> The Convoluted Life of Gleaming Shield
>  by Anon A Mous
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Character Creation: Campaign Start
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sound of wet flesh slapping together filled the room, along with the thick scent of sex. It was a pungent aroma; so heavy that one could almost taste it just by breathing through the mouth. It was the type of fragrance that would linger for many hours afterward, regardless of how many windows were opened and how many scented candles were burned.

It didn’t really matter though. Gleaming Shield had long since grown used to the sickly stink and she barely even noticed it anymore.

She instead just lay there—head buried in her pillows and eyes closed tight—as her body rocked back and forth to the frantic rhythm of the colt currently draped over her back. He clutched at her hips, humping desperately as he worked away at her backside. Grunts and snorts escaped him as he puffed along like a freight train, his face a rather unseemly shade of red.

“Aaah, buck,” he gasped. His pace quickened and Gleaming felt him swell inside her.

Good, she thought, ‘s about time too. Cracking open an eye, she groaned upon finding her vision blocked by the tangled nest of mane that splayed out about her head. The two-tone blue hairs hung in front of her eyes and about her cheeks, with only the tip of her muzzle visible. This is going to be one of the worst cases of bedhead I’ve had in a while…

Snorting softly, she blew enough hair out of her eyes in order to see the glowing face of the alarm clock resting on her bedside table. She took in the time for a moment before sighing internally. Buuuck. Closing her eye again, she played around with the idea of falling asleep again. She didn’t get much sleep earlier and her body was already exhausted and achy. In fact, the colt’s grip on her was the only thing keeping her hind end from collapsing down into the sticky wet spot that was slowing growing on the bedsheets beneath her.

“Ummmph!” A grunt escaped her as the colt gave a particularly hard thrust. Very little pleasure accompanied the action though—given the colt’s size—but the sudden increase in motion made her decision up for her: there was no possible way she was going to be able to fall asleep with how hard the colt was going to town on her.

Sighing, Gleaming resigned herself to the wait.

Come on, she grumbled to herself. Finish already. I’ve got things to do and places to be. Halfheartedly, she flexed her muscles, clenching her marehood around the pistoning cock inside her in an attempt to speed up the process.

The colt inhaled sharply, his pace faltering for a moment before he seemed to redouble his efforts. His balls slapped painfully against her marehood, causing a mixture of their arousals to splash against her inner thighs. Another squeeze and he finally stiffened, his entire body going rigid as he pushed his hips against hers firmly.

“Finally,” Gleaming muttered under her breath before fighting back a yawn. Inside her, she felt a jerk, the colt’s member kicking for a moment before the sporadic twitching began. He let out a whimpered “Oh sweet merciful Celestia” before burying his muzzle into the nape of Gleaming’s neck at the same time his head flared inside her. Judging by the location of the sensation, he barely reached the halfway mark. Maybe four inches at most.

Giving her marehood a few more lackluster clenches, Gleaming let the colt ride out the sensation for a few more seconds before unceremoniously tipping her plot over onto the bed. The colt collapsed onto the mattress beside her, his still-twitching member slipping free easily. It slapped wetly against his stomach, the pink condom slick with juices. Its reservoir tip barely had anything in it.

“Ha… ha… ha…” the colt gasped, his eyes crossed. “That… that was… amazing…”

“Yeah, it was great,” Gleaming mumbled unenthusiastically. “Glad you liked it.”

“Did you cum, babe?” the colt asked, giving her a smirk.

Gleaming didn’t look over. “Oh yes. Many times. It was nice having you, but sadly it’s time to go. You know the way out.” She shifted slightly, only to wince. When she had dropped, her flank had landed right in the middle of the sex puddle and she could feel the hairs on her rump getting matted with the sticky fluids. She’d definitely need a shower before she did anything else. Buck. This much mess for something that barely felt good? Great, just great. And here I was, hoping that I could just get up and go.

“Oh, come on, babe,” the colt huffed. “At least give me a minute, okay? I can barely feel my legs? Besides, wouldn’t you like to cuddle afterward?” She could hear the smile in her voice without even looking.

“Nope,” she replied. “Not interested. Time to go. Down the hall, to the left, straight ahead. Close door behind you.” 

The colt stared at the back of her head for a moment before tsking in annoyance. Rolling off the bed, he landed on his hooves with almost no difficulty. Atop his forehead, his horn began to glow with weak green light. “Alright, alright,” he grunted. “Have it your way. I already got what I wanted.” As he walked away, he tugged the condom off with his magic. Tying it off, he tossed it over his shoulder. It flew through the air before landing on Gleaming’s flank with a wet slap.

“Catch ya later, babe,” he called back before leaving the room.

Gleaming said nothing.

She just lay there, listening in silence as his hoofsteps faded, followed shortly by the sound of the front door opening and closing echoing down the hall. In the quiet that followed, she let out a long and drawn-out sigh.

Finally, she stretched, only to wince as her back legs twitched and cramped. “Buuuck,” she groaned as the joints popped. Pulling herself to the edge of the bed, she grimaced as the sheets clung to her leg, following her and coming free of the mattress.

“Disgusting,” she grumbled. “Why is there so much? I didn’t even cum once. Uggghh…” Peeling the sheets off, she crumbled them up and tossed them back onto the bare mattress. “Deal with that later.” She dragged herself to the door, pausing long enough to deposit the condom in the trash bin by the door.

“Right.” She dragged a hoof through her messy mane, wincing as it caught on several knots. “First things first. Coffee… and then a shower.” Straightening up, she took a step only to wince as her thighs brushed together, sticky with fluids. She tsked before letting out a huff. “Fine. Fine… shower first, then coffee. Cold shower, though. Don’t need to fail asleep in there. Again.”
> Level 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was sinking beneath the horizon when Gleaming arrived at the palace’s entrance. Coffee in magic and armor clanking against her body, she bypassed the main door and instead proceeded around the corner and towards a small door hidden behind two large thorn bushes. It creaked loudly as she pushed it open, the hinges rusted and in need of a good oiling. It took a great amount of effort to open the iron door, and it was almost impossible to do so without alerting everypony nearby that somepony was coming or going.

It was the perfect employee entrance.

As the door slammed shut behind her, Gleaming made her way down the narrow hall. She sipped at her coffee as she passed several empty offices, eventually emerging into a medium-sized room that contained several couches, along with two dining tables and a small kitchenette in the corner. A dozen or so bulletin boards lined the bare walls, each almost completely covered in papers of various colors and sizes.

The small break room was occupied too. Four ponies were present, each one decked out in golden armor. They barely reacted as Gleaming entered, save for one looking up long enough to see who had just arrived. Upon seeing her, the mare returned to what she had been doing. Namely, playing cards with two other guards at one of the tables. The fourth guard was resting on the couch, her eyes half-closed and an ear cocked.

Ignoring all of them, Gleaming made her way towards the largest of the bulletin boards, intent on checking to see if anything new had been posted since yesterday. It was the news board, and as such the latest changes in policies, available positions, and inquiries about getting shifts covered were all posted there. She always checked once a shift, just to keep herself up to date on the goings-on of work (and maybe get some extra hours in).

Before she could reach the board though, the door located next to it suddenly burst open and a unicorn stallion entered.

He was massive, standing nearly two heads taller than her and clad in a complete set of crimson armor with golden accents. His horn poked through a hole in his helm, the length of it glowing as he held a clipboard in his red magic. The orange of his coat, the fiery blue of his eyes, and the two-tone yellow of his mane and tail all gave testament to his name.

Captain of the Guard, Firestorm.

Upon catching sight of Gleaming, a smile stretched across his muzzle. “Codpiece!” 

Cursing mentally, Gleaming immediately snapped to attention and saluted. “Sir!” 

“Do you have any idea what time it is right now, Codpiece?” Firestorm asked as he stopped in front of her. Due to his size, he had to press his chin against his breastplate in order to look down at her. And at this distance, Gleaming could see his muscular flesh straining to burst forth through the gaps in his armor. It was a miracle the straps hadn’t broken yet.

Firestorm was truly a monster of a stallion.

Gleaming had to bite her cheek in order to stifle the snarky remark she was about to make, her half-asleep brain almost forgetting where she was and who she was talking to. Instead, she simply replied. “Sir! It’s nightfall, sir!”

“Well done, Codpiece. Very observant. You can tell time.” Firestorm grinned, reaching up a hoof to tug at the tuft of hair growing from his chin. “I have to ask though. Why are you running late, Codpiece? What happened? Did you decide to take the scenic route? Get some froufrou coffee along the way? See the sights, smell the roses?” 

From behind her, Gleaming could hear the other guards start to snicker. Her ear twitched, and she tried to ignore them. “Sir? I’m early, sir!”

“Oh? Are you really?” The faux wonder in the Captain’s voice immediately set warning bells off in Gleaming’s head. There were many things that Firestorm was known for—his sense of humor was not one of them. If he was playing the innocent card, something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Lifting up the clipboard, Firestorm flipped through it casually before tsking. “Because, unless my eyes are deceiving me, the shift chart clearly states you’re supposed to be posted outside the throne room. In about three minutes.”

Gleaming’s heart skipped a beat. She inhaled sharply.

Firestorm’s grin grew wider as he spoke aloud the very thing she had just realized with growing horror. “And it takes at least three minutes to get there from here…

“At a dead sprint,” they both finished at the same time.

Gleaming’s mostly full coffee (which had cost a little more than she would have liked, if she was being honest) sored through the air and landed with a splash in the trash bin as she galloped out of the room. The laughter from the occupants of the break room echoed in her ears as she raced down the hall as fast as she could. 

“Faster, Codpiece.” Firestorm’s words chased after her even as she rounded the corner. “If you aren’t there on time, that’s going to be another demerit for you.”

Cursing loudly, Gleaming put on an extra burst of speed.





She didn’t make it.





Three thousand five hundred twenty-three. Three thousand five hundred twenty-four. Three thousand five hundred twenty-five. Three thousand five hundred twenty-six.

Leaning on her spear, Gleaming repressed the urge to yawn. Her exhaustion was beginning to play havoc with her mental state and she was trying to find something—anything—to do in order to stay awake. It definitely didn’t help that the hallway she was stationed in was in semi-darkness, over half the torches snuffed due to the late hour. Virtually nopony came down this particular hall at night, and those rare few that did were usually either fellow guards out on patrol or a poor clerk pulling a late night.

Guarding the throne room at night was basically a shit post: the one position that was almost more of a punishment than anything else. The Empress never held Court at night, so there was no point for petitioners or visitors to show up. Hence, there was really no point in guarding the room, yet the post remained in the system from some ancient bygone period when it made sense. Nowadays though, you were basically forced to stand at attention and stare at a wall for twelve hours straight. A mind-numbing task when one was well-rested.

On barely two hours of sleep, it was a completely different kind of torture.

With nothing stimulating to keep her mind occupied, there were many times when Gleaming caught herself nodding off, lulled by the soft, crackling flames of the nearby torches. And in the moments she was more aware shadows would seemingly move and dance in the corner of her vision. Unable to tell if it was just her eyes playing tricks on her or if there was actually something there, she’d be forced to leave her post and investigate, chasing after the ghosts until she was satisfied there was really nothing there.

Then it was back to her post again.

With very little to do, she was forced to try and find entertainment for herself or else go mad from boredom. There wasn’t much she could do though. First, she had tried singing a few songs. In her head, of course, for guards were supposed to be silent while on duty. After that was the daydreaming; replaying previous conversations she had experienced throughout her life, only this time with her on the winning end of the arguments instead. And now she was on the counting. Counting anything, really. The seconds that dragged by, the torches on the wall (both lit and unlit), the number of tiles in the mosaic on the floor—anything was fair game.

Three thousand five hundred twenty-seven. Three thousand five hundred twenty-eight. Three thousand five hundred twenty-nine. Three thousand five hundred thirty.

It felt like an eternity had passed already. Surely her shift was nearing its end. Soon, she’d be able to leave and get some much-needed rest. All she had to do was survive a little while longer. Before she knew it, the sky would begin to glow as the sun crept over the horizon. She just had to hold out a little while longer. Several hours had to have passed already. The morning was almost here. She just had to hold out a little while—

Somewhere, the distance tolling of a bell could be heard. Gleaming strained her ears, trying desperately to hear the tolls of the bell. All she had to do was count them and she’d know exactly what time it was. It had to at least be four in the morning, right? Right?!

Gleaming almost bit through her lip as the bell rang out the hour. Eleven chimes. She had to choke back a sob. It wasn’t fair. It had to be some kind of cruel joke. There’s no way she still had that long to go before her shift was over.

I’m not going to make it, Gleaming groaned. Heaving a deep sigh, she gave her head a shake in a futile attempt to clear it before returning to the task before her.

Three thousand five hundred and thirty-one. Three thousand five hundred and thirty-two. Three thousand five hundred and thirty-three. Kill me now. Three thousand five hundred and thirty-fou—wait… didn’t I count that one already?

BUCK!
> Level 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun was in the sky as Gleaming Shield staggered her way down the street. The morning air was chilly, but the feeling of cool air against her coat felt amazing after the long night in her stifling armor. It also had the added benefit of helping her stay awake.

She made her way down the winding lanes of Middle Canterlot, completely naked save for a purple scarf that was wrapped loosely about her neck. After dropping her armor off back at her apartment, she had donned her autumn apparel and quickly took to the streets. Her mane was disheveled and stuck out in odd places—the aftereffects of wearing a helmet for long periods of time—but she didn’t really mind. Unlike her sister, she didn’t try and keep up physical appearances. No point in it, anyways, she lamented to herself. Nopony is looking.

Rounding a bend in the lane, she smiled when her destination came into view.

The bell above the door chimed as she entered, and her nostrils were assaulted by a spiced aroma that immediately perked her up. She inhaled deeply before making her way further inside, weaving her way through the smattering of tables and chairs (some of which were already occupied). She ignored them though, choosing to hop up onto one of the stools that lined a counter that ran along the back wall.

She had only been there a moment when a mare in an apron appeared from the back room behind the counter. “Hello there, and welcome to Brewed Awakenings. What can I get…” Upon seeing who was seated at the counter, the mare rolled her eyes yet still smiled good-naturedly. Turning her head, she called into the back. “Hey! Guess who’s back again.”

“What? Really? No shit!” came the reply. At the sound of the voice, a shiver ran down Gleaming’s back and she couldn’t help the dopey smile that spread across her face. There was the sound of something heavy being moved around before a large creature emerged from the doorway.

Gleaming’s heart fluttered in her chest and her cheeks flushed.

The creature was like nothing that had been seen in Equestria before. Standing on two legs, he towered over most creatures. Completely bald, the only hair he seemed to have was a patch of it on top of his head and a layer of stubble about his chin and cheeks. He wore clothing—a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, which was tucked into a pair of black pants. There was no other creature like him; he was truly one-of-a-kind.

Resident human and Extra-Dimensional Being, Anon.

Catching sight of Gleaming, Anon grinned widely. “Well paint me green and call me a cucumber. Gleaming Shield! Back once more for another hit!” Wiping his hands on his apron, he put them on his hips. “What? Did last night’s fix not last? Is your tolerance getting too high? Do you need more of the goods?”

“I’m not addicted to coffee, you dick.” Gleaming frowned. She tried to keep the sleepiness from her voice but failed spectacularly when a yawn unexpectedly escaped her. “And yes, I need more. I didn’t get to finish last night’s order. Ended up in the trash.” Another yawn. “I’ll have the usual if you don’t mind.”

“Hey, you got it. Gotta keep my customers supplied or else they might go looking elsewhere.” Glancing down to the end of the counter, Anon called out. “Oi! Mocha! One extra-large iced cappuccino supreme, extra drizzle, extra toppings, four extra shots of espresso!”

“One ‘Procrastinator’s Night Before Finals’ coming right up!” the light-brown unicorn called out.

As the brewing machines buzzed to life, Anon turned his attention back to Gleaming. “So, rough night last night, huh? Are they working you pretty hard up there at the palace?” 

Gleaming shrugged. “Eh, the usual. Go here, stand there, guard that. Nothing too exciting. Boring, yes, but it wasn’t too bad.” Dear Celestia, I almost came close to braining myself with my own spear, it was so torturous! “Can’t really complain though. At least I’m getting the hours in.” 

Anon nodded. “I’ll say. Looks like you’re going to be getting some overtime this week for sure.” At her confused look, he pointed at her face. “Those are some miiighty big bags you have under your eyes.”

“N-nothing a little coffee can’t fix,” Gleaming mumbled. Self-consciously, she touched her cheek with a hoof. They aren’t that bad, are they?

“Oh, come on, Gleaming.” Anon crossed his arms. “Cut with the bullshit. You’re always tired. Like, all the time. Twenty-four, seven. In fact, if you weren’t a regular customer, and if we didn’t practically get most of our business from just you, I’d be telling you to invest in your own coffee maker.”

“I’ll have you know that I already own a coffee maker,” Gleaming shot back before frowning. “Wait… ‘most of your business’? I… I don’t come here all that often, d-do I?” Thinking about it, she came to the realization that yes, yes she did. Ever since she wandered into the cafe for the first time over a year ago, she had come back on a daily basis. The coffee was one of the reasons, but the main reason was the large human in front of her.

“He’s exaggerating, hon,” Mocha said as she placed a large cup of iced coffee in front of Gleaming, snapping her from her thoughts. “But, still, he has a point. You are in here at least twice a day. Sometimes more. And you always seem to order very strong coffees.” She gave Gleaming a concerned look. “You do know that caffeine isn’t a substitute for sleep, right?”

“I sleep,” Gleaming insisted. “What? I do!” she continued as both of them gave her raised eyebrows. “Occasionally. Sometimes. Once in a while. Leave me alone.” Puffing out her cheeks, she started in on her drink, sucking on the straw aggressively. The cold liquid felt amazing as it rushed down her throat.

Anon grinned. “We’ve named a drink after you. The ‘Gleaming’s Sleep Schedule’.”

Gleaming paused in her drinking. “You what?”

Still grinning, Anon pointed a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the chalkboard on the wall behind him.

Squinting, Gleaming peered in the direction he was pointing. There, at the bottom of the list of specials, squeezed in beneath the ‘Celestia’s Doughnut Addiction Half Caff’, written in blocky handwriting (not hoofwriting, there was a distinct difference), was the words: Gleaming’s Sleep Schedule: Twenty-four ounces of espresso topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, dusted with chocolate flakes. Not for the weak-hearted.

Gleaming’s ears folded against her head. “Hey! I don’t drink that much coffee!” Both Mocha and Anon burst out laughing. “I don’t! Besides, that much espresso isn’t healthy—”

“Relax, hon. We were just teasing,” Mocha chuckled. “The special isn’t real.”

“Oh…” Blushing deeply, Gleaming lowered her head and pulled her iced coffee closer to herself. “I knew that.”

Mocha shook her head, yet gave her a warm smile before moving off to help a new customer that had just entered and was approaching the counter, leaving Gleaming and Anon alone.

As Gleaming sipped at her drink, mentally kicking herself for her outburst, Anon began wiping down the countertop with a damp rag. “So,” he said as he worked, “got any plans today? Besides lurking around here, that is. Not that your company isn’t appreciated. You are one of our better regulars.”

“Not really,” Gleaming muttered sleepily. “Probably just go home, do some cleaning, and then get a nap in. Get ready for work tonight.”

“More work?” Anon asked. “When’s your next day off?”

“Not for four more days,” Gleaming said, yawning. “And I only have one day off before another five days on.”

Anon winced. “Oof. That’s rough. You gonna make it?”

No. “Yeah,” Gleaming sighed. “I’ll be fine. So long as I get some sleep this afternoon.” 

“Eh, with all that caffeine in your system, I highly doubt you’ll be getting sleep any time soon,” Anon scoffed. “You need to find something, or someone, to do in order to tire yourself out.” Putting the rag down, he moved off to greet another customer as Mocha worked on the orders.

