The trip up to the observatory was shorter than I expected it to be.

Originally, I was a little put off by how many stairs there were. It looked like a long climb, and, while I was looking forward to enjoying a nice meal with Twilight, I was not looking forward to climbing up that behemoth of a staircase. Especially considering that the stairs were on the outside of the building, with only a metal handrail between me and a good several hundred meter drop.

To Twilight, who had wings, it didn’t look that bad. But to me, well…

Luckily, I was saved the long and perilous journey by Twilight, who revealed a service elevator that ran all the way to the main observatory. It was a small thing, hidden beneath the stairs, and had Twilight not pointed it out, I would have missed it completely.

~How did you even know this was here?~ I asked as the lift ‘clunk-clunk-clunk’ed its way loudly up the elevator shaft.

“I discovered it about a year after I became Princess Celestia’s student and moved to the palace,” Twilight said, examining her face in the steel of the lift’s control. “I didn’t have many friends, and I spent most nights up here, observing the stars. I got tired of climbing up all the stairs, so I started looking for an easier way. I caught one of the servants exiting it one night, and have been using it ever since.”

~Well, it’s certainly beats the stairs~ I signed, glancing up through the bars of the lift’s ceiling. Through them, I could see an indication of light, which grew larger as we drew nearer the top.

The gates ground open with a loud, rusty ‘creak’ as we reached our destination. Stepping out, I couldn’t stop my jaw from falling open as I took in the sight before me. The room was huge, the curved ceiling high, high above us. Several bookshelves lined the outer walls, stuffed full of books and scrolls. Several stained glass globes of various sizes were scattered around the room; some resting on stands, others hanging from fixtures on the walls and ceilings. Soft lights within them caused them to glow. A large telescope rested in the center of the room, pointed towards a moveable gap in the iron ceiling through which the last dying rays of sun streamed through.

Twilight giggled at my awed expression, my head craned back as I tried to take it all in.

“Amazing, isn’t it,” she said as she moved further into the observatory. Despite speaking in little more than a whisper, her voice seemed to echo around the room.

Reaching a set of controls, she fiddled with them for a brief moment before a loud grinding sound filled the air, causing the floor beneath me to vibrate. As I watched, the gap in the iron ceiling began to grow as the metal sheets retracted, revealing the sky above.

It was a breath-taking sight: the orange of the setting sun mixing with the purples of the twilight sky. Stars were already beginning to appear, twinkling brightly against the inky backdrop. As the sun continued to sink further beneath the horizon, more stars began to appear until a veritable sea of sparkling dots filled the sky, which had taken on a rich, dark royal blue color.

It was several moments before I could look away from the sight above me. Tearing my eyes from the night sky, I looked to where Twilight was headed. It appeared that someone had already been up here before us and had unrolled a small blanket beside the telescope’s stand. A small trolley sat beside the blanket, and Twilight was already moving the food from the trolley to the blanket.

When she caught me watching her, she blushed but smiled and motioned me over.

“Come on,” she said softly. “This food isn’t going to eat itself.”

As I moved to sit beside her, she started to take the tops off of the trays, revealing the food. There was a large bowl of salad with slices of tomatoes, carrots, nuts, raisins, and cucumbers mixed in, and a thin layer of shredded parmesan cheese covering the top. Another bowl contained pasta carbonara, which was steaming, bits of chopped celery and tomatoes mixed in with the seasoned noodles. There was a smaller tray that contained both a small bowl of strawberries, as well as a bowl of what looked like melted chocolate. A bucket containing a chilled bottle of wine rested beneath the trolley, as well as a pair of glasses.

~This all looks amazing~ I signed, my mouth already starting to water.

“Sorry for the lack of meat,” Twilight apologized as she started to serve herself some of the salad. “I wanted to get you something special, but the Griffon ambassador visited recently and she finished off what little supply the kitchen staff had, and they haven’t been able to restock yet.”

~That’s alright, I don’t mind~ I signed before accepting a bowl of my own. Placing it in my lap, I continued, ~I have to ask, how did you convince the kitchen staff to make all of this?~

“I just walked in and asked them to make a nice, private dinner for two, and they got right on it,” she said, taking a dainty bit of salad. “It helps that I’m a princess, although I think I might have started a couple of rumors in the process.”

Pausing with a fork of noodles in my mouth, I signed, ~Rumors?~

Twilight giggled, a small blush appearing on her face.

“Well, it is estrus week after all,” she said before motioning at the spread before us. “A Princess of Equestria walks into the kitchens and asks the staff to prepare a meal like this? That can only mean she’s meeting with somepony special. I had several of the mares asking me who the lucky stallion was. I naturally didn’t tell them anything, so I’m sure that, come morning, there will be several rumors in the works about who I’m dating.”

I laughed softly as I chewed the food in my mouth, only to pause when a thought entered my head. Swallowing the food, I gave Twilight an uneasy look.

“What?” she asked, her fork halfway to her mouth. “What’s wrong?”

~Remember how strong your scent was on me the other day?~ I asked. When I got a nod from her, I continued, ~Well, I’m pretty sure half the staff could smell it. Doesn’t that mean that they’ll put two and two together?~

“I suppose so,” Twilight hummed as she poured herself a glass of wine.

~But that means they’ll find out that you’re courting a human, no?~ I asked. ~What if word gets out?~

Twilight snorted, bring the glass of wine up to her lips and taking a small sip.

“If they find out, they find out. It doesn’t matter to me,” she said. One of her wings unfurled and she placed it against my back before scooting closer to me. “I’m not ashamed of it,” she added before taking another bite from her salad.

I watched her out of the corner of my eye for a few more seconds before a small smile crossed my face. Sighing contently, I returned my attention back to my meal as well.

The food was delicious: the salad fresh and crispy, and the pasta expertly made. Much to my disappointment, both seemed to disappear faster than I would have liked. We didn’t say much as we ate; both of us were content simply enjoying each other’s company and staring up at the star-filled sky above us. Twilight giggled when I somehow got noodles stuck to the bridge of my nose, only to go cross-eyed when I balanced a carrot on her muzzle. I half-heartedly defended my food from her attempts to steal it once she was finished with her own. The triumphant look on her face as she finished off my bowl of carbonara was too cute.

