One Week Later (Week 31)-

The Crystal Empire castle had seen a great deal of renovation and repurposing since the lifting of the thousand year curse. Whole rooms and areas of the castle were neglected for years under Sombra’s reign, while others had been used for more vile purposes that are best left unmentioned. The Crystal Heart’s light had scoured the castle top to bottom of the foul usurper’s presence, but in the minds of some crystal ponies, the echoes of his tyranny still remained.

One of the renovated rooms on the mid-levels now served a fitness center. A various assortment of workout equipment was lined up here in rows, said equipment ranging from free weights to leg presses to ellipticals. On the second floor of the area was a jogging track with spots for stretching in the corners, and wide windows allowed the sunlight to give the room a bright and open feel.

Gleaming was under doctor’s orders to work out regularly. She got her magical exercise with the troops, but her physical needs were handled here in the fitness center. She typically went early so as not to disturb anypony, but as today was Hearth’s Warming Eve, she figured a later session couldn’t hurt.

She wasn’t wrong. There were only a few other ponies about, one of which was a familiar mare, who waved as she hobbled over.

“Nothing if not punctual,” Amber said with a grin. “Ready to go?”

Gleaming grinned back. “Thanks again for coming in today.”

“No worries.” They trotted together towards the racks of free weights, their hooves making soft thuds on the padded floor. “Hubby was home today, so I didn’t have to find a sitter.”

Amber was also certified as a personal trainer on top of a massage therapist. She didn’t typically handle regimens for pregnant mares, but a few discussions with Talia had enlightened her to the dos and don’ts. She’d said it was easy enough.

“So, tomorrow’s a big milestone!” Amber said. “Thirty-two weeks on the dot! That’s gotta be a good feeling.”

Gleaming’s smile grew. “I can’t believe how fast the time’s flown by.”

Amber chuckled. “And here most mares say being pregnant feels like an eternity.”

Gleaming’s thoughts turned inward, thinking back on everything she’d been through so far. “I have a lot of ponies to thank for making this easy on me,” she said. “You included.”

Amber waved her off. “You paying me is thanks enough.”

But Gleaming disagreed. “You’ve been patient with me, you’ve worked around my schedule, you’ve been willing to learn new things outside of your comfort zone... not everypony’s willing to do all of that.”

Amber glanced back and winked. “And if you were a bitch to work with, I’d have dropped you as a client after that first massage at Azzy’s! I don’t bend over backwards for assholes.”

That got a laugh out of Gleaming. “Dare I ask how many clients you’ve dropped in the past?”

Amber grunted. “Most ponies are fine, it’s just the real stinkers tend to stick out. You know how it is.”

Gleaming did know. Between the training troops, holding court, and the occasional public appearances, her interactions with ponies were from all walks of life. Her list of ‘dropped clients’ was probably longer than Amber’s.

“Speaking of this being easy,” Amber said. “How’re you feeling? Any discomfort at all?”

Gleaming shrugged. “Not unless being hungry all the time counts. I’ve felt great since Cady and my sister started giving me the magic infusions.”

Amber stopped by one of the leg press machines. “I remember you telling me about that. Your sister had a guess to why that’s happening, right?”

Gleaming nodded. “She thinks alicorn magic has some kind of stamina-boosting property. A similar thing happened to her when the other princesses powered her up to fight Tirek.”

Amber thought for a moment, then laughed and shook her head. “Makes as much sense as anything else, I suppose. If only we could figure out a way to provide that effect to ALL mares, eh?”

Gleaming looked out towards one of the windows. “That’d be the dream.”

Amber bade Gleaming over to stand beside the leg press. “Lemme get a good look at you before we start. I haven’t checked you over in a while.”

A smirk played on Gleaming’s lips. “Worried I’m overeating?”

Amber snorted. “I’m not worried about anything, I just want to note your changes.”

Gleaming squinted. “You totally think I’m fat.”

Amber swatted her. “Take off your brace.”

Gleaming obeyed. She stood up straight and tall for Amber, who began circling around with a critical eye.

Gleaming’s build had been completely altered thanks to the genderswap spell. Where once she’d been like a hoofball player, she was now built like a swimmer. Less strength, power, and bulk, more dexterity, endurance, and range of motion. She’d had a good deal of muscle on her when they’d first met, but Amber’s goal was to restore the things Gleaming had lost while maintaining the things she’d gained. A lofty goal, but it seemed to be within the realm of possibility with some hard work.

Four months later, the results were something to behold.

The first word that came to Amber’s mind was sturdy. Gleaming’s long legs had gained impressive thickness and mass, forming into solid corded limbs that easily supported her weight. Her pectorals had gained considerable definition as well, broad and dense from the steadily increasing load. Gleaming’s back legs were even more developed—powerfully thick thighs, wide and flexible hips, and a shapely rump so big and firm you could bounce a bit off it. Gleaming’s spine remained straight as an arrow without the slightest bit of slouch, and her pelvic floor muscles were strong and supple.

“How’s your balance without the brace?” Amber asked from behind.

Gleaming rolled her shoulders. “It took awhile to adjust when my hips got loose, and then again when my breasts came in. Got it down now, though. Just gotta make sure I don’t go too fast.”

Amber had noted that the maternity bra Gleaming had on was a larger one. And that was nothing to say of Gleaming’s immense baby belly, now level with her knees, the slightly-pink skin stretched tight beneath her coat. It seemed Twilight’s spell was repairing her skin so as to prevent stretch marks, making Gleaming’s womb a flawless ivory orb that rose and fell with her steady breath.

“Gettin’ big.” Amber patted Gleaming’s barrel, feeling it’s swaying, swirling weight. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were ready to pop.”

Gleaming chuckled. “Not a chance. These five are grounded.”

Amber was a shorter mare, about eye level with Gleaming’s chest. Being this close made Gleaming seem all the larger, her blooming, burgeoning womb nearly taking up Amber’s whole field of vision. She looked like she was full-term with triplets, those two big alicorn foals making her grow all the faster.

“Walk over to the treadmills for me,” Amber said. “I wanna see your gait.”

Gleaming did. Her barrel swayed side to side as she walked, it’s heaviness brushing against her legs. The key was to move with the inertia, allowing it to set her pace like a pendulum. She’d learned to keep her movements smooth and fluid, maintaining a gravid grace as the swirling weight rocked from side to side.

Gleaming walked about fifty feet before starting back. Amber watched to see if Gleaming veered off course at all, but Gleaming kept impressively straight, slow but sure, her hooves not dragging or dropping. She also kept an eye on Gleaming’s posture to see if she was slouching or compensating for pained muscles.

Gleaming stopped with a cocky grin. “What’cha think, coach? Am I good to play in the finals?”

Amber continued to study Gleaming for another moment, her eyes sweeping over the taller mare.

“You know,” Amber said. “I doubt there’s such a thing as an ideal pregnancy—”

Gleaming laughed.

“—but if there is…” Amber nodded. “You’re definitely having it. You’re one healthy mama-to-be.”

Gleaming beamed. “I plan to keep it that way.”

