Two Weeks Later (Week 30)-

A lone armored figure stood silently in a room. Enchanted braziers of blue flame graced the corners while ornate tapestries covered every inch of wallspace. An ancient chandelier hung above from three strong chains, and on the far end of the room, tall and narrow windows revealed light of the city below.

The lone figure glanced at the floor. There was an intricate array was drawn out with glowing spidery runes. The innermost shape was a circle with three interlocking triangles, there was a diamond around that, and a giant circle connected all four of the outermost sides. The lines of the array glittered with powdered gemstone, and an astral symbol pulsed in the center like it was alive.

vrrrrmmm...

The lines of the array spread a brilliant navy light to each other. There was a tingling in the air, a kind of spark, so much that you’d give yourself a shock if you so much as clicked your tongue.

VRRMMM…

The lone figure stood motionless as the pressure in the air pressed on her eardrums.

VRRMMMMM…

The light of the array shone like a miniature sun. The figure shielded their eyes.

BZAM!

There was a flash, followed by a yank. The POP of displaced air made the windows rattle and the tapestries wave about. The braziers flickered like wildfire as the chandelier swayed with a klink-a-link-link. The light and magic of the array expended itself all at once, and an instant later, all was silent.

The lone figure’s ears twitched. Cautiously, she opened her eyes to behold the result.

Cadance and Gleaming stood side by side in the smoking circle. They were in full regalia with form-fitting dresses of satin, and around their necks were silver necklaces set with eerie blue gems.

The spots faded from Gleaming’s vision. “Huh. That wasn’t so bad.”

Cadance noticed the figure standing before them. “Oh! You’re the messenger Auntie sent a few months ago! Apogee, was it?”

Apogee saluted them both. “Your Majesties. On behalf of the Dark Lady, welcome to Canterlot Castle.”

The Winter’s Eve Revel was a holiday both old and new. Before Luna’s fall, it was a festival that paid homage to both the longest night of the year and it’s shadowy mistress. But in the years leading up to said fall, the holiday garnered less and less notice, until many ponies either forgot... or worse, skipped over it.

Celestia had waited a few centuries before reintroducing the holiday. Once ready, she’d thrown all her influence behind re-establishing it, pushing hard to integrate the old traditions like they’d never gone away. It took half a century before she was successful, but that was barely a blink to one such as her. If—no, when Luna returned, she would be celebrated on her special day.

Apogee escorted Gleaming and Cadance down the familiar hallways and corridors. The whole castle had been done up in colors of silver and navy, and floating constellations could be seen dancing among the ceilings like a lazy spirograph. Sparkling statues of enchanted ice stood at corners depicting the zodiac beasts, and the sky was crystal clear through the windows, a painting of twinkling lights and colors.

“Our old stomping grounds,” Gleaming said to Cadance. She motioned to a stairway to their right. “That one led to your old bedroom.”

Cadance giggled. “Where you conveniently were posted outside most of the time. I wonder how that happened?”

Gleaming laughed as well. “We may never know.”

Apogee looked back at them. “Did you want to go up there?”

Cadance shook her head. “Another time, maybe.”

Apogee motioned forward. “This way, then...”

The full moon shone through the windows to bathe them in lunar light. Cadance and Gleaming looked around at the decorations that’d been changed since they’d been here, many of which they noted had been updated. They made a note to redo the Empire’s decor.

“So, Apogee,” Gleaming said. “Luna mentioned that you’ll be coming back up to the Empire soon?”

Apogee nodded. “I look forward to working with both of you.”

Gleaming waited for more, but Apogee remained silent. “You... ah, mentioned before that your elders weren’t keen on letting you leaving Canterlot.”

A smile played on Apogee’s lips. “They’ve made an exception after hearing of the Empire’s contribution. They’re quite keen on thanking you, you know.”

Gleaming took a moment to digest that. She conjured a water bottle from her pocket dimension and took a long pull, said pull turning into a chug as she drained the whole thing.

“We could probably make that happen,” said Cadance. “Our time here’s limited, but I don’t see why we couldn’t—”

Apogee shook her head. “The Dark Lady has already organized something. She’ll notify you of such.”

Gleaming wiped her mouth. “Ahhh… Sounds good.”

Gleaming waited for a few seconds as the water bottle began to fill back up with water. She swore, this was one of the most useful things Twily had ever given her. She sucked it all down again in long, greedy gulps as soon as it was full.

Apogee looked on. She wasn’t about to say anything, but...

“She’s under orders to keep her fluids up,” Cadance explained. “It wasn’t so bad before, but the babies have started another growth spurt. I already sent ahead word to Luna about dining.”

Apogee tore her eyes away. “Oh, erm… I believe she did say something about that. There was going to be plenty of food regardless, so you needn’t worry.”

Gleaming drank half of the refilled water bottle before vanishing it away. “Good. If all they’d had were those tiny portions that don’t actually fill you up, I was gonna order every take-out in town.”

Apogee chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll get your fill. The whole kitchen staff has been kept on for tonight. ”

Cadance turned to Gleaming. “That’s not a challenge, hun.”

“Aww…”

It’s always a strange feeling revisiting a place you’ve spent so much time in. The wistfulness of nostalgia, a faint lamenting sadness, the surprise at seeing little things changed, all combined with the wondering question of what might’ve been. For Cadance, the castle had been her first real home, and the warmth and love of past memories lingered around each corner, each one as precious as the last. Gleaming’s attachment was a little more professional, but she too had a fondness for the castle—the spots she’d been stationed, the old patrol routes she’d walked, even the sights and smells associated with specific locations. After all, when you’re forced to stand in one place for up to eight hours at a time, you tend to remember the fine details.

Speaking of guards, they saw plenty as they passed. They all saluted in respect to their former commanding officer, although it was funny how many were unable to hide their surprise at seeing her as a mare.

A hot mare, wearing make-up, jewelry, princess regalia, and a dress that accentuated her pregnant curves…

Gleaming whispered to Cadance. “I can almost hear the boners we’re leaving behind us.”

Cadance giggled.

The most notable thing happened when they got to the second floor. Gleaming and Cadance had rounded a corner to head towards the Grand Hall when they caught sight of a pair of stallion guards standing by the guest rooms: A short svelte unicorn, and a behemoth of an earth pony.

Gleaming kept her voice calm upon seeing them. “Apogee?”

Apogee turned. “Your Highness?”

Gleaming tilted her head at the pair. “Could we have a moment to speak to these two?”

The two guards saluted the royal couple, silent and stone-faced.

Apogee nodded. “They can escort you down the rest of the way, if you’d like. The mistress told me there’s no rush.”

Cadance also kept her voice calm as she spoke. “In that case, tell Auntie Lulu that we’ll be down in a bit.”

Apogee bowed. “If I don’t see either of you during the party, I’ll see you again in the Empire.”

Cadance and Gleaming watched Apogee trot away, leaving them alone in the hall with the two guards.

Gleaming sauntered up to the unicorn. “Hello, Celsius.”

Celsius managed to keep his composure, but only just. “P-Permission to speak freely, Princess.”

Gleaming leaned down to nuzzle the crook of his neck. “Mmm, granted...”

Celsius blushed. “Holy fuck, you look good. I-I mean, you both do! But damn…”

Gleaming laughed. “You’re sweet.”

Meanwhile, Cadance had approached the other guard to sneak in a peck on the cheek. “Fancy meeting you here, Bastion.”

Bastion’s mouth went dry. “P-Permission—”

Cadance cut him off with a proper kiss. Bastion immediately kissed back, their efforts gentle and smooth, tasting each other’s honeyed lips while leaning into each other.

Celsius’ eyes roved all over Gleaming. Her gold shoes and peytral displayed the emblem of the Crystal Empire. Her satin periwinkle dress was tightly wrapped around her motherly form, and she had on a mild perfume that smelled of mint and lavender. She wore a diadem of shifting translucent crystal with heart-shaped earrings of the same make. Her makeup was light from what he could tell: just a bit of blush, eyeliner, and mascara, but he’d never been one for the ‘porcelain doll’ look some mares went for.

“Man...” Celsius couldn’t see her back half from this angle, but he was sure it was just as lovely. “And just when I thought you couldn’t get any hotter...”

Gleaming looked Celsius over in turn. His azure mane and tail were neatly combed and trimmed, a handsome compliment to his jet black coat. He had the build of a swimmer, his lean and lithe muscles deceptively strong and enduring. He was in formal military uniform—a scarlet jacket with gold buttons, matching tie, and a white undershirt. A few medals of service were pinned to his breast, along with his insignia of rank...

“You made Captain?!” she said. “Really?! Holy hay, Celsius! Congratulations!”

Celsius face grew serious. “I-I promise, I won’t let you down. The Royal Guard—”

“—is in good hooves,” Gleaming’s eyes remained on the insignia a second longer before meeting his amber eyes. “You’ll do great. I know it.”

Celsius’ blush grew. Gleaming’s face had a warmth to it, a contentment that set him at ease. Her soft mane draped around her neck like a curtain, the three tones of blue sporting a healthy sheen. Her slender neck was as graceful as he remembered, graceful and so-very-kissable. Her shoulders were strong and well-muscled, as were all four of her long legs… and it was quite understandable why. Gleaming’s belly was enormous, a heated fertile orb that swayed with her movements. The curve of her barrel was gloriously wide and firm, and he could see every contour of her maternity within her dress.

Celsius felt like he was swimming in warmth. Gleaming was overflowing with energy… energy and life, and found he couldn’t look away—

They darted forward at the same time. They pulled each other in without pause, making a game of it as their tongues grazed past each other. They looped hooves around each other and sped up with small snorts of breath.

They broke a moment later, but remained close.

“Are…” Celsius looked Gleaming over again. “Are you taller?”

Gleaming gave his horn a lick. “Mmhmm...”

Celsius nickered. Granted, most mares were taller than him, but Gleaming had only had an inch or so on him when he’d seen her last. He now only came up to her shoulders! And it wasn’t just in height—she’d also gotten longer. Everything about her had gone up a size!

“How?”

Gleaming smirked. “What, am I too much mare to handle now?”

Celsius narrowed his eyes. Memories from months ago played in his mind, a duet of girlish cries moaning out his name...

“I’d rut you silly if you were the size a dragon,” Celsius looked over at Cadance. “And then I’d fuck you just as hard.”

Gleaming shivered. She looked to see if anypony was around. There wasn’t.

“Are all the guest rooms taken?” she asked.

Celsius shook his head. “Rooms 11 and 12 are free.”

