Chapter one

It was late at night when Stitching Needles opened the door to her house behind her with the stallion still kissing her neck, kicked the door closed. She didn’t usually go for Earth ponies, but the pegasus made an exception when she found out how smooth his tongue was, both in and out of his mouth. Flapping her wings with delight, as this young stallion’s lips tighten on hers now, she grabbed him and threw him onto the bed. He smiled at her, quickly getting under the blankets tapping the spot next to him.

“Just a moment, sweetie.” She giggled, so glad that she found this cute stallion drinking alone. Who knew what happened in the future, he might even be her special somepony! But for now, he was going to be her bedmate. “I just love to do it under the night sky.” She heard him leap up, but she ignored him, throwing the blinds open and letting the moonlight hit the room. Turning around, her possible new coltfriend just groaned with his hooves covering his face.

“Oh buck me.” He muttered, illusions starting to shimmer around him.

“Wait what’s going-”

“What does thou think thou art doing!?” Stitching meeped, as a force landed into her room and pulled into itself to be the Night Princess glaring at her!

“Simply trying to have a good time mother?” Turning her head, the pegasus saw that the Princess was not glaring at her, but at her new coltfriend… who now had a horn and wings!

“With this harlotan of thy evening?!” Princess Luna screeched, her wings flaring out. “Thou will go home post haste!” She ordered, point a wing to the window.

Grumbling loudly, the seaweed green stallion flew upwards with a bit of a lurch, clearly still in that gangly stage of his wings despite his age. Maybe alicorns took longer to learn…

“Ah-em.” The princess looked at her, a bit calmer. “We art sorry for accusing thee of being a harlot. We trust thee to be discreet about this misconduct of our son.” She nodded her head and flew into the night sky, leaving one very confused mare blinking upwards.

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Galloping Waves grumbled as he touched down on his royal balcony tiles with a bit of stumble and went inside to his room. He had been tempted to just take a short cut and use some nearby pool of water, but he was sure that mother would take it the wrong way and think he was just running off.

Hearing the loud thud behind him told him that it just might have been a good idea…

No. This was getting-

“What were thou thinking!” She yelled, flaring her wings behind her again. She usually did it when she was annoyed, trying to make herself appear bigger then she was. She glared at her son, who was standing next to his unmade bed, who somehow already had some dirt on his coat again. How he always did it, she would never know. “How dare thee-”

“No mother, how dare you!” He snapped back, staring at her. “I am no longer a simple colt mother!” He glared at her, a bit of anger seeping into his voice. “I am getting sick and tired you continuously intruding into my life!”

“We intrude because thou makes countless mistakes!” She snapped, leaning down to her only son’s face. “We do not know where thou got the notion that sleeping around was acceptable as it is not!”

“Oh but it is ok for aunt Celestia to do the exact same?!” He growled.

“Thou art not her!” Luna glared, “Thy sister and thou aunt has countless ages to know the risk and dangers when becoming involved with another! Thou does not!”

“Oh yes, I forgot.” He snapped back, taking on a mocking tone. “Dear Celestia knows all because her countless ages and wisdom, and Twlight knows what action to take as she is the most learnt pony in all the lands. What do I know after all, as you just see me a dumb bumpkin that doesn’t his left and right hoof apart!” He yelled at the other alicorn. This was the same fight over and over again he had with his mother and Celestia, and lately now his extended aunts were joining in. His mother and aunt were always trying to get him a job or find a task that he could stay with and perform for the rest of his life. The problem wasn’t that he didn’t do the tasks or jobs well, he did do all that he could for whatever he was asked to do, it was just that he couldn’t keep himself at it. No matter what, it got to a point where it became an ach inside himself that he couldn’t do anymore. It was probably due to the fact while he knew his special talent was water related due to his wave-on body-of-water cutie mark he had no really idea what it really meant. No matter what he did, it always felt like there was a gasp missing inside him and nothing he tried really filled it for longer than a few weeks, maybe a month at most.

They claimed that they understood his issue, but they didn’t. He doubted that mother or Celestia knew what it was like not being able to know what the moon or the sun was, feeling like some part of yourself was dulled. That it was always on the cusp of your mind, but just out of reach.

“If thou didn’t act one, perhaps we would not treat thee like one!” She yelled, slamming her hooves down on the ground, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Grumbling loudly, he had enough. “That is it mother!” He yelled, grabbing his saddle bag with his magic. It had a few bits in it for buying a couple of meals, some paper and quill as Twilight taught him it always paid to have some, a canteen of water for his special needs, and a few other random stuff. Nothing more than he would normally need if he went out for a while, but he expected that this would be a much longer trip. “I’m leaving!”

“Where does thou think thou art going!” She glared at him, still too angry to think straight.

“Away from here!” He turned his head and ran into the waterfall he had in his room. It was part of his special talent; he somehow instinctively knew how to travel through water to any other form of water. As such, his extended family had several set up so he could visit them faster.

“Get back here, we art not finished with thee!” His mother yelled, the strands of her magic starting to wrap around his hindlegs. But he was already halfway through the waterfall, and soon out on the other side completely.

Yelling in rage, Luna stormed out of her son’s room. Meanwhile, a far distance down the hallway, a certain white alicorn groaned loudly at being woken up again. Celestia yawned, annoyed at her sister and nephew’s new habit at fighting over the littlest of things in the dead of night. As Snowcap was away on business of the crown, Luna was –

With a crash, Luna stormed into her bedroom, throwing the lights on and started to regale her with all of the nights events. Celestia withheld a sigh, knowing it would a be a very long night now and that she desperately needed to talk to a certain colt about his behaviour.

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Author's Notes:

Well, this is the official series addition to The Perfect Day. I say official as I plan to create another story for the little adventures that Galloping Waves, or simply Gallop, had growing up. I hope you enjoy this as I did enjoy writing this story as I for once have a near majority already and fully planned and I expect to finish this story.

And as I am not sure if I did ever go fully in Gallop's physical description in the fourteen chapters I already have written, to which I will admen in future edits, but to those who are curious, Gallop is a seaweed colour pony, with teal eyes and light blue mane and tail, usually with a smidge of dirt on his coat.

Once again, enjoy and please leave any comments to how I can improve.

Chapter two

In the night sky of Ponyville, there was little action happening. Of course, there were a few ponies flying here and there, taking care of stuff before Luna set the moon and Celestia rose the sun in a few hours. But it was quiet, peaceful and calm. Or should have been.

“No Soarin,” A voice giggled. A voice that Galloping Waves knew very well that made him rethink of crashing at this place. “No pie for you until you do this one last thing.”

“But Daaaash, your pie is so good.” Another voice, one of the Wonderbolts that she worked with that he knew also, spoke in a playful tone. With that, his ears went back, cheeks became red, and he started to back up when he heard a flap of wings behind him. Jumping in surprise that mother was already here, he bumped into the door loudly. Turning his head around he saw that it was just a normal pegasus flying by.

Inside the house he heard two yelps, a crash and thud. “You ok Soarin?” He heard his aunt Rainbow Dash ask the other pegasus inside her house.

“My pie…” He wined in a tone that was too playful. Ok, Gallop needed to go now-

Turning around to dive into the fountain to go somewhere else fast, he only got off the porch when the door opened behind him. “Gallop, what the hay are you doing here at this time of night?”

He turned to face the Wonderbolt, with tired eyes looking at him. She appeared to be a bit damp, -NO he was not going to think that thought out! with a bit of whipcream on her right front hoof-NO! Bad brain bad!

“I had a fight with mother again…” He blushed, looking away from her. “I was coming here to crash but I see you are entertaining company.” He blushed more, already starting to walk away again.

“About what kid?” She flew around him, forcing him to stare at her eyes. She was a top-class Wonderbolt, almost confirmed to be the captain once Spitfire retired. She was know for her competitive, brash, quick and deep loyal nature. She was a cool pony that he would normally tell her anything that wasn’t too personal and she would treat him like an average pony. She was the cool, fun and sometimes irresponsible aunt.

She was also the same mare who had a hoof in raising him and had the same powers that mother and all his aunts had; the power of guilting him in telling the truth just by looking at him. Sighing, he looked to the side, tracing a hoof in a circle on the cloud slowly.

“Well, you remember back in Las Pegasus?” He blushed, remembering how much of scolding he got that night. Maybe she didn’t she remember it, it was a few years –

“What of it?” She glared at him, becoming the overprotective and strict aunt. Yeah, she remembered it. Oh buck, this awkward.

“My mother…” He coughed, looking at the floor with his ears bright red now. “Kinda caught me –”

“Oh ewewewewew.” Rainbow Dash was shaking her head, trying to get rid of those mental images. “You mean when you were with a mare?”

“What? Nonononono!” He shuddered, that was a horrific mental image that WASNOTGOINGAWAY! “She came in just when the mare was about to come in bed with me!”

“Oh thank Celestia.” She sighed, glad that didn’t happen. She might have to become an alcoholic with the kid to get rid of those images! She blinked and looked at the young alicorn who was backing under the awning, trying to get out the sight of the moon. “And you got into a fight over that?”

“Kinda…” He sighed, blushing again. “Look, I heard that you’re having a bit of …you know.” He waved his hoof, pulling into himself. “The last thing I’d want to do is impose in the middle of… that.” He coughed out. Dash rolled her eyes, no matter what Gallop did he was still very…Fluttershy about stuff like that.

Wait…

“WHAT?!” She yelped, causing the alicorn to jump, his wings poofying out. “We’re just going over some reports!” She blushed badly, rubbing her hoof down her mane and then remembering the whip cream on it, groaning at the pain that it would take to get it out.

Galloping Waves just raised an eyebrow at her, almost royalty-like. “Aunt Dash. I am not a foal. I can put two and two together. I DID hear Soarin talking-” He blushed deeply now, staring at the ground. “Aboutyourpie.” He squeaked out.

“We’re just having dessert!” She squeaked back at him, couldn’t believe that he was thinking of that with her and Soarin!

“Yeah,” He looked away, eyeing the waterfall she had installed for him. “Again, I am not a little foal. Goodnight aunt Dash.” He leapt into the water and disappeared before she could say anything else!

Groaning, she facehoofed as she flew back into her house, closing the door behind her. Going back to where she left her partner, she saw a sight that annoyed her greatly.

“Soarin, did you do what I think you did?” She glared at the pegasus who had a very guilty and very messy face. He still had the pie pan in his hooves, with his tongue still licking up some crumbs. He looked up at her, paused for a moment and then nodded, his tongue still out.

Sighing, she shook her head in disbelieve. “The rest of the pie was for the both of us after we get this paper work done!” She groaned. She picked up said stack of papers; stuff like strange creatures appearing, sighting of wanted ponies, possible places to for future shows, ponies disapp…

“So who was at the door Dash?” Soarin yawned, leaving through the paperwork that they had left.

“Just Gallop,” She sighed, “Got in ‘nother fight with his mom and wanted to crash here. Think he’s crashing at Applejack’s now, he usually does.” She smirked at the pegasus next to her, who was working through some paper work himself now. “He thought you and me were going at it.” She laughed loudly. “Imagine that!”

“Well Dash.” Soarin leaned in, blowing some air into her ear. “We can always make it true.” He spoke as seductively as possible, huffing some air deep into her ear, sending some of her mane to the side. Rainbow Dash meeped loudly, her wings going straight out as she leapt out of her chair. He then grinned and laughed, slapping his front hooves to the floor.

“Not funny, Soarin.” She glared, yawning again. “For that, you’ll be sleeping on the couch for sure now!”

“Aww Dash!”

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Author's Notes:

It's a shame that they lost that pie. For it was glorious.

I hope you enjoyed this, and please leave any comment to how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter three

It was a nice, bright sunny morning and Applejack was enjoying it. She had got up early, sunrise, and was making excellent time bucking the apples. Walking up to another tree, she stared at for a second as she caught a unusual shade of green. Withholding a groan, as she told the squirt not to do this many times in the past, she wondered how to get him out of her trees. She could lasso him down, she could yell at him awake, or she-

With a bit of a grin, she turned around and bucked the tree, sending down the green pony down with a yelp. Looking at the pony on his side in front of her, he raised his left wing to block the apples and sun that fell on him.

“Ah said not to nap in my trees, squirt.” She glared at the alicorn, who was yawning himself awake, lifting the apples with his magic over to her cart while taking one for himself.

“Sorry bout that.” He started to brush himself back to semi-presentable standard with his magic; pushing down the more fluffed out coat hair, making sure his feathers were more or less aligned and that his light seablue mane wasn’t too messy, while making sure he had some dirt on himself. “I needed a place to crash after last night.” He yawned, walking besides the earth pony, who was already walking to the next tree.

“And what happened last night that ya needed to crash here?” She glared at him, softening her eyes a bit. He was a good colt, heart was usually in the right place outside of the occasional prank, but his work ethic was terrible. He almost never put any more effort into anything then the bare minimal and he almost always had a distant look on his face that made it impossible if he was taking things seriously or not.

Sighing, he looked at her with an embarrassed look on his face. “Promise not to get mad?”

Oh this was not going to be good. But, “Ah promise squirt.” She bucked a tree, knocking down some apples. Gallop, using the lessons she taught him when he was a little foal, bucked a few more apples down. He wasn’t good at it by a long shot, but it did make her happy to see somepony to embrace the earth pony aspect the alicorns were supposed to have.

“Pinkie Promise?” He coughed, looking up at her while backing up. Oh this was going to be bad. “Ah can’t Pinkie Promise that squirt. But ah’ll Pinkie Promise to hear ya out.” He smiled at that, but still stood a few hooves away from her. Oh, this was going to be very, very bad.

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Applejack sighed heavily. She Pinkie Promised to hear him out. She couldn’t break a Pinkie Promise. She didn’t Pinkie Promise to not hurt him though. She did want to strangle the colt who was ready to bolt from her at the drop of her hat, but she knew that Luna would be annoyed if she did. Mostly because she beat her to the punch…

“Look ki-Gallops.” He meeped at hearing his name, squatting lower to the ground so he was smaller then her. Good, he knew she was not happy at all. “What ya did was totally stupid. It ain’t right to lie about yerself to bed a mare. Ah thought we’d settled that before.” She glared.

“In my def-”

“Let me finish.” She glared at him, causing him to fold backwards. “You’re still young enough to be hoodwinked into something dangerous or stupid because you were fooled by a nice set of flanks.” She paused to buck a tree. Hard. “And being mean to your ma ain’t right in least Gallops.” She turned around at stared at him in the eyes. “She loves ya dearly and only wants to protect you. You ought to show some more respect to her, you hear?”

He sighed, looking at the ground. He nodded his head slowly, “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” He muttered.

“On the other hoof, you aint a little colt anymore.” She smiled, walking over to her nephew. He was as much as family as any of her best friends were. “You’re growing up and ya mom should expect ya to be more interested in mares.” She grinned, pausing for a moment. “Or stallions.” She said with a smirk, watching his ears turn bright red and bury his face with his hooves. He was still the shy little colt she knew, blushing at the more…delicate stuff. She leaned over to ruffle his mane still, forcing him to look up at her with her other hoof. “You are growing up to be a stallion squirt and ah guess you’ll need time to find out what kind of pony you are going to be. But as long as ya stay true to what we taught ya, ah’m sure you’ll turn out just fine.” She brought him into a tight hug. “Ah suggest you give ya mom some time to settle down before headin’ back.”

“Yeah, that sounds smart.” He smiled up at her, standing up fully to look her in the eyes. “I think I’ll write a letter to aunt Celestia to let her know where I am though.”

“See? Ah told ya to use that noggin of yours.” She rapped her hoof on his head, causing him to laugh. “And ya go and do the right thing.” He smiled at her again and hugged tight, wrapping his wings around her sides. He leaned down to give her a small kiss on the side of the cheek, and started to trot off.

“Thanks for hearing me out aunt Applejack.” The alicorn looked at the Barer of the Element of Truth. She might be strict, but she always gave the best advice on stuff like this. “I’m off for a bit of a walk.” He said with a grin, pulling out a piece of paper and started to write a note down. “I’ll come back a bit later.” He spoke with a wave of a wing. “Lunch at Sugarcube Corner?”

“Sure thing squirt.” She grinned. “One thing though…”

“Yes?”

“Pinkie Promise me that you will not go to anymore bars or such to find any one night stands and that you’ll have the sense of mind to turn one down, you hear?” She glared at him.

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” He did all the motions, a bit crushed that his potential bed hoping nights were over and he was going to have to watch how much he drank from now, to make sure he didn’t do anything under the influence.

After all, one did not break a Pinkie Promise.

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Author's Notes:

Not even an alicorn would dare break a Pinkie Promise.

I hope that you enjoy this chapter, and that you will leave comments to how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter four

Author's Notes:

Now things begin to pick up and the plot begins in earnest. I do hope you enjoy the chapter you are about to read and will leave comments to how I can improve or fix my work.