Gleaming glanced at him sadly over the lid of her cup before muttering under her breath. “A girl can dream, Anon. A girl can dream” 





Gleaming could barely keep her eyes open as she wandered back to her apartment. The earlier weather had turned a bit colder, a thick cloud cover rolling in to block out the sun. A few raindrops splattered here and there on the cobblestone streets, but the rain hadn’t actually started yet. There was still enough time for her to get home.

Rounding the corner onto her street, she yawned again, her sore jaw cracking. She was basically moving on autopilot, her body moving on muscle memory alone. Forget about cleaning anything; the first thing she was going to do upon getting home was passing out on the couch. Just three steps inside and four to the right, and she’d be able to rest. All she had to do was get to the building. She’d take the elevator this time; there was no way she was getting up the stairs.

She didn’t remember getting in the elevator, nor the ride up. As she stepped out onto her floor though, she blinked as her mind processed what she was seeing. A stallion stood outside of her door, staring at her with a look that could only be described as lecherous. The bag of bits held in his magic clinked noisily as he shook it.

Gleaming stared at him for a moment before sighing. “Seventy-five bits for the usual.”

The stallion tossed the big bag at her and she caught it in her own magic. Sighing against, Gleaming made her way to her door and unlocked it. She pushed her way inside, making sure to slip a red tag over the outside doorknob as she passed. The stallion followed her, already emerging from his sheath. The door closed behind them with a click.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep through this one, Gleaming prayed, or else I’m going to need that Gleaming’s Sleep Schedule tonight for sure.
> Level 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The break room was thankfully empty when Gleaming arrived. Taking advantage of the peace and quiet, she perused the announcement board while sipping at her coffee. There wasn’t anything too exciting: a reminder to officers to fill out their paperwork, several ponies requesting time off, and a hoofful of various notifications (like Corporal Door Mat asking ponies to stop taking his lunch from the fridge, come on guys, it’s not funny anymore!).

The most interesting thing was a blue piece of paper informing the reader about an upcoming cookout for anypony who was interested. It was ‘bring your own drink’ and a dish to pass, but hayburgers would be provided free of charge.

Gleaming didn’t even give it a second glance.

Satisfied that there weren’t any shifts to pick up at the moment, Gleaming took another sip from her coffee as she turned around, only to choke upon seeing another pony standing right behind her. ByCelestia’sglowingtits—I didn’t even hear her come in!

She sputtered and coughed, trying to clear her airway. As she did so, the mare gave her a concerned look.

“Are you okay, dear?” she asked, her voice silken and soft, barely more than a whisper.

Gleaming just wheezed.

Frowning, the mare’s horn started to glow a soft blue. A moment later, a cool, soothing sensation washed through Gleaming’s throat. With a gasp, she finally got her coughing fit under control.

“S-sorry, ma’am!” she choked out, throwing a half-assed salute.

“At ease, Private,” the mare said.

Gleaming lowered her hoof, only to wince as it splashed in something warm. At some point during her fit, she had dropped her coffee. She stared down at the brown puddle sadly, her ears pressing against her helmet. M-my baby… she lamented.

The sound of a throat being cleared softly caused her to look up again, and she finally got a good look at the mare standing before her.

She was small, the top of her muzzle barely reaching the bottom of Gleaming’s chin. Her legs were lanky and awkward, her lithe frame more skeletal than healthy. She looked even more twig-like beneath the heavy plating of her sapphire-blue armor. The only part of her that wasn’t minuscule in some way was the long, immaculately cared-for horn that jutted out of the slot in her helmet. That, combined with the light-gray coat, the icy blue mane, and the pure silver eyes meant she could only be one pony.

Second-in-Command, Lieutenant White Out.

Snapping to attention, Gleaming saluted again, properly this time. “Lieutenant, ma’am!”

“I already said at ease, Private,” White Out said, not unkindly. She smiled softly and shook her head, but the smile quickly left, replaced with a look of concern as her eyes drifted over Gleaming’s face. “Are you okay, Private? You don’t look well, if you don’t mind me saying,” she added quickly. “You look…”

“I’m fine, ma’am,” Gleaming answered quickly. She lowered her hoof again, only for it to splash in her coffee. Again.

White Out peered at her over her muzzle. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you, Private. You don’t exactly appear one-hundred percent here.” Her eyes flicked down to the coffee puddle for a moment before returning to Gleaming’s face.

“I’m… I’m fine, ma’am,” Gleaming insisted. “Just a little tired. That’s all. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Try no sleep at all, again, sweet Celestia. Giving the Lieutenant her best smile, she tried to look a little less tired than she actually felt.

White Out wasn’t buying it.

“Private. Answer truthfully. Are you sure that you are mentally able to do your job?” There was more worry than anything else in her tone. If Firestorm was the hardcore, abusive father figure of the Guard then White Out was definitely the caring, nurturing mother figure. If you needed help, or something special taken care of, the Lieutenant was always your best bet. She somehow always managed to find coverage for missed shifts, fix mix-ups with the schedule, and correct missing pay with virtually little difficulty. It was said she could move the heavens themselves for her guards; they only needed to ask.

Gleaming was reminded of all this as White Out placed a hoof against her forehead. “If you need to take a few days off to relax, I can get your shifts covered. Lilyhammer has been asking for some extra hours.”

“Ma’am! No thank you, ma’am!” Gleaming said, shaking her head. “I am more than able to do my job, ma’am!”

“Hmmm.” White Out eyed her closely before sighing. “If you are sure, Private, I’ll believe you. But please, consider taking some time off. This job isn’t worth your health, both physical and mental.” 

“Thank you, ma’am, but I’ll be fine,” Gleaming said, only for a yawn to escape her unexpectedly. Her eyes widened and she quickly stifled it. “Sorry! Sorry, I’m fine! I swear! Nothing I haven’t dealt with before. Won’t happen again.”

Scrunching up her face, White Out opened her mouth, only to suddenly close it again. She peered at Gleaming as though seeing her for the first time. There was a calculating look in her silver eyes. Her horn glowed and a clipboard floated in front of her. “It would appear,” she said slowly as she looked down the list, “ that the Captain has you slotted for throne room duty tonight.” 

Gleaming had to bite her lip to stop herself swearing out loud. That motherbucker! Two nights in a row? That never happens! And with no sleep in between, I’m literally not going to make it! Buuuck!

“However,” White Out continued, looking up at her over the top of the clipboard. “I highly doubt you’ll be able to stay awake and alert at that particular post. Am I correct?” 

Although she said nothing, the look on Gleaming’s face was all the answer the Lieutenant needed.

“I thought as much,” White Out hummed. “Normally, I’d have to send you home with a demerit, something that, unfortunately, you’ve been getting quite a lot of lately.” Gleaming’s ears splayed back and she opened her mouth to protest. “But,” White Out continued, interrupting her, “fortunately for you, I find myself with another shift I need to get covered. One that might be a little more… mentally engaging for you.”

Gleaming stared at her for a moment before her eyes narrowed. “What shift exactly, ma’am?”
> Level 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Royal Vault was a massive room. Nearly two hoofball fields wide and the same deep, the vaulted ceiling rose so high that it was nearly impossible to see it in the torchlight. The room was so large that if one were to walk from one side of it to the other, it would take a good three minutes to do so.

And that was if the room was empty.

Almost every square inch of the Vault was jam-packed with not only the funds of House Empyrean, but the collection of rare and potentially dangerous magical artifacts that Empress Celestia had acquired throughout the centuries. Rubies and sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, silver and gold—treasures from lands untold, many of which had faded from history and from memory. Mountains of gold coins and silver bars and copper blocks. Mithril and orichalcum, sky-iron and abyssal protodermis, cold-iron and fire-steel. There were more than just precious metals too; hundreds of scrolls, tomes, and papers littered the edges of the room—hundreds of years worth of knowledge, written in dozens of different languages. 

There was so much stuffed into the room that the only way to move around was through narrow passageways carved through the hoard. Sometimes these channels turned into tunnels where various pieces of treasures had partially collapsed, creating make-shift ceilings. And dotted throughout the maze-like passages were cleared alcoves that held glass curious, which contained the rarest of the mystic artifacts.

All-in-all, the room reminded Gleaming of one of her old foalhood teacher’s houses. The one that used to collect everything and anything she could get her hooves on in order to compensate for her husband’s untimely death. At least, until the city declared her house a public hazard and had it condemned due to all the animals that had taken up residence within the mess.

As she patrolled through the labyrinth of treasure, Gleaming couldn’t help but wonder what kind of creatures—if any—might be inside this particular hoard. This was the first time she’d ever been inside the Royal Vaults, and to be honest it was kind of freaking her out. It didn’t help that her sleep-deprived mind was maliciously finding ways to mess with her. The light from her horn danced across the various metal surfaces, causing the shadows to dance and skitter, and allowing her imagination to run wild. Every so often she’d stop, straining her ears to hear even the faintest sounds of movement. Only the oppressive silence answered.

Trying to take her mind off of her paranoia, she instead focused on her task. Lieutenant White Out had been very helpful when she had explained Gleaming’s job. “Just patrol around the vault and make sure all of the artifacts in the curios are still there. Keep an ear out for intruders. Repeat as needed until your shift is over.” She did as instructed, moving from one clearing to another with the help of a somewhat useful map that White Out had sketched out for her. It wasn’t completely to scale, but it helped her navigate through the twisting and turning passages well enough.

As she checked on the curios, she couldn’t help but stare at each new item in awe. Within one of the many glass cabinets was a pony skull made of obsidian, which had a glowing orange flower growing out of one of the eye sockets. In another one was a massive cleaver-style greatsword that appeared to be made out of crimson dragonhide, and the edge of which crackled with Dragonfire. And in a third, there was a scroll made out of papyrus, which bore the etching of a scarab on its face and glowed with dark, necrotic energy as it floated in its case.

“Wow,” Gleaming breathed as she passed by each new object. Some of them she had read about in history books in school, while others were completely foreign to her. Her exhaustion was almost completely forgotten as she explored deeper and deeper into the vault. Thank Celestia for the Lieutenant. If she hadn’t assigned me to this post, I don’t know what I would have done. Probably fall asleep, actually.

Taking a few seconds to observe a hoofheld mirror whose glass surface seemed to swirl like a whirlpool, Gleaming squeezed her way into a particularly tight passage. Her armor scraped against the object around her, and she had to lower her head in order to duck beneath a large picture frame that had fallen across the path. And then lower still to get beneath a large crystallized skull that looked like it could have belonged to a dragon. And even lower until she was crawling through a tunnel so narrow that she had to turn her head to the side in order to fit. 

I’m not even claustrophobic and this is getting a little too much! Gleaming thought as she worked her way through the tight space. Just when she thought she was going to get stuck or have to figure out how to back up, the tunnel began to expand again.

“I’m taking a different route back,” she muttered to herself. With one last push from her hind legs, she heaved herself out of the hoard and into the open clearing of an alcove. Thank buck, I thought I was going to be stuck until somepony found me. Dusting herself off, she took a moment to compose herself before glancing over at the curio present in the middle of the clearing.

Only to find herself staring into the surprised eyes of a pony who was in the process of cutting a hole in the glass case.

Clad in all black, the stranger looked almost like a shadow came to life. Black hoof covers wrapped around their forelegs, and a black cloak with purple trim covered their body. An oni mask covered their face, the forehead etched with a strange symbol: an eye surrounded by a sideways crescent moon, with two wings flaring out on either side. A horn emerged through a hole in the center of the eye.

Only the stranger’s eyes were visible—a deep yellow with slitted pupils. They stared at Gleaming in surprised horror, the pupils shrunken to mere slits. For a moment, the two just looked at each other, both frozen in shock. 

Then, without warning, the world dissolved into chaos.

“Oi!” Gleaming shouted.

The stranger’s horn lit up and they ripped the glass cover completely off the curio. They hurled it at Gleaming with surprising strength. She barely had time to erect a barrier in front of her before the glass impacted the magic, sending a shower of broken shards cascading across the floor.

Not waiting for the second salvo, Gleaming charged at the intruder as they were reaching for the now-freed object—a glowing amulet with a large gem embedded in the center of it. She collided with them, and they all went crashing to the floor, amulet and all.

Gleaming grunted in pain as her helmeted head bounced off the flagstone. The intruder was less lucky, falling bodily into a large pile of coins that immediately collapsed on top of them in a shower of golden bits. As they struggled to free themselves from the avalanche, Gleaming staggered to her hooves.

“In the name of the Empress, you are under arre—” she started to say, only to be sent flying backward as she caught a magic bolt to the chest. The enchantment in her armor immediately short-circuited under the force of the spell. The breath left her lungs as she landed hard on her back, and stars exploded in front of her eyes. She wheezed for air, unable to breathe, as the intruder lunged for her, horn glowing maliciously.

Moving more on instinct than intention, Gleaming’s back legs stiffened and she pole-vaulted the pony over her body and into an armor stand. This in turn caused the stand to slam against the mound of treasure behind it, which immediately collapsed in a torrent of gems and jewelry.

By Celestia’s milky teats, their magic packs a punch! Pulling herself to her hooves, Gleaming glanced down at her breastplate. The front of it was dented in and smoldering, a charred, blackened ring where the enemies spellfire had hit her. I’m not going to last long in a one-on-one fight. She glanced up just in time to dive out of the way of a second bolt. It tore by overhead, ionizing the air around it as it roared by. Impacting a golden chest, it turned the metal to slag.

Scrabbling through the mess to find something to defend herself, Gleaming held up the first thing she managed to grab. The intruder, horn charged for another blast, stopped and stared at the item in bewilderment. Gleaming did the same.

They were a pair of gold-and-black panties.

“What the…?” Gleaming breathed, lowering the panties. They appeared to be a normal pair of panties at first glance, but upon closer inspection, there was some kind of shimmering cloth over the crotch. “What the buck are these doing in here?” she muttered under her breath. A sudden roar of magic caused her to yelp. 

The intruder had grown tired of waiting. 

“Oh buck!” Unable to move in time, Gleaming flinched, holding up the panties in a vain attempt to shield herself. The bolt of magic tore through the air towards her mercilessly and slammed into the crotch of the undergarment. And then nothing.

Confused, Gleaming cracked open an eye.

The panties were still in one piece, and there was no sign of the magic missile. Lowering the lingerie, she glanced around before giving the intruder a confused look; one that was returned in kind. Both of them stood there, unsure of what just happened.

“Uhhh…” Gleaming offered. “Heh heh eh…”

The intruder shrieked in pain as they convulsed suddenly. Smoke erupted from beneath their robes, flowing out from around their hind legs and tail. They collapsed, clutching at their groin.

Tossing the panties to the side, Gleaming rolled to her hooves and dashed forward. If she could just reach the intruder before they recovered, she might—might—just have a chance. Horn glowing, she lunged for the downed pony, only for her own trick to be used against her. Stiffening their back legs, the intruder launched her bodily overhead and sent her crashing into the ground a few meters away.

Gleaming winced as she landed hard on her shoulder, her pauldron digging into her flesh. Horn glowing, she fired a retaliatory salvo back, only for her magic to splash harmlessly off the intruder’s own barrier. Gleaming’s eyes widened in alarm. Shit! While she might not have studied magic as thoroughly as her sister, she did take one thing away from her classes: in a magic duel, power is everything.

And when it came to power, she was sorely lacking.

As if realizing their advantage, the intruder advanced (albeit on shaky legs), launching a third and fourth blast in Gleaming’s direction and forcing her to scramble for cover. In a desperate move to get some distance between the two of them, she pushed over a large statue of some ancient creature. It collapsed onto a pile of coins, sending an explosion of bits flying in all directions.

Both Gleaming and the intruder were knocked off their hooves, flying in different directions under the deluge of gold.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Gleaming muttered under her breath. Rolling onto her stomach, she started to rise, only to pause. She blinked in surprise upon finding the amulet inches from her muzzle. For a moment she just stared at it, her mind working furiously. Intruder in the vault. Intruder wants the amulet. Can’t let them get it. Move, you idiot!

Snatching the amulet, she quickly stuffed it into the hidden pocket located on the inside of her breastplate. Once it was secure, she got to her hooves and threw her head back, horn glowing. Just as the intruder surged over the top of a pile of treasure, a ball of red light erupted from the tip of Gleaming’s horn. It soared through the air only to impact on the ceiling.

Instantly, a loud, keening wail filled the air while the room was filled with a pulsing red light.

“Now all of Canterlot knows you’re here,” Gleaming shouted over the cacophony. “Good luck finding the amulet before more guards show up!” She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. Take the bluff, take the bluff, please take the bluff!

The intruder’s eyes darted about the catastrophic mess around them: a sea of gold, jewels, and dented items of various kinds. They both were buried up to their fetlocks in the disturbed treasure. Any chance of finding anything quickly in the chaos was absolutely zero.

Upon realizing this, the intruder let out a low growl. Before Gleaming could react, a bolt of magic caught her in the chest. It lifted her off her hooves and sent her flying backward into a curio. The wood collapsed under her weight and the item within—a large crystal heart—fell to the floor where it shattered instantly, releasing a pink cloud of dust.

The last thing Gleaming saw before darkness consumed her was the intruder’s cloak disappearing around the corner as distant shouts could be heard. 

And faintly, somepony, somewhere, was giggling. 

“Well, hello there~~~!”
> Level 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The pungent aroma of antiseptic and disinfectant assaulted Gleaming’s senses as she regained consciousness. A constant beeping—both high in pitch and in annoyance—sounded off right next to her ear. That, coupled with the stiffness of the bed and the staleness of the air meant she could only be in one place.

A horsepital.

Uuugh… why am I in the glue factory? Opening her eyes, Gleaming sighed as she confirmed her location. The white walls, the beige floors, the uninteresting decor. She most certainly was in the castle infirmary. In one of the common rooms to be exact. A dozen or so beds lined the wall, each one equipped with its own set of medical equipment.

Apparently she wasn’t important enough to warrant a private room. Still, she was somewhat thankful that she was the sole occupant of the room. All the other beds were empty and bare. And they also placed her in the bed closest to the window, which, incidentally, was the furthest from the door, so ponies wouldn’t be able to see her when they walked passed. Hooray for little miracles, I guess…

Strands of hair fell into her vision as she moved her head. She lifted a hoof to brush her mane out of her eyes, only to notice a long tube was attached to her foreleg. It led up to an IV bag which was half-full of liquid.

Gleaming blinked as she gave the tube an experimental tug. W-what? An IV? How long have I been here?

Deciding to leave the IV alone before she accidentally ripped it out of her leg, she turned her attention instead to the window. She could see down into the Lower Courtyard where a herd of nobles was gathered around the fountain, talking quietly amongst themselves in the cool morning air. Unicorn guards patrolled the outer edges of the courtyard, walking along the curtain walls, while a flock of pegasus guards drifted by overhead.

The sight caused Gleaming to frown. There were more guards on patrol than usual; almost three times as much. What happened while I was out? Tearing her eyes from the pegasus squad passing by her window, Gleaming felt around her bed until she found the call button. She pushed it then sat back and waited.

It wasn’t long before one of the medical staff arrived.

An older mare wearing a nursing cap poked her head through the door, only venturing further inside when she saw Gleaming was awake and alert. “Oh good. You’ve finally rejoined us. How are you feeling, dear?” she asked as she approached the bed.

“Sore,” Gleaming answered. She winced as her words came out scratchy and hoarse. Sore and stiff. Like I was forced to work as a piñata for a day.” 

“That’s to be expected,” the nurse replied. “You have multiple contusions and lacerations across your chest and barrel. You’re going to be a little tender while they heal.” Picking up the clipboard hanging off the foot of the bed, she flipped through it. “Your higher-ups have been asking about you. I’m going to give you a quick once-over, and then we’ll notify them you’re awake.”

Placing the clipboard down, she pulled a tongue depressor from out of her pocket. “Now, open wide and say ‘ah’ for me, please.”

Gleaming did as instructed, opening her mouth as wide as she could and sticking out her tongue. She didn’t even flinch when the depressor practically touched her tonsils— “Wow, look at you go, girl!”

“Gah?” Her ear twitched at the excited whisper, and her eyes darted around the room, searching for the speaker. It hadn’t come from the nurse, who was too caught up in studying her mouth, but there was nopony else in the room. Great. Am I hearing things now?

