> Alicorn and Fausticorn > by Azvameth Rose > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Met by Chance > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Opening up the front door, I entered my apartment while serving as a clutch for the lady I met at a club party. She had a lot of drinks, but that wasn't the reason for my help. Nope, the issue was her ankle. In case you don't believe me, I better write down how things got to that point. So, here is a brief introduction through flashback! Because apparently, SHE wants a complete record. Sitting alone in the bar, I watched the people dance, walk around, drink, and go to the restroom together (because the one who designed this placed it there; so, I saw it whenever I turned to the bar). I was there for a friend's bachelor party. He thought a club filled with women and booze was a good idea to celebrate getting hitched. And of course, he was at the center of the dance floor surrounded by people. Meanwhile, I enjoyed a glass of water. Why? Because I promised his fianceé not to let this stupid idiot drive his way back home. He was my friend, and his fianceé was a nice person. So, I wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to him right before the big day. Nothing lethal at least, I warned him about the risks of having a party like this, but he said he wanted to go out with a bang. "Hello. What are you doing here by yourself? This is a party, right?" A tipsy voice greeted, making me look to the side. I won't deny it, she was beautiful. She wasn't exactly tanned nor pale. I couldn't tell if she had lipstick on, or if she had naturally rosy lips. Given the flush in her cheeks and the half-open eyes, she seemed to be half-drunk. That would certainly explain the moist glistening in her lips. Her red hair almost formed a curtain to hide her gleaming emerald eyes that almost sparkled in the lights of the club. A woman that can make any men do her whims. Does that qualify her as a femme-fatale? In all honesty, it felt like one of those scenes in action movies. Scenes that usually preceded a series of unfortunate events for the protagonist. Some say that art imitates life, I think the other way around is also valid. Her get-up was certainly different from the other guests. Her clothes certainly weren't made to taunt her peers. The skirt almost went down her knees and it wasn't skinny either. The freedom she had to sit in any position she wanted, exposed parts of her legs. The t-shirt was fairly loose reaching half her stomach and leaving the area underneath her neck exposed. The shirt she wore over that was cyan and didn't match anything the others were wearing. She isn't one of the girls he hired. Is she a guest? I don't recall Danny mentioning anyone like this ever. And considering how he is about noticing women, he would have mentioned her for at least three days. I mused while taking notice of a necklace she wore that had a pendant shaped like an inkpot with a quill inside it. "It is a party. But I'm on babysitting duty," I replied while picking my glass of water. "So, I'll keep my head clear of, that," I added while pointing at my friend; who was tossed up in the air by a group of people that were clearly over their heads. "Ah, but, the best part of a party is having fun!" She said while the barman gave her a glass with what I think was whiskey based on the color alone. "The name is Faust by the way," She added before taking a sip. "Gael Litos," I replied without much care. As beautiful as she was, I knew better than to mess with drunk people. "Are you part of the people hired to entertain that guy?" I asked bluntly in hopes she would be offended and back off. "Nope, the guy flying over there let me in after I walked past the entrance," She answered before taking the rest of the drink in one go. "I can never tell whether these are meant to drink in one go or bit by bit." That was a surprisingly lucid answer for someone who looks half drunk. I thought while she asked for another. Which she proceeded to drink in one go. Ok, she takes it in pretty quickly. I noted while she asked for two doses this time. "Come on! Just one shot won't get you drunk!" She said while offering the glass of whiskey to me. I eyed the glass before looking back at her. "Come on, what do you say? Just one?" "That's not a good idea. I'm a lightweight on that front," I replied while taking the whiskey and placing it down. "One shot from this and I'll be out like a candle in a storm," I added with a half-smile. "Is there anything you can drink?" She inquired while adjusting her hair behind her ears. Her nails were cut, and she didn't have nail polish on them. Her hands looked rather delicate. "Sorry. But if I drink the weakest cocktail I won't be able to drive," I replied while staring at the dancefloor. A glance towards Faust, and I saw her staring at the dancefloor. The colors and lights illuminated her face in a strangely mesmerizing manner. I could see why Danny invited her in without knowing her. She had a natural allure to her that could have anyone doing her whims with a snap of her fingers. I didn't notice at first, but my head had turned to face her and only her. The high music and other sounds faded into the background as all I could do was look at her. I believe that is how some of the sailors would feel when dealing with sirens at the sea. And in those stories, the usual ending was a drowning. I pinched my right hand to snap out of whatever trance she had me in and looked back at the dance floor. That was when she decided to try and pull me into the dance floor without any warning. However, she misstepped and tripped down the stairs while I clumsily grabbed the railings for dear life. Rushing down the stairs, I saw her ankle twisted in a way it wasn't meant to. "Are you ok?" I asked while kneeling in front of her. "I-I'm sorry!" "Who's this?" Camilla, my friend's fianceé asked. "C-Camilla?" I stuttered while looking over my shoulder. "This is Faust. She fell down the stairs, and I think she broke her ankle." "I should have known that dumbass would get into trouble," Camilla said while looking at Faust's ankle. "I'll take him back. He's out like a candle now. You worry about getting her to a hospital," She added while helping me get Faust to use me as a clutch. After that, I took Faust to the hospital. The X-Ray stated the obvious, and thankfully, the ankle was the only injury she sustained. After some rather embarrassing explanations to the doctor about how I met her and how we weren't a couple, we headed back to the car. I was about done with the night when the second wave of events started to fall on my head. "I'll drive you home. Where do you live?" I asked while turning on the car. "I don't live around here. I was passing through town when I got into that party," She replied while rubbing her arm. "Oh, so a tourist," I mumbled while looking at her. "So, are you at a hotel? Made reservations for one or something like that?" I added while she kept shifting on her seat. "I'm down on money. And I don't have a place to stay," She said sheepishly. "You're kidding, right?" I blurted out, earning a chuckle from Faust. "Why are you laughing? You're technically stranded here," I added with exasperation. "Sorry, but your face when I said that made me laugh," She replied with a half-smile. "It's not unusual for me to be lost or end up wandering around everywhere I go. I'm used to it," She added while leaning closer to the window. That isn't right. What the fuck lady? Now, what do I do? Dropping her at a hotel? I don't have money for any of the secure ones. Handing her to the police? Wait, she isn't a child nor does she have signs of being kidnapped. Then again, she is lost. But taking her there now means she will need to spend the night there while they search for her relatives or something close to it. I thought while planting my face on the steering wheel. "Fine. I'll take you in for the night. Dropping you at a hotel with an ankle like that is bad, I think," I said with a defeated sigh as I raised my head and switched gears. "Thank you," She said while I helped her in the car. "Don't mention it," I replied while leaving the parking lot. The way back was quiet, Faust didn't say a word as she stared into the sky. With the corner of my eye, I saw her sigh and a tear rolled down her face as she mumbled something incoherent. Once more, her lights were making me get lost in thought. Her visage was like some sort of weird spell that kept pulling me in whenever I dropped my guard. Luckily enough, the fact I was driving was enough to take me away from the trance. I guess the alcohol is kicking in now. Damn it. I better make sure I'm not close when she starts to do things she might regret. I mused while making the last turn before entering the garage. And that's how I got to the point of having a beautiful, half-drunk, woman in my apartment. Now, after I got her in, her legs caved in and I had to carry her back to my bed. "A quaint little place you got here," She said while I tried to get to my room without knocking everything down. "Very cozy." "Thanks," I mumbled while maneuvering around the table with the little vase I got from my mother when