she freaked out. Maybe I should talk to her and apologize personally.” In truth she was feeling a bit more guilty than she was letting on. Twilight’s scolding made her recall the time about three months ago when she had made Shiny into a perfect subservient maid. Going as far as to tell her that ponies above her were better than her. It had all just been part of the fun for the night of course, but perhaps it had begun to warp her view of the actual maids more then she realized.

It wasn’t like she considered herself better than them. True she was the Crystal Princess and they relied on her acting the part, but even she admitted she rarely noticed them anymore. They never really complained so she eventually just put them in the background of her mind. Perhaps it was time to rectify this. She was the Princess of Love wasn’t she? With Shining being so ambitious as of late, she should try to once again show them they didn’t have to idolize her.

        “No no, you’ve been looking forward to seeing Twilight and her friends all week.” Shining replied with a smile, “You stay, I’ll be right back.” Giving his ‘wife’ a peck on the cheek he headed for the door. It was highly unlikely Lowly Servant would be able to warn Cadance of who they really were given his strict commands, but no sense in taking any chances. It had been very slippery during his first month as the new Lord of the Castle. It was only obvious that at times he’d act in a way that the old Shining would not have. Thankfully he was able to blame it on residue from the persona spell. The many transformations and commands she had given ‘him’ must have scrabled his brain a bit. How lovely that she accepted with ‘time’ he’d work the kinks out, and how fortunate that he was able to convince her to not cast that spell again in the meantime. No sense it putting himself into a position that would have him end up another Lowly Servant.

        Being the Prince, while not easy, had been far more rewarding than he ever hoped. How incredibly lucky that he had been one of the few normal earth ponies sent over from Canterlot. Imagine if he had been one of the many crystal pony maids with no knowledge of the current world? Back when she was a maid, her original purpose was to help ‘teach’ the other maids about all the advancements in the last thousand years. Noblebroom didn’t care. He had his cushy little job and that was all that mattered to him. Then there was Miss Marinette. That old wrench thought such changes would make the house soft and weak. Ha! Well no matter, she was no longer his concern. He was the lord of the castle now. Let those other maids suffer.

        “Oh, B.B.B.F.F?” Twilight called. The new Shining nearly continued out of the room before he remembered that title, whatever it meant, referred to him. He had to remember to be more careful, the entire reason he had asked Shining’s sister over was so he could learn what it was she expected of him. He couldn’t let the truth be discovered now.

        “Yes?” He asked, turning to smile at her. Mmm, looking at her now, he could see she had quite the figure. Shame they were ‘related’ making her off limits. Perhaps he could convince Cadance to take her form one night..

        “While you are out, can you see if you can spot my pupil Evening Storm? You remember what he looks like right?.” Shining blinked. Evening Storm? Oh right, Twilight had told him in a letter she had taken on a pupil of her own. Somepony who had weird magic or something. She had insisted that he come along to continue his studies. What had she said he looked like?

        “He’s got a black coat with… a blue mane?”

        “Sapphire blue mane,” Twilight corrected. “He was suppose to join us an hour ago after setting up our room, but obviously he isn’t here. He probably got lost. I really should have asked you to have somepony on hoof to lead him here.” With another smile, Shining nodded.

        “Of course sis. You just relax. I’ll be back before you know it.” With that he was out of the room and down the hall. That pathetic little slut was probably back in the servant quarters feeling sorry for herself. Well no matter, he’d head down there, gloat a bit and order her to act happy for a while, and all should be well. He almost laughed right there in the hall. 

How perfect his life was now. He had a hot trophy wife, that as long as he treated her right, he could go off and do anything behind her back and she didn’t even question it! In the past few months he had even made a small name for himself. Revolutionized the royal guard Cadance had said. To think that the simple knowledge of what it was like to be a maid in this place would translate so well into military strategy! It was funny really. Miss Martinette would make a better general than head maid.

        Oh well, no sense in worrying about that now. He had a maid to taunt, and a unicorn to find.


* * *


        Said unicorn, was currently turning down a hallway he had sworn he had already been down at least three times before. With a sigh, he began to poke his head into the various rooms, trying to see if he could flag down a maid. Of course it would just be his luck that that there had been none in sight for the last hour. He just knew they probably walked right to the area he had just left.

        Some personal student of Princess Twilight. He couldn’t even find a stupid dining hall in a castle. With a sigh he turned another corner, heading off into a random door. There was no point in trying to make sense of where he was anymore, he was hopelessly lost. Guess he shouldn’t have offered to set their rooms up.

        As her personal student, he wanted to be useful to her. She had told him several times that it wasn’t necessary, but he felt it was the least he could do given his history. It was that very history that had led him to even being her student. It was weird how life worked sometimes. Three months ago he had arrived at Canterlot, hoping to find a teacher in magic.

        He scowled at the memory. Ever since he was a little colt, the simplest of spells refused to even go half right. A grooming spell once lit his mane on fire. A spell designed to combine simple ingredients together to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ended up with the bread becoming swiss cheese, and the jam to explode and cover the kitchen without harming the jar.

        He never did figure out what happened to the peanut butter.

        “Great!” He shouted to himself kicking a rug as he did so. “Not only am I terrible at magic, but apparently directions too!”  He stomped off down the hall, only to return a few moments later to fix the rug he had kicked. He didn’t want to finally find a maid only to have them yell at him for messing something up. In Canterlot he might just get an exasperated sigh, here though. Twilight had told him the maids here were cut from a different cloth, having technically been from about a thousand years ago when the Crystal Empire vanished. He’d better not make a bad impression.

        “HELLO!?” He called out once more, moving from room to room. How big was this stupid place, and how had he not seen a single- Ah ha! There was one now! A maid! Staring into a mirror for some reason. Why hadn’t she responded to his call? Oh well, he finally found one, that was the important thing.

        “Finally! A maid! I’m sorry to bother you, but can… you…” His horn was vibrating. That meant there was a powerful enchantment in the area. He’d better be careful, last time he had come into contact with such an enchantment he had turned a stallion guard into a mare for a week. Why the hell couldn’t his magic work like other ponies? Absently he flicked his tail against his cutie mark. Even the mark that defined his ‘destiny’ made no sense. What did two red crescent moons, forming a sorta circle with a multi forked lightning bolt even mean?

        Looking around he frowned. This didn’t seem to be near a treasury of any kind. Why would there be an enchantment of this magnitude here? Maybe there was a hidden safe nearby with extra magical protection?

        He shook his head, he didn’t have time to worry about that right now. He needed to get to the dining room, and he finally found a maid. Though now that he looked at her, something definitely seemed off. Her coat was a homely grey, and her mane jet black. There was nothing special about her appearance or her cutie mark, a mop and a pail. Something about her eyes though...

        He realized she hadn’t acknowledged him once despite him standing right next to her. She simply stared at herself in the mirror looking... broken. This along with his horn’s dull hum made him feel rather uneasy. He really hoped he hadn’t just come across a maid about to snap. He wasn’t sure he could deal with that. Well first thing was first, it was going to be very difficult to think with his horn doing that. With a deep breath he focused on calming it, willing it to stop it’s hum, breathing a sigh of relief as it did. It wouldn’t last forever of course and would start right back up before too long, but he didn’t plan to be here too much longer.

        “Er, hello? Miss?” No response. Something was wrong alright, well great now he couldn’t go anywhere. No way could he just leave her like this.

“Hello?” He tried again, waving a hoof in front of her face. “Earth to maid! Hello!” That did the trick. With a blink of her eyes her gaze turned toward him, though the almost emptiness he saw in her eyes didn’t make him feel any better.

        “S-sorry sir. How may I help you?” She said in a pleasant yet hollow tone. He flinched at the very sound of it. On the surface it was respectful if not a bit meek sounding, but underneath it just felt empty. No doubt now that something had happened to her. Whatever it was though, she seemed intent to hide it.

        “Uh, are you alright?” He asked, looking her over for any possible sign of what could be the problem. She didn’t look hurt, her outfit was neat and tidy. The only indication of anything was the slight dampness under her eyes. It was like she wanted to cry, but couldn’t.

        “I-I’m.. It’s…” She said as if she were struggling with the words. After a brief few moments she bowed her head. “F-forgive me!” With that she turned and ran for the door. It took Evening a couple of seconds to process that before giving chase.

        “W-wait!” He called out, trying to catch up. His plea was ignored.

You’re an obedient castle maid, and you do whatever your superiors tell you to do. Without resistance or question.

A random peasant roaming the halls was not her superior. She did not have to do anything he said. What was she even doing? Her thoughts were a mess. There had been something said. Something that had caused great pain.

        “I-I’m looking for the dining room!” The stallion behind her called.

        The dining room! The memory of that place caused her heart to ache. That’s where she had been, w-where the news had been told. What was it again? Why did it even matter anymore? She was just Lowly Servant, a slave, a nothing. Her only purpose was to be a maid. 

        “Y-You see I’m Princess Twilight’s personal student, and I got lost trying to meet up with her-” He droned on, amazed by her speed. “Will you please just STOP!?” 

        Once more her command ran through her head. She was to do whatever her superiors told her to do. As Twilight was the sister to her Lord Shining, that made her personal student nobility and a guest. She must obey him. She stopped instantly.

        Evening yelped in surprised as he almost collided with her. The hay was that all about? He thought as he took a second to catch his breath.

        “Thank you for stopping…” He said slowly walking in front of her. Though her eyes remained lifeless, she bowed her head and nodded.

        “F-forgive my rudeness sir! I-I am at your service!” Evening stared at her confused. First she runs away, then she’s suddenly eager to please? What in the world was going on?

        “Did something happen? You’re acting really weird.” It was for only a moment, but he swore he saw a painful expression flash across her face before it once more settled into a stoic expression.

        “N-No need to worry about me sir. I’m but a humble pony maid.” Evening raised an eyebrow. This was getting fishier by the second. 

        “But I am worried about you. Did somepony try to hurt you? You can tell me.” Again she bowed her head, her expression unchanging.

        “P-Please sir, I-I have much work to do. I should leave-”

        “Oh no you don’t, stand still!” He ordered, feeling frustrated. No pony had the kind of look she did while staring in that mirror unless something had deeply troubled them, and he was going to find out what. Much to his relief, she obeyed his command and stayed where she was.

        “Now answer me, why were you staring in the mirror like that?” She shivered as her mind tried to come up with a response, only barely aware of her surroundings. She had to give him an answer, but could not tell him the truth.

        “It was nothing-”

        “Don’t lie to me. I know something hurt you, and I want to help. Please…” The kindness in his voice. She had almost forgotten what that felt like, but what now? She couldn’t tell the truth, but she couldn’t lie. She couldn’t move till he released her. What was she suppose to do?

        “I-I lost something.” She finally said. It was as close to the truth as she could get.

        “What did you lose?”

        “Something very important… precious to me. S-something I’ll never have again.”

        “What is this something?”

        “Her majesty’s love.” The words stung, threatening to bring tears to her eyes once more, but the spell prevented her. She had to be discreet. It wouldn’t be proper of a maid such as herself to show such behavior.

        “Who’s love? Princess Cadance? Twilight’s?” Evening was only getting more confused by the second.

        “M-My majesty Princess Mia Amore Cadenza.” She replied. A small part of her mind was surprised she was able to say that. She wasn’t to reveal what had happened to her to anypony after all. Her Lord Shining Armor had commanded that of her long ago. No, telling this pony that wasn’t going against her Lord’s orders. She had lost her majesty’s love and affection. She was nothing but a useless maid. That was simply stating the truth. She had never been told to lie.

        “How have you lost her love? I don’t understand.” Lowly did not answer him. To tell him anymore was strictly off limits.

        “Can’t you tell me?”

        “I can not.”

        “Why?” There was no answer. She simply stood there bowing her head like the meek little maid she was, causing the stallion before her to sigh.

        “Well is there at least anything I can do to help?” Nothing. 

        “Come on anything?” Again no answer. Evening had had enough. “Answer me!”

        “Find the truth.” The words shocked her. How could she be so bold as to say that? Yet what else could she do? He demanded an answer, and she must obey.

        “What? What do you mean.” She began to shiver.

        “I mustn’t! I mustn’t! I’m just a humble nobody maid. I’ll be scolded if I do not get back to work!.” Again she tried to move.

        “You’re not to leave until I dismiss you!” He commanded fiercely. No way was he letting her out of his sight now, not after all that.

        Okay but now what genius? You’ve got her here, but either she won't talk or can’t for some weird reason. He couldn’t just leave her here like this, but if she wouldn’t tell him what the problem was, then how was he suppose to help her? What did find the truth mean? How had she lost Princess Cadance’s love?

        Well there was a thought. Princess Cadance, the very princess who was in the dining hall with his teacher. He’d been looking for a maid to direct him there anyway, and if the problem was with ‘losing her love’ so to speak, perhaps asking the Princess directly would shed some light on all this.

        “Okay, look I need a guide to the dining room. You wouldn’t happen to know where it is would you?” The moment he said ‘dining room’ her eyes widened.

        “D-dining room?” She repeated quietly. “I-I no.” She hadn’t been told not to lie. She hadn’t. She had to lie, she was not defying an order. It’s just she couldn’t go back there. Not right now. N-Not with-

        A sudden jolt in her neither regions broke her train of thought. It’s familiar touch causing her to stifle a moan. The vibration spell had just kicked on! She couldn’t pleasure herself now, she was in the presence of a noble! The student of Princess Twilight! It would be most improper to be seen indulging in such thing. M-Maybe she’d get lucky and he’d order her to fuck? That would be nice. She could cum with him inside her. 

        “So you don’t know? But aren’t you a- oh never mind.” Evening said rubbing his head. This was becoming really frustrating. Should he track down another maid? No, it took him this long just to find her, and look where that got him. What if the next maid was just as bad? Or even worse, what if he ended up wandering the halls all night, just missing any search party sent after him.

        After several moments of thought he sighed deeply. Looks like he only really had one clear option. He’d better get this right or Twilight would be very disappointed in him. Concentrating he began to recite the necessary spellwork in his head for a compass spell. Focusing on his teacher Twilight, he could use her as a guidepoint. If done correctly, he’d be pointed directly to her location. She had shown him several times how to do this. S-sure he had failed every one of them, but twenty third time was the charm right?

        Come on Evening! He thought fiercely to himself. It’s a simple spell! You can DO this!

        Charging up his horn, he did his best to get the magic to flow just right. Only for his horn to immediately begin to vibrate again due to the same magical enchantment he sensed earlier. What? That was impossible! They had to have run a good two or three hallways away from the area he had found her in! The enchantment couldn’t have moved, for a thing of this power that was crazy! Yet here it was causing his horn to go into a frenzy, and his concentration to snap.

        Without warning he felt the spell swell in force and power, a tugging at his magic that felt as if the very essence was being sucked out of him, into the force that was already threatening to burst from his horn.

        This was bad! This was so, so bad! At this rate there was no telling what this would do! The nearby walls could turn into mayonnaise, a manticore could be summoned from who knew where, or he could even turn himself into a cow! It had already become too strong to stop, he’d have to direct it somewhere! Anywhere away from himself, wait the maid! She was in danger! He had to protect her! Without thinking, he turned his head toward her.

        “Quick! You have to r-” He began desperately. She barely had time to look at him with the same dull expression before his spell sprang to life, firing directly at her like a bolt of lightning. There was a bright flash, followed by an explosion of air that knocked him backward several feet, slamming him against a wall.

        Wearily he got to his hooves, trying to gain his bearings, the world spinning around him. There was no sound of the maid at all, clearly not a good sign. As his vision began to clear, he tried to spot any sign of what had happened, but found nothing in immediate eye sight. The walls were fine, there were no dangerous creatures or objects anywhere, and he was certainly still the same pony he had been before.

        In fact the only thing that had changed was the fact the maid was gone. Had she run away after all? Or had he teleported her by mistake? He really hoped that wasn’t the case, as she could have ended up on the roof for all he knew. Maybe she was hiding? Placing a hoof on a nearby table to steady himself he took another look at where she had been. That’s when he saw the pile of clothing upon the floor. The same clothing the maid had been dressed in!

        “Dear Celestia I vaporized her!” He cried out in horror. How? How could this have happened!? His magic was wild and unpredictable sure, but it had never been fatal before! Was it getting worse? Was he going to go to jail? Or would they turn him to stone to prevent him from casting any magic!? Or would he be turned to stone, then sent to jail just to be safe!?

No, no just calm down. He commanded himself, trying to get his breathing under control. He just had to focus, and not think about him maybe turning her into a bug or something and accidently stepping on her-

His breathing began to speed up again till something caught his eye. Was the pile moving?

        Sure enough, the pile of clothing was shifting as if alive, or more likely that something was under it. Oh he hoped he hadn’t turned her into a newt. Using his magic to lift away the fabrics, he was met with a sight that both relieved and terrified him. The relief was he hadn’t turned her into any sort of animal or even teleported her. She was indeed still in the same spot he left her.

        The problem was she was now no older than Twilight’s friend Rarity’s little sister Sweetie Belle. 

        Okay, he thought wearily. That’s a new one.

        “O-Okay, just try and relax.” He said nervously, throwing her outfit aside. “My spell kinda uh… maybe turned you into a filly?”

        “Nooo!” Said filly wailed, the persona spell jolted so badly by the sudden transformation that it was still trying to play catch up and thus was too busy to keep up the ‘meekness’ command.

        “I-I know! But it’s not so bad! I-I’ll take you to Twilight and-”

        “It’ll take me extra long to do my chores now! Miss Marinette will be most displeased!”

        Evening’s mind froze. Seriously? She just got turned into a filly and her first thought is about her job? Just what were they teaching the maids here!?

        Lowly on the other hoof was freaking out. How was she suppose to be a good servant like this? She could barely hold a scrub brush in her mouth, let alone a broom or mop. She’d never be able to do her work properly!

        Evening was still staring at her as she trotted over to her outfit and attempted to put it on, a fruitless task as they were now much too big for her. The longer he spent around this pony, the less things made sense. What kind of pony gets age regressed and tries to go back to work like nothing happened? 

        “What? No! Stop that right now!” He demanded, causing Lowly to halt in her tracks. “I-I just turned you into a filly! Aren’t you surprised or anything?”

        “Y-Yes sir, i-It’s just if I’m late in cleaning I’ll offend the head maid and-”

        “Okay stop! Just stop!” She shut up immediately, unable to do anything else but stare at him. He took another good look at her as he tried to gather his thoughts. Was she really that afraid of missing work? He was going to have to have a long talk with Twilight about all this after she stopped scolding him for messing up again. With a sigh he put the only plan he could think of into action.

        “Okay look, here’s what we are going to do.” He began, giving her a good hard look. “I need to get to the dining room. Get on my back and direct me as best you can. Don’t try to lead me astray, and don’t try to escape. We’re both going to see Princess Cadance about this. Got it?”

        She didn’t look happy, but she gave him a slight nod. Good, that settled that. With luck she’d get him close enough that he’d be able to find his way, or perhaps they’d find another maid who could direct him. Now he just had to explain what he was doing with a filly on his back...

        Spurred on by both the compulsion and obedience commands, Lowly had no choice but to point him in the direction of the very room she had fled from not half an hour ago. Just now she was in a form that wasn’t her own. The thought of that caused her to shudder. It was like back then. When she became who she was.

        Who she firmly believed she’d always be.


* * *


        “Evening! There you are! What took so.. long…” Twilight began before her eyes fell upon the filly on his back.

        “Evening,” She began with a groan, “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but why is there a filly on your back?” Before answering, Evening began to rub the back of his neck, a clear indication to her that his wild magic had struck again.

        “F-funny you should ask that.” He said with a forced laugh. Oh she wasn’t going to like this. “I kinda got lost on the way here and well I found this maid, but something really weird is going on with her, and she kept trying to run away, but I needed her to come here because of the fishy stuff and uh, well she wasn’t able to point me toward this room at the time, I mean she did later but for some reason-”

        “Evening, are you trying to tell me.” Twilight said very slowly, rubbing a spot between her eyes with her hoof. “That you turned that maid into a filly!?” He flinched.

        “Uh, y-yeah. I was trying to cast a compass spell.” Twilight stared at him.

        “You did this via a compass spell!?”

        “This time, yes.”

        “This time?” Cadance asked clearly confused. Why was nopony else reacting to this? Age manipulation magic was one of the hardest spells there were!

        “Ha! The bumbling mage does it again!” Rainbow cried slamming her cup on the table in laughter. “Oh man! This is better then that time you were trying to summon an apple and got a live hornet’s nest!” She stopped and tapped her chin for a moment. “No scratch that, that was way funnier! You should do that again!”

        “Alright dearie, that’s enough wine for you.” Rarity said suddenly floating Rainbow’s cup away from her.

        “Hey!” She protested trying to grab it out of the air. “You can’t just take that from me! I’m still using it!”

        “Not anymore ya ain’t.” Applejack chimed in while fixing Rainbow with a stern gaze. “No offense, but ya’ve had enough to where yer acting like an ass.” It looked like Rainbow wanted to protest for a moment, before she looked around at her friends and finally slumped down.

        “S-sorry everypony.” Pinkie was quick to hug her.

        “It’s okay misses grumpy dumpy. You can have more wine after you sober up a bit.” Rainbow looked annoyed but kept quiet.

        “There’s just one thing I don’t understand Evening,” Twilight said turning the attention of the room back to him. “How did a compass spell turn her into a filly? It even took away her cutie mark! I mean I know it’s your magic, but usually when you cast minor spells, minor mishaps happen. Like how your grooming spell catches your mane on fire.” Inwardly Evening groaned. Did everypony have to bring that one up?

        “Well uh, there may have been one… other minor thing…” Twilight’s glare returned.

        “Eeeeeeevning…” She growled, “What aren’t you telling me?” He’d have given anything to keep it secret, but knew it was far too important to keep quiet about.

        “My horn was doing that uh… twitchy thing.” Her response was instant.

        “YOU TRIED TO CAST A SPELL DURING THE TWITCHY THING!?”

        “Oh deary, you should know better than to ever try and cast a spell during the twitchy thing.” Rarity scoffed.

        “You always listen to twitchy things!” Pinkie agreed. Cadance stomped a hoof.

        “Will somepony please explain to me what the hay the twitchy thing is!?” The room stopped to stare at her, causing her to blush and quickly compose herself.

        “I-if you would please.” She said a bit more meekly.  Lowly almost smiled, to hear her majesty speak in the same humble tone she used. It was so nice to be near her again. To watch her laugh and play just like… like when...

        She squeezed her eyes shut as if it would block out the memory.

        “Right, you wouldn’t know.” Twilight said straightening up. “The ‘twitchy thing’ as my pupil refers to it as, is an unique ability to sense magical enchantments, especially strong ones.”

        “I don’t know why I can do that.” Evening said tapping his horn. That’s weird, he could feel the buzzing trying to come back. “My magic is just… well…”

        “Firmly in the land of making no darn sense.” Applejack finished helpfully. Evening only sighed. He couldn’t argue with her, it was the truth.

        “That reminds me,” Twilight said pulling out a checklist and scribbling something down. “You need to show me where you cast your spell Evening. I’ll need to scan for enchantment disruptions.”

        “Enchantment disruptions?” Cadance echoed.

        “It’s just another one of the fun quirks of having my magic.” Evening said with a droop of his ears. Twilight was quick to follow up.

        “The first time I saw him cast a spell during his twitchy thing, resulted in a magical discharge that completely obliterated all the lesser enchantments in the area. I had at least ten dozen self sending scrolls in case Spike wasn’t around. All of them rendered into normal paper scrolls in an instant! It took me all night to re-enchant them all!”

        “And because of my magic’s tendency to mess up, I couldn’t even help her.” Evening added miserably. Lowly couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Just what kind of unicorn was he? She almost felt a strange kind of connection to him. She had a feeling he had suffered in the past, much like she was suffering now.

        “Speaking of my horn’s magic sensitivity.” Evening said staring up at it. “It’s doing the twitchy thing again. Just how many enchantments are in this castle?”
        
        “It’s going off now?” Twilight asked, to which Evening nodded.

        “That’s strange, I’ve calculated your range to be only a few meters, why would it be going off in this room?” She looked to Cadance.

        “I-I don’t know why Twilight.” She replied with a shrug. “I don’t have any spells active in this room. Perhaps there’s another hidden passage way nearby that Sombra made?”

        “It’s possible I suppose.” Twilight tapped her chin. “Where else did you sense these Evening?”

        “Only two other times. Once in the guest room I found the maid in, then once in a hallway a good distance from the room.”

        “Oh my gosh the maid!” Twilight said suddenly, looking at the small filly still upon his back. The filly looked back at her with a blank expression. It was a little bit eerie, why wasn’t she saying anything? She had just sat there without so much as a peep this entire time.

        “Yeah, about her.” Evening said, while levitating Lowly to float in front of him. Just as he thought, she made no fuss.. “I uh would like permission to speak freely Princess Cadance.”

        “Oh you don’t have to be so formal.” She replied waving a hoof.  “Evening Storm right? Any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine!” Evening actually blushed.

        “W-well it’s just I found her staring at a mirror as if she was lost or something. When I asked why she told me she lost your love, but won’t tell me anything more.” He took a moment to debate if he should mention the part about ‘finding the truth’ but decided against it. Best see what she said first. “I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on this mystery.”

        “L-lost my love?” Cadance’s color almost seemed to pale. Inching her head closer to the floating filly she looked into her eyes. Said filly just sat there almost lifeless staring back at her.

        “Oh my!” Cadance said suddenly. “Those colors! Why, why…” Despite herself Lowly’s breath caught in her throat. C-could it be? Could her great majesty possibly actually recognize her!?

        “She’s the maid from earlier!” Cadance blurted out. The small moment of hope died instantly, her heart sinking. Of course that was all. What did a mere servant like herself expect?

        “She is?” Twilight asked, taking a good look at the filly. “I think you’re right, she does look like her. Um, miss? Are you by chance the maid that ran out of here a little while ago?” Lowly couldn’t bring herself to speak. All this was just too much. However she had been addressed by a Princess. She must respond, and so she ever so gently nodded her head.

        “Oh thank goodness!” Cadance exclaimed, causing Lowly to actually jerk in surprise. Her majesty continued on. “Are you alright? I’m so sorry for being so dismissive earlier. I thought you might have just been upset for spilling the wine. I never meant to make it seem that I didn’t care about your well being! I assure you, as your Princess I do want you to feel safe and happy!” Lowly just stared at her blankly. No she wasn’t alright. She’d never be alright again, and it was...was… no she shouldn’t think such things. This was her mistress, she was suppose to serve her unconditionally. She bowed her head.

        “P-please my mistress, I need to return to my chores. I-I’ll be punished.”

        “She keeps dodging the question.” Evening said with a sigh. “It’s like her job is worth more than her own life almost.”

        “That’s just silly.” Twilight interjected, getting closer to the filly herself. “Please, Princess Cadance and I wish to know what troubles you.” Lowly stared at her with empty eyes. Oh Twily, if only I could, but that would be going against Lord Shining’s orders.

        “I-I’m nothing you should concern yourself with…” She whispered, her heart lurching in her chest as she spoke. Meanwhile her majesty sighed.

        “You really don’t have to be afraid you know. I won’t punish you. I promise.” Still Lowly said nothing. She couldn’t.

        “I see what you mean from your words earlier.” Twilight said with a frown. “Still she’s in no condition to go back to work.”

        “Agreed.” Cadance added with a nod. “Speaking of which how long will she be like this?”

        “Well that’s the thing.” Twilight said shooting a glance toward Evening, who simply flinched. “Knowing my pupil’s magic, I’m not sure it’ll even wear off.” Lowly’s eyes widened. She could be stuck like this!? How would she ever get through her days like this? W-would the other maids make fun of her? Even worse, what did this mean for her nights? Would they lay off her because she was a filly or did they maybe…

        She shuddered at the thought. How was it going to sound? A little filly like herself moaning into the night because of the accursed vibrator spell. Her eyes widened in horror. The vibration spell! The only time it let her get off is when a stallion was deep inside her. How was she suppose to get that to happen now!?

        “She’s stuck like this forever?” Cadance asked surprised, only for Twilight to shake her head.

        “No no, I’m just saying I don’t think it’ll wear off. I haven’t tried age spells since that duel with Trixie, but with some studying, I think I can figure a way to reverse this.” She glanced back at Evening again, and actually grinned. “I can say this about having Evening for a pupil. He keeps giving me reasons to keep up my studies!”

        Oh thank Celestia! Lowly thought in relief. If she was lucky, she’d be a grown mare again by tomorrow morning knowing Twily. Then maybe Lord Shining would take her into his room again, and she’d be able to finally get rid of the burning sensation…

Wait. 

Something had been nagging at the back of her mind ever since she brought up the vibrator spell. Shouldn’t she be feeling the vibration even now? It had only just begun to pick up when she met Evening. With a start, she realized she hadn’t felt anything from it since being turned into a filly. The spell never just shut off before getting her despairingly close to climax. Why had it chosen to leave her alone now? It couldn’t be just because she was a filly could it?

“Enchantment disruptions.” She heard Twilight say again in his mind. “The first time I saw him cast a spell during his twitchy thing, resulted in a magical discharge that completely obliterated all the lesser enchantments in the area”

Her very being began to shake. C-could it be? Was the reason she couldn’t feel it humming away even now was because it was simply gone!? Despite all that had just happened, she couldn’t suppress the utter joy she felt from that simple fact.

It had seemed like an eternity since that accursed spell had been cast upon her. Constantly driving her to the brink of sexual insanity, but never allowing her to cum. No matter what she did, she remembered Cadance’s words clearly.

“It will go on and off at random, take you to the threshold of ecstasy, and leave you there. And it will suppress any attempt to trigger an orgasm by feminine ministrations. Clop all you want—the only way you’ll get off is with a big, meaty dick in you.”

        So many nights of twitching in bed, so many of the other maids taking advantage of her, mistaking her obedience command as being a willing slut. So many times they’d only make it so much worse as she’d reach the razor’s edge of climax, only for that spell to deny it.

        The fact it could be gone, was nearly too much for her to handle. She could be free from it! For good! Lord Shining didn’t know about the spell, and there was no way in tartarus she was going to tell him about it. If this was true, and it certainly seemed that way, then she could just rub herself and that would be it! She could make herself cum.

        The mere freedom of that would have made her dance for joy, if she was allowed to. The thought did tell her that the Persona spell was certainly still in effect, but that was no mere enchantment.

        “With your help Cadance we can probably fix it by tomorrow.” She’d be back to normal by tomorrow? The notion only barely soured her mood. In truth she had no desire to go back to being Lowly Servant the maid, but such was the job commanded of her. Even so, it’d be a lot more bearable now that she was in control of her own libido.

        “Awww, does she have to?” Pinkie asked popping up right in front of her, causing her to verbally eep. She never did understand how this pony managed to move around like that.

“You see!?” Pinkie continued, spurred on by Lowly’s reaction. “She’s just soooooooo cute!” Reaching into her mane, and against all logic, she pulled out a single cupcake with blue frosting. It appeared perfectly fine, not  single hair upon it. Lowly’s stomach growled upon seeing the confection, but she dare not reach for it. Such things were far above what she deserved. A maid like her was only suited to table scraps.