By time the salad and pasta were gone, we had both managed to finish off half of the bottle of wine between us. I was feeling a little buzzed, and by the look of Twilight’s flushed face, she was in the same boat as me. We leaned against one another, Twilight’s tail wrapped loosely around my waist.

Placing my glass of wine on the ground, I reached instead for the bowl of strawberries. Twilight watched me curiously as I picked through the fruit, looking for a good one. While some did have a few spots or bruises, most of them were high quality.

Upon finding a tasty-looking one, I dipped it in the melted chocolate. I allowed the excess to drip back into the bowl before holding it out for Twilight. When she reached out to grab it with a hoof, I pulled it away. Upon seeing her confused look, I smiled softly and opened my mouth. She stared at me for a few seconds before her ears suddenly perked up and a bright blush spread across her face.

Keeping her gaze locked with mine, she leaned forward tentatively and opened her mouth. I placed the strawberry on her tongue, holding the stem as she bit into it. She chewed the treat slowly, savoring the taste.

I reached for another, but paused when a rosy aura surrounded one. It lifted into the air before being dipped into the chocolate. Twilight offered the chocolate-covered strawberry to me, a small smile on her face as her horn glowed softly in the light of the moon.

I returned the smile before opening my mouth for her.

Eyes lighting up happily, she levitated the strawberry into my mouth. The wine appeared to be affecting her aim though, as she smeared some chocolate against my face in the process.

“Oops, sorry,” she said with a wince, putting a hoof to her lips.

~It’s fine~ I signed, picking up a nearby napkin. However, before I could use it, Twilight darted forward and quickly lapped the chocolate off with her tongue. I just sat there, gaping at her as she licked her lips.

“Mmmm, chocolatey,” she hummed. Upon seeing me staring at her, she blushed, her wings fluffy by her sides. “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”

Still staring at her, I reached down and dragged my finger through the chocolate. With one deft movement, I quickly bopped her on the nose, leaving behind a dollop of chocolate. She stared at it for several seconds, slightly cross-eyed, before trying to lick it off.

We slowly worked our way through the bowl of strawberries, applying liberal amounts of chocolate to each one. Whenever I got any of the sweet substance on my fingers, Twilight was quick to lick it off, using her hooves instead of her magic to bring my hand to her mouth. I returned the favor, usually cleaning up any chocolate that ended up on her lips or cheeks. This continued on for several minutes until both bowls were empty.

Stacking the dishes together, Twilight used her magic to put all the empty dishes onto the nearby trolley before proceeding to push the loaded trolley into a nearby corner, out of the way. With dinner over, we both leaned against the base of the telescope, gazing up at the night sky above us. The few clouds in the sky seemed to glow softly in the moonlight as they drifted lazily on the wind.

Twilight leaned against me as she refilled her recently emptied glass, her head resting on my shoulder.

“Did you know that Celestia can drink an entire bottle of wine without batting an eye?” she asked. “She’s so large and her metabolism is so high that it takes several bottles to even get her tipsy.” She giggled, handing me the bottle. “I’ll be able to do the same when I’m the same size as her.”

I don’t know why, but this caused me to snicker as I allowed her to refill my glass as well. She moved to put the bottle back beside her, but I quickly grabbed it out of her magic. Putting the cork back in, I placed it off to the side.

~I think we’ve had enough~ I signed, careful to not spill my wine. ~Don’t want to get too tipsy~

“You know, it’s kinda hard to understand you when you sign with something in your hands,” Twilight complained, blinking owlishly at me. “You’re probably right,” she continued after I put my glass down and signed again. “When it comes to holding alcohol, I’m not Applejack.”

The conversation came to a sudden stop as a flash of light lit up the darkness, followed by another, and then another. Glancing up, we both watched with open mouths as multiple shooting stars began to streak across the sky. We could only watch in awe as more and more began to zip by, dozens of falling stars cascading down to earth.

As the breath-taking display continued, Twilight’s smile slowly faded. Tearing her gaze from the stars, she glanced up at me.

“I know I’ve said it before,” she said, her voice soft, “but thanks. For all of this. I realize that this relationship might have had a rough start─” she blushed, her ears splaying back “─but you don’t know how much it means to me that you’re willing to give me a chance.”

Looking down at her, I smiled before reaching an arm over her shoulder and pulling her close. I gave her shoulder a soft squeeze before returning my attention to the meteor shower. Taking another sip of wine, I gave a content sigh as Twilight leaned against me, humming happily.

Above us, the stars kept tumbling down.

It was some time later when we finally got back to our room. We had decided to stay in the observatory until the meteor shower had ended, neither of us wanting to leave during such a beautiful display. However, it appeared that—according to Twilight—Luna was outdoing herself, as the shower lasted for nearly half-an-hour. Even after the main event died down, several stray shooting stars continued to wink into existence. By the time everything had calmed down, it was nearly midnight.

It was dark in the room, the only light coming from the full moon outside. The moonlight streamed through the open balcony doors, a gentle breeze wafting in and causing the curtains to sway. A faint scent of roses was in the air, and it took me a second to realize that a maid had come through at some point and cleaned the room. However, they had left Twilight’s note on the bedside table, as well as her feathers.

Closing the door behind me, I watched as Twilight danced lightly around the room, humming happily to herself. Her cheeks were flushed red, and she swayed back-and-forth a little tipsily.

~You definitely had too much to drink~ I signed as I moved into the room.

“I’m not drunk,” Twilight scoffed, rolling her eyes. Her horn glowed softly in the darkness as she began to remove the decorative beads and bow, placing them the nearby dresser. “I’m just happy with how the date went,” she continued as she began to unbuckle the saddle. She paused mid-way through, turning to look at it over her shoulders.

