Author's Notes:

This chapter is in homage to Kinds of Love by Rainedash. His wonderful story is what inspired me to write Fecundity in the first place!

Two Weeks Later (Week 38)-

“Let this day be a celebration our restored hopes and dreams!” a robed pony shouted to the crowd. “A day we commemorate the power that guards our city!”

Hearts and Hooves Day. Recognized across Equestria for its importance, observed as a government holiday. A fun little vacation for most, but to the citizens of the Crystal Empire...

“A day we remember we are FREE!” The pony stamped his hoof. “Free from the evil that tainted us! Free from the cruelty that enslaved us! Equestria is truly blessed, my ponies—the sun and moon watch over us, harmony’s will guides us, but it was LOVE that delivered us! Love that destroyed the vile Sombra; love that protects and sustains us all, even to this very day!”

The Crystal Stadium was packed. The crowds were clad in the city-state’s colors of purple and white, ponies waving flags in a sea of rippling cloth. Gigantic banners with snowflakes and blue hearts hung from the stands that could’ve wrapped around a small house.

“We honor our beloved highness this day!” The pony gestured to Cadance. “Through her heroism and bravery, we were rescued! Through her guidance and leadership, we flourish! Not only do we celebrate what she has done, we celebrate what she will do for centuries to come!”

Cadance stood tall and proud before the sea of eyes. She was in her finest regalia—crystal regalia. Her crown, her peytral, her shoes, all was translucent and shining brighter than diamonds. Her mane was immaculate, her horn was filed, her coat was exquisite, and her gold wedding ring was snug around her horn.

“We look now to the future!” the robed pony said. “Our chains are unshackled, our prosperity secured! The Crystal Empire is ours thanks to the power of love! Blessed be this day, my friends, for today we remember that love has given us the greatest gift of all: life!”

Gleaming smiled. She was only partially listening to the speech, for she was concentrating on the Crystal Heart floating lazily before her. Spike and the Heartguard were there as well, the latter’s eyes all sharp and alert.

The robed pony bowed to Cadance before stepping back. Cadance took center stage to an even greater upwell of cheers and hollers, all of which she soaked in in like a sponge. Shivering, she closed her eyes and let her empathy stretch out to touch the minds of all in the crowd.

“Thank you, Father Evangel,” she said after a quick voice spell. “And thank you, my little ponies! It’s not just thanks to me, but to all of us that we’ve succeeded! We let love and light shine through us brighter than ever on that day, and THAT is what we celebrate today!”

The roaring rumble was punctuated by the vibrations of stamping hooves. It was so loud you could barely hear yourself think.

“We are Equestria’s northern star!” she shouted. “Let love and light shine through us on our independence day! Feel the joy and hope of tomorrow! We are the Crystal Empire of Equestria, and today, we celebrate our freedom!”

At this, Gleaming gave the Crystal Heart over to Spike. He scampered over and climbed atop Cadance back, and together they took to the air.

Cadance raised the Crystal Heart high above her head. Already she could feel its energy pulsing, the crowd’s emotions flowing into it like a vortex. She sensed Spike open himself to the heart as well, then Gleaming, then all the others in the stadium. Like a rising tide, the pure aura shone brighter... brighter… then brighter still, until at last she opened herself as well and let it flow through her.

While everypony else only felt vague impressions of being connected, Cadance felt every pony, every emotion, everything being shared in that instant. The Crystal Heart amplified the energy and turning into magic, swirling around her like a warm wind that called to her empathetic senses...

For but a mere second, Cadance immersed herself in the vast wellspring—

FLASH!

Mount Everhoof, tall and foreboding. A cliffside cave like a ravenous maw. It’s depths were the very heart of darkness… but a faint light glimmered within—

FLASH!

Cadance jerked away. She severed the link, the magic floating free to spin around her like a silk sheet.

Spike noticed the recoil. “Whoa! You okay?”

Cadance’s head was swimming. She didn’t even react as the Crystal Heart gave off a burst that gave everypony’s manes a crystalline sheen. It was powerful enough resonate out through the whole city, and once the energy had dissipated, she took the Heart and descended back down to the platform.

The crowd was cheering. The Crystal Empire Anthem was playing with many singing along. Cadance managed to play it cool as she landed and returned the Heart to the guards.

Gleaming came up and hugged her. “Great job!” She smiled at Spike. “Both of you!”

Cadance didn’t reply. She was still staring off at nothing, a strange bubbly feeling in her mind.

“Way to go, guys!” said Twilight, trotting up with Rainbow. “That was a great way to start things off!”

Spike beamed.“Thanks! Heh... I am pretty awesome.”

“Heck yeah, you are!” Rainbow gave him a hoof bump. “Couldn’t have done it better myself.”

Cadance pushed the strange thoughts and sensations aside. “Y-Yes. That was… good! Definitely good. A great start to today!”

The hesitation wasn’t lost on Gleaming. “Honey?”

Cadance grinned huge. “Who’s ready to have some fun, huh?! I can’t wait to get this party started!”

Gleaming studied her a bit longer before shrugging. “Hey, it’s your day. If you say it’s time to party, then it’s time to—”

“PARTYYYYYYY!” Cadance thrust a hoof in the air. “Let’s go to the Crystal Faire! I wanna see jousting and the plays and have crystal corn on the cob and go to the petting zoo and play the games and see the vendors and...”

Twilight and Rainbow stared. Cadance’s purple eyes were glinting, her smile giddy and wide. She was talking a mile a minute while bouncing on her hooves… almost like a certain other pink pony…

“Uh-oh,” said Twilight.

The morning commemoration was the beginning of a three-day festival called the Crystal Faire. Love was literally in the air today, the swell of such a powerful emotion filling those sensitive to it with vigor. Children played all about, couples were more common than ever walking down the streets, and many single ponies were on the hunt for special someponies.

“I got funnel cake!” Cadance said, flying up to Gleaming. Trailing behind in her magic was a grease-spotted bag filled to the brim with deep-fried goodness. “Eat up, sweetie! Gotta feed those babies!”

Gleaming looked up from her seat. “When I said I was hungry, I didn’t mean YOU should go get me something. Let the guards do it next time.”

Cadance giggled. “It's fine! I wanted to scout out the Faire!”

Held in the largest park in the Commercial District, vendors from all over town set up stands all week to sell holiday-themed wares for the renowned event. Games of all kinds were all over, various shows were held on small stages, and even a few rides were set up here and there. It was on the edge of this midway that Cadance and Gleaming now were, the flow of ponies a murmuring mass that promised to stay solid until sunset.

“Did Twilight and Rainbow leave already?” Cadance looked around. “Aww, I wanted to play high striker with them!”

Gleaming tried not to roll her eyes. Cadance still hadn’t landed on the ground, always zipping and fluttering about. “They said they’d meet us at the castle for lunch.”

Cadance flew in a circle around Gleaming. “Oh, well. I guess it's just you and me then! Let's go play; I wanna see the look on your face when I whoop you.”

Gleaming sighed. “Can I at least eat these cakes first?”

“Oh, like that’ll take long.” Cadance tugged at Gleaming with her magic. “I know you—you’ll take one bite of those things and inhale the rest!”

Gleaming meeped. “Whoa, easy! Take it easy on your pregnant wife.”

Cadance immediately eased up. “Sorry. You’re feeling okay, right? Not tired or sore? How are the babies doing?”

Gleaming waved her off. “I’m fine—we’re fine. I'm just a little worried about my balance right now. Remember a few months ago when you said alicorns had stilts for legs? I’m starting to understand what you meant.”

It was true. Gleaming wasn’t as leggy as Cadance yet, but she was catching up by the day. The main difference right now was that Gleaming’s legs were much thicker and stronger, a trait further accentuated by her plush coat.

Cadance’s eyes softened. “I'll ease up in that case. Your stamina's still okay, right?”

Gleaming grunted. “I don’t even wanna know what it’d be like if I hadn’t been working out.”

Cadance studied Gleaming. She’d had a front row seat to this entire process, yet she still couldn’t believe what she saw. She could describe Gleaming’s features for hours and not get bored... but her favorite by far was Gleaming’s eyes. The vigor in them, their bright, saturated color… they caught Cadance’s gaze and held it prisoner every time.

“You know what’s weird?” she heard Gleaming say. “I’ve been having these odd phantom feelings lately.”

Cadance snapped out of her reverie. “Phantom feelings?”

Gleaming nodded. “It feels like my ankles are getting swollen, but they’re fine when I actually check. Sensation goes away really quick, too.”

That didn’t sound like anything Cadance had ever heard of. “Have you told Talia and Twilight?”

Another nod. “It actually happened during my appointment with them. They think it's my Lifesense picking up the discomfort in my own body before Twily’s spell compensates.”

Cadance scrunched up her face. “Odd.”

Gleaming scratched her chest. “Distracting, too. I have enough sensations with the foals kicking and moving around. I swear, at least one of them’s awake no matter what. Right now it’s Nightingale.”