“Cupcake?” Pinkie asked holding it closer. Oh it’s smell! It was heavenly. She hadn’t had anything of the sort since she had become the maid she was today. How she longed for the days of sitting at this very table, being presented with all sorts of fancy delicacies. Still, it wouldn’t be proper. She averted her eyes.

        “What? What kind of filly doesn’t like cupcakes!?” Pinkie cried, practically shoving it under her nose. “Come on, take it!” That did it. Propelled by the obedience spell, she leaned forward and ate the thing in one bite, before nearly fainting. The taste! The texture! To imagine she’d be allowed to partake in such a wonder once more!

        This is like the best and worst day of my life… She thought as her sad eyes once more looked over her ex-wife. She tried very hard not to think about what was currently growing in the area of her tummy.

        “Pinkie! She isn’t really a filly!” Applejack interjected. Pinkie’s response was to roll her eyes.

        “Well, duh, I know that, but look how happy she is!”

        “She does look happy.” Cadance added rubbing her chin. “If you don’t mind my asking dear. What is your name?” Lowly gulped. If only she could speak her heart.

“I-It’s Lowly servant.” She answered meekly. The room shared a collective blink.

        “Come again?” Evening asked.

        “L-Lowly servant…” She repeated, doing a good impression of Fluttershy.

        “Your name is Lowly servant?” Evening asked. How nice it would have been to shake her head no, but that wouldn’t be the truth anymore. Instead she just slightly nodded. Evening scoffed.

        “What kinda messed up parents-”

        “Evening!” Twilight cried.

        “I’m sorry but Lowly servant? Who the hay names their child that?”

        “We can discuss the origins of names later.” Twilight huffed before turning back to the filly. “I apologize for that, er Lowly servant. Will you be okay with waiting till tomorrow to be an adult again?”

        “I-I can’t! My job! My chores!” She squeaked. Twilight slowly raised an eyebrow. Much like Evening, she was beginning to wonder just what happened to this maid. The way she was so intent on her job was really weird.

        “Oh bother look here.” Cadance said, forcing Lowly to stare directly into her own eyes. “You can stop being a dedicated maid for one night alright? Just enjoy your time off!”

        You’re an obedient castle maid, and you do whatever your superiors tell you to do. Without resistance or question.

        The command ran through her head. She had to be an obedient maid! That’s what her majesty told her! Except she was told not to be a dedicated maid. So what was she to do? The persona spell shuddered inside her. She was told to just take one night off. She could be a maid again tomorrow then, but what was she suppose to do in the meantime? Her mind swirled with confusion as she sat there staring blankly at her princess.

        “She did this earlier too.” Evening said. “It’s like being a maid is her only purpose and she simply can fathom being anything else.” Lowly tried to clear the fog in her mind.

        “M-Miss Marinette expects me back…”

        “I am your princess, and I am giving you the night off. The castle can handle one less maid for a night! As for Miss Marientte and Noblebroom, if they say anything, or try to punish you, I’ll deal with them personally!” Lowly wanted very much to accept the offer, but she was told never to run away from her job. She couldn’t just take a night off unless her Lord commanded it.

        “Oh, how can I get you to relax?” Cadance asked in desperation. Her relation to the staff of this castle was far far worse than she ever imagined.

        “Oh! Oh!” Pinkie yelled, holding her hoof up. “Make her act like a filly!” Applejack tsked.

        “Really Pinkie? Are ya still going on bout that?”

        “She makes a cute filly!” The party pony protested. The train of thought Cadance had earlier came back. Lowly really did seem happy when she was eating that cupcake, and she really did look like any normal filly when she did so. Well it was worth a shot.

        “How about this?” Cadance said, looking in her eyes once more. “I know you want to please me and do the best job you can, so for my amusement, can you act like an ordinary happy little filly for the night?”

        Lowly could feel the persona spell finally relent. When put like that, it was like the Princess was telling her that her job was to be a filly for the night. Therefore, she was still being an obedient maid, and wasn’t running away from her job. This also meant she wasn’t defying her master. He never did say she shouldn’t act like a filly if her majesty commanded it of her. 

        With another shudder, she felt the memories of all the ‘adult’ stuff to happen to her in the last three months, fade to the back of her mind. A little filly wouldn’t be thinking of such grown up things like that.

        “Y-Yes my dearest princess Cadance!” Lowly squeaked out while bowing her head. She still had to be humble and watch her step. The grown ups were better than her. She’d have to be very careful.

        “No no no!” Pinkie said grabbing her face. “That’s not how a filly acts! You have to smile more! Like this!” Pinkie gave her the widest grin she had ever seen. Knowing she shouldn’t offend those above her, she did her best to smile as well, though it appeared more nervous than happy.

        “Pinkie! Leaver her alone!” Fluttershy cried, recognizing the uncomfortable look on Lowly’s face.

        “No, Pinkie has a point.” Cadance said. “No filly I know of acts like that. Please miss Lowly, if you could. Just forget about being meek and humble for tonight, and stop worrying about offending us or something! I want to see you laugh and play. You’re suppose to be a cute normal filly after all.”

        Another ripple flowed through the spell. As a filly she wasn’t to be humble, she wasn’t to be afraid of offending the grown ups. They may be better than her, but they expected her to be happy and playful. She could feel the spell altering inside her as it added this extra layer on top of what already existed, yet still reminding her that even though she wasn’t to act like a maid tonight, she still had to obey any command given to her. That was part of her job regardless of the situation.

        “Y-Yes pwincess Cadance!” She cried a bit louder that time. She still couldn’t be an outgoing filly, Lord Shining had ordered her to be extra meek after all, but she hoped it was enough. Thankfully she saw the princess smiling.

        “That’s more like it!” Cadance said with a laugh. She couldn’t help but find the slight lisp cute. “And I don’t want to hear you mention or even think about maid duties for the rest of the night okay?” She winked. “That’s an order!”

        Lowly blinked. What had she been doing earlier today? Didn’t it have something to do with wine? She giggled softly to herself. Why would a filly like herself be doing something with wine? That was a grown up drink! She was just Lowly Servant, happy yet meek little filly.

        Her head tilted. Lowly Servant? Was that really her name? What a weird name for a filly. Somewhere in her mind she still knew that none of this was correct, and that she shouldn’t be a filly, and that Lowly Servant hadn’t always been her name. However, that wasn’t important to her right now. She had to focus on being a happy filly. Somehow, the mere act of it felt liberating.

        “Well that settles it then.” Twilight said matter of factly. “For the rest of the night, you’ll be a happy little filly while Evening watches over you. With my occasional supervision of course.”

        “Wait what!?” Evening cried. Twilight fixed him with a stern glare.

        “It’s your fault she’s like this. You should have known to test the area for possible enchantments before trying to cast any spells. Therefore I think it’s only right that you be held responsible for her condition and well being!” Evening opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. He knew better than to try and out argue Twilight. Guess he was stuck being a foalsitter for the night.

“Alright fine, so what should we call her?” He asked, “because there is no way in this world or the next that I’m calling her Lowly Servant if I’m her babysitter”

“Yeah, that sounds all kinds of messed up.” Applejack agreed scratching her chin.  “Let’s see, how about Appleseed?”

“Oh really darling,” Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. “That won’t do at all. How about Diamond le sky?” Lowly made a face. How could they call her something else? Her name was Lowly Servant! Except it was suppose… It hurt her head trying to think about it.

“Um, h-how about Blossom Forth?” Fluttershy added timidly. Rainbow Dash made no suggestions or even sounds except for a few light snores. At some point she had fallen asleep.

“I know! Shining Armor!” Pinkie yelled suddenly, causing Lowly’s heart to skip a beat.

“My brother’s name?” Twilight asked in bewilderment “Why on Equestria would you suggest that!?” Pinkie blinked a few times and shrugged.

“I don’t know, it just popped into my mind! Much like a pinkie sense twitch.”

“Well we obviously can’t call her that.” Cadance said. Lowly wanted to scream, but that wouldn’t be a very meek thing for her to do.

“Peppermint.”  Evening said quickly, “we’re calling her Peppermint.” It didn’t really seem all that fitting for her, but if he didn’t come up with something now, they’d be at this all night.

“That sounds fine.” Cadance said with a nod, before looking at Lowly once more. “For the duration of being a filly you’ll be known as Peppermint, understood?” Lowly slowly nodded. Was this alright? She was suppose to only consider herself as Lowly Servant.

You will obey my orders above all others, and you will not seek to defy me or undermine me in any way…

Those words her Lord Shining Armor said repeated in her mind. She was to obey his orders above all others, therefore she could not defy his order to be Lowly Servant. Except she was only instructed to be Peppermint while a filly. This was not defying any order, this was following the order her majesty the princess had given her. A filly was suppose to listen to their elders, and just like that, she stopped being Lowly Servant, and embraced the role of Peppermint. Happy little filly.

“Yes pwincess Cadance!” She cried with an honest touch of glee. Even if it was for a little while, to be anypony other than who she had been was an improvement.

“Good that’s settled then.” Twilight said, walking up to the newly dubbed Peppermint. “Just hang in there okay? It’ll get better.” Peppermint happily nodded her little head. One night free of all the horrors of being Lowly Servant. Though Peppermint couldn’t quite remember all that had happened right now with the absence of the more adultish stuff she use to know, she did remember that none of it was happy.

        It made her sad to know that it’d end sometime tomorrow. She should enjoy herself while she could.

“Well I know the rest of you have probably eaten, but I haven’t.” Evening said looking at the table. “May I sit?” 

        “There’s plenty left Evening, help yourself.” Twilight said, moving two chairs to her right. With a nod, Evening settled in next to Twilight, placing Peppermint between himself and Princess Cadance.

        So the night went, with Evening chatting with Twilight and her friends at the table. A table Peppermint never dreamed she’d ever sit at again. Seated with such foods before her. Anything she could want. She began to reach for another cupcake before Applejack stopped her.

        “Now now, no dessert before ya finish yer veggies.” The orange farmpony said, placing a heap full of peas upon her plate. She made a face as she looked at them. She hated peas, but to not eat them would be going against a grown ups orders. With a sigh she began to chew away at them. Bleh they tasted just as bad as she remembered.

        “Ugh, I’m glad I’m not a filly anymore.” Twilight said as she watched Peppermint.

        “Twilight! That ain’t an encouraging thing to say to a filly!” Applejack scolded before she blinked. “Oh hay, guess with having a sister I fall into the role a bit too easily don’t I. Almost forgot she ain’t really this young.”

        “No no I think keeping up the ruse is a good thing for her relaxation.” Twilight said after she swallowed some of her own food. “Though maybe give her something other than peas.”

        “What’s wrong with peas?” Evening asked, taking a big scoop himself, which only caused Twilight to grimace.

        “Both my brother and I hated peas growing up. I’m surprised he even has them on the table.”

        “Well you aren’t the only two at the table Darling.” Rarity added, taking her own portion of them.

        “I know, it’s just. Ugh Peas. Here Peppermint. Have some asparagus instead!” With that she placed several pieces onto her plate.

        “You hate peas but like asparagus? Ew!” Pinkie said making a face. Twilight laughed.

        “My brother never understood it either. He’d always secretly give me his portion at dinner.” Meanwhile Lowly continued to munch away at  two of her least favorite foods. If only she could give Twily her portions this time.

        “We can’t just give her vegetables guys.” Evening said with a huff, as he levitated a big slab of food upon her plate. “Here Peppermint, have some hay steak!”

        Peppermint looked up at him with wide thankful eyes. In more ways than one tonight, he had become like a knight in Shining Armor to her.

        A small part of her brain still realized how ironic that was.

===

        The ‘new’ Shining Armor was getting annoyed. It had been over half an hour now that he had gone looking for Lowly Servant, only to find that none of the other maids had seen her since she delivered the wine at dinner. Just where had she gone? He knew she hadn’t run away, he made certain she couldn’t. So where the fuck was she? When he finally did find her, he’d have to give her an order to not hide herself away. Even after being in her new role for three months, she was still an annoyance. He’d have to make sure he fucked her extra hard next time.

        Well no matter, he had instructed Miss Marinette to inform him the moment she was found, and keep her isolated as well. How wonderful it was to be able to order that bitch of a head maid around for a change. He’d love to punish her, but then if he did that, she might let up on making Lowly Servant’s life miserable, and he couldn’t have that.

Closing his eyes, he thought back to the night Cadance had made her, LemonFresh, a random nopony maid, into Shining Armor the lord of this castle. At first he had been confused, wondering what was going on. It was only after Cadance had tried to remove the persona spell that he finally began to piece things together.

        He still couldn't believe the pure dumb luck involved in all this. Cadance had thought she needed to re-connect to the spell in order to make more commands after such a stretch of time. She had no idea the spell remained in effect indefinitely, one of many reasons it was ‘forbidden’. Of course, by trying to reconnect it, she had instead cast it upon him, telling him to act like Shining Armor. Lemonfresh didn’t know everything about the prince of course, but she knew enough that with the aid of the spell, he was able to trick Cadance into making her think he really was her husband.

        Not too long after that Cadance had been called to take care of some royal emergency, leaving him with the instruction to relax in their room, since he had ‘done enough’. With the spell still in effect, he spent the next few hours trying to gain a good grasp on what the spell made him do as ‘Shining’ while searching the room for any idea of what was going on. Lucky enough, seems the real Shining Armor kept a ‘diary’ of sorts, something which to this day he had been reading over and over in private, committing its pages to memory. 

        Then when Cadance came back, oh when she had come back! With her leading the way, they had the most wonderful of times, her showing him first hoof just what it meant to have the Princess of Love for a wife. He hadn’t known the full story yet, but had learned enough to know that Cadance’s persona spell was the cause of his sudden fortune. A spell he managed to remove from himself by pleading to his ‘wife’ to just dispel any magic on him at the time just to ease his mind.

        Speaking of magic, he had been worried it’d be a problem.  As a maid he had always been rather quick to learn and adapt to whatever situation Miss Marinette threw him into, but this was a whole new world of problems. Turns out he needn’t worry. With this time of peace, the most he had to use magic for was simple levitation. A skill he managed to pick up quickly enough with with a few long sessions of practice. Anytime Cadance questioned his behavior, he’d just chalk it up to being under the persona spell for so long. A lie that had the added bonus of her not attempting any more spells on him for the time being.

        His only concern then had been what happened to the real Shining Armor, till she unwittingly gave herself away right to his face. Since then, he had made Lowly’s life one of endless suffering and humiliation, while his own had become one of luxury and joy. The added bonus of rubbing it in the old Shining’s face made it all the better.

        Making his way back to the dining room, he suddenly recalled that he hadn’t told them to find that pupil of Twilght’s. Oh well, he was sure the buffoon must have found his way to the hall by now. Unless he was a complete idiot. Either way he didn’t really interest him. If only the pupil had been a mare. Then at least he may have had something to look at. The guy was suppose to be bad at magic. Maybe he could get Cadance or Twilight to turn him into one as a ‘test’ to see if he could reverse it. He licked his lips at the mere thought as he came to the dining room.

        “Hey everypony, I’m ba-” He began to announce pushing open the doors, only to stop at the strange display before him. Sitting between his new sister, and his wife Cadance was a black Stallion that could only be that pupil he heard about it. Huh, guess he wasn’t too bad looking for a stallion. Back when he was a maid himself he might have considered teasing him.

That wasn’t what caught his main attention though. What he found strange was the small grey filly seated between that stallion and his wife. That was weird. He didn’t remember Twilight saying the guy had a daughter. Had he missed something in her letter? He had read it like five times! How could he overlook such an important detail!?

        “Welcome back Shiny!” Cadance called to him with a grin. “Come meet our new guests!”

        “Ah, you must be Evening Storm, Twily’s student. A pleasure to meet you.” He said holding out a hoof to shake. The stallion smiled and shook it. Guy didn't look to threatening, probably wouldn’t be a problem, but he hadn’t gotten this far by being careless. If Lowly hadn’t vanished today, he might have entertained the thought of her trying to seduce him, just to keep him out of the way, but she no longer deserved such pleasant treatment.

        Hmm, then again it might just really embarrass her. He hadn’t tried having her act like a whore to visiting nobles yet. Perhaps he’d entertain that thought later after all. Assuming he couldn’t get Twilight and Cadance to agree to the genderswap thing.

        “Twilight told me all about you in her letters though uh,“ He looked down at the filly who was staring at him with such strange eyes. He swore he knew them. “She didn’t tell me you had a daughter.” Evening nearly choked on his food while Peppermint’s face turned red. For some reason that idea made her a little happier.

        “W-what? No! You’ve got it all wrong!” Evening cried once he recovered. The rest of the table merely erupted in laughter. Shining was starting to get a bad feeling about this. What was so funny?

        “Aw don’t blush Evee! I think you’d make a wonderful daddy!” Pinkie jeered causing the black stallion to sink lower into his chair. Now Shining was really confused. If she wasn’t his daughter then who the fuck was she?

        “Guys, we’re confusing Shiny!” Twilight said with a laugh as she turned toward her ‘brother’. “Evening doesn’t have a daughter, though he will be looking out for her like a father.” She winked at Evening causing him to cover his head with his hooves, much to the amusement of the others.

        Well, all the others except Shining Armor who was starting to get annoyed. Why would they bring this little runt in here if she wasn’t related to any of them? Keeping his voice steady, he turned toward his wife.

        “With all due respect Cadie, can you fill me in on the joke?”

        “Of course sweetie.” Cadance said waving to his chair. That was weird, why did the filly blink when Cadance said that? It was like the statement pained her somehow.

        “You remember how Twilight told us about her pupils rather unique magic abilities?” Shining slowly nodded.

        “She said he could do some really weird stuff.”

        “Well, we got a first hoof demonstration tonight.” Rubbing the little filly’s head she continued, “I present to you the missing maid from earlier.”

        Shining Armor’s brain stopped. What did she just say?! Taking another look at the filly sitting not two chairs away from him, he took in the grey coat, the inky black mane. Despite her cutie mark just being gone somehow, he finally recognized her for who she was. This is where Lowly Servant had ended up?

        “She’s our missing maid!?” He cried. He could barely suppress the shock in his voice. He was no stranger to transformation magic by now, but this? It had to be some sick joke. 

        “I’m afraid so sir,” Evening said with a sigh. Shining carefully kept the glare out of his gaze. This was not a situation he needed, Lowly Servant was just like her namesake. His slave, his property, as it should be. What use was she to him like this?

        “How long?” He asked, working hard to keep his voice level.

        “S-sometime tomorrow morning.” Came the nervous stallion’s reply. Twilight nodded.

“It’ll take at least that long for me and Cadance to figure out a reversal spell.” Shining inwardly scoffed. Tomorrow afternoon!? Tsk, this meant he wouldn’t have his favorite fuck toy during Cadance’s morning jog. Worse yet, he still didn’t know why she was seated at the table. Glancing over at her, he saw she had been given hay steak. His already sour mood darkened even more. How dare she partake in such a thing! How had she even been able to muster up the ability to do so?

A small stab of worry pierced his heart. What if that meant the dominance spell was breaking thanks to the new transformation? He tried to calm himself as he looked her over. If it was gone, she would have told them by now who she was. Unless this was a trap. His gaze turned to Cadance. No, she was a good actor, but not that good. She had no idea he wasn’t her original husband.

        “I see,” He said the slightest hint of an edge on his voice. “And the reason she’s at the table?”

        “Shiny? Is something wrong?” Cadance asked giving him a concerned look. Immediately he clamped down on his emotions, something that came easily due to his old maid training. Guess that was a bit out of character for him. The old Shining just had to be the goody two horseshoes didn’t he? Well, it was just one minor downside all things considered.

        “Sorry Cadie, guess I’m just a big let down that I missed all the excitement and have to play catch up.”

        “Aw, don’t worry. I’ll bring you up to speed.” She said giving him a nuzzle. Damn she was sexy as all tartarus. He could see the brief moment of pain flash across Lowly’s face as Cadance did that, causing his mouth to break into a sly grin. She’s mine now bucko.

“I still don’t know what upset her so much,” Cadance continued, “but since she’s a filly for a night, we decided to just let her act as one. Call it taking the night off.”

        “I see.” Shining repeated. So that was the situation huh? He didn’t much like the concept of the old Shining getting any ‘time off’ from her new role, but he didn’t think trying to protest it now would do much good. Being a mare once himself, he knew not to argue with a room of them.

        “What’s the matter Peppermint?” Evening Storm asked, glancing down at the nervous looking filly. “You stopped eating. Everything okay?”

        “S-sorry mister Evening.” She squeaked, before going back to her food. Shining’s eyebrow raised.

        “Peppermint?” He asked surprised, before he remembered he wasn’t suppose to know her name. “Is that her name?”

        “Well not really no.” Cadance replied. “It’s just Evening didn’t want to call her by her real name while taking care of her, and frankly I don’t blame him.” Again Shining’s brow rose.

        “Evening is taking care of her? Any particular reason?”

        “Because it’s his responsibility that she’s like this.” Twilight said matter of factly.

        So that’s how it is huh? Shining mused as he looked the new filly over. Something else seemed different about her. He could tell he made her nervous, but she didn’t seem as meek as she usually did. Just what had they told her to do while he was out? She wasn’t suppose to be able to run from her job, and yet here she was acting like an ordinary filly. Perhaps they gave her the ability to harm him now? No, no he was very careful about that part. Likely Cadance had just somehow undone her original brainwashing. Well he could re-implement that well enough.

        Very well, he mentally sighed. There was nothing he could do at the moment. he supposed he could give her a  one time pass on being his fuck toy for one morning. After all, this gave him the perfect opportunity to pour salt in the wound. Putting on the biggest smile he could muster, he placed one hoof around Cadance.

        “Well then, this seems to be working out great!” He announced smiling at Peppermint as he did so. “She gets a night off and we get to see what it’ll be like having a little foal running around. Perfect practice for the future.” He made sure to give Cadance's tummy a small rub as he said that.

        “Mmm, I can’t wait either.” Cadance replied giving his neck a few quick licks. He loved how devoted she was to Shining, to him now. She didn’t even question what he did when she wasn’t around. The maids he’d had his way with. Even better, his words had the exact effect he hoped for, as little ‘Peppermint’ flinched out right.

        “Peppermint? Something wrong?” Evening asked again, having noticed the reaction. 

        “She’s probably just tired.” Shining said with grin. “Perhaps I should take her to your room to rest?” If he could just get her alone for a bit. Oh the fun he could have.

        “No, it’s my duty to watch her. Thank you for the offer though Prince Shining.” Evening replied. Oddly enough, he didn’t like the idea of her being out of his sight right now. He was still confused and worried over what she had been saying earlier.

        “Ah I see, well no helping it then.” Shining replied, keeping his poker face up. Infuriating twit. The maid was his property. How dare this third rate magician speak to him, the prince in such a manner! Sadly, any other reaction would raise too many questions about his behavior. Like it or not he was stuck with things as they were.

        A giggle from Twilight’s friend Pinkie Pie, interrupted his thoughts.

        “Awww, Evening is worried about little Peppermint. What a great daddy you make!” She said with a snort of laughter. Evening could feel his face flush again as he sighed.

        “This daddy thing isn’t going to be a running joke is it?”

        “Are you saying you’ll abandon your own daughter deary?” Rarity asked with a smirk, earning her a round of snickers from the other mares, along with a groan from Evening.

        “I think Peppermint is embarrassed enough okay?”

        “Oh but it’s so cute!” Pinkie cried jumping up and down. “You don’t mind right Peppermint? Come on! Call him daddy! It’ll be funny!”

        “D-daddy…” Peppermint involuntarily squeaked, forced by the obedience command to comply.

        “OHMYGOSHSHEREALLYDIDIT!” Pinkie cried in glee while most of the others erupted into fits of giggles. Evening on the other hoof looked like he wanted to disappear.

        “Well looks like somepony is finally letting her guard down.” Cadance piped up, giving Peppermint’s head a short rub with her hoof. “Do you like thinking of Evening as your daddy?”

        Peppermint just stared at her confused. Did she like thinking of Evening that way? He was very nice to her, and clearly wanted to help and protect her. After all, it was only natural that a filly had a daddy right? She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to make sense of her thoughts. She knew she wasn’t really a filly, but after being… she had been something else right? She knew that. It was so hard to fight these things now. It was so much easier to just give in. Evening wouldn’t hurt her, he’d make sure she was okay.

        Before she knew it, she was nodding.

        “Well,” Cadance continued with a smile, “if it makes you happy then go ahead and consider Evening your daddy for the rest of your time as a filly.” Another shudder rippled through her, another layer upon her convoluted situation. She was Peppermint right now. Daughter of Evening Storm. Somehow that made her happy and yet still sad at the same time.

        Shining however, was not enjoying this at all. Cadance had no idea that her commands were being taken literally, and that ‘Peppermint’ had no choice but to obey.

        “Now dear, perhaps that’s going a bit far.” He interjected. “You all seem really eager to treat her as a foal, and after she ran from the room crying earlier.”

        “My brother has a point,” Twilight agreed, “Maybe we’re taking this too far. Sorry Peppermint or er, Lowly Servant. You don’t have to do any of this if you don’t want to. This is about you relaxing after all.”

        Peppermint stared up at the beautiful princess. She was something special to her right? She thought so, her mind was such a mess at the moment. For so long now she had wanted to give up, but she knew she couldn’t. Forced day in and out to do things she had never dreamed of doing. The spell began to shake in her mind, overworking itself by trying to keep all her commands in check.

        Something had happened tonight. Something that filled her with despair. Her daddy had helped her, but, but she hadn’t been a filly right? She’d been grown up, and somepony else. Was that who she was? No, no she was somepony before that too. Wasn’t she? Why did her brain hurt when she tried to remember? What was her real name? Who was she? Once more the spell slipped.

        Shining Armor, the true lord of this castle, and rightful husband to Princess Cadance.

        She blinked, the thought pulling her back out of the mental pit she had long ago fallen into. It was only for a moment before the persona spell once more tried to gain dominance, but the deed had been done. She remembered who she really was, and now she didn’t have to worry about being Lowly Servant for at least one night. She still couldn’t tell anypony who she really was, or what happened, but with all of the conflicting commands, her meekness had been greatly weakened.

        Wracking her brain she tried to remember all that had happened tonight. The news Cadance had brought still stung deeply, but her renewed hope at possibly finally breaking free of this horror was too great to let it stop her now. She couldn’t run away from her job, or defy her Lord Shining Armor, but if her job was to be Evening’s daughter, then maybe…

        It was worth a shot. With the persona spell working so hard to keep everything straight, she might have a chance. She wouldn’t let this small thread of freedom, no matter how thin go to waste.

        “N-No, it’s okay.” She said, shocked by her own voice. She had actually managed to speak! The reminder of Cadance telling her not to be so humble shown like a blessing. Shining however, wasn’t pleased. That didn’t seem like something a meek pony would say, just what kind of commands had she been given while he was out of the room? Now more than ever he needed her alone. He was going to fix this.

        “P-Please say okay D-daddy.” Peppermint said while hugging Evening.

        I’m not disobeying an order! I’m not running away! I’m just doing what I was told! She repeated in her mind over and over. This had to work! It had to! The look she gave him was the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster, all her hopes and longing stuffed inside it. 

        “Gah! Alright alright! You all win! I’ll be daddy for now!” Evening cried defeated. He was weak, he knew that. How could anypony say no to such a face? She acted like her entire existence depended on him saying yes. To make matters worse, this caused another round of aww’s and giggles around the table. Well all except for Rainbow Dash of course, who was still sound asleep. He’d only know her for a couple of months, but he swore she could sleep through anything.

        Shining put a smile on his face, but inside he was anything but happy. In fact he was close to glaring at Evening. He was really beginning to hate this student of Twilight’s. Not only had he taken his favorite sex toy away, but was actively giving her a possible way out. Even he saw the loophole that if she was allowed to keep being his daughter as a ‘job’ she could not only take that chance to escape, but possibly re-gain some of the happiness he had taken from her when he took over her position.

        No, he needed a way to turn this around to his favor. What if by allowing this to happen they someday discovered the spell and the truth? That wouldn’t do at all, but how to tip the scales in his favor? Perhaps if he could get her to anger Evening? If he didn’t want her around him, then problem solved.

        He could command her to be an unruly brat, but that might cause another loophole that would let her speak her mind. Too risky. Perhaps if he told her to do the opposite of whatever Evening asked of her? No that was even worse. It was very likely she’d be told not to hurt herself. He wasn’t sure if his previous command could hold up to a newer one. Bah, there were too many variables in this. So how? How could he get her to disgust Evening so much that he’d abandon her?

        At once it came to him. Of course! That would work perfectly. It’d have its risks of course, but at this point, anything would. Given how much of a nice stallion Evening seemed to be, he had a good guess that the odds were in his favor this would go down just as he wanted.

        All he had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to issue his commands…
> ...can make all the difference...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Evening peaked around the corner, carefully studying the streets and it’s inhabitants before walking out into the open, Peppermint once more riding upon his back.

        “Remember Peppermint, keep your eyes out for anypony that might know us. We don’t want them to stop us okay?” He whispered, his eyes darting this way and that.

        “Okay daddy!” She whispered back, causing him to sigh.

        “Are you seriously going to keep up the daddy thing all night?” She blinked.

        “Daddy is daddy.” She said simply.

        “Geez when you commit to a job, you really commit.” Evening said with what he believed to be his eighth sigh that night. “I guess it’s better than how you were as a maid though.” Something about all this still felt really off, but he wasn’t any closer to figuring it out than he had been a few hours ago.

        The dinner had gone on a while longer, Rainbow Dash finally waking back up near the end of it. She was even acting much more like her usual self, her ego still in tact, but much more subdued. Finally it was time to call it a night and have a bit of time to themselves before bed.

        It had only taken him a few short moments to fill Twilight in on where his spell had gone haywire. She was still searching for any possible enchantments he’d wiped out, when he snuck away with his new care.

        Usually around this time, Twilight would have him do magic practice in an attempt to improve his spellcasting, as well as give herself time to study just how his magic worked. Though in truth he didn’t know if any of it was really helping.

        Tonight however, he was playing hooky using Peppermint as an excuse to get out of the castle and go find a late night ice cream shop. He knew he saw one on the way here from the station. He just had to find it again. Thankfully he was much better at traversing the streets of the kingdom then he had been trying to find his way inside the palace.

        Though trying to make sure he kept an eye out for his teacher incase she thought to look for him outside the palace, he still couldn’t keep his mind from mulling over this small filly on his back. Once she began to act like one, and still to his embarrassment his daughter, she had livened up considerably. Though still a bit on the shy side, she seemed a lot happier, and looked every bit the happy little filly.

        The problem was, she seemed to slip into that role a bit too well. How did the dead eyed maid he met a few hours ago, just suddenly turn into this perfect representation of a filly? It didn’t make sense. Was it just that the ponies from that long ago fell apart without some role to play? That was ridiculous! Besides, she wasn’t even a crystal pony! True, he had heard from Twilight that a few non crystal ponies did inhabit the city when she first helped liberate it, but it all seemed too convenient.

        Then there was still that one line she had said earlier. ‘Find the truth’. What did she mean by that? Was he trying to find the truth about a place? A pony? He’d tried asking her again about it before heading out on this outing of theirs, but she just stared at him blankly. It was all so frustrating. Why did he care so much about this? About her?

