“Chocolate,” Shining mumbled. Drool hung from the corner of his mouth as he rolled across the mattress, half-awake, half-asleep. Meeting the end, his body spilled onto the cool floor, the stone’s icy bite snapping him awake. “Cadence?”

Glancing around the room, he discovered his only companions to be the ethereal mattress, and the echos of his voice. A grumbling from below attracted Shining’s attention to his stomach, the painful emptiness suddenly making itself known.

Climbing to his hooves, he stepped toward the door, a hoof slipping across the wet floor. “Water?” He concluded from a sniff of the liquid, realising his body was soaked in it. His belly growled angrily once again, taking over his limbs and forcing him outside, the aromas of food floating over from the tavern attracting Shining.

The building greeted him with its usual muggy temperature and the strong smell of sexual juices. “Can I get something to eat?” He half yelled at the barmare over the quarrel of voices that filled the room, desperation straining his voice.

“Easy there cutie,” She chuckled, batting her azure eyelids. “Would you like something from the menu or,” Leaning close, she brushed her cheek against his, whispering directly into his ear. “Would you like a three course meal of me?”

The mix of pain in his stomach and morning grogginess left Shining ignorant to the mare’s attempted charm, his eyes searching the menu frantically. “Can I just have some peanuts and chocolate?”

“Fine.” The mare pouted as she turned to the cupboards behind her, rustling through them for Shining’s order. Spinning back to the bar, she found him still standing there, eyes wide as they followed the bowl of nuts on her wing. “You can go to your table now, I’ll bring it over.”

Grasping the peanuts in his magic, Shining buried his muzzle in the salty snacks as he stepped toward the corner table, unable to see. “Ughh,” He grunted as his legs knocked against the wooden edge, signalling his arrival.

“I see you’ve finally gotten up.” Cadence’s cheery voice mixed with a giggle, the soft touch of her magic lifting Shining’s eyes out of the bowl to meet hers. “Have a good sleep?”

Shining dove back into the roasted nuts, crunching the final mouthful between his teeth before dropping the empty bowl to the table. “It was great, but why didn’t you wake me up, and why am I so hungry?”

Another burst of laughter erupted from Cadence’s lips, her eyes narrowing with glee. “Well I did try to wake you. It must have been at least ten times before I gave up, even a bucket of water had no effect. As for you being hungry, it’s the afternoon. You already missed breakfast and lunch.”

“What?” Shining whispered, his eyes growing wide, jaw dropping.

“Excuse me,” A voice called from behind him. “If you’d sit down I’d be able to serve you.”

Turning, Shining found the barmare standing with a plate of chocolate sliced balanced upon her wing, a playful smile on her lips. She took step closer, pressing her chest against his, “And after you’ve finished this I’ll finish the service.”

“Uhh, no.” Shining stumbled backward, his hind legs catching on the table causing his body to topple backward.

Horn lighting instantly, Cadence caught him in a blue stretcher before sliding him onto the cushion beside her. “We’ll just take the food thank you,” Cadence said with a smile, a harsh tone conveying her true feelings.

Placing the chocolate on the table, the pink-maned mare leaned toward Cadence, locking her yellow eyes with the alicorn’s pink ones. “I can service you as well sexy, I never leave a pony lonely.”

Cadence edged the mare away with her hoof and glare, “Just the food, nothing else.” Wordlessly, the barmare turned and stepped away. Azure rump swinging from side to side as her pink tail danced over it.

“So what have you two been doing all day?” Shining questioned, seemingly unfazed by the event as he stuffed slice after slice of chocolate down his gullet.

Kneading her forehead with her hoof, Cadence sighed, “Doesn’t that bother you?”

Tipping the remainder of the plate down his throat, Shining’s brow creased with confusion. “Does what bother me?”

“How that mare just tried to seduce me, and you.”

Shining twisted his head round, staring at the empty space where the barmare had stood previously. “That happened? All I can remember is her bringing the chocolate over, the rest is fuzzy.”

Jaw frozen for a moment, Cadence was lost for words. “You-” Her shoulders shook, the movement bubbling up her neck and bursting from her mouth as a chuckle. “Oh Shining, you can be so silly sometimes.” Taking his snout between her hooves, she turned him to face her and pressed their lips together.

Looking onward, Cloud’s gaze was briefly glued to their lips before his eyes dropped to the table. His hooves fumbled awkwardly, waiting for the moment to pass. Glancing back up, he found their muzzled still pressed together, “Should I just go?”

Upon hearing the voice, Cadence quickly pulled away, covering her blush with a foreleg. “Oh, sorry. I guess I forgot you were there for a second.” Clearing her throat with a cough, she rotated her body back to face Cloud. “Now that Shining’s here we can start planning what you’re going to do tonight Cloud.”

“Planning?” His face twisted with worry. “I thought you said just to be myself and I’d win her over.”

“Well,” Cadence’s eyes rolled into her head as she thought, How do I explain this in the nicest way? “Being yourself is usually the best thing to do, and I’m sure if you had the time she eventually would grow to like you, but, you’ve only got one night. You need to make an impact on her.”

Lowering his gaze, Cloud felt a smile spreading his lips. “Just like when I tried to arrange a treasure hunt for her, except without the failure.”

“Something like that, yes, but different, something Skylight would actually enjoy.” Bringing both hooves to her chin, Cadence narrowed her eyes. “We know she likes flying, anything else?” She flicked her eyes from Cloud to Shining, both stallions shaking their heads.

“She did say she wanted to protect Equestria,” Shining suggested after a few moments of silence.

“True, but how can we plan a date around that?” Sighing, Cadence pushed her fringe backward. “Well, it looks like our only option is getting your wings working again Cloud.” Meeting his eyes, she pushed a hopeful smile onto her lips. “How did you attempts at flight go last night? Any luck?”

Looking down at his injured wing, Cloud shook his head slowly. “I can get a little bit off of the ground, but any more than a few beats of my wounded wing is too painful to bare.”

“You’ve got to go outside and keep trying then.”

Taking one last look at the bandaged tip of his wing, Cloud lifted his desperate eyes to meet Cadence’s, voice strained as he pleaded. “There must be something else she likes, another way I can win her heart?”

“Maybe if it were another mare we were talking about, one I knew better, then you’d have another option.” Cadence closed her eyes for a moment, replaying the previous night’s conversation over in her mind. I only like him for his wings. “But with Skylight, I think this may be your only way in.”

“If it really is the only way.” Cloud climbed to his hooves and adjusted his injured wing before walking toward the door, leaving Shining and Cadence to follow.

They stepped out into cool shade, the tavern blocking the mid-afternoon sun. In the open space before them stood Cloud, his majestic wings spread wide, casting a shadow large enough to cover a dozen ponies.

“They really are amazing, aren’t they Cadence?” Shining whispered with wide eyes as he watched Cloud slowly pulled his wings downward, causing clouds of dust to explode into the air.

“I think I can understand why Skylight fell for them.” Shaking her head, Cadence thought back to the two playful pegasi, dancing through the sky. A soaring eagle chasing a tiny sparrow as it zipped just out of reach. “I just hope they have something else in common.”

Bending his hind legs and lifting his eyes to the sky, Cloud’s winds rose once again. The ends of his feathers twitched as he paused for a moment, a white statue, before springing into the air and beating his wings.

A sharp gasp cut through the storm of dust that exploded as Cloud lifted off. He was hidden in the brown mist for a moment before rising from it, one side of his body tilted toward the ground as his injured wing struggled to stay afloat. One more beat and he was falling, gliding to the dirt in wide circles before landing softly.

“Are you okay?” Cadence called, tone stricken with worry, as she and Shining rushed over to Cloud.

His face was strained with pain as he gently folded the hurt wing away, wincing throughout the process. Once it was tucked to his side he spoke, “I’m fine, I just need a little rest before I give it another go.”

Looking to the side, Cadence met Shining’s eye and found the same worry there that she felt. “Are you sure you should be doing this?”

“You-” Cloud paused, staring at Cadence for a moment, studying her features. “You were the one who told me to do this. You said this would be the only way to win her over.”

“I did,” Cadence spoke slowly, weighing each word carefully as not to wound the pegasus further. “But that was before I knew how painful it is for you to fly. Why don’t you just wait until you’ve healed?”

Shaking his head, Cloud’s eyes dropped to the dirt. “I was planning on doing that Cadence, but you arranged this thing with Skylight. You arranged my one and only shot with her.”