Celestia had just rose the sun and yawned. She was quite tired from last night episode, with Luna still very wound up. Looking at her younger sister, she was still muttering words and punishments that she had in store for her son.

On the one hoof, Luna was getting a bit overprotective. Galloping Waves was getting older and was not the little colt that she used to know anymore. Sure, he still loved to pull pranks with her on his mom and eat junk food with her and talk about the most random of stuff, but he also needed to find his own place in the world. She did know about his problem with regards to his talent and tried to help him find something that would click in for him with the endless jobs and tasks that took him all around the country. He had made her promise not to tell Luna, but it was starting to worry her enough that she might have to go back on that oath so they could both try and help him.

On the other hoof, he still should try and act more proper. He was always, always lazying about on or under some body of water, always a bit of mess despite constantly being near water, never kept his room tidy with something crooked or out of place, never wore his royal regalia unless it was absolutely necessary and it was nearly always a bit dirty or crooked when he did wear them, always avoiding any court duties that wasn’t necessary for him to fill in for her or her sister, and so many other little things that a stallion his age shouldn’t be doing anymore. If it wasn’t for his physical form and the fact she helped raised the pony from dippers up, she could believe that he was just a normal pony and nothing else. It was frustrating beyond belief at times.

She was also aware of the deep hypocrisy of this whole matter with sister and herself always trying to bridge themselves closer to their ponies and how much trouble they had with ponies just looking at them as another pony and how much she wished her nephew would act more the ponies thought she and her sister was!

Sighing, she looked at Luna. “Sister dear, please, go rest.” She had been saying that for last few hours, trying to get her sister to relax and calm down.

With a deep sigh, Luna nodded her head. “We-I’m sorry for keeping you up so late, Tia.” Luna yawned, clearly exhausted by yelling and rants for so long. “I will go grab some dinner. Shall we wait for thee?” She blinked, rubbing her eye with her hoof.

The solar princess nodded, waiting for her sister to leave. She then quickly wrote a message to Twilight to keep an eye out for Gallop. He usually went there after a big fight, and with her former student and her friends she could make sure that he was alright. Smiling, she quickly made herself presentable and went out for some breakfast. Something simple, light but filling. She was getting annoyed of the jokes about the size of her flanks…

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She frowned inwards. The day court had come and went, the usual business of nobles and politicians asking for something with the dash of the common pony asking for some sort of advice. Despite his lazy attitude and aversion to the court, Gallop was actually very good at dealing with the average pony as he more or less knew most of the ponies in the city by name and experience, he cut directly into any of the noblepony plots due to his ‘ignorance’ to the long standing history they had with Celestia, and he dismissed any of the politicians plots as he was ‘unlearnt’ with the vast laws and regulations they were trying to scam him with. She was envious of his ease he could work the court and wished she had the same excuses he had under his hooves.

Gallop. She should have had heard something by now, knowing how her former student was. Although maybe Flash finally got her to take a day from her duties at the library while they were on vacation. Of all times for her student to actually slack off. She sighed inwards, wondering if fate was going to give her cramps from eating cakes next. She wouldn’t put it past mother…

Going for her lunch, simple and sweet to avoid that chance, she took her time eating to wake herself up more, going near to one pm when she got a very unusual surprise. It was a message from her student, but it wasn’t tied up or smoothly wrapped, sending a worry down her spine. She pulled it out, seeing that was messily written was met with a frown and dread.

It took her moment to read it, and let a loud gasp. Her guards were surprised at her sudden leap over table, sending all the dishes crashing into the floor, watching in shock as she actually smashed the doors into Luna’s private room open.

“Luna!” She shook her sister awake. “We need to go now!” To Tarturus with decorum, this was a huge pro-

“Tia, what upon mother’s name is going on!?” Luna stared at her, bone tired from last night. Her sister was a prankster at heart, but she never interfered with her when she was sleeping at this time and never looked this worried- or scared.

Her sister gave a her a note, which Luna quickly read.

“No.” She said a soft voice, looking at the note with disbelief. She started to read it again. “Sweet Faust no.”

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An hour ago, Ponyville

Twilight groaned, her eyes darting around for the countless time. She had received the message early on in the day, with Spike entering Flash and her room without knocking again. Flash was happy for the request, as he said that they could finally get out of the house for a bit without her worrying about something she wasn’t reading or studying. Of course, he got the glare from his marefriend, to which he quickly responded that Gallop was just lounging about as the letter said. But still, Twilight did enjoy the day out with her long standing coltfriend/bodyguard, walking and asking around. It was almost like a dat-No, Celestia wouldn’t, couldn’t have planned that far ahead.

Could she?

…She would need to get Gallop to agree to this-

Huffing, rolling her eyes, she directed Flash over to the Sugarcube Corner to enjoy this ‘hunt’ properly.

“Think its her trying to get us out too?” He smiled, sitting down in front of her, nodding Pinkie Pie over to get their order. He was getting use to the Princess being…crafty despite all the years living with Twilight and the countless pranks she pulled on them. Twilight comforted him that it meant she approved and was seeing Flash as part of the ‘family’.

“Yeah.” She sighed, smiling at the pegasus she meet all those years ago. “Totally in her to do something like this.” She didn’t know how much she would grow to becoming the princess she was now without him around to make it all so easy and enjoyable. Sure her friends were essential in helping her in making the right decisions, but he really provided her with personal advise that they couldn’t give. He was able to question her, make laugh, want to tear her mane out in frustration, decking him with her hooves at times, just make her days go by so fast and bearable. And it the best part was how natural it felt having him around. She wouldn’t have believed this years ago that this was possible, but so much had changed after she made her life long friends, all the crazy adventures they had and still have, and now she was actually dating somepony! Of course, as they got older, her friends all started to find their own lives more so and some actually left Ponyville, herself included. It was a bit sad in away that things were changing.

And yet, so much remained the same no matter what. She smiled at Flash, watching him in vain trying to order something else with Pinkie Pie just ignoring him and shaking her head, bringing out their dish. She just grinned as he tried to wave her back, whining playful at her to get him something else to eat.

“Hey you two!” Rainbow Dash flew in with Soarin behind her. The two were on a short break from duty, and of course Dash had to come back home and visit her friends. The two of them landed down, pushing the couple inwards. Flash rolled his eyes at this intrusion, a bit miffed at the crashed outing but was fine with good friends coming by. “What’s up?” She leaned against Flash, punching his shoulder, playfully. “Finally got her out of that library, I see?” She smirked at Twilight’s rassberry. “I mean, she goes from that fancy academy and then back to that library to do more work.”

“If you must know, Dash.” Twilight, the ‘new’-eighteen years was barely new anymore- head the academy of gifted unicorns which Celestia had graciously and gracefully gave control over to her, sighed, “We’ve been asked by Prin-Celestia to keep an eye out for Gallop. No luck and I think she was trying to get me outside again.” She rubbed her eyes, closing them to enjoy the heat of the sun. It was a nice day out after all, and maybe she could get Flash to play her a song…

“Actually, he was at my house this morning.” She blinked, looking up at her old mare friend. “Said he got into a big fight with his mom and wanted a place to crash.”

“Why didn’t he stay with you two?”

“Um, you see, it’s ‘cause,” Dash was blushing, looking to the side with Soarin smirking up a storm. It didn’t take Twilight as long to put two and two together anymore as dealing with hormone filled kids taught her a lot about this stuff, and she was happy for the-

“’Cause apparently those two were bunking together.” They turned their head to see Applejack come in with a grin on her face. “He crashed in one of my trees for the night instead.”

“Wewerentbunkingeachother!” Rainbow Dash squeaked out loudly, blushing badly and covering her face. Soarin was just slapping the table, laughing loudly, totally amused by all this.

“Hey, where is the squirt anyways? He said he’d be here.” She frowned. “Any of you see him today?”

“No…” Twilight said slowly, looking at the ponies at the table. Flash was looking confused, Dash and Soarin shared a quick worrying look, Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked confused, placing their food on the table. “Celestia wanted us to look out for him.”

“Wh-when did you get the message Twilight?” Soarin asked, eating a pie that Pinkie had put down for him slowly.

“Early this morning, a bit around six thirty or so.”

“That’s weird.” Applejack said looking around nervously. “Ah mean, we talked around six and was working on a note to tell her he was here when I last saw him.”

Both of the Wonderbolts looked at each other, sighing inwards. “Applejack, you need to us where he went now.” Dash spoke sternly, all of her usual playfulness gone. She was in work mode, and it was not performance-work mode.

“Why? What do you think is wrong sugarcube?” Applejack stared at her friend, a bit put off by this sudden change in behaviour.

“We can’t say. Just show us where, please.” Soarin stressed the words, all that playful attitude that was there a moment beforehand gone, placing the unfinished pie down. “Do you mind if we carry you? We need to move quick.”

With a worried look, the group of friends quickly left the restaurant and took to the air, with Soarin carrying Applejack and Rainbow carrying Pinkie Pie.

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Chapter five

The six of them flew the sky as quickly as they could to Sweet Apple Acres, dropping the two Earth ponies to the ground, with the two Wonderbolts floating above. Rainbow Dash looked at Soarin, who shook his head.

“Look, Applejack, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash sighed, clearly hating this. “Once we get near the area, you two must stay there. Me, Twilight, Flash and Soarin need to fly in to not…” She bit her lips, looking at the stern looking, almost glaring Soarin. “I hope to Celestia that kid is just snoozing out there.”

“Dash.” Soarin actually glared at her. “No more until we know. Remember the rules.” He then shot a look at Applejack, who was very concerned at this point as well, with Pinkie Pie who’s mane was starting to deflate from worry. “Which way did he go?”

“Will you tell us what in tarnation is going on first!” Applejack glared back, very angry at all this secrecy and quietness from Dash.

“We think-”

“DASH!” Soarin turned heavily towards her. “We can’t saying until we know and if it is what we fear…” He glared at the ground in anger, flapping his wings very hard in lue of being able to hit something. “Let us just see the area first. Now which way did he go!” It was because it was an order that actually scared Applejack, because of how afraid and angry he sounded. Whatever this was, it was bad news.

“That way.” She pointed to where Galloping Waves walked off to this morning, into the woodland areas. It was not the Everfree Forest, the squirt wasn’t that stupid, but it was dense and secluded enough that nopony would be there by chance. She was surprised when Dash grabbed Soarin’s head, talked quietly and quickly, while muttering several loud things to him. He sighed heavily, but nodded his head in agreement.

“Flash, Princess Twilight. We need you two to carry your friends. Dash and I need to be able to move freely. But you must promise not to touch anything.” He looked at the Earth ponies, his worry peaking out from his professional mask. They nodded their heads, and grabbed their friends, with Flash picking up Applejack tenderly. They then flew over the area, with the two Wonderbolts sighing loudly.

“Look, one set of tracks.” Dash pointed out, hovering above it in a manner that wasn’t pushing any dust over it. Something like that must have been taught. “Old, a few hours I think.” She muttered, flying ahead slowly following the tracks. Both Soarin and Dash were waiting for when they got around the bend to where Sweet Apple Acres wasn’t in view and then they would know.

“No.” Soarin said softly. It was what they feared. Dash’s heart also dropped heavily and she started to do to hyperventilate, something she had not done since she was a little filly. There was a set of three other tracks.

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Earlier that morning

Galloping Waves smiled as he walked ahead. Applejack had given him great advice and walking through the forest was just what he needed to clear his head. Holding out the paper and pen, he started to make his message.

‘Dear aunt Celestia,

Let me just say I am fine and I’m sorry for what mother probably did last night. I know that I acted like foal last night and I’m heeding some good advice to lay low. I’ll be in Ponyville so you don’t have to worry.

Gallop

PS. Tell mother that I l-’

SNAP

Blinking Gallop stopped his writing to dart his head backwards. Blinking in surprise, he saw three other ponies a far distance behind him, one unicorn and two earth ponies looking at him with surprised faces, with the unicorn muttering something angrily to one of the earth ponies who was lifting his hoof up above a broken stick. They had the strangest packs on them, something he could tell due to Rarity’s-

All of a sudden, the unicorn threw a net at him saying some magic words. It was ancient magic, something that could only be invoked by words and knowledge of the past. In an instant it knocked him over, wrapping around his midsection and pinning his wings to his side! Groaning in pain from being knocked down and being unable to feel his magic, he grabbed his message and quickly bolting deep into the forest, with the unicorn shouting at his allies to get him!

Galloping Waves did live up to his name when he had to; moving as quickly as possible he could away from the ponies chasing him. His one chance was to get to Ponyville, but the earth ponies were on that side of him, to prevent him from reaching the most direct root to safety! Panting in fear, his eyes were able to pick out a puddle of water up ahead. Hoping that his innate abilities were still working, he tossed the message towards the water with the intent to send it to mother, but he was not able to see if it went in or not.

Still he ran, getting close to the south end of the forest and a bit into the outskirts of Ponyville. He was close to escap-

With a sudden tightening around his ankles, his legs folded inwards together, sending him into the ground hard on his side. Looking down, he saw that there was some rope wrapped around all four ankles of his legs. Looking backwards, he saw that the unicorn was coming up quick to him, holding a magic nullifier horn ring in his magic aura.

Eyes wide, he opened his mouth to shout when one of the Earth ponies put a cloth over his mouth, preventing him from being able to scream. Instantly, he began to feel drowsy, slipping away from the waking world. He tried to force himself awake, feeling the nullifier ring being slipped around his horn, his magic further leaving him and then a heavy collar sapped away even more away, which could only mean that it was nullifier for Earth poni-

Groaning, Galloping Waves lost the fight against the chemicals and fell asleep, with darkness overtaking him.

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“Nononononono! BUCKING HELL NO!” Dash swore, loudly as they looked over the scene. They had flown over the tracks, for it to only end abruptly. She looked at Soarin, who had the same angry face.

“Dash, Soarin what in Celestia name is going on?!” Twilight asked for the hundredth time, echoing her friends worries. Something bad had happened to Gallop and they weren’t sharing the information!

“Twi-”

“DASH!” Soarin glared at her, grabbing her to force her to look him in the eyes. “Remember the oaths we took? Remember your duty!” He yelled at her, shaking her. Dash looked at him with such disgust and rage, she was about to deck him right then and there when he continued to speak. “Look, I will go tell Spitfire about this. You need to alert the Princesses.” He shot her a quick wink and smile.

Blinking, Dash looked surprised, delighted and relieved all at the same time. “But what about-” She started but Soarin placed a hoof on her lips.

“I’ll tell her that I simply didn’t think that you would need to tell Princess Twilight about the message you needed to send to Princess Celestia and that these three simply overheard.” He smiled reassuring at her.

“But you could loose-”

“If I get tossed out, then so be it.” He smiled sadly, pulling her into a tight hug. “Go tell them Dash. They deserve to know.” He then leaned in and kissed her on the lips. “MAN, I wanted to do that for a while!” He then took off into the air, heading to Wonderbolt HQ.

Rainbow Dash stared up at her partner, rubbing her cheek in embarrassment and bliss, so surprised that her idol and partner had KISSED her. She was about to let out the most girliest squee-

“Dash?” Twilight’s voice brought back reality to her, sending all happy thoughts away from this development in Soarin and her relationship. “What is going on?”

Rainbow Dash sighed heavily and told them. They gasped, in disbelief and outrage at the situation. Rainbow Dash told Pinkie Pie and Applejack to do their best to cordon off the forest, with Twilight and Flash racing back to their house to write an urgent message to her former mentor. She didn’t bother with proper greetings, wrapping it up or putting her seal on it, she told Spike to send it off right away.

Celestia!

Gallop has been foalnapped!

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Author's Notes:

And now the adventure begins in full! Oh how I am so eager for this journey you are about to go on if you choose to read onwards. I hope you did enjoy this chapter, and please comment on how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter six

In all her life, Rainbow Dash never knew how much guilt could be thrown with just a look. Sure, she had be punished by parents numerous amounts of times in the past, she opened her mouth without thinking to only get the look from her friends or the glare from Fluttershy when she really went over the line, she got yelled at for her brashness by her superiors at the Wonderbolts from time to time. Nothing could prepare her to the hurt and guilty glares she was receiving from the two princesses in the room right now when she said,

“I don’t know.” Dash sighed heavily, rubbing her leg ashamed that she couldn’t do more. Her eyes were fixed to the floor of Twilight’s library, the temporary headquarters of this investigation operations. Already the Wonderbolts had taken over the scene, looking for clues that Dash and Soarin missed with their quick fly over. The official reason for this whole matter was that they were scouting the area out for a new show and didn’t wished to be disturbed. Pinkie Pie managed to distract the whole town with a big party outside, with Applejack, Rarity and a large number of Fluttershy’s animal friends keeping ponies away. “All I know is that this is something we’re told to keep an eye out for.” She muttered, not knowing more as it was Soarin’s job to teach her more of the secret operations of the Wonderbolts at long last! They had been going over it last night when Gallop interrupted them and they had put it off for later today. She looked up, to see if this had changed the mood of the princesses in front of her.