It was surreal for Amber. Most mares were drained from being pregnant, but Gleaming was thriving, actually becoming healthier as the weeks had gone by! Gleaming was brimming with energy, her eyes bright and sparkling, subtle waves of heat emanating off her. She hadn’t been this way four months ago, but over the course time she’d flourished, getting bigger and stronger almost in tandem with her foals.

And she still had another twenty weeks to go...

“C’mon.” Amber gestured to the leg press. “The sooner we get through your regimen, the sooner we can start your favorite part.”

Gleaming clambered onto the machine. “What kind of lotion you gonna spoil me with today?”

“Eucalyptus spearmint,” said Amber. “I’ve a feeling you’re really gonna like it, so I brought a few extra bottles for Wifey to rub you down with later. Can’t promise she’ll be as professional, though.”

Gleaming snickered. “I don’t think there’s been a time she’s pampered me that hasn’t led to sex. She just can’t seem to help herself.”

Amber smirked. “And I’m sure you’re totally innocent in the matter.”

Gleaming waggled her eyebrows. “Doesn’t that mean you’re an enabler?”

“...I like to think of it as performing a civil service.”

Later-

Gleaming adjusted herself on the Crystal Throne. She was in full regalia, crown and all, even a bit of makeup to accentuate her eyes and lips. She re-read the top page of the stack of papers she’d been given.

“Miss… Maudeline Pie, is it?” Gleaming said. “What can I do for you?”

Bowing before Gleaming was a slate-gray earth pony in a simple turquoise dress. Her mane was a faded shade of purple, and she wore matching eyeshadow to compliment her pale blue eyes.

“I was told I needed royal permission before travelling up the slopes of Mount Everhoof to explore the caverns there.” Maud’s voice was a flat alto, not even echoing in the large room. “I wish to study the permeation of dark magic in the rock formations for my dissertation in Rock Science.”

“Hi, Maud!”

Maud glanced over. She saw that Twilight and Rainbow were beside the throne, their smiling faces a contrast to her own stoic gaze.

“Princess Twilight. Rainbow Dash.” Maud’s face didn’t change so much as a millimeter. “I didn’t know you’d be here. How very nice to see you.”

Gleaming looked between the two parties. “You know each other?”

“We sure do!” Rainbow said. “Maud is Pinkie Pie’s older sister!”

Gleaming’s eyes lit up. The name of the pink pony at her wedding. Finally, that’d been bugging her all week.

“Your armor...” Maud narrowed her eyes at Rainbow, her head tilting to the side. “Damarescus truesteel. Alpha-defense runes woven flawlessly into the metal. Few smiths can produce that level of work.”

Rainbow’s face was blank a few seconds. “Uh… yeah! Princess Celestia called in a favor from some old unicorn living near the base of Mount Canterhorn. Whipped it up for me in a flash.”

Maud’s eyes widened a fraction of a millimeter. “Grandmaster Ilya. I referenced his smelting techniques in my master’s thesis. I’m jealous.”

“What’re you doing up here on Hearth’s Warming Eve?” Twilight asked. “Shouldn’t you be back on family’s farm?”

Maud regarded her. “My train leaves in an hour.” She then turned her attention back to Gleaming. “What you’re holding is the preliminary paperwork for my excursion in the spring. I’ve been told it needs your signature to be approved. I’ll also need a guide to show me the entrance to the caverns.”

Gleaming leafed through the papers, taking note of the signatures on the forms. It seemed everypony before her had signed off on this.

“Those caverns are very dangerous, Miss Pie,” said Gleaming. “A team of scientists went up there to try and get readings two years ago, and only one of them made it back. As you yourself have said, the dark magic of Sombra still lingers in the rocks and crystals within the rockbed. The survivor was covered in blood when we found her.”

Twilight and Rainbow winced.

But Maud was undeterred. “I’ve spoken with this survivor myself. She told me her team underestimated the extent of the permeation, and thus didn’t bring adequate protection.”

Gleaming shook her head. “There is no adequate protection, Maud. Nothing save the Crystal Heart, or maybe the Elements of Harmony could—”

Maud reached into her saddlebags. She pulled out a pristine periwinkle gemstone shaped in the form of a teardrop, which flared upon meeting the open air. The energy was so strong it made everypony’s skin prickle.

Gleaming’s lips parted. “What the…”

“I visited my sister Pinkie in Ponyville some months back,” said Maud. “While there, she brought me to see the Tree of Harmony because she said it looked like a rock. I like rocks.”

Twilight and Rainbow gasped as their bodies flickered, echoes of their own holy light.

Maud watching her own reflection within the shining gem. “When I approached, the tree shook one of its branches, and this stone dropped to land at my hooves. Pinkie believed I was meant to have it, although it’s quite unusual for a rock to be self-aware. I can’t say for certain the same is true for trees.”

Maud held out the jewel to Twilight, who examined it while her lips moved in a string of silent spells.

“I’ve also conducted an analysis on the stone,” Maud said with no change in her tone. “It’s comprised of an alloy similar in composition to the Tree, and thus gives off an energy similar to the Elements of Harmony, albeit on a smaller scale. Pinkie also mentioned the stone ‘felt a lot like her Element’, so she decided to call it a ‘Tear of Laughter’.”

Gleaming sucked on her teeth. She didn’t need an advanced degree to know that this was the real deal. The gem’s energy like a lesser version of when Twilight or Rainbow activated their own power.

“And you believe that this gem will protect you while you venture up Mount Everhoof,” said Gleaming.

Maud met her eyes. “I do.”

Gleaming thought for a moment. If Maud kept the Tear on her at all times…

“Do you just have the one?” Gleaming asked.

In reply, Maud reached into her saddlebags again, and now produced a second gem. The intensity of the energy in the room immediately doubled.

“The Tree seemed to believe in overkill,” said Maud.

Gleaming tapped her chin. Judging by the readings the survivor had gotten, the amount of power here would be more enough to protect a pony even while in the mountain’s deepest depths.

But even still...

“I don’t take chances when it comes to the lives of others, Maud,” said Gleaming. “Violent dark magic aside, Mount Everhoof itself is incredibly treacherous. Lose your saddlebag from stumbling, misplace the gems in the snow, trip on a loose rock and fall down a crevasse... all ways to meet a cruel and lonely death. Are you willing to take a risk like that? For a simple study?”

Maud’s face remained stoic. She looked down at the floor, lips pressed in a thin line.

“I—”

“I’ll go up with her.”

Everyone turned as one to Rainbow.

“Hello? I’m a weather pony!” Rainbow flashed them a grin. “Did you forget what Ponyville is surrounded by? Treacherous-shmecherous, I’ll just fly us out of there if it starts to get bad! And as for the dark magic…”

Rainbow’s body shimmered. Glinting sigils appeared on her legs, her mane and tail shone bright, and her eyes and wings swirled like colorful prisms.

“Need I say more?”

Gleaming was silent. She looked between Rainbow and Maud, then over to Twilight. But Twilight’s face was neutral, betraying nothing and giving no comment.

Gleaming took a few more minutes to read through Maud’s documents. A clean physical, powerful earth pony magic, top marks in applied geomancy, and the completed forms from her academic advisors. There were excerpts from her published scientific journals, as well as a letter of recommendation from the Scholar’s Guild.