Cadance gasped. “CanIfeelcanIfeelcanIfeel?! She hardly ever moves around!”

Gleaming popped the first funnel cake into her mouth. “Only if you land first, Miss Hyper-pants.”

Cadance landed faster than you could say ‘gravity’. She prowled towards Gleaming like a cat. “Oh, baby dauughterrrr, I wanna feeeeel youuuuuu~”

They’d only decided on the name Nightingale a week ago. They'd been paging through a book of baby names when the name 'Nightingale' just popped into Cadance's head at random. Gleaming was fine with it, but the filly's nickname would have to be 'Gale' since there was already a 'Night' in the family.

Cadance took a moment to appreciate Gleaming’s grand, warm, taut womb. Every week she was showing more and more, her belly fuller, firmer, healthier. At Gleaming's direction, she felt around to the left of Gleaming’s cutie mark and waited. She felt nothing at first, but then there was the faint flutter of a tiny hoof.

“There you are.” Cadance kissed the spot. "You're my little sweet pea miracle baby, yes you are...”

Gleaming chuckled. “They’re all miracle babies, hun.”

"Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes...” Cadance planted five more kisses along Gleaming's belly. “I can’t wait to meet yoooouuuuuuu~”

Gleaming was quiet as Cadance continued to murmur soft nothings. She chowed down on the rest of the funnel cakes, the delicious taste of powdered sugar and fried bread assailing her in a welcome rush. The bag was soon polished off in short order.

“Wouldn’t mind more of those later...” Gleaming wiped the sugar from her mouth. “Alright, you said high striker?”

Cadance looked up. “Hmm? Oh, right!” She fluffed up her wings. “Get ready to lose, because you’re going DOWN!”

Gleaming rose to her full height, noting the sliiiiight angle Cadance had to tilt her neck so they could meet eyes. “Nah, I think I’ll keep going up.”

They walked behind their guard detail at an easy pace with their tails looped together. They waved and smiled at the curious crowd as they passed, their tall frames and powerful auras sticking out no matter where they went. It was hard to say which royal was garnering more attention, but it was clear the crystal ponies took pride in their rulers.

“We love you, Your Majesties!”

“Long live the Alicorn of Love!”

“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Princesses!”

“Best wishes for you two!”

Most of the odd looks and mutterings were simply curious. Ponies bowed and waved as they passed… but there were also quite a few stifled gasps and mutterings in their wake.

“...cutie mark really IS different…”

“...white snake? Isn’t that the symbol of…”

“...never heard of one changing…”

“...telling you! Look at her, she's even grown taller than Princess Cadance…”

Gleaming spoke to Cadance out the side of her mouth. “I think the jig might be up, hun.”

Cadance pursed her lips. “Notttttttt just yet. I think we can go a while yet without an announcement.”

Gleaming nudged her. “Will I be getting my own holiday, too?”

Cadance laughed. “After we decide on Twilight's.”

Honestly, it was just nice for Gleaming to hear about something different for a change. For once there were no comments about how her pregnancy, no gossip about her choices, or any of the other usual murmurings.

“Your horn’s gotten longer,” Cadance observed. “I didn’t realize until now.”

Gleaming nodded, stretching her neck to look over the crowd for the high striker game. “It started itching like mad a few days ago. Channeling magic’s felt weird ever since.”

Cadance frowned. “Weird in what way?”

Gleaming blew her mane out of her face. “Like it’s harder to grip things. On the flipside, using the you-know-what magic’s gotten easier.”

Cadance squee’d. She fluttered into the air again and clapped her hooves. “Ohhhh, soon I’m gonna have you forever and ever and EVER! Yes, I am!”

“Cady!” Gleaming glanced around. “Eep-kay it own-day!”

“TOO HAPPY!” Cadance giggled and did a loop-de-loop. “Happy-happy-happy-HAPPY HAPPYYYYYYYYY~”

Gleaming saw that nearby ponies were getting weird looks. “What in the world’s gotten into you?!”

“YOU!” Cadance booped her nose. “You’ve gotten into me so much that I’ve got Gleamy-Gleam-Gleam on the brain! I love you so very much, yes I do! Love you-love you-love you-love you-loooooove you!”

The lewder side of Gleaming noted Cady had been in her far more than anything else. “I… love you too?”

“I KNOW!” Cadance zoomed around so fast she left a pink trail. “You’ve been head over hooves for me since the day we met! Nopony’s ever loved me as much as you!”

That—okay, true as that was, it was beside the point. “Did using the Crystal Heart tweak you out or something? I know it’s Hearts and Hooves Day, but—”

Quick as a cobra, Cadance caught her in a kiss. Not a brief peck or a light smooch, but a full-on, sensual liplock. Cadance’s mouth was hungry, yearning for Gleaming’s, and her embrace welcomed Gleaming like an old friend. Before Gleaming knew it she was kissing back just as hard, their tongues dancing, the need spreading like wildfire.

The crowd whooped as Cadance wrapped Gleaming in her wings. Wolf whistles and cheers broke out as well, the two royals uncaring and continuing to make out in broad daylight. The nearest couples even started making out themselves, a light, bubbly feeling welling up inside them.

Cadance and Gleaming broke. A deep blush was in their cheeks, a tendril of saliva between their lips.

“Naughty,” Gleaming whispered.

“I’ll be naughtier later.” Cadance buried her muzzle in Gleaming’s mane. “Errrrgh, you smell so GOOD...”

Gleaming nickered and did the same. “Right back at you.”

“I’M wearing perfume. You’re not wearing a damn thing.” Cadance pressed her nose deeper and inhaled deep. “Nnnngh, I can’t get enough of you...”

Neither of them noticed the bubbly feeling growing stronger. They only had eyes for each other, ponies around them becoming more and more affectionate. A warm wind had picked up, an odd buzz now creeping into the air.

Gleaming shivered. They’d already had quite the morning session, yet a tiny voice whispered it’d be all too easy to hold off on the Faire for now. The day was theirs to do as they pleased, after all, so if they wanted to spend it in the bedroom—

“Princess Cadance?”

The voice had been quiet, but it’d cut through the crowd like a knife. The bubbly feeling faded quick as it’d come, Cadance and Gleaming separating to behold the speaker—a crystal pony stallion with a green coat. Beside him was a silver, mousey-looking pegasus mare.

“I know this is improper, but can we ask something of you?” The stallion put his foreleg around the mare. “My fian— wife and I were just married. Could you possibly give us your blessing to start a family?”

A pause. Cadance looked between the two newcomers, thoughts gradually re-emerging from the fog. “My... blessing?”

The mare beside him giggled. “He means wish us luck.”

The stallion’s face went pink. “Erm, yeah. Heh-heh…”

It took Cadance a second to remember. It was an older Empire tradition, but if the parents of a newly-married couple were unavailable for whatever reason, it was customary to seek approval from an authority figure before trying for foals. Fortunately, Cadance didn’t even need to use Soul Sight to tell that strong and sturdy ties connected them. Not only were their emotions on the same wavelength, their moods seemed sympathetic, as well.

“It’ll be my pleasure,” said Cadance. “Let’s see—may your children be born healthy and happy to a joyful family. I wish nothing but the best for you, your foals, and all your descendants to come! How’s that?”

Gleaming studied the couple as well, but for a different reason. The instant the they’d said they were going to start a family, a colorful outline had appeared around them. The stallion’s was butter yellow, and the mare’s was a vibrant green. Both colors gave Gleaming a good feeling.

“Thank you so much!” said the stallion. He then bowed to Gleaming as well. “And of course you, Your Majesty. Best of luck with your own family-to-be!”

Gleaming blinked several times. Outlines were now appearing around every pony around her, the colors ranging from pale blue to saturated orange. Foals and many elderly ponies remained colorless, but that didn't bother her. No, what bothered her far more were the pale colors—

Cadance nudged her.

“Huh?” Gleaming snapped to. “Oh, uh... yes! That’s very kind of you. You two shouldn’t have trouble starting a family. I think you might have the opposite problem, matter of fact...”

The newlyweds stared at her.

“...What?”

“Outlines?” Cadance said. “Around almost everyone?”

The midway was a buffet for the senses. Carnival games, the murmur of fairgoers and workers, a cavalcade of yummy smells. Heart-shaped banners tipped with snowflakes crisscrossed the streets, and come nighttime, they’d light up to cover everything in a gentle glow. Ponies of all ages were everywhere, from parents to elderly couples to teenagers to foals.

“I’m not sure, but…” Gleaming looked around again. “I think it has something to do with how easy or hard it’ll be for a pony to have kids.”

Cadance wasn’t sensing any strange energy coming from Gleaming, but then again, she couldn’t pick up on Gleaming’s Lifesense, either. “Can you control it at all?”

Gleaming concentrated. She could feel the trickle of power coming from her spark, deliciously warm and lively. “Yeah. It’s not out of control or anything.”