The rest of her check-up went by without any strange happenings. Marking down the last of the info, the nurse smiled. “That should do it. Everything looks good. Now, you wait right here and I’ll get your superior. Alright?”

“A-alright,” Gleaming stuttered, her heart already sinking in her chest. There was no telling what kind of tongue-lashing she was about to receive from Captain Firestorm.





Much to Gleaming’s relief, it was not Captain Firestorm who showed up thirty minutes later.

“This is all my fault,” Lieutenant White Out groaned as she collapsed into the chair beside the bed. “All of this is completely my fault. I messed up everything.” Without her armor, the mare looked much more sickly. Her ribs were visible beneath her dress uniform and her collar bones looked about ready to rip through her skin. The Lieutenant looked so much like a skeleton that it was hard to believe she was younger than Gleaming’s mother.

“It’s not your fault, ma’am,” Gleaming said.

“It isn’t it?” White Out asked, her head in her hooves. “I’m the one who changed the shift chart. I’m the one that put you in the Vault. I should have just left things as Firestorm wanted. I should have just stuck with the original plan. Why did I have to make changes at the last moment?” 

Gleaming shook her head. “You couldn’t have known, ma’am. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Besides, if you hadn’t assigned me to the Vault, nopony would have been present to stop the intruder, right?”

Slowly lifting her head, White Out started at Gleaming for a long moment, her expression unreadable. She worked her jaw, as if unsure what to say, before eventually sighing and hanging her head. “You are correct. If you hadn’t been there, nopony would have discovered what had happened until much later. Still, it’s also the reason you are injured.” 

“It’s nothing too serious, ma’am,” Gleaming said with a forced grin. She had to fight back a wince as the large bruise in the center of her chest twinged when she shifted.

“Regardless,” White Out said softly.

“I’ll be fine, ma’am,” Gleaming insisted, “but, if I may, what happened after I was knocked out?”

White Out leaned back in the chair. “We weren’t able to catch the intruder. They got away through a broken window before we could apprehend them. We aren’t even sure how they got in, as none of the wards were tripped. As such, we’re currently on high alert.”

“That explains the extra guards,” Gleaming muttered, glancing out the window.

“This is the first time in known history that somepony has gotten into the vault,” White Out said. “The Empress has ordered increased security. At least, until we can figure out if anything else was stolen.”

“Stolen?”

“We aren’t entirely sure, but so far we believe that two items have been taken from the Vault. Maybe more. We know for sure that one of the items is a one-of-a-kind amulet. The Empress is not happy.” Gleaming bit the inside of her cheek, but remained silent. “We have ponies working around the clock, reorganizing the Vault in order to take inventory. They’re about halfway done sorting through the mess.”

“Halfway done?” Gleaming’s mind flashed back to the massive mess that had been created during the scuffle. “Wait… how long have I been out?”

The corners of White Out’s mouth crept upwards. “Two nights have passed. It’s the dawn of the third day.”

“T-three days?” Gleaming blanched. “I’ve been asleep for three days?!”

“Unconscious,” White Out corrected. “You’ve been unconscious for three days. The medical staff tell me that it’s not the same as sleeping, so you won’t be well-rested.” She chuckled as Gleaming’s ears splayed back. “That reminds me though.” Getting to her hooves with a groan, she adjusted her dress uniform before taking a more professional stance. “Private, you are hereby relieved of active duty—”

“What!?” Gleaming yelped.

“Temporarily,” White Out continued, lifting a hoof in a placating manner. “It’s only temporary. You are being taken off the schedule for the foreseeable future for medical leave. Both physical and mental.” She gave Gleaming a stern look. “Go home, Private. Go home, relax, recuperate, and most importantly, rest.”

“But, I…”

“That’s an order, Private. Get some sleep.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Gleaming replied meekly. “Understood, ma’am.”

“I hope so.” White Out sighed. “Now, if you excuse me. I have to get back to work.” Giving Gleaming one last look—one that seemed more calculating than anything—she turned and trotted out of the room.

Gleaming waited until she could no longer hear the Lieutenant’s hoofsteps. Slumping against the headrest, she stared up at the ceiling for a long while before finally uttering two words.

“Buck me.”
> Level 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was an easy enough affair checking out of the infirmary. Gleaming answered the nurses’ questions, let them take one last vital check, and signed the appropriate forms. The doctor gave her the paperwork she needed for her medical leave then directed her towards the doors.

She walked tenderly down the hall. If she moved too quickly, the bruise on her chest would twinge painfully. Not that she minded the leisurely pace; it gave her plenty of time to figure out her game plan.

No guard duty for the foreseeable future? she mused. That’s way too much free time. What am I supposed to do with myself now? I haven’t had consecutive days off in months. She sucked the inside of her cheek before sighing. “I guess I could always find something to do around the apartment. It probably needs a good cleaning.” 

After a bit of consideration, Gleaming finally decided that her best bet was to go home and get her living space situated first. Once the apartment was clean, she’d have to see. It was late in the morning, so maybe some lunch would definitely be in order.

Turning the corner, she headed down the hall towards the double doors that separated the infirmary from the rest of the castle. She passed by a mirror hanging on the wall and noted that her pink fur was disheveled and matted. Maybe a shower too. By Celestia, if I have been here for three days, I’m probably a little ripe.

“Now, should I shower before or after I clean?” she asked herself. “I feel like showering first would be good, but I’ll probably get all sweaty again while I clean. Maybe if I—” 

She froze as her mind finally processed what it had just seen. Slowly backtracking, she stared at her reflection. Her face stared back, just the same as she remembered it: two-tone blue mane, blue eyes, and white fur.

She peered at herself for a few more seconds before sighing and shaking her head. “I’m losing my mind,” she mumbled as she walked away. “I’m losing… my mind. Maybe a nap is in order first. Or maybe some coffee instead.” Reaching the double doors, she pushed both of them open and walked out of the infirmary.

As she left, her ear twitched. It was faint, practically inaudible, but Gleaming swore she could hear somepony giggling.





“You’ve got to be bucking kidding me,” Gleaming groaned.

Hanging half in, half out of her apartment, she glared down at her carpeting. She’d managed to squeeze most of herself through the window. It had been going well up until her flank decided to get stuck between the sash and the sill.

Not wanting to meet any unwanted callers at her door, she had opted to climb the fire escape instead. It was an alternative route to get into her apartment, though it was one that she rarely used. Today it had been difficult pulling herself up, what with her bruised chest, but once she was at her window, she thought she’d been in the clear.

Apparently not.

Swearing under her breath, Gleaming wiggled about, trying to nudge the window open further to allow her hips in. The wood was old and swollen though, and the sash refused to budge. Even magic couldn’t widen the gap. 

“This is stupid!” Placing her forehooves against the wall, Gleaming heaved. The fat in her flanks smooshed against the outside of the window, and the frame creaked under the pressure. With each push, she grunted. “I am not. That. Fat!”

For a moment it seemed like the window would break first, but then Gleaming’s rump slipped through the gap with an audible pop. Letting out a yelp, she ended up upside down on the floor with her butt in the air.

“Note to self,” she groaned as she sat up. “Oil the window at some point.” Putting a hoof to her chest, she took a deep breath only to wince. “Ow. Okay, ow. That was a stupid idea. Ow, ow, ow.” After waiting for her bruise to stop hurting, she got carefully to her hooves and looked around. Her living room was just as she had left it.

Trashed.

Every available flat surface was covered in the empty boxes and crumpled up bags of various take-out establishments. Empty cups were stacked inside one another and left as small towers amongst the wreckage. The coffee table was lost beneath a mound of pizza boxes. The carpeting was almost completely hidden beneath a blanket of menus. The only piece of furniture that was somewhat free of clutter was the coach, and even that had several stained blankets over it.

Gleaming stared around the room as if seeing it for the first time. 

“I live like this?” She winced as an… unique aroma hit her. “Dear Celestia. How did I let it get this bad?” As she glanced around the room, her eyes landed on a calendar pinned to the wall. The days were almost completely illegible due to all the pen markings present; red for work, purple for personal, and green for extra shifts. “Oh, right…” she mumbled as she stared at the mass of red and green. “No free time.” 

Rubbing the back of her neck, she grimaced. “Right. I should probably take care of this first, before anything else. Um… let’s see if I remember where my cleaning supplies are.” A thought crossed her mind and she frowned. “Do I… even have cleaning supplies?





As it turned out, she didn’t have any cleaning supplies in her entire apartment, save for half a bottle of dish detergent. One quick trip down to the store remedied that.

“Right.” Setting the basket of cleaners down, Gleaming surveyed her living room. A purple floral bandana kept her mane out of her eyes, and she had a grubby apron on about her barrel. Taking in the mountains of take-out boxes, she grimaced. “I’ve got to learn how to cook.”

The first task was relatively easy. Picking up all the menus in her magic, she stuffed them into a garbage bag. Many of them were so faded that it was impossible to tell where they had originated from. The sheer number of papers was such that by the time there were no menus left, the garbage bag was full to bursting.

“There’s that done.” Tying of the bag, Gleaming breathed a sigh of relief before looking over her work. Her smile turned quickly into a confused frown. “Wait… was my carpet always this color?” She gave the cornflower blue color a critical look before shrugging.

Next came the tabletops.

The end tables were simple. Due to their small size, they couldn’t hold much debris. Hence, all she had to do was scrape the pile of trash into the awaiting garbage bag. A quick wipe down with a wet cloth and a spritz of wood polish and they were good to go.

Moving over to the coffee table, she lifted the lid of the top pizza box. “Ope!” A family of five mice—two adults and three little ones—was inside, picking at the stale leftover pizza crusts that were present.

Upon having their picnic disturbed, the adult male shook its paw at her, squeaking angrily.

“Oh, sorry.” Gleaming closed the box. She paused, hoof on the lid, and frowned. “Wait a minute…” Lifting the top again, she glared at the mice. “Hold up. You know the rules and so do I.”

The male went from annoyed to sheepish. 

“Come on. Cough it up,” Gleaming said, holding out a hoof. A moment later several bits clinked into her outstretched hoof. “Thank you for your contribution.”

The adult female squeaked at her.

Gleaming rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. I’ll try and make sure to remember to order some garlic bread next time." 

Another squeak. 

“And some fries.” 

More squeaking. 

“Don’t push your luck,” Gleaming grunted, her eyes narrowing. “One cookie pizza. No more.” As a chorus of happy squeaking filled the air, she closed the box lid. Tossing the bits about her hoof for a moment, she put them away for later. Carefully, she picked up the top box and moved it aside, making sure not to disturb the occupants. 

With that, she proceeded to purge the coffee table of its load.





Gleaming opened the fridge and stared into the eldritch abyss.

The abyss stared back.

Slowly, Gleaming closed the fridge.

“...deal with that later.”





“Okay, you can do this,” Gleaming muttered, her horn glowing. Leaning over the guardrail for the fire escape, she eyed her target a few stories below. Sticking out her tongue, she closed an eye and tried to line up the shot.

“Ope!”

THUNK

“One down.” Horn still glowing, she hefted the second extremely full garbage bag into the air and took aim again.

“Hup!”

THUNK

“Okay. Just one more.” Adjusting the bag back and forth, she let it drop, only to hiss. “Oh shit.”

SPLAT

The yowling of a cat echoed up through the alley.

“Mr. Whiskers! I’m sorry!”





Dual-wielding cans of air freshener, Gleaming trotted around the room, spraying liberally. A heavy mist of cinnamon trailed behind her, slowly dispersing through the stale air. She swirled and twirled, humming softly to herself as she danced around the room, spraying as she went.

After completing a full circuit, she stopped beside the old, worn-out couch. Eyeing it curiously, Gleaming leaned forward and took a tentative sniff.

She immediately recoiled, nose scrunched and eyes watering.

She unloaded both canisters into the upholstery until they were empty.





Wiping the sweat from her muzzle, Gleaming looked around at her work. There were still a couple of things left to do; the carpet was still a little stained in places and the walls were in need of a fresh coat of paint. Overall though, it was a huge improvement over how the living room used to look. She had forgotten how much room she actually had to work with.

“It’s so spacious in here,” she mused, standing in the middle of the room. Strangely, she felt oddly proud of herself. It might have been something as simple as cleaning a single room, but now that it was complete, she felt unusually satisfied with her work.

She had actually accomplished something.

Taking a look at the clock, Gleaming hummed thoughtfully. I think that’ll do for today. I can get started on the other rooms tomorrow. Her apartment didn’t have that many rooms. Just the living room, the kitchen-dining room combo, a bathroom, and two bedrooms (one of which was just storage). She’d be able to tackle the remaining floors later.

She tucked the basket of cleaning supplies into the corner before making her way to the bathroom. After all the cleaning, she was sweaty and covered in a good layer of dust and grime.

A shower was needed.

Slipping into the bathroom, she removed her bandana and apron. She tossed them into the sink before turning her attention to the shower. After fumbling with the knobs for a moment, she stood back and waited for the water to heat up.

As she waited, she took the time to study her reflection in the mirror.

The face that stared back at her was one that she was very familiar with. Her right eye still had the violet speckles through the iris, there was still a scar running across her left nostril from where she had fallen on a fence post as a foal, and she was still missing a small notch of flesh out of the right corner of her mouth where she bitten through her lip during a hoof fight with another mare at school. 

The only difference she could see was the fact her mane was getting rather long, almost to about her shoulders, and that there were dark bags under her eyes.

“Four years and you still look like shit,” she muttered to her reflection. 

Her reflection glared at her silently.

She stayed that way until steam started to fill the room. Sighing, she started to turn towards the shower but stopped upon catching sight of something weird in the mirror. There appeared to be a pink glow coming from beneath her barrel. “What the…?” 

Placing her forehooves on the counter, she pushed herself up, trying to find the source. It didn’t take long to find it. Across her lower abdomen, standing out proudly against her off-white coat, a weird symbol glowed with a pink light. 

Gleaming brushed a hoof over the weird mark, only to discover it wasn’t coming from her fur, but the skin underneath. “What the buck?” She stared at the rune for a moment before hopping off the counter and making her way into the shower.

It was clearly magical in nature, and magic wasn’t her forte. That was fine though. She might not know what the buck was going on, but she definitely knew a certain somepony who would.
> Level 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Oi! Open up!” Standing on the porch, Gleaming knocked on the reinforced door. The evening air was chilly, and Gleaming fought off the cold with a green scarf accompanied this time by a baggy purple sweater. A large, flat box floated beside her head, held in her magic. 

When nopony answered the summonings, she banged even harder. “Oh, come on! I know you’re in there! Be a sis and open up already!” As she waited, she glanced around at the surroundings.

Located on the edge of Lower Cantlerot, the house certainly looked the part. Borderline derelict, the beige siding—which had originally been white—was rotting away while dozens of shingles had fallen from the roof. They lay scattered about the house, hidden among the jungle of vegetation that was retaking the yard. The fence was almost nonexistent.

Sighing heavily, Gleaming tried to peer into one of the ground floor windows. Unfortunately, a thick curtain blocked the view, although the glass was so dirty that it wouldn’t have made a difference if the curtain was there or not.

“This is ridiculous,” Gleaming muttered under her breath before pounding on the door again. “I know you’re in there, dweeb! Open the bucking door!” 

Nothing.

“You know it’s me. Open up! I need your help.”

Still nothing.

“Open the bucking door right now or so help me Celestia, I’ll…” When the door remained closed, Gleaming sighed again. “Alright, fine. Have it your way.” Her horn started to glow brighter. Before she could cast any spells though, a small slot in the door opened, right at eye level. 

A single eye glared at her. “What do you want?” 

“I need your help,” Gleaming answered. “It’s… important.”

“Are you alone?”

Gleaming deadpanned. “Aren’t I always?”

The eye narrowed. “Why should I help you?”

Horn glowing, Gleaming lifted the box into view. “I brought tribute.”

The slot slammed shut and a moment later the sound of multiple locks being disengaged came from the other side. After about half a minute, the door was flung open.

A lanky mare stood in the open doorway, her beige coat as stained as the threadbare sweater she was wearing. Her long maroon mane was in a similar state, the strands coated in grease and ending in horrible split ends. Her bangs were parted evenly down the middle by a small, stubby horn. A pair of taped-together glasses were perched atop her pimple-covered muzzle. But the pièce de résistance was the tinfoil cap that was located on the top of her head.

Information broker (and local conspiracy nut), String Board.

“What is tribute?” the mare asked, keeping herself in the shadow of the door frame. Her eyes darted around the yard quickly before returning to the box floating beside Gleaming.

“Nice to see you too, String,” Gleaming said. “How are you doing? How’s your sister? Been busy lately?”

“What is tribute?” String took a step forward, yet refused to leave the safety of the home. 

Gleaming rolled her eyes. “Good talk.” Still, she levitated the box over to String, who immediately tore it from Gleaming’s magic. Her eyes still locked on Gleaming, she ripped the lid off the box, revealing a large, steaming pizza inside.

“Aaah,” String purred. “Yes, good. Pineapple. A mare of quality, I see.” 

“Oh, shut up,” Gleaming grunted. “It literally made me sick just asking for it. And I had to smell it all the way here. Now, are you going to let me in or not?”

“Fine, but be quick about it,” String hissed. She motioned behind Gleaming with a nod of her head. “I don’t want them getting any ideas.” 

Glancing over her shoulder, Gleaming sighed. “String, that’s a tree.”

“That’s what she wants you to think,” String whispered before disappearing into the shadows inside.

Gleaming looked back at the tree again—which was decidedly not a mare—before shaking her head and following after the retreating pony. As the door closed behind her, all the locks reengaged themselves automatically.

The inside of the house was about as pleasant as the outside. It was gloomy and dark and smelled like unwashed pony and stale cheese puffs. Gleaming had to light up her horn in order to prevent herself from tripping over the various trappings that lay discarded about the place.

Following String Board further inside to the kitchen, she stepped gingerly over a tripwire attached to a bunch of empty cans. “I see you’re still as paranoid as ever.”

“I’m not paranoid,” String Board sniffed. “I’m informed.” Taking a few pieces of pizza out of the box, she stuffed them into a blender she had pulled out of a cupboard. “And that’s more than I can say about you,” she shot over her shoulder before turning the machine on.

Gleaming said nothing as the blades whirred loudly.

Once the pizza was liquefied, String Board poured it into a large, stained styrofoam cup. She added a thick straw and a bent spoon before placing the cup next to a closed door. 

“Hey, Floor! Wake up. Dinner’s here!” she called out, knocking loudly on the door. Not waiting for an answer, she returned to the box and began picking out her own pieces.

“Look,” Gleaming sighed, “are you going to help me out or not?”

Cheeks bulging with pizza, String stared coolly at Gleaming as she chewed. It was a slow chew, the kind of chewing one does when they try to look serious but just end up looking like a cow.

“Fine,” she said eventually after swallowing. “Step into my office.” Grabbing the remaining pizza in her magic, String exited the kitchen and headed off down the hall. 

Gleaming started to follow but paused long enough to watch as the closed door slowly opened and a small, cheese dust-covered hoof reached out and grabbed the styrofoam cup of pizza juice. “Hi, Floor.”

“Meep!”

“How are you?”

“G-aaah, uh… um…”

“That’s nice.”

“H-uh… uh… uh…”

“Enjoy the pizza.” Leaving the trembling, heavy-breathing hoof to its meal, Gleaming made her way to String’s office.

As she entered, a tinfoil hat was shoved atop her head. “Wha… really? Do I have to?” She gave String a deadpan look, who just replied with a raised eyebrow. “Okay, fine. Whatever.” Readjusting the ‘hat’, she glanced around. 

Large cork boards covered all four walls, each one covered in hundreds of newspaper clippings, pictures, drawings, and scrolls. Red and blue strings ran throughout the room, creating a chaotic spider web of connections. They mostly congregated around the same board, but occasionally a string would jump from one board to another one across the room. In this instance, they hung in the air, looking like a poor mare’s party streamer.

Eyes drifting to the nearest board, Gleaming snorted. “Oh come on!” The board was almost hidden behind a plethora of pictures and clips, most of which had two things in common: the Empress and a bunch of black figures with glowing eyes.