It didn’t. Celestia still looked very hurt and disappointed in her, shaking her head the same way her mother did when she was thrown out of the academy, making her feel even more guilty. Luna, on the other hoof, was changing between muttering several threatening things that she wasn’t sure that anatomically possible, although the Princess of the Night looked like she was more than willing to try, to requiring somepony to hold onto while she held back her tears poorly, usually Flash as Celestia was sitting in front of her trying to get anymore information out. Twilight was still trying to do some magic spell around the area to find anything else out that the Wonderbolt might miss and Spike wisely ran to join the party.

“And who gave you this order Rainbow Dash?” Celestia asked, ignoring the wince. Dash had got close to the Princesses over the years, becoming friends with them along with the rest of her main best friends. Celestia and Dash got along very well due to their prankster nature, pulling a few off on Luna that were pretty epic. It got to the point were Dash actually called her Tia and Celestia referred to her by Dashie! Now that it was back to formal titles and she knew how much the Princess was upset at her.

“I did.” Spitfire flew in, with Soarin walking behind her, smiling at Dash before freezing at seeing Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in the room as well. “Your highnesses, as I said before, this is a matter we have under control and your presence will only complicate matters. Please, return to –”

“RETURN?!” Luna bellowed, scaring Dash, Soarin and Flash. Celestia and Spirefire just stared at her with the experience of dealing with loud, irrational ponies helping them withstand her shouts. “OUR SON IS MISSING AND THOU WISHES US TO RETURN?!” If it wasn’t for the soundproof spell, all of Ponyville would have been alerted, but at the same time Celestia needed to take action. Placing a hoof on her sister’s shoulder and pulling her into a tight hug, she glared at the captain of the Wonderbolts.

“How long has this investigation been going Spitfire.” It was not the motherly, pleasant, welcoming tone that everypony in the capital and in the rest of the country knew. It was the tone of barely controlled anger, frustration and disappointment.

It seemed that it was all that Spitfire needed to crack. “Um, you see…”

“How long.”

“Your highness, um, you must understand-”

“HOW! LONG!” She spoke, leaning her face right into Spitfire’s, causing the captain to sweat in fear. Luna found herself dropped on the floor with a surprised look on her face.

“Years, ok!” She snapped, looking to the floor in shame. “We’ve had missing reports for years now and it’s-

“YEARS!?” Celestia roared, slamming red hot hooves into the floor, causing everypony to jump back in surprise.

“Let me explain!” Spitfire had backed up in fear, her legs shaking. “We’ve had missing reports for years now, yes, but only recently have we put it together as something else!” She looked to the side window, as if to see if it was worth throwing herself out of. “When I took over, I had backlogs of reports to go through. Only recently did we notice a pattern in a number of these reports and these two were supposed to keep an eye out for suspicious ponies!” She glared at Soarin, who had managed to move himself next to Dash, and the blue pegasus mare, who was folding inwards from the looks. “The last thing we wanted or needed was to have a big stink like this, letting this group we know of them! They have been at this for over a thousand year and I am damn sure they can easily go into hiding if they think they’ve been discovered!” She stamped her hooves against the floor hard, glaring up at the Sun Princes with steady eyes.

“H-how long,” Celestia almost hissed back, seething in rage now, fire starting to spread out from under her. “Did you just say?”

Spitfire’s eyes went wide in shock and fear, covering her mouth with her wings and hooves.

Rainbow Dash just sighed inwards. This was not going to be pretty.

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Galloping Waves was very used to lucid dreaming. He almost always had complete control over his dreams, and since it was his mother’s duty to protect the dreams of the ponies of the land, he knew from a very young age to know what kind of sleep he was going through.

This was not a lucid dream, or there would be a lot more light so he could see. Nor was it a normal dream as something would be happening. It was almost like being knocked out, but it didn’t have the same rough feel. Instead it felt when something or somepony put him to sleep, but not by the normal unicorn magic manner for an important medical surgery. This way had left an unsavoury taste on his lips, along with something causing him to feel very uncomfortable and woozy. He reached out for his magic to send feelers to find out what was going on, only to reach nothing. Opening his teal eyes quickly, saw a huge black object towering over his face, a small temporary camp to his right with two of the Earth ponies that-

Oh bucking hell, it all came back.

Trying to move elicited a moan of pain from himself and drew their attention. They glared at him, grinning truly maliciously at him. The one on the right got to his hooves first, walking over to him.

WHAM

Wincing in pain, Galloping Waves folded inwards from the hard kick to his stomach. Looking downwards, he saw that his hooves had been tied properly with a –

WHAM

Another kick brought his attention back to the stallion in front of him, wincing louder, closing his eyes tight in pain. He felt himself loosing his hold onto the conscious world, with the strange thing he felt before making him very drowsy in the wrong way. A way that was beginning to feel oddly familiar…

“Aw, does the wittle coltly want to slweep?” The stallion spat at him, laughing in a mocking tone. Nodding his head to his partner, Galloping Waves saw through a cracked-open eyelid that the other pony had a bucket of what he hoped was water in his hooves. He had to withhold a grin, as these two idiots were about to give him some much need power-

“What the buck are you two thinking?!” The unicorn stormed into the room, grabbing the bucket away from the pony and punching him across the face with his hoof, knocking him to the sandy floor.

WAIT, WHAT!?

Sand? Oh no.

“Bu-but sir!” The pony on the floor whined, pushing himself upwards, clearly in pain. “It was only –”

Grumbling loudly, the unicorn smacked the earth pony down again, using the bucket still in his magical aura this time. “I know that it was only piss-water you fool!” He snapped, rearing on his hind legs before slamming down on the ground. “What you forget is who our new slave is!” He yelled, grabbing the earth pony with his magic and forcing him to stare him in the face. “Even though he is the son of one the false goddesses, I will not take the chance that his water abilities are actually true!” The light brown unicorn with a red mane dropped the pony to the floor hard. Blinking Gallop saw that he had a cutie mark of light bulb over a book that was on a head of a pony. Gallop knew what those cutie marks meant; he was a thinking pony and a very good one by the sounds-

WHAM

Whimpering in pain from the sudden kick from the clearly physically strong unicorn, Gallop was then forced upwards in the magic aura of said pony. He then thrust a canteen towards Gallop. “You will drink all of this slave. No more water will be given to you until we know for sure about your talents so if you spill any you will have to simply deal without. Am I understood!” He snapped, spiting in his face.

Gallop tried to open his mouth, tried to form words, but he was still groggy from the kicks and from what he was fearing was true if he was where he thought he was. He took too long for the unicorn as he punched him hard in the gut, causing the alicorn to fold inwards. “Do you understand me!” He yelled, leaning closer to Gallop’s face. He pulled back his hoof to punch again, but Gallop was able to spit out enough syllables to form a word.

“Yes!” He muttered as loudly as he could, panting and wheezing. Looking upwards, he saw that black object was a rock, acting as shade for them. Looking down at the unicorn, he was able to see past him and see that it was what he feared the most.

Desert.

Oh nononononoNO! Galloping Waves went into panic mode. While he might not know much about his own abilities or what his cutie mark meant, he did know that he didn’t deal with heat well at all.

Rainstorms were a blast, he always felt so good after being in one. He was able to spend an entire winter outside in just his natural coat and be absolutely fine, just needed to avoid tracking in snow or slush when he went inside for the little colt room. Heck, he never had to shower or wash up in his life, as he could just dunk himself in his bath and hop out without any dirt on himself. Water, wetness, coldness, he took all those wet weathers on with the biggest grin on his face as it always recharged him, making him feel he could do anything.

Bright sunny days, on the other hoof, he couldn’t stand them at all. They made him feel woozy if he didn’t wear a long hat, stay in the shade or keep properly hydrated. He disliked summer to how hot it was, feeling the sun bake away at his body like a fish on land. He remembered one time that he spent the whole morning with aunt Applejack in the sun helping her on the farm. He was determined to help her out, despite it being a semi sunny day. He did wear a hat as she was a bit worried about him getting sick, but they put it out of mind as they went along bucking tree. He made it to late morning before he started to throw up, collapsing in pain on the ground. He was told later that he got some pretty bad heatstroke, despite all the cautions that Applejack took beforehand .

Long story short, heat was bad for him. And he was in the desert. As a slave.

Oh bucking hell.

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Author's Notes:

Not sure if I have anything witty to say, so I will just stick with that I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please comment on how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter seven

The canteen cap fell to the side, and the unicorn forced the spout into his mouth, tilting it on an angle that would have caused any other pony to spit out the water or choke on it. Galloping Waves was lucky, and relieved, that his talents were still there and that they were indeed innate. He greedily drank from it, his body starting to hurt a bit less with each sip. Opening his eye, he saw that the earth ponies were staring at him in shock and awe, but the unicorn was unimpressed and frowning. There was a bit of worry in Gallop’s mind that he would purposely force him to spill, but surprisingly enough the unicorn let him drink until his tongue felt nothing else come out of the canteen.

Gallop panted. It was not enough, barely enough for his needs. If anything, he felt worse then before. He could feel all his aches and pains far better now. His body stung with pain: his right wing, still bounded, felt broken which made sense as he fell hard on it twice; his legs felt very strained and tired as if he pulled a muscle or two in each one; his chest was burning, he was worried that it was either a deeply bruised or broken rib; his neck was beyond sore, that heavy earth pony magic collar digging into his skin; his skin burning from the heat of the sand and everything else felt like he was tossed to the ground from the top of Cloudsdale.

Looking up, he stared at into the unicorn’s face. Breathing deeply, he forced himself to say, “Th-thank you.” He wasn’t why he just thanked the pony that just foalnapped him, and the one that also the one that prevented him from getting a full splash of water, even if it was piss filled water, but it felt right to do so.

The unicorn just glared at him, raising an eyebrow before dropping him back to the ground, on his right side. Wincing in pain, -yup, the wing was broken- he looked upwards to see unicorn’s horn glow. The unicorn placed a hoof on his neck, pushing down hard enough to make it difficult to breath. “I feel that you will be a smart slave. That you will not do anything stupid or I say not to do.” He spoke in his weird accent, soothing accent, it reminded him of the zebras. “I will release your legs so you may walk to the cart. If you try to flee, you will be punished. Am I understood?” He lifted his hoof off his neck, allowing Gallop to breath, gasping for air.

Gallop took several, deep breaths. He looked at the unicorn, before he nodded his head.

WHAM

“You will speak when spoken to slave.” He glared downwards, looking at his hoof, probably to see if there was any blood. Gallop was able to hold most of it in his mouth, feeling it drip down his muzzle a bit. He had bitten on his cheeks hard and these injuries were not helping. “I said do you understand me slave.” He glared into Gallop’s face, as if he was trying to see something in Gallop.

“Ye-yes. I understand.” He laboured through that, unable to without hold that building cough and spat out some of the blood onto the hooves of the unicorn. “M-myapologize!” He coughed again, spitting out more blood, fearing another blow to his burning barrel.

After a moment, the blow didn’t come and Gallop looked up at the unicorn. His horn glowed for a moment, and the ropes around his ankles united themselves in his aura. Blinking, Gallop shakily put out his fore hooves, drawing himself upwards, his hind legs nearly giving out. But he forced himself to stand upright, looking at the unicorn who’s face remained stoic. Looking to the earth ponies, he saw a cart in the sand with a tarp over it.

That’s how they got me out to here without anypony noticing, Gallop thought, wincing as he walked, nearly tumbling over. The two earth ponies were glaring at him and the unicorn, clearly the one in charge of the group, waiting to see him fall over. Gallop felt, knew, that he had to make it to the cart or things would become a lot more painful for him. As he walked past the two earth ponies, he saw that one had a falling net cutie mark and the other had a striking manacle cutie mark, both clearly meant that they were excellent at foalnapping and making them into slaves. His mind raced to why the unicorn’s cutie mark was so different from them, as he raised his hoof to the cart, causing his body to tremble. He forced himself forwards, putting a trembling hoof down on the wooden floor. Biting his lip, he forced himself to lift his other front hoof onto the bed. Panting and counting to three, he forced himself onto cart with a painful thud, turning himself around so his back would be covered.

“Commitment to the task.” The unicorn spoke in an approving manner, walking next to him, and staring down at him. “You are indeed a smart slave.” Using his magic, he lifted the tarp over Gallop and dropped it on him. Gallop winced as it was very hot from being out in the sun, but soon found it as refreshing as a cool blanket. “Swift Motion, pull the cart. Quick Hooves, erase the camp.” Blinking, he saw net cutie mark, Swift Motion, walk past him and felt the cart lurch, into it’s proper position. Groaning as the cart moved, Gallop held onto the cart with his hooves, blessing the earth pony elements in himself. Looking into the alcove, he saw the other pony smash the ground flat and move some sand around, destroying any indication that anypony was ever there.

Wincing in pain, he felt the sudden blast of heat as his aunt’s sun bore down onto him. The tarp was covering most of his body, but his face was exposed so he could see. Moaning in pain, he flicked his tail to his side and curled up as best as he could. Blinking, he could already feel the heat working against him, making him drowsy. Closing his eyes, he started to force himself think of his home and family, just in case he got near any wa-

Blinking, Swift Thought saw that alicorn had passed out in the heat barely a few paces away from the shade. Muttering in his head in disbelief at how fragile and pathetic this pony was, he began to rethink how to market his latest slave.

A terrible waste as a serving slave. He would die in days, if not a day, as a public slave if he was this weak to sunlight. That meant either a digging slave or –

Yes, that would be good, very good. In fact, he always knew that he would have to take him to her, but now he would he would be making far more bits from this.

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Gallop had been drugged, to a degree. He knew that he was asleep, but his dreams were void-like, nothing there but time. Which was both the entire length of the cart trip, which was very long, and a second, which was very nice. Oh how he hated being drugged to not have normal dreams.

Blinking upwards as he awoke, he saw it was late afternoon by the sun position. He saw that he was in some shaded area, the tarp gone with his back exposed to elements. Even though he was a terrible flier, he longed to stretch his wings and take to the sky, even though there was no moisture in the sky. Turning his head, he saw the unicorn talk to a set of guards, a pegasus and unicorn guarding a doorway, with more guards down the side. Going into his royal knowledge upbringing, he knew that this must be this was a very important place, either the place of a noble or something equally important to have guards this close together.

“Look Swift Thought, he does look important being an alicorn, I’ll give you that, but the Queen will not be pleased to be disturbed by a new slave-” The pegasus guard spoke, holding a wing to block him from entering the area.

“How dare you think you know the mind of our Queen!” He roared, using his magic to smash the ground in front the guard, causing him to yelp back in fright. “He is the son the false goddess of the night, that alone makes him worth the Queen’s immediate attention!”

“It will be your head on the block if you anger the Queen, not mine!” He snapped back. The unicorn, Swift Thought, turned his head towards Galloping Waves. Instantly, the seaweed colour pony closed his eyes to pretend to be still asleep. Not tight as it looked very obvious, but like a long blink. He hoped that the unicorn didn’t see him looking around when he felt a magic aura grab his body.

Letting out a yelp of pain, he found himself thrown to the stone floor on his right side. It was not paved stone, just normal stone covered ground cutting into his skin and his burning right wing. “Get up slave, you had more then enough to rest.” He barked, stamping the ground right near his ear, making Gallop aware of a headache he had.

Gallop didn’t have enough time to recover any energy. He barely had enough to stand up when his stomach heaved out the contents, the bits of the apple he had this morning, onto the floor. Groaning woozily on the floor, while managing to keep his head out of his own vomit, he looked up at the uni-Swift Thought who had a semi displeased look on his face.

“It took you long enough to retch.” He reached out with his magic again, lifting him up in the air. “I am pleased that you did not do so in front of the Queen.” He carried Gallop through the doorway, an earth pony running past them with a bucket of water and a rag in their mouth.

Panting from heat exhaustion, Gallop looked at the unicorn carrying him. “Q-qu-” He tried to get his question out, his wheezing and coughing stopped him. He looked around, seeing them go past corridor after hallway, finally reaching a doorway with actual doors with guards at hoof. “Queenwho?” He whimpered out, nearly passing out.

“She is the Queen, glorious regent until the true goddesses strike down the eons rule of the false deity.” He paused, glaring at the alicorn in his magical aura. “Deities.” With a nod of his head, the guards open the doors.

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Author's Notes:

Once again, I lack anything witty to say, but I am glad to show off more of my second important created character, Swift Thought. He may not as be important as the pony in the room, but I am very happy to how he turned out and I do hope you will like him too for similar reasons. So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter eight

“Your highnesses!” A Wonderbolt flew into the library to the most unusual of sights. Dash and Soarin were sleeping on each other; with Soarin holding Dash in his hooves, nomming on her mane and calling her my pie, Spitfire sobbing in the arms of Princess Luna who was rubbing her back, and Princess Celestia had seemed to find Princess Twilight’s secret alcohol stash judging by the sheer number of empty bottles around her.