Gleaming’s horn glowed. “Not anymore.”

The air around them grew wavy. Celsius’ hackles rose as there was a mighty POWER, followed by a crackling sound like ice forming. Blurred afterimages formed around the four of them for a second… before everything returned to normal.

Celsius blinked several times. “What was that?”

“Little trick my sister taught me,” said Gleaming. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Cadance broke from Bastion with a cheeky grin. “We’ll take Room 11.” They vanished in a blue FLASH!

Celsius was about to say something, but…

FLASH!

...he and Gleaming had moved to a dark guest room. Vague shapes and shadows melded with the inky blackness, the only light the narrow strip of light beneath the far door. The plush carpet sank comfily beneath their hooves, and to their left was the outline of a king-sized bed with a pale bedspread.

Celsius lit his horn. Gleaming did the same, their azure and magenta auras mixing. He realized she was no longer wearing her dress, and a brush of cool air informed him he was without his jacket.

Gleaming pulled Celsius closer and whispered in his ear. “Did you miss me?”

Celsius whimpered. He peppered her neck with darting kisses, his tongue sneaking out to taste her.

Gleaming grinned. Her nostrils flared as she caught a familiar scent—his scent. She nibbled his ear while guiding them to the bed, easing herself onto her back. The mattress sank under her pregnant weight as she stretched herself out to let him see everything.

Celsius licked his lips. Gleaming ample curves had been accentuated by healthy fat, her wide hips to die for. Her stretched navel stood out prominently like a crest on the summit of her bulbous womb, said womb almost like a bed itself, it’s round, squishy weight giving off that alluring heat. He watched entranced as it rose and fell, its curve stretching all the way from her ribs to her...

“Holy...” Celsius noticed Gleaming’s breasts. Heavy and full, they jutted out at an angle between her belly and marehood. They were bigger than grapefruits and jiggling oh-so-slightly, the nipples perky and pink.

“Like them?” Gleaming couldn’t see over the curve of her bulk, but she knew well enough what he was ogling. “They just keep getting bigger, you know. Runs in the family, apparently…”

“D-Do…” Celsius’ voice faltered. “Do they work?”

Gleaming just chuckled and spread her legs a bit wider.

“Mmhhh…” Celsius didn’t even realize he’d been inching forward. He inhaled deep, catching the scents of mint perfume and excited mare. Gleaming was laying on the edge of the bed, her legs hanging over with her tail pooled on the floor. His breath was soon washing over her crotch to make her shudder...

Celsius nosed her left teat, feeling its softness, its warmth. Gleaming twitched at his touch, but soon sighed and relaxed as he explored her. He travelled between each one with utmost care, relishing the feel of supple skin. His nosings eventually turned into fevered kisses, and Gleaming’s voice crept into her sighs as she ran her hooves along her belly. She had to resist the urge to thrust her hips, her marehood leaking more and more.

Celsius had never, ever seen tits like these. He couldn’t help but push them back and forth and feel them move, but his friskiness soon drove him to lick the darker, tougher skin. He swirled his tongue around a nipple before forming a tight seal, greedily suckling, moaning as the first burst of milk splashed into his mouth.

Gleaming coaxed him on, her rear legs resting on his back. “Mmmm, just imagine how big I’ll be in a few months...”

Celsius’ reply was to drink faster. He slurped noisily and messily, soon switching to the other nipple and tasting its bounty as well. His vision was nothing but white fur and pale skin, and being this close to her was like being nestled against a heater...

Celsius released her with a wet pop! He looked over Gleaming’s womb to meet her eyes, drops of milk dribbling down his chin.

“Gleaming...”

Gleaming nudged him forward with her legs. “I’m waiting.”

Celsius didn’t need telling twice. He reared and steadied himself on the bed, his thick cock hard and unsheathed. He loomed over Gleaming and her fertile swell as he walked forward on his hind legs.

“God...” Celsius nuzzled the swirling weight of her belly. “You are… are just… ergh, FUCK…”

The height of the bed allowed Celsius to mount her, but it was so close that Twilight’s spell was on the verge of compensating, sending delightful shocks through Gleaming. She shivered and groaned in time with Celsius’ loving touch, the moment almost surreal.

I’ve been turned into a mare, she thought in a moment of clarity. I’ve been turned into a mare and gotten pregnant with FIVE foals thanks to my genderswapped wife from the future, with two of those foals being the first naturally-occurring alicorns in recorded history. The infusions of magic we’re giving them might be turning me into an alicorn as well, and right now one of my best and closest friends is about to rut me silly after nursing from my huge-ass tits. Meanwhile, Cady is having her way with Bastion in the room next door, who I’ve ALSO fucked…

...and everypony is totally okay with this.

Gleaming almost laughed. Life could be strange sometimes.

Celsius pressed himself to Gleaming’s entrance. They gasped at first contact, their slippery sexes already tingling. Celsius thrust firmly, and with a soft schlp, he parted her lips and squeezed inside. Their mouths parted, their breaths hitched and shallow, yet they remained perfectly still, their eyes locked with one another.

Silence reigned as Celsius sank further and further, Gleaming’s supple muscles drawing him in.

“Yes,” Gleaming breathed. “A-All… all the way in…”

Warm, wet tightness enveloped Celsius. The petals of her flower spread wide as he pushed in his medial ring, swallowing his length and still eager for more. He was now crouched over her, her womb brushing against his abs, the nub of her navel tickling him. Suddenly Gleaming’s taut tummy shifted between them, the foals within rolling over and sending butterflies through both of them.

The sensation made Celsius freeze. Those vibrations had run through him like a tuning fork. Little flutters and tickles within Gleaming, little kicks...

Gleaming gave him a soft smile. “Feel them?”

Celsius’ heart was pounding. He managed a tiny nod.

“It’s like that all the time.” Gleaming let her inner walls do the work, pulling and sucking his thick shaft. “Every time one of them moves.”

She continued to take him, her smooth muscles contracting on their own. The thick bulge of his ring travelled deeper, and Celsius was starting to lean on her as he crept forward. It might’ve been reason to say something, but that’s when Twilight’s spell kicked in proper, strengthening Gleaming insides with a faint gurgle.

Celsius heard. “What’s…”

“Safety spell.” Gleaming pulled him down to show its effects. Her barrel stayed firm and strong as it reasserted itself. “Go ahead and lay on me... It’s fine…”

Celsius bit his lip. He cautiously did so, her womb pushing back to reasserting its shape. He was beyond words as he rested his head beneath her ribs, now hilted all the way inside, his balls nestled against her ample rear. He rubbed the sides of her paunch in small circles, listening to the hypnotic sound of Gleaming’s heart mixed with five faint rhythms.

Celsius’ groaned long and low. “Shiniiiiiiing…”

Gleaming stroked his back. She began moving her hips, massaging his length as her inner muscles worked.

Celsius’ groans grew louder. His whole body tensed, shuddering in a telltale way...

“Relax,” Gleaming said. “Relaaaaaax. Just hold me...”

Celsius melted into her embrace. He tried moving his own hips, but soon gave up and let Gleaming have her way with him. He was putty in her hooves as he caressed—no, worshipped her, her milky teats against his hips...

Gleaming flexed and squeezed, her tight confines rippling around him. Celsius crooned low, lost in the heat as she sucked him in even deeper, wiggling her hips in small circles and getting off to the sounds he made. Again and again she squeezed him... milked him, his moans rising and falling, but he always wanted more. He buried his face in her chest fluff while she stroked his back, hugging her tight and sure, her warmth seeping into his very core.

It wasn’t long before he peaked. Back arching, Celsius came with a single thrust, pumping out thick ropes that filled her. Gleaming clamped down hard, eyes glinting as she absorbed his virile essence, even as he pumped more and more into her.

Celsius kissed and licked Gleaming’s ribs. He rubbed her sides gently, his croons louder, more fevered.

The meaning wasn’t lost on Gleaming. “More?”

Celsius hugged her tighter. “P-Please…”

Gleaming smiled. She resumed squeezing her muscles, but in a different way. Celsius soon went limp and placid again, almost going cross-eyed. Gleaming kept bearing down on him, alternating her movements back and forth, running her hooves through his mane.

The pressure boiled over again a few minutes later. Celsius made no effort to hold back as a second peak crashed over him, this one even more potent than the first. More and more of he gave her, and yet she took it all, liquid heat to racing through her veins.

But even after that...

Gleaming worked Celsius as the flames in her own core built. She kneaded him over and over until he climaxed a third time. He pumped her full again of potent seed… but he somehow felt even fuller. Her warmth had now seeped into his whole body to glow inside him like a tiny sun, and even before he’d come down the third time he wasn’t sated.

Celsius continued to keep going strong, Gleaming’s warmth empowering him, his desires still hot and raring. Her velvety walls were as soft as her dress, and the way they rippled and squeezed him was beyond words. It felt like she got warmer every time he came inside her. Climax after climax burst through him, but fatigue never set in…

Gleaming wasn’t sure how many times it was by the time she started to peak. Her efforts grew unsteady as she reached the tipping point, but Celsius then picked up the slack to provide that last little push. Her muscles gripped him one final time, and he joined her soon after, filling her to the brim before she soaked at all in.

It ended with a pair of contented sighs. Celsius was breathing hard and heavy as he looked up into Gleaming’s eyes.

“What… WAS that…”

Gleaming just kept petting him. “What was what?”

Celsius’ eyes fluttered closed, savoring her touch. “Did… did you do that?”

Gleaming cocked her head. “What, make you recharge that fast?”

Celsius nodded.

All Gleaming could do was shrug. “There’ve been a lot of strange things happening to me lately.”

A chiming sound went off in Gleaming’s head.

“Hold that thought.” Gleaming lit her horn. “Our time’s up.”

Celsius frowned. “Time—”

FWPP-FWPP-FWPP!

Celsius blinked several times. “Erm… what was that?”

“Little trick my sister taught me,” Gleaming replied. “You’ll see soon—oh! Pretty cool, huh?”

Celsius’ mouth fell open. They were back in the hallway and re-dressed in their fancy clothes. A pleasant feeling was in his crotch, his mind still floaty and tingling.

“Twily calls it a ‘Time Snap,’” Gleaming closed his mouth for him and kissed his nose. “We used a variant of it months back to get me pregnant.”

Beside them, Cadance and Bastion snapped out of what looked like a stupor, a pair of faint afterimages fading into their silhouettes.

Bastion’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. “Whoa...”

Cadance grinned. “Like that?”

Bastion looked her over, then felt himself. “Did... that really happen?”