“Was the saddle a bit much?” she asked, turning her head to the other side as she studied the saddle. “I don’t usually wear them, but it’s surprisingly comfortable. I wouldn’t mind wearing it more often.”

~I liked it~ I signed, cocking my head to the side. ~It’s pretty, and it goes well with your coat. I wouldn’t know if it’s a bit much, though. Where I come from, the only saddles we really have were meant for beasts of burden~

“Yeah, Rarity mentioned something about that during Hearth’s Warming Eve,” Twilight said, the flush on her cheeks darkening. Her tail flicked back and forth, and her ear twitched. She gave the saddle one last look over before removing it and placing it on top of the dresser as well.

~I don’t remember that conversation~

“It was when you were off getting ponified,” Twilight explained as she stretched her wings. She yawned, her tongue poking out in a cute manner before she smacked her lips, blinking owlishly. “Excuse me.”

~Ah, that would explain it then~ I signed before reaching down and pulling my shirt over my head and tossing it onto the couch. Rubbing the scar on my chest absentmindedly, I suppressed a yawn of my own before pulling back the covers and flopping down upon the bed. There were fresh sheets upon it and I allowed myself to slowly sink into their embrace with a happy hum.

Twilight watched me from her position by the dresser, giggling at my antics.

“That comfortable, huh?” she asked.

Not wanting to move my limbs to sign, I settled for nodding my head instead. It felt like I was floating on a cloud. Actually, now that I think about it… what does a cloud feel like? Maybe I can get Rainbow to fly me up to one sometime—

“In that case,” Twilight said, snapping me out of my thoughts. Her horn flared and she disappeared, only to reappear above me in a flash of light.

“I’m coming in!” she squealed happily as she dropped through the air towards the bed below. However, before she could land, I reached up and grabbed her out of mid-air. She squealed again—this time in surprise—as I wrapped my arms around her barrel and held her against my chest. Her fur was warm and soft against my bare skin, and the feeling caused me to shiver.

“Hey!” she cried, trying to be indignant but smiling nonetheless.

I smiled as well before leaning down and kissing her upon her nose, causing her to go cross-eyed as she scrunched up her muzzle. I laughed softly before moving to kiss her again, only this time she intercepted the kiss with one of her own. Her chest vibrated as she hummed into the kiss.

“That never gets old,” she sighed when we broke apart.

Without breaking my hold on her, I maneuvered my feet beneath the blankets and kicked them up, trying to cover myself and Twilight. It may have been late spring, but it could still get kinda chilly at night, especially at the altitude that Canterlot was at. Unfortunately, due to Twilight lying on me, I was only able to get the blankets up to about my waist.

Twilight giggled at my failed attempts to cover us. She wiggled around, maneuvering herself until her back was pressed against my chest instead, her forelegs draped over my arms. Her wings twitched against my stomach, her feathers tickling my skin. Reaching down, she pulled the covers up the rest of the way.

“That’s better,” she cooed before snuggling down against my chest. I felt her tail brush against my legs, flicking back-and-forth beneath the sheets. “Mmmm, you’re warm,” she sighed, laying her head back against my shoulder.

Smiling, I began to run my hand through the fur on Twilight’s chest, rubbing in slow circles. I could feel the gentle beat of her heart, thumping away in her chest.

She murmured softly as I continued to drag my fingers through her fur, lazily petting my arm with a hoof. Her eyes slowly closed and she practically melted into my arms.

The look on her face was too cute, and I continued petting her, rubbing my hands through her fur and massaging her belly. Her tail continued to flick beneath the sheets, and her hind legs would twitch whenever I hit a particularly sensitive spot. I could feel her wings flexing against my chest as well, the flight muscles twitching and spasming.

This continued until I moved my hand lower and dug my fingers into her stomach, scratching with a little more force. This caused her to moan softly, and her hips flexed. I felt her tail move, and her hips flexed again. Twilight moaned again, louder this time, before freezing, her eyes shooting open and ears perking up.

~Enjoying this?~ I signed with a smirk, keeping my arms around her.

She flushed, lowering her head as she squeaked in embarrassment. Her tail flicked again and I suddenly became aware of a damp sensation against my leg.

I paused, blinking in confusion before signing, ~Are you…?~ I trailed off, unsure of how best to word it.

Twilight nodded, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

“Yes,” she muttered weakly, and I could feel her hips shift beneath the blankets again. “I… I’m still in heat, and the dancing, the star-watching, and now this… I can’t help it,” she whined, covering her face with her hooves. Her tail flicked once more and the damp sensation grew.

Twilight winced. “S-sorry, I… I’ll go take care of it and then we can go to sleep. Just give me a second.”

She moved to get up, but I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her back.

“W-what are you—” she began, but the words quickly dissolved into a moan as I ran my hand along her stomach again.

Tracing a finger around her navel, I couldn’t help but smirk at the noise she was making; the cooing and whimpers coming from her were not only cute, but slightly arousing as well. She squirmed in my arms as I continued to trace around her stomach, slowly working my way lower.

“W-wait,” she stammered, trying and failing to grab a hold of my hand. “You d-don’t have to do this. I c-can go take care of it myself.” She whined weakly when I paused my ministrations, her ears drooping.

I smiled softly.

~I know~ I signed, before I returned my hand back to her navel. I lightly traced around it one last time before slowly sliding my hand downwards.

Twilight gasped, her eyes widening as I pinched one of her teats gingerly in between my fingers. I tugged on it gently before massaging the small mound of flesh. This earned me a low groan from Twilight as she bucked her hips in need, her tail flicking back and forth feverishly beneath the blankets. Her horn lit up, and a rosy band of magic surrounded my wrist, forcibly tugging my hand downwards.

I flinched as her magic pulled on my wrist. This caused Twilight’s body to tense, and she gasped. Her magic died instantly.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered. She swallowed, her ears flattening against her head. “I didn’t mean… I just…the teasing...” Her words trailed off as my hand suddenly—teasingly—continued its journey south.