I moved away. "I worked hard on the baren style of decoration," I added as we moved past the cramped living room/kitchen area and entered the corridor where I had to walk sideways to enter my room. "You won't have a place to lay on if I stay here," She said while looking at my single's bed. "I can't sleep here." "And your leg won't accommodate on the sofa I have," I said while placing her down. "I fell asleep more than once there when I was too tired to reach my room. So, don't worry about me. You can go ahead and fall asleep here," I added as I picked some blankets to cover her and keep her leg up. "That should do it. Do you need a glass of water or anything like that?" "No, I'm ok. Thank you for your kindness," She said as I closed the curtains. "Very well, I'll be in the other room. If you need something, just call," I said while taking my leave. "Please, can you stay here?" She asked with puppy eyes while holding my sleeve. "Sorry, but I can't. You're drunk. And you will regret waking up with me beside you," I answered while trying to tug my sleeve away from her. "I don't want to do anything. I just don't want to be alone," She said with a slight sob. "I promise you that I'm not drunk. Please?" She asked again while looking at me with her head on the pillow and half-open eyes. Damn these weak knees! I cursed while grabbing her hand. "Fine," I said while letting out a sigh. "I'll seat on the other side. I'll be right there," I added while freeing myself to seat on the other side of the bed. However, as soon as I laid down with my back turned to her, Faust wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer. She is strong! I can't get out! I thought while panicking at my current situation. Her body was glued to mine. Her head rested on my neck as I felt something cold hit it. Faust began sobbing as she squeezed me tightly. "I lied," She said in between sobs. "It's not that I don't have a place to go back to. The problem is that I have no way of going back there. It's so far. There are so many things I want to see again but I can't. I want to return. But I don't know how to do it as I am!" She said while pressing her face against me. "I was prohibited from coming back. I can't even enter the realm I created. I'm a goddess but I can't even get past a stupid barrier! I'm so pathetic! How am I supposed to see what I created!? How am I supposed to see the land I poured my heart and soul to create?!" That's, sad. She is delusional because of alcohol. What do I do? Comfort her? Ask her to back away? What does one do in this situation???? Urgh, I'll try to calm her down. Maybe then she will let me go. "Just rest for now. When the morning comes around, we'll both figure something out. I promise that I'll help you in any way I can," I said in hopes that she would loosen up her grip. "You, promise?" She answered in a surprised tone. "That's a first. Ok, I guess we can try. It's a deal," She added while hugging me tighter than before. Wow, how strong is this lady?? And this is less than ideal. Wait, is she, sleeping? I thought when I looked at her with the corner of my eye. Oh, no. She is asleep. And that was the last night I spent in my apartment. All because of a meeting by chance. > Fields of ruins (Warning Intercourse inbound) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From this point on, my life turned into a whirlwind of madness and destruction. I felt the sun on my face, which made me reflexively use my hand to shield my eyes. I closed the curtains. Why is the sun hitting me so hard? Wait, what time is it?! I exclaimed mentally while opening my eyes. What I saw, however, made me freeze on the spot. Instead of my hand, I saw a giant wing covered in fluffy pine green feathers. I tried to reach it with my hand. And then, another wing appeared before touching the one in front of my face. I felt the feathers touch one another as if they were my fingers. And that was when I heard mumbling and felt something touching my ribs. Looking towards my ribs, I saw a small horse-like creature resting beside me. It had a cream-colored coat and a red mane. It rested peacefully underneath where the wings covering my face emerged from. Wait. I wanted to look at my ribs. And this is what I see? No. No-no-no! This isn't right! I am NOT a horse. I screamed mentally while imagining myself getting up. And my four legs reacted accordingly making me stand up. Holy crap, I'm tall. DAMN IT! I cursed as it fell underneath me like a rolling log. "Sorry!" I shouted while it flayed around with its legs. "Calm down! You'll make me fall!" I added as it screamed with enough force to make my ears hurt. "I'm back! I'm back!" It screamed with a huge smile on its face. "I got hooves!" "Wait for a minute, Faust?" I asked while stepping away from the flailing legs. "What happened? What do you mean by I'm back?" That was when she looked at me. Eyes filled up with tears as she rolled to the side before she lowered her head to the ground and covered her face with one of her hooves. She began to sob and laugh at the same time as I tried to make sense of the situation. "I'm sorry. But it worked! You said you would help me find a way back. And you did!" She exclaimed while getting up, however, her hind leg didn't function properly. Which led to her almost falling to ground if I hadn't tried to catch her, and accidentally turned myself into a cushion in the process. She didn't stop chuckling and sobbing while on top of me. "I'm sorry! But I'm so glad! You're so fluffy!" She said while nuzzling on the soft fur on my chest. "Glad to be a Teddy Bear," I replied while rolling my eyes. "But would you be so kind as to tell me what is happening here?" I inquired while stretching my neck to look at her hind leg. Which happened to be flexed as if she didn't want her ankle to touch the ground. "Never mind, I think we should get that leg of yours checked. You seem familiar with the terrain, would you kindly point me to the nearest doctor?" Resting her head on what I eventually learned to be my quote-on-quote Chest Fluff, Faust stared at me for several seconds. Her ears moved around exactly as you would expect from a horse, and then she bopped my nose with her hoof. "Why are you so worried?" "You're a horse," I answered with a deadpan. "Pony," She replied with a frown. "That. And a pony or horse that breaks their leg usually ends up dead. Your's doesn't look broken. But I rather not take any chances," I replied while rolling to the side and getting on top of her. Which made me feel weird for a moment while staring at her laying on her back with her belly up like that. "Uh, I'm going to step back. You roll over, you get up while using me as a clutch, and you climb on to my back," I said in an almost robotic manner. "Sure thing, as soon as you step back, or are you having a hard time?" She said while staring at me with a smirk. I felt my ears perk up as my cheeks flushed with blood. She was toying with me and she was loving it. I backed away and repositioned myself by her side. After she got up, I knelled and she climbed on to my back. The size difference was considerable as she fitted almost perfectly on my back. The warmth on my back made me shiver a bit as the fur on the back of my neck stood up. The fact that her fur was soft and ticklish wasn't helping much. "Show the way, compass," I said while looking back on her. "The bridge is that way," She said while pointing with her hoof to my left. Following her instructions, Faust led me through what looked like the remains of an old castle. I could see some scorch marks on certain surfaces and pieces of tapestry, there clear signs of high-velocity impacts all over the area. It wasn't strange for me to find myself questioning how some of the architecture was still standing. Arch held in place by precariously piled rocks, a tower sustained by two severely damaged columns, and the list went on. The bridge Faust referred to was a rope bridge that seemed ready to give out on a moment's notice. The wood seemed rotten, and the ropes looked as thin as they come. The anchors holding the bridge in place looked like a child assembled by a child. "Are you sure we have to go through here?" I asked while stepping on the first plank. The thing creaked almost as if it was about to shatter. "This thing won't Support our weight. Maybe yours but not mine," I added while looking down on the ravine between us and the forest. That thing was deep enough to break some bones on impact. "Don't worry about it. This thing can sustain five ponies without a problem. Just go for it," Faust said almost as if spurring me like I was her mount. "I have ribs down there. Be so kind as to not kick them, please," I said while carefully taking the first step on the bridge. Contrary to its decrepit appearance, the damned thing didn't even shake when I stepped on it. The sway due to the wind was absent, nor did my pacing make it move. It was as if the thing was made of stone. But the creaking of the boards was enough for me to hop out of the damned thing as soon as I had enough confidence I could reach it. While I dealt with the fear of shattering my knees or something of the sort, Faust giggled and chuckled at every wince and freezing I had as I made my way across the ravine. I let out a sigh of relief after successfully landing on the other side of the ravine, meanwhile, Faust had begun to hum some catchy melody that began to loop in my head. I don't know where or when heard that thing, but it was familiar enough to make my ears twitch at the sound. "Which way, navigator?" I inquired, causing her to interrupt her humming. She bit my ear. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" It didn't hurt, mind you, but it felt, weird. "Don't interrupt my singing," She said with a weird tone before pointing her hoof diagonally to my left. "Keep heading that way. You won't miss the hut we are looking for. But do not, I repeat, DO NOT touch the bed flower filled with blue funny looking flowers," She said with a more serious tone. "Understood, captain!" I replied while she nuzzled my neck again. "Am I that good of a pillow?" I added with a small huff while dodging the roots and bushes. My response was a content hum as she began to sing the melody once more. If my internal clock was anything to go by, we spent about thirty minutes walking through a forest that was dark enough to be something out of a storybook; but not scary enough to demand caution. Faust kept humming the entire way as I navigated the tall retorted trees and bushes. The birds seemed to accompany her hum as they flew by my side almost in a rehearsed way. Looking back on Faust, I noticed that she had two birds sitting on her head cozily adjusting themselves in her red mane. She couldn't be more of a Disney Princess if she wanted to. I mused while halting my march. A strange bed of flowers rested on a small clearing, they were pretty. If Faust hadn't warned me to not touch them, I would probably pluck one to put on her head. The contrast between her mane and the blue petals would be an awesome combination. "We found the blue flowers. Do I keep going this way?" My response was a sleepy positive nod. Rolling my eyes, I thought of reaching for a pebble and throwing it on the other side just so I could know the right way to go. And to my surprise, a pebble floated in front of my eyes while enveloped in a silver aura. Picturing the rock flying in a straight line to the other side, I watched as it flew across the flowerbed landing on the opposite side while moving some dirt in the process. "Ok, that just happened." Carefully making my way around the flowers, I continued to move forward. The forest seemed to turn brighter; I walked by a dove and some other critters such as rabbits and squirrels. I saw a bear, but he ran off the moment it saw me. Good thing too, I didn't feel like wrestling a bear with a wounded mare on my back. Soon after spotting the bear, the scent of incense and what I think it was soup filled my nostrils. I followed the scent through the forest; we passed by a strange tree. Correction, trees. It was an apple tree tangled with a pear tree. Their trunks somehow created a heart. I paid no mind to it and continued to make my way through the forest. The path got dense once more, creating a somewhat darker atmosphere as I spotted a light in the distance. Approaching it with caution, I saw a hut built under the trunk of a tree. It looked like a witch's house, complete with eerie surroundings, hatchet on the outside, and some masks by the door. I am no cultural savant, but they looked like something you would find in Africa. I knocked on the door three times and waited. Glancing to the side, I saw someone looking at me from the window. However, they were quick enough to disappear into the hut before I could make out any features. I knocked on the door again. "Hello? My friend is hurt. I think there is something wrong with her leg. Could you help us?" I said while I stretched my neck towards the window. The front door unlocked. And from within the hut, a zebra opened the door. Sporting a warm smile, green eyes, and several golden rings on her ears, neck, right front leg, and tail; she looked directly at my eyes before taking a peek at Faust. Her mane was perfectly trimmed into a mohawk that followed the pattern of her stripes. She seemed friendly, and I did notice her muzzle had a different structure from Faust's. Why am I picking so much detail on them? "Come inside. Some dangers come with the night," She hummed with a serene voice that made my fur stand up. Turning around, she flicked her tail, giving me a full view of what should have been covered by her tail. "This one is Zecora, and she welcomes you to her den." This mare is dangerous. I mused while shaking my head. I had to bend my knees and lower my head to make it through the door. Luckily I could stand up normally inside, even if I took a considerable space to do so. I towered over the poor zebra as she made her way to the opposite side of the cauldron. She sat down and gestured me to do the same. "Faust, we're here," I said while poking her with my nose. She lazily opened her eyes before letting out a yawn. "We need to get you on the floor so she can take a look at your leg," I added while kneeling. "Ok," She said with a pout while sliding off my back and landing with three legs on the floor. "Nice to meet you, I'm Faust. This is Stellar Gate," Faust added with a confident smile. I tilted my head at the name. "Stellar Gate? Why did you call me that?" I asked while glancing at Zecora, who was looking at Faust's hind leg from a distance. "Because you are my Lucky Star that also became my Gate," She replied with a happy smirk. I cringed at the explanation, but I was glad that she had covered the basics of my name. Being the doofus that I am, I would probably end up using my original name and ending up in an awkward situation. It was around that time that I realized that I was occupying even more space now that I was down on my knees. And Zecora seemed to think that it was a good idea to reach Faust by passing in front of me. Her tail flicked and hit me on the jaw. "This one apologizes," She hummed while approaching Faust. "It would seem that she has a sprained ankle. Nothing too grave. Immobilizing it with a splint should suffice," I frowned at her analysis. "Wait. That was broken last night. How can it be healed?" I asked while coming dangerously close to Zecora's face. "I guess the magic flow fixed most of the damage before the jump," Faust said while looking at me. "You are aware that I do not understand a single word you just said, right?" I asked with a deadpan. "And when you're about to explain something, you should say things with conviction," I added with my ears falling flat. "I know. We need to get over those details later," She replied with a frown. "An earth pony jumping into alicorn isn't something you see every day. So, a few hiccups are expected," She added with a wink. "Use this one as a clutch. This one shall take you to her room where we shall dress that sprain," Zecora said while positioning herself between me and Faust. "The royal may rest here. Leaving after dark. It only welcomes dangers for those that stray too far," She said while leading Faust away. I am more worried about you in here than the things outside. Hold it, royal? I'm not a royal. Nevermind, she might be making fun of me. I mused while making my head lay on the ground. Holy shit my perception of time is fucked up. I thought the day had begun. But its nighttime? What is up with that? I thought while gazing out the window at the starry sky. Averting my eyes tot the crackling fire, I watched the flames climb the black iron. I was glad that Faust was ok. But there was something else eating away at me. What am I supposed to do now? I didn't think I would end up in another world. The body is responsive. But I don't know shit about what Faust was talking about. And speaking of her, what the hell is she? Not only did she turn me into a horse, but she also used me as a means to jump into another reality. WHO DOES THAT?! With those thoughts gnawing away at my mind, I closed my eyes in a meager attempt to fall asleep. Opening my eyes again, I felt a strange surge flood my body. It was as if I had taken two or three cups of black coffee with no intervals. I got up and saw that Zecora and Faust were fast asleep in a hay bed. Getting up with a giddy feeling of making my body move, I headed outside. There was a chopping trunk by the cabin with some uncut firewood. Seeing as I could make things levitate with ease if I pictured my hands manipulating the object, I thought of seeing how well I could manipulate this magic. Wasn't I worried about something? What was I worried about again? I mused while heading towards the hatchet, however, as I came close to the tool, the sound of something being cut made me stop. Paying a bit more attention to my surroundings, I noticed that I had activated my magic accidentally. I also came to realize that two auras were working, one would place the wood on the trunk and then remove it once the aura around the hatchet split the firewood in half. Ok, multitasking is a thing then. I mused before the tools suddenly fell to the floor. Glancing upwards, I saw that the aura around my horn had disappeared. Ok. That was me doing stuff unconsciously. Better be careful