All in all, number two in his list of weirdest thing he ever saw. Not counting Discord, of course, or this would barely register.

“We found something. I thought you might-” He meeped as the Princess of the Sun yanked him close to her with her aura. She smelt horrific, looked horrific and if he was one to judge how a mare was feeling, felt enraged.

“What did you find?” Celestia knew she was letting her emotions get of control. She knew that she should have taken a deep breath before instead of empty every bottle in Ponyville she could find. She knew that she should be the distant, kind, calm ruler that her ponies knew, trusted and relied on.

At the same time, she had made a promise to herself when Luna finally made her way back to her side that she would never ever lose her only family again. That listed grew to include Snowcap, her immortal brother in-law that her parents blessed so Luna would always have a special somepony throughout the ages. It grew to include her former student turned equal, Twilight, and her friends. It grew to include her niece Cadance and her husband Shinning Armour. It also included her only true flesh and blood nephew Galloping Waves. And to bucking hell with all those preconceived notions her ponies had of her. They thought that the Nightmare Moon was a monster that would break the world with her eternal night, they thought that Discord was a being that could bring the world it’s knees with a snap of his claws, they thought Chrysalis was monster from beyond the stars that would plague the land with her swarm, they thought King Sombra was a being without mercy that would unleash untold horrors onto her ponies.

She would put all those fools to shame for those she loved, and she would burn those foolish enough to threaten her family.

“Th-this note, yo-yo-your majesty.” The Wonderbolt’s whimpering brought great shame to Celestia, making her aware of how dangerous her thoughts were becoming and how close she was to throwing everything she had spent the last thousand years building up away. That is why she wrapped her wings around the Wonderbolt, making what she thought was soothing cooing sounds, in attempts to apologize to the scared pony, while fighting away this sudden headache. Of course, to the Wonderbolt he thought it was just the Princess was just acting like a drunkenly concerned mare about her nephew, making weird sounds at him.

Letting the pegasus go, she looked at the note. It was bundled up, the edge a bit crinkled from water damages, torn at the edges as well as teeth marks around it. Something was off about the note, something that should have been a red flag, but she couldn’t place it while her head was tingling like this. Filling it away for later, she quickly opened to read the message.

Sighing, it showed nothing that they didn’t know, but still something was off by the note.

“No.” Luna voiced startled her, Celestia didn’t hear her little sister walk over to her. She was close to crying again, trembling and holding the Captain of the Wonderbolts tight to her chest. Said Wonderbolt looked very worried and concerned about this, as if she was trying to figure out how to escape the embrace. Celestia looked at the note again and bit her lip.

‘PS. Tell mother that I l-’

“Wait, let me see that!” Twilight popped out of the basement, dusty and grimy from her research in the basement. She walked over and smiled. “This is the best thing ever!” She resisted the urge to bounce over as she was boned tired going over the…scene and researching any spells that could help her find Gallop.

With a glare from both of the other princesses and the desperate gasping for air from the pegasus, she blushed and cleared her throat. “I mean, we could use it to trace Gallop.” She smiled, casting the simple spell. It was lucky they found something of Gallop that could be used traced. Wait… was it not working?! She blinked, trying again! It was supposed to work with any object that belong to the person. “Odd, it should be workin-” She groaned, face-hoofing with hard shoes. Which hurts. A lot. “Only personal items!”

“Then let us take-” Celestia paused, feeling a bit hot. She blinked and looked at Luna. “Sister, I think that Spitfire requires to breath.” The alicorn in question blinked, looked down at the Wonderbolt, still gasping for air.

“Sorry my little pony.” Princess Luna dropped the pegasus on the floor, who took a deep breath of air. “I do hope you feel better.” She nuzzled Spitfire, before walking over to her older sister, squinting.

“What is wrong Lu-” Celestia hiccupped, a very strange thing as she could not remember the last time she got them. “Lulu. Sorry, I don’t-” She put a hoof to her lips. How odd.

“Are you sober enough to fly sister?” Luna raised an eyebrow, looking at the obscene number of bottles. She frowned, discovering at long last where her son learned to drink. She would have to apologize to Snowcap afterwards.

“Of course!” Celestia flared her wings, a bit unstable on her hooves. “I would need to have drank at least fiv-” Hiccup. “Five bottles for me to start feel any effects.” Glaring at her younger sister, she felt her throat go dry.

“There are twenty empty bottles on the floor.” Luna pointed out that interesting fact. “And you are drinking another one as we speak.” She blinked, looking down to see she had opened another one and was nearly finished it.

“Oh.” She gulped the rest of the bottle down, whipping her mouth with her wing. “Twilight, if you be so kind as to teleport us? I believe that I have devolved into an old bad habit of mine.” She smiled at her former pupil, who was staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. “And if you could please tell the Kitchen to withhold any requests I make for further alcohol beverages so I do not slip back into them fully that would be appreciated.” She smiled inwards; she could be drunk off her tail and still act all proper-like. A few hundred years of practice finally paid off. She even withheld a giggle when she saw Twilight round up her friends first and then wake up Rainbow Dash Dash Dasher Dashie Dasherladingdong, -no, she must keep focus. She must be proper propair propare poopare…

Blinking, Dash yawned and looked at the teetering, giggling, white alicorn who was holding a bottle of wine in her magic and trying to drink it.

“Um, Twilight?” Dash looked at her own giggling friends. “Two questions. Is she?”

“Yes.” Princess Luna grumbled, trying to take away the bottle of wine without too much success. “Very much so.”

“Ok, and why is my mane all wet?”

“Look to the side Dash.” Applejack grinned. That caused the other five mares to laugh more, with Fluttershy visibly smiling.

“Oh my pie.” Soarin moaned, pulling her close to him, licking her back some more. “Don’t go.”

“Oh boy.” She muttered.

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More heat. What was it that these motherbuckers loved so much about the heat? Gallop thought to himself, panting, as Swift Thought dropped him to the floor. Lazily, he noticed the roof was made of white canvas and he smelt water. Oh glorious, beautiful water.

“My Queen, I bring you my latest slave,” Swift Thought spoke, bowing next to Gallop, forcing his head upwards with his hoof. Looking across the room with a big pool in the middle of it, he saw another unicorn get off a number of pillows and begin to walk over. She was dressed modestly, with light silks covering herself, with a simple but alluring crown that was a mixture of gold and onyx, looking eerily similar to his mother and aunt’s crowns- “He is the son of the false goddess of the night, my Queen, and her consort.” Gallop did his best to glare after hearing his father being insulted, but he couldn’t move due to the heat. He felt his tongue was out, his headache was far worse and he could swear he was seeing little spots dancing around.

“He looks near death, slave catcher.” Her voice was very smooth, like a calm melody. It almost made him want to go to sleep. “Explain.” She was standing above him, looking at him soft, sunflower yellow eyes. Her coat was milky white with a royal purple mane and tail.

“My Queen, when my apprentices and I caught him, I thought it be prudent to make sure of the claims to his innate abilities with water were verified.” Swift Thought spoke, wrapping his magical aura around Gallop, holding him up in the sky. “I had him drink water sparingly; one to see if water did revive his energy sources and two for the practical reasoning.” Swift Thought paused, and cleared his throat. “If I may, my Queen.”

“You may.” She spoke, watching the scene. Gallop glared at her as he was moved away from the two before he was dropped into the pool. Instantly, Gallop felt relieved. Curling up on the bottom of the pool, he smiled as body started to heal itself; he felt his headache throb less, his legs started to feel rested and his chest began to feel to loosen up from the tight pain. Looking upwards, he saw the two ponies stare at him with wide eyes as he lay comfortably under water with no bubble of air rising up. All of a sudden a purple aura reached out for him. Gallop leaped backwards and upwards, standing on the far end of the pool’s water, panting a bit. The aura then grabbed him and brought back over to the two ponies, dropping him on his right side. The pain from his broken wing shot through his entire body and out his mouth, nearly causing him to black out. He managed to keep his left eye open, looking around. Already the bucking heat was drying him out, the headache starting to return.

“Interesting.” She muttered, using her magic to inspect him, lifting his limbs and looking very closely at his body. At times a bit too close, and if he had the energy he would have been blushing. She leaned close to his left wing, and turned her head to Swift Thought. “I see you clipped his wing.” Gallop blinked and tried to raise his head to look at the stallion. Swift Thought reached into his pack and dropped several of his feathers onto the floor.

“I felt it would be prudent to prevent the possibility of him fleeing.” He bowed his head to the mare.

“Despite the fact his right wing is broken?” She spoke, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, my Queen.” He knelt before her. “A broken wing can be healed easily, but feathers must grow back.” He looked at the alicorn. “And if my knowledge is accurate, these feathers are necessary for pegasi magic.” He dropped the more feather onto the floor, which Gallop saw were his core feathers. If he had ever displayed any form of pegasi magic, it was gone now. All he could do now was walk on clouds and there were none here!

“All the precautions are quite impressive.” She said walked around him, staring Gallop in the eye. “This is a very interesting slave you brought me.” She looked up at Swift Thought. “However, you acted in a blasphemous manner to bring him here.” Surprisingly enough, Swift Thought stood his ground. Gallop knew that nearly anypony in Day or Night Court would tremble and beg for mercy if they were threatened with such a claim. The ones he wasn’t sitting in, that is. They would just see –

“My Queen, the fact he does posses abilities that prove his divinity proves how necessary these measure were.” He kept a neutral, respectful tone which was beyond surprising. Gallop expected grovelling, but not this. How was he-

“Yes, and I can see that quite plainly.” She spoke sharply. “But you acted in the past knowingly against our laws.” She looked past him. “Guards, seize Swift Thought. Liquidate his belongings.” She looked down at Galloping Waves. “I believe that he had come to sell you to me. Pity that he did not know how to keep his mouth silent.” Shifting his head, he saw the guards drag out the unicorn. “Now s-”

“You are a fool.”

SLAP

Gallop winced, the magical strap across his back, but he continued to speak. “Only a fool of a ruler would turn away a pony that argues against them.” He stared up at her.

“Explain.” She sat in front of him, turning him over so he would be looking into her face with both eyes.

“In my mother’s and aunt’s court, we have no limit of flank kissing yesponies.” He spat out, the heat getting to him. “It is good to have somepony to willing to tell you are dumb as,” he panted, the heat nearly causing him to black out. “As rocks.”

SLAP

He groaned, the strap causing him to view dark spots again.

“If you are truly the son and nephew of the goddesses, then why would they need somepony to point out facts they already now?”

“Because,” He looked up at her, squinting. “Your grace,”

SLAP

Coughing out some blood, “It keeps them humble and grounded to their ponies. It prevents them over extending their power to be reminded of facts that slip their minds. A pony that argues against you is worth their weight in gold.”

“Interesting argument you make slave.” Her horn light up, covering his head with her aura for a moment. It was medical examination spell, to see what was wrong with a pony. “Soft Hooves, Silk Touch.” She called out and Gallop heard two ponies come into the room. “Take him to my personal slave chamber and tend to him at once. He close to passing out due to heat exhaustion. Keep him damp with towels but do not place him in any water at all. Make sure the healer arrives to tend to his wounds and his ailment.” The two slave ponies nodded their heads, lifting the near passed out alicorn on their backs. She levitated the feathers off the floor, and rubbed them in her hooves, nodding her head. “Collect any feathers he drops. I wish to see a bedding made as soon as possible.” She floated the feathers over, a bit surprised how smooth they felt. A cool bath, just at the right temperature.

“As you wish, my Queen.” They bowed their heads, watching their Queen walk out the doors and towards the prisoner cells.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Author's Notes:

You should know me by now that I am going to say I hope you enjoyed my work and please comment how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter nine

Swift Thought was not a pony that easily got nervous. He prided himself that he could think very quickly on the hooves and that he would stand his ground no matter. He was not one to back down on points he made, even to the Queen.

Still, being brought out of the cell so quickly did worry him. He didn’t expect to be forced to the block would be so soon, at least have some time to beg for mercy if he was one to go back on his words.

Blinking, the guards brought him to the head slave overseer office. His ear flicked upwards as he saw the Queen at the desk, and the current Head Overseer was standing next to him. Immediately, he knelt and bowed to her.

“The entire segment of pegasi slaves are reporting at less proficiency.” She stared at the two. “Tell me how you would fix this.” She looked at Head Overseer first.

“Double their workload, while shifting around the pegasi slaves to new groups. Have a planted pony tell them that they heard worse punishment was coming for any slave group producing less the acceptable amount of work.”

She then turned her eyes to Swift Thought.

“Clip their wings so they cannot fly or perform magic. Then remove the restraints on an agreement of good behaviour.”

“Are you mad?” The Head Overseer, glaring at him. He was a large earth pony, with a striking opened manacle cutie mark. “Dozens will try to escape with that decision!”

“It is expected, hence why it will be known that freedom to move their wings will last only as long as they do not try to escape.” He spoke calmly back.

“How would you make sure that they do not try to escape.” The mare in the room spoke up again.

“I except several would try to escape within a few months.” He spoke, staring at her. “Have extra guards in positions at night that remain secret to elite members of overseers to catch them and make them an example of breaking the rules.”

“How so.”

“By placing every pegasi back under the restraints for a month per every escape attempt, with some slide back possible on the length.” He stared into her eyes. “From that, they will work harder to entice us to let their punishment to be shorter. From that, we follow through on our words.” Blinking, as if a thought came to him. “We also stand to gain possible spies within their groups as to make their punishment bearable or to avoid loosing the ability to move their wings again.”

“What are your thoughts of the other idea?” She looked at the Head Overseer.

“Far too many risks and unknowns.” He glared at the smaller, magic blocked unicorn. “It also weakens our control over our slaves my Queen.” He bowed his head.

“And you?”

“His plan does have some merit in the short term. However, it would require several freeponies willing to subject themselves to the collar without any clear way of reporting back without revealing their identities.” He paused to collect his breath. “It would also require much more attention and overseers present. We would need to make sure that the tales we state are not too outlandish as not to cause an uprising as well as to make sure that they do not expect the true identities of the placed ponies.” He bowed his head again.

The Head Overseer glared at the unicorn next to him.

“If I were to follow the other plan?”

“I would do as you wished my Queen.” The earth pony bowed, his nose nearly touching the floor, missing the quick displeased glare of the mare.

“I would recommend against it and-” Swift Thought was stopped when the earth pony knocked him the ground and placed his hoof on his neck.

“How dare you go against the Queen you miserable faithless-” The earth pony was cut off as he was lifted to the side by the Queen’s aura.

“Restrain yourself in the future.” She glared at the earth pony before looking back at the unicorn, who spat out the blood on the floor. “Continue.”

“It would be a dangerous, short and long term, requiring us to rely on continuous reinforcements of false notions in a delicate balance to not cause a backlash. If the pegasi slave community can be managed in a manner that self contains and corrects itself and that does not require more oversight then what we have now, adding in an extra duty of clipping wings, is available, I see no reason not to enact it.”

She looked at the two for a long time and nodded her head. She looked at the earth pony and spoke. “You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, my Queen.” He bowed, glaring at the unicorn. “I have much slave groups to atten-”

“You did not understand me.” She spoke, walking over to the large earth pony. “You are dismissed. I found a pony that will do far more with our slave management then you. You will need to move you belongings into one of the common lodges as my new Head Overseer will be requiring his chambers shortly.”

“But my Queen!” He started to protest, whimpering at this sudden news.

“Are you questioning my decisions?” She looked at him, staring into his eyes. One final chance to prove himself…

“N-no my Queen.” He sighed, unknowingly failing his last chance to save any grace. He bowed his head to the Queen, and glared at the unicorn in the room.

“You will need to show proper respect to the Head Overseer as well. His word is second to mine.” She spoke sharply, causing the earth pony to gasp softly and the unicorn’s eyes widen.

“Ye-yes, my Queen.” He bowed his head to her again and then bowing to Swift Thought. “Head Overseer.” He then walked out of the room silently.

Swift Thought then walked over to the mare and bowed. “I thank you for this elevation in rank and the preservation of my life. I owe you a debt that cannot be repaid.”

“Your thanks are misdirected.” The mare spoke again, walking towards the desk. “I was advised that having an adviser that would disagree with me would be beneficial and I beginning to see the merits of such advice with your plan to our pegasi population. I wish you to instigate this plan you mentioned immediately and begin advising me in future endeavours.”

“As you wish my Queen.” He spoke, bowing his head as the Queen placed on the emblems of his new office on his coat and removing the magical ring from his horn. “If I may ask to whom gave you this advice-”

“So you may know who you have a life debt?” She looked at him with a smirk, raising an eyebrow at him. She was already pleased with her latest Head Overseer, proving his worth by his quick mind, trying to unravel her plans and words. The previous one would just lick her hooves and do as she wished, showing no creativity at all.