“What’ll you do with the data?” Gleaming asked. “You said you wanted to study the magic in the rock for your dissertation, but then what?”

“I believe the permeation of magic in the rockbed behaves similarly to radioactive material,” Maud said without pause. “If I can get an idea of its rate of decay, I can determine when it will drop to safe levels. Further study may also reveal a way to speed the process along.”

Well, that seemed innocent enough. Not to mention beneficial, if she figured it out that second part.

But in regards to Rainbow...

“Ser Rainbow Dash,” Gleaming said.

Rainbow perked up. “Princess?”

“You’ve sworn fealty to my sister.” Gleaming tilted her head at Twilight. “Your loyalty is to the Crown, but it’d be improper to give you an order in her presence. It’s up to her whether you can go.”

Twilight scrunched up her face. She fiddled with her peytral, her eyes flicking back and forth.

“I’m almost tempted to say I should go,” said Twilight. “If I didn't need to monitor the spells if I have on you, Gleaming, I’d be all over this! But I’m the only one who knows how to modify your transmogrification matrices...”

Maud agreed. “Family is important. Even more so than rocks.”

Twilight sighed. “I suppose Rainbow can help go. If nothing else, I’m sure Pinkie will feel better knowing Maud’s got somepony capable with.”

Rainbow saluted. “Dang straight! You can count on me!”

All heads now turned back to Gleaming, who still had her poker face.

“...These are my terms,” she said at last. “Maud, the Tears of Laughter will be fashioned into studded earrings you will wear at ALL times while on Mount Everhoof. You will eat with them on, you will sleep with them on, you will take a shit with them on. Are we clear?”

Maud nodded. “Crystal.”

“I’m giving you two weeks to scale the mountain, do your study, then come back down.” Gleaming summoned a quill and stamp with her cutie mark. “Meanwhile, Twilight, I want you to send a message to Princess Luna asking her to teach you how to craft summoning gems. If there’s a way to make the summoning from those things permanent, I want you to learn how.”

Twilight perked up. “Summoning gems? Ooh, I’ve never heard of those! That’d be perfect!”

Yeah, perfect if Rainbow and Maud kept them on their person. All Gleaming could think of was all the potential ways this little scheme could go haywire.

“Maud, you will stay with Rainbow at all times while on the mountain.” Gleaming flipped to the last page of the papers. “You’ll defer to her knowledge on weather, and you also agree to travel back down at ANY time she says. Go no deeper into the caves than you need, and if you can get your readings at the entrance, do it there.”

Maud remained impassive. “Understood.”

Gleaming signed the bottom line and stamped it. “Rainbow, I want you to have our cartographers show you the maps we have of Everhoof. I also want you to fly out and scout the mountain in your free time. Get familiar with the territory so you can put together a plan. Experienced or not, that mountain eats ponies alive.”

Rainbow cracked her neck. “Got it.”

Gleaming floated the papers to Maud with softer eyes. “If we can make the summoning gems, we can use them to instantly bring you both back to the castle in an emergency. Outside of that, the only way we’ll know something’s happened to you is if you don’t come back. And by then...“

Maud stared at the papers for a few seconds, her jaw set tight. “I appreciate your concern for my safety. I know there are risks, but the potential for understanding how shadow magic metamorphosizes rocks is worth it. I believe we might even be able to neutralize it.”

It sounded promising, Gleaming had to admit. With a breakthrough like this, another Sombra wouldn’t be able to channel hatred and fear through the Empire’s crystal network. One of the city’s greatest vulnerabilities would be defended.

Gleaming looked past Maud, her memories filled with jagged ebony spikes. Her horn ached for an instant, those foul barbs stuck to it...

“The mountain will be calmest in four months,” Gleaming said. “Make sure you come prepared.”

Maud curtsied. “Thank you, Highness.”

Gleaming smiled. “Have a Happy Hearth’s Warming.”

“Later, Maud!” Rainbow said. “And get ready to do some climbing!”

“Give Pinkie a hug for us!” said Twilight.

The smallest of smiles graced Maud’s lips. She turned and trotted away, the tall doors closing behind her with an echoing clack.

Gleaming immediately sighed. “How was that?”

Twilight giggled. “You’re still coming off as a little stern.”

Gleaming idly rubbed her belly. “That mountain is no joke, Twily. I had to make sure she knew what she’s getting into.”

Twilight looked out one of the north windows. You couldn’t see it from here thanks to the barrier, but about thirty miles past, the immense Mount Everhoof loomed over the entirety of the arctic wastes. “Have you ever climbed it?”

Gleaming nodded. “Once with a scouting patrol before the Empire returned, and again with Cady while we were exploring the area. Neither time was a picnic.”

“Hey, I’mma go catch the carto-guys,” Rainbow said. “See if I can talk to ‘em before they duck out for the night.”

Gleaming frowned. “I didn’t mean go do it now—”

But Rainbow was already gone. Twilight’s and Gleaming’s manes were ruffled by the displaced air, a colorful momentum tugging at them.

Twilight shook her head. “Probably gonna go check out Everhoof too...”

Gleaming stared after Rainbow a bit longer before turning to Twilight. “I’m surprised you didn’t speak out against her going.”

Twilight smoothed out her mane. “Rainbow’s been in sticky situations before. She knows how to handle herself.”

There was some downtime while waiting for the next petitioner. Gleaming had a tray of food brought to her while Twilight looked over the notes she’d been taking, the silence of the huge room pressing in on them.

“Thanks again for sitting in today,” Gleaming said in between bites. “It’s nice having you here.”

Twilight scratched something off her parchment. “I did say I’d help you and Cadance with your critics. This is as good a place to start as any.”

Gleaming slurped down a helping of jello salad. “I don’t know how good of a sample size you’ll get today. It’s been pretty slim pickings so far.”

Twilight looked around the throne room. It was decorated in festive colors with tinsel wrapped around the pillars in loose spirals. The lights of the castle were already on due to the sun setting early, giving the place a warm and comforting feel.

“Then I’ll just have to sit in on a few more sessions,” she said. “Preferably not on or around a holiday.”

A guardspony approached from the doorway.

“Your Majesties,” the guard bowed. “There are no other ponies waiting for an audience.”

Gleaming checked the clock. Normally she stayed for another half-hour, but she knew she’d just be sitting on her ass doing nothing.

“Court’s adjourned,” Gleaming said. She popped a chocolate cupcake into her mouth and hummed. “Mmmm, cream cheese frosting...”

Twilight rolled up her notes and yawned. “So, what do you want to do? Family dinner’s not for a few hours, and I don’t really have anything else going on ‘til then.”

Gleaming tilted her head back and forth. “How about I get an early second lunch, you give me a quick infusion, and then we could go do some last minute shopping? I keep meaning to get one more thing for Cady.”

Twilight perked up. “Just you and me for a few hours out on the town? Sounds fun!”

Gleaming cringed. “Well, you and me… and our mandatory guard escorts.”