with that. I concluded while poking the hatchet with my hoof. Lifting my right hoof, I placed it on top of the hatchet as if I was about to grab it with my hand. You can imagine my surprise when I lifted my hoof. It's stuck?! No, HOW AM I HOLDING THIS? THIS IS NOT HOW THE HOOVES WORK! This is kinda awesome. I concluded while using my magic to place a piece of wood on the chopping block. Let's see how this goes. Getting on my hind legs, I held the hatchet with both hooves before taking a swing at the chunk of wood. The hatchet sunk on the wood before the handle split in half like a dried twig. Oh, my dear God. I can kill someone with a swing of my hoof. I concluded while staring at the hatchet that seemed sturdy enough to withstand a good amount of abuse. "Morning, it would seem that the hatchet found its match," Zecora greeted. I jumped a few meters into the air while letting out a yelp. Somehow, I landed on a tree branch and managed to grab hold of it causing me to hang like a cartoon barbecue. "I apologize, there was no intention of causing such as a stir." "I would appreciate it if you didn't sneak up on me like that. I would also appreciate it if you decided on how you speak and refer to yourself," I replied while climbing down the tree. Seriously, these hooves rock. "I, for one, tend to rhyme, whenever there are, never mind. This one tends to rhyme as a way to pass time. Oh, there it is," Zecora replied with a chuckle. "In any case, thank you for the firewood. This is more than enough to make the fire go until tomorrow morning," She added while getting closer to me. Gulping at her approach, I took a few steps around her while heading to the hut. "Well, thanks for helping my friend. I'm not sure where I was supposed to go after she got hurt." "The nearby town, a good choice, would have been," Zecora said while taking the lead and opening the front door. "There is a town nearby?" I inquired while tilting my head. "Faust didn't mention that. Weird," I added while entering the hut. Suddenly, I felt my eyelids get heavier. Dragging my hooves, I moved to the wall I had used the previous night before collapsing with a loud thud. The last thing I could remember was the scent of vanilla perfume. Very well, since the following days were a bit hectic. I should cover the details for Stellar. Hello, I am Faust, also known as, Fausticorn, God, Keeper of tomes, and so forth. Why am I the one filling up this part? Well, my little friend, who I have some plans for, apparently inherited more than just my magic and powers. During the time I spent traveling across realities, I ended up neglecting some necessities. And by neglecting it, I mean suppressing it, with spells. That isn't a healthy method of doing things. The main issue of it is how it builds up that necessity. And since Gate doesn't know how to use the spell to suppress it, he ended up suffering the effects of having all of what I held it in for a LONG time. And now that the cat is out of the bag, the events that followed his collapse will make more sense. Waking up with my hind leg being pulled, I opened my eyes to see Zecora removing my bandages and splint. She was very careful while handling my ankle. And it didn't take long for her to start manipulating it. "Is the pain gone?" She inquired while flexing my ankle. "Yes," I replied while getting up on my hooves. "Good, this one has a question. If you don't mind it that is," I responded with a gesture for her to continue. "Is your friend ok? He collapsed over there after this one got him to return inside. This one might know how to handle the injuries of a regular pony, but alicorns are another story entirely," Zecora said while pointing at Stellar, who was sweating a lot. "I'm not sure," I replied while trotting closer to Gate. His breathing was irregular and he kept squinting his eyes. "Gate? Are you ok? Um?!" Before I could react, Gate stretched his neck and pushed his lips onto mine. His eyes half-open as he pushed forward and got up, making me stumble backward. I ended up with my legs and stomach up in the air as he stood above me and kissed me. Pushing him back took everything I had, mind you that I wasn't against the gesture, but HE could end up regretting the kiss. "S-Stellar, you need to calm down," I muttered reluctantly. But, despite my words, he nibbled on my ear before breathing down my neck and mixing kisses and nibbles as he went downwards. "A-Ah. I-I think you might have inherited more than my magic. Y-you c-CAN'T!" I struggled with my words as he continued to explore my body. He then reached my privates. Looking at him, I realized that he stopped and raised his eyes at me. I felt my cheeks burning as I instinctively tried to hide behind my hooves. He didn't make a sound, but I felt his warm breath before he started to take care of me. Well, horses have long tongues. So, he reached very far into my insides while making me squeal and moan at the caress. Any sense of shame that I had was gone in a matter of seconds. Arching my back I wrapped my hindlegs around his neck while pressing both my forelegs on top of his head. My eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets as I felt his work with my walls. He didn't stop and I didn't even think of asking him to. My body began to twitch as I instinctively moved my flanks up and down against his mouth. The final push came as I let out a moan and hugged his head with all my legs using all of my strength. "T-there. Y-you had your fun," I mumbled while rolling around and trying to get on my hooves. However, only my hindlegs were able to sustain my weight. "N-now, lets?!" My line of thought came into a halt as I felt something touching me. "W-what are you-AH?!" Now, I had plans to get closer. More intimate, and more with Stellar. However, It would be an understatement to say that I did not plan for that. It seems that when I tried to get up and only my hind legs functioned properly. And he interpreted it as if I had presented me to him. And he took the invitation, wholeheartedly. As one would expect, meeting climax does leave the area sensible. Therefore, when he started ramming me, my mind went into overdrive. I lacked the means to house the rod that kept being thrust into me with increasing speeds. I could not speak. I could not move away from the pleasure I receive from it. My mind was lost in a sea of bliss as he continued to push me. My legs trembled with each thrust. Of all the words I knew, and all the knowledge I had from my time spent alive. All that left my mouth were moans and two words. "AH! Don't stop!" I'm not sure whether he never intended to stop, or if he heard my drunken plea. But regardless of the answer, he didn't let up. His movements got faster and stronger. Pushing me further and deeper into the delight that I fully accepted without remorse. My entire body trembled as he slowly made us walk forward. His breathing became louder, grunting at the effort he put into every movement. His cock slowly starting to twitch inside me, signaling the approaching climax and aftermath. I reflexively clenched my walls around him forcing him to put more effort into it. I probably wanted to enjoy every last second of it. The first mating in a LONG time. And I pushed him to deliver the feeling that I craved for so long. Suddenly, his movements became slower and cruder. Pushing his penis into me harder than before, he finally claimed me while my legs caved in causing him to have his hind legs collapse along with mine. Pumping me full of his seed, he ended up removing his cock once he was done. Leaving me on the floor, gasping for air and covered in sweat both mine, and his. It took what felt like a few minutes of being lost in a drunken bliss, but my senses gradually returned to me. And when they did, I realized that maybe, just maybe, having used the spells to hold back my heat wasn't the best idea. I knew that my stamina and other traits were enhanced by my alicorn state, and I did expect some reduction when I reverted into an earth pony. However, I didn't expect it to be so severe. The first thing that I saw when I woke up, was Zecora swallowing the ENTIRE length of Stellar's shaft. I had barely been able to handle half of the thing in me. But based on the white liquid dripping from Zecora's privates, she had already dealt with him, twice. And she was now swallowing the entire thing like it was nothing. Provided she was more half his size (something he didn't notice in earlier passages of this thing, probably because he kept his neck stretched and his eyes are probably adjusting to his new perception) and I was smaller than her, it shouldn't have been a surprise to see her do such a thing. The slurping noises were accompanied by grunts and heavy breathing while he hugged her flanks and pushed his cock into her mouth. And that was when he raised his head and gritted his teeth with the final push. Which led to his climax and her subsequent knockout after he climbed off her. And then, he collapsed on the floor. These intercourses continued for about two or three weeks. However, none were as intense as the first day. Stellar would wake up feeling like his usual self, he would help with the house and pick herbs to