“Yes my Queen.” He didn’t beat around the bush, nor was afraid to tell her no. He wasn’t going to agree with whatever notion she spoke, she knew that. He would need to make sure he did not overstep his bounds and think themselves as equals, but she would enjoy his plans and possible plots he might make up to overthrow her. She was walking past him, leaving his office with one last card to play.

“It was the slave that you brought me this morning.” She let out a laugh, delicate enough to for him to be aware that she was aware of how much a bind he was in now that he owed a life debt to her slave, and thus her now. She looked into the polished armour of a guard to catch his surprised look and smiled inwards.

Oh how interesting her life was now due to her new slave.

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Author's Notes:

Once more, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter ten

“Damn it to Faust, is there NOTING here that works!?” Luna shouted, throwing the picture across them room, causing the six other mares to duck as it crashed over head. The bearers of harmony winced, looking at each other guilty eyes. They had been going through Galloping Wave’s chamber to try and find something personal enough for the tracking spell to work but so for nothing registered. His books, his pictures, his clothes, his bed, they even tried his jade regalia which they all strongly doubted would work as they all knew he barely wore them and vocally didn’t care for them. Nothing gave so much as a blink.

Luna sighed, sitting down on his mattress that was still on the floor. They had thrown it off and even tried his…questionable magazines, which he hid poorly and would be getting a stern talking about later, sticking out from the side. She looked over to the side, watching Applejack fixing the pictures that Gallop left hanging crooked while Rarity sighed and fixed the messy clothes in his drawers. Those were royal clothes that he would have to wear at fancy events that his regalia would not be enough. Faust knows that she had a number of dresses that she would be expected to wear if those events ever happened. Still, he had not worn them in years and how were still messy?

Looking to the side, she stared at the one odd object they found in her son’s chambers. A bag of dirt, from Sweet Apple Acres it seemed, was found hidden behind his dresser. She huffed, finding out his secret to how he was always sporting some dirt on his coat. The bag of dirt did register a bit as a personal item, but not enough for the spell to actually work. Just as well, she could use it as a means to get an answer for why he had it once they found him. She was sure he would be very eager to get it back. He was very stubborn for some reason, as neither Snowcap or herself were stubborn.

“Dash, what are you doing?” Twilight sighed, looking at the blue mare as she knocking on the walls.

“Hey, I know the kid likes to hid stuff.” She tapped and listened to the wall. “I mean, he was a great hid and seeker when he was a little colt.” She bit her lip as she moved past the balcony.

“So you think Gally has a secret hidy hole?” Pinkie Pie said with a smile, knocking the walls faster. “OOOH!” Pinkie Pie waved a hoof in the air. “Here’s a hollow part!”

“Uh, sugarcube, that’s his closet.” Applejack pointed out, only for Pinkie Pie to go in and wave them over.

“No silly, it’s HERE!” She pointed to a stone block that did look a bit off. It seemed to have the least dust on it and seemed to be rough on the edges, like it had been moved often.

Luna frowned, waving the mare behind her with her wings. Using her magic, she pulled out the stone to reveal a nice cavern beyond it.

Only for her to trip a magical line. With a yelp of surprise, some sort of liquid doused her entire body as she danced her way out.

Sneezing loudly, she heard a ring of gasps and a magical recorded message.

“To whoever tried to get into my secrets, I just want to let you know that A) I am heading back to catch you in the act and B) that you’ll have a hard time hiding with that poison joke bath you just got!” Gallop’s voice sang out, ending the message.

Luna turned her head to look at the waterfall in the room, hoping to see her son appear. Sadly, no alicorn hopped out.

What she did see was that her coat was now a mixture of pinstripes and plaids, with pokadot feathers! She rubbed her face, annoyed at this predicament. Her son was so grounded when they found him. Maybe she would even force him to sit in the Day Court as proper punishment and not be allowed his usual means to solve problems that were brought to him. The last thing she wanted was to attend another ten sets of those events. How he always managed to do so with the right ponies, she would never know but she did know that certain industries were dying for him to get to court duties again and drum up business for them.

When they found him, that is…

“Um princess, you should see this.” Fluttershy spoke softly, waving her over to a very wide and deep chest they pulled out of the hiding hole, with the top to the side.

Blinking, she looked into it and gasped as well.

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“So Head Overseer.” The mare spoke candidly, having waited for Swift Thought give out his orders to his men about his plans for the pegasi population. He had presented a new addition to his pegasi plan to the group of overseers; that for any potential spies they had received were to be given very special and important words. The overseers were to, and he had stressed this point out very well with both his words, magic and hooves, tell that the spy slaves that their work was appreciated, that they would keep an eye on the potential trouble makers but as to protect them they could not give them any special treatment as they did not wish for their identities to be know to every other slave. They were told, that after a time, that they would be rewarded; moved to a new group that had less strenuous duties for a short while. Hopefully, some slaves would reject this and wish to stay and help their fellow slaves and root out the trouble makers. A gentle approach was required to dealing with the potential spies, he told them, under no circumstances to try and force the slaves to tell anything they knew and he would personal beat the overseer down that let the potential spy information slip into the slave population without his magic. She was pleased how thorough he was in explaining this, not allowing any to leave until they all proved to him that they could do without fail. And if not, that they would be reassigned to other duties with sharp punishments if they did talk. He also was clever enough to talk about other plans during the whole meeting, so if they were asked what they had talked about, they could honestly answer to a magical senor that it was his new patrols plans as well as several other minor things he implemented to improve the workload, testing it out himself on several of the overseers. After finally being satisfied with the new group of overseers that seemed to her beyond a doubt dedicated to their policy and would not botch it with random acts of violence, he had tossed those ponies out right from the very start, he dismissed them leaving her alone with him. “I can see that your talents were greatly wasted in simply catching slaves.”

“With all due respects my Queen.” He spoke, taking a short sip of water. He had been yelling when the overseers had greatly bungled an aspect of his or when he needed to get a point across. “It does take a great of skill and preparations to catch a pony alone, subdue them, cover our tracks and make the journey back here. This is simply explaining new ideas and plans and making sure that it will be followed.” He did it again. Simply ignoring her words, stating his own thoughts and ideas as if she was an ordinary pony. Still, he was polite enough to wait after answering her comment to drink more water. All, in all a very decent and effective adviser and Head Overseer.

“Perhaps it would be better to say that your talents were not properly placed in your tasks and duties?” She smirked, wondering how he would react to that. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, just allow himself to agree to that as it would put himself above her, and yet she knew he knew it was more aligned to the truth.

“Perhaps it was acting as a means to train myself for this task.” He spoke slowly, looking at her with a hint of worry out his left eye from his calm, stoic mask of a face.

She smiled inwards, nearly tripping him up. He wouldn’t dare to question or correct her words, even if they were wrong in the past. He would try, and so far succeeded, in responding in ways that both supported her statements and make his own remarks to the situation stand true to what he believe was true.

“Perhaps.” She said with, closing her eyes slowly. “As I have enjoyed your plan about this section of the slave population, there are several things I ask your judgement on.” She rose, walking to the door, forcing him to follow her out his own office.

“I will do my best to give you the advice you seek my Queen.” He spoke, walking a few hooves behind her, nearly head to head with her. He knew well enough that he was a close equal, but still a step below her and thus not worthy to walk side by side.

She looked at the running healers, who were still carrying out his latest order. Swift Thought had advise her that it would be prudent to administer the same concoction that he gave her latest slave. It would prevent any dreams, and not to admit that the Princess of the Night was truly the alicorn’s mother, but the residents throughout Equestira had reported numerous of times that a being had prevented and stop nightmares from happening. As such to prevent from being discovered by somepony dreaming of the alicorn, that all should drink it. She agreed with his logic, pleased in how easy he found ways to address the obvious truth of the false diarchy and yet address the possibility of the powers they claimed to have. Others would have ignored them and convinced her not to worry. But after seeing her latest slave not only lay contently underwater but also stand on it as if it was solid ground, made her wary. As her Head Overseer said, only a fool would not protect against chances even if those chances were not possible and that despite how weak and pitiful her new slave was, he did have to get his powers from somewhere…

“I expect no less.” She sang her words softly. If her cutie mark had not been that iron crown she gained after dealing with ambassadors from across the world, she would expected it to be music related instead. Reaching her private studies, she waved her guards away so they could talk privately. “I would like your advice in how I should go about in training in my new slave.” There were a number of methods that she could use, with one that she already knew that would be the best but she was eager to see if he would reach the same end as her. She sat at her desk, staring at the stallion in front of her.

“If you wanted a severing pony, I would suggest hardness or cruelty but I believe we can both agree that it would be a waste to turn him into something so ordinary my Queen.” He spoke, staring at her horn, something he did when was fully concentrating, tuning nearly everything out. As such, he already slipped in thinking that he knew her mind. It did not matter that he was right, but she did find it fascinating to watch him loose his usual supreme dedication to keep balance between the two so easily like this. “I do not think making him the start of your royal harem would be a wise move either, as it would require a fair deal of devotion, drugs and conditioning towards you, to the point that his mind would nothing but mush.” He copied her frown; he did so out of respect and debt to the pony that saved his life to which he would fail if he allowed the alicorn to die in mind or body, she out of interest of what future nuggets of interesting notions she could pull out from his mind. “As we-you my Queen,” He coughed, noticing himself. “Have seen some wisdom from him, I would believe that it would be prudent to keep that in tact.”

“You have not yet told me a method to use, Head Overseer.” She frowned at him, wondering why he was grinning at her all of a sudden.

“As I was saying, my Queen, I believe that it would prudent to keep his mind in tact but loyal to you.” He continued. “Am I correct to assume as much, my Queen?”

“Yes, you are.” Her eyes nearly widen as she realized she had accidently branched a step that brought him closer to her station before, when she directly asked for his advice.

“Since that is the case, my Queen, I would advise in turning him into a devout slave who is in love with you.” He paused, looking her at more closely in the eyes. “I would recommend in pushing him to the point of breaking with you comforting him at every step. He will eventually come to rely on you fully after he breaks if you continuously treat him cordially during and after each punishment. No mater what, you cannot display any anger or cause any unintentional blood lose or he will come to fear you. You must be there to comfort him and comfort him first once he breaks, assuring him that you will always be there for him.” He took a breath. “There is the risks, of course, of this method failing to work and for you to-” He stopped himself and looked at her with some hesitation. She was surprised at this, not thinking that it would be possible for Swift- “For you to fall in love with him.” Blinking, she looked at him confused. “You will be spending ample time with him, trying to get him to fall in love with you and as such you will be feeling the same emotions. There is no point in denying it and there are severe risks in denying it in fact, as it will leave you blind to other matters concerning him. The most dangerous time is when he breaks; if you say the wrong choice of words when you comfort him, you will be under his control.” He stressed that word out, his control. “However, this is the best method I can think of using to retain his mind and keep him loyal to you.”

She frowned inwards; he did reach the same end point as she did and did bring out the biggest potential problem of this whole matter, which did not cross her mind before which worried her. Still, she did want to get the best usage of her slave.

“Very well.” She nodded her head, putting that matter to bed for the moment. Looking down, she saw the reports her unicorns were requiring a new pony for the blanket disguise as one had died today. Well over a thousand years had left them masters at hiding. “When do you think we should place the mark on him?” She raised an eyebrow at him as she started to go through her paperwork, a small bit as she always got up early enough to deal with the large part of it so she had little bit to deal with throughout the day. Enough for her not to be disturbed but not enough for her to be boggled down.

“Tomorrow afternoon.” He spoke with an air of arrogance; clearly in his domain of knowledge. “Give his body time to rest and heal. The last thing we need for him to break due his body giving out.”

“Very well.” She glanced out the window, the sun nearly about to set. She withheld her yawn, eager to sleep. “I expect you will have proper plan for the other two slave populations tomorrow?”

“I have some plans, but I recommend essentially the same for other two.” He nodded his head. “Regardless, I will go through my books to see what can be done my Queen.” That was one thing he had requested of her; his family books to be returned. As much as she wanted to study and examine them as they held ancient spells from the early days of Equestria, she had to give him his own one request. She wondered how much power they had if it was the first thing he had ask her for instead of releasing him from his life debt and freeing him of that matter. “I bid you a pleasant and empty dreams.”

“A joke Head Overseer?” She smirked, watching him leave. “I must say that you should not leave your daily occupation for one of humour, as you are horrendous at it.”

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Luna threw herself into the night sky, glad to be rid of her son’s protection trick. She felt so guilty from what they had found inside the chest, never noticing this side of her son. Out of all the years, they had no idea, no inclination that he thought like that.

She had read his journal, they all did. She cringed, nearly falling out of the sky, the words like knifes in her heart. If her sister wasn’t passed out from her alcoholic state, she would have taken her ear off for hiding this from her so long. She already had thousand of ideas they had missed, ideas that would help her son find out what his talent was best suited for. If only he had asked her.

Why hadn’t he talked to her?

That was the sole thought that repeated into her head. Why didn’t her son come to her or Snowcap about any of this. Why? She had to find him.

She had to.

The items from the box did work, but something was blocking her. She had a faint idea why, but she did not want to entertain it now. So she did one thing she knew she could do to find him.

She went into the sleeping realm and searched for her son. She never told him this, no one knew this but her, but she had attached a leash to her son’s sleeping mind to her own mind when he was a very little colt. It was beyond an invasion of privacy, a complete breach of trust, a devastating secret that if ever got out would cause a rift between them for ever.

But she was glad she did. She could always find him when he was sleeping, always knew where he was when he dreamt, she always knew where he was and he was safe. That had given her strength every time he had ran off to Ponyville, to sleep soundly knowing he was safe with friends and family.

She searched, pulling onto that lead. She would find him as soon as she made that connection, she would destroy and slaughter those who took her son, and hold him so tight that he would never be hurt again.

She grabbed to his end of the lead and …nothing. She found nothing. He was still there, there was another end to the tether but she couldn’t reach him.

She couldn’t find him.

She couldn’t save her son.

She couldn’t save her little colt and there was nothing she could do about it.

Landing on some unknown hill, she curled up into a tight ball, whimpering loudly. She felt like this once before, when her jealousy of the praise that her sister got for her day and nothing for her night got so strong that it blinded her. It went deeper then that hatred and anger towards her sister, deeper then that horrid and misplaced jealousy. It was a hidden pain, that she never told anypony, too ashamed to admit to it. It was the pain that came from believing that her sister believed the same as the others did, that her sun and day was truly better and her moon and night were worthless. It was the same pain that came from believing that the one pony she loved back then had turned her back to her, that she lost the one pony she loved with all her heart.

Luna, for the first time today, started to cry fully and completely. Her greatest fear was almost upon her. And if she truly did lose him…then…then they would pay. They would pay with their lives. She would dive into that part of her, that part of her she banished away so long ago and claim that power she dare not use. She would become the Nightmare Moon and they would wish for eternal night after she was finished with them.

For they would face her wrath, for harming her son. And nothing, not even her sister, would stop her.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Author's Notes:

Long chapter is long. I hope you enjoy it and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter eleven

Celestia sighed as she looked through the trunk that Bearers of Harmony and her sister found. She was a bit surprised that her nephew had managed to not only hollow out a piece of the castle, set up his trap that her sister was caught in –she was happy that she got a picture of it-, but also managed to hid this trunk for what looked like since he was a little colt.

The left side was filled with every childhood memento that he ever had. She smiled as she lifted several silly but fancy like outfits Rarity had made him, pristinely folded and crisply put away by Gallop apparently. She placed them onto his mattress, his bed still in two pieces. She was told that he did have adult magazines hidden there, but sadly Lulu destroyed them before she could learn what he was in to. Simply to know what to tease him with; she had done the same to Twilight about her fascination with large wings.

Smiling, she looked at the simple little books, one that had a ton of recipes that he had learned with Pinkie Pie, with his colthood hoofwriting sloppily on the page with an properly written attachment to it that was far more legible. Another one was filled with endless information about animal treatment, with accurate enough diagrams that a colt could manage. Again, he had simply added attachments with legible copies so he could read it later. She saw a number of laminated feathers and a twig, two things she thought were lost for the ages. His first time moulting, to which Rainbow Dash was privileged enough to witness and deal with when he was visiting her, had proudly collected the feathers for later. The twig, Twilight said with a certain voice before she went to sleep, was the first thing he ever moved with his horn. He also tripped into a mud hole as he proudly walked around with floating stick, but she remembered that day so well, cleaning that squirming colt clean with towel herself. She looked at the tiny hat, the same one that he wore when he got sick at Sweet Apple Acres that one day, the same one he always wore when he was there when he was little. There other bits of his childhood scattered on the left side of the chest, a few dog-eared Daring Do books that she remembered reading to him before he went to sleep, and she felt, for the first time in a long time, old. She smiled at the photo album, filled with pictures and dates written on the back of each one, of a smiling and laughing seaweed coloured colt, aging as she turned the pages, surrounded by family and friends.