Cadance thought for a moment. “What do I have?”

Gleaming winced. “I... don't know.”

Cadance shrugged. “It's not like it'll be a shocker.”

"No, I mean I literally can't see it." Gleaming exhaled out her nose. “There’s some kind of black veil around you covering it up.”

Ah. Well, Cadance couldn’t say she was surprised. “What about your own? Can you see yours?”

Gleaming glanced at one of her legs. “I... think I can have any color I want.”

Cadance clicked her tongue. Speculation was all well and good, but she preferred to have more info before calling anything out. “Want to head back until you're used to this?”

Gleaming shook her head. “I've already figured out how to turn it off. We can keep going."

They could hear nostalgic sounds all around them as they walked. The thunk of darts on corkboard, the fwshh of spraying water and popping balloons. Ponies in groups walked down the well-trodden paths while looking around, many carrying various prizes. Vendors sold toy bows and arrows to children, the arrows having little suction cups on the ends. The smell of hay and fried oil emanated from a nearby lunch stand. Cadance spotted her old mainstays of skee-ball and the crane game nearby, making a mental note to stop there tomorrow.

“There’s Spike and Thorax.” Cadance. She pointed over to the jousting field, where the pair in question were lounging in the VIP box. Velvet and Night were also with them, a guard escort of their own standing watch.

Gleaming squinted. She didn’t see much in the way of features, but she could tell Spike was upright in his chair while swinging his legs. It took her a second longer to spot Thorax beside him, his blue form slumped over, his head resting against Velvet’s side...

“Are you sure he should be out today?” Gleaming gestured to Thorax. “Look at him, he’s—”

She was cut off by Cadance laughing.

Gleaming cocked her head. “—out of it?”

Cadance giggled some more. “Let’s just say I doubt he’ll be hungry when he wakes up.”

It didn’t click for Gleaming at first, but she eventually got there. “I didn’t even know his kind could get food comas.”

Cadance smiled. “Learn something new every day.”

Gleaming’s eyes drifted to her mother, who didn’t seem to mind a changeling was using her as a pillow. “I, uh… heard Mom and Dad have been giving you the silent treatment since you told them what he is. Do you want me to—”

Cadance shook her head. “They’ll come around. If this is the price to make them accept him, I’ll pay it.”

The words ‘I did warn you’ nearly flew from Gleaming’s mouth before she bit them back.

“Yes, yes, you were right,” Cadance said without looking at her. “Overthinking things just made a big mess, as usual. I’ll figure things out.”

Gleaming sighed. Being married to an empath could be difficult sometimes.

The high striker game was located between a pair of tall maples that stretched high into the sky. There were two striker towers set up: one for ponies to buck, and one where you could use a hammer. Magic users preferred the hammer version (though a few strong-jawed types also liked it), so that’s where Cadance and Gleaming went.

“I hope you’re ready to lose,” Cadance said to Gleaming. “There’s no way you’re beating me this year!”

Gleaming held back her snort. “Are you forgetting I’ve been practicing control with Dad the last two weeks?”

“Doesn’t matter!” Cadance waved to a grizzled Faire worker. “Hello again! I'm back!"

The Faire worker, who was managing the striker towers with a muscular assistant, perked up. “Was starting to wonder if you’d gotten lost!” He whispered something to his helper, who trotted off to a wagon behind one of the trees. “Ready to play?”

Cadance smirked. “You know it!”

For most, high striker was a test of strength. It was a great bragging right to have the power necessary to hit the bell, but Cadance and Gleaming, it was a test of something else. They snickered and whispered to each other while waiting their turn in line.

“You’re in for a treat now, friends!” the grizzled pony said to the crowd. “Our Royal Majesties are about to have themselves a special contest of CONTROL! Place your bets now—which one of them do you think can ring the bell the softest?”

The crowd murmured as the grizzled pony set aside the bulky hammer. Instead, his helper returned dragging a huge maul of reinforced steel. The words Big Bertha were stamped on the grip.

“We never decided what the winner gets,” Gleaming said to Cadance.

Cadance leaned in and whispered, “Anything they want. And I do mean anything.”

Gleaming stood up straighter. “Oho…”

Cadance accepted the giant hammer in her magic. She took a moment to get familiar with its weight, taking a few test swings as the grizzled pony and his helper stepped clear.

Gleaming glanced sidelong at them. “We’ll, uh… try not to wreck anything this year.”

The grizzled pony chuckled. “I'd been meaning to invest in new framework and struts anyway.”

“With reinforcement enchantments!" the helper added.

Cadance stepped up to the tower. She eyed the twenty-five foot distance, the crowd going quiet as all looked to the shiny bell above. Cadance widened her stance and took aim.

“Don’t mess up!” Gleaming called.

Cadance wiggled her rear at Gleaming. She lifted Big Bertha high, took a deep breath...

WHAM!

DING!

The noise was like a clock tower. A great many covered their ears, Gleaming even feeling the babies jump inside her.

Cadance blushed. “Whoops!”

Gleaming rubbed her ears. “Are you trying to lose?”

Cadance stuck her tongue out at her. She took a few seconds before raising the hammer again, this time bringing it down with decidedly less oomph.

DING!

Still a loud sound, but not deafening. Cadance scrunched up her face and twirled the hammer, judging the distance with a more measured eye.

Gleaming noticed more ponies joining the crowd. Their colorful outlines were all over the spectrum, but nothing crazy or out of the ordinary. Curious, she tried using this new ability alongside her Lifesense, and that’s when she realized two things: First, the two powers allowed her to tell whether any select female was pregnant, as she could catch the faint glints of life echoing within them. And second, the pale-outlined ponies... often weren’t very healthy in general. There were exceptions, but more often times than not, a pony with a pale outline was, or had been, sickly in a number of ways.

WHAM!

Gleaming looked back in time to see the puck zoom up the tower. It slowed as it neared the top...

DING!

“Whoa! Nice one!” said Gleaming. Even the crowd applauded.

Cadance set the hammer down by the tower. “Let’s see you beat that.”

Gleaming strode over without comment. She picked up the mighty maul and examined it, idly noting it was like a warhammer from O&O. The murmurs of the crowd resumed as she sized up the tower’s base.

“Ooooh, Princess Gleaming Shield…”

“...told you it was a complete change. How could she be pregnant otherwise?”

“...be doing something like this in her state?”

“...not gay to say she’s hot! And you’re one to talk; I see you trying to keep your wings down...”

Gleaming snorted at that last one. She took aim at the spring-loaded lever, hoisted the maul, and...

WHAM!

DING!

Gleaming flinched at the mighty sound. “Geeze…”

Cadance got a smug look. “Not too late to forfeit.”

Gleaming blew a raspberry at her. “Maybe I just didn’t want you to feel bad!”

“Suuuuurrrrrre.”

“...not sure which of them’s more beautiful, to be honest…”

“...didn’t know they MADE bras that big...”

“...first they said four, then five, now SIX? I hope they’re well-stocked on baby diapers...”

“...husband and I have been talking, we feel really bad about the thestrals…”

“...announcement that the Duke and Duchess are moving here...”

It was only when Gleaming tried (and failed) to lift the hammer with her mouth that she realized how beefy the thing was. She got goosebumps as she took it back up in her magic, light as a feather. She was pretty sure she could bend the thing into a pretzel if she wanted to.

“Control.” Gleaming breathed the word like a mantra. She turned back to the tower, recalling the recent lessons with her father.

“Breathe in,” said Night. “No distractions or stray thoughts.”

Gleaming closed her eyes. The silence of the tertiary training grounds pressed in on her, the only sound a nighttime breeze caressing her coat. She reached out to the glowing spark within her.

“Your center is the only thing that matters.” Night walked around her in circles, the glow of his horn lighting his face. “Put your emotions away for now...”

The air was crisp this close the barrier. It tickled one's nose hairs, carrying the hints of the tundra’s chill. The breeze blew Gleaming’s bangs over her face as she felt her power respond.

“Don't strangle your magic.” Night stopped in front of her, and slowly, he let his own magic build. “Ride it like a wave… get a feel for how it rises and falls.”

Her alicorn magic had a current, she realized. Not like electricity, but a river of warm light. Volatile emotions influenced it, and the more passionate she was, the more wild it became. She felt stupid for not going to her father sooner.

“It's like muscle memory.” Night’s power encompassed hers like a coating, not stifling or oppressive, but an extension of the wind that nulled the frosty edge. “Do it enough times, and you'll hardly need to think about it...”

It was an odd contradiction. The 'riding a wave' analogy was accurate, but finding her limits was like diving into that wave. Gleaming’s magic joined her father’s as she explored her boundaries, fresh grass now rising from the dirt around her hooves.

“Good.” Night’s relaxing tone stirred memories of childhood; the ‘Dad Voice’, as she and her siblings called it. “Don’t rush it, don’t force it. Let it flow at its own pace so you can learn.”