“Oh, yes. I did.” The words dribbled from Cadence’s lips as she fell backward to sit on her rump. Silence held the conversation for some time as she roamed the surroundings with her eyes, walking up the tall stone tower, leaping across rooftops. “I’m sorry for all this Cloud,” She said eventually.

“Don’t be.” Reaching out with his good wing, Cloud touched Cadence on the shoulder, drawing her eyes to him. “I know I’ve said this before, and even though you’ve put me in this difficult situation I’ll say it again. What you’ve done over these last few days has changed my life, and I’m beyond thankful for it. So don’t be sorry, be glad that you’ve helped one colt in a big way.”

“All this talk is touching,” Shining cut in as he gazed up at the sky. “But it’s getting closer and closer to nightfall and you still can’t fly.”

“Right.” Cadence stood, pacing back and forth as she spoke. “We can have this kind of talk later, but for now we need to figure out something for your date Cloud.” She turned to Shining, question creasing her brow. “Do you know any healing spells Shining?”

Shining chuckled, shaking his head. “If I knew any we wouldn’t still be in this situation, but maybe.” His eyes widened as he twisted round and dashed away. “I’ll be right back!”

“Well, I guess we’ll just wait until he get back.” Sitting back down, Cadence hummed softly as she thought. Eventually she stood, gasping. “I might just have an idea. Cloud, can you open your hurt wing?”

Obedient, Cloud spread one of his white beasts, corner of his eyes twitching slightly as he did so. Lighting her horn, Cadence focused on the injured tip, coating the feathers in her blue glow, strengthening the broken bones beneath. “Now give flying a go.”

Cloud nodded before extending his other wing and leaping into the air, choking Cadence in dust. Higher and higher he climbed, no gasps of pain bursting from his lips, each wing supporting his small frame easily. Dropping one wing, he turned back and glided down to Cadence, tucking his wings away after he landed.

“Well, how was it?” Cadence questioned, a wide grin showing her teeth.

To her surprise, Cloud’s muzzle failed to mirror her joy. Instead it held a small smile, his eyes lowered as he spoke. “It’s great Cadence, feeling almost like brand new wing besides the weird tingling. The only problem is it won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know exactly what terms you and Skylight agreed on for this date, but somehow I don’t think she’ll appreciate my wingtip glowing blue and constantly ringing.”

“Oh, yes. Maybe I can-”

“I’ve got it!” Shining’s call cut off Cadence’s words, both ponies turning to find the unicorn charging at them, yellow saddlebags hung over either side. He stopped next to them, panting for a moment before he grasped the bags in his magic.

“What in my bags could possibly help Cloud?” Cadence questioned, mentally checking off each of her belongings, searching for one that could be useful.

Shining took a deep breath before he spoke, the words coming out as a burst of air, “The itinerary!” He pulled the stack of paper from one pocket and passed it into Cadence’s magic before lowering his head, his back rising and falling as he recovered.

Holding up the papers, Cadence flipped through a few, shaking her head. “I still don’t see how this can help us, what in here would mend a broken wing?”

Blowing one final breath from his lungs, Shining lifted his head. “I was thinking, if Celestia put spell in that for shelter and somewhere to sleep, why wouldn’t she write a healing spell down?”

“Well, I guess we’ve got no other choice.” Cadence split the pile, passing a lesser chunk to Shining before turning to Cloud. “Do you think you can help look for a spell?”

“I’d like to, but I don’t really know what to look for.”

Dividing the stack once again, Cadence held a bunch of papers for Cloud. “Just look for any symbols you don’t understand. All spells are written in Old Equestrian.” The stack secure in his wing, Cadence sat herself, eyes racing down page after page as she searched.

The trio grew hot sitting in the sun, so they moved under the shade of the tavern to shuffle papers. “I think I’ve found something,” Cloud whispered eventually, his voice so soft he had to repeat himself before he caught the attention of either pony.

Shining lifted his head, grasping the page Cloud held out with his magic. “Let me have a look.” One glance at the string of strange symbols had Shining shaking his head. “No, that’s just a spell for short term wing-” Biting his tongue, he reread the spell. “Wings, maybe this’ll work. Can you stand up Cloud?”

Both stallions rose to their hooves, Shining’s head tilted down as he studied the incantation, Cloud idly kicking his hoof into the dirt. The movement drew Cadence out from her trance-like studying. “Did you find the spell?”

“I might work,” Shining mumbled, his eyes moving back and forth as he read and reread line after line of symbols. “But I don’t know if a spell like this will even work on pegasi.” A few moments later he lifted his head. “Are you ready?”

Upon Cloud’s nod Shining lit his horn, concentrating his blue glow around Cloud’s back as he murmured the spell under his breath. Ethereal feathers sprouted from the blue mounds, growing and widening into wings.

Tilting his head to the side, Cloud stared at the blue appendage beside his cheek, jaw hanging wide as he slowly pulled it downward. The wings curled close to him as he twirled, admiring the ghostly blue trail they left in the dim light. “This is amazing, but like I said, the blue glow gives it away a little.”

The smile on Cadence’s muzzle faded as she nodded. “He’s right, as well as the fact that Skylight likes his wings. I think a different, smaller pair of wings would be a deal breaker.” Lighting her horn, she dispelled Shining’s magic, leaving Cloud with his abnormally large wings once more. “Now let’s keep searching.”

As they flipped through page after page the sun slowly fell asleep, fading over the horizon and taking its warm orange glow with it. The sky was almost completely black by the time Cadence called out, “I’ve got it!”

The two stallions looked up from their piles to find Cadence standing, a single page surrounded in blue before her snout. “Incase I cannot protect you,” She read aloud as she stepped over to Cloud. He made an effort to stand before a pink hoof signalled him otherwise. “It says you need to lie down for this, apparently the healing process is very draining.”

Pink eyelids lowered as Cadence sparked the magic in her horn, a thread of blue leaping from the tip and cocooning Cloud’s wing. Her legs shifted, widening her stance as she frantically whispered incoherent words under her breath.

More and more energy poured through the link, a torrent of magic running from horn to wing. Shining stood like a statue, only his eyes moving, following the blue as it lit up the evening.

Pop! Like wood cracking the sound burst from Cloud’s wing, the pegasus wincing briefly as he felt bones realigning and cartilage stitching itself back together.

The noise met Shining’s ears but passed right through, his mind focused entirely on the pony before his eyes. Dashing forward, he extended a foreleg around the falling Cadence, propping her limp form up against his own. “Maybe you were supposed to be lying down,” He whispered softly into her ear as he lowered her to the ground.

“Did I do something wrong?” Cloud sat still, teeth gritted as he stared at the unconscious pony cuddled against Shining.

“No.” Shaking his head, Shining chuckled. “I have a feeling that this spell is far more powerful than Cadence predicted, draining a lot of her energy. I don’t think she’ll be awake for a while.”

Cloud’s eyes dropped to the dirt, his lips moving wordlessly for a few moments before he spoke. “I’m sorry, is there anything I can do to help?”

Smiling, Shining glanced up at the sky, shaking his head. “It wasn’t your fault, and you’ve got a date soon. I’ll take her to bed, you go astound Skylight with those wings, I know it’s what Cadence would’ve wanted you to do.”

“Uh, yeah.” Cloud turned away, spreading his wings before twisting his head back. “I’ll see the you two tomorrow then? In the tavern?”

Laughter burst from Shining’s lips, fading into a soft chuckle. “If you really have nothing else to do tomorrow, we’ll meet you there, but I hope you have some other pony wanting your time by tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, yes. I’ll see you, some time, then.” Taking another step, Cloud spread his wings to the fullest before leaping from the ground and pushing the air beneath him.

Shining stood still briefly, watching the pegasus boom through the night sky, a faint trail of dust following. “Let’s get you to bed now,” He whispered to Cadence as he bent down next to her. Once he had lifted her unconscious body onto his back, Shining found himself chuckling again. “I hope you can make this work Cloud.”

“Is your wing okay?”

The words burst from Cadence’s lips as she woke, her final memories a haze of glowing and a dull ache in her head. Glancing at her surroundings she felt the same pain, like someone had driven a horn into her head. “Ow.”

She was in the stone room that held their belongings, the glowing mattress holding her body off the cool floor. Lifting her foreleg, Cadence heard the crinkle of paper and felt it slip underneath her hoof.