I continued until my hand came in contact with something wet. Twilight hissed, her back arching as her wings pushed into my chest. Running my fingertips over her moist folds, I marveled at the heat emanating from her marehood. I felt the base of her tail raise slightly, and she squirmed in my arms.

As I continued to tease her lips, she continued to squirm more and more until suddenly I felt her wink against me, her clit pressing against the palm of my hand. This caused her to cry out, squeezing my arm with her forelegs. I could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She winked again, a deep, throaty moan escaping her lips as her sensitive nub rubbed against the rough skin of my hand.

I paused, allowing her to catch her breath, before continuing to rub her outer folds.

She bucked her hips and huffed loudly, clearly getting annoyed. Tilting her head, she glared up at me, the effect of her look lost due to the deep-red blush on her cheeks.

I think I’ve teased her long enough, I thought just as she opened her mouth.

“S-stop teas—aaaAAAAH!” She cried out as I slowly sunk first one, then two fingers into her inflamed marehood. Her body tensed again, and she closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip. As my fingers sunk deeper into her heated depths, her head fell back onto my shoulders and she moaned through her teeth. “Yesssss…”

I could feel her inner muscles clenching, squeezing my fingers as I explored her confines. She moaned, wiggling her hips to try and get me to go a little deeper. I smirked, keeping a steady pace as I softly pulled and pushed my fingers in and out. The cute moans and squeaks that she was making caused my member to twitch against her.

“Is… is t-that for me?” Twilight asked, trying to sound seductive, but coming off timid.

I growled softly before leaning forward and bite down gently on one of her ears. As I did so, I increased my speed, curling my fingers up into her and digging at the sensitive flesh. This caused Twilight to gasp, and her free ear flicked.

“What did I do to deserve you?” she breathed.

Unable to answer, I just nibbled on her ear, prompting her to writhe about. Digging my fingers a little deeper into her folds, I reached down with my free hand and began to tease one of her teats. Her breath caught in her throat, and I felt her marehood tighten. She winked, and I rubbed my thumb against her clit, causing her to clench around my fingers again.

This continued for almost a minute until she managed to find her voice.

“Please,” she whimpered, grabbing my arm weakly with her forehooves, “please, no more teasing. I need you inside me.”

Reluctantly, I pulled my fingers from her marehood with a soft ‘schlink’, the digits wet with her arousal. Before I could do anything else, Twilight quick grabbed my hand in her hooves and brought it up to her muzzle. She suckled on them, her tongue dancing across my skin as she lapped up her own juices. The sight and feeling of her licking my fingers caused my member to throb and I couldn’t help but groan.

Twilight ground her rump against my length as she finished cleaning off my fingers. Her horn lit up and there was a flash of light from beneath the blanket. The sudden feeling of sheets against my bare legs caused me to realize that Twilight had removed my pants with her magic.

Her tail brushed against my bare skin, and I shivered as the soft hairs dragged along my length. She ground her hips into my lap again, and I hissed as I felt her wet marehood rub against me. She winked, her clit grinding against my member as both of us grunted in pleasure.

Gingerly, I pulled my fingers from her mouth, her tongue following doggedly after the retreating digits. She pressed her dripping sex harder against mine, and I groaned in response. I could feel her heated arousal covering my length, making it slick.

“Please,” Twilight moaned again as she continued to rub against me.

Holding her in my arms, I turned us so that we were both lying sideways. Twilight slid forwards slightly until my tip brushed against her opening. She paused but for a moment before—with a hiss of triumph—she slid back, my member slipping into her depths.

We both groaned as I sank into her folds, my grip on her tightening slightly at the sudden heat that surrounded my member. Inch by inch, I pushed myself deeper into her core until, after what felt like ages, I bottomed out inside of her. For a brief moment we just lay there, breathing heavily as we both enjoyed the sensation. I could feel her inner muscles gripping and milking my length, causing me to twitch in response. I couldn’t help but squeeze her tighter against me, her warm fur brushing against my bare skin. The smell of lavender filled my senses.

Running a hand down her stomach, I nibbled her ear again. Twilight gasped, her marehood squeezing on my intruding girth before she leaned her head back and breathed in my ear. “Thrust for me.”

I complied.

Pulling back until just my tip was inside of her, I then pushed myself forward, slowly plunging back into her depths. I gave off a little growl of happiness, which—surprisingly—Twilight returned.

Unlike last time, in which Twilight had set a frenzied pace, I took my time, each one of my thrusts slow and gentle. Every time I pulled out, Twilight’s confines clenched my member, trying to prevent me from leaving her. As I pushed in, she gasped, her folds parting to allow me to sink into her heated flesh.

Before long, I had a steady pace going. As I worked, I rubbed my hands up and down her stomach, occasionally slipping them down to play with her breasts. Whenever I did so, her marehood would tighten, and she would make the cutest squeaking noise.

Despite my steady, even pace, I could feel myself gradually getting closer to finishing. I slowly began to increase my speed as I grew nearer and nearer to peaking.

“Ah… ah... ah...” Twilight gasped in time with my thrusts, her tongue lolling from her mouth. Her hips pushed back to meet my thrusts, a wet ‘schlink’ing sound filling the air over the sounds of our panting and grunting. I could feel her fluids dripping down my leg, accumulating on the sheets beneath us, but I didn’t care. All that mattered at the moment was the mare in my arms, and the closeness we were sharing.

“...’m close,” Twilight muttered, her tail wrapping around my leg.

Releasing her breast, I wrapped my arms around her before increasing my pace again. I grunted as the head of my member dragged against her moist flesh, the feeling causing it to twitch and jerk as it strained for release. The odor of sweat and musk filled the room, only to be dissipated by the breeze coming from the open balcony doors.

“A little more,” Twilight grunted, her body tensing. “I’m… I’m gonna…”

The pressure in my groin was growing closer to the point of release, and I gritted my teeth as I tried to hold out for as long as possible. My next thrust reward me with a burst of fluid bathing my legs and crotch. Twilight gasped before craning her head back and shoving her muzzle into the crook of my neck. She inhaled deeply, a deep, resonating hum coming from her chest.