Her spark was a treasure trove of untapped potential. Not yet fully woken, but still greater than anything she’d ever known. Yet for as powerful as it was, her father's magic guided hers like she was on training wheels. She could only imagine what his flares were like.

“Explore your capabilities.” Night’s horn was as bright as it’d been in Gleaming’s dream. His magic was a shroud that lit the entire field blue, yet its glow was so gentle. “It's just like when you were first learning to cast. Picture the objective in your mind, then let the magic flow.”

Half the field was now enveloped in grass. If her father’s magic was in the air, Gleaming’s was in the earth. Energy spread out all around them like a cramped pony stretching its limbs, steadily creeping outward to encompass more and more.

zrrrrrrmmm...

A simple forcefield formed in front of Gleaming. The magic was magenta, but its hue was so much fuller, brighter.

“Just like that,” Night said. “Now, see if you can pull it all back.”

Gleaming pursed her lips. She did try, but her magic didn’t want to be confined. Instead it stretched out a good ways further across the field.

“You’re still trying too hard.” Night’s magic encased hers, pressing gently. “You only need to give the command once.”

Gleaming’s magic rebelled at first, struggling and fighting against Night’s hold. She had a moment of panic thinking it’d surely break free, but her father wasn't even straining. He held her fast without comment until she calmed herself.

“Eye of the storm,” she whispered. “Eye of the storm…”

"Yes," said Night. “Stillness is key. The more you disturb the water, the more waves you make.”

Gleaming tugged once on her magic rather than constantly pull. Sure enough, her magic did indeed recede... albeit with the speed of a rebellious teenager. Trying to make it go faster resulted in it just dragging its heels more.

“Remember, trying to micromanage will overwhelm you.” Night’s magic shrank alongside hers. “Things will be faster once you’re more familiar with the flow. You'll need to use broad strokes until then.”

Gleaming’s magic went dormant. She opened her eyes, squinting slightly at the light of her father’s horn. “Can I ask you something?”

"Sure.”

Gleaming fidgeted in place. “How much trouble did Twily have learning to contain her flares?”

Night raised an eyebrow. “When she was a filly?”

Gleaming nodded.

Night looked up at the sky a moment. "It's not really fair to compare you two. Control’s always been a struggle for our famil—your grandma Starlight struggled with it, her father struggled, and maybe even farther back. It’s been a family effort to learn how to keep our strength in check, and as a result we've developed our share of tricks. Those tricks got passed to me when I started showing the same problems, and now I'm passing them to you.”

Gleaming frowned. “I'd still like to know.”

Night chuckled. “Fine, fine. Twily’s flares were pretty standard—for us, anyway. I only had brute force her magic into submission a few times, but even those weren't much worse than you now.”

Gleaming had had a feeling that was the case. “So what do we do if YOU have a flare?”

A smirk tugged at Night's lips. "Call for your mother, obviously."

Ugh, Gleaming hated it when he got like this. “Luna talked to you, didn’t she?”

Night shrugged.

“Did she ask you how strong you are?”

Night laughed. “Yes, but would you believe me if I said I didn’t know?”

Gleaming swished her tail. “You were just coaching me on learning how strong I am so I wouldn’t be afraid of myself.”

“Yes, but I never had that problem,” said Night. “I was identified early and had control drilled into me every day. Trying to find one's limits was seen as contradictory.”

Gleaming looked at her father for a long, long time. “...And you never once got curious enough to go off somewhere and cut loose.”

Night’s eyes twinkled. “There's a point where it becomes overkill. I may not be able to help you with those new powers of yours, but I CAN help you with this. You just have to let me know what you need."

Gleaming smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

Night patted her shoulder. “Anytime.”

WHAM!

DING!

The peal was a pleasant chime. Louder than Cadance’s third hit, but definitely an improvement.

Cadance stomped her hooves alongside the crowd. “That was really good! Not good enough, thooooouuuugh~”

“I have one morrrrrrrrre,” Gleaming sang back.

Alright, so that was still a working progress. Gleaming had been strictly using her alicorn magic as of late (doctor’s orders) but the delicate touch for this meant she needed a more familiar tool.

It felt like flipping a switch in her head. Gleaming’s magic grew dimmer, the warm and lively feel becoming the electric buzz she’d known since foalhood. She had a moment’s surprise as the hammer became heavier in her grasp.

“Geez...” Gleaming rolled the hammer back and forth. “I really am stronger…”

She raised the hammer high. She did a few false starts to measure, then...

WHAM!

The puck went up, up, up...

DING!

The crowd went wild. Gleaming set the hammer down and ambled back over to a dumbstruck Cadance, stealing a chaste peck on the lips.

“Looks like I win,” she said in a silky voice. “And for my prize... I get to be on top tonight.”

Cadance bit her lip as Gleaming’s belly brushed her. “I-I saw that… you cheated…”

Gleaming nuzzled Cadance’s withers. “We never said anything about what type of magic to use. If you wanted to play it like that, you should’ve said something beforehoof.. Eros.”

Cadance wasn't even mad.

They played a few more games before briefly teleporting back to the castle for lunch. They couldn’t do as much as they liked considering how much attention they gathered, but they managed enough that neither of them felt jilted. They were now sitting together in their usual dining area waiting for Twilight and Rainbow.

“And the Heart showed me a cliffside cave,” Cadance said. “The same one we sent the survey team up to.”

Gleaming stared at her spinach and artichoke dip. “The one Rainbow and that scientist are going to.”

Cadance dipped a chip in her own helping. “I don’t think this is a coincidence.”

The idea of the Crystal Heart giving visions again was conflicting. Gleaming wasn’t sure what emotion she was leaning towards, but 'relief' that Cadance wasn't hurt was near the top.

“Maybe we should call it off,” Gleaming said between ravenous bites. “Neither of us were crazy about them going up there in the first place.”

Cadance looked out towards the window. “I’m about ready to. Whatever Miss Pie’s looking for isn't worth her life.”

Gleaming rubbed the side of her growing barrel. The babies were really starting to put on weight now, to the point it felt like one long continuous growth spurt. “You said you saw a glimmer of light?”

Cadance chewed on her lip. “I… think? If so, it was super brief.”

Gleaming pursed her lips. None of Sombra's research or notes ever mentioned those caves, nor had anyone ever seen him around Mount Everhoof. They would've assumed the corruption build-up was natural if they hadn't detected traces of his magic signature.

“Why would the Heart start showing visions again now?” Cadance wondered. “We’ve done the commemoration ceremony in the stadium every year since Sombra’s defeat. What’s changed?”

Now Gleaming shrugged. “Maybe it’s just finally strong enough? Or, ooh… maybe you’re finally strong enough! Maybe the Heart’s abilities are less about ITS power, and more about the power of the user! It wasn’t working before because you weren’t in tune with your abilities.”

Cadance considered that. “The history books say the Heart showed visions to anypony who touched it, not just the one in charge. It shouldn’t matter how powerful I am.”

Knock, knock, knock.

“And that’ll be Twilight and Rainbow.” Cadance opened the far door with her magic. “Maybe they’ll have thoughts—”

But it wasn’t Twilight or Rainbow. It was a mystery stallion dressed head to tail in a bright yellow safety suit with glowing runes. Said suit was covered in scorch marks and flecks of dried foam, and the wearer's face and horn concealed by some kind of breathing mask and protective sheath.

“Your Majesties!” came a muffled voice. “I gathered the information you requested!”

It took a second for Cadance to realize who this was. “Sun...burst?”

Gleaming frowned at Sunburst getup. “Purifier protection gear? Why—ugh!”

A foul stench like ammonia and formaldehyde hit them like a punch to the nose. They recognized it as anti-magic cleanser, but it was so strong it made them gag.

“The Mad King didn’t erase the records of Princess Amore!” Sunburst said. “He merely placed them under a powerful Notice-Me-Not spell! I managed to remove the booby traps and compile the data!”

Cadance stared at Sunburst like he’d just sprouted a second horn. “You WHAT?!”

Sunburst laughed. “The spells were layered to be as subtle as possible. If you didn’t get rid of them all at once, you got a faceful of explosive runes! I wound up having to detonate the last layer in a contained blast.”

Cadance’s eyes were watering. “Sunburst—”

“It’s a good thing you warned me about the possibility of traps, else I wouldn’t have thought to have my suit!” Sunburst gestured to himself. “I suspected something strange when there were thirty-five identical bookshelves on three of the Restricted Section’s outer walls, but only thirty-four on—”

“SUNBURST!” Cadance snapped.

Sunburst paused. “Yes?”

“You REEK.” She flapped her wings to repel the stench. “Get out of here! Come back when you've cleaned off!”

FLASH!

“We’re here!” said Twilight. Beside her was Rainbow with an ursa minor teddy bear under her wing. “Guess what? We won the—”

The acrid stench cut her off right quick.

“Pee-yew!” Rainbow waved a wing in front of her face. “Smells like your lab’s clean room!”