Twilight’s smile faltered. “Erm, yeah… yaaaay…”

Gleaming sighed as she signalled for the guards to lock up. “Comes with the job, sis.”

Gleaming had always loved Hearth’s Warming. The excitement in the air, the build-up throughout the month, the merriment of ponies, the chance to see friends and family, it was all filled with a sense of energy and activity that made you feel giddy. No matter where Gleaming had been in her life, Hearth’s Warming had always been something she’d looked forward to, the whole month never failing to keep her spirits high.

Hearth’s Warming in the Crystal Empire didn’t feel quite the same, but it did have its own charm. The decorations and excitement were mostly similar—pine trees decorated with lights and ornaments, holly and ivy and mistletoe, the songs celebrating the unity of the three tribes, things like that. There were a few older decorations and customs that reminded you the Empire had been cursed for a millennium, but mostly the city had caught up to the times.

Gleaming could still do without the flugelhorns, though.

“Wish we didn’t have to wear all this.” Twilight motioned to her regalia, specifically her fancy shoes. “Keep thinking I’m gonna trip in these things.”

Gleaming laughed. “The instant I went mare, Cady insisted I wear them every time I went out. Took me a month before I finally got the hang of ‘em.”

They were currently in a department store. Gleaming wasn’t lying when she said she wanted to get one more gift for Cadance, but nothing really jumped out at her, so they were just wandering around at the moment with no real goal.

“Heh, this looks dapper.” Gleaming pulled a top hat off the rack and put it on. “Hmm, yes, I could go for a rousing game of bocce ball!”

Twilight giggled. “Bocce ball, you say? How positively sporting!”

Gleaming floated over a second top hat to Twilight. “This will look marvelous on you, my dear. Perhaps we should buy out their whole stock so we have the only ones!”

Twilight conjured up a monocle and bushy moustache. “Stock? Bah! I say we buy out the whole store! It’s the only way to do business!”

Gleaming pretended she was holding a brandy glass. “I say, let’s double the worker’s hours and halve their pay! We’ll make a killing!”

“We’ll start at once!” said Twilight.

The two of them broke out into laughter, which quickly turned genuine.

“I don’t think I even know a pony who wears top hats,” Twilight said, still chuckling. “Always thought they looked silly.”

Gleaming put the hats back. “I knew a guy in Canterlot that did every once in a blue moon. Fancy Pants was his name.”

Twilight made her monocle and moustache vanish with a poof! “Thank Celestia Dad never liked them. I don’t think I’d have been able to keep a straight face.”

Gleaming cringed. “Except Dad likes those stupid flat hats, remember? I keep telling him only stallions with thinning manes wear those, but he doesn’t listen! He once showed up to meet me at Canterlot Castle one time in one, and everypony thought he was going bald!”

Twilight grinned. “And with male pattern baldness being hereditary…”

Gleaming gave Twilight a flat look. “One of my friends got me a toupee for my birthday that year.”

Twilight burst out laughing.

The store they were in was packed. The glances and murmurs they got from passersby provided a low ambience that combined with the Hearth’s Warming songs playing over the sound system. Twilight and Gleaming were more or less used to the attention, so they ignored the stares while casually perusing the racks.

“I wouldn’t mind getting another gift for Rainbow,” Twilight said offhoof. “Problem though is that she always gets all the things she wants herself, and she’s really picky about the books she likes...”

Gleaming clicked her tongue. They’d just walked by the store’s book section, where a large stand had copies of the latest Daring Do book. “She’s an athlete, right? Why not get her something sporty?”

Twilight’s ears drooped. “That’s not really my expertise...”

Gleaming motioned for Twilight to follow. “C’mon.”

They made their way over to the sports section with their guards in tow. Having two princesses casually walking through a department store was a bit awkward, but they did try to be somewhat discreet about it. They didn’t have the herald with them this time, for instance.

The sports section was mostly dedicated to crystal and earth pony sports. Hoofball equipment was the most prominent selection: Knee pads, helmets, hoofballs, and the like. But other than that, the stock was pretty sparse.

“Let’s see…” Gleaming walked down the aisle. There was more general sports stuff here—weights, sweatbands, water bottles, and the like. “Rainbow’s in the Wonderbolt’s Reserve, right?”

Twilight trailed behind while looking at the shelves. “Yes, and they give her all kinds of equipment. Flight suits, hoodies, sweatpants, goggles, water bottles, wingbands, and more things I can’t think of. I swear she’s got another duffel bag of stuff every time she comes back from Wonderbolts HQ.”

Gleaming nodded. The army pretty much did the same thing with new recruits. “And I imagine the equipment has to be regulation.”

Twilight swished her tail. “You see my problem.”

Gleaming chuckled. “I suppose you could order them to allow Rainbow to wear whatever you give her. The Wonderbolts do report to the Crown.”

Twilight sneered at one of her golden shoes. “It’s been tempting a few times.”

Gleaming spent a few minutes looking through the store’s selection of equipment. There were plenty of things for casual athletics, but nothing that really screamed ‘sentimental gift for your marefriend’. It was a bit of a head scratcher.

“Well,” Gleaming said slowly. “We do have full access to the Empire’s armory. We can just requisition something if we wanna go that route...”

“Mmm...”

Gleaming turned to her. “But that’s not what you want.”

Twilight hung her head with a sigh. “I’m not sure what I want. I just know I want to get her something personal! Something special for us both!”

Gleaming gave the athletic section a perfunctory glance. “Guess that sweet pair of military-issue wingblades I was thinking of wouldn’t qualify.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That can be your gift to her.”

Gleaming had been joking, but now that she thought about it... “Some training ones, maybe. I wouldn’t get her the real things without instruction. She could cut her own head off.”

Twilight rubbed her foreleg. “Now that you mention it, I’m not actually sure if she’s ever used any kind of weapon. She knows hoof-to-hoof, but she fights with her pegasus magic otherwise. Vortexes, windbursts, lightning attacks, stuff like that.”

Gleaming couldn’t help but laugh. “I suppose you don’t really need weapons when you can create a sonic rainboom at will.”

Twilight laughed as well. “Not really.”

Gleaming craned her neck to see if there was anything else that caught her eye. “Guess we struck out. Wanna go check another store?”

Twilight walked up beside her. “Wherever’s fine. I’m just happy being with you.”

“Aww.” Gleaming put a hoof around her. “Love you too, LSBFF.”

Twilight smiled as she felt Gleaming’s warm belly against her. “I really am the little sister again, aren’t I? You’re taller than me now.”

Gleaming did a double take. She hadn’t even noticed, but upon comparing, she realized now had just shy of an inch over Twilight. “So I am.”

Twilight didn’t seem to mind. “It felt weird looking down at you, anyways.”

They headed together for the store’s exit at a gentle pace. “You know what else is weird?” said Gleaming. “Now that we know that this growth is attributed to... you-know-what, it’s gotten me wondering how far it’s gonna go. I might wind up taller than I was as a stallion at this rate!”

Twilight considered that. Celestia had taught her how to monitor the spark within Gleaming, along with some ideas on how to nurture it. Beyond that, though...