“...mine,” she exhaled, her warm breath washing across my throat. She then tilted her head slightly and pushed her lips against mine, pulling me into a deep kiss.

That was the breaking point.

Giving one last thrust, I buried myself deep within her depths. Waves of pleasure raced through my body as I erupted inside of her. My member twitched and pulsed as it pushed burst after burst of hot seed deep into her core.

Twilight’s body tensed as I came, and she broke the kiss with a gasp. Throwing her head back, she cried out wordlessly as her confines started to clench and squeeze at my length, milking it for all they were worth. Back arched as she climaxed, her cheek rubbed against mine as we were both lost within the throes of passion. Her horn glowed brightly for a brief moment, bathing the entire room in a warm, lavender light before slowly fading.

For several minutes we just laid there, breathing heavily as we basked in the afterglow of our lovemaking. I held Twilight close, my arms wrapped gently around her barrel as we spooned. I could feel her chest rise and fall with each breath, as well as her heart beating away. Her heart rate slowly calmed down as her breathing returned to normal.

A soft breeze blew in from the open balcony doors, flowing gently over my skin. I shivered, suddenly aware of the fact that I was sweaty, and judging by the dampness of Twilight’s fur, she was as well. It didn’t matter, though. I just pulled Twilight closer, and she snuggled up against me, humming weakly. Her tail was still wrapped around my leg.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know?” she asked, sounding tired. “I could have just gone and taken care of myself.”

~I know~ I signed, keeping my arms around her.

She blinked owlishly at me before a small smile spread across her muzzle. Tilting her head back, she gave my cheek a gentle nuzzle. “Thank you. It was nice.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but yawned instead.

“I didn’t realize I was that tired,” she said, fighting to keep her eyes open. As her eyes continued to droop, she snuggled into my arms and sighed contently.

“Thank you so much for today,” she mumbled, resting her head on my shoulder, her breath tickling my ear. “You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

I smiled before leaning down and kissing her gently on the forehead, just below the horn. She hummed happily, her eyes fluttering before they closed. A few seconds later, Twilight was asleep, cuddled up on top of my chest.

Several hours later found me still awake, staring up at the ceiling above. Sleep was eluding me, and, even though I was tired, I just couldn’t fall asleep. My mind was a mess of thoughts, some good, some useless. I tried to calm myself down, but whenever I managed to finally clear my mind, new thoughts emerged and the cycle started all over again.

Exhaling softly, I moved my head and glanced at the clock on the mantel. In the light of the moon I could just make out the hands, informing me that it was nearing three in the morning. I sighed again, and beside me, Twilight twitched. Having rolled off of my chest at some point, she was now snuggled up against my side, my arm held gently against her chest. Every so often, she would coo in her sleep, a small smile touching her lips.

I watched her sleep for several minutes, a small smile on my face. The smile slowly faded, and I bit the inside of my cheek, glancing at the bedroom door. If I wasn’t going to be getting any sleep, I needed to get up and walk around for a bit.

Gingerly, I extracted my arm from Twilight’s grasp, careful to not wake her. She squirmed a bit, and I quickly slide my pillow in between her grasping hooves. This seemed to work, as she calmed down and buried her nose into the pillow, snuffling softly.

I slipped silently out of bed, my back cracking as I stood up and stretched. Collecting my clothes from their various spots around the room, I put them on, nearly falling over as I struggled to get my leg into my pants. Once I was fully clothed, I shuffled across the room and cracked the door open, slipping into the hall.

The guard standing just outside the door jumped as I emerged. I gave her a curious look, blinking in surprise when I recognized her. She was the same guard that had escorted me to breakfast the other day.

At my look, she cleared her throat. “My apologies. You startled me.” Her nostrils flared suddenly, and she grunted before covering her nose with a hoof. She glared at me, her red eyes flashing in irritation.

“Really?” she huffed, her voice sounding nasally. “Again? Are you trying to tease?”

I winced, giving her an apologetic look before turning and walking off down the hall. When she didn’t follow me, I paused and glanced over my shoulder.

“I’m not following you,” she said, hoof still covering her nose. “This is my post. You aren’t my charge at the moment.”

I gave her a confused look before shrugging and continuing down the hall.

I padded along, no real destination in mind. Frosted lanterns, bolted to the wall, provided enough light to see by, but not enough to be uncomfortable in the gloom of night. Moonlight streamed through the large windows, illuminating the hallway. The halls were silent, most of the castle residents asleep.

Eventually my wanderings had me come across a small, open balcony that overlooked the castle’s gardens. Leaning against the railing, I looked out across the moonlit garden. Thousands of fireflies flitted through the trees and bushes, their small flashes casting the illusion of twinkling stars along the ground. Strange, moth-like butterflies fluttered through the air, their blue and green wings twinkling in the moonlight. Somewhere nearby, an owl hooted once.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there watching the nocturnal life before a voice spoke up behind me, causing me to jump in surprise. “What have we here? A human out wandering at night? How suspicious!”

My eyes widened and I whipped around, only to breathe a sigh of relief when I saw Luna smirking at me from the shadows.

I gave her the finger as she moved to stand beside me.

She just gave me an amused look and shook her head. “The same to you, my dear friend. If we may ask, why are you still awake at this hour?” Her nostrils flared and she paused before snorting softly. “I see,” she said, her nose scrunching up. Her horn glowed a soft blue, and I was suddenly enveloped in a cloud of magic. Instead of being lifted up like I had expected, a tingling sensation ran over my skin before it and the blue aura faded.

“There, that’s better,” Luna said, sniffing again before smiling. “The scent was rather strong. If one of the nobles had found you, they might have took Twilight's scent as a challenge and attempted to, ah… change it.”