Turning to String, Gleaming gave her a lopsided smile. “I can’t believe you’re still going on about this.”

“And I can’t believe I’m still letting you into the house if I’m being honest, yet here we are,” String Board said as she collapsed into an old, worn-out swivel chair. Pieces of pizza orbited her head, and she took a chunk out of one as it passed her muzzle. “I know we’ve known each other for years,” she continued around a mouthful of food, “but with you being in the guard and all… it’s too risky. I shouldn’t have let you in.”

“And I keep telling you that your theory is stupid,” Gleaming countered, motioning towards the board.

“And I keep telling you that when the Empress turns out to be a changeling queen in disguise, I’m going to be rubbing it in everypony’s faces so hard,” String snapped back before taking another huge bite of pizza. “Now—” bits of food flew from her stained muzzle “—what is so important?”

“Okay, so…” Stepping forward, Gleaming pulled her sweater over her head before standing up on her hind legs, placing her hoof on the ceiling for support. She motioned towards the glowing mark about her crotch. “Do you know what this is?”

“A horrible decision you made during one of your sleep-deprived episodes?” String offered.

Gleaming blushed. “W-what? No! That was only one time, and we swore we’d never speak of it again!”

“I don’t th—”

“Never again!”

“Okay, fine. Fine. Keep your tits on.” String’s glasses glinted with pink light as she leaned forward, ears perked. “Fascinating,” she muttered as she studied the mark. 

Craning her neck down, Gleaming did the same. It was a little difficult with her upside-down view, but the mark looked roughly the same as it had in the mirror. Centered above her teats, the rune glowed bright pink. It looked like a cross of a heart and a uterus, with bat-like wings as the fallopian tubes. Two small hearts acted as the ovaries.

String Board studied the mark for a while before sitting back in her chair. “Well—” she nommed on a pizza as it floated past “—it doesn’t ring any bells to me at the moment. Maybe if I had some more information? How exactly did you acquire said… tramp stamp?”

“Okay, first of all, buck you,” Gleaming growled as she dropped back down onto all fours. “And second of all, it’s a bit of a story.” And so she told String what had transpired, from her arriving at work to her waking up in the glue factory. She left some details out but kept the important bits in. Through it all, String listened quietly as she whittled down the cloud of pizza.

When Gleaming had finished, String nodded slowly. “Well… I don’t know what that is,” she said, indicating the pink glow coming from beneath Gleaming, “so I can’t help you there. However, I do know what the symbol you saw on the pony’s mask is.”

“Wait? You do?” Gleaming asked, surprised.

“If your description is accurate, yes. I’m familiar with it,” String said. She was rooting around a small bookcase behind her desk. Pulling out different books, she studied the covers before tossing them onto her bed. “It sounds like it’s been modernized, but it should still be the same. It’s an old symbol, one used by a group of individuals with unique views and beliefs.”

“A cult, then,” Gleaming said. “Great. An ancient cult broke into the Royal Vaults and beat my flank. Terrific.”

“Not just any ancient cult,” String said. Turning back to Gleaming, she opened a large, worn tome in her lap. “The ancient cult. The first cult. The cult that started it all. The cult to end all cults.

“The Cult of Primae Noctis.”
> Level 8: PARTY MEMBER GAINED
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. 

But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. 

One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one’s heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night. 

Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Element of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since.

That… is a load of horseapples.





Glancing up from the open tome, String Board gave Gleaming an inquisitive look. “Okay, so, before I continue… I’m assuming we both know the supposed history of Equestria, correct?”

“Vaguely.” Gleaming scratched her neck. “I didn’t have any history electives while at school, but I took general ed history. The basics. Sooo…”

“What about the major points? You know those, right? The Pre-History era, back when we ran wild through the world in the Great Herds of Antiquity. The plainponies who first started creating tools and fire and fanned the sparks of intelligence within ponykind. The Ancient Tribes and the Great Freeze, before the Great Unification that brought all of ponydom together. The dark times of the Discordian Era, before Discord’s defeat and the rise of House Empyrean and Equestria. We’re good though most of that, right?”

Gleaming nodded.

“Okay, good. Now, listen up.” String Board tapped the page with a hoof. “This isn’t how it happened. This is biased records brought about by the fact that history is written by the victor. It’s propaganda to make the current government look benevolent and kind. It’s a lie.” Closing the book, she yeeted it across the room where it slapped into the wall and slid down into a heap.

“Now,” String continued as she pulled out a thoroughly used and abused notebook. The pages were dog-eared and crumpled, and the cover was falling apart. “It took some time for me to accumulate this, but I double and triple checked everything through unbiased sources. It’s one-hundred percent accurate. So, here’s how it really went down.”





Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there was a Great House, House Empyrean, blessed be its name (in case you can’t tell, Gleaming, I’m being sarcastic). However, said House was composed of two branches: the Solar Branch, led by the eldest of two sisters, and the Lunar Branch, led by the younger. Together, both ruled over Equestria, controlling the sun and moon respectively while maintaining harmony for their kingdom, blah blah blah. 

That part isn’t important. However, this next part is.

Now, as time went on, the two Branches began to clash over their ideology. You see, the Solar Branch focused on the Arts, inspiring bards and artisans and composers, while the Lunar Branch focused on academia, which inspired inventors and innovators and industrialization. Naturally, this caused some tension between the two Branches. Due to the old-fashioned nature of ponies during the time, the elder sister was the more favorable of the two.

Eventually, a schism happened. The country was teetering closer and closer to a full-blown civil war between the supporters of the two Branches. 

And that’s…. where Primae Noctis comes in.





“So, what?” Gleaming asked. “The cult was established to help bring about Nighttime Eternal?” 

“No!” String gave an exasperated snort. “We’ve been over this! That was propaganda developed by the Solar Branch in order to make them look better. The Lunar Branch was based around academics, Gleaming. Academics. They were thinkers and builders. That meant that they would be well aware of the consequences neverending night would have for life in Equestria. No, Primae Noctis was not about Nighttime Eternal. They were formed for a much simpler reason.”

“And that reason would be…?” Gleaming asked. 

Primae Noctis, the First Night, was formed with only one goal in mind. Not the end of daytime, but the deposition of the Solar Branch, thus leaving the Lunar Branch as the sole ruler of the nation.”

“Oh.” Gleaming blinked. “Oooh!”

“Exactly,” String said with a nod. “Now, as you can no doubt tell, they failed. Instead of ending the Solar Branch, the exact opposite happened. The Lunar Branch was erased from history and the Solar Branch gained all the power henceforth. And Empress Celestia has ruled over us ever since.”

For a moment, Gleaming just sat there, taking in what she had just heard. Stroking her chin, she hummed softly before saying slowly. “Okay, but sooo… what? The cult just disappeared when the younger sister vanished only to reemerge now, centuries later?”

“Oh good heavens, no,” String said. Picking up a second notebook that was in a similar state to the first, she began flipping through it to various pages marked by sticky notes. “They didn’t necessarily ‘vanish’, per se. They went underground, yes, hiding, but never inactive. In fact, most ponies know of their activity to some degree.”

Gleaming cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Cause this is the first I’m hearing about them.”

“Not by name,” String said, rolling her eyes. “They aren’t going to be on the front lines. You have to read between the lines. Here, let me show you.” Stopping on a particular page, she tapped the paper. “The Griffon Invasions I, II, and III. All failed, yet all started because of starvation due to loss of crops because of weather. In the years before each invasion, Griffonstone received very little rain. Almost as if a group of pegasi was stopping the clouds from reaching their destination.”

“Or,” Gleaming deadpanned, “they just happened to have a drought those particular years.”

Ignoring her, String flipped to another page. “The Fall of Roam. Despite decades of flourishing, the great city began to fall on hard times as the lands surrounding it started to become waterlogged. This goes on for years until the city was practically surrounded by swamplands, and ponies were being sucked into bogs left and right. Unable to continue the upkeep of the city, ponies were forced to abandon the area. The resulting exodus left the door wide open for the kelpies and merponies to take over the new waterlands. Result: loss of land to Equestria, and the diminishing of the Empress’s foothold. Almost like a group of earth ponies were causing the earth and plant life to erode the land away, making way for marshes.”

“Or it’s a natural phenomenon caused by rising sea levels and natural erosion of the lands around the sea,” Gleaming offered. “I hardly see how any of this can be attributed to Primae Noctis.”

“The Sinking of Marelantis.” Turning to the correct page, String Board also pulled out a third notebook, whose cover was a deep-sea blue. “One of the most magically advanced civilizations in history, and considered old before even Equestria was founded. It was from the Marelantians that Empress Celestia received most of the rare materials used to build the foundation for her Empire. Canterlot Castle, the Solaritarium, the Crystal Spire. All those were made possible through Marelantis. They were one of, if not the only, major trade hub for Equestria. And then, out of the blue, the city just one day sunk beneath the waves, never to be seen again. The most magically advanced civilization in the world and they were wiped out in a single night because the runes keeping their city afloat failed.”

“Let me guess,” Gleaming sighed. “Almost like a group of unicorns messed with the runes, causing them to fail.”

String Board spread her forelegs wide. “If the horseshoe fits.” 

Gleaming stared at her for a moment before laughing. “I’m sorry, it’s just… really hard to believe.” 

“Believing it or not doesn’t matter,” String Board said as she placed the notebooks down on her desk. “Whether you believe it or not, the signs are there that Primae Noctis is behind all those disasters. After all, they all have something in common. Every single one of them caused trouble for the Solar Branch.”

“The only Branch,” Gleaming said. “You’re only saying that because both Branches aren’t present. If the Lunar Branch was present, they’d be suffering setbacks too.”

String snorted. “If the Lunar Branch was present, who’s to say the disasters would have happened?”

“And who’s to say they wouldn’t have,” Gleaming countered. “Look, okay. Fine. Say for a moment I believed you. Let’s say Primae Noctis is behind all of that. And they’ve surfaced again. Why now? And for what purpose?”

“Well, their original purpose was the fall of the Solar Branch,” String Board said. “Maybe Primae Noctis has grown tired of hiding in the shadows and decided it was time to strike the very heart of the Solar Branch’s power. Canterlot. It has been one thousand years since the Lunar Branch fell, after all. A kind of anniversary thing?” She sighed. “I don’t know. Anyways, it doesn’t really matter. Whatever they were planning, they needed the amulet. Luckily though, they didn’t get it.”

Gleaming winced, something that didn’t go unnoticed by String.

“Or… they do have it?” she asked slowly. Her eyes narrowed as Gleaming refused to look at her. All of a sudden, they snapped open wide as she inhaled sharply. “You have it!?”

“I put it in my armor during the fight,” Gleaming said quickly. “It’s in the pocket that’s enchanted to block scanning magic. I haven’t had a chance to retrieve it yet!”

“You took the amulet?” String Board’s voice rose a few octaves. “You took the amulet out of the Royal Vaults. You… took the amulet… that Primae Noctis wants… out of the Royal Vaults. The amulet that Empress Celestia is currently tearing apart Canterlot to find?” Her pupils were mere pinpricks. “That amulet? And then you came here, to my house?! What are you, stupi—”

“I AM NOT STUPID!” A loud crack echoed around the room as Gleaming stomped her hoof down hard, cracking the floorboard beneath her. Smoke rose from her mane. She gritted her teeth, her nostrils flaring wide as she snorted. Pure anger was in her eyes as she glared at String Board, her horn coursing with unstable magic.

“Right! Sorry!” String Board squawked, holding up her hooves to protect herself. “I forgot! Didn’t mean it! Stop! Cease! Desist!”

Gleaming closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing. Slowly, the magic around her horn died out. An uncomfortable silence filled the room (String Board not even daring to breathe) before Gleaming opened her eyes again.

“I might not be my sister,” she said softly. “I may not have finished school. But I am not—not—stupid.”

“Okay,” String Board squeaked. “Okay. You’re right. I forgot who I was speaking to. Won’t happen again.” Unconsciously, she rubbed at the right side of her barrel, just under the hem of her sweater, where the fur was noticeably shorter. “Won’t happen again,” she repeated.

“Not stupid,” Gleaming muttered darkly.

“You’re not stupid,” String Board agreed. She paused for a moment before cautiously adding. “But then, pray tell, why haven’t you told somepony about the amulet? One of your superiors? Somepony? Last I checked, Celestia has the entire Guard out looking for the amulet, and yet one of her own guardponies has it.” 

Gleaming was silent a moment before speaking.

“Do you know how hard it is to break into the Royal Vault?” she asked. “There’s a reason it’s never been done before. In order to get in, you have to bypass three separate barriers, each one charmed to a different frequency which changes weekly. It took Lieutenant White Out twenty minutes to get me inside the Vault for my shift. And that’s just the Vault itself. There’s also the security inside the castle, the patrolling guards, the labyrinth-like hallways. The Vault is buried deep within Canterlot Castle. It’s nigh impossible for a single pony to do all of that without getting caught.”

String Board blinked. “So, what you’re saying is…?”

“What I’m saying,” Gleaming grunted, “is that the only way that the intruder could possibly have gotten inside the Vault without setting off every single alarm in the palace, is if somepony on the inside helped them.” She glanced at String Board, who was giving her a wide-eyed look of dawning realization. “You’re big on the ‘reading between the lines’ thing, right? Isn’t it a little strange that on the night of the break-in, no guards were originally posted in the Vault? I was only present because Lieutenant White Out posted me there at the last second. If she hadn’t…” Gleaming shrugged.

“I… I hadn’t thought of that,” String Board muttered. “That’s… that’s just… oh boy.”

“I can’t be one-hundred percent certain,” Gleaming said, “but if what you are saying is correct, it sounds like Primae Noctis might have infiltrated the Guard already.”

String Board stared off into the distance, a glazed look in her eyes. “Who’s in charge of the schedules?”

“Captain Firestorm,” Gleaming answered, “but I highly doubt it’s him.” 

“Never doubt anything,” String Board said quickly. Horn lighting up, she grabbed a fresh notebook out of a crate beside her desk. Flipping it open, she began scribbling on the first page frantically. “Anything is possible, anypony is a suspect,” she continued as she worked. “Unless you are the pony in question, nopony is free of suspicion.” Pausing in her writings, she glanced over her shoulder at Gleaming. “I’ll start poking around the castle for you. Checking records, comparing paperwork, finding clues. Talk to my informants. Get some insider information.” She motioned towards Gleaming stomach with the end of the pen. “And I’ll see about looking into that further as well. I’m sure I can find something on that mark eventually.”

“Um, okay,” Gleaming said lamely. “Thanks… I guess?” As she watched String Board work, a single thought crossed her mind. What have I gotten myself into?





Nighttime in Canterlot was peaceful. When the plethora of street lights turned on, it was as if the city transformed into another. The chaotic hustle and bustle of the daytime crowd gave way to a calm and relaxed murmur. Faint music drifted on the air as a gentle breeze strolled through the streets. Couples dined outside on the restaurants’ patios, and the marketplace was transformed into a public gathering ground. The stands and stalls were packed up, and instead, musicians and performers entertained foals and parents alike.

It was peaceful.

Walking down the street, Gleaming couldn’t help but look up. It was hard to see the night sky through the glow of the streetlights, but she could still make out the moon against the vast, inky backdrop. And there emblazoned upon the lunar surface, was the Mare in the Moon.

As she gazed up at the dark unicorn head above, Gleaming mulled over everything she had learned today. A frown slowly spread across her muzzle as her thoughts bounced around her head. Eventually, she just gave up and hung her head with a sigh.

“I’ll worry about this tomorrow,” she mumbled. “For now, let’s just get home and get some sleep.”

Turning down her street, she headed for her apartment. As she put a hoof on the bottom rung of the fire escape, she froze when she realized she had forgotten to pick up some oil while she was out. Staring up at her stuck window, she sighed heavily. “Why can’t my life be easy for once?”

Grumbling under her breath, she began pulling herself up.





Gleaming stared at her reflection as she brushed her teeth. Foam gathered in the corners of her mouth as she worked on getting her back molars. The spearmint flavor tickled her tongue and she had to resist the urge to swallow.

Were the bags under my eyes always that bad? she mused as she moved the brush from one side of her mouth to the other. Right. Not setting an alarm tonight. We’ll wake up when we wake up tomorrow. See if that helps at all.

Giving her teeth one last once-over with the toothbrush, Gleaming got a mouthful of water and gargled. She swished the water around her mouth, making sure to coat as much surface area as possible before bending down and spewing the toothpaste-tainted water into the sink. She spat a few more times for good measure. Making sure her toothbrush was thoroughly washed off, she put it back in its cup, turned off the water, and glanced up at her reflection.

A pink face with a large grin stared back. “Hiya~~~!”
> Level 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gleaming stared intently at what used to be her mirror, now a smoking pile of glass shards on the bathroom floor, while a chard black circle marked where the mirror had once hung on the wall.

She waited—horn pulsing with magic—for something to happen. When nothing did, she tentatively reached out and poked at the pile with a hoof. One of the pieces flipped over, revealing a single blue eye staring back at her from the cracked mirror.

Her eye.

The magic around her horn winked out and she frowned. What… was that? Was that just my imagination? With how tired she was, there was a very good chance that was the case. After all, it wouldn’t have been the first time she had hallucinations due to lack of sleep, and it probably wouldn’t have been the last.

At least nopony was hurt.

This time.

As her heart rate slowly returned to normal, Gleaming let out a long, drawn-out sigh and closed her eyes. I really need to get some slee—

“My goodness, but that wasn’t called for.”

Letting out a yelp, Gleaming whirled around, her horn glowing again, to find a mare stretched out languidly across the lip of the bathtub. She grinned upon Gleaming noticing her presence, her eyes half-lidded. “Hey there, cutie pie. My, but aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. Looking fine this evening.”

Gleaming stared blankly at her before her horn flashed.

“What are you—wait, no! Don’t!” Unable to fight the magic, the mare was picked up and forced out of the now-open window. Gleaming slammed it shut behind the mare, making sure to lock it for good measures. She stared at the closed window before slowly turning to leave the bathroo—

“A bit of an overreaction, don’t you think?” the mare asked. She was perched on the lip of the tub again as if nothing had happened. “I mean, I give you a nice compliment, and you throw me out the window? What kind of mare—hey!” 

This time Gleaming put a little more ‘oomph’ into the toss.

Slamming the window again, she waited a few seconds to make sure the mare was truly gone this time. When nothing happened, she turned away from the windo—sonofabitch!

“As much fun as this is, I’d prefer it if you’d stop throwing me out the window.” The mare pouted as she reclined on the bathroom counter. “I mean, there’s only so much a girl can take before she begins to feel unwanted… really?”

Gleaming left the bathroom, closing the door abruptly behind her.

“There,” she said softly to herself. “Out of sight, out of mind. Right?”

The mare’s head suddenly appeared through the door, phasing through the wood effortlessly.

Gleaming’s eye twitched. “Nope. Nope, nope, nope…” Turning, she walked off.

“You know,” the mare said as the rest of her body slipped through the door, “if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to get rid of me. But that can’t be right.” She floated along through the air, her hooves never touching the carpet as she followed Gleaming down the hall.

Trotting into the kitchen, Gleaming glanced around.

“Are you just going to ignore me all night or what?” the mare began, only to be cut off when Gleaming suddenly whipped a broom at her head. The mare only had a chance to blink in surprise before the head of the broom impacted her face, only to pass right through it with almost no resistance.

“Would you mind not doing that?” the mare asked. Her nose scrunched up. “It feels weird.”

Undeterred, Gleaming took a few more swipes at the floating mare, even going as far as to try and jab the broom handle into the mare’s stomach. It was all in vain though, as the broom seemed unable to touch the mare.

Eventually, Gleaming gave up. Tossing the broom aside, she glared up at the mare, taking in her appearance.

Her coat was a brilliant shade of bubblegum pink and seemed slick, like it was covered in an even layer of oil. A mane of purple, pink, and yellow fell about her shoulders, chains of gold strung through the strands. At her sides, a pair of bat-like wings emerged, both a darker shade of pink than her coat. Despite the fact she was floating in the air, neither wing seemed to be working to keep her aloft. Two horns sprouted from her temples, curving upwards and outwards. Last were her eyes, which were a dazzling purple and heavily mascaraed. They glimmered with interest as she watched Gleaming.