Lifting the page before her snout, she lit her horn to illuminate its contents. Lines of letters singed into the paper met her eyes, forming a message. “If I’m not with you when you wake I’ll be in the tavern with Cloud.” She read aloud.

What happened last night? Cadence thought as she massaged her forehead with both hooves, rubbing the memories back into her mind. Bit by bit it dripped in, Cloud’s broken wing, her ultimatum with Skylight, their frantic rush to fix Cloud, until the dam burst and the explosion of images overflowed.

A giggle burst from Cadence’s lips, racking her body as she rolled across the mattress, laughter filling the air. I really need to read spells better. When she had finally recovered she sighed and lay still, pondering what to do next.

What did that note say again? Frantically, she flipped back onto her belly, grasping the crinkled note in her magic and unfolding it. If I’m not with you when you wake I’ll be in the tavern with Cloud. “Oh no.”

Springing to her hooves, Cadence dashed for the door, her shoulder scraping against the frame as she burst into the sunlight. “Ouch.” Stopping for a moment, she glanced up at the sun. It’s almost noon already?

Her legs moved faster than she could have believed as she crashed through the tavern door, colliding with another pony on the other side. “Sorry,” Cadence called back without stopping. The tables seemed to be more packed than ever as she dodged between pony after pony, fighting through the maze of bodies toward the corner table.

“Oh no.” The sight that met her eyes stopped Cadence in her tracks. Cloud and Shining sat across from each other chatting idly. Cadence’s hoofsteps drew their attention to her. “What happened? What went wrong?”

A smile spread across Cloud’s muzzle, “Cadence, I think you’re mis-”

“No,” She but in, shaking her head. “Before you tell me what happened I need to say sorry. I blew your one shot with the mare of your dreams before you were ready. I know you said I shouldn’t feel bad about it but I just can’t help but wonder if maybe I had have left you alone you would have eventually found your own way to be with her. Forcing relationships like I do isn’t good for the ponies involved and I think I’ve learnt-”

Cadence’s words were muffled into a mumble as soft feathers covered her lips, a wing curving round from behind. “Do you want some food or am I going to shove it down your throat for you?” The voice came with the feeling of a leg over her shoulder.

Looking down, Cadence’s vision was filled with sky-blue feathers. She turned her head to the pony beside her, a short white mane and the soft curve of a mare’s snout meeting Cadence’s eyes. “Skylight?”

“Sit down Cadence, I know you’re hungry.” Skirting around Cadence, Skylight settled in beside Cloud. The glasses balanced on one of her wings were slid onto the table and passed out to four places. A small bowl of salad and a loaf of bread balanced on her other wing deposited at the empty space beside Shining.

“So your date went well?” Cadence mumbled as she sat, eyes wide open as she watched Cloud kiss Skylight on the cheek.

A grin spread across Cloud’s face as he turned to face Cadence. “It went spectacularly actually. Thanks to your healing we were able to share a wonderful night of flying and talking, mostly flying though.” He opened his wing slightly, nudging Skylight with the outside of it.

“Yes, it was nice.” Skylight said after some coaxing, a hard smile on her lips. A few more prods of Cloud’s wing had her speaking again. “I must thank you. I never knew a pony who seemed so different could hold so many of the things I was searching for in a stallion.”

Cadence nodded along as she crunched through a sandwich of lettuce, tomato and cucumber, half choking as she swallowed the greedy mouthful. “What exactly do you mean?”

“I already knew Cloud could fly.” Skylight’s eyes flicked down to Cloud’s wings for a moment, her breathing briefly growing heavier. “I never knew he loved the military so much, we share many of the same childhood dreams, as well as plans for the future.”

The new couple shared a glance and a smile before turning back to Cadence and Shining. Cloud broke the silence first. “We talked about something important last night and-”

“We’d like to accept that offer Cadence.”

“If it’s still available.”

Turning to Cadence, Shining found her mouth full and question lining her features. He swung his eyes back to meet Skylight’s. “What offer?”

“The first night you two were here Cadence asked if I’d come to the Dragon Lands with you. Are you two not going there anymore?”

A gasp burst from Cadence’s lips as she gulped down the last of her late breakfast. She nodded as she recovered, chest heaving with deep breaths. “That offer.” She chuckled softly. “Well, to be honest, I completely forgot about it after you refused it so harshly, but yes, that is our next destination and,” She turned to Shining.

One of his hooves was beckoning her closer. Leaning her ear toward his muzzle, Cadence strained to hear Shining’s whispers. “If they come with us, where are they going to sleep?”

Nodding, Cadence shifted her attention back to Cloud and Skylight. “That’s a good question actually. What do you two have in the way of camping supplies?” Beside her she heard Shining’s hoof impact against his forehead.

“Don’t worry about us,” Cloud assured. “There’s plenty of spare equipment lying around here, as well as enough backup rations to last us years. Now if you’d excuse us, someone’s wings are getting a little itchy.”

The pair of pegasi climbed to their hooves quickly before stepping toward the door. As Cadence trailed them with her eyes, she chuckled as the pink-maned barmare called them over, both Cloud and Skylight obviously uncomfortable as she oogled them.

“Cadence?” Shining’s voice caught her attention, pulling her head to face him. “You didn’t exactly get what I meant when I asked where they’re going to sleep.”

“Well what did you mean?”

Blue eyes flicked from side to side for a moment before Shining leant close to Cadence. “You know how we like to have fun at night? That might be a little difficult with two other ponies sleeping nearby.”

Cadence’s lips formed an O and her eyes widened before she forced a smile to her face. “I’m sure we can go without for a few days. How long can it take to get to the Dragon Lands anyway?”

“Celestia gave us three months.”

The day passed slowly as Cadence and Shining strolled idly round the mountain top, enjoying the view over the surrounding plains. After several circuits they settled in a shady spot behind the tavern, Cadence’s wing open over Shining’s back, her head curled into his neck.

“It’s that time again isn’t it?” Cadence spoke softly, nuzzling Shining as she did so.

Gently stroking her cheek with his hoof, Shining nodded. “I’m glad though, without Cloud or Skylight this place isn’t somewhere I’d like to stay for long.”

“Yeah. I’ll still miss the town however. It really is quite a beautiful place, but like Skylight said, the ponies here don’t quite match up.”

The sound of wind under wings interrupted their thoughts and drew their eyes to the sky, where Cloud and Skylight descended toward them, Cloud’s hooves sounding against the ground as he landed.

“We looked everywhere for you,” Skylight called down without landing, content instead to hover above the ground. “Ready to leave?”

Cadence and Shining shared a look for a moment before Cadence spoke. “Do you two already have everything packed up?”

Nodding, Skylight looped through the air, her belly brushing across Cloud’s ears. A smile spread the stallions lips wider, his eyes briefly following Skylight’s flight before returning to Cadence and Shining. “She really wants to get out of here as soon as she can, I hope it’s not too much of a hassle.”

“Not at all,” Cadence said, ducking out of the way as Skylight swooped. “We were actually thinking of packing up as well.” Standing, she nudged Shining with her hoof. “Just give us a moment to gather our things and we’ll meet you back here.”

“Meet us by the tower.” The words zipped by as Skylight skimmed over their heads before lifting back up into the sky for another pass. A rush of air warned of her coming, the trio on the ground bracing themselves. “Come back up here Cloud.”

“I’ll see you two soon.” Cloud dipped his head before leaping into the air and snapping his wings open, one flap rocketing his body skyward.

Cadence paused to watch the two pegasi corkscrew round each other for a moment, Shining wrapping a foreleg over her withers as he joined her. “It really is amazing what they can do with those wings isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Cadence glanced back at her own pair as she spoke. “I makes me want to learn how myself. I imagine it would be thrilling to speed through the air like that.”

Blue eyes rolled up into Shining’s head as he thought back to Skylight carrying him up the mountain, the same sick feeling crept back into his stomach once again. “If that’s what you find fun, but I’d rather just stay on the ground. Anyway, we should get packing.”

It only took a few moments to pack the little possessions Shining and Cadence had. The ethereal tent dissipated with a thought, leaving only the soft scent of sex as a sign of their stay in the stone building.

At the tower they found Cloud sitting on the dirt as Skylight circled lazily above his head. Strapped to their backs were bags twice the size of saddlebags, kept out of the way of wings. Skylight landed as Shining and Cadence neared them, flicking a large bundle wrapped in plain cream cloth in their direction.