help with the food, meanwhile, we were recuperating from the pleasurable experience, and after a few hours after breakfast, he would revert into the instinct-driven beast that pretty much made me and Zecora very happy. The funny thing is, Stellar has no recollection of these events. It is almost as if his mind shut-down and allowed only instinct to act. Not that I mind the way he acts, but it would be nice if he could remember it. I bet his expression would be priceless in every occasion. Luckily for us, this little incident occurred out of the breeding season. This is a period in which all females go into heat and search for ways to satisfy their cravings. It is a very problematic season due to the peaks of 'the need' we experience. Had this happened during that time, and certainly, both I and Zecora would have fillies coming our way. Which would be bad given the fact we had to find a way to provide to said babies. And living in the woods filled with wild and dangerous animals wasn't the ideal place to raise a filly or a colt. So, since Stellar is probably reading this, I should say that we accepted your desire. We do not resent the time we spent together in this hut with you rutting us silly. And, we are hoping that you'll take good care of us again. Should the need arrive, that is. Kisses. Faust. I will not comment. I will not go into any detail as to how I feel right now. All I can say is that I wish to dig a hole and bury myself in it. The field of ruins should do the trick. > Town bound > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that I utterly embarrassed myself with that record and the mess that it was, time to continue with my recordings. After those events, thanks to their reactions it might not be necessary, but I might as well explain it as explicitly as possible: Faust and Zecora became fond of me, so to speak. I also began to consider ways of avoiding the surprise attacks from Instinct Drive (or I.D. as I will call it from now on). However, there were no results so far. This is mainly due to the lack of information beyond the fact that it lasts for twenty-one days. And that's all I can say on that subject, for now. As for the changes my little mishap brought, they vary. Firstly, I now have two mates. In order of hierarchy, Faust followed by Zecora. I'll get to the explanation of it later on so, bear with me. Secondly, I now share a bed with both of them. Zecora, who is much bigger than I originally thought, sleeps under my left-wing; meanwhile, Faust sleeps under my right-wing. Both of them snuggle close to me while Zecora rests her neck above mine. There is also a spooning thing. Usually, it's a couple's thing. In my case, I have to stretch my wing as a blanket to cover both Faust and Zecora. It is obvious how uncomfortable this is as both I AND my body seem to be VERY attracted to them. Meaning, constant contact makes me react to them during the night. Those are the main changes and the ones that concern me the most. Now, back to the record. Waking up to a refreshing aroma of flowers, I blinked several times before yawning and stretching. My body felt loose and light as a feather. After popping my neck, I walked towards the room where Zecora and Faust slept. Quickly glancing at them, I realized that they seemed exhausted. Therefore, I decided to prepare the mix of herbs Zecora prepared for us the past couple of weeks. I wonder what happened yesterday. I remember chopping wood outside. Then, there was a faint smell of vanilla. I mused while picking the herbs with my magic. This telekinesis ability was by far the easiest to handle. And the only one I even attempted to master. "Morning," A lazily sounding voice came from behind me, it was Faust's. "Hey! Morning!" I greeted while preparing the herbs on a plate. "I'm getting breakfast ready. How are you feeling?" "Wonderful," Faust said with a strangely happy voice. "What time is it?" "Since we don't have a clock, I can only try and guess based on the sun's position. I would say it's around twelve? Maybe earlier," I replied without much care after poking my head out the window. Thanks to telekinesis, I could easily perform both tasks without any effort. "WHAT?!" She exclaimed loudly, this caused Zecora to nearly jump off the bed and stand on alert. "Are you ok?" Faust asked while staring at me. "I'm feeling better than ever," I replied raising a hoof in a fist bump. "My entire body feels so light, it's amazing." "You're not feeling any urges, are you?" Faust inquired while Zecora tried to wake up completely. Looking at myself, I scratched my chin before answering. "Not really, why?" "Is it time for the stallion's fun?" Zecora asked with a somewhat drowsy voice. "This one is still recovering from yesterday. It's better if Faust first has her way. Rest her privates this one needs to." Zecora added while stretching. "What's she talking about?" I inquired while looking at Faust who had the fakest smile I had ever seen in my life. "I think it might be best if we eat before speaking about this. Otherwise, your appetite might be ruined," Faust said while pulling Zecora towards the table room. "That's reassuring," I mumbled while using my magic to eat my portion of the food. Our breakfast was silent. There wasn't a single word, let alone the sound of breathing. We could hear birds on the outside without any issues, and the leaves from the tree above us had a brighter conversation than the worried expression on Faust's face as she nibbled on her food. It felt as if she was trying to buy time. Zecora, on the other hand, seemed exceedingly happy while she hummed to her food. "Ok. What's going on here?" I asked once Faust was done with her food. She seemed reluctant for a second, but then, she took a deep breath and spoke. "What is going on is that you mated both of us," Faust blurted. "Several times a day, for twenty-one days. Without fail," She added with a slight blush on her face. Staring at her for several seconds, I looked at Zecora for confirmation. She nodded positively with a huge smile. She seemed content and satisfied. Faust seemed happy as well, but she also looked embarrassed. Shit. Shit. SHit. SHIT. Wait. But. I don't. When? How did I? They. And me. Twenty-one? Happy face? Babies? Me? Father? What? WHAT? "Sometimes at the same time," Zecora said with a faint blush as Faust tried to hide her face behind her hooves. My response to that bullshit of an information dump was simple and concise. "WHAT?!" "Well, when you took my magic, I think, you also took other things I kept locked away. Including a certain necessity that I kept magically suppressed," Faust said while scratching her neck. "So, I think that you were affected by it. And sought to satisfy that necessity. There is a way to suppress it again. But it won't be healthy for you to do so. Therefore, we don't mind if we help you there," Faust said while she shrunk on her seat. "Although, we will certainly need one more. Otherwise, both of us will just end up sore," Zecora said with a snarky tone. "I would say at least two or three!" Faust interjected before covering her mouth immediately as my head dropped on the table. "I-It's not that we didn't like it! Far from it! J-just for the sake of not having our downstairs ticklish and our legs being wobbly the morning after," She explained making me headbutt the table. "Please, kill me now," I mumbled while covering my face with my hooves. "I am the worst! I just got here and I'm double-timing someone and can't even remember it!" I said while pushing my head towards the table. I remained like that for several seconds before I took a deep breath. "OK! I will take responsibility for both of you! We will head to the nearby town have both of you checked and see if either of you is pregnant. After that, we will get ourselves a home there. And then, I will find a job. If either of you can help out before the pregnancy gets-?!" I was interrupted by Faust that raised her hoof with a bright smile. Looking at Zecora, I saw the same type of smile on her face. "As happy as hearing that makes me, you don't have to worry about that," Faust said while changing sides on the table and sitting by my side. "I am happy about you feeling responsible and being concerned about us. But, this is my fault. I did this to you. So, even if you were afraid and wanted to part ways I wouldn't blame you," She said while nuzzling my chest. "Now, in regards to a baby. You needn't worry because of two things. Firstly, mares are only fertile during a specific season. Therefore, sex outside that period is completely safe. And destined only for pleasure. Secondly, when a mare is pregnant the mark from the partner appears on their belly. And as you can see, I am clean," Faust explained while pointing at herself. "Ok. But what about Zecora. She is not a pony. She is a zebra. And I don't mind that in the least. But, do the same rules apply to her?" I asked while glancing at Zecora. "We do have some small differences. Mainly, our seasonal fertility starting later, and thus, ending later. And there is also the fact we do not have the marks of our partners appear on our abdomen. We do not have Cutie Marks, but we do have tattoos to symbolize the path