Looking to the right side, she bit her lip and rubbed her forehead, head still pounding. Luna had not come home yet, and she was sure to yell at her for hiding such information from her. She already had got yelled at by Twilight and her friends, save Fluttershy who simply said it wasn’t right, for her hiding Gallop’s problems and she was not eager to hear from somepony that could go into Royal Canterlot Voice while she hungover. She would look at his journal latter, interested in the other, more serious books. They were law books, history books, nobleponies genealogy and history books, foreign customs books, books on everything that a pony that wanted to know more the proper ways of ruling and dealing with other ponies in the way that they expected would need. She never thought he would be one to actually bother with knowing all this, as he always balked at her lessons on this topic and just did as he pleased at the Day Courts. Under each book was least one note book, some books had much more than one, with notes filled to the brim on each page!

He had been trying to learn this, and judging by what she saw by the many scratched out lines, struggling to comprehend all of it. The possibility that her nephew had hid a learning disability from her, the one pony that he trusted enough to tell her about his talent problems, was heart wrenching. How had she, they, missed this all the times they had been teaching him? She winced from the stab of guilt, knowing that Lulu had to be feeling even worse from all this.

She lifted the books out, looking at the magnifying glass he had in there, wondering why he would have that. Probably fell over the left side, having some story attached to it. She looked at the bottom of the trunk, seeing a false bottom. Sensing a trap attached to it, she broke it off and lifted the bottom off.

She smiled, seeing that her nephew had left several poison joke coated pies for anyone that got there with enough spells to paralyze even her. Placing the pies to the side, looking at the mares around her, worried that one, maybe Pinkie Pie or Dash would eat them if they awoke. She quickly teleported them into the royal furnace, to destroy them before anypony ate them by mistake. She looked down, she saw that he layered down a protective sheet over his possibly greatest treasure.

She hesitated. This was Galloping Wave’s most personal belongings. This chest held the only things he remotely cared about. This was a grave breach of his privacy and despite this being crucial for finding him, he would be angered to know they found this and gone through it. She knew she would be furious with anypony had gone through her journals during the thousand years that Luna had be gone for. Those were private, painful times for her eyes only. Still, she needed to know.

She lifted the blanket and gasped. She had to block her mouth with her hoof or she would be crying loudly and she didn’t want to wake the six mares around her yet.

It was drawings. Little colt drawings of his family, his mom, dad and himself. Drawings of other family members, his aunts, his uncles. All his friends. But she was always there, in some form, in every single picture. Her little sister, was in every picture he had saved.

“Tia?” Blinking, she looked to she her sister, walking into the room. She had been crying too, all night it seems. She was wavering on her hooves, raising and lowering both the moon and the sun had taken a lot more power then Luna thought, and she had been awake for quite some time now. Of course she would be exhausted but she still was going with the energy only a worried mother could have.

Celestia waved her sister over, tears running down her face. She couldn’t speak still, so she simply showed her the pictures. Luna bit back a sob, looking through each picture, cracking with age. She would need to get this lamented too, Celestia thought to herself, simply too great a treasure to leave unprotected. Placing them back into the chest, she faced her sister. Nuzzling with all the love and sadness in her heart, Celestia wrapped a wing around her lunar sister, diarchy of Equestria. She provide the comfort that she was missing from Snowcap, who was already on his way back from his mission in Zebrac. She held her little sister, as they both cried, holding each other on the bed as the day slowly began.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

“We are doing all that we can, your highnesses.” Spitefire said drinking the tea, withholding a wince. She hated tea and she hated the fact she couldn’t spice it up with booze!

Soarin and her had arrived in Canterlot earlier this morning, to tell the Princesses the latest updates, which was very little. They knew they could rule out changlings as this not their preferred style of infiltration and any of the neighbouring realms as this would be near impossible. So it had to be somepony that was close enough to do this without getting caught or being able to blend in. That meant one simple thing; have all village and town guard stations detain any suspicious individuals travelling in groups of three or by themselves and hope they get lucky. No matter what, despite this group had been doing this for a very long time, they were still ponies and they could still slip up.

She had told both of them that; with Princess Luna looking hopefully but exhausted and Princess Celestia looking regal, but a bit green and cringing at all the loud sounds. They had accepted the information, with some of the Element still here. Princess Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack had gone off to the royal records to see if they could uncover something. Dash and Soarin were flying around, practicing and talking about yesterday when they were caught snuggling. Pinkie Pie, the mare to her right, had already promised and given her some photos of it and Rarity was idly drawing some dresses, possibly wedding dresses… Oh how those two pegasi would balk and cringe at that!

“We see and truly appreciate this.” Princess Luna said, nodding her head and drinking her tea. “As much as I hate simply hoping for the best and waiting for chance to smile on us, this is what we must do to find our son.” Her hoof pressed down on the table again, cracking it more. Every time Prince Galloping Waves was talked about, Princess Luna had pushed downwards hard on the table. Spitefire had long moved past her fear of the Princess of the Night, seeing her as the alicorn in front of her and not Nightmare Moon but she was scared featherless of facing her angry now. “Sister,” Princess Luna smiled, turning to her sister. She knew that smile all too well, the I-know-you-drank-too-much-last-night-and-now-you-will-suffer smile. She given it out many times and received a few times herself by her own mom. “I do believe a nice walk outside would help clear our minds, don’t you agree?”

Celestia’s face flicked for a moment, to one of contempt, loathing and reluctance. So she was hungover! Spitfire thought to herself, hiding her grin behind the tea cup. Huh. Tea was good for something after all. “I am not so sure Luna.” She said calmly, placing her cup down. “I do believe that it would serve to stay in one place that in case any information arrive.” She placed a hoof onto a small journal, which she had quickly learned was Prince Galloping Waves’s. “Also, I believe that you wished to go through this further?”

Princess Luna gulped, taking a deep breath to steady herself. “Yes, We-I would like to finish-” She bit her lip, waving her hoof in an obvious motion to say what she couldn’t say. “However, I do believe that I can do that outside in the day I raised. And for any information about Ga-Gallop-” She spat out, shuddering visibly. “We are not that hard to find. Besides, it is nearly lunch.” She rose, taking the book with her, placing it in her pack, as she loudly left the room, forcing every pony to leave the study and into a bright sunny hallway.

Spitfire understood why Luna and Celestia were acting as they were, barely acknowledging Prince Galloping Waves. She knew that there was literally nothing to be done and if they dwelled on him too much, they would either get sick with worry or do something very stupid and very dangerous. Like taking their anger out on other ponies and considering that they rose the sun and moon and had untold powers under their wings, it was for the best that they distracted themselves before they hurt somepony or themselves.

Still, it was pretty funny to see the solar princess glare upwards at her sun and not being able to block it with her wing. She dealt with drunk recruits, who she had forced to train outdoors with loud singing. They knew that if they blocked the sunlight or tried to block their ears, they would be caught and in a lot of trouble. The same principle was present, and Princess Luna was milking it for all it’s worth, talking loudly to Pinkie Pie, who didn’t need any motivation to be her loudly bubbly self. Smiling, seeing this would be her only chance in life to do this, she fell back to the Princess’s side. Princess Celestia looked at her, with disgust at seeing her grin.

“Say Princess Celestia,” She fluffed herself up, priding herself she was about to get a very annoying song stuck in the Princess’s head when it happened.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG

Gasping loudly, Spitfire nearly tripped on her hooves. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had both stopped in their tracks, clutching their heads in pain.

“What by Faust’s holy flank was that-” Princess Luna panted out, only to be cut off.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG

Spitfire fell to the floor, heaving her stomach onto the floor beside her head, eyes watering from the pain. It felt like somepony had jammed a large burning spike through her head! Looking to the side, she saw that both Princesses, and the two Elements, had done the same. Pinkie Pie was curled up in a tight ball, crying out in pain, with Rarity close to passing out by the looks of it, her mane and coat covered in her own vomit. The Princesses were barely standing, legs ready to give out. She saw, with some horror, that they were both bleeding from the snouts and ears.

AAAAAAAAAAARG

Letting out a cry of intense pain, Spitfire passed out.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Blinking, Princess Luna looked around her. She was barely, just barely, still conscious after that barrage of …things! She saw that Rarity and Pinkie Pie had barely managed to hold on, both in tremendous pain. Spitfire was out, laying next to her own retch. Wiping her face clear of the vomit, dimly aware of the blood that still flowed down her nose and ears, she moved towards Tia. She walked drunkenly towards her sister, with her legs nearly giving out and wings feeling like bricks.

“T-t-Tia.” She spat out, leaning against the wall, panting from the effort of walking a few steps. “Wh-what w-w-was-” She couldn’t finish her sentence, emptying her stomach again, passing out.

The older alicorn, who’s blood gave her a disturbing image that would easily give anypony nightmare for a long time, tried to reach out to roll her sister onto her side but fell short. “Lu-lu-lu-” She panted, head pounding like a thousand ponies galloping into battle. She knew what it was, knew exactly what caused this. But for the first time in ages, both the ancient alicorns had passed out.

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Author's Notes:

I do hope you are not mad that I left you on a cliff-hanger of sorts there as you can hit the next page with ease. I do hope you enjoy this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter twelve

Earlier that morning.

Blinking slowly, Gallop felt himself wake up from a deep, dreamless sleep. Twice last night he felt his magical warning ties being triggered, but he couldn’t understand how that was possible as no one knew his memory chest existed. He had also felt that weird mental tugging feeling he usually got when he slept away from home, but it was distant this time.

But he was at home.

Wasn’t he?

Looking around, he saw himself in small, even smaller than his own room back in the palace, room with limestone walls. Looking at the window across the bed he was on, he whimpered as the early morning sun hit him the face, causing his head to spin. What was going on?

“Ah, you’re awake, my slave.” A soothing voice sung behind him, causing the alicorn to jump to the side. Unfortunately, his leg were wrapped around the blanket and his right was splintered out so he landed on his side, nearly rolling onto his back. The voice gave a short giggle, almost like a babbling creek. “I see that you are not a pony that is smooth on their hooves.”

Blinking, Gallop looked up at the mare, with the events of yesterday coming roaring back, making his headache even worse. Still, he found himself responding before he could think clearly. “Well, to be honest it was the fact I woke up to mare that scar-er startled me.” He blushed, trying to get himself into a more proper and dignified position from the mare that was clearly examining his body again! “Usually one of my aunts or mother would be here to lecture me or threaten to kill you, your grace.”

SLAP

Biting down his cheek, Gallop heard her tsked at him, destroying any inclination that yesterday’s event were mistaken in some form. “You are my slave, and as such, there are some simple rules that you must know and obey otherwise I will be forced to punish you.” She said, levitating onto his hooves, pacing around him like one of his old private tutors that had got frustrated with his lack of enthusiasm. Something he learned from them was that all they really thought could read by their faces. “Number one, you are address me as your Queen. Nothing else until you do that.” She paused, looking at him for brief moment, telling him all he needed to know that it would be a sign of acknowledgement that it was his fate to stay here if he called her that, which meant it would be a contest to see how long he could withstand the punishments until he was free. “Number two, you are not to lie to me. Ever.” She glared now, stressing the point that she didn’t want to be made a fool of. “Number three, you are never allowed to assume you know my mind or say statements that elevate yourself above me.” This time, the look was barely there as if she needed to reminded herself that he didn’t know this. “Number four, you will respond to the name I give you, and nothing else save for when I or my Head Overseer calls you slave.” This was like the first one, daring him to fight back at the two of them. “There are other mundane rules that I hardly think you will need to be told.” She gave a short laugh. It would have made his legs turn to jelly if he wasn’t trying to think his way through and appalled by her attitude and mindset. “Like no escaping is fairly obvious.” She laughed again, walking towards him.

“I hardly think that needs to be said, your grace.”

SLAP

“Oh, and why is that, my slave?”

Biting back the tears of pain, he forced himself to continue. “Simply the fact that even though I know nothing of this area, I do know it is extremely deadly to me. I would need to get large quantities of water to attempt to traverse it, which I assuming that as we are in a desert location, would be strictly under lock and key. To how I, a pony known for his water related talents and needs, would ever be allowed near the location of such storage is laughable as I am sure that you would not allow those guards to let me to pass even if I was to say I was acting under you commands. As such, any escape plan I have is immediately halted and thus my energies could be spent elsewhere.” He paused, grinning up at her. She might have planned some of this conversation out, but she hadn’t expected him to cut this deep into her plans, judging by her momentarily shock expression. Still not one to know when to stop when he was ahead, a fact that cost him a lot of bits at Las Pegasus in the past, he finished it when he said, “My grace.”

SLAP

“The Head Overseer and I were discussing the fact you were a clever pony.” She leaned over, breathing into his ear softly, causing his tail to dart erratically. “I am glad that we are proven correct.” She smiled, pulling herself back. “Now come, breakfast awaits and I am not inclined to wait.” She walked forwards to the door, tossing her head back to him. “If you do not com-” She blinked, stepping towards him, pushing her head close to him.

“Wh-what?” Gallop ears darted backwards, rethinking his decision to do this. He would have backed up if his legs were steadier and his heart wasn’t racing.

“How did you get your coat dirty already?” She was actually surprised. The floor wasn’t dusty or dirty enough for his coat to have that smudge, nor was it in the right spot from where he landed before.

“Um…” He fell backwards, falling onto his rump with a soft thud. Looking down, he saw his chest was wrapped up in bandage, his legs had been given some sort of rub as it smelt weird. “I dunno?” He winced, even for him that was a poor sounding lie.

SLAP SLAP

Cringing from the double magical strap, he felt her grab his chin with her hoof. “I said not to lie to me, my slave.” She glared at him in the eyes, very cross. “Also, that was an insultingly poor lie, and I feel I deserve better.” She tsked as she used a very rough brush from the side of the small bed to get of the dirt, causing Gallop to feel very young and small as she pulled the brush through his coat. “A new rule, one that I never thought I would need to say, but you are not allowed to dirty yourself like this ever again.” She humfped, placing the brush back and started to walk back to the door. “Now follow.”

Gallop muttered something as he followed her, causing her to halt in place. Inwards he facehoofed, Gallop realized that he really needed to learn to control his mouth better.

“What was that slave?” She glared at him, clearly annoyed now. Maybe he wasn’t so clever after all.

“I said, better mares than you have tried to break me of this habit, like my aunt Rarity.” He gave a short laugh before her horn glowed again.

SLAP

“Doubtful, as I intend to have my slave presentable at all times.” She huffed, as they walked out into a hallway, instantly flanked by guards. “Thus I will succeed where the Element of Generosity failed.” Said it with a bit of spring to her step, nearly causing Gallop to scowl at her. Nearly, as he was learning to control himself. “Now come, I do have some paper work to attend to, and while I do like to deal with it in the morning, I prefer to eat before I start.” Trying not to show his growing headache, he followed her into a simple dinning room with thankfully no sunlight. He saw that simple meal for two had been set up, which caused his stomach to grumble loudly.

Taking a set towards the table, he heard her tsk before he felt it.

SLAP

“As my slave, you will wait until I sit first and eat first.” She said in her alluring voice again, sitting in front of the table and levitating a fork, looking at him to see what he would do next.

“You are correct in the notion that I should have waited for you to eat first as it is only proper for me to do so,” He paused, knowing that this was stupid and would only piss her off. Still, he had to do it. Prove to her that he was in control. Somewhat. “As a gentlecolt, your grace.”

SLAP

She huffed, clearly annoyed at his choice of words. “I suggest you eat quick my slave, as once I am done we will leave here to my office.” She began to eat quickly, causing Gallop to let out a bit of yelp as he walked as fast as he could to the other plate as his body would let him, only her to grab it in her aura when he reached it. He glanced up at her. She wouldn’t punish him by taking away his food, would she? She dropped the plate onto the floor in front of him, still in one piece but with most of the meal on the floor. “The servant slave made a mistake of placing it on the table.” She spoke as she bit into her meal quickly. “I must remind myself to properly punish them later.” She looked down at him, waiting to see how he would react; either bratty noble refusing to eat food off the floor or a starving stallion gobbling down whatever he could. She didn’t throw down any cutlery, just to see how he would respond to this further indignity.

To her pleasant surprise, he simply lifted the plate up with a hoof and started to eat it with no complaints. He blinked, stealing a look at her. “If you must know, this is not the first time I ate rustically like this. Almost like a picnic with aunt Applejack.” He gave a short laugh, as he bit more into the meal. “This is a fairly decent meal, although aunt Pinkie Pie-”

“Do you think I am a fool that I would not notice what you are doing?” She raised an eyebrow at him, taking a long sip of water. She made sure he was looking at her when she did it. “Or that it would work?” He paused, swallowing his food and placed his plate beside his legs and left wing, as if to protect it from her.

“To be honest, my grace,” SLAP “N-no.” He bit his lip, his front right hoof scrapping against the floor. “I doubted that mentioning who my aunts are would phase you, considering you must know who my mother and other aunt are.” She leaned back into her seat, taking a slow bite.