“You very well might.” She watched Gleaming out the corner of her eye, feeling the waves of thick heat roll off her. “There’s no telling in what ways your powers will manifest, what order they’ll appear, or even when you’re getting close to the tipping point. You could be the weakest of us, the strongest, or somewhere in between.”

They walked out the doors together into the balmy evening. As they did, Gleaming paused to look up a moment into the darkening sky.

“Maybe you and Cady should start giving me three magic infusions a day,” she mused. “See if that speeds up the process.”

Twilight bit her lip. “You have seemed to have acclimated. And Cadance’s magic is still responding positively to the drain for whatever reason, so maybe..”

Gleaming started down the sidewalk. “I’ll run it past Talia next time I see her.”

The Market District was alive. Ponies, griffons, zebras, and hippogriffs alike were carrying gifts and boxes of all sizes, trotting quickly to and fro as they went from store to store. Mothers and fathers carried lists going through everything they still needed while chattering rapid fire to each other. Young stallions and mares moved purposefully, seeking out gifts for their families and special someponies. Merchants stood on street corners hawking their wares beside carolers, who sang in small groups over the noise of bustling crowds.

Twilight took note of the stores they passed. They’d already gone in a few with nothing really piquing their interest, and now they were starting to get into the fancier side of the market. The thinning crowd was the most notable indicator of this, although there were plenty of window shoppers gazing longingly at the pricey wares.

“Not too different from Canterlot, is it?” Twilight said. “Lots of clothing stores.”

Gleaming looked at her. “It’s funny. Cady and I walk through here sometimes when we’re homesick, and she’ll usually stop in a store or two along the way. All of a sudden, more and more of the stores around her started carrying more clothing for mares! I wonder why that might be?”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”

Gleaming gestured to the stores around them. “Three years ago, not even half this many stores were carrying clothes. Now look.”

The stores were smaller and more specialized. Prench names were common for some reason, along with unique, flowery-sounding names in ritzy font. Twilight couldn’t help but notice that a while some had outfits for both genders in their windows, many had only garments for mares.

Twilight sighed. “Desperate for bragging rights, I suppose. Does that mean all the stores we just visited are going to start doing that?”

Gleaming yawned. “Cady and I go to those places all the time. It’s only the more expensive stores that do it.”

Something about the topic made Twilight think back to the past. Growing up, their parents had never shopped at the expensive stores, even though they probably could have. They’d kept their shopping conservative, shying away from decadence and luxury and keeping Twilight and Gleaming from a life of excess.

“Mom and Dad tried hard not to spoil us, didn’t they?” Twilight realized.

Gleaming grunted. “When Mom was growing up, she went to school with a lot of lazy brats who got everything they wanted. Dad wasn’t exposed to it as much because he only came to Canterlot for college, but when they decided on kids, they swore theirs weren’t gonna be born with silver spoons in their mouths.”

Twilight wrinkled her brow. “When did they tell you this?”

“Around my wedding,” Gleaming said. “I asked if there was a secret to raising kids in a wealthy family, and they said, ‘love, trust, humility, stability, and hard work.’. Cady and I took the advice to heart.”

Twilight digested that. “So those are things you and Cadance think you should have as parents? Or what’s important to teach the kids?”

“Both.” Gleaming started chuckling as she felt a particularly strong pair of flutters near the ‘bottom’ of her womb. “Lead by example, and all that.”

Twilight cocked her head. “What’s funny?”

Gleaming shook her head, smiling. “Van and Evie just woke up. They’re kicking up a storm right now.”

Twilight gasped. “Oooh, oooh! Show me where!”

They stopped near the edge of a park area under some maple trees. Gleaming slipped off her brace and eased herself down as Twilight conjured up a blanket. She rolled her back half to the side to allow Twilight access to her undercarriage.

“Just past my bellybutton,” Gleaming said. “You’ll find ‘em.”

Twilight kicked off her fancy shoes. She crouched down in front of her sister’s enormous white belly, a part of her noting that its crest was level with Gleaming’s head while she was laying like this.

It wasn’t long before Twilight indeed felt the kicks of her niece and nephew, like pitter-patterings on a taut drum. “Awwww.” She stroked the spots. “Hey there, little peanuts…”

Gleaming felt a warm glow in her chest. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s gonna be hard to not spoil them. It might be easier with five, but the more I think about it, the happier I am that Mom and Dad are gonna be up here. They’ll keep Cady and me in line.”

Twilight looked at her. “Are you gonna tell the kids that you were the one that carried them?”

Gleaming folded her front legs. “Eventually. This probably won’t be my last long-term stint as a mare, so maybe then.”

Twilight stared at her.

“We want more kids,” Gleaming translated. “If Cady finds a way around Sombra’s curse a second time, I’ll probably be going another round at this. I don’t mind.”

Twilight gently ran her hoof along Gleaming’s barrel. “I’m curious. What’s been the hardest thing to get used to as a mare?”

Gleaming’s reply was immediate. “Pregnancy.”

Twilight snickered. “Besides that.”

Gleaming watched the crowds pass them by. “Probably my sense of identity. I’m still me on the inside, but when I look in the mirror, the pony I see isn’t who I expect. There’s always that split second of confusion before I remember, ‘Oh yeah, I’m a mare.’ Happens a lot when I first wake up.”

Twilight fiddled with the blanket’s edge. She wasn’t about to admit it, but she had the same disconnect every time they met up. “Does it bother you at all?”

Gleaming looked up at the maple trees. “It did at first. I didn’t want to accept it for a while, but then I went to the opposite extreme and became too accepting. I’m trying to settle on a middle ground now—instead of this being a replacement for my male identity, I want it to be an addition. Just another part of who I am as a whole.”

Twilight tongued the inside of her cheek. “So you don’t see yourself as strictly male or female? Is that what you’re saying?”

Gleaming chuckled. “I don’t know what I’m saying. Possibly something like that, or maybe I’m still off my rocker. You don’t have a paradigm shift at the drop of a hat.”

Twilight blushed. “I suppose not.”

They laid there for a few minutes in silence, enjoying both the weather and each other’s company. Twilight scooched so that she was side by side with Gleaming, and the two of them rested while listening to the sounds of ponies playing in the park.

“I wonder if the girls and I could use our power to fix Cadance,” Twilight said aloud. “Somehow extend our immunity of dark magic to her.”

Gleaming was indifferent. “You’re welcome to try, but this curse is like a magical cockroach. The Crystal Heart is anathema to the magic Sombra wielded, and even it can’t undo things.”

Twilight didn’t seem discouraged. “Celestia didn’t think the Elements of Harmony would be as powerful as the Crystal Heart against Sombra, either. But the Elements’ power has manifested in a new way, and the girls and I are stronger than ever. It might be worth a shot.”

Gleaming shrugged. “If Cady thinks there’s some merit to it. Maybe we can arrange an Element zapping.”

Twilight looked over at the stores on the other side of the park, squinting as she read their names. “Hey, what’s that store over there? The one with the funny name?”

Gleaming looked. “That’s Délices Pécheurs. They sell—”

A light bulb went off in Gleaming’s head.