we chose," Zecora replied before doing the same thing as Faust. "However, there is another matter that needs to be addressed. The head mare of the herd," Zecora said while leaning against me. "Right. The herd," Faust muttered while bringing her hoof to her chin. "So, as much as monogamy is a thing from where you're from Stellar, here in Equestria, polygamy is common practice due to an imbalance in the male-female birth ratio. Because of that, males tend to be pampered and cared for. Because they are almost like a commodity. And this means, well, it means that..." Faust stuttered, it felt almost as if she didn't want to offend me or something. "It means that the dominant behavior you just displayed is rare and considered an impressive allure. Because most males tend to be submissive and fawn over the mare that desires them," Zecora said bluntly. "Most males would not offer to look for a job, or even say that they would take responsibility for the newborns they were responsible for conceiving. In most cases, they will say that they will be in the care of the mare they fertilized," Zecora added while leaning harder against me. "In other words, you can stay as you are, or turn submissive and let us take the lead," She whispered in my ear with a weird tone. O-k. Not happening. I will help with what I can. I just need to bear in mind that I will attract attention to that behavior. As long as I keep myself focused, I should be safe and sound. I pondered while turning to face Zecora. "What Zecora said is true. Equestria is a matriarchy, therefore, most things and relationships are centered around mares," Faust said while rubbing her leg with her hoof. "So, you would need to deal with some weird looks and speeches about your supposed place in society. And in the herd, there is usually a main mare that makes most decisions on who enters the group. The male has a say in picking candidates in a healthy and balanced herd. But the final word goes to the head mare. In unbalanced herds, the male just takes care of the house and has no say in who joins the herd," Faust added while glancing at me with the corner of her eyes. "And the head mare is determined by?" I asked while turning to Faust. "The first mare that the stallion chooses to mate," Zecora interjected. "In this case, Faust," She added while stretching her neck towards Faust. "Oh, ok," I said while getting up. "I'll go outside for some air. Then, we can talk some more on what to do now," I added while absentmindedly walking towards the door. I sat outside for quite some time while looking at the sky. As far as I was concerned I had never had a chance at getting a girlfriend, a relationship. Now, I was in a polygamous world and had not one, but two (ponies of all things) females tangled up with me. Worst of all, I couldn't remember a thing about how I got to that point. I felt like trash and just wanted to disappear from the face of this planet. My parents would have a lot of scolding ready for me. I can see their faces now. "Is the royal worried about the relationships?" Zecora asked while I lazily slumped on the dirt looking at a leaf of grass. "You don't need a Ph.D. to figure that out," I replied bluntly before blowing the leaf and watching it wave around. "If it is too much to bear, this one is more than willing to leave," Zecora said, which made my ears perk. Looking back on her, I saw a sad smile on her face as she sat beside me. "This one has been alone for quite some time. Therefore, solitude is an old friend and almost second nature," She added while moving a bit closer to me. "But at least allow this one to enjoy this one last time before you take your leave." With those words, Zecora leaned against me and nuzzled my feathers and fur. I felt the warmth from her as well as her heartbeat. It felt familiar, comforting. It was at that moment that I felt something. My heart almost synched with hers. My chest felt warm and my cheeks felt warm. I felt welcome, it, it was similar to an embrace. I pictured my arms wrapping around her and in response, my wing moved away from her causing her to look at me. I moved my head closer to her while my wing went over her. I pressed my forehead against hers, which made my horn mess with her mane. "You don't have to go anywhere, neither do we," I whispered to her. "I'm not leaving either of you. And I'm not going to hurt any of you either," I added while opening my eyes to see a teary-eyed Zecora trying her best to not sob like a child. "T-thank you," She stuttered while closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against mine. "T-this one doesn't know what to say beyond that." "It's because there isn't anything more to be said," I replied finally backing away from her. That was when something struck me. "You said you were accustomed to being alone. Yet, there is a town nearby, why didn't you try to talk to them?" "It doesn't matter," Zecora replied while whipping off the tears from her eyes. "This one is not alone anymore." Getting up and placing one of my hooves on her shoulder, I looked into her eyes before speaking again. "Why didn't you head into town?" Zecora stared at me before frowning and averting her gaze. "T-This one has attempted to enter the town. More than once. But, it was to no avail. The city has not been the most hospitable of places or the most welcoming for that matter," Zecora said almost in shame. "Ok. That is not ok!" I said picking her up and tossing her on my back. Then I walked back to the hut and slammed the door open. "Faust, up and at them. We are heading to town. Now," I said picking her up and putting her on my back before she had a chance to respond. "You two are way too light. Ok! Path to the village, now," I said while walking outside. "T-that way," Zecora said while pointing towards a path. "B-but you don't have to-ouch! Why did you do that?" Zecora asked. "Just enjoy the ride. He probably won't let us get down now," Faust replied while I trotted through the forest. "Plus, if you just let it go, you probably feel very comfortable." And thus, I had two mares on my back while they just seemed to use my coat as a fluffy pillow. The walk to the village was shorter than the walk to the ruins, maybe because of my pacing, but that's beside the point. The path was also different from before as the area was dark but less dense than the path to the ruins. It felt like an ominous walk through a dark forest. Once I had the village in sight, Zecora nearly strangled me, which caused me to stop. "What was that for?" I asked while she jumped off my back, and so did Faust. "Allow this one to show you what happened when this one first arrived at the village," Zecora said while jumping off the bushes. And thus I felt my ears ringing as a chorus of screams echoed across the calm-looking town. The area was originally quiet and rather plain. Other ponies were walking around, I could see some stalls open. There was even a pegasus flying around with a mailman outfit. But, the moment Zecora came into the streets, the ponies disappeared into puffs of smoke and she was left alone. "Alright, that's stupid!" I said while walking off the bushes while a panicking Zecora kept gesturing me to go back. "ALL OF YOU! COME OUT HERE NOW!" I screamed at the top of my lungs while stomping my hoof on the ground. There was no response, so I walked to a weird round building with a lot of windows that had a fancy sign over its door. It read: Carousel Boutique. I raised my hoof and began knocking on it. "GO AWAY, ENCHANTRESS!" A voice screamed from within. Scowling deeply, I knocked harder on the door, which caused it to break it off its hinges and made it fall into the ground. Suddenly a white unicorn mare rushed to the door with a deep scowl and closed eyes. "You ruffian! I don't know what type of spell she has you under but it does not allow you to break down my door!" She screamed while firmly keeping her eyes shut. "Why are you keeping your eyes closed?" I asked with a frown. "Because it's obvious that she did something to you after you looked at her! Did you see her?! She is covered in stripes, she must have hypnotized you!" She replied while frowning at my legs. "That is stupid. If she hypnotized me, she would be the key to making you hypnotized. Right now, she is hiding behind a bush way back there." I said while pointing at the bushes she submerged into. "Just open your eyes and look at me. You're scowling at my knees right now," I added while rolling my eyes. The mare reluctantly opened her left eye and then looked up. Somehow, she turned paler, and considering she was white, that is an accomplishment. She stood up straight and froze as if she had seen a ghost. Ok. Maybe I'm too tall. I thought while lowering my head to her level. "Lady? Lady? Are you ok?" I asked while waving my hoof in front of her face. She didn't move until I bopped her muzzle. "I-I am soo s-sorry!" She said while assuming a weird posture. It looked like she was bowing. "I-I didn't know you were a royal. Please, forgive me!" "Again with the royal thing. Listen, I'm here because of how you guys are treating Zecora! I didn't mean to break your door. I'm sorry about that. I'll find a way to pay for the damage, but