“And who are they but the latest line in false deities claiming to be the true Princesses of Equestria?” She smiled as his eyes bulged and his face fell in confusion.

“Whu?” Gallop blinked, completely caught off guard. “Bu-but my mother and aunt are really the Princesses!”

SLAP

He nearly fell to the ground from that blow, his head and body screaming in pain.

“That is hearsay and blasphemous talk!” She glared at him for a moment before softening her eyes. “As a pony that was under their influence for so long, and being the first colt publically born, I suppose they did not tell you those secrets and truths.”

“If-if they are not the alicorns of old,” He muttered through the pain. “Then explain me. This collar and ring would disrupt any magical illusion spells I, or any other pony, had on myself.” He glared at her, stating a fact that neither could deny. “An alicorn can only exist by two ways,” He pushed himself into a more upright stance. “One by ascending by performing a task beyond impossible, like raising the moon or sun, or two, being born by the blood of an alicorn parent.”

She frowned, disliking how this was progressing. On one hoof, he was making good points, and if they were true, then everything her family had worked for would become pointless, especially if she couldn’t find it. Even if they weren’t the princesses, he did have some alicorn blood in him as the ring and collar proved this body was truly his own and not some illusion, making his claim of true royal blood honest in some regards, as neither of the two true other alicorns could be his mother. On the other hoof, if her plan with him worked, then he would be hers and she would have the true royal line in her hoof. Maybe even the next one in line would be her own child…

Smiling broadly inside at that prospect, she forced herself to bit her tongue and to remain focused to the plan.

“Perhaps slave.” She spoke, “The truth of the matter is that little is know about alicorns as only recently two true alicorns have been reported to ascend. Princess Candence of the Crystal Empire and the Element of Magic Twilight.” She took another long sip. Her slave was of course denied any, only to be given when he was asleep or unconscious. “Your situation is…unique, truly different in many ways to them.” She spoke, filing it away for later to properly think it through. “In any case, I am finished my meal.” She rose, grabbing the dish away from him before he could grab another bite. A subtle, discreet punishment, but effective none the less. He frowned, but didn’t say a word to her. She clearly struck a nerve about being called unique or different, one that went deeper to then the truth about his mother and aunt.

Interesting.

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A brief scratch of hooves against the floor with a soft sigh. There, finally.

She looked to the side at pony next to her, ignoring the paper requesting more aid for some trivial matter. He had lasted for decent while, sitting next to her on the floor of her study. She had the carpet removed for this sole reason, to hear when he started to doze off. He had been an interesting…whatever she was to call him. He had thrown a few comments around her, one she liked the most was that the evils of paperwork knows no bounds which surprisingly got a real chuckle from her. All of them were polite and respectful enough so she didn’t need to punish him, and she found herself actually enjoying how his mind worked.

She bit back a sigh, aware of the warnings that Swift Thought told her, that she could, and most likely would, fall in love with him and this was early affection towards the stallion that was nearly asleep. Swift Thought was right to warn her not to deny it, or she would be fighting against herself right now and be distracted.

She rose to her hooves, walked over to him and sang softly into his ear.

“Awake my slave.” He leapt backwards, startled badly. She giggled at this, well worth waiting until noon for this. Very skittish at hearing a female voice when he woke up. “There is one task that you must do, and then you may rest for a few hours.” It was standard practice, giving every slave time to rest from and contemplate their branding. She wouldn’t dare force him to do anything after this, knowing that this would be a key moment in getting him to love her if she was there to comfort and sooth him.

“Wh-what,” He glared at her, his arrogance flaring up. While it was a side she occasionally saw in him, this time it was mixed with a hint of anger, which meant he was going to say something disrespectful. “What is it, my grace?”

SLAP

She didn’t bother to sigh, knowing that she could not miss even once when correcting him or she would lose this important battle between them.

“This is an important event for all slaves.” She spoke, leaving the room with the alicorn following numbly behind her. Instantly her guards surrounded her and her slave, forcing the stallion to get closer to her flanks. She grinned inwards, seeing his blush again. So very skittish. “As you are my slave, I must ensure that all will know that.” She flicked her eyes towards him, seeing him stumble a bit, causing the guard behind to crash into him with an angry growl. She smiled as one her own slaves walked past them, on cue, flashing her flanks towards the now panicking stallion, who was quickly putting it all together. He saw that over her teacup cutie mark was a brand of her own cutie mark, an iron crown. “Sadly, I cannot trust you not to do something foolish right now.” She turned around, tracing a hoof across his face, flashing a false sympathetic face. She knew that it wouldn’t be that bad, only his mind making it worse. “Guards,” She spoke, glancing at them who simply nodded their heads and placed their hooves heavily on his shoulder. Her slave was already trying to wiggle out, with some successes until one started to tug on his right wing. Instantly, he whimpered in pain and stopped fighting back. “It will be over in minutes, my slave. There is nothing to worry.”

With that, she entered the branding room of her palace. Standing next to Swift Thought, she smiled to herself inwards. There was nothing to worry about.

Right?

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Author's Notes:

Again, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter thirteen

Swift Thought looked at the trembling, panicking alicorn. He had put on a slimmer, more manageable earth pony collar on the stallion, which did have a good use to it, to lock him in place with the chain to the wall, but his legs were wobbling badly. As he was the only other unicorn in the room, and the Queen couldn’t be seen to do anything to him, he used his own magic to hold the slave steady.

He looked at the earth pony carrying the Queen’s brand, enchanted that it would always be ready to use, and frowned. This was one of his ponies that didn’t show up for the highly recommended meeting last night. He didn’t make it an order, just to see who actually came. Only a hoofful didn’t show, indicating they were arrogant, like the previous Head Overseer and some of his flunkies, or stupidly unaware, like this pony was. It was…worrying.

Still, he watched the pony perform the right motions, saying the words and yet still fumbled; that his life now belonged to that of the brand and to the Queen, that his duties of his past were gone, nameless until give a new one and so forth. He finished, continuously forgetting that he didn’t need to mention the Queen as it was her direct slave. One mark. He also rushed through the whole ritual of words. Two marks. He picked up the brand, a bit too eagerly, his eyes bright as he stood to the right side of the slave. Three marks.

“My Quee-” He spoke, but his concern was caught off when it happened.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG

The slave’s scream penetrated deep inside his head, causing him to wobble a bit. Looking to the side, he saw the Queen was clenching her head tightly, muttering words under her breath. He snapped his gaze towards the earth pony, who was now on the other side, the far side of the slave, ready to do it again.

Before he could lift a hoof, the earth pony pressed the brand against the flank.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG

Tumbling forwards from the onslaught, he managed to puke quickly to the side, not bothering to hold himself back now. Let his body go through the motions so he could move faster. He ignored his Queen’s scream of pain; leave that for latter. He needed to stop the idiot! How he could not see or feel the pain coming from the slave was bey-Think later! He forced himself towards the idiotic pony when he stepped back and noticed it.

“What the-” The pony blinked as he noticed something. The brands were gone! Frowning in anger, he picked up the brand tightly. “I don’t know how you did it, slave but you will be given your brand!” He glared and pressed the glowing brand against his left flank again.

AAAAAAAAAAARG

The slave shouted again, the pony in charge clearly enraged and enjoying this. He would have pushed further, get it deeper if he had not been knocked down by a very shaky but furious unicorn.

“You bucking fool!” He bellowed as loud as he could. He did shout other things, but after the first blow, he remembered nothing until the guards pulling him back.

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The Queen sipped her tea slowly, looking at the pacing unicorn. It had only been an half hour after the incident and ten minute past since Swift Thought had come into her private chambers to discuss with her what exactly had happen. Of course, something else must have happened, as he did not go into the mater directly, still debating it silently. Whatever it was must have worried him enough that he wasn’t acting like his normal, brash self and come here unprepared.

“How-how are you feeling, my Queen?” He looked nervously at her, finally starting this conversation.

“I am managing fairly well, all things considered.” She knew that a lot of her unicorns were with the healers, with only some just leaving. “And you?”

“My Queen?” He blinked, confused. Interesting. Whatever happened to them really unnerved him.

“Yes. You were effected like any other magic user as well as your hooves might have some injuries…” She broke off that track, letting it end an amused tone.

“I don’t-I mean, I am fine, my Queen.” He stuttered, looking to the side, embarrassed. Not all of it, she thought, but there was some of his unusual behaviour explained.

“You knocked that earth pony down.” She spoke sharply, letting her voice trail a bit.

“Ye-”

“Several times, in fact.” She laughed softly, not loud enough to insult him as it was not her intent. “I do believe that the healers are still trying to put his bones back together as well as get him a set of dentures.”

“My apologizes my Queen,” He bowed, looking down at the floor. “My anger got the best of me.”

“It is all right.” She gave a short, assuring laugh. It was bit amazing at how many laughs one could do just to tweak an emotion or feeling of somepony. “As I am to understand, whatever happened was due to my slave being branded and that fool not only failed to notice what it was doing to me, but continued on the action after seeing it failed.”

“Among other things my Queen.” His ears darted to the side, reminding her of the small report he gave her when he went to his chambers to look through his books. He had wrote a scathing report on the pony in charge of the branding of her slave that suggested highly disturbing and disgusting things, and a request to have a personal conversation with the pony in charge of all brandings concerning maters in how it was conducted.

“Yes, yes.” She nodded her head, getting to her hooves. He watched her like a hawk, she noticed, already moving to aid her. She shook her head, standing on her slightly weak legs. She was still recovering, but she was no invalid. “Those are matters to be dealt with later. The matter now is to determined what exactly happened and why.” She shot a look at him, wondering if he truly did have some idea to this or if she was putting too much stock into him.

“I-I am unsure of what exactly happened, my Queen.” He eyes darted to the floor. “I truly do not know my Queen. The backlash, the disappearing brands, none of it makes any sense if he were to-” He paled, clearly afraid to finish that thought.

“He were to be decedent of one of the two Princesses.” There, she spoke the blasphemous words. He glared at her with wide eyes before composing himself. “And if that were to be true, then you do know who their parents are.”

That got him to smile, one that a pony would give they just uncovered a great secret of the universe.

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The scene in front of the royal doctors and healers worried them. More so then the incident, more than the fact they were still receiving ponies despite it almost a hour now, not even the fact that one of the Princesses was still unconscious although that really did worry them.

No it was the fact that Celestia was visibly worried. She had only gained conscious a few twenty minutes ago, but she had ran directly to the library despite everypony telling her to rest. Lucky she had, as she found Twilight and the other two element passed out on the floor. Both Applejack and Fluttershy both had recovered, but the other alicorn was still out like a light. Right now, Celestia was pacing across the room, biting her lip and glancing at her former student.

“Sister, please.” Princess Luna placed a hoof on the Princess of the Sun, trying to calm her. “Thou will create a crater in the floor if thou continues to pace. Princess Twilight will be fine.”

“I-I don’t know that.” She muttered, looking at the latest arrivals in the private room, Soarin helping in Rainbow Dash, who by the sounds of it was very annoyed, saying she was bucking fine and if he asked one more time by Celestia fat flank she’d buck his head off. She then noticed that the fat flank and said pony that it belonged to where in the room and meeped when said pony walked over to her. Before Dash could say a single word, Celestia wrapped her legs and wings around her, hugging her tightly. “I am so glad that you are unhurt Dashie.”

“Th-thanks Tia-TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash dashed to her friend’s side with great concern. “Is she-”

“Unconscious and for a great while longer, I am afraid.” Celestia spoke softly. “As the alicorn of Magic, this sort of event would be beyond painful to her, second only to the pony who was receiving the pain.” She looked to her former student again, rubbing her face softly.

“What are you not telling us now sister.” Luna glared at her, angry at more secrets.

“It’s not a secret as it is an event that happened only once and a very long time ago.” Celestia looked back, trying to comfort her sister. There were a lot fences to mend now. “This event only occurs when an alicorn tries to use the opposite of her designed power. The universe grinds against itself at the reaction, sending out the pain to all those powerful enough to feel it. As Twilight is the alicorn of Magic, she would be more inclined to the universe’s heartbeat of magical balance and any great disturbance would be painful for her.”

“And how do you know all this, sister?” Luna glared at her.

“I learned of it the first night after I banished you.” She looked to the side of the room after that was said. “I tried to directly control the moon and stars and the pain from it nearly burned me out completely. After that, I learned quickly that trying to use your powers would be beyond me and thus only moved the moon for all those years.”

“Th-that would explain why the stars were in such disarray upon my return.” Luna paled at this new information. “I-it would also make sense why Gallop could never form any fire magic.” It did make sense now. Gallop was able to do perfect water magic, and passable air and earth magic. But fire magic always fell apart for him, the magic weaves collapsing as he tried to perform the simplest of fire spells.

“Yes, but it does put forth the question of how Gallop could use that much fire magic, or why.” Celestia frowned, trying to think what would force her nephew to do something like this-

“Um, your highness.” Applejack looked timidly at her, holding her hat close to neck. Oh Faust, this was not good. “Ah think ah know what it was.”

“Speak, speak Element of-Applejack.” Luna forced herself to remain in the present, her worries starting overwhelm her.

“Well…” She tried to move backwards, away from the lunar princess. “Back at our farm, we do need to mark our cows.” She took a deep breath. “The…pain, ah’d guess it would like an animal getting branded.”

Princess Luna didn’t say anything to this, stunned. Celestia took over in an instant, waving the ponies out of the room. She wrapped her wings her sister, holding her tightly. “I promise you, I will do everything to get him home and make things right.”

Luna only sobbed, feeling more of the fiery pit of rage and emotions that she once felt long ago. Ignoring that power, refusing to wield it was getting harder and harder. She knew what it was, what it meant. Nightmare Moon was coming if she didn’t stop herself from going down this path.

But Luna honestly could not tell if she didn’t want her to come or not, to use that power to punish those who hurt her family. To strike down those who lied to her.

She simply didn’t know and what was worse, she didn’t care. All that mattered was getting her colt back.

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Author's Notes:

Again, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter fourteen

“Fate?” The Queen raised an eyebrow at the unicorn. This was unusually short and brief answer from Swift Thought, which made her frown.

“Yes, my Queen.” He gulped for a moment. “Permission to speak freely?”

She raised her other eyebrow. Normally, he held power to do or say anything he wished, so whatever it was would run against the believes they all shared. This almost got him executed once before. Still…

She nodded her head, looking at him to continue. “As the case may be that he is truly the direct decedent of one of the alicorn Princesses, which means his grandparents are Time and Universe itself. Therefore, they must have let me capture him and bring him here for a reason.”

“Excuse me Head Overseer, but this does not seem like the sort of thing you would stock faith in.” She frowned, wondering if he was a chang-

“Faith has nothing to do with my conclusions.” He frowned at her, speaking sharply now. “I say this on several facts. One of the evidence you and I both observed with the three brands vanishing. Nothing could have done that with such ease as we were the only two unicorns in the room at that time. Therefore, something must have decided to prevent it from occurring, I.E one of those two entities.” He paused, looking up at her sternly, making his case to her as smooth as possible. “Yet, if this is true, then they would have stopped me from foalnapping their grandchild unless there is a reason for him being here. Another fact is the pool incident. Based on all reports that I have received, he is able to travel through any body of water or liquids. He was able to stand on it, yet not leave. He is no fool, arrogant at times yes but no fool. He would have escaped if he could.” He then frowned.

“What problem is it now Head Overseer?” She sang out annoyed, coat brushed the wrong way with how frank he talked to her.

“The problem, my Queen, is now the question becomes why.” He looked at the door where the slave was recovering. He had opened up his wounds during the incident and was reported to have a bit of a fever brewing. “What is the reason for him being here.” He looked at her quickly. “There are still too many unknowns for me to even hazard a guess, my Queen. My only recommendation is to continue onwards with his training and breaking.”

Her lip twitched, showing a bit more emotion then she wanted to. His latest step did make sense to her, considering how her slave reacted to her presence. This would get her one step closer to having him loyal to her alone, yet that accursed affection she had to him was making her very jealous about this latest step. Still, it was good that she wasn’t denying it or she could easily see herself become muddled in other tasks and jobs while she tried to understand what she was feeling.

“Have you thought of a name for him yet, my Queen?” He asked, somewhat interested. He had proposed several names for her to use, all deponyizing but something she heard him say recently got her attention.

She nodded her head and told him. He looked surprised and smiled, telling her it would be far more fitting then anything he thought of, which she did believe it was completely honest coming from him.

“Good.” She sung out the vowels, looking at him softly. “It’s time for this next step of our plan.”

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“Oooo, feel how smooth his feathers are, like a nice cool breeze.” A female voice giggled.

Gallop froze, as he felt somepony stroking his left wing. He woke up instantly but did his best not to open his eyes. What the buck was going on?