“You know what?” Gleaming rose, her leg and chest muscles bulging. “I just thought of what to get Cady. You might find something there for Rainbow, too.”

Twilight gave her a blank look. “Really?”

Gleaming helped her up. “C’mon. Dinner’s in a half hour.”

Later-

Cadance walked at a brisk trot while carrying Spike on her back. The sun had already set, the moon and stars were out, and she looked at a clock in passing to see that it was ten past five.

“Hay with it.” Cadance’s horn glowed. “Hold on, Spike.”

She felt his legs tighten around her barrel...

FLASH!

An instant later, they were in the private dining room. They saw that Gleaming, Twilight, Rainbow, Velvet, and Night had just finished passing food around the table, their plates now loaded up.

“I’m here!” said Cadance. “Sorry, I had a lot of meetings to get through.”

“She’s not lying.” Spike hopped off her back and took his place beside Velvet. “Her brain would’ve fried if I hadn’t been taking notes.”

Cadance smiled. “Can I keep him, Twily? He’s a godsend.”

“Sorry,” Twilight mumbled through her potatoes. “I already called dibs.”

Gleaming patted the spot beside her. “I already served you up a plate, Cady.”

“Oh, thank you, hun.” Cadance gratefully sat down. “I didn’t even have a chance to eat lunch.”

“Meetings on Hearth’s Warming Eve?” Night asked. “I’d have thought ponies would be wanting to duck out early.”

Cadance chugged down a glass of water. “The meetings ended at one. I’ve been doing paperwork since then... which Spike also was a godsend in.”

Spike laughed. “I’m awesome, I know.”

Velvet put on some gems on Spike’s plate for him. “What kind of meetings? Gleaming was about to explain before you ported in.”

Cadance brushed her mane out of her face. “Batpony stuff, trade route stuff, Crystal Empire University stuff, specialist recruitment stuff… Got a lot of irons in the fire right now.”

Rainbow laughed. “Careful you don’t give yourself a burn.”

“Meh, it could be worse.” Cadance gave Gleaming a peck on the cheek. “I could have buns in the oven at the same time.”

Gleaming was already deep into her third plate scarfing like no tomorrow. She’d milked herself right after getting back from shopping, and expressing a liter and some change of milk meant she also needed to replenish her fluids. A separate cart of beverages was beside her carrying all kinds of fruit juices, and Gleaming was pausing every so often to chug down a glass before continuing her feast.

“How was Everhoof, Rainbow?” Twilight asked. “You’d said you’d flown out there for a look.”

Rainbow fluffed her wings. “Big, cold, and windy. The path the map guys showed me is completely snowed over, and I couldn’t see any other way up. I know it’ll be different in four months, but honestly, I’d rather just fly Maud up there.”

Cadance frowned. “What’s this, now?”

Twilight took a few minutes to tell Cadance about Maud and Rainbow’s expedition up the mountain. Cadance listened in silence, her frown never leaving her face.

“I don’t like it,” she said. “Even with those jewels, even with Rainbow escorting her, this doesn’t bode well. Ponies have died in those caverns.”

“That’sh what—ahem!” Gleaming swallowed her mouthful. “That’s what I told her. Still wanted to go, though.”

Cadance was silent. They’d been putting off another investigation ever since the incident, but they couldn’t procrastinate forever. They needed to figure out what was going on up there.

But doing it like this…

“I’ll support the decision, but I’d much rather you and your friends went up there first, Twilight. If you are immune to dark magic, you’re the most qualified to go.”

Twilight looked down at the floor. “Yeah…”

Rainbow put a wing around her. “Hey, chillax! It’s gonna be fine!”

Cadance leaned over to whisper in Gleaming’s ear. “Have Miss Pie sign waivers. I want it in writing she knows EXACTLY what she’s signing up for, no miscommunication. She doesn’t take a single step past the Empire until she does.”

“Got it.”

“So what’d you do today, Mom?” Spike asked Velvet.

Velvet speared a forkful of glazed carrots. “Wrapped the last of my gifts, explored the castle a bit, then worked on one of my manuscripts until dinner. Pretty low-key, all in all.”

Gleaming and Cadance looked at each other. Gleaming tilted her head at Velvet, but Cadance mouthed the word, ‘tomorrow’.

“Have you and Dad decided where to live yet?” Spike asked.

Velvet flattened her ears. “Your father’s being picky about it.”

“I wanna be able to stargaze,” Night said. “There aren’t spells to nullify light pollution here like there are in Canterlot, so I’d rather we build a new house outside the city limits.”

Cadance smacked her forehead. “I completely forgot Canterlot had those... We need to get those in place, too!”

Night winced. “You’ll need clearance from the Aerospace Guild for that. They’re the ones who maintain and monitor large-scale lux fields.”

Cadance wrote a note down on her napkin. “I’ll send a letter to Auntie. Hopefully, the Aerospace Guild is easier to work with than the Scholar’s Guild.”

“Tell them I can help establish the field myself if that’s what it takes,” Night added. “I know a fair deal about how they work.”

Velvet sighed. “Thank you, Cadance. You’ll be doing us a big favor.” She gave Night a look. “THEN you’ll be fine with being in the city?”

Night pretended to think for a moment. “I dunno, the ponies around here kinda smell funny...”

“I will mess up the calibrations on all your telescopes.”

Night paled. “Yes, dear. Anywhere in the city will be fine.”

A comfortable silence set in, the desire for food overcoming that for conversation. The sounds of telekinesis and clinking silverware was all that was heard, along with the crunch-crunch-crunch of Spike nomming his gemstones.

“What time are we doing presents tomorrow?” Twilight asked. “We usually get up around ten, right?”

Gleaming hummed as she emptied her bowl of prench onion soup. “I’ll be up at eight for breakfast. You all—burp—can sleep in, but brunch is at eleven, so...”

Twilight glanced to the side. “Nine, then?”

Gleaming shrugged. “We could always just open presents in the afternoon.”

“Heck, no!” said Spike.

Gleaming grinned. “Or maybe even in the evening!”

“Noooooooooooooo!”

“Evening it is!” said Twilight. “Sound good, Cadance?”

Cadance clapped her hooves. “We’ll start a new tradition!”

Spike folded his arms and pouted. “My sisters are buttheads.”

That got a collection of chuckles.

“Seriously though,” Gleaming said. “Nine should be an okay time. Just make sure you bring all your gifts up to the apartment. Mom, Dad, you good with that?”

Night and Velvet didn’t have any objections.

“I can do nine,” Rainbow said. “Will have to skip brunch, though. Gotta catch a train back home.”

Cadance nodded. “Your own family’s Hearth’s Warming?”

“Yep.” Rainbow looked out the window towards the gardens. “May parents live in Cloudsdale, so I’ll be up there for a few days.”

The rest of the dinner passed easily by. Twilight talked about her discussions with Talia, Night told them how his debate had gone, Cadance went more in-depth on plans for the batponies were going, and other things. The mention of batponies made Gleaming think about the news they’d learned at the Winter Revel about the changelings, but they hadn’t heard much of an update yet. Luna was still debriefing the exiled drone last they’d heard.