“What’s this?” Cadence questioned as she caught the package in her magic, surprised at the weight, or lack of it.

A smirk flashed across Skylight’s lips before her usual stern expression swallowed it. “Just some food and drink we borrowed from the supplies, nothing they won’t miss. Cloud thought you two might need some, seeing how much Shining eats.”

Cadence shook her head as she bit through the strings that held the cloth together, allowing the contents to spill into her blue glow. Once she had distributed everything between her and Shining’s saddlebags she turned back to Skylight. “Now how do we get off of this mountain?”

“We fly.” Opening her wings with a snap, Skylight leapt into the air, Cloud following moments after.

Turning his side toward the airborne pair, Shining magically lifted his saddlebag, baring the plain expanse of white. “I didn’t magically grow wings, how am I going to fly?”

Cloud’s smile faltered, dropping back to the ground as his features twisted with confusion. “I thought you could just use those magical wings, the ones you gave me last night?”

“Oh,” Shining looked toward Cadence’s saddlebags, willing the pages inside to float out. “I’ve never used that spell before,” He murmured, flicking through the pages. “Even if I could use those wings, I don’t know how long they’ll last. What if I just fall out of the sky halfway down the mountain?”

Cadence stepped forward, nodding in agreement with Shining. “And I could barely fly halfway up this mountain, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the whole flight back down. Isn’t there another way, a path we can walk down?”

“There isn’t.” Skylight landed beside Cloud, a wide grin on her lips. “Now get those wings warmed up, you don’t want to pull a muscle on the way down.”

Skylight almost died of laughter as she watched Shining toy with his magical wings, slamming his snout into the dirt until it was stained brown. Eventually he managed to stay airborne for more than a few moments, lopsided beats allowing him to maintain a shaky altitude.

“Time to go,” Skylight announced once she noticed Shining hovering. Springing into the air herself, she zoomed out over the mountain edge before looping back, zipping right past Shining and Cadence’s noses, messing their manes with a blast of air.

The descent was slow and shaky for Shining, his body tipping from side to side as as he struggled to keep his wings beating with the same strength. Cadence was thankful for the slow pace, her limited flying experience allowing her to easily float beside him as Cloud and Skylight looped and twirled around them, chasing each other through the sky.

“Can we stop for a moment?” Shining called out when they were about halfway down the mountainside, diving down toward the ground without waiting for a response.

Skylight caught Shining’s rapidly accelerating descent out of the corner of her eye. “That idiot.” Snapping her wings to her side, she fell after him.

Realising the ground was coming up too quickly, Shining beat his painful wings in panic, wincing as the muscles in his shoulders and along his back screamed at him. His mouth opened to yell, “Help m-”

A bullet of blue smashed into Shining’s side, plucking him from midair and pulling him back up into the sky. Skylight came up beside Cadence with a grin on her face, Shining held in her grasp. “Cloud told me about the drills you and Shining put him through, I’ll give Shining some flight lessons as payback.”

“Please no,” Shining groaned from underneath her, his sides vacant of any magical wings. “After this flight I’m never getting off the ground again.”

Cadence chuckled, “Well, as much as I love the sentiment, I do have to agree with Shining. We won’t be flying much after this.”

Confusion lined Skylight’s brow, “We are heading for The Dragon Lands?” Cadence nodded. “Then he’s going to have to learn how to fly, or were you two going to walk?”

“We are going to walk,” Shining called from underneath Skylight. “I don’t care what you say, flying is a terrible thing. Cadence and I decided on walking the whole way, something about getting to know each other better.”

“Yes,” Cadence nodded at Shining’s strained words. “Princess Celestia planned for us to take three months to travel to The Dragon Lands, and I think she had a reason behind it. I think she wants Shining and I to grow closer throughout the journey, and it’s a great opportunity for you and Cloud to do the same.”

Closing her eyes for a moment, Skylight shook her head. “A long walk isn’t the kind of bonding I like to do. I’d prefer to soar through the sky with him, that’s how you get to know a pegasus.” A smile spread across her lips as she spoke the final words.

“If you call almost falling to my death, then having my breath kicked out of me by a crazy pegasus okay. Then yes.”

Cloud chuckled softly. “Sorry I didn’t come over sooner. I got a little lost in my flying, trying out a new trick.”

“I’ve been trying to teach him how to spin,” Skylight said, half laughing. “But he can’t manage to tuck those massive wings in quickly enough to roll his body round, and Cadence,” She turned her head to face the alicorn. “Going slowly should be fine, gives me more time to teach Cloud how to fly properly.”

The remainder of the flight down was slow going, Skylight’s burden restricting her from going and faster and Cloud content to soar by her side.

“Finally!” Shining leapt from Skylight’s hold as the ground neared. Rolling around on the dirt, he blew up a cloud of dust around him. “I said last time I’d never fly again, but this time it’s for sure. I’m sticking with the ground forever.”

Cadence chuckled as she watched him, silently grateful for the firm dirt beneath her hooves. Shading her eyes, she peered up at the sun. “Well it looks like we’ve still got some time before nightfall,” She turned to the other three ponies. “Should we keep traveling or just rest a while?”

Pausing from his rolling, Shining lifted his head. “Can we rest? My whole back and shoulders hurt from that flight.”

Skylight and Cloud shared a look before laughing. “If Shining really needs to rest I don’t mind waiting till tomorrow,” Cloud said, turning to Skylight. “Why don’t we go fly some more? My wings are itching to get back up there.”

One last look at Shining and Skylight turned away, bending her forelegs and spreading sky-blue wings. “You better do it right this time.” She left her words behind as she sprung into the air, a cloud of dust erupting where she once stood. Cloud took off behind her, a few beats of his monstrous wings easily closing the distance.

Silence joined the remaining two ponies, Cadence watching the pair of pegasi dance between the clouds. Shining was still splayed out on his back, eyes closed as he daydreamed of treats.

“Is there anything to eat?” He eventually questioned, breaking Cadence from her observative trance.

Cadence scrunched her eyes tight, pulling herself out of her thoughts. “Well there is the food that Cloud and Skylight gave us, I don’t know what exactly it is however.” Turning to her bag, she flipped open the flap with her magic and pulled the parcels of cloth from within. “Why don’t you look through your bag as well, I’m sure there’s plenty of food in there.”

Eyes flicking open, Shining rolled onto his stomach and assaulted the white saddlebags with his snout, burying it deep inside. “Whatever they got for us, it smells amazing.”

Looking over at Shining, a giggle burst from Cadence’s lips as she noticed his head was no more, a saddlebag was attached to his neck in its place. “Just grab whatever smells best and pull it out, I’m getting a little hungry myself.”

The bag rustled for while longer as Shining dug around, searching for one scent. “This,” He finally announced, voice muffled as he pulled a cloth bundle out with his teeth and held it before Cadence like a dog with a ball.

“Let’s see what this is.” Cadence’s horn lit up with blue as she grasped the parcel from Shining before gently unfolding the material that bound it. Her eyes widened as they focused on the items inside. “How did she manage to get these?”

In her magical glow a carved wooden bowl hovered, the bowl filled to the brim with small circular pastries, a thin layer of chocolate coating the top. “What’s so special about them?” Shining asked as he plucked one from the bowl with his own magic. “They just look like pastries to me.”

Cadence gulped, wiping the small overflow of saliva from the corner of her mouth. “They aren’t just any pastries, try one.” She watched as Shining bit into one hesitantly, his whole body pausing as he chewed the mouthful.

“They’re amazing.” Grasping the wooden bowl, Shining stuffed two more into his mouth before Cadence pushed him away. He stared at her sullenly as she pulled the remaining sweets away, a smudge of cream in the corner of his mouth making Cadence laugh.

“Whether it’s chocolate or eclairs you really can’t control yourself can you?” She giggled again as he shook his head, staring at her, pleading with his eyes like a colt who had had his toys taken away. “Fine, you can have one more.”

Shining’s eyes lit up as Cadence held on of the eclairs before his lips with her magic, his tongue grasping the treat out the air and pushing it down his throat before he could even taste it.

Sitting back onto her haunches, Cadence sighed as she stared at the bowl and its contents. “Seeing these things really takes me back, I have so many great memories involving them.” She took one in her magic and held it before her snout, eyelids closing as she breathed in the aroma.