Cadance looked underneath Bastion to see that his length still dripped with their fluids. She crouched down and licked it clean… then his balls for good measure.

“Sure looks like it,” she replied as she stood.

Gleaming sidled over to brush her tail along Bastion’s flank. “Sorry you and I can’t go a round, Bas. I’ll make it up to you next time.”

Cadance looked over to Celsius with smoldering bedroom eyes. “Same goes for you. And Cloud Runner, wherever he is.”

Celsius put aside his still-eager drive aside to answer that. “U-Uh, Horseshoe Bay. Prince Blueblood’s running an inspection of our naval base there, and Cloud Runner’s his escort.”

Cadance and Gleaming cringed.

“In that case…” Cadance put a hoof around Gleaming. “We’ll have to give him extra-special compensation. A reward for dealing with my irksome cousin.”

Gleaming nuzzled Cadance. “He’ll be a whole different kind of escort...”

Bastion and Celsius looked at each other a moment, then back at the horny couple.

“...Can we watch?”

The Winter’s Eve Revel was when Luna was at the peak of her might. It was her opportunity to pull out all the stops in the night sky, and boy, did not disappoint. Stars twinkled brightly among a canvas of swirling color as long comets and shooting stars streaked across the sky. Arms of spiral galaxies trailed amongst luminous nebulae, their cloudy centers pulsing against the black. Constellations were connected by illusory lines that moved with one’s perspective, and in the center of it all was the full moon, white and pristine.

This was the backdrop for Gleaming and Cadance as they walked into the Main Hall. It too was decorated in dark colors, the lights everywhere dimmer, more gentle. The ceiling above was enchanted to display the full wonders of Luna’s works in all their glory, and ponies all around bowed as Bastion and Celsius cleared a path.

Gleaming immediately caught a whole myriad of yummy smells. “I smell food…”

The doors to the Banquet Hall were swung wide open, where several long tables could be seen. A healthy assortment of ponies were flowing in and out, either working, eating, or both.

“We should probably mingle a bit first,” Cadance reminded her.

Gleaming grumbled, but conceded the point. “Who’s all even supposed to be here?”

Cadance shrugged. “Anypony Luna invited. Do you see her?”

Gleaming checked the stairs where the hosting royal tended to be. Sure enough the princess of the hour was there, clad in an indigo kimono and smiling wide. Luna had forgone her regalia for an elegant starry kanzashi, its twinkling lights arranged in the shape of flowers. She also had on a matching cosmic sash with glittery shoes of pure moonlight.

But that wasn’t as impressive as the long line of ponies waiting to greet her.

Gleaming pointed Luna out to Cadance. “I think she’s busy.”

Cadance looked. “Hmm, if we go up there now…”

Gleaming nodded. “Let’s try to avoid getting roped into standing up there, shall we?”

“On a side note,” Cadance said mildly. “Luna… certainly is pregnant, isn’t she?”

It became clear to Gleaming why Luna had said a ‘competition’ between them wouldn’t be fair. Gleaming had a maternal form to be envied, but she had nothing—absolutely nothing on Luna. Where Gleaming was enormous, Luna was tremendous, her womb so big that it nearly grazed the floor. Her flowing kimono was swathed snugly around it, hugging her middle tightly and emphasizing its grand shape. Her growing brood had to be impeding her ability to walk, but Luna laughed merrily as she chatted with the ponies in line, occasionally gesturing to her bump.

Gleaming creased her brow. “Understatement of the century.”

“Say, who’s that up there standing beside her?” Cadance squinted at the stranger. “I’ve never seen him before.”

And what a Him it was. Standing by Luna’s side was a massive scarlet stallion, a head or so taller than even her! He was wearing an indigo tux that matched Luna’s kimono complete with a pearl-studded bow tie and a moonlily on his lapel. He kept randomly touching and fiddling with his collar, as if he expected to find something there.

“That’s Big Macintosh, heir to the Apple clan,” said a voice behind them. “He and Lulu only started dating last month.”

Gleaming and Cadance froze. As one, they turned to the speaker—an unassuming white unicorn with a pure pink mane. She too was wearing a kimono, except hers was a dull gold.

The mare looked up at Luna and Big Macintosh with piercing magenta eyes. “I like him. He’s a calm, down-to-earth sort. She’s needed somepony like him for a long time.”

Gleaming remembered herself. She searched her memory for the alias...

“Lady Sunbeam!” Cadance could barely suppress her grin. “So nice to see you! When was the last time we even ran into each other?”

‘Sunbeam’ winked. She looked the two of them up and down before noticing their summoning gems.

“I really appreciate you coming. It meant a lot to Lulu. ”

Gleaming laughed. “It helped that she made it so easy on us.”

Cadance stood a little closer to Gleaming. “I wouldn’t have wanted Gleamy to come otherwise. I don’t trust her travelling cross-country at seven and a half months pregnant.”

“I can still handle a train ride—”

Cadance gave her a look.

Gleaming wilted. “...Yes, dear.”

Sunbeam examined Gleaming closely. “Speaking of which, how’s everything going so far?”

Gleaming puffed out her chest, her chin raised high. “Ma’am! No major problems so far, ma’am! All five recruits accounted for and properly gestating!”

Sunbeam snickered. “Glad to hear it.”

“We’ve been monitoring everything very closely,” Cadance added. “We’ve got a really good doctor, and we’ve been reading up on everything we can—”

Sunbeam held up a hoof. “You’ll do fine, Mi Amore. I trust your judgment.”

Cadance blushed. She chewed on her lip, leaning back and forth on her hooves. She noted that the ponies around them were completely unaware, flowing around them like rocks in a stream. “Erm… you’ve heard, right? About two of our babies?”

Sunbeam’s smile grew. “I have. It’s certainly a surprise.”

Gleaming studied Sunbeam’s face. In all the years she’d worked with this mare, she still didn’t fully understand her moods. Just a ‘surprise?’ You don’t have any further thoughts?”

Sunbeam’s eyes became distant. Slowly, her gaze fell on Gleaming’s fertile womb.

“For a long, long time, I thought Luna and I were the only ones. The mages and scholars of our time studied us endlessly to discover how we’d ascended— doubly so after they learned we’d become immortal. Good ponies devoted their lives to figuring it out, but none of them ever did.”

A shadow fell over Sunbeam’s face. “Lulu and I became like statues. Unchanging, always the same as everyone else flowed down a river. Friends, students, rivals, lovers, enemies, acquaintances, assistants, helpers, servants… all of them gone, like dust in the wind.”

Sunbeam’s voice grew faint. “Lulu and I had taken solace in each other for so long, but then suddenly I was alone. Alone for so very long…”

Her eyes returned to the mare of the hour. Luna was beaming, chatting with a noblemare and gesturing to Big Mac. She ran a wing along his side in a fond gesture, and he looped his tail around hers in turn.

Sunbeam smiled back down at Gleaming. “Further thoughts can wait, General. Right now, I’m just glad I’m not alone anymore.”

The smile Sunbeam had was like a scar on her face. A hundred responses ran through Gleaming’s mind, but none of them seemed appropriate.

Cadance looked like she really wanted to give Sunbeam a hug. “You know that we’re here for you, right? Whenever you need us. You don’t have to carry all the weight anymore.”

Sunbeam sighed and hung her head. “A score ago, I was the only one of my kind. Now I suddenly have a whole herd alongside me. You’ll have to forgive me if I cling to old habits.“

Okay, now Gleaming knew what to say. “Habits like going incognito with an Morph talisman, a Magic Masking charm, and a Notice-Me-Not spell?”

Sunbeam chuckled. “I’m not about to upstage Lulu on her special night. I just want to watch her shine tonight.”

The three of them were standing awkwardly in the middle of the crowd, so they signalled to Bastion and Celsius that they were heading over to a table by the dance floor. The crowd parted easily as they went, being mentally urged to move aside for various reasons.

“Speaking of Luna,” Gleaming asked Sunbeam as they walked. “I haven’t heard much comment from you about her batpony repopulation program. How do you feel about it?”

Sunbeam’s reply was a grunt. “In a word? Relieved. I’ve been trying to find a way to save them ever since I learned of their decline. They’ve never been receptive to my efforts.”

It was unfortunate, but Gleaming could understand why. “I’m guessing that’s why didn’t volunteer for the program yourself? Or was there more to it than that?”

“The thestral elders aren’t exactly my biggest fans,” said Sunbeam dryly. “And besides, Lulu and I agreed it’s not smart for us both to be pregnant at the same time. If she doesn’t participate in the next wave of volunteers I might take a turn, but that’s a big ‘might’."

They sat down at a table by the dance floor. A band dressed in all violet was playing a soft melody while chandeliers shaped like snowflakes hung high among the domed ceiling. The music and sleepy glow made everything feel almost like a dream.

“Now THAT’S something I’d like to see,” said Cadance. “You should push for it! Just think how much support it’d drum up!”

Sunbeam pursed her lips. Subtly, she put a hoof to her flat stomach, tracing a circle around her navel. “The Sarosian Council has never gone against Lulu, so… who knows? If nothing else, it might be a step towards repairing my relations with them.”

She then glanced down again at Gleaming’s heavy belly. “Although seeing what’s happened to you and Luna, I think I’ll be skipping the fertility magic.”

Gleaming and Cadance laughed.

“Seems to be quite effective with alicorns, doesn’t it?” Cadance gave Gleaming a quick kiss. “We should probably add a disclaimer in the spellbooks.”

Gleaming had to agree. “In giant red letters.”

Sunbeam grinned. “Twilight’s always been on top of things like that. She’s probably already submitted the request to the Mages Guild.”

A thought occurred to Cadance. She hummed as she thought back to a few months back. “Say, when Luna visited us on Nightmare Night, she mentioned a spell the Mages Guild was making to help her. That ring any bells?”

Sunbeam leaned back in her seat. “I was one of the ones that helped with the casting. It’s a gradual growth spell of sorts, meant to keep Luna’s body proportional to the size of her womb while the foals remain unaffected. Relatively, she’ll look no more pregnant than she does now—but she’ll be getting bigger and larger overall alongside her foals.”

Gleaming tried to wrap her head around that. She got the gist, but the implications of what that could possibly mean...

“How big is she going to get?” Gleaming asked.

Sunbeam pressed her lips into a thin line. “We cast the spell two days ago, and she’s already grown over an inch. It’s hard to say when she’s got so many in there—we can’t even count them all.”

It was a good thing there was music playing, or someone might’ve heard Cadance’s whimper.