Still glaring, Gleaming finally spoke. “Who are you?”

The mare let out an excited gasp. “Oh! Finally interested in talking with me, huh? It’s about time! It was really, really boring just floating around while you ignored me all day. Okay, so.” Flipping onto her back in midair, she took on the posture that one would take if they were seated in an armchair. She put a hoof to her chest and cleared her throat. Her face became neutral and when she spoke, her voice held authority and dignity. “I have been called many things through the decades, by many thousands of creatures. The ponies know me as Amare, the griffons call me Lufu, the changelings refer to me as Shubby-Rath. You, dear mortal, may call me… Mi Amore Cadenza.”

Gleaming blinked. “Mi… Amore. Cadenza?”

“Please, call me Cadance!” the mare chirped, her demeanor changing instantly. Gone was the dignity, and instead she almost seemed bubbly. “I hate my full title. It’s too much of a mouthful.” She waggled her eyebrows. “The wrong kind of mouthful.”

“Okay, Cadance,” Gleaming said with a frown. “Where the buck did you come from?”

“Weeellll,” Cadance hummed. “You see… when a mare and a stallion love each other very, very much, the stallion will get excited and then take his cock and—”

Gleaming jammed her hoof against Cadance’s muzzle. Much to her surprise, she found that she was actually able to touch the mare. With a hoof pressed against her lips, Cadance could no longer speak, but that didn’t stop her from continuing. A muffled stream of words kept coming, even though Gleaming couldn’t understand them.

Tentatively, she removed her hoof.

“—and then the mare bends over and sucks on the stallions balls while he’s railing her backside like there’s no—”

Gleaming replaced her hoof. Was it suddenly warm in here, or was it just her? After a moment, she went to remove her hoof again.

“—squelching with each thrust, all while his load drips out of her snatch and down onto her face like a waterfall of—”

Nope. The hoof went back again. After another moment...

“—stuffs her muzzle up into the other mare’s plot in order to suck out all the foal batter and then—”

A liiiiittle longer...

“—and vanilla pudding—”

Gleaming waited for over a minute this time before attempting to remove her hoof from the mare’s mouth. As she pulled away, Cadance threw her forelegs up in the air.

“—and eleven months later, voila! You have a foal!” She gave Gleaming a big smile, her wings fluttering at her sides.

Gleaming matched the look with a deadpan stare before turning and walking into the living room.

As Cadance followed curiously, Gleaming collapsed back onto the couch and covered her face with her hooves. “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. It’s a figment of my imagination. I’m asleep. She isn’t real. A hallucination. This isn’t happening.”

“I’m not real?” Cadance scoffed. “Honey, I’m the realest thing you’re ever gonna get.” As Gleaming peered out from behind her hooves, Cadance rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t give me that look. You’ve only yourself to blame.” Leaning down, she poked Gleaming, right on the pink, glowing mark above her crotch. “After all, you’re the one that broke the artifact that was imprisoning me.”

“What?” Gleaming asked.

“The artifact?” Cadance spun in the air. “You know, a large heart made out of crystal? Blue? Glowing? Shattered when you smashed into it?”

“Oh.” Gleaming blanched. “Oh gods.”

“Eeyup,” Cadance giggled. “You broke it, and now I’m free!”

Gleaming grumbled. “Well, bully for you. Now go be free somewhere else.”

“Can’t.” Cadance examined her hoof. “I really need to paint these again. It’s been ages.” Her horns glowed faintly, and a moment later her hooves flashed through a spectrum of colors before settling on black.  “Oooh. Nice.”

“Why not?” Gleaming demanded. 

Cadance shrugged. “It’s rather simple, really. I don’t have a body to return to, so I’m attached to the pony that freed me. You freed me. Hence, you’re stuck with me.” 

Gleaming stared at her for a long moment before getting up. Without saying a word, she turned and walked off.

“Where are you going?” Cadance asked.

“To bed,” Gleaming said, not looking back. “I’m too tired to deal with this. Besides, there’s like a.. fifty-fifty chance you’re just a figment of my sleep-deprived mind. I’m going to sleep, and you’ll be gone in the morning.”

Making her way down the hall, Gleaming could already imagine the feeling of her warm bed beneath her with her soft pillow under her head. Sleep was calling her, and she was actually going to enjoy it. Pushing open her bedroom door, she took a couple of steps inside only to freeze.

Resting on a bare mattress was a tangled ball of dried, sex-encrusted sheets. She hadn’t done any laundry yet, and if her memory served right, those sheets had been like that for the past five days. 

She picked the soiled sheets up in her magic only to drop them. They impacted the floor with a dull thud, bounced twice, and then sat there, still in a ball. A stale scent wafted up from the tangled mess.

Gleaming closed her eyes and groaned. If she wanted to sleep in her bed, she’d have to do some laundry first. “So close,” she murmured sadly. “So bucking close.”

Eyes still closed, she winced as a low whistle came from beside her. 

“Goodness. I’ve slept in my own love juices before, but you’re just showing off.”
> Level 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

No sooner had Gleaming’s head finally hit her pillow then she was pulled rudely from her blissful sleep by what sounded like somepony pounding quite loudly upon her front door.

Nuuuh, Anon. Wait, please. Come back. Groggily, she nuzzled her pillow. Lost in the fuzzy haze that comes in the state between sleep and wakefulness, she tried to commit her quickly dissolving dream to memory. Tears gathered in the corners of her closed eyes as the images slowly faded away into nothingness, leaving only the feeling of longing and loss behind.

P-please, don’t leave me…

The banging resumed.

Gleaming growled into her pillow as the noise caused the rest of the dream to slip through her hooves. Having now completely lost what she had been desperately trying to hold onto, she cracked open an eye only to groan upon seeing a beam of sunlight creeping through a gap in her curtains.

“Ugh… how long was I asleep?” she slurred.

“Oh, I’d say about three hours. Give or take.”

At the sound of the voice, Gleaming stiffened. With growing dread, she slowly turned her head, only to find a bubblegum pink mare floating in the air beside the bed. A bored look on her face, she was staring at her bat wings, the claws of which were cycling through a variety of colors—purples, golds, blacks, cyans.

Upon noticing that Gleaming was looking at her, the magic around the mare’s horns ceased and the wing claws returned to their original white ivory.

Cadance smiled warmly. “And judging by the current state of your bed, it must have been a tasty three hours too!”

Confusion rolled through Gleaming until she shifted. She winced as her flank settled into a very wet—and very cold—spot. Upon throwing back the sheets, she found the source. “Oh, ew. Really? Why me?!” Grimacing, she opened her hind legs wide. They remained stuck together momentarily before spreading, her inner thighs connected by multiple long, thin strands of a clear, viscous substance.

“That is one of the best cases of morning dew I’ve ever seen,” Cadance whistled.

“I just cleaned these sheets!” Gleaming whined as she eyed her soaked thighs. She glared at the mess in annoyance before there came more hammering that echoed down the hall from the front door. “Oh, for the love of…” Balling up the sheets, she used them to clean herself up as best she could before rolling out of bed and exiting the room.

“Can’t catch a bucking break,” she grumbled as she trotted off down the hall.

Cadance floated curiously along behind her. 

“So, is that usual for you?” she asked innocently. When Gleaming glanced back at her in confusion, she waved a hoof about. “You know. All gushy like that? Moister than an oyster? Cause if so, I’m super excited about this relationship. It’s so hawt watching mares exploded like miniature geysers.” Her eyes became hooded and she bit her bottom lip hard as her whole body trembled. “Mmmm, yes.” 

Gleaming endeavored to ignore her.

Reaching the door, Gleaming released the deadbolt and cracked it open a few inches. Before she could put her eye to the crack and figure out who was so intent on waking her up so early, the door was flung open suddenly, sending her staggering backward. 

A figure slipped inside while she was stunned and slammed the door shut behind itself.

Fear flared up in Gleaming’s chest as she recalled the information she had learned yesterday. Thoughts of cults and assassinations filled her mind and, heart pounding in her ears, she charged up her horn. Just as she was about to release the spell, the glow of her magic glinted off of something on the top of the intruder’s head.

Gleaming immediately relaxed.

Placing a hoof against her chest, she let out a shaky breath. “By Celestia’s perky tits, String. I almost blasted you!”

“Yeah yeah yeah, whatever.” Adjusting her tinfoil hat, String Board hurried to the window and peered out through a small gap in the blinds. She eyed the streets below nervously. “There was a mare following me. All the way back from Saddle Street. I think I lost her, but I’m not entirely sure.” Letting out a yelp, she ducked down below the sill for a moment before returning to the gap. “She thought she was being sneaky, but I’m too smart for that. I mean, there’s barely anypony out this early in the morning, so it’s easy to spot somepony tailing you.”

Still half-asleep, Gleaming paused in clearing her eyes. “Wait… you were being followed?”

“From Saddle Street, yes.” String nodded as she continued staring intently out the window. “An older unicorn mare carrying several unmarked bags.”

“String…” Gleaming groaned. “Saddle Street is in the shopping district. As in shops and stores and stalls. And she followed you from there to here. To where several apartment buildings are located.” When String gave her a blank look, she shook her head. “She probably lives in one of these buildings and was just doing some early morning grocery shopping.”

String scoffed before returning her attention to the outside. “Oh please. The sun is barely up. Who goes shopping this early in the morning?”

“The elderly?” Gleaming offered. “Normal ponies who leave their houses more than once in a red sun?” She paused for a moment before blinking. “Wait, no, hold on. Back up. We’re getting off track. What are you even doing here?”

Cadance, who had been silently hanging back throughout the whole exchange drifted forward at that. She circled String Board, eyeing the new mare with interest. “A nice piece of flank barges unbidden into your home and your first reaction is to inquire as to why she is here? Tragic. Simply tragic. Just sit on her face already and be happy for the comfy seat. Best not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Gleaming winced as String began to turn around. Why the fuck would she say that out loud?! Her brain whirred to life, trying to come up with an explanation as to who this lewd pink mare was and why she was there. She had almost put the finishing touches to some harebrained story about her being a distant cousin (twice removed, of course) when String turned around completely and proceeded to walk straight through Cadance without giving her a second glance.

Gleaming’s brain short-circuited. 

“I’m here because I found some more information you might find interesting,” String said in a calm voice as if she hadn’t just walked completely through a grown mare She adjusted the straps of her worn-down saddlebags. “It took quite a lot of digging to find this stuff, but I managed, as I always do.”

Still trying to process what was going on, Gleaming tried to compose herself. “Y-you managed to find more stuff on Primae Noctis?” She was only half-listening for an answer. Instead, she was glancing between the oblivious String Board and Cadance, who was currently studying String’s rump with the intensity of somepony appraising a piece of priceless art. Is she just ignoring her, or can she really not see or hear Cadance?

“Well of course she can’t hear me,” Cadance scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “I’m not bonded to her. She can’t hear me, see me, or feel me. And I can’t touch her. Which is a real shame.” She sighed as she gazed wistfully beneath String’s tail. “Trimmed mares might be more hygienic and aesthetically pleasing, but that forest right there is just begging to be explored. Thoroughly.” 

Almost choking on her own saliva, Gleaming fought to keep the blush off her face. She tried to focus on what String was saying. “No, I haven’t found anything more on Primae Noctis yet. It’s been less than a day. My moles need time to dig up some information. No, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about… why are you looking at me like that?”

Gleaming tried extremely hard to ignore the fact that Cadance had her face buried in String’s rump. Literally. As in her head was inside String’s backside. “Oh my! Her ovaries are raring to go! Look at all those eggs just begging to get fertilized. She’s a born-to-use broodmare if ever I saw one!” came the muffled voice.

Oh sweet Celestia, why is this happening to me?

“N-no reason,” Gleaming answered quickly. She fought back the mental images that were crawling up from the dark, perverted recesses of her mind. Her face felt like it was on fire, as did her own backside. Unconsciously, her tail thrashed against her hind legs. “S-so then… what did you find?”

String Board gave her a suspicious look before motioning towards her barrel. “I found out more about that mark on your crotch.” 

At this, Cadance straightened up and pulled her head free. “Oooh, she found what now?”

Gleaming stared at both of the mares for a long moment before sighing heavily. Lighting up her horn, she opened the nearby coat closet and pulled out a purple scarf. “Don’t get comfortable, String,” she said as it wrapped itself around her neck. “We’re going out.”

String paused in pulling out her notebooks from her saddlebags. “Wait… we’re leaving? To where?”

Pushing the mare out the door and locking it behind herself, Gleaming growled. “If I’m going to have to deal with all of this right now, I’m going to need breakfast. And some coffee. Lots and lots of coffee…”
> Level 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of all the things Gleaming Shield was expecting to happen when she walked into Brewed Awakenings, being tackled to the ground was not one of them. Neither was being suffocated by an extremely tearful unicorn.

“Oh thank Celestia! You’re ba-a-ack!” Mocha cried as she pressed Gleaming’s face into her chest fluff. “I’m so sorry, honey! We didn’t mean to scare you off. We were just kidding about you drinking too much coffee! You can have as much as you want! Any time, any amount! We’ll even give you a discount if you want!” 

The aroma of ground coffee and cinnamon was the last thing Gleaming smelled before her ability to breathe was restricted. She struggled weakly against the assault, her face turning a nasty shade of blue, but Mocha didn’t seem to notice her plight. Instead, the mare just nuzzled the top of her head frantically. “Please don’t be mad! Please don’t be mad! Please don’t be ma-a-ad!” 

Pushing a hoof against the mare’s chest, Gleaming managed to pull her head free far enough to wheeze out. “M-mocha, please. Can’t… breathe!”

With a gasp, Mocha released her death grip on Gleaming before taking two hop-steps back. “O-oh! I’m so sorry, hon. I don’t know what came over me.” Blushing heavily, she readjusted her apron while eyeing Gleaming nervously. She bit her bottom lip before turning and shouting into the back. “Oi, Anon! She’s back! Get your flank out here, quickly!”

“What?!” The sound of something being dropped came from the back, accompanied by the rolling of cans. A muffled cursed followed, along with more crashes.

Shaken, Gleaming slowly got to her hooves, her man frazzled and in disarray. She sagged against the empty table for support while she caught her breath. She gave Mocha a confused look. What in the name of Celestia was that?

Mocha didn’t meet her eye.

Giggling, Cadance floated over with a large grin on her face. “Oh, I like this place already! So friendly. Hey, if you asked her nicely, do you think she’d smother you in other ways?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I mean, look at her flank. That’s some good cushion material right there!”

Gleaming ignored her. And most certainly ignored the fact that she just noticed that Mocha’s flanks certainly did have the perfect amount of pudge to them. And ignored the growing desire to bury her face in between her perfectly pudgy pony posterior—Celestia damn it!

“Ummm…” String Board gave Mocha a wide berth as she entered the cafe, eyeing the mare nervously. “If that’s the standard greeting, I’d like to request that I not receive it. Please and thank you. I enjoy living too much.” Just for good measures, she made sure to keep a table between them,

Mocha’s blush deepened until the fur on her face was more red than light-brown. “Um, well, yes,” she squeaked out. “You see, I… no, t-that’s not a normal greeting. It’s just, you see… um… G-Gleaming here is a regular customer, but we haven’t, well… seen her for a few days and we thought maybe we had scared her off last time she was here, but then I saw her walk in again and I just couldn’t help myself and I… I’ll be right back!” Steam billowing from her ears, Mocha turned and galloped out of a side door, into the alleyway outside.

Silence fell over the cafe—broken only by the sound of destruction from the back—and Gleaming was thankful that there were no other customers present at the moment.

String Board gave her a confused look. “Uhhh…?”

“Just go sit at the counter,” Gleaming grumbled. Pushing herself off the table, she staggered through the sea of tables to collapse upon a bar stool. Pain flared up in her chest as her bruise twinged and she gritted her teeth. Buck! Please tell me she didn’t crack any ribs!

Behind her, Cadance squeaked but said nothing.

Just as they were all getting comfortable, Anon stumbled out of the backroom. He looked tired with wrinkles under his eyes and the stubble on his cheeks was thicker than before, but when he saw Gleaming sitting at the counter, his whole face lit up. “Hey! You’re alive!” 

“Wha…?” Cadance’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

“H-hi, Anon. I’m back.” A faint blush touched Gleaming’s face as she shyly returned the smile.

Approaching the counter, Anon leaned against it. “Where have you been, girl? You stopped showing up for a few days. Thought you might have found a new dealer or something. We were getting ready to file for bankruptcy. We were worried, weren’t we, Mocha? Mocha?” Anon glanced around in confusion. “Where did Mocha get off to? She’s got counter.”

“Bankruptcy? I don’t drink that much coffee,” Gleaming mumbled with a pout before shaking her head. “Mocha? She stepped outside for a bit. Something about needing fresh air or something, I think. And yeah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disappear like that. Things came up at work and let’s just say I was… indisposed for a few days.” 

“Indisposed?” A look of concern flickered across Anon’s face. “Did something happen? Is that why there’s more guards than usual out and about lately? Is everything alright? Are you alright?”

Gleaming’s blush grew stronger. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. Really. Just a little bruised and battered, but nothing a few days of rest and relaxation can’t fix, right?”

Anon raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You know how to relax?”

“S-shut up,” Gleaming mumbled. Her ear splayed back.

“Chuckling to himself, Anon straightened up and dusted his hands off on his apron. “Alright, enough teasing. What can I get you fine mares?”

“I’ll just have my day-off usual, please,” Gleaming said. “I don’t work tonight, so I don’t need a huge pick-me-up.”

“Gotcha, more flavor than caffeine. Oi, Mocha!” Anon called out to the unicorn that had just returned. “One extra-large iced coffee, fourteen pumps of chocolate, fourteen pumps of vanilla, fourteen pumps of cinnamon, two shots of espresso, extra whip, extra drizzle, add chocolate flakes!” 

Mocha’s ear twitched. “Oooh,” she chirped as she trotted behind the counter. “Haven’t made that in a while. One ‘Siren’s Call’ coming right up!” The brewing machines whirred to life.

As Mocha worked, Anon turned to String Board. “And what can I get you, my tin-foiled clad friend?”

“I don’t know.” String Board hummed as her eyes drifted over the menu board. “I’ve never been here before. I’m used to just drinking black coffee. But these sound tasty. Hmmm, what do you recommend?”

“None of it,” Anon said bluntly.

String gave him a blank look. “I beg your pardon?”

“I recommend none of it,” Anon repeated as he crossed his arms. “I don’t like coffee, so I don’t drink it.”

“B-but, you work at a coffee shop!” String Board cried.

Anon nodded. “I work at a coffee shop. And I don’t drink coffee.”

“That makes no sense!”

“I don’t have to like coffee to work here!”

“But what’s there not to like about coffee? Have you even tried it before?!”

“Yes I have, and I’d prefer to not have it again, thank you.”

“That’s absurd. You clearly just haven’t found the right blend.”

“You keep your disgusting bean water away from me, thot!”

As the two started to bicker back and forth, Cadance, who had been silently staring Anon up until this point, finally drifted forward. She circled the human, eyeing him in a similar manner to a griffon eyeing fresh meat.

“What in the name of sword and sheath is this?” she breathed. “I’ve never seen a creature like this before, and trust me, I’ve seen a lot of creatures in my time.” Wings half-folded, she floated around the human, studying him from every angle. Anon, oblivious to the fact he was being sized up by a perpetually horny spirit, continued his animated argument with String Board.

Suddenly, she fluttered backwards. There was a gleam in her eyes and drool in the corner of her mouth. Her tail lashed back and forth between her legs. “We have to rut him until he can only shoot out dust!” 

A snort almost escaped Gleaming before she could stop herself. No duh. That’s the plan, sister. It had been the plan for the past half a year, and it was painfully clear just how well it was going.

Not very well.

Cadance gasped and clapped her hooves together. “Oh thank goodness! So much to experience in so little time!” Practically squealing, she flitted about like a hummingbird, babbling excitedly all the while. “How big is he? How long does he last? How many times can he go before needing a break? What does his cock look like? Does he have a hemipenis? A knot? Barbs? Is it prehensile? How much does he cum? Enough to drown in? What does it smell like? What does it taste like?! What does it feel like when it's squelching out of us? How hot is it? How thick is it? Can he get us pregnant? I NEED ANSWERS YOU GLORIOUS PIECE OF DICKMEAT!”

Lunging forward, Cadance glommed onto Anon’s head.

Gleaming’s eyes bugged from her head as she watched Cadance dry hump the back of Anon’s head, her thighs on either side of her face. Not that Anon noticed the mare molesting his cranium, not even as Cadance’s hips thrust inside of his skull. He just kept arguing with String Board, even when Cadance’s marehood slipped out through his face, her entire plot in his head.

“We’re gonna ride this stallion until we’re bloated,” Cadance groaned. “We’re going to be pumping out foals like it’s going out of style!”

That, combined with the sight before her, along with the panting and gasping and moaning from Cadance, was too much for Gleaming. She inhaled sharply and a faint scent she was very familiar with tickled her nose. Suddenly, she was painfully aware of how damp the stool beneath her had become.

“I, uh… I have to use the bathroom!” Standing up quickly, she dashed for the restroom, her tail tucked firmly between her legs.
> Level 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hunkered over the sink, Gleaming gasped in shock as the cold water splashed against her face. It ran down her muzzle in chilly rivulets, matting her fur and clinging to her nostrils. The water tickled her nose and she snorted, sending a spray of droplets splashing against the glass.

She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment before splashing her face again, and again, and again. Eventually, she felt herself cooling down in more ways than one. The heat between her legs diminished along with the heat in her face.

Splashing her face one last time, she hung her head over the sink, allowing the water to drip from her muzzle. The drops danced across the lips of her open mouth, and her tongue darted out unconsciously to lap them up. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before straightening up and looking at herself in the mirror again.

Cadance stared back at her.

“Celestia bucking damn it!” Staggering backward, Gleaming almost crashed into the stall door. Heart pounding in her chest, she glared at the pink reflection in the mirror, which was giving her a bemused look.

“Okay, so I understand that some ponies need privacy to take care of a quickie,” she said, “but you forgot to grab the creature. How is he suppose to rut us stupid if we’re in here and he’s out there?”

I didn’t come in here to get rutted!” Gleaming gasped.

Cadance pressed her hooves against the mirror. “I’d say! It’s kinda hard to get an itch scratched if the scratching post isn’t present!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Gleaming growled covering her ears.

“Go out there and get that dick!”

“Leave me alone!” Gleaming cried as she fell back onto her rump. “Stop, stop, stop!” Tears leapt unbidden to her eyes and she shut them, letting out a choking gasp. “What do you want from me?” she sobbed. “What do you want from me?” Collapsing, she rested her chin on the cold floor and covered her face with her forelegs. “P-please, just leave me alone.”

Silence fell over the bathroom, broken only by the soft sounds of Gleaming’s sobs. They weren’t the soft, dainty sobs that one usually expects from somepony who is crying, but deep, ugly ones that welled up from deep within one’s soul until they overflow in a choking, gasping cry that wracks one’s whole body. They were the sound of stress and loneliness and unhappiness, all rolled into one, all trapped within the body, buried deep down until there was nowhere left for them to go but out.

“I’m… sorry.”

The voice was soft, the words spoken in barely a whisper. It was out of character too, given who the apology was coming from. If Gleaming hadn’t been sure that it was only the two of them in the bathroom, she would have sworn it had come from somepony else. The tone was one that she had yet to hear from the mare. It was contrite, almost timid, and completely out of place coming from the lecherous she-demon.

Blinking tears from her eyes, Gleaming peered up from between her forelegs.

From within the mirror, Cadance sat down on her haunches and looked off to the side, her ears splayed back and a look that could almost be regret on her face. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I may… have gotten ahead of myself here. It’s just, I-I’ve been trapped inside the Crystal Heart for so long that I… when I found myself free again, I just couldn’t… I just…” She shook her head. “I realized that’s no excuse for my behavior though. I…” Closing her mouth, she swallowed thickly.

Gleaming pushed herself into a seated position and wiped her nose with a hoof. “W-what do you want from me? Why are you doing this?”

“I…” Cadance closed her eyes and released a long sigh. For a moment, she said nothing, but then she turned her gaze back to Gleaming, who was surprised to find a warm, almost motherly smile on the she-demon’s face.

“My name is Mi Amore Cadenza,” she said. “At one point I was a goddess of fertility. Of beauty and sex and love. Ponies would come from far and wide to see me, to receive my blessing, and even to potentially sleep with me. Mares became swollen with foals under my influence and the stamina of the stallions rose. An entire city was mine in the far North. Families bloomed and populations boomed. Love flourished throughout my domain!” Her wings flared wide for a moment, but then her smile turned sad. “But then… my sister decided I had too much, and for my hubris, I was sealed in the Crystal Heart for all eternity. Or that is, until you freed me.”

Getting to her hooves, Gleaming sniffled as she cautiously approached the mirror. “Wait… y-your sister did that to you?” She attempted to dry her cheeks with the back of a hoof. “Your sister imprisoned you? For real?”

A sour look crossed Cadance’s face. “Cee-Cee doesn’t… didn’t… doesn’t like it when others get more attention than her,” she said weakly. “It wasn’t the first time she imprisoned somepony, and it probably wasn’t the last. She was big on the banishing back in the day.”

“Still, you’re sister…” Gleaming frowned before shaking her head. “Still, that doesn’t explain what you want from me.” 

“To experience life again?” Cadance shrugged. “As you no doubt can tell, I can’t necessarily touch anything at the moment. Like, at all. Nopony can see me, nopony can hear me, nopony can feel me. A-and I miss it. I miss the feeling of another’s warmth, the feeling of another’s touch, the feeling of another’s breath. It’s like being thirsty but being unable to drink. And I need you to experience it all again.” She gave Gleaming a pleading look. “That’s what I need from you. I need to feel alive again. It’s been too long. I… I need it, please. I can’t… not again...”

The two mares gazed at each other for a long moment, neither speaking. Blue eyes stared deeply into purple, each mare reflected in the others’ gaze, and the world seemed to stand still.

Gleaming was the first one to speak.

“A-alright.” She licked her lips. “Alright, I can try and help you out. Experience the world. Help you live again. Just… please, lay off with Anon.” Her ears folded against her head. “I… he’s a touchy subject. I’d love to… with him… but I just… can’t…”

“Hmmm,” Cadance hummed as she rubbed her chin. “Tell you what. We’ll help each other out. It’s only fair, right? Yes, a deal sounds good. Since you’re letting me experience the world again, I’ll help you with your colt troubles.” Gleaming’s eyes widened. “Oh come now, girl. With my expertise, we’ll have that colt, er… Anon, eating out of your hoof in no time. Or rather eating out something else.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “What do you say? Sisters?”

Gleaming’s ear twitched. “You’ll help me with Anon?”

Cadance held up a hoof. “Promise.”

“You’ll help me get with Anon?”

“Promise!”

“You won’t force me to do anything?” Gleaming asked, her eyes narrowing. “No trickery, no spells, no mind control?”

“Just a little?” Cadance grinned. At Gleaming glare, she rolled her eyes. “I’m kidding. We’ll go at your speed. Promise-promise. But at the end of the day, the result will be the same. I get to do my duty again, and you’ll get the colt of your dreams. It’s perfect.”

Gleaming didn’t even need to think about it. “Deal.” Without really knowing why she did it, she put her hoof against the mirror. Cadance copied her action, their two hooves touching through the thin layer of glass. A spark jumps between them before a faint pink light flickers across the mirror.

Cadance grinned. 

“Deal,” she purred, eyes lidded.
> Level 13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cleaning herself up as best she could, Gleaming made herself as presentable as possible before returning to the cafe. Her eyes were still a little red, but that was easy enough to pass off as her being tired, which of course was the reason she was in the coffee shop to begin with.

Upon exiting the bathroom, she discovered that Anon and String Board were still chatting animatedly. At first she assumed they were still arguing over coffee, but as she drew nearer, the true nature of their conversation became audible.

And suddenly, the exasperated look on Mocha’s face was completely understandable.

“No, no, no! I’m being completely serious here! Like, one hundred and twenty percent serious!” String Board said as she nursed her extra-large iced coffee. “Nopony wants to acknowledge the truth, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening!”

“Nuh-uh,” Anon replied. There was mild amusement in his voice even as he leaned on the counter, one hand propping his head up. “You’re just pulling my leg like ponies used to do all the time when I first arrived here. ‘The moon is made of cheese’, ‘Celestia can see what you’re doing when you say her name’, ‘if mares don’t get enough hugs per day they can die’.” Mocha blushed at the mention of that last one and looked away quickly. “I’m not gullible, little pony. It’s not happening.”

“It totally is though!” Fired up, String pushed her drink away to prevent it getting knocked over. Leaning on the counter herself, she glared up at Anon. “It’s Cloudsdale! I’m telling you, the pegasi at the Weather Factory are totally doing it!”

Leaning back, Anon shook his head. “Nope. I don’t believe you.”

“I-it’s true!” String stood up suddenly, her forelegs on the counter. “And I’m not saying that ponies can’t naturally develop homosexual feelings. That’s not what I’m getting at. I mean, give me a bucking break. Do you think I’m like, oh, shocked by it, so I’m up here bashing it because I don’t like dykes? Cause that’s not it!” Face turning red, she slammed her hooves on the counter top as she shouted. “I’m tired of them putting chemicals in the rainwater that turns the bucking parasprites gay! Do you understand that? I’m sick of being magically engineered by the government for the betterment of Equestria and Harmony in general. I… It’s not funny!” She glared at Anon, who was laughing at this point.

Gleaming sat down next to her friend and adjusted her scarf into a more comfortable position. “String?”

“What?” String snapped, whipping her head around.

“Shut up.” Lighting up her horn, Gleaming picked up her own drink. The second the purple straw touched her lips, a flood of cooling, delicious, caffeinated substance flowed up into her mouth and down her throat. She groaned happily as the familiar flavor coated her tongue. That’s the ticket, baby.

String let out a small whine as she collapsed back on her stool. “B-but he’s ignoring all the facts and figures that clearly point to the fact that Cloudsdale is putting chemicals in the rainwater that are meant to—”

“Don’t care,” Gleaming said around the straw. “Shut up and drink your coffee. Too early for your shenanigans.”

“When you’re licking slits, don’t come whining to me.” Grumbling under her breath, String grabbed her drink and began sucking it down as well. She refused to look at either Anon or Gleaming, staring intently at the counter top instead.

As the two enjoyed their drinks in silence, Anon shook his head. “You have some strange friends, Gleams,” he chuckled before moving off to help a customer that had just walked in. Mocha followed as well, working the machines as Anon took the order.

You don’t know the half of it, Gleaming thought as Cadance floated through the back wall and into view. She circled Anon for a moment, studying him intently, before she settled down on the other side of Gleaming. The drink in Gleaming magic caught her eye for a moment and she eyed them curiously before turning her attention instead to Mocha as she trotted past them to get into the back room.

“Them breeding hips. Unf,” Cadance muttered under her breath before floating off again. 

As the she-demon disappeared into the back room, Gleaming rolled her eyes. She gave her drink a hard suck before leaning over and muttering to String Board. “So, you said you found out something about the symbol?”

“Mmm-hmm!” String took one last, long pull on her straw before smacking her lips. Lighting up her horn, she scoped some whipped cream out of the cup and lapped at it. “Oh, did I find something.” Horn still glowing, she pulled a notebook out of her saddlebags and placed it on the counter space between them. She flipped through the note-filled pages until she reached one that had a rough sketch of the heart emblem.

“I don’t know what you did to piss off some higher deity, sister,” she said, “but you, my friend, have some kind of accursed luck or something. Or maybe good luck, depending on how you look at it.”

Gleaming gave her friend a confused look before leaning forward to give the contents of the notebook a read. She immediately noticed that String’s hornwriting was still as illegible as ever. “What are you talking about? What’s the symbol?”

String Board gave her a lopsided grin. “It’s the symbol for a cult. A different cult than Primae Noctis, thankfully. Still, you’ve somehow managed to get wrapped up in two separate ancient cults in the span of less than a week. I’m actually impressed. Nopony has heard hide nor hair of these cults in centuries, and yet, here you are.”

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Gleaming groaned. Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead against the counter top, being mindful of her horn. “One cult was bad enough, but now two? This is stupid!” 

“Oh, relax,” String huffed. “It’s not as bad as you think.”

Gleaming peaked up at her. “How so?”

String pushed up her glasses before pulling her notebook closer. “Well, you see. The thing is, this particular cult isn’t like Primae Noctis for starters. They weren’t bent on the destruction of pony society as we know it. In fact, it was almost the exact opposite. You see, this cult could easily be described as a sex cult.”

Gleaming sat up. “Come again?”

“It was a cult based around worshipping a being of fertility,” String said. “The Cult of Amore.”

Cadance’s head suddenly poked up through the table and the notebook. “Did somepony mention me?” she asked innocently, glancing between the two mares. “I heard my name.”

Gleaming gave her a look before turning back to String. “The Cult of Amore? Are you sure?”

String Board nodded. “Yup. The Cult of Amore formed about a century after the Solar and Lunar Branches duked it out. It was especially prominent in the Frozen North, although given how cold it is up there, ponies were probably just bonking to stay warm. Either way, unlike Primae Noctis, they didn’t really have a nefarious purpose, if the information I found is correct. They mostly seemed to be devoted to a fertility idol, a minor goddess or demon. The texts weren’t very clear. Anyways, they’d preform all manner of sex rituals and massive orgies and drunken rutfests in her name. Any fillies or colts who were born in these debauched bacchanalia were then forced to attend to the goddess’s shrines, as it was believed she loved to ravish them and turn them into her lust-filled concubines and broodmares.” 

“Excuse me?!” Cadance pulled herself up out of the counter. She glared at String indignantly. “ I most certainly did not! Foals are for hugs, not fugs! What manner of lies are these?!” She paused in thought for a moment before a faint blush touched her cheeks. “Well, at least until they get their cutie marks. Then they are for hugs and fugs… b-but that’s besides the point!” Turning to Gleaming, she gave her a pleading look. “The ponies that came to me for help didn’t leave their foals with me! That would have defeated the purpose of me helping them start a family in the first place!” 

Staring absently at Cadance’s imploring eyes, Gleaming turned her head towards String. “So, what happened to the cult? Did they try to take over and get destroyed in the process?”

As Cadance squawked, String Board just shrugged. “Nopony really knows what happened to them. They didn’t try a mass take over, nor did they really expand. One century there’s mentions of them in a few history texts, but then the next century, nothing. No mentions, no citations, nothing denoting what might have happened to them. They were just gone. It was almost like something came down and erased them right off the pages of history. No witch hunts, no crusades, no round ups. Just… gone. Vanished. Extinct.” 

“Cee-cee is very thorough,” Cadance said as she lounged across the counter top. “I’m not too worried though. My acolytes, while being good in bed, were also good at taking care of themselves when they needed too. I’m sure they just went into hiding when I was sealed away. Probably dispersed and started herds together. Shining would have definitely gotten most of my followers away safely. That’s why I kept him around.”

Gleaming’s eyes flicked to her for a moment before she took a drink of her coffee. “Okay. So then, why do I have their emblem on my stomach if they’re gone?”

Cadance threw a hoof into the air. “Oh, oh! It’s because of me! It’s there because of me! It’s a mark of my blessing!” 

“That I can’t tell you,” String said at the same time. “It might have something to do with the Crystal Heart you broke, but nothing I found ever mentioned a rune of any kind appearing on ponies.” She slurped noisily on her coffee, trying to get the last few remains at the bottom. “I can keep digging though, if you want, but at the moment, it looks like it might just be a way to mark one of the cultists? Like, an identifying mark or something? A brand?”

“It’s totally because I’m possessing you.” Cadance grinned.

Closing her eyes, Gleaming took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “Great. Just bucking great. Just what I needed in my life.” 

“Hey,” String said as she chewed on her straw, “at least you don’t have to deal with a second cult out there causing trouble. Besides, the worst you’d get from the Cult of Amore if they were still around would be getting trapped in a massive orgy against your will.”

Cadance giggled. “Oh, it wouldn’t be against your will. You’d totally love it. I’d give you the best seat in the house.” Gazing at Gleaming with smoldering eyes, she slowly licked her lips. “The best seat.”

“Joyful,” Gleaming deadpanned, answering both mares at once.

Silence fell over the counter as both mares worked on finishing their drinks—or in String’s case, chewing on her straw. Before Gleaming could reach the bottom of her cup though, Anon came sidling up again. “Ladies. May I interest anyone in a refill? Or another drink?”

I’m thirsty for something, but it isn’t more coffee,” Gleaming thought. From her position on the counter, Cadance tittered before rolling onto her back.

“I’m good,” String said. “I should actually be getting back home before Floor thinks I died and she tries to move into my room. Again. Catch you later, Gleaming. Monkey boy.” She shot Anon an annoyed glare.

“Bean drinker,” he shot back.

As String Board left the cafe, Gleaming gave Anon a small smile. “I’ll have another one please, if you don’t mind. To go.”

Anon returned the smile. “For you, Gleams, no problem.”

Gleaming blushed as he walked off to make her drink. It faded as she watched Anon work, an idea forming in her head. She chewed on her lip as she mentally debated with herself. From beside her, Cadance was nodding her head frantically, a large grin on her muzzle while she muttered through clenched teeth. “Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!”

“There you are!” Anon placed another drink down in front of her. “This one’s on the house!”

“T-thanks!” Gleaming stammered. She was silent for a moment before hurriedly asking. “Um, Anon? What are you doing on Friday?” The words came out faster than she wanted and she winced internally as she stumbled over some of them.

Anon didn’t seem to notice. “Oh, um. This Friday? That’s game night. I’m playing some Ogres and Oubliettes with the guys.”

“Oh.” Gleaming ears folded against her head. “N-never mind then.”

She turned to leave, and was halfway to the door when Anon called out. Turning, she gave him a curious look over her shoulder.

“You wanna come?” he asked with a warm smile. “There’s always room for one more at the table. That is, if you even play.”

Gleaming stared at him blankly before smiling widely. “I’d… I’d love to!”

From behind her, Cadance pumped a hoof into the air.
> [C] Curious Spirit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So, let me see if I have this correct,” Cadance said as she followed Gleaming inside her apartment. “You agreed to go play this game with the human… without knowing how to play it?” She shook her head. “I’m all for banging this colt, but won’t this make you look bad?”

Gleaming was halfway into the living room when she paused. Several large bags, bulging with her recent purchases, were held in her magic, along with over half a dozen hardcover books of various designs and thicknesses.

She gave Cadance a look. “I know the basics. I think. If I remember correctly, it’s basically just daydreaming with friends with a little math thrown in. How hard can it be to learn the rest?” Not waiting for an answer, she turned and dumped the contents of the bags onto the coffee table.

It was a nerd’s wet dream. There were boxes that had dice of various types and colors, from those that had three sides to some that had one hundred and twenty sides. Some were made of metal, while others were clear and would glow the same color as their roller’s magic.

And then came the miniatures. Small figures that depicted not only ponies of each tribe, but also zebras and donkeys and diamond dogs and minotaurs and kelpies and changelings and griffons (just to name a  few). There was even a large dragon figure that was three times the size of the other ones.

Sorting through the mess, Gleaming continued. “The first thing I need to do is make a character. Or two. Maybe more. After that, I just have to learn the basics by Friday. If it gets more complicated, I can just say I’m rusty.” She placed the stack of books down in the spot she had cleared off. “I’ve done worse in less time. I’ve done an entire final overnight. This should be easy in comparison.” Grabbing the book labeled as ‘Core Rulebook #1’, she flipped it open to the first chapter and began to read.

As Gleaming nose became wedged firmly in the rulebook, Cadance floated over and eyed the miniature creatures with some interest. There were dozens of them, but a select few caught her eye. Like the minotaur cow berserker who was wielding twin battleaxes above her head, her muzzle opened wide in a silent roar of rage.

Then there was the unicorn stallion that was decked out in a set of heavy silver plate mail, his face hidden behind a gilded helmet in the shape of the sun. A large tower shield rested against his flank, and a greatsword was embedded in the ground next to him.

Then there was one that she thought was a unicorn in black glass armor until she looked closer. Instead, she found herself staring at a changeling legionnaire that was decked out in the thorn-like armor. Green magic gathered around its twisted horn as it reared up on its hind legs.

Giving the last figure an uneasy look, she floated to the other end of the table where Gleaming was. Face buried in the book, Gleaming had a piece of scrap paper beside it and the pencil in her magic was scratching out notes as she hummed to herself. “...so with that I need to carry the three over here and then add a one here. This goes here because I have sixteen there. Add an additional point in armor due to race. Or no? Wait, do I even get a racial bonus? Where’s that chart again?”

“What on Equestria are you talking about?” Leaning over Gleaming shoulder, Cadance peered down at the page. Charts and numbers dominated the paper, and the text was so small that she needed to squint in order to see what was written. Even then, it made no sense to her.

“You know… when you said that this was a roleplaying game, this wasn’t exactly what I was picturing,” Cadance pouted. “More like the lusty unicornian maid and stuff like that. This doesn’t seem as… fun.”

Gleaming didn’t respond. She just kept muttering, her eyes darting back and forth over the book as she flipped through the pages.

“Hey, are you listening?” Cadance asked.

“Not now. I’m busy,” Gleaming grunted, not looking up. Turning the page, she put a sticky note on the corner before continuing. 

“Oh come on,” Cadance whined. “Surely there’s something more interesting you could do right now. I mean, if you said it was going to be easy, can’t you do this at a later time?” She pressed herself into Gleaming’s shoulder. “I’m still itchin’ from earlier. Let’s find a cute stallion to ride. Yeah?”

“Not now. I’m busy.” Annoyance crept into Gleaming’s voice and she shrugged Cadance off, but didn’t lift her head. Her horn glowed brighter as she pulled a second book over and cracked it open. “Now, what the heck is multiclassing?”

“Either you entertain me now, or I’ll make you regret it later,” Cadance growled in a dangerous purr. Reaching over, she put a hoof on Gleaming’s shoulder.

Her reaction was not one that Cadance was expecting.

Almost immediately, Gleaming aggressively slapped her hoof away. “I said not now, Twilight! I’m busy!” she growled. In a burst of magic, Cadance found herself on the couch across the room. Gleaming remained at the coffee table, crouched over the books while a cloud of paper slowly formed around her head, held in her magic. Muttering under her breath, she was lost in her own little world.

Cadance’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve chosen poorly.” Jumping down off the couch, she prowled over to Gleaming like a cat hunting its prey. She licked her lips hungrily before putting her muzzle against the distracted unicorn’s ear. “Tonight, you are going to pay. Tonight… you are mine.”

With that, she stalked away. Leaving Gleaming to her weird game and its weird math, Cadance instead began to explore the apartment.





She glanced back and forth between the two tubs.

One seemed to be the correct size. A pony could lie down inside of it with ease, and have plenty of room to spare. There was even a pair of handles next to something that looked like a spout. Some kind of modern water pump system no doubt. This tub was clearly designed to allow a pony to bathe.

But then…

She peered curiously at the smaller tub. It was a lot smaller than the first tub, so much so that she wasn’t sure she could fit in it even if she tried. In fact, based on the size and shape, if she were to try and sit down, her flank would rest around the lip. The smaller tub was also designed differently than the larger one. Instead of a spigot system, there appeared to be only one handle and it was attached to a tank of water on the back of the tub.

“If that’s for bathing…” Cadance said to herself as she glanced at the larger tub. “Then what is this for?” She studied the smaller tub closely, but no matter what angle she observed it from, it did not give up its secrets.

“This makes no sense!” she said after a few minutes. “It’s not big enough to wash in! You’d have to be the size of a foal in order… to… fit…” Dawning realization washed over her, followed quickly by wonder. “Wow. Things certainly have progressed since in the last few centuries. A large tub for adult ponies, and a separate smaller tub for foals? My goodness, who would have thought?”

Now, if she could only figure out why the smaller tub had a roll of thin paper next to it instead of a proper towel.





Phasing her head through the refrigerator door, Cadance lit up her horn to illuminate the darkness within, only to find herself staring into the abyss.

The abyss stared back.

Slowly, a smile spread across Cadance’s face.

“...kinky.”





The room was uninteresting at first glance. Dozens of boxes were scattered everywhere, some full and some empty. A few had some labels on them such as ‘KITCHEN’ and ‘BATHROOM’ and ‘HEARTH’S WARMING’ written in black marker. A thick layer of dust covered everything, and cobwebs claimed the corners.

Thankfully, none of it clung to Cadance as she floated through the wall. One of the few perks that came with being  incorporeal.

Drifting from box to box, she peered inside the ones that were open. One held a bunch of old textbooks, binders full of faded notes, and a box of broken quills. A second box contained a couple of wrinkled dresses and an old stitched-together doll. It was the last box though that gave Cadance pause.

The box was mostly empty save for a couple of old photo albums resting at the bottom. And while she couldn’t interact with them, she didn’t have to, for on top of the albums were several picture frames that had been thrown haphazardly on top. The glass in one of the frames had shattered, thus rendering the photo inside unviewable. Luckily, the others were still intact, and while a layer of dust covered them, it wasn’t enough to obscure the pictures inside.

Leaning down into the box, Cadance took a closer look.

The first photo that stood out was one depicting two unicorns. A clearly younger Gleaming was on the right, a smile on her muzzle and braces visible on her teeth. To the left was a smaller blank-flanked lavender unicorn whose grin couldn’t be bigger if she tried. They both sat together, hugging each other closely, almost lovingly.

Her eyes drifted to the next picture. It depicted the same two unicorns, although it seemed a few years had passed since the first photo had been taken. The two were seated at a picnic table, sandwiches laid out before them. The lavender unicorn had a cutie mark in this picture, and a stack of boxes rested on the table beside her sandwich. Gleaming’s smile was more strained than before, and the first faint signs of black bags under her eyes were starting to show.

The final picture had the biggest chance. It was a living room decorated for some festivity. Lights and garland hung from the walls and ceilings. Gleaming and the lavender unicorn were both present again, but neither seemed to take notice of the other. The lavender unicorn was seated on a couch, her face buried in a book, while several more taking up space on the cushion beside her. Gleaming was seated on a chair beside the couch, on the opposite end as the lavender unicorn. The dark bags under her eyes were clearly visible against her white fur, as was the bruise that was spread across the top of her muzzle. She wasn’t looking at the pony taking the picture but instead was staring off to the side with a look of annoyance on her face.

Cadance studied the three pictures with a small frown. She didn’t have to be the demigoddess of love in order to see that the two unicorns were once close. The love the two once shared was clear in their smile, their body language, and in their aura.

The later photos though… there was no love. At least, none that she could see in a still image alone.

What happened here? Cadance thought as she stared down into the memories. What heartbreak caused this? If the pictures knew, they offered no answers.

Only more questions.
> Level 15
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun had long since sunk beneath the horizon when Gleaming finally called it quits.

Rubbing at her bloodshot eyes, she tucked her scrap paper and character sheets into the front of the guidebooks before closing them and storing them beneath the coffee table. In the future, she’d need to find a better place for them, but for now, the location worked.

She hadn’t had much time to go over the rules, what with how late they had gotten back to the apartment, but she felt confident enough with what she learned. If anything, she could just claim she was a little rusty if suspicion came up. Hopefully having four fleshed-out character sheets would be enough to allow her to join. She wasn’t sure what the proper amount was for a campaign, so she just covered all her bases. A tank, a healer, a magic-user, and, of course, a bard. She would have done a few more, just to be safe, but she was exhausted both mentally and physically, and there was only so much that coffee could help before the sweet siren call of her bed captured her for the night. Putting her new dice back in their respective boxes, she made sure that the coffee table was relatively cleared off before leaving.

There were no lights on in her apartment as she made her way down the hall to the bathroom, a heavy darkness claiming the rooms as its own. That didn’t really bother Gleaming though, for she knew the layout of her apartment by heart and could walk it blindfolded.

Something she knew from experience. 

After brushing her teeth and using the toilet, she entered her bedroom and proceeded to fling herself unceremoniously onto her bed, not even bothering with the covers. Nose buried in her pillow, she inhaled deeply, taking in the still somewhat fresh scent of the recently washed linen. The detergent she used had a pleasant lilac scent, the smell relaxing her tired muscles a little.

Her eyelids were heavy and she could feel them slowly closing as she lay there. Sleep was calling her, and she was going to it willingly. Sweet blessed relief was just a few moments away. She didn’t care when she woke up, she was going to enjoy this while it lasted.

Unconsciousness was just beginning to creep over her when she felt a presence creep into the room. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a shiver ran down her spine. A soft, feminine giggle was the only warning she got before a sudden weight settled upon her back. Warm breath washed over her ear, followed by a sweet, heated whisper. “Mmm, you know, you’re surprisingly comfy.”

Gleaming groaned as the she-demon nibbled on the tips of her ear. “What do you waaant? I’m trying to get some sleep… for once.”

“Well,” Cadance purred, “there are so many things that I want, but I highly doubt I’ll be getting them without some kind of miracle. I wanted to be able to taste food again, I want to feel the sun on my fur, and I really want to smell the sweet scents of the world again. However, with all those things being impossible at the moment, I’ll just settle for something much more simple.”

“And what might that be—oof!”

Putting her full weight down onto Gleaming’s back, Cadance pushed the unicorn deeper into the mattress, nibbling at the base of her left ear as she did so. “You ignored me earlier. You ignored me, a demigod, for a silly little game of paper and dice. While I can appreciate that you are trying to get some of that sweet, elusive monkey dick, I do not appreciate being ignored by my subjects.”

“First of all, I’m not one of your subjects.” Gleaming tried hard to suppress a moan as the she-demon nipped and sucked on her left ear. “It’s not my job to entertain you. And secondly, you have to-o-o—what are you doing?!”

Cadance grinned as her forelegs slipped beneath Gleaming, sinking into the mattress itself. “I’m getting more comfortable, Love.” Clutching the unicorn against her chest, she rolled over suddenly, pulling the startled Gleaming with her. 

There was a flurry of motion before Gleaming found herself stomach to stomach with Cadance, both of them laying on their sides. She noted that the she-demon was adorned in a set of black long-sock that came up to almost her shoulders. They accentuated her legs and brought special attention to her flanks.

Gleaming suddenly realized that she was in bed with a being that could easily be considered an exceptionally attractive mare. A mare who’s chest fluff was pressed up against her own. And who was currently giving her a smoldering, half-lidded smile that promised… things.

A deep blush crept across Gleaming’s cheeks.

“W-what… what are you going to do?” she asked nervously.

“Well, my dear, sweet Gleaming,” Cadance growled playfully, “you seem to have forgotten that you are indeed my subject now. After all, was it not you who broke the Crystal Heart and bound yourself to me? That means you are mine to do with as I please.”

Gleaming was finding it difficult to swallow.

“Now, as I stated earlier, you were ignoring me.” Cadance’s eyes narrowed. “You were being a naughty filly, and naughty fillies get what’s coming to them.” 

“I… I don’t like this,” Gleaming stammered.

Cadance’s smirk grew. “Oh, don’t worry. You will. I’m going to give you what you deserve.”





Gleaming couldn’t have moved her body even if she wanted to. Lost in a cloud of contentment, she dozed, completely oblivious to the world and whatever troubles it might have. She could only lay there, lost in the bliss that had claimed her.

Through the haze, she was aware of Cadance cradling her head against her chest, the she-demon running a hoof gently through the unicorn’s mane as she whispered sweetly in her ear. “Relax now. That’s right. Just relax and listen to the sound of my voice. Nothing else matters right now. Release all the tension in your body and just relax…”

A soft sigh escaped Gleaming as she found herself doing as was asked. Honestly, this wasn’t what she was expecting from the she-demon. The way things had been leading up, she was half-expecting to not be able to walk tomorrow. This though… this was nice.

She…

She could get used to this.

“It’s okay. Just relax. You’re fine. You’ve done wonderfully. You’re so strong, so independent, so resilient. But you don’t have to be right now. You can just let go. Relax. Relax. The day is done. You tried your best, but now it’s time to rest.”

“Rest…” Gleaming murmured.

Her ear twitched as Cadance giggled softly. There was a rustle followed by a pleasant warmth encompassing her as the she-demon’s wings wrapped around her body, pulling her closer. Protecting her from the world, if only for a little while. Protecting her from her troubles, her worries, and her woes.

Unable to help herself any more, Gleaming slowly drifted off to sleep, Cadance’s words echoing around her head.

“Hush now, quiet now. It’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now. It’s time to go to bed.”
> Level 16
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning was a novel experience for Gleaming, as it was the first time in what felt like a long while that she was not abruptly thrust into the waking world. Instead, she emerged from slumber slowly and gracefully, actually taking time to enjoy the soft warmth of her bed. 

For an unspecified (and she really didn’t care how long) amount of time, she just lay there—eyes closed and half-awake—without a care in the world. It was an odd feeling, and one that she found she rather enjoyed, all things considered. Not having any worries, any concerns, any ‘this-needs-to-get-done-immediately’s on her mind: it left her in a relaxed state she hadn’t experienced in ages.

She didn’t want it to end.

But, like all good things in her life, even this had to come to an end. This time, however, she was not forced from her bed by the need to pee or by somepony pounding on her door or by some other unpleasant event, but rather by the understanding that it was time to get going. And so, with a yawn and a stretch, Gleaming pulled herself out of her bed and started her day.

With a tousled mane and a black nightshirt to fight back the slight chill in the air, she made her way down the hall to the kitchen. Forgoing any food, she instead rummaged around in her small pantry for a moment before pulling out a can of ground coffee. It took a few tries to get the brewer working (it was an older model after all) but soon the blessed scent of brewing coffee filled the room.

Sighing, Gleaming sat down at the small, two-pony kitchen table in the corner and waited.

It wasn’t long before a pink head poked itself through the wall. “Oh! Good morning. I didn’t think you’d be up yet.”

“Force of habit,” Gleaming said sleepily. She yawned again, her tongue poking out slightly. “Years of getting up early hardwires it into your system. This is actually pretty late for me.”

Cadance glanced at the clock as she pulled herself the rest of the way into the room. “This is late for you? Good gracious, honey, you really need to learn to relax more.” This morning the she-demon had on a rather risque-looking outfit. A silk burgundy nightie that barely covered her flanks with a matching pair of socks on her hind legs. Her mane was done up in a loose bun with a pair of hair sticks. A few stray strands hung about her face, accenting her natural beauty.

She floated by Gleaming—giving her a quick nuzzle as she passed—before coming to rest in the middle of the kitchen, floating idly on her back. In the light coming in from the window, she looked like she was practically glowing.

"Did you know there's a herd living right above you?" she asked.

“Huh?” Blinking, Gleaming perked up. “Oh, you mean the Fondues? Yeah, I know them.”

Cadance cocked her head. “The Fondues?”

“Yeah, there’s Cheese, the stallion, and his mares Broth, Wine, and Chocolate.” Gleaming tapped her hoof on the table as she listed the names. “They run a restaurant somewhere in Middle Canterlot. Last I checked, Wine was the lead mare of the herd.” She hummed as she glanced up at the ceiling. “They send me food packages every estrus.”

“Whatever for?”

A blush spread across Gleaming’s cheeks. “To make up for all the noise they make.”

Cadance stared at her blankly for a moment before a large grin lit up her face. “Oh ho ho! Really? Well, they must have been rather successful.” At Gleaming’s confused look, the she-demon giggled. “All three mares are pregnant. Two with twins, and the third with triplets.”

“W-what? You’re joking!” Gleaming blanched. “Oh dear Celestia. That’s… that’s going to be chaos! Seven foals all at the same time?” A heavy shiver ran down her spine. “By Celestia’s swollen teats. No thank you!”

“One of the perks of being an earth pony,” Cadance said. “Or maybe a curse. Regardless, their herd is about to grow larger! Oooh, that’s so wonderful!” Flailing her hooves, she turned somersaults in the air. The glow intensified.

Wait a minute...

Gleaming’s eyes widened as she realized that it hadn’t been a trick of the light. Cadance was actually glowing, a warm, pinkish light encompassing her entire body. It pulsed and thrummed, and her horns sparked with magic. 

And was she growing a few inches taller?

“Oooh, this makes me so happy!” the she-demon giggled. “This is why I started doing what I did! The feeling of love, the growth of a herd, the swelling of life! Blissful! Euphoric! Addicting! Nothing can compare!” 

“Wait…” Gleaming frowned as Cadance continued to flit about the kitchen like an excited hummingbird. “You didn’t have something to do with their… fertility, did you?”

“Oh goodness, no,” Cadance said. “They were already pregnant before you freed me.” Settling down beside Gleaming at the table, she shook her head. “No, the only thing I’m responsible for placing an itsy bitsy teenie weenie little enchantment on all of the mares.”

Gleaming stiffened. “Cadance,” she growled. “What… did you do?”

“Nothing,” the she-demon tittered. “Nothing at all!”

With a snort, Gleaming’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t lie to me. What did you just do?” Her horn began to glow as magic coursed up its length, and the subtle thrum of magic emanated through the room.

Finally sensing the sudden change in mood of her host, Cadance sobered up. “Come now. Do you really think I’d do something to harm them?” She clicked her tongue. “That’s not my motif. I deal with positive enchantments. The charm I placed on them will keep them healthy and pain-free throughout their pregnancies and will ensure that they do not lose their foals—or themselves—during birth. Their foals shall be large and healthy and shall not know disease or illness for the first few of their hopefully many years.”

The magic around Gleaming’s horn died. “Oh.” Her ears pressed against her head and she stared intently at the wooden grain of the table. “That’s… that’s actually really generous of you.”

“It used to be one of my many duties,” Cadance said, and there was a hint of sadness in her voice. “Back when ponies came to me for help. Back before I was imprisoned. Back before Cee-Cee…” She trailed off, a pained look on her face.

“Sister troubles are always the worst,” Gleaming muttered.

“You would know?” Cadance asked, more curious than accusatory.

“Yeah, you could say that. I know very well.” A cold feeling settled over Gleaming. She glared at the table and growled. “Very well.” 

An uncomfortable silence descended upon the kitchen, neither mare looking at the other. The oppressive feeling was eventually broken though by the distorted chirp of the coffee machine signaling its job complete. 

The sound of pouring coffee seemed to also pour the tension right out of the room. While Gleaming added cream and sugar to her drink, Cadance hummed a little tune, staring up at the ceiling.

“Four fillies and three colts,” she said softly.

“You can tell already?” Gleaming asked. She took a sip from her mug, and a tremor of pleasure ran through her body as the sweet liquid ran down her throat.

“No,” Cadance hummed. “I just like to guess on the outcome. I’m right more often than not, but it’s only a gut feeling. Nothing more.”

Gleaming smiled. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.” She took another, longer draft of coffee. “So, now we have to figure out what to do today—”

The whole apartment seemed to shake as loud pounding came from the front door, the poor wood nearly splintering under the force.

Gleaming fumbled her coffee cup, nearly dropping it in surprise. Cautiously, she peered around the corner of the kitchen wall and eyed the front door. It shook again, the nails rattling in the hinges.

"Could it be your friend?" Cadance asked, whispering even though she didn't really have to.

"Can't be," Gleaming hissed. "If String Board was that strong, all of us would be wearing tinfoil hats instead."

An especially loud series of impacts land against the door, followed by a muffled scream from upstairs. Cadance's head whipped back as she looked to the ceiling before leveling an annoyed glare at the trembling door.