“What are you talking about? I’ve never seen you eating these before.” Shining’s features were lined with mock confusion as he leant toward the unaware Cadence, muzzle reaching out to grasp another creamy treat.

Without opening her eyes, Cadence batted Shining away with her hoof, giggling as she heard him wince. “Well that’s because I used to eat them when I was a little filly, before I even knew a world existed outside of the palace. Celestia and I ate them all the time, there was barely a meal without eclairs. Then one day they all simply vanished, just like my cakes.... You don’t think.”

She opened her eyes to find Shining lying back on the ground, laughter shaking his body. His lips moved each time he choked back the laughter, as if he were trying to speak. “The,” He finally gasped. “Princess, she really, has a, problem.” The last word sent another burst of laughter through his body, Cadence noticing the corners of his eyes wetting.

Cadence stared at him silently, an amused expression on her features. Eventually she shook her head, “It really isn’t that funny, it seems like she struggles with her food just as much as you would without my help.”

Clenching his eyes shut, Shining breathed deeply in attempt to slow the laughter. Recovered enough to sit up, he met Cadence’s questioning gaze. “Cadence, the princess is a greater lover of food than I will ever be. The fact that she’s outlawed-” A spurt of laughter cut of his words. “That she’s outlawed almost every sweet food from the palace must be a little bit funny to you.”

“Well,” A smile spread across Cadence’s muzzle, eyes lighting up as her mind worked. “If you think it’s so funny, why don’t you refrain from eating anything sweet until we get to The Dragon Lands?”

The smile on Shining’s face instantly vanished, his breathing returning to normal as he leant close to Cadence. “But, that’s, three months. I’ll die if I can’t eat anything.”

“I’m sure Skylight and Cloud gave us plenty of other food.” She lifted the flap of Shining’s saddlebag once again, pulling another cloth-wrapped package from within and unwrapping it. “They can’t have possibly just-” The sight before Cadence stilled her tongue, her eyes widening briefly before she quickly rewrapped the slab of chocolate. “Maybe I just got lucky with that one, surely the next one.”

Shining’s jaw hung lower and lower as Cadence unfolded and refolded parcel after parcel of pastries and chocolate and sweets. A drop of drool on his lolling tongue built until it fell to the dirt below, a waterfall of saliva soon following.

Reaching into the bag once again, Cadence’s hoof found it empty. “This can’t be right.” She looked to her other side where the pile of cloth packages sat. “Well then, I guess restricting your sweets won’t work.” Sighing heavily, she levitated them one by one back over her head and into Shining’s bags, a rainbow of different colored material.

A smile crept back into Shining’s face, “I guess so, it’s just too bad I have to eat,” He paused to wipe drool from his lips. “All of those tasty things.” His eyes wandered over to his saddlebags, everything fading out of focus as Shining recalled the countless treats Cadence had just unwrapped.

“Actually, I’ve got a better idea.” The smile on Shining’s lips leapt to Cadence’s, twisting her muzzle into a wicked grin. “If I can’t restrict what you eat, I’ll just restrict how much. Till we get to the Dragon Lands you can only eat as much as I do.”

“But Cadence, I’m a hard working stallion, I need twice as much food as you.”

Laughter burst from Cadence’s lips as she watched Shining widen his eyes and lower his snout. “Don’t give me that begging look. If you want to poke fun at how much Celestia eats, you need to know how desperate your body gets when the food you love is sitting right in front of you, but you can’t have any of it.”

“Please, I won’t make fun of the princess ever again.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Shining’s eyes widened at Cadence’s words, his neck straightening and tongue lolling out once again. “Great, can i have some more of those eclairs now?”

Bringing her hoof to her lips, Cadence giggled again. “I never said that would get you out of our deal.” Standing, she glanced at their surroundings. “Now why don’t we look for a place to set up camp before Cloud and Skylight return.”

The plains below the mountain provided more than enough firm, flat ground for the couple to set up their ethereal campsite. It’s glowing walls functioned as a beacon for the returning pegasi once night fell.

Cloud and Skylight were all giggles and smiles as they landed, face red and bodies slick with sweat. “That’s a wonderful looking tent,” Cloud commented as he sat across the fire from Cadence and Shining. “Is there any chance we could get one.”

“We’ll be fine,” Skylight’s voice drew everyone’s attention as she sat beside Cloud, eyeing the tent behind Shining. “I couldn’t sleep with all that glowing. The standard issue tent will be fine for me.”

Cadence nodded, It seems they want their privacy. “Why don’t you two set up your tent while I prepare dinner.” Dipping her magical grasp inside Shining’s saddlebags, the memory of its contents came to her mind. “Oh, Skylight?”

The pegasus turned from her own bag, “Yes?”

“Do you have any food that isn’t chocolate and pastries?” Cadence’s lips held a weak smile. Please say yes.

“I don’t know, I just grabbed whatever was there.” Digging her wing into her bag, Skylight pulled out a package of cloth, her other wing unfolded it. Holding the bundle of apple and cinnamon pies up, she looked back to Cadence. “What’s wrong with this?”

Climbing to her hooves, Cadence wrapped the stack of pies in her magic as she stepped toward Skylight. “I was just thinking it would be good if we could have a healthy selection of food on this trip, not these, fattening foods.”

Humour filled Skylight’s eyes as she chuckled. “If you’re worried about putting on weight, don’t be. With the amount of walking you’ll be doing you’ll be fine.” She turned back to her bags before Cadence could think of what to say next.

Sighing, Cadence met Shining’s eyes, shaking her head at the sly smile on his lips. “Don’t think you’ve gotten out of our deal.” She magically drew one of the parcels of food from her saddlebags before unwrapping it. Inside was the half eaten bowl of eclairs. “Well, I guess this is dinner.”

Cadence watched Shining carefully as the four ponies ate, making sure the only food that passed between his lips was what she gave him. The two pegasi were famished, finishing off the bowl of eclairs with ease as well as two other packages of chocolate-filled pastries.

“Why aren’t you eating much Shining?” Skylight mentioned after her and Cloud had finished their meal. “Usually you eat more in one night than I do in a week.”

Clearing her throat, Cadence drew the circle’s attention before a word could leave Shining’s lips. “That’s because he has decided to eat a little less for a while, to lose some weight.”

A smile grew across Skylight’s muzzle before bursting out as laughter. “That’s not how you lose weight.” Leaning slightly to one side, she opened a wing. “Flying is how to lose weight, or any other exercise.”

“That is true,” Cadence nodded slowly, eyes rolling up into her head as she struggled for an explanation. “But, Shining and I have been walking for many weeks, and I think he’s actually gotten fatter.”

“Hey!” Shining protested before looking down at his belly. “I’ve just got a thick coat.”

Skylight leant closer to Shining and Cadence, the ethereal flames of the fire enveloping her snout, dancing before her eyes. “That’s because walking isn’t exercise, you need to run.”

Looking sideways, Cadence met Shining’s eyes, their features holding the same horrified expression. “We’ll be fine,” They both blurted simultaneously, much to Skylight amusement. “I’ll just stick with the eating less,” Shining finished, the dull ache in his back making itself more known.

A yawn escaped Skylight’s lips as she settled back beside Cloud. “And it’s time to get some rest.” She nuzzled her cheek against Cloud’s as she stood, his jaw stretching in a yawn as well.

“Me too,” Cloud breathed once his mouth was back under his control, wiping the moisture from the corner of his eye before rising to his hooves. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

“Really?” Lifting her eyes to the still sparsely populated sky, Cadence shook her head. “It’s still early, don’t you two want to stay up and talk a while?”

“No,” Skylight grasped her bag off the floor with a wing. “If I’m too tired to fly I’m too tired to stay up, and I still haven’t set up my tent.” Turning, she stepped away until the darkness swallowed her.

Cloud nodded. “Being up in the sky all day really saps the energy from you.” He grasped his own backpack before stepping into the darkness himself.

Did they just? Cadence narrowed her eyes, trying to peer into the darkness. Unable to make out anything, she lit her horn, spotlighting Cloud as he pulled a canvas tent from his bag. “Aren’t you two sharing a tent?” She called out.

Looking up, Cloud squinted at Cadence for a moment before answering. “Uh, no. We’ve only been together for a little more than a day. We’re still not that comfortable close to each other.”

“He’s right,” Skylight’s voice rung from the darkness, causing Cadence to swing her horn round to light up the sky-blue pegasus. “We’re not rushing into those things.”