“Thankfully her body’s immunities and resistances have temporarily extended to the children, so they all seem to be developing fine,” Sunbeam went on. “Getting around’s definitely going to be challenging for her in a few months, though. Doorways, hallways, ceilings… small buildings...”

Gleaming’s lips twitched. “Sounds like you’re not going to be the big sister for much longer. I’d watch out for noogies if I were you.”

Sunbeam gave her a mock-offended look. “Did you just call me fat?”

“Pffft.” Gleaming pulled out her water bottle and took a swig. “If you’re fat, then what exactly am I?”

Sunbeam watched her slam the rest of the water bottle. “Pregnant. Very pregnant.”

Cadance coughed and cleared her throat. “U-Um, not to change the subject, but it’s actually a good thing we ran into you, Auntie. There’s something we meant to ask Luna’s help for on Nightmare Night, but we, erm… kind of forgot. Maybe you can help instead.”

Sunbeam wrinkled her brow. “What is it?”

With Gleaming’s help, Cadance explained the issue regarding the lack of specialists in the Crystal Empire. And not just disability specialists; as Gleaming had told Night Light a fortnight ago, they were essentially short-hooved on anypony in the advanced sciences.

“I suppose it’s not so bad that we’re seeing this as an issue,” Cadance finished. “Before, we were scrambling just to get the most basic things covered.”

Sunbeam, who’d been taking notes with a scroll and quill, took a few seconds to think. “I assume you’ve already sent word to the Scholar’s Guild.”

Gleaming exhaled out her nose. “And they didn’t seem to view it a high priority. ‘Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’ll look into sending inquiries to the Equestrian Universities.’”

Sunbeam ran a hoof down her face. “I swear, this new chancellor… Anything short of a royal order, and he moves slower than molasses. His predecessor was never this way...”

Cadance’s ears pinned against her head. “It’s bad enough the Scholar’s Guild’s taking forever to reinstate our University, but now we’re running into roadblocks here?! I’m sick of being held up in bureaucracy, Auntie. We need to get this ball rolling, now.”

“Agreed,” said Sunbeam. “Lack of exposure to current technologies and schools of thought is only going to promote alienation and prejudice within the Empire. I’ll not tolerate that when the crystal ponies have suffered enough as it is.”

She rolled up the scroll and set it aside. “The number of crystal pony volunteers as batpony surrogates has garnered the Empire some good press. I’ve already heard reports of medical schools promoting your city on their own as a place to find work, so if you give me a list of the fields you’ve identified as areas in demand, I’ll give things a boost by distributing it among my personal network. I doubt it’ll be all that hard to build off the rapport you’ve established—the promise of mass jobs is a pretty easy sell. I do not know why Chancellor Ology is giving you the runaround...”

Cadance smiled a huge smile. She was about to say something, but then she noticed the thoughtful look on Gleaming’s face.

“And what if the Chancellor doesn’t approve of us going over his head?” she asked.

Sunbeam looked out over the dance floor. “You two are Equestrian Royalty, presiding over of one the country’s largest cities. If he doesn’t realize brushing you off is reflecting poorly on him, then we’ll just have to remind him who he’s dealing with.”

Sunbeam turned back to them, her face like iron. “And if push comes to shove, he’ll answer to me.”

The next half hour was spent hammering out logistics. Gleaming and Cadance listed out all the potential employment needs they could think of: Medical, business, economic, scientific, the arts, and so forth. Sunbeam wrote it all out on some conjured parchment, making notes and suggestions here and there.

“You can’t just have fresh graduates with an operation as big as this,” she pointed out. “If you have no management, you have no structure. And without any structure, you can’t utilize your workforce.”

Not to say that Gleaming and Cadance didn’t chime in their two cents, but it was Sunbeam who led the conversation, plans within plans already in her head. From there, they talked about pony resource development, management, marketing strategy, industry relations, and organizational behaviors.

Sunbeam hummed to herself. ”Give me a few weeks. I’ll send out announcements to the media outlets, let everypony know you’re looking for management positions. Something like… I don’t know, ‘new, government-sanctioned establishments in the Crystal Empire.’ I’ll get my best marketers on it.”

Gleaming could feel her excitement building. “This is gonna be great.”

Sunbeam scribbled out something and put something else in its place. “The Universities are on holiday right now, but I’ll get the ball rolling over Winter Break. Keep in mind they won’t make the announcements the start of Spring term, meaning you won’t get many college applicants for a few months after. Around March is when the bulk will come in, but they won’t be able to start until May. You basically have until then to get your management in place.”

Gleaming and Cadance winced. Five months was a pretty tight window...

Cadance turned to Gleaming. “What do you think?”

Gleaming mulled it over. “It’ll be tough, but if we delegate the right ponies…”

Cadance raised her eyebrows. “Maybe we can ask a certain purple pony for help.”

Gleaming chuckled. “Now there’s an idea. She might get it done in half the time.”

Sunbeam laughed as well. “So, it’s settled, then? You’re fine with this plan?”

Gleaming and Cadance took a few moments to whisper between themselves.

“This timeline’s right around when the foals are due,” said Gleaming.

Cadance sucked on her teeth. “Liability aside, this is gonna have a lot of stress. I don’t want you dealing with that when you’ve got enough on your plate.”

Gleaming completely agreed. “So what’s the best way I can help?”

Cadance thought for a bit. “Take some of my easier duties. Paperwork, low-key public appearances, maybe a few extra shifts in court. Free up my schedule so Twilight and I can dive into this.”

Gleaming nodded. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

Cadance touched her horn to Gleaming’s. “You just focus on those babies inside you, okay? That’s what’s most important.”

Gleaming rested her head on her withers. It wasn’t the greatest feeling to have to sit something out, but she couldn’t dispute that she had other priorities.

grummmmmmmble~

Speaking of which...

“Erm.” Gleaming’s cheeks became tinged with pink. “Sorry. Let’s do it. Yeah.”

It was hard for Sunbeam not to laugh. She’d heard Gleaming’s stomach even over the music. “I’ll get started on right away, then. I’ll send word through Spike soon as I have news.”

Cadance bowed her head. “Thank you, Auntie.”

“Now, you.” Sunbeam gestured to Gleaming. “The whole kitchen staff’s been kept on for tonight, and they’ve been cooking up a storm all day. Go.”

Gleaming’s toothy smile was like a wolf’s. “If you say so…”

Cadance was having trouble keeping her tail from flagging. Gleaming was leaning against her, and she could feel the vibrations of Gleaming’s gurgling stomach. Suddenly, a single, powerful thump pressed against Cadance’s side, hard and fast like a punch.

“Gah!”

Gleaming rolled her eyes. “Yup, they’re hungry.”

Cadance’s eyes were huge. “What in the… was that Reidy?!”

Gleaming grunted. “Only he kicks that hard.”

Sunbeam raised an eyebrow. “Reidy?”

Gleaming motioned Sunbeam over. “Reidite, our crystal pony boy. Wanna come say hello?”

Quick as lightning, Sunbeam got up and came over. Cadance guided her to the middle-right side of Gleaming’s womb, taking her hoof and resting it there.

“Wait for it,” said Gleaming.

Nothing happened for about ten seconds, but then…

THUMP!

“Oho!” Sunbeam grinned. “Isn’t he the strong one!”

Gleaming couldn’t help but preen at that. “Just like the rest of them.”

Sunbeam’s eyes grew soft as she felt along Gleaming’s taut belly. Even through the dress and maternity brace, Sunbeam could feel a syrupy warmth washing over her—thick and energizing and soothing. It gradually seeped into Sunbeam through their touch, it's comforting heat carrying a familiar feel—

Wait.

Without betraying anything, Sunbeam cast a few spells. Her horn didn’t even glow as she followed a suspicion...

Oh.

Oh…

Sunbeam’s conscience wrestled with itself. They’d just had a discussion about being there for each other and the questioning of old habits. Granted, some of those habits Sunbeam had every intention of continuing, but perhaps others…

…

Hmm...

...

Especially when it concerned family...

...

Yes, family…

Sunbeam reinforced the spells she had on them to prevent notice. “Gleaming… I’m sensing alicorn magic within you.”

Gleaming was unfazed. “Cady and Twily have been giving me infusions to help supplement the kids—”

“No,” Sunbeam said. “I mean a spark of ascension, like I sensed in Twilight during her school entrance exam. If it’s allowed to flourish, it’ll awaken in time. And when it does...”

There was a long pause.

“A spark,” said Gleaming.

“Yes.”

“Which you think could possibly…”

“Will, so long as you don’t hamper it.”

Another long pause.

“...Well, then.” Gleaming turned to Cadance. “Guess my parents were right to take bets.”

Cadance’s reply was a long, deep kiss.

“I knew it…” Tears glinted in Cadance’s eyes. “I kn-knew I wouldn’t lose you...”

Gleaming held her close. “C’mon, you seriously thought a little thing like death was gonna keep me from you? Who do you take me for?”

But Cadance just hiccuped and buried her face in Gleaming’s mane.

Sunbeam said nothing. She was calm and collected as she ever was...

Save for the real smile that now blessed her face.

Later-

The Banquet Hall was one of the oldest sections of the palace. Tall columns stood evenly spaced between the windows, inlaid with wavy grooves that circled up to their tops. The stone floor was carved out of the same material as Canterlot Mountain, and the ceiling was awash in gentle light that illuminated the immense space.

A main tradition of the Revel was for ponies of all social status to eat together. There was no separate table for royalty, no sectioned off area for nobles, just rows of tables stretching all the way down the Hall. Granted, many of the more stuck-up ponies avoided this by just skipping the feast altogether, but that just meant more food for everypony else.

Cadance had gone away to freshen up, so Celsius and Bastion escorted Gleaming to a seat near the kitchen entrance. There weren’t any chairs, just comfortable pillows for ponies to sit on.

Gleaming eventually managed to flag down a server, a smartly-dressed stallion with an orange mane. He did a double take upon realizing who’d called him over.

“Your Majesty!” he dropped into a bow. “Welcome!”

Gleaming situated herself. “I heard you’ve been expecting me.”

The server nodded. “We most certainly have! Would you like to hear—”

He was cut off by Gleaming’s stomach rumbling.

“Just start with quick stuff and work your way up to the main courses,” Gleaming said. “Don’t stop bringing food until I tell you.”

If the server was surprised, he didn’t show it. Instead he whirled around to trot off towards the kitchens.

“Are we about to be treated to a show?” Celsius asked.

Gleaming snorted. “Shaddap.”