I gave her a grateful smile. ~Thanks~

“Think nothing of it,” she replied. “I know how you feel about the nobles trying to get you into bed. I had to listen to one such noble complaints about how you dumped her into a broom closet, and how the mop water ruined her mane and dress. She wanted to have you put down, ‘like the menace to society you are’.”

My eyes widened in alarm at that, but Luna just shook her head.

“Nay, be at peace,” she said softly, placing a wing on my back. “I told her the princess she had to talk to about that was Twilight, and she dropped the issue almost immediately. You have nothing to fear.”

~Thank god~

“Indeed,” Luna hummed, looking up at the stars above. She was silent for several seconds before turning back to face me.

“So,” she said slowly, tilting her head to the side, “I’m assuming that since Twilight’s scent is on you so strongly that you two are together?”

I felt my cheeks flush slightly, but I kept my face straight.

~Yes, we’re together~ I signed with a nod.

Luna’s smile grew. “Splendid! I wish you two the best of luck with your relationship!”

I tried to smile as well, but it came off weak, almost like a grimace.

“Pray tell, what’s the matter?” Luna asked upon seeing my pained look.

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I took a deep breath before exhaling loudly. I ran a hand through my long hair before answering. ~I’m new to this whole thing, Luna~

“I thought you had a mate back home before coming here?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

~I meant estrus, not a relationship~ I clarified. ~Humans back home didn’t go into heat, and I know very little about it here. Only what your sister has told me, actually~

“So, what’s the problem?” Luna asked, her voice soft.

~I…~ I began, but paused as I tried to get the words in order. ~How much of Twilight’s affection is because of her heat, and how much is because she actually loves me?~

Luna’s eyes widened before her expression softened. Draping her wing back around me, she pulled me close in a feathery hug.

“A reasonable concern for one who doesn’t understand,” she said, “but an unsound concern, nonetheless. While it is true that a mare in heat will act more affectionate towards others she cares for, there has to be affection there to begin with. A mare in heat will not just walk up to a random stallion and start flirting. There has to be a strong connection already formed. Heat isn’t an excuse for a mare to mate. It’s a reason to express her love to the one she holds closest.”

~So you’re saying that Twilight did love me before she went into heat?~ I asked, hope welling up in my chest.

Luna nodded. “Yes, she did. Over the past several months she has often dreamt of you and her together, though I sensed she lacked the strength to tell you in the waking world. They were sweet dreams, more often than not consisting of the two of you resting beneath a tree beside a lake, or wrapped in a blanket in front of a fire. These feelings were present even before winter arrived, so I can safely say that she did in fact love you before estrus started. Her heat has just finally allowed her to show it.

“Does that make you feel better?” she asked, giving me a concerned look.

I nodded. ~Yes, it does. Thank you, Luna~

“Don’t be afraid to ask if something worries you,” she said, removing her wing and folding it by her side again. “I would normally advise you to talk to Twilight about what is bothering you, but seeing as her state of mind was what was in question, I can understand your need to get somepony else’s opinion.”

~That, and Twilight is kinda asleep at the moment~ I added.

“As you should be as well,” Luna says, cocking an eyebrow. “It’s nearly four in the morning. If you are not careful, you’ll end up nocturnal.”

~I doubt it~ I signed with a smirk. ~Back home I was usually up late at night anyways. I’m more of a night owl than a morning bird anyways~

Luna tsked, giving me an amused look. “Still, to bed with you, lest your mate wakes and finds you missing.”

I stuck my tongue out at her, but smiled all the same.

~Fine, I’ll see you later, Luna. Thanks for the talk~ I signed before turning around. I made to exit the balcony only to jump back with a yelp as a pair of magenta eyes suddenly filled my vision. Heart pounding in my chest, I gasped for air as I stared up at Celestia, who was standing in the entrance way to the balcony, giving me a confused look.

“Sister,” Luna said, a look of surprise crossing her face, “I didn’t hear you coming. What are you doing up this early? The sun isn’t meant to rise for another two hours.”

“I was actually looking for your wayward friend here,” Celestia said, giving me a small smile.

~You were?~ I signed, surprised.

Luna blinked, her brow furrowing. “Really? What for, may I ask?”

“We have some unfinished business from earlier that needs to be taken care of,” Celestia said, stepping forward onto the balcony.

I gave her a mystified look, trying to rack my brain to figure out what she was talking about. ~Unfinished business? What do—~

Celestia darted forward, cutting me off as she pressed her lips to mine.

I froze, my eyes widening in shock as her lips moved against mine. All my mental processes ceased and I could only stand there, staring dumbly ahead as Celestia kissed me. She took advantage of my stunned stupor and slipped her tongue into my mouth, running it over my tongue and teeth with a happy hum. I dimly noted a faint taste of vanilla.

My mind finally started working again, and I tried to push her away, but her grip was too strong. My brain was screaming at me that this was wrong, but every time I tried to break the kiss, Celestia would just follow my movements with her head.

Wrapping her forelegs tighter around me, she pulled me close to her chest, craning her neck down to continue the kiss. I felt her tail wrap around my leg as her wings slowly enveloped the both of us, turning the world into a wall of white feathers.

Beside us, Luna yelped loudly, her wings flaring. She stared, wide-eyed, at her sister, her mouth hanging open in shock.

As I continued to try and wiggle free, there came the sound of hoofsteps coming down the hall. When they reached the balcony, they paused, and I heard a familiar voice gasp, “Wha…?”

Glancing over Celestia's shoulder, my eyes widened in shock when I saw another Celestia standing there, a bemused look on her face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luna glancing between the two Celestias, a look of dawning realization on her face.

“What’s going on here?” the new Celestia asked, an eyebrow raising but her expression remaining blank.

I felt the Celestia kissing me smirk. She sucked on my bottom lip before breaking the kiss with a loud ‘pop’.

“Hmmm, not as much love as before,” she hummed, smacking her lips.

The second Celestia’s eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, waving her wing at the first one. “Away with you, you little trickster!”

The first Celestia just stuck out her tongue before suddenly bursting into red flames. When the fire cleared, one of the Doctor’s changelings stood in her doppelganger's place, legs wrapped around my neck. Its red eyes glowed in the dim light, and it stared up at me, blinking owlishly. Leaning its head forward tentatively, it licked my cheek before spreading its wings and shooting off down the hall, chittering all the way.

“Odd,” Luna said as she watched it go. “They’ve never done something like this before. They must really like you.”

I grunted, wiping my mouth on the sleeve of my shirt to try and get the feeling off my lips. Running my tongue over my teeth, I turned and spat over the edge of the balcony.

As I turned back around, Celestia—the real Celestia—approached, eyeing me curiously.

“It’s not every day that you come across yourself kissing somepony,” she said. “If I may ask, what are you doing up this late… or early as the case may be?”

~Couldn’t sleep and decided to take a walk~ I signed. ~I’m actually headed back to bed right now. The other you just caught me off guard~

“Indeed,” Celestia hummed. She sniffed the air, nostrils flaring, before giving me a strange look. She was silent for several seconds before stepping aside, motioning towards the balcony entrance with a wing.

“Please, don’t let me keep you up,” she said with a small smile.

I nodded before stepping around her and heading back inside. Casting one last look back at both princesses, I turned and walked off down the hall.

Celestia watched the human disappear down the corridor before turning back to her sister. She had just opened her mouth to speak when Luna suddenly poked her in the side, a suspicious look on her face. Her eyes narrowed and she jabbed Celestia with her hoof again.

Celestia rolled her eyes. “It’s really me, Luna.”

“Forgive me if I’m skeptical, sister,” Luna said, poking her again. “Those two like to work together, after all.”

“You were once trapped under a filly’s bed for six hours because you were in your shadow form and the filly’s human crawled under the bed and fell asleep on top of you,” Celestia deadpanned. “I had to lower the moon for you.”

“You swore you’d never speak of that again!” Luna hissed, wings flaring.

Celestia just smirked.

“Fine, you are you,” Luna huffed, fluffy her wings before folding them. She tried to keep her annoyed expression, but relented when Celestia moved beside her and nuzzled her head. Sighing, she returned the gesture before giving her sister a soft smile. “Good morning, Tia. You’re up early.”

“I never went to bed, Lulu,” Celestia sighed, closing her eyes. “My mind is too troubled for sleep.”

“Well, I helped Max with his troubles, perhaps I can help you with yours,” Luna suggested. The sisters moved until they were standing side-by-side, staring out across the castle grounds.

Celestia was silent for several seconds before speaking. She sounded tired, and out of the corner of her eye, Luna saw her shoulders begin to sag.

“I took Max to see the Doctor today in the hopes of finding a way to remove the chaos magic from within him,” she said.

“Ah, I remember you saying that you were going to get the two of them together,” Luna said, nodding. “Tell us, how’d it go? Was he able to help?”

Celestia swallowed thickly before answering. “He couldn’t help Max at all. As of right now, the Doctor has no way of removing the chaos magic within Max without causing lasting damage to both his body and mind.”

“Well, that was to be expected,” Luna shrugged, an ear twitching. “It would have been nice if he could have helped, but I didn’t have high hopes. Too little is known about chaos magic, after all. Besides, it appears that Max is happy with his current state of affairs.”

“It gets worse,” Celestia murmured, her ears splaying back. “It appears that the chaos magic is leaking off of him at an increased rate. The Doctor believes that if we don’t find a way to remove it soon, it could reach a point where Max is corrupting ponies just by being in the same room as them.”

Luna’s eyes widened, and she took a step back, a look of alarm flashing across her face.

“Truly?” she asks, and Celestia nodded her head solemnly. Luna opened and closed her mouth wordlessly, blinking several times before sighing heavily. Hanging her head, she trotted slowly over to her sister and rested her head upon her chest.

“What are we going to do then?” she asked softly. “If what you say is true, he will be a danger for our ponies. If we can’t remove the chaos magic, we’ll have to remove him instead, and that means banishment. But, we cannot banish him, Tia. That would break poor Twilight’s heart, and I could not do that to an innocent being. He did not ask for this. This is not his fault. ‘Tis Discord who has wrought this evil.”

“I don’t know what we can do, Luna,” Celestia whimpered, resting her head on top of her sister’s. “I don’t want to banish him either, but we may not have a choice. Twilight might hate me for it, but if it is between Max and my ponies, I will have to let one suffer so many may be safe.”

“As you say, this is most disturbing,” Luna agreed, continuing to rub her head against Celestia's chest, seeking comfort. “Despite his oddity, I consider him a friend. His antics and the way he treats us. It’s a nice reprieve from the stuffy nobles. If only there was something we could do to help. A way to purge him of foreign magic, just like you purged me of the Nightmare—”

Luna’s words were cut off as Celestia inhaled sharply. Drawing away, she stared down at Luna with a look of shock and wonder.

“Of course!” she cried, a large smile quickly spreading across her muzzle. “Oh, what a ninny I am! Luna, you’re a genius! Why haven’t we thought of this before? I have to go get things ready, but this should work!” Giggling in a un-princess-like fashion, the Solar Princess turned and darted down the hallway, practically flying in her excitement.

Left standing in the dust, Luna stared after the retreating form of her sister, blinking in confusion. “What did we do?”

Pushing the bedroom door open as quietly as I could, I slipped inside before closing it behind me. Everything was as I had left it. Moonlight still streamed in through the window, although the moon was lower in the sky. Twilight was asleep, the gentle sound of her breathing barely audible.

With a yawn, I removed my shirt and tossed it on the couch before approaching the bed. Pulling the sheets up slowly as to not to disturb Twilight, I slipped back into bed.

I had just laid my head back onto a pillow when Twilight suddenly moved. Pushing the pillow I had given her away, she scooted over and snuggled up against me, resting her head on my chest and draping a wing over my stomach. One of her eyes cracked open a sliver.

“...where were you?” she murmured sleepily.

I tried to answer, but my arm was in Twilight’s hooves and when I moved it, she groaned softly.