Sunburst fidgeted. “I-I was just telling the Princesses—”

“OUT!”

He ran amidst a hail of appetizers.

“I really am sorry,” said Sunburst. “I was so excited that I went straight to you.”

They’d reconvened on one of the lower balconies after lunch. Sunburst’s arrival had made Cadance lose her appetite, but Gleaming’s wasn’t so easily denied. She was now sauntering back and forth while fighting a drowsy spell, her stomach such a size her navel was grazing the ground.

“I’m the one who should be sorry,” Cadance said with a sigh. “I’d really thought we’d gotten the last of Sombra’s traps.”

“Layering the spell matrices to form a camouflage…” Twilight flipped through Sunburst's findings. “Not even I would’ve thought of that.”

Rainbow elbowed her. “Somepony got out-smarrrrrteeeedddd~”

Twilight looked away, her ears twitching at the dull murmur of the Faire below. “To be fair, I'm sure purifier training gives you a whole slew of tips and tricks for these kinds of things.”

Sunburst put a hoof behind his head. “My favorite instructor always said, 'Numbers don't lie. If an equation’s not adding up, you’ve either miscalculated, or something’s making you miscalculate.'”

Twilight nodded. “I'll have to remember that one.”

Cadance leafed through the binder on Princess Amore. The information was surprisingly detailed, ranging from her foalhood to her coronation to her favorite foods. “What are the main takeaways, Sunburst? Did you find out what happened to her?”

A shadow fell over Sunburst’s face. “...It's not good.”

Cadance felt his emotions turn grim. “I figured as much. Tell me, please.”

Sunburst’s ears drooped. “Sombra and Princess Amore had an encounter before the Crystal Heart. It led to an argument that escalated quickly; something about her turning a blind eye to something. Then, he lashed out and turned her to black crystal... before blasting her crystallized body to pieces.”

Cadance and Twilight winced.

“Oof,” Rainbow muttered. “What a way to go.”

The only one unfazed was Gleaming. “The text specifically says that? A sudden and violent attack in a very public place? Why did nopony intervene?”

Sunburst put a hoof behind his head. “The text didn't say. The guards did try to arrest him, but he escaped with Amore's shards and fled the city. He returned a short time later with an army of shadows, attacking with the decree that Amore had been ‘scattered to the winds’.”

Cadance’s heart sank. “And the rest is history..."

“What about the Crystal Heart?” Gleaming asked. “Did you find anything on how it works? How to recharge it? What about bringing it to full power?”

Sunburst shook his head. “Amore was very secretive. How anyone could create something so intricate without a single note or reference is beyond me, but... apparently she was known for such things.”

Cadance kicked at the floor. “Shoot... I was really hoping this wouldn't be a dead end.”

A heavy silence followed. Cadance’s face was sour, her jaw clenched tight and fast. Rainbow and Twilight exchanged a look, but otherwise said nothing. Gleaming’s face was a mask, her sharp mind studying the situation from every angle.

"Did the books say anything about Amore’s lifespan?" Gleaming asked. "How she was able to live for so long?”

Sunburst shook his head. “Amore was very secretive. The most popular theory was that she was an alicorn in disguise, but there was never any proof of that.”

Sunburst’s half-hearted inflection wasn’t lost on Gleaming. “And you don’t buy that, either.”

Sunburst sucked on his teeth. “I… have my own theory.” He gestured to the Faire below. “I assume you’re familiar with the history of this holiday?”

Gleaming was. Long ago, the Crystal Heart had been stolen by a cruel dragon and left the Empire unprotected from the ice and snow. The entire city would’ve been doomed had the Heart not been recovered by Celestia and Luna, who confronted the dragon and brought peace to its terrorized lands. Upon the relic’s return, the crystal ponies had a festival that bolstered the love and unity of the whole city, which was found to bolster the Crystal Heart itself. And so the festival became a yearly occurrence; a multi-purpose celebration cherished by the crystal ponies so much, it later saved them from Sombra’s malaise.

“The Canterlot records say Princess Amore charged Princess Celestia and Princess Luna with the Heart’s recovery so she could ‘keep up the spirit of the crystal ponies with her love’.” Sunburst shuffled back and forth at this. “However, the records here state Amore was comatose during the Heart’s absence. only recovering once it’d been returned to the city. I’ve no way of knowing which is correct but if the latter account is true...”

Cadance felt a chill. “I’m not sure I like what that’s suggesting.”

“Me neither,” said Twilight. “If Amore’s relationship to the Heart went beyond creator and creation, then the implications of that, for Amore alone...”

But Sunburst merely shrugged. “I'm not insinuating anything; merely stating facts. You'd have to ask somepony that was there."

Gleaming rubbed her itchy horn. Part of her wanted to call this a lead, but another part agreed it was a long shot. Investigating seemed like the next logical step then, but looking into something that happened over a dozen centuries ago? Where would they even—

“Good idea!” said Rainbow. “Spike can send a letter to the princesses in a jiffy! Do we wanna ask Celestia, Luna, or both of them?”

…

…

...

“...We saw Spike watching the jousting,” Cadance said at last. “He’s probably still there.”

One Found Dragon and Inquiring Letter Later-

“—and it was definitely a close call, but Big Mac managed to take care of it,” said Twilight. “He’s staying at the castle with Luna while they figure out this new power of his.”

Gleaming, Cadance, Twilight, and Rainbow had decided to visit to check out the arts and crafts exhibits next. The crowd had gotten even denser since morning, so their progress was slow as they walked side by side. They’d been walking from building to building for about an hour now.

“Already moved in together?” Cadance tittered. “Aren’t they moving fast.”

Gleaming’s attitude was more subdued. “He has this ability under control, right? He’s not at risk of sneezing and going giant or anything?”

Twilight shook her head. “We did tests to see if he’d alter his size on accident. He only did it when he wanted to.”

Gleaming thought for a moment. “Did you try compulsion magic?”

Twilight nodded. “No effect.”

“Mind control?” Cadance asked.

“Broke it in an instant.”

“Changeling venom?” said Gleaming.

“Gave him enough to break a full grown dragon. Still nothing.”

“What about kicking him in the junk?” Rainbow chimed in. “You try that?”

Twilight giggled. “The term 'balls of steel' comes to mind. I’m not sure anything CAN hurt him at this point—about the only thing that’s had an effect on him at all—most notably his junk—is Luna.”

That one got a round of laughs.

“Seriously,” Twilight grumbled. “You have NO idea how hard it was to get them apart. I don’t know if it’s her pregnancy hormones, whatever happened to him, or something else altogether, but they could not keep their hooves off each other. For Pete’s sake, they mounted right in front of us once! I finally made Big Mac provide seminal, sweat, and saliva samples because I was worried he was producing some kind of aphrodisiac!”

Gleaming glanced at her. “Is he?”

Twilight snorted. “No, but not only is his sperm count through the roof, his cells retain their resilient qualities after ejaculation. That means they stay alive MUCH longer than normal, and have an incredibly high chance at reaching an egg to boot. Combine that with still-active Luna’s fertility spell, which she apparently cast with a ten year duration...”

It took a few seconds for that to sink in.

“So in other words...” Rainbow said slowly. “AJ’s gonna be an aunt soon.”

Twilight grunted. “Either that or Luna’s intending to keep being the poster mare for her campaign. She can’t get pregnant if she already is, after all.”

Cadance whispered to Gleaming, “Unlike OTHER mares.”

Gleaming gave their tails a squeeze.

The sounds of walking and chatting ponies was a dull roar as they entered a glass building with all kinds of fauna. It almost felt like a jungle with so many plants, and the exhibits were as varied as they were numerous. Simple saplings, hedge sculptures, beautiful exotic plants, and so much more caught Gleaming's eye.

Cadance stopped to examine a kind of rainbow-colored grass. “What about dark magic? Do you think that could that affect him?”

Twilight’s exhaled out her nose. “He survived enough necrotic energy to wipe out a planet. Anything less would do nothing to him, so any hex or curse we know is off the table.”

Cadance looked away. “What I’d give for that.”

“Hey, considering what Sombra’s curse has led to, I’d say we’re getting out ahead.” Gleaming nuzzled Cadance's withers. "You'll feel better once the kids are born."

Cadance smiled. “I suppose just about everypony’s a winner this way. Even the batponies are benefiting.”

Twilight sauntered over to a nearby hedge sculpture. “By the way, the first volunteer mares from the Crystal Empire arrived while I was there. Luna made sure they were well cared for—it was the only thing she left Mac for.”

Rainbow leaned in to whisper to Twilight. “I'm starting to understand why you jumped me last night when you got back. You were all wound up from being around those two horndogs, weren't you?”

Ever-so-subtly, a tendril of Twilight’s magic slipped beneath Rainbow’s tail to trace her labia. “I’m ready to jump you again just from the recap.”

Rainbow yelped. She went rigid as stone, a fiery blush on her face.