There was a few minutes of downtime while Gleaming waited. She fidgeted a bit on her pillow, the sides of her plush rear threatening to spill over. Sitting on her haunches was a bit tricky these days with the addition of breasts, and while it was doable, it required some easing into the position, as Twilight’s spell needed to activate and acclimate.

Gleaming drank some water as she looked around the Banquet Hall. Unsurprisingly, there weren’t many nobles around. Most scoffed at the idea of such ‘rustic’ accommodations, not to mention the audacity of (heaven forbid) serving real food at a party! Most of the ponies were either castle employees, soldiers, or the occasional entertainer on a break.

Speaking of which, Gleaming noticed a rather... unique mare approaching.

It was like looking at a younger version of herself. The mare looked so much like Gleaming, they could’ve been long-lost twins. Her coat was white, and she had on a black tux with a bow tie that matched the tones of her mane. The colors of said mane were a little brighter blue than Gleaming’s (almost electric blue) and she had on a pair of magenta shades that matched her tux.

Gleaming blinked at the newcomer. The newcomer waved with a lopsided grin.

“VINYL!”

A second pony ran up behind the doppelganger; a grey earth pony with a faded black mane. She also was wearing a tux and bow tie in the same style.

“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty…” the pony said in a posh accent. “What in heaven’s name, Vinyl?!”

Vinyl—apparently the other’s name—shrugged. She gestured several times at Gleaming, then back to herself.

The earth pony facehooved. “Yes, the resemblance is uncanny. I could see that perfectly fine from across the way! We didn’t need to bother her!”

Vinyl blew a raspberry at the earth pony.

Gleaming only barely managed not to laugh. “You’re not bothering me. I’m just sitting over here by myself to save the servers some legwork… erm, Miss…?”

“Oh! U-Um, Octavia. Octavia Melody.” The earth pony fell into a curtsey. “This is my fiancee, Vinyl Scratch. I serve as her speaker.”

Gleaming creased her brow. A speaker was a pony mentally linked to another, hearing their thoughts and voicing them out to others. It was an incredibly rare and invasive arrangement, pretty much only done between life partners who had permanent speech impairments.

Gleaming pushed past her surprise. “Nice to meet you. Care to sit down?”

Octavia was clearly about to say no, but before she could, Vinyl plopped down across the way. Sighing, Octavia resigned herself, her movements graceful and refined.

Gleaming noted the cutie marks of both mares as they sat down. Vinyl’s was a pair of black eighth notes, Octavia’s a violet treble clef. “Enjoying yourselves so far?”

“Oh, yes!” Octavia said brightly. “It’s rare we both get to perform at the same venue. At the same time, no less!”

Vinyl nudged Octavia with her elbow.

“Ah, right.” Octavia backtracked a bit. “Forgive me, Vinyl and I are musicians. She specializes in the modern electronic styles, I perform the classics.”

Something about that seemed to ring a bell for Gleaming. She stared a moment at Vinyl, memories stirring. It took her a moment to remember why this pony looked so familiar…

“Ahhhh!” Gleaming pointed at Vinyl. “You played at my wedding!”

Vinyl grinned huge.

“She’s impressed you remember,” Octavia said, smiling as well. “She was almost certain you wouldn’t.”

Gleaming very nearly didn’t. Granted, considering how chaotic that whole event was…

“I wasn’t too involved in the planning,” Gleaming admitted. “But I do remember seeing you behind the mix board during the reception. You really seemed like you were in the zone.”

Vinyl laughed. Or at least, she went through the motions of laughter. Her only sounds were soft clucks of breath.

“She’s…” Octavia paused. “Happy... that you appreciated her efforts. She was specifically requested for the wedding, which was a surprise because she’s not known for such jobs.”

Gleaming tried to remember who’d handled the wedding plans. One of Twily’s friends had been bouncing around like a pink pinball at one point, tying up all kinds of loose ends and smoothing out logistics. She seemed nice, couldn’t recall the name, though...

“You handled it like a pro,” Gleaming said. “Good on you.”

It was then the server returned with four giant silver platters. He placed them all between Gleaming, Vinyl, and Octavia, lifting the covers off of them one by one. They were mostly appetizers, but said appetizers ranged from deep fried goodies like onion rings to gourmet hors d’oeuvres like caviar.

Vinyl’s mouth watered at the sight. Octavia glanced down at the food, then tentatively up at Gleaming.

“Erm…” Octavia shifted in her seat. “If you’d prefer to eat alone…”

FLASH!

Two sets of dishware teleported in front of Vinyl and Octavia, clattering slightly.

“Nah.” Gleaming poured herself some sparkling juice. “Food’s better with company.”

Cadance came into the Banquet Hall as subtle as possible. She’d only needed a few minutes to collect herself, but then had gotten sidetracked by some old acquaintances and had wound up chatting a while. It’d been a good fifteen or twenty minutes by the time they’d parted ways.

The Hall was filled with the murmur of talking ponies. Clinks of silverware and glasses set a familiar undertone, a healthy number of ponies eating and conversing and relaxing. Cadance scanned the crowd for white and blue.

“Closest to the kitchens,” Cadance chuckled as she made over. She waved to those who noticed her as she passed, ducking and weaving while wearing her best Princess Smile™. She noticed a pair of sharply-dressed mares sitting across from Gleaming, the three of them eating their way through a platter of salads and fruits.

Cadance approached from behind and tapped Gleaming on the shoulder. “I’m back, hun.”

Gleaming turned and flashed her a lettuce-flecked grin. “Oh, hey! There you are!”

Cadance raised an eyebrow. Gleaming was wearing a pair of magenta shades, exactly identical to ones the pony across from her had.

“Why’re you…”

Gleaming tilted her head at Vinyl. “Oh sorry, did I not tell you I had a twin? Must’ve slipped my mind… Cady, this is Vinyl. Vinyl, Cady.”

Vinyl gave her a little salute in between bites of peas.

Cadance looked between the two of them. While the colors of Vinyl’s coat and mane weren’t quite the same (and the whole not being pregnant thing), the similarity was eerie.

“Nice…” Cadance sat down beside Gleaming. “To meet you?”

“Forgive her, Princess,” Octavia set aside her sauteed mushrooms to glare at Vinyl. “She’s never been one for table manners.”

Vinyl’s reply was to bounce a pea off Octavia’s forehead.

That got a grin out of Cadance. “To hay with table manners. I went through three etiquette tutors because I drove them all up the wall.”

The server came again to take away Gleaming’s finished plate. He gave her a clean stack in its place, then set a place for Cadance, as well.

“The main courses are ready,” he whispered to Gleaming.

Gleaming put a hoof on her heavy belly. “Bring ‘em out.” She floated a whole pan of scalloped potatoes over and set about devouring them. “And could we get some more napkins?”

Twilight had enchanted Gleaming’s maternity brace to better acclimate to her needs after seeing how much she’d put away at the Leaves Feast. The foals were rapidly gaining weight, feeling bigger and heavier by the day, and that Gleaming’s appetite had only increased. Her breasts were also producing more and more milk, pumping out well over a liter each time these days, and they weren’t showing signs of slowing down, either. Already Gleaming was wearing the biggest bra Velvet had gotten her, and while it fit fine now, her flushed, hefty bosom kept getting rounder, firmer, fuller by the day...

Cadance watched Gleaming scarf down the entire nine-by-thirteen pan without batting an eyelash. “Can I get some of that?”

In reply Gleaming floated over a few meager forkfuls.

Cadance frowned. “A little more, please?”

Gleaming pulled the pan closer. “Nope.”

Cadance sighed. On top of everything else, growing five inches taller over the last two months (they could nearly stand eye-to-eye with each other now) was only exacerbating matters. A few days ago, Cadance had tried to sneak a bite of ice cream from Gleaming’s bowl, and Gleaming had literally snarled at her.

“You’re Octavia Melody, aren’t you?” said Cadance. “I’ve heard you perform at Canterlot Orchestra Hall.”

Octavia sat up a little straighter. “Oh? What performance did you hear?”

Cadance searched her thoughts. “It was… a collection of Neighthoven’s string quartets, I think? I don’t remember the numbers of the pieces.”

“The five Late String Quartets and Great Fugue,” Octavia said promptly. “Neighthoven’s last completed works before his death.”

“That’s it,” Cadance said. “One of my aunts took me the year before the Empire returned. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the dedication of musicians.”

Octavia preened at the praise. She was about to say something, but she then stopped and looked at Vinyl, who was gesturing to her ears, while nodding at Cadance.

“Vinyl wishes to know what kinds of music you like, Princess,” Octavia said.

Gleaming leaned in and whispered in Cadance’s ear, “Speaker.”

Cadance put two and two together. “Oh! Um, let’s see…I don’t have a favorite composer, but there are genres I prefer over others. Is that what you’re asking?”

Vinyl tilted her head back and forth like a metronome.

“Genre, composer, era, specific song, whatever,” said Octavia. “Your taste in music is however you define it. How you use it. What it means to you.”

Cadance dug into her potato while she thought. “It depends on what I’m trying to do. I like classical, but contemporary works can be just as deep. I like music with a steady beat when I’m concentrating, frantic songs when I wanna dance, and slow tunes when I relax. Does that all make sense?”

Vinyl and Octavia nodded.

“Music helps you feel a certain way,” Octavia said. “You use it to compliment your mood.”

“Exactly,” Cadance said. “And I need to be able to follow the song, you know? If the rhythm doesn’t make sense to me, I just wind up feeling lost.”

Vinyl rested her elbow on Octavia’s shoulder.

“For Vinyl, music is about immersion.” Octavia glanced at Vinyl’s arm before leaving it be. “Whether she’s writing it or playing it, she uses it to be in the moment. There’s no surroundings, no ponies around her, no anything. There’s only the song. That’s what she strives for. What she lives for.”

The server returned with a few helpers. They set out a whole spread ranging from casseroles, soups, sandwiches, pastas, and more. It was enough to feed over a dozen ponies, and the assault of heavenly smells was like a kick to the nose. A few specific ones were also given to Cadance with fish in them.

“Ho-ho…” Gleaming’s eyed the bounty set before her. “Now we’re talking.”

Cadance gave Vinyl and Octavia a meaningful look. “I’d grab what you want quick. She won’t hold back for long.”

Gleaming didn’t dispute this. “You have thirty seconds.”

Vinyl and Cadance immediately set about getting what they wanted. Octavia, however, was dubious.

“All of this?”

Gleaming just stared at her. “Twenty-five.”