“Ahhh.” Velvet leaned back as she finished her dessert. “So, then! Are we just relaxing for the rest of the night?”

Gleaming looked up from her ice cream. “Unless you had something in mind.”

Velvet shook her head. “I’m fine with a board game or something.”

There was a general consensus at this.

“I’ll have to pass,” said Cadance. “I still have things to do in my office before I can relax.”

Gleaming hesitated. “How long?”

Cadance hung her head. “At least another few hours. I’ll come up if I get done early, but it’s already been a long day.I might just go straight to bed.”

Gleaming glanced at Velvet and Night, her lips pursed. “Do you mind if I help her? I can help knock out paperwork easily enough.”

“Me, too,” Twilight said. “I can help interpret any legalese—”

“No,” Cadance said in a brusque tone. “I’ll not have you two slogging through my workload on Hearth’s Warming Eve. I’ll be fine.”

Twilight’s face fell. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.” Cadance helped herself to more sherbet. “Gleamy can check on me after she eats again at eight if I’m not done by then. Maybe bring me a snack or something while you’re at it.”

Gleaming nuzzled her. “Alright, but fair warning, if you’re not back in the apartment by eleven, I’m foalnapping you.”

Cadance barked out a short laugh. “That implies you’d be taking me against my will.”

Later-

It was quarter after ten when Cadance shambled into the royal apartments. A whole extra stack of paperwork had been brought to her while she’d been out at dinner, and it’d all been plagued with a confusing mix of legal jargon and badly-written proposals. She’d nearly pulled out her mane trying to figure out what the point of it all was, and in hindsight, she definitely wished she could’ve had help.

“Note to self,” Cadance grumbled. “Ignore stupid selfish pride.”

The faint scent of cocoa lingered in the air. Everything was dark save for the Hearth’s Warming tree, and presents of all sizes were piled high around it, a generous amount even for seven ponies. Gifts from Celestia and Luna had come a few days ago, their sun and moon wrapping setting them apart. Decorations she and Gleaming had collected were on the walls and tables.

Cadance noticed a dull glow beneath the bedroom door. Probably Gleaming reading in bed or something, it’d been a common activity for her the past week. The latest edition of Ogres and Oubliettes had come out recently, and it’d been cute to see Gleaming so excited as she went through the latest edition of the Player’s Handbook. She kept talking about how this new edition was ‘so much better than the last’, or something. Cadance had trouble following it all.

Yawning, Cadance opened the bedroom door—

“Happy Hearth’s Warming, babe~”

—holy mother of Luna.

The room was lit by candlelight. A dusting of pink lilac petals had been scattered around, and laying on the bed amidst the petals was an immaculate Gleaming. She was wearing pink maternity lingerie, silk no less, complete with a pink bow in her mane and a come hither look on her face.

“I felt bad you couldn’t join us, so I thought I’d give you one of your gifts early.” Gleaming magically closed the door behind Cadance. “What do you think?”

Gleaming was in a thong that strained against her wide hips and rump, a see-through bra that revealed her rosy nipples, and thigh-high socks that went up to her cutie mark. She was holding a sprig of lilac in her magic, sniffing it as she ran it along her neck and cheeks.

“Buh,” Cadance managed.

“Heh.” Gleaming raised her hoof. “Come here.”

Cadance’s hooves moved on their own. Her wings fanned out, a familiar feeling like a bubble of air rising inside her. She got to the bed and crept forward to kneel before Gleaming.

“You…” Cadance wet her dry lips. “Oh my gosh…”

The dim light made Gleaming look like she was glowing. Her white coat was soft and plush, her thick, shiny mane spilling around her shoulders. Her blue eyes twinkled as she stroked her giant belly, full and warm with growing life.

“Like what you see?” she asked.

Cadance let out a tiny moan. She crept a little closer, eyes glued to her pregnant wife. She caught wind of a fresh, cool scent… spearmint, maybe?

Gleaming blushed from the hunger in Cadance’s eyes. “You really can’t get enough, can you? You’re always touching me, nuzzling me… taking me. I’m already so BIG, Cady, and I just keep getting bigger. Can you imagine how big I’ll be in four months?”

Cadance didn’t even realize she was inching closer. Gleaming’s sexy smile, her elegant neck, her muscled chest and legs, her enormous womb, her milky teats and juicy ass. Cadance nickered as she stopped only inches away, face flushed, all fatigue forgotten.

Gleaming stretched and arched her back. Her barrel jutted out farther, looking even larger than it already was. “You like seeing me with a big baby bump, don’t you? You like watching my body change, day after day, week after week. It makes you so horny you can’t think straight...”

Cadance whimpered. Gently, she touched her lips to Gleaming’s belly, planting kiss after tender kiss on its highest point. She ran her muzzle lower, feeling the smoothness of Gleaming’s stretched skin, her whimpers becoming drawn-out whines.

Gleaming’s voice was a sultry croon. “Do what you will with me, then… W-Worship—mmmhh—your fertile goddess...”

Cadance kissed Gleaming’s grand paunch over and over in slow, sensual smooches. Gleaming’s syrupy warmth washed over her, invigorating her, making her feel light as a feather. Every so often she’d nuzzle a spot where the foals were, and she’d press her cheek against the firm weight to murmur sweet nothings under her breath. The muted flutters made her heart soar, and without thinking she accessed her deepened magic reserves...

“Oh!” Gleaming’s eyes sparked with color. Magic poured into her for the third time that day to bubble up inside like a wellspring. “Ohhhhh, yesssss…”

Cadance licked and sucked Gleaming’s tummy, her wet, slick tongue punctuated by moist breaths. She was slow, making lazy methodical circles around Gleaming’s size, all the while gradually closing on her navel. Gleaming groaned low and deep, her tail already flagging, a thick, cloying scent rising from both of them. Her own reserves were becoming infused with divine power, yet she absorbed it all greedily, the fresh energy making her feel like she was flying...

Cadance admired Gleaming’s popped-out belly button. Once a cute little nub, it was now like a fat, underripe strawberry. Just breathing on it was enough to make Gleaming quiver, and she had to fight the urge to thrust her it in Cadance’s face—

Cadance darted forward. She licked every bit Gleaming’s navel before wrapping her lips around it proper. Gleaming’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes going huge, a loud, girly noise escaping her as Cadance suckled. Gleaming’s need grew stronger as Cadance licked between deep pulls, each one adding to the rising flames.

Cadance now pushed Gleaming onto her back. She never releasing Gleaming’s outie for a second, crouching over her as she kept suckling, her spread wings casting a protective shadow. They were both dripping like faucets, the smell of excited mare thick in the air, their scents fanned by their swishing tails.

Gleaming was purring. The electric stream of magic was coursing through her, empowering her, tiny sparks crackling in her eyes. A dull hunger was rising in her belly like an emptiness yearning to be filled, and Cadance felt much the same feeling, a coiled tightness building deep in her core, roaring at her to go faster… harder… DEEPER…

Cadance released Gleaming’s navel with a wet pop! She met Gleaming’s sparkling eyes, panting and flushed.

“You could almost fuck me with this thing.”