        You know exactly why. His brain said causing him to squeeze his eyes shut and issue a silent command to his own mind.

        Shut up.

        No need to dig up painful memories. All he wanted to do right now was enjoy a nice bowl of cold delicious-

        “Ice cream!” Peppermint cried from his back, causing him to stop. She was pointing frantically to their left, to which he turned his gaze. There it was! It was a small sliver of a building, more of a concession stand really. Though what it lacked in size, it made up for in allure. A bright pink canopy hung from it’s front to provide shade and shelter. Many tables set up with their own parasols littered the small lot before it, allowing you a place to eat outside and enjoy the weather. Evening briefly wondered if it ever rained here, or if they employed pegasai to keep the air clear of clouds?

        “Good eye! Now let’s get us some nice delicious ice cream before Twilight notices.”

        “Notice what?” Came a smug voice above him. “That you two went for a walk, or that my pupil is trying to weasel his way out of his studies tonight?” Frozen in place, he slowly lifted his head up to see a purple alicorn lying lazily in a cloud not twelve feet above them. His teacher's eyes staring directly at him.

        “I learned this from Rainbow Dash.” She said with a smirk as she leapt from her flying cushion to land before him. “You’re not very good at being sneaky by the way. I was easily able to follow you.” Evening’s ears drooped.

        “You saw me leave huh?”

        “Well…” Twilight said with a wave of her hoof. “I did luck out in a sense. I was actually just taking in the view from a balcony when I noticed you darting off down a road. I simply grabbed a cloud and followed.” This time it was Peppermint’s ears that drooped.

        “No ice cream?” She asked sadly. When her daddy had told her that’s what they had been doing, part of her had gotten really excited. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she had been allowed to partake in such a treat. She was also pretty certain that when her filly mindset went away again, she’d no longer feel she could have any. Twilight just giggled.

        “Don’t worry, I’m not here to stop you.” Evening blinked.

        “You’re not?” She shook her head.

        “I think it’s sweet that you wanted to help Peppermint relax like this, so I’ll tell you what. We can forget about our usual session for the night.” Evening had to stop himself from doing a little dance. All right! No two hour magic session! This was the best night ever!

        “Instead I’ll just give you a magical experiment to perform. Think of it as a magical pop quiz!” His smile faded. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

        “I don’t suppose I can take a raincheck?” Twilight’s face fell flat.

        “It’s not raining.” Damn it.

        “Can I at least enjoy my ice cream a bit first?”

        “Of course, after all we don’t want to make little Peppermint wait right?” She smiled down at the seemingly anxious filly. She still acted a bit reserved, but at least she seemed a lot happier now.

        “In fact, just to show I’m not so bad.” Twilight said while walking up to the counter. “I’ll pay for us. Which flavor will you have?”

        “Death by chocolate!” Evening cried almost immediately. With a slight chuckle, the stallion running the stand rolled up a couple of scoops and placed them in a bowl for him. To which Evening happily grabbed in his magic.

        “I’ll have some banana nut swirl.” Twilight said. The stallion nodded, already working on it as he turned his gaze toward Peppermint.

        “And for the cute little lady?”

        “M-Mint chocolate chip!” She replied almost shaking. She couldn’t believe this was happening! She kept fearing that any moment she’d wake back up on her worn out bunk. Tired and exhausted. Instead she watched the stallion prepare her bowl, smiling all the while.

        “Sprinkles?” She asked as he set the bowl down. For some reason it seemed appropriate that she add them.

        “Sorry little lady.” The stallion replied clearly upset that he had to disappoint her. “Fraid we’re all out right now.”

        “O-Oh…” Peppermint said, trying not to show her disappointment. This was silly. She never cared about sprinkles this much before. This was the spell making her act all filly like wasn’t it?

        “Tell you what,” The clerk said before dumping another scoop of ice cream into her bowl. “Have a bit extra on the house.” Her eyes brightened.

        “T-thank you!” She cried as loud as she could. On second thought, being filly like wasn’t bad at all!

        “Bleh.” Evening muttered as he lifted Peppermint’s bowl along with his own. Twilight actually gave off a scoff.

        “You get an ice cream called ‘death by chocolate’ and you say bleh at mere chocolate chip?”

        “Not that part of it!” Evening protested as he picked a table and set their treats down. “It’s the mint part. Just bleh.”

        “B-but I like mint…” Peppermint said dejectedly. Did this mean she couldn’t have it after all? She could actually feel tears begin to form. Please Celestia don’t take this from me now!

        “No! No, please enjoy yourself!” Evening quickly said, forcing a smile. He levitated over a spoon for her, which she grabbed eagerly. It’s funny how being an earth pony for three months taught her the necessary skills to grip it with just her hooves. Now a days she barely remembered what it felt like to have magic.

        Staring at the frozen confectionery before her, she couldn’t help but savor the moment. Dinner had been wonderful, but this. This could blow everything else away. Spoon in hoof, she dug into it, marveling at how well it collected upon the steel oval. No longer able to hold back, she shoved a giant clump of it into her mouth.

        “Oooooooh.” She murmured as her taste buds shuddered with the flavors. She vaguely remembered she had being doing something adult many many times these last few months, she also vaguely remembered the pleasure she had gained from a few of them. Yet if there was one thing she was absolutely certain of at this moment, was that this topped them outright.

        “I’ll never understand how ponies like that flavor.” Evening commented as he ate his own ice cream. “It’s just so terrible.” Thankfully, Peppermint was too busy eating now to pay attention to what he was saying, though Twilight gave a little laugh.

        “Don’t let my brother hear you say that. That’s his favorite flavor.” Evening made a face.

        “Then he’s weird.”

        “Says the pony who hates a popular flavor like mint, and yet loves coconut.”

        “I stand by my ridiculous claim.” Twilight laughed before digging into her own ice cream. The sound stirred something deep within Peppermint, though she wasn’t sure what it was. She tried to think of what it could be while they ate, her taking longer in order to savor each and every bite. After all, who knew when she’d ever be able to have this stuff again if ever.

        After several minutes of silent eating, Twilight took a quick glance around before letting her horn flash. A simple spell to insure that her and Evening could talk without Peppermint overhearing.

        “Now that we’re alone, I’ve been meaning to ask.” She said while making sure Peppermint wasn’t paying attention to them. She might not be able to hear them, but anypony would wonder why they could see mouth flapping but hear nothing.

        “I want to hear everything about your first meeting with Peppermint. She seemed much too distressed earlier for it to be something trivial.” Evening nodded.

        “I know it’s not. I could see it in her eyes. It looked like she lost somepony important to her.” Thus, while making sure Peppermint was none the wiser to their discussion of her, Evening relayed to Twilight everything he could remember about their meeting.

        “Find the truth?” Twilight repeated after the story was done. “What does that mean?” Evening shrugged.

        “I have no idea, and she won’t tell me.” He sighed. “I really want to help her, but I don’t know how.” Twilight sat there watching him for a few minutes before blurting out:

        “You really do sound like her father you know that?” Evening blushed, while Peppermint looked up from her bowl. Twilight had let the spell blocking their speech end.

        “I wish ponies would stop bringing that up. It’s bad enough even she’s calling me that.”

        “Daddy!” Peppermint added helpfully, earning another groan from the stallion.

        “Well I think you’re doing a fine job so far.” Twilight said with a smile, “Though I am concerned with how easily she’s fallen into this role.” Peppermint did her best to ignore the statement. Much as she’d love to explain herself, it was impossible for her.

        “Maybe she’s just over stressed.” Twilight mused. “This role of being a filly is just her way of escaping reality for a day?”

        “No, there’s more to it than that.” Evening said flatly. “I know that look of loss all too well.”

        “How would-” Twilight began, before a memory caught the words in her throat. Her heart sank at the reminder. It was one of the first secrets she had learned about her pupil.

        “Because of…” She let herself trail off. She didn’t want to make him talk about it if he didn’t want to.

        “Y-Yeah.” Evening replied with a short nod, and here he thought he didn’t want to bring up the painful memories. “It’s okay I guess, I mean it was a long time ago, but yes you guessed right. That face she had…” He looked down at Peppermint, watching as she stared back at him. She was hiding something big. If only he could get her to talk about what it was.

        “My sister and I had the same looks on our faces when mom died.” He shivered. “I’ll never forget that look.”

        Peppermint stopped eating, her appetite suddenly gone. She still didn’t want to think about what she heard earlier that night. She didn’t even want to remember what she had been doing today before becoming a filly. If only things could remain as they were right now. Being Peppermint wasn’t so bad. She at least was able to see Twily again.

        Does disappointing Cadance really upset her that much? Twilight wondered as she tried to connect the dots on why a maid might speak of losing their princess’s affection.

        “But you didn’t lose Cadance, I mean your majesty’s love Peppermint. She really does care about you!” Twilight tried to sound upbeat, but Peppermint didn’t look up.

        Oh Twily, I wish I could make you understand. She thought wearily. I really have lost her in that way. Even when she does look at me. I may as well not exist. Soon after the thoughts faded from her mind. She was becoming too sad to be the happy filly she was suppose to be. She began to eat once more, though at a much slower pace. Thankfully it seemed the shop had the forethought to put the ice cream in enchanted bowls, keeping it nice, cold and solid.

        “Perhaps she feels it’s close to the same?” Evening suggested as he watched her. “I wish you’d tell me Peppermint.”

        I wish I could tell you daddy.

        “Your mother raised an amazing stallion Evening.” Twilight said with a smile, causing Evening to smile back in return.

        “Thanks Twilight. It’d mean the world to her if she could have heard that from a princess.” He looked down at his bowl in wonder. “Did you know her favorite flavor was vanilla? Just plain ordinary vanilla. Can you believe it? You’d never tell I was her son seeing me eating this.”

        “Come now Evening, you can’t compare yourself to her because of that!” Evening actually chuckled.

        “I know I know. It’s just one of those things I think about sometimes…”

        “You really miss her…” The moment Twilight said that she regretted it. “I mean not that you wouldn’t but uh-”

        “I know what you meant.” Evening said, giving her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry I’m not upset or anything just… well I don’t think you ever really stop being sad.” Twilight nodded, though she had no idea how he felt. She had never lost anypony that close to her and shivered at the thought.

        Peppermint was also feeling down at the current conversation. Even though she had technically lost her majesty, the princess was very much still alive. Despite how hopeless it seemed that she’d ever be able to hold her again, the fact is there was still a chance.

        Evening had no such luck. His important pony was gone forever. Feeling a newfound compassion for this stallion, she nuzzled his side.

        “Heh, guess we’re being too depressing huh?” Evening said, giving her head a little rub. “Sorry about that Peppermint.” He straightened in his chair.

        “I still have my sister and my dad. I’ll be fine.” He laughed. “Maybe I should take a picture with you and send it to them with the caption: Out with my daughter! Their faces would be priceless!”

        Though they all laughed, the heaviness of the conversation still hung over them, leaving them in an awkward silence.

        “W-well how about a change of topic?” Twilight said suddenly, while opening her saddle bags. Reaching into it with her magic, she floated up a single orange, placing it on the table.

        “Your pop quiz.” Evening stared at it, trying to shake himself out of the mindset brought on by what they had been just discussing.

        “I hope you don’t plan to have me make that move on it’s own power or something.”

        “No no, just a simple color change.” She replied, scooting back enough to take in the area. She’d need to be ready for anything with his magic. “Focus on the orange and change it to blue.”

        “Change it to blue huh? I-I think I can do that…” Evening began to focus on his magic, slowly channeling it into his horn. He just had to remember what Twilight told him about proper magic tapping. Focus on what you want it to do, then let it trickle into the spell like a flow of water from a facet. It’s almost like sewing, Rarity had once added. The magical threads of the spell are much like the threads you used in everyday dressmaking. Both the types and manner of which you wove them determined the end result.

        All he had to do was turn the color orange into the color blue, without destroying the fruit in the process. What could be simpler? Concentrating on what he wanted his spell to do, he let the magic fly from his horn, toward the orange, weaving itself into a construct. As he watched his magic wrap around the fruit, he noticed that it didn’t immediately catch fire. That was a very good sign he had done this correctly.

        “You’re doing it!” Peppermint cried out happily as the fruit’s skin, slowly began to darken, taking on a bluer tint. Evening watched in eager anticipation as the color continue to change. Had he really done it? Had he finally managed a spell with no side effects?! 

        He got his answer as the moment his horn began to hum. An enchantment! Here? He was blocks away from the palace! How could he still be picking up such a strong sense of magic!? No way the minor freezer enchantments on the bowls would trigger this! Soon after the fruit changed from orange to blue, it exploded into a shower of small blue pellets, coating them and their ice cream. The three of them just sat there for a few moments in awe before Twilight broke the silence.

        “H-How!? How could you turn a simple color changing spell into, into, this!” She cried waving her hoof over the carnage. Luckily, besides the shop owner, not too many ponies were around to see this display, or get covered in tiny blue objects.

        “T-there was interference!” Evening cried in despair. “My horn’s still picking up some build up of magic nearby!”

        “What?!” Twilight shouted before she began to look around. She knew Evening long enough to know he wouldn’t lie about something like that, but then what would cause such a sensation way out here? If only she could sense things like he did. Then she might be able to pinpoint it.

        “There isn’t anything out here!” She exclaimed. This made no sense! Even for his magic!

        “I know!” Evening agreed in frustration. “I don’t get it! Unless, maybe the crystal heart?”

        “Well, it does absorb the love from the crystal ponies, but you were fine when we got here!” She waved her hooves around. “Why would it just randomly-”

        “Berry sprinkles!” Peppermint cried suddenly, causing both of them to look down at her. They were just in time to see her stick a spoonful of her ice cream into her mouth, still covered in the small blue pellets. “Yum!”

        “Sprinkles?” Twilight echoed, her train of thought forgotten. She took a closer look at some of the tiny little cylinders now held in her magic, studying the things before concluding that they were indeed edible. With a shrug, she popped one into her mouth, her eyes widening.

        “They are berry sprinkles.” She said dumbfounded. Why berry? Wouldn’t it make more sense if they were orange flavored? She shook her head. Dear Celestia, she was trying to put logic to Evening’s magic. No good would come from that.

        “Huh…” Evening said licking a few sprinkles off his muzzle. “Well, uh this solves our sprinkle problem?”

        “I give up!” Twilight said, as she slumped in her seat. Picking up her spoon, she went back to eating her ice cream in defeat. Evening’s magic never made sense.

        Despite the day she had been having, Peppermint began to giggle. It was always so funny how dejected Twily got when she couldn’t find an answer to something. She still remembered how he’d cheer her up in the past when they were younger. While her brother, he always did try his best to help her out, eventually earning him the title of B.B.B.F.F.

        Droplets began to fall upon her ice cream, causing her to look up in surprise. Had it begun to rain? Maybe pegasai didn’t clear the sky over this shop after all. That’s funny, there weren’t even any clouds in the sky period, yet she could clearly feel something dripping down her face.

        Tears, she realized with a start. She was crying.

        “Peppermint? Peppermint dear what’s wrong?” Evening asked, suddenly by her side. Shakily she looked up at his face which was quickled joined by Twilight’s. Both of them filled with worry for her.

        “I-I’m fine.” She whispered, giving them a smile. She didn’t realize how much she missed this. Missed being able to just hang out with friends and family and smile along with their antics. W-when this was over, she’d not be able to do this anymore, possibly ever again. The thought weighed heavily upon her. Turning her gaze to the worried Twilight, she realized something else.

        Before the purple mare could protest, Peppermint leaned forward and hugged her neck, crying out into her neck. She was vaguely aware that the spell shouldn’t allow her to be this sad, though she supposed they could be tears of happiness. Right now all she cared about was giving Twilight a hug.

        “P-Peppermint?” Twilight said softly, but mercifully she didn’t pull away. “N-Not that it’s bad, but why are you hugging me?”

        “Because.” She whispered back quietly. It was all she could manage to say out loud.

        Because Twily, she thought bitterly, this may be the last time I’m ever able to.

---

        “Well, it’s getting late. Guess it’s time to turn in.” Evening said as they made their way back to the palace. Twilight nodded in agreement.

        “Speaking of turning in, where is Peppermint going to sleep? It seems cruel to make her sleep in the maid’s quarters while like this. I’m afraid they’ll make fun of her.” Peppermint breathed an inner sigh of relief. She had actually been worried about that herself. Maybe she could suggest to bunk with Twilight? It’d be nice to have even a little more time with her once sister.

        “She’ll sleep in Evening’s room of course.” Shining Armor announced, stepping from the shadows. “I’ve already taken the liberty of having a small bed put in there for her.”

        “I-In my room?” Evening echoed, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that had just crept upon him. What was it about Twilight’s brother that bothered him so much?

        “Of course, you are her guardian for the night are you not?”

        “W-well I suppose I am, but-”

        “Shiny! We can’t have her sleeping in his room!” Twilight tried to protest, but Shining merely shrugged.

        “Why not? From what you told me in your letters, he’s more than trustworthy, and you yourself said he was her ‘daddy’ for the night. I figured this was perfect.”

        “W-well that does make some sense…” Twilight nodded. Evening really wasn’t the kind of stallion that would do anything bad, and given what she’d seen from him tonight, he’d take good care of her. Peppermint also seemed to relax the most when around him, so perhaps this was for the best.

        “Great! Then it’s settled!” Shining said with a smile. “Why don’t you two head to your rooms? I’ll bring ‘Peppermint’ by in a bit. I’d like to have a word with her privately. I never did apologize myself.”

        “Um, y-yeah sure.” Evening said stepping back. Part of him felt he should be protesting against this, but the idea of having her as his daughter for a bit longer actually pleased him.

        Ugh, I hope I’m not getting too use to this. He thought. She’s not really my daughter, and I can’t just foalnap her away from the palace, nor would I ever dream of keeping her this way.

        Even stranger was the feeling he got when he thought about Peppermint being alone with Shining, but that was just silly. He was Twilight’s brother and the prince of this empire. From what he had seen from Princess Cadance tonight, he couldn’t imagine her marrying a bad pony.

        Peppermint meanwhile, was staring up at Shining with barely concealed fear. He wanted to talk to her privately. There was no good reason he’d want to do that. He was going to punish her! Desperately she tried to move her legs to run, but the spell held her in place.

        You will be respectful to me at all times. She hear his voice say in her mind. You will not quit your job or run away. Her legs had locked in place. If she ran from him now, not only would she be disrespectful to him, but it would most certainly be seen as her trying to abandon her job.

        You will obey my orders above all others, and you will not seek to defy me or undermine me in any way…

        “Come along please.” He spoke to her slowly, almost menacingly. “I’d like to speak to you in private.” His horn glowed, opening a nearby door. She could feel her hooves dragging her toward it against her will, as both Evening and Twilight watched on. Neither the wiser to what they were allowing her to walk into.

        The moment the door shut behind her, she had expected him to turn on her. Certain he’d beat her or worse. That’s why her fear was quickly replaced by confusion as her lord simply smiled at her pleasantly.

        “Enjoying yourself? Tell the truth now.” He asked, his voice sounding rather happy and amused. Unable to resist she nodded. What was going on? Why wasn’t he angry at her? Why wasn’t he humiliating her even now?

        “Excellent!” He laughed merrily sending a chill up her spine. He was far too happy about all this.

        “Stand still, let me look at you.” Compelled to obey, she stood there shivering as he walked around her, sizing her up for something. She knew she should know what that usually meant, but the spell kept her thoughts strictly to those of a filly. All she could recall was it was something grown up.

        Something she knew she wanted no part of.

        “You make a cute little filly.” He said at last, sitting before her. “Though I much prefer how that body looks when it’s all grown up.” He licked his lips, causing an icy chill to grip her heart.

        “Well, you’ll be back to that way soon enough. In the meantime I suppose I can let you have your fun with your daddy.” She looked up at him in shock. Though he had put a bit more emphasis on the word daddy, his face didn’t betray any ill intent. W-was he really going to let her have a night off? It couldn’t be!

        “Oh don’t look so surprised my dear Peppermint! You make it seem like I’m a terrible master, and you wouldn’t say that now would you?”

        “N-No Lord Shining!” She squeaked. His smile grew.

        “You really shouldn’t worry. I have no intention of taking you away from the role you play tonight. Why do you think I went through so much trouble of getting that bed set up in Evening’s room?” Pausing, he moved his face toward her’s. She could do nothing to pull her own away.

        “I very much wish for you to spend the night in his room.” He said stopping only when his face was mere inches from hers. “That way, when it’s time to go to bed, you can give him a surprise.”

        Her heart began to hammer in her chest.

        “W-what shall I give him my lord?” His grin twisted to that of a demon’s.

        “A blow job.” Her heart nearly stopped.

        “The moment it’s time for bed, you’ll attempt to give him a blow job. You will tell him that the only reason you gave into being his daughter, was because of how hot you found it to call him ‘daddy’ while sucking him off. Be certain to make it sound convincing.” With each line she could feel herself begin to break. Any of the wounds that had begun to heal, tore back open.

        “You are to beg and plead with him to go along with it, and at no point are you to tell him anything of this conversation or my commands. In fact, you are not to mention that I have anything to do with this at all. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

        Please say no! She begged her mind, pushing, clawing against the walls that was the persona spell. Please! She repeated, hoping against hope that for this one moment she could fight against her forced obedience.

        “A-as you wish my lord.” She felt sick.

        “Very good. Oh, and don’t try to warn him or do anything that would make him suspicious that something might be up. Now come along.” He said opening the door back up. “You need to get back to your daddy.” He spoke the last part with a sneer, his face triumphant.

        As for Peppermint, she followed him out of the room by the power of the persona spell alone, her own strength taken. Evening had been the one pony in months to show her this much kindness. To go out of their way to try and make her happy and not themselves.

        Now, no matter what she did or tried, by the end of the night he too would hate her.

---

        “Here she is, excited to spend the night with her daddy.” Shining laughed as he entered Evening’s room. The black stallion was currently looking over various scrolls strewn about the desk he was seated at. If Peppermint had to guess, they were some of the magical scrolls from their library. Probably looking for a way to help control his magic.

        “Hmm? O-Oh Lord Shining Armor. I-I’m sorry I didn’t hear your knock.”

        “I didn’t knock.” Shining replied, bowing. “Forgive me, I thought with you being my sister’s pupil we wouldn’t have to worry about such formalities.”

        “O-Oh of course not!” Evening stammered as he put on a nervous smile. “I look forward to getting to know you more during my stay.”

        “As do I.” Shining replied with a grin. Especially if I can get that genderswap test approved.

        “Go along now Peppermint.” Shining said stepping aside to allow her entrance. “Why don’t you give your ‘daddy’ a hug?”  Hastily, she made her way to Evening, lifting her front half to hug him around his waist. It brought her no comfort. 

        “You guys are having way too much fun with this.” He said with a sigh, though one could see just the slightest hint of a blush.

        “Hey, what’s a little fun between friends right?” Shining replied, giving Evening a wink. “Now don’t stay up too late you two. We have an early day tomorrow.”

        “We won’t.” Evening said, with Peppermint echoing. Her voice had come out innocent and happy. True to her master’s commands, she was forced to do everything she could so Evening wouldn’t suspect the horrible crime she would be forced to commit. Her only hope was that Evening was like his sister and spent the night reading. Maybe if she fell asleep before him, she wouldn’t be able to carry out the act.

        “Have fun!” Shining called before turning and leaving, the door closing behind him. Peppermint could hear him trot down the hall, a small pang of sorrow sparking in her heart as she realized he was going to share her majesty’s bed. Looking back to Evening, she mentally shook her head. She didn’t have time to worry about that right now. Instead s had to find a way to delay ‘bedtime’ as much as possible!

        “Hmm, I suppose my reading wouldn’t be very exciting for you.” Evening said as he began to roll up his scrolls. Crud.

        “I don’t mind.” She said quietly. She couldn’t portray much emotion through those words, but at the very least she could say them. After all, a good little filly wouldn’t protest such things.

        “Nonsense, I’m not going to have you sit there while I ignore you.” He looked through his bag. “Hmm, sadly I don’t have any games on me, or even a deck of cards.”

        She began to rack her brain for any sort of game they could play with just themselves. The only thing that came to her mind was something she use to play with Twily all the time.

        “Twenty questions?” She suggested. Evening laughed.

        “No offense, but that’s like the one game my teacher always wants to play.” He shrugged. “Maybe I can call her in to join us if you’re really stuck on it. She’s right next door.”

        Peppermint shivered at the thought. What if Twily was still in here when she had to... No! She couldn’t let her see her like that! She couldn’t! Looking back up at Evening she cringed inside. What other choice did she have? If she didn’t do something, he’d say it was time for bed!

        “S-sure!” She replied trying to look excited. Evening seemed to ponder it for a moment before shaking his head.

        “No, no she’s likely lost in a book right now trying to find a way to fix your age. Probably best to leave her alone.” Her heart fell.

        “C-can we still play?” Once again Evening laughed.

        “You’re really stuck on playing aren’t you? Tell you what, I’ll make sure we have a game sometime tomorrow. I’m sure Cadance won’t mind you joining us after you’re back to normal.”

        She wanted to scream no, but that might be seen as something wrong so instead she just nodded. Damn it! At this rate there was no hope for her!

        “A-another game maybe?” She asked. She couldn’t think of one but maybe he could.

        “Sorry, I can’t really think of any and it is getting kinda late.” He said glancing at a clock on the wall. No! NO!

        “It’s probably best we just head for bed.” She could feel her body begin to inch itself forward, her eyes moving to focus on the one part of him she wished she couldn’t.

        “Unless you want me to tell you a story!” He laughed. YES!

        “I-I’d love a story!” She cried, her body stopping. Evening stared at her blankly.

        “What? But you’re not really a filly!”

        “B-but you’re daddy and I’m your daughter! Daddy’s read their daughters stories!” Evening rolled his eyes.

        “You’re seriously going to make me do this?” She nodded vigorously. Yes! Darn you, yes!

        “Please?” She said, using the same puppy dog eyes she had earlier. After only a few moments, he sighed.

        “Alright, just to humor you.” Success! Now if she could only think of a way out of this while he was distracted. If his magic wasn’t so unpredictable, she’d ask for a magic trick, maybe letting herself get hit by a sleep spell.

        “What kind of story to tell?” He mused tapping the underside of his muzzle. “Oh! I have one. My mom use to tell me this when I was your age!” He smiled at her brightly, before what he just said caught up with him, causing him to blink.

        “Er I mean, when I was the age your body currently… M-Moving on.” He coughed. Even now he was trying not to upset her.

        You really do seem like a father. She thought as she sat there. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream or do anything that would alert him to his danger. To everything that had happened to her. She wanted so badly to plead with him to save himself. The one pony who had reached out to her.

        P-please. Please don’t make me do this! PLEASE!

        “Once upon a time,” Evening began, doing his best to make his voice sound mysterious and alluring. “There lived a talented unicorn mare whom possessed amazing magical powers thanks to the aid of four golden horseshoes she wore. However, other ponies were jealous of the magic they gave her and stole them, spreading them to the four corners of Equestria to insure she could never use them again…. Peppermint are you okay?”

        Peppermint shook from her thoughts with a start. She had been so preoccupied in trying to find a way out that she hadn’t been paying much attention to the story. She had to make it look like she was interested or he might stop!

        “Y-Yeah, sorry. Um,” She tried to remember what he just said. “Why didn’t they just keep them for themselves?”

        “Ah! A very good question.” Evening said, falling back into storyteller mode. He was actually quite good at it. She only wished she could actually enjoy the tale. “They knew that only she could properly utilize the magic of them. However, if spread far enough apart, it was possible for an individual to tap into the power of just one of the horseshoes, therefore-”

        He continued on to talk of how the princess thought her horseshoes lost forever, and that it was a few generations later when her descendant got sick due to the magic of the horseshoes being out of her family line for far too long. It was thanks to that ponies friends that the four shoes were tracked down and brought back together.

        He described the trials her friends went through to get each one, doing a fine job of making the story seem alive. She was only able to barely pay attention, her eyes constantly flickering to the wall clock, the hands seeming to move ever so quickly. Besides asking him to tell another story, she couldn't’ think of anyway to prolong this.

        She hoped she might tire out due to her new body having less energy or something, but thanks to the horrible feeling of what she’d have to do, she just couldn’t find the peace of mind to relax enough to get sleepy. The sound of each tick causing her heart to plunge deeper and deeper into her gut, till she swore she felt it in her stomach.

        “-therefore, thanks to her friends, all four golden horseshoes were placed upon her hooves, and life came rushing back into her body! Mimic was saved, and all thanks to the power of her friendships.” He smiled while rubbing the back of his neck. “I know it ends a little cheesy like, but my sister and I always loved it when mom told it.”

        “I-It’s a good story.” Peppermint replied nervously. “Another?”

        Evening laughed, “I think that’s enough for tonight. It’s really late now and we need sleep.” Using magic to fluff his pillow he added, “It’s bedtime squirt.”

        Peppermint shuddered. At some point during the story they had moved to his bed, her laying comfortably beside him. In any other situation she may have enjoyed the night. Instead she felt ready to hurl as her body forced her head toward his underside. He was laying on his stomach, so she’d have to get him to roll over. Trying desperately to pull her head away, she began to wiggle her muzzle underneath him.

        “Peppermint?” He asked puzzled. “Am I laying on something of yours?” He began to shift his weight away from her, exposing his underside.

        No! No lay back down! Lay back down! Please no! Don’t make me do this!

        It was no use, she could not defy her master. With a heavy heart she felt her face inch toward the area of her downfall. In mere moments she’d make contact.

        Mercifully she never got the chance, as she felt her body suddenly get pulled away. Before she knew it, she was floating within his magical grip, staring at him from several feet in the air. The look he held, she could barely meet his eyes.

        Upon his face was an expression of shock and horror. She wailed inside her head as her body even now tried to break free so she could continue. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please don’t hate me! I never wanted this!

        “W-what are you doing!?” He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She wanted to bite her tongue to stop the words, but was still unable to harm herself.

        “E-exactly what you think!” She hear herself say, her mind starting to break. It was too much. It was all just too much. “I only pretended to be your daughter for this! Come on baby, it’ll be so hot!”

        For what felt like hours she didn’t hear a response from him. Finally unable to take it any longer she met his eyes once more, dying at the look of disgust upon his face.

        “Y-you can’t be serious.” He said dumbfounded. No!

        “I am!” She cried. “Please! You’ve got to let me! I need it!”

        “You’re joking!” He cried, louder this time. “All this time this is what you wanted? I don’t believe it! What about your face? What about that look you had while staring in the mirror?”

        “A trick.” She replied, spurred on by the spell to make it sound as convincing as she could. her lord Shining Armor had told her to beg and plead with him. “Now please! I want you! I want to while calling you daddy! I’m such a naughty filly!” Lies! All Lies!

        Evening just stood there staring at the filly he held in his magic. He felt sick, betrayed. After all he had done for her, after all he had tried to still do, this was what she wanted? This was why she had fallen into calling him daddy so easily? Was this what she meant by find the truth? That she was nothing but a slut?

        His horn began to hum once more, only irritating him further. Again?! How many times was this stupid thing going to go off? He wasn’t safe in the palace, he wasn’t safe away from the palace. Everywhere he went tonight it had been bothering him and now he had to deal with this?