Octavia gulped. She’d heard stories of the hunger and cravings of pregnant mares, but this was plain ridiculous.

“Some of this, then…” she muttered. “And this, as well… what? ‘Try the fondue?’ Alright, I suppose… Thank you, Vinyl...”

Gleaming waited while the three of them took what they wanted. Her hunger was at that annoying point where it knew the meal had been left unfinished, and the feeling was almost worse than not eating anything at all. She sincerely hoped she never had a meal cut short while like this.

“I think we’re good,” Cadance said. “Go ahead and—”

Gleaming was already levitating things over. She started with the sandwiches, scarfing them down in barely-chewed bites.

Cadance paid no attention to the ravenous sounds of gluttony beside her and set about her own plate. “Vinyl, do you mind if I ask a personal question?”

Vinyl regarded her. She nodded, albeit slowly.

Cadance idly pushed a potato chunk with her fork. “Were you born mute? Or did it happen later in life?”

Vinyl gestured to hold on a second. She turned to Octavia, who was still watching Gleaming with a slack jaw. Vinyl spooned up some applesauce and stuck it in Octavia’s mouth.

“Mmf!” Octavia’s lips closed around the spoon. “Vinyl!”

Vinyl snickered. She gestured over at Cadance, who was also giggling.

“E-Erm…” Octavia fiddled with her tux. “I-I’m very sorry, Princess…”

Cadance smiled. “Just Cadance, please.”

Octavia cringed, but quickly masked it. “Yes, of course. Um, your question… when Vinyl was young, she developed a serious viral infection that paralyzed her vocal cords. The cause of the infection was a collection of growths directly on the cords themselves, which were found to be the early stages of cancer.”

Vinyl lifted her chin to show Cadance. Right in the center of her throat, there was a faded horizontal scar.

“They tried several treatments, none of which worked.” Octavia scooched a bit closer to Vinyl. “They finally decided to remove her vocal cords completely to prevent the cells from spreading. She’s been cancer-free ever since… but at a heavy price.”

Cadance exhaled out her nose. Not for the first time, she was reminded just how lucky she was. “I can’t even imagine what it must’ve been like to go through that.”

Vinyl sat still for a moment, then in a gentle motion, she removed her magenta shades. Her eyes were a striking shade of red, but there was a hollowness to her gaze, as if something had devoured her from the inside.

“A politician does not inquire about such things without reason… Cadance.” Octavia’s tone turned frosty. “Why do you ask?”

Cadance’s ears drooped. She fiddled with the neck of her dress, her eyes downcast. “There’s a problem we’re trying to fix in the Empire. We’re short on specialists in a whole slew of fields, but especially medical. We’re starting efforts to get the word out, but I wouldn’t consider myself a good ruler if I didn’t explore every avenue I could.”

Vinyl’s eyes gained focus, her ears swivelling forward.

“I know there are groups dedicated to helping ponies with certain conditions,” Cadance said. “Financial assistance, free equipment, yearly check-ups, things like that. I want to get in touch with them to see if we can get branches established in the Empire.”

You could almost see the light bulb go off in Vinyl’s head.

“OH!” Octavia said. “Well, that’s certainly… w-we thought that you were… erm, never mind. We can most certainly help you, absolutely! Vinyl’s affiliated with of two such associations, and she’s… apologies, she’s talking very fast right now...The first is the ECA—the Equestrian Cancer Association. Their main headquarters are in the Manehatten, but they have a branch here in Canterlot as well. It shouldn’t be hard to get you in touch with the right ponies...”

Cadance did a hoof pump under the table.

“The second is ESHA—the Equestrian Speech-Language-Hearing Association.” Beside Octavia, Vinyl had summoned a quill and ink and was writing something down on a napkin. “Absolutely splendid organization based right here in Canterlot, and they help anypony with any otolaryngology disorder—yes, Vinyl. Why would I not? I’ve had to pronounce it enough times by now—ahem... Doctor Scopy is the Regional Director, a retired surgeon that was on the team that performed Vinyl’s operation… How old were you again, Vinyl? Nine? My, it’s really been that long… He was the one who got us in touch with organization in the first place, so we’d be happy to put in a good word for you.“

Gleaming had perked up at the mention of ‘hearing.’

“Does this organization also help with disorders in infants?” she asked. “Possibly infants less than a year old?”

Vinyl nodded with soft eyes.

“They have a spectacular network,” said Octavia. “If nothing else, they’ll put the family in touch with the right specialists.”

Gleaming’s spirits rose. “And both associations are accredited with the Healer’s Guild?”

A bit of haughtiness crept into Octavia’s voice. “We wouldn’t be affiliated, much less recommend them if they weren’t! They are, as Vinyl would say, ‘totes legit.’”

Vinyl nearly choked on her juice. She doubled over giggling, her clucks of breath punctuated by wet coughs.

Octavia blushed. “Oh, so it’s ‘cool’ when YOU say it, but when I do, it’s funny?! What do you mean, ‘adorkable’?! That’s not even a word, Vinyl...”

Cadance smiled. The bonds of love between these two were quite strong. Perhaps they’d be open to some future shows in the Empire. Fresh entertainment was always nice to have...

Vinyl hovered the napkin she’d been writing on to Cadance. She saw that several names and contact info were listed, including Vinyl’s and Octavia’s.

“Wow,” Cadance observed. “Very neat hornwriting.”

Vinyl shrugged and put back on her shades.

“‘Comes with the territory,’ she says.” Octavia took a dainty bite of stuffed pepper before continuing. “Those ponies are usually quite prompt, but with the holiday season and all… We’ll be sure Doctor Scopy contacts you, at least.”

Gleaming smirked. She adjusted her own pair of shades and went back to her food. “Thanks for the help, Octavia. And you too, Sis. We really appreciate it.”

Vinyl held out her hoof, which Gleaming bumped with a clack!

Octavia looked on, smiling. “What’s family for?”

Later-

Gleaming and Cadance spent the next hour mingling with partygoers in the Main Hall. Although perhaps saying they both mingled was a bit generous, as Cadance was the one who did most of the talking. Gleaming merely stood stoically by, her meal digesting, her Military Aura of Intimidation™ deterring most of the undesirables.

Not that most of the ponies that approached them were undesirable. Most were an absolute delight to talk to, showing genuine interest in the Crystal Empire, some even promising aid with the talent shortage. One stallion in particular, an old friend of Gleaming’s named Fancy Pants, pledged to pull some strings with his friends to help out.

It’s just that the small number of undesirables were hilariously easy to spot. The dead giveaway was that they hesitated or twitched every time Gleaming was mentioned, their lips always teetering on the verge of a sneer.

Cadance made sure to do this as much as possible with this lot.

“By the way, did you know Gleaming is expecting?” Cadance sidled closer. “She’s so brave to carry them when we found out I couldn’t, isn’t she? Just imagine, five foals, all the product of Gleaming and me! I just can’t wait for all those little white coats and blue manes! It’s going to be great!”

The snooty stallion looked like he might have an aneurysm. He barely kept a straight face as his eyes flicked briefly to the object of his disdain... flanked by the ominous forms of Celsius and Bastion.

“Yes!” he said with a plastic smile. “Congratulations to you both!”

“Did you know that Gleaming’s a Canterlot noble? Just like you!” Cadance continued. “She’s the firstborn of House Sparkle! Have you heard of House Sparkle at all?”

It would’ve been funny if it weren’t so pathetic. Judgmental stares and whispers pressed in on them like the coils of a snake, but Gleaming wasn’t even paying attention. The vipers could spit and hiss all they liked—at the end of the day, Gleaming was still a fucking princess… and still fucking a princess.

The Revel was currently in full swing. Ponies were spread out between the Main Hall, the Ballroom, and the Banquet Hall, with groups of ponies filtering in and out of the Gallery escorted by guides. A few ponies were out on the balconies admiring the night sky, although it was a little too chilly to stay out for very long.

Not a bad shindig, to be honest. Pretty normal for the parties Gleaming had been to here, but she did notice Luna and her beau were no longer at the top of the stairs. Strange that they’d go off and excuse themselves so soon—

“Gleaming,” Bastion muttered.

She turned. “Hmm?”

Baston tilted his head to the right, where Apogee had emerged from the crowd like a shadow. Her appearance made a few ponies around her jump like they’d just noticed her.

“Princess,” said Apogee. “The Dark Lady would like to see you and Princess Cadance in her quarters.”

Gleaming nodded. She got Cadance’s attention, indicating Apogee.

Cadance brightened. “Ah! If you’ll excuse me, dear Count, my Aunt calls. I’ll be sure to give those new tax ideas some thought, though...”

She swept past without waiting for a reply. Gleaming followed right after, Celsius and Basion taking up the rear.

As soon as they were behind the first set of closed doors, Cadance cursed and rubbed her head. “How Aunt Celestia put up with ponies like that for a thousand years, by herself...”

Gleaming bit her lip. “D’you think I should’ve…”

“The energy you’d have wasted talking to ponies like that is better off going to the foals,” Cadance spat. “That last lout had his head so far up his rear, he could see out his bellybutton.”

Celsius and Bastion snickered.

“Honey,” Gleaming said. “You know I don’t like standing there like a statue while you deal with this junk by yourself. I get that politics in Canterlot are dangerous, but...”

“Dangerous doesn’t even cut it.” Cadance put her wing around her. “The arena’s a minefield, the goalposts are rigged to blow, and the ball’s covered in poison spikes. Aunt Celestia taught me how to play, but until you can recognize manipulation, answer difficult and loaded questions, know the biases of each House, identify truths from doublespeak…”

Gleaming didn’t reply at first. House Sparkle wasn’t very high on the nobility totem pole, and her parents had never paid much attention to ‘those brown-nosed flip-floppers and their glorified cliques.’ Some ongoing political coaching combined with her military training served her just fine in the Empire, but here…

“I get it,” Gleaming said. “Really, I do. These ponies are looking for something to use against me, so I shouldn’t throw them any ammo. But I can handle some stuff, you know. Don’t forget I grew up here.”

Cadance looked out of a passing window, where could just make out the fountain in the Trader’s District where she and Gleaming had first kissed. “Believe me, I’ve no doubt you’ll be just as good as me before long. But until you’re familiar with the cloak and dagger, let me handle this city. It’s just safer that way...”

She then leaned in to whisper, “...plus ponies tend to respect you more when it sinks in that you’re going to outlive them. Give it thirty or forty years, and we won’t have near as much trouble.”

Gleaming snickered.