“Oh,” Cadence’s eyes dropped and horn went dark. “I just thought, no, you two are right. I’m thinking too far ahead.” Lowering her head, she nestled into Shining’s neck, rubbing her thoughts into his fur.

“Do you want to go to sleep as well?” Shining whispered into her ear before burying his muzzle in her mane.

Cadence nodded slowly, allowing Shining to help her to her hooves. She leant against him as he snuffed out the fire and stepped toward their tent, I always make a mess of these things.

Gently, they sank into their glowing blue mattress, Cadence still cuddled into Shining, his head resting on hers. “I’m so stupid,” She murmured into his neck.

“Not at all,” He kissed her hair as he spoke, inhaling her scent. “You just want every other couple to be as close as we are, but you forget how long it took for us to get here. Remember when you first started babysitting Twilight?”

“She ran away and hid from me?”

Shining chuckled, “No, I mean the time after that, and the one after that. We didn’t jump straight to playing around in the bedroom. After Twilight went to bed we always spent the rest of the night playing board games.”

“That’s right. I remember always looking forward to babysitting Twilight, just so we could laugh together for an hour afterward.” Sighing, Cadence lifted her eyes to meet Shining’s, a smile filling her muzzle. “So Cloud and Skylight are still playing board games?”

“Mmhmm,” Shining lowered his snout as he nodded, spreading Cadence’s lips with his own, softly caressing her tongue with his. Breaking away, his kiss moved down her neck, along her back.

“Shining,” A pink hoof pushed Shining’s muzzle away from Cadence’s body. “We’re not alone in some abandoned house anymore. There are two ponies trying to sleep nearby.”

He widened his eyes, replacing his smile with pouting lips. “Come on Cadence, I’m sure they won’t notice.”

“Shining, no. If either of them hear even the slightest sound from us we’re completely exposed in a tent like this, and we both know how loud I can get.” Wrapping both of her forelegs around his neck, Cadence pulled his snout back toward her before brushing it against her own. “Now let’s get some sleep.”

The following few days were torture for Shining, his legs aching from the brisk pace Cloud and Skylight set as they cartwheeled through the sky, stomach gnawing at itself for want of more food.

Around them the landscape gradually changed, dirt hardening into stone, the flat plains rising to peaks and falling into valleys. Rivers that ran through every low point provided them with more water than they could ask for, the four ponies often ending their days with cool baths in the running water.

“I think this is a good place to stop for today,” Cadence announced as they came upon another stream, forced to put everything into her voice to reach the pegasi that danced above. Shrugging her saddlebags off, she wiped the sweat from her brow. “This is the best part of the day.”

Dashing forward, she leapt at the water, eyes closed as she allowed its icy embrace relieve her from the sun’s heat. A breath burst from her lips when she resurfaced, mouth moving to call Shining in. “Shi-”

A wave of water cut off her words, pushing between her lips. Shining popped up beside Cadence, a wide grin on his lips. She responded with a spurt of water, emptying her mouth. “At least warn me before you splash me like that.”

“Like this?” Shining dove at Cadence, tackling her under the water. After a moment the pair burst back up, giggling and gasping for breath. Her hair hung over her eyes, heavy with water. Pushing it aside, he stole a kiss from her lips.

Behind them the ground thumped. Turning, they found Cloud panting in a brown fog of dust, his white face flaming with red as he dumped a pair of pack on the dirt beside him. “I’ve been waiting for a swim all day.” He stepped slowly into the water, shivering as its cool touch chased away the burning heat that filled his body. “Oh, watch out.”

The instant he spoke a missile shot into the water beside Cadence and Shining, drenching all three ponies. Skylight surfaced after a few moments, a cheeky smile on her lips. “Did I get you?”

Pushing back her sagging mane with a hoof, Cadence shook her head. “You’re just as bad as Shining you know.”

“Are you going to tell me off just like Shining?” Skylight raised her brow, shifting one wing backward unnoticed by Cadence.

“N-” A burst of water cut off Cadence as it hit her full in the face, once again filling her open mouth. Like a water feature she shot it straight back out, the arc of water falling just shy of Skylight. “If you keep doing that I might have to limit your food as well.”

The following days passed by with the same up and down of hills and valleys, cool river water keeping the sun’s rays from driving them insane. Shining’s pains slowly faded away, at first the ache in his legs and eventually the one inside his stomach was forgotten for most of the day, only meals reminding him of the absence in his belly.

“Are you sure there’s not a river up ahead?” Cadence called up at Cloud.

He wiped the sweat from his brow before shaking his head. “Usually we see two or three every day, but we haven’t even glimpsed water today.” His flicked upward as Skylight yelled down at him words inaudible to Cadence. “She says she’s going to fly ahead for a while, see if it’s worth it to keep walking.”

“Okay, Shining and I will look for somewhere shady to set up camp.” Lowering her neck, she magically rubbed the strain from it before wiping her dripping muzzle with a wing. They continued along the stony path, searching the surrounding red-brown rock walls for any sign of shelter.

Cadence picked out a roomy indent with enough space to house both their tent and the others. “I’ll go light the fire outside so they can find us,” Cadence said once she had relieved herself of her saddlebags.

After some time Cloud descended to the ground beside Cadence, Skylight soon following. Both pegasi looked wounded, heads hanging low. Skylight broke the silence eventually. “We found something, but it wasn’t water. Some kind of orange liquid, I could feel the heat coming off it way up in the air. Cloud said it was lava.”

Her brow creasing for a moment, Cadence thought back to her studies of the Dragon Lands. The brief book on landscape Celestia had forced her to read just dancing round the edges of her memories. “That just means we’re on the border of the Dragon Lands now. They love to build their cities and town around it.”

“I thought it was supposed to take three months to get to the Dragon Lands?” Cloud rolled his eyes into his head, mouthing numbers as he counted the days past. “We can’t have been travelling for more than a month and a half.”

Cadence nodded, “Celestia did give us three months, but that started back in Ponyville, so you can add a week or so to the travelling time, and we haven’t gotten to our destination yet. We’re heading toward the capital of the Dragon Lands, Rockholm. I assume we still have quite a distance to cover before we reach it.”

“We should ration our water,” Skylight said, a hint of military commander in her voice. “We don’t know how scarce it could be in these lands.” She shrugged her pack from her back and unbuckled it with her wingtips, Cloud following suit.

A smile spread Cadence’s lips, “We don’t need to worry, I’m sure there’s a spell somewhere in the itinerary for this.” While she flipped through page after page, oohing and aahing as she came across spell after spell, the two pegasi set up their standard issue tents around the fire.

Skylight’s green and brown canvas tent shot up in the blink of an eye, a grin on her muzzle as she rushed to help Cloud with his identical white and grey one.

Head down, deciphering symbols and images, Cadence barely noticed the movement around her. Shining exiting the cave behind her and lightly kissing her on the cheek before joining the other two by the fire.

Surrounded in his blue was and assortment of pies and chocolates, Shining’s stomach begging for all of them. “Cadence, do you want to eat?” He called over at her, barely breaking her trance as she waved his voice away like a buzzing fly.

“Don’t worry about her.” Skylight plucked a few morsels of food out of the air with her wing. “She’s searching for some spell, she can eat later.”

Question lined Shining’s brow as he stared at the sweets floating in his magical grasp, their number quickly diminishing as Cloud stole his fair share from the sky. “But if she doesn’t have anything to eat, how can I?” Realisation lit up Shining’s eyes, his head tilting back as he lined the remaining morsels above his mouth.

“Are you sure you want to do this Shining?” Cloud whispered, glancing over at Cadence. “I wouldn’t want to be in your hooves it she finds out.”

Shining chuckled, the words, “She won’t,” leaving his mouth half-gargled before he silenced his horn.

To his surprise the chocolate and pastries didn’t collide with his tongue and slip down his gullet, instead they stayed suspended, held in mid-air by a blue glow. “I found the spell.” Cadence’s voice sent a gulp down Shining’s throat, his eyes flicking sideways to find Cadence stepping over to join them.

“I was just joking,” He blurted, looking to the two pegasi for support. “I wasn’t really going to eat it.” Warm relief spread through Shining’s body as Cadence’s lips touched against his cheek.