"Stay here for a moment, please," she ordered. With a purpose, she fluttered to the door and stuck her head through right as the next series of room-shaking knocks rained down. For a moment, the she-demon was still…

Cadance stumbled back, her head reemerging from the wood. Her eyes were wide and the color had drained from her face.

"What is it?" Gleaming asked, fear welling up inside her. What could be outside her door that would scare the color off a spirit that couldn't be seen, heard, or touched?

A moment later she got her answer.

"Royal guard! Open the door!"
> Level 17
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Royal Guard! Open the door!” came a thunderous voice from outside.

Mug still in her magic, Gleaming crept towards the door, even as Cadance shook her head frantically, mouthing ‘no no no’ over and over again. She gave the she-demon one last look over her shoulder before, with a sigh, she unlocked the bent deadbolts and pulled the door open only to immediately come face-to-chest plate with the biggest mare she had ever seen.

Gleaming’s head lifted up slowly.

The mare was twice her size and decked out in white-and-gold full-plated armor that had to weigh the same as three full-grown stallions, easily. With no wings and no horn visible, it was probably a wise assessment that there was nothing but pure muscle beneath the shell of whitened steel. A pair of bright orange eyes stared down at her from the darkness of the visored helmet, black hair emerging from the crest.

So big was the mare that she had to bow her head slightly to stop her helmet from scraping against the ceiling.

Gleaming’s neck began to cramp as she continued to stare up at the massive mountain of mare meat in front of her. Woof...

“Private Shield?”

A loud voice coming from below her caused Gleaming to jump in surprise. Up until then, she had been oblivious to the second guard standing to the side and slightly in front of the behemoth. 

Unlike the first mare, the second guard barely came up to Gleaming’s chest. She was decked out in a much lighter set of armor that still matched the color scheme of the first mare: white-and-gold with red stole accents. Her crest was pale yellow, and a pink horn emerged from a hole in the helmet. A pair of green eyes stared angrily up at Gleaming.

If the sight of the strange pair wasn’t enough of a hint as to who they were, then the symbol etched onto their cuirasses was: a large stylized sun with a horn and closed wings in front of it.

Royal Inquisitors, Lilyhammer the Gavel, and Daisychain the Biltz.

“Well?” the small mare—Daisychain—barked. Despite her size, she had a voice that would make a drill sergeant cry with pride.

Gleaming blinked. “I-I’m sorry?”

Daisychain snorted in annoyance, her teeth bared. “Are you Private Shield?”

“Oh. Y-yes. Yes, I am,” Gleaming stammered. “Why? W-what do you want?” Her eyes darted back and forth between the two mares. If they were here, things were serious. Only one pony had the authority to send forth the Inquisitors…

Daisychain’s next words confirmed her fears. “The Empress has requested your presence. Immediately.” 

Although she remained calm on the outside, Gleaming’s heart nearly exploded in her chest. Her mind raced, trying to figure out why Empress Celestia would be calling on her by name. She was a nopony, nothing special to look at, nopony to keep an eye on (something she had been reminded of regularly for many years).

There was only one thing she could think of that might earn her the Empress’s attention, and it was currently in the private pouch of her armor. She knows. Oh, sweet Celestia’s winking clit, Celestia knows!

Swallowing down the lump forming in her throat, she looked back to the diminutive unicorn. 

“And why exactly does Empress Celestia want to see me?” she asked, trying to appear nonchalant.

Daisychain’s eyes narrowed.

“Such impudence!” she hissed. “Hold thy tongue, knave! It is not our place to question the divine Will of our Majesty! We just do as she instructs, and right now she is instructing you to present yourself before her!” Small sparks of green lightning danced up and down her horn, and Gleaming could feel her fur starting to stand on end.

It took all of Gleaming’s self-control to not let her coffee mug tremble as she brought it up to her lips. She took a long swig, wincing internally as the coffee slipped down her throat. Buck me. Why is it cold already?

Trying to buy herself some time to think, she lowered the mug and leveled a bemused stare towards Daisychain. “Look, I’m not one to tell you how to do your job, but are you sure you have the right sister? I think the one you are looking for is shorter, chunkier, purple, and most likely has her face shoved so deep into a book that she should buy it dinner afterward.”

“Insolent mare!” Daisychain snarled. In a flash, all the sparks jumped to the tip of her horn. A moment later, an explosive thunderclap erupted throughout the hall as a bolt of lightning struck the floor in front of Gleaming.

Gleaming’s mane stood on end, and she braced herself for the second bolt that was sure to follow. Instead of the feeling of electricity coursing through her body however, there came a shrill squeal from down the hall. Out of the corner of her eye, Gleaming caught sight of a plump, homely-looking mare with a mulberry coat standing by the open stairwell door.

Upon seeing her, both armored guards shifted their stances as if preparing to lunge forward. Lilyhammer pawed at the floor while Daisychain’s horn glowed brighter.

Buck buck buck buck buck! Swearing silently, Gleaming’s own horn flared to life as she prepared to cast her shield spell. It probably wouldn’t be able to hold out beneath the onslaught of both Inquisitors, but hopefully it’d be strong enough to buy the mare enough time to escape.

“What’s going on down here?!” the new mare yelped. 

Daisychain opened her mouth, but Gleaming beat her to it.

“Nothing, Mrs. Wine,” she called out, not taking her eyes off of the two guards who had returned their attention back to her. The tension in the air was almost palpable. 

Wine Fondue took in the scene before her with wide, terrified eyes. “We… we heard a lot of commotion. And crashing. And shouting. Through the floor.” She gave the massive form of Lilyhammer the same look a lamb might give a salivating dragon. “Do… do you need any help, Gleaming dear?”

“No, Mrs. Wine. I’m just having a… friendly discussion with some coworkers.” 

Wine’s eyes darted from the charred floor at Gleaming’s hooves to the cracked and warped door behind her. “...are you sure, hon?”

“Yes, Mrs. Wine. You can go back upstairs. We’ll try and be quieter. Sorry for disturbing you and your herd.” She paused before adding as an afterthought. “Congratulations on the pregnancy.”

Wine paused and gave her a confused look, but when Lilyhammer shifted her weight a little—her orange eyes locked on the mulberry mare—she turned and raced back up the stairs, her tail tucked firmly between her legs.

Gleaming waited until Wine was gone before letting out the breath she was holding.

“Enough of these games and distractions,” Daisychain growled. “The Empress is waiting. Please stop wasting her time. Her patience is not infinite.” 

Gleaming huffed.

“And if I don’t want to come with you two?” she asked, unsure of where her misplaced courage was coming from. 

The whole building shook as Lilyhammer dropped a war hammer in front of Gleaming. A shriek of alarm echoed down the stairwell, accompanied by the sound of running hooves coming from the floor above and the sound of a door slamming.

Gleaming stared down at the war hammer in fascinated horror. The handle was almost as thick as a small tree trunk, and the head of the hammer was replaced with an actual anvil which was wrapped in thick, silver chains.

“You make a very good argument,” she squeaked. “P-please, lead on!”

Daisychain smirked. “Good choice, Private.” 

Lilyhammer lifted the anvil-hammer with ease, placing it in a sling on her back as though it weighed no more than a few pounds.

Stepping inside her apartment long enough to drop off her mug and grab a sweater, Gleaming followed the two Inquisitors. Doors along the hallways were cracked open, her neighbors peeking timidly out from behind chains and deadbolts. Upon seeing the two armor-clad ponies, many doors were shut quickly and locks were reinforced.

As Gleaming trotted down the stairs, there came a soft whisper in her ear. 

“Whatever you do, don’t react!” Cadance hissed. “Look, I know that nopony can see or hear me, but I… I’m not going to follow you. I’m… I’m just not ready to face her again already. I’m sorry, but… you have to go on your own. I’ll… I’ll just wait here for you to get back.”

Alright, Gleaming thought, flicking an ear in response. She felt a brief nuzzle on the back of her neck, but then the next moment the warm presence faded, leaving an empty, hollow feeling in its wake. 

Trying to not let her fear consume her, Gleaming headed off to meet the Sun.
> Level 18
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Without her armor, Gleaming felt uncomfortably naked as she made her way through the halls of Canterlot Castle. It certainly didn’t help that her two companions were decked out in their full-plate armor, the white-gold steel clanking loudly as they trotted along. While Daisychain didn’t make too much noise due to her small stature, each step Lilyhammer took caused the marble floor beneath their hooves to shake and shudder.

Flanked on both sides by the intimidating pair, Gleaming would have preferred to have more than her sweater and scarf for protection. Feeling very vulnerable, she found herself longing for her own suit of armor that was currently displaced somewhere in the palace. Not that it would do her any good against the massive war hammer Lilyhammer was still hefting around, but having the familiar weight would at least make her feel a little better.

Only a little.

As the trio made their way down the hall, they were given quite a wide berth. Maids made themselves scarce, ducking into empty rooms or servant’s corridors. Those that couldn’t find hiding spots made futile attempts to appear busy, scrubbing and dusting random items and furniture until the strange entourage had passed. 

Guards, unable to move from their posts, stiffened and saluted, holding their breaths until they could relax once more. A few of the lower-ranking ones gave Gleaming sympathetic looks, but the higher ranks just ignored her.

Rounding a corner, Gleaming felt her heart flutter as the grand doors of the throne room came into view before her. Twin massive doors of gold, they were etched with runes and murals of various designs. The trim had been designed to look like a fluttering flock of oddly-shaped pegasi, each grotesques’ eyes embedded with emeralds. And at the top of the door, the keystone had been carved into the shape of a large alicorn’s head, complete with wings flared wide, descending down on either side of the doors. All-in-all, the doors looked much more intimidating in the light of day.

I prefer them in the dark of the night, when the details are hidden, Gleaming mused. Stopping in front of the doors, she gazed up at one of the gilded pegasi only to wince. The mare’s face was contorted in an expression that could only either be extreme pain or extreme pleasure. She wasn’t overly interested in finding out which it was.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a throat being cleared. Glancing around, she found Daisychain giving her a cold look from a passageway off to the right. “Stop wasting time. The Empress is waiting!”

Gleaming motions towards the throne room doors. “This is the throne room, isn’t it? Isn’t the Empress inside?”

“Of course not,” Daisychain scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “Court was dismissed early today so that the Empress might attend to matters of a private affair. Now, come. Her Blessedness is waiting for us in her private quarters.”

“Oh. Right. Um, lead the way then.” Giving the doors one last look, Gleaming followed reluctantly behind the two as they entered the royal living quarters. 

Unlike the previous halls, these new corridors were a little more homely. The floors were covered in velvet carpets of dark red, trimmed by borders of dark walnut wood. Alcoves with gentle oil lamps replaced the brackets of harsh torches. It was also apparent upon entering that a dampening spell had been placed over the hallways; the sound from outside was instantly deadened when one stepped inside. Even Lilyhammer’s hooffalls had become muffled.

Gleaming peered around curiously as she walked behind the Royal Inquisitors. She had never before been inside the royal living quarter; the only guards posted inside were always the higher ranking ones. There was no way in Tartarus that somepony of her rank would ever be posted in these halls. As nervous as she was about her current predicament, she had to take advantage of the situation.

As she passed by the rooms, she couldn’t help but try and catch peeks of what might be inside. Her first few attempts failed, the doors either being closed or not open wide enough. On the fourth try though she caught sight of a small library, complete with a reading corner, a miniature globe, and an orrery encased in a glass cover.

Next came a small kitchen, where two earth ponies work away preparing food. From the smell of it, the Empress was in for a mouth-watering dinner.

The next few doors were closed, but an open door on the left provided a view of an office, the desk overflowing with paperwork. There was a unicorn mare with a shiny black coat and white mane working to sort the piles, her back to the door. A clipboard was held in her green magic, and she ticked off boxes as more and more paperwork disappeared into various files. As if sensing Gleaming’s gaze, the door was encased in a cloud of green magic before closing.

Wincing at the noise, Gleaming glanced ahead, only to find Daisychain glaring over her shoulder at her. 

“Kindly keep your eyes away from things that don’t concern you,” she hissed, “lest I find the need to relieve you of them so that you won’t cause any more trouble.”

Lilyhammer glanced back as well, her large hammer glinting in the light of the oil lamps.

Gleaming’s ears folded back and she quickly shook her head.

“Good.” Daisychain returned her attention to in front of her, but Lilyhammer kept staring at Gleaming for a few more seconds, her bright orange eyes burning into Gleaming’s own blue ones. Eventually, the massive mare looked away, but not soon enough in Gleaming’s opinion.

She shuddered The way she looks at me. I’ve seen griffons give cows looks with less hunger in them. Without appearing to do so, she inched her way towards the other side of the hall, away from Lilyhammer.

Reaching the end of the hall, the trio turned down the new corridor only for the two Inquisitors to suddenly pull up short. Gleaming almost ran over Daisychain before catching herself. She managed to back up a few paces before the smaller unicorn turned around. An almost manic grin was upon her face.

Lilyhammer remained facing forward, but immediately crouched into an awkward bow, her armor hindering her.

And at the far end of the hall, a large figure drifted towards them. An intricate cloak was draped about her form, hiding most of it from view. The cloth was a deep crimson while golden flames were sewn about the seams, the material enchanted to move and twist like real, living fire. From her back, twin great white wings emerged from the folds, held high and aloft like twin ornate towers, the feathers of which were pristine and perfect. 

She glided forward silently, her hooves hidden beneath the folds of the cloak. A mane and tail of various colors wafted behind her with otherworldly beauty and grace.

As she drew near, Daisychain began to cackle. “Hear me and rejoice! You have the privilege of standing before the mighty Unwavering Sun!” 

Unconsciously, Gleaming took a step back and her breathing increased as the figure stopped before the trio. Heavy pressure descended upon her as she stared up at the massive form before her. A heavy veil of gold lay across the figure’s muzzle, twitching and fluttering as she breathed. It hid all but her eyes from view, the magenta orbs staring down at her with a piercing gaze that seemed to cut through all it fell upon.

Gleaming had never felt so small in her life.

Daisychain’s introduction wasn’t necessary. This was one of the few—if not the only—individuals in the world that needed no introduction. Her mere presence was enough to inform any and all souls around her just who she was.

Lady of the Sun, Deliverer of the Day, and sole ruler over all of Equestria and her territories.

Empress Celestia.
> Level 19
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A heavy, uncomfortable atmosphere hung over the hallway, along with a thick layer of humidity that preceded the Empress like a tsunami. Gleaming found herself quickly struggling to breathe, a combination of nerves and an overwhelming pressure pushing down upon her chest and constricting her lungs. Beneath the piercing gaze of Empress Celestia, she felt bare. Naked. All her secrets laid out before the alicorn for her to peruse at her leisure.

The Empress said nothing.

She drew to a stop before the trio like a silent spector. The veil in front of her muzzle fluttered as she breathed, the golden material flowing like liquid cloth. A very faint glimpse of a pair of lips could be seen through the sheer material 

Gleaming’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Panic grew inside her as she stared up at the alicorn. I shouldn’t have come. Oh god, I shouldn’t have come...

Lilyhammer remained bowed, her eyes locked firmly on the floor. Even while crouched though, such was her height that the top of her helmet almost reached the bottom of the Empress’ chin. 

From beside the behemoth, Daisychain cackled. “Stand in awe, mortal!” she giggled dementedly. “Have the breath stolen from your lungs. Have your knees weaken and crumble. Words have failed thee, for no words can truly describe the glory that is her royal highness. The perfection of her presence. The wonder of her—”

“Royal Inquisitor?”

The words were soft, barely above a whisper, yet everypony in the hall heard them. Daisychain immediately prostrated herself before the Empress. “Yes, your magnificence? How might this one help you?”

“You are dismissed.”

“Of course, your grace!” Without hesitation, Daisychain immediately scampered backward, her face still pressed into the floor. Her helmeted head dragged against the carpet as she scooted along. Lilyhammer lingered though, her eyes locked onto Gleaming’s face with fierce hunger, at least until a bark from her partner snapped her from her daze. Hefting her hammer, the giant lumbered off down the hall.

The Empress’ gaze never left Gleaming. So intense was the stare that Gleaming feared she might burst into flames any second.

Then the Empress turned and drifted off down the hall back whence she came. 

“Follow.” There was a small pause before she added, “please.”

Despite it sounding like a request, Gleaming knew she had no choice in the matter. She tried to swallow, only to encounter difficulty; her mouth drier than it had ever been before. Taking a shaky breath, she hurried to follow after the retreating alicorn.

It was hard going. For every step the Empress took, Gleaming found herself having to take three just to keep pace. Her only saving grace was the fact that Celestia kept her strides steady and slow, although it did not appear she did it for Gleaming’s benefit; it’s just how she moved—leisurely and controlled.

Nothing was spoken by either until they rounded a corner. 

And then, the questions started.

“You are Private Gleaming Shield, correct?” Empress Celestia asked. She didn’t look down.

So surprised was Gleaming that she almost missed a step. “M-ma’am?”

Celestia repeated. “You are Private Gleaming Shield. The same who was on duty when my Archives were infiltrated?” Gleaming’s heart dropped and she started to stammer, but the Empress cut her off. “Although I know you are not responsible for the break-in, you were the guard on duty when something of immense value was stolen. I have read the accounts, I have listened to the reports, but I wish to hear your experience from your own mouth.”

Swallowing, Gleaming took several deep breaths before launching into the tale for what felt like the umpteenth time. She stumbled over her words several times, and while her voice became stronger in time, she was still nervous.

When she finished, Empress Celestia sighed. “It was as I was told. I had hoped that new light would have been shed upon this travesty, but it appears I was mistaken to do so. This just proves this situation is most troubling. The item is dangerous, double so if she gets out.” The veil fluttered as Celestia hissed out the word ‘she’ under her breath. “So bothersome.” 

By this time the two of them had arrived outside of a large door. It was made of obsidian which was polished until it almost shone like a rainbow. Thin layers of steam trickled into the hall from the gap beneath the door.

“There is no more I need you for, Private.” Empress Celestia craned her neck to peer down at Gleaming. “Finish with your recovery, and then return to duty immediately afterward. Be prepared for extra training sessions.”

“M-ma’am?” Gleaming cocked her head. “Extra training sessions?”

“Hopefully next time a thief comes snooping around, you won’t be dismissed so easily.” Turning her head, Celestia’s horn pulsed with magic and the obsidian door swung open, revealing a custom-made spa chamber on the other side. A large recess sunk into the floor, with etched marble edging running around the rim. And situated around the circumference, standing completely still while facing towards the tub, were dozens of stallions; unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies alike. As the door opened, they all stood a little straighter but other than that they didn’t move. 

A heavy blush exploded across Gleaming’s face when she noticed that every single stallion was erect, their hefty members twitching beneath their barrels.

Sweeping into the room, the Empress’ horn pulsed again. Sleeves of magic encased the stallions’ members, and a second later they all climaxed in unison. The sound of their essences splattering into the pit in the floor filled the air, causing Gleaming to flinch back. It continued for an unearthly long time—the stallions unmoving while their stallionhoods beneath them jerked and convulsed—until the tub was almost full. One by one, the flow began to cease and the stallions left the room via a side door when no more could be drained from their groins.

Empress Celestia was in the process of removing her cloak when she paused. Looking back over her shoulder, the golden veil fluttered as she regarded Gleaming almost curiously. “If I recall correctly, you are my faithful student’s older sister, correct?” A single eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

Awkwardly clearing her throat, Gleaming swallowed before stammering out, “T-that’s correct, your majesty. Twilight’s my younger sister.” 

The Empress eyed her a moment longer before turning away. “Interesting.” Dropping her cloak, she moved towards the filled pool, her white fur glowing softly in the dim light. Only the golden veil remained, brushing against the contours of her face as she moved.

“Y-your majesty?” Gleaming asked.

“It is in my experience, Miss Shield, that it is supposed to be the younger sibling that is the disappointment.” Stepping into the pool, the Empress sighed as she sunk down into its depths. When only her head remained above the surface, she laid it against the edge of the tub, where a pillow of towels had been placed. Glancing back at Gleaming, she clicked her tongue softly. “You are dismissed, Private.”

The obsidian door slammed in Gleaming’s face.