Apogee took them past the castle throne room and more heavily trafficked parts. The carpet faded to midnight blue as they rounded a corner, leaving them to now stand at the beginning of a long hallway. An enormous set of silver doors inlaid with a dark circle stood at the opposite end, and as they walked, the darkness gave way to form a waxing crescent. The circle was full by the time they’d closed the distance, shining with a soft and welcoming glow. Two batpony guards opened the way with crisp salutes.

Luna’s room was a huge cozy space with a view the Castle Gardens. Bookcases and star charts lined the walls, and in a corner was a decorated Hearth’s Warming tree. Among the underlying presents were some Gleaming and Cadance immediately recognized as ones they’d sent. The north wall was mostly windows showcasing the snowy gardens and hedge maze beyond, and a massive four-poster bed was along the west wall, the largest Gleaming and Cadance had ever seen.

A giant sunken circle was in the middle of the room filled with plush cushions and pillows, where Big Mac and Luna were currently resting, Mac massaging Luna’s shoulders.

Apogee cleared her throat. “Mistress.”

Luna looked up. “Ah!” She beckoned Gleaming and Cadance forward. “Thank you, Apogee. I’d like a moment alone with my nieces.”

Apogee bowed and left. Celsius and Bastion made to follow, but were held back by Gleaming and Cadance. A few hugs and promises of future visits later, the doors shut behind them.

Luna watched the fond exchange between them. “I certainly hope you showed them a good time. I’ll be quite disappointed to hear I stationed them in your path for no reason.”

Silence reigned for several seconds, Luna smirking, Gleaming and Cadance standing still as statues.

Cadance spoke first. “We dreamed about it, didn’t we.”

“Several times,” Luna said. “Consider it my way of saying thank you for coming tonight.”

Gleaming wanted to facehoof. She should’ve realized it was odd for a warrant officer and the Captain of the Royal-Freaking-Guard to be assigned mundane guard duty in a random hallway.

“Well, uh…” Cadance struggled for the right words. “Thank you… for that, I suppose. We did in fact, erm… take the bait.”

Luna smiled. “We’ll soon be joined by a few members of the Sarosian Council, but before then, we’ve some time to chat.”

Gleaming and Cadance came down into the circle. Gleaming tested the pillows before eventually settling on a feather one, and Cadance sat down behind to mimic Big Mac and rub Gleaming’s shoulders.

“This is Macintosh Apple.” Luna gestured to Mac. “Gleaming, you’ll find you and he have something in common—he, too has a sister that wields an Element of Harmony.”

Gleaming regarded Big Mac with new interest. “Oh?”

“Applejack,” Big Mac said in a smooth, deep bass. “Wouldn’t fault you if you’ve never met her—I reckon ya don’t come down to Ponyville much.”

Gleaming picked her brain. Earth pony, stubborn, had the frame and build of a workhorse… now that Gleaming was looking for it, she did indeed see the resemblance to this huge stallion.

Cadance was just as surprised. “Small world.”

“I think...” Gleaming murmured. “I remember Twilight talking about her a few times. She said Applejack tried to handle one of your farm’s harvests all by herself, or something?”

Mac chuckled, a gravelly sound that was like a plow through soft soil. “Yeah, she ain’t never been too keen on askin’ for help. Gotten better about it these days, though.”

Luna grunted as Mac’s hooves moved down her back. “Applejack and I have had some enjoyable talks on my visits to their family’s farm. T’was I that wielded Honesty in days long past, along with Laughter and Loyalty.”

Gleaming had to take a moment to picture that. Princess Luna, ageless Mistress of the Night and co-ruler of Equestria, walking casually among a field of apple trees while chatting with a farmer. Now that would make an interesting photo.

“I don’t believe my nieces need introduction,” Luna said to Mac. “However, you may be interested to know that Gleaming was my head bodyguard in the months following my return. She is a capable protector and trustworthy confidant.”

Gleaming chuckled. “Oh, don’t blow it out of proportion. We didn’t know fully what the Elements had done, so me being there was just a precaution. Nothing actually happened.”

Mac was quiet. He studied Gleaming with those calm green eyes, vibrant and steady.

“Of all the ponies Celestia has at her beck ‘n call,” he said, “she chose you. You were the one to protect the sister she just got back after a thousand years. Even with Lu at her most vulnerable, Celestia trusted that you’d keep her safe.”

Mac casually went back to his massaging. “Sounds pretty damn impressive to me.”

Gleaming... didn’t really have an answer. She put a hoof behind her head, her gaze wandering while Cadance giggled.

“My fearless hero,” she whispered. “My loving knight…”

“I’m glad you can speak candidly with each other,” Luna winced as Mac moved to her left shoulder. “There’s no need—ergh—need for any protocol between us—GAH! Right there… ugh...”

Mac hovered his hoof over the knotty lump. “Hard or gentle?”

Luna narrowed her eyes. “Hard.”

Gleaming winced as Mac set to work. “Standing up there took its toll, I’m guessing.”

“Indeed,” Luna said. “Speaking with our subjects is enjoyable, but—mmmh—taxing. This reprieve is welcome… nnggh! Blast it all… always that spot—AH!”

Mac worked Luna’s back like he was playing an instrument. His muscles flexed and bulged as he moved, practically straining against the confines of his tux. “Need to keep on those exercises, sugarcube. They’re helpin’ more’n you realize.”

“Yes—ergh—I’m realizing that now…”

Cadance watched Luna and Big Mac, her special talent whispering all the while. She could see a vague shimmer between them, like a pocket of heated air.

“Auntie,” Cadance said. “May I?”

Luna looked up. “I did anticipate thought you… hnng... might want to. Feel free, ‘tis only fair... You are the authority on such things...”

Bracing herself a moment, Cadance’s eyes glowed white. The palace vanished around her to be replaced by a twisting, chaotic plane. Silhouettes of ponies were suddenly everywhere, dark, featureless voids that housed glowing souls.

Luna’s soul was an immutable beacon—enormous and dark and eternal, yet with telltale faded scars. Big Mac’s soul was a mortal blip in comparison, average and unassuming, it's scarlet light deep and full.

However, while nowhere near as big or bright, there was something admittedly… alluring about Mac. There was a surprising depth to his spirit—a potential dormant and untapped. Cadance could sense a powerful resolve that underlied his entire character, as well as a calm that soothed even her nerves.

The ties between Mac and Luna were fresh, but latched tight. More than half of their essences were enveloped by the tethers, and the coloration suggested there was attraction on multiple levels. The connections were already wide and full, with empathy flowing easily between their wavelengths...

Luna watched Cadance’s reaction with a smug grin. “Like what you see?”

Cadance let her power fade. She typically saw these kinds of bonds in a year-old relationship, not a month. “I can see why Aunt Celestia likes him.”

Mac’s laugh was a pleasant rumble. “Celestia… now she’s an interestin’ one.”

The pause in his voice wasn’t lost on Gleaming. “Ran you through the wringer too, eh?”

Luna flattened her ears. “She did. And I was none too happy about it.”

Cadance mirrored Luna’s dark look. “She once made Gleamy maintain a forcefield big enough to cover all of Canterlot by herself for a week straight. I didn’t speak to her for over a month afterwards.”

Gleaming’s horn sparkled. “Hey, I did it, didn’t I?”

Big Mac cracked his neck with a pop! “Nah, she didn’t do nothin’ like that. She just stared at me real intent-like for a moment or so, then was downright friendly afterwards.”

Luna’s expression turned sour. “That ‘stare’, as he puts it, was her bearing down on him with the full power of the Sun with no filter. It’s a small miracle he didn’t have a heart attack.”

Mac wrapped his hooves around Luna. “I already told ya, if one o’my sisters brought home a stallion outta the blue, I’d be a mite protective, too. I don’t blame her for it.”

“I don’t appreciate her threatening—”

“—intimidating.” Mac nuzzled her cheek. “C’mon, she was just makin’ sure you’re not gonna get hurt. Can ya really blame her? After y’all have been apart so long?”

Luna scrunched up her face. Gleaming and Cadance knew that look well—it was the look of a pony that knew someone else was right, but they didn’t want to admit it.

Luna leaned her head on Mac’s shoulder, sighing as she looked up at the ceiling. “I wish she’d trust me a little more…”

Mac gave her neck a kiss. “My Ma always said, ‘Trust is a bridge made outta good choices.’ Keep showin’ her that you’re as smart as you are beautiful, and you’ll be right as rain.”

“D’awwwww…”

Luna’s face turned pink. “Not another word, Mi Amore...”

Gleaming didn’t have further comment. She barely understood her own family most of the time. She wasn’t about to get involved with the dynamics of her in-laws.

Luna looked down at Gleaming. “You look positively radiant, fair Gleaming. How fare your little ones?”

Gleaming sat up straighter, the prominent bulge of her belly sticking out. “Getting heavy, the buggers. How’re yours?”

Luna put a hoof on her larger womb. She was about twice the size of Gleaming, her navel visible through her the stretched creases of her kimono. “I’ll admit it’s been a challenge, but I believe that challenge has reached its apex. Tia and the Mages Guild recently cast the spell I spoke of at Nightmare Night.”

Gleaming examined Luna more closely. Not because she was trying to notice if she could discern the change, but to burn this size into her memory. She’d likely need the reference for when they met next.

Cadance rubbed her temples. “We met with her earlier. She said it went off without a hitch.”

“Quite,” Luna said. “It’s been decided this room will be my living accommodations for the next few months, as it’s unlikely my tower will be convenient for much longer. Already I’ve started to feel the spell’s effects, and I only just fit into this ensemble because of it...”

Gleaming felt Cadance twitch at that.

“Not like I would’ve minded,” Mac said, the ghost of a smile on his face. “After all, if she can’t get dressed up, then it’s only right that we match.”

Luna rolled her eyes. “You just don’t like formal attire.”

Mac ran his muzzle through her mane. “Or maybe I like ya with no clothes on…”

Luna shivered. “L-Later, my star… later…”

It was a strange feeling. Gleaming had never imagined Luna being with anypony, so seeing her with someone now was… well. Mac was certainly a prime physical specimen though, with handsome green eyes and a jaw that looked chiseled out of stone. His cut muscles flexed with his every move, and his size, stars almighty… He looked even larger up close, his buffed out form threatening to tear his tux to shreds. Idly, Gleaming couldn’t help wonder if other parts of him were just as large—

“Now, then.” Luna snuggled further into Mac’s embrace. “The Sarosian Council has requested an audience to thank you for your efforts towards re-establishing the thestral race. But in addition to that, the Noctis herself has a proposition for you.”