Gleaming looked over. “You alright?”

“Y-YEAH!” Rainbow all but shouted. “Just a bug bite, heh...”

Gleaming studied her a bit longer before turning back to the grass entries. “I remember Luna talking about this whole idea
when I was her bodyguard. Believe me, if she feels it’s best to volunteer another round, another two rounds, or however many it takes, she will.”

Rainbow got in Twilight’s face, their mouths mere inches part. “I’ll get you for that later...”

Twilight pressed a wing to Rainbow’s cutie mark. “I'd rather you get me right now.”

Rainbow’s pupils shrank. “Wh-What?! But, your family’s right there!”

“And one of them can literally sense how antsy I am.”

Rainbow froze. Her eyes slid to Cadance, who indeed was watching them with a saucy grin. She tilted her head towards the exit.

Rainbow chewed on her lip. “You really wanna slip away somewhere?”

“Slip away, teleport away, I don't care how or where we go.” Twilight full-on buzzed Rainbow's clit with magic. “I. Just. Want. You.”

Rainbow shuddered. She had a moment’s more indecision before kissing Twilight hard.

“Hoofolulu,” she whispered in Twilight’s mouth. “That hotel we stayed at over New Year’s. Penthouse suite.”

“Oooh, good choice.”

“I don’t see Luna as the type to go foal crazy anyways,” Gleaming went on. “She gets really stressed when she doesn’t have some alone time, not to mention there’s no guarantee she’ll stay with—”

VRRRRRRRMMMMMM—FLASH!

The fast buildup of energy made ponies shout alarm. Gleaming’s skin prickled, feeling the influx of energy coming from Twilight and Rainbow.

“—Mac?”

The two mares weren't there. Just glittering pink sparkles, the smell of discharged mana, and a gaggle of surprised onlookers.

“Twily?” Gleaming looked all around. “Rainbow…?”

Cadance put her hoof on Gleaming’s shoulder. “Ah, sorry Gleamy. I think Twilight's recap turned into a booty call.”

Gleaming's mouth fell open. “B-But... we were gonna hang out awhile!”

Cadance nuzzled her. “They’re in that phase of their relationship where the mood strikes them without any warning. You remember what that’s like, don’t you?”

Gleaming gave her a calm look. “I'm not sure why you're talking in past tense.”

Cadance laughed. “You said yourself earlier it’s not surprising they’d rather be by themselves today. Do you really blame them?”

Well, so much for their double date. “Should we duck out ourselves, then? Or did you want to hang around the Faire a bit longer?”

Cadance thought for a moment. “There’s one more thing I need to do. How's our little squadron doing?”

Gleaming patted along the side of wide barrel, murmuring to herself. “Four... five... six! All troops present and accounted for, ma'am.”

Cadance looped her tail around Gleaming's. "Good. By the way, I know you usually pump one or two more times before bed, but can you hold off doing it tonight?"

Gleaming rolled her eyes. “You really like it when they’re huge, don’t you?”

“Ohhhhhhh, yes.”

While not strictly a necessity, it was customary for the Crystal Princess to create the centerpiece for the Crystal Carving contest. Crystal carving was a popular pastime among the crystal ponies, so much so that masters could make a comfortable living from it. Cadance herself didn't partake seeing as she'd ruin the artisan economy, but being able to actually show her stuff once in a while was important to her.

“We'ren't you going to do this yesterday?” said Gleaming as they approached the building.

“Didn’t have time,” Cadance said. “I got bogged down with Apogee figuring out the surrogate transportation budget.”

It wasn’t surprising that the crowd around the building was a solid wall. Ponies oohed and aahed at what they could see of the pristine carvings; some small and detailed, others huge and simple. Even out here, the entire area glittered and shone with all the colors of the rainbow.

“Hmmm.” Gleaming eyed the throng of ponies. The stage where Cadance created her work every year was in the center of the building. “We miiiiiiiight wanna teleport.”

Cadance was thinking the same thing. “Right.” She signalled to their guards, each one of them putting a hoof on her or Gleaming. The air whummed with gathering magic...

FLASH!

An instant later, they were inside on the stage.

“Phew.” Gleaming smiled at their guards. “Easier than causing a stir, right?”

The stage was roped off with signs. The platform was plain save for Hearts and Hooves decorations on the edges, a stark contrast to the tables laden with beautiful crystalline works around them. A twenty foot tall block unchiseled crystal stood in the center.

“OH! OH! It's Princess Cadance!” a mare said.

“She must be getting ready to make the centerpiece!” said another.

“We love you, Princess Cadance!”

Cadance waved. She slipped off her decorative shoes and set them aside. “What should I make? Any ideas, hun?”

Gleaming hadn't heard the question, as she was still watching the crowd. “I’ll never understand why ponies like watching you do this. No offense, but the carvings that took hours upon hours to make are more impressive in my book.”

Cadance understood what she meant. “I think it’s just the novelty of seeing something whipped up in a flash. Though I do agree the hard work and labor aspect is more impressive in the long run.”

Gleaming’s gaze lingered on some of the more ornate sculptures nearby, some so detailed they almost looked alive. “We've got some real talented ponies around here.”

Cadance thought for moment on what she wanted to make. “Oh! Oh! I know!” She muttered a quick spell, a fancy photo album appearing beside her. “Twilight gave me a picture… ah, here! Yes! Ohhhhh, this is gonna be goooood!”

Gleaming regarded her. “What’re you plotting?”

“Mwahahaha.” She kissed Gleaming’s cheek. “Give me a few minutes. You’ll see.”

Cadance trotted over to the giant crystal block. She began examining it on all sides, occasionally fluttering up to look from above.

It wasn’t long before Gleaming lost interest. To kill time, she turned her new power back on and started taking note of the crowd’s colored outlines. She was starting to categorize them in her mind when a ray of sun glinted off the sheathed wingblades of one of her extra guards.

Gleaming ducked out of the light's path and turned to the guard. “Ahem... I appreciate you adjusting your schedule, Lieutenant. Captain Deadeye told me you usually work the night shifts.”

Steelwing saluted. “It’s an honor, Ma’am.”

Gleaming nodded. “I suppose being an escort’s not much different from guarding the Heart, is it? You can speak freely, by the way.”

Steelwing relaxed. “It’s different enough to be a nice change. Wouldn’t mind stretching my wings a bit, but that's a minor gripe.”

Gleaming’s eyes fell to his sides. She wasn't an expert on wings, but his were like coiled springs ready to be unleashed. His back, chest, and shoulders were all solidly built, and his armor and blades made him look like a living, well-oiled machine.

“What made you you decide to become a wingblade specialist?” she asked. “Don’t see a lot of ‘em these days.”

Steelwing rolled his shoulders. “I was a hyper colt. Parents kept me involved in a lot of sports, but wingfencing was the one that really stuck. When I joined the military and learned there was training for the real thing, well… you can imagine I picked it up quick.”

Gleaming recalled how fast he'd swung those things on the training field. She hadn’t seen him spar in hoof-to-hoof, but Deadeye had described him as 'a damn reaper'. “Would you say it’s hard to learn?”

Steelwing opened his mouth, then checked himself. “It depends. Some disciplines are geared towards beginners, others are more advanced. There's also a pony's preference for melee styles or ranged to consider.”

Well, it was pretty obvious which ones he gravitated towards. “I've heard the ranged styles are better overall. What made you focus on melee?”

Steelwing put a hoof behind his head. “I... just GET melee styles better. I've tried most of the ranged forms, but the only one that's stuck is Windshear. I think my problem is that I keep trying to aim with a melee mindset rather than from afar.”

Yet another thing Gleaming was aware of. She'd have to ask for melee demonstration sometime. "So if a beginner were interested in learning some rudimentary melee techniques, what style would you recommend?”

Steelwing hesitated again. “Is the beginner a pegasus?”

No, but Gleaming doubted her horn would get in the way. “Are you familiar with Ser Rainbow Dash?”

Steelwing’s jaw dropped. “Wingblades on that speed demon?! Jeez, I-I was going to suggest Guardfeather, or Sol-Guardfeather for non-pegasi, but her?! I'd have her learn the defensive forms of Guardfeather first, but then have her go Machwing, no question! She'd be the best ranged wingblade fighter in the world!"

Alrighty, Guardfeather it was. It’d likely wouldn’t be for a few years, but Gleaming wouldn’t mind learning wingblades once she—

STOMP!

Steelwing and Gleaming jumped. Cadance had smashed her hooves into the stage, embedding them a good half-inch deep. Ripples were now spreading out to the crystal slab to sculpt it like potter's clay.

The slab thrummed and glowed as it was transformed from the bottom up. Some parts lengthened, others shortened, and still others thickened. Strong roots snaked out from the base of the slab as branches grew tall, followed by countless leaves popping in. It all lasted less than ten seconds, but in those seconds something magical was made.