“No moving,” she muttered.

Smiling, I reached up with my free hand and ran my fingers through her mane. This caused her to coo happily. A content feeling slowly welling up in my chest, and I gently tugged my arm out of her grasp—much to Twilight’s distress—only to wrap it around her and pull her close. She nuzzled my cheek before resting her head beside mine.

With that, I closed my eyes and let the soft sound of Twilight’s breathing slowly lull me to sleep, our hearts beating as one.

With a loud ‘bang’, the door to the observation room burst open and Ivory Pyre stomped in. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her mane was disheveled. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed.

As the door closed loudly behind her, her eyes flicked to the one-way mirror, through which a brown earth pony mare could be seen seated at a steel table. Ivory snorted once before turning her gaze to one of the two other inhabitants of the observation room.

Stacker was standing by the mirror, a bored expression on his face as he watched the prisoner. He turned and gave her a bemused look, a smirk fighting to make its way across his muzzle. His blue eyes were tired, but they danced with mirth as he eyed his disheveled superior.

Sunny was asleep in the corner of the room, a thin blanket draped across her. She jerked awake when the door slammed loudly, glancing around blearily before noticing Ivory. Pulling the blanket tighter around herself, she leaned back against the wall again and, with a yawn, closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

“Details.” Ivory growled, her red eyes narrow. Her horn glowed red and she ran her magic through her mane and tail, straightening them out.

“It took us a while to find her file.” Stacker said, pulling a folder out of his wing and flipping it open. “Her name's Silent Blade, originally Earthen Bloom at birth. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Detrot. Her's was bit of a troubled youth, placed in juve three times before the age of fifteen and ended up in prison at eighteen for a mugging. She has no real family connections, as her father wasn’t around during her foalhood and her mother is currently in prison with drug charges.” He sighed before closing the file and handing it to Ivory.

She took it in her magic, cracking it open and running an eye over the information.

“She’s been on and off the Royal Guard’s radar for several years now,” Stacker continued. “Pretty big charges too. She’s wanted for dozens of thefts, seven separate assaults, and multiple counts of murder. Though there is no proof at the moment, it is believed that she is one of those responsible for the fire that claimed two lives at the farm just outside of Ponyville fifteen years ago.”

“Is she working alone?” Ivory asked, flipping through the folder’s pages.

Stacker shook his head. “The black horseshoe on her forehead indicates she’s a member of the Blackhoofs. Her partner had one as well. They’re probably one of those that were freed along with Darkflare.”

“And you caught her and her companion, who died of wounds inflicted by his own blade, stalking the Anomaly in the gardens?” Ivory asked, closing the folder and throwing it on a nearby table.

“That is correct,” Stacker said with a nod.

“Any idea why?”

“Judging by what I saw, possibly to kill him,” Stacker said with a shrug. “The stallion had a poisoned blade, and they had been stalking him for most of the day. I don’t know why, though. What could they possibly gain by killing him?”

“Revenge, maybe,” Ivory grunted. “It was because of him that Princess Sparkle found out about their ring and captured them.”

“Maybe,” Stacker mused, chewing on the inside of his cheek, “but why now? Why not when they first escaped?”

“I don’t know,” Ivory muttered, moving to stand beside the pegasus. Both of them stared through the one-way mirror at the mare in the interrogation room. She had her shackled hooves resting on the table in front of her, her yellow eyes staring at the tabletop. There was dried blood around her nostrils, and her muzzle was bent slightly. Every few seconds her ear would twitch, and her gaze would flick up to the mirror.

“Has she said anything?” Ivory asked softly.

“Aside from telling us that she wasn’t going to say anything and spitting in my face, no, she hasn’t,” Stacker sighed, rubbing the bridge of his muzzle with a hoof. “She’s refusing to cooperate with us.”

Silence fell over the room, causing Stacker to glance sideways at Ivory, a brow raised. She was glaring at the mare, an almost feral-like gleam in her eye. She inhaled deeply, her nostrils flaring wide as she worked her jaw.

“I’ve seen that look before,” he grunted, shifting uncomfortably on his hooves. His wings fluttered by his side and he took a step away. “Whatcha thinkin’, Pyre?”

“I’m thinking that I’m sick and tired of guessing,” Ivory snarled. “I want answers, now!” Turning, she stormed over to the door, practically ripping it off of its hinges as she forced it open with her magic.

Silent Blade’s head whipped up as the white unicorn entered the interrogation room, slamming the door behind her. A flash of magic later and the door was locked tight. The pair stared at each other for several seconds, neither moving, before a sneer worked its way onto Silent Blade’s face.

“I already told the other idiot that I’m not talking to anypony,” she huffed, sounding slightly nasally.

Ivory said nothing, just trotted slowly into the room, staring at Silent Blade with unblinking eyes. As she approached the chained mare, the temperature of the room seemed to drop several degrees.

“Hey, did ya hear me?” Silent Blade growled, her eyes narrowing. “I’m not going to talk, okay? So you can just buck off!”

Remaining silent, Ivory stopped right in front of her. She eyed Silent with an unreadable expression, her tail flicking back and forth in agitation. Her back was tense, her hackles raised.

Silent snarled, her muzzle scrunching up. “Hey, you deaf or something? I said I’m not—”

“You will talk to me,” Ivory said, cutting Silent off. Her tone was icy, and seemed to steal even more warmth from the room.

Silent shivered once before regaining her composure.

“Really?” she scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “What makes you think that?” Her smirk vanished at what happened next.

Slowly, black veins began to spread across Ivory’s sclerae. Silent watched in growing horror as the whites of Ivory’s eyes turned pitch black, the red irises beginning to glow with a hellish light. The once round pupils thinned, becoming slitted and dragon-like. A pair of long, white fangs descended from between Ivory’s lips, glinting in the light.

Leaning forward, Ivory tilted her head to the side, staring into Silent’s terrified eyes. She bared her teeth before hissing.

“You will talk to me.”