The Sarosian Council was comprised of seven members, with one of those members being the leader—the Noctis. In older times there were elections and proper legislations for choosing members, but with so few batponies nowadays, members stayed on for as long as they could. The Noctis was chosen amongst the council members and served for a renewable term of five years.

Gleaming cocked her head. “What kind of proposition?”

Luna cleared her throat. “It’s—”

Knock, knock, knock.

Luna looked towards the door. “—something I’ll let her explain. Eliminate the middlemare, as it were.”

Through the giant doors walked a trio of batponies. They were each wearing an ebon choker set with an opal shaped like a dragon’s eye, colored an inky indigo. They bowed low before the three royals.

The leader was a thestral unicorn not much older than Cadance. Her coat was the color of thick fog, and her wiry body was so thin that her ribs were visible. Her gold, slitted eyes were sharp and clear, her horn was like a smooth spindle without any grooves, and her white mane had curled patterns like ocean waves that cascaded down her neck and shoulders.

“Dark Lady,” the mare said. “An honor, as always.”

Luna got up with some difficulty, gesturing for Gleaming and Cadance to follow. Mac stayed behind as the three of them moved over to a table by the bookcases.

“My dear nieces,” said Luna. “May I present Lieutenant-Colonel Maria, Noctis of the Sarosian Council and Sentinel of the Dream Guard. Her companions are Rille and Libra, also Council Members.”

Rille was a short and squat elderly mare with a jagged mane. Her mouth was turned in eternal scowl, and she had narrow eyes that looked like they could pierce through a wall. Libra was a lanky skeleton of a stallion, by far the oldest of the three, his dull, greyed-out eyes not staring at anything. His tufted ears kept swivelling back and forth as he made odd chirping sounds.

“Sentinel?” Gleaming said. “I didn’t think there were any thestrals in the Dream Guard.”

“She’s the first in a thousand years.” Luna beamed at Maria. “The first of many.”

Maria dipped her head. “Stars willing, Mistress.”

“Hello, all of you,” said Cadance. She and Gleaming at the table across from the Council. “I’m glad that we could we meet.”

“The honor’s ours." There was a tiredness to Maria’s voice, but also a power that kept your attention. “Before anything else, Your Majesties, allow me to give my deepest gratitude for your efforts to restore our race. We’ve managed to raise our plight to the attention of the national public with your help, which is far more than we ever could’ve imagined.”

“The amount of surrogate volunteers has skyrocketed,” said Libra. He chirped again, turning towards Gleaming and Cadance proper. “Organizations across Equestria have stepped forward, pledging aid. The Guilds are now working closely with us and helping every step of the way.”

“It’s nothing short of a miracle,” said Rille. She gestured to Luna at the table’s end. “The return of the Dark Lady cured our malaise, but we feared it might still be too late. For the first time in centuries, we’re doing something we thought we’d never do again.”

“Planning for the future,” Libra finished.

It wasn’t often that Gleaming and Cadance were rendered speechless. This was one of those times.

“We thought it’d be a century before our numbers breached ten thousand,” said Maria. “Now, we’re looking to exceed that number in five years. Granted, those ten thousand will be newborn infants, but what once was thought to be a hundred year effort is now going to take a fraction of that.”

“The task of organizing the influx is welcome,” Rille said, chuckling. “Better to handle the logistics of life, then death.”

“Which is what we were doing a decade ago,” Libra groused.

Cadance probed the emotions of the batponies. Like Apogee, the dregs of a deep, deep depression lingered, like an echo that had yet to fully fade. It was most poignant in Libra, and from him she could almost get a sense of what it’d been like.

A hole—a cavernous, all-consuming pit, swallowing up anything and everything that fell into it. It had slowly spread more and more, devouring him ceaselessly from the inside out…

“Not to sound ungrateful, but I do hope you three realize why Cadance and I have thrown our weight behind your effort.” Gleaming rested her hoof upon Cadance’s. “The changelings have already taken advantage of the hole in our defenses, and there’s no doubt they’ll attempt so again. We need the thestrals to protect Equestria’s citizens from infiltration and mind control.”

The council members looked to one another. Libra leaned in and whispered something to Maria.

“We had an inkling that was your motive,” said Maria. She squared her shoulders and met Gleaming’s eyes. “Rest assured, the training new thestral sentinels is a top priority of the campaign.”

“But those sentinels won’t be ready for many years,” Rille said. “You’re quite right that our defenses have holes, but the best we can offer is a long-term solution. Right now, all we have are The Dark Lady’s large-scale defensive spells.”

Luna brushed her mane out of her face. “To clarify, my enchantments protect against a mass psychic attack, but smaller, more individualized assaults can slip through the cracks. Preventing that kind of tactic requires active policing.”

“Which we don’t have the ponypower to do right now,” said Libra. “Certainly not with Celestia’s useless idiots fumbling about, barely able to astral project and—”

“Libra,” Rille warned.

Libra looked like he’d smelled something rotten. He looked away, his ears pinned against his head.

“We agree that we’re embarrassingly vulnerable right now,” Maria said to Gleaming. “The Council has spoken for some time on how to best help in this, and with the Dark Lady’s blessing, we believe we have a solution.”

Gleaming steepled her hooves together. “I’m listening.”

Maria glanced at Luna. “By your leave, Mistress.”

Luna nodded.

Maria cleared her throat. “Our greatest potential threat of psychic attack comes from the changelings. We’ve explored the possibility of attacking them first, but our scouts report that their main hive is guarded by an anti-magic field of some kind. It negates any and all types of magic, save theirs, and any and all attempts to pierce through it have been unsuccessful.”

“It’s worth noting that the field is significantly weaker in the Dreamrealm,” said Rille. “But even then, only the Dark Lady stands a chance at getting through it. Our dream magic is much more suited to defense, than offense.”

Gleaming nodded. The Moon was their shield, the Sun was their sword. Together in Harmony was peace restored.

Luna spoke up. “I’ve kept careful watch on the changelings ever since the attack on Canterlot, but they’ve remain hidden in their nest. However, I do occasionally feel the minds of a small number wandering on the field’s edge, and from them I’ve been able to confirm what I’ve always suspected about their race. They operate via a collective consciousness—a hive mind. Individuality and sense of self is a defect to them, and those that are found with it are exiled.”

Maria saw the question forming on Gleaming’s lips. “We couldn’t learn much else. The drones’ minds were broken, likely on purpose. We never even get to them before they starve to death. Their bodies are all across the Badlands… all headed in the same direction.”

Libra turned to them. “North.”

Gleaming felt her stomach turn. True, she held little love for changelings, but still...

“All were headed north?” Cadance asked. “Why?”

Luna’s face turned grim. “The Crystal Heart. Even from across the country, it’s power calls to them. Without any guidance or direction, they all head for it thinking it’s the nearest available food source.”

Gleaming and Cadance exchanged a dark look.

“Double the army’s anti-changeling exercises,” Cadance said.

“More like triple,” said Gleaming.

“I don’t think you’re in any immediate danger of attack,” said Luna. “I’d have contacted you immediately if that were the case. I believe the sheer obviousness of the Empire being a potential target actually makes it less of one. Queen Chrysalis is much more likely to attack a less protected settlement than a fortified city.”

Too bad that didn’t make Gleaming feel much better. “So what does all of this have to do with solving our defense problem?”

Luna turned to Maria. “Go ahead, Noctis.”

Maria took a deep breath. “When the Mistress and I touched the minds of the drones, I felt an absence in them... one that felt eerily similar to the ailment that consumed my race. We thestrals were driven to apathy by it, but it seems the changelings have reacted differently. Instead of depressed and morose, they’ve become aggressive and cruel, developing tactics for attacking other creatures and stealing their love.”

“The resemblance is uncanny,” said Rille. “I don’t know why we never saw the parallel before now.”

Libra snorted. “Ironic, isn’t it? A race that eats positive emotions, yet they’re the most vile and vicious of the lot. They certainly aren’t what they eat.”

Cadance’s eyes went wide. Now that they mentioned it, the echoes within the batponies did feel similar. Changeling emotions felt like burning acid, but beneath that burning, there was a hole…

“The difference between us is that where we thestrals were starving spiritually, the changelings are starving physically.” Maria’s voice stayed calm, but her eyes were cold as ice. “They’re not attacking to conquer or destroy—they’re attacking us to survive. I believe we can stymie their aggression, we just need to provide an equivalent of what the Dark Lady is to us.”

“The changelings would be effectively pacified,” Luna said. “We might even gain them as allies if we play our cards right.”

It was definitely an interesting plan, Gleaming had to admit. Almost sounded like something Twily would come up with.

But unlike a plan of Twily’s...

“I’m not seeing a safe way to test this,” Gleaming said. “I like your line of thinking, but we’d need several things to even create a field trial from this theory, things that we don’t have.”

Maria’s face grew pensive. She looked again to Luna, who nodded once more.

“Three days ago,” said Maria. “The scouts sent word of a changeling leaving the anti-magic field. Only one, on their own, moving with more sense and purpose than any of the others we’ve seen. It didn’t linger on the fringe like a shell-shocked drone, it flew away fast as it could like it was fleeing. Nor did it head north like the others, it was actually heading southeast, towards the jungles.”

Gleaming raised an eyebrow. “Did we catch it?”

“I made contact with it when it laid down to sleep,” Maria said. “He was indeed fleeing, as he’d been found to have free will and was now scheduled to be ‘scrambled’. He was fully expecting to be tracked down and killed by his brethren, or if not by them, any of the other races who hate changelings. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to talk him down from his panic, and after some coaxing…”

“He agreed to my offer of amnesty,” Luna finished. “The extraction team brought him to the castle late this afternoon, where he’s remained under heavy guard while my physicians examine him. He’s taken the form of a puppy until we come up with a better way to support his diet.”

Cadance’s world was spinning. A live, captured changeling?! They’d actually managed to get one?!

“He’s actually quite docile,” Maria remarked. “When not scared to death, that is. He’s still worried we’re going to dissect him.”

Gleaming was torn. On the one hoof, this had some amazing potential. But on the other, that was only one piece of the puzzle.

“Okaaaaaay...” Gleaming folded her hooves. “We have a sane, captured changeling. Now what do we do for a power source?”

Maria grinned, showing off her short fangs. “We thestrals were starved for darkness. When the Dark Lady returned, our malady vanished. If the changelings are starved for love, then perhaps…”

All eyes were suddenly on Cadance.

…

…

...

Cadance groaned. “Oh, fuck me with a rake…”