“Oooo, it is nice,” Another voice, also female, giggled, leaning across his back stroking his wing. “His mane is so cute.” She ran a hoof down his spine, causing his tail to spasm, caused new giggles from somewhere to appear, he couldn’t tell at the moment. “A bit messy, but still very cute.”

“Girls, I think he is awake.” The third voice giggled, from behind him, stroked his tail straight down the middle, causing him to shudder involuntary. That caused all three of them to giggle, the one on his back leaning across him to push his eyelid open.

Gallop meeped loudly, his face flush with embarrassment and his head spinning from his headache, tried to leap forwards. However, the mare on his back gripped his sides tightly causing him to shudder again which let the one behind him pull him backwards by his flanks. He landed on his back with a bit of a thud with caused all three mares to giggle. Even with his head spinning, he had the frame of mind to keep his hind legs tucked in, although it took him a few seconds longer to do so then he would have wanted to. The girls giggled again at seeing this.

“Oh don’t be shy, cutie.” The one of the left cooed into his ear, rubbing a hoof down his chest. “We have our orders.”

“Or-orders?” He squeaked out, trying to get back onto his hooves. The one that was on his back before was stroking his right side now, which made it very hard to keep his legs up.

“Yes, cutie.” She leaned over to lightly tap his nose, giggling either at the situation or his ever growing blush. “We are to make sure you are well rested and presentable.” She gave it a light lick, which caused him to moan slightly, which got the other mares to giggle loudly. She then back to his right side, rubbing his stomach slowly.

“And we do mean well rested.” The one behind him was stroking his ears softly giggled again before rubbing her mouth against his left one, her tongue darting out to lick the inside.

Gallop bit his lip, trying desperately to think despite what these mares were doing and his splitting headache. He had to get away from them. Fast.

“I-I’m not too comfortable with this.” He squeaked out, his voice cracking, trying to sit up. The mare behind him placed her forehooves across his barrel, pinning him down. She giggled again, and lean towards his horn, breathing softly on it. He was starting to feel lightheaded and not because of the bucking heat!

“Oh? I find that hard to believe.” The one on the left giggled again, leaving Gallop torn between hating the sound and loving it. “Shall we find out girls?” She smiled as she reached for his limp legs.

“Nn-noo!.” He whined loudly, shifting around, trying to squirm out their grip but as soon as he did so, he went onto his still broken right wing, causing him to hiss in pain.

“They have orders to listen to Three No Brand.” That voice stopped everything. Gallop found himself staring thankfully at the Queen, glad she was able stop these mares from…moving his legs. He couldn’t think of that happening! Even if this was one of his fa- “So who are you, Galloping Waves or Three No Brand?” She stared at him, horns almost touching. Suddenly, everything became clear to him. She knew how squeamish he was to this stuff, forcing him to decide to either bend to her will by accepting her name for him or go through…this and win this battle. She stared into his eyes for a long moment, and then grinned softly. “Perhaps you need more time to decided, my slave.” She looked at the mares on the bed with a grin. “Do all that you can girls. A stallion’s first time should be something worth remembering after all.” How did she know?! The seaweed colour pony heard the gasps, delighted at this prospect. He shuddered greatly and forced himself to speak, nearly shouting.

“Three No Brand doesn’t want this!” His eyes were shut tight, ashamed that he allowed himself to fold this easily, on any point, with this witch, tears barely held back.

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The white unicorn smiled at her bluff working. “Girls, you heard Three No Brand. Leave this room now.” She spoke sharply, watching two of the girls that Swift Thought had picked out leave the bed clearly reluctantly, for obvious reasons. They had seen his stallionhood when they came into the room, stealing a peak at her slave’s package when they thought she wasn’t looking, and they were hopeful to have fun with it. Of course, they couldn’t do anything with him as she had not partaken that aspect during her training. One of the most important guidelines was that nopony could put a slave through any task that they themselves did not experience before. As she was who she was, it could not have been done and approved by the observers, thus she could not have any of her slaves treated as such. Everypony knew that.

“Aw, but my Queen,” The one on the left pouted loudly, tracing her hoof down his barrel, trying to move Three No Brand’s legs away again. Her slave was whimpering now, both from his naming and this whore’s actions! “We barely had any time to have some fun. Just a little bit-” She let out a yelp as she enveloped in the Queen’s magic aura and forced into the air.

“My slave said no more!” She hissed out, angry that this slut dare to touch her pony there! “I told you, his words were to be followed as it came from my own mouth!” She threw her against the wall, causing her to yelp in pain. “Now leave here before I truly lose my temper and decided to punish you properly for disobeying me!” She snarled, her voice sounding like an angry cord on a violin.

She watched the three of them flee the room, the door slamming shut behind them. She then turned her attention to the stallion in the room, who was back onto his stomach, legs tucked inwards, and on the far end of the bed. His eyes were tightly closed, shuddering visibly and wincing ever so slightly. His right wing was trembling so much she would need the healer to check on it later. Three No Brand was close to breaking but not there yet.

Still…

He nearly jumped out of his coat when he felt the cold damp cloth on his head. He turned to look at her with fear, loathing and confusion.

“I am most sorry, Three No Brand.” She spoke softly, the words coming out her mouth before she could think better. “They were not meant to go further then teasing you. Rape is a crime that I will not condone in any pony in my lands, free or slave alike.” She placed another damp towel across his back, causing him to relax a bit more.

“So you refuse one evil and allow another?” It was weird… Although there was deep anger inside, there was little heart in his tone. He wasn’t challenging her anymore for dominance, but he was still challenging her intellectually. “How does that make what happened to-” He couldn’t spit out the word. “What happened right?”

“It becomes right to know what you decide is something you can live with for the rest of your days.” She sat down in front of him, keeping eye contact. “As you still do not know our customs or practices, and thus not our reasons for why we do what we do, I doubt you can properly judge us on notions you barely observe.”

“How do you propose that I were to rectify this situation?” He looked at her, staring intently, but head lowered.

“I have several notions in mind, but as you have proven yourself adept in thinking, I would like to hear if you come up with similar notions as I.”

He looked away for a moment, deep in thought. He turned his head back to her. “As I learned about a great deal about how ponies are and why things are as they are from interacting and exploring the streets of Ca-my city, I propose that you show me your kingdom. A day out with you trying to explain to me why this” He raises a hoof to his collar. “Is necessary.”

“It does like a reasonable notion and proposal, Three No Brand.” She nodded her head, his idea seemed like a fair deal. “It’s a date.” She laughed a bit, a small flush on her face was mirrored by pony across her, a faint smile on his face. “This is after you are well, of course. I would not wish that for your learning of our customs to be tainted with you falling ill in the middle of the streets.” She smiled softly, placing another damp towel on him. “Sleep well, Three No Brand.”

“As you, your grace.”

SLAP

She tutted at him, then turned and walked out of the room with a smile on her face.

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Author's Notes:

Well, this is the end of the bulk that I had already written of this story so far. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please comment in how I can improve or fix my work.

Chapter fifteen

It was early in the morning, but the Queen, didn’t care. She enjoyed the rising sun as she woke up, feeling it empower her for the day.

Taking a moment let her mind wake up, she thought of what to do first. She normally took a moment to freshen up, go eat a simple breakfast, deal with a large bulk of her paperwork and then deal with whatever duties that would be forced onto her.

Her slave, Three No Brand, jumped into her mind and caused her to frown. Her first thought was to check up on him and make sure he was ok. She almost told herself it was just her duty to check up on him, but she remembered that Swift Thought told her not to lie to herself. She was worried about Three No Brand because she was worried about Three No Brand.

It did make her thoughts easier to deal with, but she was still a bit unnerved that she was feelings these…feelings for a slave she barely even knew. He had been around a few days and she was already was having deepish feelings for him! She wasn’t even sure why she was feeling this way, besides the fact he was plenty smart, a good conservationist, a very nice coat colour, a bit taller then her which was always a plus in her eyes, quite cute in the morning…

Grumbling as she shook her head from the last thoughts, she needed to make sure she was in control at all times, otherwise this whole endeavour would be for nothing!

Settling to brush her mane, tail and coat into a presentable state, she placed her crown on, a symbol of the two true Princesses, dressed herself in her light silks and went to her slave’s chambers. She wasn’t a fan of clothes like most ponies, but it was expected of her to wear them.

Pulling open the doors, she frowned slightly. Her slave, who the servant slaves had tended to last night with the strictest order to be gentle and polite where their hooves went, was still sleeping with a slight wheeze coming from his mouth. It was the manner that he was sleeping that made her frown. He had moved around in his sleep, clearly, going from the far left to the right, closer to her own room. His right wing was still out and properly bandaged and he still had a number of towels on him, with a few on the floor or on the bed. She had placed the blanket over him when he finally fell asleep only for it be now semi on the floor, with half of it covering the lower half of his back, hiding his flanks, with his tail flicking around.

Frowning properly, she thought of her slave’s build. His barrel was slim, light and almost dainty at times. His legs did have some muscles to them, but they were undefined. His mane and tail was what she looked at next. She stopped and glared at him. His mane was short, thick and messy and tail was a tangled clump at best! They did have some appeal in their current state, but certainly not acceptable when she could clearly see what it would be if he took proper care of both. Which he would do or she would force him to sit with several young fillies and their attempts to make him pretty and presentable. That would make any stallion crack and dress however she wished.

She would need to make him exercise more, as to better define his body. He had the potential, everypony did, and there was no way she would let her slave become a simple show pony! He would be a fine, handsome, powerful stallion, clearly representing her power and position to all that saw him bowing down to her with such strength emanating from his chiselled body.

There was no reason he could not be her loyal slave, gifted with his mind and looks.

Leaning down to look at his face, she was instantly worried. His face was glistened with sweat, his head twitching around in light jerk, whimpering slightly. She lifted a hoof to his head and bit her lip. He was burning up, that fever from yesterday was breaking out.

Again, like yesterday when she dealt with that whore who didn’t know not to touch her slave, she spoke without thinking . “Three No Brand.” She spoke soothingly, a bit of concern trickling into her tone, causing him to twitch slightly, blinking awake instead of falling over in the same cute manner he usually did when he heard her voice when he awoke. “How are you feeling?” She leaned downwards, letting her magic go over his head to see how he was internally. She bit her lip more; he was really dizzy and ill by what she could tell by her limited medical magic knowledge.

He groaned at her, trying to stick his head under the pillow but his horn was hitting was baseboard. He used his left wing to cover his head as much as he could, his right wing twitching as he tried to move it. The splints for it prevented Three No Brands from folding it up or moving it in the slightest as the bones needed to heal properly. His hindlegs were still tucked deep into his sides from yesterday with his forelegs covering his face. His hooves were over his eyes, squinting at her.

“I feel like, like-” His eyes went wide, trying to get up rapidly, his mouth bulging in a very telltale way. Stepping back in alarm, she just managed to avoid being puked on as Three No Brand emptied his stomach onto the bed and floor. Whimpering loudly, he leaned over the bed and retched again.

Instantly she called out for her guards, a reaction she was dimly aware of doing, she immediately went to his side to place damp towels on him again, letting out soothing tones. Giving the order to get the healer and the Head Overseer, she went back to paying attention to Three No Band who was shivering in pain.

She started to rub his back, using her voice to make soothing notes while she kept him damp with more towels. It seemed to have some effect as Three No Brand was no longer retching and was whimpering less now, leaning into her side greatly. She desperately wanted to give him some water, to help wash away the taste but she didn’t dare go get a cup and leave him….or give him water!

She bit her lip with that lie running across her head, really worried now about how much she actually cared for him.

“Great Sun aid me, what am I to do?” She muttered softly, brushing his mane out of his face.

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Smokey groaned as he stepped out of the bar, and glared at the sun, making his head tighten up even more with his bucking hangover making him feel like there a loud music party going off in his head. He would be in trouble once he got back for not returning right away, but he didn’t care. He had received the orders to separate from his two catchers, as it had said the more skilled raiding groups were to go back alone while the inexperienced were to stay together and start making tracks back into their borders. He was obviously quite skilled since being at the job for so long, so he didn’t need to worry about the recommendation from the Head Overseer to stay together.

This Swif Thinking or Fast Idea or whatever his name was being a worry wort. He was going to take his time to enjoy this flea bag town before he returned home.

First things first, find a place to sleep this –

“Hey, are you ok sir?” A nasally voice called out to him. A glance to his left was an earth stallion pony in some sort of guard attire, a police pony he corrected himself.

On one hoof, he knew that he should say that he was fine, just a bit tipsy and he would need to go somewhere to sleep it off. Be polite and make it short. Make no presence, be completely unremarkable so they can move on without being detected by the false deities and their unknowing servants. That was the standard procedures of over a thousand years and it had worked fine.

On the other hoof, he was suffering a hangover and he had little patience to deal with anyone in this state.

“Ah shove it up your plot, you stupid mare of an ugly inbreed donkey!” With a poorly swung hoof, he missed the guard and fell onto his face.

“What the?” The guard stepped back from the passed out drunk. Shaking his head, the pony quickly grabbed the drunk and threw him onto his back. He noticed the drunk had some saddle bags, so after a quick look through, he could figure out who this pony was.

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Swift Thought walked through the palace, annoyed at the distance of his chambers from the Queen’s. It would do more good if he closer to her as he was the Head Overseer and her new adviser to aid her in matters like this. The healer had just passed by him with a frown on her face, shaking her head and muttering things. He did his best not to roll his eyes, half annoyed that she didn’t bother to tell him what was wrong with Three No Brand and half glad that she didn’t bother him so he could get to the Queen faster.

Turning around the corner, he was nearly knocked over by a pony carrying several notes. Frowning, he pushed the incident out of his mind and walked towards the Queen’s chamber and raised a hoof to knock twice.

“Swift Thought, my Queen.” He called out, his voice loud and steady.

“Come in.” Her voice sung out, his ears picking out a soothing tune from her. Frowning slightly, hiding it with an ear twitch, he opened the doors.

He entered the Queen’s chamber with a confused look. The Queen was sitting on her bed, with a small writing table with a stack of papers on one side and a small pile of rolled up parchments on the other side. She had a little bell on the nightstand to her side, but it was what on her other side that caught his eyes.

It was Three No Brand, curled up in a tight ball, next to the Queen who was stroking his mane in very tender way.

Swift Thought was instantly worried. She shouldn’t be acting this way this soon, as what he knew of the Queen told him he she was a horrid actor if pushed into things that she didn’t actually plan for. He had heard what she had done and said to one of the girls he found to make Three No Brand’s naming more effective, and was split on whether or not it was worth the outcome. He had heard how close to breaking he, but the Queen had ruined it by being too comforting to him. She had not dug in properly and made some ridiculous promise to her slave to go out on a date so he could learn about how ponies that knew the truth lived. On one hoof, it was an ingenious plan to get him truly devoted to her by this little date and would have Three No Brand more willingly submissive to her. On the other hoof, she had agreed to go on a date with him because she was falling head over tail for him and was just barely able to keep her wits about herself when dealing with that colt next to her. And what he heard, Three No Brand was a notorious flirt with the mares, had caused over a dozen or so weddings, and it was strongly believed that he should have a matching making cutie mark instead of a water one!

…Did he just think of the Queen as his daughter dating some stallion for the first time? Great Sun and Moon above, he did! Oh, this was NOT good.

Shaking his head, he looked at the two again, and saw that the slave had a very damp blanket wrapped around his lower half, yet he was still shuddering in pain from something. His head was resting near the table, hanging over the bed with his right wing on her knees!

“How are you this morning?” She looked up at him briefly, speaking softly before darting her eyes to her slave who whimpered slightly, who’s back she rubbed again.

“Concerned as I was told you needed to see me about something.” He spoke softer, already aware that Three No Brand was ill in some fashion, and he was suffering some sort of headache. Looking at the slave, he raised an eyebrow accusingly before he continued. “I see that this has been dealt with if I am correct?”

“To a degree.” She spoke softly, looking at the alicorn for a brief moment. “I have asked the mages to create a charm of sorts.” She hummed softly, looking longingly at her slave. Only a few days, and she was this in love with him?! It almost caused his eyes to bulge out at this sight! “Swift Thought, my Head Overseer, I have but a simple request.” Her checks were red, a sight that caused both stallions to look, as he noticed Three No Brand had turn his head to look at her before wincing visibly. “I wish to go check on the progress personally, but I do not feel that Three No Brand should be left alone, nor is capable to travel such a distance in his condition.” She looked up at Swift Thought, using her magic to move the table to the floor and gently move his wing to the bed with her hooves, which he noticed it caused Three No Brands to flick a smile out before hardening his face. She looked up at him and she took a shallow breath to ready herself. “I would like you to watch over him in my place, as I feel that I can trust you to fulfil your life debt to my slave in case any harm were to come to him with prompt action above any other pony in my service.”

“Of course, my Queen.” He bowed, frowning inwards at that little blow against him. She had deliberately let Three No Brand know about his life debt, giving the slave some potential leverage against him and weakening his own power over the slave. And let her stand above the both of them.

Clever girl.

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