        “Gah! I can’t believe any of this!” He said, trying to keep his voice low enough that Twilight wouldn’t hear him. The last thing he wanted right now was for her to find him like this.

        “I know that look you had! I can’t believe you could play it so convincingly! I was so certain you had lost something dear! I was so certain you were hurt! Now you tell me this?” He began to rub his horn, trying to get it to suppress its sensitivity again. “Not one thing about you or this situation has made any sense tonight, and now my horn is doing that stupid twitchy thing again! What are you, under a spell?”

        “YES!” She cried in despair.

        Her eyes widened as everything seemed to stop. That hadn’t been said in her mind. She hadn’t said that in her mind! She had spoken that out loud!

        “W-what did you say?” Evening asked again. Peppermint braced herself and tried to speak.

        “I said yes.” She floated there stunned even as Evening stared at her. Was this another trick? Only one way to find out.

        “Do you know what kind of spell.”

        “Yes.” Again she spoke!

        “What spell are you under?”

        “A persona spell.” She stared at him amazed. H-How was she doing this? She was defying her master’s orders! Was the spell breaking? Immediately she began to try and tell him the truth of who she was, only for her lips to lock shut. Furious she tried to force out more words, but none would come.

        Then why had she been able to tell him about the spell?! She wasn’t suppose to be able to! This didn’t make any sense. Once more the words her lord and master spoke to her on that fateful night three months ago began to play in her mind.

        In that case, from this moment onward until the end of time, I order you to be Lowly Servant. You will answer to that name, and only to that name. She had done that up till she was ordered to respond to Peppermint while a filly. She guessed that since her ‘Peppermint’ name was only temporary, it was allowed to slip by.

You will not attempt to inform anypony that you used to be Shining Armor, nor shall you reveal to anypony the details of what’s happened to you over the last forty-eight hours. Even in your own mind, you will know yourself as Lowly Servant. And you will think of me as Shining Armor, Lord of the Crystal Empire—and your master

In her mind she did still think of her name as Lowly Servant. She was only Peppermint for a role, like in a play. Perhaps that could be the reason it was allowed? No! That wasn’t important right now! What was important was the fact she had been told not to reveal to anypony the details of what happened to her! Yet she had just told Evening about the spell!

You will not beg, plead, or at any time ask me to reverse what I have done to you, or to free you from this situation. You will be respectful to me at all times. You will address me as ‘Sir,’ ‘Milord,’ or ‘Lord Shining Armor.’ You will not attempt to change back to normal. You will not quit your job or run away. You will not ever seek to cause harm to me, nor to cause harm to yourself, nor through inaction allow either one of us to come to harm. You will obey my orders above all others, and you will not seek to defy me or undermine me in any way…

She wasn’t suppose to try and reverse her change, nor could she run away or defy her master. So why? Why could she say that?

It came to her at once, her eyes widening at the realization.

She wasn’t trying to return to normal right now! She was only trying to get Evening to understand why she was trying to do what she didn’t want to do! Telling him about the spell did just that, and it wasn’t defying an order! Her lord had never told her she should lie about being under a spell, or that she couldn’t say she was under one! Telling a pony that wasn’t giving them any details about what happened to her during those forty-eight hours! All she was doing was stating a current fact!

He had never told her anything to prevent that!

“A persona spell?” Evening repeated. He had gone through countless scrolls and records while in Canterlot, looking for any way that might help him control his magic. After he had become Twilight’s pupil, he had even managed to get a hold of some scrolls that spoke of the forbidden spells. They didn’t share any details of how to cast them of course, but he did know of their existence. If that’s what she was under…

“T-that’s it!” He cried as it began to piece together in his mind. “That’s why you won’t tell me what’s wrong! Because you can’t! That’s also why you fell into being a filly so easily! Because you were commanded to! You must have to obey whatever anypony tells you!” 

With each passing word from Evening, she felt her spirits soar. She was not allowed to do or say anything, but now she didn’t even have to! He had figured it out! Now all he had to do was get Twilight or Cadance and she’d be free!

Except what if he went to her Lord Shining Armor?! What if because of that he managed to get the same spell cast on him!? She couldn’t bare it if he ended up in the same position thanks to her!

“We have to break the spell. I should tell Twilight right away! And Cadance! And Shining Armor! They’ll be able to free you! Then you can tell us who sent you here and what their motives are!” Still caught in his magic, she began to float along with him as he began to head toward the door.

No! No! He’ll trap you! Please don’t he’ll trap you! She wanted to cry out, she wanted to warn him. Unfortunately all she managed to get out was:

“Come on daddy! Can’t we have some fun first?” Evening made another face of pure disgust.

“I hope whoever did this is caught quickly. Giving you a command to…” He stopped right before the door, his hoof up and ready to push it open.

“Who gave that command?” He asked, looking up at her. “It seems very unlikely that you’d be told to do that in this particular situation, which means somepony must have told you after you became a filly. Except the moment you became one you’ve been by my side the entire time except-”

His eyes widened.

“Shining Armor wanted to speak to you privately! He’s the only one who would have had the chance to do this! That’s why I got such a weird vibe from him! Either he’s been a psychopath this entire time, or that’s not the real Shining Armor.”

Yes! Yes! Oh Evening I could kiss you! Peppermint cried in her mind. Evening, however wasn’t as pleased.

“What do we do?” He asked out loud. “Twilight won’t believe her brother is the villain! Okay, so I don’t tell her. But what if she insists we bring it up to him and Cadance? What if he’s already in her room, waiting for me to throw you out of my own? I’ve been Twilight’s pupil for three months! She’s had a brother her entire life! He could tell her anything and she might believe it! Maybe even say that I’m under a spell too!” He slumped down, holding his head in his hooves.

“How am I supposed to fix this! I’m no magician! I’m no powerful unicorn! I can’t even get a stupid color changing spell right! Never mind the interference I’m still getting with your spell right next to me!”

Peppermint sat in the air trying to think of a way to help. They were so close! So close! If only she could think of something! Say anything! She racked her brain. There had to be something! Anything! Oh if only it was the stupid persona spell that got erased and not the-

Her head jerked up. That was it! When he had cast his spell, it had erased her vibrator spell! She didn’t know if it’d help, but it was worth a shot! She opened her mouth-

-only for the words to die in her throat. No! She had to say it! Why? Why couldn’t she?

You will not attempt to change back to normal.

No! If she told him, then it’d be defying her master’s orders! She might know the answer, but couldn’t tell him!

Wait, wait calm down. She told herself, trying to focus. You're not defying your master. You aren’t! You don’t want to change back, you just want to help daddy. Daddy is so sad, and a good little filly would do anything to make her daddy happy! I have to be a good little filly! Daddy wants to know, and I can tell him! Good little fillies would do anything to make their daddy smile!

“E-enchantment d-d-disrup-t-tions!” She managed to force out. Thankfully Evening picked up his head when she said that. She didn’t think she’d manage to say it again.

“Enchantment disruptions?” He repeated confused, before his face began to brighten. “Of course! Enchantment disruptions! When I try to cast spells, I sometimes erase lesser spells!” His face immediately fell. “But those are lesser spells! This is a powerful enchantment! There’s no way I can erase that!”

Peppermint merely stared at him sadly. She hadn’t been able to help her daddy after all. It had taken all her resolve just to say what she had. It was clear the spell would not let her again, as it even now made her wiggle in Evening’s magical grasp. Still trying to get close to him to fulfill the mission her lord had given to her.

Evening stared up at the filly as she struggled to reach him. No, no he had to try. He couldn’t let her remain under this persona spell. He had never tried to purposely disrupt a spell before. Who was to say he couldn’t? So what if it was essentially a curse? He was Evening Storm! Spells never worked correctly around him! Why should this time be any different!?

“Peppermint, or whatever your real name might be.” He really doubted it was Lowly Servant. “Brace yourself. I don’t know if I can do this, but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got!”

With that he began to focus magic into his horn, letting more and more of it collect. Instead of trying to mold it into a spell, he instead tried to let it do as it would upon her body. Somewhere within her was a construct of magic, if he could just connect to it, then maybe…

To his surprise he did find the spell, much sooner than he thought. There it was, a powerful source of magic feeding off her own natural earth pony magic to keep itself sustained. In one way it was amazing. By doing that, it insured it’d never weaken or wear off.

Well too bad, I want you gone! He thought, forcing his magic into it. Almost immediately he could feel the thing begin to quiver, unsure what to do with such an intrusion. At first it seemed as if it would break right away, but it quickly began to try and filter his magic around it, trying to make itself a rock within a sea of energy.

Oh no you don’t! He increased the flow of his magic. He would not allow it to escape! Focusing his magic like small drills, he began to direct it straight toward the center of it, forcing the spell to take it all in.

The effect was immediate, as the air around them began to whine from the strain. Peppermint could feel the very fabrics of the persona spell begin to twist and pull against each other. If felt as if there was a ball of power inside her. A sphere that something was trying to push and rip apart. With its disruption came certain boons.

S-She was not a maid! She was not named Lowly Servant!

The freedom of those thoughts renewed her hope in full. It was working! It was working!

Tendrils of energy began to shoot off from her, as the spell fought to keep itself together. Various spots upon the walls and carpet being scorched. A shattering noise sounded to her right, distracting her only long enough for her to notice a vase had been obliterated by one of the blasts.

        “What’s going on in here!?” Twilight screamed throwing open the door mere moments later. She took one look at Evening and gasped.

        “Evening what in Celestia are you doing!? You’re going to kill her!” Her horn blazed to life as her magic overtook both Evening and Peppermint, attempting to extinguish his spell. Peppermint could feel the persona spell re-shaping itself. No! NO!

        “Twilight you don’t understand!” Evening cried, trying to keep ahold of his magic. He could feel it being suppressed! In a minute he’d lose any progress he had made!

        “I don’t understand!?” Twilight screamed. “You’re the one letting your magic go wild! What are you trying to do? Blow us all up? Now help me contain this!” Her magic pressed down harder, threatening to snuff out his own. He couldn’t let that happen! This could be his only shot! If the fake Shining came in now, all could be lost! Peppermint would have to go back to being a maid, back to possibly being any sort of plaything to whatever twisted mind had been commanding her!

        She’d just be his toy! Any pony who asked her to do what she had tried tonight did not respect her! She was likely just his property! If he failed, she’d go back to that life, she’d go back to forever carrying that look of loss and hopelessness.

        He would NOT Let that happen!

        Forgive me Twilight. He thought, before pushing back with every last bit of strength and magic he could muster. The effect was like changing a garden hose into a fire hose. His power shot out in a torrent, causing Twilight to step back in utter shock, her horn fizzling out.

        Evening had never gone against her like this before! Never!

        With her magic no longer trying to suppress Evening’s magic, the Persona spell was slammed hard with another wave of energy. Energy obsessed with tearing it apart. The very essence of the enchantment began to twist and warp, small tears appearing all throughout it. Despite all this though, it held, and even now was trying to find a way to convert the attacking magic into his own power. Fighting to keep its prey in its clutches.

        Peppermint no longer felt like the ball was inside her, but rather felt that she was inside the ball. It’s walls her prison. Twilight had been thwarted due to her shock at having her pupil go against her wishes, but Peppermint knew that wouldn’t stop her for long. This could be her only shot at freedom!

        Slowly she tried to claw her way out of the spell’s grasp. It being far too busy to keep her from defying many of her commands. Even so, she could still feel the biggest one of all. She couldn’t defy her master! She was not suppose to attempt to change back!

        Except she was! She thought furiously. Feeling as if she was wading through mud, she began to push herself toward the edge, away from the influence of the persona spell, away from her miserable life as an obedient maid. Even now, while under attack, the spell tried to wrap it’s claws back around her, but still she fought on. She had been shown kindness, freedom. For the last three months she had been in despair, her free will eroding away. If it wasn’t for Evening trying so hard to help her, she might never have gotten back the will to fight.

        Help her however he did, and fight she would! She didn’t care what her master said! She didn’t care about the form she wore now. All she cared about was re-gaining her right to choose her own path! Choose how she acted! Choose who she was!

        I’m not Peppermint! She screamed in her head as she pushed onward. The threads of the spell shaking against her limbs.

        I am NOT Lowly Servant!  The threads felt as if they dug into her very flesh, threatening to cut her to pieces, but still she moved on..

        M-My name… My name is- She pushed with all her might against her prison, summoning every last bit of strength and will she had left.

        I-I’m… Pain tore through her body as the spell tried to regain dominance, but she no longer cared. She wasn’t stopping, even it it tore her apart. Focusing on her mouth, she began to force it open.

        Say it! She screamed in her head. SAY IT!

        “MY NAME IS SHINING ARMOR!”

        The spell shattered.

        Evening’s magic blinked out in an instant, him dropping to his knees, Peppermint herself fell unceremoniously to the floor. For a few minutes she just lay there, breathing heavily, waiting for the spell to make her move. Make her crawl over to Evening so she’d give him his horrible gift, but she didn’t. In fact nothing happened at all.

        It was truly and completely gone.

        “W-what did you say?” Twilight asked quietly staring at the small filly on the floor before her. Peppermint, no Shining Armor, she told herself. Transformed and age regressed husband of Princess Cadance, looked up at Twilight as she got to her hooves.

        “Twily it’s me!” She cried, amazed at every word that sprang so easily to her mouth. No resistance! No meekness! Nothing! “I’m Shining Armor! Your B.B.B.F.F! Big brother best friend forever!” Predictably, Twilight only stared at her like she lost her mind.

        “You’re lying!” She cried, taking a step backward. “Shining is in his room with his wife Princess Cadance! You can’t be him!”

        “Y-You’re Shining Armor!?” Evening repeated in awe, re-joining the conversation.

        “Of course she’s not!” Twilight interjected, pointing her hoof at the filly. “Why are you lying? What did you two do!?”

        “Twilight listen!” Shining screamed, causing her to flinch. She had to do this while Twilight was still stunned. “Cadie cast a spell on me that turned me into a mare and an earth pony. Then as part of the ‘fun’ she cast a persona spell on me to make me act anyway she wanted. It just so happened to include me being a very obedient and submissive maid! Except she didn’t break the spell before going on her morning jog, letting me get found by a maid! They mistook me for a new hire and told me to get to work! I’ve spent the last three months as a servant while some other maid got mistaken for me and took my place! But the Shining you saw today isn’t me! I’m me!”

        Twilight held her head in her hoofs, a massive headache forming.

        “T-that can’t be! This isn’t right! None of this can be right!” No good, she was going to have to prove herself.

        “Smarty pants!” She cried. Twilight blinked and stared at her blankly.

        “What?”

        “Smarty pants, your doll. Dad got her for you for your birthday. Mom and him use to laugh, because unlike other fillies who had tea parties, you’d hold classroom and pretend to teach her. You’d make me join in all the time!” Shining crossed her hooves across her chest. “She always got better grades than me too. I’m your brother Twily! You couldn’t cut me a little slack?”

        Twilight shivered as ‘Peppermint’ spoke, her own eyes widening. The twitchy thing of Evening’s horn, the look on her face when she ate those vegetables, the flavor of ice cream she ordered! The reason she seemed so willing to go along with what anypony told her!

        “S-shiny?” She said quietly, staring at her in awe. “That’s really you?”

        “It’s me Twily.” Shining said, sighing in relief. “And now that you know, I need your help!”


> ...and bring the truth to light.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The ‘new’ Shining Armor was not happy, something was wrong. First he hears nothing from Evening or his little slut despite delivering her to his room over an hour ago. Then not one minute ago, some strange wave of energy causes his horn to shiver like crazy. His wife Cadance was looking around quizzingly as well from her spot at their desk, where she had been spending the last hour looking over various scrolls on any information they had about age magic.

        “Cadie?” He hoped her puzzled expression meant that whatever that was, isn’t something any normal unicorn grew up knowing about. “What was that?”

        “I’d like to know what caused that magical disruption myself.” She said while slowly getting up. Magical disruption? Now he really didn’t like what was going on. This whole thing was suspicious.

        “I think we should check it out.” He said while opening the door. He wished he could go by himself, but given he didn’t know about the more advanced types of magic, Cadance would likely be the only pony to recognize what any of this was. He’d just have to keep watch and make his move when necessary.

        “Good idea, let’s start with Twilight.” Cadance quickly made her way toward him. “I’m sure she sensed it as well, and is the most likely to help us find what caused it.”

        “Sounds like a plan.” If anything was going on, then he wanted Twilight near him. He needed to be ready to sweat talk himself out of any trouble just in case. If only that pupil of hers hadn’t made everything so testy with is stupid magic turning Lowly into a filly. If it wasn’t for him, he’d be plowing his wife, with the prospect of plowing Lowly in the morning.

As he walked down the hall with Cadance, he frowned at just how quiet things were. His ‘sister’ and her friends had their rooms located just around the corner, that twit Evening Storm included. Surely by now he’d hear a sobbing filly, or at the very least an angry stallion.

        Instead all he heard was silence. Had he misjudged the guy? It couldn’t be he was actually enjoying his little gift could it? The thought almost made him smirk. If that was the case, that unicorn was more kinky then he thought. Best not to let his guard down though.

        More likely Evening was like what he learned of Twilight. A late night book worm. He was probably sitting at his desk mulling over various texts. Perhaps he should drop in and convince the guy to sleep soon. He could argue that with Twilight and Cadance working on the case of fixing Lowly’s age, he could just rest and enjoy the night.

        “What ever caused it made quite the discharge.” Cadance said worryingly as they turned the corner. Shining took this to mean that whatever was behind this wasn’t ordinary. All this managed was to increase his suspicion.

        “We’d better check on that Evening Storm first,” he said changing direction toward the pupil’s door, “he’s the one with the weird magic after all.” Cadance seemed to silently accept this as she stepped beside him. They were almost to the door when a furious looking Twilight stepped out and slammed it behind her.

        “Twilight?” Cadance asked stepping back. She had never seen Twilight this angry before. The look in her eyes scared her. “What’s wrong?”

        “What’s wrong,” she growled while staring at them both, “is that I thought I knew somepony, thought I could trust them, but apparently I was wrong!” This only caused Cadance to shrink back more. Her words and the way she was looking at her flat out terrified her. It was almost like she was talking directly to her!

        Shining on the other hoof, was trying to suppress a grin. This was better than he hoped! Twilight must have caught them in the act, and thought Evening planned it! How delicious! With this, he was certain he could convince her to drop him as a student.

        “Twily what-” He began to say, while trying to look concerned. However the glare that she shot at him killed the words in his throat. Wow did she look angry. It actually sent a shiver up his spine. He’d have to remember never to piss his new sister off.

        “I need to talk to both of you privately. Now!” She commanded unfurling her wings as she did so. Both were quick to nod their heads. In truth she could have told them to jump out a window at that moment and they’d comply. Such was the power of her anger.

        “I’ll meet you in your room. I have to take care of something first.” Her voice was cold. Cadance still wanted to ask what happened, but could only utter ‘okay’ before turning to trot back to her room. What caused Twilight to act like this? The look she had gotten still haunted her a bit. Had she done something wrong?

        Shining was trying to keep himself from jumping with joy as they entered their room again. He’d let her scream at them for a bit longer when she came in here, most likely to demand that Lowly be punished, and possibly have Evening thrown in the dungeon. He began to contemplate the opportunities this could create. He wasn’t experienced enough with magic himself yet, but perhaps he could hire a unicorn to change Evening into a mare like he mused earlier. Better yet, maybe he could get the persona spell cast on them as well and get another new fuck toy. That Blueblood fellow he had talked with during a royal meeting seemed like a good pony to inquire with. He did rather enjoy how the maids were treated here.

        “Shiny?” Cadance said shaking. “I’m scared. I’ve never seen her like this. What do you think happened?” Damn, he’d have to put his thoughts on hold. His wife needed him to play the loving husband right now.

        “I don’t know,” he said with his best poker face, “I’m sure she’ll tell us when she comes back in. Till then all we can do is wait.” Gently he rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. She really was an amazing mare. A perfect catch really. He smiled as he thought of the foals growing in her womb. 

My perfect catch. My number one mare. He thought happily to himself. Don’t worry, I’ll always hold you above those others. My greatest prize.

        Unless of course he ever got good enough with magic that he could cast the persona spell himself. Imagine, both Celestia and Luna as his concubines. The mere thought made him hard. 

Damn, getting too worked up. With an inner sigh he began to calm himself. Probably not a good idea to sport an erection with what was going on right now.

It was just as well, since the door slammed open to reveal a still peeved Twilight, now carrying three cups full of wine inside her magical aura. She stomped over to them, downing one of the cups in the process, while floating the other two over to each of them.

“I’ve never felt so disappointed in a pony before.” She said coldly, shaking with barely concealed rage. “Of all the stupid things. Drink!” Both Shining and Cadance shared a look with each other before grabbing their cups with their own magic.

“Twilight, we had a lot of wine earlier-” Cadance began, but Twilight simply glared at her.

“DRINK!” She repeated with a scream. Startled, Cadance quickly drank her entire cup, unnerved by how Twilight is acting. Shining simply took his and downed it. He was ready for the show, and the damnation of that party pooping unicorn.

Huh. He thinks as the wine flows down his throat. I haven’t tasted this brand before. I’ll have to ask her where she got it when she’s calmer.

“Twilight will you please tell me what’s wrong?” Cadance pleaded, growing more concerned by the second. Twilight’s response was to fix her with a long cold stare.

“I will in a minute. I’m just waiting for my pupil to get in here with our special guest.” Immediately Shining felt fear grip his heart. While this could still mean that she wanted to discuss his behavior, why would she leave him alone with their fillyfied maid if she caught them in such an act? Looks like it was time to play the older brother card.

“Alright Twily what happened?” He demanded, standing firm. “You never get like this without reason.” Well he didn’t know that for certain, but from what he remembered from his ‘notes’ that should be well enough true.

“Don’t I?” Twilight asked dangerously. “You would know after all. Just like you’d know how in the Monster-pedia the wood sprites are listed on page?” Shining blinked. Was she seriously asking him to name the exact page? He knew the original Shining and her were very big on being Monster hunters or something when younger thanks to the diary entries, but to memorize the page numbers? What did that even have to do with anything? He really didn’t like how things were progressing.

“Twily,” He said slowly, “I just want to help-”

“Night sprites! Found on page?” Twilight demanded, taking a step toward him. Despite himself, he took his own step back. Sweat began to drip down his face. Why was it getting so hot?

“T-twily what’s gotten into you?” He stammered feeling trapped. Did she know? How? How could she? He had been so careful! What could have possibly made her suspect? His knees suddenly stopped working, dropping him to his belly. What was happening? His entire body was on fire! Why couldn’t he move his limbs? Panic quickly began to rise within him.

“I didn’t want to believe it.” Twilight said with bitterness, as she stared down at him. “That Cadance would play with such dangerous magic. But the fact you are feeling the potions effects means it’s true.”

“Dangerous magic?” Cadance cried feeling a rising panic herself as she watched her husband collapse upon the ground. “Twilight what are you talking about? What did you do to Shining!?”

“What did I do!?” Twilight screamed, whirling upon her. “What did you do!? How could you Cadance? To my brother! I trusted you! I thought you were smarter than this!” With each word Cadance flinched, the rage concealed in them was staggering.

“I don’t understand!” She cried, her body beginning to shake. “You’re the one attacking Shiny!” Twilight actually laughed, a sad bitter laugh that made Cadance’s blood run cold.

“That’s not my brother.” She said with disgust, her gaze once more on the collapsed stallion. “If he was then he’d know without any doubt you’d find the Crystal Ghost listed on-”

“Page eighty nine.” Came another voice from the hall. One that was eerily familiar to the currently incapacitated Shining on the floor. Wild panic began to seize him as a large shadow entered the room.

No! No! It can’t be! There’s no way they could have figured it out! No way he could be here like that!

Shining watched as his worst nightmare slowly stepped into the room. The old Shining was wobbling, still held a feminine gait to his stride and motion. One likely brought on by countless hours of being forced to perform them. Yet still he looked imposing, deadly. His eyes filled with hatred as he stared down at him.

“I-Impossible!” The fake Shining screamed, even as his limbs erupted in pain. “T-This is a trick! A lie!” Another wave of agony washed over him, eliciting a cry. When it was over he barely managed to turn his head toward a very stunned Cadance.

“C-Cadie it’s me! Help me!” He pleaded, but she could only stare at him with a stunned look, her gaze switching from her husband on the floor, and the one that had just walked in.

“W-what? Who?” She asked blankly as panic gripped her. “Who are you!? What’s going on!? What are you doing to Shiny! Why are there two of you!?”

“You still haven’t figured it out yet?” Twilight asked, her voice dripped with venom. “Let me tell you what my brother told me before the spell delay wore off.” She began to walk toward the pink alicorn who took one step back as she approached, eventually ending up against the wall with nowhere to go. Her heart hammering in her chest.

“Three months ago you decided to cast a spell on him that turned him into an earth pony mare. From what Evening tells me, she had a cutie mark of a pail and bucket. That’s important Cadance, so remember it well.” Twilight brought herself directly to Cadance’s face, who continued to press herself against the wall, desperate for any escape. 

“T-twilight, how do you know that?” She cried, “Shiny is right there! He’s hurt! Please let me-”

“That monster is NOT my brother!” Twilight screamed, in rage. “Whoever that is, is some random maid you mistook for my brother! A maid you let dance around as him while he got stuck being the subservient little maid you demanded of him!”

“No…” Cadance whispered, her breathing becoming more and more erratic. “No, I-I fixed Shiny! I-It was him! I saw! I checked!” Twilight shook her head.

“No, you didn’t. I’m sorry Cadance, but you need to see this.” With that she forced Cadance to look at the downed Shining Armor with her magic. Cadance was about to cry out that Twilight was hurting her, until the image before her caused a gasp.

The Shining Armor that she had just been talking with, had shared many signs of affection with this very night, began to glow. She watched as he cried out in pain, his body shrinking in size and shape. Wallows of pain rising in pitch spewed from his mouth as she slowly shrank back into a grey earth pony mare with an ink black mane. For a reason Cadance couldn’t yet determine, Shining had just become the same pony maid she had turned him into so many weeks ago.

To her horror it didn’t end there. With growing dread, Cadance realized something else that was familiar about this mare. Now that she saw her without clothing, it dawned on her that she looked exactly like the maid Evening had turned into a filly earlier. W-why did this mare look like that maid Lowly Servant? What kind of magic was causing all this!?

“C-cadance.” The other Shining spoke, drawing her shaking focus to him. He looked haunted, almost dead, as if he had been drug through tartarus itself and back. With a weary, shaking hoof he pointed to the stunned maid.

“Look at her cutie mark.” He groaned, fighting to say each word. “W-what is it missing?”

Missing? She thought. Nothing is missing, it’s the same mark I gave Shining during our role play. A mop with a-

Her heart stopped. The maid’s cutie mark was just that. A mop. It was only a mop! Shining’s cutie mark had been a mop with a pail! Why didn’t this mare have the pail!?

“No! I couldn’t have! I couldn’t!” She cried, no longer able to keep her panic at bay. “H-How do I know this is true and not a trick!? What magic is this!?”

“A true form potion.” Evening answered from the doorway. Cadance hadn’t even noticed him come in. “Twilight told me about it as we heard you two approach. That’s what I was getting and feeding to Shining while she sent you back to your room. It’s also what this maid drank in her cup of wine.”

“I didn’t want to have to use it.” Twilight said, the anger in her voice hadn’t faded in the slightest. “The ingredients needed for it are extremely difficult to find, and the time it needs to stew can take months to make it work. Certainly not a thing to use for an age correction, but to expose a dirty liar...” She stepped toward the new maid, who was only now beginning to regain the use of her limbs, already trying to stand.

“Stay down!” Twilight hissed, pushing the maid into the ground with her magic. “It was very condensed, but Shining told me all about what you’ve done to him. How you used her as a sex toy. H-How you’ve been masquerading as him this entire time!”

“I-I…” Lemonfresh was both furious and afraid. She had been forced back to her old body! She didn’t want to imagine what they’d do to her now that they knew the truth! How could this have happened!? She had been so careful! Three long months of planning and watching her step! It couldn’t be all over just like this! It couldn’t!

“Y-You must be a changeling!” Lemonfresh cried, desperately grasping at anything that might save her. “You’re trying to replace us! Cadance! Call the guards!”

“SILENCE!” Twilight screamed, using her magic to gag the maid’s mouth. “A changeling? Really? Why would I come in here like this then huh? The real Shining knows more about Changelings then that! Knows how they operate! In fact the entire reason the potion you just drank even exists is because of the changelings!” The floor cracked as her magic pushed the maid further into it. In turn, the maid tried to cry out in agony, but her sounds only came out as muffled groans.

“B-but...Shiny…” Cadance whispered, her mind starting to crumble. No! No! If what Twilight said was true, then… then that means I… I…

“T-this must be a trick! I-I couldn’t have! I-I was so careful! I’d never let anything happen to Shining! I-I...”

“F-fall formal parade…” Shining croaked. She stopped in mid protest, merely staring at him in fear. “I-I sang...song… I-I love pretty pink m-mares…”

With those words, Cadance’s world came crashing down. The horror of the truth finally dawning on her. She had thought it was because of the persona spell. That her constant personality commands had jumbled his brain. She had thought he’d been rescued from being a maid, but in truth she had, thanks to her she-

Shining had spent the last three months trapped in the role Cadance had forced upon her. Suffering all this time, while she herself had pranced around with a fake, and even went so far for her to get… g-get...

It was too much.

        “NO!” She screamed, shaking her head frantically, “No! No! I didn’t! I never meant! No! NO!” She flung herself at the wall, shaken, broken, desperate to flee from everything. How could she!? How could she have not noticed!? She had replaced her own husband with a random maid! All this time Shining had been suffering, and it was all her fault!

Pictures fell from the walls as she thrashed about, the protective glass shattering while she stomped upon them in her dismay cutting her hooves. This entire time he’d been living a nightmare! A nightmare she had trapped him in! She had said she’d protect him! She had said nothing bad would happen! The wail that flew from her throat was heartbreaking.

        Twilight however, had little compassion for her old foal sitter as she watched her take in the full brunt of what she had done. Persona spells were forbidden for a reason. To even think that Cadance would use one so casually was sickening.

Now she knew, knew the dangers of such things. Twilight didn’t blink when the now mad alicorn began to run toward the nearest window. Content on letting her scream herself ragged. She never realized Cadance’s true goal in rushing for that, but luckily Evening figured it out, rushing to block her path with his body.

She impacted against him, pushing the stallion backward by several feet as he frantically tried prevent her from reaching the large pane of glass.

“Twilight! Stop her! Hit her with a sleep spell!” He cried, attempting to summon up any scrap of magic left to hold her back. He was rewarded with barely a spark, pain erupting in his forehead as he tried. Breaking the Persona spell had taken all the magic he had. It’d be days before he could use even simple levitation again.
        
        “Stop her?” Twilight cried, still too angry to see what was happening. “Stop her from what? From realizing her mistake? Her crime?! No Evening, she needs to take this all in!” He gritted his teeth. He didn’t know how strong the windows were here, but he did know that they were on the twentieth floor. She’d never survive the drop if she broke through, and he doubted she’d remember to use her wings.