for now, I'm going to fix this mess with how you're all mistreating Zecora. So, Come along," I said while stepping away from the store as she followed close behind. > Meeting > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ok! Now that everyone is here, let's start with PROPER introductions," I said while taking a seat at the fountain and looking at the three mares present. "My name is Stellar Gate. That over there with the red mane is Faust. The Zebra is Zecora. And the lady in white is?" I said while pointing a each of them in a sequence. "R-rarity," The walking marshmallow said while looking at me with an expression of horror. "Pleasure to meet you. Now, I am here for a simple reason," I said while lowering my hoof and turning to Zecora. "Zecora is one of my mates. Faust is the head mare. But that doesn't mean anything right now. The issue is how your ponies are treating Zecora. She is not a witch, an enchantress, a sorcerer, or whatever bridle gossip you folks came up with. She is a mare. And she lives in the forest. And all she wants to do is trade." The marshmallow looked at me with a confused look before looking at Zecora and then back at me. "A-are you sure she didn't bewitch you with spells or potions?" "The only thing she did was help us. And be a part of this," I replied while hopping to sit between the two and wrapping my wings around them. "So, I would appreciate it if she could start trading with you guys without everyone running as if she has chemical weapons or a disease," I added with a frown. "LET HER GO!" A tomboyish voice cried out before I felt something hitting my back. It felt like a child trying to hit someone but all they can do is make the adult chuckle at the effort. Looking behind me, I saw a rainbow-maned pegasus with a cyan coat. They turned white when they saw my face. Then there was a loud gasp and they were pulled away by a magic aura. I looked back at the marshmallow and she had her forehead pressed against the dirt and the pegasus had her head stuck to the ground. "She is so sorry!" The marshmallow said while pushing the cyan one's face against the dirt. "No harm no foul?" I answered inquisitively as I pushed the marshmallow's hoof off the cyan pegasus. "I'm Stellar Gate. This is Zecora, and this is Faust. Is there something you need with us?" I added after cleaning the dirt from her mane and face. "I, I-I thought that you were keeping Rarity hostage," The pegasus replied while her voice grew quieter with every word that left her mouth. "Why would I do that?" I inquired while tilting my head. "Because of her?" The pegasus said meekly while pointing at Zecora. Looking at the pegasus and then back at the unicorn, I sighed before planting my hoof on my face. "This is exactly what I mean. You didn't even meet Zecora. And you automatically assumed she was an-?!" "She is an evil enchantress! And, and...oops," A pink pony appeared out of nowhere while singing. She stared at me for a couple of seconds before letting out a nervous chuckle. "Haha. So, you're new. Ha-ha." "Were you trying to improvise a song about how evil Zecora should be because she is different?" I asked while letting my wings fall and my ears folded back. "I HAVE A PARTY TO PLAN!" The pink pony screamed before darting into oblivion. "Should I be worried?" I asked Rarity while letting out an exasperated sigh. There was no response from her because she was unconscious. So I turned to the pegasus that ran so fast she left a trail of rainbow colors behind. "Leave mah friends alone!" Another mare screamed while jumping on top of the unconscious mare to shield her. "We are not here to hurt anyone. And Zecora is not an evil enchantress. I swear I will scream at the next pony that says that. My patience is running thin!" I said while gritting my teeth. "Oh, is that so?" The blond mare said while stepping away from the unicorn and taking a seat. "Mah name is Apple Jack. A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness!" She said in a chipper tone while offering her hoof. "That was a one-eighty if I ever saw one," I replied while staring at Apple Jack. "You don't seem to be lying. That's good enough for me," She replied with a smile. "Sure," I said while hesitantly taking her hoof and shaking it up and down. "So, should I do something about her?" I said while pointing at Rarity with my muzzle. "Nah, she will wake up before long," Apple Jack said before clearing her throat. She then took a deep breath. "EVERYONE! COME ON OUT! ZECORA IS NOT A WITCH! WE HAVE A VISITOR!!" She cried out without any ceremony. As soon as she screamed that, ponies started to poke their heads out the windows and look at our mismatched group. They approached us with caution. However, they were at least looking at us, and not running away in fear. Curiously enough, all of them seemed to bow to me as they approached. Their tiny little bodies shake while staring at my frame. I could see a few flushed faces as I kept my wings around Faust and Zecora. That was when I started to realize the difference in size between them and me. Zecora had a build closer to mine, but they? They looked like a bunch of puppies walking near an adult dog. I am way too big. Oh, god. I did it with Faust and Zecora. I didn't hurt them, did I? I realized while taking a peek at my partners who were leaning close to me. Faust was half-asleep, like usual, but Zecora? Zecora looked happy and slightly terrified. That was when I realized that the ponies weren't speaking. They were just, sitting. It looked like a scene from a cult or something. They were standing there looking at me. "Um, can I help?" I said earning their immediate attention as their ears perked up and their eyes widened. "Faust, what's going on?" I whispered while stretching my neck towards her. "They are waiting for you to tell your name, title, and domain," She whispered back while shielding her mouth. "I don't have any of those!" I whispered back in a blind panic. "You're an alicorn. That automatically makes you a prince. We will need to measure things out later since your ranking is based on power alone," She whispered back with a chuckle, however, I stopped processing at the "prince" part. "I AM A WHAT NOW?!" I shouted while nearly having a whiplash because of my neck stretching. All of the ponies around us lowered their heads and covered themselves. "Sorry! I was just surprised. No need to panic!" I said while raising my hoof to all of the ponies present. "You are a prince. As for your domain, let me check your mark," Faust said while getting up and turning her back on the crowd to look at my butt. "Ok. Origin! That's my domain. You might hold mine for the time being because of the whole gate part," She said before turning back to face me. "So, just tell them my name, that I am a prince, and that I have a domain over Origin?" I inquired earning a positive nod from Faust. Raising my head, I took a deep breath and looked at the crowd. They still looked terrified but didn't look like they were about to faint. Even Rarity was up once more. "Ok. My name is Stellar Gate. I am a Prince, or I think I am. And my domain is Origin. It is, uh, a pleasure to meet all of you." "I am going to throw that comment about speaking with conviction right at you now," Faust said with a snarky tone. "Well, forgive me for suddenly having a title! I can't get a bachelor under control, how am I supposed to lead a bunch of ponies that look like they are about to faint if I so much as breathe differently?" I whispered back while glaring at her. The fact that she found my anger amusing only made me more annoyed. "Well, you better get to make amends then. Because these ponies are about to have heart attacks," She replied with a chuckle before touching my muzzle with her hoof. "Very well, smarty-pants," I said in a low growl while pushing my muzzle against hers. "How the fuck do I do that?" "Well," Faust replied while raising her hoof to her chin. She stayed like that for a couple of minutes before letting out a gasp and pointing her hoof to the sky. I felt as if I was about to witness a genius idea. "I don't know," She said bluntly as I took notice of several children approaching us. Their parents looked mortified as their children sat in front of me with their big eyes. "Are you strong, Mister Prince?" One of the little ones asked as I tilted my head. "I believe so?" I said while giving Zecora a curious look. She nodded. "I am pretty strong." "Can you do special magic?" A white unicorn filly with a pink and purple mane asked while stepping closer to me. "I'm still figuring out how to make my magic work. I can make things float, of that much I'm sure," I replied while making Faust float and spin circles in the air. That earned a giggle from the group as well as Faust. "How can you know not know magic when you're an alicorn?" A snorty-sounding pink filly with a tiara asked while I placed Faust on the floor beside me. "I was an earth pony before turning into an alicorn. So, yeah. It's new territory for me," I replied as I remembered Faust's words to Zecora when we first met. The situation seemed to be defusing itself as the ponies seemed less mortified with the tone I had been using with the