“I’m not going to punish you, I know how hard it is to ignore food like you’re doing right now.” She draped her wing over his withers as she sat, splitting the food in her glow and holding half before Shining’s mouth. “It’s something I’ve had to deal with everyday, for years now.”

He stared at her for a moment, jaw hanging loose as he digested her words. “You like food just as much as I do?”

Laughter burst from Cadence lips, “Maybe not as much as you do, but I could quite easily eat four times as much as this right now, but I don’t.”

“It’s because of the princess right?”

Cadence glanced across the fire, wary of the onlooking eyes and perked up ears. “Yes, ever since I was a filly I’ve had to be careful with my weight, Celestia said it was a problem all alicorns had to deal with. That’s why I’ve been so defensive of her when you joke about her weight, a few slip ups with my eating habits and that could be me, the fat princess.”

As he drunk in Cadence’s confession, Shining’s head lowered, I’ve been so stupid. Forcing himself to smile, he wrapped his foreleg round her neck before pulling her close for a kiss. “I’m sorry Cadence, I didn’t realise what I was saying before, can you forgive me.”

One look at his dopey smile and puppy dog eyes caused a chuckle to shake Cadence’s body, her muzzle leaning close to nuzzle against his. “Of course silly, I know you had no idea of the situation when you made those jokes. Now why don’t we have something to eat.”

Shining’s smile grew into a grin as he tore at the blueberry pie in his magical grasp, its rich juices running down his chin and dripping onto the stone below. The food in Cadence’s glow disappeared at a similar pace, albeit eaten with more manners.

Still staring at the recently made up couple, Skylight finally spoke up. “Next time you have a personal conversation, could you take it somewhere personal?”

“Oh,” Cadence mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate before swallowing. “Did that make you feel uncomfortable?”

“Yes. I don’t like sharing my private matters with other ponies and I don’t like it when they share them with me.”

“Well, I’m-”

“I wasn’t finished,” Skylight cut back in, gesturing at the cave behind Shining and Cadence with her hoof. “Cloud and I have also been included in another personal problem of yours, so we’re sleeping out here tonight, you will have the cave to yourselves.”

Cadence looked at her with question for a moment, “Other problem?” Her lips formed an O as realization struck her. “Oh that, I guess we do talk rather loudly about it a night.”

Beside her, Shining had a grin on his face, “Thank you so much, this food restriction has been enough to deal with, but going without both of my favourite things. Thank you.”

“Your welcome,” Skylight shook her head, a grimace on her lips. “Just be quiet tonight, and don’t bring anything too personal up, at least for one day.”

Silence joined the four ponies after Skylight finished speaking, the only sounds Cadence finishing her food and Cloud shifting his wings every few moments. Shining and Cadence cuddled against each other wordlessly, eyes locked as they rubbed snouts softly.

Eventually uncomfortableness got the best of Cloud, forcing words from his lips. “Do you all want to play a game?”

The sound of Cloud’s voice broke the other three ponies from their thoughts, pulling their attention to him. “What kind of game?” Cadence questioned.

“It’s a card game.” Twisting his body backward, Cloud dragged his pack before him with a wingtip, pulling out a long, ornate wooden box with his other wing. “I only ever got to play with myself at the army base, but I always used to play with my parents before then.”

The smile on Cadence’s lips widened as she heard the word card, countless memories of Celestia besting her in multiple games flooding back into her mind. “I used to play cards with Celestia as well, though I was never very good. What game are we going to play?”

Grasping the container in one wing, he pulled the lid off with the other before setting it on the dirt. “We only ever used to play one game, Kingdoms and Castles my parents called it.” Dipping a wing into the box, he pulled out a single pack of cards. “There’s four packs in here, but we only ever played with three. I don’t know if four players makes it any different.”

“With four players you team up in pairs, both defending the same castle” Shining explained. “That’s what makes the game so fun.”

Turning to face him, Cadence gripped his foreleg between hers, “I never knew you played cards Shining, why didn’t you tell me?”

“This was the only one I ever played. We never had enough ponies to play with when it was just you, Twilight and I.”

“Oh I’m sure we could have foun-”

Skylight coughed noisily, silencing Cadence’s babbling and drawing the others attention to her. “Tell us the rules for four ponies Shining, we can have this talk during the game.”

Straightening his neck, Shining nodded. “Just give me a moment to remember them, it’s been a few months since I played.” Rolling his eyes into his head, he moved his lips wordlessly as he mentally worked through the details of the game. “I think I’ve got it, pass me the cards Cloud.”

Taking the box from Cloud’s outstretched wing, Shining pulled a pack out for himself, surprised by the intricate art on the card backs. It detailed a pegasus coated in glowing gold plate, a lengthy wooden spear held between his wings. Tipping the weapon was a shard of some blue crystal, the whole scene set before a charging emerald dragon.

“Okay, everyone take a pack of cards and shuffle it,” Shining passed the box round as he spoke both mares taking a pack each before he lowered it the dirt.

“Wait.” Lighting her horn, Cadence snuffed the fire out, weaving a similarly colored magical construct in its place. “There, a table for us to put the cards on. It’s amazing what spells you can find in that itinerary.”

“Thanks.” Shining placed the wooden container on the table edge before continuing. “Now everyone look through their packs for the basic castle card and put it on the table before you.”

Skylight spilled her pack onto the dirt multiple times, her wings having difficulty gripping the cards individually. Eventually she sighed, “Can someone just look through it for me?”

“Oh, sure,” Cloud stretched out his wing underneath Skylight’s. “Just pass it here.”

The cards froze in midair as Skylight tipped them out, a blue glow surrounding them. “She needs to get used to handling the cards,” Shining said, pushing them back into her wing. “Otherwise she’ll never be able to play properly.”

“Fine.” Skylight snatched the cards back, fumbling with them for a few more moments before she found the card. “There,” She said, placing it on the ethereal table beside Cloud’s. “What now?”

“Now that everyone’s looked through their pack we need to shuffle them.” Setting an example, Shining parted and slid his cards back together with practiced accuracy, Cadence and Cloud almost on par in skill.

Skylight watched the other three before attempting the act herself, grunting as her pack spilled onto the dirt. “This game better be good,” She muttered as she swept them back up, blowing the dust off them before trying again.

“It’s some of the most fun I ever had as a foal.” Placing his pack on the table, Cloud draped a wing over Skylight’s withers, squeezing her tightly. “I know it might be frustrating trying to handle the cards with your wings, but when you learn how it opens up a whole new world of things to do.”

Slowly but surely Skylight shuffled her cards, the time between her drops growing longer and longer.

“I think that’s enough,” Shining said, ceasing her movements with the touch of his magic and lowering her pack to the table. “Now we’re ready to start. Everyone draw seven cards, and don’t show them to anyone Skylight.”

Pulling her cards close to her face, Skylight stared at them as if they were some ancient writings. “What now?”

“Now the game begins. The aim is to destroy the other team’s castle with your evil creatures, and to stop them from destroying your by building up its defences. Teams usually sit opposite to each other so the turns are spread out, but since both you and Cadence are learning it’ll help we stay sitting how we are.”

“Don’t you think it’d be a good idea if we showed our teammates our cards for the first few games?” Cloud suggested, meeting eyes with Shining. “It would really help in teaching them what does what.”

Shining stared at his cards for a moment, a pained look on his face. Eventually he nodded “I guess we can, but just for one game. Not knowing what your partner has adds a whole level of fun to the game.”

Shifting closer to Cadence, he analyzed her hand. “Let’s just start with you for now Cadence. At the start of every turn you can partake in a quest that will provide you with certain elements, and with these elements you can either build your castle or summon creatures to fight with.”

“Is this card a quest?” Cadence held it before Shining. Written across the top were the words Playing the Princess, an open book occupied the top right corner. An oil painting of Celestia sitting atop her throne took up most of the card’s front. Her face shimmered with a pink haze, a wicked grin twisting her lips.

“Yes, you can tell by the little book in the corner.” After studying the card for a moment, Shining shook his head. “But you wouldn’t want to play that one this turn,” He gestured with his hoof to the lower half of the card. “You need changeling help to successfully obtain any elements from this quest. I’d pick A Simple Truth. It gives you one honesty without any investment.”

“So I’ve got enough to play this changeling now right?” The card Cadence held up depicted a changeling in flight over the backdrop of the night sky.

Shining shook his head, “No, A Simple Truth gives honesty, one of the elements of harmony. Elements of harmony can only be used to build up your castle, not summon evil creatures. The elements of chaos are needed for that.” Examining her hand for a few more moments, he pulled a card out with his magic. “You can add this Wooden Wall to your castle though, it helps to defend against small, flightless creatures.”

The turns passed slowly, Cloud and Shining explaining every move to their partners and allowing them to make some on their own. Eventually the game shifted toward Cadence and Shining’s favour, their changeling and griffon army growing every turn, outsmarting Cloud and Skylight’s dragons and minotaurs with mind control and illusions.

“Their cards are unfair,” Skylight complained as Cadence stole away yet another one of her dragons with The Changeling Queen. “Everything we put down is taken by that thing.”

Placing his wing over her, Cloud kissed her on the cheek, “I know it might seem a little unfair when you’re in the losing position, but that’s just the luck of the draw with cards. Sometimes nothing seems to be in your favour and others everything does. Trust me, if you play it a little longer you’ll start to enjoy it even when you lose.”

Turning back to Shining and Cadence, he pulled a card from his card from his hand and placed it on the table. A smile spread across his face as he read its details. “Mindless Charger, this card ignores any creatures with a toughness of three or less when attacking, energetic. I’ll attack your castle with him.” Pushing the card forward, Cloud waited for his opponents’ response.

Shining stared at both his and Cadence’s hands for a briefly, looking each card twice before meeting Cloud’s eyes. “That thing gets past all of our defenses, and we have nothing in our hands to stop it. Looks like you’ve won.”

Question lined Skylight’s face as she shook her head, staring at the mass of minions placed before Cadence and Shining’s castle. “How did we win? They have a bunch of changelings and dragons on their side.”

“It’s because our castle was so weak from your repeated fire attacks,” Shining explained as he swept up the cards before him. “All you needed was one hit to destroy it. That was the perfect card, it can run through all of our frail changelings and the dragons weakened by brainwashing, and get the last hit you needed to win.”

Silence fell over the four for a moment before Skylight shook her head once again, “I’d need to play more games to understand what you’re saying.”

“Same,” Cadence chuckled as she spoke, reflecting back over the game. “We should play it again another night.”

Cloud looked up from gathering both his and Skylight’s decks back together. “Why don’t we have another game right now,” He lifted his eyes to the sky, a soft orange sunset filling his vision. “It’s not even dark yet.”

“I know, but-”Cadence faked a yawn, nuzzling close to Shining as she did so. “Shining and I are very tired, I think we’ll both be needing an early night to catch up on all the sleep we’ve been missing.”

“What do you mean?” Shining looked to Cadence, confusion creasing his brow. “We can play another game, I’m not tired at all.”

Giggling, Cadence pressed her lips into his ear, one of her hooves sneaking between his legs to brush against the tip of his member. “Well then, I’ll just go sleep by myself,” She whispered before standing and turning toward the cave.

Shining glanced backward, catching Cadence’s swinging rump before it disappeared into the twisting turns of the cave. Looking back to Cloud and Skylight, words spilled from his mouth and cards from his magical grasp as he stood. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

The pair of pegasi laughed as he scampered away, the noise fading as Shining rushed into the cave. What met his eyes as he stepped round the corner knocked the breath from his chest, all the blood in his body instantly changing its path and heading for the groin.

Atop the glowing blue mattress Cadence lay, her pink and yellow fringe hanging over one eye, the other half-open, beckoning him close. As he stepped forward, Shining noticed what she held in her magic, a vial filled with white hovering before her snout.

“Is that?”

She grinned, nodding, “I thought I should take a few spares, just incase we need it for a long night.” Tossing it toward him, Cadence shifted, turning her rump to face Shining. “Now give me what we’ve both been wanting this whole week.”

Without even thinking of the taste Shining uncorked the potion and poured it down his throat, the burning hardness filling his shaft instantly. He dove forward, both ponies gasping as hot muscle met wet flesh. Cadence instantly pushed her rump backward, impaling herself his length.

“Oh, Shining,” she cried before stuffing a hoof into her mouth, the pair outside coming to mind. Cadence groaned as he slammed into her again and again, splashing her overflowing juices all over his legs.

The moment Shining fell into his usual rhythm he felt the familiar sensation at the base of his length, his balls feeling so tight he thought they were about to burst. “I’m nearly finished.”

Cadence giggled, a wide grin spreading across her muzzle as she tightened her inner walls, locking Shining inside her. “You’ve barely even started.” All thought escaped her as Shining pumped his seed into the depths of her body, Cadence relishing in the sensation of his warmth filling her completely, the excess leaking down her thighs.

Leaning over Cadence, Shining caught his breath for a moment, relieved by the empty feeling in his sack. “I’ve been needing to do that all week,” He breathed before returning to his thrusting, building back up to the ball swinging, rump slapping speed he had previously.

Allowing herself to relax, Cadence groaned and moaned softly as Shining drove himself into her over and over again, concentrating on every spark of pleasure that blossomed in her groin. It’s coming, She thought, long before her body had any knowledge of its inevitable climax.

The hot shaft constantly rubbing against her bud of pleasure drove Cadence’s body toward its end. Building the tension between her legs until she could no longer contain it. She allowed her body to relax and inhale deeply before she gave herself to the orgasm.

Shining continued to empty and fill her as her insides relaxed and contracted. Cadence’s mind blurring as bliss overwhelmed any thought that had resided there previously.

Some time later she came to, Shining still pumping her with his member, hooves on her hips, holding her upright. “Shining,” Cadence panted, twisting her head round to meet his eyes. “Why don’t we change position?”

It took him a few moments to break out of his trance-like state, pounding her without thought, body running solely on pleasure. Shaking his head, Shining blinked at Cadence briefly before his eyes focused, “What did you say?”

Twisting her whole body, she spun round on his shaft to face him, wrapping her hind legs around his hips to keep herself upright. “Well, I was thinking we should change positions, maybe give me the lead for a while.”

“Gladly.” Shining fell backward onto the mattress, allowing Cadence to sit atop him, his member still tight inside her. Breathing deeply, she lit her horn.

“I’ve been practicing a spell on myself recently,” She said breathily. “And can’t wait to try it on you.” Shining felt a tingling near his groin as Cadence magic encased it, focusing on the area underneath his sack.

“What’s happening?” Shining lifted his head upward, the feeling of the stretching around between his legs sobering him up. “You’re not transforming me into a mare are you?”

Cadence leant down toward him, brushing her lips against his ear as she spoke, “Quite the opposite actually.” Shining’s eyes widened as she felt her hoof massaging his shaft, directing it toward her rump. “How does it feel?”

“Did you just give me two-” The tightness around the tip of his second shaft silenced Shining, the feeling of Cadence squeezing around him while penetrating herself with his member sending shivers throughout his body.

Leaning backward, she took his full length in her rear, gasping as her ring tightened around the base. Riding Shining like a rocking horse, Cadence leant back and forth, barely able to concentrate on keeping herself stable as both of her holes were filled and emptied simultaneously.

“Shining,” She gasped, collapsing forward, burying her muzzle into his neck. “I need you to fill me with everything you’ve got.” After panting for a moment, Cadence pushed herself back upright and returned to pleasuring both of Shining’s shafts.

Unable to speak, he simply nodded, rapidly thrusting his hips upwards in time with each of her movements, pushing himself deeper inside, squishing her soft rump against his hips.

Eventually Shining felt the tightness growing in his groin once again, an even greater weight than previous building in his balls, begging to be released. Working his muscles, he drove his hips even faster, each high pitched moan from Cadence’s lips bringing him closer to release.

“It’s-” Was all he managed before his whole body was overcome with orgasm. Pain filling his sack as it pumped burst after burst of hot seed along both of his lengths, filling both of Cadence’s openings to the brim, the overflow splattering over his hips.

Her movements slowed as Shining’s essence was pumped into her belly, her whole body tensing up as it prepared for release. “Shining!” She screamed, her groin twitching and spasming, milking every last drop from him.

Silencing her horn, Cadence felt her rear relax as one of Shining’s shaft vanished. She fell forward and wrapped her forelegs around him, inhaling his musk deeply.

Pressing his lips gently into her ear, Shining whispered four final words before his eyelids drooped closed, limbs slackening as he fell asleep. “I love you, Cadence.”

Her own eyelids closing, Cadence felt her legs growing heavy, sleep dragging her deep into its dark pit. “I love you too Shining.”