Cadance pulled her hooves free and dusted them off. “Ta-da!”

It was a tree. Tall and ancient, its five main branches spread out to form a gnarled star. Odd, twinkling lights hung from its branches like ivy, and at the tips of those branches were five shining jewels. The sculpture towered over all of them like a holy guardian, its branches stretching over them like protective arms that scattered the sun’s rays into colorful glimmers.

“Whoa...” Steelwing stared wide-eyed. “Is that what I think it is?”

Gleaming needed a second to find her voice. “The Tree of Harmony...”

“My little ponies!” Cadance shouted. “Hearts and Hooves Day is a celebration of love, but we must always remember harmony's place in our hearts! Look around you at the works of your artists now, for even though this is a contest, we can learn and help each other improve! Best of luck to you all, and may the best carver win!”

The crowd whooped. Ponies all over stomped and applauded, many of them starry-eyed at Cadance’s creation. The cheering was so loud it almost made your ears hurt.

Gleaming admired the for a while before raising her voice above the crowd. “By the way, Steelwing, why’d you ask whether the beginner’s a pegasus?”

“Because Guardfeather forms aren’t safe for non-pegasi!” Steelwing shouted back. “It's called Sol-Guardfeather because Princess Celestia developed the alterations after nearly chopping off her horn!”

Gleaming’s horn suddenly felt very itchy. "S-Sol-Guardfeather, you called it?”

That Evening-

It’d been a fun day. Gleaming and Cadance had retired after spending a little more time seeing the Crystal Carving entries, and after a romantic meal (two meals for Gleaming) they’d watched the sunset together from their bedroom balcony.

“Mmm…” Cadance lay prone on a preening mat with one of wings spread wide. A warm glow was in her chest from Gleaming's lips gently tugging at her feathers. “I wonder what your wings will look like...”

Gleaming straightened the last few stray feathers into place. “Aside from white... no idea.”

Cadance giggled. "I hope you have big ones. Big ones that I can wrap myself up in and be warm allllll night.”

Gleaming kissed Cadance between her shoulder blades. “Kinda like you do with me now?”

Cadance looked back at her. “More like did, Miss Supermom. You're too gigantic to wrap up anymore.”

Gleaming patted her gravid width. “Guess I have outgrown you in a couple ways. Well, maybe Cadance can’t wrap me up, but Eros sure can.”

Cadance’s eyes lit up. “That's right, you wanted me to switch tonight, didn’t you? What, didn’t get enough of me this morning?”

Gleaming moved to her ear and whispered, “I'll NEVER have enough of you.”

Cadance’s heart fluttered. She made no move to stop Gleaming from moving in to kiss her, her soft muzzle brushing through Cadance’s mane. She smooched Cadance’s nape once, twice, thrice, inhaling the sweet scent of shampoo and berry perfume. She tugged on Cadance’s scruff while sidling closer, her huge, pregnant swell pressing into Cadance’s flank.

“Gleamy…” Cadance arched her neck. “C-Can I… nnngh, can I put lotion on you, first?”

Gleaming nickered. She eased up on her kisses, but still nuzzled and petted Cadance all the while. Cadance rose at a snail’s pace, shivering from the sweet nothings Gleaming whispered in a husky purr. They went inside with their tails entwined.

It was a ritual they did every night. They didn’t even need to think as they made their way to the bed, Gleaming laying on her back and switching on a lamp. Cadance sat between Gleaming’s rear legs and summoned the last bottle of eucalyptus spearmint lotion from the nightstand. She squirted out a healthy glob to fill the room with its soothing scent.

“Ahhhh…” The syrupy maternal weight pressed on Gleaming’s insides. She cradled her belly until the pressure subsided, and it was then she realized she couldn’t even encompass it all anymore. She hummed at the flutters and tickles of their children, most simply shifting in sleep, but one or two prodding at the walls that kept them safe. The feeling never failed to make Gleaming smile.

Cadance marvelled the great white hill before her. ‘Flawless’ was the word that came to mind, but that didn’t do it justice in her eyes. Gleaming’s supple skin was like newfallen snow—smooth and bright with the healthiest sheen imaginable. Its size was something that never failed to astound Cadance, and every time she thought Gleaming couldn’t possibly get any bigger, she was proven gloriously wrong.

“Warm…” Cadance always felt this heat from Gleaming. It calmed her nerves, bolstered her stamina, fueled the giddy flames within her. She lotioned up her hooves and rested them on Gleaming’s belly a moment, still shocked even now that all of this was real.

“We’re parents.” Cadance began massaging around Gleaming’s navel. “We have children…”

Gleaming squeezed Cadance with her thighs. “And when we're ready... we'll have even more.”

Cadance slid her slick hooves along Gleaming’s skin. Her beloved’s mammoth paunch was so firm, so tight and packed full. Her size was so great that an adult mare could’ve fit inside her, but instead it was six foals, their foals. Cadance’s eyes unfocused as she watched Gleaming breathe, thoughts drifting to how they’d be soon holding them in their arms and rocking them to sleep.

Gleaming sighed as the cool lotion soaked into her skin. Cadance had gotten almost as good at this as Amber, her beloved's loving touch now quite familiar with the usual trouble spots. The itchiest area was around Reidy, his powerful kicks testing her more than the others. The next itchiest was up near the alicorn fillies, their above average size ballooning Gleaming’s belly more than any of the others. Her bellybutton was also a usual culprit due to bulging larger with the rest of her, now the size of half an egg.

“The Alicorn of Life.” Cadance admired Gleaming’s completed cutie mark. The white serpent was so bright that it almost glowed. “Has a nice ring to it.”

“You know what they say,” Gleaming said. “The best life is one filled with love.”

Cadance pumped out more lotion and lathered Gleaming’s great paunch. “And I filled you up good.”

Gleaming rested her hoof atop Cadance’s. “I’m happy I could do this for us, honey. Really.”

Cadance smiled. They lingered there like that a moment, hooves touched in silence, the only sound the muted ticks of the clock on the wall. The giddy high Cadance had had most of the day was now it was mixed with a smoldering flame, one that made her feel warm in an all-too-familiar way.

Cadance planted a gentle kiss atop Gleaming’s growing belly. She kissed again and again, slow and lazy, trailing down to the side in an arc, still lotioning all the while. She hummed low and deep, eyes now drifting closed, her touch almost reverent.

“I love you,” said Cadance, hugging Gleaming’s womb. "You and them."

Gleaming ran her hoof through Cadance’s mane. “I didn’t pump like you asked, y’know.”

Cadance whimpered. She slid backwards at once to turn to the huge swollen mounds between Gleaming’s legs. Each perky breast was the size of Cadance’s head, so large they smooshed heavily against each other. Her pink nipples were like leaky caps atop warm hills, and her cleavage was a deep valley of soft flesh that led to Mount Belly.

Cadance nursed from Gleaming’s right breast. The sweet taste of milk filled her mouth immediately, full and frothy and creamy. She took long pulls and hearty gulps, her lips wrapped around Gleaming’s nipple in a perfect seal, drinking deep yet thirsty for more. She pressed a hoof to Gleaming’s marehood and teased her, her feather-light touch promising to go deeper yet never slipping inside.

“Cady…” Gleaming arched her back. “C-Can… can Eros come out to play?”

Cadance hummed. She cast the familiar spell without even concentrating, still nursing like her life depended on it. She switched to the left breast even as her body began to change, the sensations so commonplace they didn’t even phase her.

Gleaming felt Cadance’s mouth widen. Her pulls became stronger, more greedy, her fevered tongue licking Gleaming’s areola. Seconds later, a dry, heady smell cut through the lotion, one that made Gleaming’s heart race and tail twitch. The amazing scent grew stronger as time passed, overshadowing everything until it was all Gleaming could smell—all she wanted to smell.

Gleaming’s nostrils flared. Eros always smelled amazing, but for some reason that aroma was dialed up to eleven. “Yessssss…”

Gleaming could feel Cadance’s hooves sinking into the bed. Her wings got longer, her muscles inflated further, her legs lengthening and filling out. Cadance clutched Gleaming’s ass in time with her suckling, squeezing harder and harder as she changed. She felt like she was too small for her own skin, and something was awakening inside her, bulging, incredible, and raw. It was like a mighty firestorm that filled her with lightning and made her feel light as a feather.

Cadance—no, Eros, blinked. This strange power, it’d been inside of him all day. There was a breeze picking up around them, and a buzz was now creeping into the air. It felt a lot like his magic, could it be… ahhhhh, it was! The power of love was at its strongest today, and wherein years past he’d only be able to sense it, now he could actually wield it!

But the sheer amount caught him off guard. There was so much, all around him, everywhere! The entire city, hundreds of thousands, all feeling love for themselves and one another in a giant network! Eros reeled upon plugging into it, yet he couldn’t pull himself away because it felt so GOOD!