        “Damn it Twilight listen to me!” He bellowed, shooting her a glare. “Don’t you get it!? She’s trying to kill herself!” Though Twilight’s anger didn’t disappear, it did seem to lessen at those words.

        “W-what?” She stammered, “She wouldn’t-” Before she could say anymore, Cadance remembered her magic and threw Evening aside, rushing once more toward the window at full speed.

        “SHIT! TWILIGHT CAST IT NOW!” Evening cried even as he was sent tumbling. Spurred by the seriousness in Evening’s voice, and the memory of what happened with his magic earlier, she quickly summoned up the strongest sleep spell she could, blasting Cadance with it.

Said Princess continued forward, only to wobble as the spell took hold, only the momentum driving her on. She just barely reached the window when her body gave out, collapsing before it. She was still reaching a hoof toward it as her mind was plunged into a deep dark sleep. Twilight couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Cadance couldn’t have really meant to kill herself could she?

“W-why did you have me do that!?” She screamed, turning on her student. Her mind refused to believe his words. “After what she did!? After all she put my brother through!? She needs to-”

“She needs to what!? What Twilight?” Evening screamed back at her in fury. “Die for her crimes!? Should we just kill her then? Is that what needs to be done!?” Twilight was so stunned by his sudden eruption that her own anger faded to a dull heat. She had never seen Evening like this before either. How many new things about him was she going to learn this night?

“I-well no, of course not, but she has to pay as well!” Twilight reasoned. “You know that!”

“She will pay.” Evening repeated sadly. “She’s going to pay for this the rest of her life, and that’s why you’re going to support her.”

“Support her!?” Twilight cried, her rage returning. “She hurt my brother! She betrayed him! What? Are you going to tell me it’s okay because she didn’t mean to!?”

“No! It’s not okay, but that’s exactly why she’s going to need you!” Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Evening, how can you possibly say-”

“BECAUSE THIS IS MY NIGHTMARE!” He screamed at the top of his lungs. Once again she found herself stunned into silence. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw something behind his normal upbeat exterior. Pure terror buried deep within his eyes.

“W-what do you mean?” She finally managed to ask. Evening began to shake, the same kind of fear she had just seen manifest with Cadance.

“Twilight this is what I fear the m-most.” He replied quietly, looking down. “That I’ll do exactly what she just did.”

“What? But you wouldn’t cast a spell like this! I mean you couldn’t even if you-”

“Exactly.” Evening cut her off. “Even if I tried. But my magic never really does what I try to make it do, does it?” She couldn't reply.

“What if I didn’t hit your brother with that age regression spell?” He asked slowly, his body shivering. “W-what if it went out over a balcony or something and hit a random pony in the street? I might never know, never find if the spell hit a living being.” The more he spoke, the more his eyes took on a haunted look of their own.

“If nopony saw it happen, they might mistake him for a foal telling tall tales. Punish him for lying.” Twilight shook her head. That wasn’t anything like this situation.

“Evening, surely the locals would notice and-”

 “Damn it Twilight, what if he wasn’t even from here?” Evening interrupted. “He could be a father on business from Canterlot! It’s a very likely conclusion that the grown ups wouldn’t believe who he was. They could put him in an orphanage, too afraid of allowing a little colt to ride the train by himself. Not believing such a wild story! His family might not see him again for weeks, months, even years! And it’d all be because of me!” The logic in his words made sense, but she still didn’t want to believe it.

“E-evening that’s a rather elaborate misunderstanding, the odds-”

“Are about as great as a dedicated wife mistaking a common maid for her husband.” Twilight flinched as if she’d been slapped.

“It’s not just that Twilight.” Evening continued, tears slowly trickling down his own muzzle. “My magic has always been crazy yes, but never fatal I’ve always kept faith in that.” He squeezed his eyes shut.

“But what if one day it is fatal? W-what if one day I do something I can never take back? I might turn Spike to stone, or shrunk Rarity to the size of a mouse with Opal nearby. W-what if I wake up and discover I transformed Rainbow Dash into cupcakes or something?! I-I couldn’t live with myself Twilight!”

His body slumped. “I-I just couldn’t…”

As they stood there in silence, Shining took a few steps toward the stallion who had become his savior. It was getting harder to keep himself together, the spell delay wearing more and more off as time went on. He was kinda surprised he could still remember those lessons from school. Sometimes an enchantment meant to influence the way of thinking or feeling could have a delayed effect once dispelled or removed. He had been under that persona spell for months. It was enough time that even after shattering it, his body and mind had kept going as if on some sort of scripted pilot.

Thankfully it had lasted just long enough for him to convince Twilight of his plight. As it was, only his desire to see this all end kept him going now. When he had begun to explain to her what had happened to him the last three months…

He shuddered as his body even now threatened to give out. A-all the things he had done… all the horrors he had faced while that, that maid. He squeezed his eyes shut as if they could block it all out, push back the memories. He had been used, and violated. Forced to live day after day in a life he never wanted, desperately wishing for his old one back. To be standing here now was a dream. If it wasn’t for the dull pain he still felt from the transformation back to his true form via that potion, he’d fear it really was just a dream. An illusion brought on by his fragmented mind.

No. He told himself firmly as he stood there. It wasn’t a dream, Evening saved you. His knees were shaky, but he remained standing. He couldn’t rest yet, couldn’t weep. Not until this was over. The drive for the truth to come out was the only thing that had kept him going. That had just been joined by Evening’s plight.

This was the stallion that not only gave him his hope back, but also his freedom, and now his real form. He may not be in much condition to do much, but if he focused on helping Evening. He was certain he could manage.

“Y-You won’t.” He forced out. When had speaking become so hard? “Y-You saved me.” Evening stared at him for a moment, then shook his head, a smile slowly returning.

“Y-Yeah I guess so. I actually did something good didn’t I?” He turned his gaze toward Twilight. “A-as such can I ask a favor?” He waved his hoof toward the sleeping Cadance.

“I know she can’t just be forgiven. Again I know, but trust me when I say I have an idea of how she’s feeling right now.” He gazed upon her sleeping form with silent understanding. “So please don’t let her do something stupid. She made a mistake, but please don’t let that lead to death. Please...”

“Evening,” Twilight said, feeling a small shiver herself. “I’m angry at her yes, but… but I’d never want her to die for it! I just need to make sure she knows the weight of this. Evening she has to understand the magnitude of it all!”

“I know, just watch her okay?” He asked meekly. “Watch her and see how she reacts to this. Then and only then decide how to proceed… please…” Twilight stood there for a few moments, her attention shifting between her pupil and her old foal sitter. There were still embers of rage buried within her, but she knew Evening had a point.

“I promise.” She finally said with a sigh. “But only if you answer me this. When… when you say you couldn't live with it. What do you have planned?” He didn’t meet her eyes.

“L-let’s just hope it never comes to that.”

“Do you mean to…” She couldn’t even complete the sentence. He shook his head.

“I find it best not to think about what might be, and instead focus on what you can do.” He smiled at her, the streaks of his tears still visible on his face. “Words my mother use to tell me.” With a shaky hoof, he wiped his eyes. “Besides, my sister and father already lost a wife and a mother. I-I don’t want to make it a son and a brother as well. For their sake and for my own I try to preserver.”

Inwardly, she felt great relief at those words. To think he’d been her pupil for over two months and she had never seen just what kind of things he had been going through.

“I really was right.” Twilight said with a smile. “Your mother raised an amazing stallion. I know she’d be proud of you Evening.” Despite the situation, Evening felt himself blush.

“T-thanks Twilight. I really hope so.” They smiled at each other as some of the tension began to seep out of their bodies.

Only for Twilight’s eyes to widen in pure terror as a large shard of glass plunged into Evening’s neck. She stood there in utter horror as his blood sprayed from the wound, coating the earth pony mare next to him. With a look of pure hatred, Lemonfresh let go of the shard that had been held in her now bloody mouth.

“Join her why don’t you!?” She screamed in rage. “You ruined it all! Just had to stick your muzzle where it didn’t belong! I had everything! I was the prince! I could have gone on like that forever if it weren’t for you and your infuriating magic turning her into that filly!”

Twilight’s mind had broken. For the first time in a long time she didn’t know what to do, couldn’t think. How could she have forgotten to keep the spell holding the maid capture going!? She had been too absorbed in her conversation to notice the earth pony grab one of the pieces of glass Cadance had broken from the pictures in her panic. Shining could barely keep his mind together to notice, and Evening was too concerned with the sleeping Cadance.

She should have been paying attention! Her mind screamed as Evening plummeted to the floor. She shouldn’t have let this happen!

Shining meanwhile could only stare as the stallion that had saved him collapsed upon the ground. He had never even noticed the earth pony move! Hadn’t seen her till it was too late.

His gaze fell upon her, who stood there laughing.

“How do you like it!?” She mocked with a scream. “How does it feel to go back to where you belong?! Die like the waste you are!”

Something in Shining snapped. Without thinking, his horn blazed to life, wrapping the maid in his magic’s glow. As he lifted her into the air, she turned on him.

“You should have remained a whore!” She sneered, “should have just given that blow job like I told you to! Now it’s too late! Say goodbye to your fucking ‘daddy’”

In that instant, all the resentment and rage he had endured by the hoofs of this monster came rushing back into him at once. With a strangled cry he slammed the maid into the wall again and again, her cries of rage, becoming screams of pain. Much to his chagrin, he was only able to keep up the act for a few seconds before his magic gave out, his body and mind still too fragile to use it.

The maid dropped to the floor, blood trickling from her mouth. She was hurt but still breathing. In a way he was glad. He wanted her alive for all the suffering he planned to give her. Right now though, Evening was hurt. He had to help him! As he tried to make his way toward Twilight, he began to wobble, his vision going in and out of focus. The magic has spent him.

As his body collapsed upon the ground, the last thing he saw was a frantic and weeping Twilight as she stood over a still pony frame. The floor becoming red.

---

Three days later:


        Shining Armor stood outside the door to his room. The room he and Cadance had shared since moving in here. How funny it seemed now that he hadn’t stepped through them for three months. He hadn’t even come by here since the incident a few days ago. Instead opting to sleep in a guest room. Usually with one of Twilight’s friends watching over him.

He’d have been upset with being treated like a little foal, except in truth he didn’t want to be alone just yet. Nightmares of his time as Lowly still haunted his dreams. Twily had said she’d contact Princess Luna for help with them. He really hoped she could come soon.

Even with three days under his belt, he wasn’t fine. It had taken a full day just to regain the ability to move around. How he ever managed to do it directly after being restored was an enigma. One didn’t live three months as a meek submissive maid, and simply bounce back unscathed. He felt he was making progress, but couldn’t really be certain. As he stepped closer to the door, the two guards that stood on either side saluted him, eliciting a flinch. It was embarrassing, but at least they didn’t say anything about it, having been ‘briefed’ on the situation.

The official statement had been altered drastically of course. Anything about Cadance and her involvement with the persona spell being omitted. Instead the ‘story’ was a pony maid had gotten a hold of a powerful enchantment and used it to switch places with the Prince, keeping the real Shining Armor as his personal plaything.

Most of the rest was kept the same. How he’d been trapped for three months, how no pony ever suspected anything was amiss till Evening Storm’s kindness brought it all to light.

Bet you never thought you’d be a hero huh? Shining thought to himself with a sigh. Well, like it or not you’re certainly my hero.

He shook his head. He didn’t have time for that. There was another reason he was here. Something he hadn’t wanted to put off, but needed time to sort out his mind. It was still rather jumbled, but he’d wasted enough time. Trying to collect any resolve left, he addressed the two guards. Fencer and Typhoon he believed, two of his most trusted.

        “How is she?” He asked. Though neither of them spoke, he could see the answer in their expressions.  He nodded to them with an inner sigh and opened the door, marveling at how he stood a good two inches above them now. As Lowly he’d barely come up to their muzzles.

In fact everything looked smaller now. He couldn’t believe just how foreign being in his true body felt now that he had it back. Hopefully it’d be a temporary thing, he had no desire to go back to being a mare or a filly. Even if he did still move about as one from time to time.

        “Cadance?” He called stepping into the room. Her sobs could be heard the moment the door cracked, and just got louder when walking in. There was his bride, the normally beautiful Princess Cadance, strewn upon her bed in despair.

        She was, quite frankly, a wreck. Her mane hadn’t been combed since she learned the truth, probably hadn’t bathed either. Her eyes were nearly bloodshot from the constant flow of tears, tissues and ruined bedsheets were everywhere.

        “Go away!” She screamed, while Twilight tried to calm her. Poor Twilight, he knew she was still very upset with Cadance for what had happened, but was still trying to be as supportive as she could. Both for Cadie’s well being, and to honor Evening’s wishes.

        “Cadie please…” He said stepping forward, only for his horn to instinctively flash into action to block the pillow thrown at him. If he wasn’t so worried about his wife, he may have spared some time to relish at how quickly his magic had come back. As it was, he hoped it never left him again.

        “Don’t come near me!” She screamed in pure terror. The look upon her face was wild, panicked.

        “Honey please, I want to talk.”

        “How can you call me that!?” She screeched, causing both him and Twilight to wince. “It was all my fault!” She lay there staring at him her eyes unfocused.

        “Yes but-”

        “But nothing! It’s my fault! I-I did this to you! For three months you’ve been trapped in a nightmare! A nightmare I created! That I wanted!”

        “C-Cadance!” Twilight cooed, placing a hoof on her back. “You didn’t want this, I-I know you didn’t.”

        “Yes I did!” She screamed, slapping her hoof away. “You said it yourself Twilight! I made him like that! ME! And for what? A kink? S-Shiny went through all that just because I wanted… wanted...a-and then I…” She grabbed a nearby waste basket with her hooves and began to throw up what little substance she had into it.

        Twilight waited until she was done before taking the basket to the restroom. Shining had no doubt this ritual had been a constant thing for a while now. Deciding to let Cadance calm down a bit more, he wandered into the bathroom as well. Sure enough, he found Twilight washing it out in the sink. A stained rag in the grasp of her magic.

        “No improvements?” He asked, his voice very low. The last thing he wanted was for Cadance to get anymore upset.

        “You should have seen her yesterday, she kept trying to break her horn.” Twilight replied with a similar hushed tone. “I’ve had to stop her from hurting herself in other ways several times. Especially when she remembers… what’s inside her.”

        The foals. 

        It was the very news that had thrown him into such despair in what already felt like an eternity ago. How ironic that it would eventually lead to the return of his true form and freedom. Still, he didn’t know what to think about them, or to even begin to understand how Cadance must feel, knowing the truth behind their conception.

        “Y-Yeah…” He replied, trying to make sense of his emotions. Did he hate them? Shouldn’t he? It’s not like they had done anything to him, in fact they hadn’t even been born yet. Still, they were the seeds of that one.

        “Shining? I-I know you have a lot to deal with right now-” He snorted.

        “Understatement of the century.”

        “-but you are going to have to talk to her about them.” She continued, ignoring his interruption. He sighed heavily.

        “I-I know, but what do I even say? Part of me still feels sick over just knowing they’re in there.” Twilight winced, clearly not enjoying his words, though she made no argument against them.

        “Look, I don’t know what you should do. I-I-” Her firm demeanor broke. “Oh Shiny I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you! You were standing right next to me!” Her tears began to flow. “What kind of sister am I that I can’t notice my own brother?”

        “Shhh, shhh.” He said, pulling her into another hug. It was funny how the simple fact he could do that filled him with so much glee. “I forgive you. You didn't know. No one did.”

        “Evening knew.” She replied bitterly. “He knew something was wrong right away.” Sorrowfully she flapped her wings. “Sometimes I wonder if I deserved to get these.”

        “Twily you’re doing fine as a Princess.” She shook her head.

        “No brother. I’m a horrible princess! I didn’t recognize you! I-I almost let Cadance kill herself. I-I let that monster go and a-attack Evening…”

        “And then you helped me lock that monster away forever. You pulled the shard from Evening’s neck and got him to a hospital. With your help, we’ve fired Noblebroom, sent Miss Marinette for re-education in Canterlot, and helped re-structure how our staff runs here. All the while making time to take care of Cadance. Twilight you’re amazing!”

        “I don’t feel amazing,” she sighed but looked up at him, “but thank you for the kind words. I-I just want to do what I can.”

        “And I thank you for it.” He replied giving her a nuzzle. They stood there for a few moments, comforting one another, before Twilight spoke with shaky words:

 “H-how is he?” Shining parted from her, sadly shaking his head.

        “He hasn’t woken up yet. H-He lost a lot of blood.” The words nearly choked him. Though Twilight shared his worry, she tried to reassure him by gently placed her hoof on his own.

        “H-he’ll pull through.” She said solemnly, “we’ve both seen his strength.” No more words needed to be said.

        “I have to go to her.” He said after a while. Twilight nodded, then walked past him, through the room and out the door. He knew she’d be right outside, ready to burst in case anything happened. He tried to keep that in mind as he walked back toward his wife. The one who had started this all.

        Part of him wanted to scream. Another part wanted to run away. The part that was Lowly Servant still couldn’t shake that idea of speaking to her majesty so boldly, but with an effort, he pushed that down. He wasn’t that pony anymore. He didn’t have to listen to what she thought.

        “Cadance…” he spoke quietly, trying his best not to upset her. Thankfully she didn’t scream at him to leave this time. Instead she just stared at him with a defeated expression.

        “Why do you even bother with me?” She asked, her voice weak. “I’m nothing but a monster.”

        “Cadie that’s not true.” He stood next to her. He wanted to place a hoof on her back as well, but knew she wasn’t ready for that yet.

        “Yes I am.” She said in the same lifeless voice. “I went on and on about how I’d never let anything happen to you… Then I replaced you and left you…” The tears returned to the corner of her eyes. “What else does that but a monster?”

        Shining could barely fathom it. To think this mare was the same one responsible for the last three months of his life. Looking at her now, one couldn’t help but feel pity. Despite everything that had come from that nightmare, he couldn’t hate her.

        “Look… Cadance.” He said slowly, trying his best to gather his strength. “I’m not going to lie. Part of me is furious with you for what happened.”

        He took a moment to let the words sink in as he heard her sob anew. He assumed by now she was simply too weak to do much else. From the lack of eating and the constant wailing, she must be almost spent. It was the fact that this pained him so, that gave him the will to continue.

        “However,” he said bringing his head closer to hers. “Another part of me, a larger part of me, still loves you dearly.” She tried to laugh at that, but it barely came out as a squawk.

        “Why?” By now her voice was so low, even this close he could barely hear it. “Why would you love somepony like me? Who can’t even tell who her husband is from a fake?”

        “I couldn’t tell you apart from Queen Chrysalis.”

        “This is nothing like that!” She croaked with a glare. “That horrible creature locked me away and hypnotized you into thinking she was me! I however grabbed the wrong pony and couldn’t tell they weren’t you like some sort of idiot!”

        “Okay, they aren’t that similar,” Shining sighed, “but I’m saying the blame isn’t solely on you. I realized that. That maid could have told the truth, but instead she manipulated us all.”

        “But I gave her the means!” Cadance cried, her voice strained. “I should have seen her for what she was! I should have known it wasn’t you! I-I shouldn’t have left you alone while still transformed! I-I should never have changed you in the first place.” The more she spoke, the more soft her words became. Too stricken by her own guilt and the fading of her body to continue yelling.

        Shining sat there next to her in silence. The truth was she really shouldn’t have left him like that. While he wasn’t so sure he could forgive, he could at least understand why she had been fooled into thinking that the maid Lemonfresh had been him. Despite her maid status, she was quite the actor. Able to talk her way out of any situation. A skill she had learned in time, rather than being born with it, as her mark spoke of. In a way, her mark might have even aided her. It representing how she was able to keep things clean and appealing. Just applied to her outward appearance and manner, rather than a room or object.

        Regardless he had seen how cunning that pony had been. No it wasn’t that he didn’t understand how Cadance hadn’t seen the truth, but it didn’t make any of it right. It didn’t stop the pain or anger. something he wasn’t sure would ever truly go away. Yet deep down, he still loved Cadance. Still remembered all the good times they had shared. That alone he felt was worth fighting for.

        “Cadance, I have to know, please.” His words were pleading, and despite her flinch, he pressed on. “Why did you leave me as I was that morning? I can understand the form of the earth pony, but why the persona spell?”

        “I-It’s because I’m an idiot.” She said slowly. He was a bit surprised she answered so quickly. Perhaps this was something she had been wanting to get off her chest.“I actually thought it had worn off by the morning. I had no idea it was able to go on forever. Shiny, you have to believe me! I’d never have left you had I realized that! I’d never!” Her wild panicked look had returned 

He could tell she spoke the truth, though that didn’t make it better. It was the same reason she had made the rune carvings on the ground to transform his body. To give her the strength to completely alter any living form in the room permanently. Otherwise he would have possibly changed back in a day. Large spells like that usually never remained indefinitely. Something that actually made Evening’s magic all the more curious.

        “I know, Cadance, I know.” He said before looking away from her. “But you did. You did and I paid the price.” Cadance’s head dropped back onto the bed in despair.

        “W-will you lock me away?” She asked mournfully. “Or do you want to execute me in public?”

        “Cadance!” He cried, turning back toward her. “I could never do that, let alone hurt you! You know that!”

        “But I hurt you!” She wailed quietly. “I hurt you…” It was another few moments before either of them could speak again. The sheer mass of everything that had happened, weighing upon them.

        “You did.” He said finally. “You did and in truth I don’t know if I can forgive you right now, or maybe even ever.” He expected her to flinch at those words but instead she only nodded. Somehow, that just made his heart ache more.

        “I don’t know what the future holds Cadance. I don’t know if we can recover from this.” He paused there, looking her over. She refused to meet his eyes, or even look in his direction. Right now she appeared so lost and broken. Was this how Lowly looked to Evening when he had first extended a friendly hoof to her? Was this what he saw when he felt the need to do all he could without knowing who she even was?

        “But I’m willing to try.”

        This time Cadance did look at him, her eyes wide in surprise.

        “B-but it’s all my fault-” He placed a hoof over her muzzle, silencing her.

        “A very large part of it is yes, but not all of it falls solely on you.” This time he did place a hoof on her neck. Though she still flinched, she didn’t pull away.

        “In a way you are a victim as well. That maid did her best to keep things as they were, and for that you can’t blame yourself.”

        “But I should have noticed…”

        “Twilight feels the same. She feels she should have noticed as well, and I wish you two did, but you didn’t. What’s done is done Cadance. I went through a-a very bad time, and you now are with…”

        Though he didn’t complete his sentence, he knew she understood the meaning just fine. The foals in her womb, put there by his impostor. Both knew they’d have to talk about that eventually, but at the moment, neither wanted to think about it.

        “So I can’t say I’ll ever be able to forgive you Cadance, or trust you as I once did. What happened very may haunt me for a long time to come.” He shivered. “I still feel Lowly inside me. Peppermint as well to a lesser degree.”

        “So why try?” Cadance asked, her voice nearly gone. “I’m clearly no good for you.”

        “Because like I said Cadance. I still love you, and I’m willing to fight for it. Even after what happened. Deep down I still love you. Do you still love me?”

        “Of course!” She cried, her voice gaining just the tiniest hint of strength. “Oh Shiny I’ve always loved you! That’s why I don’t want to be near you! I can’t stand the idea of hurting you ever again!” He smiled at her, a warm kind smile.

        “Then can you grant me one favor tonight?” Though weak, she nodded eagerly.

        “Of course! Anything! Oh Shiny if you told me to be your slave for the rest of my life I’d do it!”

        “Nothing like that.” He said booping her nose. “It’s just been a good long three months since I’ve been able to hold you in my hooves. May I please do so as we drift off to sleep?” She shivered.

        “B-but after I hurt you-” He shook his head.

        “I don’t want to think about that right now. Make no mistake we have a lot more talking to do. Many things that still need to be discussed, but that can wait for the morning.” Hesitantly, he began to rub her back in a slow soothing manner.

        “It’s just in those three months, I’d dream about being able to hold you in my hooves one last time. So please, may I? For at least one more night?” Though clearly still shaken, she gave him a small nod. Relieved at her approval, he wrapped his hooves around her, trying to ignore how she jerked under his touch. How even now her body was rigid, the tension unable to drain from it.

        Right now he was holding his wife in his hooves. A dream he had thought all but lost to him forever. He didn’t know what the future held, or how this would all turn out. He didn’t know if this was the first night to recovery, or the discovery that it could never again be. All he knew is that at this moment he felt wanted, loved, and safe.

        For the moment, that’s all he needed.
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

One month later:

        Evening was blushing, something he hadn’t planned on doing so much during his first trip back to the Crystal Empire. He couldn’t believe it had been weeks since he’d walk these halls. Never in his life did he think in one night he would both transform and ultimately help a mare that would turn out to be royalty! Of course her actually being the prince was even wilder.

        The biggest thing he hadn’t been expecting though, was just how the kingdom would treat him after such an event.

        “Mr. Evening! Hello!” Another maid cried, bowing as he trotted by. That had been the fifth maid he’d seen, and the fifth one to greet him in such a fashion. Not only that, but every guard he passed would salute him! With each passing moment he felt his face growing hotter. How had it gotten to this? In Canterlot the ponies would groan when he was near, well aware of his magical antics.

        “Ello there handsome.” A particularly white coated mare, with an equally white mane called to him in passing, throwing him a wink in the process.

        “H-Hey.” Evening blurted out as he quickened his pace down the hall. While she looked very cute in her Prench maid outfit, he wasn’t here for that short of thing. Now if he could only get his mind to stop entertaining the possibilities.

        Finally he came to the hall he had been looking for, and to think he only had to ask directions three times. Why was he able to get around Canterlot just fine, but not here? At least there were plenty of maids about this time. Where were they all the last time he did this?

        “Sir Evening!” Two more guards cried as they saluted him. He really wished they’d stop doing that. “Prince Shining is right inside. He’s been expecting you!”

        “T-thanks,” he replied with a quick nod as he pushed through the doors. The moment he crossed the threshold, a weird tingle rippled through his body, causing him to stop. The heck was that? With a shiver, he took a look around the room. Standing several feet away from him was Shining Armor himself. The stallion had been staring into a mirror, much like the time they met. Turning around at the sound of the door, his face lit up.

        “Evening!” he cried, rushing across the room to embrace him in a big hug. “About time, you get lost again?”

        “Gak!” Was all Evening could say in reply. His neck had sealed a while back, but the pain hadn’t quite left. Thankfully, Shining picked up on it rather quickly.

        “Sorry! Sorry!” Though he backed off, he still wore a rather goofy grin. “guess it’s still a bit tender.”

        “Yeah, Nurse Red Heart told me it’d be like that for a while.” Evening huffed. “We have magic that can change your age, change your form, even horrible things that can force ponies how to act, but we don’t have magic that can instantly heal wounds.”

        “It’s one of life’s greatest mysteries isn’t it?” Shining answered with a smile. It really was good to see Evening up and about like this.

        “Speaking of mysteries,” Evening said pointing to the door. “What’s with the tingling?”

        “Oh, it’s a low level enchantment placed in the gem above the archway.” Shining replied pointing to a large emerald oval set above the door frame. “It scans any pony that enters and flashes if they’re under any powerful enchantments. It makes a noise too.”

        “Ah! A way to make sure nopony is under the persona spell. Good idea.” Shining nodded.

        “Twilight came up with it. We hope to have them installed all over the castle.”

        “Indeed.” Evening watched as Shining once more began to stare at himself in the mirror, though this time his expression was one of content. It was so weird to think that this hulk of a stallion was not only the fragile and humble maid Lowly Servant, but also the small adorable filly Peppermint. His temporary daughter for one night.

        He still remembered the first couple of times Shining had come to visit him with Twilight in the hospital. He’d glance around nervously as if he wasn’t suppose to be there. There was even a couple of times he still called him ‘daddy’, boy had that been awkward.

        He’d have smiled at the memory, but with that one came another. One he was still very much concerned about.

        “So uh, how is Cadance doing?” He could see the unease pass along Shining’s face.

        “She’s… better.” He replied slowly, his gaze moving to the floor. “Twilight and I managed to get her to use her levitation magic again. She still refuses to do more then that.”

        “I see.” Evening replied, “She visited me in the hospital you know.” Shining nodded.

        “I know. Told me she had to talk to you.” Gathering his courage he continued. “She wouldn’t say why though. Could you enlighten me?”

        “It was nothing big, she just sorta thanked me for saving you and… apologized for putting me through the strain of ‘cleaning up her mess’” Evening shook his head as if to clear it. “It was… strange to see a princess in such a state.” Shining nodded once more.

        “She’s… been through a lot. We both have.” He smiled. “She’s actually been very eager to please lately. Determined to do whatever she can to make up for what she’s done. It’s very sweet of her really.” They sat there in silence for another few moments, before Evening could no longer hold in what he really wanted to ask.

        “Do you think you’ll both be okay?” At first Shining didn’t answer. He just continued to stare into the mirror for a few minutes before finally turning to look Evening in the eyes.

        “To be honest? I don’t know.” With a heavy sigh, his gaze once more drifted toward the floor. “It’s still really awkward around her. The pony that trapped me in that spell. I mean I know she didn’t mean it, but that trust is gone.” He shivered. “Honestly if it wasn’t for the fact she’s so hesitant to cast magic, I doubt I could sleep in the same room with her, let alone the same bed.”

        “So you’re sleeping together?” Evening asked, before quickly adding. “I didn’t mean that how it probably sounded.”

        “It’s fine, and no we aren’t doing anything like that. We just cuddle right now.” A small smile tugged at the edges of his lips. “It actually gives me hope. I mean at first I’d have to take a night or two in a private room when I slept. Now though… I’m enjoying having her laid against me.”

        “I’m glad to hear it.” Evening said, before taking a breath. Why did I promise Twilight I’d bring this up? “And what about… her announcement that day?” To his surprised, Shining actually smiled.

        “The foals are fine, no harm became of them.” Evening felt his body relax a bit from the good natured way Shining spoke of them. Hopefully this meant he and Cadance had reached an agreement on them. Maybe it was silly, but he was actually hoping the foals would be okay. He was a firm believer that you weren’t made evil, you became it. It all depended on how you were raised.

        Though it was strange that he almost felt envious of them. Had having Peppermint as his daughter for a night really make that much of an impact? Shutting his eyes, he forced the thoughts from his head. It was true he’d sometimes fantasize about being a father. No reason to think about that now though.

        “It’s funny really.” Shining went on, shaking his head in wonder. “I was talking to Twilight and we reached the agreement that since… since their birth came as a result of my ‘body’ so to speak. They’re basically mine anyway. They’ll certainly look it when they are born. Nopony would ever know it… it wasn’t actually me who....” He closed his eyes, unable to go on. Evening felt his heart lurch.

        “I-I didn’t want to bring em up, but Twilight and I agreed that it needed to be addressed.” He whispered. In turn Shining sighed.

        “I know, and I’m not upset at either of you. It was… something I had to think about for a long time.” Evening felt his ears droop at those words.

        “I can’t imagine how this is. I wish I could help.” At that Shining laughed.