kids. That was when it dawned on me. Maybe, if I can win the children, they might loosen up a bit? "Are you looking for a new partner for your group?" The little white filly from before asked with huge eyes. I was taken aback by that question. "Um, not for now? Why are you asking such a thing?" I asked while trying to keep a straight face. Faust seemed to be thoroughly enjoying my embarrassment. The little one then walked up to Faust, probably due to my uncertain response, and sat in front of her. "Get him to marry my sister too! Kiss her and she will wake up! She always wanted to marry a prince! That would make me a princess as well, right?" The little filly replied happily as she clapped her hooves together. My mind went overdrive as Faust laughed up a storm. I needed to defuse that and change the subject. I froze in place while staring at the little one, and fell into the fountain. This caused a huge splash of water that covered drenched Faust and Zecora. "Stellar?" Zecora asked while I lay on the water staring into the abyss of my choices up to that point. I must have caused Faust to worry. Or, at least, made her wonder why I simply laid in the water. Because Faust cautiously approached me with a nervous smile. "Stellar? Are you ok?" She asked before she started poking my neck. Zecora followed close behind, appearing in my field of view seconds later. Suddenly, I hopped back on my hooves and landed on top of the two mares. Both of them let out a yelp before they landed on the water too with their hooves in the air and their bellies up. I stared at them as both of them grew quiet. Their cheeks started to flush as their eyes widened. There was a strangely familiar feeling to that scene. And they looked like they knew what would happen next. I kept my serious face for a few seconds while slowly getting closer to them. From my position, I could see the rest of the villagers looking at me with curiosity and burning cheeks. "Got you," I finally said before making a goofy face. I then hopped away from them, causing the water drenching my coat to fly everywhere. The ponies around me stared at me in confusion while I focused on the reaction of the two in the fountain. I showed them my tongue, Zecora and Faust looked at each other before smirking and staring at me with malicious smiles. "Ok, that's it!" Both of them said while getting up and preparing to chase me. I smiled at them before looking at the ponies who seemed to have loosened up a bit but still looked confused. Stretching my right front foreleg, I bopped a beige mare with a white mane on the nose. She shook her head before looking at me confused. "None of you seem to have a sense of humor. How about a game?" I said while all of the ponies looked at me with even more confusion. "What none of you ever played tag?" I asked while looking at the beige mare that seemed to be trying to solve the meaning of life while staring at me. "I know how to play!" A little yellow filly with a red ribbon on her head said while rushing close to me. Then, an orange one came closer too. Next, came a white one with green eyes. Then the rest of the children along with a pink mare. "All of you know how to play, right?" The mare asked as the little ones replied in a chorus of positive answers. "Ok then," I said while looking back at Faust and Zecora who were looking at me with sinister grins. "These are the rules. They are it," I said while pointing at Zecora and Faust. "If they catch me the game ends. But if they catch you, you help them catch me, ok?" I explained as the little ones nodded. "Ok! Catch me if you can!" I yelled at the two before picking up the three fillies that first approached me and tossing them on my back. Zecora and Faust lost no time to try and catch me and the little ones. I kept the game to the town square. Running in between the ponies that looked flabbergasted at the display, I saw them slowly loosen up and laugh at the ludicrous scene of an army of children following me as the two mares tried to catch us. Due to my maneuvering between the adults, some of them started to run with Faust and Zecora. Soon, two stampedes occurred at the same time. One composed of me and the children who seemed very happy with the play. And the other was composed of the adults that decided to play along. This made more than half the ponies that were in the town square to start chasing me, while the other half were either laughing at the strange game or behaving as if they were watching a scene from a horror movie. The ones chasing the children and I eventually caught some of the kids. They placed them on their backs before giving chase. Everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun. And I could hear some of them trying to come up with strategies to catch me while we ran. Everything seemed to be going well until I tripped over a rock. The fillies went flying towards the fountain while I rolled on the dirt. However, they didn't seem to be too bothered as they were laughing at the entire thing. Even after they crashed on the fountain, they continued to laugh as I was duck piled by Faust and Zecora. "Caught you," Both mares said while I shook the dirt off my head. Everyone seemed to be laughing and the tension from before seemed to have dispersed. And now, I was covered in dirt and mud as well as Zecora and Faust. "Ok, we won. What do we get?" Faust said with a smirk while getting off me. Zecora didn't wait too long to do the same. "Um, I don't know?" I said while getting up. "How about you clean both of us?" Zecora suggested with a sly smile on her face. I don't know if I'm ok with this development. I don't think this bodes well for me. I concluded while letting out a resigned sigh. "So, you're not going to punish us?" The beige mare from before asked while stepping forth. Unlike most ponies who seemed to be speaking amongst themselves, she seemed worried about how things would develop. "Like I've been saying, I only came here to try and fix the situation with how Zecora was treated," I replied while sitting on the dirt. Being covered with dirt at that point wouldn't make a difference. "Well, I hope you understand then, but," The mare said while behaving as if she was an elephant in a crystal store. "I need to report your arrival to the capital," She said while trying to change the subject. "Of course. But, what did you want to say?" I inquired while staring at her. "Um, well, why are taking the lead on this entire situation? No offense, but, even as an alicorn, you're, well," She replied while struggling to speak her mind. "That's mainly because of how's been living on his own until I came around," Faust intervened causing the mare to widen her eyes. "H-he lived on his own?" She inquired as she answered her question. Faust patiently nodded as the mare turned to me awestruck. "B-but, how?" "Once he was old enough, he left his parent's house. So, he got his place and started living on his own," Faust continued as I looked at her inquisitively. How the fuck does she know that stuff? "But, to leave his home without a fiancée. How could his parents be ok with that?" The mare pressed on while staring at me as if I was some sort of weird exhibition. "Because they prepared him to live on his own," Faust retorted while I started to feel slightly uncomfortable about the information Faust had on me. At this point, the beige mare looked ready to faint. And I was ready to pull Faust over so we could have a conversation regarding my private life, which she was freely tossing around without my consent. However, the marshmallow woke up with a loud gasp before she went straight into hyperventilation. I stared at the panicked mare for a couple of seconds before speaking. "Lady Rarity, you need to relax more. And I'm telling you that, you're in bad shape," I quipped while rolling my eyes as Rarity just nodded repeatedly at sonic speed. "Rarity. I know he looks scary. But Stellar is a big goof," Faust said to Rarity. This made Rarity's eyes roll to the back of her head before she collapsed again. "I'm very tempted to throw water at her now. This is ridiculous," I mumbled while grabbing the collapsed mare and tossing her on my back. Once again, everyone seemed ready to faint as I committed another sin worthy of receiving immediate divine punishment. Which, of course, didn't come. "Let's put her back at her home." The little white filly from before hopped forward and stood before me. "I'll take you there! Follow me!" She exclaimed before her little legs turned into a blur and she skipped away toward a fancy-looking house. Somehow, I don't doubt she would live there. I mused while following the little one. Except I didn't get very far before Rarity woke up. She started screaming and kicking before falling off my back and dashing into her home while grabbing the little one. I stood there baffled at the fact that she kicked my head not once or twice, but three times without me feeling a thing. "Talk about a first meeting," I mumbled before I heard wheels squeaking by my side. I turned my face to the side and saw a very peculiar thing. A black hole with a blue circle surrounding it. "TIME FOR A PARTY!" I heard before an explosion occurred and I blacked out.