Pop! Eros released Gleaming’s nipple. He straightened up tall and proud, body not quite finished changing. He smiled and inhaled deep the scent of the mother of his foals. His stallionhood was awakening like a great beast, his nuts forming and plumping up with hot seed, but all he saw was her. All he wanted was her! They were going to take each other in every sense, to show this world what it meant to be lovers!

“Heh…” The laugh escaped before he could stop it. “Ha-ha-ha!”

That laugh triggered a strange feeling within Gleaming. Her eyes dilated, locked onto the scene unfolding before her. Her beloved Eros was looking at her in a way that made her shiver—eyes fierce, teeth bared in a hungry smile, breathing audibly while tensed up, wings fanned out and twitching.

Gleaming winked hard. “O-Oh...”

Eros laughed again. He merely held Gleaming’s gaze, barely moving, growing bigger and stronger before her eyes. He didn’t move, didn’t betray any weakness. He just stood there looking at her like she was a feast. His eager cock was unsheathed, always lengthening, always thickening… yet never quite at full mast.

Gleaming’s heart was a jackhammer. Even now, his pride was like a building column waiting to spread her wide, wide, wide. Everything about him was a turn on—the way he breathed, the way he licked his lips, the way he wouldn't stop staring at her. She bit back a moan when she saw his nuts, like two basketballs between his legs and even STILL filling up with seed.

A gnawing emptiness filled her. His legs were so long that he loomed over her, even with her humongous paunch. His gaze never left hers as his wings trapped her—a greed in his eyes that quickly spread to her.

Gleaming swallowed hard. She waited for Eros to move, but he just stood there, staring. It was like he was trying to burn this image and moment into his mind. The seconds dragged on like minutes, and she was about to snark at him to get on with it when suddenly—

“AHHHHHH~”

He swooped down and licked her neck. That yell was music to Eros' ears, pressing his teeth to her throat until it rose to the perfect pitch. Before long she was panting and shaking, Gleaming’s silvery soprano creeping into her breaths, her skin salty with sweat. Her long mane was like a blue curtain he wanted to pull again and again, and her scent was like a perfume that urged him forward...

The gnawing, clawing emptiness was becoming unbearable for Gleaming. Seconds ago she was getting revved up, but now a haze was in her mind, desperate and yearning, single-minded and irresistible. All she could feel was HEAT, and it made her empty and horny and willing and so very ready and oh sweet goddess Eros was staring at her again and he was just so BIG why wasn’t he getting on with it what was he waiting for come ON she didn’t know how much longer she could—

He kissed her. He was frenzied and fast, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth, moaning and enveloping her lips in his. Gleaming squealed and pulled him into the tightest embrace she could, but it was like hugging a wall of muscle. She matched his fervor and kissed back with equal strength, but try as she might, wiggle as she might, she found she couldn’t move an inch. He had her pinned.

Gleaming could feel Eros dripping onto her coat. She could already imagine him brushing against her entrance, leaking and teasing her outer lips. Their warm bodies played on each other more and more as seconds passed, thoughts and loins whirling with rising need that knew no limit. Eros was relentless and forceful, but she was equally as much, the tempo of their make-out growing faster—

Eros broke their kiss.

“That’s right,” he growled. “You won our game, didn’t you?”

Gleaming whimpered.

Eros ground his cock on her belly. “Too bad you didn’t let me win. I’d have used this power to put another half-dozen foals in you.”

And just when Gleaming thought she couldn’t get any wetter. "Don't tempt me..."

Eros gave her one last lusty kiss. “Get up.”

Gleaming teleported off the bed in a flash! She had a split second to appreciate how TALL he was before he’d teleported to where she’d been, now his back with his legs spread. His gave his mammoth cockhead a kiss before pushing it up like a virile spire.

“Go on.” Eros jerked his hips. “Claim your prize.”

Gleaming about leapt at him. She had all the grace of a lame duck while clambering over to straddle Eros, and she nearly lost it when his tip left a splotch on her breasts. The sheer girth of his package made her legs quiver, her wide, pregnant belly swaying like a fuzzy zeppelin, her cushiony breasts teasing his size. Eros chuckled while she worked to align their hips, but when it became apparent her maternity made it hard for her to judge, he ‘helped’ by groping her thick flanks and guiding her into place.

At last, Gleaming had him at her entrance. She was just barely holding on now, moaning as Eros squeezed her foalbearing hips, his bedroom eyes drilling into her. She resisted the urge to let gravity do the work and instead ease herself onto him, trying and failing to accept his spongy head once… twice… thrice—

And then there were no words. There were no yells, no grunts, no sounds of any kind. Sensitive nerves and synapses were amped to the max and centered all in one place, and Gleaming was all instinct as she took Eros’ shaft, feeling it fill her… fill her. She wanted to clamp down on him so hard that not a drop escaped her, giving her everything she wanted and MORE, stuffing her with a pulsing thickness she couldn’t get enough of!

The only sound Eros registered was the schlick of Gleaming’s silky depths. She was so very wet and warm, a deep, snug marehood hungry for his size. He knew she could take all of him, so he let her slide at her own pace, claiming more and more of his him while her heavy belly rested on his chest. Soon all he could see was the gentle curve of white fur, but that just made him more eager, the thought of creating new life with her.

Gleaming finally impaled herself on him. She wiggled her hips and savored the warm fullness a moment, then ever-so-gently, she lifted up and bounced, a stream of slippery fluid lubing her path.

NOW they found their voices. Gleaming’s throaty moan rose in a crescendo, high and loud and needy beyond all measure. Every movement made her tunnel clench, floating in that feeling of fulfillment, like a high they wanted to ride forever. Up and down, up and down, Gleaming moved with a slowness that drove them both wild, their hooves grasped tight together.

Gleaming’s belly was so big it covered Eros’ chest. He could lick and kiss it while she rode him, the pressure in his loins further fueled by her deliciously heavy weight on his hips. She clenched him hard each time, literally sucking his dick back inside, and the hunger within them rose to new heights beyond anything they’d ever known.

The wet SCHLICKS of their lovemaking only spurred them on. Eros' grunts and groans joined Gleaming’s in a lewd duet, their thoughts consumed by each other as they fucked, kissed, thrusted, bounced… loved. The bedroom echoed with their sexy sounds as they eased their way to their finish, and as that finish drew near, their efforts became harder and harder to control.

Gleaming could feel it. She knew it was coming, and her only thought was she that it wasn’t here sooner. She egged Eros on with each squeeze, relishing how his stallionhood twitched, his bloated balls about to boil over. Eros snorted like a mustang and started thrusting harder, his movements uneven and jittery, each one somehow deeper… DEEPER. He’d never felt such a great , and he sprinted past the point of no return as Gleaming buried herself one final time…

It was like an explosion inside her. Gleaming’s eyes rolled back, each gush of Eros’ gift a fresh burst that sent her soaring, saturating and jolting her core anew. She was beyond telling when one spurt ended and another began, all she knew was he was pumping her full… full… FULL!

Eros was erupting like a geyser. Each spurt was a hot surge that painted Gleaming’s insides white, only for it to seep into her thirsty walls. He moaned low while nuzzling her womb, his muscles tensed and thrusting, always pumping her full of thick seed.

Gleaming was lost amidst a sea. A boundless sea funnelling into her equally boundless depths, all of which she welcomed with a single thought of MORE. Her world began and ended where they were joined, and she greedily took all he gave her. And even when Eros' first peak died down they kept going, his eventual second peak sounded by a loud moan of her name.

Then they were right back to lovemaking. They didn’t stop, didn’t slow down, didn’t do anything but ride the high. It became a cycle of build-up and climax that felt better on each lap.

“EROS!” Gleaming screamed to the ceiling. How many peaks that now made for her, she didn’t know. All she knew was they were still coming, tingling and building, the next one never far off. It was bizarre how she felt both empty and full, but this didn’t stop her from chasing her need. She wanted more… HAD to have more!

And Eros certainly didn’t disappoint. He never stopped rutting her, his balls fuller and more needy than ever, filling Gleaming with wave after wave, each release greater than the last! It was seemingly unending, yet he never stopped once, Gleaming’s warmth rejuvenating them while the power of love kept their lust high. And the power wasn’t fading, it was building, so much so that it wouldn’t be long before their orgasms were rolling into each other…

Eros came again. His thrusts were fevered and frenzied, but when the orgasm died down, he thrust a total of once before going off again. He never stopped for a second as he remained firmly lodged inside, fulfilling his sacred duty again and again in the throes of continuous bliss. And Gleaming was right there with him, no longer even needing to bounce, now just sitting atop him while he pumped her full of cum. Her whole body tingled and fluttered, her eyes bright with swirling color, feeling more alive in that moment then she ever had in her life.

They wouldn’t stop going until midnight. Once Hearts and Hooves Day had passed and the power of love had lessened, they’d fall asleep in each other’s arms smelling of sweat and sex.

They’d wake the next day questioning whether the whole thing had been a dream…

...but that was then, and this was now.