        “Evening my friend, you’ve done far more than anypony ever expected of you. Don’t worry about it. It’s something Cadance and I will have to deal with ourselves.” Again his eyes wandered toward the mirror.

        “You know, it’s strange. When I first heard about the foals on that night, I felt my life was over.” His head drooped, his eyes unfocused as the memories washed over him. “I was finally ready to give up you know. I had clung to the love I felt for Cadance the entire time. It had been my anchor, the only thing that kept me from truly losing myself to that damn spell. S-so when she said that… I didn’t think I could go on…”

        Evening shuddered at those words. While his own life hadn’t been a bed of roses, he’d never came close to feeling like that. To lose everything, even your identity. It made him sick to think that was something his magic might be capable of. Just another reason he had to find a way to control it.

        “Now though,” Shining continued, the look of wonder returning, “when I think about the foals in her womb. It makes me realize they’ll need parents. In this case a mommy and a daddy. Who else but me to fill the role? Like I said, they’ll look like my foals, so… maybe they can be. At the very least Cadance and I agree that you know who will not be allowed near them.” Evening didn’t need to hear the name to know who he meant.

        “I think that’s a fine way to go about it.” He replied with a smile. “You’ll make great parents.”

        “I hope so…” Shining replied his attention back on the mirror. Life sure had a funny way of settling things. What he had once thought would forever tear him and Cadance apart, might now be the one thing that kept them together. He really hoped that was the case. There was still so much to be done. So much trust to be re-gained.

        “So, something wrong with the mirror?” Evening finally asked.

        “Oh, heh sorry about that.” Shining shook himself as he looked away from the reflective glass. “I’ve found myself doing that a lot in the last month. It’s just… so nice to see who I really am staring back at me and not… her.” Evening nodded. While he didn’t know what it was like to have that persona spell stuck in you, and hoped he never did, he did know what it was like to see the wrong pony in a mirror. Of course there was no reason to tell Shining about the month he spent as a filly when younger.

        “You remember how we met? How I was staring into a mirror much like this one?” Evening felt his throat tighten as he nodded. He wasn’t sure he liked where this was going.

        “L-like I said, that was my lowest moment. The instant I truly felt like I was about to break, to become that… maid forever.”

        “I know,” Evening said with a soft smile, “you’ve told me enough times during your hospital visits too.”

        “I did didn’t I?” Shining replied with a sad chuckle. “Sorry, my mind is still a bit jumbled, but regardless the point is if you hadn’t come along. If you hadn’t been so eager to help me. I-I don’t know what would have happened. So thank you Evening. Really.” With that he bent his front half downward in a bow, causing Evening to back up in shock. His eyes were still wide when Shining straightened himself.

        “Evening?” He asked with a tilt of his head. “You okay?”

        “Y-Yeah,” Evening replied uneasily, “I-I’m glad I could help, really I am. It’s just, I don’t really feel like I did that much.” Now Shining’s eyes widened.

        “Didn’t do much?! Evening you saved me! You broke the persona spell, helped expose the fake Prince, and even managed to save the life of Cadance!” Shining placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Evening you saved the Crystal Empire! You’re a hero!”
        
        “I-I don’t feel like a hero.” Evening sighed.

        “Well you are. Not just to the empire, but to me personally.” Evening could feel his blush returning.

        “I-I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or anything it’s just… weird.” he shivered, “Back in Canterlot I was known as the walking disaster. Word of my ‘mishaps’ would spread and ponies would… say less than nice things.” While Shining listened to him speak, he had to stop himself from trying to nuzzle the stallion’s legs. 

Likely a small thought left over from ‘Peppermint’ He thought to himself.

        “Here though. The guards salute me, you bowed to me.” I’m pretty sure one of the maids wants to bed me. “It’s just so… strange.”

        “Is that all?” Shining asked with a laugh. “Cheer up, man. While here not only do I consider you a close friend, but a trusted adviser. Enjoy it, you’ve earned it.”

        “Earned it by having a magic talent that’s better at breaking magic then creating or controlling it.” Evening couldn’t help but laugh along. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

        “It’s a brave new world.” Shining agreed. “So how long can you stay?”

        “A while.” Evening replied, before he could say more though, the same white coated mare from earlier walked in balancing a tray of food and drink on her head as if it wasn’t even there. It was actually rather amazing to watch.

        “Got your tea and crumpets right here m’lord.” She said trotting up next to them. Evening stared at the tray confused. He supposed the pitcher might be full of cold tea, but the plate was most certainly full of carrot sticks and and various fruits.

        “Thank you Swiftshine.” Shining said, levitating the plate to a nearby table. “Though that’s not what any of this is.” Swiftshine rolled her eyes.

        “Well I know that! Can’t I ‘ave a bit ‘o fun?” Before Evening knew it, she was right next to him, giving him what he could only describe as ‘bedroom eyes’ “Speaking of which, what room you staying in handsome?”

        “Uhhhhhhh.” Evening’s brain managed to get his mouth to say, given it was particularly frozen right now, that was quite the feat.

        “Swiftshine, stop making my guest uncomfortable.” Shining chided as he used his magic to put a shield around Evening’s body. Swiftshine frowned at this, but it was clear she wasn’t offended.

        “Aw, I would ‘ave made him very comfortable come the night, but if that’s what you want, then I suppose I’ll leave it well enough alone. For now anyway.” Giving Evening a wink, she made her way out of the room, letting his mind slowly fall back into working order.

        “She uh, seems nice.” Evening finally managed. Was that really just because he saved the empire?

        “Sorry about her.” Shining said taking a sip of what Evening could now see was fruit punch. “She’s a fine maid, just has a bit of a… kinky side. Probably doesn’t help with the new renovations of how maids are treated around here. Some of the maids are reluctant to embrace the new code that allows them to express themselves more freely, while some like her… embrace it a bit too much.”

        “I’m not going to have to have a guard watching my door tonight am I?” Much to his dismay Shining didn’t answer.

        “Am I?” He repeated. Shining rubbed the back of his neck, much like Evening did when nervous.

        “I might assign somepony just in case.” Inwardly Evening groaned. He thought it’d be nice to have a mare interested in him like that. Instead it just made him feel uneasy.

        “They weren’t all like that while you were living with them were they?” Almost as soon as the words left his mouth he wished he could stop them. It probably wasn’t good to remind him of those times. “S-sorry, didn’t mean to dig up old memories.”

        “I-It’s okay. I’m gonna have to get use to it eventually.” Shining said with a slight shiver. “Not all of them no. I had to let a few go that bordered on abusive, but most like her were kind enough. They just sorta took my obedience for...willingness.”

        “Y-Yeah, I’ll make sure I don’t bring it up anymore. Again sorry.” It was nothing short of a miracle that Shining was able to bounce back from that at all. Evening himself wasn’t sure he’d be able to do it.

        “No really it’s fine. In fact I envy them a bit.” He groaned. “As I said, Cadance and I haven’t had sex since I’ve been back. It’s been too awkward for even foreplay.” Though Shining made no notice of what he was saying, Evening could only stare slack jawed at the sudden shift in conversation.

        Why is he telling me this!?

        “Guess after living as a fuck toy for three months, your libido gets all sorts of messed up. I’ll tell you, I’m tempted to find a way to turn back into a mare for a night, just to have some fun with a guard or something.”

        “Okay whoa! Whoa! Too much! Too much!” Evening screamed backing up. Startled, Shining blinked at him before a deep blush took over his cheeks.

        “Oh, oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, it’s just after having a spell filter your speech for three months, I keep letting things out I probably shouldn’t.”

        “Yeah, well you need to work on that.” Evening said, trying to get the image of that out of his mind. A mischievous grin broke upon Shining’s face.

        “Heh, maybe I should have the private time with the maid when she’s done with you. I bet Cadance would even agree to it.”

        “Gah! Stop it!” Evening cried, rubbing his hooves on his head as if that would wipe away the thoughts. Shining laughed merrily.

        “My lord!” One of the outside guards called, poking his head in. “I’m afraid you have a surprise guest at the moment.”

        “What? Besides Evening and Twily, I wasn’t expecting anypony else. Who would come at this hour?”

        “It’s Prince Blueblood from Canterlot sire. He says it’s urgent and needs to speak to you now.”

        “You’re damn right I need to speak to him!” Blueblood’s voice came from outside. “I need to find out what the blazes is going on here!”

        “Damn it not him!” Evening hissed looking around for an escape, he only hoped Blueblood hadn’t hear his name spoken. Upon seeing Shining’s puzzled expression he quickly tried to elaborate. “He was the one pony who got on me about my magic the most in Canterlot. It was like his life mission to put me behind bars. I do not want to see him right now!”

        In truth Shining wasn’t all that surprised to hear that about Blueblood. Though he and Cadance had done a threesome with him once, there was a reason it was only once. Sadly the only way out was through the same door he came in, unless he wanted to jump from the balcony. He said as much to Evening.

        “Great idea!” Evening said, before rushing through the balcony doors. Shining had only a moment to take this in before rushing after him.

        “Are you nuts!? You can’t-” Before he could think to bring up his own magic, Evening had jumped. In horror he rushed to the edge, only to see Evening’s horn glowing with it’s white aura, as the same energy enveloped his body, gently guiding him to a nearby balcony a good story below.

        “Just what kind of magic does he have where he can do that?” Shining asked out loud in amazement. Unfortunately he didn’t get any time to marvel over that, as Blueblood burst into his room, angrily marching toward him.

        “You! Just what do you think you’re doing!?” Shining blinked.

        “Uh, taking in the view?” Blueblood stomped a hoof.

        “Not that! I mean the maids! Why are you letting them have free expression? Why did you send the lovely Miss Marinette to be re-trained at Canterlot? What happened to Noblebroom?” Shining balked. That’s what he wanted to talk about?

        “With all due respect Prince Blueblood, I don’t see what any of that has to do with you, or why you’d care.”

        “I care because you’re ruining the last great kingdom in Equestria!” Blueblood shouted. “Things were perfect here! The nobles were divine beings, and the staff knew their place!”

        Thankfully Shining was able to control his emotions. Guess being stuck as a humble maid for so long had one advantage. Of course now he had to deal with this ass until he managed to get him to go home. Just what he needed. Doing his best to keep his poker face he turned the rest of him toward the prince.

        “Ah yes,” he said with as much royal decree as he could, “we here at the Crystal Empire are just going through a bit of a, remodeling if you would. I assure you everything will be fine.”

        “The fuck it will!” Blueblood spat stomping his hoof again. “Not with this ‘freedom’ you’re giving them. I demand to know what happened with you! Did you get replaced by a changeling or something?” Shining actually twitched at those words.

        “I’m right aren’t I you fake!” He was practically touching Shining’s face with his own now. It really didn’t make him feel comfortable.

        “P-Please my lord don’t shout.” He squeaked before he could stop himself. Damn it, there was that Lowly Servant part of him again. Despite having a month back in his true skin, he’d still slip into her personality from time to time. As it was, Blueblood’s eyes narrowed.

        “Ha! I knew it! You let your sister and her stupid pupil make you soft!” With that he jabbed a hoof into Shining’s chest. “You were a much more level headed stallion when we talked during that royal meeting last month. Why I actually thought you’d be able to convince my aunts how to properly run things! What a waste!” He spat on the ground before turning in disgust.

        “The entire reason I’d visit here was because of how well you held the old traditions! The rightful way it should be! I demand you fix this!” Shining clenched his teeth, trying to get himself to calm down. He needn’t fear this idiot. He wasn’t a damn maid. He was the lord of this castle!

        “Now see here Blueblood-” He began, but was quickly cut off.

        “I hope you at least managed to keep that ‘Lowly Servant’ in her place. I’d hate for all the work put into her to be for naught.” Shining’s words froze. What did he mean by that? Had he known this entire time? Had he figured out the truth and had kept it to himself!?

        “She’s… been properly contained.” Shining replied slowly. It wasn’t exactly a lie, and he was curious to see Blueblood’s reaction.

        “Good!” He snorted. “I didn’t send her here on vacation. I want her properly trained in what it means to be a mere maid.” Sent her here? Now Shining really wanted to know how Blueblood tied into this. When Lemonfresh had taken over as him, Miss Marinette had cursed about the ‘runaway maid’ for days. Constantly going on about how worthless a charge she was to run like a coward.

        It had eventually lead to her taunting Lowly about running away. Saying she was just as much of a coward. How she wasn’t worth position so generously given to her. It’s funny that he had never really thought about it before, but what had happened to the original Lowly Servant that was suppose to start work that day?

        “Trust me it’s been no vacation for her.” He said a bit more darkly than he intended. Thankfully Blueblood took the resentment as aimed at the maid, and not himself.

        “I’m glad to hear it, so when can I see her? You spoke rather highly of her conditioning when last we spoke.”

        “Oh you needn’t worry about that.” Shining speech was slow and deliberate. “If you could just humor me first. What was the reasoning for her conditioning again? It’s just that I’d love to hear it right now. I’m sure it’ll help clear my mind on these recent decisions of mine.”

        “Ha! It is a rather lovely tale isn’t it?” Blueblood laughed while Shining fought to keep himself composed. “A stubborn foolish mare who dared speak back to me on the handling of my personal maids! Saying she wasn’t my property! Ha! As if I’d even want to own such a loathsome thing. All she had to do was treat me with the dignity and respect I deserved! That’s not too much to ask is it?” He paused long enough for Shining to give a slight shake to his head. It sickened him to do so, but he needed to hear this.

        “Of course it wasn’t! But oh no! She just wouldn’t have it. Had to be so difficult.  Needless to say I contacted dear Noblebroom at once about a new recruit to your staff. It was just what she needed to get her in line.” He laughed again. “I got worried when I heard she attempted to escape at the train station. That or those damn guards let her go. I should have escorted her myself. Bunch of morons those guards. No matter, all was well. She arrived here after all, if not a little late. I’m sure she was punished for that.”

        Inside Shining was seething. Blueblood was the reason he’d gotten stuck with that damn name Lowly Servant! He’s the reason they had been expecting a maid that morning! 

        “I assume the name was your idea?” Shining asked coldly. Blueblood didn’t seem to notice his tone.

        “Of course! I’ve told you that already didn’t I? Perfect for that little shit if I do say so myself. Strip her of her home and her name, then show her how a real kingdom is run!”

        So that’s what happened. Some poor mare had upset this asshole and gotten dubbed a degrading name, while Shining’s own kingdom had been used as the ‘conditioning’ to get her to behave. More now than ever he was glad to have begun the necessary changes to this place. He could only assume whomever that mare was must have really escaped at that train station, leaving the spot to be filled in by one extra maid who wasn’t suppose to be here.

        If not for that, he may never have been trapped in that nightmarish role to begin with! Noblebroom might have brought up the ‘extra’ maid to Cadance, leading to his freedom! Three months with that name all because of this twit before him!

        “I see…” Shining said quietly. He had to take a breath to keep from screaming his head off.

        “Oh don’t look so glum. I’ll let you borrow her from time to time.” Blueblood smiled, while placing his hoof around Shining’s shoulder. It was all Shining could do to keep from tossing the jerk across the room via magic. “You’ve told me of all the incredible service she’s given you.” He licked his lips while giving Shining a wink.

        “After all, as a maid it’s only natural for us to want to sample the goods so to speak. Am I right?”  If Shining’s eyes could change color, they’d be red.

        “Oh yes, I know just what you mean.” Shining replied, his voice low and dangerous. “In fact, why don’t we go get you taken care of?”

        “Now you’re talking. I trust we’ll have time to talk about these, mistaken changes of yours later?”

        “Oh yes, I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about later.” Though Shining’s tone might have warned any other pony, Blueblood didn’t seem to notice or care. Probably was so arrogant that he figured they’d do nothing to a Prince from Canterlot as to avoid bad relations. Shining walked steadily down the hall, leading the Prince directly to where Cadance and Twilight were. His mind wandering.

        The persona spell was incredibly dangerous yes, but that’s not to say it couldn’t have it’s uses. Perhaps a simple command to write a letter of extended leave per say? After all, while Shining was trapped, he did learn a lot about what it was like for the maids of the castle. With some proper precautions from Twilight… Well it was only a thought after all. He was certain his head would cool and he’d forget this whole thing.

        Then again, Evening could use his own personal maid and guide while here.

        It was just a thought...

> Soft Cannon Bonus: The Fate of Lemonfresh
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

BONUS:

        It was cold in Leomonfresh’s cell. It wasn’t damp at least, but she hardly cared. It was a cell. A prison located in the deepest depths of Canterlot castle. It was a place they sent ponies they wanted to forget about. No visitors allowed, not that she knew anypony who would.

She didn't even get a guard to bring her food. Instead it merely appeared each time on a stone table in the corner. A one way teleportation spell. She had actually tried to see if she’d swap places with the food when it appeared, by standing on the thing,  instead the bread and cheese merely popped up on her back and rolled to the floor.

        She ate it anyway.

        Not that any of this really mattered. Even if she did get out, where was she to go? Everything had been taken from her. All thanks to that infuriating twit of a stallion. If it wasn’t for him, she’d still be a prince! She’d still have a princess for a wife! Foals on the way! Endless opportunities for power laid before her!

        Now she had a bed, toilet, and a stone slab that served as a table. She almost prefered being a maid to this. At least then she was allowed to roam.

        “It’s not fair.” She said out loud. She doubted anypony was listening, but anything was better than the thick silence that hung over this place. She wondered when the last time anypony besides herself had been locked down here?

        Though they did let her out each morning for exercise, she saw no one, spending most of the day in isolation. Oh she knew what the game was. She’d heard of these rooms. Celestia’s little ‘silent reflection’ cells. Designed to leave her with nothing but her thoughts. She supposed she should feel honored. Only the most dangerous of criminals were ever brought here.

        “It’s not going to work you know!” She shouted in the direction of the stairs. She knew no pony could hear her, but she was feeling particularly annoyed today. “It should be you all who are locked in here! I had power! I had a destiny that wasn’t cleaning up your disgusting filth! How can you condemn me for wanting that!?”

        “Hmm, and I suppose using the former prince as a fuck toy was just the icing on the cake?”

        Lemonfresh blinked. She’d yelled at the stairs before, but they never answered. Was she finally going crazy from being locked down here?

        “Who’s there?” She asked loudly. She had contemplated adding ‘what the fuck do you want’ but if there really was something talking to her, she didn’t want to cause it to leave. Anything was better than wallowing here in silence.

        “Oh just a curious passerby.” The voice replied. Though playful, it had a gruffness to it, making Lemonfresh believe it was male in nature.

        “Curious about me? How come?” The voice laughed.

        “Why my dear little Lemonfresh, who wouldn’t be? A mere maid who becomes the prince of an entire empire! It’s quite the entertaining story, wouldn’t you say?”

        “Yeah, well it has a really shitty ending if you couldn’t tell.” She shot back. Was this one of their tricks? To have a disembodied voice try to make her repent for her sins? BAH! The only sin she had committed was not sending that blunderhead of a unicorn to the execution grounds when he arrived.

        “Oh yes, you do seem to be in quite the pickle.” She heard a snap from the darkness as several dozen pickles appeared in the air above her. Naturally they quickly piled atop her.

        “What the fuck!?” She screamed, digging her way out. By the time she was done, she was drenched in their juices and feeling particularly pissed. How had they done this? Why had they done this!?

        “Alright asshole, what the fuck do you want with me huh?” She screamed, looking all around for even the slightest bit of movement. The voice merely chuckled at her.

        “Now now, no need to feel sour. Get it? Oh I kill myself!” Lemonfresh spat.

        “Yeah real fucking funny. How about you show yourself bastard? Let me show you my appreciation!”

        “Well, if you so insist…” The voice said as the shadows seemed to twist into a shape. As Lemonfresh watched, they continued to collect in the air before slowly gaining mass and color, a twisted creature being born.

        It had the body of a long snake, and the head of a goat. Each arm was a different type of claw, one an eagle, the other a lion’s. Everywhere she looked, she saw a mismatch of parts. Finally the creature stared down at her with it’s yellow eyes, a curious expression to them. She had never actually met this being before, but like most who worked in Canterlot at one point, knew his name all too well.

        “D-discord!” 

        “The one and only!” The draconequus bowed in the air before her.

        “W-what do you want?” She tried to keep her voice steady, but her trembling broke through anyway. This wasn’t just a pony, or even a Princess. Those she understood, those she could handle. This was Discord, the creature responsible for pink clouds that rained chocolate milk, along with a list of other random things. The reasoning for him to do anything was beyond her. Why would he be here to see her?

        Maybe he’s just bored. She told herself mentally, trying to keep herself calm. play it straight, maybe you can convince him to let you out in the name of fun?

        “Who me? I just want to talk.” He said, causing a chair to appear. He sat upon it as both it and he continued to float in the air. “So tell me, what do you think of your current predicament?” 

        “I’m wet and sticky and generally unhappy.” Discord chuckled.

        “Well I can fix one of those things.” He said snapping his fingers. In an instant she was dry again, the pickles and their aftermath gone. “Better? Now, I meant your current place of living. How do you find it?”

Lemonfresh regarded him carefully. Despite him being her best bet at escape, she was concerned about his sudden interest. In her life, she’d learned that the only time you asked those kind of questions, is when you had an ulterior motive for doing so. She really doubted he was only curious.

“It sucks, what did you think I’d say?” 

“Oh such sass!” Discord laughed. “But yes I suppose it would be rather boring in this little experiment of Celestia’s. I’m sure a smart pony like you figured out the purpose of this place.”

“Yeah, and it’s not going to work.” She said defiantly. Looking good so far. It was impossible to read him, but at the very least she figured he was in the mood to cause trouble for the Princess’s.

        “Oh indeed, this just isn’t my sort of punishment. Then again, neither is turning one into stone. We should do something else with you, don’t you agree?” She shivered, it was likely as good of a chance as any.

        “Maybe let me go?” Discord laughed harder.

        “Straight to the point I see! Well yes, for once I’m in no mood to play games. Well at least too many of them.” He snapped and the robe of a judge appeared on him, complete with the weird white wig she often saw in history books.

        “Lemonfresh, I hereby sentence you to be freed!” She tensed, amazed at how well that had worked. She was about to walk toward the door when she realized it was still shut. Looking around she could see no way out of her cell at all. She glanced back up at him in confusion. Much as she wanted to ask what was up, she was too afraid of him changing his mind.

        “Oh dear, seems I forgot to open the door. Well I can certainly do that for you.” He raised his hand to snap, but stopped short. “Assuming you do one little thing for me.”

        “What’s that?” Assuming he didn’t ask for her soul or something, she was all ears.

        “Answer me one simple question, you see-” A pair of glasses appeared in his hand along with a cloth to clean them. He did just that as he spoke, putting the glasses on after. “-I’ve gone over your case and there is one thing I don’t get. Why did you attack this,” he peered at a paper that appeared in his hands, “Evening Storm is it?”

        Lemonfresh’s blood boiled. How dare he mention that name!

        “Why? He ruined my life! He’s the reason I’m stuck in this stupid cell! The reason I lost everything!”

        “Is he now?” Discord looked surprised. “I thought it was Twilight who exposed you.”

        “Yes, but only thanks to that idiot discovering the truth! If not for him I’d still have my kingdom and my wife!” She gritted her teeth, tears forming in her eyes. “I was finally something! I finally had power! I was on my way to great things! I wasn’t a pawn in their game!”

        “My My, you have quite the lust for power. Just how far did you plan to take this?” She growled.

        “As far as I needed.”

        “Oh I don’t doubt that.” He began to look over a long scroll. “Look at this list of crimes. Impersonating royalty, forced slavery, abuse of said charge, illusions of conquering more. Tell me, did you plan to control all of Equestria?”

        “What does it matter? It’s obvious that’ll never happen now! Unless you can swap my body with Shining’s?” Though angry, she was still hopeful. That sounded like something Discord could do. “Think of all the chaos.” Much to her disappointment, Discord shook his head.

        “No, I don’t think we’ll be doing that. Oh it’d be chaotic yes, but a bit too mean spirited even for myself.” All the things he had summoned vanished into the air. “May I ask you another question?”

        “Well I don’t have anything better to do.” She replied bitterly. At this point she was certain that Discord had never meant to free her, it seemed he meant to toy with her instead.

        “No I suppose you don’t, still I’d like an honest answer here. Ahem.” He brought his head down to fix her with a blank stare. “If Evening was here in this cell right now, what would you do?”

        “You mean he lived?” She spat. “Then the answer is simple. I’d finish what I started.”

        “Oh dear, so much anger.” He tsked. “Why such hate for a simple unicorn?”

        “I told you already!” She cried, shaking with rage. “He took it from me! Everything I had worked for gone! All because of him! I hate him! I hate him!” Discord sadly shook his head.

        “Well now that puts me in a spot. I can’t have you going and doing that you see.” This time it was Lemonfresh’s turn to laugh.

        “What? Why do you care? Don’t tell me you have a soft spot for that moron. He’s a menace! He can’t even cast one spell right! He said so himself!”

        “Oh yes, I’m well aware of his rather wonderful gift.” Discord replied with a grin. “His magic really is rather chaotic don’t you think?”

        “Really? That’s what this is about!?” Lemonfresh cried in frustration. She knew it! He wasn’t here to free her! He only came to taunt! “Fine! If you like him that much I’ll just leave him alone! Does that please you?” She could always just go to some other far off kingdom and start anew. Maybe find a body swap potion or something. Well unless of course that dolt got in her way again, but no sense in telling Discord that. Sadly, Discord just rolled his eyes.

        “Oh come now, you don’t really expect me to believe that do you?” Fed up, she stomped her hooves.

        “Oh why do you care!? So his magic can be chaotic, so what? Big deal!” At that Discord grinned wide.

        “Ah, but have you ever wondered why it does what it does?” She blinked. Was he serious?

        “What? No! All I care about it keeping him and that magic out of my hair forever!” Discord’s grin faded.

        “Well that’s no fun. Here let me tell you a story.” The chair was back, this time along with a large book. She didn’t plan on letting him continue, no longer caring if he let her go or not. Now she just wanted him gone.

        “I don’t want to play your games Discord! If you won’t help me then leave!” The draconequus gave her an annoyed look.

        “And ruin my fun? I don’t think so.” He snapped again. At first she didn’t notice anything until something warm blossomed within her. Frantically, she looked over herself, fearful that he’d turn her to stone after all. After a few moments though, she saw nothing out of place. Still, it felt as if there was something inside her now. Something that was strangely familiar.

        “Sit down and listen.” He said simply. She was about to tell him what for, when she felt her hips lower her rear to the ground. Her body had moved on it’s own!

        “What’s the matter my dear, you look confused. Curious as to what that was?” Discord regarded her with a neutral expression. “Tell you what, I’ll give you a hint. For the next five seconds you’ll bark like a dog.”

        “Woof!” She said immediately, staring at her muzzle in horror. She continued to make every ‘doggy’ sound she could think of for a few seconds, before finally stopping. She sat there in shock. The entire time she had no control over her actions. Just like-

        “Oh yes, you figured it out, I knew you would. It’s my own brand of the persona spell. You’ll do whatever I tell you, and right now I want you to listen to this, and listen good. It’s quite the story.”

        “Y-You can’t do this to me! You have no right! No-” She began to scream. Looking frustrated himself, Discord gave another snap. She had been in mid rant, when she felt her lips press shut. Terrified, she watched as they fused together into skin. Her mouth simply a patch of blank flesh. Unable to utter anymore sounds, she was only able to stare up at Discord in fear.

        “Much better.” He said, looking through the book. “I suppose I could have just commanded you to shut up, but this is far more amusing.” He grinned at her before flipping the pages. Unable to move due to the spell, she sat shivering in place.

        “Ah here we are.” Discord cried in glee, pointing to a passage. “Once upon a time there was a rather handsome and all around amazing draconequus named Discord. Oh my! That’s me!” With a grin he pointed to himself. “Oh my how this book flatters me!” He laughed as Lemonfresh watched with growing dread.

        “Anyway,” He continued, staring at her as he did so. “Being who I was, and what I am, I’d spend my days spreading chaos and fun wherever I went! Oh the adventures I’d have! Turning a lake into jello! I’d have rocks roll around, smashing buildings and the like. Sometimes I’d change a pony’s gender or age, just for the fun of it. I even turned one pony into a tree!” He blinked at the last one.

        “Come to think of it, I should change him back. I don’t think I fixed that before being turned to stone. Well one for the checklist.” As he said that an actual checklist appeared before him which he marked.

        “Oh but none of those things are why we’re here today. You see, in addition to all that, sometimes, just for the amusement of it all mind you, I’d make myself a pony.” At this his voice dropped most of the cheer it held.

        “It was always to cause trouble of course, but I’d get rather creative with that trouble. Perhaps even going as far as to pretend to be the husband of a mare, and give them a good rutting.”

        “Now I know what you’re thinking!” He said placing a claw on his chest. “Discord! How could you do something so irresponsible? Well I think the answer would be obvious that I didn’t care about such things, but regardless I see your point. Such actions can have unforeseen consequences.” He began to tap his claws together as he stared at her.

        “One such consequence was the fact one of those mares had taken a fertility potion privy to my arrival. I had no idea about this of course, only that her husband was just next door helping a neighbor before I presume they intended to get busy that night. Oh, the look on his face when he came back to see me as his double! Pounding away at his wife. Well it was funny at the time. I since feel I’ve matured from such pranks.” He shrugged.

        “Regardless, the potion did it’s work. I, of all creatures became a father that day. I discovered it a few days later, the odd feeling of chaos that still lingered on her. Pity I never learned her name. I should correct that.” He sighed, closing the book on his lap.

        “I never got to see the little thing’s birth, but I believe they kept the foal, and it was just a foal. Sadly, as I was a pony at the time, it inherited none of my good looks.” Again he shrugged.

        “Still, it did get a nice healthy dose of chaos magic in it’s blood, and that is where this story gets interesting.”

        As Lemonfresh sat there, listening to his tale, she could feel her stomach twist She was beginning to suspect where this was going and didn’t like it one bit.

        “You see that pony was a mere earth pony, as was its parents. Though it’s chaos magic would come out from time to time, such as them being able to grow a plant that produced chocolate covered cherries for instance, it never really became a problem. Contained within them with no real way of letting itself out, it mostly festered, transferring from one newborn to the next. This continued for a few generations, all of them being earth ponies, until one faithful day, one of those ponies married a unicorn mare. A mare that gave birth to a particular black unicorn colt with a sapphire blue mane and tail…”

        At this, Discord’s face changed into something akin to a scowl. His eyes drilling into her own. Once more the chair and other props vanished, leaving just her and one very dangerous and angry looking creature.

        “You see as a unicorn, his chaos magic had a much easier time spreading the mischief it was always meant to. Something I took notice of and looked into. You can imagine my surprise when I realized just how connected our magic’s really were. In that time I’ve come to… enjoy seeing my grandson’s antics. Always intrigued by just what he’ll cause to happen next.” He placed his face directly before hers. Terrified, she closed her eyes.

        “Look at me.” He commanded darkly, as her eyes snapped back open. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as he sat there regarding her. She wanted to scream, wanted to cry out how she didn’t know. How she’d never have wanted to upset him, but of course she couldn’t do any of that.

        “Then, my dear Lemonfresh. Then I find out you went and tried to kill that stallion, and I must admit that doesn’t make me very happy.” He stood back up, looking down at her like a owner would to a misbehaving pet.

        “I’ll admit that I’m still getting use to his whole friendship thing. I never really had any before, and that goes double for family. I was rather shocked I had any really, and yet I came to find it...  enjoyable. Not only could I have tea with the wonderful Fluttershy, but I could also share her understanding of what it was like to have family that was away. A bond I’ve discovered is much more than friendship. Blood is thicker than water as they say.” He waved a single fingure at her.

        “Yet you tried to take that from me. Tried to take the only family I’ll likely ever know. Now I can’t have you getting away with that can I? I haven’t even told him yet. Oh I will eventually, I just need time to figure this all out. So I’m very much in the market of keeping him alive for the time being.” He sighed.

“Which brings us back to you. Well, it seems only natural that I should punish you in some fashion. Yet at the same time, if I just kill you or turn you into a chair or something I’m sure I’d have Twilight and Celestia on my tail, and that won’t do either.” Twiddling his thumbs, he looked around as if trying gain inspiration from his surroundings.

        “Luckily this persona spell business has given me an idea. I think I have the perfect thing planned, and if what I’ve seen happening in the Crystal Empire right now goes the way I anticipate. Well it’ll open the perfect role for you to play. You are put in my own personal ‘reform’ program, you stay alive, and Evening goes on being none the wiser of our little secret.” When he finsihed, he broke into a wide, mischievous grin.

        “Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to remember who you really are. You just won’t have any say over any of your actions or personality. I’d call it cruel, but hey, you didn’t have any reservations of doing this to somepony else right?”

        Lemonfresh mentally screamed for her legs to let her run as Discord descended upon her. She sat there, thrashing in silent horror as her body was unable scream out the horrors she felt coming.
> Non Cannon Bonus: Loopholes: Corruption
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The crystal empire was beautiful at this time of day. Whenever the sun began to set, the hues and shadows the buildings cast were breathtaking. It was a view she had enjoyed every day since becoming its princess. The long hours she use to spend right here on this balcony watching it. In the past it was something that had always brought her joy and peace.

        Not anymore.

        She didn’t deserve to feel joy or peace, not after what she had done. Three months of hell she had put her husband through. Three months he had been trapped under those damn spells! How could she have let it happen? How in Equestria could she not notice the mare she changed ‘back’ into Shining wasn’t actually Shining?

        “I-It just seems so unlike me…” Cadance uttered with a sigh.

        “Cadance?” Twilight asked as she trotted up beside her. She, along with her pupil Evening Storm, were visiting again. It had been about four months now since Shining had finally been freed from the prison she had unknowingly locked him in. The prison of a nopony maid named Lowly Servant. Since freed,  Evening had been here nearly all the time. Part of that was to probably help Shining out, as Evening had become a close friend of his after all that had happened, though part of it she suspected was to keep an eye on herself. Celestia knows she couldn’t be trusted anymore.

        “I… it was nothing Twilight. I’m sorry.” She said looking away from the mare she had once watched over so long ago. I’ve failed you Twilight. I failed all of you.

        “Caddie… please…” A voice spoke from behind her. Oh how that voice pained her now. How she wished she could make it all right. How she wished she wasn’t such a terrible wife, a terrible pony.

        “What did you say?” Her husband asked quietly. Shutting her eyes tight, she tried to calm her trembling heart. She couldn’t keep things like this from him. Not anymore.

        “I-I said it just seems so unlike me,” She repeated, those words causing more to spill out, “to not notice you as you were. T-to think that lunatic was my husband! How could I? Aunt Tia taught me better than that!” She stood to face him, her baby bump just barely noticeable. Another reminder of the horrible crime she had committed. She only hoped she could get past that way of thinking in time. She didn’t want to resent her future children.

Off to the side Evening Storm watched in awkward silence. He hadn’t known either Shining Armor or Princess Cadance before that fateful night when he learned of Shining’s transformed state. Still, he had been told stories from his teacher Twilight about them several times. It was hard to imagine the mare described to him in them, could possibly be the princess that sat before him, but the terrible event that had happened here was undeniable fact.

Princess Cadance had wanted to try a transformation spell for their anniversary, mixed with a dangerous forbidden spell known as the persona spell. A spell that could make anyone under it’s influence act and think however one wanted. The result had accidently trapped Shining Armor as a castle maid by the name of Lowly Servant. Forced to be obedient to anypony higher in stature, which was everypony. Then, to add insult to injury, Cadance had mistaken a random maid as Shining and turned her into a copy of the Prince. This mare Lemon Fresh had not only quickly taken to his new position, but had also sexually abused the former Shining Armor.

It wasn’t until Evening arrived with Twilight that his strange ability to sense powerful enchantments caused a flurry of events that eventually lead to him learning of the prince’s predicament. He still couldn’t believe that his actions that night had lead him to being a hero of the Crystal Empire.

“I-I know C-cadince. I know.” Cadance’s ear drooped at Shining’s response. In the past he’d have called her a nickname, whether it be part of her actual name, or the cute simple names lovers would often call each other. Even now his voice still echoed with the uncertainty of being near her. Despite all the progress she felt they made, the road to any sort of resolution seems so far away…

“We’ll get through this Cadance.” Twilight offered meekly, nuzzling her side. Cadance managed to crack the slightest of smiles back at her in response. She didn’t deserve ponies like this in her life. Then again she didn’t know what she deserved anymore. Part of her had been tempted to make herself into a maid and be forced through the same trials Shining had faced, but that wouldn’t be good for her unborn.

“So much of… what happened just feels so surreal…” Shining said slowly, staring out at the view himself. “For Blueblood to have sent us a maid under that name…” None of them would say it out loud, but they had all learned of the part Blueblood had played in trying to unload a maid on them, while trying to burden her with such a name. How strange that just so happened to be the day Shining ended up falling into the role.

“Believe it or not, I feel the same.” Evening added as he looked over the chess piece held in his magic. Shining and him had been playing a few rounds, though Evening kept losing horribly. “Blueblood was always a bit of a jerk to me, but he never seemed like that much of an asshole.” The others nodded in agreement. The entire thing felt so contrived.

“It’s all very curious isn’t it?” A voice suddenly said. One that didn’t happen to belong to anypony in the room.

Startled, the four ponies began to search around with their eyes for the intruder. How had they gotten past the guards and magical defenses?

“Wait a minute…” Twilight said squinting her eyes. “I know that voice.” It was a voice she had the displeasure of dealing with several times. Usually when they were being a nuisance. “Discord?”

“Oh bravo! Bravo!” The draconequus cried as he appeared in the middle of the room clapping his hands. Evening shrank back a bit at the display. He had heard of the creature known as Discord of course, but never actually seen him before. To be in the presence of something with such power was a bit unnerving, and yet… as he stared at him he felt some odd sense of calm.

“What do you want Discord?” Twilight demanded. Discord placed a claw on his chest mocking looking hurt.

“Oh you wound me Twilight. No hello? No how are you doing? Just jumping straight to the point.”

“Is there one?” Twilight asked, her expression stone. She really didn’t need this right now, especially with how Cadance was feeling.

“In a matter of speaking, there is. Something curious I wanted to share with the ponies in this room.”

That caught Twilight off guard. Discord was never this straightforward, it gave her a bad feeling.

“Curious thing really.” He began while scratching at his chest, “I was, hmmm, attempting to be a productive member of society-”

“Really?” Shining cut in, his expression flat. Evening couldn’t believe Shining was able to be so forward with him. Even after these last few months, Shining would still act meek and humble most of the time.

“Okay fine, I was bored and looking for prisoners to annoy are you happy?”

“Prisoners?” Twilight said before anypony else could speak. Shining’s interruption apparently forgotten, Discord continued.

“Indeed, and it seems I picked the perfect one to mess with.” As he spoke, he pulled out a large red sheet, holding it out as a flat square before him. “Observe!”

Yanking it away, he revealed a particular grey earth pony. One they all knew too well.

“L-Lemon Fresh!” Evening cried shrinking back. The wound on his neck almost seemed to pulse with the memory of when this mare had attempted to murder him. The rest of the group had similar reactions, Shining stepping back as well. Twilight was the only one to charge up a spell, but didn’t hold it for long. Something was really off about this mare.

At first all she did was stand there looking around confused, until her gaze fell upon Princess Cadance and her eyes widened in shock.

        “P-Princess! It’s an honor to be in your presence! N-No wait… I-I was… your lover? But how can that be? I-” She placed a hoof on her head in mid sentence, an air of confusion around her.

“W-what did you do to her?” Shining asked flabbergasted at her behavior. Before Discord could speak, Lemon’s eyes fell upon him. The moment their gazes met, Evening saw both react in very different ways.

For Shining he looked frightened, and a little angry. Both perfectly natural for what she had done to him, but for Lemon…

Her expression was that of shock and despair. Her very world seemed to stop the moment she looked into his eyes, her body frozen.

“P-Prince Shining…” She utterly quietly staring at the form she had once held. “N-No… NO!” All present, minus Discord, stepped back in surprise at her outburst. Evening was especially confused. The last he’d seen this mare she had been trying to kill him. Nothing but anger and hatred shown behind those eyes. Now though, she was acting like a frightened filly in a horror story. He eyes wide with fear and panic.

“No! You have to get away! I-I did t-things to you! Horrible things! You- I can’t! I shouldn’t! How could I? I-I…” She kept backing up her eyes darting around the room. That’s when she finally noticed Evening himself.

He thought the look she shared with Shining had been awkward, but that was nothing compared to the one he was receiving now. While he still felt very wary of this mare, it was hard not feel pity for the look of utter horror she held.

“Y-You! I-I tried to… oh Celestia I tried to kill you! I- why would I do that? How could I do that? What happened to me!? Why!? Why did I do that? I don’t understand! I-” Her voice cut off mid sentence as her eyes suddenly glazed over. With a small groan she hit the ground.

It was several heartbeats before Evening realized Discord had snapped his claws.

“I-Is she?” Cadance began, but Discord just rolled his eyes.

“Do you really think I’d do something like that in the presence of Princess Twilight? Fluttershy would never speak to me again! No she’s merely asleep, any longer and she’d likely have tried hurting herself, and I’m in no mood to have to deal with that, thank you very much.”

“B-but I don’t understand!” Shining cried walking up to the sleeping mare. So many months of pain and sexual torture he had endured under this mare. How was it that he felt concern for her now? “That wasn’t the pony that took my place and forced me to be their little sex toy. It couldn’t be!”

“Could it be an act?” Twilight suggest, joining her brother. It was a fair assessment, but even Evening could hear the doubt in her tone.

“I’m afraid not for you see I haven’t gotten to the curious part yet.” Discord said, causing Twilight to blink.

“T-that wasn’t the curious part? I was here when she went mad in this very room and she just acted like she had no idea it was even her who did those things! I’d call that pretty curious!”

“Oh no, I’m sure she was very mad at the time, but that’s just the fallout of my real discovery.” Discord said, his mouth forming into his trademark grin. “Would you like to know what it is now?”

Twilight only nodded, her brain trying to piece all this together. With a wink, a top hat appeared on Discord’s head, which he then made a grand gesture of pulling off and reaching into. Instead of a bunny, he pulled out a pink crystal about the size of Sweetie Belle, except in the shape of an oval. Inside said crystal swirled a strange type of reddish black mist that shimmered with it’s own colors.. Even though it barely had a form, Evening got the impression that it was rather angry to be concealed in such a way.

“What is that?” Twilight asked perplexed. Discord shrugged in response.

“Believe it or not I really have no idea, I found it inside her, swirling around and have quite the influence on her actions.”

“W-what do you mean influence on her actions?” Cadance asked quickly. Something about the smoke made her feel really uneasy.

“Surely you noticed the vast difference in how our dear Lemon Fresh was acting did you not?” Discord replied dismissively. “I can assure you that was no trick. It seems this stuff really messed with her mind.”

“Discord, are you saying this stuff corrupted her somehow?” Twilight asked, he merely shrugged.

“It would appear so wouldn’t it?”

Evening looked around the room as that sunk in. The panicked maid he had just seen in Lemon certainly didn’t seem like an act, but if it wasn’t then what was going on? Had she been under it’s influence this entire time? It just seemed-

“-highly unlike you.” He repeated Cadance’s words out loud, earning him quite a few looks.

“What?” Cadance asked confused. Twilight and Shining nodded in agreement.

“Um m-mr Discord sir?” Evening asked trying not to lose his nerve talking to him. “Can you… can you sense this mist?”

“Hmm, interesting question isn’t it?” He replied. The look Discord was giving him scared him. He seemed a bit too interested in him.

“Well I couldn’t at first, after all I had merely meant to play with her, but that’s when I noticed an odd magical pattern inside that you ponies don’t normally have. So I extracted it.” He held up the crystal and swirled it around in his hand, causing the mist to follow suit. “That’s when she began to look so confused and panicked, asking where she was, how she got there. Poor little mare, seems she just wasn’t herself.”

Evening watched as Discord reached down and petted the still sleeping Lemon, he body jerking in response. Everything she had done, from hurting Shining, to nearly killing him. It was so hard to believe that all of that could be caused not by her own ambitions, but some weird smoke.

“Of course once I knew of it, I was able to devise a way to seek out more of it, and would you believe I found it in yet another pony? Why the prestige Blueblood had a big ol dose of it in his system as well! Much like our little friend here, he seemed rather confused at some of his actions once I removed it. Oh, which reminds me.”

Without any other warning, Discord reached out and seemingly plucked a small wisp of the smoke from Twilight, depositing it in the crystal. The moment it was removed from her, Twilight shivered. Grinning Discord turned to Cadance and held up one of his clawed hands, before drawing it back as if he was beckoning to someone.

Cadance gasped as a much larger cloud of of the mist billowed from her body like smoke from a chimney. Once it was all out of her, it too was sucked into the crystal that now floated in the center of the room. The princess of love could only stare at it as it danced around its prison.

“T-that was inside me…” She said quietly. The sensation of it leaving her had been both terrifying and liberating. It was like there had been some horrible thought nibbling at the back of her mind that was simply gone now.

“Okay what is going on? Is this a trick?” Twilight demanded trying to shake off her own feelings at having such a thing pulled out of her. Discord sighed.

“For once Twilight I’m afraid this isn’t my doing. Trust me or not, I only came here to bring this to your attention. What you do about it matters not to me. You do realize that instead of wasting my time here I could be having tea with Fluttershy?”

“B-but then what was that? Why was it in me and Cadance? What did it do?”

        “And why wasn’t it in me or Evening?” Shining added, causing Evening to blink. He hadn’t even realized that Discord hadn’t pulled any out of them! Or were they next?

“Oh you are going to have me explain all of this aren’t you? You ponies are soooooo irritating sometimes!” Discord fumed as he summoned a plushie of a white rabbit and squeezed it till it popped. Evening was pretty sure he knew the rabbit that plushie was based on. “Very well, listen closely because it’s not like me to be this helpful.” 

“Whatever this is, it seems to influence your more… darker or ambitious thoughts. Normally this would be a fun prank indeed, but even I find it has led to some… undesirable effects.” Was it Evening’s imagination or did Discord glance at him as he said that?

“I imagine it’s in quite a few of your citizens here in the Crystal Empire, so If I were you, I’d find a way to get it out of them and into this crystal.”

“Your darker thoughts or ambitions…” Cadance repeated still watching the smoke.

“So… there is smoke in us?” Shining asked, only for Discord to shake his head.

“Nope! You’re corruption free Shiny my boy! Likely due to your talent literally being protection magic. Guess it couldn’t get through that, even during your time as a maid.”

“And my friendship protected me!” Twilight suddenly exclaimed standing straight, “Because I’m the Princess of Friendship and that protected me!” Discord scoffed.

“Much as I loath to admit it, yes that is most likely the case. Hence the pitiful amount I extracted.”

“Wait… what about me then?” Evening asked, feeling nervous. Said feeling wasn’t helped by the rather large grin Discord gave him after he asked.

“Wondering if I left you out in the smoke extraction my little pony? Well I can tell you with absolute certainty that there isn’t any in you at all. You’ve remained completely untouched by it.”

“W-what?” Evening stammered shrinking back as Discord’s face got right up in his own. “B-but how is that possible?”

“Good question. As I said, it’s all very curious isn’t it? If you're lucky, maybe one day you’ll find your answer.” He winked before wiggling his fingers in a gesture of departure. “Toodles!” With a flash of light he was gone, leaving behind the four confused ponies and the pink crystal with black smoke.

“W-what? What did he mean by that?!” Evening cried, very thankful he hadn’t soiled himself.

“With Discord? Who knows.” Twilight sighed, looking over the crystal. “For all I know your magic could be the cause.”

“My magic?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes think about it, you’re the only pony I’ve ever met that could sense enchantments with their horn, or who can still mess up a spell despite studying it for weeks, or who can accidently change their gender while trying to cast a spell meant to make a flower bloom.”

“T-that was one time and it wore off after a few hours!” Evening shot back, his face red. It had actually been several times, but he didn’t feel like letting her know that.

“Regardless I’m saying your magic is weird. At this point it wouldn’t surprise me if it somehow protected you.” After all, she thought, you also managed to tear something like the persona spell apart using nothing but your raw magic. Things like that aren’t suppose to be possible. There is something very special about you indeed…

“Twilight.” Cadance suddenly said, her voice sounding louder and more sure of herself then it had in months. “Can you figure out how to trace this mist like Discord did?”

“Yes, I think I can, why?” Twilight asked as she watched Cadance carefully. It had seemed like forever since she had seen her old foalsitter carry herself as a mare, and not a wreck. It was very refreshing, but Twilight wasn’t ready to let her guard down just yet.

“Because I want to see how many of my subjects are infected and purge them of this.” She turned toward them, a fire in her eyes she hadn’t had in months. “And I want to see if there is a source of it somewhere.”

What happened to Shining Armor was her fault. Her sin. She could never forget that, but this smoke brought to her a spark of hope she didn’t know she could feel again. For days she had sat there, playing the events over and over in her mind, constantly asking how she could have possibly slipped so far to let such a thing happen.

If it turned out this mist had somehow blinded her to the truth, had any sort of fault to influencing her actions. Then there would be Tartarus to pay for whatever caused it.


* *

        “Well it’s certainly spooky enough down here for this.” Evening spoke as he and Shining Armor walked down one of the basement hallways. After some quick debate, it had decided that since they were apparently immune to being ‘corrupted’ by the mist, they should seek out the source of it. While they did that, Twilight and Cadance were extracting and containing any that had already infected anypony.

        “Tell me about it,” Shining said, “I hated coming down here while Lowely Servant. Thankfully not to many other ponies enjoyed being down here either so I didn’t get ordered to much.” He carefully scanned the area for any possible hostiles. Evening was rather impressed with the Prince. He had come a long way from what he had been no more than a few months ago.

        “So um, about what Discord said. Can we trust his word?” He asked, feeling his fur stand up straight. “D-do you think Lemon really wasn’t in the right mind?”

        “Lemon was never in the right mind from what I saw.” Shining spat back. “Though even I have to admit, it didn’t seem like she was faking it back in that room. As for Discord? It’s hard to say. He never really was the helpful type, but at the same time this doesn’t sound like one of his tricks. Just not his style.”

        “If you say so,” Evening didn’t know how much help he was actually being here. He didn’t have the knight training Shining had. “It’s just so odd to think the mare that nearly ruined both our lives… never wanted it in the first place…”

        At first there was no response and he feared that was the end of the conversation, before after what felt like minutes, Shining sighed.

        “Honestly I don’t know how to feel. I’ve hated her since I met her on that day we essentially switched places. I had her sent to Canterlot specifically because I didn’t trust myself around her. There was too much anger and resentment in me, and yet…” He stopped in his search, his eyes squeezed shut. “That mare we saw in there. I just can’t believe it’s the same pony. S-she reminds me of how Cadance looked the night you helped set me free. So scared, so horrified by what they’ve done… I just don’t know.”

        He placed his hoof on Shining’s shoulder in support. “I-I can’t say I can ever come close to saying I understand how you feel. But she did try to kill me, so I can’t say I’m all that willing to just accept and forgive either…”

        They stood there for a moment, letting their expressions speak for them. Before long both were smiling in understanding.

        “It does beg the question though,” Evening added as they began to trot down the hall once more, “what is to become of her now? Will you send her back to Canterlot?”

        “I don’t know yet.” Shining replied, his voice shaking. “I still fear being around her, for both our sakes. I have Flash Sentry watching her along with Typhoon and Fencer. Any one of them I’d trust with my life.” He didn’t feel like mentioning they were also some of the few guards who had refused to take advantage of him when he was a maid. “They’ll be able to handle her if she’s dangerous and hopefully will prevent the rest of the palace staff from discovering her. I might be able to hold myself back from revenge, but I don’t expect that from everypony she crossed. Any tingles?”

        “None.” Evening replied tapping his horn. If the source of the mist was magical in anyway, he was sure his horn would pick it up like it had the persona spell. “Speaking of revenge, I guess I don’t need to turn Blueblood’s coat pink anymore.” It was lame attempt at humor, but he was so nervous right now he would take anything to lighten the mood.

        “Heh I guess not. I always thought it was a bit weird how quickly his attitude changed. Back when he helped me negotiate with the yaks he wasn’t half bad. It’s actually what lead Cadance and I to inviting him to, er,  to a special event.” Shining shivered. That was too close. Even after these last few months back in his body without the spell, he still found himself prattling on a bit too much about things. He really didn’t think Evening wanted to hear about the threesome Caddie and him had with other prince.

        “Well he was always a jerk to me.” Evening said with a frown. “Though I guess he did get worse suddenly without warning. At the time I figured it was because I had finally gotten on his last nerve, but now that I think about it, it was right after he had come here for a visit…”

        “Where the mist must have infected him.” Shining finished, shaking his head. “It seems a bit absurd to think that all the negative and horrible things to happen in this kingdom might be simply because of some mind altering black mist, but…” He couldn’t finish. He wanted so much to believe that it was this mist’s fault for Cadance’s actions. Maybe he wanted it a bit too much, but if it was true… if it really hadn’t been entirely Cadance’s fault…

        “You know I almost asked Twilight to cast the persona spell on Blueblood?” He said suddenly. Whatever came of this night would come. He could worry about what this all meant later.

        “Really?!” Evening asked staring at the white stallion in disbelief. “After all it did to you?”

        “Well in the end I obviously couldn’t go through with it.” Shining replied with a nod. “For many of those reasons. It’s just, when I found out he was responsible for me being named ‘Lowly Servant’ I really lost my cool for a moment.” He shrugged. “I didn’t though and that’s what counts. I did however kick him out of my kingdom for life. Guess I should try renegotiating that.”

        “Well… as much misery he caused me in the past, I’m glad you didn’t.” Evening smiled warmly at him, before the slightest bit of mischief began to creep into it. “Still, he if were to accidentally be turned into a mare for a day…”

        Shining couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh I bet she’d look so precious as a princess!”

        Evening joined in the merriment, which Shining relished in. For the first time in months he felt truly like himself again. Moments like this had been so few recently, so it would figure that was the moment all the lamps went out, plunging them into darkness.

        “Shit!” Shining spat while trying to re-ignite them. “Ugh, no good, I must not be close enough or something. Stay still and I’ll try to get them working.”

        Evening watched as the glow around Shining’s horn disappeared into the darkness. Ugh, he hated this, he couldn’t see a thing! Lighting his own horn he tried to spot Shining, only to be met with seemingly black walls all around him. He couldn’t even see the floor!

        Wait a second, the hallway wasn’t that large! He should be able to see Shining’s horn glow still, or the very least the floor! Something wasn’t right here. W-was it getting harder to breath? It felt like the very air was trying to compress him!

        “Shining?” He called, trying to keep his panic at bay. It was nothing, he was just overreacting. Except then Shining didn’t answer.

        “Shining!? SHINING ARMOR!?” He screamed at the top of his lungs, but all that answered was silence. Okay something was definitely wrong.

        “Daddy?” A familiar voice called from behind him. “I-Is that you?”

        “W-what?” He cried turning around. “That voice… you can’t be…”

        Though the darkness was thick, he could barely make out a single image a good several hooves away from him. A small grey filly with a black mane and tail. How was he able to see her so well when he couldn’t see the floor? How was she even here? It shouldn’t be possible!

        “P-Peppermint?” The little filly smiled at his words, but the expression quickly faded into one of terror.

        “Daddy help me!”

        “What? Help? How did you become a filly again? What’s going on?” Mist that looked very similar to the stuff trapped in the crystal began to wrap itself around her legs and neck, dragging her backward.

        “Daddy save me!” She screamed as the void swallowed her. Without another thought, Evening lept forward after her. The inky blackness swirling around him.

        “Peppermint! Peppermint where are you?” He cried trying to make his horn glow as bright as he could, hoping for some glimpse of her small frame. It was only sheer luck that he managed to stop himself from running smack into a wall that sprung up before him. No sooner had he skidded to a halt, did he hear a door slam behind him.

        “P-Peppermint? Are you there?” His resolve was weakening. Something bad was about to happen. They come down here looking for black mist and now his fake daughter had lured him into a room that just closed itself off. Oh yeah, he was perfectly safe.

        “Sorry daddy.” A distorted version of Peppermint’s voice called from the shut door. “But it’s time you and I had a chat.” The voice went from creepy filly to malicious stallion as it spoke it last sentence, causing Evening to get a chill in his spine. He barely registered that the pitch black of the room was slowly collecting into a billowy mass before him.

        Evening knew he should try something. Whether it be to run or to zap it, but he couldn’t make himself move. Instead he just stared at the thing as a red glowing curved horn emerged from it, quickly followed by green eyes with red pupils. Purple smoke seeping out of them like eyebrows.

        “So, you’re the one that ruined it all are you?” It spoke, it’s gaze seeming to drill into him. Though the cloud made no signs of movement, he found himself taking a step back all the same.

        “All my planning ruined by what should be nothing more than a plain unicorn.” It said maliciously, every word dripping like poison. “Months of molding my vessel wasted due to you and your irritating interference! How is it that I can not touch you? That my influence can’t penetrate that thick skull of yours? Is it talent or just plain stupidity?”

        “W-what? Who are you? What are you? What’s going on?!” Evening cried finally finding his voice. Focusing, he began to charge up his horn with a grooming spell. With luck he’d set whatever this was on fire.

        “Well I suppose it doesn’t matter what you are, since I’m going to kill you right here, right now.” As it spoke, the darkness began to close in on him again, this time feeling as if it was made of water. Before he could fire off his spell, the stuff enveloped his head, causing him to lose his grip on the magic.

        “I will not have you interfere in my plans again.” Evening could barely hear it speak anymore as he thrashed about, desperately trying to free himself. He was never able to hold his breath for that long and time was running out. As he felt himself about to break, the voice whispered in his ear.

        “They’ll never even find your body.”

        “Oh I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” A second voice said from the ceiling. Before Evening had time to process, he felt himself give, gasping for breath and bracing for the ooze to invade his lungs. Except none came, instead he was greeted with much welcome air. It took him several seconds before he realized he was now standing off to the side free of the black prison he could still see sitting where he had just been.

        “What!?” The creature cried, it’s eyes darting around the room. “Who dares?!”

        “Just a lone draconequus stopping by.” Discord said as his form poured out of the ceiling like water, dripping into his solid form above them. “So you’re the one causing all this are you?”

        “Discord?!” The creature cried surprised. Before it could do anything, Discord snapped his claws causing Shining, Cadance, and Twilight to all appear next to Evening. All three appeared confused for but a moment when their eyes locked upon the horn and eyes.

        “King Sombra!” They all shouted at once. Sombra!? Evening’s mind screamed. The evil king that had appeared along with this empire? He had heard from Twilight that he’d been blown to pieces! How could he be here!?

        “What is this?” Sombra cried, glaring at Discord. “Why are you playing hero for this lot!?”

        “Hero? Oh my dear Sombra you miss judge me. I’m here on a personal matter.”

        “Personal? What are you blabbing about!?”

        “Tsk tsk!” Discord said waving a finger. “That’s my little secret, and you haven’t even shared yours yet! Just what are you doing here hmmm?”

        “Speak Discord!” Twilight demanded taking a step forward, a spell at the ready, both Cadance and Shining took up space behind her, their horns lighting up as well. Evening was shocked to see Cadance so quick to cast a spell. The most magic she had used for the last few months had not gone past basic levitation.

        “Well I would have preferred you didn’t find out about me, but no matter. I can still work with this.” Sombra said dismissively, his form heading toward the door. “Now if you excuse me, I’ll be taking my leave.” Attempting to seep through and out the cracks of the entrance way, he instead bounced off of it like the thing was made of rubber.

“W-what!?”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave just yet.” Discord said with a yawn. “I told you I had a personal stake in this after all.”

“Y-You imbecile! What do you hope to accomplish? You pathetic creatures can’t harm me! I don’t have a form to hurt!” 

“I want answers.” Cadance said, pushing herself past Twilight. “Are you responsible for the black mist that came out of Twilight and me?”

“I’ll tell you nothing!” Sombra sneered back. Cadance’s horn glowed brighter, causing both Twilight and Shining to take notice.

“Cadance?”

“C-caddie?”

“No Sombra!” Cadance screamed, months of fear and frustration pouring into her spell. A spell she had sworn never to cast again. “You WILL answer me!” With that the persona spell fired straight into the mass that was King Sombra. The very monster that had almost cost her the empire and the health of her husband in the past. The question now, is if he had now done it twice.

Much to her surprise and relief, the spell wrapped itself around him, seemingly taking hold. Well Cadance, she thought to herself, only one way to find out.

“I-Impossible!” Sombra cried as the spell sank into his essence.

“Apparently not.” Cadance said, her voice ice. “Now let’s try this again. You will answer any questions I ask of you, and you’ll tell me the truth.” She paused seeing the shiver run through Sombra’s form. She only hoped that meant it was working.

“Once again, are you responsible for the black mist that came out of Twilight and me?”

“Of course I am you twit! Who else?” Sombra grumbled in annoyance. Cadance’s expression didn’t change, instead she just took a step toward him.

“Why?”

“For my plan! The plan that imbecile of a unicorn ruined!”

“Tell me of this plan!”

“To take back my empire of course!”

“I mean the details!” Cadance screamed, her eyes practically blazing. “Tell me the steps in your plan!” Both Twilight and Shining watched her with concern, but neither tried to stop her.

“Fine! Since I can’t resist your pathetic questions at the moment, I suppose I’ll share my failure with you.” Sombra spat casting another glare at Evening. “The first step was to find a maid with enough ambition and drive to have power that I could easily corrupt her with my mist as you call it. Once I had her I just needed to give you a gentle little push to learn and use some forbidden magic on your buffoon there. His stupid protection magic made it too difficult to break through and manipulate him in anyway.”

“T-then it’s true…” Cadance said, her gaze on the floor. “You infected me with that crap and made me hurt Shiny.”

“Made you?” Sombra laughed. “I made you do nothing. It takes months of time and magic to corrupt a pony that much, and an alicorn? I may not have been able to get you to reach that point at all. No I already had my pawn for that, face it dear you wanted to cast those spells, I just made sure you didn’t think too much about the consequences.”

“N-No…” Cadance said her resolve crumbling. When she had seen that black mist, it had felt like a gift from the heavens. So many times she had thought about that night. About how she couldn’t believe she would let herself go so far for a kink. S-so much that’ she’d… she’d…

“That still means Caddie wasn’t fully in control of her actions though doesn’t it?” Shining said suddenly standing beside his wife. Cadance looked up at him in surprise. He was coming to her rescue? After everything that had happened?

“I need not answer you!” He shot back. With one more boost of hope, she stood back up.

“Yes you do.” She said slowly, making sure she didn’t falter again. “You have to answer any question any of us ask with honesty. Now answer the question.” Sombra’s eyes narrowed, but he could do nothing but what he was told.

“No, she wasn’t fully in her right mind if you must get so technical.”

“Then the blame lies on you as well.”

“Of course it does! I had to make sure you were out of the way so I could get my vessel ready for possession! With that body I could have ruled the empire as it’s king and none would have been the wiser! Then it would have been a simple task of quietly taking out the princess’s one by one. Or just taking them as my wives. I’ve always admired your sister Shining Armor. I bet she’d scream real good in bed.”

Evening had never seen Shining more angry than he did right at that moment. What shocked him even more was the beam of blue light that erupted from Shining’s horn to pass right through Sombra.

“Twit! I told you you can’t hurt me! Your silly little persona spell might have me for now, but I’m sure in time I can get it to slide off. Then I’ll simply hide away and wait for another chance. One thousand years taught me a lot about patience.”

“We’ll think of something.” Twilight said, her eyes not leaving Sombra. “Perhaps we can stick him in that crystal we’ve been collecting his mist in.”

“Let him join that mist? What if that makes him stronger? Besides, he wouldn’t be frozen, just trapped. He could still have smoke out here we don’t know about.”

“Do you?” Cadance demanded. Sombra didn’t flinch.

“Possibly, even I can’t keep track of all of it.”

“I don’t like it, we can’t even count on the Persona spell keeping hold.” Shining said rubbing the bottom of his muzzle. As the three of them debated their options, Evening stepped up to the evil king.

“Why did you try to kill me?” He asked, both Shining and Twilight gasped.

“What!?”

“He tried to kill me before Discord stopped him.” He replied slowly, raising his gaze to the forgotten creature above them. “Why did you save me anyway?”

“I’ve already given my answer.” He replied bored. “A personal matter and that’s all I feel like saying.”

“Well whatever it was, thanks.”

Discord just waved his hand. “Yes yes, whatever.” Evening couldn’t worry about him at the moment, he still hadn’t gotten an answer from Sombra.

“So why did you?” He asked, taking another step forward. It was taking all he had not to collapse right there. This thing had tried to kill him and unlike Lemon Fresh, he didn’t feel it’d be as simple as a shard of glass to his throat. Not if what he just experienced said anything.

“Because you, as much as I hate to admit it, are a threat to any plans I make.” Evening’s eyes widened.

“Me? How?”

“Because you aren’t normal!” Sombra screamed. “So many ponies I had managed to manipulate into playing my pawns, but not you! You who defy all magical logic!” Now Evening was intrigued.

“What’s wrong with my magic?”

“Everything!” Sombra’s form shook with his frustration. “I can’t even see your magic let alone touch it! My mist went right through you as if you weren’t even there! Yet I know you have magic! No mere amateur could change a pony’s age or form! To have that power! You’d be the perfect vessel and yet I - can - not- touch - you!”

“You mentioned that before, a vessel. I assume you meant Lemon Fresh. Why abandon her?”

“Really? You don’t get it? What need do I have of a jailed female? Let her rot, she’s no use to me now, likely too far gone from my influence to even remember how she really was anymore.”

“Y-you destroyed her! You stole her life!”

“You speak as if I care what happens to a slave.”

Evening couldn’t believe what he was hearing! The maid who had tried to kill him hadn’t even realized what she was doing until Discord had pulled that black mist from her. How long had she been manipulated as this thing’s puppet?!

“If I may intrude.” Discord said, re-joining the conversation. “Why not just possess one of Twilight’s friends? Surely they would have come in handy.”

Evening had expected Twilight to protest at having her friends turned into puppets, but quickly noted she had thought the same thing given how interested she was in the reply.

“I will not degrade myself to one of their forms!”

“Oh? And what’s wrong with their forms? You had one of each pony type to choose from. Even a unicorn.”

“That one was the worst!”

Discord’s grin kept getting wider and wider. “Why is that? Remember Cadance did say you had to answer any of our questions, and I’ve been here the entire time as well. So tell me, what is it about Rarity that prevents you from trying to corrupt her into your vessel?”

“Because I’ll not be stuck as some mare!”

        That was what Discord wanted to hear. “Is that all? Don’t care to be a mare? I hear they have all the fun!”

        “Never! I am King Sombra! My form will strike fear into those who oppose me! I’ll not be trapped as a female!”

        “Well how very interesting!” Discord cried with glee, clapping his claws together. “Oh now we can have some fun!”

        “What are you blathering about now?” Sombra demanded, though Evening was almost certain he heard a slight bit of uneasiness in those words.

        “Well you are right about Twilight and her possy here being unable to harm you. Luckily for them I’m feeling generous at the moment, and just got a very fun idea.” Giving Sombra a mischievous grin, he slowly raised a claw and snapped his fingers.

        Before Sombra could react, he felt his body compressing even tighter into a singular form. Refusing to give into whatever game the draconequus had in mind, he attempted once more to seep away, expect, except he found himself kicking his legs?! With a start, he realized that he did indeed have actual pony legs again! There they were before his face, yet… what was wrong with their size and shape? As he tried to figure that out he felt his tail come into existence, followed shortly by his mane.

        “What are you doing Discord?” He demanded before coughing to clear his throat. He voice sounded off. Absently raising a hoof to his neck, he suddenly realized he had an entire head and face attached to it. With one last shift, he felt his ethereal form become flesh and blood, dropping him to the cold hard floor. He’d been thrilled if not for the circumstances.

        “O-oh…” Evening said meekly staring at the former cloud of mist. Sombra’s expression turned to one of hate.

        “And just what-” He began before the words died in his throat. That was not his voice. It was the farthest one could get from his voice, in fact it sounded like…

        “Y-You didn’t!” He cried, cringing at the sound of his words.

        “Of course I did.” Discord laughed. “In fact! Let’s make you all pretty!”

        Sombra was barely aware of another snap before he felt his mane drip down on both sides of his neck, something holding them both in place. Did that creature just give him pony tails!?

        “Why don’t you take a look Umbra?” Discord mocked as he snapped his fingers one more time. Appearing out of thin air to Sombra’s left came a mirror, giving her a very good look at the elegant female she had become. Though she dared not turn her head, she couldn’t help but gaze at the unicorn mare reflected back at her. Her body was slim and curvy, the perfect shape to entice stallions with. Her puffy chest begging to be nuzzled.

        Her tail and mane had changed style, becoming more feminine somehow. Even her muzzle was cute and dainty. Finally she saw what it was that Discord had put in her hair. Two little headbands that indeed gave her adorable little ponytails. It made her sick to think she might be what some stallions would consider a perfect concubine.




        “I-I’ll kill you for this!” She screamed, her new voice sounding light and airy, almost sing songy despite her fury. “You hear me monster? I’ll have your head on my wall!”

        “Oh I very much doubt that.” Discord replied amused. “Especially since you still have that persona spell on you. Anyone have any words about that? Particular commands to give?”

        “I have one.” Cadance said stepping forward, her expression stone. “A command that nearly ruined my marriage, and Shiny’s life.”

        Feeling a sense of actual dread for the first time this night, Sombra’s stomach dropped as she heard Cadance’s next words:

        “You’re an obedient castle maid, and you do whatever I tell you to do. Without resistance or question.”
> A horrible idea for a sequel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the sun began to shine through the window over the rather large bed of the royal couple, a lone pink hoof poked it's way out from under the covers, desperately trying to find a pillow to grab and cover her face with. Her horn remaining unlit with magic, despite it being the easier option.

"Mmmff too early." She muttered poking around in vain. "Ugh, what's wrong with me today? I feel like I swallowed a raft."

She searched for a pillow or even an extra blanket for a few moments before before finally giving up, her bladder telling her that sleep wasn't going to happen. Rolling over onto her belly she let out a small squeak as her rather extended belly, full of life, touched upon the bed sheets.

"Geez, what's with me today? Everything feels all off and wonky." She yawned arching her back a bit to stretch her limbs. As she did this, her large magnificent wings tore free from their wool prison to be enveloped in the sun's glory. Though the small exercise was pleasant, it didn't solve the horrible sensations in her body.

"Am I sick?" She thought out loud as she tried to shake the sleep from her body. "I feel bloated, my muscles feel cramped, my voice sounds weird, and to top it all off even my wings are sor-"

She blinked. Wings?

Turning her head she saw two very nice pink wings protruding from her very pink back.

Wings!?

"W-why do I have wings!?" Panicked, she followed her pink coloring around to her hooves, both a very lovely matching shade of pink.

"W-why is my fur pink? Why are my legs so slender? Why is my voice so feminine?"

She was about to ask more questions, when a particular sensation caused her entire world to stop. From inside her, around the area of her 'belly' came a swift, and rather sturdy kick. Her eyes wide, staring straight ahead, she slowly placed a hoof upon her midsection, the rather defining sensation of two things moving inside her greeted her touch.

Looking down at her rather massive belly, she took a deep breath, and screamed.


* * *


In the next room over, Shining Armor awoke with a start, scrambling out of bed and rushing across the room and out the door to a pair of startled guards who were staring at some sort of parchment attached to Cadance's door. Shining recognized them as Typhoon and Fencer. A trustworthy pair hoof picked by himself from Canterlot. Which made their loitering around all the more confusing.

"What's going on?" He demanded marching up to them. "Wasn't that Cadance that screamed? Why are you two still out here?"

"Um w-well it's just... the note..." The guard replied slowly, pointing one of his white wings to it.

"What about the note? Is it a ransom note? Stop gawking and go see if my w-, if Cadance is alright!" Even now he still had trouble thinking of her as his wife. After everything she had done with that persona spell. He wanted to love her, he wanted to trust her again, but... he was beginning to wonder if that was really possible. Still now was not the time for such thoughts.

"Sir with all due respect." Fencer said, holding himself as at ready as he could. "We feel you should read the note before entering."

"I don't understand, why is it so important..." The words died in his throat as he saw the familiar hoofwriting upon the document. It was Cadance's own! Followed by her royal seal!


Dear Shining Armor or Twilight,

By now you've likely come around on your morning check to make sure I haven't hurt the foals within me.

That's the only reason I'm not in jail isn't it? You both say you want to move past what happened, but I see the truth in your eyes.
You both hate me, or fear me. It doesn't matter. I deserve it. I deserve to suffer. Yet you won't lift a hoof to harm me will you? All because of the foals. The innocent lives that don't deserve the pain that should be inflicted to the mare they happen to be growing inside of.

I can't call myself their mother. I don't deserve that. I shouldn't be a princess. I have no right to rule over this kingdom. Not after what I did. Not after what I almost let happen...

I know I promised never to use magic again, but I had to break that promise this one time. I had to, I couldn't see any other way to fix this.

In the same book that taught me the persona spell I found one more. A body swap spell that I've gone through great lengths to cast this night.

Inside my room is not me, but a pony who has proven themselves a much better boon to this country. A hero who saved it.

The pony who was able to save you...

I don't know if you can love her knowing who's inside her, but they are much better candidate for being royalty then I ever was.

Besides, in time they may find my body a gift. Gone are all the problems they had. Now they can be rich, strong in magic, and beautiful with a large family.

Maybe they'll hate me, it doesn't matter. I'm already a criminal.

I'm sorry...
Mi Amora Cadenza


As he read through the letter, a growing sense of dread had been forming in his stomach. It wasn't hard for him to guess what he was about to find in this room.

"Damn it Cadance, what have you gone and done now?" He groaned as he pushed open the door. Stepping in he felt the now familiar sensation of the enchantment detector wash over his body, showing he was clean.

There on the other side of the room, staring blankly at herself in a full length mirror was Cadance. He eyes full of panic, worry, and fear. He could hear her irregular breathing already. Steeling himself for the storm that was about to come, he called out a name:

"Evening Storm?"

The alicorn slowly turned her head toward him once he spoke. Her body trembling.

"S-Shining?" The former unicorn stallion and student of Twilight said in a voice not his own. "Why am I in your wife's body?"
> Another what if Sequel idea
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Evening stared up at the imposing crystal palace as he trotted toward it's entrance, being careful to hold the black cloak around his features. It had been two months since he'd stepped hoof in this place and a lot had changed. His teacher Twilight had been attacked by a former foe, a mare known as Starlight Glimmer, and had apparently befriended her and taken her on as a student as well. This didn't leave her with much time to "examine" him and his magic, but if he was to be honest, he rather enjoyed the "time off" as it were.

As it was, having this time to himself had allowed him to answer a summons he'd gotten just last night. It had a royal seal on it and everything! Which he really hoped didn't mean he was just being brought over here to be ogled by the empire for 'saving their Prince'. Having the majority of the citizens treat him as highly as a royal himself made him all kinds of nervous. Not that he was ungrateful, or was upset he had helped Shining Armor out. He just... wasn't a hero in his mind.

'But I guess in a way I am.' He thought to himself as he slipped silently inside. To think there had been such a horrible incident to befall Shining here. One that he had to endure for three months before he had come along. How strange that by that one act of him following Twilight and her friends here that a three month imprisonment had unfolded in just one night. Really anypony else could have done it. Anypony could have saved him.

But it wasn't just anypony. It was him. He had done it. He had seen the pain in that maid's eyes and just wanted to help. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that'd lead to all this. An honored guest of a Prince and Princess! He... he hoped they were doing well both of them. Hopefully his summoning wasn't to make some speech to the citizens, but he'd take that over... complications. Taking comfort that he was safe inside, he removed his cloak.

"Oy! Is that the 'ansome Evee I see?" A very excited and feminine voice called from down the hall. Evening groaned inwardly.  That could only be one mare.

"Well bless me feather duster it is! Answered that summon rather fast haven't ya?" The white mare known as Swiftshine practically sang as she trotted up.

"Oh um, yes. G-good to see you Swiftshine." Evening said while hoping to keep his distance. Every time she saw him, she quickly became waaaaay too friendly.

"It's good to see you too luv!" She replied, pulling him into a hug, her hoof brushing his flank as she let go.

Evening could already feel his face getting hot. The worst part of all of this was he really really wanted to take things much further. She was very attractive, sexy even, but surly that would be very inappropriate.

"Well I best follow you to make sure you git there." Swiftshine said with a giggle. "Know how lost ya get."

"O-Oh no that won't be necessary..." He began, but she waved him off.

"Nonsense, no trouble at all. Right this way 'andsome."

Of course she remained practically pressed against him the entire way.


* * *


Thanks to Swiftshine, he arrived at the bedroom chambers of Shining and Cadance rather quickly. It still bugged him that he couldn't get the layout of this place down for the life of him. Simply going to the bathroom once lead him to getting locked on a balcony. Good thing it had potted plants...

"She's right in there luv. Have fun now!" Swiftshine called as she vanished into another room. That was odd, usually she tried to find what room he was staying in, or offer him some 'private service' in a closet. Something didn't feel right.

"Ah! Sir Evening Storm!" One of the guards said giving him a salute. "Your...summoner is inside. Please go on in." Evening himself gave what was probably an awkward nod and smile as he pushed open the door. It was only when he caught the splash of pink that Swiftshine's words caught up to him.

She's right in there.

Sitting at a small table, sipping some sort of drink was the royal princess of Love, Mi Amore Cadenza.

"Oh! Evening! Y-You're here! Already!" She said with a shaky tone as she seemed to take stock of her appearance. A knot was already forming in Evening's stomach. That off feeling was getting worse. Something wasn't right here. Where was Shining Armor?

"You uh, summoned me Princess? Will Shining be joining us?" Evening hadn't meant for his words to bare any ill will, but perhaps he hadn't kept his voice in check. The look Cadance was giving him was well, down right bizarre. 

"Er, yes about that. Um Evening this isn't what it appears to be. Uh, oh how do I put this? Um... you see the thing about Shining is... he's already here..."

"He is?" Evening asked taking a quick look around the room. Unless Shining was invisible, he didn't know where the stallion could be. He doubted he could be hiding under the bed, or behind any of the furniture. Cadance couldn't have turned him into an inanimate object could she!? No wait, that's silly. Twilight had never really forgiven Cadance for what she had done, and to make sure she couldn't cause problems had fitted her with a magical inhibitor. There it was right on her- 

As his eyes drifted to the alicorn's long pink horn he realized the thick black ring that should have been clasped upon it was missing!

"Y-You're horn! This is a trap!" Evening cried as he backed up toward the door. How could this be? Did Lemon Fresh get free and take her place? Had she decided she liked her 'evil' husband better? What was going on?

"No! No! No trap!" She cried in a panic, enveloping Evening in her magic to drag him closer. "Twilight removed the ring! You know only she could!"

"L-Lies! Why would she do that? She'd have told me! Y-You must have cast a persona spell on her!" He cried trying to use his own magic to break free. If he had learned anything from his experience that night, it was his magic could disrupt just about anything else of magic.

"S-she didn't tell you because of what happened! B-because I was afraid of what... of how terrifying... Oh to the abyss with it. Evening. I AM Shining Armor!"

"WHAT!?" Evening cried. She couldn't possibly think he'd fall for that. "If you think I'm going to believe that, then you've got-"

"We never told anypony what I tried to do that night as Peppermint." She began, looking him directly in the eye. Something about her caused him to halt in his struggles. He never talked to her much after the incident, and never before it, but the times he had, she always came off as... guarded, strained. A pony that possibly hated their own very existence.

This was not that mare.

"I-I'm listening..."

Cadance, or possibly Shining in her body, took a deep breath to collect herself as he prepared to speak. The pain that flashed upon her face as the words came tumbling out helped give the weight needed for him to believe her.

"I was told to give you a blow job. T-to do so while still acting as your daughter... It was to likely get you to hate me or worse, get my sister to see us like that t-to..." She shuddered, droplets of tears forming in her eyes. "Thank Celestia it didn't... oh thank Celestia you saw through it..."

No more words were needed. At least none that pertained to that topic.

"S-Shining? But... why? Why are you Cadance? W-why didn't anypony tell me?"

"I've only been her for a few days. I begged Twilight not to tell you. I-I wanted it to be me to be the one to tell you because... I feared, no not feared. I knew it'd come to this..."

"Come to what?" Evening was naturally confused. "Shining what is going on?"

"Not Shining." She said with a shake of her head. "I-I'm Cadance right now. It's best if you just call me that." She shivered again. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be put in my wife's body like this. Or well rather ex-wife's..."

Evening feel his stomach drop. "Ex?"

With a sigh "Cadance" nodded. "I knew it really. Deep down I knew. I think we both did. After what she did. After all that had happened..." she once more met his gaze, the tears flowing freely now. "I really did want it to be fine you know? I lied to myself that we could get through this, pick things back up and move on." A pained laugh escaped her lips. "How foolish of myself! I'd wake up in a cold sweat, having to choke down a scream as I saw her laying next to me. She... she hurt me. She didn't mean to, but she hurt me. I-In a way I can't forgive...

Her voiced dropped to almost a whisper as she turned away to gaze at her reflection in a mirror. "How ironic that now I'll see her visage every time I behold myself like this. Every inch of this body belongs to the one who put me in that prison for three months! I should hate her! Part of me does! So why? Why do I hurt so badly?"

The sobs tore from her now. Without a second thought, he was by her side, a hoof on her back for support. Much to his shock, one of her new wings quickly reached out and pulled him against her as she continued to cry into his chest. There was no way for him to come close to understanding how she felt. The mare she had fallen in love with, had married, had done something so horrible to her. He knew this. He even knew that Cadance had to be punished for her crime, but there was no way he could have given the answer as to how. All he knew is he didn't think it should lead to death.

"I-I'm sorry Evee." She said, using the same nickname Swiftshine always did. It was strange to hear the princess of love address him in such a manner. Even if that was Shining Armor in there. It'd possibly be thrilling if this wasn't all so awkward. "I-I'll be okay. There's just... a lot to digest."

"N-No problem, glad to be a friend."

Cadance smiled at him as she walked back toward the small table to pour herself another cup of tea. He was finally able to catch a bit of the aroma coming from it. If he wasn't mistaken it was a mixture Twilight often used to calm herself, though he swore it was meant for more then just that. Didn't she only use it sparingly? Why was that? Meanwhile Cadance stared at the full cup with an almost longful expression before downing the entire thing in one gulp.

"But... I guess that doesn't answer all of your questions does it?" She said afterward, her gaze transfixed on the empty piece of drink ware. She sat there for a few moments more, Evening too afraid to press her, before speaking again.

"I-I began to realize it wouldn't work when... I noticed how badly Cadance was taking everything. She became... erratic. We thought she had been improving but..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't want to re-live it all right now, but take my word for it that she began to deteriorate. B-both Twilight and I knew if things kept up then the foals... They didn't deserve to be punished for what their mother did. E-even though it's hard for me to see them as my own, I-I couldn't let them get hurt. S-so Twilight and I began to come up with a plan."

"She swapped your minds..." Evening said in disbelief. He and Twilight had both gone over the tomb with the persona spell looking for anyway to counter act said magic in the future. She also wanted him to know of any possible spells in case they were cast again. Something he decided was for the best. He didn't ever want something like what happened to Shining happen to anypony else. Not ever again. In those spells just happened to be one that could swap minds, though he doubted anypony other then Twilight could actually pull if off.

"Y-Yes..."

"W-where is Cadance in your body?" More pain flashed in the new Cadance's eyes.

"Stone. Twilight turned her... him into stone."

"W-what!?" She couldn't! His teacher couldn't!

"We didn't have a choice!" Cadance cried tears flowing freely. "She was going to hurt herself and the foals! I-In my body who knows what she'd, he'd done? We tried to think of something, anything else but we couldn't!" What little control she had melted away as she collapsed upon herself on the floor, her voice wracked with sobs.

"Why did this happen Evee? Why did we have to have that stupid night? Why'd we have to use that stupid spell? I thought it hurt those three months, but this! I don't know how to deal with this!"

"H-Hey shhhh, shhh it's okay." Evening said, finding himself by her side and rubbing her back. Honestly he doubted it really had any effect at all, but it was all he could offer. All he could think to offer anyway. If he could take it all away. If he could somehow heal her wounds he would gladly give all he could.

But this was all he had to offer.

Sniffing, Cadance leaned against him, her muzzle lightly nuzzling him. "I-I'm sorry. That wasn't the reason I asked you here. I-I didn't mean to weigh you down with all this."

"I-It's okay." He found himself nuzzling her back. "I-I'm sorry I can't help more."

Cadance almost laughed. "More? Evening you've done so much for me already. " She sighed, walking away from him, toward one end of the room. He hadn't noticed it coming in, but she was staring longingly at a bed. A bit of an odd thing to have in here. Was this where she was sleeping right now? It... didn't please him, but he supposed that made sense. The room he had shared with Cadance likely had some horrible memories attached to it.

"Which is why I'm so sorry to ask this." She said barely above a whisper. Evening almost didn't catch it.

"Ask what? Shining if there is anything I can do-"

"Cadance." She corrected with a sad smile. "I'm Cadance now. Much as I'd love to take a new name, any new name. The citizens of this empire expect a crystal princess to rule it. So a crystal princess I must become."

It was... staggering the amount of pain this pony before him must have gone through, was still going through. This is why Evening didn't see himself as a hero. Compared to what he did... this was so far beyond that. There was no way he'd be strong enough to endure this. To survive anything she had.

"A-are you going to be okay?" It was a stupid question, but at times like this you always found yourself asking it.

Cadance took in a deep long breath and sighed. "I don't know. I honestly don't know. I hope so." She bit her lip. "That brings me back to why you are here. A-A lot of my being able to get through this is going to depend on your help..."

"M-My help?" He shivered. Something about all this... it didn't put him off exactly but it was making him rather anxious.

"I-I don't know what I can do, but if you really think I can help. It's yours."

The smile she gave him didn't calm him down. It wasn't malicious by any means, but hid something... dangerous.

"Thank you Evee." She said, trotting up to him. "J-Just please don't abandon me..."

Evening's eyebrow's raised. "What? Shi-Cadance I would never- MMFF!"

With a seeming hunger, Cadance pressed her lips against his in a kiss, her tongue eagerly probing his mouth, begging for his own to return the favor. Instead he found his body backing away.

"W-what!? What did you do!?"

"I kissed you Evee. I figured you'd realize what that was." She replied with the barest hint of a playful smile. Evening was still trying to get his brain to process.

"I-I what?"

"It's simple really." Cadance said, turning herself around. Before he knew what was happening the princess of love, currently inhabited by Shining's mind, was raising her tail and showing him a very... wet little pussy. A pussy that was winking like crazy, her juices already spilling out from it.

"I need you Evee. I-I want you." She blushed at that as she flicked her tail. Despite his confusion, his body had no such reservations as his dick slowly began to poke out of it's sheath.

"Y-You what!? Shining-"

"Cadance." She corrected again.

"Cadance!" Evening cried in exasperation. "What do you mean you need me? W-Want me? I... you're a stallion! I-I was treating you as my daughter once!"

"I-I know it's a bit strange." She admitted quietly, her gaze staring at her hooves. "But a stallion?" Her head raised again. "Evee do I look like a stallion to you? Do you think I've felt like a stallion for the last several months?"

She took a step forward, moving to his left side. On instinct he once more stepped away, allowing himself to be guided toward a certain area of the room.  By the time he realized she was herding him toward the bed, it was too late as he felt his back hooves come in contact with it's mattress.

"I'm a mare Evee." She said in a husky voice while giving him the most seductive 'bedroom eyes' he'd ever seen from a mare. She was serious! S-she wanted them to... How could he do this!?

"Y-You can't be serious!" His eyes were darting in every which direction except at her. He had to find an exit! Some sort of escape!

"Evening, I'm very serious." With that she pushed a hoof against his chest, causing him to fall backward onto the bed. While it was awkward, he tried his best to crawl away, but all that let her do was crawl upon the bed herself, slowly coming toward him.

The way she looked... the way she was licking her lips as she stared at him like a piece of meat. He knew who was in that body. He knew how outright bizarre this all was, but still. Cadance's body was not unattractive. Everything about her simply oozed sex appeal, and the way she was currently carrying herself... Under any other circumstance this might have been a dream come true.

"Don't forget all the training I received to be a sexy needy little mare." She breathed, inching toward the dick he was having a very hard time convincing not to poke out. That battle was lost completely the moment she began to nudge and lick at it.

"W-wait s-stop!" He moaned out. She knew what she was doing. Teasing it just right with her tongue. Slowly drawing the rough texture of it up his shaft. First one side, then the other, the entire time watching him with those beautiful lust filled eyes.

"C-Cadance..."

She began to twitch, her wings slowly spreading out in excitement. With a start he realize just how... aroused she was. Her entire body was begging to take him, and yet she held her ground, teasing his now nearly throbbing rock hard dick with her tongue. He should stop her, but his body refused to move, electric shocks of fear and bliss zapping through his body.

"For a unicorn you have a rather nice rod." She said, having taking a break from her licking to give it a few rubs with her hoof. It wasn't as big as the one she had as a stallion, but it'd do. It'd do rather nicely. Licking her lips she still couldn't believe how easy this was. This was a stallion she had called 'daddy' not to long ago, and yet... after all she had done, been forced to do... Perhaps it had made her a mare inside and out. She certainly didn't feel like the stallion called Shining Armor.

"I-It's strange you know?" She stopped her teasing to look him in the eyes. Poor Evee. He looked so confused, so conflicted. She felt bad for dragging him into this, she really did. But there was no other way.

"The moment I had these teats again, this needy tight little pussy." She moaned at the mere thought of having the dick before her shoved inside her. She wanted it, needed to feel his seed flow inside, stuffing her full. "I began to realize just how much I missed having them. It's so much better being a mare who can choose who she lays with."

Silence. Then words.

"But... why me?"

"I-It had to be you." She couldn't meet his eyes. She wanted to, but she couldn't. Instead she continued to stare at his protruding member. "E-Evee, I'm pregnant. I'm not only pregnant, but I'm Cadance." She put as much extra emphasis on the word as she could. "The princess of love Evee. The rumors of her... sexual appetite are not entirely wrong."

She groaned, feeling the burning heat in her neithers. Burning heat the tea form earlier barely made a scratch upon.

"Even now I just feel so bucking hot! S-so needy!" She began to pant, her body getting worked up just from discussing this form. "And being pregnant? Her, my hormones are out of wack! I can't believe she used to put up with this all the time! I've tried everything I can think of! Special teas, special herbs, magic spells. T-there is only one thing that's going to stave me for any length of time Evee. I need a dick. A real dick, not some toy." With that she suddenly swallowed his member into her mouth, her tongue swirling around it before she began to deep throat him like a champ. The sudden assault caused him to lose it, his back arching as he prepared to fire an early load.

Only to feel the cool aura of magic engulf his penis, preventing it from releasing. At first he only felt pain, but eventually that calmed as he did.

Trying hard to catch his breath, he just managed to look her in the eye again as he asked one simple question.

"But why mine?"

"B-Because... like I told you it has to be you Evee..." She shivered, shutting her eyes. Painful memories attempting to claw themselves to the forefront of her mind. Memories she fought desperately to keep at bay.

"W-when I was her..." She said, unable to say the name, but Evening knew all too well who she meant. "The things I was made to do Evee. The many guards who thought I was a slut. All the sexual commands I was given, some unaware they were doing anything wrong. While some... some relished in my pain." She shook her head, steeling herself to continue.

"I thought about it. I thought about it the moment I realized I was going to need a stallion, but... any of the guards, any random citizen. Those memories come flooding back. The hungry, terrifying looks some stallions would give me. The looks he gave me..." The tears were back.

"I'm scared. I'm too scared to let them near me. L-Let them touch me. I-I know there are likely those who would never wish me harm, but the mere thought. " She shuddered.

"And then... I thought of you." She met his gaze of her own free will this time. Her smile genuine. "I thought of you and then it clicked. You, the stallion that went through so much to save me. To protect me. The stallion that not once had any thoughts of using me for anything." She began to inch toward his muzzle again. "The kind, brave stallion who only wanted to save me. I realized that out of all the stallions I knew. Of all the stallions I could possibly consider sharing this or any other bed with. You didn't scare me. You'd never hurt me. You'd treat me like a mare, like your equal, no matter what body I might be in. You are the one Stallion I know I can trust... and then it happened. I realized I wanted you. I wanted you to take me. To make me feel safe once more."

Once more her lips met his, her tongue attempting to wrestle, and this time... This time he let his own return the favor as he gently but hungrily sucked her lips. It was still messed up, but he couldn't deny the effect her body was having on him. The effect her words had managed.

"I.. I don't know if I'll be any good..."

She giggled at that. An actual genuine giggle.

"Don't worry." She said with a wink as she aligned her pussy against the head of his dick. With slow deliberate movements, she teased it with her lower lips, letting out little coos of pleasure as she did so.

"I'll teach you all you need to know."

She plunged herself downward, sending Evening into overload.