Gleaming groaned. Damn it all, another fetish added to the list...

“What a nice present...” Cadance’s voice grew husky. “Thank you, Honey. I’ll be sure to appreciate it...”

Gleaming cooed as Cadance rubbed her down, all the while still funneling magic into her. “Don’t—mmmh—don’t sprint t-to the finish line. Just—ohyes—e-enjoy this…”

Cadance wore a shark-like grin. “As my goddess commands.”

Cadance began kissing further up Gleaming’s body. She nibbled and tugged each one of Gleaming’s ribs, planting love bites on her ivory coat that showed the grooves of her teeth. Her exploring lips continued to move upward to linger on the hollow of Gleaming’s neck, pressing just enough that it was hard for Gleaming to breathe. Gleaming’s moans turned throaty, every new touch increasing that need, and she let out a sultry sigh, stroking Cadance’s head with her silky socks.

“So empty...” Gleaming looked at her burgeoning stomach, like an overinflated medicine ball. Her magic reserves were expanding, growing from so much power. “Cady, please... more...”

Cadance kissed up the side of Gleaming’s head. She sucked the tip of Gleaming’s ear, her hard teeth grazing the sensitive flesh. Gleaming squeaked and shuddered, her inner walls clenching, already slippery and slick. It was taking more and more willpower to just lay there and let Cadance take her time, but she knew it’d make the payoff all the sweeter...

Cadance stepped over Gleaming, her wings spread like an angel of sex. She ground her marehood on Gleaming’s belly, matting Gleaming’s coat in warm splotches that made them both moan. The oiled skin yielded to Cadance’s weight, but only just, like a strong, firm mattress.

Then Cadance’s eyes fell on Gleaming’s horn. In a flash she wrapped her lips around it in a tight seal.

Gleaming’s squeal was music to Cadance’s ears. She pumped magic straight into Gleaming’s horn until Gleaming’s vision grew foggy, the slow burn turning into a bottle rocket. They held each other tight as the tension mounted, the ravenous fire gathering, the coiled tightness in their bellies rising notch after notch after notch—

Cadance let go. She cut off the magic and pulled back to step away with a cheeky grin. Gleaming was left a gasping, twitching mess, her brain caught in a traffic jam.

“Wh… What?!” Gleaming pounded the bed. “HEY!”

“Sorry.” Cadance stepped off the bed, moving around to its foot. “I can’t wait anymore.”

Gleaming couldn’t see what Cadance was doing with her belly was in the way, but before she could sit up, she was tugged to the bed’s edge until her legs dangled over.

Gleaming let out a yelp. “Cady, what—”

She suddenly felt Cadance’s breath on her crotch.

“...Oh.”

Cadance basked in Gleaming’s earthy scent. There was also that minty smell again, mixed with—eucalyptus, THAT’S what that was. Cadance took a moment to admire Gleaming’s see-through bra, only barely containing the mammaries within. Each of Gleaming’s breasts was as firm and squishy as Gleaming’s belly, and they were getting to such a size that they smooshed against each other.

“So big…” Cadance licked her lips, recalling the creamy taste. “So FULL...”

“Are you gonna lick me or not?!”

Cadance tore her eyes away to behold the drenched and drooling treasure just beneath.

“Lick you?” Cadance chuckled. “Oh no, sweetie. I’ve done enough of that...”

Cadance bent her head forward. She peeled back the petals of Gleaming’s flower with magic, the buzz of her own arcane field guiding her. She aligned herself on target, then before Gleaming could reply, she plunged her horn inside Gleaming’s pussy.

Gleaming howled. Her inner walls squeezed hard around Cadance’s horn, clamping down as the lost orgasm smashed into her like a wrecking ball. Fresh liquid heat raced through her, synapses firing like mad, muscles clenching and spasming with a gush of marecum.

Cadance went cross-eyed. The magnified sensations made her mouth fall open as she was enveloped by velvety softness. Her mind grew fuzzy, her fluted length now buzzing, and without her prompting, a thick, syrupy essence was drawn out of her horn to seep into Gleaming’s cervix—

ZING!

Gleaming’s eyes shone white. An inner light appeared within her belly that shone bright like a colorful prism. She felt something jolt inside her, then a great rumbling, a hot, hot warmth, and finally an intense spike of pressure. Gleaming’s saturated magic reserves began depleted at a rapid rate, flowing—no, feeding into the sensation. She cried out and thrust her paunch high, and seconds later her stomach throbbed, growing bigger… and bigger… and bigger…

Twilight’s spell kicked in with a loud gurgle. That familiar inflated feeling was in the background as Gleaming’s belly grew, its increased weight sinking further into the bed. Her supple skin glowed as it stretched, her navel rising higher and higher, swiftly swelling to the size of a golf ball. The foals kicked as they were jostled, their haven expanding from the sudden influx of power, and Gleaming’s swirling pregnant weight kept getting heavier and heavier as the seconds dragged on…

SNAP!

The sound of Gleaming’s bra startled Cadance. Weakly, she pulled her horn out and staggered to her hooves, feeling like she’d just run a marathon. But holy crap, well worth it for such an amazing ride. That’d been one of the best—

Her eyes fell on Gleaming.

“Uh…” Cadance rubbed her eyes, but the spectacle remained. “Gleamy?”

“Nggh,” came Gleaming’s tired voice. “Gimme a bit, hun. Need a sec after that one…”

Cadance couldn’t even see her top half from this angle. “Gleamy!” She ran around the bed. “Are you okay?!”

Gleaming gave her an odd look. “I’m... fine? Just been awhile since you’ve done that—oh, heh... was that snap my bra? It’s in your mane...”

“Gleamy,” Cadance said. “Look.”

Gleaming followed where she was pointing, but she couldn’t very well see with her ginormous belly in the way! Hmph, you’d have thought Cadance would’ve realized—

“GAH!” Gleaming flailed, the now-heavier mass throwing her balance off. She swayed before flopping over on her side. “WHAT THE?!”

Cadance grabbed her. “Hey! Heyheyheyheyheyhey. Look at me… I’m right here, okay? It’s alright.”

“The hell it’s alright!” Gleaming’s heart was racing. “What happened?! Why am I suddenly so much bigger?!”

Gleaming’s belly had swelled greatly. Where she’d looked full-term with triplets, she now looked closer to full-term with quads! The fluid mass felt warmer than ever, its heat spreading out to flow through her. She reached down and poked gingerly at it, and while its firmness and strength much the same, the flutters and wiggles felt somehow different...

“I’m casting the heartbeat spell Talia showed us,” she said at once.

Cadance bit her lip. “I—hmm… You... w-well, ugh... Alright.”

Gleaming chanted out the powerful spell. A moment later dots of light appeared one by one inside her… one… two… three… four… five…

Gleaming relaxed. If something had happened to one them—

Six.

...

…

...

Cadance and Gleaming stood there a full minute, counting and re-counting the little dots over and over.

“...Um,” said Gleaming.

“Talia and Twilight?” offered Cadance.

“Y-Yeah.” Gleaming’s voice was shaky. “Get the guards…”

Author's Notes:

Dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnnnn!